Luke chuckled at how insistent she was. "Being stubborn is indeed one of your strong points. Luca, if you're caught and controlled by my business enemies, I'm not worried at all that theyāll find out about my secrets.""Huh?" Luca asked subconsciously."You're stubborn. I know that you won't say anything no matter what they do to you," Luke said.Of course, he just said this for the sake of it.He would never put Luca in a dangerous situation again.Luca lowered her gaze helplessly. She thought that he was being sarcastic. āHow could that be possible. I just betrayed youā¦ā"Mr. Crawford, you can't be so absolute with your beliefs." Her voice trembled slightly."I believe in you." Luke's voice was sonorous and powerful. His words touched her.Luca felt that she was about to lose her hold. The wall that was built brick by brick suddenly collapsed. She lowered her head and said, "Mr. Crawford, I'll return to my room to put down these things.""Mm, let's go to the restaurant to ea
"There are two boxes on the upper left cabinet. I just made them two days ago. You should smoke less. Although the cigars have been extracted, theyāre still not good for your health if you smoke too much." Shanks' tone was cold as he shook the liquid in the test tube nonchalantly.When he heard that, Abel stood up and opened the cabinet, where he saw two ready-made boxes of cigars. The corners of his mouth turned into a smile in satisfaction.Since Kassy passed away, his only pleasures in life were money, cigars, and alcohol.He got two of the three, so he was very satisfied."If I can't smoke as much as I like, then it's better to just let me die. I'll transfer the money to you later." Abel took out a cigar and lit it.The cigars were made by Shanks, so he had to pay him.Shanks knew that it was pointless trying to change Abelās mind, so he just agreed with it for the sake of it.After all, Abel, both before and then, was not someone who could be persuaded.Abel sighed. "I mad
Eler was envious of how Shanks pampered Nyla.On the Island of Despair, except for Nyla, only the seriously injured could get Shanks' attention.Eler snapped out of it as these should not be her desires. All she needed to focus on was taking care of Nyla and protecting her.She walked over, lowered her head, and dared not look at Shanks as she said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Shanks. I didn't keep a close eye on Kathryn."Shanks looked at her. His gaze was cold and without a trace of warmth. "You didnāt take good care of her. Do you know how dangerous it is to let her run around in the corridor?"Those on the Island of Despair were not good people. It was easy for Nyla to bump into and irk these people if she walked around like that.He could help her this time but not all the time.If he left the island and Nyla bumped into someone, he doubted that Eler could protect her.Eler's heart shuddered. Every time Shanks talked to her that much, he would be blaming her for not taking good care o
Nyla knew that Eler would not get angry with her. She said cheekily, "Eler, Iām sorry. I'll never say such things again.""Okay, I forgive you this time." Eler pinched the tip of her nose and smiled.Nyla put the glass of water aside, hugged her arm, and muttered, "Eler, I miss Mommy so much."Eler patted her head and assured her, saying, "I'm looking for a chance. Give it some time and we can have a video call with her.""When will she be back?" Eler asked her with wide eyes."Itāll be soon. Sheāll be back when she finishes her mission." Eler coaxed her."I hope Mommy can come back soon. I miss her." Nyla leaned on her shoulder and said, feeling aggrieved.Eler stroked her head.It was important for parents to be by their kidsā side as they grew up.Unfortunately, Nyla's father still did not know the existence of Nyla while Luca was forced to go out to perform missions.Meanwhile, on the other hand.Luca arrived at the nearby stronghold. Although it was nearby, it was also
Luca did not want to wait until she got back to the hotel to inform Luke because he was in a dire situation.Abel's men were already preparing to make a move on Luke at any time, so she immediately picked up her phone and called Amur.When the call was connected, Luca did not bother with small talk and immediately jumped straight into it. "Amur, I need your help.""What happened? Are you okay?" Amur could not help but panic when he heard her serious and anxious tone. āWhat happened to her in Russia?āLuca took a deep breath and let out a frosty breath. "I'm fine. Nothing happened. However, I just overheard that the Island of Despair is going to hurt Luke. I need your help."āIt's that man again?!āLuca was calm even when she was injured. She was so flustered only when the man was in trouble. Amur did not want to help Luke."I'm not in Russia. How can I help you..." he said deliberately.He had wanted to go to Russia with Luca, but she would not let him. Hence, he could only wai
Gale could not read his lips to make out what he was saying because the car was in the way.He frowned when he saw the car leaving. The license plate was half-covered. He picked up the walkie-talkie and said, "Is Rain there?""Yes," Rain replied."A Mercedes-Benz Unimog. The front part of the license plate number is P425, and the back part is covered. I'm following it now. Drive here and take over. I have to complete the task that the boss assigned me." Gale drove and slowly followed behind the black SUV."Got it," Rain replied.Three minutes later, Gale saw Rain's car coming out of the corner."Iāll follow them. You can go to complete your task now." Rain's voice came from the walkie-talkie.Gale said, "There are at least two people in the car on top of the driver. There may be weapons on them. Make sure you stay safe.""Understood. Don't worry," Rain replied.Gale stepped on the gas and overtook the off-roader, lest they had any suspicions.At the same time, he also paid at
Jason understood him. He stood behind Luke and was ready to push him out of there at any time.Luke opted to put his safety aside to ensure that Luca would not leave. He even asked everyone to follow Luca to ensure that she would not disappear into thin air.Jason could tell that his boss' love for Luca was engraved on his bones and inscribed on his heart.All he could think about was whether Luca would leave him, not whether he would encounter any danger. Otherwise, he would not have allocated all the manpower to her and left no one by his side.Luke's phone rang. In the private room, the ringing was like a warning bell, stimulating everyoneās nerves.Jason could not help but wipe the sweat from his forehead. It was the first time he had been so nervous.He held his breath, watching Luke pick up the phone.The call was from Rain."Boss, where are you now?" Rain asked."I'm in a restaurant," Luke answered truthfully. He did not plan to tell her about the email he received so t
"Who is this on the phone?" Hansen looked at Luke, confused."This is my friend, Rain. Sheās following their car right now. Those men in the car are likely coming for me," Luke said. Although Gale and Rain always called him āBossā, they had gone through life and death together. Hence, he did not see them as his subordinates.Rain heard Luke and was moved. That was why she and Gale had been so loyal to him.Hansen wondered how they knew that the people in the car were coming for him since they had not arrived yet. Anyway, Ray had given an order to protect Luke, so he said, "Okay, Ms. Rain, got it. Follow them and protect yourself."Rain let out a hum and followed behind the off-road vehicle. She glanced at the map. They were getting closer and closer to the restaurant.Since the men sent by Ray had arrived at the scene, they won in numbers. They were skilled too, so she was relieved.When Hansen walked in from the door, he had observed the layout of the restaurant and found that i
āAs long as he stays out of your sight, I wonāt make a move,ā said Ray.If Gordan were not one of Lukeās pals, he would have been long gone.Anyone who dared to mess with someone Ray cherished would not be let off easily. The only reason Gordan was still breathing was thanks to Luke.āAlright, Ray. Just let it go. Iāve moved on and started a new life. Plus, Iām studying at Capital University. We have mutual friends, so running into him is inevitable. If that happens, weāll just be strangers. Thereās no need to step in for me or act impulsively.ā Just as Vivian finished speaking, the doorbell rang.āIs it the clothes delivery?ā asked Ray.āNo, while you were talking with Mr. Crawford, I asked someone to buy some medicinal cream. The ones here work better than the ones in Russia. A little massage with it should help you heal faster,ā Vivian said, grabbing a mask and hat before heading to the door.āMiss, is the boss alright?ā asked one of Rayās subordinates.āHeās fine. Did you ge
When Ray heard that there was a 90% chance of success, he could not help but ask, āCan you walk me through your plan?āāThe prison where Kassy is being held actually has an underground passage. Iāve already spoken with the prison officials, and we can use that passage to transport her out. It connects to the sewage system, which leads directly to another detention facility. "The only catch is that this facilityās underground pipes donāt connect to the outside world, so the remaining 10% risk lies in moving Kassy onto the main road and securing her at the new location.āThis whole operation can be done without anyone noticing, which is why Iām confident itāll work.ā As Luke explained, he pulled out a detailed map of the sewer system. āHereās the layout I had someone retrieve. This is the starting point, and this is the destination. If we take this route, we can move Kassy without alerting Abelās people.āAbelās men were keeping a constant watch outside the prison now. That was prec
Luke had no idea what kind of mindset the person who poisoned Vivian had. However, he found Gordanās current behavior quite intriguing.āLuke, whatās with that look?ā Gordan felt uneasy under his gaze.āYou seem pretty concerned about Vivian,ā Luke leaned back on the couch and said thoughtfully.Gordan froze for a moment before laughing it off. āWhat? No way! Why would I care about her? Come on, Luke, donāt say stuff like that. If she hears it, she might start getting ideas.āLuke could not be bothered to expose his act and got straight to the point. āWhy are you here?āāSpeaking of that, I almost got sidetracked by that woman.ā Gordan quickly pulled out his phone, grimacing. āMan, Ray really didnāt hold back. I need to get some treatment for these bruises later.āLuke took the phone and tried to unlock it. It needed a passcode. He handed it back. āUnlock it.āāAll set, boss.ā Gordan unlocked the phone and went back to pressing an ice pack against his face.Luke scanned the scr
It was the sound of a body slamming onto the ground.Gordanās furious curses rang out. āDamn it! You're really going all out, huh? Do you think I'm scared of you?āAnother loud thud followed.Vivian frowned. What the hell were they doing? Were they really going to fight until one of them won?Both of them were skilled fighters. If they kept this up, neither would walk away unscathed.āEnough!ā shouted Vivian.The two men locked in the fight froze for a moment.āVivian, stay out of this. Iām beating him to a pulp today,ā growled Ray, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. He was not in great shape, but neither was Gordan.āRay, I donāt want to see him,ā said Vivian. She did not want Ray fighting him. It was not to protect Gordan but because she did not want Ray getting hurt.Also, she definitely did not want Gordan to see her like this. She could already picture his smug face, his sarcastic remarks and his gloating.āFine. If you donāt want to see him, Iāll just beat
After returning to the hotel from the hospital, Vivian felt much better.To her, the fact that Ray had taken her to the hospital meant there was hope for the future, which lifted her spirits. She picked up an apple from the fruit platter the hotel had provided and took a bite.āRay, this apple is really good. Want to try one?ā asked Vivian.Ray shook his head. āYou go ahead. By the way, can I take a look at the luggage you brought from Russia?āVivian nodded. āI only hung up my clothes. Everything else is still in the suitcase. You can just take the things out.āRay walked into the bedroom, pulled out her suitcase, and opened it. Inside were just books and a few other small items, nothing unusual.āYou didn't bring any food with you?ā asked Ray.āI havenāt really been in the mood, but the food here is way better than Russian food, so I didn't feel the need to bring anything.ā Vivianās tone was lighthearted now that she was in a better mood.āThat's true.ā Ray agreed, then asked
Ray's tone turned serious. āAlright, I'll make the arrangements immediately. Dr. Craw, once the toxicology report is out, weāll still need your help.āāFor toxicology cases like this, I recommend combining both modern medicine and traditional herbal medicine. Donāt worry, if I can help, I definitely will,ā Luca assured him.āAlright, thank you.ā Ray expressed his gratitude and ended the call before updating Luke on the situation.Luke reassured him, saying, āIf Vivian was really poisoned, donāt worry. Previously, Luca discovered that her biological mother had been poisoned with a slow-acting toxin. She prescribed herbal medicine and used purely traditional herbal medicine to detoxify her. It didnāt take long for all the toxins to be expelled, and her health fully recovered. So, rest assured. If itās something she can fix, sheāll do everything she can.āBesides, once we identify the exact problem, the doctors will be able to step in and help, right?āāYes. Thank you both in advance
Gerald walked over. āMs. Sanchez, what's wrong?āHe was eager to get back upstairs and stash his cigarettes before someone noticed and took them.Hera yanked open his bag, glanced at the cigarette brand, and scoffed. āI thought it was some expensive brand. But it's just this? And youāre acting all deferential to her over this?āGerald was rendered speechless. āI knew Ms. Craw was going out, so I asked her to bring these back for me. This is the brand Iām used to. Maybe itās not expensive to you, but for me, itās what I can afford.āRealizing she had misspoken, Hera felt a bit awkward. She quickly changed the topic. āStill, is a pack of cigarettes really worth you being so grateful to Luca? How much could it have cost?āāItās not about the money,ā replied Gerald. āIt's just a nice surprise. I never expected to get anything out of helping Ms. Craw, and this kind of unexpected gift has nothing to do with the price. Besides, I'm not being overly grateful. I'm just happy.āHe was ba
Lucaās lips were already swollen and flushed from Luke's kisses.That deep shade of red, reflected in Lukeās eyes, was utterly captivating. It tugged at his nerves, stirring an uncontrollable desire within him.At that moment, he had only one thought, and it was to completely lose himself in her.ā¦The two of them stepped out of the bedroom.Vivian quickly turned her back and greeted Luke when he saw him coming out, āHello, Mr. Crawford.āāVivian, donāt worry. Everything will get better,ā replied Luke.Vivian simply hummed in response.Ray gave them a grateful nod as Luke took Lucaās hand and led her away.It was only after hearing the door close that Vivian finally turned back around.Ray glanced at her and said, āVivian, theyāre your friends. You donāt have to act this way around them. They wonāt judge you.āāI know they wonātā¦ā Vivian let out a soft sigh. āI just feel like I look terrifying right now. I didnāt want to scare them, so I avoided facing them directly. But itā
āI once treated someone who had been slowly poisoned over a long period of time. Their pulse was similar to Vivianās. Given that your family has good genetics, yet Vivian is different from the rest of you, and her skin improved after leaving her original environment, all of this confirms my suspicion.āCould it be that someone in your family has been poisoning Vivian? That would explain why her skin ended up like this.āāIf she really has been poisoned, then would staying away from that environment or identifying the person responsible help her get better?ā asked Ray.Luca shook her head.āThe poison Iāve encountered before was a slow-acting toxin that kept the victimās skin dark. I donāt know exactly what it was, but long-term exposure to any poison has an effect on the body. It's just a suspicion now. I need to consult someone I know. And honestly, I canāt be sure whatās really causing Vivianās condition.āIs her skin deteriorating so quickly because she was poisoned once more a