โCan we not celebrate the new year in Crawford Manor this year?โ Lanie, who had always been quiet, suddenly spoke.Lanie was not afraid of Allisonโs appearance, but he did not like noisy places. Luca shook her head and replied, โIโm afraid not. Old Master Crawford already asked all of you to go back on New Yearโs Eve.โโAhโฆโ Rainie cried out and lowered her head.They loved their great-grandpa, but they did not like it when Susan and Allison were at each otherโs throats.The kids were not as innocent and naive as they were before. They knew once Allison came back, she would definitely return to Crawford Manor.โRainieโฆโ Tommy looked at her, asking for help. They lost their appetite when they heard that their grandmother would be coming back and they would have to return to Crawford Manor on New Yearโs Eve.โEat your dinner first. Perhaps itโs not as bad as you think.โ Luca convinced them.The kids were no longer in the mood for their dinner anymore.They did not hate Allison.
Sophian had already figured out what kind of person Allison was, so she said, โMs. Allison, you have such a good son.โ Allison got even more furious when she heard such flattering words. She said, "How is he good? He doesn't even want to come here and help me with my luggage. Someone in the family must have had a bad influence on him. This is driving me crazy! I must lecture him this time." Allison called herself a mother. However, she had forgotten that she had never done anything a mother should. Sophian immediately replied, "Perhaps he couldn't find a place to park. You know that there's limited parking at the airport. That's why he can't come in. Ms. Allison, don't you have me with you? I can help."Allison managed to calm down after listening to her. She rested her rough hands on Sophian's smooth hands and said, "You're so thoughtful.""Ms. Allison, what are you saying? You're an elder. Shouldn't I be considerate of you?" Sophian smiled sweetly, trying to please Allison.
"Ms. Allison, please get into the car first. Let me put the luggage in the car trunk," said Sophian.Allison was satisfied with Sophianโs performance. She nodded, then she opened the rear door and got into the car.Sophian dragged the two big and heavy suitcases to the back of the car. She lifted her luggage and put it in the car trunk first. Although the suitcase was big, there was not much important stuff in it. Hence, she could put it in easily. Sophian was planning to put Allisonโs luggage in the car trunk too.Sophian was well prepared as she had experienced the weight of it earlier. She took a deep breath, bent down, and was about to lift the suitcase. However, she staggered and almost scratched the car with the suitcase. Sophian was so flabbergasted that she broke into a cold sweat. It was nothing if she scratched the car, but it would be a big deal if she left a bad impression on Luke.Sophian looked at Allison, who was sitting in the car and warming herself up. She
Before Allison could ask anything, the villaโs door slowly opened. She turned to look at the door.After a while, she saw Mr. Griffinโs figure appear behind the door. He was carrying a blanket in her hands.Allison turned to look at Luke. โGet out of the car.โ Lukeโs voice was cold. There was not even a trace of warmth or affection in his voice. Allison probably did not notice that Luke had not addressed her as his mother since she got into the car at the airport until nowโฆMr. Griffin walked toward Allison. She smiled and opened the door for her. Then, she handed the blanket to Allison and said, โWelcome back, Ms. Allison.โ Allison pulled a sulky face, covered herself tightly with the blanket, and got out of the car. When she noticed that Sophian was still sitting in the car, she snarled, โGet out of the car.โ"Okay, Ms. Allison." Sophian was fascinated when she was looking at Luke from behind. After she was reminded by Allison, she hurried out of the car with her face b
"Sophian, if you hadnโt said anything just now, we probably wouldnโt have to stay here anymore." Allison let out a sigh. She was trying hard to find an excuse and see if she could move to Crawford Manor just now. However, what Sophian said made her give up hope. โHuh? Ms. Allison, did I say something wrong?โ Sophian was confused. What she said was right. It was indeed unsuitable for Allison to use new furniture now. She already had a poor skin condition. If her skin was affected, she might need to head to the hospital for hormone therapy. โI thought of using the furniture as an excuse to move back to Crawford Manor.โ Allison looked at the interior of the living room. After she bought this villa, she spent a huge amount of money to renovate it.She was satisfied with the renovation back then. However, no matter how she looked at it now, she could not get used to it.โCrawford Manor?โ Sophian asked in confusion. Was that where Luke was staying?โThe value of that house can buy
Old Master Crawford shook his head and said, โHow boring. I guess Iโll have to wait for Luke to come over on New Yearโs Eve to play chess with me.โMr. Griffin smiled. Luke was the only one in this family who could play chess with Old Master Crawford.Old Master Crawford spoke again, โGive me my phone. Iโd better figure out what the woman Allison brought back here is up to.โ"Old Master Crawford, wait a minute." Mr. Griffin headed to Old Master Crawford's bedroom, picked up his phone, and handed it to him.Old Master Crawford called Luke.After a while, Luke answered the call, โGrandpa, whatโs the matter?โโI heard that Allison brought someone else back with her? Isnโt she the interpreter you hired?โ Old Master Crawford asked. โThe interpreter is still in Seoul. Sheโs not planning to come back.โ Luke paused for a moment and said, โThat woman is one of the personal nurses from the plastic surgery hospital.โโWhy did she bring a personal nurse back here?โ Old Master Crawford cou
As Luke looked at how troubled Luca was, he placed the ladder beside the osmanthus tree. โHave you thought of how we should hang the lights?โ Luke smiled and asked. Luca shook her head, telling him that she was in a dilemma. Luke squeezed her hand and said, โThe landscapers did leave us a spot to hang these back then.โLuca exclaimed in surprise, โReally?โLuca was definitely not as professional as the landscapers when it came to decorating the garden. If the landscapers had left them a spot, then hanging the decorative lights there would definitely look good. โAunt Neile, connect the power plug to the socket outside the entrance.โ Luke took a bunch of colored decorative lights out of the bag and handed the plug to Aunt Neile. โOkay, Mr. Crawford.โ Aunt Neile took the plug from him and walked away to connect it to the socket. Luca noticed that there were small hooks on the outside of the wall. She thought they were for other decorations, but she did not expect that they c
Luke prepared the rice, while Luca did the cooking. They teamed up and divided their work. It was quick. Lanie held his phone in his hands. Tommy and Rainie urged Lanie to record it down with his phone. Lanie stood at the kitchen door, recording the sweet and cute moment between Luke and Luca. After Lanie finished recording, he tiptoed his way back to the living room and sat on the sofa.Tommy asked excitedly, โLanie, did you record it?โRainie took Lanieโs phone from him and said, โYou donโt have to worry if Lanie recorded it. He must have. Let me see.โRainie opened the phone gallery and saw that the latest video recorded showed the scene in the kitchen.Tommy exclaimed, โDaddy is actually helping out in the kitchen. How fascinatingโฆโโThatโs not the main point. The point is, Daddy and MomโMs. Luca, they're a match made in heaven!โ Rainie looked at the phone, feeling envious.Would she meet a perfect match meant for her in the future?Rainie turned to look at Lanie and h
โAs long as he stays out of your sight, I wonโt make a move,โ said Ray.If Gordan were not one of Lukeโs 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.โAlright, Ray. Just let it go. Iโve moved on and started a new life. Plus, Iโm studying at Capital University. We have mutual friends, so running into him is inevitable. If that happens, weโll just be strangers. Thereโs no need to step in for me or act impulsively.โ Just as Vivian finished speaking, the doorbell rang.โIs it the clothes delivery?โ asked Ray.โNo, 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,โ Vivian said, grabbing a mask and hat before heading to the door.โMiss, is the boss alright?โ asked one of Rayโs subordinates.โHeโs fine. Did you ge
When Ray heard that there was a 90% chance of success, he could not help but ask, โCan you walk me through your plan?โโThe prison where Kassy is being held actually has an underground passage. Iโve 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 facilityโs underground pipes donโt 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.โThis whole operation can be done without anyone noticing, which is why Iโm confident itโll work.โ As Luke explained, he pulled out a detailed map of the sewer system. โHereโs 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 Abelโs people.โAbelโs 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 Gordanโs current behavior quite intriguing.โLuke, whatโs with that look?โ Gordan felt uneasy under his gaze.โYou seem pretty concerned about Vivian,โ Luke leaned back on the couch and said thoughtfully.Gordan froze for a moment before laughing it off. โWhat? No way! Why would I care about her? Come on, Luke, donโt say stuff like that. If she hears it, she might start getting ideas.โLuke could not be bothered to expose his act and got straight to the point. โWhy are you here?โโSpeaking of that, I almost got sidetracked by that woman.โ Gordan quickly pulled out his phone, grimacing. โMan, Ray really didnโt hold back. I need to get some treatment for these bruises later.โLuke took the phone and tried to unlock it. It needed a passcode. He handed it back. โUnlock it.โโAll set, boss.โ 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.Gordanโs furious curses rang out. โDamn it! You're really going all out, huh? Do you think I'm scared of you?โAnother 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.โEnough!โ shouted Vivian.The two men locked in the fight froze for a moment.โVivian, stay out of this. Iโm beating him to a pulp today,โ growled Ray, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. He was not in great shape, but neither was Gordan.โRay, I donโt want to see him,โ 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.โFine. If you donโt want to see him, Iโll 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.โRay, this apple is really good. Want to try one?โ asked Vivian.Ray shook his head. โYou go ahead. By the way, can I take a look at the luggage you brought from Russia?โVivian nodded. โI only hung up my clothes. Everything else is still in the suitcase. You can just take the things out.โRay walked into the bedroom, pulled out her suitcase, and opened it. Inside were just books and a few other small items, nothing unusual.โYou didn't bring any food with you?โ asked Ray.โI havenโt 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.โ Vivianโs tone was lighthearted now that she was in a better mood.โThat's true.โ Ray agreed, then asked
Ray's tone turned serious. โAlright, I'll make the arrangements immediately. Dr. Craw, once the toxicology report is out, weโll still need your help.โโFor toxicology cases like this, I recommend combining both modern medicine and traditional herbal medicine. Donโt worry, if I can help, I definitely will,โ Luca assured him.โAlright, thank you.โ Ray expressed his gratitude and ended the call before updating Luke on the situation.Luke reassured him, saying, โIf Vivian was really poisoned, donโt 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 didnโt take long for all the toxins to be expelled, and her health fully recovered. So, rest assured. If itโs something she can fix, sheโll do everything she can.โBesides, once we identify the exact problem, the doctors will be able to step in and help, right?โโYes. Thank you both in advance
Gerald walked over. โMs. Sanchez, what's wrong?โHe 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. โI thought it was some expensive brand. But it's just this? And youโre acting all deferential to her over this?โGerald was rendered speechless. โI knew Ms. Craw was going out, so I asked her to bring these back for me. This is the brand Iโm used to. Maybe itโs not expensive to you, but for me, itโs what I can afford.โRealizing she had misspoken, Hera felt a bit awkward. She quickly changed the topic. โStill, is a pack of cigarettes really worth you being so grateful to Luca? How much could it have cost?โโItโs not about the money,โ replied Gerald. โIt'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.โHe was ba
Lucaโs lips were already swollen and flushed from Luke's kisses.That deep shade of red, reflected in Lukeโs 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.โฆThe two of them stepped out of the bedroom.Vivian quickly turned her back and greeted Luke when he saw him coming out, โHello, Mr. Crawford.โโVivian, donโt worry. Everything will get better,โ replied Luke.Vivian simply hummed in response.Ray gave them a grateful nod as Luke took Lucaโs 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, โVivian, theyโre your friends. You donโt have to act this way around them. They wonโt judge you.โโI know they wonโtโฆโ Vivian let out a soft sigh. โI just feel like I look terrifying right now. I didnโt want to scare them, so I avoided facing them directly. But itโ
โI once treated someone who had been slowly poisoned over a long period of time. Their pulse was similar to Vivianโs. 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.โCould it be that someone in your family has been poisoning Vivian? That would explain why her skin ended up like this.โโIf she really has been poisoned, then would staying away from that environment or identifying the person responsible help her get better?โ asked Ray.Luca shook her head.โThe poison Iโve encountered before was a slow-acting toxin that kept the victimโs skin dark. I donโt 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 canโt be sure whatโs really causing Vivianโs condition.โIs her skin deteriorating so quickly because she was poisoned once more a