“If your apology is sincere, promise me, take Vivian to Los Angeles as a guest,” Joseph clinked sses with jos, “In Los Angeles, you will get all the answers you want.”


    jos downed the contents of his ss, not directly responding to Joseph’s invitation.


    As the birthday party neared its end, the guests of Mrs. Yazmin began to leave one by one. jos invited Joseph to a celebrity club to attend another specially prepared revelry, taking Simpson and Vilem with him.


    “Can’t my wifee?” Joseph found Luzia in the crowd.


    Luzia shrank a little, barely managing not to hide behind Vivian.


    Before Joseph could voice a threatening word, jos interrupted, putting his arm around Joseph’s shoulder, “You can bring your wife, but I assure you, the sexydies in the club won’t be pleased.”


    Joseph paused, wondering why jos spoke as if it were amon urrence.


    He nced at Vivian and indeed, Vivian cast a resentful look at jos, but he didn’t pay much attention.


    In his mind, Joseph sneered; jos wasn’t that foolish to fall in love with Vivian as his father had wished. It was just as well; the stronger the opponent, the more interesting the fight would be.


    Mrs. Yazmin timely appeared, expressing that she hadn’t seen Luzia for a long time and wished to keep Luzia overnight to have a chat.


    Joseph couldn’t refuse Mrs. Yazmin’s request. He reluctantly disyed his gentlemanly manners to Mrs. Yazmin, “A true gentleman naturally wouldn’t refuse ady’s request. I wish you both a pleasant evening, beautifuldy.”


    Mrs. Yazmin was indeed a beautiful and elegantdy, whose smile no man could resist, “I wish you gentlemen a fun evening as well.”


    The men left together, and Shelley followed her mother to bid farewell to Mrs. Yazmin. While the twodies chatted, Shelley finally had the chance to embrace Luzia, “I think we are friends now.”


    Luzia hugged her tightly, her eyes moist, “I apologize for my recklessness towards you.”


    Smiling, Shelley said, “I ept your apology, and I ask you to ept mine. I was too immature in the past.”


    Luziaughed through tears, “I’m not that mature either.”


    “I still regret that you didn’t be my family,” Joseph was more ruthless than any mobster Shelley had met. He treated Luzia without any tenderness, “You and John are truly suited.”


    “Don’t say such things again, Shelley. It’s impossible between John and me.” Luzia shook her head, warning her in a low voice, “Don’t let Joseph hear, he will kill John.”


    Shelley bit her lip, ncing at Vivian who was eavesdropping.


    Vivian shrugged in agreement with Luzia’s point, “I assure you, Joseph is that kind of person.”


    “Alright.” Shelley fell silent. She didn’t want to mention the unfortunate John again. The three girls huddled together, exchanging whispers.


    Mrs. Yazmin envied their bond as she spoke to Mrs. Celinda, “They have such a good rtionship.”


    Knowing her daughter well, Mrs. Celinda was surprised when she heard Mrs. Yazmin’s sigh, wondering when Shelley and Luzia had be so close.


    Mrs. Celinda smiled and said, “Girls of simr age find it easier tomunicate. It’s a good thing they get along.”


    Mrs. Yazmin asked her, “Has Shelley’s wedding date been set?”


    “It’s been arranged with Festus’s parents.” Speaking of Shelley’s wedding, Mrs. Celinda’s smile became real, “It’s set for next month.”


    “That’s good,” Mrs. Yazmin said, “Festus is a capable young man, and he and Shelley are well-matched.”


    Most importantly, Festus is said to be very fond of Shelley. This is quite rare in the experience of mafia alliances. Mrs. Yazmin herself had been through two marriages, having a lover in her youth whom she was forced to leave due to her father’s opposition, and being forced to marry her first husband through a family alliance.


    She and her first husband had a child together, but theycked any real affection for each other. Even after her husband and child both passed away, they still hadn’t developed any feelings for each other.


    Having been immersed in a cold marriage for so long, she couldn’t help but feel despair about her future. Mrs. Yazmin knew that, as a widow who had lost her child, she still held value within the family, and she awaited the scythe of fate to swing her way once more.


    But incredibly, she met Dalon Hargrave, her second husband.


    Dalon Hargrave was a gentle and romantic man who immediately fell in love with Yazmin. Hesought her father’s permission to marry her and gave her a fairytale-like marriage. Even after many years since Dalon’s passing, Yazmin still cherished his memory and kept herself imprisoned in the mansion that Dalon had personally built for her.


    Mrs. Yazmin marveled at how simr Shelley’s fate was to her own and felt deeply relieved that Shelley was luckier than she had been.


    After bidding farewell to Shelley and her mother, only Vivian and Luzia remained in the mansion, along with Mare, who was responsible for ensuring Vivian’s safety.


    Mrs. Yazmin had prepared rooms for them. The rooms were located at the end of the corridor on the right side of the vi’s second floor, with Luzia and Vivian sharing a room and Mare staying in the adjacent room.


    “Goodnight, girls. Don’t stay up toote,” knowing that Vivian and Luzia had things to discuss, Mrs. Yazmin, being very considerate, didn’t linger, “Wishing you sweet dreams.”


    “Goodnight, Aunt,” Luzia hugged Yazmin, whispering, “Wishing you sweet dreams too.”


    After a simple wash, Luzia quickly slipped under the covers.


    The weather was getting colder, and Luzia put on long-sleeved pajamas, which was just a casual choice, but Vivian deliberately took notice of her wrists.


    Sure enough, the long sleeves couldn’t hide the bruises and swelling on her skin.


    Vivian lowered her head, afraid that Luzia would see her flushed eyes.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    But Vivian wasn’t good at hiding her emotions, and after enduring Joseph’s long-term violence, Luzia had be very sensitive. How could she not notice Vivian’s momentary low spirits?


    Luzia sighed and shifted her body, tentatively moving closer to Vivian, gently embracing her and seekingfort in return.


    “If I say ‘I’m fine,’ would you believe me?”


    Vivian pursed her lips, “If I say ‘I believe you,’ would you believe me?”


    Neither of them believed it in their hearts.


    “In that case, there’s no need to say it,” Luzia said.


    “In that case, let’s not say it,” Vivian sniffled, holding back her tears.


    They embraced each other, seeking warmth from each other’s bodies.


    “It feels like we’ve been through a nightmare,” a long timeter, nestled in Vivian’s embrace, Luzia sighed, still trembling, “I don’t know when the nightmare will end.”


    “It wille to an end,” Vivian gently patted Luzia’s back, “I believe jos has already taken action.”


    Luzia hesitated for a moment. She instinctively felt that Vivian was too optimistic. Truth be told, she didn’t trust jos.


    The men of the mafia were all about self-interest. She had been given to Joseph, losing her rights to marry freely, and now her only valuey in bearing a child for Joseph. But in jos’s eyes, the value of a child, whether a boy or a girl, and whether it qualified as Joseph’s heir, wasn’t significant.


    Luzia didn’t believe that jos would make any effort for her, now that she no longer had any utilitarian value.