《The Billionaire鈥檚 Maid Bride》 Chapter 1 Chapter1 ¡®Allison Zimmer, as long as you stay with that man for tonight, your mom¡¯s medical bills will be taken care of.¡± Outside the presidential suite, Allison¡¯s lips were sealed tight. She was a maid to the nagan family, and due to her resemnce to Penelope, the daughter of the nagan family, she suffered so much humtion from her. But this time, she was asked to spend the night with a man! However, thinking of her hospitalized mother, she finally nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do it.¡± Allison pushed the door open. The room was dimly lit, filled with the heavy smell of alcohol and a man¡¯s heavy breathing. She fumbled her way to the bed, only to be yanked down before she could utter a word, losing control and falling onto the bed. A hot body pressed against hers. On instinct, she screamed, ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility.¡± The man¡¯s voice was deep, and at the same time, his lips found her cheek. Allison stopped resisting, remembering Penelope¡¯s instructions. Closing her eyes, she bore everything with tears and humiliation, biting her lip. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Late into the night. Allison slowly sat up, picking up her scattered clothes to put them on. She collected all the scattered items into her bag, not noticing that a glittering ne was also picked up. She clenched her teeth and cast onest glimpse at the man on the bed. His shirt slid down to his waist, exposing a powerful upper torso and a lovely face above. Without hesitation, she quickly left the room. Penelope, all dolled up, was waiting for her at the end of the corridor. ¡°Ms. nagan, I did what you asked. The money you promised¡­¡± Allison bit her lip, clutching her shirt tight. Penelope nced at her with disgust, her gaze falling on a mark on Allison¡¯s neck, increasing her repulsion. This night should have been hers, but Penelope had already had her first time! Penelope pulled out a bank card from her bag and tossed it to her. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare breathe a word of this, or I¡¯ll make you pay!¡± Allison nodded in silence, the bruises on her body aching like fire. She wouldn¡¯t say a word, nor did she want anyone to know. Satisfied, Penelope walked away, eager to enter the room. In the morning. Lucian opened his eyes. Just as he sat up, the woman beside him moaned. He looked over. Rubbing her eyes, Penelope quickly pulled the covers tighter, staring at the man in front of her, panicked. ¡°What happened?¡± Lucian nced at her, ¡°Aboutst night, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve arranged for a driver to take you home. I owe you an exnation.¡± Penelope blushed. Seeing his indifferent attitude, she felt nervous and shyly lowered her head, ¡°Alright.¡± With that, she stopped avoiding him, lifted the covers, got up, and started to get dressed. Unintentionally, Lucian caught a glimpse of her back and noticed that she had a burn¨Clike scar on her shoulder. With just one nce, Lucian shifted his gaze. After Penelope left, he took out his phone and dialed his assistant, ¡°Find out what happenedst night!¡± The person who found his hotel and drugged him wouldn¡¯t get away with it! However, as he was ready to leave after taking a shower, he noticed his always¨Cpresent ne was missing. That agate ne was a gift from his mother when he was a child, with the Lindberg family emblem engraved on it. Could it have been with that girl earlier? Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Chapter 2 After leaving the hotel, Allison¡¯s first stop was the hospital to pay off her overdue medical bills. Next, she returned to the tiny house behind Ms. nagan¡¯s mansion. That was her home, hidden away in the shadows being overshadowed by the grand vi in front. Her father, Joshua, had been the nagan family¡¯s chauffeur, and her mother, Grace, had been their maid. After Joshua¡¯s death, she and her mother moved into this old shabby house. ¡°Allison!¡± Margo called out sharply as she passed by the mansion, ¡°Where were you this morning? Hurry up and help prepare the food!¡± In the nagan household, Allison was treated like a lowly maid, someone anyone could boss around. Allison mumbled an affirmation and headed towards the kitchen. Margo scrutinized her face, frowning. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you wearing a mask? Trying to piss off the Missus on purpose, are you?¡± Because Allison and Penelope looked so alike, Penelope had made a rule that Allison had to wear a mask whenever she was in the house. If she showed her face, she¡¯d get a beating. Allison quickly took out a mask from her pocket and put it on. It hid half her face, leaving only her bright eyes visible. The housekeeper gave her a sharp look but only left after seeing her hard at work. Outside, a luxury car was parked in front of the nagan¡¯s. A man in a high¨Cend grey suit stepped out. His badge glittered under the sunlight, and he was tall, handsome, and charming. Seeing the man, the housekeeper was quick to greet him excitedly. ¡°Mr. Lindberg, what brings you here?¡± This was Lucian, the most famous tycoon in Northfield. As she spoke, Margo respectfully ushered Lucian into the house, instructing the other servants to ¡°Get Ms. nagan and prepare some coffee!¡± In the living room, Lucian sat on the sofa, legs crossed, his presence making everyone else feel the pressure. Allison, carrying the coffee, walked up to him, carefully cing the coffee on the table. As she unintentionally lifted her head, she saw Lucian¡¯s face, and she froze. It was him! The memory of him kissing herst night suddenly flooded her mind. She could still feel the pain in her body. She could almost hear his deep voice, ¡°I will take responsibility!¡± Allison panicked, her hands trembling. Some of the coffee sshed out, some of itnding on the man¡¯s trousers. Lucian looked at this clumsy maid, who was wearing a thick mask, a white shirt, and jeans, and had a frail figure. Although she was just a maid, he found her strangely familiar. ¡°Allison, what¡¯s wrong with you!¡± Margo scolded coldly, then quickly apologized to Lucian, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Lindberg, she¡¯s new here. I¡¯ll make sure to discipline her.¡± Lucian¡¯s hot gaze fixed on Allison, making the spots where he had kissed her burn. She lowered her head, her slender shoulders trembling slightly, ignoring the pain from the hot coffee that had sshed on her hand. Lucian didn¡¯t say a word. He just gave Allison an indifferent nce. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Good at reading people¡¯s emotions, Margo immediately said, ¡°Allison, thank Mr. Lindberg for his tolerance!¡± ¡°Thank you¡­thank you, Mr. Lindberg!¡± Allison muttered softly. Bending over/she quickly took a napkin from the table and began to wipe the coffee stains on the man¡¯s trousers. After cleaning up, Allison let out a long sigh of relief, picked up the tray and prepared to leave. With her movement, a familiar scent of cherry blossoms filled the room, reminding Lucian of the scent on ¡°Penelope¡± that night. Lucian¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°Stop!¡± Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Allison froze in her tracks, her heart pounding. She clung to the tray she was holding, trying to hide her nerves. But the slight tremor in her body betrayed her anxiety, causing a flicker of displeasure in Lucian¡¯s eyes. He lounged on the couch, legs crossed, and asked in a low voice, ¡°Am I that scary? Your hands are shaking¡± Turning her head. Allison clenching her hands tightly, she mumbled, ¡°It¡¯s my first time serving such a distinguished guest, I¡¯m a bit nervous. Hope you understand.¡± Seeing her still looking scared, Lucian averted his eyes. Maybe he was just too tiredtely. There was no way this woman could be ¡°Penelope.¡± He waved her away, and Allison scurried out the back door without hesitation. She closed the door behind her and leaned against it, finally rxing a bit. He didn¡¯t recognize her, thank god¡­. In the living room, Lucian watched her hurriedly retreating figure, his eyes growing even darker, ¡°Does the nagan family have a cherry blossom tree?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s in the backyard.¡± Margo answered. Indeed, in the perpetually shaded yard of Allison¡¯s home, there was a cherry blossom tree. Lucian nodded. Just then, a pleasant female voice rang out, ¡°Mr. Lindberg¡± Lucian looked up. Penelope, dressed in a light pink dress, her face adorned with delicate makeup, was helping her mother, Leah, down the stairs. Leading the way was her father, Christopher. ¡°Mr. Lindberg, sorry to keep you waiting! What brings you here today?¡± Lucian¡¯s gaze fell on Penelope, ¡°I¡¯m here today to discuss my engagement with Ms. nagan.¡± Engagement? Everyone was stunned, Penelope most of all. So this was Lucian¡¯s exnation! Christopher and Leah, already aware of their daughter¡¯s predicament fromst night, exchanged a joyful nce. In just two days, the news of Lucian¡¯s engagement to Penelope had spread throughout Northfield, with media outlets reporting left and right. Penelope suddenly found herself in the spotlight. Elsewhere, in the kitchen, Margo threw a list of ingredients in front of Allison, ordering her to finish before she went to bed. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Allison knew very well that she was deliberately making things difficult for her. The Lindberg family was visiting tomorrow, and the nagans had been busy all afternoon. But she had beente because her mother was sick and she had to take her to the hospital. It wasn¡¯t until 11 pm that Allison finally finished all her tasks. She closed the kitchen door, ready to go home, only to run into Penelope returning from outside. Before she could say anything, Penelope¡¯s face darkened. She strode past and pped her hard across the face. Allison felt a sting on her cheek, and her heart, which had been on edge all day, started racing again. Was Penelope so angry because Lucian had recognized her during the day? Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Chapter 4 ¡°Why aren¡¯t you wearing a mask!¡± Penelope shouted angrily at Allison. She couldn¡¯t stand the sight of her lowly servant having a face simr to hers. She wished she could rip Allison¡¯s face apart!¨C Allison clenched her fists tightly, her hands trembling slightly, but in the end, she let go. She was relieved that the butler didn¡¯t find out about it. Otherwise, both she and her mother would be kicked out of the nagan family, and her mother¡¯s illness would be incurable. ¡°If I see you again, I swear I¡¯ll scratch your face!¡± Penelope threatened fiercely. It was infuriating that Allison, a servant who didn¡¯t even care about her skin, had a more delicate face than hers, despite her using expensive skincare products every day! And Allison was also the woman who spent the night with Lucian! This lowly creature was a curse! Penelope red at Allison. Her eyes were filled with disgust, like a snake wanting to devour her. Suddenly, Penelope¡¯s phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, her face immediately softened. As she answered the phone, she walked upstairs, her voice sweet, ¡°Lucian, I¡¯m still awake¡­¡± Only then did Allison breathe a sigh of relief. She quickly fled home. Was Lucian¡¯s call a lifeline indirectly saving her? Otherwise, Penelope would continue ranting at her. Allison¡¯s phone rang out of the blue. It was her good friend Daisy. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Allison, why did you take so long to answer your phone? I¡¯ve been calling you several times.¡± She took a deep breath and replied softly, ¡°Sorry, didn¡¯t hear it. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Your birthday is the day after tomorrow! Let¡¯s skip ss and have fun. You must have a joyful birthday. It¡¯s only once a year!¡± Allisonughed. She had almost forgotten about her birthday due to caring for her mother. It was heartwarming that Daisy remembered. ¡°Daisy, thank you.¡± ¡°No need to thank me, I¡¯ve prepared a gift for you.¡± A gift? Allison was touched. In this world, only her mother and Daisy remembered her birthday. After chatting with Daisy for a while, she hung up the phone, rummaged through her bag, and found an agate ne. She paused. The ne was wless, with a cloud carving on the agate. It was understated yet luxurious. When did Daisy slip it in? She didn¡¯t notice at all. Allison hesitated for a moment, then texted Daisy. [I found the gift. I love it. Thank you, Daisy.] After putting down her phone, Allison hung the ne around her neck. She didn¡¯t know much about jewelry, but the agate on the ne was clean and had no impurities. It must have been expensive.. After thinking for a while, she tucked the ne into her clothes, feeling much safer. The agate had a warm and smooth touch. She loved it. The next day, after the morning sses at Willowbrook College, Allison rushed out of school. The Lindbergs wereing for lunch, and Margo had warned her in a weird tone not to bete, or she and her mother would be kicked out of the nagan family. As soon as she stepped out of the school gate, a red sports car screeched to a halt next to her. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Allison stared in confusion at the man in the driver¡¯s seat. He was a big shot at Willowbrook College, called Jason. A rich kid that had nothing to do with her. Allison knew him because he had been seeking her outtely. ¡°Hey, you seem to be in a rush, running out of time?¡± Jason propped himself up on the car window with one hand, shing her a mischievous grin, ¡°Need a lift?¡± Allison frowned, she didn¡¯t want to mingle with this kind of person too much, but it was clear, even if she caught the bus now, she wouldn¡¯t make it on time. After hesitating for a bit, she decided to get in the car, ¡°Thanks.¡± The shy red sports car zoomed off. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. In the car, Jason took a nce at the rearview mirror, ¡°You haven¡¯t told me where you live yet?¡± ¡°Cedar Manor.¡± Jason raised an eyebrow, what a coincidence? He chuckled, not asking any further. Half an hourter, the car pulled into Cedar Manor, ¡°Allison, which building is yours?¡± ¡°Thanks, Jason. You can drop me off here.¡± Jason didn¡¯t stop the car, he wanted to know where Allison lived, ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll just keep driving around here.¡± Allison was somewhat helpless, ¡°Over there, the 7th building at the corner.¡± Building 7¡­ It wasn¡¯t until the car stopped in front of Building 7 that Allison got out of the car, thanking Jason. Just as she was about to enter, a ck Bentley stopped in front of Jason¡¯s car. Jason turned off the car and waved at the people in the Bentley, ¡°Lucian, Kami, good timing.¡± Allison didn¡¯t expect to run into Lucian here. Lucian got out of the car, nced at Jason, and then his gazended on Allison. It was just a fleeting nce, but Allison froze. Damn, she forgot to put on a mask! Jason introduced, ¡°Allison, they are my cousins Lucian and Kami.¡± ¡°Bro, this is my ssmate, Allison.¡± ¡°Allison¡­¡± Lucian repeated the name, recalling the maid who looked terrified that day. ¡°Do you guys know each other?¡± Jason asked in surprise. Even Kami gave Allison a few more nces. Lucian slowly walked up to Allison, slightly bowed his head, curiously looking at her face. He had to say, she looked so much like. Penelope. If he hadn¡¯t seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn¡¯t believe there could be two people in the world who looked so alike. Being observed at such a close distance, Allison felt her whole body tense up, afraid he would recognize her as the woman from that night. She quickly exined, ¡°No, we don¡¯t know each other¡­¡± Lucian slightly raised his eyebrows, looking at this woman who was obviously scared and trembling, but trying to hide it. A thoughtful look shed in his eyes, ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Penelope?¡± Allison was sweating bullets, nerves shot to hell. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Just then, a seductive female voice rang out. ¡°Lucian, you¡¯re here.¡± Penelope, decked out in a light pink dress and makeup on point, emerged from the vi. Jason nced her way and was taken aback by how much Penelope and Allison looked alike. He joked, ¡°Lucian, Allison and your wife could be twins, and they are both living here. Are they sisters?¡± Allison was caught off guard. Before she could exin, Penelope interjected, ¡°Are you kidding? She¡¯s just a maid in our house. Saved up some cash and got stic surgery to look like me.¡± With that, she shot Allison a dirty look. ¡°The kitchen¡¯s a hot mess. Get to it!¡± Allison¡¯s cheeks burned. This wasn¡¯t the first time Penelope had dissed her, but for some reason, she didn¡¯t want this man to think less of her. She nodded and disappeared into the vi. Behind her, she could vaguely hear Penelope¡¯s voice, ¡°Lucian, you have no idea. This woman¡¯s always had her sights set on the high life. She clings to anyone with money. If it weren¡¯t for my parents¡® kindness, she would¡¯ve been kicked out ages ago.¡± Hearing this, Jason¡¯s face darkened. He joked, ¡°Ms. nagan might be confused about stic surgery. Your nose seems to have had some work done.¡± ¡°Jason, show some respect,¡± Lucian chided quietly, but there wasn¡¯t much reproach in his voice. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Jason shrugged and led the way into the vi. Penelope clenched her fists, shaking with rage. That bitch Allison! How dare she have so many tricks up her sleeve, even winning Jason¡¯s protection. And she had the nerve to remove her mask in front of Lucian! Luckily, she had acted fast. If Lucian had noticed, she would have made Allison regret it! After the incident, Jason was cold towards Penelope, so she shifted her focus to Kami. She had to win people over to get into the Lindberg family. With this in mind, she served Kami some grilled fish with a smile, ¡°Kami, try this fish. Our cooks might not be as good as the Lindberg¡¯s, but this grilled salmon is pretty decent.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like fish,¡± Kami huffed, clearly not a fan of Penelope. But Penelope seemed oblivious to her displeasure and served her another dish, ¡°Oh, well¡­ Try this beef then¡­¡± ¡°Do I look like I can¡¯t feed myself?¡± Kami interrupted Penelope bluntly. Penelope¡¯s hand froze mid¨Cair, tears welling up in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± The mood at the table suddenly turned chilly. Leah watched as her daughter was treated this way, but she dared not offend Kami. She cleared her throat, looking to Lucian nervously. The man set his fork down leisurely, speaking to Kami with a cold tone, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to eat, you can leave.¡± Hmph, it was fine by her! She¡¯d have loved to leave! Kami got up to leave, just as Allison walked in with a bowl of hot soup. By the time Allison noticed Kami storming out, it was toote to dodge. The two collided. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Chapter 7 ¡°Ahh- Kami suddenly let out a yelp. Allison bit her lip, desperately trying to steady the soup bowl. Most of the hot soup sshed onto her own wrist. She couldn¡¯t help but gasp. Margo immediately jumped in, yelling at Allison, ¡°Allison! What good are you? What if you burned Miss Kami? Can you afford that?!¡± Then, Kami said, ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± She wasn¡¯t burned much, just a bit of soup on her clothes Her scream was more of a reflex. Meanwhile, Allison¡¯s injury was obviously more severe, her hand was already turning red. Seeing that Kami wasn¡¯t angry, Margo seized the opportunity and said, ¡°Miss, you might not know, but this maid often cks off and messes things up! Last time she nearly burned Mr. Lindberg!¡± ¡°What?¡± Penelope eximed in surprise. Allison actually appeared in front of Lucian behind her back?! Then, she pped Allison across the face and scolded, ¡°Allison, we kept you here out of pity, and you repay us like this! If you really hurt Lucian and Kami, even your life wouldn¡¯t be enough compensation! I think you did this on purpose!¡± The room fell silent, no one expected Penelope to act out. Allison could only feel the burning pain on her cheek, but she couldn¡¯t fight. back. A tear fell on her reddened hand, burning like fire. The next second, a figure stepped in front of her, Jason looked at Penelope coldly. ¡°Enough. It was just an ident, Ms. nagan, you¡¯re overreacting.¡± ¡°Penelope was just worried about Kami, she acted without thinking.¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Leah¡¯s words brought Penelope back to reality, she nodded repeatedly, ¡°I was too anxious. As long as Kami is okay, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± Kami scoffed. Was she being used as a pawn? Did this Penelope think she was stupid? However, Leah immediately changed the topic and turned to Allison, ¡°Allison, we can¡¯t employ someone as careless as you any longer. Pack your things, take three months¡® wages, and leave.¡± Allison was stunned, if she left the nagan family, what about her mother¡¯s illness? She was so anxious she didn¡¯t even notice the pain in her hand, she immediately pleaded, ¡°Mrs. nagan, I know I was wrong, please don¡¯t make me leave.¡± ¡®Mrs. nagan, Allison she¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Brummett, are you saying the nagan family doesn¡¯t even have the right to fire a maid?¡± Leah cut him off before he could finish. Every time she saw Allison¡¯s face, she felt ufortable, she even suspected that Allison was Christopher¡¯s illegitimate daughter. Now that she finally had a chance to kick them out, she wouldn¡¯t pass it up so easily! However, just as she finished speaking, Lucian, who hadn¡¯t said a word, stood up, ¡°Kami has already said she¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s drop it.¡± He nced at Allison¡¯s hand, his eyes slightly dark, and he spoke politely but coldly, ¡°I¡¯ll take Kami home now.¡± Seeing that he was leaving, Penelope¡¯s expression changed slightly. She quickly grabbed his arm, ¡°Lucian.¡± Lucian nced at her hand; Penelope felt the pressure and unconsciously let go. Lucian said softly. ¡°About the engagement details, I¡¯ll have someone discuss it with you.¡± With that, he calmed her inner unease. She knew she couldn¡¯t cling to him now, so she smiled at him warmly, ¡°Please be careful on the road. I¡¯m sorry, Kami, for the incident happening on your first visit to my house.¡± Kami didn¡¯t even look at her, what a two¨Cfaced woman. Once they were in the car, Kami couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Lucian, you¡¯re not really going to marry Penelope, are you?¡± Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Chapter 8 ¡°She¡¯s gonna be your future sister¨Cinw, show some respect, will you?¡± Future sister¨Cinw?! Was her brother blind or what? Falling for such a two¨Cfaced woman! Kami wanted to cool her brother down, but he was clearly distracted. Following his gaze, she spotted Jason outside the car, looking at the little maid with a love¨Cstruck face. Man, her yboy brother caring so much about a maid, what was wrong with him?! But Lucian¡­ She thought about what just happened at the nagan¡¯s. Even though her brother didn¡¯t say anything, he was clearly pissed off at the end. Others might not have got it, but she knew, he was angry at the nagan¡¯s for their tough attitude towards the little maid. She chuckled, ¡°Bro, are you into the nagan¡¯s little maid? If you¡¯re worried about her getting fired, we could hire her.¡± He smirked, his eyes mysteriously deep, ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± Kami was taken aback, ¡°Bro, are you serious?¡± She was just babbling, and her brother took it seriously? Kami gulped, her eyes fixed on the woman outside the car window, trying to figure out what was so special about her that both her brothers were so¡­ invested in her! Meanwhile, Jason dragged Allison out of the nagan¡¯s mansion. She frowned, struggling to free herself from his grip, ¡°Jason, let go of me.¡± Jason paused, the anger still visible on his face. He asked perplexedly, ¡°Why are you still putting up with the nagan¡¯s? You can find a job as a maid anywhere, why take their crap!¡± Allison bit her lip, her face even paler. Jason realized he had crossed a line, his tone softened, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to disrespect you. I was just saying¡­ I can help you find a job, you¡­¡± ¡°Jason.¡± Allison managed a bitter smile, ¡°I¡¯m doing just fine here. Thanks for walking me home, but I¡¯ve got stuff to do. Mr. Brummett, you should go.¡± With that, she turned and went back into the nagan¡¯s mansion. Jason had been hanging around her a lottely, so she knew he was into her, but she was well aware, regardless of whether she liked him or not, the gap in their social status was an insurmountable chasm. As Jason was about to follow her, a harsh car horn sound rang in his ears. He instinctively looked and saw Lucian in the driver¡¯s seat of a ck Bentley, looking at him with a chilly face, his eyes screaming a warning¡­All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Chapter 9 As soon as Allison walked into the living room, she was stopped by Christopher who was sitting on the sofa. Allison bowed apologetically. ¡°Mr. nagan, I¡¯m really sorry. I¡¯ll be more careful next time. Can you please not kick me out?¡± Christopher waved his hand, signaling her to sit down on the sofa. His tone wasn¡¯t as sharp as Leah¡¯s, ¡°Allison, you¡¯re like a daughter to me, and this ce is your home. It¡¯s not your fault today.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. nagan.¡± A smile appeared on Allison¡¯s face at the thought of not being kicked out. Then she heard Christopher ask, ¡°How¡¯s your mom doingtely?¡± ¡°She¡¯s been recovering quite well. The doctors said her condition has been good recently.¡± She paused, not mentioning her mother¡¯s need for a kidney transnt. Christopher was a close friend of herte father, Joshua, and had been looking after her and her mother since Joshua¡¯s death. She didn¡¯t want to burden him with the knowledge of Leah and her daughter¡¯s actions towards them. Upon hearing this, Christopher nodded, handing her a bank card, ¡°That¡¯s good to hear, take this money for now. I¡¯ll visit her in a few days.¡± ¡°Dad!¡± Penelope cried out from the side, trying to stop him. She thought her father was going to scold Allison, but instead, he was giving her money. However, Christopher seemed to ignore her, firmly pushing the bank card into Allison¡¯s hand. Allison hesitated for a moment, then took the card, ¡°Thank you, Mr. nagan. If there¡¯s nothing else, I should head to the hospital now.¡± With that, she turned and left. Once Allison was gone, Penelopeined, ¡°Dad, Allison has messed up more than once.¡± The subtext was, why are you still keeping her? Leah tried to speak, but Christopher cut her off, ¡°Allison¡¯s father died because of me. Her mother is severely ill, how can I possibly kick her out? This topic is off¨Climits from now on.¡± Before going upstairs, he gave Leah a warning look, ¡°Penelope is still naive, but are you too? Don¡¯t you know how Joshua died?¡± Leah froze, watching Christopher go upstairs. With no support from her father, Penelope directed all her resentment toward Allison, crying out, ¡°Mom!¡± ¡°Enough, your priority now is to prepare for your engagement with Lucian. Can you act more mature and stop worrying about the maid?¡± Penelope was unable to vent her frustration, as she dared not tell Leah about her n to use Allison as a stand¨Cin. If Leah found out she wasn¡¯t a virgin, she would be in big trouble! Once her engagement was settled, she would make sure to kick Allison out. For a while, Allison kept busy between school and the hospital. She tried to avoid the nagan family until the night of Lucian and Penelope¡¯s engagement. The engagement party was held at the biggest and most luxurious hotel in Northfield, with all the guests being local celebrities. Thevish event, which rivaled a formal wedding, gave the nagan family enough dignity. But at this moment, Christopher and Leah were frantic at the hospital! Last night, Penelope had a few drinks with friends and had an allergic reaction to alcohol. She was still unconscious in the hospital bed! However, the engagement ceremony was about to start. Today was a very important day for the nagan family, and they couldn¡¯t afford any mistakes. Looking at her unconscious daughter, Leah felt helpless, ¡°What can we do¡­¡± Christopher was not pleased, ¡°This is all because you didn¡¯t discipline her properly!¡± Leah was equally distressed, ¡°What¡¯s the use of ming me now? We can only wait for Penelope to wake up. The engagement ceremony starts in an hour!¡± The Lindberg family were nobles of Northfield, and Penelope¡¯s engagement to Lucian was an opportunity that all girls in town would Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g dream of! If the Lindberg family found out that Penelope was hospitalized because she got drunk, the marriage could be called off! Leah was pacing anxiously in the hospital room. Suddenly, she stopped and said, ¡°Wait, where¡¯s Allison? Where¡¯s Allison! Get her to stand in for Penelope for now, and we¡¯ll sort out the engagement ceremony first!¡± Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Chapter 10 After Christopher heard all of this, he pondered over it for a bit, then promptly nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll give Allison a ring. You head over to the hotel to sort some stuff out.¡± Not long after, Allison got a call from Christopher and made her way to the hotel. In the bride¡¯s lounge. Leah stared at Allison, whose face resembled Penelope¡¯s so much that she found herself nodding frequently. Leah had never thought that the face she despised the most woulde in handy today, only that Allison¡¯s demeanor was gentle, totally unlike Penelope¡¯s fierce and arrogant aura. It was easy to tell them apart. In terms of facial features and skin tone, Allison¡¯s skin was a shade lighter than Penelope¡¯s, and her eyes seemed bigger. After a while, she exined what she needed Allison to do and gave her a heads up, ¡°Allison, the nagan family has always been good to you. Once this is done, I¡¯ll arrange a specialist consultation for your mother, but you must keep this a secret today. If the Lindberg family finds out¡­ you know what¡¯s at stake.¡± Allison sped her hands tightly. She had thought that after that night, she would have no ties with that man, but she never expected to be asked to stand in for Penelope to get engaged to Lucian. This was undoubtedly risky, and if she wasn¡¯t careful, he would find out what happened that night. But she couldn¡¯t dy the treatment for her mother¡¯s illness any longer¡­.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Alright, I agree.¡± After Allison agreed, with the help of two assistants, she slipped into a custom¨Cmade wedding dress worth a million dors, the skirt studded with diamonds, undeniably beautiful. However, Allison was thinner than Penelope, her waistline more slender, and it took a few safety pins at the back to make it fit. The whitece veil fell, obstructing Allison¡¯s view. She was led downstairs by Christopher, who finally handed her off to Lucian. The man held her hand, and through her gloves, she could feel the warmth of his palm. Her heart fluttered a little Everything was beautiful, thevish engagement ceremony, the expensive wedding dress she was wearing. And the handsome man in front of her. But for her, all of this was just a bubble. ¡°Now, let our betrothed couple exchange their engagement rings!¡± the minister¡¯s voice pulled Allison back from her thoughts. She looked up to meet the man¡¯s gaze. Lucian¡¯s lips curled into a smile. The engagement banquet was coordinated by the Lindberg family¡¯s butter and was just a formality to him. Marrying Penelope was just to give her closure. But now, looking at the shy woman in front of him, he felt a strange sense of happiness. It seemed¡­ getting married wasn¡¯t a bad idea after all. He slid the engagement ring onto her middle finger. The beautiful, sparkling ring shone in Allison¡¯s eyes, and she felt like her heart was about to leap out of her chest. At the minister¡¯s prompting, she picked up the other ring and tried to slide it onto the man¡¯s finger, her movements shaky. Lucian reassured her in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous.¡± Allison felt a pang of bitterness. She looked up at him through her veil at his blurry yet handsome face. The man chuckled softly, took her hand, gently held her finger and helped her put on the ring. The minister gestured for everyone to apud, ¡°Let¡¯s wish this ideal couple all the best.¡± Someone jokingly said, ¡°Lucian, aren¡¯t you going to kiss your bride?¡± Lucian was alwaysposed and wouldn¡¯t be swayed by suchments, but today was his engagement ceremony. He looked down at the beautiful woman in the wedding dress, wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed Allison through her veil amid gasps from the crowd. Her lips under the veil were soft, her body carrying a faint scent of cherry blossoms, which left him a bit intoxicated. It was as if¡­ he was transported back to that night when she was beneath him, innocent and sweet. Lucian held Allison tightly by the waist, kissing her passionately. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Chapter 11 The kisssted for three minutes, leaving Allison a bit short of breath. Her other hand was held tightly by the man, making her feel weak. Through the veil, she looked at Lucian, her heart pounding in a way it never had before. Lucian was dressed in a white suit and looked so handsome and dashing that it was as if he were glowing, making Allison¡¯s head spin. ¡°Penelope, you¡¯re too nervous.¡± Lucian said, wrapping his arm around her waist, smiling at her shortness of breath, and calling her name. The sound of him calling her Penelope calmed Allison¡¯s heart once again. She was Allison, not Penelope. Tonight was just a dream. After the engagement ceremony, there was a banquet and Allison changed into a pale pink dress. Leah nagan¨CEaden followed along, and although she didn¡¯t like the intimacy between Allison and Lucian, she knew that cooperation with the Lindberg family was more important. ¡°Touch up her makeup and put on a thicker foundation!¡± In the dressing room, Leah immediately told the makeup artist after seeing Allisone out in a pink dress. The makeup artist didn¡¯t know either Allison or Penelope, so she couldn¡¯t tell them apart. On hearing Leah¡¯s request, she frowned slightly. ¡°The makeup is fine; there¡¯s no powder falling off, and Ms. nagan¡¯s skin is in good condition; a lighter makeup would look better.¡± Without the veil and the headpiece, Allison¡¯s face was clear and delicate but Leah was afraid of being found out and said, ¡°Just do what I tell you to do. You¡¯re getting paid, so do your job well!¡± The makeup artist had no choice but to go over and touch up Allison¡¯s makeup. She didn¡¯t understand these rich people¡¯s quirks. Their skin was so good, yet they insisted on messing with it. Allison¡¯s face was heavily made up. Although she was still beautiful, she had lost her original style. Sitting in front of the makeup mirror, she looked at the somewhat unfamiliar reflection and slowly clenched her hand. In the hallway. Leah walked ahead of Allison, lowering her voice to warn her, ¡°Allison, you better behave. If you let anyone find out anything. I will never forgive you.¡± Allison lowered her head. ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am, I understand.¡± They entered the banquet hall again and the guests had already started having lunch. Lucian had changed into a gray suit. He now looked refined,pletely different from when he was in the white suit. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Sitting at the table were Lucian¡¯s father, Zachary Lindberg, and several uncles. Lucian¡¯s mother was in the hospital and couldn¡¯t attend the engagement party. Carter, because of his age, went to rest after seeing Allison. ¡°Lucian, quickly bring Penelope to toast to the elders.¡± This was a woman dressed in expensive clothes, a white suit, an agate ne around her neck, and very elegant manners. This was Lucian¡¯s aunt, Cora Lindberg¨CHamilton. Cora Lindberg¨CHamilton had married the eldest son of the Brummett family in Northfield many years ago and had a son, Jason, who was a senior schoolmate of Allison. Jason was also present today. When Allison saw him, her just calmed emotions started to be tense again. She was afraid he would recognize her. As Lucian led her over, they happened to hear Cora Lindberg¨CHamilton talking to her son, ¡°Jason, when can you find me a good daughter¨Cinw? My requirements are not high; I don¡¯t need someone from a prominent family; just a decent, ordinary girl is fine.¡± Jason nced at his mother and smiled slightly, ¡°Mom, today is Lucian¡¯s engagement party, and you¡¯re still focusing on me?¡± As he spoke, Jason looked up at the two people who had walked up to him. His eyes fell on the woman in the light pink dress and he couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly. Although he had only met Penelope once, he felt that the bride in front of him waspletely different from the arrogant and domineering woman he remembered. She seemed familiar and actually reminded him a bit of¡­Allison? Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Allison acted as cool as a cucumber, and she didn¡¯t even darey her eyes on Jason. At this point, Lucian went up to her, dipped his head slightly and introduced her to his family, ¡°Penelope, this is my aunt, Cora Lindberg¨CHamilton.¡± Allison greeted her in a slightly raspy voice, ¡°Hello, Auntie.¡± She intentionally lowered her voice. Although she couldn¡¯t perfectly imitate Penelope¡¯s voice, it could pass in this noisy environment. Allison had heard of Cora Lindberg¨CHamilton from Christopher. She was a tough cookie who knew all the right moves. Her husband, Mr. Brummett, had been under the weather and resting while she single¨Chandedly ran thepany with flying colors. She was sharp as a tack. Allison¡¯s careful demeanor made Cora Lindberg¨CHamilton think that this ¡®Penelope¡® was very polite and obedient. She nodded approvingly and said, ¡°Mmm, Lucian, since you¡¯ve popped the question, you better treat Penelope right.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Lucian wrapped his arm around ¡®Penelope¡¯s¡® waist, took a swig of his drink, then said to Allison while looking at Jason), ¡°This is my cousin Jason, you¡¯ve met before.¡± Allison felt like her heart leaped into her throat when she heard this name. She slowly exhaled, one hand holding a wine ss, the other hanging by her side, clenching tightly. She didn¡¯t say a word, which Lucian thought was due to the unpleasant dinner they hadst time. He figured Penelope was still holding a grudge, so he didn¡¯t make a fuss about it. Meanwhile, Jason, with a glint in his eye, raised his ss, ¡°Congrats, ¡­ Penelope.¡± The drawn¨Cout tone made Allison shudder involuntarily, which made her spill her wine all over her dress. ¡°Sorry!¡± Her face turned a shade paler, she quickly put down her ss and apologized, ¡°I need to step out for a bit.¡± Then she bolted back to the dressing room without a second thought. Lucian frowned slightly and sent a warning look to Jason, but Jason just shrugged innocently, ¡°Lucian, I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± But his bride, Penelope, was acting pretty fishy today. ¡°Auntie, Penelope can¡¯t hold her liquor; she might have had one too many. I¡¯ll go check on her.¡± ¡°Go ahead, we¡¯ll hold the fort here. You should be with her.¡± Cora Lindberg¨CHamilton said nonchntly. Lucian nodded and headed towards the dressing room. Meanwhile, Allison had made it to the dressing room, but her nerves were still on edge. She almost thought Jason had figured her out. She couldn¡¯t stay here any longer. Allison wanted to quickly change out of her dress and make a swift exit while no one was looking. However, just as she had taken off her dress, she heard the door being pushed open, followed by Lucian¡¯s voice, ¡°Penelope¡­¡± Damn it, she was too hasty and forgot to lock the door. She instinctively turned around and saw Lucian¡¯s towering figure in the doorway, who was frowning at her. Allison clutched her dress lightly to cover herself, but her cheeks turned crimson involuntarily, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Seeing the panic in her eyes, Lucian asked in a low voice, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°My dress is stained; I need to change into a fresh one and continue.¡± She tried to maintain her composure, but her nervousness was still as clear as day to him. Lucian¡¯s gaze deepened slightly. The moment he walked in, he noticed ¡®Penelope¡¯s¡® bare back. Her skin was smooth and wless. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. But he remembered that morning that he had seen a prominent scar on Penelope¡¯s back. But now, that scar¡­ seemed to have disappeared. At this thought, Lucian reached out and grabbed her shoulder, his voice low, ¡°Turn around, let me help you change.¡± Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Chapter 13 ¡°No need; I can handle it.¡± Allison¡¯s face was as white as a sheet. She was gripping her dress tightly, refusing to let go. ¡°Penelope!¡± The tense atmosphere was broken by Leah nagan¨CEaden¡¯s voice, calling from the doorway, ¡°Lucian is here too? You guys are¡­¡± Lucian pulled his hands back, nced at Allison, and said calmly. ¡°Penelope¡¯s dress got dirty. I was just helping her change.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help her. I¡¯ll fix Penelope¡¯s makeup while I¡¯m at it. Lucian, go downstairs and entertain the guests.¡± Leah nagan¨CEaden said, blocking Lucian¡¯s view of Allison. Lucian didn¡¯t insist, and he turned around to leave. As soon as he left, the smile on Leah nagan¨CEaden¡¯s face faded. She pped Allison hard across the face, ¡°You poor little bitch, don¡¯t forget your ce. You¡¯re just Penelope¡¯s stand¨Cin!¡± She dared flirt with Lucian when she wasn¡¯t looking! Luckily, she caught it in time. Allison¡¯s cheek stung, but she wasn¡¯t in a position to argue. She sneered, ¡°If the madam is so unsure about me, why bother letting me impersonate Miss Penelope?¡± ¡°You dare talk back!¡± Leah nagan¨CEaden red at her. If it weren¡¯t for her face, which looked so much like Penelope¡¯s, how could she take such a risk? ¡°It¡¯s about time. I¡¯ll take care of the rest. You change and leave through the back door of the hotel. I¡¯ve arranged for someone to take you home.¡± Leah nagan¨CEaden, holding back her anger, threw Allison¡¯s original clothes at her. Allison didn¡¯t resist. Lucian¡¯s reaction just now was obviously off. She wasn¡¯t sure if he had figured something out. She turned her back to Leah nagan¨CEaden and changed into her own clothes. Meanwhile, Leah nagan¨CEaden was staring at her back and was deep in thought. When the wedding was about to end, Allison quietly got into a car to leave the hotel. Her mission waspleted. After tonight, she would have nothing to do with Lucian. At that moment, Leah nagan¨CEaden and Christopher were rushing to the hospital. Leah nagan¨CEaden looked at her daughter, who was still unconscious in the hospital bed, stomping her feet in anger. Her useless daughter had caused such a mess at such a crucial time. The engagement party was over, but she still hadn¡¯t woken up! Christopher asked the doctor, ¡°Doctor, when will my daughter wake up?¡± ¡°Your daughter is allergic to alcohol. She should wake up by tomorrow. You¡¯ll have to convince her not to be so reckless in the future.¡± It would be good if she could wake up tomorrow. Leah nagan¨CEaden breathed a sigh of relief and immediately took out some money to tip the doctor. This matter must be kept secret. Absolutely no one else can know. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Especially not Allison! Leah nagan¨CEaden thought about the scene from the evening and immediately picked up her phone to call Margo, ¡°How are the arrangements I asked you to make going?¡± ¡°Madam, everything is going ording to your instructions.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Do it neatly and make her shut up! Or else her sick old mother won¡¯t get off easy!¡± ¡°Yes, you can rest assured!¡± In the dpidated little clinic, Margo hung up the phone and turned to Allison, who was tied to the bed, ¡°Bitch, did you hear all that? Are you going to let us do it the easy way, or are you going to resist?¡± Allison never expected that Leah nagan¨CEaden would be so cunning. Just because she saw her back and remembered the scar left by a burn on Penelope¡¯s back not long ago, she wanted to leave the same scar on her body! Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Allison struggled to shake her head, but her hands and feet were tied up and immobilized, with a thick piece of cloth stuffed in her mouth. Leah nagan¨CEaden shockingly forbade any anesthesia, forcing her to bear the unbearable pain of branding. It was the same location and the same scar. The moment the branding iron burned her skin, a searing pain like a thousand knives shot through her body. The pain was so intense that she wanted to moan, but with her mouth gagged, all she could do was convulse in agony. In the end, Allison saw nothing but darkness as the pain knocked her out.. The next morning, in the hospital. Penelope woke up, took a look at herself in the mirror, and couldn¡¯t help but scream, ¡°Ah..¡± Her reflection showed her body covered in red rashes, including her face, and it was unbearably itchy. Leah nagan¨CEaden rushed over to prevent her from scratching her face, ¡°Penelope, these rashes are nothing; just use the medicine every day, and they will disappear soon.¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Penelope was on the verge of losing it, ¡°How soon is soon? Can it disappear today? How did I be like this?!* ¡°You have the nerve to ask!¡± Christopher scolded with a thunderous face, ¡°The doctor said if you recover well, it would take a week; if not, a couple of weeks. Look at yourself! You¡¯re the one who drank alcohol. You almost made us aughing stock at the engagement party!¡± How could the bride¨Cto¨Cbe be absent due to an alcohol allergy from her own engagement party?! How embarrassing! Penelope covered her face and only then did she realize the time, ¡°The engagement party! What¡¯s the date today? Where is Lucian?¡± She began to panic. It wasn¡¯t easy for her to get this far. Leah nagan¨CEaden tried to soothe her, ¡°You were unconscious, so your father and I decided to let Allison attend the engagement party in your ce. After all, Allison looks simr to you; no one would notice with some makeup on.¡± ¡°What?¡± Penelope¡¯s voice shot up several octaves. ¡°Mom, how could you let that¡­¡± She stopped short of swearing, remembering Christopher was still there, ¡°How could you let Allison rece me?¡± She was a bit scared. What if Lucian found out? After all, the one who slept with Lucian that time was Allison! What if Allison got greedy and wanted to be Mrs. Lindberg? Wouldn¡¯t she lose out? ¡°Should we cancel the engagement party then? Look at you now!¡± Christopher was fuming and speechless at the sight of his daughter covered in rashes. Penelope mumbled, ¡°I didn¡¯t want this; I¡¯m not usually allergic to alcohol. Who would have thought I¡¯d be allergic to cherry wine?¡± She wanted to exin more, but seeing Leah nagan¨CEaden¡¯s look and fearing that her dad would get angrier, she shut up. Leah nagan¨CEaden tried tofort him, ¡°Christopher, you¡¯ve had a long day; go home and rest. I¡¯ll stay with Penelope.¡± Once Christopher left, Leah nagan¨CEaden came over to the bed and took a closer look at Penelope¡¯s face. She knew what Penelope was worried about, so she rified right away, ¡°Penelope, that bi t ch¡¯s mom is still in the hospital, and her medical fees depend on us. There won¡¯t be any problems; you can rest easy for now. Once your rashes are gone, you can reim your title as Mrs. Lindberg Penelope wondered for a moment and thought that made sense. With Grace around, Allison wouldn¡¯t dare disobey. Still¡­ ¡°Mom, tell the doctor to use the best medicine. I need to recover as soon as possible.¡± To Penelope, every moment Allison spent with Lucian posed a risk of being exposed. She couldn¡¯t afford to lose everything she¡¯d achieved. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Chapter 15 When Allison woke up, she found herself at home. Leah nagan¨CEaden, for some reason, despite branding her without any anesthesia, had given her some high¨Cend medicines to help her recover afterward. A few days of rest and the pain on her back was bearable. Yet every time she saw the scar, she felt a sense of humiliation. ¡°Allison, I¡¯ve done what I promised. The rest is beyond my control.¡± Leah nagan¨CEaden said with a vindictive grin on her face, sipping hertte in the living room of the nagan family mansion. Allison clenched her fists at her sides. Leah nagan¨CEaden had indeed kept her promise. She had a specialist examine Allison¡¯s mother immediately after the engagement party. But the diagnosis still called for a kidney transnt. Allison said expressionlessly, ¡°Thanks.¡± Leah nagan¨CEaden, unfazed by her attitude, said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. As long as you keep ying ¡®Penelope¡®, I¡¯ll keep helping you.¡± Allison¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°I have to keep ying Ms. nagan?¡± ¡°Right. Penelope needs more time in the hospital, and Lucian is usually busy, so he won¡¯t be looking for her every day. All you need is to have Penelope¡¯s phone and y along from time to time.¡± Having said that, Leah nagan¨CEaden rose and walked behind Allison, deliberately cing her hand on her not¨Cyet¨Cfully recovered back. Allison hissed in pain and Leah nagan¨CEaden¡¯s voice echoed in her ear, ¡°But if you pull any stunts, your mother¡¯s treatment will stop.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Allison gritted her teeth, swallowing her resentment, ¡°I get it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit.¡± Leah nagan¨CEaden chuckled, nodding in satisfaction as she watched Allison break into a cold sweat from the pain, ¡°I didn¡¯t think this scar woulde in handy.¡± Allison didn¡¯t respond, but she understood Leah nagan¨CEaden¡¯s intentions. But even with a scar identical to Penelope¡¯s, she would never be Penelope. In a lecture hall at Willowbrook College, Allison listened to her friend, Daisy, ¡°I really don¡¯t get how Penelope got on Lucian¡¯s good side.¡± She then whispered, ¡°Could it be ¡®cause they did the deed?¡± Allison suddenly stopped writing, feeling her breath grow hot as she remembered the warmth of the man that night. She took a deep breath and stood up, ¡°I need to use the restroom.¡± ¡°Huh? But ss is about to start. Today¡¯s finance lecturer is from a Fortune 100pany; you¡¯ll lose points if you¡¯rete.¡± Before Daisy could finish, she saw Allison rush to the door, bumping into a man on her way out, causing her to clutch her mouth in surprise At the door, Allison rubbed her bumped nose, hearing amotion from the ssroom. Before she could react, a deep male voice came from above, ¡°Are you okay?¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. That voice¡­ It was him! Lucian! Allison looked up in surprise to see a familiar and tall figure. Lucian looked equally surprised, with a hint of astonishment in his eyes, ¡°Penelope?¡± Allison felt her head spinning. It was only when their eyes met that she realized she forgot to wear a mask! Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Chapter 16 In the midst of the chaos, Alison quickly turned around and exined, ¡°I¡¯m not Penelope.¡± Lucian frowned. Was she pretending not to know him? Was it because he had been loo busy to pay attention to her these past few days? Allison didn¡¯t dare let him continue questioning her. Just as she was about to leave the ssroom, the principal behind Lucian red at her unhappily, ¡°ss is about to start; get back to your seal!* Her steps halted and she had no choice but to return to her seat. The burning gaze from behind followed her. Allison really wanted to hide under the table. On the podium, Lucian¡¯s deep voice came through the speakers, ¡°Hello everyone, I¡¯m Lucian. For the next half semester, I¡¯ll be teaching you finance.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the whole ssroom erupted. The girls started asking questions. ¡°Mr. Lindberg, do you have a girlfriend?¡± ¡°Mr. Lindberg, can you write down your contact information?¡± ¡°Mr. Lindberg, what type of girls do you like?¡± With a slight smile on his lips, Lucian¡¯s gazended pointedly on Allison, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I already have a fianc¨¦e.¡± Sighs of disappointment filled the ssroom, while Allison waspletely stunned. Daisy whispered in her ear, ¡°Why do I feel like Lucian¡¯s looking at you weirdly? Is there something going on between you two?¡± Allison lowered her head guiltily, ¡°What are you talking about? Everyone in town knows his fianc¨¦e is Penelope.¡± ¡°True¡­ but I really didn¡¯t expect Lucian toe to teach here. As the future heir of the Lindberg Corporation, I thought I wouldn¡¯t see him until after graduation.¡± Allison couldn¡¯t hear the rest of what Daisy was saying. She was considering how to avoid him in the future. At that moment, Lucian spoke, ¡°Everyone quiet down; I¡¯m going to take attendance.¡± H Allison felt like she was about to copse and her palms were sweaty with nerves. ¡°Allison.¡± After a while, a deep, maic male voice rang out. He read her name with a hint of emotion. Allison stood up and lowered her head. She deliberately lowered her voice and softly said, ¡°Here.¡± She quickly sat down after speaking. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Lucian nced at the attendance sheet and furrowed his brows slightly. Allison¡­ So she was that little maid from the nagan family. He remembered her always wearing a mask and only catching a fleeting glimpse of her Upon closer inspection, she indeed did not resemble Penelope. He hid the deeper meaning in his eyes and said with a cool voice, ¡°Allison, stand up and answer this, what¡¯s the meaning of interbank lending?¡± Allison remained seated, not yet reacting. Daisy gently nudged her arm, ¡°Hey, Mr. Lindberg is calling you.¡± Allison quickly stood up, but her mind was in a mess. This was a simple question, but she hadn¡¯t been attending ss recently. Plus, she was taking this elective just to fill her credits, so she didn¡¯t take it too seriously. Biting her lip, Allison had no answer. Lucian made a mark on the attendance sheet and said quietly, ¡°Come to my office after ss.¡± What? Allison looked up sharply. Going to his office? Wouldn¡¯t that increase the chances of him recognizing her?! She quickly thought of excuses to leave. At that moment, Lucian said with a hint of a smile, ¡°Allison, if I don¡¯t see you after ss, you might fail this course.¡± Allison was speechless. Why did she feel like Lucian knew something? Finally, the ss was over. Allison stood outside Lucian¡¯s office, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. The next moment, the office door was opened. Before Allison could react, the man inside grabbed her wrist and pulled her in. With a bang, the door was closed. Allison¡¯s back was against the door, and she could smell the fresh scent of the man. The intimate scene she had with Lucian that night shed through her mind, and her face irnmediately turned red. Then she heard the man say coldly, ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s your purpose for trying so hard to get in front of Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Allison was taken aback, and her blushing and rapid heartbeat stopped abruptly at that moment. She lifted her head, her moist eyes. filled with confusion, ¡°Purpose?¡± Lucian let go of her wrist, fiddled with his sleeves that were not messed up at all, and said solemnly, ¡°Intentionally sshing water on me, purposely getting close to my cousin, and now using this face that looks like Penelope to attend my ss, don¡¯t tell me all of this is just a coincidence.¡± Allison finally understood. He thought she was purposefully trying to catch his attention. Her heart, which was originally uneasy, suddenly calmed down at this moment. She bit her lip, feeling wronged all of a sudden. For the first time, she hated her own face. She held back her emotions and said, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, whether you believe it or not, I had no intention of getting close to you! ¡°If you¡¯re here because of the question I answered in ss, I apologize, but this¡­ I¡¯m sorry, you got the wrong person.¡± She said respectfully, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, Mr. Lindberg, I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± Without waiting for Lucian to speak, she turned and left. Lucian stared at her retreating figure, his frown deepening. Did he really misunderstand her? Then he made a phone call, ¡°I want all information on Allison.¡± When Allison received another call from Lucian, she was watching a movie with Daisy. ¡°Dinner tonight?¡± A clear, cool voice came from the phone. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Allison immediately felt a headacheing. To be precise, the person he asked was ¡°Penelope, and she was just a stand¨Cin. If she could avoid contact with him, she would definitely choose not to. Especially since they had had an unpleasant exchange in the office that afternoon. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m watching a movie with a friend right now; I¡¯ll treat you some other time.¡± There was silence on the other end for a moment, followed by a ¡°fine¡°, and Allison finally breathed a sigh of relief. Daisy nced at her, ¡°Who was that?¡± ¡°Just a friend.¡± ¡°So secretive, is it a boyfriend?¡± Daisy raised her eyebrows at her. Allison chuckled and put her phone back in her purse, sighing a bit helplessly, ¡°Don¡¯t you know whether I have a boyfriend or not? Alright, let¡¯s watch the movie.¡± Despite saying that, after the call, Allison had no idea what the film was about. When they left the cinema, it suddenly started to rain heavily. Daisy had her drivere to pick them up, but the traffic was bad due to the weather. The driver hadn¡¯t arrived yet when ¡®Penelope¡¯s¡® phone rang again. It was still Lucian. Allison picked up the call behind Daisy¡¯s back, ¡°Hello¡­¡± ¡°Where are you now?¡± Lucian had just finished a meal with friends and remembered that she said she was watching a movie in a nearby mall. Seeing that the rain showed no signs of stopping, he called her. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m at the mall.¡± Lucian looked up. He could vaguely see the skyscraper of the mall not far away. ¡°Wait there, I¡¯lle pick you up.¡± Pick up?! Allison¡¯s heart tightened. She had just seen him at school that afternoon. He would definitely recognize that she was not Penelope at a nce. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Allison quickly cut him off, ¡°Not necessary, my friend¡¯s driver is on the way; they¡¯ll take me home.¡± She clutched her phone nervously, her palms instantly drenched in sweat. There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line before Lucian finally said, ¡°Alright¡± Allison heaved a sigh of relief, trying to chat with Lucian as casually as possible before hanging up. Minutester, Daisy¡¯s driver was nowhere in sight. But a pair of car headlights lit up in front of her. A ck Bentley slowly pulled up. When Allison saw the license te, she froze for a few seconds. That was Lucian¡¯s car! Didn¡¯t he say he wasn¡¯ting? Why did he suddenly appear? The man in the car looked through the window. His gaze was urately fixed on Allison before slowly winding down the window. Allison had no idea why Lucian suddenly appeared here and she didn¡¯t dare look him in the eye. Just as she was about to find a ce to hide, Daisy excitedly grabbed her arm. ¡°Allison!¡± Daisy called out. Allison felt a headacheing on. She reluctantly looked at Lucian and braced herself to say, ¡°Mr. Lindberg.¡± ¡°Why haven¡¯t you gone home yet? It¡¯ste.¡± Lucian asked, his tone neutral. But Allison could hear the unspoken words. In Lucian¡¯s eyes, she was now Allison, not ¡°Penelope¡°. Having sorted out her thoughts, Allison¡¯s tone became much more rxed. Sheughed and said, ¡°We just finished shopping and didn¡¯t. expect it to rain.¡± The rainy night brought a touch of a chill Lucian watched the girl¡¯s sudden smile; it felt like a ray of sunshine piercing through the dark clouds. Daisy seized the opportunity to ask, ¡°Are you busy now, Mr. Lindberg? There¡¯s going to be traffic due to the rain and our driver might bete. Can you give us a lift?¡± Allison¡¯s smile froze instantly. Daisy was just asking for trouble! She was digging her own grave! She tried to rectify the situation, ¡°Daisy, Mr. Lindberg is very busy; we can just take a taxi¡­¡± ¡°Get in the car.¡± Lucian¡¯s indifferent voice cut her off. Before she could refuse, Daisy had already dragged her by the arm, opened the car door, and pushed her in, muttering. ¡°What taxi? I know you, you¡¯re just stingy. Besides, if you dy any longer, the nagans will bully you again when you get home.¡± Lucian, sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, furrowed his brow slightly upon hearing this. He looked at Allison, who had been forced into the car, through the rear¨Cview mirror. As she inadvertently lifted her eyes, their gazes met, and then Allison quickly averted her gaze. She kept her head down for the rest of the time until Daisy got out of the car, leaving just the two of them. Perhaps it was Allison¡¯s imagination, but she felt the car was going much slower than before. At a red light, Lucian casually lit a cigarette. The rain had lessened considerably and he cracked the window a bit for venttion, ¡°Do the nagans often bully you?¡± ¡°What?¡± Allison was taken aback. She sat in the backseat and the air around her filled with the scent of rain and tobo. She quickly nced at Lucian, realizing he must¡¯ve heard Daisy¡¯sment, and quickly said, ¡°Not at all, the nagans are very kind to me.¡± Lucian finished his cigarette in silence, just in time for the traffic light to turn green. He restarted the car, ¡°Allison, it seems you¡¯re quite afraid of me* ¡°Mr. Lindberg, you¡¯re mistaken. I¡¯m just a servant and you¡¯re an esteemed guest of the nagans. My feelings towards you are nothing but respect.¡± As she said this, Allison¡¯s hands rested on herp and tightened slightly. She was well aware of the vast gap between her and Lucian. If it weren¡¯t for Penelope¡¯s sudden alcohol allergy, she wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to interact with such a man. This huge gap made Allison constantly vignt. Finally, she added, ¡°And¡­ you¡¯re my mistress¡¯s fianc¨¦.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. She was telling the truth, but it wasn¡¯t what Lucian wanted to hear. He frowned but said no more. When the car pulled up at the vi, Allison¡¯s tense expression finally rxed a bit. She thanked Lucian politely before turning to enter the vi. Inside the car, Lucian watched her retreating figure for a long while. He then turned off the car, opened the door, and followed her in. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Chapter 19 The nagan family¡¯s mansion. Leah nagan¨CEaden had been waiting for Allison since she got back from the hospital. She couldn¡¯t help butin when she saw her return sote, ¡°You went out for dinner, why did it take you so long?¡± Allison didn¡¯t dare admit that she hadn¡¯t actually gone to meet Lucian, so she mumbled, ¡°It was raining outside, so it took a bit more time.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really ungrateful, and you dare talk back!¡± Leah was already pi s s ed off, and Allison¡¯s exnation only added fuel to her rage. She grabbed a porcin cup from the table and chucked it at her. The white cup flew straight toward Allison¡¯s face, and she had no time to react. Allison instinctively closed her eyes, but she didn¡¯t feel the expected pain. All she felt was a shadow shing in front of her and a pair of long, powerful hands catching the cup skillfully. The scent that reached her nose was the familiar smell of rainwater mixed with a faint hint of tobo from the car before. She opened her eyes, looking a bit perplexed at Lucian standing in front of her. Not only was she surprised, but so was Leah, ¡°Ah, ah¡­Lucian.¡± Despite Lucian being her future son¨Cinw, the prestige of the Lindberg family and his cold demeanor made Leah somewhat afraid. Leah was both angry and shocked. Had Lucian brought Allison back? Why hadn¡¯t this woman said anything earlier? ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me Lucian was here, Penelope¡­¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am!¡± Allison quickly interrupted, preventing Leah from saying ¡°Penelope. If she had, it would¡¯ve been a real mess. ¡°Ma¡¯am, when I came back this afternoon, it was pouring rain. I happened to run into Mr. Lindberg. He originally nned toe and visit you and sir. Knowing that I¡¯m a ser vant of the nagan family, he kindly offered me a ride.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Leah¡¯s back was drenched with cold sweat, ¡°So that¡¯s what happened¡­ Why aren¡¯t you making a cup of coffee for Lucian yet?!¡± ¡°Yes, right away.¡± Allison nodded immediately, instructing someone in the kitchen to prepare a cup of tea, and then escaped to her room through the back door. Once the door was closed, she leaned against it, panting heavily, her heart pounding like a drum, and her mind filled with the scene of Lucian blocking the cup for her. She had dealt with this kind of situation many times at the nagan mansion, and getting yelled at had be a part of her daily life. But this was the first time someone had stood up for her. In the living room. Lucian put the cup he had just caught heavily on the table. Leah couldn¡¯t figure out his mood, but she knew that he was pi s sed off. Despite his silence, he always exuded an aura of superiority that was intimidating. Afterposing herself, Leah tentatively said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lucian, for causing such a scene. Allison came back sote that I just lost my cool. ¡°You¡¯re too kind, ma¡¯am, to even care so much about a ser vant.¡± Lucian¡¯s words were dripping with sarcasm. Leah¡¯s face turned a bit pale. His words were full of scorn, but she pretended not to notice and said with a smile, ¡°Of course, although Allison is just a ser vant, she grew up in front of my eyes. Besides, Penelope is about the same age as her and has always treated Allison as her sister.¡± Upon hearing this, Lucian¡¯s face turned solemn. When he thought of his fianc¨¦e and saw his concern for Allison, he felt irritated. He adjusted his cuffs and suddenly stood up, ¡°I have some business lo attend to; I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he turned and left, leaving no chance for Leah to stop him. It wasn¡¯t until his ck Bentley disappeared into the rainy night that Leah¡¯s forced smile finally faded. Margo, standing behind her, took the opportunity to tattle, ¡°Ma¡¯am, Mr. Lindberg originally nned to have dinner with Miss tonight, but Allison didn¡¯t attend as Miss. Now she even got a ride home from Mr. Lindberg; something fishy is going on!¡± Leah sneered. ¡°That little sl ut! She¡¯s just like her lowly mother! She imed to be rejecting Lucian on Penelope¡¯s behalf on the surface, but she¡¯s trying to seduce him behind our backs! What a lowlife!¡± She¡¯d better rein herself in, or Leah would make sure Allison paid the price! Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Chapter 20 The next day, bright and early, Allison got a call from Lucian. Well, more urately, it was a call for Penelope. He invited her to go somewhere with him that night. Having already turned him down once yesterday, Allison didn¡¯t dare say no again. So she hurriedly put on heavy makeup, trying her best to look like Penelope. After lunch, Lucian¡¯s driver, Dominic, arrived on time to pick her up. They headed to an underground auction. By the time Allison arrived, every seal was filled. Dominic led her upstairs, all the way to a room. As soon as the door swung open, the first thing Allison saw was a man on the sofa, holding a ss of wine. Despite her makeup, Allison was still scared he might see through her, so she chose to sit as far away from him as possible. Lucian¡¯s gaze fell on her face, her heavy makeup making him frown slightly. He gestured for her to come over, ¡°Come here.¡± Allison pursed her lips, knowing she couldn¡¯t avoid him, so she slowly shuffled over with her head down. Before she could get close, he suddenly reached out and yanked her into his arms. Allison felt her whole¨Cbody tense up. She struggled to get away, but his arm around her only tightened. ¡°Be good, Penelope.¡± He cooed softly in her ear, his breath tickling her as if he were trying to melt her. So Allison stopped struggling. For now, she was Penelope, his fianc¨¦e. Lucian¡¯s fingers gently stroked her cheek, the heavy makeup smearing onto his fingertips. He asked, ¡°Did you put on makeup?¡± ¡°Mmm, it¡¯s thetest trend. Do¡­ do you not like it?¡± ¡°I do.¡± He said it with certainty as if to confirm his words,. Allison blinked in surprise, feeling a jolt through her heart. But she kept her head down, not noticing that his clear eyes were void of any emotion. Lucian was well aware that his feelings for Penelope were merely a duty. But why did he think of Allison when he was holding Penelope? The auction downstairs had started. Allison noticed the venue was decorated in a ssic, aristocratic style. From here, she had a clear view of the auction hall downstairs. One item after another was sold, but Lucian didn¡¯t make a move. Allison didn¡¯t understand. What was Lucian trying to buy? Why did he bring her here? It wasn¡¯t until a top¨Cgrade pink diamond appeared that Lucian beside her finally acted, bidding directly and spending ten million dors. Once the deal was sealed, Lucian leaned in and asked her, ¡°Do you like it?¡± Allison was taken aback, ¡°Is this for me?¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Who else would it be for?¡± He smirked. The auction ended, and it waspletely dark outside. Lucian held Allison¡¯s hand as they left. The night breeze was crisp and cool. She ran her fingers through her hair, which had been tousled by the wind, when suddenly she felt him pull her closer. His handsome face seemed to magnify in front of her. Their distance was closing, and Lucian¡¯s breath left a warm trail on Allison¡¯s cheek. His gaze made Allison¡¯s face gradually turn red. ¡°I have to go to Ennd next Friday.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± His sudden proximity made Allison nervous. She clenched her hands and her face was burning hot. Lucian looked at the woman with a face full of makeup, yet her features were still delicate. Only her exposed ears, tinged with a deep pink, which clearly showed her shyness. He frowned, thenughed. He hadn¡¯t expected Penelope to be so easily embarrassed. It waspletely different from her usual open demeanor around him. The diamond he gave her was partly out of duty but also as a reminder that he already had a fianc¨¦e. But now, as he looked at his fianc¨¦e, he kept thinking of that other woman. Realizing this, Lucian¡¯s gaze cooled slightly, ¡°I have something else to do. I¡¯ll have Dominic take you home.¡± As for the confusion in his heart, he¡¯d deal with it when he came back, ¡°Mmm¡± Allison didn¡¯t dare ask more. Her heart was pounding like a drum, and she couldn¡¯t wait to leave. If she stayed with him any longer, she was afraid she¡¯d give herself away. Just as she was about to get in the car, he grabbed her wrist and his warm lipsnded on her forehead. ¡°Wait for me, Penelope. Wait for me toe back.¡± Chapter 21 Chapter 21 That night, Allison was tossing and turning in bed, and her heart was in shreds. He had poured all his tenderness and affection onto her, but she was not the ¡°her¡± he was thinking of. Because her name was Allison. That night, the news that Lucian had sshed out ten million bucks on a top¨Cnotch pink diamond quickly became the talk of the town on the inte.. It wasn¡¯t until the next morning that Allison finally saw the photo, which pretty much took over the whole entertainment news section. In the photo, a handsome man was holding a woman close, whispering in her ear, with eyes full of tenderness and a smile ying on his lips. The woman¡¯s back was all you could see in the photo, but the man¡¯s face was filled with love. It was a picture filled with love and tenderness. And the text description below was singing his praises. Lucian had been more than willing to blow a fortune to make his fianc¨¦e happy. Allison gripped her phone tightly as she stared at the man¡¯s tender gaze in the photo, her vision gradually blurring. A few dayster, it was the 20th anniversary of Willowbrook College. A lot of big shots showed up that day, from internationally renowned actors who graduated from Willowbrook College¡¯s performance department to leaders in various industries and up¨Canding business elites. The celebration was particrly grand. The whole day was filled with singing and dancing performances and meticulously prepared programs from various departments. The afternoon performances included some hot¨Cshot movie stars and renowned violinist Alexa Bourne, among others. In the evening, there was a masquerade ball. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Allison, wearing a feather mask and a long blue dress, walked into the ballroom with Daisy. As soon as they entered, Daisy disappeared into the crowd. Allison looked around, and suddenly her gaze was fixed. She almost instantly recognized the man in the dark green suit on the dance floor. It was Lucian. Even with a mask on, his noble and reserved demeanor was impossible to ignore. The woman dancing with him was wearing a starry blue, high¨Cend custom long dress. The well¨Cknown cello yer and heiress of the Bourne family, Alexa. Seeing this, her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly lowered her head and disappeared into the crowd when Lucian looked over After a while, she managed to calm her racing heart, but she couldn¡¯t help butugh at herself. Why was she so nervous? In his eyes, she was just a servant and his student. On the dance floor. Lucian narrowed his eyes slightly. He seemed to have seen a familiar figure just now, but when he tried to take a closer look, the person was gone. Did he see it wrong? ¡°Lucian.¡± Alexa noticed that he seemed a bit distracted and softly said, ¡°I have a performance next week; could you¡­¡± ¡°I have a business trip next week.¡± He cut her off coldly, ¡°I can ask my fianc¨¦e if she¡¯d like toe.¡± Alexa¡¯s smile froze instantly. Her performances were always hot tickets and hard toe by. And yet this man didn¡¯t care at all, and he even deliberately mentioned his fianc¨¦e to humiliate her. His sudden engagement caught her off guard. She had no idea what rtionship Lucian had with his fianc¨¦e, the heiress of the nagan family. Howe he suddenly got engaged? Lucian¡¯s hand was carefully and politely ced on her waist. After the dance ended, he immediately let go of her and said lightly, ¡°I have something to take care of, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± Alexa watched the man¡¯s retreating figure with a touch of disappointment. There were countless men chasing after her, but none of them caught her eye. *Alexa.¡± Her friend Lena came over, looking in the direction where Lucian had left, somewhat incredulous, ¡°You¡¯re not still hung up on Lucian, are you?¡± Alexa admired him dreamily, ¡°Where in the world could I find someone better than him?¡± ¡°Alexa, do you need my help?¡± Lena smiled with a mischievous glint in her eyes. ¡°What can you do? He¡¯s already engaged.¡± Lena swirled her wine ss, ¡°So what if he¡¯s engaged? Engagement doesn¡¯t mean marriage. What problem can¡¯t a ss of wine solve? | have something good here. All you need to do is drop it in his wine.¡± Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Chapter 22 This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Lena didn¡¯t finish her sentence, but Alexa got the hint. Lena lived a wild life. She loved to go out and party, and when it came to boys¡­ Well, there was no need to go into details. Alexa blushed a little, ¡°Isn¡¯t that¡­ a bit inappropriate?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the 21st century, girl. What¡¯s inappropriate about it? Do you think you¡¯re less than Penelope? You¡¯re from the Bourne family, the aristocrats of Northfield. The nagan family is just small fry.¡± Alexa,ing from a prestigious family and being a renowned cellist, had too much pride to be swayed into such behavior. She shook her head, ¡°I¡¯d rather not.¡± Lena rolled her eyes, thinking to herself, What are you ying at?¡± As if reading her mind, Lena leaned in mysteriously and whispered, ¡°Alexa, if you keep hesitating, he¡¯ll be married to Penelope before you know it. If you¡¯re too shy, I can help you.¡± With that, Lena quickly walked away. Alexa opened her mouth to stop her, but in the end, she held onto hope and remained silent. Elsewhere, Allison had been searching for Daisy at the party but couldn¡¯t find her. Since she was ufortable with such events, she decided to call Daisy. ¡°Hey, Daisy, where are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in room 203 and I¡¯m ying cards with some friends. Do you want toe over?¡± The music from the party was too loud, and Allison could only make out the word ¡®room. She headed to the second floor, ¡°You¡¯re in which room?¡± Before Daisy could answer, Allison¡¯s phone died due to a low battery. Defeated, she shook her head, put away her phone, and opened the door to room 204. The room was soundproof and the loud music from the hall below was barely audible. The room was dimly lit. She called out, ¡°Daisy, are you here?¡± and took a few steps forward. Suddenly, she heard a key turning from outside. Allison quickly turned to open the door, only to find it locked. A boy holding a key was at the end of the hallway, wrapping his arm around a woman¡¯s waist, ¡°All set.¡± Lena smirked. Women like Alexa always yed innocent while desiring things deep down and pretended to be noble and reserved in her presence. Back in the room, Allison was clueless about what was happening. She banged on the door, trying to get someone to open it, but it was eerily silent outside. The loud music from downstairs made her pleas sound insignificant. The room was filled with a strong, enticing fragrance. Allison¡¯s head felt heavy. She bit her lip, trying to stay alert. What was happening? Why did it suddenly feel so hot? Suddenly, a strong arm wrapped around Allison from behind, and she was pinned down. She was met with the handsome face of Lucian! What was he doing here? Allison¡¯s thoughts cleared for a moment, but the heat soon took over. ¡°Um¡­ Mr. Lindberg¡­ The man turned her around as his warm hand gripped her waist tightly, and his passionate kiss trailed down her neck and then onto her lips. Her lips were soft and sweet and exuded a floral aroma. Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Lucian¡¯s body was rigid and his eyes gradually darkened. In his vision, Allison¡¯s fingers were like soft vines that gripped his neck lightly at the moment of eruption. ¡°Lucian¡­¡± The next moming. When Allison woke up, she was sore all over. She looked in surprise at herself and Lucian, both naked in bed. What happenedst night was as clear as day. But why couldn¡¯t she remember anything? At that moment. The man beside her opened his eyes. His gaze was deep. He looked around, then fixed his eyes on the woman beside him. He gritted his teeth and called her name, ¡°Allison!¡± Allison finally realized. She was Allison and she wasn¡¯t supposed to be here. She was trembling. She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. Finally, in a shaky voice, she said, ¡°Mr. Lindberg¡­ L¡­ Lucian stood up, picked up his clothes from the floor, and put them on, frowning deeply. Suddenly, he saw the burned¨Cout incense on the bedside table. His eyes narrowed instantly, and he violently grabbed Allison¡¯s delicate neck, ¡°Was this your doing?¡± ¡°No¡­ no¡­¡± Allison¡¯s throat was choked. She shook her head frantically. She didn¡¯t!! Lucian¡¯s face was icy. The nket fell off, revealing the scars on her back, which only fueled his anger. The same ce and the same scars. No wonder he couldn¡¯t control himselfst night. Apart from the effects of the incense, he had mistaken her for Penelope! Lucian let go of her harshly, ¡°You better not mention this to anyone. If Penelope finds out, I will not spare you! I can make you disappear from Northfield!¡± He was shocked. Penelope was right. Allison was just a vain woman who used such despicable means to get close to him. Her usual innocence and pity were all just a facade to attract his attention, including her deliberate approach to Jason! Thinking of this and overwhelmed by a strong sense of betrayal, Lucian was furious. Allison was violently thrown aside andnded on the bed. Her throat was ufortable; she coughed violently, and her body ached unbearably. She clutched the thin nket tightly. Lucian finished dressing and picked up a towel to wipe his right hand that had just grabbed her neck, feeling disgusted. He then threw the towel on the floor, stepping on it ruthlessly with his leather shoes before striding away. Allison was freezing and trembling uncontrobly. When Lucian grabbed her just now, the chill in his eyes pierced her soul. It was as if he could really make her ¡°disappear¡± as he had said. She hastily dressed and fook a taxi home. She rushed into the bathroom to wash off the traces on her body, but the kiss marks just wouldn¡¯t wash off. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Allison hugged herself, squatting under the shower, with tears silently falling. If the first time she willingly went to his bed was for her mother, then what about this time? What on earth happened this time? She hadn¡¯t drunk any alcoholst night, but she felt hot all over and her mind was in chaos. The scenes with Lucian flickered in her mind, ceaselessly turnbling and gnawing at her consciousness as if she were struggling in a sea of fire. She could make the excuse that she had been with Lucian under such circumstances, but she couldn¡¯t deny that she knew that man was Lucian. After this happened, Lucian must have hated her a lot. Meanwhile, in the study at Juniper Ridge. Lucian was sitting in his office chair, calmly closing his eyes. But the scenes fromst night were ying in his mind, his thoughts seemingly out of control. The room was filled with a kind of incense that could arouse desire. Decent people wouldn¡¯t touch such a thing. It was a type of incensemonly used in underground entertainment venues and usually only circted in such ces. And in her attempt to pretend to be Penelope, even the scars on her back were so realistic. In order to cling to him, this woman was willing to do anything dirty! Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Chapter 24 He had a hunch that the woman at the engagement party was Allison but now how could it possibly be? This woman had approached him with a purpose and a n. She hadn¡¯t shown up for the elective ss for two weeks, but appeared on the day he gave the lecture. It was the same at the nagan family¡¯s house, continuously drawing his attention. But who would¡¯ve thought she would turn out to be a loose and vain kind of person Even though his drink was spiked, he could still recall bits and pieces. Last night, he wasn¡¯t out of control. Instead, after touching her body, he made an uncontroble choice. Thinking of this, Lucian suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze cold and profound. He reached out, abruptly pushing the documents in front of him. His slender fingers clenched, and his fist hit the table, making a dull sound. He had really misjudged Allison! Allison had been resting at home for a whole morning before she recovered. After lunch, she was called over by Margo. As soon as she stepped into the vi, she was confronted by Margo. Seeing her, Margo immediately asked, ¡°Allison, where were youst night?¡± In the midst of their conversation, Margo noticed a love bite on Allison¡¯s fair neck, immediately seizing it like evidence. ¡°Oh my, did you go fooling around with some riff¨Craff? I knew you weren¡¯t as pure as you seemed. Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re using the identity of the young ¡°Is that so? Guess you¡¯ll have to keep my secret then. Allison spoke, her voice gentle, but the look in her eyes was cold. Margo was stunned that Allison dared to talk back to her. Allisonughed and said, ¡°You know I¡¯m borrowing the youngdy¡¯s identity. If someone finds out, the youngdy¡¯s reputation will be damaged.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Margo was so angry that her face turned red, but she couldn¡¯t deny that Allison was right. In the end, she could only huff and instruct her, ¡°Carter invited you to their house for dinner, get ready.¡± Allison¡¯s breath hitched. She had to face that man again so soon? But she wasn¡¯t ready yet! ¡°What are you waiting for? Go!¡± Margo threw a set of Penelope¡¯s clothes at her. After Allison left, Margo went to the small garden and told Leah about her discovery. ¡°Madam, Allison went out with a manst night and didn¡¯te back all night. I just scolded her a bit, but she dared to threaten me with the youngdy¡¯s reputation.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Leah furrowed her brows. She didn¡¯t like Allison, but Allison always seemed so docile and not the type to do such things. Margo went on to embellish the story, ¡°It¡¯s true, I saw love bites all over her. Who knows what type of man she was with?¡± Leah nagan¨CEaden huffed, ¡°A maid¡¯s daughter is always lowly!¡± Just like her shameless mother! Otherwise, how could Christopher be fooled by that woman? Twenty¨Cthree years ago, Grace shamelessly tried totch onto Christopher; thankfully, she found out early. She nced at Margo, ¡°Tell the hospital not to give Grace the good medicine, as long as she¡¯s alive. It¡¯s a waste to use expensive medication every day¡± ¡°I understand, but what about the master?¡± ¡°Just be careful not to let him find out.¡± Leah didn¡¯t care about this. Even if he found out, so what? She was just an ordinary maid. This time, the Lindberg family¡¯s invitation was very formal. It was Penelope¡¯s first time visiting a family like the Lindbergs. Even though Leah nagan¨CEaden didn¡¯t want Allison to rece Penelope, she didn¡¯t dare be careless. The clothes prepared for Allison fit perfectly but were totally Penelope¡¯s style. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Allison put on heavy makeup again, covering the love bite on her neck with a thick concealer, and then she wore the agate ne Daisy gave her for her birthday. The ne had a warm luster, and it felt cool when she wore it. The string was a bit long, so after she put it on, it went directly into the top of her dress. Before leaving. Allison took a deep breath. She had to face him, even if he despised her Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Chapter 25 The Lindberg family¡¯s mansion was smack dab in the middle of the city, a posh and pricey area. The ce was like a neighborhood of mansion¨Cstyle vis. There were a bunch of four¨Cstory buildings that were all connected and all belonged to the Lindberg family. Just as Allison pulled up to the gate, she saw Lucian stepping out of his Bentley. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. He personally opened the car door for her and said, ¡°Penelope, sorry I couldn¡¯t pick you up. Been swamped with work.¡± ¡°No worries.¡± Allison replied, a bit sheepish but relieved to see he didn¡¯t seem affected byst night¡¯s events. Her fingers tightened, reminding herself that she was Penelope now, not Allison. Next thing she knew, her clenched hand was enveloped by a warm grip. She shivered slightly, looking up at the man beside her. Lucian was gently stroking her hand with a small smile ying on his lips. ¡°Nervous?¡± She nodded slightly. Yeah, she was a bit jittery and afraid her secret might be exposed. Just then, a one¨Ceyed, muscr middle¨Caged man approached them. ¡°Mr. Lindberg, Ms. nagan.¡± Lucian introduced him, ¡°This is David. He¡¯s been my grandfather¡¯spanion for a long tirne.¡± David was the Lindberg family¡¯s butler. He shared ast name with Carter Lindberg because he was his¨Cadopted son, so he had a pretty high status in this household. ¡°Hello, David.¡± Allison greeted him respectfully. David nodded slightly, then turned to Lucian. ¡°Lucian, Carter wants to see you in the study.¡± Lucian squeezed her hand. ¡°You make yourself at home. I¡¯ll go see Grandpa.¡± Allison nodded. After Lucian left, David led Allison into the mansion and had a maid named Zoey take her to the garden.¡± There were several four¨Cstory buildings with tight security and beautiful greenery. As Allison followed Zoey, they heard some heavy pantinging from the fruit trees ahead. ¡°Oh, Pete, you¡¯re such a bad boy¡­¡± ¡°Can I be any worse than you, you little minx, huh?¡± The conversation between the man and the woman, along with the panting, made them both ufortable. Allison frowned. They couldn¡¯t see anything in the dense grove, but the suggestive sounds made it awkward. Zoey quickly ushered Allison away. ¡°Ms. nagan, let¡¯s go.¡± Allison nodded and awkwardly diverted her gaze. They didn¡¯t try to hide their footsteps. It was so quiet here that Allison was sure the people in the grove could hear them. But not only did they not quiet down, they got even louder. As they left the fruit trees, Zoey exined awkwardly, ¡°Ms. nagan, that was David¡¯s son, Pete. He¡¯s quite the libertine and has had affairs with many of the maids. Pete acts like this because his father once saved Carter¡¯s life.¡± Allison gave a small smile. ¡°So, we¡¯re the ones who disturbed them.¡± Zoey chuckled. She found Ms. nagan very approachable, without any air of arrogance. ¡°Ms. nagan, you always have a way of making things sound amusing.¡± As for this incident, Allison didn¡¯t really care. It was the Lindberg family¡¯s business, and she was just a bystander. As they chatted and walked, they didn¡¯t notice Kami getting out of a car at the gate of the Lindberg mansion. Kami instantly spotted Penelope, whom she despised. To her, Penelope was cunning and no different from those women who wanted to cling to Lucian. Did she really think she could easily enter this family by getting engaged to Lucian? Just wait till she put her in her ce! Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Kami hollered at the woman about to enter the house, ¡°Hey, Penelope, who said you coulde here?¡± Whether it was because she was too far away to hear or for some other reason, Allison didn¡¯t respond and just followed Zoey into the living room. Kami¡¯s fury ignited instantly due to Allison¡¯s disregard. She strode over and yanked Allison¡¯s arm. However, she used so much force that she missed the arm but tore Allison¡¯s delicate dress instead. This scene dumbfounded both Kami and Allison. Zoey immediately panicked, ¡°Ms. nagan¡­ you¡­you¡¯re okay, right?¡± Kami quickly regained herposure, and pretending to be angry, she said, ¡°You ignored me on purpose, you brought this on yourself!¡± ¡°Kami!¡± Suddenly, Lucian¡¯s icy voice came from the stairs. He nced at Allison¡¯s disheveled appearance, and his face grew more serious, ¡°Apologize!¡± ¡°Why should I apologize? It¡¯s clearly her fault; why should I apologize?¡± Kami stomped her foot in anger, shot Allison a dirty look, and then ran back to her room. Lucian walked over to Allison, exining, ¡°Kami has been spoiled since she was little. She¡¯s not a bad person; don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Allison could tell that Lucian truly adored his sister. She chuckled, her tone slightly mocking, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I stole her beloved brother, it¡¯s normal for her to be angry¡± Lucian was taken aback by her words. ¡°Penelope¡± had always been careful around him. This was the first time he had seen her smile so freely, and it inexplicably warmed his heart. Allison didn¡¯t notice this at all. She looked down at the tear in her dress, looking somewhat distressed, ¡°Will it be rude to meet Grandpa like this?¡± Lucian took her hand and led her upstairs, ¡°Come with me.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. He took her to his room, pulled out a pale yellow dress from his closet, and said expressionlessly, ¡°Change into this; I¡¯ll wait outside.¡± Allison was stunned. The dress was brand new and the tag hadn¡¯t even been removed. It had green decorations on the hem, looked fresh and beautiful, and obviously wasn¡¯t cheap. But what surprised her was, why would Lucian have a woman¡¯s dress in his room? Perhaps¡­ it was left behind by Penelope? Thinking of this, a hint of loss that she didn¡¯t even notice herself flickered in her eyes. After changing. Allison opened the door. The man who had his back to her turned around, and the moment he saw Allison, he was stunned. The girl had two green straps on her shoulders; her waist was slender, and from the back, the pale yellow dress made her look as bright as a butterfly. He suppressed his astonishment, walked over, wrapped his arms around her waist, and couldn¡¯t help but nt a gentle kiss on her lips, ¡°Penelope, you look really good in this dress.¡± Allison was stunned. Ignoring the name he called, she asked him softly, ¡°Do I really look good?¡± His gaze was very serious, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, Grandpa is waiting for us.¡± He led her downstairs with his arm around her. As he turned around, Lucian¡¯s eyes seemed deep and mysterious, and his mind was filled with the memory of a little girl in a pale yellow dress. The girl wasughing happily, running, and turning around to call him, ¡°Lucian¡­¡± Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Chapter 27 At dinner time. Lucian¡¯s aunt, Cora Lindberg¨CHamilton, was thest to arrive. When she walked in alone, Carler asked in displeasure, ¡°Where¡¯s Jason?¡± ¡°He said he¡¯s going to a birthday party for a female ssmate.¡± ¡°Oh, Jason has a crush?¡± The old man¡¯s face immediately lit up, nodding nonstop. ¡°He¡¯s not a boy anymore. If she¡¯s the right one, wel should meet her.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Cora Lindberg¨CHamilton replied, but she didn¡¯t seem as happy as the old man. She knew her son too well to have high hopes. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Sitting nearby, Allison was taken aback by the conversation. Lately, she hadn¡¯t seen Jason because of her busy schedule. But she¡¯d heard rumors at school that Jason was seeing a girl named Audrey. So, it was true. Well, that was good. At least he won¡¯t bother her anymore, and she won¡¯t have to keep making excuses to reject him. On the way home, Lucian was driving. Through the rear¨Cview mirror, he saw the agate ne on Allison¡¯s neck, ¡°Did Aunt give you this?¡± After dinner, he saw Cora Lindberg¨CHamilton taking her for a walk. When they came back, she was wearing, this ne. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°What did she tell you?¡± ¡°Aunt said¡­¡± Allison began, then suddenly stopped. She blinked rapidly and fell silent. ¡°Hmm?¡± Lucian was driving and thought he didn¡¯t hear clearly. ¡°Aunt said¡­¡± Allison felt shy and whispered, ¡°She hopes we can set a wedding date soon and have a baby early.¡± Through the rear¨Cview mirror, Lucian looked at her. His eyes suddenly dimmed, and he squinted. It¡¯s time to set a wedding date, but for some reason, Allison¡¯s face shed through his mind at that moment. Even as he looked at Penelope in the rear¨Cview mirror, he seemed to see Allison¡¯s shadow. That woman had indeed left a deep impression on him! Meanwhile, at the hospital. Two figures were tightly embracing on Penelope¡¯s bed. Biting her lip, Penelope let out shy moans, which became increasingly bold. The man gently patted her, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of calling the nurses here with your noise?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because of you.¡± Penelope¡¯s face was still covered with a red rash that hadn¡¯t faded. Her usually beautiful face didn¡¯t look so good now. The man found it somewhat distasteful, but this woman really knew how to let loose. ¡°When will your face get back to normal?¡± ¡°The doctor said, as long as I control it, most of it will be gone by next week.¡± Penelope also felt ufortable. If it weren¡¯t for the allergy, she would be the one at the Lindberg family¡¯s house right now, and there would be no need for Allison to rece her. The corner of the man¡¯s mouth curled up, revealing a smirk, ¡°What do you think would happen if your parents saw us?¡± Immersed in their affair, Penelope was sweating profusely, ¡°My parents won¡¯te at night, Pete; don¡¯t leave tonight, I¡¯m so bored alone.¡± ¡°Am I much better than Lucian?¡± The man known as Pete was David¡¯s son. Every time Pete thought of Lucian, his eyes filled withpetitive desire. Penelope was taken aback. She and Lucian hadn¡¯t been intimate, so how could she possibly know what he was like? Despite the events of that night at the hotel, where she sessfully got Lucian to propose, Lucian barely touched her. His attitude towards her was polite but also distant and cold. This annoyed Penelope to no end. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Chapter 28 She snapped back to reality, remembering she was Lucian¡¯s fianc¨¦e. If she got knocked up from fooling around and Lucian found out, she¡¯d be in deep shit. The guy next to her chuckled at her reaction, shrugging off her plea. Realizing what he had done, Penelope¡¯s eyes widened in shock, ¡°You¡­you¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? What¡¯s wrong with having my kid? Lucian¡¯s got plenty of women around him. He seems to be quite taken with the maid who reced you. They¡¯ve probably had a few rolls in the hay and who knows, maybe she¡¯s already got a bun in the oven. You having my kid and going back to Lucian doesn¡¯t sound too bad. Then the Lindberg family will have to answer to us.¡± Penelope had never seen it this way before. But Pete brought up a point. If Lucian was indeed smitten by Allison and found out that she was the woman from the hotel, she¡¯d be screwed. No way! ¡°Pete, did you just say Lucian has a thing for Allison?¡± *Correct. He even scolded Kami today for her. Usually, Kami is his favorite. That maid has some serious charm; she managed to bewitch the cold Lucian in just a few days.¡± Penelope gritted her teeth, recalling how Kami treated her during the dinner with the nagan family. Back then, Lucian merely brushed it off. She clenched her fists, trying to convince herself, ¡°Lucian is only nice to her because he thinks Allison is me!¡± But deep inside, she was terrified. Allison had to leave. She had to leave Northfield! She had toe up with a n. ¡°Pete, help me¡­¡± It was Monday morning, Allison rushed to ss and was panting heavily. Lucian was already at the podium. He nced at his watch, not even sparing her a look, and said coldly, ¡°Seven minuteste, Allison, You¡¯ve skipped Finance ss 6 times this semester.¡± ¡°Mr. Lindberg, I¡¯m sorry, I¡­¡± Allison didn¡¯t expect Lucian to be this strict. ¡°Go stand outside!¡± The man adjusted his sses, ignored her, and went back to his lecture. Allison stood still for a few seconds, then bit her lip and went to stand in the hallway. She had been too greedy, basking in his tenderness these past days, thinking that incident would naturally fade away. But she forgot that all his tenderness these past days was for ¡°Penelope¡°. Her phone vibrated a few times. It was Daisy, texting to console her. After ss, Lucian went to the door and sneered, ¡°Six absences. Don¡¯t expect any credits for this course.¡± No way! Allison panicked at his words. A while ago, her mother, Grace, had been seriously ill. Allison had to skip ss multiple times to take care of her. If she didn¡¯t get the credits for this course, she would have to dy graduation. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Her mom¡¯s illness was expensive, and the kidney transnt surgery cost a fortune. She needed to start working and earning money ASAP Allison watched Lucian¡¯s retreating figure, gritted her teeth, and quickly chased after him. ¡°Mr. Lindberg, Mr. Lindberg!¡± She jogged to Lucian¡¯s office, catching her breath, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, I promise, I¡¯ll get to ss on time from now on.¡± It was just her and Lucian in the office. Having just jogged over, Allison¡¯s eyes were moist and shiny, her cheeks were rosy, and her lips were slightly parted as she panted. Lucian¡¯s gaze darkened slightly. He felt that she was using her seemingly innocent and pitiful appearance to deceive others. He had seen all sorts of women, but he was almost fooled by a woman like this. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Chapter 29 At this point, Lucian¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Get out!¡± Allison paled. 1:|: ? ? ?? ? She clenched her teeth and her forehead beaded with sweat, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, I really can¡¯t afford to lose any more credits. If I do, I¡¯ll have to dy my graduation. I¡­¡± Seeing Lucian¡¯s cold and upromising demeanor, Allison became anxious. Plus, she was out of breath from running; she felt her vision blur and was about to faint. When she came to, she found herself in Lucian¡¯s arms. He pinched her waist hard, ¡°Throwing yourself at me? Trying to tempt me? Allison, you¡¯re making me sick.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Allison struggled, but the man¡¯s arms were as hard as iron. She was trapped in a strange yet familiar embrace, seeing nothing but coldness and disgust in the man¡¯s eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t you?¡± Lucian leaned in closer, his mocking voice near her ear, ¡°Who was it then, who drugged me that night, got into my bed,id under me, and moaned my name?¡± Allison turned even paler. She only had fragments of memory from that night, and in her confusion, she forgot who she was. She was just Penelope¡¯s stand¨Cin. Seeing the innocent look in her eyes, Lucian felt a wave of annoyance in his chest. She had deceived him with this pitiful act. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Ever since she first saw him at the nagan family¡¯s house as a maid who got a distinguished guest¡¯s clothes wet, she avoided him deliberately to draw his attention every time they met. Who would believe it wasn¡¯t intentional? What pissed him off even more was that he found himself longing for her, despite trying so hard not to think about her. He subconsciously saw her in Penelope. Even he himself was confused if he had been treating Penelope as a substitute for Allison these past few days. ¡°There¡¯s a misunderstanding, Mr. Lindberg, there really is!¡± Allison¡¯s lips moved, but she couldn¡¯t exin. She turned her face away, avoiding his icy gaze. The man forced her to look at him, grabbing her face tightly, ¡°Misunderstanding? The misunderstanding is that you are taking advantage of your resemnce to Penelope and deliberately impersonating my fianc¨¦e. You¡¯re just a lowly maid; did you ever ask yourself, are you worthy? Even if you try to imitate Penelope, you¡¯re not her; you can¡¯t evenpare to a single hair of hers.¡± Allison turned pale. Hearing these words from this man hurt her deeply. Seeing her about to cry, Lucian felt a sting in his heart. His body reacted before his brain and he uncontrobly kissed Allison. The familiar and sweet scent almost made him lose himself. But seeing the face so simr to Penelope¡¯s in front of him, he suddenly sobered up and let go of her abruptly. He sneered, taking out a tissue to wipe his mouth, his voice full of mockery, ¡°Do you see now? You make me want to puke! Touching you makes me feel dirty! Get lost!¡± Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Allison was shaking violently, engulfed in a tidal wave of humiliation. She bit her lip hard, and her fists balled up light. Unable to bear any more of the disgrace, she skedaddled from the office in a hurry. Who knew how long it took before she found a tree to lean on, her tears finally breaking free. She and this man were from different worlds. She was indeed from the wrong side of the tracks; she never deluded herself about that. But she was genuinely drawn to his tenderness. It turned out that he was a real jerk to everyone else but Penelope. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Back in the office, Lucian rubbed his tired forehead. He had regained hisposure, with no sign of the earlier meltdown on his handsome face. Then a strange ringtone went off. He looked down to see a phone on the carpet. He picked it up and saw ¡®Daisy¡® disyed on the screen. It was Allison¡¯s phone, a 4¨Cyear¨Cold model that was seriously outdated. Itcked the features of modern phones, but she was thrifty, and the paint on the edges had already worn off. There was also a handmade charm hanging from the phone. Lucian¡¯s breath hitched, his slender fingers gently caressing the charm that had appeared in his dreams countless times. How did Allison get this? Fifteen years ago, he was in Brookhaven when an earthquake struck. He was trapped under rubble when, at his most desperate, a girl in a light yellow dress with this charm appeared and told him not to sleep. When he woke up, he was in a makeshift hospital. He didn¡¯t remember the girl¡¯s face, but her childish voice had stayed with him. ¡°Don¡¯t sleep.¡± His fingers gently brushed the worn edges of the phone and his eyes never left the aged charm. After a few minutes, he dialed Shawn, ¡°Help me look up a woman named Allison.¡± ¡°Allison?¡± Shawn was puzzled, ¡°The maid hired by the nagans?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± At the nagans¡® mansion. Just Leah nagan¨CEaden and Margo were in the study. Margo was her maid, who had been managing the household since Grace fell ill. Margo was utterly loyal to Leah nagan¨CEaden. ¡°Ma¡¯am, don¡¯t worry, I spent big bucks to alter Allison¡¯s background; there won¡¯t be any hups. As for Miss¡¯s photos, I also paid top dor to bury them.¡± Leah nagan¨CEaden nodded, looking at the pile of photos on the desk as she massaged her temples. Her daughter never gave her a moment¡¯s peace. These photos were of Penelope¡¯s wild escapades under the glitzy lights. In the blurry atmosphere, young men and women were indulging their unchecked desires. If these photos were to go public, not only would Penelope¡¯s reputation be tarnished, but the nagans¡® name would take a serious hit. As the daughter of a wealthy family, she had no regard for her personal life. What a disgrace! Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Chapter 31 ¡°Ma¡¯am, Don¡¯t get your knickers in a twist over Penelope, she¡¯ll realize her mistake. Besides, if these photos ever see the light of day, who¡¯s to say that¡¯s Penelope in the pictures?¡± Margo rolled her eyes, ¡°We¡¯ve already pinned it all on Allison.¡± Only then did Leah nagan¨CEaden nod in satisfaction, ¡°Exactly, who¡¯s to say that¡¯s Penelope in the photos? It¡¯s obviously Allison, just like her no¨Cgood mother!¡± With that thought, Leah nagan¨CEaden let out a sigh of relief. She stood up, ¡°Margo, you¡¯re a trooper. You¡¯re my right¨Chand woman from the Eaden family, I won¡¯t leave you high and dry.¡± Margo bowed her head, ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Good, arrange a car to take me to the hospital.¡± ¡°Right away!¡± Leah nagan¨CEaden arrived at the hospital. She looked at Penelope, covered in red rashes, and her blood boiled, ¡°Look at the mess you¡¯ve made!¡± Saying that she pulled out a bunch of photos from her bag and threw them in front of Penelope. ¡°Mom, why are you chewing me out the second you walk in?¡± Penelope pouted, looking dissatisfied at the fuming Leah nagan¨CEaden. She picked up the photos and her eyes widened in shock. ¡°Where did you get these photos?¡± In the photos, the woman was tangled up with several men, and the atmosphere was thick with flirtation. She remembered the ce; it was a club she went to with a friend. But who took the photos? How did they get out? She was partying too hard to notice at the time. ¡°Mom, mommy¡­ At this moment, Penelope was a bit scared. She had just gotten engaged to Lucian, and if these photos got out, the consequences would be dire. Leah nagan¨CEaden looked at her, ¡°So now you¡¯re scared?! Look at the mess you¡¯ve made! How could you do something so shameless as the daughter of the nagan family?!¡± Penelope rolled her eyes, ¡°Mom, not now, okay?¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Despite being her daughter, Leah nagan¨CEaden only scolded her a few times and then sat by the hospital bed, ¡°Thank g od the Lindberg family doesn¡¯t know yet, I¡¯ve already taken care of it for you. We just need to insist that the person in the photo is Allison, not you. If anyone asks in the future, just deny it.¡± Penelope rxed a little after hearing this, thinking that Allison was actually useful for once. She happily threw herself into Leah nagan¨CEaden¡¯s arms, ¡°Thanks, Mommy, you¡¯re the best.¡± The next morning. In the CEO¡¯s office of Lindberg Corporation. Shawn handed a brown paper bag to Lucian, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, these are the files you asked me to dig up on Allison. She¡¯s a maid in the nagan family. Her mother is Grace, and her father is Joshua. She has a brother named Ricky. Both of Allison¡¯s parents worked for the nagan family.¡± Lucian opened the bag, and all of Allison¡¯s lifey bare in front of him. Allison, 20 years old, currently studying at Northfield Willowbrook College as a junior in the fashion design department. Her mother, Grace, had severe kidney disease, and her father and brother died in a car ident when she was in junior high. Allison had a habit of being light¨Cfingered, often stealing from the nagan family, including Mrs. nagan¡¯s bracelet and Penelope¡¯s clothes. Despite being kicked out of the nagan family several times for her thievery, they still gave her multiple chances to turn over a new leaf. Allison iszy and a habitual liar. In junior high, she often hung out with the school¡¯s bad boys. In high school, she had an abortion, her private life was a hot mess, and she was severely vain. Her mother¡¯s hospital bills and medical expenses were all paid by the nagan family. Lucian frowned as he read the files. Although he originally suspected that Allison was using him, he never expected her to be this kind of person. He picked up two photos that fell out of the bag. Even though you can only see half of the woman¡¯s face in the photos, you can still vaguely see the suggestive scene of her with two blond men. Lastly, there was an abortion certificate, with ¡°Allison¡± prominently signed at the bottom. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Lucian suddenly felt a wave of irritation, and his brow furrowed tightly. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. His eyes lingered on the photo for a few seconds, then he crumpled up the two pictures and tossed thern into the trash can. He was certain that such a woman couldn¡¯t possibly be the kind¨Chearted girl who had saved his life. In the hospital, Penelope¡¯s phone went unanswered again. The call was hung up, and Allison was left in a daze. On the iing call disy were all Lucian¡¯s missed calls, but she had no idea how to face him, especially when that man had clearly expressed his dislike for her. ¡°Ms. Zimmer.¡± Dr. Dn approached, his expression serious. Allison quickly turned to him. ¡°Dr. Dn, how is it going?¡± Dr. Dn slowly shook his head, his voice filled with regret. ¡°You and your mother¡¯s kidneys aren¡¯t a match.¡± ¡°How can that be?¡± Allison bit her lip tightly, her head spinning. Dr. Dn immediately tried tofort her, ¡°Even rtives with blood ties can have ipatible types. Ms. Zimmer, try not to worry too much.¡± She could try not to worry, but could her mother afford to wait? At this point, Grace had gone for further testing and hadn¡¯t returned yet. Allison returned to the ward as if she were in a trance, not expecting Leah nagan¨CEaden to be there. Before she could say anything, Leah nagan¨CEaden harshly pped her. ¡°Allison! How dare you ignore Lucian¡¯s calls?¡± She clenched her lips, not saying a word, her cheek stinging. Leah nagan¨CEaden signaled the two people she brought. They grabbed Allison, and someone took out makeup to start putting it on her. As Allison struggled, she heard Leah nagan¨CEaden coldly say. ¡°Lucian¡¯s mother just had eye surgery and wants to see you. I told him I would personally take you to the hospital. Since you¡¯re here, just y your role obediently. If you screw up Penelope¡¯s marriage, don¡¯t expect your mother to have any good days!¡± Hearing this, her struggle stopped, and her eyes filled with tears, but she held back from crying out. All her defiance crumbled at that moment; she was like a puppet, allowing them to manipte her. Until her makeup and hair were done, she waspletely transformed into ¡°Penelope¡± and taken to the hospital entrance. Soon, Lucian¡¯s car stopped beside her. He got out, looked at ¡°Penelope¡°, whose eyes were a bit swollen, and couldn¡¯t help but frown, ¡°Why were you crying?¡± ¡°No, just got some dust in my eyes.¡± She turned around, indifferently ignoring his outstretched hand. Lucian¡¯s hand in mid¨Cair tightened a bit; he always felt like ¡°Penelope¡± seemed to be angry. He sighed, walked to her side, and whisperedfortingly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, time was tight. I couldn¡¯t reach you, so I called the nagan. household.¡± Was he exining? Allison was taken aback, and then a mocking smile appeared on her lips. He actually liked Penelope. He, with all his power, was actually coaxing a woman so gently. The elevator stopped on the third floor, and as the crowd exchanged nces, Allison¡¯s gaze suddenly froze. She saw Grace, with her full head of white hair, walking unsteadily. She looked very thin, and when she saw Allison, she visibly froze. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Grace¡¯s lips were pale; she gently moved them as her eyes sparkled, ¡°Penelope¡­ oh, no, Ms. nagan, what brings you to the hospital?¡± Allison looked at her mother, she had been busy ying ¡°Penelope¡¯ these past few days, finally finding the time to visit her mother today. But as soon as she arrived at the hospital, she was informed that her mother had gone for a check-up, and before she could see her, she was called by Leah nagan-Eaden to y Penelope. After not seeing her for a few days, Grace seemed to have lost a lot of weight. Seeing this, Allison¡¯s eyes filled with tears, but hearing her mother call her ¡°Penelope¡¯, she held thern back. ¡°Uh, I¡¯m here to see you.¡± No matter how hard Allison tried, she couldn¡¯t boss her mother around like Penelope, her tone became a bit cold, and she stopped looking at Grace. Grace didn¡¯t notice anything; she was happy to see Penelope, her face bearing a smile, then her gaze fell on Lucian, ¡°Ms. nagan, who is this?¡± Allison¡¯s lips trembled slightly, her fingers gripping tightly, ¡°This is my fianc¨¦.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh, right, I saw it in the news; it¡¯s Mr. Lindberg, isn¡¯t it? That¡¯s nice.¡± Grace sincerely expressed her happiness. Then she mumbled something under her breath, but because they were in a small elevator, it could be clearly heard, ¡°If only Allison could have such happiness.¡± Hearing this, Allison could hardly control her tears. She gripped her palm tightly, hoping the pain would help her hold back. Lucian¡¯s gaze fell on Grace, but only for a second before he looked away. When the elevator doors opened, Grace said goodbye to ¡°Penelope¡±. Allison¡¯s face was always indifferent, and she didn¡¯t even dare to look at Grace¡¯s back. At this mo ment, she wanted to rush out, help Grace back to her room, and take good care of her. The emotions she tried so hard to suppress were still noticed by Lucian. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± He asked. Allison tried to hide it; she forced a smile and said, ¡°Nothing; she¡¯s Allison¡¯s mother, I look a lot like Allison, so¡­ sometimes Allison¡¯s mom gets us mixed up.¡± Allison looked up, bumping into the man¡¯s probing gaze. She suddenly felt guilty, but if she looked down, it would be like admitting her guilt; wouldn¡¯t that be outing herself? Allison steeled herself and said, ¡°Aunt Grace is very kind to me; it¡¯s saddening to see her ill.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Lucian replied indifferently. When the elevator doors opened again, the man walked out. Allison breathed a sigh of relief but felt a bit lost. He must really dislike me, right? So he doesn¡¯t even want to talk about Allison. What Allison didn¡¯t know was that Lucian was thinking of her face. This was the first time Lucian really looked at Penelope. They did look simr, but their bone structures were different. Before, he had never noticed these things. Every time he was with Penelope, he would think of Allison. Especially that night at the Willowbrook College anniversary when Allison was in his arms and calling his name. He was indeed drugged, but he didn¡¯tpletely lose his memory. It wasn¡¯t their first time. Seeing Allison¡¯s vanity, he didn¡¯t want to dig deeper, but he felt disgusted. Sometimes, he would also mistake people. He originally thought Allison was quite interesting, but she drugged him, used her simr looks to Penelope, and made him unable to distinguish them in his confused state. He, who had been through countless things, was actually cheated by such an hical woman. What a joke! Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Lucian¡¯s mom, Miranda Lindberg¨CCruz, had a nasty car crash a while back that messed up her legs and eyes pretty badly After months of rehab in the hospital, she finally had eye surgery. Because of all this, she missed Lucian¡¯s engagement party. Now, she was almost back to her old self and couldn¡¯t wait to meet her future daughter¨Cinw. Lucian¡¯s phone buzzed and he left Allison to keep his mompany while he took the call. ¡°Penelope,e here; let me take a look at you.¡± Miranda¡¯s eyes were still bandaged, so she couldn¡¯t see. She reached out and grabbed Allison¡¯s wrist, saying with a worried tone, ¡°Why are you so thin? Don¡¯t diet too much; a little extra never hurt anybody.¡± ¡°Okay. Allison replied gently. Miranda really liked Allison¡¯s sweet nature. Holding onto Allison¡¯s hand, she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I missed the engagement party. Penelope, I want to give you something to make up for it.¡± With that, Miranda removed a bracelet from her wrist and slipped it onto Allison¡¯s. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. The bracelet looked pretty pricey and Allison was hesitant to ept it. ¡°This bracelet¡¯s too expensive; I can¡¯t take it.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t ept it, is it because you¡¯re mad at me for not attending the engagement party?¡± Miranda teased. Allison was flustered and looked to Lucian for help. Lucian smiled and said, ¡°If it¡¯s from my mom, you should ept it.¡± With no way out, Allison stopped refusing. She reached into her bag and pulled out a bracelet she¡¯d made from red string. ¡°I made this bracelet myself.¡± At this point, she added somewhat shyly, ¡°It¡¯s not anything fancy, I hope you won¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°I love it; thank you!¡± Miranda immediately put the bracelet on. Even though she couldn¡¯t see, she felt it over and over and was clearly delighted. The value of a gift didn¡¯t depend on how expensive it was, but on the thought behind it. In her life, Miranda had seen all kinds of luxury goods. Plenty of people tried to suck up to the Lindberg¡¯family by showering her with pricey paintings and jewels worth millions. But she felt that this bracelet was worth more. She was thrilled that her son had found such a good wife. After spending some time with Miranda, Allison gave her and Lucian some time alone once he finished his call. Using an excuse, she left the room. She was worried about Grace, whom she had bumped into earlier in the elevator. After leaving the VIP ward, she went straight to Grace¡¯s room. But instead of Grace, there was a strange middle¨Caged man lying in the bed. She looked around but couldn¡¯t find Grace anywhere. She anxiously asked a nurse, ¡°Where¡¯s thedy who was in this bed?¡± The nurse replied, ¡°You mean Grace? She was just moved to bed number 03 in the hallway.¡± Allison was taken aback, ¡°The hallway?¡± Why was her mom moved to the corridor? Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Chapter 35 She grabbed the nurse¡¯s hand tightly, ¡°Didn¡¯t we already pay the medical bills?¡± The nagan family didn¡¯t keep their promise. They said as long as she yed ¡°Penelope, they would take good care of Grace, right? ¡®I¡¯m not sure about this either, it seems that one of her rtives just came and handled it. By the way, are you a rtive of hers? You can go pay for this week¡¯s infusion cost first.¡± Rtive? She and Grace only had each other; what other rtives were there? Only she and Leah nagan¨CEaden were here just now. Allison clenched her hand and went to pay the infusion cost first, but when she saw the medication list, she felt a surge of anger burning in her chest. These weren¡¯t the imported miracle drugs from overseas. She gritted her teeth. Leah nagan¨CEaden had deceived her! She paid for Grace¡¯s hospital stay again, requesting the nurse to move Grace to a double room, and specifically emphasized the use of the best medication for treatment. She charged all this money to the nagan family¡¯s ount. Standing at the end of the corridor, she watched from a distance through the crowd until she made sure Grace entered the room before she felt slightly relieved. But she couldn¡¯t stop the tears from falling. In the ward, Grace felt a bit ufortable. Although it was a double room, the other bed was empty, and she was the only one in the room. The cost of the room she previously stayed in was several hundred per night, so how much was this double room? ¡°I can¡¯t afford this; I think it¡¯s quite nice to stay in the corridor.¡± ¡°Ms. nagan has paid for your hospital stay; you can rest assured and stay.¡± ¡°Ms. nagan?¡± Grace¡¯s face lit up with joy; she seemed very excited, and her eyes that were a bit dim due to illness also brightened up, ¡°Was it thedy in the beige dress and silver¨Cgrey shawl?¡± The nurse replied, ¡°Yes, so you can rest assured and stay.¡± It really was her. Penelope¡­ She knew that Penelope might be a bit capricious on normal days, but she was essentially kind¨C hearted. The nagan family really did a good job educating her. Grace¡¯s expression becameplex as she thought of Penelope. Just for a moment, Grace¡¯s eyes that shone because of the pain hid some secrets¡­. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. After seeing Miranda, Lucian didn¡¯t go to find ¡°Penelope¡± for several days due to being busy, which made Allison feel much more rxed. After ss one day, she was dragged by Daisy to visit Northfield¡¯s annual high¨Cend jewelry exhibition, which was attended by prestigious businessmen from Northfield. Allison didn¡¯t expect to get separated from Daisy after only staying in the pearl exhibition area for a while. After texting Daisy, Allison suddenly heard a ttering voice by her ear. ¡°Mr. Lindberg, this is the ruby cane passed down from the 1660s, said to have been left by Queen Elyrus. It was bought by an auction house a week ago. It¡¯s quite a treasure.¡± She was taken aback and almost instinctively turned around to see Lucian surrounded by people not far away. Allison didn¡¯t understand why, but she suddenly took out her phone and took a picture of Lucian. Meanwhile, Lucian, who was visiting the exhibition, seemed to feel something. He looked up in a certain direction but only had time to see the familiar back of that woman. Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Allison didn¡¯t want any more face¨Cto¨Cface confrontations with Lucian. Now that she knew he was there, she tried her best to avoid him. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. She sent a message to Daisy, then waited for her outside the exhibition. Before long, Daisy emerged. Seeing Allison, she said excitedly. ¡°Allison, guess who I saw just now? Mr. Lindberg¡± Allison pursed her lips and didn¡¯t say anything. Daisy didn¡¯t care and continued, ¡°I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s here for the jewelry show. I heard that Lindberg Corporation is developing Pearl Ind. Do you know about Pearl Ind? It¡¯s famous for its pearls. And apparently, Lindberg Corporation ns to integrate Pearl Ind with the tourism industry. I have to admit those businessmen sure know how to make money Imagine enjoying the view while harvesting pearls. Once the area is developed next month, I bet loads of people will want to try it out.¡± Allison gave a small smile and was about to leave when a group of people emerged from behind them. Daisy turned around and shouted excitedly. ¡°Mr. Lindberg! Fancy bumping into you here!¡± Allison felt a chill run down her spine, and she reluctantly stopped in her tracks. Lucian nced at Daisy and nodded. His gaze thennded on Allison. He paused for a moment. So, that was her¡­. Allison looked down and saw a pair of men¡¯s shoes appear in her line of sight. Lucian was standing right before her, blocking her to a point where she had to say, ¡°Mr. Lindberg.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The man looked at his wristwatch, seemingly waiting for his assistant to pick him up. Allison wanted to leave, so she told Daisy, ¡°I¡¯m leaving first.¡± Daisy grabbed her hand and said, ¡°No, wait for my driver. I¡¯ll give you a ride.¡± She knew Allison¡¯s character. If she didn¡¯t give her a ride, Allison would definitely choose to take the bus or walk to the subway station to save money. ¡°Daisy¡­¡± A pair of eyesnded on Allison¡¯s face. She turned her head to avoid his gaze and looked into the distance. At this moment, most of the peopleing out of the jewelry show would politely nod and exchange a few words when they passed by Lucian. At around 5 p.m., the air was slightly warm. Suddenly, a cold de shed. A disheveled middle¨Caged woman emerged from the exhibition hall, rushing towards Lucian with a knife. At this moment, Lucian talked to a middle¨Caged man and overlooked the situation. Allison¡¯s eyes widened as she saw the woman rushing with a knife. She shouted, ¡°Watch out!¡± Then, she reached out and quickly pushed Lucian. The woman¡¯s knife grazed Allison¡¯s arm. A wave of pain washed over her, and Allison gasped. Lucian reacted and saw the wound on Allison¡¯s arm. His voice was tense. ¡°Allison¡­¡± Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Chapter 37 A shrill female voice rang out again: ¡°Lucian, you¡¯re the reason my husband¡¯s ruined! I¡¯m going to k il l you!¡± The woman, seeing that she hadn¡¯t hit Lucian, swung her knife again ¡°Looking for trouble!¡± Lucian lifted his hand, grabbing the woman¡¯s knife. With a forceful squeeze, a sharp scream echoed in the air. The knife fell from the woman¡¯s hand, her wrist twisted at an odd angle. It was clear she had broken her wrist. The bodyguards quickly stepped in and took the woman away. Everyone was stunned at the sudden turn of events. Someone actually dared to try to assassinate Lucian in broad daylight! Only a n ut job would do something like this. ¡°That¡­ that woman looks like Tessa. I heard she lost her mind when her husband went bankrupt. ¡°Isn¡¯t her husband that Brody? I think hispany got bought out by Lindberg Corporation¡­¡± ¡°Shush, don¡¯t talk¡­¡± Seeing Lucian¡¯s darkened expression, everyone closed their mouths and stopped their idle chatter. ¡°Allison, are you okay? Daisy¡¯s voice was shaky. She looked at Allison¡¯s pale face, her eyes desperately focused on her arm. On Allison¡¯s arm was an ug ly wound. Her wh ite shirt was soaked with blood, droplets continuously dripping down. Allison felt her vision darken. She felt no pain in her arm because it had gone numb¡­ She looked up, and everything seemed to swirl before her eyes. Lucian¡¯s face entered her line of sight- Was she about to faint? Was she hallucinating? She even saw a hint of concern and shock on Lucian¡¯s face¡­ The next second, Lucian bent down and picked her up, striding towards his car. Shown immediately opened the door, and Lucian got into the car, holding Allison. ¡°Drive to the hospital, now!¡± Shawn didn¡¯t waste any time, and he stepped on the gas. Lucian lowered his head, looking at the woman in his arms. In the man¡¯s eyes, the shock could not be hidden. Was she not afraid of dying? It wouldn¡¯t have hit her arm if that woman¡¯s knife had been a little off! Why? Why did she block the knife for him? ¡°Allison!¡± Lucian called her name. Allison¡¯s thoughts were clear. She seemed to realize she was in Lucian¡¯s arms. She tried to struggle but found that Lucian was holding her even tighter. ¡°I can go to the hospital myself¡± Allison¡¯s lips were pale. ¡°You, by yourself? There was no longer a hint of concern or shock in Lucian¡¯s eyes, and it had returned to its usual coldness. ¡°Allison, you¡¯re ying hard to get pretty well, huh? I don¡¯t need saving, and I, Lucian, don¡¯t need a woman to shield me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re overthinking¡± Allison looked away. ¡°I just happened to see it. If I see a cat or a dog injured on the street, I¡¯ll help them too,¡± The next second, Allison felt like Lucian was about to crush her shoulder. It seemed like it took all of Lucian¡¯s willpower to suppress his anger. In the hospital, Allison had seven stitches on her forearm. While they were stitching her up, her forearm was numb, but now, the pain seemed to double. All she could do was bite her lip and tremble slightly. Lucian stood behind her, blocking her view with his hand. ¡°If you¡¯re scared, don¡¯t look¡±N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Allison said, ¡°You¡¯re too busy, you don¡¯t have to keep mepany, I¡¯m fine.¡± Lucian retorted sarcastically. You always like to y these games, pushing me away and then pulling me back. But this trick gets old, you know!¡± Allison was speechless. Why did Lucian always misconstrue her words? After getting her stitches, Allison¡¯s back was soaked with sweat. Although the injury wasn¡¯t too severe, she had lost a fair amount of blood. The doctor told her to keep the wound dry and eat food that would help her replenish blood. She was also told to change her bandages regrly. Seeing her pale and weak, Lucian frowned and asked the doctor, ¡°That¡¯s it? No need for hospitalization?¡± The doctor replied, ¡°No, not for now.¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Lucian insisted, ¡°Admit her to the hospital!¡± The doctor was puzzled, ¡°Well¡­ there really is no need for hospitalization. The wound may seem deep, but it¡¯s properly bandaged. She can recover at home¡­¡± Before the doctor could finish, Lucian shot him a cold re. The doctor wiped the sweat off his forehead, thinking what an unusual patient he had? So eager to be hospitalized? ¡°I¡¯m not staying in the hospital, Allison said, frowning. ¡°If you¡¯re feeling unwell, you can stay. But I won¡¯t.¡± How strange of Lucian to insist on having her admitted to the hospital? Allison stood up, thanked the doctor, and started to leave. After taking a few steps, she suddenly felt dizzy. She stopped in her tracks, biting her lip as her body tilted backward. She fell against Lucian¡¯s chest, who swiftly picked her up and said to Shawn, ¡°Go get her admitted¡± ¡°I already said I won¡¯t stay in the hospital! Lucian! Put me down now!¡± Lucian put her on the hospital bed. A nurse quickly came over to set up an IV drip for Allison. Lucian took one nce and then turned to leave. The nurse smiled at Allison, ¡°Miss, your boyfriend really cares about you.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not my boyfriend,¡± Allison muttered. The nurseughed awkwardly, I¡¯m sorry, Miss. The gentleman has already paid the hospital fees. Just rest here for a while. Ring the bell once the drip is finished.¡± Allisony on the hospital bed, recalling the events that unfolded. That crazy woman was charging at her with a knife¡­ Gradually, as the medication took effect, her eyes started to close. When Lucian returned to the room, he saw her curled up on the hospital bed, so fragile. His gaze seemed to soften. He walked over to the bed and quietly sat down on the chair. This woman always tried to get close to him, even crawling into his bed. Even though she always pretended to be innocent, he knew her inner greed and vanity. But he didn¡¯t seem to dislike her as much as he thought he would¡­. It was an odd feeling, filling him with confusion. Allison was discharged after three days in the hospital. Daisy had been worried about her. Allison reassured Daisy that she was okay and video-called her. Seeing her in high spirits, Daisy finally rxed. On the day of her discharge, Daisy dr ove her home. Once home, she tidied up, quickly showered, and changed into fresh clothes. She put on delicate makeup while looking at herself in the mirror, and her smile tinged with bitterness. After that day, she assumed she wouldn¡¯t have any contact with Lucian. Because Lucian was flying to Ennd in the afternoon. She quickly transformed into Penelope¡¯, looked at her bare neck, opened the drawer, and put on the agate ne she had been reluctant to wear. Then, she hailed a cab to the airport. At the airport waiting area, Lucian looked at her affectionately, his eyes full of warmth, ¡°Penelope, wait for me. I¡¯ll bring you a surprise when I return.¡± A surprise? She probably wouldn¡¯t be able to wait for it. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Allison¡¯s gaze turned a bit dull. She lifted her head to look at him, her face beaming with a smile, ¡°Sure¡± She hesitated momentarily, biting her lip, eventually giving him the gift she had prepared. This gift costing a few bucks might seem cheaper than his personal belongings. ¡°A few days ago, when I was out shopping, I bought a tie Allison said while taking out a handbag from her bag. She opened the paper box inside, revealing a dark green tie. Even though it was just a in brand in the luxury world, it was bought with the money Allison had been saving for a long time. She didn¡¯t look at him, nor did she dare to ask if he liked it. Seeing the careful woman before him, a hint of surprise crossed Lucian¡¯s eyes. He kissed her hand gently, his voice filled with affection, ¡°It¡¯s lovely, I really like it. Help me put it on.¡± Allison¡¯s nervous mood rxed slightly after hearing these words. She reached out to remove the tie he was already wearing, her fingertips lightly stroking his neck. Lucian watched her closely, seeing her blushing face, standing on her toes to tie the tie for him; an inexplicable sense of happiness surged in his heart Suddenly, he noticed a hint of red in her eyes; he held her tightly, frowning. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, not happy?¡± Allison was no longer careful; she boldly embraced him, her cheek resting on his muscr chest, her voice a bit choked up, ¡°Mmm, I¡¯m going to miss you¡± Hearing her words, Lucian couldn¡¯t help butugh; it was the first time she had shown such tenderness in front of him. He lovingly stroked her hair, ¡°I¡¯ll be gone for just two weeks; I promise I¡¯ll be back as soon as possible.¡± She looked into his gentle eyes, the morning sun shining on him, making him appear softer, devoid of his usual cold aura and the usual aloofness. She bit her lip, her eyes a bit sour, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Lucian, do you like me? Do you like the current me?¡± She only wanted to hear him say he liked her once, it had nothing to do with anyone else¡¯s feelings. Even when he returns, she might still be the Allison he couldn¡¯t touch. ¡°What do you think? Penelope, you¡¯re my fianc¨¦e.¡± He spoke softly, kissing her forehead. Allison lowered her head, hiding a hint of gloom in her eyes. When Lucian let go of her, he saw the familiar ne around her neck peeking out. -His gaze paused, and he said in a low voice, ¡°The cord is a bit long, why not cut it shorter?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Allison was a bit confused. He looked at her delicate chin, she was still wonderful, even with heavy makeup. Her actions were gentle; beneath her thickshes were a pair of clear eyes, during these days of interaction, he found that she was very different from the Penelope he remembered. Sometimes she was gentle and cute, sometimes honest and innocent, and sometimes she had her little whims And this ne around her neck¡­.. Suddenly, a strange feeling rose in Lucian¡¯s heart. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Please take off your ne.¡± ¡°What?¡± Allison looked down and realized he was referring to the birthday gift Daisy had given her. Lucian¡¯s slender fingers slightly shortened the length of the cord, then helped Allison put the ne back on her neck. Allison didn¡¯t expect the usually aloof Lucian to be so thoughtful. She looked at Lucian, ¡®Is this okay? This ne looks very valuable, I should keep it hidden under my clothes¡± Daisy¡¯s family was in the jewelry business, and this ne was a new expensive design. She was afraid that if it was exposed, it could be identally damaged. ¡°It looks better this way¡± A hint of a smile shed in Lucian¡¯s eyes. Wearing this ne, she looked even more distinguished If it weren¡¯t for the heavy makeup, her aura would indeed remind people of someone else. ¡°Penelope, have you ever noticed that your maid named Allison looks a lot like you?¡± Lucian suddenly said. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Allison suddenly felt a knot in her stomach, sensing his scrutinizing gaze lingering on her face. Her voice even trembled slightly, ¡°I¡¯m not Allison; can¡¯t you tell us apart?¡± She had a tinge of hope when she said this but instantly regretted it once the words left her mouth. What would she do if he realized she wasn¡¯t Penelope? How would she exin everything that had happened? Just when Allison was stressing out, the boarding announcement came from the loudspeakers. Swiftly changing the subject, Allison said, ¡°Take care on your journey and good luck with work. I¡­ I¡¯ll be waiting for your return.¡± When Allison smiled, her red lips were as bright and beautiful as a blooming rose. Allison personally saw him off, watching the ne until it was a mere speck in the sky. The sparkle in her eyes dimmed as the ne disappeared. Lucian, when you return, the woman you love, Penelope, will be back too. Thank you for these past few days. I¡¯m sorry for deceiving you in this way. I never wanted this. Penelope will wait for your return. And just as you wish, Allison will disappear from your sight. When Allison returned to the nagan family, only Christopher was home. She went straight to the study and informed Christopher about Lucian¡¯s trip to the Lindberg Corporation subsidiary ¡°Allison, you¡¯ve really been a trooper these past days.¡± Christopher pulled out a card from a drawer, ¡°Here¡¯s 20,000 dors for your mother¡¯s medical bills. If it¡¯s not enough, let me know. As for the kidney, I¡¯ve got someone on it, but they¡¯re not easy toe by¡­¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Thank you.¡± Allison understood that finding a kidney donor was a matter of luck. ¡°I need a favor.¡± Allison bit her lip, hesitating before she spoke, ¡°I¡¯ve fallen behind on my courses because I¡¯ve been taking care of my mom. I might not graduate on time because I failed one.¡± Christopher nodded, ¡°I¡¯m old buddies with the vice principal of Willowbrook College. I¡¯ll talk to him about it. Don¡¯t worry; just take care of your mom.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± After thanking him, Allison left the study just as Leah returned from the hospital. ¡°Where have you been these past few days? Messing around with some guy? What were you talking about in the study?¡± Leah always had a sharp tongue, but Allison didn¡¯t exin or pay her any mind, ¡°We didn¡¯t talk about much. Why don¡¯t you ask him yourself?¡± Leah squinted her eyes. Allison rarely ventured upstairs unless she was heading to the study to see Christopher. With this in mind, she hurried upstairs and casually asked, ¡°What did Allison want?¡± Christopher was engrossed in paperwork when he heard this and mmed the paper down. Looking at Leah, he sighed deeply. ¡°Leah, don¡¯t think for a second that I don¡¯t know what you did in the hospital. You moved Grace to the hallway and refused to pay her medical bills. Grace is Joshua¡¯s wife; how could you do this?¡± Upon mentioning this, Leah¡¯s face went pale. She knew that little brat Allison would tattle! She was just like her despicable mother! ¡°Is this really about Joshua? Or is it because Grace is your old me?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Christopher mmed his hand on the desk. Leah was startled by his outburst, but she remained defiant, ¡°I hit the nail on the head, didn¡¯t I? It¡¯s all about Grace!¡± From the first time she saw Allison, she thought Allison and her daughter Penelope looked so alike¡­ She would¡¯ve thought Allison was Christopher and Grace¡¯s illegitimate child if it weren¡¯t for the paternity test. She wouldn¡¯t let Allison or Grace have an easy life! Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Chapter 41 After Lucian went on a business trip, Allison returned to her old life, bouncing between the hospital and school daily. Grace was suffering from severe kidney failure. Even though the nagan family was footing the medical bills, the only cure was a kidney transnt, but they couldn¡¯t find a suitable donor. As Grace¡¯s condition worsened, her dialysis frequency increased from once every two weeks to once a week. At this point, a light rain began to fall. Allison stood before Joshua¡¯s tombstone, carefully cleaning the weeds around it. She bent down and ced some fresh flowers in front of it. She gently stroked the picture of the middle¨Caged man on the stone, her eyes brimming with tears. A lot had happened recently, and she was feeling the pressure. Still, she couldn¡¯t save her mother. Speaking softly, she asked, ¡°Dad, what would you and Ricky do if you were still here?* Allison still remembers the day her father died. He was supposed to be handling some business for the nagan family. Initially, it was supposed to be Christopher, but for some reason, it was her father and her brother, Ricky. Ricky was only 15 that year. Facing the crushing weight of a heavy truck, he must have felt desperate. Not long after her father and brother¡¯s death, the nagan patriarch was deeply affected and passed away shortly after. Christopher felt guilty about the whole thing, but what good did his guilt do? Her mother suffered a mental breakdown because of all this and was insane for a while. Back then, Leah arranged for Grace and Allison to move into a small house behind the nagan mansion. It became their new home. After Joshua¡¯s death, the family¡¯s source of ie was cut off. Grace gradually recovered and started doing some housework for the nagans. Christopher gave Grace some money aspensation, but she never touched it. She said that it was blood money, earned with her husband¡¯s and son¡¯s lives, and she couldn¡¯t use it. Sometimes, Allison would overhear some of the nagan servants gossiping in the kitchen: *Joshua¡¯s death was strange, they say¡­¡± ¡°They say Christopher was supposed to go that day. He should¡¯ve been the one who died.¡± ¡°Poor Grace. She lost her husband and son when she was young. Now she has a daughter to take care of. It¡¯s not easy to remarry¡± ¡°Shush, the little girl is here.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? She¡¯s too young to understand.¡± But ten¨Cyear¨Cold Allison did understand. A few dayster, those gossipy servants were fired. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Allison once asked Grace if Christopher was responsible for the deaths of her father and brother. For saying that, she got a p from Grace. *Rubbish! Uncle Christopher is our benefactor!¡± After that, Allison never mentioned it again, but it was always buried deep in her heart. Alone in the rain, Allison sat by the tombstone, keeping her father and brotherpany, seemingly oblivious to the cold that was seeping into her. This was an expensive cemetery in the Northfield district. Connor nagan was devastated by the deaths of Joshua and Ricky and decided to bury them here. He even arranged for a caretaker to maintain the grave site regrly. As dusk approached, she picked a flower from her father¡¯s grave, carefully ced it in her pocket, and prepared to leave. Just a few steps away, she noticed a young man in a wheelchair about to descend some steps. She walked over and held onto the chair, ¡°Sir, let me help you¡® The man in the wheelchair furrowed his brows, seeming slightly resistant to Allison¡¯s help. Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Chapter 42 The guy was wearing a ck tracksuit, looking a bit skinny. He was sporting a ck baseball cap with the brim pulled low, creating a rxed and gloomy vibe. Allison was pushing the wheelchair, trying to avoid bumps as she slowly descended the stairs. But her strength was limited, and there was no wheelchair ramp here, just steps. She hesitated before softly suggesting, ¡°Your wheelchair is electric, right? Maybe try adjusting the direction¡­¡± Before she can finish, the guy pressed a button, and the wheelchair seemed to lighten up. Then, a circr support extended from under the wheels, gripping the slippery steps and slowly moving down. Seeing this, Allison felt a bit superfluous. Sheughed awkwardly. ¡°So, you can handle it yourself. That¡¯s good.¡± The guy finally spoke. His voice wasn¡¯t deep but slightly hoarse, making it hard to guess his age. ¡°I came up by myself. What do you think? Can I not handle going down?¡± Allison pursed her lips. Okay, she was indeed superfluous. ¡°Sorry to bother you¡± She quickly descended the stairs while the guy in the wheelchair looked up. Rain fell around Allison¡¯s slender figure, leaving a faint scent of cherry blossoms in the air. It was pretty nice. Soon, Allison¡¯s figure disappeared from his view. The guy pulled his gaze back, looking indifferent¡­ After returning from the cemetery, Allison went straight to the hospital. Her mom¡¯s condition was getting worse, and she was distraught. As she entered the room, she saw an unwee visitor. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Allison looked warily at Penelope standing by the bed. She didn¡¯t believe Penelope was here to visit the sick. Penelope was wearing a mask, wholly wrapped up from head to toe. Caught off guard by Allison¡¯s question, Penelope¡¯s already bad mood worsened. She looked arrogantly at the woman before her, ¡°Who do you think you are, talking to me like that?¡± Grace immediately scolded, ¡°Allison, be more respectful to Penelope!¡± Penelope scoffed, walked up to Allison, ¡°Allison, don¡¯t forget your ce.¡± She lowered her voice, whispering in Allison¡¯s ear, ¡°Mrs. Lindberg¡¯s position is mine, you¡¯re just a stand¨Cin. Don¡¯t even dream that Lucian would like someone like you. Your mom¡¯s illness¡­ it only takes one word from me to kick her out of this hospital.¡± Her allergies will be gone soon, and everything will return to normal when Lucian returns from Ennd Allison clenched her fist, finally lowering her head to say, ¡°Miss, you should rest. You shouldn¡¯t be walking around.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Penelope said dismissively. ¡°The air here isn¡¯t clean. I hope I won¡¯t catch any germs.¡± Allison closed her eyes as Penelope deliberately bumped into her, then walked out of the room in her high heels. After some time, Allison calmed down and rushed to check on her mom, ¡°Mom, did Penelope do anything to you?¡± Grace frowned and pushed away Allison¡¯s hand, unhappy with her attitude, ¡°Penelope came especially to see me; how can you talk to her like that? The nagan family has been helping us for so long¡­* ¡°Mom!¡± Allison couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She couldn¡¯t stand how Grace became so submissive whenever the nagans were mentioned. ¡°Mom, we¡¯re human too. So what if she¡¯s Miss nagan? Don¡¯t you see how she usually treats us? You know Leah isn¡¯t nice to us either. Why do we have to be so servile!¡± Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Allison¡¯s been on the receiving end of Penelope¡¯s fists since she was a tyke. She¡¯s always been a top student, but Penelope would tear her high¨Cscoring test papers into shreds every single time. There was even this one time Grace sewed Allison a pink skirt, and Penelope chucked it into the trash at first sight, snarling, ¡°Only trash should wear clothes from the garbage¡± Allison was trembling all over, her rage towards Penelope and her surrender to fate made it hard for her to breathe. Grace let out a deep sigh looking at her, ¡°Allison, without the help from the nagan family, there¡¯s no way we could¡¯ve survived. You¡¯ve got to keep going to school and get married someday, I¡¯m sick, and I don¡¯t want to be a burden to you, I could be gone any day¡­¡± ¡°Mom..¡± Allison threw herself into Grace¡¯s arms, ¡°Mom, you¡¯ll get better; we¡¯ll find a kidney donor, and I¡¯ll find a way to get you a kidney transnt!¡± ¡°Silly girl, do you know how much that costs? We don¡¯t have that kind of money. We can only live here because of the nagan family¡¯s help. Allie.¡± She called Allison by her nickname, her eyes filled with tears, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you suffer like this; you should¡¯ve¡­. Choking back tears, Grace held Allison tight, but she couldn¡¯t say any more. Nighttime had arrived. A handsome man in a white coat passed by the nurse¡¯s station, and a blushing nurse stopped him, ¡°Dr. Dn, working the night shift?¡± Dr. Dn smiled, ¡°Yes.¡± He saw Allison sitting forlornly on a chair outside the patient¡¯s room. He walked up to her, ¡°Allison.¡± Allison looked up, her eyes moist and red. ¡°Dr. Dn.¡± Seeing her in this state, Dr. Dn felt a pang in his heart, ¡°Are you worried about your mother?¡± Allison didn¡¯t answer, but the tears she¡¯d finally stopped started falling again at his question. The next second, Dr. Dn handed her a clean tissue, gently reassuring her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve been keeping an eye out for a kidney. We¡¯ll find one.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Allison¡¯s eyes immediately lit up as she saw Dr. Dn¡¯s smile, ¡°Would you like to sit in my office for a bit?¡± Dr. Dn still remembered the first time he met Allison. He had justpleted a kidney transnt surgery with his mentor. Allison¡¯s mother¡¯s condition wasn¡¯t critical yet, but she needed hospital treatment. Allison was wearing a light id skirt, her lengthy hair draped over her shoulders, looking at him with hopeful eyes, ¡°Doctor, can you save my mother?¡± Yearster, he often thought back to that moment. Those were beautiful eyes, full of the purest light. He wished he could help this little girl keep that purity¡­. Chapter 44 Chapter 44 ¡°Thanks¡± Allison took a sip of water, feeling a warmth spread throughout her body. Her clothes were still damp, and her hair a little wet. The whole day outside had been drizzling, and the windows were covered in fog. The room was warm, and Dr. Dn seemed busy, bustling around after pouring her a cup of water. Allison didn¡¯t interrupt him, the two of them sat quietly Her previously frantic state of mind gradually calmed down. Perhaps it was the warmth in the room, Allison unknowingly dozed off at the table. The ring of a cell phone awakened her. When she woke up, Dr. Dn was no longer in the office, and there was a men¡¯s jacket draped over her. Allison looked at the still ringing cellphone; it was Dr. Dn¡¯s, the caller ID showed Jade. Allison remembered this name, and she was a famous female thoracic surgeon She quietly folded the jacket, ced it on the chair, and then returned to Grace¡¯s ward. Grace was still unconscious; Allison took out the small white flower she had picked from Joshua¡¯s grave from her pocket and ced it on her bedside. She would hold on, no matter how hard it was, she would save Grace! At the UK branch office of Lindberg Corporation. Lucian had just returned to his office from a video conference when Shawn handed him a phone, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, It¡¯s James.¡± Lucian took the phone, ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Aidan Crane is back¡­¡± Lucian narrowed his eyes. ¡°When did this happen?¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°After you left Northfield.¡± Lucian was silent for a few seconds. On the other end of the phone, James Burke said, ¡°When you get back, let¡¯s meet up. We¡¯re friends; let bygones be bygones.¡± After hanging up, Lucian crossed his legs, looking into the distance. He rubbed his temples and picked up his cell phone; his finger momentarily hesitated over ¡°Allison, ¡°but finally dialing Penelope¡¯s number. The phone suddenly rang. Allison was on duty at the hospital. She quickly silenced her phone and hurried to the staircase. The caller ID showed ¡°Lucian¡± from Penelope¡¯s phone, Allison¡¯s breath hitched. It had been several days since she had heard from Lucian. She thought the day he left would be their last interaction, but Christopher wanted her to take. care of Penelope until she recovered, so the phone was still with her. She adjusted her breathing and answered the call. It was quiet on the other end of the phone; Allison didn¡¯t speak either; they could hear each other breathing. ¡°Are you asleep?¡± ¡°I was just about to rest when your call came¡± ¡°Sol disturbed you¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try to return early next week¡± Allison, frail, leaned against the wall, gripping the phone tightly, her bones prominent, ¡°Mm, I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± Her voice was somewhat reluctant, and she knew she was not the person he wanted to see. There was a low chuckle from Lucian on the other end of the phone, ¡°What, did you miss me?¡± His deep voice made Allison¡¯s breath hitch, and she was afraid she couldn¡¯t hold back, so she quickly said, ¡°I¡¯m a bit tired; let¡¯s talk when you get back. Goodnight.¡± On the other end of the phone, Lucian originally wanted to say something, but after hearing her words, he just said quietly: ¡°Okay, goodnight.¡± After hanging up the phone, Allison leaned against the wall in a daze, her hand tightly clutching the phone, Penelope¡¯s words during the day still fresh in her mind She now fell that hearing him say a word was a luxury; what else could she hope for? Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Penelope was already out of the hospital before Lucian came back. Her allergy waspletely gone, leaving no traces on her body or face. A ck sedan pulled up at the nagan family¡¯s front door. As Penelope descended the stairs, Leah hugged her tightly, ¡°Let me look at you. You¡¯re okay, thank god. You had me worried sick.¡± ¡°Mum, I promise I won¡¯t mess around anymore.¡± Nearby, Christopher called Penelope into the study and sternly said, ¡°Enough of this. Best to keep your temper in check around the Lindbergs. Allison helped you out this time, and you should thank her properly¡± ¡°I hear you, Dad, Penelope said, though she didn¡¯t take his words to heart. Christopher shook his head helplessly, knowing she had not taken his words seriously. ¡°Penelope, now that you¡¯re engaged to Lucian, you can¡¯t embarrass the nagans or the Lindbergs. It¡¯s time to cut ties with any past inappropriate rtionships.¡± Penelope had been spoiled by Leah, dating in Junior high school and in high school, he discovered her with a blond man. Penelope felt a little guilty. She had been with Pete at the hospital just a few days ago. ¡°Dad, I know my boundaries. I won¡¯t do anything I shouldn¡¯t. Don¡¯t worry, she said, sounding a bit wronged and her eyes reddening. His heart softened, and he sighed, ¡°I¡¯m just looking out for you. The Lindbergs are not like us; you have to be cautious around them.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Penelope replied obediently, but her resentment was all directed at Allison. But thinking about her and Pete, she suddenly remembered what Pete had said. Coming down from upstairs, she immediately found Leah. ¡°Mom, Allison has been with Lucian for so long that they might have gotten intimate. What if she gets pregnant and uses it against us?¡± Leah had not thought about this, but Penelope¡¯s reminder made her realize the gravity of the situation. After all, that¡¯s how Grace almost got with Christopher, but she caught it in time. Leah gritted her teeth. She must deal with this situation urgently. If Allison were pregnant with Lucian¡¯s child, she would use it against her and Penelope. After all, who wouldn¡¯t want to be the Lindberg family¡¯s daughter¨Cinw? Allison, as a maid, would not pass up such an opportunity. She gripped Penelope¡¯s hand tightly, reassuringly saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle this.¡± After spending a day at the hospital, Allison came home in the evening. As soon as she opened the door, she felt a sharp pain in the back of her neck and cked out. When she woke up, she found herself in a private clinic. Leah¡¯s voice rose, What did you say? Could you repeat that, please?¡± ¡°Thisdy is indeed pregnant. Around 8 weeks.¡± ¡°That sneaky little maid. She almost fooled us!¡± She looked at the doctor andmanded, ¡°Abort the child!¡± The doctor hesitated. This¡­ This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Leah paused suddenly 8 weeks? Allison had only been impersonating Penelope for half a month. Could it be another man¡¯s child? However, Allison seemed obedient, not the type to fool around. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Realizing another possibility. Leah immediately grabbed her phone and dialed Penelope, ¡°Are you keeping something from me?¡± ¡°Mom, no!¡± ¡°Are you still lying to me? Allison is pregnant, 8 weeks in Penelope, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°What?¡± Penelope was taken aback. Did she get pregnant that night? How lucky was Allison? ¡°Penelope, you even deceived me?¡± Hearing the strangeness in Penelope¡¯s voice, Leah softened her tone. Penelope didn¡¯t dare tell Leah her secret, so she vaguely said, ¡°That night at the hotel, it was Allison with Lucian, not me. I asked Allison to keep it a secret and pretend it was me¡± ¡°You why didn¡¯t you tell me this earlier?¡± ¡°Mom, I was scared too.¡± Leah cooled down. Now was not the time to me Penelope; they needed to deal with the baby in Allison¡¯s belly. She hung up the phone, took a card from her bag, and handed it to the doctor. ¡°We have to abort this baby!¡± ¡°The surgery requires the patient or guardian¡¯s signature.¡± While the doctor hesitated, Allison slowly opened her eyes. ¡°Ah..¡± Her vision gradually cleared up, and she saw the unfamiliar surroundings. Everything was white, the smell of disinfectant saturated the air, and she thought she heard Leah¡¯s voice. Baby? She¡­she was pregnant? Allison instinctively ced her hand on her belly. She was pregnant, and the baby was¡­Lucian¡¯s? N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Yes, that night at the hotel, she was too panicked afterward and forgot to take her pills. She missed her periodst month, but Allison thought it was due to stress. Faced with this unknown ce, fear filled Allison¡¯s heart. She got off the bed and was about to run out when Leah¡¯s bodyguard stopped her. Allison struggled fiercely. ¡°Let me go, let me go! Leah, what you¡¯re doing is illegal!¡± Leah looked at her, walked over, grabbed her hair, and pped her, ¡°You little sl ut, if I hadn¡¯t brought you in for a check-up, I wouldn¡¯t have known you were secretly pregnant. You think you can have Lucian¡¯s baby and then threaten us, dream on!¡± Allison¡¯s left cheek went numb instantly, having a metallic taste in her mouth. Leah waved her hand, ¡°Tie her to the operating table!¡± Two men in ck received the order and immediately dragged the struggling Allison to the operating table. Allison struggled, but the bodyguards were strong. She lowered her head and bit one of them hard. He let go out of pain, and Allison seized the opportunity to escape. Leah watched her run away, yelling angrily, ¡°You little sl ut!!¡± She scolded the bodyguards, ¡°You can¡¯t even stop a weak girl, you useless fools; go after her!¡± Allison ran, protecting her belly. Even though she had just found out she was pregnant, the baby in her belly was already 8 weeks old. Her struggle was a mother¡¯s instinct. She didn¡¯t know where to go. The nagan family? Would Uncle Christopher help her? So where should she go¡­Juniper Ridge? While Allison was indecisive, Leah was about to catch up. She quickly hailed a taxi and finally gathered the courage, ¡°Juniper Ridge¡± Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Leah was hot on the tail of a taxi, and the chauffeur said, ¡°Madam, it seems like she¡¯s heading to Juniper Ridge¡± Leah felt uneasy. If Lucian learned about the nagan family¡¯s surrogate and Allison¡¯s pregnancy, it could mean the end of the nagan family. Penelope had barely managed to be Mrs. Lindberg, and now there might be a homewrecker in the picture! In the world of the elite, a good family name gives you leverage, but once a babyes into the picture, it¡¯s a whole new ball game. Leah started thinking quickly, and then suddenly, a sly smile crept on her face. She called Allison, but she didn¡¯t pick up. Leah didn¡¯t get upset. Instead, she quickly typed a message, ¡°I know you¡¯ve been looking for a kidney donor for your mother. I can help you on one condition ¨C you abort the baby and keep this secret. We can schedule your mother¡¯s transnt this week.¡± Leah knew Allison would agree because to Allison, Grace¡¯s life was the top priority. Allison was shaking all over when she read the message. She closed her eyes, her hands clenched. The car sped on. Suddenly, she opened her eyes, a tear rolling down her cheek. Her voice was hoarse when she said, ¡°Pull over, please.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Miss, aren¡¯t we going to Juniper Ridge? Just two more traffic lights and a turn, and we¡¯ll be there.¡± Allison forced a smile, ¡°No.¡± She exited the car, standing under the bright streetlight, but she felt like she was in the dark; her eyes lost their light. She returned to the private clinic. The tension was palpable. The kidney donor was Allison¡¯s only hope; she couldn¡¯t find one alone. However, Allison didn¡¯t trust Leah entirely. She said firmly, ¡°I need written and video evidence that you can find a kidney in a week and arrange my mother¡¯s surgery¡± Leah waved it off, ¡°Sure.¡± She wrote a statement and recorded a video, then dialed a number, ¡°Hey Erin, I need a favor. A friend needs a kidney, and I hope you can help. Erin said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, leave it to me. Unless it¡¯s a rare blood type, I can find a match in three days.¡± Leah nced at Allison, ¡°You heard that. Are we good?¡± Allison seemed dejected; she signed andy down on the operating table with her eyes closed. Leah snickered outside the curtain, ¡°Doctor, don¡¯t bother with anesthesia. If she¡¯s so attached to the baby, she should feel the pain of letting it go The doctor was taken aback, ¡°That kind of pain is unbearable. Are you joking?¡± Leah was haughty, ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking? The contract is signed, and the money is paid. You just do as I say.¡± The female doctor entered the operating room. The facilities were quite simple for an operating ¡®room¡®. The doctor smiled at the pale, dull¨Ceyed woman on the operating table. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m very skilled. Unless there¡¯s aplication, we won¡¯t harm you. You don¡¯t need to be nervous, just rx and cooperate.¡± A tear slid down Allison¡¯s cheek. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Chapter 48 N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Ah-¡± A cold instrument touched her body, triggering immense pain. Allison¡¯s face turned as pale as a sheel, her pupils trembling. Her child¡­ She had just found out she was pregnant and was about to lose the baby The intense physical painbined with the heartache made Allison faint¡­. Allison was holding a bloody baby in her dream. Its cries almost piercing her heart. In a blink of an eye, the baby disappeared, reced by a cold¨Cfaced Lucian Stumbling towards him, Allison wept and begged, ¡°Please please save our baby.¡± But the man remained indifferent, finally pushing her away harshly, one hand around her throat, ¡°You¡¯re not worthy of bearing my child!¡± She froze in fear, watching helplessly as the man walked away with Penelope, leaving only one sentence behind, ¡°That child deserved to die!¡± ¡°No!¡± Allison bolted awake, her body drenched in cold sweat. She tried to move her body, but the doctor said, ¡°You¡¯re awake; you¡¯ve slept here for a day. There¡¯s nothing serious, but you¡¯ve lost quite a bit of blood After a fluid transfusion, you¡¯ll be fine. Eat food that can replenish your blood when you get home.¡± Sitting up, Allison ced a hand on her lower abdomen, the baby was gone, and her heart felt empty. Seeing this, the doctorforted her, ¡°Miss, you¡¯re still young. You¡¯ll have children in the future.¡± With a bitter smile, Allison shook her head. She leaned against the bed, feeling weak. After the transfusion, she barely managed to walk out of the clinic on shaky legs. Walking alone on the bustling street, she felt dizzy and sat down on a bench. Entertainment news was ying on an LED screen at the nearby intersection. ¡°Lindberg Corporation heir, the mysterious Lucian, booked the luxurious Sunset Hotel in Northfield, inviting many guests to celebrate the birthday of his fiancee, the heiress of the nagan family..¡± Allison stood up. She walked forward in a daze, trying to get closer to the screen to see more clearly. Unconsciously, she ended up in the middle of the road. Amidst the blinding white lights, Lucian¡¯s words before his trip to Ennd echoed in Allison¡¯s mind He said, ¡°Penelope, I¡¯ll surprise you when I return¡± Was this the surprise he had prepared for Penelope? Augh escaped from Allison¡¯s lips. The LED screen had moved on to other ads, but Allison¡¯s smile deepened, her eyes growing dimmer. A car screeched to a halt beside her, the driver cursing, ¡°Are you trying to get yourself killed, you crazy woman?¡± Allison snapped back to reality Just then, her phone rang urgently. It was Daisy Before she could even speak, a frantic Daisy blurted out, ¡°Allison, Aunt Grace is missing!¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°My brother sprained his ankle and had to go to the hospital. I thought I¡¯d check on Aunt Grace while I was there, but the hospital said she¡¯s already been discharged. But Aunt Grace¡¯s health hasn¡¯t recovered yet; how could she be discharged¡­¡± Allison couldn¡¯t hear the rest of Daisy¡¯s words. Her face turned pale, and she immediately thought of a possibility Leah! It must be her She wasn¡¯t reassured and had hidden her mother! Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Just thinking about it, she immediately dialed Leah, but the call went unanswered. She hurriedly hailed a cab, making a beeline for the nagan family. She practically jogged into the mansion and upon seeing Margo, she sprinted towards her, demanding, ¡°Where¡¯s Leah? Where is she?¡± Margo frowned deeply, scolding her sharply. You impudent girl, you think you can call the mistress by her first name?¡± Allison spun around, her eyes usually so humble and innocent, now filled with rage, ¡°Spill it!¡± The cold gaze sent a shiver down Margo¡¯s spine. ¡°At Sunset Hotel¡± Margo stuttered, feeling a strange sense of fear, looking into Allison¡¯s icy eyes, ¡°Mr. Lindberg is hosting a birthday party for Miss there. The master, the mistress, and the Miss are all there¡­¡± Before she could finish, Allison was already on her way out. Meanwhile, at the Sunset Hotel. This was the most luxurious hotel in the entirety of Northfield, with the penthouse suite costing a whopping 180k per night. Today, the fourth young master of Lindberg Corporation, Lucian, had booked out the entire Sunset Hotel, spending a fortune, all for his fianc¨¦e Penelope¡¯s birthday. Penelope instantly became the envy of every heiress. She was dressed in a custom¨Cmade, 16 million pinkce gown, looking like a shimmering, dreamy princess. A group of heiresses clustered around her, green with envy. Penelope received hundreds of precious gifts, too many to fit in one room that day. With champagne in hand. Penelope epted everyone¡¯s well wishes with a satisfied smile. ¡°Oh my God, Mr. Lindberg really spoils Penelope. Isn¡¯t this a bit much for just a birthday party?¡± ¡°Yeah, spending millions on a birthday party, talk about extravagant!¡± I¡¯m so jealous of Penelope. The nagan family is just an ordinary family; who would¡¯ve thought she¡¯d be the fianc¨¦e of a member of the Lindberg family N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Hearing these words, Penelope¡¯s smile widened. The more the heiresses envied her, the happier she was. She loved this life of being the center of envy. Just like her dress, a custom¨Cmade piece from a big¨Cname designer worth 16 million. Invitation in hand, Allison stormed into the banquet hall and, after a quick scan of the room, finally found Leah. Leah was chatting with two wealthydies, a bracelet adorning her wrist. Allison squinted her eyes, and no matter the asion, she stormed over and shouted, ¡°Leah!¡± Leah¡¯s face paled at the sight of Allison. ¡°How did you get in here?¡± She was caught off guard momentarily before regaining herposure and turning to the two wealthydies, saying, ¡°This is a friend¡¯s daughter. She probably has some urgent matter. Excuse me for a moment.¡± Being savvy, the twodies nced at Allison and smiled, ¡°We won¡¯t disturb you then.¡± Once they were out of earshot, the gossip began. ¡°Look at that woman. She¡¯s dressed like a pauper. ¡°Leah said she¡¯s a friend¡¯s daughter. I don¡¯t buy it ¡°Oh, you know what, she does look a bit like Leah¡± ¡°I never noticed before, but now that you mentioned it, she resembles Penelope and Leah too.¡± ¡°What if she¡¯s Leah¡¯s illegitimate daughter?¡± ¡°Stop; if someone hears us, we¡¯ll be in trouble.¡± Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Don¡¯t sweat it: Leah is not here either, and have you seen how uppity Leal was today? It¡¯s all because her daughter married into the Lindberg family Leah cornered Allison where there were fewer people. Before Allison could burst out questioning, she demanded sternly. ¡°Did you take my mother away? Didn¡¯t you promise that as long as I abort, you will find a kidney donor for my mother?¡± Leah yed innocent, We¡¯ve already found a kidney donor, the surgery can be done soon. The transfer is also for her to get better treatment, why are you so twitchy?¡± ¡°Where is my mother now?¡± Allison didn¡¯t buy Leah¡¯s story at all. Leah took out her phone and yed a video. In the video, Grace was lying in bed with tubes attached to her, looking okay. Allison let out a sigh of relief. Leah reassured, ¡°Listen, Allison, as long as you y by my rules, I¡¯ll take good care of your mother.¡± Her voice was calm, but the underlying threat was undeniable. Leah put away her phone, continuing. ¡°But if you don¡¯t, I can¡¯t guarantee what will happen to your mother. It all depends on you¡± ¡°You¡¯re shameless; how are you any different from a robber?¡± ¡°Of course, there¡¯s a difference, the difference is that I can arrange a kidney transnt operation for your mother.¡± The words weighed heavily on Allison, and she took a shaky step back. Leah kept pressing, ¡°Allison, I watched you grow up. Your mother is doing well now and has had her tests; she will have her kidney transnt next Wednesday As long as you behave, I¡¯ll arrange for you to see her.¡± A pale¨Clipped Allison muttered, ¡°As long as I behave, you really won¡¯t harm my mother?¡± The sound of Leah¡¯s heels echoed, ¡°The kidney has been airlifted from abroad. Allison, you¡¯re smart, you know what I want. Stay away from Lucian, don¡¯t have anything to do with him, keep that secret, don¡¯t tell anyone, or else I¡¯ll make Grace pay!¡± ¡°And,¡± Leah turned around to warn her, ¡°Christopher doesn¡¯t know about this, got it?¡± If Christopher knew that she had locked up his dying old me, he would certainly blow his top. Allison bit her pale lip, her eyshes fluttering. She had no choice; when the tears fell, she nodded slightly. ¡°Good, you understand Leah smiled, ¡°This isn¡¯t a ce for lowlifes like you, you two, toss this woman out!¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Not far away, two ck¨Cd bodyguards lifted the fragile Allison and tossed her out of the back door of the banquet hall. The rain was getting heavier. Allisony on the wet ground, her heart as cold as her body. She had just had an abortion, and her mother was missing, her physical and mental state were on the brink of copse. Inside the banquet hall was a warm, luxurious birthday banquet while Allison was curled up in pain outside. After a long while, the rain¨Cdrenched her face. She slowly stood up and took one step after another, and she looked like a soulless person. On the other side, at the international airport exit. Lucian got into the car, and Shawn drove off in a hurry, ¡°Sir, Ms. nagan has arrived at the banquet hall, the birthday banquet has already begun.¡± Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Lucian took a peek at his watch; he realized he still had plenty of time left while saying, ¡°Sounds good.¡± He initially nned to return tomorrow but returned early to surprise Penelope. The car chimed along smoothly, but suddenly a woman in light brown clothing popped into his view. Shawn, quick on the uptake, mmed the brakes. Once the car halted, Shawn turned to Lucian and said, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, are you all right?¡± Lucian just shook his head. Shawn had been his assistant for years, ster driving skills, so he didn¡¯t sweat the small stuff. Outside, rain hammered the ground. Suddenly, he heard Shawn¡¯s voice from outside, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, it¡¯s Allison.¡± He frowned, a flicker of unusual emotion crossed his cold face, but it vanished quickly, elusive. Allison sat on the ground. The rain drenched her hair and clothes, trickling down her cheeks. Suddenly, the sound of the rain vanished. A pair of ck leather shoes stepped into her line of sight. She slowly lifted her head, saw his neat ck trousers, and above that, a face she knew too well. Lucian. Was she dreaming? Why would she see him here? She must be dreaming A self¨Cmocking smile yed on her face. ¡°Why are you here¡­.. She murmured, her voice drowned in the rain as if talking to herself. ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to surprise her? Today really is a lucky day, huh? But I¡¯m feeling lousy like I can¡¯t breathe. Lucian¡­.this is a dream, right?¡± ¡°Everything that happened today was just a nightmare.¡± ¡°I close my eyes, wake up, the dream¡¯s gone, right?¡± Her voice dispersed in the surrounding mist. Lucian looked at her, her face pale, soaked to the bone, those bright eyes seeming to be veiled in fog. Just as he was about to speak, she fainted. He quickly dropped the umbre, catching her Shawn saw Lucian holding Allison, his suit quickly drenched by the rain; he quickly picked up the umbre, holding it over Lucian¡¯s head, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, let me hold Allison.¡± Lucian gave him a cold nce, cradling Allison into the car. She was burning up, Lucian¡¯s big hand on her forehead. He looked at the woman in his arms, her face as pale as paper, looking fragile like a porcin doll. Half a minuteter, he spoke slowly. ¡°Head to Magnolia Gardens, call James and tell him toe.¡± Shawn blinked, then quickly nodded, ¡°Right¡± They¡¯d miss Mrs. Lindberg¡¯s birthday banquet if they were heading to Magnolia Gardens. Magnolia Gardens was Mr. Lindberg¡¯s private residence, where he lived before he bought Juniper Ridge after getting engaged, intending it for Penelope as their marital home. About half an hourter, they arrived at Magnolia Gardens. James quickly examined Allison, his expression immediately turned serious, ¡°You called me urgently because she has a fever? You do know I just got back from a medical conference in the US. and am battling jetg, right?¡± Now in a fresh set of clothes, Lucian sat on the sofa, legs crossed, and asked, ¡°How is she?¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Chapter 52 ¡°She¡¯s had a fever, I¡¯ve treated her, James perched on the coffee table, ¡°Who¡¯s this chick, weren¡¯t you supposed to be at Penelope¡¯s birthday bash today? Howe you¡¯re here with a woman.. ¡°Now that she¡¯s fine, you can leave, Lucian picked up his coffee cup Really, you¡¯re so cold I came to help this little beauty, and now that she¡¯s been treated, you¡¯re kicking me out?¡± Lucian smiled dismissively. ¡°Am I supposed to invite you to dine here?¡± 111 pass. I¡¯m out,¡± James walked out of the bedroom, stretching out his arm to pat Shawn¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Mr. Brummett, who¡¯s that woman?¡± Even Shawn had no clue. ¡°She¡¯s just a regr girl, and I¡¯m not sure either.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Really Mr. Lindberg just got off the ne. He¡¯s been working non stop these days just to make it to today¡¯s party. But on the way to Sunset Hotel, I almost hit thisdy, and she passed out, so Mr. Lindberg suggested wee back here¡± ¡°Have to say, Lucian¡¯s taste hasn¡¯t changed a bit,¡± James said, ¡°He still likes innocent young girls, just like Yuliana Crane back in the day¡± Hearing that name, Shawn¡¯s heart almost jumped out of his chest. He quickly said, ¡°Dr. Burke, please don¡¯t mention that name casually if Mr. Lindberg hears it¡­¡± James raised an eyebrow, ¡°I gotcha.¡± x As dawn approached, the rain gradually lessened. Allison opened her eyes. Because of the sickness, her vision was a bit blurry, and she feltpletely worn out. She looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings. Where was this The decor was in cold tones. The silver¨Cgrey cashmere carpet was the same as the one at Juniper Ridge. The furniture and the interior design style here were simr to Juniper Ridge but not exactly the same She seemed to have seen Lucian in her dream. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Could it be that it wasn¡¯t a dream? Allison sat up, noticed an IV in her hand, quickly pulled out the needle, and staggered out. She was sure this was Lucian¡¯s ce She had been to Juniper Ridge as Penelope, the interior design style here was too simr to Juniper Ridge, it was totally his style. Allison ran down the stairs as if chased by a wild beast. In the living room, Lucian was reading a book. He looked up to see the panic¨Cstricken woman. He narrowed his eyes slightly and asked ¡°Are you awake?¡± Then he saw the woman¡¯s eyes filled with fear, and her face turned pale at once. Allison was trembling involuntarily, this was truly Lucian¡¯s home¡­. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be on a business trip? Why was he here? How did she run into him? Shouldn¡¯t he be at Penelope¡¯s birthday party even if he returned early? ¡°You fainted before my car, and I saved you.¡± Lucian closed his book, casually ced it on the sofa, then stood up and walked towards her And Allison, she was stepping back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Mr Lindberg, I have to go¡± This is the suburbs, there¡¯s no transportation at night, where do you n to go?¡± Lucian¡¯s gaze suddenly fell on the woman¡¯s bare feet, her toes were polished and stuny, stepping on the ash colored carpet. They looked even more like top¨Cgrade jade, delicate and exquisite Allison said. ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern Even if it meant walking, she wanted to go home. Here, she felt even more terrified. She forced herself to walk out. Lucian¡¯s face turned even more somber, she kept appearing in his line of sight, deliberately drawing has attention. There¡¯s no denying that even while he was on business, her face kept popping up in his mind, even repeatedly mistaking her for Penelope. Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Chapter 53 She appeared in front of him tonight, stirring his pity. But just as he was about to give in, she wriggled out of his grasp. He was pissed. ¡°Stay!¡± he barked coldly. Allison didn¡¯t stop, or rather, she didn¡¯t dare to. However, just as she was about to leave the yard, a strong arm hooked around her slender waist, pulling her back abruptly, her back mming into his firm chest. ¡°Let me go!¡± Allison tried to break free in a panicked struggle, but Lucian picked her up, carried her to the bedroom, and ced her on the bed. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. It took Allison several attempts to sit up,pletely drained. Lucian noticed on her hand where the IV had been; it looked like the needle had been forcibly removed, almost tearing her vein. The IV bag hanging by the bed was still more than half full. His expression darkened. ¡°Allison, this stunt of yours is seriously low,¡± he said, grabbing her chin, ¡°I told you to go, but you didn¡¯t. Instead, you crashed my car, showed up in front of me, and now you¡¯re trying to y me with this cheap trick. Fine, I¡¯ll y along¡­¡± He leaned in, nting a hard kiss on her lips. As Allison struggled, tears wetting the corners of her eyes, her sobs swallowed, and her resistance seemed futile. His familiar scent engulfed her. Allison thought about their child. Just yesterday, she lost their child. Her mother was missing too. Tears rolled down from the corner of her eye, sinking into her silky hair and disappearing into the silver¨Cgrey pillow. Lucian felt a cold droplet on his face, and he let her go. She was panting heavily, face wet with tears, her clear eyes red¨Crimmed as if broadcasting her boundless grievances. He reached out, his fingertips wiping away the tears at the corner of her eyes. Choking on her words, Allison said, ¡°I know you hate me. I know you don¡¯t want to see me. Don¡¯t worry, and I won¡¯t appear in front of you again. I won¡¯t shamelessly seduce you¡­ I¡¯m just a lowly maid, and I¡¯m not worthy of standing next to someone as noble as you. I won¡¯t daydream anymore. Please let me go_ Seeing her like this, Lucian felt irritated. He let her go and stood up. Looking at her trembling and scared demeanor, he said coldly, ¡°Fine, you want to leave, huh.¡± He scoffed disdainfully, ¡°You¡¯re right, a woman of low status, truly repulsive! If you want to leave, wait till tomorrow morning, so I won¡¯t have to deal with any trouble if something happens to you after you leave my ce¡± With that, he turned on his heel, mming the door shut behind him. Under the covers, Allison cried silently, filled with pain. In his study. Lucian irritably swept the documents on his desk onto the floor. Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Chapter 54 He swaggered over to the liquor cab, grabbed a bottle of booze, poured half a shot, and downed it in one go. The spicy, potent taste of alcohol lingered in his mouth. His fist smashed hard against the wall. He had lost control! He had fallen for a woman who tried to drug him, tried to possess him, a woman of extreme greed and vanity¡­. Allison was already gone as the first light of day began to creep in the next morning. She hadn¡¯t slept a wink. As she was leaving Magnolia Gardens, Lucian stood at the second¨Cfloor study window, his gaze fixed on her. Was she that eager to leave? Those tricks lose their magic when overused. Lucian closed the window, and she was just a maid, how could he possibly fall for her? But his fingers slowly clenched into a fist, as if he could smell that intoxicating cherry blossom scent¡­ That scent, it was on that maid. He had smelled it on Penelope too. But they were clearly not the same person¡­ After the miscarriage, Allison was left weak. She had to rest at home for several days before she gradually recovered. But she knew she couldn¡¯t fall apart, her mother still needed her. After her check¨Cup at the hospital, Allison went to the small garden behind the hospital. In the past, Allison would walk Grace here almost every day. She wondered how Grace was doing now. Leah said the kidney transnt would ur tomorrow, but she wouldn¡¯t let Allison see Grace. Lost in thought, Allison walked along theke¡¯s edge when she suddenly noticed a figure about to stumble into the water. She shouted, ¡°Watch out!¡± She rushed over and steadied her, ¡°Theke is right there¡­¡± ¡°Thank you¡­¡± The person¡¯s voice was gentle and kind. Allison froze as if she¡¯d been electrocuted. She had run into Miranda. Miranda clearly didn¡¯t recognize her and, somewhat frightened, patted her chest, ¡°Sorry, I just had eye surgery recently, and my vision hasn¡¯t fully recovered. I¡¯ve been stuck in my room for a long time and wanted some fresh air. I could¡¯ve been in danger if it wasn¡¯t for you¡± ¡°Are your eyes getting better?¡± Allison¡¯s voice was a bit hoarse. ¡°Much better, should be fully recovered in a few days.¡± Miranda smiled. She held Allison¡¯s hand, feeling a sense of familiarity. During her recovery, her hearing became more acute She cautiously asked, ¡°Are you Penelope?¡± Allison was on the verge of tears; Miranda remembered her voice after just one meeting But she couldn¡¯t admit it. ¡°I¡¯m Allison; let me walk you back to your room. It¡¯s not safe for you to be out here alone.¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Allison.¡± Miranda repeated the name softly, still somewhat confused. Had she heard wrong? But if it was Penelope, there was no way she wouldn¡¯t recognize her She stopped pondering, smiled and said, ¡°Thank you, I want to walk a bit more, it¡¯s too stifling in the room. If I go back now, I¡¯ll definitely be stuck there¡± She spoke mysteriously, for some reason, Allison thought of Lucian. Indeed, with Lucian¡¯s personality, he would never let his mother do something so risky. She hesitated momentarily, held Miranda¡¯s arm, and said, ¡°Let me apany you Otherwise, it¡¯s too dangerous¡± ¡°Thank you! Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Miranda was over the moon. This little girl was as lovable as Penelope. It¡¯s a pity Penelope already took her son. Otherwise, he would definitely love such a kind¨Chearted girl. Meanwhile, in the VIP ward, the nurse who was supposed to care for Miranda was freaking out. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Lucian hurried over as soon as he got the call The nurse tried to exin, scared stiff of his reaction, ¡°I just went to get some stuff for Miranda. When I came back, she was gone. I¡¯ve been searching for a while now and still can¡¯t find her¡­¡± Lucian¡¯s face turned ashen. He left only one sentence behind, ¡°Don¡¯t bothering in tomorrow.¡± He then headed for the elevator, ordering his bodyguard, ¡°Find her, now!¡± But before he could get far, the elevator door suddenly opened, and his mother walked out,ughing with a woman. Lucian stared coldly at Allison¡¯s face, and she froze when she saw him. Miranda had just told her that her son wasn¡¯t around, and that¡¯s why Allison dared to go back. Before she could recover from her shock, Lucian had already approached them, ¡°Mom, where have you been?¡± Miranda knew her son was pissed, ¡°I just went out for some fresh air, why did they call you back?¡± From the moment they walked in, Lucian¡¯s gaze hadn¡¯t left Allison Feeling uneasy under his stare, Allison hurriedly said, ¡°Michelle, since you¡¯re back in your room, I should get going. Bye.¡± ¡°Hold on.¡± Miranda grabbed her wrist, smiling. Thank you for helping me today and for bringing me back.¡± Then she turned to Lucian, ¡°Could you see this youngdy out? And thank her for me.¡± Lucian looked at Allison, smiling slightly, ¡°Sure.¡± Allison didn¡¯t want Miranda to notice anything odd. Luckily, Lucian acted like he didn¡¯t know her at all. As soon as they left the hospital, she blurted, ¡°Mr. Lindberg. I¡¯m leaving right away¡­¡± But before she could finish, he had a vice¨Clike grip on her wrist. Next thing she knew, Lucian was shoving her into a ck Maybach. Allison frowned, trying to open the car door, only to find it locked. Lucian was smoking a cigarette, his eyes deep and cold, ¡°Allison, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d never show up in front of me again?¡± Allison clenched her fists, ¡°This was unexpected. I came to the hospital to get medicine and bumped into Miranda¡­¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Unexpected?¡± His voice was husky from the smoke, dripping with sarcasm ¡°The first time I went to the nagan family, you ¡®identally¡® spilled coffee on me. Was that a coincidence? You nned to drug me, sneaking into my room during Willowbrook College¡¯s anniversary. Was that a coincidence? You¡¯ve been skipping ss a lot this past year, but you always rush over when I¡¯m teaching. Was that also a coincidence? Allison, I went to Penelope¡¯s birthday party, and you fell down in front of my car. Do you expect me to believe that¡¯s a coincidence?¡± His eyes narrowed, anger and mockery intertwined, ¡°And now, you¡¯re telling me it¡¯s a coincidence you¡¯re in my mother¡¯s hospital room?¡± Allison was stumped. A faint blush covered her face, ¡°I don¡¯t care if you believe me or not, this really was unexpected¡­¡± Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Lucian crushed the cigarette in his hand and abruptly grabbed the woman¡¯s slender neck, his voice full of anger, ¡°Allison, I admit you saved me; you took a knife for me, so I should be grateful, and I do have some feelings for you, but you absolutely should not focus on my mother¡± 1¡­¡± Allison frowned, ¡°I really didn¡¯t¡­¡± Just then, Lucian¡¯s phone rang Allison saw his phone on the shelf, and the iing call disyed ¡°Penelope¡°. She struggled to breathe, ¡®Mr. Lindberg¡­ your phone¡¯s ringing¡­ Lucian hit the answer button, but his eyes remained firmly on Allison. Penelope¡¯s gentle and cheerful voice came over the phone, ¡°Lucian, I¡¯m shopping and saw a tie that would suit you. I sent a photo to your WhatsApp. Do you like it?¡± Lucian didn¡¯t open WhatsApp and just said, ¡°Your decision is okay.¡± Then he hung up the phone. Allison caught her breath, only to hear his icy voice, ¡°Allison, I don¡¯t care what you did, but if you ever target my mother again, I¡¯ll make sure you vanish from Northfield.¡± Allison smirked, her eyes tearing up, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Lindberg, there won¡¯t be a next time.¡± She knew that he wouldn¡¯t believe her even if she exined it was a coincidence. Seeing her admit, Lucian¡¯s anger intensified, and he shouted, ¡°Get out!¡± The car door unlocked, and Allison hurriedly escaped. Lucian mmed a fist onto the steering wheel, upset at Allison¡¯s tactics and even more upset at his own feelings for her¡­. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He was even more upset with himself for actually developing feelings for such a woman!! The next day, Grace had surgery scheduled Allison was blindfolded, and her hands were bound. She was led onto a car, traveled a distance, stopped, and was helped to walk upstairs and out of an elevator. Then, the blindfold was removed. There were four bodyguards guarding the operation room in front of her. And Grace was already pushed inside. Allison sat uneasily on the waiting chair outside the room, her eyes constantly on the operating room. Mom will be okay¡­. The operation has to seed. From 9 am, to 4 p.m., seven hours in total. The operation room door opened, and Grace was pushed out. Allison rushed over; she hadn¡¯t eaten all day and felt dizzy when she stood up, ¡°Doctor, is my mother okay¡­¡± The lead surgeon nodded, ¡°The kidney transnt was a sess, but she needs to rest and get through the rejection period.¡± ¡°It was a sess¡­ Allison breathed out a sigh of relief. Thank you, doctors.¡± Allison felt at ease as she watched Grace being wheeled into the ICU. The family wasn¡¯t allowed in. So Allison could only stand at the ward door, watching her mother lying weak and pale on the bed through the transparent ss, with tubes all over her body connected to a breathing machine. Tears filled her eyes. Leah¡¯s call came soon after, ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to you, did I? Allison, I¡¯ve let you see your mother today, I hope you can do what you said.¡± Allison bit her lip silently What do yourwant me to do?¡± Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Chapter 57 1 heard you¡¯ve been skipping sses a lot and are relying on Christopher to help you graduate. If that¡¯s the case, why not take this chance to drop out and get a job? I can help you find one¡­ How about cleaning the bathrooms at the Sunset Hotel? It¡¯s a luxury hotel after all¡­¡± At this point, the voice of Leah on the phone suddenly paused. Then Allison heard Penelope¡¯s voice from the side, ¡®Mom, cleaning bathrooms is too easy. Let her work at the Red Jack Club, serving and pouring drinks¡­¡± Red Jack Club is a famous entertainment venue in Northfield. When night falls, it¡¯s the busiest ce in all of Northfield. Allison knew exactly what Leah and Penelope were up to. She couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°If you¡¯ve got it all nned out, then I¡¯ll just go along with it.¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Penelope said discontentedly, ¡°Your attitude sucks. We provide you with food and clothing, your mom relies on us for medical expenses. Allison, we¡¯re not denying you a choice. It¡¯s you who¡¯s skipping too many sses. You might as well get a job since you can¡¯t graduate this year¡± Allison lowered her head. Even if it was a desperate choice, she had indeed made it herself. Earning money earlier would be good. Once her mom¡¯s health improved, she would take her mom and leave the nagan family! Her clenched fist gradually loosened, and she replied, ¡°All right, I¡¯ll start tonight¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, as long as you behave, your mother will be fine.¡± On the other end of the phone, Leah hung up cheerfully. Soon after, Allison received a text message. They instructed her to go to the Red Jack Club and find a woman named Sarah. That night, Allison stepped into the entertainment venue. In the office. With a cigarette between her fingers, Sarah nced at the woman in front of her. She was thin, had smooth skin, a good demeanor, and was pretty even without makeup, but her expression was cold, and her eyes were indifferent. ¡°Why do you want to work here?¡± ¡°My mom is sick, and I need money.¡± Sarah, 33 years old, has been hanging around here since her teens and has some standing. Dressed in a ck coat, her feet crossed on the coffee table, she raised her thin eyebrows, ¡°Eight out of ten people use that excuse. Fine, from now on, you¡¯ll be responsible for the bars on the sixth and seventh floors. The sry is base pay plus a 2%mission. You¡¯ll have one day off a week.¡± Sheughed at Allison¡¯s surprised expression and said, ¡°Did you think we¡¯re running some shady business here? Red Jack Club isn¡¯t that type of ce. But if you¡¯re interested, I could refer you to ces that do that kind of thing.¡± -Allison lowered her head, ¡°No, thanks.¡± Sarah waved her off, ¡°Go to room 202 and find Hailey for your uniform.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Allison left the office as instructed. Beforeing here, she had prepared herself for the worst, even contemting if she would ept her fate if certain things were happened, and things turned out better than expected! She breathed a sigh of relief. Under Hailey¡¯s arrangement, a round¨Cfaced girl helped Allison put on her uniform. Looking at Allison, the girl frowned, ¡°You¡¯re really too thin; this is the smallest size we have.¡± But it was still too big around her waist, ¡°I¡¯m Ashley, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Allison.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Allison. We¡¯re colleagues now.¡± Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Ashley¡¯s a total live wire. She and Allison are in charge of a couple of booths. Ashley already got Allison up to speed on the job in just a few hours. On a side note, Allison also got an earful of juicy gossip she was all ears for ¡°You mentioned the boss here, what¡¯s he like? Is he some big shot?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Ashley¡¯s eyes grew wider, making her round face even cuter. The boss here is a total mystery; he never shows his face. He must be something, running a club like this in Northfield His connections must be off the charts. ¡°Oh Allison just nodded, not really giving a hoot. Meanwhile, the elevator doors opened on the sixth floor. Two strapping men stepped out. James turned to Lucian, sounding unsure. ¡°So, should I make the call?¡± ¡°Sure thing. Lucian responded before stepping into booth number 606. James shrugged and dialed a number. ¡°Aidan, we¡¯ve got a wee party for you today. Lucian and I are already here. Wouldn¡¯t it be quite a snub if you didn¡¯t show?¡± A gravelly voice came over the phone, ¡°Then I guess you¡¯ll have to wait a bit, you know I¡¯m not exactly fleet of foot¡± James said, ¡°Do you need a lift?¡± ¡°No need.¡± With that, Aidan hung up. James sighed, same old Aidan. He then went into the booth. After tidying up booth 602, Allison was about to take a breather. As she walked past the elevator, the doors suddenly opened. Inside, a man in a wheelchair slowly rolled out. Allison instantly put down the tray in her hands and, following her duty as a server, she asked respectfully. ¡°Sir, do you need assistance?¡± Aidan nced at her, his brow furrowing slightly, ¡°You push the wheelchair.¡± As Allison pushed his wheelchair, she asked, ¡°Sir, which booth are you headed to¡­¡± *606.¡± Allison pushed the wheelchair, taking him to booth 606. Inside the booth. James crossed his legs, ¡°Do you think Aidan suddenlying back has anything to do with problems in our UK division?¡± With his eyes closed, Lucian replied nonchntly, ¡°I just got back from the UK a few days ago; his return must be on Carter¡¯s orders.¡± James took a swig of his drink, recalling recent events; he then asked, ¡°Did you ever find out who drugged you when you first came back to Northfield? Was it one of George Lindberg¡¯s men?¡± Lucian casually crossed his legs He picked up a cigarette and a lighter from the coffee table, and the blue me flickered for a few seconds before slowly going out. The cigarette¡¯s tip was now lit, and plumes of white smoke slowly spread, almost as if it were about to envelop him. He took a couple of drags. ¡°He¡¯s very cautious, I have no evidence. Even if I did, I wouldn¡¯t give it to Carter.¡± James knew full well that the one thing Carter detested most was infighting within the family. And George had nailed that fact down pat. There was a knock at the door Then, the door opened from the outside The sound of a wheelchair scraping against the floor was heard. A server pushing a wheelchair walked in, Aidan was dressed in a ck tracksuit and a cap, half his face shrouded in the cap¡¯s shadow, he looked rather solemn James looked at the woman in the server¡¯s uniform, a bit surprised, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you¡± Allison looked up Her eyes locked with a pair of icy cold ones, and her heart skipped a beat. Lucian Her feet felt like they were rooted to the spot. Allison subconsciously gripped the handles of the wheelchair tightly. Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Chapter 59 ¡°Help me over there.¡± The man in the wheelchair stated. James was a bit taken aback hearing this. Aidan was a strange, aloof, and detached character In the over ten years that James had known Aidan, he had hardly ever heard a kind worde out of his mouth Aidan was also obsessed with cleanliness and never let anyone touch him. What was happening today? He was actually asking a waitress for help¡­. James furrowed his brows, his eyes sweeping over the waitress¡¯s face a few times before he let out an exmation. This was too interesting The waitress was quite pretty, and¡­ Wait, wasn¡¯t this the woman he saw at Magnolia Gardens that day? The woman who was in Lucian¡¯s bed. It was only then that Allison bent down to help him up. He was thin; his arm underneath his thick sweater felt bony yet strong. The muscles in his arm tensed as if about to burst with power as he pushed up from his wheelchair. Aidan took out a folded cane from his wheelchair. As he leaned on the cane and Allison helped him up, he limped a few steps before James hurriedly got up to help him. Nobody in the box said anything, but he could almost feel the pressure from the man behind him getting heavier. He quickly told Allison, ¡°Get us a few bottles of wine, nothing too strong.¡± ¡°Right away.¡± Allison, who was also looking for an excuse to leave, immediately walked out. Even without looking back, she could feel the piercing gaze on her back until she walked out of the room¡­ *James, my leg is crippled, not broken; I can still walk, Aidan said as he pushed James away with one hand and hobbled over to the couch to sit down. James didn¡¯t get mad, and this was just how Aidan was. He nced at Lucian, who looked unfazed as if everything that had just happened was his imagination. Maybe he was wrong. Didn¡¯t Lucian feel anything for that woman? How could that be? How would an ordinary woman end up at Magnolia Gardens? Magnolia Gardens was Lucian¡¯s private residence; only Yuliana had been there, and even Penelope didn¡¯t know about it. He looked at Aidan, ¡°Do you know that waitress?¡± Otherwise, why would he let her touch his clothes? Aidan was a clean freak; how could he stand it? Saying this, he took a sip of his wine and looked at Lucian, who was sitting on the single¨Cseat couch, with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know her.¡± James touched his nose; he really loved to watch the drama, ¡°Let me tell you something funny, I just got back from a medical conference in the States when I got a call to rush over¡­¡± Before he could finish, a cold gaze swept over James, and he quickly shut his mouth. All right, he didn¡¯t dare to offend Lucian. Lucian picked up a ss of wine, ¡°Aidan, wee back.¡± After ten seconds, the air was stifling. Aidan also picked up a ss of wine from the coffee table. His voice was a bit hoarse as he said, ¡°You¡¯re too kind.¡± James also raised his ss, feeling a twinge of regret in his heart. These two were once good brothers; who would¡¯ve thought they would be almost enemies in the end? If not for amon goal, they would not be standing side by side again. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. The only things that could turn brothers into enemies were. James raised an eyebrow, a thought emerging in his mind. -Women Yuliana, Aidan¡¯s gister. The fire that year, it was truly an ident. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Allison didn¡¯t dare to step foot into room 606 again, and she let Ashley go in with the drinks. She never expected to bump into Lucian again in a city like Northfield. There were plenty of waitresses on the sixth floor and a total of six VIP rooms. But here, there were no fixed room assignments. No waitress had a fixed job. Sarah once said that only competition could bring motivation. If there were fixed assignments, work would getzy. Allison checked the time, then turned around to go to the bathroom. Just as she exited the bathroom, a drunk customer stumbled out. A fat middle¨Caged man, drunk off his ass, yelled out, ¡°Somebody gives me a hand¡°¡± Allison just stood to the side, and the drunk middle¨Caged man noticed her; he grabbed Allison¡¯s hand, his other hand resting on her shoulder, ¡°Your hand is so smooth ¡± A strong stench of alcohol hit her, mixed with a nauseating smell. Allison frowned, ¡°Sir, please let go of me¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this where you work as a prostitute? I¡¯m Kurt. There¡¯s no woman I want that I can¡¯t have. Stick with me, and you¡¯ll have a good life. Let me enjoy myself tonight, pretty girl¡± The drunk man said as he wrapped his fat arms around Allison Allison frowned, struggling in disgust, ¡°Sir, you¡¯re drunk. I¡¯m calling security!¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Security! Even if your deputy manager Samueles, he can¡¯t help you¡± The man, fueled by alcohol, pressed Allison against the wall. Allison struggled, and the passing waitresses looked over, but none of them were willing to help. No one wanted to stir up trouble, and they just gave Allison sympathetic nces. Allison didn¡¯t expect people to be so indifferent here. ¡°Ah, you smell so good¡­¡± Kurt disgustingly moved his face closer, sniffing the faint scent in the air. Allison¡¯s nerves were almost numb from the sudden strong smell of alcohol. She held her breath and pushed Kurt away with all her might, her hands protecting her chest. She stomped on Kurt¡¯s foot in a gap, then kicked upwards. Then she quickly turned and ran. Kurt immediately screamed like a ughtered pig. ¡°Ah¨C¡± His drunkenness sobered up instantly. ¡°You bitch!!¡± Allison ran away in panic. Kurt chased after her, and she ran to the door of room 606. She hesitated momentarily at the door, then closed her eyes, reached out, and pushed the door open. Lucian¡¯s gaze turned to her. She leaned against the door, panting heavily, her hair a little messy. Although her clothes were intact, they were a bit wrinkled, as if she had been struggling. Her eyes were full of fear. Allison lifted her trembling head, her eyes meeting his. She clenched her fists, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the interruption, gentlemen. I¡­¡± Her voice was trembling too. James sensed something was off, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Before Allison could speak, Lucian¡¯s cold voice slowly rose, ¡°The quality of the waitresses at Red Jack Club is really going downhill!¡± James looked at Lucian Lucian didn¡¯t speak, his icy gaze fixed on her. A touch of self¨Cmockery suddenly surged in Allison¡¯s heart. How could he possibly help her? Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Her eyes were sparkling, her hand resting on the doorknob, seemingly hesitant Just as she was about to open the door and leave, there was a sudden knock, apanied by a man¡¯s vulgar insults. ¡°Slut, I know you¡¯re in there, open up!¡± ¡°How dare you kick me? Are you asking for death..¡± ¡°Break down the door! Drag that bitch out!¡± Allison¡¯s pupils shrank drastically The sound of the door being pounded on echoed, intermittently mixed with his crude curses Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Then, it seemed like the ce¡¯s manager had arrived, ¡°Sir, who has upset you? Calm down, let me handle whomever this idiot is that pissed you off¡­ ¡°Stop banging the door it wouldn¡¯t be good if you break it or disturb the quests¡­¡± ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t afford to pay for a door? I know your Deputy Manager, Samuel. Call him over! I am the most important guest here. Break the door! Drag that bitch out!¡± ¡°Sir, is a mere waitress worth all this anger?¡± The manager knew what was probably going on. Kurt was likely drunk and taking the opportunity to harass a waitress Such incidents had urred a few times at the Red Jack Club. The owner had set rules against such behavior, but if women were willing to engage with the guests, anything goes once they were out of the Red Jack Club The implication was clear No such engagements could take ce within the Red Jack Club. These rules protected the servers at the Red Jack Club However, if something happened behind closed doors, as long as someone was willing to take responsibility, the rules weren¡¯t as strict In this world, money can solve all problems that are, in fact, not problems at all. And now, Kurt was a friend of Samuel¡¯s. The manager was getting a headache. He quickly dialed Sarah¡¯s number, ¡°We have a situation. Pleasee over.¡± Kurt also bellowed, ¡°Call Samuel!¡± He was determined to teach this slut a lesson. She dared to kick him. It hurt so much- In the private room. His slender fingers held a burning cigarette, white smoke billowing up. Even in the dim light, Allison could clearly see his handsome face with distinct features. His gaze fell on Allison¡¯s face, clearly seeing the fear in her eyes. James heard the sound of the door being pounded on and scratched his ear, ¡°Come over here, tell us what¡¯s going on. Who are these noisy people?¡± He smiled slightly. He had never seen anyone dare be so fearless before him. It sparked a sense of curiosity in him. He casually nced at Lucian, then said to Allison, ¡°Te us your problem. Maybe Lucian can help you.¡± Allison didn¡¯t know if Lucian would help her. Allison only knew that she was in deep trouble today. She nced at the rattling door lock and stepped forward, ¡°I came out of the bathroom, and suddenly Kurt staggered towards me. He touched me, so I kicked him and ran over here¡­. Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Chapter 62 James pondered momentarily, then scoffed, ¡°So it¡¯s Kurt¡± Suddenly, there was a loud noise of something hitting the door. The lock shook violently, followed by the sound of it turning. The doorman must have been scared the door would break, so he handed over the key The door was opened from the outside, and a group of people walked in Pointing at Allison, Kurt immediately ordered his bodyguards. ¡°This woman, take her away! Allison¡¯s face turned pale instantly ¡°So it¡¯s you daring to cause a scene here.¡± Lucian extinguished his cigarette. He looked up, his eyes as deep as the abyss, staring intently at Kurt. Kurt felt an overwhelming pressure on him. He felt a sudden chill down his spine, and his drunkenness vanished. He nced at the three people in the box, one a cripple, one looking like a gentlemanly student, and one man who frightened him. He was a bit scared Normally, he would have checked their identities first. But now, he had been openly insulted and immediately angry. He pointed at Lucian and shouted, ¡°Who the hell are you, daring to curse at me like that! Are you this waitress¡¯s little lover and here to y hero?¡± It looked like they were about to fight in the box. The manager rushed over, ¡°Gentlemen, please calm down.¡± They were all guests here, and she couldn¡¯t afford to offend anyone. If a fight broke out, she would be held responsible. She was worried, where was Sarah? Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The manager nced at Allison, signaling her toe over, ¡°Please apologize to the gentleman; cool him down a bit.¡± But Kurt wasn¡¯t so easily handled. He pushed the manager away, telling his bodyguards, ¡°Take this bitch to my bed and give this man a good beating¡± He looked at Allison with a lewd smile, ¡°Babe, your lover is unreliable. Follow me, and you¡¯ll live a good life¡­¡± The two bodyguards grabbed Allison¡¯s wrists. She screamed in terror. Before she could react, a hand wrapped around her waist, and she was pulled against a warm and familiar chest, the scent of tobo and alcohol wafting into her nose. She looked at Lucian¡¯s profile, a face she had seen countless times in her dreams At the same time, a silver fork from a fruit tter flew out, embedding itself in a bodyguard¡¯s hand. He screamed in pain. Lucian kicked away the other bodyguard He seemed to be angry. His expression darkened even more, ¡°Where¡¯s Samuel? Get him here!¡± Meanwhile, in the vice president¡¯s office on the seventh floor. A woman in a tight¨Cfitting magenta dress with a slender waist sat on a man who seemed to be in his mid¨Cthirties, ¡°You said you¡¯d give me the alcohol business on the sixth and seventh floors this month, why did you give it to Sarah? You can¡¯t break your promise.¡± The Red Jack Club had another rule. The sixth, seventh, and eighth floors were VIP boxes, only the high¨Cend guests of the Red Jack Club had ess, and the alcohol consumption was naturally much higher. The first and second floors were for serving some scattered and out¨Cof¨Ctown guests. The third, fourth, and fifth floors mainly catered to regr guests. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Samuel couldn¡¯t resist Serena¡¯s charm or control his desires. ¡°You know Sarah is tight with the boss, this time, it¡¯s her turn, next time, it¡¯ll be you. I promise, Serena, I¡¯ll keep my word.¡± Serena cooed. ¡°Samuel-¡± Samuel unbuckled his belt in a sh, pinning Serena down on his desk, ¡°Serena, you¡¯re really making it hard for me to pull myself away. Outside the office door An employee knocked, ¡°Kurt¡¯s at the entrance of Roorn 606, wondering if you coulde over¡­¡± Samuel was in no mood for anything else and blurted out, ¡°Let him wait!¡± The window was half¨Copen, the light blue curtains gently swaying in the breeze, and the office was filled with delight¡­. Five minutester. Another knock came, Serena seemed a bit annoyed, ¡°What now¡­¡± Samuel shouted back, ¡°Who is it? So bloody annoying! Spit it out if you¡¯ve got something to say. Otherwise scram! Let Kurt wait!¡± ¡°The guest in Room 606¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The guest in Room 606 demands your presence immediately!¡± ¡°What?¡± Samuel cursed out loud. He jumped up and quickly got dressed, Serenay on the ck table, looking unsatisfied at Samuel, ¡°You¡¯re just going to leave like this, who the hell talks to you like that!¡± Samuel gently squeezed Serena¡¯s waist, ¡°Wait for me; I want to see who dares to kick up a fuss here!¡± With that, he rushed out. As soon as he walked in, Kurt burst intoughter, ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re finally here. You¡¯ve got to help me out today¡± Samuel raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over the people in the room, ¡°Who dares to cause trouble in my ce, don¡¯t worry, Kurt, I¡¯ll teach them a lesson today¡­¡± His words were cut short. Samuel saw the man sitting on the dark red leather sofa, and he felt a chill. His face turned pale instantly; he stepped forward, ¡°Mr. Lindberg. Mr. Crane, Dr. Burke, we didn¡¯t realize you were here, we¡¯re sorry for the disturbance.¡± Seeing the sudden change in Samuel, Kurt looked at Lucian nervously and alerted Samuel, ¡°What¡¯s up with you? It¡¯s this guy¡­¡± Samuel wanted to p Kurt, ¡°Shut up! Do you know who you¡¯ve offended? If Mr. Lindberg doesn¡¯t mind, then okay. Otherwise, not even your grandpa can save you! What the hell is Kurt thinking?¡± Mr. Lindberg¡­ Kurt¡¯s eyes widened in horror. He is¡­ from the Lindberg family¡­. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Lucian¡¯s eyes were as sharp as a cold de, ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re quite the big shot here, it looks like the Red Jack Club¡¯s been doing well, you¡¯re living the life.¡± Samuel fell to his knees, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, please don¡¯t kid with me, I¡¯ll take full responsibility for today¡¯s incident; I¡¯m sorry for the disturbance. I¡¯ll handle it.¡± Lucian closed his eyes, speaking indifferently. ¡°Then leave and take care of it. I don¡¯t want to see this man again.¡± Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Right!¡± Samuel sprang to his feel, waving his hand, and the box instantly hushed up. At the entrance, Sarah, who was a littlete, saw Allison standing next to Lucian. The whole thing today started with a waitress. Sarah raised an eyebrow. The first time she saw Allison, she thought she was a very special girl She was as beautiful as aellia elegant and serene, her clear and bright eyes seemed untouched by the mundane world. Such a woman often attracts men¡¯s attention the most, beautiful andpletely oblivious. At ten o¡¯clock in the evening James called for a designated driver. Aldan was waiting for the driver, his gaze fell on Allison¡¯s face, and then he quickly moved away. Allison was looking down. The box returned to peace after Kurt left. She nned to leave, but Lucian didn¡¯t let her go. She was treated as if she was invisible here. After five minutes, Aidan stood up and said, ¡°The driver¡¯s here; I¡¯m bouncing¡± Before Aidan left, he nced at Allison, which Lucian caught Lucian chuckled and said, ¡°Pour the wine!¡± Allison turned around poured a ss of wine, and handed it to Lucian: When he took the ss, he also caught her fingers. Allison¡¯s eyshes fluttered like feathers, and she tried to draw her hand back. A few drops of champagne spilled from the ss,nding on his shirt ¡°My bad!¡± Allison quickly took out a tissue to wipe it for him. He grabbed her fingers tightly for a moment, and the wine ss fell from his hand onto the carpet. He turned around, pressed her onto the sofa, and passionately kissed her soft lips. Allison was stunned. He kissed her deeply, parting her lips. James was taken aback. Was this something he should be watching? When had Lucian, who always kept his distance from women, be so proactive? His rational mind told him that if he didn¡¯t leave now, Lucian would definitely not let him off the h o ok tomorrow. He quickly stood up and said, ¡°My driver¡¯s here; I¡¯m out.¡± After saying this, he left immediately, even kindly closing the door for them. Inside the box. The atmosphere was heated. Lucian, under the influence of alcohol, lost control, or perhaps¡­. He was always sober. ¡°Lucian, let go. Allison resisted, suddenly biting his lip; instantly, their mouths filled with the taste of rust. She saw surprise sh through his eyes, and Allison took advantage of the moment to gasp for breath. She quickly stepped back, keeping a distance from him. He reached out and wiped his lips. ¡°Overdoing the drama only makes the payback bigger. I¡¯m not into overly self¨Ccentered women¡± Lucian¡¯s slender fingers slowly traced Allison¡¯s cheek. His fingertips were chilly, and every inch of skin they touched sent a chill down her spine, ¡°You guessed right; I¡¯m a bit curious about you. Smart women know how to use men¡¯s curiosity to get what they want. But be careful, being too smart might just backfire.¡± Allison knew he had a great misunderstanding about her. With these misunderstandings stacked up, Allison couldn¡¯t exin clearly. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Her hands were balled into tight fists. ¡°Our meeting was just a fluke I know you might not believe me, but I swear I didn¡¯t deliberately seek you out. I know my ce.¡± Allison said cautiously, eyes fixed on him you helped me out tonight, and I¡¯m really grateful¡± Lucian¡¯s eyes were icy cold ¡°And how do you n on showing your gratitude¡± Allison was at a loss How could she possibly express her thanks? He was rich and powerful, and she was just a regr girl trying to make ends meet What could she possibly do for him? Allison didnt reply His keen eyes seemed to see right through her, filled with mocking sneer. The belt in his hand lightly tapped her face. Tve met plenty of women like you, greedy and crafty It never ends well. Allison, don¡¯t push it A hint of sadness crossed Allison¡¯s eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Lindberg, I¡¯ll remember your words. I won¡¯t forget a single one.¡± He stood up, his clothes were almost perfect, only his shirt was slightly wrinkled, presumably from Allison¡¯s struggle. He fastened his belt, picked up his coat, pulled out a few big bills from his wallet, and tossed them onto Allison¡¯s face. Allison picked them up. ¡°Thanks for the tip. We look forward to seeing you again at the Red Jack Club¡± Her voice was soft, but not coquettish, her tone indifferent, yet extremely pleasant. Lucian had already reached the door when he suddenly stopped ¡°Do you have a driver¡¯s license?* Allison nced around the room, it was just him and her. He must be talking to her ¡°I do¡± She replied. She learned to drive in college. ¡°Drive me home.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Allison looked at his sturdy back. ¡°Mr. Lindberg, how about I call you a driver?¡± ¡°Are you deaf? I said, drive me home!¡± Allison made up her mind. It was just driving, right? Lucian¡¯s car today was rather low¨Ckey. The interior was top¨Cnotch. Allison released the handbrake and slowly set off. She knew how to drive, but it didn¡¯t mean she could handle such a car This was her first time Allison was really nervous. The car was slowly cruising on the road, other vehicles honked a few times. Every time she heard the horn, she would get scared, immediately hitting the brakes and letting them pass first ¡°Mr. Lindberg, where are we headed?¡± ¡°Juniper Ridge¡± Her fingers tightly gripped the steering wheel. She bit her lip. Juniper Ridge was the house Lucian and Penelope used after their marriage. The car was slowly moving on the road. Suddenly, Lucian groaned Allison looked at the rearview mirror. Lucian, who had been resting with his eyes closed in the backseat, had his eyes open now, pressing his fingers against his stomach, apparently in great difort. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. *Mr. Lindberg, are you okay?¡± Lucian didn¡¯t respond, but his brows were furrowed. The traffic light ahead turned red, and Allison stopped the car. She turned around to find Lucian looking pale, beads of sweat dotting his forehead Allison had never seen him in such distress before. ¡°Mr. Lindberg, I should take you to the hospital.¡± ¡°Back to Juniper Ridge Normally. Allison wouldn¡¯t want to meddle, but seeing him in such pain, she just couldn¡¯t¡­. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. In the end, she decided to head to the hospital. It was around 11 PM, with hardly any traffic on the road. Allison hit the gas, speeding towards the nearest hospital as fast and smoothly as she could After parking, she walked to the back door of the car, opened it and said, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, we¡¯re at the hospital. Let me help you out¡± ¡°I told you I wanted to go back to Juniper Ridge He pushed her away, a bit irritably Allison didn¡¯t expect that even though he was feeling unwell, he still insisted on going home. She helped him out of the car. He was weak from the intense stomach pain Allison closed the car door and resolutely helped him towards the hospital. A nurse immediately brought a stretcher. He was taken to the emergency center The doctor frowned, ¡°Why has he drunk so much?¡± ¡°Doctor, how is he?¡± ¡°He has acute gastritis. Let¡¯s get him on an IV. You go pay the bill.¡± After the nurse took him to a room, Allison went downstairs with Lucian¡¯s wallet to pay. She took out the money from his wallet and suddenly saw a picture inside The picture showed four people. All of them were young Allison immediately recognized Lucian He appeared to be around seventeen in the picture. He was wearing a white shirt, had simple short hair, and was smiling brightly Next to him was a sweet girl, and beside them, two other boys in white shirts. Lucian had an acute gastritis attack. After getting an IV, he fell into a doze His face was covered in sweat. He was in pain, but he didn¡¯t make a sound. Allison sat by his side, took out a tissue, and wiped his face. As her fingertips brushed over the contour of his brow, she noticed a small scar She had never noticed it before Her finger lightly traced over the scar on his brow She caressed the scar. It was faint, seemingly from years ago. She adjusted his nket and sat down on a chair next to the bed. It was the emergency department on the third floor, and there weren¡¯t many people receiving an IV at night. It was just Lucian and Allison Lucian finished his IV around two in the morning. However, he continued to rest with a furrowed brow, as if the pain in his stomach hadn¡¯t eased. Allison used warm water to soothe his stomach and stayed by his side. Until the early morning During this time, his phone rang once. It was a call from Penelope Lucian opened his eyes. The first rays of morning light filtered through the pure white curtains. He moved a little.. The golden light shone on her face. Allison was lying at the side of the bed, resting her head on his arm. This position didn¡¯t seemfortable for her to maintain all night. so she was frowning slightly, but her breathing was still steady Lucian watched her The atmosphere in the morning was particrly warm and quiet. Allison seemed to blend in with this gentleness and tranquility, like a sprite that had descended to Earth. Lucian just watched her, a calm feeling he had never experienced before slowly rising from deep within him. His deep, unfathomable eyes suddenly had a human warmth to them. His slender fingers reached out and lightly lifted the hair on her cheek, gently tucking it behind her ear Allison only felt a tickle on her cheek. She opened her eyes and met his gaze There was a moment of surprise in Allison¡¯s eyes, but she quickly regained her calm, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, since you¡¯re awake, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Lucian looked at her with a stern face as she dodged his gaze ¡°I told youst night, you need to head back to Juniper Ridge¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°You¡¯ve got acute gastritis, it¡¯s gonna be dicey if you don¡¯t go to the hospital, Allison said ¡°You helped me outst night, I returned the favor, let¡¯s call it even, Mr. Lindberg¡± She was about to get up and scram He reached out and grabbed her chin. I never noticed you had quite a tongue on you¡± Allison gave him a grin. ¡°Well, now you know She said calmly, Mr. Lindberg I¡¯ve got a job to get to. If I¡¯m late, they¡¯ll dock my attendance bonus¡± ¡°Are you proud of working at a ce like that? His grip on her chin tightened. Allison winced a bit. Why? I¡¯m making an honest buck. If someone gets sloshed, I call an ambnce to haul them off. I think that¡¯s something to be proud of¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you in school anymore?¡± ¡°Are you senous, Mr. Lindberg?¡± She changed her form of address ¡°Didn¡¯t you already dock me three credits? I can¡¯t graduate on time and have to dy my graduation. So, Ive started working a year early to make some dough.¡± Lucian stared at her face, remaining silent for a good while. The air was still, but his hand on Allison¡¯s chin didn¡¯t let go. His other hand gently caressed her face, from her forehead to her eyes, then her nose, finally stopping at her lips. With a light touch on her soft lips, his eyes showed no warmth, only indifference ¡°Allison,¡± his tone sent a chill down her spine Jason is my cousin. You¡¯d best not have any improper thoughts. He¡¯s off¨Climits to you?¡± He was warning her Allison was taken aback. Thest time she went to the Lindberg family¡¯s, she heard he was dating Audrey. It had been a long time since shest saw Jason. Allison found Lucian¡¯s words strange, but she didn¡¯t dare to ask more. After all, she wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with the Lindberg family anymore. That night, when she returned to the Red Jack Club, Sarah called her into her office. Sarah¡¯s office was at the corner on the third floor. She was puffing on a slimdy¡¯s cigarette. When she saw Allison, she gestured with her eyes, but Allison shook her head. She didn¡¯t smoke. ¡°Allison, this is yourpensation, Sarah said, pulling an envelope from the drawer. Allison took it, not quite understanding. She looked at Sarah. Sarah said, ¡°Red Jack Club runs a tight ship, but some drunk patrons might get frisky, something we can¡¯t control. What happened yesterday was a fluke, it won¡¯t happen again. This is from Samuel, he said it¡¯s yourpensation.¡± Allison said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Was it the Samuel fromst night? ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me. If anything like this happens in the future, be smart ande to me. I¡¯ll handle it. For the following period, Allison worked her tail off every day. It wasn¡¯t too busy. She teamed up with Ashley for a month, then a new waitress named Payton joined. Payton was also a junior, like Allison, but she was at Pinehurst University. She had fewer sses and her folks were loaded, they were in real estate. Ashley was a bit envious and asked, ¡°Your family¡¯s loaded. Why are you working here?¡± Chapter 68 Chapter 68 She gentlybed his fringe and trimmed the fringe little by little with a pair of scissors. She looked very focused. All her concentration was on the fringe. She did not even notice the pair of beautiful eyes under the fringe watching her. Jackson stared at her. Her face was slightly red due to the cold weather. He looked at her pretty eyes, her small nose, her pink lips, and her beautiful face. The more he looked at her, the harder he found it to look away. Under the light, her body seemed to emanate a warm aura. ¡°Okay, it¡¯s done.¡± After a while, he suddenly heard her say. ¡°It¡¯s done?¡± he asked. All the time he spent with her seemed to pass by very quickly. ¡°Mm¨Chmm.¡± She smiled and took two steps back to scrutinize him. ¡°It¡¯s not bad. My skills are pretty good. We saved a few dors.¡± She chuckled, then took a dry towel and helped him dust off some of the fine strands of hair that had fallen onto his face, neck and clothes. ¡°All right, go take a shower,¡± said Serenity. Jackson nodded, took a change of clothes and walked into the small bathroom. He let warm water wash over his body. He looked down and saw the scar on his chest. Time had passed and the scar had now be very shallow, but every time he saw it, it still reminded him of that woman. The woman who had abandoned him and his father. This wound was probably the only thing that woman left for him. At the time, he knelt and begged her not to leave him and his father, but she ruthlessly pushed him away and left without looking back. His chest mmed into a metal sp ik e. Afterwards, the doctor told him that the sp ik e was really close to his heart. If it had been a little more to the side, he would have lost his life. At that time, he told himself that the woman was no longer his mother. After the death of his father, he was even more unwilling to have any expectations of anyone. Without expectations, there would be no disappointment. But¡­ Jackson turned off the faucet, grabbed a towel, dried his body and put on his clothes. When he walked out of the bathroom, his eyes fell on Serenity who seemed to be looking at something at the table. Since when did he start having expectations of her? He looked forward to seeing her smile, to seeing her happy, to seeing her look at him with gentle eyes and call him ¡°Jack¡°. ¡°Are you done showering? Let me help you blow your hair dry,¡± she said as she got up to get the hair dryer. He went over to the table and saw some papers she had spread out on the table. They were¡­ copies of the files from her old case. His eyes flickered. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± he asked despite already knowing the answer. ¡°It¡¯s something rted to my case,¡± she replied. ¡°Lisa helped me collect them.¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Why are you looking at them?¡± he asked. Yeah, why? Serenity asked herself that question all the time. She had tried to appeal her case for three years but to no avail. She¡¯s not even sure if she could locate the witnesses now. What could a sanitation worker like her do? ¡°Maybe¡­ it¡¯s because there are still parts of this case that I can¡¯t figure out,¡± Serenity muttered. She could not figure out why her alcohol test showed that her Blood Alcohol Concentration was high enough to reach the standard of drunk driving even though she clearly did not drink any liquor that day. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Dr. Dn seemed to have gotten a read on her thoughts, he said seriously. ¡°Every job deserves respect Allison looked at him, then broke into a chuckle. At the table ¡°Jade, what are you staring at? Heidi from Thoracic Surgery walked over, ¡°You¡¯re not pining for Dr. Dn again, are you?¡± Jade¡¯s cheeks turned red, she shyly lowered her head, ¡°Stop talking nonsense.¡± ¡°You¡¯re blushing! It¡¯s so obvious, every time Dr. Dn leaves, you keep sneaking nces, even lost interest in singing You really think we can¡¯t see it? ¡°Yeah, how far have you gotten with Dr. Dn? Spill the beans ¡± Jade¡¯s face turned redder, she said a bit sadly. He said he has a girlfriend now, you guys heard it too.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way Dr. Dn has a girlfriend, my friend works in the same department and she hasn¡¯t heard anything about him getting a girlfriend. He must be just using it as an excuse to fend off Dr. Thalia¡¯s nosiness. You and Dr. Dn are such a match¡­ in terms of looks and everything else.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Jade just smiled through all of this, ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the game.¡± Just then, the door to the room swung open Someone shouted, ¡°Dr. Dn¡¯s here, and this is?¡± Suddenly, all eyes were on him. Allison felt a surge of anxiety, but Dr. Dn squeezed her hand, signaling her to stay calm. He walked in with Allison, his eyesnding on Dr. Thalia who was sitting on the couch, ¡®Dr. Thalia, this is my girlfriend.¡± Dr. Thalia took a look at Allison, noticing she was dressed as a waitress. She was taken aback at first, then chuckled pushing up her sses, ¡°You got a girlfriend and only, now decided to show her off. If we hadn¡¯t gathered today, you wouldn¡¯t even bother telling me, right?¡± Dr. Dn introduced Allison to his friends, as Allison greeted them. Seeing Dr. Thalia¡¯s serious demeanor, she said, ¡°Dr. Thalia.¡± Dr Thalia nodded at her. Quite a few people noticed Allison¡¯s uniform. Wasn¡¯t she a waitress here? But they didn¡¯t dare to ask with Dr. Dn around Who would have thought Dr. Dn would date a waitress? Dr. Dn didn¡¯t dodge the issue, ¡°She works here, if you guys want anything just let her know¡± Seeing Dr Dn so unconcerned, his colleagues felt there was nothing wrong. After all, jobs don¡¯t matter, it¡¯s the love shared that¡¯s real. ¡°Can we get a discount then? Allison grinned, ¡°Of course.¡± Jade watched Dr. Dn holding that woman¡¯s hand, a mere waitress¡­. Heidi nced at Jade¡¯s expression, whispering, ¡°Jade¡­¡± Jade suddenly got up, Heidi couldn¡¯t stop her, she watched Jade walk over ¡°Dr. Dn.¡± Dr Dn nced at Jade, he knew about her feelings for him. He¡¯d already turned her down once, and he didn¡¯t want to hurt her again. Their families had been friends for a long time, and Dr. Thalia had always wanted him to end up with Jade. That¡¯s why he brought Allison, hoping Jade would back off. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Jade sauntered over to Allison. Even in heels, she was no taller than Allison who was in ts Looking her up and down, Jade said, ¡°My name¡¯s Jade¡± Her tone was anything but friendly Allison was taken aback, recognizing Jade from a previous encounter in Dr. Dn¡¯s office Allison didn¡¯t think much of it. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Allison.¡± ¡°Allison, judging by your outfit, you work here, night? I need four servings of freshly made fruit. Go get them ready Jade emphasized ¡°freshly made. She was having a hard time swallowing the fact that Dr. Dn chose a waitress as his girlfriend over her, Allison responded calmly ¡°Sure, just give me a moment She turned to Dr Dn, ¡°I¡¯ve got to get back to work¡± ¡°Okay, see youter Dr. Dn sent her off with a warm smile This scene made Jade seethe with jealousy. She looked at Dr. Thalia, her face filled with grievance. Dr. Thalia could only helplessly watch her daughter and shake her head. She loved her daughter, but if a man didn¡¯t love her back, why should she cling onto him? She was always too proud, always wanting to be number one. A few minutester, Allison returned with a cart. She prepped her tools, put on gloves, and started making the fruit tters. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Normally, fruit tters were prepared ahead of time. However, if a customer had hygiene concerns or strict fruit preferences, they could request for the tter to be made on the spot. Jade¡¯s request was obviously meant to humiliate Allison. But when Allison returned with the cart, Dr. Dn went over to help, followed by a few nurses. ¡°Allison, I didn¡¯t recognize you at first!¡± The speaker was Cindy, a nephrology nurse who¡¯d seen Grace numerous times ¡°As soon as I walked in, I recognized you. You and June are both here,¡± Allison said, ¡°Where¡¯s Millie? I didn¡¯t see her around.¡± She and Millie, the nurse in charge of Grace. were quite close. ¡°Her son¡¯s having a birthday today, so she didn¡¯te.¡± ¡°Allison, you look so beautiful today! I didn¡¯t recognize you at all. You look much better than when you¡¯re in your scrubs, really ttering.¡± Allison was slim with great proportions. Her hair was neatly pulled back, revealing her smooth forehead and stender neck. Her face was subtly made¨Cup, very pretty At the hospital, Allison usually didn¡¯t wear makeup and dressed casually. Who knew that just a bit of dressing up could make her look so stunning? No wonder Dr. Dn was smitten. ¡°Allison, when did you and Dr. Dn start dating?¡± Allison blushed, ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask him. She nced at Dr. Dn, leaving the question for him to handle. ¡°Do I need to report my love life to all of you?¡± Dr. Dn asked, sounding serious. But everyone knew he was a softy, so they allughed. ¡°Dr. Dn, of course you need to tell us! You probably don¡¯t know, but there are many nurses and female doctors in the department who like you. If I didn¡¯t already have a child¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Chapter 71 ¡°Allison¡¯s here, she¡¯s Dr. Dn¡¯s official girlfriend.¡± Everyone startedughing So, Dr. Dn, you and Allison are treating us to dinner, right?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Dr. Dn nodded Immediately June pped her hands, ¡°Lel¡¯s set it for next week then. Dr. Dn will treat the whale department to dinner¡± ¡°But it¡¯s my daughter¡¯s birthday next week.¡± ¡°Bring your daughter along then¡± Inside the private room Some were singing, some were ying cards, but the most lovely ce was where Dr. Dn and Allison were, everyone was chatting happily Jade was no longer in the mood to y cards, and the female doctors close to Jade didn¡¯t dare to speak out, after all, Jade¡¯s mother was Dr. Thalia. Heidi hesitated and said. ¡°There are many excellent male doctors in our hospital. I think the cardiologist is also good. He is young and promising He just published a research paper a few days ago¡­ Jade looked up, ¡°What do you think I am? Do you think I¡¯ll just pick anyone?¡± She had been pursuing Dr. Dn for so many years, she didn¡¯t expect¡­. This is so embarrassing! At eleven o¡¯clock in the evening It was raining Dr. Dn drove Allison home. On the way, Allison joked, ¡°Dr. Dn, Jade has a crush on you, doesn¡¯t she?¡± She saw a strong hostility and provocation in that woman¡¯s eyes Because, no one orders that many fruit tters But Jade ordered four fruit tters at once. Dr Dn kept his eyes on the road,ughing and changing the subject, ¡°Thank you so much for today¡± Now that she was familiar with Dr. Dn, Allison dared to joke, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not a chef, it was a hell of a job for me to make four fruit tters¡± Dr. Dn smiled, suddenly he pulled the car over, ¡°Wait here for me.¡± A few minutester, Dr. Dn came back with a cup of coffee for Allison. Allison held it with both hands, it was warm, she took a sip, her mouth was full of coffee vor, and the air was filled with the aroma of coffee. ¡°It¡¯s yummy.¡± Allison held the coffee, her eyes inexplicably a little teary ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve had coffee this year.¡± When sheughed, her eyes looked beautiful, ¡°Such a freaking good taste, no wonder so many people love coffee This year, Grace¡¯s condition worsened. In addition to working hard to earn money and save money for Grace¡¯s medical expenses, Allison didn¡¯t spend a dime A few bucks for a cup of coffee, she rarely had it anymore. If it weren¡¯t for Dr. Dn buying it for her, she would have nearly forgotten the taste of coffee. Dr. Dn turned to look at her, his eyes were always smiling at the same time, an idea suddenly came to his mind. If Allison really became his girlfriend, it seemed to be a very pleasant thing. ¡°Allison, I¡­¡± Allison turned her head, her bright eyes looking at him, as if waiting for him to finish ¡°Allison, thank you for tonight.¡± He didn¡¯t say it in the end, maybe, he didn¡¯t have the courage yet¡­ Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Meanwhile At the nagan¡¯s ¡°Lucian, the rain is getting heavier outside, you better stay here for the night.¡± Lucian looked at the heavy rain outside the window, his eyebrows furrowed. For some reason, he wanted to have dinner at the nagans, he didn¡¯t meet the person he wanted to see, instead he got caught in the rain. That woman didn¡¯t evene back sote¡­. Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Seeing his hesitation, Penelope grabbed his arm, ¡°Lucian, don¡¯t go back. It¡¯s raining outside, the road is not safe¡± ¡°Alright, get a guest room ready for me. He looked at Penelope. ¡°I have a video conference to join soon, I won¡¯t be able to keep youpany. You should get some sleep¡± Lean nagan¨CEaden chuckled, ¡°Penelope, see how much Lucian cares about you¡± As soon as Lucian went upstairs, Lean quickly asked Penelope, ¡°You¡¯ve swapped back with Allison for quite a while now, how are things going? Are you pregnant yet? That¡¯s totes the most important thing¡± Penelope looked at her, she didn¡¯t dare tell Lean that Lucian hasn¡¯t touched her at all. Even when she insisted on staying at Juniper Ridge, he¡¯d say that he was swamped with work and sleep in the study at night She barely even saw himtely, which is why she couldn¡¯t help but look for him at Lindberg Corporation today. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Hearing Lean¡¯s urging she grew more agitated, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not that simple!¡± Lucian has been more and more cold towards hertely, or rather¡­ he¡¯s never been warm towards her.. Lucian went to smoke on the second floor balcony. He leaned his hands against the window, looking at the pouring rain outside. Suddenly, the headlights of a car caught his eye. It waste and raining heavily, there shouldn¡¯t be any guests. The car parked below, then Allison got out. The windshield wipers swayed, and a man in the car handed out a ck umbre. Allison shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m almost home, you can use it.¡± Seeing her insistence, Dr. Dn sighed, got out of the car, opened the unbre, shielded her with it, then shoved it into her hands. Then he drove off. On the second floor, the smoke masked his handsome face, leaving only a vague silhouette. Lucian¡¯s fingers slowly clenched into a fist, then, his fist mmed down on the window sill. His eyes slowly filled with coldness. His phone vibrated Shawn sent him a message. It was a screenshot from Facebook. Shawn¡¯s girlfriend, a doctor at the hospital, had posted a group photo. In the photo, Dr. Dn was hugging Allison, they looked affectionate. She said, this is Dr Dn¡¯s girlfriend¡­ Looking at the photo, Lucian¡¯s grip grew tighter. So, he hadn¡¯t seen Allison for a month. In school, she seemed to have disappeared, as he said, she no longer attended sses. Whenever he went to the Red Jack Club, she would intentionally avoid him. This month, it seemed¡­ She really disappeared from his world. He should feel relieved. The woman who had once tried to drug him, wanted to get in his bed, and thought she could seduce him because she looked a bit like his wife finally stopped appearing before him, he should be happy He¡¯d seen many women like this. But Lucian found that he wasn¡¯t happy. When he was in ss, he would still call her name. But no one answered. When he saw other men sending her home, he even thought of sternly educating this ungrateful girl! He took a deep drag from his cigarette, squinting his eyes fiercely He murmured her name in his mouth. ¡°Allison¡® Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Allison Just hopped out of the shower and flopped onto her bed Lean mentioned that she¡¯d have a chance to visit her mom tomorrow Recently, every time Allison bumped into Lean and Penelope at the nagan¡¯s, she was as humble as pie and tiptoed around them like they werendmines, scared to tick them off. It seemed like they loved her being their doormat She had only seen Grace once since her kidney transnt. That time, Grace was having a severe rejection reaction, so bad that she was even rushed to the ICU Allison prayed her butt off, hoping her mom could pull through But now her mom¡¯s condition was getting better And Allison was finally breathing easier Every time she went to the hospital, they blindfolded her. There were hundreds of hospitals and private clinics in Northfield, and she had no way of checking them all out. She pulled up the maps on her phone. She had to find her mom. She wanted to get the h ell out of Northfield, find another ce, and live a quiet life with her mom. She wanted to get away from the nagan family, and¡­ Lucian She eliminated the closest five hospitals and the furthest ten based on her trips to the hospital and slowly narrowed down the search. Eventually, she ruled out several more hospitals based on her memory of the ward, the hallways, and the elevators. After a long search, Allison was beat and switched off the light, dozing off on the bed. In her sleep, she suddenly felt pressure on her chest. She was having a hard time catching her breath. She felt like she was choking She was gasping for breath. She groggily opened her eyes ¡°Ah-¡± her scream was mu ffled by a familiar set of lips. Her mind was on high alert. That breath, she recognized it, it was Lucian!! This was her room! Why the h ell was Lucian here?? Her mind went nk as he ripped her clothes off. Allison pushed him away with all her might, ¡°What the h ell are you doing? Lucian, have you lost your mind?¡± In the dim light, Allison managed to switch on the bedsidemp. His handsome features appeared clearly in front of her. It was really him ¡°I¡¯ve lost my mind?¡± Lucian thought he must be mad to do such a thing. He bowed his head, his hot breath sprayed on her face, turning her cheeks red. His deep, hoa rse voice was heavy in her ears, ¡°Who was that guy? Allison, don¡¯t forget who you are!¡± ¡°I know who I am, Mr. Lindberg. Do you know who you are?¡± Before Allison could finish, he tore her clothes off again Her face went pale in an instant. She never thought her words would set Lucian off. The next thing she knew, he was on top of her, and the pain made her dizzy Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She held back the pain, ¡°He has no girlfriend, no wife, why can¡¯t I be with him.¡± Allison didn¡¯t understand why he was so mad. She had distanced herself from him, why wouldn¡¯t he leave her alone? Did he still think she was ying hard to get? ¡°Lucian, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re sticking your nose where it doesn¡¯t belong? Why does it matter to you if I¡¯m with Dr. Dn? We like each other.¡± She couldn¡¯t figure out why he was so mad¡­ This confession, ¡°we like each grfer,¡± shattered thest bit of Lucian¡¯s sanity. His eyes were bloodshot. He looked like a demon straight from he ll. Allison didn¡¯t know what to do, she was a bit scared, and a bit lost. Then, a smile spread across his handsome, indifferent face Under the dim light, his smile was cold¡­. ¡°Allison¡± He called her name, took her phone, and flipped to a contact, ¡°Is this his number?* Then, he hit¨Cthe call button Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Allison¡¯s eyes widened in shock ¡°What are you doing? Lucian!!¡± She tried to snatch the phone, but he tied her hands to the bedpost with his tie. He turned on the speaker, each ring caused Allison¡¯s heart to pound Don¡¯t take the call! Dr. Dn, don¡¯t pick up Don¡¯t answeri She pleaded with Lucian, begging him to stop She had an inkling of what Lucian was about to do She never thought this man could be so cold hearted. He grabbed her waist, gave it a tug, then invaded her body. A scream was about to escape from Allison¡¯s throat, but she gritted her teeth, refusing to make a sound. Just at that moment, the call was answered. Allison had thought it through She could be humble She couldck any dignity But she wished to leave a good impression in Dr. Dn¡¯s mind. The first time someone brought her coffee The first time someone told her every job deserves respect The first time someone didn¡¯t care about her humble job and stayed by her side. Dr. Dn was a gentle and polite man. Allison knew she was unworthy She dared not dream of more She just didn¡¯t want to lose her dignity in front of Dr. Dn. She bit her lip, not making a sound. Her lip was bitten until it bled, and she tasted the metallic vor of blood Tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked at Lucian She struggled, pleading constantly. ¡°Allison, why are you calling sote? Dr. Dn¡¯s gentle voice came from the other end of the phone N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°Allison¡± Are you there?¡± Lucian smirked, watching her pitiful demeanor. He looked at the plea in her eyes, and his heart was in a mess. He leaned down, wiping away her tears with his finger, a soft voice whispered in her ear, ¡°You want me to hang up?¡± Allison nodded repeatedly Please, Lucian. ¡°Alison?¡± Dr. Dn¡¯s voice came from the other end of the phone. Lucian hung up, and Allison let out a sigh of relief, panting heavily He looked down at her, his fingertips wet with her tears. The warmth of her skin seemed to burn him, making him lose control. He ran his fingers through her hair, whispering. ¡°Has Dr. Dn ever touched you like this?¡± Allison shook her head, her voice hoarse, ¡°He wouldn¡¯t do something like this¡± He scoffed, ¡°You never learn to behave.¡± ¡°Beg me, or else, you know the consequences. I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t want Dr. Dn to receive a second call* Allison closed her eyes in agony She said, ¡°Please, Lucian suddenlyughed. He looked at her beautiful but disheveled face, brushing away the hair on her forehead with his finger. He could feel her trembling under his touch. His fingers geruly caressed her cheek, his eyes filled withplex emotions. When Allison opened her eyes, it was already five in the morning The man next to her was gone. She sat up, her entire body aching She suddenly remembered the child she miscarried, and tears streamed down her face. She covered her face and wept silently Her slender shoulders shook uncontrobly Meanwhile, after leaving the nagan family. Lucian drove all the way to Magnolia Gardens. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Chapter 75 He barged into his study, fired up hisputer, and there it was the info about ¡°Allison¡± that Shawn had sent He¡¯d already pored over it several times. Every single picture, every line of text, painted this woman named ¡°Allison¡± as a vain creature, even featuring snaps of her partying with several guys at a nightclub He gritted his teeth, the memory ofst night¡¯s meltdown staking his anger even more How could he have taken an interest in a woman like this! Today was the day Allison could see Grace Last night, Lucian had unleashed his rage on her, leaving her body aching all over. She barely managed to pull herself together and by the time she arrived at the nagan family mansion, the car Lean had arranged was already waiting She was blindfolded and led into the car. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Throughout the journey, she tried her best to identify the route from the sounds around her The car took a turn, seemingly on purpose, only to swing back again, With a bodyguard apanying her, Allison struck up a conversation, I¡¯m kinda thirsty. Are there any ces selling water nearby? I could use a drink.¡± Allison was pretty, and she spoke in a gentle voice. The bodyguard didn¡¯t refuse ¡°Sure, just hang on. We¡¯ll pull over.¡± He got out of the car and when he returned, he handed Allison a bottle of water and a slice of strawberry cake, ¡°Have something to eat. We¡¯ll be at the hospital soon¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°No problem¡± The bodyguard was simply following orders ¨C apanying this woman to the hospital. But since she was beautiful and quiet, he found his job pretty easy. and his mood was good. ¡°Who¡¯s the person in the hospital to you?¡± ¡®My mother.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a tough illness to treat. One of my buddies dad had it. Needed dialysis every day, but he couldn¡¯t hang in there.¡± Allison replied, ¡°In this world, as long as there¡¯s hope, we should keep trying. That way, we have no regrets.¡± She took a bite of her strawberry cake. This vor seemed familiar There were many ces selling strawberry cakes, but this one was particrly rich, the strawberries were mashed and mixed into the cake. Allison savored it carefully, then saved the rest of the cake and put it in her pocket. About fifteen minutester, the car came to a halt. Allison got out Inside the hospital Grace was doing much better She¡¯d lost a lot of weight, but her eyes were brighter. ¡°Do you know how much it costs to stay here? It¡¯s too expensive, I don¡¯t need to be here, I¡¯m better now, we can go home, Grace held Allison¡¯s hand. Allison¡¯s eyes filled with tears at the sight of her mother. How she wished she could take her mother home But Grace was confined to her hospital room, under the watchful eyes of bodyguards. She had no idea Lean had her under house arrest. Allison didn¡¯t want this to upset her mother, so sheforted her, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, I have enough money. Mr. nagan lent me some, and I still have a lot left Just stay here and take it easy. Besides school, I¡¯m also working, and I¡¯ll save as much as I can. So mom, don¡¯t worry. But I might not be able to visit you often.¡± ¡°Silly girl, my illness is incurable. Even if I have surgery, I can only live a few more years¡­¡± ¡°Mom¡­¡± Allison hugged Grace tightly Grace said, ¡°I dreamt of your father and your brother the other day I thought they came to take me away. I walked with them for a long time, but I heard you calling me. I really couldn¡¯t bear to leave you. You¡¯re the only family I have left¡± Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Grace¡¯s words left Allison¡¯s heart in shambles. This only hardened her resolve to get Grace outta here ASAP Meanwhile, Penelope was pulling out all the stops to win over Lucian. Once she got the ¡°fiance¡±bel, everyone started to kiss her ass. She was loving the envy filled res that came her way So, she had to be the legit Mrs. Lindberg pronto In a luxury brand store at a mall. Penelope¡¯s friend picked up a dress, sucking up to her, ¡°Penelope, this dress would look stunning on you. It¡¯s perfect for yourplexion and style.¡± Penelope gave it a once¨Cover, thought it was decent, ¡°I take this one. Then she pointed at a few more, ¡°And this one, this one, and these two The salesdy asked, ¡°Ms. nagan, you¡¯re taking all of them?¡± Penelope felt a bit uneasy inside. She was always on a budget, usually only able to afford one piece, but today, in front of her friends, she forced a yes, ¡°Of course¡± She expected a scolding from Christopher when she got home, but who cares, she¡¯s engaged to Lucian, soon to be his wife. The salesdy immediately started packing with a big grin on her face After shopping and getting a hair treatment in the afternoon, Penelope headed to Juniper Ridge She also bought a bunch of gifts for Lucian Penelope told Holly. ¡°I¡¯ve bought a few items for Mr. Lindberg. Put them in his closet.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Holly promptly responded, ¡°Sure thing¡± Just as she started to walk upstairs, Penelope changed her mind, ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ll do it myself Holly assured her, ¡°Hell love whatever you picked out.¡± Penelope couldn¡¯t help but smile. Men¡¯s closets are typically neater than women¡¯s, Lucian¡¯s suits were arranged by shades, with white shirts and ck shirts at opposite ends. Penelope added the clothes she picked out, saw a forest green tie of his, and checked the brand. A no¨Cname brand mixed with the ties worth thousands? This was just a few hundred bucks worth of junk. After arranging everything, she nodded in satisfaction Lucian would definitely love it. Lucian got home that night, nced at his closet, furrowed his brows, immediately called Holly over, ¡°Who¡¯s been in my closet today?¡± Holly replied, ¡°It was Ms nagan.¡± Lucian frowned, ¡°What did she want?¡± ¡°Ms. nagan bought you a few clothes.¡± Holly knew about Lucian¡¯s habits, the housekeepers were always careful when cleaning his closet, but there was no reason for her to stop Penelope, his fianc¨¦ Lucian asked, ¡°Did you see my forest green tie?¡± Holly was taken aback. ¡°No¡± She knew that tie, Mr. Lindberg wore it many times. It was a gift from Ms. nagan Just then, Penelope called. ¡®Lucian, I got you a shirt yesterday, try it on.¡± He didn¡¯t bother with the shirt she bought, he could tell it was a bit too small just by looking at it. ¡°Penelope, did you see my forest green tie in the drawer?¡± ¡°Forest green tie?¡± Penelope remembered, wasn¡¯t that the one she threw away? She didn¡¯t quite get his point, but by the way he asked, she dared not answer correctly. ¡°No, what happened to the lie?¡± Lucian¡¯s brows furrowed, his eyes colder, ¡®You didn¡¯t touch it?¡± Hearing his tone turn cold, Penelope was at a loss. She didn¡¯t understand why his mood would change so suddenly. Did she say something wrong? Penelope was confused, what¡¯s the big deal with the lie? It¡¯s just a dirt cheap tie, right? Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Chapter 77 She tossed it away without a second thought After hanging up the phone, Lucian summoned all the servants in the vi One of them carefully said, ¡°I m not sure. I just went upstairs to clean up some trash.¡± Lucian¡¯s face was cold as ice. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ms nagan said the tie was too cheap, so she threw it away¡± The room fell silent for a few seconds. Holty nced at Lucian¡¯s face and sensed his displeasure. Lucian snorted lightly. ¡°Cheap? The servant Irembled, ¡°That¡¯s what Ms. nagan said.¡± Lucian seemed to remember her soft voice and her bright, clear eyes, ¡°Do you like it?¡± Since returning from Ennd, he never saw the gentle and considerate side of Penelope again¡­ He touched the ce where his lie used to be. He said sarcastically, ¡°Holly, do you think people can change?¡± Holly lowered her head, ¡®Maybe Ms. nagan is just throwing a fit.¡± He snorted, stood up abruptly, and instructed Holly, ¡°Give her three months¡® sry and let her go.¡± The servant said, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, please¡­¡± Lucian had already left inrge strides. Holly gave her three months¡® sry. ¡°I won¡¯t report this in the housekeeping system, you don¡¯t have to worry about it affecting your future job hunting¡± She said ¡°Holly, I really didn¡¯t throw away Mr. Lindberg¡¯s tie, that tie¡­¡± She looked around, lowered her voice, ¡°That tie was thrown away by Ms. nagan. Ms. nagan said the lie was too cheap to be in Mr. Lindberg¡¯s wardrobe, so she threw it in the trash. I¡¯m just a servant, I listen to what she says¡­¡± Holly nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll give you two more months¡® sry, just keep this to yourself¡± She had also noticed that Ms nagan had seemed to change recently She was moody and difficult tomunicate with. She was not the same Ms. nagan as before. This thought startled Holly. She patted her chest. She couldn¡¯t think like this. The affairs of the rich and powerful had nothing to do with workers like her, she didn¡¯t want to lose her job because of it. Holly returned to the living room, Penelope called ¡°Ms nagan, what can I do for you?¡± ¡°Is Lucian mad?¡± He hung up the phone in a cold tone, and Penelope sensed it immediately and asked Holly Holly of course didn¡¯t dare to say too much, just said ¡°You¡¯re overthinking¡± After hanging up the phone. Penelope felt very wronged It was just a cheap tie, right? How could itpare to the one she bought for him today that cost over a thousand dors! Penelope realized that ever since she threw away that dark green tiest week, Lucian had been paying less attention to her. Even when she called him, he would brush her off with the excuse of being busy with work. She didn¡¯t know why What was so special about that tie? Lucian began to be cold towards her, which surprised and worried Penelope. Her penod hadn¡¯te for several days, Penelope tested with a pregnancy test strip, she was pregnant. Since he came home, Lucian hadn¡¯t touched her at all, this child was Pete¡¯s She had been with Pete more than once, the baby was already 10 weeks old. Penelope was nervous and anxious, took out her phone, walked to the balcony alone, carefully looked around to make sure no one was there, and then called Pete. She was confused about the situation and didn¡¯t know who to tell. If her parents knew her child was from another man, they would definitely be very angry with her Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Chapter 78 ¡°Pele ¡°Penelope, what¡¯s up?¡± On the other end, deep in a dense forest. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. A smooth and delicate hand was unbuckling his belt, the woman¡¯s eyes were seductive, pleading at Pete In one hand, Pete held a cell phone, with the other, he caressed the woman¡¯s cheek. Hearing the words on the other end of the line, his face suddenly changed, ¡°What?¡± Penelope¡¯s pregnant? The yful smile on his face disappeared, reced by a deep one. ¡°Penelope, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be with you in a bit Three in the afternoon, wait for me at the caf¨¦ at 37 street After hanging up, the woman yfullyined, ¡°You¡¯re such a jerk, I¡¯m still here and you¡¯re already thinking of another woman.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only one in my heart, and here as wellSaying so, he guided her hand slowly downward The woman blushed, ¡°You¡¯re such a bad boy.¡± At four in the afternoon, after meeting up with Pete, Penelope left the caf¨¦ and headed to a nearby mall. She found a picture of that dark green tie online. After a long search, she finally found it. Unexpectedly, a cheap lie made Lucian indifferent to her. However¡­ At least the baby came just in time. The due date is very close to the night Allison and Lucian spent together at the hotel. This way, she can use this as a bargaining chip to get Lucian to marry her as soon as possible! The next day, Lucian just stepped out of a meeting Shawn walked up and whispered, ¡°Ms. nagan is here.¡± He nodded and went into his office. The first thing he saw was a gift box on the coffee table. Opening it, he found a dark green tie Lucian looked at the tie, slightly lost in thought. Penelope¡¯s eyes were swollen red, ¡°Lucian¡­¡± She walked up and hugged Lucian, ¡°What¡¯s been going on with you these past few days? You didn¡¯t even answer my calls. I missed you so much.¡± Lucian formally answered. I¡¯ve been busy with worktely¡± ¡°I really missed you. I know I messed up.¡± Penelope said with a choked voice. His fingers gripped hers, making her let go, ¡°I still have work to do, Penelope. You should go home. Lucian took only a few steps when he suddenly heard a scream behind him. Turning around, Lucian saw Penelope¡¯s face turn pale. He quickly walked over to support her, her eyes tightly closed, she fainted. At the hospital. Penelope lied on the hospital bed, Lucian standing by He asked the doctor, ¡°How is she?¡± ¡°Congrattions, Ms nagan is pregnant¡± Lucian was stunned. He walked to the bedside, looking at her pale and weak. He bent over, sitting in a chair next to her. The doctor said, ¡°Ms nagan¡¯s body is weak. She needs to pay attention to her diet and rest for a while. I¡¯ll prescribe some medication, you can give it to her daily¡± An hourter, Penelope slowly opened her eyes. ¡°Lucian.¡± She knew that Lucian was a very smart man and he hated being deceived the most. She also knew that her little tricks can¡¯t fool him. She nestled in his arms, her voice soft, ¡®Lucian, actually I was the one who threw away the tie. I bought a new one for you. I just wanted you to wear the new one. I didn¡¯t know you liked that green tie so much¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lucian..¡± ¡°No more tears. Are you going to be jealous of yourself?¡® Penelope¡¯s eyshes flutter, what, he thought she gave him that green tie? No! It was Allison What else is that bitch hiding from her? Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Chapter 79 She looked all soft and innocent, saying, ¡°I just don¡¯t want you wearing that old tie, I bought you a new one He looked at her, a smile on his lips but none in his eyes. Word of Penelope¡¯s pregnancy spread like wildfire among the nagan and Lindberg families. Allison was in the kitchen prepping food the sound of Christopher¡¯sughter drifting in from the living room Penelope was pregnant They were engaged and with the pregnancy, it was likely they¡¯d be having the wedding soon, with Penelope bing Mrs. Lindberg officially Allison was ready to chop some veggies. She identally cut her finger Allison looked down at her hand. Linda saw and immediately grabbed her hand, ¡°Allison, how could you be so careless? Let me do the chopping, you go bandage that up¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine¡± ¡°No way, I heard the Lindberg crew ising over tonight, it¡¯s going to be all hands on deck. If you don¡¯t take care of that cut, it might get infected¡± Allison paused Lucian wasing over too? Right, he was having a baby, of course he¡¯de They would She shook her head. It wasn¡¯t her ce to be pondering over that. That night was just a spur of the moment thing for him Meanwhile, Linda, oblivious to her reaction, continued chopping and chatting. ¡°Ms. nagan really hit the jackpot, getting engaged to Mr. Lindberg as soon as he got back. All the other Lindbergs are still single, but she¡¯s pregnant! The Lindbergs must be over the moon. They¡¯re probably going to rush the wedding¡± Allison managed a small smile ¡°Indeed¡® After finishing her work, Allison slipped out the back door and headed to her quarters. Penelope had warned her not to show her face before Lucian if she did, she¡¯d stop paying for Grace¡¯s treatment. Against a threat like that. Allison had no way but to listen to her. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Her mother was her only family She couldnt risk anything happening to her. Even without Penelope¡¯s threat, Allison wouldn¡¯t want to see Lucian. All she wanted was to keep her distance from him. She got home. Allison hugged her stomach, where once there was a little life¡­. Remembering that night, and the child she lost, Allison started shaking. Allison wanted to get some sleep. She locked the door, a habit she picked up after Lucian showed up at her ce that day. She took out a bottle of sleeping pills from a drawer. The bottle was fromst year when Grace first fell ill and she couldn¡¯t sleep from the anxiety. She was about to take two of the pills when she noticed a metal box in the back of the drawer Allison opened the box to find Grace¡¯s previous blood test results. She was about to put the report away when she noticed the blood type on the report It showed that Grace¡¯s blood type was Type A! That couldn¡¯t be¡­ Joshua and Ricky were both Type A. But she she was Type B Allison clutched the report, her mind going nk. Just as an idea was forming in her mind, there was a knock at the door. It was Linda¡¯s yoice, Allison, Margo needs your help What Margo actually said was, ¡°Where¡¯s Allison again? Is she cking off somewhere? Get her back here¡± Allison was surprised. The Lindberg family was about to arrive, why would Penelope let her be in the mansion? There was no time to think, she quickly packed up and left. By evening, a ck Bentley pulled up at the nagan¡¯s. David helped Carter out of the car, followed by Zachary and Kami, and then Lucian and Cora Lindberg Hamilton. Apart from Miranda, nearly all the Lindbergs had arrived The arrival of Mr. Lindberg got Christopher all jazzed up. Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Chapter 80 ¡°Having Mr. Lindberg over really adds a ssh of color to the nagan family¡± Mr. Lindberg a big shot in the business world, didn¡¯t think much of the nagan family But now, Penelope was pregnant with the first child of the Lindberg family This was a big deal, and it put a big smile on Mr. Lindberg¡¯s face. Penelope was treated like a princess, with a servant to help her walk The Lindberg family didn¡¯t want her to get hurt in any way Cora, holding her hand, said, ¡°You saidst time that it¡¯s all about fate, and now fate hase, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Penelope didn¡¯t know what Allison had told Corast time She justughed and changed the subject, ¡°What do you think, does Lucian prefer a boy or a gir Cora smiled. ¡°Whether it¡¯s a boy or a girl, as long as it¡¯s your child, he¡¯ll love it¡± This seemed to hint at something deeper In the world of the rich and powerful, the fear is mixed bloodlines. The speaker had a purpose, and the listener understood Penelope sensed the meaning in Cora¡¯s words, but her expression didn¡¯t change, like she didn¡¯t understand, ¡°I also like it, after all, it¡¯s the child of me and Lucian.¡± Her innocent look satisfied Cora If Penelope was a scheming girl, Cora definitely wouldn¡¯t like her. ¡°Penelope, why didn¡¯t you wear the ne I gave youst time? Don¡¯t you like it? I have plenty more. I just received a new batch that hasn¡¯t been released yet. I¡¯ll have Them sent to you tomorrow The ne from Cora? Of course, Penelope didn¡¯t know. She med Allison in her heart for not telling her about this! And A simple tie meant so much to Lucian. Allison must have used some tricks to seduce Lucian during that time. Thank God she found out about Allison¡¯s secret pregnancy, or she would have been yed by Allison now!! Cora went to apany Mr. Lindberg and Penelope stood up. She looked at Margo, and Margo immediately followed her to the balcony, ¡°Miss, what can I do for you?¡± ¡°Where is Allison?¡± ¡°As per your instructions, Miss, someone has been sent to look for her.¡± ¡°Go and do something for me¡­ Penelope whispered to Margo. She would make Allison pay She took off her engagement ring with Lucian and handed it to Margo When Allison received the message from Linda, she rushed back and was about to enter from the back door. She saw Margo, who immediately frowned at her, ¡°Allison, you¡¯re cking off again!¡± Allison lowered her head, ¡°I¡¯ve finished my work, and didn¡¯t you tell me not to show up at the nagan family?¡± ¡°You dare talk back!¡± Margo rolled her eyes, ¡°If you can¡¯t be on the first floor, go to the second floor and clean all the rooms! When you¡¯re done, go to the garden and tidy up. There¡¯s plenty to do!¡± Allison frowned N?velDrama.Org holds this content. These tasks were usually done by specific maids, and she didn¡¯t need to be involved. However, Margo, with her superior status, clearly assumed the posture of amander With the support of Lean and Penelope in the nagan family, Allison had no choice but to nod in agreement, ¡°I understand¡± She changed into a new set of clothes, put on a mask, and went upstairs with cleaning tools. Christopher, Lean, and Penelope were downstairs entertaining the Lindberg family¡¯s guests. The rooms upstairs were empty, but the carpet was very clean, and the bed sheets were all new, obviously cleaned by maids. Nevertheless, Allison cleaned them again, very thoroughly. She was about to go downstairs to the garden when suddenly, she heard something. Allison immediately stopped in her tracks. Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Chapter 81 The small balcony on the first floor near the stairs was probably less noisy than the crowded living room, so the man choose to take his call there. ¡°Mr. Lindberg, that thing you asked me to look into, about you being drugged at the Silver Star Hotel, it¡¯s not as straightforward as it seems. George Lindberg¡¯s assistant Melvin is clean, but we found some clues in the surveince footage. In the footage, Ms. nagan didn¡¯t seem to be visiting friends. Ms. nagan imed a friend was having a birthday, but I couldn¡¯t find anyone celebrating a birthday at the Silver Star Hotel that day¡­¡± Lucian hung up, left the balcony, nced up at the stairs and said, ¡®Come out, I didn¡¯t know that the nagan family¡¯s maids were such eavesdroppers Allison descended the stairs with her cleaning supplies, head down and hunched over, ¡°I apologize, Mr. Lindberg I didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop. I just happened to hear you as I was passing by I wasn¡¯t close enough to hear what you were saying ¡± ¡°Talking back, huh?¡± Allison: ¡°If Mr. Lindberg doesn¡¯t need anything. I¡¯ll get to cleaning the balcony¡± As she walked by him towards the balcony, she heard the door lock behind her. The next moment, she felt his arm around her waist. Allison was pinned against the wall by Lucian His familiar, domineering scent filled her nostrils. Allison¡¯s eyes widen, ¡°Are you crazy? This is the nagan family¡¯s house!¡± Outside, there¡¯s the living room- In the living room. Penelope was blushing and smiling. Ever since she got pregnant, the Lindbergs had been treating her differently. Even the normally stern Cors seemed more caring. Penelope sat next to Cora. Her pregnant didn¡¯t show yet, but she kept touching it, exaggerating her movements. Cora beamed, ¡°This child is such good news for the Lindberg family. Carter¡¯s 85th birthday ising up, this is the best gift.¡± Penelope: ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to prepare a good gift.¡± She had been pretending to be Allison, speaking softly to avoid detection. Cora thought she¡¯s very polite and her impression of her had improved. Carter was in great spirits today, ying chess with Christopher. Christopher was sweating bullets. Carter¡¯s high status in the business world put a lot of pressure on Christopher For the nagan family to be connected to the Lindbergs was a great honor. After losing two games of chess, Christopher stood up and smiled, ¡°Carter, you win.¡± With Carter in such good spirits, Christopher rxed. He exchanged a knowing smile with Lean. They both had a hunch that their connection with the Lindberg family was all but confirmed. Lucian and Penelope¡¯s engagement was settled, and now that Penelope was pregnant, the child would be the Lindberg family¡¯s first great-grandchild. The wedding preparations were underway. Carter looked around, ¡°Where¡¯s Lucian?¡± Cora looked around but didn¡¯t see him, ¡°He was just here, where did he go?¡± A passing maid answered, ¡°I saw Mr. Lindberg on the phone earlier. He might be on the balcony.¡± Cora stood up and said with a smile, I¡¯ll go find him.¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Chapter 82 At this moment, on the balcony Allison was pushing this guy. Back against the balcony wall, the woman¡¯s fingers clenched into fists, pushing against his chest Lucian¡¯s fingers slid through her hair, grabbing the back of her neck. Allison hadn¡¯t expected that this guy would dare treat her like this when the nagan family was around But, she could only resist in silence There was suddenly a knock at the door ¡°Lucian, are you in there?¡± came Cora¡¯s voice Allison¡¯s body went stiff. Lucian, however, didn¡¯t seem to care or he was doing it on purpose, enjoying the sight of the panic and tension in her eyes. One of his hands grabbed her waist, lifting her up. Allison felt a loss of gravity and almost screamed. Before she could react, he deepened the kiss, leaving Allison breathless. This guy was nuts! Cora stood at the door. There was no response from behind the frosted double ss doors. Was Lucian not here? She was about to leave when she heard a faint noise from inside- It was the sound of Allison biting down on his lip hard, and the man sharply drawing in a breath. Cora paused again, calling out. ¡°Lucian?¡± Inside the balcony The man raised his hand to wipe the corner of his mouth, grabbed the woman¡¯s delicate chin, his handsome face slowly approaching, the hot breath hit her face, his voice husky. ¡°Are you a dog? Your teeth are pretty sharp.¡± Allison¡¯s heart was in her throat Cora was just outside, this man really dared! Looking at the careful, scared, and tense look in her eyes, Lucian couldn¡¯t help but smile. Then he answered, ¡°I¡¯m on the phone. I¡¯ll be out in a bit.¡± ¡°Alright, hurry up, grandpa is looking for you.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Lucian let go of her. Allison quickly straightened her clothes. She was wearing her own clothes with a light blue maid apron on top. Although it was a simple outfit, it gave off an indescribable aura on her. After catching her breath a bit, Allison picked up her cleaning tools and prepared to leave. But when she looked up, she saw Lucian was still standing at the door, seemingly not nning on leaving Allison wasn¡¯t sure if there were other people outside. If Cora hadn¡¯t left¡­ or if other maids walked by and saw her with Lucian and then told Lean¡­. Grace was still with Lean, so she couldn¡¯t risk it. ¡°What¡­ what are you trying to do?¡± Allison¡¯s voice was incredibly low. Her gentle voice fell on Lucian¡¯s ear, giving off a soft feeling Looking at her, Lucian thought of the handmade red knot in the desk at Magnolia Gardens. His pupils narrowed, ¡°Have you ever been to Cloudville before?¡± ¡°Before?¡± Allison was confused, ¡°How long ago?¡± Her grandmother¡¯s house was in Cloudville. However, Cloudville had a major earthquake ten years ago, and it¡¯s beenpletely rebuilt since. She hadn¡¯t been back for a long time Looking into Allison¡¯s eyes, Lucian squinted slightly. ¡°Ten years ago, there was an earthquake in Cloudville.¡± ¡°Yes, it was a big earthquake Allison lowered her head, her eyes filled with pain. In that earthquake, hyt grandmother left her Her voice h e/she said, ¡°The entire Cloudville was destroyed, many people died, many families were broken. Natural disasters are so scary¡± Her family had not only experienced natural disasters but also man-made ones. Her father and brother had died in a car ident.. Now, only she and Grace were left.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Lucian pondered, as a hunch about the red knot tied to Allison¡¯s phone started to form in his mind Even if it was a coincidence, even if many people tied knots like that, he still held on to a sliver of hope He opened his mouth to ask, ¡°Were you¡­ That day¡­ ¡°Mr. Lindberg¡± A s t¡¯s voice suddenly came from outside, ¡°Mr Lindberg, it¡¯s mealtime: The hope in Lucian¡¯s eyes gradually faded, and he replied coldly, ¡°I got it He gave Allison a final, deep look before he left. It wasn¡¯t until his figurepletely disappeared from sight that Allison finally let her guard down Grabbing the cleaning tools, she waited a while before opening the door to leave. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. She had meant to avoid others, but as soon as she stepped out, she bumped into Linda. Linda looked at her in surprise, ¡°Allison?¡± Then, she peeked towards the balcony, disbelief in her eyes. Didn¡¯t Lucian just leave from there? Linda had been mopping outside and saw Lucian leave just two minutes ago, only to see Allison emerging afterward. Allison and Lucian were actually¡­ *Allison, you and..¡± ¡°Shush!¡± Allison quickly covered her mouth, ¡°Linda, keep this secret for me.¡± ¡°Oh my g d, you¡¯re actually with Lucian?¡± Linda eximed in a low voice, her eyes wide. Allison knew there was a misunderstanding, but she didn¡¯t know how to exin the scene on the balcony She shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s not what you think.¡± Linda gave her a teasing look, ¡°Not what I think? You¡¯re really something, you dare to be with Lucian. Penelope would be furious if she knew.¡± Thinking of this, Linda felt a sense of schadenfreude, but knowing Penelope was pregnant, she couldn¡¯t help feeling worried for Allison. Knowing that exining to Linda was useless, Allison sighed, ¡°It really isn¡¯t what you think, just¡­ don¡¯t let it out.¡± ¡°Alright, I get it. Don¡¯t worry, you better get back to work before thedy sees you and scolds you again.¡± ¡°Thanks, Linda¡± At lunchtime, Carter sat at the head of the table, with Cora, Lucian, and Kami Lindberg by his side. Carter looked stern, but it was obvious that he was delighted because of Penelope¡¯s pregnancy. Lean seized the opportunity to suggest, ¡°Penelope¡¯s pregnancy is a great blessing for both our families. Why don¡¯t we arrange the wedding before her belly starts to show?¡± Lucian frowned slightly Carter nced at him without a word, ¡°Lucian, what do you think?¡± Lucian¡¯s gaze swept towards Penelope, who was shyly lowering her head, her face full of irrepressible anticipation. Getting married was inevitable. If it had been before, he might have agreed to her request, but now¡­ Lucian withdrew his gaze, saying tly, ¡°A wedding is a big deal. We need to discuss carefully before picking a date.¡± Cora agreed, ¡°Indeed, the Lindberg family¡¯s weddings must be as grand and exquisite as possible. Penelope, don¡¯t worry. You need patience and to take good care of your health.¡± With that said, Lean had no choice but to back down, ¡°You¡¯re right. I was indeed a bit impulsive.¡± Now that Penelope was pregnant, the wedding was a must. Lean was not in a rush, but Penelope could not wait any longer. She was well aware of who the father of the child in her belly was. The longer it took, the more restless she would feel ¡°But¡­¡± Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Penelope attempted to speak but was interrupted by Christopher ¡°We¡¯ll discuss thister. Now, let¡¯s enjoy the meal¡± She was a bit miffed, biting her lip, but for the sake of keeping her cool, she swallowed her resentment. She looked up and saw Lucian looking elsewhere. His gaze was on Allison, who was walking out of the kitchen, seemingly making her exit through the back door. She felt a pang of frustration and clenched her fists tightly Allison¡­ Even in her in clothes and a mask covering half her face, she still managed to catch Lucian¡¯s attention. She decided she wasn¡¯t going to let Allison off that easily! Penelope gave Margo a silent nod ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Noticing her cue, Margo nodded back and quickly headed towards the kitchen¡­.. Meanwhile, Allison had just finished the tasks Margo assigned to her. She nned to leave while the Lindbergs were eating to avoid another encounter with Lucian. But as soon as she got home, she heard Linda¡¯s urgent voice. ¡°Allison,e quickly.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± asked Allison ¡°Margo wants us in the living room right away,¡± Linda said. Allison felt confused. In the living room? Wouldn¡¯t that mean facing the Lindbergs? Penelope wouldn¡¯t allow that, and why would Margo do this without instructions? Without much thought, she immediately followed Linda. In the living room, everyone had finished their meal and was sitting on the couch. The atmosphere was a bit odd. Penelope, with reddened eyes and a face full of anxiety and sorrow, asked, ¡°I still had the ring this morning. How could it be gone all of a sudden?¡± She looked at Lucian, her eyes flickering. ¡°Lucian, I¡¯m sorry¡­ Lucian squinted his eyes slightly but said nothing. Cora quicklyforted, ¡°You¡¯re pregnant now, don¡¯t get too worked up.¡± She gently patted Penelope¡¯s hand, ¡°If you still had it this morning, it might be somewhere around the house. Let¡¯s see who was in charge of cleaning the room and if they found it.¡± Lean red at Margo, ¡°Who was in charge of cleaning Ms. nagan¡¯s room this morning?¡± Margo replied, ¡°Madam, I¡¯ve already called the person who cleaned Ms. nagan¡¯s room this morning.¡± Christopher looked at Lean a bit displeased. This was a family matter, why make it so public? Especially with Carter present, it was like making a spectacle of themselves. When Allison arrived, besides her and Linda, Wendy, who was responsible for cleaning the upstairs bedrooms, was also there She heard Wendy¡¯s anxious voice, ¡°I really didn¡¯t see it. I even checked carefully when I took out the trash this morning I didn¡¯t leave anything behind¡­ Wait, Allison! Allison was the one who cleaned Ms. nagan¡¯s room this morning!¡± Allison paused as Wendy¡¯s words drew everyone¡¯s gaze to her. She looked up, her eyes meeting Lucian¡¯s. A few secondster, his gaze slowly drifted away, as if their previous encounter on the balcony never happened. Even the most naive Allison realized she was in trouble. Margo walked up to her, her face stern, ¡°Allison, the miss¡¯s engagement ring is missing. Did you take it?¡± Take? Allison frowned. Wasn¡¯t this indirectly using her of stealing the ring? That ring was what Lucian gave her when they got engaged. The Lindbergs had it custom made for the engagement, very expensive Penelope had always treasured it. How could it suddenly be gone? Despite being puzzled, Allison calmly responded, ¡°When I went to tidy up the bedroom, it was already cleaned. I didn¡¯t see the ring¡± Margo¡¯s voice grew louder, ¡°The only ones who went to the bedroom were you and Wendy. Now, the ring is missing. One of you two is definitely lying!¡± Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Wendy said, ¡°I really didn¡¯t take it, I was just cleaning the bedroom and then went to the garden. When I came back, I saw Allison corning out from the balcony.¡± Allison gasped, shooting a nce at the man subconsciously. She wasn¡¯t sure what Wendy had actually seen To the onlookers, it seemed like she was acting guilty. Margo gripped Allison¡¯s arm tightly, ¡°Allison, you¡¯ve got some nerve, you even dare to steal Miss Penelope¡¯s engagement ring!¡± Allison immediately shot back, ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± Margo continued to press. ¡°Then what were you doing sneaking off to the balcony? Allison bit her lip, trying to keep her voice steady. ¡°After cleaning upstairs, I came down to find Mr. Lindberg making a call¡­ After Mr. Lindberg left, I went to tidy up the balcony If you suspect I hid the ring there, feel free to go search.¡± She was gambling, gambling that all Wendy saw was hering out from the balcony. Lucian nced at her, this woman was smart, tactfully distancing herself from hirn while making him her alibi. Sure enough, as soon as Allison finished speaking, all eyes fell on Lucian. Lucian slowly said, ¡°I was taking a call on the balcony, and I did see her.¡± Penelope¡¯s eyes widened, ring at Allison. She actually managed to draw Lucian¡¯s attention in front of everyone! But not long after, she masked her emotions, softly saying, ¡°Allison, I¡¯ve known you since we were kids, always treated you like a sister, if you took it, just give it back. promise I won¡¯t do anything to you.¡± Allison¡¯s face turned solemn. Penelope¡¯s words were basically an usation, a direct verdict of her crime. This was Penelope¡¯s premeditated trap! With that in mind, she calmly said, ¡°I didn¡¯t take it.¡± Lean angrily said. ¡°Allison, you dare deny it! You stole from us when we were kids, even took my? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. bracelet. I let it slide because of your circumstances, but this ring is Lucian and Penelope¡¯s engagement ring, it¡¯s very valuable. How could you think of stealing it!¡± Allison¡¯s fists clenched, her body trembling, and she was helpless. Against this specially designed trap, she had no rebuttal. She stood alone, facing everyone¡¯s questioning and disdain, feeling unimaginably awkward, but she still stood firm Lucian watched her, suddenly feeling a pang of pity Just as he was about to speak, Kami sneered, ¡°Maybe someone¡¯s just putting on a show?¡± ¡°Kami!¡± Cora silently scolded, Kami quickly bit her tongue, stopping herself from speaking. On the way here, she was explicitly told not to cause trouble for Penelope, but seeing her c g and hypocritical demeanor, she just couldn¡¯t help herself. Cora gently patted Penelope¡¯s hand,forting, ¡°Penelope, think again, maybe you left it somewhere else?¡± She had been observing Allison from the moment she appeared. Although her face was covered by a mask, her clear and bright eyes and her defiant demeanor, despite being a maid, didn¡¯t seem like someone who would steal Penelope, on the verge of tears, ¡®No, I already looked¡± Allison lifted her eyes, a determined glint in them, ¡°If it really can¡¯t be found, let¡¯s call the police!¡± Everyone was taken aback. Why would a thief want to involve the police? Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Margo twitched a bit at the mention of ¡°police,¡± and snickered, ¡°Allison, you think just saying ¡°police¡¯ clears your name? The stuff got lost today, for sure it¡¯s still with the thief. I say we search them and their ce!¡± Before Christopher could open his mouth, Lean had already made up her mind, ¡°Search ¡¯em, we¡¯re getting to the bottom of this today!¡± With the green light. Margo started frisking Wendy and Allison. Allison clenched her fists, expecting Margo to take the opportunity to embarrass her. But to her surprise, Margo just gave her a quick pat down, then turned to Lean, ¡°Maam, they¡¯re clean. I¡¯ll go check their rooms¡± Lean nodded, and Margo bolted towards the shabby courtyard behind the vi She opened Allison¡¯s bag and dumped everything out. A pendant caught her eye, she tossed it aside, then unzipped the hiddenpartment. Ten minutester In the living room, Margo presented the ring with a face of wrath, ¡°Got the evidence right here! Found Missy¡¯s engagement ring in Allison¡¯s bag, hidden away!¡± Penelope took the ring and examined it, then turned to Allison with tears in her eyes, ¡°Allison, we¡¯ve been good to you How could you do this? I could ignore your past thieving habits, but this is my engagement ring with Lucian!¡± Allison was stunned by the sight of the ring that had been pulled from her bag. She had only put her pendant in the bag before cleaning the bedroom and hadn¡¯t touched it since, let alone seen this ring before. Grinding her teeth, she was more convinced that Penelope had set her up. ¡°I don¡¯t know how the ring ended up in my bag, but I didn¡¯t take it. Maybe Margo knows more! If you can me me for stealing the ring. I can say Margo framed me Margo was fuming. ¡°You stole Miss Penelope¡¯s ring, and you dare to nder me!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°Good point.¡± The silent Lucian suddenly spoke, looking intently at the ring ¡°Allison, you im Margo set you up. Do you have cameras at home?¡± Allison was taken aback. J There was no way she had cameras at home, but she quickly understood why Lucian was asking She smiled confidently, ¡°Yes!¡± Not just Margo, but Penelope¡¯s face also changed. Lucian said, ¡°If there are cameras, finding out who took the ring should be easy¡± Margo¡¯s face darkened even more, her pleading eyes turning to Penelope. Penelope gritted her teeth, thinking, this idiot can¡¯t even handle a small task! Afraid of being exposed by the butler, she hurriedly said, ¡°He¡¯s been working here for many years, if this blows up, it won¡¯t be good. I think since we¡¯ve found the ring, we should drop it.¡± ¡°Penelope, how could you¡­¡± Lean was anxious, but when she saw Penelope¡¯s eyes, she understood and said, ¡°You¡¯re too kind. If you, the person involved, don¡¯t mind, then we¡¯ll let it go. Allison, let¡¯s chalk this one up to a bad day, but be more careful in the future.¡± Allison bit her lip, her body shaking involuntarily. Despite the fact that it was now apparent who the real suspect was ¨C Margo ¨C she was still med. She knew that on one hand, she didn¡¯t have any cameras at home, and on the other, if she really offended Penelope, the nagan family wouldn¡¯t tolerate her. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Chapter 87 At this point, Carter stood up and said, ¡°After all, this is your own family matter, it¡¯s not our ce to butt in Lucian, we should go.¡± Hearing this, Christopher promptly got up to see them out, with Cora helping Carter leave the scene. As Lucian walked past Allison, he paused, his gaze falling on Allison¡¯s face as if he wanted to say something But in the end, he kept his lips seated and just like that, they left the nagan family Once the Lindberg family had left, Penelope couldn¡¯t hide her emotions any longer. She pointed at Allison and yelled, ¡°You¡¯re such a little bitch, stealing and then trying to me Margol ¡°Shut it!¡± Christopher said, his face filled with rage. ¡°Don¡¯t bring this up again, I know Allison isn¡¯t like that.¡± ¡°Dad Penelope turned around angrily Lean quickly tried to calm her down ¡®Okay, okay, you¡¯re pregnant, don¡¯t get worked up.¡± She then red at Christopher. ¡°All you do is protect her, if the ring really was lost, how would you exin to the Lindberg family? Hearing this, Christopher¡¯s face changed. He hesitated for a moment, then said to Allison who had been silent all along. ¡°Allison, I know you¡¯ve always been a good kid. Your mum is sick and needs money, if you¡¯re having any trouble, remember to tell me.¡± Allison felt a bitter taste in her throat. Christopher saying these words clearly meant he didn¡¯t trust her. In his eyes, she was someone who would steal for her sick mother. If even he thought so, others might think even worse¡­ She swallowed down her difort and replied in a low voice, ¡°I understand, Mr. nagan.¡± Meanwhile in the car on the way home. Carter suddenly asked the sitting Cora, ¡°What¡¯s your take on Penelope losing her ring?¡± J Cora was taken aback, not expecting Carter to bring this up, especially with Lucian not in the car. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. She pondered for a moment, then answered, ¡°I think the maid was framed. Although the ring was found in her bag, judging from the reaction of the butler and the maid, I lean towards the butler setting her up.¡± She was a bit puzzled, ¡°Dad, why are you suddenly interested in such trivial matters?¡± Carter, who had seen all sorts of people in business over the years, could see through things that she could. Carter just smiled, not answering her question but instead asked, ¡°Who do you think Margo was acting on behalf aof?¡± Cora frowned, seemingly catching on to something, ¡°Dad, do you suspect Penelope?¡± ¡°I never doubt Lucian¡¯s judgement. His choices have their reasons. Although they¡¯re engaged and Penelope is carrying our family¡¯s bloodline¡­ as long as her character isn¡¯t bad, asional capriciousness doesn¡¯t matter¡± Upon hearing this, Cora finally understood. Carter wasn¡¯t pleased with Penelope¡¯s behavior today. With his wisdom and experience, he could see through others¡¯ schemes at a nce. However¡­ Cora sighed gently, ¡°It¡¯s just a youngster¡¯s tantrum, Dad, don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Carter looked out the window, murmuring. ¡°I¡¯m just worried that Lucian is blinded by love¡­¡± Perhaps because they were busy with Carter¡¯s birthday celebration, the women of the nagan family hadn¡¯t got time to cause trouble for Allison. Allison was relieved to have some free time. While Lean¡¯s attention was off her mother, she had to find her mother¡¯s whereabouts ASAP The cake the bodyguard bought for herst time had a unique vor. After some searching, Allison finally found out it was bought from a shop near Elm Street. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Chapter 88 After ss, Daisy immediately grabbed Allison, ¡°You seemed to be elsewhere during ss, got something to take care of?¡± *I¡¯m going to Elm Street¡± ¡°Cool! You rarely suggest going out, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Allison opened her mouth, wanting to say she wasn¡¯t going shopping, but thinking it might be a usual day with nothing special, she didn¡¯t dampen Dalsy¡¯s enthusiasm When they passed the library, Daisy went to borrow a book. Allison waited for her at the entrance Suddenly, a red sports car pulled up nearby. Allison instinctively looked over and saw a girl getting out from the passenger seat. There were many students around the library, and a lot of them were discussing the scene. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s Jason and Bailey¡± ¡°Did Jason and Audrey break up already?¡± ¡°He seemed very senous when he was pursuing Audrey, didn¡¯t expect him to have a new girlfriend so quickly.¡± ¡°He changes girlfriends faster than he changes clothes, rich kids are really different.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be jealous, look at his car, it¡¯s worth over 800k, which woman can resist?¡± ¡°Shush, keep it down, Audrey¡¯sing out!¡± As they were talking, a woman in a light purple dress slowly walked down the steps. Audrey was very beautiful, she had a gentle demeanor that was popr among the guy¡¯s She stood in front of the red sports car, biting her lip, tears welling up in her eyes, Jason¡­¡± Jason leaned casually on the car door, ncing at her with a slight smile, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you What¡¯s up?¡± His nonchnt attitude made Audrey even more upset, ¡°Jason, are you really breaking up with me? You and Bailey¡­¡± Audrey choked up and couldn¡¯t continue. Her pitiful appearance was heartbreaking. But Jason responded indifferently, ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who wanted to break up?¡± ¡°L¡± Audrey was full of regret. She was beautiful, and many rich guys in school pursued her, which made her arrogant. After a quarrel with Jason, she angrily proposed to break up, thinking that she was irreceable in his heart. But he agreed without hesitation and quickly found a new girlfriend Now she regretted it. After breaking up with Jason, no one gave her expensive gifts or drove her around in a sports car. The other rich guys were far from Jason¡¯s level. ¡°Allison¡± Daisy¡¯s voice rang out. Before Allison could pull her gaze away, Daisy followed her line of sight. ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t that Jason and Audrey? I heard Jason¡¯s with Bailey now¡± ¡°Bailey Allison thought for a moment, it must be the woman who just got out of the car and went into the library. Daisy looked surprised at Allison, ¡°You really don¡¯t know? She¡¯s the most popr girl in our performance department. To be honest, Jason, the p y, is quite charming. I guess there¡¯s no one in the school that he can¡¯t get, except you.¡± Allison smiled but didn¡¯t say anything. Jason¡¯s initial pursuit of her might have been a momentary impulse. After going to the nagan family and finding out she was a maid, he must have totally given up, right? ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Allison didn¡¯t care too much about this, and she pulled Daisy away. Not far away, Audrey continued to show immense sadness, expressing her longing for Jason. However, the man in the car kept staring at a figure in the rear-view mirror. Allison¡­? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Chapter 89 A hint of loneliness shed across that face full of jokes, but quickly disappeared. He opened the top of his convertible, turned to the woman who wouldn¡¯t stop talking and said, ¡°Audrey, let¡¯s leave it at that, don¡¯t make me hate you.¡± Upon hearing him, Audrey¡¯s face darkened. Without waiting for Bailey, who just came out of the library and hadn¡¯t got in the car yet, Jason quickly stepped on the gas and the red sports car sped away At Elm Street, Allison and Daisy found a restaurant to have lunch The restaurant was run by a middle-aged woman who was very friendly When she brought over their meat sauce noodles, Allison asked, ¡°Ma¡¯am, do you know where I can buy cakes nearby?¡± ¡°Cakes? There are plenty of ces around here, especially at night, there¡¯s even a night market on the next street.¡± Thedy enthusiastically exined, ¡°Just a bit north from our shop, there¡¯s an old cake shop, but you¡¯ll have to line up at this time of the day. That shop, it¡¯s the most popr one on Elm Street.¡± Wait in line? Allison guessed it¡¯s probably not that one. Although she was blindfolded that day, the bodyguard who went to buy the cake returned very quickly. It should have been a quick purchase, probably not a ce with a long line. ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am¡± Daisy was a bit puzzled, ¡°You suddenly want to eat dessert? We can go buy someter¡± Elm Street is an old district in Northfield The street is close to a middle school, and there are quite a few studentsing and going during meal times. When Allison and Daisy came out of the restaurant, they saw the cake shop thedy had mentioned Daisy said, ¡°Is it this one? I¡¯ll go line up.¡± Allison quickly stopped her, ¡°It¡¯s okay, let¡¯s check out other shops¡± ¡°Right, there¡¯s too many people in line.¡± Without giving it much thought, Daisy pulled her along to find another cake shop. After hesitating for a moment, Allison stopped, ¡°Daisy, actually I¡¯m looking for a cake for my mom.¡± ¡°Your mom? Isn¡¯t your mom in the hospital?¡± Allison shook her head, her eyes welling up with tears uncontrobly as she detailed how Lean had taken her mother away. With all the pressure from recent events, she felt like she had found an outlet, and tears started to fall. But she left out the part about recing Penelope and getting an abortion. After hearing the story, Daisy was both shocked and angry. ¡°That¡¯s illegal! How could Lean do such a thing!¡± ¡°Every time I visit my mom, they blindfold me, but I¡¯ve calcted the time of the car ride. It should be this street, 1 just don¡¯t know which hospital she¡¯s in now.¡± Daisy lightly held Allison¡¯s hand, ¡°I apany you, let¡¯s find it together.¡± The two of them walked around Elm Street again, finally reaching a middle school at the next street of Elm Street. A man around his sixties or seventies was selling things at the school gate, with a sign saying ¡°Handmade Cakes. He seemed to have just arrived and was setting up his stall. Allison walked over and said, ¡°Sir, I have a piece¡± A kind old man handed over a piece of cake with a smile. Allison took a bite. It wasn¡¯t sweet, but rich in milk vor. This is il Allison¡¯s eyes lit up, she looked around at the environment, the school, residential buildings, convenience store. ¡°Sir, do you know if there are any hospitals nearby?¡± Allison thought of Grace¡¯s hospital room equipment, which was a standard care room, not a makeshift one. She had checked out several famous big hospitals in Northfield, but the interior design didn¡¯t match. However, Northfield has many small hospitals, the range is too wide.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Chapter 90 There are only a few private clinics around here. If you need medical attention, you¡¯ll have to head downtown. There¡¯s only Hope Hospital within a two-kilometer radius, but that¡¯s a nut house.¡± A nuthouse?! Allison¡¯s face nched a little and Daisyforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that¡¯s just one possibility, we¡¯ll keep looking ¡°Alnght¡± She could visit her mom once a week. Whether she was at Hope Hospital, she¡¯d find out tomorrow After saying bye to Daisy, Allison went home. While tidying up her room, she realized the ne Daisy had given her was missing She always kept it in her bag how could it vanish into thin air? Allison turned her room upside down but still couldn¡¯t find the agate ne Then, her phone rang It was Dr. Dn ¡°Allison, are you free tomorrow night? I need a favor¡± ¡°What¡¯s up? Just spit it out, Dr. Dn¡± ¡°I have an important dinner tomorrow night, and I was hoping you could be my plus one.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± *Please, I¡¯m begging you. My parents can¡¯t make it at thest minute and I can¡¯t find a date. You just have to tag along.¡± ¡°Alright After some consideration, Allison agreed. After all, Dr. Dn had helped her out a lot and she was grateful. ¡°Great, I¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow¡± ¡°Sure.¡± After hanging up, Allison stood in front of her wardrobe. She didn¡¯t have many fancy dresses. Her clothes were all simple and didn¡¯t leave much room for choice. In the end, she picked out a red dress with a shallow V-neck. It was handmade by her mom and she had worn it once for a school event. 7 PM the next night. Starlight Hotel, a seven-star hotel under Lindberg Corporation. Carter¡¯s birthday bash was a grand affair. Fancy cars were parked at the hotel entrance and men and women in glitzy attire kept streaming in The birthday banquet was organized by Cora and Zachary Lindberg. Cora had a good rtionship with the Lindberg family even after marrying into the Brummett family. If she were a man, she would¡¯ve been the spitting image of Carter. Lucian and Penelope were immediately surrounded by guests when they entered the banquet hall. Penelope was dressed in a light pink fringed gown, her makeup delicate and beautiful. She obediently stayed by Lucian¡¯s side. They walked up to Carter, presented a gift andscape painting that Christopher had put a lot of effort into acquiring at a high price ¡°Grandpa, may you live a long and happy life¡± ¡°Good, good¡± Carter nodded and had someone take the painting away. From afar, Alexa Bourne had been eyeing Lucian since he walked in. Lena, standing next to her, couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Alexa, stop staring. Lucian is not going to notice you.¡± Alexa bit her lip, looking at the woman next to Lucian, ¡°Is that Penelope?¡± ¡°Yeah, I heard she¡¯s pregnant¡± Pregnant! Alexa¡¯s heart s ad a beat, followed by a wave of disappointment. Penelope was Lucian¡¯s fianc¨¦e and now that she was pregnant, her position in the Lindberg family was even more secure. ¡°Alexa, you had such a great opportunityst time but you didn¡¯t seize it. If you had, you¡¯d be the one standing next to Lucian now! Lena reproached Alexa. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Alexa was confused Lena, assuming Alexa was ying dumb, and replied, ¡°Nothing¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. With her mind solely focused on Penelope¡¯s pregnancy, Alexa didn¡¯t pay much attention to Lena¡¯s words. Meanwhile, at the entrance of the banquet hall Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Dr. Dn, invitation in hand, walked into the venue arm in arm with Allison. She was blown away by the opulence of the scene before her. ¡°So, what kind of dinner is this, Dr. Dn?¡± Allison asked hesitantly. She had assumed that it would be something akin to a scientific convention, considering both of Dn¡¯s parents were doctors and he came from a medical family. ¡°Oops, my bad, I forgot to tell you. My dad once performed heart surgery for Carter He was so grateful that he invites my dad to his birthday bash every year,¡± Dr. Dn exined in a low voice as they walked. Upon hearing Carter¡¯s name, Allison came to a halt. ¡°Carter!?¡± Dr. Dn noticed her sudden change in mood. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± The realization that she was at Carter¡¯s birthday party hit Allison hard. The nagans and Lucian would definitely be there. If she ran into them¡­. Her face paled, and she whispered to Dr. Dn, ¡°I¡¯m not feeling so hot, I think I should¡­¡± ¡°Dr. Dn.¡± Her words were cut off by a new voice. Allison looked up to see Cora approaching. ¡°Ms. Hamilton,¡± Dr. Dn responded politely. ¡°Dr. Dn, where¡¯s your father?¡± ¡°He had an emergency surgery today, so I¡¯m here to wish Carter a happy birthday on his behalf.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯ll have to invite your parents to the Lindberg¡¯s sometime.¡± Cora noticed Allison standing next to Dr. Dn. She looked familiar, but Cora couldn¡¯t quite ce her. Smiling, she said, ¡°Dr. Dn, is this your girlfriend? Why don¡¯t you introduce her?¡± Allison¡¯s heart clenched at the title, but Dr. Dn just smiled and said, ¡°Ms. Hamilton, this is Allison.¡± ¡°Allison¡­¡± Cora repeated the name. It sounded even more familiar now. Dr. Dn turned to Allison. ¡°Allison, this is Ms. Hamilton, Carter¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°Hello, Ms. Hamilton,¡± Allison said nervously. Cora nodded and smiled. ¡°Dr. Dn, you¡¯re a lucky man.¡± Seeing that Cora hadn¡¯t recognized her, Allison breathed a sigh of relief. But then she felt a cold gaze on her. She looked up instinctively to meet the eyes of the man standing by Carter¡¯s side. She was busted! Panicked, she thought about making a run for it. But Cora was already waving Lucian over. ¡°Lucian, Penelope, could you look after Dr. Dn and his girlfriend for me?¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Girlfriend?¡± Lucian repeated the word, a hint of mockery in his tone. Allison was too embarrassed to even lift her head. She was just here as a stand¨Cin for Dr. Dn, how on earth had she be his girlfriend? Lucian watched Allison, dressed in a red gown, standing calmly next to Dr. Dn. Suddenly, the scene before him seemed to grate on his nerves. His gaze fixed on her hand resting in the crook of Dr. Dn¡¯s arm. Allison¡¯s dress wasn¡¯t high¨Cend or brand¨Cnamed, but it made her look even more stunning. The V¨C neck was simple, yet ssy She looked less demure and more captivating than usual. Her long hair, simply draped over her shoulders, sparkled under the crystal chandelier. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Lucian asked, his surprise barely concealed. Allison stiffened, but she didn¡¯t say a word. Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Chapter 92 The next moment, Dr. Dn seemed to sense something. He quietly stood in front of her, blocking Lucian¡¯s view. He grinned, ¡°Allison and I are here on behalf of my parents to celebrate Carter¡¯s birthday.¡± ¡°Oh? Allison, is that you? I almost didn¡¯t recognize you,¡± Penelope suddenly said, surprised. When faced with the puzzled looks around her, she casually exined, ¡°Sorry, my bad. It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t believe that our housemaid could be Dr. Dn¡¯s girlfriend.¡± Her voice was just right, loud enough for everyone who was paying attention to hear clearly. News that the nagan family¡¯s maid was attending the birthday party spread quickly, and Allison took a deep breath. She knew Penelope would never miss a chance to shame her. She lowered her head and calmly addressed her as ¡°Ms. nagan.¡± Cora, who hadn¡¯t left yet, suddenly remembered that Allison was the nagan family¡¯s falsely used maid. No wonder she seemed familiar. She looked at Allison, then at Penelope, her eyes full of scrutiny. ¡°Dr. Dn is a valued guest of the Lindberg family,¡± Cora said, ¡°So naturally, Dr. Dn¡¯s girlfriend is too.¡°.. Cora¡¯s words were a p in the face for Penelope. Penelope¡¯s face instantly turned pale, and she pursed her lips in resentment, her fingers tightly clenched.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Allison didn¡¯t expect Cora to speak up for her. However¡­ girlfriend? The word seemed harder and harder to exin. Especially when the man¡¯s cold gaze fell on her, making her ufortable. She whispered to Dr. Dn, ¡°I¡¯m a bit hungry. I want to get something to eat.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Just as Dr. Dn was about to take Allison to the buffet area, Lucian stopped him. ¡°Hang on.¡± Allison tensed, the sound of the man¡¯s approaching footsteps echoing in her ears. Lucian stopped in front of them, looking at her nervous state, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Dr. Dn, can I have a word with you?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Dr. Dn gently patted Allison¡¯s hand. ¡°You go first. I¡¯lle find youter.¡± Allison nodded, feeling the gaze on the back of her hand was so hot it was frightening. She practically ran off without lifting her head. Penelope watched her go, a cold smile ying at the corner of her mouth. A lowly maid, daring to show up here? Once she became Lucian¡¯s wife, she would make Allison know her ce, in the garbage! Penelope¡¯s gaze shifted to Kami, who was holding andscape painting as a gift for Carter. Her brow furrowed. Carter loved calligraphy and painting, and most of the people who came to celebrate his birthday brought famous works. Simr gifts would inevitably lead toparisons. But when she saw Kami¡¯s painting, she realized it wasn¡¯t as valuable as the one she had given. Just as she was starting to rx, she saw Carter, with a big smile on his face, gently tousling Kami¡¯s hair and praising, ¡°You¡¯re so considerate, grandpa loves it.¡± Penelope watched it all, grinding her teeth in anger. The nagan family was not a prestigious one. Christopher¡¯s smallpany only made tens of millions a year. Their investment this year had failed, and they had spent a lot of resources to find this famous work of calligraphy and painting, only to get a single affirmation from Carter. Why did Kami get Carter¡¯s affection so easily? Filled with resentment, she was about to vent when she saw Kami, who had just been cooing with Carter, suddenly raise her head and smirk provocatively at her. Though angry, Penelope dared not confront Kami, the Lindberg family¡¯s favorite. She had to swallow her dissatisfaction. Just then, there was amotion at the entrance of the banquet hall, and someone in the crowd said, ¡°The Crane family is here.- Everyone¡¯s eyes were glued to the scene. Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Chapter 93 At the entrance of the banquet hall, a young man pushing a wheelchair slowly made his way in. Sitting in the wheelchair was a man in a sleek ck suit. His face was handsome, and he had an aristocratic air about him. Allison, who was munching on some food at the buffet, did a double¨Ctake. Was this the guy she saw at the Red Jack Club the other day? He was with Lucian, wasn¡¯t he? His name was Aidan Crane, if she remembered right. Her eyes darted from Aidan to Lucian, who had returned to Carter¡¯s side. Once Aidan entered the hall, his assistant, Parker, handed hirn a cane and helped him stand up. They then started to make their way towards Carter. Despite his disability, Aidan stood tall and dignified. His good looks and charisma were enough to make anyone forget about his limp. When he got to Carter, he said in a low voice, ¡°Sorry, Grandpa, I got caught in traffic.¡± Carter looked at him, a satisfied smile twinkling in his eyes, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. You¡¯re here now.¡± Aidan nodded slightly at Parker, who immediately handed over a fancy wooden box. Aidan¡¯s voice then rang out, ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s your birthday. I hope you¡¯ll like this painting.¡± Penelope, standing next to Lucian, was fuming. Yet another painting! Who was this guy who just appeared out of nowhere? Was he trying to piss her off? The painting was unrolled as Aidan spoke. It was just a normalndscape painting, not even a famous one, which made Penelope breathe a sigh of relief. Yet, the moment Carter saw the painting, his face changed dramatically. His normally stern face turned wistful. His hand trembled slightly as he reached out, as if he wanted to touch the painting but was afraid of dirtying it. His caution was as if the painting was a priceless treasure. It took him a while before he took the painting from Parker, his eyes welling with tears as if remembering a dear friend, ¡°Aidan, you really know how to touch my heart.¡± Carter¡¯s reaction was a surprise to everyone, who looked confusedly at the signature ¡°Sophia Crane¡± on the painting. Cora, standing next to Carter, took the painting from him, sighing almost imperceptibly, ¡°Dad, let me keep this for you.¡± Others may not know who Sophia was, but she knew it all too well. Sophia, Carter¡¯s first wife, was the eldest daughter of the Crane family. She couldn¡¯t bear children due to health issues. Two years after marrying Carter, they adopted a child, Taylor Lindberg. Even without a child of their own, their love for each other was strong. But good times don¡¯tst, and Sophia died in a car ident. Carter was devastated and treated their adopted son as his own, until he married his second wife, Robin, and had two sons and a daughter.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The painting was by Sophia herself. Even after all these years, no one expected it to show up in Carter¡¯s life again after more than fifty years. Every time he thought of histe wife, Carter couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang in his heart. He looked a bit weary, rubbing his temples before saying to Lucian, ¡°You two haven¡¯t seen each other for a while. You should catch up. Cora, help me to the lounge for a rest.¡± Cora nodded and assisted her father to the lounge. The guests were intrigued by Aidan¡¯s identity, including Allison. She had thought he was just a friend of Lucian¡¯s when she saw him at the Red Jack Club. But now, it seemed that he had a deep connection with the Lindberg family. Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Allison was in deep thought when she heard a socialite nearby gossiping: ¡°I heard that guy Aidan is a child adopted by Carter and his first wife. Sophia. Carter and Sophia had a deep rtionship, but their adopted child is said to have died young, leaving only Aidan. But what¡¯s strange is that I heard Aidan has always been abroad, howe he¡¯s suddenly back?¡± ¡°I also heard that Aidan has a sister, but I¡¯ve never seen her around the Lindberg family¡­¡± Allison didn¡¯t expect to catch such juicy news while snacking in the corner, and she definitely didn¡¯t expect the Lindberg family to be soplex. Looking over at Aidan, Kami¡¯s face flushed as she walked up to him and asked in a low voice: ¡°Aidan, how long are you nning to stay this time?¡± I Aidan, indifferent and slightly hoarse, replied, ¡°I¡¯ll be staying a bit longer this time, I won¡¯t be going back to the UK for a while.¡± Kami¡¯s face lit up, ¡°Really?¡± Aidan gave a subtle nod, then shifted his gaze to a man who looked emotionlessly, ¡°Lucian.¡± Lucian raised his wine ss, ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t show up today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my grandpa¡¯s birthday, I wouldn¡¯t dare miss it.¡± Aidan replied with a cryptic smile, his gazending on the woman beside him. Upon seeing Penelope¡¯s face, Aidan was momentarily surprised, but quickly recovered, teasing: ¡°Luca, aren¡¯t you going to introduce us?¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Penelope, my fianc¨¦e.¡± ¡°Lucian, who is this¡­¡± Penelope beamed with a sweet smile, she had already guessed Aidan¡¯s identity. Even though she knew about Aidan¡¯s existence, this was the first time she had actually met him. As she admired Aidan¡¯s handsome profile, she couldn¡¯t help but praise the superior genes of the Lindberg family. Although he was disabled, he had a handsome face that could make any heart flutter. ¡°Aidan.¡± Lucian simply stated his name, clearly not in the mood for introducing him further. Aidan didn¡¯t mind,ughing: ¡°Since when did Luca have a fianc¨¦e and why didn¡¯t he tell me?¡± ¡°I neglected to inform you.¡± Lucian knew better than anyone that Aidan had his informants all over the Lindberg family, surely he would have known about the engagement. After Yuliana Crane¡¯s death, their brotherly rtionship took a turn for the worse, things could never be the same, right?! ¡°Regardless, congrats, Luca.¡± Aidan nced at his wristwatch, ¡°I need to rest due to my disability, we¡¯ll catch up another time, Luca.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Lucian didn¡¯t linger, turning to entertain other guests. As Aidan was about to leave with his cane, his sleeve was suddenly pulled. With her eyes downcast and her cheeks flushed, Kami, who hadn¡¯t seen him for a long time, said, ¡°Aidan, what¡¯s been interesting in the UK, why don¡¯t you call?¡± Aidan frowned slightly. Although Kami was his sister in name, he had no blood ties with the Lindberg family. He had lived in the UK for ten years, only returning for Christmas each year, and hardly ever visiting Northfield otherwise. So, he didn¡¯t have any real affection for Kami. ¡°What interesting things could there be for a disabled man like me who stays at home all day?¡± A twinkle of amusement shed in Aidan¡¯s handsome face. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me about anything interesting in Northfield? For instance, how did Luca suddenly get engaged?¡± Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Chapter 95 ¡°I¡¯m not too sure either.¡± Kami didn¡¯t know the exact reason why Lucian got engaged, but seeing Aidan¡¯s interest in the topic, she immediately racked her brains for all rted info, hoping to have a longer chat with Aidan. After a while, she suddenly said, ¡°Oh, I remember something. It seems it¡¯s because Penelope once saved Luca. You know, the nagan family isn¡¯t exactly high up the socialdder, the Lindberg family wouldn¡¯t normally give them the time of the day, but Luca fell for her.¡± ¡°Fell for her¡­¡± The man smiled slightly. Kami rarely saw Aidan smile. At this moment, his features under the light were as sharp as a knife edge in a thin mist, making her heart flutter. ¡°Aidan¡­¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. She wanted to say something more, but Aidan seemed to have lost interest in the topic, he limped into the elevator with his cane. Kami wasn¡¯t mad, she knew Aidan and understood his quirks from childhood. She had been having crush on Aidan for a long time, even if he was a bitme, she didn¡¯t care. Penelope had been eavesdropping on them, she didn¡¯t expect that Kami would be interested in a cripple, but seeing Aidan¡¯s. indifference toward Kami, she couldn¡¯t help but feel smug. She thought Kami was too arrogant to her usually, so this was her just desserts! However, if she wanted to marry into the Lindberg family smoothly, she needed to get on Kami¡¯s good side. She pondered a bit and quickly came up with a n. Seizing the moment when Kami was feeling down, Penelope, with a ss of red wine in hand, approached her, ¡°Kami.¡± Kami was startled by the sudden voice, seeing it was Penelope, she obviously wasn¡¯t too pleased, ¡°What do you want?¡± Penelope didn¡¯t mind her attitude, she smiled and leaned in, ¡°Kami, I¡¯m here to help you.¡± Kami raised her eyebrows, scoffed, ¡°You? Help me?¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re into Mr. Crane, I can help you.¡± Kami sneered, ¡°I would never associate with someone like you!¡± Just as she was about to leave, Penelope¡¯s voice suddenly echoed behind her, ¡°Are you willing to watch Mr. Crane be with someone else?¡± Kami¡¯s steps suddenly halted, she turned around to look at Penelope, ¡°What can you do?¡± ¡°Do you know what kind of woman men like the most?¡± Kami shook her head. Despite being the heiress of the Lindberg family, pampered from childhood, and pursued by many, she had never experienced real love, and naturally didn¡¯t understand men. ¡°Do you know?¡± Penelope whispered a few words into Kami¡¯s ear Kami instantly blushed, her eyes widened in shock, ¡°No way! How could that be possible.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not even willing to make this small sacrifice, how can you talk about getting Mr. Crane¡¯s love?¡± Penelope sneered. She didn¡¯t really want to help Kami. Although Kami was born into an elite family and was arrogant, she was too naive, simply put, foolish./ Especially at this moment, seeing Kami¡¯s shocked and panicked eyes only reaffirmed Penelope¡¯s thoughts. She wanted to be the daughter¨Cinw of the Lindberg family, so she had to get along with Kami, after all, she was Lucian¡¯s sister, the heiress of the Lindberg family. And if she knew Kami¡¯s weakness¡­ Penelope smiled. This way, she could effectively control Kami! Seeing Kami hesitating, Penelope leaned in and whispered, ¡°Do you know why Luca insists on marrying me?¡± Kami shook her head. Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Chapter 96 ¡°Cause Luca got framed, I stepped in to lend him a hand, and he ended up misunderstand me. As she spoke, Penelope seemed a bit bashful, ¡°Guys usually have a soft spot for their first love, you and Mr. Crane might grew up together and he treats you as a sister, but you ain¡¯t blood¨Crted. Besides, Carter spoils you rotten and he thinks the world of Mr. Crane, he¡¯d be over the moon if you two hit it off. Plus, Kami, you¡¯re all grown up, don¡¯t you wanna have a deeper rtionship with the man you fancy?¡± Kami hung her head, her eyes sparkling. ¡°¡­¡± Her heart pounded, ¡°I do hope so.¡± Of course, she hoped to have a deeper connection with Aidan. Kami tightened her grip on her own hands, but how could she possibly do such a shameless thing! Penelope could tell Kami was wavering. Guests and socialites buzzed around the banquet hall in small groups, crystal chandeliers illuminating their fancy outfits, making the scene incrediblyvish. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. The sweet smell of champagne wafted through the air, and Alexa was ying the cello on stage. Penelope seemed to have a grip on the mindset of young girls like Kami, ¡°Oh, opportunities like this only knock once, if you don¡¯t seize it, just pretend I didn¡¯t say anything, I¡¯m outta here.¡± Seeing her about to leave, Kami quickly grabbed her, ¡°Wait!¡± Her face turned red, ¡°Don¡¯t leave, I¡­ her voice trailed off, ¡°I didn¡¯t say no.¡± Penelope took her hand, ¡°Kami, I¡¯m gonna be part of the Lindberg family too, I wouldn¡¯t do you dirty. I¡¯m all for helping you out. If you¡¯re in, I¡¯ll go find someone to help you get ready, tonight, you and Mr. Crane¡­¡± Kami¡¯s cheeks were burning, she seemed to have made up her mind, she stomped her foot, ¡°Fine!¡± Seeing her finally agreed, a smirk crept up Penelope¡¯s face, ¡®This Kami is so naive, agreeing so easily.¡± She moved to a corner of the banquet hall and dialed Pete on her phone. ¡°Pete, I need a favor.¡± On the other end of the line, Pete was ying poker in the lounge. ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± He asked, puffing on a cigarette while a woman helped him arrange his cards. Hearing Penelope¡¯s request, Pete furrowed his brow, gave it some thought, and then agreed, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll send someone over. After hanging up, he found a guy, ¡°Go downstairs and find Ms. nagan.¡± Once he finished giving instructions, he left. Pete dialed his father, David, and told him about Penelope¡¯s n. David said, ¡°Send Logan.¡± Pete expressed his concerns, ¡°Dad, are we sure this is okay? After all, Kami is part of the Lindberg family and Aidan, he¡­¡± David scoffed, ¡°Pete, I¡¯m also Carter¡¯s adopted son, but I only get to be the butler. Taylor is treated like a real son, his child has the right to inherit, but you don¡¯t. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s unfair? Why is there such an injustice! Why does my son, David¡¯s son, only get to be the butler¡¯s son while that cripple Aidan gets all of Carter¡¯s praise!¡± Pete clenched his phone, he wanted what Aidan had too! Let¡¯s see how Carter would react when he finds out about Aidan and Kami¡¯s secret affair!! Pete got the message, ¡°I see, I¡¯ll handle it!¡± After meeting with Penelope, Logan nced around nervously, only handing her the stuff once he was sure no one was watching, ¡°Ms. nagan, Pete said this drug is potent.¡± Penelope took out a wad of cash from her pearl purse and handed it to Logan, whispering a few words of caution, ¡°Be discreet, okay?¡± ¡°I got it, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Half an hourter, Kami was in the middle of a card game when her phone buzzed. ¡°Room 211, second floor.¡± Lifting her eyes, she suddenly stood up and told her friends, ¡°I¡¯m done ying. You guys carry on.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. After Kami left, the rest of the gang exchanged nces. ¡°Kami is such a piece of work. She¡¯s the one who wanted to y, and now she¡¯s the one who¡¯s bailing.¡± ¡°Shush, keep it down, she might not be far off.¡± ¨C ¡°What¡¯s there to fear? The soundproofing here is top¨Cnotch.¡± The one speaking was ady in a navy blue dress, ¡°Will Kamie back? If not, I¡¯m calling my friend over to join the game. We¡¯re one yer short.¡± ¡°She¡¯s definitely noting back, the birthday party will be over in an hour. Hurry up, hurry up!¡± Outside Room 211. Kami¡¯s heart pounded. She took a deep breath, mustered up her courage, and pushed open the door. This was the boldest thing she¡¯d done since she turned twenty. The curtains were drawn in the room, casting a dim light. She could faintly hear a man¡¯s heavy breathing. Approaching the bed, she saw Aidan lying there, his thoughts seemingly in disarray. Softly, she called out, ¡°Aidan.¡± The man opened his eyes, feeling incredibly ufortable, his body heated as if ready to explode. His thoughts weren¡¯tpletely muddled yet, he could vaguely see a silhouette in front of him. ¡°Who is it?¡± Aidan realized he¡¯d been set up. He¡¯d never expected someone would pull a stunt on him at his birthday party. At that moment, he saw a woman slowly approaching him. Beneath the faint moonlight, he was stunned to find that it was Kami! Aidan gritted his teeth, trying to clear his head, ¡°Kami¡­¡± Seeing the man she¡¯d longed for right in front of her, witnessing his difort, her previously wavering heart made a decision. ¡°Aidan, it¡¯s me.¡± She mustered up the courage to call his name, slipping out of her clothes and standing before him bared. Aidan clenched his fists, his body writhing in pain as if a bomb was about to explode inside. But he knew, the woman before him was Kami, his friend, he couldn¡¯t harbor any other thoughts. Suppressing hisst bit of sanity, he snarled through gritted teeth, ¡°Kami, get dressed!!¡± But Kami embraced him, her cool, soft body causing him to tremble uncontrobly as she pressed against his feverish skin. His forehead strained, he tried to push her away, ¡°Kami, get out!!!¡± ¡°Aidan¡­¡± At that moment, Kami discarded all her pride. All she wanted was Aidan¡¯s love. She was even prepared to confess to her father that she loved Aidan, that they¡¯d been together. She was certain that Aidan would take responsibility under pressure, and her doting father would surely force Aidan to marry her! But Aidan bit down hard on his teeth. Even if it cost him his life, he couldn¡¯t hurt Kami! Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Chapter 98 At that moment, his raging lust almost knocked him down. The woman¡¯s gentle figure in front of him constantly teased his already tense mind. The man¡¯s eyes suddenly contracted, then hended a heavy blow on Kami¡¯s neck, knocking her out cold. Aidan lifted the nket, covered Kami¡¯s body, and left hurriedly while struggling to keep his chaotic thoughts in check. Meanwhile, in the banquet hall downstairs. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Ah-¡± A gasp of surprise. Allison swiftly caught a woman who was about to fall. Unfortunately, although the woman didn¡¯t fall, the champagne in her hand spilt on Allison. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Nte Willett immediately put down her ss, apologizing to Allison with a guilt¨Cstricken face. Allison smiled slightly, saying. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡± ¡°But you¡¯re all wet¡­¡± Nte frowned in distress, murmuring. ¡°It¡¯s all because of these damn high heels, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have fallen.¡± Suddenly, she seemed to have an idea, pulled out her cell phone while talking. ¡°I have a spare dress in my car, wait for me to have my driver bring it over.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to go through all that trouble¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s no big deal.¡± Nte quickly instructed her driver, then turned to Allison with a beaming smile. ¡°You¡¯re that doctor¡¯s girlfriend, right? I heard it just now. Your boyfriend is quite a looker.¡± Allison¡¯s face turned red, ¡°He¡¯s not my boyfriend.¡± ¡°Oh? He¡¯s not?¡± Nte frowned, but didn¡¯t pry further into other¡¯s personal matters. She extended her hand to Allison, ¡°Nice to meet you, I¡¯m Nte.¡± Allison was somewhat surprised. Penelope¡¯sment about her being ¡°the nagan family¡¯s servant¡± had made all the other wealthydies avoid her. This was the first person who had initiated a conversation with her. Before Allison could respond, Nte had already started the conversation, ¡®Thank you so much for catching me earlier. I would¡¯ve made a fool of myself if it wasn¡¯t for you.¡± She then stuck out her tongue yfully. Allison was amused by Nte¡¯s cute demeanor, thinking she was different from other high society ladies. After a little chat, the driver from the Willett family had delivered the dress. Nte took Allison¡¯s hand and said, ¡°I have a rest room on the third floor, I¡¯ll apany you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Just as they were about to get on the elevator, Nte¡¯s cell phone rang. After hearing what the caller had to say, she apologized, ¡°Allison, I¡¯m sorry, something came up¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, you go ahead. Just give me your address, I¡¯ll return the dress to you after it¡¯s cleaned.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, it¡¯s just a dress, you can keep it!¡± With that, Nte hurried off. Allison was a bit taken aback. The dress was obviously new and expensive, she couldn¡¯t possibly ept it. But considering her current situation, her own dress was sticky and ufortable. With that in mind, she decided to go to the rest room and change. Nte had given her ake blue dress. After putting it on, Allison carefully ced the red dress back in the box. She checked the time, the birthday banquet would not end for another hour. Since being called away by Lucian, Dr. Dn had not returned. He was probably held up by his friends. She thought for a moment, then texted Dr. Dn, ¡°I¡¯m resting in the rest room.¡± Dr. Dn quickly replied, ¡°Okay, I¡¯lle find you after the birthday party ends.¡± Just as Allison was about to respond, there was a sudden sound of the door lock being turned hastily. Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Allison looked up, locking eyes with the man standing at the door. The man was stumbling, panting heavily. Allison recognized him at a nce, ¡°Mr. Crane?¡± Aidan¡¯s vision was blurry. After knocking Kami out, he stag gered out,pletely out of control. He didn¡¯t know who had drugged him, but he knew he couldn¡¯t let them seed, so he didn¡¯t linger on the second floor. He had nned to go up to the third floor to find an empty room to hide in and get someone to deal with itter, but he didn¡¯t expect there to be someone in this room. His voice was extremely h o ar se, ¡°Who are you?¡± Allison stood up, looking at the unstable man in front of her with confusion, ¡°Mr. Crane.¡± The handsome man¡¯s face was flushed, veins bulging on his forehead as if he was trying to endure something. Allison quickly realized, ¡°Are you alright? Do you want me to call a doctor?¡± With a ¡°click¡°. Aidan didn¡¯t answer, he just sh ut the door behind him. He took one step at a time towards Allison, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at her. A chill ran down Allison¡¯s spine, she took a step back in confusion. Her back hit the sofa and she fell into it, ¡°Mr. Crane, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Without his cane, Aidan limped over one step at a time. His suit was slightly wrinkled, his red eyes locked onto Allison, like a cheetah eyeing its prey. Although Allison was naive, she realized something was wrong. She quickly got up to rush towards the door, but the man caught her waist and roughly threw her onto the sofa. The man¡¯s hot body pressed down on her, and Allison immediately understood his condition. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. His body was burning hot, as if on fire. ¡°Let me go! Mr. Crane, Mr. Crane!!¡± Allison was somewhat scared, she called out his name, ¡°Aidan, I¡¯m going to call a doctor, my friend is a doctor! I¡¯ll call a doctor for you!!¡± She struggled violently, tears rolling down her cheeks. Her tears fell on his hand, and the man paused for a moment. Aidan looked at the woman in front of him, his pupils seemed to be torn, shing a moment of rity. He gritted his teeth, struggling to get up and yelled at Allison, ¡°Get out!¡± Allison got up shakily, ready to leave quickly. Suddenly, she saw the man pick up a fruit knife from the coffee table and sh his own arm- She widened her eyes, ¡°Mr. Crane!¡± Bright red blood flowed from the man¡¯s arm, the intense pain helped him suppress his body¡¯s desires and chaotic thoughts, making himpletely sober. The man was panting heavily, sitting on the carpet leaning against the sofa. Allison looked at the scene in front of her, she was speechless for a brief moment, then quickly ran out. Aidany on the carpet, panting heavily. He kept thinking about what had happened, the only thing he had been in contact with was the champagne brought by the waiter. Could someone have drugged the champagne? What was their purpose? Why was Kami in the same room with him? Was Kami also drugged? If he had really lost control and done something to Kami, and this news reached Carter¡¯s ears¡­ who would be so bold? Someone carried out such a n at Carter¡¯s birthday party. His biggestpetitor in this return was only Lucian, but Lucian would never hurt Kami. As he was thinking about these things, the door was suddenly opened again, followed by a faint scent of cherry blossoms that became stronger and stronger. Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Chapter 100 His arm was burning with pain, but his mind was clear. He recognized the figure approaching him, ¡°You?¡± She was the waitress from Red Jack Club. Allison had a first¨Caid kit in her hands. Wearing her dress made it inconvenient to bend over, so she knelt down on the carpet, pulled out some bandages and alcohol, and began to treat his wound. She never imagined he¡¯d actually hurt himself this badly. The wound was deep and bleeding heavily. Allison¡¯s palm was warm with his blood, her fingers were trembling. She took a deep breath, seemingly a bit scared. ¡°Mr. Crane, it might hurt a bit, just bear with it,¡± she said, pressing the alcohol¨Csoaked cotton ball onto his wound. For a moment, she squeezed her eyes shut, as if she didn¡¯t dare to look. Aidan gave a coldugh, ¡°You¡¯re scared, yet you came back?¡± Allison thought she shouldn¡¯t have returned either, ¡°You¡¯re right, I will mind my own business from now on.¡± Aidan found this woman peculiar. She was naive and innocent. He had been drugged, lost control of himself, and nearly forced her to help relieve his desires. But looking into her clear, bright eyes, Aidan sobered up. The drug was potent, so he had to stab himself. Although it wasn¡¯t fatal, it was bleeding. He had experienced this kind of pain before. He had once broken his leg, this was just a minor injury inparison. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. What he didn¡¯t expect was that this woman came back.. She really was a fool, but¡­ Aidan watched her closed eyes, her thickshes trembling like butterfly wings. Her naive and kind demeanor made his heart soften. He took the alcohol¨Csoaked cotton ball and bandages from her hands and began treating his wound himself, ¡°You really are a busybody!¡± Allison stood up, ¡°Then I won¡¯t bother you anymore.¡± Since he could treat his wound himself, she assumed he would be fine. Allison reached the door and heard Aidan¡¯s voice from behind, ¡°Call Parker over.¡± Allison knew Parker, she nodded. She first went to the washroom to wash her hands, then found Parker and briefly told him what happened. Parker¡¯s face changed, ¡°Thank you ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mr. Crane is waiting for you, you should go quickly.¡± Parker pushed open the door of the room and was hit with the smell of blood. He was taken aback, quickly stepping over to Aidan, ¡°Mr. Crane.¡± What he saw was bloodstains on the carpet, and Aidan¡¯s arm, now wrapped in white gauze. The bleeding had stopped, Aidan¡¯s lips were pale, he looked at Parker, ¡°Find out what happened tonight!¡± Parker helped Aidan up, feeling his body hot as a furnace. ¡°You¡­¡± Although the pain had sobered him up, the effects of the drug hadn¡¯t subsided. Aidan struggled to say, ¡°Bring a woman, a clean one.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Parker nodded. Ten minutester, a ck Bentley limousine slowly drove into the street. At night, there weren¡¯t many cars on Serenity Avenue. Under a long stretch of red lights, a ck car stopped. Parker looked up into the rearview mirror, the front and back seats werepletely separated by a partition. From the other side of the partition, came the faint sounds of a woman¡¯s breath. ¡°My name is¡­ Deanna¡­¡± Then, a man¡¯s rough voice interrupted her, ¡°I don¡¯t need to know your name!¡± ¡°Ah, your arm is bleeding¡­¡± Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Up on the second floor of the Starlight Hotel, a guy decked out in a ck waiter¡¯s uniform whipped out his phone. After a quick look around to make sure no one was watching, he gave a heads up to the guy on the other end of the line. Pete, Kami Lindberg is in the lounge. She¡¯s alone. Aidan didn¡¯t touched her He¡¯s left.¡± ¡°Keep Kami on lock. I¡¯m on my way.¡± About ten minutester, Pete rolled up. Logan, keep an eye on the door.¡± He instructed and then made a beeline for the lounge Scattered on the floor were women¡¯s clothes. He halted, bent down, and picked up Kami¡¯s intimate apparel¨Ca light pink number withcy trimmings. He brought it close to his nose and took a good, long whiff. Faint rose scent, mixed with Kami¡¯s own aroma. Pete¡¯s mind was racing Kami had been knocked out cold by Aidan. Now, she was sprawled on a bed, barely covered by a thin nket. Pete eyed the unconscious Kami, and couldn¡¯t resist lifting the nket. His pupils were dting like crazy He bent down, his nose tracing her cheek and then further down, taking in a deep breath. A bold thought popped into Pete¡¯s mind. He was a notorious flirt, always surrounded by women, but he had never been with a high¨Csocietydy like Kami. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Why was his status lower than Aidan¡¯s, despite both of them being chummy with the Lindberg family? Why did his father hold a lower rank than Aidan¡¯s, thereby putting him at a lower status than Aidan? Why was Aidan the one the Lindberg family¡¯s favorite little princess had the hots for? But things were about to change. Kami was about to be his! Half an hourter Pele got up, looking at Kami, now in a state of disarray on the bed. Kami was still out cold, not yet awake, and clueless about the identity of the man with whom she had just been with. Pete got dressed, adjusted Kami into various poses, and snapped a couple of pictures on his phone. Satisfied, he made his exit. Outside, Logan came up to him as soon as he emerged ¡°Pete¡± Pete gave him a once¨Cover. ¡°did you take care of the surveince?¡± ¡°Surveince is handled. No one¡¯s going to know you were here tonight.¡± Pete gave a nod. ¡°Good.¡± Meanwhile, outside Carter¡¯s lounge on the third floor, David slipped out after making sure Carter was asleep. He bumped into Lucian and immediately bowed slightly. ¡°Mr. Lindberg¡± ¡°Is Carter asleep?¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Lindberg. He had a great time today, but he¡¯s wiped out now.¡± After all, a party thatsted over four hours would drain anyone, let alone an old man. ¡°Good, I¡¯ll head back then. Take care of Carter for me.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± After Lucian left, David clenched his fists and straightened up. He was Carter¡¯s adopted son. To Lucian and the other Lindberg kids, he was just ¡°David¡°, in reality, nothing more than a butler, albeit a high¨Cranking one, for the Lindberg family And Taylor was just a kid Sophia Crane had brought home, but he held a higher status than David. If it weren¡¯t for that ident, Taylor might still be alive, might have taken over the Lindberg Corporation shares by now, and David would still have nothing. His phone started to ring. David took out his phone. It was his son. He felt a twinge of irritation. Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Secondster, he couldn¡¯t help but shout out, ¡°What, you dare¡±¡± The words had barely left his mouth when he seemed to realize something, and he quickly lowered his voice He was about to be driven mad by Pete The original n was to have him act ording to Penelope¡¯s intentions to deal with Aidan, informing Carter about Aidan¡¯s rape of Kami. That way, Carter would definitely be funous and disappointed with Aidan. But Pete messed up his n. ¡°Pete, you¡¯re too reckless!¡± He signaled his bodyguard to stand at the door of Carter¡¯s lounge. David walked quickly into an empty lounge with his phone in hand, ¡°How could you rape Kami! You¡¯re just causing trouble for me! You can¡¯t control yourself, you jerk If he wasn¡¯t his only son. He would definitely teach him a lesson! Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. But at this point, David had calmed down and was thinking about how to handle the situation. Pete didn¡¯t expect to be scolded by David for his n. He hung up the phone and punched the wall! Fine, he was a jerk, he couldn¡¯t do anything right! Logan looked at Pete, ¡°Pete, don¡¯t be angry¡± Pete waved his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t follow me. The party is about to end. You should finish up, remember my order, handle this matter well! You know Aidan¡¯s capabilities If he finds out, we¡¯ll all be in hot water!¡± ¡°I got it, don¡¯t worry. The people in the surveince room are all arranged by me. This matter will definitely be handled well. But about Ms. nagan¡­ Pete: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she won¡¯t spill the beans¡± After all, this matter was also exposed by Penelope herself. Unless she was really willing to give up the position of Mrs. Lindberg¡­ It was past nine in the evening when the party ended. Dr. Dn¡¯s car slowly stopped about 40 meters away from the nagan family¡¯s door. ¡°You helped me tonight.¡± He looked at Allison in the passenger seat, and only then did he notice that Allison had changed into a dress under her ck coat. It was a longke blue dress. There were no lights in the car, and the light from the streetmp illuminated her Allison shed a smile, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Dr Dn. You don¡¯t need to be so formal.¡± ¡°You are still calling me Dr. Dn?¡± Dr. Dn gripped the steering wheel, ¡°Just call me Dn.¡± Allison responded with a smile, ¡°Okay.¡± Dr. Dn looked at her calm profile, feeling a little flutter in his heart. He wanted to say something, but feared startling Allison. Allison nced at the time and said, ¡°I should go now, goodbye.¡± She reached for the car door. However, just as her hand was about to touch the door, Dr. Dn¡¯s voice suddenly rang out, ¡°Wait.¡± She looked at him quizzically Dr. Dn seemed hesitant. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, and it took a long time before he asked, ¡°How is your mother?¡± He had previously heard from Allison that Grace had undergone a kidney transnt. Allison was a kind hearted girl who had been working hard so that her mother could undergo the operation. Dr. Dn had other things on his mind, so he didn¡¯t notice the sadness in Allison¡¯s words. He only heard her quietly say. ¡°She¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°If you have the time, you can bring her to my hospital. A renowned nephrologist from Northfield will be on duty there tomorrow. He only works once a week.¡± Thank you, Dr Dn Allison hesitated, then said, ¡°Dn¡¯ When he heard this address, Dr. Dn felt warmth flood his heart. He turned and helped her tighten her coat with a smile, ¡°Go home and rest early, good night.¡± Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Allison didn¡¯t expect him to suddenly get close, which scared her so much that she freaked out, and it reminded her of the incident at the party when someone mistook her for Dr. Dn¡¯s girlfriend She felt her cheeks burning, quickly said ¡°Goodnight¡°, and bolted from the car. Dr Dn watched her retreating figure and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ??? ?? ? ? ?? ? Seems like he scared her off. He shook his head, started the car and drove off¡­. Meanwhile, a ck Bentley parked in front of the nagan family¡¯s vi. Lucian got out of the car, saw a figure in blue exiting from a ck car, and bypassing the nagan family vi. His eyes squinted slightly, recalling her holding Dr. Dn¡¯s arm andughing joyfully tonight, he suddenly felt a bit grumpy. It took Penelope quite a while before she said, ¡°Lucian, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°It¡¯ste, I won¡¯t go upstairs, he said indifferently. Penelope had begged him toe visit her house, and he had already gotten out of the car. Why did he suddenly change his mind? She wanted to ask, but seeing his icy gaze, she swallowed her words. She managed a tender smile, ¡°See you tomorrow then.¡± ¡°Cora is taking you to the hospital for a check¨Cup tomorrow.¡± Penelope was taken aback, ¡°Tomorrow? So sudden?¡® Realizing her reaction was off, she quickly hid her panic, ¡°My mom took me to the hospitalst week, I don¡¯t¡® need to go often, can you tell her that for me¡­ As Lucian¡¯s profound gaze swept over her, Penelope suddenly felt a chill down her spine. The Lindberg family was so concerned about their offspring, this check¨Cup was clearly because they didn¡¯t trust her! She had no choice but to agree, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll trouble her tomorrow then.¡± Lucian nodded, his eyes deep, as if recalling something, he asked, ¡°Penelope, do you still remember two months ago, when we met at the Silver Star Hotel?¡± ¡°I remember, what¡¯s up?¡± Lucian lit a cigarette, holding it between his slender fingers, the intermittently glowing ember made his eyes seem unfathomable, ¡°You said that day you were celebrating a friend¡¯s birthday at the hotel?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Penelope answered somewhat nervously, looking at his eyes, they seemed like a whirlpool that heightened her anxiety, she didn¡¯t understand why Lucian suddenly brought this up. ¡°What was the room number?¡± Lucian asked while staring intently at her face, not missing any expressions, including her fleeting panic. Lucian took a puff of his cigarette, the pale smoke momentarily obscuring his handsome face, Penelope quickly searched for an excuse in her mind, ¡°It was my friend¡¯s brother¡¯s birthday, I went to celebrate for him that day, as for the room number¡­ I can¡¯t remember¡± His face was obscured by smoke, she couldn¡¯t see his gaze, only heard his voice, unable to tell whether he was happy or angry, ¡°You celebrated a birthday for a man, Penelope, I can get jealous.¡± Heaning this, Penelope¡¯s unease finally settled down, she said with a shy smile, ¡°Lucian, how could I possibly only celebrate a birthday with one guy, actually there were several other friends with me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± He had a meaningful smile on his face, he extinguished his cigarette, and said, ¡°You should go rest.¡± He recalled the information Shawn had found. At the Silver Star Hotel, no one had a birthday that day, if there was arge group celebrating, the hotel would prepare a cake in advance, but there wasn¡¯t And the floor he was on that day, the eighth floor, was a business executive floor. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. That day, there were only twelve guests on the eighth floor. And Lucian was one of them Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Well, there¡¯s just one truth. Penelope lied. Allison got home and carefully took off her dress, prepping it for the dry cleaners the next day. She¡¯d return it to Nte Willett when she gets the chance. In the bathroom, warm water flowed down her cheeks. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Allison¡¯s hand touched the spot on her corbone There was a bite mark, still faintly visible even under her makeup. Her fingers trembled slightly, then her eyes snapped open. Hot water got into her eyes, causing a sting This was the mark left by Lucian one night. It bled, swelled, scabbed over, and once healed, left this scar Her fingers trembled lightly The spot seemed to heat up, burning At tonight¡¯s banquet, they didn¡¯t interact at all. He seemed to be standing at a height she couldn¡¯t reach. Once again, she clearly saw the gap between them. They were never from the same world¡­¡­. When Allison came out of the shower, her phone rang. It was Dr. Dn She answered, and on the other end, Dr. Dn¡¯s voice came through, somewhat apologetic, ¡°Sorry to bother you sote, Allison I just forgot to ask, are you avable tomorrow night?¡± ¡°I have work tomorrow night,¡± Allison said. On the other end, Dr. Dn quickly asked, ¡°How about the day after? Are you avable then?¡± ¡°I can do lunch the day after What¡¯s up, Dr. Dn?¡± ¡°I want to take you to lunch as a thank you for your help today. And why are you calling me Dr. Dn again?¡± He didn¡¯t want to be so formal with her. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­¡± ¡°Allison, I really do want to treat you to a meal. Allison didn¡¯t refuse this time, and smiled faintly, ¡°Alright.¡± Meanwhile, the banquet at the Starlight Hotel had ended. Cora came out of Carter¡¯s resting room and suddenly remembered, ¡°Where¡¯s Kami? Howe I haven¡¯t seen her all night?¡± Next to her, David said, ¡°Earlier she went to y poker with a fewdies. Not sure which resting room she¡¯s in now.¡± Cora didn¡¯t take it to heart and said, ¡°David, go find her. Tell her to head home when she¡¯s done ying.¡± ¡°You know her temperament. Let her enjoy herself since she¡¯s happy today. I¡¯ll have some people wait for her here.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Cora said, ¡°Carter¡¯s already asleep. He¡¯ll stay here tonight. You can take him home tomorrow. I¡¯ll be leaving first. If there¡¯s anything, get in touch with Zachary Lindberg¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll personally stay here tonight.¡± Cora nodded at David David looked at her, suddenly seeming to zone out ¡®Cora Cora picked up her phone, stopped in her tracks, and gave David a look, ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Nothing. I have the driver take you home.¡± Cora nced at the text message on her phone and sighed. It was from Jason. He couldn¡¯t even attend such an important banquet, making her worry for him. She suddenly remembered Lucian¡¯s words before he left, ¡®David, I have some urgent matters to attend to tomorrow Find someone reliable to take Penelope to the hospital for a checkup. See how her baby is doing¡± ¡°Alright.¡± David watched Cora¡¯s retreating figure. The air seemed to be filled with a faint, intoxicating fragrance. After Cora left, he turned to the person next to him, ¡°How¡¯s Kami?¡± ¡°She¡¯s still out cold¡± Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Chapter 105 -David gave a nod, saying, ¡®Don¡¯t disturb her. Once she wakes up, inform me immediately¡± After a moment, he added. ¡°And keep Pete away from her David didn¡¯t agree with how Pete was acting around Kami, but given the circumstances, he had to keep Pete¡¯s secret. As for Kami, he watched her grow up and had a soft spot for her. The middle of the night, Room 211. Kami slowly opened her eyes, her entire body aching. She felt temble As she looked at the dim surroundings, she realized¡­ This was Aidan¡¯s lounge. A blush crept onto her face at the thought. She had never experienced anything like this before, but the soreness and difort in her body made it clear what had happened between her and Aidan. Tears welled up in Kami¡¯s eyes as she looked around the room. She was still in the room, but Aidan was gone. A nce at the clock showed it was 2 in the morning Kami almost stumbled as she got up from the bed. She hadn¡¯t expected Aidan, who always seemed so aloof, to be so passionate. But why did he leave without staying with her? After all, it was her first time¡­ The next morning. The Lindberg family¡¯s car pulled up at the front door. Penelope descended the stairs, worried. Her pregnancy dates didn¡¯t match up. If she went for a detailed examination, the ultrasound would quickly reveal the real gestational age, and then she¡¯d be screwed! She thought she just had to keep it a secret for a few months, then find an excuse to get an abortion after marrying Lucian. She didn¡¯t expect the Lindberg family to be so concerned about their offspring that they¡¯d monitor her prenatal check¨Cups now. Last night, she contacted Pete. She wondered how he had arranged things. At the vi entrance, Logan saw Penelopeing out and immediately got out of the car to greet her, ¡°Ms. nagan, hop in. Cora had somethinge up today. so she asked me to apany you to the check¨Cup.¡± Penelope¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Wasn¡¯t he the guy Pete sentst night? Logan: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms nagan, Pete has everything arranged.¡± Her mood immediately brightened, and all her worries vanished. She got into the car with Logan. That evening, at the Red Jack Club. Allison was in the break room, taking a short break, when suddenly the door was knocked hard. Then the door was flung open from outside, and Payton rushed in, ¡°Allison, something happened to Ashley!¡± Allison was taken aback, ¡°What happened, calm down!¡± Payton grabbed Allison¡¯s wrist, pulling her along as she exined, ¡°I¡¯m not sure, another server told me. She said it looks like Ashley stole something.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Allison had worked with Ashley for a long time, she knew Ashley wouldn¡¯t do such a thing! They quickly arrived at Room 413. There was quite a crowd at the door. ¡°This is the server who stole my stuff! I went to the bathroom, and when I returned my bracelet was gone! It had twenty¨Cthree pink diamonds in it! I can¡¯t believe the Red Jack Club employs such dishonest servers!¡± Sarah was also there, ¡°I¡¯m very sorry. I¡¯ve already had someone check the surveince. We¡¯ll find your bracelet¡± She nced at Ashley. ¡°Ashley, apologize¡± Ashley quickly denied, ¡°I really didn¡¯t steal anything!* Sarah red at her and sternly said, ¡°Shut up, apologize now!¡± Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Chapter 106 The current situation was, whether she really did the stealing or not, they could tell just by the way thesedies were dressed that they clearly came from loaded families, here to throw a birthday bash. If Ashley did indeed ruin their good vibes, then yeah, it¡¯s on her. Ashley was forced to apologize but adamantly denied she stole the bracelet. Soon, a staffer walked in. ¡°This here¡¯s the CCTV footage, and I don¡¯t see Ashley swiping anything¡± But, this didn¡¯t exactly prove Ashley didn¡¯t do the swiping either Thedy who lost her stuff is named Astnd ording to her, she took off her bracelet and put it in her bag when she went to the restroom. When Ashley came over to pour the drinks, the other twodies were right there on the couch, super close to the bag. The CCTV was on a rotation When it swung to the other side, there would be a few seconds of blind spot. If someone nicked the bracelet in those few seconds, no one would see it. Astrid looked stunned. Her two besties were clearly not amused ¡°You¡¯re saying I took Astrid¡¯s bracelet?¡± a Chanel¨Cddy called Le stood up, fuming. ¡°What the hell? So the server swipes a bracelet and you¡¯re pinning it on me and Winnie?¡± Winnie chimed in, ¡°That bracelet was my birthday gift to Astrid, why would I steal a gift I gave her?¡± As soon as this was out, Le looked pissed. Within those five seconds, Le and Winnie were closest to the bag. The pink diamond bracelet was Winnie¡¯s gift, she obviously wouldn¡¯t steal it. So, it boiled down to Le and Ashley. Ashley looked at Le. Astrid also shot Le a nce, furrowing her brows. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Could it be? Le, feeling the stares, blurted out, ¡°The server steals something and you want to me me? Like I need the money!¡± She took Astrid¡¯s hand, ¡°Astrid, call the cops, let¡¯s teach this server a lesson!¡± Ashley quickly looked at Sarah. Sarah was also getting anxious. The CCTV footage really couldn¡¯t clear Ashley¡¯s name. Besides, those two were rich girls, they wouldn¡¯t need to steal anything. Things were escting Astrid¡¯s bracelet was gone, and they wouldn¡¯t let it slide without answers. Ashley was praying Sarah could vouch for her, when Payton and Allison walked in. She rushed over, ¡°Allison, Payton.¡± ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± Before Allison could speak, a girl in a beige id dress on the sofa suddenly eximed excitedly, ¡°Allison, do you remember me?¡± Allison was taken aback, looking at the beaming Nte. What a coincidence¡­ she just met her at the banquet yesterday and here she was again. Allison didn¡¯t say anything. Nte thought she forgot and quickly added, ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? Yesterday, at the banquet, I spilled wine on you¡­¡± ¡°I remember¡± Nte finallyughed, ¡°What a coincidence.¡± She even gave her a wink, ¡°We spent a long time talking about youst night.¡± Why were they talking about her? Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Allison frowned, but now was not the time to ask questions. Although she had only met Nte once, she felt a certain liking for her. She quickly said, ¡®Nte, my friend didn¡¯t steal Astrid¡¯s bracelet. Could Astrid maybe think again, maybe she left it somewhere.¡± Or someone else snagged it. Nte nodded, ¡°Okay, you helped me yesterday, it¡¯s my turn to help you now.¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Then she tumed to Astrid, ¡°Astrid, I think we should drop this. It¡¯s just a bracelet, right? I could get you a new one.¡± Astrid frowned, looking at Nte. She wanted more than just a bracelet, but Nte was Babur Willett¡¯s granddaughter Her mother had told her to mingle with Nte more. If she pissed off Nte because of this, her mother would definitely scold her when she got home. Astnd hesitated for a moment, then said. ¡°Since you said so, I¡®!! let it slide. But she nced at Ashley and Sarah, ¡°Are you in charge here? My bracelet, worth over thirty grand, got lost here. Can the Red Jack Club still call itself the most upscale entertainment venue in Northfield?¡± Seeing the situation calming down, Sarah breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°All your bills for today will be waived. We apologize for any inconvenience caused and hope for your understanding!¡± Astrid gotpensation for her dignity and money, plus Nte¡¯s words, and Sarah also gave her enough respect. She pouted, ¡°Fine, but your waiters need to watch their actions from now on!¡± Allison gestured for Payton to take Ashley away first. Sarah nced at Allison, knowing that she knew Nte, and ordered, ¡°Allison, you¡¯ll be serving this booth tonight.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Once everyone had left, Astrid took Nte¡¯s hand, ¡°I¡¯m doing this out of respect for you¡± Although Astrid didn¡¯tck bracelets, she wasn¡¯t happy about losing thirty grand just like that, and she really liked that bracelet. Winnie said, ¡°It¡¯s your birthday tonight, as long as you¡¯re happy.¡± Le looked at Astrid, also breathed a sigh of relief, her palms were a bit numb, her gaze kept lingering on her bag. Nte clearly heard what Astrid meant, and quickly said, ¡°it¡¯s just a bracelet, I¡¯ll get you a new one tomorrow.¡± ¡°I knew you were the best to me!¡± Astrid finally smiled. Nte turned to Allison, squinted and smiled, ¡°Allison, you work here?¡± As she said this, she looked at Allison¡¯s uniform, the simple ck and red color scheme, shirt paired with a short skirt. Allison nodded, ¡°Do you need anything else? Today¡¯s Astrid¡¯s birthday, do you want me to prepare a cake?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯ve already ordered a cake, it should be here soon.¡± Astrid finally turned her gaze to Allison, just an ordinary waitress, why would Nte help her. ¡°Nte, who is she?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a friend of mine. She works here.¡± Allison didn¡¯t expect Nte to answer like this, she was a bit surprised. As a regr waitress, her monthly sry wasn¡¯t even enough for these rich girls to go to the salon once, how could she be friends with a rich girl like Nte? Not only Allison, but the other rich girls were also a bit surprised. Nte was Babur¡¯s granddaughter, how many rich girls usually wanted to tter her. But since Nte had already said so, the others couldn¡¯t say anything else. Astridughed a little, ¡°So, you¡¯re Nte¡¯s friend. I¡¯m Astrid¡± ¡°Hi, I¡¯ll go prepare a fruit tter for you guys, just hang tight.¡± Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Nte felt a vibe from Allison that was familiar and gentle, polite and unassuming, not like those women who usually buttered her up. So, she wanted to get closer to Allison She was worried that she forgot to ask for Allison¡¯s contact info because she left in a hurry yesterday, but now, since Allison works here, she can swing by more often. Allison quickly brought over a fruit tter. As Nte was chatting her up, Allison said, ¡°Miss Willett, I¡¯ve sent the dress you lent me to the cleaners. I¡¯ll return it to you once it¡¯s cleaned¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that I was giving you that dress?¡± Nte frowned, ¡°And call me Nte, not Miss Willett. It¡¯s too formal¡± ¡°Nte Allison looked a bit helpless in front of the socialite who wouldn¡¯t stop chattering, as if she was curious about everything about her. ¡°Allison, the dress you wore yesterday was so pretty. What brand is it?¡± ¡°Nte ¡± ¡°And your hairstylest night was so beautiful. It looks even better than the ones I get done at the stylist. Did you do it yourself?¡± ¡°Nte.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Nte nodded, finally responding. Allison didn¡¯t expect this well¨Cdressed socialite to be like this. ¡°Nte, I still have to work.¡± ¡®Didn¡¯t the manager assign you to work here? I got it! Then you can bring us two bottles of wine. You can pick for me. Just make sure it¡¯s not too strong.¡± ¡°Okay, we just got some new fruit wine in the cer. I¡¯ll go get you some.¡± With that, Allison pretty much bolted from the room. She¡¯s not really good at dealing with lively people like Nte. When Allison went to the wine cer, she also stopped by the break room, where she found Payton and Ashley. Ashley¡¯s eyes welled up the moment she saw her. ¡°Those rich people are so mean! They lost something and med it on me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay¡± ¡°Allison, you know Nte?¡± Payton asked curiously. ¡°How do you know her name is Nte?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Don¡¯t you keep up with celebrity news? Ntees from a well¨Coff family. She entered the entertainment industry right after school, and she just won a popr neer award a few days ago.¡± Allison really didn¡¯t know. So, Nte is a popr star. She didn¡¯t really keep up with celebrity news. She used to spend most of her time studying and working because of Grace¡¯s illness. Now¡­ she has even less time for that. Payton seemed excited. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you know her. We really owe you one this time. If not for you, Ashley would be in serious trouble. She might even get fired.¡± Ashley sobbed, ¡°Allison, thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, you really scared Payton and me today.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t steal anything¡± Ashley said, wiping her tears. ¡°How could I steal such an expensive diamond bracelet from where I work?¡± Allison sighed. She knew that. But many things aren¡¯t that simple. Allison asked Payton to stay with Ashley, checked the time and said, ¡°I need to get back to the room. We¡¯ll talk more after work.¡± When Allison returned to the room, Nte asked for her contact info. Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Seeing Allison reluctant, Nte couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. She was drawn to Allison¡¯s polite manner and fair attitude. Jokingly, she said, ¡°If I buy drinks here, will you get amission or something?¡± Allison nodded, ¡°Two percent.¡± Nte ¡°That¡¯s so little. Isn¡¯t it a bit inappropriate for you to tell me this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a secret¡± ¡°So if I buy a couple more bottles, does that mean you¡¯ll earn more tonight?¡± Allison didn¡¯t expect her to ask this, she calmly replied, ¡°Tonight, your drinks are on the house.¡± Nte¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°So, you¡¯re working for free then.¡± Allison nodded again. Nte¡¯s expression turned serious, ¡°What¡¯s your wage for tonight? I can pay you.¡± Allison was taken aback, speechless. ¡°You¡­¡± Are you a bit nuts? Le went to the restroom, and Astrid followed. Inside, while they were touching up their makeups, Astrid curiously asked, ¡°Who¡¯s that waitress? Howe she¡¯s familiar with Nte?¡± Le, not hearing clearly, quickly responded, ¡°I have no idea.¡± After Astrid finished with her makeup and saw Le still applying hers, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll go back first.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. After she left, Le finally put back her lipstick and pulled out a pink diamond bracelet from her bag. It was the bracelet that Astrid had lost. Le put the bracelet on her wrist. With her slender wrist, the pink diamond bracelet sparkled brilliantly. She smirked, a beautiful bracelet like this suits best on her wrist. Allison busied herself until the closing hours. After all the customers had left, she had the cleaning staff tidy up before closing the door. In Sarah¡¯s office. She was smoking, gray smoke slowly curling out from her red lips. Ashley hung her head and argued softly, ¡°I truly didn¡¯t steal anything.¡± Sarah raised an eyebrow, exhaling a puff of smoke and sighing, ¡°Ashley, this is how society works. The rich are always privileged. To keep your job, you need topromise I don¡¯t care whether you did it or not. I just hope that in case something like this happens in the future, you¡¯ll learn how to minimize your loss.¡± Looking at the young girl before her, she couldn¡¯t help feeling pity. Ashley whimpered lightly, ¡°I understand.¡± But she didn¡¯t actually get it. She didn¡¯t steal anything, why should she apologize! Sarah: ¡°Half of your sry will be deducted this month.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t say anything further, she just walked out, head down. Outside the door, she saw Allison standing there. Seeing her red¨Crimmed eyes, Allison gently patted her shoulder, ¡°Go rest now, and stop thinking about this.¡± In pain, Ashley asked, ¡°Don¡¯t the poor have dignity? Why should we be insulted by the rich?!¡± Allison didn¡¯t know what to say tofort her, so she just hugged her tightly. ¡°Ashley, go to sleep. When you wake up tomorrow, forget about all the unpleasant things.¡± After tucking Ashley in, she knocked on the door and went into Sarah¡¯s office. Since she started working at the Red Jack Club, she had only been to Sarah¡¯s office twice. The first time was when she first arrived. The second time was now Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Chapter 110 There were a handful of managers at the Red Jack Club, and after nearly a month of working here, Allison still hadn¡¯t managed to identify all of them. She only knew Sarah and Serena, who were both managers here, each responsible for different floors and mainly in charge of drinks and food, leading a tearn of a hundred servers each. The big shot here was Samuel. Samuel was like the go¨Cto guy for stuff that Sarah and Serena couldn¡¯t handle, they would turn to him. As for Samuel¡¯s boss¡­ Who the hell was the mysterious boss of the Red Jack Club? No one had a clue. Even Samuel himself had never met his boss face to face The office decor here was pretty much the same across the board, but Sarah had a unique taste. She had a thing for filling her office with nts and flowers, a stark contrast to the typicalvish golden vibe of the ce. Stepping into Sarah¡¯s office, people could easily mistake it for a flower shop. The air was thick with the mixed scent of various flowers, and then the smell of ady¡¯s cigarette ¡°Ms. Sarah.¡± Allison looked at Sarah, who was sitting at her desk. Sarah was dressed in a ssic ck women¡¯s suit, with a brooch on her chest, a ckce blouse underneath, and a short skirt. Her makeup was exquisite. She was around 36 years old but didn¡¯t look it. Her hair was tied up low and she blew smoke rings from her red lips. When she smiled, there was a fine line at the corner of her eyes. She was totally different from Serena. Serena was seductive and enticing, while Sarah was rather aloof. ¡°Allison, good job tonight. I¡¯m gonna add a little bonus to your paycheck this month¡± ¡°Thanks¡± Allison bowed her head slightly. She waited for Sarah to continue, but the room fell silent for a few minutes. Was that all Sarah wanted to tell her? About the bonus? ¡°Ms. Sarah, I¡¯ll leave you be then.¡± As she turned to leave the office. Sarah¡¯s voice came from behind her, ¡°Allison, what would you do if you were used of theft tonight?¡± Allison paused, her hand on the doorknob. What would she do? After a two¨Csecond silence, she replied, ¡°Whatever you tell me to.¡°. She couldn¡¯t afford to lose this job. Her mom was still in the hospital waiting for her. Poor people really had no dignity. Sarah was taken aback. ¡°Allison, you¡¯re a smart girl.¡± Allison left Sarah¡¯s office. She didn¡¯t head home right away. It was two in the morning and Sarah¡¯s words echoed in her ears. Was she smart? No, she definitely wasn¡¯t. Ever since she was a kid, Grace always called her a dumb girl. She wasn¡¯t always like this She had been falsely used before, she knew how much it hurt. Since she was a child, she had been falsely used countless times. Every time something of Penelope¡¯s went missing, she was the prime suspect. A few days She wanted to find out the truth, but every time Grace would force her to apologize to Penelope, which she tly refused. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Grace always apologized humbly, taking all the me. She always said she hadn¡¯t raised her child properly. Although Mr. nagan was kind to her and Grace, he never really looked into these matters. Just like the time when she was used of stealing Penelope¡¯s engagement ring at the Lindberg family¡¯s ce. Christopher nagan didn¡¯t really care if she did it or not, he just didn¡¯t want the nagan family to look bad in front of the Lindbergs Allison felt a chill in her heart. Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Chapter 111 She¡¯s been on this for 22 years, and it¡¯s been like wrestling in hell or surviving harsh winters. Her childhood was filled with joyful birthdays. But then an earthquake struck Cloudville and she lost her beloved grandma After that, she was taken in by Joshua Zimmer and Grace into the Lindberg family At the age of 13, she lost her dad and brother to an ident Her mother lost all joy and waster diagnosed with kidney disease. Until now, all the responsibilities had been shouldered by Allison. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. But no matter how tough the run was, she as determined to find Grace. She would take her out of Northfield. In the old town of Northfield, there¡¯s a mental hospital. It¡¯s not a big hospital, just two buildings. One is the outpatient building, and behind it is the inpatient building. This inpatient building only houses a handful of patients, most of them can¡¯t even remember their own names. They only have a few nurses looking after them. The inpatient building has six floors, and the top floor can only be reached by one elevator. There used to be two elevators, but one was removed a month ago. There are sometimes rumors in the mental hospital. ¡°Dr. Andy, how¡¯s that patient on the sixth floor doing? Why are there so many bodyguards there? Is the patient some big shot?¡± Dr. Andy adjusted his sses, ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve never been there.¡± But he was still a bit curious. This patient didn¡¯t seem to be here for mental illness. The doctors and nurses taking care of this patient were unfamiliar. This was just an old mental hospital with a few doctors and nurses. Suddenly, there were strangers, and it was obvious. ¡°I heard that patient has kidney disease.¡± A janitor chimed in, ¡°I overheard once while sweeping the floor, that patient had a kidney transnt surgery¡­ something about rejection response¡­¡± The nurse gasped, ¡°A kidney transnt? Why would that surgery happen in a mental hospital? That patient is even heavily guarded, I saw four bodyguards at the door.¡± Dr. Andy reminded them, ¡°You should put your curiosity away, take the patients back to their rooms, ytime¡¯s over.¡± Just then, a ck car pulled into the hospital. Ms. Adeline looked up and asked the nurse beside her, ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen this car before.¡± The nurse replied, ¡°This car has been here four times in a month, about once a week, seems like it¡¯s here for the patient on the sixth floor.¡± Ms. Adeline mused, ¡°How mysterious¡± Suddenly, a nurse ran out from inside, shouting, ¡°Heath is missing, has anyone seen him?¡± Ms. Adeline frowned, ¡°Heath? Wasn¡¯t he swinging with you on thewn?¡± The nurse shook her head, ¡°I just went to the restroom, and when I came out Heath was gone.¡± Heath was a 13¨Cyear¨Cold boy who was brought here by his family six months ago because he would say crazy things like he could see the future or ghosts behind you, which scared his parents, so they decided to send Heath here. But in the past six months, Heath¡¯s condition hasn¡¯t improved. He still says things that people can¡¯t understand. Meanwhile, Allison was led out of the car blindfolded, guided by a bodyguard. Today was Saturday, the day she visited her mom. The air was filled with the familiar smell of disinfectant. She carefully counted her steps as she came out of the elevator, walked a few steps to the door of a hospital room. The bodyguard who apanied her seemed to have a few words with someone, then the door to the room was opened, her blindfold was removed, and Allison was in Grace¡¯s room. ¡°Mom¨C¡± Chapter 112 Chapter 112 Chapter 112 She caught sight of the middle¨Caged woman sitting by the window, knitting a scarf. Tears welled up in her eyes as she approached. Grace was looking much better, popping a ton of anti¨Crejection meds every day, with no obvious side effects. She was tightly controlled, only allowed to see Allison once a week. ¡®Allison.¡± ¡°Mom, how have you been feelingtely?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She caressed Allison¡¯s face, ¡°You¡¯ve been through so much.¡± Allison put her face against her mother¡¯s cheek, ¡°Mom, I promise I¡¯ll get you out of here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, they won¡¯t hurt me. Don¡¯t quarrel with Mrs. nagan and Ms. nagan, don¡¯t be so stubborn, learn topromise.¡± ¡°I understand, mom.¡± Looking at Grace¡¯s pale and weak figure, Allison felt her heart aching. Grace had lost a lot of weight after surgery, but overall, she was in pretty good spirits. Something suddenly urred to Allison, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s your blood type?¡± Grace was taken aback, her hands stopped moving. ¡°I forgot. I¡¯m getting old, I forget things.¡± Allison was making the bed and didn¡¯t notice the change in Grace¡¯s expression, as if she was avoiding something. Allison mumbled to herself, ¡°It¡¯s weird, mine didn¡¯t match your blood type¡­¡± ¡°Allison.¡± Grace cut her off, pulling her hand to sit next to her on the bed. She tenderlybed Allison¡¯s hair behind her ear, ¡°You only visit so rarely, let¡¯s just chat.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Allison agreed, picking up an apple to peel. Grace sighed, ¡°You¡¯ve grown up so much. Seeing Ms. nagan getting married, I just hope you can find your happiness. ¡°Allison, don¡¯t miss out if you meet the right person.¡± ¡°Mom, I just hope you get better soon. Being with you is my happiest moment.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a good girl.¡± Grace was in high spirits being cheered up by her. Allison finished peeling the apple, nced at the time. It was almost time for her appointment with Dr. Dn. She stood up, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve made a lunch appointment with a friend today. I have to go now, I¡¯lle to see you again next week.¡± Grace¡¯s eyes lit up at the news, ¡°Friend? Boy or girl?¡± Allison answered, ¡°It¡¯s Dr. Dn from Heating Haven Hospital, the doctor who treated you before.¡± ¡°Dr. Dn is a great guy. Allison, you should cherish him.¡±? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Grace seemed thrilled, while Allison was taken aback, realizing her mother had misunderstood. She quickly exined, ¡°Mom, we¡¯re not dating.¡­¡­.. Before she could finish her sentence, her phone rang. The iing call disyed ¡°Dr. Dn¡°. What a coincidence. Allison looked helplessly into Grace¡¯s eyes, ¡°Mom, I have to go now, take good care of yourself.¡± Grace smiled, ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯m fine here, I don¡¯tck anything.¡± Grace¡¯s indifference made Allison¡¯s heart ache even more. How could she possibly be okay in such a tiny room? Especially when she had to endure the pain from the rejection reaction. She looked too skinny. Allison held back her tears, said her goodbyes. At the door, a bodyguard blindfolded her and led her away. After walking a few steps, Allison suddenly clutched her stomach, her face contorted with pain, ¡°My stomach hurts, I need to use the bathroom.¡± Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Chapter 113 ¡°What a pain!¡± The bodyguard escorting her out seemed a bit annoyed. Yet seeing her apparently in real pain, he softened a bit. Allison was really good¨Clooking. Her eyes were covered with a ck veil, making them invisible. But the aura she emanated was enough to convince anyone of her beauty Her voice turned gentle, a bit coquettish, ¡°I¡¯m just popping to the loo, I¡¯ll be super quick. You can wait by the door, I promise I won¡¯t try anything¡± The bodyguard thought it over and found her point valid. Allison knew how to y her cards. Her deliberately coquettish tone cased his guard, and he escorted her to the restroom door, ¡°The restroom is right in there. Go in ande out as soon as possible¡± *Thank you¡± Allison went into the restroom, took off her veil and scanned the surroundings. There were no windows in the restroom, only venttion ducts. She took a ck pen from her pocket, made a mark on the restroom wall, and was about to leave when she heard a noise from one of the cubicles. Allison paused. She walked towards the cubicle where the sound wasing from.. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She knocked at the door lightly. ¡°Do you need help?¡± A weak voice came from inside the cubicle. Allison frowned, didn¡¯t respond, and decided to open the door directly. Inside was a little boy. He was dressed in the hospital gown that read Mercy Grove Hospital. Her pupils contracted. Mercy Grove Hospital! It was that the mental hospitali So, Grace was really hidden here by Leah! ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she bent down to look at him. He looked really down, ¡°Do you believe me?¡± Allison knew the boy had a mental disorder, but seeing his pitiful state, she couldn¡¯t help but feel sympathetic She smiled and said, ¡°I believe you. Do you have something to tell me?¡± ¡°My mom steals stuff. She had a baby for someone else, and she visits that baby every week, but when I told my dad and mom, they said I was lying. nobody believes me.¡± He looked really down and then suddenly pointed at Allison and startedughing. ¡°There¡¯s a beautiful moon behind you.¡± Allison didn¡¯t expect him to say that. His mom had a baby for someone else? She cheated? ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Heath¡± Allison couldn¡¯t stay any longer, Leah¡¯s bodyguard was waiting at the door. She said to him, ¡°There¡¯s also a beautiful moon behind you, Heath.¡± His eyes lit up. ¡°You can see my moon top? ¡°I can, it¡¯s a big round moon.¡± Havingforted Heath, Allison walked out of the restroom, was blindfolded again, and left the hospital. She sat in the car, now certain that Grace was being held at Mercy Grove Hospital by Leah. After leaving the hospital, Allison went to the Secret Garden Diner, where she had arranged to meet Dr. Dn. The Secret Garden Diner was a famous European restaurant in Northfield, and everyone had to book in advance to dine there. They were early for their reservation, so they sat in the waiting area. Allison sat on a wooden chair, her eyes downcast, calm and gentle, exuding a refined aura Dr. Dn looked at her, his heart pounding. He couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Allison, can I call you Allison?¡± Allison smiled, ¡°Of course¡± Dr. Dn gathered his courage, ¡°I really like you, Allison. Will you be my girlfriend?¡± Allison was startled. She suddenly looked up, her bright eyes looked at Dr. Dn. It seemed like it took her a few seconds to react. Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Chapter 114 She gripped her hands tightly, wanting to say something, but didn¡¯t know how to put it into words. Since he¡¯d already confessed his feelings, Dr. Dn had no more hesitations. He looked straight at Allison and said, ¡°I¡¯m serious. Ever since the first time you came to the hospital with your mom, I noticed you. You¡¯re kind, strong, and I gradually found myself attracted to you. I think we¡¯re a good match¡­¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. She seemed a bit lost, ¡°Dr. Dn, you¡¯re great, but I¡¯m not as good as you think. You know my mom¡¯s health condition I haven¡¯t even graduated yet, and i don¡¯t have a decent job. You¡¯re so amazing, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m good enough for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡± He gripped Allison¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t reject me. We can try dating. I don¡¯t care about your job. I¡¯m a doctor, I can help take care of your mom. If you really don¡¯t like me, then I¡¯ll give up.¡± Allison fell silent. It was impossible for her not to be moved. Dr. Dn was indeed outstanding, attractive, from a good family, and he was always working hard. But her¡­ she just didn¡¯t feel like she was on his level. ¡°Are you willing to give it a try?¡± Allison was dazed for a moment. His hand was so warm. 1 ¡°If you don¡¯t say anything, I¡¯ll take it as a yes.¡± Dr. Dn was nervous, ¡°I¡¯ll count to three. Allison¡¯s breath quickened. She hadn¡¯t figured out how to respond when she suddenly heard Dr. Dn say, ¡°Three.¡± Her eyes widened in surprise, ¡°Dr. Dn¡­¡± Allison didn¡¯t expect such a trick from someone like Dr. Dn Dr. Dn seemed a bit embarrassed, he ran a hand through his hair and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡± Allison¡¯s face turned red. With him saying that, she was even more unsure of how to respond. Just as the situation was getting awkward, a familiar female voice came, ¡°Are we eating here?¡± Allison instinctively turned around, seeing Lucian and Penelope entering the restaurant. Penelope also noticed them, her eyes widened at Allison, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Lucian nced in the direction of the voice, his indifferent gaze fell on Allison, and next to her¡­ Dr. Dn. His eyes narrowed, looking them over. Unaware of the subtle atmosphere between them, Dr. Dn politely said, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, Ms. nagan.¡± Lucian gave a slight nod in response. Penelope, on the other hand, proudly jutted her chin and said to the waiter while holding onto Lucian¡¯s arm, ¡°We¡¯ve booked a private room.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ready for you, pleasee in.¡± The waiter was very respectful and was about to lead the way, but Penelope noticed Lucian was still standing there. His gaze was still on Allison. He casually asked, ¡°Would you like to join us for dinner?¡± Allison immediately refused. ¡°No¡± ¡°Lucian¡­¡± Penelope didn¡¯t expect Lucian would invite them. Allison was of such low status, how dare she sit at the same table as Penelope? Dr. Dn smiled and said, ¡°Thank you very much, but we¡¯ve also booked a private room and are about to have dinner. So, we won¡¯t bother you. Lucian smirked, ¡°You just attended a banquet with Ms. Zimmerst night, and now you¡¯re already on a date. Things are moving quite fast between you. two.¡± Dr. Dn didn¡¯t catch the sarcasm in his words, he scratched his head awkwardly, but his hand was still tightly holding Allison¡¯s, ¡°Allison just agreed to be my girlfriend.¡± Allison bit her lips tightly, neither denying nor admitting. She gently tugged at Dr. Dn¡¯s hand and whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s go to another restaurant.¡± Lucian¡¯s gaze fell on their sped hands, his eyes growing colder. Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Chapter 115 The situation was like a thorn, stabbing harshly into his brain. He felt super ufortable, getting all squirmy whenever he saw those two together. Penelope nced at Allison, pretty pleased with what she had said, ¡°Lucian, let¡¯s go inside¡± But Lucian stood still, I used to hear my grandpa talk about you a lot. He said you¡¯re a real whiz at medicine. Since I have the chance to meet you today, I¡¯d like to pick your brain about a few things¡± He paused for a moment, then added slowly. ¡°You can bring your girlfriend along¡± When Allison heard the word ¡°girlfriend¡°, she started shaking like a leaf. She could feel the anger in his voice. Dr. Dn pondered for a while, then chuckled, ¡°Alright.¡± Allison bit her lip, watching his back, feeling a weird sensation inside. She instinctively wanted to steer clear of him, and¡­ she was feeling a bit jittery.. They were in a private dining room. Allison had been on edge ever since she walked in. Even without looking up, she could feel those icy gazes on her. Seeing her barely touching her food, Dr. Dn frowned and put a piece of steak in her bowl, ¡°Allison, try this.¡± ¡°Thanks¡± Allison muttered. She took a bite of the steak and felt the icy gaze grow even colder, as if it was going to freeze her solid. Suddenly, Penelope screamed. The ss that had been in front of Allison was knocked over by Penelope. Hot water sshed on Allison¡¯s legs, and the ss shattered on the floor.¡± Allison felt a sharp pain on her leg. Even through her clothes, the water was scalding hot. She winced from the pain, quickly got up, Penelope had already ¡®rushed¡® over to help her, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Allison, are you alright?¡± Allison knew she did it on purpose, brushed off her hand and stood up, I¡¯m fine, I just need to use the restroom.¡± In the restroom, after wiping off the water stains on her clothes, she looked up at the mirror, took a deep breath. Penelope did this just to make her feel awkward. She had to hold it together, she didn¡¯t want to cause Dr. Dn any trouble. After straightening her clothes, she left the restroom. As she turned the corner, suddenly, a pair of ck leather shoes appeared in her line of sight. Allison stopped abruptly, almost bumping into him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry-¡°She looked up, and saw Lucian¡¯s cold, handsome face. Seeing Lucian, Allison instinctively backed off. He looked at her defensive posture, and chuckled, ¡°Are you afraid of me?¡± Allison didn¡¯t know what came over her, her reaction just now was purely reflex.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. He moved closer, Allison backed off, until she was backed against the wall. He leaned in, his deep voice echoing. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to keep your distance from me?¡± Allison did say that. She really thought she would never see him again. They were really close. Allison lifted her head, her hair brushing his chin. She smelled his scent, a mix of light cologne and nicotine. Her cheeks flushed, she said, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, please behave yourself!¡± Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Chapter 116 ¡°Do you value your dignity so much?¡± He raised his hand, gently lifted her chin, looking at her nervous expression, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that when you were seducing me?¡± Allison thought, when did I ever seduce you? Allison¡¯s face turned red! She pushed him away, bent over in an attempt to escape from his control, but he caught both of her hands and pinned them against the wall. ¡°Who drugged me and got into my bed? Who was the one seducing me? I¡¯ve seen women like you who are so vain, your tricks are way too obvious. What can that man give you? He¡¯s just an ordinary doctor. Has he been intimate with you?¡± Thinking about this, his face turnedpletely gloomy. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Allison remained silent. She was wearing a camel coat today with a white shirt underneath. It was wet at the moment, the cor was slightly translucent, revealing an attractive figure. Lucian¡¯s fingers brushed her chin, ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Dr. Dn?¡± Allison knocked his hand away. ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± ¡°When did you hook up with him?¡± Lucian¡¯s face darkened even more, feeling extremely ufortable. There couldn¡¯t be other men near her. He gripped her chin, his eyes filled with malice She tried to pry his fingers open, ¡°Let go of me!! He¡¯s my boyfriend, that¡¯s between him and me, Lucian¡­¡± He grabbed her fingers, Allison couldn¡¯t break free no matter how she struggled. He watched her struggling anxiously, a faint scent wafted into his nose, he quickly bent down and kissed her lips harshly, Allison didn¡¯t react in time, and a sudden pain shot through her lips. Lucian bit down hard Instantly, her mouth filled with the taste of blood. He quickly let go of her. Allison saw a flicker of mockery in his eyes. She immediately understood, he did it on purpose! ¡°This is just a little lesson for you, Allison, my patience is limited¡± After saying this, Lucian didn¡¯t continue to torment her, he left seeming in a good mood. Returning to the washroom, Allison saw a cut on the corner of her lips in the mirror. It was quite obvious. She dabbed it with a tissue, the pain made her gasp. It was so obvious, she would definitely be found out when she went out. She couldn¡¯t understand why Lucian would do this!! ¡± 4 This wound wouldn¡¯t heal in less than half a month! How was she supposed to exin this to Dr. Dn? Allison helplessly stood in the washroom, after a while, she received a text from Dr. Dn. She hesitated for a moment before replying, ¡°Sorry, I just started my period, I can¡¯t leave the bathroom.¡± After a long time, Dr. Dn didn¡¯t reply. He must have left already, right? Allison breathed a sigh of relief, but then, a waitress came in and said, ¡°Are you Allison? A gentleman outside asked me to give this to you¡± Allison looked down and it was a pack of pads. She felt a warm feeling in her heart. At the same time, she felt even more guilty ¡°Could you ask that gentleman to help me get my bag?¡± ¡°Sure, please wait a moment.¡± A momentter, the waitress handed her bag over. Allison took a mask from her bag, put it on, and then walked out. As she stepped out, she saw Dr. Dn standing at the washroom door waiting for her. She said quietly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dn.¡± ¡°I should be the one apologizing I didn¡¯t notice that you weren¡¯t feeling well.¡± Dr. Dn said, while looking at the wet spots on her clothes, he quickly took off his coat and draped it over her, I¡¯ll take you home.¡± Allison felt a wave of warmth, and nodded in agreement. Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Dr. Dn¡¯s ride pulled up outside the nagan family¡¯s mansion. He hopped out of the car with Allison, ready to see her to the door, when Christopher¡¯s car rolled up. Christopher got out, shing a smile at Dr. Dn. ¡°Dr. Dn.¡± Dr. Dn responded politely, ¡°Mr. nagan¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t youe in and chill for a bit.¡± Inside the nagan living room. Christopher took a good look at Dr. Dn, growing more and more pleased with what he saw. He was relieved that Allison had such a great guy in her life. ¡°Allison mentioned you¡¯re Grace¡¯s main doc, Christopher said, his expression turningplicated at the mention of Grace. That¡¯s right, I¡¯ve been overseeing her treatment while she¡¯s been in the hospital.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°Can¡¯t thank you enough,¡± Christopher couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°How¡¯s Grace doing these days?¡± ¡°Grace¡¯s condition is stable for now¡± Dr. Dn looked a bit surprised, but quickly figured Allison hadn¡¯t told Christopher about Grace¡¯s kidney transnt. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief.¡± Christopher seemed to rx considerably. He¡¯d always felt guilty about Joshua, and Grace too. He knew he¡¯d let Grace down. For various reasons, he hadn¡¯t had a chance to visit her. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll continue to keep an eye on Grace.¡± Leah was about to head downstairs when she overheard this. Her face turned sour immediately. Christopher still couldn¡¯t forget about Grace! Over twenty years of this drama with Grace, it was high time to put an end to it! On a relentlessly rainy day Mercy Grove Hospital, 6th floor. Four burly bodyguards stood in front of room 611. When they saw Leah strutting over in her high heels, they greeted in unison, ¡°Mrs. nagan.¡± Grace had been staying here after her kidney transnt. Leah had never visited her before. This was her first time. At that moment, Grace was sitting by the window, staring nkly at the drizzle outside. Suddenly, she heard the door creak open. Grace¡¯s heart fluttered, hoping it was Allison, but she quickly realized Allison only came once a week on schedule. She turned to see Leah. Grace was a bit taken aback, but quicklyposed herself. ¡°Mrs. nagan Leah looked around the room as she spoke, ¡°it¡¯s been a long time, Grace,¡± she paused, ¡°my dear sister.¡± Grace kept a poker face. ¡°Mrs. nagan, what brings you here?¡± Leah had never visited since she was hospitalized. ¡°Are you disappointed to see me?¡± Leah snapped, ¡°Don¡¯t think for a second I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to! Christopher¡¯s not going toe visit you!¡± Grace retorted instantly, ¡°That was a misunderstanding, I have nothing to do with Mr. nagan.¡± ¡°You dare to deny it? You were so close with Christopher back then. I was getting ready to marry Christopher, but you were still seducing him!¡± Leah¡¯s features twisted with the memory Leah and Grace were cousins. They had both met Christopher in college. Back then, Grace was stunning, with tons of guys chasing her. But she fell for Christopher, who was also interested in her, and they started dating But then, Grate¡¯s family went bankrupt abruptly. Grace had no heart for romance, her focus was on helping her family through the crisis. Eventually, her family moved to Cloudville. And she didn¡¯t even finish college. Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Chapter 118 On grandma¡¯s birthday, she went home to celebrate it for grandma, only to find out Leah was getting married. The lucky guy was Christopher, who got. together with Leah right after she left town. The atmosphere was super awkward among the three of them. Grace thought. ¡°Well, since they¡¯re together now, I might as well wish them the best.¡± However, what she didn¡¯t expect was that she got hammered one night and ended up sleeping with Christopher. That night was discovered by Leah. Their rtionship went down the drain from that point on. Leah bbed about it to grandma, causing a few scenes, but it didn¡¯t affect Leah and Christopher¡¯s wedding ns. After the wedding: Leah managed to convince grandma to marry off Grace to a driver from the nagan family a guy named Joshua. At that time, Grace reluctantly agreed under grandma¡¯s persuasion. Later, she had a son. And she ended up being a maid in the nagan family. It was a real bummer how close she and Leah used to be, sharing a blood bond, but it was all ruined because of a man. Looking back on all this, Grace said, ¡°I thought you had forgotten all about the past,¡± ¡°How could I possibly forget?¡± Leah retorted, ¡°I could even remember with my eyes closed how you seduced Christopher!¡± ¡°I was really drunk that night, it wasn¡¯t intentional.¡± ¡°Grace, you hypocritical woman, you dare to say it wasn¡¯t intentional? You slept with Christopher, how could it not be intentional?¡± Leah said angrily, ¡°Your shameless daughter is just like you. She¡¯s trying to seduce Penelope¡¯s fianc¨¦!¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Allison wouldn¡¯t do that,¡± Grace argued, ¡°Leah, you can insult me, but don¡¯t insult Allison.¡± ¡°Wait and see how your shameless daughter seduces men.¡± Leah pulled out a stack of photos from her bag and threw them on the floor. The woman in the photos had a seductive gaze, some were naked backs, some were side profiles. The lighting was dim, but the silhouette appeared to be Allison. Grace¡¯s eyes widened ¡°No, Leah, these photos must be photoshopped!!* ¡°Believe it or not, your shameless daughter is just like you, enjoying seducing engaged men. It¡¯s outrageous! I¡¯m considering arranging a marriage for her. Margo¡¯s cousin has a son who was in jail for half a year because of a crime hemittedst year. He just got out recently. He¡¯d be a perfect match for your shameless daughter.¡± Grace sat on the ground, suddenly feeling very helpless. She looked at the scattered photos on the ground, panting heavily. She had just had a major surgery and had to rely on medication every day. She was emotionally stirred and her body started to tremble involuntarily. She looked at Leah and said, ¡°Please, spare Allison. If you¡¯re upset, take it out on me. Or you will regret it! Leah, you will definitely regret this!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°Regret? The thing I regret the most is knowing someone like you!¡± Grace fainted due to extreme emotional stress. Leah kicked her lightly. Then she told the bodyguard, ¡°Call the doctor. No need for intensive care, just make sure she doesn¡¯t die.¡± How could Christopher still look at her now? How could he still be thinking about her? As for marrying Allison off to Margo¡¯s nephew, it was just to piss off Grace. But now that she thought about it, it might not be a bad idea. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Chapter 119 She stepped out of the hospital, took out her phone, ¡°Margo, set up a meeting between your nephew and Allison. I have a hunch they might hit it off.¡± Margo caught her drift immediately. ¡°Sure thing. I¡¯ll get right on it. But doesn¡¯t Allison already have a boyfriend? I heard he¡¯s a doctor.¡± ¡°Does Allison deserve him?¡± Margo thought to herself that her nephew wasn¡¯t a bad catch, even though he just got out of the mmer, he was family after all. But she didn¡¯t voice this out. After hanging up, she dialed her nephew immediately. ¡°Randal, it¡¯s Margo.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Randal nced at his phone, puzzled. Margo hasn¡¯t reached out in a while. Margo chimed, ¡°Aren¡¯t you of marrying age? Your mom has been on my case to help you find a suitable girlfriend, and I think I have a perfect girl for you You wanna meet her?¡± ¡°Pass Randal scoffed and made some nomittal noises before ending the call. He heard she was a maid, how could she possibly know any good girls? The people she knew were probably just like her. Margo didn¡¯t mind his attitude and sent him a picture of Allison right awayN?velDrama.Org owns this text. A few minutester, afterying eyes on Allison¡¯s picture, Randal called back, ¡°I might have misspoke earlier, when should Ie over? Send me when and where.¡± ¡°Alright, how about this Wednesday¡± Wednesday Margo waited for Allison at the nagan family residence early in the morning. When she saw Allison emerge from a side door, she went over with a paper bag in hand, ¡°Change into this ande with me.¡± Allison opened the bag, smelling the cheap fabric. ¡°I¡¯m not wearing this, what are you up to?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out when you get there, hurry up or Mrs. nagan will be on your case,¡± Margo urged, ¡°Stop dawdling!¡± Not wanting to argue, Allison changed into the dress Margo provided. It was a cheap looking green sweater dress with a low neckline and an unpleasant odor. Margo had to admit that Allison was a stunner. Even in a dress that cost a few bucks, she made it look high¨Cend. She took Allison to a coffee shop. When she didn¡¯t find Randal, she dialed him, ¡°Where are you? Allison and I are here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m stuck in traffic, I¡¯ll be there soon. You guys sit tight.¡± Allison looked at Margo in confusion, ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡± ¡°Mrs. nagan wants you to meet someone, he¡¯s a good guy. You¡¯ll see when he gets here, don¡¯t be difficult.¡± Margo felt a pang of regret thinking about the bill that she¡¯d have to foot in this fancy coffee shop. ¡°You want me to go on a blind date?¡± Allison¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, ¡°Margo, what are you talking about? I already have a boyfriend. I¡¯m not going on a blind date.¡± With that, she prepared to leave. However, she was immediately blocked by Margo. Margo¡¯s plump body stood in her way, ¡°You really don¡¯t get it! Mrs. nagan has made it clear, if you leave, your mother won¡¯t get her medication today¡± Allison¡¯s face turned pale! Leah had hit her weak spot, nothing was more important than her mother. Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Margo looked at Allison and knew she had caved in. She immediately ushered her into her seat. ¡°Just look at you. You think a top¨Cnotch doctor would go for you? You¡¯d be better off with an average Joe. My nephew¡¯s quite the catch, hardworking and can take the heat.¡± Allison sneered, ¡°Your nephew? Margo, if my memory serves me right, he just got out of the jail for a half¨Cyear stint for robbery.¡± Leah really had some nerve, digging up Margo¡¯s good¨Cfor¨Cnothing nephew. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Margo was fuming, ¡°My nephew¡¯s just right for you. And what have you been up to, huh? With all the crap you¡¯ve pulled, I¡¯m more worried about him being the one getting the short end of the stick¡± A pudgy man of about twenty¨Cfive waddled over, dressed in a leather jacket, his hair slicked back, his potbelly protruding and his face greasy as a cheeseburger. ¡°Sorry, got stuck in a bit of traffic. He was clearly all dolled up, but it just made him look greasy. As soon as Randal sat down, his eyesnded on Allison, who was sitting next to Margo. Her face was delicate, clearly without makeup, which only enhanced her natural beauty. Randal was quite pleased. ¡°You must be Allison. My name¡¯s Randal.¡± He shot Margo a look, signaling her to leave. Margo caught his drift. She stood up and said, ¡°Allison here is a maid for the nagan family. You two officially meet today, how about setting a wedding date soon?¡± Allison frowned, not having said a word, yet Margo had already arranged the marriage? What a joke! She wondered what Leah was up to. After Margo left, Allison looked at Randal and said bluntly, ¡°I have a boyfriend. I¡¯m sorry, but this has all been a misunderstanding. Margo didn¡¯t tell me she was setting me up with you. If you¡¯ll excuse me, I need to go.¡± As Allison stood up. Randal quickly grabbed her wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Allison frowned, trying to pull away, but Randal held her tight. ¡°Let go of me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get upset.¡± Randal smirked and gave her slender wrist a sleazy squeeze before letting go. ¡°She may have tricked us, but I genuinely came to meet you I even bought your outfit.¡± He chuckled, looking greasy as a fried chicken. His pudgy body seemed to exude a stench. Allison was fed up. She snapped, ¡°Well, sorry for the inconvenience. I didn¡¯t even want to wear this outfit. I¡¯ll change out of it and return it to you ASAP¡± Randal¡¯s face fell at her words, but he quickly regained hisposure. He scanned the room, realizing he couldn¡¯t be too aggressive, and said, ¡°It¡¯s just a dress, I¡¯m not that petty. Give it some thought. I¡¯ll be waiting for your good news.¡± Allison was surprised he let her go so easily. But all she wanted was to get out of there as soon as possible, so she didn¡¯t look back. After she left, Randal¡¯s smirk faded. He watched her retreating figure with a sneer. ¡°Bitch, you¡¯ll be mine sooner orter!¡± Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Chapter 121 He called Margo, ¡°I think Allison doesn¡¯t seem to want to hang out with me, she left right after you did¡± ¡°What?¡± Margo thought to herself, Randal is such a wimp, but she said seriously, ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it, I got some tricks up my sleeve to make her stay with you¡± As soon as Allison got home, she stripped off her clothes and hopped in the shower! Every time she thought of Randal¡¯s greasy face, she felt a little queasy She couldn¡¯t understand what Leah was thinking Every time she thought of Leah, Allison¡¯s heart clenched. Her mother¡¯s fate was in Leah¡¯s hands, this might not be as simple as it seemed. When she got out of the shower, her phone on the bed buzzed, a text popped up. It was a message from Dr. Dn, ¡°Are you avable on Saturday? I¡¯ll pick you up in the evening¡± Saturday, that¡¯s the day after tomorrow. She replied, ¡°Sure¡± On Saturday night, Allison didn¡¯t expect Dr. Dn to take her to his house, she was instantly nervous. I¡¯m not prepared, you didn¡¯t tell me I would be meeting your parents. | need to buy some gifts.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my parents said it¡¯s enough that you coulde! Dr. Dn¡¯s home was in Sunflower Terrace, an old residential area. Apartment buildings were all she could see. He went to park the car in the garage, Allison stood at the elevator entrance waiting, her fingers tightly clenched. She was a little nervous, she wasn¡¯t ready to meet Dr. Dn¡¯s parents.N?velDrama.Org owns this text. To be precise, she wasn¡¯t ready to ept the identity as Dr. Dn¡¯s girlfriend. But since she was here, she insisted on preparing a gift. She went to a supermarket and bought some fruit, and then headed to Dr. Dn¡¯s ce¡­.. Dr. Dn¡¯s father had recently be a deputy director in a hospital, his mother was a teacher. Dr. Dn came from a decent family, with a clear background. The not sorge living room was brightly lit, with a hint of yellow, making the atmosphere cozy. ¡°Mom, let me introduce you, this is Allison.¡± Allison looked at the middle¨Caged woman in front of her, she was very gentle and cultured, she said softly, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Allison.¡± Hertha Huff smiled, ¡°Allison, I finally get to meet you, Dn¡¯s dad and I have everything we need, you didn¡¯t need to bring us gifts.¡± Allison put down the gifts in her hand, Hertha pulled her hand and sat down on the sofa. She took a piece of fruit from the fruit te and handed it to Allison, and shouted to the kitchen, ¡°Allison is here, Aherna Huff,e out.¡± Aherna, wearing an apron, came out of the kitchen, Allison politely said ¡°Hello.¡± Aherna smiled. ¡°Dn, you finally brought Allison over, I made my best grilled pork chops tonight, it¡¯ll be ready in a minute.¡± ¡°Allison, where do you work? How many people are in your family?¡± Hertha looked at her, her skin was smooth and she was quite beautiful. Dn was already 27 this year, and he was picky. Since high school, to college, and then to working in the hospital after graduation, there were a lot of girls pursuing him, but he rejected them all. Unexpectedly, he finally changed his mind recently, which made her and Aherna very happy Allison thought for two seconds, and Dr. Dn immediately answered for her, ¡°She¡¯s still in college, I met her at the hospital. I¡¯m her mother¡¯s primary doctor¡± Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Hertha¡¯s expression turned serious, ¡°Alright She quickly asked again, ¡°Allison, haw¡¯s your mom doing now?¡± Allison lowered her eyes, ¡°She¡¯s hanging in there.¡± Seeing this, Dr Dn quickly chimed in ¡°Mom, you¡¯ve been nagging me to bring a girlfriend home, now that I have, stop grilling her¡± ¡°Okay, as long as you¡¯re happy with her.¡± Hertha didn¡¯t probe any further, and Allison finally heaved a sigh of relief. Soon, the meal was ready. Dr. Dn called Allison over to eat. While washing his hands, he said to Hertha, ¡°Mom, I really like Allison, so quit asking her all those questions Hertha was a bit miffed, ¡°Can¡¯t I ask her? How is Jadle doing now? I think she¡¯s great,es from a good family, and she¡¯s even your colleague Allison is indeed prettier than Jade, but she hasn¡¯t graduated, doesn¡¯t have a job, you¡¯re much older than her, and she has a sick mother to take care of Dr. Dn was a bit annoyed, ¡°Mom¡± Hertha quickly said, ¡°Alright, Ill drop it.¡± Dr. Dn¡¯s house wasn¡¯t big, about a hundred square meters, middle¨Css living conditions Aherna and Hertha only had one son, Dr. Dn, so even though Hertha wasn¡¯t satisfied with Allison¡¯s family background, she had to ept it as long as her son liked Allison Aherna understood what Hertha was thinking. When Dr. Dn was driving Allison home, he advised her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much about family backgrounds. I think Allison is a good girl, polite and good looking. I know about her mother¡¯s condition, Dn asked me about it before. I even contacted Dr. Thalia, her mother has kidney failure but she¡¯s had a transnt and is doing well now. Don¡¯t overthink it¡® Aherna, working in the hospital, has seen all sorts of life and death scenarios. He could tell that Allison was a kind and calm girl, no wonder Dr. Dn liked her. Im just looking out for our son Jade¡¯s mom is the deputy director of the hospital, it would be easier for Dr. Dn to get promoted in the future¡­ ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not meddle in Dr. Dn¡¯s matters.¡± Dr Dn¡¯s car stopped outside the nagan family¡¯s vi. Allison said, ¡°thank you for the dinner, drive safe¡± As she said this, she opened the car door to get out but forgot to unbuckle her seatbelt and immediately sat back down. Dr. Dnughed and his long fingers helped her unbuckle it. Allison¡¯s face turned a bit red, ¡°I¡¯ll get going now¡± ¡°Allison¡®¡± Dr. Dn called after her. He then took out a jewelry box, opened it, and inside were star¨Cshaped earrings, ¡°Let me put them on for you¡± Allison leaned in and Dr. Dn helped her put them on. ¡°They¡¯re nothing expensive, I just happened to see them today, do you like them?¡± Allison looked in the mirror, her earlobes were delicate and the star earrings were shimmering, she nodded gently. ¡°As long as you like them.¡± After she got out of the car, she waved at him. Only after Dr. Dn¡¯s car drove away did she turn around to go home. Suddenly, her phone rang. She nced at it, a call from Sarah. ¡°Ms Sarah.¡± ¡°Allison, can youe to Red Jack Club now, we¡¯ll pay you double for working overtime tonight. Lucian in room 805 requested you¡± Allison froze Lucian? ¡°I can¡¯t make it right now¡­¡± ¡°Allison, you have toe. He¡¯s drunk and needs you to take him home.¡± Sarah interrupted her, sounding firm. Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Allison cocked an eyebrow Was he calling for Allison, not Penelope? She had no choice but to hail a cab and rush to Red Jack Club Room 805. She pushed the door open, her first sight being a pair of long legs. A few steps further, she spotted shattered ss on the carpet. Then, there was Lucian, sprawling on the sofa, one leg hanging lazily off the edge. His eyes were closed, seemingly napping The room was softly lit, casting a gentle glow on his face His eyes were shut tight, his high nose and handsome features making hearts flutter ¡°Mr Lindberg¡± She called twice, but Lucian made no response. She couldn¡¯t figure out why Lucian would summon her. ¡°Lucian¡± Wasn¡¯t he suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding? And yet, he dared to get drunk. Her gaze fell on the wine bottles littering the coffee table. He¡¯d downed so much booze. Suddenly, his lips moved faintly, ¡°Yuliana¡­¡± She leaned in closer. His hot breath brushed against her ear, the name ¡°Yuliana¡±ing out in a blur. Yuliana?Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Turns out, he wasn¡¯t calling for Allison¡­. She looked at him, knowing she should leave immediately! Sarah got it wrong, it wasn¡¯t her he was calling! She knew it, how could he possibly call her name? ¡°Lucian! Wake up and get out of here¡± She shook his shoulder, her eyes dropping to his lips. His lips were beautiful. Staring at his lips, she felt a warmth creeping up her cheeks. It reminded her of the time he had teased her, biting her lip on purpose, making her wear a mask for a week before she dared to take it off. ¡°I¡¯m leaving, you can wait for Yuliana Allison got up, covering him with a nket, and turned to go. However, she had barely taken a few steps when she heard him groan. Allison stopped in her tracks. She turned around to see Lucian curling up, like a shrimp, his hand pressing his abdomen, seemingly in pain. ¡°What¡¯s wrong. Lucian?¡± As Allison approached, she saw his forehead slick with sweat, clearly in pain. The room reeked of alcohol. Allison knew, his stomach problem had red up. Fine, all for double the overtime pay¡­ She went out and called a bouncer, and together they helped Lucian down the stairs, to the parking lot. She found his car key in his trouser pocket, unlocked the car, and let the bouncer put him inside. The security guard at Red Jack Club was familiar with her, ¡°Allison, drive carefully.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± This wasn¡¯t her first time driving his car, she had done it before. The car moved at a leisurely pace, arriving smoothly at Magnolia Gardens, where Lucian resided To Allison¡¯s surprise, there was not a single servant in the luxurious mansion. Supporting him, she struggled to move forward. ¡°Can you hear me?¡± Allison huffed, supporting his weight. She was slim and he was tall and strong His weight on her slender shoulders made her legs tremble. She exerted all her strength to help him up the stairs, panting with each step His entire weight was on her delicate shoulders His alcoholic breath and unique body scent filled the air around her Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Chapter 124 ¡°Who are you? Yuliana.¡± Lucian groggily opened his eyes and stared at her. ¡°I¡¯m not Yuliana¡± Allison looked at him, struggling to hold up his arm ¡°Are you awake? If you are, then get up and walk! Do you know how freaking heavy you are? Double overtime pay tonight is not easy peasy lemon squeezy¡® I should be in bed sleeping right now!¡± Suddenly, she slipped ¡°Ahhh¡± She nearly fell down the stairs, but suddenly, an arm wrapped around her waist. Allison closed her eyes, bracing for the pain. But it never came. Instead, she heard him grunt She opened her eyes and found herself sprawled on top of him, or rather, Lucian had taken the hit for her. He squinted slightly Compared to the pain in his stomach, this was nothing. Looking at the woman on top of him, he asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± His breath blew into her hair. Allison looked up. They were very close. His words were apanied by the strong smell of alcohol all over her face. Her heart suddenly picked up speed. ¡°Get up now.¡± Alter saying that, she got up and helped him back to the bedroom. He wasn¡¯t fully awake, the smell of alcohol was strong, but at least he could walk and didn¡¯t need Allison to drag him around. In the bedroom, she put him on the bed and was ready to leave. Suddenly, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward him. Allisons eyes widened in surprise as she fell towards him, their lips getting closer. Her eyes widened, hershes quivered, and his alcoholic breath filled her lips, burning her brain. Allison shivered and quickly got up. But he still had a firm grip on her wrist. ¡°Let go, Lucian, let go!¡± ¡°Penelope¡® he mumbled. Allison was taken aback and stopped struggling. Did he think she was Penelope, and that¡¯s why he kissed her? Her heart ached as though she had been stabbed ¡°Penelope, what are you doing here?¡± Lucian frowned, his forehead covered in a cold sweat. One hand was gripping her slender wrist, the other pressed against his stomach. Allison waited for a moment, her other hand clenching into a fist, then slowly said, ¡°You should rest.¡± She pulled her hand free and turned to leave. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Inside the vi, Lucky, Lucian¡¯s skan Mmute, came running over when it heard the noise. She bent down and petted it, saying, ¡°I¡¯m leaving¡± Lucky barked. Allison petted it again: ¡°I¡¯m really leaving¡± Lucky bit into her trouser, trying to pull her upstairs as if it didn¡¯t want her to leave. Allison frowned Lucky was nearly as heavy as her. Suddenly, she was pulled back and nearly fell over. ¡°Lucky, stop it! She gently patted Lucky on the head. She hailed a cab. Although it cost her a lot, she wanted to leave as soon as possible. Sitting in the car, she watched the scenery rush by her eyes getting a little moist. She was neither Yuliana nor Penelope Her name was Allison The realization hit her hard. Back home, she washed her face andy down on the bed. She touched her ear and noticed that one of her earrings was missing It was a hexagram earning that Dr. Dn had given her. Now only one was left. Where could she have lost it? Could it be at Magnolia Gardens? Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Chapter 125 The next morning. Lucian woke up with headache. He sat up, pressing his hand against his stomach. The pain eased a bit, but some difort lingered He looked around recognizing his home in Magnolia Gandens. He remembered getting sloshedst night, but beyond that, everything was a blur Just then, his skan Mmute bounded over, barking twice. ¡°Who brought me homest night? Lucian asked Lucky, being the good boy he was, sat by the bed, chewing his tail. ¡°Have you seen thai person before?¡± Lucian got up, checking out his clothes. He was still in his white shirt and ck suit pants fromst night, which were now wrinkled. Lucky barked once, looking up at him. Lucian chuckled, getting up to head to the bathroom. After a shower, he wrapped himself in a towel, his hair still dripping wet. He popped a couple of stomach pills, and dialed Shawn on his phone, asking ¡°Did you bring me home last night?¡± The answer from the other end was a no. A puzzled look crossed Lucian¡¯s face. Lucky was usually a temperamental and big dog, paying no mind to anyone but a few familiar faces. If any strangers showed up at Magnolia Gardens, Lucky would chase them off in a heartbeat Suddenly, Lucian noticed Lucky chewing on something. ¡°What are you eating¡± Lucian walked over to ask. He pulled an earring out of Lucky¡¯s mouth. It was a hexagram earring Under the sunlight, the earring sparkled Lucian remembered getting hammered at the Red Jack Clubst night and then drawing a nk. Whose earring was this? A delicate and beautiful face shed across Lucian¡¯s mind. Allison had lost an earring that Dr. Dn gave her and had been out of sorts all morning If the earring really fell at Magnolia Gardens, how was she supposed to find it? As she pondered, Ashley, noticing her distracted state, asked, ¡°What¡¯s up? You¡¯ve been zoned out all morning¡± ¡°I lost an earring¡± ¡°Then just buy a new pair¡± Allison¡¯s eyes lit up. She could just buy a new pair. She quickly searched for the brand of the earring. Although it wasn¡¯t a high¨Cend brand, there was a counter at Ster Emporium. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. She rushed to the Ster Emporium. ¡°Hi, do you still have this earring in stock?¡± ¡°The hexagram earrings are sold out.¡± ¡°Are you going to restock them?¡± ¡°Probably not. We¡¯re about to introduce new models. You might want to check out other styles in the store, there¡¯s a discount today if you buy two.¡± Allison nced at the time; it was around one in the afternoon. She hesitated, but eventually decided to head to Magnolia Gardens She was going to find Lucian and get her earring back. Magnolia Gardens was one of the top ten luxury vis in Northfield, boasting the best design and location. Allison thought she would be stopped by the security, but they let her in, saying, ¡°You¡¯re here to see Mr. Lindbergh, right?¡± Last night, Allison had driven Locian¡¯s car back, and both security guards had seen her. Allison nodded With no further questions, they let her in. As Allison approached the vi, Lucky spotted her from behind the ck wrought iron gate and immediately wagged his fluffy tail in her direction. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Allison reached through a crack and petted the dog¡¯s head ¡°Is your owner home?¡± Lucky barked again ¡°He¡¯s not home, is he? I lost an earring here yesterday. Lucky. Can you help me find (17 Suddenly, Lucky scratched at the ground, and the iron gate opened. Allison was taken aback. ¡°Lucky¡± Lucky seemed to be quite pleased with himself and cocked his head Meanwhile, at Lindbergh Corporation, Lucian rubbed his forehead. He had just finished lunch. But due to a stomach ailment, he didn¡¯t eat much. Shawn suddenly walked in, handing over a tablet. ¡°Mr. Lindbergh, there¡¯s something odd with the security system at Magnolia Gardens.¡± On the tablet, a live feed from Magnolia Gardens was disyed. In front of the ck wrought iron gate, Allison had barely stepped inside when Lucky suddenly grabbed her trousers and started to pull her in Lucian saw this scene The usually fearsome skan Mmute was now dragging a skinny girl into Magnolia Gardens. She gave the dog¡¯s head a pat, and the skan Mmute let out a loud bark Then Allison entered Magnolia Gardens. A voice came through on the video. ¡°Lucky, you¡¯re going to tear my pants!¡± This huge skan Mmute was behaving like a teddy bear, circling around her feet. She looked up, revealing a pretty face. Lucian squinted his eyes; it was Allison! Shawn said, ¡°Mr Lindbergh, that¡¯s Allison¡± Lucian replied. ¡°I¡¯m not blind, I can see.¡± Shawn was left speechless. ¡°What is she looking for?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. In the video. Shawn noticed Allison was constantly looking down, carefully examining the carpet as she climbed the stairs. ¡°Lucky, have you seen my earring? I was herest night, did I drop it somewhere?¡± Her voice was gentle. -Lucian thought. So that¡¯s her earring. Indeed, she was the one who dropped him offst night Allison didn¡¯t find her earring in Magnolia Gardens. As she prepared to leave, Lucky kept biting into her pants, leaving Allison helpless. Shawn¡¯s eyes widened At Magnolia Gardens, this dog would even bite him and bark at him at the sight of him. Yet it behaved like a docile cat toward Allison ¡°Lucky, I really have to go.¡± Allison prised open Lucky¡¯s mouth and finally reimed her pants. Suddenly a voice came through the speakers. ¡°You¡¯re looking for your earring? Come find me at Lindbergh Corporation.¡± Allison was stunned Whose voice was that? Was that Lucian¡¯s voice? Where was he speaking from? Allison followed the sound and looked up to see a monitor on the living room wall next to a speaker. Her face instantly turned bright red. Lucian had seen it all! He watched as Allison¡¯s face turned cherry red in the video. He suddenly felt amused. He handed the tablet to Shawn and told him, ¡°Go downstairs and wait for her.¡± Shawn understood Lucian took out a hexagram earring from his pocket. Under the dim light the tiny diamond sparkled Allison took a taxi to Lindbergh Corporation As soon as she entered the lobby, Shawn had already been waiting for some time. ¡°Ms Zimmer, follow me The female staff at the front desk widened their eyes. This woman wasn¡¯t dressed extravagantly and didn¡¯t look like a richdy Yet Shawn was personally weing her! Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Allison followed Shawn into the office on the 66th floor ¡°Mr. Lindbergh, Ms. Zimmer is here¡± ¡°Come in ¡± Allison gave Shawn a nod and once inside, she noticed the vast size of the office. It was decorated in cool tones that Lucian favored, with arge revolving bookshelf and a cab filled with various valuable trinkets. Lucian was sitting on a sofa, legs crossed. Their eyes met, and Allison was the first to look away She whispered, ¡°Mr. Lindbergh, I want my earring back. ¡° ¡°Were you the one who took me homest night?¡± Allison nodded in confirmation For double the overtime pay, she was willing His gaze deepened Allison, how did your earring end up on my bed?¡± Allison¡¯s eyes widened in surprise So the earring had fallen off in his bedroom. She saw the disgust in his eyes. ¡°You were drunk. I helped you upstairs, but I tripped and fell when I wasying you down,¡± she exined Lucian didn¡¯t buy her exnation. He knew Allison was always trying to get close to him. For a simple silver earring worth no more than a few dozen dors, she had brashly gone to Magnolia Gardens. If it weren¡¯t for the surveince, he wouldn¡¯t have known about her scheming He picked up the earring from the coffee table. ¡°You trespassed at Magnolia Gardens for something so cheap, Allison. I don¡¯t believe a word you¡¯re saying¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Allison responded, ¡°The earring may not be expensive, but its value to me isn¡¯t about its price. I hope you can return it to me. I didn¡¯t mean to trespass. I was pulled in by Lucky when he suddenly opened the door from the inside¡± Since she was already inside, she naturally wanted to find the earring if she found it, she wouldn¡¯t have to see Lucian again. She approached him, bending over in sincerity ¡°I apologize, and I hope you can return my earring. To you, it may be a cheap item, but to me, it¡¯s a gift from my boyfriend that I cherish Lucian¡¯s eyes turned cold. Her words were like a needle piercing his forehead. He didn¡¯t know why, but he felt ufortable. He looked at the hexagram earring in his hand and suddenly found it irritating He tossed it away, and itnded in a trash can Allison was taken aback and immediately bent over to retrieve the earring, not caring if the trash can was dirty. Just as she reached out, her wrist was suddenly grabbed by arge hand. Allison struggled fiercely Lucian gripped her hands tightly. ¡°How long do you n to y innocent in front of me? You purposely came to take me home when the waitress outside the box wasn¡¯t you. You deliberately left your earring on my bed. Today you broke into Magnolia Gardens. Isn¡¯t all this to catch my attention? For a mere earring, you came all this way. Isn¡¯t it all to attract my attention? Allison, I will get tired of your deliberate seduction game¡± ¡°Lucian, you jerk, let go of me!¡± Allison was gripped tightly by him. ¡°Lucian, you may think this earring is ordinary, but to me, it¡¯s invaluable Her words seemed to infuriate him. His brows furrowed, his lips tightly closed. The defiant resistance of Allison in his arms deeply provoked him. Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Allison quickly pulled her hand back and bent down, ready to grab the carring and bolt Suddenly, an arm circled her waist, and she was lifted up, letting out a sharp scream. The weightlessness scared her ¡°What the hell are you doing Lucian?¡± She squirmed in his grip His arm was like a freaking iron mp Lucian caught a whiff of a light sweet scent. It was her natural fragrance Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. He eyed her lips and swooped down to steal a kiss Before Allison could react, he pulled the earring from her ear and threw it in the trash Compared to Lucian Allison¡¯s struggle was like a kitten batting at a lion She couldn¡¯t figure out why he was suddenly acting tough She shoved him hard, but he deftly dodged her Allison stood up, quickly sidestepping him, and said, ¡°I don¡¯t want the earring anymore, Mr. Lindbergh: I hope you¡¯ll stop bothering me You¡¯re Ms nagan¡¯s fianc¨¦ She wiped her mouth and turned to leave Lucian smelled the sweetness she left behind, his voice was hoarse as he asked, ¡°Where were you on the night of June 17th* That was the night when he returned to the Silver Star Hotel and was drugged. Allison stopped She turned around and smiled ¡°I was at the hospital during that time. Dr. Dn is my mom¡¯s doctor, we were together every day¡± That seemed to set Lucian off ¡®Get out! Get the hell out!¡± He could still taste the sweetness on her lips. Lucian scowled and gave the coffee table a solid kick, sending it toppling onto the carpet, with water from the cup spilling everywhere He had lost control because of Allison Leaving Lindbergh Corporation, Allison realized she was drenched in cold sweat. Her ear began to throb with pain. She didn¡¯t know how hard he had pulled, but her ear was bleeding What she didn¡¯t understand more was, what the hell was wrong with Lucian? At noon, Dr. Dn came to have lunch with her Dr. Dn noticed the injury on her ear and asked with a furrowed brow, ¡°Allison, how did you get hurt? Have you put any medicine on it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay now¡± ¡°That¡¯s good¡± he said. ¡°Allison, I have to go for some advanced training and perform a couple of surgeries in the next few days, so I can¡¯t be with you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, go ahead¡± Allison didn¡¯t seem to mind, she had her mother¡¯s affairs to deal with. Dr. Dn, feeling a bit guilty hesitated before saying. ¡°Once I¡¯m done with the surgeries. I¡¯ll be sure to make it up to you. My mom¡¯s birthday is alsoing up, my parents are quite fond of you I was thinking of introducing you officially to everyone that day¡± Allison blushed slightly She didn¡¯t know how to respond, her heart was in tumult Dr Dn was very nice and good to her, but Allison wasnt sure if this uncertain feeling was right for her. After lunch, Allison immediately contacted Daisy Daisy¡¯s family ran a jewelry business. She found a picture of a hexagram earring and asked, ¡°Daisy, does your family¡¯spany sell earrings with this design?¡± ¡®Til check, Allison, do you like these earrings?¡± ¡°They were a gift from a friend, but I lost them and can¡¯t find them anywhere.¡± ¡°No womnes, I¡¯ll ask my brother to check at the factory. If we don¡¯t have them, I can have a pair made for you based on the picture¡± ¡°Okay, thanks, Daisy¡± Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Chapter 129 ¡°Are you still ying nice with me? Daisy looked at her a little annoyed, and asked, ¡°Did you find your mom? Need my help?¡± 1 found her, she¡¯s at the Mercy Grove Hospital But all of Leah¡¯s people are there, I can¡¯t even get close Unless she waspletely sure, she wouldn¡¯t dare go there. ¡®She¡¯s really there. Allison, just wait, I¡¯ll go there tomorrow. Those people know you, but they don¡¯t know me. They¡¯ll let their guard down if I go Daisy went to Mercy Grove Hospital the next morning She had her driver pretend to be a patient with mental issues and even got a doctor¡¯s appointment. ¡°Doctor, my uncle often suffers from insomnia and talks in his sleep. Can you give him a thorough checkup?¡± After handing off the driver to the doctor Daisy excused herself to the restroom and left She took a good look around the hospital. It wasn¡¯t big and there weren¡¯t many patients, most of whom seemed to be long term residents. There were only staircases, no elevators. She checked each floor until she reached the sixth, where she found the staircase locked and blocked off by a metal gate. She walked downstairs and asked a janitor ¡°Why is the sixth floor locked?¡± The janitor, a gossip, said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure, it¡¯s been locked for over a month. I heard there¡¯s a patient in there, and no one¡¯s allowed on the entire sixth floor.¡± Daisyughed saying ¡°Well, that makes your job easier, one less floor to clean.¡± The janitorughed too ¡®Not really, I still have to clean it every two day¡± The Janitor seemed to like Daisy and started chatting with her. ¡°I heard from a nurse that the patient on the sixth floor has kidney problems, and peoplee to see her every week. There are four or five bodyguards outside, they¡¯re really strict¡± Daisy asked, ¡°Could it be the hospital director¡¯s rtive resting here? Why else would they leave an entire floor empty?¡± ¡°It could be.¡± Daisy took out her phone and took a few pictures of the sixth floor, then left the hospital. She called Allison and told her about the situation. Now that Allison knew where her mother was, she needed to figure out how to get her out without alerting Leah. After checking everything. Allison noticed something was off. Dr. Dn had previously said he had two surgeries, so he couldn¡¯t apany her. She didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. At first, he texted her every day, but recently he hadn¡¯t sent any messages for several days. Frowning. Allison cooked lunch at home during her day off and nned to bring it to Dr. Dn. She was very familiar with Healing Haven Hospital, especially the nephrology department, because she used to visit Grace there. Allison went to Dr Dn¡¯s office, but he wasn¡¯t there. So she turned to a nurse on duty and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Dr. Dn?¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Dr. Dn?¡± The nurse looked at her and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you Dr. Dn¡¯s girlfriend? Don¡¯t you know that Dr. Dn had a problem with his surgery Allison asked in shock, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Thest time she talked to Dr. Dn, he didn¡¯t mention anything about surgery. The nurse looked at her with a strange look and said. ¡°The day before yesterday. Dr. Dn performed a surgery he had been preparing for half a month. But the surgery failed; there was a surgical error. The patient¡¯s family has filed awsuit against Dr. Dn, and he has been suspended.¡± ¡°How is this possible?¡± Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Allison bolted from the hospital, making a beeline for Dr Drin ce With herst memory she dialed Dr Dn while knocking on has door Before the call could connect, the door was opened by Dr. Dn¡¯s mom, Hertha, who said Allison, you¡¯re here ¡°Mrs Huff, how¡¯s Dn doing? Hertha let out a sigh Dn didn¡¯t sleepst night, he just kept drinking He just fell asleep Allison nced at Dr Dn sleeping in his bedroom, then returned to the living room Hertha handed Allison a sliced apple and said. ¡°This came out of nowhere Dn may not be the best doctor but he prepared for this surgery for a long time. There was no way something could go wrong Now that the patient¡¯s family is rising hell, Dn¡¯s been suspended temporanly. He was up for a promotion at the end of the year, he just needed to submit his paper. But who could¡¯ve seen thising? ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything will be okay Allison tried tofort her Hertha sighed again ¡°You don¡¯t know, the patient¡¯s family has clout This hit Dn hard His dad has gone to see the dean, but the dearls attitude is pretty serious. Also, the patient¡¯s family has taken this to court¡± Allison started to panic ¡°How could this happen? Tears welled up in Hertha¡¯s eyes Dn is my only son, he¡¯s always been so good at handling things. He¡¯s done this surgery plenty of times, there¡¯s no way he could¡¯ve messed up His dad thinks I¡¯m being paranoid, but I can¡¯t shake the feeling someone¡¯s out to get him Her voice broke off at the end. Allison didn¡¯t know how tofort Hertha, she nced toward the bedroom She knew Dn rarely drank¨Che was almost a teetotaler. He¡¯d have a bit at parties, butst night he got drunk. He must be devastated Later, Dr. Dn¡¯s dad, Aherna, came back. Seeing Allison, he was a bit surprised. ¡°Allison¡¯s here¡± He nced at Hertha and said, ¡°Get Dn up, he¡¯s been sleeping all morning We shouldn¡¯t keep Allison waiting¡± Allison said, ¡°No need, let him rest Hertha quickly asked Aherna, ¡°How did it go? What did the hospital decide? When can Dn clear his name? When can he go back to work? Aherna sighed, sat on the couch, and took a few sips of water. ¡°You know, since I got transferred, I haven¡¯t kept in touch with many friends at Healing Haven Hospital I talked to the dean, and she said it¡¯s a bitplicated¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Hertha was getting anxious: ¡°What¡¯s soplicated? Surgical errors happen. Not every surgery can be 100% sessful¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get it, that family has some pull. There¡¯s been amation in the hospital for a few days now Temporary suspension is the least of our problems, I¡¯m worried Dn will be taken to court. The family has already made a fuss there, using Dn of intentional murder¡± Hertha blurted out, ¡°What the hell¡¯s going on?¡± Just then, the bedroom door opened, and Dr. Dn walked out. In Allison¡¯s eyes, Dr. Dn was always a sunny, gentle person. But now, with a beard covering his chin and reeking of alcohol, he looked like apletely different person He looked at Allison, his eyes somewhat evasive, then cracked a smile and asked, ¡°Why are you here? Wait here for a bit, III freshen up, then take you home¡± ¡°Dn¡± Allison wanted to say it wasn¡¯t necessary but before she could finish, Dr. Dn was back in his room. Soon after, he reemerged, acting as if nothing had happened. He said to her, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Chapter 131 He freshened up with a clean set of clothes and a shave, looking like a whole new man. In the car, he casually asked ¡°Have you eaten yet? There¡¯s a decent restaurant nearby. Let¡¯s grab a bite there, and I¡¯ll drop you home afterward Dr. Dn¡¯s appearance tugged at Allison¡¯s heartstrings. She felt powerless, unsure of how to help him The image of Dr Dn¡¯s distraught parents and the news of a possiblewsuit against him had Allison biting her lip All day, she was distracted, and it wasn¡¯t until she got to the Red Jack Club that night that Ashley and Payton noticed her unusual demeanor and asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Allison exined Dr Dn¡¯s situation briefly. Ashley suggested, ¡°Could someone be setting your boyfriend up? Think about it: he¡¯s been working for years and has performed numerous major surgeries, how could he mess up big time? And the fact that the patient¡¯s family went to court, I feel it¡¯s more than just a surgical error¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Paylon agreed, saying, ¡°I think Ashley has a point.¡± Ashley, recalling her own experience of being falsely used of theft, heaved a sigh of resignation. ¡°People like us have no way to fight back when we¡¯re wrongly used¡± Allison fell silent. At that moment, the work allocation notice for the night came in. Allison was assigned to VIP room 309 along with Serena and a waitress named Molly. Per the rule, one of them should stay outside while the other goes in Molly, hoping to ck off, quickly said, ¡°Allison, you go in.¡± Allison didn¡¯t object. To her, it didn¡¯t matter where she was. She entered the room and quickly scanned the three guests¨Ctwo men and a woman, all young. She verified their drink orders As she was about to exit, there stood a figure in the doorway. Allison¡¯s gaze firstnded on a pair of high¨Cend men¡¯s shoes She moved aside to let the guest in. The man walked in, handed his coat to her, and said in a deep voice. ¡°Hang this for me.¡± Allison took it, her finger slightly trembling That voice sounded familiar. ¡°Luca, we thought you weren¡¯ting, a woman cooed. Lucian strolled in, unbuttoning the cuffs of his shirt, the gold cufflinks catching the light. With a faint smile on his face, he said, ¡°It¡¯s Kelvin¡¯s birthday, I couldn¡¯t miss it.¡± Kelvin, a richd sitting next to the socialite, thanked Lucian and asked, ¡°Where is James Burke?¡± ¡°Coming in.¡± As he said that, another man walked in the door. It was James. James walked in with a grin, took off his coat, and was about to hand it to the waitress when he noticed, ¡°Allison!¡± The others were taken aback by a richd casually calling out a waitress¡¯s name. One of the socialites asked, ¡°James, do you know this waitress?¡± James replied, ¡°Isn¡¯t her name written on the tag on her chest?¡± Allison hung their coats on the rack. She intended to switch ces with Molly and have Molly stay inside. But after Molly returned from the wine cer, she imed she ha a stomachache. So Allison reluctantly went back into the room. Soon, everyone was present in the room¨Cabout seven or eight men and women. After the birthday celebration, some yed cards and some sang. ¡°Luca, why didn¡¯t you bring your wife?¡± Lucian lifted his eyes and calmly replied, ¡°Next time.¡± Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Chapter 132 ¡°Lucian, I heard your Pearl Ind is up and running now, when are you going to take us for a spin?¡± The Lindbergh family bought a piece of sea area three years ago and developed an uninhabited ind for jewelry business, producing all sorts of pearls. They developed a scenic spot in recent years and just started operating now N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Lucian replied. ¡°At the beginning of next month, I¡¯ll definitely invite you guys over.¡± ¡°Waitress, bring a bottle of wine, pour us some.¡± Allison walked over, picked up two bottles of wine, and poured them each a ss. When she saw Lucian¡¯s wine ss, she chose a bottle of low-alcohol fruit wine, which was about the same color as regr red wine. She remembered that this man had several episodes of stomach problems after drinking alcohol. If he has a stomach problem, he should drink less. James watched this and startedughing. When Allison poured him some wine, he joked on purpose, ¡°I want that too.¡± Allison had no choice but to switch him to fruit wine as well. Lucian naturally caught on. He took a sip, and the entrance was the sweet taste of fruit without the harshness of alcohol. A hint of mockery shed in his eyes. This woman was just trying to attract his attention. However, the sweet aftertaste of the wine in his mouth was getting stronger and stronger. He held the ss in his hand, somewhat dazed Natalie Bruno nced at Allison, then took out her phone, took a picture, and sent it to Penelope: ¡°Penelope, is this your housemaid? I bumped into her today, at Kelvin¡¯s birthday party¡± After two minutes, the other side immediately replied, ¡°It¡¯s her!¡± ¡°Kelvin¡¯s having a birthday today?¡± Natalie ¡°Didn¡¯t Lucian tell you?¡± ¡°Lucian is there too?¡± ¡°Of course he is, Kelvin and Lucian have known each other for years. Lucian would definitelye to Kelvin¡¯s birthday.¡± Natalie was somewhat surprised that Lucian didn¡¯t bring Penelope Penelope looked at the photo of Allison bending over to pour Lucian¡¯s wine. She gritted her teeth and cursed, ¡°Vixen.¡± Natalie knew that Penelope didn¡¯t like this maid. She met Penelope at a party Penelope was Lucian¡¯s fianc¨¦e, and she was pregnant, She would be the mistress of the Lindbergh family in the future, so she naturally had to curry favor with her. ¡°Penelope, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll teach her a lesson for you!¡± Lucian stood up, and Kelvin said to him, ¡°Lucian, let¡¯s y cards.¡± Lucian replied, ¡°Wait a minute, I have to take a call.¡± Allison stood to the side, holding a bottle of wine. Seeing Kelvin¡¯s ss was empty, she walked over and bent over to pour him some wine. Suddenly a red high heel came over, making her lose bnce. Her body fell forward. The red wine in her hand spilled out and spilled on Kelvin¡¯s leg. Her originally neat hairstyle also scattered. Hair strands fell on her cheeks, looking a bit messy Allison looked up. Under the light, Allison¡¯s face was very delicate and soft. Her makeup was subtle, and her face was beautiful. Her hair was a little messy, a few strands fell on her cheeks. giving a seductive impression. Seeing this, Kelvin was stunned He reached out to help her, asking, ¡± are you alright?¡± Allison stood up and said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir.¡± She caught sight of the owner of those red high heels out of the corner of her eye Natalie raised her eyebrows. ¡°Oh dear, you can¡¯t walk straight, you almost stepped on me, now you¡¯ve spilled wine on Kelvin¡¯s clothes; isn¡¯t that a bit too much? Are you trying to seduce Kelvin?¡± Kelvin stood up and said, ¡°Natalie, what are you talking about? She just lost her bnce.¡± Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Chapter 133 He was drenched in red wine. ¡°Im off to the loo to clean up.¡± He cast a nce at Allison and left The singing Darlene Bray came over, and Natalie exaggerated, ¡°Darlene, this waiter is such a shameless hussy, trying to seduce Kelvin. She even bumped right into his arms. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Allison frowned Without a word, Darlene pped Allison across the face. Allison¡¯s face was jerked to one side, her lips tingling slightly Not yet satisfied, Darlene cursed, ¡°You shameless waitress, how dare you try to seduce my man? Shameless!¡± With that, she yanked Allison¡¯s hair, pulling her down. Allison swayed and sat on the floor, covering her cheek, a little dazed. Natalie chimed in ¡°Darlene, waitresses these days are the absolute worst. They think they¡¯re all that and try to snag rich guys. It¡¯s sickening¡± A ss of red wine sshed onto Allison¡¯s face. ¡°You slut!¡± Darlene spat angrily, ¡°Daring to make a y for my man?¡± Natalie, knowing Darlene¡¯s temper, tried to intervene: ¡°Darlene, calm down.¡± Darlene shoved Natalie away, saying. ¡°It¡¯s not your man she¡¯s after, so of course you¡¯re not pissed. But I¡¯m here, and this shameless woman dares to publicly seduce Kelvin If I weren¡¯t here, who knows, she might have stripped naked and climbed into Kelvin¡¯s bed.¡± With red wine staining her face, Allison raised her hand to wipe it off, saying, ¡°I didn¡¯t touch him. This lady tripped me, and I identally spilled the wine on Mr. Kelvin¡¯s clothes¡± ¡°You dare argue back; do you think I¡¯m blind?¡± Darlene red at Allison¡¯s face. Looking at her wless beauty, she felt a twinge of jealousy. This waitress had better skin than her, who spent a fortune on makeup. Kelvin had his fair share of women, but to have a waitress try to one¨Cup her was an insult ¡°Hale, this waitress is pretty fine, why don¡¯t you take her?¡± Darlene suggested it to a man nearby. The man Darlene was addressing was Hale Foster, a typical yboy, a spoiled rich kid living off his family¡¯s wealth. His current femalepanion wasn¡¯t happy with Darlene¡¯s suggestion, but she wasn¡¯t his girlfriend and had to please him by saying ¡°Hale!¡± Hale put down his cards and walked over to get a closer look at Allison, and his eyes lit up. ¡°She¡¯s quite a looker.¡± It was rare to find such a beauty working at the Red Jack Club. But the Red Jack Club had rules, you couldn¡¯t touch the staff here, but outside the club, it was fair game. He feigned concern, saying, ¡°Darlene, this is tricky, you know the club rules.¡± Darlene retorted, ¡°Give me your room number, and I¡¯ll deliver this slut to your bed¡± Allison stood up, her chest heaving with emotion and her fists clenched. She turned and walked out as they continued their insults. Darlene shouted after her, ¡°You dare to walk away? Where¡¯s the manager? I want to speak to the manager!¡± Natalie tried to defuse the situation by saying ¡°Darlene, it¡¯s Kelvin¡¯s birthday¡± Hale chimed in, ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s just chalk that up to a joke. It¡¯s Kelvin¡¯s birthday, and Lucian and James are here. If this gets out of hand, it¡¯ll be awkward for everyone.¡± Darlene, spoiled by her family, started to lose her temper. ¡°I want that waitress to apologize to me! Where¡¯s the manager? Who¡¯s the manager here?* Five minutester, Sarah appeared in room 309. I¡¯m sorry,dies and gentlemen, our waiters are strictly trained, they wouldn¡¯t do what thisdy is using them of.¡± Darlene crossed her arms and said, ¡°Oh? Are you saying I¡¯m lying?¡± Sarah kept her cool. ¡°I did not mean that, I was just stating the facts. Kelvin had cleaned up the wine stains and returned to the room. He had a bit of a headache. ¡°Darlene, it¡¯s just a misunderstanding. The waitress was tripped and spilled wine on me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re taking her side!¡± Darlene¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Kelvin, you¡¯re saying she didn¡¯t try to seduce you? I clearly saw you falling for her!¡± Kelvin frowned ¡°Darlene¡°¡± It was his birthday, and he didn¡¯t expect Darlene to make a scene. ¡°You¡¯re the manager here, right? I know a manager named Serena, call her! In my view, you¡¯re covering for your staff! A lowly waitress tried to seduce my boyfriend, and you, as the manager, are covering for her and treating me as the unreasonable one. Fine, your name is Sarah, right? I¡¯ll remember that!¡± Sarah frowned again, repeating. ¡°Ms Bray, I am simply stating the facts¡± Sarah believed in Allison¡¯s character. She couldn¡¯t have done such a thing. And besides, Allison¡¯s hair was soaked in red wine, and her cheek swollen. It was obvious Darlene was responsibleContent ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Allison stood behind Sarah She¡¯d always thought Sarah was always ying by the book. But she never imagined that Sarah would go to bat for her this time. ¡°Ms Sarah¡± Sarah turned her head nced at her, then shook her head Allison held her tongue Darlene was hell bent on stiming the pot today. Serena quickly arrived, and upon seeing Darlene, her face took on a sycophantic expression: ¡°Ms. Bray¡± Darlene¡¯s mom often hung out here ying cards, and Serena was a pro at sucking up and pretty familiar with a few of the wealthydies. Darlene, high and mighty, pointed at Sarah and said, ¡°You work with this manager, right? Give us some justice. That waitress tried to seduce my boyfriend, and I caught her red handed. I want her to apologize to me. That¡¯s not too much to ask, right?¡± Serena had been looking for a bone to pick with Saral; and immediately chimed in, ¡°Definitely not too much. Allison, when you¡¯ve messed up, you should apologize. An apology to Ms Bray is the least punishment you deserve After you apologize, you can take a hike. Red Jack Club doesn¡¯t need a waitress like you¡® ¡°When did it be your ce to discipline my staff? Sarah¡¯s face took on a serious look, giving Serena no face. Serena wasn¡¯t pissed off, she chuckled and said, ¡°Sarah, you¡¯ve really changed. You can¡¯t even manage your own staff. If you¡¯re too swamped, I can lend a hand¡°¡± Sarah looked at Serena and said, ¡°I don¡¯t need you to lift a finger¡± Suddenly, the door to the private room was pushed open from outside. Lucian walked in, with James following behind. The man scanned the room with a detached look, his gaze eventuallynding on Allison¡¯s red and swollen face. Lucian murmured, ¡°What happened?¡± Serena look a good look at the man and felt a strong sense of pressure that made it impossible for her to keep her fake smile. This guy must be someone special. She gathered her thoughts, then said, ¡°Sorry to bother you This waitress tried to seduce Mr. Kelvin, and Ms. Bray caught her. Ms. Bray asked her to apologize Darlene looked at Lucian and said, ¡°Mr Lindbergh, you may not be aware of how scandalous this woman¡¯s behavior is! A shameless waitress trying to seduce Mr. Kelvin! She made a move on him, even though I was present. If I hadn¡¯t been there, I imagine they would have gone even further.¡± Allison suddenly felt her throat hurt Every breath she took was painful. She just wanted to get the hell out of this room. Lucian¡¯s gaze felt like a mountain pressing on her chest. She lowered her head and bit her lip. Today was Kelvin¡¯s 27th birthday. He was in a good mood, but the way things turned out really pissed him off. He looked at Darlene and said, ¡°I already told you, it was an ident. The waitress identally spilled wine on me. Why are you making such a big fuss? Okay, let¡¯s just leave it at that¡± Darlene suddenly shouted, ¡°I¡¯m making a big fuss? Kelvin, I think you¡¯ve fallen for this woman! No wonder you were making googly eyes at her. What do you mean by ¡®an ident? I saw her rush towards you! Kelvin, I¡¯m breaking up with you!¡± Kelvin didn¡¯t expect Darlene to be so unreasonable. She was hell¨Cbent on blowing this out of proportion. Today was his birthday, but now he couldn¡¯t save face at all. ¡°Break up then! Do you really think I¡¯m that into you?¡± Darlene¡¯s eyes bulged. She was so angry that her chest was heaving. She never thought Kelvin would actually break up with her. They¡¯d been together for over a year; both families were familiar with each other, and they were even nning to get engaged. Today, he was breaking up with her over a shameless waitress. In a fit of rage, she stormed over to Allison, grabbed her hair, and kicked her leg hard with her high heels. Allison¡¯s face turned pale from the pain. ¡°You little tramp! How dare you seduce my man!¡± Darlene raised her hand, ready to give her a good beating, but her hand never reached Allison¡¯s face. A strong hand grabbed her wrist, and the man¡¯s voice was low, ¡°Enough!¡± A chill ran down Darlene¡¯s spine. She looked at Lucian and said, ¡°Mr. Lindbergh.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Darlene felt like her wrist was about to be crushed She looked up to see Lucian¡¯s icy gaze. The man let go of her hand, watched Allison sit on the floor in a state of disarray, then looked around the room. Although they were all the same age, Kelvin and the others felt a chill down their spines. Kelvin said, ¡°You guys can leave now¡± After Sarah, Allison, and Serena had left, Kelvin then said, ¡°I apologize, Luca. Let¡¯s forget about what just happened and y some cards.¡± As the birthday guy, when Kelvin said this, the other socialites and heirs had no choice but to join in with a smile. Darlene frowned, picked up her handbag, and left without a word. Kelvin watched Darlene leave and shook his head Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Natalie rolled her eyes. She originally just wanted to use Darlene to teach Allison a lesson, but she didn¡¯t expect it to lead to Darlene and Kelvin breaking up. She suddenly felt a gang of guilt. If Darlene snapped out of it and came after her, she¡¯d be screwed Her family was nowhere near as rich or powerful as Darlene¡¯s. Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Chapter 135 When the timees, she¡¯s sure to get an earful from her mom. But she did this all for Penelope It¡¯s because Penelope despised that maid, whom she happened to see at the Red Jack Club, so she wanted to suck up to Penelope a bit. Thinking of this, she felt a bit relieved, believing that having Penelope as her backer was the same as having the Lindbergh family as her support. Compared to the Lindbergh family, the Bray family was simply a joke. In the bathroom, Allison washed her face with cold water and fixed her hair. She looked at herself in the mirror. Half of her face was red and swollen from a p mark. She touched her shin. The kick from Darlene just now really hurts. ¡°Ouch¡± She saw a bruise on her shin. After tidying up, she just walked out of the bathroom when she saw Sarah at the door. She was there smoking and nced at Allison and said, ¡°Come to the office with me.¡± In the office, Sarah opened the fridge and handed Allison an ice pack, saying. ¡°Put this on; you don¡¯t want it to swell more tomorrow¡± Allison put the ice pack on her face, the cool feeling eased the pain. the Sarah sat in the chair, propped her legs on the table, and blew smoke rings from her red lips. ¡°So, what happened?¡± Allison ¡°Ms Sarah, you even stood up for me without knowing the specifics. Didn¡¯t you say that the poor have no dignity? We have to submit to anything¡± ¡°One of my girls was mistaken for seducing a rich young master, I have to take responsibility for my employees. You understand the rules and know how to read the room, not like Ashley Ashley is too stubborn, only sees ck and white, and doesn¡¯t know how to adapt. Sarah raised her eyebrows, ying with her lighter: ¡°Rich girls like Darlene love to bully. If you apologize to her, she¡¯ll make you kneel, then make you kowtow, record it, and post it online for everyone tough at you.¡± Allison took a deep breath ¡°Miss Natalie suddenly tripped me, I didn¡¯t expect someone to stick out a foot, so I fell. At that time, Kelvin was in front of me, I was protecting the red wine in my hands, and I fell by his legs. The wine sshed on him, and then Natalie said I was seducing Kelvin, and then Darlene, who was ying cards, came over.¡± ¡°Do you have a grudge against Natalie? Why did she bully you? The Red Jack Club is an entertainment venue with various recreational activities, usually serving socialites, rich young men, and business tycoons. Such bullying of a waitress had never happened before. Allison slightly frowned, suddenly remembering the girls around Penelope at Carter¡¯s banquet. Natalie ie was one of them. She gave a cold smile and said, ¡°Maybe there is¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you a week off¡± But Allison didn¡¯t actually want to take a break. She needed to earn money; she had to work hard. That way, she could help her mother out of her predicament and have enough money to support her and her own future. She wanted to leave this ce and settle down in another city, but it was impossible without money. ¡°Ms. Sarah, I can start working tomorrow.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Sarah cut her off: ¡°Look at you, can you even face people?¡± She nced at her face and said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you paid leave, is that okay?¡± Thank you, Ms Sarah¡® Allison prepared to leave Sarah¡¯s phone on the office table rang. She answered the call. Then she said to Allison, who was already at the door, ¡°Go to suite 309, Mr. Lindbergh wants you to take him home¡® Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Chapter 136 ¡°Met Allison didn¡¯t really like the idea. Sarah warned Allison, ¡°You don¡¯t want to cross this guy¡± Allison got the gist. She didn¡¯t want to stir up trouble for Sarah because of her Sarah then asked. ¡°What¡¯s your deal with Mr. Lindbergh?¡± Alison didn¡¯t beat around the bush ¡°He¡¯s mydy¡¯s fiance¡± ¡°Yourdy¡¯s fance? Sarah questioned. ¡°My mom¡¯s a maid for the nagan family. I help out often, and Mr. Lindbergh is mydy¡¯s fiance. That¡¯s the long and short of it,¡± Allison exined. Sarah nodded, watching Allison leave with a smirk. She figured there was something fishy about Mr. Lindbergh¡¯s treatment of Allison. It didn¡¯t seem like a run¨Cof¨Cthe¨Cmill When Alison arrived at box 309, it was empty, with only a cleaner tidying up. Seeing Allison, they quickly said, ¡°Allison, the gentleman said to meet him in the parking lot.¡± Lucian¡¯s car was a cinch to spot, with a unique Lindbergh family emblem on the license te. Allison had a hunch about which car Lucian usually drove, so as soon as she exted the elevator she spotted his car. She walked over and knocked on the window ¡°Mr. Lindbergh¡± There was no response from inside Allison opened the car door to find Lucian lying on the back seat, his eyes half¨Cclosed, seemingly resting. Allison took the driver¡¯s seat. She¡¯d driven this car of Lucian¡¯s three times before. He seemed rather fond of it, unlike other rich kids who frequently switched sports cars. She¡¯d been to his garage, filled with luxury cars, but this was the one he drove most often. ¡°Mr. Lindbergh, are we headed to the Lindbergh family home or Magnolia Gardens?¡± There was no response from the back. Allison muttered to herself, ¡°Guess we¡¯re going to the Lindbergh family home then.¡± It was the closest Just as the car started a deep voice came from the back seat: ¡°Magnolia Gardens.¡± The ck luxury car drove out of the garage as a light rain started to fall. The rain grew heavier, and Allison reduced her speed, keeping an eye on the road. There weren¡¯t many cars on the road in the rain, especially at 11 p.m., with hardly any pedestrians around After driving for over an hour, Allison slowly drove into Magnolia Gardens. The security guard let her through without a second nce, apparently considering her Lucian¡¯s assistant or secretary. She had free rein toe and go from Magnolia Gardens. Each visit, Allison was awestruck by the exquisite architecture. ¡°Mr. Lindbergh, we¡¯re at Magnolia Gardens¡± Lucian opened his eyes and said, ¡°Help me up.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Shall I call a guard?¡± The man smirked, his tone teasing. ¡°Scared of me? You weren¡¯t like this when you were seducing Kelvin.¡± Allison paled. Her cheek was still red and swollen. The man reached out, and her seat suddenly reclined sharply. Losing her bnce, she fell backward. The next moment, her chin was gripped by the man. Inside the car, she was pinned under him, Lucian¡¯s fingers tightly holding her chin, lifting it up. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any self¨Crespect? Any guy will do, huh? Dr. Dn isn¡¯t enough for you? You¡¯re even seducing Kelvin.¡± Lucian didn¡¯t know what came over him. A surge of anger welled up in his chest. He stared at her swollen cheek, and suddenly he noticed the pair of hexagram earrings on her earlobe They weren¡¯t the pair she wore before Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Suddenly, Lucian was hit by a memory of something she¡¯d said before. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°For you, this might just be a worthless piece of junk. But to me, it¡¯s a gift from my boyfriend, and I treasure it.¡± Lucian¡¯s eyes darkened Although these earrings were different from the previous ones, they were both shaped like hexagram stars. They were so damn ring at him that he reached out and roughly yanked them from her ears Allison struggled: ¡°What the hell are you doing? Let go of me! This is mine!¡± She was beating on his chest, her ears stinging, then Lucian rolled down the car window and hurled the earrings out. They shed in the air, and Allison gritted her teeth. ¡°That¡¯s mine, who the hell do you think you are to throw it away?¡± Lucian looked at her and said, ¡°Break up with Dr. Dn.¡± Allison was stunned. What? Break up! She snorted, ¡°Who do you think you are? Dr. Dn is my boyfriend, why would I break up with him? Lucian, you¡¯ve no right to meddle with my life!¡± ¡°Why?¡± Lucian asked through gritted teeth. He looked at this woman¡¯s face, seemingly innocent on the surface, but he knew how greedy and vain she was deep down. She¡¯d tried to seduce his brother and his friends She¡¯d even drugged him just to get into his bed. She yed the game of cat and mouse with him countless times. ¡°You¡¯ve certainly got my attention, Allison.¡± His gaze was deep, devoid of any shine, like a barren desert, with cutting winds like sharp des, leaving Allison nowhere to hide Allison shivered. Lucian reached out, ripped open her clothes, and said Allison, as you wish!¡± ¡°Ah¨CAllison struggled violently. She was wearing the uniform skirt of a waitress. Dressed like this, it was easy for men to take advantage. Outside the car window, the rain was pouring Lucian grabbed her waist and sealed her lips: ¡°Since you¡¯ve provoked me, don¡¯t think of escaping¡± He tore her skirt and unbuckled his metal belt. Allison was trembling and resisting. The sudden pain made her hit the man¡¯s shoulders hard. She used all her strength, tears slowly streaming from her eyes. She closed her eyes, feeling like she couldn¡¯t breathe. The man seemed to take away all her breath in between their lips, his tongue pried open her teeth, their tongues entwined. Allison bit down hard, Lucian¡¯s eyes narrowed, but he didn¡¯t let her go, instead, he redoubled his efforts like a bloodthirsty beast. Allison¡¯s mind went nk. Slowly, everything went dark. When she was about to suffocate, the man finally let her go. Allison turned her face, gasping for air. Her mouth tasted strongly of blood. After what felt like ages, the man sat up. He buckled his belt, looking at the woman lying on the seat, her hair covering her face. ¡°I¡¯m telling you onest time, end it with Dr. Dn¡± Lucian straightened his clothes, his shirt had only a few creases, and he looked neat and tidy. Allison, on the other hand, was half¨Cnaked and shivering. She looked up to see him about to leave, and suddenly she grabbed his wrist and bit down hard. ¡°Shush-¡± She bit hard, and the man frowned, raising his hand. Suddenly, he saw her tear¨Cfilled eyes, clear like ake. His hand didn¡¯tnd on her face but grabbed her chin. Her jaw felt like it was about to dislocate from the pain, and Allison let go. The man bent down, his gaze firmly on her. ¡°Seems you¡¯ve still got plenty of energy in you; I don¡¯t mind going another round.¡± She hugged herself tightly, suddenly backing away. Chapter 138 Chapter 138 Chapter 138 Lucian suddenly found it hard to breathe, his hands dropped, and looking at her, now terrified and alert, the man pursed his thin lips, shifted his game, and strode into the vi. Allison covered her face, her body shaking uncontrobly A few minutester, she straightened up her clothes Allison¡¯s clothes were practically unwearable, and several buttons on her chest had burst. She tidied herself up carefully, raised her hand,bed her messy hair with her fingers, and then tied it up ¡°Wool woof-¡± Allison looked up to see an skan Mmute standing outside the car. Her voice was hoarse. ¡°Lucky¡± ¡°Woof!¡± Allison reached out and gave him a pat Lucky jumped into the car, he seemed to visit this car often and was very familiar with it. Hey down in front of Allison, looking up at her. Allison seemed to feel some warmth, and she hugged Lucky A little whileter, she got out of the car, ready to leave. She looked like a mess right now Allison nced at the man¡¯s suit scattered on the back seat, hesitated for a moment, then reached out and put it on. She couldn¡¯t leave stark naked. Lucky seemed to know she was leaving and stood in front of her, as if inviting her into the vi. Allison shook her head. ¡°I won¡¯t go, there are demons inside.¡± She lowered her eyes and said, ¡°Lucky, I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Woof woof-¡± Allison had only taken a few steps when she heard Lucky¡¯s call behind her. She turned around to see Lucky wagging his tail. She waved at him and then walked down the road in front of Magnolia Gardens, which was downhill. She had to walk downhill to catch a cab. Lucian stood in the study on the second floor, the man holding a ss of red wine, watching the slender figure leave in the distance. The bite mark on his wrist seemed to start hurting. He looked at his own wrist This woman was ruthless. The teeth marks on his hand were clear and stained with blood. He took out his phone and dialed the security room, saying, ¡°Have someone follow that woman until she gets home.¡± ¡°Yes¡±¡± Lucian returned to his chair and took out the file he found on Allison from the drawer. The file was full of distasteful photos. He heard she had several boyfriends at the same time in high school, had abortions, and was vain and money¨Cworshiping. But his eyebrows were tightly furrowed. Suddenly, his eyes fell on a red rope¨Cknot pendant in the drawer. He picked it up. Could it really be Allison? No, it couldn¡¯t be her Allison got home, turned on the shower, stood under it, and washed herself over and over again. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Her body had several bruises. Especially her waist, she felt as though she couldn¡¯t clean herself, tears rolling down incessantly. Hot water ran over the wounds on her cheeks, bringing a burning pain. Allison opened her eyes. She looked at her reflection in the mirror through the mist, feeling confused and helpless. When she woke up the next day, her cheek was swollen and red again, worse than before, and she seemed to have a fever. She felt groggy and fuzzy; her throat was ufortable, so dry as if it were on fire, and her body felt weak. She hurriedly took a few cold pills and theny down. When she opened her eyes again, Allison couldn¡¯t tell whether the scene before her was a hallucination or reality. She seemed to see Joshua and Grace cooking, Ricky Zimmer was calling her, ¡°Allison,e eat, stop ying¡± Allison blinked ¡°Ricky¡± She reached out, trying to grab her brother¡¯s hand, but suddenly, everything disappeared, like broken mirror pieces. Allison sat up Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Chapter 139 At this point, Dad and brother had been gone for years, and Mom was still trapped in a mental hospital by Leah Allison get up still feeling weak as a kitten Those few cold tablets didn¡¯t seem to do much for her She washed her face with cold water opened the fridge, and, looking at the bare insides, ate a little something to fill her stomach Just then her phone started ringing. Ahson looked at the unfamiliar number on the screen and hesitated for a moment before picking up. On the other end was Hertha¡¯s frantic voice ¡°Allison, have you seen Dn?¡± Allison suddenly had a bad feeling ¡°Auntie, what¡¯s happened to Dn?¡± ¡°We have no clue The court summons came down, Dn got canned from the hospital, and those blokes are saying Dn has to pay with his life, that Dnmitted premeditated murder. We don¡¯t know where Dn is; didn¡¯t he go to you?¡± Fifteen minutester. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Allison rushed to the Huff family home. ¡°Auntie Hertha was already in floods of tears. ¡°Dn has been excellent since he was a child, always acing his exams; he smoothly got into Healing Haven Hospital after college. he¡¯s always given his all in every surgery he¡¯s done. How could something like this happen? Someone must be out to get him, it¡¯s a dirty game ofpetition!¡± Allison helped Hertha sit down. Ahema didn¡¯t go to work today either. His son, who was always high¨Cflying, lost his job and was now facing jail time. How could he find the mood to work? He buried his face in his hands for a long time before recovering. ¡°Allison, didn¡¯t Dn contact you?¡± ¡°No¡± Allison suddenly remembered what Lucian had said, ¡°You need to break up with Dr. Dn, or else you¡¯re going to regret it.¡± Her eyes widened. It was Lucian! He must be behind all this! ¡°Uncle, Auntie, I¡¯m going to find Dn.¡± With that. Allison rushed out and hailed a cab straight to Lindbergh Corporation. ¡°I need to see Lucian¡± The front deskdy eyed her, thinking, Who did she think she is? Daring to call Mr. Lindbergh by his first name ¡°Miss, do you have an appointment?¡± ¡°No.¡± The front deskdy, having been professionally trained, maintained her smile and said, I¡¯m sorry, miss, but without an appointment, I can¡¯t let you in.¡± ¡°I need to speak with him urgently, can you tell him Allison is looking for him?¡± Allison urged. At this point, anotherdy at the front desk nced at her, her face changing slightly. She quickly pulled her colleague aside and whispered, ¡°I think that¡¯s thedy who camest time, the one Shawn personally attended to!¡± Upon hearing this, the first front deskdy immediately changed her tune and dialed Shawn¡¯s number. ¡°Shawn, Ms. Zimmer is here.¡± Shawn was outside the conference room. Hearing the receptionist¡¯s voice on the phone, he was slightly surprised. Ms Zimmer? Allison? Why did she suddenly show up? He nced at Lucian, who was in a meeting, and quickly arranged for a secretary to escort Allison to the waiting room. Before long, a secretary named She led Allison into the meeting room, saying, ¡°Ms. Zimmer, Mr. Lindbergh is in a meeting it should take about an hour. Please make yourselffortable here. If you need anything just let me know¡± ¡°Thank you¡± After She left, the waiting room fell silent. Allison felt her eyes grow heavy, and her throat felt like it was on fire. She drank a ss of warm water and leaned back on the sofa, feeling drained and with her mind in a mess. Did Lucian really do this? But why would he do such a thing? Could it be because of her? Allison knew very well how much he loathed her Chapter 140 Chapter 140 Chapter 140 The man¡¯s disdainful look at her was deeply etched in Allison¡¯s memory. The misunderstandings between her and Lucian were simply too deep to be exined one by one, and he wouldn¡¯t believe her anyway Allison closed her eyes, feeling incredibly worn out. Her body slowly slumped onto the couch, the soft cushions making her even more tired She started to dream, and the scene in her dream was a wedding She was standing next to Lucian, and in front of her was a whitece veil. Through the veil, she felt this man¡¯s gentleness for the first time The scene was so pure and dreamy Then the scene suddenly changed She remembered the first time she met Lucian He was drugged by someone, and she told him her name was Penelope. These scenes shed rapidly through Allison¡¯s mind She felt dizzy even in her dreams, as if standing at the edge of a cliff and falling down. When Allison wake up, her back was soaked in cold sweat and her body was trembling She picked up the cup of water, found it had be cold, took a sip, and her throat felt somewhat comfortable. When Lucian walked out of the conference room, Shawn was reporting to him. As they walked to the door of the CEO¡¯s office, Shawn suddenly remembered Allison and hurriedly said to Lucian, ¡°Mr. Lindbergh, Ms. Zimmer is here, she¡¯s in the lounge.¡± Lucian stopped in his tracks. ¡°Allison?¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Zimmer has been waiting for you there for an hour.¡± ¡°Let here to the office.¡± Shawn nced at She, sitting next to him. She immediately stood up and knocked on the door of the lounge, saying, ¡°Ms. Zimmer, Mr. Lindbergh is here; he wants you to go to his office¡± Allison walked into Lucian¡¯s office and saw him sitting on the couch, legs crossed, looking at her thoughtfully Allison went over and said, ¡°If you have anyints against me, just tell me directly. If I¡¯ve done anything to upset you, I will apologize, but please let off Dr. Dn. He¡¯s innocent, he¡¯s a good doctor, he shouldn¡¯t face awsuit and shouldn¡¯t be fired.¡± Lucian put down his cup of tea; and suddenlyughed, his eyes shining with a cold light. ¡°Dr. Dn?¡± He repeated the name: ¡°You came to see me today because of Dr Dn?¡± Allison clenched her fingers tightly and bowed slightly. ¡°I offended you before; it was my arrogance. I hope you can let Dr. Dn go.¡± ¡°Dr. Dn, is he worth you doing all this for him?¡± Lucian said coldly. ¡°Allison, is this your attitude when asking for a favor? What¡¯s Dr. Dn that he even has a woman pleading for him?!¡± A stiff smile appeared on Allison¡¯s face; she seemed at a loss. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± ¡°When you ask for a favor, you should have the right attitude. Allison, do I still need to teach you this?¡± Allison¡¯s teeth clenched tightly. Her fingers also clenched tightly, her knuckles turning pale. The man¡¯s voice was low and cold. ¡°Take off your clothes.¡± Shawn immediately turned around and left the office. Allison¡¯s body started to tremble involuntarily But still, she seemed to have anticipated all of this. After a while, she slowly let out a breath, then took off her denim jacket, revealing the white shirt underneath. It seemed like the air conditioning in the office wasn¡¯t on; her skin quickly covered in ayer of cold sweat. Allison looked up, her eyes reddening She looked at Lucian. This man was sitting on the couch, legs crossed, like a king in the darkness. His eyes were so deep, they made her feel scared Allison took off herst piece of clothing, then hugged herself. Lucian raised his hand and said ¡°Come here.¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Allison walked over, step by step. She seemed to already know what she was facing Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Chapter 141 The man gripped her chin tightly and said, ¡°Look at yourself! You¡¯re so sneaky and terrifying! Does Dr. Dn know you¡¯re throwing yourself at me like this? Allison, how could there be such a woman like you in this world?¡± Allison sneered, ¡°Yes, I am sneaky, I am scary, and I am vain, wanting to gain glory through you. But I am still better than someone like you who only knows how to y tricks behind people¡¯s back!¡± Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her jaw The man fiercely grabbed her neck Her neck was so slender, it seemed like it could be snapped with just a little force She stared straight into Lucian¡¯s eyes. Her gaze was resolute and innocent, as if she would be relieved if Lucian really strangled her. The man was momentarily stunned by those eyes It was as if he was deceived by them, and he let go of her. ¡°Allison, I told you before, if you break up with that guy. I might consider it. Think about it if Dr. Dn saw the video of me holding you in my arms, would he still like you?¡± He gently patted the woman¡¯s face, watching herplexion slowly turn pale ¡°Lucian, you¡¯re despicable!¡± She knew that Dr. Dn was wrongly used, and it was all this man¡¯s doing! He¡¯s using such a lowly tactic, it¡¯s disgusting! Allison: ¡°I¡¯ll break up with him: please let him go.¡± ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll let your lover go¡± Lucian raised his eyebrows, looking at her, and said ¡°Undress.¡± Allison¡¯s lips trembled¨Cwhat? He lowered his head, his gaze falling on his belt. ¡°If you can please me, I¡¯ll help you save your lover. If not, well, you can imagine the consequences¡± Allison seemed to understand his meaning. She trembled. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± He looked at her, trembling. ¡°You won¡¯t? Fine, get out!¡± Allison clenched her teeth. She took a deep breath, her vision blurred by tears, and finally made a decision. Lucian suddenly gritted her teeth, thinking of this womaning to beg him for Dr. Dn. The sudden tenderness in his heart disappeared. Lucian held her chin tightly; his other hand grabbed her waist and threw her onto the sofa. Tears kept rolling down Allison¡¯s face. ¡°Who are you ying the pitiful act for? Did I ask you toe here? Didn¡¯t youe here for your lover?¡± Allison pressed her lips together, her voice hoarse. ¡°Please, Mr. Lindbergh: Please let Dr. Dn go. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. But before she could finish her sentence, the man waved his hand, pushing everything on the coffee table to the floor, and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll satisfy you.¡± He put her on the coffee table; her body was hot like a furnace, while the marble coffee table behind her was very cold. Allison was shivering, instinctively wanting to hug him, but the man just sneered, ¡°So despicable!¡± From the sofa to the coffee table and then to the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, Allison felt like she was floating in the air. The feeling of weightlessness scared her. Behind her was the ss window, outside of which was the view that could only be seen from the 66th floor. From here, she could clearly see the pedestrans and vehicles below Allison¡¯s face turned pale. ¡®No, not here.¡± ¡°What are you afraid of, afraid that others will see you like this? Who are you pretending for?¡± Allison¡¯s vision started to blur. Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Chapter 142 She was feeling super crappy because of a massive cold and a high fever, feeling weak and light¨C headed. She had no idea what happened next, the man seemed satisfied and let go of her. Allison was sitting on the carpet when suddenly a wad of cash fell onto her head. Cash fluttered down onto the carpet. ¡°Does Dr. Dn give you this much money?¡± Allison looked at the cash that was scattered on the floor, bit her lip tight, and suddenly managed a pale smile. It was herst bit of defiance. Thanks for the treat, Mr. Lindbergh, Dn¡¯s my boyfriend, so I don¡¯t care if he can give me as much money as you. Of course, the cash Mr. Lindbergh gave me is quite a lot That sessfully pissed off Lucian, and he nodded, ¡°Good, very good, Allison.¡± Allison picked up her clothes from the floor, put them on, and then bent down to pick up the cash as well. ¡°Mr. Lindbergh, I hope you can keep your promise and let Dr Dn go.¡± *Get out of here, now!¡± For the first time, his emotions were influenced by a woman. Allison turned around, ready to leave, but suddenly she felt dizzy. She felt weak, like a fish out of water. With the room spinning, Allison closed her eyes and started to fall forward. A hand reached out and caught her around the waist, it was Lucian. ¡°Snap out of it, Allison!¡± He could feel her forehead burning, and the man frowned. He had seen many beautiful women; Allison wasn¡¯t the most beautiful, but she had a way of messing with his emotions, he couldn¡¯t control it. With chaos in her ears, Allison didn¡¯t know where she was, she could only vaguely hear voices. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Are you sure you want to terminate the pregnancy? The embryo is over forty days old A child, her child, Allison closed her eyes. She saw the child, and she was heartbroken. It was the first time she wanted to keep something but couldn¡¯t Suddenly, she opened her eyes. Everything was white, and the smell of disinfectant was thick in the air. Was this a hospital? ¡°Ms. Zimmer, are you awake?¡± She walked in. Allison recognized her, she was Lucian¡¯s secretary. She weakly leaned against the headboard. She said, ¡°I brought some food, Ms. Zimmer, you should eat something; the doctor said you fainted because of a high fever, a cold, and malnutrition.¡± ¡°Did you bring me here?¡± Allison looked around, this seemed to be a downtown hospital. She was in the fever outpatient ward. She answered. ¡°Mr. Lindbergh brought you here.¡± Allison¡¯s face changed, Lucian? Why would he be so kind? She said, ¡°Miss, now that you¡¯re awake, rest well. I should report back. Also, Miss, could I get your contact info? So we can reach out if needed.¡± Allison gave her her cell number. After She left, she quickly returned to Lindbergh Corporation. In the CEO¡¯s office, she told Mr. Lindbergh, ¡°Mr Lindbergh, Ms. Zimmer is fine, she has woken up.¡± Mr. Lindbergh looked up from his documents and said lightly. ¡°Hmm.¡± She thought Mr. Lindbergh would react to the news, considering how tense he was before, but he was so indifferent. As she was leaving, Shawn came in with some documents and chatted with her: ¡°Shawn, who is Ms. Zimmer? Mr Lindbergh seems to.¡± Shawn answered, ¡°You¡¯re such a gossip.¡± She replied, ¡°I¡¯m just curious; I¡¯ve never seen Mr. Lindbergh care about any woman like this.¡± Even with Penelope, Mr. Lindbergh wasn¡¯t this concerned Chapter 143 Chapter 143 hapter 143 She¡¯s a girl and has a strong intuition. She could easily sense the unique bond between two people. Shawn put down the documents he was holding and said, ¡°Focus on your job, dude. Why the hell would you be poking around in the boss¡¯s private business?¡± With that, he knocked on the door and stepped into the CEO¡¯s office Lucian Lindbergh didn¡¯t even look up ¡°Check on Dr. Dn¡¯s situation, see what¡¯s up, and handle it.¡± ¡°Gotcha¡± Shawn hesitated for a moment but couldn¡¯t hold back his thoughts. ¡°Mr. Lindbergh, why don¡¯t you just tell Ms. Zimmer that you actually don¡¯t know anything about Dr. Dn¡¯s stuff? She¡¯s got it all wrong, you know?¡± ¡°No need.¡± He straightened his tie Every time Allison Zimmer came up, he would think of her pale face from earlier, which made Lucian a bit restless. At the hospital, Allison stepped out of a patient¡¯s room. She was aimlessly wandering around when she realized she had wandered into the nephrology ward, a ce she used to frequent often. She had slept on the floor and in the hallways here, all just to keep her motherpany. Near the artificialke behind Healing Haven Hospital¡¯s wards Dr. Dn was sitting here at the ce he had worked for a long time, but now he was fired and facing a medicalwsuit. He did his best in that surgery and followed the initial n, but he didn¡¯t expect something to go wrong. He tried his best to fix it. Ever since the incident, it felt like a whole year had passed in just a few days for Dr. Dn. He could¡¯ve submitted his paper by the end of the year and been up for a promotion. He was an excellent nephrologist, and many of his seniors in the hospital admired him. But all of that was gone now. His phone kept ringing. He put it on silent. He knew his parents were looking for him, and Allison kept calling him, but he didn¡¯t know how to face them. He felt like a bird that had been flying freely but suddenly had its wings broken. ¡°Dr Dn Suddenly, a familiar female voice rang out. Dr. Dn looked up to see Jade. ¡°Dr. Jade¡± Jade came over. ¡°I heard you were here, so I came to see you.¡± She looked at Dr. Dn¡¯s stubble. ¡°Dr. Dn, you¡¯ll be fine. My mom¡¯s been working hard too. You¡¯re just temporarily suspended, you¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°Thanks, Dr. Jade Dr. Dn knew the chances of himing back were slim. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Jade sat down next to Dr. Dn. ¡°Dn Huff, I¡¯ve always believed in you. I believe this is just an ordinary ident. We doctors always encounter some idents. don¡¯t take it too hard.¡± She looked at Dr. Dn¡¯s profile. Jade had liked him ever since his first day as an intern at Healing Haven Hospital. Her mother also admired him. Jade had pursued him many times, and almost the entire hospital knew about Jade¡¯s crush on Dr. Dn. But as for Dr. Dn? He already had a girlfriend. ¡°Thank you, Dr. Jade.¡± Dr. Dn spent the afternoon in the artificial garden, with Jade keeping himpany As it started to turn dark, Dr. Dn got up to leave. As Jade stood up, her vision blurred, and she almost fell. Dr. Dn quickly steadied her ¡°Dr. Jade.¡± Jade looked at Dr. Dn, her cheeks slightly flushed Then Dr. Dn let go, keeping a certain distance from Jade. Just then, ¡°Dn, so you¡¯re here. Your family has been calling you a lot ¡± Jade looked at the neer. It was Allison. Her mouth tightened, her dissatisfaction growing stronger. Dr. Dn was a bit flustered, worried that Allison had seen what had happened just now. He quickly exined, ¡°Allison, Dr. Jade almost fell just now. I was just helping her¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say anymore. Why aren¡¯t you answering your phone?¡± Chapter 144 Chapter 144 Chapter 144 When Dr. Dn saw Allison¡¯s cool demeanor, his face fell. ¡°I put my phone on silent, so I didn¡¯t hear it ¡°Really now¡± Allison didn¡¯t press further, turning to smile at Jade and saying, ¡°Dr. Jade¡± Jade just nodded and left Allison didn¡¯t bring him up again, suddenly suggesting. ¡°Let¡¯s go see a movie. Since we¡¯ve been together, we haven¡¯t done anything other than eating¡± Dr. Dn was a bit taken aback, feeling like something was off about Allison today, but he agreed anyway. ¡°Sure¡± On their way, he hesitated before asking. ¡°Allison, I thought you¡¯d be upsel to see me with Dr. Jade¡± ¡°Why would I be upset? Dr. Jade is a great person¡± They also seemed like a good match. ording to Mrs. Huff, Jade¡¯s mother, Dr Thalia, had been working hard on Dn¡¯s case. Maybe Jade was the better fit for him. In the cinema, Allison had already bought two tickets for aedy movie The movie theater wasn¡¯t packed. Dn and Allison sat together, watching the screen. Allison found theedy hrious andughed quite a few times, but inside, she felt a pang of sourness In a quiet scene with no background music or dialogue, just a nk screen, Allison spoke up. ¡°Dr Dn, let¡¯s break up.¡± Her voice was soft But Dr. Dn, sitting next to her, heard it. ¡°What did you say?¡± He thought he¡¯d misheard. ¡°Let¡¯s break up¡± Allison repeated, looking at him, ¡°I think we¡¯re not a good fit¡± He had better options, and she wasn¡¯t worth Dn¡¯s time. ¡°Allison, are you joking?¡± In the dark theater, Allison felt the tears welling up in her eyes. She controlled her emotions and said, ¡°Dr. Dn, I¡¯ve thought it through: I don¡¯t like you.¡± ¡°Allison, are you dumping me because I¡¯m jobless?¡± Allison was stunned. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. She hadn¡¯t thought of it that way. She lightly bit her lip, thinking, She was the one holding Dn back. He had a bright future ahead, he shouldn¡¯t waste his time on her. ¡± She held back her tears and looked up at Dn, saying, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. I¡¯m dumping you because you¡¯re jobless and broke. So, let¡¯s break up.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t believe it. Allison, I know you¡¯re not that kind of person. Is there something else? Allison, is there something you¡¯re not telling me?¡± ¡°No. I am that kind of person, a materialistic one!¡± Allison stood up and said, ¡®Dr Dn, thank you for taking care of my mom in the past. Let¡¯s not meet again.¡± With that, she turned to leave. Dr. Dn grabbed her hand. ¡°Allison, I don¡¯t believe it. What happened? You can tell me we¡¯ll face it together. Allison, we¡¯ve known each other for so long: I know what kind of person you are.¡± Allison had always been a kind, gentle, and romantic girl. Allison pulled her hand back and asked, ¡°What kind of person am I? Dr. Dn, I wanted to break up peacefully. But if you insist on this, finel¡± She took out her phone and dialed a number, her voice deliberately flirtatious: ¡°Hey, I just broke up, I¡¯m at Timeless Cinema; can you pick me up?¡± About twenty minutester, the movie ended. A ck Bentley pulled up at the cinema. Seeing Allisone out, the driver immediately got out to open the door for her. She got in the car, not looking back at Dr. Dn. Chapter 145 Chapter 145 Chapter 145 The car door was mmed shut then. Allison sat up straight, eyes closed, not daring to look out the window. ¡°Dr. Dn, may the world be your oyster,¡± she said. She wasn¡¯t sure if she had ever really loved Dr Dn, but he had given her fleetingfort once. Dunng her hardest times, Dr Dn was always there, not caring about her status or that her mother was critically ill. He was as gentle as a spring breeze. A mocking male voice came from beside her. ¡°Can¡¯t bear to leave him, huh?¡± Allison opened her eyes and looked at Lucian with a cold gaze. ¡°We¡¯ve broken up. I hope Mr. Lindbergh keeps your word.¡± She hadn¡¯t expected Lucian to actuallye pick her up. The only reason she called Lucian was to make Dr. Dn give up on her for good. After they had been driving for a while, Allison said, ¡°Pull over and just drop me off on the side of the road.¡± The driver nced back at Lucian. Mr. Lindbergh didn¡¯t say anything, so he kept driving Allison looked at Lucian and thought: ¡°Fine, if someone¡¯s willing to take me home, I might as well go along with it.¡± She looked exhausted, her high fever had just dropped, and she was pale and fragile. She didn¡¯t believe this man could do anything to her now. It was rush hour, and traffic was heavy. Suddenly, the car jolted, swaying from side to side. Being weak from the fever, Allison¡¯s body lurched forward and then swayed to the left. Just then, a hand steadied her face. Allison almost fell into the man¡¯sp. The hand holding her face was warm. Allison¡¯s cheeks were still slightly hot from the fever. Her hand gripped the man¡¯s suit trousers as she crouched in the car The man lifted his other hand and pressed it against her forehead. Allison flinched Why had he suddenly be so gentle? He hadn¡¯t treated her roughly like he had in the morning. Why had he changed so much by the afternoon? She was about to stand up when the car started again, jotting her face into the man¡¯s palm again. A low chuckle filled her ears. Allison looked up to see Lucian¡¯s face break into a small smile. It was as if he were enjoying her difort, with a hint of amusement ying on his lips. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Allison quickly straightened up and sat back against the car door. The car moved slowly all the way. Finally, at 8 o¡¯clock, they arrived at the nagan Mansion. Allison, afraid that Leah nagan¨CEaden would discover she had ridden home in Lucian¡¯s car, decided to get out early. ¡°This is good. If Leah sees me getting out of your car, it might cause some misunderstandings.¡± The car stopped at the entrance of themunity. Allison got out of the car and went home. She stretchedzily, feeling a bit hungry. She hadn¡¯t eaten anything today and had been in a daze for the past couple of days. Just as she was about to make something to eat, she heard the sound of the gate opening from outside. Allison thought it was the nagan family¡¯s maid, Linda. She usually didn¡¯t lock the yard gate because she lived in a famousmunity in Northfield, in a small loft behind the nagan family vi, where security was guaranteed. And Leah and her family usually don¡¯te here. In their eyes, this ce was like an abandoned warehouse. They wouldn¡¯t want to be seen here, afraid it would ¡®dirty¡® their image. ¡°Linda, what¡¯s up?¡± Allison asked. Chapter 146 Chapter 146 Chapter 146 She asked twice in a row without getting an answer Looking up, she saw a man in a suit standing at the kitchen door Her kitchen was tiny, with just a fridge, a gas stove, and a small table with some storage shelves. ¡°Lucian, I thought you had left?¡± she asked Lucian looked around ¡°You live here?¡°* Allison frowned. ¡°Haven¡¯t you been here before?¡± There were only two bedrooms. One was hers and her mother¡¯s; the other was originally her father¡¯s and brother¡¯s After they left, she and her mother slept separately, with her mother moving into the other room. Though the ce was small and dim, it was where Allison grew up. It held happy and warm memories for her. Lucian looked at Allison, who was about to cook, and said, ¡°Make dinner for two.¡± Allison blinked, spoon in hand, walked out, and looked at the man sitting on the living room couch. His suit contrasted sharply with the simple furnishings here She even doubted that his suit might be worth more than her small apartment. ¡°You¡¯re eating here? Lucian, are you kidding me?¡± She muttered to herself, then returned to the kitchen and made an extra dinner Allison had been cooking since she was a child, so her cooking skills were pretty good. When she came out of the kitchen, Lucian was looking at a painting hanging on the wall. ¡°This painting is by Connor nagan. Connor loved art and calligraphy when he was alive. My father used to be Connor¡¯s driver¡± And her father was also Connor¡¯s ¡®adopted son. After Connor¡¯s death, he intended to give the nagan family¡¯s shares to Grace Zimmer¨CKane, but Grace didn¡¯t ept Allison didn¡¯t understand why Grace didn¡¯t ept. Her father¡¯s and brother¡¯s deaths were because of the nagan family. As a child, Allison heard the nagan family¡¯s servants discussing the car ident that killed her father. But her mother always insisted it was just an ident. In the end, she went insane. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Every time Allison asked about this, Grace would hit her. After that, she didn¡¯t dare to ask again. But this matter always weighed on her heart. The smell of buming food wafted through the air, and Allison screamed, ¡°Ah!¡± She immediately returned to the kitchen and turned off the stove. Lucian walked into Allison¡¯s bedroom. Her room was simple, with a bed, a wardrobe, a desk, and a bookshelf with some storage shelves. There were a few pots of flowers by the window. But the room was clean. It was simple but orderly. Suddenly, he noticed a string of red woven charms hanging on the wall. Lucian frowned. He reached out and took them. The weaving technique seemed like something not everyone would know. It was exactly the same as what he had seen among the ruins after an earthquake when he was a teenager. Allison had prepared dinner and ced it on the coffee table in the living room. There were no chairs in the living room; she usually ate there with Grace ¡°Mr. Lindbergh, dinner is ready.¡± Lucian came out and was greeted by the smell of food. There were two tes of vegetable sandwiches and fried eggs on the coffee table. The aroma of the food was enticing. Lucian didn¡¯t have much appetite originally, but now he felt a bit hungry Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Allison had thought that a rich man like Lucian might not know how to appreciate the simple dishes, but to her surprise, he had emptied his te in no time. Allison, on the other hand, was all grace and elegance when eating and took her sweet time Lucian watched her, suddenly recalling the red woven pendant hanging in her bedroom. ¡°Did you make that red pendant in your bedroom?¡± he asked ¡°What?¡± Allison was taken aback. ¡°You¡¯ve been in my room?¡± His silence was answer enough. ¡°You mean the red pendant that was made by my grandmother?¡± She said, disappointment in her voice. ¡°Your grandmother?¡± Lucian pondered. ¡°Did you live in Cloudville when you were a kid?¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Allison remembered this man asking her the same question before. ¡°My grandmother¡¯s house is in Cloudville. I lived there when I was a kid. But then there was an earthquake, so I moved back to Northfield.¡± Lucian looked lost. Could this be the same Allison he knew? The girl from his memones¨Ccould it be her? But how could she have changed so much? Vain, greedy¨Cnothing like the innocent girl she used to be. Or was it him who got it wrong? Allison didn¡¯t understand why Lucian seemed like a different person today. Severe in the morning, but cold and gentle in the evening. After finishing his meal, Lucian didn¡¯t leave. Instead, he sat on the couch, flipping through a book, while Allison, worn out from a continuous fever, she dozed off. Allison¡¯s head naturally slid down, resting on his shoulder. Lucian looked up. Sleeping, Allison looked so peaceful, like a deer. He gently brushed her hair away from her face. This face was somewhat simr to Penelope nagan¡¯s. With his hand covering the top half of her face, he had a strange feeling. It was the first time Lucian felt something different about a woman. When Allison woke up, she found herself in bed. Lucian was gone; she had no idea when he had left. She felt her forehead, the fever was gone She was about to head to the nagan¡¯s to help out when Leah called her into the study. ¡°Allison, the hospital called. Your mother¡¯s condition isn¡¯t very good.¡± ¡°What?¡± Just a week ago, her mother was perfectly healthy. Leah showed her a video on her phone. Grace was in a hospital bed, confused, and hooked up to all sorts of machines. Allison¡¯s heart sank. Why was this happening? Hadn¡¯t the worst part of the immune rejection been ovee? She looked at Leah, a terrible realization dawning on her. ¡°It was you, wasn¡¯t it? You did this!¡± ¡°Allison, watch your tone! I paid for her kidney transnt and hired the best doctors to treat her. Now that she¡¯s havingplications, how could you me me?¡± Leah retorted. Margo added, ¡°Yeah, Allison. You¡¯re being really ungrateful Instead of thanking thedy, you¡¯re using her!¡± Allison bit her lip hard and kept her voice low. ¡°I want to see my mother. Right Chapter 148 Chapter 148 Chapter 148 Leah squinted her eyes slightly and said. ¡°That Randal quy Margo introduced you to seemed pretty cool. Theard you guys already met, but nothing¡¯s been set in stone. How about this: go out with him, if it works out, give dating a shot Look at your mom¡¯s condition, getting hitched sooner would be a relief.¡± Allison¡¯s hands clenched tightly at her sides. She didn¡¯t expect Leah to be waiting for her here. With a sarcastic chuckle, she said, ¡°So, this is your game, Leah¡± Margo chimed in, ¡°Allison, that¡¯s no way to speak! Mrs. Eden is your elder, and you¡¯re calling her by her first name? She¡¯s trying to set you up with a boyfriend, and you¡¯re not even thankful. Your mom is getting her treatment because of Mrs. Eden¡¯s funding, you¡¯re acting so ungrateful. The nagan family really mised an ingratel Living under someone¡¯s roof meant she had to y by their rules, especially when her mom was sick in bed. She clenched her fists, took a deep breath to calm herself, and said, ¡°Understood, Mrs. Eden.* Seeing Allison nod, Leah smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s more like it. Get to know Randal a bit more and tomorrow, I¡¯ll arrange for you to see your mom¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Allison stiffened. ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Eden¡± She gritted her teeth and forced out the words. As Allison left the study and headed downstairs, she ran into Natalie Bruno and a few of her friends coming up. They were here to see Penelope, and upon seeing Allison, Natalie mocked, ¡°Oh look, it¡¯s the nagan family¡¯s maid Fetch us some water¡± Natalie pushed open Penelope¡¯s door and said, ¡°Penelope, I heard you¡¯re going to Pearl Ind with Lucian next week. It¡¯s a new hot spot this year, Lucian sure treats you well¡± Penelope, busy packing for their trip, paused to unt her barely noticeable baby bump. After all, she was carrying a Lindbergh baby. With this baby, she was set to be the futuredy of the Lindbergh family ¡°As his fianc¨¦, of course he treats me well.¡± Penelope smirked and said, ¡°I talk to Lucian about sending you guys an invite. We can vacation together.¡± Natalie and the others immediately flocked to her. ¡°Penelope, is that a limited edition bag?¡± ¡°I think there were only 800 of those bags made worldwide. Even the rich couldn¡¯t afford it.¡± Penelope preened, ¡°Of course¡± Natalie and her friends were clearly envious. Sure, Natalie was well¨Coff, but even she couldn¡¯t afford such an exclusive bag. It represented more than just wealth; it was a mark of prestige. For top¨Cnotch families like the Lindberghs, buying such a limited¨Cedition bag was a piece of cake. -Natalie, looking at Penelope¡¯s bedroom, could tell the stark difference between the nagans and the Brunos financial status. The Bruno family also ran a publicly tradedpany, but Penelope was the lucky one, carrying a Lindbergh heir. Once the baby is born, she will instantly be the Lindbergh¡¯s daughter¨Cinw. Natalie was green with envy. Being the wife of Lindbergh, not to mention the handsome and outstanding Lucian, was enough to make the socialites of Northfield jealous. Just then, a knock came at the door. Allison walked in carrying a tray of coffee. She ced the tray on the coffee table with pastries and coffee and said, ¡®Enjoy,dies.¡± Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Chapter 149 ¡°Where are you off to?¡± Penelope asked, setting aside a pile of clothes. She picked up her water ss and took a sip. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s already cold¡± ¡°Wait a moment, Ms. nagan Allison said. ¡°I¡¯ll get you some hot water.¡± Off she went with a tray, only to return a few minutester with three cups of hot water at different temperatures. Penelope picked up one of the cups and dumped it onto the carpet. ¡°Clean that up¡± Shemanded. Allison raised an eyebrow. ¡°Sorry, miss, I¡¯m a bit tied up. How about we get Margo to clean up your mess?¡± ¡°Allison, when I tell you to clean up, you clean up! How dare you talk back to me!¡± ¡°Talk back? Me? But Mrs. nagan just gave me some duties to attend to. So, should I listen to you, or should I listen to Mrs. nagan?¡± Upon hearing this, Penelope was so mad that she turned beet red. With that, Allison turned on her heel and walked out the door, running right into Margo. ¡°Allison, what are you doing? Hurry up and change!¡± Margo demanded. ¡°Cool your jets, Margo¡® Allison replied coolly. ¡°Miss got a little situation that needs your attention.¡± Margo hurried over ¡°Miss, I need to speak to Allison. If you need anything, ask Linda.¡± Penelope waved her off impatiently ¡°Fine, whatever¡± While holding her stomach, she wasforted by Nathalie, who was standing next to her and said, ¡°Rx, Penelope. Don¡¯t waste your energy getting mad at her. Think about the baby.¡± Penelope gave a small smile. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t know the half of it about Allison. Although she¡¯s just a raid in my house, she¡¯s got a temper and loves to party. She¡¯s been with many men from middle school to high school, and she even had an abortion.¡± ¡°Wow, is that so? She¡¯s really that reckless?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of keeping such a maid at home? Disgusting¡± ¡°My mother is too soft¨Chearted. She kept Allison here because of her many years of service. Oh, and when Allison¡¯s mother was sick, it was my parents who paid for her hospital bills.¡± ¡°Penelope, you¡¯re truly too kind.¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Allison changed into a simple outfit when she got home, but Margo was not pleased. ¡°Why are you dressed so inly? Change into this.¡± She handed Allison a pink dress. At 4 pm, Margo arranged for Allison to meet Randal at the cinema. ¡°Allison, my nephew is quite a catch. You should be grateful if he takes a liking to you. Thedy of the house is trying to set you two up. You can¡¯t just up and leave. Remember to get along with him tonight!¡± Randal had tidied up his hair today and it was slick with wax. His face was also shiny and smooth. He gave Allison a lewd look, ¡°Allison, we didn¡¯t get to chat properlyst time. Today is our chance. I¡¯ve got movie tickets, and afterward¡­we can¡­¡± He figured this woman would be his sooner orter. Margo gave Randal¡¯s hand a light pat, ¡°I¡¯ll leave you two alone now¡± She gave Allison a look. ¡°Allison, remember what I just told you¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Allison replied nkly, then she was the first to enter the movie theatre. Randal had booked a VIP screening room, which was practically empty. He stared at Allison¡¯s profile. She was the most beautiful and attractive woman he had ever seen. Even without makeup, she was still stunning. Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Chapter 150 It turned out this auntie of mine, who never kept in touch, would actually hook me up with such a gorgeousdy who was way prettier than any of my ex¨Cgirlfriends. She was petite but perfect in every aspect. At the cinema Randal reached over and touched Allison¡¯s leg Allison flinched. ¡°Mr. Randal, control yourself!¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Huh? But you¡¯re my girlfriend, what¡¯s the harm?¡± ¡°Mr. Randal, I¡¯m just here ¡®cause Margo asked me to¡± ¡°My aunt said you¡¯re my girlfriend. I might not be good at much, but I sure as hell know how to treat a girlfriend right. You¡¯ll see when the movie¡¯s over, haha.¡± He suddenly leaned in closer, but Allison backed away, ¡°Randal, keep it up and I¡¯m calling security¡± ¡°Ainght, alright Allison. We¡¯re just gonna enjoy the movie.¡± Even so, he still managed to sneak a feel After the movie, Randal asked Allison to meet his friends. ¡°Allison, my pals are waiting for us. You wouldn¡¯t leave me hanging, would you?¡± Allison reluctantly suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s just hit the Red Jack Club. You said you were meeting friends there, right? I have a membership, so we can book a private room there. Plus, we get a discount.¡± Randal, seeing her agree, smiled, ¡°Great, Red Jack Club it is.¡± He immediately called his buddies. Allison walked into the Red Jack Club. This was her workce, so she felt more at ease dealing with anything Randal might pull. Room 402 It was a mess inside, with cigarette butts everywhere. Some folks looked like thugs, including a few scantily d girls with tattoos and dyed hair. A woman in a tight red dress eyed Allison, ¡°Ah, Randal, is this your new gal?¡± Allison replied, ¡°No¡± Randal said, ¡°She¡¯s just shy. My rtive set us up. Not bad, right?¡± ¡°Randal, you sure have good taste.¡± ¡°Of course she¡¯s a stunner!¡± The room was thick with smoke. The strong smell of alcohol and cigarettes gave Allison a headache and she was finding it hard to breathe. She was thinking of stepping out for some fresh air when Randal¡¯s hand sneaked around her waist. ¡°Don¡¯t leave, sweetheart.¡± Allison frowned and said disgustedly. ¡°Let go.¡± As Randal tried to get closer. Allison stepped on his foot and slipped away. ¡°I only agreed toe, Randal. Pull that again, and I¡¯m calling the cops!¡± ¡°Oh, she¡¯s pissed.¡± A few people started to hoot. Then a woman¡¯s moan broke through the noise. Allison looked over. A tattooed man and the woman in the red dress were getting it on right on the couch. The crowd started to cheer and Allison felt sick to her stomach Without another word, Allison grabbed her bag and tried to leave. However, Randal seized her bag and threw it on the floor. ¡°Who said you could leave?¡± He popped a beer and grabbed Allison by the hair and she winced in pain. Then Randal forced the beer down her throat. ¡°My aunt said you¡¯re my woman now. You should do as I say. Drink up and then let¡¯s get cozy.¡± Allison fought back, and beer sshed all over her face. Some of it got into her throat and she started coughing violently. Suddenly, the tattooed man lifted the woman in the red dress. ¡°Randal, we¡¯ll clear out and give you some space with yourdy!¡± Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Chapter 151 ¡°Ben, you little rascal!¡± The man in the floral shirt barely moved, causing the woman in his arms to squeal. Allison felt sick to her stomach. Randal was clutching her waist tightly, half pushing and half pulling her forward as she struggled. The thought of what the two on the couch were doing just made her feel even sicker. Randal¡¯s greasy face leaned in closer, and Allison lifted her leg, giving him a swift kick in the stomach ¡°Ouch!¡± Randal cried out in pain. Allison took the opportunity to bolt towards the door. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed the first number that came to mind ¡°Help me, please help me¡­¡± Suddenly, she felt a hard blow to the back of her head. Randal grabbed her by the hair and threw her to the floor. She clung to her phone, calling out for help to whoever was on the line. ¡°Help me, call the police; I¡¯m at Red Jack Club in room 402!¡± A foot stomped on her fingers. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Randal gasped and grabbed her by the hair, ¡°You¡¯re calling the cops?¡± With that, everyone around them burst out intoughter, Another woman cooed, ¡°Randal, you¡¯re such a devil. Your girlfriend¡¯s so ungrateful, she should be thankful you even noticed her.¡± Randal was thrilled. He looked at Allison, licked his lips, and chuckled, ¡°Just hold on, I¡¯ll y with this girl first before I entertain you.¡± Allison felt extremely disgusted when he heard his lewd remarks. Fear was spreading like wildfire inside her. Randal impatiently looked at Allison. He could hardly wait. He snatched the phone out of her hand, ¡°You still want help, huh? Alright then.¡± He threw the phone on the ground and stomped on it. The screen instantly cracked and cked out. The hope in Allison¡¯s eyes seemed to die out, but she didn¡¯t give up. Her fingers wed at Randal¡¯s face, only to earn herself a p, ¡°You bitch!¡± ¡°She¡¯s a tough one, Randal. If you can¡¯t handle her, let me do it.¡± ¡°Get lost. I¡¯ll let you have your way with her after I¡¯ve had my fun. All of you can have your fun tonight.¡± Allison¡¯s clothes were ripped open. She was like a fish out of water. No matter how much she struggled, no matter how loud she screamed, no one paid attention. She was weak, but she fought back. She grabbed a beer mug from the coffee table and swung There was a loud ¡°crack¡°. Randal cursed, touching his face only to find it covered in blood, ¡°You bitch.¡± Annoyed, he grabbed her by the hair and smashed her head against the coffee table. Everything went ck for Allison. Warm blood was trickling down from a wound on her forehead. Her eyes started to ze over Randal was eagerly trying to undo her jeans, but the buttons were too tight. He ripped them open, then started to unbuckle his belt. Allison¡¯s eyshes were trembling, she seemed to have lost all hope. The woman closed her eyes. Just then. A loud ¡°bang¡® echoed throughout the room Someone was kicking the door from outside the room. ¡°Who the hell?¡± Randal looked up. Everyone else in the room stopped what they were doing. Someone cursed and went to check who it was, ¡°Who the hell dares to interrupt me?¡± ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Lucian undid his wristwatch and handed it over to James Burke. He then loosened his tie and took off his suit, handing them over to James as well. James stepped back, knowing Lucian was about to go all out ¡°Argh!¡± Someone screamed and fell into the room. Everyone in the box was stunned. Randal stood up. ¡°Who the hell is causing a ruckus here, daring to disturb me, and even hitting my friend? Are you asking for death?¡± Lucian walked over, step by step. His gaze was icy, like an ice pick in winter, sweeping over everyone in the room, finallynding on Randal¡¯s face, and then his sight fell on the sofa The woman on the sofa was covered in blood and lifeless. Her clothes barely covered her body. Seeing this, Lucian felt the urge to kill for the first time. ¡°Who the hell are you, barging in and messing with us¡­ The guy¡¯s words were cut off by Lucian¡¯s imposing aura, making him step back, ¡°Which gang are you from? We work for Jack you¡¯d better¡­¡± Before he could finish, Lucian threw a punch, breaking his teeth without even a chance to resist. No one else in the box dared to move. Randal stood up, ¡°Bro, I haven¡¯t done anything to cross you, right? You¡¯re here for this woman, right? I can share her with you.¡± Lucian lifted his hand, shaking his wrist a bit, and walked over step by step. Randal was getting scared, ¡°Come help me; we can still fight back, can¡¯t we?¡± Several people rushed up immediately. Seeing them all rush up, Randal picked up a beer bottle and charged forward, trying to hit Lucian from behind. Lucian turned around, his eyes cold and stern. He punched and broke Randal¡¯s jaw, then grabbed his throat, ¡°You¡¯ve got guts!¡± Randal was almost choking. James hurried over, ¡°Lucian, if you don¡¯t let go, he is going to die.¡± But no one could stop Lucian. Randal staggered forward. Then Lucian grabbed a bottle of red wine and smashed it over his head. Randal fell to the ground, but Lucian choked him and kept punching him in the face, then lifted his foot and stomped on Randal¡¯s leg Randal screamed in pain. The others in the box were either lying on the ground or screaming with their heads in their hands. James had never seen Lucian this angry; it was as if he really wanted to kill him. Maybe if he wasn¡¯t there, Lucian might¡¯ve killed Randal. Allison opened her eyes. She felt like she was dreaming. Otherwise, how could she be seeing Lucian? Lucian picked her up; his gaze held a rare touch of tenderness. He reached out and carefully moved the wet and messy hair from her forehead, which was stained with blood. His eyes fell on the wound on her forehead. It was about two centimeters long, with blood constantly seeping out and some already beginning to scab. ¡°Wake up, don¡¯t sleep.¡± Allison¡¯s eyelids felt heavy. She seemed to be hearing things. She heard Lucian calling her name. Was it really him? Why was he here? Allison¡¯s vision was blurry and her head felt heavy. The wound on her forehead was numb and painful. All she could see was a blurred red, ¡°Lucian, is that you?¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mm.¡± Allison closed her eyes when she heard the man¡¯s affirmative response. ¡°Allison¡­¡± ¡°Allison!¡± Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Lucian scooped her up and strode forward. When he reached the entrance, he told James, ¡°Take care of these folks for me, will ya?¡± ¡°Got it¡± James nced at Randal sprawled out on the ground, his pain so severe he¡¯d passed out like a fat pig. He gave him a kick and muttered, ¡°What on earth possessed you to cross Lucian?¡± At the hospital, the doctor urgently treated Allison¡¯s forehead wound, then turned to the grim man and said, ¡°She¡¯s not too badly hurt. Her wound has been stitched up and she needs to rest. She should wake up by tomorrow.¡± ¡°Sir, your back wound¡­¡± The nurse was cleaning her suturing tools when she noticed the blood seeping through Lucian¡¯s silver¨Cgrey shirt. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Lucian seemed unfazed by the pain. ¡°Let me treat that for you. The nurse offered. The wound on Lucian¡¯s back wasn¡¯t long, but it was deep. The nurse suggested an antibiotic shot. All the while, Lucian¡¯s gaze remained on the hospital bed. Allison looked pale. Her small face was obscured by arge bandage Lucian wasn¡¯t sure what he was feeling. Was he angry? Hell yes. The sight of that jerk trying to hurt Allison made him want to kill the guy on the spot. Why was he so mad? Lucian clenched his lips, his emotions bing clearer. He was starting to care about Allison. ¡°No.. no¡­¡± Lucian closed his eyes to rest, only to be awakened by a woman¡¯s whisper. It was the middle of the night. Allison seemed to be caught in a dream; her face was pale and sweaty ¡°No, don¡¯t¡­ ¡°Wake up, Allison. Open your eyes!¡± Suddenly, a deep voice shattered her dream, like a path appearing through the fog. Allison opened her eyes. Her gaze fell on the man¡¯s face. ¡°Lucian¡­¡± She murmured, her lips pale and trembling. Her eyshes quivered. ¡°It¡¯s really you¡­¡± She¡¯d had a long dream, and at the end of it, she saw a bright light and Lucianing towards her Lucian smirked. ¡°Who else did you expect? Your old me, Dr. Dn?¡± Allison propped herself up on the bed, trying to sit up. She leaned back against the headboard. ¡°How did you get here?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you call me?¡± Allison¡¯s lips moved. In her confusion, she had called Lucian. Regardless, she said sincerely, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, thank you.¡± Her lips curled into a small smile, like the moonlight reflecting off water, which cast a soft glow. Lucian was taken aback. Thank me? That requires sincerity.¡± Allison seemed not to hear him. I feel dizzy and tired¡­ With that, she curled up under the covers like a cat and closed her eyes. ¡°Mr. Lindberg, goodnight.¡± Lucian¡¯s lips twitched into a smile. Goodnight? He sat down in the chair, closing his eyes. The air was filled with the sweet scent of a woman. He figured it was better than any calming incense. Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Moming. Allison blinked her eyes open. Then she slowly widened her eyes, looking at Lucian who was lying on the edge of the bed and resting. The usually aloof Lucian now seemed to have taken off his mask of indifference His face was incredibly handsome, yet it posed no threat Allison breathed lightly, carefully observing the man¡¯s features. When he was awake, his face was full of cold indifference, but his eyshes were incredibly thick, like a dense brush Allison couldn¡¯t help but extend her hand to gently touch them. Last night¡¯s events felt like a dream. She had been on the verge of despair. Then this man seemed to descend from the heavens like a god. Snapping back to reality, Allison saw a pair of warm eyes. Their deep color was like a bottomless abyss. She quickly tried to pull back her hand. But it was toote. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Lucian suddenly grabbed her hand, his gaze gradually bing clear. His voice was rxed, ¡°Were you checking me out?¡± Allison¡¯s cheeks turned a light pink, ¡°No¡± She tried to pull her hand back, but Lucian held on tightly. She didn¡¯t expect Lucian to have already woken up. She felt a little regret in her heart, but more than that, she was afraid of making him angry. ¡°Still denying it!¡± Lucian held her hand tightly. Her hands were soft and delicate and felt tender in his palm, which made him lighten his grip, ¡°Can¡¯t admit it, can you?¡± He extended his other hand, lifting her chin and raising her head. Their gazes shed, his eyes were deep and warm, and hers seemed to overflow with warmth, capable of melting all indifference. Lucian looked into her beautiful eyes. Even if he didn¡¯t like her, he had to adrnit that her eyes were as beautiful as snow, pure and wless ¡°Tell me, were you checking me out or not?¡± Allison didn¡¯t expect Lucian to be so hung up on this issue. Her blushing was a clear giveaway. Her voice was very soft, very light, and slightly trembling, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll be more careful next time¡± Allison saw Lucian¡¯s face darkening and she bit her lip regretfully. Did she upset him again? Just as Allison finished speaking, Lucian¡¯s face darkened even more. Lucian suddenly flipped over, pinning Allison beneath him. ¡°Be careful of what?¡± Allison let out a startled gasp. Lucian¡¯s hand wasrge and easily held both of Allison¡¯s hands above her head on the pillow. He leaned down, his handsome face only a centimeter from Allison¡¯s When he spoke, his breath fanned out on Allison¡¯s face. Allison¡¯s face turned red instantly. She had been intimate with him before and had seen him at this close range, but at this moment, with Lucian speaking and his warm breath falling on her face while he stared at her intently, Allison felt nervous. ¡°Tll ask you onest time, were you checking me out?!¡± Allison hesitated for a few seconds, then nodded her head, no longer considering whether he would get angry, and then said in an embarrassed whisper, ¡°Yes¡± Allison initially thought that Lucian would be angry, but to her surprise, after hearing her answer, his face actually rxed; there was even a trace of a smile on his lips, ¡°If you want to look, then look. I won¡¯t bite you.¡°. Allison could never figure him out. He was clear about his dislike for her. Getting caught checking him out would definitely upset him, and she would feel embarrassed too. He seemed to be about to get angry, but suddenly he lightened up. These past few days, his mood seemed to change constantly, which confused Allison. First, she nodded slightly, carefully observing Lucian¡¯s expression. When she saw no further signs of anger, she finally said, ¡°Got it, Mr. Lindberg¡± Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Lucian eyed the woman¡¯s slender neck. She was in a hospital gown that was as loose as a nightgown, with three buttons undone, revealing the skin underneath and a sweet scent. Lucian¡¯s eyes darkened slightly. He swallowed hard Allison looked at the man¡¯s face, noticing his change, and got a bit nervous. When she was nervous, her eyes would easily turn red, ¡°Mr Lindberg, we are in a hospital¡± Lucian caught sight of the woman¡¯s clear, teary and slightly reddened eyes. They were innocent and meless. Such an expression, whether it was true or false, was enough to bewilder him. He tumed his face away and spoke coldly, ¡°Stop looking at me!¡± Allison was startled and she closed her eyes and turned her head. ¡°Allison.¡± The man¡¯s voice was a bit heavy. ¡°Call me.¡± ¡°Mr. Lindberg¡± This man was really hard to figure out. One minute he didn¡¯t want her to look at him, the next he wanted her to call his name. ¡°Call me by my first name!¡± ¡°Lucian¡­¡± Allison shut her eyes tightly. This man was really unpredictable. Lucian bowed his head and nted a passionate, dominant kiss on her neck. Allison was wondering what to do. Lucian spoke again, ¡°Keep calling¡± What should she say? Allison hesitated for two seconds as Lucian¡¯s kiss suddenly deepened. Then he gently bit her as Allison spoke, ¡°Lucian¡± Lucian felt her body wasfortable, and her voice was pleasant and soft, like a cat¡¯s pawnding in his heart. If this woman wasn¡¯t the Allison he disliked, he would have really liked to keep her by his side. Too bad she was Allison. Lucian¡¯s lust had faded. Allison noticed Lucian had let her go, so she opened her eyes and looked at him. Lucian saw the woman¡¯s clear eyes filled with the innocence of a morning dream. It was heartbreaking to see her forehead wrapped in white gauze. Adding on her almost crying look and her beautiful eyes, which were full of tears, he suddenly felt a surge of warmth and immediately shouted, ¡°Close your eyes, stop looking at me like that!¡± Allison was startled by his shout. Did he hate her that much? She couldn¡¯t even look at him? Didn¡¯t he just ask her to look at him? He was so fickle!! Allison pouted. Fine, she won¡¯t look! She didn¡¯t want to look anyway! James came in the morning and nced at Allison, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake, recovering well.¡± Allison pulled a face, ¡°It¡¯s just a head injury¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Lucian?¡± Allison said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure, he just left.¡± James walked over and casually sat down, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen Lucian like this, he almost beat that guy to deathst night. If it weren¡¯t for me, that guy would¡¯ve been dead already.¡± Allison remained silent. Really? James probably exaggerated; Lucian¡¯s distaste for her hadn¡¯t reached that extent. ¡°Why were you in a private room with that manst night? Were you working yesterday?¡± James asked curiously, but when he saw Allisonst night, she wasn¡¯t in her uniform. Allison bit her lip. She didn¡¯t know how to answer him. Her mother was still under Leah¡¯s control. Considering Randal¡¯s current situation, Margo would definitely find out, then Leah¡­. She should be visiting her mom today!! Thinking about this, Allison suddenly threw off the nket, trying to get out of bed T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Hey, where are you going?¡± ¡°I have an emergency I have to attend to at home!¡± Chapter 156 Chapter 156 ¡°What¡¯s so urgent that you¡¯ve gotta take off now? Don¡¯t you care about your own life? Look at that gash on your forehead. It¡¯s already been stitched up a few times. If it tears open again, can you handle that?¡± She lifted her hand, lightly touching her forehead. Seeing that she seemed to take his words to heart, James hurriedly said, ¡°Just chill here for a few days, okay?¡± James lounged around, waiting for a bit before Lucian returned. Lucian came back in a fresh set of clothes and looked at James in surprise, ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You¡¯re joking, right, Lucian? Were you nning on ditching me after you¡¯ve used me up?¡± Seeing his pitiful, abandoned puppy look, Allison couldn¡¯t help but burst outughing. Lucian shot her a nce and Allison mmed up immediately, suppressing herughter. At that moment, the nurse came in to change Allison¡¯s bandages. The wound on her forehead had been stitched up and she could feel the sting when the bandages were changed. She bit her lip and waited silently for it to be done. As the nurse was about to leave, she suddenly turned to look at Lucian. ¡°Sir, do you need treatment for the wound on your back? The nurse asked awkwardly, eyeing Lucian¡¯s handsome face ¡®No need.¡± James blinked, recalling how Randal had hit him on the back with a bottlest night. He probably got cut by the broken ss. Allison¡¯s eyes widened in concern, ¡°You¡¯re hurt?¡± Did it happen when he was saving herst night? She was half¨Cconscious then and her ears were filled with noise, so she was unable to hear anything. But she had a vague feeling. He was taking on several thugs alone. No matter how skilled he was, it was impossible to walk away unscathed. He got hurt because of her¡­ She hung her head, feeling guilty. But then, Lucian¡¯s dismissive voice broke through her thoughts, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. It¡¯s got nothing to do with you¡± James rolled his eyes helplessly at Lucian¡¯s attitude. How could he possibly win a girl¡¯s heart like this? Allison was discharged from the hospital after three days. She hadn¡¯t seen Lucian since that day, and she thought he hadn¡¯te back. But on the day she left, the nurse said admiringly, ¡°Ms. Zimmer, your boyfriend is really good to you¡± Allison turned pale andughed, ¡°You misunderstood. He¡¯s not my boyfriend.¡± ¡°No way! Who else woulde to see youte at night every day and stay till dawn?¡± Allison was taken aback. Lucian had beening to see her every night? Due to her head injury, she had been sleeping early these past few days. By midnight, she would already be out cold. ¡°By the way, is his back injury serious?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± The nurse looked surprised, thenughed, ¡°He probably didn¡¯t want you to worry. The wound on his back isn¡¯t serious. It¡¯s not long, but it¡¯s quite deep.* Allison bit her lip. Despite his words that the injury was unrted to her, she knew he was hurt because of her. Later that night, around 10 pm, a man sat alone in a private room at the club with his legs crossed. He was the only one without a woman by his side. A brave woman gathered her courage and approached him. ¡°Drinking alone must be boring, right?¡± As she spoke, she mustered up the courage to sit next to Lucian. Her soft handnded on his chest, drawing circles gently. This man, with his prestigious background and handsome looks, was the focus of all the women in the room. Yet no one dared approach him because he was too dangerous. However, Nadine was different. She was bold and the most popr woman at the club. She believed that, with her charming beauty, no man could resist her. Chapter 157 Chapter 157 Even the biggest yer couldn¡¯t help but make a y for her. But Nadine had a thing for risky guys like Lucian. Those were the ones who could really get her blood pumping. The private room was filled with young, high¨Cflying guys with their arm candy, including Leo and James. Leo and James had known Lucian for years and they knew him well. This wasn¡¯t the type of woman he liked. Fearing that Lucian would blow a fuse, they prepared to take Nadine away. Lucian, however, held Nadine¡¯s hand tightly, with his eyes locked onto her beautiful face. Youth and beauty coexisted on that pretty face of hers. She blushed lightly as he held her hand. It seemed like no matter how inscrutable a man was, she could always reel him in. She flirtatiously said, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, let me pour you a drink¡± With that, she brought the ss to his thin lips. Lucian took a sip, then pulled out a card from his wallet and ced it on the coffee table, nonchntly saying, ¡°Take off your clothes.¡± The card read five million. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Nadine gazed at the card, giggling as she started to undress. ¡°Mr. Lindberg, you¡¯re such a naughty boy¡± The other women in the room were green with envy. Five million! They instantly regretted their actions. Was Mr. Lindberg not as cold and temperamental as the rumors suggested? A young man whistled, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, I didn¡¯t expect you to be into this. If you like, I can send one your way tomorrow.¡± Lucian wasn¡¯t fond of these kinds of ces. He typically just drank and never had women around. Today was indeed an exception. James gave Leo a look, took out a cigarette from the box and handed it to him, whispering, ¡°What¡¯s up with Lucian?¡± Leo took the cigarette, ¡°I have no idea.¡± Lucian¡¯s behavior was odd. When Lucian came to these ces for a drink, he never brought ady friend. The young men in the private room were all hedonistic with messy private lives. Their female companions were no different. Someone whistled, urging Nadine to undress faster Nadine was the top girl here, with a banging body and an even more stunning face. She sat on Lucian¡¯sp. ¡°Mr. Lindberg, how about we take this upstairs?¡± Above the eighth floor were lounges. Exclusively for the customers. Lucian looked at Nadine, the strong scent of her perfume filling his nostrils. She was beautiful, more so than the demure Allison, but no matter how he looked at it, Allison¡¯s face was more pleasing to him. Seeing that Lucian was unmoved, Nadine looked at his handsome features,pletely captivated. She took off herst piece of clothing and hugged him. The men nearby were practically drooling. She had many ways to attract men, and everyone around her was entranced. But she found that the man in front of her had no reaction at all. Secondster, he coldly said, ¡°Get lost!¡± Nadine turned pale and she trembled as she sat on the floor. Lucian stood up, not looking at Nadine again. He lit a cigarette, walked to the window, and took a puff with narrowed eyes. He felt a little irritable. He found that when he was sober, he had no reaction to other women. Nadine was more beautiful than Allison, had a better figure, was more daring, and was more promiscuous, but he had no reaction to any of Nadine¡¯s seductions. Lucian looked at the stars outside the window and asked Leo in a low voice, ¡°Do you think Allison is pretty?¡± Chapter 158 Chapter 158 Leo hadn¡¯t expected Lucian to drop such a bombshell on him. Allison, the gentle¨Clooking chick? He was at a loss, ncing at James, unsure if Lucian was trying to trap him. James, overhearing, chimed in, ¡°Well, I like girls like her. They are pure and gentle..¡± He hadn¡¯t even finished his sentence when he noticed Leo giving him the death stare. What had he said wrong? Why was Leo ring at him? ¡°Lucian, don¡¯t you think Allison looks really young? And she¡¯s got a great vibe¡­ James rambled on, ¡°Like a fresh college girl, wearing a white dress, exuding youth and innocence when she smiles¡­ Why was Lucian still ring at him? His face was growing darker by the second. I ¡°Ah! Lucian, I think my stomach is acting up. I need to hit the john.¡± James finally sensed the tension, feeling that if he said one more word, Lucian would lose it. Pretending to be in pain, he quickly made an excuse and bailed. Leo could feel the tension in the air and a chill ran down his spine. He thought he might have to assist James in making a quick exit. After all, James was so skinny, how could he possibly withstand a blow from Lucian? + But Lucian¡¯s taste seemed to have changed. Could it be that he liked the innocent type like Allison? But wasn¡¯t Lucian already engaged to Penelope? He knew that Penelope had saved Lucian¡¯s life and Lucian felt obligated to her. Now that Penelope was pregnant, the Lindberg family¡¯s future was unpredictable. When Allison got home, she was ready for a showdown with Leah, expecting her to be furious. But Leah seemed to be in the dark. Without wasting any time, Allison quickly freshened up and went to see Grace. She couldn¡¯t see anything clearly due to the ck veil in front of her eyes. It wasn¡¯t until she reached the hospital room that she removed it. Grace was hooked up to all sorts of tubes and looked extremely weak. Allison was stunned, her heart pounding heavily ¡°Mom Mom¡­¡± Allison rushed to her bedside. Grace had lost so much weight in just a few days that her cheeks were hollow. Tears welled up in Allison¡¯s eyes as she saw Grace¡¯s pale face. Grace weakly opened her eyes, ¡°Allison, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Mom, what happened? I thought you were getting better. How did you be like this all of a sudden?¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Allison, there¡¯s something I need to tell you.¡± Grace¡¯s frail hand gripped Allison¡¯s tightly. Her voice was weak and hoarse, like a flickering candle about to go out. Your father and brother¡¯s death¡­it wasn¡¯t an ident.¡± Allison¡¯s pupils contracted. ¡®Mom¡­¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t an ident. Find a man named Adrian; he will tell you more. Also, don¡¯t worry about me anymore. Live your life as you wish. I may not be able to apany you anymore.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. You¡¯ve already had a kidney transnt. As long as you take your medications on time, you will recover. I will take care of you. I will always be with you!¡± ¡°Allison, there¡¯s a metal box behind my wardrobe. It contains an agate ne. Take good care of it. If Leah ever treats you badly, give this pendant to Christopher nagan ¡°Mom, stop talking. You will be fine. I will go to Mrs. nagan right now and beg her to spare you ¡°No.¡± Grace held onto Allison¡¯s hand tightly. Allison pressed her face against her mother¡¯s thin hand. Grace gently stroked her daughter¡¯s face, ¡°Allison, I need you to promise me something.¡± Chapter 159 Chapter 159 ¡°Don¡¯t fight with Penelope, okay? She¡¯s spoiled rotten by Leah, but she¡¯s got a good heart. Remember when she shared her favorite dessert with you when you were kids?¡± Allison was a bit stumped. She didn¡¯t understand why Grace was telling her all this. She just chalked it up to Grace¡¯s good nature. Grace was always like this. ¡°I got it, Mom. You should rest now.¡± Grace closed her eyes. Allison sat by her bedside, watching the lines on the monitor, hoping to stay by her side forever. Her mom had just undergone a kidney transnt. She was doing fine just a week ago, but now her condition had worsened. This had to be Leah¡¯s doing! She tried her best to avoid conflict and to put up with Leah¡¯s bullying. Even when she was pushed to the edge, Leah still didn¡¯t let her or her mom off the hook! Even though her mom¡¯s breathing was getting weaker, she was still stable with the help of the venttor. Allison stayed in the hospital room for a while longer before leaving. When she got home, she found a tin box in the closet, just like Grace had said. Inside was an agate ne with a in design. This? This could get Mr. nagan to help her? Allison carefully put it away and got ready to head out. She was going to find a guy named Adrian based on the address Grace had given her. Just as she stepped out of the house, her phone rang. It was a strange number. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Is this Ms. Zimmer?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve done a DNA test at our center. It shows that you two aren¡¯t rted.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Allison could barely hold the phone steady. ¡°You must have made a mistake; that¡¯s my mom¡¯s hair and mine!¡± ¡°Ms. Zimmer, we didn¡¯t make a mistake. You two aren¡¯t rted.¡± Allison¡¯s ears were ringing. She¡­ she wasn¡¯t rted to her mom? How could that be? Hearing the words over the phone, Allison felt weak. At the cemetery. Allison ced a bunch of lilies in front of the tombstone. She bent down to clear the weeds around the tombstone. ¡°Dad, do you think they made a mistake?¡± ¡°How could I not be your and Mom¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°It must be¡­ it must be a mistake by the testing center!!¡± But her gic markers didn¡¯t match Grace¡¯s. Why?? Then who was her mother? Was Joshua Zimmer still her father? Suddenly, Allison felt lost. For several days in a row, Allison visited the cemetery daily, chatting with her father and brother. One morning, when Allison arrived, she saw a bunch of carnations on the tombstone. Who had been here? In her memory, no one else visited her father and brother except her. ¡°You must be Allison; you¡¯re all grown up now.¡± A deep, aged voice came from behind her Allison turned around to see a lean middle¨Caged man. He was dressed in casual ck sportswear. Despite his rtively young appearance, his hair was already graying She politely said, ¡°Hello.¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Are you a friend of my father¡¯s?¡± Allison came here every few days. Despite the many years that had passed, this was the first time she¡¯d encountered someone visiting her father. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right. I should have visited Joshua sooner, but I never had the opportunity. I¡¯m sorry¡± The middle¨Caged man said. ¡°My name is Adrian.¡± Could it be the Adrian that her mother spoke of? ¡°Do you know my mother?¡± ¡°Your parents and I are old friends¡± ¡°My mother once told me that my father¡¯s and brother¡¯s deaths were no ident and you¡¯re the only one who knows the truth.¡± Chapter 160 Chapter 160 After hearing that, Adrian shed tears. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Grace to still remember me. That ident wasn¡¯t just a coincidence, because..¡± His voice suddenly choked up because he was the one who caused the ident ¡°Adrian, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°Ms. Zimmer, follow me.¡± Adrian led Allison to a residential building that was about to be demolished. Allison could not have imagined that Northfield still had ces like this. The ground was covered with moss, making it very slippery to walk on. The air was filled with dense humidity, and overhead were countless power lines. The smell ofundry detergent permeated the air. Adrian lived here. He walked to a red iron gate, opened it, and said, ¡°Come in, miss.¡± Adrian¡¯s home was very simple. The living room only had a bed, a sofa, a table, and a few baskets on the floor. The air was filled with the musty smell of aging 1 knew your mother a long time ago.¡± As Adrian spoke, he seemed to be lost in deep memories. ¡°We met in middle school. She was beautiful, gentle, and academically excellent. She was the focus of the ss, and almost everyone in the school liked her, including me. We were in the same ss in middle school, high school, and all the way until college. Her grades were always better than mine. She went to a very good university, and I, not so good in studies, was driving cars. I often visited her during my breaks. She was even more beautiful in college and had more suitors, so I never dared to fantasize. Later, she got a boyfriend, a very handsome guy. I was happy for her.¡± Adrian looked at Allison, ¡°That guy was Christopher.¡± Allison was surprised. Mr. nagan was my mother¡¯s boyfriend in college? Seeing her reaction, Adrian realized that Grace hadn¡¯t told her about it. *Back then, Christopher and Grace were the perfect couple. When she got a boyfriend, I stopped bothering her. Many yearster, I became friends with many people because of my driving. One of them delivered goods to Christopher¡¯spany. One day, I went with him and saw Christopher and Leah together They looked very intimate. I asked around and found out they were married. Didn¡¯t your mother tell you that she and Leah are cousins?¡± Allison¡¯s mind was in chaos. My mother and Leah are cousins? ¡°Back then, I held a little hope. If Grace wasn¡¯t married or with Christopher, I might have still had a chance. I searched everywhere for her. After asking around, I finally found out Grace was the housekeeper of the nagan family and had already married. Her husband was a driver for the nagan family and also Connor nagan¡¯s adoptive son. I thought to myself, maybe there really was no fate between your mother and me. I just hoped she could have a better life. Christopher should have been your mother¡¯s boyfriend, but he ended up with Leah. That was a betrayal, he was a despicable man, so I¡¯ve always looked down on him¡± Allison lowered her head and fell into deep thought. In the nagan family, Leah had always been finding ways to trouble them. So, this was the reason. Biting her lip, Allison asked, ¡°Adrian, what happened next?¡±N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Chapter 161 Chapter 161 Chapter 161 With tears brimming in his eyes, Adrian said, ¡°Your dad was a stand¨Cup quy Always steady and meticulous, which is why Connor thought highly of him and took him in as an adopted son. He and Christopher had known each other since they were knee¨Chigh to a grasshopper and were like brothers. But Christopher was heartless. He knew the truth about everything, but after your father¡¯s death, he treated you and your mom like dirt. He knew Joshua died for him. That car crash was supposed to be his end, but Joshua took it for him! He knew all of it ¡°Adrian, don¡¯t get yourself worked up.¡± ¡°Ms. Zimmer, I really owe your family an apology¡± Adrian¡¯s voice choked up. He was thin and his hair was white. His eyes were red and swollen. He was only in his forties, but he looked like an old man. ¡°During your father¡¯s car crash, I was driving the truck¡­¡± Allison¡¯s mind went nk. ¡°Right after the ident, I went to see your mother. I told her everything I knew, and then I turned myself in. I spent ten years in jail, in agony.¡± Adrian had been released from jail just six months ago. She began to tremble, ¡°My father and brother¡­¡± ¡°Ms. Zimmer, I really owe you an apology¡± Suddenly, Adrian fell to his knees in front of her, crying. Allison began to choke up and was unable to speak. Adrian continued, ¡°I despised Christopher. He was your mother¡¯s boyfriend, but he ditched her for Leah just for the glitz and m. Your mom and Leah, were rted, but their backgrounds couldn¡¯t be more different. Leah¡¯s dad was a real estate tycoon, while your parents were just ordinary workers. When Christopher realized marrying Leah would be more beneficial, he dumped your mom.¡± Allison¡¯s hands slowly formed into fists. ¡°I hated Christopher then. He was a cold¨Cblooded bastard. The nagan family was on the rise and their connections were expanding, but they also made enemies. They snatched a business deal from someone who swore to make Christopher pay. I thought I struck gold when they approached me. They offered me a chunk of change to stage a car crash to off Christopher and promised to get me off the hook.¡± ¡°I was tempted, I admit. Not only would I get twenty grand, but I could also get rid of Christopher, and even better, I could get out of a tight spot. It was a no¨Cbrainer, I agreed without hesitation.¡± Hearing this, Allison understood everything. Her lips trembled and her voice was barely above a whisper, ¡°But¡­.but the ones in that car were my father and brother, not¡­Christopher.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ms. Zimmer, I truly owe your family an apology.¡± ¡°In my mother¡¯s closet, there¡¯s always been a card with twenty grand in it. Even when she was sick and needed a kidney transnt, she wouldn¡¯t touch it. Is that from you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adrian had given it to Grace right after he got the money. But to his surprise, she hadn¡¯t touched a dime in ten years. Because that money was the price of her husband¡¯s and son¡¯s lives. ¡°Ms. Zimmer, can you tell me how Grace is doing now?¡± ¡°She¡¯s sick; life¡¯s been tough¡­¡± Facing the man who had cost her father and brother, Allison couldn¡¯t find it in her to hate him. ¡°Adrian, my mom¡¯s been locked up in a mental hospital by Leah. She had a kidney transnt, but she¡¯s been in aa because of severe rejection.¡± ¡°What?¡± Chapter 162 Chapter 162 Chapter 162 T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Last week, when I visited my mom, she was fine. But now she¡¯s having some serious reactions. Before she went unconscious, she told me to look for you at the cemetery, maybe after a few visits, I¡¯d see you there.¡± ¡°She still remembers me¡­ Adrian¡¯s eyes welled up with tears and his fist clenched tight, ¡°It must be Lealis doing, she¡¯s ying mind games!¡± Adrian was ticked off, ¡°Ms. Zimmer, could you fill me in on your mom¡¯s condition? Which loony bin is she in? I¡¯ll find a way to get her out. Leah must be using this as a tactic to scare you into submission. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got your back.¡± Allison got home, but she was a bundle of nerves. Who would¡¯ve thought that¡¯s how her father and brother kicked the bucket. And what about Christopher? In her mind, Mr. nagan had always been weak but good¨Cnatured. He knew the truth all along. How could he keep calm and carry on? Her father and brother had bit the dust for him. Allison never thought the truth would be so harsh, no wonder she overheard the nagan¡¯s servant talking behind closed doors. She had always thought of Christopher as a good guy. She never imagined that he was the reason she lost her father and brother. Now, she needed to clear up one more thing with her mom, why their DNA didn¡¯t match, and who was her real mom? But her mom was out cold and under Leah¡¯s control, and with all these questions buzzing in her head, Allison got up. It was 9 PM. The nagan¡¯s living room was lit up. The help was prepping breakfast in the kitchen. Allison went upstairs; she knew Christopher was still up in his study. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Allison knocked on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Christopher looked up and smiled when he saw her, ¡°It¡¯s you, Allison; why aren¡¯t you in bed?¡± ¡°Mr. nagan, you¡¯re still up too?¡± Allison walked in, but Christopher¡¯s expression was hard to read. Christopher chuckled, ¡°Business keeps me busy, I only have one daughter, and she¡¯s not interested in it. So, I want to hustle while I¡¯m still young.¡± He gestured for Allison to sit on the couch and asked her with concern, ¡°Allison, Mrs. nagan mentioned you¡¯re working at Red Jack Club, didn¡¯t you ask me to get rid of your truancy records? Why did you drop out all of a sudden?¡± Allison grinned; she was sure this was Leah and Penelope¡¯s doing, and Christopher had no clue. But now, after learning about everything, she was having second thoughts. But she kept her poker face, ¡°School allowed me to take a gap year. It¡¯s good that I¡¯m working and saving up; it¡¯ll ease Mom¡¯s burden.¡± When they touched on this topic, a thought crossed her mind. She blinked her eyes and asked him, ¡°Mr. nagan, if I don¡¯t graduate, could I still work at yourpany?¡± Christopherughed, ¡°Of course. Even if you don¡¯t finish your studies, you¡¯re wee to join us. It¡¯ll secure your future. If you marry Dr. Dn, you two could live a good life.¡± Allison¡¯s smile faded, ¡°I¡¯ve broken up with Dr. Dn.¡± ¡°Why? Weren¡¯t you two together just a few days ago?¡± Christopher frowned, ¡°Allison, Dr. Dn is a good man. I can tell that he cares about you.¡± ¡°He¡¯s good now, but will be always be?¡± Allison looked at him with questions in her eyes.. Christopher sat across from Allison. Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Chapter 163 ¡°Allison, I trust my judgement; Dr. Dn is a good guy. If you guys have some misunderstandings, just sort it out. Don¡¯t miss out on someone like him just because you¡¯re mad for a moment.¡± ¡°My mom used to tell me not to judge a person¡¯s character based on their current behavior. Just because he¡¯s good now doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯ll always be like that. Sweet words today might turn into heart¨Cbreaking knives in the future.¡± Allison stared at Christopher, her voice clear, ¡°Mr. nagan, have you ever done something you regret?¡± Christopher was taken aback. Looking into Allison¡¯s clear eyes, he was momentarily lost for words. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. After a while, he smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m over fifty. Of course there have been times when things didn¡¯t go my way.¡± ¡°Mr. nagan, I was young back then and didn¡¯t understand anything. Now I¡¯ve grown up, and I want to know if my father¡¯s and brother¡¯s deaths were really just idents.¡± ¡°That incident was over a decade ago; the culprit has already surrendered, Allison.¡± Christopher¡¯s gaze shifted elsewhere, ¡°I¡¯m also saddened by the tragedy of your father and brother. But it¡¯s in the past. What¡¯s the point of digging it up now?¡± ¡°Right, it¡¯s been over a decade.¡± Allison¡¯s face remained calm, her eyes steady, ¡°I really want to know how the murderer could have gotten away scot¨Cfree.¡± Christopher¡¯s face changed instantly, ¡°Allison, have you heard something?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ve just been dreaming about them a lottely. My brother was still a teenager when he died. I think my father must regret bringing him along. After all, he thought it was just a regr mission and that he¡¯d be able toe home, have dinner, and chat with us in the evening.¡± Christopher said, ¡°You can¡¯t control everything, Allison. I think your father wouldn¡¯t want you to be stuck in the past either.¡± ¡°Is that so? I hope my father can tell me in my dream tonight.¡± With that, Allison stood up and said, ¡°Mr. nagan, I¡¯m going to leave now. You should get some rest soon too.¡± Christopher nodded, watching her leave the study, then sank into the couch with a sigh. After a while, he picked up his phone and made a call ¡°Find out which hospital and ward Grace is in.¡± ¡°Mr. nagan, you¡¯re not thinking of visiting her, are you? Don¡¯t let Mrs. nagan find out, or there¡¯ll be hell to pay.¡± Christopher let out a sigh, ¡°It¡¯s time to see her.¡± Things have been busy at the Red Jack Clubtely. When Allison deposited her sry for the month into her bank ount, she was filled with hope for the future. Once she and Adrian rescue her mother, she¡¯ll take her mom away from here to a ce with beautiful scenery. She stood by the window, looking out at the Northfield night scene, and watched the dazzling lights. After a brief rest, she returned to the break room. As soon as she walked in, she could hear a few people discussing. The client I¡¯m handling is really generous. He ordered several bottles of top¨Cnotch red wine.¡± ¡°Your bonus this month must be nice then; I¡¯m so jealous. Let me tell you guys, when I went home a few days ago, my sister and I were chatting. She mentioned an interesting patient at her hospital.¡± Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Allison just walked in, just in time to hear Ashley¡¯s words. She asked Instinctively, ¡°What weird stuff is going on?¡± Payton answered, ¡°Her sis works in a mental hospital, dealing with all sorts of patients is part of her job; isn¡¯t that stuff interesting?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯d be worrying if nothing strange was happening¡± Ashley took a sip of water, then mysteriously said, ¡°Here¡¯s the kicker, it¡¯s a mental hospital, but recently a non¨Cmental patient moved in. They even booked the entire top floor, with four or five beefcakes guarding the entrance; only specific doctors can go in, it¡¯s really mysterious.¡± Hearing this, Allison¡¯s water ss suddenly stopped mid¨Cair. What a coincidence, huh? She tried to stay calm and asked. ¡°Ashley, where does your sister work?¡± ¡°At Mercy Grove Hospital, a small private mental hospital. I tried to convince her to change jobs, but she said the workload there is light and the benefits are not too shabby¡± Allison understood. Ashley¡¯s sister actually worked at Mercy Grove Hospital. And the mysterious patient on the sixth floor was her mother, Grace. She walked over and sat at the round table, discussing the matter with everyone, ¡°Is it really that mysterious? Has your sister seen this person?¡± ¡°My sister is just a regr nurse, the sixth floor is locked, and she can¡¯t see the person. But my sister heard from the cleaning staff that it¡¯s a female patient. It¡¯s all very mysterious¡± Everyone started discussing other matters, and Allison sat quietly listening, wondering how she could rescue her mother. Her mother¡¯s health was deteriorating; any rash action could be dangerous, and she didn¡¯t know how things were going with Adrian. She listened as the girls shifted from talking about makeup to jewelry, then to the big families in Northfield and some family gossip, even mentioning Lucian¡¯s name with asional squeals. She stood up and checked her watch, ¡°I¡¯ve gotta head out.¡± ¡°My sister always wants me to go to the hospital during the day to help take care of the kids, you guys know, most of the kids at Mercy Grove Hospital have issues. And they don¡¯t pay much; I¡¯d rather stay home and sleep.¡± Allison was just at the door when she suddenly stopped. She turned around and asked. ¡°Ashley, what did you just say? Is Mercy Grove Hospital hiring?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to go there.¡± To Allison¡¯s surprise, the opportunity came quicker than she thought. ¡°You want to go?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, ¡°Allison, it¡¯s a mental hospital!¡± Allison smiled, ¡°Earning a bit more is always good. I¡¯ve been looking for a day job. I was just worried it might sh with my night job.¡± Ashley didn¡¯t suspect anything and gave Allison her sister Adeline¡¯s number, ¡°This is her number, you can contact her directly.¡± ¡°Thanks, Ashley.¡± The next day, Allison immediately contacted Adeline. Since Ashley had already filled Adeline in on Allison¡¯s situation, their conversation went smoothly. All Allison had to do was apany patients during the day and tell some stories to the kids, and she¡¯d be paid by the hour.. After ending the call, Allison was already a bit anxious. She and Adeline agreed that she woulde over immediately, so she quickly changed her clothes and rushed out the door. Her home was behind Mr. nagan¡¯s house. The quickest route was through their back door. But as she stepped into the living room, she heard Penelope¡¯s voice. ¡°Stop!¡± Penelope was just three months pregnant; at that moment, she was holding onto the stair rail with one hand on her lower back, slowlying down the stairs. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°You seem pretty nervous; are you up to no good?¡± Allison stopped and asked expressionlessly. ¡°Ms. nagan, do you need anything?¡± Chapter 165 Chapter 165 Chapter 165 ¡°Head to the kitchen and whip up a lunch for two. Pack it up. I¡¯m heading out, Penelope ordered. Lately, Lucian Lindberg contacted her less frequently, and even when she initiated contact, he imed to be too busy with work. Penelope was anxious because the child in her belly didn¡¯t belong to the Lindberg family. She knew she had to take action quickly! Allison frowned. Cooking took time, and she needed to hightail it to the hospital. ¡°Ms. nagan, why don¡¯t you have Lacey or Linda rustle up the lunch? They¡¯re whizzing in the kitchen¡± But Penelope didn¡¯t like seeing Allison twiddling her thumbs. ¡°I asked you to do it! You¡¯re eating and living under my roof, yet you¡¯re not lifting a finger. What¡¯s the use of you?¡± Margo strutted in and quickly said to Penelope, ¡°Miss, you¡¯re pregnant. Don¡¯t get your knickers in a twist. Allison, how dare you backtalk? Get a move on!¡± Allison bit her lip, swallowed her emotions, and entered the kitchen. She washed her hands, opened the fridge, and prepped the ingredients. For lunch for two, she nned to make two tes of pasta with meat sauce, a roasted chicken, a seafood tter, and two servings of porcini mushroom soup. It looks like she wouldn¡¯t be able to make it to Mercy Grove Hospital this morning. After she finished the dishes, Allison put them into a thermal box. While the soup simmered, she shot a text to Adrian. ¡°Mercy Grove Hospital is hiring part¨Ctimers. I¡¯m thinking of heading there this afternoon.¡± Adrian quickly replied, ¡°I¡¯m already at Mercy Grove. The security on the sixth floor is tight. Miss, we¡¯ll talk more when you get here.¡± Just as Allison was about to reply. Margo¡¯s scolding echoed from the kitchen door, ¡°I knew you¡¯d ck off!¡± Without arguing, Allison pocketed her phone and got back to work. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Margo leaned against the door frame, raised an eyebrow, and smirked. ¡°How are things with Randal?¡± Margo had been calling him these past few days, only to be met with his exasperated attitude. When she asked about his rtionship with Allison, Randal straight up hung up on her. She was sure Allison had done something! Allison was taken aback. Was she clueless about Randal being beaten to a pulp? However, if she found out, she¡¯d definitely kick up a fuss. ¡°Why are you asking me instead of him? Aren¡¯t you his aunt?¡± Margo walked in and said, ¡°Randal is more than a match for you in every way! Look at yourself, still so picky! You should thank your lucky stars that Randal is chasing after you¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you give him a call then? How would I know?¡± Margo immediately whipped out her phone and dialed Randal. He was still in the hospital, with his leg and arm in casts and his head bandaged. He was in so much pain that he was breathing heavily. Two people were with him. ¡°Margo, why are you calling me again?¡± He was beyond fed up with Margo. That Allison was real work, with some big shot backing her. Now, he and his buddies had been beaten ck and blue. If he hurt Allison again, his life might be in danger. At that moment, it seemed like his life was about to end. Chapter 166 Chapter 166 When Randal heard Margo asking about Allison over the phone, it was like salt to his wounds. He couldn¡¯t control his trembling body and snapped angrily at the phone, ¡°Margo, did you call me just to ask about this unimportant stuff? I don¡¯t give a damn about your Mrs. nagan and Ms. nagan. What does it matter to you whether I have a girlfriend or not? I agreed to go on that blind date out of respect for you! If you call me about this crap again, see If I won¡¯t get someone to deal with you!¡± Just the mention of Allison made him feel weak. All Margo could hear was a buzzing in her ears, as the call was already disconnected. What¡¯s wrong with this guy? She looked up to see Allison staring at her. Allison had a mocking smile on her lips, ¡°Did you get your answer? If you¡¯re done, you can leave now. Or, you can stay and cook, and I¡¯ll go?¡± Watching Margo turn to leave, Allison guessed that Lucian must have warned Randal, so he kept his mouth shut. But why would Lucian help her? Just because she made a panicked phone call? Allison was puzzled. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Her mind was in a whirl, and it was as if she was back in the moment before she fainted. A pair of strong arms held her up; she could see the man¡¯s handsome jawline from that angle. He seemed like an angel, a holy light in the faint glow. The bubbling sound of the soup brought her back to reality. Allison snapped out of it, served the soup, prepared lunch, and then headed to the hospital. On the other hand, Penelope happily took the lunchbox andmanded her driver to head to Lindberg Corporation. Lindberg Corporation was located in a top¨Ctier building in Northfield; even the building itself was made of blue diamond ss. Looking up, it was like a towering luxury building. ¡°Hello, do you have an appointment?¡± The receptionist at Lindberg Corporation saw her in a luxurious outfit, which was in thetest style from a luxury brand this year. Penelope looked up. ¡°Do I need one?¡± The receptionists exchanged nces. One of them smiled politely. ¡°May I ask who you are¡­¡± ¡°Look closely, I¡¯m Lucian¡¯s fianc¨¦e.¡± Penelope intentionally patted her not¨Cso¨Cobvious belly. ¡°So, you¡¯re Ms. nagan.¡± The receptionist immediately led the way, ¡°Ms. nagan, this way, please.¡± The elevator doors opened to the 66th floor, the CEO¡¯s office. She walked a few steps forward and saw She applying makeup at her desk near the office door. ¡°She, this is Mr. Lindberg¡¯s fianc¨¦e.¡± She closed her powder box and took a nce. She remembered Penelope. She immediately stood up and took the lunchbox from the desk, ¡°Ms. nagan, Mr. Lindberg is in a meeting with some vice presidents. Please wait in the lounge.¡± About ten minutester, a vice president walked out of the office with a bad expression, as if he¡¯d just disagreed with Lucian. He was a rtive of Carter¡¯s first wife. Although he was very diligent, his thinking was too conservative, always having a too¨Cconservative attitude toward new products. She walked into the office, put the lunchbox on the desk, and saw scattered files on the floor. Obviously, Mr. Lindberg had just lost his temper. She gathered her courage and said, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, Ms. nagan is here.¡± A chill shed in Lucian¡¯s eyes, ¡°Let her in.¡± Soon, Penelope walked into the office. She had a smile on her face, and her tone was much softer when she spoke. Chapter 167 Chapter 167 Lucian, I made this lunch especially for you this morning. It¡¯s a porcini mushroom soup that I¡¯ve been simmering all morning. Give it a try? Penelope lifted the lunchbox, and the fragrant scent of mushroom soup immediately filled the air. Lucian took a sip and was instantly surprised. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. He had always thought that Penelope was a pampered little rich girl. He didn¡¯t expect her to be able to cook, let alone make something tasty. He downed an entire bowl ¡°Did you make this?¡± Penelope blinked. In reality, she didn¡¯t know how to cook. She would get dizzy from the smoke every time she entered the kitchen, But seeing Lucian enjoying it, she wouldn¡¯t disappoint him ¡°Of course,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°Is it good?¡± ¡°It¡¯s perfect.¡± Penelope didn¡¯t expect Allison¡¯s cooking skills to be this good. It was as if that evil woman had gotten the upper hand. But she knew in her heart no matter how delicious the food was, Lucian would always believe she made it. ¡°Lucian, I cut my hand preparing this lunch for you.¡± As she said this, Penelope lifted her hand, showing a band¨Caid wrapped around her finger from a cut she got the night before. Seeing Penelope¡¯s pitiful expression, Lucian furrowed his brows. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard but have to go through all this trouble. I can have the house servants deliver food.¡± Lucian felt a bit guilty for Penelope¡¯s efforts. ¡°Lucian, I can bring you lunch every day. I¡¯m your fianc¨¦e, and I¡¯m carrying your child. I¡¯m willing to do all this for you. ¡°Thank you, Penelope¡± ¡°Lucian, as long as you¡¯re happy, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± Penelope started to serve the other dishes from the thermos, including spaghetti bolognese, roast chicken, and a seafood tter. Lucian tasted a few bites. The chicken was tender, the seafood slightly spicy, but the spaghetti bolognese felt familiar as if he had tasted it before. His expression changed slightly. ¡°Penelope, did you also make all these dishes?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Penelope bowed her head,pletely engrossed in her joy and oblivious to Lucian¡¯s expression. She looked forward to bringing him lunch every day, eating together, and deepening their rtionship. Lucian frowned. Thesemon dishes tasted too familiar. Perhaps his taste buds were ying tricks on him¡­ It wasn¡¯t until the afternoon that Allison finally arrived at Mercy Grove Hospital. ¡°Hello, Adeline. I¡¯m Allison, a friend of Ashley¡¯s.¡± Allison knocked on the office door and immediately recognized the woman painting her nails as Adeline. She looked a lot like Ashley. Normally, doctors and nurses aren¡¯t allowed to paint their nails, but this was a mental health hospital with few patients, so it was okay for Adeline to have light pink nails. Adeline nced at Allison, a beautiful and delicate girl. ¡°Allison,e in. Ashley told me you¡¯re looking for a part¨Ctime job. Although we don¡¯t have many patients here, they¡¯re a bit special. We pay by the hour. so you can leave whenever you want.¡± ¡°You decide; I can go with anything.¡± ¡°Okay, then it¡¯s settled. You go change into a uniform, then take patients from rooms 202 to 207 to the lawn outside for an hour of exercise. I¡¯ll have Laura apany you, and she¡¯s a nurse here¡± The patients in these six rooms were not many, and most of them were children. The oldest child was only 16 years, and the rest were quite young. Allison also saw a familiar face, the boy named Heath she had once seen in the restroom. Chapter 168 Chapter 168 ¡°Heath,¡± Allison bent down, stroking the little boy¡¯s short hair Heath was multering to himself, but his eyes lit up when he saw Allison, ¡°Did youe to see me?¡± The little boy¡¯s smile was bright. A warmth filled Allison, and she answered the boy¡¯s question, ¡°Yes, I kept my promise¡± The facilities at Mercy Grove Hospital were quite average, the only advantage being its spacious grounds, a vastwn, and a garden for entertainment. Allison watched the children running on thewn and smiled Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Why is Heath here?¡± ¡°When he first came, he was very unruly every day. So his parents came to visit every few days, then every few weeks, and then every few months. Thest time Heath¡¯s parents came here was three months ago. The kid is actually quite smart but just a bit odd, I heard he had some sort of trauma when he was young, and he¡¯s been like this since.¡± Laura pointed to another little girl. ¡°That girl has been here for five years, longer than I¡¯ve worked here, She witnessed her parents¡® car ident, and she¡¯s been like this since, hardly talks and always ys alone.¡± Allison had been there for a while when she suddenly remembered Adrian was also there. She said to Laura, ¡°I¡¯m going to use the restroom¡± ¡°Go ahead, there¡¯s one on the first floor.¡± At this time, Adrian, dressed in a cleaner¡¯s uniform, slowly climbed the stairs. He wore a mask, so only a pair of old eyes and gray hair were visible, making him look over sixty. ¡°Hey, you,e here Suddenly, the iron door opened, and a male voice called out. ¡°Come clean the toilet¡± Adrian quickly lowered his head and said, ¡°All right¡± This was his first time being able to go to the sixth floor after working as a cleaner there for a week. He walked with his head down, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw a group of guards standing at the end of the corridor in front of a ward door. Pulling his pants up, one of them headed to the restroom and nced at Adrian, ¡°Howe the cleaner changed today?¡± Another one said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it better this way? We¡¯re all men, and every time a female cleaneres in to clean, it¡¯s so inconvenient.¡± Adrian was cleaning the sink inside the restroom and listening to the men outside. ¡°If a pretty female cleaner came up, we wouldn¡¯t have to¡­¡± ¡°Ha ha..¡± ¡°How much longer do we have to stay here? We¡¯ve been here for several months now, guarding a half¨C dead middle¨Caged woman, and we can¡¯t even leave freely. This is so boring, and we can¡¯t even see a pretty nurse!!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been paid, so we must do the job¡± The man looked around and lowered his voice, ¡°I think she¡¯s not going to make it much longer; look, she¡¯s even on a venttor.¡± ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable. Wasn¡¯t she full of life and knitting sweaters just a while ago? Wasn¡¯t her kidney disease almost cured? How did things suddenly get worse?¡± Adrian¡¯s movements paused. His eyes also trembled slightly. ¡°They changed her medicines for two days, and then she became like this.¡± ¡®Shush, don¡¯t talk! What are you saying!¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? Who else knows about this besides us?¡± Adrian clenched the rag in his hand. It seemed that Grace¡¯s condition was really not good. The nagan family! They¡¯ve gone too far!! After cleaning the restroom, Adrian picked up the mop and swept the corridor. A guard walked out of the restroom, saw Adrian and shouted, ¡°Clean it properly, hurry up.¡± Adrian didn¡¯t respond. The guard walked a few steps and spoke again, I¡¯m talking to you!¡± Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Adrian feigned surprise, looking up at the guard with wide eyes, then pointed to his ear, implying that his old age had given him a bit of a hearing problem. ¡°Well, we got a hard¨Cof¨Chearing geezer here,¡± the guard bellowed ¡°Clean up thoroughly, no dilly¨C dallying¡± A few more guards emerged from the restroom. The leader, a middle¨Caged man, regarded Adrian¡¯s stooped figure with a slight frown. ¡°Has this old guy been hanging around here all along?¡± He was a cautious man, always on the lookout for potential problems. Another guard shrugged it off. ¡°No biggie, the old man can¡¯t hear too well. Perhaps because they all thought Adrian was hard of hearing, they grew increasingly careless with their words. They¡¯ve been stuck here for over a mont! looking after a sickly middle¨Caged woman it gets pretty boring. ¡°Do you reckon this woman will make it? When can we all go out for a drink? Beats were staying here, twiddling our thumbs.¡± ¡°Who knows? We¡¯ve got to earn our keep.¡± They were being paid a hefty sum. Thisdy may not have long left, but the boss doesn¡¯t seem to want her to kick the bucket just yet. Even though her body rejects the treatment, they keep her on medicines.¡± ¡°Rich family drama is so convoluted. Have you guys met thedy boss? She seems loaded.¡± ¡°That young girl who used toe by every week is the sick woman¡¯s daughter, right?¡± ¡°Probably. She should be dropping by any day now. I¡¯ve touched her hand, so soft¡­¡± ¡°Get a grip, man.¡± The guards shot the breeze with a few off¨Ccolor remarks thrown in. Women were a rare sight in this ce. Adrian kept his head down, clutching the mop tightly. He looked up, his voice hoarse, ¡°Any more cleaning to do?¡± ¡°Nah, you can take off,¡± a guard replied. Adrian didn¡¯t move. Aware of Adrian¡¯s hearing problem, the guard shouted again, ¡°Go¡± ¡°All right.¡± Adrian picked up his bucket and mop and prepared to leave. Suddenly, one of the guards said, ¡°Let hime in and mop the floor.¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You, old man,e in and mop.¡± Finally, Adrian saw Grace. He entered the room with a bucket and a mop in hand. The strong smell of disinfectant stung his nose. After the car ident thatnded him in jail for ten years,ter reduced to seven, he finally got out, only to lose all contact with Grace. And now, he had finally found her. Grace¡­ What¡­ What happened to you? The woman on the bed looked sallow and frail. She was extremely thin, with various tubes inserted into her body, seemingly kept alive by a venttor. Adrian just nced at her and felt a sharp pain in his heart. But he didn¡¯t dare to make a sound because people were outside, so he endured his pain in silence. He pretended to mop the floor nonchntly, not daring to hesitate for fear of raising suspicions. After mopping, he took a quick look at Grace and left immediately. ¡°Finished mopping the floor. Anything else you need?¡± ¡°No, you can go¡± Bent over, Adnan left the sixth floor. Meanwhile, Allison was preparing to go upstairs. She texted Adrian. *Adrian, where are you?¡± Adrian replied, ¡°I¡¯m on the third floor, turn left, room 302, the cleaning closet.¡± Chapter 170 Chapter 170 Allison walked into the cleaning room full of cleaning supplies and saw Adrian sitting in the chair with tears in his eyes. ¡°Adrian.¡± She shut the door behind her. ¡°Allison, I just bumped into Grace. The nagan family is a bunch of jerks, how could they treat you like this? Grace is getting better, even though she¡¯s still weak, she only needs to take her anti¨Crejection medicines daily, but that wicked Leah took her off her medicines, so she¡¯s in a corna now! Leah and Grace are cousins who grew up together, I can¡¯t believe she could do such a thing!¡± Allison gritted her teeth. Everything started to make sense when she learned about Leah and her mom. No wonder when she was young, those gossipy servants would always whisper behind her back about how much she and Penelope looked alike¡­ Her mom usually didn¡¯t wear any makeup, and herplexion was poor with her illness. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. On the other hand, Leah looked nothing like her mom, always in fancy clothes, wearing exquisite jewelry, and using top¨Cnotch skin care products. It¡¯s hard to believe that she and her mom aren¡¯t rted by blood. Could it be a mistake with the DNA test? Once she had the chance, she made ns to take the test again. It was unbelievable to her that she might not be Grace¡¯s biological daughter. Allison clenched her fists, grinding her teeth once again. She knew it, it was Leah who was behind all this! If anything happens to her mom, she won¡¯t let Leah off the hook! ¡°Adrian, we can definitely save my mom!¡± ww Adrian wiped away his tears and took a deep breath, his voice firm, ¡°Yes, we definitely can.¡± He looked at Allison, ¡°I¡¯ll continue to work as a janitor here, and try to get ess to the sixth floor, then look for an opportunity to strike. I heard that a guy called Mr. Green knew the hospital director, that¡¯s why Grace was admitted here, all because of Leah.¡± Mr. Green? Allison pondered but couldn¡¯t match any faces to the name in her mind, so she decided not to dwell on it. No matter the reason, she only wanted to get her mom out of there. Allison couldn¡¯t stay long, so after chatting with Adrian for a bit, she left.. Just as she turned the corner, she bumped into a man in ck. It was a bodyguard from the sixth floor! Allison was taken aback, but she quickly regained herposure, looked away, and walked past him as if she didn¡¯t know him. The bodyguard, however, froze¨Ceyed Allison for a moment, then followed her. Allison made her way to thewn, where a few kids were ying frisbee. The weather was nice that day. She helped the kids pick up their fallen frisbees while sitting on the grass chatting with Laura. The bodyguard watched her for a while. Seeing that she didn¡¯t seem to notice him, he quickly went upstairs with the food in his hand, unaware that Allison, who seemed rxed and chatting, was actually sweating bullets. When the bodyguard returned to the room, he didn¡¯t let his guard down. He hurriedly told the other two, ¡°Guys, guess who I ran into when I went to grab food?¡± ¡°Who?¡± The beautifuldy whoes here every week.¡± ¡°What? Did she find us? Should we tell the boss?¡± I don¡¯t think so, she didn¡¯t recognize me. She was wearing a white doctor¡¯s coat, ying with some mentally challenged kids on thewn, it looked like she was working here¡± ¡°Should we tell the boss?¡± Chapter 171 Chapter 171 Chapter 171 I personally think, as you all know, the boss is one paranoid dude. If he finds out about this, then that other boss will know too, and they might think we¡¯re not running a light ship. Also, thatdy always comes with a blindfold and can¡¯t recognize this ce. I guess it¡¯s just a coincidence ¡°He¡¯s right. Last time you dozed off at the door, thedy boss almost docked your sry for this month This time, she might dock even more¡± The three fell silent, exchanged nces, and made a decision without a word. From that day on Allison worked part¨Ctime at Mercy Grove Hospital whenever she had the time. Lauraughed, ¡°No one loves working in a mental hospital like you do. Even the nurses here can¡¯t stand it.¡± She would give a bitter smile whenever this was mentioned, ¡°I need the money¡± After a week of hard work, Saturday finally came. After mmoving the blindfold, she saw Grace lying on the hospital bed. Grace could stay lucid for a while every day At this moment, she looked particrly thin. She suddenly uttered, ¡°Allison.¡± Tears welled up in Allison¡¯s eyes, ¡®Mom¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Mommy¡¯s okay¡± She lowered her voice, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll get you out of here¡± ¡°Allison, you can¡¯t fight her, everyone here is on her side. Don¡¯t do anything stupid. If Leah bullies you, go find Christopher Let him help you¡± Allison was speechless. Since she learned the truth about her brother and father¡¯s departure, Christopher became a hypocrite in her eyes. She used to think that Christopher was a gentle person. Who knew? He was a real backstabber. But she couldn¡¯t tell her mother. Her mother was like a candle in the wind, unable to withstand any more blows. Facing Grace, Allison obediently nodded her head, but in her heart, she had already decided to find a way to get her mother out as soon as possible Two dayster, Allison received a call from Daisy¡¯s driver, Cliff, early in the morning. She quickly changed her clothes and rushed over Last night, Daisy called her and said that she needed her help today, but she didn¡¯t want to say what it was. Once she got in the car, she found that Daisy was not there. Allison frowned in confusion, ¡°Cliff, where¡¯s Daisy?¡± ¡°Miss asked you to call her once you¡¯re in the car,¡± Cliff said, and directly dialed Daisy¡¯s number and handed the phone to Allison. ¡°Daisy, what are you up to?¡± ¡°Allison, today is my high school ssmate¡¯s birthday. I used to have a crush on him, but that was when I was young and naive. Now our two families are in business together, and I can¡¯t ignore his birthday. So I need you to go there for me. I¡¯ve prepared clothes and gifts for you. You can stay and have fun if you want, or just give him the gift ande back.¡± Allison was silent for a moment, ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°1. my grandmother is back, and she arranged a blind date for me.¡± Daisy¡¯s voice on the other end of the phone was filled with trouble. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Allison couldn¡¯t help butugh. She nced at the handbag on the seat next to her, then said, ¡°Got it. Good luck on your date!¡± Cliff took her to a styling salon, where Daisy arranged a stylist. Half an hourter, Allison came out of the salon in a trendy autumn outfit, with her hair slightly curled and her skin glowing. Cliff nced at her in the rear¨Cview mirror while driving, ¡°Ms. Zimmer, you should pay more attention to your appearance on a regr basis. A little dress up like this makes you look very beautiful.¡± Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Allison chuckled, she often hitched a ride with Daisy and was familiar with Cliff Hearing his words, she cheekily responded, ¡°So, Cliff, I wouldn¡¯t be pretty without makeup?¡± ¡®Ms. Zimmer, you are always pretty¡± Allison looked at herself in the rear view mirror With makeup on she looked more like Penelope. Their auras were different, but the face.. She shook her head not wanting to think about that woman anymore. The car stopped at the pier. The birthday party was on a cruise not far away. Cliff said, ¡°Ms. Zimmer, I¡¯ll wait here. Just give me a shout when you¡¯re ready to leave ¡°Okay¡± Allison grabbed the gift box and put on Daisy¡¯s sunsses that were left in the car before getting on the boat. It was the biggest tourist cruise in Northfield, the Star 089. The banquet hall was three stories. The deck was bustling Allison walked into the foyer, told the server she was attending Mr. Jewell Gage¡¯s birthday party, and was immediately ushered upstairs. As she was walking past the second¨Cfloor banquet room, the door happened to open. People in formal attire seemed to be attending a business event. The server said. ¡°This way, please. Mr. Jewell¡¯s birthday party is on the third floor.¡± On the third floor, a group of young men and women were celebrating a birthday Allison walked in, and a girl spotted her, ¡°Who are you? You¡¯re sote. We¡¯re about to cut the cake.¡± Everyone surrounded Jewell. He looked up at the person standing at the doorway. His eyes lit up. ¡°You are¡­¡± He didn¡¯t remember having such a beautiful ssmate. If he had seen her before, he would¡¯ve remembered. ¡°I¡¯m Daisy¡¯s friend. She couldn¡¯t make it today, so I¡¯m here to bring a birthday gift for her.¡± Allison handed him the gift box and said, ¡°Happy Birthday.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re Daisy¡¯s friend Jewell epted the gift and invited Allison, ¡°Join us for cake. The party just started¡± Allison wanted to decline, but two girls eagerly pulled her to join them. She had no choice but to stay. After all, this was someone¡¯s birthday, and she was here representing Daisy. She couldn¡¯t disappoint Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Allison took a bite of the cake. The strawberry filling was rich. She delicately wiped her lips, took out her phone, and sent Daisy a video. Just then, Jewell came over with two sses of champagne and handed her one, and asked her, ¡°May I know how to address you, miss?¡± *Just call me Ms. Zimmer,¡± Allison politely answered. ¡°Ms. Zimmer.¡± Jewell¡¯s gaze lingered on her as he tried to find a topic, ¡°What is Daisy busy with today? I called herst night, and she said she woulde.¡± Allison, of course, couldn¡¯t say that Daisy had been arranged for a blind date. All she could say was, ¡°Daisy was unexpectedly busy today. But she insisted that I bring you a birthday gift.¡± Her words were vague, neither clear nor wrong Jewell didn¡¯t care about these details. He just wanted to chat more with Allison. After several failed attempts to start a conversation, he felt embarrassed and left with his ss Allison ate some food from the buffet table. Daisy kept sending her messages,ining about her blind date and how every second was torture. After sending Daisy aforting emoji, Allison nced at the time, looked around at the colorful crowd in the banquet hall, and then got up to leave. She carefully walked downstairs, wearing high heels to match her outfit. She was careful with each step. Chapter 173 Chapter 173 Chapter 173 As Allison walked by the second floor, the banquet hall doors swung open and out came a crowd News reporters were pouring out like a tidal wave, scattering in all directions. It looked like some big shot was being entertained there, perhaps a significant business partnership meeting Allison had to stop in her tracks, the crowd was thick with news reporters. Then, a man in a suit slowly emerged from the crowd This man was handsome. He seemed to be the center of everyone¡¯s attention. Reporters were packed like sardines at the entrance of the hall. They were all hungry for thetest scoop ¡°Mr Lindberg, we heard you¡¯re back in town to kick start the Project of Pearl Ind for Lindberg Corporation. Any idea when it¡¯ll go public?¡± ¡°Mr. Lindberg, you¡¯ve turned down Mr. Oscar twice before. Why did you decide to coborate with him now?¡± ¡°Mr. Lindberg¡± A female reporter got shoved out of the crowd, clutching her mic and camera, clearly ticked off about missing out on the juicy details. Suddenly her eyesnded on a young woman standing at the top of the staircase. Using her sharp reporter instincts and impressive memory, she quickly pointed her camera at her ¡°Ms. nagan, we heard you¡¯re three months pregnant. Do you know when your wedding with Mr. Lindberg will take ce?¡± Suddenly, the whole scene went dead silent for two seconds. Then, like sharks smelling blood, the other reporters rapidly swarmed Allison. ¡°Ms. nagan, were you waiting here for Mr. Lindberg? You two must be madly in love¡± ¡°Ms nagan, your engagement party with Mr. Lindberg was quite the spectacle. Your wedding is bound to be even grander, right?¡± Allison was taken aback. She was just passing by, and yet she had been mistaken for Penelope by a horde of reporters¡­ At that moment, all she could see were cameras and microphones. shes sparkling. Allison was wearing a Chanel suit, with makeup on and sunsses. She looked every bit the heiress, a far cry from the usual Allison, She quicklyposed herself and looked at Lucian. He steadily approached her, the reporters quickly parting to make way. Lucian reached Allison, taking her fingers into his, andmented to the reporter, ¡°About the wedding. I will respect her wishes.¡± Allison quickly caught on and smiled calmly at the crowd as Lucian made anotherment to the reporters, ¡°We want to enjoy our rtionship for a bit longer, there¡¯s no rush to get married. But rest assured, when the wedding happens, we will definitely invite all media outlets.¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Their hands were tightly sped as they stood before the cameras. ¡°Mr. Lindberg and Ms. nagan are so in love.¡± ¡°Wishing Mr. Lindberg and Ms nagan all the best¡­¡± Allison kept her cool, but inside she was a bundle of nerves as she followed Lucian off the cruise ship. She hadn¡¯t anticipated such a misunderstanding Lucian¡¯s Bentley was parked not far away. Allison hesitated, quickly sent a message to Cliff, then hurried over and got into the car. The atmosphere in the car was cold and stern. Lucian was working on hisptop on a small table in front of him while the car moved smoothly. Ten minutester, he massaged his forehead and said, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Allison¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She tightly sped her hands. She wasn¡¯t sure if the ¡®you¡® he referred to was Penelope or herself. Did he figure it out? He couldn¡¯t have But why did his tone sound so cold? ¡°I came with a friend to attend Jewel¡¯s birthday party on the third floor. My friend knows Jewel, and since I had some free time today, I decided to tag along¡± Lucian asked, ¡°Who¡¯s Jewell?¡± Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Shawn, who was nearby, replied, ¡°He¡¯s Fenton Gaga¡¯s son¡± ¡°What a coincidence! I was just looking for you,¡± Lucian said ¡°You¡¯reing home with me tonight. My mom was discharged from the hospital a while ago, and my grandpa Is throwing a family feast today¡± Only then did Allison realize that the guy hadn¡¯t noticed that she wasn¡¯t Penelope. She had no idea how Penelope usually interacted with him, so she kept silent during the entire ride, leaning against the car door, watching the outside scenery All the way until they reached the Lindberg family mansion, Allison couldn¡¯t find an opportunity to bail. This was her second visit to this ce. She still remembered the Lindberg family¡¯s servants. In the living room. Both Miranda and Zachary Lindberg were there. Allison went over to greet them. When Miranda saw Allison approaching, she immediately waved and said, ¡°Penelope,e over here, let me take a look at you.¡± Allison had met Miranda a few times before. At this moment, Miranda was recovering well from her surgery, and her vision was also restored. She had a good impression of Penelope, and they shook hands and chatted. Lucian and Zachary went upstairs to the old man¡¯s study. Miranda said, ¡°Lucian has been busy with company stuff these days. Penelope, don¡¯t be mad at him. Just chill and wait. After the baby is born, we¡¯ll hold your wedding¡± Speaking of bearing a child, Allison felt relieved. That day¡¯s clothes were loose, not form¨Cfitting, so they didn¡¯t show her belly curve She said, ¡°Why would I be mad at Lucian? I¡¯ll listen to you guys.¡± Miranda took out a photo album from the drawer Allison saw pictures of Lucian as a child inside. The guy always had a poker face since he was a kid as if he was as cold as ice. Miranda pointed to a picture and said. ¡°Lucian didn¡¯t want me to put this picture in. I snuck it in. This was when he was two years old. Cora bought him a set of girls¡® clothes It was a real struggle to coax him into wearing them. He even had blush on his cheeks.¡± Allison couldn¡¯t help butugh when she saw the picture. Looking at the unhappy face of two¨Cyear¨Cold Lucian, she suddenly found him very cute. She didn¡¯t expect him to have such moments. Miranda flipped through the album page by page. Suddenly, she stopped moving when she turned to a page with a picture. Allison looked over The picture in the middle was a group photo of four people. In the picture, four young men and women. They all looked like they were in theirte teens, youthful and vibrant. The young man had a bright smile on his face, seemingly very happy. This was the first time Allison saw such a smile on Lucian. The young man¡¯s smile was so sincere,pletely different from his current cold demeanor. A girl in a white dress was standing next to Lucian, with two boys next to her. The four of them seemed very close. That guy¡­ Allison recognized him; his eyebrows and eyes looked very much like Aidan Crane. There was another boy with a warm smile, but Allison didn¡¯t recognize him. Miranda sighed almost inaudibly, then turned the page. Allison heard the sigh At this moment, a clear female voice rang out, ¡°Mom, where¡¯s my dark bluece long dress? I¡¯m meeting Aidan tomorrow.¡± As the voice fell, Kami Lindberg appeared in the living room. She rushed to Miranda¡¯s side, and when she saw ¡®Penelope¡®, she couldn¡¯t help but frown, ¡°Why are you here too?¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Miranda knew Kami was spoiled and arrogant and reproved her, ¡°Kami!¡± Kami sat down, draping her arm over Miranda¡¯s, ¡°Mom, the doctor said you just recovered from surgery and need to rest. Why won¡¯t you just chill?¡± Chapter 175 Chapter 175 Chapter 175 After saying that, she shot Penelope a nce. She never really liked Penelope, especially now that she found out Penelope had the audacity to deceive her. She was with Aldan now, but Aidan was still giving her the cold shoulder ??? As a woman, she couldn¡¯t just spill her feelings to him, or it would be so awkward Kami nced at Penelope, feeling that there was something off about Penelope today, quieter than usual. Normally Penelope would take the initiative to approach her, but today she had her sunsses on, ¡°Why are you wearing sunsses? It¡¯s pretty rude¡± Miranda also found it a bit strange. Penelope had been wearing sunsses since she walked in. Allison took a sip from her cup and calmly said, ¡°My eyes are a bit inmed Miranda asked, ¡°Did you see a doctor?¡± ¡°I did, the doctor gave me some eye drops * With a concerned tone, Miranda said, ¡°You¡¯re pregnant now, you can¡¯t just take any anti¨Cinmmatory drugs. ¡°I know, I¡¯ll be careful Allison nodded obediently. Kami ignored her and left with Miranda. Allison sat alone in the living room, a maid brought some snacks, and Allison started flipping through an album. When she saw the photo of two¨Cyear¨Cold Lucian in a pink dress again, she couldn¡¯t help butT¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. There was still some time before dinner Out of boredom, Allison decided to take a walk in the garden. The Lindberg family¡¯s mansion was enormous, each tree, each tile, and each piece of wood were all exquisite Gardens, fish ponds, fruit trees, you name it. Allison walked around admiring the scene when she suddenly heard a call. ¡°Ah-¡± Allison stopped ¡°Ah¨CPete, you¡¯re amazing- She turned around, and to her surprise, she stumbled upon a scene she wasn¡¯t supposed to see. If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, the man should be Pete, the son of David, who was the Lindberg family¡¯s butler. Doing something like this in the woods was indeed unusual. Allison turned around and walked in another direction After a few steps, she heard footsteps from behind. Someone grabbed Allison¡¯s arm, and she felt a strange presence approaching: Pete wrapped his arm around her waist and said in a fluster, ¡°Penelope, what you saw isn¡¯t what you think, let me exin are you mad?¡± Allison shook off his arm and looked at Pete in surprise She found it hrious that Penelope and Pete were having an affair. And Pete¡¯s expression changed in an instant. ¡°You¡¯re not Penelope?¡± Pete took a closer look, ¡°You¡¯re Allison!!¡± Only Allison could look so much like Penelope. He didn¡¯t expect it to be her and cursed silently in his heart. Wasn¡¯t Penelope¡¯s health already recovered? Why did they let Allison be her stand¨Cin again? ¡°Sorry for the interruption,¡± said Allison, ncing at the figure behind him. Pete wasn¡¯t scared and quickly regained hisposure, ¡°Ms. Zimmer, I¡¯m sorry for my little mishap.¡± After Allison left, Pete felt something was off. He immediately called Penelope. ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m at home¡± ¡°At home? Do you know Allisofi came to the Lindberg family¡¯s mansion!¡± Upon hearing this, Penelope immediately felt nervous, ¡°What?¡± Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Chapter 176 A ck luxury car slowly pulled into the Lindberg family¡¯s mansion It came to a stop right at the front door. A servant rushed into the living room, ¡°Steve, Steve, Mr. George is back.¡± ¡°What? George¡¯s back? Quick, go tell Mr. and Mrs..¡± As soon as Steve finished his sentence, he was out the door. About two minutester Allison looked up to see a man dressed in a white tracksuit walk in He had a face simr to Lucian¡¯s, but his eyebrows and eyes were softer He saw Allison and gave a brief smile. ¡°You must be Lucian¡¯s fiancee, Penelope¡® Allison stood up, already knowing who this man was This was Lucian¡¯s second brother, George Lindberg ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see Penelope here. I rushed over and didn¡¯t have time to prepare a gift. George chuckled as he took a bag from his assistant¡¯s hand, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you like. This was onginally for a friend, but I¡¯ll give it to you since we met today. I¡¯ll prepare something especially for youter¡± Allison was slightly taken aback, thenughed, ¡°You¡¯re too kind.¡± George¡¯s assistant told her, ¡°Miss Zimmer, please ept it. It¡¯s Mr. George¡¯s sentiment.¡± Allison hesitated for a few seconds, then reached out to take it. Upstairs, a man¡¯s deep voice echoed, ¡°No need.¡± Lucian slowly descended the stairs, ¡°If it¡¯s a gift intended for someone else, we don¡¯t need it.¡± He stood in front of Allison, blocking her view. The tense atmosphere was tangible. The rtionship between Lucian and his brother didn¡¯t seem too good. It¡¯s been said that big families like the Lindbergs were riddled with internal strife. Georgeughed, ¡°I wasn¡¯t thoughtful enough. I¡¯ll prepare a gift specifically for Penelope next time.¡± Lucian smirked, ¡°Allison, haven¡¯t you thanked George yet?¡± Allison softly said, ¡°George, thank you.¡± George walked upstairs to Carter¡¯s study. Downstairs, Lucian looked at Allison, ¡°Try to keep your distance from him when you see him in the future.¡± She nodded, ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Understand what?¡± Seeing her suddenly be obedient, Lucian raised an eyebrow. He reached out to help remove her sunsses. Allison took two steps back, ¡°I understand that I need to stay away from him. My eyes are a bit inmed, I¡¯d better keep the sses on, I don¡¯t want to scare people at dinner. ¡± Women are always self¨Cconscious about their looks, Lucian continued, ¡°Did you bring any medicine?¡± ¡°I brought some eye drops.¡± ¡°Where is my mother?¡± ¡°She just left with Kami She should be in her bedroom.¡± ¡°My mother just left the hospital, and her eyes are just recovering. If you have time, you can visit and chat with her more¡± ¡°Sure, we were chatting in the living room just now.¡± Allison abruptly stopped. Lucian looked at her, ¡°What were you chatting about?¡± ¡°We were talking about Allison coughed lightly. ¡°We were talking about your childhood¡± ¡°What¡¯s so interesting about my childhood¡± ¡°I heard from Mrs Miranda that when you were two years old, you loved wearing pink dresses¡± So, that¡¯s how rumors start The handsome face of the man instantly turned a bit awkward. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Allison held back her chuckles. With her sunsses on, he couldn¡¯t see her eyes, but she could clearly see the embarrassment shing in his eyes. It was the first time she had seen Lucian so embarrassed A few secondster, the man rified, ¡°That¡¯s not true. My mother was just talking nonsense¡± Allison saw the blush on the man¡¯s ear. She tried to suppress herughter, then nodded, ¡°Yes, I know, you don¡¯t have to exin anymore.¡± Chapter 177 Chapter 177 Chapter 177 Lucian watched Penelope try to stifle a smile, leaving him a bit flustered but amused Clearing his throat, he turned his face and suggested, ¡°If you¡¯re bored, feel free to roam around the yard. I¡¯m staying in the back, I can have the maid take you there¡± In Carter¡¯s study, George lounged on the couch and announced, ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m back. I¡¯ll be around for a few days and gotta make another trip at the end of the month.¡± George¡¯s mother was of mixed race, giving him a handsome face with striking features. His deep set eyes, coupled with his chestnut mid length hair, gave him a somewhat soft demeanor. However, he also inherited the good genes of the Lindberg family, with all of the younger generations bearing a certain resemnce ¡°Stay a little longer Aidan is back too. Your brothers should hang out more,¡± Carter Lindberg had a fondness for George, whose father, Waldron Lindberg, was his eldest son. When the Lindberg family businesses were divided, he made a fuss and insisted on managing the Nova Haven branch, a key financial area for the Lindberg family. ¡°I know, I will,¡± George replied. ¡°I brought your favorite Nova Haven pastries and authentic Nova Haven white wine this time. My mom herself brewed the wine. She¡¯s learned a lot during her years in Nova Haven This year, she picked up wine brewing. You must give it a try¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a sweetheart,¡± Carter nodded ¡°Have you met Penelope yet? Lucian¡¯s fianc¨¦e. They just had their engagement party recently.¡± ¡°I have; she¡¯s a striking woman. I¡¯ve been swamped with the financial report of Nova Haven for the first half of the year, so I didn¡¯t make it to the engagement party. I¡¯ll definitely be there for their wedding.¡± George yed a few rounds of chess with Carter in the study, losing every lime. Not that he was letting him win, Carter was just a much better yer ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re still as sharp as ever¡± The old man lowered his eyelids, ¡°George, you know I hate family feuds. I may be old, but as long as I¡¯m alive, I like to see harmony in the family¡± George responded solemnly, ¡°I understand, Grandpa. I¡¯ll remember that.¡± Could Carter possibly know that it was he who had Lucian intercepted and drugged upon his return to the country? Seeing Carter¡¯s expression, George felt a bit uneasy. The old man waved his hand, ¡°I¡¯m tired, I¡¯ll rest a bit before dinner.¡± ¡°III head out then.¡± As George got up and walked towards the door, Carter called him back, ¡°Have the butler call Aidan and Jason. Since the whole family is here, let¡¯s have a gathering. Let¡¯s get the kids toe home for dinner.¡± ¡°All right¡± Exiting the study, George wondered about his grandfather¡¯s intentions. Slowly, a smirk appeared on his face. His assistant was careful, and Lucian had nothing on them. Even if it got to Grandpa, they had no evidence. In the evening, the Lindberg family¡¯s servants were busily preparing dinner.Material ? N?velDrama.Org. When Miranda got home, she chatted with Allison for a bit before heading to the kitchen, with Allison following her.. Miranda washed her hands and said, ¡°Did you know, when Lucian went abroad at neen, I was worried he wouldn¡¯t adapt, so I made him lots of snacks. His favorite was my cherry pie.¡± Allison also washed her hands and started preparing the ingredients. Her adept movements surprised Miranda, who asked, ¡°You can cook too?¡± Allison smiled and said, ¡°I learned from our house cook. But my taste might be a little different from yours.¡± Mirandaughed and replied, ¡°Then you should make it today, Lucian and I will be the judges.¡± Chapter 178 Chapter 178 Chapter 178 Although she had met Penelope a few times before, she liked her a bit more at that moment. Allison was prepping to whip up a cherry pie. Back in the day when she was in Cloudville, there was this old bakery at the corner street of the county. The olddy who ran the bakery was buddies with her grandma, and they often scored some free pastries. Allison practically grew up in that bakery, watching the olddy bake every day, and eventually picked up the skills Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Then one time, an earthquake wrecked most of Cloudville, and she had no clue how the olddy was doing now The cherry pie was out of the oven in no time. Miranda took a bite, the cherry vor sweet and smooth but not cloying. Compared to her own, this one was even smoother. Two totally different sensations. He eximed, ¡°Penelope, I had no idea you were such a whiz in the kitchen¡± ¡°Lucian should be in the side hall, let¡¯s take it over to him¡± Side hall Lucian and George were having a go at chess. Lucian was ying with the white pieces, George with the ck ones. The two were locked in a fierce duel, neither willing to give an inch. Kami was watching from the sidelines, ¡°What do you say? Should we spice up this game with a little wager? Like, the loser has to take me out for a meal!¡± George chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re quite the wheeler dealer. Regardless of who loses, you benefit.¡± Having been spoiled since childhood, Kami responded, ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. Lucian, George, best of three, loser takes me out for a meal and then shopping!¡± Just then, a faintly sweet cherry aroma wafted through the air. Kami sniffed, ¡°What¡¯s that smell? It¡¯s so good! Did someone bake something?¡± Allison walked over carrying the cherry pie, with Miranda trailing behind her, ¡°This is Penelope¡¯s creation, you guys should try it.¡± Allison set the tray down on a table nearby, thought for a moment, and handed Lucian a slice. Lucian took a bite after receiving it, it tasted a bit different from what he was used to, but it was delicious, even better than any he had tasted before. Smooth in texture, sweet and tasty. George also had a slice, ¡°You¡¯re quite the baker.¡± With a puzzled look, Kami asked, ¡°Is it really that good?¡± She was skeptical But seeing both her brothers seemed pretty pleased, she couldn¡¯t help but take a slice to taste for herself, and then her eyes widened, it really was tasty, even better than what the housekeepers at homemade Penelope, who knew you were such a culinary master! George nced at Allison. She was wearing dark sunsses, covering half of her face. Dressed in a ck and white tweed outfit, with her hair gently curled and draped over her back, standing next to Lucian. He turned to Allison and asked, ¡°Got any good ideas for a bet?¡± Allison was a bit hesitant, but seeing Lucian looking at her, she said, ¡°The loser has to down three extra drinks tonight.¡± Kami snorted. ¡°Boring¡± George said, ¡°That¡¯s fine; it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had a proper drink.¡± Lucian put down his chess piece, ¡®Looks like you know you¡¯re outmatched and are going to lose.¡± George retorted, ¡°Only throughparison can we know who¡¯s better. Let me see if your chess skills have improved over this time, Lucian.¡± Allison stood next to Lucian, watching him y chess. Back in Cloudville, when she was a kid and bored, she yed chess with friends. It was her favorite pastime, not as formal as now, but a great way to kill time. In the evening, a bunch of people would gather at the entrance of her grandma¡¯s clinic, where she would watch the old folks y chess, often untilte into the night. The elderly man next door always liked to y chess with her, and after a while, Allison¡¯s chess skills became quite impressive. She could hold her own against the old guys. Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Chapter 179 She often misses the good old days when she was a kid. Lucian¡¯s chess style is not brutal but a more ¡°gentle¡± assault on the ck pieces. Every move George makes is incredibly cautious as if he¡¯s afraid of making a single misstep But this caution often leads to mistakes The more you try not to make mistakes, the more likely you are to make them. The first game ended in a draw Both sides fought hard on the board, with no clear winner in the end. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Even if they yed for another two hours, who would win wouldn¡¯t be clear. Then came the second game. Clearly, George became more cautious. He seemed hesitant with his moves. Every move he made was incredibly cautious. Allison was also watching carefully, noticing that the white pieces seemed to have gained some advantage in the game. But Lucian seemed a bit hesitant too. He wanted to attack decisively but also wanted to give his opponent a chance. This allowed George to bnce the game again. Kami watched from the side, totally clueless Every move Lucian made afterward was even more cautious. But he still made a mistake. Just as he was about to make a move, a hand gently tugged at his sleeve. Her movements were so light, as if unnoticed. Lucian seemed to snap back to reality. His next movended precisely on George¡¯s weak spot. He was surprised. He hadn¡¯t expected ¡°Penelope to be such an excellent yer, able to spot George¡¯s bluff at a nce. He might have lost the game if ¡°Penelope hadn¡¯t tugged at his sleeve, silently reminding him.. He saw ¡°Penelope standing behind him, quietly observing the board. It seemed as if she hadn¡¯t been the one to remind him. Lucian felt a sense of admiration. He knew too little about ¡°Penelope¡°. Although she had a bit of a temper, he hadn¡¯t expected her to be such a good chess yer. George was also looking at this woman in sunsses and then said, ¡°It¡¯s your turn for the third game.¡± Allison was surprised, ¡®Me?¡± She waved her hand, ¡°No, I can¡¯t.¡± She wasn¡¯t confident she could beat George. Just before, she had spotted a w in George¡¯s y in a moment of excitement. Plus, Lucian was a skilled, thoughtful yer. She had just given him a little reminder. She wasn¡¯t confident she could win if she were really to y Lucian stood up and bowed his head, his handsome profile near her. ¡°If you lose, I¡¯ll drink for you¡± Allison blushed His breath fell on her face, her eyshes fluttered. She clenched her fingers tightly, ¡°Okay¡± Actually, she was kind of excited to try Kami didn¡¯t understand chess, so she didn¡¯t recognize ¡°Penelope¡¯s skill. She thought Lucian was just letting ¡°Penelope¡± take his ce in the third game. Sheined, ¡°Why are you letting her y? If she loses, Lucian, you¡¯ll have to drink a lot tonight!¡± Lucian just smiled slightly, his gaze falling on the ck and white board. Allison took up the white pieces, wearing her sunsses. Her gaze was firm yet gentle, ¡°George, let¡¯s start.¡± She really did want to y chess. It had been long since shest yed, she hoped her skills weren¡¯t rusty. It was a rare opportunity to y chess here. George nodded. ¡°Pen¨¦lope, go easy on me.¡± Allison smiled lightly. ¡°George, you¡¯re joking¡± In this game, Allison was a bit nervous. If she lost, it would mean Lucian lost. Although she was confident in her chess skills, she also felt a bit rusty from disuse. Chapter 180 Chapter 180 Chapter 180 Zachary walked down the stairs, scanned the empty living room, and couldn¡¯t find the youngsters ¡°Miranda, where are the kids?¡± Miranda answered, ¡°They¡¯re ying chess in the side room¡± ¡°All right, let¡¯s go check it out¡± They saw Penelope sitting across George in a silent battle on the chessboard as they entered the side room. Zachary was a bit surprised. It was Penelope and George ying chess. He walked over for a closer look. What a game! It didn¡¯t matter who won or lost. Anyone who saw the game would know that both yers were skilled. ¡°Dad Mom, why are you here? It¡¯s so boring. Let¡¯s go to the living room¡± Kami grabbed Miranda¡¯s hand, but Miranda didn¡¯t move, her eyes still fixed on the chessboard Kami urged, ¡°Mom!¡± Zachary said. ¡°Kami, real gentlemen don¡¯t talk during the game.¡± So Kami shut up Five minutester, George put down his chess piece and said. ¡°I lost.¡± He stood up, looked at ¡°Penelope¡± and said, ¡°You¡¯re really good at chess.¡± Allison politely replied. ¡°I just got lucky.¡± Kami frowned, ¡°Really? Did you lose? Were you going easy on her? How could you lose to Penelope?!¡± George sighed He hadn¡¯t gone easy on her. He was so aggressive during the game, even more so than Lucian. Zachary looked at ¡°Penelope¡± with a hint of admiration in his eyes. ¡°Not bad¡± Allison said, ¡°Thank you for thepliment.¡± Miranda suggested, ¡°All right, we¡¯ve yed enough chess. Let¡¯s go sit outside. Jason and Aldan will be here soon. Kami was the first to express her excitement. ¡°Aidan ising too?¡± Following Lucian, Allison said, ¡°I won¡± Lucian stopped in his tracks, and she almost bumped into his back. She touched her nose Lucian said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could y chess.¡± Allison¡¯s eyes darkened There¡¯s so much you don¡¯t know, Lucian¡­ ¡°So, now you know? She lowered her voice on purpose, imitating Penelope¡¯s voice. After all the years in the nagan family, she could imitate Penelope perfectly Lucian turned around, and suddenly he reached out- Allison instinctively moved back. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. The man took off her sunsses, revealing the face he knew so well. It was Penelope, no doubt about it. But there was a sense of unfamiliarity. She didn¡¯t seem like Penelope. Penelope¡¯s eyes were red; just like she said, her eyes were inmed. They were moist and red, like a rabbit¡¯s. The man frowned slightly Allison was prepared. If she said her eyes were inmed, they had to look like it. Otherwise, Lucian would recognize those eyes if she didn¡¯t put on heavy makeup. This way, she wouldn¡¯t blow her cover. Miranda left her phone on the desk and returned to get it. She passed by Lucian and Allison, and upon seeing Allison, she stated, ¡°Penelope, your eyes are so inmed.¡± Allison nodded. She had put too many eye drops, and after a little rubbing, her eyes were somewhat red and swollen. ¡°I¡¯ll ask the kitchen to prepare some light yet tasty dishes for you.¡± ¡°Thank you¡± Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Only half an hour left before dinner time Allison grabbed her sunsses and followed Lucian into the living room. Aldan and Jason Brummett also walked in after them. Kami excitedly shouted, ¡°Aidan!¡± Aidan was kind of avoiding Kami He knew she had feelings for him, but he didn¡¯t feel the same way about her. He just responded indifferently. ¡°Kami.¡± ¡°Aidan, have you been really busy these days? I went to yourpany to find you a few times, and they always told me you¡¯re not there¡± That was precisely what Aidan had instructed them to say if Kami came looking for him. Allison¡¯s phone started to vibrate. Seeing the caller ID showed Penelope, she picked up the phone and walked to the balcony, ¡°Hello?¡± On the other end of the phone, as Allison expected, Penelope was swearing like a fishwife. Allison had already moved the phone away from her ear, she only lightlyughed after Penelope finished her rant. ¡°Penelope, do you think the people around me heard you cursing just now because you were so loud?¡± Penelope seemed to be stunned and a bit scared. ¡°What did you say, you bitch, Allison! I¡¯m at the vi behind the orchard,e here now! I¡¯ll show you!¡± It still wasn¡¯t dinner time, and the Lindberg family¡¯s servants were all busy. Allison found an excuse to go for a walk in the garden and left the dining room. The maid Laura wanted to apany her but was rejected by Allison. Laura hesitated, still reminding her, ¡°Ms. nagan, you better not go to the orchard at the back.¡± ¡°I know Didn¡¯t we already check out the situation there?¡± Laura blushed a bit, ¡°As long as you know.¡± Seeing Penelope¡¯s friendly face, Laura couldn¡¯t help but say more, ¡°That Pete is David¡¯s son, he¡¯s a high¨Cranking member in the Lindberg family, but he he is kind of a yboy, many young maids in the Lindberg family have had affairs with him. If they¡¯re willing. Carter wouldn¡¯t interfere.¡± Allison smiled, ¡°Thanks for the warning: I¡¯ll go there by myself.¡± Behind the orchard was a two¨Cstory vi where Penelope was waiting for her. When Allison walked over, Penelope furiously approached her and raised her hand to p her, but Allison caught her wrist. Penelope didn¡¯t expect Allison to fight back and was stunned. ¡°Allison, you¡¯ve got some balls pretending to be me to see Lucian at the Lindberg family. If I hadn¡¯t found out, you might have fooled me! Have you pretended to be me to meet Lucian before?¡± Allison casually asked, ¡°How did you find out? Oh, Pete told you, right? Penelope, you and Pete seem to be close. Does Lucian know?¡± Penelope hesitated, suddenly looking guilty. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Who¡¯s Pete? I¡¯m telling you again! Don¡¯t mention these irrelevant things! You pretending to be me to secretly meet Lucian, I won¡¯t let you off, don¡¯t forget your mother is still in the hospital, her life is in my hands!¡± As soon as her mother was mentioned, Allison¡¯s face turned cold. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. She tightly grabbed Penelope¡¯s wrist, and Penelope frowned due to the pain, ¡°Ah, let go! Allison!!¡± ¡°Penelope, I¡¯m telling you, if anything unfortunate happens to my mother, I promise, the entire Lindberg family and all the media in Northfield will know the truth about how I lost a child, and how you pretended to be me to establish a rtionship with Lucian!¡± Her bottom line was Grace Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Chapter 182 But she¡¯d done everything absolutely everything Leah and Penelope asked her to She never intended to spill the beans, but Leah went behind her back and switched her mom¡¯s meds, resulting in her mom being in aa now. So why was she still putting up with their threats? Penelope had never seen such a cold look in Allison¡¯s eyes, and it kind of freaked her out. ¡°What are you talking about? Your mom is fine! Allison, you promised me you couldn¡¯t let it slip. We paid for your mom¡¯s kidney transnt, and you should remember that!¡± There was a hint of mockery in Allison¡¯s eyes ¡°Of course, I remember. I was with the nagan family for B years, and I remember every bit of kindness from Ms. nagan and Mrs. nagan¡± Penelope watched Allisonughing, but she felt uneasy inside, scared that the secret might get out. Allison used to be easy to control. She would do whatever they asked as long as Grace was in their hands. But things seemed to have changed now Allison¡¯s attitude had taken a sudden shift. ¡°Allison, you promised us to keep this a secret. You¡¯ve been with the nagan farnily for so many years, we naturally treat you well¡± Penelope wasn¡¯t a fool. Even though she bullied Allison, she didn¡¯t dare to scold her now. She decided to hold her tongue for now ¡°Allison, let¡¯s get changed quickly. I know you probably didn¡¯t mean to be here.¡± Allison watched Penelope¡¯s attitude and chuckled softly ¡°I indeed didn¡¯t intend to be here. Seeing Penelope looking relieved, she continued slowly, ¡°But the Lindberg family¡¯s security is light. How did you get in? Oh, I forgot, Pete must have brought you in.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. At the mention of Pete¡¯s name, Penelope¡¯s face immediately changed. What she and Pete had going on was supposed to be a secret. Pete must have let his guard down around Allison, and she found out! Penelope knew what type of person Pete was. Penelope felt guilty, afraid Allison had found out about her and Pete. She snapped, ¡°Pete and I are just good friends. Allison, don¡¯t you just want to see your mom? How about I arrange for you to see her tomorrow?¡± Seeing Allison¡¯s indifferent expression, Penelope gritted her teeth. ¡°As long as you behave and don¡¯t let this out, I can arrange for you to see your mom whenever you want.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Allison raised an eyebrow, ¡°Anytime?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Penelope saw Allison seemed to loosen up and quickly said, ¡°We need to change clothes quickly; it¡¯s gettingte. After changing. I¡¯ll have Pete take you out of here.¡± Allison didn¡¯t want to attend the Lindberg family¡¯s dinner. She was mistaken for Penelope by some reporters on the ferry. At this moment, she took off her coat and handed it to Penelope. They swapped clothes. Penelope mimicked Allison¡¯s makeup, toned it down a bit, and added some eye drops to make their eyes look identical. Allison wiped off her makeup, tidied her hair, and quickly straightened it with a t iron, and they left the vi, one after the other. Chapter 183 Chapter 183 Pete was about to leave with Allison, who barely had any makeup on, she looked so innocent. She resembled Penelope, which was why he mistook her for Penelope earlier. But Allison¡¯s features were much softer than Penelope¡¯s, which made her even more attractive. If Penelope wasn¡¯t his girlfriend, he might have liked Allison more. Suddenly, a voice came over, ¡°Allison, you¡¯re here too?¡± Allison looked up to see Jason walking towards them. Pete was a bit surprised When Jason approached, he nced at Pete, ¡°Do you know Allison?¡± Pete was somewhat tongue¨Ctied, unsure of how to exin it, ¡°Me and Allison, we.¡± Allison spoke softly, ¡°I came here to deliver something to Ms. nagan. I Just finished and was about to leave. The Lindberg mansion is so huge that I bumped into Pete, and he offered to walk me out.¡± Pete nodded vigorously. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it.¡± Jason told Pete. Go ahead, I¡¯ll chat with Allison.¡± Pele hesitated. He was supposed to walk Allison aut, but now Jason had shown up; what should he do? But Jason was his friend and couldn¡¯t refuse, so he had to leave. As he was leaving, he nced at Allison, but shepletely ignored him. Jason looked at Allison with a hint of delight, ¡°Allison, could you do me a favor tonight?¡± ¡°What favor?¡± ¡°Should be a piece of cake for you¡± Jason said seriously, ¡°Allison, there¡¯s a family dinner at the Lindbergs¡® tonight. Could you apany me?¡± Allison¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, ¡°Are you for real? Pretend to be your girlfriend?¡± Jason nodded Allison chuckled, ¡°How can you possibly be single? I know you have at least a few girlfriends.¡± ¡°Allison, are you jealous?¡± Jason was actually pleased with this, ¡°I¡¯ve broken up with them He had been pursuing Allison for a while, but every time, Allison avoided him. Allison thought Jason was joking, but seeing his serious expression, she asked, ¡°Are you serious?* ¡°Absolutely!¡± Jason thought momentarily. ¡°Allison, are you worried about your boyfriend? Juste to my house for a meal, your boyfriend isn¡¯t here. I¡¯ll just say that you are my ssmate, and we bumped into each other.¡± Allison bit her lip and said softly, ¡°I broke up with Dr. Dn.¡± A light seemed to shimmer in Jason¡¯s eyes; they broke up? This was great! He still had a chance. ¡°Allison, just do me this favor, we¡¯re ssmates; we should help each other out, right?¡± Allison gave him a sidelong nce, she didn¡¯t think she needed to help him out. ¡°If you need a dinnerpanion, just make a call and plenty of girls would be willing toe. I have some stuff to deal with, so I¡¯m leaving now.¡± ¡°Allison, don¡¯t go!¡± Jason blocked Allison¡¯s way again. Allison looked a bit helpless, ¡°Jason¡­.¡± ¡°Jason was just here, where did he go?¡± Cora looked around the living room. Aidan, Kami, Penelope, and Lucian were all there; only Jason was missing. ¡°Lucian, give Jason a call and see where he is. Dinner is about to start¡± Lucian stood up and said, ¡°He¡¯s in the garden. I¡¯ll go get him.¡± As Lucian walked into the garden, he saw Jason talking with a girl from afar. As he got closer, he realized the girl looked familiar, Chapter 183 Chapter 183 Chapter 183 Pete was about to leave with Allison, who barely had any makeup on, she looked so innocent. She resembled Penelope, which was why he mistook her for Penelope earlier. But Allison¡¯s features were much softer than Penelope¡¯s, which made her even more attractive. If Penelope wasn¡¯t his girlfriend, he might have liked Allison more. Suddenly, a voice came over, ¡°Allison, you¡¯re here too?¡± Allison looked up to see Jason walking towards them. Pete was a bit surprised When Jason approached, he nced at Pete, ¡°Do you know Allison?¡± Pete was somewhat tongue¨Ctied, unsure of how to exin it, ¡°Me and Allison, we.¡± Allison spoke softly, ¡°I came here to deliver something to Ms. nagan. I Just finished and was about to leave. The Lindberg mansion is so huge that I bumped into Pete, and he offered to walk me out.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Pete nodded vigorously. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it.¡± Jason told Pete. Go ahead, I¡¯ll chat with Allison.¡± Pele hesitated. He was supposed to walk Allison aut, but now Jason had shown up; what should he do? But Jason was his friend and couldn¡¯t refuse, so he had to leave. As he was leaving, he nced at Allison, but shepletely ignored him. Jason looked at Allison with a hint of delight, ¡°Allison, could you do me a favor tonight?¡± ¡°What favor?¡± ¡°Should be a piece of cake for you¡± Jason said seriously, ¡°Allison, there¡¯s a family dinner at the Lindbergs¡® tonight. Could you apany me?¡± Allison¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, ¡°Are you for real? Pretend to be your girlfriend?¡± Jason nodded Allison chuckled, ¡°How can you possibly be single? I know you have at least a few girlfriends.¡± ¡°Allison, are you jealous?¡± Jason was actually pleased with this, ¡°I¡¯ve broken up with them He had been pursuing Allison for a while, but every time, Allison avoided him. Allison thought Jason was joking, but seeing his serious expression, she asked, ¡°Are you serious?* ¡°Absolutely!¡± Jason thought momentarily. ¡°Allison, are you worried about your boyfriend? Juste to my house for a meal, your boyfriend isn¡¯t here. I¡¯ll just say that you are my ssmate, and we bumped into each other.¡± Allison bit her lip and said softly, ¡°I broke up with Dr. Dn.¡± A light seemed to shimmer in Jason¡¯s eyes; they broke up? This was great! He still had a chance. ¡°Allison, just do me this favor, we¡¯re ssmates; we should help each other out, right?¡± Allison gave him a sidelong nce, she didn¡¯t think she needed to help him out. ¡°If you need a dinnerpanion, just make a call and plenty of girls would be willing toe. I have some stuff to deal with, so I¡¯m leaving now.¡± ¡°Allison, don¡¯t go!¡± Jason blocked Allison¡¯s way again. Allison looked a bit helpless, ¡°Jason¡­.¡± ¡°Jason was just here, where did he go?¡± Cora looked around the living room. Aidan, Kami, Penelope, and Lucian were all there; only Jason was missing. ¡°Lucian, give Jason a call and see where he is. Dinner is about to start¡± Lucian stood up and said, ¡°He¡¯s in the garden. I¡¯ll go get him.¡± As Lucian walked into the garden, he saw Jason talking with a girl from afar. As he got closer, he realized the girl looked familiar, Chapter 184 Chapter 184 Chapter 184 ¡°Look at me, Allison You and your boyfriend are over, and so are me and my girlfriend. Don¡¯t you think we make a good match? Jason has been chasing after Allison for a while now. Even though he seemed a bit of a yer, always surrounded by girls, Allison has always been the most attractive to hirn All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Lucian paused, realizing that the girl Jason was talking to was Allison Jason happened to face Lucian, and he shouted, ¡°Lucian¡® Allison was startled, she slowly turned around and saw Lucian standing 10 meters behind her. He walked slowly over, hands in his pockets, ¡°It¡¯s time for dinner¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me a joke in front of them, Allison, Jason whispered to Allison. His warm breath startled her, and she stepped back. A male arm lightly pushed her at the waist, she turned around, and there was Lucian. His voice was deep, emotion hard to detect, ¡°Since my brother invited you so kindly, let¡¯s have dinner together¡± ¡°Thanks¡± Jason grabbed Allison¡¯s wrist, leading her toward the living room. Allison struggled, but she couldn¡¯t break free. Behind her, a pair of cold eyes was always on her. Lucian¡¯s hands were in the pockets of his sweatpants, and his gaze fell on Jason¡¯s hand holding Allison¡¯s. As soon as she entered the living room, she ran into Cora, who looked surprised to see Jason holding Allison¡¯s hand. Allison pulled her hand away Jason let go, thinking Allison and Dr. Dn are over, so he has plenty of opportunities. He introduced Allison to Cora, ¡°Mom, this is Allison. You should have met her before. Cora¡¯s gaze fell on the girl in front of her She was wearing a light pink dress, her ck hair down, her face calm and gentle. Of course, she remembered Allison, the former maid of the nagan family, Dr. Dn¡¯s girlfriend But how did she end up with her son¡­. Cora was surprised, but she still had a smile on her face. ¡°Allison,e in and have a seat.¡± Upon entering the living room, Penelope¡¯s face changed when she saw Allison. ¡°Why are you here? Didn¡¯t you leave?¡± Her voice was so sudden that everyone in the living room looked over. Penelope stood up, afraid of being discovered. Allison looked at her panicked expression, smiled and said, ¡°Mrs. nagan asked me to bring something to you, I was about to leave when I ran into Jason.¡± ¡°Oh, right, right¡­ Seeing that the situation had not been exposed, Penelope finally breathed a sigh of relief, but she was annoyed with Allison. She didn¡¯t expect to be led by the nose by Allison, Jason said, ¡®Allison is my ssmate, Mom. I¡¯ll take her out first.¡± Cora frowned, ¡®Don¡¯t mess around. Tonight is a family gathering, so you can¡¯t just leave.¡± She understood her son¡¯s intention and said, ¡°You and Allison stay home for dinner.¡± Penelope immediately became nervous. ¡°There¡¯s no need to bother. Allison might have other things to deal with Chapter 185 Chapter 185 Chapter 185 As she spoke, she nced at Allison, genuinely worried that Lucian might notice something amiss, particrly with Allison dressed in her snug little Chanel¨Cesque outfit. Even if they looked quite alike, she was still scared, especially since Allison knew the secret about her and Pete At the moment, Penelope was on pins and needles. Allison yed dumb. ¡°I¡¯m okay¡± Jason walked up to Allison, ¡°Ms nagan, Allison is my ssmate, so you don¡¯t need to fret about her¡± Penelope smiled, surprised that Jason would defend a maid in front of everyone. Lucian walked in, his eyesnding on Allison, who was dressed in a light pink dress that entuated her fair skin. With a light blush on her cheeks and standing behind Jason, he found her quite the eyesore. Seeing Lucian looking at Allison, Penelope quickly approached him and took his arm, ¡°Lucian, the baby just gave me a little kick¡± Lucian replied gently, ¡°Such a naughty baby.¡± *Lucian.¡± Zachary helped Carter down the stairs; Cora quickly went over to him, ¡°Dad¡± Carter nodded, his gaze sweeping across Allison¡¯s face, pausing ever so slightly. Allison immediately felt a wave of pressure. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Jason said, ¡°Grandpa, this is my ssmate Allison.¡± Carter¡¯s gaze slowly moved away, ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Inside the dining room. Allison sat next to Jason, feeling quite uneasy during the meal. But the more stressed one was Penelope. The guilt of hiding something inside was overwhelming. As long as Lucian¡¯s gaze lingered on Allison, Penelope would fear being found out and constantly made excuses to divert his attention, which only made her look more guilty Lucian¡¯s sharp gaze fell on Penelope¡¯s face. ¡°If you¡¯re not feeling well, I can get the family doctor to check on you.¡± Upon hearing that Penelope wasn¡¯t feeling well, Miranda became anxious, ¡°Penelope, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Everyone¡¯s gaze turned towards them. After all, Penelope was pregnant. It was no small matter. Penelope knew she was being overly nervous. ¡°I¡¯m fine, just the normal reactions to pregnancy, I¡¯ve lost my appetite.¡± Miranda chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s normal. I¡¯ve asked the servants to prepare some light food for you. Here, have some soup.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Carter smiled. ¡°Take care of yourself. If you need anything, just tell Lucian.¡± The smile on Penelope¡¯s face was radiant as she replied, ¡°All right.¡± She looked at Lucian¡¯s profile, finding it hard to even breathe. Lucian was simply too outstanding. Northfield had no shortage ofdies pursuing him. Kami scoffed quietly, murmuring. ¡°Fake¡± Allison lowered her head, quietly enjoying her bowl of rice. Suddenly, someone put a piece of steak in front of her. Looking up, she saw Jason¡¯s handsome smile, ¡°Try Lacey¡¯s cooking. Every time I visit Grandpa¡¯s house, I always have extra steak. It¡¯spletely different from restaurants.¡± Lacey was heating up some porridge for Carter when she heard this. She immediately smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m d you like it. Allison, you should also try I can¡¯t vouch for the other dishes, but this steak is my specialty.¡± Allison took a bite, ¡°It¡¯s really good, Lacey Could you teach me sometime?¡± ¡°Allison, you like cooking too? Sure, I¡¯ll teach you after dinner.¡± Chapter 186 Chapter 186 Chapter 186 Jason snagged another steak for Allison, to which she said, ¡°I can handle it myself¡± ¡°Just tell me what you want to eat, Jason asked, piling more food onto Allison¡¯s te, which was already overflowing Allison frowned and murmured, ¡°I can do it myself¡± ¡°But we¡¯re ssmates, arent we? We should help each other out Jason retorted, raising an eyebrow Feeling helpless, Allison kept her head down and ate her meal. Looking up, she met a pair of icy eyes She paused for a moment and then averted her gaze ¡°Dad, try this, Penelope made a cherry pie Miranda emerged from the kitchen with a freshly baked pie, which she handed to Carter Penelope was taken aback. She didn¡¯t know how to make a cherry pie. She nced at Allison, wondering if she was the one who made it. Her fingers tightened nervously Carter took a bite. ¡°Mmm, it¡¯s delicious. Penelope, I didn¡¯t know you could make a cherry pie.¡± Penelopeughed nervously. ¡°Uh, I tend to learn how to make things in my spare time. If you like it, Grandpa, I can make it more often¡± ¡°You¡¯re so considerate, and it¡¯s delicious Carter seemed to have a good appetite, eating the pie one bite after another. Penelope heaved a sigh of relief, thinking the matter was over Not pleased that Carter praised Penelope, Kami red at her and said, ¡°It¡¯s just a cherry pie. Grandpa, I can make it too if you like.¡± Carter, who always doted on his granddaughter smiled and said, ¡°All right, all right¡± Satisfied, Kami smiled. She knew she was Grandpa¡¯s favorite. She saw Aidan take a piece of the pie and pop it into his mouth. Then he took another piece Kami asked, ¡°Aidan, do you like this too?¡± Aidan replied, ¡°It tastes good.¡± Kami bit her lip and looked at Penelope, ¡°How did you make this cherry pie?¡± Penelope was stunned. How did she make it? She was really nervous. How could she possibly know how to make it? She looked up quickly to see Allison, who was eating her meal. When Allison looked up at Penelope, her expression was innocent, as if she knew nothing. Penelope was both anxious and nervous, ¡°Kami, if you like it, I can make it for you.¡± ¡°Who would like anything you make? If you don¡¯t want to share the recipe, just say so. Stingy!¡± Kami was always capricious, and the Lindberg family was used to it. This wasn¡¯t a big deal, so Miranda just laughed and said, ¡°Penelope, just tell Kami how to make it.¡± ¡°I..I¡­¡± Penelope was flustered, her back drenched in cold sweat, ¡®Kami, I¡¯ll tell you after the meal¡­¡± ¡°Is there some secret? Why wait until after the meal? You just don¡¯t want to teach me ¡± Kami hated Penelope¡¯s pretense and couldn¡¯t understand why Lucian liked her ¡°Kami, you might have misunderstood.¡± Penelope looked at Kami. Although she was really angry inside, she had to hide it because she still needed to maintain a good rtionship with Kami. So she put on a smile. Just then, a gentle voice chimed in. ¡°If you like it, I can teach you how to make it, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Kami looked at Allison, ¡°You know how to make cherry pie too?¡± Allison smiled, ¡°I know a bit. Seeing Penelope¡¯s expression, she calmly continued. ¡°Ms. nagan taught me.¡± Penelope finally breathed a sigh of relief, her face filled with an awkward smile. Kami immediately agreed, ¡°Okay, teach me after dinner.¡± With that, she sneered at Penelope. Chapter 187 Chapter 187 Chapter 187 If it weren¡¯t for Aidan and Grandpa¡¯s love for cherry pie, she wouldn¡¯t even bother asking Penelopel Kami continued to eat with her mind all on Aidan, Penelope gritted her teeth, and her gaze fixed on Allison This Allison, she must have done it on purpose! The cherry pie was the first thing to be finished at dinner. Lucian had two slices, and even Zachary had a bite andplimented, ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought Penelope¡¯s cooking is excellent.¡± All Penelope could do was awkwardlyugh, ¡°As long as you guys enjoy it.¡± Miranda chimed in, ¡°Penelope can make a lot more than that I didn¡¯t expect her cherry pie to be this good, even better than mine. The vor is more intense, and it¡¯s fluffier¡± Penelope quickly said. ¡°Tll prepare more and bring it over tomorrow.¡± ¡°You¡¯re pregnant, and you need to rest.¡® ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay.¡± Seeing Penelope like this, Kami muttered under her breath, ¡®Such a hypocrite!¡± Penelope was sitting next to Kami, she naturally heard it. Her face paled, but she didn¡¯t dare to show her dissatisfaction. Kami was the little princess of the Lindberg family, she still needed to suck up to her After dinner, Allison taught Kami how to make cherry pie. Penelope followed them into the kitchen, but Kami shooed her away. ¡°What are you doing here? Go rest. If anything happens to the baby, don¡¯t me me¡± *Kami ¡°Penelope looked at Allison, gritting her teeth, ¡°Allison, you better teach Kami properly, don¡¯t bezy.¡± Kami scoffed. With a forced smile, Penelope left the kitchen. She stared at Allison¡¯s back, vowing revenge in her heart! Kami was very serious, ¡°Is this how it¡¯s done?¡± Allison replied, ¡°First, add some cherries. The vor is rich but not too sweet. Older people shouldn¡¯t have too much sugar, so you can also make it sugar¨Cfree and it¡¯s better for their health.¡± Kami nodded. ¡°You¡¯re so thoughtful. You¡¯re way better than that Penelope. I don¡¯t know what my brother sees in that fake woman.¡± ¡°Allison, is this enough flour?¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s enough for the whole family if it¡¯s for afternoon tea.¡± Kami was very serious, she nodded, ¡°All right, I¡¯ll make one sugar¨Cfree and one with sugar.¡± After steaming a pie, Kami carried it out. Allison washed her hands, hearing footsteps behind her. Assuming it was Kami, she said, ¡°I¡¯ve cleaned up the tools and also wrote down the ingredients. I put it on the table. There¡¯s also a recipe for apple pie, it¡¯s just like the cherry pie, just switch the¡­¡± She stopped suddenly She realized the person behind her wasn¡¯t Kami. She took a deep breath, seemingly already aware of who it was. Allison didn¡¯t turn around, her voice was calm but slightly trembling. ¡°Mr. Lindberg¡± Lucian stood a meter behind Allison. He stared at her thin figure, his voice a bit hoarse, ¡°How well do you know Jason?¡± ¡°We¡¯re ssmates.¡± ¡°Really, ssmates?¡± Lucian chuckled coldly, ¡°Seducing Jason, Allison, you should be aware of your status.¡± Allison froze and she turned off the faucet, her fingers slowly clenching ¡°Mr. Lindberg, you¡¯ve misunderstood¡± Chapter 188 Chapter 188 Chapter 188 ¡°You¡¯ve been ying Jason, cozying up to Kami Your little scheme has been working pretty well. Fresh off your breakup with Dr. Dn, you¡¯ve already found a new shoulder to cry on.¡± Lucian muttered, his voice dropping low enough to only be heard by Allison. His words held warmth but only made Allison shiver, her body trembling slightly ¡®Mr Lindberg, it¡¯s just a coincidence I didn¡¯t n oning to the Lindberg family, let alone ending up with Jason ¡°Mr. Lindberg if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be heading out now.¡± Allison lowered her head, turning to leave, but Lucian¡¯s arm snaked around her waist. She could feel his firm grip through her dress, making her all the more aware of his presence. She looked up, meeting his icy gaze ¡°In a hurry to see Jason, are we?¡± Allison¡¯s heart skipped a beat, ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯ve learned to behave.¡± He lifted his hand to her chin, gently tilting her face upward, ¡°Are you really as vain and greedy as the information I gathered suggests? Breaking up with Dr. Dn only to flirt with Jason, then look at me with those innocent eyes?¡± He wouldn¡¯t be fooled by her anymore Even if she was the girl who once saved him, she was no longer the innocent person he once knew. ¡°Mr. Lindberg, I think you may have misunderstood¡­¡± Allison tried to push his hand away. His grip wasn¡¯t strong, but she couldn¡¯t break free. In her struggle, her cheeks flushed. Just then, Kami¡¯s voice came from outside the door, ¡°Allison, Allison, why is the door closed?¡± Kami was standing at the door, pushing against the kitchen door Was Allison not inside? The door wouldn¡¯t budge. Just as Kami was about to fetch the keys, the kitchen door opened from the inside, she was surprised to see Lucianing out, ¡°Lucian, what are you doing in the kitchen?¡± ¡°Mhm¡± Lucian simply hummed in response, passing by her. Kami nced at Lucian¡¯s retreating back and walked into the kitchen. Allison had already cleaned up all the tools, ¡°Allison, why did Luciane?¡± Allison¡¯s voice was a bit hoarse, her eyes slightly withdrawn, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Mr. Lindberg came, saw that the cherry pie wasn¡¯t ready and that you weren¡¯t here, then he left.¡± On the balcony All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Cora watched her son with a sigh, ¡°Jason, it¡¯s not that I dislike Allison. But she was just Dr. Dn¡¯s girlfriend a few days ago. You rashly brought her home. How am i supposed to exin this to your grandfather?¡± ¡°Mom, haven¡¯t you always wanted me to bring a girlfriend home? I like Allison. She has broken up with Dr. Dn. I¡¯ve had plenty of girlfriends before and broken up with them all. I¡¯m pursuing Allison now.¡± Cora said, ¡°This isn¡¯t a game, Jason. You need to be sure of your decision.¡± ¡°I am sure¡± Replied Jason, ¡°You guys don¡¯t understand her She¡¯s not what you think. I¡¯ve been pursuing her for a long time. I started when she was a freshman. She rejected me. Cora frowned. Who would reject her son? Not only was Jason handsome, but he also came from a wealthy family. He was the Lindberg family¡¯s nephew and the Brummett family¡¯s eldest son. And Allison was just a maid from the nagan family. How could she possibly reject someone like Jason? Regardless, she wouldn¡¯t let someone of such low status be her daughter¨Cinw. Chapter 189 Chapter 189 Chapter 189 ¡°Jason, this is serious. I was just hoping you¡¯d bring your ssmates over today, and in the future, I¡¯d arrange for you to meetdies who match your social status.¡± Jason fell he couldn¡¯t convince his mom for now, so he said, ¡°I won¡¯t go, Mom There¡¯s no need for you to keep trying. Plus, I¡¯m still young and not thinking about these things yel.¡± Cora knew her son wasn¡¯t happy. She sighed, then said seriously, ¡°Jason, you can choose any other girl, but not Allison¡± Allison was the maid of the nagan family Penelope was now Lucian¡¯s fianc¨¦e. If her son liked Allison, they¡¯d look like second¨Css citizens. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She didn¡¯t understand why her son couldn¡¯t see this. ¡°Jason¡­¡± Suddenly, a scream came from the living room- ¡°Grandpa, what¡¯s wrong with you!!¡± Cora¡¯s face changed immediately; she and Jason quickly left the balcony and went into the living room. She saw Carter sitting on the couch, his eyes closed, breathing heavily, lips turning purple, looking like he was having a seizure. Her face changed instantly, ¡°Dad¡± ¡°Dad, what¡¯s wrong!¡± ¡°Grandpa!¡± Zachary, Lucian, and Kami also rushed in upon hearing themotion. Penelope, who was sitting next to Carter, was scared witless, her face turning pale, ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with him; he just suddenly¡­¡± Penelope¡¯s tears were about to fall, ¡°Lucian!¡± She stood up and went over to Lucian. Lucian didn¡¯t have the mood to deal with her, he pushed her away and went over to Carter, ¡®Call the doctor, quick!¡± Steve didn¡¯t waste a single minute and immediately contacted the doctor. But their family doctor had left an hour ago due to a family emergency, so even if he rushed back, it would still take at least half an hour. Kami started crying, ¡°Grandpa, what¡¯s wrong with you, don¡¯t scare me. Why did you suddenly¡­ She turned her head and red at Penelope, ¡°You were the only one with him; tell us what happened!¡± Lucian¡¯s gaze also fell on Penelope. Penelope panicked, ¡°I don¡¯t know, we were just chatting, and then he just¡­¡± Cora walked up to Penelope, ¡°Calm down, don¡¯t panic.¡± She turned to Steve and said urgently, ¡°Have you called for an ambnce? Did Mr. Lindberg take his medicine tonight? Does anyone know first aid?¡± The ambnce had been called, but there was no way it could arrive so quickly. George frowned. ¡°Does anyone know CPR?¡± Time was of the essence; every second could be a matter of life and death. Steve gritted his teeth, ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± Carter couldn¡¯t wait. At this moment, Carter¡¯s eyes were closed, his breathing was almost halted, his lips were turning purple, and he seemed to have lost consciousness. Kami was scared stiff, she couldn¡¯t even cry anymore. As Steve walked over to Carter and was about to perform CPR, a woman¡¯s voice gently said, ¡°Don¡¯t move him¡± Everyone looked for the source of the voice and saw Allison slowly walk over. She asked Steve to move aside, thenid Carter t, Penelope watched her, shouting, ¡°What are you doing? Allison, stop!¡± Allison paused, not looking at Penelope but asking Steve, ¡°Does he have any medical conditions? Does he take medication daily?¡± Chapter 190 Chapter 190 Chapter 190 Staring at the young girl in front of him, Steve felt a sudden calm, quickly responding. ¡°The old man had heart bypass surgery and high blood pressure, so he needs to take blood pressure tablets every day, heart¨Cprotecting pills every week, and some other health supplements.¡± ¡°Steve, could you help clear the crowd and open the windows for venttion?¡± Taken aback for a moment, Steve nodded his head promptly agreeing. ¡°All right¡± Penelope red at Allison, seeing Steve actually doing as she instructed, she immediately questioned, ¡°Steve, why are you listening to her? She¡¯s just blindly directing! The old man needs to be handled with extreme care in his current state!¡± Steve hesitated, his gaze shifting towards Lucian, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, looking at the current situation¡­¡± Meanwhile, Allison¡¯s cool and calm voice came through, ¡°Ms. nagan, I think you better keep quiet. If we miss the optimal timing for treatment, not even God can save him¡± ¡°You!¡± Penelope wanted to retort but was silenced by Lucian¡¯s cold stare Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Lucian looked at Allison, ¡°Can you save him?¡± Allison replied, ¡°I¡¯ll try¡± She couldn¡¯t guarantee Cora frowned, she wasn¡¯t willing to gamble with Carter¡¯s life, ¡°Allison, how can you just say you¡¯ll try? If you don¡¯t have full confidence, isn¡¯t that more dangerous?¡± Allison turned to her, ¡°Madam, do you think, in his current state, he¡¯s just waiting for an ambnce? Wait for half an hour? She gave a faint smirk, ¡°In half an hour, he would be long gone.¡± ¡°Your¡± Cora retorted, ¡°How can you speak like that!¡± Allison pulled out a bag of acupuncture needles from her bag. ¡°Am I not stating the facts?¡± The Lindberg family¡¯s faces instantly changed. Zachary pondered for a second. Indeed, the old man couldn¡¯t wait for an ambnce or the family doctor. Every second was crucial for Carter. Could this girl, Allison, really save him? ¡°Steve, open the window¡± Lucian instructed, and the rest of us should move back a bit.¡± His words signified his trust in Allison. After checking Carter¡¯s condition, Allison immediately began her treatment. She learned this from her grandmother, a well¨Cknown local doctor. She knew all sorts of medications and was often sought after for help with stubborn illnesses. Allison ced three needles. Carter coughed violently and slowly opened his eyes. Cora was overjoyed, ¡°Dad¡± ¡°Grandpa, are you all right?¡± ¡°Thank God, as long as you¡¯re okay.¡± The Lindberg family members rushed over. Allison also sighed in relief, she had been uncertain about the old man¡¯s condition. Seeing him awake now, she rxed, stood up, packed the needles back into the bag, and quietly retreated to the side. Penelope was stunned. She hadn¡¯t expected that Allison would actually save the old man. But at the moment, she had no time to think about Allison, and she joined everyone around Carter. The old man had narrowly escaped death; though his breathing was still somewhat rapid, his life signs had returned. His vision was still blurry. He just remembered someone saving him. That person¡¯s silhouette He looked at the figure vaguely The old, arious voice asked, ¡°Did Penelope save me just now?¡± At these words, Penelope was extremely embarrassed, squeezing a rigid smile on her face. Steve said, ¡°Sir, it was Allison who saved you He helped Carter sit up. pating his chest, ¡°Sir, how are you feeling? Is there any difort now?¡± Carter looked at Allison and gestured for her toe over. Allison walked over and asked, ¡°Do you feel thirsty and palpitations? Sweating at the back?¡± Carter nodded. Chapter 191 Chapter 191 Chapter 191 Allison said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re okay for now But when the ambnce artives, you must go to the hospital for a thorough check¨Cup¡± Looking at the young woman before him Carter asked, ¡®Did ymi save me?¡± Allison replied with a downcast gaze. ¡°Sort of ¡± Just nort of? Either you did or you didn¡¯t ¡°To be urate, you kind of saved yourself A smile danced on Allison¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re one tough old bird I wouldn¡¯t have been able to save you otherwise Despite feeling rough Carter couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at her words. Seeing Carter sukkdenlyughing, the Lindberg family couldn¡¯t quite figure out what was going on in the old man¡¯s head Meanwhile, Penelope was silently furning, her fists clenched and her teeth grinding N?velDrama.Org is the owner. She really shot herself in the foot tonight. She wouldn¡¯t have been involved if Allison hadn¡¯t shown up, even if something happened to Carter. Instead, she was now being sidelined while Allison was being praised. If she hadn¡¯t shown up Tonight and let Allison take her ce, she, Penelope, would have been the one getting praised Carter told Allison, ¡°You saved my life, I owe you one. If you ever need anything, give me a shout¡± Soon, the ambnce arrived Carter was taken to the hospital, and almost all of the Lindberg family followed. After all, the old man¡¯s health was the top priority. Steve and Lacey stayed at home. Patting her chest in relief, Lacey said, ¡°Thank God he¡¯s okay Allison, thank you. You¡¯re a lifesaver.¡± Steve chimed in, ¡°Yeah, Allison, you were amazing tonight. Your medical skills are top notch. Did you use acupuncture?¡± Allison put her acupuncture needles back into her bag and replied, ¡°Yes. I learned it from my grandma when I was a kid. She was a local doctor, so I followed in her footsteps¡± As Allison was about to leave, she ran into Jason. ¡°Allison, let me give you a lift¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t you go to the hospital with them?¡± ¡°They all went, including my mom So, I came back Come on, let me take you home¡± The entire ride, Allison was looking out the window it was around 9 pm, and the night view outside the car window was enchanting. Jason nced at the rear¨Cview mirror, taking in the view of Allison¡¯s gentle and refined face. He tightly gripped the steering wheel and found the courage to say, ¡°Allison, thank you for tonight. Thank you for saving my grandpa¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee. I was just lending a hand¡± If anyone else had suddenly fallen ill and she had the ability to help, she would¡¯ve done the same. When they reached the nagan family¡¯s vi, Jason parked the car. As Allison was getting off, he called out to her, ¡°In a few days, the Project of Pearl Ind is going to start operating. Would you like to go? We can spend a few days there It¡¯s a new development by the Lindberg Corporation and an independent ind with beautiful scenery Think of it as my way to thank you for saving my grandpa. How about 117¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I can go. I have things to do, and I need to work.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you work at the Red Jack Club? I know the deputy manager there. I can talk to him for you. Allison, don¡¯t refuse. You saved my grandpa, and I should thank you properly Think of it as a trip with a ssmate to unwind¡± Seeing Allison hesitate, Jason quickly said, ¡°Great, it¡¯s settled then. I¡¯ll pick you up next Monday.¡± With that, he stepped on the gas and drove off, not giving Allison a chance to refuse. At the hospital Chapter 192 Chapter 192 Chapter 192 Carter had just undergone a check¨Cup, and the doctor removed his mask, sighing, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we acted just in time, otherwise, his situation could¡¯ve been dicey¡± Carter had had heart surgery before, and although he was quite robust and had recovered well, he was getting on in years and had the typical old age issues. As hey in bed, listening to the doctor, it seemed that today he owed his life to Allison Zachary asked, ¡°Doctor, how¡¯s my father doing now?¡± The doctor replied, ¡°He needs to rest, but he¡¯s out of the woods now¡± Cora Lindberghh Hamilton also breathed a sigh of relief and together with Zachary, followed the doctor out to discuss details about Carter¡¯s condition. In the ward, there were also Lucian, Kami, and George, while Aldan was standing about two meters away from the bed with a cane. Carter waved his hand, trying to shoo everyone away ¡°Alright, alright, it¡¯s not a big deal. You all can go home now¡± None of the younger ones moved Kami blinked ¡°Grandpa, you really scared us!¡± Carter gently touched Kami¡¯s hair and said, ¡°Hey, I¡¯m fine, aren¡¯t I?¡± Kami leaned over the bed, and Carter said, ¡°Aidan, you¡¯re not in the best shape, you should head home. I don¡¯t need so many people here. You guys don¡¯t all have to stick around¡± Aidan nodded in agreement, saying. ¡°Take care then ¡±N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Carter said to Kami, ¡®Kami, you should go home too. George, you take Kami home.¡± Kami wiped away her tears. ¡°Okay, grandpa, I¡¯ll leave now ande see you tomorrow.¡± George nced at Lucian, told Carter to rest early, and then left with Kami. In the ward, only Lucian and Carter were left. Lucian sat down on the caregiver¡¯s chair. Seeing that Carter was unharmed, he also breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Lucian, I don¡¯t know how much longer I can hang on. You should settle your wedding with Penelope soon, so I can hold my great¨Cgrandchild¡± Lucian wasn¡¯t sure why, but he felt a bit of resistance to the wedding It was as if he didn¡¯t want to get married so soon. This feeling was strange. He didn¡¯t have strong feelings for Penelope. If it weren¡¯t for Penelope being pregnant, he might cancel the marriage and make it up to Penelope in other ways.. At this moment, looking at Carter lying on the sickbed, Carter seemed to be giving hisst wishes. Lucian¡¯s lips were pressed into a line: ¡°I understand, grandpa¡± ¡°As for Allison,¡± Carter started, ¡®she saved me. If she ever needs something from us in the future, try to help her out as much as possible.¡± Upon hearing Allison, Lucian¡¯s heart involuntarily pounded. He replied in a low voice, ¡°I understand.¡± Penelope returned home and blew off some steam. Leah looked at her and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You had a good dinner, and now you¡¯re throwing a tantrum at home.¡± Penelope didn¡¯t dare say that, she was somewhat afraid of Leah. ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡± Leah scolded her, ¡°You need to work on your temper. You¡¯re going to be a youngdy soon.¡± She touched Penelope¡¯s belly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t scare the baby. Your belly is the most precious thing now¡± ¡°I know¡± ¡°Mom, how¡¯s Grace?¡± ¡°I stopped the medication for two days, and she couldn¡¯t hold on. She had a rejection reaction and has been in aa ever since.¡± Penelope frowned. ¡°What if Allison finds out? If she does, it¡¯ll be hard to control what happens next. You don¡¯t know Mom, don¡¯t kill Grace.¡± Leah said, ¡°What are you afraid of? If she dies, it¡¯s that bitch¡¯s own fault!¡± ¡°Mom, keep Grace alive. That bitch Allison¨Cif she really goes mad, we can¡¯t control her. I¡¯ve mentioned the wedding to Lucian several times, but Lucian has never given a clear response. I¡¯m afraid they want to take a DNA test first. Once the baby in my belly is born, they¡¯ll check to see if it¡¯s Lucian¡¯s! Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Leah chilled out, she truly despised Grace, the bitch who seduced her husband and got caught red handed. Still, she couldn¡¯t let Grace die, if she did, dealing with Allison¡¯s revenge would be tough. ¡°You¡¯re right, I didn¡¯t think it through¡± Leah took Penelope¡¯s hand and asked ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to Pearl Ind with Lucian on Monday? Try to spend some quality time with him to strengthen the bond. This is a golden opportunity, you better not miss it.¡± ¡°I got it Mom* Allison thought Jason¡¯s invitation was just a polite gesture; she didn¡¯t take it seriously and kept working as usual But on Sunday, when Allison got her schedule for the next week, she wasn¡¯t on it. She immediately went to Sarah, who told her, ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask for time off?¡± ¡°I took time off? Allison widened her eyes. ¡°When did I ask for time off?¡± Sarah lit a cigarette and said, ¡°Jason did it for you.¡± Allison then realized Jason¡¯s invitation to apany him to Pearl Ind wasn¡¯t a joke. She left the office and immediately called Jason ¡°Jason Allison rubbed her temples somewhat helplessly, ¡°Did you request time off for me?¡± ¡°Yep, pack your stuff, we¡¯ll leave tomorrow.¡± ¡°Jason, at least, you should have asked me if I agreed to it.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t reject mest time, so I took it as a yes,¡± Jason said. ¡°Think of it as a getaway, I won¡¯t do anything to you, Allison, unless you¡¯re expecting something. I¡¯m a gentleman, you know!¡± Allison pressed her lips together, somewhat amused and annoyed. ¡°Jason, you¡¯re twisting the truth.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s settled then, pack your essentials, see you tomorrow¡± Allison sighed, ¡°Alright then.¡± Hearing her agreement, Jason smiled on the other end of the call. ¡°See you tomorrow!¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Allison returned to the dressing room, changed, and prepared to leave. It was gettingte, and she didn¡¯t have a shift tonight. After letting Ashley and Payton know, she was ready to go. At the elevator. ¡°Allison, no work tonight? Leaving so early.¡± A waitress carrying a fruit tray walked by. Both of them were waiting for the elevator. Allison smiled and said, ¡°Yep.¡± The waitress smiled enviously and said, ¡°Lucky you, I¡¯m swamped this week.¡± Allison grinned ¡°Being busy is good, it makes more money¡± There were four elevators on each floor of the Red Jack Club, two for the staff and two for the guests. At that moment, the elevator next to them opened, and Dr. Dn and Jade stepped out. Jade was clinging to Dr. Dn, they looked quite intimate. ¡°Dn, they¡¯re waiting for us in the private room.¡± Dr. Dn nced at his watch and said, ¡°Alright¡± He didn¡¯t finish his sentence as soon as he saw Allison. Subconsciously, Dr. Dn pulled his hand away Jade felt a sudden emptiness as her hand slipped from his arm. She looked at Dr. Dn and followed his gaze to Allison. Dr. Dn just stood there, stunned, at the elevator entrance He opened his mouth, his eyes fixed on Allison for a while before he managed to say, ¡°You, you¡¯re off work now?¡± Jade pursed her lips, her eyes full of alertness, as she looked at Allison. She felt uneasy Allison had already broken up with Dr. Dn, but he still cared for her! ¡°Dn.¡± Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Allison never thought she¡¯d bump into Dr Dn and Jade, here of all ces. She averted her gaze, gave a nod, and quietly waited for the elevator Seeing that Allison gave him the cold shoulder, Dr. Dn seemed slightly hurt. He told Jade, ¡°Jade, go ahead to the private room. I¡¯ll catch up Like hell, would Jade listen? She looped her arm through his again, asserting her dominance over Allison ¡°Allison, what a coincidence, meeting you here¡± Allison just smirked, saying ¡°Well, I work here, so it¡¯s not that surprising. Have a st¡± Jade generously imited Allison ¡°Allison, you¡¯re off work. Why don¡¯t we hang out together? It¡¯s my birthday today. You¡¯re invited to my party.¡± ¡°No thanks, I¡¯ve got ns with a friend¡± Allison responded, looking at Jade with a gentle smile, ¡°Happy birthday, Jade. I won¡¯t disturb you guys.¡± ¡°Fine then.¡± Jade knew Allison wouldn¡¯t show up anyway. She tightened her grip on Dr. Dn¡¯s arm, scrutinizing his face. The elevator doors opened As the crowd streamed out, Allison prepared to step in. She didn¡¯t want to stick around. ¡°Wait, Allison Dr Dn rushed to stop her. He told Jade, ¡°Jade, go ahead to the private room. I¡¯ll be right there.¡± ¡°Dn,e with me Jade insisted. ¡°Jade.¡± Dr. Dn sternly patted Jade¡¯s hand and said, ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± Reluctantly, Jade let go, saying ¡°Alright, just hurry.¡± Allison didn¡¯t wait around, she went straight into the elevator. Dr. Dn was a bitte. As the doors closed, he stepped into the next elevator, only to be stopped by a staff member who said, Sir, this is the service elevator. Please wait for the passenger elevator over there.¡± The elevator was slow, stopping at every floor. Unable to wait, Dr. Dn chased after her on the stairs. Panting, he watched Allison leave the Red Jack Club and called out. ¡°Allison.¡± She stopped, paused for a second, and then continued on her way. ¡°Allison Dr. Dn caught up and grabbed her. Not far away, a ck Bentley pulled up slowly. Inside, an attractive man massaged his temples. As his gaze shifted, he saw a man holding a woman¡¯s hand at the entrance of the Red Jack Club. The man then embraced the woman. His eyes narrowed, clearly displeased As the driver was about to pull away, the man quietly said, ¡°Stop¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Lindbergh Anything else?¡± the driver inquired Lucian¡¯s gaze fell on the embracing couple. After a moment, his eyes darkened Jason, sitting next to Lucian, also noticed the unusual scene: ¡°Bro, wait here. I¡¯ll go help Allison.¡± ¡°Allison pushed him away. ¡°Dr. Dn, let go!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not letting go, Allison. I know once I do, you¡¯ll leave.¡± Dr. Dn held her tightly. ¡°If you keep this up, I¡¯ll call security¡± Allison¡¯s tone was icy. Dr. Dn let go, still fixating his gaze on her. His eyes showed a hint of hurt. ¡°You used to never talk to me like this.¡± ¡°That was then Allison avoided his eyes and said, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be leaving now. You should go to your girlfriend¡¯s birthday party. I won¡¯t bother you.¡± The mention of Jade seemed to light up Dr. Dn¡¯s eyes. Was she jealous? ¡°Allison, are you? Are you?¡± Allison knew what he was getting at: ¡°Dr. Dn, you two are a perfect match. I wish you the best.¡± ¡°Allison.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Allison turned around and said, ¡°Dr Dn, we¡¯re over. There¡¯s no need for us to keep in touch. I wish you two the best.¡± ¡°But Allison, we¡¯re still friends, right?¡± ¡°Friends? The evening breeze ruffled her hair, strands dancing in front of her face. She brushed them aside, her smile faint but warm. ¡°Dr. Dn, I never thought you¡¯d still want to be friends with someone like me¡± Chapter 195 Chapter 195 Dr. Dn just couldn¡¯t believe that Allison would be the vain type ¡°Allison, in my eyes, you¡¯ve always been a gentle and kind girl¡± He¡¯d known her for a while now, ever since Grace was hospitalized, he got to know her. She was always strong and kind ¡°Is your boyfriend good to you?¡± ¡°He¡¯s good¡± Yet Dr. Dn noticed that Allison responded rather coldly It seemed like he quickly said. ¡°Allison, did you lie to mest time?¡± It¡¯s very possible she didn¡¯t actually get into a rich guy¡¯s car. This could all be a lie she made up to break up with him. ¡°You don¡¯t really have a boyfriend, do you? Are you just trying to brush me off? is there something you¡¯re not telling me?¡± Allison took a deep breath ¡®No, Dr. Dn, you¡¯re overthinking¡± ¡°No, no, Allison, your eyes can¡¯t lie, I know you¡± ¡°Know me? We¡¯ve only known each other for a few days, and you say you know me, Dr. Dn. I really have to go now.¡± ¡°Yeah, Dr. Dn, my girlfriend doesn¡¯t need your concem.¡± A male voice echoed over, then Jason walked over, his gaze falling on Dr. Dn¡¯s grip on Allison¡¯s wrist. ¡°Dr. Dn, let go.¡± ¡°Jason?¡± Dr. Dn was a bit surprised He slowly let go of her hand. Jason, wearing a pricey branded tracksuit and sunsses, slipped an arm around Allison¡¯s shoulders and affectionately touched her nose. ¡°Sweetheart, I was worried you wouldn¡¯te down when you didn¡¯t answer my calls. My car¡¯s over there, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Okay¡± Jason led her to a ck Bentley While Dr. Dn, watching her back, left her heartbroken. The car door opened Allison had just settled inside when she felt a cold stare. She shivered, looked up, and saw a man of extravagant appearance and distant demeanor. Lucian was there too. ¡°Allison, what are you daydreaming about?¡± Jason¡¯s hand was on her shoulder. ¡°This is my brother, you¡¯ve met him several times.¡± For a moment, the man¡¯s icy stare made her want to flee ¡°I can take a cab, no need to trouble you¡± ¡°Allison, it¡¯s not easy to get a cab at this hour¡± Jason said, patting her on the shoulder, ¡®Get in, Allison. I¡¯ll have the driver drop you off, it won¡¯t take long¡± Allison got into the car and said, but Jason got out. She quickly called out, ¡°Aren¡¯t youing with us?¡± ¡°I¡¯m heading to the Red Jack Club to hang out with some friends. Give me a call when you get home.¡± Jason nced inside the car, ¡°Lucian, could you drop Allison off for me? I gotta go.¡± With that, he shut the car door. The temperature inside the car seemed to drop a bit. Allison clutched her bag tightly, her hand on the door handle. ¡°No need, I can take a cab.¡± But the car door didn¡¯t open. The man ordered coldly, ¡°Drive¡± The driver immediately stepped on the gas. Allison was nning how to get out of the car when it suddenly started. She instinctively leaned forward, about to hit the back of the front seat, when a hand reached out to stop her Allison¡¯s lips hit the dry, warm palm of the man. His eyes narrowed In his palm were the soft, moist lips of a woman. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Allison was also taken aback She held her breath for a moment Then she slowly straightened up She looked at the back of the man¡¯s hand, a small patch of skin seemed to be reddened. Well, the sudden force when she leaned forward must have been quite strong. Just as she was about to thank him, she saw him take out a tissue, wipe his hand, and then toss the tissue into the trash. It seemed he found it disgusting Chapter 196 Chapter 196 Chapter 196 She bit her lip, clutching her bag lightly with both hands. During the entire journey, there was no conversation between them. Her phone buzzed It was a call from Jason. She answered it, speaking softly, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Allison, are you home yer?¡± She nced at the traffic ahead ¡®Not yet, it¡¯s jammed¡® ¡°Well, pack some more clothes when you get home tonight. See you tomorrow. Oh, is my brother with you? Pass the phone to him.¡± Allison handed her phone to the man beside her, even though there was a gap between them. Lucian took the phone ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Bro, you know Allison is my ssmate, and I¡¯ve been crushing on her. Make sure she gets home safely. Even if you¡¯re busy, make sure she¡¯s safe first¡± Hearing Jason¡¯s words, Lucian¡¯s brow furrowed subtly ¡°Hmm¡± ¡°Allison, you¡¯re really crafty After hanging up, Lucian sneered coldly. Holding her much used, ordinary phone, he thought of the day Allison visited the Lindbergh family in her high¨Cend pink dress, clearly trying to snag Jason and dreaming of marrying into wealth! Just moments ago, she was hugging and cuddling with both Dr. Dn and Jason. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying, Mr. Lindbergh¡± Allison tried to take her phone back from Lucian, but he tightly grasped her wrist. ¡°Mr. Lindbergh, show some respect!¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t seem to remember that when you were flirting with me.¡± His other hand gripped her chin, his fingertip brushing her lips. ¡°It¡¯s ironic hearing that from you¡± ¡°Fine, Mr. Lindbergh, let go of me.¡± She tried to cover her chest with her other hand, her sweater was already revealing too much. He sneered even more, ¡°ying innocent after hugging and cuddling with two men in front of me?¡± She obviously turned her attention to Jason after failing to hook him. Allison hadn¡¯t expected him to have seen it all. Worried he might confront Dr. Dn, she quickly exined, ¡°Dr. Dn and I broke up. We just ran into each other; he has a girlfriend now.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Lucian didn¡¯t believe a word she said. His gaze fell on her pale wrist, where a faint scar was visible. A memory shed across his mind: her suddenly standing in front of him, getting this scar Slowly, he let go of her hand. His heart was filled with an indescribable feeling. Allison, stay away from Jason. I don¡¯t care if you seduce other rich kids, just not Jason.¡± At his words, sheughed Rubbing her wrist, she looked at Lucian and said, ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s just Jason, huh? So, Mr. Lindbergh, can I seduce you?¡± *Can I?¡± Allison¡¯s lips curled into a teasing smile. ¡°Who are you to dictate my life? You made me break up with Dr. Dn, threatened me with his job, and I let it slide. But why do you keep meddling in my life, my world?¡± The light inside the car flickered. His face was hidden in the shadows. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. He looked at her clear and mocking eyes, remaining silent for a moment. ¡°Allison, I always thought you weren¡¯t as bad as my investigation suggested¡± Allison¡¯s eyshes fluttered. He seemed to sigh. It appeared that he was somewhat disappointed. Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Inside the car, the two of them fell into silence. It was quiet. The car eventually pulled up at the gate of the nagan family¡¯s vi Allison got out, and the man watched her figure gradually disappear through the car window. The driver didn¡¯t dare to start the car, unable to fathom Mr. Lindbergh¡¯s thoughts. Mr. Lindbergh always said he didn¡¯t like Ms. Zimmer, but The driver didn¡¯t dare to specte further Lucian withdrew his gaze. ¡°Drive,¡± he said casually ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Mr. Lindbergh, are we heading back to the Lindbergh family mansion or to Magnolia Gardens?¡± ¡°Magnolia Gardens¡± They came to a red light, and the car stopped. Lucian¡¯s phone rang. He nced at it and saw that it was Jason calling. He answered, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Bro, did you drop Allison off?¡± Before Lucian could respond, he heard Jason mumble, ¡°I tried calling her, but she didn¡¯t answer.¡± Lucians voice was firm: ¡°Do you have a thing for Allison?¡± ¡°Bro, is it really that obvious? The first time I met Allison was in my sophomore year; she was a freshman just starting school. I thought she was different from everyone else from the get¨Cgo. So many girls chase after me, envy my status, and want to get something out of me. But Allison is different. I chased after her, and she didn¡¯t even give me the time of day¡± Lucian frowned slightly. This was not what he had gathered from his research. *Jason, are you sure about this Allison you¡¯re seeing?¡± He was worried that Jason was being yed. Allison was not as innocent as she appeared. If she truly was, why would she go out of her way to get close to him, attract his attention, or even resort to underhanded tactics like drugging him and sleeping with him? What Lucian loathed most was this kind of behavior. Thinking about it made his eyes narrow harshly. ¡°Jason, does mom know about this?¡± ¡°You know how mom is; she wants me to marry some high¨Cborndy, so of course she doesn¡¯t approve of me being with Allison.¡± Lucian replied, ¡°Her judgement is usually on point ¡°So you think the same?¡± ¡°Jason, you¡¯re young and inexperienced. This Allison is not as simple as you think.¡± ¡°Bro. I know Allison¡± ¡°Know? How much do you know about a maid from the nagan family? Do you know what her family background is like?¡± Jason was left speechless ¡°Jason, Allison, a woman with such cunning, is not for you¡± There was a pause, then Jason said, ¡°Lucian, I know you mean well, but I really like Allison.¡± Lucian hadn¡¯t expected this. Allison had really ensnared his brother. After a hot shower, Allison climbed into bed. Before drifting off to sleep, she checked her phone and saw a text from Jason. ¡°Tomorrow at 9 am, I¡¯lle get you.¡± The holiday resort, situated on the shore of Northfield, overlooked a beautiful deep blue ocean and soft sandy beach. Staying for one night, even in the most basic room, would set you back over a grand. From here, one could see the most beautiful seascapes. And a half¨Chour ferry ride away was Pearl Ind, developed by Lindbergh Corporation. Because of this, the hotel became even more valuable and was bought by Lindbergh Corporation. The entire beach, port, and ind were monopolized by Lindbergh Corporation It would be another week before the ce officially opened to tourists. This time, Lucian invited several dozen up¨Canding businessmen and friends from within the circle, all bigwigs, as well as some media and entertainment personalities, to take a vacation and get a taste of Pearl Ind¡¯s scenery ahead of time. Chapter 198 Chapter 198 Chapter 198 Stepping off the yacht, Jason reached over to grab her suitcase ¡°You didn¡¯t bring much with you, did you?¡± ¡°Nah, just the essentials.¡± ¡°If you need anything, just holler at the staff. Everything you could possibly need is right here¡± With that, Jason led the way towards the hotel. The lobby wasvish, the epitome of luxury As far as the eye could see, a massive, famous painting hung at the entrance, dominating the view. The chandeliers were all made of ss, a clear sign of opulence Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. The hotel butler approached respectfully and said, ¡°Mr. Brummett, Ms. Zimmer, please follow me. Your room is on the 6th floor.¡± Suddenly, they heard footsteps behind them. ¡°Mr. Lindbergh, Ms. Lindbergh, Mr. Crane, Ms. nagan, wee, a voice from the staff echoed through the lobby. Jason turned around and gave a friendly shout, ¡°Hey bro!* Allison clenched her fingers. She knew Lucian and the others would be here. After all, this was a project invested in by Lindbergh Corporation. But bumping into them like this made her a bit ufortable, especially after their argumentst night. Lucian¡¯s gaze fell on Allisons slender figure. He gave her a casual nce before turning to Jason and saying, ¡°Hmm, you guys are early.¡± ¡°We just got here, Jason replied. Penelope froze, surprised to see Allison. But with so many people around, she couldn¡¯t confront her. She noticed the light pink suitcase in Jason¡¯s hand, obviously Allison¡¯s With Jason protecting her, Penelope didn¡¯t dare make a scene, but she was grinding her teeth in anger. Back in her room, Penelope¡¯s friends gathered around. They were only able to vacation here thanks to Penelope. With limited spots avable, they were thrilled to be here and kept ttering Penelope. ¡°Why is your maid here, Penelope?¡± ¡°Ugh, so annoying. I can¡¯t believe we have to see such a lowly person in a high¨Cend ce like this. What a buzzkill!¡± ¡°She seems to be with Jason. That maid doesn¡¯t seem like much, but she¡¯s got game to catch Jason¡¯s eye.¡± They all envied Allison for being able to hang out with Jason. He was well¨Cknown for his good looks and wealth in Northfield. ¡°That shameless hussy. She must have tricked Jason!¡°, Penelope huffed. ¡°Allison, this is your room. You can rest here. My room is just two doors down¡± After Jason left, Allison went to the window. From here, she could see the beautiful seascape. She unpacked and tidied up her room. Around 7 pm, there was a knock at the door. ¡°Ms. Zimmer,¡± the attendant called from the other side of the door, ¡°Mr. Brummett wanted me to let you know that there¡¯s a cocktail party on the beach. He suggested you get changed ande over.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Chapter 199 Chapter 199 Chapter 199 At 7 p.m., the sky over Northfield wasn¡¯tpletely dark yet. The horizon where it met the ocean was a deep shade of blue, like a beautiful, mysterious sapphire. On the beach. A 20¨Cmeter¨Clong table was full of all kinds of goodies, with a BBQ and buffet area on one side. Lucian¡¯s invited friends were arriving and taking their seats, among them were hotshots from the business world and celebs from the entertainment industry. At this moment, everyone was dressed to the nines, chit¨Cchatting and goofing around. Penelope picked up a ss of champagne in front of her and took a sip Lucian nced at her and reminded her, ¡°Don¡¯t drink too much¡± Vivian teased, ¡°Penelope, you are so lucky, Lucian treats you like a queen.¡± Susan chimed in, ¡°Yes, Penelope, we¡¯re all green with envy that younded such a great fianc¨¦e¡± Under the sea breeze, Penelope¡¯s cheeks turned a slight pink. She shyly nced at Lucian, who gave her hand a gentle pat.. At this point, Jason looked at his watch. It was already half past seven. He was about to leave when Kami stopped him and asked, ¡°Where are you off to?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to check on Allison; she¡¯s taking forever¡± ¡°Just give her a call, I bet you¡¯re just using this as an excuse to go see her Jason passed Kami a piece of cake and asked, ¡°Here, have this He didn¡¯t feel awkward being called out, everyone in the Lindbergh family knew he had a thing for Allison. Kami took a bite of the cake and chatted with friends nearby. She started to feel a bit bored. Aidan, who had mobility issues, didn¡¯t make it to the party. He wasn¡¯t really into these shindigs But Aidan promised to go on a trip with her, and that made Kami pretty excited. She took out her phone, adjusted the filter, and snapped some selfies to send to Aidan. But after waiting for a while, there was no reply, and Kami felt a bit down. ¡°Let¡¯s y a game Since we¡¯re all friends here, why do y something fun? I have a deck of cards here. I¡¯ll put a pair of Ace of Hearts in it. Anyone who draws them will have to kiss for two minutes. How about it?¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s quite a spicy game.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what we need¨Ca spicy game. This in party is too dull, I¡¯m all for this game!¡± Most of them were young folks, so the majority agreed. Nathalie cleared the table and took out a special deck of cards from her bag. Everyone started drawing, most participated; only a few were too chicken due to the spiciness of the game. But eventually, they joined in too. Soon all the cards were drawn, leaving only one on the table. ¡°There¡¯s one left, someone pointed out. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Where¡¯s Jason? Let¡¯s leave it for him.¡± ¡°Jason went to find Allison.¡± With one card left, the game couldn¡¯t go on. Someone suggested, ¡°Should we just ditch this one?¡± ¡°But what if this is the crucial card?¡± Just as they were debating, someone looked up and saw a light blue figure slowly approaching, and she immediately shouted. ¡°Hey someone¡¯sing!¡± Everyone looked in that direction. As the figure got closer, a socialite whispered, ¡®She looks a bit like Penelope.¡± ¡°She does, but I prefer her look, a guy responded, and then asked the person next to him, ¡°Who is she? She¡¯s gorgeous. Howe I¡¯ve never seen her before?¡± Chapter 200 Chapter 200 Chapter 200 Upon hearing this, Penelope¡¯s face immediately soured She was clearly not pleased Allison! She had never liked Allison since they were kids, mainly because they looked so alike. At a nce, people might even mistake them for twinst After high school, she had some minor cosmetic surgeries, including cheekbone reduction, a nose lift, and double eyelid surgery She thought she was getting more and more beautiful, but standing next to Allison, people unfamiliar with them would still think Allison was prettier, even saying Allison had better skin! While studying with Allison, people would often ask if they were sisters and why they looked so alike. Moreover, many people said Allison was prettier How could she possibly resemble a maid? And someone even said a maid was prettier than her! It was downright insulting! Material ? N?velDrama.Org. When she was young, she found out that the maids at home were saying behind her back that she and Allison looked alike, even iming that Allison was prettier She quickly fired these maids! Every time Allison was mentioned, Penelope felt extremely annoyed! Lucian squinted slightly as he looked at the cards in his hand Hearing this again, she felt as if she had swallowed a fly The woman was wearing a long blue dress. As the sea breeze blew, her skirt fluttered, revealing a pair of slender, fair legs. She had light makeup on, and her long hair naturally fell on her shoulders, making her look even more gentle. She slowly walked towards the long table. There were only two empty seats, one was probably Jason¡¯s, and the other was possibly saved for her by Jason. She pulled out the chair and sat down. It seemed like everyone only then came to their senses. This was Allison, the maid of the nagan family. Everyone nced at Allison, then at Penelope. Allison and Penelope indeed looked alike, but unlike Penelope, who was wearing an expensive Dior spring dress, Allison was wearing a simple blue dress, yet she carried herself with more grace Penelope gritted her teeth, clutching the cards in her hand so tightly that they began to warp, not realizing her face was twisted into an ugly scowl. Lucian, sitting next to Penelope, saw her expression clearly. She had lost all her usual grace. ¡°Allison, this card is for you,¡± Nathalie said, pushing the card towards Allison. She cast a nce at the deck. She had marked these cards. She yed this game often, and one pair of Ace of Hearts had slightly worn corners. She recognized it instantly, thest card on the table was a Heart, and the other one was likely in Terry¡¯s hand. Terry was muscr but a bit greasy Allison looked at the card pushed in front of her, tightly pressed against the table. She frowned slightly and said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to join this game.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be a killjoy, you¡¯re the only one left. If you don¡¯t y, we can¡¯t start the game, someone chimed in. ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t keep us waiting¡± ¡°Yes, Allison, if you don¡¯t participate, we can¡¯t start.¡± Reluctantly, Allison epted the card. As she opened it, Nathalie leaned over and immediately shouted, ¡°Ace of Hearts, Allison, you¡¯re the Ace of Hearts.¡± Allison, being new, didn¡¯t understand the rules. She looked at her card, a white card with a heart on it and asked, ¡°What¡¯s special about the Ace of Hearts?¡± Chapter 201 Chapter 201 Everyone nced around. The refined looking girl sitting to Allison¡¯s left exined, ¡°In this game we¡¯re ying, this deck has a pair of Ace of Hearts among its 40 cards. If you draw one, you have to kiss the other person who drew the other Ace of Hearts for two minutes.¡± Allison was dumbfounded. A two¨Cminute kiss? She nced at Nathalie, whose grin let her know that Nathalie must have known all along that the card was the Ace of Hearts. As a friend of Penelope, Nathalie clearly set up this trap for Allison Allison responded, ¡°I didn¡¯t know the rules, and I don¡¯t want to y your game.¡± Nathalie¡¯s eyes widened ¡°Hey, Allison, you¡¯re not thinking of backing out, are you? No problem, you can just take a drink instead,¡± she said, pping her hands. Then another of Penelope¡¯s friends, Sabina, came over with two bottles of wine. ¡°Just finish these two bottles.¡± There was no way a girl could finish two bottles of wine. It was an insane challenge.. A socialite chimed in. ¡°Why drink? Allison, you¡¯re just a maid. We¡¯re all rich and powerful, we don¡¯t mind taking a hit, but you, a maid, are being picky¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± She just didn¡¯t like this game. Penelope smiled and said, ¡°Yeah, Allison, you won¡¯t be at a disadvantage.¡± A socialite sitting on the other side of Penelope grinned and said, ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re the ones at a disadvantage: Who would want to kiss a maid? It¡¯s just degrading¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind at all, actually,¡± a rich young man said, flipping over his card to reveal the King of Spades. He sighed in disappointment. One after another, people revealed their cards. Kami did the same. ¡°This isn¡¯t fair.¡± ¡°Ms. Lindbergh, that¡¯s not quite right. Allison drew the card herself.¡± Nathalie, Sabina, and others put their cards on the table. Penelope did the same. Everyone was increasingly curious about who had the other Ace of Hearts. Most people had revealed their cards. Nathalie turned to Terry and asked, ¡°Terry, what¡¯s your card?¡± Terry held his card in hand, wanting to build suspense. ¡°Take a guess.¡± Sabina giggled, ¡°Terry, it¡¯s not you, is it? Then you¡¯d have to kiss Allison for two minutes.¡± Laughter erupted. ¡°I wish,¡± Terry replied, grinning and ncing at Allison. He, too, was disappointed. Why couldn¡¯t it be him? Everyone was getting curious. If it wasn¡¯t Terry, then who was it? Was there anyone left who hadn¡¯t shown their card? ¡°Who hasn¡¯t revealed their card yet?¡± Everyone was on the edge of their seats. Penelope scanned the group, her gazending on a man next to her. ¡°Lucian.¡± Everyone¡¯s attention was immediately drawn to her. Allison mped her lips shut. Could it be him, Lucian? She looked at the man, who seemed indifferent. He spread his card on the table, and sure enough, it was the Ace of Hearts. Penelope¡¯s face instantly stiffened. She red at Nathalie That idiot was nothing but trouble! N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Nathalie hadn¡¯t expected this either. The Ace of Hearts wasn¡¯t in Terry¡¯s hand, but in Lucian¡¯s! Chapter 202 Chapter 202 Lucian and Allison locked lips for two whole minutes in public. How the hell did that happen? Everyone¡¯s eyes were on Penelope, Lucian¡¯s legit fianc¨¦e, while Allison was just a maid of the nagan family This was sure to stir up some drama. Penelope bit her lip hard ¡®Let¡¯s just chalk it up to a little joke, shall we?¡± ¡°How can we let this slide? That¡¯s not what we agreed on before the game started A socialite comined, ¡°It was supposed to be a thrilling game, Luca, you can¡¯t just weasel your way out.¡± ¡°Exactly Luca never cuts corners in business It¡¯s just a game, don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t handle it¡± Penelope¡¯s hand under the table clenched into a tight fist. She was about to explode with anger at these people! Nathalie and Sabina exchanged nces, never thinking that the holders of the Ace of Hearts would be Lucian and Allison. Especially Nathalie, she was kicking herself. Penelope must be ming herself internally. Allison was sitting across from Lucian, divided by a not so wide table. The man was looking at her, their eyes meeting. The crowd began to chant ¡°Kiss¡® Kiss!¡± ¡°Kiss!¡± ¡°Make out! Make out!¡± Penelope clutched her hand anxiously and said, ¡°Lucian¡± Lucian stood up, and Penelope immediately grabbed his hand. ¡°Lucian!¡± But the man ignored her and walked around the table to Allison. Allison¡¯s heartbeat elerated, she never imagined such a thing would happen here. The man slowly leaned over, every inch closer making her breath hitch, his hands in his pockets, his shirt cor a bit loose. He wasn¡¯t wearing a tie, looking a bit casual He leaned in, his lips near her ear. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Allison¡¯s heart was in her throat. ¡°You didn¡¯t actually think I was going to kiss you, did you?¡± Only the two of them could hear the man¡¯s voice. Suddenly, a shiver ran down Allison¡¯s spine. She stared into the man¡¯s eyes, seeing mockery and disdain. Her fingers turned white from gripping so tight. She bit her lip hard, as if she could draw blood. Lucian straightened up, looked at the cheering crowd, and as if the atmosphere instantly dropped to freezing, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll drink.¡± Choosing to drink instead of kissing Allison Penelope¡¯s face instantly warmed up, and Nathalie quickly ttered, ¡°Penelope, Lucian is so good to you¡± Penelope strutted like a victorious peacock. She looked at Allison, wanting to see the look of disappointment on her face, but there was none. The sea breeze messed up her hair, she was as calm as ever, with no other expression. Seeing Lucian a bit annoyed, the people around didn¡¯t dare to cheer anymore. The man walked to the table, opened a bottle of wine, and drank it down. He downed two bottles in a row, his voice a bit hoarse. ¡°You guys carry on, I¡¯m out.¡± Penelope said with some worry, ¡°Lucian, are you okay?¡± Lucian waved his hand, walked over to a lounge chair, and sat down. After Lucian left, Nathalie started to mock! ¡°I knew it, who would want to kiss a maid? Just the thought of it makes me sick. So embarrassing¡± ¡°Yeah, a country bumpkin. I heard her mother is sick; who knows what kind of diseases she¡¯s carrying?¡± Some of the socialites who were friendly with them chimed in. Allison seemed to be wearing a mask, expressionless, she had gotten used to such taunts But when they mentioned her mother, her eyes turned a bit cold. Chapter 203 Chapter 203 ¡°Allison, you¡¯re back. I¡¯ve been looking everywhere for you, why¡¯s your phone off? Three minutester, Jason showed up. Allison grinned. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s out of juice.¡± Jason nced at the cards on the table and pulled up a chair ¡°Were you guys ying cards?¡± Allison gave a small smile and said, ¡°Just a game¡® N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°What game?¡± Before Allison could answer, a girl from the other side chimed in, ¡°Nathalie brought a deck of cards. There¡¯s a pair of Ace of Hearts, whoever draws them has to kiss for two minutes The girl paused for effect, her gamending on Jason¡¯s handsome face, her cheeks flushed ¡°In the end, it was Allison and Luca who drew the Ace of Hearts.¡± Jason, mid¨Csip, almost choked on his drink. What? Luca and Allison? The girl continued. ¡°Luca chose to down two bottles of wine instead, and that¡¯s how the game ended¡± Jason breathed a sigh of relief, typical of Luca. He was overthinking, even if it was a game, Luca wouldn¡¯t do such a thing, especially with his fianc¨¦e Penelope around ¡°Hey, did you hear? That¡¯s Allison, the maid from Penelope¡¯s house.¡± ¡°How can a maid sit with us?¡± ¡°This maid is something else, look at her, sitting next to Jason, wonder what she did to get his attention¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe Jason would fall for a lowly maid¡± ¡°You guys are underestimating this maid Sabina whispered, ¡®She even tried to seduce Lucian.¡± ¡°Really? But Lucian is Penelope¡¯s fianc¨¦e¡± ¡°Penelope is too kind to keep such a maid.¡± ¡°You guys have no idea, this maid and Penelope grew up together, she¡¯s vain and leads a chaotic private life. In high school, she was dating several guys at the same time.¡± ¡°Oh my God!¡± ¡°Disgusting, Jason must have been fooled by her looks.¡± Ady who admired Jason clutched her wine ss tightly. ¡°Definitely fooled Lily if I were Jason, I¡¯d go for a gentle, generous, and beautiful heiress like you, not a lowly maid.¡± Lily blushed; she thought so too. Their gossip wasn¡¯t exactly quiet, Allison could hear it. They didn¡¯t seem to care if she heard, they seemed to enjoy discussing and insulting her. Jason frowned. Just as he was about to stand up, Allison stopped him and said, ¡°Jason, the steak is ready, this one¡¯s for you.¡± ¡°Allison, don¡¯t take their words to heart.¡± Allison took a bite of her steak, chewing slowly, seemingly unbothered. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± After watching Allison slowly finish her steak, Jason said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll grill some veggies for you over there.¡± Lily watched Jason roll up his sleeves and grill meat and veggies for Allison, feeling sour. ¡°I just don¡¯t get what¡¯s so great about this maid, a poor, country bumpkin who knows nothing about the world. Look at her, dressed inmon street clothes. How did Jason fall for her? ¡°Chill out, Lily¡± her friends tried tofort her. Lily¡¯s family was pretty well off¨Cnot as rich as the Brummetts or the Lindberghs, but still a well known heiress. She was naturally upset that she couldn¡¯tpare to a maid ¡°Did you hear? This maid even had an abortion in high school.¡± ¡°What?¡± The crowd gasped, and everyone started buzzing, throwing nces at Allison from time to time. Chapter 204 Chapter 204 Penelope sauntered over with a smile on her face. ¡°What are you guys gossiping about?¡± She¡¯s got this habit now of always cradling her lower back with one hand, as if she¡¯s afraid others will forget she¡¯s pregnant Nathalie pulled out a chair for Penelope to sit on Lily nced at Jason and Allison and can¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Penelope, is it true that Allison had an abortion?¡± Penelope feigned surprise, her hand covering her mouth. ¡°Oh?* ¡°Penelope, Allison is your maid, you should know¡± These rumors did originate from her and Leah, yet Penelope was ying dumb now, saying, ¡°Oh, we shouldn¡¯t be talking about others like that¡± Seeing Penelope¡¯s indecisiveness, Lily knew she must know something and quickly asked, ¡°Did Allison really have an abortion? Did she have several boyfriends?¡± Penelope hesitated for a few seconds and deliberately said, ¡°Oh dear, let¡¯s not discuss someone¡¯s private life¡± The more Penelope behaved this way, the more Lily was certain it¡¯s true. ¡°Penelope, you¡¯re too kind If my family had such a maid, I¡¯d have my parents fire her.¡± Before Penelope could respond, Nathalie had already said, ¡®Lily, you don¡¯t know. Allison has been with the nagan family for a long time. She grew up with Penelope. Penelope has always treated her not as a maid but as a friend. Even if Allison behaves badly. Penelope can¡¯t bear it.¡± Penelope¡¯s friend Sabina chimed in, ¡°Allison¡¯s mom was in the hospital, and it was Penelope and Mrs. nagan who paid for the medical bills.¡± Lily clenched her fists in anger. ¡°How can there be such a person? Penelope, you¡¯re just too kind and too lenient towards Allison, even taking care of her mother so well¡± ¡°Yeah, Penelope, you¡¯re too kind. I heard Allison even stole your engagement ring from Lucian. That¡¯s worth millions. These socialites, either Penelope¡¯s friends or those trying to win her favor, allforted Penelope with theirments, wishing they could kick Allison out right away. With her gentle image ingrained in everyone¡¯s mind, Penelope smiled happily, oblivious to the beautiful young woman in a handmade whitece dress observing her Ynda slightly raised her eyebrows, her bright red lips curling up. ¡°This Penelope is too naive, isn¡¯t she? I wonder what Lucian saw in her to get engaged to such a silly. woman.¡± The woman in a light pink dress beside Ynda said, ¡°I think she¡¯s quite clever, knowing how to use her advantages.¡± ¡°Her advantage of being naive?¡± Ynda said. ¡°That¡¯s just ridiculously stupid.¡± She continued, ¡°Those who echo Penelope, Nathalie, and Sabina alle from wealthy families with average family conditions, wanting to improve their status through Penelope and the Lindbergh family. The others are trying to win Penelope¡¯s favor, not out of fear of offending Penelope but of offending the Lindbergh family. In short, who the maid Allison is and her character have nothing to do with them.¡± Hayley said, ¡°Ynda, you see through things clearly¡± Ynda took a sip of champagne and said. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling unfair for a maid, I don¡¯t know that maid, I just think it¡¯s unnecessary Look at Penelope, only three or four months pregnant, holding her back as if she¡¯s afraid we don¡¯t know she¡¯s pregnant.¡± Hayley took out a makeup mirror and applied lipstick. She just finished eating barbecue, and the lipstick was all gone. ¡°That¡¯s the precious grandchild of the Lindbergh family, if she¡¯s born, her status will be even higher.¡± Ynda rested her chin in her hands and said, ¡°But Penelope and Allison do look a bit simr, I can¡¯t tell where, just from the first impression, their eyes look alike.¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Chapter 205 Chapter 205 ¡®Do you reckon Penelope hates Allison because Allison might be her dad¡¯s lovechild? Before Hayley could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by the man ¡°You two, this is the Lindbergh family¡¯s turf, cut the chatter about things that don¡¯t matter¡± ¡°Aaron, what are you so scared of? They can¡¯t hear us Ynda pouted her red lips and said in a low voice, then turned to Hayley, ¡°Is it for real? Aaron shook his head at Ynda and said, ¡°You love gossiping about others so much, how about I hold a press conference for you to spill the beans about you, Ynda?¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°hey stop pulling my leg Aaron took a sip from his ss, and the man adjusted his sses. Under the intertwining moonlight andmplight, his gaze fell on Jason and Allison, the hot topic Ynda was just discussing Allison did seem to bear some resemnce to the nagan family¡¯s heiress, but he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it. It¡¯s like looking at two faces through a hazy mist. Seeing her brother¡¯s gaze on Allison, Ynda giggled and leaned in. ¡°Bro, who do you think is prettier, Allison or Penelope?¡± ¡°This one¡± Aaron nced at Allison subconsciously The makeup on the woman¡¯s face was natural and very gentle, and her hair was slightly messy under the sea breeze. Having said that, Aaron seemed to havee to his senses and looked at Ynda. Ynda was holding back herughter. Since they weren¡¯t allowed to gossip about others, they might as well gossip about her own brother. The beach at 8 pm The sea breeze was salty A lively beach party was going on, some people were in groups ying cards, and everyone seemed to have their own little clique, Lucian opened his eyes. He had a good tolerance for alcohol, but after guzzling two bottles of wine, he was a bit woozy. It was quite lively around him, people were passing by, chatting, he could hear almost everything The man didn¡¯t lie down. *Lucian, how are you?¡± Penelope walked over, holding a cup of warm water in her hand ¡°Hmm. I¡¯m fine¡± The man sat up. Penelope said, ¡°Lucian, it¡¯s just a game, you don¡¯t have to take it so seriously, drinking so much isn¡¯t good for your health.¡± ¡°Do you want me to kiss her?¡± Lucian took the warm water, took a sip, and looked at Penelope. Penelope, ¡°Of course not.¡± She linked her arm with Lucian¡¯s and rested her head on his shoulder. ¡°Lucian, how could I ept my fianc¨¦e kissing other women, even if it¡¯s just ? game?¡± ¡°Penelope, how long have you known Nathalie?¡± ¡°Nathalie? I¡¯ve known her since high school, why?¡± ¡°Nathalie is quite maniptive Penelope, keep your distance from her, especially now that you¡¯re pregnant.¡± Penelope looked a bit uneasy. She guiltily looked at Lucian, suspecting that he might have overheard her chat with Nathalie. He must hate people talking behind others¡® backs. Penelope quickly grabbed Lucian¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Nathalie and I are just casual friends; our families have business ties, we¡¯re not really close.¡± ¡°I know¡± Lucian looked at Penelope¡¯s sweet and obedient smile. His gaze fell on her slightly bulging belly, and his eyes softened. He didn¡¯t want to think too badly of Penelope; she saved him and now pregnant. He¡¯s already engaged to Penelope, although he didn¡¯t have much expectation for this marriage, after all, most of the time with Penelope was pretty boring. Chapter 206 Chapter 206 Penelope finally breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Lucian¡¯s emotionless face, resting her head on the man¡¯s shoulder ¡®Penelope, Luca,e join us, let¡¯s y a game ¡± ¡°What game?¡± ¡°Truth or Dare.¡± On the other side The girl who had previously exined the game rules to Jason approached She spoke softly. ¡°Mr. Brummett, Ms. Zimmer, we¡¯re ying Truth or Dare, you should join us. The more, the merrier.¡± Jason thought back to the previous game and found it boring. He nced at Allison, who was barbecuing. ¡°We¡¯re good, you guys go ahead¡± The girl said, ¡°Mr Brummelt, everyone¡¯s going. It would he odd if just the two of you didn¡¯t join. And there won¡¯t be any outrageous rules this time¡± Jason considered Allison¡¯s feelings as he looked at her. Allison nced at the round table where everyone was gathered. Besides a few drunk people, everyone was there. It would indeed be awkward if they didn¡¯t go. ¡°Alright let¡¯s join the fun¡± ¡°Let me exin the rules. We¡¯re still drawing cards. This time, I¡¯ve only put one Ace of Hearts in the deck. Whoever draws this card has to choose: truth, dare, or drink¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Nathalie was still the one dealing the cards. Everyone started to reveal their cards. Allison opened hers and breathed a sigh of relief. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Oh man, I¡¯m so unlucky, it¡¯s me!¡± Kami said, spreading her hands. ¡°Truth¡± Nathalie wouldn¡¯t make it difficult for Kami. Sheughed and casually asked, ¡°Ms. Lindbergh, do you have a crush on anyone?¡± Although the question was simple, it drew the attention of many guys. Under the sea breeze, Kami¡¯s cheeks turned a delicate red. ¡°Of course I do.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Kami, is it Patrick?¡± Kami immediately denied it. ¡°No way.¡± How could she like such a dummy? Seeing that she wouldn¡¯t say anything, everyone teased her a bit before moving on to the next round. For two rounds in a row, one person chose to drink and another chose to dare. The one who chose to dare was Aaron. He stood up and said, ¡°Let¡¯s spice things up. What should I do?¡± Nathalie said, ¡°Even though I¡¯m the dealer, I shouldn¡¯t be the one to decide. Mr. Aaron, why don¡¯t you let someone else give you a dare?¡± Aaron looked around, and Ynda said, ¡®Mel Bro!¡± Aaron would never let his sistere up with the dare, she would definitely prank him. He coughed. ¡°Let¡¯s have the person holding the Jack of Hearts decide.¡± The Jack of Hearts? Allison looked at her card, it was the Jack of Hearts. She silently raised her hand, looking at Aaron, Aaron smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s Allison. Go ahead, Ms. Zimmer. Please be gentle; don¡¯t make it too difficult.¡± He made a begging gesture As a currently popr movie star, Aaron¡¯s status was unique. If he did something outrageous and it got filmed, it could cause unnecessary trouble. Allison herself didn¡¯t like to embarrass people, so she thought for a moment, ¡°Please hug the person holding the Three of Hearts.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s boning, Allison, you should have made him kiss the person with the Three of Hearts. That would have been fun.¡± ¡°Yeah, you don¡¯t know how to y.¡± Everyone was quite unsatisfied. The game was supposed to be exciting, what¡¯s the big deal with a hug? Aaron gratefully smiled at Allison, then hugged a girl holding the Three of Hearts, Betty Her face was flushed, and her heart was racing. Aaron hugged her briefly, then let go. Betty sat down, and the game continued for another round. Her heart was still racing, and she kept ncing at Aaron. Today was such a great opportunity that she actually got to hug Aaron ¡°Hey, Allison, the Heart cards are in your hands¡± Chapter 207 Chapter 207 Allison froze for a moment, looking at the card in her hand¨Ca heart. She rubbed her temples gently Nathalie came over with a bottle of booze and ced it on the table, looking quite cheerful Turning to Allison, she said, ¡°Your turn, babe. You gonna drink or y Truth or Dare? Without any hesitation, Allison responded, ¡°Drink.¡± Nathalie instantly poured a ss and handed it to Allison. Allison took it, tilted her head back, and downed it in one go. After finishing, she stuck out her tongue The next round began After revealing the cards, Nathalie, smiling, said, ¡°Allison, it¡¯s your turn again¡± Everyone around smiled expectantly, except for Lucian, who frowned. Allison slightly furrowed her brows. The drink she just had was making her a bit dizzy. She looked at her card. Normally, she wouldn¡¯t even have this kind of luck when buying lottery tickets. Nathalie crossed her arms and started. ¡°So, are you going to drink, or¡ª* Before she could finish, a gentle voice cut her off ¡°Drink¡± ¡°Alright Nathalie smiled, pouring a ss and handing it over, which spilled a bit since it was too full. Jason stopped her, taking the ss and looking at the full ss of alcohol. Tll drink it for her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how it works. It¡¯s a game. If she can¡¯t drink, she should y Truth or Dare. No one¡¯s forcing her to drink. She chose it herself¡± ¡°Yeah, Jason When Lily lost, I didn¡¯t see you drinking for her¡± Lily, who had a crush on Jason, nced at the woman who just spoke and clenched her fists. She looked at Jason and then at Allison, who was just a maid dressed inly. Jason was even willing to take a drink for her It felt like a stab in the heart. Allison looked around at the people, most of whom were Penelope¡¯s friends, and some were just there for the spectacle. Knowing that Nathalie wouldn¡¯t let it go if she didn¡¯t drink, she took the ss from Jason and downed it. Drinking too fast, she coughed a few times ¡°Allison, are you alright?¡± Jason looked worried. Allison¡¯s cheeks were flushed ¡°Im fine¡± Nathalie continued dealing cards. A young man got the card this time. He chose a dare, took off his shirt, and hugged a male waiter, causing everyone to burst intoughter. Then the heart cardnded in Allison¡¯s hand again. At this moment, her cheeks were hot. After two sses of booze, she was already feeling a bit tipsy Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. She propped her chin with one hand, looking at the heart card in her hand. Allison licked her lips. ¡°Me?¡± Nathalie pushed a ss of strong liquor toward Allison. Allison¡¯s vision was a bit blurry. She really couldn¡¯t drink anymore. Jason frowned ¡°You guys are being too hard on her.¡± Nathalie feigned innocence: ¡°I didn¡¯t bully her. She drew the cards herself. You can¡¯t me me.¡± ¡°Exactly, if you can¡¯t handle the game, don¡¯t y¡± Lily chimed in, ¡°Right, I¡¯ve lost before, and I didn¡¯t act like this.¡± ¡°Exactly¡± Penelope said gently, ¡°Allison, if you can¡¯t drink, just choose Truth.¡± ¡°Right, just answer a question We¡¯re not forcing her to drink.¡± Allison looked at the drink in front of her and slowly reached out. But before her fingers could touch the ss, someone grabbed her hand. She tried to pull it back but failed. She looked at Jason ¡°Jason, I¡¯ve said it before, you can¡¯t drink for her.¡± ¡°Stop drinking¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can handle one more, It¡¯s just a ss of booze. She wouldn¡¯t copse from that ¡°Allison, you¡¯ve already had two. This stuff is strong, you¡¯ll have a hangover tomorrow¡± A hangover? Allison felt a bit dizzy already She lifted her hand to rub her temples ¡°Since you can¡¯t drink, just choose Truth Nathalie seemed impatient. Before she could ask a question, a sharp female voice rang out ¡°Allison, I heard that you¡¯ve had an abortion is that true?¡± Chapter 208 Chapter 208 On the broad beach, the sizzle of barbecues, the howl of the sea breeze, and the noise from a distance all seemed to quiet down for a moment Allison Zimmer clenched her fists, and even breathing became a bit difficult. Watching Lily, who asked the question, a chill rushed out of her chest. After a brief silence, all eyes were on her Allison didn¡¯t speak Her face turned pale in an instant, with only two blushes brought on by alcohol on her cheeks. She suddenlyughed Lucian Lindbergh watched her. Allisonughed and said softly, ¡°Mm¡± Her eyes trembling, she looked at Lucian, lips moving slightly, and said, ¡°I had an abortion.¡± Lucian jerked his head up, disbelief shing in his eyes Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. He had looked up her information before and knew that Allison had had an abortion, but when this fact came out of her mouth, he still felt a strong blow to his heart, as if every breath would cause him heartache Lily was the first to be stunned Then everyone else was also stunned Allison¡¯s smile gradually widened. Her heart suddenly felt like it was spasming, as if there were ayer of mist in front of her eyes. She took a painful deep breath. A bloody secret was ruthlessly exposed in front of everyone. She could hardly breathe, her face became paler and paler, but her smile got bigger and bigger. ¡°Whose child was it?¡± Allison¡¯s hair fluttered in the wind, half blocking her sight. She looked at Lucian, her eyes hazy: ¡°I don¡¯t know¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know? Have you slept with so many men that you don¡¯t even know who the father of the child is? Shameless!¡± ¡°Ew, that¡¯s just disgusting!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this woman to look pretty but be so disgusting.¡± Nathalie Bruno also seized the opportunity to say, ¡°Was the father of your child a teacher or a student in your ss, Allison? You¡¯re so heartless; you chose to abort the child! You¡¯re really irresponsible¡± Each of their words was like a stab in Allison¡¯s heart. Yes, she was really irresponsible. Before the abortion, she didn¡¯t even know about the child¡¯s existence. Lucian, did you know? We once had a child. No. Her face was pale, with a faint smile. The sea breeze blew, and her messy hair fluttered in the wind. In this moment, she looked at Lucian as if to say, he¡¯ll never know. This was a secret he¡¯ll never uncover Allison seemed drunk. She picked up her ss and drank the remaining wine in one gulp. Although the alcohol was spicy and choked her throat, she felt a bit better. Watching all this, Lily felt triumphant. She thought, Allison really was a maid with bad behavior; her life was a mess. She hoped that Jason Brummett could see Allison¡¯s true colors. However, when she turned to look at Jason, she found his eyes full of concern for Allison. He took the ss from Allison¡¯s hand and said firmly. ¡°Stop drinking, Allison.¡± Seeing this, Lily couldn¡¯t help but grit her teeth. She couldn¡¯t understand why Jason still cared about her and was worried about her when this woman was like this! Looking at Allison, who was now drunk and unconscious, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Allison, who did you lose your virginity to?¡± Chapter 209 Chapter 209 In a blink, all eyes were once again on Allison Everyone was silently waiting for her answer. Allison shook her head, feeling a splitting headache The first time¡± She mumbled, ¡®I sold At this, everyone exchanged nces Nathalie was hoping for nothing more than to see Allison¡¯s reputation go down the drain, the more scandals, the better. She pushed, ¡°Who¡¯d you sell it to?¡± Jason suddenly froze. He couldn¡¯t believe his eyes as he stared at Allison with her clear and innocent eyes. He felt a lump in his throat but couldn¡¯t bring himself to be angry Her eyes were breathtakingly bright Her gaze swept over everyone present beforending on Lucian¡¯s face. Penelope nagan jumped, worried that a drunk Allison would let the cat out of the bag. She quickly stood up and said ¡°Allison, you¡¯re wasted. Let me get you home!¡± Saying this, Penelope walked up to Allison, taking her by the arm saying. ¡°You really are hammered, let¡¯s get you some rest¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Allison seemed to be recalling something She shrugged off Penelope¡¯s hand, a mocking smile on her lips. ¡°Ms nagan, I¡¯m not drunk. Why should I go home? What¡¯s up with you? You look weird.¡± Only then did Penelope realize she¡¯d lost her cool. Luckily, most people were too focused on Allison to notice Penelope¡¯s emotional slip. Penelope quickly rposed herself, afraid of giving herself away, and gently said, ¡°Allison, we grew up together. You messed up before, but we¡¯re still family. You¡¯re drunk. Penelope thought better of it and decided to take her home herself to prevent any further incidents. ¡°Enough!¡± Jason stood up, looking at Penelope, and asked, ¡°You guys done yet?¡± He took Allison by the arm and said, ¡°Let me take you home.¡± ¡°No.¡± Allison pushed him away, her eyes clouded, looking at Jason. I¡¯m not drunk. I¡¯m fine. Why do I need to rest?¡± Her gazended on Lucian¡¯s face again. The man, sitting right across from her. The first time? Her first time was with him. Who would she sell it to? Him again. For her mom¡¯s illness, Penelope sent her to that hotel room. She spent the night with Lucian Yeah, him Penelope immediately stepped in front of Allison, blocking her view of Lucian She wished she could p Nathalie across the face. If Allison really was drunk and spilled the beans, she¡¯d be done! She was terrified of Allison revealing the truth! Allison felt really ufortable. She pressed her hand to her forehead, everything in front of her a blur. She grabbed Jason¡¯s arm. Jason held her tightly and said, ¡°Allison, let me take you home.¡± ¡°Yes, Jason, take Allison home quickly¡± Penelope hurriedly said. Nathalie was dissatisfied when Allison didn¡¯t respond She looked at Penelope, finding her behavior strange. Even though Penelope liked to put on a sweet and gentle front in front of Lucian, her unusual concern for Allison was out of character. Wasn¡¯t she always looking down on this maid? Wasn¡¯t she always smearing her name? Nathalie gave Penelope a puzzled look. Suddenly, a woman¡¯s voice floated over with the breeze ¡°Who did I sell my first time to? He¡¯s right here The woman was particrly beautiful under the moonlight and the light from the beach. She was wearing a long blue dress, as beautiful as a sea sprite, and her voice was filled with a touch of drunkenness. ¡°He is right here¡° Chapter 210 Chapter 210 Penelope freaked out. ¡°Allison, you¡¯re stered I¡¯m taking you home now¡± Without wasting another second, she brushed past Jason, helped Allison up, and headed out. Everyone else was left staring at each other The Lindbergh family had invited a lot of people over for dinner that night. Many of the guests were young folks from prestigious families, with a fair share of good¨Cfor¨Cnothing yboys A few ncesnded on Terry and Dennis. These two were notorious yboys, never seen without femalepanions. Dennis shrugged ¡°Oh man, I can¡¯t remember, I¡¯ve been with so many women!¡± he looked at Allison, Td remember if I¡¯d been with someone as beautiful as her ¡°Terry, fess up, was it you? Hahaha¡± Everyone burst intoughter. Terry waved it off. ¡°How am I supposed to remember?¡± He¡¯d had four girlfriends in the past month alone, he couldn¡¯t even remember what the first one looked like, Everyone was having a goodugh over the topic, throwing around all sorts of jabs and teases. Suddenly, a panicked female voice rang out. ¡°Ah-¡± ¡°Lucian, your hand!¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Lucian had suddenly crushed the ss in his hand, with blood and ss shards mixing together. Blood was gushing from his palm, sttering on the floor. A girl gasped, ¡°Lucian¡± The room, just a moment ago filled withughter and chatter, fell silent. Nobody dared to upset Lucian. But what was wrong with Lucian? Lucian grabbed a bottle of wine and chugged it down. After finishing the whole bottle, he stood up and let out a slow breath, feeling a cold wind sweep through his chest. He closed his eyes, the words still echoing in his mind. ¡°Lucian, you need to bandage your hand. ¡°A socialite gathered the courage to speak, only to be silenced by Lucian¡¯s chilling re. She shivered, not daring to say another word. Lucian¡¯s gaze swept over everyone, finallynding on Terry and Dennis. His fists tightened, the pain from his left hand bringing him back to reality. He stood up and strode away. Only after Lucian left did everyone else breathe a sigh of relief. His gaze had been terrifying. ¡°What¡¯s up with Lucian?¡± ¡°Who knows? Maybe he¡¯s just drunk.¡± ¡°God, his gaze was so scary¡± ¡°His hand was still bleeding¡± Jason was helping Allison towards the hotel. Since the hotel was on an ind, they had to take a boat from the beach, which would take a few minutes. Before they boarded, Penelope said, *Jason, let me help. After all, Allison is a girl, it might not be appropriate for you to enter her room.¡± Jason thought about it and agreed, ¡°Alright, thanks, Ms. nagan. The boatman immediately set off Penelope looked at Allison and said, ¡°Allison, we agreed to keep this a secret¡± Despite the effects of the alcohol, Allison was still lucid. ¡°Oh? A secret? You want to use my painful experience to mock me, to make yourself look more gentle and virtuous?¡± ¡°My first time, my child Penelope, you know better than anyone who the man is. I can tolerate it once or twice, but I can¡¯t keep putting up with this. She was human too, she knew what pain felt like. No matter how many times she had to endure it, no matter how numb she became, the pain was still there. Chapter 211 Chapter 211 Penelope put on a show of being wronged, saying, ¡°Allison, you¡¯ve totally got me wrong. It was Nathalie who asked all those questions. She was the one who suggested the game.¡± She didn¡¯t dare offend Allison openly. Ever since Leah nagan¨CEaden¡¯s medication swap was discovered by Allison, Allison had be a loose cannon. The old Allison would never dare talk to Penelope like this. Penelope decided to y weak first, then slowly find Allison¡¯s weak spots. ¡°Allison, we grew up together. Sure, we¡¯ve had our share of fights, but remember when I gave you twenty grand to help Grace Zimmer¨CKane? You needed the money; I wanted to marry Lucian. It was a win¨Cwin, right? If you have a thing for Jason, I don¡¯t mind; we¡¯re not at odds.¡± Seeing Allison leaning against the railing in silence, she continued to soothe, ¡°Once I¡¯m married to Lucian, I¡¯ll help you reunite with your mom; how about that?¡± Allison slowly lifted her eyes. Penelope went on, ¡°Your mom is now on the best medication. She¡¯s doing well; she¡¯s awake.¡± Penelope knew Grace was Allison¡¯s Achilles heel. Secing Allison¡¯s emotions waver, she immediately continued, ¡°Allison, as long as I marry into the Lindbergh family, your mother will be safe. Once I be Lucian¡¯s wife, I¡¯ll give you and Grace a chunk of change to get you two out of here. How about that?¡± Allison looked at Penelope. She didn¡¯t trust her, but she didn¡¯t want to piss her off either. She and Adrian would find a way to save her mother. Allison leaned against the railing. The sea breeze on her hot face was soothing. She closed her eyes and said nothing. Seeing Allison silent, Penelope called out, ¡°Hey!¡± When the yacht docked, Penelope told the driver, ¡°Drop her off on the bench in front of the hotel, then take me back to the beach.¡± The driver hesitated, ¡°Is that okay?¡± ¡°What¡¯s not okay?¡± Allison sat at the hotel entrance for a few minutes before getting up. She looked around at the luxurious hotel. The sea breeze was stronger in the center of the ind. Her hair was a mess. She went to the giant cruise ship ¡°The Star¡± parked next to the ind. It was also a yground for guests. At this moment, only a few socialites were there. These socialites were strangers to Allison. They didn¡¯t chat much; they only asked, ¡°Did you go to the beach? Is it fun?¡± Allison shook her head. Not fun. ¡°I think you might be drunk,¡± one girl said gently. ¡°Come sit down.¡± She noticed Allison¡¯s beautiful blue dress looked average in quality. She guessed Allison was probably from an ordinary wealthy family, not part of the upper crust, which would exin why she hadn¡¯t gone to the beach.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Chapter 212 Chapter 212 A bunch of gals were chinwagging for a bit, mostly about handbags, jewelry, and stuff like that; sometimes the conversation. would steer toward Lucian. ¡°Man, I¡¯m so green with envy for Penelope. From an average Jane, she¡¯s now the center of attention as Lucian¡¯s bride¨Cto-be.¡± ¡°Who in Northfield doesn¡¯t know Lucian?¡± Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°I wonder why Penelope is so darn lucky.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard she got to be with him only because she saved him.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I be that lucky?¡± ¡°Which woman in Northfield doesn¡¯t dream of bing Mrs. Lucian?¡± Just then, they heard a soft chuckle. They all turned their heads to see Allison leaning against the railing. Allison looked up slowly. leaning against the railing, her voice hoarse: ¡°Lucian must be blind as a bat.¡± ¡°Hey, what¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°Yeah, you can¡¯t just badmouth people like that.¡± ¡°This woman must be three sheets to the wind. Let¡¯s get outta here.¡± After saying that, the women linked arms and left. Allison was left leaning against the railing, the only one on therge deck. She stretched out her arms, feeling the sea breeze. She didn¡¯t know if she was drunk or not. If she was drunk, why was her brain still functioning? Why could she still feel the pain so clearly? If she wasn¡¯t drunk, why did her stomach and throat feel full of the burning sensation of alcohol, and why did her head. feel so heavy? ¡°Am I blind?¡± A deep male voice sounded with the footsteps: ¡°Allison, why are you badmouthing me?¡± Allison turned slowly, leaning against the railing, looking at the man approaching. She squinted her eyes as if she couldn¡¯t see clearly and ran her fingers through her wind¨Ctousled hair. Watching the tall man walk toward her, she belched, ¡°Who are you?¡± Lucian frowned. ¡°Allison!¡± He took a few steps closer, looking at her drunken state: ¡°Tell me it¡¯s not true.¡± He preferred to believe that these people were just trying to nder her. ¡°What¡¯s not true?¡± Allison blinked, looking at the tall man in front of her. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± She pushed against the man¡¯s chest but couldn¡¯t move him. She leaned against the railing,ughing with a strong smell of alcohol. ¡°Are you asking if I¡¯ve had an abortion?¡± She leaned in, looking at Lucian, her eyes still clear. She was close to him, and the smell of alcohol hit him. Lucian looked at Allison in her drunken state. ¡°I did have an abortion. At that time, I was already more than a month pregnant. I had no other choice.¡± As she said this, there was a tearful gleam in her eyes, as if she were talking in her sleep: ¡°I didn¡¯t want it to be like this.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± He couldn¡¯t listen anymore! This was true! This woman had really been pregnant with another man¡¯s child! All the information he had found was true! ¡°Do you find me disgusting too?¡± Allison lowered her head and gently tugged at the man¡¯s sleeve with her slender fingers. ¡°Lucian, do you think so too?¡± Lucian gritted his teeth, looking at her innocent face. ¡°Indeed.¡± Chapter 213 Chapter 213 Allison¡¯s body Involuntarily shuddered. Lucian noted her reaction. Then she started tough. The man stared at the smile on her face. At this moment, she resembled a beautiful and mysterious oil painting under the chilly moonlight, alluring him to approach yet seemingly carrying a toxic quality that slowly seeped into his bones. He couldn¡¯t believe he had misjudged the person. He couldn¡¯t believe he was actually interested in a woman like this. Despite her confession, he still couldn¡¯t shake the temptation of her innocent exterior The man turned around and walked away swiftly. Suddenly, he heard a scream from behind him: ¡°Ah-¡± Lucian turned around and saw a light blue streak in the air. Allison¡¯s body was flying over the railing. Without a second thought or any hesitation, he ran over and grabbed her hand, only to be dragged into the sea by her falling momentum. Both of them plunged into the sea. ¡°Allison, Allison! Open your eyes, Allison!¡± Allison felt a suffocating pain. Who was calling her name? It felt like her chest was being crushed by a huge stone. She wanted to break free. She wanted to breathe. Suddenly, something soft, cool, and slightly tobo¨Cvored pressed against her lips. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Fresh air flowed in. She coughed violently a few times before opening her eyes. Lucian sighed in relief when he saw her eyes open. Her face was pale, with only a hint of drunken blush on her cheeks. ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked. What¡¯s wrong with her? Gasping for breath, Allison saw everything in a blur. The events just now had left her dizzy and her mind nk. She had just subconsciously asked that question.. Unexpectedly, the man seemed to be infuriated by her words, ¡°Who am I? Allison, you¡¯ve crossed the line!¡± Allison shook her head, soaking wet and ufortable. She heard a male voice scoff, ¡°You actually chose tomit suicide¨Csuch a despicable method! Allison, I really underestimated you!¡± So it¡¯s Lucian. She chuckled. ¡°Suicide?¡± How could it be? ¡°I wouldn¡¯tmit suicide. I just had too much to drink, leaned on the railing, and identally tumbled over.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Lucian was also soaked, his short hair dripping with water, which trickled down his handsome face, The sea breeze blew, and Allison shivered, trying to stand up but finding herself powerless. Her whole body was trembling. At this moment, her dress was soaked and clung tightly to her skin, outlining her perfect figure. Due to the struggle in the sea, her cor was now undone, revealing a part of her chest. Lucian swallowed hard, then threw his wet coat over her. The next second, Allison was swept off her feet. Lucian kicked open the bathroom door and put her in the bathtub. ¡°Clean yourself up!¡± The warm water startled Allison, and her body shivered again. Hearing the door close, she looked up at this unfamiliar ce. Her eyes were full of confusion. This didn¡¯t seem to be her room. Chapter 214 Chapter 214 Lucian stood by the French windows, eyes shut, fists clenched tightly. Suddenly, a wave of pain shot through his hand. He furrowed his brows, opened his eyes, and looked at his left hand. The wound had stopped bleeding, and the shards of ss had been washed away by the sea. A dyed sting from the saltwater finally reached his brain. He felt a chill run down his spine. In his rush to save Allison, he hadpletely forgotten about the injury on his hand. He found the first¨Caid kit, took out some disinfectant, and quickly bandaged himself up. Then he slumped into a lounge chair, ovee with fatigue, and shut his eyes. He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed when he suddenly jerked awake, He dreamed of Allison being swept away by the sea. His forehead was drenched in sweat. Why would he have such a dream? Where was Allison? He looked around the empty room. Where the hell was Allison? Did the woman get drunk and pass out in the bathroom? Shoot! He flung open the bathroom door and found the woman still lying in the tub. The water in the tub was drained. She had changed into a bathrobe and was curled up in bed. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Lucian finally breathed a sigh of relief. He walked over, bent down, and looked at her peaceful, sleeping face. The bathroom was filled with steam. Her cheeks were flushed. At this moment, her sleeping face was incredibly serene, like a baby¡¯s Lucian looked at her profile, bent down, and picked her up. Startled awake by his movement, she blinked drowsily and asked, ¡°Eh,, who are you?¡± Lucian didn¡¯t know how to control the anger bubbling up in his chest. ¡°What did you just call me?¡± Allison was drowsy and tired; she barely lifted her eyelids before closing them again. ¡°Jason, what are you doing here?¡± The anger in Lucian¡¯s eyes red up. ¡°Allison!¡± He gritted his teeth, holding her even tighter. ¡°Ouch, that hurts!¡± Her shoulder was hurting. Allison continued to keep her eyes closed. ¡°Jason, what¡¯s wrong?¡± This woman was really pushing his buttons! Lucian put her down on the bed. Allison fell asleep instantly, not even giving him a chance to vent his anger. Her breathing gradually steadied, and she curled up, still in her oversized bathrobe, like she didn¡¯t feel safe Lucian¡¯s throat felt dry; he irritably pulled a nket over her, then went to the bathroom Under the cold shower, Lucian opened his eyes Allison kept pushing his buttons, but he kept letting her get away with it. The next morning Allison woke up, feeling the difort of a hangover. She rubbed her temples, trying to sit up and remember what happened yesterday: on the beach, they yed truth or dare. She seemed to have had too much to drink, then went back. And then¡­ She looked around This wasn¡¯t her bedroom, was it? Allison slid out from under the nket and got up, noticing she was wearing an oversized bathrobe. Suddenly, the bedroom door swung open, and Lucian walked in Allison backed away in surprise. ¡°Who let you in my bedroom?¡± She quickly covered her chest and crawled back under the nket. ¡°Your bedroom?¡± Lucian looked at her panicked expression and smirked, ¡°Look again, this is my bedroom.¡± What the hell? Chapter 215 Chapter 215 Allison nced around. How did she end up in Lucian¡¯s bedroom? All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. The guy lived in a small suite with a living room outside, where he had been chillingst night. The bedroom was left for Allison. Allison wrapped herself in the nket, clutching the corner tightly. ¡°How did I end up here?¡± She recalled that she seemed to have lost her bnce yesterday, falling off the deck, and then. Her pupils dted slightly. It must have been Lucian who saved her. ¡°Thanks, Mr. Lindbergh.¡± ¡°How should you thank me? Next time, if you want to off yourself, do it somewhere else. Don¡¯t end your life in front of me and mess up my view, got it?¡± Allison¡¯s lips trembled slightly as she looked into Lucian¡¯s eyes. Did this guy really despise her that much? Maybe, remembering the truth or dare gamest night, abortions, promiscuity. Tsk, countless insults came at her, he already disliked her; this time, it¡¯s probably a full¨Cblown hatred. If he hadn¡¯t happened to see her, she might have silently left this worldst night. She can¡¯t swim; if she fell into the sea, even if it¡¯s shallow, coupled with the numbness from alcohol, she would know nothing. ¡°No matter what, thank you, Mr. Lindbergh.¡± Allison wanted to leave but realized she was only wearing a bathrobe. How could she walk out of this? Walking out of Lucian¡¯s bedroom like this, wouldn¡¯t others overthink? She looked around and didn¡¯t see her clothes. Were they in the bathroom? She got off the bed and headed to the bathroom. When she walked past Lucian, he grabbed her. The next second, she was thrown onto the bed, and the man pressed down after her. ¡°Lucian, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Wake up?¡± The man looked at her and said, ¡°If you¡¯re awake, then let¡¯s do what we should do when we¡¯re awake.¡± Her pupils dted slightly. She felt the man¡¯s impending outburst. The next second, the bathrobe was easily untied by the man and slipped off her shoulder. Before she had time to react, a sharp pain struck her as the man bit her corbone. ¡°Ah, what are you doing. Lucian?¡± The man let her go and looked at her pained face, gripping her chin, saying, ¡°You still remember that I¡¯m Lucian.¡± ¡°Of course I remember Allison didn¡¯t understand what was going on with this guy; all of a sudden, he seemed to have gone mad. Lucian stared at her, his eyes tense. ¡°Tell me, was it Terry? Dennis or Calvin¨Cwho was it? Who did you give your first time to?¡± Allison frowned in pain. So that¡¯s what this was about. Watching the man¡¯s furious look, a faint smile appeared on her lips. She hoarsely said, ¡°No.¡± Lucian named a few more names. She continued to shake her head with a smile. ¡°None of them.¡± ¡°Then who the hell was it?¡± Allison looked at him and said, ¡°Haven¡¯t you thought it might be you?¡± ¡°Me?¡± The man sneered, ¡°Allison, don¡¯t y these low tricks in front of me. I only returned to the country in April of this year and have only met you a few times. The first time I slept with you, you were already not a virgin.¡± He lowered his head, his voice almost in her ear: ¡°If you really want to lie to me, make it more believable before you tell me.¡± ¡°Oh, so you knew I was lying to you, then why did you ask me?¡± She seemed a bit sarcastic. ¡°It was too dark that night; I can¡¯t remember what the man looked like¡± The hand holding her chin tightened, seemingly angry. ¡°Do you have no respect for yourself?¡± ¡°Respect myself?¡± Her eyes were clear and transparent, but with a hint of mockery, she asked ¡°What¡¯s the use of respecting myself? Can it fill my belly?¡± Chapter 216 Chapter 216 ¡°Lucian, folks like you who are loaded may talk about pride, but for a poor sod like me, pride is priceless. If I¡¯d known you had a thing for virgins, I would¡¯ve kept myself pure and then spent a night with you. That way, you¡¯d have had to marry me, right?¡± Sometimes, the sharpest weapon wasn¡¯t a de, but words that cut like a knife. As her words hung in the air, Lucian¡¯s gaze turned colder, a vein on his forehead pulsing. He was afraid he¡¯d hurt the woman before him if he didn¡¯t control himself. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you with Jason again. If I do, I¡¯ll make sure you disappear from Northfield.¡± ¡°Disappear how?¡± The woman¡¯s hair spread out on the man¡¯s pillow, a smile ying on her lips, seemingly unafraid. ¡°Jason¡¯s into me. You should go talk to him. What¡¯s the point of talking to me? You guys are right; I¡¯m a gold digger. I just want the dough, and I¡¯m happy when a rich guy¡¯s chasing me.¡± Before Allison could finish, a hand was around her throat. She gripped the man¡¯s hand, her head thrown back, struggling to breathe. ¡°I¡¯ve had twenty¨Cone tough years. If you n on killing me, it¡¯d be a relief, really. It¡¯s a shame it would dirty your hands.¡± Allison closed her eyes. Sometimes, death can be a relief. Living can be so tiring. She wanted to visit her father and brother in heaven and see how they were doing. She wanted to tell her father and brother how hard things had been for her and her mother these past few years. She wanted to visit her grandmother and be by her side.. She wanted her grandmother¡¯s embrace. It was exhausting, running from school to the hospital with no money. Her mother¡¯s condition was deteriorating; she could not afford surgery or hospital stays. She was moved from a room to a corridor, sleeping there day and night. Her first time was with the man in front of her. She had lost her child. Her mother was in a mental institution, under Leah¡¯s care. Her eyes, once bright, were now dull and lifeless, as if they had lost their most beautiful color. Lucian¡¯s pupils constricted sharply, and he released her abruptly. She breathed heavily, her voice hoarse. ¡°Mr. Lindbergh, I won¡¯t leave Northfield. If you don¡¯t want me to see Jason, then you better control your own brother.¡± The man stared at her, motionless. Allison wanted to leave, but the man was on top of her. She didn¡¯t have the strength to resist him. But Allison knew what he hated. ¡°Mr. Lindbergh, shall we continue?¡± she invited him. Her bathrobe had been mostly undone by Lucian, only tied at the waist. She slowly undid it, removing her bathrobe. ¡°Mr. Lindbergh, it¡¯s 8 a.m. now, we need to go to Pearl Ind at 10. If you don¡¯t n to continue, I¡¯ll leave. If you do, we still have two hours.¡± Normally, given Lucian¡¯s character, he would have told Allison to bugger off at her ¡®warm invitation. But this time, his look changed. ¡°Fine, have it your way.¡±N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Allison was stunned. ¡°What?¡± She had thought she was intentionally teasing him. Oh, bloody hell! Chapter 217 Chapter 217 She quickly covered her chest with her clothes, eximing. ¡°No way.¡± In a split second, the man grabbed her slender waist, easily controlling her. No forey, nada The sea breeze blew in, making the light blue curtains flutter. Two silhouettes intertwined on the bed, and the man kissed her lips. Allison tried to resist but was easily controlled by the man. This dude wasn¡¯t ying by the rules! Wasn¡¯t he supposed to let her go? Only when he sensed Allison was having difficulty breathing did he release her. His eyes were intense and deep, and his voice was low and sexy. ¡°You said two hours, so two hours it is, Allison. Today, I¡¯ll show you a good time.¡± What the heck? Allison¡¯s eyes widened! Had Lucian lost his marbles? At 9:45 a.m. Penelope was all dressed up and ready to go, her friends were also ready. Penelope said. ¡°I¡¯m going to find Lucian, you guys go ahead to the yacht.¡± The yacht could only take four people at a time, so her friends went ahead. She arrived at Lucian¡¯s door and knocked. ¡°Lucian, Lucian.¡± Inside the bedroom. Allison¡¯s voice was choked with tears. ¡°Mr. Lindbergh, have mercy on me.¡± She hadn¡¯t expected this man to have such stamina! He was going to wear her out! She was asking for trouble! Lucian gritted his teeth. ¡°You asked for it, you said two hours, so two hours.¡± He kissed Allison again, and Allison had finally gotten the hang of it¨Cfrom initial resistance to surrender. She¡¯d have an easier time if she just gave in, there was no escaping this man! The knocking continued. ¡°Mr. Lindbergh, someone¡¯s at the door.¡± Allison murmured between kisses. The man didn¡¯t respond. Then Lucian¡¯s phone rang. He let go of her. He nced at the phone, his brows furrowing. But he answered, ¡°Hello, Penelope.¡± ¡°Lucian, are you in the bedfoom? It¡¯s almost 10 o¡¯clock are you ready?¡± Penelope¡¯s voice came through clearly. Allison heard it too. She looked at Lucian, and suddenly a mischievous thought crossed her mind. She kissed the man Her move was gentle, but to Lucian, it was like a tidal wave. His eyes changedpletely; he tightly held the phone, looking at Allison and saying. ¡°You guys, go ahead, I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± ¡°Lucian, I want you toe with me, you¡¯re in the bedroom, right? I¡¯m at the door¡± Allison lifted her head again and nted another kiss on him. Lucian shivered. Couldn¡¯t help but let out a sound He looked nervously at the woman beneath him. Penelope asked from the other end, ¡°Lucian, are you okay?¡± Lucian Immediately hung up, ready to spring into action. But Allison, as if having calcted the exact timing, pushed his chest and said, ¡°It¡¯s 10 o¡¯clock now, Mr. Lindbergh; we should head to Pearl Ind.¡± But the man¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. ¡°Your fianc¨¦e Penelope is at the door, Lucian. Aren¡¯t you afraid she¡¯ll find out?¡± she asked. ¡°Find out what?¡± He scoffed, ¡°Find out we¡¯re together?¡± Allison blinked. Was he really not afraid of being found out? She couldn¡¯t figure out what this man was thinking.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Chapter 218 Chapter 218 Allison thought: Lucian was already engaged to Penelope, and he was always so sweet to her, a stark contrast to how he treated me. All his tenderness was for Penelope, and Penelope was even pregnant now. But if he truly loved Penelope, how could he end up in bed with me? ¡°You¡¯re her fianc¨¦, and you¡¯re supposed to marry her.¡± Heaning this, Lucian seemed to lose interest. He stood up, and she quickly closed her eyes, feeling her ears burning. Upon seeing this. Lucian chuckled, opened his wardrobe and changed into a new set of clothes. ¡°Allison, you know, rich folks have their way of life, and poor folks have theirs. Everyone has to put up with some shit.¡± Besides, it wasn¡¯t even certain if the child in Penelope¡¯s belly was his. The Lindberg family was very strict about lineage. Until Penelope had given birth, he wouldn¡¯t marry her. Whether he would marry Penelope remained a big question mark. That night, Penelope showed up at his hotel room. It certainly wasn¡¯t a coincidence, and it wasn¡¯t a birthday party for a friend either. He didn¡¯t want to expose the truth because he owed Penelope for saving him. He didn¡¯t want Penelope to be linked with George Lindberg. But if Penelope and George were in cahoots, he would not let it slide. Penelope was at the door, but her calls to Lucian were not getting through. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. She stomped her foot in frustration, wondering what Lucian was up to She knocked on the door, but he didn¡¯t answer Had he drunk too muchst night and was feeling ill now? Probably At that moment, a man who looked like a bellhop came over, ¡°Ms. nagan, Mr. Lindberg asked me to inform you to head to Pearl Ind first. He will be there soon.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he leaving now?¡± The bellhop said, ¡°Mr. Lindberg drank too muchst night and is still resting.¡± Penelope nodded, so that was it ¡°Alright then.¡± She nced at the door in front of her and then turned to leave. Inside the bedroom. Allison clung to the nket to cover herself, watching Lucian was already dressed and feeling nervous, ¡°Where are my clothes?¡± Lucian was fixing his cuffs. ¡°In the bathroom.¡± Allison quickly grabbed the bathrobe, even though he had seen everythingst night, but her cheeks were burning. She rushed to the bathroom. Her clothes were on the rack, but they were no longer wearable! ¡°Lucian, you don¡¯t give me clothes or money. I really got the short end of the stick from being with you last night.¡± ¡°Got the short end of the stick? It was me doing all the work. You were just enjoying it. Weren¡¯t you delighted just now?¡± Upon hearing this, her cheeks instantly turned red She couldn¡¯t win an argurpent with him. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Lucian raised an eyebrow, ¡°Seems like you have a bad memory. Do you need me to jog it for you?¡± Allison clenched my teeth. Suddenly, a phone rang This time it wasn¡¯t Lucian¡¯s phone but Allison¡¯s Allison took out her phone from the nightstand and saw the caller ID. It was Jason. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Allison, where are you? We¡¯re about to leave for Pearl Ind. Why aren¡¯t you in your room?¡± ¡°Umm. Didn¡¯t I drink a bit too muchst night? I have a headache now. You guys go ahead.¡± ¡°A headache? Did you bring any medicine? I can bring you some.¡± ¡°No need. I just sleep a little longer.¡± While Allison was still chatting with Jason, there was a sound at the door. She looked up to see Lucian storming out of the room. He really had a temper! ¡°Allison, what was that noise?¡± ¡°Oh, a cup just fell. No big deal.¡± After hanging up, Allison started worrying about how to get out of there. Going out in just a bathrobe would get her mistaken for a lunatic! Her eyes fell on the man¡¯s wardrobe. She walked over, opened it, and found various sports outfits, suits, and casual clothes neatly hung. She picked a grey sports shirt to put on, then looked at her overly spacious figure. Allison really didn¡¯t know what to do. Here, she didn¡¯t have any friends she knew. She couldn¡¯t have someone bring her clothes either. She left the bedroom and came to the living room. Her eyesnded on a gift box on the table. Allison walked over and opened the box. Inside, there was a long goose¨Cyellow dress and a set of underwear. It turned out, Lucian had already prepared all these for her. Chapter 219 Chapter 219 Pearl Ind was located to the south of the hotel, about a 15¨Cminute yacht ride. The ind is famous for its pearl farming, but there are a lot of untouched spots. Carl, who¡¯s running the show, exined the rules and rewards. ¡°Let me talk about the rules and rewards for this adventure. We¡¯ve hidden treasure¡® in the forest, and whoever finds it gets the dough Now! know you all are big shots and probably couldn¡¯t care less about the money. We just want you all to participate more, so please try to venture deep into the forest. There are a lot of wild animals in there, including snakes, bugs, rats, and ants. We¡¯ve got first aid kits for everyone, just in case.¡± After all, the folks here are the cream of the crop, not exactly enticed by the reward, but the prospect of a treasure hunt gave them some. motivation. Correspondingly, Carl had to coax these people to avoid idents. However, the gang didn¡¯t seem to be too amped about the event. ¡°We got it.¡± ¡°With so many of us, we¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°This prize money is boring.¡± ¡°Yeah, like we need the money.¡± ¡°Sir, take a first aid kit. There are a lot of wild animals in the forest.¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. One of the toffs nced and said, ¡°We won¡¯t need it. We¡¯ll be okay.¡± After that, he and his buddies strutted off into the deeper parts of the forest. ¡°Sir, don¡¯t wander too deep. When you see the protectiveting, turn back.¡± The trip was nned for seven days. So, not a lot of people turned up today. Many were still hungover fromst night¡¯s partying and gaming. Allison reached Pearl Ind at 11 AM. She was among thest batch, and anyone arrivingter than this probably wouldn¡¯t appear. After disembarking, she picked up her first aid kit as instructed. A girl approached her and asked, ¡°Are you really going to carry this on your back? So heavy, how are you going to walk?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that bad, considering it could be a lifesaver,¡± Allison replied, ¡°I¡¯d suggest you carry it too. Even a mosquito bite can be itchy, and with all the dampness here, there¡¯s bound to be lots of snakes and bugs.¡± The girl, who¡¯d exined the rules to her on the beachst night, wasn¡¯t as cynical as the others and seemed rather mild and well¨Cbehaved. She nodded at Allison, ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯d be a real pain if we got bitten.¡± After they¡¯d packed their first aid kits, the girl introduced herself, ¡°I¡¯m Aurora.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Allison.¡± ¡°I know your name.¡± Allison unfolded a map and studied it closely. Dangerous areas were marked in red, with protectiveting; safe areas were marked in green. Aurora asked, ¡°Are you waiting for Mr. Brummett? He headed south about ten minutes ago.¡± Allison replied, ¡°I¡¯m going to check out the forest.¡± Aurora offered, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± They walked a bit. The ce wasn¡¯t too shabby, though overgrown with weeds. Despite some human intervention, most of it still had a raw, untouched vibe. The air was fresh, with a hint of damp soil. It was a new ball game for city slickers used to the hustle and bustle. Allison checked the map and decided to head east. Aurora added,/Penelope didn¡¯te in. She¡¯s pregnant and resting by the shore. Apparently, Luca also headed this way.¡± Hearing this, Allison stopped in her tracks. She turned around, changed direction, and started heading west. Aurora turned to Allison, ¡°Aren¡¯t you heading east?¡± Chapter 220 Chapter 220 Allison replied coolly, ¡°Nah if you want to go, feel free. There should be plenty of folks over there.¡± Aurora hesitated briefly, watching Allison gradually distance herself before catching up, ¡°I think I¡¯ll join you heading west. When we hit the fence, we can turn back. But West doesn¡¯t seem to have anything exciting.¡± Off they went. They were in a primordial forest, almost untouched by humans. Weeds grew wild, and bugs and small animals were everywhere. A few minutes in, Allison felt an itch on her neck, as if something had bitten her. She sprayed some itch relief from her bag and wrapped a scarf around her neck. Aurora was well¨Coff and used to the good life. This was her first time in a ce like this, but she wasn¡¯t being high¨Cmaintenance. If a bug bit her, she just sprayed some bug repellent. She followed Allison, but the further she went, the more scared she got, ¡°Allison, do you think there could be snakes here?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± The climate was humid, and trees were everywhere. The temperature was high, but the sun was blocked by the shade of the trees. The air was filled with moisture, and the natural environment was perfect for attracting snakes and insects. Aurora was curious about everything. She took out her phone and started filming around her, documenting any interesting nts she came across. Their pace through the forest was slow, they were unfamiliar with the ce and didn¡¯t dare venture too deep. But it was their first time here, and curiosity got the best of them. There was an artificialke nearby. They found a clean spot,id some leaves, and rested. Aurora held her phone, filming in the distance. ¡°Luca, Kami, didn¡¯t you guys head east? How¡¯d you end up here?¡± Aurora looked up to see someone approaching. Recognizing them, she called out in delight. Leading the way were James Burke and Lucian, both d in grey sportswear and wearing baseball caps. Kami Lindberg trailed behind,ining about tiredness, bugs everywhere, and her skin itching like crazy. ¡°Aurora, did youe alone?¡± Aurora shook her head, ¡°No, Allison is here too.¡± She pointed in a direction, ¡°She¡¯s by theke.¡± She called out loudly, ¡°Allison, Allison!¡± Allison heard her and walked over. It was only a few steps, but because of the thick trees and weeds, some even taller than a person, it was when Allison got closer that she saw Lucian was there too. She frowned. Wasn¡¯t this guy supposed to be heading east? She had taken a detour, only to run into him again. Aurora suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s take some photos here.¡± Kami nodded, ¡°Sure, why not.¡± At first, they waved their phones around for selfies, seeking the best angles, and adjusting filters, and then Aurora pulled out a camera and tripod from her bag. Allison stood aside, not intending to join them. Lucian, James, Kami, and others had already taken their positions, or more urately, Lucian. had never moved while the others stood around him. Aurora adjusted the camera, set the timer, and waved at Allison, ¡°Allison,e over. Let¡¯s take a group photo.¡± Allison stayed put. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Aurora quickly walked over, grabbed her and brought her over. The camera snapped, capturing Aurora pulling Allison, their upper bodies appearing in the frame. Chapter 221 Chapter 221 Aurora and Allison were off to the side as Aurora fiddled with her camera. James nced over at Lucian, who had been chatting up a storm until his gazended on Allison, and suddenly the atmosphere went silent. James knew the score, so he and Kami took up spots on either side of Lucian, leaving one area open next to him. That¡¯s where Allison stood. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Lucian¡¯s chiseled jawline. Once Aurora had her camera set, she moved to the other side of Allison and struck a pose. Allison followed suit. Aurora checked the shot and nodded approvingly. ¡°Not too shabby I¡¯ll get these developedter¡± ¡°Huh Aurora eximed, adjusting the camera settings and noticing that Lucian was smiling. A rare sight indeed. ¡°Lucian, where are you guys headed next?¡± Lucian didn¡¯t answer, so James did. ¡°We¡¯re going to keep trekking. There¡¯s still so much to explore around here. We¡¯ve been eastward, nearly to the fence, but Kami was tuckered out, so we headed back. Didrit get to delve as deeply as we¡¯d have liked.¡± Kami was curious but had no stamina, and the environment wasn¡¯t doing her any favours. Her curiosity quickly lost out to the harsh reality of the trek. And with just James and Lucian, things got boring fast. But now, with Allison and Aurora around, things were looking up. ¡°Honestly, though, there¡¯s not much to it. Just bugs everywhere. Look, they¡¯re all over my arm.¡± Even Aurora had a few choice words to say. With Allison leading the way and James and Kami bickering behind, the atmosphere lightened up. As Allison moved ahead, she didn¡¯t notice a branch and nearly tripped. Suddenly, a hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her back. Stumbling backwards, she collided with something solid. She caught a whiff of a faint scent of mint and tobo. In the forest, it stood out but was strangely familiar. Allison¡¯s cheeks heated up. It was the same as the robe she wore that morning. It finally clicked. The robe from that morning was Lucian¡¯s. James and Kami were still arguing, with Kami rolling her eyes and tuning him out. Aurora was busy snapping photos, ying with filters and beauty modes. Seeing Kami done with their conversation, James decided to go to Lucian. To his surprise, he saw Lucian with an arm around Allison¡¯s waist. A smirk spread across his face as he cleared his throat. The man let go, and Allison straightened her clothes. Thanks, Mr. Lindberg.¡± James came over, lightly jabbing Lucian. ¡°Lucian, I¡¯m not intruding, am 17¡± Under Lucian¡¯s icy stare, James quickly backed off. ¡°Lucian got it. I¡¯ll give you some space. Carry on.¡± Suddenly, Aurora¡¯s scream rang out. James instantly spun around, ¡°What happened?!¡± Lucian and Allison stopped, quickly turning back. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Aurora clutched her ankle, grimacing in pain, while Kami helped her stay upright. James, being a doctor, quickly moved to check on her. ¡°What happened?¡± Kami exined, ¡°A critter scared us, and Aurora twisted her ankle trying to avoid it.¡± Aurora bit her lip, her face pale: ¡°It hurts.¡± James rolled up Aurora¡¯s pant leg to examine the injury. There was no immediate swelling, but attempting to walk on it brought Aurora to tears. All she could hear was a ringing in her ears, and the pain blurred her vision. James gently probed, causing Aurora to cry out. He frowned, looking at Lucian ¡°Looks like a sprain. She needs to rest¡± Luckily, they had a first¨Caid kit. James sprayed some bruise¨Crelief medication and hoisted Aurora onto his back. They were ready to head back, but James said, ¡°Kami, you were ready to call it quits earlier, right? Juste back with me. Lucian, Allison, you two can carry on.¡± Chapter 222 Chapter 222 Allison was taken aback, I¡¯ll go back with you¡± Aurora went pale, but she knew Allison¡¯s family wasn¡¯t exactly rolling in dough. Participating in this adventure was indeed for the 30¨Cgrand prize money. Even though they didn¡¯t care about the cash, for Allison, it was another story. She thought Allison was worried about her. She leaned onto James¡¯s back and asked Allison, ¡°Don¡¯t you still want that ¡®treasure? I¡¯m fine. I just need to ice it a bit at the rest area¡± Allison hesitated but eventually nodded. 30 grand, for her, was quite the temptation. James said, ¡°Lucian and I checked the map earlier. The treasure¡® should be nearby.¡± After Kami, Aurora, and James left, Allison looked closely at the map, marked their current position, and pulled out her phone to check thepass. Sounds came from the bushes behind her. Allison turned around, and saw Lucian walking in the opposite direction. She initially wanted to go the other way, but ording to the map, the treasure¡® seemed close. She waited until Lucian¡¯s figure almost disappeared before following him.. Lucian didn¡¯t care about the 30 grand. After all, the prize money was his idea. But a man¡¯s adventurous and conquering spirit was innate. The treasure¡® location was dropped by a helicopter sent by Carl, the person in charge of the adventure, at andmark in the safe zone on Pearl Ind. Visitors have seven days to y, with the adventure being just a part of it. To ensure the health of these nobles, the safe zone had been cleared, with protectives set up deeper in. A helicopter also hovered above to prevent idents. Although people guarantee safety, safety was not absolute. In this unfamiliar ce, with unfamiliar surroundings, and overgrown weeds, Allison was a bit scared and followed Lucian¡¯s pace. Lucian led the way and stopped after a few steps. Allison was checking the time, her forehead suddenly bumped into Lucian¡¯s back. She took a step back, rubbing her forehead. His deep voice came from above, ¡°Give me the map.¡± Allison handed over the map. He took a good look, ¡°We¡¯re here, the ¡®treasure¡® is here, go north.¡± Allison leaned in to look, ¡°But there¡¯s an artificialke here.¡± Her delicate finger pointed, ¡°We were just by theke. To get there, we need to go around from behind theke¡± This would take some time. He put away the map and continued leading the way. He didn¡¯t say a word, but his pace was steady and robust. Allison followed behind him, carefully taking each step. She saw his tall and slender figure, dressed in a grey tracksuit, giving off a sense of security. This gradually made Allison rx her vignce towards the unfamiliar surroundings. She felt that as long as she followed him, they would reach their destination.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Thekeside was overgrown with weeds, misty with water vapour, and various insects and small animals began to increase. Allison carefully watched every step. Suddenly, a ck¨Cgreen insect jumped onto her foot. She was startled and almost screamed. She looked up, meeting Lucian¡¯s teasing eyes. He seemed to be enjoying her embarrassment. ¡°I thought you were a fearless person.¡± As a girl who dared toe here alone, she was unlike those rich girls. If Kami encountered such an insect, she would be scared to fly up to the sky like Superman. Chapter 223 Chapter 223 Chapter 223 ¡°I¡¯m legit scared.¡± Who wouldn¡¯t be in this unfamiliar environment, smack dab in the middle of the wild jungle? Allison smirked sarcastically, ¡°But scared or not, I gotta give it a shot. Sure, 30 grand might be chump change for you, but it¡¯s a lifesaver for me¡± Her phone buzzed abruptly. Pulling it out, she saw it was Jason calling. She picked up, ¡°Jason.¡± She didn¡¯t notice Lucian¡¯s face souring. He seemed to dislike Jason having anything to do with Allison mainly. ¡°I¡¯m at Line 3 now, you¡¯reing to find me? That¡¯s kind of out in the boonies, but alright.¡± After hanging up, Allison headed towards theke, scooping up some water to wash her face. She¡¯d been here all morning and her face had be grimy ¡°Why did you sell your virginity? Was Jason the buyer?¡± Allison thought she¡¯d heard wrong; she looked at Lucian, ¡°What?¡± She¡¯d seriously doubt her hearing if there were anyone else here besides them She looked around and then turned to Lucian, ¡°Are you asking who I sold my first time to? Mr Lindberg, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re sticking your nose where it doesn¡¯t belong? But if you really want to know.¡± Allison seemed to ponder for a moment, ¡°Give me ten thousand dors, I¡¯ll tell you the answer¡± Lucian¡¯s face turned gloomy. He looked at her nonchnt smile, furrowed his brows and turned to leave, a hint of disgust and disappointment in his eyes. He pushed through the waist¨Chigh foliage and stalked off. Allison watched his retreating figure; her eyes dimmed and the indifference from before disappeared: ¡°Why did I have to sell my virginity¡± She didn¡¯t want this, but she was driven into a corne ¡± Following the map, she found the ¡°treasure¡± ten minutester. The so¨Ccalled treasure was just a wooden box with a g inside. She stuffed the g into her bag, slung it over her shoulder, and prepared to head back. It was gettingte. If she didn¡¯t hurry back, it would be a massive mess once the night fell. Exploring here during the day was alright, but it could get really sketchy at night. Allison picked up her pace. Walking along, she noticed that the route was incorrect.. She saw a dense jungle and mountain road ahead, and it was obvious that she had not walked here. She started to panic a bit, immediately pulled out her phone andunched the GPS, but to her surprise, there was no signal. Allison nced at the time, it was 4:25 PM. She had to get out within an hour, or she¡¯d get stuck once it got dark. Above her, a helicopter was circling. She stretched out her arm, waving frantically. Tm here!!!¡± But the helicopter didn¡¯t spot her; after a few rounds, it slowly flew away. Allison quickened her steps, retracing her path. She tried her best to stay calm, telling herself not to be afraid and that everything would be okay. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. The surroundings were eerily quiet, it seemed like she was the only one there. The only sounds were the chirping of insects and the calls of birds. The unfamiliar and silent environment only made her more tense. She started running, slipped, and fell, scraping a wound on her palm. She didn¡¯t have time to bandage it and immediately checked her phone, only to find no signal, and the battery was down to 32%.. Suddenly, she heard a faint sound from behind. Allison paled. Her voice trembled, ¡°Lucian, is that you?¡± No response. She didn¡¯t dare to look back, she got up and bolted, disregarding her wound. And so, she got completely lost in the forest. Allison stopped in her tracks, looking around. Everything in front of her seemed to spin, as if she was in a vast forest maze, unable to find the exit no matter what. The more she thought about it, the more confused she became. Chapter 224 Chapter 224 Chapter 224 Lucian stepped out onto the seaside resting area. Penelope got up. ¡°Lucian¡± She walked over, grabbing Lucian¡¯s arm, Lucian, the pearls here are beautiful. I just shucked a pink one¡± She showed him the pearl bracelet wrapped around her wrist, ¡°Lucian, see¡± Lucian nced at it casually. ¡°If you like it, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. This region was all pearl farms, entirely monopolized by Lindberg Corporation after its development. Many folks were green with envy James swaggered over, ¡°Found any ¡®treasure¡® yet?¡± He looked at Lucian, then at the crowd in the rest area, but didn¡¯t see Allison. ¡°Weren¡¯t you with Allison? Where¡¯d she go?¡± Hearing Allison¡¯s name, Penelope got a bit ticked off. What? Was Lucian with Allison in the jungle? She knew that Allison was trying to get close to Lucian!! ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± Lucian thought of her waiting inside to meet Jason and his throat suddenly felt dry. ¡°Then where did she go?¡± James didn¡¯t spot Allison around. Nearby, a girl mentioned, ¡°Isn¡¯t Allison with Jason? In the jungle, Jason¡¯s been looking for her non¨C stop.¡± James shook his head, ¡°No, Jason¡¯s been out for a while now.¡± Lucian frowned, ¡°Jason¡¯s out?¡± In the rest area, a girl said, ¡°Yeah, one of the girls in Jason¡¯s team, Lily, got bitten by a snake. They¡¯ve been out for hours.¡± Lucian¡¯s face went ashen. He checked his watch. It was 5 in the afternoon. The jungle was dense, and it was starting to darken. Was Allison still inside? His heart clenched. He pulled his hand free from Penelope and strode forward. James saw the change in Lucian¡¯s face and immediately realized Allison was still inside, he quickly followed Lucian while Penelope hurriedly called out, ¡°Lucian, where are you going?¡± Lucian didn¡¯t answer Penelope; he immediately told James, ¡°Contact Carl, gather everyone, and start searching for Allison!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Lucian grabbed a shlight and strode into the jungle. Back in the rest area, Penelope was stomping her foot in frustration. Her face was a picture of rage, almost twisted. Nathalie and Sabina didn¡¯t dare to say a word. Sabina nced at Nathalie, who walked over to Penelope, attempting to console her, ¡°Penelope, don¡¯t get angry, remember you¡¯re pregnant!¡± ¡°Allison! I knew it, not only is she with Jason, but she¡¯s also trying to lure Lucian!¡± What really scared Penelope was that Lucian seemed to have real feelings for Allison *Penelope, no matter how Allison tries to seduce Lucian, he¡¯s always liked you. How could he ever fall for a lowly maid?* Before Nathalie could finish, Penelope cut her off. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything!¡± If Lucian found out the truth, she was toast. Nathalie was taken aback by the scolding, as was Sabina. Penelope usually liked to show off and boss them around, but she had never lost her cool like this before. The jungle was deepening into darkness by six in the evening. Allison was dragging her tired legs; the jungle was bigger than she¡¯d imagined. The air was chilly. The temperature difference between day and night on Pearl Ind was huge. She turned on her shlight, shining it onto the path ahead. It was pitch ck, seemingly endless. She looked up at the night sky, and Allison saw the stars and bright moonlight through the gaps in the tree branches. She tried to discern her current direction based on the light in the sky Each step felt like venturing into the unknown. Chapter 225 Chapter 225 Chapter 225 Allison didn¡¯t dare lo venture too deep into the jungle, fearing it wouldnd her in a whole heap of trouble. Without human intervention, there could be snakes and bugs popping up left and right. However, she¡¯d already been roaming around the jungle for hours. She kept moving in one direction. From the entrance of the jungle expedition to the supposed ¡°treasure¡°, it was only a few hours away. But there was still no one in sight, and there could only be one reason for that. Allison¡¯s pupils dted slowly. At this point, she was deep into the jungle, well beyond the area maintained by the expedition crew. Allison¡¯s fingers clenched tightly. A cold breeze stirred behind her. Her lips quivered, she was lost, and no matter how cool¨Cheaded she usually was or how many times she told herself to keep calm, she couldn¡¯t keep her cool in this situation! Could she die here? No, she couldn¡¯t die here. Grace was still waiting for her! She had promised to take Grace to a beautiful, cosy ce to live. Grace was still in the hospital. She dumped all the useless stuff from her backpack, including some sunblock and a bustedpass. She had to conserve her energy. Lucian, shlight in hand, gazed ahead. His handsome and calm face betrayed a hint of panic as he strode forward, yelling Allison¡¯s name, ¡°Allison! Allison-¡± His phone started to vibrate. ¡°Lucian, you need to get out of there, it¡¯s supposed to rain tonight. The situation in the jungle could go south real quick. Get out, and we¡¯ll figure out a n.¡± Lucian didn¡¯t stop; he just kept walking; his voice was urgent, ¡°I have to find her! James, you said it yourself, it¡¯s going to rain, and the temperature in the jungle on Pearl Ind drops drastically at night. If she¡¯s really trapped, she might not make it.¡± ¡°Carl¡¯s already called the search and rescue team, they¡¯ll be here soon.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Allison? Send me her location¡± ¡°I can¡¯t find her, her phone seems to be out of service.¡± Lucian¡¯s face changed; he clenched his jaw, ready to hang up; James rushed to say. ¡°Be careful, and stay in touch.¡± Lucian grunted in reply. ¡°What? Allison still hasn¡¯te out!¡± Jason grabbed his backpack, ready to dash into the jungle right away. *Jason! It¡¯s dangerous, don¡¯t go in.¡± Lily immediately tried to stop him, ¡°The search and rescue team is already in there, let¡¯s get back, the waves will get biggerter, and the yacht won¡¯t be able to operate!¡± ¡°No, I have to go!¡± Jason pushed Lily away, took a few steps forward, and Carl followed, wiping his sweat. Mr Lindberg had already gone in. If Jason rushed in too, and something happened, as the person in charge of this project, he wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it. *Jason, you can¡¯t go in.¡± Carl did his best to stop Jason, who was both anxious and helpless, ¡°Let go!¡± Carl had two people hold Jason back, he couldn¡¯t let him go in. It was alreadyte at night, anything could happen in the jungle. If anything went wrong, it would be unimaginable Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Let me go, I need to find Allison!¡± Jason was extremely anxious. ¡°Mr Lindberg is already in there, Jason, you should go back. You¡¯re not going to be any help here, adding one more person to the situation just increases the risk. Let¡¯s wait for the professional rescue team.¡± Chapter 226 Chapter 226 Chapter 226 Lily watched Jason fretting over Allison, and it broke her heart ¡°Jason, maybe Allison is already home. Maybe she¡¯s okay. She didn¡¯t tell you¡± ¡°Yeah, maybe Allison¡¯s already back, and now even Mr. Lindberg is dragged into this¡± ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? Jason whipped out his phone, calling Allison repeatedly, but he couldn¡¯t get through. He quickly dialled Lucian, but his phone was also unreachable. Allison was rubbing her arms, cold and weak, and suddenly she slipped and fell to the ground again. She was deep in the jungle now, with rocks and broken branches scattered all over the ground, making every step a struggle She propped herself up on her arms, and the pain made her cry involuntarily. Her palms and knees were badly scraped, she had fallen countless times during her journey. Her phone battery was down to 19%. She didn¡¯t dare to use her phone light anymore. She could only grope her way forward. Her body, arms, and neck were scratched up by the half a meter¨Chigh weeds. Her strength was starting to drain, and the sprain on her ankle was getting worse: She leaned against a big tree for a rest. She pulled out her phone, opened the photo album, found a photo of her and Grace from before, and tears uncontrobly rolled down her cheeks, ¡°Mom, if I can¡¯t make it back, you still have Adrian. He will take good care of you.¡± ¡°Lucian, in our next life, I hope you are born into a normal family, or maybe, my family could be a bit better off.¡± She wiped her tears, revisiting many memories. In her mind, she was back to that day when she was lying under Lucian, the first time they met, and he asked her name. She said, ¡°My name is Penelope.¡± She thought of the child that suddenly appeared in her belly and had to leave, and she couldn¡¯t help crying. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, baby¡± This was the first time she felt deep guilt. ¡°Lucian, you jerk!¡± Suddenly, a familiar raspy male voice echoed through the silent jungle, ¡°You¡¯ve got quite a loud voice when you¡¯re cursing. Guess you¡¯re still alive.¡± Allison was taken aback. Did she hear things? Why was she hearing Lucian¡¯s voice? She lifted her head. Tears fell instantly. Her vision blurred. Lucian was really there, not far from her, walking towards her. Lucian approached. He lowered his head, not trying to hide his worry and panic. He had practically run all the way looking for Allison and when he found out she had ventured deep into the jungle, he was extremely anxious, not knowing what dangers the jungle held. Deep in the jungle, there was no cell phone signal. They couldn¡¯t contact anyone. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. At this moment, when Lucian saw Allison standing in front of him unharmed, his racing heart began to slow down. He looked at Allison Her eyes were shockingly bright. Suddenly, his throat felt as if it was blocked. He couldn¡¯t speak. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He hid all his emotions, saying in a low voice. The surrounding light was dim, and Allison couldn¡¯t see clearly. She just looked into his eyes, slowly stood up, and took a step forward. Her foot hurt badly. ¡°Why did youe?¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t, would you prefer to face dangers here alone?¡± Lucian looked around sarcastically, I¡¯ve never seen anyone as adventurous as you daring toe here. Do you know how dangerous it is here at night?¡± He looked down at her swollen ankle, ¡°Can you walk?¡± Allison nodded. Lucian frowned. Obviously, she couldn¡¯t walk now. He straightened up, and suddenly, his pupils narrowed, ¡°Watch out!¡± ¡°Allison, what¡¯s up?¡± Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Suddenly, she felt a sound in the initially quiet environment. This sound made her heart tense. She looked up and found a snake on her head, its tongue sticking out. It was all ck with a few red lines. This was a very rare snake. Lucian looked serious, ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Allison didn¡¯t dare to move. Her lips began to tremble, and the snake suddenly pounced on her. She immediately closed her eyes. Lucian grabbed her waist with one hand and caught the snake with the other as it pounced. But snakes in the forest usually have venom, and he was bitten without any preparation. Allison didn¡¯t feel the pain she expected. She suddenly opened her eyes and looked at the wound on Lucian¡¯s hand, ¡°Are you okay?¡± Lucian nced at the back of his hand, frowned, but didn¡¯t hesitate, ¡°Let¡¯s go, don¡¯t dy¡± In the forest, there might be other dangers. The snake was startled just now, and other things might happen. ¡°No way!¡± Allison took out first aid supplies from her bag, ¡°Your hand needs treatment. She quickly gave Lucian first aid. Lucian bent down and looked at the puzzled Allison, ¡°Hurry up!¡± Allison widened her eyes, looking at Lucian¡¯s broad back. Is he going to carry her? After hesitating for a few seconds, Allisony on Lucian¡¯s back. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. His steps were steady and fast. Carrying her, Allison felt an unprecedented sense of security. She began to feel a little nervous, then rxed, pressing her face against Lucian¡¯s back, and Lucian¡¯s back also shuddered slightly. Allison was light, he didn¡¯t feel any pressure, but he had to leave quickly. The ce where his hand was bitten started to hurt. He knew the snake was venomous, and the sky began to darken as if it was going to rain. If they couldn¡¯t leave as soon as possible, he and Allison might be trapped here. Thunder began to sound. Lucian¡¯s pace began to slow down. His face was pale, and he was sweating all over. ¡°Lucian, Lucian.¡± Allison called his name. He stopped, his vision a little blurry. He put Allison down, tightly holding her hand, ¡°You go this way.¡± ¡°How are you, Lucian,¡± Allison was a little flustered. She looked at Lucian¡¯s hand. The snake was poisonous. Her eyes were shocked. Lucian¡¯s body began to fall Allison quickly held him, ¡°Lucian!¡± It began to drizzle. Allison dragged Lucian and finally found a cave in a ce where stones were piled up. Inside the cave, there were dense cobwebs. The ground was dust and burnt wood. It looked like someone had stayed here before. It should have been Carl and others who had been here before. She put Lucian down and found some wood to make a fire.. Allison reached out and touched Lucian¡¯s forehead, the temperature was expected, but Lucian had passed out, and his condition didn¡¯t look good. She took out medicine, bandages from the first aid kit, and a small knife. Allison cut open the wound on Lucian¡¯s hand, sucked out the poisonous blood, tied his wrist tightly with gauze, carefully applied medicine and bandaged it. The light in the cave was dim. Lucian opened his eyes, but his vision was very blurry. He looked at the figure in front of him vaguely. Suddenly, he said, ¡°Yuliana¡± Allison was sorting out the first aid kit. When she heard this name, her hand suddenly stopped. Yuliana. This wasn¡¯t the first time she heard Lucian call this name Who is Yuliana? She looked at Lucian¡¯s face, looked at the abnormal red on his face, reached out and touched his forehead. Sure enough, he had a fever. ¡°Yuliana¡± He tightly held her hand. Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Allison was taken aback. Her pupils shimmered under the glow of the mes. ¡°Lucian, my name is Allison¡± Lucian seemed a bit lost ¡°Allison¡± ¡°Yes, Allison.¡± Lucian muttered something inaudible. He was really sick, his mind fuzzy Seeing him weakly move his lips, Allison leaned in. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Allison, where are you?¡± Allisons expression slightly changed. Looking at the unconscious and sickly Lucian, she realized he still remembered her name. ¡°I¡¯m here she whispered, knowing he wouldn¡¯t hear her. Outside the cave, the rain started to fall She didn¡¯t want to think about what could¡¯ve happened without this cave. Allison was anxious. She used all the medicine she had. However, Lucian¡¯s condition had not improved due to snake venom, and she was in aa. She checked her phone no signal. They were deep in the forest. What were she and Lucian to do? When would help arrive? Jason and the others returned to the hotel. They immediately asked, ¡°Has Allison returned?¡± The staff shook their head. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Ms Zimmer¡± Jason was taken aback by the sound of thunder outside and heavy rain, and they had no idea about the situation in the forest. He dialled Carl¡¯s number. ¡°Allison hasn¡¯t returned, Carl, you need to find her and Lucian!!¡± Carl was equally frantic. Penelope, standing nearby, heard the conversation and went pale. ¡°What are we going to do? Lucian¡¯s still in there!! What if something happens?!¡± She shouted, ¡°We haven¡¯t found Lucian yet, what the hell are you guys doing? The forest is dangerous; if something happens to Lucian, Carl, can you take the responsibility?!¡± Carl wiped the sweat off his face. Of course, he couldn¡¯t take responsibility. Right now, his legs were shaking. He knew how dangerous the forest was. He had cleared the obstacles in the forest months in advance so these rich youngsters coulde here for an adventure. But he and a professional exploration team had only gone deep into the forest once. There were venomous snakes and poisonous nts, and many fierce animals. Especially deep in the forest after rain. What he was most worried about now was that Allison and Mr Lindberg might have reached the depths of the forest, or else there would be a signal on their phones. He originally thought the young people would only y in the safe zone. He didn¡¯t expect them to venture deep into the forest. ¡®Penelope, don¡¯t worry. Lucian will be fine.¡± Sabina rushed over tofort her.. The people who came by yacht all tried tofort her. But Penelope was not only worried about Lucian¡¯s safety but also about Lucian being with Allison. If something happened to Allison in the jungle, that would be great. Allison can¡¯t meet Lucian N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. The two had been missing for five hours. The rescue team finally arrived. Due to the heavy rain, boats were inoperable, and helicopters couldn¡¯t fly. Carl looked at the rescuers as if they were his family. ¡°You¡¯re finally here. If we dy any longer, it¡¯ll really be dangerous. The team leader frowned and quickly surveyed the terrain. ¡°it¡¯s raining now, and it¡¯s dark. The situation isplex. Do you have a map of the deeper parts of the jungle?¡± Carl handed over the map again. I¡¯ve only been once. I only have a remote monitoring map, not a detailed one. The ind is huge. We use it to farm. pearls, so there hasn¡¯t been much development inside Mr Lindberg and Allison¡¯s phones are unreachable I suspect they¡¯re deep on the ind. There are all kinds of wild animals, so be careful¡± ¡°Okay, got it.¡± The team leader looked at the dark forest, his brow furrowed. The mission was challenging, but they had to proceed. He directed, ¡°Tearns of three move quickly through the forest. Bring res and medicine. Follow me¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Carl looked up at the sky and said, ¡°Once the rain lets up a bit, I¡¯ll get a chopper to do a satellite search. It¡¯s all on you guys nown, we gotta find Mr Lindberg¡± If the future heir to the Lindberg Corporation really kicked the bucket here, the fallout would be unpredictable. Once they were in the forest,n whipped out his phone and dialled a number right before he lost signal, ¡°Aidan Crane, Lucian¡¯s in the forest too, been MIA for five hours now¡± A deep male voice came from the other side, I¡¯m already on it.¡± The news of Lucian and Allison going missing was spreading like wildfire in the hotel. If they weren¡¯t found by sunrise, it would be all over the ce. By then, the Lindberg Corporation would be in one hell of a shitstorm. Rain wasing down like cats and dogs.n looked at the dark forest and muttered, ¡°If Lucian¡¯s gone, that¡¯s one less yer in your game. George isn¡¯t a match for you. Without Lucian, the Lindberg Corporation is all yours¡± He believed that only Lucian could stand up to Aidan George didn¡¯t have what it takes to take on Aidan, neither in tactics nor capability. After a long pause on the other side of the phone, Jan, I wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± *1 heard Lucian went into the forest to save ady Is she his fianc¨¦?¡± ¡°No, her name¡¯s Allison, she¡¯s Aidan¡¯s voice softened, ¡°a pretty interesting character¡± ¡°Interesting, that¡¯s a first for you to describe a girl like that? Lucian opened his eyes. He saw a faint light of fire and heard the sound of dripping water. He tried to sit up, but he felt weak. The snakebite was worse than he thought. His lips and tongue were dry, and his face flushed. There was no one around him. He forced himself to sit up and looked around. He seemed to be in a cave that wasn¡¯tpletely closed. Apart from the entrance, there were a few ces where rain was leaking in The rain outside was heavy He looked around and found that Allison wasn¡¯t there. Only a faint scent of a woman lingered in the air, reminding him that she was gone. Did she really leave? He felt a bit lost in his heart. Lucian clenched his arm. That woman really did leave him alone here. Which was to be expected. He gave a self¨Cdeprecatingugh. If she didn¡¯t leave, she would be stuck here. There was no food or no medicine, it was cold and miserable, and there were snakes, poisonous nts, bugs, ants, and maybe even wild beasts everywhere. Hey back down weakly. Was he going to die here? Lucian never thought he would face such a situation. If he hadn¡¯t tried to save that woman, he wouldn¡¯t have been bitten by the snake, but at this moment, aside from disappointment, Lucian had no other feelings, especially not regret He closed his eyes. In his mind, a pair of bright eyes appeared. This woman, she deceived him with those eyes. He didn¡¯t know how long it had been He was awake but powerless His whole body was hot, and he listened to the sound of rain falling outside. Suddenly, he heard the sound of rushing footsteps. A fresh scent mixed with the smell of rain entered his nostrils. The woman said in surprise and delight, ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡° Chapter 230 Chapter 230 Chapter 230 Lucian suddenly snapped his eyes open in disbelief. He saw Allison, drenched from head to toe, stepping into the cave, her eyes as bright as the gxy. Her clothes clung to her body, her long hair stuck to her neck, and raindrops slid down her pale face. Allison wiped her hands, looking at Lucian, who was now awake and touched his forehead. Her hand was cold, and he was hot, causing him to shiver slightly. ¡°You alright.¡± In Allison¡¯s other hand were some herbs. ¡°You¡¯re running a pretty high fever, I went out to pick some herbs for you, these can help lower your temperature and detoxify¡± As she spoke, she looked very pleased and even shook the herbs in front of his eyes. Lucian¡¯s eyes twinkled, his lips sealed tight. He swallowed a few times, then said, ¡°You can go now.¡± Allison looked at him and said, ¡°How can I leave when you¡¯re still here? where would I go.¡± A few secondster, Allison added some firewood, warming up the cave a bit. She said, ¡°You thought I would leave, didn¡¯t you.¡± Lucian didn¡¯t say a word, just closed his eyes. Allison found some tools, crushed the herbs and applied them to his hand, ¡°You saved me once, I saved you once, we¡¯re even now. Then she noticed a scratch on his other hand, covered by a square band¨Caid, not easily noticeable. But he was finest night when ying games on the beach. Allison didn¡¯t think much of it, tore off the band¨Caid, and found that his wound was not treated in time. Coupled with being soaked in rain, the wound looked serious; she frowned and said, ¡°What happened? I remember you were finest night.¡± ¡°You have quite a memory.¡± Lucian said casually, ¡°You got drunk and jumped into the seast night, I saved you. And again today, that¡¯s twice, Allison, you owe me two.¡± ¡°Who got drunk,¡± Allison mumbled. She was too drunk to remember, and just had to take his word for it. ¡°You took advantage of me when I was drunk, you even bullied me.¡± Lucian opened his eyes and said, ¡°Bullied, how? Didn¡¯t you enjoy it? I was the one who was tired, weren¡¯t you enjoying yourself?¡± Allison gritted her teeth. Forget it, she wasn¡¯t going to argue with him. Right now, the most important thing was to find a way out of here. After dressing his wound, Allison looked out of the cave; the rain was lightning. They had to wait until the rain stopped to find a way out. Allison returned to the cave, she felt the stickiness of her wet clothes. She hesitated for a moment, then she took off her blouse, leaving on a light¨Ccolored camisole. ¡°By the way, that yellow dress is in my bedroom. I¡¯ll wash it and return it to you when I get back.¡± Lucian casually said, ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, just throw it away.¡± Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Lucian was gazing at her, noticing a birthmark on her back, red as a petal, about the size of a fingernail. Lucian recalled the indecent photos and information about Allison. The woman in the photos, also bare¨Cbacked, was with several men. Although he couldn¡¯t clearly see her face, he inferred from her figure that it was Allison But the woman in the photo didn¡¯t have a birthmark on her back. Lucians eyes squited However, Allison admitted having had an abortion, several boyfriends, and a chaotic private life. Where did it go wrong? Chapter 231 Chapter 231 Chapter 231 ¡°Get my clothes off too. They¡¯re too damp and ufortable on me¡± Allison turned around, her face slightly flushed, ¡°Can¡¯t you do it yourself?¡± Lucian says calmly, I¡¯ve been bitten by a snake I¡¯m still feverish I don¡¯t have the strength¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Allison took off his shoes and tracksuit bottoms, then averted her gaze Suddenly, she noticed a scar on the man¡¯s left leg ¡°Mr. Lindberg, what happened to your leg?¡± ¡°It was broken once, Lucian replies, ¡°Ten years ago, in an earthquake in Cloudville, my leg was broken¡± Allison silently stared at the man¡¯s left leg. Was this a coincidence? She still remembered when she was a child, during the earthquake in Cloudville, she was buried in the ruins. The teenager who was buried with her, his left leg trapped. They wereter rescued, but she never saw that teenager again. ¡°You¡¯re lucky,¡± Allison seems to recall, ¡°That earthquake was horrifying. Many people lost their families and loved ones. I¡¯m also from Cloudville,¡± she recalled the kind face of her grandmother, wiping her eye corner, ¡°My grandma died in that earthquake.¡± At this time People in the hotel can¡¯t sleep, especially Penelope. In the conference room. ¡°Carl, you must find Lucian. This is your main responsibility! If anything happens to Lucian, I will never forgive you!¡± Penelope got more worried the more she thought about it. She called the driver, ¡°Drive, I¡¯m going to Pearl Ind!¡± On the phone. ¡°Be careful. I can¡¯t afford it if anything happens to you. Penelope was pregnant, and if anything happened, he really can¡¯t afford it, ¡°Ms. nagan, don¡¯t get excited. The search and rescue team has already set off.¡± Everyone thought Penelope was overly worried about Lucian. Only Penelope, deep down, knew if Allison and Lucian were alone on the isted ind, who knew what could happen? If Allison spilled the truth about the hotel, her position could be jeopardized. ¡°Penelope, don¡¯t be upset. Take care of your health ¡°Yes, Carl will find Mr. Lindberg. Going to the ind won¡¯t be of any use.¡± Nathalie was afraid of Penelope going out in the rain to the ind, and she had to be apanied by her and Sabina. It¡¯s raining now The sea was rough. The yacht was unstable. It could capsize, but they dared not go. ¡°Yes, Penelope. You need to calm down. Your health is most important.¡± Compared to Penelope¡¯s excitement, Jason had already calmed down. He took a deep breath, ¡°Penelope, you going into the forest now is useless. We¡¯re not a professional search and rescue team, this heavy rain you are. going through is suicide. You should trust Lucian.¡± He felt scared and worried. After all, Allison and Lucian were both in the forest. Kami¡¯s eyes were red. At this moment, she began to resent Allison. It¡¯s all because of this maid. Otherwise, Lucian wouldn¡¯t be in the forest. ¡°Jason, Lucian will be alright, right?¡± ¡°He will be alright, Jason said firmly, ¡°Definitely¡± The door to the conference room was pushed open. Aidan walked in with a cane. Kami immediately stood up, quickly running over, ¡°Aidan.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Aidan couldn¡¯t participate in this activity because of his leg, so he¡¯s been in his room. Kami quickly said, ¡°Aidan, Lucian is missing. Because that maid called Allison couldn¡¯t be found in the forest, he rushed in Penelope listened to Kami¡¯s words, feeling very ufortable. Many people in the conference room were looking at Penelope, their expressions varied. So Lucian went into the forest for Allison. Chapter 232 Chapter 232 Chapter 232 Even though everyone knew that Lucian and Allison had vanished in the woods, it didn¡¯t mean they had a clue why. It wasn¡¯t until they heard Kami spill the beans that they realized Lucian had gone missing trying to save the maid, leaving them with weird looks. Aidan looked around and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s James?¡± Jason replied, ¡°He¡¯s on the ind, looking for people with Carl,¡± Aldan nodded, then gave an order to one of his guys, I¡¯m heading to the ind, Jason. You guys hold the fort here.¡± Kami grabbed his hand and said, ¡°No, Aidan. It¡¯s raining cats and dogs, the waves are crazy, and the trip to Pearl Ind is long. It¡¯s a risky business.¡± But Aidan wasn¡¯t about to change his mind just because of Kami¡¯s plea. He didn¡¯t even give her a second nce, shook off her hand, and walked off. Kami tried to follow but was stopped by one of Aidan¡¯s men. ¡°Please, go back and rest.¡± With no other choice, Kami turned around and left. Despite the rough seas, Aidan managed tond on Pearl Ind. Carl, wearing a raincoat, said, ¡°Mr. Crane, what brings you here?¡± Inside the control room, Aidan looked at the satellite map on theputer and asked, ¡°Have they been found yet?¡± There¡¯s no signal in the deep woods.n¡¯s team is already there. They¡¯re sending signals, moving towards the center¡± Carl said, ¡°We should find them by dawn.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Aidan replied. ¡°I need 100% certainty. They must be found.¡± Carl gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Aidan looked out into the rainy night, gripping his cane tightly. He watched a blue re explode in the night sky. Carl immediately pinpointed the location, That¡¯s a re fromn. They¡¯re on trail 06, deep in the woods.¡± The rain had eased up, and Allison¡¯s clothes were halfway dry. She put them back on. She rechecked Lucian¡¯s hand. The area around his wound was red and purplish. The snake¡¯s venom was potent, and although she had treated the wound promptly, Lucian was still running a high fever. The herbs could only make him slightly morefortable. She was the reason the snake bit Lucian. ¡°I heard from Penelope that your mother is sick.¡± The man¡¯s voice came out of nowhere. ¡°What else did Penelope tell you?¡± Allison smirked a hint of sarcasm in her voice. ¡°Did she also mention that she and Leah paid my mother¡¯s medical bills?¡± She looked up towards the cave entrance and whispered, ¡°Kidney failure. Needs money to survive.¡± ¡°Did you sell yourself for that?¡± Allison clenched her fists, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, will you ask me who I sold myself to next? Would you believe me if I said it was you?¡± Her words were dripping with sarcasm, which Lucian naturally didn¡¯t buy. He had been living abroad and only returned to Northfield four months ago. After being drugged, he spent a night with Penelope. His first night with Allison was due to her drugging him during the Willowbrook College anniversary. By that time, Allison was no longer a virgin. He said nothing more. Allison whispered, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, who took my virginity, which I sold myself to, whose child I¡¯m carrying, do they matter to you?¡± ¡°None of my business.¡± ¡°If it has nothing to do with you, Mr. Lindberg, why do you care what I do?¡± The man clenched his fist. Yeah, why did he care? What did this woman¡¯s promiscuous private life have to do with him? ¡°Or is it, Mr. Lindberg, that you like me?¡± Chapter 233 Chapter 233 Chapter 233 The manughed coldly. ¡°What a joke!¡± He mocked mercilessly. ¡°Allison, you¡¯re so full of yourself Look at yourself Why on earth would I be interested in you? If it weren¡¯t for your constant attempts to seduce me, I wouldn¡¯t even spare you a nce¡± Fair enough¡± Allison retorted sarcastically Why would he be interested in her? The thought brought a pang of pain to her heart A cold wind carrying rain swept into the cave, making her shiver. She hadn¡¯t expected the hot summer morning to turn so cold by night ¡°Mr Lindberg, what brings you deep into the forest? Was it for her? Lucian¡¯s expression was icy, the cave barely lit by a faint fire 1 got lost ¡°He answered, looking at Allison¡¯s slender back. He paused briefly, then added, ¡°Just happened to bump into you. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be dumb enough to wander deep into the forest¡± ¡°Oh¡± Allison said. ¡°So I¡¯m the dumb one for wandering into the forest What about you, Mr. Lindberg?¡± The man gritted his teeth, ¡®Allison¡®¡± In the middle of the night, the man fell unconscious Allison stayed by his side, calling his name repeatedly, ¡°Lucian, Lucian!¡± ¡°Lucian, don¡¯t fall asleep!¡± It was cold, and he was running a fever. If he fell asleep, who knew what could happen? She pped his cheek lightly, ¡°Lucian, open your eyes.¡± He opened his eyes groggily. His vision was blurry, his mind a mess. He vaguely saw a woman¡¯s silhouette. Her lips were moving, her eyes bright, but he couldn¡¯t understand what she was saying. The face gradually merged with a young one deeply etched in his memory Was it her? Lucian¡¯s vision blurred again, and he closed his eyes. Allison cried out in panic, ¡°Lucian!¡± At three in the morning, the rain stopped. Allison, with a shlight in hand, stepped out of the cave alone. Her foot was severely injured, and now her ankle was swollen, but she couldn¡¯t care less about her injuries. This was a pristine jungle, home to many medicinal nts. She had to find a way, or Lucian might not get through this fever She used to go herb picking with her grandmother and was familiar with many medicinal nts. But now, in the dark, she could only grope her way forward Suddenly, a blue light burst into the sky Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. A re! Allison looked up and immediately started running in that direction. Someone wasing to rescue them! Her eyes were filled with hope. The recent rain had made the ground slippery, and mud pits were everywhere. Allison didn¡¯t know how many times she fell. She kept stumbling and running towards the re. Allison was suddenly tripped by a stone. She tried to prop her body up with her hands, struggling to get up. But her eyelids were getting heavier, and her vision was beginning to blur She felt her strength fading. But Lucian was still waiting for her. She propped her body up with her hands. It seemed like something had torn her palms, her legs too. She gasped heavily in pain Just then, ¡°Captain, there¡¯s someone here¡± Her voice was getting weaker. With that, she slowly closed her eyes. He took off his glove and ced his hand on her forehead. This woman had a high fever. He looked at the night sky, calmly instructing his team, ¡®Shoot a red re. Tell them we¡¯ve found the people. It¡¯s critical. Get a chopper here for rescue now!¡± ¡°Roger!¡± He looked down at the woman in his arms. He took off his glove and gently moved the hair off her face. She was beautiful. This was the exciting woman Aldan mentioned, and Lucian had gone into the forest alone for her. This woman was indeed extraordinary. In the hospital. ? ? ? ? ? Allison opened her eyes. The nurse changing her bandages, immediately rang the bell for the doctor The doctor, after examining her, said, ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re fine now¡± Looking around, the smell of disinfectant filled the air. She was in a hospital She was rescued The nurse asked, ¡°Ms Zimmer, how are you feeling now?¡± Allison nced at the name tag on the nurse¡¯s chest, This is the city hospital. How long was I out?¡± ¡°One day, you were brought in yesterday morning at 7. It¡¯s now R in the evening.¡± Allison murmured. Her eyshes fluttered. How was Lucian? ¡°The man who came in with me, how is he?¡± ¡°You mean Mr. Lindberg? He¡¯s in room 509.¡± ¡± Allison got out of bed and went to the door of room 509. The doctor wasing out. As the door swung open and shut, Allison saw Penelope was also in the room, sitting by the bed. Allison turned on her heel and walked away. Chapter 234 Chapter 234 Chapter 234 In the hospital room, Penelope¡¯s eyes welled up with tears as she watched Lucian awaken, whispering, ¡°Lucian¡± Due to the snake venom, Lucian¡¯s vision was blurry, and his nerves were under attack. He had been unconscious all night, and his thoughts were still fuzzy He vaguely saw a woman in front of him He thought he was still in the forest, still in that cave. ¡°Allison¡± Penelope was taken aback when she heard this name, and then she gritted her teeth. Sure enough, something must have happened between them in the forest. Otherwise, why would Lucian call out Allison¡¯s name? A sense of unease suddenly filled her heart. But at this moment, as Lucian was about to wake up. Penelope burst into tears, ¡°Lucian¡± The man opened his eyes, his vision gradually clearing The smell of antiseptic told him he was in a hospital. Penelope was crying in front of him, throwing herself into his arms, ¡°Lucian, you scared me to death.¡± His arm was numb from the snakebite. He gently patted her back, ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± Lucian, you really scared me. I didn¡¯t know what to do. The baby and I missed you,¡± Penelope said, cing the man¡¯s hand on her stomach. Lucian was taken aback. Under his palm, he could feel theN?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. woman¡¯s slightly protruding belly. His eyes softened a bit, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for worrying you.¡± ¡°Lucian, don¡¯t do such dangerous things in the future,¡± Penelope reminded him. Although she harboured some resentment towards Allison, she didn¡¯t dare to show it too obviously. After all, she didn¡¯t know what happened between Allison and Lucian in the forest. She was cautiously probing. Seeing that the man did not react, she gently said, ¡°Lucian, the doctor said your hand was numb and weak due to the snake venom. You should be alright after a few days of rest.¡± Lucian squeezed his right hand, which was numb from his fingers to his arm. He sat up as the door to the hospital room opened, and a doctor and nurse came in. Lucian said to Penelope, ¡°You should go home.¡± But Penelope didn¡¯t want to leave. She worried that Allison woulde again if she left, ¡°No, Lucian, I want to stay with you¡± Lucian ordered Shawn, who was outside the door, ¡°Shawn, take Penelope home.¡± He looked at Penelope, ¡°You¡¯re tired too. It would be best if you rested well. You¡¯re taking care of yourself and the child in your belly.¡± Hearing Lucian say this, Penelope nodded. ¡°Alright, the baby and I will see youter.¡± She patted her belly, which was her most powerful bargaining chip. Penelope and Shawn arrived in the hallway. When they passed Allison¡¯s room, Penelope stopped. She nced at Shawn, ¡°Shawn, I want to check on Allison. Wait for me here.¡± Shawn was just an assistant and had no right to stop Penelope, so he nodded in agreement. In the hospital room. Allison was sitting in a chair reading. Hearing someone pushing the door open, she thought it was a nurse, so she didn¡¯t look up. She heard the sound of high heels on the floor and frowned slightly. Before she could look up, a pair of high heels had already entered her field of vision. Allison already had a hunch about who wasing. She closed the book in her hand, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Allison¡± Penelope knew that Shawn was outside. She gritted her teeth and whispered, ¡°What happened between you and Lucian in the forest?¡± ¡°What do you think should have happened between Lucian and me?¡± Allison looked at Penelope, her gaze falling on Penelope¡¯s belly. This was her child with Lucian. She clenched her fists, ¡°Penelope, I don¡¯t wee you in my room.¡± ¡°Allison, I¡¯m warning you! I have your mother now. With one word from me, she can be kicked out of the hospital! Without the expensive anti¨Crejection drugs, Grace will die tomorrow!¡± Allison¡¯s eyes grew cold, ¡°Penelope, that¡¯s illegal!¡± Chapter 235 Chapter 235 Chapter 235 Penelope wasn¡¯t scared at all, ¡°As long as you behave and keep the truth under wraps. Your sickly mom can stay alive, and you won¡¯t have to suffer so much.¡± After the doctor checked Lucian out and gave him a few instructions, Lucian got out of bed. He took a few steps to get a feel for it. His high fever was gone, just a slight one left. Aside from his right hand feeling weak and numb, everything else was fine. ¡°Where¡¯s the woman who came with me?¡± ¡°Mr. Lindberg, you¡¯re referring to Allison, right? She¡¯s awake now, in room 502. No major issues, just some scrapes and her ankle injury will need about half a month to heal.¡± The man left the room and arrived at the door of room 502. He saw Shawn not far away, ¡°Why are you here? Didn¡¯t I ask you to take Penelope home?¡± Shawn replied, ¡°Ms. nagan said she wanted to see Allison¡± Inside the room Upon hearing the noise outside, Penelope quickly thought. In about two seconds, she beat Allison to the punch, gave herself a hard p, and sat on the §±oor, ¡°Ahh!¡± A piercing scream. Lucian rushed into the room, only to see Penelope lying on the floor with a handprint on her face and Allison looking at him in shock. ¡°My stomach hurts so much!¡± Penelope cried, ¡°It hurts.¡± Lucian quickly picked up Penelope, ¡°Penelope, are you okay?¡± Penelope grabbed Lucian¡¯s hand, her face twisted with pain, ¡°It¡¯s not Allison¡¯s fault. I just came to see her, to thank her. I heard she found help in the forest. that saved you. I told her it was a misunderstanding before, but she suddenly got angry and tried to hurt my baby¡± ¡°Our baby.¡± Penelope¡¯s face was pale, highlighting the severity of the p mark on her cheek. She closed her eyes and passed out. Lucian¡¯s face changed. He looked at Allison, ¡°What the hell are you trying to do? Allison, you better pray that Penelope and the baby are okay!¡± He turned around and left the room with Penelope in his arms. Allison smirked, a touch of self¨Cmockery in her smile. Penelope sure knew how to y dirty, even resorting to such tactics. She was just sitting on the bed, not moving at all. Thinking back to his sudden change in expression, it seemed he really cared about Penelope and the baby. In the afternoon, when the nurse came for rounds, Allison said, ¡°I want to be discharged.¡± The nurse asked, ¡°You want to leave now? We suggest you rest for two more days.¡± Allison may look okay, but she had many wounds, scrapes and cuts, the worst on her foot. ¡°No need.¡± Allison didn¡¯t want to stay here any longer. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get your discharge papers ready¡± Half an hourter, Allison had already changed out of her hospital gown. There was nothing of hers in the room. She turned around, ready to leave¡­ She just got to the door when she saw Lucianing towards her, which surprised her. ¡°Leaving?¡± Lucian noticed she¡¯d changed out of her hospital gown. She was ready to leave, but his gaze turned stern, ¡°Penelope is still in the operating room, and you¡¯re just leaving!¡± Allison¡¯s eyes widened. What? Operating room? She never touched Penelope. After Penelope pped herself, she sat on the floor. Her movements weren¡¯t significant. How could she end up in the operating room? Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. She crossed her arms over her chest, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, do you really believe I pped Penelope? What¡¯s my motive? Why would I hit her?¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t you, are you saying she hit herself?¡± Chapter 236 Chapter 236 Chapter 236 She looked into Lucian Lindberg¡¯s eyes and said, For real¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Lucian retorted harshly, Huh, you believe this made¨Cup story of yours?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the fact, what¡¯s there not to believe?¡± She looked back into his eyes again and reaffirmed, ¡®Penelope hurt herself and then the thed to frame me on purpose!¡± Penelope, Penelope, how is my daughter. An anxious voice came from the corridor, followed by the sound of footsteps Upon hearing the news, Leah rushed over. As soon as she saw Allison, she pped her hard. 7 knew it was you, I knew you were out to get my daughter!¡± Allison was stunned. Her left cheek was in great pain and she could even taste blood in her mouth. Leah was about to p Allison again but was blocked by Lucian. ¡®Mrs. nagan.¡± Only then did Leah notice Lucian was right there. She realized she had lost herposure. ¡°Lucian, you don¡¯t know Alison must have done something to my daughter. Penelope is four months pregnant, what if something happens to her?¡± Allison firmly retorted. ¡°Believe it or not, I didn¡¯t hurt her. That¡¯s the fact.¡± Leah knew in her heart that Allison wouldn¡¯t dare to hurt Penelope, and it was likely that her own daughter did it on purpose. But she had to defend her She looked at Allison, pretending to be heartbroken. ¡°Penelope is so kind, and she¡¯s been so good to you. Allison, how could you do this to Penelope? Aren¡¯t you just trying to seduce Mr. Lindberg and be a rich man¡¯s wife? Don¡¯t forget, is what you¡¯re doing fair to your mother who¡¯s lying in the hospital bed? Mentioning the word ¡°mother! Le gritted her teeth as if to remind her. Allison looked at Leah, her fists clenched tightly, her knuckles tight. She knew Leah was threatening her with Grace Today, Penelope framed her, and she could only swallow her anger. ¡°Yes,¡± she took a deep breath, ¡°I¡¯m jealous of Penelope¡­¡± Leah looked shocked and heartbroken, but inside, she wasughing with satisfaction, ¡°I knew it was you!!¡± Lucian watched her face change quickly, first denying it firmly, then admitting it. He pursed his lips, filled with anger, ¡°Allison, I¡¯ll ask you one more time, did you push Penelope?¡± Allison looked into his eyes, and for a moment, she felt weak and sad. She gritted her teeth and finally, tremblingly, said the word, ¡°Yes¡± ¡°Good, very good.¡± Lucian nodded. He now understood this woman. -She was full of lies, and everything about her was fake. Not long after Lucian left, Leah raised her hand and hit Allison hard. She hit with all her might, and the nearby nurse couldn¡¯t help but stop her. THey no fighting in the hospital!¡± Allison clenched her teeth, her mouth full of the taste of blood. Her vision was going ck, and there was a buzzing sound in her ears. She straightened her back and looked at Leah, her eyes full of coldness Leah snorted proudly, ¡°Allison, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know your little scheme. You deliberately got close to Lucian, just hoping he would find out you were the woman at the hotel that night, right? Your mother¡¯s fate is in your hands, Grace¡¯s life and death depend on your word.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to get close to Lucian that much, Leah, then let my mother go. I¡¯ll take my mother and leave Northfield¡± Chapter 237 Chapter 237 Chapter 237 How on earth would Leah let Grace go? Without Grace, she couldn¡¯t control Allison. Allison was already so defiant, and without Grace, things would only get worse. The truth about the hotel was like a licking time bomb. Before Penelope became Lucian¡¯s wife, this secret needed to be kept under wraps. When Christopher got the news of his daughter¡¯sa, he dropped everything and rushed over. Upon arriving at the hospital, he saw Leah. Leah pointed at Allison and said to Christopher, ¡°Christopher, this is the precious child you¡¯ve always spoiled. If it wasn¡¯t for her, our Penelope wouldn¡¯t be in aa. If anything happens to Penelope, Allison, you¡¯ll pay with your life!¡± Christopher looked at Allison and asked, ¡°Allie, is what she¡¯s saying true? Did you push Penelope?¡± Ever since Allison found out the truth about her father and Ricky¡¯s death, Christopher¡¯s gentle face seemed torn in front of her. Wasn¡¯t Christopher¡¯s multiple assistances due to his quilt over the past? She had thought about telling Christopher that her mother was now under Leah¡¯s control. She wanted to ask Christopher to help save her mother. But now, Allison understood that Penelope, Leah, and Christopher were family, and they¡¯d stick together no matter what They would intentionally downy all the bad stuff. If she told Christopher that Leah had her mother under house arrest, and that she was being threatened and controlled by Leah, Christopher would still y the role of mediator. Leah was his wife. If Leah cried, he¡¯dfort Leah. It was just ridiculous. ¡°Yes, it was me.¡± Allison scoffed, ¡°I just hope that you three, can pay for what you¡¯ve done!¡± Christopher¡¯s face changed, and he chided, ¡°Allie, how could you talk like that!¡± ¡°Mr. nagan, you don¡¯t have to pretend to care about me anymore, I¡¯ve seen through the true colors of the nagan family!¡± Christopher pointed at Allison and said, ¡°Allie, you disappoint me!¡± ¡°Disappointed? Mr. nagan, did you think you could keep the cause of my father and Ricky¡¯s death secret forever?¡± Christopher was stunned. Allison knew? Leah was also surprised. Allison actually knew about the cause of her father and Ricky¡¯s death. She said to Allison, ¡°Allison, it was just an ident, and you can¡¯t me this on Christopher. It was just bad luck for your father and Ricky¡± That¡¯s enough, Leah Christopher¡¯s face changed when he mentioned the past. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°ident?¡± Allison tasted the bloody taste on her tongue and stared at Christopher, ¡°Mr. nagan, dare you say it was really an ident?¡± Christopher¡¯s face was ugly. This was always a thorn in his heart. He felt guilty, but this guilt was more to ease his conscience from torment. -Allison pressed him, ¡°Mr. nagan, did you really decide to switch cars with my father at thest minute?¡± ¡°..¡± Christopher was speechless, his face showing both guilt and anger at being exposed, ¡°Allison, that happened many years ago. All these years, I¡¯ve never been able to forget it.¡± Leah knew that Christopher could never forget about it, especially with Grace involved. She watched the expression on Christopher¡¯s face, secretly angry at Allison, ¡°Christopher has been so good to you and Grace for all these years. Wasn¡¯t everything you ate, wore, and lived in, provided by the nagan family? You¡¯re really ungrateful.¡± ¡°Mr. nagan, I hope you can truly be at peace.¡± After saying this, Allison turned and left. Chapter 238 Chapter 238 Chapter 238 Christopher heaved a deep sigh. Allison was better off knowing some things. That way, he wouldn¡¯t have to keep things bottled up, tormenting himself. For all these years, his conscience has been gnawed at countless times. Leah knew Christopher was soft¨Chearted, so she continued to speak, ¡°Christopher, look at Allison¡¯s attitude. Haven¡¯t we been kind enough to her family all these years? We paid for her mother¡¯s medical bills, you helped her out when she was expelled from school for truancy, and I found her a job¡­ This ungrateful creature, she¡¯s not grateful at all. She is even jealous of Penelope. If anything happens to Penelope or the baby, I¡¯ll never let Allison off the hook!¡± ¡°Leah, do you know which hospital Grace is in now?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Leah¡¯s face changed, she said nervously, ¡°How would I know, you¡¯re not nning to visit her, are you? Christopher, be honest, do you still have feelings for her?¡± ¡°No way, but you know, we¡¯ve known each other for a long time. We haven¡¯t spoken for years because of Allison¡¯s father¡¯s ident; I want to clear things. up with her.¡± Christopher had always wanted to see Grace and clear up the past, but he could never find her. He didn¡¯t know where Grace was getting treated. ¡°You don¡¯t know, so how would I?¡± Leah said, ¡°I¡¯m going to see Penelope.¡± In the sickroom, Penelope woke up. She was pale and weak, leaning against Lucian¡¯s chest, ¡°Lucian, is our baby okay?¡± ¡°The doctor said it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°I was really scared¡± Penelope¡¯s eyes were red, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t me Allison, it¡¯s my fault, I just wanted to thank her for saving you in the forest. I didn¡¯t expect her to suddenly lose her temper at me.¡± Lucian frowned slightly, ¡°You¡¯re saying, Allison lost her temper at you willingly?¡± He subconsciously felt something was off about Penelope¡¯s words. Penelope was nervous, she didn¡¯t understand why Lucian would ask like that, did she say something wrong? Or did Allison say something? She pretended to be unconscious, shouldn¡¯t Lucian trust her? After all, the child in her belly was a Lindberg. Penelope cautiously said, ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into Allison. She suddenly pped me, using me of showing off and wanting to fight over you. I was trying to protect the baby, so I didn¡¯t argue with her, and then she pushed me down.¡± Lucian said, ¡°Are you sure?¡± Penelope¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Was there a problem? ¡°Ah, I feel the baby kicking¡± She gritted her teeth internally, not daring to continue the topic. She ced Lucian¡¯s hand on her belly, ¡°Lucian, feel it, the baby¡¯s fine, I¡¯m so relieved. If anything happened to the baby, I don¡¯t know what I would do.¡± Lucian looked at Penelope¡¯s expression, and his face turned cold, ¡°Penelope, you and the baby are fine, so you should rest.¡± ¡°Lucian, can you stay with me?¡± Lucian stood up, ¡°Penelope, you just had a scare, you need to rest. I¡¯ll have the doctore and check on you again.¡± He then walked towards the door. As he opened the door, Leah and Christopher were standing outside. They wanted to talk to Lucian, but he said straight up, ¡°Mr. nagan, I¡¯m going to rest in my room, you guys stay with Penelope.¡± ¡°Alright, I heard you just came back from Pearl Ind and had a lot to deal with. You go and rest, Leah and I will stay with Penelope.¡± He pushed the door open, Penelope looked at Leah and Christopher, ¡°Dad, Mom. ¡°Penelope, you really scared us. Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡± Knowing that his daughter and the child in her belly were safe, Christopher breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°You have to take care of yourself, the child in your belly is extremely important, nothing can happen.¡± Leah angrily said, This is all Grace¡¯s daughter¡¯s fault, she¡¯s jealous of Penelope. If not for her, would Penelope be like this? Thank God.¡± Christopher shook his head, he didn¡¯t want to argue with Leah about this, he simply said, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a phone call. I have a lot of work to deal with, Leah, you stay with Penelope Chapter 239 Chapter 239 Chapter 239 ¡°Penelope, this kid is your only shot at bing Lucian¡¯s wife.¡± ¡°Mom, I know.¡± ¡°Penelope, did anything special happen between you and Lucian while you were vacationing on Pearl Ind?¡± Penelope blushed, knowing exactly what Leah was getting at She shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s all because of Allison. I had nned to have a nice week¨Clong vacation. I was all set with all sorts of¡­¡± Her face reddened again. She had prepared all sorts of sex toys, but it was all ruined by Allison. She didn¡¯t even get a chance to be alone with Lucian! ¡°Alright, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future. You need to take care of yourself first,¡± Leah patted Penelope¡¯s hand. Penelope clenched her fingers, ¡°Mom, I can¡¯t have this baby. As soon as the baby is born and a DNA test is done, they will quickly find out that the baby is not from the Lindberg family¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we still have several months. We will n this out carefully.¡± Allison returned to the nagan family. She hadpletely broken off with the nagans. She returned to her ce and started packing her bags. She and Grace had lived here for over ten years, the furniture andyout simple. There were only two bedrooms, a living room, and a small kitchen connected to the living room. She packed up Grace¡¯s things as well, nning to move out as soon as she found a new ce. She took a shower; looking in the mirror, she realized the bruises on her face weren¡¯t too bad. But Leah had hit her hard enough to cause her cheek to swell, she couldn¡¯t work at the Red Jack Club for the next few days. She called Sarah, ¡°I¡¯ve given you a week¡¯s leave, you should rest well.¡± The incident with Lucian and Allison in the forest had already spread throughout the Lindberg family. At first, they tried to keep it a secret, but someone let the cat out of the bag. Once Carter found out, they couldn¡¯t keep it under wraps any longer. He first scolded Jason and Aidan, This is a big deal, and you two kept it from me! Do you think I don¡¯t exist?¡± Jason said, ¡°We didn¡¯t want to worry you.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t want to worry me?¡± Carter sighed, ¡°How could I not be worried?¡± Aidan said, ¡°Grandpa, Lucian has recovered now. He¡¯s fine, the snake venom has been cleared. The doctor said it was thanks to Ms. Zimmer.¡± Carter was silent for a few seconds, ¡°The girl Allison?¡± She did have exceptional medical skills. She even saved his life once. ¡°Yeah, she sucked out the snake venom from Lucian and treated him urgently. It would have been very dangerous for him being stuck in the forest for that long.¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Jason nced at Aidan, who still looked calm. Jason quickly said, ¡°Yes, we should thank Allison. If it weren¡¯t for her, the rescue might not have gone so smoothly.¡± Carter nodded, ¡°It seems that our family owes her twice.¡± They left the study. Because of his leg trouble, Aidan walked behind. He stepped aside to let Jason pass, but Jason didn¡¯t leave immediately, ¡°Aidan, I should thank you this time.¡± Aidan raised an eyebrow, ¡°What are you thanking me for?¡± ¡°For speaking up for Allison¡± Aidan smiled. He was the same age as Lucian, four years older than Jason, ¡°Jason, do you really like Allison?¡± ¡°Aidan, if I tell you, you mightugh at me.¡± Jason clenched his fist, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve had such different feelings for a girl¡­ Even though he knew about her past, knew about the shocking revtions she made during the truth or dare game that he had no idea about. I¡¯ve been thinking a lot these past few days. Liking someone is as simple as that.¡± Jason didn¡¯t care. Chapter 240 Chapter 240 Chapter 240 In the afternoon, Carter and his crew immediately headed for the hospital. Lucian¡¯s snake venom had been neutralized, but because of some dy, the remaining venom had infiltrated and paralyzed his hand nerves. As a result, his right hand had been undergoing rehabilitation training for the past few days. In the ward Knowing that Lucian was okay, Carter was also at peace. Lucian didn¡¯t want his grandpa to worry too much, so he told Carter, ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m all good¡± ¡°This experience was really a close shave, you need to thank not only Allison but also Aidan.¡± Carter looked rxed, but his voice was very firm. The thing he was most satisfied with were his two grandsons, and the future of Lindberg Corporation would also be handed over to them. But he also knew that the rtionship between Lucian and Aidan wasn¡¯t good. Yuliana Crane He recalled that incident and still felt sorrow inside. Yuliana had always been a good girl, but unfortunately¡­ Lucian¡¯s encounter in the forest this time made Carter want to mend the rtionship between the two grandsons; after all, he was getting old. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Aidan contacting the Wolf Search Team immediately, the rescue wouldn¡¯t have gone so smoothly¡± The Wolf Search Team was a well¨Cknown international search and rescue organization with a total of 27 members. Their physical training was twenty times that of the average person, and they had participated in countlessrge¨Cscale international rescue operations. Thest time the Wolf Search Team participated in a rescue operation was ten months ago during a major explosion at the Novaria capital airport. The team¡¯s 27 members were all highly skilled. After that, the Wolf Search Team hadn¡¯t participated in any rescue activities. This time, after they received Aidan¡¯s call, the team leader,n, organized 12 people. After four hours of effort, they sessfully made their way through the deep forest and found Allison and Lucian. Lucian nodded, ¡°Indeed, we should thank them.¡± But there was a hint of gloom in his eyes. Apart from Aidan, no one could get in touch withn. There was a knock at the door. Miranda and Cora walked in. Miranda rushed over as soon as she heard her son was injured. Initially, Carter was nning to keep it from Miranda, as she just had major surgery and was still weak. Lucian asked, ¡°Mom, why are you here?¡± ¡°How could I note!¡± Miranda looked at Lucian lying in the hospital bed, her eyes immediately reddening, ¡°Of course, I have to see my son. How are you?¡® ¡°I¡¯m fine now¡± Lucian looked at Cora, seeming a bit helpless, ¡°Cora¡­ Cora exined, ¡°I made a phone call, and your mom heard it, so she insisted oning to see you. She won¡¯t be at ease until she sees you¡¯re okay with her own eyes.¡± ¡°I heard you were bitten by a snake. How are you now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine now, Mom, don¡¯t worry Lucian¡¯s face was a bit pale. Miranda was worried sick. She was busy calling someone to make chicken soup while asking the doctor about his condition. Lucian nced at Cora as if asking her to take Miranda away. Cora couldn¡¯t fulfill this task; she gave Lucian a ¡®you deal with it¡® smile. Then she went to Carter, ¡°Dad, since we¡¯re already in the hospital. I¡¯ve made an appointment with a doctor for you to have a physical examination.¡± Carter nodded, ¡°Sounds good¡± Penelope was in her own ward. The doctor had just finished her examination, ¡°Ms. nagan, your health is very good now, and the baby in your belly is also very healthy.¡± Healthy? Penelope frowned, looking at Margo Margo went to the door and closed it. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. The doctor looked at Penelope, asking, puzzled, ¡°Ms. nagan, what is this¡­?¡± Chapter 241 Chapter 241 Chapter 241 ¡°Doc, how could my baby be fine after I was pushed down so hard? I didn¡¯t miscarry, but there must be some damage,¡± she said, pulling a bank card from her bag. After the doctor left, Margo came in ¡°Ms. nagan, I heard Carter is in Mr. Lindberg¡¯s room now.¡± ¡°Carter¡¯s here?¡± Penelope jumped up at the news. Margo rushed over to help her as Penelope made a few steps before returning ¡°Where¡¯s my patient gown?¡± Penelope hated the hospital gowns and refused to put one on during her stay, but now she had to Margo understood Penelope¡¯s request, ¡°It¡¯s in the bathroom. I¡¯ll get it Penelope moved quickly through the process, her brisk pace contradicting her pregnant state. Her and Lucian¡¯s rooms were on different floors. She exited the elevator and, with Margo¡¯s help, arrived at Lucian¡¯s room. Feigning weakness, she pushed open the door and acted surprised to see the people in the room, ¡°Carter, Cora, Miranda, you¡¯re all here?¡± Her innocent and clueless demeanor was a testament to her acting skills. Cora was shocked to see Penelope in a hospital gown, ¡°Penelope, what happened?¡± Penelope, pretending to be caught off guard, nced at Lucian hesitantly, ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s just¡­¡± Margo, understanding Penelope¡¯s intention, was about to say, ¡°Ms. nagan was¡­ Before she could finish her sentence, a deep, raspy male voice interrupted. Lucian, looking at Penelope with a warning in his eyes, said, ¡°She had a minor bump. For safety¡¯s sake, she¡¯s resting here after a check¨Cup¡± Margo was taken aback, looking to Penelope for guidance. Penelope had intended to me the incident on Allison in front of Carter and the Lindberg family. However, before she could say anything, Lucian cut her off, insisting it was Penelope¡¯s own clumsiness. Penelope¡¯s expression changed slightly, the warning in Lucian¡¯s voice making her nervous. She forced augh, ¡°Ah, yes, I was careless; I bumped into something.¡± Miranda came over, concerned about the baby, ¡°How could you be so careless?¡± Cora asked, ¡°What did the doctor say? How are you feeling now?¡± Penelope leaned weakly against Margo, her face adorned with a forced smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯m fine.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°Look at you, you¡¯re pale. You can¡¯t possibly be fine.¡± Margo interjected, ¡°Ms. nagan was concerned about Mr. Lindberg¡¯s health and wanted to see him. I couldn¡¯t stop her. She hurried over before she could finish her IV.¡± Carter stood up, ¡°Penelope, you need to rest and be more careful from now on.¡± ¡°I understand, Grandpa¡± Margo apanied Penelope back to her room, and Miranda, concerned, followed. In the room, Miranda told Margo, ¡°You need to take good care of Penelope.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Just then, the doctor walked in. Penelope handed the doctor some money. The doctor, having prepared everything, said sternly, ¡°Ms. nagan, how could you move around so casually? The fetus in your stomach is in a very unstable condition right now.¡± Chapter 242 Chapter 242 Chapter 242 Upon hearing the child¡¯s unstable condition, Miranda immediately frowned and asked, ¡°Doc, how¡¯s she doing?¡± The doctor shook his head, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Ms. nagan¡¯s good health, she might have miscarried from the fall. Fortunately, we were able to treat her in time, and the baby is safe for now.¡± Miranda¡¯s face turned pale upon hearing the severity of the situation. Tears welled up in Penelope¡¯s eyes as she choked out, ¡°Doctor, you must save my child.¡± Margoforted Penelope, ¡®Ms. nagan, you¡¯re such a good person, your child won¡¯t die.¡± Seeing the look in Penelope¡¯s eyes, she continued, ¡°It¡¯s all Allison¡¯s fault. How could you have ended up like this if it weren¡¯t for her?¡± Miranda, furrowing her brows, asked, ¡°Allison? What does this have to do with Allison?¡± Margo cried out in a wronged tone, ¡°Miranda, you must stand up for Ms. nagan.¡± Penelope immediately stopped Margo, ¡°Margo, no.¡± ¡°Ms. nagan, you¡¯re just too kind, still protecting someone like Allison at this time.¡± Penelope, looking troubled, said, ¡°Margo, I promised Lucian, stop saying.¡± Margo gritted her teeth, ¡°Ms. nagan, I can¡¯t stand seeing you wronged¡± Miranda was somewhat confused, ¡°What¡¯s going on? What does this have to do with Allison?¡± Penelope burst into tears. Sitting by the bed, Miranda grabbed Penelope¡¯s hand, ¡°Penelope, tell me, what happened?¡± ¡°Miranda, since Ms. nagan won¡¯t say it, I will. I can¡¯t stand seeing Ms. nagan being wronged, but I still hope you can keep it a secret for her. After all, I don¡¯t want to see any discord between Ms. nagan and Mr. Lindberg.¡± Miranda was even more confused, ¡°How did this suddenly involve my son? Margo, go ahead.¡± ¡°Ms. nagan was pushed by Allison, and she hurt the child. The doctors worked for several hours in the emergency room to stabilize the situation. But Ms. nagan promised Mr. Lindberg that she wouldn¡¯t tell anyone about it.¡± ¡°Allison?¡± Miranda envisioned Allison¡¯s gentle and beautiful figure. No matter how she looked at it, Allison didn¡¯t seem like the person Margo described. Moreover, Allison saved Carter, she saved her own son. She should be thanking Allison. ¡°Miranda, you must have been fooled by Allison. You¡¯ve only been in contact with Allison for a few days, but Ms. nagan and I have known her for many years. You don¡¯t know, Allison is the best at disguising herself. She always pretends to be innocent and kind, even Jason was fooled by her.¡± Miranda looked at Penelope and asked softly, ¡°Penelope, did Allison really push you?¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. With tears in her eyes, Penelope nodded. Miranda had no idea that Allison was such a person. With a triumphant heart and tear¨Cstreaked face, Penelope looked at Miranda, ¡°Miranda, it¡¯s not entirely Allison¡¯s fault, I went to find her. I wanted to thank her for saving Lucian in the forest, but she was very hostile to me. Ever since Lucian and I got together, Allison has been getting close to Lucian, trying to attract his attention.¡± Miranda frowned deeply. Seeing that Miranda seemed to believe her, Penelope grabbed Miranda¡¯s hand and looked very wronged, ¡°Her father and Ricky both died saving my father, so although Allison seems like our maid, we¡¯ve been very good to her. When Allison¡¯s mother was in the hospital, all the expenses were paid by us. When Allison often skipped school, it was my father who dealt with the school. When she couldn¡¯t find a job because she hadn¡¯t gotten her diploma, it was my mother who helped her find a job. From childhood, whatever I liked, Allison always wanted to snatch it away.¡± Miranda gently patted the back of her hand, ¡°You¡¯re a sweet girl, you¡¯ve suffered enough.¡± Chapter 243 Chapter 243 Chapter 243 ¡°Actually, Miranda, Ms. nagan ain¡¯t looking to make a big fuss about it. Mr. Lindberg¡¯s got a bit of a thing for Allison too. Clearly, it was Allison who shoved Ms. nagan, almost causing her to miscarry, but Mr. Lindberg¡¯s still defending her.¡± Penelope looked at Margo, seriously saying, ¡°Margo, how could you say that?¡± ¡°Ms. nagan, I¡¯m just stating facts¡± ¡°Miranda, you can¡¯t let Lucian know about this. I promised him. If he finds out, he¡¯ll scold me.¡± ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t tell him.¡± Miranda told Penelope to rest well, then she left the ward with her head in a whirl. But now that she thought about it, that maid Allison was a bit off. She was smart and beautiful. Jason liked her too, and even brought her to family dinners. She saved Carter. Was that all to get close to her son? When she returned to Lucian¡¯s ward, Cora had taken Carter for a check¨Cup. A nurse was changing the bandages on Lucian¡¯s hand. She blushed, softly reminding him of precautions. Miranda looked at the wound on her son¡¯s arm, and after the nurse left, she remembered Penelope¡¯s words. She went to the bedside, ¡°Lucian, tell me, do you¡­ She wanted to ask if he liked the maid Allison, but changed her question, ¡°Do you really like Penelope?¡± Lucian¡¯s expression tightened a bit, his handsome face didn¡¯t show much emotion, he just asked, ¡°Mom, why do you ¡°Lucian, can¡¯t I get to know you better? Do you like Penelope, or do you not want to marry her?¡± ¡°Mom, I said, I¡¯ll be responsible for her.¡± ¡°Just responsible?¡± Miranda asked, ¡°If it was another girl who saved you, would you do the same?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Penelope wasn¡¯t special. Miranda sighed, ¡°What about Allison?¡± ¡°Mom, why are you suddenly bringing her up?¡± The man¡¯s lips thinned, ¡°Where did you go just now?¡± ask that?¡± ¡°Lucian, if you liked Allison before, I wouldn¡¯t object. But now Penelope is pregnant, and we¡¯ve already arranged the marriage with the nagans. When Penelope¡¯s child is born, you will get married. Plus, Allison is just a maid, not noble enough.¡± If this was known, it would be a hot topic. ¡°Mom, I wouldn¡¯t like a lying woman.¡± Lucian¡¯s expression wasplicated, ¡°Did you hear some gossip?¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No, don¡¯t overthink it.¡± After Miranda left, Lucian called Shawn, ¡°Check where my mom just went, who she met.¡± Five minutester, Shawn walked in. ¡°Mr. Lindberg, Miranda was in Ms. nagan¡¯s ward the whole time.¡± Lucian said, ¡°Huh, I thought she was a patient woman¡± Shawn still held a paper bag, ¡°Sir, I checked the info about Ms. Zimmer you requested again. This time, the info has been strictly verified, these photos are real, and so is this video. None of them have been tampered with.¡± ¡°Do you think a person can lie hypocritically on one hand, and be innocent on the other?¡± He carefully looked at the photos, whether it was the figure or the face, and the video, they could all prove this person was Allison. But why didn¡¯t he want to believe Allison was like that deep down. Chapter 244 Chapter 244 Chapter 244 Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Shawn was trying to decipher Lucian¡¯s thoughts, ¡°Sir, she might be too good at pretending. Either you¡¯re in denial, or all this is fake.¡± ¡°Dig into this man.¡± Lucian stretched out his hand, pointing to a man in the photo sitting next to a half¨C naked woman. The man was showing half of his face, and although the photo was somewhat blurry, it was still clear. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Also,¡± Lucian instructed, ¡°arrange for my discharge and have someone keep an eye on Penelope.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Allison, can we meet?¡± Allison looked at the message Jason had sent on her phone. In the past few days, Jason had called her several times, but Allison did not pick up. She ignored all the messages he sent This time, right after the message was delivered, the phone rang again. Allison sighed and answered it. Indeed, she needed to clear things up with Jason. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Allison, I¡¯m right outside.¡± Allison¡¯s eyshes fluttered. What? She opened the door, and Jason was standing there. He was holding a bunch of stuff, and when he saw Allison open the door, he shed a big grin, ¡°Come, see what I brought you?¡± Then, he walked into the living room. As soon as he entered the living room, Jason was taken aback by the simple household furnishings. He knew that Allison was not well off and that her mother¡¯s illness might have left them strapped for cash, but he didn¡¯t expect her home to be so sparsely furnished. The sofa, TV, the makeshift kitchen that connected to the living room, and the table and chairs, although in, were all very tidy. Jason felt kind of emotional. ¡°When you were unconscious, I was at the hospital. When I went again, the doctor said you were discharged. I¡¯ve been trying to reach you these past few days, but you wouldn¡¯t pick up, so I had to come here.¡± Allison lowered her head, ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll make you some coffee.¡± As she went to the kitchen, Jason sat on the sofa, looking around Allison¡¯s ce. Although the room was simple, he felt its warmth. Allison washed some fruits and brought out a cup of coffee. Jason pointed to a family photo hanging on the wall, on the left was a girl in a white dress. Her smile was refreshing, her skin delicate, ¡°This is you, right.¡± Allison looked at the only family photo in the house. Two months after this photo was taken, her father and Ricky passed away. ¡°Yep, that¡¯s me.¡± ¡°And this is?¡± Jason looked at the boy standing on the right, who was a head taller than Allison. ¡°That¡¯s Ricky. He and my father, they¡¯re both gone.¡± Jason was taken aback. He seemed to want tofort her but didn¡¯t know how. ¡°Allison, I¡¯ve been thinking a lot these past few days. I genuinely don¡¯t care about your past.¡± Holding a cup of coffee, Allison softly pursed her lips, smiling, ¡°Mr. Brummett, there¡¯s no future for us. Wee from different worlds. You might not care, but I do.¡± ¡°You¡¯re rejecting me, aren¡¯t you?¡± Although Jason felt a hint of disappointment, Allison¡¯s rejection was something he had anticipated. He knew well that Allison wouldn¡¯t ept him that easily. He smiled and said, ¡°Allison, you can reject me, but you can¡¯t deprive me of the right to pursue you Allison didn¡¯t know how to exin the gap between them, ¡°Mr. Brummett, you don¡¯t understand.¡± Jason interrupted her, ¡°I don¡¯t want to understand those things, I only care about one thing, and that is, I don¡¯t care about your past. I only care about your future. Allison was a little lost. Chapter 245 Chapter 245 Chapter 245 After deep thought, Allison looked into the man¡¯s passionate eyes, Jason, I¡¯m pretty sure our futures are also different.¡± ¡°Different or not, we won¡¯t know until we try,¡± Jason seemed a bit desperate. ¡°How will you know if you don¡¯t give it a shot?¡± Allison fell silent. ¡°Allison, I know you haven¡¯t epted me yet, but I¡¯ll keep chasing after you,¡± Jason didn¡¯t give up. ¡°Jason¡­¡± Faced with his persistence, Allison really didn¡¯t know how to respond. However, a warm feeling rose in her heart. She realized that there really were men who didn¡¯t care about her ¡®past¡®. She knew that Penelope must have med all the bad stuff on her, making her carry the reputation of a chaotic personal life. ¡°Allison, these are some supplements I prepared for you. The doctor said you were malnourished and a bit anemic when you were unconscious¡± ¡°Thank you¡± ¡°Let¡¯s skip the ¡®thank yous¡® between us.¡± In the kitchen, Allison was cooking noodles, its aroma wafting over. She almost forgot about it and walked into the kitchen. She cooked a lot of pasta, enough for two bowls, ¡°I made some pasta, do you want some?¡± There wasn¡¯t much food left in her fridge, and she nned to move out in a couple of days. Jason quickly finished. Even this simple homemade dish tasted surprisingly good to him. He thought the pasta was just as good as the food he usually had at five¨Cstar hotels. ¡°Allison, are you moving out?¡± He suddenly noticed that the bedroom door was open, with two suitcases lying open inside. Allison lifted her head and slowly said, ¡°I want to move out of here.¡± ¡°Moving out is a good idea. This ce is too small, Jason asked, ¡°Have you found a suitable ce yet?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± After leaving Allison¡¯s ce, Jason called a few friends with whom he was close. His friend asked, ¡°What, you¡¯re looking for a rental? Jason, don¡¯t you own several vis? Are you short on houses?¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Not for me, I want to help a friend. The house can¡¯t be too nice, or she might not ept it.¡± ¡°What friend?¡± Laughter came from the other end of the phone, ¡°A girl, huh? Jason, when did you get a new girlfriend? Bring her over to meet us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty busy right now.¡± Jason was also quite busy at schooltely. ¡°Jason, if you want to rent an average residence, I suggest you look at rental websites, or check out neighborhoods you like.¡± Jason ran around and finally found a suitable neighborhood. It had a good security system, wasn¡¯t far from the city center, and had convenient transportation. Although the house wasn¡¯t expensive, it would be a bit pricey for Allison. There were a few houses for rent, Jason found one on a suitable floor and contacted the owner. ¡°I want to buy this house.¡± ¡°But we only lease it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m willing to buy it outright for 20% above the market price.¡± The other party responded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get the paperwork started for you¡± Jason spent the whole afternoon getting the paperwork done. It was a two¨Cbedroom apartment with over 80 square meters, very suitable for a woman. He thought about it and contacted Daisy. Daisy asked, somewhat puzzled, ¡°Is this Jason?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Why would you call me?¡± She and Jason had almost no contact. Even if they saw each other at school, they wouldn¡¯t say hello. ¡°Daisy, I know you¡¯re good friends with Allison. Could you do me a favor?¡± Chapter 246 Chapter 246 Chapter 246 ¡°Allison is nning to move house recently, and you know her, she¡¯s always been such a penny pincher. I¡¯m worried she might end up renting some run¨Cdown, unsafe ce just to save some bucks. So, I bought an apartment building, nning to rent it to her at a rock¨Cbottom price. But I don¡¯t want her to know that I¡¯m the owner I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll turn it down once she finds out.¡± ¡°So, you want me to help you out?¡± Daisy knew Jason had a thing for Allison. ¡°But Jason, are you serous about this?¡± Daisy knew Allison well. She didn¡¯t want Allison to be taken for a ride. Jason was quite adies¡® man. He had a ton of girlfriends. ¡°Daisy, I really like her At three o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Daisy went to Allison¡¯s house. Allison was tidying up her books, putting them all into cardboard boxes. Daisy walked in and said, ¡°So you¡¯re really moving, huh?¡± Allison replied, ¡°Yep, I¡¯ve had it with Christopher. I can¡¯t stand to live here anymore.¡± She looked at Daisy and said. ¡°My dad and Ricky¡¯s deaths were no ident. In fact, they died for Christopher¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. That day, it should have been Christopher who died on the road. Allison told Daisy the truth about what happened. Daisy clenched her fists in anger and said, ¡°That¡¯s outrageous! I didn¡¯t know Christopher was such a person. He always seemed so nice Daisy knew that the deaths of Joshua and Ricky were always a pain in Allison¡¯s heart and her mother¡¯s. Losing two loved ones was such a hard thing for Allison Allison had always respected Christopher, treating him like her own family. Even when Leah asionally bullied her, she would neverin to Christopher, not wanting to let her own little problems affect their rtionship. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it! Christopher seems so nice. You¡¯ve always respected him so much. Doesn¡¯t he have a conscience? No, someone like him, how could he have a conscience? After being with Leah for so many years, how could he be any good?¡± Daisy put down her bag and squatted down to help Allison tidy up the books. ¡°When are you nning to move out? Have you found a ce yet?¡± Allison sighed and shook her head. She had looked for a lot of houses online, but they were either too expensive or too far out of the way. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay at my ce? My mom really likes you, and we have plenty of rooms.¡± Allison shook her head. If it was just for a few days, it would be okay, but she didn¡¯t want to intrude on Daisy¡¯s life for a long period of time. Daisy remembered what Jason had said. She didn¡¯t really want to help Jason. She thought that a yboy like Jason had to stay as far away from Allison as possible But¡­. ¡°Allison, what do you think about Jason?¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly so interested in this?¡± Allison stacked up several boxes. Her books were all sorted out. The clothes in the bedroom were already packed in the suitcase, only some daily necessities left. She picked up a paper bag and put somemonly used household items into it. I¡¯m just asking. Jason has been chasing after you, hasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°He and I, our lifestyles and values are different.¡± ¡°How could they be different? You¡¯re so beautiful, and it¡¯s totally normal that Jason likes you. Allison looked helplessly at Daisy, ¡°He is really nice to me. A few days ago, I went on vacation to Pearl Ind, and he took me there. But liking someone requires a certain feeling, you know? Like every time you see him, your heart beats faster, and your face turns red¡­¡± An image of a man shed in Allison¡¯s mind. She paused and slowly closed her lips. ¡°What feeling?¡± Daisy leaned in to look at Allison, she grabbed Allison¡¯s hand, ¡°Oh, Allison, you are blushing. Do you have someone you like?¡± Chapter 247 Chapter 247 Chapter 247 Allison shook her head and carried on with her tidying. ¡°What¡¯s the scoop, Allison? Who¡¯s got you head over heels?¡± Daisy nudged. ¡°Daisy, are you here to help me clean or to pry into my love life?¡± Allison replied. ¡°I¡¯m here to help, but I¡¯m also nosy! Come on, Allison, dish the dirt! Who¡¯s the apple of your eye?¡± Daisy kept chattering around Allison like an unstoppable parrot. Allison didn¡¯t bat an eyelid, just kept on with her tidying. Eventually, Daisy dropped the interrogation. She continued, ¡°Allison, I know a guy who¡¯s got a ce. It¡¯s in the city center at Blue Mountain Estate, a swanky eighty¨Csomething square meter pad. It¡¯s a real steal. He¡¯s living abroad and no one¡¯s staying there. Fancy a look?¡± Allison had seen ces at Blue Mountain Estate online. They weren¡¯t cheap, and required a three¨C month deposit, and the annual rent wasn¡¯t exactly chump change. But the location was tops and it had a lot going for it. At five in the afternoon, after a meal with Daisy, they hopped in a cab to Blue Mountain Estate. Daisy whipped out the keys and opened the door. The ce was beautifully decorated and the surroundings were top¨Cnotch. Seeing Allison hesitate, Daisy said, ¡°This ce is really something. My friend¡¯s abroad and it¡¯s just sitting here. He even has to pay someone to clean it. He said if you rented the ce, it would put his mind at ease. The ce was indeed a catch, but the price seemed too good to be true, at least five times lower than the going rate for Blue Mountain Estate. Allison was seriously tempted. ¡°All right, tell your friend I said thanks, Allison said. Daisy replied, ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll help you move in.¡± The next day, Daisy had her personal driver load up a big van with Allison¡¯s stuff, and they were busy until the afternoon. Allison left the ce where she¡¯d lived for many years. She looked at the cherry blossom tree in the courtyard. It was past blooming season, just a bare trunk now. She remembered that when she first came here, that big tree was already there. Now, eight or nine yearster, the tree had grown even sturdier. The small house was still furnished with the original table and bed. She looked at the ce where she had lived for many years, filled with her memories. She and Ricky had yed in this small yard, while Grace picked vegetables in the nagan family¡¯s back kitchen. Through the back door, she and Ricky could run to the nagan¡¯s to help¡­. Her father often came back and hoisted her onto his shoulders. Allison¡¯s eyes moistened. She bit her lip, closed the door, and locked it. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Turning around, she walked over to the cherry tree and gave it a hug, ¡°I¡¯m leaving now, take care. I hope I can see your blossoms next year.¡± A light breeze blew, carrying a faint scent of cherry blossoms. She smiled a little, bent down, and picked up a ss bottle, scooping some soil from the base of the cherry tree into it. The next time, when she visited her father and Ricky, she would bring it to them. She turned and left. Daisy¡¯s friend¡¯s house was very clean, with a variety of decorative styles, very suitable for a woman to live in. It seemed that he must have lived here before, the furniture wasplete, very suitable for a new tenant. After she had tidied up her clothes and daily necessities, there was a knock at the door. She went to open it, and outside was Daisy. To celebrate your new digs, I¡¯ve decided to treat you to a barbecue!¡± she said, holding a bag of food. ¡°Well, thanks a bunch¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it, Allison. My friend¡¯s paying a cleaner every month, so having you here is actually saving him a buck, Daisy said, echoing what Jason had told her to say. Chapter 248 Chapter 248 Chapter 248 Allison was very grateful and said, ¡°Please convey my thanks to your friend, and let me know if he comes back at any time.¡± Daisy shook her head and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he has many properties, including various vis and luxury apartments¡± The two raised their sses and toasted. That night, Allison didn¡¯t sleep. She and Daisy watched movies in the living room all night long. It wasn¡¯t until 5 am that Daisy fell asleep. Allison got up, pulled open the curtains, and saw the faint light of dawn in the sky. She felt that perhaps life was developing towards a better direction. The future was indeed a wonderful word. ¡°The doctor in charge of treating Ms. nagan said that her condition is very bad and she may have a miscarriage.¡± In the study, Shawn looked at Lucian¡¯s expression as he spoke. ¡°Is the situation so serious?¡± Yes, but¡­ ¡°But what?¡± ¡°I have been closely monitoring Ms. nagan recently and found that she has been apanied by Pete¡¯s men.¡± ¡°Pete¡± Lucian uttered the name. He never liked Pete, but Pete¡¯s father, David, had been the Lindberg family¡¯s butler for many years. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. David was a remarkable person. He lost an eye because he saved Carter¡¯s life, and now wore an artificial eye. The old man treated him as his adopted son and also gave him a certain position in the Lindberg Corporation. But Pete was a useless person who usually hung out with some bad friends. He caused a lot of trouble with his father¡¯s influence. Some things had reached his ears, but as long as they were not significant, no one would pay attention. But how could Pete¡¯s men be in contact with Penelope? He looked at Shawn and said more seriously. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Positive, this person is Jeffery, one of Pete¡¯s men.¡± Shawn took out a surveince photo showing Margo, the nagan family¡¯s housekeeper, and a man talking in the hallway not far from the ward. Lucian said, ¡°They must be closely monitored.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°By the way, Mr. Lindberg. You asked me to investigate the man in the photo before. His name is Robbie, and he often goes to a bar in front of Oakville High School. This is his information.¡± Shawn handed him the information. Lucian nced at it and squinted slightly. The Blue Club was located on a road in front of Northfield Oakville High School. Although the sign at the door said that minors were not allowed in, the actual rules were not strict. This was the time the nightlife began. Lucian walked into the bar, which was lively, withser beams rotating everywhere. He raised his hand to block the light and walked to the bar, ordering a drink. ¡°Sir, are you drinking alone?¡± A morous woman with red lips walked over, looking at Lucian, blushing slightly, and her gaze fell on the expensive Patek Philippe watch on his wrist. She twisted her waist and said in a delicate voice, ¡°Drinking alone is so boring. Why don¡¯t you let me apany you?¡± ¡®No need ¡°His tone was cold The woman didn¡¯t n to give up easily. In this bar, there weren¡¯t many wealthy men like Lucian. She often came to this bar, and Lucian¡¯s looks were enough to attract everyone¡¯s attention, even without mentioning his identity. ¡°Sir.¡± The woman was wearing a red tight skirt. She approached Lucian, but his expression remained indifferent. The strong smell of makeup came over, and he frowned, his eyes showing a hint of displeasure. ¡°Get lost¡± Chapter 249 Chapter 249 Chapter 249 The woman¡¯s face suddenly turned sour. The man¡¯s indifference gave her a chill, leaving her with no choice but to seek out other guests. The bartender approached and said, ¡°Sir, here¡¯s your drink.¡± ¡°Is there a guy named Robbie here?¡± ¡°Robbie¡± He¡¯s over there, are you looking for him? Let me fetch him for you¡± The bartender noticed Lucian¡¯svish attire and didn¡¯t dare to ck off. Five minutester, the bartender brought over a young man with blond hair. ¡°Robbie, this gentleman wants to talk to you.¡± Whatcha need me for?¡± Robbie nced at the man before him. He didn¡¯t recognize Lucian, but he got the vibe that he was no ordinary man. ¡°Do you know this woman in the picture?¡± Lucian pulled out a photo. ¡°Ain¡¯t this Allison?¡± Robbie responded directly, ¡°She used to be a regr at our bar, sometimes showing up in the middle of a ss. We were pretty tight. Had some fun together.¡± The man coldly asked, ¡°Fun?¡± ¡°Plenty of guys had fun with that Allison. She¡¯s pretty wild. Sometimes we¡¯d party with her as a threesome. Don¡¯t be fooled by her innocent look, she can be a babe in bed¡­¡± With each word Robbie said, Lucian¡¯s face turned grimmer, his hand clenched into a fist. You sure about this? The man¡¯s eyes were hidden in the dim light of the bar. Robbie lit a cigarette, ¡°Of course, we¡¯ve hooked up a few times. Not just me, I have a buddy who¡¯s had fun with her too. She may look innocent, but she¡¯s fooled a lot of people. She even ended up in the hospital once. Partied too hard, and the drugs hit her too strong. Took her two days to recover. There are records in the hospital, you can check if it¡¯s her.¡± After Lucian left, Robbie immediately took out his phone and walked to a quiet corner of the bar. ¡°I told him what you told me to say. We had a deal; I do as you say and you pay me the full amount.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow,¡± ¡°Great, babe, see you tomorrow.¡± A guy with a cigarette approached, ¡°Robbie, what¡¯re you up to?¡± *Just calling my girlfriend, you need something?¡± ¡°Who was that guy just now? He looked like trouble. That watch of his looked pretty pricey.¡± ¡°How would I know.¡± Robbie lit another cigarette, ¡°I¡¯ll have money tomorrow, and I¡¯ll treat you to a good time.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re hitting the jackpot huh.¡± The next morning. Penelope got ready to go out. There was something she had to deal with personally, or else she wouldn¡¯t be able to rest easy. She had Margo take care of the discharge papers and pick up a lot of pregnancy stabilizing pills, using them to cover up her near miscarriage. That night, she took a cab to the Blue Club. After getting out of the car, she immediately called Robbie. She had hooked up with several men and even had photos taken without her knowledge. She spent a lot of money buying those photos, but she was worried that Lucian would trace the source of them. So, she decided to pin the photos on Allison, and spent a lot of money to forge Allison¡¯s information. After all, Allison looked simr to her. Even if someone wanted to investigate, they wouldn¡¯t find the truth. But the photos were either taken from the back or the side, and half of Robbie¡¯s face was also in the photos. Walking into the bar, she adjusted her sunsses and waited for Robbie in a corner. Passing waiters looked at her and found it odd. A woman wearing sunsses at night in a bar, how peculiar. Chapter 250 Chapter 250 Chapter 250 After waiting for 15 minutes, Penelope became restless and finally Robbie approached her with a drink in hand. ¡°Penelope, it¡¯s been a long time since we saw each other,¡± he said, pushing the drink towards her. Penelope took out a card from her bag and handed it to him ¡°This matter must be kept confidential. The money promised to you is inside, and you know what to do.¡± ¡°Of course I know,¡± Robbie replied, taking the card and holding her hand. Penelope tried to pull her hand away, but Robbie approached her and wrapped his arm around her waist. ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other for so long, don¡¯t you miss me?¡± Robbie looked refined, but he didn¡¯t have a decent job and often hung out in the Blue Club. Penelope used toe here often during high school and college. She had slept with him several times, and there were many indecent photos and videos of her taken here. ¡°As long as you know what to do, Robbie, we¡¯ve known each other for a long time. As long as you help me, I won¡¯t treat you unfairly.¡± ¡°I want the money, but I also want to see the pregnant woman, Robbie said, patting her belly as he spoke. Penelope cried out in surprise. Robbie then pushed her onto a couch in the club, and Penelope resisted, saying, ¡°No!¡± Robbie was not easily fooled. He had slept with many women in the bar. With a beautiful woman like Penelope offering herself to him, he certainly didn¡¯t want to miss the opportunity. ¡°No? Penelope, I still have many of those photos and videos of you. It¡¯s too easy for you to buy them off me with this little money. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t hurt your baby¡± ¡°No, we can¡¯t do this here. We¡¯ll be discovered!¡± Although Penelope enjoyed herself in the bar, she was also afraid at critical moments. Her main goal now was to be Lucian¡¯s wife, and if she was seen by someone here, it would be disastrous. Robbie hugged Penelope and said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? Let¡¯s go inside.¡± Penelope was still unwilling, but Robbie showed her a video on his phone. Take a look, I have all the videos saved.¡± Penelope¡¯s face changed. The video showed her with Robbie and another man several years ago. The scene was too explicit, and she couldn¡¯t imagine what would happen if the video was leaked! Material ? N?velDrama.Org. She gritted her teeth and put on a smile, whispering, ¡°Robbie.¡± Robbie took out a condom and lit an incense stick. They got right to it. The next morning, Robbie kissed Penelope¡¯s face before deleting the video. Penelope confirmed that there was no backup on his phone and sneaked out of the Blue Club. She felt sick after what had happened with Robbie, so she wiped her face with a tissue. How dare he threaten her like that? She would deal with himter! But he had deleted the video, which had solved a big problem for her. Chapter 251 Chapter 251 Chapter 251 When Penelope got back to the nagan Manor, Margo sauntered over, ¡°Miss nagan, Allison has moved out¡± Penelope looked surprised, ¡°She moved out?¡± She made her way to the balcony door, pushed it open, and saw the back cottage was locked up. She went upstairs to the study to find Leah, ¡°Mom, why didn¡¯t you stop Allison from leaving?¡± ¡°Why would I stop her?¡± Leah responded, ¡°She has her own life, and we can¡¯t interfere Plus, we still have Grace, what¡¯s there to worry about?¡± Penelope walked over, I¡¯m just worried that with her out of our sight, unpredictable things might happen.¡± Unpredictable things? Penelope, sort out your own mess first.¡± Penelope, not wanting to upset Leah, went over and clung to her arm, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll handle it. I promise ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Leah nodded, looking at her daughter. She was perfect in every way, except she was impulsive and didn¡¯t think about the consequences of her actions. Leah had spoiled her too much. As for Allison, Leah was growing to dislike her more and more. Allison looked just like Penelope, but she was Grace¡¯s daughter Grace had always overshadowed Leah in every way. Whenever they were together, most of the attention was on Grace. Although Leah was the daughter of a prestigious family, while Grace came from humble beginnings, Leah always felt like she was living in Grace¡¯s shadow. And now it was happening with her daughter too. Penelope and Allison looked alike, but Allison surpassed her in every way. Even though Grace¡¯s family lived in a humble house, Grace¡¯s daughter Allison was always excellent, which was hard to ept for Leah. ¡°Penelope, invite Lucian and Miranda over for dinner in the next few days, let¡¯s strengthen the bond between our families.¡± Penelope had her own n. She couldn¡¯t get Lucian to see her alone as he was always busy with work. So she called Miranda, who immediately agreed, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s do Wednesday. Lucian and I wille over.¡± ¡°Great, Miranda. I¡¯ll prepare the meal for you guys.¡± Miranda was very concerned about the baby Penelope was carrying, ¡°Take care of yourself. Why did you rush out of the hospital? You could have stayed a few more days. How¡¯s your health now? Anything feeling off?¡± After all, the baby in her belly was a Lindberg. ¡°Miranda, I¡¯ve got my meds to prevent a miscarriage. The doctor said I just need to rest at home¡± On Wednesday afternoon, Miranda called Lucian, ¡°Lucian, are you free tonight?¡± The man nced at his watch, ¡°Hmm, what¡¯s up, Mom?¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Come with me to the nagan Manor, I haven¡¯t seen Penelope in a while. You too, you don¡¯t visit much.¡± ¡°Mom, you go ahead¡± ¡°Aw,e on, isn¡¯t Penelope your fianc¨¦e? She¡¯s carrying your baby, I can¡¯t just go alone¡± Miranda sensed her son¡¯s hesitation. She started to wonder if Lucian was neglecting Penelope because of Allison. After some insistence from Miranda, Lucian agreed. At 6:25 pm, a ck business sedan pulled up in front of the nagan Manor. Chapter 252 Chapter 252 Chapter 252 Miranda was chit¨Cchatting with Leah and Christopher in the living room. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Leah handed her a high¨Cquality ruby bracelet, saying, ¡°I came across this the other day. The color is really nice.¡± Miranda took it without showing much excitement, after all, she didn¡¯tck such bracelets, but she epted graciously, ¡°Hmm, it is quite nice. Mrs. nagan, I didn¡¯t bring any gifts this time, but instead, I received something from you.¡± Leahughed and replied, ¡°As long as you like it, Miranda. I thought this bracelet would suit you the moment I saw it.¡± Miranda smiled. Although the bracelet was not very expensive, it was a thoughtful gesture from Leah. Lucian went out to the small balcony and lit a cigarette. He pushed open the window, looking at the locked door of the small house opposite, seemingly deserted. There was only a bare cherry tree there, which made him frown slightly. At that time, the maid Linda was cleaning the corridor. She stepped onto the balcony, startled to see Lucian there, and quickly apologized, ¡°Sorry, Mr. Lindberg, I didn¡¯t know you were here.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the person who used to live here?¡± ¡°Mr. Lindberg, are you talking about Allison?¡± Linda replied, ¡°She moved out a week ago.¡± ¡°She moved?¡± Lucian frowned even more, ¡°Where did she move to?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that.¡± Lucian left the balcony, and minutester, Linda was still standing there, head down. She was frightened by Lucian¡¯s serious expression. She suddenly remembered some things between Lucian and Allison, wondering if Mr. Lindberg had anything to do with Allison. So she took out her phone and sent a message to Allison. ¡°Allison, where have you moved to?¡± ¡ª¡ª Penelope was very pleased to know that Lucian and Miranda wereing. In her bedroom, she changed from one dress to another, unsatisfied with all mAll these dresses were new and boughtst month, but some of them didn¡¯t fit around her waist now. Outside the door, Margo rushed her, ¡°Mrs. nagan is asking you to hurry up.¡± She put on a light pink long dress and went downstairs, ¡°Miranda¡± As Penelope approached, Miranda looked at her, ¡°Hey, why are you wearing high heels, you¡¯re pregnant! You must be careful.¡± Penelope suddenly remembered that this pink dress of hers looked best with high heels. Leah nced at her and reproached her for being thoughtless, Penelope quickly said, ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll go change right away.¡± Miranda looked around, ¡°Where¡¯s Lucian?¡± Linda answered, ¡°I just saw Mr. Lindberg on the balcony.¡± A whileter, Lucian came over, ¡°Mom.¡± Penelope was justing downstairs and saw Lucian. He looked up at her. She was wearing a new outfit, a beige and brown id long dress. Her hair was loose at the back, and she had a subtle makeup on her face. He looked at her, somewhat captivated. Penelope¡¯s appearance reminded him of Allison. After dinner at the nagan¡¯s, Miranda and Leah were chatting in the living room. Miranda specifically asked Lucian to take Penelope for a walk. Outside the nagan¡¯s mansion. Lucian¡¯s pace was not fast, but Penelope had to take two steps to keep up. Along the way, Lucian didn¡¯t speak, Penelope tried to start a few topics, but none continued. Lucian¡¯s coldness made her a bit uneasy. Did he know something? Did Allison tell him something when she left? On the way, Penelope¡¯s thoughts grew more and more. ¡°Lucian, have you been upset with metely?¡± His voice was gentle, but without any emotion, ¡°No, don¡¯t overthink.¡± Chapter 253 Chapter 253 Chapter 253 With a red rim around her eyes, Penelope grabbed the man¡¯s arm tightly, ¡°Lucian, if I did something wrong, you gotta tell me. I don¡¯t get why you¡¯ve been avoiding me sinceing back from Pearl Ind¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°Penelope, what you need to do now is take care of yourself. Don¡¯t overthink.¡± ¡°Lucian, I received a script a few days ago. Seems like it¡¯s funded by Epic Entertainment, a subsidiary of Lindberg Corporation. It has a role of a pregnant woman, I¡¯m thinking about auditioning¡± Lucian frowned, ¡°Audition? You want to get into the showbiz?¡± ¡°Lucian, I think I can nail this role. I¡¯m ying a pregnant woman. I know how to take care of the baby. Besides, I graduated from a media school.¡± Although Penelope rarely attended sses. Lucian didn¡¯t interfere too much, ¡°It¡¯s your call.¡± Penelope rested her head on his chest, ¡°Lucian, the baby is almost five months along. When the baby is born, we¡¯ll be a happy family.¡± Lucian¡¯s expression wasplicated, as if he didn¡¯t look forward to this baby. He felt like something was stuck in his chest. At the moment, they had reached the ce where Allison used to live. He looked at the branches of the cherry blossom tree poking out from the wall. It wasn¡¯t the season for cherry blossoms, so the branches were bare. Thest time he came, the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. Penelope didn¡¯t just suddenly want to act; she had nned it for a long time. She had a good friend in the entertainment industry. Her friend¡¯s family had invested in several TV shows, and her friend¡¯s career was quite sessful. Of course, Penelope was a bit jealous, who didn¡¯t want to be in the spotlight? Every time she saw Nte shining under the lights, bing the center of attention, she was filled with envy and jealousy. Nte came from a wealthy family, her dad a real estate tycoon, but she was doing incredibly well in the entertainment industry, even the internationally famous director, Nelson, respected her a lot. She made billions just from endorsements every year, always the first to wear new luxury fashion items. Penelope had been nning to break into the entertainment industry for a long time. Now that she was pregnant, there was a role for a pregnant woman, and the investor knew she was Lucian¡¯s fianc¨¦, so they treated her with the utmost respect. The next day, Penelope went for the audition. Although it was an audition in name, in reality, she met the director and the production team, and they confirmed her role immediately. A role that originally had few lines, now got countless scenes, the plot was massively changed. On the set, Penelope had a high status, no one dared to offend her. After signing the contract, she started filming right away. Epic Entertainment, Lindberg Corporations entertainmentpany, sent a competent agent, Charlie, to take care of Penelope. As Penelope was pregnant, everyone on the set was extremely careful around her, afraid of any problems. This was her first time acting, and she had no camera sense. Although she was beautiful, she seemed empty. The director kept praising her, not daring to give any criticisms. Penelope filmed for an entire afternoon, and after hearing praises and encouraging words, she became quite conceited. She changed many lines at will, and the director didn¡¯t dare to object. In the drama, Penelope yed a pregnant woman going through a divorce. In the original script, this character only had a few minutes of screen time, but now she suddenly became the second female lead, and the whole script was messed up. The lead actress, Le, was angry but didn¡¯t dare to express it. She had to go back to her trailer to vent her frustration. She threw the newly written script on the floor, ¡°What is this? Penelope has more scenes than me tomorrow?¡± ¡°Le, keep it down, careful Penelope and Charlie might hear you.¡± Le rolled her eyes, ¡®So what? I¡¯m the lead actress.¡± ¡°Le, just bear with it. I heard one of the investors of this TV show is Epic Entertainment, and Penelope is Lucian¡¯s fianc¨¦.¡± Chapter 254 Chapter 254 Chapter 254 ¡°Hmph¡± After venting her anger, Le finally asked. ¡°What are we shooting tomorrow?¡± ¡°Tomorrow morning, we¡¯ll shoot indoor scenes and then move to Red Jack Club at 11 for outdoor scenes. It¡¯s your scene with Penelope, where you two have a conflict and you p her twice, the assistant handed her the script. Le¡¯s eyes lit up The next morning, the crew rented a private room at Red Jack Club and hung banners in the hallway. As it was daytime and the club wasn¡¯t officially open yet, there weren¡¯t many customers, only some waiters. Penelope was unhappy with the script. ¡°Why must she p me? What kind of plot is this?¡± The director was sweating profusely. He didn¡¯t like Penelope very much, but he didn¡¯t have the guts to offend her. ¡°Ms. nagan, this plot is very dramatic and it¡¯s what the audience likes to see.¡± Le had been in the industry for 7 years and yed numerous supporting roles before finally bing the female lead. At this moment, she was being suppressed by a rich heiress who knew nothing. Naturally, she was unhappy. ¡°Ms. nagan, actors have to be professional. Getting pped a few times ismon¡± The director wiped the sweat off his forehead, afraid that the two would start quarreling, and quickly said, ¡°We can find a stunt double. Ms. nagan, we will arrange a stunt double for you¡± Penelope suddenly remembered something and stopped the director. ¡°Go find a waitress named Allison here to be my stunt double.¡± The director was a little stunned, but since Penelope had said so, he didn¡¯t argue with Le anymore. The director was naturally happy and immediately waved his hand for the production assistant to find Allison. In the wine cer, Allison was reconciling the amount of wine sold this month with the sommelier. They were checking, and a staff member came over. ¡°Allison, I¡¯ll take care of this. Someone is looking for you outside¡± Allison handed over the list in her hand and walked out, seeing a person in a Melody of Delight crew outfit standing outside the wine cer. The person looked at her and was also stunned. You look just like her.¡± Allison looked at him, puzzled, ¡°Are you looking for me?¡± She knew that a film crew had rented Red Jack Club for the day to shoot a movie. Many film crews rented Red Jack Club during the day to shoot because it was thergest entertainment center in Northfield, without a doubt. ¡°You¡¯re Allison, right? I¡¯m Baron, the assistant director of Melody of Delight. We want you to be a stunt double.¡± ¡°Me? Are you sure you have the right person?¡± ¡°Yes, Penelope asked me toe.¡± ¡°Penelope, is she here?¡± Allison frowned. ¡°She was the second female lead in their crew and was filming here today.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t go.¡± Allison ignored him and walked away from the wine cer. Baron followed her, ¡°We¡¯ll pay you double the sry. Please consider it.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t consider it.¡± Baron returned to the private room and shook his head at the director. Penelope saw the situation and stood up, ¡°I insist on having Allison as my stunt double. I¡¯ll go back to my RV, and when you¡¯ve sorted things out, I¡¯lle over.¡± The director felt very helpless. Penelope was really difficult to deal with. Le also stood up when she saw the situation. After all, as the female lead in the drama, if the second female lead had left, why would she stay and wait? ¡°After you finish sorting everything out, I¡¯lle over,¡± she said to the director. The assistant director looked for Allison several times but couldn¡¯t find her. Gavin, the director, went to look for her personally. It was a coincidence that he knew the manager, Sarah. He made a phone call and Sarah was surprised, ¡°You want Allison to be a stunt double?¡± ¡°Sarah, we¡¯ve been old friends for so long. Can¡¯t you help me out?¡± Sarah didn¡¯t refuse but instead said, ¡°I need to ask Allison¡¯s opinion first.¡± Gavin had rented Red Jack Club for filming and had been spending money all along. If they didn¡¯t finish filming this scene today, they would have to pay forbor and location fees tomorrow, which would cost at least six figures. He said, ¡°Okay, Sarah, have that waitresse to your office. I¡¯ll go over and talk to her myself.¡± ¡°Okay¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Sarah¡¯s office. Chapter 255 Chapter 255 Chapter 255 Allison pushed the door open and spotted a man sitting inside. He was dressed casually, probably in his mid¨Cthirties, wearing a Melody of Delight cap. He was wearing sses and sporting a small tuft of facial hair. Seeing Allison, Gavin did a slight double¨Ctake. She bore an uncanny resemnce to Penelope, he thought, but her beauty wasn¡¯t just skin¨Cdeep. The most striking thing about this waitress was her poise. She was in a red and ck waitress uniform, a red¨Cand¨Cwhite checked bow tie at her cor. Despite her simple get¨Cup, it couldn¡¯t mask her elegant aura. With her subtle makeup and sharp features, Gavin found himself admiring her. ¡°Sarah, it¡¯s such a waste that someone this talented is waiting tables here.¡± Sarah lit a cigarette, eyes on Allison. ¡°Allison, this is Gavin, the director of ¡®Melody of Delight. He¡¯s a friend of mine. He¡¯s shooting a film here and needs you as a stand¨Cin. You can name your price.¡± ¡°Name my price?¡± Allison raised an eyebrow at Gavin. ¡°Why me? There are plenty of waitresses here. You could just pick one.¡± Gavin rubbed his temples. Penelope insisted on having this waitress named Allison as her stand¨Cin. The truth is, I rented this ce, and the shooting for today has to bepleted. Otherwise, the umted costs of the crew and the loss of renting for another day would cost me a small fortune. Penelope is our lead actress with the backing of Epic Entertainment. We can¡¯t afford to offend her, and she specifically requested you.¡± Is Penelope going to refuse to shoot if Allison doesn¡¯t do it?¡± Sarah asked, blowing out a puff of smoke. Gavin sighed and nodded. ¡°Penelope¡­ I feel like I¡¯ve heard that name somewhere.¡± Sarah seemed to be recalling something. Allison smirked. ¡°I¡¯m the one Ms. nagan brought in.¡± Sarah nodded. She suddenly remembered a friend who rmended Allison for a job. She always knew there was something different about Allison, that she was not the type to be content with a waitress job. Her friend had told her that it was the daughter of the nagan family who found her, needing to find a job for a disobedient servant. So that was who Allison was Despite Allison¡¯s detached expression, Sarah could tell there was some bad blood between her and Penelope. ¡°If Allison doesn¡¯t do it, Penelope really won¡¯t shoot. The scene is important and we can¡¯t cut it. That woman is really hard to deal with!¡± Gavinined. He turned to Allison. ¡°I don¡¯t know why Penelope specifically requested you. Given the circumstances today, I¡¯m at my wit¡¯s end. We can¡¯t afford to offend thedy from Epic Entertainment. Because of her, we¡¯ve had to make a lot of changes to the script. We can¡¯t afford to upset our lead actress, Le, either. Allison, could you do me this favor? If there¡¯s anything you need in the future, I¡¯ll be there to help.¡± Allison didn¡¯t respond. Sarah said, ¡°Allison, Gavin is a winner of this year¡¯s prestigious director¡¯s award, and this film has a high budget. Since Gavin¡¯s asking you like this, just agree Originally, she wanted to respect Allison¡¯s decision and let her handle it. But having Gavin owe her a favor, that was a lot more interesting. Allison clenched her fist. She wondered what Penelope was up to. Was she trying to humiliate her by making her a stand¨Cin? She looked at Gavin and said, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll listen to Sarah.¡± Gavin, relieved, pped his thigh and eximed, ¡°Great!¡± Sarah smirked. ¡°I was the one who brokered this deal.¡± Gavin thanked her profusely. ¡°Sarah, I owe you dinner.¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s a deal. And don¡¯t skimp on Allison¡¯s pay. After all, she¡¯s saving you a lot of money. Renting my club and otherbor costs aren¡¯t small expenses.¡± ¡°Sarah, you have my word¡± Chapter 256 Chapter 256 Chapter 256 Allison slipped into her new outfit and stepped into the set box. She was dressed in Penelope¡¯s long white gown, made up, and stuffed with props to mimic a pregnant belly. Although it was just a white gown, her skin was so delicate that it shone brighter than the dress. Gavin exined the script to her. The script was about a pregnant woman named De, yed by Penelope, who was used of giarism and fired by herpany. She came here to appeal to Faith, who was yed by Le and the CEO of thepany, hoping that she could get her job back. Although they were sisters, their circumstances were worlds apart. Gavin meticulously exined the script to Allison. Allison nodded her understanding. She didn¡¯t know much about acting in TV series, and this was her first performance, but all she had to do was stand in for Penelope in a few shots. Although her face wasn¡¯t visible in the shots, she spent her time waiting for Le to prepare About fifteen minutester, Le walked over. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Although Allison wasn¡¯t a star chaser, she did watch some TV series. Le was now a second-tier star in the entertainment circle, usually taking on some low-budget TV dramas. She shot to fame earlier this year because of a low-budget period drama, and now she was in Melody of Delight, a modem drama. She yed the female lead, Faith, the CEO of a fashionpany. The male lead was yed by popr idol Aaron, and this was the highest-budget production Le had been involved in. Le, carrying an LV bag and dressed in a simple and elegant outfit, had a perfect figure. Gavin said, ¡°Le, get ready. We¡¯re about to start shooting.¡± Le handed her bag to her assistant and took off her sunsses to nce at Allison, ¡°You really look alike.¡± She didn¡¯t think much of it, assuming that Allison was a stand in Penelope had found to avoid working too hard. She wanted to get into the entertainment industry, but not want to take a p. Allison didn¡¯t really need to look at the camera, it was all focused on Le. ¡°Smack-¡°Le quickly got into character and pped Allison, ¡®I¡¯ll never forget who caused my mother¡¯s death. You¡¯re carrying Thomas¡¯s child, you shamelessly slept with my ex-boyfriend, and now you¡¯re giarizing and ruining thepany¡¯s reputation. You want me to keep you in thepany? Do you know how much bad press thepany has gotten because of your giarized designs? I don¡¯t want you to influence our overseas runway shows.¡± The camera focused on Allison¡¯s cheek, the director found the right angle, not showing Allison¡¯s face, but showing the audience what they wanted to see. In the script, De was a woman who seemed kind on the surface. She was the result of a drunken night between Rocky and her low-born mother. After Faith¡¯s mother died, Rocky brought De¡¯s mother home. De was always jealous of Faith, so she seduced Faith¡¯s boyfriend Thomas. After Thomas and Faith broke up, he and De got together, and De became pregnant. Allison took a couple of steps back at this point, pretending to be pushed by Faith. She protected her belly, and the camera switched to her hands on her belly. ¡°Ah, how could you push me?¡± Le responded, ¡°You fell on your own, now you want to me me? De, there are cameras here!¡± A few lines of dialogue and a few shots were done. After Allison finished her work, Gavin nodded in approval, ¡°Good job.¡± These few shots were eventually saved. If all were cut, the audience would feel it was too abrupt. ¡°Allison,e and take a few single shots. Penelope has two scenes to shoot tomorrow, I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll be angry. You go ahead and fill in, thepleted shots can be edited in. Chapter 257 Chapter 257 Chapter 257 The assistant director was redoing some shots with Allison. Meanwhile, Gavin was on the phone with Penelope¡¯s agent, Charlie. ¡°Yeah, the stand-in¡¯s here. We¡¯ve finished shooting, would you please send Ms. nagan over?¡± ¡°What?¡± Gavin raised an eyebrow, his voice hitching. ¡®Penelope¡¯s sleeping?¡± Charlie sounded irritated Gavin, keep your voice down. What if you wake Penelope up? She¡¯s pregnant, and she needs rest. It¡¯s already afternoon. Whatever it is can wait until Penelope wakes up.¡± Gavin was at the end of his tether. ¡°Charlie, you know we¡¯re shooting at Red Jack Club today, and we¡¯ve only rented it for one day. Everyone¡¯s waiting, and if we go overtime, it¡¯s gonna cost a bomb¡¯ I¡¯ve already found the stand-in you guys wanted!¡± Charlie retorted, ¡°Gavin, what¡¯s more important than Penelope¡¯s rest? Epic Entertainment invested so much money, isn¡¯t it so that Penelope can have a good time shooting and rest well on set? If you wake Penelope up forcibly and she doesn¡¯t get enough rest, it might harm her baby. Remember, Penelope is Mr Lindberg¡¯s fianc¨¦e¡± Gavin blew his top, chucking his phone onto the ground andying into the assistant director, The assistant director just stood there, taking it on the chin. This was a first for Gavin in his seven years in the industry Penelope was really just here to have a vacation with the baby. The worst part was that he couldn¡¯t afford to piss her off. Everyone watched Gavin, getting the picture As the makeup artist was touching up Le¡¯s makeup, she stood up and said, ¡°Gavin, since Penelope couldn¡¯t make it, we can¡¯t afford to dy our progress. My contract says I only shoot until 6 PM. After that, you¡¯ll have to renegotiate my foe¡± Gavin frowned. ¡°Le, we¡¯ll leave today¡¯s scenes for another day,¡± he told the crew ¡°Let¡¯s switch up the location.¡± Le suggested, ¡°Gavin, these scenes are crucial. Why not let the stand-in do it? She¡¯s a way better actress than Penelope, plus they look alike. With some makeup and clever camera angles, no one will notice.¡± She didnt like sharing scenes with Penelope. She¡¯d rather work with the stand-in The assistant director looked at Allison and nodded. He went up to Gavin and said, ¡°Yes, even though Allison¡¯s never acted before, she did good just now, She and Penelope look simr, so let her fill in for Penelope. We can¡¯t let Penelope hold us up. Gavin nced at Allison. She was slim and had a better presence than Penelope Upon closer inspection, Allison was even more beautiful. He had the makeup artist work on Allison. Once done, he could hardly recognize her Penelope was new to the industry and didn¡¯t have many fans, so they probably wouldn¡¯t notice. Plus, Penelope¡¯s pregnancy was already causing dys He discussed it with Allison. ¡°You and Penelope look alike. I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going on between you two, but today, I¡¯ll pay you ten times the usual stand in rate. Can you do Penelope¡¯s scenes for today? Here¡¯s my card¡± Gavin handed Allison his business card. ¡°You¡¯re perfect for showbiz, looks and all. If you ever decide to get into the industry, look me up.¡± Allison took the card, but she¡¯d never considered it Getting into showbiz? No She shook her head. She just wanted an ordinary life. ¡°Gavin, you¡¯re a friend of Sarah¡¯s. Of course, I¡¯ll help you.¡± Allison had never acted before, but she was catching on fast. She seemed as adept as Le, who¡¯d been in the biz for a decade. Le was overacting a bit. Allison, however, was more nuanced and put on a pretty good show. Gavin watched Allison through the lens. She had a sweet smile, bright eyes, and wless skin. He nodded in approval. Thest time he was this satisfied with an actress was with Noreen, an academy- trained actress. By the end of the afternoon, Allison had earned her pay. Gavin looked at Allison approvingly. He thought she didn¡¯t make much as a waitress, so she could¡¯ve demanded more money from the production. But Allison didn¡¯t He nodded, going over once again to invite her. After I wrap this film, I¡¯ll be prepping a period drama next year. There¡¯s a role that suits you perfectly* Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. I¡¯m sorry. Gavin. I don¡¯t n on it at the moment. I¡¯ve got a job to do.¡± Chapter 258 Chapter 258 Chapter 258 Penelope woke up in her trailer. It was already past five in the afternoon, by which time the crew had already wrapped up their day¡¯s work ¡°Charlie, didn¡¯t I tell you to let me know in advance if Allison stops by?¡± ¡°Ms nagan, you were sleeping so soundly that I didn¡¯t have the heart to disturb you. After all, you need your rest right now.¡± Penelope¡¯s hand rested on her belly. Did Gavin get mad that I missed the afternoon scenes?¡± ¡°Even if he¡¯s mad, what can he do? The top investor and distributor for this film is Epic Entertainment. Ms. nagan, your priority right now is to take care of yourself The baby in your belly is what¡¯s most important.¡± Charlie was sent by Epic Entertainment to look after Penelope, his main task to make sure she didn¡¯t overwork herself, especially with Lucian¡¯s baby inside her. Penelope took out her phone and dialed Lucian. Once the call was connected, Penelope¡¯s voice was very gentle, ¡°Lucian, are you free tonight? I¡¯m so tired from filming all day, the baby inside me gave me a kick. Seems like he¡¯s missing his daddy¡± As she expected, Lucian cut her off with, There¡¯s still work to be done at thepany, he hung up the phone. Penelope instructed the driver, ¡°Take me to the Lindberg family.¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. If Lucian wouldnte to her, she¡¯d take the initiative to go to him. Arriving at the Lindberg family house. Penelope was a bit nauseous during dinner, and Miranda immediately asked with concern, ¡°Penelope, are you okay?¡± I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s just that the baby has been moving a lot these past few days¡± Miranda said, ¡°All first pregnancies are like this, a bit tough. I had someone prepare some nourishing soup for you! ¡°Miranda, I don¡¯t feel the hardship at all. Whenever I think about this as my baby with Lucian, I feel so happy¡± Miranda looked at Penelope, thinking she could make a great daughter-inw it was a pity that her son hadn¡¯t made a move yet. Miranda nced at the diamond ne on Penelope¡¯s neck, ¡°Penelope, howe I haven¡¯t seen you wearing the ne Lucian gave you?¡± Penelope was taken aback. Since when did Lucian give her a ne? She searched her memory as Miranda continued to speak. ¡°That ne was a gift from me to Lucian. He had it with him when he was in Cloudville, and there was a big earthquake. Luckily, he only injured his leg. Lucian always kept that ne with him. Giving it to you is like a sign of your fate together¡± Penelope was shocked inside but kept a calm exterior, I thought the ne was too precious, so I kept it in its box¡± Miranda nodded with a smile, ¡°Wear it next time at a family dinner. It looks really good¡± Penelope smiled back, ¡®Hmm¡± Leaving the Lindberg family house, she felt unsettled. Back at the nagan family house, she searched her entire bedroom but couldn¡¯t find the ne. Almost all the items in her jewelry box were hers. Could it be that the ne was given to Allison? Penelope gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Allison! | knew it, Allison must have left something to threaten me with.¡± She called Margo over and went to Allison¡¯s old residence, a locked cabin. She told Margo, ¡°Break the lock!¡± Margo immediately followed her instructions and broke the lock in a few hits. Entering the cabin, they found that Allison had already moved out; the whole house was empty. She stomped her foot in annoyance, ¡°Do you know where she lives now?¡± I¡¯m not sure about that. I¡¯ll ask Linda, she¡¯s quite close with Allison.¡± Chapter 259 Chapter 259 Chapter 259 For next week¡¯s family feast, Penelope was supposed to wear this ne, and she was sweating bullets about getting caught by others. So, she went to Allison¡¯s former pad, only to find it deserted with almost all belongings gone. Just in time, Margo found out about Allison¡¯s current crib ¡°Ms. nagan, Allison¡¯s shacked up at the Blue Mountain Estate now.¡± ¡°Blue Mountain Estate?¡± After a quick Google, Penelope found out it was a mid-range apartment complex. She couldn¡¯t believe Allison could afford such a ce. Margo chimed in, ¡°Maybe Mr. Brummett¡¯s helping her out. She¡¯s got him wrapped around her finger, and she¡¯s trying to do the same with Mr. Lindberg. She¡¯s ying Mr. Brummett while stirring up trouble between you and Mr. Lindberg¡± Pursing her lips, Penelope called for Linda. Two minutester, in the bedroom With her head bowed, Linda muttered, ¡°Ms. nagan, I don¡¯t know squat.¡± ¡°In the nagan family, you and Allison are thick as thieves. I haven¡¯t even asked yet, and you¡¯re iming ignorance? Did you ever hear Allison mention anything about the ne?¡± ¡°The ne.¡± Linda mused, ¡°Nope¡± ¡°Are you sure? Think hard, Linda.¡± Seeing Linda¡¯s puzzled face, Penelope handed her a pen and a stack of paper from her purse, ¡°Really sure you¡¯ve never heard of it?¡± ¡°Well, I might have seen on agate ne when I borrowed herptop at her ce once ¡°Agate?¡± Penelope asked anxiously, ¡°What was it like? Give me the deets!¡± ¡°Just a basic agate ne¡± Seeing that she couldn¡¯t squeeze any more info, Penelope dismissed Linda. But as Linda was about to step out, Penelope stopped her, handing her a brand-new Chanel bag from the couch. Linda was taken aback. She was a maid and had never experienced such luxury Penelope chuckled, ¡®Linda, you¡¯re a servant of the nagan family, consider this bag a gift¡± Linda stuttered, waving her hands about, but the greed in her eyes gave her away. ¡°This L Margo stepped in, ¡°Take it, Linda. It¡¯s a gift from Ms. nagan. Just remember to tell the truth if she asks you anything in the future.¡± Linda got the message, clutching the bag, her heart racing. As she held the luxury bag, she couldn¡¯t help but marvel at its quality. It was her first time owning something sovish. ¡°Ms. nagan, actually¡­ Biting her lip, Linda didn¡¯t want to rat out Allison, but money talked and everything else walked. Plus, she had always been a little green-eyed monster where Allison was concerned. ¡°Ms. nagan, I once saw Allison and Mr. Lindberg on the balcony. The door was closed, and I didn¡¯t know what they were doing. When Allison came out, her face was flushed, and Mr. Lindberg¡¯s lip was busted.¡± That said it all, and Penelope¡¯s face turned pale. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°When was this?¡± ¡°That was two months ago when Lucian and Carter visited the Lindberg family.¡± That was water under the bridge. ¡°Damn it!¡± Unable to control her rage. Penelope hurled her mug to the floor. Linda jumped back in fear. Margo told Linda to take a hike, then helped Penelope sit down, ¡°Ms. nagan, you gotta keep your cool. Think about the bun in the oven.¡± Mentioning the baby only made Penelope more furious. If the baby was Lucian¡¯s, she would be fine, but the truth was far from it. In five months, if Lucian hadn¡¯t agreed to marry her by then and the baby was born not to be his through a DNA test, she would be out of luck. ¡®Margo, you¡¯re gonna apany me to Blue Mountain Estate tomorrow. III get that ne back by hook or by crook.¡± Chapter 260 Chapter 260 Chapter 260 Penelope rocked up to the Blue Mountain Estate the next day She parked her car at the entrance, and then followed the address Linda had given her, walking into the estate. As she stepped out of the elevator, Penelope knocked on the door, but Allison wasn¡¯t home Just at that moment, the door across the hall swung open, and her neighbor gave her a look, asking, ¡°Ms. Zimmer, did you leave your keys at home or something?¡± Penelope and Margo jumped, looking like they¡¯d been caught with their pants down. Margo was quick on her feet, rolling her eyes and saying, ¡°Ah, yeah, left my keys at home.¡± After the neighbor went back inside, Margo turned to Penelope, ¡®Ms. nagan, Allison isn¡¯t home, and knocking is useless. Calling a locksmith is too obvious. You and Allison look somewhat alike, so you could try getting a spare key from the property management.¡± Penelope didn¡¯t usually like beingpared to Allison, but at this moment, she chuckled, ¡°Margo, you¡¯re pretty sharp.¡± Penelope went to the property management, saying she forgot her keys and needed the spare. Sure enough, the staff didn¡¯t bat an eyelid and handed her the spare key. With the key in hand, Penelope opened Allisons front door. She told Margo to wait outside while she stepped in to have a look around. The living room was nicely decorated; it seemed Allison and Jason were indeed close. She entered the bedroom and started rummaging for a ne Miranda had mentioned. Even though Allison wasn¡¯t into jewelry, because she was tight with Daisy whose family were in the jewelry business,N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Daisy would often gift her pieces. She found a few nes, but none were the one she was looking for. She was in search of ao agate ne. She pulled open Allisons bedside drawer, and there it was¡­ Bingo! Penelope found an agate ne! A grin spread across her face as she quickly snatched up the ne and carefully put everything back as it was, then slipped out of Allison¡¯s ce. ¡°Margo, return the key to the property office¡± Penelope said. Seeing the smile on Penelope¡¯s face, Margo knew she¡¯d found the ne. Back at her ce, Penelope hung the ne around her neck. It looked pretty good. Although it wasn¡¯t high-end, it was used to wear it. That Allison, she¡¯d been hiding this ne! If she hadn¡¯t been so quick-witted this time, who knew what Allison might have done behind her back. meaningful because Lucian The previous night, Allison had been on the night shift. After work, she went to Mercy Grove Hospital to visit Grace, Grace had woken up, which was a huge relief She got home at around 11 in the morning. She picked up some breakfast on the way home and went straight to bed, sleeping until the afternoon. Allison was awoken by her phone ringing. It was Daisy calling, ¡°Allison, my little brother, Jesse, has his birthday tonight. My parents booked a private room at a restaurant. You gottae!¡± ¡°Okay, I got it.¡± Allison shoved her phone back under the covers and dozed off again. After waking up, she nced out the window and saw the setting sun. It was already 5:20 in the afternoon. She took a shower and changed her clothes. She was going to Jesse¡¯s birthday and couldn¡¯t just go without makeup. The Santos family was always good to her, and Daisy helped her out a lot. She put on a beige corduroy dress, but it felt a bit in. She was going to add a brooch for a bit of re, but then she paused. She¡¯d been busy with work these past few days and hadn¡¯t worn any jewelry. Why were her nes rearranged? She hadn¡¯t touched them, had she? Daisy¡¯s family was in the jewelry business, and a while back they¡¯d released a line of crystal pieces. Daisy had given her a couple of bracelets and several pairs of earrings, which she liked to arrange by color. But today, something was off. She hadn¡¯t touched them, had she? Who did? Chapter 261 Chapter 261 Chapter 261 Downtown, in a shopping mall. Allison picked out a Lego set as a birthday gift for Jesse. She walked out of the Lego store with a paper bag in her hand and ran into a wornan wearing GUCCI sunsses. ¡°Hey, Ms. nagan.¡± The woman responded with a smile, ¡°What a coincidence, you¡¯re also here picking out Legos? I saw a limited edition one here a few days ago, how about I get you one if you like?¡± Allison didn¡¯t know this woman, but judging by her outfit, she seemed like a rich girl and apparently knew Penelope. ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong person¡± Allison said. ¡°No mistake, Ms. nagan.¡± The woman seemed surprised, ¡°Ms. nagan, like I mentioned before, it would be nice if you could put in a good word for us. We are willing to offer our utmost sincerity.¡± Allison looked at her, ¡°Take another look, do I look like Penelope?¡± The woman paused, and stared at Allison¡¯s face for a few seconds, a puzzled expression appeared on her face. It seemed like there were indeed some differences. Allison left the Lego store and hopped into a cab to the restaurant. After getting off the cab, Allison felt like something was off but couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on it. She shook her head, deciding not to think too much about it. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. First things first, celebrate Jesse¡¯s birthday. Jesse started high school this year. Every time Allison went over to Daisy¡¯s house, she would see him, a handsome big boy As Allison walked into the restaurant, she sent Daisy a text. Daisy was waiting for her at the stairs on the second floor, she walked over and grabbed Allison¡¯s hand as soon as she saw her, ¡°What gift did you prepare for him? He doesn¡¯t need any of these.¡± Who said I don¡¯t need them.¡± A clear, youthful voice. A tall and slim boy in a Nike tracksuit walked over, ¡°Daisy, Allison prepared the gift for me, not for you.¡± Daisy gave Jesse a yful punch on his shoulder, ¡°Who let youe out?¡± ¡°Mum and dad sent me out to wee you guys.¡± Jesse said. He took the gift from Allison, ¡°Allison, thank you for the Lego, I love it. I¡¯ll put it together tomorrow and take a picture Allison smiled, ¡°Sure.¡± for you.¡± Looking at Allison¡¯s gentle smile, Jesse¡¯s eyes sparkled. He led the way, heart pounding, ¡°Allison, when¡¯s your birthday? I¡¯ll prepare a gift for you too.¡± Daisy pinched his arm, ¡°You can¡¯t even remember my birthday. Every time I have to remind you.¡± ¡°Hey, you¡¯re so hot¨Ctempered.¡± Jesse hid behind Allison, his fingers lightly touched Allison¡¯s shoulder, avoiding Daisy¡¯s attack. The scent of Allison¡¯s hair filled Jesse¡¯s nostrils, his ears turned slightly red, but he took a deep breath as he was dodging. The Santos siblings, one hiding behind Allison, the other chasing him in front. Allisonughed and shook her head, stepping in to stop Daisy. When Jesse saw that Daisy was held back, he immediately jumped up. ¡°Daisy, you¡¯re so temperamental. No wonder you still don¡¯t have a boyfriend. Look at Allison, she¡¯s so easygoing.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you make Allison your sister then.¡± Daisy said. ¡°I would love to, but I don¡¯t have that choice.¡± Jesse said. ¡°Jesse, you dare to dream! I¡¯ll show you!¡± Daisy said.. ¡°Oh, Allison, save me Jesse said. Allison couldn¡¯t help butugh, watching the two of them goofing around. After fooling around in the corridor for a while, the three of them entered a private room. Chapter 262 Chapter 262 Chapter 262 At Jesse¡¯s birthday bash, his parents from the Santos n and a few rtives were there, along with his best buds. After chowing down dinner and downing some booze, Daisy found her shoulder aly ce to lean on for Allison She eyed Allison¡¯s long and graceful neck, dressed in a beige velvet dress with a little V¨Cneck and a simple ne to go with it. Daisy let out a belch and said, ¡°Allison, why aren¡¯t you wearing the ne I got you on your birthday?¡± Feeling a bit guilty, Allison replied, ¡°Daisy, I can¡¯t seem to find that ne¡± She reckoned it might have been left behind during her move. She had turned her room upside down but the agate ne was nowhere to be found. She nned to swing by her old ce in the next few days, to see if she could find it. ¡°Oh, you lost it? No worries, I¡¯ll get you a new one.¡± Daisy said. ¡°No need to go through all that trouble.¡± Allison said. ¡°No biggie, you know. Our family business is all about jewelry, we have plenty of materials. I¡¯ll get the factory to whip up a new one exactly like it for you.¡± Daisy said. Allison excused herself to the restroom. Coming out, she bumped into a young bloke in a ck shirt, reeking of booze. She took a step back and said, ¡°Sorry.¡± She looked up, sidestepped a few tracks, then her gaze froze. She was staring at the man¡¯s face, her voice started to quiver and she was suddenly at a loss for words. As the man turned to go, she quickly caught up and grabbed his sleeve, ¡°You¡­¡± The man looked at Allison, ¡°Can I help you, miss?¡± The man¡¯s voice was deep, clearly hammered. His gaze was a bit blurry, all he saw was a young woman. Tears welled up in Allison¡¯s eyes, ¡°Ricky.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong guy.¡± The man frowned. He pushed Allison aside and staggered towards a private room. Allison followed closely. That face, did she really get it wrong? But that face, was exactly like Ricky¡¯s in her memory. Ricky had been gone for many years. How could the man in her memory appear out of the blue. Feeling someone trailing him, the man turned around, seeing the teary¨Ceyed woman. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up with you?¡± He asked. Allison bit her lip, looked at the face in front of her and burst into tears. The man sobered up a bit, ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t scare you, did I? Stop crying. I didn¡¯t do anything to you, why are you crying? Don¡¯t let people think I¡¯m bullying you.¡± Allison was overwhelmed, ¡°What¡¯s your name? Have you always lived here? Do you have an ID? Can I see it?¡± The man looked at Allison as if she were crazy, but Allison cried harder and harder, attracting puzzled looks from passers¨Cby. Nichs felt a headache brewing, ¡°I¡¯m Nichs, 25, been living in Northfield all my life. You want to see my ID? It¡¯s in my room. You¡¯re one weird woman, stop crying! Or people will think I am bullying women¡± Nichs led the way, Allison trailing behind. She didn¡¯t want to cry, but she was too overwhelmed. This man looked so much like Ricky; they were like two peas in a pod. It was exactly Ricky¡¯s face in her memory. The age was right too, Ricky would have been around 24 or 25 if he were still around. Following Nichs¡¯s footsteps, they arrived at the door to his private room. Nichs pushed open the door and walked in. Inside the room, a few friends were knocking back drinks. ¡°Nick, I thought you had passed out in the restroom, took you long enough.¡± James Burke said to Nichs. Nichs replied, ¡°I was drunk, but a crazy woman woke me up.¡± He pointed to his head. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. James looked up. What happened?¡± Nichs shook his head, ¡°Just ran into a troublemaker on the way.¡± One of the friends chuckled, ¡°Who dared to mess with you, a woman? How¡¯s she look?¡± Nichsughed, recalling the delicate face, ¡°Well, she¡¯s not half bad¡± His friend started teasing, ¡°If she¡¯s not bad, why not keep her?¡± ¡°What do you guys take me, Nichs, for? Fall for every woman I see?¡± Nichs stretched out his hand, ¡°Lucian, it¡¯s on your left, pass me my wallet.¡± The man on the dark leather couch looked up, passed a wallet to Nichs. He mumbled something, pulled out his ID from it, and headed out. Chapter 263 Chapter 263 Chapter 263 At the entrance of the private room, Lucian Lindberg squinted slightly, seeing a figure that was both familiar and somewhat blurry Nichs stepped out, holding his ID He looked at Allison, her eyes red from crying, and said, ¡°Look, this is my ID!¡± He felt really weird about it. He just went out to use the bathroom and ran into this woman who demanded to see his (D. If this chick hadn¡¯t been crying the whole time and didn¡¯t seem like she had a mental issue, Nichs would have definitely called the cops. Allison looked at his ID. The name ¡°Nichs¡® was written on it along with some personal information This man wasn¡¯t her brother. Her eyes dimmed, and her heart calmed down. After a pointless moment of joy, she smiled half¨Cheartedly and apologized, ¡°Sorry, I mistook you for someone else.¡± Nichs took back his ID, hands in his pockets, ready to say sohing. But he saw Allison had already turned and was walking towards the other end of the corridor. He yelled out, ¡°Hey, what on earth are you doing? You stop me and cry, look at my ID and just leave? What the hell!¡± Back in the private room, one of his friends joked, ¡°Nick, why¡¯d youe back? I just saw that girl crying outside. Why didn¡¯t you gofort her? Could¡¯ve been a golden opportunity.¡± Nichs took a sip of his drink, waved his hand dismissively, ¡°She seemed fine to me, just noticed her because she¡¯s pretty. Otherwise I¡¯d think she was Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. off her rocker¡± ¡°Maybe she was trying to hit on you, Nick. You should¡¯ve been more proactive.¡± ¡°Yeah, she might¡¯ve just been looking for an excuse to chat and get close to you.¡± Nichs pondered a bit, thought it made sense, and then chuckled. Lucian¡¯s face darkened. He nced at his joking friend who immediately cut the crap, ¡°What¡¯s up with Luca, he suddenly.¡± Lucian suddenly looked upset. ¡°Who knows.¡± The friend whispered back, ¡°His mood¡¯s always all over the ce.¡± After Jesse¡¯s birthday party, Allison returned home. She stepped into the bathroom, turned on the shower, allowing herself to stand under the running water. The warm water flew down her delicate facial features. Her eyshes were trembling. She was recalling Nichs¡¯s face; it was too simr. Every part of Nichs¡¯s face was just like her brother Ricky. She abruptly opened her eyes. She and Penelope could look alike, and other people in the world could also resemble Ricky. But to resemble him to this extent, it was the first time Allison had ever seen it. Nichs¡¯s face was identical to Ricky¡¯s face in her memory. Their ages were also simr. Was it really just coincidence? Allison didn¡¯t want to deny it, deep down she hoped her brother Ricky was still alive. She hoped Ricky was still in this world. She wanted to find that guy called Nichs to confirm again. After her shower, Allison opened the fridge to prepare breakfast when she heard a knock on the door. She went to open it, it was Ana, her neighbor from across the hall. ¡°Allison, did you just get home?¡± Ana asked. Allison smiled, ¡°Yeah, was out with friends tonight.¡± Ana handed over a bowl of Italian dumplings, ¡°I made these tonight, here¡¯s a share for you.¡± ¡°Thanks, Ana.¡± Allison took the dumplings, looking at Ana standing at the door, ¡°Anything else, Ana?¡± Ana asked, ¡°Allison, do you have a boyfriend?¡± Allison guessed, Ana wouldn¡¯t be trying to set her up, would she? She replied, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s working out of town.¡± Ana seemed a bit disappointed. Allison was beautiful, gentle, and generous. She had a rtive of a simr age. ¡°Alright, won¡¯t bother you anymore. Allison, remember to take your keys when you go out. The property management here can sometimes be tough. I once had a long argument with them about a spare key because I forgot to bring mine.¡± Ana said. Allison looked at Ana suspiciously, why would she suddenly remind her to take her keys? She suddenly remembered her jewelry box that was out of order, ¡°Ana, did anyonee to my ce this morning?¡± ¡°Just you came back. Ana said. She closed the door, leaning against it. She walked back to the bed, opened the jewelry box, and found it wasn¡¯t her imagination. Someone indeed had been here this morning besides her! Chapter 264 Chapter 264 Chapter 264 Nine in the morning. Allison strode into the property management center, having a hunch who had been in her ce, ¡°Did I come here to get my key yesterday morning?¡± The staff confirmed, ¡°Yes, around half past eight yesterday morning. You mentioned you left your key at home and we provided you with a spare.¡± Allison pursed her lips a little, ¡°Can I check the surveince footage?¡± ¡°Ms. Zimmer, we don¡¯t just hand out our security topes for anyone to check. The staff said. ¡°I lost a ring and I¡¯ve searched my entire house but couldn¡¯t find it, so I wanted to take a look.¡± Allison said. The staff exined hurriedly. ¡°Ms. Zimmer, if your ring was left here, we would keep it safe. We absolutely wouldn¡¯t take it for ourselves.¡± The staff was seemingly afraid that Allison might think something¡¯s fishy about the management center. Allison said, ¡°I just want to check the surveince. If it¡¯s not here, it must be somewhere else.¡± She was led to the security room by the staff who pulled up yesterday¡¯s footage. ¡°Ms. Zimmer, this is your surveince video from half past eight to nine yesterday morning, about six minutes in total.¡± Allison scrutinized the monitor closely. The woman who walked in, dressed in posh clothes and sunsses on. She had a face simr to hers, was none other than Penelope. Allison got the picture. The staff asked Allison, ¡°Ms. Zimmer, have you found your ring?¡± Allison replied, ¡°No, I must¡¯ve lost it somewhere outside. I¡¯ll go look.¡± She headed back home, opened her drawers to see what was missing. What on earth was Penelope looking for when she rummaged through her drawers and jewelry box? She furrowed her brows. Suddenly, her gaze stopped. The agate ne Grace asked her to fetch from the closet was gone! She whipped out her phone to call Penelope immediately but there was no answer. So, Allison hailed a cab to the nagan family. Margo opened the door. Seeing Allison, Margo seemed a bit nervous. After all, they barged into her house just yesterday. Now, Allison was at their doorstep, had she found something out? ¡°What are you doing here? You¡¯ve moved out. Get lost.¡± Margo said. In the surveince video, both Margo and Penelope were present. Allison didn¡¯t hold back, ¡°Margo, where¡¯s Penelope?¡± ¡°Ms. nagan¡¯s out. What the hell, you dare to barge in!¡± Margo tried to block Allison but got her foot stepped on. Crying out in pain, she yelled, ¡°Stop Allison!¡± Hearing themotion, Linda came out from inside. She bumped into Allison and upon hearing Margo¡¯s instructions, hesitated. Allison stared at her without asking anything, but her eyes made Linda feel ashamed. She stammered, ¡°You know I¡¯m just a maid, and when Ms. nagan asked your address, I just.¡± Allison hadn¡¯t known before that her home address was leaked by Linda. Hearing Linda¡¯s exnation, she paused and looked at Linda, ¡°So, it was you who told them.¡± She had known Linda for five or six years now. One of Linda¡¯s rtives worked in a housekeepingpany, who rmended Linda to work here. The pay wasn¡¯t bad and the work wasn¡¯t too tiring. Linda was five years older than her. Initially, the housekeeper was Grace who, impressed by Linda¡¯s diligence and reliability, hired her. Later, when Grace fell ill, the housekeeping duties of the nagan family fell to Margo. Margo was hard on the staff. She and Linda had both been scolded by Margo, which fostered a supportive friendship between them in times of hardship. However, Allison never thought this friendship would crumble so easily. She smiled, walked past Linda, and headed upstairs. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. She walked straight into Penelope¡¯s bedroom. Chapter 265 Chapter 265 Chapter 265 Penelope was in her bedroom, pping on a face mask. With a new agate ne in hand, she was nning on attending the Lindberg family¡¯s house party on Saturday. Her spirits were high. Suddenly, the door swung open. Assuming it was Margo, Penelope snapped, ¡°Margo, you¡¯re really pushing it, barging into my room like this!¡± She looked up and saw Allison standing in the doorway. ¡°Allison, what are you doing here?¡® Penelope asked. Once she¡¯d gotten over the shock, Penelope yelled out, ¡°Margo, Margo, who let this person in?!¡± Margo was downstairs. Hearing themotion, she grumbled, ¡°Idiot, can¡¯t even keep one Allison out!¡± She then hobbled upstairs. Allison strode into Penelope¡¯s room, heading to the vanity to rummage through the storage box. She was looking for her ne, but it wasn¡¯t there. She then checked in Penelope¡¯s walk¨Cin closet, but still no luck. Penelope, watching Margo hustle upstairs, yelled, ¡°Call the police! Call the police now!¡± Allison turned around, smirking slightly. ¡°Sure, call the police! My fingerprints are all over the ne, Let¡¯s see how they feel about you stealing my spare key, breaking into my house, and stealing my stuff!¡± Penelope gritted her teeth, stopping Margo in her tracks. That stuff is rightfully mine. Lucian gave it to me. You kept it for yourself, but I know what you¡¯re up to. You¡¯re ying both sides, aren¡¯t you? On one hand, you¡¯re with Jason. But on the other, you¡¯re trying to lure Lucian, right?¡± Penelope said. ¡°It was my mother¡¯s!¡± Allison¡¯s voice dropped to a frosty tone, ¡°Give me back the ne!¡± ¡°Why should I believe it was your mother¡¯s?¡± Penelope was having none of it. She clutched at her chest where the ne was hanging. Ever since she got the ne, she¡¯d been wearing it non¨Cstop, fearing she might lose it, ¡°This is clearly the ne Lucian gave to me! Margo, what are you standing there for? Get her out! If I see her in the nagan family home again, you can kiss your paycheck goodbye!¡± Margo clenched her teeth and grabbed Allison by the arm, only to have Allison grab her back. Margo yelped in pain. How was Allison so strong? ¡°Let go, Allison! Let go! Ah, it hurts so much!¡± Margo said. Allison shoved Margo aside and walked straight up to Penelope. She suddenly felt that she¡¯d been too weak, giving Penelope and Leah the chance to threaten her. This was why she¡¯d kept her patience until now. She¡¯d moved out, distanced herself from the nagan family, but Penelope? She kept prodding her, threatening her, even breaking into her home to steal her mother¡¯s ne! All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Her mother had once told her the ne was important. Penelope backed away, fear in her eyes. She said to Allison, ¡°What are you going to do, Allison? Don¡¯t forget, your mother is in my hands. I¡¯m the rightful owner of Lucian¡¯s ne! If you daree any closer, your mother Grace will be in danger. I¡¯ll make sure she never wakes up in the hospital!¡± Allison stopped, her hands clenched and her gaze icy. A strange smile spread across her face. She pulled out her phone, which was recording. She hit y. ¡°If you daree any closer, your mother Grace will be in danger. I¡¯ll make sure she never wakes up in the hospital!¡± Penelope heard the words, her face instantly turning pale. ¡°Allison!¡± Penelope lunged, trying to snatch the phone, but she hadn¡¯t expected Allison to be so strong. She yelled out, ¡°Margo, what are you doing? Come help!¡± Margo rushed over, as did Linda. They were all tangled up. Penelope was pregnant, so Allison didn¡¯t dare use too much force. But she wasn¡¯t about to let herself be bullied. She grabbed Penelope¡¯s hair, and Penelope screamed. Allison was overpowered by theirbined strength, and her phone slipped from her hand. Margo quickly bent down to pick it up, but Linda saw what she was doing and kicked it away Before Margo could get the phone, she fell down the stairs, tumbling all the way from the second floor to the first. Chapter 266 Chapter 266 Chapter 266 Just then, a van pulled up in front of the house. Christopher walked in, just in time to see Margo tumble down the stairs. He heard his daughter Penelope wailing upstairs, ¡°Dad, dad, you gotta back me up. Allison¡¯s been hurting me¡± Ever since that incident at the hospital, Allison and the nagan family had a total fallout. She and Christopher hadn¡¯t seen each other after. The kind image Christopher once had in her heart no longer existed, but Christopher always felt guilty towards Allison. Every time he thought of Joshua, he also felt uneasy Christopher looked at his daughter with her messy hair and frowned, ¡°Penelope, look at you, what a mess. Your baby isn¡¯t hurt, is it?¡± Penelope gritted her teeth, looking at the strands of hair ripped out on the ground, all hers. She suddenly screamed, ¡°Dad, it¡¯s all Allison. She barged into our home, and stole my things. Look at how she bullies me.¡± Christopher also felt sorry for his daughter, ¡°She¡¯s always been part of the nagan family, lived with us for years. It¡¯s not exactly breaking in. But what did she steal from you?¡± Penelope clutched the ne around her neck, ¡°This ne is from Lucian, but Allison stole it. I managed to get it back, and now she¡¯s trying to snatch it again!¡± Allison looked at Penelope, a mocking smile on her lips, ¡°Penelope, you really have no shame.¡± Christopher asked, ¡°What ne?¡± Penelope hid behind Christopher, afraid that Allison would snatch it, cautiously showed Christopher. The man¡¯s pupils contracted, full of surprise. Christopher¡¯s expression quickly changed. He clenched his fist, his eyes fixed on the agate ne around Penelope¡¯s neck! This! This was! ¡°You, Penelope, where did you get this ne?¡± After his shock, he tried to hide his expression, but realized his voice was trembling, half his face numb from the shock. This is from Lucian, Allison hid it.¡± Penelope shook Christopher¡¯s arm, her voice choked with tears, ¡°Dad, you have to stand up for me. Look at what she¡¯s done to me!¡± Christopher¡¯s gaze fell on Allison, who was standing a few feet away from him. He asked with a trembling voice, ¡°You say this is yours. Where did you get it?¡± ¡°This was left to me by my mother.¡± Allison looked at Christopher with pursed lips, ¡°My fingerprints are on it, a check will prove it.¡± Christopher took a step forward, ¡°Grace left this to you.¡± Penelope noticed her father¡¯s changing expression, worried he would get angry because of Allison, and quickly went back to her room to call Leah. She dramatically told Leah, ¡°Mom, the ne I got from Lucian, Allison wants to steal it. She insists it was left to her by Grace. Dad changed his face as soon as he heard Grace¡¯s name. Mom,e home soon. This ne is very important to me!¡± On the other end of the phone, Leah immediately dropped her cards and said goodbye to thedies. She rushed home, especially after hearing the name Grace.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Chapter 267 Chapter 267 Chapter 267 Christopher was staring at Allison, gobsmacked. He turned to Penelope and said, ¡°Penelope, hand over the ne.¡± Clutching her ne, Penelope refused, ¡°No way, this is a gift from Lucian! Why should it go to Allison! Dad, you¡¯ve always favored Allison, ever since we were kids. She¡¯s just a servant¡¯s daughter, why are you so good to her, paying for her education, giving her a ce to live! Is it true what mom said, that she¡¯s your lovechild with Grace?¡± ¡°p!¡± Christopher pped Penelope¡¯s face Penelope was stunned Allison frowned slightly, not understanding Christopher¡¯s intentions. Besides, Christopher actually hit Penelope, how amusing. What kind of show were these two putting on for her? Snapping back to reality, Penelope cried in disbelief, ¡°Dad, you hit me. Are you still thinking of Grace? I hit the nail on the head, didn¡¯t I. The rumors are true!¡± Christopher started to regret hitting his daughter. He sighed heavily, ¡°Penelope, listen to yourself! Give the ne back to Allison!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s mine! It¡¯s a gift from Lucian!¡± She nned to show it off to him this Saturday. This ne was their token of love, a token from Lucian. Without it, how would Miranda view her? Christopher didn¡¯t know how to exin to his daughter, ¡°Penelope, the ne really belongs to Allison.* Penelope didn¡¯t care about any of that. She red at Christopher, ¡°It¡¯s clearly mine! Dad, even you¡¯re siding with Allison to bully me! You even hit me!¡± ¡°Penelope!¡± Just then, Leah rushed back from outside. She saw Margo groaning on the floor with her leg and Linda trembling in fear. She quickly ran upstairs. Penelope finally found someone to lean on and ran to her. ¡°Mom, dad and Allison are ganging up on me!¡± She threw herself into Leahis arms. Without a second thought, Leah defended her daughter, ¡°Allison, who invited you to the nagan family. You¡¯re not wee here!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want toe here, just give me back the ne. Allison said. ¡°What ne? Leah looked at her daughter. Penelope lifted her face, still marked with a p, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s a token from Lucian, our token from when we first got together. Allison stole it and wants to use it to threaten me. She¡¯s trying to seduce Lucian! Every woman in Northfield wants to marry into the Lindberg family, and Allison is no different. She barged into our house today to steal it. Dad didn¡¯t help me. He even hit me! Look mom, dad hit me!¡± ¡°You¡¯re actually siding with this woman against our own daughter?¡± Leah was shocked at the sight of the p mark on Penelope¡¯s face. She looked at Christopher, ¡°Christopher, have you lost your mind? This is our daughter!¡± Christopher frowned at Leah¡¯s arrival. He knew she¡¯d cause trouble, but he insisted, ¡°Penelope, give the ne to Allison, and we¡¯ll put this to an end!¡± Leah stepped in front of Penelope, ¡°Christopher, you still have feelings for that woman Grace, don¡¯t you? You¡¯re protecting her daughter, even hitting our own. Do you remember how difficult Penelope¡¯s birth was, it was a miracle we had her. You¡¯re really breaking my heart.¡± ¡°Leah, you¡¯ve got it all wrong¡± Christopher didn¡¯t know what to say. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The ne was a family heirloom from his mother, which he gave to Grace while they were together. They were close to getting married back then. He gave the ne to Grace the first time they slept together, saying it was for their future child. But how could he let Leah know about this? If she found out, wouldn¡¯t she make a scene? Chapter 268 Chapter 268 Chapter 268 He sighed deeply and said, ¡°Leah, I¡¯ll exin this to youter, but this ne is indeed Allison¡¯s. Let Penelope give it back to her.¡± Penelope was adamant. ¡°Mom, this is my keepsake from Lucian. It¡¯s the engagement token he gave me when we were together. How could Allison have dad siding with her like this?¡± Naturally, Leah backed her daughter, ¡°Christopher, what¡¯s your deal?¡± She pointed at him, ¡°Are you dead set on helping Allison today? As long as I¡¯m here, this ne belongs to Penelope and no one can take it away! Christopher, if you dare, divorce me!¡± Faced with such a threat, Christopher¡¯s expression turned serious. He looked at Leah and asked, ¡°Are you serious?¡± Leah wasn¡¯t really serious. It was just a spur¨Cof¨Cthe¨Cmoment thing. If they really divorced, wouldn¡¯t that cheap woman Grace benefit? At this moment, she looked at Christopher, her eyes suddenly reddened, ¡°How could you speak to me like this? If I nod, would you divorce me immediately? Have you been wanting to do this? Do you want to divorce me and then bring Grace back?¡± ¡°Leah, didn¡¯t you bring this up?¡± Christopher felt somewhat drained. He couldn¡¯t stand Leah and Penelope¡¯s tantrums anymore. He wished for a peaceful family life. Leah¡¯s past tantrums were tolerable. But today, after seeing this ne, old memories suddenly resurfaced, making him feel ufortable. After watching this drama unfold for a while, Allison chuckled and pped her hands, ¡°Done with your drama? You guys are quite entertaining, talking about divorce over a ne.¡± ¡°Allison?¡± Leah seemed to only notice Allison then, pointing at her. All her rage seemed to have found an outlet, You¡¯d better listen to me, and stay away from me, or else¡­¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Or else what? Threaten me with my mother?¡± Allison¡¯s expression was cold, but she wore a smile. She walked up to Leah, ¡°Leah, are you saying, if I don¡¯t obey, you¡¯ll stop supplying medication to my mother and let her die in the madhouse?¡± She crossed her arms and sneered. Christopher looked at Allison, taken aback, ¡°What did you say? Stop the medication? Madhouse?¡± Leah¡¯s face changed. She seemed to snap back to reality and hurriedly blocked Christopher, ¡°Christopher, don¡¯t listen to this bitch¡¯s nonsense!¡± Christopher looked at Leah with a serious expression. He pushed Leah aside and looked at Allison, ¡°Tell me clearly, what happened to your mother?¡± Hadn¡¯t Grace undergone surgery? He¡¯d been wanting to talk to Grace but couldn¡¯t find her, and his assistant couldn¡¯t locate her either. He thought Grace was hidden by Allison. ¡°Christopher, what¡¯s this act you¡¯re putting on? Trying to look like you care about my mother? In your heart, you probably wish both she and I could disappear. Then the fact that my father died for you wouldn¡¯t be revealed, right?¡± Allison said. ¡°Allison, I¡¯ve always felt guilty about that incident. I¡¯ve always wanted to find your mother to have a proper talk, but I¡¯ve never been able to. It¡¯s not what you think. I really feel sorry for your family¡± Christopher¡¯s expression was sincere. He really felt sorry for Grace, for the Zimmer family. Allison frowned slightly, not understanding what Christopher was doing in front of her. She nced at Leah and said to Christopher, ¡°You should ask your wife and daughter where my mother is. Your whole family is cunning. Because of you, my father and brother Ricky died in a car ident. Because of Leah and Penelope, my mother suffers every day.¡± Christopher looked at Leah with cold eyes, ¡®Leah, where¡¯s Grace?¡± Chapter 269 Chapter 269 Chapter 269 ¡°Christopher, are you seriously gonna trust a servant over me? Are you doubting me?¡± Leah asked. Penelope was caught off guard. A small essory had turned into a family dispute, ¡°Dad, how could you suspect Mom? Just because of something Allison said, you think Mom is hiding Grace?¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Leah was so pissed off she was grinding her teeth. Her daughter was totally useless! Christopher was stern, ¡°Did you really lock up Grace? Where is she now, Leah? You have to clear this up!¡± Leah was fuming, ring at Allison But Allison wasn¡¯t scared, a smirk appeared on her face, ¡°Leah, no point giving me the evil eye. Better release my mom or else, if anything happens to her, your precious daughter is toast. I¡¯ve recorded everything on my phone.¡± As she said this, she bent down to pick up her phone. The screen was cracked but the audio was still working. She hit y. Penelope¡¯s arrogant voice came out, ¡°If you dare approach me again, your mom Grace will be in danger. I¡¯ll make sure she never wakes up from her hospital bed!¡± Leah went pale instantly. She red at her daughter, as if berating this useless child! Penelope guiltily hung her head. Allison said, ¡°Don¡¯t think you can get away with this. You¡¯ve locked my mom up in Mercy Grove Hospital, a mental institution. You¡¯ve threatened me with my mom¡¯s life over and over again. If anything happens to her, this recording will be your undoing!¡± If anything happened to her mom, Penelope would pay too! Christopher was livid, ¡°Leah, you need to exin this! Release Grace immediately! This is illegal, do you understand?¡± ¡°Christopher, is that woman the only thing in your heart? Don¡¯t you care about how I feel?¡± Leah asked. ¡°Leah, I¡¯m doing this for you. This is illegal, do you want to drag yourself and Penelope into this?¡± Christohpher said. Leah stood there, took two steps back. She red at Allison but she was out of options for now. Mercy Grove Hospital. The guards on the sixth floor seemed to have received the message and all left. Adrian watched the guards leave in a hurry. He had received Allison¡¯s message. He went up to the room where he saw Grace. His tears fell, ¡°Grace.¡± Grace had been properly medicated recently and her mental state had recovered. Although she was still weak, she was conscious. In the past, Adrian could only sneak a peek at her when he was cleaning once a week. They didn¡¯t dare make eye contact. But now, with the guards gone, Adrian was finally able to see Grace! ¡°Adrian.¡± Grace smiled, ¡°It¡¯s been a while, how have you been?¡± Adrian felt extreme guilt, especially seeing Grace¡¯s smile. His eyes were filled with tears. The sunlight shone into the room, on his hair, then he suddenly knelt down, shaking. ¡°Grace, I¡¯m sorry. This is all my fault!¡± Tears rolled down the middle¨Caged man¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Adrian.¡± Grace moved the nket aside and got up from the bed. She helped Adrian up. Seeing Adrian not getting up, she bent down, ¡°It¡¯s all in the past now.¡± Was the death of her husband and son his fault? Maybe, maybe not. After all, Adrian was just a hired driver. Was it Christopher¡¯s fault? But Christopher couldn¡¯t predict the ident either. Years had passed and Grace couldn¡¯t let go. Perhaps this was just fate. Adrian felt immense guilt, ¡°Grace, Allison will be here soon to pick you up.¡± Upon hearing her daughter¡¯s name, Grace¡¯s eyes lit up. Adrian knew that Christopher would being soon, so he left the room and hid in the bathroom on the sixth floor. He decided to make the nagan family pay for the suffering they caused Grace. Chapter 270 Chapter 270 Chapter 270 Allison and Christopher hit Mercy Grove Hospital. The security guys on the sixth floor got the heads¨Cup half an hour ago and bolted. They were in it for the dough, not a stint in the mmer. If they got snagged for illegal detention, they¡¯d be in handcuffs before they knew it. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Allison pushed open the ward door, and tears instantly welled up in her eyes, ¡°Mom.¡± Grace sat up from the bed, ¡°Allison¡± Allison moved to her, hugging her tightly, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m here to spring you, to get you out of this hellhole.¡± Finally, she could get her mom out of here, away from Leah¡¯s threats and control! ¡°Alright.¡± Grace was also charged up. She had been cooped up in here with no freedom. Her illness had been on and off, and she knew the state of her health Even though she had a new kidney, anyone would feel crappy in this stifling ce, let alone dealing with Leah. ¡°Christopher.¡± Grace spotted Christopher standing at the door. Christopher looked at her, a whirlwind of emotions in his heart. It had been a while since hest saw Grace. Back when they were in the nagan family, Grace always gave him the cold shoulder, and Christopher only exchanged a few words with her now and then. Their rtionship was tricky, and they were both worried about Leah getting green¨Ceyed. Allison held her mom¡¯s hand, but Grace patted Allison¡¯s hand signalling her to let go. Allison nced at Christopher, then said to her mom, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you outside. In the ward, it was just Grace and Christopher. Christopher looked at the frail woman sitting on the bed. In his memory, she was still that innocent college girl. He chuckled, seemingly reminiscing about the past, ¡°I remember, back in college, you had a lot of guys chasing after you.¡± Grace stood up, looking different than before. No fancy clothes, no pricey skincare. Her body riddled with illness, her face pale and gaunt, her hair dry and frizzy. She was only in her forties now, but she looked as if she was in her sixties. And the man standing in front of her, all suited up. Though middle¨Caged, he was more charming than ever. ¡°So many guys were after me, yet I chose you.¡± There was a hint of mockery in Grace¡¯s voice, ¡°Christopher, you¡¯ve changed.¡± Christopher was taken aback, his facial expression froze, ¡°Grace, I had no idea Leah was doing this behind my back. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Are you apologizing on behalf of your wife?¡± Grace seemed to know that it was Leah who had her locked up here, that was why the bodyguards got the news earlier. She had thought something happened, or maybe Leah had a change of heart. Christopher was in pain. He had always felt guilty about Grace. Looking back at the past, he felt deeply ashamed. But men like Christopher, especially those who owned theirpany with an annual ie of millions, also had their pride. ¡°This is for you¡± He said as he took out a card from his wallet and handed it to Grace. Grace took it and gave a pale smile, ¡°That¡¯s it? Too little, don¡¯t you think? My husband, my son, and you. Christopher, you ditched me to climb the socialdder, and you chose Leah. Is this all it¡¯s worth?¡± Christopher¡¯s face turned ugly. He took out another card from his bag and handed it over, ¡°Grace, I know, I owe you a lot.¡± ¡°Indeed, too much. Both you and Leah owe me a lot.¡± Grace was upset, ¡°Do you know what Leah did to me? I was locked up here, and got a kidney transnt. My health is deteriorating and she threatened my daughter. You both threatened my daughter!!¡± Christopher looked at her getting worked up. ¡°Grace, it¡¯s our fault.¡± ¡°Ha¨Cha¡± Grace suddenlyughed. Years of illness and dialysis had left her pallid and skinny, almost skeletal. But her smile now, it was growing deeper, and somewhat eerie. ¡°Christopher, go tell Leah, she will regret this!¡± Grace said. Chapter 271 Chapter 271 Chapter 271 Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Grace, I found you a spacious ce to live, and I even arranged for a better doctor to check you out. Whatever I owe you, I¡¯ll repay you¡± Christopher said. Maybe that could give him some peace. ¡°No need, I don¡¯t wanna see you guys ever again¡± Grace said. Christopher wanted to say more, ¡°Grace, is Allison ours¡­¡± Grace didn¡¯t answer his question. She just stared straight at Christopher, then she called out, ¡°Allison.¡± Allison pushed the door open, nced at Christopher, and then walked up to her mother. She led her mother away. After Allison and Grace left, Christopher sighed softly. His assistant walked in, ¡°Mr. nagan,¡± ¡°Nash, I¡¯ve been in quite a mess these past few years¡± Christopher said. Nash of course knew about it. Christopher had been in pain ever since Joshua and Ricky¡¯s car ident. Christopher seemed to age even more. He initially thought that seeing Grace and having a chat would soothe his heart a bit. He knew that Grace had always held a grudge against him. After he graduated from college, he wanted to start a business. Leah¡¯s family was pretty well¨Coff, and she always supported him. Little by little, he developed selfish desires. He liked Grace, but then a girl who looked a bit like Grace and came from a wealthier family appeared. Naturally, his heart leaned towards her. He broke up with Grace and got together with Leah. But he didn¡¯t know at the time that Grace and Leah were distant rtives. On his wedding to Leah, Grace was also there. He never wanted to recall that scene again. After his marriage, he couldn¡¯t forget about Grace. Even though Leah and Grace looked alike, their personalities were different. He liked the innocent and kind¨Chearted Grace. Up until now, he had lived half of his life. There were three things he dared not recall. First, the way Grace looked at him at his wedding to Leah. Second, the day before Grace married Joshua, she came to find him. Her eyes seemed to say that if he said no, she could call off the wedding. But he lowered his head. Third, Joshua and Ricky died for him. He felt guilty towards her, but a man couldn¡¯t be controlled by a woman. He was also weak. He relied on Leah¡¯s family to start a business and made money Allison took Grace to the hospital for a check¨Cup, today¡¯s doctor was Dr. Dn, She walked into the consulting room with the registration form, and was taken aback. Dr. Dn looked up and pushed his sses up. The sunlight came in from the window behind him, making his clothes shine. Grace said, ¡°Dr. Dn, are you on shift today?¡± Dr. Dn stood up. ¡°Sit down, have you been feeling unwell recently?¡± I¡¯m actually fine. It¡¯s just that Allison is not at ease and insists on bringing me for a check¨Cup. I don¡¯t want to. It¡¯s gonna cost a fortune.¡± Grace said. Dr. Dn wrote a few tests, then handed them to Allison, ¡°Go to the second floor for blood and urine tests first. There should be no wait time now. Some ultrasound tests might require waiting. Check the results with me in the afternoon. Your mom doesn¡¯t need toe. She¡¯ll be better off resting at home.¡± Grace smiled, ¡°Thank you, Dr. Dn.¡± Allison also said softly. ¡°Thank you.¡± Dr. Dn clenched his fist, ¡°No worries.¡± As Allison helped Grace out of the consultation room, Dr. Dn took a few steps forward, ¡°Allison.¡± Allison stopped. Dr. Dn asked, ¡°I was at a party with friendsst night, and you didn¡¯t show up. You also didn¡¯t pick up my calls.¡± Allison smiled, ¡°There were too many people, I forgot to check my phone. You were in the private room, you could just ask the waiter if you needed anything¡± Dr. Dn¡¯s voice was a bit low, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I could get a discount if I contact you?¡± Allison was stunned, ¡°Ah, yes, sorry I was too busy and forgot. Next time After that, she helped Grace to leave. Dr. Dn was a bit down. Chapter 272 Chapter 272 Chapter 272 ¡°Allie, are you tight with Dr. Dn?¡± Grace asked. ¡°Sort of.¡± Grace didn¡¯t have a clue about her history with Dr. Dn. As she apanied Grace into the elevator, she said, ¡°I used toe here a lot, so I¡¯m pretty chummy with the medical staff¡± ¡°Allie, when are you gonna bring a boyfriend home? Mom can give him the once¨Cover.¡± Grace said. ¡°No rush¡± Allison, yfully clinging to Grace¡¯s arm, said, I¡¯m only 21. No need to hurry.¡± ¡°No need to hurry? You¡¯ll be 22 when you graduate. Working a few years, you¡¯ll need to think about having babies.¡± Grace said. Allison sidestepped the topic. She took Grace for a series of tests. The results wouldn¡¯t be ready until the afternoon. She first took Grace to the Blue Mountain Estate. Looking around, Grace asked, ¡°Allie, howe you moved here? This ce must cost a pretty penny¡± ¡°Mom, I didn¡¯t want to live in that tiny house behind the nagans anymore.¡± Allison furrowed her brows slightly. ¡°The lighting there was awful.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I made you put up with that, it¡¯s my fault Grace sighed, seemingly ming herself, repeating, ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡± Allison quickly hugged Grace, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re the best, I love you the most.¡± Grace¡¯s face was a mix of regret and guilt. This kind¨Chearted girl shouldn¡¯t have had to go through so much hardship. But! They all owed her! In that instant, Grace¡¯s face turned cold. If Allison saw it, she would be shocked because this was the first time she had seen such a cold expression on the normally gentle Grace. Unfortunately, Allison¡¯s face was buried in Grace¡¯s shoulder, so she didn¡¯t see. In the afternoon, after settling Grace down, Allison went to the hospital to get the test results. Seeing the numbers, she breathed a sigh of relief. Her creatinine levels were a bit unstable, but much better than before. She went to the clinic, Dr. Dn nced at the report and gave her some advice, ¡°Keep taking the anti¨Crejection meds daily. Everything else looks good. Just keep up with regr check¨Cups.¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Allison said, ¡°Thank you, Dr. Dn.¡± Dr. Dn responded seriously, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so formal.¡± Just then, Dr. Dn¡¯s phone on the desk rang. The screen disyed ¡°Jade.¡± Allison gave a slight smile, ¡°Dr. Dn, I won¡¯t interrupt you¡± She turned and left. Dr. Dn frowned slightly, picked up the call, ¡°Hey, Jade, I¡¯m with a patient. Can¡¯t talk now.¡± Jade on the other end was insistent, ¡°Did you see Allison?¡± Dr. Dn was clearly annoyed, ¡°Allison¡¯s mother is my patient. What¡¯s wrong with me seeing her?¡± He didn¡¯t ask how Jade knew; it was pointless. Jade snapped back, ¡°You can¡¯t let her go, can you? You still have feelings for her! Dn, I¡¯ve done so much for you. Aren¡¯t you the least bit grateful?¡± Faced with Jade¡¯s irrational behavior, Dr. Dn sighed, ¡°Jade, I¡¯m really busy. There are patients who need me. I have to hang up now.¡± Fuming, Jade stomped her foot. She was the daughter of the deputy director and had always been a high achiever. Lots of guys chased her. This had never happened before! But she was smitten with Dr. Dn. She called a nurse in the nephrology department, ¡°Keep an eye on Dr. Dn for me. Let me know if Allison meets up with him again.¡± a Chapter 273 Chapter 273 Chapter 273 Christopher came home and let Leah have it. The two argued non¨Cstop. Leah pointed at him, her voice shaking with anger, ¡°You¡¯ve still got Grace in your heart! You can¡¯t forget her! And don¡¯t you forget how you got here. You were a failed businessman until my family invested in your venture. That¡¯s the only reason you¡¯re sessful now!¡± As a sessful man, this was thest thing Christopher wanted to hear. His pride was injured, his anger at its peak, ¡°Yes, I love Grace, I can¡¯t forget her. What¡¯s wrong with that? What¡¯s left of the Eaden family now? Leah, I pay for everything you have, the diamond ne around your neck worth millions is earned by the nagan family! I¡¯ve been too lenient with you!¡± With that, he kicked the coffee table over, spilling coffee everywhere, and stormed out of the study. Leah was stunned. What did he just say? He said he still loved Grace!! She screamed, tearing and smashing anything she could get her hands on, like a mad woman. Then she sank onto the carpet. She was filled with resentment. All this was because of Grace and Allison, otherwise, she and Christopher wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this. The noise in the study grew louder. But in the bedroom, Penelope ignored it all, clutching her agate ne with a satisfied smile. She was nning to wear a low¨Ccut dress to the Lindberg family¡¯s dinner party the day after tomorrow, one that would show off this ne. She didn¡¯t care about the arguing outside. Nothing was more important than bing a Lindberg. Penelope slipped into a white feather¨Cfringed gown, deep V¨Cneck. She put on the ne, turned around to check herself out. Although the ne wasn¡¯t high¨Cend, it looked quite nice against her dress. She twirled around, very pleased with herself. Saturday. Penelope got dressed early in the afternoon. She checked the time, 4:30 PM, and had her driver take her to the Lindbergs. As soon as she got out of the car. ¡°Ms. nagan, you¡¯re here. Mrs. Miranda is writing letters; I¡¯ll go tell Miranda¡± ¡°Is Lucian here yet?¡± Penelope asked. ¡°Mr. Lindberg is on his way¡± Kami walked in, and Penelope greeted her. Kami responded and then sat on the sofa, ignoring Penelope. Penelope kept smiling, but inside, she was itching to p Kami. -She waited on the sofa for two minutes, then Miranda came down from upstairs. She stood up, ¡°Miranda.¡± ¡°Here you are, have a seat.¡± Miranda came over and took Penelope¡¯s hand, sitting down on the sofa. Penelope¡¯s dress today was very form¨Cfitting, so her belly looked rounded. Miranda was pleased, ¡°How have you beentely? Have you been taking the medicine I sent?¡± ¡°Everything¡¯s fine. The baby¡¯s good.¡± Penelope said, one hand gently touching her neck, ying with the ne. Kami looked up. ¡°Is there something wrong with your neck, or is it your hand? Why do you keep fiddling?¡± Penelope¡¯s smile froze on her face. Miranda spoke sternly, ¡°Kami, watch how you talk to Penelope.¡± Kami retorted, ¡°She¡¯s not part of our family yet.¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ying with her phone, she added casually, ¡°Every young woman in Northfield wants to marry Luca, to be a Lindberg. But who knows if the baby in her belly is Luca¡¯s ¡® Penelope went pale, then feigned hurt, ¡°Kami, how could you doubt me like this!¡± As the topic turned to the baby. Miranda¡¯s voice took on a harsher tone, ¡°Kami!¡± Chapter 274 Chapter 274 Chapter 274 Kami sat up straight, ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± She turned to Miranda, ¡°Mum, the lineage of the Lindberg family is a big deal, why else would I be here?¡± There was a touch of sarcasm in her voice, 1 mean, how old am I now? My biological mom passed away, and I was only brought into the Lindberg family after a DNA test. How can we be sure that the baby in Penelope¡¯s belly is Luca¡¯s? Who knows what shady tricks she pulled to marry Luca¡® Every word Kami said made Penelope feel more and more guilty. After all, she knew the baby was hers and Pete¡¯s. Looking at Kami her disgust for her grew stronger. She clenched her fist Usually, she tried her best to please Kami, but Kamipletely ignored her. It seemed like it was time to teach this woman a lesson! However, her face showed a hurt expression, her eyes red, ¡°Miranda, how could I possibly deceive you? I¡¯ve only been with Lucian. As for this baby, I¡¯ve been looking forward to it. I¡¯m willing to wait until the baby is born to prove myself.¡± Miranda took Penelope¡¯s hand, ¡°Alright, alright, stop crying.¡± Although Miranda thought Kami¡¯s words were harsh but reasonable, she still had some affection for Penelope and thought she was a good girl. It was better for Lucian to marry Penelope than to keep pining for a woman who had been in aa for five years. Lucian¡¯s car passed a flower shop. Suddenly, Shawn slowed down the car, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, can I stop to buy some flowers?¡± Lucian nodded. Shawn got out of the car, went into the flower shop, and picked up the flowers he had ordered, 99 roses, ¡°I ordered some flowers for my girlfriend.¡± Lucian crossed his knees, ¡°Elisa from the marketing department?¡± Shawn blushed, ¡°You know, Mr. Lindberg?¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The man seemed to smile, ¡°Do you want me to transfer you to the marketing department?¡± ¡°No need, office romance is not good¡± Shawn shook his head and put the flowers in the car, ¡°Girls, they all love flowers. Even though they say they don¡¯t want them, they will be very happy when you give them.¡± Lucian seemed to be thinking about something, ¡°All girls like them?¡± Shawn nodded and started the car, ¡°Of course.¡± The man looked at the flower shop outside the window and said to Shawn, ¡°Order one for me Shawn took the order and went back to the flower shop mHe was a little puzzled. Who was Mr. Lindberg going to give the flowers to? Penelope? He didn¡¯t dare to ask Shawn bought the flowers and drove in the direction of the Lindberg family Lucian asked him to turn around. ¡°Go¡± He paused, ¡°to Blue Mountain Estate.¡± Shawn raised his eyebrows. Blue Mountain Estate. Wasn¡¯t that where Allison was living now? Were these roses for Allison? They stopped in front of Blue Mountain Estate. Shawn got out of the car and left the flowers with the security guard, ¡°These are for Allison, could you please ask her toe down and pick them up?¡± ¡°Allison, the one who lives on the 12th floor, Ms. Zimmer?¡± The security guard asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Shawn said. The security guard immediately made a call. Allison on the other end seemed surprised, ¡°My stuff? Is it a delivery? Just leave it with security, I¡¯ll pick it up when I¡¯m done.¡± Shawn got back in the car, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, any other instructions?¡± Lucian closed his eyes, as if what just happened had nothing to do with him, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Shawn was stunned. He was a little confused. What was up with Mr. Lindberg? Was this how he gave flowers to someone? He was practically forcing people to ept flowers, but his indifferent expression made it impossible to guess his intentions. This seemed to be the first time Mr. Lindberg had given flowers to someone. But what was his motive? Did he like Ms. Zimmer? No way, Shawn thought that was impossible. ¡°Mr. Lindberg, are we going back home?¡± Shawn asked. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the pet shop first to pick up Lucky¡± Lucian said Back at the Lindberg house. Kami got up and left. Miranda sighed, after all, she wasn¡¯t her daughter. She couldn¡¯t control her, ¡°Penelope, don¡¯t take Kami¡¯s words to heart¡± Penelope wiped away the tears from her eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t¡± The sound of a car engine came from outside. Then came the voice of the butler, ¡°Mr. Lindberg is back.¡± Chapter 275 Chapter 275 Chapter 275 Lucian walked into the living room to see Penelope¡¯s eyes brimming with tears. She approached him, ¡°Lucian.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He asked. Penelope bit her lip, seeming to struggle with what to say. Her hesitance made her look even more pitiful, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Lucian.¡± Just then, Kami emerged and seeing Penelope¡¯s state, she gripped Lucian¡¯s hand tightly and started walking towards the balcony. ¡°Luca, where did you go today? You¡¯re half an hourte.¡± *Just some stuff.¡± Lucian said. ¡°Luca, did Penelope tattle on me again?¡± Kami asked. Lucian nced at Kami, ¡°Did you upset her?¡± Kami pouted, ¡°I just can¡¯t stand her. Luca, are you really going to marry her?¡± Lucian was in the process of rolling up his sleeves when he paused at her question, ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°Luca, Yuliana might wake up soon. Kami sounded a bit anxious. At the mention of Yuliana, Lucian¡¯s face changed instantly. He looked at his sister, his voice dropping, ¡°Kami!¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Luca¡­¡± A fluffy dog scampered in, freshly bathed and fluffy. It was Penelope¡¯s first time seeing him, and she was instantly enamored, ¡°Where did this doge from?¡± The butler said, ¡°It belongs to Mr. Lindberg.¡± Hearing that he was Lucian¡¯s, Penelope¡¯s affection grew. She rushed over to pet him, but the dog barked suddenly, startling her. The butler quickly led the dog away, not wanting to scare Penelope. Penelope clutched her chest, the dog¡¯s aggressiveness taking her by surprise. She didn¡¯t have the mood to y with the dog anymore, and she looked towards the balcony where Lucian and Kami were at But the distance was too far, she couldn¡¯t hear a thing. Penelope had no idea what Kami was saying to Lucian on the balcony, but she was worried that Kami might influence him. Kami was always against her, she had tried to be humble and respectful, but Kami showed her no respect. Miranda watched Penelope, seeing the changes in her expression, thinking that she just had a minor disagreement with Kami. mKnowing Kami¡¯s character, Miranda wanted to chat with Penelope, ¡°Penelope,e here. Let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°Miranda¡± Penelope went over. She was wearing a white feathered V¨Cneck dress, showing her slender neck and the ne around it. Miranda looked at her, her gazended on Penelope¡¯s neck. She furrowed her brows slightly, ¡°Penelope, you¡¯re pregnant now. Isn¡¯t it ufortable to wear such tight clothes?¡± Penelope didn¡¯t expect her to ask this, didn¡¯t she want to ask about the ne on her neck? ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not showing much yet, so it¡¯s not that noticeable.¡± Penelope said. ¡°Penelope, how did you and Lucian meet? Miranda¡¯s question was just what Penelope had hoped for. She had been ready to steer the conversation in this direction. She immediately answered with a smile, ¡°I met him at a hotel where I was celebrating a friend¡¯s birthday. He had just arrived in Northfield and was framed by someone. I saved him. He gave me his ne as a memory of our encounter.¡± As she spoke, Penelope¡¯s face began to turn red. Miranda looked at the ne around Penelope¡¯s neck, her eyebrows furrowed, ¡®Is this the ne Lucian gave you?¡± ¡°Yes, it was very dark that night and we couldn¡¯t see each other¡¯s faces. But I remembered him, and he remembered me. He gave me this ne and said he¡¯de find me. I even thought I was dreaming until I woke up and found him right next to me.¡± Penelope¡¯s voice was shy, her smile sweet, her face flushed which was enough to make anyone feel pity. But at that moment, Miranda looked at her ne with aplex expression, ¡°Penelope, you saved him. That means you two are meant to be.¡± But whether they could be together was another matter. Miranda sighed inwardly. Where did things go wrong? The ne Penelope was wearing today clearly wasn¡¯t the one Lucian had given her. So where was Lucian¡¯s ne? Chapter 276 Chapter 276 Chapter 276 The butler locked Lucky in a storage room, ¡°Chill out, pup. That¡¯s Ms. nagan. She might be your owner someday.¡± Lucky saw the butler but didn¡¯t make a peep, justy there on the ground. The butler chuckled, ¡°Why the sudden mood swing? You¡¯re usually not like this with others.¡± Lucky¡¯s tail wagged without much interest. The butler brought some dog food and a can, feeding the dog. Mr. Lindberg had raised the pet for three years, and he loved it a lot. Ordinarily, it would live with Mr. Lindberg in Magnolia Gardens. Lucian came out from the balcony, catching Penelope¡¯s words. He walked over, hands in pockets His gaze fell on the ne around Penelope¡¯s neck, an ordinary ne. He frowned slightly as if realizing something, his handsome face as cold as ever. Penelope didn¡¯t notice anything, she continued to absentmindedly touch the ne around her neck, but it didn¡¯t attract any attention. She was a bit dispirited. She initially thought this ne was important, but it seemed like the people in the Lindberg family didn¡¯t care. At dinner time, Penelope saw her favorite steamed crab and was about to eat it when Cora interrupted her, ¡®Penelope, you¡¯re pregnant now, you cant eat this.¡± ¡°Cora, I totally forgot, thanks for reminding me Penelope said. 9 pm Miranda instructed Lucian, Take Penelope home, it¡¯ste¡± Penelope had a rare journey with Lucian Every time she tried to say something. Lucky at Lucian¡¯s side would bark, interrupting Penelope. Penelope gritted her teeth ¡°Lucian, he¡¯s so cute, what¡¯s his name?¡± She said, trying to reach out and pet Lucky Lucky barked, Lucian nced at him, and he immediately quieted down. Penelope petted Lucky¡¯s head, ¡°So cute, Lucian, I didn¡¯t know you liked dogs so much¡± ¡°Been raising him for a few years. He¡¯s pretty obedient ¡°Lucian said, patting Lucky¡¯s ear Penelope looked forward to the future when she would be Lucian¡¯s wife, ¡°Hmm, Lucian, let¡¯s get a cat too in the future. That would be nice.¡± ¡°Penelope Lucian turned to look at her, his gaze falling on the ne around her neck, ¡°You look pretty today¡± Penelope¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Actually, I didnt really dress up¡± Under the flickering street lights, the man¡¯s handsome face was bathed in light and shadow. Penelope looked at his profile, her heart racing, ¡°I wore this ne for you today Do you like it?¡± The red light ahead, the car stopped. The corner of Lucian¡¯s mouth lifted, but his eyes were filled with mixed emotions, ¡°It¡¯s nice.¡± He paused for a few seconds, his voice still deep. This ne is unique.¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Penelopes heart pounded. She knew it. He saw this token between them, and he wouldn¡¯t be cold to her anymore, After all, it was his gift. If the ne hadn¡¯t been hidden away by Allison, her rtionship with Lucian might have progressed further. ¡°I¡¯ve kept what you gave me very well. This ne, I¡¯ve always kept it at home. I didn¡¯t want to wear it and identally break it¡± Penelope said. The look in the man¡¯s eyes wasplicated, ¡°Really?¡± Penelope quickly said, ¡°Of course.¡± Lucian looked at the ne around her neck again, his eyes devoid of humor, ¡°As long as you like it, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± Chapter 277 Chapter 277 Chapter 277 After safely dropping Penelope off, Lucian¡¯s face turned serious. He instructed Shawn, ¡°Keep a close eye on Penelope, and take her to prenatal check¨Cup tomorrow¡± Shawn nodded, ¡°Sure thing¡± Lucian stressed, ¡°Go yourself. Stay on high alert.¡± Shawn replied seriously. ¡°Mr. Lindberg, got it.¡± He looked at the road ahead, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, are we heading back to Magnolia Gardens now?¡± Lucian lit up a cigarette, squinting his eyes, a cloud of pale smoke obscured his handsome face, ¡°Get out.¡± Shawn got out, and Lucian drove off. Shawn took out his phone and called Elisa, ¡°Hey, babe, are you busy? I¡¯ming over¡± Allison had an early shift today. The private room she was in charge of held a party with Tessa and they wrapped up at 10:30pm. She put in the drink orders for the day, checked everything, and let the cleaners in. She didn¡¯t leave, but helped clean up. ¡®Allison, I¡¯ll clean, you go get changed. You¡¯re off early today.¡± udia said. Allison¡¯s work was on a room system. She was in charge of one room a week, with two waitresses in each room. They would change rooms next week. Once the customers left, they could clock off after sorting out the drink bills. But if the customers wanted ate¨Cnight service, they had to stick around. ¡®udia, I¡¯ll help you! While cleaning, Allison found a bracelet on the floor, and she told udia to take it to the front desk. Then she went to the changing room, said goodbye to her colleagues Payton and Ashley on her phone, I¡¯m off, just finished.¡± Taking a taxi home would need half an hour, even though Allison thought it was pricey, she still took it as she wanted to get home to Grace as soon as possible. Back at Blue Mountain Estate, she saw a message from Grace five minutes ago, asking when she was coming back. She immediately called Grace, ¡®Mom, you¡¯re not asleep yet?¡± ¡°Not yet, I was waiting for you. Grace said. ¨C¡°Mom, I told you not to wait up. My work schedule is irregr.¡± Allison said. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep, so I thought I¡¯d wait for you.¡± Grace said. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m at the gate of Blue Mountain Estate now, I¡¯ll be up soon.¡± Allison said. At the security gate, the guard said, ¡°There¡¯s a gift box, don¡¯t know what it is. Some guy dropped it off.¡± Allison opened it. Inside was a bunch of blue roses.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Not far away, a ck car was parked under a tree. The window slowly rolled down, revealing a handsome man. He quietly watched Allison¡¯s back, seeing her open the gift box Did all women like flowers? Lucian tried to read some other emotions from Allison¡¯s face, but aside from surprise, there was no other reaction. He was also puzzled, why did he suddenly have Shawn buy a bouquet for her? This woman, the less he wanted to see her, the less he could run into her, the more he couldn¡¯t forget her. This strange feeling kept lingering in Lucian¡¯s heart. Allison looked at the card, but there was no message. She had no idea who sent it, Jason? Or..? If it was Jason, he would probably send her a message. Jason wasn¡¯t the kind of guy who would secretly give presents and not say anything. She knew him. If Jason wanted to send her flowers, he would definitely send a message saying ¡°I have a surprise for you¡± first. She took a few steps with the flowers, and when she passed the trash can, she tossed the roses in. Not far away, the man¡¯s face immediately changed! Who said women have to like flowers? Allison, this woman dared to throw away what he gave her? Chapter 278 Chapter 278 Chapter 278 Lucian grabbed his phone, found Allison¡¯s contact, and started to dial. However, the call couldn¡¯t get through. He was taken aback for a second, then it dawned on him. This woman had blocked his number! Allison, how dared shel Allison got home. The second she walked in, the smell of a warm meal filled the air. She was stunned, ¡°Mom, what did you make?¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. She walked into the kitchen and saw Grace busy cooking in her apron. Grace said with a smile, Tm fixing you some pastas. You must be tired from work. It¡¯ll be ready soon.¡± Allison went over, hugged Grace from behind, and buried her face in Grace¡¯s thin shoulders, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s so good to have you at home.¡± Grace was the only family she had left. However, there was one question bugging Allison. Why didn¡¯t her DNA match with Grace¡¯s? She dared not think too much about it. She was scared. At that moment, Allison hugged Grace tightly. Grace held a spat in one hand, and patted Allison¡¯s hand lightly with the other, ¡°Let go. The pasta is ready.¡± The aroma of the pasta filled the air, making her mouth water. The dining room was brightly lit and cozy. On the table was a te of pasta with delicious sauce. ¡°Mom, you should eat too.¡± Allison said ¡®I can¡¯t digest if I eat too much at night. I¡¯m not eating Grace said. Allison took a bite with her fork. It tasted just like it used to Suddenly, she felt a lump in her throat, which was noticed by Grace. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Has mom¡¯s cooking skills gone downhill?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just.¡± Allison¡¯s voice choked, ¡°It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve eaten your pasta. They¡¯re really good. You haven¡¯t slipped at all. They¡¯re even better!¡± Ever since Grace was hospitalized, Allison hadn¡¯t tasted her mom¡¯s cooking for over half a year. Grace sat across from her andughed, ¡®As long as I can still move, I¡¯ll keep cooking for you¡± ¡®Mom, you¡¯ll definitely be healthy.¡± Allison said. ¡°Yes, I still need to see you get married.¡± Grace said. When Allison went to bed that night, she couldn¡¯t fall asleep. She leaned on Grace¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Mom, after the New Year. When I¡¯ve saved up enough money, I¡¯ll take you out of this city¡± Grace looked a bit conflicted, ¡°Leave here, and go where?¡± ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go back to Cloudville.¡± Allison said. TII listen to you¡± Grace said. Even though Grace had surgery and her body functions had recovered, she was still weak and the medicine she needed daily was very expensive. Allison was frugal in her daily life, and she didn¡¯t quit her part¨Ctime job at Mercy Grove Hospital. She didn¡¯t have much else to do, so having another part¨Ctime job was a good thing. Recently, Mercy Grove Hospital admitted a few new patients, including a young girl who looked like a high school student. She was silent every day. staring nkly in one direction. At night, she would sing Ever since the sixth floor of the h hospital was reopened, it was filled with patients. Allison ran into Adrian there, who hadn¡¯t left He said, ¡°This job isn¡¯t too bad, and it¡¯s not too tiring. I¡¯ll see after I get my paycheck at the end of the month.¡± Allison said to him, ¡°Adrian, I really appreciate your help during this time.¡± Adrian replied. You don¡¯t have to thank me, it¡¯s what I¡¯m supposed to do.¡± He was hunched over, and the smile on his face seemed weary. He didn¡¯t look like a man in his fifties, but more like a man in his sixties or seventies. He asked with concern, ¡°Ms. Zimmer, how¡¯s your mom doing?¡± His eyes were bloodshot. Allison answered, ¡®She¡¯s doing well. Chapter 279 Chapter 279 Chapter 279 ¡°Fine by me.¡± Adrian closed his eyes. ¡°She¡¯s been bullied by Leah like no other, those people are just in cruel. I can only catch a glimpse of her every few days while cleaning. There¡¯s no room for communication. The guards watch her like a hawk, treating her like a prisoner. They can stop her anti¨C rejection meds at any given moment That Leah woman is pure evil!¡± Allison¡¯s hands clenched into fists. She would make both Leah and Penelope pay for this! In the past few days, Grace had been staying with Allison at Blue Mountain Estate Allison¡¯s work schedule was all over the ce. Sometimes she worked nights and slept during the day. Other times, she got off early and helped out with the day¡¯s chores. By the time Grace woke up, Allison was already out for work. In the kitchen, Allison had left breakfast ready for her mom, along with a small note of reminders. Grace chuckled. Her daughter was just the best, so considerate. A sudden wave of disappointment washed over her. A shame that Allison wasn¡¯t her biological daughter! After breakfast, Grace headed downstairs. Having stayed in the hospital for long, she wasn¡¯t familiar with the neighborhood. She spent the morning strolling around aimlessly, checking out the unfamiliar streets on the map. After a subway ride, she found herself downtown. There was a crowd gathering outside a coffee shop. People were holding up their phones, trying to capture something exciting. Intrigued, Grace decided to check it out. ¡°I heard Le¡¯s filming here today!¡± ¡°Not just Le, Gunner is here too! I¡¯m so excited¡± ¡°Hey, who¡¯s that? A newbie?¡± ¡°She¡¯s kinda pretty!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you guys know? That¡¯s Penelope, Mr. Lindberg¡¯s fiancee!¡± ¡°Oh, her. What s she doing here? Is she breaking into showbiz?¡± ¡°Seems like it. She¡¯s debuting with Gunner and Le Talk about being well¨Cconnected.¡± Grace initially thought it was some sort of sale, seeing the crowd. -It was only when she got closer, did she realize they were filming a TV show. She was about to walk away, uninterested, when she heard the name ¡°Penelope¡®. She stopped and tried to squeeze through the crowd. ¡°Heydy, are you a fan too?¡± Grace chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m just here to see what¡¯s up¡± She tried to get a good look inside through the window, and finally saw Penelope. But someone blocked the view and she couldn¡¯t see clearly. The indoor scene took more than two hours to film. The crew started to clear the crowd, but there were so many fans and onlookers. They ended up setting up a barrier. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The director shouted, ¡°Alright, everyone ready, action!¡± Gunner walked out. Next, Penelope rushed out of the coffee shop, face pale, pleading. ¡°Let me exin, it¡¯s not what you think.¡± ¡°Enough, I don¡¯t want to hear your exnations: Gunner said. At this point, Le walked out of the coffee shop, and the three began a standoff. Gunner¡¯s assistant drove up to pick him up. As he got in the car, Penelope tried to chase after him, but slipped and fell. ¡°Ah!¡± Penelope yelled. Le, standing next to her, quickly helped her up, noticing her pregnant belly. Penelope was uninjured, but she had twisted her ankle. Crew members rushed over, ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Ms. nagan, are you alright?¡± The assistant director was sweating bullets. If Penelope was injured, exining it to Epic Entertainment would be a nightmare. Grace saw Penelope get hurt and rushed over, ¡®Ms. nagan, are you okay?¡± Penelope winced at the pain in her ankle. When she heard Grace¡¯s voice, she looked up, ¡°Why is it your Chapter 280 Chapter 280 Chapter 280 She nned on blowing up at Grace, but then she realized they were in public. With spectators all around, she clenched her teeth and snapped, ¡°What¡¯s it to you!¡± The crew was trying to reach a doctor, but there wasn¡¯t one immediately avable. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Grace knew some first aid for sprains, so she quickly massaged Penelope¡¯s ankle. Penelope yelped, but then she noticed that her ankle hurt a lot less. Grace said, ¡°Get some ice for Ms. nagan to put on.¡± She looked at Penelope with concern, ¡°Ms. nagan, you okay?¡® Penelope had injured her ankle and needed to rest, so she invited Grace to join her in her trailer. Her parents were still squabbling because of his woman. And if it weren¡¯t for Allison, she might still be in a mental institution But Grace was happy to have some alone time with Penelope. She hadn¡¯t seen her in a long time, and seeing her made her happy. ¡°Ms. nagan, you¡¯re several months pregnant, why are you still shooting? How are you feeling?¡± She asked repeatedly While lying in the hospital, Grace had thought that if she were to die, she¡¯d really want to see Penelope one more time. Now in the trailer, with no one around, Penelope stood up and pped Grace across the face, Its all your fault, you and Allison. My parents are still fighting because of you. You¡¯re stirring up my parents¡® rtionship, why don¡¯t you just die. Why didn¡¯t you dle in that mental hospital? Whats the point of someone like you living? My mom was right, you re shameless, seducing my father. And with a mother like you, it¡¯s no surprise Allison turned out the way she did. She even tried to seduce my fianc¨¦! You and your daughter, living off my family, you¡¯re all traitors!¡± ¡°Enough Penelope, cool it. Keep it down. Don¡¯t want people outside to hear Her manager hurried over to intervene. Grace stepped back. Penelope¡¯s words were hurtful. How could she talk to her like that? It took her a while to respond, ¡°How is that possible? Ms. nagan, what are you talking about? How could my Allie ever seduce your fiance, that¡¯s not right.¡± Penelope nced out the window and had Charlie draw the curtains. She looked at Grace, who was still smiling, and scoffed, ¡°With a mother like you, it¡¯s no wonder your daughter turned out the way she did. You¡¯re both trash!¡± Grace shook her head, ¡°No, no, Ms. nagan. You can¡¯t insult Allison like that.¡± ¡°Who do you think you are, a servant of the nagan family. How dare you talk to me like that. Allison is taking advantage of me being pregnant and not being able to stay with Lucian. She, a lowly servant, trying to seduce Mr. Lindberg. You better keep your daughter in check. Or I¡¯ll make sure both of you disappear from Northfield Penelope said. ¡°Okay, okay, Penelope. Don¡¯t get worked up, you¡¯re pregnant. Charlie immediately tried to soothe Penelope and had her sit down to rest. Penelope felt the pain in her ankle and frowned at Grace, ¡°Just my luck.¡± Grace¡¯s face, already pale, turned even more so. Seeing Penelope ufortable, she felt a pang in her heart and tried to check on her ankle, but Penelope pushed her away. What are you doing? You could be carrying some virus or bacteria, don¡¯t get me sick!¡± ¡°Ms. nagan, I just wanted to check on your sprain. Don¡¯t move, you need to ice it.¡± Grace said. Charlie looked at Grace, ¡°Ma¡¯am, maybe you should leave for now. Don¡¯t upset Penelope anymore¡± Grace, with her head full of gray hair, looked at Penelope. Her eyes were filled with concern and worry. But all she did was sigh, then she turned and left. Charlie watched her stooped figure walk away and said to Penelope, ¡°Ms. nagan, I think she really cares about you.¡± Penelope took out a bottle of nail polish from her makeup bag, a shimmering light pink, ¡°Really?¡± Charlie looked at Penelope¡¯s nonchnt demeanor, she found it strange. That woman really did seem to care a lot about Penelope. This didn¡¯t seem like Just a normal employee¨Cemployer rtionship. Chapter 281 Chapter 281 Chapter 281 Penelope sprained her ankle, forcing her to take a break for half a month. This seriously bummed out Gavin. Gavin was a fresh¨Cfaced director who had been in the business for over a decade. He had directed two shows that did pretty well in both reviews and ratings. This time, he had set his sights on a modern drama about corporate wars and affluent families. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Originally. Le, who had gained fame through a period drama, was cast as the lead. Along with Aaron, and Gunner, a popr celeb, they made the show a hot topic. However, against all odds, Epic Entertainment threw Penelope into the mix. Penelope was the fianc¨¦e of Lucian from the Lindberg Corporation and the future head of Epic Entertainment Nobody dared to cross her. Luckily, the show was an original, so the script could be altered on the fly So, the original single lead female drama turned into a dual lead female drama. Even though the character De was not well developed, she had a ton of screen time. To appease Le and quell the controversy. Epic Entertainment offered her the lead role in a new period drama, which Le begrudgingly epted. So Le had to juggle this drama and prepare for the uing period show. As for Aaron, he was already loaded with resources and awards, and he was only doing this show to repay a favor to a producer. He was a special guest star He didn¡¯t have much screen time, and his shooting schedule onlysted a month. In the end, his rtionship with Le in the show was left open¨Cended. Gavin was seriously stressed out. Not only did Penelope sprain her ankle, dying the schedule, Gavin also had to apologize to the folks at Epic Entertainment. The assistant director came over and asked, ¡®Gavin, what should we do with Penelope¡¯s scenes?¡± Gavin frowned and said, ¡°Let¡¯s focus on shooting Le and Aaron¡¯s scenes for now. Well shoot Penelope¡¯s scenes when her ankle gets better. Oh, and find a few body doubles. We can shoot them from behind or the side¡± The assistant director had an idea, ¡°Gavin, what about Allison fromst time?¡± Gavin, stroking his goatee, looked at the assistant director as if deep in thought, ¡°That waitress does look a lot like her.¡± ¡®Exactly. From certain angles, their body shapes and heights are almost identical. We can just give Allison some makeup, and the audience won¡¯t be able to tell. The assistant director said. That¡¯s a good idea¡± Gavin said. ¡°Yeah, Penelope never takes her acting seriously. She¡¯s a terrible actress, and she always ad libs and adds her own scenes. And this dy is too long. We cant afford to waste the other actors¡® time. We might as well let Allison stand in The assistant director said. Gavin nodded, ¡°We don¡¯t have any other choice.¡± In one of the private rooms, a customer vomited. Allison helped the cleaner clean up the room. The stain on the carpet was pretty big, but it wasn¡¯t the whole thing. She calcted the bill and sent it to the front desk, then apanied the and his assistant downstairs to pay thepensation. After the customer left, Allison asked, ¡°Also, a few days ago, I found a bracelet in room 506. Has anyone imed it?¡± ¡®A bracelet? What kind of bracelet?¡± The front desk staff looked up and asked. Allison frowned a bit, ¡°Nothing?¡± customer The front desk staff replied, ¡°Nothing. Are you sure you didn¡¯t get it wrong? Someone from room 611 did bring a watch, but that gentleman hasn¡¯t contacted us yet.¡± Allison returned to room 506, where udia was still cleaning the coffee table. She clearly found a bracelet and asked udia to deliver it to the front desk. She closed the door behind her and walked over to the window. The room was filled with the smell of disinfectant and the recent vomit, making her ufortable. She opened the window, then said softly, ¡°udia, you do know the rules here at the Red Jack Club, don¡¯t you?¡± Chapter 282 Chapter 282 Chapter 282 udia had just wiped down the tables and was now disinfecting the couch. Suddenly, her fingers trembling, she pleaded, ¡°Allison, I didn¡¯t have a choice¡± Allison turned around. The night wind hit her back, messing up her hair. She looked at udia, ¡°That bracelet might not be super expensive, but it¡¯s 18K white gold with diamond ents, from a known brand. You could still sell it for a pretty penny, even second hand. At the Red Jack Club, we have rules. If you find something that belongs to a customer, you have to return it. If they find out, udia, there¡¯s not much I can do to help you¡± udia clenched the cleaning cloth in her hands. She looked at Allison, her lips pale, ¡°Allison, I know you¡¯re a good person. Please, don¡¯t tell the manager. I¡¯m begging you She walked towards Allison, about to kneel, Allison jumped back in surprise. ¡°udial¡± ¡°My granddaughter is sick. Life¡¯s been tough. My son died, and my daughter¨Cinw got sentenced to four years in jail. My granddaughter suddenly found out she has a heart problem and needs surgery, which is very expensive. I¡¯ve never saved up that much money in my life. When I saw that bracelet, I¡­ udia¡¯s eyes filled with tears as she spoke ¡°udia, I¡¯ll pretend this never happened. But the Red Jack Club has cameras. Your job here is pretty stable, udia. Don¡¯t lose it over a bracelet. It¡¯s not worth it.¡± Allison said ¡°I know. I was about to take the bracelet to the front desk that day, but I heard that the cameras on the 5th floor were broken for two hours. Allison, if you don¡¯t tell anyone, no one will ever know, I beg you¡± udia was about to kneel again. Allison quickly helped her up. She sighed quietly. ¡°Alright.¡± Leaving the VIP room, she turned to look at udia who was still busy inside. That frail figure reminded her of her own mother. Her mother had also worked hard like this in the nagan family, doing all sorts of chores. In the underbelly of this bustling city, many people had their own struggles. Those at the bottom felt it the most. Allison didn¡¯t tell anyone about udia taking the bracelet. But the next night at work, she heard from Sue that udia had been fired Allison was changing clothes when she heard. She stopped in her tracks, ¡°Fired? Why would they fire her?¡± ¡°She took a customer¡¯s bracelet. It¡¯s a new Cartier model. The richdy had just bought it a few days ago. She forgot it and when she remembered, she came back to look for it. The front desk said they didn¡¯t have it, but the customer is always right, so they checked.¡± Sue said. Heidi added, ¡°They checked the surveince and saw udia taking it, so they fired her on the spot.¡± ¡°I thought the 5th floor surveince was broken that night?¡± Allison asked. The surveince system on the 5th floor had a glitch, but the cameras in 506 and 505 were working fine. The ones in 501 to 504 and 507 to 511 were broken. The others were normal.¡± Sue said. Allison sighed silently. Ashley said, ¡°I always thought udia was honest. I didn¡¯t expect her to take a customer¡¯s belongings, especially something so valuable. She¡¯s been let off with a firing because Ms. Sarah pleaded for her Otherwise, the richdy might have called the police: ¡°She got greedy¡± Heidi said. ¡°This is a lesson. Don¡¯t try to take shortcuts. If you get caught, you¡¯ll not only lose your job. But if the amount is big enough, you could end up in jail with a criminal record. Our words mean nothing to these rich people¡± Ashley said. Allison finished changing and walked towards the VIP room. The night wasn¡¯t busy Heidi was inside the room. Standing at the door, Allison rested her back against the wall, thinking about udia begging her. Although, it wasn¡¯t her who had revealed the truth, she still felt ufortable. Only those at the bottom understand the pain of those at the same level, it wasn¡¯t until her mother fell seriously ill that she realized how important money really was in this world. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The world was just unfair! She and Penelope might look alike, but Penelope was the beloved daughter of the nagan family and Lucian¡¯s fianc¨¦e. A single handbag was more than what she made in half a year. If fate ever gave her a chance, she¡¯d grab it with both hands! Chapter 283 Chapter 283 Chapter 283 ¡°Allison, Ms. Sarah is looking for you.¡± Allison, holding a tray, stepped out of a private room upon hearing this from a waiter, nodding in response. She handed the tray over to Ashley who was standing outside room 505, asking her to keep an eye on it. She then headed off to Sarah¡¯s office. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°Sarah, what do you need me for? Allison asked. Sarah, puffing on a cigarette, had her knees crossed on the table, ¡°Allison, there¡¯s a money¨Cmaking proposition in front of you. Interested?¡± Seeing Allisons serious expression, Sarah let out a softugh, ¡°It¡¯s all legit, what are you worrying about?¡± Allison approached, ¡°Sarah, just spit it out.¡± ¡°Gavin contacted me, he wants you to star in a film.¡± Sarah held out her hand. ¡°15 days of shooting, he¡¯s offering a grand a day. Seems like he¡¯s in a hurry.¡± ¡°A grand a day?¡± Allisons eyes widened slightly, taken aback by the figure. Gavin? The guy from Penelope¡¯s current crew? ¡°Is it for a stunt double? But the pay seems too high.¡± Allison asked. Sarahughed, ¡°Silly girl, don¡¯t turn your nose up at good money. Lasked him, it¡¯s not for a stunt double. The original actress, Penelope, hurt her foot and can¡¯t move. So he wants you to take over the second female lead role for 15 days. Allison clenched her fist slowly, lips sealed ¡°Allison, this is a great opportunity. You can¡¯t possibly want to be a waitress forever?¡± Sarah said. A smile surfaced on Allison¡¯s face. There¡¯s nothing bad about working here¡± Sarah took a puff, ¡°I dont want to hold you back.¡± This girl from the first moment Sarahid eyes on her, she knew she was something else. Looking at Allison, despite her wearing the same uniform and her hair tied back like the other waitresses, she just stood out During weekly meetings, standing amongst other waitresses, Allison always stood out. Sarah could spot her instantly. She was more beautiful than many heavily made up women without any makeup on. She shouldn¡¯t be wasting her time here ¡°Allison, this is an amazing opportunity Seize it and the world is your oyster Sarah said. Sh stood up, took a harsh puff, and stubbed out her cigarette, Although Gavin is a new director now, he¡¯s been in the industry for over a decade. He¡¯s made his way through thick and thin, from shooting low budget web series to bing a director of multi¨Cbillion¨Cdor TV shows. He¡¯s got connections. This time, not only will he pay you, but he¡¯ll also owe you a favor.¡± Allison was silent for two minutes. She took a deep breath and bowed to Sarah, ¡°Thank you, Sarah.¡± At 11 PM, Allison left the Red Jack Club. Heidi was driving over tonight, so Allison went to wait for her near the A3 exit in the garage. After waiting for two minutes, Heidi was still not there. The night breeze was chilly. She put on a jacket and rubbed her shoulders. Suddenly, she heard a car behind her. Thinking it was Heidi, she turned around, only to see a car stopping not far behind her, ¡°Lady, you¡¯re all alone, need a ride?¡± Allison moved aside and didn¡¯t respond Then, the man got out of the car. A middle¨Caged man approached, ¡°Don¡¯t be shy I¡¯ste and you¡¯re not dressed for the weather. It¡¯s warm in my cart¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Allison took a step back. The man grabbed her arm, and Allison tried to shake him off, ¡°Let go! If you don¡¯t stop, I¡¯m calling the police!¡± Chapter 284 Chapter 284 Chapter 284 ¡°Call the cops? Nice try. The guy sneered, pulling Allison forcefully, trying to shove her into the car. Allison struggled with all her might, her bag falling to the ground as she screamed for help. But they were at the A3 exit of the underground parking lot of the Red Jack Club, a rtively secluded spot. There wasn¡¯t much traffic, passersby were sparse, and there was no security. ¡°Lady, you¡¯re quite strong. I like that. We¡¯ll have a good time in my car tonight.¡± With that he bent down and picked up Allison and shoved her into the car with all his might, Allison¡¯s resistance didn¡¯t work as she kicked at the other man¡¯s shoulder but he grabbed her ankle and started to tug at her jeans with his other hand. Allison flinched back in horror. A beam of headlights shone through and a car pulled out of the underground parking lot. Allison screamed for help, but he muffled her cries. ¡°Don¡¯t rush, save your energy. You can scream all you wantter¡± The man greedily eyed Allison¡¯s face, tearing open her cor and revealing arge expanse of skin that only made his gaze more lustful. ¡°What a beauty¡± Lucian was driving out of the parking lot, his gazending on a white bag scattered on the ground ahead. The bag was simple in design, but something about it nagged at him. He hit the brakes. He got out of the car to pick up the bag. The white bag¡¯s strap was a bit worn, looking like it had been used for quite some time.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. But it seemed familiar. It looked like He quickly shook his head, finding it ridiculous that he¡¯d remember a woman¡¯s bag Absurd! He got back into the car and casually tossed the bag onto the seat. He might have been a bit too forceful as a set of keys and a phone fell out of the bag. He was about to start the car when something clicked in his mind. He remembered a white Land Rover parked 50 meters behind him. The middle¨Caged man forcibly ripped off Allison¡¯s coat The strength of a woman was nothingpared to a burly man. Allison struggled, her hand brushing against something It was a water bottle. She mmed it against the man, who yelped in pain. She immediately seized the opportunity to try to escape. But the next second, her hair was violently yanked. She took a breath and was heaved back. The next moment, a sharp pain shot through her left cheek as the man pped her Allisons cheek went numb. Then, a cloth soaked in ether was pressed against her mouth and nose. After a few struggles, she weakly closed her eyes and passed out The middle¨Caged man chuckled, impatiently unbuckling his belt and unzipping his pants. Just then, a handnded on his shoulder. The man stopped what he was doing and snapped, ¡°Are you blind? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy?¡± He turned to look at the man behind him. ¡°What do you want? You fancy this woman too?¡± Before the middle¨Caged man could finish, he was met with a punch. His vision blurred as his head hit the car door. Lucian didn¡¯t seem satisfied. He grabbed the man by the cor and mmed his head against the car door again. The man¡¯s head started to bleed, the sharp pain making him scream. ¡°You¡­ where did you pop up from, daring to ruin my fun and hit me? I¡¯ll have someone teach you a lesson!¡± ¡°Teach me a lesson?¡± Lucian sneered. He stomped on the man¡¯s hand, his face turning pale from the excruciating pain as he screamed and begged for mercy Lucian didn¡¯t let up, stomping harder. The man kept screaming until his eyes rolled back and he passed out. Lucian didn¡¯t seem satisfied, his chest heaving with anger, but he didn¡¯t pay any more attention. He bent down to pick up the woman, looking at her closed eyes and called out, ¡°Allison, Allison!¡± Chapter 285 Chapter 285 Chapter 285 The woman¡¯s eyes were tightly closed as Lucian helped her into the car Seeing her disheveled clothes, his brows furrowed and his expression turned icy cold. He got out of the car again and walked towards the middle¨Caged man who was already unconscious on the ground. About five secondster, a man¡¯s agonizing scream echoed down the empty street. ¡°Argh-¡± Midnight, 12 o¡¯clock, at Magnolia Gardens James stepped out of the bedroom, nodding at Lucian. ¡°It¡¯s all good. She passed out from inhaling too much ether. A good sleep will fix that.¡± In the study. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Lucian sat on the couch, legs crossed. His previously tense expression now rxed. James walked over ¡°You worried about her? Don¡¯t trust my medical skills?¡± Lucian¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°Who said I was worried about her?¡± ¡°Not worried about her? Then why did you call me over in the middle of night?¡± James knew Lucian all too well. There was something about this woman, Allison, that always triggered different emotions in Lucian. Lucian seemed to have his thoughts exposed, his face taut with displeasure. ¡°You can leave now.¡± ¡°Ouch, you¡¯re kicking me out now that you¡¯re done with me? That¡¯s cold, James sat leisurely on the couch, tapping his knee. I¡¯ve decided to spend the night here¡± Lucian shed a small smile and pulled out his phone. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m the resident of building A. Can you send your security over? There is a¡­¡± James immediately stood up ¡°Alright, alright, I get it. I¡¯ll leave on my own¡± He chuckled, ¡®Don¡¯t let me interrupt your good time with Allison!¡± As James walked to the door, he was suddenly stopped by Lucian. ¡°James, is there a way to determine the DNA of a fetus while the woman is still pregnant?¡± James turned around, stroking his chin There is, but it¡¯s not urate. Best to wait until the baby is born, that¡¯s more precise.¡± He frowned at Lucian¡¯s expression ¡°Are you suspecting that the child in Penelope¡¯s belly¡­¡± Lucian simply nodded. James said, ¡°It¡¯s indeed a serious matter. But Penelope saved your life, I don¡¯t think she would¡­¡± Lucian interrupted, I know Penelope saved me and I promised to marry her, but that doesnt mean she has the right to trick me into it¡± ¡®Four more months, James calcted. In four months, whether the child is yours or not will naturally be known. But don¡¯t you find Penelope a bit¡­ odd?¡± Lucian lit a cigarette, raising an eyebrow upon hearing that ¡°Odd how?¡± James didn¡¯t have much contact with Penelope, but he didn¡¯t like her. This woman seemed innocent and kind, but he had witnessed her p Allison hard across the face. Her aggressive side was not at all like the gentle demeanor she put on in front of Lucian ¡°Dont you think she¡¯s a bit hypocritical? In front of you, she appears very gentle, but in private, she is completely different.¡± James said leisurely, ¡®Maybe she just wants to show her best side to you, which is not entirely wrong.¡± But she was just too fake. As a good friend of Lucian, James didn¡¯t think highly of Penelope. When he heard that Lucian was going to marry her, he was shocked. The man sal on the brown leather couch, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest. ¡°Check out a guy for me.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°A guy named Robbie. Find out who he¡¯s been in contact with. Has he received anyrge transfers to his ount?¡± Lucian squinted, calmly contemting. Perhaps the problemy somewhere else. A man named Robbie suddenly showed up in the pictures, he found him and got some so¨Ccalled information. But the information could be fabricated and the man could have been bought off. Chapter 286 Chapter 286 Chapter 286 James nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get my peeps on the job right away. I¡¯ll drop you a line as soon as we find something¡± As James left the study, he saw Lucky wagging his tail at the bedroom door, looking like he wanted to get in. As soon as James came out, Lucky started wagging his tail even more excitedly, making excited panting sounds, as if begging him to open the door. James walked over, and gave Lucky¡¯s head a pat ¡°You want in, huh? Nah, can¡¯t do that. You might scare thedy inside. You gotta take this up with your owner.¡± Lucky let out a few whines. James stood up. You¡¯re one curious dog, aren¡¯t you?¡± As he walked down the stairs, he nced behind him to see no person, and no dog He chuckled, ¡°No one¡¯s seeing me off, huh?¡± He could ept Luca¡¯s cold shoulder, but even Lucky didn¡¯t bother to see him off. How heartless! As Lucian stepped out of the study and reached the bedroom door, Lucky got up and started wagging his tail. He pushed the door open, and Lucky followed him inside Seeing the woman on the bed, Lucky made a sound, looking excited. ¡°Lucky, quiet¡± Lucian whispered, and Lucky obedientlyy down . Lucian looked at the woman on the bed, her neck marked with a few red spots from her struggle. Her face was delicate and peaceful, devoid of the usual defiance and fear when she faced him. He sat by the bed. He had to admit, he was starting to have thoughts about this woman that he shouldn¡¯t. He wasn¡¯t a regr at the Red Jack Club, his personality was aloof, and he rarely attended friends¡¯ gatherings. But ever since Allison started working at the Red Jack Club, he almost attended all the parties. He was somewhat repulsed by Allison, but was also drawn to her. He hated seeing her with other men, and whenever she was with Jason or Dr. Dn, his emotions would easily be stirred up. He wanted to keep her in a delicate disy case, in his home, where only he could see her His gaze grew darker. Every time he saw someone bullying her, he wanted to kill that person His phone rang. It was Shawn. ¡°Mr. Lindberg, how should we deal with Tyson?¡± -Tyson, the one who bullied Allison. Tyson, I vaguely remember the name.¡± ¡°He¡¯s the deputy manager of Matrix Corp.¡± The man let out a coldugh, ¡°Matrix Corp¡¯s dirtyundry is a mile long, do I really need to spell it out?¡± ¡°I got it, Mr. Lindberg¡¯ Lucian didn¡¯t leave the bedroom until one in the morning to go back to his study, but he spent the whole night wide awake¡­ When Allison opened her eyes, her palms were itchy. She suddenly froze. After waking up, she looked around the unfamiliar surroundings, and something clicked in her mind Where was she? Where was the man who assaulted her? Suddenly, she sat up, her back drenched in cold sweat She checked her clothes. The ones she had been wearing yesterday were gone, reced with a long white T-shirt. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Allison¡¯s eyes were wide open. Was she really vited by that man? For a moment, there was a sh of white light in front of Allison, her brain seemed to be filled with this white light. It was too much for her toke. Suddenly, a bark brought her back to reality The white light in front of her dissipated, and she saw a Samoyed, suddenly feeling a bit bewildered. ¡°Lucky.¡± She looked up, and took another look around the bedroom, the familiar decor¡­, this was! Magnolia Gardens! Chapter 287 Chapter 287 Chapter 287 How the hell did she end up here? Allison got off the bed and looked down at the white long T-shirt she was wearing. It was long enough to cover her hips and had a loose fit. She sniffed at it, catching a faint whiff of men¡¯s body wash that made her cheeks flush. Clearly, it wasn¡¯t sleepwear, it was Lucian¡¯s shirt. She remembered waiting for Heidi by the entrance of Red Jack Club¡¯s underground parking lotst night, expecting to hitch a ride home. But instead, she bumped into a sleazy middle-aged dude with shady intentions. She struggled but got dragged into his car, and everything after that was a blur. Was she at Magnolia Gardens now? Did Lucian save herst night? She felt no difort, which meant the pery didnt get his way. Relief washed over Allison. She perched on the edge of the bed. Lucky, the dog, sidled up to her, pressing against her leg, seeming a tad upset she hadn¡¯t paid him any attention. Allison chuckled, petting his head. ¡°You been here all night?¡± Lucky tilted his head up, ¡°Woof!¡± She checked his dog tag, noting his birthday and name. ¡°Lucky, where are my clothes? Do you know where I left them?¡± She wondered how she was supposed to leave the house wearing just a white tee, a man¡¯s shirt at that. Lucky tilted his head, apparently unable toprehend what she was saying. He just wanted to y. And then he walked out Lucian came out of his study, noticing Lucky toddling up the stairs with a toy in his mouth. He slightly raised his eyebrows, he had just gotten out of the shower and still had a towel around his neck. Droplets of water slid down his hair, ¡®She awake yet?¡± ¡°Woof!¡± Allison made a quick tour around the room, swinging the door open to reveal a walk-in closet to her left. She stepped in, finding it stuffed with men¡¯s suits and shirts So, this bedroom was Lucian¡¯s master suite, and this was his bed? Her face turned a deeper shade of red, feeling like she was soaked in Lucian¡¯s scent. The faint smell of his cologne mixed with his unique aroma sent an indescribable sense of shyness and ambiguity within her. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Lucky trotted over with a frisbee, seemingly eager to y with Alison, ¡°Lucky, where¡¯s your owner?¡± she asked, bending down to take the frisbee from his mouth and tossing it lightly. The Samoyed quickly fetched it and returned it to her side. After a few rounds of this, Lucky, tongue lolling out, suddenly barked towards the closet entrance. Allison didn¡¯t notice, her attention fixed on the closet, trying to find something suitable to wear Finally, her eyesnded on a ck tracksuit. That would do. She couldn¡¯t keep wearing this long white tee. She reached for the tracksuit but a wet hand got to it before she could. As his arm brushed lightly against her hand, the dampness from his recent shower and the minty scent of his body wash sent a shiver down her spine. She clutched at her already short tee, turning to face the man standing behind her. She stuttered, ¡°W-why are you here?¡± ¡°This is my house, my closet. Where else would I be?¡± Having just showered, Lucian was casually dressed in a bathrobe, ¡°Why are you in my closet?¡± Allison gripped the hem of the tee, trying to pull it down further. His gaze followed the curve of her body, seeing right through the thin fabric of the tee, taking in the fullness of her chest. Suddenly, Lucian felt a bit dry in the mouth, and his gaze became somewhat intense. Chapter 288 Chapter 288 Chapter 288 Allison dodged his gaze, ¡°I need to find some clothes, Where¡¯s the one I was wearing fromst night?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t wear your clothes because they¡¯re ripped He picked up a towel and wiped the water droplets off his short hair. Allison leaned against the wardrobe, the cold touch of the ss behind her bringing her back to her senses. Her checks flushed. Thanks ¡°Thanks for what? Empty words do you no good. Action speaks louder than words. He nced at her beautiful face, lightly biting his teeth. Allison¡¯s eyes flickered, ¡°Can I borrow one of your shirts?¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Five minutester, Allison had changed into a ck tracksuit. The man¡¯s clothes were big, but the tracksuit was meant to be loose anyway. Aside from the pants being a tad long, it fit her quite well. As she prepared to leave, a voice sounded from behind her, Im hungry You cook¡± She froze. She turned to look at the man heading towards the study. Was he telling her to cook? Allison went downstairs and was surprised to find that this spacious 200-square-meter mansion had no housekeeping staff. Lucian had previously asked her to keep her distance, leaving their rtionship at a stalemate. She didn¡¯t know how to face him, didn¡¯t know how to interact with him. She had her secrets in her heart, along with the dreams of her youth, and the pressures of life. But he had saved her now. Was it right for her to just walk away? Allison went to the kitchen. Everything was clean here; all the kitchenware looked brand new. Opening the fridge, she found it stocked with every ingredient imaginable. Allison washed her hands and started preparing breakfast. She cooked a bunch of dishes, enough to feed four people. By the time she finished, an hour had passed. She set the food on the dining table, ncing at the time before going upstairs to get Lucian. He should be in his study. She knocked softly on the door. There was no response. Allison pushed the door open to find the man asleep on the sofa. The French windows were open, letting a breeze in that rustled the beige curtains She bent down to look at the sleeping man. Lucian had a handsome face perfect jawline, high nose, and deep eyes. This wless face was enough to make the heart of any high society girls in Nortfield flutter. When he was asleep, his usual cold demeanor was gone, making him look more gentle. Allison draped a nket over him, watching him quietly. Time seemed to stand still in this moment. Lucian had a dream in his dream, a faintly scented figure seemed to be right next to him. This light fragrance put him at ease. A phone rang Allison saw the man¡¯s phone vibrating on the coffee table. The screen showed Penelope¡¯. Her eyes narrowed slightly Lucian opened his eyes and slowly sat up. When he looked up, his eyes met Allison¡¯s Allison stuttered out, I¡¯ve made breakfast.¡± The man¡¯s voice was a little hoarse, ¡°Okay¡± He picked up the phone on the table and answered it. He didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of avoiding Allison. Allison prepared to leave, but perhaps because the room was too quiet, she could hear the voice on the other end of the phone. Penelope was whining, ¡°Lucian, my foot really hurts.¡± Chapter 289 Chapter 289 Chapter 289 Lucian rubbed his forehead gently, as if he was still in a dream. He sounded a bit groggy, his voice raspy. ¡°Did you go to the hospital for a check-up?¡± ¡°I did, Lucian. When are youing to see me? The baby and I miss you.¡± ¡°I¡¯lle overter.¡± ¡°Really? Lucian, see you tonight then.¡± As Allison descended the stairs, a bitter taste lingered in her heart. She clenched her fists tightly. Her chest ached. Lucian must truly care for Penelope And why shouldn¡¯t he? After all, Penelope was carrying his child and was his fianc¨¦e. Once Penelope gave birth, they would get married and the family of three would surely be very happy. Allison, you should leave. Once you had enough money, you should take your mom and leave this city. Don¡¯t evere back. Lucian sat at the dining table, the dishesid out before him looking delicious. At least from the appearance, he knew they must taste great. After a few bites, he suddenly paused. He looked up and asked, ¡°Did you make this?¡± Across the table, Allison sat silently, not saying a word or meeting his gaze since she¡¯de down from upstairs. She gripped her fork tightly. ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Lucian bit his lip slightly. This taste was familiar. Penelope had brought him this dish countless times to his office. He loved seafood Alfredo pasta and always ordered it at restaurants. But the way Penelope made it was his favorite. This tasted almost the same as hers Looking at his expression, Allison bit her lip. Was the food not good or did he simply not like it? ¡°I saw the ingredients in the fridge, so I made this dish. She was about to say that if he didn¡¯t like it, she wouldn¡¯t make it again. But then it hit her that there might not be a next time. This could be thest time. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, you can have something else. This boletus mushroom soup is quite good too.¡± However, after the meal, Allison found that Lucian had finished the entire te of seafood Alfredo pasta Did he actually like it? Allison took a nce at him. Just then, Lucky trotted down the stairs with something in his mouth. Seemingly drawn by the aroma of the food, Lucky ran to Lucian, apparently showing off. He dropped what he had in his mouth into tucian¡¯s hand. Lucian felt something odd in his hand and frowned. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Wooff¡± At the sound of the Samoyed¡¯s bark, Allison noticed that the object was her pink bra¡­ Her cheeks flushed as if they were dripping blood at once. She stood up quickly just as Lucian bent down to pick up the object from the Roor ¡°Hold on, Lucian¡± She rushed over, snatched the bra from his hand, and lightly tapped Lucky on the head, ¡°Lucky, what¡¯s with you picking up everything!¡± Then she swiftly turned and ran back upstairs. Downstairs, Lucian looked at Lucky¡¯s goofy face, ¡°You naughty dog.¡± ¡°Woof!¡± Back in her room Looking at the bra in her hand, Allison felt something was off. Her cheeks were burning. Was It Lucian who helped her undressst night? There were no housekeeper here, so it must have been him. She closed her eyes. Well, it had already happened. And she had already shared a bed with this man a few times. The thought of his hand possibly touching her bra made not only her cheeks hot, but also her heart race. This vague sense of intimacy left her dry mouthed. What was happening! For the first time, her heart was pounding so hard. Chapter 290 Chapter 290 Chapter 290 If she wore it, she felt a little embarrassed. If she didn¡¯t wear it, she also felt empty. ¡°Ah, forget it!¡± The woman closed her eyes and got dressed. She tidied herself up and ten minutester, she stepped out. Lucian was on the phone in the study, while Lucky waszing around in the living room. As soon as Lucky heard Allisoning downstairs, he bolted towards her, eager to y with her. He grabbed onto her pant leg, trying to lead her outside. 1 gotta go!¡± Allison said ¡°Woof, woo!!¡± ¡°Lucky, have you seen my phone?¡± She knew it was silly to ask a dog this, but her bag was missing. Was it with that man fromst night? No, she seemed to recall dropping it on the ground. If someone picked it up, that would be trouble. Her phone, her cards, her keys and a lot of other stuff were in that bag. Allison was worried. Lucky seemed to give it some thought, then he ran upstairs. Lucian, still on the phone, saw the Samoyed snatching ady¡¯s handbag from the study table. The man raised an eyebrow, ¡°You¡¯re pretty smart when you want to be. Why can¡¯t you be like this all the time?¡± Lucky seemed to understand his master was talking about him. He wagged his tail and stood at the door, seeming to wait for Lucian¡¯smand before moving But the master didn¡¯t say anything and Lucky got a bit anxious, wagging his tail even more furiously. The man said in a calm tone, ¡°If you can keep her here, I¡¯ll let Shawn bring you a female ymate from the kennel tomorrow. Deal?¡± ¡°Woof!¡± Deal! Allison was sitting on the couch, eyes slightly downcast Lucky ran downstairs and dropped the bag he¡¯d been carrying in his mouth in front of her. Her eyes widen and a smile spread across her face, ¡°Lucky, you¡¯re amazing!¡± She reached out and hugged Lucky around the neck, nting a kiss on his face. She checked the contents of her bag. Her phone, keys, wallet, cards were all there. Allison breathed a sigh of relief and took out her phone, which had been turned off due to the impact She turned it on and saw that it still had power, with seven or eight missed calls. Three from Grace and four from Heidi, She immediately called Grace back ¡°Allison, where were youst night? You didn¡¯te home, were you working overtime?¡± Allison went along with her assumption, ¡°Yeah, I was working overtime.¡± ¡°1 see, when are youing home?¡± ¡°Well, Allison was about to say right away, but Lucky kept nipping at her pant leg and didn¡¯t seem intent on letting her go. Sheughed somewhat helplessly, ¡°I still have to wait a bit, Mom. Don¡¯t wait up for me. You can have lunch first. Remember to take your medicine and rest well.¡± ¡°Alright, don¡¯t overwork yourself.¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. After hanging up with Grace, Allison immediately called Heidi back. ¡°You finally called me back! Where were youst I couldn¡¯t find you!¡± ¡°1¡­¡± Allison didn¡¯t tell Heidi about her troublesst night. She didn¡¯t want to worry Heidi, ¡°I ran into a friendst night, so I left early My phone was not working ¡°I see, you didn¡¯t even give me a heads up. As long as you¡¯re okay, I was really worriedst night.¡± Heidi yawned on the other end, I¡¯m really sleepy I¡¯m going to bed. By the way, can you cover my shift the day after tomorrow?¡± Allison felt a bit guilty, ¡°I am sorry, but I¡¯ve already requested a half-month leave¡± ¡°Why would you take such a long break? Okay, I¡¯m going to bed, I¡¯m really tired.¡± ¡°Alright, rest well¡± After hanging up. Allison put her phone back in her bag. She looked at therge dog that¡¯d been running back and forth around her legs, ¡°T¡¯ll y with you for a bit, then I have to leave.¡± -Outside Magnolia Gardens, there was argewn. Allison brought a frisbee and a ball to y with Lucky for a while. Lucky seemed to have endless energy, running back and forth Allison was tired, but Lucky was still going Sheughed, petting Lucky a fur and started tob it. ¡°Lucky, can I make a fur ball for you with your own fur? That way, it wont go to waste.¡± ¡°Wool, wool¡± Lucky lifted his head and barked loudly Upstairs in the study. A man was standing by the floor-to-ceiling window. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly as he looked down at thewn Chapter 291 Chapter 291 Chapter 291 Allison stayed at Magnolia Gardens untilte in the afternoon, and only left after she had prepared dinner for Lucian. Lucky didn¡¯t want her to go, gripping onto her pant leg for dear life. Allison had to sweet talk Lucky, promising she¡¯d be back for a visit in a few days. Only then was she able to leave. Before leaving, she bagged up all the fur she had brushed off Lucky nning to make a fur ball when she got home Lucian stood on the terrace, watching her until she was out of sight Once Allison stepped out of Magnolia Gardens, she was greeted by the beautiful scenery. The vi was perched halfway up a hill. After about a ten-minute downhill walk, she reached the main road and hailed a cab Once she got home, she found that Grace was out. She hopped straight into the shower, changed out of the men¡¯s sportswear and bagged it up. nning to return it to Lucian whenever she got the chance But knowing Lucian, she knew he probably wouldn¡¯t want this worn outfit back. Still, she was very grateful for his help this time. After her shower, Allison dried her hair, and while it was still hall wet, she dialed Grace, Mom, where¡¯d you go?¡± ¡°I¡¯m at the market getting some groceries, are you home?¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t we have a grocery store downstairs?¡± The stuff there is overpriced and not fresh¡± At seven in the evening. Daisy showed up at Blue Mountain Es with a cake in tow, ¡°Allison, where¡¯s your mom?¡± Allison let her in, ¡®She¡¯s in the kitchen.¡± Daisy ced the cake in the kitchen and hugged Grace, ¡°Grace, I¡¯ve been busy with exams these days, so I didn¡¯te to see you¡± ¡°Daisy, you made it! Come have a seat. Dinner will be ready in a jiffy Grace epted the cake from Daisy. ¡°You do not have to buy this. You being here is all that matters.¡± ¡°I bought it to celebrate your good health!¡± Graceughed, ¡°The kitchen might be a bit smoky, Go hang out with In the living room, Daisy pulled a jewelry box out of her bag and handed it to Allison. ¡®Check it out, do you like it?¡± Allison was peeling an apple for Daisy She nced at the jewelry box and gestured for Daisy to put it down. She continued peeling and chopping the apple into small pieces before setting them on a ss te. Seeing Allison busy, Daisy opened the jewelry box herself. On the ck velvet lining was a high-quality amethyst ne. The teardrop-shaped amethyst was extraordinarily clean and bright, possessing impressive quality. On the ck woven cord, there were also two agate encrusted ornaments. ¡°Do you like it?¡± Daisy asked. Allison nced at it. Why would you give me something so valuable? It¡¯s not like we¡¯re celebrating family¡¯s business?¡± special. this a new product from your She stuffed a piece of the sliced fruit into Daisy¡¯s mouth. Chewing on the apple, Daisy¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°This is the birthday gift I gave youst time! You said you lost it when you moved, right? I stj had some of the materials at home, so I made you another one Allison was taken aback. ¡°You¡¯re saying this was the gift you gave me for myst birthday?¡± She put down what she was holding, wiped her fingers clean with a couple of tissues, and then took the amethyst ne. She seemed to be lost in thought, ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure about the gift I gave you. The materials this time may not be as good as thest time, but they¡¯re still pretty good. I even designed it especially for you¡± Daisy took the ne and put it around Allison¡¯s neck, ¡®It looks great¡±¡± Allison touched the ne, her lips pressing together into a thin line. She seemed to be pondering something. Seeing that Allison wasn¡¯t as excited as she expected, Daisy asked. Allison looked at Daisy, feeling a headacheing on, ¡°I think I ¡®Messed up what?¡± "Something happened?¡± Allison got up and went to her bedroom. She opened her jewelry box all thepartments in her bags and the contents of her drawers, but she started searching through it. After going through the jewelry box, she checked just couldn¡¯t find that agate ne. Chapter 292 Chapter 292 Chapter 292 Daisy came in, ¡°What are you looking for? Need a hand? Lost something?¡± Allison sighed, ¡°Yeah, I lost something I thought it was a gift from you, so I¡¯ve been wearing it all the time. It¡¯s an agate ne, simple design. I thought it was your birthday gift for me, but now I can¡¯t find it anywhere¡± ¡°Agate ne? What does it look like, which brand, do you like it? If you really like it, we can buy another one. If it¡¯s limited edition, I can get the factory to make you an exact replica¡± But here was the thing, Allison had no idea who gave her the ne, and why it suddenly showed up at her ce, in her clothes. She shook her head, ¡°Never mind, not important, lets go eat.¡± That night, Allison was in bed, but couldn¡¯t sleep no matter how hard she tried. She got up and opened her suitcase, looking again, but still couldn¡¯t find it. That ne, it¡¯s like it just vanished out of thin air. Suddenly, Penelope¡¯s face shed through her mind. Especially that time when Penelope impersonated her and came to Blue Mountain Estate. She got the spare key from property management and broke in, took the agate ne that Grace had left for her, and kept saying it was a token from Lucian? She remembered that Allison found it a bit strange. A token? From Lucian? Her eyes widened! Could it be that the agate ne was from Lucian? The first time! The first time at the hotel, it must be! It had to be! Other than that time, Lucian always treated her with disgust, there was no way he¡¯d give her a gift. It must¡¯ve been then. But how did the ne disappear all of a sudden? It couldn¡¯t possibly be with Penelope Penelope probably found out about the ne out of the blue, but didn¡¯t know what it looked like, and that was why she impersonated Allison and broke into her house. She mistook the agate ne that Grace gave her as the one from Lugian, which exined why she took it. Thinking about it now, everything made sense. From Penelope s reaction, this ne must be really important. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have urgently impersonated Allison to con property management out of the key So, where was the ne now? Allisony in bed, trying to recall thest time she saw the ne. It should be¡­. When she, as ¡®Penelope, saw Lucian off on his trip abroad to the headquarters of Lindberg Corporation. And then.. Where did she put it afterwards? She rarely wore these pearl and agate nes, unless she was trying to match her outfit or there was a party. So, the ne should still be in the nagan family¡¯s backyard. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only The next morning. Allison returned to the backyard of the nagan family The lock on the yard gate was open, probably because Margo and her crew had been there, so she just pushed the door open and went in. Everything in the yard was untouched. When she pushed the main house door open, all the familiar old furniture was still in ce. She rapidly scanned the surroundings Once she entered her bedroom, Allison started searching meticulously Given that she rarely left with the ne, it ruled out the possibility of it being outside. It was probably hidden somewhere in the house She carefully checked under the bed, under the couch, under the cupboard. She even opened the washing machine and searched around the drum, but found nothing Suddenly, she felt something hard under her foot. Allison looked down and lifted the rug next to the coffee table. A round agate ne was just lying there She immediately bent down to pick it up, gently caressing it with her fingertips. There was a circle of dark patterns on it. Yes, this was it. So it had been here all along Chapter 293 Chapter 293 Chapter 293 Allison put the ne into her bag and turned to leave. Margo happened to be on the backdoor balcony. She opened the window and red at Allison, ¡°Who the hell let you back in? You¡¯ve got some nerve showing up again! Remember when you pushed me down the stairs and I broke my arm? You¡¯ll see what¡¯sing for you!¡± As Margo finished, she straightened her back and staggered to block Allison¡¯s path. Allison nced at the bandage on Margo¡¯s arm and the corners of her mouth curled up. ¡°So, you think one broken arm isn¡¯t enough and want to even it out with another one, huh?¡± Margo took a step back, ¡°Allison, this is the nagans residence, how dare you cause a ruckus!¡± Allison intended to leave, not wanting to waste her breath arguing with Margo, but she was standing in her way Allison frowned. Margo seemed determined to teach Allison a lesson. She had been bedridden for days after the fall from the stairs and had even broken her arm. Since Mrs. nagan and Mr. nagan were having a spat, she had to bear the pain alone. After snagging the ne, Penelope was all wrapped up in the Lindberg family affairs and didn¡¯t give a damn about her. ¡°Someone stop her!¡± Margo shouted towards the people inside the house of the nagans. The kitchen staff rushed over at the sound. Linda looked at Allison, clearly feeling a bit ufortable. She lowered her head and asked, ¡°Margo, what do you need me to do?¡± ¡°Stop Allison!¡± ¡°Margo, I¡¯ve got soup on the stove in the kitchen that needs watching. This is from Ms nagan for Mr. Lindberg. I can¡¯t leave. I have to go back now.¡± As Linda finished, she took one look at Allison, then walked away with her head down Margo was fuming, but she couldn¡¯t control Allison with one hand and could only resort to hurling threats Allison gave her a look and purposefully stepped on Margo¡¯s foot as she walked past Margo bent over in pain and yelled. ¡°You witch, Allison, you¡¯ll pay for this!¡± But the pain made it impossible for her to stand, and she was left sitting on the ground, yelling. Allison locked the ne in a drawer, nced at her phone, then changed into a new outfit, ready to find Gavin. She was scheduled to start filming that afternoon. Due to Penelope¡¯s foot injury, all of De¡¯s scenes had to be rewritten. They were just finished that afternoon, and Allison officially joined the cast of ¡°Melody of Delight¡±. ¡°Off to work, Allie?¡± Grace said, after she finished folding the clothes and brought them to Allison¡¯s room. Seeing Allison dressed and made up, she said with augh, ¡°Our Allie looks so pretty¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°Mom, I might be homete tonight. There were night scenes to shoot. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t wait up.¡± ¡°Mom, who gave you the ne I found in the closet? Is it important?¡¯ if it was, she would get it back from Penelope. ¡°The ne¡­ um¡­¡± Grace looked a bit lost. ¡°Did you ask Christopher about it?¡± ¡°No, what¡¯s wrong, Mom?¡± Grace wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and sighed in relief, ¡°Nothing, its just an ordinary ne! ¡°Ready¡­¡± Everyone on the set was ready. Allison heard ¡°Action¡± and threw herself into the scene. She didn¡¯t expect her scene partner today to be Aaron She¡¯d only met Aaron once, back at the Pearl Ind party, when he and his sister were both there. But she hadn¡¯t had any real contact with him. Apparently, Aaron knew about Penelope¡¯s foot injury and the need for a recement. This scene was one of the few remaining for his character and ¡®De¡¯, so he agreed He didn¡¯t expect that the person standing in front of her, who looked so much like Penelope, was Allison. Chapter 294 Chapter 294 Chapter 294 ¡°Ms. Zimmer, what a coincidence.¡± Allison was reading her script when she heard a voice. She looked up to see a man standing in front of her. He was tall and dressed in white sports gear. As an actor, Aaron was slim but not frail, his physique was lean and well-proportioned. He was truly a man who had both talent and looks. Allison recognized him, ¡°Mr. Aaron.¡± Aaron nodded. ¡®Don¡¯t be nervous when acting, be natural and rxed in front of the camera, and immerse yourself fully in the character. No matter what the character¡¯s setup is, if you can bring it to life, you¡¯ve seeded. The rest is up to the audience to judge.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Aaron. It was Allison¡¯s first time acting, and she was indeed very nervous. Especially acting with Aaron, in front of professional cameras and professional actors, it was inevitable for a newbie like her to feel nervous Aarons voice was gentle and she was surprised to find him practicing with her. After all, she was just a stand-in, but Aaron didn¡¯t dismiss her or look down on her for it. Instead, he pointed out some issues with her acting Allison continuously nodded her head, ¡°Thank you so much, Mr. Aaron¡± Aaron gave her a small smile, ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so formal And remember, you¡¯re ying a pregnant woman, Even if you¡¯re chasing me in the scene, don¡¯t walk too fast.¡± Allison had indeed overlooked that detail. On the other side, Le was touching up her makeup. She nced at Aaron and frowned. Her assistantmented, Aaron is really considerate, even giving acting advice to a stand-in and willing to do scenes with her¡± Le said while applying lipstick, Aaron cares about his juniors. That¡¯s his kindness¡± However, she asionally looked at Aaron through the mirror. She had worked hard to get this role alongside Aaron, but he had never given her any advice like this. Although her acting didn¡¯t need much improvement, some casual chit-chat would be nice. Whenever she tried to start a conversation with Aaron, he would keep it brief before starting to act She had been shooting with Aaron for two months and they had hardly ever chatted about anything other than their scenes. Now, he was even willing to lower his status to chat with a stand-in, which made Le feel ufortable. ¡°Alright, scene 129, shot 5.¡± ¡®Standby¨C N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. This scene was between Allison and Aaron. ¡°De, put away your useless tricks.¡± ¡°Do you think my sister Faith actually likes you? She¡¯s just after your family connections and the power behind you. Do you really think Faith is that pure?¡± ¡°I love everything about her De, your provocations wont work on me.¡± He said his lines as he looked at Des belly. ¡°Once your child is born, you better return the money you stole from your family¡¯spany, or you know what will happen, I¡¯m not your sister Faith, and I won¡¯t leave you any dignity!¡± Allison¡¯s eyshes quivered, and she bit her lip, her clear eyes revealing a mix of hurt and mockery. ¡°Is that so?¡± De, the character she was ying, was a noble yet vicious character. But Allison managed to portray a sense of helplessness and pity Her clear eyes were captivating, actually causing Aaron to pause for two seconds. He sighed and said to the director, ¡°Sorry, that was my mistake, let¡¯s go again¡± Gavin quickly said, ¡°Actually, that was already good, Aaron, you don¡¯t need to be so hard on yourself.¡± But he was still shocked Aaron had been in the industry for 7 years and won countless awards. This was the first time he had failed to keep up with a newbie actor, who was stand-in with no formal training. This really surprised Gavin. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s take another one.¡± Chapter 295 Chapter 295 Chapter 295 Allison clocked out around seven in the evening, and then she stretched out her weary body. She had been in eight scenes today, most of which were with Aaron, and two with Le. After finishing her two scenes, Le had moved on to another location. As Allison was about to leave, Aaron¡¯s assistant came over to let everyone know that Aaron was treating everyone to coffee. Everyone on the crew got coffee, and the assistant handed one to Allison, ¡°Ms. Allison, this is from Mr. Aaron.¡± Allison epted it politely. ¡°Please thank him for me.¡± These days, Allison had been on set non-stop. The filming of the TV show Melody of Delight was moving along at a brisk pace, and she and Aaron had a lot of scenes together every day. To meet the filming schedule, Aaron and Allison had to shoot fifteen scenes every day. The character De was invested by Epic Entertainment. They brought in a screenwriter to revise the script to give De more scenes, adding more romantic and career story developments to her character. Meanwhile, Le wasn¡¯t having an easy time either. Allison¡¯s character had as many scenes as the female lead, but Le took pride in her character¡¯s personality The female lead, Faith, was a smart, wise woman who could bnce her career and family life. De, the supporting female character, was a wicked woman who got pregnant and seduced her sister Faith¡¯s boyfriend. Totally shameless. This was also one of the reasons Lepromised. After a week of shooting, Aaron had finished his scenes. His status was high, and he had taken this role as a favor to the producers. After the week of shooting. Aaron took a group photo with the crew, and they even got him a cake. He had one arm around Allisons shoulder and was shing a V sign with the other hand. Next to Allison were the director and Le. At the moment the picture was taken, she cracked a small smile. Aaron gave Allison a bouquet of flowers and they hugged, taking another photo. ¡®Keep up the good work, I believe in you, Allison! Keep going!¡± Aaron encouraged. Allison didn¡¯t expect Aaron to say this to her, she just smiled, Thank you, Mr. Aaron.¡± ¡°What s with the Mr. Aaron? Just call me Aaron.¡± he replied. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Allison nodded, ¡°Then, thank you, Aaron¡± Aaron whipped out his phone, wanting to add Allison on WhatsApp. Allison reminded him, I¡¯m Allison, not Penelope.¡± Aaron chuckled, ¡°You think I can¡¯t tell who you are? Of course, I know you¡¯re Allison!¡± Allison took out her phone. If he knew she was a stand-in, why would he want to add her on WhatsApp? After her fifteen days on this show, once Penelope¡¯s foot healed, they wouldn¡¯t need her anymore. Aaronughed, ¡°This is the first time a girl has turned me down.¡± Allison was caught off guard, ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°First time a girl has refused to add me on WhatsApp.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Allison said, seeming a bit apologetic, so she added Aaron on WhatsApp. On the other side, Le frowned as she watched Aaron and Allison talking. ¡°What¡¯s the deal with that stand-in?¡± The assistant looked up from her cup and said straight away, ¡°She must be throwing herself at Aaron Really shameless!¡± Le bit her lip lightly, she didn¡¯t see it that way. She took a sip of her coffee, ¡®Don¡¯t you think this stand- in is way better than that useless rich girl Penelope¡¯ The assistant looked at Le¡¯s expression, ¡°Even if she¡¯s good, she¡¯s no match for your superb acting. She¡¯s just a stand-in, and even if she gets a chance to meet some rich director in the future, she could only star in some web series at most.¡± Le nced at the assistant. While she enjoyed being ttered, it didn¡¯t mean she wanted to be cated withpliments when she wanted to hear the truth Noticing Le seemed a bit upsel, the assistant quickly lowered her head. Le watched Allison, the stand in, wearing a loose dress. It was a normal dress that the crew had been equipped with, but it had a special vibe on her Her looks were simr to Penelope¡¯s, which was why she was chosen as a stand-in when Penelope couldn¡¯t film due to her foot injury. There wasn¡¯t much of a difference between her and Penelope on screen, just that their auras were different. Penelope¡¯s aura was too vulgar, while this stand-in was different. She was refreshingly different. Le said, ¡°I think if she enters the entertainment industry, she might really shine if she gets the night role¡± The assistant looked at Le in surprise. Le had always been proud. The assistant didn¡¯t expect her to rate a stand-in so highly. Chapter 296 Chapter 296 Penelope¡¯s foot was all healed up. She had Charlie arrange for her to return to the set, but she found that a lot of the scenes she was supposed to be in didn¡¯t match up. The assistant director answered with a smile, ¡°Ms. nagan, you should still take it easy with your foot. We don¡¯t want to put too much on your te, we need to make sure we wrap up the whole show by next month. If you¡¯re up for it, we need to shoot all night tonight.¡± Before Penelope can respond, Charlie chimed in, ¡°Our contract doesn¡¯t mention shooting regr sceneste into the night. We should¡¯ve talked about this beforehand.¡± The assistant director seemed a bit troubled, ¡°Ms. nagan, you took a two-week break without letting us know in advance, we need to catch up.¡± He turned to Charlie, ¡®Charlie, don¡¯t get mad at me. You can take it up with the producer or Gavin. I¡¯m just here to give you the heads-up. Of course, you can choose not to shoot, and then we¡¯ll make the necessary cuts.¡± Penelope bit her lip, ¡°Alright, I got it.¡± Charlie wanted to say something, but Penelope waved him off, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I can shoot until about midnight tonight.¡± Charlie said, ¡°Penelope, you need to rest now.¡± The assistant director shook his head as he walked away, ¡°They¡¯re treating the set like a vacation spot¡± What was the use of being born with a silver spoon in your mouth? Once the show was aired, the audience may not like it In the editing room, Gavin was watching the screen. The footage shot these past few days had been roughly edited, and he nodded in satisfaction. Sitting next to him, the editor Monicamented, ¡°This actress is doing a great job, she¡¯s got potential. Her scenes with Aaron are natural, and she brings a touch of humanity to her evil character. Gavin lit up a cigarette, ¡°She¡¯s Penelope¡¯s stand-in.¡± Monica looked at the cigarette case Gavin had set aside and she lit one up as well. She took a puff, then squinted, ¡°You still like this brand¡­it¡¯s too strong.¡± Despite saying this, Monica took another drag. ¡°Of course I can tell, this girl¡¯s eyes are different from Penelope¡¯s. Hers are like a clearke, beautifully innocent. Even though they look alike, I can tell the difference. With such an exceptional stand-in, Penelope looks rather ordinary¡± Gavin tapped his cigarette, reminding, ¡°Be careful when you guys edit the final cut. Don¡¯t let any obvious close-ups slip through.¡± ¡°Got it. We wouldn¡¯t dare ck off while working for Epic Entertainment.¡± Gavin and Monica were old partners, so heughed at herment, ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll treat you to dinner when we finish shooting. We¡¯ve got one more month. Let¡¯s all work hard.¡± ¡°I know, Gavin, you don¡¯t have to remind me.¡± ¡°Gavin, where did you find such a perfect stand-in? She¡¯s so much like Penelope it¡¯s uncanny. If I wasn¡¯t in front of the camera every day, I wouldn¡¯t be able to tell.¡± ¡°She was found by Penelope herself. Gavin stayed in the editing room, Monica¡¯s delicate fingers rested on his shoulder, their bodies moving closer. On the couch, their bodies pressed closely together. Monica leaned on Gavin¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Gavin, how long have we known each other?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve known each other since college¡­ ¡°That long already¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a long time.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Chapter 297 Chapter 297 Ever since Allison wrapped up her scenes, she just returned to the Red Jack Club, living life like she used to. Every night, when she got home, there was always a steaming hot bowl of soup waiting for her in the kitchen. One morning. Allison woke up to find that Grace had already cooked breakfast and left. After taking a shower and having breakfast, it was already past ten in the morning. Allison started to tidy up the living room and her bedroom. She then moved on to Grace¡¯s room to change the bed sheets. Suddenly, while she was fluffing the pillows, she found a diary hidden underneath. Allison had no intention of snooping around Grace¡¯s diary, so she put it back where she found it and grabbed a fresh set of sheets from the closet. As she did so, the diary identally fell onto the floor, so she bent down to pick it up. Just as she was about to pick it up, a gust of wind blew. A few pages of the diary fluttered open, and Allison¡¯s gaze was suddenly drawn to the page¡­ After about two minutes, she bent down to pick up the diary from the floor, her eyes still fixed on the It was Grace¡¯s handwriting. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°Today, Christopher is marrying Leah, but I can¡¯t ept it. I met Christopher first. We were together before Leah stole him from me. It¡¯s all because of her wealth, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯ll make her pay.¡± ¡°I hate Leah, hate Christopher, and I hate myself. Christopher, do you know that it wasn¡¯t Leah who slept with you on your wedding night? It was me.¡± Allison was shocked. She tightly pressed her lips together and kept reading. ¡°I dream about Ricky and Joshua every night. I can¡¯t sleep. Joshua, if you¡¯re dead, why did you have to take Ricky with you? Did you do it on purpose? It¡¯s my fault¡­ I killed Ricky¡­ Ricky. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m the one who caused your death.¡± ¡°I knew Joshua would nevere back after he left, but I never thought he¡¯d take Ricky with him¡­¡± ¡°Joshua, so you knew everything. You were getting back at me!¡± Allison felt her heart racing. How could mom know that dad wouldn¡¯t being back when he left? Her heart pounded in her chest. The diary was all jumbled up. As Allison flipped to the next page to continue reading, she heard the sound of the door being unlocked. She quickly stuffed the diary back under the pillow, smoothed out the bed sheets, and walked out of the room as if nothing had happened. Grace came back with groceries. ¡°Allie, you¡¯re up? I went to the market and bought some stuff. I¡¯ll cook something new for you for lunch.¡± ¡°Mom, you could¡¯ve just gone to the nearby grocery store. It¡¯s closer.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s more expensive than the market, Grace said. ¡°You have no idea how much it costs to live. Go rest for a bit. Lunch will be ready soon.¡± Allison took the dirty clothes and bed sheets to the balcony and put them in the washing machine. The washing machine was loud. She stood at the window, resting her hands on the windowsill as she stared outside, but her thoughts were miles away. She kept reying what just happened. She didn¡¯t understand why her mom would write in her diary that if she knew their dad was taking Ricky with him, she would have stopped him. But if it was just their dad leaving, then there was no need to stop him. She didn¡¯t understand why her dad would take Ricky away to get back at their mom. Her thoughts were a mess¡­ She couldn¡¯t make sense of it all. ¡°Allie, did you go into my room?¡± Suddenly a frantic voice rang out, and Allison was taken aback. She turned around to see Grace in an apron with disposable gloves on her hands. There was a trace of anxiety and panic on her pale, thin face, as if something had been discovered¡­ Chapter 298 Chapter 298 Allison cooled her jets and pretended everything was peachy, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s up?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°Nothing much, just saw that the sheets have been changed¡­¡± Allison chuckled, ¡°Mom, I did that for you. Those sheets have been there for days. I put on new ones, do you like them? It¡¯s the new one I got the other day¡± Grace, watching Allison¡¯s expression, smiled a bit nervously, ¡°I could have changed them myself. Did you see the watch I put under my pillow?¡± Allison¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Watch? What watch? I have no clue that you have a watch under your pillow. I didn¡¯t notice anything like that when I was changing the sheets¡­¡± She knew Grace was testing her waters. There was no watch under Grace¡¯s pillow, just a diary. Grace breathed a sigh of relief. Never mind, I must have misced it. I¡¯ll go cook.¡± She turned around, went back to her bedroom, grabbed the diary, held it tightly, then put it back into the drawer and locked it. On the balcony, Allison watched Grace¡¯s retreating figure, her gaze darkened She didn¡¯t want to dwell on it. Her mom was her only family. Yet, her moms behavior was making her feel a bit strange. Her hands clenched tightly around the railing. That night, In the private room of Red Jack Club 618. Nichs sat with legs crossed. A drink was passed over to him, and he waved it off, I can¡¯t drink anymore, you guys carry on.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with you, Nick? You¡¯re already tapped out?¡± Nichs was unfazed by the teasingments, he waved his hand again, ¡°Really, I can¡¯t.¡± He closed his eyes, leaning back on the dark red leather couch to rest.. There were about seven or eight people in the private room, three of them were women, but there were no women around Nichs. His family was strict, he had no interest in such matters, and he also wasn¡¯t the type to be interested in the women working in these ces. ¡°When is Jamesing? Didnt he say he was going to join us?¡± ¡°He might be held up, let me check.¡± He made a call, ¡®He¡¯ll be here soon.¡± ¡°Allison, my stomach hurts, can you cover for me?¡± A girl clutched her stomach, looking at a passing girl and grabbed her arm, ¡°Allison, help me out.¡± Allison was in the room next to the girl, so covering for her for a bit was no big deal. She nodded, ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡± The girl immediately bolted for the bathroom Allison stood at the door. She could hear soundsing from her earpiece. It was the sound from room 618. She knocked and entered, checking the drink order with the server, Vera. Since she was covering, she couldn¡¯t leave, so she asked Vera to get the drinks from the cer while she watched over things Vera nodded and left. The room was filled with smoke. Allison¡¯s nose twitched, and she rubbed it. There were about seven or eight people in the room, a bunch of rich young people singing and having fun. There were asional sounds of kissing and screams. Laser lights in the room were dazzling, creating an atmosphere no different from the dance floor outside, a scene only young people could handle. ¡°Waitress,e pour the drinks.¡± Allison walked over. She picked up a bottle of red wine on the table and started serving. The wine finished quickly, Allison saw there were still empty sses in front of her, she apologized, ¡°The wine and fruit tter will be here soon. Please wait for a second¡± Usually, customers wouldn¡¯t make a big fuss in such situations, a minute or two wouldn¡¯t hurt. The young man waved his hand, ¡°Alright, just hurry up.¡± Chapter 299 Chapter 299 Allison said, ¡°ll go check the order right now.¡± Allison leaned against the side and used themunication device to remind Vera, who responded, ¡°Ill be right there.¡± A woman suggested, This is so boring, let¡¯s y truth or dare.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Everyone quickly agreed. ¡°Nichs, wanna join in?¡± Nichs opened his eyes, giving a slight smile, ¡°You guys go ahead.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no fun with just six people, let¡¯s do it together¡± Nichs then nodded. ¡°Alright, whatever you guys want.¡± ¡°First round, whoever draws this card has to pick a girl to kiss, what do you think?¡± ¡°So spicy right from the start?¡± a young man chuckled, ¡°I like it.¡± ¡°Do we even need to choose? If I draw, I¡¯ll just give Lina a peck and be done with it, right?¡± The girl named Lina blushed. She was the one who suggested ying truth or dare. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re teasing me again¡± Lina took out seven cards, and everyone drew one. In the first round, a tall young man won and gave his girlfriend a kiss. The room erupted withughter. Nichs rubbed his temples and gave a faint smile. He really had no interest in these games. Second round, a girl in a tight pink dress drew the card, and she covered her mouth, ¡°Oh my, how can I do this?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? If you don¡¯t want to kiss someone, how about you drink with me?¡± ¡°Help me out here!¡± ¡°Do you want me to kiss for you?¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only The girl stood up, blushing, and chose a girl in a white dress with a bow tie to give a shy kiss. The atmosphere reached a climax. ¡°Ah, Nichs, you got the card¡± This round, Nichs looked at the card in his hand. He raised an eyebrow, jokingly said, ¡®Is my luck that good today?¡± In the room full of young people, only Nichs had no femalepanion. Everyone else was having a great time, but the girls kept shooting him nces. Nichs was not only handsome but also generous. His handsome face was appealing, but his cold attitude kept these girls at a distance. Now, it seemed like an opportunity Nichs looked around the room feeling a bit troubled, ¡°Can I choose to drink?* ¡°If you want to drink, you¡¯ll have to wait a bit. How about choosing truth?¡± Nichs gave him a gentle kick,ughed and cursed, ¡®Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know you¡¯re trying to trick me!¡± He was not falling for that It was just a kiss. However, he was not interested in these heavily made up, scantily dressed women, The man looked around; through the faint smoke, his eyesnded on a waitress standing by the wall. He stood up and walked over. Allison suddenly noticed a pair of mens leather shoes in front of her. She looked up. A familiar face appeared in front of her Brother- But the next second, Allison saw his formal attire and knew this was not her brother. This was the man named Nichs. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± Nichs said in surprise. The people were smoking earlier and the waitress was standing far away, so he didn¡¯t see who she was until he got closer. The waitress turned out to be the girl who had chased after him for his ID. Allison looked down, ¡°Mr. Nichs.¡± At this moment, Nichs could only say, ¡°I apologize in advance, I need to fulfill a game rule.¡± Allison¡¯s eyes widened? What? She had vaguely heard something about truth or dare. Suddenly, Nichs¡¯s face slowly erged, Allison quickly realized what was about to happen, and just when Nichs¡¯s lips were about to touch hers, she put her hand over her mouth. The man¡¯s lipsnded on the back of her hand. Allison trembled slightly, her back pressed against the wall. At this moment, the door to the room was pushed open from outside. Avoice said, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯mte, there was traffic.¡± James walked in with a smile, and as soon as he walked in, he saw Nichs bending down and kissing a waitress. James said jokingly as he raised his hand in a gesture to cover his eyes: Nick, I did expect you to be so straightforward.¡± After saying this, James walked a few steps forward, then suddenly stopped. Because when he got closer, he realized that the woman in Nichs¡¯s arme looked familiar James widened his eyes slowly, ¡°Allison?¡± At that moment, a tall male figure walked in. James turned around and looked at Lucian entering the room. Almost instinctively, as if intentionally, he took a step to the left, blocking Lucian¡¯s line of sight. Chapter 300 Chapter 300 Lucian walked in, and he immediately spotted the two ovepping shadows in the corner. His eyes narrowed, fists clenched then rxed. A hint of displeasure shed across his mind. Upon recognizing the two figures, his eyes dimmed. Nichs was only trying to appease his friends, he wasn¡¯t actually interested in those attractive women with enticing figures. He didn¡¯t have such vulgar tastes. The waiter seemed rtively simple and clean. Perhaps ustomed to a more sophisticated lifestyle. It never crossed his mind that the waiter would reject his advances His lips touched the back of her hand, leaving Nichs stunned. This woman was actually rejecting him? He could casually buy a bottle of wine costing more than her monthly sry, yet she rejected his kiss? Allison was also stunned. She never thought Nichs would kiss her. Luckily, she was quick to cover her mouth. The back of her hand still felt the warmth of his gentle, fiery kiss. She froze, quickly came to her senses, and stepped back. Back against the wall, Allison asked, ¡°Sir, what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Nichs frowned, straightened up, seemingly surprised at her rejection. All those women were all over him, but a waitress earning a measly sry, dared to reject him? ¡°Ahem, Nick ¡°James sensed the tension behind him and his heart skipped a beat. What was happening between Nichs and Allison? Nichs turned around, ¡°James, oh, Luca, you¡¯re here too.¡± James felt that Nichs was truly oblivious, couldn¡¯t he feel the chill in the air? Lucian walked in, hands in pockets, His gaze slowly swept over Allison¡¯s face, paused for two seconds before moving on. He sat down on the couch, his aloof aura making the lively room go quiet. The others, engrossed in their game, exchanged nces, not daring to speak. And Allison, bit her lip. Lucian was here. Did he see her with Nichs. Nichs turned around as if he didn¡¯t sense anything and sat down on the single couch, crossing his legs, ¡°Luca, I thought you were too busy toe.¡± Lucian was never really fond of such gatherings. A faint smirk appeared at the corner of his lips, ¡°Yeah, I came by, did I interrupt you and that woman¡¯s kiss?¡± Nichs picked up his ss, taking a sip of water, ¡°I just lost a game.¡± He nced at the waitress standing by the wall, then looked away Lucian caught this move. He chuckled. Allison was certainly good at seducing men. In just a few days, she had Nichs spellbound James wiped the sweat off his forehead, sat down between the two, and suggested, ¡°Nick, let¡¯s have a few drinks. Would you guys stop talking? Can¡¯t you see Luca is in a bad mood? N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Honestly, how did Nichs end up with Allison¡­ And they even kissed. Nichs shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not drinking anymore¡± The atmosphere lightened up a bit as the young people¡¯s chatter filled the room. The girls asionally nced at Lucian, their faces blushing. This man became the center of attention as soon as he walked in. He was mature and handsome, far more impressive than these young men. But his aloof demeanor made the girls a bit intimidated, Lina looked around and suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s continue our game.¡± Chapter 301 Chapter 301 ¡°Alright.¡± Another girl chimed in with a smile. They were bored anyway, so the young ones agreed to y this exciting and fun game. *Same rules as before. The one who gets this card gets to kiss a girl of his choice.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Nichs sighed, Same old boring rules. He stood up. ¡°You guys carry on, I¡¯m stepping out for a smoke.¡± James nudged Lucian lightly, ¡°How about it, Luca? Want to join in for a bit?¡± The man pursed his lips slightly but eventually nodded. Lina dealt the cards, deliberately giving that card to Lucian. The thought of getting a chance to kiss such an incredible man was unimaginable. Each of the three girls at the scene had a one in three chance ¡°Aw man, who¡¯s the lucky one this time?¡± A young man nced at his card. It wasn¡¯t James either, as he flipped his card. Everyone started revealing their cards. Lucian slightly frowned, ncing at his card. The card was in his hands. Lina¡¯s cheeks flushed, ¡°Oh, Mr. Lindberg It¡¯s you The man just smirked dismissively. James chuckled, ¡°Luca, you¡¯re really in luck tonight.¡± ¡°You can choose the previous dare, or truth.¡± Lina said, her face flushing as she looked at the man¡¯s handsome profile. She had seen all kinds of men, plenty of wealthy ones. But none were like Lucian, so handsome, so distinguished, so noble. Other men couldn¡¯t evenpare to a single hair of Lucians. The man stood up, walking around the table. Lina blushed, thinking he wasing towards her, and she stood up excitedly. But to her surprise, the man walked past her Ever since Lucian entered the private room, Allison had been tense. Suddenly, a pair of men¡¯s shoes appeared in front of her. She stared nkly at the high-end shoes. The air was filled with a familiar masculine scent. She looked up and saw a familiar handsome face in her sight. Lucian, why did he suddenlye over? She wanted to back away, but there was no way back. Her back was against the wall. ¡°What are you doing? Allison pressed her back against the wall, her voice tensed up. Suddenly, the liandsome face in front of her erged The man grabbed her hand, and the next second, his lips pressed down andnded on hers. Allison¡¯s lashes fluttered as the man¡¯s tongue pushed against her teeth and hooked around hers in an alcohol fueled kiss thatsted two minutes. Meanwhile Lina bit her lip. She couldn¡¯t believe that Lucian would choose to kiss a waitress! Not just Lina, even the other girls and those casual young men were surprised. Luca, kissing a waitress? It was unbelievable. Yet, this unimaginable thing happened right before their eyes. ¡°Who¡¯s that woman? Nichs also went to her just now.¡± A girl said. Lina wore aplex expression, ¡°Who knows? She¡¯s just a waitress, but why Lucian and Nichs¡­¡± Only James was calm. He took a sip of his drink and chuckled quietly. He knew it. Lucian couldn¡¯t resist. The way Lucian stared at Nichs earlier, it was as if he wanted to kill him. However, only Lucian himself was unaware of the fact that he was so protective of this woman. Chapter 302 Chapter 302 Allison¡¯s cheeks started to get super hot. The guy let go of Allison. He gently touched her lips, then pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and started to wipe Allison¡¯s lips. He was a bit too rough, and her lips were really soft. Soon, Allison¡¯s lips were red and swollen. Lucian had a real broad back. He practically blocked everyone¡¯s sight. His hand was holding a handkerchief, wiping Allison¡¯s lips. Allison felt really ufortable, and she pushed him away, ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± It felt like her lips were bruised The guy lowered his voice, he leaned in and whispered in her ear, ¡°You like Nichs? I didn¡¯t see that coming. Just a few days and you two are already this close?¡± Allison knew this guy must have misunderstood her, ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°No? First you used a ridiculous excuse, said you wanted to check his ID, and you thought you¡¯d seen him before. Isn¡¯t thisme pick-up line just to get his attention?¡± ¡°Mr. Lindberg, watch your mouth, your friends are still watching you¡± ¡°Watch my mouth?¡± The guyughed coldly. ¡°Do you have the right to tell me to watch my mouth?¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Allison took a deep breath. ¡°Mr. Lindberg, we¡¯re just acquaintances. We¡¯re not even friends. What gives you the right to meddle in my personal business? Who I befriend, who I date, it¡¯s none of your business¡± The guy clenched the handkerchief in his hand, his other hand grabbing Allison¡¯s fingers tightly Allison frowned because of the pain. He just couldn¡¯t stand seeing Allison being intimate with other guys, but being questioned by Allison like this, about what exactly was their rtionship, made the guy¡¯s eyes squint What was their rtionship? Allison continued in a low voice, Who I like has nothing to do with you, and who I¡¯m with also has nothing to do with you. Mr. Lindberg, I¡¯ll say it again, mind your manners! Your friends are still waiting for you¡± With that, Allison forcefully pulled her hand away. The next second, her hand was grabbed by Lucian again. He didn¡¯t leave her any way out, and he pushed her against the wall From Dr Dn to Jason, and now Nichs, Allison, you¡¯re really pushing the boundaries, do you know Nichs background? He is the only grandson of the Chief of Staff Do you think you¡¯re good enough for him?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not good enough, but, Mr. Lindberg what are you doing now, I didn¡¯t ask you to kiss me. It was just a game, and there are plenty of beautiful girls around you¡± She stared at Lucian, at the anger in his eyes, at his handsome face, ¡°Are you angry? You¡¯re not angry because I kissed Nichs, are you?¡± Actually, Nichs didn¡¯t kiss her, he kissed her hand. But at this moment, the man¡¯s attitude made Allison puzzled. ¡°Lucian, you once said that you don¡¯t like me, even hate me, so I promised you that I would keep a proper distance from you. You also said that you don¡¯t want me to get close to your brother, and I did just that. But now, you¡¯re not going to ask me to stay away from Nichs, are you? Lucian, what gives you the right to ask me this?¡± Her eyes carried a hint of amusement as she yfully raised her eyebrows. Her voice was soft and slightly husky, so low that only the two of them could hear ¡°You¡¯re not, falling for me, are you?¡± Chapter 303 Chapter 303 Lucian¡¯s expression changed visibly. But in the room, due to the intery of light and shadow, no one noticed. Soon, he was back to his normal self, letting go of the woman¡¯s hand. He went back to the sofa, sat down, and seemed like he was just ying a game. Allison asked casually, unable to imagine that Lucian would be interested in her. She knew her status. The people in the booth looked at Lucian¡¯s expression, sensing that something was off with him. A girl courageously offered Lucian a drink, but his cold gaze stopped her. The truth or dare game didn¡¯t continue, and everyone tactfully left. James sighed, ncing at Allison, who had already left. Now, a different waitress stood by the wall. Perhaps, Lucian was really falling for this woman this time. Allison went to the restroom, turned on the tap, and washed her face. The cool water flowed down her cheeks. Looking up, she saw herself in the mirror. Her lips were slightly swollen, but everything else was normal. In the room just now, she and Lucian seemed to have lost control. How could she have asked such a humiliating question? Did she like her? Was she dreaming? Leaving the restroom, Allison returned to the door of the room, and by midnight, the people in the room gradually left. As she was cleaning up the room, she walked past room 618. The door opened, and a few young men came out, propping up sexy and alluring women. Allison stepped aside, then James and Lucian came out, both smelling of alcohol Allison lowered her gaze. James supporting Lucian, said, ¡°Allison, can you take Lucian home?¡± Allison replied in a low voice, I¡¯m sorry, sir. I¡¯ve had a few drinks I can¡¯t drive¡± James looked at the sober Allison. Where did she look like she had been drinking? Clearly, it was just an excuse to refuse. ¡°You.¡± James sighed softly. Allison quickly said, I¡¯ve called a designated driver. He should be here any minute: James, supporting Lucian, followed behind Allison, looking at her slim figure, thinking Women can be pretty scary when they were cold. He really didn¡¯t understand how Lucian could fall for a woman like this. Lucion sat in the car. He had had a few drinks, but he wasn¡¯t so drunk as to lose consciousness. His thoughts were clear, and he listened to the familiar soft voice talking to the designated driver The air was filled with a faint smell of cherry blossoms Allison grabbed the seat belt with one hand, buckled it for him, and as she was about to leave, a hand suddenly grabbed her wrist tightly. The man who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened his eyes. Allison looked at him, feeling the heat on her wrist, Mr. Lindberg, is there anything else?¡± Her smile was graceful and formal. The mans lips were tight, his voice hoarse and tense, ¡°Name your price.¡± Lucian looked at the woman¡¯s delicate and beautiful face, his desire to possess her growing stronger. He couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that he could not stand this woman being affectionate with other men. Every time he thought about it, he felt a turmoil in his heart. ¡°Name a price?¡± Allison just smiled, asking in confusion, ¡°What price?¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°Allison.¡± He called her name, his voice hoarse but firm, ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb.¡± Chapter 304 Chapter 304 His palm was warm and dry gripping her slender wrist tightly. Allison looked into his eyes, a self- mocking smile ying on her clean face, ¡°Lucian, can you give me a reason to be your lover?¡± ¡°Tell me what you want, and I¡¯ll give it to you, Lucian said. ¡®As long as you¡¯re willing to be my woman, I can give you everything you want.¡± Allison wriggled out of his grip. Instead of leaving right away, she bent down to fasten his seatbelt for him. Her eyes downcast and a soft smile appeared on her face. I only want to be thedy of Lindberg family¡± Lucian watched her silently, his gaze unfathomable. Red Jack Club had always had a partnership with the designated drivingpany. One call and they would be there. Allison gave the driver her address. The man smiled and said, ¡°All right, Ms. Zimmer. You go back to your things. If you finish workte, remember to call me. I¡¯ll pick you up.¡± Allison smiled. That won¡¯t be necessary, thank you.¡± She watched the car leave, then turned and went back to the private room. Nichs was still there. He seemed to have had quite a few drinks and was sprawled on the sofa, Vera said, ¡®Nichs is asleep. What should we do?¡± Allison asked, ¡°Did you contact his friends?¡± Vera replied, ¡°His friends are all drunk They¡¯ve left with their dates. Allison said to Vera, ¡°You go ahead. I¡¯ll keep an eye on him.¡± . She entered the room to see Nichs familiar face. He looked just like herb ketwo peas in a pod. If her brother were still alive, he would be the same age and look like him now Were there really two identical faces in this world? Allison couldn¡¯t help reaching out to lightly touch his cheek. It was as if her brother r was right in front of her. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Biting her lip, Allison remembered her brother had a brown birthmark on his back. She turned Nichs over, began to remove his suit, and then his shirt. Just then, a male voice said, ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not cool to do that while I¡¯m sleeping¡± Nichs opened his eyes and sat up, looking into Allison¡¯s shocked eyes, then at her face quickly flushing red. Allison immediately stood up and backed away. She didn¡¯t expect Nichs wake up. Being caught was so embarrassing ¡°What are you doing?¡± Nichs rubbed his forehead, ¡°What were you trying to do to me?¡± Allison, already prone to shyness, blushed even more, ¡°You kissed me. What¡¯s wrong with me taking off your clothes?¡± ¡°Ha-¡± The man said gently, I can¡¯t argue with that.¡± Allison clenched her fists, ¡®Do you have a coffee-colored spot on your back, about the size of two fingernails?¡± Nichs looked at her, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Allison closed her eyes, as if gathering courage. ¡°Can I look at your back? Just one look¡± Nichs found this woman strange. First she asked for his ID, then she wanted to see his back. He gave her a peck, but she dodged it. ¡°What on earth do you want?¡± Nichs looked at the woman¡¯s work badge, which read ¡®Allison¡¯, ¡°Allison, your flirt game is weak,¡± Allison asked urgently, ¡°I promise I¡¯ll only look once. Or you can tell me, is there a coffee-colored spot on your back, right on your shoulder de? A birthmark?¡± She remembered seeing it on her brother¡¯s back when they were kids, Chapter 305 Chapter 305 Her brother was wearing a tank top and she spotted it right away Back then, her brother loved to scare her Hed always say he was disobedient, got kicked by a monster, and that was how he got his birthmark ¡°Allison, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being a bit unreasonable? I don¡¯t even know you Why should I let you see my birthmark?¡± After Nichs finished speaking, he looked at Allison¡¯s reddening eyes, full of pleading Suddenly, his heart throbbed, and a strange emotion filled his heart, unable to be ignored. He didn¡¯t know what happened but suddenly felt a bit sad Fine. I¡¯ll show you Nichs said, taking off his shirt, turning around, baring his naked back Allison looked at the skin on his back. She saw the scar on his shoulder, right where his birthmark should be. She gasped and walked over What happened to your back?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but reach out, gently touching the scar. Her fingers were cool, making his back tense. He put on his clothes, buttoned up ¡°It¡¯s a wound from when I was little¡± Allison bit her lip hard. Was this a coincidence? Same face. Simr age. Scar where the birthmark should be Nichs got dressed, walked a few steps forward, turned around, and looked at Allison standing still He took out his car keys from his pocket and tossed them to her, ¡°Drive me home. Allison didn¡¯t refuse. On the way, she followed the navigation. Her speed was not fast, and she was not familiar with this limited edition Mercedes, so she drove very carefully ¡°Have you always lived in Northfield?¡± Nichs rolled down the window, the cold wind made him feelfortable, ¡°Allison, don¡¯t you think your intentions are too obvious? There are plenty of girls chasing me. Dont you think you¡¯re being too direct?¡± Allison didn¡¯t know how to exin. Let it be a misunderstanding. Looking at Nichs¡¯s face, she felt at peace in her heart. After all, he was her brother¡­. ¡°Since I¡¯ve asked so directly, you might as well give me an answer¡± She focused on driving, her voice gentle. Nichs looked at her profile, this waitress was indeed beautiful, with a delicate face and smooth skin. She didn¡¯t ask any private questions, and she gave him a familiar feeling This inexplicable familiarity¡­. -1 came back a month ago. I was living in Ennd with my family before¡± One clock in the morning. Allison dropped Nichs off at his ce Nichs got out of the car, a bit unsteady on his feet. He nced at Allison. It¡¯ste, you should go. Leave the car at the Red Jack Club, and I¡¯ll have someone pick it up.¡± ¡°Ah, 1. ¡°Allison didn¡¯t refuse, because at this point, she couldn¡¯t go home herself. ¡°Thank you then¡± Allison came home, went to the kitchen, and saw thete night snack her mother made. She was a bit hungry too. She took a sip of soup, then sat down in the kitchen Her phone started to ring She nced at the caller ID, it was Daisy R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Daisy had called her several times, but she had been busy and only saw it now. ¡°Daisy¡± I¡¯m so mad, Allison My dad wants me to marry Frances, do you know who Frances is? He¡¯s that¡­ the guy who got disfigured from the Boswell family¡± Allison frowned, ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Allison, what should I doll don¡¯t even know him, and since he got disfigured in a fire, he¡¯s rarely shown up. My dad actually wants me to marry him!¡± Chapter 306 Chapter 306 Chapter 306 ¡°What¡¯s your mom¡¯s take on this?¡± Tears welled up in Daisy¡¯s eyes, ¡®My mom can¡¯t stand up to my dad either. Allison, I¡¯ve called you so many times. I¡¯m on the verge of a breakdown today.¡± ¡°Sorry, sorry, Daisy, I was busyst night.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to marry someone I don¡¯t know, especially someone who¡¯s been disfigured. I heard that guy has mood swings. If I have to spend my life with such a person, I¡¯d rather die¡­¡± ¡°Daisy! Calm down, I¡¯lle to see you tomorrow. Maybe your dad was just being impulsive. You can try to persuade him. You¡¯re his only daughter¡­ ¡°Allison, you don¡¯t understand. We really can¡¯t say no to the Boswell family.¡± The next morning at 11, Allison met Daisy at a restaurant. Daisy looked like she hadn¡¯t slept at all, her eyes were red, and she seemed lifeless. ¡°I only found out yesterday that my family has a marriage pact with the Boswell family, which was arranged by the previous generation. The Boswell family has two sons, but I have to marry Frances. You know his situation, his face was disfigured in a fire more than a decade ago, and all his organs are failing. He¡¯s on the brink of death. The Boswell family suddenly approached us to fulfill the pact. It¡¯s insane.¡± ¡°Daisy¡± Allison took her hand. Daisy choked up, I¡¯m only 21, why should I give the rest of my life to a stranger who¡¯s ugly and dying.¡± She sighed, The Boswell family is powerful, and we can¡¯t refuse. My dad built apany. It¡¯s doing okay, but it¡¯s nothingpared to the Boswell family. My dad said, if I refuse to get married, they would hurt ourpany.¡± Allison didn¡¯t know how tofort Daisy. After all, the arranged marriage was inevitable. She spent the afternoon with Daisy, then went to the arcade and watched two movies. Daisy seemed a bit better. She epted the reality. There was no escape. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it, he¡¯s so sick, and he may die in a few years, then I¡¯ll still be young, and the Boswell family will give me a fortune. That¡¯s not too bad.¡± Allison burst intoughter, Daisy looked at her, ¡°Well, I¡¯vee to terms with it. Go with the flow, what else can I do.¡± Allison felt relieved, ¡°If you can think like this, it¡¯s good.¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only At three in the afternoon. The Lindberg Corporation building. Lucian was in a meeting. Suddenly, Shawn rushed in and whispered something in Lucian¡¯s ear, his expression changing instantly. He left everything and walked out, leaving the people in the meeting room looking at each other, wondering what had happened. The car sped through the streets, and he arrived at a private hospital in the city center as quickly as possible. He came out of the elevator and went straight to the door of a ward. He stopped at the door, took a few seconds, then pushed the door open and walked in. Doctors and nurses were present, all gathered around a bed. When the doctor saw Lucian, he said, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, just now, Ms. Crane¡¯s fingers moved¡± Lucian looked at the girl lying on the bed. She was extremely thin, her face without makeup looking sickly. She was deeply sunk into the bed, with machines maintaining her breathing and life, and numerous tubes inserted into her body to keep her vital signs. ¡°You¡¯re serious¡­¡± The doctor nodded, ¡°Yes, I saw Ms. Crane¡¯s fingers move with my own eyes. It¡¯s a medical miracle. Chapter 307 Chapter 307 Chapter 307 In the hospital conference room, a bunch of pros were having an emergency meeting, discussing the treatment n for Yuliana after her body showed some response. In the ward, Lucian was sitting at the bedside, his gaze glued to the girl on the hospital bed. Her face was as pale as a ghost, and her frail body was a heartbreaking view to see. With a venttor mask on her face and the medical monitor by her side showing the bouncing lines, that was the only sign. Lucian had that Yuliana was still kicking. His eyes were fixed on her fingers. Did that hand just move? Yuliana had been out cold for four years now. Ever since that incident, Yuliana hadn¡¯t woken up, and his rtionship with Aidan had gone sour. An hourter The doc came out with the hospital director leading the way to Lucian. ¡°Mr. Lindberg, Ms. Crane is not fit for surgery right now, and her body¡¯s running on fumes. If we push for surgery, things could go sideways.¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Lucian bit his tongue, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying. There¡¯s no sign she¡¯s waking up anytime soon¡± ¡°Mr. Lindberg, Ms. Crane¡¯s condition needs time to recover. Right now, she¡¯s responsive to her surroundings, and I believe, one day, she¡¯ll open her eyes.¡± Lucian scoffed, ¡°So, you¡¯re asking me to believe in miracles? Believe a vegetable can open her eyes, right? When? A few days? This year, next year, in five years, ten years?¡± The hospital director said, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, don¡¯t get worked up. You know how bad Ms. Crane was. It¡¯s a big deal she¡¯s recovered this much. I¡¯ll consult with Kasey¡¯s team right away ande up with the best treatment n! Lucian nodded. Td appreciate that, Dr. Please contact me right away if there¡¯s any news.¡± ¡°Sure thing¡± Just as Lucian stepped out of the elevator, there was a person dressed in ck workout gear standing there. There was a cold look on his face. It was Aidan. Their eyes met. Aidan stepped aside, and when Lucian¡¯s out, he stepped in. The elevator doors closed, and it started its ascent. There was not a word between them. Shawn trailed after Lucian, and he could feel Lucian¡¯s calm demeanor. It was like they were total strangers. But who would know that they used to be the best of buds. All because of that woman lying upstairs, Yuliana. If she hadn¡¯t ended up a vegetable, she might be Mrs. Lucian by now. Lucian left the hospital, hopped into his car, rubbed his forehead a bit. Shawn said, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, are we heading back to Lindberg Corporation? I¡¯ve had someone else take over the meeting that got interrupted¡± Lucian, eyes closed, seemed a bit worn out, ¡°Yeah¡± Aidan made his way to the ward. He looked at Yuliana on the bed. If it weren¡¯t for Yuliana¡¯s condition, he would have whisked his sister off to the States ages ago. Now, he was sitting bedside looking at the person on the bed, ¡°Yuliana, I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Lucian was here too.¡± ¡°Yuliana, you¡¯ve been asleep for four years now. Time to wake up.¡± The girl¡¯s eyes were still closed. Aidan had been here a lot, and each time he talked to her a bit. He can¡¯t forget how Yuliana¡¯s ident and his leg ended up like this! The man sighed softly, then got up to leave. After Aidan¡¯s departure, the fingers of the woman on the bed twitched again. Chapter 308 Chapter 308 Chapter 308 Penelope nagan was all geared up to officially dive into the entertainment industry. Media companies had already cleared her path. Being known as the Lady of the Lindbergs and carrying the Lindberg family¡¯s baby, folks in the industry warmly weed her. However, with less than four months before she gave birth, all ns were on hold until she delivered and got a good rest. What was really eating her now was the baby in her belly. Although the baby was super important, it was also a ticking time bomb. If she can¡¯t pull the wool over the eyes of the Lindberg family, the secret will be out the moment she dropped the baby. By then, Lucian won¡¯t let her off the hook In the past six months, Penelope realized what really grinded Lucian¡¯s gears was deceit. Rubbing her belly, she felt weighed down, even didn¡¯t register Charlie talking to her. Although Charlie was just an agent, she¡¯d got a ton of resources this time since her client was the future Mrs. Lindberg. This link had shot her status through the roof. She currently had a mobile ad business opportunity ¡°Penelope, we¡¯ve scheduled the ad shooting this afternoon. The contract¡¯s been reviewed, just need your signature.¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Though the mobile ad didn¡¯t pay a heap, for Penelope, it was all about the increased exposure. Her ads would soon be stered all over the country. This would really crank up her fame. Penelope nodded, ¡°Got it, you handle it. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it, Penelope.¡± At night, Penelope went home, headed upstairs to Leah¡¯s study ¡°Mom, what do I do about the baby?¡± * Leah, practicing her calligraphy, nced up. Looking at her frazzled daughter, she thought she was really wet behind the ears, ¡°What¡¯s the rush? You¡¯re only six months pregnant. You still have three months¡± ¡°Mom, I can¡¯t wait. I can¡¯t actually have the baby¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not out of the question.¡± Leah put down her pen. Penelope came over, ¡°Mom, you know, during my check-ups, Lucian¡¯s people were with me. If it weren¡¯t for Pete covering for me, I would ve been busted.¡± Leah lightly tapped Penelope¡¯s forehead, ¡°What are you scared of, Penelope? Just keep calm and carry on as the future Mrs. Lindberg. If you can¡¯t have the baby, then abort it. But now¡¯s not the time¡± ¡°Mom, when is the right time? This baby¡¯s like a ticking time bomb.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying, it¡¯s Pete¡¯s baby?¡± Leah squinted her eyes. Penelope nodded, not hiding it from her. Now, the critical thing was to fix this issue. Three months will fly by. Leah knew the Lindberg family¡¯s butler David very well. Although he was just a butler, he was also Carter¡¯s adopted son, but only an adopted son, nothing more. ¡°Don¡¯t get your knickers in a twist, Penelope.¡± How could Penelope not be in a tizzy? Seeing Leah¡¯s calm demeanor, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Mom-¡± ¡°Sweetie, I¡¯m only looking out for your best interest. You¡¯re all I have left. Your dad only has eyes for Grace. How could he remember me? Leah clenched her fists at the mention of this. Since the big blowout with Christopher nagan, he rarely came home. When he did, it¡¯s only to pick up some documents. She once had someone tail Christopher, but ended up getting caught Chapter 309 Chapter 309 Chapter 309 Leah gripped Penelope¡¯s hand tightly, ¡°Whether you have a baby or not, you¡¯ll always be Lucian¡¯s wife, got it?¡± 1 got it.¡± ¡°Oh, that keepsake Lucian gave you. Keep it safe. Don¡¯t lose it.¡± ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve been keeping it safe. I take it with me every time I go to the Lindbergs.¡± ¡°Good¡± Saturday, the Lindberg family dinner. George was heading back to the Lindberg Corporation in Summerfield tomorrow. So tonight, the Lindberg family gathered in full force. Even the perpetuallyte Jason showed up early, and Aidan made a special trip back. Seeing the whole family together was a rare sight, Carter chuckled and nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s have a toast.¡± Cora reminded, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t drink too much. The doctor warned you¡± Carter chuckled, I know my limits. In a few months, I¡¯ll be seeing Lucian¡¯s child. I¡¯m looking forward to it every day, keeping myself healthy just for that day¡± A flicker of panic shed in Penelope¡¯s eyes She forced a smile, but she was nervous inside. The Lindbergs all cared about the baby in her belly. If it turned out that it wasn¡¯t a Lindberg child, she¡¯d be screwed. Miranda smiled gently, ¡®Penelope, have you been taking the medicine I prepared for you?¡± ¡°Yes, Miranda, don¡¯t worry, all my prenatal check-ups went well.¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Cora said, ¡°Lucian, don¡¯t work too hard. Spend more time with Penelope.¡± Lucian gave a faint smile, ¡°You know, we¡¯re still working on the acquisition contract with another company. It¡¯s pretty hectic,¡± Carter nodded, ¡°Thatpany is a bit tricky. Be careful, Lucian.¡± Lucian nodded. George raised an eyebrow. He knew about thepany, but the old man had given the task to Luca He had no right to interfere. Aidan frowned slightly, ¡®Synergy Corp got some inside information from Snow Inc. The fake jewelry scandal of Snow Inc. was leaked by Rosa, the current VP of Synergy Corp. They¡¯re preparing to acquire Snow Inc.¡± Lucian looked at him, ¡°If I remember correctly, Rosa once¡­ worked with you, and¡­¡± He didn¡¯t continue, his eyes narrowed. Aidan smirked, ¡°Are you trying to say that Rosa pursued me?¡± Lucian picked up his ss and took a sip. That¡¯s your words.¡± Seeing the tension at the table, Cora quickly intervened, ¡°Alright, we¡¯re eating. Let¡¯s be nice. Eat, everyone. Lucian, have some more of this. Aidan, stay bit longer this time. We miss you¡± Aidan responded with a wry smile, ¡®Of course.¡± He would definitely stay here longer. Allison came home early in the evening. She returned so early that Grace was still up. Seeing Allison, Grace immediately got up and said, ¡°I prepared some supper for you. I¡¯ll go heat it up¡± After changing clothes and taking a shower, Allison walked into the living room. She sat on the couch and noticed Grace¡¯s phone on the couch. The screen was still on, showing what looked like an ad. Oh, isn¡¯t that Penelope? She picked up Grace¡¯s phone and took a closer look at the ad featuring Penelope on the screen. Chapter 310 Chapter 310 Chapter 310 A phone from a well-known domestic brand. Grace came out with a bowl of soup and put it on the table. She nced at Allison, then at her phone, and then sheepishly picked it up, ¡°I was just scrolling through some TV shows and identally clicked on an ad.¡± Allison was eating dumplings. ¡°Mom, I think that¡¯s Penelope in the ad.¡± ¡°It should be¡­ should be Ms. nagan,¡± Grace lowered her head, ¡°Ms. nagan seems to have entered the entertainment industry¡± ¡°Right, I was on set a few days ago¡­ Allison pursed her lips, ¡°I went to be her stand-in for a few scenes. After all, it was a way to earn money. ¡°So you saw Ms. nagan.¡± 1 did.¡± A hint of concern shed in Grace¡¯s eyes, ¡®How¡¯s her leg?¡± Allison was taken aback. She frowned at Grace, studying her face. Grace avoided her gaze. ¡°What¡¯s up. Allie, why are you staring at me like that?¡± ¡°Mom.¡± Allison looked serious, ¡°How did you know Penelope hurt her foot?¡± 1¡­ I saw it on my phone.¡± With the inte so developed, you can find any news on your phone. Allison didn¡¯t doubt Grace¡¯s words. After all, Penelope was filming with Le, Gunner, and Aaron, who all had a lot of fans and lots of photos taken on set. It was easy to find out about Penelope¡¯s ankle injury. ¡°Mom, what does this have to do with us? This is no longer the nagan family¡¯s home, it¡¯s ours. We don¡¯t need to rely on others.¡± Allison knew Grace was soft-hearted. Grace had always been good to Penelope since they were kids. When Penelope broke her toys and med Allison, Grace would always apologize. She would make nutritious food for Penelope every day. When Penelope broke her arm as a kid, Grace took good care of her. Allison always felt that Grace was too subservient. She was like a maid for the nagan family. ¡°Allie, we lived in the nagan family¡¯s house for a long time after all, and Penelope. ¡°Grace looked at Allisons expression, ¡®I watched her grow up¡± Allison didn¡¯t want to exin too much to her mother, ¡®Mom, we¡¯ve already left the nagan family. We¡¯ll have our own lives in the future. The nagan family¡¯s business has nothing to do with us. Did Penelope and Leah ever treat us like human beings? Do you remember how Leah and Penelope treated you? Mom, you almost died at Mercy Grove Hospital!¡± Grace urgently said, ¡°Penelope had nothing to do with it. It was Leah who did it. Penelope is innocent¡± Allison looked at Grace¡¯s expression, her fingers tightly clutching the fork. She stared at Grace¡¯s face, looking at her mother¡¯s thin face. Her voice was calm but firm, ¡°Mom, Penelope is the nagan family¡¯s lady. She doesn¡¯t need you to worry about her.¡± She thought her mother was really strange. Her concern for Penelope, it was like Penelope was her daughter. The thought shed through her mind. Grace seemed to notice what Allison was thinking and quickly said, ¡°I was just saying. Of course won¡¯t care about the nagan family¡¯sdy. I¡¯m going to live a good life with you.¡± Hearing Grace say this, Allison said, ¡°Okay, Mom, you¡¯re tired, go rest. I¡¯ll go to bed after I finish eating¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Grace stood up, worried that she¡¯d revealed too much in front of Allison. But seeing Allison didn¡¯t seem to think too much, she went back to the bedroom. Allison finished her dumplings and went back to her bedroom. Shey in bed, and closed her eyes. But in her mind, she thought about the DNA test she and Grace took. Their blood types didn¡¯t match. She originally thought that the testing center got the report wrong, but tonight, Grace¡¯s reaction to the news of Penelope¡¯s injury was too strange That unconscious, instinctive concern. It came from deep within. It was impossible to hide. Even if Grace used to be a maid for the nagan family and watched Penelope grow up, was this the kind of concern a maid should have for her employer? Chapter 311 Chapter 311 Chapter 311 ¡°Mom, are you keeping something from me?¡± That night, Allison tossed and turned in her bed. Late into the night, she fell into a dream. At a crossroads, Allison looked around, cars passing by like ghosts in a mist. She began to walk forward when suddenly, a car came speeding towards her. Her heart pounded in her chest as she tried to dodge it, but it was toote. It seemed the car would roll over her any second now¡­ The deafening sound of a car horn. Allison shut her eyes tight in fear. However, the expected pain never came. Two secondster, she opened her eyes to find the car had passed right through her, as if she were a transparent ghost. So, this was just a dream. Quickly, the scene changed. Allison found herself in the nagan family¡¯s backyard shed. A familiar voice echoed, ¡°Grace, I¡¯m taking Christopher out this afternoon. We might be backte tonight, so you and Allison can eat dinner without us.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± came a female voice in response, a voice Allison knew too well-Grace¡¯s voice *Be careful on the road, ande back early¡± As the mist in front of her cleared, Allison walked into the yard, watching as her mother and father said their goodbyes, and Grace helped her father into a suit. Then a teenage girl appeared, ¡°Dad, when are youing back?¡± Joshuaughed and said, ¡°I will be back soon tonight, and I¡¯ll bring something tasty for you¡± ¡°Then you must hurry back, dad.¡± Allison walked up to them. She looked at the girl, wasn¡¯t that¡­. Wasn¡¯t that her younger self! Suddenly, her eyes widened in shock. ¡°Dad, mom, don¡¯t leave! Dad, don¡¯t go, it¡¯s dangerous therell Joshua gave Grace a hug, then turned to leave. Allison followed after him, trying to warn him of the danger, the impending car ident. But, this was just a dream! Joshua got into the car, and the car drove off The scene changed again. This time, it was a sharp bend in the road N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Allison recognized this ce, it was where Joshua had had his ident. She ran forward quickly, saw a car approaching from a distance. The license te was the nagan¡¯s, and Allison was terrified. She saw another truck speeding towards it¨C As the cars drew closer, she saw Adrian in the truck. And in the nagan family car, she saw Joshua, Ricky, and the driver- The two cars collided at the bend, a car ident unfolding before Allison. She wanted to cry, she was in unbearable pain. She reached up to touch her face, but there were no tears. Was this a dream, where she didn¡¯t even have the right to cry? Allison woke up in a cold sweat. It was five in the morning. The window was half open, and a gentle breeze blowing in, stirring the milky white curtain, She sat up in bed, catching her breath. That dream, it felt too real. She had witnessed her father and brother die in a car ident. Unable to fall back asleep, Allison got up, drank some water, and headed to the bathroom for a shower. With her eyes closed, she felt the water flow down her cheeks. Suddenly, she remembered Grace¡¯s diary. Grace had written in her diary. It was revenge that promted her father to take her brother away. In Allison¡¯s memory, Joshua had indeed left alone that day, he hadn¡¯t mentioned taking her brother with him. ording to her mother, her father had done this on purpose. But why? Did her father know in advance that there would be an ident? That didn¡¯t make sense, Joshua didn¡¯t have the ability to predict the future. And even if he had sensed danger, he would never have risked his son¡¯s life like that. Chapter 312 Chapter 312 Chapter 312 After breakfast Allison, having nothing to do, decided to do a major clean up. She found her cleaning tools, and noticed Grace changing her clothes. seeming ready to head out ¡°Mom, you going out?¡± Allison asked Grace answered with a smile. Yeah, I made ns with friends to go shopping¡± Allison put on a mask. Perfect! You could do with some new clothes, mom. The ones in your closet are a bit out of date¡± Grace changed her shoes, opened the door, and before she left, said, ¡°No need to waste money on that. I have enough clothes as it is¡± Grace had always been frugal, so Allison didn¡¯t push it. She put on gloves and started her big clean-up. Ever since they moved into the new house, they had only done a thorough clean when they first moved in. After a month, Allison finally found some spare time. She cleaned the living room, kitchen, and bathroom until they were spotless, then entered Grace¡¯s room armed with disinfectant and a mop. After cleaning the floor, she suddenly stopped, seemingly hesitating about something After about ten seconds, she put down her tools, pulled back the covers, and felt under the pillow As expected. Nothing The notebook wasn¡¯t there Allison opened the wardrobe, nothing. She opened the bedside table and found a locked box. She couldn¡¯t open it, it was heavy. Mom seemed to value this notebook, and she was clearly flustered when she found it. Allison didn¡¯t know what secrets the notebook held, but she didn¡¯t want to suspect her mother too much. After all, Grace was her only family. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. After thinking for a moment, Allison let out a soft sigh. She then returned the box to its original ce, and continued cleaning. Grace arrived at the mall alone and walked into a mobile phone shop Seeing her, the salesperson said, ¡°Ma am,e take a look, we have lots of new models.¡± Noticing Grace¡¯s attire, he quickly rmended a few moderately priced phones. Grace asked, ¡°Do you have the phone endorsed by Penelope?¡± ¡°Penelope?¡± The salesperson immediately replied, ¡°Yes, we do, but it¡¯s not cheap. The high-end model is 700 dors, and the lowest-end model is 500 -dors. Would you like to take a look?¡± Grace hesitated, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take a look¡± The salesperson nced at Grace¡¯s attire, which was in and simple. Her pants were faded and had patches on the sleeves. It didn¡¯t seem like she could afford the kind of phone they were selling. Perhaps she was buying it for her child. He handed her a phone and exined its various features in detail. Grace took out her card, ¡®I¡¯ll take this one.¡± The salesperson immediately nodded happily, ¡°Alright, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll get that wrapped up for you. He returned two minutester with a poster and said, ¡°Here¡¯s a poster of the Penelope. It¡¯s a gift for you.¡± On the poster, Penelope wore a pink dress and held a pink phone, her face beaming with a sweet smile. When Grace returned home at noon, she found Allison already dressed and ready to go to work. She nned to go to Red Jack Club early to cover Ashley¡¯s shift. ¡°Mom, I made lunch. Did you eat out? If not, eat while it¡¯s still hot. I have to go to work soon.¡± Allison said. ¡°You¡¯re going to work this early?¡± Grace put down her things and headed for the kitchen, ¡°Yeah, I have some stuff to handle.¡± Allison got to the doorway and was bending down to change her shoes when she saw a shopping bag on the cab that Grace had brought in Inside was a box for a new Pro model phone from a major phone manufacturer. This phone wasn¡¯t cheap, even the lowest price model would cost between four to five hundred dors. Why would mom buy this phone¡­. She pursed her lips, nced towards the kitchen, bent down to pick up the phone, and found a rolled up poster. She frowned and unrolled the poster. It was Penelope on the poster! A phone endorsed by Penelope? Chapter 313 Chapter 313 Chapter 313 ¡°Allie, I baked some pastries yesterday Wanna take a few to your co-workers?¡± Grace presented a box of pastries, smiling at Allison. That was when she saw Allison standing at the door, holding a poster Grace quickly approached her, saying somewhat sheepishly, ¡°I saw this phone. It¡¯s p s pretty good Figured I¡¯d get it for you.¡± Allison seemed taken aback, ¡®Me? Mom, this phone is so expensive. Why did you buy it?¡± ¡°Allie, look at your current phone. It¡¯s old and keeps glitching. The salesperson said this model performs well. So what if it¡¯s a bit pricey? My daughter deserves the best Grace said. Allison stared at Grace, ¡°I think my current phone is just fine, as long as it can make calls. Such an expensive phone, we should be saving money. We¡¯ll need a lot when we move to the new city¡± And the phone was endorsed by Penelope! Allison nced at the poster in her hand, crumpled it, and tossed it into the trash. Grace gasped, ¡°Hey, what are you doing? Why would you throw away the poster?¡± ¡°Mom, if I don¡¯t throw this away, are we supposed to hang it up at home? Wouldn¡¯t we have nightmares every night?¡± Allison grabbed her bag, ¡°Alright, Mom, if you like this phone, you should use it. I gotta get going¡± Once Allison had left, Grace shook her head, retrieved the poster from the trash. She sighed lightly, smoothing out the poster. But Penelope¡¯s face, her sweet smile, was now marred with creases. Red Jack Club ¡°Allison, you¡¯ve arrived, here¡¯s your bouquet Allison had just passed the reception desk when a staff member stopped her The receptionist handed her a bouquet of flowers, excitedly asking, 1 took a quick peek, 99 red roses. Allison, do you have a boyfriend?¡± Allison chuckled, ¡°No, who sent these?¡± She looked at the bouquet in her hand, there was a card. She picked it up to have a look, it was from Jason, Didn¡¯t expect Jason¡¯s flowers to be delivered here. The flowers at the entrance of Blue Mountain Estatest time must have been from him too. Allison walked towards the elevator, flowers in hand. The two reception staff watched Allison walk away before whispering to each other. The flowers from this florist, they¡¯re not cheap, all imported red roses from New Zend. Seems like Allison¡¯s boyfnend must be loaded.¡± ¡°Allison is pretty. She must have a lot of men chasing after her. I heard she¡¯s filming a movie recently, introduced by Ms. Sarah. Maybe she¡¯ll be a star someday.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Shh, keep it down, of course it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Ms. Sarah is so good to her, Working at Red Jack Club under Ms. Sarah is reallyfortable Heard she got the 6th floor VIP room this week, she must be making a killing. Ms. Serena, she¡¯s not doing so well. She only got the first and second floors for two weeks in a row¡± *Shh, herees Ms. Serena¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Serena, wearing sunsses and a red suit, looked both morous and ssic. She strutted by in her high heels, employees either bowed their heads or politely greeted her as Ms. Serena. Her greatest asset was her keen hearing. Even at a considerable distance, she could hear the two receptionists gossip She didn¡¯t scold them for gossiping. This time she did indeed lose to Sarah, Working at Red Jack Club for 6 years, she had always been overshadowed by Sarah. Serena nced at the reception desk then walked away in her high heels. The two receptionists breathed a sigh of relief. After waiting for the elevator for two minutes, the elevator doors finally opened. Someone walked out of the elevator with a tray in her hand, ¡°Allison, you¡¯re here early today. Don¡¯t you have the afternoon off?¡± I¡¯m covering Ashley¡¯s shift Allison said. Allison moved to the side to let the people in the elevator out, then walked in. Just as the elevator doors were about to close, suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed, Hearing someone outside, Allison pressed the open button. Serena walked over, her gaze through her sunsses fell on the bouquet of roses in Allison¡¯s arms. Her voice was already sharp, and it sounded even more piercing when sheughed, ¡°Oh my, Allison, are these flowers from your boyfriend?¡± Chapter 314 Chapter 314 Chapter 314 Allison lifted her head to look at Serena, and said nonchntly, ¡°Ms. Serena.¡± As the elevator ascended, the air was filled with Serena¡¯s perfume,ced with a light rose scent. Serena¡¯s eyes fell on Allison¡¯s beautiful profile. It had to be said, Sarah had a good eye for beauty Allison, with her stunning face, could turn heads anywhere she went. ¡°Allison, have you ever thought about joining my team?¡± Serena asked. Allison looked surprised, she didn¡¯t expect Serena to invite her to her team. This was a curveball. But she didn¡¯t dwell on it. She knew well about the rivalry between Serena and Sarah. Allison said, ¡°Ms. Serena, I¡¯ve been working at Red Jack Club for a few months now. I haven¡¯t messed up, and Ms. Sarah hasn¡¯t been harsh on me What¡¯s the catch if I join your team?¡± ¡°I can give you a 3%mission on drinks¡± Serena said. Allison raised an eyebrow, a faint smile appearing on her lips. She didn¡¯t respond, but stepped back when the elevator stopped, ¡°Ms. Serena, sixth floor.¡± As Serena exited the elevator, she added, ¡°Whatever Sarah can offer you, I can too, and more. Allison, think about it. No rush.¡± As the elevator doors closed, Allison also stepped out. Sarah had been good to her, and she had no ns to jump ship to Serena¡¯s team. But she didn¡¯t quite get why Serena was trying to get her on board. Allison headed to the changing room to get dressed. Her locker was small, not big enough for the rose, so she just left it on the table. The air in the room slowly filled up with the light scent of roses. Payton walked in ¡°Wow, who bought these roses?¡± Another female voiceughed. ¡°You should ask who sent them.¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Payton walked over to take a whiff, ¡°These ain¡¯t cheap. I heard the packaging alone from this flower shop costs triple digits Another girl hinted at Payton to look at Allison. Payton got it. Someone was courting Allison. Fair enough. Allison was a real looker. There must be a line of guys after her. At the moment, Allison was getting changed. She pulled out a white shirt from her locker, put it on, and used a fold clip to cinch the back. Even though it was the smallest size, it was still a bit loose on her. Payton watched her, full of envy, ¡°Allison, howe you¡¯re so skinny and yet have such a nice figure?¡± Payton herself was quite slim, but her face was round, like an apple. When sheughed, a pair of cute dimples appeared on her cheeks, giving her a baby-faced look. After grumbling about the unfairness of the universe, she started to get changed too. She asked curiously, ¡°Who sent it?¡± ¡°A friend¡± Allison said. ¡°What does he look like? He seems loaded. Allison, if he treats you well, go for it.¡± Payton said. Before Allison could answer, another girl chimed in, ¡°Really, Payton, you¡¯re defending this guy so passionately. Do you know him?¡± Paytonughed, ¡°I just want Allison to be happy¡± Allison let out a soft sigh, ¡°Enough chit-chat, get dressed quickly. The wine cer needs people¡± Another girl mentioned, ¡°I heard, tonight, the big boss of thepany ising¡± Payton¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, ¡°What? What did you say? The big boss! Are you serious?¡± ¡°Of course, I overheard Ms. Serena telling Mr. Samuel on the phone.¡± Another girl said. Payton started to get excited. Was she finally going to meet him? Chapter 315 Chapter 315 Chapter 315 Allison looked at Payton, aware that her ultimate goal was to meet the boss here. A rich girl working here just for that, so she gently patted Payton¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Your dream finally came true.¡± Payton put her hands together, ¡°Even just a nce would do.¡± Another female coworker asked, ¡°Why are you so sure the boss is young? What if he¡¯s a fat old man in his sixties or seventies?¡± A sparkle filled Payton¡¯s eyes, I¡¯ve seen him once before, a long time ago, just a glimpse ¡°Why don¡¯t you watch where you¡¯re walking? Who do you work for?¡± Serena frowned at the wine stain on her suit, turned to look at the maid standing aside with her head down, ¡°You¡¯re walking so fast, it¡¯s one thing if you bump into me, but what if you bumped into our guests? How would you handle that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Serenal I didn¡¯t mean to. The elevator was two minuteste, I was rushing to deliver the wine, so I ran a few steps. Didn¡¯t expect you toe out of nowhere¡± The waitress said. Serena snorted, lips slightly open, ¡°So you¡¯re saying it¡¯s my fault?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I got careless. The waitress bowed her head. Serena raised an eyebrow, lightly wiped off the wine stain on her clothes, then frowned at the waitress¡¯s name tag. ¡°So you¡¯re from Sarah¡¯s team. Your manager really knows how to train people.¡± She then strode to the elevator and went straight to Sarah¡¯s office, apparently to settle scores. At the moment. In Sarah¡¯s office, there was an unexpected visitor, who seemed to have malicious intentions. ¡°Mrs. nagan, what can I do for you?¡± Sarah asked. In Sarah¡¯s office was Leah. Sarah came over with a cup of coffee, ¡°This is my first time meeting Mrs. nagan, please forgive me if I¡¯m unsuitable in any way¡± Leah smiled, her jewelry making her look very luxurious, ¡°You must be Ms. Sarah, thank you for taking care of Allison recently I do have a favor to ask of you¡± Sarah said, ¡°Please tell me, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°I want you to fire Allison Leah¡¯s initial n was to make Allison unable to graduate by working here without a college degree, and she wouldn¡¯t be able to get a better job. Working here, she was just an ordinary waitress. The clientele wasrge and rich; there would definitely be people with improper intentions towards Allison. But unexpectedly, Allison had been working here for four or five months without making a single mistake, and the sry was surprisingly decent. Sarah was puzzled, ¡°Madam, Allison is excellent at her job, I can¡¯t fire her without a reason.¡± Leah was carrying a Herm¨¨s bag today, worth over $80,000. Since the nagan family allied with the Lindberg family, their business had been booming.. their annual revenue of several million had grown a lot in just a few months, and her spending had be more and more extravagant. ¡°I won¡¯t let you make a pointless sacrifice.¡± Leah took out three bundles of cash from her bag and put them on the table, ¡°A manager, firing an employee, that¡¯s amon thing. One word can solve it.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Besides, she was willing to give some money and a little dignity to the other party. But Sarah smiled and said, ¡®Mrs. nagan, I¡¯m also a person who abides by the rules, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s between you and Allison. But I can¡¯t just fire an employee who hasn¡¯t made any mistakes, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t ept your favor Leah didn¡¯t expect anyone to dare to refuse her! A manager, actually making her embarrassed, ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± Chapter 316 Chapter 316 Chapter 316 Sarah said, ¡°Yeah, I know, you¡¯re Mrs. nagan¡± She sounded cool and polite, no buttering up, it was like she didn¡¯t give a hoot about the fancydy in front of her. At the Red Jack Club, she¡¯d seen plenty of high and mighty women. Some did demand respect, but this woman, who casually ordered her to fire people, was not one of them. Leah stared at Sarah, studying her face. Then she got up, looking a tad miffed, as if her dignity had been bruised. Leah hadn¡¯t expected a manager to defy her after knowing her identity. ¡°Ms. Sarah.¡± she said, ¡®my daughter is the future Mrs. Lindberg. Are you sure you want to cross me?¡± Sarah shrugged inwardly, even feeling a tad disdainful. So her daughter wasn¡¯t Mrs. Lindberg yet. She dared to use that as a threat? Quick as a sh, she replied. ¡°Mrs. nagan, what are you talking about? Is not firing Allison the same as crossing you? That¡¯s a bit of a stretch, don¡¯t you think?¡± Sarah had been working at Red Jack Club for a decade; this wasn¡¯t her first rodeo with threats. If she caved every time someone tried to bully her, she wouldn¡¯t have kept her job as manager. Usually smooth as silk, Sarah raised an eyebrow slightly, ¡°Mrs. nagan, I have a meeting shortly. If you¡¯ve got nothing else, I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± Felt free to take a seat in her office. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Sarah turned around, picked up a file from her desk, and was ready to head out when Leah stormed out first, looking rather peeved. Sarah stood still, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow slightly. What on earth had Allison done to tick off Mrs. nagan? What a pain. Leah was seething. She stormed out and saw a woman in a red suit, roughly 30, standing at the door: The woman smiled, ¡°Mrs. nagan, nice to meet you. I¡¯m Serena, the deputy manager here.¡± Leah eyed Serena, ¡°So you¡¯re a manager too.¡± Serena stepped closer to Leah. In her high heels, she towered half a head taller than Leah. She bent down slightly, ¡®Mrs. nagan, if there¡¯s anything that Sarah didn¡¯t help you with, may I assist? Sarah can be high-handed sometimes. She¡¯s got backers and doesn¡¯t respect anyone¡¯s dignity at the Red Jack Club.¡± Leah had just been snubbed in Sarahis office. Serena, however, was offering her the respect she wanted and she smiled. This woman knew the score. In Serena¡¯s office. Leah put it straight, ¡®Find a reason, fire Allison.¡± She was determined to make it impossible for Allison to get a job in Northfield, not even as a waitress. She couldn¡¯t go back to school, which meant no degree. She loathed Allison and Grace. Ever since that incident, her rtionship with Christopher had be more distant. Her daughter was no match for Allison in every aspect. Her husband missed that annoying Grace every day. Well, she would make Grace¡¯s daughter unable to find a decent job! Serena didn¡¯t bother asking for details, she just said, ¡°Mrs. nagan, it¡¯ll take some time. I need to n it out. After all, we can¡¯t just fire staff for no reason. People will think we¡¯re bullying them at Red Jack Club.¡± ¡°But.¡± Serena continued, ¡°I will make sure you¡¯re satisfied.¡± ¡°Good, I care about the oue, not the process.¡± Leah took out some money from her bag and put it on the table. Serenaughed and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, Mrs. nagan. I just want to be friends. Money isn¡¯t the point. I don¡¯t really get along with Sarah, so it¡¯s kind of fate that I can help you today.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ms. Serena, I¡¯m d to have a friend like you. As long as you solve this problem for me, I¡¯ll come to you if I need anything in the future.¡± Leah left her business card before she left. Serena smiled as she saw Leah off, then sat on the sofa, sipping her coffee. She needed to find a reason. A reason to fire this woman named Allison. Chapter 317 Chapter 317 Chapter 317 Payton stood, a tray in her hands. She was on her tiptoes, looking into the distance. The staff elevator was out of order for ten minutes, so the busy waitstaff chose the stairs. About two minutester, a guy in a ck shirt walked into the elevator surrounded by several bodyguards in ck. He was wearing a baseball cap, and from this distance, his face was unclear, only his silhouette was vaguely visible. But Payton knew, it was him. It had to be him. ¡°Payton, what are you doing? Get back to work or some customer mightin! Still want your bonus next month?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Payton answered casually. But she didn¡¯t move, still standing there, until the elevator opened again and another staff member went in. Then she lowered her head with a hint of disappointment. She had only just caught a glimpse of him from afar. ¡°Payton, what are you looking at? You¡¯re so out of it.¡± Vera came over, lightly patting Paytons shoulder. Seeing Payton staring off into space, she also loaked in that direction. There was nothing in the elevator. ¡°Some people just walked past Payton said. ¡°Payton, you¡¯ve been working here for so long, and peoplee and go every day. What¡¯s there to see?¡± Vera asked. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand¡± Payton looked at Vera, her voice filled with infatuation, ¡°You just wouldn¡¯t.¡± Only a few people knew that the big boss wasing today, she had overheard the news by chance. ¡°Vera, can you cover for me? My stomach suddenly hurts, I need to go to the bathroom Payton said as she pushed the tray into Vera¡¯s hands. Their rooms were connected, so if it wasn¡¯t too busy, one person should be enough. ¡°Vera, remember that pendant you liked when we went shopping the other day? I¡¯ll get it for you next week. Thanks for helping out tonight.¡± After saying that. Payton headed upstairs. Vera watched Paytons retreating figure, ¡°Ugh, fine.¡± That ne was over a hundred bucks. She really didn¡¯t get what was up with Payton tonight, acting so weird. But then again, Payton wasn¡¯t short on money. She shook her head and headed towards the wine cer Payton made it to the 9th floor, the most mysterious part of the Red Jack Club. The most mysterious boss of the Red Jack Club had his office here. But none of the Red Jack Club employees, except for Samuel and the likes, had ever seen the boss, not even Sarah and Serena. Payton arrived on the 9th floor, but there was security guarding, and she couldn¡¯t get in. She didn¡¯t want to leave empty-handed. She had to see this guy¡¯s face. It had to be him! 9th floor, the CEO¡¯s office. The office was dark, the windows were closed, and the gray curtains were tightly drawn. Samuel lowered his head, ¡°Boss, we didn¡¯t know you wereing. You didn¡¯t give us a heads up. We could ve weed you¡± The man sitting on the dark brown leather sofa emanated a powerful aura. He looked young, not like the middle-aged, pudgy man the outside world spected. He was clean-cut, but not weak. His eyes were unique, the left one was light gray, and the right one was normal. His nose was high and sharp, his facial features were pronounced, and his short hair made him look particrly rugged. ¡°You¡¯re saying, I need to give you a heads up when Ie here?¡± He said. ¡°No, boss, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Samuel immediately lowered his head. The powerful aura made him nervous, his body even started to tremble and his originally overweight figure appeared rather peculiar in the trembling, The boss raised his hand to rub his brow, ¡°Samuel, anything unusual at the Red Jack Clubtely?¡± ¡°Nothing, everything¡¯s normal.¡± Hearing the boss ask this, Samuel let out a sigh of relief. He patted his chest, ¡°Boss, don¡¯t worry. As long as I¡¯m here, everything¡¯s under control.¡±Original from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 318 Chapter 318 Chapter 318 Five minutester, Samuel stepped out of the office. He let out a deep sigh. With a swipe of his hand, he wiped the beads of sweat off his forehead. Outside the door, the manager, vice president, and other administrators of the Red Jack Club were waiting. Samuel waved them off, ¡°Get back to work, guys Serena sidled up to Samuel, casting a nce at the tightly shut door of the CEO¡¯s office, ¡°Mr. Samuel, we¡¯re not strangers here. I¡¯ve been working here for six years and I¡¯ve never even seen the boss.¡± Compared to Serena¡¯s curiosity, Sarah turned and walked away. In Red Jack Club, the less curious they were, the higher their chances of survival. Too much curiosity often led to no good. If the boss didn¡¯t want to be seen, then so be it. She was quite content to mosey around the office. Samuel looked at Sarah¡¯s retreating figure, then at Serena ¡°Serena, look at Sarah, then at yourself. This kind of curiosity might get you into trouble.¡± ¡°Aw, Mr. Samuel, I was just saying I¡¯m no match for Sarah I mean, she¡¯s better than me in all aspects. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be stuck on the first and second floors for two weeks straight Serena said, looping her arm through Samuels as they walked towards the elevator ¡°Serena, are you ming me now? Sarah has been with Red Jack Club for over a decade, I owe her some respect. Samuel said. Serena¡¯s voice was soft as she clung to Samuel¡¯s arm, brushing it against her chest now and then. ¡°You respect her, what about me? Mr. Samuel, if I¡¯m still stuck on the first and second floors next week. I¡¯m gonna be pissed¡± Serena said Samuel was amused, ¡°Alright alright? Once they N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ffice he couldn¡¯t wait to take off his coat and pull Serena onto the couch with him. After a bit of making out Serena Samuel lit a cigarette and said, 1 between breaths Mr. Samuel, what did the bosse for this time?¡± ows? He only asked a few questions I¡¯ve hardly met the boss myself. All I know is that he¡¯s young but ruthless His visits here depend on his mood I usually contact him through his assistant Unless it¡¯s something major, I cant get a hold of him. When I was in the office just now. I didn¡¯t even dare to look up at him¡± Such a young man with such a strong au dominance. He felt a sense of fear when he got too close Payton was miffed when everyone upstairs had left He was finally here, and she had to confirm if it was him: But the bodyguards were guarding the ce, and she couldn¡¯t get close After waiting for a long time, her legs were getting numb. Payton finally went downstairs She headed to the underground parking His car would definitely be parked here if he came As long as she stayed here, she could wait for him. Wait until she confirmed if it was him Regardless of the oue Just a nce, and she could let go The temperature in the parking lot was quite low She rubbed her arms, leaning against the wall near the elevator. There were all sorts of luxury cars. parked, but she couldn¡¯t tell which one belonged to the man. She could only linger around the elevator All night, people came and went Whether they were businessmen or rich kids attending a party, Payton didn¡¯t see that man. It wasn¡¯t until 11 pm, the elevator doors opened again. This time it was the Two men in ck suits came out, followed by a man in a baseball cap. The brim of the cap was pulled down low, but judging by his physique, he seemed to be a young man. He was tall, slim, with broad shoulders They headed towards a Bentley Payton recognized him instantly. She rushed over, only to be stopped by a bodyguard. She struggled a bit and yelled out a name, ¡°Arthur!¡± The man paused, only for a split second, then continued towards the car. Payton blurted out, 1 know it¡¯s you! You¡¯re back, aren¡¯t you?¡± Chapter 319 Chapter 319 Chapter 319 The guy paused, his eyes flickering under the brim of his baseball cap. His fingers slowly clenched and then rxed, his back stiff but he didn¡¯t look back. ¡°Sorry, miss. You¡¯ve got the wrong guy¡± He said. With that, he strode forward to a ck Bentley and got in. Payton tried to catch up, but was stopped by two bodyguards. One grabbed her arm, the other held her shoulder. Payton gritted her teeth and said, ¡°1 didn¡¯t mistake you, Arthur! It¡¯s you! I¡¯m Payton, don¡¯t you remember me? I¡¯m Payton!¡± Powerlessly, Payton watched the ck Bentley start up in front of her. She gritted her teeth in frustration, then forcefully broke free from the bodyguards. She ran to the car, and pounded on the window. ¡°Arthur, Arthur!¡± Payton yelled, ¡°Arthur, open the door! I know you¡¯re in there! I didn¡¯t mistake you! I¡¯m Payton, you said you¡¯de back and marry me! I¡¯ve been waiting for you!¡± Inside the car The man looked at the figure outside the window, the familiar face. He suppressed the pain in his chest, lightly closed his lips, and said to the driver. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The car slowly started, with Payton chasing behind. The driver hesitated. Thatdy is still chasing¡­¡± Arthur looked in the rearview mirror, at the blurry yet familiar face and the determined eyes. It felt like his heart was being heavily hit, then he hoarsely said, ¡°Drive faster.¡± The driver stepped on the gas, and the car left the parking lot. Payton could no longer keep up, she stopped running and fell to the ground, panting heavily. She¡¯d been working here for four months just to find him. She had heard a rumor that he might be here. She¡¯d been looking for the opportunity and finally heard that there was a mysterious boss whose style was very much like his Finally today, he came to the Red Jack Club. Just a back view, a side profile, but she could confirm that he was Arthur. He was still alive. He was back But he seemed to no longer recognize her, had forgotten her and their promise. Payton covered her face and couldn¡¯t help but start crying. Two bodyguards came over, looking at Payton crying on the ground. They were a bit at a loss and said, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, it¡¯s not safe here with carsing and going, get up.¡± ¡°Yeah, stop crying. We didn¡¯t do anything to you. Why do you just suddenly sat down and started crying?¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Seeing her in a waitress uniform, the two bodyguards looked at each other, then helplessly got in their car and left. Allison, having finished her work, went to Sarah¡¯s office. Sarah was on the phone, apparently not caring who was on the other end. ¡°Uh-huh, okay, I got it. Okay, okay¡± She nced at Allison standing at the door, signaling her to sit down. Allison sat down on the couch, waiting for about half a minute before Sarah ended the call and came over, handing her a cup of water, ¡°Have you pissed off anyely?¡± Allison took a sip of water, looking at Sarah, ¡°Really? Recently¡­ She couldn¡¯t remember pissing off anyone. ¡°Were you a maid for the nagan family?¡± Sarah asked. ¡°You could say that, my mother was the nagan¡¯s housekeeper. I grew up in the nagan family.¡± Allison was puzzled. ¡°Sarah, what¡¯s up?¡± Sarah warned, ¡°Be extra carefultely, it¡¯s always good to be cautious. Leah found me, and she wants me to fire you.¡± Allison¡¯s hand gripping the cup tightened. Leah found Sarah, wanting to fire her? Chapter 320 Chapter 320 Chapter 320 Her lips curled up in the slightest smile, ¡°She¡¯s the one who got me this gig.¡± Sarah let out a sigh and said, Tve already said no to her, but that doesn¡¯t mean she won¡¯t find another way to trip you up. Be careful. And honestly, this job isn¡¯t all that I actually think you¡¯d make a better actress.¡± The Red Jack Club was like a mini society, and Allison had learned a lot here. She grinned, ¡°I think it¡¯s pretty cool here.¡± And Sarah had been nothing but kind to her. ¡°Leah is Penelope¡¯s mom. I¡¯ve never liked them, and they¡¯ve never liked me. They¡¯re always looking for a way to stick it to me. I can¡¯t believe they¡¯re even trying to snatch this job from me.¡± Allison¡¯s gaze turned icy, ¡°They¡¯re not leaving me any room to breathe.¡± Sarah recalled how Penelope had wanted Allison to be her stand-in, probably just to humiliate her. She furrowed her brow, ¡°Watch out for Serena. If Leah got shut down by me, she definitely won¡¯t take it lying down. She might go to Serena, who¡¯s the manager here. She can fire an employee just like that.¡± ¡°If she wants to fire me, she¡¯d need a good reason! I haven¡¯t done anything wrong. On what grounds can she fire me?¡± Allison said, Sarah shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve known Serena for five years. She ys dirty. To be a manager, she had an affair with the previous manager and the assistant manager Allison, you¡¯re too naive. She just needs an excuse to fire you. If you can¡¯t prove your innocence, I can¡¯t protect you.¡± 1 get it.¡± Allison nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± ¡°Allison, you¡¯re constantly under pressure here and being manipted. This is just a waitress job, the pay is just the result of your hard work and tips. Maybe the world outside would be better for you.¡± Sarah said. Allison shook her head, ¡°Sarah, you don¡¯t understand. They¡¯re holding my diploma hostage. I can¡¯t graduate.¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Which school are you in? I know quite a few people; I could help you out.¡± Sarah offered. Allison was grateful to Sarah, but her situation wasplicated, so she declined Sarah¡¯s help. Sarah asked, ¡°How long do you n to work here? Seriously, Penelope is constantly humiliating you, making you her stand-in. Don¡¯t you want to turn the tables on her one day? I heard from Gavin that you¡¯re a good actress. With your personality and looks, if you¡¯re serious about acting, even though it¡¯s tough, you could totally make a name for yourself.¡± Sarah had been at the Red Jack Club for over a decade. Allison was the most stunning girl she¡¯d ever seen, in terms of both looks and personality. Penelope and Allison looked somewhat alike, but their personalities were worlds apart. Penelope seemed pretty, but on closer inspection, she came off as a bit tacky. Allison was indeed tempted. She had thought about it. ¡°Sarah, I understand what you¡¯re saying. I think about it.¡± At 11 PM that night, as Allison was about to head home, she saw Payton at the entrance of the Red Jack Club. Payton was sitting on the steps in front of the club, watching the constant flow of traffic. ¡°Payton, you haven¡¯t gone home yet? I heard from Vera that you were feeling unwell Allison asked. Allison walked over, noticing Payton¡¯s red eyes. It was obvious she¡¯d been crying. She bent down and asked, ¡°Payton, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I saw him.¡± Payton¡¯s lips moved, ¡°It was really him.¡± Allison had known Payton for four months and was familiar with her story Payton¡¯s family had taken in a boy when she was little. Payton came from schrly family, but the boy had gotten into trouble and was expelled from school,ter getting involved in a murder case. Even though he was eventually cleared, Payton¡¯s parents, who came from a respectable family, were obviously unhappy about it. So the boy left, and promised to return one day to marry Payton. However, there was no news from him since then. Chapter 321 Chapter 321 Chapter 321 Allison and Payton booked a private room together. Allison worked here as a waitress, serving other customers. Now, she was enjoying a night off and being served instead. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Payton ordered three bottles of booze and was sipping slowly, one ss at a time. Seeing her like this, Allison walked over and grabbed a bottle. She popped the cap, and said, ¡°Drinking alone is no fun. Let me join you! Payton was from a well off family. Her only reason for being here was to find a guy named Arthur. This had led to countless arguments with her parents. They thought she had gone mad She had be obsessed all because of a man. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for him for so long. The year he left, I thought he¡¯de back soon. He deleted all his contacts when he left. He said he¡¯de back in five years, but I haven¡¯t heard anything else. Five years have passed, and he hasn¡¯t returned. I¡¯ve tried to contact all his friends, but couldn¡¯t find him. I have no news of him. I don¡¯t even know if he is alive¡± Payton said Payton was drunk, sitting on the carpet. Her eyes were red, staring nkly in one direction. In her mind, the figure of that man emerged, ¡°I saw him today.¡± Allison sat next to Payton, both of them sitting on the carpet, leaning against the sofa. She understood how Payton felt. Empty words offort were useless, better to just get drunk. She clinked her beer bottle against Payton¡¯s and said, ¡°A few days ago, I also met someone who looks just like my brother. I grew up in a small town, when I was a teenager, there was an earthquake. My grandmother died, and I went to live with my mom. My mother was a housekeeper for a rich family I had a brother who was really nice to me. When I first arrived at my new home, I was nervous and scared. Dad was busy all the time, and mom was managing everything at home, so it was just me and my brother Later, my father and brother died in a car ident¡± Allison¡¯s voice was a bit husky, and her throat choked up towards the end. She took a sip of her beer, ¡°Later, I saw a guy who looked exactly like my brother But other than the resemnce, everything else, like his personality, waspletely different He didn¡¯t recognize me i thought maybe I was mistaken, but how can there be two people in the world who look so simr?¡± That night, in the private room, the two women poured out their hearts, drinking and eventually falling asleep on the sofa in the wee hours. Just before Allison passed out, she thought, if she ever ran into Nichs again, she would throw caution to the wind. Even if it meant sacrificing her dignity she¡¯d rip open his shirt to see if he had a red mole on his chest if it really wasn¡¯t her brother, she could finally let go of this worry, save up some money, and leave Northfield with her mother. Could there really be such a coincidence in the world? Two identical faces¡­ Late at night. The Mansion. Arthur sat at his desk. A subordinate handed him a file, ¡°Sir, this is the information about the woman you met in the underground garage tonight. Please take a look.¡± He took the brown paper bag, waved his hand, and his assistant immediately stepped aside. He opened the bag, and a clear front-facing photo of a woman fell out. He picked it up, read her name. ¡°Payton.¡± Then he started reading her file, including her family background and her current school. ¡°Red Jack Club is hiring students now??¡± Arthur asked, ¡°Who is her manager?¡± ¡°A woman named Sarah¡± His assistant asked tentatively. ¡°Sir, do you want me to tell Samuel to fire this student?¡± Arthur put down the file in his hand. He rubbed his eyebrows, ¡°I remember this name. Did I know her before?¡± The assistant approached, ¡®Sir, do you have a headache?¡± The assistant immediately pulled out a bottle of pills, poured two white ones, and Arthur took them. He looked at Payton¡¯s photo on the file. ¡°I remember her and her name, but I don¡¯t have her face in my mind.¡± Arthur said. The assistant asked, ¡°Do you want me to bring her here?¡± ¡°No need. I¡¯ll go to Red Jack Club tomorrow. Tell her toe to the 9th floor¡± Arthur said. ¡°Yes, sir¡± The assistant said. Chapter 322 Chapter 322 Chapter 322 Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. 10 am. in the morning, the sun was spilling through the windows into the private room, Allison slowly opened her eyes, her neck and arms aching from spending the whole night in the same position. She looked around and realized she was still in the private room. Had she not gone homest night? Just as she was about to get up, Payton, who had been sleeping leaning on Allison¡¯s shoulder, woke up too. ¡°Huh.¡± Payton¡¯s eyes were so red and swollen she could barely open them. She looked at Allison. Remembering their drinking spree in this room the night before, they couldn¡¯t help but grin at each other. ¡®Man, you picked up the tabst night, didn¡¯t you? An overnight stay in a booth at Red Jack Club doesn¡¯te cheap.¡± Payton said, rubbing her head, Allison chuckled, ¡°I did it to keep youpany¡± Rubbing her neck, Payton said, ¡°Allison, you make more dough than I do.¡± Allison stood up, stretching out her stiff shoulders, ¡°Alright, alright. Considering you were crying your eyes outst night, I¡¯ll foot the bill.¡± They started to clean up the room. They had drunk quite a bit the previous night, finishing off six bottles of beer, Rubbing her hangover-stricken head, Payton said. ¡°No wonder my head¡¯s pounding ¡°Do you want to go home and rest? Allison asked. ¡°Rest? We¡¯re supposed to go shopping this afternoon. I covered Vera¡¯s shiftst night and promised to buy her a ne. Now that I think about it, it wasn¡¯t worth it. I spent two hundred bucks and I didn¡¯t even get a good look at that guy¡¯s face! Payton said, looking downcast, ¡°I wonder when Arthur will come back¡¯ Allison asked. ¡®Are you sure was him?¡± Payton sighed softly I didn¡¯t see his I¡¯m sure it was him. Only he has that kind of vibe. Arthur, I can remember him just by his silhouette¡± ¡°We could ask Sarah for sor nfo about this mysterious big bosster¡±Allison said Before Allison could finish. Sarahs ¡°No need to wait, I¡¯m already are something else, drinking all right me from the doorway wearing a ckce dress with a military green coat over it, and she walked in wearing high heels, ¡°You two Allison grinned. We¡¯re just trying to boost your sales a bit, Saral?¡± Sarah sat on the couchughing. ¡°At les your actual expense is 78, not bad at all ose our own ce to open a room. You spend 80 and get a 2-dormission, not bad. So Payton said, ¡°Sarah we are internal staff, an we get a 20% discount?¡± ¡°Oh, you two. Looks like I¡¯ll be picking up the tab¡± Sarah said Allison and Payton exchanged a nce. Well, thanks, Sarah¡± Sarah waved her hand. ¡°Alright, you should go home and rest. You have to work tonight¡± Allison gave Payton a pat on the hand, signaling her to ask Sarah about Arthur since she was there. Payton nodded, and then Allison left the booth. Payton looked at Sarah, Sarah, have you ever met the boss here?¡± Sarah replied. Payton, you know what, not being curious about everything helps you live longer Payton got the message. Last night, in the parking lot, I saw him¡± Sarah stood up. ¡°Payton, you¡¯re really brave, going to the parking lot to find the boss! Not to mention how it might affect your job, do you know howplicated the boss¡¯s background is? If you identally upset him, can you handle the consequences?¡± ¡°Sarah, I won¡¯t hide it from you, I came here to find him.¡± Payton said Chapter 323 Chapter 323 Chapter 323 Sarah had been working at the Red Jack Club for almost a decade but she had neverid eyes on the big boss. But ording to Payton¡¯s chatter, Sarah started to suspect maybe the founder of Red Jack Club wasn¡¯t the current boss, and the current boss might be just a youngster. A whippersnapper in charge of the Red Jack Club? There must be some big guns backing him up. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Payton, sorry girl, I¡¯ve never met him either. But next time hees around, I can give you a heads up. But don¡¯t jump the gun, after all, you can¡¯t be sure if the boss is the guy you¡¯re thinking of Sarah said. ¡°Right, thanks, Sarah¡± Payton said. ¡°Alright, go get some rest. Sarah looked at Payton¡¯s bloodshot eyes and the beer bottles scattered around. They were clearly up all night boozing. She patted Payton¡¯s shoulder, ¡°You¡¯re working tonight, rest up and don¡¯t overthink.¡± Payton left the Red Jack Club, trudging home like a lost soul. Seeing her in this state, her mom frowned, ¡°Where were youst night? You didn¡¯t pick up your phone or reply to messages. Are you now staying out all night?!¡± Listening to her mom¡¯s scolding, Payton felt a headacheing. She changed her shoes and headed to her room. Seeing that Payton didn¡¯t respond, her mom got even more upset and followed her, ¡°Listen to me for once. Quit that job, and focus on your studies. Your dad told me the other day, you skipped ss again! You¡¯re a senior, don¡¯t you want to graduate?¡± ¡°Mom, I¡¯m tired, I need some rest. Payton said as she prepared to close the door. But this time her mom stood her ground, she smelled alcohol on Payton, ¡°Have you been drinking? I knew I shouldn¡¯t let you work in a ce like that! Look at yourself¡± Payton took a deep breath, grasping the doorknob tightly, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong with working at the Red Jack Club? I¡¯m making money by my own effort.¡± ¡°I know, ever since Arthur left, you¡¯ve been ming us. We may not be a high-ss family, but we value education. Your dad and grandad are educators. I hope you can get a decent job.¡± Her mother said. ¡°Mom, Arthur didn¡¯tmit a crime, and he didn¡¯t kill anyone. It¡¯s been six years since the investigation cleared him. Those peoplemitted suicide. It has nothing to do with Arthur!¡± Payton mmed the door, leaving her mom outside. She leaned against the door. Outside, her mom gently knocked a few times. Payton closed her eyes, gripping tightly. Her eyshes were trembling slightly. Her mom sighed helplessly when Payton didn¡¯t open the door, then she turned and left. On the other side of the door, Payton opened her eyes, feeling truly exhausted. Shey on the bed, Arthur¡¯s face surfacing in her mind, That was thest time she saw Arthur. He came out of jail penniless, stayed for a month. He told her, he was leaving. Where to? Would hee back? How long would he be gone? What would he do? Arthur didn¡¯t answer any of these questions, he just told Payton to wait for him for five years. If he didn¡¯t come back after five years, then she should stop waiting. It was the sixth year now. This was Payton¡¯s sixth year of waiting for him. Chapter 324 Chapter 324 Chapter 324 Allison got home Grace had left a note on the dining table saying that she had gone out with the neighbors and breakfast was in the pot. Having eaten breakfast and taken a shower. Allison was surprisingly awake despite having had a few drinks the night before After some hesitation, she entered Grace¡¯s bedroom Grace¡¯s room was neat and tidy as she was out She lived a simple life with in bed sheets and covers. Allison squatted at the bedside table, opened the drawer, and found a locked iron box N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Allison was raised by her grandmother in a small town. There was a mischievous boy next door whose father was a locksmith. Once, Allison had wanted two rabbits as pets and her grandmother had got them for her. However, once the cage was locked, it wouldn¡¯t open. Just when Allison was about to cry the boy next door opened the lock with a piece of wire Allison was amazed and asked the boy to teach her. She was always quick to learn and soon learned a few ways to unlock. The most brutal way was to smash it open with a hammer. But there were ways to unlock without damaging the lock if she didn¡¯t want to be discovered Allison found a piece of wire, gently inserted it, and easily unlocked the lock with the skill she had learned as a kid. This kind of lock was actually the easiest to unlock. Allison thought that Grace probably didn¡¯t know she could unlock locks. ¡± The whole morning, until 12 noon. Allison¡¯s phone vibrated. She blinked slightly. It seemed like she was justing back to her senses. There were two messages on the phone. One was a data usage reminder. The other was from Grace: [Allie, Ill be backter. There are pastas I made in the freezer. Just heat them up if you are hungry] Allison¡¯s fingers trembled slightly as she replied: [Okay] She stood up, took a deep breath, felt a stiffness in her fingers as if she had just woken up from a dream. She then put the diary back into the iron box in perfect condition, locked it again, and put it back in the bedside table. She left Grace¡¯s bedroom and went to the balcony. The midday sun was warm and bright, but Allison felt a chill in her fingertips that couldn¡¯t be dispelled. She looked at the dazzling, shiny noon sun, then closed her eyes. All she could see was a huge, bright ball of light. The warm sun shone on her face, bringing a scorching heat. But Allison¡¯s face was pale. She opened her eyes and found her fingers trembling slightly. Her father was not Joshua. But Christopher Grace¡¯s diary clearly recorded the time she was with Christopher. At that time, she was pregnant and married Joshua When Grace came back in the afternoon, Allison was about to go out, holding a bag of trash. As soon as she opened the door, she saw Grace at the doorway Grace was holding a bunch of things, saying, ¡°Allie, a neighbor told me today that one of her colleagues has a son about your age. Are you free this afternoon? Go meet him¡± ¡°This afternoon?¡± Allison looked at Grace, not mentioning anything about her origin, and simply responded, Tm free¡± Seeing Allison holding arge trash bag and wearing new clothes, Grace asked, ¡°Are you nning to go out, Allie?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not going out¡± Allison answered, ¡°Mom, have you had lunch?¡± ¡°I had lunch with the neighbor¡± Grace said. ¡°Mom, what time are we meeting the boy the neighbor introduced this afternoon? Allison asked. Grace didn¡¯t expect Allison to agree so readily. She had mentioned it a few times before, but Allison had always refused. Now, Grace immediately smiled and said, ¡°Let me check with her right now, wait a minute¡± Two minutester, Grace came back and said, ¡°Allie, it¡¯s scheduled for 4 p.m. today. That way, you can meet him and still make it to work at 8¡± Allison just gave ¨¤ fait smile, ¡®Mom, there¡¯s still time. Let¡¯s go visit dad and brother. Bring them some flowers.¡± Grace looked slightly taken aback, ¡°Right now?¡± Chapter 325 Chapter 325 Chapter 325 ¡°Yeah, Mom, you weren¡¯t well before and couldn¡¯t risk catching a chill. But you¡¯re much better now Haven¡¯t gone to see them yet, have you? Allison said. Cemetery Allisonid down the flowers she was holding, and then she cleared away the weeds around the tombstone. ¡°Dad, Ricky, Mom and I came to visit you guys.¡± Allison said softly. She picked a wildflower blooming next to Joshua¡¯s tombstone and tucked it in her bag. At her side, Grace reached out and lightly touched the tombstone, ¡°Picky, Mom¡¯s here.¡± After saying a few words, she turned to Allison, ¡°Allison, could you go to the cemetery guard and get a broom. I want to clear the dust here¡± Allison borrowed a broom from the guard. Upon returning, she saw Grace talking to the tombstone. She didn¡¯t approach, just waited from afar, When she first arrived, she touched the tombstone, so she knew there wasn¡¯t much dust on it. She guessed that Grace wanted to have a private chat with Joshua. ¡°Joshua, would you me me? After all these years, have you been holding a grudge against me?¡± Grace said, ¡°Then just take me away I¡¯m alone in this world, sick and really lonely. But don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯tst much longer. I just want to see Allison get married, and have a child. Once I hold her child, I¡¯ll come find you. I hurt you, but did you ever do right by me? Joshua, you were the first to deceive me Poor Ricky! Although he wasn¡¯t my flesh and blood, I watched him grow up. I treated him like my own son. Then he just left me, Joshua, you¡¯re really cold, just leaving with Ricky like that¡± A gentle breeze ruffled Grace¡¯s gray hair. Her cheeks were thin, her gaze vacant and her body riddled with disease, like a flickering wick about to extinguish in the wind. Ricky. Im sorry You were a good boy, I ruined you¡± Grace said. This child had called her mom for over a decade, but she had caused his death in a moment of recklessness. Allison stood at a distance. She heard Grace¡¯s words intermittently. Biting her lip, she watched Graces figure. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. She couldn¡¯t believe that both deaths were rted to her Ricky wasn¡¯t Graces biological child, but Joshua¡¯s with another woman. Allison herself turned out to be Christopher¡¯s daughter. The volume of new information was overwhelming Allison was struggling to process it all. She held her breath, exhaled, and after a couple of minutes, she went over to Grace. Her steps were heavy, a signal to Grace that she wasing. Grace wiped her face with her hand, her tears already dried by the wind. She ran her fingers through her hair, turned around, took the broom from Allison, and started sweeping. Watching her mother¡¯s frail figure, Allison¡¯s vision blurred. She stepped forward, ¡°Mom, let me do it¡± Grace¡¯s voice was tired. ¡°Let me do it myself. I haven¡¯t been here in a long time. Allison, what do you think your father and brother are doing in heaven? Do they miss us? Allison nodded, ¡°They must be. I dream of them often¡± She looked up at the sky. There wasn¡¯t a cloud in the clear blue sky. The breeze was gentle Grace shivered, then whispered slowly, I never dream of them I wish I could talk to them in my dreams, but I never dream of them.¡± Allison clenched her lips, watching her mother. She suddenly realized that Grace seemed much older. She felt a wave of sadness. She stopped thinking about her father and brother. About her origins, her rtionship with Christopher, and the cause of her father and brother¡¯s deaths, she no longer sought the truth She only had her mother left. Without Grace, she would be alone in this world. In the afternoon, on the way home. Grace was resting with her eyes closed, leaning against the back of the chair. Allison stared at her, thinking, let the past be the past. She only had her mother left. She didn¡¯t want to think about the past anymore. Even if Grace and Joshua had a secret back then, let bygones be bygones. Chapter 326 Chapter 326 Chapter 326 ¡°Luca, guess who I bumped into today?¡± James chatted away as he was driving, on the phone with Lucian, ¡°Who¡¯d you run into?¡± Lucian asked from the other end. ¡°Went to the cemetery today, saw Allison and her mom. James said, ¡°Didnt expect Allison¡¯s family situation to be so rough. Both her brother and father are gone.¡± ¡°Why are you telling me about Allison? Lucian asked. James raised an eyebrow at Lucian¡¯s question, He stopped at a red light and put on some music, ¡°Luca, you sure you never want to hear about her again? If I run into her in the future. I wont.¡± Lucian simply replied, ¡®Mind your own business.¡± ¡°Luca, if you¡¯re into Allison, then go after her. She¡¯s working at the Red Jack Club. I could organize a get-together tonight, we could all go?¡± James said. ¡°I don¡¯t have time¡± Lucian said. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll just invite some other friends, including Nichs.¡± James said. ¡°Why would you invite him?¡± Lucian asked. ¡°He¡¯s Felix¡¯s grandson. My family has been doing some business with the Youngs recently, so I need to get to know him better. If there¡¯s a chance, I could introduce you two.¡± James said. There was silence on the other end for a few seconds. As the light turned green, James hit the gas The roads around the cemetery were wide and not very busy, with only a few busesing and going. James kept his eyes on the road, humming along to the song. He seemed to have a hunch that Lucian would eventually say yes, so he didn¡¯t hang up the phone After a few seconds, Lucian¡¯s voice sounded in his ear, ¡°We¡¯ll talk tonight.¡± Then, he hung up. James chuckled. He knew that as long as it involved Allison, Lucian would definitelye. But he still wanted to know, what was it about Allison that made Lucian so smitten? At 4:30 in the afternoon, Central Library. Allison was wearing a white shirt and dark blue jeans, her hair cascading over her shoulders, looking fresh and natural. She didn¡¯t make an effort to dress up, just brushed her hair and looked at the young man in front of her. He looked a few years older than her, wearing ck framed sses, and sporting a nerdy but kind appearance. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Brook The man said, adjusting his sses and nervously looking behind him. Allison knew that sitting behind him in the booth were Ana, Grace, and Brook¡¯s mother. Allison smiled and said. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Allison¡± Brook nced at Allison¡¯s face, seeming a bit shy, Tve heard your name before. It¡¯s really pretty. Just from your name, I can tell you must be a very kind and gentle girl.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind.¡± Allison said. ¡°I¡¯ll introduce myself. I¡¯ve been working at Genesis Industries for two years now and I¡¯m the leader of a project team.¡± Brook said. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Before Allison could respond, Brook¡¯s mother chimed in. Her voice wasn¡¯t loud, but it wasn¡¯t quiet either, everyone around could hear clearly. ¡°My son is truly exceptional. He¡¯s been in the top 5 of his ss from middle school to high school, and every semester in college he received a schrship. After starting his career, in just two years, he became a project team leader¡± Marian proudly praised her son, You all know Genesis Industries, right? It¡¯s a subsidiary of Lindberg Corporation Lindberg Corporation is a bigpany! His sry is over ten thousand dors a month.¡± Ana¡¯s voice followed, ¡°Brook has always been outstanding since he was little. Grace, he¡¯s a good kid, couldn¡¯t be more perfect for Allie.¡± Grace cracked a slight smile. Chapter 327 Chapter 327 Chapter 327 Brook chuckled a bit awkwardly. Looking at Allison¡¯s delicate features, he said, ¡°That¡¯s just how my mom is. Please don¡¯t mind her.¡± A few strands of hair fell across Allison¡¯s cheeks. She gently brushed them behind her ear, her voice calm and steady. ¡°My job¡¯s not as fancy as yours. I¡¯m currently working at Red Jack Club, basically a server. I work my butt off day and night, and my paycheck¡¯s nothingpared to yours.¡± Brook nodded, ¡°Ana mentioned it.¡± But clearly. Allison could read a sense of superiority in his eyes, the kind that thought his job was a cut above the rest. Just like in school, when the honor roll students looked down on those who weren¡¯t doing so well, But Allison didn¡¯t seem ticked off. Marian, however, seemed a bit miffed. She looked at Ana, ¡°Ana, how could you set my son up with a server?¡± She added quickly, possibly sensing the awkward energy. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that. Don¡¯t get it twisted.¡± Grace¡¯s face was void of any smile. Ana hadn¡¯t expected Allison to be a server at the Red Jack Club. Anyone living in Blue Mountain Estate wasn¡¯t exactly hard up. How could a server afford such steep rent? Perhaps Marian¡¯s voice was too loud, Brook nced at Allison again. He found her attractive. Despite her humble job, he was smitten with Allison at first nce. Brook was young, but Marian kept pushing him to find a girlfriend. None of the girls he met at work were as attractive as Allison. Aside from celebrities on TV, this was the first time Brook saw such a beautiful girl in real life. Her not-so-fancy job didn¡¯t matter. His paycheck alone was enough to support them both. ¡°Mom, what are you talking about?¡¯ He grinned at Allison, ¡®Don¡¯t let my moms words get to you. I didn¡¯t mean that at all.¡±- Marian nced at her son, worried that he might actually start dating Allison. She had worked hard and spent tons of money to send him to college, until hended a job at Genesis Industries. If he ended up with a server, then what? With this in mind, Marian decided it absolutely couldn¡¯t happen. She got up, walked over to Brook, and grabbed his arm, Brook, Ill set you up with someone better next time. Let¡¯s forget about this time¡± Brook was usually dependent on his mother, but right now, he was somewhat smitten with Allison¡¯s beautiful profile. Allison went almost makeup-free today. Without any cosmetics, her face was still wless. Brook said, ¡°Mom, I think Allison¡¯s great. Just let it be.¡± Allison sat there, looking out of the window, not uttering a single word. The mother and son seemed to be putting on a y for her to watch. Ana turned to Grace, Im so sorry, Grace. She¡¯s just like that.¡± Grace was always kind, but now, even her smile had faded. Her daughter was obviously extraordinary, yet she was being looked down upon by them. She stood up and said, ¡°Allie, let¡¯s go.¡± H Allison stood up and replied, Okay¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. She took onest look at Brook and Marian, ¡°Goodbye.¡± ¡°Allison, Allison! Don¡¯t go.¡± Brook rushed forward and grabbed Allison¡¯s hand. She nced at him. He quickly let go, seemingly a bit embarrassed, ¡®Allison, my mom and I don¡¯t see eye to eye. I think we¡¯re a perfect match. I can earn my own money, enough for both of us.¡± Allison responded bluntly, ¡°I think, we¡¯re not a match.¡± ¡°I also think you¡¯re not a match. A man¡¯s voice suddenly rang out. Chapter 328 Chapter 328 Chapter 328 Then, a young guy in a Nike tracksuit strolled over Jason first nced at Brook, then turned to Allison, ¡®Fancy seeing you here.¡± He said, his eyes slid from Marian¡¯s face to Ana¡¯s. He chuckled at Allison, I¡¯m not interrupting you guys, am 17¡å Allison didn¡¯t expect to bump into Jason here. ¡°No, I was just about to leave.¡± Grace looked at Allison, ¡°Allie, who¡¯s this?¡± The young man looked quite dashing and handsome. ¡°This is my Allison paused, ¡°Friend, err, no¡­¡± Jason squinted slightly. Brook adjusted his sses, ¡°Hello.¡± Jason nced at Brook, ¡°I heard you work at Genesis Industries?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Brook answered. Upon hearing Genesis Industries, Marian started to brag, ¡°Yes, Genesis Industries under Lindberg Corporation. My son has been working there for two years Brook was a bit helpless at Marian¡¯s showing off, ¡°Mom.¡± Jason stroked his chin. Looking at Brook, he could tell that he was a mama¡¯s boy. How could a guy like that be suitable for Allison? ¡°Funny, I have a friend who works at Genesis Industries too. Maybe I can introduce you guys if there¡¯s a chance. Jason said. Marian thought he was just bluffing. She figured that if he was friends with a waitress like Allison, his own job probably wasn¡¯t all that great. Dared to introduce friends to her son? What a joke. She looked at Ana, a little unhappy. It was precisely because Ano said Allison was an exceptional girl, beautiful, and gentle, that she agreed to bring Brook to meet her. Indeed, Allison was very beautiful, but what was the use of a pretty face? A waitress, working in that kind of environment, being too beautiful could even be a disadvantage. And the status of a waitress was so low, how could she match up with her son? ¡°Young man, my son works at Genesis Industries! You look like a decent guy, how can you spout nonsense? And yes, I¡¯m not looking down on Allison¡¯s job, I just think she and Brook aren¡¯t a good match. Marian said while looking at Ana, Ana, I thought you meant well, so I brought Brook here. Next time, you need to find out more about the girl¡¯s background before introducing her to my son. My son earns 200k a year. I don¡¯t have high requirements for his girlfriend, but they must be of equal social status¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Grace took a deep breath, Marian, what are you implying?¡± Marian replied, ¡°What could I possibly mean? Can¡¯t you guys hear?¡± Seeing this, Ana quickly intervened, ¡°Alright, alright. Grace, don¡¯t mind Marian. She¡¯s just a straight shooter, but she doesn¡¯t mean it. I should have done my homework. It¡¯s my fault.¡± Jason looked at Allison. Allison hadn¡¯t said a word during the whole time, just tightly holding Grace¡¯s hand, seemingly unaffected by Marian¡¯s words. Although she seemed unbothered, Jason was not pleased. He took out his phone, a smirk on his lips, ¡°Brook, do you know Vincent?¡± ¡°Mr. Vincent? Of course, I know Mr. Vincent. He is the vice president of Genesis Industries.¡± Brook said. ¡°Good.¡± After Jason finished speaking, he dialed a number and put it on speaker. The call was quickly answered. Vincent was reprimanding two managers in his office. As soon as he saw the call, he immediately picked up. ¡°Jason is calling me? That¡¯s a rarity. Vincent said. ¡°Vincent, are you at thepany right now?¡± Jason asked. ¡°Yes. Jason, what can I do for you?¡± Vincent said, ¡°Is there an employee named Brook at Genesis Industries? Jason asked ¡°Brook?¡± How could Vincent remember the name of a regr employee? He looked at the two managers in front of him, ¡°Do you guys know an employee named Brook?¡± Chapter 329 Chapter 329 Chapter 329 Suddenly, someone stood up and announced, ¡°I¡¯m Brook¡¯s supervisor.¡± At the sound of that voice, Brook eximed, ¡°Oh, hey sir¡± ¡°Brook, howe you¡¯re hanging out with Mr. Brummett?¡± The guy asked. Marian¡¯s face turned as pale as a sheet. She stared at the sporty dressed guy in front of her and realized with a start that this young fe actually knew Brook¡¯s boss. She felt dizzy and was just about to hit the floor when Brook caught her, ¡°Mom¡± Grace looked at Jason in surprise, then turned to Allison, ¡°Allie, is this your friend?¡± Allison hadn¡¯t expected Jason to pull such a loud card, but hey, it knocked the wind out of Marians sails, didn¡¯t it? ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s my friend¡± She replied, then added, ¡°We were college pals.¡± Jason looked at Brook, then turned to Marian, ¡°You two are far from a match. Allison¡¯s way out of your league, got it?¡± Marian took a deep breath, leaning on the booth, ¡°Sorry, we made a mistake. Please don¡¯t be mad¡± Allison took Grace¡¯s hand and whispered ¡°Mom, let¡¯s bounce¡± Grace was done as well. She¡¯d brought her daughter here to find a boyfriend, Ana raved about Brook, and she wanted her daughter to find someone ASAP But now, things were way off from what shed pictured She couldn¡¯t stick around, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s roll.¡± Allison nced at Ana, ¡°Ana, we¡¯re heading out¡± After Allison left, Jason also made his move to leave but was stopped by Marian, 7 messed up, please don¡¯t me my son. If you want to me someone, me me He finally got this job. Brook couldn¡¯t take the emi Ana saw Jason¡¯s face and knew he w N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Jason wasn¡¯t about to get t for two years ¡°Mom, enough quickly stepped in grabbed Marian¡¯s hand, and apologized to Jason, ¡°Please don¡¯t be mad¡± This He was that petty. ¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯m not that petty Wi med and walked away. Marian was filled with regret, ¡°How could I be so stupid, Brook I messed up¡± This spectacle had attracted a lot of attention The bookstore was usually quiet. Now, a lot of people were shooting nces their way while picking out books. Brook¡¯s face was constantly changing. and he couldn¡¯t take the awkwardness anymore. ¡°Alright, mom, let¡¯s get out of here¡± Allison and Grace were waiting for their ride, ¡°Mom, you go ahead, I¡¯m heading straight to Red Jack Club¡± ¡°Okay¡± Grace patted Allison¡¯s hand. 7 was wrong this time, I shouldn¡¯t have listened to Ana Look at that guy, he¡¯s good looking but he¡¯s too dependent on his mom! And Marian, who does she think she is!¡± ¡°Mom, there are all kinds of people in this world, if we get upset over every little thing, what¡¯s the point of living? So, don¡¯t sweat the small stuff¡± Allison had only nned to show up as a formality and didn¡¯t really intend to interact. When she met Brook, she knew they weren¡¯t a match ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll do my homework before I take you somewhere I have another potential match for you, he¡¯s around your age, just graduated from college and job hunting. Also he¡¯s a looker¡± As Grace was saying this, she took out her phone, ready to find the info to show Allison Chapter 330 Chapter 330 Chapter 330 Allison shook her head, ¡°Mom, where did you get all this info? So you don¡¯t just go out to buy groceries, you¡¯ve been snooping around, setting me up on blind dates. Mom, if I was still in school, that would mean I haven¡¯t even graduated yet, why are you so eager to get me hitched? Isn¡¯t it nice to have me by your side?¡± Allison said. ¡°I just want to see you settled down.¡± Grace said. Allison knew that Grace was worried about her own health, wanting to find someone for her daughter to lean on. Her nose stung and she felt a lump in her throat. ¡°Allie, what does your friend do? He¡¯s so connected, even knows the CEO of Genesis Industries. Grace said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, he¡¯s a ssmate from university Allison said. ¡°Alle, he¡¯s quite impressive, but not for you. Can we really match up with someone from such a well-off family?¡± Grace said, ¡°We¡¯re better suited for an ordinary, simple lifestyle.¡± Cars passed by on the streets, the afternoon sun was gentle, and the afterglow of the setting sun was soft. Allison looked up at the sky and murmured. ¡°Mhm.¡± When the bus came, Allison saw Grace off. Watching the bus merge into the traffic, she took her bag, checked the time on her phone, and headed towards the subway station about a ten-minute walk away. After a few steps, a car horn sounded from behind. Allison turned around and saw a diamond-blue sports car parked behind her. The window rolled down, and Jason¡¯s handsome face appeared, ¡°Hop in, I¡¯ll give you a ride¡± Allison didn¡¯t refuse, after all, who wouldn¡¯t want a free chauffeur. She got into the car and they joined the traffic. Her gaze was fixed on the view outside, the window as the car drove onto Liberty Bridge She rolled down the window slightly and a cool breeze brushed her face. She reached up to tidy her wind-blown hair. Jason nced at the rearview mirror and cleared his throat, ¡°I heard you moved into Blue Mountain Estate, how is it? ¡°It¡¯s nice.¡± Allison said. ¡°Well then, I coulde over sometime. Jason said. Allison wasn¡¯t one to beat around the bush, You¡¯re always wee.¡± Jason was secretly pleased, ¡°Hold on, I¡¯m about to speed up.¡± They arrived at the Red Jack Club around 6:30 in the evening. Allison got out of the car, her hand gripping the door tightly. Thanks for today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was just passing by.¡± Jason looked at Allison, standing in the evening breeze. The sky was growing dark, but she seemed to glow more brightly. Her delicate skin and the soft smile in her eyes had Jason¡¯s heart racing. ¡°He¡¯s not good enough for you, Allison. You deserve the best.¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Allison¡¯s eyshes fluttered, ¡°Jason, stop joking around.¡± ¡°Allison, you know I never joke about you¡± Jason said. Allison closed the car door, waved, and turned to walk up the steps. Jason didn¡¯t drive away until he saw her enter the Red Jack Club. Instead, he drove to the club¡¯s underground parking lot, then went upstairs and reserved a private room. After changing her clothes, Allison and Ashley were assigned to the second floor. Ashleyined in a low voice, ¡°That Serena has some sort of hold over Samuel. He¡¯s totally smitten. She¡¯s always hanging around Mr. Samuel, and got us sent to the second floor. Apparently, the customers there spend less and are more demanding. Some don¡¯t even respectus. Allison warned her, ¡°Keep your voice down, or Serena will hear you.¡± Chapter 331 Chapter 331 Chapter 331 Tonight, Allison and Ashley didn¡¯t run into the rude customers they were worried about. However, the second floor was indeed full of out-of-towners. At Red Jack Club, there was an unspoken rule the higher the floor, the more cash they had got to ssh and the higher their social status. The first and second floors were mainly filled with walk-ins and out-of-town businessmen. asionally, there would be some crude behaviors like flirting with the waitstaff. But, they couldnt really put a stop to this sort of thing. After all, the customers could just say, ¡°I didn¡¯t touch you, what¡¯s your problem? Will your skin peel off if I touch you?¡± which left the waitstaff speechless, The waitstaff didn¡¯t want to start a fight, they still needed their jobs. So, most of the time, they just had to suck it up. Tonight, Allison and Ashley were assigned to serve in Room 203. The guests here were all walk-ins, and they had quite a few demands. One customer got drunk, and Ashley had to help him to the restroom. Allison was left alone in the room. She had a bottle of wine in her hand and was filling up the sses one by one. ¡°Wow, since when did Red Jack Clubs waitresses be so gorgeous? This is great A man in his thirties was eyeing Allison, his eyes lighting up. He only flirted verbally and didn¡¯t do anything too out of line. Another man stared at Allison¡¯s face for a few seconds, then said in a regional ent, Working here must be a real cash cow. Following Marvin around can get a designer bag a month, ha-ha.¡± The menughed. Allison didn¡¯t respond. After she finished pouring the wine, she stepped aside. The men didn¡¯t continue to pick on Allison. After a few teasing remarks, they quickly went back to their own conversation. ¡°Marvin, I heard that Synergy Corp is nning to partner with Snow Inc., injecting two billion dors into it to keep it operating. This is bound to piss off Lindberg Corporation. Lucian is not someone to be trifled with. By funding Snow Inc. at this time, Synergy Corp is going head-to-head with Lindberg Corporation. They said. Upon hearing Lucian¡¯s name, Allison pursed her lips subconsciously and started to listen in Marvin thought for a moment. ¡°Even if Synergy Corp is strong, it doesn t have much influence in Northfield. If they dare to confront Lindberg Corporation head on, there must be a stronger force backing them¡± ¡°I heard that George, the second son of the Lindberg family, is back. That Lindberg family is a real mess. Marvin, even an out-of-towner like me knows about their past. But with Lindberg Corporation nning to take over Snow Inc, and Synergy Corp suddenly getting involved, I can¡¯t figure out what Synergy Corp stands to gain. If they piss off Lucian, they¡¯ll be surk in Northfield The guy said. Marvin took a sip of his wine, ¡°You¡¯re right, Isn¡¯t the Lindberg family still in Lucian¡¯s hands? Once Lucian takes over Snow Inc., and Carter Lindberg kicks the bucket, the entire family will be his. The people who are most anxious are those in the Lindberg family. If I were George, I¡¯d definitely side withi Synergy Corp ¡°You¡¯re right, Marvin. But George is still Lucian¡¯s brother, Blood lies often seem trivial in the face of power. The guy said. Allison stood against the wall, quietly listening to their conversation.Original from N?velDrama.Org. She suddenly remembered the first time she met Lucian in a hotel. He was obviously drugged then. The tug-of-war among the wealthy families was like thick fog. full of uncertainty and danger. It was shocking that even brothers could be so cold-hearted. She began to understand why Lucian was so indifferent,cked trust in anyone, and hated being deceived so much Chapter 332 Chapter 332 Chapter 332 Hal replied, ¡°Gotcha, Serena. Don¡¯t sweat it, not a single w will be shown!¡± Serena hung up the phone satisfied. She. sat in her big office chair, spun around once, lightly put her legs on the table and smiled. Alright, Allison, she wanted to see how she was going to wiggle her way out of this one! She picked up the phone again and dialed Tina, ¡°Mr. Burke wants to see Allison. Go upstairs and get her.¡± Tina was surprised, ¡°Allison? She¡¯s upstairs, she¡¯s not supposed toe to the 6th floor this week.¡± If she came, and they couldn¡¯t go, wouldn¡¯t they out on their tips today? Serena knew what her employees were thinking: it was just a few hundreds bucks after all. Tina. I want you to do something for me. If you do it well, starting next week, you can manage the waiters under me. You¡¯ll be the team leader of the second group.¡± Senera said. Tina was tempted, ¡®Just tell me what to do, Ms. Serena¡± Room 606 Lucian pushed the door open and entered the room, took off his coat and handed it to the waiter. He scanned the room, all familiar faces. James was at the table ying cards. Seeing Lucian, he immediately said, ¡°Lucian, we¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± Lucian walked over. The table was already full. A young man stood up voluntarily, ¡°Lucian, here¡¯s your spot. Your cards are ready¡± Lucian nced at the cards and raised an eyebrow, ¡°These cards are pretty crappy¡± Issac chuckled, ¡°But you¡¯re here now, right? No matter how bad the cards, you can make them look good.¡± ¡°We agreed, the loser loses a car Jamesughed, ¡°Lucian, the two Mercedes you came in tonight, I¡¯m afraid they¡¯re going to be ours.¡± Lucian nced at the cards in his hand. They were really not good, but he had a smile at the corner of his mouth, ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Hey, bring two fruit tters¡± James said. ¡°Sure, please wait a moment. The waiter answered. ¡°Carol, go upstairs and get Allison, you are recing her Tina said. ¡°Why me? The tips are so high today, how much can there be upstairs?¡± The waitress working with Tina obviously was not willing. Tina patted her shoulder, ¡°Carol, you go first. I¡¯ll give you my tips today, let Allisone up.¡± Hearing Tina say this, Carol agreed, ¡®Alright, Tina, you better keep your word.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will,¡± Tina said. Carol went upstairs, Ashley was at the door, she asked Ashley to call Allison out with the walkie-talkie. After about two minutes, Allison came out. She looked at Carol, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Nothing, you go to the 6th floor, I¡¯ll rece you here.¡± Carol said. Before Allison could speak, Ashley immediately asked, ¡°The 6th floor, isn¡¯t it managed by Ms. Serena this week? Aren¡¯t you and Tina in charge? What are you thinking, asking Allison to work there?¡± Carol replied, ¡°What else can we think? Mr. Burke in room 606 asked for Allison. We don¡¯t know any big bosses, how could we refuse? We have to satisfy the customer¡¯s request.¡± Hearing this answer, Ashley grumbled. Allison patted her hand, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go upstairs first.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ashley said. Chapter 333 Chapter 333 Chapter 333 Tina, holding a drink and fruit tter, emerged from the elevator just in time to see Allisoning out from the one on the right. She stopped Allison and said, ¡°This is for room 606. Can you take it for me? I gotta run to the restroom.¡± Allison took the stuff and said, ¡°Sure thing¡± Tina walked a few steps, heard the knock and opening of a door behind her. She turned to see Allison closing the door to room 606. She quickly whipped out her phone and texted Serena: [Ms. Serena, Allison is in] Allison walked into the room. A guy called out, ¡°Hello, pour me a drink.¡± Allison put down the fruit tter. Somedies were chattering and singing. She held a bottle of red wine, popped the cork, and walked over. Suddenly. she hesitated for a split second. Then she continued. She stared at a mans back. He was in a ck suit. Broad shoulders, a mole on the back of his neck. The closer Allison got, the more she could smell him. A faint cologne mixed with alcohol Quite unique. Allison poured the red wine into the quests¡¯ sses. James looked up, eyes lighting up. He nced at Lucian, then said to Allison, ¡°Pour some for Luca. Didn¡¯t you see his ss is empty?¡± Allison walked over and poured a ss for Lucian. After pouring, she heard a man¡¯s voice. ¡°What do you think of my hand?¡± Allison didn¡¯t answer, just kept her head down, staring at the carpet. A guy said, ¡°Hey, Luca is asking you! Allison hadn¡¯t realized Lucian was asking her. He recognized her without even turning around? Well, that made sense. She recognized him just by his back. He must have seen her side profile when she poured his drink Allison nced at the cards in his hand, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, do you want the truth?¡± ¡°Mmhm.¡± Lucian said. Allison bit her lip, ¡°Your hand is awful.¡± Having said that, she took a step back. The others allughed. ¡°Ha-ha, this waitress is brutally honest.¡± ¡°Luca, looks like your Benz is mine tonight. Even the waitress could tell your hand is crap. Hand over the keys.¡± ¡°I heard Luca¡¯s car is custom, and he¡¯s only had it for less than a month,¡± Lucian nced at his cards, then said to Allison. ¡°The car keys are in my pocket. Get them for me.¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Allison looked at his ck trousers. She bent down, carefully reached into his pocket, and found the car keys. She pursed her lips slightly, quickly pulled out the keys, then, as if the keys were hot, swiftly ced them on the poker table. The man nced at her. Then he took another sip of his drink, Tve put down my keys. Where are yours? If I win, Kent, your new Porsche is mine.¡± The young man named Kent smiled as if he was sure he wouldn¡¯t lose. He pulled out his car keys from his pocket and tossed them onto the poker table, ¡°Luca, if you win, not only this car, but also this watch is yours.¡± He then took off his Patek Philippe watch. Who in this room weren¡¯t rich and powerful? They didn¡¯t care about these things. James also took off his watch, ¡°Alright, since everyone¡¯s upping the stakes, count me in.¡± Lucian raised his hand, his gaze lightly sweeping over Allison. Chapter 334 Chapter 334 Chapter 334 Allison watched his movements, a pause of two seconds, then it hit her. The man¡¯s wristwatch was a Rolex. Allison had been working here for half a year, she¡¯d seen all sorts of men, but younger guys wearing Rolex were a rare sight. Lucian sure had good taste. Her icy fingertips brushed against the man¡¯s hand. Despite being careful, some contact was inevitable in the process of removing the watch. She unsped the man¡¯s watch and ced it on the table. James took a look around, his gaze finallynding on Allison, ¡°Betting on one oue is too boring, don¡¯t you think? Allison, what¡¯s your take, who¡¯ll win this round among us?¡± Suddenly, all eyes were on Allison, except for Lucian, who had his back to her. Allison cleared her throat softly, pondered for a few seconds, I¡¯ve only seen Mr. Lindberg¡¯s cards. I haven¡¯t seen the rest of you guys¡¯ hands. So, I¡¯ll bet on Mr. Lindberg to win¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t seen my cards, how can you bet on him to win? You think our cards are worse than his?¡± Allison just smiled, not answering. James said, ¡°Why so serious with a waitress? Wait till the end of the round, then we¡¯ll know who wins.¡± Allison stepped back behind Lucian, watching the game. In poker, it was not just about whether they had good cards, but also whether they could predict what cards the other person would y next. It took skill, and insight. Lucians hand wasn¡¯t great, but as long as the others were careless, he still had a chance to win. Pulling off a win in a tight spot wasmonce for Lucian. Tonight, once he got serious, the others didn¡¯t stand a chance. Kent furrowed his brows, finally opened his hand and tossed his cards onto the table, ¡°I fold.¡± He had two good cards in hand, but in the end, he was forced into a corner and couldn¡¯t y Lucian had yed on this psychology. He quickly yed a single low card from his hand, making Kent feel it wasn¡¯t worth using his good cards. And so, in his hesitation, he kept letting Lucian off the hook. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca, I gotta hand it to you.¡± ¡°Damn right. Who can beat Luca? if we¡¯d yed with Isaac just now, he¡¯d probably have lost his pants by now! On the other side, the man named Isaac was singing with a socialite. Hearing this, he turned around, ¡°Who wins and who loses isn¡¯t decided yet! Wait till 1 get over there, I¡¯ll wipe the floor with all of your ¡°Yeah, keep dreaming!¡± Lucian stood up, casually grabbed a set of car keys, tossed them to Allison, then strode over and sat down on the couch. Allison caught the keys, ¡°What?¡± She looked around, saw Lucian sitting on the couch rubbing his temples. ¡°Just ept it if Luca wants to give it to you¡± James said, ¡°It¡¯s Kent¡¯s new car. He¡¯s only had it less than a month. Allison, you have a driver¡¯s license, right? From now on, you can drive this car to and from work.¡± Kent looked at Allison, then at James, ¡°James, what¡¯s this about? Why did Luca give her my car?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get it?¡± Jamesughed softly, ¡°You¡¯re always at the club, how can you not know what Luca means?¡± Kent nodded immediately, ¡°Oh, I get it, Luca¡¯s pursuing her! This waitress is indeed pretty, just Lucian¡¯s type.¡± Chapter 335 Chapter 335 Chapter 335 Allison was holding the car keys, clueless about what to do. Were they a gift from Lucian? She heard the chatter of a few young men behind her and felt quite surprised. 1ssac,e over! Luca¡¯s done ying.¡± At the card table, four guys were sitting together. A new round started almost immediately. Lucian was lounging on a leather sofa. He had had a bit to drink, was feeling a bit tipsy and unwell, so he decided to close his eyes for a few minutes. He raised his hand and massaged his temples. Suddenly a whiff of rose perfume wafted over. He frowned, opened his eyes, and saw ady in a white off-shoulder dress sitting next to him. Her face flushed, she said, ¡°Luca, Im Jessica. Do you have a headache? I¡¯ve got some lemon water. Want some?¡± ¡°No thanks, Jessica.¡± He rejected her casually. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Seeing Lucian paying no attention to her, Jessica bit her lip. She knew Luca was engaged, but so what? As long as they werent married yet, she still had a shot. She was Issac¡¯s girlfriend. She had heard that Luca wasing to the gathering, so she hurriedly tagged along. She had mustered up her courage just to exchange a few words with Luca. ¡°So Luca, would you like some fruit?¡± Jessica asked He didnt respond. Jessica gazed at his handsome profile. Under the crystal chandelier, his face looked extraordinarily attractive. His high, straight nose seemed like God¡¯s most meticulously carved masterpiece. continuing But the manpletely ignored her, just as cold as the rumors suggested. Disheartened, Jessica got up and walked over to the other side, her chat with friends. Every now and then, she wouls nce at Lucian¡¯s profile, her eyes filled with a sense of $s and unwillingness Allison walked over and gently ced the car keys on the table, ready to take the tray and leave the private room. She just bent down to do this, and before she could put the keys down, a male voice rang out. His tone was still calm, ¡°If I gave them to you, you keep them¡± Allison was startled by his suddenment. She looked at Lucian and found him with his eyes still closed. Could this man¡¯s hearing be so sharp that he could even hear the sound of her putting down the keys? She held the keys, ¡°I don¡¯t need something this valuable. Then throw it away¡± Lucian said. After a couple of seconds, he spoke again, ¡°Can you give massages?¡± Without waiting for her answer, Lucian continued with his eyes still closed, ¡°Massage me. I have a headache.¡± He was sitting on a single sofa with a small gap behind it, just erough for a petite woman to squeeze through, Allison moved behind him, lowered her head, and looked at his almost wless face under the light. She stretched out her hand, ready to ce it on his temples, but suddenly remembered her fingers were cold So, she rubbed her hands together to warm them up before finally gently cing them down. He smelled like alcohol, but it wasn¡¯t overpowering. Her fingers gently kneaded his temples, Lucian found his headache greatly relieved. He could smell a faint scent of cherry blossoms around him. The aroma made him feelfortable. ¡°Allison, what I told youst time still stands. Lucian said. Allison¡¯s fingers trembled slightly Lucian noticed. Chapter 336 Chapter 336 Chapter 336 After Jessica and twodies finished singing a song, she nced at Lucian again, only to find him enjoying a head massage from a female attendant on the couch. This struck Jessica as odd. Lucian was the kind of man that was usually out of reach for the average person. What was so special about that female attendant? Serenas office. Listening to the voice on the phone, Serena¡¯s lips curled up into a subtle smile, she asked, ¡°How¡¯s the situation?¡±. ¡°Serena, I¡¯ve taken care of it and it won¡¯t be discovered by anyone. The drug is specially made and currently popr on the market. Two types of the drug will react when theye into contact, one is put in the drink and the other can be sprayed as perfume on that woman. The drug won¡¯t take effect Immediately, so it won¡¯t raise suspicions. The drug will kick in two hourster, and it won¡¯t leave any traces in the body¡± The person on the other end of the phone reported. Serena was pleased. She had already set Tina on Allison. On the other end of the phone, Hal cautiously asked, ¡®Serena, about my younger brother.¡± Hal¡¯s younger brother had been locked up in a police station for injuring someone half a month ago. Serena chuckled, ¡°Hal, I¡¯ll send someone to bail your brother out tomorrow.¡± Despite being just a manager at Red Jack Club, Serena had extensive connections and there was hardly anyone she hadn¡¯t met. Bailing out Hal¡¯s brother was a piece of cake for her. Grateful, Hal said. ¡°Thank you, Serena! If there¡¯s anything you need in the future, just ask me, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re satisfied¡± Just then, Samuel walked in. As soon as Serena saw him, she immediately hung up the phone and walked over to him. She was wearing a ckce dress with a suit over it. She took off her suit jacket, revealing her seductive figure, walked over to Samuel and took his hand, ¡°What brings you here?¡± Serena purposely bent over, drawing Samuel¡¯s attention. Samuel wrapped his arms around Serena and headed for the couch. Serena reminded him, ¡°You haven¡¯t closed the door¡± ¡°My assistant¡¯s outside. No one can get in.¡± Samuel was somewhat eager. Serena didn¡¯t really like Samuel, but he was the deputy manager of Red Jack Club. Serena came from a hunible background and only had 30 bucks on her when she first came to Red Jack Club as a waitress. Besides her looks, she had nothing going for her, yet she climbed from the very bottom to where she was now. During this process, Samuel had given her a lot of help. Five years ago, when she first entered Samuel¡¯s office, she knew that in order to climb up, she had to pay a price. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¨C After a while, Samuel lit a cigarette and vented, ¡®The boss has been acting weirdtely. He¡¯s always here. He used to rarelye. If he finds out there¡¯s something wrong with the books. I¡¯m screwed.¡± Serena sat up and straightened her clothes: Clearly, Samuel was troubled by this. Indeed, the big boss of Red Jack Club was very influential and well-connected. He had set up this luxurious entertainment city in Northfield, but he rarely showed up, instead having Samuel and a deputy manager named Rodney manage the Red Jack Club. However, Rodney was a representative of another major shareholder and didn¡¯t get along with Samuel. The day-to-day affairs of Red Jack Club were handled by Samuel When the boss and Rodney were both absent, Samuel essentially became the de facto ruler of Red Jack Club. Chapter 337 Chapter 337 Chapter 337 Under Samuel¡¯s management, the Red Jack Club had piled up quite a mess of bad debts. No one in his position could keep their hands clean. Samuel knew there were issues with the Red Jack Club¡¯s ounts. He knew exactly how much he had siphoned off for himself. But now the mysterious boss had suddenly shown up, and he was feeling the heat. Having finished his smoke, Samuel asked. ¡°So, do you think the boss just popped in to check on the books? Did Rodney rat me out dr what?¡± If Samuel was going down, Serena would be the first one to go down with him. So, she was also nervously racking her brains, trying toe up with some advice for him. What do we do now? The boss hardly everes to the Red Jack Club, right? Maybe he doesn¡¯t even know there¡¯s a problem with the books.¡± Samuel¡¯s mind was all over the ce, ¡°Huh, he might not be at the Red Jack Club, but Sarah is.¡± Serena was taken aback. Suddenly, she thought of something. If she could use this situation to get rid of both Sarah and Samuel, that would be a win for her Perhaps because she hadn¡¯t responded, Samuel shot her a nce, thinking a woman couldn¡¯t answer his question, so he just reminded her to keep her mouth shut and left. The air was filled with the stench of sex. Serena was disgusted by the smell. As soon as Samuel left, she stood up, walked to the window, and opened it. She then took a deep breath of the fresh air outside. Five minutester, Serena felt a chill on her face. The cold wind outside made her shiver. She seemed to snap out of it. The foul smell in the office had been blown away by the wind. She closed the window, walked over to the desk, turned on theputer, and opened an email. The email contained the very thing Samuel wanted to destroy Then she registered a new email ount, changed her IP address, and found Sarah¡¯s email, She clicked the mouse The email was sent. Sitting on the chair, Serena smiled At 11 PM, James in booth 606 suggested ending the party. James was so drunk he could barely stand. Issac was also propped up by his girlfriend. The group slowly trickled out of the booth Allison had Tina arrange for a designated driver. Lucian was sitting on the couch, feeling rather ufortable. He couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it. His vision seemed to be doubling, and it felt like a wave of heat had crept into his groin. Jessica kept turning back to him, saying, ¡°Luca, I haven¡¯t been drinking. I¡¯ll take you home.¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Allison was pleased with this. She stepped aside and said, ¡°Thanks for that.¡± She then picked Lucian¡¯s car keys off the table and handed them to Jessica. Jessica nced at Allison, who had quickly identified Lucian¡¯s keys from a bunch of others. Did this waitress know Luca, or was she so cunning that she had even researched this beforehand? But why would Luca let her touch his stuff? As Jessica pondered, the door to the booth opened again, Tina came in and picked up a set of keys from the table, ¡°Is this Issac¡¯s?¡± Allison thought for a moment and said, ¡°It should be for that BMW.¡± During their card game, she had heardments about how well Issacs BMW had been modified. Lucian got up and stumbled forward a few steps. He shook his head, feeling a bit off. Jessica held his arm, ¡°Luca,e with me.¡± He shrugged off her hand, ¡°Jessica?¡± Jessica bit her lip, ¡°Luca, you¡¯re drunk.¡± *Jessica, we¡¯re not close. You can¡¯t call me Luca. Do you understand?¡± Lucian was cold as ice. Any ordinary woman would have been scared off by him. Jessica, a girl from a noble family, had a particrly fragile ego. Once rejected, they would never give the other person another chance to reject them. But Jessica was not giving up. Tonight was a rare opportunity to be with Lucian, how could she let it slip away? At that moment, she looked pale, her lips trembling. She knew this man was always indifferent, but her grandfather and Carter were old acquaintances, and she had visited the Lindberg family a few times. Why was Lucian so cruel to her? He rejected her so directly, but just now he was with that waitress¡­ Chapter 338 Chapter 338 Chapter 338 ¡°Luca, Mr. Lindberg, please wait up.¡± Jessica saw Lucian heading into the elevator and quickly chased after him. They headed to the underground parking lot. Lucian felt increasingly off, as if a fire was burning inside him. He lightly bit his lip as he got into his car. Jessica quickly followed, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, you seem drunk. Let me drive you home.¡± Usually, it was the gentleman who offered to take thedy home. But now, Jessica wanted to spend a few extra minutes with him, so she offered to take him homete at night. Usually, Jessica might think this was inappropriate, but Lucian was different to her. He was the man she had been having a crush on | The car zoomed down the road. Lucian wasn¡¯t actually drunk. He never got this ufortable from just a single drink. Was there something wrong with the drink? But he quickly dismissed that suspicion. Everyone¡¯s drink came from the same bottle. James and the others also drank from the same bottle. Finally, the car stopped in front of Blue Mountain Estate. Lucian wasn¡¯t sure why he ended up here. Allison changed her clothes and was ready to take a taxi home, but before the taxi arrived, she ran into Moss. Moss was a driver for SoberWay, which had a partnership with the Red Jack Club.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Allison, let me give you a ride. Moss said. Allison and Moss were friends. Usually, if one of Allison¡¯s guests got drunk, she would call Moss to come help with a few friends Thanked to his frequent designated driving gigs for the rich, Moss made a decent living. He was very grateful to her. Allison smiled, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Allison, you live in Blue Mountain Estate? The rent here must not be cheap.¡± Moss said. Allison replied a friend¡¯s house. He rents it to me for a song.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really convenient here. You¡¯ve got a good friend. I live in Evergreen Valley. It¡¯s all old buildings.¡± Moss said. Evergreen Valley was a poor old district in Northfield. Over the past 30 years, Northfield had been expanding south, and Evergreen Valley had be increasingly rundown. The most bustling area in Northfield now was where they were. At this hour, the roads were almost empty Moss drove smoothly and fast. In twenty minutes, they arrived at Blue Mountain Estate. Allison got out of the car. Thanks, I¡¯ll treat you to a meal someday¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Moss looked at Allisons face and suddenly blushed. Seeing Allison about to leave, he quickly called out, ¡°Allison.¡± Allison looked at him. Moss pulled out a bottle of peach-vored soda and offered it to her, ¡°I bought this at a convenience store this morning. Girls should all like this.¡± Allison nced at it, ¡°Thank you.¡± Before Allison could walk into the Blue Mountain Estate, her phone started ringing. She picked it up and looked at the caller ID. It was Lucian. Why was he calling her sote? Hesitating for a moment, she finally answered. ¡°Walk backwards.¡± Lucian said. Allison thought she heard wrong, ¡°What?¡± She turned around, ¡°What did you say?¡± On the other end of the call, a deep male voice said, ¡°Walk back a few steps.¡± Although Allison didn¡¯t understand his intentions, she walked back as he instructed. Suddenly, she saw a luxury ck sedan parked on the side of the road. Wasnt thar Lucian¡¯s car? Why was Lucian here? The voice on the phone rang out again, ¡®Come over.¡± Chapter 339 Chapter 339 Chapter 339 Allison didn¡¯t move. ¡°What are you up to?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Lucian sneered coldly ¡°Slipping something into my drink? Is that your grand scheme, Allison?¡± ¡°I have no clue what you¡¯re talking about! Allison said. ¡°Come here. I¡¯m not in the mood for repeating myself.¡± He then hung up. Allison just stood there, the cold wind biting at her face. She bit her lip. Half a minuteter, she walked over. As the car door swung open, and grabbed her waist, yanking her into the car. Landing in the seat, her back throbbed in pain. The man was on top of her. She could clearly feel his burning body heat and his breath. Her fingers clenched as she looked into his eyes and blurted, ¡°3D grand¡±¡± His eyes shifted from eagerness to mockery Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. The dim street lights outside the car window barely provided any illumination. Their bodies were intertwined. Allison could feel a strong desire radiating from the man. She gasped in short breaths, suddenly disgusted with herself. She was now doing things and saying words she didn¡¯t like. However, she had genuinely liked this man before. She had even fantasized about a future with him. ¡°Make some noise! I didn¡¯t pay 30 grand for a mute!¡± The man¡¯s hand gripped her chin. Allison bit her lip hard, before finally moaning. She saw no warmth in his eyes. Suddenly, she thought, ¡®screw it! She wrapped her arms around his shoulders. As he moved to kiss her, she no longer clenched her teeth, instead opening her mouth to meet his. He paused. Her initiative sparked aplex emotion in Lucian¡¯s eyes Then, he pulled her onto him, his breath heavy. I¡¯ll add another ten grand. Do you know what I want, Allison?¡± Allison¡¯s long hair fell on her cheeks, flushing a little. His eyes seemed to be a ball of fire, wanting to set both of them allght. Allison kissed his face, his nose, his lips, and his throat. Lucian squinted slightly, his hands clenched into fists, his voice rough and strained, ¡°Allison, give me a reason to reject you.¡± Her initiative, easily ignited all his desires, even more potent than any drug in his drink ¡°You just want a lover. With your terms, you could get any woman you want.¡± Allison said. Lucian tightly grasped her wrist, ¡°What if I only want you?¡± Allison¡¯s pupils trembled slightly. She lowered her eyes and kissed his neck again. Her hair gently brushed his cheek. Lucian smelled the soft scent of her hair. The scent made his blood flow wildly He flipped her over, kissing her hard until she was breathless. Then he let her go. y woman but you¡± He also gasped a few times, his slender fingers gentlynding on her soft lips, ¡°I don¡¯t fancy any ¡°What about Penelope Allison sneered, ¡°Did you tell her the same thing? Did you do this¡­¡± Her eyshes trembled. They were so close, yet she felt incredibly ironic, ¡°Did you do this with her too? Don¡¯t you find itughable, Lucian?¡± He looked at her beautiful face, paused, then said, ¡°I never said anything like that to her, nor did I do anything like this with her.¡± Allison could hardly believe it. What? Chapter 340 Chapter 340 Chapter 340 ¡°Mr. Lindberg, it¡¯s pointless to lie about this.¡± Allison said. ¡°Allison, I never lie¡± He lowered his head, his breath brushing against her car as he spoke, ¡°Not like you, never a true word.¡± ¡°When have I lied?¡± Allison retorted subconsciously But then she remembered. Indeed, she had lied. She lied when she promised Penelope. But Lucian said he never touched Penelope, never said those things to her ¨C how could that be? Allison was surprised. Lucian hated being lied to, yet he himself was a liar. A ringtone broke the silence in the car. It was Lucian¡¯s phone Lucian picked up his phone from the driver¡¯s seat, his brow furrowed slightly at the caller ID. From her angle, Allison could perfectly see that it was Penelope calling. She watched as Lucian prepared to answer the call. Suddenly, she grabbed his hand, yanking it towards her, causing Lucian¡¯s phone to fall on the seat. Then, she sat up and kissed him. She didn¡¯t want him to answer the call! She didn¡¯t like Penelope. She hated Penelope! Allisons initiative surprised Lucian, his pupils shrinking slightly. He held her tight, deepening the kiss. The phone kept ringing, but the pair in the car ignored it. Lucian knew she did it on purpose. When the kiss ended, Allison was panting, her chest rising and falling rhythmically. The phone had long stopped ringing. She seemed to only now realize what she had just done. She sat up, lifting her head to look into the man¡¯s eyes. Lucian had been watching her all along. ¡°Sorry, I interrupted your call with Penelope. She picked up the scattered clothes from the seat, putting them on as she spoke, ¡°Hope Mr. Lindberg can transfer the forty thousand dors to my card soon, I won¡¯t bother you guys anymore.¡± As she finished dressing and was about to leave, Lucian hooked his arm around her waist, pulling her back onto the seat. His movements were rough. Allison felt a dull pain as her back hit the seat. ¡°Since you¡¯ve already interrupted us, why not do it thoroughly? Lucian asked. Allison pushed at his chest, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just¡­¡± This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. How could this man have so much energy? She was unsure. ¡°Were you drugged?¡± -Lucian¡¯s voice was husky and sexy, ¡°Even when I¡¯m not drugged, I have good stamina. You should know.¡± Allison blushed That wasn¡¯t what she meant. ¡°You don¡¯t feel right. You¡¯ve been in the box all night, how could you have been drugged?¡± Lucian was also pondering this He had been in the box all night, drinking the same alcohol as everyone else. And the drink was delivered by Allison. She had no reason to drug him. He had used her of drugging him out of anger Actually, Lucian knew very well that Allison would never do such a thing. But he did feel extremely ufortable, as if he was on fire. ¡°Did you notice anything strange when you brought the wine up from the cer?¡± Lucian asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡± Allison suddenly remembered something. She pursed her lips. The wine wasn¡¯t brought up by her, but handed to her by Tina. Furthermore, if it weren¡¯t for Carol looking for her, she would have been on duty on the second Door tonight. Both Carol and Tina were Serena¡¯s subordinates. Suddenly, it seemed as if Allison had figured something out Pitch ck, dead of night. Chapter 341 Chapter 341 Chapter 341 A car speeding down the highway Inside the car, James had his eyes shut, leaning against the seat. The man driving took a nce at James through the rearview mirror, making sure he was sound asleep, before whipping out his phone and dialing a number, ¡°Hey Hallon, I¡¯ve done what you asked me to do. Got it. Im heading to the Oakwood Hotel now.¡± Oakwood Hotel, a run-of-the-mill joint A tall bloke was escorting a handson h of the city with dirt-cheap rooms. It was usually the choice of out of towners, merchants or tourists. assist you, sir?¡± young man in a suit into the Oakwood Hotel, Cassie, the receptionist on duty, swooped in at once, ¡°How can I ¡°I need to get to room 306.¡± The guy said. Cassie quickly grabbed the key card and followed. As they exited the elevator, Cassie saw the tall man struggling to support another guy who was three sheets to the wind. She rushed to lend a hand, her cheeks flushing as she caught a glimpse of the handsome man¡¯s profile. Once they reached room 306, Cassie swiped the key card. The tall man ushered the handsome man inside Cassie, ever the warm host, asked, ¡°Need anything else?¡¯ ¡®Nope.¡± The tall man shut the door Cassie was left standing outside, a faint whiff of cologne still lingering in the air ¡°What a hunk, and he seems loaded too¡± She thought, ¡°Why would he pick this tiny hotel to stay?¡± The tall man made another call. About 20 minutester, the door was opened again. Another man walked in, leading a drunk The tall man asked, ¡®Is that her?¡± ¡°No doubt about it. Got her from Walter. The job¡¯s done, let¡¯s scram Theyid the drunk woman on the bed, next to the drunk man. After a while, the tall man said, ¡°Almost forgot¡± He pulled out a box of scented candles from his pocket, lit one and ced it on the bedside table young woman, ¡°Hallon said if they¡¯re both stered, light this up. Enhances the aphrodisiac effect. Let¡¯s get outta here. If we don¡¯t, they might just wake up.¡± They left the hotel Room 306 was filled with a hint of fragrance. The curtains fluttered lightly. The night seemed to promise something out of the ordinary. ¡°Allison, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d get off work early tonight? Why are you sote? I¡¯ve got supper ready, come and try¡± Allison came home to find Grace watching TV in the living room. Upon seeing Allison, she immediately got up and greeted her with a smile. ¡°Mom, why arent you in bed?¡± Allison shut the door, put down her stuff, and changed her shoes. Grace went into the kitchen to heat up the supper. Allison nned to take a bath in her room. She could still smell Lucian on her. But just as she changed, Grace called her, ¡°Allison, let¡¯s move to Cloudville¡± Allison froze. She quickly changed into her pyjamas and went out. She went into the kitchen, looked at Grace, and asked, ¡°What did you just say?¡± Grace replied, ¡°Didn¡¯t you always want to take me away from Northfield? I gave it some thought. I don¡¯t have anyone close in Northfield anymore. Let¡¯s leave here and go to Cloudville.¡± Allison took a bite of the freshly heated apple pie. She asked, puzzled, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you weren¡¯t in a hurry?¡± Grace did say she wasn¡¯t in a hurry before. But now, she was desperate to leave.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Chapter 342 Chapter 342 Chapter 342 ¡°Moms got a stash of 20 grand, should be enough to keep us afloat. Grace said, pulling a bank card from her pocket and handing it to Allison. Allison looked at the card. She recognized it. The money on it was supposed to be for her dad and brother¡¯s living expenses. Despite Grace being seriously ill and hospitalized, she never thought of touching this fund. But why was she bringing it up now? Was there something mare pressing than her illness? ¡°Mom, what¡¯s going on?¡± Allison watched Grace¡¯s expression, her radar up, ¡°Did Christopher and Leah threaten you? Was it them?¡± Grace shook her head. ¡®No, they didn¡¯te to me. I just want to get out of here. Allie. Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to leave Northfield with me?¡± ¡°Mom, I have a stable job now, and my monthly ie is enough to support you. Plus, I¡¯m graduating next year. If we leave Northfield now, I¡¯ll have to find a new job in a new city and who knows if the pay will be as good. I do want to leave, but we need to be realistic.¡± Allison said. That night, Allisony on her bed, mulling over Grace¡¯s odd behavior. She sat up. Could it really be that Christopher or Leah had threatened her mother? The nagan family was such a pain in the ass! Her mother and she had already backed down so many times! They actually had the audacity to force them out of Northfield! Was Leah so afraid of Penelope¡¯s secret coming out? But Penelope was already pregnant, and she promised not to spill the beans about what happened. Then why were they still threatening her mother? And Leah, even threatened Sarah to fire her! Allison found it all a bitughable. Her staying in Northfield was that big of a threat to Leah and Penelope? Was all this fuss really necessary? Initially, Allison did want to save enough money to leave this ce with her mother and settle down in a quiet, beautiful city for the rest of their lives. But now, Allison had changed her mind. She was determined to hold her own in this city and make sure Penelope and Leah paid their dues! As long as Penelope and Leah stopped bothering her and her mother, she would keep the hotel¡¯s secret. But if they hurt her and her mother again, she would fight back! Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Opportunities were indeed in her own hands. Unable to sleep, Allison opened her drawer, eyed a business card of Gavin¡¯s. She then picked up her phone, searched for his number in WhatsApp, and added him as a contact If there was a chance for promotion, she was game. The next morning, Allison opened her eyes, took a shower, and tossed her dirty clothes into the washing machine. Suddenly, she found a man¡¯s watch in her pocket, the one Lucian had left behind. When did he put it in her clothes? Allison put the watch away and loaded the washing machine with her dirty clothes. She walked into the living room and didn¡¯t see Grace. She then went to the kitchen and found a note Grace had left on the dining table. [Allie, I made breakfast for you. Eat when you wake up. I¡¯ve gone out] Allison frowned. Lately, Grace seemed to be going out often in the morning. She opened the fridge and saw it was packed with food. There were enough fruits and vegetables to last her three to four days. She picked up her phone and dialed Grace. ¡°Allie, are you awake?¡± Grace asked. ¡°Mom, where are you?¡± Allison said. I¡¯m at the Cherry Lane market Grace added from the other end of the line. The vegetables here are cheap, and the meat is fresh.¡± At that moment, Grace was standing in front of a skyscraper with a pot of soup. She looked up at the towering buildingbeled Epic Entertainment¡±, amazed by the sight, and walked in. Chapter 343 Chapter 343 Chapter 343 She was d in simple clothes, and the receptionist nced at her, asking. ¡°Are you here to apply for a cleaning job? Grace held a thermos in her hand and replied, ¡°No, I¡¯m here to see Penelope. I¡¯ve been here before. But the receptionist at that time wasn¡¯t you, she had blonde hair The receptionist gave her a once-over and asked, ¡°You¡¯re looking for Ms. nagan?¡± After making an internal call, the receptionist nodded, pointing in a direction and said, ¡°Go that way, take the elevator to room 1606 on the first floor¡± Thanks¡± Grace thanked her and started toward the elevators. The receptionist was a bit taken aback, watching Grace¡¯s departing figure, and thought, ¡°She looks so ordinary. Could she be Penelope¡¯s nanny?¡± This was Northfield¡¯s renowned entertainment mediapany, Epic Entertainment, a subsidiary of Lindberg Corporation. As the future daughter-inw of the Lindberg family. Penelope wanted to break into the entertainment industry, and Lindberg Corporation naturally went all out to assist her. Miranda and Cora were reluctant, feeling that the future daughter-inw of the Lindberg family didn¡¯t need to be famous. They had some objections, but ultimately did not oppose. They sought out Lucian, but he didn¡¯t care about Penelope entering the entertainment industry To protect Penelope from being treated unfairly, Miranda entrusted Epic Entertainment with full responsibility. Penelope was already seven months pregnant and due in three months, so Epic Entertainment didn¡¯t dare to assign her any significant roles. After filming herst drama, she had been shouting commercials. Penelope wasnt doing it for the money, she just wanted fame and to revel in the admiration of others Who didn¡¯t want to be the center of attention? She sat on the sofa, listening to Charlie discuss next week¡¯s schedule ¡°Shootingmercials again, and my fame is still so low. Penelope said. Worried Penelope might be upset, Charlie hurriedly exined, ¡°Miss, these are all resources we at Epic Entertainment have obtained through connections. You don¡¯t have any works yet, so your fame is a bit low. But the resource side has promised to heavily promote you and has invited the famous photographer Destiny for the shoot¡± ¡°Alright¡± Penelope replied, ¡°What about that luxury brand endorsement you mentioned earlier, is it finalized?¡± It¡¯s still being discussed, but their PR team said that for now, they can only promote you and build up your poprity. After you¡¯ve given birth and recovered, they¡¯ll directly grant you the status of poster girl. By then,bined with your new drama, the publicity effect will be at its peak.¡± Charlie said. 1 see¡± Penelope nodded Charlie said. The biggest face for this luxury brand in our country is the famous movie star Traci, and even Nte is only a brand ambassador. You¡¯re being promoted from the get-go, and once your drama is aired, you could be a poster girl.¡± Penelope nodded satisfactorily She knew Nte, having met her at a party before she had any connections with the Lindberg family. She saw Nte being fawned over by everyone, like a noble and graceful queen. She was very envious at the time. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. And now, her career starting point was even higher than Nte¡¯s. Charlie took a call, then told Penelope. ¡°Penelope, your nanny¡¯se again ¡°What? She¡¯s here? Penelope was painting her nails when she heard the news. She lifted her head, ¡°Well, let her in¡± Two minutester, Grace, carrying a thermos, arrived at the lounge. Despite not being her first time here, she still seemed a bit nervous, ¡°Miss, I made you some chicken soup. Give it a try These days, Grace woulde to Epic Entertainment almost every day, bringing Penelope food and supplements At first, Penelope was a bit annoyed, but Grace¡¯s cooking skills were excellent, and she had grown up eating Grace¡¯s homemade meals. When she was little, Grace would always protect her when Leah scolded her. Every time Christopher hit her, Grace would secretly give her a piece of chocte to comfort her Chapter 344 Chapter 344 Chapter 344 Having Allison¡¯s mother taking care of her, Penelope felt a sense of satisfaction. ¡°Chicken soup again, I really don¡¯t want it anymore.¡± Penelope said. Grace said, ¡°Miss, chicken soup is very nutritious. You¡¯ve been pregnant for a while now, you can¡¯t just do whatever you want. You need to replenish your nutrition and your foot injury just recovered¡± Grace brought a bowl of chicken soup to Penelope. Looking at her bulging belly, Grace¡¯s eyes were filled with affection. Then she bent down, ¡°Miss, you¡¯re pregnant now. You should avoid wearing high heels.¡± Penelope was sick and tired of hearing this. She didn¡¯t dare to wear high heels at home, nor at the Lindberg family¡¯s. Now that she just put on a pair here, she got lectured right away. She had even thought about aborting her baby multiple times, how could she possibly consider its wellbeing? ¡°What¡¯s it to you whether I wear high heels or not? Penelope asked. Grace shook her head, ¡®I¡¯m just looking out for you. Your status right now is very important. The Lindberg family cares a lot.¡± Penelope finished the chicken soup and gritted her teeth, ¡°Important? They only care about the baby in my belly, they don¡¯t care about me! If I wasn¡¯t pregnant, the Lindberg family wouldn¡¯t even nce at mel Grace, you better keep an eye on your daughter. If I see Allison flirting with Lucian again, she won¡¯t get away with it!¡± ¡°Allison would never do such a thing ¡°Grace panicked a bit. You must have misunderstood.¡± ¡°You and your daughter, I feel sick just looking at you.¡± Penelope stood up and looked at Charlie. ¡°Get this woman out, don¡¯t let her dirty my carpet!¡± Grace said, ¡°You¡¯re pregnant now, you should avoid getting angry.¡± Charlie also thought Penelope was being unreasonable, but she was helpless as she was just an employee and had to obey her boss. She could only say to Grace, ¡°Nanny, you better leave for now. You know how Ms. Penelope¡¯s temper is.¡± Grace sighed and then nodded. She began to pack up her thermos. At this moment, Penelope¡¯s phone rang. Penelope answered the call and said softly, ¡°Mom¡± It was Leah who called. Grace paused while packing up the dishes, then she held the handle of the thermos tightly and murmured Leah silently in her heart. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m at Epic Entertainment. I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry, What, the Lindberg family wants to take me for a prenatal checkup, didn¡¯t we just go half a month ago? We re going again? Okay, I got it.¡±Penelope said After hanging up the phone, Penelope looked up at Grace who was still standing in front of her, ¡°Why are you still here?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going for a checkup. Let me go with you¡± Grace said. Penelope snorted, ¡°This is none of your business.¡± Grace sighed lightly, not sure if it was out of helplessness, guilt or regret, ¡°Allison and I are leaving Northfield next month. You¡¯ll have to take care of yourself¡± Maybe it was because Grace¡¯s voice was full of concern, Penelope nced at her, saw the concern in her eyes. Suddenly Penelope was taken aback, then her tone was filled with scorn and sharpness, ¡°Without you, can¡¯t I live on my own? In the nagan family, you¡¯re just amon servant. You seduced my father, causing my parents to ignore each other till now. And your daughter Allison, she seduced my fianc¨¦ You two really are a perfect mother-daughter par Grace backed away.¡±1 already promised, I¡¯m going to leave with Allison¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 345 Chapter 345 Chapter 345 Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. 11 am At the Oakwood Hotel on Maple Avenue in Northfield. In an ordinary single room, James blinked his eyes open, slowly regained his thoughts. He looked around, and suddenly scrunched his brows. Where the hell was he? The unfamiliar white walls, the in and cheap decor, even the bed he was sleeping in, it all made him feel uneasy This wasn¡¯t his home! Suddenly, he saw a woman¡¯s hand on his chest, her fingers delicate, painted with light pink nail polish. He sobered up in an instant! He got hammeredst night, so Red Jack Club sent someone to be his designated driver. He gave them the address Why the heck did he wake up here? He threw the covers off and studied his own body. There were a few red marks on his chest, probably from the woman¡¯s nails. He looked at the woman lying next to him, ck hair scattered on her face, only a thin pointed chin visible. She had a nice body Even though he hadn¡¯t seen her face, James was pretty sure he didnt know her, There were plenty of chicks who wanted to get close to James. Suddenly, his gaze turned cold. He didn¡¯t know what tricks this woman had used. Or maybe he got yed. James got dressed and was about to leave when he saw a bit of red on the sheets. He raised an eyebrow, didn¡¯t expect the girl to be a virgin. He took out some cash from his wallet, tossed it on the bed, and then strode out of the room. When Cicely opened her eyes, all she felt was an aching all over her body. She propped herself up with her hands and then screamed. She wasn¡¯t wearing any clothes?! And there was a distinct difort in her body. She quickly nced around, where was this? What had happened? All of a sudden, Cicely¡¯s mind went nk, and there seemed to be a buzzing sound in her ears. Suddenly, she saw the dor bills on the bed, scattered on the floor. She was¡­ A tear slid down Cicely¡¯s cheek. She didn¡¯t know what had happenedst night. All she knew was that she had been vited, and she didnt even know what the guy looked like Cicely was 22 years old, and had received a good education from a young age, always keeping herself clean. She hadn¡¯t had a boyfriend in middle school, high school, or college Just like that, her virginity was taken away She didn¡¯t cry for long, but immediately stood up, quickly gathered her scattered clothes. She didn¡¯t take a single bill from the floor because she felt edremely humiliated. The spot of red on the sheet was ringly harsh. The pain below her body told her that she had lost her virginity. She clenched her fingers tightly, and turned around to leave, when something shiny on the ground caught her attention. She bent down and picked up a silver cufflink with diamonds on it. The cufflink was very delicate, like it was custom-made. Was it left by the man fromst night? This was just an ordinary hotel, but this cufflink looked very expensive, as if only someone with very high taste would have it. Anyway, she decided to keep it Cicely didn¡¯t leave the hotel immediately. Although she was driven by impulse to leave, and every breath she took made her feel scared and ufortable, reason led her to the front desk ¡°Hi, I wanted to ask, who was the guest in room 306st night? Cicely asked. The front desk staff looked at her, ¡°Sorry, we can¡¯t provide guest information¡± Cicely said urgently 1, please, can you tell me?¡± The front desk staff was fum, Sorry, this is the hotel¡¯s policy, we need to protect the privacy of our guests¡± Cicely touched her bag, she pursed her lips, and took out a stack of bills from her wallet, about a thousand bucks. Shen then handed it to the front desk. 1 want to know who the guest in room 306 was last night¡± This ¡°The front desk staff hesitated. Chapter 346 Chapter 346 Chapter 346 Oakwood Hotel was a small-scale joint, tagged as a hotel, but it was just a notch better than a motel really. The front desk staff, most of them were the boss¡¯s rtives or buddies. This receptionist was kinda hesitant, ¡°But we¡¯ve got rules in the industry, cant spill guests¡¯ info. He seems to go by the name Max, a tall guy, built like a brick house Cicely left the hotel, mentally jotting down the name Max. She hailed a cab, a tear trickling down her cheek. She was utterly humiliated, didn¡¯t know who to turn to with this shame, so she just cried in silence. The cabbie took a peek at her, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, miss? Got your heart broken? Don¡¯t cry¡± This only made Cicely more heartbroken. Last night she just went to a friend¡¯s birthday shindig at the Red Jack Club. As she was leaving, a sudden pain hit her at the back of her head, and then she cked out Allison noticed the fridge was packed with grub. She knew Grace had fed her a line. Grace was usually frugal, not the type to splurge or waste, let alone shop for groceries when the fridge was already full. Grace was usually very economical. But why would Grace lie? Why did she y her? Allison was stumped. Did Grace have any reason to lie to her? At lunch, Allison decided to whip up something. As she got the ingredients from the fridge, she noticed half a bowl of chicken soup in the pot. Allison furrowed her brows The seasoning in the pot was clearly for soup. She knew her mom wouldn¡¯t just leave half a bowl of soup, nor would she use a hen for soup, and she certainly didn¡¯t fancy greasy food So, the only exnation was, this soup was made for someone else. Grace hardly know anyone in Northfield Back when she was with the nagan family, she mostly stayed home, and besides cooking and taking care of the nagans, she didn¡¯t do much else Allison¡¯s grandparents had passed away And suddenly, Allison felt like she didn¡¯t know her own mom anymore Her phone vibrated, interrupting Allisons train of thought Allison walked to the living room, nced at her phone. It was Gavin. She picked up right away, ¡°Gavin, hey, it¡¯s Allison, about earlier All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Before she could finish, Gavin cut her off, I know, I remember you, Allison¡± He continued, ¡°Calling me, you¡¯ve made up your mind, huh? Showbiz ain¡¯t a walk in the park, but you¡¯re cut out for it. The moment Iid eyes on you, I knew, you belong in the entertainment industry¡± Allisons face was a born performer¡¯s face. Showbiz today needed actors like Allison, with her fresh, unblemished look and lively acting chops. ¡°Gavin, if youe across any suitable roles, could you put in a good word for me?¡± Allison asked ¡°Sure, no problem¡± Gavin said. After hanging up. Allison breathed a sigh of relief. Some roads, once she took the first step, there was no turning back. Since she had chosen this path, she gotta stick to it. In the afternoon, Allison nned to sign up for an acting workshop online. After all, she was no pro. Even though she had got camera presence, she fell short in many areas. Her acting was intuitive, but lacked technique and experience. She scoured the inte for a while but found nothing. She took a peek at her social media, and noticed a post Aaron shared. Chapter 347 Chapter 347 Chapter 347 Famous actress Jennifer was nning to give a speech about acting in the meeting room of Center Stage Academy over the weekend. The once-renowned movie queen Jennifer had long since retired from acting, now approaching sixty but she still had a legion of fans In her younger years, she won many important awards in the industry. When she hit 40, she chose to move behind the scenes, bing a producer and taking part in the making of 40 movies and television shows Allison would love to attend the speech, but she doubted whether she was eligible She put down her phone, opened up herptop, and started browsing the web. Suddenly, her phone buzzed. She picked it up and saw a message from Aaron Do you want to attend Jennifer¡¯s acting lecture?] Allison replied [How¡¯d you know?] After waiting a few minutes without a response, Allison put down her phone. It was surprising enough that Aaron messaged her, but who would ve thought that Allison had the Facebook of the hotshot actor Aaron? She thought, maybe this big shot star just casually mentioned it She tidied up her room and didn¡¯t think much of it. Suddenly, her phone rang again. Allison was changing her sheets, so she had to put down what she was doing, walk over, pick up her phone from the coffee table, and saw a call from an unknown number. And this call was from another city She directly hung up the phone. However, unexpectedly, the caller called back two minutes after being hung up on Allison thought it was a sales call. ¡°Hello, I don¡¯t need any products, please don¡¯t call again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s me. Aaron¡± A very pleasant male voice came from the other end of the phone Allison was taken aback for a moment, then quickly apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡± It¡¯s my fault. I should¡¯ve told you first, I was shooting amercial, and people from the brand came over. I talked to them for a bit, and forgot to reply to your message. Aaron said. ¡°Mr. Aaron, how did you get my phone number?¡± Allison asked. ¡°You posted your phone number on your Facebook profile Aaron responded. Allisonughed. Aaron continued, ¡°Do you want to attend Jennifer¡¯s lecture? Saturday at 2 pm, in the meeting room of Center Stage Academy, I can arrange it for you.¡± -Thus thank you¡± Allison didn¡¯t artificially refuse, ¡°Really, thank you.¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. But she was still a bit confused, how did Aaron know she wanted to attend the lecture, ¡°Mr. Aaron, how did you know I wanted to go?¡± ¡°You liked the tweet I posted.¡± Aaron answered ¡°Well, then thank you very much.¡± Allison said. ¡°Dont mention it.¡± Aaron said Allison was about to hang up the phone, but felt a bit rude doing so, after all, Aaron had helped her. So she put down the phone, waiting for Aaron to hang up first, but unexpectedly, two minutes passed, and the other end of the phone was still not disconnected. Allison was a bit confused, and a bit nervous, ¡°Mr. Aaron, are you still there?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so formal with me¡± Aaronughed ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else important, I need to hang up the phone now¡± Allison said, heard an ¡°OK¡± from the other end of the phone, then hung up. This Aaron, he was too polite, but she really needed to thank him for helping her out Elsewhere, on the set of themercial After Aaron hung up the phone, he smiled, then handed his phone to his executive agent. The agent next to him asked, ¡°Aaron, why are you so happy?¡± Aaron replied. Tve met a very interesting girl¡± The agent said. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve heard you say such a thing about a girl.¡± Chapter 348 Chapter 348 Chapter 348 Aaron got up, strutted over to the white backdrop and started the shoot, thetest model of the phone from the brand in his hand. The professional shoot went smoothly and both the photographer and the brand reps were chuffed The honcho from the brand side approached him and said, ¡°Mr. Aaron, we¡¯ve been working for two years now. It¡¯s been a st and we hope we can keep this show on the road¡± Aaron had been the face of this brand¡¯s mobile products for almost two years now, but the phone he was shooting with today was not thetest model, it was an old one His agent sidled up to him, murmuring. ¡°Mr. Aaron, our contract is up next month, we need to mull over whether to renew or switch to another brand.¡± The brand guy seemed quite earnest, ¡®Indeed, we ve been in this together for two years now. If we renew, we¡¯ll fork out an extra half a mil thanst year¡± Everyone in the business knew the worth of having Aaron as a brand ambassador. He was picky about the brands he endorsed, but he was both famous and talented. He snagged the title of ¡®Best Actor¡¯ at just 26, with rave reviews. Any brand that could get him on board would beughing all the way to the bank. Aaron and this phone brand had had a jolly good time coborating for two years, but this time Aaron turned them down, ¡°I¡¯ll sit this His agent blinked, ¡°Mr. Aaron¡± Aaron told his agent, ¡°I ll sit this one out¡± one out! The brand guy was getting antsy, they got along famously and they h was Aaron giving them the cold shoulder? even bumped up the endorsement fee. Besides, they were a big brand, so why ¡°Mr. Aaron, please mull it over. Here¡¯s the deal, I¡¯ll bump up the endorsement fee by another million dors. The brand guy said. ¡®No need.¡± Aaron quirked an eyebrow, and put on his shades, prepping to make an exit. His agent quickly blocked the brand guy, a few bodyguards trailing behind Aaron. Aaron got into the car, he had just wrapped up a movie a few days ago, and was nning to take a breather. The car was stuck in traffic in the central business district, and it took a pause. His agent, somewhat puzzled, asked, ¡°Mr. Aaron, that guy seemed quite earnest, why did you turn down the offer?¡± Aaron took off his shades, nced out the car window, seeing an advertisement outside a phone shop. A woman in a red dress, phone in hand: her smile was beautiful but a tad tacky It was Penelope, the fiancee of the fourth son of the Lindberg family She managed to score an endorsement deal with a mobile phone brand, without any notable work to her name and before her debut, all thanked to the Lindberg family and Epic Entertainment. Coincidentally, it was the same brand Aaron was endorsing He nonchntly said, ¡°Just didn¡¯t feel like it, is that a problem?¡± The agent quickly responded, ¡°No, not at all¡± The brand guys were clueless about got into Mr. Aaron today, he was on the phone one moment, laughing, but suddenly went stone-cold serious The car crawled forward due to the traffic jam, the agent instinctively looked out the window, spotting an advertisement, ¡°Isn¡¯t that Penelope? How did she end up endorsing this brand too? His eyes quickly shifted to Aaron, who was sitting with his shades on. Could Aarons refusal to renew the contract be because of this? The agent quickly brushed it off. Penelope, even before her debut, was leveraging her family resources to score endorsement deals. With a wealthy family, she also got the backing of Lindberg Corporation. But she would not have a ster career. She was in the entertainment industry not to act, but to bask in the adtion. Sharing an endorsement with her, of course, Aaron would be put off. ¡°Aaron, you agreed to y the special male lead in Melody of Delight, Epic Entertainment sent us a script. The crew over there was decent, but there were two artists from Epic Entertainment in it too. It¡¯s a productionpany under Lindberg Corporation, t out rejecting them wouldn¡¯t be kosher.¡± The agent said. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Ja dosent line up. Chapter 349 Chapter 349 Chapter 349 Grace came home in the afternoon. Her hands were full, and the living room and bedroom were quiet as a mouse. She guessed that Allison must¡¯ve already headed off to work She hustled into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and found it stacked with fresh veggies and fruits. This got her all jittery. If Allison saw all this, she might be suspicious. She had totally nked out on this in the morning rush The pot in the kitchen was still warm. The air was filled with the aroma of food and Grace spied a note stuck to the pot: [¡°Mom, I¡¯ve gone to work. There¡¯s lunch in the pot But Grace didn¡¯t immediately open the pot. Instead, she gave a quick scan around, then opened the thermos on the stove. Inside was chicken soup she had stewed in the morning, with half of it still left. She had forgotten about it in the morning rush to drop off something for Penelope. Had Allison seen nt? From the looks of it, Allison hadn¡¯t noticed. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. But she still felt a tad uneasy, so she whipped out her ¡°Allie, you dashed off to work so early?¡± Grace asked. ¡°Yeah, had to get in early today and dialed Allison. The call was picked up quickly. you¡¯re back already? I made lunch for you, don¡¯t forget to eat.¡± Allison said. ¡°Sure, and Allie, did you drink the chicken soup I made for you?¡± Grace asked, sounding guilty. The more she tried to exin, the more she feared being caught by Allison. On the other end, Allison was changing in her workspace. Hearing this, she paused. She wedged her phone between her neck and shoulder, then continued changing. Her voice didn¡¯t betray anything unusual, ¡°What chicken soup? Mam, you made chicken soup? She even sounded a bit annoyed, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? If I knew you made soup, I wouldn¡¯t have eaten lunch¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll reheat the soup for you to have at night Hearing Allison say this, Grace felt relieved. After hanging up. Allison¡¯s face turned pale She had no idea what Grace had been up to these past few days, where she had been sneaking off to This was Grace¡¯s business, she didn¡¯t want to know, but she felt her mom was bing more and more strange. Allison shook her head, id, telling herself not to overthink. As long as her mom was happy and healthy, nothing else mattered. It was Friday. Allison woke up early in the morning. Shey in bed, listening to the sounds from Grace¡¯s room next door. It was 8:30 in the morning, but she wasn¡¯t sleepy at all Last night wasn¡¯t busy. After she had finished the drink orders, it was just past midnight when she got home. Right now, she wasn¡¯t sleepy at all. Just as she was about to get up, she heard footsteps outside her door. She closed her eyes and continued lying down Grace pushed open the door and walked in. Seeing Allison on the bed, the nket already on the floor. She shook her head, sighed, and walked over to cover her with the nket again, neatly tucking in the corners. After tidying up the dirty clothes in the room, she got out. Then, Allison got up, changed her clothes, and was about to head to the living room. Suddenly, she heard the front door open and close. She realized that Grace had left home She was slightly taken aback. It was only 9 in the morning. Where was she going so early? When she thought about Grace¡¯s unusual behaviortely, Allison put on a mask, grabbed her bag, and headed out as well. As soon as Grace walked out of Blue Mountain Estate, Allison followed close behind. She followed Grace all the way to the train. She always stayed within a distance that Grace could see Today, she was going to find out. What was the goal of Graces unusual activities every day? Where was she going? The 9.30 AM sun was scorching and blinding. Chapter 350 Chapter 350 Chapter 350 Allison was standing on a main road. She looked up, seeing a lowering skyscraper in front of her This was a high-end office building with several mediapanies renting offices here, as well as various fitness centers and studios. However, her gaze was firmly glued on Epic Entertainment. Wasn¡¯t that a film and entertainmentpany under Lindberg Corporation? What on earth was it doing here? She had just seen Grace walk into the building. At the reception on the ground floor, two staff members were chatting about thetest fashion trends. ¡°Excuse me, could you tell me which floor that middle-aged woman in a brown coat, carrying a thermos just went to?¡± Allison asked. One of the receptionists looked up at the woman in front of her who was wearing sunsses and a mask. She had a pretty good vibe, kinda like a celebrity. The staff member stood up to respond, ¡°Hello ma¡¯am, there were a lot of people who came in just now. Could you specifically describe the appearance of the person you are looking for?¡± ¡°It¡¯s her.¡± Allison took out her phone, found a picture of Grace, and handed it to the receptionist. The receptionist nced at the picture, ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen thisdy before.¡± Another receptionist came over, ¡°Isn¡¯t that Penelope¡¯s nanny? Lately, she¡¯s been bringing lunch to Ms. nagan every morning.¡± The receptionist nodded, ¡°Right, that¡¯s her, Penelope¡¯s nanny.¡± Allison gave a slight smile, ¡°Thanks, sorry for the bother¡± Then she turned around and left the building. As she walked alone on the street, Allison looked up at the sun. She hadn¡¯t expected Grace to be delivering lunch to Penelope at Epic Entertainment recently Why? Considering Grace¡¯s attitude towards Penelope, it was really puzzling. Ever since they were little, Grace had been particrly attentive to Penelope. Whenever Penelope was reprimanded by Leah, Grace wouldfort her and secretly buy her favorite toys and candies, while she was stricter with Allison. Of course, Allison wasnt happy back then, but Grace exined that Penelope was thedy of the house, so she naturally had to take extra care of her. And now? Why? Leah and Penelope treated her and even got her locked up in a mental institution They had already given so much and lost so much because of the nagan family. Why was Grace still being so nice to Penelope? Could it be that Penelope had threatened her mother? Thinking about what Grace said about wanting to get out of the city quickly, why did Grace suddenly want to leave when she always used to show her attachment to the city whenever the issue was brought up? Was it Penelope threatening her behind the scenes? Allison stopped in her tracks, turning to look back at the towering office building. Epic Entertainment seemed especially dazzling. Allison didn¡¯t realize how long she had been staring at the building until a hork of a car horn from behind brought her back to reality.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. She looked carefully. A sky blue Porsche was parked behind her. The window rolled down slowly, and Nichs stuck his head out, ¡°Hey, Allison, little waitress¡± Allison suddenly snapped back to reality, looking at a man who bore a striking resemnce to her brother. Her heart tightened, and she didn¡¯t respond for a while. It was Nichs who called her a few more times before she replied, ¡°Nichs.¡± ¡°Need a ride? I can drop you off¡± ¡°No need ¡®Allison said She finished speaking, turned around, and continued to walk forward. Nichs was a bit surprised. This woman had tried countless times to strike up a conversation with him, finding all kinds of far-fetched reasons. Now when he offered to give her a ride, she actually refused? He found it quite interesting. That was just how men were. What they couldn¡¯t obtain always seemed intriguing to them. Meanwhile, what was easily obtained wasn¡¯t cherished as much Chapter 351 Chapter 351 Chapter 351 Allison sauntered at a snail¡¯s pace, and Nichs effortlessly caught up with her with a gentle tap on the gas. He honked his horn, ¡°Hey, remember that question you asked me? I asked my mom about it. Don¡¯t you want to know the answer? The one about birthmarks¡± Allison stopped in her tracks and got into the car. However, instead of the passenger seat, she chose to sit in the back. Nichs nced at her through the rear-view mirror and started the car, ¡°You work nights, so you should be sleeping during the day right?¡± Allison nced at the car¡¯s clock, ¡°I got off work earlyst night and woke up early today Nichs, don¡¯t tell me you want to chat about night shifts and day shifts? What a snooze fest.¡± Nichs stepped on the gas, and Allison, who hadn¡¯t fastened her seat belt yet, lurched forward, her forehead bumping against the soft leather of the seat in front of her. She rubbed her forehead, muttering, ¡°So immature.¡± Nichs chuckled, Where to?¡± Allison didn¡¯t really know where to go. She had left the house early. Usually, she would be at home at this time, either cleaning or hanging out with Daisy. But Daisy was currently tangled up with the Boswell family and wasn¡¯t in the mood for a shopping spree As for Allison, she felt like she had a knot in her chest, and she couldn¡¯t loosen it or vent it. She spoke lightly. ¡°Just drop me off at the next intersection¡± Nichs raised an eyebrow, sensing that Allison wasn¡¯t in a great mood, ¡°Feeling blue?¡± Allison didn¡¯t respond He nced at her through the rear-view mirror She was stunning, her gaze fixed outside the window seemingly deep in thought. Ever since he met Allison, he found her oddly familiar. He admitted that her beauty was captivating, radiant yet pure, bound to catch any man¡¯s attention. But it wasn¡¯t enough to haunt his dreams. Nichs had dreamt of Allison¡¯s face several times. It felt strangely familiar. He didn¡¯t reject Allison¡¯s proximity Instead, the brief time they spent together actually improved his mood. Was he falling for this little waitress? Nichs shook his head and chuckled, ¡°No way.¡± His heart didn¡¯t race when he saw her, but he enjoyed herpany. It was a simple andfortable feeling. The car stopped. Allison got out of the car and looked around. They were in Ster Emporium¡¯s underground parking lot, ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡± Nichs got out of the car, ¡°Movies, wanna go?¡± ¡°Now?¡± Allison checked the time, 10:20 in the morning. Nichs nodded, ¡°We can have lunch after the movie. What do you say, Ms. Zimmer?¡± Allison looked at Nichs¡¯ familiar face, fell silent for a few seconds, but didn¡¯t refuse. Inside the cinema. Allison bit her lip, somewhat surprised, ¡°A horror film at half past ten in the morning? Nichs, you¡¯ve got an interesting taste.¡± Nichs had no choice. He didn¡¯t particrly like horror films, but this was the only one with avable seats. The other two films were sold out, and if they waited, they would have to wait for more than an hour. It was a suspense horror film. Typically, these films were poorly made, with terrible acting and even worse plotlines, forcefully incorporating horror and science elements in the end Surprisingly, this film wasn¡¯t half bad. Allison noticed that the film was co-directed by Gavin. She had seen films and TV shows directed by Gavin. His strength was his shooting technique and control over the plot. He was good at digging into every character¡¯s details and characteristics. There were indeed a few familiar elements in the movie. Walking out of the cinema, Nichs looked a bit pale, while Allison felt it was okay. Although there were a few extremely exaggerated horror scenes with special effects and background music, the plot was tightly paced with clear logic and progressive reasoning. Allison rated the film a seven out of ten. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. She teased, ¡°No way, Nichs, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re scared¡± Chapter 352 Chapter 352 Chapter 352 1 studied abroad in Britain back in the day, and lived there ever since. I grew up with my grandma until two months ago when I moved back here. As for the scar on my back, I asked my mom about it. She said I got it when I was ying too rough as a kid, I don¡¯t have any birthmarks or anything¡± Alison looked up at Nichs, ¡°So you¡¯ve been in Britain all this time, never came back?¡± Nichs frowned slightly and took a sip of water, ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t remember clearly But my mom told me that I¡¯ve always lived with my grandma in Britain, and I had never been back¡± Allison stared at him, ¡°Your mother told you? What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°I had a car ident when I was young and lost some memories. Now I can¡¯t remember a lot of things¡± This was a private matter to Nichs, he didn¡¯t like talking about it. But he didn¡¯t really want to hide it from Allison. Looking at her clear, innocent eyes, he had to spill the beans. Allison bit her lip, ¡°When did this happen?¡± Nichs closed his eyes. When I was 15. to be precise, about 10 years ago.¡± Allison turned pale, but a flicker of surprise shed in her eyes. Could it really be such a coincidence? 9 years ago, the year her brother Ricky left, 9 years ago, after the car ident, both Joshua and Ricky disappeared. Could there really be such a coincidence in this world? Nichs chuckled a bit, ¡°I had that ident, and then I¡¯ve been living in Britain with my grandma. Now that I¡¯m back, I haven¡¯t gone back to visit Sometimes I really miss my grandma.¡± ¡°Why haven¡¯t youe back?¡± Nichs said with a somewhat mixed expression, ¡°The grudges within the rich family, it¡¯s not like I can come back whenever I want. This time I came back because. ¡°He hesitated whether to go on Allison said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to pry into your private matters. If you don¡¯t feelfortable talking about it, don¡¯t.¡± The restaurant was ying soothing music, and the food was already served, ¡°Let¡¯s eat. ¡°It¡¯s not a private matter, and I am not feeling ufortable.¡± Nichs said with a self-deprecating smile, ¡°My brother is seriously ill, and the Young family only has me left as a son now Naturally, they had to bring me back from abroad. My younger brother is still in junior high school. If I didn¡¯te back, no one would deal with all the issues of the Young family¡± The struggle within the rich family was veryplicated. Although Allison was from an ordinary background, she could understand it. Nichs¡¯ phone rang, he answered the call, Allison quietly ate her meal. It was the peak dining period at noon. But Nichs was a VIP customer of the restaurant, and he booked a quiet andfortable private room. There were four tables in the room, each table could amodate up to four people, and they were separated from each other. The people who dined here were not ordinary people, they were all well educated and wouldn¡¯t make excessive noise. So even with four tables in one room, it was still quiet, only light conversation could be heard. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Allison took a sip of water, and her gaze fell on the food in Nichs te. He was on the phone, and ordered a te of creamy mushroom pasta, but there was sometro garnish on it, which he seemed to dislike and was picking out Allison watched his action, her heart pounding. If it was just a coincidence that Nichs and Ricky looked alike, there seemed to be too many coincidences these days Was he really my brother? Chapter 353 Chapter 353 Chapter 353 Allison suddenly felt her heart pounding like crazy. She gripped her cutlery so tightly that her knuckles turned white from the pressure, yet she felt no pain at all. Nichs told her that he lost his memory in a car ident when he was 15, and since then, he¡¯d been living with his granny in Britain. He had a birthmark on his back that he was born with After ending his call, Nichs put his phone down and said to Allison, ¡°Sorry about that, a friend needed me.¡± He thought it was kinda rude to be on a long call during mealtime. However, he noticed Allison¡¯s eyes were red and he was a little taken aback, What¡¯s wrong, why are you crying again? Although you look good when you cry, I¡¯m not bullying you¡± Allison was just feeling a wave of emotions. She didn¡¯t know what to say. She felt scared, scared that she might be getting her hopes up for nothing, feeling like she was living in a dream, her emotions too overwhelming to control. 1 she forced a smile. I¡¯m not crying, see?¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Her smile was a bit strained and goofy, but unexpectedly cute Nichs passed her some tissues, ¡°Alright, no more tears. I wasn¡¯t picking on you.¡± Allison took the tissue and wiped her tears. Nichs found Allison¡¯s behavior a bit odd. This woman, demanding to see his ID on their first meet- up, a bit unreasonable and demanding, just like those women who wanted to get se to him before. But she had a unique kind of cuteness, pure and innocent, with no ulterior motives in her eyes, and he didn¡¯t mind herpany. ¡°You¡¯ve smudged your eye makeup. Nichs chuckled, stood up slightly, and wiped the corner of her eyes with a tissue. Allison was taken aback. I¡¯m not wearing any makeup.¡± The door to the private room opened and a waitress walked in with a man and a woman. ¡®Sir, madam, right this way.¡± The man was wearing a ck suit, looking dashing, and the woman was wearing a pink floral dress with a woolen shawl draped over, her belly prominently bulging Penelope walked in, arm in arm with Lucian. The first thing Lucian saw was the familiar woman sitting across them. Another man was wiping her eyes, she appeared to have been crying, and the man was gerllyforting her Lucian¡¯s gaze immediately turned stern Penelope didn¡¯t notice that The Lindberg family had arranged for her to have prenatal checkup that morning. They were very concerned about the baby, often arranging checkups for her, afraid the baby might have any issues Penelope had no choice but to agree. Thankfully, Pete¡¯s people had been secretly handling things, and there hadn¡¯t been any problems. The more the Lindberg family cared about the baby, the more anxious Penelope became. Only two months left until the baby¡¯s birth, and although she could hide things for now, once the baby was born, there was no way they could trick the Lindberg family in a DNA test. Originally, Lucian didnt n to apany her for the checkup, but this time, since she hadn¡¯t seen Lucian for a long time, she had the doctor tell him that. the baby was unstable, which brought him rushing over ¡°Maybe we should sit over there? Penelope pointed to an empty table, nning to go there with Lucian. She liked sitting by the window, but to her surprise, she turned her head and saw Allison sitting with a strange yet handsome man At the same time, Lucran was also looking in that direction. Penelope bit her lip hard, ¡°Lucian The name she called out was just right However, Allison heard it too. Chapter 354 Chapter 354 Chapter 354 Nichs had heard that although his family and the Lindberg family did not have an in-depth partnership, the elders of the two families knew each other well and had maintained a good rtionship. This time Nichs got back, he even swung by the Lindberg¡¯s crib and paid a visit to Carter, He was tight with James, who was a good friend of Lucian. He and Lucian hadn¡¯t really shot the breeze much, but they were not total strangers either. It was just that he found it a little difficult to get along with someone as aloof as Lucian, feeling that they weren¡¯t in the same league and not willing to tter to please. But he¡¯d got basic manners, so Nichs got up and said. ¡°Fancy meeting you here, Luca.¡± Allison also got up, and shot a nce at Penelope standing next to Lucian. Once Penelope caught her nce, she got all edgy and clung onto Lucian¡¯s hand Allison cracked a smile, she didn¡¯t expect Penelope to be so guarded. Her eyesnded on Penelope¡¯s bulging belly, ¡°Ms. nagan, you¡¯re eight months in, arent you? Just two more months and you¡¯ll be popping take good care of yourself¡± Earlier that morning, she saw Grace hustling to Epic Entertainment to drop off some chicken soup for her. Penelope subconsciously touched her belly, and she was a tad nervous about what Allison might say. She decided to beat her to the punch, ¡°What¡¯s your game here? What¡¯s it to you? Allison, I¡¯ve known you since we were kids. I know what you¡¯re up to, but you can¡¯ty a finger on my baby. This is mine and Lucian¡¯s baby. If I¡¯ve ever rubbed you the wrong way, you can me me, but don¡¯t hold it against my kid.¡± Once she was done, she seemed a little spooked and hid behind Lucian Nichs frowned, ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean, Ms. nagan?¡± He had no clue about the beef between Penelope and Allison, but her words made him uneasy. Penelope didn¡¯t know Nichs, she thought he was some boyfriend Allison had roped in, so she didn¡¯t give him the time of day. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. But she didn¡¯t expect this bloke to be quite a looker, how did he end up with someone in like Allison? Lucian frowned, and Penelope immediately clung to his arm, Lucian, let¡¯s sit over there¡± Allison¡¯s gaze never strayed onto Lucian, and the man just gave Nichs a nod, then looked away. He and Penelope went to sit by the window. Lucian was eyeing the woman¡¯s silhouette, but the smile on her face was for Nichs, which annoyed him. Nichs watched Allison, who didn¡¯t seem phased or put off by the earlier kerfuffle. Nichs bit his lip slightly. ¡°That was Luca¡¯s fiancee, she¡¯s expecting so she might say something inappropriate. Don¡¯t sweat it.¡± Allison chuckled slightly, looking up at Nichs, ¡°I know her better than you do, I know what kind of person Penelope is ¡°Seeing the confusion in Nichs¡¯ eyes, she exined, ¡°My mom used to be the housekeeper for the nagan family, and I grew up in their house¡± Nichs frowned slightly, for some reason, hearing Allison casually recounting her past made him feel a bit uneasy, as if something deep down was being stirred ¡°He watched as Allison ate her fruit sd, ¡°If you like this, I can get you a takeout box,¡± Allison shook her head, ¡°No need, it¡¯s too expensive here, I can make it myself at home.¡± But Nichs had already called the waiter and ced an additional order with some extra popr desserts, The cherry pie here is pretty good.¡± Allison gave a smallugh, ¡°I make a meaner cherry pie.¡± Nichs asked. ¡°Do I get a chance to try yours?¡± Allison suddenly asked, ¡°Brother, do you like cherry pie?¡± Nichs was taken aback, surprised to be called brother by a girl. Seeing Allison¡¯s radiant smile, he also felt a tinge of joy, ¡°Cherry pie, never had it.¡± But he wasn¡¯t much of a sweet tooth. He asked, ¡°What did you just call me?¡± Chapter 355 Chapter 355 Chapter 355 Penelope¡¯s phone gave off a faint buzz from within her bag. She nced down and saw a text from Pete, asking her to call him back. She looked up at the man sitting across from her at the dining table. ¡°Lucian, I¡¯m going to use the restroom.¡± This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. She stood up. And since she was 8 months pregnant, she couldn¡¯t move very well, she had to walk out of the booth slowly, while holding on to her back, then took out her cell phone and went into the restroom What¡¯s up, Pete? I¡¯m having dinner with Lucian, Penelope sounded a bit peeved. Even though she and Pete had history and the baby she was carrying was his, she was set to be thedy of the Lindberg family, so she wanted to keep her distance from Pete. But sometimes, she had to rely on Pete to keep her secret, which scared her a little. Leah had warned her countless times not to ever cross Pete and his father once she was part of the Lindberg family. After all, David was the Lindberg¡¯s butler and it would be wise to dig up some dirt on Pete to keep him in check. Pete was in the middle of a card game, his phone on speaker sitting on the table. Having dinner, huh? Penelope, I miss you. How about we meet up at our usual spot tonight? Penelope could hear the sounds of Pete¡¯s card game and the noise in the background over the phone. She reluctantly said. ¡°Pete, it¡¯s really tough for me to get out at night since my mom¡¯s at home and she keeps a close eye on me¡± ¡°How about I swing by then? Penelope, don¡¯t you miss me? That Lucian guy doesn¡¯ty a finger on you. I¡¯ve been the one keeping youpany these past few months¡± Penelope¡¯s cheeks blushed at Pete¡¯s blunt remark over the phone. Pete, my mom¡¯s at home. If she finds out¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be scared of? The baby inside you is mine.¡± I¡¯ll be waiting at home then¡­ ¡°Great, I¡¯ve already arranged for someone to cover up your prenatal check up today. No one will find out.¡± Thank you, Pete¡± Penelope hung up, touched up her makeup in the mirror, and then left the restroom. As soon as she stepped out, she saw Nichs heading her way. She couldn¡¯t help but frown at his handsome appearance and extraordinary demeanor. He looked a lot like Grace¡¯s son, but their demeanors were worlds apart. She had often given Ricky a hard time back in the nagan family, and was taken aback at the sight of someone so simr. But Ricky was dead. She couldn¡¯t possibly link this man of such stature and demeanor to Grace¡¯s son who had been dead for many years. This Allison was just a help in their house, yet Lucian seemed to have a thing for her, as did Jason And yet, this man standing before her, who didn¡¯t seem to be short of a bob or two, was also with Allison. What kind of magic did she possess? Nichs was just about to enter the restroom when he heard a woman¡¯s voice behind him. The voice was soft and sweet, but not to Nichs¡¯ liking ¡°Excuse me, sir¡­ Nichs stopped and turned around to look at Penelope, raising an eyebrow as he waited for her to say. Penelope said, ¡®Excuse me, sir, I¡¯m not sure about your rtionship with Allison. Are you her boyfriend?¡± Nichs looked at her and replied, ¡°Ms. nagan, if you have something to say just spit it out. No need to beat around the bush.¡± ¡°Well, you seem to know my france, and I just thought Id give you a friendly heads up. This Allison, she¡¯s not as innocent as she seems¡± ¡°Well? Then, Ms. nagan, could you enlighten me what kind of person she is?¡± Chapter 356 Chapter 356 Chapter 356 ¡°She was making moves on my fiance before, and I caught her. She almost fooled my fiance because she looks like me. Plus, she¡¯s been kinda flirtatious with Jason too. It seems like she¡¯s juggling several men at once. Her private life is a hot mess. I¡¯m telling you this because you¡¯re a friend of my fiance, and I just want to give you a heads up, don¡¯t get yed by her.¡± Nichs had encountered some skilled pretenders before, but the extent of Penelope¡¯s disguise amused him. He hadn¡¯t liked her from the moment heid eyes on her, perceiving her as a disingenuous woman. Even though he¡¯d only met Penelope a few times, he just can¡¯t stand her. He even found her resemnce to Allison irksome. The same features that made Allison appear gentle and sincere seemed overly cheap and garish on Penelope. ¡°Ms. nagan, I know what Allison is like. Plus, if so many great guys are into her, it only means she¡¯s remarkable. Your fiance¡­ maybe he was attracted to her because he found her remarkable too. You should ask Luca what you¡¯reckingpared to Allison instead of trying to rile me up.¡± Penelope was taken aback, clearly not expecting Nichs to p back like this. He had absolutely no respect for her, nor for Lucian. ¡°You!¡± she gawked. Nichs just shot her a look, full of disdain. Looking at her belly, he wondered how a woman like this could marry into the Lindberg family. Did she have some dirt on Lucian? Otherwise, why would Lucian be into her? Inside the private room. Allison was sipping soup, trying out the restaurant¡¯s signature pastries. Her lips were full of the rich vor. Her phone suddenly buzzed. ¡°Lucian¡± popped up on the screen. She raised an eyebrow and checked the message. The man sent a text: ¡°Come here.¡± Allison didn¡¯t go. She just nced at the message and put down her phone, continuing to eat. Half a minute passed. The man seemed to realize she was ignoring him and sent another one: ¡°Who allowed you to go out alone with Nichs?¡± This time Allison texted back: ¡°Why can¡¯t I?¡± Then she sent another one: ¡°Mr. Lindberg, aren¡¯t you being a bit too nosy?¡± ¡°Allison!¡± Even through the screen, Allison could feel the man gritting his teeth at the other end. She calmly responded: ¡°Mr. Lindberg. I came here to eat. Why are you getting so worked up? Cool down with some ice water. Your fiancee is outside, what if she bumps into me if I go there? What if she gets upset and it scares the baby?¡± ¡°You sure know how to argue.¡± Just then, the door was pushed open. Penelope walked in. She looked at Allison, who was leisurely enjoying her meal. Although she really wanted to vent, Lucian was there. She couldn¡¯t easily expose her emotions, or it would ruin her image in Lucian¡¯s heart. If she could, she wanted to expose this woman¡¯s hypocrisy on the spot. She sat down across from Lucian, her voice and expression bing gentle, ¡°Lucian, when I went to the bathroom just now, the baby kicked me. I¡¯m really looking forward to the arrival of this child.¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. In two more months, if all went well, she could be thedy of the Lindberg family. However, the baby in her belly was a huge surprise. ¡°In two months, you¡¯re going to give birth. You need to take good care of yourself during these two months. I¡¯ll arrange for your regr prenatal check-ups,¡± Lucian said. Carter valued this child a lot. Lucian looked at Penelope, feelingplicated. He found his feelings for Penelope were no longer the same, as if he had lost all interest. This Penelope, she was really odd. Sometimes, Penelope would attract him, and their brief interactions would make him feel happy. But more often than not, he didn¡¯t like her. He could see right through the scheming in her eyes Chapter 357 Chapter 357 Chapter 357 The Penelope in his heart was always pure and Innocent, the girl who once saved him. But Lucian often felt that the Penelope in front of him was cunning and calcting, even suspecting from time to time whether the child in her belly was really his. The man squinted his eyes. Two monthster, when the child was born, he would definitely investigate thoroughly. Nichs returned to the private room with no appetite. As Allison finished eating, he asked the waiter to pack up some pastries. ncing at the time, he said, ¡®I¡¯ll drop you off at Red Jack Club. What time do you get off work tonight?¡± Allison had her hair casually tied up while eating. Now she untied the hair tie, let down her hair, and carefullybed it with her fingers. ¡°Are you going to pick me up after work?¡± Nichs replied, ¡°I can arrange a driver for you. It¡¯s not safe for a girl to get off work toote.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Allison responded, ¡°I usually get a ride with a friend. It¡¯s on their way. And my working hours aren¡¯t fixed. It depends on the guests in my private room. When they leave, that¡¯s when I finish and go home. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m always with friends. If it gets toote, I¡¯ll stay overnight in the break room and go home the next day.¡± ¡°Which private room are you in now? I didn¡¯t see you on the 6th floor the other day.¡± ¡°The 2nd floor.¡± Nichs wasn¡¯t a regr at Red Jack Club, but he was familiar with its workings. Typically, the higher the floor was, the more prominent the guests were. The second floor, on the other hand, was mostly upied by individual customers, and there was a diverse range of people there. It was rtively chaotic inparison. Allison shrugged, ¡°These two weeks, the 6th floor has been managed by another manager. I just earn less, but everything else is the same.¡± As Allison and Nichs descended the stairs, Allison¡¯s phone buzzed twice. When she didn¡¯t check it, Nichs next to her reminded her, ¡°Your phone¡¯s ringing.¡± Allison chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s a text from a nutcase. Don¡¯t mind him.¡± Nichs guessed, ¡°Luca?¡± Allison¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°How do you know? Was I that obvious?¡± Nichs asked, ¡°Is Luca chasing after you?¡± Allison¡¯s eyes widened even more. ¡°What are you thinking? How could he be chasing me?¡± Nichs looked at her deeply, ¡°I feel Luca treats you differently from others.¡± ¡°You¡¯re overthinking.¡± Allison lowered her eyes. How could Lucian possibly like her? He couldn¡¯t even hide his distaste for her. As the car sped along the road, Nichs nced at the rearview mirror at the silent woman¡¯s face. ¡°Allison, it¡¯s strange, but feel a sense of familiarity with you. Penelope said earlier you¡¯re a scheming woman, but in my eyes, you¡¯re an innocent and kind girl. It feels like we¡¯ve met before, maybe in a past life, I was your brother.¡± Allison bit her lip. Her eyes felt moist and sour. She wasn¡¯t sure if this man was Ricky, but all the coincidences were too simr. She preferred to deceive herself. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°So, how about you treat me like your little sister? Let me¡­ call you brother a few times. I understand, I¡¯m just a girl from an ordinary family, and you¡¯re from a wealthy and prominent one. I¡¯m not greedy, and calling you brother a few times won¡¯t cost you anything.¡± Nichs paused for a moment, then a smile appeared on his face half a minuteter. ¡°Sure, I suddenly gained a beautiful and gentle little sister. It¡¯s my luck.¡± Hearing Nichs¡¯ words, the pain in Allison¡¯s heart these past few days seemed to have disappeared. She wouldn¡¯t leave Northfield; she would stay here. Penelope and Leah couldn¡¯t think of driving her away, and they couldn¡¯t threaten her anymore. She was going to stay here to find out if Nichs was really her brother. Chapter 358 Chapter 358 Chapter 358 Allison was a bit on the fence about the whole Nichs thing, debating whether to spill the beans to her mom. However, her mom¡¯s rtionship with Penelope had always rubbed Allison the wrong way. Penelope and Leah had nearly cost Grace her life and yet, her mom was still very attentive to Penelope After bidding Nichs farewell, she ducked into the changing room to switch into a new outfit. Scanning the room and not finding Payton, she casually asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Payton?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t got a clue, Ashley replied, ¡°Haven¡¯t seen her since yesterday.¡± Allison whipped out her phone and shot Payton a text, asking why she was a no-show but there was no reply. Back in the day, even when Payton had sses, she would always drop a text to let Allison know. What had happened these past two days? ¡°Ashley, did Payton mention anything about her MIA to you?¡± ¡°Nope, radio silence. Tried to get her to go shopping with me yesterday afternoon but she bailed.¡± The Burke residence As James walked through the door, the butler immediately said, ¡°Mr. Burke, you¡¯re finally back, your parents have been waiting for you.¡± James raised an eyebrow, ¡°What¡¯s the buzz?¡± ¡°We have guests, your parents want you to join them¡± ¡°Who?¡± James was caught off guard.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. He walked into the living room, Sitting on the couch was a girl in a light pink dress with long hair, beautiful eyes, and wless skin. Milo looked at his son, ¡°What took you so long? Come over here.¡± James approached, ¡°Dad, mom, who¡¯s this?¡± ¡°This is Cicely.¡± Amanda introduced, ¡°She¡¯ll be staying with us from now on Get to know each other and y nice.¡± James nced at Cicely, who stood up, looking a bit awkward. She said softly, ¡°Hi,¡± James nodded in acknowledgement, then said to Amanda, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m heading upstairs if there¡¯s nothing else.¡± Knowing her son, Amanda nodded, ¡°Alright, go ahead.¡± As James ascended the stairs, Amanda turned to Cicely. ¡°Cicely, this is home now. If you need anything, let me know.¡± Milo added, ¡°You can always turn to Amanda if you need anything. Your father and I have been friends for years. I won¡¯t stand by and do nothing when he¡¯s in trouble. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll swing by the police station tomorrow and see if there¡¯s anything I can do.¡± Cicely bit her lip without saying anything. In just two days, her family was turned upside down. Her father¡¯spany went under, he was embroiled in legal trouble, and her mother was detained. Milo offered Cicely shelter at the Burke residence toy low. James made his way upstairs, ncing back at Cicely in the living room. Looking at the young girl¡¯s clear and refined face, although surprised by this sudden addition to the household, he didn¡¯t really care. Her name was Cicely. Herman¡¯s daughter. -He was somewhat familiar with her family¡¯s situation. Their main business was jewelry. While not large-scale, the Burke family had always maintained a tight-knit partnership with them due to a longstanding friendship tracing back to their earlier generations. However, their business had always been struggling, and under the pressure of Northfield¡¯s major jewelers, many of their stores had closed. Despite their online business doing alright, they¡¯d hit a snag this time. The already teeteringpany had gone belly up. Their cash flow was in a mess and couldn¡¯t be resolved. Herman had been locked up, and Hry was under house arrest. And Cicely, the only child of Herman and Hry, had to face a group of disgruntled shareholders after thepany went bust. Milo decided to take her under the Burke family¡¯s wing. James shrugged it off. What did it matter to him? At most, there was now one more person to feed at home, an extra set of utensils. He hardly spent time at home during the day anyway. Chapter 359 Chapter 359 Chapter 359 Red Jack Club. Allison had tried to reach Payton twice, but got no response. This had her worried. Just as she was about to go look for Payton, Ashley called out to her, telling her the new shift schedule was out. She dragged Allison over to take a look. ¡°Aw man, Payton¡¯s name isn¡¯t on the schedule. Did she take some time off? Even if she did, it would¡¯ve been marked.¡± Allison stared at the schedule. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go check in with Sarah,¡± she told Ashley. Ever since Payton found out that the big boss was the man she¡¯d been looking for, she¡¯d only seen him once. After that, there was no sign of Payton. Could something have happened? Allison made it to Sarah¡¯s office in no time. She knocked and went in. Sarah was on the phone, so Allison waited. When Sarah finished, she gave Allison a nce, ¡°Have a seat.¡± ¡°Sarah, do you know if something¡¯s happened to Payton?¡± Sarah brought over a cup of coffee, ¡°About Payton¡­ sit down. I¡¯ll fill you in.¡± ¡°Sarah¡­¡± Allison looked at Sarah, noticing a change in her expression. Could something really have happened to Payton? ¡°Allison, about Payton¡¯s situation¡­ it¡¯s best you keep your nose out of it. Yesterday, Wiley came by and took Payton to the CEO¡¯s office. In the afternoon, I got the news that Payton was fired.¡± Allison¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Why? Could it be¡­ she bit her lip, ¡°Is the big boss really the man Payton was looking for?¡± Sarah nced at Allison, who was biting her lip hard. ¡°I¡¯ve been working here for over a decade, Allison. Be careful with your words. The less you know, the better. If the boss is indeed the man Payton was talking about, it¡¯s better for us not to know.¡± Allison knew Payton¡¯s story. She knew how important this man was to Payton. A promise from a man might be made casually, but a woman could remember it for a lifetime. He probably forgot about Payton long ago. She stood up, got Payton¡¯s home address from Sarah, and prepared to leave the office. Sarah watched Allison¡¯s retreating figure, ¡°By the way, Allison, have you run into any trouble recently? Has Serena been. giving you a hard time?¡± Allison looked at Sarah, nodding, ¡°There is something I need to tell you¡­¡± Sarah had a bad feeling. Allison told Sarah about what happened in the private room the night before. Sarah frowned, ¡°I knew it. Serena would do something like this. Work on the second floor for the next few days. Call me if there¡¯s any trouble.¡± Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Thank you, Sarah.¡± ¡°By the way.¡± Sarah said, ¡°I heard from Gavin that you¡¯ve been in touch. Are you thinking about taking him up on his offer?¡± Allison clenched her fists, ¡°Opportunities are something you have to seize yourself, right?¡± ¡°Good for you!¡± On Saturday afternoon, Allison arrived promptly at the entrance of Center Stage Academy. She followed the instructions in the text message on her phone, arrived at the entrance of the big conference room, picked up her ss card, signed her name, and then walked in. She was wearing a mask. When she arrived, the seats were almost filled up, so she ended up at the very back. At first, Allison felt odd about wearing a mask. But when she walked in and saw the crowd¡­ There were way too many students attending Jennifer¡¯s acting ss. Not just students from this school, but a lot of celebrities as well. Most were wearing masks and dressed to the nines. Chapter 360 Chapter 360 Chapter 360 Jennifer had been a hotshot in the entertainment industry for 30 years, making her mark as an actress, producer, and renowned director, one step at a time, and garnering a huge amount of public recognition. Her lectures always drew a full house, and Jennifer didn¡¯t often give lectures. The reason she was able to speak to everyone this time was because of her longstanding friendship with the principal of Center Stage Academy. Allison snagged a seat way in the back. She knew today¡¯s lecture would be a full house, so she brought her sses. With them on, her view was much clearer. Jennifer wasn¡¯t there yet, and the lecture was just five minutes away from starting. The auditorium was practically filled to capacity, but it was quiet except for the sounds of footsteps and rustling clothes. Everyone found a seat and sat down quietly, with asional whispers. ¡°Excuse me,¡± a man murmured as he strolled by Allison got up to let him through, and he muttered a thank you. At 2 p.m., Jennifer arrived on the dot. The first round of cheering erupted in the room. Jennifer was dressed casually in a simple grey tracksuit, but she radiated elegance and her eyes were sharp and lively. Despite being middle-aged, she maintained herself well, with a tall and slender figure and healthy skin. She took the stage and looked around, ¡°I¡¯m delighted to be here at the invitation of Mr. Rick, at the very school I graduated from Some of you here are passionate about acting and others are students of this school. I¡¯m thrilled to share my insights and experiences with you.¡± The young students were thrilled to see Jennifer. Her status in the entertainment industry was irreceable. She exuded a powerful aura from the stage, but she wasn¡¯t intimidating. Allison took out her pen and began jotting down points she found important. Jennifer¡¯s few words answered the questions in her heart. Jennifer¡¯s lecture was only two hours, but Allison scribbled down a lot. When she first started acting, although Gavin said she had a knack for it, it didn¡¯t mean she was naturally good. There was a lot to polish, like minor expressions, movements, ways of expression, bodynguage, etc. At four in the afternoon, Jennifer¡¯s lecture came to an end. Students who wanted to have a one-on-one conversation with -her and lesser-known celebrities hoping to establish a connection with her hurriedly approached her. The bodyguards immediately stepped in to maintain order, and Jennifer left the ssroom. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. As the crowd thinned, Allison got up. Her seat was already at the back, so she was in no rush to leave. Just as she was about to go, a man¡¯s voice sounded next to her, ¡°You took so many notes, want me to introduce you to her?¡± Allison was taken aback and turned to look at him. Only she and the man remained in the auditorium. She looked closely, ¡°Mr. Aaron, is that you?¡±¡± Aaron was wrapped up in a ck mask and a baseball cap. He stood up at this moment, ¡°You just recognized me now?¡± Allison lowered her eyes, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±, she indeed hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the people around her. Aaron chuckled, although his mask hid his smile, his eyes crinkled, ¡°I recognized you at first nce.¡± Allison was easy to spot. Even with her mask on, her figure and aura stood out. Aaron recognized her instantly. She was different from the others. ¡°I didn¡¯t recognize you, I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Aaron¡­¡± Allison looked at him, thinking she was blocking his way, she quickly stepped aside, and asked excitedly, ¡°What did you just say¡­?¡± Aaron stood up, ¡°I said, I¡¯ll Introduce you to Jennifer.¡± Chapter 361 Chapter 361 Chapter 361 Allison¡¯s eyes immediately lit up, somewhat in disbelief. ¡®Are you serious?¡± ¡°Do you think I would lie?¡± ¡°A person like Mr. Aaron wouldn¡¯t lie for sure.¡± ¡°Oh? What kind of person am I?¡± ¡°A movie star.¡± Aaron gave a chuckle, walking ahead. ¡°That¡¯s just a fancy title.¡± This fancy title was indeed an award everyone in the entertainment industry was vying for. The knock on the door sounded. The door to the lounge opened, and the bodyguard looked at the man and woman standing at the door. The man took off his mask. ¡°I¡¯m looking for Jennifer.¡± Jennifer¡¯s voice came from inside. ¡°It¡¯s Aaron, isn¡¯t it? Come in.¡± Aaron walked in front, with Allison following behind. They walked into the lounge one after the other. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Jennifer stood up. ¡°Long time no see.¡± Aaron gave her a hug. ¡°Actually, we just metst month.¡± Jenniferughed. ¡°A month already, huh? That¡¯s a long time.¡± She nced at the girl standing behind Aaron, wearing at mask, with only her eyes visible. But those eyes made Jennifer observe for several seconds. ¡°Aaron, aren¡¯t you going to introduce your girlfriend?¡± Allison was startled by the title. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not¡­¡± -Aaron looked at her, gave a smile, and said to Jennifer, ¡°This is my friend, Allison.¡± He then turned to Allison. ¡°Allison, this is my mentor, Jennifer.¡± Allison was a bit excited, her palms were sweating. She couldn¡¯t believe she was actually meeting Jennifer and getting a chance to interact with her. ¡°Jennifer.¡± Jennifer nodded. Having been in the entertainment industry for 30 years, she¡¯d seen countless people. She could see that the girl in front of her had bright, clear eyes and looked quite innocent. Jennifer nodded, sat down on the couch, and said, ¡°Come sit, let¡¯s have a good chat.¡± Allison nced at Aaron, Aaron, knowing she was nervous, gave her a small smile. Then he sat down across from Jennifer, with Allison following suit. Jennifer said, ¡°Even though you didn¡¯te from a professional background, that doesn¡¯t mean your path ahead will necessarily be difficult. If Aaron rmended that we should meet, it means you¡¯re very talented. I trust Aaron¡¯s judgement.¡± Aaron told Jennifer, ¡°Allison is very talented in acting. The first time I had a scene with her, it felt very familiar, as if she was¡­ her.¡± Jennifer was somewhat surprised. ¡°Oh? Really?¡± A glint of interest shed in her eyes. This was the first time Aaron had spoken so highly of a girl. Allison didn¡¯t know who the ¡®her¡¯ Aaron mentioned was, but she must¡¯ve been an amazing actress. How could her own acting skills, which were so mediocre, bepared to such a person? Aaron said, ¡°If you have a sultable role for her, please let me know.¡± Jennifer caught his drift. ¡°Should I contact you, or should I contact Allison?¡± Allison looked at Aaron in surprise. Was Aaron helping her get an opportunity from Jennifer? Aaron smiled and said, ¡°Why can¡¯t it be both of us?¡± Jennifer gave a faint smile. ¡°If I have a suitable role, you¡¯re definitely in! But Allison, I¡¯m working on a script right now, so you can add me on WhatsApp¡± Allison took out her phone. She never thought she could actually have Jennifer¡¯s WhatsApp, which was quite a surprise. Aaron said, ¡°Jennifer, I don¡¯t mind having another fellow colleague.¡± Jenniferughed. ¡°You¡¯re learning to be cheeky, aren¡¯t you? If you don¡¯t mind having another fellow colleague, how can! mind having another student?¡± Allison was a bit stunned, not quite catching Jennifer¡¯s meaning at first. Jennifer looked at Allison. Her eyes were really clear and beautiful. It¡¯d been a long time since she saw a girl with such a spirit. Her face, her eyes, and her aura, all seemed like she was born to be in the entertainment industry. Jennifer said, ¡°Allison, I teach a ss every Wednesday at Sterius Tower 109. If you¡¯re free, you can come and check it out.¡± Allison immediately said, ¡°Really? I¡¯ll definitely be there on time!¡± Chapter 362 Chapter 362 Chapter 362 A few knocks echoed on the door. Then, the assistant shuffled over to open it. Some folks outside seemed to be chit-chatting. Turning to Jennifer, the assistant announced, ¡°Jennifer, Mr. Austin is here.¡± Jennifer nodded, sipping her coffee. ¡°Show him in.¡± Mr. Austin entered, and a young girl trailed behind him. Jennifer, a long time buddy of Mr. Austin, stood up. As he approached, Mr. Austin said, ¡°Hope I¡¯m not interrupting anything.¡± His gazended on Aaron, recognizing him instantly. ¡°You must be Aaron.¡± Aaron nodded in response. ¡°Hello, Mr. Austin.¡± He walked up and shook hands with Mr. Austin. An actor like Aaron, with both talent and poprity, was a rare breed in show biz. Mr. Austin held him in high regard. After some small talk, Mr. Austin¡¯s attention drifted to the young girl standing behind Aaron. In fact, he had noticed her the moment he stepped in. She had a pure, hazy charm as if veiled in a soft mist. Her features were beautiful, her aura unique, and she was certainly eye-catching. He was sure she wasn¡¯t a student from their school because he would¡¯ve noticed her if she was. Seeing her with Aaron, he guessed she must¡¯ve been Aaron¡¯s friend. Aaron, noticing the girl Mr. Austin had brought in, understood that Mr. Austin was here to make a rmendation. So, he turned to Jennifer and said, ¡°Mr. Austin, Allison and I won¡¯t hang around here and bother you guys anymore. We¡¯ll head out and leave you guys to chat.¡± Allison chimed in, ¡°Goodbye, Jennifer¡± Jennifer nodded. ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Once Allison and Aaron had left, she turned her attention to the girl behind Mr. Austin. She looked about Allison¡¯s age, had an innocent face, and a youthful energy about her. Her features were gorgeous, her dress sense tasteful. But beautiful girls were a dime a dozen in Hollywood; she wasn¡¯t particrly a standout Jennifer looked at Mr. Austin. ¡°Austin, take a seat. It¡¯s been a while.¡± Mr. Austin chuckled ¡°Yep, I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re prepping for a new movie. How¡¯s thating along?¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Not bad, had a few hups, but it¡¯s all sorted out. Austin, you didn¡¯te here just to ask about my movie, did you? Introduce your friend to me.¡± ¡°This is Mandy, the top student in our acting department. Pride colored Mr. Austin¡¯s words. Mandy was a bit nervous, standing in front of Jennifer. ¡°Hello, Jennifer.¡± Jennifer nodded, gesturing for the assistant toe over. The assistant promptly served two cups of coffee. Mr. Austin took a sip. ¡°You can give her a try, she¡¯s pretty darn good among her peers.¡± Jennifer nodded, giving Mandy a scenario to act out. Mandy performed swiftly, and Jennifer chuckled. ¡°Not bad.¡± A smile spread across Mandy¡¯s face, but Mr. Austin knew Jennifer too well. Her lukewarm response meant she wasn¡¯t impressed and was just saying this for the sake of him. He said to Mandy, ¡°Mandy, why don¡¯t you step outside for a bit? Jennifer and I need to talk.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Mandy nodded, a hint of unease creeping into her heart. Was her performance not good enough? She was at the top of her ss, always praised by her teacher for her vibrant and spirited performances. She was skilled at using various techniques, and every subtle movement came off as natural and real. Despite her confusion, she didn¡¯t interrupt Mr. Austin and Jennifer¡¯s conversation. She stepped out of the lounge, clutching her hands lightly. She would sneak nces at the room, unable to see what was happening inside. Looking around, she found herself alone, so, she decided to press her ear against the door, trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. Sadly, she couldn¡¯t hear a thing. Chapter 363 Chapter 363 Chapter 363 Five in the afternoon, Center Stage Academy Principal¡¯s office. Most of the peopleing in and out of this ce were the school bigwigs, with a few students thrown in for good measure Mandy stood at the door, the sun setting, her heart pounding with anxiety and anticipation. She was here thanks to the sway her family held. She had donated a library to Center Stage Academy when she joined, and there were other coborations in the pipeline. This time, she was hoping Mr. Austin could hook her up with Jennifer, a big shot in the film and TV industry. Jennifer¡¯sst directed movie had raked in 2.7 billion at the box office, making her a national powerhouse among female directors. Now, she was gearing up for a new film project. It was a sci-fi blockbuster told from a female perspective. This movie could potentially cause quite a stir in the industry. Many actresses were jostling for the leading role, hoping to boost their fame through the film. But Jennifer was on the hunt for fresh talent for the female lead. That¡¯s why Mr. Austin brought Mandy. In the office. Mr. Austin adjusted his sses. Jennifer, you know why I¡¯m here. What do you think of Mandy?¡± Jennifer raised an eyebrow slightly. ¡°I thought you were here for a chat.¡± Seeing Austin¡¯s awkward expression, Jennifer sighed. ¡°Austin, is this the best acting your drama department can do?¡± This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Austin coughed awkwardly. Mandy was a good actress, but not the best. She was pretty, but being pretty was a dime a dozen in showbiz. Mandy was more fit for an inte celebrity than an actress. She was pretty butcked a distinct look. Her features weren¡¯t striking, but she looked good under the filters of short video social media tforms. ¡°She works hard, despite her privileged background¡± Jennifer shook her head. ¡°I remember what Jesse said when I first met you. Acting requires innate charisma and image, and hard work and technique can only ount for 40%. I need a natural, charismatic face, not one that¡¯s been changed -through stic surgery.¡± Austin didn¡¯t expect Jennifer¡¯s sharp eye, to notice that Mandy had had stic surgery. Given Mandy¡¯s family¡¯s partnership with Center Stage Academy, Austin had topromise. ¡°If not the lead, then a supporting role?¡± Jennifer looked at him seriously, but her face remained kind. ¡°Austin, you know I value quality above all. My work cannot be wed.¡± Austin nodded, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s drop this. I¡¯m here to make introductions, so work¡¯s done. Let¡¯s talk about personal stuff.¡± He stood up. ¡°How about dinner tonight?¡± Jennifer replied, ¡°Of course.¡± Mandy was anxiously waiting outside when she heard footsteps behind her. She immediately straightened up and walked a few steps forward, resting her hands on the railing. Allison wasing over. Aaron was fetching the car, but he left his phone. He asked Allison to get it. Allison got to the entrance and saw the girl who had entered with Mr. Austin earlier. Allison stopped, their eyes met, and she nodded politely. Mandy looked at this girl, whose mask covered most of her face, but from her neck and arms, she could tell this girl had smooth skin and beautiful eyes. For some reason, she felt this girl was herpetition. Allison knocked on the door. Jennifer¡¯s assistant came to open it. ¡°Oh, Ms. Zimmer.¡± Allison said, ¡°Aaron left his phone here. Can I go in and get it? Or could you help me get it?¡± The assistant, who had worked with Jennifer for over a decade, smiled. ¡®Of course, pleasee in.¡± Allison walked in, and Mandy craned her neck to peek inside. She saw Mr. Austin and Jennifer chatting on the sofa. Sha thought, why were they still talking, and then saw the assistant give her a nce as she closed the door. Mandy realized she had been rude to peek and stood awkwardly. Jennifer handed Allison a ck phone. ¡°I was going to have my assistant deliver this to Aaron, but you coming for it is better.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Allison took the phone. ¡°Aaron went to fetch the car. I¡¯ll go now¡± Jennifer nodded, and once Allison had left, she turned to Austin. ¡°What do you think of this girl?¡± Chapter 364 Chapter 364 Chapter 364 ¡°Her?¡± Austin questioned. ¡°Is this your pick for the lead actress?¡± Jennifer didn¡¯t reply Austin fell silent for a moment. This girl, despite her mask, was undeniably stunning based on her aura and figure. Even without seeing her face, you could tell from her silhouette alone that she was something special. Although he hadn¡¯t seen any of her performances, he could tell from her eyes that she would be a big hit if she entered the entertainment industry. At this moment, Jennifer said, ¡°Do you think beauty matters in an industry filled with gorgeous women? Ordinary beauty doesn¡¯t cut it, but top-tier beauty, that definitely counts. Plus, this is the first time I¡¯ve ever seen Aaron rmend someone so highly¡± Austin joked. ¡°I thought you said you didn¡¯t care about people¡¯s status? Guess I¡¯m not big enough for ya, huh?¡± Jenniferughed. ¡°Austin, Aaron¡¯s my student. Of course I have to look out for him.¡± Austin stood upughing. ¡°Alright, I see you have things to take care of. I¡¯ll head out now. 7 p.m., Cuisine Carousel, I¡¯ve booked a private room.¡± Allison handed Aaron the phone. Taking it, he nced at the message, replied to a couple, and looked at Allison standing outside the car. ¡°Are you getting in?¡± Allison¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You¡¯re giving me a ride?¡± ¡°Oh? Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Of course, Aaron, aren¡¯t you afraid of paparazzi?¡± ¡°The paps are already snapping away The longer you stand outside my car, the longer they¡¯ll shoot. That means more money out of my pocket when mypany handles PR. So, Ms. Zimmer, get in the car.¡± Allison got in. She looked out the windows but didn¡¯t see any paparazzi. Aaron was so well-disguised, no one would recognize him. She wanted to say she could just take a cab. She and Aaron usually only exchanged a few words on set, so she didn¡¯t expect him to help her out. ¡°Thanks, Aaron.¡± ¡°No need for formalities,¡± Aaron said. ¡°Where am I dropping you off? Red Jack Club?¡± ¡°How¡­how did you know I work there?¡± Aaron¡¯s voice was gentle. ¡°I saw you there once during a cast party. You probably didn¡¯t notice me.¡± ¡°Right, there.¡± Allison didn¡¯t see any reason to be embarrassed. There was no shame in earning money by working hard. Half an hourter, the car stopped in front of Red Jack Club. Aaron asked, ¡°If Ie here, would you give me a discount on a private room?¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Of course, you¡¯d get a discount if you came.¡± When Allison got out of the car, Aaron waved his phone at her from inside. ¡°Remember to check your messages.¡± ¡°Sure, Allison replied with a smile. The night breeze blew gently. Allison fixed her hair, waved at Aaron in gratitude, then turned to climb the steps. After Allison had left, Aaron signaled the driver to start the car. The driver chuckled. ¡°Aaron, you don¡¯t have many female friends Ms. Zimmer seems very kind and sweet.¡± Aaron answered, ¡°She is indeed interesting, talented, and hardworking¡± The first time he met her was on a private trip to Pearl Ind. She was strikingly beautiful, immediately catching people¡¯s attention in a crowd. She had some unspeakable connection with Luca She bore a resemnce to Penelope. At first nce, they looked alike, but a closer look would reveal the differences. Their personalities and auras were different. He had taken on a role in Melody of Delight as a favor. The role of the second female lead was initially cast, but Penelope was ast-minute recement. He didn¡¯t have many scenes with Penelope, but not too few either. Penelope wasn¡¯t really cut out for films, she was more suited for being a model or an influencer, posing for photos, and styling thetest fashion trends. Chapter 365 Chapter 365 Chapter 365 At the nagan¡¯s household, Linda was tidying up the kitchen when she heard a crash upstairs. She shuddered slightly, but ducked her head and continued cleaning, knowing that Leah was throwing another tantrum. Ever since Allison showed up, Mr. nagan starteding home less and less often. Leah was constantly in a huff, and even when Mr. nagan dide home, they were always in a silent war, barely speaking to each other. Today was no different, with Leah blowing her top again. Upstairs was a mess from all the stuff Leah had thrown around, and Linda figured she¡¯d have to go up and clean that too. Linda let out a soft sigh. If not for the decent wage the nagans paid her, she wouldn¡¯t want to work here anymore, given Leah¡¯s increasingly unstable mood. Sure enough, after about ten minutes, Margo hobbled over and said, ¡°Linda, go clean up the study.¡± Linda muttered in acknowledgment and picked up her cleaning supplies to head upstairs. Margo limped along behind her, muttering under her breath about that ¡°slut Allison.¡± Linda rolled her eyes and headed upstairs, sneaking a nce at the overweight Margo struggling to climb the stairs. It was a painful sight to see Margo ascend the stairs. It¡¯d been two months since Allison pushed her down the stairs, and her leg still hadn¡¯t healed. Every time she climbed the stairs, she cursed Allison. But watching Margo¡¯s limping figure was quiteical. She looked like a piece of jiggling fat. Linda knocked on the door and then walked into the study. Leah was resting with her eyes closed on the couch, and her chest heaving. Clearly, she was still worked up. As Linda stepped in, she stepped on something. Looking down, she saw a shattered phone. It wasn¡¯t hard to guess just how much force Leah had used. She ced the phone on the coffee table and began to clean up the shards on the floor. Finally, Margo walked in, huffing and puffing, ¡°Madam, why are you fighting with the master? It¡¯s not the time to be upset. Let him do whatever he wants¡­¡± Leah opened her eyes and red at Margo, who immediately shut up. Leah sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been with Christopher for 24 years. Do you know what he thinks of me? Do you know how my so-called friends are ridiculing me?¡± Margo replied, ¡°Madam, that¡¯s nothing. Ms. Penelope is due in less than two months. Once the baby is born, she¡¯ll be Mrs. Lindberg. Your friends will be kissing up to you.¡± At the mention of Penelope, Leah¡¯s headache returned. Especially with regard to the baby in Penelope¡¯s belly, things had gotten this far, if the baby died, all would be for naught. But if the baby was born, it would be impossible to hide the blood rtion from the Lindbergs, and that would be a problem! This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°Where¡¯s Penelope?¡± Margo replied, ¡°She¡¯s not here yet, I heard she¡¯s ying poker.* Leah frowned. ¡°It¡¯ste, where could she be? Call her! She¡¯s heavily pregnant, what if something happens?¡± Margo took out her phone. ¡°She should be at the Red Jack Club.¡± Red Jack Club? Leah thought for a few seconds. Allison worked at the Red Jack Club, and she still hadn¡¯t been fired! Serena¡¯s work was truly shoddy! Originally, she had Allison work at the club to humiliate her, but Allison and her good looks attracted a lot of attention. Many rich clients specifically asked for Allison¡¯s service and tipped her well. She also met a lot of influential people through this job. Most importantly, Lucian often visited the Red Jack Club. She was worried that Allison would take this opportunity to get close to Lucian. If Lucian recognized Allison as the waitress from the hotel, how could her daughter Penelope ever be Lucian¡¯s wife? Unfortunately, Penelope was a real disappointment. Chapter 366 Chapter 366 Chapter 366 It¡¯d been eight months, and aside from checking in on the kid every once in a while, Lucian hadn¡¯t made any moves to meet up with Penelope. Likewise, the Lindbergs were mostly concerned with the bun in Penelope¡¯s oven. Miranda might¡¯ve looked sweet and approachable, but she was really ying the game every step of the way. Penelope tried to hash out wedding ns with Miranda and Cora multiple times, but they wouldn¡¯t bite. They said it was a young people¡¯s thing and they should sort it out themselves. Leah got up. ¡°I need a lift. I¡¯m heading to the Red Jack Club.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Margo responded instantly, ¡°Got it.¡± Wherever Leah went, Margo followed: She dragged herme leg and her chubby waist behind Leah. Leah seemed a bit impatient. ¡°Just chill at home.¡± She nces at the maid cleaning the study. ¡°Linda, you¡¯re with me.¡± Linda stood looking at the cleaning tools in her hand, then at Margo, and handed the tools over to her. Margo took them, reminding her, ¡°Linda, you gotta look after thedy.¡± Linda was a bit pissed at Margo. Did she really need to be told that? Even though Margo was also a servant, she was the housekeeper with four maids under her. She never did the heavy lifting and was always bossing the others around, acting like she owned the ce. Linda and the other maids didn¡¯t dare to voice their resentment, but they looked down on Margo. Red Jack Club. Leah stepped out of the elevator and headed straight for Serena¡¯s office. Linda trailed behind until they reached the manager¡¯s office. Leah said to her, ¡°Find Penelope, and tell her to get home early.* Linda nodded. Leah strode into Serena¡¯s office without knocking. Linda nced at the office number, thinking Leah was there to stir up trouble, so she texted Allison to give her a heads-up. But it turned out Leah was there to see the manager. She felt a bit guilty about Allison because of past events. Grace, who used to be the housekeeper for the nagans, treated her well. She was gentle and never harsh on the help. Linda and Allison went way back, and they were buddies at the nagans. She once leaked Allison¡¯s new address to Penelope, which led to Penelope stealing Allison¡¯s pendant, and she had felt guilty ever since. Serena wasn¡¯t in her office; she was dealing with a situation in a private room. Tina identally spilled wine on a richdy¡¯s high heels. Thedy was pissed, pped Tina a few times, and demanded compensation. Just as things were at a standstill, she got a call from her assistant. Leah was in her office, waiting for her. Serena was getting a headache. She hadn¡¯t sorted out this problem, and now Leah showed up. She knew exactly why Leah was here. Wasn¡¯t it all about Allison? Allison was really lucky. That night, she had Hal drug James, but surprisingly everything went smoothly. Serena had expected some kind of incident at the Red Jack Club and nned to use it as an excuse to fire Allison! But everything had been hunky dory these past few days. Hal was so confident that everything would go well. He delivered James to the hotel, and Allison too, and then nothing?! Even though the n failed, Serena pulled some strings and got Hal¡¯s brother out of the police station. After all, Hal might¡¯ve been a bit of a screw-up, but she would need his help in the future. She stood at the entrance of the private room, feeling a headacheing on, and made a call to Leah. ¡°Mrs. nagan¡­ Chapter 367 Chapter 367 Chapter 367 Inside the private room, a morously dresseddy was lounging on the couch surrounded by a few friends, while the waitress Tina was standing not too far away, her head bowed in a conversation with another waitress. Tina said, ¡®Mrs. Pearson, I¡¯m really sorry. I¡¯ll be more careful next time.¡± But Tina felt wronged. In fact, anotherdy unintentionally bumped into her arm, causing her to spill the red wine in her hand. The wine, unfortunately, sshed onto Mrs. Pearson¡¯s shoes, a pair worth fifty to sixty thousand dors, which scared the living daylights out of Tina. ¡°Where¡¯s your manager? Why isn¡¯t she here yet? The service at Red Jack Club is getting sloppier by the minute!¡± ¡°Our manager will be here any minute now.¡± Mrs. Pearson rolled her eyes in dissatisfaction. She had just lost a card game, and now this waitress spilled half a ss of wine on her shoes. She was super pissed off. She had waited half a month for these new shoes, only to have them ruined after two days. It was clear that the waitress couldn¡¯t afford to rece them. How could Mrs. Pearson possibly cheer up? Just then, Serena knocked and came in. ¡°Sorry, Mrs. Pearson. I got held up, didn¡¯t mean to keep you waiting. Don¡¯t be mad!¡± Mrs. Pearson was a regr here, often ying cards with a few friends. Serena knew thesedies but only as acquaintances. In their eyes, Serena was barely a step up from an ordinary waitress. ¡°Oh, you got held up, huh? What¡¯s so important, Serena? I feel like you¡¯re just blowing me off!¡± Mrs. Pearson nced down at her beigembskin heels. ¡®Figure out what to do with these shoes and thisThis content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. careless waitress! Your service at Red Jack Club is going downhill. N6 respect for the rules. You mess up my shoes and then have the audacity to argue!¡± Tina kept her head down. ¡°I didn¡¯t, Mrs. Pearson. Can I clean it for you?¡± ¡°Clean it? These shoes are ruined once they get wet!¡± The red wine on these shoes had already made them unwearable. Tina¡¯s face turned pale with fear. She couldn¡¯t afford to rece a pair of shoes worth fifty to sixty thousand. She could only plead for Serena¡¯s help. But Serena, unlike Sarah, didn¡¯t protect her staff. She coldly stared at Tina. ¡°What are you looking at me for? You messed up Mrs. Pearson¡¯s shoes. You should apologize andpensate her.¡± Serena turned to Mrs. Pearson. ¡°Mrs. Pearson, I¡¯ll deal with such a careless employee ording to Red Jack Club¡¯s rules. I¡¯m going to fire her right away!¡± She bowed her head with a smiling face, extremely humble. Such treatment, which satisfied the dignity of these loftydies, naturally cooled them off. Mrs. Pearson didn¡¯t n on making a fuss any longer. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s leave it at that. I don¡¯t want to make this harder for you.¡± Serena nodded repeatedly. But Tina was taken aback and could hardly believe it. ¡°Ms. Serena, you can¡¯t fire me. You know my grandma¡¯s health situation. She needs medication every day. You can¡¯t let me lose my job!¡± Tina begged, ¡®Ms. Serena, I beg you!¡± Serena ignored Tina¡¯s plea, and dismissed her, ¡°Tina, you messed up Mrs. Pearson¡¯s shoes. It¡¯s already a huge favor that Mrs. Pearson isn¡¯t asking you topensate.¡± ¡°Mrs. Pearson, please¡­¡± Tina hastily said, almost kneeling on the carpet. Richdies like Mrs. Pearson couldn¡¯t understand the pressures and feelings of the lower ss. She only cared about her shoes. A waitress¡¯ wage wasn¡¯t much, so of course, Tina couldn¡¯t afford to compensate for a pair of shoes worth fifty to sixty thousand. It was not fair to ruin someone¡¯s life over a pair of shoes. The fifty to sixty thousand wouldn¡¯t really matter to her, but she had waited several days to get these shoes, and they were ruined after only two days, which made her really upset. ¡°Mrs. Pearson, I didn¡¯t know you were here too.¡± Leah appeared at the door. Upon seeing Leah, Mrs. Pearson immediately stood up. ¡°So it¡¯s Mrs. nagan.¡± Chapter 368 Chapter 368 Chapter 368 Mrs. Pearson and her friends all knew Leah. They were part of the same social circle and often went to hang out at the hot springs, yed cards, and did beauty treatments and therapy together. To be honest, they didn¡¯t think much of Leah, the nouveau riche. But they were envious of Leah¡¯s brilliant daughter, who was pregnant with Lucian¡¯s child. Once the baby was born, she would immediately be a part of the Lindberg family. Who wouldn¡¯t envy the nagan family? They would soon be connected to the Lindbergs! The Lindberg family was the wealthiest in Northfield, with their fingers in as many as thirtypanies. Her own family had recently established a partnership with Genesis Industries, a subsidiary of Lindberg Corporation. Serena looked at Leah. ¡®Mrs. nagan, you¡¯re here. I was just about to wrap things up and wee you.¡± So, that was the reason Serena was runningte, Mrs. Pearson realized. She knew Serena, one of the main managers at the Red Jack Club, who took care of the waitstaff along with Sarah. Serena was the best at catering to customers¡¯ needs. It made sense that Serena didn¡¯t give her the time of day since she was cozying up to Leah. But for now, she didn¡¯t want to cross Leah. Leah nced at Serena. ¡°You¡¯re so busy, I couldn¡¯t find anyone.¡± She took one look and knew what had happened in the room, her eyesnding on Mrs. Pearson¡¯s foot. ¡®Mrs Pearson, why are you getting upset with a flustered waiter?¡± Mrs. Pearson chuckled. ¡°You have a point.¡± Now that Leah was here, Mrs. Pearson didn¡¯t want to make this a bigger deal. She said to Serena, ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t hold you back. Go attend to Mrs. nagan. As for this waiter, let it slide. Just be careful next time, not everyone is as forgiving as I am.¡± Tina was relieved to hear that she probably wouldn¡¯t be fired. She thanked Mrs. Pearson profusely. Serena immediately invited Leah to her office and personally served her tea. She knew why Leah was there, and sighed, ¡®Mrs. nagan, that Allison is indeed hard to deal with. As you know, Sarah is quite fond of her. After all, she¡¯s one of Sarah¡¯s people, and it¡¯s not easy for me to act.¡± Leah took a sip of her tea. ¡°You didn¡¯t say that a few days ago.¡± ¡®Mrs. nagan, don¡¯t be upset. I¡¯m working on it.¡± ¡°Serena, I don¡¯t care how you do it, I don¡¯t want to see her here.¡± Not just here, but she wouldn¡¯t let Allison find any job in Northfield. She was going to make sure Allison and Grace werepletely gone from Northfield! ¡°Mrs. nagan, this does put me in a difficult position, especially with the big bossing around more often. I can¡¯t make a big scene. Could you give me a few more days? I will handle it properly.¡± *Serena, I¡¯m not here for a chitchat. Handle it well, and I¡¯ll reward you.¡± ¡°I understand, I understand.¡± Leah¡¯s daughter was about to be a Lindberg, and Serena couldn¡¯t afford to upset her. She was trying her best to please her. Sarah had rejected Leah. If Leah asked for her help, she would always do her best.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Meanwhile, Linda found Penelope in a private room. Penelope was ying cards with a bunch of friends. ¡°Going home now? Is there an emergency? Did my mome?¡± ¡°Yes, she is talking with Serena.¡± ¡°Why did shee?¡± Penelope looked at her cards. ¡°Alright, I get it. I¡¯ll head back as soon as I finish this game. You can go now.¡± ¡°Okay¡± Linda was just the messenger. If Penelope didn¡¯t want to go, she couldn¡¯t force her. All she needed to do was ry Leah¡¯s message. It was better not to meddle, and Linda didn¡¯t want to get involved. Penelope¡¯s temperament was hardly any better than Leah¡¯s. As Linda stepped out of the elevator, she ran into someone. ¡°Allison. Chapter 369 Chapter 369 Chapter 369 Allison held a tray with a bottle of wine, giving Linda a cold nod Linda squirmed a bit. ¡°Allison, did you see the text I sent you?¡± ¡°Which one? I don¡¯t check my phone while working.¡± ¡°Oh, the one about Mrs. nagan arriving. She¡¯s in Serena¡¯s office now¡± As Linda prepared to leave, the elevator slowly ascended. Allison remained silent for a few seconds before saying, ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me, Allison. I¡¯m sorry aboutst time, I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to. But when Penelope asked, I¡­ I blurted it out. They all know we¡¯re close, and think I knew your whereabouts. I couldn¡¯t hide it, I. ¡°Linda, I don¡¯t me you.¡± She understood Linda¡¯s predicament. But she didn¡¯t need a friend who betrayed her. The nagans paid well, and there was no need for Linda to risk losing her job to cover for her. But Allison wasn¡¯t a saint, she didn¡¯t n on having any contact with Linda in the future. The elevator doors opened, and Allison walked out. Linda watched her leave, sometimes she envied Allison¡¯s freedom. At midnight, Allison rubbed her shoulders, tallied up the day¡¯s bar tab, got approval from the manager, and headed to the changing room.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Allison¡­ someone called her name. Allison was changing, the changing room was all women, and her colleagues wereing and going after work. She responded but didn¡¯t look back. Again, ¡°Allison, I need to talk to you.¡± Allison was buttoning her blouse, finally recognizing the voice as Tina¡¯s. She turned to see Tina standing there. ¡°What do you want?¡± Tina worked under Serena, so Allison didn¡¯t interact with her much. Tina gritted her teeth. ¡®Remember a few days ago, you were on the second floor, and Carol came to rece you to go to the sixth floor?¡± ¡°I remember, what¡¯s up? You can just say it.¡± -Tina started, ¡°That night, did you feel unwell, like¡­¡± Allison¡¯s gaze sharpened, she fastened her blouse and approached Tina. ¡°What do you know?¡± Tina said, ¡°Change first, thene with me afterward. I need to talk to you about that night.¡± In the break room, it was just Allison and Tina. Tina decided to spill the beans. She had done a lot for Serena, but for a small matter, Serena wanted to fire her. She decided not to cover for Serena anymore! Serena never treated her like one of her own, and she¡¯d be the first to take the fall. ¡°You were supposed to work on the second floor, but Serena called me out of the blue, and asked me to move you here. So I had Carol switch your post. Then when you showed up, I handed you a tray with drinks. There were drugs in the drinks. I don¡¯t know what kind. Serena instructed me to do this. I was only responsible for handing it to you! Then I was supposed to watch you closely and report to her If anything happened.¡± Allison had suspected Serena all along, and sure enough, it was her. Through recent events, she had figured out the truth. Leah must¡¯ve wanted to fire her, to drive her away from Northfield. So she first approached Sarah to fire her, but Sarah refused, so Leah turned to Serena. ¡°The drink you gave me had drugs in it? How did you know Lucian would drink it?¡± ¡°Mr. Lindberg? I thought it was Mr. Burke?¡± Chapter 370 Chapter 370 Chapter 370 Tina said, ¡°I don¡¯t know the specifics either. All I know is that someone spiked the bottle of wine, and the drug was specially concocted. That¡¯s about it. Oh yeah, Serena was dealing with a guy named Hal at the time. He¡¯s a regr in the underground fight ring.¡± 1 see. But why are you telling me all this now, Tina?¡± Why would Tina suddenly spill the beans? Tina clenched her fists. ¡°Whatever. Believe it or not. I¡¯m not helping Serena anymore. I know her true colors. I¡¯ve worked under her for three years. Every time there¡¯s a problem, she throws someone else under the bus, only looking out for herself.¡± She envied Allison. She didn¡¯t have Allison¡¯s stunning beauty, her perfect figure, or her good luck, and working for Sarah was a breezepared to Serena. She let out a sigh. ¡°Allison, you¡¯re lucky. You might not know this, but a lot of us envy you.¡± On Wednesday, Allison arrived at Sterius Tower on time. Jennifer¡¯s ss was only three hours in the morning. Allison took diligent notes. At the end of the ss, she stretched her shoulders and got ready to leave. Even though it was only a short three hours, she learned a lot. She didn¡¯t expect to bump into Mandy here. Mandy saw her too, and, noticing the notebook in her hand, said, ¡°Writing all this down is pointless, and so is memorizing it. You need to turn it into your acting skills.¡± ¡°Thanks for the tip.¡± Allison felt the provocation from Mandy, so she just responded lightly, slung her backpack over her shoulder, and prepared to leave. Mandy was irked. She felt like Allison was treating her like thin air. ¡°I know we¡¯repeting for the same role in Day Zero. But I don¡¯t consider you as mypetitor. This movie has been in the works by Ms. Jennifer for three years. The script was written by a top-notch sci-fi novelist. Ms. Jennifer hopes this film will be the first big domestic sci-fi hit. I¡¯m confident that I can beat you and get this role.¡± Allison stopped. She did not expect Mandy to see her aspetition. ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t see you as mypetitor.¡± She turned and looked at Mandy. ¡°You¡¯re Mandy, right? I suggest you use the energy you¡¯re putting into viewing me as apetitor to improve your acting skills. Maybe then you¡¯ll see some breakthroughs, instead of daydreaming¡± ¡°You!¡± Mandy was at a loss for words. Allison left Sterius Tower. She had sses in the afternoon and nned to grab a bite to eat. She found a restaurant and ordered a bowl of pho. As she lowered her head to look at her notes, her phone rang. It was a call from Grace. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s¡­ Before she could finish, a stranger spoke on the other end of the line, ¡°Are you thisdy¡¯s daughter? She suddenly fainted on the roadside. You should get here quick.¡± Allison turned pale. She rushed to the scene as fast as she could. By the time she arrived, an ambnce was already there. She walked briskly towards the crowd and saw Grace lying pale on the ground. The paramedics were providing immediate medical attention and lifting her onto the stretcher Allison rushed up. ¡°I¡¯m her daughter!¡± She got into the ambnce and answered the doctor¡¯s questions about her mother¡¯s condition. She watched the doctor take various emergency measures. The ambnce raced to the hospital, where Grace was taken to the emergency room. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Allison felt a chill down her spine. She leaned against the wall, praying in her heart. An hourter. Chapter 371 Chapter 371 Chapter 371 Grace was wheeled out of the emergency room. The doctor pulled off his mask, and asked Allison Zimmer, ¡°Are you family?¡± Allison hurried over. ¡°I¡¯m her daughter¡± The doctor told her, ¡°Your mom¡¯s out of the woods now. She¡¯s had kidney issues before, and she passed out because of not taking her meds on time. As her daughter, remind her to take them.¡± Allison gratefully said, ¡°Thank you, doc. Thanks a lot. How¡¯s my mom doing now?¡± The doctor answered, ¡°She¡¯s pretty much okay now, but she¡¯s gotta be careful in the future!¡± Allison replied, ¡°Got it, will do!¡± Allison went to the room and saw Grace still unconscious, hooked up to all sorts of tubes, getting an IV. She sat by Grace¡¯s bed, leaned close to her, felt her breathing, and her heart finally settled. She carefully remembered the doctor¡¯s words. Grace didn¡¯t take her anti-rejection meds on time. How could that be? She took her meds on time every morning and even carried them around just in case she forgot. This morning, Grace seemed fine when she left. Every day, Allison would remind her. Ever since Grace suffered imprisonment and medication deprivation by Leah at Mercy Grove Hospital, she¡¯d been more diligent about taking her meds. This didn¡¯t add up¡­ It seemed that she would only know the full story once her mom woke up. Grace woke up in the evening. Allison was reading by her bed, she heard her voice, and immediately dropped her book to attend to her. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re awake. What on earth happened today? You scared the life out of me.¡± Grace was stiff all over, but she managed to say, ¡°Allie, where are we?¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°We¡¯re at the hospital! Mom, you passed out by the roadside, and a good Samaritan called the police. The doctor said you forgot to take your anti-rejection meds. What happened, Mom? How could you forget your meds?¡± Allison noticed Grace was avoiding her gaze. Grace gave a bitter smile. I just forgot. I¡¯ll remember next time.¡± ¡°Mom, something¡¯s not right. I know you didn¡¯t forget. Tell me what really happened?¡¯ Allison said seriously. *I really did forget, kiddo, would I lie to you?¡± Grace held Allison¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be more cautious next time.¡± In response to Grace¡¯s reply, Allison became skeptical. But clearly, Grace didn¡¯t want to borate, and seemed like she was hiding something. Allison helplessly watched her. Grace had just gotten out of surgery, feeling weak, so Allison couldn¡¯t push her for answers. She had to let Grace recover first. ¡°Mom, you should rest. The doctor said you need to stay in the hospital for a few days.¡± ¡°Do I really need to stay in the hospital again? Haven¡¯t I recovered? I don¡¯t wanna stay in the hospital, can you discharge me? The hospital bills are too high.¡± ¡°Mom, staying in the hospital is necessary! Under these circumstances, I can¡¯t just listen to you. You rest here, and I¡¯ll go home and bring you some clothes.¡± ¡°Okay¡± Allison went home, grabbed some of Grace¡¯s clothes and a light nket in case she stayed overnight at the hospital. She saw a diary that fell out from the closet, her eyes lingered on it. But this time, Allison didn¡¯t pick it up to read, she just picked up the diary and put it back in its ce. She didn¡¯t want to dig into her mom¡¯s past anymore. All she hoped for was her health because she was the only family she had. Everything else, she didn¡¯t want to overthink. Everyone had their secrets, including Allison herself. No one wanted their secrets to be known by others; she also didn¡¯t want to dig into Grace¡¯s secrets. As long as Grace could stay healthy by her side, that was enough. She delivered the clothes to the hospital. Grace was already asleep under the influence of the meds. Alison had a ss in the afternoon but couldn¡¯t leave. She sat on the chair, hunched over organizing this morning¡¯s lessons. In the evening, Allison took leave, she didn¡¯t go to work at Red Jack Club, letting Ashley cover her shift. She stayed by Grace¡¯s side the whole time. She spent the entire night in a light sleep, waking up several times to check on Grace. Only when she saw Grace was okay, did she rx. Chapter 372 Chapter 372 Chapter 372 Grace had been in the hospital for three days, and now she was good to go. Allison was handling the discharge paperwork, and man, there was a long line in front of her Hospitals were always a revolving door of people, filled with all sorts of heartbreak. About twenty minutester, it was finally Allison¡¯s tum. After the paperwork, she bolted upstairs. The elevator was jam-packed. It opened on the second floor, and people started filing in and out. Suddenly, Allison spotted a familiar figure. Dr. Dn apparently noticed her, too. They locked eyes for a few seconds before Allison looked away The elevator was as slow as msses, stopping on every floor for a bit. It was not until the tenth floor that Allison and Dr. Dn finally got off Allison walked ahead with her head down, but Dr. Dn called out to her, ¡°Allison.¡± Allison stopped. ¡°Dr. Dn.¡± Dr. Dn took a quick look at her. ¡°What brings you here? Is it your mom?¡± He said, ¡°I¡¯ve had some stuff going on at home these past few days, so I took some time off. Just got back to work today.¡± Allison said, ¡°My mom passed out on the street three days ago. The doctors said it was because she didn¡¯t take her anti-rejection meds on time. She¡¯s been in the hospital for three days, and she¡¯s just getting discharged today.¡± Dr. Dn asked for her medical records and test results, which Allison handed over. He knew the ins and outs of Grace¡¯s condition since he was her primary doctor. He nced at the results. ¡°That¡¯s odd. A kidney patient wouldn¡¯t forget to take their meds unless someone messed with her.¡± Allison shared Dr. Dns¡¯ suspicion, ¡°I asked my mom, but she wouldn¡¯t spill. I think she¡¯s got something she¡¯s not telling me.¡± Dr. Dn warned her seriously. This can¡¯t happen again. After all, the kidney isn¡¯t hers. If the rejection harms the kidney, her body may not handle a second transnt. Be careful from now on.¡± ¡°I got it,¡± Allison said. The hallway was busy with patients and nursesing and going. Everyone passing by Dr. Dn greeted him. He had a good rep here, patients loved him, and they all called him ¡°Dr. Dn¡¯ with friendly smiles. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Dr. Dn politely responded to each of them. ¡°Thanks, Dr. Dn¡± Allison said. ¡°I won¡¯t keep you anymore.¡± Dr. Dn was a good guy and Allison didn¡¯t want to bug him. Watching her walk away, Dr. Dn¡¯s hands slowly clenched into fists. Sometimes, when you missed out, you really missed out. He really wanted to tell Allison that he and Jade had broken up. After taking Grace home, setting her up, and making lunch, Allison finally left the house. She headed to where Grace had passed out. She looked around, her gaze finallynding on a convenience store across the street. She crossed the street and headed in. ¡°Hello, can I check your security footage?¡± The cameras here could see the street across. The clerk pulled up the footage, rewinding it to three days ago at noon. Allison watched intently. The street was bustling with people, and she saw Grace walk by. Grace looked like she was not feeling well. It was clear from the footage that she was as pale as a ghost. She first sat on a bench at the roadside, gasping for air, then tried to get up and cross the street. She walked a few steps, suddenly felt unwell, and bent over then squatted on the ground. Soon, people gathered around, dialed 911, and got in touch with Allison. So, where was Grace three days ago in the morning? Chapter 373 Chapter 373 Chapter 373 Allison bit her lip so hard it started to hurt. Only when a coworker called her name did she snap out of it, murmuring a ¡°thanks.¡± She grabbed some food from the convenience store and left. It was clear in her mind now. Grace had been at Epic Entertainment with Penelope that morning. Almost every morning, Grace would be there. Her sudden copse must have had something to do with Penelope. She hailed a cab and went to the building¡¯s lobby. The two receptionists were engrossed in their TV series. Allison put on a pair of sunsses from her bag. let down her hair, and walked straight up to them. The receptionists didn¡¯t even notice her, still hooked on their show. Allison lightly tapped the desk. One of them looked up. ¡°Ms. nagan, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Yeah, I have a question for you,¡± Allison said. ¡°What time did my nannye here three days ago in the morning?¡± ¡°Just a moment, let me check the records.¡± Two minutester, the receptionist said, ¡°Ms. nagan, your nanny Grace arrived at 9:16 a.m. three days ago and left at 11:20 Is there anything else you need help with, Ms. nagan?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s it.¡± Allison turned around and left. The receptionists went back to their show. ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t Ms. nagan just leave? Why is she back again?¡± ¡°Who knows? Can¡¯t figure out these rich people. Never mind her Allison¡¯s suspicion was correct. Grace¡¯s sudden copse was rted to Penelope. Penelope and Leah had really crossed the line! She had been trying to give them space, but they messed with her mom! Were they trying to back her into a corner? She stepped out of Epic Entertainment, the sun shining brightly. She raised her face, a golden halo appeared before her eyes. She closed her eyes. After two minutes, she opened them, her sight bing clearer. Her fingers clenched then released. Even with the sun on her she still felt a chill down her spine. Suddenly, a st of a car horn. ¡°Honk-Allison snapped out of it. ¡°Are you blind? Watch where you¡¯re going!¡± She realized she was standing in the middle of the road, and cars were passing her on both sides. A ck Audi stopped just a meter away from her, the driver obviously pissed. She apologized, ¡°Sorry¡± She moved to the sidewalk, took out her phone, and decided to dial a number ¨C Lucian¡¯s number. The call went through after two rings. The man sounded tired like he just finished work. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Allison.¡± The man obviously knew it was her, he replied and waited for her to speak. Allison asked, ¡°Does your offer still stand?¡± ¡°What offer?¡± He squinted slightly, pretending to be oblivious. ¡°The one where¡­ Allison bit her lip, her lips pale. ¡°Where you said I could be your mistress¡± Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. She continued, ¡°You said you would fulfill all my requests, except marrying me!¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Hearing his deep reply, she closed her eyes, her eyshes trembling. ¡°Are you free tonight?¡± ¡°Why, have you made up your mind?* ¡°Yes.¡± Allison had made up her mind. Chapter 374 Chapter 374 Chapter 374 In this ce, dignity didn¡¯t mean squat She was after a better life where she and her mom didn¡¯t have to deal with people¡¯s sneers and control Who could possibly hold more sway than the Lindberg family? Who could possibly have more power than Lucian? Weren¡¯t all these things Penelope did just her way of trying to kick her out of Northfield? Was it not because Penelope was afraid she would spill the beans about the hotel body double incident? She wouldn¡¯t be dancing to Penelope¡¯s tune any longer. ¡°Alright, tonight at eight, I¡¯ll wait for you in suite 8016 of the Golden Pearl Hotel¡± ¡°Okay¡± Eight in the evening, at the Golden Pearl Hotel, one of thergest in Northfield and a property of the Lindberg Corporation. Allison arrived at the Golden Pearl Hotel. The lobby¡¯s d¨¦cor screamed luxury. She reached the designated room and knocked on the door. The man opened the door, and a faint, refreshing scent of shower gel hit her Lucian had just gotten out of the shower. He looked at Allison at the door, stepped aside, and she walked in. She barely said anything. grabbed a bathrobe from the closet, and headed straight into the bathroom, onlying out after she was done showering. Lucian was standing by the window, taking a sip of red wine. He turned to look at her. Her eyes were slightly misty, and her cheeks, due to the shower, were a bit flushed against her otherwise delicate skin. Her semi-dry hair was draped over her shoulders, and below it, the deep V-neck bathrobe. She was quite skinny, so the bathrobe looked a bit big on her ¡°Come here.¡± The man¡¯s voice was slightly husky Allison walked over Lucian grabbed her waist, spun around, and they both tumbled onto the soft bed. Allison didn¡¯t resist his kisses, instead, she actively wrapped her arms around his neck. Now that she¡¯d taken this step, she wouldn¡¯t regret it! ¡°Howe you suddenly changed your mind? Weren¡¯t you always rejecting me?¡± His fingers grip her chin, his eyes fixed on her delicate face. ¡°Is it bad that I changed my mind? Isn¡¯t this what you wanted? I give you what you want, and you give me what I want.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. She reached out, and grabbed the hand that was clutching her chin. ¡°Mr. Lindberg, aren¡¯t you going to ask what I want?¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Can you give me what I want?¡± Lucian said, ¡°Anything but marrying you.¡± Apart from that, he could do anything. Even if Allison wanted a star from the sky, he could immediately have someone buy her one and name it after her. Allison said, ¡°I want the leading female role in Day Zero¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The man agreed without any hesitation. Allison¡¯s eyes showed a hint of surprise, but he leaned in to continue kissing her lips. He said, aside from marrying her, he could do anything. Until the next morning. The golden sunlight streamed through the light purple curtains, brightening up the room instantly. Men¡¯s and women¡¯s clothes were strewn across the floor. Lucian¡¯s ck suit intertwined with Allison¡¯s light pink lingerie, creating an indescribable hint of suggestion. The air was filled with the scent of desire. The woman on the bed stirred slightly, her long hair spread out on the pillow, and the man¡¯s arm under her waist. Allison slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was the man¡¯s handsome features. Lucian was still asleep, she couldn¡¯t help but stare at his face, and her heart suddenly started to pound. She had to admit, this man definitely had a charm that could conquer all. Chapter 375 Chapter 375 Chapter 375 His face was even more handsome than any film or TV star in the entertainment industry, and he¡¯d got a family background to die for. She couldn¡¯t resist reaching out and touching n¡¯s prominent nose, and then her fingers slowly moved up, luriang his bonese boaz. She gently touched it, feeling a slight bump at the end of his eyebrow, a scar. At such a close distance, Allison could see a trace of an old injury on Lucian¡¯s eyebrow, as if it had been stitched up before. But because it was so old, it was hidden by the surrounding new eyebrow hairs. If she weren¡¯t this close, she wouldn¡¯t be able to see it. However, her fingertips clearly felt it Suddenly, the man opened his eyes. Those dark eyes, went from blurry to clear, then his gaze turned gentle. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. He didn¡¯t move, didn¡¯t get up, and didn¡¯t push her hand away. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± ¡°What time is it?¡± *Should be 7:30 in the morning¡± ¡°Sleep a little more¡± His voice was hoarse, filled with the heavy drowsiness of just waking up. After speaking, he closed his eyes, then reached out to pull her waist, dragging her into his arms, hugging her tightly. Allison¡¯s cheek was almost pressed against his chest, and her face immediately turned red. Her breathing became somewhat unnatural, and she could hardly move She could only force herself to close her eyes, but her back was tense. She was not sleepy at all. However, Lucian seemed really tired, holding her, feeling her softness, and smelling her scent. He felt veryfortable. Since he had returned home, no night¡¯s sleep had been more peaceful than what he felt now. At 8:30, Lucian opened his eyes again. He nced at Allison, and she seemed asleep. Her long hair was scattered on the light blue pillowcase. Lucian bent down, suddenly kissed her forehead, then got up, changed clothes, and left. Allison was indeed asleep. She was exhaustedst night, not having the stamina of Lucian In Lucian¡¯s arms, despite his body feeling a bit cald, it felt very gentle. She reluctantly closed her eyes, and actually slowly fell asleep. The sound of Lucian¡¯s heartbeat was in her ears, somewhat heart-stirning When she opened her eyes again, it was already past 9 o¡¯clock. Allison got up and found Lucian had already left. She went into the empty bathroom, and turned on the hot water, washing off her difort Looking at herself in the mirror, there was a red mark on her corbone. It hurt a bit when she washed it with shower gel, Lucian really liked to bite people Allison closed her eyes, standing under the show The water moistened her cheeks. Her fingers slowly clenched. H After taking a shower, Allison walked out, ready to put on the clothes on the floor, when there was a knock at the door. She went to open it, and outside the door was a hotel staff who said with a smile, ¡°Madam, this is what Mr. Lindberg asked me to deliver. He said you should be awake by now¡± The staff pushed the dining cart in, arranged the exquisite food, and handed over a box. ¡°These are the clothes Mr. Lindberg prepared for you.¡± Allison didn¡¯t expect this man to have thoughtfully prepared her clothes. Chapter 376 Chapter 376 The waiter looked a bit surprised. ¡°You¡¯re too kind, miss.¡± Allison changed into her new outfit, a canary yellow maxi dress covered in hand-embroidered butterflies withce patches at the hem. She stood in front of the mirror, twirling around, making the embroidered butterflies look as if they would take flight from the dress. The yellow dress shone even brighter against her delicate skin. Her face was bare and makeup-free, yet theplex dress didn¡¯t seem overly formal. Her phone began to vibrate in her bag. Allison went to get it, nced at the battery life ¨C 20%, and answered the call, ¡°Hello?¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡®Awake yet?¡± came Lucian¡¯s deep, sexy voice from the other end. ¡°Yep, just woke up.¡± ¡®Eaten?¡± ¡®Not yet, about to.¡± ¡®The dress I sent you, you tried it on?¡± ¡®I did.¡± Allison paused for a moment. ¡°Thank you, it¡¯s beautiful.¡± ¡°You like it?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°If you like it, send me a picture.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± After replying, Allison opened the camera and took a photo, intending to send it to Lucian. But she couldn¡¯t find his WhatsApp after searching her contacts. She realized she hadn¡¯t added him on WhatsApp. She was considering whether to send him the picture via text message when her phone suddenly vibrated. She identally sent the picture. Allison immediately felt awkward and hurriedly tried to delete the picture. She identally sent it to Aaron? Oh my God! Allison quickly deleted the picture, letting out a sigh of relief. Then she texted Lucian, [Mr. Lindberg, I don¡¯t have your WhatsApp.] The reply came, [Call me Lucian from now on.] Allison¡¯s eyshes fluttered as she quietly repeated, [Lucian.] Then, the man sent a string of numbers his WhatsApp number. Allison copied his WhatsApp number, found him, and sent him the picture. His profile picture was Lucky, and his username was a string of letters. The next second, her phone vibrated, but it wasn¡¯t a reply from Lucian. It was¡­ A reply from Aaron, [Beautiful.] Allison inhaled sharply. No way, had he seen it even though she deleted it in time? No way! This was so embarrassing! A few minutester, Allison finally replied to Aaron, (Sorry, another friend wanted to see the dress so I took a picture to send him, I didn¡¯t mean to send it to the wrong person¡­ really sorry.] Aaron replied, [The dress is gorgeous, and so are you. This color suits you] His reply was straightforward and natural. Allison responded, [Thanks for thepliment, Aaron.] After grabbing a bite, she left the hotel and went home. Grace was knitting a scarf on the couch. She didn¡¯t ask Allison where she wasst night. Allison often had to workte and stay overnight in the office, so Grace was used to it. ¡®You¡¯re back, have you had breakfast? There¡¯s food in the pot, I¡¯ll get you some.¡± I¡¯ve already eaten, Mom, have you taken your medicine?¡± ¡°I took it, a long time ago.¡± Grace sat on the couch with a smile. ¡°I bought some yarn. Which color do you think is good, how about this light blue? It¡¯s going to get cold soon.¡± ¡°I think they¡¯re all nice.¡± Grace looked at Allison¡¯s dress. ¡°When did you buy this dress? It¡¯s beautiful. You should dress up more, don¡¯t always wear in clothes. Bright-colored clothing is prettier. Don¡¯t worry about the money. Get some nice clothes for yourself.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Allison sat next to Grace, taking her hand, and leaning on her shoulder, ¡°Mom, as long as you¡¯re healthy, that¡¯s all I wish for. I just want you to be healthy and happy¡± Grace let out a soft sigh, stroking Allison¡¯s hair. ¡°I want you to be healthy and happy too.¡± She owed Allison too much. Allison shouldered most of the pressure alone. Allison had been through a lot growing up Watching this girl grow into a woman, made Grace¡¯s eyes fill with infinite guilt. Chapter 377 Chapter 377 Inside a ck Range Rover. ¡°Pete, what should I do?¡± Penelope¡¯s face was filled with worry. As time went by, her belly was getting bigger and her due date was approaching, making her increasingly anxious. The baby was hers and Pete¡¯s. At first, Penelope wanted to find an excuse to abort the baby, but there was never a good opportunity, and the Lindberg family¡¯s expectations for the baby were getting higher and higher. She also considered shifting all the me onto Allison, making her the cause of the loss of her baby, but she still needed this baby to ensure that she could marry into the Lindberg family! However, after a few months of interaction with Lucian, Penelope knew that Lucian didn¡¯t really like her. He was only marrying her out of a sense of responsibility. He thought that it was ¡°Penelope¡± who saved him in the hotel, and as a man, he feltpelled to take responsibility, but in reality, he didn¡¯t like her. She tried to ask him out several times, but he always found an excuse to refuse. She tried to seduce him, but he never showed any interest in her. And as for Allison¡­ Whenever she thought of Lucian¡¯s attention to Allison, Penelope would grit her teeth in anger. Why could a lowly maid attract Lucian¡¯s attention? If Lucian found out that the real person who saved him was Allison, she would be really screwed. The more she thought about it, the more scared she became. She tightly held Pete¡¯s hand. ¡°Pete, what should I do?¡± Pete looked at Penelope¡¯s protruding belly, held her, and reclined the seat. ¡°What are you scared of? It¡¯s not that day yet, is it?¡± ¡°Pete, you don¡¯t understand, the Lindberg family is now cing a lot of importance on the baby in my belly. They¡¯ve been sending over boxes of supplements, often checking on my condition, I¡¯m really scared that when the timees¡­¡± After all, the Lindberg family valued this baby highly, and it would be difficult for her and her mother to tamper with the baby¡¯s gics. Pete pped her butt. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be scared of anything, I¡¯m here.¡± He leaned down and kissed Penelope¡¯s face. ¡°When the timees, I¡¯ll handle it. This baby¡­¡± His hand moved to the woman¡¯s belly and gave it a light pat, causing Penelope to scream. ¡°You scared our baby!¡± ¡°I just love it when you¡¯re like this.¡± Pete took a deep drag on his cigarette, blowing the smoke onto Penelope¡¯s face. Then he put out the cigarette and eagerly unbuckled his belt. Pregnant Penelope often wore dresses, she lifted her dress, revealing her round belly. Pete patted her leg. She had gained quite a bit of weight during her pregnancy, and her body had gotten a lot fuller. ¡®Let me get up close and personal with our little one.¡± After examination, it was found that Penelope was carrying a boy. That¡¯s why the Lindberg family valued him highly, otherwise, Penelope wouldn¡¯t be so xious. ¡°Pete, you¡¯re so naughty¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you just love me like this?¡± Pete thrusting harder, causing Penelope to moan repeatedly, biting her lip for fear that her voice was too loud. The car was parked on side of the road, and although there was no one around, this was too exciting. She was Lucian¡¯s fianc¨¦e, if she was seen But this is what it meant to seek thrills. it would ¡°Pete, what should I do, help me think of a n.¡± be troublesome. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Although Leah was always reassuring her that everything was fine, she couldn¡¯t calm down. In less than forty days, the baby would be born. If there were anyplications leading to premature birth, she needed to be prepared. If, on that day, the baby¡¯s DNA was tested andpared, and it was discovered that the baby was not part of the Lindberg family, then, all her previous efforts would be in vain. Leah, at the moment, was too preupled with her feud with her father, and her mind was full of Grace¡¯s matters. How could she have the time to deal with her own issues? ¡°We could do this¡­¡± Pele said, leaning in close. ¡°In two weeks, It¡¯s Miranda¡¯s charity g¡­¡± After listening carefully, Penelope said, ¡°Isn¡¯t this too risky..¡± Pete responded, ¡°If you think it¡¯s risky, then don¡¯t do it. Wait until the baby in your belly is bor. With one nce, everyone will be able to Tell it¡¯s not from the Lindberg family. Then, you can forget about bing part of the Lindberg family. They can easily crush the nagans with just one finger, and your days in Northfield will be numbered.¡± Penelope sighed. It seemed like she had no other choice. ¡°By that time¡­ Chapter 378 Chapter 378 Pete said, ¡°At that time, I¡¯ll be pulling some tricks on the chandelier As long as you can safely get past it, you¡¯ll be Lucian¡¯s bride.¡± Penelope nestled in Pete¡¯s arms and gave him a peck, her heart content. ¡°I really can¡¯t bear to leave this child. It¡¯s our child.¡± Pete said, ¡°Me neither, I have to see you marry Lucian with the child, knowing that Lucian¡¯s beloved son is ours.¡± He never really liked Lucian, whether out of jealousy or envy. Lucian was superior. He was a part of the Lindberg family, while he was just a servant of the Lindberg family The Lindberg family¡¯s servants respected him, and that was because of David. If David wasn¡¯t the butler of the Lindberg family, he would be nothing. Aidan seemed to have the same rtionship with the Lindberg family as him, but in fact, they were different. Aidan was loved by Carter, and had a say in the Lindberg family, while he was nothing! Pete¡¯s eyes turned dark. He didn¡¯t truly like Penelope, but Penelope was still useful to him. If this woman could be a part of the Lindberg family, he could use her. Pete was not as good as Lucian in every aspect, but he was jealous of Lucian. Lucian might not have known that his fianc¨¦e had once moaned under him. Thinking of this, his inferior ego was satisfied. . On Saturday morning, Allison received a call. ¡°Hello, is this Ms. Zimmer?¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Patty, an agent with Epic Entertainment, can youe over? We want to talk to you about signing a contract.¡± Epic Entertainment was a part of the Lindberg Corporation, with many signed artists and numerous TV shows and films. It was one of the most formidable talent agencies in the entertainment industry. -Epic Entertainment contacting her, she guessed, must¡¯ve been Lucian¡¯s doing. She hung up the phone and rushed over. She had been to Epic Entertainment several times, cooking up at the towering building, she walked in again, this time for herself. Epic Entertainment was on the 16th floor. As Allison walked in, a young woman in a blue suit walked up to her. Seeing Allison¡¯s face, she stopped in her tracks. It took her a while to respond, Allison asked, ¡°I¡¯m looking for Patty.¡± *Patty, she¡¯s in lounge number two, The woman responded, stuttering a bit as if confirming she wasn¡¯t here for her. ¡°Thank you.¡± Allison nodded in appreciation and headed towards lounge number two. She had a hunch, the woman who was so surprised to see her was likely Penelope¡¯s agent, Charlie. Arriving at the door of lounge number two, Allison knocked. A woman¡¯s voice from inside said, ¡®Come in.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Allison pushed the door open and entered. The lounge was facing the sunlight, the door was open, and arge patch of golden light with a hint of warmth was pouring in. The woman sitting in the chair was about thirty-six or seven years old, wearing a white suit and trousers of medium-length, and slightly curled hair hanging around her ears and shoulders. Her makeup was not heavy, but very delicate. The color of her lipstick was very light. Her gaze also fell on Allison, both women sizing each other up. Allison knew this woman was Patty, the one who had called her, and her future agent. Patty¡¯s gaze was both sharp and gentle, with a powerful aura. Lookin overreact. However, she was not calm inside. She stood up and said, ¡°Nice to meet you, I¡¯m Patty.¡± at Allison¡¯s face, she showed a hint of surprise, but did not Chapter 379 Chapter 379 Tm Allison.¡± Allison noticed the surprise in Patty¡¯s eyes, but she highly praised Patty¡¯sposure. Completely different from Charlie, Patty didn¡¯t let her surprise show too much. She came off as experienced and cool headed. ¡°Ms. Zimmer, this is the contract Epic Entertainment has prepared for you. You can take a look and see if there are any issues. Any doubts you have, we can clear up. Epic Entertainment is totally sincere about this¡± When Allison took the contract, she didn¡¯t expect Lucian to move this fast. Right as she was reviewing the contract, her phone started to ning. Allison¡¯s phone was on the conference table and was now buzzing ¡°Lucian¡± was disyed on the screen, and Patty also saw this. Allison answered the call. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Are you at Epic Entertainment yet? I¡¯ve asked a staff member to contact you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here, currently looking over the contract, getting ready to sign¡± ¡°Il prepare all the resources you want¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t understand the contract tricking me?¡± Allison nced at the 10 plus pages of the contract A man¡¯sughter came over from the other end of the phone ¡°So, what do you want?¡± Allison bit her lip slightly, her eyes shining, her voice a bit sweet. ¡°How about you take me to a movie tonight, and we can discuss it while watching She had never spoken Luc On the other side. Patty tried to hid This was Lucian, Lucian was this tone before. Even through the phone, Lucian was taken aback, and his throat bobbed ¡°Alright¡± couldn¡¯t cover up the shock in her eyes. interacting with this ant Oh my god Patty¡¯s impression of Lur boss of Epic Entertainm Even from a distance this mar her head towered cold and ruthless. She rarely had the chance to interact with such an important figure, only when the to dinner partes would she see Lucian And now this cold and ruthless man was interacting Oh my godContent is property of N?velDrama.Org. Lucian, in his mid twenties, had such a strong aura that she felt a chill even with woman in front of her,ughing and being gentle? Patty instantly understood the weight of the responsibility the bore. The woman in front of her looked too simr to Lucian¡¯s fianc¨¦e, Penelope if she didn¡¯t know they weren¡¯t the same person, she would really start doubting the world. And Penelope was now with Charlie Both Charlie and herself were well known agents at Epic Entertainment, they also had many connections in the industry. Although both were in the samepany, they were also inpetition. Allison signed her name on the contract. Her handwriting was neat and beautiful. After signing, she checked it again and then handed the contract to Patty After checking the contract, Patty stood up and extended her hand to Allison. ¡°Allison, from now on, I¡¯m your agent, you can call me Patty¡± ¡°Patty¡± Allison said, ¡°you¡¯re not just my agent, you¡¯re also my partner i hope you¡¯re a loyal partner, that¡¯s how I see you, and I hope you see me the same way¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Patty replied. ¡°Allison, you can rest assured. I¡¯ve been in this industry for over ten years. Since I graduated at 24, I started as an assistant and gradually made it to where I am now. I¡¯ve always been absolutely loyal to my partners ¡°Since you have said so, I can be direct. I don¡¯t like Penelope, there¡¯s no way for us to get along. It¡¯ll always be me ahead, and her following in the back¡± Allison¡¯s gaze became cold and determined Patty said. ¡°I understand, Allison Don¡¯t worry, my rtionship with Charlie is the same.¡± ¡°Then, I hope we have a pleasant cooperation for the next five years.¡± Chapter 380 Chapter 380 After signing with Epic Entertainment, Patty invited Allison out for dinner. Allison epted the invitation and they both left the lounge. Meanwhile, Charlie also came out from lounge one, but Penelope was nowhere to be seen. Penelope normally upied lounge one, the room decorated exactly to her taste Charlie saw Patty and asked. ¡°Patty, are you two heading out?¡± Patty gave a littleugh and then introduced Charlie to Allison, ¡°Allison, this is Charlie, another agent from ourpany¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Charlie Allison reached out her hand confidently Charlie shook her hand and replied, ¡°Nice to meet you too¡± After Patty and Allison left, Charlie kept mumbling to herself about how much Allison looked like Penelope. She went back to the lounge, took out her phone, and called Penelope ¡°Penelope ¡°What¡¯s up, Charlie?¡± Penelope was lying on the couch, painting her nails. She was looking at all the different nail polish colors in her makeup cab, but she could only use the light, transparent ones. Otherwise, if Miranda and Cora saw, they would criticize her for having nail polish that could affect the baby in her belly Penelope raised her eyebrows She thoug business, they even forbade I just saw Allison at Epic Enterta e was perfectly reasonable The Lindberg family was always poking their nose into her igh heels ¡°Say what? Penelopes he immedi ly sat up ¡°Say that again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, she looks just you I almost mist for you. She was in conference room two with Patty for a while, Patty was holding some papers when she left probably a contract¡± Penelope put down her phone. Wait for me, I¡¯ming Allison and Patty decided to dine at a estaurant near Epic Entertainment. Allison took bite of ¡°You and Penelope are very ¡°Do you still think we look alike ked out the window might have mistaken you for her Patty said Allison asked with a smile Patty looked at her senously, and after two minutes, she said ¡°Not anymore, you don¡¯t have her arrogance and bossiness. You have simr features, but she¡¯s way more tacky Even though she¡¯s pretty, she doesn¡¯t have her own uniqueness in the entertainment industry. the industry doesn¡¯t like her kind Allison, give me five year Ill make you a national superstar¡± Patty said senously, ¡°Actually, we don¡¯t need five years, three will do¡¯ They clinked their sses, Allison sipped her red wine, her eyes fixed on the window. A ck sedan drove by She slightly raised her eyebrows, and a hint of a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth, and Patty noticed that too As one of the two main agents at Epic Entertainment, she naturally had a sharp sense of observation. The car belonged to the nagan family, and the only one who would be heading this way was Penelope Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Charlie must have informed Penelope about Allison signing with Epic Entertainment immediately Was Penelope already rushing over to Epic Entertainment? Allison¡¯s lips curled up slightly, she was really looking forward to Lucian¡¯s reaction Penelope would definitely be unhappy. If she wanted to make a scene, she would go to Lindberg Corporation, find Lucian to express her dissatisfaction, act cute, and ask Lucian to pressure Epic Entertainment to terminate her contract. Would Lucian do that? Allison wasn¡¯t sure either. She looked at Patty with a yful expression. ¡°What do you think, will I be the artist with the shortest contract penod in Epic Entertainment?¡± Chapter 381 Chapter 381 Patty shook her head, ¡°Nah, I can¡¯t.¡± Allison chatted with Patty for a bit. After dinner, she was all set to hit the Red Jack Club. Today was the 26th. Only five days left until this month was out. Even if she wanted to quit her job, she had to stick it out till the end of the month. Allison came to Sarah¡¯s office and told her of her decision to resign. Sarah was all for it. She seemed like she was waiting for Allison to quit all along. ¡°Allison,¡± she said, ¡°You know, from the moment I first saw you, I knew your time here wouldn¡¯t be long because your abilities far exceed this ce. You belong to somewhere else.¡± ¡°Sarah, thank you for looking out for me all this time.¡± ¡°No need to thank me.¡± Sarah smiled and said, ¡°Just remember me when you hit the big time.¡± ¡°You bet,¡± Allison said, ¡°Sarah, I need to take the night off.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t usually take leaves. Why have you been taking so manytely?¡± Allison offered a small smile, ¡°Well¡­ I have a date tonight.¡± ¡°A boyfriend?¡± ¡°More like a sugar daddy I can¡¯t afford to piss off.¡± Sarah ventured a guess, ¡°Is it Mr. Lindberg?¡± ¡°Sarah, I¡¯m surprised we¡¯re on the same page.¡± ¡°Well, have fun with Mr. Lindberg on your date, Sarah paused for a few seconds. As Allison was about to leave, she added, ¡°Allison, try not to be too dominant or excessively rigid in your behavior. As a woman, it¡¯s better to have a gentle approach. Men tend to appreciate women who are gentle. With your beauty, you should take advantage of your youth and your strengths. Don¡¯t be too stubborn, otherwise, you¡¯ll be the one at a disadvantage.¡± Allison stood there, her silhouette appearing delicate yet resolute, ¡°I get it¡± She might¡¯ve been too domineering in the past, but she wouldn¡¯t be anymore. She was definitely going to take advantage of her beauty. She wouldn¡¯t let Penelope hurt her mom ever again. That night, Allison texted Lucian, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, 7:30 at the Peak Movie Theater. See you there.¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She then took a cab to the mall where the theater was located and wandered around for a bit. When 7:30 rolled around, she made her way to the theater. The next movie was aedy. Allison figured Lucian probably wouldn¡¯t be into that. The other movie was an indie film she¡¯d already seen. After a moment of hesitation, she bought tickets for amercial sci-fi flick. She guessed Lucian would enjoy that. There were still about twenty minutes until the movie started, so she waited in the lounge area. After ten minutes, with no reply or call from Lucian, Allison went to get a drink. She continued waiting. Twenty minutester, the theater¡¯s announcement system urged those who hadn¡¯t gotten in yet to hurry up. The movie must¡¯ve started. Allison nced at her phone. Still no word from Lucian. She bit her lip lightly. To say she didn¡¯t feel anything would be a lie. She wasn¡¯t heartless, of course she felt something. Allison chuckled softly, linged with a hint of self-irony. This man, who had promised her just this morning, was now nowhere to be seen. Allison knew he was probably with Penelope. After all, he had his fianc¨¦e to look after So this was what disappointment felt like? Usually, even when Lucian misunderstood her, or even bullied her, she never felt this down. But now, Allison felt a weight in her chest. Her eyes were dry. She took a deep breath, downing her drink. It was sweet. Then she got up, walked to the trash can, and prepared to throw away her ticket. ¡°Hey, miss, are you not gonna watch the movie?¡± Someone suddenly called out to her. Allison tumed around to see a young woman, probably a college student, who was smiling at her, ¡°My boyfriend and I couldn¡¯t get tickets for this movie. He¡¯s really into it. If you¡¯re not nning to watch it, can you sell us your tickets?¡± Allison¡¯s voice was a little hoarse, ¡°You can just take it Chapter 382 Chapter 382 The girl said, ¡°Miss, could you give me your PayPal ount? I¡¯ll transfer the movie ticket money to you.¡± ¡°No biggie. Don¡¯t let your boyfriend wait too long. Allison noticed a guy standing about ten meters away from the girl, dressed in a ck hoodie. He seemed the same age as the girl and had that youthful vibe. The girl thanked her with a smile, then turned and walked towards the guy who was holding two buckets of popcorn. She took one, turned back to Allison and said, ¡°Miss, thanks for treating us to the movie. This popcorn¡¯s on me.¡± Allison was taken aback but epted the popcorn. The girl looped her arm through the guy¡¯s and they walked into the theater. Allison let out a quiet sigh, then grabbed a handful of popcorn and took a bite. It was sweet. She nced at her phone and noticed the battery was running low. Allison bought a ticket for aedy, and she watched the movie alone. Theedy was really entertaining. Despite being produced by newbies in the film industry, it was well made with a rich and funny plot and even with some touching moments. The only regret was the abrupt ending, but Allison was okay with it. By the time the movie ended, it was around 9:30 in the evening. She left the theater with her phone dead. If she had known Lucian wouldn¡¯te, she would¡¯ve gone to work instead of wasting a night¡¯s wage. Allison stepped out of the theater, and it started to rain a bit. Before she left in the morning, Grace had warned her about the possible rain and reminded her to bring an umbre. So she had one now. She took a cab home. Seeing her return, Grace was surprised, ¡®Allie, why are you back so early?¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Allison said, ¡°I swapped shifts with a friend and went out for a bit.¡± ¡°But why didn¡¯t you buy anything? You should¡¯ve bought some clothes and dressed up.¡± Grace was knitting a scarf on the couch. Allison changed her clothes and walked over, ¡°Mom, haven¡¯t you already knitted two?¡± ¡°These two are for your father and brother. It¡¯s getting cold. I¡¯m going to send them over.¡± ¡°This one¡¯s for dad, right? What about Ricky¡¯s? Let me knit his Allison started choosing the yarn from the basket on the table, ¡°How about a ck one for him?¡± ¡°Great. Ricky will love it.¡± Allison started knitting the scarf. She had done it before but was a bit rusty Luckily, Grace was there to guide her. She turned on the TV and chose thetest hit show, Golden Princess, to watch. The lead actress was the famous Traci. The acting. directing, art aesthetics, and script were all wless. No wonder the show was a hit. The first four episodes had already piqued the viewers¡¯ interest. As Allison watched the show and knitted the scarf, she had made significant progress, but her knitting wasn¡¯t perfect, so the scarf didn¡¯t look great. Compared to Grace¡¯s, hers was pretty rough. ¡°You missed a stitch here.¡± Grace remarked with a chuckle. Allison replied, ¡°But I¡¯ve already done so much. Even if I missed one, I can¡¯t just unravel it all and start over, right? I¡¯ll keep this one for myself. I¡¯ll knit a new one for Ricky tomorrow¡± Thinking about Ricky, Allison had something to tell Grace. ¡°Mom, back then, did Ricky¡­ did Ricky really die?¡± Grace was knitting a scarf. Upon hearing this question, she paused, ¡°Why do you suddenly bring this up?¡± Chapter 383 Chapter 383 ¡°Mom¡­¡± Allison looked at Grace. The TV was ring. Allison could hear the clear dialogues from the TV. She stared at Grace¡¯s worn-out face. Her heart pounded a few times before Nichs Young¡¯s face popped into her mind. ¡°Mom, at work, I met a guy who looks a lot like my brother, about the same age too.¡± The look on Grace¡¯s face wasplicated, filled with sadness, gullt, and¡­ ¡°Mom.¡± Grace seemed to snap out of her own world. She looked at Allison, ¡°Allie, I failed your brother¡­¡± Her tears flowed like a broken faucet, ¡°I was the one who handled his body. He and your dad were crushed by a truck beyond recognition.¡± Recalling that, Grace choked up. ¡°They were unrecognizable.¡± Seeing her mom in such despair, Allison regretted bringing up the past. She hugged Grace, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s all in the past.¡± It seemed that before she had solid proof, she shouldn¡¯t mention this to her mom. She needed to find out if Nichs really was her brother, or if he had any connection to her brother. Otherwise, she would only stir Grace up for nothing. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Grace¡¯s health was already poor, she couldn¡¯t handle too much emotional upheaval.. In the evening when Grace had gone to bed, Allison went into the living room, turned off the lights, and left the TV on, while watching an episode of a TV show and continuing to knit her scarf. When she finished one, she tried it on and it seemed to fit well. She decided to keep it for herself. She would knit a new one for Ricky tomorrow. At Nichs¡¯ house. A ck BMW pulled over. Nichs got out of the car. The butler immediately came over to wee him. Nichs handed the car key to the butler and walked into the living room. It was already 11 pm, but Elisa was still awake. Hearing her son was home, she immediately came downstairs, ¡°You¡¯re finally home. You¡¯ve beening hometer andter these days. Do you have so many friends in Northfield?¡± Nichs marched upstairs. ¡°Mom, when did you be such a gossip?¡± He said while loosening his tie. Elisa asked, ¡°Did you get a girlfriend?¡± ¡°How could that be? Mom, please don¡¯t jump to conclusions.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not getting any younger. Find one quickly. My son is so outstanding, and there are so many socialites pursuing you. Do you have anyone you like?¡± ¡°No.¡± Nichs sighed slightly, ¡°I¡¯m only 25. What¡¯s the rush?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I be anxious?¡± Elisa said, ¡°So many socialitedies, you don¡¯t like any of them? What about Jessica? Makenna? Or¡­¡± Nichs strode upstairs. His room was on the third floor. Elisa followed, ¡°So you don¡¯t like any of them, right? Can you tell me your type? I can help you find someone suitable based on your preferences.¡± Nichs had reached the third floor. He turned around, put his hand on Elisa¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s alreadyte. You should rest. You didn¡¯t stay up thiste just to ask me what type of girl I like, did you?¡± ¡°Lucian is about to have a baby. His fianc¨¦e may note from a high-ss family, but she¡¯s quite attractive. She¡¯s already 8 months pregnant. After she gives birth, the Lindberg family might throw a wedding for them. You could spend more time with them. What do you think of Ms. Lindberg? Our families are quite close. I¡¯ll be visiting the Lindberg family and chatting with Miranda tomorrow. You shoulde with me and meet Ms. Lindberg.¡± Nichs frowned slightly, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re not just randomly trying to set me up, are you?¡± -He and Ms. Lindberg, there was no way. Chapter 384 Chapter 384 ¡°What¡¯s impossible? How would you know if you don¡¯t give it a shot?¡± Elisa said. ¡°Ms. Lindberg is Carter¡¯s darling. She may not be Miranda¡¯s biological daughter, but she¡¯s adored in the Lindberg family. Our two families have always cooperated well. If we can form a mamage alliance, that would be great. If you really don¡¯t like her, I won¡¯t force you, but at least you should meet her once, right?¡± ¡°Alright, 111 go with you tomorrow¡± Nichs couldn¡¯t stand his mothers nagging anymore. As he watched Elisa go downstairs, a thought suddenly popped into his head. ¡°Mom.¡± Elisa stopped and turned to look at him. ¡°What¡¯s up, son?¡± ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve been having frequent headaches and memory confusiontely. I keep having shes of unfamiliar fragments. When I try to recall them, I get headaches and can¡¯t remember. Mom, can you tell me what I was like before?¡± Elisa¡¯s expression changed slightly. But soon, she regained her calm. ¡®Of course you were just like you are now. If you can¡¯t remember, don¡¯t force yourself. I¡¯ll take you to see a doctor tomorrow¡± Elisa returned to the second floor where she and Jaiden lived. When she entered the bedroom, Jaiden had juste back from his study. Elisa said worriedly, ¡°Jaiden, I¡¯m worried about Nichs. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll remember those unpleasant things.¡± Jaiden held her hand. ¡°Didn¡¯t the doctor say he wouldn¡¯t remember those things again?¡± Elisa shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Those things are over and our son is back, but it seems like he¡¯s starting to remember.¡± Jaiden was silent for a moment. ¡°We¡¯ll ask the doctor tomorrow¡± He patted Elisa¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Okay, don¡¯t worry.¡± Nichs changed his clothes and went to the bathroom to take a shower. While taking a shower, he looked at his muscr body in the mirror. He turned around to look at the scar on his back. He frowned. This scar, why was it in the same ce as the birthmark Allison described? Allison¡­ Thinking of Allison, a smile appeared on Nichs¡¯ lips. She was an interesting girl. She bothered him, but he didn¡¯t dislike her. Instead, he found her amusing. He felt a sense of familiarity with her, which felt strange. when he was sober. -He tried to recall many times, but he couldn¡¯t remember anything. Did he really know Allison before? He took out his phone and dialed a number ¡°Hey, Bradley, help me look into something¡± Allison didn¡¯t wake up until the next morning and found that her phone battery was dead. She didn¡¯t charge it after she got home from the cinemast night. After finding the charger, she charged her phone and then went to wash up. Then, she saw three missed calls on her phone, all from Lucian. He replied to her message. She sat on the edge of the bed, checking her phone. ¡°Sorry, I had something to dost night, so I got therete.¡± Allison smiled slightly. So this man could say ¡°sorry¡± too. She casually threw her phone aside, not caring if the charging cable was unplugged. After a few minutes, she felt her mood ease a bit and started to charge her phone again. She thought carefully, but still didn¡¯t know how to reply. She knew clearly that he was with Penelopest night. What could she reply? Her heart started to feel all jumbled up, and she decided to ignore it. She didn¡¯t have a night shiftst night, so she got up very early in the morning. It wasn¡¯t even eight o¡¯clock when she finished breakfast. Allison look Grace to the hospital for a check-up. The doctor on duty was Dr. Dn. Allison handed him the medical records. Dr. Dn -nodded, ¡°Now all your mother¡¯s data is normal.¡± Allison finally rxed. As she was about to leave the consulting room, Dr. Dn stopped her, ¡°Wait a minute-T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 385 Chapter 385 Allison halted. Her fingers tightened around the doorknob. Without turning around, she calmly said, ¡°Anything else, Dr. Dn?¡± Her tone was as casual as a patient chatting with their doctor. ¡°Nothing much. How¡¯ve you been?¡± Dr. Dn¡¯s hand holding the ballpoint pen paused for a moment, then tightened its grip on the pen. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°I¡¯m doing great,¡± Allison responded. She pulled the door open, ready to leave. Behind her, Dr. Dn blurted out, ¡°Allison, I broke up with Jade.¡± Allison pursed her lips, then gave them a slow bite. She had a soft spot for Dr. Dn, not just because he was her mom¡¯s doctor, but also for his gentleness and tolerance. What woman wouldn¡¯t fall for a man like this? He did touch her heart, but she knew she didn¡¯t love him. He was just a ray of light in her life. Moreover, she had brought trouble to Dr. Dn. He was a good man. Allison did not want to cause him any more trouble. Cutting off ties with him would be better for him. ¡°Dr. Dn, Jade is a great woman. You two are a good match.¡± With that, Allison opened the door and left. After she left, a look of disappointment filled Dr. Dn¡¯s eyes. He let out a bitter chuckle. At the Lindberg¡¯s residence. Miranda was reading. She and Elisa had been friends for years. When she heard the butler announce Elisa and Nichs¡¯ arrival, she immediately put her book down and went downstairs. ¡°Elisa.¡± Elisa walked over, ¡°Nick, this is Mrs. Lindberg.¡± Nichs, d in a grey tracksuit, stood tall and handsome. He greeted her. Miranda looked at Nichs approvingly, then led Elisa to the sofa. A servant brought over coffee. Miranda said, ¡°Give it a try. This is Zachary¡¯s prized Blue Mountain coffee. I don¡¯t drink coffee, but I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s the bomb.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll definitely give it a shot,¡± Elisa answered with a smile. ¡°Miranda, is Kami around?¡± Miranda understood Elisa¡¯s intentions. She was friends with Elisa, and Nichs was a catch, so of course she approved. She instructed a maid, ¡°Go get Ms. Kami here.¡± The maid lowered her head, ¡°Ms. Kami left this morning..¡± Miranda frowned, ¡°Where did she go? Why isn¡¯t she back yet?¡± ¡°She went to¡­ Crane Manor.¡± Crane Manor was Aidan¡¯s residence. Miranda sighed, ¡°Kami¡­¡± She was worried about this. Kami wasn¡¯t her biological daughter, but she loved her as if she was. Aidan had no blood ties with the Lindberg family, but thete Hailey adored him. Carter liked him too. It was fine when Kami used to hang with Aidan as a clueless kid, but why did she keep it up now that she was grown? She didn¡¯t want to dwell on it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Elisa, Kami isn¡¯t home.¡± Elisa replied, ¡°That¡¯s okay. I came to chat with you. With the kids gone, we can let our hair down.¡± Nichs breathed a sigh of relief on the side, ¡°Mom, I won¡¯t disturb you and Mrs. Lindberg then. I¡¯ll take off.¡± Elisa knew what her son was thinking, ¡®Alright.¡± Chapter 386 Chapter 386 After Nichs took off, he didn¡¯t let the driver take him, but asked him to wait here to take Elisa home. Nichs hopped in a cab. He pulled out his phone, and his eyes fell on Allison¡¯s contact. He thought about it, then dialed her number. ¡°Are you free, Ms. Zimmer?¡± Allison had just left the hospital and was about to grab a bite. She nned to visit the cemetery in the afternoon and then go to a bookstore. When she got Nichs¡¯ call, she said, ¡°I¡¯m about to grab some food. Nichs, wanna join?¡± Half an hourter, Nichs got out of the taxi, looking at the pedestrian street in front of him. It was full of different food stalls, swarming with people, and pretty crowded. The ce was almost exclusively for pedestrians and bicycles. Cars were basically a no-go here. ¡°I¡¯m here! Nichs!¡± Nichs turned around, and through the crowd a few meters away, Allison was standing in front of a hot dog stand, waving at him. Nichs walked over to her. He had never been to such a bustling ce, or eaten this kind of street food, but he didn¡¯t feel out of ce standing here. He thought he might feel a little ufortable, but it turned out he was just fine. ¡°Do you want a hot dog? I ordered one. If you want to eat, I¡¯ll get another one.¡± Allison asked him. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Nichs frowned slightly. He wasn¡¯t sure if he wanted to eat. ¡°I¡­ ¡°As far as he could remember, he¡¯d never eaten this before. Allison had already made the decision for him, ¡°One more, please.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± The vendor quickly started to make it. ¡°Do you want BBQ sauce, ketchup, or mayo? Pickles?¡± Before Nichs could answer, Allison said, ¡®BBQ sauce. No pickles.¡± Nichs looked at her with slight surprise. She seemed to know his taste well. Allison looked up. ¡°Did I guess right?¡± ¡°Yes, very right.¡± Nichs indeed didn¡¯t like mayo. He could tolerate ketchup, but wasn¡¯t a fan. His least favorite was pickles. If there was even a bit of pickle in his food at home, he could taste it. He wasn¡¯t against all pickle products. Whole pickles he could asionally tolerate, but chopped ones mixed in other food, he wouldn¡¯t touch with a ten-foot pole. There were a lot of people at the hot dog stand, so they waited for about ten minutes. Allison took the two hot dogs and handed one to Nichs. She took a bite of her own hot dog and smiled satisfactorily. Seeing the smile at the corner of her lips, Nichs also felt happy, ¡°Is it really that good?¡± ¡°Try it yourself.¡± Allison looked at him, ¡°It¡¯s really good: There were several middle and high schools near the pedestrian street, so it was usually crowded. Most of the people eating here were students, with some office workers from the vicinity. When Ricky was in high school, Allison was in middle school. Every day after school, Ricky would wait for her here and buy her a hot dog. Nichs looked at the food in front of him, slightly frowned, then took a bite. It was incredibly delicious. He couldn¡¯t believe something so cheap could taste this good. Allison said, ¡°My brother and I used to go to school near here. We often came here after school.¡± Nichs asked, ¡°Did your brother also like this?¡± ¡°Yes, but our parents didn¡¯t give us much allowance, so he usually only bought one, and we would share. But actually, I always ate more. He would only take a bite asionally.¡± Nichs said, ¡°Your brother really spoils you.¡± Chapter 387 Chapter 387 ¡°Indeed.¡± Memories of the past brought a glimmer of moisture to Allison¡¯s N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. eyes. ¡°Nichs, would you like to meet my brother?¡± she asked. Nichs had just taken a bite of his hot dog when he paused, looking at Allison. ¡°Can I?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll take you to him after lunch.¡± They decided to have lunch at a Japanese ramen shop. Allison frequented the ce during her school days. The ramen shop was cheap and served generous portions, but she had stoppeding as often after she started working. Despite this, the female owner still remembered her. ¡°Allison, you came!¡± The owner greeted her warmly. It was the peak lunch hour and the restaurant was almost full. Allison and Nichs managed to find two empty seats. ¡°Tworge portions of beef ramen, please.¡± Their orders arrived shortly. The owner looked at Nichs. ¡°Ricky. I haven¡¯t seen you in ages. After you guys graduated, only Allison would drop by once in a while.¡± Allison knew that the owner had mistaken Nichs for Ricky. Nichs epted his bowl of ramen and yed along, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s been a long time. I¡¯ve been busy recently, so I don¡¯te by as much.¡± The owner was enthusiastic. ¡°Being busy is a good thing. You¡¯ve graduated from college, right?¡± The beef ramen was steaming hot. Despite only costing $3.99, it was filled with a generous amount of beef. Nichs replied, ¡°I¡¯ve started working.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. I used to see you and your sister all the time. You¡¯ve both grown up so fast! Time really flies¡­¡± The owner sighed, before being called away by a customer who needed to pay their bill. The restaurant was warm and cozy. Nichs looked at Allison, feeling a bit dazed, as if a thinyer of fog was in front of his eyes. ¡°Allison, did you used toe here often with your brother?¡± -¡°Yes. ¡°Do¡­ do you treat me so well because you see me as your brother?¡± Nichs felt a pang in his heart. He was the scion of a wealthy family, rich and handsome. Many women pursued him, but now he was being treated as a stand-in for another man by a woman. ¡°Yes.¡± Hearing her answer, Nichs felt a hint of bitterness. ¡°Can¡¯t you lie to me just once?¡± Allison took a bite of her ramen. ¡®Eat up. This ce¡¯s ramen is cheap and delicious. If you don¡¯t eat it soon, the noodles will stick together.¡± Nichs tasted the ramen and sipped the soup. It was indeed delicious. Allison looked at his face and said, ¡°You¡¯re different from my brother. My brother wasn¡¯t as arrogant as you and didn¡¯t have your family background. He was just an ordinary guy while you are a wealthy man of high status¡­¡± Her voice trailed off, ¡°Maybe you¡¯re him¡­ maybe you¡¯re not¡­ By the time they finished their meal, it was around 1 pm. Allison took him to the graveyard. The graveyard was located on the south side of Northfield, somewhat out of the way, right next to a hill. It was Christopher who had helped choose this location. Allison took out some flowers from her bag and ced them in front of Joshua¡¯s grave, then she took out a tissue to wipe off the dust on the tombstone. ¡°Dad, it¡¯s been a few days since Ist visited you. I brought your favorite liquor.¡± ¡°Ricky, I didn¡¯t bring anything else for you this time, but I knitted a scarf for you. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t do a good job at some parts. Mom said # didn¡¯t look good, so I wore it myself. I¡¯ll knit a nice one for you in a few days.* Allison¡¯s voice was low but in the gentle breeze, Nichs standing behind her could hear. He watched as Allison bent down to pull the grass around the tombstone and wipe the dust off with a tissue. He stepped forward to look at the picture on Ricky¡¯s tombstone. The young face was eerily simr to his own. His throat tightened, and he clenched his fists. Something in his mind seemed to be struggling to break free, causing him an unbearable sense of difort. Chapter 388 Chapter 388 He furrowed his brows, eyes glued to Joshua¡¯s tombstone. Suddenly, he was gasping for air. He took a deep breath as horrifying images shed in his mind. What the hell was going on? He found it hard to breathe. Allison was pulling weeds, oblivious to his difort. Nichs¡¯ throat was dry. He asked, ¡°Allison, how old were you when your brother and father passed away?¡± ¡°I had just started middle school.¡± ¡°Did your brother like pickles?¡± ¡°Nope. My mom said pickles are good for health, but Ricky couldn¡¯t stand them. If you handed him a whole pickle, he¡¯d somehow manage. But if you diced it up in food, he¡¯d pick out everyst bit.¡± ¡°Did he have any particr preferences?¡± ¡°He loved BBQ sauce, hated mayo. He didn¡¯t likemb, said it smelled funky. He was a beef guy.¡± ¡°He was a leftie. His handwriting was real neal with his left hand.¡± Nichs¡¯ mind was suddenly buzzing. ¡°Leftie?¡± He looked at his own left hand. He never thought he was a leftie. As far as he remembered, he was always a rightie. But sometimes, he did feel his left hand was surprisingly nimble. Nichs stared at Joshua¡¯s tombstone, a surge of emotion welled up in his chest. An indescribable feeling rose in his heart. Shawn and his girlfriend were also at the cemetery. It was her father¡¯s death anniversary. Heid flowers before the tombstone. This was one of the biggest cemeteries in Northfield. Shawn didn¡¯t expect to run into Allison here. Seeing Allison wasn¡¯t a big deal, but she was with Nichs. Now, that was a big deal. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Shawn thought for a moment and snapped a picture of them. He figured Lucian would lose it if he saw them together. Lucian was already in a foul mood this morning, even though he seemed fine when he took Ms. Zimmer¡¯s call at lunch yesterday. Mr. Lindberg¡¯s temper was unpredictable. His girlfriend noticed his actions. ¡°You dare to sneak pictures of other women? Have you fallen for that woman? Her back does look ¨C nice. Shawn, we¡¯re here to memorialize my father, and you¡¯re taking pictures of other women behind my back!¡± She pinched Shawn. Shawn said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± He lowered his voice, pointing at that figure, ¡°That woman is indeed beautiful, but I wouldn¡¯t dare have any ideas about her. She¡¯s Mr. Lindberg¡¯s¡­¡± His girlfriend was surprised, ¡°Mr. Lindberg?¡± Shawn nodded. Her surprise grew, ¡°How is that possible?¡± Everyone in thepany knew how cold and aloof Lucian was. She quietly took out her phone, focusing on Allison, ¡°Who¡¯s that guy next to her? He¡¯s tall and handsome.¡± ¡°That¡¯s Felix¡¯s grandson, Nichs.¡± His girlfriend, Krista, said, ¡°How is Mr. Lindberg¡¯s girlfriend with Felix¡¯s grandson? Are they on a date?¡± Shawn nced at her, ¡°Krista, you¡¯re bold.¡± Krista covered her mouth, ¡°Really? Who exactly is this woman? Why can she attract Mr. Lindberg and also Felix¡¯s grandson? I really want to see. She suddenly remembered, ¡°Wait, doesn¡¯t Mr. Lindberg have a fianc¨¦e¡­¡± She nced at her boyfriend, pinched his arm, ¡°Could it be, this woman is Mr. Lindberg¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°What if he has a fianc¨¦e? Mr. Lindberg isn¡¯t married yet. As for this woman¡­ better you know less. Curiosity killed the cat. Let¡¯s mind our own business.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Chapter 389 Chapter 389 Allison and Nichs left the cemetery. Nichs didn¡¯t drive. He and Allison took a cab. Since it was gettingte, they found a restaurant to have dinner, and afterward, Allison nned to head to the Red Jack Club. Nichs didn¡¯t leave, ¡°Coincidentally, I¡¯m also heading to the Red Jack Club.¡± ¡°Got a shindig tonight? Need me to book a private room for you in advance?¡± ¡°Not at the moment.¡± At 6:30 PM, Allison turned up at the Red Jack Club¡¯s staff lounge. She changed her threads. Stepping out of the lounge, she spotted Serena giving the staff a piece of her mind. She hit the brakes. When Serena was done chewing out the staff and was about to return to her office, Allison piped up: ¡°Ms. Serena.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Serena swiveled around, eyeing Allison, ¡®What¡¯s up?¡± Allison sauntered over, ¡°Ms. Serena, I¡¯ve got some good news and some bad news. Which one do you wanna hear first?¡± Serena was stumped. She cracked a smile, ¡°What¡¯s the good news?¡± Allison and Serena were about the same height, but Serena was in heels, so she was a couple of centimeters taller. Allison leaned in, whispering. ¡°The good news is. I¡¯m quitting next week. You can take it up with Leah.¡± Serena¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Allison, I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Ms. Serena, you don¡¯t need to know what I¡¯m talking about. Wanna hear the bad news?¡± Serena kept her poker face, ¡°What¡¯s the bad news?¡± ¡°The bad news is, you may also have to bail from the Red Jack Club next week. Allison saw Serena¡¯s face go pale. She cracked a smile, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m just saying it might happen.¡± Serena looked grim, ¡°Allison, who¡¯s gonna leave is still up in the air.¡± Allison nonchntly fixed her hair, ¡°Sure, it¡¯s uncertain. After all, I¡¯m leaving next week. I might not get to see you leave.¡± and you ¡°Allison, I never realized you were so articte. Serena quickly bounced back. She thought Allison was bluffing. After all, she¡¯d been there for years, ¡°I underestimated you. You¡¯re backing out, that¡¯s wise. Otherwise, it¡¯d be really embarrassing when I fire you leave with your tail between your legs.¡± Allison casually replied, ¡°See you next week then.¡± Allison hit the second floor. She didn¡¯t have a regr room there, she took turns with Ashley and others. Suddenly someone called her, ¡°Allison, the guests in Room 208 want to see you¡± ¡°Got it. Take care of things here.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Allison walked into Room 208, knocking on the door. When she stepped in, she found the room massive. A gent was lounging on the sofa, decked out in ck tracksuit, a far cry from his usual stiff and aloof suit and tie look. The current Lucian radiated a youthful vibe. He looked at Allison at the door, ¡®Noting in? How long are you gonna stand there?¡± Allison walked in, ¡°Sir, what can I get you?¡± Lucian grinned, ¡®Whatever. You pick.¡± Allison asked, ¡°Sir, are you alone?¡± Seeing Lucian nod, she continued, ¡°Then I guess I¡¯ll order less.¡± Even though she said that, she ordered a bunch of pricey drinks and made Lucian foot the bill. Lucian nced at the bill and signed with a smile. Allison called for the drinks to be prepared, then went to collect. Two minutester, she returned to the room with seven or eight bottles of pricey booze. She asked, ¡°Sir, which one would you like to start with?¡± Lucian looked at her and answered, ¡°The one in your hand. Chapter 390 Chapter 390 Allison popped open a bottle of wine, poured a ss, and handed it over to Lucian. He downed it in one gulp, then set the ss down. Allison refilled it. This time, he didn¡¯t drink it. Instead, he gripped not only the ss but also her fingers and suddenly yanked her towards him. Allison yelped in surprise. The ss slipped from her hand and wine sshed everywhere. ¡°Sir¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve told you, call me Lucian.¡± He pulled her down onto the couch. Allison looked at him, ¡°Lucian.¡± ¡°You mad at me?¡± His voice was a bit husky. Allison mped her mouth shut and didn¡¯t answer. Lucian leaned in to kiss her, his tongue exploring her mouth. He kissed her deeply as Allison wrapped her arms around his neck. They made out passionately for a while. The couch wasn¡¯t that cramped, but their make-out session wasn¡¯t exactly unrestrained. Allison¡¯ shifted around and suddenly slipped off the couch, in a split second, Lucian flipped over to cradle her in his arms. His back was pressed against the carpet. Allison was sprawled on top of him, ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± His voice was low and sexy, ¡°You¡¯re not heavy.¡± Allison mped her mouth shut again, ¡°So, if I were heavier, you wouldn¡¯t protect me like this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± He reached out, pinching her nose lightly. ¡°Still mad?¡± Allison huffed lightly. ¡°What do you think? I waited for you for two hours. Lucian, you promised to watch a movie with me.¡± She sounded upset. Lucian raised a finger, brushing it against her nose, ¡°Sorry I went to the cinema, but by the time I got there, you had already left.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°I waited for you for two hours. I waited until 10:30 and you were still a no show. You didn¡¯t go there at midnight, did you?¡± Allison can¡¯t believe that he would go there in the middle of the night. Lucian¡¯s gazes flickered slightly. He did go there at midnight. He knew Allison would have already left by then, but he went to the cinema anyway. ¡°So, tell me why you didn¡¯t show up on time?¡± Lucian replied, ¡°Something came up, so I got dyed.¡± Allison persisted, ¡°What came up?¡± He said, ¡®It¡¯s none of your business.¡± Allison huffed again, standing up. ¡°If it¡¯s none of my business, then I won¡¯t ask. Mr. Lindberg, do you need more drinks? Or a fruit tter? If not, I¡¯ll wait outside until you need something.¡± Lucian chuckled. He knew she was mad at him. He reached out and grabed her waist before she can leave. They tumbled onto the soft couch together. Lucian held her, resting his chin on her shoulder, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, but you can¡¯t get mad.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± ¡°That night Penelope came to find me. She¡¯s pregnant, and she was very emotional.¡± ¡°So, you stayed with her?¡± Lucianughed helplessly, ¡°Isn¡¯t it because you went to Epic Entertainment? Did you do something to upset her? That afternoon, she kept calling me. I had a meeting, so I didn¡¯t answer. She came to find me at night, crying and making a scene. It gave me a headache. You know she¡¯s been pregnant for a while. If anything happened to her¡­¡± ¡®So, you went to be with your fiancee and left me hanging for two hours.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He apologized sincerely and nted a soft kiss on her cheek. She still ignored him and he had tofort her soothingly. He¡¯d never had to treat someone like this before. Allison was his first. They were like a young couple in love. When the girl got upset, the boy would gentlyfort her, kiss her cheek, and promise not to do it again. Allison suddenly felt tears welling up in her eyes. She didn¡¯t know how to describe her feelings at that moment. She suddenly didn¡¯t know who she was to him. Was she his mistress? His girlfriend? But he¡¯d already engaged. Penelope was eight and a half months pregnant and about to give birth. Once Penelope gave birth and married Lucian, Allison would be nothing Was she his secret mistress? Chapter 391 Chapter 391 The more Allison thought about it, the harder it was to breathe. She suddenly felt off. Tears welled up in her eyes in an instant. Lucian was taken aback, suddenly feeling a bit panicked. Allison got up, ready to step out. She needed some fresh air. The man grabbed her tightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I really didn¡¯t mean to ditch the cinema. Tomorrow, tomorrow! Tomorrow I¡¯m all yours for the whole day. Wherever you want to go, I¡¯ll be with you, okay?¡± Allison wasn¡¯t born yesterday. She wouldn¡¯t ask Lucian stupid questions like if he loved her or what he saw her as. One should learn to be content. Biting her lip, she tried her best to calm herself. Just as Sarah said, women shouldn¡¯t be too dominant. Instead, they should learn to be gently yful and attract men. ¡°Then promise me one thing.¡± ¡°Shoot.¡± *The one who drugged us that day was another manager here, Serena. I want you to find someone to fire her. I¡¯m quitting next week, and I want to see her out of Red Jack Club before I leave.¡± Without any hesitation, the man said, ¡°Sure.¡± Dare to drug him? This Serena, really asking for trouble. Tears streamed down Allison¡¯s face. She nuzzled the man¡¯s shoulder. Lucian smiled, ¡°Not mad anymore?¡± ¡°Why would I be mad? It¡¯s only right you spend time with your fiancee.¡± There was a hint of jealousy in her words. Normally. Lucian would be upset hearing this, but he was pleased. Her jealousy meant she cared about him. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll spend the whole day watching movies with you.¡± He nipped at her earlobe. ¡°Any type of adult films are fine. We can not only watch, but also¡­¡± Hearing his cheeky words, Allison blushed. She punched him lightly in the chest, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask why Serena drugged us?¡± ¡°Did you piss her off?¡± ¡°It was Leah, Leah wanted her to find an excuse to drive me away, so Serena came up with this awful n.¡± The man frowned, a hint of darkness shed in his eyes, ¡°Leah? Mrs. nagan?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s her. She¡¯s been bullying me. Ever since I was a child in the nagan family, they never liked me or my mother.¡± Before, Lucian thought all these were made up. But he did help Allison dodge a cup that almost hit her in the nagan family. If it weren¡¯t for him, Allison¡¯s face would have been injured. ¡°Why?¡± He didn¡¯t understand why Leah would be so harsh on a maid. Allison looked at him, ¡°Because I look a lot like Penelope. My mother was Christopher¡¯s first love, and also Leah¡¯s cousin.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Lucian looked at her face. She did look a lot like Penelope. Even he almost mistook her for Penelope the first time they met. Allison stared at Lucian¡¯s handsome face. Sitting on hisp, she put her arms around his neck and moved closer to him, ¡°Lucian, can you tell me apart from Penelope?¡± ke a dri When she asked this question, her heart pounded like a drum. Could he really tell her apart from Penelope? Lucian suddenly fell silent. He asked, ¡°Allison, have you¡­ ever been to Silver Star Hotel?¡± Allison¡¯s heart pounded even harder. She kept her expression unchanged, but her heart was set aze. Did he finally find something out? However, she couldn¡¯t tell him. She couldn¡¯t tell him that it was her that night, not Penelope.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 392 Chapter 392 She pursed her lips and then, a radiant smile suddenly broke out. Working at Red Jack Club required makeup. Allison usually kept it subtle, but tonight¡¯s lipstick was a bit more mboyant. At that moment, her eyes were still red from crying, offsetting the bright red of her lips, and surprisingly, caught Lucian¡¯s attention. ¡°Lucian, Silver Star Hotel is a ce for the rich. I might not even make it through the doors of Silver Star Hotel without being kicked out.¡± Lucian suddenly felt a pang of annoyance. It felt like a fire was burning inside him. He was feeling ufortable. Looking at her smiling face, he was overwhelmed with a mix of emotions he had never felt before.. If only¡­ If only it was her¡­. The next morning, Arthur finished his work. His assistant stood by with some documents, ¡°Mr. Arthur, there¡¯s something I think you should know.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± The man removed his sses perched on the bridge of his nose, pinching it lightly. *At 8 this moming, one of my guys got a call saying that Shawn, Lindberg Corporation¡¯s assistant, contacted Rodney and had him fire a female manager named Serena from Red Jack Club.¡¯ N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°Lindberg Corporation? Lucian?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Arthur frowned slightly. He was well aware of the famous Lindberg Corporation in Northfield, but he didn¡¯t understand why Lucian would personally care about a female manager from Red Jack Club? ¡°Okay.¡± This minor issue wouldn¡¯t normally require his attention, but since it involved Lindberg Corporation, he found it quite interesting. ¡°What did this Serena do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. ording to Shawn, it was Lucian¡¯s order. He wants Serena out of Red Jack Club by next Monday. Apparently because¡­¡± Arthur nced at his assistant, ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°Apparently because Mr. Lindberg wants to please a woman named Allison. She¡¯s a waitress at Red Jack Club and seems to have a -conflict with Serena. Allison caught Lucian¡¯s attention, so Lucian decided to get this woman out.¡± Arthur quietly repeated the name, ¡°Allison¡­¡± He had no impression of this name, but he was intrigued, ¡°When did Red Jack Club get such an influential waitress that could catch Lucian¡¯s attention? I¡¯d like to meet her.¡± ¡°Mr. Anthur, should I invite Ms. Zimmer over now?¡± ¡°She¡¯s Lucian¡¯s woman, so naturally, I want to meet her myself.¡± ¡°But I heard that Allison is resigning next Monday* ¡°With Lucian around, does she still need to work at Red Jack Club?¡± At half past nine in the morning, Allison arrived at Magnolia Gardens. It was indeed one of the top ten mansion vis in the country. The exterior of the vi was extremely luxurious. She rang the doorbell. The door was opened by Lucky. Upon seeing her, Lucky got excited and almost jumped on her. Lucky was almost heavier than her. Allison couldn¡¯t handle it and took two steps back to barely hold this big dog. ¡°I haven¡¯t been here for so long. Do you still remember me?¡± Lucky wagged its tail wildly in response. Allison gently stroked its head, ¡°Since you still remember me, I have a gift for you.¡± As she finished her sentence, she took out a white fur ball from her bag. It was a solid fur ball, quite heavy. She threw the ball ahead. Lucky immediately ran over to y with it. The ball was made of Lucky¡¯s shed fur Lucky was particrly happy ying with it, sniffing the familiar scent on the fur ball. It carried the fur ball in its mouth back to Allison. Allison throw the ball into the distance, and Lucky would run over to fetch it. This process repeated a few times. Just then, Lucian came downstairs. The fur ball rolled to his feel He bent down to pick it up. Chapter 393 Chapter 393 Lucky missed its target as it pounced. It was having a good time, so it let out a bark, hoping Lucian would throw the ball he held for it. The guy looked at the ball in his hands and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you to know this.¡± Allison replied, ¡°I have a lot of tricks up my sleeve.¡± Lucian asked, ¡°You brought Lucky a gift. What about me? Don¡¯t I get a present? Allison retorted, ¡°Are you seriouslypeting with a dog? I promised Lucky this thest time I was here. The ball is made from Lucky¡¯s own fur.¡± She walked over, bent down and patted Lucky¡¯s head. ¡°This big dog sheds every year. If you keep collecting the fur, the ball can be made bigger. Lucky jumped up and barked, as if begging Allison for help. Although Lucky jumped high, Lucian raised his hand even higher. Lucky couldn¡¯t reach the ball, so it started spinning around. Allison looked a bit helpless, ¡°Just give it to him. Why are you bullying him?¡± Allison never thought Lucian would be so childish Jealous over a gift? N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Then she remembered she still had a scarf in her bag, the one she knitted herself. So she said, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll give you a gift too.¡± With that, she opened her bag and took out the scarf, ¡®I knitted this myself. I know you won¡¯t like it.¡± Lucian took a look and couldn¡¯t help butugh. Allison blushed. She snatched it back and said, ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t like it. What¡¯s so funny? This took me a whole night to knit. There are only two missed stitches, and it¡¯s ck, so you can¡¯t tell when you wear it.¡± She was just joking with this man. She knew that a man like Lucian wore only designer clothes. His suits were worth thousands of dors, and his brooches were worth hundreds of thousands. How could a damaged scarf that she knitted casually catch his eye? Lucian put the scarf around his neck, ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s good.¡± Allison asked him, ¡°Really?¡± He answered, ¡°Really¡± Allison said, ¡°When I have time, I¡¯ll knit you a good one.¡± He replied, ¡°Okay¡± Lucky watched the two of them anxiously. Lucian chuckled and threw the ball out, ¡°Here you go! Go fetch Lucky ran out excitedly. Lucian grabbed Allison¡¯s hand and led her upstairs. Behind them came heavy footsteps; it was Lucky running over with the ball in its mouth. Lucian shook his head. He felt that Lucky could be quite a nuisance sometimes. He took out his phone and made a call, ¡°Faith,e to Magnolia Gardens and take the dog away. Bring it back tonight.¡± The other end of the phone replied, ¡°Okay.¡± Lucky was still wagging its little head,pletely unaware that its schedule for the day had already been arranged. Magnolia Gardens had a private movie theater. The seats inside were all high-end massage chairs. Lucian handed her a tablet, ¡®Pick whatever you want to watch.¡± Allison nced at the content on the screen and blushed. She quickly swiped through a few pages, and when she saw the adult films disyed, she stared at Lucian in surprise. The man asked her, ¡°Why are you staring at me? How would I know your preferences?¡± Allison bit her lip, her cheeks puffed up The man deliberately extended his voice, the tone sexy and husky, ¡°Oh, I see. Do you like¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like that!¡± Allison blushed even more. She threw the tablet back at him. Chapter 394 Chapter 394 Lucian grabbed the tablet and pulled her into his arms. The massage chair felt a bit cramped even though it was spacious enough. He nted a tender kiss on her cheek. Allison didn¡¯t resist his touch. She didn¡¯t have that privilege. In the midst of their affectionate kiss, his husky and sexy voice made its way to her ears, ¡°Jennifer¡¯s new movie, Day Zero, doesn¡¯t start filming for another three months. In the meantime, Epic Entertainment has another artsy film. If you¡¯re into it, I can rmend you for the audition. The production team is top-notch,¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried your fianc¨¦e will get mad?¡± His gazes darkened, ¡°Allison, when we¡¯re together, I don¡¯t want you to bring her up.¡± ¡°Ainght¡± Allison responded obediently, ¡°I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± Lucian smirked a little, ¡°That¡¯s more like it. If you like this movie, I can have Epic Entertainment get you on board right away. But if you don¡¯t, we can always switch it up. As long as you¡¯re willing, I can cater to all your needs¡± Allison offered a smile, but her heart didn¡¯t feel as light as she looked. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Are you happy?¡± he asked. Allison¡¯s smile widened a bit, but her eyes didn¡¯t hold much joy. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m happy.¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy.¡± His nose gently brushed against her forehead. ¡°That¡¯s all I want.¡± Allison¡¯s gaze faltered slightly. She closed her eyes, her hands slowly clenched and then rxed. Miranda had been busy organizing a charity auction dinner, an annual gig for her. This year she nned to make it even more grand. The dinner was a week away. She had already booked the venue and sent out the invitations. Almost everyone of importance in Northfield received her invite, and they all promised to show up. After all, no one would dare disrespect the Lindberg family. Miranda might seem gentle and refined, but when it came to nning, she was meticulous to the core. ¡°Mrs Lindberg. I¡¯ve prepared the list you asked for. Also, here are the items for auction from thedies, including various antiques, gold pieces, and jewelry¡± ¡°Good. Check the food at the hotel.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The day of the charity dinner was blessed with good weather. The wind was a bit chilly in the evening, but not ufortably so. Luxury cars filled the hotel¡¯s entrance. For tonight¡¯s event, Miranda had booked the entire hotel for a week, though only a banquet hall would be used tonight, A few socialites walked in, exchanging pleasantries with Miranda. Miranda offered an elegant smile, ¡°We should go for a spa day sometime.¡± ¡°Sounds good, it¡¯s a date.¡± ¡°Mrs. Lindberg¡± Leah and Penelope approached her. Penelope was wearing a champagne colored dress with a matchingce belt below her bust. The floating texture of her dress subtly hid her protruding belly. Leah was dressed in a dark green velvet gown, her hair gently curled, with an emerald pendant around her neck, exuding elegance and grandeur. Upon seeing Penelope, Miranda expressed surprise, ¡°Penelope, what are you doing here? I asked you to rest at home.¡± Penelope chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m fine, I even wore t shoes today. Plus, I have something for the auction. I want to contribute to the charity dinner too.¡± At this charity dinner, all auction items were voluntarily donated. All proceeds from the auction would be donated. Penelope settled into a lounge. Leah reminded her to take care of herself before leaving to chat with the otherdies. Penelope was alone in the lounge. She took out her phone and dialed a number, ¡°Pete, how¡¯s the n coming along?¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°Everything is ready. You just have to seize the opportunity. Remember, Penelope, this might be your only shot.¡± Penelope understood perfectly. Only in this way could she make Miranda feel guilty and Lucian feel grateful towards her. Even if she lost the baby, she could sull marry him smoothly. After ending her call, Penelope left the room. Chapter 395 Chapter 395 The banquet hall was brightly lit. The crystal chandelier sparkled brilliantly Donning a custom-made silk dress, Miranda was busy chit-chatting with a few societydies. The auction that was about to begin was all set. This time, the auction dinner was well prepared. Everyone in Northfield¡¯s upper ss respected Miranda, so upon her invitation, they all brought high-priced auction items. Leah, too, brought a painting worth seventy to eighty thousand. The nagans weren¡¯t exactly filthy rich. This painting was the best she could offer. After all, the auction proceeds were to be donated, but for the sake of dignity, and given that she was inws with the Lindbergs, she couldn¡¯t afford to appear too shabby. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mrs. nagan, the auction item you brought this time is pretty dope. This painting must note cheap, huh?¡± Leah chuckled, ¡°You are ttering me, Mrs. Santiago. Your wooden carving is the real treasure here.¡± The carving was actually worth just over forty thousand dors Mrs Santiagoughed, knowing Leah was showing off her painting and downying her carving. She shot back, ¡°Ie to Mrs. Lindberg¡¯s charity dinner every year. This is my third year already¡± Leah¡¯s face stiffened a bit. She knew Mrs. Santiago was mocking her for only being able to attend such a dinner this year because of her daughter. She bit her lip, ¡°Mrs. Santiago, I hope to chat with you here again next year.¡± Once her daughter sessfully married into the Lindbergs and the Lindbergs and nagans started doing business together, she won¡¯t have to put up with these people anymore Mrs. Santiago retorted, ¡°Is that so? I hope to see you next year, Mrs. nagan.¡± After saying this, she took her champagne and walked over to Miranda, ¡®Mrs. Lindberg¡± Miranda turned around with a smile, ¡°Mrs. Santiago, how¡¯s the dinner?¡± ¡°Any dinner hosted by Mrs. Lindberg is naturally excellent,¡± Mrs. Santiago ttered After exchanging a few words, Miranda nced at the time. The auction was about to start, so she began arranging the venue with her assistant Just then, Penelope walked over, heavily pregnant and supporting her back. She quickly nced at Miranda and prepared to approach her Her fingers were tightly clenched, and she took a deep breath. She was terrified. After all, she was nearly nine months pregnant. If anything dangerous happened, what would she do? But this was her last chance. She absolutely could not let this child be born. She had thought about ming Allison for a miscarriage, but without the baby, she would lose her ticket into the Lindbergs. Even if doing so could make Lucian resent Allison, that was not her ultimate goal. If she wanted to marry Lucian, she had to use this child to secure the biggest gains for herself. On the second floor not far away, a man in ck gave Penelope a nce and signaled to her. Penelope understood. Biting her lip, she navigated through the crowd to Miranda¡¯s side, ¡°Miranda.¡± Upon seeing her, Miranda immediately took her hand, ¡°Take it easy, no rush.¡± Penelope and Miranda walked side by side. The gazes of severaldies fell on her belly, ¡°Oh my, Miranda, you¡¯re so lucky. You¡¯re going to be a grandma soon.¡± Miranda seemed very pleased too. Although she had always been somewhat dissatisfied with Penelope, she was pregnant after all, so she didn¡¯t probe further. She could see that her son¡¯s attitude towards Penelope seemed¡­a little off. Also, the jade pendant on Lucian was not seen on Penelope. Chapter 396 Chapter 396 Penelope seemed totally clueless about what was going on. Miranda was deep in thought when suddenly, a scream shattered the silence. She looked up and saw Mrs. Santiago¡¯s face had turned grave, ¡°Mrs. Lindberg, watch out-¡± What the hell just happened? 9 5 2 Miranda was still trying to process when, out of nowhere, a force shoved her hard. She lost her bnce, staggered back and crashed to the floor. Pain shot through her arm as screams and shouts exploded around her. ¡°Penelope!¡± Leah cried out in a panic. ¡°Mrs. Lindberg, are you okay?¡± Someone helped Miranda up. In her high heels, Miranda had been pushed so hard she¡¯d twisted her ankle. She winced in pain, but as she took in the scene, she was struck dumb. ¡°Penelope!¡± The floor was a mess of shattered crystals from the chandelier. Penelope was pinned under the massive fixture, blood pooling around her. She was already unconscious. It was Penelope who had pushed Miranda out of the way when the chandelier fell. ¡°My baby! My baby girl¡­¡± Leah was on her knees, on the verge of a breakdown. She turned to Miranda, ¡°Mrs. Lindberg, Mrs. Lindberg! Please, save my girl¡­¡± Miranda was utterly shocked. ¡°The ambnce is here!¡± Then, Penelope was carried off on a stretcher. Everyone rushed to the hospital. The charity dinner came to a sudden end, leaving the socialites to whisper among themselves. Every year, Miranda hosted this charity event to do some good things for the world. But now, her daughter-inw and unborn grandchild might be gone. Lucian rushed to the hospital as soon as he got the call. At the end of the corridor was the operating room. His handsome face was grim. He strode forward, eyes tracing the blood trail from the stair entrance all the way to the OR. -¡°Mom.¡± Miranda saw him and went to him. She was barely holding it together, ¡°Lucian¡­¡± Lucian nced at Miranda. Seeing she was okay, he felt a bit relieved. His gaze was locked on the OR. The disy showed Penelope had been in there for 20 minutes. Miranda approached. Lucian pulled her into his arms. ¡°It¡¯s okay, mom.¡± Miranda¡¯s eyes were filled with tears, ¡°Penelope saved me. If it weren¡¯t for her, I would be the one lying in there. But Penelope and her child¡­¡± Lucian was also feeling heavy. He held Miranda. Miranda cried on his shoulder. About five minutester, footsteps echoed in the corridor. Christopher rushed over. He and Leah had been in a cold war for over a month, but seeing Leah¡¯s tearful eyes, all their differences seemed to fade away in an instant. Leah threw herself into his arms, beating his chest with her hands as she cried uncontrobly. Christopher was staring at the OR. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. In the corridor, the soft sobbing sounded especially mournful. The OR door remained firmly shut. Everyone¡¯s heart was in their throats. A few minutester, footsteps echoed again. Zachary, Cora, and Carter hurried over. Carter¡¯s face was stern. They had all been informed about what happened. The chandelier fell; Penelope was crushed under it while saving Miranda. From the looks of it, both the child and the mother¡¯s lives were in danger. Cora looked at the devastated Leah, offering herfort. Chapter 397 Chapter 397 Carter was filled with worry. Miranda had injured her leg, so Lucian had Cora take her for treatment. Carter had been standing outside the operating room the whole time. Time ticked by. The door to the operating room finally opened. The doctor came out and said, ¡°Please sign here.¡± Everyone immediately crowded around. When Leah saw the ¡®Critical Condition Notice¡¯, she suddenly fainted. Christopher signed the Critical Condition Notice. His body began to tremble. Penelope was his only daughter. The doctor returned to the operating room. The door to the operating room closed once more. Penelope had been inside for two hours now. Lucian clenched his fists and said to Cora, ¡°Take Grandpa back home. I¡¯ll stay here and wait.¡± Carter shook his head, ¡°Nobody try to convince me otherwise. I¡¯m staying here today no matter what.¡± About another hour passed. Penelope was wheeled out. The doctor said, ¡°We did everything we could, but we couldn¡¯t save the baby. Ms. nagan lost too much blood, her ribs are broken, her arm is broken, and she has multiple contusions and a moderate concussion. She needs to be admitted to the ICU for observation now.¡± The baby didn¡¯t make it. Carter closed his eyes. Miranda said softly, ¡°At least she¡¯s okay.¡± They had guessed this oue when they arrived. Penelope had been nearly 9 months pregnant. With this kind of situation and severe blood loss, it was likely the baby wouldn¡¯t survive. But hearing the doctor say it, Carter¡¯s heart sank. Outside the ICU, a weary Christopher told the Lindberg family, ¡°You all should go home. Leah and I will stay here.¡± After all, Penelope was their daughter. And now that Penelope¡¯s baby was gone, they didn¡¯t know what the Lindberg family would do. Miranda said, ¡°Penelope got hurt trying to save me. If it wasn¡¯t for me, she and her baby would be fine. How could I possibly leave?¡± Leah had sobered up at this point. This statement jolted her out of her grief. Yes, the baby was gone, but that baby wasn¡¯t Lucian¡¯s to begin with. Now, they were rid of the baby and made the Lindberg family feel guilty. At first, she was worried for Penelope, but now, she -realized, was this her daughter¡¯s scheme? She immediately added to Miranda¡¯s statement, ¡°Penelope cared so much about this baby. She was about to meet the baby. Now that the baby is gone, she¡¯s going to be devastated when she wakes up.¡± Carter stood up and said, ¡°The Lindberg family owes you an apology.¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Leah leaned into Christopher and began to weep. Lucian pursed his lips and said, ¡°Grandpa, Mom, Dad, you all should go home. I¡¯ll stay here.¡± Allison tried to call Lucian, but it didn¡¯t go through. Since he wasn¡¯t reaching out to her, she thought it was just fine and put her phone aside to focus on the script in her hands. Patty had arranged for her to star in a TV drama. She was the lead actress for a mini-series. The filming period was a month, starting from next Tuesday. She was pleased with the character set-up in the script. Patty truly had a unique taste for picking scripts. Although this was a mini-series, and her screen time was limited, every time she appeared, it was a highlight. It was a detective drama where she was a key character in one of the episodes. She had an acting ss in the afternoon given by a professional teacher Patty had hired. She nced at Grace who was taking a nap and quietly left. As she stepped out of the elevator, her phone vibrated. It was a message from Linda. She hadn¡¯t saved Linda¡¯s number on her phone, but she remembered it because Linda had texted her before. ¡°Allison, can you take a call now? I have something to tell you.¡± After thinking for a moment, Allison called Linda. ¡°Ms. nagan had a miscarriage. Do you know about this?¡± Allison had just left the apartmentplex. The warm sun was shining down. She suddenly stopped, ¡°What did you say? Chapter 398 Chapter 398 In the deputy director¡¯s office at the hospital. ¡°Hello? Mr. David, I¡¯ve done everything as you directed. You can chill out. Nothing¡¯s gonna go wrong.¡± The other end of the phone seemed to say something. The deputy director¡¯s face was stered with a big grin, ¡°Alright, alright. As for the thing you promised¡­ Ah, I can rest easy then.¡± He hung up, picked up a cup of coffee with satisfaction, and took a leisurely sip. He looked forward to being transfered to Central Hospital as the director next week. The whole thing had been a close shave. On the other end of the phone, David looked pretty grim. He red at his son, ¡°You good-for-nothing! What can you even do? All you do is cause trouble and I have to clean up your mess. Do you realize what would happen if Lucian found out? Not even I could save your ass then! You¡¯ve got some nerve pulling off something like this without telling me! If Jett hadn¡¯t found out and told me, I wouldn¡¯t even know you guys nned something this big today!¡± Pete clenched his teeth, ¡°Even if you hadn¡¯t interfered, I wouldn¡¯t have messed up. Lucian wouldn¡¯t have found out. You think I can¡¯t do anything right, that I¡¯m useless, then why did you even bother having me, raising me? Dad, am I really that worthless in your eyes? Since I can never measure up to Lucian, why do you bother protecting me? You might as well hand me over to the Lindberg family!¡± ¡°YOU!¡± David¡¯s blood pressure shot up out of anger at his son¡¯s words, almost passing out. ¡°You insolent son!¡± He mmed his hand down on the table. Pete knelt on the carpet, silent. David looked at his son¡¯s angry expression, mming his hand on the table again. He was a tall and imposing figure, naturallymanding. Now his face was flushed with anger, which made Pete terrified. ¡°Speak! Exin everything about this whole thing, and your rtionship with Penelope! If you dare to omit a single detail, I¡¯ll show you no mercy!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve known Penelope for a long time. I met her at a party. After the party, we got together. At that time, Penelope hadn¡¯t met Lucian yet. She¡¯s a party girl, and we¡¯ve had sex a few times. I didn¡¯t expect her to suddenly get together with Lucian. Because she saved Lucian, he promised to marry her, but she was already carrying my child. She originally wanted to abort the child, but we decided to keep it. Dad, if she marries Lucian with my child, then the Lindberg family¡¯s assets will all belong to our Roling family.¡± David roared, ¡°Shut up! Listen to what you¡¯re saying! Carter has done me huge favors. The Lindberg family is like my family!¡± But his heart wasn¡¯t as steadfast as his words. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He was the butler of the Lindberg family. He took care of almost every matter of the family, but his power was limited within the family. In the Lindberg Corporation, he was just a deputy president in name. Aside from being known as the adopted son of the Lindberg family, he had no special privileges. He was adopted, but he wasn¡¯t treated as such. He lost an eye protecting Carter. Carter adopted him as a son to express gratitude. Even though he was an adopted son of the Lindberg family, his children were treated as the children of a butler, while Aidan could dine at the main table, along with Lucian and the others. That was the gap between them. He, David, was still just a servant. He never enjoyed the treatment of an adopted son. Who could ept such discrimination? He certainly couldn¡¯t. Chapter 399 Chapter 399 The man sped his hands tightly, looking at his son kneeling on the ground. ¡°Pete, get up.¡± He said. Pete rose to his feet, ¡°Dad, we¡¯ve been under the thumb of the Lindberg family for years. What have we really gained? Are you really okay with this?¡± David squinted, with only one eye able to see. At the moment, his sharp gaze and the hollow prosthetic made a stark contrast. He was silent for a few seconds, ¡°Pete, now¡¯s not the time.¡± Something stirred in Pete¡¯s heart, ¡°Dad!¡± David seemed to know what he was going to say and cut him off, ¡°Now¡¯s not the time to discuss this. I¡¯ve dealt with your matter with Penelope. Lucian won¡¯t find out in the short term, but with his resources, he could easily figure it out if he wanted. I¡¯ll immediately arrange for the vice dean to be transferred from Northfield. What you need to do now is keep Penelope steady.¡± Pete nodded. David continued, ¡°You really are reckless. If Penelope backed out and it turned out that the chandelier hurt Miranda, Lucian would go crazy and if Penelope ratted you out, we would be all done for!¡± Pete hadn¡¯t considered this. Hearing David¡¯s words, he realized his mistake and felt a chill run down his spine. At the time, he had only tampered with the chandelier and arranged for an ambnce to be nearby. He hadn¡¯t considered the deeper implications. If Penelope got cold feet, dodged the falling chandelier, and Miranda got crushed by it, the consequences would be unimaginable. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll be more careful in the future.¡± Pete said. David looked at his son and sighed, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ve got all the doctors in the hospital under our control. Let¡¯s just leave it at that. Keep an eye on Penelope, and make sure she stays quiet, no more causing trouble.¡± ¡°I got it, Dad. Don¡¯t worry, Penelope is in the same boat as us now, she wouldn¡¯t dare stir up trouble. She lost her baby and nearly lost her life trying to save Miranda. The charity dinner had almost a hundred of Northfield¡¯s elite families, as well as the major media. I¡¯ve already spread the news. Once she¡¯s recovered, Lucian will definitely marry her out of guilt and public pressure. It¡¯s also in our best interest if she bes part of the Lindberg family.¡± Pete said. David knew all this, of course. His ambitions were always hidden. In the Lindberg family, he was seen as a strict and fair steward. Who could really see what he was thinking? David regarded Pete-approvingly, ¡°You did well on this one.¡± Unexpectedly, his usually stern father was actually praising him. Pete quickly responded, ¡°Dad, Lucian doesn¡¯t really love Penelope. He feels obligated to marry her because she once saved him. But he doesn¡¯t really love her. Penelope trapped him with the pregnancy. If there was no baby involved, Lucian wouldn¡¯t marry her. If the baby was born, the nagan family would definitely get caught up in it, which would spell disaster for them. So Penelope took this risky move to win Miranda¡¯s sympathy. And with the media pressure, Lucian has no choice but to marry her.¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. David nodded, ¡°Good. Pete, you¡¯ve grown up a bit. Keep a close eye on Penelope for the next few days, but try to avoid contact with Lucian. Alright, you can go now. I have other matters to deal with.¡± ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry, I know what to do.¡± Pete turned to leave, but hesitated at the door. David said, ¡°Just spit it out. You¡¯re a man, what¡¯s with the hesitation?¡± Chapter 400 Chapter 400 Pete said, ¡°The nagan family has a maid who looks a lot like Penelope. One of my guys has seen her, she got into Lucian¡¯s car.¡± David asked, ¡°Oh, seriously?¡± Pete answered, ¡°They look really alike. At Lucian and Penelope¡¯s engagement party, Penelope was allergic to alcohol and was in the hospital, so they had this maid named Allison Zimmer stand in for her. No one at the party noticed.¡± David asked, ¡°Stand in for her at the engagement party?¡± Pete exined, ¡°Since Penelope was in the hospital for alcohol allergy, they had this maid stand in for her at the engagement party. No one noticed.¡± David asked, ¡°They really look that alike?¡± Pete replied, ¡°Yes, they do.¡± David said, ¡°Pete, dig up some information on this Allison for me.¡± Pete answered, ¡°Sure.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. After Pete left, David did some thinking. He needed to take some things into consideration for himself. The Lindberg family was good to him, but not that great. Carter never really treated him as a son. Maybe he could make good use of this Penelope. Meanwhile, news of the ident at the Lindberg family¡¯s charity dinner spread all over Northfield. Lucian¡¯s fianc¨¦e Penelope was crushed under a chandelier trying to save Miranda. She survived, but she miscarried. It was a pity. Moreover, the hospital entrance had been blocked by journalists from various media outlets, all waiting for thetest news on Penelope. It was said that Penelope was still unconscious, lying in the ICU, and Lucian had been staying in the hospital too. In the morning, Cora made a trip to the hospital. Because the entrance was blocked by journalists, she had to leave through a side door. As soon as she stepped out of the side door, a few journalists appeared in front of her, annoying like flies. A journalist asked, ¡°Has Ms. nagan woken up?¡± Another journalist asked, ¡°Was the ident with Ms. nagan and Mrs. Lindberg deliberate or a real ident?¡± And yet another journalist asked, ¡°Could it have been done on purpose, like by Lucian¡¯s secret lover outside, or someone seeking revenge?¡± Hearing these questions, Cora frowned. She red at the journalist in front of her. This young journalist seemed to want to grab headlines, so she asked sharp questions. Cora said coldly, ¡°Miss, watch your words.¡± The young journalist was intimidated by Cora¡¯s gaze and took a step back. Cora continued, ¡°This is the Lindberg family¡¯s private matter, none of your business. We are investigating this matter, and will inform the media when we have results.¡± But she didn¡¯t take these small media outlets seriously. The Lindberg family had their own cooperating media. After Cora¡¯s car left, a few journalists started to chat. ¡°Do you think this could be due to a love triangle? Think about it, Penelope was already eight and a half months pregnant, about to give birth. Everyone knows that as soon as she gives birth to a Lindberg family child, she bes a Lindberg. She would instantly change. from a rich family¡¯s daughter to a top-ss socialite.¡± ¡°Who knows? But Penelope is really unlucky. A healthy child just gone like that, I wonder if the Lindberg family will still ept her.¡± ¡°No way, Penelope saved Miranda¡¯s life. Even without the child, the Lindberg family wouldn¡¯t be so heartless, would they?¡± ¡°We outsiders can never know what¡¯s going on inside a wealthy family. There¡¯s a big bonus waiting.¡± Is focus on how we can make the front page news this week. ¡°But we can¡¯t get any photos or go in there. The 12th floor of the hospital. I is tightl §à§Ô secured by the Lindberg family¡¯s bodyguards.¡± eliberate ident, etc.¡± ¡°We can still write even if we can¡¯t go in. For example, about a love triangle, ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be very nice. After all, we haven¡¯t seen the actual situation and haven¡¯t conducted any interviews. Wouldn¡¯t that be spreading rumors?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that? The buzz is what matters the most!¡± Chapter 401 Chapter 401 Allison got home. She scored some ribs from the supermarket because they were on sale. She also grabbed some fresh fruits and veggies, and stashed them in the fridge. When she walked into the living room, she realized Grace was out. So, she whipped out her phone nning to give Grace a buzz to check in on her whereabouts and when she¡¯d be making it home. While she was at it, she noticed a bunch of news notifications popping up on her phone screen. Regardless of which chat app or browser she opened, the first news that popped up, eight out of ten times, was about some mishap at a posh charity ball ¨C ¡®Penelope fainting while trying to save Miranda, losing her kid¡¯, and all that jazz. She frowned slightly. Her gut was telling her that Grace might have made a beeline for the hospital. The hospital was on lockdown, swarming with media hacks who didn¡¯t want to miss out on any juicy scoops. Some journos even managed to sneak into the inpatient department. But, they all got stopped by the security guards. Grace, a scrawny middle-aged woman, waltzed right into the inpatient department. Despite being right under the noses of the security guards, they didn¡¯t stop her. She stepped out of the elevator and made a beeline for Penelope¡¯s room. This was a VIP room, charging an arm and a leg, so it had few patients and was rtively quiet, with only nurses and doctors bustling about. Grace didn¡¯t need to ask the nurses or doctors where Penelope¡¯s room was. She could tell right away from the four bodyguards posted outside room 703. But she couldn¡¯t get in. Grace was getting antsy. She paused where she was, catching the attention of the bodyguards. One of them came over and asked her, ¡°Who are you and why are you here?¡± This middle-aged woman, dressed inly, didn¡¯t look like a paparazzo. Grace hesitated, ¡°I work for the nagan family. How¡¯s Ms. nagan doing now?¡± The bodyguard hadn¡¯t seen any of the nagan family¡¯s staff before. Hearing her say this, he didn¡¯t doubt her but still barred her way, ¡°That¡¯s not for you to know. You say you work for them, then you should get back to work. There¡¯s already one servant in there taking care of things.¡± ¡°Can you tell me how Ms. nagan is doing? Is she awake? Are her injuries severe?¡± Grace was very worried remembering the news reports. The bodyguard looked at Grace, ¡°Don¡¯t cause us troubles. You should go home.¡± Just then, the door to the room opened and Christopher stepped out, ¡°What¡¯s all the noise about?¡± ¡°Mr. nagan, one of your staff is here.¡± The bodyguard turned to tell him, Christopher looked at Grace, surprised. Grace hadn¡¯t expected Christopher to be there. She averted her eyes, but her mind was still on Penelope¡¯s condition and she didn¡¯t leave. Christopher came over, waved the bodyguard away, ¡°Grace, what brings you here.¡± He seemed to know that this wasn¡¯t the ce to talk, so he suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the conference room.¡± Christopher cleared his throat, ¡°Leah is here.¡± If Leah knew Grace was here, she¡¯d kick up a fuss. He and Leah had been on the outs for a while, but things had improved between them because of Penelope¡¯s situation. He didn¡¯t want to be at loggerheads with Leah anymore. After all, they were married, and they still had feelings for each other. Grace nodded, and followed Christopher into the conference room. ¡°Mr. nagan, how¡¯s Penelope doing? I saw on the news that she was injured.¡± Christopher replied, ¡°She¡¯s still unconscious, but she¡¯s been moved from the ICU to a general room. Grace, I really appreciate your concern for Penelope. You¡¯ve always treated her well.¡± She watched her grow up. He¡¯d also watched Allison grow up. He had feelings for Allison too. ¡°How¡¯s Allison doingtely? How are you two getting on?¡± Christopher asked. ¡°Allie and I are doing alright.¡± Grace said, ¡°Penelope will be fine. Since your wife is here, I¡¯ll head out. I don¡¯t want to cause any friction between you and her because of me.¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Grace finished speaking and turned to leave. Christopher said, ¡°Grace, I¡­¡± Chapter 402 Chapter 402 Grace halted in her tracks, her hands clenched and then rxed. ¡°I know I screwed up a lot with you guys.¡± Christopher said, ¡°I¡¯ve arranged a nice position at the company for Allison. Tell her she can N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°No need,¡± Grace said firmly, ¡°Allie¡¯s job is just fine. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡± Christopher sighed, ¡°Grace, you¡¯re still as stubborn.¡± Grace left, pushing the door open. She was worried sick about Penelope, but couldn¡¯t go see her. E After leaving the hospital, Grace took out her phone, leaned against a wall, and kept looking at the news. The reports said Penelope was crushed by a chandelier, bleeding heavily, and had a miscarriage. It scared the crap out of her. Her phone suddenly rang. It was a call from Allison. She wiped away her tears and answered, ¡°Hey, Allie.¡± ¡°Mom, where are you?¡± Allison asked. ¡°Allie, I went out to get groceries.¡± Grace could think of no other excuse. Allison¡¯s lips tightened, ¡°Mom, I already bought groceries. When are youing home?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be home soon, Allie. Weren¡¯t you supposed to be in ss today?¡± Grace asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t have ss.¡± Allison said. From a store not far from the eastern entrance of the hospital, Allison saw Grace leaving the hospital and getting on a bus. She gripped her phone tight. So Grace really was at the hospital. Was she there to see Penelope? Her concern for Penelope seemed excessive, as if Penelope was her own daughter. Allison was startled by her own thought, but quickly dismissed it. Impossible. How could Penelope be her biological daughter? She was the nagan family¡¯s daughter. Allison took out her phone and called Lucian¡¯s assistant, Shawn. Shawn picked up immediately, ¡°Ms. Zimmer.¡± ¡°Shawn, how¡¯s Penelope?¡± Allison asked. Shawn choked on her question. He knew the tension between Allison and Penelope, but didn¡¯t expect Allison to ask him. He coughed and nced at Lucian sitting at his desk, mouthing, ¡°It¡¯s Ms. Zimmer.¡± Lucian nodded. Shawn put down the phone and turned on speaker, ¡°Ms. nagan is still unconscious and hasn¡¯t woken up.¡± ¡°I thought Penelope was already¡­ That¡¯s why Lucian has been standing by her side.¡± Allison¡¯s voice carried a hint of mockery and jealousy. Shawn quickly nced at Lucian¡¯s expression, but Lucian didn¡¯t look angry. Shawn immediately said, ¡°Mr. Lindberg has been busy withpany matters.¡± ¡°Oh, he¡¯s so busy. Then tell him I¡¯ll be waiting for him at the cinema tonight.¡± Allison said. Lucian¡¯s voice was low, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be there on time.¡± Allison paused, ¡°So you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°An invitation from you, how could I refuse.¡± Lucian said. ¡°I thought you¡¯d be extremely busy these days.¡± Allison said. Lucian rubbed his forehead, he was indeed very busy. Thepany¡¯s affairs were numerous recently, and with Penelope¡¯s unconsciousness, the series of events were overwhelming, even for him. ¡°See you at tonight.¡± Lucian said. The man¡¯s husky voice echoed in her ear. Allison hung up the phone, the words still reverberating. Unexpectedly, Shawn was with Lucian. Allison returned home to see Grace had alreadye back and was preparing lunch in the kitchen. Grace greeted Allison with a big smile, ¡°Allie, you¡¯re back.¡± Allison could see that Grace¡¯s eyes were red. Was it because of Penelope? ¡°Mom, you¡­¡± Allison said. Chapter 403 Chapter 403 ¡°Mom, where did you go today?¡± Allison asked, slightly surprised. Grace replied, ¡°I just went grocery shopping.¡± Allison said, ¡°The fridge is already full.¡± Grace knew she couldn¡¯t hide it anymore and said, ¡°I went to the hospital.¡± Allison bit her lip gently. Grace continued, ¡°Penelope had an ident, and I was worried, so I went to see her. Allie, I watched her grow up, and despite her being a bit stubborn, she isn¡¯t a bad person.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not bad? Have you forgotten what she and Leah did to us? Have you forgotten who locked you up in a mental hospital? Do you know how they threatened me?¡± Allison said, her voice filled with the pain of losing a child because of them. Allison closed her eyes, unable to forget the loss of that child. ¡°Mom, I know you¡¯re kind, but their reaction to your kindness was heartless.¡± Allison said. ¡°Allie.¡± Grace murmured. ¡°Mom.¡± Allison walked over and hugged Grace, resting her face on Grace¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I just want you to be healthy. That¡¯s enough for me.¡± Grace held Allison tightly and said, ¡°Allie, I promise you I won¡¯t go anymore. I¡¯ll stay at home and wait for you every day.¡± ¡°Mom, I will work hard to earn money. When I have enough, we¡¯ll find a better house, and I¡¯ll find the best hospital and medicine for you. I just want you to be healthy and be with me forever.¡± Allison said. ¡°Sweetie, how can a mother be with you forever? It¡¯s time for you to find a boyfriend.¡± Grace said. ¡°No, I only want you to be with me.¡± Allison said. In the evening, Allison arrived at the movie theater. She didn¡¯t intentionallyete; she had been at home tidying up the room with Grace and lost track of time. When she realized that she had made ns with Lucian and had even suggested it herself, she was almost half an hourte. By the time she arrived at the theater, it was already 7:30 p.m. Allison looked around. It was Sunday, and the theater was crowded. The outside seating area was almost full, but she didn¡¯t see Lucian. Did he leave because she waste? Allison bit her lip lightly, standing on her tiptoes and looking around, feeling a bit disappointed. He really left. Allison took out her phone and dialed Lucian¡¯s number, but he didn¡¯t answer. Was he angry because she didn¡¯t arrive on time, or did he think she did it on purpose? Allison sighed lightly and walked over to a arcade machine, staring at the dolls inside. She exchanged ten game coins, but she failed to catch any of them and there was only one coin left. Well, she had offended Lucian, and she couldn¡¯t catch any dolls either. Allison looked at thest game coin in her hand. She inserted it, and the machine started running. Suddenly, a hand reached from behind, holding her hand, and Allison was enveloped in a familiar scent. She was slightly stunned. She could naturally recognize this familiar scent. It was Lucian. Had he not left? The man held her hand gently and controlled the machine. One of the dolls dropped down. Allison picked it up excitedly. ¡°You really caught one.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just that you couldn¡¯t do it.¡± Lucian said, holding another game coin in his hand. He effortlessly caught another doll. Allison looked at him, ¡°Did you not leave?¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ¡°Yes, are you happy?¡± Lucian looked at her, ¡°Are you not mad at me anymore?¡± Allison bit her lip lightly, ¡°How could I dare to be mad at you?¡± ¡°Do you like them?¡± Lucian bent down and picked up a doll, ¡°If you like them, I¡¯ll give them all to you. Chapter 404 Chapter 404 It was just a simple sentence, but it filled Allison with warmth. She took the toy from him, ¡°Would you wait for me if I don¡¯t show up tonight?¡± Without waiting for Lucian to respond, she continued, ¡°Mr. Lindberg¡¯s time is very precious. If you say you¡¯d wait, I definitely won¡¯t believe you.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure I won¡¯t wait for you?¡± Lucian asked with a smile, ¡°If I invite you to a movie, would you ept?¡± They chose a romantic movie and headed to the theater. Halfway into the movie, the plot turned clich¨¦. The male and female leads agreed to meet at the movies, but the guy couldn¡¯t make it. The supporting male actor tried to stop the lead from going, while the female lead waited at the theater for a whole hour before the male lead finally showed up. The female lead seemed a bit angry, ¡°If I were out with another man today and you were at the theater, would you wait for me?¡± Without hesitation, the male lead replied, ¡°Of course I would!¡± Clich¨¦, yet it struck a chord. Allison suddenly heard a deep voice next to her ear, ¡°I would too.¡± Allison was taken aback. She thought she was hearing things. Otherwise, how could she have heard anything other than the movie? Was that Lucian? In the movie, the girl asked, ¡°How long would you wait for me, like I waited for you?¡± The boy replied, ¡°I want to watch movies with you for a lifetime.¡± Then they hugged each other tightly. The scene was touching, along with the appropriate background music. Allison had a lump in her throat. She wanted to ask Lucian, if she didn¡¯t show up tonight, how long would he wait? This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Obviously, she couldn¡¯t hear the answer from the movie. She whispered, ¡°Lucian, I promise I¡¯ll be on time the next time we watch a movie.¡± Because she was willing to be the one waiting for him. In the movie, the scene of the couple kissing continued. Those in love would find it sweet, while those heartbroken would find it bitter. Allison lowered her head slightly; she suddenly felt a bit breathless and wanted to step out for some air. ¡°Lucian, I¡¯m going to the restroom.¡± Allison said. The restroom was outside the theater. Allison washed her face and knew she would never be the leadingdy; she would always be the supporting cast between Lucian and Penelope. She should have treated her rtionship with Lucian as a transaction. He wanted her body and she wanted his resources. But she was already smitten. When did she start liking Lucian? Since the moment she found out she was carrying Lucian¡¯s child. Or since the moment he stood in front of her, shielding her from the tea set Leah threw. Maybe even earlier, from their idental first meeting. After a few minutes outside, Allison returned to the theater. From light to darkness, Allison could barely see, she walked into the sixth row and headed in. As she walked past a man, she tripped and almost fell. Lucian reached out his hand and steadied her Allison seemed a bit embarrassed, but she looked down at the man¡¯s long legs and whispered, ¡°You did that on purpose.¡± She was trying to get past and his legs were in the way. The man smirked and rasped, ¡°What if I say I did it on purpose?¡± Allison was taken aback. Suddenly, the man¡¯s hand lifted her by her hips and she was seated on his lap. The man¡¯s lips covered hers, leaving Allison wide-eyed in surprise. She realized they were in a movie theater. She pped his chest with her hand. But the next second, her fingers were caught by his. Chapter 405 Chapter 405 His lips silenced hers as Allison found herself seated on hisn On the movie screen, the leads were passionately kissing in what was clearly a heartwarming rom- com. Allison¡¯s cheeks were flushed and her heart was racing at the boldness of Lucian¡¯s actions. However, when she returned to her own seat, she found that it wasn¡¯t just this man who was daring. Almost all the couples in the cinema were making out. Lucian felt a familiar sensation of thrill. His eyes fell upon the woman¡¯s profile; bathed in the dim movie theatre lights, she looked absolutely gorgeous. This was the first time he ever felt the desire to spend the rest of his life with a woman. At 10 p.m., ¡°Goodbye.¡± Allison said, waving at the man as she got off the car. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Lucian¡¯s car remained parked outside her apartmentplex, not leaving until Allison¡¯s silhouette disappeared from sight. He then lit a cigarette, took a few drags, and pulled out his phone. Several news notifications popped up. Entertainment journalists always rushed in like dogs sniffing out fresh news, their words sharp and cutting. They didn¡¯t care whether the news was true or not, they just blew it up big to attract viewers. Even if they got sued for spreading false rumors, they¡¯d only pay a small fine. The profits they gained from the publicity would have already covered their losses. Countless news outlets reported that Penelope was critically injured and in aa after trying to save Miranda, and the Lindberg family was nning to call off the marriage. Even the rich and powerful didn¡¯t keep their promises, which drew much scorn. Yet, for Lindberg Corporation, it didn¡¯t make much of a difference. Their stocks might fluctuate but not by much. Still, it was a considerable amount of public pressure, especially since so many people were watching the Lindberg family. George had just left and such a thing urred. If he didn¡¯t marry Penelope, he might have to give up the management rights of Lindberg Corporation to someone else. The man clenched his fist. Returning to the Lindberg residence, Carter was still up. Upon seeing him, the servant said, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, Carter asked you to go to the study on the second floor when you return.¡± Lucian shed his suit jacket, tossed it to the servant, and ascended the stairs. In the study, Zachary was also present. Lucian entered and greeted, ¡°Grandpa, Dad.¡± Carter looked at him and said, ¡°Sit.¡± Lucian sat down across from Carter. Carter sighed softly, ¡°The current public opinion is not in favor of our family. I want to know your thoughts.¡± ¡°The incident happened abruptly, but it¡¯s clear that someone tampered with the chandelier. I¡¯ve asked people to investigate, but there¡¯s no concrete information yet. It¡¯s evident that the perpetrator had been nning this for a long time.¡± Lucian said. Zachary asked, ¡°What¡¯s their motive? To harm Miranda? But what good does harming Miranda do them? If they really wanted to hurt us, they would be better off targeting me!¡± Lucian raised his eyes slightly, voicing his own spection, ¡°What if the perpetrator targeted Penelope from the start?¡± Carter asked, ¡°Lucian, are you suggesting that this person had been nning to harm Penelope all along?¡± ¡°Grandpa, my mother has power. If the perpetrator was truly aiming for our family, they wouldn¡¯t target my mother. The Lindberg family has many enemies indeed, but why would they target Miranda, who rarely goes out and has no power? Maybe we¡¯ve been misled from the start, and their real target isn¡¯t Miranda, but Penelope.¡± Lucian said. wways lived in the Lindberg household and seldom goes out. She has never offended anyone and has no ¡°What would be their motive for targeting Penelope?¡± Zachary asked, frowning, ¡°Penelope is about to have a child, why would they make a move now? This doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± Suddenly, it seemed like Zachary had an idea. Chapter 406 Chapter 406 The first possibility was an internal dispute within the Lindberg family. The second possibility was that Penelope herself didn¡¯t want a child. Zachary could tell that Carter and Lucian had also realized this, as the three of them exchanged silent nces. Carter asked, ¡°How is Penelope doing now?¡± Lucian replied, ¡°She hasn¡¯t woken up yet.¡± Carter said, ¡°When she wakes up, we must thank her properly.¡± It waste at night, and Carter needed rest, so Zachary and Lucian left the study. On the way, Zachary nced at Lucian and asked, ¡°Lucian, what are you thinking?¡± Lucian slowly clenched his fists and said, ¡°Dad, I don¡¯t intend to marry Penelope.¡± Zachary asked, ¡°Is it because of that woman named Allison?¡± Lucian didn¡¯t answer that question and instead said, ¡°Dad, it¡¯ste at night. You should go back and rest.¡± Zachary said, ¡°The public opinion is not in your favor right now.¡± He looked at Lucian¡¯s back and continued, ¡°Although these opinions won¡¯t have a significant impact on the Lindberg Corporation, they will affect you. Lindberg Corporation has been running well under your leadership. The pressure from public opinion is not friendly to you.¡± The Lindberg family was filled withplex emotions and conflicting interests, and people were paying attention everywhere. Lucian was well aware of that. ¡°Dad, I understand.¡± Lucian said. Zachary nodded in agreement, ¡°That¡¯s good, Lucian. Even if you like that woman, you should marry Penelope first.¡± The man¡¯s fingers tightened, and his voice became tense, ¡°I will.¡± Zachary¡¯s gaze became sharp, ¡°Do you think this ident is rted to the nagan family?¡± It was evident that Penelope was the biggest victim of this ident, but she was also the biggest beneficiary. Having been in the business world for many years, Zachary could discern that. He had never really paid attention to the nagan family before. The Lindberg family was powerful and considered the largest family in Northfield, while the nagan family was just a small household. He was surprised when his son said he wanted to marry Penelope. Lucian said, ¡°Under this pressure, if I don¡¯t marry her, Lindberg Corporation might temporarily turn away from me. George is cunning, and he would be the beneficiary. But if I marry her, the beneficiary would be the nagan family.¡± The man¡¯s voice paused, and his gaze became dark, ¡°I¡¯m more inclined to think it was the nagan family¡¯s doing.¡± Zachary furrowed his brows, ¡°But why would they do that? What does the nagan family gain from losing the child?¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re right to ask. Why would she do this?¡± The man said, ¡°Perhaps, the child she¡¯s carrying isn¡¯t mine.¡± Zachary was shocked, ¡°What are you saying? Lucian, didn¡¯t you say she saved you?¡± ¡°She did save me, but that doesn¡¯t necessarily mean the child she¡¯s carrying is mine. I¡¯ve had doubts about it all along and I¡¯ve been waiting for the DNA test after she gives birth. Unexpectedly, something like this happened. I carefully reviewed the surveince footage before the incident, and the position where the chandelier fell happened to be where mother was passing by.¡± Lucian said. Lucian pursed his lips slightly, ¡°Dad, how is that possible? How did the person behind this urately determine mother¡¯s position? There was no room for error. If mother had avoided the chandelier when she turned back, would this ident have happened? But what I saw¡­¡± The man¡¯s voice paused for a moment, ¡°What I saw was that when she turned back, Penelope was holding mother¡¯s hand. Because Penelope is pregnant, other usually amodates her.¡± Zachary asked, Have you told Grandfather about your findings?¡± Lucian shook his head, ¡°No.¡± Zachary nodded, ¡°Hmm, don¡¯t say anything for now. Announce your wedding with Penelope at the shareholders¡¯ meeting on Saturday to suppress those opposing voices.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lucian only responded softly. He left the Lindberg family, got into his car, and didn¡¯t spend the night there. Instead, he drove straight back to Magnolia Gardens. Back home. Lucky ran over, and the man bent down to take out dog food from the storage room. After Lucky finished eating, it ran around with a futball. It ran to Lucian¡¯s side, and when the man reached out to throw the ball, he suddenly stopped. Lucian realized that he had started missing her. Chapter 407 Chapter 407 Penelope woke up three dayster in the afternoon. The Lindberg family got the news and rushed over immediately. Miranda looked at Penelope lying in the hospital bed, feeling incredibly grateful. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Penelope saved her life and now she was in this state ¨C her legs and arms broken, suffering from a moderate concussion, multiple bruises all over her body. And to top it off, she had lost her baby. Penelope¡¯s gazended on Lucian. Her lips trembled, ¡°Lucian, I¡¯m sorry. I couldn¡¯t protect our child.¡± Lucian took her hand, ¡°Penelope, don¡¯t worry about it now. Just rest.¡± Penelope closed her eyes, tears spilling from the corners. Miranda walked over and softly consoled her, ¡°Penelope, it¡¯s not your fault. You¡¯ll have another chance at having a child,¡± Leah broke down on Christopher¡¯s shoulder, ¡°You guys don¡¯t understand how much Penelope wanted this baby. She checked up every few days, ate bnced meals, and everyone in our family cherished this child. I can¡¯t believe the baby is gone. Penelope, it¡¯s my fault. I should¡¯ve been there for you.¡± Penelope whimpered, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m useless. That¡¯s why the baby¡¯s gone.¡± Miranda felt guilty, ¡°Penelope, even without this baby, you¡¯re still the best daughter-inw in my heart. You¡¯re still young. You and Lucian will have a child in the future. The most important thing now is to take good care of yourself.¡± Penelope wondered how to win over Miranda even more now that she no longer had the ¡°baby card¡±. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Penelope asked. Miranda was stunned that Penelope, just having woken up from aa, was still worried about her. She held Penelope¡¯s hand, ¡°Penelope, I¡¯m fine. Thank you. Now rest up. Lucian, stay with Penelope.¡± Lucian sat by Penelope¡¯s side until she fell asleep again, then left. Back at the Lindberg¡¯s, Miranda called for him, ¡°Lucian.¡± ¡°Mom, you¡¯re not sleeping?¡± It was 2 PM. Miranda hadn¡¯t been feeling well since the ident and usually took a nap in the afternoon. Miranda sighed, ¡°Lucian, I can see you don¡¯t really like Penelope.¡± Seeing Lucian¡¯s lips tighten, Miranda knew her son too well. That little gesture meant she was right. ¡°I know you¡¯re responsible. Penelope saved you and you took her innocence. Now she¡¯s lost the baby trying to save me. We owe her.¡± Miranda said. ¡°Mom, I know what you¡¯re trying to say.¡± Lucian said. ¡°Lucian, do you have feelings for Allison?¡± Miranda suddenly asked. Lucian hesitated, but didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Mom, just like you said, I don¡¯t n on marrying Penelope, but I have no choice. When she recovers, we¡¯ll discuss the wedding. I can give her the title if she wants. As for the rest, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t give her.¡± ¡°Lucian, I¡¯ve known since you were a child that you¡¯re stubborn.¡± Miranda said, ¡°There are some simrities between Allison and Penelope.¡± ¡°I¡¯m attracted to Allison, not because she reminds me of anyone, but because she¡¯s enough on her own.¡± Lucian stood up and gently patted Miranda¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Mom, go rest. Don¡¯t worry about this. I¡¯ll handle it.¡± Chapter 408 Chapter 408 The Hospital This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Penelope leaned against the bed, her voice weak, ¡°Dad, Mom, I failed to protect the baby in my belly.¡± Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke. Christopher, who only had one daughter, couldn¡¯t bring himself to me her. He felt nothing but heartache, ¡°It¡¯s alright, Penelope. It¡¯s not your fault. You were trying to save Miranda. Who would me you? It¡¯s just unfortunate for the baby. Don¡¯t be too hard on yourself. Your mother and I only wish for your health.¡± Leah cried, her eyes red, ¡°The Lindberg family has been so unfair to us. Penelope got hurt so badly while trying to save Miranda, and now she¡¯s lost the baby. Yet the Lindberg family only offered a few words of constion. They didn¡¯t even mention the possibility of marrying Penelope. Christopher, what should we do?¡± Christopher hadn¡¯t expected such a turn of events either. The nagan family and the Lindberg Corporation had already begun coborating, and now Penelope had lost both the baby and the chance to marry into a wealthy family. Heforted Leah, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it for now. The most important thing is for Penelope to recover. Leah, stay here with Penelope. I need to go to the office this afternoon to sign a contract.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Leah said. After Christopher left, Leah closed the door to the hospital room and walked back to her daughter¡¯s bedside. She looked at Penelope, lying on the bed, and said, ¡°Penelope, tell me what happened. Why did it end up like this? Why did you risk your life to save Miranda? What does their life and death have to do with us? Look at you now, you¡¯ve lost the baby and almost lost your own life. Next time you encounter such a situation, protect yourself and don¡¯t worry about others. You have no idea how scared I was!¡± Penelope held Leah¡¯s hand. Though her body hadn¡¯t fully recovered, she couldn¡¯t wait to tell Leah, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine. Despite my severe injuries, it was worth it.¡± Leah asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Penelope said, ¡°Mom, you also know that the baby in my belly isn¡¯t actually Lucian¡¯s. My due date is approaching. If we can¡¯t keep it a secret, we¡¯ll be done for. We deceived the Lindberg family, and it¡¯s not just a matter of me not bing Lucian¡¯s wife. If it¡¯s discovered, our position in Northfield as the nagan family will be shaken. Even if I have to have an abortion, I need to find the right time, and the charity g is the perfect opportunity.¡± Leah eximed in surprise, ¡°Penelope, are you saying you knew there would be danger?¡± She widened her eyes, ¡°Penelope, this wasn¡¯t your n, was it?. It¡¯s too risky!¡± ¡°This n was designed by Pete. I hesitated at first, but it¡¯s my only chance. I lost the baby because I saved Miranda, and the Lindberg family will feel guilty about it. There were many media outlets and influential families present at the time, and they all know that I got injured and lost the baby because I saved Miranda. Lucian will marry me because of this, and the Lindberg family will have to give an exnation.¡± Penelope said. Leah sighed, ¡°You should have told me in advance. I¡¯ve been so worried these past few days. You¡¯re my only daughter. What would I do if something happened to you?¡± ¡°Mom, I¡¯m fine. Didn¡¯t the doctors say so? I¡¯m fine.¡± Penelope held Leah¡¯s hand, ¡°Once I¡¯ve recovered, and after I marry into the Lindberg family, no one in Northfield will dare to look down on us again.¡± This n was indeed risky, but it was the most effective one. However, Leah couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of lingering fear. That person named Pete was truly extraordinary, and she worried that her daughter had been deceived. If something happened to Penelope because she saved Miranda, she might lose her own life too, and then the matter between Pete and Penelope wouldn¡¯t be exposed. After all, Pete¡¯s father was David, the Lindberg family¡¯s steward. If outsiders found out about the connection between Pete and Penelope, Lucian wouldn¡¯t let Pete off the hook, and David would be implicated as well. Leah said, ¡°Penelope, it¡¯s best if you don¡¯t have too much contact with Pete in the future.¡± ¡°Why, Mom? He has helped us a lot.¡± Penelope asked. ¡°Silly child, you don¡¯t understand. Listen to your mother. Once you marry Lucian, you should have less contact with Pete.¡± Leah said. Chapter 409 Chapter 409 Britain. George was in the study, keeping his mom Janitapany while she read. Due to Janita¡¯s poor health, they¡¯d been living in Britain. Janita had delicate skin and prominent facial features. ¡°George, have you heard about what happened to Lucian?¡± Janita asked. George answered, ¡°I heard, Penelope seems to be still out cold, and her exact injuries are unknown.¡± Janita asked, ¡°Last time you were home, did you meet this woman?¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. George answered, ¡°I did, but I don¡¯t have a strong impression of her. I¡¯m even kind of curious why Lucian would marry her?¡± Janita was flipping through the book while speaking, ¡°The nagan family only has about 20 million dors in yearly turnover. It¡¯s indeed pretty interesting that they¡¯re marrying into the Lindberg family. But Penelope just lost her baby and went into aa trying to save Miranda, which could work in our favor. You know, if this child had been born, it would have been a major bargaining chip for Lucian. Now that the child is gone, we have an opportunity.¡± George asked, ¡°Mom, do I need to head back home now?¡± Janita shook her head, ¡°Not necessary. This incident is very odd, Miranda holds a charity g every year and it always goes off without a hitch, except this time. I heard she was almost crushed by a falling chandelier, but Penelope pushed her out of the way. There¡¯s no way that chandelier just happened to fall, someone definitely tampered with it. If we go back now, suspicion might fall on us.¡± George asked, ¡°Mom, who do you think did it?¡± Even though the Lindberg family had a lot of enemies, no one would dare to be so audacious. Penelope was 9 months pregnant and her ident was undoubtedly a major blow to the Lindberg family. Janita closed her book and said, ¡°Next month, it¡¯s Cora¡¯s birthday and I will go back home with you, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen Cora. This incident has nothing to do with us, but it gives us an opportunity. Since the opportunity has knocked on our door, we must seize it. Contact Mr. Bryce now, he will know what to do. I believe Lindberg Corporation might be experiencing some turbulence right now.¡± George said, ¡°Got it.¡± The news of Penelope miscarrying and falling into aa to save Miranda was widely reported by major media within three days. This incident became the talk of the town in Northfield. The Lindberg family was under tremendous pressure. Despite their wealth, the public outcry was so great, and they had no choice but to take action. Even with their vast wealth and power, the Lindberg family couldn¡¯t suppress the pressure from public opinion. Lindberg Corporation held a shareholder meeting. At the meeting, some board members suggested Lucian take a break. Lucian responded with a smile, ¡°Mr. Bryce, I think it¡¯s you guys who need a break. If I remember correctly,st month your granddaughter mentioned you were feeling unwell due to high blood pressure. I feel bad to bother you guys. That was thoughtless of me.¡± Bryce chuckled, ¡°Lucian, Lindberg Corporation¡¯s stock started to drop. We¡¯re just thinking about the company¡¯s interests. Thispany was founded by us and your grandfather, so naturally, we hope the company will be doing well.¡± A sarcastic smile shed in Lucian¡¯s eyes, ¡°Mr. Bryce, Mr. Tate, in that case, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to tell you. A few days ago, Bobby used 3 million of thepany¡¯s funds for personal use and hasn¡¯t paid it back yet. I¡¯d like to ask, Mr. Tate, were you aware of this?¡± Mr. Tate¡¯s face turned pale instantly. ¡°This¡­¡± Lucian¡¯s gaze fell on Bryce, ¡°Mr. Bryce, what do you think? Bobby misappropriated thepany¡¯s funds, should I proceed legally?¡± Bryce¡¯s face turned serious in an instant, and Mr. Tate quickly said, ¡°Mr. Bryce, Bobby is like your own grandson.¡± He then turned towards Lucian, ¡°Lucian, you¡¯ve known Bobby since you were a kid, why would you do this?¡± Lucian chuckled, ¡°Yeah, Mr. Tate, why indeed.¡± During these days when public opinion was escting, Lucian knew that these people woulde to find him, especially Bryce, given his close rtionship with George. Chapter 410 Chapter 410 In the ward, Penelope was lying in bed. Miranda was standing by her side, holding her hand and saying, ¡°Penelope, the doc says you¡¯re pretty much out of the woods now. Thank god, I¡¯d be kicking myself if anything happened to you.¡± Tears glistened in Penelope¡¯s eyes, ¡°Miranda, it¡¯s all on me. I didn¡¯t protect my and Lucian¡¯s baby.¡± ¡°How can this be your fault, Penelope? Please don¡¯t be so hard on yourself. What you need to do now is take care of yourself and get your strength back.¡± Penelope gritted her teeth. She seemed fragile on the outside, but inside she felt incredibly frustrated. She was in this state, and Miranda clearly felt guilty, but she still hadn¡¯t taken the initiative to suggest that Lucian marry her. Her voice trembled, ¡°Maybe, I was never meant to have this child.¡± Miranda looked at Penelope, ¡°I¡¯ve arranged for the best orthopedic surgeon. Don¡¯t worry about your broken arm and leg. That kind of injury takes a while to heal.¡± Miranda got up to leave, not wanting to disturb Penelope¡¯s rest. Seeing Miranda leaving, Penelope hurriedly said, ¡°What about Lucian? Will he me me for not protecting our child?¡± ¡°How could he possibly do that? If anyone¡¯s to me, it¡¯s me.¡± Miranda looked at Penelope lying in the hospital bed, and her heart was filled with profound sadness. If she hadn¡¯t insisted on holding the charity g, if she had done the check-up earlier, maybe all this wouldn¡¯t have happened. Miranda walked out of the room, with Ms. Deborah trailing behind her, ¡°Mrs. Lindberg, are you worried about the situation between Mr. Lindberg and Ms. nagan?¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Ms. Deborah had been by Miranda¡¯s side for over thirty years, and was five years older than her. Normally, Miranda called her Deborah. ¡°Deborah, do you remember why Lucian wanted to marry Penelope?¡± Ms. Deborah responded, ¡°Didn¡¯t Mr. Lindberg say he was set up when he first came back to the country and it was Ms. nagan who saved him? She lost her chastity in order to save him and Mr. Lindberg felt guilty, wanting topensate her.¡± Miranda said, ¡°Yes, but I can tell that Lucian didn¡¯t really want to marry her. I once suggested that he and Penelope get married, so that when Penelope gave birth to the child, it would be legitimate. But he refused, saying that the Lindberg family¡¯s offspring couldn¡¯t afford any mistakes, he wanted to wait until Penelope gave birth to the baby before getting married. But now¡­¡± Ms. Deborah continued, ¡°Now, Ms. nagan¡¯s child is gone.¡± Miranda continued, ¡°She was just half a month away from giving birth, but now the child is gone.¡± ¡°Now that the child is gone, Lucian doesn¡¯t want to marry Penelope, but the external public opinion pressure is huge. He has been doing really well running the Lindberg Corporation recently, and Carter seems to want Lucian to take over the Lindberg Corporation. At this crucial moment, I just hope this doesn¡¯t affect him.¡± Deborah, ¡°Mrs. Lindberg, don¡¯t worry, this won¡¯t affect Mr. Lindberg. Miranda let out a sigh, ¡°I hope so.¡± ¡°Miranda, as long as Mr. Lindberg and Ms. nagan get married and have children in the future, public opinion will naturally dissipate. I¡¯m just worried about Mr. Lindberg.¡± Miranda looked at Deborah, ¡°Deborah, you¡¯ve watched Lucian grow up. You should know his character. I¡¯m afraid he doesn¡¯t want to marry Penelope now. But we, the Lindberg family, do owe Penelope.¡± ¡°Is it because¡­¡± Deborah thought for a moment, ¡°Could it be because of the woman named Allison?¡± ¡°Deborah, don¡¯t you think Allison and Penelope look alike?¡± ¡°They do look a bit simr, but¡­ there¡¯s a huge difference in their statuses.¡± ¡°Deborah, do you think there¡¯s a possibility that¡­¡± Miranda suddenly had a thought, maybe her son got the wrong person, the one who saved her son the first time was Allison. But she immediately dismissed this idea. It was too ridiculous, Penelope was already pregnant, the timing matched up, so the one who saved her son the first time was definitely Penelope. ¡°Never mind, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Chapter 411 Chapter 411 Allison carried two shopping bags and arrived at the vi¡¯s doorstep, knocking on the door After a moment, there was some sound from inside, but not the sound of a man¡¯s footsteps. The vi door swung open, and out trotted arge, white dog, its tail wagging furiously at the sight of Allison. Bending down to pat the dog on the head, Allison stepped inside the vi and nced around the empty living room, ¡°Where¡¯s your owner? He hasn¡¯te back yet?¡± The dog grabbed onto the hem of her pants, tugging her towards the stairs. Allison set down her shopping bags, ¡°I need to hit the kitchen first. I¡¯ve got ribs.¡± But the big dog was a force to be reckoned with, and Allison stumbled slightly as she was dragged along, deciding to just go with the flow and follow the dog upstairs. ¡°Is your owner home?¡± Allison went upstairs, following the dog, and arrived at the study¡¯s door. She knocked on the door, but there was no response from inside. She looked at the dog, its tail wagging like crazy, seemingly waiting for her to open the door. Allison opened the door, and the dog bolted inside before her. Allison stood in the doorway, taking in the empty study. Lucian was still not back. She had thought the dog brought her upstairs because Lucian was in the study. She¡¯d only been here a few times, and she didn¡¯t really know much about the man¡¯s study. But as usual, the study was done in Lucian¡¯s style ¨C light grey window shades, ck and white and grey decor, ck leather couch, towering spiral staircase bookshelf. Allison stepped inside. The dog had found a fuzzy ball toy by the coffee table and Allison chuckled, ¡°Well, you just wanted your toy. I thought Lucian sent you to get me here.* The dog brought the ball over to Allison and she threw it across the room, ¡°Go y. She took a look around the study, her eyes falling on some documents on the coffee table. She wasn¡¯t nning to snoop. Just as she was about to leave, a gust of cold wind rustled the window shades, flipping the documents off the coffee table and onto the carpet. She bent down to pick them up, only to find that they were about the charity dinner incident investigation, She flipped through the pages, which seemed to be a report from an investigation agency. The chandelier had been tampered with beforehand, causing it to crash down when Penelope and Miranda were passing by. This hotel was no ordinary venue. It had aprehensive surveince system and stringent security measures. The most likely culprit who could have tampered with things in this hotel would be someone from the Lindberg family. She finished reading the investigation details. Although no one was directly implicated, Allison felt like she already knew who it was. She put the documents back in order, retumed them to their original spot and left the study. Back downstairs, the dog had run off to y on thewn. Allison opened the fridge, finding itpletely empty. She wondered if this man ever cooked at home. She took the ribs and some vegetables from the fridge, and began to prepare dinner. Her phone suddenly vibrated. She nced at the screen ¨C it was a call from Daisy. Daisy had been stressing about the Boswell family¡¯s situationtely. Allison, in the middle of washing veggies, dried her hands and answered on speaker ¡°Daisy.¡± Daisy said, ¡°Did you catch the news? They¡¯re saying Penelope miscarried and passed out from saving Miranda. Wasn¡¯t she almost 9 months pregnant and about to give birth?¡± Allison nodded, ¡°Yeah, I already heard about that.¡± Daisy asked, ¡°Where are you, Allie? Are you still at work?¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Allison responded, ¡°No, I¡¯m at a colleague¡¯s house, making dinner.¡± Daisy continued, ¡°She was 9 months pregnant, and she is so desperate to marry into the Lindberg family. Why would she risk her unborn child like that? Don¡¯t you think she might have done it on purpose?* Allison was taken aback. She was in the middle of chopping vegetables when she identally cut her finger. ¡°Daisy, what did you just say?¡± Daisy said, ¡°I was just thinking out loud. She cares so much about her child, why would she risk herself to save Miranda? They¡¯re not even close. Plus, we all know what Penelope is like ¨C she¡¯s far from being a saint.¡± Chapter 412 Chapter 412 Daisy just blurted out something but on the other end of the line, Allison seemed to fall silent. ¡°Hello, hello, Allie, you still there?¡± Allison had cut her finger, and she was staring at the fresh blood on her fingertip. After the sharp and brief pain, she turned on the tap, rinsed her hand under the running water, but all she could think of was what Daisy had said. That sentence seemed to make sense of her chaotic thoughts. Did Penelope orchestrate this herself? The people who were able to get their hands on it at the charity g were pretty much no one else but people from The Lindberg family. Miranda hosted a charity g every year, always at the same seven¨C star hotel. The security system was top¨Cnotch; the guests were all socialites who had attended the g before. The chance of an outsider doing this was very low. Either it was an internal dispute within the Lindberg family, or Penelope was pulling the strings. But if it really was Penelope pulling the strings, why? Penelope was so looking forward to this baby, she was already nine months pregnant. She and Penelope had grown up together, she knew what kind of person Penelope was. Penelope would never push Miranda away out of kindness. Then for what reason? There seemed to be only one answer. The child in Penelope¡¯s belly was not Lucian¡¯s. The cold water wrapped around her finger, driving away the pain. Allison picked up her phone, ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± Daisy chatted with her about a lot of things, mostly trivial life stuff. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Allison frowned, ¡°You¡¯re getting married to that guy next week? Isn¡¯t that a bit rushed?¡± Daisy, ¡°I have no choice. The weak can¡¯t fight the strong. My family¡¯s business is doing well, but they are the leader in the jewelry industry. If Santos Inc¡¯s jewelry wants to grow, we can¡¯t offend the Boswells. I¡¯vee to terms with it. I can¡¯t hide, can¡¯t resist, and can¡¯t ruin Santos Inc. just because I don¡¯t like it. It¡¯s my parents¡® life¡¯s work.¡± She had been well protected by her parents for 22 years, living a worry¨Cfree life. Now when they needed her, she would not hide. People had to grow up. Marrying into the Boswell family might not be bad. Daisy optimistically said, ¡°Everyone says the Boswell family¡¯s son is in poor health, right? I¡¯ll just try to live a healthy and long life. After he passes away, I¡¯ll be okay.¡± This marriage, to put it nicely, was a union between the Boswell family and the Santos family. To put it bluntly, it was just to bring good luck to the Boswell family. Daisy seemed afraid of Allisonforting her, and said, ¡°I¡¯m okay. Are you free these days? Let¡¯s go shopping before I get married. It¡¯s been a long time since we hung out together.¡± ¡°I¡¯m free these days.¡± Allison heard the sound of a car engine outside the door, followed by Lucky¡¯s barking. It must be Lucianing back. She said, ¡°Daisy, I have to go now, my¡­ my coworker is here.¡± She hung up the phone and went outside. Luc¨ªan got out of the car and went inside, with Lucky excitedly circling around him. The man bent down, with a rare smile in his eyes, ¡°Are you hungry? Can¡¯t you find some snacks to eat?¡± Lucky wagged its tail and barked a few times. The man asked, ¡°Why are you so excited today?¡± He walked into the living room and saw Allisoning out of the kitchen. There was a few seconds of surprise in the his eyes. Allison walked over and said, ¡°I came over half an hour ago. You weren¡¯t home, but Lucky was smart enough to open the door for me. I realized you weren¡¯t home when I saw the door was open.¡± ¡°Uh¨Chuh.¡± The man took off his suit, and Allison took it from him. He smelled the aroma of food in the air. Allison said, ¡°y with Lucky for a bit. Dinner will be ready soon.¡± Allison went back to the kitchen. Lucian yed with Lucky for a few minutes outside, then he went to the kitchen, watching the woman in a light blue apron cooking. The kitchen was filled with the smell of food, and the light was bright and warm. His home rarely had such a warm atmosphere. Lucian felt a bit ufortable at first, but he enjoyed this feeling. Chapter 413 Chapter 413 Allison was cooking, the range hood was running, so she didn¡¯t notice the man approaching from behind. The air was filled with the smell of food. A hand reached around her waist from behind. Allison was taken aback for a moment, but then she looked down to see a man¡¯s slender, clean fingers. Only then did she realize that Lucian had arrived. She still had the cooking utensils in her hand. Allison wanted to turn around, but the man held her tightly, resting his chin on her shoulder. Her shoulders were thin, all bones, and Lucian found it a bit hard. He took a deep sniff of the cherry blossom scent on her neck and said, ¡°Do you not eat? You¡¯re so skinny.¡± Allison turned down the gas stove me slightly and suddenly felt that Lucian was a bit off tonight. She asked, ¡°Is there something bothering you at work?¡± She had seen those news reports. For Lucian, those were all hassles. Lucian had been back in the country for less than ten months, the internal fighting within Lindberg Corporation was already intense, and Carter had handed the management of Lindberg Corporation to Lucian. He had managed well for these ten months, but now there was a problem. Due to the mishap at the charity dinner, Lindberg Corporation¡¯s shares started to fall. Although the drop was small, just a minor fluctuation, Lucian couldn¡¯t ignore it. He held her, suddenly lifted her hips, and put her on the table. Allison eximed as Lucian kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and they kissed passionately. The only sound in the room was their panting as they kissed. Outside, Lucky was having a great time, running around with a ball in its mouth. Three minutester, the long kiss ended, and Lucian let go of her. His voice was hoarse, ¡°Allison, I¡¯m marrying Penelope next month.¡± Allison¡¯s pupils flickered. Their passionate kiss was still going on when his words made her feel like she had been thrown into a freezing cold icebox. ¡°So you¡¯re unhappy because you¡¯re marrying Penelope? Lucian, you¡¯ve always wanted to marry Penelope, right?¡± It was only natural for him to marry Penelope now, Allison didn¡¯t know what she was hoping for, why she felt so sad when she heard Lucian was going to marry Penelope. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. If he married Penelope, what was she? A mistress? Her chest felt as if it was stuffed with thick cotton, her fingers clenched and then loosened. Before Lucian could say anything, Allison said, ¡°Congrattions, you finally got what you wanted.¡± Lucian didn¡¯t know why, but seeing Allison at home, in such a warm scene, he wanted to tell her about it. There wasn¡¯t much expression on Allison¡¯s face, and Lucian couldn¡¯t read much emotion from this woman¡¯s face. He felt a bit disappointed. What kind of reaction was he expecting from her? Did he want her to plead with him not to marry Penelope? But she just smiled and wished him well. Did this woman not care about him at all? Lucian¡¯s fingers pinched her chin, looking at the smile in her eyes, and he was clearly displeased. ¡°Ah!¡± the woman suddenly cried out in pain, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lucian bent down and picked up the woman, striding out of the kitchen. Allison struggled a bit, ¡°Wait, the food isn¡¯t done yet, let me down so I can turn off the stove,¡± Lucian carried Allison into the living room. The woman¡¯s back sunk into the soft couch, her arms wrapped around the man¡¯s neck. The couch was not narrow and could amodate two people. The man hoarsely said, ¡°Allison, say my name.¡± ¡°Lucian¡­¡± Chapter 414 Chapter 414 Allison didn¡¯t leave tonight. She opened her eyes in the middle of the night. Looking at his prominent nose, she slowly reached out and touched his cheek. The next second, his hand gripped hers. Allison was taken aback. She thought she had woken him up. But a few seconds later, hearing his steady breathing, she realized that Lucian was still asleep. It was just a subconscious reaction. Patty recently set up identity verification for Allison on various apps and required her to post a new photo every week. Allison often used her Twitter ount to sporadically share her opinions or post some scenic pictures. However, Epic Entertainment, in an effort to safeguard the privacy of its artists and prevent any inappropriate remarks made by them in the past, mandated that all ounts must undergo re¨C registration. Before long, Allison hadpleted her role as the female lead in a TV series, and she was about to start shooting for her next one. The next show was a teen campus drama directed by the renowned female director Cathy. Cathy¡¯s previous directorial work, which was released on Valentine¡¯s Dayst year, became the box office champion with 1.26 billion yuan in earnings, breaking records for youth romance films. Allison yed a character named Olivia, a gentle and quiet pretty girl in high school. In the 120¨Cminute film, she only had two minutes of screen time. She was a good friend of the female lead, Megan, and a catalyst for the romance between the male and female leads. Her scenes were concentrated, with a shooting period of about 10 days. Sometimes, Allison only had one scene in a day to amodate Megan¡¯s schedule. This week, Allison didn¡¯t see Cathy. The scenes involving her were directed by the assistant director, Conrad. Conrad looked at the monitor, ¡°Good, very good. Olivia, keep your eyes on Yara¡¯s face.¡± Yara was the supporting female lead, the obstacle between the male and female leads, and grew up with the male lead. The role was yed by Mia, who was a breakout star from a girl group earlier this year. This morning, they mainly shot scenes between her and Mia. Mia was straightforward in character, with a cool and hip¨Chop¨Cinspired dance style, often dressing in a hip¨Chop fashion. The character of Yara was entirely different from Mia¡¯s real¨Clife personality. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. After one take, Mia wiped the sweat off her face, ¡°This character is so hard to y. Allison, you should be the one ying Yara. She¡¯s a pretty girl who grew up with the male lead. I don¡¯t fit this role at all. I hope the audience won¡¯t bash me when the show airs.¡± Allisonughed, ¡°You just did great. I usually see you with dreadlocks and dyed hair in photos, completely different from just now. But I don¡¯t think you¡¯re mismatched with the role at all. We are meant to push our boundaries.¡± Mia took a sip of water and said somewhat awkwardly, ¡°I don¡¯t act often. This is a script arranged by thepany. I hadn¡¯t heard of you before, Allison, but we know each other now. I think you¡¯re a beautiful and talented actress. You¡¯re with Epic Entertainment, right? It¡¯s a bigpany. The female lead in this drama is also from Epic Entertainment. They invested so much in it, why did they only give you a supporting role?¡± Mia was frank and straightforward, ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I didn¡¯t mean anything else. I just think you¡¯re much better than Sadie. It¡¯s frustrating that yourpany is pushing her instead of you. They really have no taste.¡± Allison smiled, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the journey of life be taken one step at a time? Leaving footprints with each step is what makes it meaningful. If they had given me the lead role in this movie as a neer, I might not have been able to handle it.¡± Mia handed Allison a bottle of isn¡¯t struggling with all their might? Sadie, the female lead in this film, is also a neer from yourpany. She¡¯s so snobby. This afternoon we have to wait for her to change locations to shoot a scene. I bet she¡¯ll be at least an hourte.¡± Allison said, ¡°Probably not.¡± Mia shrugged, Hard to tell.¡± water, ¡°If all the neers could think like you, that would be great. In this entertainment industry, who Allison said, ¡°I hope she won¡¯t bete.¡± Lucian had asked her out for dinner tonight. She had epted this date. She absolutely could not stand up Mr. Lindberg because of Chapter 415 Chapter 415 ¡°What¡¯s the deal? Have you contacted Sadie? Why isn¡¯t she here yet?¡± The agreed time was already half an hour past, and the assistant director was getting antsy. Someone quickly pulled out his phone and made a call. After he hung up, he hurriedly informed the assistant director, ¡°She¡¯s on her way. Sadie says she¡¯ll be here soon. She hopes we can wait a bit longer. There¡¯s some traffic on the way.¡± The assistant director had a background in photography and was around thirty¨Cfour or thirty¨Cfive years old. He had long hair and exuded an artistic aura. He was someone who ced a high value on punctuality. Mr. Simonds, one could say, was the preferred cinematographer of the female director Cathy. Over time, as he worked with Cathy on multiple shoots, he became Cathy¡¯s assistant director and her trusted right¨Chand man. Cathy was respected in the industry as a leading director of teen romance movies in the country. For young actors who wanted to get famous, starring in Cathy¡¯s movies was the first step. Naturally, they would also respect Mr. Simonds. Seeing that Mr. Simonds was not in a good mood, the assistant said, ¡°Mr. Simonds, I¡¯ll go rush Sadie. Don¡¯t worry, it will be okay soon.¡± Mr. Simonds just waved his hand dismissively. Allison was getting her makeup done on the side, with the makeup artist styling her hair. ¡°Allison, your hair is so well taken care of.¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Allisonughed, ¡°It¡¯s just because I¡¯m young.¡± Mia sat across from Allison. ording to the usual schedule, they should have already finished work, but the female lead hadn¡¯t arrived yet, so they couldn¡¯t leave. There were still three crucial scenes left to film. Mia sat across from Allison and said, ¡°I knew Sadie would bete, just as I thought.¡± ¡°Hopefully she doesn¡¯t take too long.¡± Allison nced at her watch. They were already half an hour behind schedule. ¡°Allison, your phone has been ringing. It¡¯s Mr. Lindberg, do y O you want to pick it up?¡± Allison nodded, knowing that Lucian must be getting impatient. A young girl who was around the same age as Allison handed her the phone. This was Allison¡¯s assistant, L, who was sent by Patty. Allison answered the call, ¡°Hello.¡± She apologized, ¡°I might have to wait a bit longer here. We still haven¡¯t finished shooting for the day.¡± The man asked, ¡°How many scenes are left?¡± ¡°Three.¡± Allison rubbed her forehead, ¡°How about we take a raincheck tonight. I¡¯ll treat you to dinner as an apology some other time. I might be filming tillte.¡± ¡°Where are you now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m at the library downtown.¡± After hanging up, Allison handed the phone back to L. Mia asked, ¡°Is he your boyfriend?¡± Allison corrected her, ¡°Just a friend.¡± Mia, ¡°Isn¡¯t it the same? But Allison, I heard that Epic Entertainment is very strict with their artists, all friends of the opposite sex have to be reported. Aren¡¯t you afraid of your manager finding out you¡¯re in contact with a friend of the opposite sex like this?¡± Allison smiled, ¡°My manager should know.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s your manager? You¡¯ve been filming here for a few days and I haven¡¯t seen her.¡± ¡°Patty.¡± Mia was surprised, ¡°What, Patty?¡± The assistant behind Mia also eximed, ¡°The Vice President of Epic Entertainment, Patty?¡± Upon seeing Allison nod, Mia was even more surprised, ¡°So it¡¯s Patty. Do you know who the top five managers in the entertainment industry are?¡± Allison wasn¡¯t interested in such things, so she didn¡¯t know. The reason she signed with Epic Entertainment was because it was a subsidiary of Lindberg Corporation. Lucian had provided her with resources, and it was a fair exchange. Every year, Epic Entertainment invested 1 billion in film and television projects. Mia said, ¡°Patty is one of these top five managers. Besides the strength of Epic Entertainment itself, she is also verypetent. I didn¡¯t expect that you would be her artist.¡± Mia¡¯s assistant asked, ¡°I heard that Patty is very strict with thepany¡¯s new artists, is that true?¡± Before Allison could answer, Mia cut in, ¡°You¡¯re too curious. Just because Patty is Allison¡¯s manager doesn¡¯t mean Patty would personally manage her.¡± If Patty was personally managing her, why would she give Allison a minor role? Like Sadie, she was also a new artist at Epic Entertainment, but she got the lead female role in Cathy¡¯s drama. Mia sighed, Allison seemed like the kind of actress who had looks and charm, butcked resources and was destined to be buried in the entertainment industry. Chapter 416 Chapter 416 Allison totally got Mia¡¯s personality. Mia was a straight shooter, but she was not mean¨Cspirited or anything. Maybe she was just a little hard on herself. She didn¡¯t really go into detail. After all, their rtionship was just one of co¨Cworkers in a TV series, nothing deep. As for her rtionship with Patty, it was a mystery to outsiders. The entire cast was waiting for Sadie¡¯s arrival. The word on the street was she was stuck in traffic and would be here in a half hour. But at this point, she was still a no¨Cshow. Mr. Simonds was ticked off, but he was just an assistant director. His power wasn¡¯t that big even though he was respected by others. Sadie, as a talent from Epic Entertainment, can afford to bete as the leading female actress of this y, and the whole crew just had to suck it up. The studio needed to reschedule; the cost of the dy was no small change. He said to his assistant, ¡°Check where she¡¯s at again. The drive from the cinema to here is not an hour long, even with traffic. Ask where she¡¯s stuck, or go pick her up if necessary.¡± The assistant nodded vigorously, ¡°Sure thing.¡± Mr. Simonds, sitting behind the monitor, took off his sses and ced them on the table, ¡°She¡¯s making all of us wait. Does she think other actors¡® time is worthless? Can she, Sadie, cover the extra costs? Just because Epic Entertainment is backing this y doesn¡¯t mean she can use it as an excuse for her tardiness.¡± The assistant was sweating bullets because the call still couldn¡¯t get through. Allison nced at the clock, Sadie was already 45 minuteste. L was behind her, fixing her hair. Allison smiled and told L, ¡°I got it.¡± L handed her a cup of coffee, ¡°Allison, if you¡¯re tired, we can wait in the lounge. It¡¯s windy here.¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m fine. By the way, L, count how many people are here, and order some coffee for everyone.¡± L nodded, ¡°Sure thing, I¡¯ll get on it. Allison, what vor do you want?¡± Allison replied, ¡°ck coffee.¡± About 16 minutester, the coffee L ordered was delivered, from the nearest coffee shop. There were many different vors of freshly brewed coffee, a total of 26 cups. ¡°Allison¡¯s treating everyone to coffee, one cup per person.¡± L distributed the coffee. Mia¡¯s assistant, Katie, took a cup and looked surprised, ¡°I get one too?¡± L squinted her eyes and smiled, ¡°Allison said, everyone gets one.¡± Katie said with admiration, ¡°Allison is so nice. L, you¡¯re so lucky to work with such a nice artist.¡± Assistants knew each other¡¯s struggles. High¨Cprofile celebrities was very particr and had very high demands. Lesser¨Cknown celebrities offered low sries, but they were no less particr. While Mia was easy to work with, she had high demands. Katie was often swamped. L said, ¡°Seriously, I¡¯ve only been with Allison for less than a week. It was Patty who asked me to follow her. But I think Allison is really nice. She¡¯s mild¨Cmannered, has a good temperament, and is super nice to us assistants. She doesn¡¯t have many demands. I feel really lucky. But I¡¯m not Allison¡¯s permanent assistant. I worry that once this series is er, I¡¯ll have to go work with other stars.¡± Katie said, ¡°Same here, but I¡¯m now Mia¡¯s permanent assistant. Mia is pretty nice, she just can be a bit particr and hot¨Ctempered sometimes.¡± Then L said in a low voice, ¡°I used to work with Sadie, her temper is just¡­ something el Chapter 417 Chapter 417 ¡°Mr. Simonds, this is the coffee Allison got for everyone.¡± Mr. Simonds took the coffee and nodded. They had been shooting all day, and should have wrapped up earlier. Everyone was dead tired and running on empty. A cup of coffee was just the pick¨Cme¨Cup they needed. He took a sip and asked, ¡°Allison?¡± The assistant replied, ¡°The one ying Olivi. She¡¯s with Epic Entertainment.¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Mr. Simonds shot the assistant a look, ¡°I¡¯ve been working with her for a week now, how could I not know?¡± He lifted his head and looked at the girl sitting in the distance with Mia. She was gentle and serene, with a delicate and beautiful face that was very captivating. Mr. Simonds¡® gaze lingered on her for a good 20 seconds before he looked away. Thest time he gazed at an actress like this was when he was looking at a particrly popr big celebrity. ¡°Pretty good.¡± The assistant thought he had misheard, ¡°What?¡± Mr. Simonds repeated, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect apany like Epic Entertainment to have decent talent.¡± The assistant didn¡¯t expect the blunt Mr. Simonds to give such high praise to Allison. But Allison was indeed outstanding. The assistant took a sip of his coffee, amongst all the actors, only Allison had offered to get them coffee. She was always on time, never flubbed her lines, and she even knew her co¨Cstar¡¯s lines by heart. Mr. Simonds sipped his coffee, finding it quite invigorating and effective at alleviating fatigue. He reminisced about his initial impression of Allison. The first time he saw her, she entered the set without any assistants or staff by her side. She was just carrying bag with a water bottle, an umbre, a small fan, and some odds and ends in it. She didn¡¯t even have her script with her. a While the other actors were memorizing their lines, she was on her phone. He was a bit disdainful, thinking non¨Cprofessionals were just unprofessional. She couldn¡¯t really think acting was as simple as posing for a magazine, could she? Just needing a pretty face. But when they actually started filming, he was surprised. Because Allison had already memorized the script, even her co¨Cstar¡¯s lines. That was when he changed his view of her. He felt regret that such a talented actress was not being properly utilized at Epic Entertainment. They only offered her a supporting role. The entertainment industry wasplex; being pretty and talented didn¡¯t mean anything without a powerful backing. Like Allison, no matter how pretty and talented she was, without a solid backing, she was stuck ying minor roles in arge agency. Mr. Simonds shook his head with a sigh. Allison was reading, unaware that she was seen by the director and her co¨Cstars as a talented and beautiful actress whocked a powerful backing and was stuck ying supporting roles. ¡°Allison, your phone is ringing, Patty is calling.¡± L handed Allison her phone. Allison took it and said, ¡°Hello, Patty.¡± Patty asked, ¡°Are you still on set?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°I heard Sadie iste.¡± Allison confirmed, ¡°Yeah, she hasn¡¯t arrived yet, it¡¯s been¡­¡± she nced at her watch, ¡°She¡¯s 58 minuteste.¡± Patty on the other end said, ¡°Is she wasting your time? If you need to leave, just go. I¡¯ll exin to the crew.¡± Allison shrugged and sighed. Time had indeed been wasted, but she had already requested time off from Mr. Lindberg, so it should be fine. ¡°Sadie should be here soon, I heard it¡¯s because of traffic. I don¡¯t have anything else to do, the other actors and crew are waiting too, so I¡¯ll wait a bit longer.¡± ¡°Okay, call me if you need anything.¡± Patty was about to hang up when she remembered something, ¡°Well, by the way, has Charlie contacted you recently?¡± Charlie? Wasn¡¯t he Penelope¡¯s agent? Chapter 418 Chapter 418 Allison asked in a low voice, ¡°What¡¯s up, Patty?¡± ¡°I was just thinking¡­ maybe I¡¯m overthinking this. I heard Penelope is in the hospital, and her agent Charlie seems to have a lot of free time. She doesn¡¯t have any other A¨Clist artists, and for this film, I gave you the leading role, but you chose a supporting one. I was wondering, did I do something wrong?¡± Even though Patty¡¯s words were gentle, Allison got the jist of it. ¡°So you¡¯re thinking that since Penelope is in the hospital, and Charlie doesn¡¯t have any top tiers artists to manage, she mighte to me, right?¡± Allison asked. Patty replied, ¡°I do tend to overthink things.¡± Allisonughed lightly, ¡°I chose the supporting female role in this show because I thought the character was pretty good. Plus, I just started acting and I like to take it step by step. I don¡¯t like to rely on the big bucks behind me to pick roles. You should know that when I choose roles, I only pick what suits me. I don¡¯t think I could handle the leading female role in this show. That¡¯s why I turned it down, not because I want to get close to Charlie.¡± Patty sighed in relief, ¡°Hearing you say that makes me fee! better.¡± Allison responded, ¡°Patty, I¡¯ve always enjoyed working with you. And I trust you a lot.¡± ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t take up any more of your time. Let¡¯s grab dinner together this weekend if you¡¯re free.¡± Patty hung up the phone and took,a long breath. After all, Allison had Lucian backing her up, although not many people knew this, she was one of them. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Allison seemed gentle and soft, but she was thoughtful and meticulous. Her words eased Patty¡¯s worries. Looked like she was overthinking it. But she couldn¡¯t help but overthink. There were two actresses rted to Lucian, one was his fianc¨¦e Penelope, and Penelope chose Charlie as her agent. The other was his lover, Allison. Obviously, Lucian invested more in Allison, and Allison chose Patty. Now Penelope suddenly got hospitalized, and she needed at least half a year to recover from multiple fractures. The engagement between the nagan family and the Lindberg family became chaotic, and only the two families knew about it, outsiders had no way of knowing. Recent public opinion developed rapidly, Patty had to keep an eye on the trends, and Charlie was running around like a headless chicken. If something happened to Penelope, then Charlie would lose her top star, and naturally she would lean towards Allison. Patty was worried that Charlie would want to get closer to Allison, so she was afraid that Charlie might sway Allison. With the resource she had personally selected for Allison, and yet Allison declined and asked to y a supporting female role, it made her start to overthink things. However, Allison¡¯s firm and gentle response dispelled her worries, and reassured her. This Allison, she was really something. Patty noticed that this woman had a striking resemnce to Penelope and was often seen apanying Lucian. That was when she realized that Allison wasn¡¯t as gentle and quiet as she appeared on the surface. At 6:50 PM, a ck Maybach was driving down the street. Lucian checked the address that Shawn sent him and started the navigation to the destination. He quickly arrived at the film set, wanted to call Allison to let her know he was there, but suddenly wanted to see what she looked like at work. There were many people around the library, but they were all stopped by the crew. Only those with work permits could enter and exit. Lucian made a call and waited at the door for two minutes. A man in crew uniform came over, hunched over and sweating. After all, no one knew that this big shot would show up, he said, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, I really didn¡¯t know you wereing, you didn¡¯t let me know in advance, I could¡¯ve prepared. I¡¯m sorry to keep you waiting.¡± Lucian nced at the time, ¡°It¡¯s already 7 o¡¯clock, the crew hasn¡¯t finished shooting yet?¡± The man was Mr. Sears from the crew, a deputy general manager of Epic Entertainment. He rarely had the chance to see Lucian, and now that he was meeting him for the first time, he was sweating bullets and extremely nervous. He didn¡¯t know what he had done wrong. This production didn¡¯t have arge budget, and it wasn¡¯t top¨C tier. The fact that someone as prominent as Lucian was involved had him wondering what was going on. Chapter 419 Chapter 419 Lucian arrived at the set. Everyone was chilling out as the shooting hadn¡¯t begun. The two camera guys were having a chat, while Mr. Sears kept ncing nervously at Lucian. Lucian looked around and asked, ¡°Why isn¡¯t the shooting over?¡± ¡°Well, one of the actresses hasn¡¯t arrived yet. She¡¯s stuck in traffic.¡± Lucian raised an eyebrow, ¡°So everyone on the crew is waiting for her?¡± ¡°Uh¡­yes.¡± Lucian let out a cold chuckle, ¡°Humph.¡± Mr. Sears was a bit shaken. He had no idea what had ticked Lucian off, and he surely couldn¡¯t read Lucian¡¯s mind. Inside the trailer, Mia was grumbling, ¡°What¡¯s taking Sadie so long? She¡¯s such a time waster. We¡¯ve been waiting for almost two hours and it¡¯s already dark. Can she at least give us a clear answer? We¡¯re all waiting for her.¡± Allison was taking a break in Mia¡¯s trailer since she didn¡¯t have her own. Initially, Patty had arranged one for her but she turned it down. After all, she was just ying a small role and didn¡¯t want to draw unnecessary attention. Allison was gently touching her neck. ¡°We can¡¯t wait forever, right? What¡¯s up with this? Call my agent and ask her to check with the crew. I don¡¯t have all day. I have a magazine shoot after work and it¡¯s already dyed. I¡¯m not up for shooting all night.¡± Her assistant immediately contacted the agent and the crew. But they didn¡¯t get any response. Elsewhere, Director Simonds had taken a short nap. When he woke up and learnt that Sadie hadn¡¯t arrived yet, he burst intoughter out of frustration. ¡°I¡¯ve been in the film industry for so many years and this is the first time I¡¯ve encountered an actor who¡¯s two hourste. From now on, don¡¯t ever get me to work with Sadie again.¡± His assistant quickly said, ¡°Mr. Simonds, don¡¯t get mad.¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ¡°Two hours! Even if she was on the highway, she could have flown back by now. Her excuse about being stuck in traffic is a total lie.¡± He waved his hand, ¡°I¡¯m done, let¡¯s wrap up.¡± Having dozens of crew members wait around wasn¡¯t going to earn Sadie any brownie points with Mr. Simonds tonight. A newbie with no respect for work, she had crossed his line. ¡°Mr. Simonds, this bookstore is going to be closed next week for the shooting of another drama. And it will be closed for two weeks. Let¡¯s wait a little longer, I¡¯ll go call them right now¡­¡± The assistant made a call, ¡°Hey, where are you guys? Still stuck in traffic? I can send someone to pick you up.¡± On the other end was Sadie¡¯s executive agent, ¡°Oh gosh, we¡¯re almost there. What¡¯s the rush? We can¡¯t sprout wings and fly over there¡­¡± ¡°How can we not be in a hurry? You know how Mr. Simonds is. We¡¯ve been waiting for two hours. Time waits for no one.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, we¡¯re almost there.¡± After hanging up the phone, Sadie¡¯s executive agent, Emma, nced at Sadie who was shopping in a luxury store. They still hadn¡¯t hit the road, and Sadie had been shopping for two hours. Even though Mr. Simonds kept rushing them, she had no other option but to im they were stuck in traffic. Sadie had a fiery temper, and Emma was just an agent. To put it simply, her position was only slightly above an assistant¡¯s, but she was still an employee. Holding her phone, Emma walked over and said, ¡°Sadie¡­¡± Sadie ignored her and pointed at a row of clothes, ¡°These, find my size and send them to the fitting room.¡± The salesperson immediately nodded and said, ¡°Okay ma¡¯am, please wait a moment.¡± Sadie went to the fitting room and started trying on clothes one by one. Emma looked anxious. Gathering her courage, she said, ¡°Sadie.¡± Sadie tried on a pinkce dress, thetest style of the year. But she found the waist a bit tight when she zipped it up. She frowned slightly, had she gained weight? She had even lost several kilograms for this show. Sadie said unhappily, ¡°Emma.¡± Emma was taken aback. Sadie said, ¡°What are you still standing there for? Come and help me zip up the dress.¡± She was determined to wear this dress today. Emma went over and helped. The size was correct but the style was a bit small, so Emma had to put in some effort to zip it up. Sadie took a deep breath. Finally, the dress was on. She looked at her slim waist in the mirror and was somewhat pleased, ¡®Do you think Mr. Lindberg wille to thepany¡¯s banquet next week?¡± Emma asked, ¡°Mr. Lindberg¡­you mean Lucian?¡± Sadie rolled her eyes and said, ¡°Do you know any other Mr. Lindberg?¡± All Emma could say was, ¡°Sadie, Mr. Simonds is rushing you¡­¡± Chapter 420 Chapter 420 Sadie was sizing herself up in the mirror. She¡¯d shed a ton of weight for this role, but it still wasn¡¯t enough to squeeze into the smallest size of the dress. Taking a deep breath and holding it in, she was interrupted by her agent¡¯s voice, which made her frown. She looked at Emma and said, ¡°Let him wait, I¡¯ll be there in a jiffy.¡± Emma seemed a bit on edge, ¡°Sadie, it¡¯s been two hours already. It¡¯s getting dark. If we don¡¯t hurry up, it¡¯ll be really inappropriate. Mr. Simonds and the rest of the cast are waiting for us.¡± Sadie gave her agent a nce, ¡°Just let them wait. He¡¯s just an assistant director. What¡¯s a few minutes to him?¡± Emma sighed, watching Sadie trying on clothes. She couldn¡¯tprehend Sadie¡¯s attitude. Even though she was Sadie¡¯s agent, she was only an executive agent, just a notch above an assistant. The head agent was Sidney from thepany. Even though Sidney was no Patty, she had her ways of getting resources, This production was funded by Epic Entertainment and handed over to Patty, who then passed it to Sidney. Because Sadie was easy¨Cgoing and fit the audition image, she got the role. The filming was already halfway done. Emma was powerless, and all she could do was handle the calls from the assistant director. Sadie was not caring about beingte at all; Emma sighed again and asked carefully, ¡°Sadie, if you like this dress, let¡¯s buy it and get to the set pronto.¡± Sadie looked annoyed, ¡°Emma, you¡¯re just an executive agent. Since when do you get to boss me around?¡± Emma replied, ¡°Sadie, we can¡¯t keep stalling. Mr. Simonds has been with Cathy for years. He has connections and he¡¯s tough. He hates tardy actors the most. Last time an actress waste for shooting, and hembasted her on the spot. It was all over the news and her reputation took a hit.¡± Sadie retorted, ¡°I¡¯m the lead actress for this show, how can youpare me with some inte celebrity? Emma, if you don¡¯t want this job, just say it. Don¡¯t beat around the bush. There¡¯s a long line of people waiting to be my executive agent. I won¡¯t change because of you.¡± Emma was taken aback. She was just looking out for Sadie, but Sadie didn¡¯t appreciate it. Fine, she¡¯d keep her mouth shut. Let Sadie do whatever she wanted. If any news about her being negligent got out, it would affect Sadie herself. But she was just an executive agent. She couldn¡¯t control these things. The one whose reputation would be ruined was Sadie herself. On the set. Mr. Sears came over, ¡°Just letting you all know, we¡¯re wrapping up for the night, no more shooting.¡± Mr. Simonds yawned, ¡°I thought we were waiting for Sadie?¡± Mr. Sears whispered, ¡°Mr. Lindberg is here.¡± Mr. Simonds just woke up and was a bit confused, ¡°Who?¡± Mr. Sears gestured and Mr. Simonds perked up, ¡°Lucian?¡± Mr. Sears nodded. Mr. Simonds¡¯s expression changed, looking puzzled, ¡°Why would he show up? The CEO of Lindberg Corporation has time to spare? Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s here to supervise the work.¡± Mr. Sears found it strange too but didn¡¯t dare to ask more, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I was startled too. Anyway, let¡¯s call it a day.¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Mr. Simonds looked around and didn¡¯t see anyone. He began to suspect that Mr. Sears was lying to get off work early. After all, why would someone like Lucian show up at a film set? ¡°Mr. Sears, you¡¯re not pulling my leg, are you?¡± Mr. Sears, Of course not. I was shocked too when I got the call.¡± Mr. Simonds gave Mr. Sears a look, ¡°Alright, even if you¡¯re telling the truth, let¡¯s put this aside for now. I just want to tell you one thing. If Sadie iste again, I¡¯ll just cut her scenes.¡± Mr. Sears knew Mr. Simonds¡¯s character, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll handle Sadie¡¯s side.¡± Allison stepped out of Mia¡¯s trailer, and her phone suddenly buzzed. She looked down. Lucian had sent a message. Chapter 421 Chapter 421 Allison jogged a short distance and arrived at a ck Maybach car. She gently tapped on the car window, and the window rolled down, revealing the man¡¯s face. She opened the door, ¡°What brought you here? Didn¡¯t I text you that I was busy tonight¡­¡± Stepping into the car, a warm gust enveloped her, and Allison instantly felt at ease. She buckled up and spotted a cup of coffee in the holder, ¡°You bought this?¡± After taking a sip, she found it was ck coffee. Lucian started the car, the headlights flickering on, illuminating the road ahead. ¡°Yeah, got it for Lucky.¡± Looking at the coffee, Allison responded seriously, ¡°Dogs don¡¯t drink coffee, you know.¡± Lucian chuckled softly, taken aback by her earnest response. He was about to tell her it was actually for her when she said, ¡°Lucky can¡¯t drink it. I guess I¡¯ll have to finish it for him.¡± The man said, ¡°Don¡¯t you celebs have to watch your figures?¡± Taking a sip of her coffee, Allison asked earnestly, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, are you implying I need to lose weight?¡± The man tapped his fingers lightly on the steering wheel, a hint of a smile ying on his lips. ¡°You¡¯re perfect.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t asked you yet. Why are you here?¡± Lucian, ¡°I was in the neighborhood.¡± Swirling her warm coffee in her hand, Allison asked, ¡°And you just happened to get coffee?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Allison took a satisfyinglyrge gulp. ¡°Anye on set today?¡± Allison didn¡¯t really want to get into it, ¡°Ah, they should be there soon.¡± Lucian, ¡°I recall you were initially offered the female lead for this show. Why didn¡¯t you take it?¡± Allison¡¯s eyshes fluttered, ¡°I didn¡¯t think the lead role was right for me, but the supporting one suits me just fine.¡± ¡°Do you think Sadie is suitable for the lead role?¡± Sadie was a drama school grad, and this was her first film. Her first gig with Epic Entertainment and she was the lead. Allison, ¡°I don¡¯t know whether she¡¯s suitable or not, but I knew it wasn¡¯t right for me. A role has to fit, otherwise, it justes off weird.¡± She knew Lucian wouldn¡¯t be pleased with her response. This man didn¡¯t like his ns being refused. She had rejected the lead role that he assigned her and took a supporting one instead. How could he possibly be pleased? So Allison replied with a smile, ¡°But I¡¯ve got you, my biggest sponsor. I¡¯m notcking in opportunities. As long as I¡¯m with you, I¡¯ll always have roles to y.¡± That was what he wanted to hear. Sure enough, Allison saw a smile creep up on Lucian¡¯s lips. He said, ¡°I¡¯ll have Patty arrange your uing roles.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He was domineering, but Allison obediently lowered her head. As long as there were resources invested in her, why would she refuse? This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Lucian drove her to a restaurant. He had made a reservation in advance. As they entered, the waiter guided them upstairs. Kami¡¯s voice rang out, ¡°Lucian, you¡¯re here too.¡± Today was Kami¡¯s good friend Ronald¡¯s birthday. He had invited a few friends to celebrate at this popr restaurant. There were no private rooms, just a small hall upstairs with four tables, each seating eight. Ronald had booked the entire hall. However, due to the restaurant¡¯s poprity, one table had already been reserved. Ronald initially nned to bribe those guests to dine elsewhere so he could have the whole hall. But he hadn¡¯t expected the reserved table to be taken by Lucian and¡­ Penelope¡­wait, that woman wasn¡¯t Penelope. Chapter 422 Chapter 422 Kami looked at the woman standing beside Lucian and tentatively called out, ¡°Allison?¡± Allison shed a gentle smile, her hand still linked with Lucian¡¯s arm. She stood right next to him, exuding an air of elegance. Her eyes squinted into thin lines, ¡°Ms. Zimmer, what a coincidence.¡± Kami didn¡¯t have any particr feelings towards Allison, but she found it odd. Wasn¡¯t Allison the maid of the nagan family? Why was she with her brother all of a sudden? Something felt off. ¡°Lucian, it¡¯s my friend¡¯s birthday today. I didn¡¯t expect you to be here. Let¡¯s celebrate together.¡± Ronald chimed in, ¡°Yeah, Luca, let¡¯s grab a bite together.¡± Lucian turned to Allison, seeking her opinion. At this mornent, all eyes in the room were on Allison. Everyone was surprised, making wild guesses. After all, Penelope was still in the hospital, yet Lucian was dining with a woman who looked so much like Penelope, which was bound to stir up rumors. But nobody dared to ask directly. Allison responded, ¡°Sure.¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Kami was currently studying in the Arts department at Northfield College. Ronald was also her ssmate,ing from a well-off family, his grandfather being a renowned general. Most of the attendees at Ronald¡¯s birthday were his ssmates from wealthy families. Strictly speaking, one couldn¡¯t afford the Arts department at Northfield College without financial power. It was a major that drained the wallet. The waiterbined four tables together. The restaurant was quite popr in Northfield recently, with a nice d¨¦cor and a soothing countryside style. The small hall on the second floor was even more elegant, with four rectangr wooden tablesbined, providing ample space, almost filled to the brim. ¡°It¡¯s my birthday today. Please order whatever you want. A few dishes here are really good, and I¡¯ve ordered them already. See if there¡¯s anything else you fancy?¡± The waiter stood by, smiling as he introduced the menu. Allison took the menu, which already had several dishes selected. She nced at it. The main courses were pretty much covered, ¡®Let¡¯s get some more drinks.¡± Lucian¡¯s phone rang, he stood up to take the call. Allison looked at the menu, picked another home-style dish, then handed the menu to the person next to her. ¡°Allison, after dinner, we¡¯re nning to hit the karaoke, are you and Lucaing?¡± Suddenly, a clear male voice rose. Allison looked up at Ronald sitting across from her, ¡°No, I¡¯ve got stuff to do. Happy birthday, have fun.¡± Allison had rushed out today, still wearing the costume from the set, a light blue knitted cardigan with a white shirt underneath. She was dressed in a fresh and gentle style, her smile curved like a crescent moon, her voice soft, and her appearance refined with a calm demeanor. Ronald blushed a bit and asked, ¡°What about Luca?¡± ¡°You can ask him when he gets back.¡± Allison couldn¡¯t make decisions for this man. Kami held her utensils, ¡°Allison, how did you meet my brother?¡± ¡°Just a coincidence.¡± Kami didn¡¯t buy it. There was no such thing as coincidence. Allison¡¯s phone rang. She nced at it, it was Grace calling. She stood up, took her phone, and left the room. After she left, the room filled with chatter. ¡°Kami, who is this Allison? She looks a bit like Penelope¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, howe she¡¯s with Luca?¡± ¡°You¡¯re all asking me. How would I know?¡± Kami smiled, ¡°Ask my brother when he gets back.¡± ¡°We wouldn¡¯t dare ask Luca. Just one look from him, and I¡¯d be scared out of my wits.¡± Kami, ¡°Now you know how you¡¯ve been bullying me.¡± She rested her chin on her hand, staring at the food in the bowl. She was also curious about how her brother ended up with this woman. Just a coincidence? Chapter 423 Chapter 423 What were the odds. For a maid like Allison, this restaurant wasn¡¯t exactly upscale, but it was not affordable either. What was she doing eating here? She didn¡¯t like Penelope, but she was not against her brother being with Allison. At least Allison was better than Penelope. Despite Penelope saving her mother, she just can¡¯t ept her. Since Penelope set her up to drug Aidan so they could spend time in the same room together, Aidan had instead be more distant from her. She texted Aidan but he never replied. She invited him to go to the movies, but he always found an excuse not to go. Did Aidan not like her at all? 9 o¡¯clock. Allison came home and Grace was still awake. She was sitting on the couch knitting a scarf. It was a light pink one. When she saw Allison, she was a bit taken aback. ¡°Allie, you¡¯re home.¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Allison took off her coat and hung it up. She headed to her room, changed her clothes, and then came back to the living room. Allison saw that Grace had put away the yarn in a basket underneath the coffee table. It seemed like she was not nning on knitting/ anymore. It was a very ordinary action, but for some reason, Allison felt a bit strange. The scarf didn¡¯t seem to be for her. ¡°Mom, you called me saying you wanted grapes. I bought some for you, I¡¯ll go wash them in the ¡°Allie, I have this friend. She has a distant rtive who¡¯s quite handsome and has a good job. He¡¯s a teacher at a middle school in Northfield and is 6 years older than you. He may be a bit older, but he has a stable job. You should meet him when you have the chance.¡± Allison was in the kitchen washing the grapes. She was being very meticulous about it. When she heard Grace¡¯s words, she hesitated a bit, ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t want to think about that right now.¡± Grace said, ¡°You¡¯re still young, just graduated. But this guy has a stable job and he is good-looking. I¡¯ve seen his picture, he¡¯s very refined and a math teacher. His star sign even matches yours.¡± Allison didn¡¯t respond. She kept washing the grapes, as if all her attention was on them. Grace stood at the kitchen doorway and continued, ¡°Allie, you know about my health. I want to see you have a happy family while I¡¯m still alive.¡± ¡°Mom, I quit my job at Red Jack Club and signed with Epic Entertainment. I¡¯ve been filming all week. I¡¯ll work hard to make money, you¡¯ll definitely be healthy.¡± ¡°You signed with whichpany?¡± Grace seemed a bit surprised. Allison finished washing the grapes, put them in a bowl, and turned to look at Grace, ¡°Epic Entertainment.¡± Grace¡¯s expression changed a bit, ¡°Allie, why do you want to enter the entertainment industry? It¡¯s very complicated. I just hope you can find a normal job.¡± ¡°When I was working at Red Jack Club, I met a director. He thought I had a talent for acting, so I wanted to try it out. So far, it¡¯s been good.¡± Allison walked over and gently held Grace¡¯s hand, ¡°The entertainment industry isn¡¯t as scary as I thought, mom. Have some grapes, you love these.¡± Seeing Allison¡¯s firm attitude, Grace didn¡¯t say anything more, but she seemed to have something else to say. Then they headed into the living room. Allison sat on the couch and started watching a movie that director Cathy had rmended before. Chapter 424 Chapter 424 Grace said to Allison, ¡°I was wondering why you¡¯ve beening home so earlytely, and it turns out you¡¯ve changed jobs. That gig at Red Jack Club was a real grind, with you working the graveyard shift and all. Heading into acting, now that¡¯s a smart move. Just take it easy, don¡¯t rush it. You¡¯re a pretty thing. With some hard work, you¡¯ll surely make a name for yourself.¡± Allison, arm in arm with Grace, rested her head on Grace¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Mom, once I start earning, I¡¯ll get us a bigger ce. We¡¯ll get regr health check-ups and I¡¯ll buy you the best medicine. You¡¯ll be as fit as a fiddle. I hope you could always be with me.¡± ¡°Silly girl, I can¡¯t always be with you. I need my alone time too.¡± Cathy¡¯s film-making style was deeply artistic and her shots were visually stunning without being vapid. She had a knack for nailing the rhythm of the storyline. Hering-of-age films were guaranteed to rake in at least seven to eight hundred million in box office. No wonder Lucian asked her why she turned down the lead role for a supporting one. A go-getting man like Lucian must be miffed by her refusal. Allison was actually a big fan of Cathy¡¯s films. Justst year, she went to see her film Forward with Daisy. Cathy had a way with colors that resulted in visually striking scenes, a clear indication of her high aesthetic sense. Grace excused herself to the restroom. Her phone, left on the sofa, rang and the screen lit up. Allison nced at the screen and saw that Grace was reading news about Penelope. Her heart sank. Semetimes, she just couldn¡¯tprehend why Grace was so attached to Penelope. As a child, Grace was always kind to Penelope. Whenever Leah scolded Penelope, Grace would secretlyfort her and would even share her favorite choctes with her, as if Penelope was Grace¡¯s own daughter. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. This wasn¡¯t the first time she thought this way. The first time she had this thought, it took her by surprise, but now¡­ Grace returned and sat down next to Allison. Allison lowered her head and murmured, ¡°Penelope has woken up.¡± A look of delight crossed Grace¡¯s face, ¡°Really?¡± Allison nodded, ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. I knew it, Ms. nagan would pull through.¡± Hospital. Penelope had taken painkillers, but the pain from the fracture didn¡¯t subside. She had been irritable these past few days. Although Miranda had visited her a few times and promised a wedding with Lucian once she recovered, Lucian hadn¡¯t visited her again. Leah med her for being impatient, but how could Penelope not be? This fracture would take a long time to heal. But with the Lindberg family epting her after her miscarriage, she had at least achieved her goal. Today Leah went home, and the nanny and the nurse were resting in the next room. Penelope was in a VIP suite,plete with a small kitchen and a room for the caregivers. ¡°Margo, can you get me a ss of water?¡± Margo came out with a ss of water, ¡°Ms. nagan, has your pain lessened?¡± Penelope took the ss and drank a few sips, ¡°It still hurts.¡± ¡°Ms. nagan, please bear with it a little longer. The doctor has said that painkillers can¡¯t be taken frequently. Your condition will improve in a few days.¡± Penelope took out her phone, ¡°Okay, I got it. You don¡¯t have to repeat yourself. You can go rest now.¡± ¡°Alright, call me if you need anything.¡± Margo tucked Penelope in, and limped back to her room. Her leg had been hurting non-stop since she fell down the stairs, all because of that Allison. Chapter 425 Chapter 425 Penelope whipped out her phone, spotting several unread messages on WhatsApp from a friend she¡¯d once had a meal with, messages she¡¯d missed while sleeping. She tapped the messages open. ¡°Penelope, remember me, Alice? We¡¯d gone to the hot springs together. I was at a friend¡¯s birthday dinner today and saw Lucian eating with a woman named Allison.¡± Penelope froze. What? Lucian was having a meal with Allison? Allison had the nerve to approach Lucian again when she was not feeling well! Penelope replied, ¡°Alice, of course I remember you. I just woke up, let¡¯s hang out next time. Allison is a maid at my ce, and she has met Lucian before. Maybe they just bumped into each other.¡± Although Penelope knew in her heart it was more than just a chance encounter, she had to y it off as a coincidence. Soon, Alice replied. ¡°Penelope, I didn¡¯t expect you to remember me.¡± Penelope didn¡¯t have the time or energy to chat with Alice, but she had to make polite conv¨¨rsation. Alice said, ¡°Then I might have misunderstood. When I first saw Allison, I thought she was you. Turns out she¡¯s your maid.¡± ¡°Yes, she¡¯s worked at my ce for many years, we¡¯ve treated her well.¡± Alice said, ¡°I thought she was your sister.¡± Penelope asked, ¡°When did she have a meal with Lucian?¡± ¡°Just tonight, at a friend¡¯s birthday. We happened to be at the same restaurant.¡± 11 PM. Penelope didn¡¯t have Grace¡¯s number saved, so she called Margo to get it. She sent a message to Grace. ¡°Grace, it¡¯s Penelope. Are you free tomorrow? Can youe see me? I¡¯m at the city hospital, 16th floor, room 7.¡± Grace was Allison¡¯s mom. If Penelope could control Grace, Allison would toe the line. Penelope knew Grace had always treated her well. So she decided to start with Grace. The next morning, Grace arrived at the hospital. She¡¯d wanted to visit Penelope but the security at the ward door was tight. She couldn¡¯t get close. Now that Penelope was awake, she felt relieved. She didn¡¯t expect Penelope to reach out to her. With a mix of excitement and nervousness, she approached the hospital room. Margo nced at her and said, ¡°Come in.¡± Back in the nagan family days, Grace was the housekeeper, and Margo was her assistant. Margo¡¯s least favorite people were Grace and Allison. Grace stepped forward, ¡°Margo.¡± Margo scoffed. As she was about to give Grace a piece of her mind, Penelope¡¯s voice came from inside the room, ¡°Is Grace here?¡± Margo swallowed her words. ¡°Yes, Ms. nagan.¡±This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She looked at Grace, ¡°Go in, Ms. nagan is waiting for you.¡± As Grace entered, Margo shut the door and leaned in trying to eavesdrop on the conversation. Margo was puzzled. What was up with Ms. nagan? Why was she suddenly so respectful towards Grace? Chapter 426 Chapter 426 Grace strolled into the hospital room. ¡°Ms. Penelope, how are you feeling now? I brought you some homemade soup I¡¯ve been simmering all night.¡± Grace had made the soup in secret, after her daughter Allison was asleep, worried she would be discovered. She had a hunch Allison was onto her, but how could she hide her emotions when she saw Penelope hurt? It was all her fault. She should never have done it. She regretted it so much. She owed an apology to both Allison and Penelope. Penelope frowned at Grace¡¯s downtrodden appearance, but said, ¡°Sit down, Ms. Grace.¡± Grace poured out the soup, and its aroma filled the room. Penelope was quite hungry. Margo¡¯s cooking was mediocre at best. After drinking a bit of the soup, she said to Grace, ¡°Ms. Grace, I came to see you today because there¡¯s something I want to talk to you about.¡± Leaning back, Penelope continued, ¡°I¡¯ve broken my arm and leg, but three months from now, I¡¯ll be marrying Lucian. You¡¯ve watched me grow up, so of course, I wanted to share this happy news with you.¡± Grace was of course thrilled. A conversation with Penelope always perked her up, and the prospect of witnessing Penelope¡¯s wedding made her ecstatic. ¡°Ms. Penelope, I wouldn¡¯t miss your wedding for the world.¡± ¡°Of course, Ms. Grace. You¡¯ve seen me grow up. I can be a bit willful at times, but I¡¯ve always appreciated your kindness. I still remember when my mom punished me and didn¡¯t allow me to have chocte. I was hiding and crying in the storage room, and you were the one who came tofort me and sneak me a piece. And when I didn¡¯t want to learn to y the piano because it hurt my fingers, you were the one who sat with me in the piano room and encouraged me.¡± Grace¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. ¡°I had no idea you remembered all that, Ms. Penelope.¡± She knew Pen¨¦lope could be spoiled at times, but she was good at heart. ¡°You¡¯ve always been good to me, of course I remember. I was a bit disrespectful at times when I was younger. I hope you don¡¯t mind, Ms. Grace.¡± ¡°Ms. Penelope, don¡¯t mention it. As long as you¡¯re happy and live a blessed life, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± ¡°Ms. Grace,¡± Penelope said. ¡°That offer you had to move to another city¡­¡± Grace replied, ¡°I could go, but Allison won¡¯t. She says her home is here, and her dad and Ricky are here. She doesn¡¯t want to go anywhere. We¡¯ve always lived here, so where else could we go¡­ Ms. Penelope, I know you have issues with Allison¡­¡± This put Grace in a difficult position. She didn¡¯t really want to leave either. Penelope squinted, sensing that Allison wouldn¡¯t leave. Even though Grace was kind to her, she wouldn¡¯t let her and Allison leave Northfield. So, Penelope started to consider other options. What good did it do Allison to like Lucian? Whether due to pressure or because of the Lindberg family, Lucian had to choose Penelope. Allison¡¯s status was too humble. Even if Lucian liked her, the Lindberg family would never ept her. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She wanted Allison to attend her wedding with Lucian!! She wanted Allison to witness her bing Lucian¡¯s wife! Whether or not Allison entered the entertainment industry was irrelevant. Penelope thought, at Epic Entertainment, no one could overshadow her, and the best resources were hers. Allison would have her freedom for a few days until her wounds, healed. ¡°Ms. Grace, I¡¯vee to terms with it. Although there¡¯s tension between Allison and me, we¡¯ve known each other for years and grew up together. I¡¯m about to get married, and Allison¡¯s still single. I have a friend from a good family that I¡¯d like to introduce to Allison.¡± Grace hesitated, ¡°Well¡­¡± Chapter 427 Chapter 427 ¡°So, my buddy here, he¡¯s loaded. Dude won¡¯t let Allison lift a finger, I promise.¡± Grace was kind of sickly, and she¡¯d been on the hunt for a boyfriend for Allison for a while now. She just wanted to know that Allison would be set for life. If Allison had a good guy, she could rest easy. But Allison was not about that blind date life. If the guy¡¯s family was loaded and he treated Allison right, Grace would be over the moon. Penelope went on, ¡°Grace, I¡¯m just trying to help. You ain¡¯t gonna turn me down, are ya?¡± Grace looked at Penelope, lying on the hospital bed, looking all pale and weak. Penelope had just come back from a bad ident, and Grace couldn¡¯t say no to her. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell Allison when I get home.¡± Penelope cracked a smile. ¡°Grace, I get kinda bored here. If you have time,e visit me more often. Lately, I¡¯ve been having a hard time sleeping at night. I dream about you a lot. I remember how you used to take care of me when I was a kid.¡± Hearing this, Grace smiled too. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been wanting toe see you. You have no idea how much I worried when you were unconscious.¡± Grace wished she could visit Penelope in the hospital every day. After leaving the hospital, she hit up the supermarket and picked up some fresh veggies, nning to make a nice soup for Penelope tomorrow. Back at the hospital, after Grace left, Penelope let out a little smile. She grabbed her phone and dialed a number. Tristan was from a wealthy family, but he was a total yboy. The dude got busted for soliciting a few days ago. His dad, Bill, had to pull some strings to bail him out. Two weeks after Tristan got out of jail,? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. he¡¯d got a new girlfriend. Tristan¡¯s mom was hoping he¡¯d settle down with a nice girl. That way, he¡¯d stop messing around with other women and start leading a normal life. Tristan¡¯s mom had yed cards with Leah a few times and had been to the nagan family¡¯s ce a couple of times. Tristan¡¯s family, although nouveau riche, had a strong local influence. Not many families would pick a fight with them. The nagan family didn¡¯t have any business dealings with Tristan¡¯s family in the past, but now that they¡¯d teamed up with the Lindberg family and expanded their business, so they¡¯d started working with Tristan¡¯s family. ¡°Hey, Aliza, it¡¯s Penelope.¡± ¡°Penelope, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Aliza, is Tristan seeing anyone?¡± The mere mention of this made Tristan¡¯s mother sigh heavily. ¡°No, don¡¯t even bring him up. Gives me a headache. I heard you woke up, and I was nning to see you. How¡¯ve you been? Any difort? So d you¡¯re okay. Thank heavens.¡± Penelope didn¡¯t call to chit-chat. ¡°Aliza, I have a friend. You know her, Allison. We grew up together.¡± Aliza didn¡¯t remember much about Allison. ¡°Uh¡­ What¡¯s up with her?¡± ¡°Aliza, is Tristan still single? I have a friend who¡¯s really great. I was thinking of introducing her to Tristan. Her mom¡¯s our housekeeper, and we know everything about her. Let me know when Tristan¡¯s free.¡± Aliza nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give you Tristan¡¯s contact info. Tell Allison that I don¡¯t care about her family¡¯s financial status. As long as she¡¯s a kind girl from a good family, that¡¯s all that matters. You guys grew up together, so I trust your judgment.¡± After hanging up, Penelope set her phone aside and turned on the TV. Watching her favorite show, she suddenly noticed her leg wasn¡¯t hurting as much. Tristan had a crush on her back in high school. Even though she wasn¡¯t into guys like Tristan, she never outright rejected him because of his family¡¯s wealth. Plus, Tristan had gifted her a few designer bags, so they had a bit of a fling. Allison and Penelope looked a lot alike, so Allison was totally Tristan¡¯s type. Tristan was the kind of guy who¡¯d relentlessly pursue someone he was into. If he fell for Allison, she wouldn¡¯t stand a chance of getting away Chapter 428 Chapter 428 This morning, Allison had a face-off scene shoot with Sadie at Northern Park. The assistant director, Conrad, was in charge of this shoot. Though Conrad and Mr. Simonds were as different as chalk and cheese and didn¡¯t get along, they were both go-to guys for director Cathy. The character Allison yed in the drama, Olivia, was Sadie¡¯s good friend, but her presence in the storyline was quite low-key. Allison had three more days left on her shooting schedule. Even though she didn¡¯t have many scenes, she showed up on set every day like clockwork. She was always prepared, even for the smallest scenes and lines. She¡¯d never caused a dy in shooting due to her own mistakes. She could even recite her co-star¡¯s lines. Except for NGS caused by external factors like camera angles, she generally nailed it in one take. Sadie didn¡¯t show upte today. At 9 a.m. sharp, her trailer pulled up at the entrance of Northern Park. The park was cordoned off for the shoot. Despite Northern Park being ¨¤ hotspot for tourists who were snapping pictures and filming videos, they didn¡¯t mind the disturbance. Sadie and Allison weren¡¯t big names, but the drama was Cathy¡¯s work, and that was enough to catch the audience¡¯s attention. Sadie¡¯s poprity had been on the rise since shended Cathy¡¯s teen movie lead role. The day they announced her role, her social media followers shot up by half a million. She posted selfies and videos every week, and now her social media followers had crossed a million. Everyone was anticipating the release of the film, hoping for a box office hit. As soon as Sadie stepped out of the trailer, she shielded her forehead with her hand. ¡°It¡¯s so sunny, Emma. Can¡¯t you hold the umbre¡¯ properly?¡± Emma immediately adjusted the umbre. As Sadie entered the park, everyone was ready to begin the day¡¯s work. Emma handed her the script, with her lines highlighted in light pink. Sadie, who had had ate night, yawned and just nced over the lines. Seeing Sadie, Conrad said, ¡°Wow, you¡¯re notte for once. That¡¯s a rare sight.¡± Sadie, who had just graduated from school, was used to bantering with men. ¡°Mr. Conrad, you make it sound like I¡¯mte every day.¡± She was pretty and flirty, which made her popr with guys. Though Sadie was asionallyte, it hadn¡¯t raised any eyebrows, thanks to the backing of powerful investors. Conrad, as an assistant director, chose to turn a blind eye to her tardiness. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¨C Moreover, Sadie was extremely beautiful, and men had an extra soft spot for pretty girls. ¡°Alright, get to learning your lines. We start in fifteen minutes,¡± Conrad said, then turned to look at Allison, chatting with the crew without a script in her hand, which made him frown. He didn¡¯t know much about Allison, just that she had few scenes and was mostly directed by Mr. Simonds. Conrad thought Allison seemed a bit aloof. She was pretty, with perfect makeup, but too quiet. In showbiz, especially in thismercialized era, stars like her found it hard to gain poprity. Though she was beautiful, she was just another actress packaged by herpany. The fact that she showed up for a shoot without a script left a bad impression on Conrad. ¡°Scene 89, shot 7, action¨C¡± Sadie held Allison¡¯s hand tightly, her eyes welling up as if she felt wronged. ¡°Olivia, are you taking Yara¡¯s side now?¡± Allison replied, ¡°Of course not, Olivia, I just think you and Yara should have a heart-to-heart. Things might not be as you suspect. Don¡¯t get worked up, and text Yara to ask what¡¯s going on. Her rtionship with Leo might not be what you think.¡± Chapter 429 Chapter 429 ¡°Leo took her up on her offer to go see a movie and they even hit the library together.¡± Allison clutched Sadie¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m gonna give Leo a piece of my mind.¡± Sadie looked lost and nervous. Allison whipped out her cell and dialed Leo. She knitted her brows. ¡°Where you at?¡± Originally, the script had Olivia calling Leo, to get some answers for Megan. There was silence on the other end of the phone. Allison went along with the script. However, Sadie snatched the phone from her. ¡°Leo, did you really go see a movie with Yara? And you two hit the library at night? You weren¡¯t like this before, Leo.¡± Behind the CCTV, Conrad frowned. Originally, Megan was outgoing, beautiful, and cheerful. She didn¡¯t want toe between her and Yara¡¯s friendship, so she was saddened to know about Leo and Yara, but she always kept it to herself. But now, Sadie had changed the script and lines, and she put herself in a bad light. Conrad frowned, he couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. ¡°Cut-¡± Sadie looked at Conrad. ¡°Mr. Conrad.¡± Conrad said, ¡°Sadie, who told you to change the script? Better stick to the original, you know Ms. Cathy doesn¡¯t like it when you change the lines, and¡­¡± And Sadie¡¯s behavior didn¡¯t match the character at all. Filming was temporarily halted. Sadie¡¯s sweet talk didn¡¯t work on Conrad, so she had to stick to the original script. Filming resumed, but Sadie forgot her lines. ¡°Olivia, what do I do? I don¡¯t want to put them in a tough spot. But when I close my eyes¡­¡± She paused for two seconds, Sadie still couldn¡¯t remember her lines. Allison softly picked up the second half. ¡°But when I close my eyes, I think about the times when Yara and I yed in the park as kids. I fell into the artificialke, and Yara struggled to save me. She almost got swept in herself. I can¡¯t believe, can¡¯t believe she would go and -see Leo behind my back. She could¡¯ve told me, and if I knew she liked Leo too, I could¡¯ve backed off, but now, Leo and I are already a couple, and we even nned to go to college together.¡± Sadie gritted her teeth. ¡°Sorry, I forgot my lines.¡± Emma quickly brought over the script, and Sadie hastily memorized it. Conrad was a bit surprised. He stared at Allison¡¯s delicate side profile, her voice softly delivering the lines, at that moment, and Conrad thought that the lead role would be more suitable for Allison. He never thought a young non-professional artist could deliver lines so. well. For a moment, with her gentle voice delivering the lines, it felt especially story-like. She could really get into the character of Megan. Turned out, that she came to the set empty-handed, not bringing the script, because she had already memorized the lines and even the lines of the other characters. Conrad changed his opinion of her. Maybe she was like a pearl hidden in the dust, and one day, she would shine. Conrad became intensely interested in her. ¡°Allison, what was your job before?¡± Allison turned with a small smile on her face. ¡°My job before? Two months ago, I was a waitress.¡± Conrad pulled out his phone, admiring her. ¡°I just realized, I don¡¯t have your contact, you wouldn¡¯t mind exchanging contacts with me, would you?¡± While Sadie was memorizing her lines, an assistant handed over the phone, and Allison and Conrad exchanged contacts. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Ten minutester, filming resumed. Chapter 430 Chapter 430 ¡°Yara, we¡¯ve known each other for a long time, inside out. So, did you really go to the movies with Leo? Are you into him? Yara, we¡¯re friends. Come on, just spill it. Do you have a thing for him? I wanna hear the real deal.¡± On set. Allison was standing next to Sadie, and she was holding Allison¡¯s prop phone pretending to be making a call to Yara. No doubt, the call wasn¡¯t actually going through. But as actors, they needed to make it look as real as pie. The plot had Megan inviting Olivia for a walk in the park. Megan brought up Yara, and Olivia, wanting to clear the air between them, took the initiative to call Yara and handed the phone over to Megan. Megan was now on the line with Yara. The breeze was whispering by. There were quite a few tourists around taking photos. They weren¡¯t exactly up close, but with the zoom on their phones, they could still see the expressions on the actors¡¯ faces. ¡°Who¡¯s this crew? I don¡¯t recognize these actors.¡± The speaker was a middle-ageddy, who clearly wasn¡¯t in the loop with the newbies in showbiz. Indeed, Allison and Sadie weren¡¯t exactly household names as they were both fresh in the industry, and the young spectators didn¡¯t recognize them either. A young girl who was always scrolling through Twitter said, ¡°I guess that one¡¯s Sadie. I heard she¡¯s new-I¡¯ve seen her on Twitter trends.¡± She¡¯s really pretty.¡± ¡°Is the lead actress the one in the light blue jeans on the left? That girl has got some pretty good figure.¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. That was Allison. The young girl shook her head, saying, ¡°No, I think the lead is the one in the pink dress on the right.¡± ¡°That one? She looks too much like an influencer, not cut out for teen dramas. I thought the one on the left was the lead.¡± One girl said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure either, but bumping into a film crew is quite a coincidence. They may not be big stars, but this is still fun. I wonder if we can get autographs, the actress on the left is really pretty.¡± ¡°Hey, did the one on the right forget her lines? She hasn¡¯t said anything for quite a while.¡± ¡°Seems like it.¡± On set. Director Conrad¡¯s face was turning sour, and he shouted, ¡°Cut!¡± He stood up, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day on this scene. Sadie, why don¡¯t you go brush up on your lines.¡± Due to her line flubs, the shooting had been dyed several times, which made Sadie a tad embarrassed. She didn¡¯t return to her trailer but sat off to the side. She held her script in hand and went over her lines. She nced at Allison who was engaged in conversation with Conrad. Allison, who hadn¡¯t once forgotten her lines, was still talking to Conrad. Sadie suddenly felt inferior and bit her lip. On the set, it was not appropriate for her to vent at others. She shot a re at Emma standing next to her, saying, ¡°Are you trying to broil me in the sun until I¡¯m dehydrated? Where¡¯s the water and umbre?¡± Sadie had her own personal assistant. Her PA was a rtive of hers, so all her anger was directed at Emma, the executive manager. Emma immediately fetched water and opened an umbre, sighing inwardly. Her idol was Patty. She came to Epic Entertainment hoping to boost her skills through this opportunity. Yet now, she had to take orders from a new artist fresh out of school, and put up with all sorts of crap. She always put the artists¡¯ needs first, but this artist just bossed her around. She had reminded Sadie just the night before to get her lines down pat. Chapter 431 Chapter 431 Just like how she constantly reminded Sadie not to bete, but Sadie still took her own sweet time shopping, causing Mr. Simonds, the assistant director, to lose his cool that day. Sidney gave her an earful over the phone. She even had to apologize to the crew with a smile, but Sadie was still not satisfied with her. The morning shoot was extended by an hour and a half because Sadie couldn¡¯t remember her lines. But Allison had no scenes in the afternoon, so the dy didn¡¯t matter to her. When she was about to leave, someone from the crew told her that she needed to reshoot two scenes at a different location. Allison agreed with a smile. She didn¡¯t have a trailer and had to wait for the crew¡¯s car to pick her up. Sadie¡¯s voice could be heard from afar. ¡°Where¡¯s the driver?¡± Sadie also wanted to leave, but she couldn¡¯t find the driver. Emma said, ¡°The driver took a leave, he had an emergency at home and has already left.¡± Sadie stood under an umbre and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you know you should¡¯ve arranged for a standby driver immediately?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve arranged for one. He¡¯ll be here soon.¡± Emma took out her phone, called the driver to hurry him up, and was told that he was stuck on an overpass and would definitely arrive within half an hour. Sadie said, ¡°Go get me a cup of Starbucks ck coffee.¡± Emma asked, ¡°Now?¡± The nearest Starbucks was ove Sadie nodded, ¡°Got a problem? Go.¡± hour round trip. Emma nced at Kendra, who was Sadie¡¯s assistant standing behind her. Kendra was a rtive of Sadie, and Sadie wouldn¡¯t have her do such a thing. Emma nodded, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go right away.¡± Emma took a taxi to get the coffee, spent 52 minutes on the round trip, but Sadie had already left. The standby driver came and drove off with Sadie¡¯s trailer. Emma sighed deeply, knowing that Sadie wouldn¡¯t wait for her. She took a sip of the ck coffee in her hand, which was indeed bitter. Suddenly, a gentle voice came, like a mist dissolving in Emma¡¯s ear, without any ups and downs, but veryfortable. ¡°Emma, my car is here, do you want toe with me?¡± Allison asked. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Emma looked at Allison. The car that was picking up Allison had just arrived, and Allison was looking at Emma, motioning her toe along. L said, ¡°Emma,e with us, or else you¡¯ll have to take a taxi back.¡± Emma smiled and said, ¡°Alright.¡± Emma was young, about twenty-five years old. She probably just graduated from college, and became an agent in the entertainment industry. But she was inexperienced and young, with no connections. After joining Epic Entertainment, she was assigned to be Sadie¡¯s executive agent. L asked, ¡°Emma, where are you going? Are you looking for Sadie?¡± Emma shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m going to thepany.¡± L told the driver, ¡°Sir, after you drop us off at the shooting location, don¡¯t forget to take Emma to the company.¡± L looked very cute, with a round face that was likable. The driver smiled, ¡°Alright, no problem.¡± Emma looked out the window. The journey didn¡¯t seem to have shortened; it would take at least an hour to get to the shooting location from here. Her gaze fell on Allison. Allison was wearing an eye mask. Her hair was smooth. She was wearing a white shirt and jeans, sitting in the chair resting, in afortable and natural posture. ¡°Allison, did you get some rest?¡± Emma asked. ¡°Mm, not yet.¡± Allison said. ¡°Allison, you don¡¯t have many scenes, and you¡¯ll be done shooting soon. Have you decided on your next movie?¡± Emma asked. Allison had many options, but Lucian had more for her. She was leaning back in her chair, wearing an eye mask and enjoying the breeze, ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. We¡¯ll see what my sugar daddy arranges for me.¡± Emma was startled by Allison¡¯s words, ¡°Allison, you¡¯re joking, right?¡± L alsoughed, ¡°Emma, just consider it as joking. Allison hasn¡¯t picked her next y.¡± L¡¯s eyes shifted, seemingly wanting to dig for some information, ¡°Has Sadie confirmed her next y?¡± Emma said, ¡°Yes, she has. Her next y is a supporting role in a sci-fi film. Sidney is in charge, it¡¯s a rare opportunity and it¡¯s very confidential.¡± Sadie was the lead of this y, she had at least twenty days left before she finished shooting, but her next y was already set. Allison¡¯s next y was still undecided.. Emma felt that the entertainment industry was indeed unfair. Allison was beautiful. She had a good personality, and was capable. However, she was not valued in thepany. On the other hand, Sadie, who was always forgetting her lines, beingte and disrespectful to her work, was getting opportunities one after another. In the samepany, their gap was huge as neers. Allisonughed softly, ¡°If it¡¯s supposed to be confidential, why did you tell us?¡± Emma gave a bitter smile and didn¡¯t say anything. Chapter 432 Chapter 432 Allison hit the set. She did a few reshoots, and then headed back to the office. She was almost done filming this drama. Patty hadn¡¯t shown up yet, so Allison made her way to her dressing room. Allison¡¯s dressing room was fresh off a renovation, thanks to Epic Entertainment renting a three-story building. Backed by the big bucks from Lindberg Corporation, Epic Entertainment had already sunk its teeth into 30 TV shows and 11 movies this year, with practically every production featuring their own talent. You could say Epic Entertainment was one of the big three in the entertainment biz with the most resources. With seasoned agents like Patty and Charlie, for the talent signed here, they were swimming in resources. Worst-case scenario, they¡¯dnd some supporting roles and be constantly involved in new projects throughout the year. Since the dressing room was just renovated, some of the facilities were still a bit rough around the edges, like not having a standalone fridge. L asked Allison, ¡°You thirsty? I can get you some water.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Mhm.¡± Allison murmured. L took off, and five minutester, Allison heard a knock at the door. Thinking it was L, she said, ¡°Come in.¡± L was usually a bundle of energy. Allison wondered why she was being so formal today, even knocking before entering her dressing room. She was lounging in her chair, reading with her head down. The window was open, and she heard the click-ck of high heels. Allison pursed her lips slightly, and as she swiveled her chair around, she caught a whiff of strong rose perfume. In an instant, Allison knew it wasn¡¯t L who¡¯de, but Charlie. Sure enough, she turned around and saw Charlie standing not far away, decked in a ck Prada trench coat. Allison didn¡¯t say anything, just closed her book and looked at Charlie. She didn¡¯t get up either, seemingly waiting for Charlie to make the first move. Charlie said, ¡°Allison, do you have a moment? Can I chat with you?¡± Allison nced at her watch, ¡°You¡¯ve got 15 minutes.¡± Charlie was surprised. Allison seemed gentle but was pretty good at giving people the brush-off. She cracked a smile, ¡°15 minutes is a bit tight. There¡¯s a caf¨¦ downstairs, how about we¡­¡± Allison cut her off, ¡°Patty will be here in 15 minutes.¡± Charlie looked as if she¡¯d been pped in the face. Herplexion changed, not exactly ugly, just a bit off. The next second she said, ¡°Alright, 15 minutes then.¡± Charlie and Patty had both been at Epic Entertainment for over a decade. If Patty knew Charlie was trying to sign Allison, it would indeed be a bit awkward when they met, Charlie pulled a folder out of her bag and handed it to Allison, ¡°Even though you turned me down before, I¡¯ve written a n for you. Have a look. Also, here¡¯s a Twitter follower boost strategy I had drawn up for you.¡± Allison raised an eyebrow and took a quick nce inside. The shows Charlie had nned for her all had a solid fan base from the original works, and her co-stars were all current top-tier celebrities. Charlie wore a confident smile, ¡°If you take on these shows, you¡¯ll be the lead actress. Your poprity will skyrocket. In three years, you¡¯ll be a top actress in the entertainment industry.¡± Allison asked, ¡°You made a simr n for Penelope, didn¡¯t you?¡± Charlie looked a bit awkward, ¡°That¡¯s not important. You¡¯re a better fit.¡± Charlie admitted that the woman in front of her did bear a resemnce to Penelope in terms of appearance. But their personalities were worlds apart. While Penelope had a bit of a temper, she was easy to manage. Allison, on the other hand, seemed gentle and refined, but was actually the type of great resilience. Chapter 433 Chapter 433 This was indeed the n she had prepared for Penelope. She had done a lot of nning for this. After Penelope¡¯s maternity leave, she was supposed to take on all the new roles. After all, she was about to marry into the Lindberg family, so resources wouldn¡¯t be a problem. But, things didn¡¯t go as nned. Penelope had a fracture that would require at least six months of recovery. She thought that as long as she had Penelope, she could be the top agent at Epic Entertainment. But she didn¡¯t expect this ident to happen, and Patty¡¯s choice, Allison, was doing better and better. She and Patty had always beenpetitors, fighting both openly and behind the scenes. It turned out that she still lost this time. Allison looked down at the n in her hand, still considering. Charlie waited nervously on the side. L pushed the door open, saying, ¡°Allison, I made you some juice. Oh, Charlie.¡± L stood with the tray, walked in, and put the juice on the coffee table. Allison looked at L, ¡°L, could you please pour Charlie a cup of coffee.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± L said. Charlie insisted, ¡°No need to bother, Allison, what do you think about this?¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Allison handed the n back, ¡°You should know when you were Penelope¡¯s manager, I didn¡¯t get along with her. Not every artist wants to be an influencer, and nor do they like to act in popr dramas. I may not into what Penelope likes. There are still 3 minutes, if you want to stay here for a coffee, then go ahead.¡± This time she clearly rejected the offer. Charlie¡¯s face kept a polite smile, ¡°Alright, I got it.¡± She turned and opened the door, before stepping out, she turned back and said, ¡°But Allison, I hope you won¡¯t regret it.¡± After she left, Charlie¡¯s facepletely fell. Back in her office, she threw the n on the floor! L asked, ¡°Why is Charlie here? She¡¯s not asking you to be her artist, is she?¡± Allison took a sip of the juice, saying, ¡°Who knows what she¡¯s thinking.¡± L said, ¡°Last month thepany produced a web drama and Sidney was in charge, it got good reviews. This drama brought Epic Entertainment a profit of six million dors. Don¡¯t underestimate these six million. The cost of the drama was only two million seven hundred thousand dors, so it¡¯s already doubled. Sidney did such a great job on her first time as a producer, and she¡¯s even younger than Charlie by two years. Charlie¡¯s top artist, Penelope, is in the hospital, and won¡¯t be out for at least six months. Sidney is about to surpass Charlie. How can she not be anxious?¡± The citrus scent filled her mouth, Allison said, ¡°What¡¯s there for her to find me.¡± L gave her a look, ¡°Allison, why ask when you already know.¡± Allison chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re the only one who knows everything.¡± L said, ¡°I think Mr. Lindberg likes you.¡± Allison said, ¡°You sure talk a lot.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you, Allison. People like Mr. Lindberg, if they¡¯re interested in someone, it shows on their face. People like him, if they¡¯ don¡¯t like you, they wouldn¡¯t wait for you in a movie theater for an hour. Just signing a contract worths billions for him in a transaction, and he waited here for you for an hour. Allison, you should be able to feel it.¡± Allison¡¯s eyes/dimmed, ¡°He¡¯s about to get married.¡± Chapter 434 Chapter 434 ¡°Well, not necessarily.¡± L seemed to be aware of the recent events at Lindberg Corporation, ¡°But, Mr. Lindberg is really under a lot of public pressure. If he doesn¡¯t marry Penelope, he might be mmed as heartless.¡± Allison didn¡¯t respond. L thought she didn¡¯t know, so she continued, ¡°Those entertainment media will do anything for hype. They¡¯ll use eye-catching headlines to draw attention. Even if Lindberg Corporation steps in for PR, and issues an apology the next day and removes the news, the buzz has already been created, and the rumors have spread for long enough. Big media outlets might hold back because they fear Lindberg Corporation¡¯s influence. But the smaller ones won¡¯t. Those low-grade, crappy reporters are like ants. They¡¯re small, but there are a ton of them. Once they swarm, they¡¯re hard to deal with. When you control one batch of ants, another crops up.¡± ¡°L, you know a lot.¡± Allison said. L sighed, ¡°My sister is an entertainment reporter. Herpany is a second-tier media outlet. Her editor is all about chasing the heat, since he thought spreading rumors wouldn¡¯t really hurt anyone. They¡¯re all in it for the money. My sister says big media is easy to deal with, but when small outlets band together, they can be vicious.¡± Allison was silent. L crouched down, ¡°Allison, do you like Mr. Lindberg? If you¡¯re not that into him, why not use him while you¡¯re young? To get what you need, then move on. I think Charlie¡¯s n is not bad. Once you¡¯re famous, you can make money. No one gets into show business for charity. You use Mr. Lindberg to get better resources, and it¡¯s mutual exploitation. If he gets married, so be it. A woman can live without a man. You¡¯re young, and your career is more important.¡± Allison lowered her head slightly. She looked at L¡¯s face, reached out her hand, gently pinched it, and smiled, ¡°You¡¯re right. Who he likes and marries, it¡¯s none of my business. We¡¯re just using each other.¡± Yeah, just using each other. A twenty-something girl saw through it, yet she was deeply involved. Allison clenched her hand tightly. ¡°This is a new show thepany is going to shoot soon, Mr. Lindberg said it¡¯s all up to you.¡± Patty said and handed her a few synopses. Allison was somewhat surprised. She thought she would be ¡®arranged, but didn¡¯t expect Lucian to let her choose. Allison looked at Patty carefully, ¡°This show is directed by one of our regr coborators. He is good at controlling the overall plot. The investment is not big, but the content is good.¡± Allison nced at it. It was aedy. Patty said, ¡°This one is also good, a college campus drama with an e-sports theme, which is one of the hottest topics in recent years. The director and scriptwriter have worked with us before. And this one¡­¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Out of more than a dozen scripts, Patty picked out three. She said, ¡°These three will start shooting next month, which is twenty days from now. During this time, you can take a break. I will arrange some promotional ads and magazine shoots for you. Also I will have someone manage your Twitter.¡± Allisonpleted all the shooting tasks on the weekend and posted photos of thepleted shoot on Twitter. The main characters of this film were all neers. Allison¡¯s part was not big. Cathy spent most of the time shooting Sadie¡¯s part. She only shot about ten scenes for Allison, most of her scenes shot by Mr. Simonds. Olivia finished all her shooting tasks, and the crew ordered a cake to celebrate. The photographer said, ¡°Mr. Simonds, put your hand on Allison¡¯s shoulder. Don¡¯t look too distant.¡± Mr. Simonds put his arm around Allison¡¯s shoulder, asking, ¡°Like this?¡± Chapter 435 Chapter 435 The photographer challenged, ¡°I dare to snap it, but do you dare to post it?¡± Mr. Simonds looked at his long-time old friend, ¡°You¡¯re messing with me now, huh?¡± Allison let out a slightugh. Mr. Simonds with his sunsses on, reached out his hand. But he didn¡¯t touch Allison, instead made a gesture behind her. Allison said, ¡°Thanks for looking out for me all this time, Mr. Simonds.¡± Mr. Simonds just looked at Allison without saying anything. Allison knew Mr. Simonds was proud and blunt; she didn¡¯t expect anyforting words from him. But during the shooting, Mr. Simonds didn¡¯t purposely make things hard for her. Instead, Allison felt that Mr. Simonds was a very professional director who could instantly pinpoint her ws. After an hour practicing the Olivia-style gentle smile in front of the mirror, Mr. Simonds could point out the problem with just one sentence. Allison nodded at Mr. Simonds. When someone called her for a group photo, Allison turned around and prepared to go over. Mr. Simonds asked, ¡°Allison, have you decided on your next script?¡± Allison replied, ¡°Not yet.¡± Mr. Simonds said, ¡°You should think about the reason why you¡¯re still not valued in Epic Entertainment, even though you¡¯re willing to work hard, pretty and obedient.¡± Allison was all ears. Mr. Simonds looked at her calm and delicate face. The afternoon sun was zing, and her eyes were looking at him sincerely with a beads of sweat on her forehead,. That was her! She could instantly get into character while shooting. But when she wasn¡¯t filming, she would sit alone reading her script or a book. While other actresses were conversing with the director and producers, she would sit alone, focused on reading and giving off a nonchnt air. She had a beautiful face, but could instantly dial back her presence, which waspletely different from when she was acting. At Epic Entertainment, she probably always listened to her manager, never arguing while always epting any role given. Just as Mr. Simonds was about to speak, L came over, ¡°Allison, your phone is ringing.¡± Allison looked apologetically at Mr. Simonds. When she took her phone, Mr. Simonds casually nced over. He asked, ¡°Boyfriend?¡± Allison looked apologetically at Mr. Simonds. ¡°Mr. Simonds, I need to take a call.¡± Mr. Simonds said, ¡°Allison, you¡¯re still young, you know what might happen if you date in the showbiz, right?¡± Mr. Simonds suddenly felt annoyed. Although she usually didn¡¯tpete for anything, with that beautiful face, the movie would definitely attract a lot of fans when it was released. But he didn¡¯t expect, Allison actually had a boyfriend? The phone in Allison¡¯s hand kept vibrating. She said, ¡°I know, but Mr. Simonds, you go ahead. I need to take this call.¡± She wouldn¡¯t dare to hang up on Luc Allison stepped aside, and answered the call. The man on the other end asked, ¡°What are you Allison replied, ¡°I was just having a photo she ¡°g?¡± ¡°Are you free tonight?¡± Lucian asked. ¡°ording to the n, I need to have dinner with the director.¡± Allison said. ¡°You mean, you¡¯re going to reject me for a dinner with your director?¡± The man¡¯s tone was t. Allison couldn¡¯t tell his mood. ¡°It should be that way ording to the n, but Mr. Lindberg, you¡¯re the most important.¡± Allison said, her eyes determined. Lucian was satisfied, ¡°What time.¡± ¡°What?¡± Allison asked. ¡°What time do you finish dinner with the director.¡± Lucian said. ¡°10 o¡¯clock.¡± Allison said. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Okay, meet me after 10.¡± Lucian said. Allison on the other end of the phone was somewhat dazed. She didn¡¯t expect that he would make a concession for her. Chapter 436 Chapter 436 In the private room, Cathy was among the crowd, Allison didn¡¯t have much interaction with her on set. Even though Cathy was the head director, she had been swamped handling international award nominations in the past half month. She was always on the run. Sadie¡¯s scenes were mainly directed by Conrad, while Allison¡¯s were mainly handled by Mr. Simonds. She had only met Cathy a few times. At 39, Cathy was one of the youngest and most reputable female directors in showbiz. She was wearing a light blue gauze dress, and her long hair was flowing freely. She had a remarkable aura, sharp eyes, and an extremely elegant manner of speaking and behaving. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the edited footage. Allison; your performance is superb.¡± Cathy praised, ¡°Mr. Simonds often speaks highly of you.¡± Allison was surprised, Mr. Simonds had been praising her? She thought maybe Cathy was just being courteous. But on second thought, a big shot like Cathy had no reason to pander to a small potato like her. Allison looked at Mr. Simonds, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Simonds.¡± Mr. Simonds was a bit ufortable being exposed by Cathy in front of everyone. He nced at Cathy, seemingly finding her a bit annoying. Cathy chuckled, ¡°Mr. Simonds, you were praising Allison¡¯s excellent performance justst night while watching the edit Mr. Simonds rolled his eyes at Cathy. He and Cathy had coborated for many years, their tacit understanding evident. From his initial indifference to Allison, to appreciation, and now to regret, Cathy could feel it all. Mr. Simonds valued Allison a lot. As Allison finished her scenes, two other actors had also finished theirs. Tonight there were over a dozen people at the table. All three directors were present, along with a few actors who got along well on set. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯mte.¡± Mia walked in, ¡°I was shooting an ad and lost track of time.¡± Cathy said, ¡°You¡¯re notte, perfect timing.¡± Allison passed the menu to Mia. Mia was currently on a diet, and sheined, ¡°After this film, I have to start shooting another drama. My manager insists I lose weight before we start! I¡¯ll just have a fruit sd.¡± Looking at the meat in front of Allison, Mia was envious, ¡°Allison, I really envy you, I want to eat too. But if my manager finds out, I¡¯ll get an earful.¡± Mia¡¯s arrival livened up the atmosphere. She was naturally beautiful and knew how to keep spirits high. She got along well with Cathy and Mr. Simonds on set. She was outgoing, informal, and could get along with anyone. Conrad asked, ¡°Mia, what¡¯s your next project?¡± Mia replied, ¡°My next drama is a piece called Moonriver.¡± Conrad nodded, ¡°It¡¯s a big-budget production, so make sure you nail it.¡± Mia chuckled, the lead actress of the drama was the popr Willow, who yed the main role in a hit drama earlier this year. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Willow was originally a singing and dancing artist, but she sessfully transitioned to acting. Mia was casting as the second female lead in the drama, which was a substantial role. Her manager had fought hard for this role, which originally belonged to her coworker. But the coworker wasn¡¯t satisfied with ying the second fiddle, so the opportunity fell into Mia¡¯sp. Mia didn¡¯t want to miss out on such a great opportunity, so she agreed almost immediately, joining the cast right after she wrapped up her previous drama, without taking a single day off. ¡°By the way, Allison, have you decided on your next project?¡± While munching on her sd, Mia said, ¡°Epic Entertainment has a lot of dramas lined up this year. Allison, you don¡¯t have to be too picky, just join the crew if the schedule fits.¡± She had learned a bit about Allison during filming, who was quite frugal. Even her phone was an outdated model. Probably because her pay wasn¡¯t much. Allison chuckled, knowing Mia was hoping she could do more filming and earn more money. ¡°Not yet.¡± Allison replied, ¡°I¡¯m not in a rush.¡± Mr. Simonds snorted, ¡°People in love naturally wouldn¡¯t feel rushed.¡± Allison was choked by the sudden sarcasm, shrugging her shoulders. Chapter 437 Chapter 437 Cathy looked at Allison and said, ¡°You¡¯ve got a great aura. Your figure and looks are outstanding. You should pick scripts that suit you as a way of being responsible for yourself. Epic Entertainment is a top enterprise in the industry, so you¡¯ve got loads of scripts to choose from.¡± Halfway through the meal, Allison¡¯s phone started ringing. Her phone was just chilling on the table, and when it rang, the name ¡®Mr. Lindberg¡¯ shed on the screen. Mia saw it and said, ¡°Allison, your boyfriend is calling you.¡± Allison having a boyfriend was no secret on set, and lots of people knew about it. Mr. Lindberg would ring her up twice a day without fail. Cathy was a bit taken aback; she didn¡¯t expect Allison to have a boyfriend. She thought Allison was quite young, but it seemed that her charisma, figure, and good looks were reasons she already had a boyfriend. This was why thepany let her y a supporting role while Sadie, also a newbie, got the lead role. No wonder Mr. Simonds said she was in love. Allison apologized and stepped out to answer the call. Lucian said he had something on tonight, and the noise from his end was a bit loud. He didn¡¯t seem too happy, so Allison didn¡¯t pry and just nodded. Then, she went back to their private dining room. Mr. Simonds nced at her and asked, ¡°Can¡¯t you break up with your boyfriend?¡± Allison nonchntly replied, ¡°That¡¯s a bit tricky.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference between that and giving up your career? Once you¡¯re famous, this will be your dirtyundry.¡± Mr. Simonds said. Allison responded, ¡°Thanks for the vote of confidence, Mr. Simonds. I¡¯ll keep pushing.¡± She then shed a cheeky grin, which made Mr. Simonds think she was quite the charmer. Out of curiosity, Mia asked, ¡°Is your boyfriend also in the industry?¡± Allison answered, ¡°To be precise, he¡¯s kind of halfway in.¡± The richest sugar daddy in showbiz should also be considered part of the industry. At the hospital, a bunch of experts were gathered in one room. ¡°ording to the data, Ms. Crane¡¯s condition has stabilized. But she hasn¡¯t woken up yet, probably because her body has been shut down for too long. She¡¯s been in aa for so long. If someone familiar is around and talks to her more, she might wake up. It¡¯s a medical miracle.¡± The doctor said. Aidan asked, ¡°When¡¯s the earliest?¡± The doctor replied, ¡°We can¡¯t be certain, but this is already a miracle.¡± Aidan turned and left the room. He saw Lucian outside the room, and Lucian asked, ¡°How is she?¡± Aidan replied, ¡°You¡¯re not in a position to ask.¡± Lucian coldly replied, ¡°The one without the right to ask is you, Aidan.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, my sister wouldn¡¯t be like this. Lucian, she¡¯s been lying here for 8 years, do you know that? 8 years.¡± Aidan said. In these 8 years, Aidan and Lucian had gone from best friends to strangers. Aidan thought Yuliana would never wake up, he didn¡¯t expect her to show signs of waking up now. He had been waiting for eight years. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Allison shot two ads this week, and she had got a lipstick promo next week. She spent the morning in thepany lounge, which was decked out and fully equipped. L even got a microwave so they could easily heat up food. After pouring a cup of coffee, L said, ¡°I just saw Emma and Kendra having a spat.¡± Allison furrowed her brows and asked, ¡°Who¡¯s Kendra?¡± Sitting next to Allison, L exined, ¡°She¡¯s Sadie¡¯s assistant, and also her rtive.¡± She whispered, ¡°You might not know this, but Kendra and Emma¡¯s fight was pretty intense. Kendra¡¯s just an assistant, but she was berating Emma. I think Emma¡¯s been doing a great job.¡± Allison responded, ¡°Emma is indeed a good person.¡± Emma had always been on top of everything on set, especially when she was shooting scenes with Sadie. L continued, ¡°They¡¯re arguing in the meeting room right now, Sidney and Patty are there too. And Sadie will definitely side with her rtive.¡± Allison stood up, ¡°Well, let¡¯s go see for ourselves then.¡± Chapter 438 Chapter 438 Inside the meeting room Sadie crossed her arms with Kendra standing beside her. Kendrained, ¡®Sadie, I asked Emma to get you a cup of ck coffee while I was preparing a fruit sd for you. She not only refused, but blew up at me. Although I¡¯m an assistant and she¡¯s an agent, we¡¯re both here to serve you, right? There¡¯s no hierarchy here. What¡¯s wrong with asking Emma for help when I¡¯m overwhelmed? She always gives me a bad look ¡°Sidney, you heard that too.¡± Sadie turned to Sidney, ¡°I honestly can¡¯t stand having a haughty agent like Emma. She wouldn¡¯t even get a cup of ck coffee¡± Emma clenched her fists. It wasn¡¯t as simple as buying a cup of coffee. Kendra identally sshed jam on herself. She had tried to wash it off in the restroom, but aer of her trench coat was still wet. However, because her coat was ck, it was hard to tell with the naked eye. She was Sadie¡¯s agent and was indeed serving Sadie. She had drawn up a detailed post-debut n for Sadie, including business activities, and even rejected a promotion deal to protect Sadie¡¯s interests But Sadie secretly went to Sidney and took the deal, ming Emma for not knowing better and not letting her make money. She didn¡¯t realize that the promotion industry was bottomless, and Sadie, being new to the industry, didn¡¯t know how to protect her reputation. Sadie was shortsighted, arrogant, and had offended many people in the business. She mostly relied on the support of her sugar daddy. Emma had to smooth over rtionships over the phone time and time again. Once, Sadie was half an hourte for an interview, and the editor-in-chief was furious. In the end, Emma had to take the editor out for dinner to suppress the negative news about Sadie. She had madeThis is property ? N?velDrama.Org. countless sacrifices for Sadie¡¯s benefit, but Sadie had never shown any gratitude. Emma took a deep breath. Sidney looked at Emma, asking, ¡°Emma, is that really what happened?¡± Before joining Epic Entertainment, Emma had been an assistant to a famous actress for a year, and then an agent at a small entertainmentpany for two years. She met Sidney at a dinner party when Sidney was not yet a big shot at Epic Entertainment. At the time, Epic Entertainment had just signed a bunch of new talents and needed agents. Emma came to Epic Entertainment through Sidney¡¯s introduction. At first, she was an executive agent for a male artist for half a year, then she was transferred to Sadie. Sadie was a promising neer and hadnded a role in a drama that Cathy directed right after her debut, which was highly anticipated. Sidney was Sadie¡¯s main agent. Emma had also thought of working hard, building up step by step, and taking good care of her artists. But she didn¡¯t expect that her enthusiasm would not be reciprocated. Sadie was not only ungrateful but also wanted her to quit. Emma clenched her fist tightly, saying, ¡®Sidney, there¡¯s something I want to tell you. I¡¯ve decided to quit¡± Sidney was a bit surprised and embarrassed. Emma was brought into Epic Entertainment by her, and she arranged for her to work with Sadie, who received a lot of resources from thepany. She did all this for Emma, but she didn¡¯t expect things to turn out this way. Patty said, ¡®Emma, have you already found a new job?¡± Emma shook her head, ¡®I don¡¯t think I¡¯m cut out for this job.¡± She seemed to have lost confidence in herself. Patty said, ¡°When you joined Epic Entertainment, you were not only rmended by Sidney, but you were also very excellent in your own right. You¡¯re meticulous and always put the artist¡¯s interest first. I don¡¯t want to interfere too much in this matter. Artists and agents need time to get along. Not every artist-agent pair can get along well at first sight. Emma, take your time to think about the resignation.¡± After finishing, Patty gave Sadie a look. Chapter 439 Chapter 439 Sadie didn¡¯t want Emma as her agent; she¡¯d rather back her own kin. When she heard that Emma nned to resign, she was pretty stoked. But when she noticed Patty¡¯s gaze, she felt a chill down her spine. As an experienced agent, Patty was a real heavy hitter for Sadie, the newbie. Emma hesitated, then shook her head, ¡°Nah, I need a break. Patty, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Sidney said, ¡°Emma, don¡¯t be too quick to say no. You¡¯ve got family stuff that needs funding, and you shouldn¡¯t quit on a whim. Finding a new job will take time, and I paired you with Sadie because you¡¯re really detail-oriented. I¡¯ve got a script to prepare, and I¡¯ll be dealing with the crew a lot. Sadie doesn¡¯t have anyone else suitable.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Sadie cut her off right away, ¡°Sidney, I think Kendra is great. She¡¯s really detail-oriented and knows my likes and dislikes. think she¡¯s perfect. When Emma is around, I can¡¯t find her half the time.¡± Emma found Sadie¡¯s wordsughable, ¡°Sadie, every time you call for me; I¡¯m there at the drop of a hat.¡± Sadie huffed, ¡°Patty.¡± If Patty couldn¡¯t see that Sadie was trying to get rid of Emma and put her own rtive in ce, then she had been wasting her time in showbiz. She gave Sidney a look that seemed like a reproach, and Sidney felt the pressure. Patty said, ¡°I recall ourpany has a rule that agents have to give a two month notice before quitting. Emma, even if you apply now, you can only leave after two months. If you bail just like that, what others would think of ourpany?¡± Emma got it,pany rules were usually pretty strict. She didn¡¯t argue, ¡°I understand.¡± Sadie was still unsatisfied. Patty stood up, ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this petty nonsense. Sidney, you handle the rest, and don¡¯t bother me again. I hate drama queens. We¡¯ve got lots of talents in ourpany, you can¡¯t treat yourself as someone special and expect to get more resources. A disobedient talent doesn¡¯t deserve these resources!¡± Sidney knew Patty was mad, and she quickly nodded, ¡°Okay, Patty. I¡¯ll handle it.¡± Sadie wasn¡¯t happy, but seeing Sidney bowing her head, she didn¡¯t dare say more. She originally wanted to use this opportunity to ditch- Emma. Allison and L stood outside the conference room. After a pause, they gently knocked and went in. Patty was about to leave, ¡°Was our noise bothering you?¡± Allison¡¯s dressing room was a bit far from the conference room, and the soundproofing was excellent. She shook her head, ¡°I was just passing by. I have something to discuss with you.¡± Allison came in and nced around the room, Sidney, Emma, Sadie, and Sadie¡¯s assistant Kendra were all there. Allison said, Tneed an executive agent. Since Emma and Sadie are not getting along, how about Emmaes with me?¡± Emma was taken aback, she looked at Allison and said, ¡°Allison.¡± Allison gave a small smile, ¡°I forgot, I need to ask you. Would you like to be my executive agent?¡± Emma nodded vigorously, ¡°I¡¯d love to! I¡¯d absolutely love to!¡± Chapter 440 Chapter 440 Patty, of course, wouldn¡¯t argue with Allison, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll y it your way. Emma, you get the paperwork ready. Since Allison has taken you along, you should stick with her like glue and if there¡¯s anything you can¡¯t handle, ¡®reach out to me.¡± The meeting room cleared out, leaving only Sidney, Sadie, and Kendra. Sidney looked a little taken aback. Sadie pursed her lips, ¡°Sidney, why didn¡¯t you back me up just now? I really can¡¯t stand Emma. She talks way too much. She rejected all the promotion offers I got, even had me take on a supporting role in a drama.¡± Sidney sighed, ¡°Emma might be young, but she¡¯s sharp. She turned down the promotion because she didn¡¯t want it to mess with your future, considering how unstable those products can be.¡± Sadie retorted, ¡°I¡¯m not the only one in thepany who¡¯s taken on the promotion. There are loads of artists who have! Their managers don¡¯t give them such a hard time.¡± Sidney just shook her head, left speechless by the get-rich-quick mindset of Sadie. How could the company be willing to give Sadie such a great opportunity as a film directed by Cathy? Sidney didn¡¯t understand, but she didn¡¯t dare to ask. She¡¯d known Emma for a while and she knew what Emma was like. Sadie was way too willful, and so was Sadie¡¯s assistant Kendra. If she weren¡¯t Sadie¡¯s rtive, she definitely wouldn¡¯t have passed the Epic Entertainment assistant exam. Kendra patted Sadie¡¯s shoulder, Sadie suggested, ¡°Sidney, now that Emma is gone, I don¡¯t have a manager, I think Kendra would do a good job.¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Sidney replied sternly, ¡°Sadie, do you know what kind of artists are most favored at Epic Entertainment?¡± Sadie shook her head. Sidney said, ¡°The obedient ones.¡± Sadie went quiet for a few seconds, ¡°Sidney, I just want a new manager.¡± Sidney responded, ¡°I¡¯ll arrange a new manager for you. As for Kendra, she can continue to be your assistant if you want. If you keep this up, I can arrange for a new assistant from Epic Entertainment for you.¡± Sadie went pale, ¡°Sidney! Why can¡¯t I choose my own manager? You know my career n is going pretty well. I¡¯ve taken on Cathy¡¯s film. Once it¡¯s released, I¡¯ll be a top-tier star domestically. My status will definitely be different from now. Why can Allison, a mere supporting character, have the right to choose her own manager?¡± She strongly opposed Emma, but Patty refused her request. Then, when Allison came along, she was able to take Emma away without any problem. Patty didn¡¯t say much; she just agreed. Sidney told her, ¡°It¡¯s exactly because your career n is going well that I have to arrange a suitable manager for you.¡± She couldn¡¯t let Sadie ruin herself with a rtive as a manager, which could easily affect her work. As for Allison, Sidney was also surprised. What kind of special background did Allison have? Sidney noticed a detail. When Patty and Allison turned to leave the meeting room, they both walked to the door at the same time. Patty stepped aside, letting Allison go first. In both Epic Entertainment and the entire entertainment industry, Patty was a top five manager. At Epic Entertainment, everyone had to show respect to Patty, let alone a newbie like Allison. Did Allison have some special background? If she did, why would she choose to. y a supporting character? ¡°Sadie, have you interacted with Allison at work? How much do you know about her?¡± Sidney asked. Even though Allison surpassed Sadie in terms of lines memorization, acting skills, and even dedication in actual work, Sadie didn¡¯t take her seriously, ¡°She has a boyfriend, who calls her often.¡± Sidney was surprised, ¡°She has a boyfriend?¡± Epic Entertainment would interfere the private lives of their artists when they sign a contract. Allison¡¯s manager was Patty, who would never allow Allison to date. ¡°Does Patty know about this?¡± Sidney asked. Chapter 441 Chapter 441 At Allison¡¯s lounge. L handed Emma a ss of water. Emma took it and thanked her. It seemed to dawn on her that she was no longer Sadie¡¯s agent, but Allison¡¯s. Initially, Emma had never thought it would turn out this way. She thought she would leave Epic Entertainment, even prepared to quit the industry, and braced herself for Patty¡¯s bacsh. Epic Entertainment was a big entertainmentpany, so leaving would put a lot of pressure on her. She foresaw that after leaving Epic Entertainment, she might be half cklisted by the industry, and other entertainmentpanies would not wee her. Emma wouldn¡¯t settle for that. However, she couldn¡¯t stand Sadie. If she couldn¡¯t work with Sadie, it was better to leave sooner. L handed Allison a ss of water, ¡°Allison, you guys chat. I¡¯ll head out now. If anythinges up, give me a call.¡± Allison looked at Emma, ¡°Regarding your sry, I¡¯ll have Patty renegotiate a contract with you. You¡¯ll be working with me from now on. Of course, if you find a better opportunity, just let me know. You can leave any time.¡± Emma said seriously, ¡°No, now that I¡¯m your agent, I can¡¯t just up and leave. That wouldn¡¯t be right.¡± Allisonughed, ¡°Don¡¯t be so serious. Let¡¯s just chat like friends and get to know each other.¡± A scented candle was lit in the lounge, filling the air with a light lemon fragrance and calming Emma¡¯s previous excitement. Looking at Allison¡¯s face, Emma suddenly thought Allison was like a shining star, making her feel both admiration and fondness. She swore to devote herself to nning Allison¡¯s future. After the chat, Emma stood up, ¡°Wait for me, I¡¯m going to get my bag from my office.¡± Five minutester, Emma returned, panting heavily. It seemed she had run all the way to her office and back. Her office was right next to Sadie¡¯s lounge; she didn¡¯t want to stay there a second longer. ¡°Sadie has three dramasing up, one supporting role and two low-budget leading roles, as well as some endorsements. Epic Entertainment is really backing her.¡± Emma said. Allison nced over, ¡°Just these three dramas? The quality is average, the production team is mediocre, and the script isn¡¯t great either.¡± Emma said, ¡°True, they¡¯re average. But among dramas of the same level, these are already the best. She can pick the majority of thepany resources, except for Patty¡¯s. Allison, Epic Entertainment is funding a modern drama with a unique theme. The leading role has been cast, but the supporting role is still open.¡± Allison nced at the script, ¡°It¡¯s not bad, but the production team isn¡¯t great, and the director¡¯s control over the plot is just so-so.¡± Emma hadn¡¯t expected Allison to be so picky. She started to feel a bit anxious. Allison¡¯s situation at Epic Entertainment seemed difficult. It seemed like Patty didn¡¯t like her much. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Allison¡¯s acting skills were superb. Even though she didn¡¯t get many chances to perform, she always gave it her all. She was beautiful. Being a great actress, she was neverte on set. So why didn¡¯t Patty like her? Could it be because she had a boyfriend? Frankly, on set, she was also quite shocked when she first heard Allison had a boyfriend. It was hard to believe that a young actress had a boyfriend. Chapter 442 Chapter 442 Emma asked hesitantly, ¡°Allison, do you really have a boyfriend?¡±. Talk about timing. Just as Allison was about to respond, her phone on the coffee table buzzed. It was a call from Lucian. Emma caught a glimpse of the name ¡®Mr. Lindberg¡¯ shing on the screen. Allison apologized to Emma, then picked up the call. ¡°Hello.¡±. ¡°Lunchtime?¡± Allison nced at the time, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll be right there.¡± She gave a slight smile, ¡°You don¡¯t have to pick me up. I can make it myself. I¡¯m at Epic Entertainment.¡± After hanging up, Allison got to her feet, ¡°Sorry, Emma. I have to go now. If you need anything, just give me a call. I¡¯m always avable.¡± She picked up her coat from the rack, ¡°About my boyfriend. We can talk about him another time.¡± Emma watched Allison walk away, letting out a sigh. She immediately started going through a few scripts, reading them carefully. She needed to n for Allison, choose the right scripts and handle the business affairs in order to live up to Allison¡¯s trust in her. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g She felt regretful. Such a beautiful actress, her potential was wasted. But she had faith, Allison would make a name for herself within five years. True gold could stand the test of fire. Soft music was ying in the restaurant. Allison walked in and saw Lucian already there. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯mte.¡± Allison apologized. ¡°I¡¯ve just arrived.¡± Lucian said. The waiter handed over the menu to them. Allison took a quick look and ordered a steak and a fruit sd. Soon, the food was served along with a fresh juice on the house. Lucian said, ¡°I have to fly to Britain this Saturday. I¡¯ll be there for a week.¡± He looked at her. Her eyes were lowered, looking extraordinarily gentle and beautiful under the light. He said, ¡°Your next role is all set. Jennifer¡¯s new film is pushed back, so your next film is a detective story. The production team is really good.¡± He had specifically arranged for this team. The director, Wade, was good at detective stories and excellent at controlling narratives. The original work was by a famous detective author. Hisst work had sold 7 million copies just after it was released. His reputation was top-notch among domestic detective authors, so the new film was highly anticipated by readers even at the pre-production stage. The scriptwriter was Victoria, Wade¡¯s old friend. She was one of the women who had won the best scriptwriter awards domestically and had a great rapport with Wade after working together for 10 years. The production team was almost perfect. Allison asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I could choose?¡± Lucian looked at her, saying, ¡°Allison, I¡¯m giving you resources to make you famous. You don¡¯t have to wait, nor have to work your way up step by step. I want to give you the best resources.¡± Allison said softly, ¡°The best?¡± She looked at Luci¨¢n. But deep down, she felt bitter. For some reason, the longer she spent with Lucian, the stronger the feeling.. She wanted to work her way up from a supporting role, step by step. But this man wanted to push her straight to the top. She should have been happy, but Allison didn¡¯t break into a smile. Lucian was a little surprised, ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± Allison gave a faint smile, ¡°I do.¡± In reality, it wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t like it. She would be happy to get quality resources. Allison knew Lucian couldn¡¯t give her what she truly wanted. She wanted to be his wife, just that Chapter 443 Chapter 443 Grace did a massive cleaning this morning. She stumbled upon a few clothes, which still had their tags on in Allison¡¯s closet. Grace, nning to help her tidy it up, was taken aback by the jaw-dropping prices on those tags. Grace was stunned. She took a closer look at thebels, whipped out her phone and googled the brand. Turned out, it was some high-end luxury brand. Original from N?velDrama.Org. How could Allison have bought these? From what Grace knew about her daughter, even if Allison had the money, she wouldn¡¯t splurge on these seemingly fancy but practically useless luxury items. She pulled out her phone, ready to grill Allison about this, but L answered the call. After hanging up, Grace felt like she may have jumped the gun. Her daughter was now a celebrity; it was only natural for her to have some fancy clothes. With that thought, Grace sighed. She hung the clothes back in the closet, knowing her daughter wasn¡¯t the type to be all about the glitz and m. How could she have doubted Allison, even for a split second? 10 minutester, Allison returned her call. ¡°Mom, L said you called? I was in the middle of amercial shoot.¡± Allison said. Grace was a bit flustered, ¡°No big deal, I identally dialed. Are you done with the shoot? How¡¯s work?¡± ¡°Not yet, still have more to do. I¡¯ll be home early tonight. Mom, it¡¯s your birthday tomorrow. Let¡¯s go shopping.¡± Allison said. ¡°I¡¯m too old for birthdays now. It¡¯s just a waste of money. Allie, you need to save the money you earn and n for the future.¡± Grace said. Allison was about to continue her shoot. Today was a promotion for a big brand bag. As she was about to hang up, she heard Grace ask, ¡°Allie, have you been dating someone recently?¡± Allison asked, ¡°Mom, is something up?¡± ¡°Well, Penelope introduced someone to you. I think he¡¯s quite decent, and his family¡¯s well-off.¡± Grace said. Allison¡¯s brow slightly raised, ¡°Penelope?¡± ¡°Yes, Allie. I know you and Penelope don¡¯t get along. You¡¯ve always been at odds since you were kids. But Penelope is actually quite nice. She¡¯s just a bit arrogant because she was spoiled at home. She truly wants to make amends with you. Penelope is now bedridden, with multiple fractures, and she¡¯s had it rough. I¡¯ve seen you two grow up together. I know my own child. Allie, I know you¡¯re busy but can you spare some time to visit Penelope?¡± Grace said. ¡°Sure, I¡¯d like to visit Penelope in the hospital.¡± Allison smiled, ¡°Mom, since you want me to visit Penelope, I¡¯d be happy to. As for her being a good person deep down, I won¡¯t forget the threats she and Leah made against me. They¡¯re both rotten to the core.¡± ¡°Allie, that¡¯s a bit harsh.¡± Grace said. Allison slowly closed her eyes. Harsh? Not at all. She couldn¡¯t forget how her child was taken away from her, nor could she forget how they threatened her to take the fall for them. Allison ended the call. Emma beside her noticed her mood shift, and gently reminded her, ¡°Allison, we¡¯re about to start shooting.¡± Allison slowly exhaled, put on a smile, and resumed the shoot. Over the weekend, Allison and Daisy went for shopping. Daisy was getting engaged to the eldest son of the Boswell family next week. She seemed to have found peace with it. Chapter 444 Chapter 444 In the morning, the two got worn out from shopping and decided to hit the cinema. Allison pointed at a movie poster, ¡°Let¡¯s watch this one, it¡¯s a perfect blockbuster.¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Daisy asked.. Allison exined, ¡°From the studio to the producers, then to the director and actors, they¡¯re all pros in the blockbuster game. Plus, it¡¯s full ofughs and feels all the way. Sure, there are some parts that seem out of ce. But it¡¯s made by apany that¡¯s good at making crowd-pleasers. Generally, their blockbusters rake in over a billion at the box office. You could call that a sess.¡± ¡°Boswell Entertainment.¡± Daisy nced at the distributor¡¯s name, ¡°You sure know your stuff. This name rings a bell though.¡± Allison looked at Daisy seriously, ¡°It¡¯s the Boswell family¡¯s entertainmentpany.¡± Daisy¡¯s face changed, ¡°Then I¡¯m not watching it.¡± They were about to change their tickets, but only this movie had showtimes avable. The other movies were either trashy,edies, or cartoons, but all required waiting for half an hour. So, they ended up choosing this movie. Halfway through, Daisy admitted, ¡°This movie is actually pretty good.¡± The film had been out for over ten days and had already grossed 1.7 billion. Today¡¯s showings were few and far between, and they just happened to catch this one. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g ¡°I heard that Boswell Entertainment is run by Wilton Boswell.¡± Allison said. ¡°Who¡¯s Wilton?¡± Daisy was confused. ¡°He¡¯s the second son of the Boswell family.¡± Allison answered. Daisy was taken aback, ¡°The second son?¡± Allison nodded, ¡°Daisy, when you get to the Boswell family, you need to learn to keep your cool. The Boswell family is known for their intense infighting. Rumor has it that the eldest son of the Boswell family got sick because of the family struggles.¡± Daisy nodded solemnly, ¡°I get it. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Saying this, she tightly held Allison¡¯s hand. Allison naturally hoped her friend could be happy, but she knew the Boswell family was not a ce where Daisy could live happily. After leaving the cinema, Daisy booked lunch. The restaurant was on the sixth floor food court, so they decided to take the elevator. Allison spotted a flower shop on the fifth floor, so she took Daisy to pick out some bouquets. The shop assistant asked with a smile, ¡°What kind of flowers are you looking for,dies? Are they for your room or a gift?¡± Allison replied, ¡°They¡¯re for a friend who¡¯s seriously ill. We¡¯re going to visit her.¡± ¡°How old is she?¡± The assistant asked. ¡°In her twenties.¡± Allison said. ¡°You could choosevender or roses. They are our fresh arrivals today. Have a look.¡± The assistant said. Daisy asked, ¡°Who are you buying flowers for? Who¡¯s sick?¡± ¡°Who else, Penelope.¡± Allison replied. Daisyughed, pointing at a bunch of white carnations, ¡°Then we¡¯ll take these.¡± She told the assistant, ¡°Wrap up 19 of these. We¡¯re going to grab lunch first and pick it up afterwards.¡± ¡°Alright,dies, enjoy your meal.¡± The assistant said. Allison and Daisy headed to the food court. Daisy had booked a newly opened restaurant. It was the restaurant¡¯s grand opening today, with all sorts of member discounts, making the ce almost packed. Daisy had booked in advance. The name of the restaurant had an artistic touch. ¡°This restaurant is opened by a college mate of mine, so I¡¯m here to show some support.¡± Daisy said. ¡°Which ssmate? Howe I don¡¯t know?¡± Allison took a bite of the shrimp, it was delicious. ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Daisy looked around. The restaurant had only ten private rooms, four upstairs and the rest were individual tables. With waiters bustling around, Daisy lowered her voice, ¡°It¡¯s Brady, He pursued you once, even sent you cakes and fruits through me.¡± Allison remembered, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± Chapter 445 Chapter 445 ¡°I told you, but he¡¯s probably too busy toe over.¡± No sooner had she finished speaking than Daisy¡¯s phone rang. She nced down and picked it up. ¡°It¡¯s Brady calling.¡± ¡°I thought you said he wasn¡¯ting?¡± Allison asked. The surrounding noise was deafening. Daisy held the phone, speaking, ¡°Hey, Brady, we¡¯re already at the restaurant. Yes, Allison is here too.¡± Daisy nced at Allison, ¡°Ah, you¡¯reing?¡± Allison was munching on her veggies, watching Daisy end the call. Daisy had a cating smile on her face, ¡°I didn¡¯t know he wasing. Maybe he called for you.¡± About ten minutester, Brady arrived, carrying a te of hand-cut beef. ¡°How does it taste, not bad, right?¡± He said this while looking at Daisy, then turned to Allison. ¡°Brady, long time no see, your restaurant is pretty cool.¡± Daisy said. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been a while.¡± Brady turned to Allison, ¡°Allison, you remember me, right? I¡¯m Brady. We¡¯ve met before.¡± Allison nodded, ¡°I remember, the strawberry cake you gave me was delicious.¡± Brady rubbed his head, ¡°Eat anything you want. It¡¯s on me.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t right. Brady, today is the opening of your new restaurant, and we¡¯re here to support you.¡± Daisy protested. Allison¡¯s phone vibrated. It was a WhatsApp message. She had sent a photo to Lucian earlier and he had responded. [Lindberg Corporation also has a food and beverage business, all located on the 8th floor of Crown za, which is also owned by Lindberg Corporation.] Allison responded: [It¡¯s a restaurant opened by a ssmate from college. Today is the grand opening, and Daisy brought me here to show some support.] Less than a minute after she sent the message, her phone rang. Allison smiled slightly, she knew Lucian was calling. She handed the phone to Daisy and mouthed, ¡°Tell him I¡¯m in the bathroom.¡± Daisy was chatting with Brady when she took the phone, ¡°Who is it?¡± She nced down, oh dear, it was Lucian. She coughed lightly, answered the call, but the noise in the restaurant made it hard to hear. ¡°I¡¯m Daisy, Allison is in the bathroom.¡± Daisy nced at Allison, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, maybe call her back in a bit? Yes, we¡¯re having a meal at a newly opened restaurant.¡± After hanging up, Daisy wiped the sweat off her forehead. Even a one-minute call could let her feel the pressure from the other end. Lucian¡¯s aura was just too strong. And her intuition told her, Lucian was pissed. To be exact, he was jealous. Brady sat there, ¡°Your friend? You could invite him over.¡± Allison smiled lightly, ¡°That¡¯s my boyfriend.¡± Brady¡¯s face changed, ¡°You have a boyfriend already.¡± Allison nodded. Brady was a bit disappointed, he smiled and said, ¡°Then I won¡¯t bother you two. I have to get back to work. The restaurant is super busy today.¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g He looked at Allison, under the warm yellow light, Allison¡¯s face was fresh and gentle, wless like pearl. It was only natural for such a beautiful girl to have a boyfriend. He had been¡¯ silently working hard, and he had liked Allison for a long time., But he was afraid he wasn¡¯t good enough for such a beautiful and kind girl, so he wanted to pursue Allison after he was sessful. But now it seemed, he was toote. Chapter 446 Chapter 446 He had no clue what kind of man could be good enough for Allison. ¡°Daisy, feel free to hit me up anytime. You¡¯re always wee to dine at my ce.¡± Brady said. Daisy let out a chuckle, ¡°With your ce being so popr, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t find a seat when I drop by.¡± ¡°There¡¯s always a spot for you, guaranteed.¡± Brady said. Brady left. Daisy turned to Allison, ¡°I think Brady is a decent guy. He busted his ass off to start his own business, and it¡¯s thriving. It hurts to see you turn him down like that.¡± Allison gave Daisy a nce, ¡°If you feel sorry for him, you might as well wait for the eldest son of the Boswell family to kick the bucket and then go for Brady.¡± Daisyughed, ¡°Maybe, but I¡¯m afraid Brady won¡¯t be into me.¡± Allison looked at Daisy a bit annoyed, ¡°You¡¯re really pushing it, Daisy. There¡¯s a whole parade of guys after you, but none of them caught your eye.¡± ¡°Now I¡¯m regretting not dating few more guys back in the day. Now I¡¯m stuck marrying a sick guy. Even if the Boswell family¡¯s eldest son bites the dust, I still have to wait three or four years before getting back in the game. Such a waste of my prime years.¡± Daisyined while chowing down, ¡°But, the Boswell family did promise me a 6% share, which is worth a few hundred million in cash.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll be rolling in dough.¡± Allison jokingly said, ¡°Don¡¯t forget about me when you¡¯re loaded.¡± Daisy shot back, ¡°I can bankroll a movie for you. You pick the genre, I¡¯ll foot the bill, and you can be the leadingdy.¡± Allison chuckled, feeling a warm glow in her heart, ¡°Well, thanks in advance.¡± Daisy waved her hand dismissively, ¡°No biggie.¡± ¡°By the way, why didn¡¯t you pick up Lucian¡¯s call earlier?¡± Daisy pointed at the phone and asked, ¡°Did you two have a fight?¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Allison seemed helpless, ¡°I merely told him I was dining here, and he started bragging about how upscale the food court invested by Lindberg Corporation was. I mentioned that the owner is my college friend who used to have a crush on me, and he started blowing up my phone.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really living on the edge. Aren¡¯t you afraid Lucian wille after you?¡± Daisy asked. ¡°He¡¯s in Britain now.¡± Allison said. Ten minutester, Lucian called again. Daisy picked up, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Lindberg, Allison hasn¡¯t returned yet. You can wait for a few minutes, or I¡¯ll put you through as soon as she¡¯s back.¡± Lucian was sitting on the couch, his assistant briefing him about the schedule for tomorrow. Seeing the grim look on his boss¡¯s face, he stopped talking. Lucian said, ¡°I appreciate your help. You can go find Allison and give her the phone. I¡¯ll make sure to thank you when I¡¯m back.¡± After hearing that, Daisy shot Allison a nce and mouthed, ¡°He wants me to find you, and he said he¡¯ll thank me.¡± Knowing there was no way out, Allison nodded. Daisy cleared her throat, ¡°I see, I¡¯m actually dining right now. But since Mr. Lindberg insisted, I wouldn¡¯t say no. I know you¡¯re in Britain. Britain is famous for its gems, especially amethyst. You should be in London, right? I heard there¡¯s a gem auction happening in London tomorrow night.¡± She stood up, walked a few steps away, and then came back a couple of times. Finally, she knocked on the table and handed the phone to Allison. After all, guys like Lucian were extremely suspicious. Chapter 447 Chapter 447 Allison thought when she picked up the call, the first thing the guy would do was question her or even warn her straight away. But surprisingly, his voice came through, ¡°Are you enjoying your meal?¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Allison was taken aback, her eyshes fluttering slightly. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°You can go to any Lindberg Corporation restaurant in the future. There¡¯s a card in my bedroom. You can eat for free at all their ces.¡± Lucian said. Allison asked, ¡°What if I clean out a Lindberg Corporation jewelry store?¡± Lucian answered, ¡°If you like, I can have Shawn send over thetest and most luxurious pieces from Lindberg Corporation¡¯s jewelry line right now.¡± ¡°Never mind.¡± Allison said, ¡°As you know, I¡¯m not into all that fancy stuff.¡± ¡°Are you getting ready for work now?¡± Allison asked. Going by Britain¡¯s time zone, it should be morning for Lucian. Allison nced at her watch, figuring Lucian must have flown to Britain for some important business. He couldn¡¯t possibly be calling her for a chat this early in the morning. Allison went on, ¡°You should go take care of your business. I won¡¯t disturb you.¡± ¡°Allison.¡± He called her name. Hearing her steady breathing and chattering in the background, it hit him. He¡¯d been fooled. This woman didn¡¯t go to the bathroom at all. ¡°Is it fun to trick me, Allison?¡± Lucian asked. ¡°Pretty fun. I didn¡¯t ask you to call me.¡± Allison hadn¡¯t expected to be discovered just as she was about to end the call. Silence on the other endsted for a few seconds. Allison bit her lip, thinking he was angry. Then she heard Lucian say, ¡°I¡¯ll be back on Wednesday.¡± Allison¡¯sshes fluttered, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± After hanging up, Daisy let out a long sigh of relief, ¡°So, did Mr. Lindberg get mad?¡± ¡°No, Mr. Lindberg said he¡¯s got a big gift lined up for you.¡± Allison said. Daisy said, ¡°That¡¯s good. You have no idea, my heart was pounding when I picked up the call. His aura can intimidate me even through the phone screen. I can¡¯t fathom how you deal with him on a daily basis.¡± Seeming to think of something, Daisy lowered her voice, ¡°Is Mr. Lindberg always this cold in bed?¡± Allison¡¯s face turned red in an instant. She red at Daisy, ¡°Daisy, can you be serious?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this a serious question?¡± Daisy asked. She went on, ¡°What¡¯s there to hide? Or is he not cold, but passionate? No way, he doesn¡¯t look the type. I saw online someone saying Lucian has a high nose bridge and long big hands, which means¡­¡± Allison cut her off as her words grew more outrageous, ¡°That¡¯s enough. It¡¯s okay.¡± Daisy grew more excited, ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s okay? How good is it?¡± Allison rolled her eyes and put a piece of vegetable in Daisy¡¯s bowl, ¡°Eat your food. You can discuss this sort of thing with the eldest son of the Boswell family in a few days.¡± Hearing the name of the Boswell family¡¯s eldest son, Daisy¡¯s mood deted like a punctured balloon. She bit into her vegetable, sighing, ¡°Ah, I feel like a bird in a cage. Frances Boswell? He probably can¡¯t even perform in that department anymore. Poor me. And I¡¯m still so young.¡± Daisy¡¯s voice was neither loud nor soft, just a simpleint. The restaurant was bustling. The grand opening attracted a lot of customers, filling over seventy tables. Allison and Daisy were seated by the window, in a booth. The booth behind them was also close to theirs. Wilton had just taken a sip of beer when he heard a woman¡¯sint from behind. He suddenly choked, almost spitting out his beer. His friend quickly handed him a tissue, asking, ¡°Wilton, are you okay?¡± Wilton wiped his mouth and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Chapter 448 Chapter 448 After washing her hands and touching up her makeup in the restroom, Daisy identally bumped into someone. Rubbing her nose, she grumbled, ¡°Man, are you made of iron or what? That hurt.¡± Wilton heard herint and instinctively muttered, ¡°Sorry.¡± Looking up, he recognized her as the girl who¡¯d been sitting behind him. What was her name again? He gave her a quick once-over. Without the dim restaurant lights and seating in the way, her face was clear. She had smooth skin and delicate features, quite pretty. She didn¡¯t seem flippant, but hernguage was pretty crude. Raising an eyebrow, Wilton asked, ¡°You okay?¡± Rubbing her nose again, feeling like it had almost been smashed, Daisy replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Her voice was a bit nasal. She walked away without a second nce at Wilton, treating the whole thing as a minor incident. Back at the table, sheined to Allison, ¡°Man, today¡¯s just not my day. Dropped my phone this morning and cracked the screen, got oil on my clothes during lunch, bumped into someoneing out of the restroom, and nearly broke my nose. Lucky my nose is real, or there would¡¯ve been real trouble. I swear, that guy must be made of steel or something.¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Back at his table, Wilton overheard Daisy¡¯s grumbles. He nced at his jacket, and there were two shiny metal buttons gleaming. Daisy must¡¯ve hit one of them. He had no idea why Daisy was so peeved at him. Did she have to air her grievances in public? Daisy had piqued Wilton¡¯s interest At 9 p.m., Wilton arrived home. He didn¡¯te home often, but tonight, he had things to do. Mina was sitting on the couch and looking at him, ¡°Wilton, you¡¯re back. Your brother¡¯s condition is deteriorating. We were just upstairs with him, but he¡¯s asleep now John is guarding outside. He trusts you the most. Go check on him.¡± ¡°Sure, I got it.¡± Wilton handed his jacket to a servant and headed upstairs. Mina sat on the sofa, sipping from her ss. She gestured to the servant, who hung up the jacket and carefully ascended the stairs to the third floor, ready to eavesdrop. The housekeeper, Ava, came out with a bowl of soup. Noticing Wilton¡¯s jacket on the rack, she spotted a long hair. ¡°Madam, look at this! Ava hurriedly handed the jacket to Mina. Seeing the hair, Mina chuckled, ¡°I knew it.¡± Wilton was just a spoiled rich kid, hanging out in entertainment venues with dubious women. How could he possibly focus on Boswell Enterprises? He only had thepany due to sheer luck. Although it was in his name, the management was entirely left to the vice president, Jenny. How could such a person be eligible topete for the family fortune with her son? Once Morgan passed away, wouldn¡¯t everything of the Boswell family belong to her and her child? Ava handed the soup to Mina, ¡°Madam, rest assured. Wilton doesn¡¯t stand a chance against your son. We just need to wait for your son to grow up. You¡¯ll guide him from behind. When the master passes away, you¡¯ll be in charge of the Boswell family. As for Frances¡­ Mina took a sip of her soup, ¡°Him? Frances¡¯ health¡­¡± Ava whispered, ¡°He won¡¯t make it past this year. Chapter 449 Chapter 449 The third floor was the dwelling of Frances, the eldest son of the Boswell family, and it was off-limits to everyone else. Ever since Morgan got sick, no one was allowed anywhere near the third floor. Because of a car ident, Morgan¡¯s favorite son had to spend his days bedridden. Behind the ident, there was an even bigger power struggle. Sadly, the culprit of the ident was never found. After the ident, a drunk driver came forward and confessed. So, Frances, who was once high-spirited, hit rock bottom from the pinnacle of his life. Wilton walked into thest room on the third floor. John was sitting in a chair outside, and when he saw Wilton, he stood up and said, ¡°Sir.¡± Wilton nodded at John, ¡°I¡¯m going to see my brother.¡± He walked into the sickroom, the air filled with the smell of disinfectant. The room had a big bed and some simple high-end furniture, along with an oxygen machine and various medical equipment. The person lying in the bed looked exactly like him. The man¡¯s hair was a shade lighter than his, as if it was the result of not seeing the sun for years. The man in the bed opened his eyes and smiled, ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Wilton walked over and said, ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°Yeah, just woke up. My head¡¯s a bit sore.¡± Frances said. As Wilton prepared to call the doctor, the man in bed said, ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯ve just been in bed too long.¡± ¡°Just rest. I¡¯ll arrange for a doctor to do a special check-up for you next year. The results from two months ago were very good, and the doctor said you¡¯re recovering well.¡± Wilton said. The man in bed shook his head, ¡°You don¡¯t have to sugarcoat it. I know my condition.¡± Wilton fell silent for a while. The man in bed said, ¡°Next week, you¡¯re nning on registering for marriage with the Santos family¡¯s daughter, right?¡± Hearing this, Wilton was taken aback, ¡°Yes.¡± The man said, ¡°I feel like I¡¯m holding her back.¡± Wilton wanted tofort him, but before he could say anything, the man said, ¡°Can you do me a favor? I don¡¯t want to hold her back.¡± ¡°This marriage was arranged by our grandfather. After he passed, no one brought it up again, but recently it¡¯s been brought up. Clearly, Mina came prepared.¡± Wilton said, and his hands clenched into fists, ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel any obligation towards the Santos family. If they¡¯re not willing, they¡¯ll refuse. They want totch onto us, but they don¡¯t want their daughter to marry into the Boswell family. What kind of nonsense is that?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t say that. I¡¯m not in good health, and I might not live long. If I marry their daughter, I¡¯d just be ruining her life. She¡¯s still young, and why should she waste her youth on me?¡± He said, ¡°If the Santos girl¡¯s good, then you should marry her.¡± Wilton looked at the man in bed. He didn¡¯t answer, but asked, ¡°Did Minae by today?¡± ¡°Yes, I was resting at the time and John stopped her.¡± Frances said. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Mina obviously wanted toe and see his condition, but because of Morgan¡¯s orders, she didn¡¯t force her way in. She just had a few words at the door and left. The car ident six years ago definitely had something to do with Mina. But the two brothers didn¡¯t have any solid evidence. Chapter 450 Chapter 450 Wilton stepped out of the bedroom. He walked over to the balcony on the third floor, propped himself up on the railing, and let the night wind breeze through the French windows, rustling his hair. He had a scar on his brow, a faint one that everyone assumed was the result of some scrap he got into with some hotheaded trust-fund kid. He gently traced the scar, and his eyes gradually turned hollow. This scar was from a car ident six years ago. Because he was, in fact, Frances. And the one lying in the hospital bed was his younger brother, Wilton. Six years ago, they were both in a car ident. At the time, the Boswell family was in a shaky position. Frances, the heir to the Boswell Enterprises, was involved in a suspicious car crash. Both the Boswell boys were hurt, but Wilton got the worst of it, while Frances got off with a few scratches. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Knowing he was on his way out, Wilton insisted he was Frances to protect his brother. That was how they dodged Mina¡¯s plot. Seeing ¡°Frances¡± critically injured, Mina dropped her ns to get rid of him. They found a scapegoat, and a drunk truck driver was willing to take the fall. The brothers looked so simr that no one noticed the switch. From that day on, Frances lived under the name Wilton. He went from being the center of attention to ying the part of a carefree yboy, all to make Mina and her lot let their guard down. And so it had been for six years. The only ones in the know were the two brothers, John and Morgan. Downstairs, a servant saw Wilton leaving the bedroom. Timing it perfectly, he headed downstairs. Mina yawned, ready to end the night. The servant reported to her, ¡°Wilton spent 40 minutes in Frances¡¯ room.¡± Mina nodded and began to head upstairs to rest. Ava trailed behind. She said, ¡°The doctor said Frances won¡¯tst much longer, at most half a year.¡± Mina replied, ¡°He is the eldest son of the Boswell family after all. He should die with dignity, right? It wouldn¡¯t hurt to give him a wife before he kicks the bucket, would it?¡± Ava chuckled, ¡°Madam, your arrangement is quite fitting. Let¡¯s have the Santos girl move in next week.¡± She continued, ¡°But this marriage arrangement was made by the old man himself, should we give him a heads-up? Morgan¡¯s old staff are few and far between now. Boswell Enterprises is practically ours. When Frances passes on, it¡¯s only natural that I take over. As for Wilton, his reputation doesn¡¯t exactly scream ¡®heir to the Boswell throne.¡± Wilton, the yboy who only knew how to spend money and have fun, just needed to be given some money to live on. They had no ns to give him a position at Boswell Enterprises. ¡°But now, Boswell Entertainment is under Wilton¡¯s control.¡± Ava said. Mina responded, ¡°It¡¯s just Boswell Entertainment. It won¡¯t make much of a difference.¡± The next morning, Daisy received news from the Boswell family that Madam Boswell wanted to see her. She asked while munching on her sunny-side-up eggs, ¡°Do I really have to go?¡± Rosie looked at her and answered, ¡°Of course, she will be your future mother-inw after all. How could you refuse when she wants to see you? Plus¡­¡± Seeing her mother trail off, Daisy asked, ¡°What else is there?¡± At this point, Wyatt chimed in, ¡°Also, the Boswell family is pretty much under Madam Mina¡¯s control now. If Daisy really wants to live a good life in the Boswell family, she needs to get past Mina.¡± Daisy nodded, ¡°I understand.¡± Rosie wore a worried expression, ¡°I never agreed with Daisy marrying that boy from the Boswell family. Because I fear he doesn¡¯t have long to live.¡± Chapter 451 Chapter 451 Daisy had a hunch about what her mom was going to say. She managed to squeeze out a smile and assured her parents. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it, guys. I¡¯m cool. Now that it¡¯s all decided, I¡¯m marrying Frances and the Santos will get some shares. When Frances kicks the bucket, I¡¯ll be back in the saddle again. I¡¯m rich, pretty and young. You don¡¯t have to worry about me. I¡¯ll head over as soon as I¡¯ve eaten and freshened up.¡± After dinner, Daisy hit the stairs. Wyatt and Rosie moved into the living room. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Have you met Morgan before?¡± Rosie asked. Wyatt nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t get your knickers in a twist, Rosie. Just let things slide. I¡¯ve got to change and head to the office.¡± ¡°How can I be okay with my daughter marrying a sick man? If it wasn¡¯t for the Boswell family¡¯s hefty influence, we wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. I hate this. Is Santos Jewels that big a deal? Our daughter is marrying into the Boswell family. We don¡¯t know what life she will have there, or whether she¡¯ll be bullied.¡± Rosie said worriedly. Wyatt tried tofort her, ¡°A big family like the Boswell¡¯s won¡¯t mistreat Daisy. Rosie. Worrying won¡¯t do any good. It¡¯ll just stress you out. Look at yourself right now. I can¡¯t just abandon thepany. Daisy is our daughter, of course I¡¯m worried. The Boswell family has been infighting for a long time, and it¡¯s no coincidence that Frances suddenly had an ident. How can I not worried about Daisy.¡± ¡°We as parents are so helpless, using our daughter for a deal between Boswell Enterprises and Santos Jewels.¡± Rosie sighed. Daisy¡¯s phone was in the kitchen. She was about to go downstairs to get it when she heard her parents¡¯ conversation. She paused, almost tearing up as she saw her parents worrying about her. She knew. This arranged marriage was something the Santos family couldn¡¯t fight. No matter whaty ahead and howplex the Boswell family was, she just had to roll with it. The Boswell family was so powerful, they could crush Santos Jewels like stepping on an ant. Growing up, Daisy always thought she lived a charmed life. Her parents gave her tons of pocket money each month and her mom took her shopping for thetest clothes. Even a basic white tee was pricey. She had dozens of bags worth a fortune in her closet. She never hesitated when buying these things. Santos Jewels wasn¡¯t that big, but it had grown a lot in recent years. Lots of richdies came to Santos Jewels for custom jewelry. Their designs were exquisite and reasonably priced, satisfying both the high-end and mass market needs. Daisy had always thought her life was heaps better than the average person. Maybe because she had it so good before, she never thought she¡¯d be in this situation. About ten minutes after Wyatt left for the office and Rosie went back to the garden, Daisy finally went to the kitchen to pick up her phone. She took a deep breath and went upstairs. She opened her closet, picked out a few clothes, tried them on one by one and finally chose a beige dress. The cuffs, cor and waist of the dress were decorated with pearls, making her look both elegant and gentle. Even though it was her first time meeting Mina, despite not knowing what kind of person Mina was, she at least wanted to leave a good impression. At 10am, Daisy arrived at the Boswell¡¯s as scheduled. The door was opened by Ava. ¡°Ms. Daisy? Pleasee in.¡± Ava eyed Daisy up and down, then immediately invited her in. Daisy walked in and was led to the living room. ¡°Ms. Daisy, please have a seat and rest here for a moment. Thedy is still in the study. I will fetch her immediately.¡± Ava said. Chapter 452 Chapter 452 Daisy was sitting on the couch, eyeing the Boswell family¡¯s surroundings carefully. The Boswell family residence was situated in the south of Northfield. Sure, the location didn¡¯t seem bustling, but it was right next to a southern scenic spot, and the surroundings were quite lovely. The value of houses in this area couldn¡¯t be measured in dors. People couldn¡¯t just buy one with money. The Boswell family¡¯s living room was decorated in a vintage style. She could tell that the owner had some pretty high-end tastes. Footsteps echoed from upstairs. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Daisy stood up and saw a middle-aged woman in a peacock-blue long dress walking down the stairs. She had a matching gem pendant around her neck and her makeup was just right, not too heavy. It was hard to believe this was Mina. Mina was Morgan¡¯s third wife. Morgan¡¯s first wife was Shannon, the daughter of Brookhaven¡¯s top jeweler. They had two kids, Frances and Wilton. His second wife was a in Jane who gave birth to a pair of twins, but both kids died unexpectedly. This led to his second wife¡¯s mental breakdown, and she ended up in a mental hospital. And then there was Mina, wife number three. When Morgan established a subsidiary, Morgan International, Mina chose to merge it into Peak Corporation, investing in more than thirty projects. The first year saw a loss of 10 million, which Morgan didn¡¯t bat an eyelid at. But by the second year, the profit reached 40 million, which was peanuts to Morgan who had already made a fortune from Boswell Enterprises. Young Morgan was a yboy. While his wife Shannon was at home, he was out flirting with other women. Then, he brought Mina home. Morgan was fond of the wild life in his younger days, having been involved with many women. Shannon put up with it. After all, she was the legal wife, and these women posed no threat to her. However, Morgan began to ramp up his antics, and he wasn¡¯t even fond of Shannon to begin with. After a big fight, Morgan¡¯s father decided to temporarily take back Morgan¡¯s shares, forcing him topromise. Then, Morgan International went public. That was when Morgan discovered Mina¡¯s capabilities. Mina came from humble beginnings, and both her parents were ordinary folks. Morgan¡¯s father seemed very fond of her, but sadly, Morgan was already legally married to Shannon. By the fourth year of Morgan International, which Mina founded, it became independent from Peak Corporation. At this time, Morgan International¡¯s-ie reached 90 million. This amount wasn¡¯t much for Boswell Enterprises. But she was thrilled, feeling validated by the Boswell family. She was certain she could earn much more with enough capital. Mina was always the unpopr one, craving attention since childhood. However, Morgan¡¯s father began to be wary of her. Having a woman like that in Boswell Enterprises might not be a good thing. Morgan¡¯s father was old and knew he didn¡¯t have much time left. He had to n for everything. So he decided that none of Boswell Enterprises¡¯ affairs should be managed by Mina, not even a tiny bit, Daisy wasn¡¯t fully aware of all the nitty-gritty details. She had only heard that when Shannon¡¯s health started going downhill, Mina moved into the Boswell family home. Not long after, Mina got pregnant and had a son. Then, Frances, the eldest son of the Boswell family, was involved in a car ident. About six or seven years after the ident, Morgan¡¯s father passed away. Morgan had been frequently hospitalized due to heart problems in recent years. Even though Mina wasn¡¯t directly managing Boswell Enterprises, most of the personnel were people she brought in when she established Morgan International. In this indirect way, she had control over Boswell Enterprises. Chapter 453 Chapter 453 Chapter 453 Daisy was at a loss. Having gotten into this mess, why on earth did she have to marry into the Boswell family? Was she just a trophy wife in the Boswell household? With a slight smile, Daisy watched Mina walk in and greeted, ¡°Mina, I¡¯m Daisy.¡± Mina gave Daisy a once-over. She¡¯d seen her picture before, saying, ¡°Hmm, have a seat.¡± ¡°What did you want to talk about, Mina?¡± Daisy asked. Mina responded with a light smile, ¡°I¡¯ve only seen you in photos before. From now on, you¡¯ll be thedy of the Boswell house. As your future mother-inw, it¡¯s better I get to know you now.¡± Daisy could tell, despite Mina¡¯s calm demeanor, she didn¡¯t feel any warmth from her. All she felt was an intangible pressure. Daisy exhaled slowly, realizing that there was more to this woman than just idle chit-chat. Sure enough, Mina continued, ¡°You should be aware of Frances¡¯ situation. Your marriage to him was arranged by the elders. You two may never have met before, but there¡¯s no harm in getting to know each other now.¡± ¦§ Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Daisy didn¡¯t have a choice, ¡°Yes.¡± She forced a smile, and her words were stiff. She didn¡¯t know what else to say at this moment. Should she admit that she was the unlucky one chosen to be thedy of the Boswell house? ¡°Frances isn¡¯t in good health. He¡¯ll need you to take care of him. Anything that happens with Frances, big or small, I want to know about it. Got it?¡± Mina said. Daisy was taken aback. Did Mina mean for her to spy on Frances? ¡°Um¡­¡± Daisy hesitated. Mina added, ¡°Daisy, if you want Santos Jewels to thrive, you¡¯ll do as I say. When you marry into the Boswell family, do you know who runs the show?¡± Daisy silently scoffed. So Mina¡¯s goal was to control the Boswell family. Although she didn¡¯t like it, she nodded with a smile, ¡°I understand, Mina.¡± Mina nodded, ¡°Good, you¡¯re smart.¡± She turned to Ava, ¡°Take thedy to the third floor to meet the young master.¡± Ava was quick to respond, ¡°Yes.¡± Turning to Daisy, she said, ¡°Please, follow me.¡± In an instant, Ava¡¯s address towards her had changed. Taking a deep breath, Daisy stood up and followed Ava to the third floor. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was just her imagination, but the air seemed to grow colder with each step she took. By the time they reached the third floor, she felt a chill run down her spine. As Ava led her to the room at the end of the hall, Daisy could smell a strong scent of disinfectant, simr to that of a hospital. Upon reaching the door, a middle-aged man with a scar on his face was seated on a long bench. He frowned at the sight of Ava, clearly not pleased to see her on the third floor. His gaze thennded on Daisy. While he seemed puzzled, he didn¡¯t ask any questions. Ava approached John, ¡°John, this is Daisy, Mr. Frances¡¯ fianc¨¦e. It¡¯s her first time here and she would like to meet Frances.¡± John responded, ¡°The master has said before, besides Mr. Wilton, no one else is allowed on the third floor.¡± Ava retorted, ¡°While we must respect the master¡¯s rules, considering it¡¯s Miss Daisy¡¯s first time here and she is soon to be Frances¡¯ wife, I believe it should be his decision whether he wants to meet her. John, could you please let Frances know that Miss Daisy is here?¡± John hesitated. His sharp gaze scanned Daisy¡¯s face before he finally went into the bedroom. Daisy¡¯s heart began to race. The man with the scar had unnerved her. His stare was not that of a typical bodyguard. His face bore a scar, stretching from his left cheek across his nose. It was a deep scar, clearly years old, but still quite prominent, as if cut by something sharp. About two minutester, John came out of the bedroom. His gazended on Daisy, showing aplex look in his eyes, ¡°Frances says you cane in.¡± Chapter 454 Chapter 454 Chapter 454 Ava chuckled, ¡°Miss Daisy, go on in. Have a good chat with him.¡± Daisy was actually not keen on entering. This strange environment and atmosphere put her on edge, but she mustered her courage and pushed the door open. Outside the door, Ava told John, ¡°I¡¯m heading down first.¡± John replied, ¡°Alright.¡± After Ava left, John immediately pulled out his phone and dialed Wilton, ¡°Mr. Wilton, Miss Santos is here, in Frances¡¯ room.¡± On the other end of the line, Wilton asked, ¡°You let Miss Santos in?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. John replied, ¡°Yes. You mentioned you wanted to see her.¡± Wilton stated, ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. You keep your heads up.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± John answered. Upon entering the room, Daisy found it wasn¡¯t as grim as she expected. Instead it was quite bright and cozy. The smell of disinfectant was strong and medical equipment was scattered around, but the atmosphere wasn¡¯t stifling. The window was open, and a few potted nts on the sill brought life to the room. The light blue curtains gently swayed in the wind. Daisy slowly approached the bed. The man half lying on the bed was reading a book. He had a straight nose and wore sses. He looked quite young, around 26 or 27 years old. His hair wasn¡¯t dark, but a bit lighter, matching his pupils. He had a gentle and refined air about him, very polite. Seeing him, Daisy blushed. She found this man named Frances to be quite handsome and well- mannered. ¡°Hello.¡± Daisy said softly. Frances looked up at her and smiled, ¡°Take a seat, Miss Daisy.¡± Daisy took a seat on a chair to the side. Frances said, ¡°I¡¯m surprised you came to see me today. Even if you didn¡¯te, I wanted to meet you and have a chat.¡± ¡°Chat about what?¡± Daisy asked. ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to marry me, and I don¡¯t want to hold you back because I know my health might not hold out much longer.¡± Frances said. Daisy quickly said, ¡°No, you¡¯ll get better, definitely will.¡± When she heard Frances say he might not live much longer, she felt a pang in her heart. But she just met this man, why did she feel this way? Daisy chuckled, ¡°By marrying you, the Santos family would prosper. If I don¡¯t marry you, our family may not survive under the pressure. I understand all this.¡± Frances said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Daisy. These things are beyond my control.¡± ¡°I know, I understand that it¡¯s not your fault.¡± Daisy smiled, a dimple showing on her cheek, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s Mrs. Mina who asked me toe see you today. I was thinking on my way here, if you turned out to be a jerk, I¡¯d avoid you as much as possible. But¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± Frances asked., ¡°But I think I was wrong, marrying you might not be a bad thing after all.¡± Daisy said. Frances chuckled and shook his head, ¡°You¡¯re telling me this, aren¡¯t you afraid of Mrs. Mina scolding you?¡± Daisy said shyly, ¡°How would she know if you don¡¯t tell her?¡± Daisy¡¯s gazended on the book in his hand, it was Long corridor by Keigo Higashino, ¡°Do you like this book too? I love it, I¡¯ve read almost all of his books.¡± Frances looked surprised, ¡°You like his books too?¡± Seeing Daisy nod, Frances also smiled, ¡°I have a lot of them here. They¡¯re all on the bookshelf.¡± Daisy stood up and walked over to the bookshelf. Chapter 455 Chapter 455 Chapter 455 Frances¡¯ bedroom was massive, with just the bedroom alone nearly 100 square feet, including a gigantic rotating bookshelf. Daisy, looking at the books on the shelf, asked, ¡°Have you read all these books?¡± ¡°Yep, read them all.¡± Frances had been lying in bed for a long time, barely going out and asionally heading to the garden for some fresh air. Most of his time was spent reading. He got off the bed, picked up his cane and walked slowly towards Daisy, ¡°If you like, you can take one.¡± Daisy suddenly heard a voice from behind her. She turned around to see Frances standing behind her, which startled her. The book in her hand fell to the floor. Frances bent down to pick it up, and his fingers touched Daisy¡¯s. Her fingers were soft, and she seemed to have a faint smell of fruity sweetness, maybe like orange candy. Very sweet and pleasant. Frances was also surprised by this sudden sensation. ¡°I got it. I¡¯ll pick it up.¡± Daisy¡¯s cheeks were a bit pink, The man¡¯s fingers were a bit cold. His fingertips were cold, even under the nkets. He must be really sick. With this thought, she felt a slight pain in her heart. ¡°I¡¯ll just borrow one. I read really fast, and I can return it to you tomorrow.¡± Daisy said quickly. After saying this, she suddenly thought that she would have to return the book tomorrow. Would this make him think she just wanted toe here on purpose? She was about to exin when she saw Frances smiling gently, ¡°Alright, Miss Daisy. See you tomorrow.¡± ¡°See you tomorrow. And, you don¡¯t have to call me Miss Daisy. Just call me Daisy.¡± Daisy said. ¡°Daisy.¡± Frances said. ¡°Mm-hmm, that¡¯s what my family calls me.¡± Daisy said. ¡°Alright, Daisy. See you tomorrow.¡± Frances replied. As Daisy left the bedroom, she seemed to be in a good mood. Even John seemed nicer. As she went downstairs, John¡¯s gaze followed her, bing more and moreplicated. John knocked on the bedroom door, and after getting permission, he entered, seeing Frances standing in front of the bookshelf with his cane. ¡°Mr. Frances, what book do you want? I can get it for you.¡± John asked. ¡°Did Miss Daisy leave?¡± Frances asked. ¡°She just went downstairs. She should be in the living room with Mina now.¡± John answered. Frances said, ¡°Don¡¯t be so nervous. I think she is quite nice.¡± ¡®Miss Daisy does seem nice, but people are unpredictable. Have you forgotten what Mina did before?¡± John said. Frances seemed to be in some pain and closed his eyes, ¡°Of course, I haven¡¯t forgotten.¡± When Daisy went downstairs, she saw Mina sitting in the living room, seemingly waiting for her. She walked over and said, ¡°Mrs. Pearson.¡± Mina immediately noticed the book in Daisy¡¯s hand, ¡°It seems you had a good chat with Frances.¡± ¡°We chatted for a while. He likes to read, so I borrowed a book.¡± Daisy said. ¡°How is his health? What was he doing in his room?¡± Mina asked. Daisy felt a knot in her stomach. As she suspected, Mina was using her to keep an eye on Frances. She said, ¡°He was reading in his room when I went in. As for his health, I can¡¯t really say, but he looked very weak. His lips were pale.¡± Daisy had heard about theplex grudges of the Boswell family. The power struggles between wealthy families were always scary. It was rumored that Frances¡¯ car ident was manipted by Mina, but there was no evidence. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Daisy could guess what Mina was worried about. Frances was a prominent figure in the business world. Naturally, Mina would worry about Frances gradually recovering and then nning to take over Boswell Enterprises. In her heart, Mina might even hope that Frances¡¯ illness would worsen. Chapter 456 Chapter 456 Upon hearing the words ¡°very weak¡±, the corners of Mina¡¯s eyes crinkled in amusement. She picked up her cup of coffee, taking a slow sip, ¡°Daisy, you¡¯re a sharp one, I like working with smart folks. Once you¡¯re hitched into the Boswell family, you stick with Frances and keep me in the loop about his every move. When Frances is out of the picture, you¡¯ll get a 6% share of Boswell Enterprises. You should know that¡¯s a boatload of money.¡± Daisy responded, ¡°I get that, but I think this deal¡¯s not quite fair. Suppose he stays hale and hearty, then I¡¯d be missing out on this golden opportunity. I might never get my hands on those shares.¡±¡± Mina replied, ¡°Three years, just three years. Even if Frances is still alive and kicking, you¡¯ll get your share of Boswell Enterprises. And your Santos Jewels business will be skyrocketing because of it.¡± Daisy said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Mina, I¡¯m much obliged.¡± Lately, Emma had been picking out scripts for Allison. Allison had got some serious acting chops and she trusted Emma, even having her transferred from Sadie. Emma felt the need to bust her hump to live up to Allison¡¯s faith in her. Even though she had umted some resources as an executive agent, they seemed paltrypared to Epic Entertainment. Emma wasn¡¯t in a hurry to see returns, and in this, she and Allison were two peas in a pod, both valuing the roles in the scripts more. One morning, Emma bagged a cameo role and immediately rang up Allison, ¡°Allison, are you free this afternoon? I¡¯ve got a killer script here.¡± Allison nced at her watch, put down her phone and said, ¡°Afternoon? I¡¯m all tied up, how about evening?¡± Then she turned to her mom, ¡°Mom, can we hit the road now?¡± Grace, who was changing in her bedroom, came out and said, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s get a move on. I told Penelope you¡¯d drop by, and she was over the moon when she heard.¡± Allison smiled and said, ¡°Really?¡± Grace knew Allison wasn¡¯t a big fan of Penelope, so she didn¡¯ty it on thick about Penelope to avoid making things worse. ¡°Let¡¯s hit the road, Allie.¡± Grace said. After Allison agreed, they headed downstairs. She had already called the driver, who was waiting for them. Grace looked at Allison and said, ¡°Allie, your driver¡¯s here.¡± The driver was driving a low-key Mercedes. It looked low-key, but the quality of the car was clearly high-end. Grace knew Allison had signed with Epic Entertainment and assumed this was thepany¡¯s arrangement for Allison. Only Allison knew that this was prepared by Lucian. Avable 24/7. ¡°Ms. Zimmer, where are we headed?¡± Tom, the driver, asked. Allison told the driver the name of a flower shop, and the driver parked the car not far from the building. Then he fetched a fresh bouquet of carnations, Allison took them and said, ¡°Mom, this is for Penelope.¡± At her age, Grace didn¡¯t know much about flower types and their meanings, she just thought they were beautiful and the fragrance was intoxicating. Seeing Allison taking the initiative to give Penelope flowers, and their rtionship improving, made her heart happy. ¡°Beautiful, Allie chose really beautiful flowers.¡± Grace said. About twenty minutester, they arrived at the door of the ward. Margo was already waiting at the door, as soon as she saw Allison and Grace, she said, ¡°The young lady has been waiting for you.¡± Her gaze was fixed on Allison. Every time she saw Allison, Margo was reminded of her injured leg. But she couldn¡¯t do anything to her, she could only seethe in silence.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Chapter 457 Chapter 457 Chapter 457 Even though Allison wasn¡¯t sure what Penelope was up to, she wasn¡¯t scared now that she was here. When she pushed open the door to the ward, there was Penelope. She was sitting on the bed, and her makeup looked perfect as if she was trying to show off her determination. Grace was worried that Allison and Penelope might butt heads, so she stepped in between them and said, ¡°Penelope, these are flowers Allie brought for you. Get well soon, okay?¡± Upon seeing the carnations, Penelope¡¯s face seemed to change. Weren¡¯t these flowers normally given on special asions? And the wrapping looked old and tacky. But Penelope didn¡¯t seem pissed off, ¡°Ms. Grace, have a seat. I¡¯ve asked the butler to prepare some fruit sd.¡± Penelope had never been this polite and warm to Grace before. Today was different. Allison was taken aback. What was Penelope ying at? ¡°Allison, I know I was a jerk to you before. I was young and reckless, and I treated you badly. I hope you¡¯re not mad and can forget all the unpleasant stuff.¡± Penelope said. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Allison was stunned. She looked at Penelope, not understanding why she was suddenly apologizing. Grace, seeing Penelope taking the initiative to apologize, was naturally delighted. She had always felt guilty for favoring Penelope over Allison. It was a mistake which happened in her youth that had caused a lot of trouble and now seemed impossible to fix. Her health had been deteriorating, and her greatest wish was to see Penelope and Allison reconcile. She knew Allison was kind and forgiving, while Penelope was spoiled and had always bullied Allison. But now that Penelope was apologizing, she turned to Allison and said, ¡°Allie, let bygones be bygones. You and Penelope have grown up together, and you look so much alike. It¡¯s fate. You should be like sisters and forget all the unpleasant past Allison looked at her mother. If this were before, she would¡¯ve scoffed and left, not giving a damn about Penelope. But now, seeing the hope and excitement in Grace¡¯s eyes, she couldn¡¯t say no. Allison knew Grace always hoped for things between her and Penelope to improve. She didn¡¯t want Grace to worry, so she nodded and said, ¡°Mom, you don¡¯t need to worry about us.¡± Asking her to forget the past was impossible. Everything Penelope had done to her, she would remember for the rest of her life. ¡°If you say so, then I¡¯ll take it as a yes.¡± Grace smiled, holding Allison¡¯s hand with one hand and Penelope¡¯s with the other, stacking their hands together tightly. Allison¡¯s other hand clenched into a fist behind her back, then rxed. She had worn a bracelet today. Not many people might know its worth, but Penelope, who was always in high-ss circles and knew luxury like the back of her hand, definitely would. Penelope¡¯s eyes fell on the fair wrist, and she was hooked. The bracelet, made of yellow sapphires and diamonds, was very valuable. Its designer was a famous British jeweler, and it was named ¡°Sunset Feather¡±. Three months ago, this bracelet appeared in an underground auction in Northfield. Penelope wanted it, and asked Lucian to bid for it. However, it disappearedter. And now, it was on Allison¡¯s wrist. Her expression changed instantly. Allison, ever the sharp one, caught the change in Penelope¡¯s face. Penelope unsped a jade ne from her neck and handed it over, saying, ¡°Allison, this is a ne I¡¯ve been wearing. It¡¯s very precious to me. Twant to give it to you as a symbol of our friendship. Can we exchange gifts? Would you give me your bracelet?¡± Allison chuckled. So that was it. She wanted her bracelet? This bracelet was a gift from Lucian. Though Allison didn¡¯t know the exact price, she knew its worth. Even if Penelope had a hundred nes, they wouldn¡¯t be worth a single chip on her bracelet. Chapter 458 Chapter 458 Chapter 458 Seeing Allison¡¯s indecision, Grace was worried about missing this golden opportunity. After all, this was a rare chance for the kids to make up. And besides, Penelope¡¯s ne looked extremely expensive, and Allison was always frugal and didn¡¯t own any fancy stuff. So, she quickly grabbed Allison¡¯s hand, gave her a look, then slid off Allison¡¯s bracelet and handed it to Penelope, ¡°There you go, you two are friends now. And I¡¯m the witness.¡± Allison looked at her mom and sighed. Her doubts were growing. Could Penelope be Grace¡¯s real kid? How ridiculous. She knew her mom always treated Penelope well but this was too much. She nibbled her lower lip, ¡°Mom¡­¡± Grace gripped her hand tightly, super excited, ¡°Allie, it¡¯s just a bracelet, I¡¯ll buy you a new one. I¡¯m so happy today. Seeing you two burying the hatchet, it¡¯s like a weight off my chest.¡± Allison¡¯s words were choked back by the tears pooling in Grace¡¯s eyes. And Penelope, clutching the bracelet, couldn¡¯t wait to put it on. She admired the yellow diamond on her wrist, sparkling under the bright light. It was stunning. No wonder it was rare and pricey. Such a beautiful piece should belong to her, not some dowdy poor girl like Allison. ¡°Allison,e visit me more when you¡¯re free. I¡¯d love to chat with you.¡± Penelope¡¯s voice was purposely soft. Allison looked at Penelope coldly, ¡°Sure.¡± Grace couldn¡¯t see Penelope¡¯s twisted face, as she had her back turned. Allison really wanted to take a picture of that face and show it to Grace. Gently stroking the bracelet, Penelope mouthed at Allison, ¡°What¡¯s mine is mine. Including Lucian and this bracelet.¡± At 3 pm, Grace and Allison left the hospital. Once in the car, Allison took Penelope¡¯s ne out of her bag. Seeing this, Grace hurriedly said, ¡°That ne doesn¡¯t look cheap. Just keep it, Allie. It¡¯s pretty.¡± Allison looked at her mom, and her mind was a whirl. ¡°Mom, do you really want me and Penelope to be friends that badly? Why? Whether I like Penelope or not, what does it have to do with our life? I¡¯ve disliked her since we were kids. We¡¯re from different worlds. Have you forgotten how she bullied me and framed me when we were young?¡± Allison asked. ¡°Of course I remember. But Penelope was just a kid back then. She doesn¡¯t know better. Now she¡¯s grown up. She understood things after this incident and needed bed rest for half a year. Why dwell on the past?¡± Grace said. Grace wished she could see the two kids reconcile before she passed away. She knew her own health condition and she may not have much time left. ¡°Mom.¡± Allison let out a deep sigh, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear anything about Penelope. I do mind what she did to me, and I will not forget. What she and Leah did to me, I will not forget either. Mom, have you forgotten that Leah once locked you up in a mental hospital? Or that Penelope tortured you there? They were the ones in the wrong! Why should we forgive them?¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Allie, I know you¡¯ve been having a rough time. I don¡¯t me Penelope. She¡¯s turned, over a new leaf and she knows she was wrong.¡± Grace said. ¡°No! Penelope hasn¡¯t changed! She won¡¯t admit she was wrong. She said she wanted to make up, so she called me over. She¡¯s just putting on a show for you! She¡¯s ying tricks on you!¡± Allison said. Chapter 459 Chapter 459 Chapter 459 ¡°Allison!¡± Grace scolded, ¡°You really don¡¯t know how to behave! Just because you don¡¯t like Penelope doesn¡¯t mean you can talk behind her back!¡± Allison sighed, and their entire journey was filled with silence. The car stopped at Blue Mountain Estate. Allison and Grace got out of the car. She said to the driver, ¡°Tom, could you do me a favor?¡± ¡°Ms. Zimmer, go ahead.¡± Tom said. ¡°Could you not tell Lucian about what happened today.¡± Allison said. ¡°Umm¡­¡± Tom hesitated. His job was to chauffeur Allison and report everything he knew to Lucian. ¡°Ms. Zimmer, are you referring to the hospital visit today?¡± Tom asked. Allison nodded, showing a polite smile on her face, ¡°Yes, thanks for your help. I¡¯ll take you out for a meal as a token of appreciation, and if you ever need anything, I¡¯ll definitely help out.¡± Tom nodded, getting a promise from Allison was something he wouldn¡¯t turn down, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll keep it a secret.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Allison said. As Allison was about to leave, Tom said, ¡°Ms. Zimmer, where¡¯s your bracelet?¡± Tom noticed because he overheard the conversation between Grace and Allison in the car about the ne from Penelope and Allison¡¯s bracelet exchange. But from the conversation, it was clear that Allison didn¡¯t willingly give Penelope the bracelet. This bracelet was a gift from Mr. Lindberg, bought for two million dors for Allison. Allison smiled slightly. Her skin was smooth, and under the sunlight it looked like transparent crystal. Tom realized he had been staring at Allison for several seconds and quickly looked away, feeling rude. ¡°That¡¯s why I asked you to keep it a secret.¡± Allison said, ¡°You already agreed.¡± ¡°But this bracelet is from Mr. Lindberg, he¡¯ll find out sooner orter. Have you thought about how you¡¯re going to exin?¡± Tom asked. ¡°I¡¯ve already thought it through.¡± Allisonughed, ¡°I¡¯ll just say I lost the bracelet.¡± Tom was taken aback, ¡°Ms. Zimmer, this is¡­¡± After returning home, Allison was getting ready to take a bath and change clothes. She had to discuss the script with Emma that evening. As soon as she entered, she saw Grace making a phone call in the living room. Allison was nning to go straight to her room, but then she heard Grace say, ¡°You want cherry pie, okay. I¡¯ll bring it to you tomorrow. Oh you¡¯re being discharged tomorrow and I¡¯ll deliver it to the nagan family.¡± Allison stopped in her tracks, and she slowly turned around, ¡°Mom, are you talking to Penelope?¡± Grace covered the phone, hastily said a few words, and then hung up. She looked at Allison, saying, ¡°Penelope wants cherry pie, and I fancy some too. I was nning on making some, so making a little more doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°Mom, she¡¯s a nagan. They have a ton of servants to cater to her, and her mother is Leah! She doesn¡¯t need you to take care of her! Mom, we have our own life!¡± Allison said. She was fed up with Grace getting all worked up every time Penelope came up, as if Penelope was her biological daughter. Allison felt frustrated and helpless. Grace stood up, ¡°I¡¯ve been making cherry pie for over a decade. Penelope has already gotten used to the taste. I¡¯m home all day with nothing to do, and it only takes a few minutes to deliver it to her. Plus, you see, she¡¯s bedridden now, with fractures in her hands and feet.¡± Seeing Allison looking upset, Grace quickly said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you always want cherry pie as well? I¡¯ll make it now, so it canst for three days.¡± Watching Grace head towards the kitchen, Allison whispered, ¡°Mom, am I your biological daughter?¡± Grace was tying her apron, and she froze as she heard this. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Grace stopped what she was doing. Chapter 460 Chapter 460 Chapter 460 The look on Grace¡¯s face suddenly froze, like she didn¡¯t see Allison¡¯s questioning. She looked a bit startled, a bit flustered, and she didn¡¯t turn away immediately, as if she couldn¡¯t bear to look at Allison directly. She stammered, ¡°What are you talking about, Allie? Why would you ask me something like that?¡± Allison looked at Grace¡¯s face. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re a bit too fond of Penelope? Even when we lived with the nagan family, you were always looking after Penelope. And now, we¡¯ve left the nagan¡¯s, you don¡¯t work for them anymore, so we have nothing to do with them.¡± ¡°Allie, I just¡­¡± Grace didn¡¯t expect Allison to pop the question. She tried to exin, but she couldn¡¯t find the right words. Allison sighed, but instead of avoiding the topic as before, she asked, ¡°Mom, am I really your daughter?¡± This was a question she¡¯d doubted for a long time. Deep down, she already knew the answer. But she wanted to hear it from Grace herself. Grace¡¯s face turned an even paler shade, looking quite odd. Her lips moved, her body shook violently, and she looked deep into Allison¡¯s eyes as if she wanted to say something but couldn¡¯t. A sharp pain shot through her heart. She clutched at her chest, gasping for air and bending over. Allison immediately went to support her, ¡°Mom, are you okay?¡± Grace held onto Allison¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°Allie¡­¡± ¡°Mom¡­¡± Allison looked at her mother¡¯s pale face, guilt and torment filled her heart. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mom. I was too impulsive today. You must rest.¡± ¡°Allie, it¡¯s my fault. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Grace held onto Allison¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°Allie, please don¡¯t me me. I¡¯m sorry.¡± As Grace spoke, tears slowly trickled down her face. Then she said something that left Allison frozen. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to keep it from you, but you¡¯re not my biological daughter.¡± Allison stiffened, and her face turned pale. She had mentally prepared for this answer, so she didn¡¯t show too much shock. Still, when she heard Grace admit it, she couldn¡¯t hide her heartache and despair. Normally, Allison would¡¯ve asked who her biological mother was. Grace was ready for that. But what Allison asked instead was, ¡°Then what¡¯s your rtionship with Penelope?¡± Grace¡¯s pupils contracted, and her lips were dry. ¡°I¡­ am her¡­¡± She felt guilty and heartbroken, facing a secret she had hidden for more than twenty years. And she was revealing this secret to Allison. Grace thought that this secret would depart with her. At this moment, facing Allison, all past lies were exposed. Her guilt towards Allison reached its peak because it was her impulsive decision back then to switch her own daughter Penelope with Leah¡¯s daughter Allison. She seemed to age a decade in a moment; already thin and pale from illness, she now looked even more haggard, and her lips lost their color. She looked at Allison, tears in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve been living with guilt and torment these past twenty years, Allie, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Allison opened her mouth but didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Twenty-three years ago, Christopher married Leah, but at that time, I still had a secret rtionship with Christopher. I was married to Joshua, but we lived in the same mansion, so it was inevitable that I would meet Christopher. I hated Leah. She stole Christopher from me. Christopher and I were in love for many years, and if it weren¡¯t for Leah¡¯s interference, Christopher and I would be a happy family now. It could be said that I acted out of vengeance, I secretly hooked up with Christopher, and I got pregnant, at which time Leah was also pregnant, and because I gave birth prematurely, our pregnancy times coincided.¡± Allison seemed to have guessed what wasing next. She was shaking uncontrobly.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Chapter 461 Chapter 461 Chapter 461 Her eyes didn¡¯t sparkle anymore; she had lost faith in the world. Grace went on, ¡°Back then, watching Christopher be there for Leah, put all his care and attention towards her, and watching Leah go into the delivery room, made me green with envy. My baby and Leah¡¯s were born almost on the same day. It was just a matter of morning and afternoon, so¡­ I secretly swapped them.¡± Hearing this, Allison¡¯s pupils dted. She wanted to speak, but no words came out. She initially thought, that not being Grace¡¯s biological child was the end of the story, but she never expected the truth behind it to be like this. She was actually Christopher and Leah¡¯s daughter! It took her a while to finally stutter, ¡°M¡­Mom¡­ are you messing with me? This can¡¯t be true¡­¡± Grace shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s true. Your biological mother is Leah.¡± Everything went ck before Allison¡¯s eyes, and the world seemed to shift around her in an instant. She closed her eyes, exhaled deeply, and asked, ¡°So, Penelope is¡­¡± Seeing how things escted, there was no point in hiding anymore. ¡°Penelope is me and Christopher¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°So, my brother, my father, aren¡¯t they the innocent ones in all this?¡± Allison recalled how Joshua always had a bright smile whenever he saw her. He was always so good to her. ¡°Did my dad know?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t at first, but he found outter.¡± Grace closed her eyes in sorrow. It was shortly before Allison¡¯s 11th birthday. Due to a fever, a blood test from the doctor revealed that Allison¡¯s blood type didn¡¯t match Joshua¡¯s. He had confronted Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Grace. Grace didn¡¯t hide it, and she told him the truth. Joshua was so furious, he stormed out. Three dayster, on Allison¡¯s birthday, Joshua came back. From then on, his rtionship with Grace began to deteriorate. Allison remembered that day, she waited all night for her father toe home with her favorite cake. His face looked terrible during that time. Looking back now, it all made sense. Silence filled the room. Neither Allison nor Grace knew what to say. After about three minutes, Allison asked, ¡°Does Penelope know?¡± Grace shook her head. ¡°Mom, just because of jealousy?¡± Allison was confused. ¡°Just because of jealousy, you changed the fate of two families?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an error I made back then, and I¡¯ve regretted it for over twenty years. The one I owe the most to is you; it¡¯s all my fault. Penelope has nothing to do with this. She doesn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t know? She¡¯s lived my life for twenty years, and you think a simple ¡®she doesn¡¯t know¡¯ can erase that? You said it has nothing to do with her. What about me? I¡¯m the innocent one here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Allie¡­¡± This sounded hollow, but other than that, Grace didn¡¯t know what else to say. ¡°You told me this, aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll tell the nagan family?¡± Grace had thought about it. ¡°Actually, I was nning to take this secret to my grave. I never thought things would turn out this way. It¡¯spletely understandable if you want to tell the nagan family. They are your family, and they are your parents. ¡°Penelope has had a happy life for the past twenty years. She¡¯s your sister, and you¡¯re hers. The things she did wrong, you should me me. It¡¯s all my fault. This has nothing to do with the two of you, so I¡¯ll take responsibility for my mistakes.¡± Penelope was now engaged to Lucian. She saved Miranda¡¯s life, the Lindbergs wouldn¡¯t refuse to marry her, and Leah wouldn¡¯t make things difficult for her because of this truth. Allison suddenly remembered something. ¡°Oh yeah, do you remember my bracelet? You took it off and gave it to Penelope. That bracelet was given to me by Lucian.¡± Chapter 462 Chapter 462 Chapter 462 Grace was stunned. ¡°You and Lucian¡­?¡± ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve been with Lucian for a while now. I knew him before Penelope did.¡± She looked at Grace and continued, ¡°You¡¯re about to stick up for Penelope, aren¡¯t you? Say she¡¯s engaged to Lucian, they can get married this year, and ask me not to stand in their way, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Allie, I know you¡¯re pissed at me and Penelope, but right now Penelope is severely injured, she saved Lucian¡¯s mom, and their marriage is a done deal. Why are you being so stubborn? Why can¡¯t you compromise for them?¡± ¡°If Ipromise for them, who willpromise for me?¡± Allison¡¯s hand was cold as ice, as she held Grace¡¯s hand. ¡°Mom, do you remember how you got your medical expenses? I lied to you before, and said it was from the nagan family¡­¡± As she said this, she suddenly felt how foolish she had been before and evenughed. ¡°Christopher wouldn¡¯t care about this. He¡¯d just y Mr. Nice Guy. And Leah, she wishes we were dead. Your medical bills, actually, came from a favor I did for Penelope. That was her payback to me.¡± Grace did not expect this twist. Allison continued, ¡°Do you know what I did for Penelope?¡± Grace shook her head, but she felt something was off. ¡°Did Penelope bully you, Allie? It¡¯s all my fault. You can me me.¡± Allison¡¯s voice was clear and gentle. She looked at Grace, who always thought of Penelope first. Her heart suddenly ached, she felt like crying but couldn¡¯t shed a tear. ¡°Penelope found out where Lucian was staying in advance. She wanted to marry him, so she had me go into his room. The one who wasContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. with Lucian that night was me, not Penelope. Penelope wasn¡¯t a virgin and was afraid of being found out. We look very simr. Tell me, if the Lindberg family knew that it was me with him that night, would they still marry Penelope off?¡± Grace was taken aback. After a series of shocked emotions, Grace started breathing heavily, and Allison supported her. She didn¡¯t expect Grace¡¯s condition to suddenly worsen. She wanted to call an ambnce, but Grace held her tightly with her skinny hand. ¡°Allie¡­¡± Grace¡¯s voice was hoarse, like a candle about to be extinguished. ¡°Allie, I am begging you¡­¡± Allison paused, and stared at Grace, her eyes filled with sorrow, her lips pale and trembling, ¡°Begging me? Mom¡­what do you want me to do?¡± She knew what Grace wanted to say, but she didn¡¯t expect Grace would still choose Penelope. Penelope had been reckless. Even though Penelope had almost killed both Allison and Grace, now, knowing the truth, Grace was still begging her. Allison found this extremely ridiculous. It was absurd and pathetic. When guilt reached a certain extreme, after repetition and umtion, Grace found that these words were not hard to say. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. You can hate me. I won¡¯t me you. But I¡¯m begging you, can you not expose Penelope?¡± Grace knew how much Penelope wanted to marry Lucian, and how much she longed to be the bride of the Lindberg family. ¡°What if I refuse?¡± Allison¡¯s face was pale. ¡°Why should Penelope live my life? Penelope likes Lucian, so can¡¯t I like him too? You¡¯re asking me to step aside for Penelope. Why don¡¯t you ask Penelope to step aside for me?¡± Grace didn¡¯t expect her good girl to suddenly retort so resolutely. She thought that even if the truth of the past was revealed, Allison¡¯s years of affection for her would allow her request to be fulfilled. But she didn¡¯t expect¡­ Grace could not answer Allison.¡± Allison stood up, took out her phone, and dialed 911. That night, Grace was sent to the hospital due to emotional excitement and worsening condition. Coincidentally, the doctor in charge of triage happened to be Dr. Dn. Chapter 463 Chapter 463 Chapter 463 The two only met for a brief second before Dr. Dn was off into the patient¡¯s room, without even having the chance to say hello. Allison stood outside, leaning against the hospital wall with her eyes closed. Even though it was already night, the hospital was still bustling with activity. Doctors, nurses, and patients wereing and going. A nurse recognized Allison and asked, ¡°Allison, is it your mom who¡¯s not feeling well?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Allison knew this nurse, but at the moment, she just wasn¡¯t in the mood for a chat. What happened tonight was beyond Allison¡¯s expectations, and she still couldn¡¯t calm her emotions. She leaned against the hospital corridor, which seemed to give off a white glow. The busy people became silhouettes against the light. They continuously moved back and forth in front of her, and Allison felt her vision fade to ck. A familiar nurse shouted her name, ¡°Allison-¡± Then, she found herself copsing into a broad, warm chest. Dr. Dn had just walked out of the patient¡¯s room and caught her before she hit the ground. Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Allison, Allison, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Dr. Dn¡¯s voice grew more and more distant until shepletely cked out¡­ When Allison opened her eyes, she was met with a white ceiling. A strong smell of disinfectant filled the room, mixed with a faint, familiar scent. She sat up and found herself on a narrow bed, covered with a man¡¯s jacket. Looking around, she realized she was in the lounge of Dr. Dn¡¯s office. A screen separated the lounge from Dr. Dn¡¯s desk. This must have been the nephrology ward. Allison sat up, feeling a bit dizzy. She checked her phone and was surprised to see it was already 9 PM. She walked around the screen and saw her mother, Grace¡¯s medical file, on Dr. Dn¡¯s desk. His phone was there, but he was nowhere to be found. Allison nced through the file before deciding to leave. Just then, a female nurse walked in. Allison recognized her from her mother¡¯s previous stays at the hospital. The nurse also remembered Allison. ¡°Dr. Dn had to attend to an emergency. He¡¯ll be back soon. Your mom¡¯s in room 06, bed 3. She¡¯s asleep now and should be fine, but we¡¯re keeping her for a few days of observation.¡± Allison nodded and then headed to the patient¡¯s room. Grace was already asleep, sharing the room with another patient, an older woman who was watching TV with the volume down. Seeing Allison, the elderly woman seemed worried that the TV might have been disturbing others and motioned for her granddaughter to turn it off. Allison smiled and said it was alright. Every patient here had their own ailments and pain, so watching some TV was their way to find a bit of happiness. Everyone was struggling with their health; they didn¡¯t need to give up their little joys for others, especially since the TV wasn¡¯t loud. Allison stood by Grace¡¯s bed, looking down at the woman lying there. How did things end up like this? She knew she wasn¡¯t Grace and Joshua¡¯s biological child and thought that she was just someone Grace picked up on the streets, or maybe she was the illegitimate child of Grace and Christopher. She couldn¡¯t stand Christopher¡¯s hypocrisy. Allison had considered all these possibilities. But never did she imagine that she was the biological daughter of Leah and Christopher, and that Penelope was actually Grace and Christopher¡¯s daughter. Now she didn¡¯t know how to face Grace. Even though Grace was her mother, she also indirectly caused her life to fall apart. Chapter 464 Chapter 464 Chapter 464 Thinking of Leah, her heart suddenly filled with pain. She had put up with Leah¡¯s nagging for over twenty years. Now, the woman she loathed to the core turned out to be her real mom? This truth was a tough pill to swallow for Allison. Her inner turmoil stirred like a relentless stormy sea. She got up and left the ward. In the hospital corridor, Allison stood there, dazed. Someone bumped into her, mumbled an apology, but Allison¡¯s gaze was vacant. She just kept walking straight ahead until someone called her name from behind. Allison turned around, Dr. Dn jogged up to her and said, ¡°You left your cell phone.¡± Allison took it, and Dr. Dn continued, ¡°It kept ringing when you passed out, so I answered it for you. Your friend said she¡¯s on her way.¡± Allison nced at her phone. It was a call from Emma. Only then did she remember that she had promised to have dinner with Emma tonight to discuss the script for their next show, but she totally spaced out. The shocking revtion tonight overwhelmed Allison and caused her to faint. ¡°Dr. Dn, how¡¯s my mom?¡± Allison asked. Dr. Dn replied, ¡°She¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s a minor issue, but she needs to stay in the hospital for a few days.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve got stuff to do, I¡¯ll catch youter, Dr. Dn, Allison said. ¡°Allison.¡± Dr. Dn handed her a box of candies. ¡°You know you have hypoglycemia right? Don¡¯t overwork yourself, or your body will pay the price.¡± Allison took the candies and said, ¡°Thanks.¡± Dr. Dn smiled and said, ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± Allison left the hospital, called Emma back, and waited for fifteen minutes at the hospital entrance for Emma to pick her up. Emma nced at Allison¡¯s pallid face and asked with concern, ¡°What happened? Is your mom okay?¡± ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡± Allison massaged her temples and leaned back in the seat. ¡°I need a drink.¡± Emma said, ¡°It¡¯ste.¡± Allison replied, ¡°I¡¯m beat. I could use a drink.¡± Seeing Allison¡¯s off-color face, Emma didn¡¯t know what had happened, but something was definitely up. Was it something about Ms. Grace¡¯s condition? Emma didn¡¯t press, and she simply drove to a nearby bar. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She looked around, parked the car, and then walked into the bar with Allison. She wasn¡¯t a fan of celebrities hanging out in such ces. Once Allison hit the big time, such outings would be her Achilles¡¯ heel. Usually, Allison had strong self-control and wouldn¡¯t set foot in such a ce, but tonight, she decided to let loose. Sitting in the bar, Allison took a sip of her drink, the icy liquid sliding down her throat. After the cold came the burning sensation, but Allison just kept chugging. After downing three drinks, Emma quickly intervened, ¡°Don¡¯t drink anymore. You¡¯ll have a hangover tomorrow.¡± Allison looked at Emma, her eyes were like deep, dry wells, eerily silent. Emma got spooked, and she quickly asked, ¡°Allison, what happened? Is something wrong with Ms. Grace?¡± Emma moved beside Allison, supporting her while taking the drink out of her hand. Allison gave a bitter smile, shook her head, and said, ¡°Emma, I¡¯m really upset. I don¡¯t know who to talk to¡­ why did this happen to me¡­¡± Chapter 465 Chapter 465 Chapter 465 She busted her chops trying to cure Grace¡¯s illness. To make Grace happy, she was always on her best behavior since she was a kid. Even if she sometimes felt that her mother was overprotective of Penelope, she just chalked it up to Penelope being the nagan family¡¯s daughter and her mom just being polite. She hit the books hard, trying to avoid any conflicts with Penelope. In the nagan family, she bent over backwards to do everything she could. But ironically, Grace was the one who screwed up her life! She muttered under her breath, ¡°Why? Why is Penelope always on her mind? Has she ever truly cared about me¡­¡± Emma couldn¡¯t quite catch what she said, and only heard the name ¡°Penelope.¡± She was really worried about Allison¡¯s condition, so she whipped out her phone and hit up Patty, giving her the lowdown on what was happening. Patty immediately asked, ¡°Where are you guys? Take care of Allison, I¡¯m on my way.¡±. By the time Patty showed up, Allison was already hammered and leaning on Emma. Patty told Emma, ¡°You can head home now. I¡¯ll take care of Allison.¡± Emma nodded and went home, but she was a bit taken aback. Patty was known for not being a pushover and not really giving a damn about her artists. ¡± As the head agent at Epic Entertainment, Patty¡¯s artists were the cream of the crop at Epic. And someone like Allison, a newbie who just signed, wouldn¡¯t normally get any special attention from Patty. Emma called Patty because she was worried that Allison getting stered at a bar could cause trouble for her future career, so she wanted to pick Patty¡¯s brain. Although Allison was a neer in the entertainment world, she had just starred in Cathy¡¯s movie and was getting more and more offers. If her fame increased, her getting sloshed in a bar could potentially be dug up by some team that would tarnish her image. But to her surprise, Patty hightailed it over immediately. Seemed like Patty actually gave a crap about Allison. Emma shook her head, unable to figure out why. She stopped thinking about it and just worried about Allison. Patty drove Allison to Blue Mountain Estate and got her settled in. Then she rang up Lucian¡¯s assistant, Shawn. ¡°Shawn, it¡¯s Patty.¡± Patty nced at Allison sprawled on the couch and said, ¡°Allison¡¯s wasted and she seems kinda down.¡± After hanging up, Patty stayed with Allison. Even though Allison was drunk, her thoughts were still racing. In her drunken stupor, she saw Patty and murmured, ¡°Patty¡­¡± Patty sat down next to Allison. ¡°Yeah, you feeling okay?¡± ¡°Patty, what if you really despise someone who¡¯s been nasty to you since childhood, but then you find out that this person¡­¡± Allison didn¡¯t know what to say, or who to say it to. She wanted to call Daisy but felt this whole situation was too absurd. She despised Leah and Penelope who had bullied her since childhood, they even got their kicks from insulting her. Before, she was forced to have an abortion because of Leah. How could this woman possibly be her biological mother? Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Allison closed her eyes tightly. ¡°Patty, I¡¯m having a hard time breathing.¡± Patty became rmed, and she quickly supported Allison. ¡°I¡¯m gonna call the ambnce now.¡± Allison shook her head to say it wasn¡¯t necessary. Despite the smell of alcohol on her, she was surprisingly lucid. She was reminiscing about her years living with the nagan family. When she was a kid, she helped her mom wash vegetables, but Penelope ran over and used her of ripping her doll. Allison denied it, then Grace scolded her for being unreasonable, apologized to Penelope, and promised to rece the doll. When Leah¡¯s pearl bracelet went missing, she was used of stealing it. Chapter 466 Chapter 466 Chapter 466 Leah had turned her backpack inside out, but it ended up a bust. Allison saw Penelope pawn off Leah¡¯s bracelet and then passed the bucks she got to her boyfriend. Yep, Penelope started dating as early as junior high, with a carousel of boys spinning around her. Growing up, not a single day in the nagan family was a walk in the park for Allison. Her biggest wish was to escape with her mom, but then her mom fell ill, and her biggest wish turned into getting her mom back on her feet. She would give up everything if only her mom¡¯s health could take a turn for the better. To pay for her mom¡¯s surgery, Allison sold her virginity. To get her mom a new kidney, Allison had to y Penelope¡¯s stand-in, which ended up in a miscarriage. However, today, the penny dropped. Turned out Grace wasn¡¯t her real mom. Leah was! And Grace was the one who had wrecked her life! How could she get her head around that? ¡°Patty, do you believe in fate?¡± Patty looked at Allison, whose eyes seemed to have lost their spark. She had no idea what Allison had been through. ¡°Allison, do you know my story? When I first started working, I was a greenhorn. I was pushed around, bullied, and framed. I never believed in fate from a young age, I only believed that fate was in my own hands Only I could change my destiny.¡± She took Allison¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°Allison, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve been through, but I want to tell you, never throw in the towel, no matter what. If life¡¯s giving you lemons, you have to fight harder, and hold on to what¡¯s yours. Don¡¯t let those who once looked down on you step on you.¡± There seemed to be a glimmer in Allison¡¯s eyes. That glimmer slowly grew, warming and brightening like the rising sun. Half an hourter, Lucian arrived at Blue Mountain Estate. Patty opened the door, seeing Lucian up close for the first time. Her eyes met his icy gaze. She saw his handsome and deep features, but in the next second, Patty looked away. She didn¡¯t dare look at this man again, her heart racing. L This man had a strong aura that made her out of breath. He was as cold as a block of ice. Lucian didn¡¯t look at her and walked into the living room. Patty patted her chest and let out a sigh. Lucian was even colder than he was described in the reports, but also more handsome. His looks were top-notch. If he went into showbiz, he would outshine everyone instantly. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Even if she just sneaked a peek, she couldn¡¯t forget his facial features. But he seemed too standoffish. You could say Lucian was a legend in the financial world of Northfield. Getting to meet such a person up close, Patty felt like she hit the jackpot. Lucian walked into the living room, and a strong smell of alcohol hit him. He frowned, remembering that Allison rarely drank, let alone getting stered like this. He pursed his lips, walked over to Allison, knelt down on one knee, and gently caressed her face. ¡°Allison.¡± Allison was a bit taken aback; she seemed to hear Lucian¡¯s voice. Chapter 467 Chapter 467 Chapter 467 Was she hallucinating? Allison rubbed her eyes, staring at the man who suddenly appeared in front of her. Her eyes started to well up with tears; there were a bunch of words she wanted to say to him. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Lucian was about to scold her for being drunk, but seeing her pitiful eyes, he gently lifted her chin with his finger, his voice softened. ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± Allison sat up, hugging him tightly, burying herself in his embrace, and then she started to sob quietly. Finally, she found a ce where she could rx. His embrace was a little cold, but Allison felt warmth from it. ¡°Lucian,¡± Allison cried, ¡°why did youe back sote?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I came backte.¡± Hearing her crying, his fingers trembled slightly, then began to stroke her hair. His hand slipped into her soft hair, gently pulling her into his arms. His voice was raspy but warm. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ll make sure to come back on time.¡± ¡°You said you¡¯re only going for a few days? You¡¯ve been gone for a week.¡± Allison¡¯s voice was muffled as if it came from the depths of his chest. Lucian bowed his head, gently kissing the top of her hair. Only when he heard her crying did he realize that he had truly fallen in love with her. Her crying was like a dull knife cutting his heart. Initially, he was attracted by her body, treating her as his lover. His attraction to her was out of a man¡¯s desire for possession, but gradually, Lucian realized that he couldn¡¯t live without this woman. ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll be on time from now on,¡± he promised. Lucian didn¡¯t ask her why she was crying, or why she was drowning her sorrows in alcohol. He just held her andforted her. She seemed to have cried herself out, or maybe the alcohol had hit, and she slowly fell asleep in his arms. Lucian held her, stood up, and walked into her bedroom. Patty stood outside the door, shocked, her eyes filled with astonishment. She never expected that a man like Lucian would be so considerate of a woman. This was truly shocking. It seemed that Allison was really special, Patty¡¯s respect for Allison deepened, and she even began to reflect on whether she had neglected Allison. She originally thought that she was inpetition with Charlie, that Charlie was just temporarily at a disadvantage, and as soon as Penelope recovered she would immediately counterattack, but now¡­ She felt that Penelope was no match for Allison at all. It seems that she had to treat Allison well in the future. Patty suddenly remembered that she had some good scripts in her hand and was wondering if Allison would be interested. The next morning, Allison woke up with a bit of a headache. She stared at the ceiling, her brain was nk for a few seconds, then she felt a severe headache and she realized she was at home. She thought about what happenedst night, and couldn¡¯t help butugh at herself, then closed her eyes. Suddenly, a man¡¯s deep and hoarse voice came from beside her, ¡°Are you awake?¡± This familiar and sexy voice left Allison momentarily stunned. She didn¡¯t seem to expect another person to be in her bedroom. But this was a familiar voice and Allison wouldn¡¯t mistake it. Could it be thatst night wasn¡¯t a hallucination? Lucian! She turned her head and looked at him lying next to her, her pupils slowly dting, and her eyes quickly became moist. For some reason, seeing him made Allison feel like crying. Last night¡¯s experience was like a nightmare for her. ¡°Lucian¡­¡± her voice was soft and slightly trembling. Chapter 468 Chapter 468 Chapter 468 Lucian was awake. He reached out, grabbed Allison, and pulled her tightly into his arms. ¡°Allison, did you miss me?¡± Allison nodded, her face pressed against his chest. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me when you came back?¡± ¡°Sorry, I came backte.¡± Lucian looked at her, his eyes dark. This sentence made Allison somewhat dizzy. It seemed that she had heard this sentencest night as well. She thought she was dreaming at that time. After all, how could Lucian possibly appear in front of her? It turned out that everything was real, and he really showed upst night. She didn¡¯t expect Lucian to apologize to her. This wasn¡¯t the first time. But when Allison heard it, she was still surprised. Lucian seemed to be different from the domineering man in her memory. He had be gentler. ¡°When did youe back?¡± Allison leaned in his arms and closed her eyes, she felt a lot more at ease. Yesterday,¡± Lucian said. ¡°I originally nned to surprise you. I just got off the ne, and before I had a chance to rest, Shawn received a call from your agent.¡± Allison blinked, she suddenly noticed that Lucian was not dressed. Her eyes widened. ¡°You¡­¡± Suddenly, her face turned red. She looked at Lucian. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you dressed?¡± Lucian held her. ¡°Why should I wear clothes to sleep?¡± He said it with conviction. Allison propped herself up, trying to sit up. ¡°I promised Emma to discuss the scriptst night, but I completely forgot. You just came back. You must be tired. You should rest first. I¡­¡± Before she could sit up, Lucian tightly held her. He rolled over, pressed Allison into his arms, lowered his head, and gave her a deep kiss. Allison¡¯s hands circled Lucian¡¯s neck. His scent made her feel familiar and at ease, calming her previous low mood. After a deep kiss, Lucian let her go, panting slightly. ¡°I missed you, a lot. These days, I dream about you.¡± ¡°What did you dream about me doing?¡± Allison also panted slightly. Lucian bent over and the corner of his lips slightly lifted. His voice was husky from the morning, he lowered his head and whispered in her ear, ¡°I dreamed about what we¡¯re going to do next.¡± Allison immediately understood what he meant, her face turned red. ¡°Can¡¯t you be serious for once?¡± Lucian held her, looking a bit tired. He buried his face in her shoulder, smelling the fragrance of her hair. ¡°How am I not being serious? Do you know how much I missed you these past few days? Allison, can you always stay with me?¡± Allison pursed her lips slightly, her hands circled his waist¡­ At 9:30 in the morning, Lucian left Allison¡¯s house and went to Lindberg Corporation. Allison tidied up a bit and went to the hospital. Although Grace was not her biological mother, but a culprit that caused a major change in her life, she couldn¡¯t just leave Grace alone in the hospital. Her heart was full of contradictions, unable to stay calm, and unable to handle this problem simply. She arrived at the hospital and first stopped at the door of the ward. Seeing that the nurse took good care of Grace, she turned and walked towards the nurse¡¯s triage desk. ¡°How¡¯s the patient in bed 3, room 6?¡± Allison knew nearly all the nurses here, as Grace had been here for a long time before. ¡°Grace? Her creatinine level is normal at present, and all other indicators have returned to normal. Her condition this time is probably due to being too emotional. As long as she can control her emotions and takes her medication on time, there won¡¯t be any big problems.¡± Allison thanked the nurse, then prepared to leave. Suddenly, an unfriendly voice called her, ¡°Allison, what are you doing here?¡± Allison turned her head and saw a person in a doctor¡¯s uniform. It was Jade.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Chapter 469 Chapter 469 Chapter 469 She shot Jade a look. ¡°Why can¡¯t I be here? Is this hospital yours or something?¡± Jade was taken aback. ¡°You¡­¡± Allison looked at Jade. ¡°Didn¡¯t you break up with Dr. Dn? You¡¯re a cardiologist, so why are you hanging around the nephrology ward? Isn¡¯t the cardiology ward in a different building?¡± Jade stuttered, ¡°I¡­What¡¯s it to you where I go?¡± ¡°Well, what¡¯s it to you if I¡¯m here? Dr. Jade, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re sticking your nose where it doesn¡¯t belong?¡± Allison turned around, a bit speechless. Jade stomped her foot and called her back, ¡°Allison, don¡¯t think for a second I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re here. You¡¯re after Dr. Dn, aren¡¯t you? Did Dn dump me because of you?¡± Jade blurted this out loud. There were many people in the ward, and all eyes turned to them at her outburst. Allison pursed her lips slightly. She felt a bit helpless and was just d that Emma wasn¡¯t there to scold her again. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Dr. Jade, you¡¯ve got quite the imagination.¡± Allison was wearing light makeup and sunsses. Through the lenses, she could see the jealousy in Jade¡¯s eyes. Jade retorted, ¡°I have an imagination? If it wasn¡¯t for you, why would Dn break up with me? Everyone knows we were a great couple at the hospital. He had no reason to break up with me. The only factor is you stirring up trouble between us!¡± ¡°Dr. Jade, you sure are confident. Did it ever ur to you that maybe he just doesn¡¯t like you?¡± Allison really didn¡¯t want to keep arguing with Jade. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Dr. Dn if he likes you? Arguing with me is pointless. I have a boyfriend, and we¡¯re very happy.¡± Jade nched, and more people started to gather. A nurse walked over. ¡°Allison, you should go¡­¡± She whispered, seemingly aware of Jade¡¯s tendency to make a scene. ¡°Just ignore her.¡± Allison nodded, ready to leave, when she heard Jade call out, ¡°Grace, you¡¯re Allison¡¯s mother, right? Why don¡¯t you step in? Your daughter is driving a wedge between me and my boyfriend, seducing him. You need to do something.¡± Grace, who had been inside, came out at Jade¡¯s call. She looked stunned, an IV drip in her hand. Allison was shocked that Jade, a doctor, would disregard medical ethics like this. She clenched her fists and slowly turned around. Grace looked at Allison, guilt in her eyes. She walked over and said, ¡°Allie.¡± Allison said, ¡°You s should go back to your room.¡± Jade began to mock, ¡°What, you can¡¯t answer?¡± The doctors and nurses began to gather, discussing the matter. A nurse hurried over to disperse the crowd. ¡°Move along, everyone back to your rooms. Please stop crowding around here.¡±¡± Allison called a nurse to take Grace back to her room. Grace watched Allison leave, worry in her eyes. But at the moment, she didn¡¯t feel like she had the right to stand by Allison¡¯s side. Chapter 470 Chapter 470 Chapter 470 There was a big meeting room on the 8th floor, where doctors and nurses gathered for their meetings. It could squeeze in a hundred or so of them. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. This whole fiasco, though not a big deal, has put a bit of a dent in the hospital¡¯s rep. Dr. Kenston looked at Jade and said, ¡°Dr. Jade, this hospital ain¡¯t your personal yground for mischief, you know. As a doc, you gotta get that.¡± Hearing this, Jade turned as white as a sheet. She knew she¡¯d overstepped the line. Thanks to her mom, Dr. Thalia, Jade had a smooth ride into the hospital after graduation, and hardly experienced any bumps on the road. Now, being called out in public, she was feeling pretty crappy. ¡°I apologize to everyone, Jade said. ¡°I know I messed up and caused the hospital some grief. I¡¯ll take the heat for it.¡± Allison was also in the room, arms crossed over her chest. ¡°Because of Dr. Jade¡¯s false usations, I¡¯ve taken a hit too. I hope the hospital will shoulder some of the me. I¡¯ll have mywyer and agent hash it out with you guys.¡± To this, Dr. Kenston said to Allison, ¡°I apologize. This was all down to Dr. Jade¡¯s hot-headedness.¡± Allison pursed her lips and nced at her watch. ¡°I hope the hospital will ramp up on professional ethics training when you hire docs. It¡¯s not cool for a doc to publicly use a patient¡¯s rtive. Dr. Dn and I split long time ago. Dr. Jade and Dr. Dn broke up, Dr. Jade couldn¡¯t win his affection, and there¡¯s no need for her to be pissed at me.¡± Allison¡¯s words were sharp, her voice clear, and her expression frosty. Jade jumped to her feet. ¡°Allison! You seduced Dr. Dn behind my back and caused our break-up, and you have the nerve to deny it!¡± ¡°Why should I admit to something I didn¡¯t do?¡± Allison¡¯s face became serious, with a hint of authority. ¡°It was you, Jade, who confessed your feelings to Dr. Dn before he and I even broke up. Dr. Dn rejected you, and everyone at that party saw it. Now that Dr. Dn and I have broken up, you¡¯re slinging mud at me. I have a boyfriend now, and he would be really unhappy if he knew about this.¡± Dr. Dn just came out of surgery in the morning and was feeling a bit exhausted. He went to his resting room to take a breather, then got a call from a nurse saying Jade and Allison were summoned to the meeting room. He quickly got the lowdown and hightailed it to the meeting room. Just as he approached the door, he heard Allison¡¯s voice. Her voice was pleasant, very unique. When she was upset, her voice was like an iced beer straight from the fridge, giving off a chill vibe. He paused, standing at the door. Just then, Dr. Thalia arrived. As Jade¡¯s mom, she rushed over as soon as she heard about the ruckus. Both of them pushed open the door and walked in. ¡°Dr. Thalia, Dr. Kenston,¡± said Dr. Dn. ¡°Sorry, I was in surgery. Didn¡¯t mean to cause you guys trouble.¡± Dr. Kenston, seeing him, said, ¡°Dn, good thing you¡¯re here.¡± Jade looked at Dr. Dn, her eyes full of affection. ¡°Dn.¡± Dr. Dn sighed, ¡°Dr. Jade, I remember telling you clearly, we broke up because we weren¡¯t a good match. I appreciate all your help in the past.¡± Jade¡¯s lips lost all color. ¡°Dn, are you still hung up on Allison? Is it because she seduced you that you chose to break up with me?¡± Chapter 471 Chapter 471 Chapter 471 Hearing this, Dr. Thalia¡¯s brows immediately furrowed. She didn¡¯t expect her usually poised and well- mannered daughter to say something like that. She instantly turned stern. ¡°Jade!¡± Jade realized her words were a bit out of line, but she felt indignant. ¡°Dn, that¡¯s not true! You do like me!¡± Dr. Dn was a bit exasperated. ¡°I was temporarily suspended because of a medical incident. I¡¯m truly grateful for your help during that time. But the person I like is Allison, and it always has been. Dr. Jade, I¡¯m sorry for any misunderstanding. I thought I¡¯ve made myself clear. Please don¡¯t do this again.¡± This time, in front of both deans, Dr. Dn utterly rejected Jade. The always pampered, smooth-sailing Jade took a nasty fall for the first time. She seemed unable to handle it, her cheeks swiftly turned scarlet, and a wave of shame swept over her. She then stood up, with her eyes welling up, and left. Dr. Thalia¡¯s face turned sour. Her own daughter was rejected publicly. The chaotic scene subsided. Dr. Thalia nced at Dr. Dn. She seemed to want to say something but held back. He was an excellent doctor, arguably one of the best among the young doctors. Naturally, she held him in high regard, and was well aware of her daughter¡¯s ongoing crush on him. Upon learning Dr. Dn¡¯s affection for Allison, she tried advising her daughter, to no avail. Her daughter was always pouring her heart out to the wrong person. She didn¡¯t expect things to turn out this way. Word traveled fast, and within hours, the whole hospital knew about Dr. Dn¡¯s rejection of Jade, and Jade¡¯s relentless pursuit. Dr. Thalia also felt a bit awkward. She nced at Allison, not understanding how a woman from a regr family could overshadow her daughter. Allison seemed to sense the scrutiny. That gaze was unabashedly sizing her up. Allison also raised her head to meet Dr. Thalia¡¯s eyes, not showing any hint of evasion. Behind her shades, she met Dr. Thalia¡¯s gaze. Their eyes locked, and Dr. Thalia slightly furrowed her brows. This woman¡­ There was something about that gaze she couldn¡¯t quite figure out. This woman named Allison was definitely not as simple as she appeared. The meeting room slowly emptied. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Allison stood up, looking at Dr. Dn, and he was looking back at her. ¡°1¡­¡± They both started at the same time. ¡°You go first¡­¡± ¡°You go first¡­¡± There was an unspoken understanding between them, and then they exchanged smiles. Allison said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯ve caused you any trouble.¡± Dr. Dn replied, ¡°No, I should be the one apologizing. I didn¡¯t expect Jade to cause you trouble in the hospital.¡± Allison shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± She stood up. ¡°I have a friend to meet. I¡¯ll be going now.¡± Watching Allison¡¯s retreating figure, Dr. Dn¡¯s eyes grew dim as she left the meeting room. He sat back down, and after ten minutes, Dr. Dn stood up and went back to his office. He turned on theputer, typing on the keyboard- Resignation request. After leaving the hospital, Allison went to a restaurant to meet Emma. The restaurant was uniquely decorated and located by the river, offering a breathtaking view. ¡°How are you doing? You had so much to drinkst night, do you have a hangover?¡± Chapter 472 Chapter 472 Chapter 472 When Emma said that, Allison felt a headacheing on. She was a lightweight when it came to drinking, but this time she got properly smashed. Maybe because things were too ridiculous or maybe she wanted to drown her sorrows, even though she was drunkst night, her mind didn¡¯t get all messed up. Allison rubbed her forehead and said, ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± Emma didn¡¯t ask further. After all, everyone had their weak moments. ¡°By the way, here are some scripts I picked out for you. First, there is this y. Take a look. You¡¯re the supporting actress in it, but the script is solid and it¡¯s got a big budget. Epic Entertainment invested 10% in it, and the lead actress is from Boswell Entertainment. Then there¡¯s this one, an online drama series, and those are doing really well right now. The script isn¡¯t half bad, light-hearted and fun. If the marketing is done right, it can easily get over a billion views. But this being your first lead role, you should tread lightly.¡± Allison took the scripts and started reading them closely. Emma continued, ¡°Sadie¡¯s about to start filming soon, the cast is impressive, and thepany¡¯s been treating her really well. But Allison, I think you¡¯re better than her. It¡¯s just that thepany hasn¡¯t been focusing on you.¡± After going through the scripts, Allison was immensely grateful to Emma. With scarce resources, Emma still picked out the best scripts for her. Clearly, she had put a lot of thought into it. She knew she picked the right person. ¡°Emma, thank you.¡± Emma smiled. ¡°I should be the one thanking you. You pulled me out of Sadie¡¯s ws, otherwise, I¡¯d still be worrying about Epic Entertainment¡¯s debts.¡± For an agent who had left Epic Entertainment, finding a new job wasn¡¯t easy. ¡°Emma, my mom¡­ she¡¯s not doing well. I want to take some time off.¡± She was also waiting for Wade¡¯s movie to start filming, which would be in about 20 days. She needed a break to handle some stuff with the nagan family. ¡°Okay.¡± Emma was taken aback, and then immediately connected the dots, realizing that Allison¡¯s emotional breakdownst night might have been due to her mother¡¯s illness. She empathized, because her own mother was also not well, and she was working hard to ensure she received the best medical care. Hospital. Dr. Dn went to see Kenston, the deputy dean of nephrology. ¡°Dr. Kenston.¡± Dr Kenston looked at Dr. Dn. Even though there were some minor issues recently, it did not alter his opinion of Dr. Dn. ¡°Dn, I was just about to find you.¡± Kenston smiled and took out a document from his drawer. ¡°This is the application for further study in the U.S., I saved one for you. You¡¯re perfectly qualified.¡± Dr. Dn looked at the application form. This used to be his dream when he first joined the hospital. But now, he¡­ He looked at Kenston and said, ¡°Dr. Kenston, I want to resign.¡± Kenston¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°What happened? Why do you want to leave? Is it because of Jade¡¯s incident yesterday?¡± Dr. Dn nodded, then shook his head. ¡°Not entirely because of that.¡± Kenston said seriously, ¡°Dn, you¡¯re one of the best students I¡¯ve ever had. I hope you consider this carefully. Your current position is hard-earned. If you want to go to another hospital, I can give you a rmendation, but I hope you reconsider. Don¡¯t give up your career over personal feelings. Remember, your patients need you. Remember the reason you originally chose to study medicine, and the promise you made when you first came here.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Of course, Dr. Dn remembered. He slowly clenched his fist. Kenston continued, ¡°You can go to the U.S. for further study, for eight months, to learn about thetest techniques. Not to run away.¡± Chapter 473 Chapter 473 Chapter 473 Dr. Dn was in. He was all over this gig. He wanted to lend a hand to more people. His old man was a doctor. He was influenced since he was a rugrat and vowed to be a top-notch doctor himself, easing the pain of the sick. He had a thing for this job, but it had him feeling like he was in a straitjacket. The girl he was sweet on, Allison, wasn¡¯t into him. Maybe, when an opportunity slipped through your fingers, it was a goner for life. Dr. Dn let out a sigh, his fists clenched, and he looked at Kenston dead in the eye. ¡°I got it, Dr. Kenston.¡± Dr. Kenston gave a nod. Dr. Dn was one of his star students, and he didn¡¯t want to see him making a bad call because of some love issue. ¡°Pack your stuff, I¡¯ll help you with the application. With your track record and grades, you¡¯ll be one of the first to go abroad for further study. You¡¯ll be leaving next Tuesday or Wednesday. Make sure your parents know.¡± Dr. Dn gave a nod. He told his parents about it when he got home at noon. T Aherna was reading the paper. ¡°Some people from my hospital are going too, I¡¯ve already sent some young docs. It¡¯s a great chance to toughen up.¡± Hertha wasn¡¯t thrilled. After all, their boy would be away from home for so long. ¡°Eight months, that¡¯s way too long.¡± Aherna said, ¡°You¡¯re short-sighted. Our boy is going to better himself.¡± Hertha asked, ¡°Dn, how¡¯s it been at the hospital? Nothing went down, right?¡± Dr. Dn was washing his hands, he froze at the question, then said, ¡°No.¡± Hertha was bustling around the dining room prepping lunch. Aherna said from the side, ¡°Are you hoping something happened to our boy?¡± Dr. Dn was still washing his hands in the washroom. Hertha put a bowl of soup on the dining table. She shot Aherna a look. ¡°You don¡¯t care about our son at all.¡± ¡°What do you mean, I¡¯ve been in surgeries these past few days.¡± Hertha nced at the washroom and lowered her voice. ¡°I heard from my card buddies this morning, Jade got in a row with Allison at the hospital yesterday.¡± Aherna dropped the paper and adjusted his sses. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I think Jade is nice, but Dn isn¡¯t into her, he¡¯s only got eyes for Allison.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Our son has good taste. I back him up. Jade seems nice andes from good stock, but I think Allison suits him better. Dn¡¯s always happy when he¡¯s hanging out with Allison. You know that.¡± Hertha said, ¡°Jade kicked up a fuss at the hospital yesterday, and her mom¡¯s the deputy head of the hospital. She¡¯s got nothing to worry about, just a few words of rebuke. But it affects Dn, didn¡¯t you notice he¡¯s been off these past few days?¡± Aherna said, ¡°I think you¡¯re overthinking it.¡± Hertha red at him, ¡°You just don¡¯t care enough about Dn!¡± Aherna gave in, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat. I need to rest after lunch. I have an important surgery this afternoon.¡± Hertha said, ¡°All you think about is work. Think about it. With Jade acting like this, how can Dn normally work at the hospital? I had a good impression of Jade, her mom helped Dn before, and now you¡¯re saying¡­¡± Aherna shot Hertha a look, who stopped mid-sentence. There was the sound of a door closing from the washroom, Dr. Dn came out, and Hertha immediately started serving lunch. Dr. Dn sat down at the table. ¡°I have to go to the hospital after eating, I¡¯m on duty tonight.¡± ¡°Alright, I have surgery this afternoon too,¡± Aherna responded. ¡°Have you set your time? When are you leaving?¡± Dr. Dn answered, ¡°Dr. Kenston said the approval will be quick, so I can leave next Tuesday or Wednesday.¡± Aherna nodded. ¡°Those going abroad for further study are the elite of the hospital. It¡¯s a great chance for you to study in the US. Their minimally invasive technology is top-notch now. It¡¯s a blessing for patients.¡±. Chapter 474 Chapter 474 Chapter 474 Dr. Dn gave a little nod, but he was all twisted up inside. He was wondering whether Allison would be a tad clingy if she knew he was about to leave. Lately, Daisy had been buzzing around the Boswell family like a bee on a flower. She was practically on a first-name basis with every de of grass and every tree in the Boswell family¡¯s yard. One afternoon, Daisy came to the Boswell¡¯s house, book in hand. She¡¯d been in and out so much recently that she knew all the servants like the back of her hand, she could even name a few of them.. She headed up to the third floor, where John was keeping watch at the door, as usual. Seeing Daisy, John just gave a nod. He was used to her by now, then went into the bedroom to report to Frances. Daisy was still a bit scared of John; the scar on his face was just too freaky. She waited with her book while John went into the bedroom, and when he came out, he said to Daisy, ¡°Mr. Frances says you cane in, but don¡¯t overstay your wee, Daisy. Let Frances get some rest. He¡¯s not feeling too well today.¡± Daisy raised an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s up with him? Is he feeling under the weather?¡± John didn¡¯t beat around the bush. ¡°Frances was feeling a bit offst night so we had a doctor check him out. He¡¯s better now, but he¡¯s still a bit out of it, not really himself.¡± Daisy pushed the door open and walked in. The room was dark, with the curtains drawn. Frances, dressed in a light grey pajama set, was sitting on the sofa, watching a movie. The projector next to him was flickering with blue light, and the movie was ying on a big screen. Daisy walked over, and Frances looked up and smiled at her. ¡°Take a seat.¡± Daisy looked at the screen and nailed the movie¡¯s name on the first try. Frances raised an eyebrow, looking a bit pale but still pretty under the dim light. ¡°You know it?¡± His voice held a trace of surprise. Daisy sat down next to Frances. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve seen it before, it¡¯s a famous Danish film, one of my favorites.¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. She watched as the protagonist¡¯s dog was killed on the shing screen, and quietly said, ¡°A single lie destroyed reality.¡± Frances asked, ¡°Why¡¯d you show up in the afternoon today?¡± Daisy replied, ¡°I was writing a paper with a friend at the library this morning.¡± Frances asked, ¡°Are you about to graduate?¡± Daisy nodded. ¡°This is the book I borrowed. I¡¯m returning it to you.¡± Frances took the book and set it on the coffee table. ¡°What do you want to drink? Juice, coffee, or¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get it myself.¡± Daisy poured a ss of water and handed it to Frances. ¡°Water is the best drink.¡± Frances chuckled, his face lighting up like ake under a gentle March breeze, shimmering like countless twinkling stars. Daisy felt her cheeks heat up. She tried to focus on the movie, but the faint minty scent in the air was making her heart race. After spending an hour with Frances, watching the movie and several short films, Daisy found her tastes were not so different from Frances¡¯, which made her heart beat even faster. Frances felt the same, and they were both thrilled to find someone they could resonate with. When Daisy was about to leave, she remembered what John had told her earlier. ¡°You need to rest.¡± Frances asked her, ¡°What did John tell you this time?¡± Daisy replied, ¡°John is just concerned about you.¡± Frances¡¯ eyes dimmed. He knew his illness was irreversible, incurable. Times like this woulde more often. His breath would gradually weaken, his heart and lungs would start to fail, and eventually stop working. In the past, he always masked his feelings with a casual smile. But now, smelling the faint fragrance in the air, he wished he could stay in this world a bit longer. He looked at Daisy in front of him, dressed in a pink and white dress. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, radiating the innocence of a young girl. ¡°Ms. Daisy, I have something I want to give you.¡± Chapter 475 Chapter 475 Chapter 475 Daisy was hanging around the bookshelf. Every time she left, she¡¯d take a book with her. After a few days, she¡¯d return and put the book back in its ce. It seemed like some sort of an unspoken agreement between her and Frances. Frances walked over to his desk, opened a drawer, and pulled out a deep blue box. Coming from a family of jewelers, Daisy immediately recognized it as a jewelry box. She was raised amidst a pile of jewelry, having seen all sorts of precious stones. ¡°This is an amethyst, not worth much Got it from a crystal mine when I was still in good health and tagging along with a friend. I cut it myself and made a ne out of it.¡± Daisy held it in her hand. ¡°Is this for me?¡± Frances nodded, watching her reaction, fearing she might not like it, considering she¡¯d seen tons of these growing up. He felt quite crappy, not even having a surprise gift for her. Daisy¡¯s eyes were sparkling. ¡°I love it, thank you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Daisy carefully ced the jewelry box in her bag, then she left the bedroom. Going downstairs, her steps seemed lighter. During this time, she had developed a strong interest in Frances. Interest was the beginning of liking someone. Maybe, being married into the Boswell family wouldn¡¯t be so bad. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. She started hoping Franc¨¦s would get better. She even wished this time wouldst a bit longer. A ck Land Rover was parked in front of the Boswell residence. Wilton stepped out of the car, handed the keys to a servant, and strode into the house. His servants all bowed their heads in greeting. ¡°Mr. Wilton.¡± Wilton entered the living room, just as Daisy wasing downstairs. Their eyes met, and Wilton immediately recognized her as Daisy: He slowed down. Hearing a servant call out ¡°Wilton,¡± Daisy looked up at him. This man looked so much like Frances, they were practically identical. She had heard that Frances and Wilton were twins, and their features were strikingly simr. However, Wilton seemed more brooding than Frances, they both had dark eyes and high noses, while Frances had a certain gentleness. One was like ocean, the other like ice. As Wilton was about to go upstairs, Daisy stepped aside to let him pass. He stopped and said in a deep voice, ¡°Ms. Daisy.¡± Daisy took a deep breath. ¡°Mr. Wilton.¡± ¡°Ms. Daisy, are you nning to leave?¡± Wilton¡¯s eyes were full of inquiry. Daisy felt like his gaze was trying to pierce through her, he was seeing into her soul, and she felt a chill. She shivered slightly. Just in a few minutes, her goodwill towards Wilton had vanished. ¡°Yeah, Frances is about to rest, so I¡¯m heading out.¡± With that, Wilton shifted his gaze and headed up the stairs. Daisy took a deep breath, patting her chest lightly. Wilton reached the second floor, a smirk ying on his lips. He muttered to himself, ¡°She¡¯s already using Franc¨¨s¡¯ name so familiarly. It seems Mina¡¯s people really know how to y the game.¡± He reached the third floor. John greeted him, ¡°Wilton, you¡¯re back.¡± ¡°How¡¯s Frances?¡± ¡°Ms. Daisy left already. Frances should be resting.¡± Chapter 476 Chapter 476 Chapter 476 Wilton was standing by the door. He asked, ¡°How long had Daisy been in there?¡± John replied, ¡°One hour and eight minutes.¡± Wilton went on, ¡°What was she doing inside?¡± ¡°She just watched a movie with Frances and had a little chat.¡± John had observed Daisy for a while and thought she was not bad. She seemed to care for Frances enough, and every time she visited, Frances¡¯ mood seemed to improve. ¡°Wilton,¡± John tried to say. ¡°Maybe we got it wrong. Ms. Daisy isn¡¯t Mina¡¯s pawn. She seems okay to Frances.¡± Wilton asked, ¡°You really think so?¡±/His tone turned serious. ¡°John, remember how you almost went blind because you misjudged and trusted the wrong person? Did you forget the pain when that knife shed across your face?¡± John instantly got serious. He clenched his fists. He would never forget that knife. It was because he trusted the wrong person. ¡°I get it. I was too trusting.¡± Wilton said, ¡°Follow me to the balcony.¡± On the third-floor balcony, Wilton had already checked the surveince equipment. This was Mina¡¯s territory. She had set up a lot of surveince to monitor him and Frances. He had already removed some, but he was still worried that Mina had installed surveince elsewhere. So, he thoroughly checked the balcony to make sure there were no cameras or listening devices. ¡°You need to keep a close eye on Daisy, noting down every time shees here. Other than Daisy, Mina and Ava are not allowed in the bedroom, no matter what excuse they use.¡± John memorized it. ¡°I got it. Ava has beening over with all kinds of excuses, I¡¯ve stopped her every time. But I suspect Ava has bought Dr. Jade.¡± Last night, Frances suddenly fainted. The doctor who came to see her was Dr. Jade, She had worked with the Boswell family for many years and was very familiar with Frances. She was Morgan¡¯s doctor, but since Morgan was unwell and hospitalized, he had a team of professional doctors taking care of him. Dr. Jade had be the Boswell family¡¯s private doctor. Wilton squint¨¦d. ¡°Everyone has a price. If Mina offered enough, Dr. Jade could have been bought.¡± He wasn¡¯t surprised that Dr. Jade had been bought, he just smirked dismissively. However, Dr. Jade being bought put them in a passive situation. But it wasn¡¯t the end of the world. After all, everyone in Northfield knew that Frances didn¡¯t have much time left. His hands gripped the railing tightly. Now, the entire Boswell family was under Mina¡¯s control. Once Morgan passed away, Mina could openly control the Boswell family. Once Frances passed away, the entire Boswell family would fall into Mina¡¯s hands. By then, Wilton would be powerless. John looked at Wilton, knowing all the pressure was on him. Their situation was passive, and they could only y it by ear. They weren¡¯t yet capable of confronting Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Mina. Unless something extraordinary happened. Unless Morgan¡¯s health suddenly improved, or Frances¡¯ condition suddenly got better. But this was just wishful thinking. Daisy got home. She went to her bedroom and opened the box. Inside was a triangle-cut amethyst crystal, processed very finely, clear as water, and emitting a clear glow. Being familiar with raw stones since she was little, she could tell at a nce that this was a very high- quality stone. She put the ne around her neck. Her neck was slim and delicate, and the ne made her skin look even more refined. Chapter 477 Chapter 477 Chapter 477 Material ? N?velDrama.Org. The knock on the door came just then. Daisy walked over to open it, and the person knocking was her mom. Rosie noticed the ne around Daisy¡¯s neck. ¡°Where¡¯d you get this? It¡¯s stunning.¡± A bit shy, Daisy whispered, ¡°Frances gave it to me.¡± Rosie was taken aback. ¡°You went to the Boswell¡¯s today?¡± ¡°Mhm, I did.¡± Daisy sat down on the sofa, took a book out of her bag, and put it on the table. Rosie knew by looking at the book her daughter brought back that she had a good time at Frances¡¯. Even though Daisy appeared to be outgoing, she was actually a bookworm. Daisy seemed easy-going, but her mind was as sharp as a tack. She only had one good friend, Allison, and most of her time was spent dealing with these jewels. Out of the blue, Mina from the Boswell family popped by, bringing up the engagement her father-inw had arranged a decade ago. Neither she nor Wyatt wanted to agree. They only had one daughter. The Boswell family was a tough nut to crack, an enigma. Especially Mina, who rose from a nobody to her current status, she was no angel that was for sure. Everyone knows, even though on the surface it¡¯s the Boswell family, actually, it¡¯s all under Mina¡¯s thumb. If Daisy married into that family, she¡¯d just be a puppet for Mina to manipte public opinion. Who¡¯d want their daughter to walk into such a mess? Who wouldn¡¯t want their daughter to find someone she loved, to live a happy life? During that time, Rosie would pray and shed tears in the dark. Seeing her daughter smiling more these days, made Rosie¡¯s mood improve a lot. Daisy said, ¡°Mom, I want to marry Frances. I¡¯ve made up my mind.¡± Rosie asked, ¡°Are you sure?¡± She held her daughter¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, you can run away. Your father and I will cover for you and say you ran off. Mina might not be happy, but she won¡¯t dare to openly give us trouble. Your father and I have thought it through. We¡¯ve made enough money, we¡¯re not greedy, and we just want you to be happy.¡± Daisy¡¯s eyes welled up, and she took a deep breath. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve decided, I want to marry Frances. No matter how hard the road ahead is, I want to be by his side. Even if his health isn¡¯t good, I¡¯m willing to take care of him. I¡¯ve known him for half a month. I think he¡¯s a good guy, not like what I thought before. Maybe, things aren¡¯t as bad as they seem.¡± Tears welled up in Rosie¡¯s eyes too. Daisy threw herself into Rosie¡¯s arms. ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t feel hurt. I used to think that with so many guys chasing me, I was always picky. I wanted to marry someone I loved, but now I think I¡¯ve found him. Frances and, we share the same passion; the movie we watched together today was a type we both liked.¡± Rosie couldn¡¯t quite believe it. She was afraid her daughter was deceiving her to make her feel at ease. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really,¡± Daisy said as she handed over a book. ¡°This is the book I brought today, he likes it too. He¡¯d spend the whole afternoon discussing books and movies with me. When I¡¯m with him, time flies, I¡¯d find myself unknowingly staring at him while he talks.¡± There was something Daisy didn¡¯t say. She thought she must be falling for him. Seeing her daughter¡¯s earnest expression, Rosie said, ¡°In that case, your father and I can rest easy.¡± Daisy lightly touched the ne around her neck. This afternoon, she went to the jewelry factory and picked out a piece of aquamarine rough stone. Following the style of the amethyst ne around her neck, she personally polished a blue ne that looked just the same. The next time she saw Frances, she nned on giving it to him.. She was ready to tell Mina; she was willing to move into the Boswell¡¯s. Chapter 478 Chapter 478 Chapter 478 Penelope was slowly descending the stairs with the help of the railing while her servant rushed to help her. ¡°Ms. nagan, take it easy.¡± Penelope had been resting at home for over a month after a hospital stay, but generally, bone injuries took about more than a month to heal fully. So even though her cast was off, she couldn¡¯t put weight on her foot, and her arm could only slightly bend without holding anything. This month at home had been incredibly boring for her. And Lucian hadn¡¯t shown his face at the nagans for a whole month, which was really getting on her nerves! Content ? N?velDrama.Org. While the servant was helping her down the stairs, Penelope suddenly stumbled. She quickly pushed the servant away. ¡°What good are you? Can you take responsibility if I fall?¡± This made the servant even more cautious. After descending the stairs, Penelope seated herself in a wheelchair and rolled out of the living room to the greenhouse. The servant called Hattie sighed and headed to the kitchen where Linda was picking vegetables. Noticing Hattie¡¯s troubled expression, Linda asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Hattie whispered, ¡°Ms. nagan is really hard to deal with. I was very careful helping her down the stairs. She refused to take the elevator and insisted on the stairs. Then she almost fell and med me.¡± Linda was preparing dinner, and she was worried. The chef was out, and she feared that Penelope and Leah wouldn¡¯t like the meal she cooked. Mr. nagan was easy to please, as long as the food tasted good. But Mrs. nagan and Ms. nagan¡­ 1 While washing the vegetables, Linda said, ¡°I¡¯m thinking of quitting.¡± Hattie was surprised, ¡°What? Linda, where are you nning to go?¡± Linda had been working for the nagans for a long time. Her rtives included Christopher¡¯s driver and housekeepingpany staff. The nagans paid well and provided good living conditions. However, Penelope¡¯s temper had been getting worse. The nagans had five servants, including Margo and the chef. The chef was on leave. Margo didn¡¯t do anything except boss them around. She, Hattie, and another older woman were responsible for cleaning a three-story house with a garden and underground parking garage. Cleaning a 300 square-meter mansion was no small task. Moreover, Margo always found excuses to dock their wages.¡± They lost money for dishes not being clean enough. They lost money for dust in the corners. A dishwasher washed the dishes, so she couldn¡¯t control how clean they were. She wiped the corners daily, but Margo was just nitpicking. Linda said, ¡°Isn¡¯t working anywhere the same? Anyway, I think other employers are easier to deal with than Mrs. nagan and Ms. nagan. At least, I won¡¯t run into a housekeeper like Margo.¡± Hattie nodded and said after a while, ¡°I saw Ms. Grace in the supermarket when I went shopping. She looked pretty healthy.¡± Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Hattie and Linda both had wet hands, and the doorbell rang for several seconds. Hattie quickly dried her hands. ¡°Margo doesn¡¯t do anything. Does she think she¡¯s the queen of this ce?¡± Hattie immediately went to open the door. Outside the ck carved iron door, Allison stood with a bunch of carnations in one hand and a box of milk in the other, looking like she was visiting a patient. Hattie only recognized her when she got closer. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, Allison?¡± Allison smiled. ¡°I came to see Ms. nagan.¡± Chapter 479 Chapter 479 Chapter 479 Hattie was stunned. When did Allison and Ms. nagan get so close? Outsiders might not know, but they, who worked for the nagan family, certainly did. Allison and Penelope¡¯s rtionship could be described as terrible, especially because Penelope used to bully Allison in all sorts of ways. Hattie studied Allison carefully, feeling that she seemed different somehow, but she couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on it. ¡°Ms. nagan is in the garden; you can wait in the living room.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Allison walked into the living room. ¡°Is Leah home?¡± ¡®Mrs. nagan is out ying cards.¡±, Allison entered the living room but didn¡¯t sit down. She just took off her sunsses and quietly looked around. This ce was very familiar to her. It could be said, she grew up here. Hattie went to look for Penelope in the garden, but Penelope was nowhere to be found. Allison walked out to the back balcony, where her old cabin was. The same old iron gate was there, and everything else remained the same. She walked over and pushed the iron gate open. The once tidy yard was now overgrown with grass. She bent down and pulled some out. When she looked up again, Allison was taken aback. The yard looked different from her memory. The cherry blossom tree that had grown for more than ten years was cut down, leaving just a stump. Something in her memory was triggered, and she sighed lightly. She just walked over to the stump and looked at the tree rings. ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t Allison. Who let you in here? Should I call the cops for breaking and entering?¡± Without turning around, Allison knew the sharp and sarcastic voice belonged to Margo. She just quietly said, ¡°Okay, you can call the cops.¡± Of course, Margo wouldn¡¯t really call the cops. She just wanted to scare Allison a little and vent some of her frustrations. Margo didn¡¯t know whether it was because she was getting old or her body was just slow to heal, but her foot injury hadn¡¯t gotten better. Every time she saw Allison, she felt a pang in her foot. She stood on the second-floor balcony and said, ¡°No matter how fancy your clothes, you can¡¯t hide your poverty. You¡¯re just like your mother, looking at you makes me sick.¡± For some reason, Allison chuckled. She turned to Margo. ¡°You¡¯re right. Like mother, like daughter.¡± The rising sun was slightly warm, but Margo felt a cold and sharp look from Allison¡¯s eyes that left her speechless. She turned around and went downstairs to tattle to Penelope. She looked around and couldn¡¯t find Penelope, so she called her, ¡°Where are you?¡± Penelope seemed busy. ¡°Don¡¯t call me if it¡¯s not important!¡± After hastily saying that, Penelope hung up. Margo searched around, Penelope, who was confined to a wheelchair, was suddenly missing. She asked Hattie, ¡°Where¡¯s Ms. nagan?¡± Hattie also had no clue. ¡°Ms. nagan said she was going to the greenhouse, but there¡¯s no one in there.¡± It¡¯s only been half an hour, where could she have gone? Meanwhile, in the underground garage. A ck Mercedes was parked next to a ck wheelchair. The car door was half open, and there were moansing from inside. The car was rocking violently due to the activities of the man and woman inside. Chapter 480 Chapter 480 Chapter 480 There were virtually no cars or pedestrians around. The vis and underground garages here seemed like mere decorations. With parking spaces on top, those who lived in this viplex usually parked their cars there. Penelope didn¡¯t bother hiding her moans. ¡°Pete, Pete go easy.¡± ¡°Go easy, Penelope, like this?¡± Although Penelope was saying ¡°go easy,¡± her body was very cooperative. Not far away, a young woman with a mask on was hiding behind a column. She was holding her phone, secretly recording the whole process.. Allison was sitting in the living room. Linda brought her a cup of coffee. There was no one around, and Margo was nowhere to be seen. Linda couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°How¡¯s Ms. Grace? I haven¡¯t seen her in ages, and I have no idea about her health condition.¡± ¡°She¡¯s okay,¡± Allison responded sinctly. Linda knew. She¡¯s betrayed Allison before, and their rtionship could never be the same. Linda took the tray to the kitchen, picked up the cleaning tools, and went to the garden. She pruned the flowers, cleaned up the pots, and then saw Margo on the phone beside the flower bed. ¡°Mrs. nagan, yes, Allison is here. We don¡¯t know where Ms. nagan has gone. When will you be back?¡± Seeing this, Linda immediately put down what she was holding and went back to the living room. ¡°Allison, you should leave now. Margo is calling Mrs. nagan. She is out ying cards, and I think she¡¯ll be back in a few minutes.¡± Linda was worried that Leah¡¯s return would upset Allison. After all, during her time with the nagan family, Leah often bullied Allison. So she specifically came to notify Allison. Allison took a sip of her coffee. The bitterness and aroma of the ck coffee spread deep in her throat. She slowly raised her eyes. ¡°I want to see Mrs. nagan.¡± She gripped her coffee cup tightly, taking a deep breath. Allison didn¡¯t know how to describe her feelings at this moment. There was no joy, no resentment or bitterness. She just found it both ridiculous and sad. She even felt that when the truth was revealed, nobody would be happy. Leah learning that she was her biological daughter probably wouldn¡¯t feel happy either. Allison herself wouldn¡¯t be happy. Sure enough, Leah immediately put down her cards upon receiving the call and headed home. In no more than five or six minutes, she walked into the living room. Seeing Allison sitting on the couch, Leah immediately looked as if she¡¯d got a thorn in her eye. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. In her eyes, Allison was the most humble maid in the nagan family. But now, she was sitting on the couch in a splendid dress, like a dignified guest. Leah, of course, recognized the expensive dress Allison was wearing. ¡°Margo told me we have a guest. I was wondering who it could be. Turns out it¡¯s the most humble maid in our house. What brings you here? Where¡¯s your mother?? Allison slowly exhaled. She looked at Leah, her vision suddenly bing blurry. She rubbed her eyes, but her eye sockets felt swollen and sore. ¡°Mrs. nagan.¡± She gritted her teeth before she could say these words, her emotions in turmoil. ¡°I came to see Penelope. I¡¯m wondering how her fracture is healing?¡± ¡°My daughter doesn¡¯t need your visit.¡± Leah didn¡¯t immediately throw her out. She wanted to continue humiliating Allison a bit more. She looked at the bracelet on Allison¡¯s wrist and said, ¡°I knew that with a mother like Grace who has no self- respect, there would be a daughter like you who also has no self-respect. Have you found another rich man? He must be as old as Christopher, old enough to be your father. You really gave up your dignity for money.¡± Allison listened to Leah¡¯s humiliating words, her face somewhat pale. But there was a hint of a smile on her lips, and a touch of mockery in her eyes. ¡°Mrs. nagan, is that what you think of me?¡± Chapter 481 Chapter 481 Chapter 481 Leah¡¯s mocking tone grew louder. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re all that? I must have been blind to have let you and your mother live in the back room. I should¡¯ve kicked you guys out of Northfield right from the get- go.¡± Allison bit her lip. Even though she had anticipated this, it still stung. Meanwhile, in the underground parking lot. A car slowly pulled in, and Penelope gasped from inside, ¡°Someone¡¯sing!¡± Pete froze, quickly shutting the car door. He looked up, just in time to see a white BMW zooming past. He lowered his voice, impatience filling his heart. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say no one parks here?¡± Penelopeined, ¡°I was right, didn¡¯t you see? Besides our car, there are only a few others parked here, and they look like they¡¯ve been here for ages.¡± Their fancy residential area had above-ground parking spaces. Once the car was out of sight, Pete sprang into action. Penelope¡¯s moans grew louder, seemingly out of control, and Pete too was getting more into it. All of this was caught on camera by a girl hiding twenty meters away behind a pir. Originally, she just filmed Penelope and Pete getting into the car and the car shaking violently. It was pretty clear what they were up to inside. She was too far away to capture any audio, but when Penelope¡¯s screams got louder, she quickly started recording both video and audio. She adjusted her sunsses, revealing a small mole near her eye. After a while, the woman, seemingly afraid of being found out, quietly sneaked out through a door, got into her car, and drove off. After driving for a bit and going through two traffic lights, she pulled into a parking area. In the driver¡¯s seat, the woman took off her mask and sunsses. It was Charlie. Charlie looked down at her phone, watching the footage she¡¯d just shot. Today, she hade to visit Penelope. Lately, her days at Epic Entertainment had been rough. Most of the good resources were being snapped up by Patty, who had the trump card, Allison, and Sydney who were also doing well, leaving hergging behind significantly. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g The new artists in her care were mediocre at best. She was in a bind, so she came to see Penelope, to see how she was recovering. If she wasn¡¯t ready to film, they could start with a few magazine ads and promote her beauty on Twitter. This was her first time at Penelope¡¯s ce, and she had no idea that in such upscale areas, most cars didn¡¯t park in the underground garage, as the above-ground spaces were more than sufficient: Just as she arrived at the garage, she heard Penelope on the phone from far away. She parked her car, walked a bit, and saw Penelope get into a car with a guy. The wheelchair was just left on the side. She recognized the guy. Being a woman like Charlie, she had been to all sorts of ces and had an excellent memory. If a man had a worth over ten million, she¡¯d remember his name and family background. The man with Penelope was Pete, the son of the Lindberg family¡¯s butler, Because his father was the Lindberg¡¯s butler, he was quite wealthy and a big spender. He had previously kept a female model as a mistress, a friend of one of Charlie¡¯s own artists, so she knew about him. What shocked her, though, was that she had just witnessed such a scandalous event. In her heart, she cursed Penelope for being such an idiot. No wonder she looked so much like Allison, yet she couldn¡¯t hold a candle to her! Chapter 482 Chapter 482 Chapter 482 Why didn¡¯t she be the golden daughter-inw of the Lindberg family, instead of hanging around with a butler¡¯s son? Charlie regretted his crappy decision of choosing Penelope. She remembered Patty¡¯s high and mighty attitude at Epic Entertainment and sighed. From day one at Epic Entertainment, it was nothing but a tug-of-war with Patty. She never thought she would end up losing. How could she take this lying down? She was about to delete the video on his phone, then her finger paused. Delete it? Nah, better keep it. This video mighte in handy someday. Charlie quickly made a backup and kept it in her phone. The nagan family. Christopher nagan¡¯s car pulled up. He strode into the living room and looked around, ¡°Where¡¯s Allison?¡± Wasn¡¯t Allison supposed to be here? In the living room, Leah sat on the sofa, sipping her coffee, and disdainfully told the maid, ¡®Throw away the cup that little bitch used. It makes me sick.¡± Christopher nced at Leah, his brow furrowed. Seemed like Allison hade and gone. Leah looked at Christopher, then she suddenly realized that he came home during work because of Allison. She became more shrill, ¡°You guys better clean up fast and disinfect this ce. Grace is sick, and her daughter carries the same germs. Don¡¯t let them infect our house. Disinfect everything.¡± Linda and Hattie were cleaning up, while Christopher looked at Leah and simply sighed. Ever since Penelope got out of the hospital, he had made an agreement with Leah, to put up with anything for their daughter. He actually didn¡¯t want to stay in this house anymore. Leah was bing more and more unreasonable. Christopher went upstairs to his study, not uttering a single word to Leah since he came back. Seeing Christopher go upstairs, Leah stomped her foot in frustration. She vented her anger on the maids, ¡°You useless/bunch! How could you be so slow! What do you do with the sries I pay you?¡± She yelled at Margo, ¡°If these two can¡¯t get their act together, call the housekeepingpany and get twopetent ones.¡± Leah was pissed, and Margo, fearing for herself, quickly nodded in agreement. After cooling down a bit on the couch, Leah asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Penelope?¡± Margo didn¡¯t know either. She looked around, then passed the buck to Hattie, ¡°Hattie, you helped Ms. Penelope downstairs, right? Did you see where Ms. Penelope went?¡± Hattie¡¯s voice trembled as she feared Leah¡¯s wrath, ¡°I did help Ms. Penelope downstairs. Ms. Penelope said she was going to the greenhouse.¡± But nobody was in the greenhouse. The mansion wasn¡¯t that big, and they had looked everywhere. Leah stood up, ¡°Search again. Ms. Penelope has mobility issues, you need to take good care of her.¡± Margo quickly nodded in agreement. Leah grabbed her purse, ready to go y poker. She didn¡¯t want to be at home, fighting with Christopher. Even though she could be temperamental, she knew that the people in charge of the household was Christopher. If she really pissed him off, she would be the one to suffer.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. However, something suddenly came to her. Leah coldly swept her gaze around, ¡°Who told Mr. nagan? Tell me.¡± None of the servants dared to step forward. Margo seized this opportunity and said, ¡°So someone did tattletale to Mr. nagan. wondered why Mr. nagan suddenly came back? You guys are not satisfied with your high wages?¡± Leah left Margo to deal with this issue while she left to y cards. Margo sat on the sofa, acting like she owned the ce. Chapter 483 Chapter 483 Chapter 483 There were only a few servants in the house, so it wasn¡¯t hard to sniff them out. But no one fessed up. Margo warned them a few times, satisfying her ego with a bit of power tripping, then she left. Linda retreated to the kitchen, her back slick with cold sweat. Because she was the one who had spilled the beans to Christopher. She had the driver¡¯s number, so she had called him, and the driver had passed the message to Christopher. Linda wasn¡¯t sure if she was right or wrong in doing so. She owed Allison a favor, and she had to pay it back. It was her own weakness that had led her to give Allison¡¯s address to Penelope. She had been with Allison for a long time and knew well that Allison despised liars and deceivers. Thepany arranged a new living/ce for Allison. All thepany¡¯s artists lived in the same neighborhood, which had a top-notch security system that effectively kept away nosy reporters and crazed fans. Allison was nning to move in these two days. She called Daisy and broke the news to her. ¡°Has your friend returned to her country? I¡¯m moving, and I really want to thank your friend. Can I treat her to a meal?¡± Daisy was startled for a moment before remembering that the house her ¡®friend¡¯ lived in was actually bought by Jason. In order to get Allison to move in, she had said it belonged to a friend living overseas¡±. ¡°She hasn¡¯t gone back yet, so the house is empty. You¡¯re moving? Where to?¡± ¡°Thepany arranged it, Powell Estate.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a nice neighborhood with a great location. A lot of celebrities live there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m moving in the next few days. I¡¯ll return the keys to you.¡± Daisy quickly changed her clothes. ¡°I¡¯ll be right over.¡± Allison was tidying her wardrobe. She held her phone with her neck and said, ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± ¡°I¡¯m bored at home. I¡¯lle over, and I can help you move.¡± Soon after, Daisy drove to Blue Mountain Estate. Allison was still organizing her wardrobe when Daisy walked in and eximed, ¡°Wow, did Lucian Lindberg give you all these? How fancy!¡± The wardrobe was filled with clothes and bags given by Lucian, all luxury brands and limited editions. ¡°Allison, this denim bag is limited edition worldwide. I have a friend who couldn¡¯t even buy it. Mr. Lindberg is really impressive to have gotten it so easily.¡± Allison raised her head and took a nce. She had never used this bag before. Daisy helped Allison tidy up her bedroom. Allison¡¯s most prized possessions were her books on the bookshelf. She went over and carefully ced each book into a box. Soon a vehicle woulde to transport these items. While helping Allison pack, Daisy asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Ms. Grace? Allison paused her actions. Daisy didn¡¯t know about her background, and naturally didn¡¯t know about Grace being in the hospital. Allison pursed her lips and said, ¡°She¡¯s in the hospital.¡± Daisy asked immediately, ¡°What happened to Ms. Grace? Is she feeling unwell?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°It¡¯s just an emotional disorder. She¡¯ll be okay after a few days in the hospital. She¡¯ll be discharged the day after tomorrow.¡± Daisy suggested, ¡°I¡¯ll apany you to visit Ms. Grace this afternoon. You¡¯re moving to Powell Estate. Will Ms. Grace live there too? I assume your agency is pretty strict about this, and artists probably can¡¯t live with their families.¡± That was how tight the management ofrge agencies was. Allison hadn¡¯t considered this before, but upon hearing Daisy¡¯s words, she started thinking. She called Patty. Three minutester, she hung up. As Daisy had said, artists couldn¡¯t live with their families. However, Patty said she could make additional arrangements for her. But after thinking for a while, Allison declined. She couldn¡¯t bepletely selfless. After knowing the truth, she couldn¡¯t live with Grace like before. However, to abandon Grace and let her fend for herself was also something she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do. Chapter 484 Chapter 484 Chapter 484 She pondered for a moment, then nced at Daisy, ¡°Has your friend been living abroad all this time? When is sheing back?¡± Daisy had no idea when this fictitious ¡°friend¡± would return. ¡°She¡¯s loaded, and she¡¯s got plenty of houses to live in. You can let Ms. Grace stay here.¡± Allison shook her head, ¡°Can you get in touch with her? I want to buy this house.¡± Without hesitation, Daisy replied, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll give her a call right now. You tidy up a bit.¡± Daisy went to the bathroom, took out her phone, and called Jason. She tried a few times, but couldn¡¯t get through. She returned to the bedroom, ¡°My friend must be busy. She didn¡¯t pick up. I¡¯ll let you know when she calls back.¡± Daisy was a close friend of Allison, so she noticed that Allison had been offtely. She spected that it was because of Grace¡¯s illness. Daisy knew about Grace¡¯s condition. Even though she had a kidney transnt, it wasn¡¯t a permanent solution. No matter how good someone else¡¯s organ was, it was not as good as your own. It was unknown what would happen to the body after the transnt and how long one would live. ¡°Allison, I¡¯ll get some seafood. We¡¯ll have a seafood tter tonight, just the two of us.¡± Allison nodded in agreement, and the two began to pack up Allison¡¯s everyday items. Soon, Tom¡¯s car pulled up downstairs. Tom climbed the stairs and moved Allison¡¯s things to Powell Estate. Then he handed the keys to Allison, ¡°Ms. Zimmer, the houses in Powell Estate are all fully furnished, so you can move in anytime.¡± Allison expressed her gratitude. That evening, she and Daisy had a seafood tter at home. She had been living at Blue Mountain Estate for almost a year, and she had been through a lot. Allison took a sip of beer, the cool liquid flowing down her throat. Daisy took a bite of seafood, ¡°Allison, I¡¯m nning to move to the Boswell family.¡± Allison looked at her, her eyes bright and shiny. Daisy smiled, ¡°But I¡¯m actually happy, because I want to be with Frances.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Mentioning Frances, Daisy¡¯s eyes seemed to light up, ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors about him before and thought he was a sickly man who couldn¡¯t do anything. I didn¡¯t want to be just a tool or a puppet for a alliance marriage, especially not by marrying someone I¡¯ve never met and who is physically challenged. But these past few days with Frances and the Boswell family, I found he¡¯s nothing like the rumors. We sharemon interests. The books he¡¯s read, and the movies he likes, I like them too. I found out he is a man of character, cultured, refined and kind.¡± Daisy¡¯s eyes were still bright, ¡°I don¡¯t know if this is love, but I want to take care of him. I want to take care of him for a lifetime. Even though he¡¯s the son of the Boswell family, his life isn¡¯t as great as it seems. Fate has been too harsh on him.¡± Allison knew Daisy wasn¡¯t drunk. ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Daisy nodded, ¡°I¡¯m sure, very sure.¡± She had never been clearer than she was at that moment. Allison smiled, ¡°Then best wishes to you, Daisy.¡± The next day, Allison moved into Powell Estate, a 120-square-meter fully furnished two-bedroom apartment. Located on the 12th floor, it had floor-to-ceiling windows with a clear view of the Powell Bridge outside. With ocean views as far as the eye could see, when she opened the window, the outside wind blew in. Allison gazed at the scenery outside, seemingly lost in thought. From this angle, she could see the nagan Mansion behind the Powell River. From this point of view, the nagan Mansion seemed so small, like a speck of dust in the gxy. At that moment, her phone rang. Allison nced at it; it was a call from Lucian. She answered the call. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Do you like it?¡± Allison gazed at the scenery in front of her, knowing what he was referring to, ¡°I do.¡± Chapter 485 Chapter 485 Chapter 485 N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Lucian gave a slight smile, ¡°d you like it.¡± Originally, he didn¡¯t mind her staying at the Blue Mountain Estate, but he found out not long ago that the ce was actually a gift from Jason to Allison. So he immediately got in touch with the head of Epic Entertainment and reserved the floor with the best view in the Powell Estate for Allison. This floor, this view ¨C even Belle, the most popr star of Epic Entertainment, had wanted it, but the management didn¡¯t agree. This time, however, the management contacted Patty directly and gave the floor to Allison, showing their respect for her. And all of this, all because of a word from Lucian. ¡°I¡¯lle see you tonight.¡± Allison nodded, ¡°Sure, do you want to join me for dinner? I can prepare it.¡± ¡°All right.¡± ¡°What do you like? Porcini mushroom soup, grilled lobster or barbecue?¡± Allison checked the time and realized she had the entire afternoon. She nned to go buy some groceries. ¡°I like whatever you make.¡± After hanging up, Allison changed her clothes, put on sunsses and a mask, and took a taxi to the grocery store. She pushed a shopping cart, bought some meat and fruits and vegetables, because she had just moved and the fridge was almost empty. After shopping, she remembered she needed some household items, so she took the shopping cart to the second floor. While picking out shampoo and shower gel, she didn¡¯t find her usual brand, so she picked up two bottles of cherry blossom vor. Pushing her shopping cart forward, as she passed an area stacked with shampoo bottles, suddenly a young boy on a skateboard came rushing by, causing the shampoo bottles to topple over immediately. An olderdy screamed in terror. It was toote to dodge, Allison immediately walked over to her and held her up, blocking the falling shampoo bottles. A few bottles hit her back and it hurt a bit, Allison frowned, ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you okay?¡± Thedy was startled, patting her chest, ¡°That scared me, but I¡¯m okay.¡± Thedy adjusted her sses, ¡°Youngdy, are you okay?¡± Allison moved her shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Thank god you¡¯re not hurt.¡± The grocery store¡¯s staff rushed over, ¡°What happened here, is everyone okay?¡± Originally, the shampoo bottles were stacked for disy and promotion, but it would be troublesome if they hit someone. Especially if something happened to the older people, the person in charge had to take responsibility. Nearby, the boy¡¯s parents heard the noise and came over, scolding their child, ¡°Why on earth are you skateboarding here! You can¡¯t run around in the store!¡± The boy looked about six or seven years old, and he knew he had caused trouble. Combined with his mother¡¯s scolding, he started to cry. Thedy said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, just be careful next time.¡± Watching Allison bending over to pick up the shampoo bottles one by one, thedy asked with a smile, ¡°What¡¯s your name, youngdy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Allison.¡± Allison, wearing a mask, helped the staff pick up the shampoo bottles. She looked at the lady and asked, ¡°Where is your family? Did youe out alone? Did you get hit by anything?¡± ¡°No, no, I¡¯m from Powell River. I¡¯m here to see my grandson and just thought I¡¯d stop by the grocery store.¡± After bidding farewell to Allison, thedy stood there smiling and made a phone call, watching Allison¡¯s retreating figure, thedy thought to herself, what a nice young woman. Chapter 486 Chapter 486 Chapter 486 Two minutester, a woman who looked about 40 years old ran up and grabbed thedy¡¯s hand, ¡°My goodness, why didn¡¯t you tell me you wereing up to the second floor? I¡¯ve been looking for you everywhere.¡± ¡°Ruby, I just met a girl and she seemed quite nice.¡± As Ruby helped the olddy out of the elevator, she listened to her recount the recent event, ¡°From what you¡¯re saying, she sounds really good.¡± ¡°Mmm, she¡¯s quite a looker too,¡± thedy said with a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s head home. Miranda is probably waiting for us.¡± After a while, their car pulled up to the Lindberg residence. Thedy got out and headed into the living room where Miranda came over to assist her, ¡°Mom, you could¡¯ve sent Ruby if you needed something. Why bother going out yourself?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been to Northfield. I wanted to stretch my legs.¡± Sabrina asked with a smile, ¡°Where¡¯s Lucian? When is heing back?¡± ¡°I called him, but Shawn picked up and said he¡¯s in a meeting.¡± Sabrina responded, ¡°It¡¯s good for young people to be busy.¡± Naturally, Miranda was proud of her son, ¡°After all, Carter did hand over Lindberg Corporation to him. He¡¯s hardly been home this week.¡± Sabrina was in town due to the uing wedding between the Lindberg and nagan families. She hadn¡¯t been able toe before because she wasn¡¯t feeling well, but upon hearing about Penelope¡¯s miscarriage and hospitalization after saving Miranda, she had been eager to visit and meet her future granddaughter-inw. Now that she was feeling better, she finally made the trip. Miranda said, ¡°I¡¯ve discussed the wedding with Mrs. nagan. We originally nned to wait until Penelope recovered, but Mrs. nagan seems quite eager to get the ball rolling.¡± Mrs. Lindberg chimed in, ¡°It¡¯s understandable that they want to speed things up, considering their daughter lost her child saving you. We do owe them something.¡± Miranda sighed, ¡°I get it. I think Penelope is quite nice. She saved Lucian after all. But¡­¡± She recalled her son¡¯s attitude toward Penelope and was somewhat concerned. Sabrina asked, ¡°But what?¡± She had seen pictures of Penelope, and she could see that Penlope was a beautiful girl. Moreover, rescuing Miranda in a dangerous situation showed that she was a kind-hearted girl as well. The Lindberg family had a thriving business and the Brummett Group had a long history. Although the nagan family was not as well-off, the Lindbergs were not ones to judge based on wealth. As long as Penelope was kind and of good character, that was all that mattered. More importantly, Lucian liked her. Miranda didn¡¯t hold back, ¡°Mom, you don¡¯t know, but Lucian¡¯s attitude towards Penelope is somewhat strange. And Penelope, I liked her at first, but then I found that she¡­.sometimes she¡¯s not the same. Sometimes she¡¯s gentle and generous, but other times she can be sharp and bitter, as though she¡¯s two different people.¡± Sabrina said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry too much. As parents, we shouldn¡¯t interfere, too much in our children¡¯s affairs. You remember when you wanted to marry Zachary, I wasn¡¯t so keen either.¡± The mention of the past made Sabrina visibly displeased. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Mirandaughed, ¡°Mom, that was ages ago. How do you still remember that?¡± That year, Sabrina arranged many blind dates for Miranda with children from wealthy families. But Miranda was only interested in Zachary, who had no business interests and only loved literature and art. Although Zachary was the son that Carter was very pleased with, he had no interest in thepany affairs, and was only passionate about literary creation. He had no interest in the power struggle within Lindberg Corporation. Unexpectedly, in the end, Lindberg Corporation fell into the hands of Zachary¡¯s son, Lucian. Although Lucian was Zachary¡¯s son, their characters werepletely different. Lucian was more like Carter. Chapter 487 Chapter 487 Chapter 487 Allison got a call from the hospital nurse, saying Grace was ready to be discharged. She rubbed her forehead and said, ¡°Thank you. I got it.¡± After hanging up, her brows remained furrowed. She couldn¡¯t suppress the pressure in her heart, feeling like there was a lump in her chest that just wouldn¡¯t go away. After a few minutes, she sighed and called Emma, asking her to find a reliable home service agency. She needed a nanny to take care of Grace. Emma was efficient. By the afternoon, a nanny had arrived at Blue Mountain Estate. Allison called the nanny and gave her some instructions, especially reminding her to make sure Grace took her meds on time, and look after her diet and general well-being. The guest bedroom would be the nanny¡¯s quarters. The nanny nodded, ¡°Understoods.¡± When Grace got home and pushed open the door, she saw the living room was tidy as a pin. A woman in her forties, wearing a blue apron, with her mid-length hair tied up, was mopping the floor. Seeing Grace, Sammy said, ¡°Miss Zimmer sent me to look after you.¡± As a nanny assigned by the home service agency, Sammy had no idea about what was going on between Grace and Allison. She just assumed it was a busy daughter unable to take care of her sick mother. Grace looked at this stranger in her house, feeling bewildered. It seemed like she was thinking about what Sammy had just said. ¡°You said my daughter sent you to look after me?¡± Sammy put down her mop, ¡°Yes, Miss Allison sent me.¡± She poured a ss of water for Grace, ¡°Ms. Grace, Miss Zimmer has instructed me that you will be in the master bedroom and I will be in the guest bedroom.¡± Grace walked into the master bedroom. Theyout hadn¡¯t changed, but there were fewer books on the shelf and fewer clothes in the wardrobe. Almost all of Allison¡¯s personal items were gone. Grace¡¯s face turned pale, she took a step back and leaned against the door. Sure enough, Allison had moved out. Sammy seemed to sense Grace¡¯s disappointment, but she didn¡¯t want to meddle in others¡¯ affairs. She just hoped to do her job well. The pay was good, and she feared if Grace wasn¡¯t satisfied, she might be sent back to the agency. So she quickly said with enthusiasm, ¡°Ms. Grace, why don¡¯t you rest? You must be tireding back from the hospital, I¡¯ll have dinner ready in a jiffy.¡± Grace was truly exhausted. Shey down on the bed without saying a word. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Sammy headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner. She took out her phone and texted Allison, ¡°Miss Zimmer, Ms. Grace has gone to bed, she seems okay.¡± After reading the message, Allison left her phone on the table. She walked over to the bar and took out a bottle of red wine. She poured herself half a ss and took a sip. The wine was mellow and sweet; she drank one ss after another. Leah¡¯s mocking words echoed in her mind. ¡°How could a woman like Grace give birth to a daughter like a noble?¡± ¡°Do you really dare to dream that big, just by yourself? What a joke! Have you even taken a good look at yourself?¡± ¡°You¡¯re bad luck. Don¡¯te spreading it to me.¡± ¡°If I were you, I might just off myself for being so disgusting and cheap.¡± Allison let go of her hand. The ss of wine slipped from her grasp and fell to the floor. Itnded on the carpet, instantly staining the silver-grey cashmere red wine. She seemed to be drunk, leaning on the bar. In the past, she felt invincible, facing the nagan family like an unbeatable warrior. She wasn¡¯t afraid of Leah and Penelope¡¯s insults, and she believed she could soar against the wind. But now, Allisonughed at her own naivety. She couldn¡¯t do it. She didn¡¯t have the resolve. Chapter 488 Chapter 488 Chapter 488 With slightly reddened eyes, Allison disyed a faint smile. She stood up unsteadily. The scent of red wine was strong, but it also made her a bit dizzy. She walked barefoot on the carpet. Gracefully, she spun around like a ballerina for a few turns. Then, she closed her eyes andy down on the carpet She wished that when she opened her eyes again, everything would be as if it never happened. She didn¡¯t want to be Leah¡¯s daughter anymore. She wished she could go back 11 years and stop Joshua and Ricky from leaving, warning them of the possible danger. Over at the Santos family¡¯s. Mina called and Rosie answered. On the other line, Mina invited Daisy to dinner at the Boswell family¡¯s. Rosie nced at Daisy, who nodded and went upstairs to change her clothes: Rosie cheerfully epted the invitation. After hanging up, Rosie went to the bedroom and found her daughter changing in the walk-in closet. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mom, does this dress suit me?¡± Daisy twirled around, showing Rosie her light blue striped floral dress. ¡°My girl looks good on in everything.¡± Daisy looked at herself in the mirror and decided to change. The dress, though fresh-looking, seemed a bit casual. She picked up a red dress,pared it, and then picked a coffee-colored dress. Finally, she chose the coffee-colored dress. Rosie saw her daughter¡¯s/smile, ¡°Daisy, if you don¡¯t want to¡­¡± Her words were cut off by Daisy, ¡°I do.¡± Her eyes were filled with smile. She was willing to go to the Boswell family and marry Frances. At 7:20 pm, Daisy arrived at the Boswell family¡¯s door. Ava was waiting at the door, ¡°Ms. Daisy, please come in. Mina ordered the kitchen to prepare lots of dishes today.¡± Mina was painting on the terrace. Daisy approached, and Mina, without turning around, slowly asked, ¡°Daisy, have you made up your mind?¡± Daisy lowered her head, feeling a bit nervous. She knew what Mina was asking. Mina hoped that she would marry Frances and then spy on him, reporting his every move. ¡°Mina, I¡¯m just an ordinary person. I don¡¯t want to get involved in the Boswell family feud, and besides, given Frances¡¯ current health, he can¡¯t be your enemy. Why¡­¡± -Minaughed after hearing this, ¡°So, you¡¯re rejecting me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mean that.¡± Daisy was caught in a dilemma. She thought Mina would be furious about her refusal, but she wasn¡¯t. Mina just continued painting quietly, ¡°Daisy, I always thought you were a smart girl.¡± Daisy clenched her fists. She stood behind Mina, watching her back, but felt a wave of pressure. ¡°Mina, I¡¯m just an ordinary person.¡± Ava came over to announce that dinner was ready, and it seemed like this matter hade to an end for now. Mina invited her to dinner with a smile. Daisy heaved a sigh of relief and followed. Mina seemed reasonable after all. In the dining room, the head chef was exining today¡¯s menu. The table was filled with gourmet dishes and elegant tableware. There were four main courses, two soups, two side dishes, and a dessert. Daisy quietly ate her meal. asionally, Mina asked questions, and Daisy answered each one. After dinner, Mina told Daisy, ¡°You go and take this fruit cake to Frances.¡± Daisy nodded. She picked up the tray, excitedly heading upstairs. She was obviously thrilled to see Frances. At the third floor, John looked at her and said, ¡°Mr Frances is resting.¡± It was already 8 pm. Daisy asked with the tray in her hand, ¡°Has he already gone to bed?¡± She seemed a bit disappointed. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave for now.¡± Just as she turned to leave, the door opened from inside, and Frances stood in the doorway. He was wearing a set of grey pajamas, the cor slightly open, revealing his pale and thin corbone. Chapter 489 Chapter 489 Chapter 489 He looked a bit tired, not really in the mood, but his eyes lit up when he saw Daisy. ¡°Daisy,e in.¡± Daisy asked, ¡°Did I wake you up?¡± Frances replied, ¡°No, I was just reading on the couch. I wouldn¡¯t sleep so early. Come in.¡± With that, he opened the door and let her in. Daisy walked in holding a tray. Frances gave John a warning nce, who lowered his head. Frances went back to his room. Daisy put the tray on the table. ¡°Have you eaten? This dessert is really good. Want to give it a try?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Frances took a small bite. As he took the first bite, he slightly pursed his lips. Daisy watched him. ¡°Do you like it? If you do, I can learn to make it. I can¡¯t cook, but¡­ but I¡¯m really smart. I can pick it up quickly.¡± She thought the chef¡¯s dessert was delicious, even better than what she had had in the outside stores. The cake wasn¡¯t overly sweet, but had a hint of natural fruit vor. Frances looked into Daisy¡¯s clear and innocent eyes. He noticed something off about the taste, but didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°I like it.¡± Daisy said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll learn to make it tomorrow. I¡¯m moving in soon, and once I¡¯ve learned, I¡¯ll make it for you.¡± Frances nodded, with a hint of a smile in his eyes. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Do you like sweet or salty food?¡± ¡°I have a sweet tooth.¡± Daisy smiled. ¡°Me too.¡± By the time Daisy got home, it was already 10 o¡¯clock. But she took out her phone and looked up various dessert recipes. There were ingredients at home, and she busied herself until the early morning. But the finished product was a bit offputting Daisy looked at the dessert on the tray. It tasted fine, but it looked really off. She had tried her best, but the shape of the dessert was still irregr. And sometimes it was overcooked, but when she used low heat, she couldn¡¯t get the texture right. Daisy went upstairs, took a shower, andid in bed. She pulled out her phone and searched for several dessert-making procedures, which were basically the same. The ingredients were all the same. Whatever, she¡¯ll deal with it tomorrow. Daisy was really tired. Meanwhile, at the Boswell family. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. John eximed, ¡°Mr. Frances, Mr. Frances, what happened to you?¡± In the bedroom, the man lying on the bed was pale, his eyes tight shut, his forehead drenched in sweat, and Frances¡¯ lips were also very pale, as if he was suppressing some kind of pain. His slender fingers were bulging with veins. John picked up his phone and immediately called Wilton and the family doctor. By the time Wilton arrived, it was already half an hourter. He walked up the stairs inrge strides, waking up Ava who lived on the first floor. In the room, Dr. Jade immediately started treating and examining Frances. ¡°He¡¯s having a severe allergic reaction. If it gets worse, he could go into shock.¡± Now Frances had closed his eyes, his breathing bing extremely weak. Dr. Jade said, ¡°My medicine can only relieve the symptoms, but it can¡¯t solve the problem. We must get him to the hospital immediately.¡± Without dy, Wilton drove Frances to the hospital. The doctors and nurses were already waiting at the entrance. Frances was immediately taken into an ambnce. Wilton clenched his fists. ¡°John, what the hell happened?! Was it Mina?!¡± John recalled what had happened. ¡°Mr. Frances was in his room all day. Around 8 o¡¯clock, Miss Daisy brought him a piece of fruit cake, and he ate it.¡± So it was Daisy. She was Mina¡¯s aplice. Wilton took out his phone and called Daisy. The phone rang several times before it was answered. Seeing the unknown number, Daisy asked, ¡°Who is this?¡± On the other end of the phone, a threatening male voice came, ¡°Daisy, if anything happens to my brother, I¡¯ll make you pay with your life.¡± Chapter 490 Chapter 490 Chapter 490 Daisy was startled. Suddenly, her drowsiness disappearedpletely. ¡°What did you say?¡± She asked with a trembling voice. She stared at the unfamiliar phone number. A clear male voice came from the other end of the line, seemingly shattering her heart in an instant. ¡°Remember my name, Wilton.¡± The man said, and then hung up. Daisy s¨¢t in a daze, looking at her phone. Was that Wilton? What did he say? It took a moment to sink in. He said if anything happened to his brother, she would pay with her life. What happened to Frances? Wasn¡¯t he finest night? Daisy¡¯s mind was in a whirl. How was this rted to her? She got out of bed and quickly got dressed. But it was already past midnight. She couldn¡¯t possibly go to the Boswell family now. Sitting on the edge of the bed, her mind was in turmoil, and she couldn¡¯t fall asleep even into thete hours of the night. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The next morning, Daisy had breakfast and quickly rushed out the door. Rosie called after her, ¡°Where¡¯s the fire?¡± Daisy didn¡¯t answer, just grabbed her bag and ran out. She didn¡¯t have a driver¡¯s license, and couldn¡¯t drive. The driver was going to take Mr. Wyatt to thepanyter, so Daisy hailed a cab. She rushed to the Boswell family¡¯s ce. At that moment, Frances was still in the hospital. Mina was in the flower room, trimming branches. Ava said, ¡°Mr. Wilton came at dawn and took Mr. Frances to the hospital.¡± Mina didn¡¯t react, as if she had already guessed. ¡°How is he?¡± Ava replied, ¡°Dr. Jade said he¡¯s fine, but needs to stay in the hospital for a few days. But considering Mr. Frances¡¯s physical condition, even the allergic reaction caused by a small amount of mango would be a significant blow to his health.¡± Mina finished trimming a bouquet of roses, removed the withered petals, and ced it in a beautiful vase of water, ¡°How lucky he ended up alive.¡± She had a faint smile on her face, but her eyes were devoid of joy. ¡°Could you go to the hospital and check on him for me? It¡¯ll also prevent others from saying that I¡¯m neglecting him.¡± Ava nodded, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± I The temperature in the flower room wasfortable, but Mina seemed to feel hot. She handed the scissors to a servant, instructing, ¡°Carefully arrange the flowers. These are roses air-shipped from New Zend, Ms. Mina likes them. Put a few in a vase on her drawing desk.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the servant replied. Mina went to the terrace to paint. She painted beautifully, as she had been practicing since she was a child. When she was poor and couldn¡¯t afford a teacher, she would secretly learn from tutors and practice with water on the ground. After ten minutes, Ava came over, ¡°Ms. Mina, Ms. Daisy is here.¡± Mina lifted her brush, ¡°Let here here.¡± Daisy quickly walked over and asked, ¡°Ms. Mina, how is Mr. Frances now?¡± Mina replied, ¡°You know about it too?¡± This surprised Mina a little, because she hadn¡¯t told Daisy about Frances¡¯ hospitalization. How did Daisy know about it? But all of this was within Mina¡¯s expectations, as if everything was under her control. Daisy hesitated, ¡°I¡­¡± She didn¡¯t know how to respond. Mina was a beautiful and charming woman, but her charm was not soft, but rather like a sharp ice de. It didn¡¯t hurt, but it made people feel oppressed and restrained. And now, under Mina¡¯s gaze, Daisy didn¡¯t want to betray Wilton. Chapter 491 Chapter 491 Chapter 491 Mina gave Ava a quick nce and Ava immediately picked up the conversation, ¡°Ms. Daisy, Mr. Frances isn¡¯t at home. He¡¯s been in the hospital sincest night. I was just about to head over with some chicken soup to visit him. Wanna tag along?¡± Daisy of course wanted to see Frances. She was dying to know how he was doing. So she quickly nodded in agreement. In the ward. Frances was awake and after the treatmentst night, he was fine. Wilton hadn¡¯t slept all night, his eyes were red from exhaustion. He snapped at John, ¡°Frances is allergic to mangoes. Everything he eats is under your watch. Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t know?¡± It was probably a coincidence that both brothers were allergic to mangoes. Frances almost lost his life after eating a mango at age three. He was rushed to the hospital and it took four hours to save him. From then on, the Boswell family chef would avoid using mangoes in any dish. John sighed, ¡°Miss Daisy brought over a piece of fruit cakest night. We didn¡¯t expect it to have mangoes in it. That¡¯s my bad.¡± Frances shook his head and looked at Wilton, saying weakly, ¡°Wilton, don¡¯t me John, or Daisy.¡± Wilton chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t me her? Frances, Daisy is Mina¡¯s mole. And you¡¯re telling me not to me her? You almost died. Do you realize that?¡± ¡°I trust her. She¡¯s not that kind of woman.¡± Frances said with clear eyes, ¡°Wilton, she¡¯s different.¡± Wilton looked at Frances, seemingly shocked. How did that woman named Daisy manage to make Frances defend her like this? This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Frances, you trust her, but I don¡¯t. I knew from the moment Mina arranged this marriage, that she was sent by Mina. And what happenedst night is the best proof.¡± ! Frances didn¡¯t know how to exin to Wilton, but he trusted Daisy. Daisy was not that kind of girl. She clearly rejected Mina¡¯s arrangement. Her eyeweres as pure and innocent as a deer in the forest. That kind of brightness was something he had not seen for years. He saw light. His light. Outside the ward, there was a sound of footsteps. John went out to see Daisy and Ava at the door. His gaze fell on Daisy. Maybe he really misunderstood her. From his observations, he belived Daisy was an innocent girl. But now, Daisy and Ava came together. Didn¡¯t this prove that Daisy was sent by Mina? John¡¯s face darkened, ¡°What are you guys doing here?¡± Ava asked, ¡°How¡¯s Mr. Frances? What happened?¡± Before John could answer, a sarcastic male voice came from the ward, ¡°You don¡¯t know what happened?¡± Then, Wilton came out. There seemed to be a sharp chill emanating from the man, which startled Ava at first nce. Wilton¡¯s eyes were red and cold as he stared at Ava. Ava took a step back from the man¡¯s gaze. ¡°Mr. Wilton, you¡¯ve misunderstood, I¡¯m just worried about Mr. Frances¡¯ condition¡­¡± ¡°My brother is doing well, sorry to disappoint you.¡± Wilton said coldly, ¡°Leave the hospital now. I don¡¯t want to see you here.¡± Chapter 492 Chapter 492 Chapter 492 Wilton¡¯s move turned Ava as pale as a sheet. She didn¡¯t expect him to show his displeasure so openly. Before this, she only saw Wilton as a capricious, pleasure-loving young man, splurging his family¡¯s money and chasing skirts all over the ce. But right now, she felt an icy chill from Wilton¡¯s gaze that sent shivers down her spine. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll report to Mina about Mr. Frances¡¯s situation truthfully,¡± Ava said as she turned to leave. She cast a nce at Daisy, ¡°Ms. Daisy, you stay here and take good care of Mr. Frances.¡± Although Daisy wasn¡¯t the sharpest tool in the shed, she got the picture. She was being yed by Ava and Mina. On the surface, it seemed like Mina asked Ava to take her to the hospital to visit Frances, but in reality, she was pushing her into the lion¡¯s den. Seeing her with Ava, Wilton and his gang would surely think she was one of Mina¡¯s minions and start suspecting her. Daisy caught Wilton¡¯s piercing look and knew that any exnation would be like flogging a dead horse. ¡°Mr. Wilton, I want to go in and see Frances¡­¡± Wilton moved a step closer, his figure looming over Daisy. Daisy instinctively stepped back. The man was closing in, on her. Her back hit the wall. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°Mr. Wilton, what are you doing?¡± Wilton punched the wall next to Daisy, causing her to shriek and close her eyes. But the expected pain didn¡¯te. She remembered the call Wilton made to her in the wee hours, realizing he must despise her now. She opened her eyes and met Wilton¡¯s icy, angry gaze, ¡°I¡¯m not with Mina.¡± ¡°Hmph, save it,¡± he scoffed, his voice low, ¡°You think I would believe you?¡± His other hand gripped her chin tightly, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, if anything happens to my brother, I won¡¯t let you or the Santos family get away scot-free.¡± Daisy felt a sharp pain in her chin, tears welled up in her eyes as she stared at him. He sneered, ¡°So is this how you fooled Frances?¡± John was watching him from the sidelines. Knowing Wilton¡¯s temperament, John tried to stop him, afraid he¡¯d do something impulsive. ¡°Mr. Wilton.¡± Wilton let go of Daisy, ¡°You may fool Frances, but you can¡¯t fool me.¡± John breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Wilton let go. With Wilton¡¯s temper, he was genuinely worried he might hurt Daisy. Even though Daisy was sent by Mina, this was a hospital after all. If Wilton hurt Daisy, it would only give Mina more ammunition against him. Daisy didn¡¯t leave. She stood outside the ward, hoping she could check on Frances. She wouldn¡¯t leave until she saw that Frances was okay. But Wilton was blocking her way. ¡°Get lost.¡± ¡°No!¡± Daisy clenched her fists, ¡°Who do you think you are? What gives you the right to stop me from seeing Frances!¡± Facing a man who looked exactly like Frances but exuded a strong sense of gloom and acted recklessly, Daisy was taken aback. This Wilton was actually so horrible. ¡°I came to see Frances, not you. Wilton, what gives you the right to stop me from seeing him? Even if you¡¯re his brother, you have no right.¡± Wilton clearly didn¡¯t expect this petite woman to talk back to him. Her bright almond eyes clearly showed fear. Chapter 493 Chapter 493 Chapter 493 The man¡¯s gaze made Daisy feel threatened, she wanted to back away, but she was already backed against the wall. Though scared, Daisy gathered her courage, clenching her fists, ¡°Mr. Wilton, I¡¯m Frances¡¯ fianc¨¦e, soon to be a part of the Boswell family. I know you¡¯re worried about Franc¨¦s¡¯ health, but¡­.¡± She wasn¡¯t sent by Mina. She was interrupted by the man before she could finish her sentence. ¡°If not for you, why would my brother be in the hospital?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Daisy trembled, ¡°What does this have to do with me?¡± ¡°Still ying innocent? What¡¯s the point of ying dumb now? My brother is allergic to mango, yet you fed him a cake with mango in it, which caused him to go into shock. If his exposure was any higher, his life could have been in danger. He¡¯s in the hospital because of you. Tell Mina, if she wants to mess with me, I¡¯m not scared of her.¡± Daisy was startled, what? Frances was allergic to mango? Frances was in the hospital because of her? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I really didn¡¯t know.¡± Guilt welled up in Daisy¡¯s eyes. ¡°You didn¡¯t know? That¡¯s augh.¡± Wilton didn¡¯t buy it. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Tears welled in Daisy¡¯s eyes. She hadn¡¯t thought that she was the cause of this. If she hadn¡¯t served the dessert, Frances wouldn¡¯t have eaten it. The food that was usually brought up to the third floor was always checked by John, or made by John himself. This would never have happened. It was because she served itst night and John didn¡¯t check it, and Frances trusted her. Thinking about Frances trusting her, Daisy felt a wrenching pain in her heart. It felt like a big hand was squeezing her heart mercilessly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I want to see him. Mr. Wilton, please let me see him.¡± Wilton looked at the woman before him, who was pleading desperately. She had smooth skin and delicate features, and her eyes were now red, making her look pitiful. Any normal man would not refuse her, but Wilton had already seen through Mina¡¯s true nature. He wouldn¡¯t sympathize with anyone sent by Mina. ¡°Before I get really mad, Daisy, leave the hospital now, or I¡¯ll have security escort you out.¡± Daisy bit her lip, her voice trembling, ¡°Mr. Wilton, please let me see Frances.¡± If she couldn¡¯t check on him, she would be very anxious. From the ward came a weak and hoarse voice, ¡°Daisy, is that you?¡± The voice was soft, but in this special care ward, where there weren¡¯t many people, the voice could be clearly heard. Wilton and Daisy were very familiar with Frances voice. The first one to react was Daisy. Her eyes lit up and she walked past Wilton into the ward. Wilton¡¯s lips were tightly pressed together as he took a step forward. John stopped him and whispered, ¡°Mr. Wilton.¡± Wilton stopped and looked at John, ¡°You better give me a reasonable exnation.¡± John said, ¡°I can tell, since Mr. Frances got sick, this is the first time I¡¯ve seen a light in his eyes after meeting Miss Daisy. Even if Miss Daisy is a spy sent by Mina, if she can make Mr. Frances happy, I think it¡¯s worth it.¡± Wilton was taken aback. John continued, ¡°Mr. Frances¡¯ health condition is still uncertain, I hope every day of Mr. Frances¡¯ future is full of happiness. Miss Daisy can make him happy.¡± Chapter 494 Chapter 494 Chapter 494 Wilton balled his fists tightly, let out a sigh after a moment, and leaned against the wall. He fished out a cigarette from his pocket and took a drag. The pale smoke masked his handsome features. Inside the ward, Daisy stared at the frail Frances. When Frances saw here in, he tried to sit up with his hands braced on the edge of the bed. Daisy hurried over to support him, ¡°Careful now.¡± She ced a pillow behind his head. ¡°How are you holding up?¡± Daisy looked at his increasingly pale and weak appearance, guilt flooding her heart. If it wasn¡¯t for het, he wouldn¡¯t be in this state. Frances noticed her teary eyes, and he managed a small smile, ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry.¡± Daisy bit her lip. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Her voice choked with emotion, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know you were allergic to mangoes, and I didn¡¯t know there were mangoes in that cake. I¡¯m sorry¡­ it¡¯s all my fault¡­¡± Frances coughed a few times, a hint of redness appearing on his pale cheeks, ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± A warm smile graced his lips as he gently touched Daisy¡¯s nose, his voice as soft as a spring breeze, ¡°I believe you.¡± Daisy¡¯s eyes widened as a tear fell. Itnded on Frances¡¯ hand. He flinched slightly. Her tear was so hot it made his heart hurt, as if it could melt the ice in his heart. Daisy kept repeating ¡®I¡¯m sorry. Guilt filled her heart. Frances grabbed her hand, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. I wanted to try it. I tasted the mango. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve had it. I just wanted to try it.¡± The more Frances said this, the guiltier Daisy felt. She knew she had been framed by Mina this time. She had no defense. Mina was Frances¡¯ stepmother. She had been in the Boswell family for many years. She couldn¡¯t possibly not know about Frances¡¯ mango allergy. The Boswell family had long banned mangoes from their home. There was no way Mina didn¡¯t know. Daisy had rejected Mina¡¯s request the night before, and was immediately set up by Mina. Now, Wilton was sure she was Mina¡¯s mole. She had no words. And Mina was using this incident against Daisy. Daisy knew that if she didn¡¯t ept Mina¡¯s request, Frances would face more dangers. After leaving the hospital, Daisy contacted Mina. She didn¡¯t have Mina¡¯s number, so she called Ava. ¡°Ava, I ept Mina¡¯s request.¡± Avaughed, ¡®Ms. Mina said Ms. Daisy is a smart woman.¡± Daisy replied, ¡°Those shares, not one less.¡± ¡®Of course.¡± Daisy looked up at the sun in the sky. She wanted to help Frances and could only agree to Mina¡¯s request. This way, she could do something for Frances. Allison was getting ready. She was shooting a cover for a magazine today. The magazine was a promotional product of a mobile phone brand. Although she was just starting her acting career, she already had a chance to shoot an inside page, which was pretty good. Allison wasn¡¯t too picky.Material ? N?velDrama.Org. She was shooting with Sadie this time. Sadie¡¯s situation was a bit different. She believed that once Cathy¡¯s movie was released, she would get a big boost. As she had already got the female lead in Cathy¡¯s movie, Sadie was now a rising star with promising prospects in the industry. This naturally made her a bit more assertive. ¡°Be careful, it¡¯s my face, not a mannequin¡¯s, Sadie told the makeup artist, ¡°Are you from SUMI Studio? I want Jay to do my makeup.¡± Chapter 495 Chapter 495 Chapter 495 SUMI Studio was the first choice for many famous actresses: At thest film festival, they created a jaw-dropping look for Best Actress Amelia. She wore a bold red dress that showcased her stunning curves, and her makeup was on point. And of course, with Amelia¡¯s unique features, she totally owned the room. There were several makeup artists in the studio, including the founder, who was also the deputy editor of top magazine MIGE and editor in chief, Lilian. Every time Lilian did a look, it was top-notch. Their other makeup artists were pretty famous too. Jay, in particr, gained a lot of attention for his recent film festival look. His Twitter followers increased by 200,000, and many celebs¡¯ fans were begging him to do their makeup. One of the makeup artists said to Sadie, ¡°Jay is swamped right now. I can do your makeup, Miss Sadie. We¡¯re about to start shooting, so close your eyes and I¡¯ll do your eye makeup.¡± Sadie wasn¡¯t that famous yet, but she had a big attitude. She snorted, ¡°I want Jay to do my makeup. If it¡¯s not him, I¡¯m not shooting.¡± The makeup artist was in a pickle. Just then, Kendra said, ¡°Miss Sadie, Jay is in Allison¡¯s dressing room.¡± Sadie was immediately ticked off. ¡°What? With Allison?¡± She didn¡¯t think much of Allison. Sadie was the leading actress, and Allison was just a supporting actress with barely a few minutes on screen. She had the nerve to steal her makeup artist. How dare she! ¡°Get Jay over here Sadie gave the order, and Kendra went to get Jay. Allison¡¯s dressing room was right across from Sadie¡¯s. Inside the dressing room, Allison was getting her eyeliner done by Jay. Her eyes were so big, she didn¡¯t need eyeliner to enhance them. ¡°Allison your eyes are ridiculously gorgeous,¡± Jay eximed. He had worked with loads of actresses, even A-listers, and seen all kinds of beauty. But Allison¡¯s eyes, they were something else. So perfect. Her eyshes were long and thick, her double eyelids had a beautiful curve, and they were obviously natural. Her face was like a masterpiece sculpted by God. Her nose was high and straight, her profile exquisite. Her skin was as delicate as snow, poreless, without a single blemish or dark spot. Even her eyebrows were perfect. Her face was more stunning the more you looked at it. Jay thought this was the most delicate and exquisite face he¡¯d seen in his decade-plus career in the entertainment industry. Emma, standing nearby,ughed, ¡°Miss Allison¡¯s skin is just the best. She¡¯s naturally fair.¡± Jay agreed, ¡°Yeah, I have to custom-mix your foundation. Your skin tone is even fairer than the lightest shade.¡± Jay¡¯s assistant asked for her skincare secret. Allison wasn¡¯t too fussy about skincare. She smiled and said, ¡°Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, and get plenty of Vitamin C.¡± Just then, there was a knock on the door. It sounded urgent and rough. Emma frowned, thinking something serious had happened. ¡°Come in.¡± Then, Kendra pushed open the door. Seeing Kendra, Emma asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Kendra didn¡¯t even look at Emma. She went straight to Jay and said, ¡°Jay, Sadie invites you to do her makeup.¡± He stressed the word ¡°invites.¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Emma realized what was happening. She snorted, ¡°Doesn¡¯t Sadie have her own makeup artist? Jay is Miss Allison¡¯s makeup artist. What¡¯s with all this?¡± Chapter 496 Chapter 496 Chapter 496 Kendra stole a nce at Allison. Allison seemed to havepletely ignored her. Her eyes were shut while Jay, the makeup artist, worked diligently. The eyeliner was done, and the eyeshadow color was light, just the way Allison liked it. Jay wasn¡¯t a fan of heavy, gaudy colors either; Allison¡¯s eyes were beautiful enough on their own. Allison remained silent, and Jay did the same. He sighed secretly, wondering how much of big shot Sadie was for her to send her assistant to poach another star¡¯s makeup artist. After all, both Allison and Sadie belonged to the samepany, Epic Entertainment. Wasn¡¯t this a tant p in Allison¡¯s face? It seemed that the kinder one was, the more likely they were to be taken advantage of. Allison, seemed to be the gentle type. Such people were bound to be at a disadvantage. Kendra said, ¡°Emma, Sadie is the lead today, so naturally, she needs the best makeup. Besides, isn¡¯t Jay done with Allison¡¯s makeup? She can¡¯t hog the makeup artist forever, can she?¡± Allison opened her eyes. Her voice was soft. ¡°Jay, thank you. Would you mind going over to Sadie¡¯s ce now?¡± Jay had indeed almost finished Allison¡¯s makeup. He didn¡¯t want to offend any of Epic Entertainment¡¯s talents, especially Sadie. Everyone knew Sadie hadnded the lead role in Cathy¡¯s movie and became an up-anding starlet, so she reluctantly followed Kendra. Emma eximed, ¡°How could you let Jay go, Allison? Isn¡¯t that like giving them a foot up? Sadie is just using Sidney¡¯s backing to casually poach other people¡¯s makeup artists.¡± Allison replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need to make a fuss over something so trivial. I¡¯m ready for filming at any time. Besides, Jay is just a worker, why should she offend Sadie because of me?! Emma responded, ¡°You¡¯re always thinking about others, Allison. You really have a good heart.¡± Allison smiled casually. She knew, and she had experienced it, the hardships of the past. Allison didn¡¯t leave the photography studio all morning. During breaks, she was busy with interviews. It was different for Sadie, who was surrounded by people catering to her every need. Maybe it was true what they said, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. The photographer was from SUMI Studio. Allison was doing a studio shoot with a tall, white vase in the background. She wore a light blue dress, her eyes were half-closed, and her body was blending with the vase. The photographer praised, ¡°Perfect, absolutely perfect.¡± The shots were quickly developed, and he was extremely satisfied. After the shoot, Allison sat to the side to rest. Meanwhile, Sadie was shooting in the studio. After a few minutes, sheined that she was tired and refused to continue. The photographer nced at the deputy editor, who nodded. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s take a break.¡± Both Allison and Sadie were promoting a new phone model and a new movie by Cathy. Allison was in a blue dress. Sadie was in a white dress. Behind Sadie was a blue vase, and behind Allison was a white one. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Twin masterpieces. During the break, the photographer looked at the semi-finished products. ¡°Allison¡¯s shots are really good. Her gaze, her bodynguage, everything is on point. Especially her eyes, they¡¯re stunning.¡± The deputy editor agreed, ¡°Indeed, she blends seamlessly with the tranquility of the white vase. These pictures are all quite good, almost no wasted shots.¡± As for Sadie¡¯s pictures, the photographer sighed and started editing. Sadie had a pretty face, which was perfect for the fresh and sweet look. But her face wasn¡¯t suitable forrge-scale fashion shoots. There was no sense of fashion, and her expressiveness was average, as if she was isted from the fashion world. Chapter 497 Chapter 497 Chapter 497 Sadie scanned her reflection in the mirror. A crowd of people were milling about her as if she were an A-list celebrity. Jay, can you after my eyeliner? I don¡¯t want it this long,¡± she remarked, looking dissatisfied. Jay appeared slightly uneasy. ¡°The magazine specifically asked for this look. It¡¯s supposed to be bold and dramatic. You look great now, Sadie.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Sadie seemed skeptical. Kendra chimed in from the side, ¡°Absolutely, Sadie. You¡¯re totally rocking this look. It¡¯s got ¡®leadingdy¡¯ written all over it.¡± At that, Sadie chuckled. ¡°I just don¡¯t get why they¡¯d have mee in with Allison for this shoot. Totally kills the vibe. The whole ¡®twin shoot¡¯ idea is ridiculous. I¡¯m the leadingdy here, not her.¡± Jay frowned at Sadie¡¯s tant disregard for tact. The studio was far from quiet; surely Allison could hear. Jay nced over at Allison, who was busily scrolling on her phone while a makeup artist touched up her face. She seemed unperturbed by Sadie¡¯s remarks. Kendra, never one to miss a chance to stir the pot, added fuel to the fire. ¡°Why get worked up over a supporting actress, Sadie? She¡¯s not even in your league. Sharing a magazine shoot with her is like charity work.¡± Not just Jay, but also the assistant editor and the photographer looked displeased. Since when had assistants be so brazen? Emma gritted her teeth. ¡°What do you mean by that, Kendra?¡± She wouldn¡¯t stand for it, and marched over to confront Kendra. Kendra, hiding behind Sadie, didn¡¯t seem fazed. ¡°What could I possibly mean? It¡¯s just the truth. Even for a twin shoot, Sadie should be paired with the second lead, not a minor character. It¡¯s downright embarrassing.¡± ¡°Apologize to Allison!¡± Emma demanded, showing no signs of backing down. Sadie watched the confrontation unfold. ¡°Emma, my assistant is just stating facts. What are you doing? Dying the shoot?¡± ¡°Sadie, Epic Entertainment isn¡¯t all about you. This movie isn¡¯t a one-woman show. If you have comints about this shoot, take it up with your agent. You can¡¯t just take Allison¡¯s makeup artist and threaten to quit if you don¡¯t get your way. The diva here is you, Sadie. You¡¯re the one disrupting the shoot!¡± The studio was filled with people from the magazine andmercial teams. As the argument escted, it became harder to ignore. People began to whisper and exchange nces. The deputy editor frowned. Sadie was clearly not an easy talent to manage. To Sadie¡¯s surprise, Emma had the audacity to confront her publicly. She stood up abruptly, startling Jay, who was in the middle of reapplying her lipstick. *Emma, it seems you¡¯ve forgotten your ce. If you don¡¯t want to work for Epic Entertainment anymore, then leave. How dare you speak to me like that.¡± Emma had tolerated Sadie long enough. This time, Sadie had publicly allowed her assistant to bully Allison. Emma knew that Allison was kind-hearted, but she wouldn¡¯t stand for this! *Sadie, we are all part of Epic Entertainment. Your assistant, Kendra, owes Allison an apology! And you, Sadie, need to take responsibility for your words!¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°And why should I apologize to her? She¡¯s not worth it. And you¡¯re nothing more than apdog, barking for Allison.¡± Chapter 498 Chapter 498 Chapter 498 ¡°Sadie¡¯s getting too cocky. She hasn¡¯t even made it big yet, and she¡¯s already acting like a diva.¡±. And then there was the fact that Sadie had been holding up the shoot. The crew was less than pleased. As whispers buzzed around her, Sadie¡¯s mood soured even further. She pointed at Allison. ¡°If you still want a job at Epic Entertainment, you¡¯d better take your pit bull home!¡± Kendra, riding on Sadie¡¯s coattails, chimed in, ¡°Yeah, Allison, leash your dog. We don¡¯t need her snapping at people.¡± Emma¡¯s cheeks flushed with anger. Inside the studio, Sadie seemed to be putting on a one-woman show. Meanwhile, the other focal point of this conflict was sitting in a lounge chair, engrossed in her phone. Allison rubbed her temples, stood up, and cast a cool, detached look at Sadie. She approached one step at a time. ¡°If you still want a job at Epic Entertainment, you should take your pit bull home. That¡¯s something I should be telling you.¡± She positioned herself in front of Emma, giving Sadie a once-over, ¡°The one disrupting the shoot and hurling insults is you. And is that barking dog at your side? Sadie, I¡¯ve tolerated you long enough.¡± Her voice was light, clear, and firm. It was not a flighty tone, but one thatmanded attention and shook you to your core. Sadie was taken aback. ¡°You¡¯re in no position to lecture me, Allison!¡± Before she could finish her sentence, a sharp p echoed throughout the studio. The assistant editor¡¯s eyes widened. The cameraman froze. Before Sadie could react, her cheek stung with pain. Kendra screamed, ¡°Allison, you hit Sadie?!¡± With her numb cheek in her hand, Sadie prepared to retaliate, but Allison grabbed her hand and delivered another p. Staggering back, Sadie was caught by Kendra. Her cheeks were burning. She couldn¡¯t believe that thes the seemingly demure Allison had dared to hit her. ¡°Allison, have you lost your mind?!¡± She red at Allison, but after being pped twice, she was somewhat afraid. Allison simply stated coldly, ¡°Apologize to Emma.¡± She didn¡¯t even spare Sadie a nce, as if she was beneath her notice. Her voice was light, butmanding, leaving no room for argument. Emma was taken aback. She never expected Allison to stand up for her. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Allison. I¡¯m fine.¡± Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that Allison would p Sadie, not just once but twice. What if Sidney found out? Sadie was trembling. Apologize to Emma? Impossible. ¡°Allison, you hit me. You¡¯re finished. I won¡¯t let you off easy!¡± Allisonughed, and a brief, stunning smile momentarily warmed her frosty face. It was breathtaking. So much so that it was captured by a photographer who was editing images on the side. He couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the picture. It was absolutely gorgeous. Her dismissive smile was like a one-of-a- kind masterpiece. ¡°Oh, how exactly do you n to make me pay?¡± Allison appeared to take Sadie¡¯s threat lightly. Instead, she seemed somewhat intrigued. Sadie gritted her teeth. ¡°Allison, you¡¯ll pay for hitting me. Sidney won¡¯t let you off, and you can forget about getting any roles at Epic Entertainment in the future! I¡¯ll make you kneel and beg for my forgiveness!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Chapter 499 Chapter 499 Chapter 499 Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll just watch,¡± Allison¡¯s gaze gently swept across the room,nding on the deputy editor, Aliana. ¡°Aliana, I don¡¯t want to dy the shoot. Let¡¯s continue with mine.¡± Still reeling from the shock, Aliana managed to stammer out, ¡°Okay, right away.¡± Allison¡¯sposure was hardly that of an ordinary person. Sadie, on the other hand, was all fiery ambition, like a nouveau richedy. And Allison, she was all grace and elegance. As the photographer resumed shooting Allison, she seemed to pay no mind to Sadie at all. She ignored Sadie¡¯s threatspletely. Emma, on the other hand, was filled with self¨Creproach. If she hadn¡¯t stepped in earlier, perhaps things wouldn¡¯t have escted this way. She knew that Allison¡¯s foundation in Epic Entertainment was shallow; she wasn¡¯t in a position to challenge Sadie. Meanwhile, Sadie was already dialing Sidney and Patty in a tearful frenzy. Watching Allison during the shoot, Emma made up her mind that if Patty and Sidney arrived, she¡¯d take the me for everything. She couldn¡¯t let Allison get involved. Despite the drama, the work on the set continued. The crew had no sympathy for Sadie¡¯s diva¨Clike tantrum. Instead, they admired Allison¡¯s cool demeanor. Two crew members even asked for Allison¡¯s autograph., Sadie only had Kendra and an executive agent by her side. She held an ice pack to her face, and her teeth clenched in anger as if she wanted to rip Allison apart. Kendra handed her an ice pack. ¡°Wait till Patty and Sidney get here. They¡¯ll make Allison pay!¡± The icy touch on her cheek sent a burning sensation through Sadie. Holding the ice pack, she vowed, ¡°I¡¯ll make her kneel before me. I¡¯ll make Sidney cklist her!¡± On the other side, Allison was calmly proceeding with her shoot. Unaffected by the drama, she finished quickly. Unbeknownst to anyone, a crew member had secretly recorded the scene and passed it to a paparazzo: ¡°Bro, I just caught something interesting.¡± The paparazzo nced at the footage. ¡°Two nobodies, what¡¯s so interesting?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have any big scoop anyway, you could use this to spice up your feed. This is Cathy¡¯s leading lady we¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± Soon enough, Patty and Sidney arrived at the studio. As soon as she walked in, Sadie ran over as if she had seen her saviors. ¡°Patty, Sidney, Allison hit me, look at my face!¡± Patty nced at Sadie¡¯s face. The vivid handprint was hard to miss, but she couldn¡¯t linger on it. Her gaze swept across the room to find Allison, sitting on a lounge chair. Years of experience as a talent agent told her to turn to Aliana. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we need to halt this shoot. Please take your crew and leave.¡± Aliana understood. This was a situation for Epic Entertainment to handle, they weren¡¯t suited for it, and any further leaks would only worsen things. ¡°I understand.¡± Aliana nodded and led her crew away. The studio felt empty with only Allison, Emma, Sadie, Kendra, an executive agent, and a couple of people Patty and Sidney brought along. Sidney studied Sadie¡¯s face. This was one of her talents, and now she was beaten up this badly. It made her blood boil. ¡°What the hell happened here?¡± Chapter 500 Chapter 500 Chapter 500 Emma was prepared to exin the whole debacle, but Kendra beat her to the punch. ¡°It was Allison. She pped Sadie twice over a minor spat.¡± Patty moved closer to Allison, examining her closely. Seeing no sign of damage, she heaved a sigh of relief. The fear she felt when she heard over the phone that Sadie had been hit was indescribable. Allison always seemed so refined and gentle. The fact that she could hit someone suggested either that she herself had been hit or that she had lost control of her emotions. Patty dreaded finding a bruise on Allison¡¯s face. She couldn¡¯t afford to offend that big shot. Sidney turned to Allison. ¡°Is this true, Allison? Do you understand what you¡¯ve done?¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Noticing Sidney about to explode, Emma quickly interjected, ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that. Before we started filming, Sadie came over and tried to steal the makeup artist. She also insulted Allison.¡± Allison softly lifted her gaze. Her eyes were cold and clear. ¡°I hit her. She said she wanted me to kneel before her and beg for mercy. She also threatened to ruin my career, saying I would never have a part in any Epic Entertainment productions.¡± She was looking at Patty as she said this. Sidney turned to Sadie. ¡°Did you say that?¡± Sadie clenched her teeth and nodded. Sidney gave her a stern look. If Sadie was the one who started the trouble, then she couldn¡¯t punish Allison. However, she also couldn¡¯t allow her own artist to be bullied. ¡°Allison, regardless of the circumstances, you shouldn¡¯t hit people. Patty, how do you think we should handle this?¡± Patty didn¡¯t respond. She didn¡¯t dare to. At that moment, she felt an oppressive force. Allison always seemed so gentle and unassuming, but Patty had never seen her angry Patty cursed Sadie for herck of foresight. Allison looked at her. ¡°Patty, what do you think?¡± Patty hesitated, unsure of what to say. ¡°Well¡­Allison, what do you think we should do?¡± Sidney looked at Patty in surprise, as if she couldn¡¯t believe that Patty had just said that. Who was Patty? Patty was a top-tier agent, one of the top five in the entertainment industry. Most of the producers and investors in the industry had to give Patty some respect. Even some of the most sessful actors and actresses had to respect her. Now, she was asking a neer for advice. Sadie was also stunned by this. Emma rubbed her eyes. Was this the same decisive Patty she knew? Allison stood up and nced at her watch. ¡°Since the shooting is over, I should head home. As for Sadie, I¡¯ve put up with her long enough.¡± ¡°I want Sadie and Kendra to apologize to my agent, Emma.¡± She looked at Patty. ¡°Understood?¡± ¡°Yes, got it, Patty replied. ¡°In the future, I don¡¯t want to see her at Epic Entertainment,¡± She walked a few steps forward, stopping when she reached Sadie. A smirk yed at the corner of her lips. ¡°The movie with Cathy that you¡¯re always bragging about? It¡¯s something I didn¡¯t want.¡± With that, Allison left the set. Sadie and Kendra stood frozen in ce. Sidney looked at Patty, a sense of foreboding rising within her. ¡°What¡­what does this mean, Patty?! Patty let out a long sigh. She couldn¡¯t handle it when Allison was angry. Just now, she felt as if the air around her was being sucked away. She shot a nce at Sidney, and her confidence was returning. ¡°You brought this artist in. You caused this mess. I¡¯m the one who should be asking you what this all means.¡± Chapter 501 Chapter 501 Chapter 501 Patty shot a nce at Sidney, saying, ¡°Cease all activities that involve Sadie immediately. All of them. Until the end of her contract.¡± Sadie had only just started an eight-year contract with Epic Entertainment, and now Patty was implying a total cklisting of Sadie. Fear gripped Sadie. ¡°Patty, I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on. I was the one who was attacked! I¡­ Patty, I apologize, please don¡¯t cklist me.¡± Patty didn¡¯t respond and left immediately after giving her orders. Sidney panicked as well. It was her first time witnessing such a situation. She quickly caught up with Patty. ¡°Patty, what¡¯s happening? Even if Sadie was in the wrong, it¡¯s not necessary to cklist her. You know she has several business contracts and is about to start filming a major movie. Her lead role in Cathy¡¯s new show hasn¡¯t even aired yet¡­¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Patty cut her off. ¡°Sidney, don¡¯t you get it?¡± Sidney was indeed confused. ¡°What¡¯s so special about Allison? Isn¡¯t she just a low-tier newbie signed by thepany?¡± ¡°Sidney, do you have any idea that the person behind her could wipe Epic Entertainment off the map with just a word? To him, we are nothing more than ants in the capital world. His power is beyond your imagination.¡± Sidney was shocked. Patty had been clear enough. Even if Sidney was a bit slow, she understood now. Patty continued, ¡°Sadie brought this on herself. If you want to save her, be prepared to be cklisted with her until the contract ends, and then, leave Epic Entertainment.¡± Sidney quickly shook her head. ¡°No, no, no¡­¡± She would never risk her career for Sadie! N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Patty left with a cold face. Sidney returned to the set and immediately cut ties with Sadie. Sadie sank to the floor, with Kendra supporting her. They both felt like they were in a dream. Emma also snapped back to reality from shock. She took a deep breath. She hadn¡¯t yet processed everything that had just happened. Allison took out her phone and called Tom toe over. She had an afternoon appointment with Daisy. While she was waiting for the car, Emma ram over. ¡°Allison, you¡­¡± The shock in her eyes had not yet dissipated. What she had just experienced felt like a dream. Allison looked at Emma, knowing that she would be an important sidekick in the future. She didn¡¯t want to keep Emma in the dark, but her rtionship with Lucian was hard to exin. Allison gave a small smile. Her hair was fluttering in the breeze across her pale cheeks. ¡°Shocked, aren¡¯t you?¡± Emma nodded. ¡°I always thought that you¡­¡± She paused. She had always thought that Allison was just a newbie at Epic Entertainment who was suppressed and had no power. She had no idea that Allison had such a strong backer who could easily cause Sadie to be cklisted. After spending some time together, Emma had a good understanding of Allison¡¯s character. If it hadn¡¯t been for Sadie and her crew¡¯s excessive bullying today, Allison wouldn¡¯t have lost her temper. She was always a kind, gentle, and patient person. ¡®Allison, you¡¯re so powerful. Why did you ask me to be your manager?¡± Emma felt that she was not worthy of the position. Even though she had been in the industry for several years, she had the lowest level of resources and connections. The only projects she could get were web dramas from directors whom she had entertained at dinners. Allison held Emma¡¯s hand. ¡°Because I trust you, and I need you.¡± Her gaze was clear and sincere; her voice was gentle and firm. Emma was taken aback. An unfamiliar sensation welled up in her heart. It had been a long time since she had felt this way. She squeezed Allison¡¯s hand back. ¡°Allison, I can¡¯t promise anything else. I don¡¯t have much ability or resources, but I swear that I will never betray you. I will do my best!¡± Chapter 502 Chapter 502 Chapter 502 Allison said her goodbyes to Emma, who had to head back to the office to tackle the pile of work that awaited her. In the afternoon, Allison and Daisy hit the main street for some shopping. Daisy was known for her generosity and had a penchant for buying whatever she fancied. Allison, despite having saved a good deal of money, didn¡¯t share the same enthusiasm for luxury goods. She preferred clothes made of comfortable, durable cotton. In a chic boutique, Daisy held up a mint green sundress and asked Allison, ¡°What do you think of this one?¡± Allison nced at it. ¡°It¡¯s nice.¡¯ Without missing a beat, Daisy told the sales assistant, ¡°Get one in her size.¡± ¡°Oh, Daisy, you¡¯ve already bought me several,¡± Allison protested, rubbing her forehead. ¡°My closet is bursting.¡± Ignoring her protest, Daisy nudged Allison towards the dressing room. ¡°Just try it on. I guarantee it¡¯ll look stunning on you. Lucian won¡¯t be able to resist.¡± In the dressing room, Allison realized the dress wasced with cutouts at the waist and back only after she changed into it. The green color highlighted her already fairplexion, making her skin look even more radiant under the dressing room lights. Allison was slender, but her bust was full. She often had to go up a size when shopping for clothes, but that left the waistline loose. This dress, however, fit perfectly, entuating her slender waist. The entire waist and back wereced with cutouts. She thought she must have picked up the wrong dress until she recalled Daisy¡¯s whisper in her ear that Lucian would utterly love it. Flushing, she couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed. She walked out of the dressing room in the new dress, and Daisy asked, ¡°So, do you like it?¡± Before Allison could reply, Daisy told the sales assistant, ¡°We¡¯ll take it.¡± Shaking her head and chuckling, Allison didn¡¯t protest further. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. After paying, Daisy suggested they head for a nearby coffee shop. As they chatted over theirttes, Daisy pulled out a ck velvet box from her bag and handed it to Allison. ¡°Open it. Do you like it?¡± Inside was a top-quality, freshly cut sapphire the size of a pigeon¡¯s egg. It looked extremely valuable. ¡°Is Santos Jewels working on a new collection?¡± Allison asked. ¡°No, this is a thank-you gift from Lucian, for helping you pass along his phone call.¡± Suddenly, Allison remembered the time she and Daisy had been at Brady¡¯s restaurant, and she had asked Daisy to answer Lucian¡¯s call, iming she was in the restroom. As a result, Lucian had given her a ¡°punishment¡± in the car, which had left her with a stiff neck and aching back. ¡°I have an idea,¡± Daisy said. ¡°I¡¯ll design a pair of rings tonight, one for each of us. I have to admit, Mr. Lindberg is quite generous. Only a jewelry store under the Lindberg Corporation could offer such a high-quality sapphire piece. It¡¯s incredibly rare, especially since the price of sapphires has tripled.¡± Over the years, Daisy hade to appreciate Allison¡¯s stubbornness and pride. They had known each other for nearly 10 years now singe middle school. Initially, they didn¡¯t get along well. Daisy thought Allison was too arrogant and stubborn. But everything changed when Daisy was signed up for a 10- kilometer run by a ssmate who disliked her. On the day of the sports event, Daisy was having her period and was in so much pain she could barely walk. She broke down in tears. That was when Allison stepped in and ran the race for her. Chapter 503 Chapter 503 Chapter 503 From then, wherever Allison went, Daisy would follow, unabashed and unapologetic. Daisyughed, sipping her coffee. ¡°Do you still remember how we became friends in our sophomore year of high school?¡± Allison naturally remembered. ¡°Yeah, that time, you needed to run a 10K, but your period started. Iran for you and ended up attracting a clingy friend.¡± Back then, Allison was headstrong and a bit of a loner, and always did things on her own. Daisy became her friend, the only one she had in ss. In the blink of an eye, so many years had passed. Daisy exhaled deeply. ¡°Allison, I¡¯m moving in with the Boswell family tomorrow.¡± She¡¯d put it off, but in the end, she¡¯d given in to Mina. Allison¡¯s pupils shifted slightly. Daisy wore a bitter smile. ¡°I made a mistake.¡± Allison reached out, gripping her fingers. Daisy held back the sting in her eyes, forcing a smile. ¡°I think I won¡¯t make mistakes in the future, you know? Frances is a good man. I don¡¯t know if I like him or if it¡¯s just some illusion, but I don¡¯t want to hurt him, and I certainly don¡¯t want to be his executioner.¡± But Mina had a grip as strong as a vice. Crushing Daisy and crushing Santos Inc. was like swatting flies for her. Faced with such a choice, no one would refuse Mina. That night, they decided to visit the night market on the street where they went to high school. The night market was bustling. When they were in high school, there were many vendors selling a variety of food. It was a gathering ce for people to grab ate-night snack. Each bite cost around ten bucks, a characteristic of the ce. Directly north of the night market, a tall building twinkled with luxurious lights, the Red Jack Club: It was another world, where you couldn¡¯t even get in without spending a fortune. Allison stared at the distant skyscraper, lost in thought. ¡°A deluxe version of Takoyaki for 25 bucks a te. I didn¡¯t expect such a popr street food here. They¡¯re quite generous with the fillings.¡± Allison smelled the aroma and took it. ¡°Are you treating me to this, Daisy?¡± With a hearty p on her chest, Daisy pointed to the street full of food stalls. ¡°Pick anything you want.¡± Allisonughed. ¡°Then, thanks for your generosity, Ms. Daisy!¡± The two seemed to have returned to their high school days. Every weekend, Daisy would take Allison here, and always treat her. Allison had a small appetite and didn¡¯t eat much, so they would end up carrying seven or eight snack bags. Those happy times would never return. Each of them had to face different challenges and different lives. Allison returned to the Powell Estate. After closing the door, she went to the bathroom, took a shower, and when she came out, she saw a missed call on her phone from ten minutes ago. It was Lucian¡¯s number. She immediately returned his call. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°Are you home?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be there in 10 minutes.¡± ¡°Okay The short conversation ended. Allison put down her phone and started drying her hair. She walked out of the bathroom and saw her mint green sundress lying on the chair. Her hair was half-dry. On a whim, she changed into the dress, looking at the figure in the mirror. The curves of her body were highlighted to the extreme. Her half-dry dark hair naturally curled on her shoulders. Just as she was about to check her phone to see how much longer Lucian would be, a ¡°click¡± sound rang out, and the lights in the room suddenly went out. In the next moment, a hot body pressed up against her, and a familiar scent filled her nostrils. Lucian¡¯s voice was slightly hoarse, carrying a heavy hint of longing and lust. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you.¡± Chapter 504 Chapter 504 Chapter 504 With a slight stir in her heart, Allison turned to face him, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck. In the darkness, Lucian¡¯s eyes darkened. He held her waist, nting a heated kiss on her slender neck. Beneath Allison was the soft sofa. Lucian rolled over, cing her on top. His lean fingers traced along the silky fabric to her waist, and then suddenly, his fingertips paused. Feeling thecy cutouts of her dress, Lucian lifted his gaze slightly. The sofa wasn¡¯t small, but notrge either. Allison was straddled on him, feeling a bit unstable; she had no choice but to hold onto his shirt. Her wet, ck hair cascaded onto his chest. Lucian¡¯s fingers lightly traced thecy cutouts of her dress, gently caressing her slender waist. Through the thin fabric, Allison shivered; she could feel the callouses on his fingertips even through her dress. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Lucian lifted her up and took her to the bedroom. Under the bright light, he looked at Allison. The mint green dress withcy cutouts made his pupils constrict as if his body was suddenly set on fire. cing her on the bed, Lucian held her chin. His voice was raspy. ¡°Did you do this on purpose?¡± Allison looked at him. ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°I do.¡± He lowered his head, lightly nipping her earlobe. His deep, sexy voice murmured, ¡°I like it a lot.¡± As the night deepened, desire and the need for conquest piled on. Her vision was a bit blurry, and her soul seemed to drift out of her body. Lucian was biting her lip slightly punishingly. ¡°Say you¡¯ll never leave me.¡± Allison¡¯s thoughts seemed to scatter. ¡°I won¡¯t¡­ I won¡¯t leave you¡­¡± Under the light, his face slowly cleared. ¡°Lucian, you won¡¯t leave me either, right?¡± Sweet nothings whispered on the bed always seemed to shatter in reality, but even in the throes of passion, Lucian was an extremely sober man. He cradled Allison¡¯s face, gently kissing her. ¡°Allison, I will give you what you want Except for marrying her. In the dark night, Allison¡¯s pupils flickered. She hugged him tightly. As clever as she was, she knew what Lucian meant. Suddenly, Allison¡¯s mood deted. She felt a chill spreading through her body. In a ce where Lucian couldn¡¯t see, she gave a self-deprecating smile. Why humiliate herself, knowing she would be disappointed, why did she bother asking? She knew that she wouldn¡¯t get the answer she wanted. The next morning, Allison woke up early. She had to go to Epic Entertainment. Last night, Patty had sent her a message asking her toe over today. Wade¡¯s movie was starting, and she needed to prepare for the cast and crew. When she got up, Lucian was still resting. The sun shone through the curtains onto his face. Allison reached out, unable to resist gently stroking his cheek. He must have been very tired, stubble had started to grow on his chin. No wonder she felt ticklish when they were kissingst night. As she tried to get up, a hand held her back. Lucian didn¡¯t open his eyes. ¡°Sleep a little longer. Allison, ¡°I have to go to the office. You should sleep.¡± She didn¡¯t expect, the next second, to be pulled forcefully into his embrace. Lucian opened his eyes, rolled over, and pressed her down, nting a deep kiss on her soft lips. Allison wrapped her arms around his neck, and they made out for a while. Allison noticed his increasingly reddened eyes. ¡°I really have to go now.¡± Chapter 505 Chapter 505 Chapter 505 Lucian looked into the rity of Allison¡¯s eyes and let her go. Allison pecked him on the lips before getting up to take a bath. At 9 a.m., Allison arrived at Epic Entertainment. The situation with Sadie didn¡¯t seem to cause any ripples within thepany. Firstly, Sadie was not a big star, and while she asionally acted like a diva, Sidney usually handled it. When she encountered truly popr stars in thepany, she always acted with ttery. Secondly, the issue with Sadie was quickly suppressed as soon as it seemed to cause a stir. Sidney felt the heat of the situation and decided to keep quiet about it. In her office, Sidney was preparing for a new web series. She had put some thought into the script. The male lead was from Epic Entertainment, and the female lead was a third-tier starlet. The arrangements were almost settled, and they were just waiting for filming to start. While handling some remote matters, she heard a knock on the door. Without looking up, she said, ¡°Come in.¡± Kendra walked in. ¡°Sidney, please help Sadie.¡± Sidney looked up. ¡°What brings you here?¡± She stood up, closed the door, and asked Kendra, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Kendra pleaded, ¡°Sadie hasn¡¯t eaten or drunk anything for a whole day and night. Please, talk to Sadie. She¡¯s your pick from Crestwood College, and you¡¯re the only one who can help her now. Please, Sidney. You can¡¯t just watch Sadie¡¯s career end. She¡¯s only 22 years old, so young.¡± Sidney sighed deeply. Seeing Kendra crying and begging her, she couldn¡¯t help but feel sympathetic. It was indeed her who spotted Sadie at Crestwood College and signed her to Epic Entertainment, promising her opportunities. Sadie was talented, with a face of innocence perfect for pure and innocent roles. After signing with Epic Entertainment, she quicklynded a role in Cathy¡¯s movie. Now, her sudden cklisting felt like losing a golden goose to Sidney. Sadie had borrowed a lot of resources that were based on Cathy¡¯s movie. Now, with the sudden cklisting, she couldn¡¯t fulfill her promises, and Sidney was the one who suffered. Sensing that Sidney was wavering, Kendra begged even more. Finally, Sidney agreed to meet Sadie. After leaving thepany, Sadie returned to the apartment Epic Entertainment had arranged. She cried for a whole day and night. From a rapidly rising star to suddenly falling into the abyss, it was a tough blow. She had thought she was on the verge of stardom. She had maxed out her credit cards to satisfy her vanity, buying luxury goods that she now had no means to pay off. When Sidney arrived, Sadie¡¯s eyes were swollen from crying. She pleaded as if Sidney was her savior. ¡°Sidney, please help me.¡± Looking at Sadie in this state, Sidney also felt pity. ¡°You need to eat something. Stop crying.¡± In the living room, Sidney was thinking about what to do next. But first, she needed to help Sadie pay off her credit cards. However, it wouldn¡¯t be a free service. Sidney and Sadie signed an agreement. Sadie was to livestream on a tform. The ie from the live stream would go to Sidney. ying the role of a influencer was something Sadie would have despised in the past, but she had no choice now. Sadie reluctantly agreed. ¡°Sidney, help me think of a solution. That witch Allison won¡¯t let me go. I can¡¯t livestream forever. I have many more roles to y. Allison can¡¯t just end my career with a word.¡± Sidney shook her head. ¡°All your uing rotes have been canceled.¡±All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Chapter 506 Chapter 506 Chapter 506 Sadie¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Who the heck is Allison?¡± Sidney was as clueless as Sadie. All she knew was that Patty wouldn¡¯t dare cross paths with Allison. Seeing Sidney shake her head, Sadie¡¯ blurted out, ¡°Next week, Epic Entertainment is hosting their 6th- anniversary g, and rumor has it that Lucian is going to be there?¡± Sidney replied, ¡°Most likely, Lucian always shows up to these events. Wait, Sadie, why are you asking?¡± ¡°Sidney, suppose I manage to charm Lucian, then Allison and her golden sponsor won¡¯t be able to cklist me anymore.¡± In Northfield, was there anyone wealthier than Lucian? Sidney looked at Sadie. Indeed, Sadie was stunning. A beauty with features that would attract any young man. Her skin was peppered with small freckles, and her hair long and brown, and her face was innocent yet seductive. It was because of her beauty that Sidney had taken an interest in her at Crestwood College. If Sadie could really win the affection of Lucian, then¡­ While Sidney was deep in thought, Sadie seemed confident that she hade up with a brilliant n. She was confident in her appearance and was certain that she could win over Lucian. Once she did, crushing Allison would be as easy as stepping on an ant. No matter who was backing Allison, they wouldn¡¯t be a match for her being backed by Lucian! Being publicly humiliated by Allison was a blow to her pride, not to mention her debt-ridden life, which was far from the luxurious lifestyle she was ustomed to. ¡°Sidney, think about it, if I get together with Lucian, no one at Epic Entertainment would dare to look down on you. Even Charlie wouldn¡¯t be your match, and Patty would b¨¦ crawling back to you.¡± A smile spread across Sidney¡¯s face. Indeed, if Sadie could win over Lucian, she would be the biggest beneficiary. Her new productions would gain more investment, Mr. Vincent of Epic Entertainment would value her more, and she wouldn¡¯t have to y by Patty and Charlie¡¯s rules anymore. She nodded. ¡°Alright, that sounds great, Sadie. You should take care of yourself and be in your best condition for the g. As for the ticket, I¡¯ll figure something out for you.¡± Given that Epic Entertainment had cklisted Sadie, it was unlikely she would get a ticket to the annual g. However, to give Sadie a chance to run into Luefan, Sidney would do whatever it took. Sadie was overjoyed. ¡°Thank you, Sidney.¡± The Epic Entertainment annual g was just four days away. Allison received an invitation. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Emma mentioned, ¡°This year is the anniversary of Epic Entertainment. Rumor has it that even the top- billed actresses and several A-list actors will be there. All the artists from Epic Entertainment are expected to attend, and¡­¡± Emma paused, her eyes shining with excitement. Allison looked up at her. ¡°And what?¡± Emma continued, ¡°They say that Mr. Lindberg of Lindberg Corporation will be there too. You know, Epic Entertainment is a talent agency under Lindberg Corporation. This time, we get to meet the legendary big boss from Northfield¡¯s business circle. I¡¯m really looking forward to it.¡± Allison simply replied, ¡°Really?¡± Seeing Lucian day in and day out made Allison immune to his handsome face. Emma noticed that Allison didn¡¯t seem particrly excited, and quickly filled her in. ¡°Rumor has it that Mr. Lindberg is a big winner in the world of the rich and powerful. Since taking over Lindberg Corporation a year ago, thepany has reached new heights. This is his first time attending the Epic Entertainment anniversary g. This year¡¯s g is going to be held at Northfield¡¯s Harmony Suites, which is quite grand. It¡¯s clear that Mr. Vincent is taking this g very seriously. Some of the newly signed artists at Epic Entertainment don¡¯t even qualify to attend.¡± Chapter 507 Chapter 507 Chapter 507 ¡°There was little known about Lucian outside of the financial world where he reigned supreme as the head of Lindberg Corporation. On financial news channels, his name was often mentioned in the same breath as legends, but Mr. Lindberg was an enigma. His only publicly avable photograph was an official one for corporate affairs. It had swooning female admirers in droves. His Twitter was infrequently updated, yet he boasted a following of over two million.¡± Allison admitted ignorance. ¡°Really? Can I see the photo?¡± Emma pulled out her phone and found the photo in question. ¡°This was snapped by a leading finance magazine during Lindberg Corporation¡¯s acquisition of Riverview Estates.¡± Upon inspection, Allison saw Lucian in a tailored ck suit. His hair was expertly styled, and he had silver-rimmed sses sitting atop his aristocratic nose. He was shaking hands with the CEO of Riverview Estates. The CEO was in his mid-thirties, quite charismatic and sophisticated, but he paled inparison to Lucian. Lucian was a man of towering stature, the golden ratio of his physique further entuated by his dark suit. Any ce he stood became the eye of the storm, and all eyes were always drawn to him. His handsome features were beyond simple adjectives and it was no surprise that this photo had instantly turned him into the perfect god in the minds of countless women. Allison nodded. ¡°He¡¯s certainly impressive.¡± While looking at an invitation lying on the table, she asked Emma, ¡°Are you nning to attend?¡± Emma looked surprised. ¡°Allison, you¡¯re not thinking of skipping the annual g, are you?¡± Allison nodded, leaving Emma puzzled. ¡°Why? Every artist under Epic Entertainment who receives an invitation attends in their finest attire. Hundreds of media outlets will be there. There are many neers who would kill for an invite.¡± Emma knew that Allison was backed by powerful capital, but since she was now signed with Epic Entertainment, it was expected of her to attend their annual g. ¡°I have to start shooting soon, so I wanted to spend more time rehearsing my lines.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Wade¡¯s film was starting mid-month. Emma reasoned, ¡°It¡¯s only a few hours. With all the media present, the red-carpet photos will be a hit. We¡¯ve even teamed up with SUMI Studio for the styling, and six outfits have been shortlisted for you to borrow.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Allison agreed. Emma handed Allison a sketch of the dresses, and while she was looking at them, Emma said, ¡°Choose two from these six to wear at the event.¡± Allison chose a red and a white dress, both of the same style. Emmamunicated this to the stylist, who found Allison¡¯s choice bold. Few artists would choose two dresses of the same cut in different colors, especially for an event as important as the Epic Entertainment g. With all the media attention, it was an ideal opportunity for neers like Allison to gain exposure and quickly increase their online poprity. Provided the styling was spot on, a well-marketed disy of stunning looks could attract a flood of followers in this era of instant inte fame. However, Allison¡¯s decision did not meet any objection from Emma. ¡°Okay, and what about your hair?¡± Allison pursed her lips slightly. ¡°For the white dress, a natural look. For the red dress, something more extravagant.¡± Chapter 508 Chapter 508 Chapter 508 It was the annual g evening of Epic Entertainment, and the parking lot was filling up with an array of luxury cars. shbulbs sparkled on the red carpet, and although the sequence of stars to walk in was prearranged, the final spotlight was only decided at the eleventh hour. The big names and award-winning actors were in fiercepetition. No one wanted to be upstaged by the other. Negotiations went on until just before the red carpet rolled out. Lesser-known celebrities had already made their appearances. The media snapped a few uninspiring shots; there were no highlight moments, no buzz. Several trends had emerged on social media, but they were all about minor celebrities, nothing too enticing. The press was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the award-winning actresses and the hottest new talents. They were banking on the mour of their evening gowns to steal the show. The unknown actors who had walked the red carpet earlier had chosen outfits that were too conservative and outdated. During the intermission, several highly anticipated TV stars, like Pea, and Ron, made their appearance on the red carpet, hand in hand, triggering a buzz online. Pea and Ron were a beloved on-screen couple, with over 400,000 fans eagerly anticipating their appearance. They had worked together three times before, and although their shows didn¡¯t create a massive stir, they all had their moments. Both of them openly acknowledged each other as ideal partners in their interviews. This time, they confidently walked the red carpet together. A reporter asked Pea, who had taken a six-month break, ¡°Your fans have been eagerly waiting for your next project. When can they expect you to return?¡± d in a rose-colored deep-V gown, Pea stood out. The keen-eyed reporters could tell that her gown wasn¡¯t a new model, but a piece from three years ago. However, itplemented Pea¡¯s complexion, and with her makeup, she was one of the most striking figures on the red carpet. The seductive curve revealed by the deep-V neckline added to her allure. In response to the question, Pea, with her sweet voice, said, ¡°I have been reading new scriptstely. If everything goes as nned, I should start filming in the second half of the year.¡± Rumors had been circting that Pea was pregnant since she hadn¡¯t taken on any new projects for six months. Her appearance in a deep-V gown at this event put those rumors to rest. ¡°Ron, you once said that Pea is your ideal type. Can we, the audience, look forward to seeing you two work together again? Your fans are really excited about your new show.¡± Ron was dressed in a ck tailcoat suit that day, looking dapper. He had a pleasing face, but not particrly striking. But he had a great physique, tall and well-proportioned. His hairstyle was also quite conventional. He had been a second-tier actor in Hollywood for a while now. Despite his young age, he had been in the industry for ten years and had a loyal fan base. Ron responded with a smile, ¡°I am really looking forward to working with Pea again.¡± Both of them confidently promoted their good rtionship. Pea blushed slightly and added, ¡°If we find the right script and the timing is right, we will definitely look forward to it.¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. After signing the autograph wall, they descended from the red carpet and entered the banquet area. But as Pea and Ron left, there was a brief pause on the red carpet. Just as the host was about to invite the next celebrities, a voice came through his earpiece. There was a problem backstage. Chapter 509 Chapter 509 Chapter 509 Next on the red carpet was supposed to be Nicki, the recent Golden Magnolia Award winner for Best Supporting Actress. However, Nicki had a feud with Kimberly, a fellow actress from the same film. Their fans were constantly at odds with each other, causing friction between the two. Kimberly was set to appear three spots after Nicki, which stirred Nicki¡¯s discontent. Theter you appeared on the red carpet, the higher your status was. And the grand finale was always reserved for the biggest stars ¨C the leading actresses and actors. Although they were from the same agency, both were secretly trying to outshine one another. When the official announcement was made, Nicki¡¯s name was listed first. But during the red carpet walk, Kimberly was considered to have had more experience and status, which Nicki found hard to swallow. This led to a backstage feud between their teams. None of them wanted to make the first move. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. For a while, the red carpet was at a standstill. Allison, dressed in a white backless gown, was standing backstage. As scheduled her for the middle slot. So, Allison was waiting. neer, she was supposed to be the first to walk, but Patty had At this moment, a staff member came out and made an emergency adjustment. Emma spoke to Allison, ¡°Allison, since Nicki and Kimberly are arguing, we¡¯re having you walk the red carpet now to salvage the situation. The press might ask you a few questions.¡± Since there was no pre- prepared script, and this was happening unexpectedly, Emma was a bit nervous. Allison nodded. ¡°I understand.¡± Recently, news had leaked that Allison was going to star in a new film by Wade. Many people were surprised, and some even called her a ¡°resource ma¡± fornding a role in a Wade film so early in her career. Allison had barely any fans; she just had a few admirers based on her looks. She had to keep her Twitter active every fortnight as perpany rules. She had posted a few selfies. Her style was rxed andfortable, her makeup natural, giving off a youthful vibe. She had a few hundredments on her post. But still, Allison was a brand-new face in the entertainment industry with no films released yet. The dress she chose was not extravagant. She didn¡¯t like to unt herself too much. As a neer, she wanted to keep a low profile. She chose two gowns of the same design but different colors, a backless long dress, a deep V at the back, pure white with no extra jewelry. Her hair was loosely tied up. Under the photographer¡¯s lens, her back was wless, as smooth as silk. Allison picked up her long dress and walked onto the red carpet. She didn¡¯t walk slowly, unlike other neers who deliberately loitered to gain attention. She crossed the 20-meter-long carpet in about ten seconds, signed her name, and greeted the media with a slight smile. The host looked at Allison as if she was a lifesaver. Following the prompt in her earpiece, she quickly asked, ¡°Allison, I heard you recently joined Epic Entertainment and have already shot two films. Can you tell your fans¡­¡± The host paused, realizing that Allison was a neer and didn¡¯t have fans yet, quickly correcting herself. ¡°¡­tell me about these two films?¡± Allison took the microphone and briefly introduced herself and the two films. Her voice, amplified by the microphone, was soft and clear, slightly husky, and very pleasing to the ear. After her introduction, she handed the microphone to the host and prepared to leave. But with Nicki and Kimberly¡¯s teams still arguing backstage, and the next person on the red carpet was not confirmed. The host quickly halted Allison from leaving. Chapter 510 Chapter 510 Chapter 510 The night wind rustled through Allison¡¯s hair. Her strands, once held in ce by the strength of hairspray, were now tousled and flowing. A few strands brushed against her cheek, painting a picture of effortless beauty. Allison lightly pushed her hair behind her ears, and her gaze lowered. A photographer managed to capture these moments in a few stunning shots. Many media outlets were waiting for the showstopper, the cr¨¨me de cr¨¨me, and of course¡­ Lucian. Rumor had it that Lucian was attending tonight, but it was unclear whether this elusive man would grace the red carpet. Media personnel weren¡¯t typically concerned with lesser-known celebrities, but one journalist dutifully asked the burning question on everyone¡¯s lips. ¡°There¡¯s been talk on Twitter about you joining Wade¡¯s uing mystery film. Any truth to that?¡± The reporter¡¯s words sent a ripple of anticipation through the crowd. Wade¡¯s script for ¡°Apocalypse¡± had been in the works for three years, making it a highly coveted project. Initially, it was assumed that Kayleigh wouldnd the lead female role with a talented up-ander as the male lead. However, even two months prior, Wade hadn¡¯t shown any signs of moving forward with the project. Suddenly, a gossip-filled tweet revealed that Epic Entertainment¡¯s fresh signee, Allison, was expected tond the female lead role in Wade¡¯s movie. This news stirred a whirlwind of chatter. Why would Wade pick a neer as his leadingdy? Wade¡¯s leadingdies were typically top-tier actresses with a wealth of experience. Wade had publicly stated that every single one of his films deserved the utmost attention and care for his fans and for himself. So, why would he gamble with a neer? Many were left wondering. Who was this Allison? What kind of influence did she have that made Wade bend his rules? Did she have a powerful backing that made her an exception? Some skeptics doubted the news. How could a newbiend such a prime opportunity? Yet, others defended the news. Allison didn¡¯t have any fans, so what could she get from this if it¡¯s fake news? It was evident that the news was true. All eyes were on Allison, eagerly awaiting her response. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. The movie was indeed green-lit. However, remembering Emma¡¯s caution about not revealing anything before the official announcement, Allison responded, ¡°You¡¯ll find out next month.¡± Allison stepped off the red carpet, Emma handed her a shawl, and they moved to the inner area. About 10 minutes after Allison¡¯s departure, other female stars began to walk the red carpet. Sensing potential drama, the media quickly asked the host if there had been any backstage incidents. The host assured them that nothing was amiss, but veteran media personnel weren¡¯t easily fooled. The host tried to deflect. ¡°Everyone¡¯s tired, and I¡¯m sure you all are too. Let¡¯s take a break and enjoy a Joyful Brew. Here¡¯s to a vibrant future.¡± As the host carried on with the sponsor¡¯s ad, attendants served the media their coffee. Only after 10 minutes did the red carpet event resume. Backstage, Patty was dealing with an issue between Nicki and Kimberly. The importance of tonight¡¯s banquet was undeniable, and any mishaps meant she would be held ountable. Even Patty, who was responsible for the red carpet event, was on edge. She asked Nicki, with her eyes looking sharp. ¡°Nicki, you were supposed to walk the red carpet. Why didn¡¯t you?¡± Nicki¡¯s face paled. Ever since she won the Best Supporting Actress award, her career had skyrocketed, but her fame had not. She looked down on Kimberly, who relied on her poprity to get ahead. Being overshadowed by Kimberly on the red carpet was something she couldn¡¯t bear. Chapter 511 Chapter 511 Chapter 511 She was intentionally trying to embarrass Nicki! The team had the alluring press release ready. They were just waiting to release it after the red carpet event. Kimberly¡¯s voice was sweet. ¡°Patty, I¡¯m waiting for the cue too. Look at me all dolled up, how would I know Nicki wouldn¡¯t walk the red carpet?¡± Nicki almost choked on her own spit. As she stared at Kimberly¡¯s innocent facade, she ground her teeth. ¡°Kimberly, everyone knows about you and Mr. Sears¡­¡± Nicki¡¯s words were too incisive, nearly breaching the taboo. Her manager, Coco, quickly coughed, and Nicki bit down on her teeth. Kimberly widened her eyes as if she had caught Nicki in a trap. ¡°What? Nicki, what were you about to say?¡± Patty had a headache. The two stars were arguing and even dragged Mr. Sears into it. This was absurd. ¡°Enough,¡± Patty said. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to walk, then don¡¯t. Nicki and Kimberly, no gigs for a month. I don¡¯t like artists who don¡¯t obey thepany¡¯s management. If you think you can fly, then fly. Let¡¯s see if you can make it on your own.¡± After Patty spoke, the dressing room fell silent for a few seconds. No one dared to breathe. The tense atmosphere between the two teams also dissipated a lot. Neither Nicki nor Kimberly dared to argue with Patty¡¯s words. Although both had some poprity, they didn¡¯t have enough guts to refute Patty publicly. It wasmon knowledge that Patty held great influence in Epic Entertainment, being third inmand aside from Mr. Vincent and Mr. Sears; everyone had witnessed Patty¡¯s abilities. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. After Patty left the dressing room, Nicki huffed, picking up her light pink butterfly dress. She then strode out of the room. Since she didn¡¯t walk the red carpet and was still angry, Nicki went straight back to her dressing room and sat on the couch. She kicked a stool, and Coco quickly nced at the door to make sure no one was snooping. She then closed the door and turned around to remind Nicki, ¡°My little diva, you¡¯re practically begging for people to find out.¡± Nicki was straightforward, she couldn¡¯t hide things and definitely couldn¡¯t handle being wronged. She immediately lost her temper. ¡°Kimberly is making moves behind the scenes. She is dining with Mr. Sears and trying to overshadow me. Am I supposed to let myself be stepped on willingly? Patty too, punished me without knowing the full story!¡± Coco lowered her voice. ¡°Keep it down.¡± Nicki stomped her foot. ¡°I¡¯m already wronged, can¡¯t I vent a little? Besides, Patty¡¯s gone.¡± Coco sat down next to Nicki, looking at her. Tonight, Nicki was wearing a haute couture dress from a luxury brand, a pink chiffon gown with petal-shaped chiffon at the bust that entuated her charming curves. To get this dress, the team put in a lot of effort and even coborated with the best photographer. The n was to create a buzz on the red carpet and outshine others. Who could¡¯ve imagined that she wouldn¡¯t even walk the red carpet. What a shame! Once inside, she had to change into a different dress, and she had to exin it to the brand. Next time, it would be difficult to borrow a haute couture dress from this brand. The frustration was stuck in Nicki¡¯s chest. She vowed, next time, she would make Kimberly pay! After a sip of water, Nicki started changing into her other dress, a morous blue gown. She asked her agent, ¡°Who walked the red carpet when Kimberly and I were backstage? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard of her.¡± Coco replied, ¡°She¡¯s called Allison. She¡¯s the lead actress in Wade¡¯s new movie.¡± Nicki was taken aback. ¡°It¡¯s her?¡± Chapter 512 Chapter 512 Chapter 512 Nicki was somewhat puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s her deal? How did she get her hands on Wade¡¯s new movie? Isn¡¯t Sadie supposed to have the spotlight among this batch of neers?¡± Just after signing a contract, Sadie got Cathy¡¯s new movie¡¯s leading role. It should be known that Cathy was a famous director, and this movie, at the very least, would rake in seven to eight hundred million in box office revenues. ¡°It¡¯s strange,¡± Coco said. ¡°Sadie seems to have vanished recently. Her manager has started managing other artists, and Sadie has no public appearances. In the past, she was always busy with makeup promotions, various interviews, and making appearances in various small variety shows.¡± All her public appearances have ceased. It¡¯s silent. Either Sadie was ill and needed to rest and recuperate, or Sadie has done something wrong. Just like what happened to Kimberly and Nicki, Patty has suspended Sadie¡¯s appearances for half a month. But if that¡¯s the case, it should have been the talk of thepany, and not quietly swept under the rug. Or perhaps¡­ Nicki and Coco exchanged nces,ing to the same conclusion. Perhaps she was quietly cklisted. But that seemed unlikely. Cathy¡¯s new movie wouldn¡¯t be released until thetter half of the year. If the lead actress was cklisted now, wouldn¡¯t the movie have to be reshot? ¡°Try to find out more,¡± Nicki said. Meanwhile, in another lounge¡­ Kimberly looked victorious. A staff member was painting her nails while a makeup artist was doing her hair and makeup for her second dress. ¡°Should we announce her public appearances?¡± Her manager asked. After all, both of them missed the red carpet. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°Of course,¡± Kimberly said. ¡°Change it to say that my dress is far more expensive than Nicki¡¯s tacky one.¡± She and Nicki had been at odds for a long time. This time, at the grand party of Epic Entertainment, she had to outshine Nicki. ¡°Also, I heard that Mr. Lindberg will be attending tonight.¡± At the mention of Lucian, a light almost spilled from Kimberly¡¯s eyes. ¡°Yes, I heard he might being,¡± her manager replied. ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll notice me?¡± Kimberly asked. Kimberly had gained poprityst year with a period drama, and earlier this year, she broke into the contemporary drama market with a sweet romance. She got all the popr works under her belt. She was also pretty popr in showbiz. Kimberly remembered watching this man from afar at a banquet, a year ago. She felt as if she was frozen in ce, and unable to take her eyes off him. This man was more handsome and more captivating than any male artist in the entertainment industry. Her manager knew that Kimberly had always liked Lucian. ¡°Of course, Kimberly, your dress and makeup tonight are absolutely perfect.¡± Despite the ttery, her manager was somewhat perfunctory. She knew very well that a man like Lucian would never be interested in a female artist. Such a legendary man would never take a liking to Kimberly, especially when there were more popr and prettier female stars in showbiz. Kimberly, with all her heart, was probably setting herself up for disappointment. Tonight, Sadie and Kimberly were not the only female stars dreaming of rising to fame. Many were waiting for Lucian¡¯s arrival. Sadie slinked into a lounge. Kendra took out her makeup bag, found some foundation, and started touching up Sadie¡¯s makeup. ¡°Sadie, you look stunning tonight. If I were Lucian, my eyes would be glued to you.¡± Chapter 513 Chapter 513 Chapter 513 Women lovedpliments, didn¡¯t they? A smile crept onto Sadie¡¯s face; her moment of truth was upon her. As soon as she hooked up with Lucian, the first person she would sort out would be Allison! Whatever humiliations Allison had heaped upon her, she would return them twofold! Sadie gazed contentedly at her reflection in the mirror. ¡°Where¡¯s Sidney? Howe she hasn¡¯te over?¡± Kendra replied, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I texted her, but she didn¡¯t reply.¡± Sadie snorted coldl. She was no fool. She could clearly see that Sidney was using her as a stepping stone. If she really managed to hook up with Lucian, Sidney would be all over her, but if she failed, Sidney would definitely sever all ties. She didn¡¯t want to rely on money earned from live-streaming, fawning, and prancing about. If she could win Lucian¡¯s heart, she would have everything in the future. The inner hall was abuzz; the host was a well-known figure in the industry. He had turned down another event to be here due to an invite from Epic Entertainment, a testament to their powerful influence in the entertainment industry. The ceremony began with the presentation of several awards, such as ¡®Most Anticipated,¡¯ ¡®Best Commercial Work,¡¯ ¡®Best Adapted IP and many more. These were essentially constion prizes; nearly every attending artist would receive one. The crowning glory of the awards was the ¡®Best Female Lead¡¯ and ¡®Best Male Lead. Many spected that Epic Entertainment would award the ¡®Best Female Lead¡¯ to Kayleigh. There were many other strong contenders though. Despite Kayleigh¡¯s poprity, her seriesst year had received mediocre ratings, online views, and buzz. ¡°I heard that this year¡¯s ¡®Best Female Lead¡¯ won¡¯t be Kayleigh.¡±. Allison, seated towards the back, overheard some neers gossiping. She perked up her ears. ¡°Who will it be then?¡± ¡°I heard from my manager, it seems like it¡¯ll be Amaya.¡± ¡°Amaya?¡± The woman¡¯s voice rose in surprise. Another woman quickly shushed her, ¡°Keep your voice down.¡± ¡°But how could it be Amaya? Although her works are popr, she¡¯s too new in the industry. I heard that Kayleigh and Lucian were childhood sweathearts.¡± ¡°What?¡± The woman¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Really?¡± Another female artist joined in, ¡°Kayleigh and Mr. Lindberg are childhood sweathearts? Oh my gosh, this is the first time I¡¯m hearing about it¡­¡± Allison was also a bit taken aback. Kayleigh, at 29, was young yet already aplished. A talented actress with amanding presence and a pair of long legs on a 5¡¯7¡å frame. Four years ago, she won an international award for best actress for the movie ¡®Lifeline.¡¯ Two years ago, she won the ¡®Best Actress¡¯ award at a domestic film festival for the movie, ¡®Disappeared Sister.''¡± She was, in essence, a prodigy,bining public acim and acting prowess, standing at the apex of the entertainment industry. ¡°It¡¯s true. My family and Kayleigh¡¯s family have had many years of business cooperation, and the Lindberg family has been close friends of Kayleigh¡¯s family for many years. Lucian and Kayleigh have known each other since they were children.¡± Although Allison wasn¡¯t one for gossip, she was still surprised by this news. She quickly texted Emma to share the news. Emma quickly replied, [No wonder, it all makes sense now.] [What?] Allison was puzzled. Emma exined, [Two years ago, when Kayleigh won the ¡®Star Performer Award, one of the top three domestic film awards, there were rumors that Kayleigh had some rtionship with Lucian and that she got the award because of this rtionship. Later, a drama starring Kayleigh became a hit, which solidified her position. Coupled with her excellent acting skills, those rumors gradually died down. Some people even said¡­] [What¡¯s that you said?] [Some folks are saying that Lucian was originally engaged to Kayleigh, but he broke it off to be with his current fianc¨¦e.] Allison responded, [That¡¯s a bunch of hogwash.] She never thought there woulde a day when she¡¯d have to dispel rumors about Mr. Lindberg. Emma chipped in, [Of course, I know it¡¯s all baloney, but the rumor mill in Hollywood¡¯s been buzzing. Some say Kayleigh was Lucian¡¯s mistress, and when Kayleigh didn¡¯t shoot any movies for two months, the paparazzi were all over her, implying she was pregnant. Kayleigh had to debunk these rumors several times. She has her fair share of haters, and every time she gets close to anyone big in Hollywood, they say she¡¯s gold-digging, even though Kayleigh¡¯s family is pretty well-off, to begin with.] Hollywood was indeed a whirlwind. It required a heart of steel. And just at that moment, Lucian arrived. His presence stirred up amotion. The room started buzzing like a beehive. People began to whisper among themselves. Lucian, d in a sleek ck suit, was strikingly handsome and impressive. A natural-born leader. He gave a slight nod and took his ce at the head table. Under the y of light and shadow, his sharp, handsome features seemed like a masterpiece sculpted by God himself. His gaze seemed to instinctively sweep across the room, searching for someone, but to no avail. A staff member informed Allison it was time to prepare for her award. ording to the schedule, her award was due in another two categories, which meant in about ten minutes. Allison rose to her feet and headed backstage to get ready. The winner of the two categories before hers was Nicki. Nicki had changed into a new gown. It wasn¡¯t as dazzling as the previous one, but it still entuated her figure perfectly. She gave Allison a once-over. Allison didn¡¯t shy away and returned the favor. Nicki stopped in her tracks, extended her hand towards Allison, and said, ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Nicki.¡± Allison shook her hand. ¡°Allison.¡± Nicki asked, ¡°Do you mind if we exchange numbers?¡± Allison¡¯s phone was with Emma. She nced at Emma, who handed her the phone. They added each other¡¯s numbers, and Nicki suggested, ¡°You¡¯re new to Epic Entertainment, aren¡¯t you? Maybe we can touch base sometime.¡± With that, she made her way to the stage to ept her award. Ten minutester, it was Allison¡¯s turn to ascend the stage. She was sharing the Best Neer award with two other actresses. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Allison, in her red gown, portrayed apletely different stylepared to her white gown from earlier. Her slender, tall figure, long and graceful neck, and the red gown flowing about her made her stand out starkly against the other two neers. The stage lights were as bright as day, making Allison¡¯s skin appear to glow. Her gaze fell on a man in the audience. The moment she spotted Lucian, her eyes averted, but his gaze remained fixed on her, his eyes narrowing slightly at the sight of her exposed skin. Her hair was slightly curled She ran her fingers through it gently, lowered her gaze as the host handed her the microphone, said a few words of thanks, and then made her way off the stage. As she descended the steps, a butterfly started fluttering around Allison, eventuallynding on her forehead. She reached out, her movements gentle, a soft smile ying on her lips, and caught the butterfly in her hand before releasing it into the air, This brief sequence of events,sted only a few seconds but had caught everyone¡¯s attention. Her beauty was natural, effortless. Her rose-colored gown was divine, revealing her smooth back. Chapter 514 Chapter 514 Chapter 514 [What¡¯s that you said?] [Some folks are saying that Lucian was originally engaged to Kayleigh, but he broke it off to be with his current fianc¨¦e.] Allison responded, [That¡¯s a bunch of hogwash.] She never thought there woulde a day when she¡¯d have to dispel rumors about Mr. Lindberg. Emma chipped in, [Of course, I know it¡¯s all baloney, but the rumor mill in Hollywood¡¯s been buzzing. Some say Kayleigh was Lucian¡¯s mistress, and when Kayleigh didn¡¯t shoot any movies for two months, the paparazzi were all over her, implying she was pregnant. Kayleigh had to debunk these rumors several times. She has her fair share of haters, and every time she gets close to anyone big in Hollywood, they say she¡¯s gold-digging, even though Kayleigh¡¯s family is pretty well-off, to begin with.] Hollywood was indeed a whirlwind. It required a heart of steel. And just at that moment, Lucian arrived. His presence stirred up amotion. The room started buzzing like a beehive. People began to whisper among themselves. Lucian, d in a sleek ck suit, was strikingly handsome and impressive. A natural-born leader. He gave a slight nod and took his ce at the head table. Under the y of light and shadow, his sharp, handsome features seemed like a masterpiece sculpted by God himself. His gaze seemed to instinctively sweep across the room, searching for someone, but to no avail. A staff member informed Allison it was time to prepare for her award. ording to the schedule, her award was due in another two categories, which meant in about ten minutes. Allison rose to her feet and headed backstage to get ready. The winner of the two categories before hers was Nicki. Nicki had changed into a new gown. It wasn¡¯t as dazzling as the previous one, but it still entuated her figure perfectly. She gave Allison a once-over. Allison didn¡¯t shy away and returned the favor. Nicki stopped in her tracks, extended her hand towards Allison, and said, ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Nicki.¡± Allison shook her hand. ¡°Allison.¡± Nicki asked, ¡°Do you mind if we exchange numbers?¡± Allison¡¯s phone was with Emma. She nced at Emma, who handed her the phone. They added each other¡¯s numbers, and Nicki suggested, ¡°You¡¯re new to Epic Entertainment, aren¡¯t you? Maybe we can touch base sometime.¡± With that, she made her way to the stage to ept her award. Ten minutester, it was Allison¡¯s turn to ascend the stage. She was sharing the Best Neer award with two other actresses. Allison, in her red gown, portrayed apletely different stylepared to her white gown from earlier. Her slender, tall figure, long and graceful neck, and the red gown flowing about her made her stand out starkly against the other two neers. The stage lights were as bright as day, making Allison¡¯s skin appear to glow. Her gaze fell on a man in the audience. The moment she spotted Lucian, her eyes averted, but his gaze remained fixed on her, his eyes narrowing slightly at the sight of her exposed skin. Her hair was slightly curled She ran her fingers through it gently, lowered her gaze as the host handed her the microphone, said a few words of thanks, and then made her way off the stage. As she descended the steps, a butterfly started fluttering around Allison, eventuallynding on her forehead. She reached out, her movements gentle, a soft smile ying on her lips, and caught the butterfly in her hand before releasing it into the air. f This brief sequence of events,sted only a few seconds but had caught everyone¡¯s attention. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Her beauty was natural, effortless. Her rose-colored gown was divine, revealing her smooth back. Chapter 515 Chapter 515 Chapter 515 Mr. Sears of Epic Entertainment was all eyes. He asked his assistant, ¡°Who is this actress? Howe I¡¯ve never seen her before?¡± The assistant replied, ¡°She seems to be a neer, named Allison, managed by Patty.¡± Mr. Sears nodded, a greasy smile on his face. ¡°Patty¡¯s got a good eye.¡± His gaze lingered on Allison until she sat down at a table in the back, then he instructed his assistant, ¡°Find an opportunity to bring Allison to my desk. I want to personally evaluate this new talent.¡± The assistant responded with a knowing smile, ¡°Yes sir.¡± Back at her table, Emma handed Allison her phone. ¡°Allison, you got a call.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Allison nced at the screen. It was a text from Lucian. ¡°Meet me in lounge 09.¡± Allison rose from her seat. ¡°Can you postpone the interviews for me?¡± Emma seemed to understand what was happening. She knew Allison had a powerful backer but didn¡¯t know who. As Allison¡¯s agent, she wouldn¡¯t pry. She trusted Allison unconditionally. ¡°Sure.¡± Emma nodded. Postponing interviews was a big no-no for a neer, it could be written up as diva behavior by the ruthless media. Immediately, she called Paige to help smooth things over. They sent some ¡°gifts¡± to the waiting media. ¡°Allison is feeling a bit under the weather, so she¡¯ll need some time before she can do the interviews.¡± Generous gifts and Emma¡¯s charming smile were enough to keep the media happy. Lounge 09. The moment Allison walked in, a man¡¯s arms wrapped around her. ¡°Who allowed you to dress like this?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t I look good?¡± Allison spun around. Under the dim lights, her skin looked like it was coated with a layer of ze, making Lucian swallow hard. It was because she looked too good, that he disapproved. They shared a passionate kiss by the window when his phone began to ring. Lucian nced at the caller ID. His eyes darkened, but he didn¡¯t answer immediately. Allison, however, caught a glimpse of the caller¡¯s name. ¡®Kayleigh¡¯ Maybe it was because she¡¯d heard some gossip about Lucian and Kayleigh earlier that the name struck a chord. Knowing him, if it were a work-rted call, he wouldn¡¯t ignore it in front of her. His silence could only mean one thing, he didn¡¯t want to answer in front of her. Women¡¯s intuition was always spot on. When Lucian prepared to leave, Allison wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on tiptoe to kiss him. She pushed him onto the couch. Lucian¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°Allison, I have things to do.¡± ¡°I need your help too,¡± she replied, biting Lucian¡¯s throat gently. His eyes darkened. He clenched his fists. ¡°Allison!¡± Allison stirred up his desires this time! He turned the tables, pinning her beneath him. His phone fell to the floor, still ringing, but he ignored it. Half an hourter, Allison emerged from the lounge. Her clothes were still respectable, just a little crumpled here and there. She called Emma. It was time for the interviews. Emma noticed the creases on Allison¡¯s clothes and seemed to understand something. Allison reapplied her lipstick and started answering questions from several media outlets. The most common question was whether she¡¯d be in Wade¡¯s new movie Allison didn¡¯t give a definite answer. She just smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯ll just have to wait and see.¡± Chapter 516 Chapter 516 Chapter 516 Allison was of a gentle nature, and her interview went smoothly without any shocking revtions. The press had a whole load of questions, which Allison answered patiently. When asked for a group photo, Allison agreed with a smile. After the interview, Allison and Emma left. ¡°She seems pleasant,¡± one reportermented. ¡°Allison was surprisingly down to earth.¡± ¡°Nice personality, and she¡¯s definitely a looker. She¡¯snded a role in Wade¡¯s new movie, and with Epic Entertainment backing her, her future is bright.¡± ¡°I just interviewed Kimberly, and it was a pain. She had so many restrictions about what we could ask and how we could present her photos on Twitter. She really thinks she¡¯s the center of the universe!¡± ¡°I heard she had a spat with Nicki backstage. That must be why they both skipped the red carpet.¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Speaking of which, we¡¯re interviewing Nicki next.¡± ¡°Ah, she¡¯s a handful. Alwaysingte¡­¡± Sadie, clutching her dress, couldn¡¯t find Lucian anywhere. She had sneaked in, and if Patty caught her, she¡¯d be in big trouble. Patty¡¯s assistant was heading her way. rmed, Sadie quickly hid herself in a nearby lounge. The room was dark, and she didn¡¯t dare to turn on the light. She hid behind a sofa and listened as the footsteps faded. She took out her phone and texted Kendra. [Have you found Mr. Lindberg?] No reply. She began to daydream about a chance meeting with this man, him falling for her, and her career taking off. Her fantasies were interrupted by footsteps at the door. She realized she had forgotten to close it, making her a sitting duck for anyone wanting to rest. Fearing it was Patty¡¯s people, Sadie quickly hid behind the sofa. ¨C The door opened, and two people walked in a man and a woman. They didn¡¯t turn on the light but started kissing passionately. Sadie recognized the woman¡¯s voice. It was Amaya! Amaya was the rising star of Epic Entertainment, the heir apparent to Kayleigh! Covering her mouth in shock, Sadie realized she had stumbled onto something huge. Amaya was having a secret affair! Sadie quickly started recording on her phone. Amaya and the man in the ck suit were so engrossed, they didn¡¯t notice anything amiss. Sadie was certain about Amaya¡¯s identity, but the man was unknown. However, anyone attending this party had to be either a high-ranking executive or a male artist from Epic Entertainment. She waited until they left half an hourter before she finally exhaled. She quickly left the room and called Kendra, ¡°Where are you? I¡¯ve got some juicy gossip!¡± On the other end, Kendra said, ¡°Sadie, I think Mr. Lindberg has left.¡± Chapter 517 Chapter 517 Chapter 517 The news of Lucian¡¯s departure was a knock-out blow for those who had been clinging onto him as their ticket to fame. Allison nced at her phone. A text message was received ten minutes ago, announcing his sudden departure due to workmitments. Sadie was filled with regret. She was left without a patron now, and if she couldn¡¯t get hold of Lucian, her future would be uphill. Was she destined to be stuck at Epic Entertainment forever? Kimberly nced around the room. Disappointment was creeping in when she realized Lucian was nowhere to be seen. Just moments ago, she had seen him from a distance. Could there truly have been a man so perfect in this world? Regrettably, he hadn¡¯t even spared her a single nce. On the stage, the announcement for this year¡¯s Best Actor and Actress awards was underway. The Best Actor award went to Garrett. The Best Actress- When the host announced ¡°Amaya,¡± there was a collective gasp. Kayleigh, Epic Entertainment¡¯s top actress, had missed her shot. Tonight, Amaya was dressed in a fairy-tale themed gown. Her long hair cascaded in waves. She wore a radiant smile, as if she had known all along, and made her way to the stage to deliver her eptance speech. The award ceremony was being broadcast live. The camera asionally panned to Kayleigh in the audience. She was dressed in a champagne-colored, figure-hugging, sequined gown that sparkled under the lights, every inch the regal queen. There was no sign of disappointment or surprise on her face, only a polite smile. Her emotional control was impable. From Kayleigh¡¯s perfectposure, one could hardly glean any gossip-worthy information. After the award ceremony, Kayleigh and Amaya were interviewed in session. The media was not about to let any potential scoop slip away. When interviewing Kayleigh, they showed some deference due to her status as a top actress, but they were still after a story. ¡°Kayleigh, could you rmend some films or shows that you¡¯ve been watching recently?¡± Kayleigh suggested a few recent movies she had enjoyed. you The interviewer asked, ¡°Have you seen Amaya¡¯s ¡®Goodbye My Love¡¯? The ratings and viewership are both high. What do Kayleigh¡¯s agent frowned, seemingly wanting to interrupt the question. think?¡± Kayleigh just smiled slightly. ¡°I have seen it. It¡¯s okay, but my taste is different from the audience. To be precise, everyone¡¯s aesthetic taste is different. I prefer the films I rmended earlier.¡± With that, she stood up and left. The journalists exchanged nces. Wasn¡¯t this a clear sign of disrespect towards Amaya? Movie stars always seemed a cut above the rest. It was now Amaya¡¯s turn to be interviewed. She looked perfectly put-together. Her fairy-tale gown had made her the center of attention, and the ethereal outfit softened her naturally striking looks. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. She greeted the camera. ¡°Good evening. I¡¯m Amaya.¡± The interviewer asked a few staridard questions, which Amaya answered one by one, The interviewer then asked, ¡°Amaya, now that you¡¯ve won the Best Actress award, do you have any changes nned for the roles you¡¯ll take on in the future? You werepeting against the senior actress Kayleigh for this award. Did that put a lot of pressure on you?¡± Amaya let out a ruefulugh. ¡°Of course, it did. When I first entered the entertainment industry, it was Kayleigh¡¯s films I watched. I¡¯ve seen and loved every single one of her films. Winning the Best Actress award, made me feel so lucky, and will continue to work hard in the future.¡± With these words and the expression on her face, Amaya had yed the innocent card perfectly. Especially when she mentioned feeling lucky and determined to work hard, her radiant and resolute smile portrayed her as the ultimate innocent figure. If Kayleigh had seen this interview, she would probably be rolling her eyes. Chapter 518 Chapter 518 Chapter 518 Media interviews generally didn¡¯t trend on Twitter, but with Kayleigh and Amayapeting for the same award, they made it to the trending list. Fans of both Kayleigh and Amaya were bickering under the news. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. [What can Amaya y other than a decoration? Does she even have acting skills? Kayleigh deserves the Golden Globe.] [How many shows has Kayleigh flopped? Her previous work was okay, but she should stick to movies and not stoop to TV dramas. Her new series doesn¡¯t even have a third of the views of Amaya¡¯s ¡®Goodbye My Love.] [Amaya¡¯s dress tonight is Charm¨¦ spring and summer wear, and Kayleigh¡¯s is high-end couture. Can they even bepared? You can see Amaya¡¯s international status!] [Kayleigh is four years older than Amaya, and Amaya can¡¯tpare to her in terms of achievements. Amaya¡¯s only been popr for two years, while Kayleigh has been at the top for eight years.] [Focus on the future, Amaya¡¯s drama has great viewership. You say Amaya can¡¯t act, and I say Kayleigh is too dramatic in her TV shows. Her crying scenes are like a funeral!] [I just don¡¯t like Kayleigh¡¯s shows. The moment I see her face, I¡¯m turned off. Her movies are all the same, ying the tragic woman. From ¡®Disappeared Sister¡¯ to ¡®Silent Whispers, her expressions are all the same. Unlike Amaya, who is versatile in her roles.] Both sets of fans were scrapping on Twitter, each saying their favorite was the true star. In truth, although Kayleigh lost an award, her position in Hollywood and at Epic Entertainment was solid. There was no impact on her. Amaya, on the other hand, was on a roll. She was young, beautiful, and had countless fans. There wasn¡¯t usually a conflict between the two. They focused on different areas, with Amaya in TV dramas, while Kayleigh focused on high-end films after a historical drama flop. But that night, both teams were subtlypeting. Amaya seemed to be stepping on Kayleigh to climb up. Her team was steady, precise, and ruthless. Amaya¡¯s interview was wless, while Kayleigh¡¯s provided ammunition for critics. Someizensmented, Why is Kayleigh so arrogant? Amaya¡¯s drama is better than hers; the ratings don¡¯t lie. Who does she think she is?] [Exactly, didn¡¯t Kayleigh also take on a historical drama? It flopped so hard it was unrecognizable, with an average rating of only 0.4. Her acting was even greasy.] Kayleigh nced at Twitter, set her phone aside, and started removing her makeup. Her agent said, ¡°Amaya¡¯s team is too much.¡± They dared to step on Kayleigh for their marketing. Kayleigh had been through the wringer in Hollywood and wasn¡¯t one to be trifled with. ¡°Give them a little warning.¡± ¡°I¡¯m on it.¡± Epic Entertainment¡¯s annual dinner was drawing to a close. The trending list on Twitter was a mixed bag, mostly about outfits, red carpet looks, and fans of popr stars pushing their marketing. The biggest trend was Kayleigh and Amaya. Their fans were going at it. Apart from that, there was another trend. #AllisonRedAnd White RoseDress# jumped to the top three trends. Allison didn¡¯t have many fans. Initially, thements were, [Who is this? Where did this nobodye from? This trend came out of nowhere, impressive.] [I don¡¯t know her, which no-name is this?] [Argh, I¡¯m so mad. My idol was in the top three trends, but this woman¡¯s trend kicked him off. This sucks!!] Chapter 519 Chapter 519 Chapter 519 Allison wasn¡¯t exactly a household name. She didn¡¯t have a blockbuster under her belt, and her fanbase was but a small cluster of people who appreciated her beauty. She wasn¡¯t one to be talked about much. Then, several media outlets shared candid shots from the red carpet event. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. [What¡¯s up with Kayleigh? She¡¯s not even 30 yet, but those eye wrinkles are so obvious.] [Nicki¡¯s dress is a disaster. She looks like a wild turkey.] [Kimberly¡¯s outfit is just too in. And her makeup makes her look dirty.] [The woman on the far left of the picture, she¡¯s stunning! Those two gowns are just amazing.] [The woman on the left looks really gorgeous.] [I dere Allison stole the show!] [Who¡¯s Allison?? Oh, the most pretty one?] The photographer also posted two sets of shots. The white gown was pure and elegant. Her long hair loosely curled, revealed her wless back, and made her look like a celestial being untouched by worldly concerns. The red gown was sultry. Her dark waves cascaded over her shoulders, and a change in makeup made her skin glow with a sparkly sheen as if covered in ayer of ze. Allison slowly descended from the award podium, against a backdrop of dark shadows. A butterfly landed on her forehead. She gently held it and released it, her gaze soft and reverent, as if full of stardust. This tweet received over 70,000 retweets, andments broke into the thousands! The most likedments were. [Holy smokes, Allison is so beautiful!] [She must be a goddess.] Allison¡¯s Twitter followers increased by a million overnight. The most recentment under Allison¡¯stest tweet was. [Wow, you¡¯re so beautiful! Please do more dramas for us!] [We want to see more of you!] Those who previously mocked her for being a resource hog now, after an overnight big show of her beauty, said, [Beautiful women should get the best resources!] [I¡¯ll book movie tickets in advance just to see this beauty!] Allison hadn¡¯t anticipated everything to be turned upside down overnight. Her hashtag #AllisonRed And White RoseDress# had originally dropped into the top three, but now it was trending at number one, and the heat hadn¡¯t died down. Emma called Allison immediately, ¡°Have you seen? Your poprityst night was off the charts.¡± This was indeed beyond Allison¡¯s expectations. Emma quickly found a perfect angle andposition selfie of Allison and posted it on Allison¡¯s Twitter along with the award she wonst night. [Thank you all, I¡¯ll continue to work hard.] Half an hourter, this tweet had over ten thousandments. Allison had always wanted to focus on acting, not caring about her ranking or screen time, but she had never thought that her beauty would be her im to fame. In thepany, Emma, Patty, and Allison were in a meeting room. By 9 a.m., #AllisonRed And White RoseDress # was still trending at number one, showing no signs of cooling down. Patty began to re-n for Allison. Allison¡¯s resources weren¡¯t a problem, but now that her beauty had be her selling point, Patty immediately took action, contacting a second-tier magazine, preparing to boost Allison¡¯s fashion sense. Allison, however, said, ¡°I think¡­ I just have an average-looking face¡­¡± Emma paused. Patty, who was sipping water, also paused. She looked at Allison, who was makeup-free at the moment, dressed in a simple white sweater and ck sweatpants. Yet, she radiated a natural, out-of- this-world beauty, especially her skin, which was glowing. Patty said, ¡°You must have misunderstood the word ¡®average''¡± Chapter 520 Chapter 520 Chapter 520 Allison shed a smile. I haven¡¯t exactly had a horde of guys chasing after me, you know.¡± Emma retorted, ¡°Then they¡¯re clearly as blind as bats.¡± Allison chuckled. ¡°Emma, maybe you¡¯re just too biased.¡± Allison always thought of herself as an average-looking girl. As a child, she was a Cindere of sorts. She resembled Penelope, but Penelope was the real princess, always dressed in pretty dresses, commanding attention wherever she stood. At twenty past ten in the morning, Allison and Emma left Epic Entertainment. ¨C Allison suggested a trip to the supermarket to stock up on some groceries for a dinner they nned to make a fondue night, something she used to do often. They strolled down the aisles. Their shopping cart was filled with a variety of ingredients. Little did they know that Allison was about to be recognized. A high-school-aged girl approached them, brandishing her phone. ¡°Are you Allison?¡± Allison froze for a moment, ncing at Emma. ¡°Yes, I am,¡± she replied, nodding and giving a small smile. The girl seemed rather excited. ¡°Could I get your autograph?¡± Allison obliged, signing her name on the girl¡¯s notebook. Clutching the notebook close to her chest, the girl gushed, ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful! I hope you make more movies. I¡¯ll always be rooting for you.¡± Allison was touched. This was a first for her. ¡°Thank you,¡± she murmured. More and more people began to recognize her, gathering around. Allison and Emma quickly left the supermarket.. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t take this into ount,¡± Emma apologized. They hadn¡¯t expected that their appearance atst night¡¯s banquet would catapult Allison into the spotlight. Back in her apartment, Allison looked at the half-bought groceries and decided to order the rest online through Instacart. Emma contacted Patty, who promptly assigned two bodyguards to Allison. Meanwhile, the hashtag #AllisonSupermarketSighting¡¯ was quickly trending on Twitter. The person who filmed the video dered, [I swear I didn¡¯t apply any beauty filters. You can tell byparing Allison with the people around her. Her beauty is just unbelievable.] [Is this her bare face? A bare-faced goddess! [This is what a real bare face looks like, no eyebrows drawn, no eye makeup!] [God, can someone be this beautiful without makeup?] [She¡¯s so slim, yet her body shape is fantastic! How is that possible?] [Allison has such long legs!] [I dere her as my new crush. I love beautifuldies.] [I want to get the same outfit as hers.] [I have a simr hoodie. My mom said I looked like a ragpicker in it, but it looks amazing on Allison.] [Her voice is so gentle.] Within two hours, the video had over 15 million views, and Allison¡¯s Twitter followers skyrocketed. Allison was astonished. Meanwhile, Penelope, scrolling through the praises for Allison, was seething. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Upstairs in the nagan mansion, Penelopey on her bed, scrolling through Twitter. The praises lavished upon Allison made her so furious she wanted to throw her phone away. Why should a lowly maid receive such adtion? She sat up, quickly applied her makeup, and changed into an expensive dress she liked. This limited- edition dress cost a five-figure sum. Leaning against the window sill, Penelope struck a pose and snapped a picture. She edited it, applied a filter, and uploaded it to her own Twitter ount. Chapter 521 Chapter 521 Chapter 521 Penelope¡¯s Twitter had been meticulously maintained by Charlie, her PR, who had worked tirelessly to create her image of a privileged, wealthy socialite breaking into the world of Hollywood. She boasted over 800k followers on Twitter. Plus, her title as the future Mrs. Lindberg of the renowned Lindberg family certainly garnered a lot of attention. She had just posted a selfie and immediately called Charlie. ¡°Get my selfie to the top of the trending posts!¡± How could Charlie refuse Penelope¡¯s assertive request? She quickly got in touch with her operations team. #Penelope¡¯s new selfie immediately shot to the top of the trending list. Penelopeughed, satisfied. After waiting half an hour, she seemed eager to see thepliments about herself in the trending posts. But when she opened it up¡­ ¡°Who¡¯s this? Why is she at number one? I can¡¯t recognize her.¡± ¡°Her filter is so cheap. Where does this influencere from?¡± ¡°Can these low-quality influencers please go promote themselves on another tform? You¡¯re loaded, but it doesn¡¯t mean you can insult our intelligence.¡± ¡°Her face is so photoshopped that it¡¯s almost distorted. Look at the warped window in the background.¡± ¡°Penelope, that name sounds familiar. Oh, I remember now. Isn¡¯t she the future Mrs. Lindberg? She is Lucian¡¯s fianc¨¦e.¡± ¡°Is Lucian blind? She¡¯s so basic.¡± ¡°Can you guys please stop insulting my idol Lucian¡¯s taste? Penelope, please stay at home and stop tormenting Lucian.¡± ¡°Penelope¡¯s face is so ordinary evenpared to Lucian¡¯s secretary.¡±- ¡°Her looks are too average for Hollywood.¡± ¡°Why do I think Penelope looks a bit like Allison?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t insult my new idol. Allison¡¯s face can easily outshine Penelope¡¯s.¡± ¡°Second that.¡± ¡°Third that.¡± Penelope was furious! She had never imagined things would turn out like this. She immediately ordered Charlie to delete thements. Charlie, being a professional agent, was a bit stumped by the turn of events, but she immediately tried to soothe Penelope. ¡°Penelope, deleting comments now may upset the followers.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care! Delete them now!¡± Charlie paused, attempting to reason with her. Penelope snapped, ¡°Charlie, you¡¯re my agent. You do what I say. If you don¡¯t want to work at Epic Entertainment anymore, then get lost!¡± With a sigh, Charlie ended the call. She had no choice but to delete thements on Penelope¡¯s Twitter. As Charlie had predicted, things escted in thement section. #Penelope¡¯s Twitterments hit the trending list. It was filled with mockery and abuse. ¡°Wow, she dares to deletements? For each one you delete, Penelope, your hairline recedes and your face gains 200k likes and was the topment. ¡°Why delete? Girl, you are too sensitive.¡± a pound.¡± Thisment received ¡°Some people actually say you look like the natural beauty goddess, Allison. They must be blind. Yes, your eyebrows and eyes do look simr, but Allison is naturally beautiful. You must have two pounds of makeup on your face, thicker than the ster on my newly renovated wall!¡± ¡°Can theme girl please leave Hollywood?¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°For everyment you delete, I will post another.¡± Behind her phone screen, Penelope trembled with rage. Chapter 522 Chapter 522 Chapter 522 Penelope dialed Charlie¡¯s number. Her voice was seething with anger as she demanded Charlie fix this mess immediately. After mming her phone down, she swept everything off the coffee table in her fury. From downstairs, Margo heard themotion and hurried up. She was worried Penelope might fall, because her leg had not fully recovered. Upon opening the door, she found Penelope in a rage, throwing things around. ¡°Ms. Penelope, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Margo pleaded, ¡°Please, calm down.¡± But how could Penelope not be upset? She felt like she was about to explode with rage. Although the nagans were not the wealthiest family, Penelope was pampered since childhood. The mostmon thing she received was praise,pliments on her beauty and smooth skin. Throughout middle school, high school, and college, there were plenty of boys who pursued her. But now, her social media was brimming with hatefulments. People were calling her ugly, andparing her to Allison! ¡°Someone actually said I¡¯m less attractive than Allison, that lowly maid!¡± Penelope eximed. Margo quickly tried tofort her, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to them. Allison is nothing but a lowly maid. How can she bepared to you? Please calm down. Your health isn¡¯t in the best condition. Please, sit down and rest.¡± The name Allison also made Margo grit her teeth in irritation. Penelope opened Twitter, scanned thements under her posts, and began to delete them and block the users. But the hatefulments were too numerous. As soon as she deleted one, another would rise to the top. There were even trolls iming she looked simr to Allison, but wasn¡¯t as attractive. Unable to control her anger, Penelope retorted, ¡°Simr? She is not even qualified topare with me.¡± ¡°What is Allison? How dare shepare herself to me?¡± ¡°Allison is just a lowly maid who works in my house. How dare shepare herself to me?¡± Penelope was losing her temper. She was in a ze of anger. She didn¡¯t care that she was logged into her official Penelope Twitter ount. She just fired back at the trolls. By the time Charlie noticed, it was toote. Charlie was at his wits¡¯ end. How did he end up with such a troublesome client? They had lost control over thements, and Penelope¡¯s Twitter was flooded with hatefulments, with the conversation escting to employment discrimination. Charlie immediately had his team log into Penelope¡¯s Twitter ount, and delete the hateful comments. Charlie also feared Penelope might start another online tirade, and immediately changed her password. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. By the afternoon, the situation had reached a fever pitch. #Penelope says Allison is not qualified topare with her #Allison was a maid before #Penelope deletesments #Penelope fights back These hashtags began trending. ¡°Oh, Allison used to be a maid at Penelope¡¯s house?¡± ¡°Allison doesn¡¯t look that old.¡± ¡°Penelope¡¯s attitude is so disgusting. Is this job discrimination? What¡¯s wrong with being a maid? They earn their living with their own two hands.¡± ¡°Exactly, no job should be discriminated against! Penelope, stop acting like a spoiled princess and get out of the entertainment industry!¡± ¡°She dares to insult Allison! Allison is a hundred times more beautiful than Penelope!¡± ¡°What kind of person is Penelope? So low ss!¡± #Penelope¡¯s job discrimination was on the verge of trending. Charlie had to spend a fortune to suppress it, otherwise Penelope¡¯s career in the entertainment industry would be over. Chapter 523 Chapter 523 Chapter 523 She was on the verge of a meltdown, berating herself for having chosen to work with Penelope. This spoiled girl from the nagan family was not just overly sensitive but also stubborn, with a rude character and dismal professionalpetence. She could almost hear Patty¡¯sughter in her ears. Despite the fact that Allison¡¯s past as a housemaid had been exposed, there were hardly any negative comments about her on the inte. On the contrary, most people were giving her credit for achieving sess through hard work. The majority of thements were praising Allison for her beauty and kindness. The Public Rtions team was in tears. ¡°Charlie, we can¡¯t control the public opinion.¡± Charlie lit a cigarette. Her phone was buzzing like crazy. It was Penelope calling. She knew that Penelope must be raging like a fly on a hot pan, ready to explode at her. This spoiled brat had no manners. If it had not been for the fact that she was the futuredy of the Lindberg family, Charlie wouldn¡¯t have bothered. She picked up the call, and put it on speaker. Sure enough, Penelope¡¯s voice came through. She demanded that Charlie sort out the situation immediately. She didn¡¯t want to see a single negativement about her, or else she would ask Charlie to get out of Epic Entertainment! Charlie scoffed, and hung up. ¡°Then we are not controlling it.¡± The PR team looked at Charlie. Charlie said, ¡°After all, they¡¯re criticizing her, not us. She¡¯s the one who posted on Twitter, bought trending topics, deletedments because of her fragile ego, confronted the marketing ounts, and scolded others.¡± The PR team nodded. In fact, they were tired of dealing with Penelope¡¯s temper. It was a thankless job.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Allison had just finished lunch. When she checked the trending topics, she didn¡¯t expect things to have escted to this extent. Emma on the other side said, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into this spoiled brat? She¡¯s like a mad dog, biting everyone in sight.¡± On the other hand, Patty, being the professional agent, immediately contacted Allison¡¯s college and got in touch with the vice-principal. Patty¡¯swork was extensive. Even the vice-principal happened to be an old friend of hers. After a brief conversation, Patty smiled. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll treat you to dinnerter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you.¡± Later, the official Twitter ount of Willowbrook College posted a message, ¡°Allison graduated from Willowbrook College in Julyst year. She was an outstanding student who received several schrships.¡± Patty, using Allison¡¯s studio Twitter ount, retweeted this and added, ¡°I once worked for the nagan family. Thank you to my Alma Mater for your nurturing.¡± With these two simple sentences, she addressed two issues. Allison admitted to having worked for the nagan family and having been a housemaid. She graduated from the design department of Willowbrook College. The inte was flooded withments. ¡°Allison is so much better than Penelope. She worked to pay for her education while Penelope is just a spoiled brat. She¡¯s just jealous of Allison!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she just! Penelope is just jealous!¡± ¡°I¡¯m also a student at Willowbrook College. I¡¯ve seen Allison a few times. She¡¯s really beautiful and gentle. I heard her mother is not well, and she used to work part-time in the library.¡± ¡°I¡¯m also a student of design at Willowbrook College. She indeed used to work in the library. She even issued my library card.¡± ¡°Allison is really great. I always thought she was ady from a rich family, but it turns out she¡¯s just like us, a regr person working hard.¡±. ¡°I¡¯m falling more and more in love with Allison!¡± ¡°Penelope is so annoying!!¡± ¡°I¡¯m so happy. I¡¯m also a student at Willowbrook College. I¡¯m so excited to be in the same school as Allison!¡± A blogger named ¡°Fresh Daisy¡±mented, ¡°My goodness, Penelope used to bully Allison quite often because she is from the nagan family. What¡¯s wrong with Allison working to earn money? It¡¯s not like money falls from the sky! Everyone knows Penelope leads a messy private life. She¡¯s been with many men. From middle school to high school, her boyfriends could form a ser team!¡± Chapter 524 Chapter 524 Chapter 524 N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Holy shit, the blogger just dropped a bombshell!¡± ¡°Judging by the blogger¡¯s Twitter, she must be rich too! It¡¯s all about diamonds, pearls, and high-end stuff. Do you know Penelope or something? Spill the beans,e on!¡± ¡°I¡¯m pulling up a chair, all ears!¡±, ¡°Get your popcorn and soda here, front row!¡± Fresh Daisy tweeted, ¡°I¡¯m feeling sick to mention Penelope¡¯s past. In Northfield elite circle, who would want to hang out with Penelope? Isn¡¯t she just riding the wave of being the ¡®future Mrs. Lindberg¡¯? Has Lucian even proposed yet? How long has this rumor been going on? Do you guys want to know why Lucian wants to marry her? Any media outlets want an exclusive scoop? Hit me up!¡± ¡°Shit, there¡¯s more juicy gossip?!¡± ¡°Spill it, blogger! Why does Lucian want to marry Penelope? I thought Penelope saved Mrs. Lindberg, so Lucian wanted to pay her back?¡± ¡°I used to feel sorry for Penelope, with her broken leg and lost child. But now, she¡¯s just a top-tier pretender. Totally nauseating.¡± At Powell Estate. Emma was glued to her Twitter. ¡°Oh my God, this ¡®Fresh Daisy¡¯ is about to drop another bombshell. Allison, you have to see this! So satisfying!¡± ¡°What? Isn¡¯t it over yet?¡± Allison hadn¡¯t expected this public outcry tost so long. She opened up Fresh Daisy¡¯s Twitter and clicked through. She was very familiar with all these jewelry styles and types. She looked closely at the Twitter and realized this ount was following her. Holy cow, it¡¯s Daisy? And under Daisy¡¯s tweet about dropping a bombshell, there were already over forty thousand comments, and over a hundred thousand retweets. The number of spectators was overwhelming. Daisy tweeted, ¡°I¡¯m just sick and tired of Penelope¡¯s act. She is so bold all because she¡¯s marrying into the Lindberg family. And Lucian, why on Earth is he marrying Penelope? It¡¯s gotten to the point where I¡¯m wondering if Penelope has some dirt on Lucian.¡± Allison pursed her lips, quickly dialing Daisy. ¡°Daisy, don¡¯t get involved in this. I¡¯m worried Penelope will give you trouble.¡± ¡°Hmph, let Penelope try. I¡¯m gonna see what she can do.¡± At this point, Daisy had Mina backing her up. Not even the nagan family would dare cross the Boswell family. Allison rubbed her forehead. ¡°I don¡¯t want to cause any trouble for you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Let Penelopee at me if she dares.¡± Penelope was seething as she checked the Twitter profile of ¡®Fresh Daisy¡¯, a jewelry blogger. The more she saw, the angrier she got. With tens of thousands ofments and over a hundred thousand retweets in just one day, it felt like the situation was spiraling out of control. She called Charlie multiple times, who kept assuring her it would be handled soon, but the negative comments and news about her online only grew more abundant, Penelope was on the verge of tears. ¡°Charlie, you¡¯re my agent. You have to help me. Who does Allison think she is? She is ndering me? Are all theseizens blind?¡± Charlie was careful around this spoiled brat, despite not wanting to deal with her. At first, she thought that being connected to the future Mrs. Lindberg would boost her standing at Epic Entertainment. But instead, Penelope had be a burden. Penelope was insanely jealous, and not the brightest. Charlie looked at the negative feedback online, and the negative news behind the professional data. She opened Twitter and saw Fresh Daisy¡¯s profile. It seemed like there was more gossip toe. Chapter 525 Chapter 525 Chapter 525 She asked, ¡°What kind of evidence does this blogger have against you? Do you even know it?¡± Penelope was nearly in tears. ¡°How would I know?¡± The blogger imed her personal life was a hot mess, and she had numerous boyfriends throughout middle school and high school. If any solid proof was found, she wouldn¡¯t be able to face the Lindberg family. Many of her old acquaintances knew about her past. If the truth ever came out, she would be in deep trouble. Charlie said, ¡°If you want to reverse the negative feedback, you have to listen to me. Got it?¡± After all, they were in the same boat. If Penelope capsized, she wouldn¡¯t fare well either. Charlie immediately contacted a professional PR team. Penelope, nodding her head, said, ¡°Speak.¡± She could do anything to turn the tide at this point. Charlie said, ¡°I¡¯ve drafted an apology message for you. Post it immediately and apologize to Allison.¡± ¡°What?¡± Penelope¡¯s voice shot up an octave. ¡°No way!!¡± she yelled into her phone. ¡°I¡¯m not apologizing to that lowly maid Allison! It¡¯s out of the question!!¡± On the other end of the line, Charlie nearly threw her phone in frustration. She was infuriated by Penelope but had to bear with it because of her connection to the Lindberg Corporation. She exined patiently, ¡°You have to apologize to Allison. If you don¡¯t, this issue won¡¯t be properly handled. No one online is speaking up for you. Even if Allison was once your maid, she¡¯s worked hard to get where she is. Doesn¡¯t this sound like job discrimination to you? Once thatbel sticks, it¡¯s hard to shake off. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Nobody online empathizes with a rich heiress like you. The reason why public opinion is overwhelmingly in favor of Allison is because she¡¯s the underdog, working hard to better herself. Who would sympathize with a rich girl like you who swipes her card for an outfit that costs tens of thousands? You started the feud with the online troll and insulted Allison. If you want a better future, Penelope, you have to learn how to apologize.¡± ¡°Let them rant online! I can apologize to anyone but that bitch Allison! I was too nice to her. That bitch seduced my fianc¨¦, and tried to damage my parents¡¯ rtionship. I¡¯ve always hated her.¡± ¡°Do you have proof that she seduced Mr. Lindberg?¡± If there was a solid evidence, they could use it to deal a fatal blow to Allison online, removing Patty¡¯s trump card. Penelope had none. Charlie said, ¡°Since you have no proof, I can¡¯t help you. Ms. nagan, you should seek help elsewhere.¡± Charlie withheld one piece of information. The reason why the inte was siding with Allison, aside from Penelope¡¯s haughty tone and the inability of the public to rte to a rich heiress, was that¡­ Penelope and Allison did look simr, but Allison looked like a fairy who had just descended to earth. Penelope, on the other hand, had gained weight after falling ill. She piled on makeup, used filters to contour her face, and exuded cheap vibe of amon inte celebrity. With Allison¡¯s natural beauty, it was as if she was irresistible to both men and women. Beautiful, hardworking Allison was like a princess. In contrast, Penelope seemed like the wicked witch of the fairy tales. Chapter 526 Chapter 526 Chapter 526 N?velDrama.Org ? content. Because Penelope refused to issue an apology tweet, Charlie¡¯s longtime public rtions team backed out of their coboration with her. Left with no choice, Charlie had to spend a hefty amount to engage a new PR team. However, when it came to Charlie¡¯s request to counteract Penelope¡¯s negativements, several PR firms admitted their helplessness. Despite Charlie tripling her offer, many renowned PR firms refused. Only one small PR team agreed to take it on, but they couldn¡¯t guarantee results. In the PR world, timing is everything. At this point, the ideal time to issue an apology tweet had clearly passed, especially with Penelope¡¯s refusal to do so. Therefore, the PR team spent a fortune to purchase a video of a top-tier actress having dinner with her boyfriend from a paparazzo. This video quickly topped the trending news on Twitter. ¡°Nte¡¯s boyfriend is revealed.¡± ¡°ke was caught in a room with Nte.¡± ke was a renowned director, a recipient of three major awards. His films were almost always a perfect blend of high-quality and public acim. ke was just 30 and already had amassed a considerable number of awards. He had grey eyes, smooth skin, and a prominent nose. He had over 20 million Twitter followers. Each tweet he posted would garner a fixed 70-80 thousandments. He had a poprity rivalling that of a top celebrity. ke was currently directing a highly anticipated animated movie, ¡°The Wind.¡± Nte, a top-tier actress, was blessed with acting skills, a wealthy background, a charming demeanor, and a legion of fans. She always maintained an intelligent and elegant image. Herst appearance on the red carpet in a ck and white Chanel outfit left a memorable impression. Nte¡¯s rtionship history was very clean. She never initiated any romantic rumours when she acted in TV dramas and maintained a proper distance from her male co-stars. She always looked elegant. She was the dream woman of many celebrities and the top pick for many male actors when they needed a leadingdy. One could say that she was the female celebrity with the fewest haters. Nte had an excellent reputation, and she had zero scandals in her seven-year career. ke was a famous young director. They were a match made in heaven. Their rtionship news started trending on Twitter. An hourter, they both confirmed their rtionship. Nte said, ¡°I¡¯m very happy. Thank you everyone. This is my boyfriend, ke!¡± ke replied, ¡°The one I love is Nte.¡± After a morning of heated discussion, someone seemed to have realized something. ¡°Happy for her, but this isn¡¯t a scandal. Why is it on the trending list? They¡¯re both wearing down jackets in the video, and I¡¯m already in a hoodie. This video clearly was taken months ago. It¡¯s released now intentionally, right?¡± ¡°Definitely intentional. It¡¯s obviously trying to shift the focus away from the nagan heiress.¡± ¡°Exactly! We were busy gossiping about Penelope, but suddenly Nte and ke¡¯s rtionship is trending. They have no negative press, and they¡¯re well-liked. Plus, this video was clearly taken months ago. It¡¯s obvious that Penelope¡¯s PR team is trying to divert attention!¡± ¡°Penelope¡¯s PR team is so dirty, using other artists to divert attention. Despicable!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always disliked Penelope, the arrogant rich girl!¡± Chapter 527 Chapter 527 Chapter 527 ¡°Maybe Penelope should try some aerobics or something. Photoshop can¡¯t hide those chubby cheeks.¡± The inte was clearly not distracted by Nte and ke¡¯s trending romance. They still had their eyes on Penelope. Even Fresh Daisy, an online influencer, was tagged in thements. People were asking her to disclose more information. Fresh Daisy¡¯s ount gained millions of followers in a day. Several media outlets sent her private messages, hoping to get an exclusive interview. Daisy just happened to check the trending topics and saw that Penelope was stirring up trouble again. She had just wanted to defend Allison, but she hadn¡¯t expected her ount to get so much attention. She didn¡¯t reply to the media outlets. She didn¡¯t want to cause trouble for Allison, but she wasn¡¯t afraid of Penelope either. She thought that once the buzz died down, everything would go back to normal. All she wanted was to teach Penelope a lesson. Then the trend started to fade. Charlie¡¯s PR team seemed to be working hard. Suddenly, Daisy discovered that her ount had been suspended. She was shocked. She checked her ount. Sure enough, she had been silenced for half a month. Silenced? She could just make a new ount. Daisy¡¯spetitive spirit was ignited. She immediately created a new ount, stating that she had been silenced by Penelope¡¯s team. This seemed to ignite the inte¡¯s enthusiasm. The more they tried to silence her, the more guilty Penelope¡¯s team seemed. Daisy¡¯s new ount, with a random name, gained 200,000 followers in a day. ¡°Penelope must be scared. You need to watch out for your own safety. I¡¯m afraid Penelope¡¯s team might retaliate!¡± ¡°Yeah, Penelope is clearly guilty. She¡¯s scared you¡¯ll expose her, so she silenced you. You have to stay safe and let us know if you need help.¡± ¡°Penelope¡¯s backers are too bold. I remember when she first entered the entertainment industry, she did a phone ad. I don¡¯t understand why these rich girls even bother with showbiz. Nobody likes them.¡± ¡°I remember that ad. It was so stiff and awkward. The video wasme. It made me want to vomit.¡± ¡°Penelopecks talent and she¡¯s so sensitive. Why can¡¯t she just enjoy being a socialite?¡± ¡°Have you heard about Lucian and Penelope¡¯s scandal? I still don¡¯t understand how Lucian could fall for someone like her.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°My heart hurts. My idol is blind. He¡¯s got looks, money, and connections. Why would he choose Penelope??¡± ¡°Was he threatened by Penelope, or do they have some kind of childhood pact? I don¡¯t get it¡­¡± The news of Fresh Daisy being silenced trended. The inte bacsh was harsh, and all of it aimed at Penelope. This move by the PR team to silence Fresh Daisy only added fuel to the fire. The negativements didn¡¯t decrease. They actually got worse. Charlie was stressed out. She hadn¡¯t had a good rest sincest night. Her eyes were bloodshot. The best course of action was to apologize right away, let the storm pass, and then have Penelope make a grandeback with a beautiful photoshoot. But now, it seemed like every move they made was wrong. Chapter 528 Chapter 528 Chapter 528 Penelope was not the only one to feel scared. Even Charlie dared not to check the Twitterments. It was almost a unanimous flood of criticism. Even the strongest mental fortitude was useless. She had no choice but to contact Mr. Vincent from Epic Entertainment. ¡°Mr. Vincent, I¡¯m at my wits¡¯ end here. Perhaps we should consider reaching out to Lindberg Corporation. They have a professional PR team. I can¡¯t handle this anymore. After all, Penelope is Lucian¡¯s fianc¨¦e¡­¡± Mr. Vincent paused for a few seconds. ¡°I understood.¡± At Lindberg Corporation. In the CEO¡¯s office. Lindberg, having finished his business, closed his eyes to rest. Shawn knocked on the door and entered. ¡°Mr. Lindberg.¡± Without opening his eyes, Lucian just hummed in acknowledgment. Shawn said, ¡°Ms. nagan has run into some difficulties. Epic Entertainment just called, saying her agent is unable to handle it and they want to borrow Lindberg Corporation¡¯s PR team.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Lucian opened Twitter and started to browse. Meanwhile, Shawn was reporting the specifics of the situation. ¡°The situation is this: during Epic Entertainment¡¯s anniversary banquet, Miss Allison wore a stunning red and white rose gown, which earned her a lot of fans and positive reviews. Then Ms. nagan posted a selfie, but all thements below were scathing. Ms. nagan deleted samements. Then a media ount said Ms. nagan looked somewhat simr to Miss Allison. Ms. nagan retorted sharply at the ount. Then public opinion spiraled out of control. And it¡¯s been like this up till now. Just yesterday, a blogger called ¡®Fresh Daisy¡¯ exposed Ms. nagan¡¯s dark past, and then this blogger got silenced.¡± Lucian looked at Twitter, saw Penelope¡¯s sharp retorts at the media, and frowned slightly. These words didn¡¯t seem like something ady should say, they were somewhat crude. ¡°How is she now?¡± Shawn replied, ¡°I checked. Ms. nagan has been crying. She¡¯s not in a good emotional state.¡± ¡°And Allison?¡± ¡°Miss Zimmer? She doesn¡¯t seem to be affected by the public opinion.¡± Lucian browsed the ount called ¡®Fresh Daisy¡¯, which had been silenced. After posting a message yesterday, there were now 70,000ments. He looked at the blogger called ¡®Fresh Daisy¡¯. These comments would indeed stir up trouble, especially the rumors about Penelope¡¯s dark past. He told Shawn, ¡°Investigate this blogger.¡± Shawn asked, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, do you suspect this ount is deliberately discrediting Ms. nagan?¡± Although Ms. nagan was somewhat arrogant, what the blogger said seemed somewhat exaggerated. The numerous boyfriends and chaotic private life were not Ms. nagan¡¯s style. Shawn¡¯s first instinct was that this ount seemed to be ndering Ms. nagan. Lucian¡¯s face remained impassive. He simply instructed, ¡°Find out about this blogger and suppress the situation.¡± After all, Penelope was known as the future bride of the Lindberg family. Her every move, if inappropriate, could tarnish the Lindberg family¡¯s reputation. He couldn¡¯t just ignore it. Lucian looked at Allison¡¯s Twitter. She had posted a selfie. It was her style, with a subtle filter and natural, pleasant lighting. He casually saved the picture. Just as he was about to exit Twitter, his slender fingers paused, and then clicked ¡®follow¡¯. He had no idea that this simple act would cause a considerable discussion on the inte. ¡°Am I seeing this, right? Lucian followed Allison???¡± ¡°Holy moly, is it really Lucian, my dreamboat Lucian??¡± ¡°Is this real?¡± Chapter 529 Chapter 529 Chapter 529 ¡°Did Mr. Lindberg identally press the wrong button? Or did an assistant log into Mr. Lindberg¡¯s Twitter ount?¡± Lucian¡¯s Twitter, which had been inactive for some time, asionally retweeted thetest news on international business. Thest time Lucian retweeted anything was three months ago. Despite this, there were still numerousments under Lucian¡¯s Twitter. ¡°Mr. Lindberg is so handsome!!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you retweeted something!!!¡± Most of thementators were girls. After all, Lucian was once dubbed the Heartthrob by a single photo. He was the dream man of countless girls, the most famous entrepreneur in Northfield. At this moment, manyizens expressed their doubts. ¡°Did Mr. Lindberg¡¯s ount get hacked??¡± ¡°Did his assistant post it?¡± ¡°Was it a slip of finger?¡± As for Lucian, he logged out after following Allison, naturally unaware of the storm brewing on Twitter. Meanwhile, everyone in Lindberg Corporation was watching the drama unfold. In the break room. ¡°Did you hear the boss started following Allison?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Mara, aren¡¯t you up-to-date? Go check Twitter!¡± A group of people then gave Mara a brief rundown of the situation. Mara nodded. ¡°So that¡¯s what happened. By the way, did Mr. Lindberg follow Penelope?¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. This question stunned several people in the room. ¡°I don¡¯t think he did.¡± Suddenly everyone seemed to have discovered a secret that shouldn¡¯t be uncovered. They fell silent, exchanging nces. Coffee from the machine overflowed. A female employee yelped and quickly picked it up. She looked around and whispered, ¡°Do you think Mr. Lindberg likes Penelope?¡± ¡°No idea.¡± ¡°Who could know?¡± ¡°Shh¡­¡± Shawn was also browsing Twitter. Asizens suggested that he, as the CEO¡¯s assistant, had logged into Lucian¡¯s Twitter and followed Allison, he couldn¡¯t help but feel unjustly used. He opened Lucian¡¯s Twitter. Lucian¡¯s Twitter was squeaky clean. It only had a dozen posts, and nearly all of them were rted to major financial events. There was not an original post in sight. However, the likes and retweets were not few. He clicked on Lucian¡¯s following list. There were only three ounts. One was the official ount of a financial/media outlet. One was an automatic follow from Twitter itself. And the third was Allison. This was too tant. ¡°Mr. Lindberg, are you sure you don¡¯t want to follow Penelope to quell the spections of Twitter users?¡± The nagan family. After throwing a tantrum, Penelope locked herself in her room, staring at her phone. The news of Lucian following Allison was trending on Twitter, and it was the first on trending list. Her mood seemed to havepletely copsed. How could this happen? She mmed everything in front of her onto the floor. Outside her door, Margo was knocking. ¡°Ms. Penelope, are you alright?¡± Leah and Christopher were both at the door. Both of them looked upset. Christopher¡¯s brows were tight. After all, the online rumors had started to affect the nagan family¡¯s stock price, and any parent would worry about their daughter after seeing the negativements online. ¡°Penelope, open the door. Don¡¯t shut yourself in there. Whatever it is, we¡¯ll figure it out together.¡± Leah clutched her chest. ¡°Yes, Penelope, please open the door. Don¡¯t scare your mom and dad.¡± Chapter 530 Chapter 530 Chapter 530 Penelope just wouldn¡¯t open the door. Leah grumbled at Christopher, ¡°All this is because of that girl Allison you adore so much. If it weren¡¯t for her, our daughter wouldn¡¯t be hurt so much by public opinion.¡± Christopher frowned, not refuting Leah¡¯s usation. He was worried about the already declining stock price of the nagan Corporation and, as a father, he couldn¡¯t bear the online attacks on his daughter. ¡°Penelope, pleasee out. Whatever it is, we can talk it out as a family. Don¡¯t mind the words online. The doctor said you need rest. Penelope, your mom and I are really worried about you!¡± The trending topics of the past few days had been bombarding Penelope, deepening her jealousy of Allison. She really wanted to kill that bitch Allison! After about ten minutes or so, Penelope, with her red eyes, opened the door and threw herself into Leah¡¯s arms. ¡°Mom¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t help but burst into tears. Leah quickly held her daughter. In the study, the three of them sat on the couch. Leahined, ¡°The nagan Corporation, the stocks¡­ You¡¯re so obsessed with these. Do you even care about Penelope and me? If that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t you just live with thepany! I¡¯ll take Penelope and we¡¯ll live on our own!¡± Christopher retorted, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Leah was just venting. She couldn¡¯t really leave Christopher. If she divorced Christopher now, she would only get a small share of the stocks. And she was certain that the moment they divorced, Christopher would find a younger, more beautiful wife. He might evenContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. secretly see Grace. ¡°Leah, I¡¯m worried about our daughter too. Penelope, I think the most prudent thing to do now is to post an apology on Twitter. This whole thing started because youshed out at a marketing ount and it went viral. You need to remember that you are the future daughter-inw of the Lindberg family. Your actions represent both the Lindberg and the nagan families.¡± Penelope sobbed, ¡°Dad, what should I do now?¡± Spoiled from an early age by the nagan family and deeply loved by Leah, Penelope had never experienced hardship. The pressure of the negative publicity terrified her. But, at the same time, her jealousy of Allison was growing. Christopher¡¯spany had a professional PR team. Seeing his daughter upset, he immediately arranged for his PR team to intervene. He advised Penelope, ¡°You should post on Twitter right now. Be polite, and apologize to Allison. Say you didn¡¯t mean it. The inte will forget about this in a few days. After three months, when you¡¯re back in the entertainment industry, no one will remember this.¡± Penelope looked up, gritting her teeth. Apologizing to Allison was out of the question. If she was capable of apologizing, things wouldn¡¯t escte to this point. But Penelope was wavering. The online criticism was too harsh. She was afraid her past mistakes would be exposed. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything wrong. Dad, it was Allison who provoked me first!¡± Christopher was exasperated with his daughter. He had seen the whole incident and knew it had nothing to do with Allison. It was purely because Penelope was excessively jealous. But he only had one daughter. Even if she was wrong, he had to protect her. Chapter 531 Chapter 531 Chapter 531 Watching Christopher¡¯s face, Penelope knew he wasn¡¯t going to be any help. She quickly turned to Leah, ¡°Mom, see? I knew it! I knew Dad would always side with Allison!¡± Ever since Grace got out of the mental hospital, Christopher had been giving Leah the cold shoulder. Her resentment toward Allison only seemed to grow. ¡°Christopher, it¡¯s not entirely Penelope¡¯s fault, you know. And besides, it¡¯s not like she needs to keep apologizing. Penelope is our daughter, and she¡¯s the future Mrs. Lindberg. Everything she does represents not only the nagan family, but also the Lindberg family. If she apologizes, it¡¯s like a p to the Lindberg Corporation. We may be able to take it, but the Lindbergs¡­¡± Christopher pondered for a moment, and then nodded in agreement. ¡°You¡¯re right, Leah. It¡¯s a good reminder.¡± Leah suggested, ¡°To quell this PR storm, why not ask Allison to apologize?¡± ¡°What?¡± Christopher was taken aback. Even Penelope looked at Leah in surprise. ¡°Mom, why would she ever apologize to me? And besides, she hasn¡¯t said a word.¡± Penelope, despite her resentment towards Allison, knew that she had let her anger get the best of her and fueled this scandal. Making Allison apologize to her? Wouldn¡¯t that just add fuel to the fire? Leah said, ¡°I have a n.¡± She had been plotting for a long time. Allison was Grace¡¯s beloved daughter. If Allison was under her control, it would be even easier to take revenge on Grace. Christopher and Penelope perked up their ears to listen to Leah¡¯s scheme. ¡°We can adopt Allison as our goddaughter. Penelope and Allison look alike, and Allison used to be our maid. We can use this to build a positive image for Penelope. Allison will be your ¡®little sister¡¯, and you were just joking with your sister.¡± Penelope naturally agreed to Leah¡¯s proposal. As long as Allison admitted to being her sister, the negative onlinements could be minimized. But Allison had to be the nagan family¡¯s goddaughter?? ¡°Mom, do we really have to adopt Allison as our goddaughter? Every time I think about being with this maid I just¡­¡± Penelope was about toin when she saw Christopher¡¯s chilling gaze. She swallowed the word before it left her mouth. Christopher said, ¡°The proposal is indeed viable, but are you sure Allison will agree? You know how you treated Grace.¡± Leah replied, ¡°With our family¡¯s wealth, does Allison have any other choice? What¡¯s her status, and what¡¯s ours? Her father was our chauffeur, and her mother was our housemaid. Even she was born into a life of servitude in our home. What could she possibly be unhappy about?¡± Christopher sighed, looking at Leah and shaking his head. His wife wasrgely to me for their daughter¡¯s spoiled character. He had also been too busy with work and had neglected his parental duties. Christopher knew Allison well enough. ¡°She won¡¯t agree to this, but we could try thetter part.¡± He stood up, called for his driver, took his coat, and prepared to leave. Leah stopped him. ¡°Christopher, where are you going?¡±N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°I¡¯m going to have a chat with Allison.¡± Leah said, ¡°Let me do it. You¡¯ve had a long day. Rest up.¡± Christopher looked at Leah. ¡°You?¡± Chapter 532 Chapter 532 Chapter 532 Leah gave a nod. Her lips were curling into a smile. She quickly asked Margo to prepare her clothes. ¡°Indeed, you¡¯ve had a long day because of Penelope. Don¡¯t you have an important meeting tomorrow? I should go instead.¡± Christopher was indeed tired. He nodded and cautioned Leah, ¡°Just be polite. After all, we¡¯re the ones asking for a favor.¡± Leah simply said, ¡°I know. Don¡¯t worry.¡± After Christopher went upstairs, Leah changed and prepared to leave. She wouldn¡¯t allow him to go see Allison. Perhaps he just wanted to see Grace. She wouldn¡¯t let him meet that woman! Penelope stood up, worried. ¡°Mom, what if Allison refuses?¡± Leah patted her daughter¡¯s hand. ¡°She won¡¯t. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll handle it. What you need to do now is to take care of yourself. Call Lucian, and ask him toe and keep youpany. It¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve contacted him, right?¡± From Penelope¡¯s expression, Leah could guess what she was thinking. ¡°Don¡¯t think that saving Miranda solves everything. What you need to do now is to get in touch with Lucian more, try to recuperate and try to conceive his child again. Only then can you rest easy.¡± ¡°But Mom, he¡­ I want to, but you know, Lucian has been quite cold to me recently. I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± ¡°Penelope, my dear. You don¡¯t understand men¡¯s hearts.¡± Leah whispered something into her daughter¡¯s ear, causing Penelope to blush. ¡°Will that work?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it? You¡¯re his fianc¨¦e. Anything goes. You have to seize the opportunity.¡± Penelope blushed even more. ¡°I understood, Mom.¡± In the morning, at Epic Entertainment. Allison hade here to sign some papers. After she was done, she ran into Nicki, who greeted her. ¡°Allison, I like your hoodie. This brand¡¯s clothes are my favorite.¡± Allison knew that Nicki was just looking for something to talk about. Her hoodie was from a small brand, costing just a couple of hundred dors. Nicki had initiated the conversation, so Allison suggested, ¡°Nicki, there¡¯s a caf¨¦ upstairs. Would you like to sit for a while?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± They headed to the caf¨¦ on the top floor. The caf¨¦ was semi-open, making it rtively safe from paparazzi and stalkers. Many of Epic Entertainment¡¯s artists would hang out here. It was a great ce to chat and discuss business. From here, the grand viewing balcony offered a panoramic view of Brookhaven, Northfield. The morning traffic was bustling, with cars. zipping across several overpasses. The entirendscapey before them. ¡°I heard you signed Wade¡¯s movie. Congrattions.¡± The phrase ¡®I heard¡¯ was quite casual, but at this moment, it felt as if it was set in stone. Allison smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± She didn¡¯t pretend not to know or try to deny the news. Instead, she epted the congrattions graciously, which left Nicki at a loss for words. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. This was a reaction Nicki hadn¡¯t anticipated. She decided to be direct. ¡°Allison, we¡¯re both artists at Epic Entertainment. We¡¯ll have plenty of opportunities to meet and coborate in the future. I¡¯d like to be friends with you. Let¡¯s keep in touch. If you ever need anything, just let me know.¡± In the entertainment industry, it¡¯s always better to make a friend than to offend someone. Chapter 533 Chapter 533 Chapter 533 Allison had just started in the entertainment industry, so her footing was still shaky. Although Nicki didn¡¯t have a massive following, she was still known, had a portfolio, and had even won Best Supporting Actress for one of her roles. This marked a new height in her career, having steadily built up her reputation over the years. Allison sipped her coffee. ¡°Of course, Nicki. Whatever you need, you can alwayse to me.¡± Nicki was a clever woman and their conversation flowed easily. It was a well-known fact in the industry that no one could survive alone. Having an extra friend meant having an extra ally. As they left the caf¨¦, Nicki had to head to a shoot, so she left first. Allison was getting ready to leave too when she saw Emma looking for her. ¡°Emma, what¡¯s up?¡± she walked over. ¡°Allison, ady named Leah is looking for you. She¡¯s already waiting in the lounge.¡± Leah¡­ Allison¡¯s eyes darkened slightly as she headed for the lounge. In the lounge, Leah nced at her wristwatch. She had been waiting for half an hour already. Did this Allison dare to keep her waiting this long?! She swallowed her irritation and waited for another five minutes. Finally, the lounge door opened and Allison walked in. She didn¡¯t show any surprise at Leah¡¯s presence. She had probably already guessed why Leah was here. ¡°Mrs. nagan, what brings you here?¡± Allison asked coolly as she took a seat across from Leah.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Leah frowned. ¡°Allison, I am after all your senior. Is this how you treat your elders?¡± ¨C¡°What¡¯s wrong with my attitude?¡± Allison couldn¡¯t understand. Emma had not left. At first, she didn¡¯t know who Leah was. Seeing that she was well-dressed, she treated her with due respect. It was only after hearing Allison address her as Mrs. nagan that she realized who Leah was. She must be Penelope¡¯s mother. Penelope¡¯s mothering to see Allison could only mean one thing. She was here because of the negative publicity her daughter was receiving. Allison smiled. ¡°Mrs. nagan, you should count yourself lucky that you came today and I happened to be here too. Otherwise, you¡¯d waste a trip.¡± Leah mmed her hand on the table. ¡°Allison, I¡¯ve been waiting for you for 35 minutes. You¡¯ve got quite the nerve!¡± Thest traces of a smile vanished from Allison¡¯s eyes. She turned to Emma. ¡°Emma, start recording. Let¡¯s show everyone on Twitter what kind of attitude Penelope¡¯s mother has when shees asking for a favor.¡± Emma immediately took out her phone and started recording Leah. Leah looked slightly taken aback. She wanted to scold Allison but was afraid of the video being exposed. She hadn¡¯t expected Allison to be this defiant. Leah¡¯s mind raced. ¡°Allison, this situation has blown up quite a bit. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to see this either. Let¡¯s both take a step back.¡± ¡°Oh? And how do we do that?¡± ¡°You announce on Twitter that you and Penelope are good friends and that herments were just a joke between sisters. No harm at all.¡± Allisonughed. ¡°Good friends? Mrs. nagan, you surely know how to crack a joke.¡± Leah made an offer, ¡°I know a top nephrologist. If you¡¯re willing to settle this Twitter issue, I can introduce him to your mother. Even though she¡¯s had a kidney transnt, she still needs ongoing treatment to prolong her life.¡± Chapter 534 Chapter 534 Chapter 534 If she said so two months ago, Allison wouldn¡¯t hesitate toply. For her mother, she could give up many things. But now¡­ Allison¡¯s beautiful face was impassive. She just said lightly, ¡°Oh, is that so¡­¡± Leah had not expected that her proposition would hold no appeal to Allison. She observed Allison¡¯s expression. Could it be that Allison no longer cared about Grace? ¡°Impossible,¡± she thought. Grace was Allison¡¯s Achilles¡® heel. By controlling Grace, she thought she could manipte Allison easily. ¡°Allison, the specialist I mentioned is the father of an old friend. He¡¯s been retired for years, and it¡¯s not easy to convince him to take on a case. The former mayor of Northern Peak once tried to get Dr. Anderson to treat his mother and it took considerable effort. You should be grateful.¡± ¡°Mrs. nagan, if you¡¯reing to me with such conditions, you might as well leave. Don¡¯t waste my time.¡± Having said this, she turned around, ready to leave. Taken by surprise, Leah rose from her seat in a panic. ¡°Allison, what do you want?¡± Allison hadn¡¯t really thought about what she wanted. Looking at Leah, her chest was roiling with emotions. Did she despise Leah? The answer was a resounding yes in her heart. She had suffered oppression from the nagans since childhood, and she had lost a child. Her life, however, had been changed by Grace. The woman in front of her was rted to her by blood. Perhaps it was the blood¨Crted rtionship that left a bitter taste in Allison¡¯s mouth. ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet, but you owe me a favor. I¡¯ve had my agent record this. You can¡¯t go back on your word. Otherwise, your threats to me will be exposed. The public scrutiny Penelope suffered will seem mild inparison. I trust Mrs. nagan won¡¯t break your promisester.¡± Leah stiffened. She hadn¡¯t expected Allison to be this smart. ¡°Fine, I agree.¡± A trending topic exploded on Twitter. ¡°Allison and Penelope are good friends.¡± It attracted the attention of mostizens. Allison tweeted, ¡°I¡¯ve known Penelope since we were kids. We often ¡®roast¡® each other. It was all just a misunderstanding. Sorry for the confusion.¡± Penelope quickly retweeted and replied, ¡°Allison, let¡¯s have dinner together at home tonight.¡± Allison frowned, replying with a single word, ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Ah, so it turns out Allison and Penelope are good friends. Why didn¡¯t they say so earlier?¡± Right¡± Someizens continued toment. Then, Charlie bought a bunch of ounts, specifically to say good things about Penelope, directing the public opinion. ¡°My bestie and I joke with each other all the time, calling each other ugly. Probably Penelope didn¡¯t expect her casual banter would bring about such trouble.¡± Yeah, look at her Penelope is quite pretty Her features are nice. I heard she got injured and has been recuperating at home. Her Teskates are not so different from Allison¡¯s, just a bit chubbier, which is normal.¡± don¡¯t we let it go? They¡¯re just friends teasing each other. Not a big deal¡± feel sorry for Penelope D¡¯s been bashed byizens for so many days. It¡¯s not easy for a young girl.¡± changed my mind think Pantelope is quite beautiful. Much better than skinny female artists like Allison I prefer a bit Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. elope¡¯s hired influences disqueting? They¡¯le even starting to bash Allison new. Don¡¯t they realize how obvious they are? Chapter 535 Chapter 535 Chapter 535 ¡°I share your sentiments, mate,¡± one user expressed above. ¡°Out of nowhere, all these newbies popped up praising Penelope within a few hours. Do they think we¡¯re stupid or something? And all of them talk about Penelope being pretty. Please, we have eyes and we can see who¡¯s pretty, okay?¡± ¡°I noticed it, too,¡± another chimed in. ¡°The PR team Penelope hired is doing a lousy job. They¡¯re awkwardly praising her, and the photos are so poorly edited that the background is twisted.¡± It wasn¡¯t long before other sharp-eyedizens caught on. ¡°Allison¡¯stest tweet doesn¡¯t have a single punctuation mark, someone pointed out. ¡°It¡¯s clear that someone else wrote it for her. Allison always uses punctuation in her tweets!!¡± ¡°Oh my God, it should be obvious to anyone with half a brain,¡± another added. ¡°Epic Entertainment is a film and entertainmentpany under Lindberg Corporation. Penelope is Lucian¡¯s fianc¨¦e. Allison is also an artist at Epic Entertainment. It all adds up ¨C Allison must have been threatened!¡± ¡°Absolutely disgusting. Epic Entertainment¡¯s oppression of artists is too tant. Penelope really is shameless and fragile.¡± ¡°I noticed it too!! Allison must be under threat. Poor girl!¡± Despite Allison¡¯stest tweet proiming herself and Penelope as best friends, the majority ofizens weren¡¯t buying it. ¡°We know you¡¯re being threatened by Epic Entertainment. Take care of yourself, Allison.¡± ¡°Stay strong, Allison! Fight against the corporate!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got your back, Allison. If you¡¯re ever in trouble, just let us know.¡± Someizens even noted the simrities between Allison and Penelope. ¡°Has anyone else noticed how much Allison and Penelope resemble each other? They look like sisters.¡± ¡°I noticed it too. They have strikingly simr features, but their charm is different. Is Allison by any chance a member of the nagan family? Could she be the long-lost daughter?¡± An idle remark made by a user sparked a wildfire. As Leah was scrolling through Twitter, she bit her lip, wondering if Allison could truly be Christopher and Grace¡¯s child. N?velDrama.Org ? content. If so, she would be in serious danger. Leah had always had her suspicions. It was only when Grace presented the DNA test results of Allison and Joshua that she let her guard down. Now, her doubts were resurfacing. She was wondering if Grace had tampered with the DNA results. She needed to investigate this herself. A weekter, the storm seemed to have passed. Allison shifted her focus away from the issue, as she was about to join Wade¡¯s film. ¡°Grace seems unwell these days, ording to her housekeeper,¡± Emma informed Allison. Allison, who was reading her script, paused at the news. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me about her anymore. If she¡¯s unwell, send her to a hospital. I¡¯ll cover the medical expenses,¡± she said. Her voice was soft and indifferent. Emma nodded, respecting Allison¡¯s wishes. In the afternoon, Allison visited the cemetery. She brought a bouquet of white lilly and baby¡¯s breath. ¡°Dad, Ricky, I¡¯m here to see you.¡± Allison ced the flowers down, wiping the dust off the tombstones with a tissue. Chapter 536 Chapter 536 Chapter 536 The wild grass surrounding the tombstone had grown tall. It seemed like it had been quite some time since anyone had visited to pay their respects to her brother and father. In the past, she didn¡¯t understand why Grace seldom came here. Now, she had an inkling. Grace and Joshua, it seemed, had long lost their mutual affection. Grace was in love with Christopher. Marrying Joshua was an act of necessity for Grace. And her brother¡­ He was the innocent party in the constant squabbles and disputes between Grace and Joshua. He could have avoided the car ident that took his life. She reached out, gently caressing the tombstone, gently touching her brother¡¯s photo. She bent down, cleared some of the weeds from the ground, and sat in front of the tombstone, talking to her father and brother for a while. Ever since she moved to the Zimmer household, her brother had always been good to her. When he was still in school, he would save his pocket money. He just ate some bread and biscuits taken from home, and he would secretly use the saved money to buy her candies. Back then, Allison had just got there. She had spent many years in her hometown with her grandmother. If it had not been for the earthquake, she would have spent her entire life in Cloudville. After the earthquake, she was brought to Northfield. Grace, in her memory, was a gentle yet stern woman,mon in character and kind at heart. She was good at enduring, always bowing her head when facing Leah¡¯s reprimands. Joshua was an honest man.. When Connor was alive, he considered Joshua as his adopted son, and Joshua always helped Connor and Christopher. But after Connor¡¯s passing, the nagan family started to treat Joshua like a servant. Christopher, though he referred to Joshua as his brother, never truly considered Joshua as one. When the nagan family encountered financial problems, Joshua unhesitatingly offered his minor share in the nagan family¡¯s business to Christopher. Christopher offered in return arger house for Joshua, to provide a morefortable living for his children. Joshua agreed. He received the keys. It was a three-bedroom apartment, but he never moved in. The reasons remained unknown. Allison sat in front of the tombstone, reminiscing. Time flew, and it was 6 PM when she stood up. Feeling dizzy, she steadied herself against the tombstone. After the dizziness subsided, she whispered, ¡°Dad, Ricky, I am leaving now. I wille to visit you when I have the time.¡± Allison took the subway. She disguised herself, wearing a hat, sses, and a mask. No one recognized her amidst the hustle and bustle. She returned to Powell Estate. Her dizziness didn¡¯t subside. Allison didn¡¯t eat dinner and went to bed early. She slept until 8 AM the next day. She woke up, feeling weak, and found her phone dead. After charging her phone, she took a shower. She felt weak and realized she had a fever. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She opened the refrigerator and found some pasta. She cooked the pasta and took some fever medicine from the medicine cab. She didn¡¯t know when she had gotten sick. Perhaps she had caught a chill at the cemetery the day before. When you¡¯re alone, you tend to neglect these things. Chapter 537 Chapter 537 Chapter 537 Meanwhile, Emma had been trying to reach Allison all day, but she wasn¡¯t answering her calls. Anxiously, Emma hailed a cab and headed straight towards Allison¡¯s ce. On the way, she managed to get a quick call with Patty. ¡°Patty, I just found an ount on Twitter iming they would expose some of Allison¡¯s dark past at 10 a.m. today. They even posted a few censored preview photos.¡± The photos had blurred out certain areas, but judging from the facial features, they looked a lot like Allison. However, it could also be someone who just looked remarkably simr. Patty¡¯s mind worked at lightning speed. She immediately made moves to handle the situation. The person behind this was clearly after money. Regardless of whether the woman in the photos was actually Allison or not, the first thing they needed to do was squashing the rumors. In the age of the inte, ck can be made to look white and vice versa if the narrative is controlled by the wrong people. ¡°I¡¯m ten minutes out from Allison¡¯s ce,¡± Emma informed Patty. Just under ten minutester, Emma arrived at Powell Estate, which had strict rules about visitor parking. She had to leave her cab outside the estate and quickly made her way to Allison¡¯s doorstep. Allison opened the door, looking surprised. ¡°Emma, what brings you here?¡± Emma had sprinted all the way from the elevator. She arrived at Allison¡¯s-doorstep panting heavily. Allison quickly stepped aside. to let her in. ¡°Sorry, my phone died.¡±Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Emma pulled out her phone and showed Allison the photos on Twitter. The post had already garnered over ten thousandments and was still being shared extensively, with up to 30,000 retweets. Allison took a look at the photos. It seemed as though she understood what was happening. ¡°Did you find out who is behind the ount? Did you trace the IP?¡± Emma shook her head. ¡°We¡¯re on it. The ount was only created 50 minutes ago.¡± Without another word, Allison put the phone down and returned to her cooking. She was cooking pasta and seemed unfazed by the photos. After taking a couple of bites, she turned to Emma. ¡°Have you eaten yet? You must be hungry after all that running.¡± Emma joined Allison at the table, but her mind was filled with questions. Sensing this, Allison spoke up, ¡°It¡¯s not me in those photos. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Emma breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°This ount¡­ if I¡¯m not mistaken, it must be someone from Penelope¡¯s side.¡± Allison took a sip of her soup. ¡°Those photos are Penelope¡¯s.¡± Emma was livid. ¡°This is ridiculous! Last week, Mrs. nagan asked for your help to clear Penelope¡¯s name. Now the heat is off Penelope. They¡¯re trying to tarnish your reputation. This is despicable!¡± After they finished eating, Allison went to the living room. Although her voice was soft and steady, her fingers clenched tightly. Her face was clean and delicate, and a slight mocking smile appeared on her lips. ¡°Emma, you must be curious about my rtionship with the nagan family.¡± Emma was indeed curious, but she would never ask unless Allison wanted to talk about it. She trusted Allison unconditionally. Regardless of what Allison¡¯s past was like, she only believed in the Allison she knew now. Chapter 538 Chapter 538 Chapter 538 To be honest, when those pictures first came to light, Emma was taken aback. The angle and the face all looked eerily like Allison¡¯s. Nobody suspected Penelope, because Penelope was the darling of the nagan family. She was wealthy, not the kind to be caught in such apromising situation. Allison was different, though. She was the one without money, the one who might be driven to such choices. Therefore, even if Penelope and Allison had a remarkable resemnce to each other, nobody assumed the girl in the photo was Penelope. Allison exhaled slowly. Her eyes were closed. She leaned back on the couch, and paused for several seconds before she spoke, ¡°I grew up at my grandma¡¯s home. We lived in Cloudville until the town was hit by an earthquake and my grandma passed away. I was ten when I was brought to the grand nagan estate in Northfield. My mother was the housekeeper and my father was the family chauffeur. ¡°Life was decent at first, but Penelope and I didn¡¯t get along. She was the nagan¡¯s little princess, living the high life while I was just the housekeeper¡¯s daughter who ate leftovers and was called the maid¡¯s brat behind my back. ¡°I used to wonder why we looked so simr but our lives were so different. I envied Penelope, but I also cherished my own simple life.¡± Young Allison was content with her life. ¡°Later, my father and brother died in a car ident. It was just me and my mom then. She was diagnosed with kidney failure and needed a transnt. I worked hard, trying to save up some money.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Then I met Lucian. Our first meeting wasn¡¯t exactly pleasant. He didn¡¯t even know it was me.¡± She laughed. There was a hint of self-mockery in her voice. ¡°I always chose my mother¡¯s medical bills over anything else. She was the only family I had. I didn¡¯t want to lose her. But life yed cruel jokes on me.¡± She looked at Emma. ¡°Grace isn¡¯t my real mother. My biological mother is someone I detested.¡± Emma squeezed Allison¡¯s hand, not knowing how tofort her. Seeing the cold, numb look on Allison¡¯s face, Emma sensed she had grown used to the pain. ¡°Allison¡­¡± ¡°Do you know, Emma? I¡¯ve lost so much. My dignity, my child. All for the hope that my mother could be healthy. But there were also lies.¡± Emma¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Despite her youthful appearance, Allison had already had a child. She must have endured hardships that most people couldn¡¯t imagine. Allison was always gentle and calm. She was someone Emma admired. She never thought that Allison had such a past. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past, Allison. Things are different now.¡± Emma tried to pull Allison out of her painful memories, but all Allison did was smiling indifferently. ¡°I never thought about fighting anyone, or seeking justice. But they never left me alone.¡± Emma gripped Allison¡¯s hand tightly, trying to lend her some strength. ¡°Emma, there¡¯s light ahead. It might not be for me, though.¡± ¡°Allison¡­¡± ¡°My light, he¡¯s going to leave me. I try not to rely on him, but I find myself falling deeper. Sometimes, I think I¡¯m useless.¡± Chapter 539 Chapter 539 Chapter 539 Allison¡¯s gaze was icy and stern as she spoke to Emma. ¡°If things keep escting, I¡¯ll give you the original shots of these photos. I have more of them. They are clearer, and taken from different angles. Justice will prevail. Penelope has taken too much from me, so it¡¯s about time she returns what she owes.¡± Emma looked at Allison. This Allison was different from the one she had just seen. This Allison made her feel a sense of unease. She was still unconditionally on Allison¡¯s side. After all, it was Allison who had given her this job, had trusted her, and had freed her from Sadie¡¯s grasp. ¡°Allison, what do you want to do?¡± ¡°Find someone for me.¡± ¡°Who?¡± The man in this photo. If my guess is correct, he just frequents a few streets and clubs.¡± ¡°Do you think Penelope has already found this man? Are we toote?¡± Allison felt a wave of dizziness. She raised her hand to rub her eyebrows. Her cheeks held a touch of flush. Her voice was husky. ¡°This ount was made by Penelope¡¯s people. She¡¯s not that smart. She¡¯s jealous, vindictive, and also foolish. She just wants to heat things up, release the photos to guide public opinion and embarrass me. But she might not consider about dealing with the man in the photo beforehand.¡± Allison squinted slightly. ¡°If it were Leah, she would directly bribe influential Twitter personalities. They can quietly release the photos, and control the first wave of public opinion.¡± Leah would have dealt with the men in the photos. Then, Allison would be at a disadvantage, making her PR efforts more difficult. At 10 AM, Patty hadn¡¯t contacted the anonymous ount yet. She knew it was a deliberate attempt to frame Allison, not a money-making scheme. The ount released the photos. There were four in total. Each one of them showed a woman¡¯s face. The man beside her was blurred, and the key parts were blocked. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. In one photo, the woman¡¯s upper body was almost naked, and her chest was blurred. She wore makeup. Her eyes were hazy. She was surrounded by two men, who were also naked to a shocking degree. The photo immediately blew up on Twitter. ¡°Oh my god, is that Allison? I can¡¯t believe this!¡± ¡°Disgusting, is she with several men in photo 3? The more I look, the more I feel sick. She has too many dark secrets. She was so promiscuous. She was practically a hooker.¡± Others added, ¡°The blogger is not cool. Just release photos without blurred parts. If you need money, we can give you. Don¡¯t get bought off by Allison¡¯s backers.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always known this Allison would crash and burn. She Promoted herself as a pure and innocent goddess, but these photos make me physically sick.¡± ¡°She¡¯s nothing but a slut. I was blind to find her attractive.¡± ¡°Me too. I even defended her before. Now I feel deceived.¡± ¡°Damn the innocent goddess. I heard she¡¯s going to be in Wade¡¯s movie. He¡¯s really lost all his dignity, picking a whore as his leadingdy.¡± ¡°I heard Allison¡¯s backer is quite powerful. Even Wade had to bow down for the money. Such a powerful backer likes a slut like her.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe it! Allison¡¯s eyes would never lie. She has such a clear and innocent gaze. She can¡¯t be like this!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe it either! The photos could be photoshopped. They could be fake. I don¡¯t believe Allison is like this!¡± Chapter 540 Chapter 540 Chapter 540 ¡°The woman in the photo could indeed be Allison, but it could also be someone who bears a striking resemnce to her. Look at the angles-none of these shots show her face head-on. It could be a team intentionally framing Allison.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Allison? She¡¯s been blowing up recently, trending on several tforms. I¡¯ve never seen a star rise to fame without a single movie to her name.¡± Allison, at home, scrolled through thements under the trending topics. Her fingers clenched into a fist, and her knuckles turned white, before gradually rxing. With a deep sigh, she ced her phone to the side. Patty had called her earlier, telling her to take a rest and to temporarily halt her ongoing work. The filming of her movie in three days wouldn¡¯t be affected. Patty would handle the rest. She reminded Allison not to impulsively jump onto Twitter and make a scene. Allison understood. She got up and walked over to the French windows. A soft breeze blew in. Allison tightly gripped the railing. She hadn¡¯t expected Penelope to pin her own transgressions onto her. The woman in the photos was Penelope, but because of the uncanny resemnce between her and Penelope, words alone wouldn¡¯t be enough to prove that the woman in the photos wasn¡¯t her. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. In the past, Penelope had framed her several times, using Grace as a threat to force her to confess. Now, Penelope was trying the same trick. A wry smile crossed Allison¡¯s face. This time, there was no one to threaten her with. Four o¡¯clock in the afternoon. Sixth Avenue. Further in, there was a bar named Azure. The sign was a little worn. Without the lights on in the daytime, it looked somewhat old and decrepit. Emma walked in while the staff were cleaning. There was a sign outside stating that the bar opened at 7 pm. ¡°Sorry, miss, you might want toe back at 7 pm when we open.¡± A bar worker with blonde hair and a tattoo on his bare shoulder looked rather shifty, but spoke politely. Emma opened her bag, and took out her wallet. Without a nce, she pulled out several bills-five or six at least-and handed them over. ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone.¡± The blonde guy was the owner and bartender, Hughes. He didn¡¯t immediately take the money but rather sized up the woman in front of him. ¡°Ma¡¯am, we don¡¯t open until 7 pm, so not everyone¡¯s here yet. You might not find who you¡¯re looking for.¡± ¡°How do you know I won¡¯t find them?¡± Emma countered. ¡°You didn¡¯t even ask who I¡¯m looking for.¡± Hughes responded, ¡°You¡¯re looking for Robbie, aren¡¯t you?¡± Emma was taken aback as Hughes continued, ¡°Someone came looking for him two hours ago. But Robbie hasn¡¯t been here today. He¡¯s been hiding out because he owes money. I don¡¯t know where he¡¯s gone.¡± Emma gripped the money in her hand tighter. There was a sense of unease creeping into her heart. Had Penelope¡¯s peoplee earlier? ¡°Who came looking for him at noon?¡± ¡°ckwell¡¯s secretary. That jerk Robbie owes boss ckwell 80 grand and is now hiding in some ce.¡± Seeing the look on Emma¡¯s face, Hughes hesitantly asked, ¡°Did Robbie owe you money?¡± Robbie had a gambling problem and was deeply in debt, hiding everywhere to avoid paying his debts. Many hade to the bar recently to collect the money he owed them. Chapter 541 Chapter 541 Chapter 541 Robbie had even borrowed five grand from Hughes for sustenance. Otherwise, he¡¯d have trouble making ends meet. Hughes, puffing on a cigar, said, ¡°If you¡¯ve got nothing else, you might as well leave. Robbie ain¡¯t gonna be back anytime soon. Look elsewhere, will you? I¡¯ve got a modest business to run here.¡± Emma realized that it wasn¡¯t a member of the nagans who hade. Then she heaved a sigh of relief. She continued her inquiry. ¡°Apart from here, where does Robbie often hang out?¡± One of the employees, mopping the floor nearby, overheard and chuckled. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a lengthy list. Half the joints on this street are Robbie¡¯s regr hangouts. Lady, how much does Robbie owe your boss? You better prepare for the worst. That guy¡¯s sly as a fox. God knows where he¡¯s hiding now.¡± Emma turned to Hughes, instinctively feeling that he might know Robbie¡¯s whereabouts. She ced a stack of bills on the table, saying, ¡°Thanks for the info. Consider this as my tab for a drink. I¡¯m not here to collect a debt from Robbie. If you can get in touch with him, tell him I can help him pay off the 80 grand he owes to ckwell.¡± After saying that, Emma turned and walked out. Hughes looked at the cash on the table. ¡°Hey, Miss,e back at 7 tonight. I¡¯ll dig up some info for you.¡± Without turning back, Emma said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Hughes wiped a wine ss on the table and picked up the bills. Six hundred dors in total. As he held the money, a faint scent of jasmine hit him. Startled, he squinted his eyes. ¡°Hey Junior, find out where that rascal Robbie is.¡± Junior, fixing amp on the other side of the room, took a puff from his cigarette. ¡°Robbie? Last time you lent him five grand, and he lost it all at Guy¡¯s casino. He¡¯s probably hiding at his girlfriend¡¯s ce.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Hughes ordered, ¡°Find him. I want an answer by 7.¡± Junior climbed down from the stool, put down themp in his hand, took a puff and cursed under his breath. ¡°Where am I supposed to find him in two hours?¡± Noticing Hughes fixated on the money in his hand, Junior chuckled. ¡°Hey, are you smitten by that woman just now? She may not be a beauty, but she¡¯s got a killer figure, especially her boobs.¡± Hughes snapped, ¡°Shut up and go.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. For the sess of your love life, I¡¯ll start sniffing around right now.¡± In the evening, Grace arrived home to find her housekeeper preparing dinner. Several times, Grace had thought of letting the housekeeper go, feeling capable of living alone, but the housekeeper insisted she needed the job. Grace¡¯s daughter was paying her sry, so she pleaded with Grace not to fire her. Grace agreed. ¡°Ms. Grace, I¡¯ve prepared a light dinner tonight. There¡¯s shrimp soup and some pastries. I¡¯ve also washed some fruits for you. Please, have a taste.¡± Grace sat on the couch, flicking through channels on the TV. She nibbled on some fruit while watching a show. During amercial break, she checked her phone and noticed a news alert pop up. Chapter 542 Chapter 542 Chapter 542 ¡°Hollywood¡¯s rising star is caught in scandal. The innocent goddess turns out to be a slut.¡± Although Grace usually didn¡¯t keep up with the Hollywood gossip, something about this particr headline drew her in. The cover was Allison. Grace blinked in surprise. She quickly skimmed the article. A series of scandalous photos were on the page. The coarse words such as ¡®harlot¡¯ and ¡®slut¡¯ were thrown around. Grace¡¯s heart pounded as she looked at the images. The pictures depicted a hazy, intimate scene, and the woman¡¯s profile bore a striking resemnce to Allison. Below werements. ¡°Eight hours have passed, but there¡¯s still no response from Allison¡¯s PR team. Did they just give up?¡± ¡°I told you it was really her. There can¡¯t be two people in the world that look this simr. Stop defending her, Allison¡¯s fans. Your innocent sweetheart is nothing more than amon harlot.¡± ¡°Allison surely knows how to y. Alone with several men. What a slut.¡± ¡°Even with the blurred photos, you can tell she¡¯s got a killer body. Simply irresistible.¡± ¡°How many times has she been passed around? I hope she doesn¡¯t have any STDs.¡± Grace was stunned as she read these cruelments. Her throat tightened and her hands trembled. Meanwhile, her housekeeper called her to dinner, but Grace didn¡¯t hear it. She spent a few moments staring at the photos before scrolling further down. She felt a chill run down her spine. Grace got up, feeling numb, and prepared to leave. She wanted to find Allison, to ask her if she was the woman in these photos. Then she realized she didn¡¯t know where Allison lived, and her calls went unanswered. Allison had cut her off. She was no longer Allison¡¯s mother. ¡°Ms. Grace, dinner is ready. Are you going out?¡± The housekeeper approached her, sensing something was off. ¡°Ms. Grace, is something wrong?¡± Grace was pale, and her eyes were filled with dread. She clutched her chest, feeling unwell. The housekeeper rushed to support her. ¡°Ms. Grace, are you okay?¡± Grace was too overwhelmed to speak. She felt numbness spreading across her face. After a while, she managed to whisper, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m fine.¡± The housekeeper helped Grace to bed, and fetched her some medication. After ensuring Grace was safe and resting, the housekeeper sent a text to Emma. ¡°Ms. Grace isn¡¯t feeling well tonight. She¡¯s taken some medication and is resting now.¡±¡± Penelope looked at thements flooding Allison¡¯s Twitter page with satisfaction. She turned to Nathalie and said, ¡°You did a good job. This is a great idea.¡± Indeed, this was Nathalie¡¯s n to get back at Allison. She had taken some scandalous photos from Penelope¡¯s past, posted them online under an anonymous ount, and let the bacsh hit Allison. Allison, the innocent goddess, was now drowning in a sea of scandal. And just like that, Allison¡¯s reputation was ruined. Nathalie sat next to Penelope. ¡°We¡¯re best friends, Penelope. I¡¯m happy to help you.¡± Penelope reveled in the praise. She scrolled through Twitter, reading the nastyments. Using her own ount, she added fuel to the fire, ¡°Slut!! Whore!!¡± She finally felt a sense of satisfaction.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Chapter 543 Chapter 543 Chapter 543 ¡°Nathalie, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s odd that Allison¡¯s team has been silent for so long?¡± Penelope mused, and her thoughts were consumed by the desire to see Allison crumble. ¡°Do you think they¡¯re devising some kind of PR strategy for her?¡± Nathalie shrugged. ¡°Clearing her name won¡¯t be easy. But I¡¯ve heard her agent is a real shark.¡± Penelope furrowed her brow. ¡°You don¡¯t think they could spin this on me, do you? Try to im I spread those photos?¡± Nathalie chuckled. ¡°Oh, Penelope, you¡¯ve got nothing to worry about. You¡¯re the future daughter-inw of the Lindbergs, heiress to the nagan fortune. Who would believe you¡¯d stoop to such levels? That¡¯s a stunt only a desperate woman like Allison would pull. And even if she tries to pin it on you, what proof would she have?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Relief washed over Penelope as she examined the photos. Each one was carefully chosen to only feature her profile, which cleverly disguised any distinguishing features she shared with Allison. No one could possibly link them back to her.. Feeling lighter, she turned to Nathalie. ¡°I have a little something for you.¡± She reached into her closet and pulled out a luxury designer bag. ¡°It¡¯s a limited edition. Only two exist in all of Northfield. I want you to have it.¡± Nathalie¡¯s eyes lit up as she eagerly epted the gift. ¡°Penelope, we¡¯re friends. I¡¯d do anything for you.¡± Despite her reassurances, her gaze never left the bag. Although Nathalie came from a well-to-do family, her mother¡¯s humble background meant she wasn¡¯t ustomed to such high-end fashion. Penelope winced slightly at the loss of her beloved essory, but if it bought Nathalie¡¯s silence, it was a worthwhile sacrifice. Nathalie was aware of the woman in the photos. It was Penelope. She was familiar with Penelope¡¯s scandalous past, including her involvement with a man named Robbie. Nathalie was no stranger to a wild lifestyle, but Penelope had always been the more reckless of the two. The dazed look in Penelope¡¯s eyes suggested she was under the influence, and had fun with two men. Despite her resentment towards Penelope, Nathalie couldn¡¯t afford to burn bridges with someone who was now connected to the influential Lindberg family. 1 have an idea that could ruin Allison¡¯s reputation for good,¡± Nathalie proposed, cradling the designer bag in her arms. ¡°It involves her mother, Grace.¡± Penelope¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Grace? Are you suggesting we let her think the woman in those photos is Allison? Cause a rift between them?¡± ¡°No.¡± Nathalie shook her head. ¡°We make Grace cause a scene at Epic Entertainment. We can tip off the media to be there, ready to capture it all. Everyone will know that Allison is the woman in those photos ¨C a prostitute selling herself for money. She¡¯ll have no way to exin it.¡± Chapter 544 Chapter 544 Chapter 544 Penelope curled her lips into a smile. This was indeed a good n. She needed to figure out a way to lure Grace out. Standing up, she immediately dialed Grace¡¯s number. It didn¡¯t take long for the call to connect. ¡°Hello, Ms. Grace, it¡¯s Penelope. I saw the news on Twitter. What¡¯s going on with Allison? I¡¯m really worried! Why are so many people attacking Allison? Is the girl in the picture really Allison? I can¡¯t believe it!¡± She feigned concern with an anxious tone. On the other end, Grace was also worried about Allison. But she couldn¡¯t reach her. Allison was the daughter she had raised for over 20 years, and she felt both guilt and love for her. The harsh words against Allison online made her nervous. ¡°I don¡¯t know where Allison is. She didn¡¯t tell me her new address. Penelope, can you reach her?¡± Penelope smiled cunningly. ¡°Isn¡¯t she at Epic Entertainment? You can go look for her there.¡± Afraid that Grace might hesitate, she added fuel to the fire. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Allison would do something like that. But you were sick back then, and Allison needed money. It¡¯s understandable.¡± Grace shivered. It was all for her, for her illness. Her foolish daughter had given up so much for her, but Allison¡¯s life had been shattered because of her. When she thought of her own illness, she felt this was her fault. She had messed up Allison¡¯s life. If it had not been for her impulsive decision years ago, Allison and Penelope wouldn¡¯t have been switched. Allison was the rightful heiress of the nagan family. She should be enjoying all that the nagan family had to offer, not Penelope. With that thought, Grace seemed to summon up courage. ¡°Penelope, there¡¯s something I need to tell you.¡± Penelope didn¡¯t want to reminisce or discuss feelings with Grace. She wanted Grace to storm Epic Entertainment tomorrow, so she could call the press for coverage. She wanted to fuel the fire. Impatient as she was, she held it back. ¡°Go ahead. I am listening.¡± ¡°Penelope, Leah is not your¡­¡± Before Grace could finish, Penelope yelled, ¡°Mom, howe you¡¯re here? I thought you went to the spa. Why didn¡¯t you knock?¡± Then, Penelope hung up. Grace stared at the disconnected call and sighed. The truth was still unsaid. Next time, she would find another chance. Epic Entertainment? Was Allison there? If she went there, would Allison see her? She owed Allison so much. Grace wanted to make amends. 7 p.m. Azure. The bar was bustling at night. Although Azure was tucked away in an alley, it was packed with customers. It was small butplete. The lights in the dance floor were hazy. The booming beats pounded in everyone¡¯s ears. Emma walked in and looked around for the blonde guy she met earlier that afternoon. Upon realizing he wasn¡¯t there, she gged down a waiter. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m looking for the bartender who was here this afternoon. The one with blonde hair.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re looking for Hughes. He was just here but left after taking a call. You can wait for a bit.¡± Emma found a seat and ordered a drink while she waited. ncing at the time, she knew she had to act fast. But Hughes was not around, and she felt lost. ¡°Hey, prettydy, you¡¯re here. Are you looking for Hughes?¡± Chapter 545 Chapter 545 Chapter 545 The man approaching was the same one who¡¯d been chatting with that blonde guy earlier in the afternoon. He didn¡¯t remember Emma¡¯s face, but her figure was a detail he¡¯d etched into his memory. ¡°Has Hughes contacted you?¡± he asked. ¡°I suspect he¡¯s at Delectable Dishes on Elm Street right now. Heard that Robbie was spotted there, so Hughes rushed over.¡± Delectable Dishes? The music in the bar was loud. Emma barely caught the reference, but she immediately stood up, ready to leave. She realized she didn¡¯t have Hughes¡¯ contact information, so she quickly asked for it from the man in front of her. ¡°Hughes, I¡¯m giving your number to this busty beauty. Don¡¯t let me down, mate. That¡¯s all I can do for you.¡± Elm Street was a well-known ce, offering most of the daily necessities anyone could need. There was a mid-sized supermarket, a fresh produce section, and a row of restaurants selling a variety of cuisines. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. At this moment, at a ce called Delectable Dishes. In one of the private rooms. A man, with a bruised and swollen face, was kneeling on the ground. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Darian,¡± he pleaded. ¡°Just give me a little more time. One day¡­ no, two days!! Just two more days, I¡¯ll borrow the money! I¡¯ll pay you back as soon as I do!¡± The man sitting across from Robbie was Darian, who was a man in his early 40s with a noticeable big belly. Darian was smoking a cigarette. ¡°You¡¯ve been avoiding me for a week, Robbie. Are you ying games with me? Keep hiding, keep running. Let¡¯s see how well you can y hide and seek!¡± As he cursed, he took a kick at him. Robbie¡¯s body was trembling. ¡°Darian, I¡¯ve already called my cousin. She¡¯ll wire the money over soon. Just give me two days. I¡¯ll pay you back. I promise!!¡± Darian flicked off some ash from his cigarette, which fell onto Robbie¡¯s neck. It burned him. Robbie shivered from the pain but dared not move. He could only grit his teeth and endure it. His face was covered in sweat, which trickled into his wounds. It caused a sharp pain. ¡°Darian, give me one more chance. I¡¯ve almost got the money. My cousin, my cousin will¡­¡± ¡°Are you trying to trick me, Robbie? Where did this cousine from? If I let you off this time, you are gonna ran off, hiding yourself somewhere, and I have to work to find you.¡± Darian waved his hand. Two of his henchmen approached and started to punch and kick Robbie. At first, Robbie cried out, but then he passed out from the beating. A henchman picked up a jug of cold water and sshed it over Robbie, who jerkily opened his eyes. He felt like he was going to be killed by Darian. A henchman took out three or four cards, a cell phone, and a wristwatch from Robbie¡¯s pockets. The cards only had three dors. The watch was a fake. Only the phone had any value. Darian was a loan shark, making loans and charging exorbitant interest. If someone couldn¡¯t pay, he¡¯d break his fingers; if someone owed more than 100,000, he¡¯d break his leg. Darian said, ¡°Put his leg on the stool.¡±¡± A few henchmen grabbed Robbie, who seemed to sense what was about to happen. He began to yell, ¡°Darian! I¡¯ll pay you soon. Please spare me! Darian! I¡¯ll do anything you want!!!¡± Chapter 546 Chapter 546 Chapter 546 Losing a leg was equal to death. Robbie was just 28, still young. Without a leg, what kind of life would he have? Darian pulled a contract out of a brown paper bag, gave it a shake, andid it in front of Robbie to sign. Robbie wouldn¡¯t sign, so one of the henchmen snapped his fingers like twigs. The pain turned Robbie¡¯s face ghostly white and his eyes rolled back. In the end, the man pressed Robbie¡¯s hand down to scribble a signature on the dotted line. It was pretty much an IOU, with the use that he¡¯d lose a leg to clear his debt. Darian didn¡¯t do bad business. If a guy couldn¡¯t pay up, he¡¯d make it look like an ident for the insurance boys. He would cripple a leg of him, and the payout would go straight into Darian¡¯s pocket. Robbie watched as a hammer hovered over his kneecap. The impending agony was almost tangible. But then, a fierce knocking at the door shattered the moment. Everyone froze, and Robbie, facing a reprieve from the reaper, exhaled in relief. Darian shot a look to one of his crew, who went to answer the door. Hughes was standing there when the door swung open. He stepped inside. ¡°Darian, long time no see.¡± Darian, recognizing Hughes, waved his hand nonchntly. The henchmen released Robbie. Robbie burst into tears. ¡°Hughes, save me, man. I¡¯ll do anything, anything you say!¡± Hughes and Robbie weren¡¯t close. They were just acquaintances really. Robbie was just a street punk who frequented Hughes¡¯ bar. Hughes preferred to stay out of the messy side of things. But today, he had made a promise to ady, to find Robbie for her. Darian eyed Hughes. ¡°Mr. Hughes, what brings you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got business,¡± Hughes said, nodding at Robbie. ¡°I¡¯m taking him with me. Name your price, Darian.¡± Darian sized Hughes up. It was odd that Hughes would want to pay for Robbie since they weren¡¯t exactly close. But Darian was all about the cash. ¡°200 grand, and he¡¯s yours.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Robbie gasped. ¡°200 grand? But Darian, you said it was 100!¡± Darian flicked his cigarette ash. ¡°That was the old price, days ago.¡± Robbie, afraid Hughes might leave him to his fate, clutched desperately at Hughes¡¯ pant leg. ¡°Mr. Hughes, I swear, if you bail me out, I¡¯ll be Azure¡¯s loyal servant. Whatever you need!¡± Hughes told Darian, ¡°The money will be wired to your ount, and I¡¯m taking him with me.¡± No bloodshed and a full pocket? Darian was pleased. ¡°Send Mr. Hughes out,¡± he said to his henchmen. Two thugs helped Robbie, who was still shaky from the ordeal and unable to walk, down to the ground floor and out the back door. As soon as they let go, Robbie copsed, wetting himself. But there was no shame in his eyes, only relief. Survival trumped dignity. Hughes lit a smoke. ¡°I didn¡¯t save you for nothing. Remember, you said you¡¯d be Azure¡¯s muscle. But just as you know, Azure isn¡¯t short of that.¡± Robbie was quick to reassure. ¡°Mr. Keh, wherever you need me, consider it done. My life¡¯s yours!¡± To Hughes, 200 grand was just pocket change. He tossed Robbie into the car and nced at his watch. It was 7:45 now. He was 45 minuteste for his meet-up with the woman from the bar. He wondered if she¡¯d still be there. Chapter 547 Chapter 547 Chapter 547 With that on his mind, Hughes drove through the streets. The hum of the city was swallowed by the purr of the engine. In the back seat, Robbie let out a sigh of relief that could fill the whole car. He had narrowly escaped the reaper¡¯s grasp, but he knew Hughes wouldn¡¯t help him out of the fire for free. They were just regr pals. He often came to Azure with his friends. And Hughes? He owned the club. That was all. Robbie couldn¡¯t fathom why Hughes had saved his life. Two hundred grand wasn¡¯t chump change, but at least Robbie didn¡¯t need to hide himself anymore and kept his life. He ventured to break the silence. ¡°Mr. Hughes, whatever you need, just say it.¡± He thumped his chest for emphasis. ¡°Whatever it is, consider it done!¡± Hughes lit a cigarette as the car slid out of the alley. Before he could respond, a woman stepped out of a cab. She had an average face, long hair, and rosy skin. She was wearing gold metal framed sses. She was dressed in in ck sportswear, nothing fancy. But as she walked, her figure turned heads. Her face was forgettable, but her body was hot. The woman seemed in a rush to get to Elm Street. Hughes had to wonder what kind of connection she had to Robbie. He honked the horn and rolled down the window. ¡°Get in.¡± Emma got in. The smell in the car was bad. Turning her head, she caught sight of Robbie in the back and let out a breath she seemed to have been holding. Hughes, catching a whiff of the peculiar odor, realized Robbie had pissed himself in fear. He cursed under his breath and rolled down the windows further as he sped along. Feeling sheepish, Robbie¡¯s eyes wandered to Emma¡¯s chest. Near-death experiences surely had a way of bringing out a man¡¯s boldness.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Is this Robbie?¡± Emma asked. Hughes took a puff from his cigarette and smirked. ¡°He¡¯s the man you¡¯re looking for. You don¡¯t recognize him?¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Emma responded simply. ¡°A ¡®thanks¡¯ seems a bit light. How about something more real?¡± ¡°How much do you want?¡± Emma inquired. Hughes exhaled a cloud of smoke that danced around his sharp features. ¡°I¡¯m not in need of cash.¡± He spoke around the cigarette. His voice was slightly muffled. ¡°We got time. Talk to Robbie. Get what you need from him. Then we¡¯ll talk.¡± They pulled up to the Azure. Hughes stepped out first. Emma, still eyeing Robbie, told Hughes, ¡°I need a private room.¡± Hughes nodded in agreement. As they entered the club, an employee approached. ¡°Boss, there¡¯s been an inquiry.¡± ¡°About what?¡± Hughes asked. ¡°Some folks came asking for Robbie. Has he ruffled some feathers? People have been sniffing around for him a lottely.¡± Hughes¡¯ eyes narrowed. ¡°Did you tell them anything?¡± ¡°Not a word.¡± Hughes pondered for a moment, and then instructed, ¡°Set up a private room for thedy. The third floor.¡± The third floor was Hughes¡¯ personal sanctum. It was a quiet space. The decoration style was different from the first and second floors. Meanwhile, Hughes took out his phone and dialed Darian¡¯s number. ¡°Darian, I¡¯ll toss an extra hundred grand your way. I need a favor.¡± Money talks. Darian wasn¡¯t the type to turn it down. ¡°Speak away, Mr. Hughes.¡± ¡°If anyonees to you looking for Robbie, y dumb. Say you haven¡¯t seen him and you¡¯re looking for him too.¡± Chapter 548 Chapter 548 Chapter 548 Darian hesitated, and his mind was racing. If Hughes was willing to drop a cool three hundred grand, it meant Robbie had something valuable, something others were probably after too. What if someone else was willing to pay big bucks to find Robbie? If he said yes to Hughes now, he could be stepping into a mess. His hesitation didn¡¯t go unnoticed. Hughes let out a scoff. He knew all too well the machinations of a cunning man like Darian. ¡°Look, Darian, you gotta be alive to spend your cash. Greed has a way of biting you in the behind. Your brother-inw¡¯s the VP at Northfield Southern Insurance, right? The stuff he¡¯s cleaned up for you-if that gets out, you¡¯re both going to spend a decade in jail.¡± Darian always made people sign an insurance policy when borrowing money. If they couldn¡¯t pay up, he¡¯d make sure they¡¯d lose a leg or a finger. Then he¡¯d cash in on the insurance to settle the debt. He had been ying this dark game for years. However, hiswork was sprawling and yet tightly sealed. But he never expected Hughes to threaten himself on this matter. He forced a smile. ¡°You got it, Mr. Hughes. I catch your drift. I¡¯ll keep my lips sealed tighter than Fort Knox¡± After hanging up, Darian spat on the ground and cursed. ¡°That son of a gun Hughes, threatening me! Damn!¡± One of his boys stepped up. ¡°Boss, should we give Hughes a lesson?¡± Darian shook his head. ¡°Hughes ain¡¯t no easy mark. He looks like a choir boy, but he¡¯s no pushover.¡± ¡°So we just let it be? We¡¯re just gonna let Hughes walk away from this?¡± ¡°Let it be? I can¡¯t swallow this insult. Not many dare threaten me. But we need to teach him a lesson on the down low. Don¡¯t leave any traces that could bite us back. He¡¯s no pushover.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, boss. We¡¯ll handle it quietly.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. In the private room, Emma put a few photographs on the table. ¡°This is you, right?¡± Robbie nced at the photos-old mes from a fling with Penelope. That was years ago. He nodded. Emma had a pinhole camera hidden on her blouse, capturing his every word and every expression. ¡°Who¡¯s the woman in these photos?¡± Robbie had promised Penelope and even took her money to pin the woman in the photos on some random chick named Allison. Now, facing Emma¡¯s interrogation, he hesitated. Should he stick to the truth or weave a lie? His hesitation was a red g to Emma. ¡°Not talking?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that, ma¡¯am¡­ Just give me a second to think, will you? This was years ago. We¡¯re talking ancient history.¡± Robbie was stalling. His eyes were tracing the contours of Emma¡¯s figure, even through her sports jacket. Emma caught his leering gaze and felt a surge of disgust for this sleazy man, but she kept her cool. ¡°Who is the woman in the photo? If you don¡¯t want to talk, maybe you¡¯d prefer to deal with Darian again?¡± The mention of Darian turned Robbie¡¯s face pale as a ghost. He couldn¡¯t afford to y games any longer. ¡°It¡¯s Penelope.¡± As Robbie confirmed it was Penelope, Emma positioned herself to ensure the camera on her blouse had a clear shot of his face. ¡°You sure about that?¡± ¡°Absolutely,¡± Robbie affirmed. Chapter 549 Chapter 549 Chapter 549 ¡°Penelope was the talk of the town during her high school days, a real wild child with a bit of a reputation. Her family had some cash to throw around, and she was free-spirited. I met her back then; we hit it off within days. We shared a few drinks, someughs, and before you knew it, we were tangled up after she popped some pills that got her raring to go. My buddy, Tanner, another rich kid, joined in the fun. We carried on with her until the wee hours of the night. Aha, the things we did¡­ you wouldn¡¯t even imagine.¡± Listening to Robbie¡¯s recount, Emma was taken aback. She never pegged Penelope for leading such a chaotic private life. Robbie spared no detail. Emma felt her cheeks flush with every word. She wanted to stop him, but then she felt this was better. She realized that the more Robbie spilled, the more it could help Allison. Robbie went on, ¡°She got knocked up and decided to get rid of it. I mean, with so many guys she had in one night, who could even tell who the father was? She¡¯s supposed to be the nagan¡¯s little princess, but she¡¯s got more tricks up her sleeve than a Vegas call girl.¡± Emma was shocked. ¡°Pregnant?¡± Robbie, noticing her surprise and the blush on her face, found her naive reaction rather appealing. ¡°Yeah, Penelope had an abortion back in high school. Surprised, are you?¡± Emma replied, ¡°But isn¡¯t she the nagan heiress? I always thoughtdies of her standing are supposed to be gentle and refined.¡± Robbie shook his head. ¡°You¡¯ve got it all wrong. She¡¯s wilder than any tabloid celeb, always on the prowl. And now, she¡¯s even got something going with that¡­ with the son of the Lindberg¡¯s butler. Lucian Lindberg is such a big shot, but his fianc¨¦e is a slut.¡± Emma couldn¡¯t believe the scoop she was getting. Her heart raced with the implications. She knew Allison had her sights set on Lucian. If Penelope¡¯s escapades came to light, the Lindbergs would surely call off the engagement with the nagans. With this in mind, she settled back on the couch. ¡°Are you sure about all this? How do I know you¡¯re not making it up?¡± ¡°How could it not be true?¡± Robbie retorted. ¡°Look at these pictures. I¡¯ve got more, even racier stuff, uncensored videos, and everything. Penelope¡¯s got this red birthmark on her leg, about the size of a dime. I know it all too well!¡± ¡°You have videos?¡± ¡°Of course. You interested?¡± he said. His eyes were greedily fixed on Emma¡¯s ample chest. Suppressing a wave of disgust, Emma replied, ¡°Name your price.¡± Just then, the door was knocked. Emma stood up and went to answer it. Hughes was at the door, with a cigarette dangling from his lips. His blond hair was falling over his eyes. He stepped inside, casting a nce at Robbie. Robbie got to his feet, visibly intimidated by Hughes. Despite his schrly and slight appearance, Hughes had a reputation for being ruthless. His name was well-known in certain circles, so Robbie had his reasons to be wary. Hughes said, ¡°Go wait for me in the second room to the right up on the third floor, by the stairs.¡± After Emma left, Hughes settled himself on the couch. Lighting his cigarette in the jasmine-scented air, he took a deep drag. ¡°What was that woman asking you about?¡± Robbie stood, recounting truthfully. ¡°She was asking about my fling with Penelope, you know, the nagan girl. I¡¯ve been with her before, and then thisdyes asking all about it.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Penelope?¡± Hughes felt the name ring a bell. He thought for a moment. Wasn¡¯t that¡­? Chapter 550 Chapter 550 Chapter 550 He said to Robbie, ¡°You slept with Penelope? What¡¯s your proof? She¡¯s a real blue blood, a rich girl. And you? You¡¯re just a street rat.¡± Robbie¡¯s eyes lit up at the mention of sex. ¡°Hughes, you don¡¯t know the half of it. Penelope¡¯s a wild one between the sheets. I had a fling with her at the Blue Club once. Got it on video.¡± Hughes¡¯ interest was aroused. ¡°Send me that video.¡± Robbie couldn¡¯t refuse. ¡°It¡¯s at my cousin¡¯s house. I didn¡¯t dare keep it at mine. Penelope came sniffing around for it once, and asked me to delete everything. But I kept a backup, just in case.¡± ¡°You stay put right here, Robbie. Don¡¯t you dare step out of the Blue Club. I don¡¯t know who you¡¯ve pissed off, but someone¡¯s got a price. on your head,¡± he warned. His voice was heavy with the threat.. Of course, no one was really out to take Robbie down, but there had been too many people asking about himtely. Hughes figured it was probably due to that video. He felt it was better to keep the guy under his watchful eye. Robbie¡¯s bravado faded, and the fear crept into his voice. ¡°Mr. Hughes, you must help me.¡± Robbie had made enemies, plenty of them, so he couldn¡¯t guess who was out for blood. He turned to Hughes for help. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Stay inside the Blue Club and keep your mouth shut, and I¡¯ll keep you breathing,¡± he said sternly. ¡°Got it, got it. I¡¯m on it.¡± As Hughes turned to leave, Robbie called out, ¡°Hey, can I have my cousine over? Haven¡¯t seen her for days, and I kinda miss her.¡± Hughes knew better. Robbie¡¯s cousin was nothing of the sort. She must be an old me. ¡°Keep your cousin¡¯s lips sealed,¡± he warned. ¡°Crystal clear.¡± This room was where Hughes dealt with business. He pushed the door open and there was Emma, already waiting on the couch. ¡°I got that video you wanted,¡± he said as he approached her. ¡°Thanks a lot,¡± Emma replied. Her voice was tinged with a husky gratitude. ¡°I¡¯ve got Robbie holed up in the Blue Club. No one else is getting to him. That other crowd you¡¯re worried about? They won¡¯t find him,¡± Hughes assured her. Emma felt a wave of relief. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Hughes,¡± she said. Her voice was so sexy that Hughes couldn¡¯t control himself at all. He stepped closer. ¡°I don¡¯t need your money, nor your thanks.¡± Emma¡¯s eyes widened slightly as she looked up at him. Hughes was all pale skin. His careless blonde hair fell just so, giving him a roguish charm. His nose was sharp. His features were chiseled. He leaned in closer, catching her scent of jasmine. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, the people after Robbie this afternoon were Penelope¡¯s goons, right? You¡¯re with the other team, aren¡¯t you?¡± Emma didn¡¯t bother to hide the truth. ¡°My boss is Allison,¡± she admitted. ¡°Allison¡­¡± Hughes rolled the name around in his mind. It sounded vaguely familiar. Maybe a celeb or something; he didn¡¯t keep up with the news, but he was sure he¡¯d heard it recently. ¡°I spent all afternoon tracking down Robbie, then shelled out a cool three hundred grand to buy him from Darian. Now, I¡¯ve blocked Penelope¡¯s people from getting to him. So, tell me, how do you n to thank me?¡± Emma wasn¡¯t some naive little girl. ¡°What do you want in return?¡± she asked, knowing the score. Hughes locked eyes with her. ¡°When a guy does a favor for ady, what do you think he wants in return?¡± Chapter 551 Chapter 551 Chapter 551 She wasn¡¯t a fool. Emma knew that much. But what she couldn¡¯t fathom was why this handsome and wealthy man, Hughes, would be interested in her. With her looks being rather average, her notably alluring figure was the only standout feature. It surely couldn¡¯t be due to some elusive inner charm. No, at her age, she was far too practical to buy into such concepts. However, with a swift movement, Emma took off her ck jacket, revealing her smooth skin which immediately sent a rush of heat to Hughes¡¯ cheeks. In the tranquility of the lounge, Hughes carried her to the bed. Emma wrapped her arms around his neck and their lips met in a kiss. Neither of them were the inexperienced youths of their past; their mature and attractive bodies drew them irresistibly to each other. Before long, they were lost in pleasure. Two hours slipped away. Emma began to pick up her clothes from the floor, getting dressed. Hughes asked, ¡°Not staying the night?¡± ncing at her wristwatch, which read 10:30 PM, Emma replied, ¡°I¡¯ve got some important matters to take care of, Mr. Hughes. How about Ie see you tomorrow?¡± Hughes got up from the bed and pulled her into a deep kiss. His voice was husky. ¡°The Blue Club. You cane over here anytime. Anytime you want to see me,e to my office. It¡¯s exclusive to me.¡± As Emma was leaving, she added, ¡°I forgot to say, my name is Lauren. At work, it¡¯s Emma.¡± He responded with a single word, ¡°Hughes.¡± After Emma left, Hughes moved to the window, gazing out into the night. The air was filled with a decadent scent, mixed with the refreshing aroma of jasmine. This woman was truly interesting. She came off a bit stiff and conventional, and in bed, she was as innocent as a fledgling. Emma drove all the way to Powell Estate. While waiting for the elevator, she caught sight of the trending discussions about Allison, most of which were too distasteful to read. Concerned for Allison, she quickly made her way to her apartment upon exiting the elevator. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Allison had given her a spare key, so Emma opened the door to find Allison seated on the couch. ¡°Allison.¡± ¡°Emma, what brings you here?¡± Allison put down her phone. Her eyes were slightly red. ¡°I found Robbie,¡± Emma said as she approached. Allison¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°Did you tell Patty?¡± Emma shook her head. When it came to certain things, she and Allison seemed to be in sync, understanding each other without needing to exchange words. This time, pertaining to the issue with Robbie, they had kept it under wraps. It wasn¡¯t that Allison didn¡¯t trust Patty. It was that Allison didn¡¯t believe Patty would openly support her against Penelope. Penelope was still parading as the future heiress of the nagan family. Considering Patty¡¯s longstanding position at Epic Entertainment, how could she openly confront Penelope? It was all about self-preservation. Surely, Patty verbally offered her support and help, but it was all with Lucian in mind, and for the sake of her own standing in the entertainment industry, her position at Epic Entertainment. Emma transferred the footage from the camera hidden in her clothing onto theputer. Allison watched the video calmly, after which Emma said, ¡°There¡¯s also footage of Penelope with Robbie from that night, the one from the photos, but it hasn¡¯t been sent over yet. With this video, and Robbie¡¯s words, Penelope is going to take a fall. We can change the story about you online¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hold on to these videos for now. We are not releasing them just yet.¡± Emma nodded. ¡°Understood.¡± Chapter 552 Chapter 552 Chapter 552 ¡°Have you had dinner yet?¡± Allison asked, leaning against the kitchen counter with a casual air. ¡°Huh?¡± Emma blinked, taken aback by the sudden question. Truth be told, she hadn¡¯t had the chance to grab a bite all evening. Her tasks kept her hands full. Allison chuckled. ¡°I haven¡¯t either. I whipped up some spaghetti. Let¡¯s eat together.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Meanwhile, at the nagan household, inside the study¡­ Margo knocked and entered. There was concern etched on her face. ¡°I can¡¯t find Robbie anywhere. I¡¯ve sent people out, but they¡¯vee back with nothing. It is said he owes Darian a lot of money, so he has been hiding himself somewhere. No one knows where he¡¯s holed up.¡± Leah¡¯s expression soured as she nced over at Penelope, cursing inwardly at why she gave birth such a foolish daughter. It hadn¡¯t been more than a few days since thest debacle. However, Penelope, driven by jealousy, had let slip the photo scandal to frame Allison. Leah rubbed her temples, wondering how she ended up with a daughter who did nothing but hold her back. After thest mess Penelope stirred up, Leah had been forced to plead with Allison. She even agreed to a certain condition in order to make Allison go on Twitter and dere they were friends. She made such an effort to quell the rising storm. Penelope, oblivious to her own faults, piped up, ¡°Mom, why are you looking for Robbie?¡± ¡°Why am I looking for Robbie? Because of you!!¡± Leah clutched at her chest, feeling a heart attack looming. ¡°Penelope, can¡¯t you just give it a rest for once and focus on Lucian instead of trying to humiliate Allison? Whatever Allison is like, it¡¯s none of your business! I don¡¯t understand what you could gain from leaking dirt on Allison at such a critical time. All it does is to get a few inte trolls to badmouth her, which doesn¡¯t benefit you in the slightest!¡± ¡°But it does benefit me! Seeing her get dragged makes me feel better. You have no idea how rough it¡¯s been for me with the online exposuretely!¡± Penelope retorted, feeling that her mom was getting more and more timid. ¡°Mom, why are you so afraid of Allison? She¡¯s the one in hot water now, too busy to worry about us.¡± Leah shook her head in disappointment and turned to Margo. ¡°Keep looking. Do whatever it takes to find Robbie.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Margo nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve already doubled down on the search. We¡¯ve tracked him as far as Darian, who ims he hasn¡¯t found Robbie either and has no clue where he might¡¯ve gone. You know when they borrow money with steep interest, they can vanish without a trace. Reaching Robbie¡¯s circle has been nearly impossible, as none of his friends could be contacted.¡± Penelope still didn¡¯t grasp the severity. ¡°Mom, why do we need Robbie?¡± ¡°You¡¯re truly hopeless!¡± Leah eximed. ¡°Right now, Allison is caught in a scandal over those lewd photos. If she can prove she¡¯s not the woman in them, who do you think the finger will point at next? The man¡¯s profile in those photos is Robbie¡¯s. If Allison finds Robbie, what will you do then?¡± Penelope¡¯s face turned ashen. She hadn¡¯t thought it through. When Nathalie brought up the matter, Penelope¡¯s only thought was to get back at Allison. She didn¡¯t consider the repercussions. Now panic set in. ¡°Mom, what do we do?¡± she pleaded. Leah sighed deeply. Allison had leverage over her. If Allison released the video of Leah begging her to issue a statement to help Penelope, it wasn¡¯t just her dignity on the line. Penelope would be crushed under even greater public scrutiny. Their only hope was to find Robbie and n their next move. Penelope, pale and frantic, took out her phone and dialed Robbie¡¯s number, but there was no answer. Her face was white as a ghost. She stammered, ¡°Mom, what do we do if Allison finds Robbie? I¡¯m done for!¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re afraid?¡± Leah¡¯s voice was sharp with irritation. ¡°I¡¯ve told you time and again to be sensible and not to provoke Allison. We just got your bad press to die down!¡± Chapter 553 Chapter 553 Chapter 553 N?velDrama.Org ? content. Penelope realized the seriousness of the matter. ¡°Mom, we have to find Robbie before Allison does. He¡¯s got a bunch of my videos and photos. If they are exposed, I¡¯d be ruined. The Lindberg Corporation would call off the engagement for sure.¡± Leah was acutely aware of the severity of the matter. Robbie was nothing but a street thug without any real principles. He¡¯d dance to the tune of whoever shed the most cash. Penelope had approached Robbie once before to keep him quiet about thepromising material. She asked him to pin the photos on Allison. The issue resurfacing now was a bad sign. If Allison got Robbie first, Penelope¡¯s world woulde crashing down. ¡°Are you still in contact with Robbie? How many videos and photos does he have?¡± Leah probed. ¡°Just¡­ six months ago,¡± Penelope admitted. ¡°I met with Robbie, gave in to his threats just once, and I haven¡¯t seen him since.¡± Leah mmed her hand on the table in frustration. ¡°Penelope! You¡¯ve seriously disappointed me!¡± Penelope pleaded, ¡°Mom, I didn¡¯t want to, but Robbie threatened me. Then I just¡­ did it.¡± Moving closer tofort her mother, she began to massage Leah¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I haven¡¯t been in touch with Robbie since then.¡± Margo chimed in, ¡°Ladies, there¡¯s no need to fret. Allison¡¯s folks haven¡¯t found Robbie either. I¡¯ve got my cousin watching the haunts Robbie frequents. We¡¯ll know the moment he shows up.¡± Leah tried to stay positive. ¡°Let¡¯s hope for the best. Allison hasn¡¯t found him yet. For now, we¡¯re not facing the worst of it.¡± She turned to Penelope. ¡°Did you create that ount?¡± Penelope couldn¡¯t lie. ¡°It was Nathalie¡¯s idea. The n was hers. I¡¯m sorry, Mom. I¡¯ll be good from now on, I promise.¡± Despite her stern words, Leah¡¯s love for her daughter was unwavering. Penelope, the cherished girl of the nagan family, could do no wrong. Whenever Christopher scolded her, she would hide behind Leah, who invariably took her side. Holding Penelope¡¯s hand, Leah said with heartfelt emotion, ¡°Oh, Penelope, I nearly lost my life giving birth to you. How could I not cherish you? I hate Allison as much as you do, but now¡¯s not the time to sh with her. You need to get well, conceive Lucian¡¯s child quickly, and cement your ce so you can marry into the Lindberg family in style. Then, you¡¯ll make youreback in showbiz. I¡¯ll manage your future opportunities. Once you¡¯re back in the spotlight, Allison won¡¯t matter. There¡¯s no need to squabble with her over petty issues.¡± This time, Penelope truly understood the stakes. ¡°I get it, Mom. I won¡¯t let you down.¡± Back in her bedroom, Penelope reached out to Pete. ¡°Pete, I need a favor.¡± ¡°Name it.¡± ¡°Find someone named Robbie for me.¡± ¡°What, an old me of yours?¡± ¡°No, Pete, you¡¯re the only one for me. I¡¯ve run into some trouble, and Robbie¡¯s a key yer. He¡¯s got old videos of mine that could cause a scandal. Pete, you¡¯re the only one who can help.¡± Pete¡¯swork was extensive, and his methods varied. Locating someone in Northfield was child¡¯s y for him. Right now, Pete and Penelope were in the same boat. He readily agreed to help. With Pete¡¯smitment, Penelope felt a weight lift off her shoulders. She trusted in Pete¡¯s capabilities and resourcefulness. Chapter 554 Chapter 554 Chapter 554 Lying in bed, Penelope couldn¡¯t sleep. With a sigh, she reached for her phone and scrolled through Twitter. Her eyes fixated on the negativements about Allison, her so-called rival. As she skimmed through the barrage of insults targeting Allison, a twisted smile crept across her face. But as she continued to read, her smile faltered. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I just blindly trust Allison. She¡¯s just so beatiful. Even if she did something shady in the past, I believe in her.¡± ¡°These pictures kinda look like Penelope. They have simr features. Why does everyone assume it¡¯s Allison? Could it be Penelope?¡± ¡°I also think it looks like Penelope! d I¡¯m not the only one.¡± Thisment was liked by thousands. Penelope gritted her teeth in frustration. She couldn¡¯t believe it. Even now, fans were defending Allison! Her fingers curled into a fist as a n hatched in her mind. She quickly dialed Nathalie. ¡°Get on it, Nat. I need you to call in some media favors. Have reporters camp out in front of Epic Entertainment tomorrow.¡± Nathalie hesitated, ¡°Are we still doing this? Didn¡¯t your mome to your room tonight and ask you to lay off Allison?¡± Penelope was unrelenting. ¡°We¡¯re just rallying the reporters. We¡¯re not responsible for anything else.¡± Nathalie sighed. ¡°But¡­¡± Penelope said, ¡°This was your brainchild, remember? Are you chickening out now?¡± There was nothing Nathalie feared in this game. After all, if anything went south, it would be Penelope taking the fall, not her. ¡°Fine,¡± Nathalie conceded. ¡°I¡¯m on it. I have a friend at a magazine. She¡¯s got awork, with hundreds of contacts across the media field.¡± As Nathaliey in bed, she mused over her conversation with Penelope. If Penelope wouldn¡¯t listen, it wasn¡¯t her problem. Penelope was just too naive. The designer bag given by Penelope was worth a small fortune. Nathalie caressed it lovingly before dialing another number. ¡°Hey, you busy?¡± ¡°Swamped. It¡¯s all about Allison. The boss wants me to score a scoop, but how? Allison¡¯s gone underground, and her ce is locked down tight.¡± Nathalie said immediately, ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got a hot tip about Allison.¡± ¡°Out with it!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll spill, but you owe me one. ¡°Deal. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Everyone¡¯s looking for Allison, but what about her mom? You might not get the but it¡¯s still a story. Write something up, hit your targets, and the editor will be happy.¡± ¡°And where¡¯s Allison¡¯s mom?¡± ¡°She¡¯s been hanging around Epic Entertainment, probably trying to see her daughter. You can¡¯t get to Allison, but you can get to her mom. She lives at Blue Mountain Estate.¡± Sophie was ted. ¡°Nathalie, you¡¯re a lifesaver! I owe you a meal.¡± ¡°There¡¯s one more thing,¡± Nathalie pressed. ¡°I need you to spread the word. You¡¯ve got that media group chat, right? A hundred contacts, easy.¡± Sophie hesitated. ¡°I do, but¡­¡± She was desperate for that exclusive scoop. Chapter 555 Chapter 555 Chapter 555 At the time, Allison was already asleep. Her eyes fluttered open, blurred by dreams, as she groped for her phone. Seeing the number, she paused. A flicker of confusion crossed her face. She sat up, staring at the screen. The ringtone was a persistent echo in the quiet room. Seconds ticked by before her fingertip hesitantly made contact with the screen, and the call connected. Her voice was raspy from sleep. ¡°Hello?¡± On the other end was Lucian¡¯s deep voice. ¡°I¡¯ve got Epic Entertainment handling that online mess. Don¡¯t you worry about it. Your career won¡¯t take a hit.¡± A bittersweet smile brushed Allison¡¯s lips. Was this why he was calling, in the dead of night? Silence hung between them. Allison was unsure of what to say. Did Lucian believe the woman in the photos was her? Neither of them spoke. Allison¡¯s grip on her phone tightened. She took a deep breath, which was audible to both. Neither made a move to end the call. ncing at the clock, she noted thete hour and finally broke the silence. ¡°Lucian, did you call just to tell me this?¡± Lucian¡¯s voice came through, tired yet gentle. ¡°It¡¯ste. I won¡¯t keep you from your rest.¡± He was about to hang up when she stopped him. ¡°Lucian.¡± Her voice carried a mix of vulnerability and confusion. ¡°Do you believe that¡¯s me in the photos?¡± On the other side of the line, Lucian sat before his floor-to-ceiling window. His fingers were tensing. He didn¡¯t answer immediately. His gaze was darkening, and his thoughts. were a mess. He had seen those photos a year ago. Back then, he was furious. The woman he was with was not a first-timer. He despised women who were unclean in virtue, whose lives were a chaotic chase after vanity. But now¡­ ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me whether it¡¯s you or not in those photos. Allison, I won¡¯t let you go, either way.¡± He cared for Allison, not for a past that the photos might suggest. He didn¡¯t want his trust in her to waver because of some images. He had thought those photos were destroyed. How had they surfaced now? Clearly, it was a deliberate act. ¡°It¡¯s not me!¡± Allison¡¯s voice was adamant. ¡°Lucian, the woman in the photos is Penelope!¡± Lucian was shocked. His eyes were darkening. He stood up abruptly, clutching the balcony railing, staring out into the enigmatic night. His fingers clenched the cold metal. His mind burst with a sh of insight. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°What did you say?¡± Penelope was the girl in the photos? How could that be? Allison insisted, ¡°It¡¯s her. I¡¯m telling the truth. I know you might not believe me, and I don¡¯t want to argue. I have proof, but will you look at it? Lucian, ask yourself, what do you want to believe? In those photos, it¡¯s me or Penelope?¡± Silence fell once again. ¡°Allison, you¡¯re tired. Get some rest.¡± And the line went dead. Allison hugged herself, retreating to a corner. Her tears were falling silently. A tear traced down her cheek, as sheughed hollowly at herself. She knew it. Lucian wouldn¡¯t believe her. Nor would he believe that the woman in the photos was Penelope. No one would take the word of a woman with humble beginnings over that of a high societydy. Lucian, that man, was only infatuated with her body, while Penelope was his fianc¨¦e meant to be protected, for the sake of the Lindberg family¡¯s reputation. The Lindberg name couldn¡¯t be tied to someone with a tainted image. It would mean a blow to the Lindberg Corporation¡¯s stocks and the family¡¯s standing. So even if she dered the woman was Penelope, Lucian would never believe her. Chapter 556 Chapter 556 Chapter 556 Allison leaned against the corner of the dimly lit room. Her back was against the cold, unforgiving wall. The silence of the night was heavy, suffocating. In her eyes, the quiet scorn of the man she had been seeing was more piercing than the harshest troll¡¯sments on social media. Somehow, real-life indifference cut deeper than any online vitriol. The next day came with relentless pace, and the buzz of the photoshoot took over the previous night¡¯s woes. Allison spent the morning at the studio. Her face was a canvas for the makeup artist. Her reddened eyes, which were the evidence of a night¡¯s crying, could not be fully masked, but the camera would never know, thanks to the magic of post-production. Throughout the day, Allison changed outfits more times than she cared to count. Her body was moving mechanically through the poses. She felt like a marite, whose limbs were pulled by invisible strings as photographers directed her every move. She was devoid of feeling, like a soulless doll performing onmand. The studio was packed with industry insiders. The studio was a veritable hive of activity. Everyone knew everyone and everyone knew about the scandal that had unfolded online over the past few days. But professionalism reigned supreme; everyone was absorbed in their work, from the nning to the styling, as if the gossip was a world away. When Allison retreated to her dressing room for a midday break, ss soon as the door closed behind her, the studio erupted into whispers. ¡°Hey, do you think those photos of Allison are real? I mean, Jack, you¡¯re the expert here. They are photoshopped or not?¡± Jack, the team¡¯s retoucher, known for his keen eye, lowered his voice and replied, ¡°They¡¯re real.¡± A collective gasp rippled through the group, followed quickly by hushed shushing. ¡°Keep it down, will ya? She is just next door in the dressing room. Let¡¯s not have her overhear this.¡± ¡°So what if she does? If she got the guts to do it, she should be able to face the talk. It¡¯s not like she¡¯s unaware of what she¡¯s done.¡± ¡°True, but still, she has a good look and pretty nice skin. Shees off all sweet and innocent, but underneath, she¡¯s clearly got a wild side.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Yeah, with all those guys in the pictures? That¡¯s just¡­ too much.¡± ¡°Hey, Jack, you guys must want that kind of girl, right? Innocent face, but a wild animal at heart?¡± Jack grinned sheepishly. ¡°Even if I do, it¡¯s not like I¡¯d stand a chance. With her look and body, I¡¯d be at the back of a very long line.¡± ¡°Typical guy,¡± someone teased. ¡°It just grosses me out, you know? She looks so young in the pictures, but she¡¯s with all these guys¡­ It¡¯s just messy.¡± ¡°And think about it, she is just starting to heat up in the industry, getting all the good roles. I wonder who her sugar daddy is.¡± ¡°If I were her sugar daddy, I¡¯d be disgusted by now.¡± Back in the dressing room, Paige clenched her fists, fuming with anger. ¡°They¡¯re too much! All these gossip mongers!¡± She spun around. ¡°I¡¯m going out there!¡± Allison grabbed Paige¡¯s arm. ¡°And what are you going to do?¡± Paige was indignant. ¡°Just sit here and let them nder you?¡± It was bad enough for her to hear; she couldn¡¯t imagine how Allison felt. Allison replied calmly, ¡°Let them talk. It¡¯s not like their words will take a piece of flesh from me.¡± ¡°But Allison, you¡¯re too kind. These people need to be put in their ce. They need to learn a lesson. Howe they only chew on the ones that won¡¯t bite back?¡± Allison smiled wryly. ¡°Isn¡¯t that how the world works? People kick the stones that seem softer. Let them be. Their words can¡¯t hurt me.¡¯ Chapter 557 Chapter 557 Chapter 557 Paige handed a ss of water to Allison with a friendly smile. ¡°Here, take a swig, Allison. You¡¯ve got another shoot this afternoon.¡± Allison took a small sip and stretched out on the couch. ¡°I¡¯ll just catch some Z¡¯s for a bit. Wake me up when it¡¯s go-time.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. On set, Allison was a total pro, never acting arrogant. Whatever pose the photographer suggested, she followed it. She never made a fuss over hair or makeup. Her work ethic was top-notch. After wrapping up the afternoon shoot, Allison, nked by Paige and a few bodyguards, made her exit from the studio. One of the crew members remarked, ¡°You know, I think Allison¡¯s actually a good egg. She has a good personality and no airs. She never gets angry easily. She¡¯s miles better than some of the no-name hotheads we¡¯ve worked with.¡± ¡°I feel the same. Despite her image taking a hit recently, she¡¯s still a stunner. Plus, she¡¯s genuinely nice. No wonder she¡¯s still got a loyal fan base.¡± ¡°Fan base? For what? She¡¯s barely got her feet wet in the industry, no real standout works, and now this whole leaked photo scandal,¡± a woman¡¯s voice chimed in, dripping with disdain. ¡°It¡¯s the face, all about those looks. Nowadays, fans go crazy for a pretty face, and Allison ticks all the boxes. My cousin was even nning to get the ¡®Allison look¡¯-those gentle, doe eyes-at the stic surgeon¡¯s the other day.¡± ¡°In just a few days, her face has be the standard model for cosmetic clinics,¡± another voice added. Then someone else jumped in, ¡°Hell, I¡¯d be a fan too. Who doesn¡¯t love a beauty? So what if she had a wild private life before? She wasn¡¯t cheating and is single. What¡¯s the big deal if she had a few flings? Why is it that guys can y the field, but it¡¯s taboo for women? She hasn¡¯t hurt anyone, and hasn¡¯t broken anyws.¡± A voice called out, ¡°Deputy Editor!¡± The Deputy Editor approached. ¡°If we¡¯re talking skeletons in the closet, the entertainment industry¡¯s got a graveyard. Remember the scandals surrounding actresses like Zoe and Tamara? When Tamara started out, she stirred up way more drama than this. It was just that the inte wasn¡¯t what it is now, but the tabloids were on it, and it was a media bloodbath.¡± The Deputy Editor continued, ¡°Instead of dishing the dirt, we should be upping our game. The lead¡¯s long gone; let¡¯s wrap things up too and get back to work.¡± ¡°Right.¡± The studio staff dispersed from their gossip huddle and got back to their tasks. The Deputy Editor checked Twitter and saw the gossip about Allison was still trending. She smirked; despite the neer¡¯s scant background, she was causing quite the storm. She was a born star indeed. Grace had a night where neither food nor sleep did her any good. She arrived at the doorstep of Epic Entertainment early, strode in and approached the reception desk. As soon as she mentioned Allison¡¯s name, the clerk mmed up, and a bouncer suggested she take a hike. Grace was frantic with worry for Allison and decided to wait outside. She waited the whole morning. At noon, she grabbed a quick bite at a diner nearby, gobbling down a sandwich, and then resumed her waiting outside Epic Entertainment¡¯s doors. Sophie and a group of journalists, tipped off by a source, had been loitering around Epic Entertainment, hoping for a scoop. After a long wait with no sign of Allison or her mother, some media folks were ready to bail, grumbling, ¡°Sophie, did your buddy feed you a line? Where¡¯s this so-called scoop, and where¡¯s Allison¡¯s mom?¡± ¡°Yeah, Sophie, we need something solid here. We can¡¯t just hang around like this indefinitely.¡± Chapter 558 Chapter 558 Chapter 558 Sophie slipped her phone out of her pocket and dialed Nathalie¡¯s number, but there was no answer. She mumbled, slightly embarrassed, ¡°Just wait a bit longer. The tip can¡¯t be wrong.¡± She couldn¡¯t be certain if Nathalie was leading her on a wild goose chase. And now, Nathalie was suddenly out of reach. Sophie was starting to panic. Just at that moment¡­ One of the reporters piped up, ¡°Look over there, isn¡¯t that the same middle-aged woman from this morning? She¡¯s back again.¡± Everyone shifted their gaze. ¡°She looks pretty in, seems like she¡¯s got an average family life.¡± ¡°She¡¯s been here since this morning. I was the first to arrive, and she was already waiting. Even after lunch, she came back and continued to wait. Doesn¡¯t look like any media folk to me.¡± ¡°Could she be Allison¡¯s mother?¡± someone spected. ¡°No way?!¡± another voiced in disbelief. ¡°That can¡¯t be right. Why would Allison¡¯s mother dress like that? She looks like¡­ she¡¯s far too modestly dressed.¡± ¡°Yeah, if she were Allison¡¯s mother, why would she be waiting out here instead of going inside?¡± The crowd started buzzing with all sorts ofments. Sophie had no clue, as she had never met Allison¡¯s mom. ¡°Why not just go ask her?¡± someone suggested. Sophie approached the woman. ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you thirsty? I¡¯ve got an extra bottle of water.¡± Grace turned around. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± But she had been waiting there all morning; she had to be parched. Grace was used to being frugal, not the type to spend a few bucks on a bottle of water. She licked her lips, and Sophie insisted, ¡°I happen to have a spare bottle. Take it if you¡¯re thirsty.¡± Grace didn¡¯t refuse again. ¡°Thank you, dear.¡± After a few sips, she seemed much morefortable. Cautiously, Sophie asked, ¡°Ma¡¯am, what brings you here? Are you waiting for Allison?¡± Sophie had purposefully framed the question. She didn¡¯t know if the middle-aged woman was Allison¡¯s mother, but as a reporter, she asked out of instinct, ready to backtrack if the woman didn¡¯t recognize the name. Grace faltered, ¡°How do you know my daughter?¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Sophie¡¯s face lit up. ¡°So, you¡¯re Allison¡¯s mom?¡± Her voice wasn¡¯t low, so the surrounding reporters overheard and immediately swarmed around Grace. Sophie was thrilled; this was the scoop of the month. ¡°Ma¡¯am, why aren¡¯t you inside?¡± Grace sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t go in. I¡¯ll just wait for her here. Who are you all? Please, don¡¯t bother me¡­¡± Grace felt uneasy amongst these strangers and stood up, ready to leave. But the media wouldn¡¯t let a hot story slip through their fingers that easily. ¡°Ma¡¯am, you must have heard about your daughter Allison¡¯s scandal. What¡¯s your opinion on it?¡± ¡°Are the pictures really of Allison? Is there some sort of misunderstanding?¡± You seem modestly dressed and can¡¯t even enter Epic Entertainment. Is it possible that your daughter Allison is mistreating you?¡± The media descended upon her with a barrage of questions. Grace felt overwhelmed, barely able to catch her breath under the weight of their inquiries. Her head buzzed, and facing the crowd, she realized these were the vultures waiting outside Epic Entertainment. In that moment, they swarmed like bees to honey. Grace froze. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know. Allison isn¡¯t like that¡­ She¡¯s always been good, ever since she was a kid. Please, don¡¯t trouble her, and leave me alone.¡± Chapter 559 Chapter 559 Chapter 559 ¡°Look, it wasn¡¯t her fault, okay? me me, it¡¯s all on me¡­ If you mustsh out at someone, let it be me, but leave my daughter out of this. Allison¡¯s done nothing wrong,¡± Grace pleaded with a sense of urgency, desperate to shield her daughter from the barrage of usations. In her heart, there was only Allison, and the overwhelming desire to protect her. But what Grace didn¡¯t realize was that she had stumbled right into Penelope¡¯s carefullyid trap. The media wasn¡¯t there to help her. Instead, they were pushing Allison further into a corner, from which there seemed to be no escape. Sophie pounced on the opportunity. ¡°Ma¡¯am, you just said it¡¯s all your fault, and your girl is innocent. Is there something we¡¯re not seeing here?¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s because of me, all because of me,¡± Grace stammered. The tears were staining her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯ve been sick. I needed a kidney transnt. Allison, she did what she had to because of my illness. It¡¯s my health that¡¯s dragged her down. If you¡¯re gonna me anyone, me me, not my daughter!¡± The video feed showed Grace. Her eyes were brimming with tears. She was dressed simply, speaking up for her daughter. A mother was pleading for mercy on behalf of her child. Without any edits, Sophie immediately uploaded the original footage to the Inte. Once posted, it went viral, shared by tens of thousands. It rocketed up the trending charts. Allison sat in the car, which was parked ndestinely behind a side entrance of Epic Entertainment. She hoped to avoid the press, but the reporters had been lying in wait. As soon as she stepped out, they swarmed her. Microphones were thrust forward, and the questions came rapid-fire. ¡°Allison, it¡¯s been 36 hours since the scandal broke and you¡¯ve been silent. Does that mean you¡¯re admitting to it?¡± ¡°Allison, do you have anything to say?¡± Paige hadn¡¯t expected reporters at the back entrance either. She, along with the bodyguards, quickly formed a barrier around Allison and pushed through toward the building. Allison, behind her shades, ignored the surrounding chaos and pressed on. Then a voice cut through. ¡°Allison, we saw your mother, Ms. Grace, at the main entrance. You¡¯re carrying a handbag worth thousands, while she¡¯s in an outfit that¡¯s barely a hundred bucks. Are you mistreating your after being famous?¡± | ¡°Yeah, your mother mentioned her illness. Are you ashamed of her sickness? Did you abandoned your mother, leaving her to wait outside Epic Entertainment in desperation?¡± The reporters, like a swarm of relentless flies, had the back alley blocked off. The bodyguards continued to escort Allison forward. Since the incident, she had remained silent. Her studio and Twitter ount was quiet. She knew that without concrete evidence, idle talk wouldn¡¯t sway public opinion. Patty had warned her against engaging with the media. They were spiteful, so it was best not to provoke them if possible. But at that moment, Allison stopped. ¡°You went after my mother?¡± she asked. Her tone was icy as she faced the media. Sophie felt a chill despite Allison¡¯s sunsses hiding her eyes. She felt somewhat guilty but managed to say, ¡°I just happened to see a middle-ageddy at the entrance and learned she is your mother. You let her wait outside all morning without even a sip of water. That¡¯s just heartless!¡± ¡°Your mother has already confirmed that you¡¯re the woman in the photos. What do you` have to say to that?¡± Chapter 560 Chapter 560 Chapter 560 Paige threw herself in front of Allison. Her face was glistening with sweat. ¡°Allison, you better head upstairs now. Ugh, would you vultures from the press give it a rest already? Security, hey, security, get over here!¡± At the back entrance of Epic Entertainment, several security guards rushed over, forming a protective barrier between Allison and the relentless media, escorting her inside. Allison¡¯s lips were pressed tightly together. Her gaze was fixed on the pushy reporters, whose hungry eyes were eager for scandal at any cost. Her fingers clenched into tight fists. ¡°What have I got to say?¡± Allison scoffed. Her voice was dripping with disdain. ¡°I should be asking you what you¡¯re so desperate to ask by camping out here. You want to know if the person in those photos is me? What¡¯s it to you? Oh, what, is the guy in the pictures your husband or your dad? Is that why you¡¯re buzzing around like flies, waiting for me to show up every day? Those pictures aren¡¯t of me, so they¡¯re none of your business. If you want to be real journalists, you don¡¯t take these shady shortcuts. The buzz around celebrities is fleeting. Just a few days ago, there was a tragic car ident on Main Street that imed the lives of two expectant mothers. Why aren¡¯t you reporting that? Or the child abuse case over in Oakwood district. Why aren¡¯t you all over that story? And what about the scandal at Sunny Meadows Nursing Home, where the manager was found mixing glue into the residents¡¯ food? Why aren¡¯t you hounds chasing down that news?¡± Her voice resonated clearly. Each wordnded with a thud. A hush fell upon the media. They seemed to freeze in ce. Sophie, with a microphone in hand, flushed with embarrassment. She hadn¡¯t felt this humiliated and uneasy in a long time. She came to dig up an exclusive, to unveil Allison¡¯s scandal, but now, it seemed as if she was the one getting embarrassed. Allison was d in a sleek silver hoodie and jeans. Her face was partially hidden by sunsses and a beanie. Her exposed skin was glowing, and her red lips curled into a mocking sneer. She stared at Sophie as if she was watching a pitiful jester. Sophie¡¯s grip on the microphone trembled with rage. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right,¡± she retorted, ¡°but as a public figure with fans who adore you, shouldn¡¯t you be setting a positive example, rather than being involved in disgusting acts, getting cozy with multiple men? Don¡¯t you owe your fans an exnation, Allison? Dodging the issue and keeping out of sight, such behavior is utterly disgraceful!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right; our job as media professionals is to cover the hottest stories, and we take our work seriously. Other journalists cover societal issues; we¡¯re entertainment reporters, and there¡¯s nothing wrong with staying in ourne! Allison, as a celebrity, you¡¯ve acted indecently, and you owe the public an exnation!¡± Patty, Emma, and the rest of the team descended the stairs, quickly stepping in front of Allison to shield her from the press. The group made their way into the building, heading to Allison¡¯s studio. Emma handed her a ss of water. As their fingers touched, she realized how ice-cold Allison¡¯s hands were. Emma squeezed them gently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about those media sharks; that¡¯s just how they are.¡± At that moment, ¡°Allison speaks out after scandal¡± shot up to the top of the trending lists. Numerous media outlets published videos, all vying for the hottest scoop, leaving the footage unedited. Allison¡¯s distinct voice was clearly audible. In the video, Allison stood amidst the crowd, but her presence was still radiant. Her red lips were slightly alluring. Her voice was clear, unique, and instantly recognizable. Chapter 561 Chapter 561 Chapter 561 In the midst of the chaos, the online chatter about Allison was a mixed bag. Not everyone was siding with the reporters, and the vitriol wasn¡¯t as overwhelming as one might expect. ¡°Look, I think Allison¡¯s right,¡± one user posted. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with these reporters? Instead of covering real issues, they¡¯re obsessed with the petty dramas of the entertainment world. I¡¯ve been following the story about Tori¡¯s Nursing Home using glue as a filler in the elderly¡¯s meals, but that issue¡¯s beenpletely buried. Not a peep from the media.¡± ¡°Seriously, why are they hounding Allison? She¡¯s just a regr actress. She¡¯s not A-list or anything, with no famous movies. Surely, she¡¯s pretty, but does that justify this over-the-top scrutiny? And they even harass her family, too?¡± ¡°Harassing her family is really unbearable. Allison¡¯s mom said she¡¯s seriously ill, so Allison¡¯s selling herself to pay for her medical bills. That shows real devotion.¡± ¡°Yeah, why is all the malice against Allison? I¡¯m totally behind her, no matter what the haters say.¡± ¡°I used to think Allison¡¯s personal life was pretty gross, but it¡¯s her life. She¡¯s not hurting anyone, not breaking thew. She¡¯s just acting, so why this obsession?¡± ¡°It¡¯s sickening that someone as dirty as Allison still has fans defending her!¡± ¡°Look at how modestly Allison¡¯s mom dresses. Then you look at Allison wearing sunsses that cost a fortune. Who knows if she¡¯s given a dime to her family since she became famous!¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t get the whole Allison craze. What do her fans like about her? Just her looks? I heard she used to steal stuff when she worked as a maid for the nagan family.¡± ¡°Steal what? How do you know? Got any proof? Penelope used to say Allison was her maid, but then suddenly they¡¯re besties? How fickle it is! How do you know so much about the nagans? You are living under Penelope¡¯s bed or something?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Don¡¯t bother with that one. Probably just one of Penelope¡¯s PR stooges trying to make her look good.¡± ¡°No matter how bad Allison is, she¡¯s leagues ahead of Penelope in looks. That so-called richdy who looks down on everyone else won¡¯t get a free pass!¡± ¡°Agreed. Can¡¯t stand those phony rich girls.¡± Emma had her team on high alert, monitoring Twitter for any inmmatoryments and contacting tforms to have them removed if necessary. Patty walked in. ¡°Allison, you should¡¯ve kept quiet. Just stay home for a while. Let this blow over. We could¡¯ve yed it cool, but now you¡¯ve spoken up and the media are swarming like flies again. The headlines are buzzing with yourments, and these reporters can be petty! You¡¯ve challenged them. Who knows what kind of spiteful stories they¡¯ll cook up behind your back?¡± Allison offered a wry smile. ¡°So, you think I¡¯m supposed to be silent all the time?¡± Patty was momentarily taken aback. Allison had always beenpliant, and Patty had always seen her as a gentle, easy-to-talk-to celebrity. She knew Allison had some intimidating financial backers, so Patty treated her with respect to her face while secretly hoping to use Allison¡¯s influence to cement her own status. It was the urgency of the situation that had made her tone harsher than intended. Chapter 562 Chapter 562 Chapter 562 N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Patty realized what she had done, and her face turned pale. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that,¡± she stammered. Allison replied, ¡°I need a press conference arranged in three days.¡± Patty blinked. The confusion was written all over her face. ¡°In three days?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got it,¡± Emma interjected quickly. ¡°I¡¯ll get everything set up right away.¡± ¡°And thedy who was at Epic Entertainment¡¯s entrance,¡± Allison continued, ¡°is she still here?¡± Emma responded, ¡°I had the receptionist take her to the lounge. Allison, do you want to go see her?¡± Allison turned to Patty. Her tone was sharpening with each word. ¡°Why wasn¡¯t I told my mother was here? Why didn¡¯t you let her wait in the lounge? Why was she kept downstairs? Why wasn¡¯t she brought up here?¡± By thest question, Allison¡¯s voice had risen significantly. Patty exined hurriedly, ¡°We didn¡¯t know she is your mother the day before yesterday. Plus, with the current scandal brewing, the front desk is being extra cautious. They thought she might be some reporter posing as your mom, so they didn¡¯t let her in. It is a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°Which lounge is Grace in?¡± ¡°Lounge number two.¡± Allison rose to her feet, heading for the door. Emma prepared to follow, but Patty held Emma back. ¡°Why is she holding a press conference now? The best thing to do in these situations is to stay cool, y it down. Calling the media now is like adding fuel to the fire, isn¡¯t it? As her agent, you should be thinking about her long-term career. I¡¯ve already had a professional PR team handle the scandal. If it weren¡¯t for Allison shing with the media, this wouldn¡¯t be blowing up again. Emma, you should be advising Allison, not just nodding along with whatever she wants. Actresses can be impulsive when faced with issues, and you should be the one to stop her.¡¯ Emma looked at Patty. Her respect for the senior agent was evident, but there were some matters on which she did not agree with Patty¡¯s views. ¡°It¡¯s clear that the woman in those photos isn¡¯t Allison. Why shouldn¡¯t we rify that? If we have solid evidence, we can set the record straight. I don¡¯t think staying silent is the best approach. Allison has a long road ahead, and if we let this slide, it¡¯ll just make it easier for anyone to tarnish her image in the future. They could just photoshop something and im it¡¯s her. That¡¯s really too easy.¡± Patty¡¯s gaze turned stern. ¡°Emma, don¡¯t forget who you are. This is Epic Entertainment, and you¡¯re just a junior agent. You gotta know your ce!¡± Emma knew she was no match for Patty and didn¡¯t want to cause any offense. ¡°But Allison has already decided on the press conference. Usually, I might try to talk her out of things like this, and once she¡¯s back on set, it¡¯ll all be fine.¡± ¡°Because of this scandal,¡± Patty countered, ¡°the start date for the film has been pushed back. The script¡¯s already been delivered. Tell Allison to go over it in advance. Wade is already upset about the scandal, and I¡¯ve been smoothing things over. Wade¡¯s a senior in the circle. Surely, Allison¡¯s got resources and Mr. Lindberg¡¯s backing, but in this industry. you need to impress the seniors with talent and hard work.¡± Emma agreed with Patty on that point. ¡°Enough talk. Wait for her by the lounge, and I¡¯ll head back to the office. If anythinges up, contact me immediately. Don¡¯t make any decisions on your own!¡± Patty dropped this before leaving. Chapter 563 Chapter 563 Chapter 563 Grace watched Allison, her eyes instantly brimming with tears. ¡°Allie, are you okay? Did Mom cause you trouble? I know it¡¯s my fault. I¡¯ve dragged you down. If it weren¡¯t for me, you¡¯d be living a better life right now. It¡¯s all my fault. You¡¯ve sacrificed too much for me.¡± Allison¡¯s gaze was icy as she faced Grace¡¯s emotional outburst. Her demeanor was detached. Grace realized that the rtionship between her and Allison could never go back to the way they were. Wiping away her tears, she felt the crushing weight of the malicious onlinements suffocating her. However, seeing that Allison was unharmed relieved her greatly. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Allison asked tly Grace stammered, ¡°I¡­ I just missed you, worried about you. I want to see how you are.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. You can go back now. I¡¯ll have my bodyguard take you home.¡± Allison turned to leave, gripping the door handle. She added, ¡°From now on, don¡¯te looking for me here. What if I¡¯m not here? Are you going to wait forever? If there¡¯s something you need, have the housekeeper message my agent. I¡¯ll respond.¡± Grace watched Allison¡¯s retreating figure. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t know if you¡¯de. I was just so worried about you. I saw those nastyments onlinest night and it was unbearable. Penelope called me. She was worried about you, and she said you might being to Epic Entertainment today, so I thought I¡¯d try my luck at seeing you.¡± A chill crossed Allison¡¯s face. She spun around, a mocking smile on her lips. ¡°Penelope told you?¡± Grace, not wanting to deepen any rift between Allison and Penelope, quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t me Penelope. I asked her myself. Penelope is just concerned about you.¡± ¡°Concerned about me? Howughable, Ms. Grace. You say Penelope with such affection. Right, I forgot, Penelope is your real daughter, so it¡¯s only natural you believe her.¡± ¡°I¡­ Allie, I¡¯m really worried about you.¡± ¡°Worried about what? That I¡¯ll be killed by thements online? That I can¡¯t handle it and will seek death?¡± Despite Allison¡¯s harsh words, Grace humbly replied, ¡°Allie, it¡¯s all Mom¡¯s fault. I made a terrible mistake, letting Penelope take over your life. I realize my error now, and I¡¯ll find a way to set things right, to give back the life that belongs to you. I know, these past few years, you¡¯ve given up so much for my illness.¡± The thought of those photos online brought tears to Grace¡¯s eyes again. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. If it weren¡¯t for my illness, you wouldn¡¯t have to sell your body for money.¡± Allison was shocked as she exhaled deeply. This breath had been trapped in her chest, making it feel like it was about to burst. She looked at Grace, and saw the silver strands hidden in her dark hair. She saw her withered and sallow face from the kidney disease, her frail body, and her simple clothes. She watched her mother apologize frantically, like a headless fly. Her heart was suddenly filled with an indescribable emotion. It was just agonizing. ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much. It wasn¡¯t to save you,¡± Allison said. ¡°Ms. Grace, listen to me, the woman in those photos isn¡¯t me. It¡¯s your dear daughter Penelope!¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Grace¡¯s body shook violently. Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at Allison. Chapter 564 Chapter 564 Chapter 564 Allison¡¯s lips quivered. ¡°What, you don¡¯t believe me?¡± Grace, lost in a daze, replied, ¡°How could it be Penelope? Allie, Mom knows this has taken a toll on you, and I know you¡¯re hurt and tired, but you can¡¯t just say that it was Penelope?¡± Allison suddenly burst into a fit ofughter. The more sheughed, the more it hurt. This was Grace, her mother! She had given everything to her mother, but now, Grace looked at her in disbelief. That using gaze seemed to mean she had lied. It truly stung Allison¡¯s eyes. A sharp pain hit Allison right in the chest. Gradually, the pain turned numb. She wasughing so hard, and the tears were on the brink. Lucian didn¡¯t believe her, and there stood her mother, uttering apologies, yet not believing her daughter. In their eyes, Penelope was the delicate princess, but she was just the dirt beneath their feet. She deserved to be scorned, to be trampled on. For the first time, Allison realized Grace, too, was capable of such deceit. Her mouth was full of apologies and love, but the moment she heard the woman in the picture was Penelope, she started to deny it outright. Grace¡¯s face was a canvas ofplex emotions. ¡°How could it be Penelope? She¡¯s not short on cash. Allie, Mom knows you¡¯re suffering and you¡¯ve sacrificed so much for my illness, but what does that have to do with Penelope?¡± Allison asked softly, ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Grace was silent for several seconds. Allison chuckled, ¡°Because in your heart, you think the woman in the photo was me.¡± ¡°I¡­ That¡¯s not it, Allie. I know you and Penelope look alike, but Penelope has no reason to¡­ She doesn¡¯tck money, so there¡¯s no need for her to hang out with a bunch of tattooed thugs. It¡¯s not that Mom doesn¡¯t believe you.¡± Allison had originally nned to let Grace leave. That would be the best. She didn¡¯t want to say too much to Grace, and there was nothing left to say. Despite the wrongs Grace had done, despite how she had altered her original life, she couldn¡¯t completely sever the mother-daughter bond. Grace had raised her for 23 years, and she couldn¡¯t just cut her off. However, at that moment, any affection she had for Grace vanishedpletely. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. They were all hypocrites! They werepletely charmed by Penelope. They¡¯d never believed in her. Allison opened the door to find Emma standing there. ¡°Did you get the video from the man? Bring your laptop in.¡± ¡°Just give me ten minutes,¡± Emma responded. She returned to her office, picked up herptop, and checked her email. Hughes hadn¡¯t sent the video, so she immediately dialed his number. Hughes had been up all night. He was still asleep when his phone started ringing. Rubbing his eyes, he nced at the screen, saw an unfamiliar number, and hung up. The phone rang again. Hughes stared at the caller ID, sat up, and answered the call. ¡°Mr. Hughes, it¡¯s me, Lauren, fromst night.¡± ¡°Oh, I remember, Ms. Lauren,¡± Hughes chuckled, lighting a cigarette as he leaned against the headboard. ¡°What¡¯s up? Miss me already?¡± ¡°Can you send me the video?¡± Emma inquired. ¡°Which video? Oh, sure.¡± Emma promptly gave him her email address. In about two minutes, a video file arrived in Emma¡¯s inbox. She immediately opened it to buffer. The image was a bit blurry. A woman¡¯s moan echoed, ¡°Ah¡­¡± Chapter 565 Chapter 565 Chapter 565 Two figures entangled together in the dim light of the room. The camera must have been mounted on the wall, because its angle left much to the imagination, casting shadows. and secrets in its wake. A blush crept across Emma¡¯s cheeks, because this was¡­ the video from herst night with Hughes. With gritted teeth, she snapped theptop shut! Just as she was about to ring Hughes, his call preemptively buzzed through. His voice, deep and raspy, teased through the line, ¡°Enjoying the show?¡± ¡°You! Pervert!!¡± Emma exhaled sharply, struggling to keep her temper in check. ¡°Mr. Hughes, seems like you¡¯ve sent the wrong video.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Hughes feigned surprise. ¡°Oh, my bad. I¡¯ll send the right one now. I¡¯ve got a ton of videos in my inbox, so I need to sift through them. Hold on, will you?¡± Emma didn¡¯t end the call. She couldn¡¯t risk Hughes sending her another unsolicited video. She had things to deal with, so she turned on theputer and put her cell phone on speaker, setting it aside. After a brief silence, she asked, ¡°Mr. Hughes, found it yet?¡± Hughes yed along, ¡°Just a sec, still looking.¡± He was feeling mischievous, wanting to tease her a bit more. Nonchntly, he clicked on another clip and held it up to his phone. As Emma booted up herputer, she was greeted by the amplified sounds of moans and crude banter from her phone¡¯s speaker. Her breathing stilled. ¡°Mr. Hughes, you really do have a lot of free time.¡± Hughes chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m searching for your video, aren¡¯t I? With so many to choose from, it¡¯s only natural I preview a few.¡± Emma, growing impatient, retorted, ¡°When you find it, send it to me.¡± ¡°Lauren, I¡¯m doing you a favor here. Are you really going to be this heartless?¡± His use of the name Lauren took her aback. It had been ages since anyone had called her by that name. His voice, clear and deep, continued, ¡°Lauren, I¡¯ve been sleeping until now because of you. I just rolled out of bed and here I am, searching for your video. You really don¡¯t care about me.¡± Emma responded coolly, ¡°What¡¯s that got to do with me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s got everything to do with you. If you hadn¡¯t kept me up sote, I wouldn¡¯t have had to make amends by ying cards all night with my friends.¡± Emma sighed, ¡°Then please, Mr. Hughes, just find it. I¡¯m in a hurry.¡± ¡°I am looking, aren¡¯t I? Tell me, is this the one?¡± As he spoke, Hughes turned up the volume on another video. Emma quickly turned down the speaker, and her cheeks were ming once more. She knew it. Hughes was nothing but trouble! She shut her eyes tight. ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­¡± After a moment, another clip yed. The voice of a woman poured through the speaker. Emma gritted her teeth. ¡°Not that one either.¡± ¡°Alright, next one.¡± As the voices yed on, Emma¡¯s face turned crimson, and her heart was racing. She knew Hughes was doing this on purpose. Taking a deep breath, she said, ¡°That¡¯s not it either.¡± ¡°Not this one?¡± Hughes asked, with a hint of amusement in his voice. Emma inwardly cursed him. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Oh, this is fromst night, us two¡­ Lauren, has anyone ever told you that you have beautiful eyes?¡± Emma replied tly, ¡°No.¡± Throughout her life, she had receivedpliments on her physique, but rarely on anything else. She never saw the advantage in her curvaceous figure. In middle school, it had nearly led to an assault. To her, an attractive body was more a source of trouble than pride. And as for her looks, no one had ever taken much notice.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Chapter 566 Chapter 566 Chapter 566 She knew she wasn¡¯t a head-turner. Her features were in the right ces, with no ring ws; she had glowing skin peppered with a smattering of freckles. She often hid her face behind thick-rimmed sses, casting a somewhat dull aura around her. Few people noticed her, so when someone complimented her eyes, Emma was taken aback. She bit her lip and murmured quietly, ¡°My eyes aren¡¯t pretty.¡± ¡°If I say they¡¯re pretty, that¡¯s enough. They¡¯re bright and beautiful,¡± Tom replied. His tonecked its usual flippancy, which was reced by a grounded sincerity. Emma felt a little shy. ¡°I¡­ Stop it. I¡¯lle see you tonight, but I need that video now. It¡¯s urgent. My boss needs it!¡± ¡°Missing me already after just one night, huh, Lauren? Alright, I¡¯ll send it. Anything for you.¡± Hughes could imagine her blushing on the other end of the line, so he decided not to tease her further. He sent the video Robbie had given him to her. Emma promptly hung up, and he stared at the disconnected call and muttered, ¡°Damn, that¡¯s cold.¡± Inside the lounge number two, theputer screen yed a sordid scene. Three entangled bodies. Two men and one woman. The woman on the bed cried out, ¡°Yes, please! Please do! Faster!¡± The men were adjusting themselves, finding their rhythm. ¡°Penelope, let me hear you scream. I love it when you scream!¡± ¡°Oh, Robbie, you¡¯re amazing! And you, Tanner, so fierce! Faster, faster!¡± Shadows intertwined under the dim lights, with a strong and ambiguous aura. Allison nced at Grace¡¯s face, which was pale, and marked with disbelief. Her eyes were wide with shock. Her fingers trembled, and her lips quivered as if she wanted to speak, but her lips moved several times without forming a coherent sentence. Allison told Emma to shut down theputer. She faced Grace. ¡°Who is the woman in that video?¡± ¡°This¡­ Why would Penelope do this? She has no reason. Shees from such a good family. She never wanted for anything. Why would she degrade herself like this? It must be someone impersonating her. She would never¡­¡± ¡°Grace.¡± Allison¡¯s voice was cold. She called her name in a way she never had before. Thest threads of affection she had for Grace had evaporated. The woman before her was a stranger. ¡°Grace, I never expected it. After all, we have been daughter and mother for twenty-two years and I have always regarded you as the closest person. I did so much for you. I ran around borrowing money for your treatments. I agreed to be Penelope¡¯s stand-in to cover your surgery costs. I swallowed my pride in the face of Leah¡¯s insults. But what did I get in return? Do you even have a heart? You see a few pictures and instantly decided that¡¯s me. You have watched a clear video, but you still can¡¯t believe it¡¯s Penelope. Can¡¯t you even recognize your own daughter? Your hypocrisy makes me sick!¡± Grace kept shaking, as if her illness had red up. Her face was contorted in agony, and her lips turned deathly pale. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t believe it¡­ Allie, Mom didn¡¯t doubt you! I never did! I just wanted¡­ I just wanted you and Penelope to get along, and both of you to be happy. That¡¯s all I ever wanted. I know how much you¡¯ve sacrificed for my illness. I owe you too much.¡±Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 567 Chapter 567 Chapter 567 Allison pressed the pause button at the 22-minute mark of the video. Her finger pointed usingly at the screen where a small, dark mole sat on the woman¡¯s waist. ¡°Come on, Grace, don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t recognize Penelope¡¯s birthmark!¡± Grace stared at the dark spot. Her body copsed into the chair as if her bones had turned to jelly. She clutched at her chest, panting in agony. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. How could she not know? That mole on Penelope¡¯s waist was as familiar to her as her own reflection. The woman in the video was indeed Penelope. Grace couldn¡¯t believe it. How could Penelope do something so scandalous? It was like her whole worldview had been flipped upside down. In her mind, Penelope was the darling of the nagans. Although the nagan family was not as rich as the Lindberg family, it still boasted a tidy annual profit in the millions. Penelope was doted on, and her every whim was indulged. Even in middle school, Penelope had a monthly allowance of ten to twenty thousand dors, and by high school, she had a monthly allowance of fifty to sixty thousand dors. How could she possibly do such an indecent thing? However, Grace never believed Allison could do something like this either. Allison had always been the kind-hearted, long-suffering type, always reserved and introverted. The only reason Grace had even considered Allison capable of such a deed was her desperate need for money for a kidney transnt. Perhaps, Grace thought, Allison was driven to sell herself out of sheer necessity. But Penelope? It was unthinkable. Allison watched the y of emotions on Grace¡¯s face ¨C disbelief, shock, panic, heartache. All were swirling together in a storm that words could hardly describe. She didn¡¯t want to twist the knife any further. The video was originally meant for Leah¡¯s eyes, not Grace¡¯s. ¡°Please get out of here, Grace,¡± Allison said. Her voice was carrying a finality that brooked no argument. ¡°After today, don¡¯te looking for me. You and I¡­ we¡¯re done.¡± Grace¡¯s lips trembled. ¡°You¡¯re going to release the video, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Allison said firmly. ¡°Can you¡­ please¡­ not do it?¡± ¡°No!¡± Allison felt her heart had grown cold and numb, impervious to any more pain, immune to the shards of a broken reality. ¡°Are you trying to plead for Penelope?¡± Allison¡¯s tone was biting. ¡°Fine. If she gets on her knees in front of me and bangs her head on the floor ten times, maybe I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Allison had no reason to stay. She turned to leave. Emma quickly shut down theptop to follow when suddenly, Grace lunged forward, grabbing theptop from Allison¡¯s grasp. Grace might be frail, but her sudden burst of strength caught Emma off guard, nearly sending her crashing to the ground. ¡°Ms. Grace, what on earth are you doing?¡± Emma demanded, watching as Grace clung to theptop. Then she begged Allison. ¡°Please, Allison, I¡¯m begging you. Forgive Penelope just this once. Don¡¯t release the video, okay? If you do, it¡¯ll ruin her.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± Allison¡¯s beautiful, pale face was void of any expression, and her eyes were devoid of light. ¡°If she died in front of me right now, I¡¯d even p for joy.¡± Emma didn¡¯t know the ins and outs of Allison and Grace¡¯s rtionship, but she was fuming at Grace¡¯s audacity to snatch herptop and beg Allison to keep the video private. ¡°Ms. Grace,¡± Emma interjected, ¡°I have backups of the video. Taking myptop won¡¯t help you.¡± Chapter 568 Chapter 568 Chapter 568 Grace stood there. Her eyes were wide with shock. As she suddenly dropped theptop, with a thud, she fell to her knees before Allison. ¡°Please,¡± she begged. Her voice wasced with desperation. ¡°Let Penelope go. Whatever she has done, I¡¯ll atone for it. I¡¯ll do anything, Allison. Just spare her, please.¡± Allison felt a vice grip tighten around her throat as she watched Grace prostrate before her. She stepped back. Her vision was blurring. A part of her heart seemed to crumble, but she didn¡¯t want to cry, and didn¡¯t even feel pain, just a hollow coldness rushing through the gaping hole where her heart used to be. Grace was on the floor, her forehead nearly touching the ground, while Allison¡¯s face was a mask of eerie calm. She turned to Emma. ¡°Emma, have the security escort thisdy out. And, set up a press conference in three days. Grace, this video¡­ I¡¯ll release it in three days, and no one can stop me. Unless¡­¡± Her smile was tinged with self-mockery and cold detachment. ¡°Unless I¡¯m dead.¡± Emma didn¡¯t immediately summon security. She waited, wary of the swarm of reporters outside who might twist Grace¡¯s words. She discreetly organized a ride, ensuring Grace was safely sent home without further incident. Back in her own lounge, Allison felt bone-deep exhaustion. She could brush off the vile words that cluttered the inte, but she couldn¡¯t ignore the plead from Grace, the woman she used to call mom. Emma, sensing Allison¡¯s weariness, came closer. ¡°Don¡¯t dwell on this, Allison. Take a break.¡± ¡°Emma, sometimes I feel so defeated,¡± she confessed, with a tremble in her voice. ¡°It hurts somewhere deep inside, but I can¡¯t pinpoint where or why. It¡¯s just pain, a pain I can¡¯t physically touch¡­¡± Shey down on the couch, and Emma draped a soft nket over her, taking her hand gently. ¡°Sleep, Allison. You¡¯ll feel better after some rest. I¡¯ll wake you for dinnerter.¡± Nodding weakly, Allison closed her eyes and swiftly sumbed to sleep. Her body finally yielded to the overwhelming tiredness. Emma stayed by Allison¡¯s side until she was sound asleep. She then stood up, adjusted the nket around Allison, and stepped out onto the balcony to call the driver. The driver confirmed that Grace was safely home. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Emma typed out a text and sent it to Hughes: [I might be a littlete tonight.] The reply came quickly: [Busy?] [I need to stay with my boss. She¡¯s just fallen asleep.] Emma responded. Allison woke up around 7 p.m. to the smell of dinner prepared by Emma, set out on the coffee table. After some sleep, she felt much more at ease. Her stomach growled with hunger, but her appetite was missing. ¡°Send the video to my phone,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s already there, Allison. Are you really going to release it at the press conference?¡± Allison pressed her lips together, hesitating. ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet.¡± ¡°Maybe you should send the video to Mr. Lindberg first,¡± Emma suggested. ¡°Would he believe me?¡± Allison closed her eyes. There was a fear creeping in. ¡°I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll be just like Grace, only trusting Penelope.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen. I have a feeling Mr. Lindberg cares for you, and it¡¯s not just a casual fondness¡­¡± ¡°Emma, you don¡¯t understand. Lucian and I, it¡¯s just a transaction. My body for his resources,¡± Allison said with a bitterugh. Emma shook her head adamantly. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± She said firmly, ¡°Believe me, Allison. Mr. Lindberg¡¯s feeling for you is different.¡± Chapter 569 Chapter 569 Chapter 569 Allison said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat. After we eat, I can head home on my own. You go do your thing, and don¡¯t worry about me.¡± A series of knocks echoed through the room. Emma made her way to the door, expecting to see Paige, who¡¯d mentioned she might swing by for a bite. But as the door swung open, she was taken aback to find Mr. Sears¡¯ assistant, Miguel, standing before her. Miguel, in his early thirties, with spectacles perched on his nose, was soft and gentle. He inquired, ¡°Emma, is Allison here?¡± Emma, a bit perplexed, replied, ¡°Miguel, what¡¯s up?¡± Miguel exined, ¡°Mr. Sears and I saw the lights on and figured she must still be here. He¡¯s looking to have a chat with her about some things.¡± ¡°Can it wait till morning?¡± Emma suggested. ¡°We¡¯re just about to dig into dinner and then head out.¡± But Miguel persisted, ¡°It¡¯s about that whole online buzz these past few days. Mr. Sears is concerned, you understand. We need to put a pin in it once and for all. Don¡¯t let the rumors get out of hand.¡± Emma stayed silent for a moment, knowing he had a point. She turned to look at Allison. ¡°Allison, Miguel¡¯s here to see you.¡± ¡°Emma, you go ahead. I¡¯ll drop by Mr. Sears¡¯ office,¡± Allison said, following Miguel out the door. As Emma packed up, she couldn¡¯t help but worry for Allison. She made another backup of the video on herptop, turned off the lights, and headed downstairs. Despite Allison¡¯s insistence, Emma couldn¡¯t leave just yet. She decided to wait in the car and texted Allison, ¡°I¡¯m in the parking lot waiting for you. Contact me immediately if anythinges up.¡± Hudson Sears, the deputy CEO of Epic Entertainment, had his hands full overseeing business resources. Upon reaching Hudson¡¯s office, Miguel knocked and ushered Allison in. ¡°Mr. Sears, Miss Allison is here.¡± Hudson, seated at his desk, looked up with a weing smile. ¡°Allison,e on over, have a seat. You¡¯ve been with us for a while, but we¡¯ve hardly had the chance to talk. It¡¯s nice to have a moment now.¡± Allison dressed down after a day of shooting in a simple hoodie and sweatpants. Her perfect skin was glowing naturally in the soft office light, which was a picture of understated elegance. She was puzzled. Why Hudson had called her over? During her time at thepany, she¡¯d seldom interacted with the top leaders. She mostly kept in touch with her agent Patty. Besides Mr. Vincent, who ran the show, there was Hudson, Keh handling film and TV resources, and Mr. Landry overseeing business. As Hudson warmly gestured for Allison to take a seat on the couch, he said to Miguel, ¡°You can leave us. I¡¯d like a private word with Allison, no interruptions.¡± Immediately, Miguel excused himself. Allison nced at her phone and saw Emma¡¯s message. Her brow furrowed slightly with caution. ¡°Mr. Sears, what¡¯s this about? My agent is waiting for me.¡± ¡°Your agent, Patty?¡± ¡°No, my assistant agent, Emma.¡± Upon hearing this, Hudson rxed. Patty was someone to be reckoned with, but a mere assistant This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. agent didn¡¯t weigh much in his consideration. His smile broadened as he sat closer to Allison. His thigh brushed against hers unintentionally. ¡°Allison, you¡¯ve been causing quite the stirtely, haven¡¯t you?¡± Chapter 570 Chapter 570 Was it just Allison¡¯s imagination, or was Hudson inching closer to her with every passing moment? A subtle rm bell rang in her head as she shifted discreetly to the side. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said with a hint of reservation. ¡°If my issue has caused thepany any trouble, I truly apologize.¡± Hudson, ever so casual, took out his phone. ¡°I¡¯m sure Patty must¡¯ve mentioned it, but your case is a bit tricky,¡± he said, scrolling through his device. Allison frowned. ¡°How? Patty didn¡¯t say anything.¡± Hudson looked like a gentleman on first nce. He was in his forties, slightly round in the belly, yet still in better shape than most middle-aged men. But when he smiled, it was very lewd. Allison was a little uneasy, especially after overhearing gossip about his inappropriate conduct with female actresses in the break room. Under the table, her fingers were busy texting Emma for help, hoping she would reach out to Patty. Hudson¡¯s phone now disyed several photos, and Allison¡¯s heart skipped a beat. They were those ambiguous shots of Penelope. ¡°Mr. Sears,¡± she said. Her voice was steady and firm. ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. That¡¯s not me in those photos. I¡¯ll clear this up at a press conference in three days.¡± ¡°Not you?¡± Hudson feigned surprise, reaching out to circle an arm around Allison. ¡°You know, Epic Entertainment has treated you quite well since you joined. We¡¯ve given you top-notch opportunities. But this scandal? It¡¯s damaging our reputation.¡± ¡°Mr. Sears,¡± Allison replied. Her patience was wearing thin. ¡°I¡¯ll exin everything in three days.¡± Disgusted, she stood up and brushed off his hand. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± She didn¡¯t get far before his hand snatched her waist, throwing her back onto the couch. ¡°ying the innocent, huh? A slut like you trying to act like a saint? You have slept with so many men, but now you¡¯re ying innocent and shy with me!¡± Allison sank into the soft cushions, struggling as Hudson pinned her down by the shoulders. Hisugh was growing more lecherous by the second. ¡°Struggle for me, I love it. Did you know I¡¯ve had my eye on you since you started here at Epic? You¡¯re so tempting, Allison. Those guys can¡¯t satisfy you, but I N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. can. Stick with me, and you¡¯ll have all the resources you want at Epic. A luxury brand endorsement, perhaps? Just obey me, and it¡¯s all yours.¡± As he fumbled with his belt, Allison saw her chance and kneed him hard. Had Emma received her text? Miguel was just outside, so escaping on her own seemed impossible. It was 8 PM, and Epic Entertainment was nearly deserted. Even if she screamed for help, who would dare confront Mr. Sears on her behalf? Hudson howled in agony, clutching his groin. His eyes were filled with fury. ¡°Damn bitch!¡± He lunged at her, yanking her hair back viciously. ¡°Struggle! I love to it.¡± Allison gritted her teeth. ¡°Hudson, respect yourself. You want to sleep with me? I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re out of your league!¡± Chapter 571 Chapter 571 Chapter 571 ¡°In Epic Entertainment, there¡¯s no woman I can¡¯t have. I don¡¯t care who¡¯s backing you up. Is it Keh? What¡¯s the point of sticking with that loser Keh? What can he even offer you? You should be with me. I can give you everything.¡± As he spoke, he roughly grabbed Allison¡¯s hoodie. Allison was dressed casually in a hoodie and sweatpants that day. When Hudson tried to pull it off, it didn¡¯te down easily. Frustrated, Allison twisted her body trying to break free. She hadn¡¯t expected Hudson to be so brazen, to dare to assault a female artist right in the heart of Epic Entertainment. ¡°Hudson, youy a finger on me and I swear, you won¡¯t have an easy time at Epic Entertainment!¡± ¡°Oh, listen to you, all high and mighty. Even Mr. Landry wouldn¡¯t talk to me like that. What, did Keh fill your head with promises? That jerk isn¡¯t even fit to shine my shoes. Stick with me, and you¡¯ll have ess to all the resources you could ever want. Your big-shot agent Patty has to show me respect. You¡¯re just a hooker on disy, a ything for other men. Don¡¯t y the innocent with me.¡± Hudson leaned in to kiss her. Allison resisted, twisting her neck as a wave of his foul scent hit her. She grabbed the first thing her hand found ¨C a ss tumbler a ss tumbler ¨C and hurled it at him. Hudson howled in pain. ¡°Damn, you bitch, how dare you hit me?¡± The tumbler had struck Hudson¡¯s back but didn¡¯t break. Instead, it further enraged him. He yanked at Allison¡¯s sweatpants, catching sight of her smooth, gleaming skin, which only reddened his eyes with N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. lust. ¡°You are really hot.¡± He inhaled deeply, savoring the faint scent of blossom on her. ¡°Damn, you smell good. Just give in, and you can have all benefits with me. You want a part in a big director¡¯s film, a luxury brand endorsement? It¡¯s all yours. Forget about Patty. What can she offer you? Just take care of me, and your future will be set.¡± Allison bit her lip hard. ¡°Hudson, if you touch me, you¡¯ll regret it.¡± Suddenly, there was a loud knocking at the door. Annoyed, Hudson barked, ¡°What is it? Miguel, if you¡¯re interrupting me for nothing, I swear I¡¯ll make you pay!¡± Miguel¡¯s voice was frantic from the hallway. ¡°Something happened! There¡¯s a fire!¡± What? Hudson stood up, not even bothering to pull up his pants fully as he rushed to the door. Smoke billowed outside, its origin unclear. Hudson covered his mouth and nose. ¡°It¡¯s a fire, Mr. Sears! We must go. It¡¯s spreading!¡± Hudson ran off with Miguel. The smoke slowly invaded the office, choking Allison. She coughed and tried to sit up, using the couch¡¯s armrest for support. Despite her disheveled appearance, she was still decently clothed. She exhaled a sigh of relief, astonished that Hudson would dare to do such a thing at Epic Entertainment. She gritted her teeth and covered her mouth and nose, making her way out. The smoke was thick and suffocating. She could barely see and found it hard to navigate. Her phone was ringing incessantly. Allison answered, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Emma! Allison, where are you?¡± ¡°I just left Hudson¡¯s office.¡± ¡°Wait for me. I¡¯lle to you. Don¡¯t worry. The smoke¡¯s not dangerous, just irritating. Find a corner and stay there!¡± About five minutester, Emma arrived, steadying Allison and handing her a sachet ofvender to hold under her nose, which made the air seem much fresher. Emma led her to the elevator. Allison was confused. ¡°Are we not supposed to use the elevator in case of a fire?¡± Chapter 572 Chapter 572 Chapter 572 Emma said, ¡°There wasn¡¯t an actual fire. When you texted me, something felt off. This Hudson has a This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. history of preying on female artists, but he always manages to calm the storm by dangling opportunities in front of them. Some of the lesser-known actresses are even willing to throw themselves at him, trading their dignity for a shot at fame. It¡¯s an open secret in the industry. I never thought Hudson would be bold enough to try something with you.¡± As the elevator descended towards the underground parking lot, Emma nced at Allison, taking in her still intact appearance, and breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°You¡¯re okay, and that¡¯s what matters. When Miguel came to fetch you for Hudson, I had a hunch and set up a smoke bomb in the building. As soon as your message came through, I triggered it. That Hudson is afraid of death. The moment he thought there was a fire, he forgot everything else and ran for it. He didn¡¯t even bother with his pants.¡± Allison got into her car and rolled down the window, inhaling the fresh air, feeling her heartbeat slow down. The entertainment world was a murky swamp, and securing a ce in it required more than she had ever imagined. She had wanted nothing more than to act, to y the roles she loved, unfettered and free. But there were always those who would force her into a corner. Penelope¡¯s malice. Grace¡¯s desperate pleas. Leah¡¯s threats. And Hudson¡¯s harassment. As the car drove through the city streets, Emma spoke up, ¡°The smoke at Epic Entertainment should¡¯ve cleared out by now. That gadget I bought can only hold up for a few minutes. I bet Hudson has figured it out by now.¡± Meanwhile, Hudson, in his underwear, had made it to the 16th floor. Although there weren¡¯t many employees around, a few who were workingte screamed at the sight, mistaking him for a pervert. Miguel quickly stepped in front of Hudson, barking at the staff, ¡°What are you screaming at? Get lost!¡± Hudson¡¯s face was livid with anger. He had not gotten Allison, and now his employees had seen him in his current state. He cursed, ¡°That damn bitch yed us!¡± Without another word, he strode toward the elevator and pressed the button for the 18th floor. Miguel hurriedly said, ¡°Mr. Sears, the office¡­ there was a fire alert.¡± ¡°The hell with it! We¡¯ve been yed by that bitch Allison. There was no fire! She¡¯s making fools of us!¡± Emerging from the elevator, Hudson stormed towards his office. Along the way, he spotted several smoke devices and kicked them aside. The few staff members who had been working overtime had scattered because of the fire scare, and some had even called the police. Hudson had just changed into his pants when the sound of approaching fire engines echoed from below. He instructed Miguel, ¡°You handle it.¡± Ten minutester, Miguel returned to find Hudson kicking a sofa in a rage. ¡°Damn, she messed with me like that. I¡¯ll show her!¡± ¡°Mr. Sears, don¡¯t get worked up over nothing. Allison is still under our thumb as long as she¡¯s with Epic Entertainment. No point getting angry over one woman. I¡¯ve arranged for Brooklyn toe over. Help you cool down.¡± Hudson inhaled deeply. The air was still tinged with the smell of smoke and a faint hint of cherry blossoms, which was a reminder of Allison. He seemed to be almost intoxicated as he sat down on the sofa. ¡°That woman is a natural siren. Her skin is so delicate and smooth. It¡¯s a shame she¡¯s with Keh. To me, Keh is nothing but a jester, banking on someone¡¯s favor, isn¡¯t he?¡± Chapter 573 Chapter 573 Chapter 573 Miguel said, ¡°So, Allison¡¯s got Keh on her side, huh? No wonder she¡¯s got such great gigs. Word on the street is she¡¯s nailed a role in Wade¡¯s next film. But Keh?¡± He promptly turned to butter up Hudson, ¡°Inparison to you, he¡¯s not even worth the dirt under your fingernails.¡± Brooklyn sauntered in a sexy way, ¡°Mr. Sears.¡± She was a mid-tier actress at Epic Entertainment. Although she often yed supporting roles or leads in cheap web series, her sry was nothing to scoff at. With a few endorsements and live-streaming gigs, she was living the good life. Brooklyn made herselffortable on Hudson¡¯sps. ¡°Oh, Mr. Sears, missing me? Is that why you asked me toe over sote?¡± ¡°My sweet thing.¡± Hudson quickly flipped, pinning the woman beneath him. Taking the hint, Miguel quietly closed the office door behind him as he left. ¡°When I messaged you, I told you to find Patty. Where is she?¡± ¡°Patty¡­ I couldn¡¯t reach her. I tried calling her twice, but no answer.¡± They had just parked the car. Allison and Emma walked up the stairs. Exiting the elevator, Emma¡¯s phone rang. It was Patty. Emma nced at the caller ID and Allison signaled for her to answer. Patty¡¯s voice came through, This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°Emma, I saw you called. Is everything alright?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s been handled,¡± Emma replied. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Patty said. ¡°I was in the shower and left my phone outside. I didn¡¯t hear it ring. d it¡¯s resolved.¡± After hanging up, Emma turned to Allison. ¡°I think Patty just lied.¡± They were already back home. Allison opened the fridge, grabbed a bottle of water, and took a few sips. The cool water geemed to rx her a bit. She looked at Emma, ¡°How do you know she lied?¡± Emma was just specting. ¡°Well, when I went downstairs earlier, I stopped by the restroom, and Paige was there too. I was in the stall and overheard Paige on the phone with her, saying she saw you enter Mr. Sears¡¯ office.¡± Paige was Patty¡¯s spy, which was something Allison had always been aware of. But Paige was also Allison¡¯s assistant and treated her quite well overall. She was efficient and got things done promptly. So, Allison was good to Paige too, turning a blind eye to the constant tattling to Patty. Paige never betrayed her outright before. Patty knew about Allison¡¯s visit to Mr. Sears¡¯ office yet intentionally ignored Emma¡¯s calls. If Emma hadn¡¯t been clever, using a smoke device to confuse Hudson, Allison would surely have been at his mercy by now. Patty, oh Patty. She was cunning, but it backfired. There are no secrets that time does not reveal. Allison understood Patty¡¯s game. Patty pretended to be supportive on the surface because she was afraid of the formidable Lucian backing Allison. However, she also wanted to keep Allison under her thumb, to control herpletely. The first slip-up had been early on. Allison had a few encounters with Charlie, which Paige reported to Patty. Patty had casually mentioned it several times. The implication was clear: she didn¡¯t want Allison to get too cozy with Charlie. Allison hadn¡¯t thought much of it then, but now, it was clear. Patty was not entirely trustworthy. Chapter 574 Chapter 574 Chapter 574 Emma seemed to realize it. She looked a little shocked. ¡°Allison, you don¡¯t think Patty would do that, do you?¡± ¡°She¡¯s after power. She¡¯s smart, surely, but sometimes she¡¯s too smart for her own good.¡± Emma nodded earnestly. ¡°Allison, I swear I won¡¯t betray you. You brought me up in this circle from scratch. No matter what happens, I¡¯m on your side.¡± ¡°Allison.¡± Emma¡¯s eyes gleamed with determination as she clenched her fists. ¡°I am ready to stand by you for life, to be your agent.¡± Allison smiled slightly. ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯ve got some fishfingers in the fridge. I¡¯ll fry some up. We¡¯ve barely eaten tonight, and Hudson gave us a headache. But let¡¯s focus on our next move.¡± Emma chimed in, ¡°Let me do it. Forget the fishfingers. I¡¯ll whip up some peste for you. Let you try my cooking skills.¡± Fifteen minutester. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Allison and Emme sat at the dining table. There were two steaming tes of pasta between them. This was simple, but the vors were spot-on. Allison took a bite andplimented, ¡°Em, your pasta is so delicious. Some guy¡¯s gonna be so lucky one day.¡± Emma blushed. ¡°That lucky guy is still nowhere to be seen.¡± ¡°Emma, the road ahead might get tough. Are you with me?¡± ¡°Absolutely. Even if you leave Epic Entertainment, I¡¯d follow you to anypany.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that foolish, and neither should you be. Breaking contract isn¡¯t a joke.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s our next move?¡± Emma asked. Her big eyes were filled with a mix of determination and curiosity. ¡°The press conference in three days. Are you really going to release Penelope¡¯s video?¡± Allison knew the stakes; she was just bluffing when she told Grace she¡¯d release it. ¡°Do you know any hotshot video editors who can work magic?* ¡°¡­¡± Emma hesitated, not really knowing anyone, but she was willing to find someone. ¡°TII figure something out.¡± ¡°Good¡± Allison confessed, ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. It¡¯s just me against Penelope right now.¡± She had told Grace she¡¯d release the video in a moment of anger. Of course, she wanted to release it, but in three days? it might not be the right time. ¡°Where¡¯s Robbie now?¡± ¡°At the Blue Club,¡± Emma responded immediately. ¡°The owner¡¯s keeping an eye on Robbie. No trouble there, and he¡¯s off the radar for now.¡± Emma continued, ¡°The other guy in the video is Tanner. I¡¯m worried if they can¡¯t get to Robbie, they might try Tanner. What if they bribe him?¡± ¡°Tanner¡¯s an only child of the Ramsel family, and they¡¯re famous in the fashion industry, way bigger than the nagans. Mrs. Ramsel is a force to be reckoned with. With Tanner as her only son, Penelope won¡¯t get far with the Ramsels.¡± Allison¡¯s thoughts drifted back to high school, when she¡¯d just returned home, sneaking through the nagans¡¯ side entrance. Chapter 575 Chapter 575 Chapter 575 Margo stopped her and wanted her to clean the floor. She was mopping the floor with a mop. Upstairs, the unmistakable sounds of Tanner and Penelope making out, filtered down. Penelope, the bold one since childhood, would bring guys home whenever the adults were out, fearless of getting caught. Back in high school, Tanner was Penelope¡¯s boyfriend. ¡°The Ramsels always looked down their noses at the nagans for not having enough clout. They also had conflicts with Leah before. Now, Leah can¡¯t very well go crawling back to Mrs. Ramsel.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s the scoop,¡± Emma murmured. Her voice was tinged with disbelief. ¡°Penelope looks so innocent, but she¡¯s really quite the¡­¡± She suddenly stopped, because the next word was too vulgar to voice. ¡°But she isn¡¯t worried about getting caught by Mr. and Mrs. nagan?¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°She¡¯s always been careful. In high school, I walked in on her bringing Tanner and her bestie home a couple of times. Her friend was her alibi. While they were upstairs, no servant ¨C not even the nagan¡¯s maid Margo ¨C could go up. I just happened to stumble upon them once.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get what Mr. Lindberg sees in her. He even has her as his fianc¨¦e,¡± Emma said under her breath, with a hint of scorn in her voice. Allison, who had been eating her pasta, paused. There was a wry smile ying on her lips. ¡°Because¡­¡± She started but seemed to rethink her words, shaking her head with a resigned chuckle. ¡°Emma, find me a hacker tomorrow. Someone who can cover their tracks. I need the rest of those unblurred photos sent to Penelope¡¯s email.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± At 11 PM, Pattyy in bed, restless. She had spoken to Emma on the phone earlier, but something felt off. There was a vague sense of unease she couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint. Sitting up, she grabbed her cell and dialed Paige. ¡°Paige, when you called earlier, was anyone around you?¡± Paige, half-asleep from being roused by the call, took a moment to recollect. She had been in the restroom at that time, unsure if anyone else had been in the next stall. She just wanted to report quickly to Patty for some praise. Now, wide awake from Patty¡¯s question, she didn¡¯t want to disappoint. ¡°No, there was no one. I was in the restroom, all by myself,¡± she said, eager to reassure. Patty exhaled in relief. ¡°Good.¡± Paige did the same on her end. ¡°Keep an eye on Allison,¡± Patty instructed. ¡°Report anything out of the ordinary.¡± After hanging up, Patty felt she might be overthinking things. Allison was not someone to cross lightly; she had Lucian backing her. Even though Allison was just his mistress, Lucian treated her well. If she learned that Paige was nted to spy on her, it could create a rift between them. However, Patty held little regard for Allison. A woman who climbed thedder through a sugar daddy wasn¡¯t worth her respect. No matter how much Lucian fancied Allison, she was just a mistress. Today he might be smitten, but who could say he wouldn¡¯t discard her the next? Patty¡¯s desire to control was strong. She wouldn¡¯t tolerate any actress that didn¡¯t follow her lead. She had to have a firm grip on them. This time, after Paige¡¯s call, she didn¡¯t rush to intervene with Hudson. Years at Epic Entertainment had taught her exactly what kind of man Hudson was. Chapter 576 Chapter 576 Chapter 576 Many young actresses under hermand had an affair with Hudson, relying on their bodies to obtain resources. She turned a blind eye. It was all part of the game. After all, who in the glittering world of showbiz didn¡¯t w their way to the top? Everyone was gunning for the juiciest roles, the fattest contracts. But Hudson was ying with fire, making moves on Allison without knowing who was backing her. Inside the walls of Epic Entertainment, only Patty and Mr. Landry knew about Lucian¡¯s role in Allison¡¯s life. Keh and Hudson were in the dark, probably thinking Allison was just another aspiring actress ripe for the picking. Patty saw an opportunity to teach both Hudson and Allison a lesson. Without her protection, Allison would be bullied, and it could give Hudson a fatal blow at the same time. In terms of seniority, Hudson might have had an edge, but when it came to skill, Patty didn¡¯t acknowledge his lead. It was high time Hudson vacated his seat as vice president in favor of her. She pulled out her private cell and dialed a number. ¡°It¡¯s me, Patty.¡± ¡°Patty? I¡¯d recognize your voice anywhere. What¡¯s up?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°You got the footage?¡± Patty asked. There was a chuckle on the other end. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll send it your way tomorrow. But don¡¯t forget what you promised¡­¡± ¡°How could I? I¡¯ve already wired you $8 million as a show of good faith. Once I¡¯m VP of Epic Entertainment, I¡¯ll bump you up to talent agent, managing some of our rising stars. Sound good?¡± ¡°Perfect. I¡¯ll hold you to that, Patty. Looking forward to your promotion.¡± The next morning found Lucian arriving at the Powell Estate. He fished out his keys and unlocked the door to find Allison still fast asleep. He made his way to the bedroom, quietly observing her peaceful features longshes, delicate skin with a hint of rose, a slight furrow in her brow as if troubled by a dream. Her fingers twitched,tching onto Lucian¡¯s hand as he approached. He gently sped her fingers, offering a soothing touch. His cool fingertips carried the chill from outside. Allison¡¯s eyes fluttered open. She had been trapped in a nightmare, sinking in a vast swamp, struggling in vain, when a hand reached out to save her. Blinking in disbelief, she saw Lucian. His touch, warm and real, brought her back to the waking world. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she murmured, still half in her dream. He bent down, nting a soft kiss on her forehead. ¡°You were having a bad dream?¡± Her eyes, slightly red-rimmed from sleep, met his. ¡°Yeah, I dreamt that a beast was chasing me, and I was running for my life. Just as I thought I had escaped, I fell into a swamp. I fought so hard but kept sinking. I was about to go under when someone grabbed my hand and pulled me out.¡± Lucian held her hand tightly. His rough fingers were tenderly stroking her wrist. He wrapped her in his arms,forting her, ¡°It¡¯s okay. It was just a nightmare. It¡¯s over now,¡± he whispered, patting her back softly. Allison, still drowsy, closed her eyes and gradually rxed into his embrace. Her breathing became even as she fell back to sleep. Lucian held her, keeping a protective hold, aware of the media storm she¡¯d been facingtely. He looked at the woman who curled up in a safe position in his arms. Her hands were clutching his arm, and her body was giving a slight shiver as if she was slipping back into a deep, dark dream. Chapter 577 Chapter 577 Chapter 577 Lucian brushed back a stray lock of hair from Allison¡¯s forehead with a gentle touch. His gaze darkened. ¡°Allison,¡± his voice was a husky whisper, ¡°don¡¯t be afraid.¡± It seemed she heard him. Her furrowed brows rxed. The buzz of his phone disrupted the moment. His phone was vibrating insistently in his pocket. He pulled it out to see ¡°Shawn¡± shing on the screen. Lucian didn¡¯t answer the call, but hung up instead. He texted Shawn, [What happened?] [I¡¯ve searched everywhere, but no sign of Robbie. It¡¯s like the guy just vanished into thin air. I found out he took a loan from Darian at high rates, but Darian says he¡¯s gone into hiding. I¡¯ve checked all of Robbie¡¯s usual haunts. No results. Feels like it¡¯s not just himying low-like someone¡¯s deliberately hiding him.] [Before I started looking, a bunch of others were after him too. One group was from Miss Allison, and her agent Emma, and another¡­ another was one of Penelope¡¯s.] Lucian read the message. Just as he suspected, Penelope¡¯s people were also on the hunt for Robbie. He knew why Allison was searching. She wanted to clear things up, to defend herself. Penelope¡­ This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. He remembered when he¡¯d gone to the Blue Club to find Robbie, the man had insisted the woman in the photo was Allison. It seemed Robbie had already been bought by Penelope. Lucian had figured out that the woman in the picture was Penelope, but he didn¡¯t want to believe it. In his mind, Penelope had always been kind-hearted; she had saved him and his mother. Now, he was told that Penelope was deceitful, cunning. He needed time to ept that. He needed solid proof before he could call off their engagement. Blue Club. Third floor office. Emma opened her eyes and sat up, hissing softly from the intense night before. Her legs still trembled from the sex. She nced at Hughes, who was still asleep. Quietly, she slipped out of bed and took the shower. The warm water eased the soreness from her body. She felt much better. The bathroom door was ajar. Hughes walked in, wrapping his arms around her. Emma pushed him away yfully. ¡°I¡¯m covered in soap.¡± ¡°You woke up and didn¡¯t call me,¡± Hughes chided. ¡°Why should I wake you?¡± Emma retorted. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s my fault for not waking sooner. Let me serve Ms. Lauren in her bath.¡± ¡°Oh, stop it. I¡¯ve got work to do.¡± ¡°Your job is to watch over a star every second? Your boss, that actress named Allison?¡± ¡°Not entirely. I¡¯ve got to review a script today, and then meet with a brand manager about an endorsement deal at noon. In the afternoon, I¡¯m with Allison for amercial shoot.¡± She couldn¡¯t trust Paige to handle it alone. She had to be there. ¡°You¡¯re quick to give orders, but I waited up for you until the wee hours.¡± Hughes nipped at her ear. Steam filled the bathroom as they settled into the bathtub. ¡°Mr. Hughes, do me a favor.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get distracted. You¡¯re thinking of business now?¡± Emma gritted her teeth. ¡°Then hurry up and let¡¯s talk after!¡± Chapter 578 Chapter 578 Chapter 578 ¡°Lauren, did anyone ever tell you not to rush a man?¡± Emma paused, looking at Hughes. ¡°No, you¡¯re the first.¡± Hughes was taken aback as well. In fact, the first time he was with Emma, he could sense that she was quite traditional. He shed a bright smile, his white teeth gleaming. ¡°Good, remember that I¡¯m the first.¡± ¡°Well, hurry up then. I really do have to go to work soon,¡± she said seriously. Hughes couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. He thought Emma wouldn¡¯te overst night, but to his surprise, she had turned up at midnight. He lifted Emma in his arms. ¡°Tell me, what do you need me to do?¡± He was really about to lose to this woman who, even in such an intimate moment, was seriously discussing work with him. Somehow, it was endearing. Emma¡¯s sses were off. Under the bathroom light, her skin had the glow of silk. Her pretty face and those bright eyes captivated Hughes, who leaned in to kiss her eyelids. Emma dodged slightly. ¡°Your stubble¡­¡± ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll make sure I shave next time, okay?¡± ¡°Do you know any hackers, maybe someone with good skills?¡± ¡°How do you rate my skills?¡± Hughes teased her, changing his movement, which made Emma frown and moan softly. ¡°I¡¯m trying to talk serious business here. Don¡¯t joke like that¡­ I¡­¡± She suddenly bit her lip, holding back the sounds rising in her throat. Her eyes were reddening a bit due to his boldness. Half an hourter, they left the bathroom. Emma was fully dressed,posed. Wrapped in a towel, Hughes opened hisptop. ¡°I¡¯m being serious too. Your request is simple. Don¡¯t worry. They won¡¯t find anything.¡± He had majored inputer science in college. He knew the ropes. Following Emma¡¯s instructions, he sent the unblurred photos to the given email address. Emma said, ¡°It¡¯s that simple?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s that simple. Rest assured. They can¡¯t trace this email¡¯s IP, not even with a top-notch hacker.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Emma said with a hint of a smile. Hughes sat in a chair watching Emma. ¡°I¡¯m curious. Why are you so good to your boss? You came to me for Robbie¡¯s sake, and now for a video. Why? Has she got something on you?¡± Emma shook her head. Hershes were drooping. ¡°She¡¯s been good to me. She helped me when I was at my lowest. Besides my mom, she¡¯s the kindest to me.¡¯ ¡°You really are easily touched. So, what do you think of me? Haven¡¯t I been good to you?¡± All packed up, Emma walked to the door carrying her bag. Her fingers touched the doorknob. At the sound of his voice, her fingers trembled. ¡°I¡¯m not frivolous, Mr. Hughes. You¡¯ve been good to me, which is why I came. I think you¡¯re a good person too.¡± Hughes had just asked casually. The sincere and heartfelt response from Emma stopped him in his tracks. Several minutes had passed since Emma left. Hughes picked up a pack of cigarettes from the table, lit N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. one, and took a few heavy drags. He exhaled a thick plume of smoke and chuckled softly to himself. Her words echoed in his mind. Chapter 579 Chapter 579 Chapter 579 He had a simple n. He just wanted to y with the woman who he found quite fetching. He believed that the game between a man and a woman was a consensual dance of desire. It had only been a few brief encounters. However, he felt like he had somehow¡­ Damn, he had fallen for her. It was 10 A.M. Hughes made his way to the Blue Club. The Blue Club only opened at night. During the day, the staff were off resting, only starting to trickle in around 3 P.M. to prepare for the evening¡¯s business. Right now, the Blue Club was empty except for him. He flicked on the lights and headed for the table. The room had been straightened out the night before. Lighting a cigarette, Hughes remembered Robbie was still up on the third floor. He climbed the stairs and knocked on the suite¡¯s door. It was opened by a woman in a sexy slip dress. Her eyes lit up at the sight of Hughes. Her voice was turning sultry. ¡°Mr. Hughes, Robbie is still sleeping.¡± Hughes exhaled a smoke ring, barely ncing at the woman as he stepped into the room. She followed him, batting her eyes. ¡°Mr. Hughes, for the past few days, Robbie and I have been good as gold. We haven¡¯t stepped out of this room.¡± She tugged at her already low neckline, revealing even more flesh. Hughes didn¡¯t even spare her a second look as he sat down on the living room couch. After a couple of N?velDrama.Org ? content. puffs, he stubbed the cigarette out in an ashtray. ¡°Wake him up. I need to see Robbie.¡± The woman, stunned by his tant disregard, straightened her ample chest in frustration. Nevertheless, she went to rouse Robbie. About ten minutester, Robbie emerged from the bedroom, d in pajamas. It seemed he¡¯d been dragged out of a deep sleep. ¡°Hughes, you wanted to see me?¡± ¡°Penelope called you? You¡¯ve been hiding here. Has anyone else tried to contact you?¡± ¡°Penelope? Yeah, she rang me up, but I didn¡¯t pick up. I didn¡¯t dare. Outside the Blue Club, I¡¯m a dead man walking. Who knows what schemes Penelope¡¯s cooking up. The¡¯s got all sorts of stories, and I ain¡¯t no fool. Hughes, you ask me to stay here. It¡¯s about that Allison¡¯s thing, right?¡± ¡°Thirsty, Hughes? Have some water.¡± The woman, Abbey, not ready to give up, brought over a ss of water, setting it down on the coffee table in front of Hughes. Her dress suggested she wore nothing underneath. Hughes stood up. ¡°I don¡¯t know this Allison. I¡¯m just doing a friend a favor. You stay put here. If Penelope reaches out, let me know.¡± ¡°You got it, man. You saved my life; I owe you one.¡± After Hughes left, Robbie yfully squeezed Abbey¡¯s waist. ¡°You little slut, you couldn¡¯t wait to throw yourself at Hughes, huh?¡± Abbey let out a sultry whimper. ¡°Easy, Robbie, that hurts.¡± ¡°You just can¡¯t help yourself, can you? Parading around half-naked, and desperate for Hughes¡¯ attention. You¡¯re shameless,¡± Robbie said as he pinned her to the couch. Abbey moaned seductively, ¡°So tell me, who¡¯s prettier? Me or Penelope?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t hold a candle to Penelope¡¯s wild side. She¡¯s got tricks you haven¡¯t even dreamed of. Don¡¯t be fooled by her rank; she¡¯s a slut in the sheets.¡± Chapter 580 Chapter 580 Chapter 580 Allison opened her eyes. There was a faint blur before her eyes, which only became clear a few secondster. She attempted to sit up, only to find that an arm was wrapped around her waist, and one of her hands was held firmly in a man¡¯s grasp. Turning her head, she realized she was snuggled into Lucian¡¯s embrace. She had just dreamt of being trapped in a swamp, but someone took her hand and pulled her to safety. After that rescue, she had fallen into a deep, nightmare-free sleep. She nced at the hand sping hers and tried to gently withdraw it. Lucian¡¯s eyes fluttered open. ¡°Awake?¡± he murmured. ¡°Mhm,¡± she replied. He tightened his grip. Allison¡¯s voice was raspy with sleep. ¡°When did you get here?¡± ¡°About an hour ago.¡± As Allison sat up, so did Lucian. His arm was stiff from her using it as a pillow. He rolled his shoulder. Allison, with a lightugh, helped to knead the stiffness away. ¡°That¡¯s what you get for putting your arm under my head.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have the nerve to wake you,¡± he said with a soft chuckle. Allison checked the time; it was already 9 a.m. She hardly ever slept in thiste, typically waking up like clockwork at 7:30. She looked at Lucian. ¡°Could you¡­ step out? I need to change.¡± He raised an eyebrow. ¡°You know, there isn¡¯t an inch of you I haven¡¯t seen.¡± Allison was unyielding. ¡°Please, just go out.¡± How could she change with him there? Lucian¡¯s voice dropped, husky with a teasing edge. ¡°There¡¯s a mole behind your left ear, a birthmark on your right corbone, and if we¡¯re talking about the third rib down on your back¡­¡± Her cheeks med, and his voice, low and seductive, only intensified the heat. Allison ducked her head. ¡°Oh, Lucian, stop it!¡± He wrapped his arms around her, silencing her protests with a kiss. They tumbled back onto the bed. His lips were finding her jawline. ¡°Every part of you, I¡¯ve seen, and touched¡­ Allison, do you realize how hard it is to resist you when you y shy?¡± His gaze burned into her, and though the words were unspoken, the intent was clear. With reddened cheeks, she yfully hit his chest. Lucianughed and captured her lips once more. ¡°Lucian¡­ I haven¡¯t showered yet¡­¡± ¡°No need.¡± ¡°I want a shower,¡± Allison murmured, resisting lightly. Her eyes were still rimmed with sleep. Little did she know how irresistible she looked to him at that moment. Her hair was tousled, and her pajama neckline was askew and revealing smooth skin flushed with a peachy pink. Her breathy, kittenish voice of protest was so sexy. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Two hourster¡­ Lucian, fully dressed andposed, nced at the woman on the bed. She was covered only by a nket, out of breath and energy. Her eyes were still slightly red. He smiled gently. ¡°Still mad? Come on, let¡¯s get some food. I¡¯m all yours today. We can do whatever you want. Is that okay?¡± He stroked her chin with his long fingers, bending down to ce a tender kiss on her forehead. His voice was as soft as the gesture. ¡°All right, no more being upset. I¡¯m sorry if I hurt you. Let¡¯s go out to eat. It¡¯s my treat, and the day is yours to n.¡± Allison pushed his hand away, not quite ready to believe his sweet nothings. He had promised it would be quick, but it turned into a whirlwind of passion. Her pajamas was torn, and their sex moved from the bed to the sofa. They even did it against the wall. It was in a dance of intensity. She shot him a re. ¡°Fine, then step out. I need to change.¡± Chapter 581 Chapter 581 Chapter 581 Lucian let out a low chuckle as he stepped out. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Allison wasn¡¯t exactly eager to dine out. Lately, she felt like she was the eye of a media hurricane, afraid that a simple meal in public could turn into an episode of unwanted attention and gossip. To her surprise, Lucian had booked the entire restaurant for her. They were on the 33rd floor. It was open-air, and they could enjoy a panoramic view of Northfield¡¯s cityscape. ¡°Dear guests, your meal is served. Please, enjoy,¡± the waiter said with a practiced smile. ¡°Lucian,¡± Allison began, ¡°you said today is all about me.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t really want to go anywhere. Why don¡¯t you head to work instead?¡± She felt that no matter where she went, she would stir up quite themotion. Lucian watched her, noticing the hint of gloom in her demeanor. ¡°Let¡¯s eat up, and then I¡¯ll take you somewhere special.¡± ¡°Where?¡± she asked curiously. ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± At two in the afternoon, Lucian drove swiftly to the East Bay Marina in an hour. Allison leaned out of the car window, taking in the salty sea breeze. ¡°What are we doing at the beach?¡± she inquired. Lucian got out of the car, and Allison followed suit, wrapping a scarf around her face and donning sunsses to blend in with the crowd. As the coastal wind yed with her light pink scarf, she adjusted it and boarded the boat beside Lucian. Only then did Allison realize they were headed to Pearl Ind. Returning to the ind brought a wave of nostalgia. She remembered herst visit, getting lost in its dense forests. The ferry took just over twenty minutes to reach the central hotel, a towering establishment owned by the prestigious Lindberg Corporation. Taking her hand, Lucian said, ¡°A lot has developed here over the year. Last time, it was all just beginning. Now, every project is nearpletion. You must be tired. Let¡¯s rest for a bit, have some afternoon tea, and then I¡¯ll take you to a ce.¡± They enjoyed a quaint afternoon tea at the hotel, and Lucian had arranged everything in advance. The staff, impably professional, treated Allison without a hint of gossip or spection. Looking out the window, Allison was greeted by the sight of the endless sea. The fresh ocean breeze was wafting through. Pearl Ind lived up to its name, renowned for its pearls. Almost the entire East Bay Marina was under the Lindberg Corporation¡¯s umbre, and Pearl Ind was the jewel in the crown for their jewelry A 15-minute yacht rideter, they arrived at the ind, which had transformed significantly since Allison¡¯s previous visit. Besides the manicured forests, there was now a processing nt nearby, most likely for pearls. Allison could still vividly recall getting nearly lost in that very forest until this man came to her rescue. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte; we can¡¯t venture deep into the forest since it¡¯s been sealed off. Let¡¯s visit the pearl factory instead. You can see the entire process of how pearls are made. Lindberg Corporation¡¯s Beloved Collection has just beenpleted this month. Let¡¯s go have a look,¡± Lucian suggested. Allison followed him to the pearl factory, which was also open to tourists. Designing your own jewelry with freshly harvested pearls was a coveted pastime among the elitedies of high society. After touring the facility, Allison chose a numbered oyster. A staff member promptly handed it to her. Following the worker¡¯s demonstration, she pried open the shell to reveal a delicate pink pearl, which was lustrous andrge. It shimmered softly in the waning sunlight, casting a radiant and gentle glow. Chapter 582 Chapter 582 Chapter 582 The staff member chuckled, ¡°Miss, you must have a lucky star shining on you today. This pearl is a top- notch pink pearl, perfectly suited toplement your radiantplexion if it¡¯s set into a pendant.¡± Allison gazed at the pink pearl resting in her palm. It was roughly the size of a thumbnail, and perfectly round with a soft pink hue. It was a pure and natural saltwater pearl, without any post-harvest N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. enhancements. Its value, she surmised, would be considerable. With a yful nce towards the man standing nearby, she teased, ¡°Mr. Lindberg, are you presenting this to me as a gift?¡± Lucian reached into his pocket, pulling out an empty wallet. ¡°Sorry, what if I haven¡¯t brought any money?¡± Allison pouted, ¡°Then you¡¯ll just have to stay here and work it off.¡± Lucian sighed dramatically, ¡°Oh, how long would I have to toil away here to earn this pearl? If we both stay and work, it might go faster.¡± As he spoke, he caught Allison¡¯s hand with the pink pearl still in it, gently enclosing both in his grip. His hand was holding hers. Hers was holding the pearl. On the beach, bathed in the glow of the setting sun, they embraced. The staff, sensing the moment, tactfully made themselves scarce, leaving the two some space. That evening, Lucian and Allison dined at the restaurant on the third floor of a luxury cruise ship docked in the harbor. This ship was among the priciest ferries in the entire bay, boasting six decks and typically reserved for VIP clientele. Tonight, it was just Lucian and Allison aboard. The phonograph yed a melodious tune. Crystal chandeliers cast a bright light tinged with a soft golden glow, which was warm and inviting. The windows were open. The faintly briny sea breeze wafted in, and tossed Allison¡¯s hair gently. Lucian remarked, ¡°I heard you¡¯re nning a press conference next week.¡± Allison nodded. ¡°Yes. There¡¯s been a misunderstanding about something I supposedly did, so I need to set the record straight.¡± Her eyes were resolute. The man interrupted calmly, ¡°No need for that. I¡¯ve taken care of canceling it for you.¡± Allison stared at him incredulously as he continued to dine. He was now cutting the steak for her. She remained silent for several minutes before asking, ¡°Why?¡± Lucian replied, ¡°The issue you¡¯re dealing with is nearly resolved. A press conference would only escte the public furor, making headlines the next day. Typical societal news fades in three days; people¡¯s memories aren¡¯t that long. Time is the best eraser. You just focus on your acting and leave the rest to settle itself.¡± Allison bit her lip slightly. ¡°But why should I suffer nder for something I didn¡¯t do? The person in those photos isn¡¯t me. Why should admit to something I didn¡¯tmit? I have evidence to prove my innocence. Why shouldn¡¯t I hold that press conference? Why should I ept me for something I¡¯ve never done?¡± ¡°Allison,¡± Lucian said, ¡°you¡¯re being stubborn. I¡¯m doing this for your own good.¡± ¡°For my good? By making me admit to things live never done?¡± Allison felt hurt. Her good mood from the day had vanished. She stared at the steak being offered to her, feeling no appetite. She only felt a sense of greasiness. ¡°Lucian, don¡¯t you believe me?¡± He looked into her reddening eyes and faltered, ¡°I believe you.¡± ¡°If you believe me, then why won¡¯t you let me clear my name?¡± Lucian looked at her. His expression wasplex. ¡°Let¡¯s just let this matter go. It won¡¯t affect you.¡± Chapter 583 Chapter 583 Chapter 583 Allison rose to her feet. Her voice was tinged with incredulity. ¡°So, you know the girl in the photo is Penelope. Why the hell are you still covering for her? It doesn¡¯t affect me? If I release this video, it¡¯s game over for Penelope. She won¡¯t have aeback. No way to y the darling future Mrs. Lindberg, right? So isn¡¯t everything you¡¯re doing just for Penelope?¡± Lucian¡¯s gaze narrowed as he watched her lose herposure. He called out firmly, ¡°Allison!¡± She whipped out her phone and yed the video. The explicit, unfiltered scene of Penelope entangled with several men filled the screen, apanied by her moans. Lucian¡¯s eyes narrowed further, and his hands turned into fists. ¡°Allison, enough!¡± She stepped back, and let out a hollowugh. ¡°So, you acknowledge this woman is Penelope. This scandalous woman is Penelope, but you¡¯re still going to help her? Afraid I¡¯ll post it online and ruin her reputation? Is that why you promised me a whole day, and took me out to have fun? In this way, you could convince me to cancel the press conference, to squash the video release?¡± Lucian understood that she was deeply mistaken about him, but he couldn¡¯t exin the truth to Allison right now. His feelings for Penelope had long since turned cold; she had deceived him for too long and even framed Allison, causing him to misunderstand her. But Penelope¡­ She had once saved his life. And his mother¡¯s. His mother, Miranda, had been suffering from a chronic illness these past few days. If she saw the video, it might worsen her condition. Moreover, with an engagement binding him to Penelope, any damage to her reputation would also harm the Lindberg Corporation. If that happened, George might seize the opportunity, and the struggle for control of the corporation would be thrown into turmoil. He owed Penelope for saving him and his mother. That debt would be repaid. After that, he¡¯d find a way to break off the engagement. The only woman he wanted to marry was Allison, the woman standing before him. ¡°Allison, I¡¯ll exin everything to youter,¡± Lucian reassured her. ¡°I know don¡¯t you understand right now, but I hope you can trust me.¡± He had already managed to quell the online gossip; nobody was talking about Allison anymore. In half a year, theizens would likely forget it, and with good work, Allison¡¯s reputation would recover. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. After a long moment of silence, Allison said, ¡°I need to use the restroom.¡± After saying that, she turned and made her way to thedies¡¯ room. Inside the restaurant, Lucian clenched his fists. Without a perfect n, he could only hope to temporarily cate Allison. Once he broke off the engagement with Penelope, he could how to give Allison the grandest, mostvish wedding. In the restroom, Allison cranked the faucet full st, finally allowing herself to cry. Grace had pleaded on her knees for Penelope, but Allison didn¡¯t cry. Now, Allison couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. The people she loved, the people who had cared for her, they all interceded for Penelope. She had endured days of public scrutiny and countless insults, but even though she had the evidence to prove her innocence, she was now expected to discard it. They all protected Penelope, even knowing her promiscuous ways. Staring into the overflowing sink, she bowed her head, submerging her face and holding her breath. The suffocating sensation crept over her. And yet, Allison didn¡¯t lift her head. Chapter 584 Chapter 584 Chapter 584 As the blinding white light engulfed her vision and the suffocating feeling crept up her nerves, Allison N?velDrama.Org ? content. gasped for air. Fresh oxygen rushed in as she lifted her face. Her breaths were heavy and desperate. In the mirror, she stared at her reflection ¨C a pitiful,ughable figure. She wiped her face and hair clean, reapplied her makeup to look as before, and headed back to the table. Taking her seat again, Allison seemed to have left the past behind, wearing a faint smile like a mask. ¡°Lucian, I¡¯ll listen to you,¡± she said. Lucian had been worried sick that Allison would be upset or give him the cold shoulder, but seeing her smile now, he felt a weight lift off his chest. He gently took her hand and kissed it softly. ¡°Allison, I promise you, I¡¯ll give you a surprise one day, a surprise so grand, it will sweep you off your feet.¡± He was nning the wedding of the century for her. Allison couldn¡¯t muster a genuine smile; her eyes were void of happiness. It seemed she¡¯s a natural actor. Her lips curved into a smile, and her voice was now sweet as honey. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. ¡± That night, they didn¡¯t rush back home. Instead, Lucian led her to the ship¡¯s deck. Just after 9 PM, suddenly, the sky erupted with brilliant fireworks, which made the night look like day. Allison was momentarily stunned by the dazzling disy. There was a soft glow in her eyes. ¡°Do you like it?¡± Lucian whispered closely to her ear. Her eyes widened in surprise. ¡°You did this?¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± he replied in a voice of joyful satisfaction as he saw the light in her think it¡¯s beautiful?¡± She nodded. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful. I love it.¡± She did love it. Who wouldn¡¯t admire such a beautiful scene? But her heart had grown cold. All affection was just a veneer. eyes. ¡°Do you To the side, where he couldn¡¯t see, her gaze dropped, devoid of any light, cold and indifferent. The fireworks blooming had nothing to do with her. She was just a passerby. Lucian made a call and then came over, covering Allison¡¯s eyes with his hands. ¡°Wait a second.¡± Darkness enveloped her vision, and she blinked, unustomed to the sudden change. His palm was warm and dry, faintly scented with tobo. She reached out, grasping his arm. Her long eyshes brushed against his palm, prompting Lucian to look down. ¡°Just a moment, I¡¯ll count down from five.¡± ¡°Five, four, three, two, one¡­¡± He released his hands. The sight before her was as bright as day. Fireworks twinkled across the night sky, a vibrant disy. Shapes formed and blossomed, ¡°Happy Birthday¡± spelled out before Allison. Secondster, they faded, reced by another burst of fireworks. For fifteen minutes, the fireworks raced to bloom in the night sky. After the silence of the night returned, a fleet of drones formed the image of a young girl in the sky, with the words ¡°Happy Birthday, may you be carefree¡± next to it. ¡°Allison, happy birthday.¡± Lucian stood by her side. His arm was around her waist. As the sea breeze carried his words to her ear, she realized that today was indeed her birthday. She had forgotten her own birthday. ¡°I¡­¡± Allison felt a sudden tightness in her chest. Under the brilliant night sky, she looked up to see Lucian¡¯s clear, distinguished profile. The sharp line of his nose, and his captivating eyes. She had seen his beautiful face countless times, but each time it stirred something deep within her. Chapter 585 Chapter 585 Chapter 585 Just when she felt like she was at the end of her rope, utterly hopeless, he gave her these tiny glimpses of hope. Tonight, he asked her to cancel the press conference. He wanted to help Penelope. She was furious, distressed, and her heart was cold and dead, but now, amidst a glorious fireworks disy, it was ignited once again. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Why did he always have this power over her heart? ¡°Lucian, what am I to you, really?¡± she thought. ¡°Is it¡­ my birthday?¡± He nipped at the tip of her ear with a teasing punishment. ¡°Allison, tell me, you didn¡¯t forget your own birthday?¡± She gave him a wry smile and nodded. ¡°I think I really did forget.¡± When she started out in showbiz, thepany made her change her birthday. The date they released to the public was a few months after her real birthday. It seemed all the stars would do it to avoid their personal details getting out. She didn¡¯t touch her age, just changed the month, but she never told Lucian. It wasn¡¯t Allison¡¯s real birthday. Her actual, honest-to-goodness birthday was the same day as Penelope¡¯s. Penelope and Allison were born on the same day, but Leah thought it was bad luck. Therefore, she had Grace change it, who bumped it up a bit. The irony was that Allison was the true nagan heiress. It wasughable. Even her birthday was not real. The fireworks had faded now, but the drone-crafted message still hung in the air: ¡°Happy Birthday, may you be carefree.¡± ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll be there for your every birthday, Allison. For the future, I¡¯ll be with you,¡± he said, wrapping his arms around her from behind. He¡¯d misunderstood her so often in the past, but gradually, she had crept deep into his heart. He was now facing his own feelings. He liked her, and wanted her by his side for a lifetime. Allison stared up at the night sky, lost in thought. Lucian, the eternal iceman, rarely spilled his heart out. He even nned it with efforts. However, Allison was just staring at the sky. He chuckled, and bit her earlobe slightly, bringing Allison back to reality with a wince. ¡°Did you not hear what I just said?¡± There was a hint of dissatisfaction and hurt in his voice. Allison really hadn¡¯t heard him. ¡°Sorry, I was just¡­ spaced out.¡± He sighed, ¡°You scatterbrain, can¡¯t even remember your own birthday. What I said was¡­ I want to be with you on your birthdays from now on.¡± Allison smiled, turning to wrap her arms around his waist. ¡°Did you make time especially for today?¡± Lucian¡¯s lips curled into a half-smile. ¡°What else?¡± He¡¯d been dealing with a tough problem at work, but nothing was going to stop him from nning her birthday. If it had not been for those messed-up photos, things would have been even better. Allison wouldn¡¯t have to be upset, and Lucian wouldn¡¯t nearlye to blows with her over Penelope. He¡¯d already asked people to track down the source of those photos and the ount that posted them. Results should be in any minute. Allison buried her face in his chest. Lucian¡¯s heartbeat was clear in her ears. Biting her lip, Allison slowly closed her eyes, savoring this moment of peace. ¡°Of course, I love that you¡¯re here to celebrate with me. I just don¡¯t want to waste your time.¡± Chapter 586 Chapter 586 Chapter 586 Lucian sped her fingers. His other arm was wrapping around her to pull her closer. Allison¡¯s body was pressed against his. ¡°You know how precious my time is, but I want to spend it celebrating your birthday with you,¡± he said. His dark eyes softened with tenderness. He bent down to scoop her up. ¡°So, during this precious time, we should do something meaningful.¡± Allison¡¯s hair danced in the ocean breeze, and her smile was dreamy and intoxicating. Lucian looked at her and felt as if she was a siren, luring him into her spell. He was truly ensnared; N?velDrama.Org ? content. there was no escaping for him in his whole life. For the first time, he felt an intense desire to possess a woman. His Allison, belonged to him alone. At the stroke of midnight, the Blue Club was at the height of its poprity. Situated behind the bustling Northfield Main Street, the ce was alive with vibrant lights. Despite its worn-out sign, Blue Club was always buzzing with energy, and its owner, Hughes, was shrouded in mystery. All that was known was that four years ago, this club appeared out of nowhere. Hughes¡¯ background was enigmatic, and hisbat skills were formidable. When a group of local thugs came to extort protection money, Hughes single-handedly fought off half a dozen brawny men. The thugs were left sprawled in disarray, while Hughes only sustained minor injuries. After that, the local thugs didn¡¯t dare trouble Hughes again. The street had its share of thugs, most with their own backing, and they all spoke of a man named Konnor. Despite a few scuffles, Hughes respected the street¡¯s rules and made a point of maintaining a rtionship with Konnor each year. Konnor was in his forties. He looked quite schrly with his long hair, and could easily be mistaken for an art film director or a university professor. He spoke gently, unlike his subordinates who were prone to vulgarities. But beneath his refined exteriory ruthless tactics that made the entire underworld tremble at the mention of his name. The Blue Club stood on a street that was both dazzlingly lit and shrouded in intriguing darkness. Directly across was the opulent Red Jack Club Inside one of Red Jack Club¡¯s private rooms, Konnor puffed on a cigar, eyeing the young man across from him. ¡°Mr. Pete, speak your mind ¡° Pete was straightforward T¡¯m looking for someone. A trail leads to your man, Darian, but Darian¡¯s lips are sealed tight. He was probably paid off for his silence. I¡¯m hoping, Konnor, you¡¯ll do me the honor of prying him open.¡± Konnor replied, ¡°That simple.¡± Pete added, ¡°I¡¯ve known you for years, and you know my temperament. I don¡¯t beat around the bush.¡± Konnor looked up. An underling leaned in, ¡°Boss, I¡¯ll fetch Darian right away.¡± Konnor nodded. ¡°Hmm, make it quick. Don¡¯t keep our friend waiting.¡± The underling nodded in agreement. Darian was at a club, having lost three rounds of poker. His mood was far from pleasant. When his phone rang, he answered with irritation, ¡°What?¡± But his tone changed instantly upon recognizing the voice on the other end. ¡°Oh, Hughes, what¡¯s up? Ah, Konnor wants to see me? I¡¯ll be right there, right away.¡± Hanging up, he left the poker table in haste, ordering his driver to take him straight to the meeting. On the way, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder, what did Konnor want with him? Chapter 587 Chapter 587 Chapter 587 Darian was puzzled as he made his way to the Red Jack Club. He hadn¡¯t been involved in any trouble Upon entering the VIP room, he saw Konnor with a young man by his side. It was a face he didn¡¯t recognize yet seemed oddly familiar. Approaching Konnor, he asked, ¡°Konnor, you wanted to see me about something?¡± Konnor shed a smile. ¡°This is Mr. Pete. He¡¯s looking for you.¡± Pete got straight to the point. ¡°I¡¯m trying to track someone down.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s someone on these streets, I know it, Darian boasted. ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± ¡°Robbie,¡± Pete replied. Darian¡¯s expression shifted at the mention of the name. Pete noticed the change. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Darian? Is this a tough ask?¡± Darian was silent for a moment. Konnor prodded, ¡°Darian, what¡¯s going on, man?¡± Darian confessed, ¡°Konnor, you don¡¯t know the half of it. Robbie owes me one hundred thousand. I had him cornered, but then someone vouched for him. They made me promise not to spill his whereabouts, and I agreed. A man¡¯s word is his bond around here.¡± And to make matters moreplicated, Darian was under Hughes¡¯ thumb. Pete offered a deal, ¡°Name your price, Darian. I¡¯ll make it worth your while.¡± But Darian was in a bind. He had taken Hughes¡¯ cash, promised him a favor, but now, if he sold Robbie out to someone else, he¡¯d be done for in this town. Cursing Hughes under his breath for leaving him this mess, hemented that Hughes had taken Robbie off his hands for a hefty sum, leaving him with this dilemma. ¡°Dude, I can¡¯t,¡± Darian finally said. ¡°I made a promise¡­¡± Konnor beckoned, ¡°Come closer, Darian. Tell me.¡± Darian whispered Hughes¡¯ name into Konnor¡¯s ear. Konnor¡¯s demeanor immediately turned grave. ¡°Pete, I¡¯d like to help you out, but I¡¯m in a tough spot here too.¡± Pete felt a chill. Who was this person that even Konnor was wary of? Could it be that someone from Lucian¡¯s side had gotten to Robbie? That would be trouble. If Lucian¡¯s people found out what Penelope had been up to, she would be abandoned by the Lindberg family. And if that happened, Pete and his father¡¯s ns would be dead in the water. They were in the same boat and needed to keep Penelope¡¯s secrets at all costs. ¡°Konnor,¡± Pete pressed, ¡°I¡¯ll hand back the South Bright District¡¯s underground casino to you if you tell me where Robbie is.¡± That casino had been a juicy steak Pete had wrestled from Konnor. Pete almost lost his life if not for David¡¯s protection and the might of Lindberg Corp behind him. To make amends, David had N?velDrama.Org ? content. Now, with Pete needing a favor from Konnor, he was willing to give up that lucrative piece back. Konnor¡¯s eyes lit up with greed and conflict. He weighed his options, wanting the South Bright District casino but not wanting to cross Hughes. He told Pete, ¡°Give me a couple of days. I¡¯ll bring you the man, but I need to n this carefully.¡± Pete rose to his feet. ¡°Two days max, Konnor. I can¡¯t wait any longer.¡± This was urgent. Unable to find Robbie, Pete couldn¡¯t find peace for even a second. Chapter 588 Chapter 588 Chapter 588 It was clear that going after Tanner directly was a no-go. The photo had cropped him out, making him virtually untraceable. The Ramsels were a force to be reckoned with, As a son of the Lindberg family¡¯s butler, he wasn¡¯t in a position to challenge them. Robbie was the weak link. As long as Robbie was silenced, the whole messy affair would be smothered for good. Konnor vowed, ¡°Alright, in two days, I¡¯ll bring Robbie to you.¡± Once Pete left, Konnor huddled with his crew to hash out the details. Darian asked, ¡°Boss, what happened? Who was that guy? Why¡¯s everyone looking for Robbie these days?¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. In the past few days, waves of people hade knocking, desperate for a lead on Robbie¡¯s whereabouts. Konnor replied with a warning tone, ¡°That¡¯s a guy we can¡¯t afford to cross.¡± Darian, not the sharpest tool in the shed, shot back, ¡°Can¡¯t afford to cross? I might as well just spill the beans on Robbie to him.¡± After all, his own life was top priority. Little did he know, just by agreeing to one of Hughes¡¯ requests, he had stirred up a ho¡¯s nest. Konnor dismissed him with a wave, ¡°Just get out of here, Darian, and stay out of this mess.¡± Darian stormed out of the Red Jack Club, spitting on the ground in disgust. ¡°Damn it! Summoning me on such short notice, not even offering me a ss of water.¡± He hopped in the car, and his underling immediately asked, ¡°Boss, we are heading back to hit the poker tables?¡± ¡°Forget it. I¡¯m not in the mood,¡± Darian cursed under his breath. ¡°Gather some of the guys; we¡¯re going to give Hughes a piece of our mind at the Blue Club tonight.¡± Hughes had invited way too much trouble into his life. And Darian was itching to let off some steam. His underling nodded, ready to follow orders. The Blue Club was winding down around 5 AM, with the staff busy cleaning up the floors and private rooms. The front desk was closed to customers. That was when a group of burly men d in ck barged into the Blue Club. The receptionist tried to exin, ¡°Sorry, gents, we¡¯re closed.¡± But they were adamant about cracking open a bottle in one of the private rooms. The receptionist was at a loss, ¡°We¡¯re really not serving anyone right now. It¡¯s daylight.¡± Some staff members approached, trying to block the men. Suddenly, one of the intruders pped a staff member across the face. ¡°Closed? What the hell you mean you¡¯re closed? What a bummer. Boys, let¡¯s show how we do it!¡± It was all just a pretext for a brawl. Furniture flew. Bottles shattered. The floor was littered with broken ss. Upstairs, Bryan rushed to Hughes, ¡°Hughes, Hughes, we got trouble downstairs, man.¡± Hughes, who had just finished showering and was about to rest, quickly dressed. His hair was still dripping wet, partially obscuring his handsome features. ¡°What¡¯s up? Who are these guys?¡± Bryan replied, ¡°No clue. They seem like thugs. They hit hard. Our boys, they¡¯re just regr folks. Can¡¯t stand up to ¡¯em. Looks like it was nned.¡± Hughes narrowed his eyes. The water droplets were falling from his locks. ¡°Great, it¡¯s been a while since someone dared to cause a ruckus here.¡± They descended the stairs. Surveying the chaos below, Hughes called out, ¡°Who do we have here? How about you introduce yourselves, so I can know who¡¯s paid us a visit?¡± The leader of the group eyed Hughes, with his boot pressing down on one of the employees. With a kick, the employee cried out in pain. Hughes frowned and stepped forward, ¡°Whatever you want,e at me. These are just regr workers. Let them go.¡± Chapter 589 Chapter 589 Chapter 589 As soon as the thug dropped his guard, Bryan lunged forward to help the fallen staff member to his feet. ¡°You okay, man?¡± ¡°Bryan,¡± the employee gasped, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Bryan shook his head. ¡°Not your fault. Where did you get hit?¡± The Blue Club had its share of tough guys. They were friends of Hughes who could handle themselves in any brawl. But it also employed regr people who just worked there for a paycheck. Now, seeing his crew roughed up like this, Hughes was seeing red. His fists clenched tight. He told Bryan, ¡°Get them to the hospital.¡± ¡°You sure you can handle this alone?¡± Bryan asked, with concern marking his features. With a ned from Hughes, Bryan ushered the injured away, leaving without interference. Tthese goons were here for Hughes, not the small fries. Hughes sneered as two of his buddies took up positions beside him. ¡°Hughes, these guys mean business, looking for trouble on purpose.¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. The leader of the opposing group stepped forward. ¡°You¡¯re Hughes?¡± Hughes¡¯ face turned to ice. ¡°Seems I¡¯ve unwittingly crossed someone. What¡¯s this payback for?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. You crossed the wrong people, and we¡¯re just here to collect,¡± the thug snapped his fingers. ¡°Tear this ce apart!¡± Chaos erupted once more in the bar. Hughes kicked out, sending a goon flying, and then grabbed a beer bottle, smashing it over another attacker¡¯s head. He was outnumbered but fighting fiercely. The leader, surprised by his strength, saw his men faltering. But the numbers were against Hughes, and soon enough, he took some hits. That was when Bryan returned, throwing himself into the fray. Hughes dodged a punch and hurled a ss across the room. ¡°What are you doing here, Bryan? Looking to get beat up?¡± Bryan gritted his teeth. ¡°I might not be the best fighter, but I can help!¡± Hughesnded a punch that floored another thug. He walked over and punched some more. ¡°I¡¯ll show you what happens when you mess with the Blue Club. You¡¯ll be lucky to leave here breathing!¡± The tide was turning against the attackers, and the leader was growing desperate. ¡°Finish this and I¡¯ll treat you all,¡± he roared, but his voice betrayed his fear. Bryan got pinned down by a couple of punks. Weak inbat, he crouched, covering his belly from the kicks and punches. Hughes took down his opponent and leapt to kick away Bryan¡¯s attackers, helping him up. ¡°Bro, cops are on their way. We¡¯re outnumbered. We can¡¯t hold them off.¡± Suddenly, Bryan¡¯s eyes widened in horror. ¡°Hughes, watch out!¡± He lunged to shield Hughes, just as a glint of steel spun through the air, but Hughes was quicker, shoving Bryan aside. The sickening sound of de piercing flesh echoed through the turmoil. Pain engulfed Hughes, and his face turned ghostly pale. With eyes wide with shock and agony, heshed out. He turned around and punched the man behind him in the chin. ¡°Hughes!!¡± Bryan cried out in terror. He reached out to steady Hughes, whose strength was quickly fading. Chapter 590 Chapter 590 Chapter 590 A dagger was buried deep in Hughes¡¯ back, and blood began to pour out, creating al crimson pool on the floor of the bar. Bryan let out a roar. Everyone else in the bar was stunned. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. The leader of the men in ck hadn¡¯t expected one of his own to take things this far. They were just supposed to rough up Hughes a bit, not turn it into a murder scene. Panicking, he gestured wildly, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Move it, now!¡± The one who¡¯d wielded the knife was rooted to the spot. A heavy p from the leader jolted him back to reality. ¡°What are you waiting for? You want to get locked up? Move it. We¡¯ve made a real mess here!¡± The group immediately ran away in a panic. Hughes felt an excruciating pain spread from his back. Reaching behind, his hand was. soaked in his own blood. Bryan¡¯s frantic voice was in his ears. Hughes managed a weak nce at Bryan before his eyes slid shut. ¡°Hughes!¡± The other employees rushed over. ¡°Mr. Hughes!¡± ¡°Mr. Hughes!!¡± Inside a battered silver van, several men in ck suits mbered aboard in a frenzy. The man in the passenger seat barked, ¡°Drive,e on, now!¡± The driver turned the key, but in the panic, the engine wouldn¡¯t start. The man beside him, fueled by adrenaline, kicked the driver in frustration. Grabbing his phone, he dialed frantically, ¡°Darian, we¡¯re in deep trouble.¡± ¡°What¡¯s got you all worked up?¡± Darian¡¯s voice came through, irate and groggy. ¡°If there is nothing serious, I swear I¡¯ll make you regret waking me up.¡± ¡°We stabbed a guy. One of the boys knifed Hughes.¡± Darian gasped, ¡°What?¡± He paused, and then asked, ¡°Is he dead?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know, Darian. What do we do? We did this for you, man.¡± ¡°You did it for me? Did I ever tell you to stab anyone? I just wanted you to give Hughes a scare. Now you¡¯reing to me to clean up your mess?¡± At 10 am, Emma received a message from Patty, ¡°The press conference is cancelled.¡± Confused, Emma was ready to object when Patty cut in, ¡°It wasn¡¯t my call to cancel. Allison should have informed you. Didn¡¯t she?¡± Patty let out a scornfulugh, ¡°Seems like you¡¯re not the favorite, huh? She didn¡¯t tell you?¡± Leaving Patty¡¯s office, Emma immediately dialed Allison. ¡°Allison, Patty told me the press conference is cancelled.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Despite knowing she shouldn¡¯t pry into Allison¡¯s personal life, Emma couldn¡¯t help herself. ¡°Why?¡± There was a heavy silence on the other end. ¡°Because, he decided it¡¯s off.¡± ¡°He?¡± It took Emma a moment to realize the ¡°he¡± must be Mr. Lindberg. But why? Sensing Allison¡¯s mood through the phone, Emma bit her lip. ¡°So, we¡¯re just going to let this go?¡± Allison sounded exhausted, ¡°Yeah, if he says no, then it¡¯s a no. Ridiculous, isn¡¯t it? I find itughable too. He knows the girl in the video is Penelope, and he¡¯s seen it, but he¡¯s still protecting her.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Allison,¡± Emma tried to reassure her. ¡°This doesn¡¯t matter to us. I forgot to mention. The team did some monitoring, and the online rumors towards you have already started to subside.¡± Chapter 591 Chapter 591 Chapter 591 ¡°It¡¯s just trying to silence someone. That¡¯s all it is, Emma. For the first time, I feel so powerless.¡± ¡°Look, Allison, I get it. I really do. Back in the day, when I came out alone to work hard, my boyfriend dumped me for my cousin. I felt like a walking punchline. Allison, you just need some rest, okay? All this media circus will blow over. You¡¯re starting on that new movie this Friday. We¡¯re in this for the career, girl! Men? They¡¯re not worth your brain space! Forget about that jerk!¡± ¡°Yeah, everything will pass.¡± Allison repeated softly. After hanging up, Emma let out a long sigh and opened herptop. Photos and videos of Penelope cluttered her screen. How could Lucian be so blind? Penelope¡¯s messy private life was no secret, yet Lucian still stood up for her. Around 10 a.m. Emma received a call from an unknown number. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Hi, is this Emma?¡± ¡°Speaking. Who¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m a friend of Hughes. He¡¯s been hurt. Can youe over?¡± ¡°Hurt?¡± Emma shot to her feet. At the hospital. Hughes had just been moved out of the ICU after a four-hour emergency ordeal the previous night. His vital signs were finally stabilizing. Bryan and a few buddies were waiting outside, all visibly relieved. ¡°Let¡¯s close the Blue Club for a week to renovate. We won¡¯t open for business,¡± Bryan instructed his friends. ¡°Jayden, you handle that. And for the staff injuredst night, make sure they¡¯re taken care of. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. We¡¯ll cover the hospital bills and give them some extra for their trouble.¡± ¡°Got it, boss.¡± ¡°Boss, who were those guys in ck anyway?¡± one of his friends couldn¡¯t help but ask. Bryan was clueless. They hade prepared, ready to fight at the drop of a hat, probably targeting Hughes. But if Hughes had recently offended someone, Bryan was in the dark about it. Bryan lit a cigarette. ¡°Look, I¡¯ll stay here. You guys must be tired. Go home, clean up, and get some rest. You might not have been stabbed, but you¡¯re bound to have some bruises afterst night¡¯s brawl. Come backter.¡± ¡°Alright, boss. We¡¯ll head out. Call us when Hughes wakes up!¡± The hospital corridors were bustling with activity. Emma stepped out of the elevator and headed straight to the nurse¡¯s station. ¡°Excuse me, could you tell me where the patient admittedst night is? The one with dyed blond hair, tall, slim¡­¡± ¡°Oh, him? Are you family? A friend?¡± ¡°Just a friend.¡± . ¡°He was in a bad wayst night. He lost a lot of blood. Lucky for him, the knife missed the vital organs. He¡¯s out of the ICU, in room 12, bed B.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Emma said before heading to room 12. At the door, she saw a young man squatting, with a cigarette dangling from his lips. He took a drag, but when a passing nurse reminded him smoking wasn¡¯t allowed, he shed an apologetic smile and snuffed it out. Emma recognized him. He worked at Blue Club and was a good friend of Hughes, but she didn¡¯t know his name. Chapter 592 Chapter 592 Chapter 592 Emma made her way across the sterile hospital corridor. Her concern was etched in the fine lines of sweat on her brow. ¡°How¡¯s Hughes doing?¡± she asked. Her voice wasced with worry. Bryan looked up, with a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. ¡°You¡¯re here. He¡¯s hanging in there, and hasn¡¯t woken up yet though. Doctor says he shoulde around by this afternoon. All going well.¡± He noticed Emma¡¯s perspiration, which was a clear sign of her haste. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to be at work this morning? Talent agents like you are always on the go, aren¡¯t they? I mean, if you were free, sure, pop in to see him, but you didn¡¯t need to rush over. Like, if you were heading to the grocery store and happened to be passing by the hospital, that would¡¯ve been a perfect time to drop in.¡± Emma brushed off Bryan¡¯s teasing. ¡°Can I see him?¡± she inquired. Her tone was serious. ¡°Sure, go right ahead.¡± She pushed open the door to the hospital room and stepped inside. Hughesy there, in a patchwork of tubes and wires. His pale face was ashen like a ghost, a deep unconsciousness enveloping him. Emma had only met this man a few times, shared a few nights, but the news of his injury had stirred a sadness within her. Despite hisatose state, Emma quietly pulled up a chair beside the bed. She watched him, propping her chin with one hand, contemting the man whoy in a medicated slumber. His breathing was almost imperceptible. The rhythmic beeping of the monitors was the only sign of the life force within him. ¡°You always boasted about being tough, didn¡¯t you?¡± Emma whispered softly. ¡°Look at you now. Seems like those were just tall tales.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t always y the hero.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. After a few minutes at his bedside, Emma stood and left the room. As Bryan had pointed out, her life as a talent agent was hectic, and breaks were a luxury she seldom enjoyed. Moreover, with the recent media frenzy surrounding Allison, the pressure was mounting. That morning, Emma had an appointment with a national beverage brand manager to discuss an endorsement deal. Checking her watch, she turned back to Bryan. ¡°What happened to Hughesst night? How did he get hurt?¡± Knowing that Hughes ran a bar that sometimes catered to rough crowds, Emma suspected some kind of brawl. Perhaps an argument had escted, and he¡¯d taken a knife for his trouble. Bryan shook his head. His expression was somber. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It was near closing time when a group barged in and started a fight, trashing a bunch of chairs at the Blue Club. Hughes and I rushed down, and it seemed they were specifically targeting him. One of the bastards pulled a switchde.¡± Emma¡¯s lips pressed into a thin line. ¡°Did he cross somebody recently?¡± ¡°Not that I know of,¡± Bryan replied. ¡°He¡¯s been keeping to himself these days.¡± In the office. ¡°Patty, I¡¯ve sent everything over. Don¡¯t forget your promise,¡± Miguel said, standing at the threshold of Patty¡¯s office. Patty looked up from her paperwork. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t forget,¡± she assured him. As Miguel left, Charlie watched it from a distance. Her intuition was tingling with suspicion. It wasn¡¯t paranoia; there had to be something between Miguel and Patty. Everyone knew Miguel was Mr. Sears¡¯ right-hand man. Could it be that Mr. Sears and Patty were conspiring together? Holding her coffee, Charlie returned to her office just as her assistant Analia came in. ¡°Charlie, Julia¡¯s agent reached out. She says Mr. Sears is harassing Julia. Just now, he called Julia into his office under the pretense of work, but it was a clear case of harassment¡­¡± Chapter 593 Chapter 593 Chapter 593 ¡°Ugh, typical Hudson,¡± Charlie muttered with disdain. Hudson had a notorious reputation for harassing some unknown actresses, and it seemed he couldn¡¯t resist the fresh meat that Epic Entertainment had just signed. Julia, a new dancer under Charlie¡¯s wing, had already caught his eye, much to her dismay. Analia chimed in, ¡°Mr. Sears is just like that, and there¡¯s little we can do except warn our talent to just bear with it. After all, he¡¯s got a lot of clout with the business side of Epic Entertainment.¡± Gritting her teeth, Charlie spat out, ¡°I¡¯m sick of swallowing this bitter pill.¡± Patty was a force to be reckoned with at Epic Entertainment. Even Mr. Sears had to show her some respect. But for Charlie herself? Last time, Hudson had the audacity to try on her! ¡°If I ever catch him red-handed, he¡¯s finished!¡± She had been putting up with Hudson for too long, but she also needed him. Without Hudson¡¯s influence, she couldn¡¯t stand up to Patty. The thought of Patty always getting the upper hand made Charlie exhale heavily. ¡°Tell Julia to smarten up and don¡¯t stir up trouble. Throw her a bone, like a magazine feature or a bit part in a TV show. Let¡¯s call it even.¡± Analia nodded. ¡°But Charlie, this isn¡¯t the first time Mr. Sears has preyed on our artists. I¡¯ve heard some of the newbies hassle them¡­¡± Charlie took a sip of her coffee and set it down with a thud. She sneered, ¡°If they want to run to Patty so badly, then let them go!¡± She thought, ¡°Patty, oh Patty, you better hope I don¡¯t find dirt on you, because you¡¯ll be the first one I¡¯ll take down.¡± Analia hesitated, as if there was more to say. Charlie nced at her. ¡°Spit it out. Don¡¯t beat around the bush.¡± ¡°One of my informants overheard something this morning at Emma¡¯s. Apparently, Allison has evidence that proves she¡¯s not the person in those photos. They were nning a press conference, but it got cancelled.¡± Charlie pondered, ¡°Cancelled? Whose idea was that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but there¡¯s been some tension between Patty and Allisontely over this.¡± A smirk crossed Charlie¡¯s lips. ¡°Patty¡¯s trying to get her ws into Allison, but that¡¯s easier said than done. Allison may look gentle and easygoing, but she¡¯s tough to deal with. She¡¯s sharp. Getting bitten by her means real pain.¡± ¡°You know, Allison¡¯s short-sighted for choosing Patty as her agent. Patty¡¯s just using Allison¡¯s backing as a stepping stone. She¡¯s not truly looking out for Allison. She says she cares, but all the while, she¡¯s ying her own game. Rejecting you was Allison¡¯s biggest mistake.¡± ¡°Analia, get Emma in here.¡± ¡°Emma¡¯s out, not in the office.¡± Charlie swiveled in her office chair, musing, ¡°What could Miguel be discussing with Patty in her office? Maybe it¡¯s something to do with Mr. Sears?¡± Analia suggested, ¡°I could try to find out.¡± Charlie shook her head. ¡°Patty¡¯s too cautious. Didn¡¯t you see Miguel was carrying documents, under the guise of signing papers? We won¡¯t learn anything.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Chapter 594 Chapter 594 Chapter 594 ¡°You just said, you¡¯ve got word that Allison has evidence in her hands?¡± ¡°Yeah, it took some serious sweet-talking to pry that out of Paige. That woman¡¯s lips are sealed tighter than Fort Knox. I gave a handbag to her for gathering the information.¡± ¡°Paige is one of Patty¡¯s pawns, so if she knows, Patty definitely does. So tell me, why hasn¡¯t Patty let Allison call a press conference to clear her name? Not only is she not clearing the air, but there¡¯s not even a peep on Twitter denying the allegations. It¡¯s like she¡¯s content to let this whole mess just fade away with time, reduce the heat.¡± ¡°Why would she do that?¡± Analia was genuinely puzzled. ¡°Because, my dear, Patty can¡¯t afford to cross Penelope.¡± Analia still didn¡¯t get it. ¡°What does Penelope have to do with any of this?¡± ¡°Analia, you¡¯ve been at my side for years now. Don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t recognize Penelope in those This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. scandalous photos.¡± Analia¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Penelope? Why would someone like her get involved in such sordid affairs?¡± ¡°Just like you, most people can¡¯t fathom it, so they dismiss the idea of Penelope being involved right away. Even when the face in those pictures is a spitting image of hers. After all, the ount that leaked them pointed straight at Allison.¡± Analia gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. ¡°It really is Penelope? My God, she¡¯s wealthy, and Lucian¡¯s fianc¨¦e¡­ why would she do something like this?¡± ¡°How should we know? But even with the evidence in Allison¡¯s hands, Patty¡¯s still ying it safe. She is probably scared of offending Penelope. Patty¡¯s always been a schemer, calcting every move.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s Patty¡¯s game. She¡¯s clever, trying to keep Allison under her thumb for the support of her backers, yet not wanting to upset Penelope. Does she really think she can have her cake and eat it too?¡± Charlie smirked. Her lips were curling with disdain. ¡°Those who are too greedy end up with nothing.¡± Turning to Analia, she said, ¡°You better go check on Julia. Make sure the new signings are settled in too.¡± Once Analia had left, Charlie booted up herputer and pulled out a USB drive from the deepest corner of her drawer. She plugged it in and, as if remembering something crucial, stood up to lock the door before returning to her desk. On the drive was a video. She clicked y, and the screen showed the inside of a car. Inside, a man and a woman were lost in ecstasy. She could faintly hear muffled voices. Due to the distance, the footage wasn¡¯t clear until she zoomed in to make out a woman¡¯s high heel slipping off and falling to the ground. Beside the car, there was a wheelchair. The camera then flickered, scanning the surroundings ¨C an empty parking garage. Only a few cars were there, and all were covered in dust yet unmistakably luxury cars. Clearly, this was a high-end privatemunity. Despite the distance and muffled sounds, the woman¡¯s moans and the man¡¯s voice were discemible after some audio enhancement. Any investigation would reveal one thing: that woman was Penelope. Charlie watched the video, astonished that her well-intentioned visit to the nagan family to check on Penelope¡¯s health had led her to stumble upon this scene in the Chapter 595 Chapter 595 Chapter 595 The video on the screen was of Penelope with Pete, who was the son of the Lindberg family¡¯s butler. If this video got out, it could fetch a pretty penny. But right now, Charlie wasn¡¯t after money. She wanted leverage at Epic Entertainment. From the start, she figured this video woulde in handy someday. And that day hade sooner than expected. Charlie secured the video carefully, knowing it was time for a little chat with Allison. This time, she was confident Allison wouldn¡¯t turn her down. Patty might be too chicken to cross Penelope, but Charlie wasn¡¯t. If this video got out, Penelope could kiss her dream of marrying into the Lindbergs goodbye, and Lucian would stop defending her. At the Lindberg estate. Miranda had been feeling under the weathertely and had ventured to the church early in the morning to pray, donate, and listen to the sermon. She even had lunch there, observing a day of quiet reflection and prayer. She didn¡¯t return until the afternoon. Martha had prepared some afternoon tea. ¡°Madam, please have something to eat.¡± ¡°And Carter?¡± ¡°Mr. Lucian has returned. He¡¯s upstairs. Mr. Carter just woke up from his nap. They¡¯re in the study.¡± Miranda took a sip of her jasmine tea. ¡°Lucian is back?¡± A spark of joy lit up her eyes. Martha smiled as she poured more tea. ¡°He just got back not ten minutes ago.¡± Miranda said, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him in a few days. Good he remembers the way home.¡± Martha continued, ¡°Ms. nagan called earlier saying she made some delicious cake and would bring some over soon. Should be on her way by now, almost here.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Miranda set down her teacup. ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s going through Lucian¡¯s head? He agreed to the engagement with Penelope, but keeps putting off setting a date. My health¡¯s not getting any better, and I just want to hold my grandchild.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of time, Madam. Don¡¯t worry.¡± While Martha spoke, the doorbell rang, and there stood Margo pushing Penelope in a wheelchair. Penelope held a box of pastries in her hands. ¡°Miranda, I heard you¡¯ve been feeling poorly, so I baked some treats for you to try.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Miranda looked at Penelope with a smile. Her gaze was falling to Penelope¡¯s legs. ¡°How are you? Much better, I hope? Nearly back to normal?¡± Penelope replied, ¡°I¡¯m alright. Thanks for your concern. Miranda, I noticed Lucian¡¯s car outside. Is he back?¡± Miranda said, ¡°You two must be telepathic, so fated. Lucian just got back about ten minutes ago, and here you are. He¡¯s in Carter¡¯s study upstairs.¡± Penelope nced upwards. ¡°Miranda, try the cake I made with my own hands. Let me know what you think?¡± She had made sure the servants prepared it to perfection. Miranda loved the vor of this kind of cake. It was a delicacy from Nova Haven that was hard toe by in the north. ¡°Penelope, your baking skills are getting better and better.¡± ¡°Miranda, if you like it, I¡¯ll bring you more tomorrow.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯d love that. I¡¯m just worried about you. You¡¯ve just recovered and here you are baking for me. Don¡¯t overdo it. Rest well, and recover fully. Then, I can look forward to holding a grandchild sooner.¡± Chapter 596 Chapter 596 Chapter 596 Pink crept up Penelope¡¯s cheeks as she spoke with a hint of shyness, ¡°Oh, Miranda, it¡¯s really up to Lucian, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m all ears for his take.¡± Miranda chuckled warmly, taking in Penelope¡¯s endearing ways. Despite her asional bouts of high spirits, Miranda found it all quite normal. After all, Penelope had saved both Lucian and herself. The debt of gratitude weighed heavily on Miranda¡¯s heart. If it hadn¡¯t been for Penelope¡¯s quick thinking, Miranda herself might have been the oneid up in the hospital. The thought of all that Penelope had endured in her stead was heart-wrenching. It was just a shame that her son now harbored such a strong aversion to marriage. She felt helpless. Meanwhile, in the study¡­ ¡°You know, Lucian, I¡¯m not one to rush you, but since you¡¯ve alreadymitted to this marriage, we hold our word as bond. If you intend to back out, you¡¯d best have a solid reason,¡± Carter said with a piercing gaze that saw right through to Lucian¡¯s inner turmoil. Lucian nodded slightly. ¡°I understand, Grandfather. Just give me a little time.¡± Carter continued, ¡°Your marriage is a significant matter, not to be taken lightly. You imed that Penelope saved your life and begged to marry her. At first, I doubted the nagans, given their modest background, but you were insistent, and I relented. Penelope¡¯s got a bit of sass, which is normal enough for a girl raised in a rich family. If there are small tiffs between you two, just show a little patience, my boy.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Grandfather, I¡­¡± Lucian¡¯s voice trailed off. His smile was tinged with a hint of bitterness. ¡°I¡¯m having second thoughts.¡± ¡°Oh? Might I ask why?¡± Lucian hesitated, but Carter¡¯s sharp intellect soon cut to the chase, ¡°It¡¯s because of Allison, isn¡¯t it?¡± Without holding back, Lucian nodded in affirmation. ¡°Grandfather, I want to marry Allison.¡± Carter¡¯s expression turned grave. ¡°Are you serious, Lucian?¡± ¡°Utterly serious,¡± Lucian affirmed. Carter studied the resolve in his grandson¡¯s eyes and sighed, ¡°Penelope suffered greatly to save your mother. She lost a child, broke her leg, her arm¡­ She just recovered. If you try to break off this engagement, you¡¯ll be the eye of a public storm, the target of scorn. You¡¯ll bebeled heartless, a betrayer. Not to mention, the Lindberg Corporation¡¯s shares could take a hit, and even I might not be able to shield you.¡± He admired his grandson and had always intended for Lucian to take the reins of the Lindberg Corporation. Among his grandsons, Lucian was the one who reminded him. most of himself. Though George waspetent, he still fell short of Lucian¡¯s caliber. Carter was well aware of the shadowy battles within the corporation. If Lucian called off. the engagement with Penelope, bolstered by public outcry, certain shareholders would surely challenge him. At such a time, George would seize the opportunity to rise. This was clear to both Lucian and Carter. Naturally, Carter disapproved of Lucian¡¯s intentions. ¡°Lucian, unless you can find a suitable reason. Lucian understood all too well. ¡°You may care for Allison, but you don¡¯t have to marry her. A man should prioritize his career. You do have affection for Penelope; she saved you and your mother, and she lost a child in the process. You owe her respect. A man must be responsible for his actions. Allison can be¡­ someone you care for from a distance.¡± Lucian¡¯s fists clenched tightly. ¡°I want to marry her, to give her the status she deserves, to put my mind at ease. I want Allison to be my wife, just like how you cherished Grandmother.¡± Chapter 597 Chapter 597 Chapter 597 Carter was visibly shaken. When the topic of Lucian¡¯s grandmother was broached, Carter suddenly fell silent. Several minutes passed before he heaved a long sigh. ¡°That¡¯s it for today, I¡¯m tired,¡± he said wearily. Lucian stepped out of the study. Inside the study, Carter sank into the couch, with eyes closed, lost in the memories of his past. His grandson, Lucian, was the one who resembled him the most. Not just in business acumen, but also in rtionships. Despite remarrying, Carter could never quite shake off the memory of his first love. Lucian descended the stairs. Just reaching the second floor, he spotted his mother with Penelope sitting in the living room below. Penelope looked up. Her face lit up with a smile. ¡°Lucian.¡± Miranda, engaged in conversation with Penelope, also looked up. ¡°Lucian,e down here.¡± Lucian made his way to the living room where Lacey promptly offered him a cup of tea. ¡°Mr. Lucian, this tea is a new selection Mrs. nagan brought over. Please, have a taste.¡± Penelope¡¯s face was adorned with a delicate, almost natural-looking makeup, which was a stark contrast to her previous bold and bright styles. As Lucian¡¯s gaze fell upon her, he felt a sudden sense of illusion. Her face, it was strikingly simr to Allison¡¯s. ¡°Lucian, I¡¯ve prepared some cake. Try some,¡± Penelope said, picking up a piece and standing up to This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. hand it to him. Her leg had actually healed, but in Lucian¡¯s presence, she feigned a delicate, wounded demeanor. Taking the cake from her, Lucian urged her to sit back down. Penelope spoke softly, ¡°I know you don¡¯t like overly sweet things, so I didn¡¯t add much sugar. Tell me if you like it. If you do, I can bring some to your office tomorrow.¡± Her voice was tender, and as Lucian bit into the cake, he was hit with a wave of rity amidst his reverie. He had tasted Allison¡¯s cake before. It wasn¡¯t that he disliked sweets; it was just that the one in his mouthcked any distinctive taste. Allison¡¯s baking was sweet, but not cloying, and melted softly in the mouth. Penelope¡¯s attempt paled inparison. However, seeing the hopeful look on Penelope¡¯s face, he said, ¡°It¡¯s fine, but you shouldn¡¯t overwork yourself. You need to rest.¡± ¡°As long as you like it, a little hard work is nothing,¡± she replied. Despite Penelope¡¯s gentle demeanor, Lucian felt indifferent. He didn¡¯t sit down but instead said to his mother, ¡°Mom, I have to get back to the office. You and Penelope enjoy your chat.¡± Penelope looked somewhat downcast as Lucian prepared to leave. Miranda tried to persuade him, ¡°You¡¯ve only been back for a few minutes and you¡¯re already leaving? Are the matters at the office that urgent? You haven¡¯t been home to talk with me for ages. Even if not for my sake, you should spend some time with Penelope. She came all the way here with her leg still recovering to bring us the cake. No matter how busy you are, you shouldn¡¯t neglect Penelope.¡± Penelope¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, feigning understanding. ¡°No, don¡¯t worry about me. Lucian¡¯s work is important. I was just bored at home and decided to make some cake. Miranda, let Lucian go to work,¡± she said, turning her moist eyes to Lucian. ¡°Go ahead with your work. I¡¯ll stay here and keep Mirandapany for a while.¡± Chapter 598 Chapter 598 Chapter 598 Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Miranda watched Penelope¡¯s tender demeanor Her heart was aching with guilt. She realized her son was so thoughtless. His mind was always buried in work, neglecting Penelope. It became increasingly clear to her how gentle and understanding Penelope was. With a sigh, she shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s already 3 p.m. Lindberg Corporation clocks out at 5, and it¡¯s a half-hour drive. What¡¯s the point of working for just one more hour? Stay. Have dinner with us tonight.¡± Penelope was a shy girl, so as an elder, there were things Miranda felt she needed toy out for her son. With Miranda¡¯s words hanging in the air, Lucian couldn¡¯t bring himself to return to work. He slumped back onto the couch, and only then did Miranda feel a sense of satisfaction. She felt she had wronged Penelope enough and quickly rose to leave with Lacey, giving her son and Penelope some space. Penelope pushed herself up from the couch and settled into her wheelchair. Her voice was quivering with tears, ¡°Lucian, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ve done wrong. You¡¯ve been so distanttely, and it¡¯s scaring me. It hurts. If I¡¯ve done something, please tell me. Don¡¯t keep me at arm¡¯s length.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯ve done nothing wrong, Penelope. It¡¯s me I¡¯ve been too caught up with work and neglected your feelings,¡± Lucian said, staring at Penelope¡¯s face, which in that moment, reminded him so painfully of Allison. ¡°Penelope, you¡¯ve saved me, saved my mother, and I¡¯ve always been grateful to you.¡± He had seen Penelope¡¯s videos. He knew about the photos that had blown up on Twitter it was Penelope. The scandal that followed was orchestrated by her, framing Allison in deceit. And the initial mix-up with Allison¡¯s records? That, too, was Penelope¡¯s doing. Penelope was far from the innocent she pretended to be. She was cunning and envious. But none of that could erase the fact that she had saved him and his mother. ¡°Penelope, I can offer you a sum of money. Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to study design in France? I can get you into the best school there. Once your leg is healed, I¡¯ll send you straight over.¡± Penelope gasped, shocked by Lucian¡¯s words. It was an indirect rejection. Her heart panicked at the thought. Hadn¡¯t everything been fine? Why was Lucian suddenly suggesting she go to France? Did he no longer want to marry her? No, Penelope had schemed for so long to marry into the Lindberg family, enduring so much pain. She couldn¡¯t possibly agree. ¡°Lucian, did I do something wrong? Do you want to send me away?¡± A tear traced a path down Penelope¡¯s face, which was a picture of pitiable beauty. ¡°Penelope, this is for the best, for both of us,¡± Lucian said gently. ¡°Think about it.¡± ¡°No, Lucian, I don¡¯t want to leave you. I love you. And everyone in Northfield knows I¡¯m your fianc¨¦e. If you don¡¯t marry me, what will I do? How will I live?¡± Penelope¡¯s lips quivered, and her tears were spilling freely. ¡°Lucian, is it because of Allison?¡± Seeing his expression change, she knew Allison was at the heart of it all. Through her tears, Penelope said, ¡°Lucian, I truly love you. I don¡¯t care about Allison. She¡¯s my friend, and I can overlook your feelings for her. I¡¯m your fianc¨¦e; I¡¯ve been by your side. for so long. Lucian, I gave you my first time. How can you¡­¡± Chapter 599 Chapter 599 Chapter 599 As Lucian first heard her words, a twinge of guilt wormed through his heart, but the moment the rest of the sentence filtered through, his expression shifted. Her first time was given to him? What a joke! Penelope¡¯s private life was a mess; who knew who she¡¯d given her first time to? That video, with her tangled up with several men, yed in his mind. If it hadn¡¯t been for the fact that she saved him and his mother, he would have exposed the damn video and called off their engagement right then and there. Wait a minute¡­ Her first time¡­ Lucian¡¯s gaze hardened on Penelope. He¡¯d just returned to the country, and indeed, someone had drugged him that night. He could still vividly recall the unmistakable feel of a woman¡¯s first time. Yet, that didn¡¯t add up with Penelope¡­ Her virginity had been long gone. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. So, the burning question was Was it really Penelope? who was the woman at his side that night? Or someone else entirely? A jolt ran through him as he scrutinized her paling face. Penelope looked like a wreck. The tears were smudging her makeup, and her face was pitiful. But now, that same face seemed to be hiding something. Her eyes were darting away from his prating stare. ¡°Lucian¡­ did I say something wrong?¡± she stammered. Her voice wasced with uncertainty. A sly smile curled Lucian¡¯s, lips. His tone was unexpectedly gentle, ¡°Penelope, you said you went to the Silver Star Hotel for a friend¡¯s birthday party, right? And you just stumbled into my room by mistake, correct?¡± Her heart hammered against her chest, and her mind was racing. Had she misspoken? Her thoughts were a nk te,as she looked at him with a forced smile. ¡°Yeah, it was my friend¡¯s birthday. I never imagined I¡¯d run into you. Maybe it¡¯s fate?¡± ¡°Penelope, what¡¯s your friend¡¯s name? Since fate brought us together, I should thank them.¡± Lucian¡¯s voice remained soft, but his eyes were devoid of any warmth. Her mind h¨ªt overdrive, but it seemed to crash, unable to fabricate a name. There was no friend; it was a panic-driven lie from a previous interrogation. Crafting a believable name on the spot wasn¡¯t easy. One lie always demanded another to sustain it She replied with a pale face, ¡°It was¡­ a high school ssmate.¡± Lucian observed every flicker of panic on her face. ¡°Oh, really? But I thought you said it was a college ssmatest time.¡± Penelope¡¯s face drained of color. What? Had she said that? ¡°Ah, yeah, right, a college ssmate. I¡¯ve been so forgetful since I got discharged from the hospital. I can¡¯t seem to remember things well. Lucian¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°What was the name again? You mentioned it to me before¡­ it was¡­¡± he paused, ¡°something like Tanner, wasn¡¯t it?¡± A shiver ran through Penelope. Her cheeks felt numb, and her brain was nearly shutting down. Tanner? How did Lucian know about Tanner? When had she ever mentioned that name? Did she identally spill it? Who was Tanner? If Lucian started digging into Tanner, wouldn¡¯t all her paste to light?. Tanner was a yboy from a renowned family, and surely wouldn¡¯t cover for her. ¡°Lucian, suddenly my leg is hurting so much.¡± Penelope, increasingly desperate, feigned illness. Lucian stood up, taking hold of the wheelchair with a show of concern. ¡°Are you alright? Let me take you to the hospital.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!