Ch. 41..50

Chapter 41

When the servers saw that Aveline still hadn't shown them an invitation, they stepped forward to drag her away. Just then, someone s and pulled Aveline behind him.

"Mr. Skyler." the servers immediately became respectful upon seeing the newcomer.

Russell looked at them coolly. "What were you planning to do to my guest, hmm?"

The servers were horrified. "I'm sorry, Mr. Skyler. We didn't know this lady was with you."

Russell's tone turned icy. "Get out of my sight, and don't let me see you on this yacht again!"

The two servers hurried away, silently cursing whoever told them there was an uninvited guest. They had gotten scolded for nothing!

Russell turned to see Aveline looking a bit dazed. He smiled. "What a coincidence, we meet again."

Aveline thought to herself that on a yacht this size, it wasn't that surprising to run into someone again. But he had just helped her out, so she smiled slightly. "Thank you."

Russell's charmingly mischievous face lit up with a teasing smile. Despite his suit, he still exuded a roguish charm. "Is a verbal thank you all I get? If it weren't for me, you might have been thrown into the sea to

As he said the last few words, he leaned in closer, his tone chilling.

Aveline instinctively took a step back. "Sir..."

But before she could finish, someone grabbed her wrist with a grip so strong it felt like her bones might break.

1/3

 

"Ow!" Aveline gasped and turned to face Lucas' stern face.

"What are you doing?" Aveline asked in a low voice.

Her heart ached uncontrollably as she remembered how he stood close by with Sophia, watching her being questioned in public.

"Weren't you indifferent to how I was treated a moment ago? Now why are you here? To make yourself known?" Aveline cursed him in her thought.

Lucas ignored her and looked at Russell. "Mr. Skyler, if you have business with my wife, you can discuss it with me directly."

Russell narrowed his eyes, the teasing smile on his lips deepening." But I just said she's my date."

Lucas' voice was cold and detached. "She hasn't agreed to be your date."

"Is that so?" Russell raised an eyebrow and turned to Aveline. "Miss Young, what do you think?"

Lucas' gaze also fell on her, and his grip on her wrist tightened slightly. Her choice had always been him! It had always been this way, and he believed today would be no different. However, Aveline forcefully pulled her hand away and walked to Russell's side. "Yes, I am this gentleman's date."

Lucas' expression instantly turned cold, and an invisible pressure filled the air around him, making the atmosphere heavy and tense.

Aveline straightened up, realizing that Lucas was angry.

But so what? Russell had helped her out, and she couldn't let him down.

As for Lucas... Ha! Who cares about him?

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Chapter 42

Lucas' dark eyes stared intently at their backs, a chilling aura growing around him, making others afraid to approach.

"Lucas."

Sophia walked over, her face filled with concern as she looked at him. "Are you alright?"

She frowned. "What does Miss Young mean by this? Although you're about to divorce, she is still your wife. How could she show you no respect at all? Walking away with Mr. Skyler, it's outrageous." Lucas withdrew his gaze indifferently and said calmly, "I have something to attend to, I'll be leaving first."

Without looking at Sophia's expression, he turned and walked away in another direction.

Sophia's expression froze slightly.

She felt a sense of crisis.

Aveline clearly had a special place in Lucas's heart.

How could this be?

She had worked so hard to get where she was today, even losing a leg in the process. She absolutely couldn't let anyone take her place!

On the other side, Aveline looked at Russell. "Mr. Skyler, I'll treat you to a meal another day, but I have something important to do now, so I can't accompany you."

Russell replied, "You don't have my number. How will you treat me to a meal? Is it just an empty promise?"

 

Aveline asked, "Do you have a pen?"

Russell took a fountain pen out of his suit pocket and handed it to her.

Aveline unscrewed the pen cap, looked around, and finally said, Excuse me," before writing her phone number directly on his shirt.

"Call this number when the time comes." Aveline handed the pen. back to him and added, "You can also bring this shirt to me for washing then." Russell was momentarily stunned by her actions.

When she leaned in to write her number on his shirt, a faint fragrance from her reached him, making him feel a bit uneasy.

No woman had ever dared to get this close to him before.

Ha!

This Aveline seemed to be breaking many of his firsts.

He took the pen, and Aveline turned and walked away without hesitation.

She had to find Henry!

That was her goal for tonight; as for chatting with the young man, that could wait.

She went straight in the direction Henry had left. When she reached. the entrance, she was stopped, as entry was by invitation only.

Aveline had no choice but to wait at the door.

Time passed bit by bit, the night growing deeper, and the starry sky over the sea was undoubtedly beautiful, with twinkling stars that inspired awe.

 

As the number of people on the deck dwindled, Aveline dared not leave, fearing she might miss this opportunity if she left.

Eventually, she curled up in a corner, constantly watching the

entrance.

The night wind on the sea was very cold, and Aveline shivered, hugging herself tightly. Her head felt heavy, and she kept nodding off while squatting in the corner.

Half asleep and half awake, a familiar-scented coat fell on her. She instinctively grabbed the coat and wrapped herself a bit more tightly. The scent around her nose made her feel very at ease.

It was Lu's coat.

When the daylight broke, Aveline opened her eyes and realized she had fallen asleep in the corner!

She stood up, supporting herself against the wall, the warmth of the coat making her pause. Looking down, she saw it was a man's suit jacket.

It was Lucas' coat; she had seen him wearing it last night.

She clutched the coat, deep in thought. At that moment, she heard some noises in the distance. A few people were coming out, heading towards the deck.

Among them was Henry.

Chapter 43 Aveline wasn't concerned about when Lucas was there to give her the coat; she immediately ran towards Henry.

"Mr. Brighton, I'm sorry, just give me one minute. After that, your can decide if you want to hear more."

Henry looked at the girl standing in front of him, feeling she seemed familiar. Seeing her face pale from the cold, he finally stopped. "Alright, one minute."

However, he wasn't overly kind, so he lifted his wristwatch and started timing.

Aveline took a deep breath and began explaining her ideas and thoughts.

Time passed slowly...

At some point, Henry stopped checking his watch and watched Aveline with interest instead.

When she finally stopped, she smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I got a bit carried away and went over time..."

Ten minutes had passed. She had only covered the key points; explaining the entire plan and concept would take a whole morning.

Henry nodded approvingly. "Your ideas are indeed impressive."

Aveline bowed to him. "Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I hope you'll reconsider the partnership. After all, something genuine is always better than something stolen."

"Hahaha!"

Henry laughed heartily. "Well said. I like your personality. You're very talented. Have you ever thought about working with us?"

Aveline was stunned. "Mr. Brighton, if I leave now, I'll be blamed for everything. I don't want to bring that stigma to your company."

Henry nodded. "Good thinking. Go back and wait for my response."

Aveline nodded. "Alright, I won't take up any more of your time. Enjoy the sunrise."

She turned and left, exhaling deeply.

This hurdle, if nothing unexpected happened, should be cleared.

Aveline wrapped Lucas's coat tighter around herself, shivering as the cold finally hit her.

After breakfast, the cruise ship would return to port.

Aveline looked at the coat in her hands, her eyes filled with bitterness and her face pale. She slowly sipped her hot water.

It was getting harder for her to understand Lucas.

When the ship docked, Aveline left immediately, not even bothering to claim her pay. She just wanted to get back to the company and wait for Henry's response.

As soon as Aveline returned, the receptionist called out to her.

Aveline walked over and asked, "What's up?"

The receptionist said, "You have a call."

Aveline picked up the phone, "Hello, this is Aveline Young."

"I'm Mr. Brighton's assistant. Are you free at the moment? I'd like to discuss the collaboration."

Aveline's eyes lit up. "Yes, I'm free!"

She hung up the phone, grabbed the contract, and headed straight to Brighton Enterprises.

The collaboration was successfully finalized, lifting a weight off Aveline's mind. When she returned to the company and stood in front of the elevator, a cold glint appeared in her beautiful eyes.

It had been three days, and Aveline still hadn't provided a good solution. She hadn't even shown up for three days straight.

The project team was in a panic. Someone said, "Do you think Miss Young might have run away?"

"She's really despicable! She stole so many days of our hard work. Who knows how much the other side paid her? How can she spend that money without feeling guilty?"

"Whether I feel guilty or not is another matter. But accusing me.

without evidence and even insulting me is quite unreasonable, don't you think?"

As soon as the person finished speaking, Aveline's voice, tinged with coldness, rang out.

Chapter 44 Everyone was stunned and turned to see Aveline walk in. Her face. was pale, but her eyes were cold as she looked around the room. " It's one thing to badmouth me behind my back when I can't hear, but if I ca She made a point of looking at the people who had just insulted her.

Their eyes darted around nervously, and a male colleague stood up and said, "Why should we apologize to you? The project information you were responsible for leaked, and no one else touched your desk. We have every reason to suspect it was you!"

Aveline looked at him coldly. "So, you admit it's just a suspicion, not concrete evidence, right?"

The male colleague stammered, looking embarrassed.

Aveline continued, "No apology? You've got no shame!"

Her words provoked them immediately.

"Miss Young, you made a mistake. Why should we apologize?"

"Exactly, we didn't do anything wrong!"

"Since you said it wasn't you, then show us that you took care of the matter."

"Smack!"

Aveline slammed the file folder onto the table. "I regained the partnership with Brighton Enterprises. Is that enough?"

Everyone froze at her words.

"She got the partnership back?"

"Did she really? How did she do it?"

The people who had been shouting earlier were stunned. The male colleague picked up the contract and checked it, confirming it was indeed the partnership with Brighton Enterprises.

His face turned red.

"Sorry, I was too hasty earlier."

Though embarrassed, he apologized to Aveline.

Aveline smiled. "It's alright, I don't hold grudges. Let's move on."

The others also apologized to Aveline, and she responded to each of them in the same way.

At that moment, William returned, his face beaming with joy. "Miss Young, I heard everything! You're amazing, getting the Brighton partnership back. Our performance is definitely secure now!" Aveline smiled lightly. "While that's resolved, there's still one more issue to deal with."

William looked puzzled. "What issue?"

Aveline's smile vanished. "Naturally, we need to find the person who leaked the information. Such a cancer can't be left untreated. Are we planning to keep the mole until the following year?" William nodded. "You're right, but we have no idea who leaked it."

Aveline said, "I have a way to find out."

Everyone immediately looked at her, waiting for her next move.

Aveline walked to her workstation, where a row of cute cat figurines was lined up in front of her computer, usually unnoticed.

At this moment, she picked up an orange cat and connected it to her computer with a data cable.

"I'm a cautious person. Whether it's at home or at my workstation, even if it's just a small area, I install a surveillance camera to prevent unexpected situations. It turned out to be useful this time."

She worked on her computer until a surveillance video appeared on the screen. She scrolled through it and finally paused at a specific moment on the third day of her hospital stay. Someone was at her worksta In the video, the surrounding area was dark, clearly after work hours. The person sat down, looked around for a while, and then turned on her computer. While waiting for it to boot up, the person picked up her c

Chapter 45 "Ha, how surprising." Aveline scoffed, her gaze fixed on William's face.

Everyone turned to look at William, their faces full of disbelief.

"How could it be you?"

"Why did you do this?"

"This project is so important to us. Why did you leak the information?"

William was speechless.

First, there was disbelief, then an uncontrollable anger. The crowd surrounded William, demanding an explanation.

William hadn't expected what he did to be exposed so easily. At that moment, he was speechless.

Indeed, with the evidence right there, what else could he say?

Outside.

Lucas stood tall by the glass, his eyes fixed on Aveline. Seeing her pale face, his brows furrowed.. Desmond, standing nearby, said, "I didn't expect her to have a camera at her workstation."

Lucas's lips pressed into a line as he turned to leave.

Suddenly, Desmond exclaimed, "Miss Young has fainted!"

a Aveline, having resolved a major issue, felt the tension in her body suddenly release. As she relaxed, waves of coldness swept over her. She frowned and tried to get up to pour a cup of warm water, but as soon as she stood, her vision went black, and she collapsed!

Everyone gasped and rushed to check on her.

Before anyone could reach her, the crowd parted as Lucas pushed through, scooping her up and striding out of the office.

Desmond stayed behind to handle the remaining matters.

The smell of disinfectant filled the air.

Aveline slowly opened her eyes, her head still dizzy, and her body utterly weak.

"Drink some water."

Her thoughts were hazy, but suddenly she heard a man's deep, magnetic voice by her ear.

The tone was gentle and warm, unlike the coldness from before.

Aveline turned her gaze and saw Lucas standing by the bedside. His handsome face showed a calm, gentle expression, betraying no other emotions. Aveline said, "Lucas, I've realized that ever since I met you, I've been pretty unlucky."

Lucas' handsome face darkened immediately.

"You're not feeling well, you should talk less!"

Aveline replied, "See, you're still being mean to a patient."

Lucas retorted, "Looking at you, you don't seem like a patient at all. If I were to give you a microphone now, I'm sure you could give a speech to the world." This man had a really sharp tongue.

Aveline, feeling tired, half-closed her eyes. "I'm thirsty."

Lucas leaned down, his arm sliding under her shoulders to help her. sit up. Then he sat at the head of the bed, letting her lean against hist chest.

The clean, pleasant scent of him enveloped her, making Aveline feel dazed again.

She really liked his scent.

In the past, she would always cling to him, asking for hugs and kisses, but now...

Aveline tried to sit up straight. "I can manage on my own. If Miss Winter sees this, what if she misunderstands you?"

Lucas' eyebrows knitted together. "Aveline, I should just poison you mute."

Even with a fever, her throat didn't hurt?

How could she still talk so much?

Aveline kept quiet.

Lucas picked up the water cup and brought it to her lips, but she pressed her pale lips tightly together.

"Didn't you say you were thirsty?"

Aveline replied, "I'm afraid you'll poison me."

Lucas was speechless.

The atmosphere in the ward suddenly became tense.

After a long moment, Aveline leaned forward and took a sip. "Oh, no poison."

She clearly felt the man behind her turn colder and could almost picture his darkened expression, and a trace of amusement flickered in her eyes.

Chapter 46 Lucas sat behind her, watching her obediently drink water. A gentle look flashed in his eyes, but it disappeared quickly.

After drinking the water, Aveline didn't lie down again. She leaned against the headboard and checked her phone. Many people had sent her messages, mostly colleagues asking about her condition and a few She called Selena.

"Ave, did everything work out?" Selena answered quickly, her sweet voice coming through.

Aveline replied, "Yes, it did. You were a big help. Have you decided what you want to eat?"

Selena responded, "In that case, I'll make my request."

Aveline said, "No problem."

Selena chuckled. "I haven't had your cooking in a long time. Can you make me something? I'll eat whatever you cook."

"Sure," Aveline agreed. Selena had helped her so much; she deserved anything she wanted.

Selena continued, "Hey, your voice sounds a bit off. Are you okay?"

Aveline replied, "I caught a cold, and I-"

Before she could finish, someone snatched her phone away, ending. the call abruptly. Lucas put the phone in his pocket.

"Lucas, what are you doing?" Aveline glared at him.

"You need to rest now," Lucas said firmly.

Aveline retorted, "But at least let me finish my sentence! Am I about.

to die or something? Can't I even finish a sentence?"

Lucas looked at her coldly. "If you want to die right now, I can make that happen."

Aveline was speechless.

She cursed him a hundred times in her head but didn't dare say a word out loud.

How infuriating! He was so overbearing!

Where was that gentle puppy from before? Give him back to her!

Fuming, Aveline turned her head away and ignored him.

Lucas stared at her profile, his eyes dark and brooding. "You did well this time. Securing the partnership with Brighton means the department head position is yours."

His deep voice echoed in the room, met with only silence.

"Say something!"

Aveline retorted, "Are you crazy? You're the one who told me to rest, and now you want me to talk."

Lucas frowned, looking at her pale face, and said nothing. He just closed his eyes.

Aveline gritted her teeth and eventually gave up.

After a long while, her voice broke the silence in the room.

"Lucas, why didn't you come to help me last night?"

Lucas' breath hitched, seemingly not expecting her to ask so directly.

Aveline continued, "Didn't expect me to ask, did you? But why shouldn't I? You're my husband, the person I've always relied on, the one I... once loved the most. In that situation, you should have 2/3 stepped up to help me."

As she spoke, a faint, bitter smile appeared on her face. "But you acted like an outsider, watching my misery."

Lucas' eyes were fixed on her. "What do you mean by 'once loved. the most? Do you not love me anymore? How can you be so fickle?"

Aveline looked him straight in the eye. "Why don't you ask yourself why it's 'once'?"

Lucas's lips pressed into a tight line, and the atmosphere around him became even more intense, making the room feel several degrees colder.

Aveline, exhausted, said, "Stop tormenting this patient."

He paused, his gaze unreadable, but a fire seemed to burn within his chest, leaving him deeply unsettled.

Did she really prefer the version of him who lost his memory?

The room finally fell into a prolonged silence.

Aveline drifted back to sleep, and when she woke up, the IV drip was finished. Daylight streamed through the window, and she saw her phone on the bedside table. When she opened it,

Chapter 47 "You can take a day off and come back to work tomorrow."

Ha!

Aveline let out a bitter laugh, her eyes devoid of any emotion.

Last night, she had gathered all her courage to say those things. She wanted a response, an explanation from him.

Even a perfunctory answer would have sufficed.

But his attention didn't seem to be on her words. When did he stop caring about her?

It made her feel that asking him that question last night was incredibly foolish.

A self-inflicted humiliation.

Aveline composed herself, completed the discharge procedures, and went home. There, she saw the file folder on the cabinet. Opening it, she found the property deed, a check, and a key inside. Maple Garden.

A prime location in Cloudflare City, with top-tier greenery, 25 floors, and 500 square meters.

Wow, it was even larger than expected.

Did he think this would make her grateful?

Aveline's eyes remained emotionless as she took out the check. The amount of six million dollars was clearly printed on it, along with Lucas' strong signature at the bottom.

Aveline held the check, lost in thought for a long time.

She had grown up in an orphanage, but it closed down when she was 1/4 415 BONUS in high school. She worked part-time jobs while studying, right up until she graduated from college.

Her biggest dream had always been to buy her own house in Cloudflare City and become wealthy.

If her past self had known that divorce could easily bring her these. things, she would have been overjoyed.

But now, all she felt was pain, a heartache that spread through her. entire body, making her soul tremble. These things belonged to her now, but Lucas didn't.

Aveline took a deep breath, placed the check and the property deed. together, and put them back into the file folder.

She had become a wealthy woman.

She no longer needed to work.

She could have a cute guy on one arm and a young hottie on the other.

She could...

Could she really?

She slowly sat on the sofa. The two-bedroom apartment was small, and even a little extra stuff would make it feel crowded. When he came along, she made room for his things.

She hadn't noticed before, but now, without his things, the apartment felt soulless.

Everywhere she looked was empty.

Sadness took root in her heart, growing deeper with every pang of pain.

How pathetic.

How could she still long for such a lousy man?

Aveline got up and went to the bathroom, washed her face, and then called Selena.

"Ave, what happened last night? Was that jerk with you?" Selena asked as soon as she answered.

Aveline responded, "Yes, he was. I'm free today. Come over, and I'll cook for you."

Selena replied, "Alright, I'll be there. Wait for me."

After hanging up, Aveline went out to buy groceries. She bought all of Selena's favorite foods. As she crossed the street, she caught a glimpse of a familiar car out of the corner of her eye. When she turned to look, the car wa "Watch the road while crossing, miss."

Someone reminded her, and she quickly looked back, hurrying across the crosswalk.

"Thank you."

She thanked the passerby and then carried her groceries back home.

At the corner.

A silver-gray Maybach stopped, its windshield adorned with dappled patterns from the shadows of trees. Inside, Lucas sat, frustration evident as he tugged at his tie while gripping the steering wheel with one hand.

Why couldn't he bring himself to approach her?

Chapter 48 He gave her what she wanted; she should be happy. But just now, her expression didn't seem pleased. Why?

Lucas grew more irritated the more he thought about it. Just then, his phone rang. It was Desmond. "Mr. Tudor, Mr. Hang has arrived."

"Okay, I'll be back right away." Lucas replied coldly, then hung up. He cast a long look in the direction of Aveline's house before turning the car around and leaving.

In the evening, when Selena arrived, Aveline had already prepared four dishes, with two more and a soup still cooking.

las "Ave, there's so much food!" Selena exclaimed excitedly, hugging her and rubbing against her.

Aveline said, "It's alright. Go wait outside; it'll be ready soon."

Selena replied, "Okay, I brought some alcohol."

Aveline sighed, "I can't drink it; I took cold medicine."

Selena was surprised. "You're sick? But you look fine."

Aveline answered, "You'll see why I look fine in a bit."

Selena went outside, and soon after, Aveline brought out two plates of food. The soup was also ready. After washing her hands, she handed a file folder to Selena. "Here, take a look at this." "What's this?" Selena opened it, took out the contents, and her eyes widened in disbelief.

"This... Ave, did you just hit a jackpot?"

Aveline replied, "Sort of. After the divorce, I became a wealthy woman. Can you blame me for looking good?"

Upon hearing this, Selena set the items down and cupped Aveline's face in her hands. "Is that really how it is? You must be so sad."

Aveline was taken aback, staring at Selena for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"What's the use of being sad? Can love put food on the table? Money is more reliable. I'm planning to pick a good day to move and then quit my job. Do you have any plans coming up? If not, let's go on a world Aveline laid out her plans.

Selena couldn't laugh. Knowing Aveline well, she understood that her optimism was just on the surface. Aveline had once been so fond of Lucas.

Now, with the divorce settlement in hand, their marriage was truly over. All that was left was the divorce certificate, severing their ties completely.

Aveline sighed. "I'm fine, so why are you looking like that? I'm sharing my joy with you. Didn't you always encourage me to dump the jerk and embrace the future? That's what I'm doing now."

Selena said, "But you must be hurting, Ave. If you're sad, just cry it out. It's okay, I promise I won't record or take pictures."

Aveline laughed. "Alright, let's eat before the food gets cold."

"Okay, let's eat!"

Selena nodded, opening the bottle of alcohol. "You can't drink, so just watch me. Cheers!"

She clinked her glass against Aveline's glass and took a big gulp. Aveline was speechless.

If she'd known Selena would react this way, she wouldn't have told her.

After the meal, Aveline was fine, but Selena drank until she passed out. Aveline made some ginger tea for her and helped her to the guest room to rest.

Coming out of the room, ready to wash up and go to bed, her phone rang. She picked it up and saw that it was Lucas calling.

It was already 10 PM. Why was he calling her?

"Hello?"

She answered, her tone indifferent.

"Desmond."

The man's hoarse voice came through the phone, cold to the extreme.

Aveline was taken aback. Did he dial the wrong number?

"This is Aveline."

There was a brief silence before she spoke.

www But all she heard was his heavy breathing. After a moment, his voice came through again.

Chapter 49 "Bring me some medicine, something's wrong with me."

With that, the call abruptly ended. Aveline stared at her phone, puzzled by the sudden disconnection, her brows furrowing.

Did he really dial the wrong number?

Didn't he hear her speak?

Aveline pressed her lips together and called Desmond.

"Hello, Miss Young."

The call connected quickly, and she could hear a faint background noise on his end.

"Mr. Blake, Mr. Tudor called me by mistake just now. He asked for you to bring him some medicine. Can you go to him?"

"I'm afraid that's not possible," Desmond replied directly. "I'm on a business trip and already at the airport. Miss Young, could you deliver the medicine for me? I can tell you the name of the medication; you can get it from any pharmacy."

Aveline's brows knit tighter. "You're on a business trip?"

"Yes," Desmond confirmed, and she could faintly hear airport announcements in the background.

"Miss Young, I'll send you the name of the medicine. Mr. Tudor's condition is quite distressing when it flares up. Please help me deliver it. Thanks."

With that, he hung up.

"Hello?"

Aveline was stunned, standing up instinctively.

VÍS BONUS Soon, a message with the medicine's name came through.

Feeling perplexed, she couldn't shake the strange feeling inside her. She stared at the medicine name for a while before finally turning around, putting on her coat, and heading out.

Oh well.

He had given her money and a house so quickly; she couldn't just leave him in trouble.

Arriving at the Tudor residence, Aveline's phone vibrated just as she reached the door. It was a message from Desmond with the entry code. It seemed almost as if he knew she would arrive at this moment, ser The strange feeling in her heart intensified.

But since she was already there, Aveline decided not to overthink it.

She entered the code and walked into the large villa's courtyard. The surroundings were quiet, and the lights cast long shadows.

Entering the villa, she found it completely empty.

Previously, when she had been here, there were many servants and housekeepers around. Did they all go off duty at night?

"Lucas?"

She called his name from the living room, but only a faint echo responded.

After waiting for a moment, she carried the bag upstairs. She remembered where his master bedroom was. The door was slightly ajar, with dim light spilling out. Pushing the door open, she saw him lying on the bed.

He was shirtless, with the blanket only covering him from the waist down. Sweat covered his body, and his brows were tightly furrowed.

as if he was enduring immense pain.

Aveline was startled. What was wrong with him?

He had never had this problem before.

She walked over and gently shook him. "Lucas?"

The man didn't react, his brows still furrowed, and his breathing heavy.

Aveline opened the medicine and checked the instructions, then. mixed a cup of the solution. She pinched Lucas's nose to make him breathe through his mouth.

Struggling for air, he suddenly opened his eyes.

Those eyes were clouded, looking at her without recognition.

Aveline was startled. "You're awake? Take this medicine first, and then you can go back to sleep."

Lucas's dark gaze bore into her, making her feel uneasy, like prey under a predator's watchful eye.

She offered him the cup. "Drink the medicine?"

But in the next moment, he grabbed the cup and threw it across the room. It landed on the carpet without a sound. Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her onto the bed, his burning body pressing down on her, and his scorching breath claimed her lips.

Chapter 50 Aveline was stunned! What was going on with him? Was he not fully conscious?

She began to struggle violently, but the disparity in strength between them became evident. Her struggles only seemed to provoke him further. He grabbed both of her wrists with one hand and pinned them above her head.

His scorching breath trailed down from her lips, sending a chill across her chest, quickly followed by heat and wetness.

Aveline's eyes widened. "Lucas, what are you doing?"

Wasn't he supposed to be sick? Yet, he seemed so full of energy. Or did he mistake her for another woman?

Sophia?

The thought pierced her heart, and she fiercely kneed him.

All of Lucas's movements stopped, his heavy body collapsing on top of her.

"Get up!" Aveline twisted uncomfortably beneath him.

In response, Lucas bit down angrily on her collarbone. "Aveline, do you want to live as a widow?"!

So, he knew who she was? But...

"Are you mistaken? We're about to get divorced. How could I be a widow?" Aveline's breathing was erratic.

"Get up!" she repeated.

Her kneeing him hadn't been forceful, just an attempt to snap him out of it.

Lucas didn't move, still looming over her heavily.

"Why are you here?" After a long pause, his husky, low voice reached her ears. Aveline replied, "You should ask yourself why you called me instead of Mr. Blake." The silence grew heavier.

Feeling uncomfortable with her hands restrained, Aveline shifted." Let go of me."

"Let you go, so you can run away?" he suddenly said, leaving her bewildered.

"Lucas, are you awake or confused?" Aveline asked, puzzled. Wasn't he supposed to be divorcing her? Wasn't he supposed to be with Sophia? Why was he saying such ambiguous things? Did he even know what he was saying?

Lucas lifted his head, and Aveline saw it clearly this time. His eyes were still clouded, lacking any clarity. He wasn't fully conscious.

"What's wrong with you?" Aveline's brows knitted in concern.

"I feel terrible," he said suddenly, his voice deeper.

Then, he slowly leaned closer, as if testing the waters, and kissed the corner of her mouth.

"Help me?" he murmured.

Aveline was startled, her heart racing.

As she was caught off guard, he kissed the corner of her mouth again. "Hmm?"

He kept kissing her, repeatedly asking, insisting on an answer.

Aveline should have refused. She should have steeled herself and walked away. But....

They weren't divorced yet.

Doing what married couples do wasn't against the law.

Aveline's long eyelashes trembled as he leaned in to kiss her again. She slightly turned her head, offering her tender lips to him.

Taking this as a response, this time Lucas didn't pull away. Instead, he deepened the kiss.

The air grew hotter, and the room's temperature rose.

Aveline closed her eyes, thinking this was probably the last time she would indulge with him. She decided to let herself go completely, at least for tonight, ha was hers.

The next day.

Aveline opened her eyes at dawn. Memories of the previous night flooded her mind, and she pressed her lips into a thin line.

Glancing at the still-sleeping Lucas, she quietly lifted the blanket and got out of bed, intending to leave.

But in the next second, an arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her back.