Ch. 851..860

Chapter 851 Chapter 851 "Yes," the assistant responded, turning to leave. Juliet's room was right across Gernard's.

After the assistant left, she finally closed the door.

Then, she took out her phone and dialed a number.

"I know where Aveline is!" Her eyes gleamed with determination as she stared ahead. "But you have to help me!"

The other person chuckled lightly before asking, "How do you want me to help?"

Juliet replied, "I can't even get close to Lucas right now. I need you to help me get close to him, and the best way is to make sure it's a done deal! Once we've slept together, he won't be able to escape!" Another soft laugh came from the other side, followed by, "Sure, no problem."

Juliet's gaze was full of certainty as she revealed Aveline's current whereabouts. "My brother has already sent someone there. You better hurry," she added, then hung up. Night fell.

Despite the bitter cold of midwinter, the city was still buzzing with activity.

In the suburban villa, however, it was unusually quiet. Wanda had prepared dinner again and brought it to Aveline's room, but Aveline couldn't bring herself to eat. What if they had put something in the food to cause a miscarriage?

She looked visibly resistant.

Wanda tried to convince her earnestly, "Miss Young, there's really nothing in the food. You can trust me."

Aveline shook her head. "No, I don't trust you."

Wanda sighed. "But if you don't eat, the baby won't be able to survive either. Since you want to keep him, you should eat properly."

A flicker of emotion crossed Aveline's face, but she still hesitated.

Seeing her remain silent, Wanda added, "Since he promised not to harm the baby, he'll keep his word. Miss Young, you can eat without worry."

Aveline blinked. "Then tell me, who exactly is he?"

How could she trust someone without knowing their name or identity?

Wanda shook her head. "I can't. He doesn't allow me to say."

Aveline pursed her lips, still refusing to touch the food.

The tension between the two remained unresolved.

Wanda grew anxious and left the room, immediately dialing a number to explain the situation.

At that moment, Russell had already returned to his city apartment. The place was cold and empty, devoid o any warmth. As he listened to Wanda's words, a flicker of irritation crossed his handsome yet sharp features.

She just didn't trust him!

He muttered, "Let her be."

With that, he hung up the phone abruptly.

Grabbing a bottle of water, he took a long drink, as if hoping it would cool the fire raging inside him.

Yes.

It was him who used the news about Annie to lure Aveline and then had her taken away. It was a perfect opportunity, wasn't it? Keeping her by his side until everything was done, and once his business was finished, he would divorce Rina.

By then, they could finally be together.

was But he couldn't tell her that he the one who took her away. If she knew, she would distance herself, maybe even hate him, and that was the last thing he wanted.

What he hadn't expected was for her to end up pregnant!

She was carrying Lucas' child!

The moment he found out, he wanted to get rid of that unwanted child. Lucas didn't deserve her; how could someone who treated her so poorly have a child with her? But Aveline refused!

Russell couldn't understand it. Why wouldn't Aveline agree? Didn't she despise Lucas? Why would she want to keep his baby?

He felt a sense of frustration, a deep, unrelenting frustration.

Just then, his phone rang again.

Chapter 852 Chapter 852 When Russell saw the caller ID, his brows furrowed, but he still answered, "Hello?"

Rina's voice came through, "Where are you? Why aren't you home yet?"

Russell's tone remained indifferent. "I'm not coming home tonight."

"You can't!" Rina's voice suddenly rose. "You have to come back! Russell, have you forgotten what you promised me? How long have we been married? Did you forget?"

His expression was cold, and his words even colder. "I'm busy. Stop being unreasonable."

"Unreasonable?" Rina's voice escalated further. "All I'm asking is for you to come home! How is that unreasonable? Did you do something you feel guilty about? Is that why you don't want to come home? You better come back right now!" Rina was becoming hysterical.

In the past, Russell had been somewhat patient with her, even gentle. But ever since their marriage had been arranged between their families, he grew increasingly distant. After the wedding, he rarely came home at all.

Rina had slowly come to realize that he hadn't married her out of love. He had done it for the power of the Johnson family!

When she understood this, it nearly drove her to the edge.

To him, she was just a tool!

Rina refused to accept that. She wouldn't be anyone's tool. If Russell didn't treat her right, she would divorce him. She didn't need him!

But Russell ignored her hysteria and hung up.

Furious, Rina began smashing things around the villa. In the midst of her rage, she triggered her pregnancy complications and was rushed to the hospital. The news reached Russell.

On her way to the hospital, Rina clutched her stomach, her face full of pain, though a flicker of hope appeared in her eyes.

She was carrying their child.

Surely, he would care about that...

As long as he came to the hospital, she wouldn't mind his coldness anymore.

But even as she was wheeled into the operating room, Russell never showed up.

...

Russell received a call from one of his men-two groups were heading toward the suburban villa! His expression darkened immediately. They had been discovered! But by whom? When had this happened? How had he not sensed it?

Without wasting another second, he grabbed his coat and rushed out He had to move Aveline right away there was no way he would let her fall into someone else's hands.

As he sat in his car, about to start the engine, a servant came running toward him. "Sir, it's bad! Madam Rina had complications with the pregnancy and was taken to the hospital!"

Russell's face remained cold. "The doctors will handle it. Why are you bothering me?"

Without waiting for a response or caring about the servant's expression, he drove off.

Aveline lay in bed, her mind racing as she tried to figure out what to do next.

Suddenly, the door flew open. Wanda rushed in, moving toward her. "Miss Young, you have to go, quickly!"

Wanda hurriedly started dressing Aveline, pulling her toward the door.

Frowning, Aveline asked, "What's going on? Why are we leaving?"

Then, in a flash of realization, her mind clicked-someone had found her!

She immediately shook off Wanda's hand. "I'm not leaving!"

Wanda grew more anxious. "Miss Young, you have to come with me! If you don't, and the master finds out, I'll be dead!"

But Aveline shook her head and backed away. "I'm not going. Tell me why we're running. Is someone coming? Is it Lucas?" Wanda had no idea who Lucas was.

Seeing Aveline refuse to leave, she called for the bodyguards. "Pick her up! We need to get out of here now!"

Chapter 853 Chapter 853 Hearing this, Aveline's face darkened immediately.

Were they really going to force her if she refused to leave?

No way! She couldn't leave!

Someone had already come to rescue her-she just needed to buy some time.

Backing away step by step, her mind raced as she mentally reconstructed the layout of the room.

Her left hand brushed against a table, and her eyes lit up.

Listening carefully to the footsteps approaching, she grabbed the heavy sailboat figurine from the table and hurled it toward the nearest person!

The figurine was large and heavy, almost too much for her to lift, but she managed to throw it.

The two bodyguards, seeing it coming, dodged quickly.

The sailboat hit the ground with a loud thud, the sound reverberating through the room.

The guards looked shaken if they'd been hit, they'd have been seriously injured!

Aveline was a blind woman, but she reacted so quickly!

Wanda grew more anxious. "Hurry up! They're almost here!"

Seizing the brief moment of distraction, Aveline continued retreating, feeling her way toward the bathroom.

She remembered-it should be to her right...

As she moved, she grabbed and tossed anything she could behind her to slow them down. At last, her fingers found the bathroom door handle. She darted inside and quickly locked the door. One of the bodyguards cursed and shouted at Wanda, "Get the spare key!"

"Oh, right! I'll go get it now!" Wanda stammered, finally snapping out of her shock and rushing off to fetch the key.

Aveline heard the commotion outside. They had a spare key-it was only a matter of time before they got in. She couldn't just wait around!

She kept feeling around the bathroom until her hands landed on a cabinet. She shoved it against the door, trying to barricade herself in The bathroom was large, but there weren't many movable objects she could use. Other than the cabinet, there was nothing else.

Luckily, the bathroom door opened inward, so even with the key, they'd need time to get in.

Now all Aveline could do was pray that Lucas' people would arrive soon... very soon.

Meanwhile, Desmond received a call, his expression growing serious as he turned to Lucas. "Mr. Tudor, we've received word that Mrs. Tudor was taken by Russell and is е currently being held at a villa in the outskirts."

Lucas shot up from his seat. "Get the men ready. We're going over there now!"

"Yes, sir!"

Three teams set out immediately, moving in quick succession.

Sitting in the car, Lucas' face was dark with anger.

He hadn't expected it-Russell was really the one behind this!

How dare he take Aveline!

He glanced at Desmond and said coldly, "The Skyler family has been too comfortable lately. Let's give them something to worry about! Cancel that financing plan they've been working on!"

"Understood!" Desmond responded, swiftly setting Lucas' plans in motion.

Russell, having recently taken over the Skyler family, needed a major project to solidify his position. He had been negotiating a significant overseas financing deal, and once the contract was signed, he would be fully established in the family.

Destroying that deal would ruin all of his prior efforts, and if Lucas leaked the news about Trisha's younger son, Russell's path to total control over the Skyler family would become a distant dream.

If Russell dared to lay a hand on Aveline, he had better be ready for the consequences.

Five minutes after the European representatives had left, Russell received the devastating news.

His face darkened with fury as he clenched his phone. "Didn't I tell you to keep him happy? How could he just walk out like that?"

His subordinate answered nervously, "Mr. Lyon received a call from the European headquarters. They've decided to cancel the collaboration and left immediately..."

Furious, Russell smashed his phone against the wall. There was only one option left to rush to the airport before the plane took off and try to salvage the deal by convincing Lyon to sign the contract... But the villa was just within reach!

Chapter 854 Chapter 854 The screech of tires cut through the night.

"Bang!"

Russell slammed his fist onto the steering wheel, his eyes fixed on the brightly lit villa in the distance where Aveline was being held. He was so close, just a step away.

But if he abandoned the contract now, all the effort he had put into securing his position in the Skyler family would be for nothing.

His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, veins bulging across his knuckles, his jaw clenched as he stared intensely at the villa one last time.

Then, with a deep breath, he restarted the engine, spinning the wheel, and sped toward the airport.

...

"Hurry up and open the door! They're really coming!" Wanda's panicked voice echoed from outside the bathroom.

The two bodyguards were pushing against the door with all their might, but Aveline had barricaded it with a cabinet and was doing everything she could to hold it in place. However, she was struggling.

Fighting off two grown men was taking its toll.

Her face was pale, and beads of sweat formed on her forehead.

"I can't do this anymore... I'm leaving!" Wanda's panicked voice broke through just as Aveline felt her strength waning.

In her panic, Wanda abandoned the bodyguards and ran through another door.

"Damn! She just left like that? Isn't she afraid of what the boss will do to her?" one of the bodyguards cursed.

The other one replied, "We should leave too. It's not worth it. If Lucas' people show up, we'll be worse than dead."

At that, the first guard immediately agreed. "Let's go!"

They were just hired hands-nothing more than regular bodyguards. They had no deep loyalty to Russell.

Hearing the commotion outside, Aveline's tense body finally relaxed. She collapsed to the bathroom floor, gasping for breath. Relief flooded her.

Fending off those people had drained her entirely; she had no energy left. About ten minutes later, voices reached her from outside the bathroom. "No one here. This room's clear too."

"Where could she have gone?"

The voices outside were unfamiliar, and Aveline's brow furrowed. These weren't Lucas' men. She had seen his usual bodyguards before, but these voices didn't belong to any of them.

en FindNovel "The bathroom door won't open!" someone called out from outside, causing Aveline's nerves to tighten instantly.

"Open it up," a slightly familiar voice replied.

Aveline racked her brain, recognizing the voice, but couldn't immediately place it.

Who could it be?

"The door's blocked," one of the men outside informed the familiar-sounding figure after trying to push it open.

Then, the familiar voice spoke again, "Aveline, are you in there?"

Her heart raced as she listened closely.

"It's me, Leo."

Leo?! The moment she heard that name, it all clicked into place.

It was him!

He was the man who had once collapsed outside her apartment after working on the elevator. He'd lost his memory afterward and had tried to follow her... but they hadn't seen each other in a long time. She had thought he was just a passing figure in her life.

But thankfully, he wasn't a stranger.

"It's me," Aveline said weakly, pushing herself to stand.

With great effort, she began to move the cabinet that was blocking the door.

As soon as she managed to move the cabinet slightly, the people outside took over, pushing the door open the rest of the way. Relieved, Aveline stepped back, letting them handle it.

The door swung open quickly, and she felt someone step forward, approaching her.

Chapter 855 Chapter 855 Aveline tilted her head slightly, relying on the sound to guide her. "Leo, is that you?"

Leo's surprised voice cut through the silence, "What happened to your eyes?"

"The people who held me here injected something into them," she replied, her voice calm despite the circumstances. "I can't see anything right now."

Without hesitation, Leo reached for her wrist, gently holding it. "I'll take you out of here. We need to get you to a hospital for a check-up."

Though hesitant at first, Aveline knew she didn't have much of a choice. Staying here was too dangerous-what if the people who had taken her returned? With a reluctant sigh, she followed Leo.

Still, something nagged at her. "Leo, how did you find me?"

As they moved cautiously toward the exit, Leo kept his grip on her steady, his voice soft. "I've been working on a nearby construction site. I saw you standing on the balcony one day. I tried to come up and talk to you, but the villa's bodyguards chased me off. After that, I kept an eye on the place and realized you were being held here. So, I figured out a way to distract them and get you out."

Aveline felt uneasy, but with her blindness, she had no choice but to trust him for now. "Thank you."

"You saved me before," Leo replied warmly. "I'm just glad I could repay the favor."

"Watch your step," he whispered gently as they reached a staircase.

Aveline carefully descended, Leo guiding her at each step.

Once she was safely inside the car and they were on the road, Aveline's tense body finally began to relax. They finally left-far from that nightmare of a place. Relief washed over her, though a dark thought lingered. Whoever had done this to her, she wouldn't let them off so easily once she found out who it was.

Just moments after Leo's car sped away, several vehicles pulled up to the villa.

Desmond stepped out and immediately spotted the person exiting the lead car.

"Mr. Tudor," he greeted respectfully.

Lucas, however, ignored the formality, his focus entirely on the villa as he stormed inside.

After thoroughly searching the premises, he found nothing-Aveline was nowhere to be seen.

Desmond approached him and reported, "Mr. Tudor, there are no surveillance cameras installed inside the villa, and the street cameras seem to have been tampered with as well."

It was clear this had all been done intentionally.

Lucas' expression was incredibly dark as he strode over to Gernard's assistant, his voice cold. "Why are you here?"

The assistant replied, "Mr. Cooper discovered Miss Young's location and sent me to rescue her, but she's already gone."

They had arrived almost at the same time, so there was no way anyone could have pulled off any tricks under Lucas' nose. Could someone have gotten here even faster? Did Russell manage to move Aveline?

It seemed unlikely. Could he have really kept up negotiations with Lyon while also moving Aveline?

Impossible.

"Bang!"

Lucas furiously kicked a chair over, his face stormy with frustration.

Desmond, after a moment of contemplation, offered, "Mr. Tudor, should we call the police? She's been missing for over 24 hours now. Having the authorities involved might speed up the search "Yes," Lucas muttered, his face still dark with weariness.

Desmond immediately contacted the police and explained the entire situation.

...

Meanwhile, Leo had driven Aveline to a nearby small hospital.

After examining her eyes, the doctor informed her that her condition could be treated with an injection.

Aveline instinctively placed a hand on her abdomen, concern in her voice as she asked, "Will it affect the baby?"

"It won't," the doctor assured her, then went to prepare the injection.

Aveline breathed a sigh of relief.

Leo stood nearby, his gaze falling on her belly, his expression turning more complicated by the second.

It wasn't long before the doctor V returned with the necessary treatment. Aveline lay down on the hospital bed, and the injection was administered.

Chapter 856 Chapter 856 After the injection, Aveline was informed that she would briefly lose consciousness, and when she woke up, her sight would be restored. She nodded in agreement.

There wasn't much else she could do.

She couldn't stay blind-it left her too vulnerable.

She could only gamble now.

If she lost, she'd have to accept the consequences.

But what if she won?

Leo watched quietly from the side.

Once the doctor administered the injection, Leo followed him out of the room.

At the end of the corridor, a cold breeze slipped through the cracked window.

The doctor spoke respectfully, "As you requested, it's done. Her vision should return soon."

"Good," Leo replied curtly, adding, "Make sure she stays asleep as long as possible."

"Understood."

...

Meanwhile, the police began their investigation swiftly.

Desmond glanced at Lucas, who was sitting inside the car, his face haggard with exhaustion. He softly urged, "Mr. Tudor, you haven't slept for days. You should go back and rest. I'm sure Mrs. Tudor will be safe." Lucas' voice was hoarse as he replied, "I can't sleep until I hear something-anything-about her."

Desmond sighed inwardly.

What a mess this had turned into.

Russell had pushed too far, actually daring to lay hands on Aveline.

Provoking Lucas like this would bring nothing but trouble.

Rubbing his temple, Lucas finally said, "Prepare a gift. We need to pay Mr. Wilbert a visit." "Yes, sir."

...

At the hospital, Rina slowly regained consciousness. Her face was pale as she instinctively reached for her stomach. "My baby... what about my baby?"

Her mother, Cathy Bright, sitting beside her in tears, tried to console her, "Rina, you'll have other children in the future."

At these words, Rina's tears flowed instantly.

"What do you mean? Where's my baby? Where's my baby?" she cried, her voice breaking.

Cathy held her hand tightly. "Don't do this, Rina. Your body is too weak to handle this kind of emotional strain."

But Rina couldn't stop crying. "My baby is gone... gone..."

After a moment, she suddenly grabbed her mother's hand tightly, her voice urgent. "Mom, where's Russell? Where did he go?"

Her mother shook her head. "I don't know. I didn't see him when I got here."

A frown crossed Cathy's face as she continued, "I've called him several times, but he won't answer. He's been a terrible husband!"

Rina bit her lip, her eyes filled with hopelessness. She no longer had any doubts-Russell didn't care about her, not in the slightest QUMS Closing her eyes, memories of their engagement flashed through her mind. Russell's true intentions bad always been clear, but she had been too blind to see it.

How foolish she had been!

Just then, the door to the room swung open, and Jennifer walked in.

"Sis, how are you feeling?"

Rina cast a cold glance at her. "Get out. I don't want to see anyone from your family."

Jennifer's face stiffened, and without another word, she turned and left. Rina had gone too gel.n far-Jennifer had come out of concern, yet she was met with such hostility.

In fact, Jennifer was the only member of the Skyler family who bothered to visit. No one else showed up.

Rina understood now just how heartless the Skyler family truly was.

"I want to go home. I want to see Grandpa..." Rina whispered, her eyes swollen from crying.

Her mother nodded. "Alright, we'll go home. You can see your grandfather."

That evening, Rina returned to the Johnson family home.

As Lucas was leaving his study, he happened to run into Rina and Cathy as they walked in.

"Mrs. Johnson," Lucas greeted, giving a slight nod.

Chapter 857 Chapter 857 Cathy maintained a composed smile. "Lucas, you're here."

Lucas nodded, his gaze shifting to Rina's pale face.

He asked, puzzled, "What happened to her?"

Rina's eyes welled up with tears, and she bit her lip before softly replying, "I'm fine, Lucas."

"Did someone upset you?" Lucas pressed. "You can tell me or your grandfather, and we'll make sure someone takes care of it."

Rina gave a quiet nod and retreated to her room without another word. After exchanging brief farewells with her mother, Lucas left as well.

Once in the car, he leaned back in his seat, his expression icy.

Desmond glanced over and said, "Mr. Wilbert has learned of Russell's true intentions. He likely won't support him any longer. With how Russell has treated Rina, the Johnson family might push for a divorce." If that happened, all of Russell's efforts would be for nothing.

Lucas opened his eyes, his dark gaze laced with a hint of red. "He brought this upon himself."

...

When Aveline woke again, it was already the following afternoon. The strong scent of disinfectant filled her nose, but more importantly, her vision had returned.

Her face lit up with joy-she could see again!

"You're awake?" Leo's voice came from nearby. "I bought some oatmeal It's easy to digest. Have a little first."

Aveline turned her head and saw Leo walking toward her with a smile on his face.

Sitting up, she looked at him with gratitude. "Thank you!"

It seemed her gamble had paid off.

"No need to thank me," Leo said with a wave. "We've helped each other, after all. If it weren't for you, I might've collapsed on the roadside."

Aveline didn't respond further. Even without her, someone else would have helped him. He wasn't going to die.

Leo placed a small table over her lap, and she ate the bowl of oatmeal, feeling warmth spread through her body. It was as if she had come back to life. After a while, Leo asked, "So, what's your plan now?"

"I'm going home," Aveline replied firmly. "I need to find out who was behind my kidnapping."

Leo nodded. "If you need any help, just let me know."

"I will," Aveline said with a small nod of appreciation.

Leo smiled and helped Aveline to her feet as they left the hospital. After handling her discharge papers, they stepped outside, and Aveline noticed the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Where are we?" she asked, puzzled.

Leo replied, "We're near the border between two cities, quite far from the center of Cloudflare City. I'll drive you back." "Thank you." Aveline nodded.

Leo walked over to open the car door for her, then casually remarked, "That villa you were held in looked pretty high-end. Whoever's behind this must be someone with influence." en FindNovel Aveline agreed, "I've thought the same, but I still don't know who it is."

As Leo started the car, he said, "Once you're back, you can have someone investigate. The villa's still there, and it shouldn't be too hard to find out." "Right." Aveline nodded, her mind already racing with thoughts of her return. The idea of going home filled her with a mix of anticipation and nerves. Involuntarily, Lucas' face flashed in her mind. Her phone was missing, so she couldn't reach him, but it didn't matter-she'd be home soon. After about half an hour of driving, the car unexpectedly came to a stop.

Aveline blinked, surprised. "What's wrong?"

Leo responded, "I'll check."

He got out, inspected the car, and came back with a sigh. "Looks like the car broke down. I'll need to call for a tow. Luckily, there's a bus stop nearby. Once the car's towed, we can catch a bus."

Aveline nodded, resigned to the situation, though her thoughts were still focused on getting home.

Chapter 858 Chapter 858 "Okay." Aveline nodded, settling into the car to wait.

Leo called for a tow truck, which took about forty minutes to arrive.

After the car was towed, they began walking toward the bus stop. The two-kilometer walk took nearly twenty minutes, with frequent breaks due to Aveline's weakened state.

By the time they reached the stop near Maple Gardens, night had already fallen. The winter sky grew dark early, and the cold evening air hung around them.

Aveline turned to Leo and said, "Come up with me for a bit. Have some tea and rest."

Leo shook his head. "No need. I'm just glad I got you home safely. Here's my number-call me if you ever need anything."

Aveline felt a pang of guilt. He had helped her so much, and she had done nothing in return.

"You haven't eaten dinner yet, right? I'm a good cook. Stay for a meal before you go," she insisted again.

Leo was about to decline, but his stomach growled loudly, betraying him. They both laughed.

"Well, I guess I can't say no to that," Leo said, amused.

Aveline smiled, and together they walked toward Maple Gardens.

As the elevator doors opened, they were met with the sight of a figure crouched on the floor by the entrance, arms wrapped around their knees, eyes blank and distant. "Selena!" Aveline rushed over, kneeling beside her.

Selena blinked, startled, and rubbed her eyes as if trying to make sense of what she was seeing.

"Ave? Am I dreaming? Is it really you?"

Aveline quickly grabbed her hands, stopping her. "It's me. I'm back. I'm okay, you're not dreaming. I really came back."

For a moment, Selena was frozen in disbelief.

Then, with a sudden sob, she threw her arms around Aveline, crying uncontrollably.

"Ave, you scared me to death! You have no idea how worried I've been these past few days... Where did you go? Who took you? I'm so glad.

you're safe!" Selena wept, clinging to Aveline like she was her anchor.

Aveline held her tight, feeling the weight of her friend's relief.

Aveline's eyes grew misty as well.

Gently patting Selena's back, she said softly, "Alright, alright, I'm fine now. Let's go inside, okay? It's cold out here."

Selena, her face streaked with tears, pouted pitifully, "My legs are numb..."

Aveline couldn't help but chuckle, helping her friend to her feet.

It was then that Selena noticed Leo. "Aren't you that, uh..."

Before she could finish, she hiccupped loudly, catching herself off guard.

Leo nodded, amused. "Yes, it's me."

Aveline urged, "Let's go inside. It's freezing out here."

Selena was ice cold to the touch, having clearly sat outside for far too long. Once they stepped inside the apartment, Aveline quickly turned on the heater, and the warm air soon filled the room, chasing away the chill that clung to them.

Still hiccupping, Selena glanced suspiciously at Leo. "Uh... how did you and Ave end up together? Uh..."

Her constant hiccups made her stop mid-sentence, and in frustration, she pressed her lips together tightly.

Aveline handed her a glass of water. "Here, drink some. I'll tell you everything."

Nodding eagerly, Selena sipped the water slowly, trying to calm her hiccups.

Aveline also poured a glass of water for Leo, then settled into a chair, letting out a small sigh of relief. She began reebunting everything that had happened over the past few days, finally able to share herordeal.

Chapter 859 Chapter 859 Selena listened, wide-eyed, to Aveline's story. When she finally put down her cup, her face was full of concern. "What about your eyes? Are they completely healed now?" Aveline nodded. "Thanks to Leo. He rescued me and got me to the hospital in time. If it weren't for him, I might never have regained my sight."

Selena quickly turned to Leo, gratitude evident in her expression. "Thank you so much!"

Leo smiled softly. "No need to thank me. You both helped me before; this was the least I could do."

Selena then shifted her gaze back to Aveline, her attention dropping to her stomach. She gently placed her hand on Aveline's belly. "There's a little life here?" Aveline nodded. "Yes."

Selena blinked, then asked bluntly, "It's that scumbag Lucas' child?"

Aveline hesitated for a moment before replying, "... Yes."

Selena withdrew her hand, staring at her. "What are you going to do about it?"

"I plan to keep the baby," Aveline said firmly.

Selena frowned. "But if you keep the baby and Lucas finds out, he's going to cling to you. You'll never be able to get rid of him."

Aveline's hand rested on her belly as she blinked thoughtfully. "I haven't decided yet whether I'll tell him."

Selena, uncertain, looked at her friend. If Aveline kept the child, it was only a matter of time before Lucas found out. The only way to avoid that would be if Aveline disappeared completely, keeping the baby hidden from him forever. "Since you're back, you should let that scumbag know," Selena said. "He hasn't slept in days, searching for you."

Aveline nodded. "I will. I'll go see him later."

Facing him directly would certainly surprise him the most.

Selena hesitated for a moment, as if she had something more to say, but then remained quiet.

Aveline stood. "I'll make dinner. You both rest for a bit."

"No way!" Selena immediately pulled her back down onto the sofa. "You're pregnant! What are you doing in the kitchen? That's not a place for you anymore. I'll order food and have it delivered."

Leo chimed in, "I think she's right. You haven't rested properly in days. Why not take a nap, and after dinner, you can go see him?" Aveline, seeing both of them insisting, relented with a small smile. "Alright, I'll rest for a bit. If anything comes up, just call me."

"Go, go," Selena said, engrossed in her phone as she placed the food order, not even glancing up.

Leo remained quiet, sipping his water, his gaze discreetly sweeping over the room as if searching for something, though it went unnoticed by anyone.

...

After a refreshing shower, Aveline lay down and quickly drifted into sleep. About an hour later, Selena gently knocked on her door and called out. "Hey, time to wake up, babe. Dinner's ready."

"Mmm," Aveline mumbled in response, slowly opening her eyes and sitting up.

The delicious aroma of the food filled the air, and as soon as she smelled it, her stomach growled loudly. They all sat down together and enjoyed the meal.

Afterward, Selena made a call to Aaron.

"Where are you?" she asked directly.

"I'm on my way back. Why?" Aaron replied.

Selena, thinking quickly, said, "Do you know where Lucas is? I've got some leads I need to share with him."

She used the excuse of having information to avoid raising suspicion.

Aaron sounded curious. "What kind of leads could you have? Why not just tell me?"

Chapter 860 Chapter 860 Selena, clearly annoyed, snapped, "What do you mean by that? Why wouldn't I have leads? I'm not telling you anything! Just tell me where Lucas is-I need to talk to him in person!"

Aaron chuckled, clearly amused, as if he could picture Selena's frustration even through the phone. The thought seemed to entertain him, but he didn't keep her waiting. "Alright, alright. I'll call him now."

"Good, hurry up." Selena hung up and turned to Aveline, giving her a playful wink. "We've been going crazy trying to find you these past couple of days. Even Desmond filed a police report. But once you see Lucas, you can clear everything up." Aveline nodded. "I know."

She was still unsure whether to tell Lucas about the pregnancy.

They were already divorced, and in her mind, this child was hers alone.

But Lucas had said he would try to win her back, that he'd respect her choices.

He had changed, or maybe he had just returned to the person she once knew the Lucas she had fallen in love with.

Perhaps meeting him first would help her decide. Once they met, she'd figure out what to say.

...

Meanwhile, Aaron called Lucas directly.

"Hey, Lucas, where are you?" he asked, hearing a wave of loud background noise on the other end of the line.

"Hello?" Lucas' voice came through, but it was faint and unclear.

Aaron paused, confused. "What's going on? Where are you?"

The music and noise were too loud, making it impossible to have a proper conversation, so Aaron hung up and called Desmond instead. "Hey, Desmond, where's Lucas right now?"

Desmond replied, "Mr. Tudor is at Meet Bar."

Aaron blinked in surprise. "Why's he at a bar?"

Desmond sighed, clearly frustrated, and briefly explained everything that had been going on with Lucas recently.

Aaron laughed after hearing the explanation. So, someone beat him to it, huh? Seems like a lot of people have the eyes on Aveline. Just when he thought he had a lead it all crumbled. I can understand frustration. Alright, I got it,"

He hung up the phone and immediately sent the location to Selena. Maybe the "lead" she mentioned was exactly what Lucas needed right now.

On the other side, Selena quickly shared the information with Aveline.

"Ave, Lucas is at Meet Bar. Let's head over now," Selena suggested.

Aveline nodded. "Let me grab a jacket."

While Aveline went to get her coat, Selena put on hers and turned to Leo. "What about you? Where are you headed next?"

Leo replied, "I'll head home. If you need anything, just give me a call."

Selena waved him off. "We'll drive you. Where do you live?"

Leo shook his head. "There's no need. You both have something important to handle."

But Selena insisted, waving dismissively. "It won't take long to drop you off. You helped Ave, so you're one of us now. Don't need for all this formality."

Aveline chimed in, "Yeah, we'll give you a ride. Your car's broken down, and it's too cold for the bus this late."

Seeing they wouldn't take no for an answer, Leo finally gave them his address.

Selena checked the navigation and smiled. "Perfect! It's on the way to Meet Bar. Let's go."

With that, they set off, first dropping Leo home and then heading toward Meet Bar.

By the time they arrived, it was already past 8 PM.

The bar was filling up, the flashing lights casting colorful hues over the crowd, and the booming music thumped through the walls, making the whole place vibrate with energy.