Ch. 3251..3260

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3251-She Won't Accept Any Kindness From You As Karen listened to him, she stumbled back two steps.

"What gives you the right to accuse me?" Her once-clear eyes now showed a hint of madness.

Percy frowned. It seemed she still did not realize her mistake.

"You think you did nothing wrong? Everything Pierre is doing now is to show you that you messed up! Your job isn't to cover for him but to make him understand that mistakes come with consequences.

"Now, you can't even go back to Mallory Manor because of him. Mom, how much more can you afford to lose?* asked Percy.

Karen collapsed onto the couch, covering her face as she wept.

Percy's words had hit her where it hurt the most.

Indeed. As she had been busy handling Pierre's messes, she had lost the status that should have belonged to the matriarch of the Mallory family.

She had always thought she was better than Nina. However, she was in the same boat now, maybe even worse. Karen broke down in tears!

Nina might not have a powerful family backing her, but she had an exceptional husband like Percy.

Karen? Now, she had nothing left, not even a husband who loved her.

Daryl Mallory, her husband, was in love with another woman abroad!

Moreover, she had failed to educate Pierre.

The Ruiz family was still in A City, but she had long since cut ties with them. She was left with nothing now.

Percy watched with cold indifference as Karen sobbed.

He knew her too well. This was not regret or sorrow for what she had done. It was simply the pain of losing so much.

She lost a prominent position as well as the old master's trust.

Still, Karen was better off than most. At least, she had shares in Mallory Corporation and had saved a decent amount over the years.

As long as she did not stir up more trouble, Percy would still ensure she was taken care of in her old age.

Hence, as Karen cried, Percy showed no sympathy.

He just watched it all unfold with indifference.

Karen cried until she was exhausted.

Meanwhile, Nina, who had been hiding in the bedroom, got tired of waiting and came downstairs.

When she saw Karen's red, swollen eyes, she was startled for a moment.

This woman had always been such a high-and-mighty figure!

She was arrogant toward everyone, and she would go wild when upset but never cry. To her, crying was the ultimate sign of weakness. However, Karen was crying now. She was crying her heart out, utterly devastated. *Let me get some water," said Nina.

Percy initially wanted to ask her why she came down.

Nevertheless, seeing that Karen was no longer a threat, he just nodded.

Nina fetched a glass of water from the kitchen and handed it to Karen.

Karen, with her eyes red and swollen, looked at Nina and then pushed the glass away. With a loud crash, the glass hit the floor and shattered, spilling water everywhere.

Nina's head buzzed with fear that Karen might attack her, and she quickly stepped behind Percy for safety.

Karen sniffled, looking disheveled. However, her eyes still held a hint of pride as she looked at Nina. "I don't need your fake concern!"

Nina could not help but laugh, more out of frustration than anything. She thought Karen would appreciate the gesture, given how upset she seemed. Also, it was only because Karen was Percy's mother that she even bothered to bring her a glass of water.

However, clearly, some people just would not appreciate kindness.

*Fine," replied Nina. She then glanced at Percy, "I'm going back upstairs."

"Okay." Percy did not look too pleased either.

Karen came here to cry her heart out, yet now, she was giving Nina an attitude.

His expression darkened.

Karen noticed the change in Percy's expression and was not happy about it.

"What's with that look?"

"Nina was just trying to be nice by bringing you water. Why did you have to act like that?" asked Percy.

"Who needs her to be nice? And just because you say she's being nice, does that make it the truth? How do you know she didn't poison the water?" Karen wiped the tears from her face. "She's up to no good. Why should I accept anything from her?"

*She's the lady of the house. If you're not going to accept her kindness, then there's no reason for you to stay here." Percy was ready to show her the door.

"What do you mean? You're kicking me out because of this woman?" Karen stood up, furious.

"It's not like you don't have a place to go. You should head home. This is where Nina lives, and who knows when you might get upset by her again?" Percy made a gesture toward the door.

"Alright, I see what's happening here! I knew this woman was trouble, and now, you're even kicking me out! Fine! Percy, I may not be able to do anything to you right now, but don't come crying to me when she destroys you!"

Karen stormed out, nearly out of breath from anger.

Once she left, Nina finally came downstairs. She had not actually gone back to the bedroom, just stayed upstairs listening to what was happening.

Nina heaved a sigh. She walked toward the couch and squatted down to pick up the broken glass shards.

"Don't touch that. I'll do it." Percy immediately rushed over. "We're getting married soon. Be careful not to cut yourself."

Nina looked at him and suddenly asked, "Percy, do you really have no regrets?"

"I'll only regret it if I don't marry you," answered Percy. After gathering all the pieces, he helped her stand up and tossed the shards into the trash.

Nina smiled softly.

But is it really worth it, causing so much tension with your family m because of me ?"asked Nina. She thought Karen came over today to cause trouble for Percy.

However, it turned out to be just a crying session.

She was listening from upstairs, hoping Karen might change. While Karen's sadness was real, so was her hostility toward Nina.

She even accused Nina of trying to poison her!

Nina felt a bit exasperated. If she were truly that malicious, would Percy have put up with her in the first place?

*Stop talking nonsense!" Percy flicked her forehead lightly.

"Ow!" Nina rubbed her head, not that it hurt much. It was just enough to make her react instinctively.

*For you, everything is worth it. One day, they'll see how great you are. Besides, my family isn't like others. For most people, marriage involves two families, but for us, it's just about the two of us.

It doesn't matter what they think or say, so don't worry about whether they approve " Percy tried to reassure her as much as possible, wanting her to feel secure.

Nina could not help but grin.

*There you go, smiling like a fool. You were supposed to be upstairs, but you ended up hearing everything she said, didn't you?" teased Percy, gently pinching her cheek.

After all his efforts, she finally put on some weight.

She looked much healthier too.

"Her voice is so loud when she talks, and she's even louder when she cries. It's hard not to hear her," replied Nina with a playful expression.

"I honestly thought she was regretful. When someone's feeling sorry and upset, a little kindness can usually move them," added Nina.

But it depends on what they're upset about." Percy pulled her into his arms. "I know she's not regretting what she did before . She's only sad because Grandpa took everything from her. She won't accept any kindness from you."

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3252-Chapter 3252 A Simple Life Has Its Own Beauty

Nina stuck out her tongue, thinking that Karen was crying because her bond with Percy had weakened.

However, it turned out that she was actually upset about losing her status in the Mallory family.

Nina could not understand why people chased after so many unnecessary things.

A simple life had its own beauty.

Chasing after all that nonsense was what truly made life exhausting.

Nina glanced at the time and said, "I'll be heading back to the apartment in a bit. I want to get some decorating done over the weekend so that things won't be so hectic right before the wedding."

Percy agreed, "Alright. Need any help?"

"Nope. What kind of decorating skills do you have anyway? I've already asked Luca and Sue to help out. They'll be coming over." Nina, recalling the playful flick from earlier, could not resist giving his forehead a playful flick of her own.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

Percy felt a bit more at ease seeing that Nina was not dwelling on Karen's situation.

Nina seemed carefree on the outside, but she was actually quite sensitive. That was why he always paid close attention to her feelings and was careful about many things.

The little incident in the morning did not affect Nina at all. By noon, after having lunch, Nina headed over to the apartment.

All the little decorations she had bought for the wedding and the apartment had been delivered there. The property's management staff were kind enough to hold onto everything for her.

Nina made several trips upstairs, carrying the items.

A young woman from the property's management also helped out.

After they finished, Nina tried to give her a tip, but she refused, shaking her head. "Thank you, but no need. Mr. Mallory specifically asked us to help out. It's our job."

When Nina heard this, she immediately understood that Percy had already asked them to help.

When he made a request, no one would say no.

Nina thanked the young woman again and then went back to the apartment, pulling off all the dust covers.

Just as she finished, the doorbell rang.

Nina opened the door to find Sue and Luca both there.

"How did you both get here together?" Nina smiled, welcoming them in.

"We just happened to run into each other downstairs," Sue replied, letting go of her hand as Kari and Teri ran excitedly to the couch, looking at the unopened packages.

"Ms. Nina, do we get to open all these?" asked Kari and Teri.

*Yes, they're all for decorating," replied Nina cheerfully, only realizing now just how many packages she had ordered.

There were so many that she could probably sell the cardboard to a recycling collector and make a few bucks. "There's so many!" exclaimed Kari.

Rainie, who was a bit older, let go of Luca's hand and said to Nina, "Ms. Nina, I knew Ms. Luca was coming today, so I tagged along too. Don't worry, I won't cause any trouble!"

"You're all such good kids. I know none of you will cause any trouble. Come on in," replied Nina.

They all entered the apartment.

After Nina closed the door, she grabbed the drinks she had just bought from the store downstairs. "There's nothing here yet, so I had to grab some drinks from downstairs. If you want anything specific later, just let me know and I'll order it."

"As long as we have something to drink, that's fine. No need to go out of your way." Sue said casually, watching Kari and Teri circling around the stack of packages. She urged Nina, "Come on, Nina, start opening these boxes so that we can help you out."

"Yeah, let's get started," added Luca. She was not too surprised by the mountain of things Nina had bought. After all, Nina had already revealed her tendency to go overboard when it came to wedding shopping. *Alright, let's do it!" Nina grinned, grabbing a pair of scissors and opening the packages one by one.

The boxes were filled with wedding supplies, and Rainie carefully sorted them into different categories. "You really went on a shopping spree! I was wondering why you kept getting so many texts and calls. It turns out they were all from delivery guys!" Sue joked as she helped open the boxes.

Kari and Teri sat nearby, happily sipping their drinks and watching the adults unpack the deliveries.

"I'll help too," offered Luca. "You've been carrying these packages up by yourself for a while, haven't you? Why didn't you ask us to help?"

"It didn't take that long. Percy arranged everything with the property's management, so they helped out. We just used a cart to bring them up in the elevator. It was no trouble at all," Nina assured her.

*See? Mr. Mallory is always so thoughtful," remarked Sue.

Nina's face reddened.

"Ms. Nina, your face is all red!" Kari giggled.

"That's because Ms. Nina is thinking about her wedding day. It's a happy blush!" Sue teased with a laugh.

"You're marrying Mr. Percy, right?" asked Teri.

"Yes, that's right!" Nina's face turned even redder as the two little ones questioned her. Even though she and Percy were already legally married, the thought of the upcoming wedding filled her with joy, and she felt like she was floating on air.

"That's wonderful!" exclaimed Kari.

"Congratulations, Ms. Nina!" added Teri.

"Sweethearts, why don't you watch some TV for a bit?" Nina could feel her face flush from all the teasing, so she grabbed the remote next to her.

Then, she turned on the TV.

With the cartoons playing, the kids were quickly absorbed in the screen, giving the adults space to continue unpacking the boxes.

The three adults continued to open packages.

Once everything was opened, Nina began assigning tasks to help with the decorating.

Two hours later, they had hung up all the decorations.

Kari pointed at a bunch of balloons and asked, "Why aren't we putting up those balloons?"

"If we put them up now, they'll lose air before the wedding. We have to wait until the night before Ms. Nina's wedding to hang them!" explained Rainie, remembering that her parents had done the same thing for their

wedding.

"Oh, I get it now!" Kari nodded, looking up at Rainie with admiration. "You're so smart, Rainie!"

Rainie blushed at the compliment. "Not really," replied Rainie modestly.

"You're definitely smart! My mommy says you're amazing. You have great grades, you're kind and pretty, and you're even good at ballet. She tells us all the time that we should learn from you." Teri continued to shower Rainie with compliments.

Rainie blushed, feeling a bit embarrassed by the praise.

*Exactly, exactly! Kari, Teri, you should definitely look up to Rainie. But just like me, you two don't have much of a talent for dancing, so I'm not expecting you to take up ballet or anything like that. Just focus on your studies and pick up a hobby you enjoy. That's all I ask," Sue chimed in.

"Ms. Sue, I think Kari and Teri are pretty talented at drawing," said Rainie, noticing how engaged the two were with their drawings. Nina, worried they might get bored, had brought out some pens and paper. The kids were happily immersed in their artwork.

*Kari does seem to love drawing, but Teri seems more interested in music. In a few days, when their dad has some free time, he'll take them to the music store to check out the instruments and let them pick something cool

to learn, replied Sue.

She was not one to push her kids too hard and preferred a more laid-back approach to parenting.

Now that they were getting older, she was starting to think more about nurturing their interests and hobbies.

Teri gently tugged on Rainie's sleeve. "Rainie, when I leam to play the piano, can I play for you while you dance? You look so beautiful when you dance!"

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3253-An Elder Apologizing To A Younger Person Rainie smiled and nodded. "Of course!"

Sue was sitting on the balcony, sipping tea with them while watching the three kids in the living room. Rainie was taking care of both Kari and Teri, and she could not help but heave a sigh. "This just proves that having daughters is the best."

"What's this? You already have twin daughters. Isn't that enough? Don't tell me you're thinking of having twin sons too?" Nina teased.

*Two kids are already enough of a headache. There's no way I want two more sons!" Sue shook her head quickly." Besides, having twins was just a fluke, and there's no guarantee the next pregnancy would result in twins."

"Well, that's where you're wrong. If you naturally conceived twins, it means your body has the genes for it, so the next pregnancy could easily be twins too," replied Nina, glancing at Luca, suddenly thinking of Bianca.

Bianca had three kids with Luke.

However, no one knew where she was, and Luca had gotten pretty close to her…

Nina could not quite put her finger on it, but something felt off.

"Anyway, I don't want to have any more kids, but Jason's family is really pushing for it." Sue let out another sigh, resting her chin in her hand.

"Huh?" Luca was curious. "Why do they want you to have another child?"

*They're just scared because of his ex-wife," answered Sue. She was also puzzled by why they were so insistent on her having more kids. After asking, she found out it was all because of that.

"His ex-wife is overseas now, getting treatment with their child, but no one here really knows what's going on with that kid. His parents are just terrified, saying all sorts of things about how having another child would secure Kari's and Teri's future…" explained Sue, sounding exasperated.

"But aren't Kari and Teri perfectly healthy?" asked Nina.

Sue nodded. "Yeah, when I first found out that Jason had a sick son, I was worried about genetic issues too. So, I took Kari and Teri for a check-up, and they're both perfectly fine. I have no idea what his parents are so worried about."

Nina muttered slowly, "I think they just want a grandson."

"Yeah, the older generation always prefers boys over girls, I know that. They even tried to get custody of that kid from Bailey back in the day," replied Sue, clearly frustrated.

*Just let things take their course," Luca said calmly while listening to their conversation.

*Yeah, but now the old couple is trying to get Kari and Teri to ask me for a little brother every day. I'm really at my wit's end. Thankfully, Jason doesn't pressure me. He even said that two kids are enough, and he won't force me to have more," replied Sue. She felt tired just talking about it.

When she first decided to have kids, she was getting older and did not plan on getting married, so she thought having children would add some color to her life.

However, after the kids were born, she ended up having more and more interactions with Jason.

In the end, they got married.

None of this was something Sue had anticipated before having kids.

*It's good that Mr. Doyle understands you," Luca reassured her.

Jason was well-educated, so his views were likely different from his parents.

"Now, all I want is a simple life without any more drama. And as for Bailey, since she has left, she should just stay gone. If she comes back to cause trouble again, I'm really going to lose it," complained Sue, recalling the nightmare that Bailey had made of her life in the past.

That woman's presence had caused problems between her and Jason.

Fortunately, they had managed to overcome them.

*Mom, what are you guys talking about?" Teri came running over on her little legs, cuddling up next to Sue.

"We're just chatting," replied Sue, pulling out a tissue to wipe the sweat from her forehead. She smiled lovingly at her. "How'd you work up a sweat?"

"It's a bit hot!" Teri wrinkled her nose.

"Hot, huh? Let me adjust it." Nina got up and turned the temperature down a degree.

Sue glanced at the ribbon flower in Teri's hand and asked, "That's so pretty! Did Rainie make it for you?"

*Yeah! Rainie is amazing! She can make flowers!" Teri looked at the ribbon flower in her hand, then walked over to Luca and handed it to her, "Pretty miss, this one's for you."

Luca was a bit surprised but smiled as she took it. "Thank you, Teri!"

Teri giggled and ran back to the living room to continue folding ribbon flowers with Rainie.

The leftover ribbons were being folded, and Kari and Teri were trying to follow Rainie's moves, folding along with her.

"I have to say, the kids really love you!" said Nina as she adjusted the temperature and sat back down, noticing the flower in Luca's hand. "What is it about you that attracts all the kids? They just seem to gravitate toward you!"

"Maybe I'm just naturally good with kids," Luca replied with a cheerful smile.

"It's not a maybe; it's a definite! All three of Luke's kids like you, and now, even Teri does too. Good thing they're not my kids, or I'd be super jealous," joked Nina.

When Sue heard this, she let out a laugh. "What's wrong with that? If your kids end up loving Luca, you could just let her babysit them. It'd make your life easier!"

"That's true!"

They chatted for quite a while, and it was not until evening that they each headed home.

When Luca and Rainie got home, Luca was surprised to find Karen there. She was startled for a moment.

Luke was also in the living room, and the coffee table was covered with beautifully wrapped gifts.

Luca quickly realized what was going on and turned to Rainie. "Sweetheart, why don't you head upstairs for now, okay?"

Rainie, understanding that this was adult business, nodded and replied, "Okay."

Once Rainie was upstairs, Luca walked over and sat beside Luke. They exchanged a glance.

Luke spoke up, "Madam Mallory, you should take these gifts back."

Karen's expression clarkened when she saw Luca, especially after witnessing how close she was with the child. It made her feel uncomfortable.

A mistress speaking to the child as though this were her home and as though she were the lady of the house!

Due to Daryl's betrayal, Karen had developed a deep dislike for mistresses, so she had never liked Luca. Now, her hostility was even stronger.

She asked in a cold voice when she heard Luke say so, "So, you're really not going to forgive me?"

"Madam Mallory, do you even think you've done something wrong?" Luke suddenly asked.

Karen looked at Luca. Her gaze then fell on the gifts she had brought.

She secretly sneered. She had bought expensive things. Surely, this woman who relied on men to get ahead had never seen anything so luxurious!

Karen added, "I shouldn't have kidnapped anyone, but I begged Luca, and she refused. I wasn't planning on hurting her. If she hadn't pushed me so hard, I wouldn't have done it."

Luke's expression darkened.

Karen's expression was not looking any better. "I've brought you gifts, and I've apologized. Can't you explain to the old master that it was all just a misunderstanding?"

Luca suddenly laughed at her tone.

She knew it was hard for an elder to apologize to a younger person and there would always be a bit of awkwardness in their tone.

However, Karen's attitude was something else entirely…

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3254-He's The One Who Knows Her Best Karen glared at Luca, furious. "What are you laughing at?!"

She wanted to curse her out for being ill-mannered.

However, Karen quickly held back because she noticed that Luke's expression had turned gloomy. She realized that if she insulted Luca now, she would have zero chance left.

Luca knew Karen hated mistresses and hated her even more.

Thinking about all the dirty tricks Karen and Pierre had pulled recently, she did not mind disgusting her a little. She deliberately leaned closer to Luke, letting Karen see her play the part of the wicked woman.

"I just find what you said amusing, Madam Mallory," said Luca.

Karen watched as she shamelessly clung to Luke, acting like she did not even exist. Luca was without a shred of shame. She secretly cursed, 'Mistresses really are shameless!' However, she did not say it out loud. Instead, she snapped, "I'm talking to Luke right now. Who asked you to butt in?"

Luca nodded and fell silent, turning her gaze to Luke instead.

Luke, feeling her eyes on him, met her gaze and completely ignored Karen.

Karen was furious!

*Luke, I'm here to sincerely apologize today. Can't you at least talk to me? Or tell me what I need to do to earn your forgiveness and to have you put in a good word about me with Old Master Mallory?" She tried to calm down, ignoring Luca's deliberate provocation.

Luke held Luca's hand, glanced at her, and replied, "I've already made it clear.

Dropping the charges was the best outcome for the Mallory family. If you keep pushing, don't blame me for what happens next…

Karen frowned. "Are you saying you'll call the cops if I keep bothering you?"

Luke nodded. "Take these things with you. I don't need them. And don't bother Luca again."

"Fine, fine!" Karen knew Luke was proud, but what Percy said earlier had made her think that as long as she lowered herself, Luke might help smooth things over.

She never expected this outcome!

"How dare you reject me?! Don't blame me for what happens next!" Then, Karen grabbed the bags of goods and stormed out.

"Aunt Neile, see her out," instructed Luke.

"Yes, sir." Aunt Neile had been hiding in the kitchen, and when she heard him, she quickly came out to escort Karen to the door.

With a loud bang, the villa's door slammed shut behind her.

Karen stared at the iron door, tempted to kick it.

However, she was not stupid. If she did, she would probably end up with a broken foot.

Fuming, she was about to leave when a voice called out, "Madam Mallory?

What are you doing here?"

Karen turned toward the voice and saw that it was Susan.

Since Susan had ties with Luke, Karen was not about to be friendly. "What's it to you?"

Susan noticed her foul mood, saw the bags in her hands, and glanced at the door nearby, piecing together what might have happened.

She did not know for sure, but her gossip instincts kicked in. "Did they kick you out?"

"It's none of your business!" Karen snapped.

Susan recalled the scandalous stories she had seen online about how Karen had messed with Luke and how he had ruthlessly struck back, leaving Karen in shambles.

After suffering so much, she had barely managed to smooth things over.

"So, you came to apologize, huh? But I'd advise against it. Ever since that woman showed up, Luke has changed. He doesn't even listen to me anymore,"

Susan deliberately added. Being in the same circle, she knew exactly what would get under Karen's skin!

"And to be honest, I've tried to talk sense into him so many times…"

*Some women are just cunning. They don't have the skills, so they try to change their lives by latching onto a man!" Susan's words hit a nerve with Karen, reminding her of Nina.

"Isn't that right?" Susan's eyes gleamed with a sharp light. "No man is any good."

Karen could not agree more. Thinking of how she and Susan had both suffered the same fate, her expression softened a bit.

Susan asked again, "What's with all these bags?"

"I just asked Luca for a small favor, but Luke got all mad and went to complain to the old man. So now, I'm…" Karen trailed off.

"It was just a small favor! Does he really have to be so protective of that woman? That's way over the top!" Susan's gossip radar was now fully engaged.

Ever since Louis moved out, her life had been pretty dull without her son and grandkids around.

Now that she had an opportunity, there was no way Susan would let Karen leave so easily.

"Exactly! As his mother, you should talk some sense into him. He's always thinking about that woman, but women like her are heartless. If he gets dumped in the future, he'll cry a river!" Karen agreed.

Susan nodded and then invited her inside. "Madam Mallory, why don't you come in and sit for a bit?" Karen hesitated for a moment.

Even though she could chat with Susan, they were not that close.

Susan added, "I actually have something I need to talk to you about. It might help with your situation."

"Alright." Karen, tempted by the offer, grabbed her bags and walked into the villa.

Luke and Luca had no idea this was happening.

After Karen left, Luke gently played with Luca's hair. "Feeling better now?"

"I wasn't upset." Luca rested her head on his shoulder.

Despite their significant height difference, sitting down like this was perfect. It allowed her to comfortably lean on his shoulder without straining her neck.

'I noticed you were deliberately provoking Karen." Luke did not have any fondness for Percy's mother, so when no one else was around, he just called her by her name.

Luca chuckled.

"Yeah, she tried to use Vivian to threaten me yesterday, which really pissed me off. But out of respect for Mr. Mallory, I couldn't do anything about it, so I had to mess with her a little," explained Luca.

No one liked being threatened.

If Karen had been anyone else, someone without ties to Percy, Luca might have dealt with her differently after ensuring Vivian's safety.

It was not right for a man to hit a woman. However, when it was woman against woman, there was nothing to be ashamed of!

"I'll find a chance for you later," replied Luke.

"A chance for what?" Luca glanced up at his chin. He had not shaved today, and the stubble was poking through.

She reached up to touch it, finding it a bit prickly.

"Didn't you want to beat her up?" asked Luke.

Luca was surprised. "I didn't say that. How did you know?"

"I know all your little thoughts," replied Luke, grabbing her restless hand and pressing it against his chin.

"Ouch, it's prickly!" Luca protested with a laugh. Then, she asked, "Is it that obvious?"

*It's pretty obvious. Ever since Nina got slapped by her, you've been m itching to return the favor ; haven't you?" replied Luke, knowing exactly what was on her mind.

Luca made a little noise of agreement.

She guessed it was pretty obvious. She did not say anything, but Luke still knew.

Well, he was the one who knew her best.

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3255-A Chance To Meet Each Other

Luke took her hand again, leaned in close, and brushed his chin against her. "If I didn't have a rule against hitting women, I'd be tempted to punch someone myself."

"Huh?" Luca was surprised. "But she's Mr. Mallory's mother."

Luke said indifferently, "So what? Sometimes, it's not about their identity. I don't hit them just because I don't want to hit a woman."

Luca could not help but laugh at his words.

Just then, Aunt Neile walked in to report something.

*Sir, Ms. Craw, Madam Mallory has left, but..." She paused for a moment. "When I closed the door, I overheard Madam Mallory talking to Madam Crawford."

After closing the door earlier, Aunt Neile noticed some fallen leaves and started sweeping. That was when she overheard their conversation.

It was not a pleasant conversation, and by the end of it, the two women seemed to have teamed up.

Aunt Neile remembered that Susan and Karen never had a close relationship before.

"They're teaming up?" Luca raised an eyebrow, suspecting nothing good would come from those two joining forces.

They were probably at the villa across the street right now, gossiping about her and Luke.

Luca could not understand it. She was Luke's original wife, yet these two were treating her like she was the mistress.

It was ridiculous.

Luke ruffled her long hair. "Just ignore them."

"Okay." Luca nodded.

Seeing that neither of them was too concerned, Aunt Neile did not say much more, though the things Karen and Susan had said outside were not pleasant.

Two days later, Luke and Luca both received an invitation from Marcos to meet at his hotel.

However, instead of going to his room, they met in the restaurant downstairs.

Marcos had invited them to dinner.

"Good evening, Mr. Marcos," Luca greeted him with a smile as he approached.

"Good evening, Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw," replied Marcos. He was still the picture of a refined foreign gentleman. After he greeted them, he pulled out a chair and sat across from them.

Luke glanced at Ethan, who was sitting a short distance away, and could not help but smirk.

Ethan was really on high alert with Marcos.

Even though Marcos was just meeting them in the restaurant, Ethan insisted on tagging along.

Instead of sitting at their table, he chose to sit at another table. He still kept an eye on them, or rather, on Marcos.

Luke looked away and asked, "Where's your friend?"

"He got some unexpected work and had to leave," Marcos emphasized the word "work".

Luke understood that this work was related to the Island of Despair.

He nodded, signaling that he got the message.

After ordering, Marcos added a dessert.

Luca chuckled and asked, "Mr. Marcos, do you have a sweet tooth?"

Marcos shook his head and replied, "It's for you. Ladies love sweets."

As soon as he said this, Luke did not react, but Ethan let out a cold snort.

He thought what Marcos did was embarrassing the Abaza family!

Matysh had come all the way to A City for this woman, only to get caught by the police and sentenced to prison. It was all her fault!

Marcos actually had the nerve to cozy up to that woman!

Ethan was furious as he saw Luke and Luca as enemies of the Abaza family, especially Luca, who was at the top of his list.

When Luca heard Ethan's cold snort, she frowned in displeasure.

Marcos noticed her reaction and shot a glare at Ethan. "Ethan, if the restaurant's food doesn't satisfy you, you're welcome to leave."

Ethan's eyes widened. "Why should I be the one to leave?"

"It's because you're being noisy," replied Marcos, reminding himself to stay calm and act like a gentleman. Otherwise, he might have already thrown a punch at this snarky Ethan.

"Mr. Crawford is a partner of M Group, and as the company's president, it's only polite for me to treat him to a meal before I leave A City. If you're worried I might betray M Group, you're welcome to listen in, but don't interrupt our dinner," warned Marcos.

Ethan's expression darkened.

Ever since Matysh was sentenced, Marcos seemed like a different person.

It was not that his personality had changed but rather the way he treated others.

It was as though Matysh's conviction had solidified Marcos's position within the Abaza family.

With the family now fully under his control, he no longer needed to cater to those who reported back to the old master.

After finishing his piece, Marcos returned to his usual gentle smile and looked at the two across from him.

"My apologies," said Marcos, not necessarily for Ethan's behavior but still with the utmost courtesy.

"It's fine. Don't let insignificant people affect your mood," Luke replied nonchalantly.

Ethan almost jumped out of his seat.

He was furious!

He knew Luke had never liked him, but Marcos' sudden change in attitude was a complete 180!

Ethan stared daggers at Marcos' approving smile, cursing him silently and vowing to report all of this to the old master as soon as he got back to Russia.

Luke, ignoring Ethan's dark thoughts, turned to Marcos and asked, "I heard you're heading back to Russia soon." Marcos nodded. "That's right. Now that things with Uncle Matysh are settled here, it's time for me to return. I've

been working remotely for too long."

"When's your flight?" asked Luca.

"Tomorrow afternoon," answered Marcos.

"So soon?" Luca had been thinking about finding a chance for Marcos to meet Sarah.

However, she did not expect him to leave tomorrow. Besides, with Ethan constantly around, it was going to be tricky for them to meet each other.

Marcos knew what she had in mind, so he nodded and added, "I've been working remotely for a while, and there's a lot of work piling up. Now that everything here is wrapped up, I need to get back and handle things.

"A lot of M Group's business partners are waiting for me to return."

Luca glanced at Ethan.

He was still glaring in their direction.

Was he not worried that he might choke on his food with all that staring?

Luca nodded and replied, "I was hoping to show you around A City a bit more, but I guess that'll have to wait."

"Thank you," said Marcos, appreciating her thoughtfulness. "Don't worry, there'll be plenty of opportunities to work with T Corporation in the future. I'll definitely be coming back to A City often."

"You're always welcome," replied Luke.

Luca gave him a warm smile, showing her goodwill.

Ethan, who was listening to their conversation, was secretly boiling with anger.

Noticing Ethan's gaze still fixed on them, Luke decided to provoke him a little more. "By the way, with you leaving

so soon. Does that mean Matysh has decided not to appeal?"

Marcos shot a glance at Ethan.

He smiled, then looked back at Luke. "There's likely going to be an appeal, but that's not for me to handle. Ethan here knows more about that than I do."

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3256-Heart Of Flame

When Marcos personally called his name, Ethan snorted coldly, pretending as though he did not hear it.

Marcos did not mind.

This was A City, not Russia. Matysh would not be getting out easily.

Luke suddenly burst into laughter when he saw how arrogant Ethan was.

Ethan heard him and turned his head to look at him.

Luca turned around and asked, "Is there something you need?"

Ethan felt like the three of them were targeting him, so he irritably turned his head away.

Luke continued, "No matter how many times Matysh appeals, the original verdict will likely be upheld. His case is extremely severe, and the public's reaction has been quite bad.

"A City won't care about his influence in Russia. Everything will be judged based on the severity of his crimes here in A City, according to the law."

Luca, worried that Ethan might not fully understand, clarified, "To put it simply, no matter how many appeals he makes, it won't make a difference."

Ethan's expression darkened.

He would be returning to Russia with Marcos this time.

He intended to seek out experts and relevant connections in Russia to see if he could help Matysh.

What they were saying felt like a prophecy, reminding him that no matter what he did, it would be futile.

Matysh was destined to serve his sentence in A City.

After dinner, Marcos personally escorted them downstairs.

This time, Ethan did not follow because their discussion at the table made him realize that appealing on Matysh's behalf would be ineffective.

Plus, with the appeal deadline looming, he needed to contact Russia immediately.

Marcos stood in the elevator with the two and suddenly pulled out a jewelry box from his pocket.

"Ms. Craw, as a token of gratitude for the hospitality Mr. Crawford and you have shown during this time, I've prepared a gift for you. I hope you accept it," said Marcos.

"Oh, thank you." Luca graciously accepted the box. Although it looked like it might contain a ring, the fact that Marcos was presenting it meant there was likely something significant inside.

She accepted it gracefully, and Luke did not say anything.

After leaving the hotel, Luca opened the jewelry box.

When she saw the note inside, she smiled and showed it to Luke before reading it aloud: "Hello, Ms. Craw. Here lies the ring my parents used in their wedding. After she left the family, the ring came into my possession.

"Now, I'd appreciate it if you could help return this ring to its rightful owner. I believe my mother misses it dearly as it holds great significance for her."

"I knew it," added Luca. When she saw the jewelry box, she had guessed that Marcos wanted her to help return it to Sarah.

Sure enough, that was the case.

"Give it to Ms. Poplar after they've returned to Russia," said Luke.

"Yes, that's what I was thinking." Luca nodded. Even though there was no one visibly following them now, it was hard to say if there were any of Ethan's people lurking around.

She remained cautious even though they were heading back.

Luca looked at the ruby ring in the jewelry box. Even after more than 20 years, the ruby was still stunning, shimmering faintly under the dim streetlights.

It was a beautiful gem.

Luca commented, "The ring has been well-maintained."

"Do you know the story behind this ring?" Luke asked while driving.

"Huh? There's a story?" Luca asked in surprise.

Luke nodded. "Of course."

"To be precise, it's the story of the gemstone set in the ring," added Luke.

"I didn't realize you knew so much about their wedding ring. Do tell me." Luca was curious.

Luke smiled. "It's not that I made a point to learn their story. It's just that before their wedding, I searched high and low for this ring, but I couldn't find it. I didn't expect it to be with Marcos, let alone to discover it was his parents' wedding ring."

Luca touched the ruby on the ring. It felt cold to the touch, hinting at a beautiful love story behind it.

Luke continued, "The ring is called the Heart of Flame. The fiery red gemstone represents passionate love. Originally, the gem was sold by a gem dealer to a European noble. The noble, seeing the flame-like brilliance of the gem, thought of his beloved wife. He designed the ring setting and had the gemstone set in it."

"And then?" asked Luca.

"Naturally, the noble's wife was deeply moved when she received the ring. She vowed to be with him forever, and the noble remained devoted to her. They lived a loving life together, growing old together.

"The noble's wife passed away at the age of 98, and the next day, the noble followed her. So, the ring symbolizes not just love and happiness but also longevity. Many years later, the ring was auctioned by the noble's descendants, and it was unexpectedly purchased by Marcos' father."

Luke reflected on how he had once searched for the ring for a long time but never found it, only to discover it was in Marcos' family. He was quite surprised.

Luca expected a tragic tale but was pleasantly surprised by the story of enduring love and a happily-ever-after. Yet, she thought that if the gem's symbolism were not so positive, Luke would not have considered giving it to her. However, what good was a gem's positive symbolism if it did not come true for the wearer?

Like Marcos' parents.

If Marcos' father had not passed away early, Sarah might not be in her current situation.

They were in love and overcame societal norms and class differences back then.

Nevertheless, their ending was not perfect.

Luca remembered the diamond ring Luke had given her and asked, "What about the ring you gave me before?"

The diamond ring Luke gave her for their wedding was large.

She wore it only during the wedding ceremony and usually wore another ring from him, which was more delicate

and less extravagant.

After she was kidnapped, she lost that ring.

Still, she assumed the diamond ring from the wedding was still somewhere, so she asked out of curiosity.

Luke's expression changed.

Luca noticed his expression and asked, "Could it be..."

Luke hesitated before telling her the truth, "It was taken by the impostor Bianca. I don't know what happened to

the ring afterward."

Luke let out a sigh of frustration.

He had thought the impostor Bianca was her.

Hence, after she was discharged from the hospital, he found the ring in a jewelry box and put it on her.

At that time, he did not suspect anything. He just thought she was affected by the trauma. He did not say anything when he saw her wearing the ring.

However, he really did not keep track of where the ring went after that.

"I see." Luca nodded, but then she heard him continue.

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3257-Someone From The Other End

"Even if it were still around, I wouldn't want you to wear it after that woman has had it on." Luke added, "I'll have a big surprise for you on the day our family has reunited."

He meant his words.

He had been surveying rings.

"What about all those other pieces of jewelry?" asked Luca, referring to the many pieces Luke had given her.

She had kept them all together, and if the impostor Bianca could get her wedding ring, the others must have been touched by her too.

Just thinking about those things being handled by such a woman, Luca felt the same as Luke. She would not want to wear them again.

Luke said, "They're all yours. Do whatever you want with them."

"How about we hold a small auction for them and donate the proceeds to the welfare home?" suggested Luca. The welfare home she had in mind was the one that had taken in Luke before.

"Sure, it's up to you," Luke agreed. He had no objections and thought it was a good deed.

Once the issues with the Island of Despair were resolved, he planned to hold a press conference to clear up everything.

He would not let Luca suffer any injustice.

Even though they were together, he wanted everyone to know Luca's true identity was Bianca.

She did not climb to the top by being someone's mistress.

He did not cheat on his wife either.

After the clarification, they would auction off the items, and all the money would go to the welfare home. This way, Luca would also gain a good reputation.

Luke thought it was a brilliant idea.

After confirming that Marcos and Ethan had left the following day, Luca took the jewelry box and Marcos' handwritten letter to Sarah's home. It was an unexpected visit, so she had not given Sarah any notice.

Sarah was a bit surprised to see her.

"Ms. Craw, what brings you here?"

"I came to visit," replied Luca.

"Please come in." Sarah welcomed her inside.

The maid brought a glass of water. When they had settled, the maid said, "Ms. Poplar, I'm going to the supermarket. I need to buy groceries for tonight."

"Sure. By the way, Ms. Craw, why don't you stay for dinner tonight?" Sarah invited her to stay for the evening meal. Luca shook her head and declined, "No, I have other things to do later, so I won't be staying."

"Alright then." Sarah did not press further once she heard Luca had other plans.

After the maid left, Luca took out a jewelry box from her briefcase.

"This is..." Sarah looked at her in confusion.

"This is something Marcos asked me to give you. Please take a look," said Luca, also pulling out the handwritten

letter.

Sarah took it and, without opening the jewelry box first, read the letter. Her eyes were filled with tears as she read

it.

"Silly child!" Sarah opened the jewelry box and saw the ring. Tears began to stream down her face.

Luca quickly handed her a tissue, saying, "Ms. Poplar, don't cry. This ring means so much to Mr. Marcos. It's been a significant part of his life for over 20 years."

Sarah nodded, understanding the ring's importance to Marcos. It was the only thing he could hold onto when he missed them.

"When Marcos was little, I told him the story of this ring..." Sarah gently touched the ring's gemstone, her touch tender and loving.

"This ring was bought by Marcos's father. It cost quite a bit and was given to me as a wedding ring. It's so beautiful that I didn't wear it often. I was afraid I might lose it, so I only wore it on important family occasions.

"When many things happened and I had to escape from the Abaza family in a hurry, I couldn't take the ring with me. I thought the Abaza family took it, but it turns out Marcos has been keeping it safe."

Luca listened to her and felt deeply touched.

Luca added, "I had dinner with Mr. Marcos last night. His flight today will take him back to Russia."

Sarah nodded. "I know. He contacted me secretly and said he was going back to Russia to settle the scores with the Abaza family."

Luca nodded. She did not know the full extent of the Abaza family's corruption. She had only heard a bit from Luke. It would be difficult for Marcos to clear all the obstacles, but it was the only way he could reunite with Sarah.

"Ms. Poplar, this ring has been through so much, yet it's back in your hands. Ultimately, it's a symbol of your husband's love for you. But now is not the time to display it; you should keep it safe," replied Luca.

Sarah nodded, understanding that showing the ring now would only cause trouble for Marcos.

"I'll keep it safe. Thank you, and thank Mr. Crawford for me as well," said Sarah as she closed the jewelry box.

"I'll be on my way, then," replied Luca as she rose to her feet.

"Let me walk you out," offered Sarah, standing up as well.

Luca shook her head. "It's okay. Please stay inside. Even though they've left A City, there might still be some people we don't know about lingering. Since Matysh is serving his sentence here, we need to be cautious."

"I understand. To avoid causing trouble, I haven't been out much," explained Sarah. She mostly stayed at home. Sometimes, she would just go to the balcony for exercise and avoid going out.

If she had to go out, she would be fully disguised.

Even the maid was puzzled by her behavior.

However, she had grown used to it over time.

Since the maid handled everything, Sarah stayed home as much as possible.

After all these years of hiding, she was now even more concerned for her son, especially after reuniting with Marcos.

After Luca finished her conversation with her, she left.

Instead of returning to Watson, she went straight home.

As soon as she parked in front of the house, Luca received a call with a string of numbers.

Her heart sank.

It had been a while since Abel had contacted her.

The longer the silence, the more uneasy she felt. When someone who had been quiet suddenly appeared, it usually meant something big was about to happen.

Luca was nervous.

"Ms. Craw, aren't you going to answer the call?" Warren noticed her hesitation. The phone had been ringing for a while without being answered, so he reminded her.

"Don't speak. It's someone from the other side," replied Luca.

Warren became serious. He took his phone out to record and said, "Please put it on speaker."

Luca nodded, answered the call, and turned on the speaker.

"Who's this?"

On the other end of the line, Abel's cold voice came through. "Why did it take you so long to answer?"

"My phone was on silent. Mr. Abel, do you need something?" Luca did not want to listen to Abel's lecture and just wanted to know the reason for his call.

"Of course. I have something to discuss with you," replied Abel.

"Oh? What is it?" Luca glanced at Warren, who was holding his phone, indicating that it was recording.

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3258-Shanks Is Lucky

"Come to the base now," instructed Abel.

Luca wanted to test why he was calling her there at this time, so she deliberately made things difficult. "But I've got something to do now."

"I don't care what it is. Just get to the base now," Abel cut her off and hung up.

Luca ended the call helplessly. It seemed like this was urgent. Abel did not even bother with the usual small talk.

Warren saved the recording and asked, "Are you heading there now?"

"Yes, I have to. I'll grab a cab. You can head home," replied Luca. Normally, she would call a cab, so there was no way she could drive there today.

As Luca opened the car door and was about to step out of the car, Warren asked, "Do you need someone to follow you secretly?"

"No." Luca declined without hesitation. "I'll be fine in A City."

If something were to happen, having someone follow would not make a difference anyway.

Luke's subordinates could not follow her into the base. Once she got inside, whether she was safe or not was beyond their control. It was up to her.

After all, nothing could be exposed right now.

"Alright, Ms. Craw. Please stay safe. As per protocol, I have to report this to the boss and Mr. Gale, Warren reminded her.

"Go ahead and tell them." Luca nodded. After closing the car door, she turned around and walked out of the community.

When she arrived at the entrance, she waited for a while before finally hailing a cab. Following her usual routine, she switched to another car halfway there. When she was near the base, Abel called again.

"Why aren't you here yet?" His tone was unpleasant.

"It was tough finding a cab. I'll be there soon," explained Luca.

Abel did not respond and just hung up.

Luca frowned. The more urgent his tone, the more uneasy she felt.

However, no matter what awaited her, she had to go.

When she arrived, she paid the driver.

Seeing a woman dressed expensively in such a sketchy area, the driver kindly warned her, "Ma'am, this place is full of shady characters. Be careful since you're dressed like that."

"I know. Thank you," replied Luca, feeling a bit of warmth from the stranger's concern.

After getting out of the car, she followed her planned route, circling twice before entering the base.

"Where's Mr. Abel?" asked Luca.

"He's on the second floor," answered one of the men. He gave her a quick once-over and pointed upstairs.

Luca made her way up the stairs.

As she reached the second floor, she was hit with the sharp scent of cigar smoke. It was the kind of cigar Abel usually smoked.

She frowned. The strong smell suggested he had been smoking a lot, which was never a good sign. It meant either he was very relaxed or very annoyed.

Either way, Luca knew being summoned meant trouble for her.

She approached the couch where Abel was still smoking and greeted him, "Mr. Abel, what's the matter?"

Abel looked her up and down. "Hmm, haven't seen you in a while. You look pretty good. What's the deal? A little attention from a man doing wonders for you?

"I'm carrying out the tasks you assigned," Luca responded calmly, ignoring his taunt.

She did not feel ashamed of being with Luke. They were husband and wife, after all.

If it were relatives or friends teasing her, she might blush, but it only made her angry if Abel said something like that. She was so mad that she wished she could punch him in the face.

However, that would have to wait; it was not time to act yet.

Abel blew out his last puff of smoke, stubbed out the cigar, and pointed at a room. "Go in and help."

"You didn't say what I should do." Luca frowned.

"You'll find out when you get inside," replied Abel, clearly not planning to tell her.

Luca eyed the room and hesitated for a moment, unsure of what was waiting for her inside.

Abel mistook her hesitation for fear and sneered, "Relax, I still need you around Luke, so I'm not about to kill you."

Luca frowned but walked to the door and pushed it open.

The room was filled with pharmaceutical equipment, and Shanks was there.

Luca was surprised. Then, she called out, "Mr. Shanks?"

"Come in, put on the protective gear, and help me with the experiment," said Shanks.

Luca closed the door and followed his instructions, changing into the protective clothing and gear before approaching Shanks.

She had a hunch that Shanks was working on the herbs they had collected in X City.

A flicker of excitement sparked in her, but she quickly calmed herself down.

Luke had bought up the remaining herbs. Could Shanks have gathered them all?

"Mr. Shanks, what do you need me to do?" asked Luca.

"Separate and purify the extracts," replied Shanks. He pointed at the equipment and raw materials. "The herbs are over there. Just follow the method I taught you."

Luca walked over to the workbench and picked up one of the herbs.

It was the same herb Luke had bought.

"Mr. Shanks, how did you manage to find this herb?" asked Luca.

"I picked it myself," replied Shanks. He headed into the mountains with a local herbalist to gather it.

The mountains around X City were vast. Shanks had joined a group of truffle hunters and, while they were searching for truffles, he was lucky enough to find the herbs he needed and made his way back down the mountain.

"Are they all wild?" Luca asked casually, recalling something a herbalist had once told her.

If a certain herb could grow in someone's backyard, it likely meant it could be found in the surrounding mountains.

However, these herbs were often overlooked as weeds because they were not considered valuable in modern medicine.

"Yes." Shanks seldom talked when he was doing his research, so he gave her a simple response.

Luca did not press further. She silently noted that Shanks was lucky and then got to work on the task he had assigned.

After three years on the Island of Despair and the time spent in A City, Luca found Shanks' tasks easy to handle.

Finally, she finished the refining and purifying process around 8:00 pm.

During this time, she had not made or received any calls, not even from Luke.

She figured Luke had not contacted her because he knew she was at the base in A City and was worried about exposing her location.

When Luca was done, she handed the purified liquid to Shanks. "Mr. Shanks, the purification is complete."

"Good. Set it aside," replied Shanks. He was absorbed in whatever he was examining under the microscope.

Luca waited for a moment until he looked up from the microscope. She then asked, "Mr. Shanks, is there anything else you need me to do?"

"That's all." Shanks shook his head after a moment's thought. "It's getting late. Go home. You know what to say when you're back home."

"I do." Luca removed the protective gear and glanced at Shanks, who was still engrossed in his research. Then, she walked out of the room.

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3259-Not A Chance At All

Abel was no longer sitting on the couch. Instead, he was off to the side, wearing boxing gloves and punching a heavy bag.

Luca knew she could not just leave, so she stood there and waited until he was done. After a while, he took off the gloves and asked, "How's the experiment going?"

"No idea," replied Luca.

Abel looked at her with obvious displeasure. "You were in there all afternoon!"

Luca shook her head. "I don't know what Mr. Shanks' experiment is about, so how could I know how it's going? I was just there to assist."

Abel was at a loss for words for a moment, but he knew she was right.

He let out a cold snort and dismissed her. "Hmph, whatever. Get out."

As Luca observed how much Abel cared about the experiment, it only confirmed her suspicions.

This experiment Shanks was working on was for Abel's benefit.

However, what exactly was this experiment?

Luca was puzzled, but she dared not to dig deeper while she was in the lab. She feared that if she seemed too curious, Shanks would get suspicious.

Her priority now was to keep Abel stable, not to arouse his suspicions. She had to wait for Luke to find the right moment to take down the organization.

After Abel dismissed her, she quickly left the room.

Downstairs, the same man was still guarding the door.

When he saw Luca coming down, he asked, "Done with the experiment?"

Luca frowned. "You knew I was there for the experiment?"

"What else? You're the only one in the entire A City base who can help Mr. Shanks with his experiments. If you weren't here for that, what else could it be?" the man replied. As the gatekeeper for the A City base, he was aware of what Shanks and Abel were up to.

Shanks was working on a critical experiment, but no one at the base, not even Abel himself, had any expertise in pharmaceuticals.

That was why Luca was brought in.

Without waiting for Luca to respond, the man added, "People with skills like yours get big rewards. I bet the boss will give you something nice for helping out."

Luca thought to herself that she would be lucky enough if Abel did not screw her over.

She remained silent and headed for the door.

The man saw this and asked, "Did you drive here?"

"No," replied Luca, frowning. It was rare to find someone as talkative as this man on the Island of Despair.

"It's pretty late, and this area is tough for getting a cab. Want me to give you a ride?" he offered.

"No need." Luca was wary of any sudden kindness, suspecting ulterior motives.

The man looked a bit disappointed. As she opened the door, he said, "My name's Kyle."

Luca paused for a moment and gave Kyle a strange look.

In the end, she did not say anything. She pulled the door open, walked out, shut the door behind her, and left without a word.

Kyle felt a little regretful. He thought she might respond, but to his surprise, she just left. While he was still feeling a bit wistful, Abel's voice came from behind him. "You like her?"

Kyle jumped and turned around, only to find that Abel had somehow snuck up behind him.

"Boss!" He snapped to attention, though his face turned a bit red.

Abel's expression was odd. "Do you like her?" he asked again.

Kyle shook his head. "No, I don't."

"Don't lie to me!" Abel's expression suddenly turned serious.

Kyle jumped in surprise and replied, "It's not that I like her. It's just that I've got a bit of a crush on her."

Abel nodded, understanding what he meant.

"A bit of a crush, huh? But you do know she's already got a man, right?" he replied.

Kyle nodded. "I know her mission is to get close to a man and extract secrets."

Abel's smile turned wicked. "And that doesn't bother you?"

"It's just a mission. She doesn't have a choice. Nothing to be bothered about," replied Kyle. They all had to do things they did not want to in the Island of Despair. If they let it get to them, they would not last long.

Abel understood and continued, "But that man she's getting close to is actually her husband."

Kyle was shocked. He did not know that.

Abel went on, "She's willing to get close to her own husband to complete a mission. Do you really think a woman like that is worth liking?"

Kyle stayed silent.

Abel added, "If she ever accepts your advances, you'd better watch out."

"Why?" asked Kyle, feeling confused.

"If she ever accepts your advances, it means you're useful to her. A woman like that is a real seductress. She'll use her charm to drain every last drop out of a man," replied Abel.

Kyle shuddered. He refused to believe Luca was that kind of person, but Abel's words were terrifying.

Considering Abel was the one who knew Luca best on the Island of Despair, Kyle could not help but start to believe him.

Abel continued, "But don't worry, she's not interested in you."

Kyle could not help but ask, "Why not?"

"She likes men with power, status, or skills. What do you have?" sneered Abel, giving him a disdainful look.

If Kyle had any real talent, he would not be stuck at the A City base.

The skilled ones were always out on missions, not hanging around in one city, playing gatekeeper. Of course, except for Amur.

He chose to stay in A City to protect Luca, missing out on many missions and opportunities to earn points. Making money was the ultimate goal for every man on the Island of Despair.

Kyle scratched the back of his head and mumbled, "Well, I'm pretty good at fighting, I guess?"

"Better than the prisoners we have, sure, but there are plenty of guys stronger than you. What makes you think Ivana would be interested in you?" Abel pulled out a cigar.

Kyle thought what he said was right!

Abel could see his words were having an effect. One Amur was enough. He could not allow anyone else in the A City base to fall for Luca.

Hence, he added, "I suggest you give up. Besides, you're not the only one who's into her."

"Who else?" Kyle asked, almost naively.

"Apart from you, there's Shanks, and then there's Amur. Do you really think you're better than either of them?* questioned Abel.

Kyle fell silent. He knew both men, and they were indeed superior to him.

Abel lit his cigar, took a slow drag, and exhaled a smoke ring before saying, "And outside of the Island of Despair, there's also her husband. He's rich and powerful. You think you can compete with that?"

Kyle did not want to say anything more. He felt frustrated with himself for even entertaining the thought.

As Abel saw Kyle practically shrink into himself, he added "Just focus on your job as a gatekeeper. If you're up for

it, I can offer you the chance to go back to the Island of Despair for further training. Maybe one day, you'll be strong enough to stand a chance."

"Thanks, boss," Kyle replied gloomily. He could not help but think to himself that he was totally out of his league in this competition!

With her husband, Shanks, and Amur all in the mix, did he even stand a chance?

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3260-Mr. Crawford, You're Way Too Full Of Yourself!

Luca had no idea that so many trivial things had happened after she left the base.

After she left the base, she finally managed to get a cab.

After getting in the car, she sent a message to Luke, letting him know she was on her way back.

As soon as she sent the message, Luke called her.

Luca answered.

"Everything okay?" Even though it was just two simple words, Luca could hear the concern in Luke's voice.

Luca replied, "I'm okay. Really, I'm fine. Everything's good. I'll give you the details when I get back."

"Alright, I'll be waiting for you." Luke knew she had just left the base and did not offer to pick her up.

If there were people tailing her, picking her up would risk exposing that.

Therefore, after reminding Luca to stay safe, he ended the call.

Even though she was exhausted, Luca stuck to her original plan, changing to another car and continuing her journey back.

She wanted to cover her tracks. If she went straight back and there were any of Abel's men following her, they might report her whereabouts.

That could end up causing trouble for her.

It typically took about an hour to get from the suburbs to the city center.

However, since it was rush hour, it took nearly two hours for Luca to get back to the villa.

When she arrived at the villa, Luke came out to greet her, his hands resting on her shoulders as he checked her over.

After knowing that Luca was fine, Luke asked, "Are you really not hurt?"

Luca shook her head. "He just wanted me to help with some research. There's no way he would've harmed me." "Research on those drugs?" asked Luke.

Luca nodded. "Yes, the drug research. Even though we bought up all the remaining herbs from the farmer, Shanks found more herbs in the mountains around X City. So now, he has a complete supply of herbs."

Luke furrowed his brows. Luca continued, "He's doing research in A City now. Since he's short on manpower, he asked me to help. But I was just doing the basic tasks like preparing drug solutions; I'm not involved in the actual research. So, I still don't know what exactly he's researching."

She sounded a bit disheartened.

She spent the whole afternoon without gaining any new insights.

Luke kissed her forehead and comforted her, "You've worked hard."

Luca shook her head and voiced her concern. "But there's something I find particularly strange. The experimental equipment at the base is not as advanced as what's on the Island of Despair.

"Why would Shanks choose to do research in A City? Wouldn't it be better to do it back on the island? Even though there aren't many pharmaceutical experts on the Island of Despair, there are still more than in A City. It's really odd!"

Luke frowned, realizing that Luca had a point.

Better equipment usually meant faster and smoother research.

"Perhaps the experiment is specifically targeted at A City," suggested Luke.

Luca frowned. "I don't think so."

Luke waited for her to elaborate.

Luca explained, "Abel values this experiment highly, so the research must be important to him. If it were useful to Shanks, why didn't he head back to the Island of Despair to study it? He spends most of his time there, after all." Luke nodded.

Luca added, "So there's something we don't know. If we can understand what Abel is planning, we might be able to figure out the nature of this research and whether it could endanger the city,"

This city was her home, so she needed to take it seriously.

Her partner, family, and kids are all here!

As soon as Luca finished speaking, her stomach growled.

Embarrassed, she patted her stomach and explained, "I haven't had dinner."

"They kept you busy for so long and didn't even feed you?" Luke frowned and took her hand, leading her to the dining area.

Luca explained, "Shanks didn't eat either, so I didn't want to bring it up. I didn't want to make things worse with Abel."

Luke felt sorry for her. "Luckily, I had Aunt Neile save you some food. Sit down, and I'll heat it up for you."

She shook her head. "I'll handle it. You don't know how to use the kitchen appliances."

"Luca, are you underestimating me? I can use them. Just wait here," he replied, setting her down at the table before heading into the kitchen.

Even though he had not used the kitchen appliances before, he figured he could manage with the instructions. He came out with the food ten minutes later.

Luca gave him a thumbs-up when she saw the steaming dishes. "I didn't expect you, as someone who never cooks, to be so skilled with these appliances! Impressive!"

Luke placed the food in front of her. "Eat first. I'll check on the soup."

Luca nodded and picked up her cutlery.

She was really hungry and ate with little regard for manners.

When Luke came back with the soup, he saw her eating like this and frowned. "Did you skip lunch too?"

Luca thought for a moment and nodded. "Looks like I did. No wonder I'm so hungry!"

He shook his head. "You…"

She smiled cheerfully. "It's okay. My stomach's fine. I'm just making up for it now."

Luke was speechless. What could she do to make up for it?

His stomach was not great, and it was mostly due to working so much that he forgot to eat. He did not want Luca to end up like him.

Luke sat across from her, watching her eat and drink. He reminded her, "From now on, you need to have all three meals a day. Got it?"

"Got it. Today was just an abnormality. I usually eat regularly," replied Luca, feeling better after finishing her meal. Luke reached for the dishes, but she chimed in, "I'll clean up. You should go check on the kids and see if they're asleep."

Remembering that Tommy had been sneaking books and staying up recently, Luke nodded. "Just put everything in the sink. Aunt Neile will clean them up tomorrow."

"Okay," Luca agreed.

Luca tidied up the table and put the dishes in the kitchen sink before heading upstairs.

She ran into Luke, who had just finished checking on the kids. Then, she asked quietly, "Are the kids asleep?"

"Yes, they're asleep. Don't worry, it's not like they're always undisciplined," replied Luke as he opened the door to their bedroom.

Luca nodded in agreement. "I'm just worried that if we don't catch their occasional lapses in discipline, it might become a habit."

"That won't happen. Have some faith in your kids. If you don't trust them, trust our genes. With genes like ours, how could they not be disciplined?" Luke was quite confident in his genetic heritage.

Luca gave him a skeptical look. "Mr. Crawford, you're way too full of yourself."

"Alright, enough teasing. Go wash up and get some sleep. You've had a long day," replied Luke, guiding her into the bedroom. "I've already laid out your pajamas. Just take a shower."

"Okay." Luca appreciated Luke's care and concern. She entered the bathroom, feeling exhausted and in need of rest.

Working under Abel had been stressful, and she had maintained intense focus.

Once she let her guard down, she felt the full weight of her fatigue.