Ch. 3291..3300

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3291-Do They Think The Langdon Family Don't Matter Anymore?

"I know where Nina is," said Jean.

As soon as Anna heard this, she stopped worrying about the gift and immediately asked, "Where did that brat go?"

*She's with the Crawford family," answered Jean.

Anna thought she had misheard. "What?"

"Crawford Manor, as in Luke's place," repeated Jean.

"That's impossible!" Anna snapped angrily.

"I heard that when the Mallory family didn't approve of Nina and Percy's marriage, Old Master Crawford stepped in and took Nina as his god-granddaughter, leaving the Mallory family with nothing to say," explained Jean.

*Are you kidding me? Even so, she shouldn't have gone back! They just feel guilty and did her a small favor, and your sister actually bought into it?" Anna stomped her foot in anger. Was the Crawford family determined to take away their family member from them?

"Visiting the Crawford family of all places! If it weren't for them, you'd be at the top of your game right now, and she's over there? I raised a traitor!"

Jean replied, "We're going to go look for the Crawford family right now."

*You know where they are?" asked Anna.

*Nina is Old Master Crawford's god-granddaughter. If she's visiting, she'll definitely be at Crawford Manor," Jean analyzed.

Anyone from A City knew where Crawford Manor was.

T Corporation was the backbone of the city's economy, so the Crawford family's address was common knowledge.

*Fine, we'll go there and get to the bottom of this! How dare the Crawford family take from us again? Once wasn't enough, so they're doing it a second time? I want to see if Nina, that ungrateful brat, remembers what the Crawford family did to you!" Anna raged.

Even though the Langdon family could not compare to even a fraction of the Crawford family's wealth, Anna's confidence had skyrocketed ever since Nina married Percy.

This confidence did not come from the Langdon family but from the Mallory family.

She was now the Mallory family's in-law, which meant she deserved respect. After all, her daughter was the granddaughter-in-law of the Mallory family.

Nina was not just anyone but the wife of the Mallory family's heir!

Jean wanted to say something when he saw Anna's reaction, but when he thought about how Luke had not only taken his woman but now his sister, he felt Anna was right.

Nina was part of the Langdon family. How could the Crawford family keep getting away with snatching their people over and over again?

Did they think the Langdon family did not matter anymore?

"I'm bringing the guys." Jean decided to escalate the situation.

However, this time, the target was the Crawford family-not Percy or Nina.

"Good! I refuse to believe money makes them untouchable! The Crawford family may be rich, but so is the Mallory family!" Anna was growing more confident, convinced that with the backing of the Mallory family, she could definitely get justice for the Langdon family.

At the very least, they could not just let go of what happened years ago when Luke took Bianca away, which ruined Jean. He ended up in prison, his future completely destroyed!

The mother and son exchanged glances, becoming more and more convinced that they had what it took to take down Luke.

Jean called a few of his troublemaking friends, gave them the address, and then urged Anna to get in the car." Mom, get in. Today, we're going to make things right."

Anna climbed into the car.

Jean floored the gas pedal as they sped off.

They had been talking at the entrance of the neighborhood.

A security guard overheard everything they said.

Remembering how generous Percy usually was with them, the guard quickly called him.

"Mr. Mallory, we've got a problem…". As soon as the call connected, the guard summarized what Jean and Anna had been saying. He added, "They're heading to Crawford Manor now."

"Got it." Percy's gaze darkened. They had just finished their meal and were strolling in the garden with Old Master Crawford to help with digestion.

The gazebo had been set up with fruits and drinks, making it a comfortable spot for business discussions.

Percy walked over to Luke. "We've got a situation."

Luke raised an eyebrow. "What kind of situation?"

*Jean and Anna are coming here to cause trouble." Percy summarized what the security guard had told him." They should be on their way right now."

"Idiots." Luke's gaze turned cold. How dare they come to Crawford Manor looking for trouble?

Where did they get the nerve?

He glanced over at Luca, who was chatting with Nina.

"You two should leave first." Even though today was not their wedding day, it was still a special day for the couple.

Luke thought it would be better to leave Nina out of this.

*You plan to handle this on your own?" Percy raised an eyebrow. "Nina and I aren't leaving. This is about her. If she finds out later that I left and let this mess play out, she'll feel uneasy."

"Okay, stay if you want." Luke did not mind. Handling this was no big deal.

Jean might have rounded up some thugs, but Luke could easily call in a group of bodyguards. It was only fair to do so.

*I'll go make some arrangements," added Luke.

"You're getting bodyguards, aren't you?" Percy immediately figured out what he was up to.

"Yeah," replied Luke. "This isn't a big deal, but if Jean wants to blow it up, I won't let him."

*Alright, I'll get my people too," said Percy.

Even though this was Crawford Manor, it was their issue. He could not just stand by and do nothing, or Nina would resent him for it.

Percy made a call as well.

Meanwhile, Luca continued chatting with Nina in the gazebo.

Nina suddenly placed a hand over her chest.

"What's wrong?" Luca noticed the slight frown on her face and asked with concem. "Are you feeling unwell?"

"No." Nina shook her head. "I just suddenly feel anxious, like something's about to happen."

Luca smiled. "Nothing's going to happen. You've been through a lot these past few days. You're probably just tired."

"Maybe…" Nina could not quite describe the feeling. It was a sudden wave of restlessness.

However, no one had upset her.

The day had gone smoothly. With Old Master Crawford's protection, no one had caused any trouble, and she had felt the warmth of family.

This anxious feeling did not make sense.

*You can enjoy your honeymoon and relax. It's going to get busy again when you return," comforted Luca.

Nina gave her a faint smile. Luca's words seemed to calm her nerves a bit. "How do you know I'll be busy when I get back?"

"You'll be busy being Mrs. Mallory, of course. And knowing you, you'll be even more focused on your career now," replied Luca.

She knew Nina too well.

The old Nina used to just get by. She just aimed to support herself.

However, the new Nina would push herself to be better, to stand proudly by Percy's side as his equal.

The real change began not when they signed the marriage papers but when on their wedding day. The wedding ceremony held more significance than any document ever could.

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3292-Has He Lost His Mind?

Nina looked at Luca with a serious expression. Sometimes, she felt like Luca had known her forever.

How did Luca know her so well?

*Luca, have you been secretly investigating me?"

"No, I haven't." Luca was surprised. "What makes you say that?"

"You know me so well. It's shocking!" replied Nina. "Sometimes I really wonder if you can read my mind. How else could you know me so well?"

"Is that so? Do I know you well?" Luca smiled. "Even if I did investigate you, I wouldn't be able to do it so thoroughly. I just feel like you're that kind of person."

Nina nodded. "Yeah, things have definitely changed after getting married."

Luca listened to her without saying anything.

*To be precise, after the wedding, I've been feeling like I need to work harder to stand by Percy's side and not be a burden to him. The old, go-with-the-flow me is gone."

"Working hard isn't necessarily a bad thing," replied Luca. It was not that Nina's old way of life was bad. Everyone would choose different ways to live at different stages of life.

Nina changing her lifestyle now showed how much she cared about her marriage with Percy.

"Yes, even though it's a lot of pressure, I'll do my best to be a good Mrs. Mallory," Nina said cheerfully.

She did not know why, but she felt like Luca was like a life mentor to her.

Every word she said was full of wisdom and seemed to resonate with her mindset.

Luca's words always seemed to soothe her inner restlessness.

After Luke and Percy left, they soon returned.

Luca noticed a change in their expressions and asked instinctively, "Why do you both look like that? What happened?"

*Nina's…" Luke frowned and thought for a moment. Although they had blood ties, their family relationship had long been severed. Thus, he said, "Anna and Jean are coming."

Nina was surprised and asked, "How do they know we're at Crawford Manor?"

*Jean gained a lot of shady connections when he was running his business," explained Percy.

He figured those people probably told Jean.

"Damn it! Nina cursed. "They just won't quit!"

Luca frowned. Jean and Anna would do anything for money.

Percy added, "He's also called a few thugs to come over here."

"What is he trying to do?!" Nina shot up angrily. "When will it ever end?"

"Nina, don't get upset," Luca tried to calm her.

*Do they have any shame?" Nina was extremely annoyed. It made sense why she was feeling that way earlier. Perhaps she had sensed trouble ahead. She said, "Percy, let's go back. We shouldn't cause any more trouble for the Crawford family."

It would be better to handle this kind of thing at home to avoid causing trouble for the Crawford family if Jean came over.

"It's too late," replied Percy. "The security guard notified us as soon as he knew they were coming. Jean even mentioned that he wanted to make trouble for Luke, so he's already on his way here. Even if we leave, they might not leave right away."

Nina frowned. Jean not only wanted to cause trouble for her but also for Luke?

*Has he lost his mind? How can he still dare to cause trouble?" Nina paced back and forth, her frustration evident. If she were not wearing a dress today, she would probably be in a full-blown rage.

"Causing trouble is fine," said Luke when he saw how frustrated Nina was. "As long as you don't let your emotions get the best of you, he won't be able to cause much trouble."

*I won't let this happen. The moment they chose money over me, I was done with them." Nina's gaze darkened.

Luca put a comforting arm around her shoulders.

Even though Nina said she would not let her emotions get the best of her, as a friend, Luca knew how much she valued family ties.

She only became this way because she was pushed into it.

Nina gave Luca a grateful look and then turned to Percy. "What are you planning to do?"

"You'll find out soon," replied Percy. "I'm not keeping anything from you this time because I know you don't want me to. We're married now, and I'll handle everything with you."

"Percy." Nina's eyes started welling up with emotion.

Luca let her go, and Nina walked over to Percy and hugged him.

She did not need Percy to protect her and solve her every problem; she just wanted to face their issues together.

Luca cleared her throat and asked Luke, "Should we call the police or alert the bodyguards?"

Even though they could handle the situation themselves, facing several thugs might be an issue.

"We've already notified the bodyguards," answered Luke. Even though the bodyguards might not be as skilled, they could easily handle Jean and his lowlife thugs.

Luca nodded calmly, showing no concern for what was about to happen. Then, she said, "It's getting a bit warm. Let's move inside instead of staying in the garden."

"Okay."

The group headed back to the living room.

Old Master Crawford and Susan had gone upstairs to take a nap, and Yuri was upstairs with Thea. Louis was alone in the living room.

When they walked in, Louis greeted them cheerfully and continued to reply to messages from business partners on his phone.

They continued chatting in the living room while they waited.

About ten minutes later, the doorbell rang.

Louis frowned and asked, "Who could it be at this time?"

"Unwelcome guests," replied Luke.

Louis looked even more puzzled. "What?"

Mr. Griffin came over and said in a low voice, "Master Luke, there's a group of thugs at the gates."

Louis asked, "Luke, did you know trouble was coming?"

Percy chimed in, "Actually, they're here to cause trouble for me and Nina. Sorry about that."

Louis quickly asked, "Do you need any help?"

"Don't worry, we've got it handled." Luke was not concerned about the intruders and stood up with Percy.

Luca and Nina exchanged a glance and rose to their feet together.

Louis also got up and followed them to the door to see who was causing trouble.

Outside, Jean and Anna were at the front gates, with several rough-looking men behind them.

*Boys, as long as I manage to get the money, I won't forget any of you when I hit it big," said Jean.

*Jean, we'll be counting on you," one of the thugs replied. They all knew Jean's sister was married to Percy.

Percy was the one in charge of Mallory Corporation! He was said to be incredibly wealthy, as rich as a small country!

They believed that he would not be stingy.

Plus, they were aware of Jean's past glory and knew that the money he was talking about was Percy's.

*Sure thing, sure thing," replied Jean, basking in the flattery and letting his vanity swell.

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3293-Take Them Down With Her With a soft click, the manor's door swung open.

Jean wiped the smile off his face, staring seriously at the people stepping out.

There came Luke, Luca, Percy, Nina, and Louis.

There were five of them. That seemed like a lot, but Jean had brought ten thugs with him, which clearly outnumbered them.

His lecherous gaze lingered on Luca for a while before shifting to Nina. He picked the weakest target to start with.

"Nina, look at you. Instead of visiting your real family, you come here to people who have nothing to do with you. Have you lost your mind? Or are you just hoping for me and Mom to drop dead so that you can forget your own family?"

Nina rolled her eyes and let out a cold snort. "This is my god-grandfather's house. Where else would I go? Jean, I suggest you don't stir up trouble, or you'll regret it!"

Jean erupted with rage. "So what? You're treating me and Mom like we're dead, is that it? Do you even have a conscience? Mom raised you through thick and thin, and now you're married, you won't even come home to visit? Instead, you choose a family that has nothing to do with you? Are you insane? Where does that leave our mother?"

"Exactly. Nina, we're your real family. Why are you treating me like this?" Anna wiped the tears from her face.

Nina felt irritated. The weather was too hot for this nonsense. This was definitely not a good time for an argument.

She reminded them, "You signed an agreement. What now? Already having second thoughts?"

Anna froze for a moment, struggling to squeeze out more tears. She could no longer keep up the act.

"Nina, do you even have a heart? That money you gave wasn't even enough for my medical bills, and now, you want to cut ties? Let me tell you, the only reason I signed that agreement was because I needed the money for my treatment.

"And for your information, that agreement means nothing here in A City. We're still your family, so you'll have to support me whether you like it or not. Don't think you're invincible just because you've cozied up to the Crawford family. You were born into the Langdon family, and you'll never escape us!"

Nina's eyes reddened with anger. Born into the Langdon family?

Nina replied in a low voice, "So that means if you two were dead, I'd have nothing to do with you anymore, right?"

The thought of dealing with these two was making her lose her patience again. She knew this line of thinking was dangerous. However, she was left with no choice. They were driving her insane.

If it were not for Percy, she might have already snapped and taken them down with her. Jean did not catch what she said and instinctively asked, "What?"

"I said, Jean, I'm this close to killing you!" Nina's eyes flashed with hatred.

If they were dead, none of this would be happening.

Percy felt sorry and pulled Nina into his arms. He knew what she was thinking, but it was not the right solution. Throwing her own life away for people like them was not worth it.

Nina gripped his hand tightly. If it were not for him, she would not have been able to hold on for this long.

"You're insane!" Anna yelled when she heard what Nina said. "You think you can act like this just because you're connected to the Crawford family now? First, it was your brother. Will it be me next?"

Nina's eyes reddened as she watched Anna's attempt to defend Jean. The motherly, caring facade was starting to crumble, and it made her laugh. "Mother? Are you really my mother?"

Anna was taken aback for a moment. "How am I not? I carried you for nine months and almost died giving birth to you. How am I not your real mother?"

Nina took a deep breath. Arguing with them would only make things worse. She said, "I've already repaid everything I owe you. You're here today for money, right? Well, let me tell you, I have no more money to give you. So, give up on that idea."

"Nina!" Anna yelled angrily. "You're not giving us money, huh? If you don't, I swear I'll tear that mouth of yours right off, you little brat!"

When Jean noticed that Anna was about to throw a tantrum, he quickly grabbed her. "Mom, didn't I tell you to calm down?"

Anna's face was red with rage. "I don't care! I'll finish this brat off for good today! I'll just pretend I never had this daughter!"

"Mom, let me handle this," replied Jean.

Anna took a deep breath, trying to suppress her anger. She pinned her hopes on Jean.

Jean looked over at Luca, who was standing next to Luke, and then glanced at Percy. He said, "Percy, we're really at the end of our rope here. Please give me and my mom a way to survive, alright?"

"I'm not giving you any more money," Percy flatly refused.

If he gave them money, Nina would definitely be furious with him.

Jean's expression darkened. He nodded sharply and said, "Fine, no money, right? You don't want to play nice, huh? In that case, let's settle this another way!"

He turned to Luke. "Crawford, I'm here to settle a score with you today."

Luke did not even glance his way. Instead, he lifted his hand to gently wipe the sweat from Luca's forehead. "Are you feeling hot?"

Luca nodded. "Yeah, a little."

Their affectionate exchange was like a slap in the face to Jean. "Crawford! Are you deaf?"

"Jean, either say what you have to say or get lost!" Louis chimed in.

He thought the drama within the Crawford family was bizarre enough, but he had not expected Nina's family to be this ridiculous.

This was something else. What a miserable family to be born into.

"Hmph, what's it got to do with you?" Jean shot him a glare, then locked eyes with Luke again. "Luke, you still owe me for stealing my fiancée back then. And now, you've stolen my sister too. Perfect. We'll settle all of this today!"

Luke continued to ignore him.

Jean pressed on, "Here's the deal. I'm giving you two options. One, give me five million dollars, and I'll let the whole thing with that slut, Bianca, slide. Or two, hand over your woman, and we'll call it even."

Luke frowned. Jean insulting Bianca made his blood boil. He could not stand anyone speaking badly about her.

Luca frowned as well. Even after all this time, Jean's mouth was still as filthy as ever.

Fortunately, Luke had been there back then. If she had really married into the Langdon family, who knew how difficult her life would have become?

Luca recalled the days back then. Even though Jean had treated her well at the time and his family had been kind to her, she realized she never truly loved him.

Even if they had gotten engaged and even if Luke had not been involved, she probably would not have ended up with Jean. There had always been something holding her back. She knew she could never have just settled for Jean.

"You can't handle your loss, so now, you're throwing a tantrum here? Jean, are you that big of a fool to be asking for death?" Luke's tone was ice-cold.

If Luke was bothered to say more than a few words to someone as insignificant as Jean, it was either because he was in an exceptionally good mood or because he was extremely angry.

This time, Jean had crossed the line.

Nina could tell from Luke's voice that Jean had seriously pushed him too far.

She remained silent, knowing whatever happened next, Jean had brought it on himself.

Jean frowned. "So, you're rejecting both options, huh? Fine! Do you see these guys behind me?" He gestured toward the group of thugs he had brought. "They're here to help me serve justice today!"

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3294-Jean Is A Hopeless Fool "Jean!" Percy shouted angrily. "If you dare try anything reckless, you'll be spending the rest of your life in prison."

Fear and panic flashed in Jean's eyes when he heard the word prison.

He had endured unbearable torment during his years behind bars, all because of Luke and Bianca!

"My boys are here today to make sure I get justice. What's the matter? You think you can scare me with prison threats? If you really want to go that route, I'll hold a press conference and tell everyone how Luke stole my fiancée, then expose how he cheated after stealing her!"

Jean spoke confidently, thinking this would pressure Luke.

What an idiot!

Percy secretly cursed Jean as he listened to him.

He had considered stepping in to help, knowing that Jean was Nina's brother. After all, there would be no mercy once Luke made a move. Unfortunately, Jean was a hopeless fool, and there was no way to save him.

Percy decided to stay quiet.

Luke calmly pulled out his phone, which made Jean alert. He thought Luke was calling the police. Instead, he heard Luke say into the phone, "Come out."

Suddenly, they all heard movement behind them.

Jean turned around to see several people approaching from different directions. Jean and his group were soon surrounded.

Even though the number of newcomers matched their group, it was clear these were not people to mess with.

The leader of the thugs felt a shiver run down his spine. "Uh, Jean, what's going on?" "What's there to be afraid of? If they hit you, we'll call the cops!" Jean snapped.

The leader of the thugs was dumbfounded for a moment.

Call the cops after getting beaten up? Were they not here to do the beating? Those guys look way tougher than them! There was no way they could take them!

"Uh, Jean, maybe we shouldn't get physical. If we end up in the hospital, that's just more trouble," replied the leader, sensing things were going wrong and trying to reason with Jean.

"No way! I'm getting my revenge today! Don't worry. If anyone gets hurt, I'll cover your medical bills," insisted Jean. He refused to back down.

The leader heaved a sigh when he saw that Jean was determined to dig his own grave. He was not about to go down with him.

Besides, he had already figured out that there was no way Jean was getting money from Percy, let alone scam Luke. There was zero chance of that happening!

"Jean, if you're dead set on this, we won't be sticking around." Then, the leader shot a look at his crew. "If anyone wants to stay and help Jean out, feel free to do so. If not, let's go."

The other thugs quickly left, knowing they could not take on Luke's men.

The sound of motorcycles starting up filled the air as all the thugs rode off.

"Guys!" Jean clenched his teeth angrily. He did not expect Luke to scare them off with just a few men.

"Luke!" Jean's eyes burned with anger as he glared at him.

Luke's expression remained indifferent. "Your men are gone. Are you still planning to stay?" Jean could feel everyone's eyes on him. All the pressure was now squarely on his shoulders. Luke added calmly, "If you want to fight, go ahead. I'll even cover your medical bills." "You!" Jean was so furious he could not string a sentence together.

"You came here for money, right? If you get beaten to the point of being crippled, you'll get even more money," added Luke.

Jean was not dumb. He wanted money, but he valued his life more. What good would money do him if he ended up crippled? He would not be able to live the high life he craved.

"Jean." Anna tugged at Jean's sleeve, feeling the mounting tension.

They had come so confidently, yet things had turned against them. She glanced around at the menacing crowd, fearing their fists would soon land on her. Then, her breathing grew shallow. This was not a scene she could handle.

"Don't worry, Mom. They won't dare touch us!" Jean reassured her, and then he immediately turned to look at Nina. "You're just going to stand there while your brother's being bullied? Are you even human?"

Nina, clearly annoyed, shot back, "Who's bullying you?"

Jean was about to retort when she continued, "This isn't the Langdon family's home, it's Crawford Manor. You showed up here looking for trouble, and now, you're saying you're being bullied? Did you get hit so hard your brain stopped working?"

"You little brat, how dare you talk to me like that?!" Jean was furious and barely held himself back from slapping her.

Anna chimed in, "Nina, that's your brother! How can you speak to him that way?"

"I don't have a mother, and I don't have a brother. My father is in another city. Don't randomly claim to be my family next time. And as for money? Did you even read the agreement you signed? Watch your words and actions, or one day, you might find yourself in court without even realizing it."

Jean's expression darkened. "What do you mean by that?"

Nina remained silent.

Jean turned to Anna. "Did you even read the agreement when you signed it?"

"Of course, I did,” replied Anna.

"What does she mean, then?" Jean pressed.

"I… I don't know!" Anna began to doubt herself. Did she miss something in the agreement?

No, she had reviewed it carefully, especially anything involving money.

She was not some clueless woman who did not understand these things…

Jean started feeling uneasy, suspecting that Percy had tricked Anna. He itched to go home and double-check the agreement.

"We should leave," said Jean, realizing that staying longer would not get them any money. Besides, with his crew gone, he had no leverage left.

"Hold on." Luke's cold voice stopped him.

Jean paused and squinted at Luke. "What do you want now?"

"You insulted my wife. Don't you think you owe her an apology?" Luke's voice was cold.

Jean felt a wave of fear wash over him. The way Luke looked at him was terrifying. It was as though a blade would be at his throat any second.

"When did I insult your wife? Stop making things up!" Jean decided to play dumb.

"Jean, you said things you shouldn't have!" Nina chimed in. When she heard Jean insult Bianca earlier, it bothered her too, and she wanted an apology on her behalf.

Jean, ever the shameless scoundrel, sneered, "You're just saying that. Do you have any evidence?"

Percy pointed upward.

Jean followed his gesture and saw a high-tech surveillance camera. The look on his face immediately changed.

"If he pursues this in court, you'll owe money. Do you have any to spare?" questioned Percy.

Jean's expression turned sour. His sister and her husband were siding with an outsider!

These so-called family members did not care about him at all.

"Percy, Nina, you two are something else!" Jean shouted angrily. Then, he cast a reluctant glance at Luke. "I'm sorry."

"I can't hear you," Luke replied coldly.

Jean clenched his teeth and raised his voice. "I said, I'm sorry!"

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3295-The Real Terms Of The Agreement

"Get lost." Luke's gaze was cold and sinister. If today were not about Percy and Nina, there was no way he would have let Jean off so easily.

How dare a useless piece of trash like him come here to cause trouble? Such thoughts crossed Luke's mind as he glanced at Luca.

She gave him a faint smile, indicating she was fine.

Jean left with Anna with a gloomy expression on his face.

The few bodyguards spoke up once they saw that the matter was resolved, "Mr. Crawford, Mr. Mallory, if there's nothing else, we'll head out. If you need anything in the future, just reach out to us."

"Alright, thanks," replied Percy.

The person most upset by today's events was not him or Nina. It was probably Luke.

After all, he and Bianca truly loved each other, yet Jean had spoken so disgracefully. Knowing how protective Luke was of his wife, it was unlikely he would let Jean's apology be the end of it.

After Jean left, Percy and Nina did not linger either. They said their goodbyes to Luke and left.

In the car, Nina gave Percy a strange look.

"Babe, if you've got something to say, just say it," said Percy helplessly.

"Would you even tell me if I asked?" asked Nina. She felt like there were things he was keeping from her.

"That depends." Percy nodded, knowing what she wanted to ask.

"Well, if you're not going to tell me, there's no point in asking,” replied Nina, looking at his profile. After being with him for so long, she understood that he kept some things from her for her own good.

Besides, those things did not really concern her, so whether she knew or not did not make much of a difference.

However, what happened today had sparked her curiosity again, and she truly wanted to find out about it this time.

"If you don't ask, how do you know if I'll tell you or not?" responded Percy.

"That's true, but..." Nina paused for a moment. "I still think you won't tell me. But I hope you will. I'd like to know the truth."

"Maybe try asking differently," suggested Percy. He did not want to hide things from Nina,

but some things had to be kept secret. However, asking in a different way might work.

Nina's eyes lit up as she thought of a different approach. "Luca's real identity is special, isn't it?"

"Yes," answered Percy. That was all he could tell her.

"Alright." Nina let out a sigh of relief. She finally understood why she had been feeling so uneasy.

Her heart fluttered with excitement, and even her hands trembled slightly.

Luca's identity was special. That was exactly what she had suspected all along.

Even though there were still many unanswered questions, Nina was satisfied with the answer she got for now.

On the other hand, Jean and Anna stormed into their house.

Marie walked up to them with a smile and asked, "Did you get the money?"

Anna shot her a glare, then turned to Jean and said, "Look at the woman you brought in.

She's always thinking about money. She's a curse! We were doing just fine before she came around. Now that she's here, we can't even get the money."

Jean did not want to hear any more of her nonsense and said bluntly, "Go get the agreement."

Anna frowned. "There's nothing wrong with the agreement."

"We won't know until I look at it!" Jean snapped. He thought that if Nina dared to make

such claims, there must be something wrong with the agreement.

Anna was startled for a moment by his outburst.

"Get the agreement," Jean repeated when she did not move.

"I'll go find it," replied Anna, rushing to the bedroom.

She had never taken the agreement seriously, so this mess caught her completely off guard.

She could not even remember where she had put it, so she had to search for it.

Marie sidled up to Jean. From the looks of things, she knew they had not gotten the money. She asked in a gentle voice, "What happened?"

"I'll tell you later," replied Jean irritably as he sat on their worn-out sofa.

When they first got the money back then, he wanted to replace the furniture, but Anna refused. Now, here they were, back to square one. They had gotten their money, but it felt like they never had any at all.

Jean thought back on it and started blaming Anna.

If she had not been so cautious, he would not have taken over that failing bar.

If she had just given him a bigger budget, he could have bought a better bar, and things might have turned out differently.

Jean never saw himself as the problem. When things went wrong, he always blamed others.

It took Anna some time before she finally found the agreement in a drawer she barely paid any attention to. She hurriedly brought it out.

"What's that?" Marie asked with curiosity. She had fled to avoid trouble with Jean and the police, so she did not know much about what had happened.

Jean took the agreement. Marie glanced at it and said, "This agreement won't hold up in court."

Even though she spent her school years focused on having fun and did not put much effort into studying, she had some common sense.

Sever ties?

Anyone with a basic understanding of the law would know that the courts in A City did not acknowledge such an agreement.

Jean handed the agreement to Marie. "Read it over and tell me where the loopholes are."

Marie took it.

Anna rolled her eyes and muttered, "If she can spot anything, pigs might fly."

Marie ignored her and read through the terms carefully. When she reached the last two

clauses, she was shocked.

Percy had gone all out to help Nina!

However, he was not stupid. He knew this agreement would not hold water.

As Marie thought about this, her eyes fell on the two small lines in the agreement.

"Here, look at this." She pointed out to Jean.

Jean's eyesight had deteriorated from years of indulgence, so he had to lean in close to read

the small text.

One clause stated that after receiving the money, they were not allowed to bother Nina

anymore.

Another said that if they violated that clause or tried to ask for more money, they would have to return everything they had been paid. That would be the lump sum payment from

Nina to cover Anna's support.

"Damn it!" Jean's eyes filled with rage as he glared at Anna.

"What is it?" Anna saw Jean's reaction and started to feel uneasy. "What's wrong with the agreement?"

"Where were your eyes when you signed this? How could you sign something like this?!" questioned Jean.

Anna grabbed the agreement and looked at the part he was pointing to.

The print was tiny, so she picked up a magnifying glass from the coffee table and read it word by word. By the time she finished, her face had gone pale.

It was over...

These were the real terms of the agreement.

All that talk about severing ties did not mean anything.

"How could this happen..." Anna muttered to herself, collapsing onto the couch.

"You just signed the agreement like that? Without even reading it?" Jean questioned her again.

"How was I supposed to know they'd pull something like this?" Anna could not take his accusations anymore and snapped back, "If it were you, you would've signed it too!"

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3296-Jean Is Once Again Being Manipulated By Marie

"Now that you've signed that agreement, we can't ask Percy for money anymore!" Jean laid out the harsh truth neither of them wanted to accept.

Marie heard this and started thinking about ditching the whole mess.

However, she kept a straight face, deciding to play it cool for now and see how the mother and son were going to handle things.

"I didn't know! What do we do now?" Anna was panicking now. "Come on, tell me! What's the plan?"

Marie chimed in, "Why don't we try getting some legal aid? I mean, they set us up first, right? We can't just let them get away with this!"

Jean thought to himself that Percy definitely covered all bases.

There was no way Percy would waste his time on something pointless, so he definitely had a lawyer look over that agreement. Otherwise, Percy would not have let Anna sign it in the first place.

Therefore, if they wanted more cash without paying back what they already got, legal aid was probably the only shot they had.

"Alright, let's do it. Legal aid it is," replied Jean. He was already heading for the door.

Marie tried to follow him, but Anna yanked her back.

"What do you think you're doing? Why are you tagging along?"

Marie, unbothered by Anna's attitude, coldly replied, "I'm the one who found the loophole in the agreement. I know more about this stuff than you do. If I don't go, are you gonna go instead?"

"Who's gonna cook, then?" Anna shot back, feeling insulted. She knew this whole mess was partly her fault for signing the agreement.

"You had hands to sign that dumb agreement, didn't you? So, why can't you cook with those same hands?" Marie fired back, clearly fed up. She had never met anyone so dumb.

She could not believe Anna got played over something so trivial.

Anyone with half a brain knew to read the fine print in an agreement. Marie thought Anna was pretty dumb. If she had been a bit smarter back then, she would not have let herself get screwed over like this.

She would not be missing out on the money either.

Anna's face turned pale white. It was one thing for Jean to blame her, but Marie? She had no right!

Who did she think she was to judge her?

If it were not for her, the Langdon family would not be in such a mess.

"Get out of my house!" Anna pointed at the door. "We don't need trash like you here!"

Marie just stared at her with a mocking smile without budging an inch.

Jean lost his patience and snapped, "Enough! Are you done?"

Anna froze and stared at him in disbelief. Was he seriously taking Marie's side?

"Alright, Mom. You stay here and make lunch. You're always complaining about Marie's cooking anyway. Marie, you're coming with me to the legal aid office," added Jean.

Even though Marie was not exactly an expert, she knew a bit more than the rest of them. Even though Jean had studied abroad, years of slacking off had left him clueless. Especially about anything to do with the law.

Thus, he was practically no better than a street thug now, totally out of his depth.

Anna huffed. "Jean, if you keep ignoring me, that woman's gonna ruin you one day!"

Jean ignored her and grabbed the agreement before heading out with Marie to find legal help.

They were totally broke now, so the only option left was to hit up some legal aid or charity. After all, paying for a lawyer was beyond their means.

An hour later, Jean walked out of the legal aid office looking like a kicked puppy.

"Hey, don't sweat it, Jean. There might still be hope." Marie tried to lift his spirits, but she

knew deep down that things were already set in stone.

There was no way this situation was going to change.

"It was all her fault!" Jean wished he could tear that agreement to shreds like it never existed.

Still, he knew better. Every agreement had two copies.

Just because Anna did not care about it did not mean Nina and Percy were unbothered. They probably had their copy stashed away safely.

Marie thought for a moment and said in a low voice, "You can't just blame your mom. I mean, you weren't exactly in a sound state of mind at the time, were you?"

"What's that supposed to mean? If it's not her fault, is it mine?" Jean shot back, glaring at

her.

If only Anna had waited until he was more alert to sign that agreement, none of this would have happened.

"Not really. It just shows how ruthless Nina is. You guys are supposed to be her closest

family, yet she's scheming against you." Marie deliberately passed the blame to Nina. "That brat never has never seen us as family! If it weren't for us, would she even have had a shot at joining the Mallory family? And now, she's pulling this crap on us? I'm not letting this slide!" Jean fumed. He was furious enough to want to take Nina down with him.

However, it was just a passing thought.

Marie sensed his rage and decided to fan the flames.

"Right? If she really cared, wouldn't she just hand you guys a building instead of cash? You could live on one floor and rent out the rest. That way, you and your mom wouldn't have to worry about anything.

"But she turned her back on you the moment she married into wealth. She's totally

ungrateful."

The more Marie went on, the angrier Jean got.

Finally, he exploded. "Let's go mess with that brat right now!"

"Jean, listen to me!" Marie interrupted. "You can't just go to her head-on for money."

"Why not?!" Jean was all fired up, thinking that Nina owed them money and not giving it was a crime. He was practically losing his mind.

"The Mallory family is loaded. We can't compete with them. But we can still play it smart,"

explained Marie.

"What's the plan?" Jean treated her like his military advisor.

"I'll fill you in." Marie leaned in and whispered her scheme in his ear.

Jean listened and narrowed his eyes.

"It might get us the cash, but there's a lot of risk involved," said Jean.

"We can't live like this! Your mom gave me 20 dollars to buy groceries today. What can you even get for 20 dollars? This isn't the countryside. We're in A City! I was too embarrassed to say it, but all I could buy was a few eggs and a head of cabbage. You've probably had enough

of that stuff by now, right?"

"Yeah." Jean's gaze darkened with a calculating look.

"Look, she's still your sister. As long as you don't hurt her, they're not going to mess with you once you get that money," Marie continued.

"Do you really think they'll throw you into prison just because of that? They're not that

stupid. If they did do that, your mom would be under their care. Just think about it. They're

setting you up to get rid of your mom since she's just a liability considering her ailing body.

They won't do anything to you."

The more Jean listened, the more he realized Marie was making sense.

They were not going to do anything to them.

Instead, they were going to drop some cash in their pockets.

With that money, their lives would get a whole lot better.

"Alright, let's do this!" Jean clenched his fists, making the decision. "I'm gonna rally

everyone up right now!"

No matter what, getting that money was the top priority!

Percy and Nina had no clue that Jean was once again being manipulated by Marie, plotting to

take action against them.

After they came back from Crawford Manor, they grabbed their bags, which they had

already packed, and headed to the airport.

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3297-The Significance Of Traveling Together As A Couple After they got to the airport and boarded the plane, Nina finally figured out where their honeymoon destination was.

"Haven't we already been to the Maldives?" Nina asked Percy, who was sitting next to her.

"Yeah, we have, but I thought that place meant something special for us, so why not go again?" Percy gently played with her hair.

Nina blinked her eyes, "What do you mean it's special?"

"That's where I really fell for you," confessed Percy.

Nina's face turned red, remembering how they went to the Maldives not long after she started following him around. If Percy was telling the truth, he must have fallen for her way back then.

As that hit her, she gasped and covered her mouth like she had just uncovered a huge secret.

"What's up?" Percy thought she looked adorable looking so surprised.

Nina shook her head. "Are you saying you had feelings for me ages ago?"

"Yes," Percy admitted to it pretty easily, "Back then, I didn't have much experience with these things, so I didn't think much of it."

"So, you've had feelings for me for a long time now!" Nina went from shock to happiness. As she recalled her past with Percy, she remembered constantly reminding herself not to get too emotionally involved or take things too seriously because he was not a suitable partner. Things would never work out between them. Hence, she kept pushing her feelings down.

"What about you?" asked Percy. "When did you start liking me?"

"From the start, I guess. But I held back my feelings too because I thought I was way out of your league. It felt impossible between us."

Having that mindset made her suppress her feelings, and it took a toll on her mental state. "Anything's possible!" Percy told her. "Look at us now. We're together, aren't we?"

"Yes, we are." Nina took the initiative to hold his hand.

Their hands were tightly intertwined, and they looked sweet together.

Even the people around them could not help but feel a little jealous.

On the other hand, Luke and Luca left Crawford Manor shortly after Percy and Nina.

While they were on their way back, Luke pondered for a bit and said, "Luca, it feels like it's been ages since we've traveled together."

"Oh?" Luca glanced at him. "Didn't we go to X City during the Year's?"

"That's different," replied Luke. "I'm talking about a trip just for us, no kids, no work. Just us two."

Luca thought about it and realized they had not gone on any sweet dates since she returned to A City almost a year ago.

"How about once I wrap up my stuff, we go on a honeymoon too?" suggested Luca, believing he felt the same.

"Sounds good!" Luke nodded. "Where would you like to go?"

"I'm fine with any destination. We can draw lots to see where we end up." Luca thought the significance lay in traveling together as a couple, so the location did not matter.

Every destination would have its own stunning landscapes.

"Sure, I'm all in for whatever you decide," agreed Luke.

Luca smiled. Now that they had made plans together, it gave her some hope for the future.

"Speaking of X City, how's everything over there now?" asked Luca.

"Shanks is doing research at the new base in X City," replied Luke.

Luca blinked her eyes. "New base?"

"Yeah, it seems like Gale's little fire scared Abel and the others, so they got Shanks a new spot-a villa with top-notch security. Gale even heard that Abel bought a high-end fireproof and theft-proof safe."

Luca let out a chuckle. "Looks like Mr. Gale's fire really shook him up. He even bought a safe to stash his herbs!"

"Yes, they're running low on herbs, and they want to keep experimenting, so they need to protect what they have," explained Luke. If they were not after Luca, he would not have let Gale set their place on fire.

After all, he was just as curious about what experiments they were conducting.

"Those herbs are actually hard to find. They said it took climbing several mountains with those herb seekers to locate them, and Abel wasn't patient enough to wait around," Luca said.

"Forget about him. As long as he doesn't ask you for help, I won't touch him," Luke stated firmly. Everything he did was to protect Luca!

"Right." Luca nodded, knowing he had her back.

She was moved.

"Plus, all the info you've given me shows Shanks is pretty impressive. I'm curious to see just how good he is. Can his stuff really wake the dead?" Luke knew that the research from the Island of Despair had unique effects.

However, he was skeptical about Shanks' work.

Luca said, "I think the herbs are just a supporting role. Surgery might still be required." "What does that mean?" asked Luke. He was genuinely curious about Shanks' abilities. "Well, when it comes to organ transplants, they're just that transplants. After that, you still have to take anti-rejection medicine. But if Shanks performs the transplant and you take the medicine he developed, you wouldn't need anti-rejection medicine anymore. "The chances of compatibility between the organ and the recipient would be much higher, so you wouldn't have to worry about an adverse reaction after stopping the medication." "That's impressive." Luke, despite his dislike for the Island of Despair, could not help but be impressed by Shanks' abilities.

"Yes, but most of the drugs he developed were done before I got there. I missed out on the research, so I don't know how to make them. Those drugs are hard to get, and I can't analyze their components either," added Luca.

She knew that once those drugs hit the market, they could help a lot of families.

However, Shanks' research was primarily for his own benefit. He did not care about how many people his work could help.

It was just like Shanks had been hurt by many people himself.

It was good enough that he was not out for revenge.

If Shanks decided to take revenge, he could easily unleash some deadly viruses.

"But Kassy's situation isn't good. She's blind…" Luke paused for a moment. "It's not just a matter of a transplant. Even if she gets new corneas, it doesn't guarantee she'll see clearly."

Luca knew just how severe Kassy's injuries were.

If she had not persuaded Luke back then, Abel and Shanks might have ended up with just a pile of Kassy's bones.

Even though Shanks was capable, he would be helpless against a pile of bones.

In the end, it was her kindness back then that led to this situation.

Luca could not tell if her initial good intentions were right or wrong until everything was settled.

"So, what if they transplant whole eyeballs?" asked Luca. The current level of medical technology had not reached that point yet. Still, that did not mean Shanks could not pull it off.

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3298-The Place That Holds Special Meaning For Him "Modern medicine hasn't been able to achieve that yet," said Luke.

"But he's Shanks. No one else can do it at the moment. Even if he hasn't done it before, there are plenty of test subjects on the Island of Despair. Who knows? He might be able to figure it out," replied Luca.

Even though the Island of Despair was now powerful enough, Abel was still abducting captives from every impoverished place in the world, and there was no shortage of prisoners on the Island of Despair.

With so many captives, Shanks could conduct experiments on them one after another, keeping just one of their eyes intact. He could run hundreds of experiments under such conditions.

Given the intensity of the experiments, it was certain that Shanks would make significant progress.

Luke knew that Luca's statement was not an exaggeration. It was a real possibility.

A glint of ruthlessness flickered in his eyes.

He should not have spared Kassy back then.

However, if he had been ruthless and eliminated Kassy, maybe Luca would not have had the chance to come back after being kidnapped. Hence, all they could do now was eliminate the Island of Despair.

Only by getting rid of the Island of Despair could Luca truly be safe.

With this thought in mind, Luke's gaze hardened with determination. There was no more time to waste.

"How long does it usually take Shanks to research a new drug?" asked Luke.

Luca frowned slightly. "I'm not sure. During my three years there, I saw his speed, but I can't say exactly how long it takes. All I know is that he's a genius. He can usually research most materials quickly.

"The most important thing is that the drugs he uses don't need to go through the approval process, which cuts out a lot of the complicated steps."

These drugs were meant for people on the Island of Despair, and as long as they were safe for the captives, Shanks would use them.

Typically, any drug that passed the tests on lab rats could be slightly adjusted and then administered to the captives.

The captives did not often show adverse reactions from the drug tests.

Thus, most of the casualties among the captives on the Island of Despair were due to the brutality of the assassins, not Shanks' experiments. Very few captives actually died at his hands.

"A genius?" Luke murmured.

Others called him a genius too.

However, he knew how much hardship and effort lay behind that label.

He then heard Luca say, "Abel's pharmaceutical company has launched many drugs developed by Shanks. He records all the data and steps, hands them over to Abel, and then the lab researchers rationalize and standardize the research data before the drugs hit the market."

"I see." Lake felt he was starting to understand.

Abel was able to rapidly accumulate wealth because Shanks was behind the scenes.

Their pharmaceutical company consistently rolled out various types of drugs quickly, all while adhering to regulatory requirements.

Many leaders in the pharmaceutical industry were curious whether a significant research player was behind Abel. They even considered poaching the entire team.

However, in the end, they could not lure anyone away, likely because the researchers knew their own worth.

Without Shanks' data as support, they would not be able to expedite all the processes.

This conversation with Luca clarified a lot for him.

They had to speed up their elimination of the Island of Despair before Shanks could develop the drug he wanted.

Luca thought of Stan when Luke mentioned X City. She asked, "Where's Stan and Gerald? What's their situation now?"

"Stan has recovered after surgery. During his hospital stay, the police discovered that he had multiple conversations with Gerald about the Crawfords' ancestral home, even illegally installing several cameras and listening devices. So, the police have detained him, but Stan is suffering from memory loss, which is slowing down the investigation.

"As for Gerald, he's now officially wanted by the police, but he's hiding out in a base on the Island of Despair. I heard they're planning to move him soon, so our people are keeping an eye on him. As soon as he makes a move, we'll alert the police to come and take him in." Even though these matters seemed minor, since they involved the Island of Despair, Luke insisted on being informed about every detail.

Luca frowned. "Gerald really managed to escape this time."

"The wheels of justice grind slowly but surely," replied Luke.

Gerald was nearly killed by Abel, but fortunately, Shanks was there to save his life. Now, he was still under the Island of Despair's protection.

If Gerald had not crossed him, Luke would not have cared about his situation.

Since he was under the Island of Despair's protection, he would have been able to dodge this bullet.

However, Gerald was reckless. He dared to offend him and tried to drag Luca down with him. This time, no matter how much the Island of Despair tries to shield him, he was destined to be caught by the police.

"If he gets caught by the police, he won't survive," said Luca Anyone who completed their mission earned a chance to live as long as they were not caught by the enemy or the police.

However, if they failed their mission or fell into the hands of the police, they had no chance of survival.

"Do you want to keep him alive?" Luke asked casually even though he did not believe Luca genuinely wanted to save him.

"No." Laca shook her head. "He's done bad things. He doesn't deserve protection."

"You're right," Luke agreed.

For most people who committed crimes, the outcome was simply detention.

However, Gerlad was associated with the Island of Despair. Since he had enjoyed the benefits the Island of Despair gave him and even assisted in their heinous activities, his fate was likely to be grim.

Luke did not see anything wrong with that. The world was simply that cruel.

All he could do was protect his loved ones and family.

As for others, they were outside his concern.

Luke parked the car in the villa's lot.

Luca unbuckled her seatbelt and yawned.

"If you're tired, you should take a nap," suggested Luke.

Luca replied, "I still want to go over some documents."

"What documents?" Luke asked as he unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car with her.

"The data from Rhett. I've been too busy these past couple of days to look at it," explained Luca.

The past few days had been filled with Nina's wedding, and she had taken leave from Watson.

Rhett had been sending her research data every day, but she never had a chance to review any of it.

"Don't rush. Tomorrow's a Saturday. You can save it for then," replied Luke. He felt that the amount of material for a research project was not overwhelming and could be managed over the weekend.

"That's true," said Luca. Even though she had to spend the weekend with the kids, they had a day set aside for various extracurricular classes, so she would still have some time. With this thought, she murmured, "I wonder if Nina has boarded the plane yet. Where is Mr. Mallory taking her for their honeymoon anyway?"

"The Maldives," answered Luke, wrapping his arm around her waist as they walked inside. "How do you know that?" Luca looked up at him in surprise.

"Percy said he wanted to take her to the place that holds a special meaning for him," replied Luke.

"So, how do you know it's the Maldives?" Luca's expression grew even more perplexed. "Do men really talk about these things?"

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3299-You Don't Doubt My Skills, Do You?

"After Percy brought Nina back from the Maldives the first time, he seemed a bit different.

He even started asking me about relationship issues," explained Luke.

That was the first time he had seen Percy like that, and he figured it was because his mindset had changed during that time.

Hence, Luke felt they must have gone to the Maldives.

Luca held his hand and clucked her tongue. "I can't believe the usually decisive Mr. Mallory would be troubled by relationship matters one day."

"I knew from that moment that I'd be attending their wedding one day," added Luke.

Luca looked at his smug expression and could not help but laugh. "You're so full of yourself! When I found out that Nina was with Percy, I didn't think much of it. I just wanted her to be happy. Now, she really is."

"We're happy too," replied Luke as he pulled her into an embrace.

As they walked into the living room, the cool air from the air conditioning helped to dispel the heat.

"Ah, that feels refreshing," said Luca.

"Welcome back, Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, greeted Aunt Neile as she walked out of the kitchen. She had heard them in the living room. "Are you two going back to Crawford Manor for dinner tonight?"

"No, we'll just eat at home," replied Luca.

"Alright, I made some smoothies. Would you like some?" asked Aunt Neile.

"Sure, let's have two," replied Luca. The weather in A City was really hot, especially when Jean and Anna were making a fuss at the entrance of Crawford Manor. The heat made it frustrating to stand around for too long.

She took Luke's hand, walked into the dining room, and said, "Will you join me for a glass of smoothie?"

"I'm truly honored," Luke replied with a smile.

Aunt Neile brought in the smoothies, and after they finished, Luke's phone rang.

"It's Gale." Luke picked up the phone and tapped to answer. "What's the matter?"

"Boss, could you ask Dr. Craw when she's available?" asked Gale.

"He's looking for you," said Luke as he handed the phone to Luca.

She took it curiously and leaned in to ask, "Mr. Cale, what's going on?"

"It's about Gordan. He's been discharged from the hospital and wants to know when you're free to carry out dry needling treatment," explained Gale.

Luca had agreed to help treat Gordan, but he had not heard from her even though he had been discharged for several days. Now, Gale was checking in.

Gordan was also considered to be working for Luke now.

After a few rounds of collaboration, Gale had developed a good rapport with Gordan.

If Gordan's hand did not heal properly, it would affect his ability to take on future tasks.

"Sorry, I've been so busy lately that I forgot. I'm available now. I'll head to his place. Can you send me the address? replied Luca, still unaware of where Gordan was staying.

"No need to trouble yourself with the back and forth. I'll bring him over. We'll come by shortly. Thank you, Dr. Craw," said Gale before hanging up.

Luca returned the phone to Luke. "Did you know Mr. Norton was discharged?"

"Gale mentioned it," answered Luke.

"Why didn't you tell me he was discharged? He still needs dry needling treatment for his hand. The nerves have been connected, but it's also important to promote the growth of the nerves and muscles, or it'll take a long time for him to recover. He won't be able to take on tasks, then." Luca sounded a bit annoyed and helpless.

"It slipped my mind," explained Luke.

Since Gordan was recovering well, it had slipped his mind.

Luca remained silent.

"Why don't you go take a nap in the bedroom before they arrive?" suggested Luke.

Luca shook her head. "I'm not going to sleep. I need to get ready."

"Ready for what?" asked Luke.

"I need to prepare the dry needling tools," answered Luca. She rose to her feet and left the dining area with him. "The dry needling method is different from the usual.

"How is it different?" Luke was puzzled. Was dry needling treatment not always the same? Luca explained, "The needles I'm using this time were brought back from abroad."

She almost mentioned the Island of Despair but quickly remembered Aunt Neile was around, so she just said they came from abroad.

Luke nodded.

"If I'm going to use these needles, there has to be a detailed sterilization process. Also, the needles need to be slightly heated to a certain temperature for the best results. The whole house is being cooled by air conditioning, so it can only be done in the yard," continued "The yard is too hot." Luke frowned.

"It's hard to keep the needles at body temperature indoors." Luca frowned as well. She felt there was no need to raise the air conditioning indoors since it was already over 37 degrees Fahrenheit outside, which was the most suitable for her needs.

Luke fell silent. He had not heard of this type of treatment before.

However, he trusted that Luca knew what she was doing. She was not just messing around.

"Alright, I'll go set up a sunshade for you," said Luke. It was midday, and the sun was scorching outside. Even the gazebo was too hot, so a sunshade would be the best way to shield her from the heat.

Luca nodded. "Set it up under the tree."

"Got it," replied Luke as he headed out.

Luca followed him.

Luke found the sunshade in the tool shed outside. When he saw that Luca had followed him out, he frowned and said, "You don't need to come with me. Go back inside. It's too hot out here."

"I'll need to come out later anyway, so I might as well feel the temperature now," replied Luca. "You…" Luke was at a loss with her.

Luca grinned and picked up the sunshade parts. "It'll go faster if we work together. Come on!"

Reluctantly, Luke led her to the front yard.

They chose a spot under a tree to set up the sunshade and secured the base.

Luca then placed a small stool in the sunny spot and said, "Once it heats up enough here, I'll put the sterilized needles on it to warm them up quickly."

"Alright, let's head inside," replied Luke.

"Okay." The two walked briskly back into the house.

Aunt Neile watched as the two, who had just returned, went out to the garden and then back to the living room. She could not help but ask, "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, what are you doing outside in this blazing sun?*

She glanced outside and felt the heat just from looking at the sun.

"We went to set up a sunshade. Aunt Neile, is there any more of that smoothie to cool off with?" asked Luca.

"Sure, would you like some more?" asked Aunt Neile as she was ready to serve.

"No, it's not for me. Mr. Gale and Mr. Norton will be coming over later, and I figured we should have some drinks ready for our guests. The smoothie will be fine," explained Luca.

As Luke listened to her, he said, "Don't be too nice to them."

"Luke." Luca felt helpless. They were both his friends, after all.

Even though Gale was seen as his subordinate, she knew their relationship was much more than just boss and employee. They were good friends.

Luke was very particular about boundaries.

If Gale were just a simple subordinate, he would not invite him to parties or drinks.

Luke smiled at her and added, "Just don't overdo it. Don't put too much pressure on yourself."

"Don't worry. You aren't doubting my skills, are you?" Luca knew he was referring to the dry needling treatment for Gordan. "Ill sterilize the tools now."

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3300-He Brought This On Himself "Alright." Luke nodded.

After Luca left, Aunt Neile asked, "Mr. Crawford, will Mr. Gale and Mr. Norton be staying for dinner tonight?"

Luke pondered for a moment and replied, "Prepare meals for both of them too."

"Yes, sir. I'll head to the supermarket, then," said Aunt Neile. She grabbed a basket from the kitchen and quickly left.

Luke went upstairs.

He had planned to head straight to the bedroom to get some work done, but when he noticed the study door was open, he walked in instead.

Luca was sitting at the lab bench, disinfecting her tools.

When she heard footsteps, she looked up and glanced at him.

It was not the first time Luke had seen her set of tools, but each time, he found them fascinating. He walked closer. "Let me take a look."

"Are you interested in these dry needling needles?" asked Luca.

"Yes." Luke nodded.

These dry needling needles were not available on the market. If they were lost, they would have to be custom-made. However, without precise patterns and dimensions, it would be difficult to replicate them effectively.

"This set was custom-made based on ancient texts," explained Luca. "Since the depths and positions of the dry needling points I work with vary, these needles are much more functional than standard ones. They're made from a special metal, so they're reusable, unlike typical disposable needles."

Luke asked with curiosity, "What kind of metal is it?"

"I'm not sure," replied Luca. "Each needle has a unique weight, but Shanks never mentioned what metal they're made from. I haven't had them analyzed either. Any testing might damage their weight balance, which could affect the treatment."

Luke frowned, recalling the older version of the Island of Despair he had encountered before.

Many of their medical technologies were more advanced than those available today. However, this rebuilt organization seemed even more cutting-edge.

Perhaps, it was Shanks who was just that extraordinary.

"What are you thinking about?" questioned Luca as she soaked the needles in alcohol.

"I'm thinking about Shanks," replied Luke. "From what you've said, he seems pretty remarkable."

"Yes, he is," Luca agreed. She remembered when she first encountered this kind of medical treatment, she could not believe any of it was real.

The dry needling technique Shanks taught her was astonishing. It did not match any of the dry needling charts she had studied in medical texts.

Still, Shanks' teachings were undeniably effective and incredibly useful.

She remembered an incident where one of the Island of Despair's assassins was ambushed during a mission near the Russian coast. He was quickly brought back to the island. At that time, the assassin's arm was wrapped in bandages, but the bleeding would not stop.

The bandages were soaked in blood, and the moment they were removed, blood gushed out. She could still remember Shanks' calm demeanor as he swiftly inserted a few needles into the man's arm. The bleeding stopped at once, as though it was magic.

Luca recalled that the techniques he used were part of what he had taught her.

That experience motivated her to study even harder, knowing that Shanks' skills were not just exaggerated stories.

She needed that knowledge to save herself and to escape with her children.

Once she finished disinfecting the needles, the doorbell rang.

Luke went to answer the door.

A moment later, Gordan and Gale came upstairs.

"Boss, Dr. Craw," greeted Gordan and Gale.

"Make yourselves comfortable," replied Luke.

Gale added, "Boss, I'm here because I need to discuss something with you."

"Let's talk in the study," replied Luke, referring to his usual workspace.

After he and Gale left, the only ones who remained were Luca and Gordan.

Luca gestured to the chair beside her. "Mr. Norton, have a seat. I'll examine you."

"Dr. Craw, just call me Gordan," Gordan said with a smile and sat down.

"I need to examine you before deciding on the dry needling treatment. It might hurt a little.

Internal injuries don't heal as quickly as surface wounds," explained Luca.

"That's fine. No problem at all," replied Gordan as he rolled up his sleeve.

Luca pulled up a chair next to him and started her examination.

At first, Gordan's expression was relaxed, but as she pressed on certain areas, he felt a sharp pain. He had to admit, Luca was really skilled.

When the doctors examined him after his discharge, pressing those areas did not hurt nearly as much. Yet, here was Luca, not even pressing hard and the pain was undeniable.

Sweat began to bead on Gordan's forehead, and Luca's expression grew serious. "Your recovery isn't going well."

Gordan replied helplessly, "Dr. Craw, recovery takes time, doesn't it?"

"This is mostly because you didn't pay enough attention to your habits while you were in the hospital. If you had, and with the help of my herbal treatments, you wouldn't be recovering this slowly," Luca replied with a hint of frustration in her tone.

After checking the last spot, she added, "Alright, you can roll your sleeve down."

"Dr. Craw…" Gordan hesitated for a moment, unsure what to say next.

Should he admit she was too sharp to fool or confess that his bad habits were just too ingrained?

Nothing seemed like the right thing to say.

Luca said, "If you want to speed up your recovery, you'll need both dry needling and herbal compresses. I didn't realize your condition had deteriorated this much. Forget it…"

She let out a sigh. "Well, it's too late to prepare the herbal compresses now, and we don't have enough ingredients anyway, so we'll start with dry needling. But for the next few weeks, you'll need to come by four or five times.

"You'll need dry needling and herbal compresses every two days."

Gordan grinned. "Dr. Craw, does this include meals?"

"Yes. You and Mr. Gale should stay for dinner tonight," replied Luca.

"Great! As long as meals are included, I'll come as many times as needed," said Gordan, clearly pleased. He was not much of a cook, and he had grown tired of eating out.

The homemade meals here really suited his taste.

"Mr. Norton, even if you find me naggy, I have to say it. Please take better care of yourself." Luca felt helpless. If Gordan were not Luke's friend, she would not be so invested in his recovery.

She had asked Aunt Neile to prepare meals and soups, yet Gordan still neglected his health, leading to such a slow recovery.

"Got it, I promise," Gordan replied quickly. "So, are we doing the dry needling now?" "This dry needling treatment is a bit special. We'll have to do it outside. The needles need to warm up to match the body's temperature to be most effective," explained Luca. She pondered for a moment and added, "By the way, your body will have a reaction once the needles are in place. The worse your recovery, the stronger the reaction."

Gordan shuddered at the thought and asked cautiously, "Is it going to hurt like the check-up just now?"

"It might hurt a bit more than the check-up, but with each session, the pain will lessen." Luca could tell he was afraid of the pain, and deep down, she let out a chuckle. She thought, ' He brought this on himself.'