Luca returned to her bedroom. She sat down and looked at her reflection in the mirror.


    Luke had pretty much smudged her lipstick, and her lips were slightly puffy. Her eyes were dazed too


    as if she was hinting at something.


    She looked like she had just slept with someone.


    It was only a kiss, yet she had lost herself in it.


    Luca did not dare to entertain that thought further and picked up the lipstick left for her by the stylist.


    She put it on.


    Her newly drawn lips covered some of the puffiness. She looked at herself through the mirror. After


    ensuring that she had covered all traces of what had happened in Luke''s bedroom, she grabbed her


    purse and threw on a jacket before leaving the bedroom.


    Luke had already changed and was waiting for her outside the door.


    Luca tightened her grip on her purse. She felt her body grow hot when she saw him, and the heat crept


    up her cheeks, flushing them enchantingly in a way makeup blush could not replicate.


    The adoration in Luke''s eyes grew when he saw her.


    He did not want to leave the house at all as his desire for Luca kept growing.


    "Are we leaving now, Mr. Crawford?" Luca looked up at him slightly before directing her gaze back to


    the floor. She was worried that the man would push her back into the bedroom and have his way with


    her if she kept staring.


    "Let''s go." Luke''s voice was raspy, even more so than hers even though Luca was the one with a cold.


    Rather than illness, Luke''s raspiness was more desire-derived.


    The two descended the stairs together.


    Rainie was waiting for them at the base of the stairs, and when she saw Luke and Luca descend the


    stairs. She could not help but exim, "You look so handsome, Daddy! A perfect match with Ms. Luca!"


    "Who taught you those things, hmm?" Luca berated softly. ''Perfect match'' sounded weird to her for


    some reason.


    "That''s what they say on TV." Rainie stuck her tongue out. She did not think she spoke wrongly, not


    when her parents looked very good-looking standing next to each other.


    "You''re watching too much TV," Luke said. He agreed with Rainie, but if Luca did not want their children


    to say such things, then he would not allow their children to say those things.


    “Okay..." Rainie replied. She felt indignant, especially when her parents were truly a perfect match. She


    said, “Daddy, Ms. Luca, can we all take a photo when wee back from dinner? You promised me


    thest time, Ms. Luca, but you fell sick and we didn''t get to take any photos."


    “Alright," Luke agreed.


    The couple had taken many photos together when Luca was still Bianca, including family photos as


    well.


    Luca might have apletely different appearance, but she was still his wife. Hence, the photos taken


    before were no longer suitable.


    Rainie turned to Luca once she heard Luke agree. “Can we, Ms. Luca?"


    “Sure. Let''s get going, then," Luca replied.


    “I''ll go get Aunt Neile, then!" Rainie said. There was a specific table for the maids and caretakers of the


    Crawford family, considering the banquet was held by the Crawford family.


    Rainie called for Aunt Neile, and the four of them departed.


    Luke sat in the driver''s seat while Luca sat beside him in the front passenger seat, leaving Aunt Neile


    and Rainie to sit in the back seats.


    Half an hourter, the four of them arrived at Traders Hotel.


    The hotel entrance was decorated with red as well as champagne-colored roses and oriental lilies. The


    word ''birthday'' was hung up on top as well.


    The entrance decoration was extremely grandiose, and one could only imagine how the banquet hall


    would be decorated.


    Luca held Rainie''s hand and waited with Aunt Neile by the side for Luke to park the car so they could


    go in together.


    Aunt Neile eximed, “What pretty decorations."


    “Yeah," Luca agreed. If not for the word ''birthday'', one might assume that someone was holding a


    wedding.


    She was more inclined to believe that the hotel''s decoration was as per Susan''s request instead of


    Louis'' and Yuri''s.


    However, she could not help but wonder when Susan had grown such ostentatious tastes.


    It was too mboyant and unlike a birthday celebration.


    Rainie tilted her head and looked up at Luca. “Ms. Luca, it looks like a wedding ceremony."


    “Shh. It''s your Grandmother Susan''s birthday," Luca chuckled softly and squeezed Rainie''s hand.


    Children tended to speak without much thought, yet Rainie had hit the bullseye with her remark.


    Luke parked the car and walked over to stand beside Luca. “Let''s go inside."


    “Alright." Luca pulled out an envelope from her purse that had a thick stack of cash.


    While it was tacky to gift money, it would not be inappropriate for an invited attendee to arrive at a


    birthday celebration empty-handed. She did not have the time to choose a present either, so money


    was the next best option.


    “Why that?" Luke frowned when he saw what she was holding.


    “I was invited individually," Luca emphasized the word ''individually''. Being invited individually meant


    that her gift had to be individual and she could not give her gift with Luke.


    Luke did not say anything. He would make sure that this was thest time she would be invited


    individually.


    They entered the hotel and arrived at the banquet hall on the third floor where Louis and Yuri were


    standing beside Susan, weing guests.


    As the main character of the evening, Susan had a wide smile on her face and was donned in an


    elegant outfit. The set of jewelry she wore shone brightly and beautifully under the hotel''s lighting.


    Quite a few wealthy housewives were attracted by the ne on Susan''s neck when they came to


    send their wishes.


    “Let''s go over," Luke said.


    Luca and Rainie followed hand-in-hand.


    Susan''s smile felt slightly forced when she saw Luke and Luca arriving together. "You''re here."


    "Happy birthday, Mother." Luke''s blessing was as curt and concise as he usually spoke.


    "Thank you." Susan''s eyes trailed over Luca before she finally said, "There aren''t any extra seats at the


    main table, Luke. Since you brought her over, you''ll have to arrange where she sits."


    What she meant was that Luca had no ce at the main table.


    Luke''s gaze sharpened. "Grandfather was the one who invited Luca. I''m sure she already has her own


    seat."


    Beside them, Louis quickly added, "Yes, she does. I''ve already arranged a seat for Dr. Craw. Let me


    show you to your table."


    Susan red at Louis. It was obvious that she was unaware of this.


    If she was aware of it, she would never have allowed Luca a seat.


    If Luca and Luke were to get together, there would be no room left for Susan and her son in the family.


    Not when Luca could help Luke even more than Bianca. Besides, her ability to feel pulses easily got


    her into the good graces of the elderly.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Luca knew that Susan did not like her. Honestly speaking, she would not havee at all if not for Old


    Master Crawford''s invitation and the need to apany Nina.


    Still, she was already here, so she handed Susan the envelope. "Happy birthday, Madam Crawford."


    "Thank you." Susan nced at the envelope but did not ept it.


    Luca felt awkward. Susan''s actions reflected how unweing she was of Luca. It was to the point of


    declining Luca''s gift with disdain.