Half an hour later, Susan had already made her selections for which photos she wanted to refine.
Excluding the family photo, every other photo was of herself.
The photographer could not help but complain internally. He had taken photos of so many guests and business big
shots, yet Susan only chose the photos she was in.
After her selection, the photographer kept his computer and stood up. “Madam Crawford, now that the photos have
already been selected, I should be able to finish editing and refining them within a week. We can decide on a date
then for you to come and take a look at the photos. I'll further refine them if need be."
"Alright. There's no rush. Just make sure that the photos look great in the end," Susan replied.
"Of course. I'll make sure to further heighten your looks." The photographer knew what Susan wanted to hear, so
he promised her as he walked down the stairs.
"That will be best." Susan was very pleased with his business attitude and stood to walk him downstairs.
Then, she had the butler send him out when they arrived on the first floor.
Old Master Crawford was currently having tea on the sofa when he asked, "Have you chosen the photos already?"
"I have, Father. They should be edited within a week. If they look alright, we should be able to update the family
photo before the new year." Susan turned to look at the family photo on the wall and smiled ambiguously.
It would be nice to change the family photo since the new one did not have Allison on it.
She had dressed elegantly for her birthday yesterday and looked perfect as the madam of the house.
"Alright. I'll leave it to you to make sure that the photo's changed before the new year," Old Master Crawford said.
Susan's heart soar. Old Master Crawford was the one who suggested updating the family photo. This meant that he
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtno longer cared about Allison anymore.
This was the best outcome since it meant that there would only be one madam of the Crawford family.
The Island of Despair.
Abel pushed opened the door and walked into Shanks' lab with his phone in hand. "Is my cigar done?"
“Left cabinet, second drawer, first compartment." Shanks was currently preparing medicine and did not look up at
Abel.
Abel found two boxes of modified cigars and sat in front of Shanks pleasedly. "Aren't you bored studying medicine
here all day? You won't even help me teach or train those people either."
"Those people are hopeless. There's no point in training them," Shanks replied without looking up.
Abel took his phone and tapped on the image he received. "As far as you're concerned, she's the only person who
has any degree of talent."
Shanks knew who Abel was talking about. Luca was indeed the most hardworking woman he met.
She did not have much talent for medicine, but she was smart and willing to work hard, so she learned quickly.
"It's a shame, though. What do you think? Should I have her stay permanently on the Island of Despair to learn
medicine and save the people on this island, or should I have her continue her mission and dirty her hands with
blood?" Abel asked.
Shanks frowned and finally looked up at him. "You're planning to call her back?"
Abel did not respond, opting to show Shanks the photos on his phone instead. "Look at these photos. What emotion
do you see on her face?"
The photos of Luca and Luke were taken during Susan's birthday banquet.
Shanks replied indifferently without thinking, "Happiness."
"Yeah, happiness." Abel's gaze darkened. Despite being someone completely different, Luca could still stay at Luke's
side happily. This irked him.
It was unfair that they could still be so happy when his Kassy...
"You have great skills, you know. You managed to change her appearance so well to the point where Luke, someone
so devoted to his wife, couldn't hold himself back from her." Abel pulled out a cigar impatiently only to recall Shanks
telling him not to smoke in the lab. Hence, Abel suppressed the desire to smoke and continued, "If we were to have
Luca destroy this happiness right now and destroy everything Luke possesses, how pitiful would the two of them
be?"
Shanks handed the phone back to him and replied calmly. "Very, but how certain are you that you'll manage to
destroy both Luke and Ivana?"
"Not completely, but I'd say I'm around 60 to 70 percent certain? Which is enough. Ivana's the most important
weapon I want, actually. Once Luke knows that the woman who betrayed him is actually the Bianca he's been
yearning for. Oh, I can already anticipate the elation I'll feel!" Abel exclaimed. He and Kassy did not get their happily
ever after, so he would not allow Luke and Bianca to have theirs.
"What do you have in mind?" Shanks asked again. Whether the plan was in action or not mattered little to him.
As long as Abel continued to pay for his research, nothing truly mattered to him.
"I'm thinking probably after the new year," Abel said.
Shanks frowned and opposed immediately. "No."
"Why not?" Abel did not like his plans being opposed. He slapped the desk in anger.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm
"Don't tell me you're pitying Ivana. You can't possibly have fallen for her during those three years together, have
you? And even if you have, so what? All she thinks about is that man. You'd better act quickly if you really want her.
Destroy Luke so she no longer finds him outstanding. Once she no longer
thinks about him, then only will you have any semblance of a chance."
“You think you much. My issue is that your recruits have yet to find the ingredients I want. If you call Ivana back
now, who's going to distinguish the real ones from the fakes?" Shanks asked.
“Hmph. If we find out that they're all fake when they get back, then they'll just have to go out and look again," Abel
replied without a care.
"Are you sure? The outside world already knows that the Island of Despair's forces is bouncing back. Everyone is
looking for us. If you keep sending people out, they'll manage to trace us in no time. I'd like to remind you as well
that the Russian air force frequently circles above our island because of this," Shanks tells him.
The outside world was growing nervous now that they could confirm the existence of the Island of Despair.
Some forces were even trying to locate the island as well.
However, no one seemed to have guessed that they were just underground. In fact, in an attempt to avoid being
detected or traced by all sorts of instruments, they were also using various anti-detection and anti-tracking
instruments of their own underground.
"Hmph." Abel had to admit that Shanks made a point.
Not to mention that the medicine Shanks was currently studying was going to be very useful for the Island of
Despair, so Abel needed his help.
"Fine. I'll let Ivana spend another year with her dearest husband, then." Abel agreed to it.