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 no 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.
"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.