Luca listened to the man's words and frowned. “Do you think I'm deliberately making things difficult for the two of you?"

"You shouldn't blame us for what happened just now. We didn't know there were people without tattoos on the Island of Despair... Besides, there's no way you can prove your true identity, right?" The woman hoped that Luca could have mercy on them and stop putting them on the spot.

Luca crossed her arms and said in a cold voice, "I'm not a sensitive person. And I know the two of you are just being extra careful in order to survive. Everyone here is trying to stay alive. Why should I make things difficult for you? You can bring these herbs and wild grasses back to the Island of Despair if you refuse to believe what I said. Whatever Dr. Shanks says upon receiving the herbs will have nothing to do with me."

The man and the woman exchanged glances with each other. They began to believe that Luca was not deliberately putting them on the spot. It seemed that they had been deceived.

"How did this happen? It took us so much time to search for these.." The woman crouched down, feeling depressed as she stared blankly at those fake herbs.

Luca could not help but feel helpless when she saw how depressed the woman was. She reminded her, "I believe Dr. Shanks told you before you came here. Some herbs are on the verge of extinction. So, it's normal that such herbs are difficult to find. Keep on looking. Collect the herbs if you don't know how to differentiate them. Then let me take a look and judge them."

"But we'll have to spend a lot of time doing this. Why don't you come with us?" The woman's eyes brightened up. They did not know how to differentiate those herbs, and they would get easily get deceived. However, the woman in front of them knew how to differentiate the herbs, and she could distinguish the genuine and fake ones. It would make things much easier if they brought her along with them.

"I can't leave. I'm carrying out a mission too. Just try to collect as many herbs as you can and bring them back here. Dr. Shanks is patient. He won't blame the two of you for taking up so much time," said Luca, trying to ease their worries.

Shanks was the kindest person Luca knew on the Island of Despair.

Although he appeared to be cold and indifferent, he was much more reasonable than Abel was.

The man and woman let out a sigh.

"Use the same method to inform me again once you've found the herbs. I have something else to do and have to go." Luca did not stay any longer. She looked at the pile of useless herbs, and it reminded her of Dr. Albus.

So much effort had been poured, but it was all for nothing.

That was what happened to these two people, Dr. Albus, and Luca herself too.

Luca walked for about one kilometer after she left the house. She was in the Western suburbs, and there were hardly any cars passing by. That was why she had to use the ride-hailing app to hail a ride.

Luca stood by the roadside and waited after she hailed a ride using the app. Her ride would only reach 10 minutes later.

There was an incoming phone call from Dr. Albus at this moment.

Luca looked at the incoming phone call. Her hands were slightly trembling as she held her phone. She was forced to do such a thing to Dr. Albus, and she did not dare to face him.

However, it was as though the phone's ringtone was rushing her to answer the call. It stopped ringing after no one answered the call for a long time. Then, two seconds later, it rang again.

Luca knew Dr. Albus was alone and helpless now. He would be facing the public's judgment and be held accountable by the legal department of Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Dr. Albus was calling her to look for a lifesaver.

Luca took a deep breath and pressed the answer button. “Dr. Albus, I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do —

"Dr. Craw, I'm being wrongly accused. Please help me." Dr. Albus asked for help right away as though he did not hear what Luca said to him the moment she answered the call.

Luca let out a sigh helplessly.

Of course, Luca knew Dr. Albus was innocent. However, what could she do for him? Original from .

"Dr. Albus, there's nothing I can do. I'm really sorry." Luca looked far away into the distance. The only thing she could do was apologize to Dr. Albus.

There was nothing else she could do for him.

"Dr. Craw, I know Mr. Crawford and you... I mean, you're close with Mr. Crawford. Please tell him to grant me a few days of grace period. I'll find out who's the one who sold the information!" said Dr. Albus. He had no choice but to find out the culprit who sold the research formula.

"There's nothing I can do. Mr. Crawford's men have looked into the matter. Dr. Albus, I'm really sorry." All Luca did was apologize.

Luca felt relieved and guilty at the same time that Luke did not find out it was her.

However, she had no choice. Luca still wanted to stay by Luke's side.

It was not only because she selfishly loved him, but it was also because of Abel.

Abel had always wanted to deal with Luke. If Luca's true identity was exposed, Abel would certainly go to extreme lengths to implement another plan. That was why as long as her identity remained unexposed, she would not take the initiative to expose herself and let Luke find out about it.

After all, leaving meant bidding farewell.

"No, no, no. Dr. Craw, don't hang up the call first. I'm telling you, I was wronged. I promise that I'll do anything to repay you if you're willing to help me." Dr. Albus sounded insane, and he refused to accept his fate.

His research was sold to someone else, and he did not earn any money from it. Moreover, he had to be detained as a criminal and face imprisonment. He would also have to pay a huge sum of compensation.

He dared not to resign himself to fate!

His wife was still waiting for the money to receive treatment abroad. Dr. Albus had no idea about the bank account that Luke's men found. That was why there was no way he could get that money.

Hence, asking for Luca's help was his only way out.

“Dr. Albus, I'm still..." Luca could not bear to listen to him anymore. A man was giving up his pride to beg her. That would mean he was really desperate.

"Dr. Craw, I'm sure you can help me. Why don't you help me ask Mr. Crawford out? I'll give him an explanation." Dr. Albus thought of asking Luca to plead for mercy on his behalf, but he understood Luca had no intention of doing so.

That was why he needed to meet Luke himself and prove his innocence in front of him.

"You can make an appointment with Mr. Doyle if you'd like to see Mr. Crawford," Luca reminded him.

"Everyone in the company sees me as a betrayer who sold confidential information. No one is willing to believe me. Even Mr. Crawford refuses to see me. Dr. Craw, you're close with Mr. Crawford. Can't you do me a favor?"

Luca saw the taxi that was coming from afar while she listened to what Dr. Albus said. She made up her mind and said, "I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do, Dr. Albus. If you're really innocent, I believe you'll find a way to prove it. I have something else to do. Sorry.."

She took a deep breath and hung up the call.

"I'm sorry.." Luca muttered to herself as guilt filled her eyes.

The taxi came to a halt beside her, then the driver rolled down the window and asked, "Miss, are you the one who hailed a ride?"

"Yes," Luca confirmed that it was the ride she hailed by glancing at the car plate number. Then, she pulled the door open and slipped into the car.

She received a call from Luke while she was on her way back to the city.

"Where are you?"

"I'm outside now," replied Luca. She did not tell Luke where exactly she was.

Luke asked, "Are you dealing with something?"

"I guess so. It's my brother's matter." Luca looked outside the car window as the snow started falling again. She could not help but let out a sigh. She was lying to Luke again.