Svvere laughed as he listened to Giaโs criticism.โItโs not pleasant at all. I hate it too,โ Svvere said.โDoes it have to be like this every year?โ Gia questioned the gloomy tradition, secretly wishing Svvere didnโt have to go through it annually. It would be too sad if he did.Svvere nodded with exaggerated enthusiasm. โItโs annoying, isnโt it? But thankfully, Mamma replaced it with another party.โโWhat do you mean?โโWhen the formal party ends, Mamma hosts a second birthday party the next day. Itโs more relaxed, with just cousins and a few close relatives attending.โโThatโs wonderful!โSvvere nodded and smiled, knowing the additional party was meant to cheer him up. No wonder he grew up to be such a cheerful young man despite enduring such odd traditions. Mette had ensured that Svvereโs childhood was as normal as possible.Giaโs admiration for Mette grew a little more. At first, she had judged the family for holding such a stiff and formal birthday party.But while they adhered t
"Yes. Just a few days ago,โ Gia answered smoothly, without hesitation. Quite convincing.โAnd you?โ Martha pointed at Matteo. โWhat happened to Dion?โGia didnโt know who Dion was, but based on the context, he seemed to be Haakonโs usual bodyguard.โHeโs sick. Resting,โ Matteo answered coldly and briefly.The sunglasses hid almost all of his facial expressions. The other bodyguard glanced at Matteo. He surely knew it was a lie, but he didnโt interfere.โReally? I didnโt know he was sick. He seemed fine yesterday,โ Martha said, looking surprised. She trusted Matteo but was puzzled by the sudden illness.โA severe flu,โ Matteo added to clear Marthaโs remaining doubts.โWhat about Natalie?โAfter hearing Matteoโs reasonable explanation, she turned back to Gia. This time, Gia knew that Natalie was the name of Metteโs usual assistant.โShe had a sudden family emergency. They couldnโt be left alone. She left unexpectedly yesterday.โGia inwardly groaned as she realized she had unintentional
When Gia received Natalieโs schedule for Mette, she didnโt pay much attention. That was a mistake because the schedule for the visit was packed, and Mette enthusiastically followed every event, as she was used to such a busy pace.Once the official welcoming ceremony at the palace was over, Mette and Haakon parted ways. Mette accompanied Queen Silvia, while Haakon had separate engagements with King Gustaf.Matteo was supposed to shadow Haakon, staying true to his undercover role. However, Matteo chose to stay with Gia due to their unique situation. Haakonโs actual bodyguard didnโt comment on Matteo joining Metteโs entourage instead.After just two events, Giaโs feet began to protest. Her admiration for Natalie soared as she watched the girl stand all day in those shoes and still move effortlessly. Meanwhile, Giaโs toes were starting to burn, screaming for freedom.The bad news was that Metteโs schedule was only halfway done. They were attending a luncheon hosted by a brain cancer rese
Gia brushed off the clumps of dirt stuck to the hem of her pants. She then rubbed the soles of her shoes against the grass to dislodge the muddy soil clinging to them.It rained heavily last night, leaving the ground today covered in leftover mud. However, the mud didnโt pose a problem for Mette.Metteโs schedule today involved attending another charity event. Unlike yesterdayโs event, which focused on illnesses, todayโs organization was dedicated to environmental conservation and sustainability.At the event, Mette donated a significant sum of money to purchase tree saplings to be planted worldwide. The donation was enough to buy millions of saplings.Mette had to step onto the soil and plant a tree in a designated spot as part of the symbolic donation ceremony, including documentation and other formalities. This was why Giaโs shoes and pants got dirty.Once the event concluded, Gia was responsible for cleaning Metteโs shoes, which were in a similar condition.Earlier, a rather amusi
โLook at that!โMette exclaimed excitedly, making Martha pause while arranging Metteโs hair. Mette leapt from her chair and approached Gia, who had just entered the room.Gia entered, already dressed in the party attire Sophie had prepared for her. Sophie had instructed her to style her hair and makeup to perfection. The makeup was soft and subtle, enhancing Giaโs beauty without being overwhelming.Gia wore the red dress Sophie had selected the day before. It was slightly longer than knee-length and had open sleeves. Detailed floral embroidery and sequins adorned the V-shaped bodice extending to her waist.The dress gave Gia an intimidating aura and amplified her presence. Her petite frame seemed taller by a few centimetres, making her appear more striking than usual.Perhaps that added height was due to the high heels she wore. Though not as extreme as the killer heels from a few days ago, they were still tall enough. More importantly, Gia felt comfortable in these moderately high he
"Ranallo? Your brother is Ranallo?โ Lonan asked, still unable to accept it."Yes. And because of that, Raven is still alive. Unlike your wish to kill him.โโI DIDNโT KNOW THEY WERE TRYING TO KILL RAVEN!โ Lonan shouted, his voice loud but still drowned out by the music. Only Gia and Matteo heard his desperate outcry.โI donโt care what your intentions were. The fact remains: you cruelly led your own brother to his doom!โ Gia snapped with scorn.From the start, Gia had hated Lonan for his lies. However, betraying Ravenโs location was the most unforgivable act in her eyes. It had shattered Ravenโs heart. Even now, Raven barely touched on the subject, unwilling to reopen old wounds.Gia knew this well, even though Raven never explicitly said so. He avoided mentioning Lonan because he didnโt want Gia to curse him further. After everything, Raven still wanted to protect Lonanโs reputation in her eyes.โHe was the one who convincedโโLonan stopped himself mid-sentence, realizing he had almos
Queen Silvia pulled Gia closer without paying attention to the confusion on her husbandโs face. โThereโs someone who wants to speak with you.โGia was genuinely curious. Was Queen Silviaโs sweet tone the one she usually used when speaking to King Gustaf daily?However, seeing her husbandโs surprise made it clear the tone was deliberate. Queen Silvia intentionally used it to heighten the surprise when she introduced them.โAnd who is this? Iโve never seen her before,โ King Gustaf asked.Gia suddenly felt nervous as his piercing green eyes studied her intently. Only then did she realize the man addressing her was the ruler of one of Europeโs most powerful nations?โSheโs my guest.โ The words slipped from Queen Silviaโs lips almost instantlyโa lie crafted without hesitation.Like Gia, she had decided not to involve Mette.Queen Silvia chose to take full responsibility herself, which was a smart move. Even if King Gustaf became angry later, it would remain a private marital argument rathe
"Helsinki?" King Gustaf exclaimed, startled. โThis law does not extend beyond Sweden. She cannot be arrested in Helsinki!โ He added something everyone already knew, something he had said at least once.A malicious laugh erupted from behind Gia. Sitting on the sofa, Queen Silvia raised her hand to her mouth, but the gesture did nothing to muffle the loud laughter escaping her lips.โYou should ask your precious daughter about this. Iโm sure she has an answer.โKing Gustafโs eyes flared with anger, and he was displeased with his wifeโs accusation of Willow. โDonโt say things carelessly!โ he barked.Queen Silvia ignored his outburst, shrugging casually as she delivered another shocking revelation. โIf you want clarity, just ask Ronald. Heโs in the front, isnโt he?โ"Ronald?" Following his wifeโs reasonable suggestion, King Gustaf picked up the phone on his desk and pressed a button.โCould you call Ronald and have him come to my office?โ Gustaf asked irritatedly, put the phone down, and g
King Gustaf held Ravenโs hand tightly for a moment. He was aware that their happiness depended on each other.He kept his eyes on Raven as their hands separated.โWell then, Iโll take my leave.โ King Gustaf saw no reason for further pleasantries, so he turned around immediately. But before taking a step, he glanced back.His gaze focused on Lonan, who had remained silent and lowered his head after declaring he would be a witness.โI truly wished you had married Willow, but I couldnโt force her. Iโm sorry. And please forgive Willow for her mistake this time.โ His eyes flickered toward Raven as well, not just Lonan. Then, finally, he stepped out.Two deep sighs of relief filled the room as the door closedโone from Lonan, one from Raven. Raven picked up his phone, checking something. Maybe he was telling Jasper to cancel a plan.โKing Gustaf will keep his promise because he will never let Willowโs name be tarnished in the eyes of society. He always avoids scandals so that Willow can live
Gia didn't know who Tilda was, but Raven's intense reaction made her suspect something. Raven clearly cared about whoever Tilda was."Why can't I mention her name? She's Willow's mother!"Gia's suspicion proved correct. King Gustaf disgustingly uttered a name that would surely shake Raven. He mentioned someone Raven loved as dearly as her own family. It was a deceitful move.Raven's face burned with anger, yet the furrow in her brow showed she was thinking. That name had driven her to get engaged and save Willow's life. The inner battle flared up againโthis time, it was Raven's turn."For Tilda's sake, I beg you: don't press those charges. And please hand over that recording. You surely don't want to ruin Willow's life, right?""He ruined himself without my interference. You only sped up his plunge into ruin by continually excusing all his misdeeds." Raven stopped using the formal "you" when addressing King Gustaf. Merely mentioning Tilda's name ignited deep emotions within her."You
King Gustaf stared at Al and Frey. "Are they your children?" Gia wanted to answer with a scathing remark with the word idiot, just like she'd used earlier to respond to Lonan's question. It was blatantly obvious who Al and Frey's parents were. "Yes," Gia replied politely. The time when she could curse at the king had long passed. "Then you must understand my feelings. The feelings of a father who must do everything to protect his child." King Gustaf quickly turned to Raven. Unfortunately, his emotionally charged statement was met with a mocking laugh from Raven. "No. I can't understand your feelings. Because I'll make sure these two don't grow up to be manipulators who casually stab others in the back," Raven retorted sharply. King Gustaf's jaw tightened in anger. "What's going on?" Gia demanded. Seeing Raven provoke the king's anger, she felt some satisfaction, but she still didn't grasp the full context. "I'm filing charges against Willow. This time, I'll ensure she
"Oh... My... God...," Lonan muttered as he saw Raven enter carrying Freya. Gia followed behind, with Al playfully twirling around her neck.They had to wrestle a bit while heading to the hospital. Al began teething and fussed whenever things didn't go his way.Freya, who always imitated her older sibling, considered crying together a fun activity. As a result, Gia and Raven had to fight through a torrent of tears before they could leave the house."Theyโฆ"Lonan shot a disbelieving glance. He rarely saw Raven accompanied by a cute baby; in his opinion, it didn't seem right. In fact, Gia used to feel the sameโbut that was then. Gia feels something is missing without Freya clinging to Raven's chest.It wasn't Gia's idea to bring them to the hospital; Raven requested it. He wanted to introduce Al and Freya to their uncle. It was a common wish, and Gia simply couldn't refuse."Are they twins?" Lonan asked."You don't eat enough apples. How can you ask such a stupid question? The answer is
Gia peeled the apple on the table and cut it into smaller pieces. That wasn't how she ate applesโshe preferred whole ones, eating them with the skin on.The apple wasn't for her. After placing it in a bowl, Gia carried it to the patient's bed and set it on the table. The person sleeping in that bed jumped awake at the sound of movement and footsteps.Gia glanced sideways, and their eyes met. Too late to look away, she could only huff in irritation.Lonan looked toward the bowl of apple. "I thought you'd never do something kind for me again."Gia snorted. "Exactly! I didn't do this for you. I did it for Raven. He'll be upset if he finds out I still despise you."Lonan gave a bitter smile. He had set his hopes too high. Gia always tried her best to be kind to him because she knew that if she kept showing her dislike, Raven would end up sad. Gia understood that feeling wellโit reminded her of the time she watched Matteo and Raven argue.Of course, that argument couldn't compare to the ha
Raven felt a little calmer after Gia invited him to sit. Although he still felt anxious, his breathing steadied. He leaned back in his seat while gripping Gia's hand.Doctors had been operating on Lonan for about four hours, and they still hadn't given any news about his progress. Based on her experience, Gia could only guess that the knife must have injured one of his organsโshe couldn't tell how severe the damage was.The wait felt like hell to Raven. He no longer displayed any emotion, as if his tears had drained every ounce of feeling. The overwhelming memory of his parents leaving haunted him, and he clung to the hope that Lonan would pull through.All his anger melted away and gave way to hope. He no longer cared about Lonan's mistakesโthey now seemed insignificant.Whenever a lousy memory threatened to overwhelm him, Raven squeezed Gia's hand, and Gia stroked Raven's arm gently. Gia reminded him of other parts of his life that still awaited him, assuring him that his world woul
From the beginning, Willow never planned to jump in or be fooled by Raven's blatantly apparent lies. Willow orchestrated this drama to get close enough to Raven so that they could hurt him.Now, Willow screamed in anger as their plan failed once again. Willow didn't care at all that Lonan collapsed and bled because of what they had done."Lonan!"Raven finally realized what was happening and roared Lonan's name. He tried to catch the falling body but couldn't manage it well."No!" Raven roared again when he saw the red stain spreading across Lonan's stomach.Gia pushed aside the nearby guards and ran toward them."Help him, Hazeโฆ I beg you," Raven whimpered. He clutched Lonan's head as Lonan began losing consciousness.Gia studied the wound that kept bleeding. The knife is still stuck there.Gia pressed her hand against the wound to stop more blood from flowing out and to prevent Lonan from going into shock from excessive blood loss."Call for help!" Gia shouted. Many ambulances waite
Yesterday's mini forest that once looked peaceful and comfortable had transformed into a warzone. Gia now understood why all the police were downstairs. The royal guards had taken over their dutiesโnot just the ones earlier on the stairs, but a much larger force now spread across the roof. Their primary purpose here wasn't Willow but because their master was also on the rooftop. King Gustaf stood roughly five meters behind Willow, trying to coax her down. Willow had already stepped outside the safety railing, facing the open air, her hands still gripping the rooftop's edge barrier. "Don't jump! Willow!" Gia could faintly hear his desperate pleas. "I should've made that barrier taller," Raven muttered. The railing would have been sufficient to prevent someone Gia's height from climbing over. But Willow, tall as a giraffe, stood only a few centimeters shorter than Raven. Her perfectly proportioned bodyโespecially those long legsโmade it easy for her to vault the barrier.
โWhat's going on?!" Gia demanded, staring at Raven. Her face was pale, and her hand covered her mouth, holding back a torrent of curses.โHow did she get in?!โ Raven shouted, still directing her question to Jasper at the other end.After hearing Jasperโs response, Raven lowered the phone from her ear. Her eyes shifted to Lonan, who now looked as if he were having a heart attack."You gave her your pass card?" Raven asked quietly.Lonan shook his head. โShe came to apologize yesterday... I didn't know... she must've taken it then.โHe straightened up and rushed toward Raven.โWe have to go there...,โ Lonan said, shaking Ravenโs arm."Why?"โCan someone explain what's happening?โ Gia hated being left in the dark.โWillow is trying to kill herself. She's on the roof of the Lindgren Tower, ready to jump,โ Raven explained.โShe...โ Gia couldnโt find the right wordsโWillow was beyond crazy.Raven didnโt look at Gia as he spoke. His eyes were fixed on Lonan, who kept shaking his arm.โWe hav