Zachary gazed at her, feeling utterly helpless. He switched on the TV, and a surveillance video popped up, revealing Lena inside the secret room.Lena sat huddled in a dim corner, clutching her knees tightly. She kept count of the days—this marked her third day there. It hadn't been long but felt like an eternity in this gloomy environment. Surveying her surroundings, she found no escape route. Facing whoever lurked beyond was equally challenging. She had no choice but to wait for an opportunity.During these days, Zachary diligently delivered her meals. Even though they lacked flavor, she ate every crumb. She understood that losing hope wasn't an option in such dire circumstances. She had to wait patiently, preserve her energy, and prepare for her escape.Zachary paused the video and turned to Sasha, his eyes searching for answers."Do you... truly want me to eliminate her?" he asked.Sasha was visibly irritated and rolled her eyes. "Why do you have so much to say?"Zachary
Lena smiled and glanced at the door from the corner of her eye. Zachary had left it ajar when he entered, either overly confident in his skills or underestimating her due to her young age."Eat quickly," Zachary said, eyeing her. "Once you finish, I'll need to send you away.""Mm, I understand.""Aren't you scared?""Why should I be?" Lena replied with a faint smile. "The one who should be afraid... is you."Zachary met her gaze, feeling the sharpness in her eyes like a dagger to his heart. Memories of Krystal flooded back, the promise he had made to her, and now he was about to harm her daughter with his own hands...Lena was right. The one who should be afraid was him.Restless and sleep-deprived from the previous night's turmoil, Zachary felt lightheaded and dizzy. His breathing grew rapid, and he sensed suffocation creeping in.Instinctively, he reached for his pocket and realized he had left his inhaler behind.Clutching his chest in the midst of an asthma attack, Zachary
Zachary winced, and a trace of bitterness flashed in his eyes as he opened the door, revealing the outside scenery to Lena.The late morning sun bathed the surroundings in bright light while a gentle breeze danced through the tree branches. Birds chirped and soared freely in the air.Taking in the refreshing air, Lena turned her gaze toward Zachary."Go now," Zachary whispered. "Lena, can I ask you for one favor?""What is it?" she asked."After you meet your boyfriend, please don't mention anything about Sasha, alright?"Lena furrowed her brow.Zachary stepped closer, his gaze sincere. "I've raised Sasha, and she's like my own daughter... Please trust me. I'll take her away from Centrolis right away, and I promise you won't have to see her again.""So, you want me to spare her?""Lena, she's your twin sister, and you..."Lena stayed silent, swiftly grabbing a fork from the dining table and pressing its sharp end against Zachary's neck!Zachary was taken aback, reaching for
After some time, he slowly took his phone out of his pocket and handed it to Lena."You can make the call," he whispered. "You must remember Mr. Hamerton's phone number clearly, but I recommend calling Ms. Thompson first."Lena stared at him, somewhat surprised, because that was exactly her plan.Lina possessed a tracking device. If she called Lina, it would lead her there. Zachary and Sasha would also face consequences."Curious how I found out?" Zachary grimaced. "Ms. Thompson called Sasha last evening. She doesn't beat around the bush, yet she talked to Sasha for a long time. My guess is she was tracking her!"Lena's expression eased.She withdrew her hand slowly and dashed toward the door, keeping a distance from Zachary before he could react.Zachary watched her but didn't seem intent on chasing her. There was a mix of emotions in his gaze."Don't expect forgiveness for Sasha," Lena said coldly. "And don't expect me to forgive you either! I live by the principle of not har
On the way, Lena gazed out the window, lost in thought.Chris and Elijah exchanged silent glances in the car, refraining from uttering another word. They had already spoken their piece earlier, and Lena struggled to come to terms with the fact that she was an illegitimate Chriss daughter."Your mother and my father once had a romantic relationship," Chris said cautiously. "They shared a symbol of their love—a pocket watch that Sasha brought back.""Lenny, you do know that you and Sasha are twins, right?" Elijah chimed in.Lena took a deep breath, her head throbbing. She had never expected that her mother had concealed so much from her."Lenny?" Chris said with concern, reaching out to hold her hand.In the front seat, Elijah shot him a disapproving glance. "Let go!""Hmm?"Elijah pursed his lips, fixating on Chris' firm grip on Lena's hand. It was strange. He had always found Chris alright, but now that he would become his brother-in-law..."Lenny needs a moment of peace!" Eli
Elijah and Kasey stood there, unable to believe their luck. Overwhelming joy filled their minds, and tears rolled down their faces as they hugged each other tightly."Mr. and Mrs. Chriss, this is a momentous occasion!" the doctor exclaimed, holding up the compatibility results. "Your daughter can finally be saved!""Yeah, this is great news," Chris said, patting Elijah on the shoulder. "Look at you, shedding tears like that!"Still sobbing, Elijah playfully retorted, "It's not... your daughter who's sick. Of course... you can't understand."Chris felt a mixture of exasperation and amusement and gave him a firm pat on the back.Lena's heart finally found relief as she looked at Nala in the hospital room, wearing a contented smile.Kasey asked, "By the way, what about Sasha's compatibility result?""She's not a match," the doctor replied, shaking his head. "While most of the indicators are compatible, a few critical ones don't match your daughter's data.""It appears it's fate."
"What? 700,000 dollars!" Sasha exclaimed.Lina glanced at her with an indifferent smile. "What's the matter? 700,000 dollars isn't too much, is it? Besides, you promised to give my daughter a special gift. You can't back out now!""Exactly!" Arya walked over, playfully patting Sasha's shoulder. "Lenny, you'll give it to Sephy, right? Pammy, a gem is a small price for your close friendship!"Sasha's expression shifted, but she stayed silent. Did Lina live such a lavish life that she didn't care about such money? Was that why she spoke this way?"Oh, isn't that Lena, close to Ms. Thompson?" Some nearby female celebrities started whispering. "Did you catch what they were saying?""It seems... they had a prior agreement. Lena was supposed to give Ms. Thompson's daughter a grand gift, and now she seems to be backing out.""Really? Well, their high-society sisterhood doesn't seem so special after all! Lena used to act inseparable from Ms. Thompson, following her everywhere... Why doesn
At the party.Sasha seized a moment to excuse herself temporarily. She pretended to head to the restroom but instead sought refuge in a secluded corner to make a phone call. She needed to reach Zachary and seek his guidance regarding the situation.After a prolonged ringing, a deep voice finally answered on the other end of the line.Sasha impatiently asked, "Why did it take so long for you to answer?"She was unaware that Zachary was now in a police car and could only take her call with permission. "Zachary! I called for something important. What's going on?"With a heavy heart, Zachary softly called her name, "Sasha..."He wished to say more, but a police officer had already aimed his gun at Zachary's waist."Alright, alright!" Sasha said impatiently. "I just have one question... Earlier, Pamela asked me for a 700,000 dollars gift. Should I give it or not?""700,000 dollars?""Yes!" Sasha, still oblivious, added, "I don't know what kind of arrangement Lena had with Pamela, b
"Only Morpheus and Sephy aren't like that. They respect and understand me. Sephy told me once, 'One's appearance doesn't indicate anything. A clean heart is what truly matters!'"Rebecca chuckled dismissively."You're a psychologist, yet you fail to grasp this," Wynn said coldly. "Actually, I pity you. You could have stepped out, yet you insist on dwelling on the trivialities."Morpheus has psychological barriers, a consequence of returning from the battlefield. No one has cured his PTSD except Sephy... It shows that a true psychologist is never just a title."What truly heals everything is love!"-One particular morning a year later, sunlight streamed through sheer cream curtains onto the floor.Persephone was sound asleep when she suddenly felt something pressing down on her... Then, Morpheus' strong arms wrapped around her slender waist. She drowsily opened her eyes to find him sealing her lips with heated kisses.Over the year, his kissing skills had improved, and Persepho
With Morpheus' involvement, the police didn't slack off and quickly found Rebecca.That day, Rebecca was preparing to escape from a small port. The boat she had found was an illegally operating one.As she was about to board, piercing sirens sounded nearby.The boat owner, enraged upon hearing the sirens, grabbed Rebecca by her hair and pushed her into the water.Rebecca screamed for help, but he roared, "I didn't expect you to be sent by the cops!""I'm not..." Rebecca choked on water. "Sir, let's leave now. Your boat is fast. As long as we reach the open sea, no one will catch you!""Dream on!" The boat owner wanted to strangle her. "Do you not understand? These sirens are from the royal guards! Who did you bitch provoke?"Rebecca was dumbfounded. Being a foreigner, she naturally didn't understand the local affairs in the Southeast Aciatic region.The police and royal guards quickly caught up, armed, and surrounded them.Rebecca turned pale and trembled all over, her gaze gr
"You had no choice on the battlefield."Persephone looked at him with her crystal eyes. There was a magical power in them. Even if a devil was tearing him apart, her eyes would always bring him back to light.She smiled and caressed his cheek. "Though you killed your father, you saved the country.""Do you really… think so?"She nodded. "You're not at fault. He was the one who made a mistake. You were just fulfilling your job as a general to protect the country."But I also understand that he's your father who brought you up, after all. You guys must have had happy days before that happened, right?"Morpheus held his head low in silence."You did well as the protector of the country," she said softly. "But as a son, you can secretly pay homage to him."Persephone held his hand. "Reconcile with your father, Morpheus. You'll also reconcile with yourself by doing that, okay?"He was stunned for a long time and felt a lump in his throat.-Morpheus stayed with Persephone in the
"No way!" Christopher smirked, glancing at Morpheus. "To him, you're his only princess! I just got lucky for the princess carry, thanks to you!""Yeah, at least you're self-aware!" Persephone nodded, rubbing her chin."We've known each other for so long! What kind of person do you think I am?" Christopher laughed. "I can be a bit shameless at times, but..."But upon learning that the one she loved was the unbeatable god of war, he willingly stepped back, offering his blessings with a smile."Okay, okay. You two stop crowding around me!" Christopher waved his hand. "Sephy needs more rest, and I'd like to get some more sleep, too! Once we heal, let's go out and have some fun together!""You're still thinking about fun?" Morpheus' deep voice intervened with a wry smile. "With the factory explosion incident, the royal family is furious and will thoroughly investigate it. Many people will probably be coming to talk to you both in the next few days. After all, you two are the most direc
"Let's get out first!""Hey, wait..." Persephone pointed to the other side.In moments of life and death, it wasn't appropriate to laugh, but Morpheus still chuckled. The young Prince Christopher was sprawled on the floor in a very ridiculous pose, and they almost forgot about him!"Don't worry," Morpheus whispered. "I won't let anything happen to him."He had Persephone cling to his back and then carried Christopher.Christopher was a tall fellow, so it took some effort to carry them both to a safe place.Fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars rushed in. Their sirens pierced the sky, startling a flock of birds.The fire was soon extinguished, and Persephone and Christopher received timely treatment. Luckily, their burns weren't too severe, and even more fortunately, their faces were unharmed.When Christopher woke up, he felt bandages wrapped around his head, and his skin had a burning sensation. His heart sank, and he was almost on the verge of tears."Tell me the truth! A
There was fire everywhere. Flames rushed toward Persephone like menacing dragons. Her consciousness grew increasingly blurred, but the searing pain coursing through her body became clearer. She struggled to get up, the agony almost unbearable.Despite several attempts, it was futile...Something was pinning her feet down, and stones kept falling on her. She couldn't even muster a shout.Many images flashed through her mind in that fleeting moment, each frame featuring Morpheus' face…She remembered the times they had spent together in Flinge, how he had initially distanced himself from her, then later had exerted every effort to protect her. She recalled how he would gently ruffle her hair and call her "silly goose"..."Morpheus, I'm afraid I might have to go first..."The fire grew fiercer, explosions resonated continuously, and she could no longer hold on.Christopher, who was nearby, wasn't any better.Amidst the roaring flames, he couldn't see anything clearly, only pulling
"No need, you can go back first." Morpheus glanced at him. "I'll wait here for her a little longer.""Prince Christopher wouldn't do anything to Ms. Hamerton...""Alfred, what are you thinking?" Morpheus couldn't help but chuckle. "I know exactly what Christopher is like, but I just want to wait here for Sephy. Christopher mentioned that she'd specifically designed these fireworks for me. Hah! I'm the useless one. I don't even dare to go inside and take a look.""Sir, don't say that.""If I wait here, will it count as accompanying her in her efforts?"Alfred nodded.Morpheus smiled and sent Alfred back. He continued waiting under the tree.The air in Southeast Aciatic was hot and humid. The shade of the banyan tree offered some relief, but it couldn't completely dispel the oppressive heat.Morpheus took a deep breath, about to move elsewhere, when he glimpsed a suspicious figure swiftly darting through the factory's side gate.The security at the side gate was lax, making it e
Christopher struggled to swallow the bite of the sandwich in his mouth for what seemed like ages. He gazed at Persephone, his mind wandering back…He didn't just know Morpheus. He had been close since childhood to the children of the two prominent military families in Southeast Aciatic.Compared to the Harrises, he preferred visiting the Ortons, especially when he got to spend time with Morpheus. He considered Morpheus a friend, a brother even, having engaged in countless mischief together, much to their parents' dismay.In his memory, Morpheus was someone who smiled a lot, radiating warmth and brightness like the Southeast Aciatic sun when he did.However, from the moment Kaiden betrayed the country, Morpheus never smiled again, gradually growing distant from Christopher as well.It wasn't until that evening at the gates of the palace that Christopher felt like it had been a lifetime."I... I don't know him." Christopher forced a smile. "Where would I have met your boyfriend!"
Morpheus wasn't just an ordinary person!Christopher wholeheartedly accepted his defeat to Morpheus."Then... I'd like to invite you to come over to my place for a while as a friend. That's fine, right?"-A few days later, Persephone finally ran into Christopher, who had been missing in action for days, in the classroom."Hey, you finally showed up!" She dashed over, plopping down in the seat beside him and handing him breakfast. "You haven't eaten, right? Let's eat together!"Usually, Christopher would readily accept, but he waved his hands now. "No, no, no!""What's wrong?" Persephone widened her eyes. "This breakfast isn't poisoned!"Christopher awkwardly smiled. "You have a boyfriend, so maybe... we should keep some distance."Persephone burst into laughter. Then she remarked, "Strange... Morpheus was right!""Uh, what?""My boyfriend!" She chuckled. "He made this breakfast. I asked if he could also make a portion for you, and he said sure, just worried you wouldn't tak