"Speak up!" Wilfred bellowed, his voice strained.It seemed like he was releasing the grief of losing his beloved for the past 20 years through those two words."You've known all along... that Maisie is my daughter, right?"You've known I've been doting on the wrong person all these years! You've known that, as a father, I let my own daughter suffer in life while showering all my love on someone who has no blood relation to me! Right?"Delilah!" Wilfred slapped Delilah's face!Blood trickled from Delilah's mouth. She was dazed. It took her a while to turn and look at him incredulously."At this point, you still refuse to admit it!" Whitney's words were firm. "Since you want evidence, I'll give it to you!"As Whitney gave the order, a hidden door behind the meeting room's bookshelf silently parted. When Cindy slowly walked out from inside, Delilah froze in place as if she had seen a ghost."The evidence... It's all here with me!" Cindy raised something in her hand—a small record
Delilah's mind went blank.Cindy's stab contained all the resentment she had gathered throughout her life. The bodyguards rushed in as it plunged into her chest."Let me go! Let me go at once!" Cindy screamed, condemning, "I must kill this devil! She killed my daughter… My Jojo!"Daniel signaled the bodyguards to escort her out.Delilah knelt on the ground, shaking and pale.At that moment, Daniel cared more about Maisie. He hugged her tight, feeling her tremble. Heartbroken, he gently pulled her into his chest.Maisie looked at Cindy. All the grievances she had felt since youth exploded.At that moment, she finally realized why she meant nothing to Cindy. She understood why her mother showered love on her brother and sister. She finally comprehended why she became the family's money-making machine and why Cindy remained indifferent despite her sacrificing happiness for the family...'So, we aren't related by blood…'She sobbed, then smiled later on.It was a beautiful smile,
"Okay," Zuko said."Oh, right. How is it in Cumulus City?" Cordelia asked.Zuko fell into silence for a moment before saying, "Dad has used his connection to shut out Delilah's family. It's hard for them to rise again.""Great job!" Cordelia gnashed her teeth. "She's too evil. She should suffer eternally!"Zuko chuckled. From what he remembered, although his parents had always been ruthless in everything they did, they would not go all the way. They always told him and Toph that they must give chances.However, they also said they shouldn't show mercy if the person had crossed the line!Just like Delilah—she should not be forgiven!Zuko continued. "As for Jodie, the trial was top priotrity due to dad's connections. She was sentenced to kidnapping and first-degree murder. Also, they found prohibited guns at her place. With her crimes added up, I'm sure she can't escape the death sentence."Cordelia nodded."Looks like dad is really mad this time." He chuckled. "You can tell how
Whitney walked cautiously to Maisie's room and coincidentally encountered Daniel, who had just exited."How is she?" she asked. Her eyes filled with concern, but there was nothing she could do.Daniel pulled her aside and whispered, "The doctor mentioned her depression came back." She was stunned. "What depression?""Well…" He hesitated, not wanting to revisit the past, but with Maisie deteriorating, he had to confront it."Got it." Whitney nodded, frowning. "I always thought there was more to you two. I thought she only dated you for your money. She's a loyal girl, just like her mom in a relationship!""I didn't protect her back then.""The past is the past. You can't turn back time." She sighed. "But no matter what you do now, give your best to help her through this!""I know."Whitney led Daniel to the study, retrieved a box from the drawer, and handed it to him. "You're my nephew, as close as a son to me. Now that you've found someone you want to spend your life with, I'l
Daniel had been strolling around the island with Maisie these days. She thought it would be the same this time but did not expect him to take her straight to the dock and get the butler to navigate the boat.Confusion flashed through her empty eyes.She looked around and saw a suitcase on the dock."Don't worry." Daniel chuckled and grabbed her shoulders. "I thought you might be bored living on the island for a while now. We'll stay somewhere else.""Where… are we going?"It was the first time she had spoken in these days.Daniel repressed the happiness in him and whispered, "You'll find out soon. I'm sure you'll love it."She leaned on his shoulder while indulging in the sea breeze. It was fresh and salty. A couple of seabirds surrounded the boat, chirping happily.The sunset far away was so beautiful it would make one forget to breathe.Maisie closed her eyes. She felt safe to be with him. No matter how high they flew, they would always land safely.-Daniel took her to th
They stood before the small grave for a long time. After returning home, Maisie slept soundly.Resolving emotional entanglements sometimes only took a second.Despite daily cleaning efforts, the house remained unchanged for years. However, Maisie took it upon herself to rearrange the entire place. She replaced the carpet with a vibrant-colored one, planted beautiful orchids in the courtyards, and wiped every decoration squeaky clean.Her smile returned. She understood the importance of living well for the people who loved her, like Daniel and their unborn daughter.-Delilah's case faced continual delays, sparking discussions and speculations. Some claimed that, despite the Ropers' faded glory, they likely still had connections.Others whispered that it was calm before the storm, hinting at potentially more significant challenges ahead.-A week later, Whitney and Lily held a joint press conference. In addition to introducing Maisie's new book, there was a more critical announc
"That's right. Judging by the dates, the draft existed first, while Delilah's work only came later. The outline is the same. Even the name is similar! Unless the draft is made up, Delilah will definitely be accused of plagiarism!""Jeez!" someone exclaimed, "I heard her case is about her abandoning Mr. Newhouses's biological daughter… And now she has committed plagiarism! What else do we not know about her?"The place soon fell into chaos. All the journalists wanted to fight for the first-hand news.Lily stepped forward to calm them down. The venue only regained its peace after a while."We have solid proof that Delilah committed plagiarism! She stopped writing more after releasing the last book of the Whirling Lights series. Many thought that she had exhausted her talent, but in reality, she only managed to steal nine drafts of Dancing Lights. She failed to steal the tenth book, which is the finale!"My student, Anya Campbell, was a talented writer, but Delilah killed her! She ev
"Calm down, Mr. Newhouse!"The crowd gasped as the officers hurried forward, guns drawn, attempting to restore order amid the chaos.Unexpectedly, a flicker of relief spread across Wilfred's face.Amidst the chaos, the distinct sound of a gun being loaded resonated, mirroring the clarity of his resolve to end Delilah's life.Suddenly, the officers formed a barrier in front of him."I have no intention of harming the innocent," he declared coldly. "Step aside. I'll accept the consequences after dealing with this ruthless woman!""Think it through, Mr. Newhouse!""I anticipated this day..." His voice strained. "Anya's unjust death… Even if it's for her, I must condemn this woman to hell!"Unexpectedly, a bright voice interjected, "If you're truly doing this for her, value your own life!"A pang gripped his heart, and he stood frozen in place.His mind was blank as though plunged into a void. He felt a gentle hand on his back and heard footsteps approaching from behind.Almost
"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