Persephone felt a pang in her heart, and her throat seemed tangled. She moved her lips, but no words escaped.Blankly, she stared at Morpheus.As for how much he knew about her identity, she couldn't be certain. Despite his suspicious tone, it was unlikely he possessed extensive knowledge.Morpheus forced a smile. "After all this time, I still don't truly know who you are, Sephy."At the same time..." He gazed into her eyes. "You don't know me either."She lowered her head, letting the breeze caress her."It was your cousin who did all this," he said, his words light but hitting her like a hammer.She eagerly wanted to tell him that Seamus wasn't her cousin—she was the Hamertons' heiress, and he had been her loyal bodyguard since youth. How could he possibly harm her?Like a curse, the question lingered for a long time. From the two strangers on the boat to the received notes, she felt like she had entered a maze. However, signs along the way always seemed to point at someone—S
Should Persephone trust Morpheus, Seamus, or Ryan?Or should she trust those notes that came out of nowhere?"Wynn brought me medicine earlier," Morpheus said softly. "He said the prescription came from you, and it was Seamus who gave it to him."Persephone recalled the medicine that had gone missing from the kitchen cabinet.A squeeze in her heart made her ask, "Did you… take it?""No," Morpheus said. "People learn their lesson. I almost died in the boxing ring, so I became more careful with what I put in my mouth."Persephone felt relief at his words, tears welling up.Despite knowing something was wrong with the medicine, Seamus gave it to Wynn anyway. Not only that, but he also did it in her name. Perhaps he thought Morpheus would consume the medicine without a doubt since it came from her.'So… None of those were accidents, and Seamus is the one who orchestrated everything? Is he the one involved in all the horrible things that have happened?' she wondered.Her chest tigh
How Morpheus wished he could answer Persephone's question, but he just couldn't.He had never even seen what Bailey looked like, nor did he know if she were a friend or a foe.The only thing he was sure of was that he would do his best to protect Persephone.Morpheus took out his phone. "Here, take it."In this time and age when everyone had a smartphone, this one seemed unusually ancient. She had never seen anything like that."What's this…""It's a phone. You can only make calls and text with it," he explained. "It has very few functions, but it has advantages whereby people can't easily bug it."He had used this on the battlefield before."There's only one number saved in there—mine." He looked at her before adding, "Call me if anything happens when you get back."-As soon as Persephone returned, she saw Seamus sitting on the couch in the living room.The lights were dimmed, and she could not see him clearly. However, his grimness spread like alcohol in the air, lingerin
Persephone was puzzled by the scene unfolding before her. Instead of serving as her bodyguards, the two men appeared more like Seamus' subordinates.After a prolonged silence, she glanced at him coldly, forced a smile, and said, "Seamus, are you so averse to trying the soup I prepared for you?""I've recovered, so I don't need it," he replied."Is it that you don't need it, or do you lack the courage to eat it?""Miss, you..."Abruptly, he looked up, sensing a change in her demeanor.Or perhaps she had always been that way.Being a Hamerton, she was protected, but her core remained—stubbornness in adversities, the ability to discern one's intentions, and quick decision-making in times of danger…Seamus bit his lip, studying her intensely."I was joking," she reassured, transforming into the harmless creature she often portrayed with a smile. "Seamus, do you think the medicine I prescribed isn't up to par? I thought this might not be the correct prescription... But I can't reca
Persephone's recent behavior had changed noticeably.She shopped for groceries every day, even though she was not particularly skilled at it. Despite her lack of expertise, she put in her best effort. Additionally, she took care of household chores and looked after Seamus with Catherine on a daily basis.Even though Seamus was initially taken aback and tried to dissuade her from heavy labor, Persephone seemed to derive enjoyment from these tasks.She ensured Seamus went downstairs on time, allowing him to soak up some sun in the courtyard. Although she hadn't cared for anyone in this way before, she demonstrated thoughtfulness by bringing him water and a hat.Concerned about his well-being, she worried that he might become thirsty and overheated, potentially slowing down the healing of his wounds.Persephone even entertained him with jokes during their time together.As they sat on the courtyard rocks, her jokes were as cold as the stones beneath them. Nevertheless, he enjoyed th
Persephone followed Catherine like a robot, trying to discern the exact nature of Catherine's personality.Suddenly, Catherine patted her shoulder. "Let's separate here, yeah?""What?""You'll buy vegetables over there." Catherine chuckled. "And I'll buy chicken here. You're not good at picking the right one, so let me do it!"Persephone agreed and went to the place she had been directed. Catherine would create a list before coming to the market. All Persephone had to do was buy everything on the list.These items were the vegetables and fruits that Seamus liked.Her status in the house seemed to have shifted with his.He felt more and more like the head of the house while she played the role of an obedient maid.Persephone bit her lip. Seamus appeared less tense lately. Today, he hadn't sent bodyguards to follow her.She knew he hadn't hired them for her safety but to keep an eye on her.She took a deep breath and felt like a rock pressed on her. She was getting closer to th
Persephone folded the note and noticed there were words on the back of it.[Your old friend is well.]Her heart skipped a beat. She was momentarily stunned before tearing and throwing away the note.'Old friend… Who could this be? Morpheus?'They had met only a few days ago and could easily stay in touch through their phones. No one needed to inform her of his well-being this way.So, who was this old friend?A thought flashed through her mind.At that moment, Catherine returned with cakes, searching for Persephone where she had been standing.Spotting her, Persephone adjusted herself and walked over slowly."Miss, the cakes you were craving for," Catherine said with a smile. "It's not a simple task. I had to queue! So you like their cakes?""Mm-hmm." Persephone forced a smile.She had consumed numerous cakes, even having the pastry master from the Eropah royalty make her afternoon tea in Hamertons.Basic cakes like these didn't interest her.However, these were the best o
"Miss, what's wrong?" Catherine smiled as she looked at Persephone, who was standing frozen in place. "Did I startle you?""I...""Miss, are you really feeling unwell?"Persephone didn't immediately grasp the situation. Catherine reached out to touch her forehead, and she instinctively flinched. However, when she met Catherine's eyes, she seemed to understand something."Miss is unwell!" Catherine immediately switched to a concerned expression, looking around and shouting, "This is bad! Miss is unwell!"Soon, the other two bodyguards emerged from a corner. Once they saw Persephone, they both avoided meeting her gaze and anxiously explained, "Seamus was worried about you... That's why he asked us to follow along."Miss, let us take the things!"Miss, are you really feeling unwell?""Why even ask?" Catherine immediately helped Persephone to a large tree, taking out a handkerchief to fan her. "She looks so pale, can't you see it? From what I see, she's just too tired."Persephone
"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