Cordelia tucked Xyla behind her and looked at Janine in alertness. She tried to say as calmly as possible, “Madam, my mother doesn’t feel well. Please don’t talk to her like that!”Janine looked surprised. “What’s wrong with her?”“It’s not my place to disclose it.” Cordelia wrapped an arm around Xyla’s shaking shoulders. “I’m going to send her back now!”“Wait…”Janine failed to hold them back as Cordelia quickly took Xyla out of the gallery.Janine’s assistant asked her softly, “Madam Baker, do you need me to check them out?”“What’s there to look into?” Janine gave him the side eye. “Could I not know her when we grew up together?”Her assistant shut up and quietly backed away.Janine looked at Cordelia and Xyla’s fading backs in deep thought. She then looked down and realized that the scarf Xyla had bought had fallen to the floor in their hurry just now.She picked it up and smiled.“So old, and you still like the same thing! Sigh, did you think you were still a princess?
Zephyr was informed that Janine was already back when he returned to Zen Residence. He got changed and went upstairs to greet her.“Mom, are you happy with the room?”“Mm, it’s alright.”Janine had just made herself coffee, and the room wafted with its aroma. She took a sip and scanned around.The room was spacious and bright. The floor-to-ceiling window faced the mountains, and the room decoration was tasteful. Even a small ornament felt luxurious.She sat on the soft lamb leather couch.The place was great, but she felt an inexplicable sense of distance.She could not help wondering where Xyla was living. With a considerate and caring daughter, the room she was in must feel much warmer than this place…Zephyr noticed her oddity. “Mom, what’s the matter?”Janine took a deep breath. Her gaze at him was slightly disappointed.Zephyr noticed that she seemed to be shaking a little and asked, “Are you cold?”“Mm.” She tugged her shawl. “I’m not quite used to the weather here aft
Zephyr’s expression was cold with a deep gaze. He looked at Janine quietly.He did not know why she had such a prejudice toward Cordelia, but he knew that he would do his all to protect the woman he loved.“It’s set,” Janine said impassively. “You and Nelly have no marriage agreement, but both families have been in that understanding for years. It could be tricky to take care of it.“But you don’t have to worry. I’ll get it sorted with the Tanners!”Janine approached him and patted his shoulder twice. “Just do as I say. Spend some time with the girl I told you about!”“That’s impossible,” Zephyr uttered icily.The atmosphere froze, and it felt like the temperature had plummeted.Janine looked at him with a stern gaze.Zephyr said clearly, “Mom, if you insist, I’ll pull all my shares out from Imperial Media!”“What did you say!?” Janine was alarmed.“You probably know already. Rules in Centrolis are different from Melorian.” His voice was flat, but each word was impactful.“I
“You…” Janine’s smile was doting. The more she looked at Cordelia, the more she liked her.Cordelia let her in, and Xyla was shocked to see Janine.“Mom, she’s here to visit you.”Xyla was silent for a moment. Seeing that Cordelia was still standing at the side, she told her with a smile, “Go do your shopping. I’ll chat with her for a bit.”Cordelia pressed her lips and stayed rooted.“Nothing to worry about!” Xyla waved a hand. “This woman here is my best friend!”It was only then Cordelia nodded, but she softly told Xyla to hold on to her phone and call her instantly if anything happened before she left.Janine had a gaze of complicated feelings as she watched Cordelia leave.“Envious, huh?” Xyla arched her brow, getting up to boil some water for tea and chuckling smugly. “I could tell back at the art exhibition. You’re very envious that I got a daughter!”Janine rolled her eyes. This woman had not changed—she still had to be better than her in everything! Forget it. She wou
Emotions rippled in Xyla’s eyes.A while later, Janine was struck with realization and blurted, “Those medicine formulas!?”She knew that the ancestors of the Irwins were royal doctors in the palace and had been for generations. They later combined the local herbs unique to Southeast Aciatic and came up with a set of formulas that they used until this day.Xyla nodded with mixed feelings.Janine looked at her. “Those formulas were supposed to be yours! Rowan giving them to you is returning them to the rightful owner, yet you’re still hung up on him?”“The formulas aren’t mine,” Xyla said softly. “The Irwins’ formulas had long been lost. My grandfather later sponsored a medical student, Rowan’s birth father, who became our family's right-hand man. The medicine formulas… were his creations.“The whole set of medicine went viral back then, but… since I left the family, all types of medicine produced by the Irwins’ drug manufacturing factory have switched formulas.”Janine was stunn
“Hey, Xyla.” Janine suddenly gave it a thought. “If you sell these formulas, I’m afraid they’ll be more than invaluable, right? Ha, it seems like Rowan isn’t entirely atrocious. He has given you a way out!”She quickly calculated in her mind. The profit generated in the medicinal drug industry was immeasurable.“Surprise, surprise, Xyla. What you have is more valuable than the Baker Group!”“Nonsense!” Xyla stuffed her mouth with cakes. “I’m not selling these!”“You…” Janine rolled her eyes. “You’re just so stubborn! I don’t even know how much my daughter-in-law’s suffered with you…”“What daughter-in-law?” Xyla was stunned.“You forgot?” Janine said seriously, “We agreed back then. If you have a daughter and I have a son, we’ll become in-laws!”“No way! My daughter’s taken!”Disappointment flashed in Janine’s eyes. “She’s… married?”“Not yet. But soon!”“It doesn’t count when she’s not married yet!” Janine was worked up again.Xyla looked at her up and down disapprovingly a
Cordelia thought that Zephyr should not be busy since it was near lunchtime, but she had no idea that a terrifying storm had just ended in the meeting room on the other end.In spite of it, Zephyr’s heart melted listening to the soft and sweet voice. No matter how big a temper he had, it was gone like the wind. He smiled, looking affectionate and indulging.Cordelia waited for a bit upon hearing there was no sound on the other end and asked nicely, “Are you… busy? Did I interrupt anything?”“No,” he replied in a low tone.“Then what are you doing?”“Do you want to hear the truth?” The man chuckled.“Of course!”“Missing you.”The two words colored Cordelia’s cheeks pink as she clutched her phone.“What about you?” Zephyr asked as well, “What are you doing?”“I’m missing you too,” Cordelia said softly.Zephyr grinned. The ominous cloud that had been fogging him was all gone.The others in the meeting room looked at Robert with an expression like they had seen a ghost in broa
“Oh…” Cordelia nodded. She was a little disappointed, but work was more important. “Alright, come over at night if you’re free then.”“Sure.” Zephyr stroked her hair. “I’ll carry these back for you.”“It’s fine! It’s just lobster and some vegetables. I can do it myself. Besides, we have a guest. I might only be able to go back a bit later.”“A guest?” Zephyr paused. Cordelia’s mother rarely interacted with people. How did she suddenly have a guest?“Mm. It’s my mom’s best friend from last time,” Cordelia said with a smile. “An elegant middle-aged woman.”Zephyr nodded without thinking much of it. He held her shoulders and looked at her. “Cordelia, I plan to… arrange for you and my mom to meet.”Cordelia’s heart went right up to her throat.“Don’t worry.” Zephyr said gently, “I’ll handle your relationship with her in the most appropriate way. I won’t put you in a tough spot.”Cordelia was saddened. “I’m the one who put you in a tough spot…”“That’s silly of you to say!” Zephyr
"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