And now Cordelia said she would take good care of him.Zephyr used to think that his life was unfair, that he had been living in the shadow of cunning affairs, making him think that he would be poisoned and assassinated anytime since he was 3 years old. He had his guard up against the world.He could not see the good in people. There was a barrier around his heart, and he could no longer experience the wonder of the world.However, he came to a realization after meeting Cordelia. ‘It turns out that what the world takes away from you will give back in another way.’Zephyr had also realized that he was quite talented in pretending to be weak in her presence since meeting her…He smiled and pinched her cheeks softly.However, he heard footsteps coming from the other side of the corridor at the moment.Cordelia’s heart squeezed when she saw who that slender man was.“Phil?”Zephyr was stunned too. He had his guard up as his eyes turned cold. “Why are you here?”“Mr. Hamerton, Ms.
Zephyr paused.“I’ll stay here no matter what it takes,” he answered without any hesitation.Cordelia smiled. She had long expected this answer because this was the reflection of one’s deep love for another. If Zephyr was hurt, she would also stay outside the hospital ward no matter what it took.In spite of it, Phil just left after his moving confession—like everything just now was just a show.Zephyr’s heart squeezed. The moment he met Cordelia’s eyes, he understood it.“I knew it. Phil Nelson isn’t reliable!” he said angrily. “Zennie will suffer if she continues falling like this!”“Calm down first.” Cordelia comforted him softly. “It seems like Aunt Cloud doesn’t know about their relationship yet?”“She won’t ask too much even if she does,” Zephyr answered with a dark expression. “She’s an advocate for free love and hates that her child will become a sacrifice for the family's interests.“But Phil and Zennie are worlds apart. They won’t be fruitful.”Cordelia bit her lips.
Cordelia paid it no mind and was about to keep her phone back in her pocket when she received another anonymous text.[I miss you so much.]Her heart dropped, and a bad feeling crept over it like vines.She stood rooted for some time with a blank mind before she took a deep breath. Her throat felt like it was closing up on its own, and it was awful.‘Like the previous one, it’s probably sent wrongly,’ she said to herself.She kept her phone but felt chills run down her spine. She hurried home, pulling her jacket closer to herself.At the top floor of the Hamerton Group…Zephyr stood before the floor-to-ceiling window and overlooked the bustling streets down the building. His brows were knitted together as an icy glint flashed in his eyes.“Sir.” Robert came in with a knock on the door to report. “Dr. Stafford’s accommodation is prepared, and he reported at the medical center today.”Zephyr hummed softly in response.“Dr. Stafford’s a surgeon, but he’s done research in psychia
“I think it’s a girl.” Linda stroked her belly. “The baby’s behaving well and considerate. People’s morning sickness comes in all forms, nauseous, dizziness, and whatnot, but I don’t have any reaction. I eat and sleep well!”“Linda…” Cordelia laughed. “It’s not the baby who’s considerate toward you. It’s Nicholas!”She looked toward the kitchen.While they chatted, Nicholas was preparing Linda’s meal there. It was well balanced with meat and vegetables. It also looked, smelled, and tasted great. The meal was even served in pretty plates and bowls. It was like a prop for a food commercial!Zephyr, who leaned against the kitchen door, was astonished. He recalled the breakfast he made for Cordelia—burnt toasts, burnt eggs, and oatmeal without many oats…He thought that he would never reach Nicholas’ level in this lifetime.“Why are you spaced out?” Nicholas wiped his hands as he admired his handiwork, discovering a small problem. “Nope… Linda gets upset once she smells carrots. I ne
Zephyr was not interested in Neil’s background. He looked indifferent and tossed the spatula on the counter, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. There was an unknown emotion in his eyes.Nicholas continued. “It’s said that Neil Harris is from Mengasas, and his family has relations with the military of Southeast Aciatic. His accomplishments certainly come from his hard work, but he wouldn’t get popular so fast if he didn’t have support behind him!”After a long time, Zephyr glanced at him in silence and uttered, “What stupid background is this?”Nicholas could sense his jealousy from a mile away.“I just want you to know.” He held back his laugh. “You can only win knowing your enemy! Wouldn’t you have to know him thoroughly to tackle him?”“Why should I care?” Zephyr scoffed. “I call the shots in Centrolis!”“Oh, you call the shots? Can Mr. Z Hamerton go buy a packet of cigarettes now?”Zephyr was rendered speechless.“I wonder if you can call the shots in this?”“N
Cordelia looked over, following the voice, and saw Yelena sashaying among the crowd in a long golden tube dress. Nelly stood nearby with a mocking gaze as she watched the show.“So what if she’s Mrs. Hamerton? She’s just an upstart! Who in Centrolis doesn’t know that the Clouds sell pig slop? Hahaha…”Kate’s expression changed for the worse when she heard the commotion there. Plenty of guests heard the comment as well and wore complicated looks.Compared to the other major families, it was true that the Clouds did not have much to compare to. However, they were wealthy. Aside from agricultural business, they were generous in buying lands and construction.Actually, no one in high society dared look down on the Clouds, and no one would even mention the word “upstart”…Cordelia looked over. Yelena looked like a fool with how triumphant she was. She was sure that Yelena was being treated as a pawn again.Cordelia felt embarrassed for her. Although she was not related to Yelena by bl
The crowd gasped. All of them were happy to keep watching since no one would be dumb enough to offend Mrs. Hamerton for Yelena. Moreover, Yelena deserved it.“You look very angry, Ms. Yelena,” Kate said coldly, looking at her with a sense of superiority. “Just nice. The iced wine will put out the fire for you!”Yelena shrieked and wiped her face, smudging her makeup. She refused to give up and grabbed the cake on the side. Before she could throw it, the security guards who came in time pinned her down.Kate paced to her slowly and reeled in her smile. Her gaze was stern and sharp.“If you’re too free next time and let me hear you whine and gossip behind my back again, it’s not going to be as simple as putting out the fire then! I’ll put your tongue out as well!”…Kate took Cordelia to the restroom to touch up their makeup.“I’ve long wanted to teach that woman a lesson!” Kate reapplied her bright red lipstick, looking even livelier.“How could Yale be okay with such a repulsiv
Nelly froze and turned around.“Oh, it’s you.” She smiled unnaturally. “Mrs. Hamerton said that she missed a piece of jewelry and asked me to collect it here, but I don’t have the keycard.”“It’s fine. I have a spare.” The manager smiled and immediately pulled out a keycard to open the door.Cordelia eyed Helen with a look that asked the latter to hide in the closet. Helen did it instantly. She was petite. Although she was old, her legs were light and agile, so she snuck into the closet swiftly.The next moment, Nelly entered as anticipated.It was exactly what she wanted when she saw Cordelia standing there without anyone around.Cordelia smiled. “Ms. Tanner, you’re here to rest too?”“Yeah,” Nelly answered nonchalantly.“But this is Aunt Cloud’s private room,” Cordelia replied coolly. “Shouldn’t you inform her that you want to take a rest here?”Nelly curled her hands into fists and kept her eyes on Cordelia.Yelena had humiliated Kate with the word “upstart” but was chased
"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