Zephyr was astonished. “Mr. Irwin, you’re… minding this too?”“What? I can’t?” Rowan glared at him. “I’m—”He was hesitant to speak halfway through his sentence. He coughed. “You two haven’t gotten married, right? What do you think it looks like when you sleep together before you’re married!?”Zephyr glared at him.He had no idea what was up with Rowan. He was sometimes nice to him, but he picked on him most of the time. When he was nice to him, though, it was because of Cordelia.“Zephyr!” Cordelia ran to the front and waved at him excitedly. “Come look, quickly!”“What is it?”“This is a mountain spring, right?” She said with a smile, “I see that it’s flowing down from the mountain.”“This means that there’s fresh water here!” Zephyr smiled as well. He then scanned around and observed carefully, going to a tree.“What is it?”“Centrolis has this tree too…” He considered it and said, “This means that we’re not far from Centrolis.“Josiah and the others should be able to fin
“I hooked up with no one,” Kelly said flatly. “We… just got to know each other coincidentally.”Nelly’s gaze was vicious as her red lips pulled into a mocking smile.“Hah, my baby sister’s so pretty that even when she’s ill, there’s a man going after her!” Her sharp nail ran across Kelly’s face. “If this face is ruined, I wonder what Josiah will look like when he sees you again.”“You won’t do that.” Kelly looked at her.Her pale and beautiful eyes were resolute.Nelly hated this gaze. She was scared of it as well.“You really think I dare not?” She gnashed her teeth and clenched her fingers to choke Kelly.Kelly furrowed her brows as suffocating fear and despair crept up to her.Kelly uttered with great difficulty, “Nelly, if… I really disappear from this world, you’ll lose everything too!”With her sore spot hit, Nelly let go slowly, but her gaze was still sinister.“If you ruin my face, my injury will be in the open.” Kelly smirked. “You wouldn’t want anyone to see what yo
It was already the fifth day on the island.The sun was bright these days, and the island felt lively with the large surface area of greens and exceptionally fresh air.If they were not here because of the mishap, they would have really wanted to treat this trip as a vacation.Not much food was left, so Zephyr had been trying to catch fish in the sea since yesterday. His luck was decent, and they got to drink fresh fish soup that night. He also found tools like axes and stuff at the bottommost area of the cabin and came back with some logs from the forest.Cordelia’s gaze on him was increasingly more admiring.If she had drifted to this island alone, she definitely would not have had such a good time. With this man here, everything was different.Her heart ached for the blisters on his hands as she combed through his disheveled hair. Looking at his face, which had not been shaved for days, she suddenly giggled.This was another side of Zephyr that Cordelia had never seen.Rowan
Cordelia went to the deck after her shower.The sun was right in the center of the sky currently, so it was most probably noon. It was already fall, but it was still quite warm. The deck was toasty from the sun and felt comfortable under the feet.Cordelia saw Rowan sitting at the bow.Rowan noticed her as well and turned back to greet her.“Mr. Irwin.” Cordelia nodded with a smile.Rowan gestured for her to take a seat beside him.“Where’s your boyfriend?” he asked her with a smile.“He’s gone to wash the clothes.” Cordelia pointed at the forest. “By the spring.”Rowan gave it a thought and went closer to her to ask, “Does he usually do the laundry when you two are home?”“We have a helper at home, and she usually does the chores.”Rowan creased his brows. “So, this brat is lazy and doesn’t do anything?”Cordelia smiled awkwardly. She did not understand why this older man was poking his nose into everything.Maybe it was because his children were not around him, and he sti
Cordelia found it funny. The sentence “men aren’t reliable” tickled her spot. The old man was a man, too—was this his comment for himself as well?“Mr. Irwin, men aren’t the same!” Cordelia laughed. “I’m confident in my man. He’s not like what you said.”“Silly! Would a bad person tell you they’re bad?” Rowan was both distressed and amused. “I’ll tell you based on my personal experience. You’ve got to think about yourself more! And you mustn’t trust someone easily!”“Your personal experience?” Cordelia caught the main point swiftly. “What have you experienced?”“I…” Rowan’s expression changed, and he went silent.What could he say? Tell her how he had taken advantage of her mother back then and how he had taken over Irwin Pharmaceuticals? Or should he tell her that he was the type of man who was unreliable and untrustworthy?Rowan suddenly lost the courage to be honest and come clean before Cordelia. He rose slowly and waved a hand, walking toward the yacht's cockpit.Cordelia w
Zephyr frowned while Rowan looked shocked.“Can this message be traced back?” asked Rowan.Zephyr answered in a low voice, “I think so, but I haven’t figured the manual out yet and don’t know how to operate it.”Rowan took the manual over and went through it line by line.Zephyr said after a moment of silence, “Mr. Irwin, I think this cry for help isn’t for us but for Josiah.”“Mr. Bayer?” Rowan arched a brow. “Did other yachts run into danger too?”“Perhaps…”Zephyr squinted. There was a thought flashing in his mind. Josiah had once told him that he liked a girl, and then there was nothing after that. ‘Could it be that… it is not that the girl does not want to date him but that she cannot?’Zephyr felt his heart squeeze. His gaze turned serious as he stared at the [Save me!] message.…Although the radio and internet connection was unstable, Zephyr and Rowan’s constant messages were finally responded to.Two days later, Josiah and Robert arrived on the island with a rescu
Zephyr frowned, slightly impatient. “When did you turn so slow?”Robert was rendered speechless.“I want to buy the island. Understand now?!”Zephyr bought the island shortly after returning to Centrolis and was ready to develop it.Everyone in the Hamerton Group thought that he had lost his mind, and Liam was no exception.That island’s geographical location was the worst among the surrounding islands of Centrolis. It was also the smallest. Other than the scenery being prettier, it had no commercial value.The board meeting was bubbling with comments.“What’s gotten into Mr. Zephyr? He’s gone away and come back with a cuckoo mind!”“Buying the island’s a loss! What an unfortunate event that the Hamerton Group has a reckless and capricious heir like this!”Someone even said, “Does that island have some kind of mysterious power that enchants Mr. Zephyr?”To all that, Zephyr’s response was simple. “Who said I bought the island for commercialization?”“What do you mean?” Everyo
Nelly bit her lips and took a deep breath. She had visited Liam a few days ago, and the old man had still expressed that he would support her marrying Zephyr.Even when Mandy had kept explaining as indirectly as she could that the Tanners and the Hamertons had never really had any promise of any sort and that marriage should be decided by the young ones themselves, Nelly refused to agree.This was a fight she refused to give up on. She wanted to marry into the Hamertons. She thought that by doing so, Mandy would hold her in higher regard, and no one in the Hamertons would dare look down on her with Zephyr as her support.By then, she would not have to be scared of people finding out about her birth. It would be a secret forever that she would crush under her foot.Nelly recomposed herself. “Zephyr, I know that you’re just rushed by impulse now. Ms. Jenner is great, but she isn’t compatible with you.“Marriage is like building a house. It can only go higher when the foundation’s so
"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