Zephyr looked at Nelly in repulse and shook her off.Cordelia held his arm and looked at Nelly icily.Nelly still wanted to cling to Zephyr, but the bodyguard stepped forth and shoved her to the floor.The doors were opened again. This time, Mandy came in, wheeling Kelly. The latter was pale and frail in the wheelchair, but the determination in her eyes frightened Nelly.“Mandy, Kelly…” Joe was sweating profusely with a nervous expression. “Why are you both here?”Mandy scoffed, “Are we supposed to watch you hand the family business over to this scornful, vicious b*tch otherwise?”“Mandy!”Joe wanted to overpower her, but she tossed a document to him.“Joe Tanner, you must have forgotten about our prenup, huh?”“What?” Joe paled as he read the prenup with bulged eyes.It was only then that he recalled that Mandy’s family, the Chrisses, had asked him to sign a prenup before they married over 20 years ago. The prenup had accounted for their premarital assets. When the Tanner Gr
Joe picked up the papers from the floor with trembling hands and read them sheet after sheet.Mandy gripped the wheelchair handles so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She saw her daughter’s jerking shoulders and patted her.The papers that Kelly had thrown were countless photocopied sets, so almost everyone there could get one to themselves. As they went through the DNA test report and the injury assessment reports, they threw despising and abhorring glances at Nelly and Joe.“Hypocrites!”“Despicable!”Everyone hit the man who was down—Nelly and Joe stood rooted pathetically like they were tied to the gallows.“Dad, you probably don’t know how Nelly has been bullying me all these years, huh?” Kelly asked shakily, “Hah, or did you know and give your silent permission for her to do it?”“No, no!” Joe panicked. “Kelly, you’re my daughter too. Even though you’re sick, I’ve never thought of giving up on you, right?”“Don’t touch my daughter!” Mandy pushed him away resentfull
“Thanks for the trouble, Chief Sheridan.” Nicholas smiled.Thomas waved, and someone pulled Joe up from the floor right away.Joe shouted as he struggled, “You… You’re on his side! Don’t you know that Nicholas Thompson’s a gangster!?”“Mr. Tanner!” Thomas snorted, “Mr. Thompson’s the CEO of Sol Entertainment. He’s contributed significantly to the development of film and TV culture, and he will participate in the top ten outstanding youths of Centrolis next year! Do you mean that our mayor can’t distinguish right and wrong?”Joe widened his eyes speechlessly.“I have to thank Mr. Thompson for being here in advance, so you didn’t get away!”“B-But don’t you see his underlings? Those guns…”“I was going to turn in these guns!” Nicholas smiled.“Chief Sheridan, I have a friend who works specifically with the police at the border to crush various firearm smuggling activities. These guns are what he’s collected, and I’m passing them to you now. It’s my duty as a Centrolis citizen!”
“In the past, I thought that it would be fine as long as Nelly didn’t hurt my mom. I didn’t have many days left to live anyway, so I’d protect my mom like this.“But Nelly became worse after that, so I kept my guard up. I sneaked to get my injuries checked each time I went to the hospital, and later, I managed to get the DNA test report.“Then that night…” Kelly’s voice grew softer with a hint of a smile. “I met someone who made me make up my mind.”Cordelia knew that it was Josiah.If it were not for that night, Kelly would not have been so eager to seek justice for herself. It was because she had met Josiah that a ray of light shone into the darkness that was her life and allowed her to keep going unwaveringly.“It’s just because I met him,” Kelly said softly. “That I want the whole world to know about my existence. I want to… stand properly next to him.”Cordelia was moved, feeling a pinch on her nose.“Josiah won’t let you down.” She looked into Kelly’s eyes. “Kelly, you’ve
“Hey, don’t touch it!” Xyla swatted the back of Cordelia’s hand.“There are only two pieces in the box. I’ll have to make them again if you ruin them!”“Mom…” Cordelia looked at her in puzzlement. “Why am I bringing this to Elder Mr. Hamerton? I haven’t eaten this that much myself!”“Silly girl!” Xyla said with a smile, “Back where we come from, this is what we use to show our respect for the elders!”“Back where we come from?” Cordelia looked at her with widened eyes.Growing up, she had always thought that Jangasas was her hometown.Xyla’s face fell upon realizing that she had said too much.“You… You don’t have to bring it if you don’t want to,” she said softly. “The other presents are quite valuable too. The Hamertons won’t look down on you!”After saying that, she returned to her room, leaving Cordelia to stay dazed in the living room with furrowed brows for some time.On the day of the meeting…Janine, who planned to work overtime, canceled two meetings in a row and ste
They answered simultaneously, “Who’s here with him(her)!?”Zephyr was puzzled. They looked like they had just had a big fight. He also vaguely saw two people conversing when he walked over, now realizing that it was them.Zephyr was thoughtful, not knowing what the grudge was between them.“Hey!” Rowan widened his eyes when he saw Zephyr. “Why are you still here? Aren’t you taking your girlfriend to meet your elder today?”“I’m going to pick her up.”“Then hurry up!” Rowan wanted nothing more than to kick Zephyr’s bottom.“Mr. Irwin.” Zephyr frowned. “You—”“A ghost covered my eyes, and I took the wrong way!” Rowan rolled his eyes and slipped into his car.Zephyr looked at his mother in confusion when he drove off. Before he could ask about it, she exclaimed, “Ugh, unlucky!”“Mom, what’s going on?”“I saw a ghost in broad daylight!”Zephyr was exasperated. “Mom, you know Rowan Irwin?”Janine fell silent with a glum expression. It only made Zephyr more certain in assuming th
Liam’s study was huge, like a library. The bookshelves were as high as the ceiling and were filled with famous books by experts in various fields.Even then, an echo could still be heard from each step taken.Cordelia sat on the couch and grasped the hem of her skirt anxiously. Zephyr intertwined their fingers together lightly and gave her a reassuring smile.Liam sat at the table in a suit. Although he was old, he looked well and lively. As he scanned Cordelia, his gaze was cryptic and complicated.“Ms. Cordelia, please have tea.” He was polite to her.Cordelia nodded lightly and watched how Zephyr did it before she drank the tea. She took a small sip slowly like him.Liam could see that she was a smart girl. She was not reckless and rash. Even with Zephyr by her side, she knew her manners and knew to keep a distance from him before her elders.If it were others, they might already be doing what they wanted, knowing they had Zephyr’s support.Liam wore an unnoticeable smile.
The chauffeur chuckled dryly and blamed his hands. He had actually steered them to Yale Residence!Who in the entire Splendor Mountain did not know about the grudges between the eldest and the third heir?“Nothing, nothing!” The chauffeur quickly turned the car around. “That place is not so good. It’s not too… lucky to go near it!”“Really?” Cordelia was skeptical.Those houses looked beautiful as well and seemed rather luxurious. Those who stayed in there should be someone Elder Mr. Hamerton was fond of too.“Ms. Cordelia, let me take you elsewhere—”Before the chauffeur finished his sentence, someone rushed out from the path at the side. He was alarmed and stomped on the brake. Cordelia nearly hit the seat in front of her due to the momentum. She was even more shocked when she calmed down and saw who it was.“Yelena?”“Cordelia… Cordelia!”Yelena’s hair was disheveled, and she did not have any makeup put on. She looked haggard, especially with how abnormally thin she was.
"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