“W-What’s this!?”Cordelia inhaled sharply.Zephyr’s face turned grim, and a cold gleam flashed in his eyes.Zennie wore a revealing dress in each picture, and they had all been taken at Nicholas’ bar and club.She was posing seductively as if she was trying to show her private parts.Different men were surrounding her. It was obscene.Cordelia could see more rage in Zephyr’s eyes as they saw more pictures.“Hubby, I’m sure this isn’t her…” She said, “Technology is advanced now. People with ill intentions would edit some girls’ pictures to blackmail them.”Zephyr paused and nodded.He knew about AI technology as well. Not only could it change someone’s face, but it would imitate their expressions as well.There were even videos that went viral on the Internet, saying that those were some best actors’ new work, but they were just deep fake videos.Many celebrities had court cases on that.“Hubby, it was Phil who sent them to Zennie.” Cordelia checked the sender’s information
“It’s the same now, hubby.” Cordelia held Zephyr’s hands. “You don’t have to fight Phil. There are many things that we can do to make him pay!”Zephyr smiled and patted her head. She felt warm.She continued to look at the records on the device. She did not only look at the latest ones, but she looked through the older ones as well.Zennie had been in love with Phil back then. They would chat for a long time every day.Almost everything he said was manipulative. It destroyed her confidence, making her fall into fear.Cordelia was shaking as she looked.During their recent conversation, he secretly got her to bring drugs to a bar.“Josiah has shares in that bar,” Zephyr said in a deep voice. “When they find drugs in the bar, the Bayers will be dragged into it!”She was shocked. “So, he did that to harm the Bayers?”“Yes.”Zephyr looked serious.Phil had approached Zennie with ulterior motives from the beginning. He had been controlling her to reach his secret goal.Zephyr wa
Zephyr smiled helplessly. There was nothing he could do about Cordelia. Well, she was the boss now. She had to have the temperament of the matriarch when she was the one running the household now.He took her into his arms and rubbed her back softly.He said softly, “Promise me, if Lukas finds out who you are and you can’t get anything from him, do not fight him…”“Mm, I’ll protect myself.”Zephyr looked at her in full attention. “Find somewhere and hide. Leave everything else to me!”The next day…Cordelia made taro boba milk tea and strawberry egg tarts to take them to Gale Bay.Zennie was cooped up in the room, and the maid told Cordelia that she had not been too happy these days.“Dr. Stafford’s gone to participate in a medical seminar in Jangasas, and Mr. and Mrs. Hamerton are overseas, taking care of the foreign market…”“So, Zennie has been staying home alone these days?” Cordelia widened her eyes.“Not exactly,” the maid answered honestly. “Ms. Zennie revises in her r
Zennie stretched a hand out for the egg tart, but she felt her vision blur halfway in the air. She could not see Cordelia, and her voice sounded like it came from the sky. It grew farther and softer. Then her vision went black, and she passed out.Cordelia made sure that Zennie was unconscious and placed her on the couch, tucking her in with a pillow and a blanket. She then told the maid, “Zennie’s a little tired and is sleeping. Keep an eye on her at the door and tuck her in from time to time so she doesn’t catch a cold.”Zephyr was waiting for her at the door. Cordelia wore a relieved smile as soon as she saw her husband.“I feel a little bad for doing this to Zennie.” She felt guilty.“It’s just some sleeping pills mixed in. It’ll be fine.” Zephyr comforted her softly. “Let her have a good sleep. Everything will be over when she wakes up.”Cordelia nodded, and they departed to the agreed location to meet with Lukas.The so-called old place was just a deserted hut in Hamerton M
Lukas was thrown into the basement of Gale Bay.Zephyr sat in the center while bodyguards with blank faces stood around the room. Lukas was shaking on his knees, but he refused to tell the truth.“M-Mr. Hamerton, I really don’t know what you’re asking about… Ms. Zennie asked for t-that. I didn’t insist on giving it to her…”Zephyr scowled, and without a word from him, the bodyguard beside him kicked Lukas in the chest.Lukas cried out and yelped, nearly coughing up blood from the pain.“Mr. Hamerton, you can’t do this…” he argued. “It’s against the law to lock me up here…”“Hah, so you know about law too?” Zephyr looked at him coldly. Each word from him was sharp like the blade. “I’m the law in the Hamertons!”Lukas was stunned. Blood seeped from the corner of his lips, and the coppery scent and endless fear choked him up like the hemp rope.Zephyr did not want to waste too much time with him here. Cordelia was still upstairs. He did not let her come down to the damp and cold b
Zephyr nodded lightly with a squint. It was true. That man had repeatedly used Marcus to hurt Cordelia, used Matthew and Yale’s stupidity to cause trouble in the Hamertons, and used Zennie’s naivety and innocence to manipulate her mentally. He even wanted to distribute drugs in the bar Josiah had shares in to ruin the Bayers’ reputation.All these people were related to Zephyr.It was just that Zephyr could not figure out when he had ever offended Phil. Why did he want to target the Hamertons and him like this?It was true that he was ruthless and merciless in the business world. He forced people to the extent of bankruptcy and made lots of enemies, but that was simply the law of the business jungle, where it was also the survival of the fittest.He had expanded his business empire under the premise of following all the rules.Moreover, Phil was not even his business rival. He was just an employee of the Hamertons.In Zephyr’s impression, he had never mistreated any Hamerton em
“The police have taken Lukas away, so he won’t possibly be contacting Phil recently. Phil hasn’t reached his goal, so he’ll still contact Zennie.”“So…” Cordelia blinked her big eyes playfully. “We just have to keep guarding this setup and pay attention to what Phil sends Zennie!”As soon as she said that, the laptop made a sound, and a certain icon kept blinking on the taskbar.The coincidence was unreal. They were just talking about waiting, and their target had sent himself to them.They sat in front of the laptop, clicked into the system, and the conversation between Zennie and Phil popped up.The two of them were using a call, so the system lagged slightly before connecting the audio.As expected, Phil used a different number and sounded furious.“Zennie Hamerton, did you get the goods!?”Zennie stammered with a sob, “No. I’m sorry, I… I forgot. I overslept and…”“Heh, I think you just want the whole world to admire your beautiful body, huh, Ms. Zennie?”“No…”“I heard
Cordelia was going to reply when her phone let out a ding, indicating that she had received a text. Her heart clenched.Her sixth sense told her that this could very well be Zennie. Just minutes ago, Phil had threatened Zennie, and the girl might do as he said with how weak she was now.Cordelia sucked in a cold breath and slowly reached for her phone.Zephyr kept a hand on her shoulder, and his gaze dimmed with a frown.“It’s fine. I’ll take a look.” Cordelia forced herself to stay calm. “It might not be Zennie. Could be some spam message. Maybe…”Reality slapped her in the face the next second.[Cordelia, are you free tomorrow afternoon? I’d like to buy your coffee. Let’s meet at the cafe we usually frequent. See you there!]She even emphasized [Cordelia, come alone. I don’t want anyone around.].Cordelia paled, and her hand holding her phone trembled.Zennie knew very well that Cordelia was unguarded against her, yet she sent her a text like this.Cordelia wondered what wo
"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