Cordelia looked out the window and asked, "Mom, this doesn't seem like the way home…""We're not going home yet. I'll take you for some food first!""Food?" Realization struck Cordelia, and she leaned forward with a smirk. "Is it a treat from my mother-in-law or my future father-in-law?""You child!" Janine giggled happily. "You're teasing me now, huh!?""Mom, what's he like? I'm curious."Janine looked at her and held her hand softly, keeping it a secret for now.They came to a stop at Baker Hotel shortly.As one of the iconic buildings in Melorian, Baker Hotel was well equipped with the conditions for success. Not only was it luxurious and grand on the exterior, but its service could also hardly be topped by other hotels.The building was cleared for Mr. and Mrs. Hamerton today, and the general manager welcomed them personally."Madam Baker, everything's set. It's at the revolving restaurant on the top floor.""Mm." Janine was happy with the setup. "Is Mr. Bond here already
Cordelia said softly, "Uncle Bond, we've read your work, and Zephyr likes it a lot. He can only sleep after flipping through a few pages every night!"Jim scratched his head in embarrassment and looked very down to earth when he smiled."Ah, you've flattered me. It's my luck that they could see me!"Cordelia chuckled.Destiny was a loser's excuse, while luck was the humble reason of a successful person.It seemed that Jim was a humble and open person. It was no wonder he was able to impress Janine, who reigned in the business world. Perhaps it was because their personalities were complementary.Jim seemed simple and honest, but he was considerate toward Janine. He knew that she was stressed over several projects recently and ordered her mild-flavored dishes. Janine had a bad back and easily grew tired when she sat for a long time, so he brought along a cushion and stuffed it behind her before she said anything.After Cordelia chatted with Jim, she also found him to be a friendly
“Hmm… not entirely.” Jim was eloquent when it came to his work. "It'd still be a mystery novel most of the time, but there'll be elements of romance incorporated.""That must be interesting!" Cordelia looked at him. "Can we have a spoiler, Uncle Bond?""Darling!" Zephyr shot her a look to stop her with a smile.He knew writers had quirks and did not like others to find out the storyline in advance.Jim was different. He generously explained, "There's a part in the novel based on a true story…"I've looked it up. There used to be Southeast Aciatic princess who fell in love with a traveling artist in Melorian when she visited here.""What!?" Cordelia and Zephyr froze and looked at each other simultaneously before they paid attention to what he said next."The traveling artist was a nomad and was said to be incredibly talented! Of course, he was very good-looking too. Why else would the princess be smitten?""What happened after that?"Jim continued. "I only remember that the roy
Rowan had been a visiting professor in Southeast Aciatic's medical college recently and had not gone to check on Helene.Despite that, Aurelia did well as his spy in the west palace.Victoria sometimes stood at a high point of the palace to observe the west palace with a pair of binoculars. She had been under the impression that Helene would go crazy and torture Aurelia occasionally by locking the latter in there. She thought that she could hear Aurelia scream for help or see her being tortured to be less than human.Everything seemed to go against her imagination.The west palace was quiet as usual. Victoria could only see that everything in there was in order through the binoculars.From time to time, Aurelia would appear in the front yard, but she looked rosy and radiant. Besides being a bit thin, she did not look like she had been tormented at all.Victoria frowned and bit her lips in resentment.Which part had gone wrong? That woman attacked anyone she saw like a rabid dog.
Aurelia's hand that was holding the needle and thread paused.Helene snuggled the pillow with her face intimately, swaying it gently and humming a lullaby as if she was really lulling a baby to sleep."My baby is a girl…" she talked to herself, then smiled at Aurelia. "A very pretty girl!"Aurelia felt a pinch in her nose.Before she came to Southeast Aciatic, she did not know that girls could be pampered so much. She thought of her parents when in fact, her impression of the two of them was already blurry.Before she was ten years old, the family of three had crammed in the dark, dirty, and damp basement. Even if a single penny was left at home, her father would take it for alcohol and drugs. Their source of income had been her mother's prostitution.Aurelia remembered that her mother would dress scantily and stand by the streets even when it was in the middle of the winter, making sexy giggles that made one's hair stand on end.The two of them did not really care about her. Th
When Helene patted Aurelia's back, Aurelia tried to wrap her arms around the former as well… like how a child would cling to her mother."Be good, hush," Helene said softly. "I'm here, it's okay…""Mm!" Aurelia nodded and wore a genuine smile."Princess Lene, will you protect me?""I will." Helene smiled without much thought."Why?""Y-You're my baby.""Princess Lene, I told you, your baby's over there!" Aurelia pointed at the pillow with a smile.Helene paused before she smiled embarrassedly as if realizing something. She scooped the pillow over with a hand and kept another around Aurelia so both were in her arms."Both!" she said loudly. "Both are my babies!"Aurelia giggled happily, a different sense of bliss engulfing her.There was a noise at the door then.Aurelia got up, alarmed, but the person had already entered before she went over."Mr. Irwin!" Aurelia's eyes shone.Rowan hushed her and asked her softly, after looking around to see that there was no one, "How h
Jim focused on looking up information these few days while Cordelia and Zephyr stayed in his study.A lot of the materials Jim was going through were not in Chaisene. Fortunately, Zephyr was a decent translator and translated the materials smoothly.When Zephyr completed the translation of a whole page of Latiumo, Cordelia could not help her brimming admiration and gave him a hug."Darling, you're amazing!" She looked at him like a fangirl. "You know Latiumo too?"How much more about him was what she did not know?Zephyr felt rather triumphant.Actually, learning Latiumo was sort of an accident for him.Josiah had signed up for the Latiumo course, citing that the royal families and nobles of Eropah all picked up Latiumo and that girls would dig guys who could speak Latiumo, but gave up after three lessons.In order to have enough credit hours and not jeopardize graduation, Zephyr helped him finish up the rest of the course. If he had known that he would receive Cordelia's sta
At Southeast Aciatic, in the secret chamber at the palace…Victoria looked around at the door. After ensuring no one was behind her, she asked her maid to wait outside and entered discreetly.Carmella was already inside, standing facing the wall. An oil painting portrait of her and the king, Martin, was hung on it.It was the year Martin had just become king. He was high-spirited, commanding, and confident. Dressed in formal attire with a crown on his head, he stood behind Carmella, who sat in front with a soft smile.There were two days in Carmella's life that she had been the happiest—one was watching Martin become king, and the other was becoming his bride.Victoria came up behind her and called out softly, "Auntie."Carmella broke out of her daze. "All done?""Don't worry, Auntie," Victoria said with a smile. "I just came from a call with Suzanne and Joy. They've found the husband and wife in Melorian…""Really?" Carmella arched her brow."Yes!" Victoria nodded and did not