Cordelia thought about it and said, "I also think Uncle Bond's a little mysterious, not quite like a writer who's always cooped up at home to write. I heard from Trinity that his works have only gotten viral all of a sudden these two years, but he's very skilled in writing with clear logic, and his stories are mind-boggling with unexpected plots. And…""And I feel like those storylines have really happened," Zephyr said lightly.The novels he had by the bed had always been Jim's work. Jim was apt in writing using the first-person point-of-view. A few of his mystery novels were written from the perspective of a detective.Zephyr initially thought that it was just a form of creative expression, but now… he thought that the first-person POV could very well be Jim himself!"Alright, let's not talk about Uncle Bond for now," Cordelia's voice was soft as she checked her watch and said with a smile. "It's still early. The night market's still running. Should we take a walk there?"Zephyr
Zuko widened his big eyes, adorably lost."Daddy will bathe with you today. We'll skip the basin. We're showering standing up!""Huh?" Cordelia was surprised. "No way, this—"Before she could stop them, Zephyr took their son into the bathroom with a long stride and locked the door.Cordelia could only be anxious outside. A while later, the sound of water running could be heard from the inside. In the beginning, Zuko did not seem to be used to it and whined and cried a little. Zephyr coaxed him with the unique ways of a stern father."Kid, are you a man? You're scared of this little splashing?"It's just washing your head. What are you crying about!?"Zuko Hamerton, one more whine and no milk after your shower!"Cordelia's heart clenched with anger, and she wished she could rush in and beat a certain someone up!Soon enough, Zuko stopped crying, and she could hear giggles from inside the bathroom. Suddenly…"Argh!" Zephyr shouted, startling Cordelia.Unable to hold herself
Carmella's face changed, and her eyebrows furrowed."What do you want to say?"Joy gathered her courage. This was her last attempt to test Carmella. She had been with Carmella since she was 18 years old. It was difficult to sever the many years of bond.Despite her loyalty to Carmella, the latter did not have the same deep feelings for her."Your Majesty..." Joy said in a low voice, "It's about my son's schooling."Carmella's expression was a little impatient. "Didn't I already arrange it for you?""Your Majesty!" Joy looked up at her. "That school is not good! The students fight, and the teachers don't do their job. The whole school is a mess, and one can't learn anything there!""But that school is the only one that doesn't require a birth registration," Carmella emphasized. "Joy, your son's illegitimate. You can't even resolve his birth registration issue, so how can he attend a public school?"Joy was stunned. She looked at Carmella's slightly disdainful expression and sudd
Aurelia nodded. She had been prepared a long time ago."I was the one who called everyone's attention to the matter." She chuckled. "So, Queen Carmella wants me to testify in court and accuse Mr. Irwin of being the culprit who harmed Princess Lene.""That's exactly right." Alexander nodded."But I won't let her get her wish.""All that matters is that you know what to say in court." Alexander paused and said with a smile, "The trial process is complicated, so you should be mentally prepared. And on that day... there may be something unexpected happening.""Unexpected?" Aurelia blinked her big eyes, not quite understanding the meaning of it.Alexander did not explain further, but there was a hint of sympathy in his eyes when he looked at the girl before him. She should have grown up with him, and he felt she should have been an endearing and good... little sister.Aurelia asked again, "Your Highness, will there be anything else happening?"Alexander looked at Neil beside him, wh
Neil swallowed his saliva. "Aurelia, when you put the ring on me when I was drunk last time, I found it to be just the right size. I've never worn a ring that fits so well before!""Huh?" Aurelia felt increasingly strange."Then you took it back again, and my finger felt empty and uncomfortable!"Aurelia was rendered speechless."Aurelia, can you bear to see me so uncomfortable?"Although Aurelia did not understand what Neil was saying, she had never seen the award-winning actor as anxious since she had known him. Despite that, he was so patient with every word he spoke to her, speaking softly and gently, even in a humble tone.It was not like him at all.Suddenly, Aurelia remembered hearing that a type of of witchcraft in Southeast Aciatic could change people's personalities and control their thoughts. She was shocked and blurted, "Uncle, have you been cursed by someone?"...Alexander stood at one side of the garden. The west palace was already remote, and the garden was eve
One month later, it was the day of the trial.Since the royal family was involved, the trial attracted a lot of attention.Although Rowan was sitting in the dock, he appeared calm and collected, as if he were in charge of the trial.Martin and Carmella sat in the audience seats.When they heard the charges the prosecution listed, a barely noticeable smile flickered across Carmella's face. On the other hand, Martin remained expressionless, but there was anger in his deep eyes as he tightly clasped his hands together."Your Majesty..." Carmella gently took hold of his hands.Martin's fingertips jolted slightly, but he did not push her away. Carmella was surprised as Martin had avoided any physical contact with her, even reducing their intimate moments, for years because of Helene's incident. Whenever he touched her, it was like he was touching something filthy. They had even started sleeping separately in the past two years.Martin's action just now brought joy to Carmella's heart
Carmella's lips trembled slightly. She could not say anything to meet Martin's gaze, feeling guilty."It's... nothing." Carmella forced a chortle. "Your Majesty, the trial's been going on for too long. You must be tired. Let me help you get back to rest first...""I want to hear the truth!" Martin roared, "Who were you looking for?"Carmella froze and turned her gaze to Joy."What's going on here?" She gritted each word. "Joy, what are you trying to do?"Joy replied indifferently, "Your Majesty, I could only find these two people based on the clues you gave me.""You..." A strange smile crossed Joy's lips. "Your Majesty, you told me that one of them is a drug addict and the other's involved in prostitution. The ones I found fit the description you gave me perfectly!""You're talking nonsense!" Carmella glared at her furiously. "I gave you other information too!""You personally handed the little princess to people like these back then, didn't you?""Joy!" Carmella's heart ra
"Go look for these two people with Suzanne and bring them back to Southeast Aciatic... Then make them memorize this testimonial."When the time comes, Rowan Irwin will be charged with conspiring with Aurelia's parents to murder a member of the royal family, and they'll all be sentenced to prison!""Your Majesty, can we really use these two people?""Hmph! The man's an addict, give him some Fentanyl… As for the woman, give her some money first. As long as she sees the money, she'll do whatever we say!"...There was a commotion in the courtroom.Carmella's eyes went wide open, and her face was completely drained of color as if she had seen a ghost."Fentanyl?" Some foreign journalists began to inquire in a low voice, "What's that?""That's a kind of drug!" Every word Rowan uttered was forceful. "Fentanyl is a synthetic drug that's similar to the opium poppy but much, much more potent. This drug is highly toxic and can be addictive. An overdose can happen easily within a short ti
"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