“This place was once the tea farmers’ lounge. They moved the lounge up the mountain later and even built a watchtower on it. That’s why they decided to give this place to us,” Ben said. Ben also gave them a detailed description of how big the new museum was going to be and what his requirements were. Since this was work, both Harmonia and Absalom listened intently. Even though the sky was beginning to turn really dark, they did not leave. Soon, darkness fell upon them. The moon and stars shone above their heads. Ben apologized to them, “It’s late, and it’s not convenient for you to return to the city. It’s all my fault. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have dragged things out until it became so late.“If you don’t mind, I have empty rooms in my house. Would you like to stay at my place?“There aren’t many AirBnBs left in town, and they’re definitely fully booked, but I’m close with the hosts, and it won’t be difficult for me to ask for some blankets and toiletries from them,” Ben sou
Just as she was about to strike back, Absalom spoke. Harmonia stopped her movements. They stared at each other in the darkness. Then, Harmonia picked some stones from the ground and threw them in the opposite direction. When the stones hit the ground, they made loud noises. “I heard noises over there! They went that way!” “After them!” About eight men ran in the opposite direction! Absalom stared at Harmonia. He narrowed his eyes. “Clever,” he praised her quietly. They waited till the footsteps moved farther away. Then, Harmonia ran into the old house. She had no idea what had become of Ben! She heard guns and screams just now. Harmonia ran into the old house and saw Ben lying in a pool of his own blood. “Mr. Carter!” Harmonia yelled softly. “Wake up!” Ben was shot in his leg. Fresh blood was flowing out freely. Absalom immediately took off his suit and bandaged his wound to stop the bleeding. Ben said weakly, “Run. Don’t bother about me.” “No
In the next second, a solid helmet flew over. It smashed hard against the man’s wrist. Then his wrist went limp, and the gun followed suit and fell to the ground. The motorbike then turned and swiftly stopped! Harmonia saw it clearly! Was that Dimas?! Absalom wanted to take the gun, but just then… “Absalom!” Harmonia shouted out, “behind you!” But it was too late. A metal rod struck him hard on his back! The wounds on his back had barely recovered. It could not possibly handle such a heavy hit. A gush of blood spurted out of his mouth. Absalom fell to the ground on one knee. His kneecap made a loud noise as it hit the concrete. Harmonia’s reflexes were fast as she immediately struggled out of the restraints. With a high kick, she hit the man right in the middle of his forehead and kicked him aside. Then she ran toward Absalom. The way things were at the moment, she had to keep her mind open. This man was still a jerk. However, in the face of
“I can’t die.” Dimas smirked at her. Then he started to wrestle with the men with metal rods. “If we still don’t leave, none of us will survive. Let’s get back up first.” Absalom said. Even though his words seemed quite heartless, they made sense. Harmonia prepared to send Absalom to the safety zone first. She drove the motorbike, then she zoomed through the town. She had to reach the other end to bring backup. Dimas absolutely could not die. Harmonia had yet to see what he had given her, but she gripped it tight within her palm. To reach the other end of the town would take at least twenty minutes on a motorbike. However, Harmonia made it in ten minutes. Her cries for help attracted the attention of many locals and tourists alike. There were many good Samaritans. Harmonia did not manage to say much and handed Absalom to them. “Where are you going?” Absalom held onto Harmonia’s hand. Harmonia glanced at him, “Let go.” “Are you going to save my unc
“Mr. Martinez, you should rest.” “Are you implying that my stamina is bad?” Dimas laughed. It was hard to tell if he was making a statement or if he was asking a question. Harmonia was silent. That was not what she meant. He had been fighting the men for almost half an hour. Yet he did not have a single hair out of place! Of course, his stamina was not bad. “Sit tight.” Harmonia then sped up. “Can I hug you?” “What?” Harmonia could not hear him clearly. The next moment, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her slim waist. Harmonia was shocked. Her heart pounded. This was the first time she had been embraced by a man this way. Harmonia did not know what to do. All of a sudden, she could not even hold on properly to the motorbike’s handles. Their direction wavered too. Dimas felt her get flustered. He chuckled under his breath before he placed his chin on her shoulder. “Ms. Marsh. I’m going to rest.” Harmonia was speechless. At the same time, on
Both of them fell into the sheets. She was pressed under Dimas’s body. When she looked up, her eyes met his. Their noses grazed lightly. They were almost bumping into each other. Harmonia’s eyes were wide as she hurriedly pushed him away. “Ms. Marsh. I will take responsibility,” Dimas said firmly. Harmonia was confused. Responsibility for what? It was just an accident. “You should rest first. I’ll go ask about Ben’s condition and if those people have been arrested.” As she said this, Harmonia turned to walk toward the door. But Dimas raised his hand to hook into hers. “Have you considered it?” he asked. Harmonia was dumbfounded, “Considered what?” “Me.” The atmosphere was quiet, and the air grew heavy. Harmonia was dumbstruck. What was he talking about?! If they were in older times, she would have to address him as her uncle just as Absalom did. Harmonia did not answer. Instead, she took back her hand immediately. Just then, the door roo
Was there a connection between the two incidents? It seemed as if they were both targeted at her. Harmonia bit her lower lip and clenched her fists slightly. The police officer nodded politely at them and said, “Rest well. Just let the locals know if you need anything.”The locals were very hospitable as well, and they had even prepared supper for them.Harmonia was lost in her thoughts and did not pick up her cutlery. “Don’t overthink. It will just give you a headache,” Dimas, who was calm and seemingly unaffected, uttered as if nothing had happened. There was a simple wooden table in the quiet bedroom, and the two sat down around it. Harmonia looked up at him and tightened her grip around the spoon in her hand. Dimas glanced at her as well and said in an unwavering tone, “Since there’s no evidence of foul play, it must have been premeditated.”“Bring it on, then.” Harmonia curled her lips, showing no hint of fear at all.Dimas chuckled. There were thousands of heiresses in
“Yes.” Dimas smiled and nodded in agreement. Harmonia widened her eyes in bewilderment. The bus conductor walked toward the back after saying that they were a perfect match. Dimas met Harmonia’s gaze and was about to speak up when Harmonia, with a knowing smile, intercepted, “I know what you’re about to say, Mr. Martinez. It’s better to avoid unnecessary trouble.”She still looked absolutely beautiful even though her smile and friendliness concealed hypocritical intentions. Dimas squinted and responded with a smile. A childish voice suddenly sounded behind them, “Mommy, there’s a beautiful fairy sitting in front of me and a handsome fairy sitting in front of you.” Harmonia was naturally the beautiful fairy, and Dimas was naturally the handsome fairy. Harmonia burst into laughter while Dimas was dumbfounded. Had he been crowned with the title of a handsome fairy?The bus drove smoothly back to the city from the scenic area. The journey would take about four hours even without
Quinn was startled. “W-what?”“I wasn't locked up here because I ruined your father's business and he is seeking revenge on me.”“Why are you locked up here, then?”Absalom frowned and replied, “It's complicated. It's not something that can be explained in a short time, but if I'm rescued, it means that there will be one more piece of evidence against your father.”Quinn bit her lower lip. She understood.If he were rescued, her father's actions of injuring him and imprisoning him would no longer be a secret.“You're his daughter, and once he falls, you might not be safe either.”Quinn hadn't thought about it deeply before, but now, Absalom's words weighed heavily on her heart.Even though her father had never cared about her and was always distant and cold toward her, and even though her sister bullied her since childhood, every word and action showing contempt toward her, they were her family, and that was something she couldn't change.Moonlight shone into the cellar throug
Absalom froze in place while holding the snacks at the sound of those words. “She… She answered the call?” His heart felt a sharp pain that hurt a million times more than the wounds on his body.That one word ‘aunt’ was something he didn't want to hear but couldn't deny. They were together, weren't they?Quinn continued to disinfect his wounds, not noticing his expression as she went on and said, “Yes. I've already told her about you. Don't worry, they'll definitely come to rescue you!”“I'm familiar with the paths at home. If conditions permit, I'll guide you when the time comes.”He snapped back to reality, rejecting her without a second thought. “No need. You've done enough for me already by saving my life.”Quinn looked at him and said, “No. I have to see you alive and rescued before I can feel at ease.”“Why?” He asked.She was puzzled. “What do you mean why?”“No one cares about my life,” His eyes dimmed with sorrow.He even wondered if it would have been better if he
Castell looked at her. His gaze was devoid of warmth but rather, it was as indifferent as cold water.“Tomorrow is your sister's assessment day, and I've been invited to Snow Manor.”Quinn nodded softly and asked obediently, “Is Nara confident that she will win?”Upon hearing this, Castell snorted with great dissatisfaction, “There's no such thing as losing among the Kenwoods! She will definitely be the winner!”Quinn shrank back in fear when she saw the ferocity in his eyes, and she did not dare to say another word. She simply nodded, forced a smile, and said, “In that case, I’ll stay at home and wait for Dad and Nara to come back victorious.”Only then did Castell nod begrudgingly.“Okay, go to sleep now.”Quinn waved to him and then turned to leave.The helicopter slowly ascended, gradually disappearing into the night.After Castell left, Quinn entered the room under Mrs. Clint's watchful eyes.After about an hour, Mrs. Clint entered the bedroom, made sure Quinn was asleep
Madam Judd's tone was gentle yet firm.Nara was stunned.“That’s impossible! How could I get it wrong?! You must have made a mistake!”She gritted her teeth at the last sentence.Madam Judd chuckled and said, “All three of these are fake.”Nara had an incredulous expression as she shone the flashlight on them again.“The jade has been soaked in strong acid, impurities washed away, then injected with glue. The methods of counterfeiting are becoming more sophisticated, reaching a point where it's hard to tell real from fake. To discern the authenticity of jade, one needs keen eyesight and extensive experience to make judgments. Just because you've seen more and possess more jade doesn't mean you understand more. Do you understand now?”The proud Nara was embarrassed by Madam Judd and couldn't find a way to save herself from embarrassment for a moment. “Understood,” Harmonia nodded.Nara had to reluctantly say, “Understood.”Madam Judd then immediately began the lesson.Though
She had an uncontrollable nosebleed as blood kept dripping from her nose. She hurriedly bent over, and the drops of blood fell into the sink. Despite the flow of water, it was still extremely alarming.Harmonia did not know what was wrong with her, but after about a minute, she managed to stop the bleeding. She frowned, suspecting that it might be due to heatiness. With about fifteen minutes until nine o'clock, she quickly changed her clothes and hurried toward the appraisal room.Even before the training began, Jenell had already made arrangements for preparations at Snow Manor in advance. The tools in the appraisal room were already prepared.Harmonia and Nara arrived successively.At nine o'clock, Jenell appeared.However, the person who appeared with Jenell shocked Harmonia! It was actually her!Jenell introduced, “This is the jade appraisal expert, Madam Judd.”Harmonia and Nara greeted her. “Madam Judd.”Madam Judd nodded, pretending not to recognize Harmonia.“Let
Both Jasper and Nancy were dumbfounded. Dimas simply stood there with a strong, calm, and intimidating aura, which made people tremble with fear even without him losing his temper. Jasper and Nancy obediently admitted their mistakes. One was in his early twenties, and the other was about to become an adult, but here they were, behaving like kindergarten kids, loudly promising to be model siblings in the future.Harris laughed heartily, his face showing an expression of ‘even these two rascals have their days’.Coincidentally, Mac walked out.“What’s going on?”Harris immediately explained, “The siblings were quarreling, but their father isn't here right now, so the elder brother stepped in as a father figure to educate them properly!”Mac burst into laughter, “I don’t want to say too much, but you should quarrel less with Nancy. She's not in good health, so you should be more considerate toward her.”After Jasper calmed down, he also realized his mistake deeply. He was born w
“Two people, two favors.” Two was two and could not be less. Harris failed to play dumb. “You’re really good at calculating!”However, he had no other choice. After all, he could not handle these two people on his own! His head would ache whenever they argued. “Okay, two favors it is, then!” Harris agreed. Dealing with those troublemakers really gave him a headache.“Tell me, what two things do you want me to do for you, then?” Dimas said calmly, “I’ll leave Monia’s safety in your hands in ten days.”Harris was taken aback. “Huh? Isn't that girl at Snow Manor? With your mother there, her safety should be absolutely guaranteed.”“I’m still worried.”“Why don't you take care of her safety yourself, then?”As he spoke, Harris counted his fingers. He suddenly came to a realization.“In ten days? Wouldn’t that be the day when Harmonia and Nara will be taking their assessment together?”Dimas nodded.“You're leaving the base?” Harris understood and asked.“Yes.”“Where are you
‘You’re really killing me.’Harmonia whispered goodnight to him again, then stuffed her cell phone under the pillow as she prepared to have a good sleep.Dimas, who was at the base, also put down his cell phone at the moment. He looked at the simple layout diagram carved on the bottom of the box and turned on his laptop immediately to reconstruct it. At the same time, he called Mac to investigate Castell's second daughter.At first, Mac thought Dimas was joking. Everyone knew Castell only had one daughter, Nara. How could there suddenly be another daughter? Dimas then told Mac about the content of the phone call Monia had received. Mac immediately realized the seriousness of the matter. Before confirming whether Absalom was really in the wine cellar in Kenwood Mansion, he needed to confirm whether Castell really had a second daughter.After hanging up the phone, he acted quickly. Since she was a living person, there was no way she could not be traced.Mac's efficiency was
The air seemed to freeze at this moment.The phone clearly displayed the ‘call in progress’ message, but it was as if it was affected by signal interference, and nothing could be heard until his cold voice broke the icy silence.“I will.”Harmonia heaved a sigh of relief, feeling worried as she said, “But rescuing someone from Kenwood Mansion won't be easy, right? That place is definitely a dangerous spot. How do you plan on rescuing him? Furthermore, we can't guarantee that this isn't a scheme orchestrated by Castell.”Having finally received news of Absalom, of course, it couldn't be given up on, but the authenticity of the news also needed to be confirmed.Dimas simply smiled without answering Harmonia's question but instead changed the topic and asked, “Monia, what did you have for dinner tonight?”Just as Harmonia was about to answer, a knock sounded at the door. Her heart jumped, and she acted swiftly and quickly tucked the phone under the blanket.She then pretended to be