“Is that so?” Margaret looked suspicious, believing only half of what Ralph said."It's true." Ralph leaned closer. Then he murmured and paraphrased what Heather had said, omitting her threats, "So, I will get 30% of the Riggs Group’s shares if I can find that secret handbook. Wait, I can ask for more since I’ll inevitably be in charge.”He thought things through. He would have a better time negotiating terms with Heather if he had the handbook.Margaret probably understood but still had doubts. "Is what she said true? I’ve been with your father for all these years, and I have never heard of secret handbooks. Is Heather mistaken?”"Impossible!" Ralph shook his head decisively and was sure about it. "Don't overthink it. Her family has been in the business for a long time, so she is obsessed with this handbook. The handbook is useless to us.“However, it’s a priceless treasure to her. How can she make mistakes with these things? She probably thought about it. Also, if it weren’t for
Ralph had figured it out long ago. "Mom, I've already thought about this. You don't need to do too much. This book is probably in his own house. Heather went to inquire about it, but the house has a lot of traps, so it doesn’t look that simple. Why would his house be set up that way if there weren't any treasures inside?”He looked up and around, saying, "Our old house is quite simple, with just ordinary security measures. His neighborhood is the best in the city. Maybe he’s hiding something behind those doors.”Ralph was so focused on thinking that Alexander must have hidden the secret in the house that he felt there must be something. However, he never considered how often Alexander had encountered danger and kidnapping since he was a child. His defense skills may seem exaggerated to outsiders, but for the people in his family, they were just essential. Of course, now that he had already confirmed his thoughts, he did not want to think any further. "You mean, go searc
Margaret sighed for a long time and said quietly, "Sigh, I’m already so old. Do you think there is any reason to fight with them or even lose my temper? I just want to get justice for you so you can live better in the future." "I’ve given birth to quite a few children, but I never had the opportunity of being surrounded by children and grandchildren. I don't know what sin I’ve committed, but your brothers all left one by one. It's not the first time I've been to a funeral for my children. I have all my hopes on you, and I hope you’ll have a better life in the future." She raised her hand, the back of which was already full of wrinkles, and gently stroked Ralph’s head, looking at him with loving eyes and saying, "You’re my legacy and my child. I want you to live well. I will leave you someday and want to go at ease." "Mom, I will grant your wish! You live to be a hundred years old, and your best days are yet to come! You’ll be healthy and have grandchildren and great-gr
Looking back, he felt like a monkey being tricked. He thought he was charming and could easily win her heart, but he did not expect that she wanted him only for that stupid secret handbook.That meant all of the previous actions, kisses, and coaxing was just for that stupid handbook? What kind of woman was she? He had never met such a woman, and he did not know what to do with her. Now that he had figured it out, it did not matter anymore. He was not so obsessed with getting married to her anymore. There were many other people out there for him to choose from, so why would he limit himself to Heather alone?After gaining the shares from the Riggs and taking over the Russell family, he could quickly get any woman he wanted. It would be better than keeping a ticking bomb by his side. Thinking about it that way, he felt much more comforted. The most urgent thing was to get his hands on the secret handbook. He drove slowly and was not in a hurry. Margaret needed some ti
“That's why I said it’s my duty as a grandmother to help you prepare for the wedding. It’s not a bother at all. Even if it's troublesome, I'm happy to help." Margaret was still smiling, but her smile used to look a lot more benevolent.She seemed to have anticipated Alexander's refusal and continued, "Of course, it makes sense for Lily to get more rest since she’s pregnant, but she can’t stay home all day either. It’s not good for the baby. Lily, you must occasionally walk around to get some fresh air."Alex, you have been with your grandfather since you were a child and didn't spend much time with me. Then you became busier when you grew up. Since it’s so rare for me to be with you, you should spend some time with me now.“Can you do that for me? I’m getting older, and I don’t have much time left. I thought, why not just enjoy our time while I’m still around?” There were tears in Margaret’s eyes as she spoke, and she looked sad.Alexander and Lily sat there in silence. They typica
Ralph rolled his eyes at the gatekeeper, but he had expected them to stop him.He said, “Then, how can I go inside? I have some urgent matters to discuss with them. You can’t expect me to wait outside under the scorching sun, right? Can I enter if Alex grants me entrance permission?”The gatekeeper was stunned by his suggestion. He did not quite understand what Ralph meant but insisted, “If Mr. Russell allows it, then we won’t stop you. However, Mr. Russell is not home.”“Why are you such a knucklehead? Just because he isn’t in doesn’t mean I can’t call him!” Ralph took out his phone and called Alexander, “Hello, Alex. Why did you leave? Where’s my mother?”Alexander glanced at Margaret, who was next to him, “She’s with me.”“With you? I thought she said she’d wait for me, why did you leave without me?! Pass the phone to her!” Ralph complained, unhappy they left him behind.Margaret noticed Alexander looking at her, so she asked, “What’s wrong?”“Uncle Ralph said you were suppos
Margaret had a worried look. “My ring. It was the ring your father had gifted me for our wedding. I don’t know how I lost it! I had it all this while!” Her face was flustered as she looked everywhere in the car. “Where did it go?”“Did you forget to put it on when you left? Maybe it’s at home?” Lily suggested.“That’s impossible,” Margaret denied instantly, “That’s my wedding ring, and I’ve never taken it off all these years—not even when I go to bed or shower. I would never leave it at home. I must have dropped it somewhere. I remember I still had it on when I entered your house, and we sat on the sofa chatting.“That ring is what’s left of your grandfather, Alex. I must find it! It’s even more precious than my life!” Margaret mumbled as she sadly lowered her head to find it.Alexander looked at her figure in silence before saying, “It’s most likely not in the car. Maybe you dropped it at our house?”“That’s possible!” Margaret’s eyes lit up, “I remember I had it on when I was on
Ralph had intentionally turned on his phone speaker so that the gatekeeper could hear what Alexander said. “So, can I enter now?” Since the property owner had agreed, there was no reason for the gatekeeper to stop him. Ralph drove his car slowly into Alexander’s house as he felt a sense of accomplishment. Alexander’s residence was a place not easily accessible to just anyone, including him. Ralph could not help but feel proud of himself as he waltzed freely into the compound. When he got to the living room, he saw maids all around, searching meticulously for the ring. Ralph immediately ordered, “I’ll search for it on my own. You can all leave now!” “B-But Mr. Russell told us to help,” one of the maids explained. “It’s fine! You don’t even know what the ring looks like! Besides, just because Alexander trusts you doesn’t mean I do! My mother’s ring cost a fortune and could even be considered our family heirloom. How would I know if you’d be tempted to keep it when you f
Lily tilted her head up to fight back her tears, saying, “There’s something I find strange.”“What is it?” Mike asked after comforting his son.“Instead of detaining Prince Ross, Her Majesty has sent him back to Yudonia. If so, why couldn’t we reach him?”After some thought, Mike answered, “There are two possibilities. It’s probably due to poor signals, or he doesn’t want us to contact him.”The two shared a look, knowing what each other was wondering.‘Why can’t we contact Ross? Is he planning something?’…Three days later, Lily inserted the last needle into the queen’s leg and looked up at her, saying, “You should start feeling your legs tomorrow. Still, it’ll take some time before you can stand.”Suddenly, Lily chuckled.“Why are you laughing?” Yasmin touched her legs. She had begun to regain sensation in her legs over the last two days. She then began to believe that she could get up. However, the queen was hesitant when the queen heard Lily chuckle.Lily shook her head
Lily straightened up and said without resentment, “Of course, you wouldn’t.”“That’s… quite a pity,” the queen murmured thoughtfully.“Well, there’s a price to pay for everything. That’s how the world balances itself,” Lily continued, “I can’t stop you if you must carry on with R10. Still, I won’t witness whether or not it succeeds. I just wish the outcome isn’t something you’ll regret.”Lily smiled and turned to head out the door.Rick heard their conversation as he stood guard outside. After exchanging looks with Lily as she brushed past him, he entered the room and saw the needles in Yasmin’s legs. “Your Majesty, those needles—”The queen waved dismissively. “It’s okay. Lily will remove them later.”Even so, Rick was wary. “You’re being too careless, Your Majesty. What if that woman—”“She wouldn’t,” Yasmin interjected, shaking her head."Why do you trust her so much?" Rick asked despite himself. The queen fell silent. If Rick had not asked her that, she would not have rea
Lily took out a cloth and unfolded it, revealing a row of silver needles inside. Yasmin was surprised she carried the needles with her.“Tell me. What do you want?” The queen took a deep breath to calm herself. She then reminded herself that she could always say no to Lily’s request. Still, Yasmin was cautious about Lily trying to trick her.Lily casually said, "I left because Prince Ross wanted to help me. I hope you don’t punish him.""That's it?" Yasmin thought she had misheard Lily. 'Is she trying to talk terms with me just so that I won't punish my son?' she wondered in disbelief."Ross is my son. I won't harm him. Don't you think you've wasted an opportunity by making such a request?" The queen shook her head. "I wasn’t sure if you’d blame him, but he did rescue me once. If I don't do anything, it would be ungrateful of me," Lily said gently, "Also, didn’t you already lock him up?"Yasmin was puzzled. "No, I only sent him back to Yudonia. He kept trying to get me to sto
"Three days," Lily replied.“That’s it?!” Yasmin was in disbelief. She thought Lily would try to buy some more time and suspected she would say the process would take several months or even years.‘I haven’t felt my legs for over a decade. I wouldn’t mind waiting for three more days.’“Are you sure I can get up and walk in just three days?” Yasmin pressed her legs hard but felt nothing. She would have treated her legs long ago if it were that easy.The queen had visited many famous doctors from various countries, but they could only stop her legs from getting weaker. However, Lily confidently told Yasmin that she could fix her legs so quickly.Yasmin wanted to believe it.After some consideration, Lily said, “I can’t guarantee that you’ll walk as fast as you once could. After all, you haven’t used your legs for a long time, and your muscles have atrophied. Still, you’ll recover slowly.”Yasmin nodded repeatedly, thinking it was good enough. She never dreamed of walking as well a
“Because only our opinions matter." Lily thought of something and said, "Unless you choose to believe Rhea.""I… don't trust anyone." Yasmin’s expression stiffened as she turned her wheelchair away."Your Majesty, I know you're dedicated to the experiment, but there are other things in life. Have you ever considered letting go of your burden to sightsee? You’ve done enough as a queen over the last few decades. Aren’t you tired of living a lonely life?”Lily gently spoke as she gazed at Yasmin’s back.The older woman caressed her knees with both hands and stared down at her legs, murmuring, “Sightsee, huh? I’ve forgotten what that’s like.”Yasmin had not used her legs for many years. Initially, she could still stand up and sometimes took a few steps. However, she could no longer get to her feet.She had grown accustomed to sitting in a wheelchair, but she felt a pang of sorrow after hearing Lily’s suggestion.Lily asked, “What if I can help you stand again? What if you can walk a
"Yes, I returned not just for him but also for you," Lily said, "I'm sure you were anxious for my return, weren't you?"Yasmin scoffed dismissively. "Why would I be? I have my bargaining chip. Besides, did you honestly think I couldn’t bring you back?""Bargaining chip? Do you mean Nick?" Lily shook her head with a smile. "Don't forget that he's not my son. Do you think he'll be much of a bargaining chip to you if I choose to ignore him for my three children?"She did not wait for Yasmin to reply and continued, "Besides, Nick still has a father who’s willing to die for him. If Mike decides to take drastic action against you— Yes, you're a queen, and you don't care much about an insignificant businessman.“However, don't forget that his business spans worldwide. There's no guarantee what he might do. Who knows, he might spread information that can affect Your Majesty and Yudonia's reputation?""You…" The queen was exasperated but could not retort.Lily noticed it and casually said
Rick could only remain silent at that moment.Yasmin then turned her wheelchair around and blandly said, “Bring Lily over. I’d like to see what excuses that sly woman can come up with.”"Your Majesty?" Rick was puzzled. "You know she'll just lie to you. Why must you—"Yasmin interjected, "I'd like to hear what she has to say."Rick had no choice but to leave and do as she said.As Lily was about to doze off, she heard noises from outside and opened her eyes. Immediately after, the door opened, and Rick appeared. He glared at her and spoke coldly, “Her Majesty wants to see you.”Lily glanced at Rick calmly and stood up as if she had expected his appearance. On the other hand, Mike rose before her and headed out.However, Rick stopped him as he reached the door. “You stay.”"But we came together!" Mike glanced over his shoulder at Lily, signaling her to persuade the man. Rick added, "The queen doesn’t wish to see you. Just stay here!"Lily patted Mike's shoulder and said gentl
Everyone was shocked when Lily returned to the embassy with Mike. One of the staff members quickly left to report the news to Queen Yasmin.Meanwhile, Lily saw people peering at her and Mike from the corner. Afterward, several guarded-looking men appeared. Lilt recognized them as the queen’s attendants. They brought Mike and Lily inside and then gave the duo a thorough search.The men only relaxed after finding nothing suspicious about the duo. Even so, Lily could not see the queen as the men told her to wait in an innermost room instead.After returning to the embassy, Lily felt a sense of strange familiarity. Although she knew the place well, her mindset had changed.She previously hated the embassy and simply wanted to escape. However, she had returned with a critical mission. Not only did she have to complete it, but she also needed to leave the place in one piece.While she was calm, Mike was somewhat anxious. He clasped his hands on his knees and glanced around as he sat dow
"I promise I'll do anything you want, okay?" Mike begged. He was desperate to see his son, so he decided to follow Lily when she insisted on returning to the embassy.Mike continued, “If any of you go with her, they might stop or suspect you. They won’t do that to me. It’s natural for me to want to see and rescue my son. I’m the best candidate because it makes sense for me to sacrifice myself for him.”After a short silence, Lily said, “You’re right.” She then looked at Alexander, who pondered before slowly raising his head and saying, “Me too.”Dominic tapped the table. "So do I."Cameron thought for a moment before saying, "I've no objections."Seeing this, Austin spread his arms and said, "Since you all agree, what else can I say? Let's do it!"It did not matter whether or not he agreed, but he just wanted to support Mike. The latter nodded and became emotional, saying, “Thanks, you guys!”"Why are you thanking us? Just be careful, and don’t be rash like you promised," Aust