Ralph wanted to get out of there quickly. He did not know where to go, but he at least knew he could not stay since it would suffocate him and constantly remind him of his failure.He still could not accept why things had turned out this way and felt his head was full yet empty. He did not know what to think.Nobody was in the courtyard since everyone had dispersed after the drama. Ralph felt like a monkey on the stage performing a great show. He clenched his fists and gnashed his teeth while condensing his breath.At this moment, he caught a glimpse of a figure from the corner of his eye. Hannah had not left and was standing there looking at him quietly.Still, it did not make him feel better, but even more annoyed. He thought “Heather” was going to laugh at him, so he sneered, “Why haven't you left? Are you here to laugh at me?""I'm not." She shook her head lightly as she behaved calmly.Since she showed no signs of sarcasm and did not seem to be lying, it astounded Ralph sinc
"I'll contact you when the time comes." Hannah tiptoed and whispered beside his ear, "Wait for me."Ralph looked at “Heather” in shock as if he had just met her.Hannah bit her lower lip and whispered again, "Trust me, I'm Annie."After “Heather” finished her sentence, she thought a while and tiptoed again to kiss Ralph's cheek lightly, then immediately turned and strode away.Ralph was dumbfounded. He touched his cheek after Heather was entirely out of sight and wondered if he was hallucinating. However, the key in his hand reminded him that everything was not a dream.‘Why did she not hit or laugh at me if I’m not hallucinating? Instead, Heather kissed me and provided shelter for me,’ Ralph looked at the key and thought, ‘Is this another one of her tricks? Annie?’At first, he thought it was a sweet nickname between them. “Heather” would become gentle and obedient within seconds if he called her Annie, but since the last two times did not work and she even beat him up, he no lo
Heather was still sleeping when Hannah returned. Heather seemed to be sleeping longer and longer recently, and her complexion had worsened. However, she never liked visiting the doctor because she thought it was a disgrace for a year-round kickboxer who rarely got sick to do so.Even if she were ill, it would be minor and heal in no time. Like now, Heather slept more, rested well, and then exercised to recover quickly.Knowing that Heather would ask questions, Hannah was in no hurry to wake her and slowly made soup. She would prepare some soup for Heather to nourish her body almost every two days. After drinking it, Heather would indeed feel better.Today Hannah stewed some lotus root bone soup. Its fresh and sweet aroma permeated the room, and after a while, Heather woke up to ask Hannah to go upstairs.Hannah filled a bowl of soup before leaving. "Heather, I just made soup. You can drink a bowl to make your stomach feel better.""Put it there first!" Heather signaled with her ch
Hannah shook her head and said, "No, from my perspective, life is impermanent. People may say how much they love you, but in the end, they push you into the abyss. Compared with these people, you’re the best. “If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have lived this long. I can peacefully live even if you don't say you love me.""It's good that you think so! Remember, it's not easy for people to live in peace, especially you! Without me, you would’ve died long ago!" Heather smiled menacingly.Hannah would have perished long ago due to the Riggs family curse if Heather had not kept her for other reasons."That's right!" Hannah gave her a respectful, submissive look while her eyes revealed fear. It seemed this trip to the Russell Estate had shocked her, but that was good too. The trip was not in vain if it could make her realize and continue to be loyal to Heather."By the way, I told you to let him down. Did you tell him?" Heather took the bowl of soup next to her and began to drink it.
At the Russell Estate, the doctor confirmed that Margaret had only passed out due to grief and should be fine. However, he advised that she should not be agitated further as she was no longer young.After ensuring that the doctor checked everything, Lily left the older woman in Celine’s care. After all, a pregnant woman like Lily should not overwork herself.In the living area, Alexander propped his head with one hand and tapped on his laptop screen while saying something. Then he lifted his head, put the laptop aside, and went to hold Lily’s arm. “You must be tired, huh? I told the kitchen staff to prepare fresh ginger tea for you. Have some and go upstairs to rest. I also told the housekeepers to tidy up the room. Let’s make do with it for today, okay?”“Your uncle hasn’t returned yet?” Ralph had not returned since he left in the afternoon, and there was no way to reach him because his phone was off. Lily supposed he did not want to see them for the time being.“He needs time
“My second uncle was only 18 when he died. It was a sudden death. The car brakes failed, and he fell off the cliff,” Alexander calmly spoke as if relating the news. “Later on, when my third uncle was around 25, he drowned while diving because the oxygen tank malfunctioned. Then my youngest uncle…” He turned to look at Lily and paused. He cocked his head, thought for a moment, and continued, “I meant my real youngest uncle. He fell sick and died due to congenital disabilities shortly after birth. I heard he died in Grandpa’s arms.”Hearing this, Lily suddenly caught on. “So your grandpa switched him with Ralph?” Alexander nodded. “Grandma was devastated by the deaths of my second and third uncles. She didn’t like my mom but didn’t get involved too much because even though my dad survived, he was not in good health.“She would be unable to cope with her youngest son’s death. He was born three years before me, and as you can imagine, grandma wasn’t young anymore and risked her lif
Alexander had not maintained his position in the Russell family for so many years solely to Hugo’s help.Having heard what he said, Lily thought about something. “There was something fishy about your second and third uncles' deaths.”Both were young when one fell off the cliff and the other drowned. The youngest uncle died after birth, while Alex’s father had always been sickly. If it was a single case, it might simply be bad luck, but everything seemed too coincidental that a family would suffer so much.“It’s fishy, all right.” Alexander nodded as traces of ruthlessness showed in his eyes. “How could so many bad things happen to us? Having a long history, the Russells have a huge influence and might have been targeted by those who envy us or by our enemies.”Probably thinking of something, he did not finish what he was going to say and simply grew solemn.Lily pitied her husband and palmed his cheeks. “It hasn’t been easy for you, has it?”Besides getting through various intern
As for Ralph, Alexander would put the matter aside for two days and see what Margaret wished to do later.…Ralph drove around aimlessly and pulled over by the curb when his car almost ran out of gas. It was midnight, and the starless sky was dark. Several food trucks by the roadside were serving midnight snacks, and Ralph’s stomach growled as he took in the appetizing smells.He got out of his car and took a seat at a table. “I’d like three sets of bacon cheeseburgers and a dozen beers.”The owner took the order and returned shortly with the food and beer. He had a respite from all his trouble and humiliation as he gobbled down his burgers and drank his beer alone. No one knew or noticed him in the boisterous crowd.He got slightly drunk when he finished more than half of his beer. As he drank, he suddenly became overwhelmed with sadness, thinking nobody truly cared about him.‘No one has bothered to call me even though I’ve been away for so long. All the talk about how much Mom
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