"Iโฆ" Ralph was at a loss for words for a moment before he continued in a deep voice. "I know. I just don't feel good.""Then, cry. You can be vulnerable in front of me!" Hannah said while hugging him lightly, nestling in his chest. โฆEarly the following day, Ralph was still asleep when he heard loud commotions from downstairs. He got up and went to the balcony to look, but all he saw were the maids running around. He had no idea what they were busy with, and voices continued to come from downstairs.In the end, he put on his clothes and hurried down. Then he saw a few maids covering up the sofa and coffee table with pieces of cloth. He quickly stopped one of them and asked, "What are you doing?" "Ms. Riggs said that no one will be living here for a long time, so she got us to cover everything up and wait for her next orders.""A long timeโฆ" His head was still hurting from his hangover, but he vaguely remembered what Hannah had said. She told him they would leave tomorrow,
Hearing the movement, Hannah turned her head and saw Ralph standing behind her. "Did I wake you?"She spoke again when she noticed that he was just numbly standing there. "Well, right on time. Come and take one last look at her before I send her to her death."Heather panted by her bedside for a moment before raising her head and flashing a bloody smile. Her gaze was filled with mockery. This upset Hannah. "Why are you smiling?" "I find your stupidity amusing." As Heather laughed, she continued, "Do you really think he likes you?""Of course!" Hannah spat confidently. She had asked him many times, and his answers were always affirmativeโthat he loved her. Of course, he loved her! "How ridiculous. Why don't you take a good look in the mirror? Which part of you is worthy of love? Look at yourself. You have nothing but a face like mine!" Heather jeered, scrutinizing Hannah with disdain. "You're not smart, nor are you good at kickboxing. After doing a few simple things, do you r
This was an idea Hannah came up with on the spot.After living under Heather's shadow ever since Hannah was a child, she had a natural fear of Heather. Although Hannah wanted to use poison to kill Heather slowly, she did not dare do it herself.On top of that, this was her chance to get a hold of Ralph. Her fear of him leaving was so strong that she wanted to use this chance to lock him in. This way, she would never be afraid of him leaving again. It was essentially killing two birds with one stone."Annieโฆ" Ralph was hesitant. He didn't dare to do it."What's wrong? Are you reluctant?" Hannah jeered, feigning anger. โIn all this time, you've never loved me, right? It's her that you love! That's why you can't bear to do it, right?" "No, Annie, I love you. Of course, I love you! It's just thatโฆ" In his hand, the warm bowl of concoction felt scorching hot. He wanted to toss it away.In the face of his hesitation, Hannah coaxed softly, "I know you're reluctant, but I've had everyth
โThatโs right. Annie asked me to do it so she would have something to hold against me, right? If I do as she said, I will be a murderer, and she will have evidence of it for the rest of my life. She could threaten me with it whenever I go against her wishes.โRalph recalled the incident from a few days ago and how crazy Hannah could get occasionally. He felt suffocated by the thought of obeying her for the rest of his life.He turned around and said to Hannah, โAnnie, why donโt we just forget about this? Sheโs still your sister, after all! What about we just send her back to the Riggs Estate? Your parents live on the island, donโt they? We can get them to lock her up on the island too.โAlso, donโt you think weโre going too easy on her by letting her die so easily? We should let her suffer from all the pain you went through before as well!โโAre you nuts?โ Hannah became furious all of a sudden. โDonโt you know that my parents would only help her if we sent her back to the island? T
The two were startled and loosened their grasps subconsciously while Heather took the chance to swing her hand toward the bowl, causing it to fall to the ground and scatter into fragments everywhere. โWhat the f*ck are you guys doing?! Do you want me to kill you?!โ Hannah returned to her senses and walked out furiously as she rebuked. She thought it was her people that caused the commotion. However, Hannah felt a strong wind when she reached the door. With a pain in her chest, she flew back into the basement.Bang! Hannah dropped to the ground with a thud.โAnnie?!โ Ralph was shocked when he saw Hannah returning to the basement in such a way. He ran over to help her up, and just as he looked out the door, he felt suffocated and sent flying backward alongside Hannah this time around.They were in a small room, so there was not much space. Hence, the duoโs backs smashed into a wall, scraping dust off it before falling to the ground again. The room became dusty instantly.โCough! Co
Hannah and Ralph panicked when they saw Heather standing up. Their fear of Heather had taken root in their hearts, after all.When Heather was lying in bed, unable to move and dying, the duo still feared her a little, let alone now when she could stand before them. โNo! Itโs impossible!โ Hannah did not want to believe what she was seeing. She thought her plan was perfect and had everything under control. Hannah thought she had secured her victory, so she would not believe it if anyone told her she had lost.โChump, do you think you can fool me with that nonsense?โ Hannah smiled forcefully and continued, โYou wish you could intimidate me so easily! It would take you longer than this to return to the Riggsโ Estate and get reinforcements. Youโre just bluffing, arenโt you? My people will rush inside and take you down as soon as I call for them. Iโd advise you to run for your life before I change my mind! I can let you off the hook if you walk away now.โโYouโre the one bluffing here,โ
โNo, that canโt be it!โ Hannah shook her head, frowning in disapproval. โIf she wasnโt poisoned, why didnโt she fight back when I slapped her? With that temper of hers, she wouldnโt be able to endure it! She must have been pretending to be fine earlier! I swear sheโs poisoned!โโBut just now, did you seeโฆโ Ralph's gaze was drawn to the broken bedframe. The truth was right in front of them. If Heather were poisoned, she would not have the strength to break the bedframe. โI can guarantee you that sheโs just pretending to be poisoned. In the deal I had with her, I was supposed to be the one to steal the secret handbook, but she did it herself in the end. Think about it. Sheโs so cautious, so how could she not realize that you were going to poison her? Iโm sure that she was just pretending because she has some other ulterior motives!โโWhat kind of ulterior motives could she have?โ Hannah immediately responded with a question.โWellโฆโ Ralph did not know what to say.If he had known,
Upon returning to her room, Heather started to cough continuously. It was serious, and it sounded like she could not suppress it at all. Chump stood by her side, not knowing what to do. Finally, he went out to get a glass of water for her, and when he returned, he saw her spitting out another mouthful of blood again.After that, Heather seemed to be in a slightly better condition. With Chumpโs support, she sat down on her bed and leaned on the bedframe. She took the glass of water from Chump, but her face had no color.โMs. Riggsโฆโ Chump was worried sick.Initially, he thought that Heather was alright and that she had everything under control. However, that was not the case. โI didnโt expect she would have the guts to do this.โ Heather took a breath and looked up at the ceiling, a wry smile plastered on her face. "I'd let my guard down against her over the years, and I'd never been wary of her."Heather could not describe how she was feeling right now. She had always disdained
Lily tilted her head up to fight back her tears, saying, โThereโs something I find strange.โโWhat is it?โ Mike asked after comforting his son.โInstead of detaining Prince Ross, Her Majesty has sent him back to Yudonia. If so, why couldnโt we reach him?โAfter some thought, Mike answered, โThere are two possibilities. Itโs probably due to poor signals, or he doesnโt want us to contact him.โThe two shared a look, knowing what each other was wondering.โWhy canโt we contact Ross? Is he planning something?โโฆThree days later, Lily inserted the last needle into the queenโs leg and looked up at her, saying, โYou should start feeling your legs tomorrow. Still, itโll take some time before you can stand.โSuddenly, Lily chuckled.โWhy are you laughing?โ 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, โOf course, you wouldnโt.โโThatโsโฆ quite a pity,โ the queen murmured thoughtfully.โWell, thereโs a price to pay for everything. Thatโs how the world balances itself,โ Lily continued, โI canโt stop you if you must carry on with R10. Still, I wonโt witness whether or not it succeeds. I just wish the outcome isnโt something youโll regret.โLily 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 Yasminโs legs. โYour Majesty, those needlesโโThe queen waved dismissively. โItโs okay. Lily will remove them later.โEven so, Rick was wary. โYouโre being too careless, Your Majesty. What if that womanโโโShe wouldnโt,โ 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.โTell me. What do you want?โ The queen took a deep breath to calm herself. She then reminded herself that she could always say no to Lilyโs 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 donโt 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 wasnโt sure if youโd blame him, but he did rescue me once. If I don't do anything, it would be ungrateful of me," Lily said gently, "Also, didnโt 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.โThatโs it?!โ 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.โI havenโt felt my legs for over a decade. I wouldnโt mind waiting for three more days.โโAre you sure I can get up and walk in just three days?โ 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, โI canโt guarantee that youโll walk as fast as you once could. After all, you havenโt used your legs for a long time, and your muscles have atrophied. Still, youโll recover slowly.โYasmin nodded repeatedly, thinking it was good enough. She never dreamed of walking as well a
โBecause only our opinions matter." Lily thought of something and said, "Unless you choose to believe Rhea.""Iโฆ don't trust anyone." Yasminโs 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? Youโve done enough as a queen over the last few decades. Arenโt you tired of living a lonely life?โLily gently spoke as she gazed at Yasminโs back.The older woman caressed her knees with both hands and stared down at her legs, murmuring, โSightsee, huh? Iโve forgotten what thatโs like.โYasmin 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 Lilyโs suggestion.Lily asked, โWhat 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 couldnโt 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 whoโs willing to die for him. If Mike decides to take drastic action against youโ Yes, you're a queen, and you don't care much about an insignificant businessman.โHowever, 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?""Youโฆ" 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, โBring Lily over. Iโd like to see what excuses that sly woman can come up with.โ"Your Majesty?" Rick was puzzled. "You know she'll just lie to you. Why must youโ"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, โHer Majesty wants to see you.โLily 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. โYou stay.โ"But we came together!" Mike glanced over his shoulder at Lily, signaling her to persuade the man. Rick added, "The queen doesnโt 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 queenโs 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, โIf any of you go with her, they might stop or suspect you. They wonโt do that to me. Itโs natural for me to want to see and rescue my son. Iโm the best candidate because it makes sense for me to sacrifice myself for him.โAfter a short silence, Lily said, โYouโre right.โ She then looked at Alexander, who pondered before slowly raising his head and saying, โMe too.โDominic 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, โThanks, you guys!โ"Why are you thanking us? Just be careful, and donโt be rash like you promised," Aust