‘Just what kind of person has won the old man’s favor?’ Austin checked his watch. ‘He stayed even longer than I did!’ …Back home, Lily parked her car and saw a box in the yard. The box was neither big nor small and looked like a present from someone. She could smell a strong aroma without getting near it. “This is?” Intrigued, she pointed at the box and asked. “Ma’am, Ms. Rollins sent someone to deliver it, saying it’s a present for you.” The housekeeper hurried over and answered. “Ms. Rollins? Which Ms. Rollins?” Unable to figure out who the person was, she walked over to the box but did not open it immediately. She would not do that before finding out where it came from. “The person only said it was from Ms. Rollins and left after leaving a message.”Due to Alexander’s stature, many wanted to send him presents, but he would not accept any. Some people changed their tactics and sent gifts to Lily instead, and she refused to receive them and sent them back.Over time, t
“This is?” Although Alexander could recognize some plants after spending so much time with Lily, he could not tell what this one was.Lily could barely hide her joy as she said excitedly, “This is Agarwood!”“Agarwood?” Alexander raised his brow and subconsciously repeated the name. He could not remember all the plant names, but he could tell his wife loved it.“You bought it?” He brushed Lily’s hair behind her ear, leaned in, and kissed her cheek.Lily did not move away since she had grown accustomed to his intimate gestures, so she leaned close to him. “No, it’s a gift from someone.”Her eyes sparkled with joy as she stared at the plant, and Alexander could tell she truly loved it.“A gift?” Alexander narrowed his eyes.‘Who dares to send her such a gift? Who’s so thoughtful to have sent my beloved wife such a wonderful gift?’Lily was someone who only cared a little about material possessions. She kept the jewelry Alexander had bought her in their boxes and simply wanted her
“What are you doing?” Lily could not help but blame Alexander for making her pluck off the leaf. She could not bear to throw it away.“Isn’t it just a pot of Agar…wood? How could you like it so much until I no longer exist?” Alexander shoved his face into hers as if he worried she could not see him.Lily was surprised and burst out laughing despite herself. ‘What’s the matter with this man? He has gotten jealous of other men, women, and even our son. Now he’s getting jealous of a plant?! He has to be the King of Jealousy throughout the entire universe!’“What are you saying? Didn’t I ask you to come over when you reached home just now?” She said laughingly and teasingly as she held the leaf to his nose. “Take a sniff. Doesn’t it smell nice?”He did so and nodded. “Now that I exist, can you tell what’s different about me today?”Hearing this, Lily pulled herself slightly away and looked him up and down. She knitted her brow and thought seriously. She did not find anything different
Alexander initially did not catch on to what Edward was talking about and realized later on that Olivia got jealous and threw a tantrum. Although Edward looked like a cat had scratched his face, he seemed to have enjoyed it.Alexander told him that he deserved it for having no self-respect, but at the same time, he could not help but think that Lily had never gotten jealous of him, not even once.When Edward touched his scratched face with a smug grin, he told Alexander, “She did this because she cares about me!”That made Alexander wonder if Lily did not care about him according to Edward’s logic.‘That’s impossible! We’ve been through much together, and if anyone claimed that Lily doesn’t care about me, I wouldn’t believe it. However, something seems amiss, doesn’t it?’Like now, a mosquito had left a bite on his neck, exactly where a woman might get suspicious, but Lily was sure the culprit was a mosquito.‘Lily has spent almost every day with Olivia, so why is her way of thin
“What? Yes, uh, no, no, he’s not! Why are you asking about him?”They fell into an awkward silence. Lily would be a fool if she could not figure out what was happening. She chuckled and hurriedly said, “So sorry for interrupting you guys! Carry on with whatever you’re doing, and I’ll get out of your way. Goodbye!”She quickly disconnected her phone and let out a sigh of relief. Although she did not see anything and only heard a grunt, she could feel herself blushing. As she palmed her warm face, she realized the water had lost its heat. She quickly got to her feet, showered, and got out wearing a towel. Lily gasped when she saw Alexander lying on the bed, surprised that he had returned to the bedroom. “Is it so surprising to see me in the bedroom?” Seeing her reaction, Alexander lowered what he was holding. “Yes, I thought you were playing with Galen. You couldn’t take it, huh?” She said it half-jokingly as she took a towel to dry her hair. Alexander tossed aside what
“How come the mosquito bump grew so big?” She pressed it.“How do you know it’s a mosquito bump, not a...” He paused and let out a hiss despite himself. “Not what?” Removing her hand, Lily looked at him and asked.“Don’t you think it looks like something else? Or rather, doesn’t it make you suspect anything?”Lily thought he was acting weird. ‘He used to speak his mind. Why does he sound like he’s holding back?’“What exactly are you talking about?”Seeing her get impatient, Alexander decided to get straight to the point. “Don’t you think it looks like a... love bite?”“A what?” Blinking, Lily did not think much and said instinctively, “You think something else bit you?”Alexander was speechless. She saw his look and finally caught on to what he was saying. “Oh, you’re talking about a hickey!”“Yes, I suppose so…” He suddenly felt like an idiot.‘Why am I trying to make her suspect me when she wouldn’t do so in the first place? Would I feel better if she scratched my face
Suppressing her laughter, Lily wiped tears off the corners of her eyes. “You see, due to the nature of our work, Olivia and I have been exposed to all kinds of plants, and we’re no strangers to bugs. How could we not tell a mosquito bump from a hickey?”“Then why did she…” He frowned. “She did it on purpose!”Nodding, Lily said, “I remember Olivia complaining to me last month about some girl who kept tagging after Edward. I’m not sure if she was being sensitive or what, but Olivia was upset. I guess she’s just trying to use the mosquito bump as an excuse to vent her anger.”Alexander finally realized what it was all about. He and Edward thought wrongly that a mosquito bite could make a woman jealous. “But…” Even so, he had a question. He watched as she applied the facial mask to the dresser with her back facing him. “How come you’ve never gotten jealous?”“Why should I?” Lily posed a follow-up questionwhile lifting her face to make the facial mask sit well. Alexander thought ab
Thompson also spoke bluntly, “You’re not a professional, so you might not understand. The experiment may not sound complicated, but it requires excellent skills. Besides, even an ordinary product requires multiple experiences to succeed. Of course, an opportunistic businessman like you would not understand how hard it is.”The one who spoke to Thompson before this was Mike Corden. Mike was wearing his business suit as he lounged on the sofa with a cigar.After listening to Thompson, he narrowed his eyes, held up his cigar, and tapped off its ash. “If I remember correctly, Professor Thompson, you told us that La Beauté Group has withdrawn their funding.“Without opportunistic businessmen like me, you won’t be able to continue your experiment, no matter how great it is!”He was undiplomatic, knowing that without La Beauté Group, the project would not have the money to continue unless they could find a new funding source. Moreover, they did not want the experiment to stop.“You—” Fac
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