“Of course. There’s no need for you to fight against your body. You need to communicate with it and compromise with each other.” Lily’s voice seemed to have a power that could calm anyone down. Anastasia sat up straight, staring at the desserts on the table while swallowing her saliva. She looked like she really wanted it.“Have a try?” Lily offered, seeing her desire. Slowly, Anastasia reached out for a piece of cake. When she moved the cake closer to her nose after picking it up, it appeared as though she was inhaling the aroma of the food. Desire filled her eyes, but at the same time, dilemmas and conflicting feelings were part of it too.“Have a piece. It’s fine. Eat slowly.” Lily encouraged.Anastasia slowly opened her mouth and treated the cake with caution, like it was a treasure. She stared at it for a long time and slowly sent it into her mouth. Just as she was about to bite it, a raging voice came behind her. “What are you doing?”The man’s roar made Lily tremble in
When Lily arrived home, she realized that Alexander was already back and that he was playing with their son in the living room. He looked like… he was going to head out soon.“Do we have dinner plans later?” Lily had been too busy lately, so she was unsure if she had forgotten something.“Nope, I just wanted to bring the both of you out for dinner,” Alexander answered. “You don’t have the time for that?”“I do, but why didn’t you call me and ask me to come home earlier?” Lily checked the time. Fortunately, it was not too late yet.“I’m not in a hurry, and I know you’ve been busy with many things lately. I can wait.”Galen stumbled toward Lily and opened his arms, wanting a hug from his mother. When his fingers almost touched her clothes, Alexander let out a cough that stopped Galen’s movement. He was still young, but he appeared to have understood what Alexander meant by that cough. He turned to look at his father, frowning as he thought for a moment before he spoke again. “Mama
“I know that,” Alexander said casually, not reacting much to it. “Everyone in Kingsland knows about that. Secretary Rollins had spoiled his daughter too much. She’s overweight and has a weird temper. The other girls in the circle don’t really hang out with her.”Hence, he found it strange when he learned that Lily was in contact with Anastasia, and the latter had even gifted his wife something costly. However, Lily was different from the other women anyway.“Spoiled her too much…” Lily repeated this phrase and sighed softly.“You don’t think so?”“Perhaps he loves her, but in the wrong way,” Lily elaborated.Alexander could tell she had many emotions from her trip to Cameron’s place. “What did you see?”“It’s nothing. I just want to ask you something. What if Gale becomes as fat as Ms. Rollins in the future? How would you treat him?” Lily asked while pointing to their son sitting in the baby chair.Subconsciously, his gaze followed her finger’s direction. The little boy had no i
“How long do you think humans can go without eating?” Lily asked seriously.Without hesitation, Alexander said, “There’s research data on this. People can go about seven days without eating anything.”Lily nodded and continued, “A human body consumes energy even if they don’t do anything. If humans were to consume their energy every day without eating anything to compensate for that, how could their bodies take it in the long run?”Alexander seemed to understand it, but perhaps not entirely.“Think of humans as robots. If you want the robots to lose weight or do anything, you’ll need to give it something to move.” Then Lily paused for a moment before continuing, “Anyhow, she’s losing weight the wrong way now, and it’ll be difficult for her to do so like this. Also, her mental health will worsen if this continues.”Lily wanted to tell Alexander that Anastasia’s mental health was already on the verge of crumbling. Anastasia’s resistance toward food had reached a limit, and she would
Cameron was strict about Anastasia’s diet, but he still encouraged her to socialize and hoped she would have friends. However, Anastasia was always reluctant to do so, perhaps due to her low self-esteem.Alexander was speechless. ‘It turns out Lily just wants to use my name to do something, and she even said she didn’t need me at first! I’m still useless, even more so than that punk.’He turned to look at Galen, who returned a bright smile as if to mock him for being useless to his wife when he was such an influential man in the business world. Alexander just stared at him. ‘What are you laughing at? You’re just a tool!’Lily did not realize the eye contact between the two and assumed that Alexander had agreed to her request. “That’s settled then. If Secretary Rollins asks about it next time, just tell him what I said earlier.”“Okay…” Alexander hummed, slightly upset.…Maria had waited outside the institute for two days but caught no sight of Austin. It made her doubt herself.
Austin widened his eyes. He wanted to dodge, but his legs were rooted to the ground. Hence, he stood frozen in place.Slam!Maria knocked Austin to the ground. She did not think she would trip over her heels as well, and her body was leaning forward as she lost control over it. Her arms were wide open, and she crashed into Austin entirely.“Mr. Fike? Mr. Fike, are you alright?” She hurried to get up, but it only made her press down on him even more. Austin was gritting his teeth by now, and with all his strength, he shoved Maria away. He lifted himself off the floor and brushed the dust off his clothes as he yelled in rage, “Who the h*ll are you?! Are you nuts?!”“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” Maria felt awkward and embarrassed. Initially, she wanted to show her sincerity toward Austin, but she almost crushed him to death.“Mr. Fike, I didn’t fall on you on purpose. I tripped right there, and look how my heels are broken. I…” As Maria explained herself, she stretched her leg out to
Maria’s brain could not process Austin’s words, and she stood there, stunned. Austin did not care for all the things she had mentioned. Since everyone thought he was Dominic’s secret apprentice, many wealthy and influential people sought his help. It was not like he helped all of them.He knew he was not Dominic’s secret apprentice. Although he was confident in his medical skills, there was a risk of things going wrong. When that happened, he would offend influential people, so taking the risk would not be worth it.Moreover, he understood that he could not accept their invitation easily with the increasing number of people who sought his help. It would only make him lose his mystique and make him appear worthless.“Mr. Fike, I don’t have ill intentions, and I’m not lying to you. Didn’t you learn about medicine to save people’s lives? My niece is only a little over 20 years old, and she consulted many doctors about her condition, but none of them could help her.“If you could save
With Alexander playing along, Lily called and invited Anastasia over the next day. Lily wanted Anastasia to go to her house because, firstly, Anastasia did not enjoy being in public places and being stared at. Secondly, she could be more casual and relaxed in the house.Apart from that, Anastasia’s house would not be appropriate. If her father, Secretary Cameron Rollins, were to return or say anything, her treatment would be disrupted. ‘That’s right! Anastasia requires treatment. I think her obesity is caused by both psychological and physiological problems.’To ascertain the problem, Lily needed to take the woman’s pulse. However, before concluding, Lily did not want to reveal much. Even Alexander had no idea that she was Dominic’s secret apprentice.To Lily, there was nothing special about her relationship with Dominic. She had only learned something that she was interested in from an expert and that might be useful in the future. Coincidentally, the expert was famous, and
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