Lily stared blankly at the shattered glass on the ground, anxiety rising as though the sharp sound had found its way into her heart.Then she crouched down to pick them up before Olivia quickly grabbed her. "Don't! Let me do it!""I'm sorryโฆ" Lily mumbled. It seemed like she was in a trance."What are you apologizing for? This is your studio," Olivia joked, trying to lighten the mood.She noticed Lily's absentmindedness today but did not bring it up or ask any questions. Once she saw how out of it Lily was, Olivia knew Lily couldn't continue working."Go and rest. Leave this to me!" Olivia said, pushing Lily out before she turned to clean up the mess on the floor.It was fortunate that the contents were merely perfume-making raw materials. Even if it were broken and scattered, it wouldn't be harmful.Once she was done cleaning up, she saw Lily sitting on the sofa outside with a calm look. However, Lily seemed immersed in her phone, scrolling through her messages."Has Mr. Russe
"What do you mean?" Olivia was a little curious.After all, it was a yes-or-no question."Instead of saying that I'm helping her lose weight, it's more of trying to cure her illness."When Lily picked up the teacup, there was an anti-scalding cover over it. It wasn't hot enough to burn her hand, but she felt refreshed when the heat blew against her face."Cure her illness?" Olivia asked, a little puzzled. Then something clicked. "I get it now. Other things cause obesity. Does it have something to do with her endocrine system?"To her surprise, Lily shook her head. "No."After saying a word, she fell silent again and blew on the tea as if deep in thought.Olivia did not bug her either. She just found all this a little strange.After a while, Lily finally spoke. "I haven't figured it out yet. It's just a wild guess. I'll have to look deeper into it.""Oh," Olivia responded. Just as she stretched out her arm to pick up her glass of tea, she saw Lily put hers down and stand up. "I
"Arenโt I welcome here?" Lily said as she strode in."Why, of course, you are. Why wouldn't you be?" The older man said it with a smile. "Howeverโฆ"Seeing how he was protecting his food with his hands, Lily sighed. "The doctor told me I shouldn't eat spicy food throughout my pregnancy.""Then you can't have this. I put a lot of peppers in it. Oh my, what a pity!" He quickly said before returning to his meal with a joyful expression.Seeing this, she shook her head, speechless.Who would have thought that the world-famous miracle doctor's favorite thing to do was to eat? On top of that, he was also very protective of his food. He would always be afraid that someone might steal it. Even after Lily clarified that she was not interested, he would still protect it.Dominic casually asked as he ate, "By the way, I heard your experiment was a success. Not bad! You're my apprentice, indeed!"He was triumphant, with a proud look on his face. Although outsiders did not know that Lily was
Without waiting for Lilyโs answer, Dominic grumbled, โThat research institute is up to no good, isnโt it? What the hell are they doing?โโNo, no, itโs not the research institute.โ Lily shook her head and continued, โItโs something Iโve noticed, but Iโm not sure if it would work.โโIt is possible, but there are too many uncertainties! How much we can absorb from the herbs after cooking could be studied based on experience accumulated over the generations, but to study how much we would absorb through their scents is a whole new level of difficulty, not to mention the interaction between different herbs. Itโs not only tough but also risky!โDominic picked up a glass of water and took a sip. โI wonder what kind of test subjects are required to obtain accurate data for an experiment like this?โHe thought about it, looked over his shoulder, and asked, โUsing monkeys?โLily was surprised.โWe can consider monkeys as closest to human beings. However, one could only obtain data that are
Anastasia returned home joyfully and noticed that Maria was there again. She grew impatient seeing the miracle doctor with her aunt waiting for her.โDidnโt I tell her I donโt want to see him? Why canโt she leave me alone? If she continues like this, I wouldnโt want her to enter the house anymore.โAlthough upset, Anastasia still greeted her aunt, โHi, Aunt Maria.โโTasia, youโre finally home. Youโre always coming home so late day after day, and yet your father has never gotten worried. What is he thinking?โ Maria knew their relationship had been strained for the last two days and conveyed her concerns instead of getting to her point.โIโm a grownup, and I wasnโt going to shady places, so why worry? You seem quite free to come here so often,โ Anastasia spoke bluntly and lifted her eyelids as she looked over to Austin, who remained quiet on the sidelines.โAlso, youโre always accompanied by a man of dubious background. Arenโt you afraid my uncle would get jealous?โ She said half-jo
โMr. Fikeโฆโ Maria worried Austin would get upset and hurriedly try to explain her nieceโs behavior. However, Austin ignored her and focused his attention on Anastasia.Anastasia turned to look at him straight into his eyes. โWhy do you care?โAustin smiled indifferently and said, โDid she also tell you that as long as you have a reasonable diet and adjust your nutrition structure well, you would be able to eat until youโre full while losing weight?โAnastasia looked at him warily without saying anything, but Maria babbled loudly, โWhat kind of deviant theory is that?! How can we not go hungry when we try to lose weight? How can we be full and yet slim down? Thatโs total b*llshit! Tasia, you mustn't believe that!โโNo, to a certain degree, sheโs right,โ Austin said, to Mariaโs surprise.Maria was puzzled.โYou think that sheโs right too?โ Without realizing it, Anastasia became less hostile toward Austin.โIโm saying to a certain degree, โAustin said blandly.Many weight loss exp
Austin rested his fingers on Anastasiaโs wrist and dropped his smile, looking much more solemn.She was nervous.In the past, they had engaged many doctors. Some gave her X-rays, and some took her pulse, but they had not discovered anything and simply said her endocrine system was unstable and needed treatment.She later took herbal medicine for a while, and it was so bitter that she wanted to cry. Ultimately, the result was not good, and she gradually gave it up.She also went to the gym. Being obese, she was not suitable for strenuous exercises and could only walk about and perform simple activities. But back at home, she would fall into a deep sleep and wake up feeling hungrier. This disrupted her circadian rhythm and made her want to eat more.After a while, she slowly lost hope and gave up.For the past two days, she has been happy at Lilyโs house. She neither thought about losing weight nor whether she would feel guilty eating a particular food. It was as if she gave her bo
โYouโre no ordinary fat person.โ Shaking his head, Austin narrowed his eyes at her. โI can tell your obesity is not caused by something common from your pulse. I think you're... poisoned.โโPoisoned?โMaria and Anastasia spoke aloud almost at the same time. This was shocking to them.Anastasia had met many doctors and coaches and tried all sorts of methods. Some told her that her DNA caused her obesity, some said it was the result of her letting herself go, and some claimed that it was a psychological problem and asked her to see a psychiatrist. However, no one had ever told her that she was poisoned.โNo way. It canโt be, right?โ Horrified, Maria spluttered. โHow can she be poisoned?โโThatโs right!โ Catching herself, Anastasia also thought it was ridiculous. โEven though youโre a miracle doctor, you canโt spout nonsense. Iโve seen many mainstream and alternative medicine doctors, but none has ever said I was poisoned. Are you trying to say that they are all bad doctors and could
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