Anastasia wasn't expecting any visitors today.Therefore, she was surprised when she turned into her house to find a car parked at the door. A woman was leaning on the side of the vehicle. She looked slender, with a casual yet elegant posture. It was a silhouette she would love to have and was jealous of.The car was parked diagonally at the door, blocking her way in. It seemed like the woman was waiting for her. Anastasia rolled her window down and poked her head out. "Rhea?"Rhea straightened up, making her legs look even more slender. She casually stuffed her hands in her pockets and looked at Anastasia before chuckling. "You're home.""Mhm. Are you looking for me?" Anastasia still asked with her eyebrows raised, although she probably could have guessed why her cousin was there."Yeah." Rhea nodded as she looked at her with a half-smile. Behind that smile was a hint of scrutiny.Anastasia felt a little uncomfortable. However, it was her cousin, after all—one of her few relat
Anastasia thought her aunt had told Rhea to ask her about that, so Anastasia nodded and lied to avoid any trouble.Nonetheless, the prescription would not work because Lily said it was unsuitable for Anastasia’s case. Therefore, Anastasia obeyed Lily’s request and did not take Austin’s prescription. However, she could not let her aunt find out, or Maria would go on another ramble.Rhea squinted.'Liar! She wouldn’t be like this if she had taken Austin’s prescription. Although she might lose some weight, she would still be depressed and groggy. She mustn’t have taken it, yet she lies so casually. She has grown up!’"Oh, why are you so free today? I heard from Aunt Maria that you've been very busy. It sounds like you're working in some lab?" Anastasia asked as she walked over with two glasses of water and handed one to Rhea.When Rhea took the glass from her cousin, Anastasia had no idea if Rhea had initially touched her wrist before sliding her hand down to grab the glass. This sta
"Yes! I wanted to tidy the place so people would feel more comfortable." Anastasia followed Rhea's gaze and looked around. "It didn't feel like it before, but after clearing the room, I feel much lighter, and the room is much more comfortable. It's a lot brighter than before, don't you think?"Rhea raised her eyebrows and did not say anything.Seeing this, Anastasia smiled. "Oh, I forgot that you don't come here often. You probably don't know what it was like before. Anyways, I like the way the house is now. Even my father said the house seems brighter, and I look more cheerful."There was a bright smile on Anastasia’s when she mentioned her father. Her face was full of pride and joy. Her smile was so dazzling that it was a little blinding to Rhea.Cameron was a good father whom Anastasia was proud to have. Although he could have spent more time with Anastasia, he always gave her all his love and doted on her.As for Rhea, her parents often quarreled over money, business, and othe
Not only Anastasia’s complexion, but it also seemed like she was a whole new person. Ever since she gained weight, although Rhea seldom came over, Anastasia would have her gaze lowered as she dragged herself around.She seemed sluggish, and each word she said was poisonous. Now, there was a sparkle in her eyes, and she had her back straightened. She no longer avoided eye contact when she spoke. Anastasia was an entirely new person.Maria had mentioned that name too many times. Even in the laboratory, Austin would bring up Lily's name. It was hard for Rhea not to remember it."No. It isn’t much of a treatment. I'm just going to Lily’s place to eat from time to time. Aunt Maria seems to have something against her. Did she say something? Lily is a lovely person! I'll introduce you to her when I get the chance!“Since both of you are so smart, I'm sure you two will get along well!" Anastasia thought Rhea's prejudice stemmed from what her aunt had told her and quickly explained the situ
"Mommy has a question for you. Do you like Daisy?" Lily asked Galen gently. She wanted to figure out how important Daisy was to him."I like her!" The little boy nodded without hesitation.Then Lily asked, "So, how much do you like her?""Hmm…" He didn't know how to describe it and looked a little flustered."Let's put it this way. Do you like Daisy more, or do you like Mommy and Daddy more?" She guided him."Mommy and Daddy!" That was a good comparison.Lily was relieved to hear that. If Galen chose Daisy over her and Alexander, she would have to reflect on herself."Well, Mommy wants to tell you that Daisy will leave us soon."Hearing this, Galen's eyes widened. "Why?""She's a nanny we hired to take care of you. You won't need someone to babysit you when you get older. She may also leave if she has something she has to do at home. She's just like the other maids in our house. We just have an employment relationship. That means that they're just at our house to work. Once th
When Daisy kneeled to wipe Galen’s tender little face with a towel, Galen blinked at her, and she couldn't help but laugh. "What's the matter? Did you forget who I am after one night?""Daisy.""Yeah?""Are you leaving?"Daisy fell silent. After a few seconds, she looked up at the child gently. "Did your mother tell you that?""Yeah." Galen nodded. Then he asked again, "Are you leaving?""Maybe!" After thinking for a while, she slowly said, "Will you miss me?""Yes!" He exclaimed with certainty as he nodded."Then, if I leave one day, you can't cry!" She tapped his nose and smiled dotingly at him."I won't cry!" He shook his head, remembering what his mother had said. "Mommy said I'm a... little man!" He was hesitant for a moment as he tried to recall the words.This made Daisy laugh out loud. "Yes, you are a little man. You're a superhero! Then, little man, can you get dressed on your own?""Yes!" With that, he rushed out of the bathroom and toward his clothes on the bed.
Galen’s words made Lily realize that if even a young child could notice, others might too. After thinking about this, she turned and looked at him. "Then let's not go to Grandpa's house. Mommy will bring you somewhere else before going there, okay?""Okay!" It didn't matter where they went as long as he could get there to play .Lily smiled. "You're so adorable!"With that, she started the car, adjusted her seat, and glanced into the rearview mirror at the front door. No one was there, and the closed door made the house look deserted.She looked away and said, "Hold on tight!" Then she drove off.…Lily took Galen for a morning stroll before going to the mall. They came out with several bags of clothes and a bunch of toys. She even bought a few art pieces, filling the trunk to the brim.Galen's mouth dropped when he saw the stuffed trunk. "Wow!"He couldn't find the words to say."Are you happy?" Lily smiled."Happy!" He nodded vigorously and pointed at the toys. "Are you g
"Oh, oh, oh. This is all Grandpa's fault!" Dominic slapped his own face lightly and ordered someone to carry the child into a bedroom. Then he covered Galen with a small blanket and watched the little boy toss and turn to a more comfortable sleeping position.Once Galen had fallen back into his slumber, Dominic waved everyone away and came out. He tiptoed cautiously and kicked off the slippers that were getting in the way. He only breathed a sigh of relief once he reached the living room.When he saw Lily leisurely sipping on tea, he could not help but feel a surge of anger. "Tell me, what are you trying to do?!""I want you to do me a favor, Mr. Fike," She replied politely."You want me…" After a pause, all his anger seemed to have dissipated. He was not used to Lily speaking to him so politely. "Hey, hey, hey."He glanced at her, speechless. It wasn't that Lily disrespected him on purpose. He was the one who told her to treat him as a friend. Although she sometimes addressed him
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