“Who is it? Is it someone I know?” Rhea blinked, sounding enthusiastic.“Austin Fike,” Lily said the name and paused to see Rhea’s reaction. “He works at the lab. You should know him.”Rhea knitted her brow and thought about it solemnly, then nodded. “Oh, yes! Is he rather tall and gentle-looking, and is some sort of a miracle doctor?”“Yes.” Lily nodded.“What happened to him?” Rhea quickly asked.“That’s what I’m trying to find out.” Lily kept observing Rhea’s expression and continued, “He seemed to have stayed in the lab for the past few days without going home, and he’s not answered his calls. I wonder if he’s still experimenting in the lab.”Rhea shook her head slightly and revealed an innocent look. “Well, I have no idea. We’re in charge of different projects and hardly see each other. I’m not sure if he’s still there. How about I call his department on your behalf?” She seemed somewhat helpful.Lily nodded. “I’d truly appreciate it if you could help.”“Hey, no problem at
“Why? Have you severed ties with all your male friends after marriage?” Lily asked bluntly.Rhea said, “I…”Lily continued, not waiting for Rhea’s answer, “Oh, I forgot. You aren’t married yet, are you?”“How do you know I’m not married?” Rhea narrowed her eyes. “This should be the first time we met, and I’ve never told you about my love life, have I?”“Just like you’ve known about me, I’ve heard about you for quite a long time.” Lily nodded and said meaningfully.“Oh?” Rhea raised her brow and felt somewhat surprised.“You have a cousin named Anastasia, and your mother purposely hired Austin to treat her. You should be quite close to Austin, shouldn’t you?” Lily turned around to study the woman’s expression.Rhea caught on. “Anastasia told you, huh?”Lily smiled without answering.“I’m afraid you’ve misunderstood. I hardly hang out with my cousin, although my mother treats her as a daughter and visits her often. I’m not even aware that Austin Fike has treated her. I had alway
Lily returned home safely and felt the house was empty. She had sent Galen to Dominic’s place, and Alexander was not around. Daisy had been released, leaving only her and a few maids in the large, quiet house.She turned on the computer to read the news. The pandemic in Burnwken has not only not been contained but has also gotten worse. There were cases in border areas of Hyderland and some other countries, while the virus seemed to have spread from Burnwken, which was widely condemned by other nations.Lily, on the other hand, had a feeling there was more to it than meets the eye, and she suspected it had something to do with the laboratory.Having decided to make a trip, she looked down and caressed her tummy, wishing her children could be strong and stick it out with her.The night fell.Lily wrapped layers of waistbands around her waist to keep her stomach in place. Although her belly was only slightly bulging and had not made it hard for her to move around, it somehow got in
Without any windows, he could not see if it was dark or bright outside. Occasionally, someone would deliver him simple food and water so he would not die of hunger, but Thompson had not returned since he left.He was not even certain if Thompson was willing to help him or how long he would be allowed to live.He barely hung on for a while and tried to sleep through his ordeal. Hearing the sound of the door opening, he thought someone was delivering food and did not bother to open his eyes.However, he then heard the clear and blood-curdling click-clack of high heels that stung his eardrums and made his heart shudder. It was the first time he had felt such fear toward a woman.‘Rhea Moore is such a cruel woman! She is cruel deep down, and it is not a pretense. She is so cold-blooded that she doesn’t care about human lives. What a horrible woman!’He did not want to open his eyes to look at her face until the click-clack stopped before him.Towering over him, Rhea saw that he seeme
Austin panicked but had to act calm. “Why would I wait for him? Isn’t he one of you?”Nodding, Rhea said, “So you’re not waiting for him? That’s good, then. Oh, yes, you are unaware of many things that have taken place outside. Something happened to Professor Thompson today. I don’t suppose you’re able to see him again.”“What happened?” Austin asked, despite himself.“He had an accident, and the doctor couldn’t save him. What a pity.” She let out a sigh, but there was no trace of regret in her voice.Austin’s pupils dilated in shock. “You guys killed him?”“Tsk, tsk, tsk…” Rhea clicked her tongue and waved. “How could you say that? Professor Thompson was involved in a traffic accident! A big truck crashed into his car. How could you accuse us of murder? We’re law-abiding citizens and could not bear to murder anyone, okay?”“Ha! Law-abiding citizens?” He snorted a laugh and said, “Would law-abiding citizens brandish their guns and commit false imprisonment? Rhea Moore, I never th
"What are you doing? Who are you trying to harm?" Austin was startled as he desperately tried to struggle free.He had been locked up for a few days and lost his strength. However, he was still a man in his prime years. As he continued to struggle, Rhea could not hold him down. Ultimately, she angrily let him go and kicked him twice out of annoyance.Those two kicks landed on his waist, and he yelped in pain. Then he heard her say, "Someone, drag him to the yard for me!""Yes, Miss!" Someone immediately swooped in and dragged Austin along behind Rhea.Once they passed the long corridor, Austin was blinded by the light. He had not been out for a while, and his eyes struggled to adapt. However, he slowly realized that it was already late at night.‘Where is she bringing me at this time of night? Who is the person she said I killed?’Questions filled his head, but Rhea strode on ahead without glancing back.The entire laboratory smelled of various essential oils, herbs, and spices
Austin had no idea who Rhea was talking about when someone suddenly popped up in his mind. ‘Lily! No one would know any loopholes around here unless they worked here. The only person who knew them and would come to save me is her.’With that in mind, he struggled desperately as his muffled screams filled the air. He attempted to warn Lily. Although he had no idea if she was near, this was the only thing he could do to help her.When Rhea saw him struggle, she flicked his chin and signaled for someone to come forward and kick him in the stomach. Austin immediately curled up in pain as sweat formed all over his body."Enough! Do you think this will change anything?" Rhea paused. "Oh, right, I forgot to tell you. We’ve remodeled this place recently and tightened the security. There are tranquilizers, poison grenades, and other things that would trigger if someone tried to break in.“You're aware that we run a lab here, right? We've made things we can't fully dispose of, so we've decid
Lily took a step back to avoid Mike’s touch and scrutinized him.Unexpectedly, he had prepared himself. Lily’s plan to infiltrate the research institute had failed. However, if she were to hold Mike hostage, would that stop the laboratory from running?Her mind began to spin. After all, Mike was the major shareholder in this project. Without him and his money, it would be difficult for them to continue the research."Lily, things are lurking in these waters. You shouldn't try to swim. You still have children to care for, and…" He glanced at her stomach. "You're risking too much. If Alexander were still here, he would never allow you to do this, am I right?""What do you mean by that? What do you mean if Alexander were still here?" Lily quickly picked up on his words as she stared at him. "Does the lab have anything to do with the plague in Burnwken? What other projects have you guys been running besides mine? Tell me!""You shouldn't stay here for long, and this isn't a place to t
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