"Mom?" Nathaniel asked Eloise in confusion. He was stunned as he had not expected her to say that."Why would Lily tamper with the formula? How many years have you been dating each other? You know very well that most of your company's products were created by Lily. She had always been obedient to you. Why’d you force her to leave?"While Eloise spoke, she tapped her knuckles on the tabletop, her expression severe. She looked like a stern teacher reprimanding her student who had just made a mistake.Eloise's questions puzzled Nathaniel. He was embarrassed and was about to break out in a cold sweat. "Mom…""I asked Frank to help you because you're my son. I don't want to see you fail after you've worked hard for such a long time. However, that didn't mean that you did nothing wrong. Nate, you made a big mistake!"She was merciless in her criticisms, and the person who felt most awkward now was Melanie. 'What’s going on? I came here with Nathaniel to meet my future mother-in-law, b
Nathaniel was overjoyed. He held the debit card with one of his hands and Melanie’s hand with the other. “Mel, we can finally get married!”Melanie glanced at the card and coldly shrugged his hand off her. “Really?”“Look. This card is a gift from my mom, meaning she has already approved you as her daughter-in-law. I know what she said earlier made you upset, but don’t overthink them because she meant nothing ill. She just wants the best for me, that’s all.”“I’m sure she wants that. She even chose a wife for you. However, I am not the woman she thinks is qualified to be her daughter-in-law.” Melanie was mad upon thinking of what Nathaniel’s mother had said earlier.‘She kept talking about Lily when I was the one who sat in front of her! I am the woman who will marry her son, not Lily!’Melanie could tell that Nathaniel’s mother looked down on her, making her uncomfortable. “You’re upset again, aren’t you? I told you my mom didn’t mean what she said. It doesn’t matter how much s
“Try again! If you still can’t get through, go to her house and drag her here! How dare she skip coming to work?!” Nathaniel rebuked, but he felt he had not fully expressed his anger. After pondering for a moment, he said, “Forget it. I’ll do it myself!”Then he drove back to the company and headed straight to the HR Department as soon as he arrived. “Get me Olivia Hart’s information. She left her position without getting prior approval from higher management. Tell the Legal Department to devise the appropriate punishment and compensation for this case.”One of the executives from the HR Department looked at Nathaniel and said, “Mr. Hall, Olivia submitted her resignation letter more than a month ago. According to the Labor Law, she can leave her job position 30 days after submitting her resignation letter regardless of your approval.”“What kind of stupid law is that? Why haven’t I heard of it before?” Nathaniel was astonished as this was not something he had expected. He was under
“Sorry, I overslept.” Lily looked at Olivia. “I guess I don’t need to introduce you two to each other.”“We’re a team from today onward! Just drop the formalities,” Jenny said with a smile as she put her hand around Olivia’s shoulders.“Jen, you’re so biased! You weren’t this kind to me back then.” Lily shook her head, fighting against the injustice she went through.“That’s different. I thought you made it here because of your connections back then, but I approved of Olivia coming in this way.” Jenny joked and patted Olivia on her shoulder.“You sure have double standards!” Lily exclaimed, chuckling before she continued, “Well then. Let’s get to work now that you’re here. Coincidentally, I lack staffing here. I want to find out the new product’s formula as soon as possible.”“Sure, you two get to work then. You can complete the paperwork for your recruitment in a few days, right? Just head to the HR Department to complete them,” Jenny said.The question was for Olivia, to which
Back when they were still working at MN Inc., Olivia would give Lily shoulder massages too. It had been a long time since she last did it. Lily did not refuse her offer and turned around, sweeping her hair to one side and revealing her slender neck. With both hands, Olivia massaged Lily's shoulders, applying just enough pressure to make Lily feel better after the muscles in her neck had relaxed."It's so good to have you here. I was overwhelmed the past two days and feel much more relaxed with you here." Lily raised her head and closed her eyes as the massage made her slightly sleepy.It would be a long process to create a new product. After all, the product had to be tested several times before being launched. Now that Olivia was here, Lily did not have to do everything alone."In that case, you should consider giving me a salary increase, shouldn't you?" Olivia joked."Hey! Who asks for a pay raise on their first day of work? You're going to scare your boss away!" Lily said in
“What do you mean by that? What’s his name? Let me see if I know the guy.”“You’ll find out soon enough!” Lily raised her hand and patted Olivia’s shoulder. Lily stood up and changed the topic, “Liv, it might be more challenging to create this new product, and work would be tougher, too.”“You make it sound like our work was easy back then. Don’t worry about it. Just lead the project and leave the preparations to me.” Olivia smiled.“I knew you’re the best assistant I could ever ask for!”When they returned to the lab, Lily first checked the extracted samples. They were, as expected, nothing like what she wanted.It was essential to use high-quality components, but the extraction and purification techniques necessary to achieve the desired scent were also crucial. The complicated procedure had to be carried out repeatedly before it could be considered a success.The launch of a new perfume in the market involved many hours of hard work by the perfumers. Those who would steal th
Nathaniel resented Lily but had no power over her. Hence, he shifted his target to Olivia, which would indirectly affect Lily.“What am I going to do?” Olivia’s mood worsened as she held the piece of paper. “I can’t work here anymore?”Jenny nodded. She also felt terrible when she heard about it. Recruiting a new employee for Rebirth was simple, but it was difficult to manage legal matters on her own.“Don’t worry just yet. I’ll figure something out.” Lily comforted Olivia.Every problem has its solution. They were only confused because it came out of the blue.Lily thought to herself, 'Nathaniel sure moves fast. Today was Olivia's first day, and he’d already sent her the letter. This means he’d been keeping an eye on us, so I guess he wasn’t serious when he claimed we’d go our separate ways. ‘Look what he did now. How could we part ways if he continued bothering me? I held off getting even with them, but they can’t wait for sh*t to happen to them. If so, I’ll be merciless!’Th
Nothing was set in stone, after all, and one must be smart enough to think outside the box and find other ways to deal with life.‘I should stop playing defensively and strike back whenever someone provokes me. It’s about time I retaliate and show those two I’m not someone to be trifled with.’When Alexander arrived home, the sight of Lily lying on her stomach on the couch welcomed him. Her laptop was in front of her as her fingers gracefully typed away on her keyboard. Lily crossed her calves mid-air while focusing all her attention on the screen.It was rare to see Lily working on her laptop at home in such a position. Alexander put down his things and changed into his house slippers before peeking over to see what Lily was doing. She had several tabs on her screen, registering for a troll account on a certain website.“What’s up?” Alexander went to pour himself a glass of water and brought one for Lily as well.Lily adjusted her posture and sat cross-legged with her laptop on h
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