Faced with Rhea’s doubts, Lily was neither angry nor nervous. Instead, she raised her pen upward and pointed to the ceiling. "Oh, but there are CCTVs."Rhea immediately fell silent but still did not believe Lily. "No one checks the surveillance footage, so you can run your mouth! Who knows if you were really at the lab?!""I did."Lily initially wanted to defend herself by saying Rhea could check the footage if she did not believe her, but before Lily could open her mouth, the man at the side spoke. Lily was startled and quickly swallowed her words."What?!" Rhea did not expect him to defend Lily and was momentarily stunned."I've checked all the monitoring systems, and she’s not lying," the man said in a deep voice.The 'she' he mentioned naturally referred to Lily.Rhea's lips moved as if he wanted to say something. Instead, she stared at Lily fiercely and leaned back, somewhat unconvinced."All right, it's useless to discuss this now. Our priority is to get the boss back as
"Someone has wronged you, Mr. Corden!" Rick raised his hand and lightly patted Mike’s shoulder. Then he glanced meaningfully at Mike’s injury before sitting down again.Mike sucked in a breath, obviously in much pain. As he put his leg away, he tied up the torn bandage again and said, "Rick, what were you trying to do? Did you think my injury was fake?"Rick's voice was cold as a smile crept onto his stoic face. "Well, not really. I just wanted to see what weapon the other party used."His excuse was superficial, and no one bought it. Mike snorted and said, "If you wanted to know what weapon they used, you could've just asked me. Also, don't change the topic! The most urgent thing right now is to find the boss quickly!"After a pause, he continued, "Do the higher-ups know about the boss’s disappearance?"Everyone was downplaying the situation before this. Now that Mike had mentioned the higher-ups, Rhea's face froze. Even Rick raised his brows.Only Lily did not react much to it.
Lily laughed mockingly. "So, you're saying we don't need evidence at all? As long as you want to do it, you can, right? The boss has only disappeared briefly, and you're already here, showcasing your power. Are you saying everything will be your call if the boss is gone? If that's the case, you're the prime suspect!"Lily downplayed herself and shifted the blame back unto Rhea in just a few sentences."I…" Shocked momentarily, Rhea immediately retorted, "I didn't say that!"She swallowed her words angrily, feeling Rick's calm eyes on her. The back of her spine felt a little chilly.She had met Rick several times, but not enough. However, she knew he often appeared by the boss's side. He was a man of very few words and always seemed indifferent. His actions were always cruel and vicious.Rhea accidentally ran into him once while he was punishing someone. Even though she had grown accustomed to various experiments and bloodshed, she still felt sick at that scene. Later, an inexplica
Rick only understood what Lily meant after a moment. He shook his head and said, “No. Before the boss returns, four of us can express our opinions and doubts. Anyone who has an opinion can speak up as well. Certainly…"After a pause, his eyes gradually turned cold and sullen. "If anyone is a traitor, they will not be let go!"Once the meeting adjourned, Rhea stood before Lily solemnly. "Is it you?""What do you think?" Lily looked at her leisurely, neither admitting nor denying it."It seems you are competent. I didn't expect you to be able to kidnap the boss. However, don't assume your plan is seamless. You have no idea how scary the people behind the boss are!" Rhea retorted.Fear quickly flashed across her eyes as she mentioned those working behind the scenes.Lily laughed lightly. "Why? Do you understand fear as well? Here I was, thinking you were a fearless psychopath!""You—!" Rhea was furious upon being ridiculed."Also, you said I can't assume the plan to be seamless, r
Just as Lily gulped down half the glass of water, a knock on the door sounded from outside."It's not locked," Lily called out, not bothering to get up. She predicted for a knock to come around this time.The door opened, and it was Mike outside. When he entered, he looked back and was about to close the door when Lily said, "Don't close it.""Huh?""If there were two pairs of eyes on you and me in the past, now it'll double. Whether or not you close the door doesn’t affect anything. It just makes you look more guilty," Lily explained lazily with an indifferent expression. "It's so messy now; there's nothing to avoid."Thinking about this, Mike quickly reopened the door widely. That way, he could observe the situation outside of her room.Lily seemed a little irritable. She put a cushion behind her and leaned back lazily with her brows furrowed. Mike could not tell what she was thinking about."The surveillance Rick saw…""The wound on your leg…"The two spoke almost simultane
"Since the boss is ‘missing,’ I guess Rick's also under pressure?" Lily asked lazily."That's inevitable. After all, we're not in direct contact with the higher-ups. Even if they wanted to pressure or punish us, they would do it through…" Mike stopped and looked at her. "So, what are you trying to say here?"She shook her head and said, "I think Edward’s reckless attack this time may not be entirely wrong. Before, we were fearful and hesitant, not daring to make a move on the boss because we had our reservations.“Edward doesn't know much, nor does he think things through. He’s highly straightforward, but sometimes, the simplest ideas and actions result in the biggest breakthroughs."Mike was deep in thought after listening to her words.‘She’s right. I didn’t dare to take action because I was worried about Nick. Meanwhile, Lily wanted to catch the bigger fish behind the boss, so she didn’t take action either. However, Edward knew nothing.’He only thought about blowing up and de
Mike nodded and said nothing more. However, he stopped again and turned to look at her when he reached the door."What?"He hesitated to speak. After a while, he finally said, "I know it's your body, so you should know best, but I've experienced this and know highly risky childbirth is. Nick's birth almost cost his mother’s life, and because of this, she spiraled out of control. I couldn't just disregard her.“You're six months pregnant and live in such a tense environment. You shouldn't be stubborn and try to do everything yourself."Lily did not like the word "stubborn" because it made her sound like she was trying too hard. However, she knew Mike said these things out of concern. She did not refute and instead nodded. “I understand. Thank you, Mike.”She found it tough to thank him.Since he confessed to his deception, they could no longer return to how they were before. Although they had joined forces and faced various difficulties and dangers together, they still were not fr
Mike was puzzled and had a vague sense of impending danger. He subconsciously looked at Lily but noticed her indifference. She was still sitting there lazily and even adjusted her position. "Mr. Rick, this seems to be an unwelcome visit.""There's a misunderstanding," Rick said coldly.At this time, he retracted his hand from Mike's shoulder and walked toward the chair across from Lily. He sat and said, "I came here because I have some questions I want to ask you two."Mike's shoulders loosened as he shrugged a little. He immediately froze after hearing Rick’s statement.Lily raised her brows and looked at Rick calmly. "I thought we've said everything in the meeting room."However, Rick raised his hand coldly and pressed something in his hand. Then a faint "pop" echoed, like a small explosion, followed by a faint burnt smell.Mike was stunned for a moment. "You…""There are too many things in here. I destroyed them." With that, Rick withdrew his hand. "Now, nothing can hinder us
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