Dominic frowned and did not rush to conclude. Instead, he released Galen's hand and said, "Come take a look, too."Austin was bewildered. Still, he hesitantly but gently touched Galen’s wrist. The little one’s pulse was regular and stable, meaning he was completely healthy. It was also normal for his pulse to be a little faster.Austin did not notice any difference and looked at his granduncle perplexedly and curiously. However, Dominic only smiled at him as if waiting for him to determine the answer himself.Austin withdrew his gaze and continued to feel Galen’s pulse. After a while, he still could not sense anything unusual. He thought for a moment, then withdrew his hand. “Uncle Dom, Galen is very healthy.”“Yes, he is.” Dominic nodded with a faint smile. He felt satisfied with the outcome. Regardless of the circumstances, it was no easy feat for Galen to remain healthy, which was excellent news for Dominic.“B-But…” Austin hesitated. Not only did he want to assess Galen’s heal
"Go to your room and play for a while. I'm getting a little tired, and I need to rest," Dominic said softly, gently patting Galen.Galen was very sensible. Although he did not fully understand everything that had happened recently, he had become much more obedient. Moreover, his father had entrusted him before leaving, telling him to listen to Dominic and Austin. Galen remembered it all."Okay. I won't disturb you then. If you miss me, just call me." With that, Galen turned around, propping his chubby little arms on the bed, ready to climb down.Austin immediately scooped the little one up and turned to leave the room. When he reached Galen’s room, he set the little one down before bending and saying, “What do you want to eat? I can order takeout for us. How about that?”He thought Galen would happily agree. However, the little one shook his head. “No, Daddy said I shouldn’t trouble others unnecessarily. Grandpa is the most important right now. Please take care of Grandpa, Uncle Au
All the apparent ease and nonchalance Dominic displayed earlier were just him relying on sheer willpower. He did not want Galen to see him so worn out. He did not want to scare the child or let him see that side of him.‘Uncle Dom clenched his teeth and forced himself to stay strong. I thought he was getting better. How stupid and naive am I?!’Austin genuinely hated himself, feeling guilty for being careless and inattentive. He carefully supported Dominic and grabbed his wrist to check his pulse. The older man’s pulse was inconsistent, sometimes rapid and sometimes slow, which felt dangerous.“Uncle Dom!” Austin choked, wanting to say something but unable to find the words."It's nothing!" Dominic sighed and said, "Towels!"Austin hurriedly got up to fetch the towels. Then he brought one dry one and one wet one. Dominic saw him holding the two towels, smiled, and tugged at the corner of his mouth. The older man managed to squeeze out two words, “How smart!”He wanted to tell Aus
Later, Dominic fell unconscious, just like he did two days ago.Austin noticed his eyelids were not twitching rapidly, indicating Dominic was asleep. The former also checked the latter’s breathing and pulse. Although Dominic’s pulse was weak, it showed no signs of immediate life-threatening dangers.Austin considered it fortunate amid misfortune. He was conflicted as he struggled with himself internally. On the one hand, he did not want to waste time here, but on the other, he could not just leave.‘I’m the only one left to care for everyone here. What would happen to Uncle Dom if I left? What would happen to Galen? What about the servants?’With that in mind, Austin stood up and walked to the balcony to look downstairs. Everything below seemed lifeless in the vast estate. Even the once vibrant plants and trees appeared dull and withered at that moment, hanging their leaves dejectedly.While the servants rested in their respective quarters, Austin walked through the garden and occ
Lily had previously attempted to break the windows, causing a lot of commotion, but she barely left a scratch. She could not even make a crack, and the people outside did not even bother checking on her.It indicated they were confident she could not escape through the windows. After struggling for a while, she only managed to exhaust herself and work up a sweat, with no other effect.Fortunately, a clock was in the room to allow her to keep track of time. Initially, Lily was not in a hurry, thinking someone would come to her. However, three days had passed, and there was no sign of activity.Every day was the same, besides hers and her little ones’ increasing restlessness. Lily paced around the room continuously as she could not leave. Her body felt heavy, and her movements became sluggish. If she were to try anything, she would not have much chance of escaping."I want to see your boss!" Lily opened the door and stood at the entrance, addressing the two guards. As she expected, t
However, Lily was shocked when the person showed up at the door. It was not the mastermind she had anticipated or a mysterious figure.The person before her was wearing a white coat and a mask, accompanied by two similarly dressed individuals carrying a medical kit. Anyone could tell they were medics at a glance. Lily was horrified.She never expected the organization to be so sly and not come to see her. Instead, they sent a doctor and two nurses. Lily had lied about going into premature labor, and if she was genuinely about to give birth, the doctor could help her. However, the doctor could expose her lies since she was not.She watched as the doctor approached. After some thought, she planned to lay there motionless.When the doctor got close enough, they wasted no time and immediately began examining Lily. The two nurses beside the doctor placed a medicine tray down and waited for the doctor’s instructions.The doctor took his stethoscope and was about to examine Lily when she
Lily saw a man in a beige suit leaning on an exquisite cane and smiling at her. The man had golden curly hair and blue eyes, appearing to be in his thirties. Lily would have thought he was a gentleman if she had met him elsewhere.The two guards snapped to attention and saluted the man when they saw him. No one cared about the doctor or the chaos; order had seemingly restored itself due to the man’s appearance.Even the doctor who Lily held hostage stopped screaming.“Good day, Mrs. Russell.”Lily narrowed her eyes. “You’re their boss? The organization’s leader?”The man smiled and gave no verbal reply. He only waved off the others, signaling them to stand down.“Mrs. Russell, you just wanted to talk, right? Why don’t you let that innocent man go?” he said.Lily chuckled mockingly. “So you guys know it’s wrong to hurt innocent people, huh?”Immediately after, she pushed the doctor away, setting him free. She simultaneously threw the needle, which pierced into a sponge pad insid
Lily could only speculate because how these people did things was mind-boggling.‘They’re too secretive, and Mike was right when he said a powerful force was backing the organization. Still, we can’t just give up because we’re no match for them. Even the smallest pebble can cause one to stumble, right?’The man tapped his finger on his cane and cocked his head, sizing Lily up with his blue eyes. Lily suddenly realized she had been too impatient. Having been confined daily without knowing what was happening outside, she gradually lost her patience and usual composure.Lily decided against asking further questions and picked up the glass on the table before her to take a sip.The two people fell silent as if trying to see who could hold out longer.After about ten minutes, the man loosened his grip on his cane and leisurely leaned back as he said, “Mrs. Russell, I’ve tried making an appointment with you for a long time, but you kept saying no. It’s fair to keep you waiting for two m
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