Austin put Dominic down and carefully removed the silver needles. This step was much simpler and less painful than inserting the needles earlier. After removing the needles, Austin sterilized them, turned the older man over, and covered him with a clean blanket.Dominic's eyes remained tightly closed. He did not move and seemed asleep as Austin cleaned him up and covered him.Austin sighed as he watched Dominic’s peaceful face with closed eyes. Then the former sat beside Dominic and held one of his hands. Austin quieted his mind and took his granduncle’s pulse.Austin already had the answer but wanted to confirm it by feeling Dominic’s pulse. Although the older man’s pulse was slightly faster, it was much calmer than before.Austin’s fingers moved lightly. Judging from Dominic’s pulse, it seemed his organs were relieved. Something heavy seemed to press on them before, but everything felt light now. At that point, Austin knew he had undoubtedly succeeded.He gently covered his gran
"The bedroom?" Lily looked at the doctor warily.The doctor stood there with a cold expression. "Please rest assured. We’re professionals. The two nurses will also be present. If you're concerned, we can examine you here, but..."He glanced toward the ceiling, indicating there were surveillance cameras, which would further compromise privacy."I don’t mind," Lily said, her voice laced with sarcasm, "I don't need you to do any prenatal check-ups for me. Let your boss come and see me.""I'm sorry, I can't do that." The doctor shrugged. "Please cooperate.""What if I refuse?" Lily sneered. "Can you force me to do anything with your skills?"The doctor shook his head and said, "I can't, but Ms. Christian, don't forget, it's not just me here. You can rest assured it's just a routine gynecological examination and nothing that will make you uncomfortable."He glanced toward the door as he spoke.The door was not completely closed, and Lily could see the guards standing outside. Althou
The room was silent, as if no one was there.When the doctor entered the elevator, someone blindfolded him with a black cloth. He followed the person and walked from the elevator to the corridor, turning corners and seemingly passing through a hall. Finally, they arrived at a room.They stood for two minutes at the door before someone removed the blindfold and led him inside. The room was large and empty. Fred was sitting on a leather sofa near the window with a smile.Fred gently caressed a black ring with one hand resting on the armrest. His finger softly touched a dark blue gemstone, handling it with extreme care."How was it?" He spoke fluent English."I’ve administered the medication to her, as you instructed," The doctor answered in English and nodded."What medication?" Fred asked as if unaware.The doctor shook his head. "I don't know.""Why did you inject her with it?" Fred inquired further.Still, the doctor shook his head. "I don't know.""Very good!" Fred smiled,
Lily remained motionless in the room and slowly opened her eyes after some time. Then she placed one hand on the other and examined her pulse. She sighed in relief when she found her pulse remained unchanged.Although the secret code matched, the doctor's words and the information he had conveyed did not arouse suspicion. Still, Lily needed to double-check for caution’s sake. After all, she could not let her guard down since she was in a special place.Even Mike, such a familiar friend, could deceive and hide things for his son’s sake, not to mention these unfamiliar strangers Lily faced now.She got up and entered the bathroom, slowly twisting a thin piece of paper from the ring. She unfolded it and found the familiar handwriting: "I’ve found the stronghold. Wait for me!"Although just a few simple words, Lily understood what they meant. It seemed Alexander had already found the organization’s stronghold and was preparing to rescue her. However, saving her was not a simple matter.
The spacious house was empty, with no lights on. The doctor threw his briefcase aside and sat heavily on the sofa, covering his face in despair. Suddenly, he felt something and quickly moved aside, looking around in fear. "Who's there?!""Doctor, don't be nervous." A man's voice came from the darkness, and then the lights in the room turned on. "Why didn't you turn on the lights when you came home?""I... " The doctor stood up excitedly when he saw the figure. "I’ve done as you requested. When will you release my family?""We didn't capture your family. You must understand that. We helped you rescue them." The person corrected the doctor’s statement, indicating he was not the kidnapper.The doctor nodded repeatedly. "I know, I know! So when can they come back? When can I see them?""Do you think now is a good time to let them come home?" Edward walked out of the darkness without minding that he had exposed his face. "Do you think they can live peacefully once they return home? Wil
The doctor wiped his tears and nodded repeatedly before hastily pulling out a note. He said, "This..."The situation was urgent at the time since the nurses were present, making it challenging to exchange messages. Fortunately, Lily was clever enough to understand with just a glance. It saved the doctor from having to explain further."Hmm." Edward took the note but did not open it. Instead, he kept it in his pocket, asking, "How’s the young lady doing?""She's doing fine! Ms. Christian has incredible mental resilience. She was able to endure in that kind of environment. She's truly remarkable. I've never seen such a strong woman," the doctor replied."Cut the crap!" Edward furrowed his brow and interrupted.The doctor quickly corrected himself, "She and her unborn baby are safe and healthy; please rest assured. A-About my family...""They’re safe and healthy," Edward quickly assured him, "What did they ask you to do to her?""T-They gave me a vial of medicine and instructed me
“Don’t worry about that. All you need to do is take good care of her and ensure she’s safe,” Edward interrupted.‘The organization is dangerous since they have firearms and probably even heavy weaponry. Still, being in Hyderland, its members won’t dare use them unless they intend to engage in a full-scale war. It seems improbable so far.’The doctor sighed in relief. “Okay, I can do that.”After all, it would not be too tricky if Edward wanted him to rescue Lily.“Do you know where they are?” Edward asked.The doctor shook his head. “Whenever they come to pick me up, they would blindfold me and put me to sleep using ether, so each time I wake up, I’m already there. They’re extremely cautious.“They even blindfolded me when they took me to see their boss. That’s why I don’t know the internal structure of that building.” The doctor was even clueless about how he got in and out of the building.“Their boss?” Edward hesitated. “You met their boss?”“I think so.” The doctor was unsu
Edward soon returned to the car, where Alexander sat leaning against the backseat instead of sitting straight as usual.The car was spacious enough for the man to relax and stretch his legs. However, he could not conceal the dark circles under his eyes—he was too exhausted.He had worked nonstop for the past few days and finally made a breakthrough. He could convey some messages through the doctor to Lily to ask her to wait patiently. Still, it took a toll on him.“Alex, that man is…” Edward could not help but ask.The person in the photo looked familiar at first glance, and Edward later remembered Alexander had once dealt with him before.‘If he’s behind this, the situation will be tricky.’“It’s him.” Alexander pinched the bridge of his nose and sounded husky as he lowered his gaze. He guessed it was him, and the doctor’s answer only confirmed his speculation.“How could it be him? If so, wouldn’t it mean the organization's mastermind is…” Edward shuddered.‘If he’s involved,
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