Alexander had already found where the organization hid. Although the doctor was still valuable, Alexander no longer needed him. His main challenge was rescuing Lily and the other hostages from that place."Whatever it is, thank you very much!" The doctor thanked Edward emotionally before turning to look into the house.His wife and children happily enjoyed the cake, playfully smearing cream on each othersâ faces. Despite their joy, the doctor knew they must have been frightened and harmed during captivity.Being reunited as a family now and enjoying their time together was rare and precious."There's no need to thank us. We understand the difficulties youâre facing," Edward said, raising his hand and patting the doctor's shoulder. Then he extinguished the cigarette."Let's go!" Edward said, indicating it was time to leave.However, the doctor hurriedly stopped him. "There's something⊠I'm not sure if your boss knows about it."Edward raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"After a mom
Mike felt rejuvenated after showering and changing his clothes at Alexanderâs house. Mike had lived in constant uncertainty and despair over the past few months. He did not even know how he managed to get through it until today.He was still confused when he went to the embassy and came back.Mike faced panic when the organization took his son, was helpless when he got blackmailed and eventually accepted this reality. He tried everything to rescue Nick and almost forgot how his son used to talk to him.Now that the âbossâ was dead, Mike lost his only connection to Nick. Even though Mike knew where his son was, he could not rush in and save him. He felt utterly useless.He looked at the photos of his son on his phone, along with the secretly stored video clips, feeling sad. After putting on his clothes, he left the room and saw Alexander sitting in the living room.Meanwhile, Edward stood beside Alexander, seemingly giving a report. The duo heard some movements and looked at Mike.
Mike snorted and spoke with a hint of sarcasm. Previously, he could trust Alexander and calmly listen to his words.However, after everything that happened at the embassy, Mike started to feel anxious and doubted whether Alexanderâs actions had meaning or if he could save Nick.âWatch your tongue, Mr. Corden!â Edward could not help but reprimand him.Still, Mikeâs temper flared as he could no longer listen to anyone. He sneered at Edward and said, âWho gave you the right to judge me?! Yes, I lied to Alex before and made some mistakes, but you have no idea what I went through in there!âLily has been missing for a few days while my son has been gone for months! I even think he might not be aliveâŠâ Mike could not finish his sentence. He squatted and clutched his head in agony, still holding the glass of water.He suspected his son had died but dared not say it aloud, afraid of manifesting his thoughts.Edward wanted to scold Mike, but Alexander raised his hands to stop him.Words
"What's going on?" Edward also sensed something amiss and rushed over. He grabbed Mike by his collar and demanded, "Speak!"Perhaps due to shock or because Mike had not fully regained his senses, he remained dazed as he repeated the exact phrase."Mike Corden, what are you saying?!" Edward punched him on the chin, unable to hold back.The punch seemed to knock some sense back into Mike, and he sat on the ground, holding his chin in pain. He stared at Edward in a daze for a couple of seconds.Mike scrambled to his feet as if noticing Alexander. He grabbed Alexanderâs arm and urgently said, âYou canât wait any longer. They want to use Lily as a test subject for R10. Her body is the vessel!"They're waiting for her to give birth and recover so they can start the experiments. You must act quickly, or it'll be too late!"This revelation shocked Alexander, and he struggled to control his emotions. He asked, frowning, âWhat are you saying?Edward also asked, âWhat test subject? What ve
Alexander turned and asked, âHave you talked to Dr. Blanc?ââDr. Blanc?â Although Mike did not know the identity of those who contained him last time, his eyes widened, knowing their leader was Dr. Blanc. âAre you sending me back to them? No, Iâm not going! Didnât they test me? Iâm not infected! Why should they contain me?ââNo one is trying to contain you, okay?â Edward shot him an impatient look, then said to Alexander, âIâve told Dr. Blanc about it, and he says they need about a day to prepare for it. Heâll inform us about the details as soon as possible.âAlexander nodded.âWhatâs this all about?â Mike looked at the two, puzzled.Alexander took a deep breath and said, âMike, I know youâre anxious, but Iâm no better off than you. As you know, Lily and the twins are in their hands, and they plan to experiment on her. No matter what you think, even if we prepare for the worstâŠâHe paused as the veins on his forehead bulged. He clenched his fists and shut his eyes, seemingly tryi
It was early morning when Alexander opened his eyes, jerking awake from a nightmare. He had not slept properly for a long time but never told anyone about it. Of course, he could not.Alexander was distraught yet could not show it or vent his frustrations. He had to remain calm and alert lest he fail to rescue his wife. Although he had managed to keep a cool head, what Mike said yesterday disturbed him.Alexander dreamed about Lily being locked inside an aquarium after someone injected something into her. She screamed in such agony as she bloated and rotted that Alexander shouted when he awoke agitatedly.He was in a panic and covered in sweat. He palmed his head and told himself it was just a dream and that his wife was still alive, at least for now.At that moment, Alexanderâs phone on the nightstand rang. He picked it up, saw it was Edward, and accepted the call. âYeah?ââSir, weâve escorted the doctorâs family out of the country,â Edward said.Alexander grunted a yes and rubb
Alexander raised his brow as he looked at the doctor. âWhatâs the matter with you?ââThank you so much for saving my family!â the man said.Edward did not expect him to burst into tears.Alexander casually made his tea and said, âThe ship couldnât have gotten far yet. I can still ask Edward to get it to turn back.âThe doctor was baffled.Edward said, âGet a hold of yourself, okay? Mr. Russell doesnât like it when people cry.ââOh!â The doctor caught himself and quickly stopped crying. He did not want to offend Alexander and cause him to bring his wife and children back here.Alexander sipped his tea and turned to him. âWhy didnât you leave?ââYouâve been a great help to me, and Iâd feel terrible if I left now. Besides, if I go missing, the organization might come looking for me and cause you more trouble,â the doctor said, âI can still help if I stay. I might not be able to do much, but I can at least pass on more messages!âAlexander thought he was right.âHe can help pass
Having not moved much, Lily lay quietly in bed. She remained lying down most of the time, only getting up to hold her babies whenever the nurses brought them over. She had not given upâinstead, she had figured some things out.Meanwhile, the queen seemed concerned as she looked at the surveillance monitor again. âHowâs she going to recover like that? Hasnât the doctor told her that exercise would help her recover quicker?ââYes, thatâs why I said this woman is cunning. Sheâs putting on passive resistance.â Fred glared at the video feed.âThen we can do nothing but wait.â The queen shook her head and coughed a few times despite herself.However, Fred disagreed, âNo, we canât wait any longer. Her husband has found his way here. There will be trouble if this drags on. Letâs bring her to Yudonia. Things will get easier when sheâs in our country.âThe queen coughed again and said, âBut didnât you say the experiment will only work best if we do it here? That was why I came, remember?â
Lily tilted her head up to fight back her tears, saying, âThereâs something I find strange.ââWhat is it?â Mike asked after comforting his son.âInstead of detaining Prince Ross, Her Majesty has sent him back to Yudonia. If so, why couldnât we reach him?âAfter some thought, Mike answered, âThere are two possibilities. Itâs probably due to poor signals, or he doesnât want us to contact him.âThe two shared a look, knowing what each other was wondering.âWhy canât we contact Ross? Is he planning something?ââŠThree days later, Lily inserted the last needle into the queenâs leg and looked up at her, saying, âYou should start feeling your legs tomorrow. Still, itâll take some time before you can stand.âSuddenly, Lily chuckled.âWhy are you laughing?â 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, âOf course, you wouldnât.ââThatâs⊠quite a pity,â the queen murmured thoughtfully.âWell, thereâs a price to pay for everything. Thatâs how the world balances itself,â Lily continued, âI canât stop you if you must carry on with R10. Still, I wonât witness whether or not it succeeds. I just wish the outcome isnât something youâll regret.âLily 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 Yasminâs legs. âYour Majesty, those needlesââThe queen waved dismissively. âItâs okay. Lily will remove them later.âEven so, Rick was wary. âYouâre being too careless, Your Majesty. What if that womanâââShe wouldnât,â 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.âTell me. What do you want?â The queen took a deep breath to calm herself. She then reminded herself that she could always say no to Lilyâs 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 donât 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 wasnât sure if youâd blame him, but he did rescue me once. If I don't do anything, it would be ungrateful of me," Lily said gently, "Also, didnât 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.âThatâs it?!â 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.âI havenât felt my legs for over a decade. I wouldnât mind waiting for three more days.ââAre you sure I can get up and walk in just three days?â 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, âI canât guarantee that youâll walk as fast as you once could. After all, you havenât used your legs for a long time, and your muscles have atrophied. Still, youâll recover slowly.âYasmin nodded repeatedly, thinking it was good enough. She never dreamed of walking as well a
âBecause only our opinions matter." Lily thought of something and said, "Unless you choose to believe Rhea.""I⊠don't trust anyone." Yasminâs 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? Youâve done enough as a queen over the last few decades. Arenât you tired of living a lonely life?âLily gently spoke as she gazed at Yasminâs back.The older woman caressed her knees with both hands and stared down at her legs, murmuring, âSightsee, huh? Iâve forgotten what thatâs like.âYasmin 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 Lilyâs suggestion.Lily asked, âWhat 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 couldnât 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 whoâs willing to die for him. If Mike decides to take drastic action against youâ Yes, you're a queen, and you don't care much about an insignificant businessman.âHowever, 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?""YouâŠ" 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, âBring Lily over. Iâd like to see what excuses that sly woman can come up with.â"Your Majesty?" Rick was puzzled. "You know she'll just lie to you. Why must youâ"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, âHer Majesty wants to see you.âLily 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. âYou stay.â"But we came together!" Mike glanced over his shoulder at Lily, signaling her to persuade the man. Rick added, "The queen doesnât 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 queenâs 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, âIf any of you go with her, they might stop or suspect you. They wonât do that to me. Itâs natural for me to want to see and rescue my son. Iâm the best candidate because it makes sense for me to sacrifice myself for him.âAfter a short silence, Lily said, âYouâre right.â She then looked at Alexander, who pondered before slowly raising his head and saying, âMe too.âDominic 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, âThanks, you guys!â"Why are you thanking us? Just be careful, and donât be rash like you promised," Aust