“Thank you, nonetheless. You still saved me there earlier!” Lily found Lisa’s description of the scenario earlier hilarious.No matter what, Lisa was kind enough to help her.Lisa smiled sweetly. “No worries! You just need to teach me how to make a scented sachet. I loved it so much, so I tried to create one by myself by recalling how you did it, but all my attempts failed.”“Your dad is a top perfumer. Do you not like any of the fragrances that he had created?” Lily asked after giving it some thought.“There are, but perfumes differ from the sachet you gave me. I can bring the scented sachet everywhere, which would have a long-lasting scent. I also like to put it next to my pillow when I sleep. I feel like that helps me sleep better. Did you put any drugs in it? I think I’m addicted!”“Haha! Your dad would notice it immediately if drugs were in the sachet.” Lily looked around; Wesley was already nowhere in sight.“Quit looking around. My dad was just here to make an appearance.
“Sorry, you’re?" Lisa did not recognize the woman.Melanie acted like an old friend of Lisa’s and patted her shoulder with a smile, "Hey, don’t you remember me? I'm Mel! Melanie Thayer!"Lisa was quiet and looked like she was trying to recall. Lily was speechless. ‘Melanie’s such a kiss-a*s. When was she ever close to Lisa back in university? To be honest, most of her friends back then were guys. She would only make friends with girls if she could gain something from them. Otherwise, she wouldn’t even bother making small talk.’At that time, Lily was socially inexperienced and could not see through Melanie. Melanie took the initiative to befriend her and gain her favor, but it was all a calculated move.Now, knowing that Lisa was Wesley Parker’s daughter, of course, Melanie would try to befriend her. Seeing no response from Lisa, Melanie felt somewhat embarrassed, but she would not back down so easily. She quickly turned to look at Lily, "Did you forget? I used to be in the sam
Standing close by, Melanie pulled out her phone and leaned in, "Yes, we should add each other for easier contact."However, before she could scan the QR code, Lisa had already put her phone away. "Okay, I should head back. My daddy should be looking for me. Let's get in touch again!""Lisa, I haven't..." Melanie hurriedly stood up, but Lisa did not look at her. She just waved goodbye to Lily and ran away quickly in the other direction.Watching Lisa’s back getting further away, Melanie clenched her phone tightly, wishing she could crush it. "You never miss a chance to step on someone else, but not everyone will be happy to be your stepping stone, so be careful not to fall!" Lily sneered."Why can’t I do that? That’s what I’m good at, Lily. What gives you the right to judge me? Didn’t you also climb to the top by using your relationship? Don’t pretend to be all high and mighty when we’re just the same."Melanie was embarrassed by how Lisa ignored her and took her anger out on Lil
On the way back, Giselle would not stop grumbling, "Lily, although we dodged a bullet earlier, your behavior today was very inappropriate. Due to your impulsiveness, our efforts were almost in vain."Lily expected this from Giselle, but she did not expect her to be so long-winded, so she smiled at her, "Was it that serious?"Seeing that Lily did not recognize the gravity of the situation, Giselle became deadly serious, "Lily, I don't know how you could still smile. Do you think that nothing happened? It just so happened that you knew Mr. Parker’s daughter, but what if you didn’t know her? What if his daughter didn't show up? What if she didn’t think of you as her friend?"When we are in someone else's territory, we are at the mercy of the host. The organizer was indeed negligent, but we can always give feedback to them later instead of accusing them in public. If they disqualify us over this…”"Well, they didn’t include us as qualified candidates!" Lily interrupted Giselle. She cou
However, she could not help but open the chat window again after a while. Nowadays, it should not be a problem for a woman to take the initiative. She convinced herself there was nothing wrong with sending him a text first. Lily quickly typed, "I’ve arrived!" Then she sent it out immediately, without giving herself a chance to hesitate. However, her message seemed to have sunk into the sea. There was no response at all, not even an emoji. Staring at the screen, Lily felt embarrassed. She had taken the initiative, yet there was no reaction from him.Lily long-pressed her message, wanting to un-send the message, but the time limit for un-sending had lapsed. D*mn it! She was upset when her phone rang suddenly. Seeing Alexander’s name flashing on her screen, she was excited and wanted to press the answer button.Just as she was about to answer, she stopped herself abruptly. No, no, no! Picking it up in such a hurry, wouldn’t it be obvious that she was waiting for his call?Aft
“There’s a black credit card with no password in your luggage’s middle compartment. You can use it." To Lily’s surprise, Alexander said that.Lily got up quickly and rummaged through her luggage. Sure enough, she found a black credit card with gold accents. It did not look like any ordinary credit card. "When did you put it there?""It doesn't matter. As long as you can use it." After a pause, he continued, "It's not easy being out there, so eating and sleeping well must be your priority. Remember to take care of yourself when I’m not around.”His words moved Lily, and she felt very much at ease.All she knew was to be independent and self-sufficient since her childhood. Now she had someone who would always think about her and be concerned about whether or not she was eating and sleeping well. Her well-being seemed to be the most crucial thing to Alexander."Sure, you too," Lily said softly.Alexander smiled and seemed to recall something, "By the way, I heard the organizers invi
Lily was surprised. She did not have many friends, but she managed to meet one here in Woodland, and that friend turned up to be someone of high caliber."Well, it’s unexpected, but it’s your blessing." In any case, Alexander was relieved. At least with this relationship, Wesley Parker would not be too hard on her."What kind of blessing is this? I’m in such a dilemma now. Whether I join the competition or not, it will not end well for me." Lily murmured while looking up at the ceiling."Are you afraid?" Alexander turned his chair to face the glass window. Outside was the boundless night view of the city. It was late at night, but he had no intention of going home. Without her, he would much rather stay in the office and face the table full of work."Why would I be afraid? I’ve encountered worse. I can’t control what others say, can I? I’ll do what I must!" Although Lily was complaining, she had already made up her mind.She could not change the situation she was in. She had never
Brittany Oakley’s hand paused in mid-air. Then she turned around and smiled at Alexander. “Okay, we’ll do it your way.”She went to the office table, put down the bag, and opened it. Inside was a big lunch box. “I know you forget about everything when you work. That includes eating.”She picked up the coffee cup in front of him, then poured away its contents. “Drinking coffee without a proper meal isn’t good for your stomach. You don’t know how to take care of yourself, do you?”As she said that, she opened the lunchbox. Nestled within it was hot food. Not only was the color of the food attractive, but it also smelled mouthwatering.“I cooked your favorite BBQ ribs. I also made fried chicken.” Full of enthusiasm, she placed some cutleries in front of him. With both hands supporting her chin, she looked at him with a yearning expression.Alexander shot her a look and said faintly, “You cooked all this?”“Yes. Quick, sample my handiwork. Go on,” Brittany urged. She smiled so wide t
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