Brandon widened his eyes. ‘I’m the one who frightened, okay?!’Alexander finished preparing the meal in a short while. He made butter prawns, beef steak, stir-fried asparagus, and mushroom soup. There was also a pudding in the fridge, and Brandon was very jealous when he saw the scrumptious dinner.He was cheeky enough to stay until now, so of course, he would stay to eat. Otherwise, his trip here would be in vain. He took the initiative and helped bring the food to the dining table. He sat down and picked up the fork and spoon to start eating. However, Alexander slapped the back of his hand, “I’ve said before, this is not your share of dinner!”“I see that you’ve cooked a lot of food. I’m afraid the two of you won’t be able to finish it. It’s such a waste, and we mustn't waste food. I’ll help you!” After saying so, he picked up the fork and wanted to eat.“There’s no need!” Alexander stopped him with one hand and shooed him away like he was a fly.Brandon may not have other skill
Brandon thought he was very charming and did not expect Lily's facial expression to remain still. Lily looked back at Alexander and said thoughtfully, “I think… you’d better ask him to leave.”“Huh?” This was the first time Brandon suffered such a big setback. He was stunned, “No! Hey, beauty, I really don’t eat much. No, I don’t need to eat! You can’t be so ruthless, Alex. Consider our relationship, Alex…”“Are you leaving by yourself, or do you want Edward to send you?” Alexander raised his eyebrows and asked.“Don’t. Please don’t!” He had been bridal carried twice by Edward. If it happened again, he would be too ashamed even if no one had spread the news. He looked at them and thought of an idea, “My dear beautiful sister-in-law, I’m here to send you a wedding gift. Don’t you think it’s inappropriate to drive your guest out of the house like this?!”“Wedding gift?” Lily looked at Alexander suspiciously.Alexander coughed lightly and placed a prawn on her plate, “Yes, since we’v
“If you’re not satisfied with it, I’ll gift you the building in the eastern suburb!” Brandon said through gritted teeth.Lily gave it some thought. Although she did not know the significance of that building, nor did she need it, she took it as a bet and played along, nodding as she replied, “Sure!”Brandon breathed out a sigh of relief after hearing that. He adjusted his seat and asked carefully, “Then… can I have dinner here?”“Of course! We’re very welcoming to our guests, and it’s only right that we invite you to stay for dinner,” Lily assured him, smiling ever so kindly.That made Brandon speechless because he seemed to remember that a certain couple had threatened him a while ago. They would have kicked him out of the house if he had not rephrased himself.‘She isn’t an angel! She’s a devil and a bewitching one at that!’After ensuring he could stay, Brandon returned to his usual lively self, initiating conversations as they ate. “Oh right, we’ve been talking for so long, b
From Edward’s solemn expression and hesitation when speaking, Alexander knew something was up. He glanced at Lily and Brandon before getting to his feet and walking further from them to speak with Edward. “What is it?”Edward whispered some things to Alexander, which changed the latter’s expression as he subconsciously looked in Lily’s direction. Lily’s heart dropped from that one look without him having to say anything.“I got it.” Alexander nodded and walked back to the dining table while Edward stayed in his spot.Alexander stood by the table, and Lily looked up at him. On the other hand, the nitwitted Brandon was still chunking down food, not expecting Alexander to be such a good cook that he could compare Alexander’s dishes to a Michelin chef’s. His attention was on the food only, and he could not care less about what the couple was talking about.Alexander’s gaze landed on Brandon for a moment before he looked at Lily and said solemnly, “A fire happened at Oakville Park a whi
‘If her family stays there, her family isn’t doing well financially then.’“No.” Alexander shook his head. “It’s her co-worker.”“Co-worker?” Brandon widened his eyes in disbelief, not expecting to hear that at all. “She was so…”Brandon saw how anxious and panicky Lily was earlier, which looked like something had happened to her relatives, but it was just her co-worker? He did not know co-workers had such good relationships in the workplace these days.“They’re good friends,” Alexander explained, knowing Brandon’s doubts.Brandon gave him a thumbs up. “She’s an amazing friend!”Alexander rolled his eyes at Brandon before saying in a serious tone again, “We can’t keep you here any longer for real now. Edward can’t send you back either, so you need to drive yourself home. Go to the porch and pick a car out yourself.”Out of the conversations they had the entire night, Alexander’s words right now were the best thing Brandon had heard. “Sure! I got this!” Brandon nodded and walke
As the fire happened at night and affected the entire apartment building, many residents were injured as they were already asleep when the accident happened. Doctors and nurses of The People’s Hospital drowned in work in the dead of night. The place was noisy because of the number of victims.The hospital’s lobby was chaotic as cries and wails echoed in every corner.Lily walked among the sea of people with Alexander by her side while Edward walked in front, opening up a path for them. The trio found Olivia after a short while.Her injuries were considered light compared to the other victims; one side of her arm and cheek was slightly burnt, while there were wounds on her knees and ankles because she fell down when she ran out of the apartment. However, her mother’s situation did not look that well. She was sent into the operating room and was still under rescue, leaving Olivia to cry outside the door.“Liv!” Lily spotted Olivia from a distance and quickened her steps.“Lily? Li
“Lily, Lily…” Alexander called out. He had been observing her and held her in his arms immediately, preventing her from falling to the ground when he sensed she was not feeling well. On the other hand, Olivia was crying her heart out and could not bring herself to notice anything else around her while Lily passed out.“Edward, take care of Ms. Hart,” Alexander ordered calmly.Edward nodded and stood by Olivia’s side silently. He placed his hands on her shoulders, supporting her.Alexander carried Lily in his arms and went straight for the doctor. “Someone fainted over here!”…“You’re going to kill your parents!”“They died because of you!”“Why are you still alive, but they’re not? That’s because you brought bad luck to them!”“Daddy! Mommy! Please don’t leave me! No…”“Daddy, Mommy…”Several voices echoed around Lily’s ears. It sounded like they were talking to her, but also not at the same time. She saw many double images but not their faces. There was a loud noise, fire
She did not argue with him. It was a wise choice to rest there as it was already late at night. However, she dared not shut her eyes. She feared those terrible sounds and scenes in the dream would reappear if she closed her eyes. She held Alexander’s hand to prevent him from leaving, “Chat with me for a while.”“What do you want to talk about?” He sat down at the bedside and looked at her tenderly.“Anything is fine! Why don’t you tell me more about yourself?” Lily requested after some thought. She had known him for a long time but never asked him anything about himself. She only knew that the Russell family was big, but she had never met them since they got together.“About me?” He laughed. “There’s nothing special!”‘Oh my, he was too modest to claim there was anything special even though Alexander's life could be the subject of a biography. If his life was unremarkable, what about the lives of other regular people? A simple life?’“Then, tell me about your family.” Lily adjuste
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