Twitter was loaded up on the tablet's screen, and it appeared to be some breaking news. Lily recognized a well-known vlogger who frequently appeared on entertainment news.She sarcastically laughed and said, "I never expected Mr. Russell to look at gossip news."Alexander looked at her and did not reply. After seeing that look, Lily had an uneasy feeling. She turned to the screen again to look more closely. The news turned out to be about her. The main content was about Lily's time in college, with no mention of her name. To be precise, the years starting from college to her experience in the working world. The most detailed segment was about her relationship with Nathaniel and Melanie. The title was sensational— ‘Happy Hour With the Wolf in Sheep's Clothing.’What?!Lily was stunned, but she was more surprised than angry. She had not expected Nathaniel to do such a thing, believing that he had already used slander to its full extent. Lily had no idea he had more tricks u
Lily repeatedly waved her hands. “No need. Rebirth is just a trivial subsidiary of the La Beauté Group, and our leader is my immediate boss. It's nowhere near a high-ranking CEO like you. Don’t frighten people like this when you meet them.” "Hey…" Alexander squeezed his chin after he laughed out loud, "This flattery is good. I’ll consider rewarding you." "What's the reward?" She asked with interest. "What do you want?" He approached her, almost touching her ear. This gave Lily goosebumps. She sprung up and replied, "I’ll have to think about it! Let's eat first. I'm hungry!"Alexander saw her flee into the kitchen but said nothing to stop her. With a smile, he retracted his gaze, and his eyes fell on the tablet. The look in his eyes was turbulent and dark. Although it was nothing but nonsense, any woman who dared to slander him like this would pay the consequences! …In the kitchen, Lily washed her hands and looked in the refrigerator. She expected only simp
After washing her hands and returning to the living room, Lily sat on the sofa to take a sip of water. She glanced at the tablet on the side, and after pausing, she picked it up and turned it on.Opening the Twitter interface, she lowered her head, put her knuckles against her lips, and focused on the breaking news. She did not bother reading too much due to her relationship with Alexander, but she knew it was probably about her, Nathaniel, and Melanie when they were back in college. The tweets were out of context, and the facts were far from the truth.However, she was more interested in the news source. It was neither from Nathaniel nor Melanie but rather from someone who misused the identity of a third-party bystander. These people were their college classmates or so-called mutual "friends."At first, Lily was a little angry, but her anger no longer raged after a second look. Instead, she just thought it was ridiculous. The people’s names only sounded familiar, and she could bare
Alexander stopped his spoon and looked at Lily. "Do you think I should sit at the dining table like a child who can't take care of himself? Should I be waiting for a housekeeper to do everything, such as feed and wipe the table clean for me?"Lily choked on her food, trying to imagine the situation. "Pfft!"Although the description was a bit outrageous, it was almost the same as the current moment. "At least you shouldn't have to cook the food yourself," Lily suddenly became curious about his life, as if it was not the same as what she imagined."If I were to choose, I wouldn’t want to," Alexander did not deny that, given his background and status. Of course, he did not need to do these trivial "little things" himself."Then you don't want to?" Lily was even more curious. Maybe his hobby was cooking? Otherwise, why did Alexander push her out of the kitchen and take over himself?Alexander lightly glanced at Lily and shook his head. "I studied abroad for a while." "So?" Halfwa
After dinner, Lily got up to clear the dishes, but Alexander pulled her again. “I told you to stay put.” He frowned disapprovingly. “I forbid you from entering the kitchen again. You aren’t allowed to go in.”Lily felt helpless, "I used to cook by myself, so..."“That was before, but you’re not allowed to from now on!” Alexander neatly stacked the tableware and went to the kitchen. Soon, the sound of rushing water echoed as Lily walked over and leaned against the kitchen door frame to look at Alexander with his sleeves rolled up high, revealing his lean arms.His skin was particularly fair, but not like an unhealthy person’s. He looked strong and manly. Lily thought of Alexander’s hands tightly wrapping around her waist, and her body trembled instinctively.“Are you going to respond?” Alexander asked while washing the dishes. Lily was stunned as she did not fully catch what he said. “Huh? What?”“About those boring things on Twitter,” Alexander turned and glanced at Lily as he spo
Lucas shook his head, “I am not sure about that, but Ms. Christian’s attitude was steadfast in her tone. We can almost guarantee our victory based on the evidence we have so far. Therefore, you don’t need to worry too much, Mr. Hall.”Still, Nathaniel was distraught. How could he not be?The lawyer was not worried because he had only seen superficial evidence. After all, Nathaniel knew the company's products had succeeded over the years because of Lily's efforts. Why was she so decisive that there was no turning back? Nathaniel was stuck between a rock and a hard place. If he could not turn the tide, everyone at MN Inc. would have to fight until the bitter end.Lily should know that she had no chance of winning, but why did she refuse to give in? Did Rebirth give her confidence, or was she holding a hidden trump card? Nathaniel was at a loss for an answer.“Understood. When will the court session begin?”“Next week.”“Get ready. Also, call Lily a few more times. Tell her we can s
“Let’s fight then,” Melanie said with disregard. “We have enough evidence since I’ve already copied all the information, and we have a professional legal team. Why should we be afraid of her?” Speaking of the information, Melanie lifted her hand and looked it over. “See? My hand is swollen and in pain! Why would I need to work so hard if it weren’t for her? Nate, we must ensure she doesn’t have the upper hand. You must teach her a lesson this time! How could she treat you like this?”Nathaniel pushed Melanie away when she leaned over, as he was not in the mood. He was not as optimistic as she was. “I keep feeling that she has a trick up her sleeve. Why else would she insist on going to court when she knows all the evidence is in my hands?”Melanie was stunned at his words but shook her head.“Impossible. You’re overthinking this. What trick could Lily have? We have the data, and the other employees are completely unfamiliar with her. I was right to do this back then. I told her
Melanie's mind raced as Nathaniel said that, wondering if there was anything else she could do.Even though she had not thought of anything, she could only nod in response to Nathaniel's repeated urging. “Okay, I'll try my best!”“I knew you're the best!” Nathaniel said happily, “In terms of Lily, I intend to speak with her again. I want to see if she has something up her sleeve.”…Sitting by the window in the cafe, Lily cut a small piece of cake with a spoon while swiping her phone.The door swung open. Olivia entered hastily, glanced around, and walked straight over to where Lily was sitting.“Cappuccino and mille-feuille, please,” Olivia placed her order casually, set her bag down, and sighed.“Was a killer chasing after you?” Lily asked curiously, looking at her.“Lily, don't joke about that!” Lily could not help but laugh when she saw Olivia’s grumpy face.Reaching out and pinching Olivia's face, she asked, “Has Nathaniel made things difficult for you lately?”“That vil
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