“No enmity would last forever in this world, and the same goes for friendships. Look at us now. Aren’t we on the same team?”Arianna did not get the chance to answer before he continued, “Don’t tell me things like blood is thicker than water or we’re helping each other because we’re siblings. Those are bullsh*t excuses that you and I don’t believe in. We can only sit here together to discuss our plan for one reason. We have the same goal in mind, and this plan would benefit both of us. Am I right?”Arianna looked at Nathaniel with a solemn gaze. “You don’t need to look at me that way.” Nathaniel chuckled. “I told you we’re not enemies, at least not now. You’ll always be my dearest younger sister as long as we’re after the same thing. I’ll be your older brother who can assist you too.”Arianna said nothing and just stared at Nathaniel in silence for a moment. Shrugging, she started, “Okay then. You’re right. Let’s talk about the Lodge family now. Since you have such a clear underst
“What does that have to do with anything you’re doing now?” Arianna still could not get it. “You’re not thinking of replicating the exact candle, are you?”There was mockery in her voice. It was a fact that Nathaniel did not know how to create fragrances even after many years in the industry. He would not have to trick Lily if he had the capabilities himself.“I wouldn’t know how to do that.” Nathaniel only smiled in the face of her mockery instead of getting mad. “That doesn’t mean other people won’t know how to do it. Don’t underestimate these candles. Once you add a little something extra in it…”He gestured with his fingers to show her how little the amount had to be used to reach the effect he was talking about. “Just this bit is needed, and then it could kill someone silently.”Arianna felt a chill run down her spine as she looked into his eyes, subconsciously causing her to rub her arms.“Okay. Stop beating around the bush. To clarify, you had someone else make a copy of Li
All these years of knowing Lily, Nathaniel had thought that she was a weakling, but she turned out to be skilled in kickboxing. Back then, all he had brought with him were bodyguards and thugs, who were no match for Lily's training.She had long since abandoned the Lodge household and had not returned for several years. Even though they had been together for a long time, he never once saw her train in kickboxing. Thus, he reasoned that she, a woman, would not be able to do much regardless of her current skill level.With Alexander and La Beauté Group on her side, Lily could do everything she wanted. With control of the Tanner Corporation, Nathaniel may make a comeback using the company’s resources. He hoped Lily would feel terrible about her past actions and break down in his presence.While he was in a trance, Arianna also became lost in her thoughts.‘Nate is right. Although the Lodge family had been a kickboxing family for decades and outsiders still fear them at the mention of
Damian strode into the room and sat on the sofa. He tucked both hands in his pockets while crossing one leg over the other, shaking rhythmically. He glanced at Arianna and completely ignored Nathaniel. “Ari, I have something to tell you.”“What is it?” Arianna leaned forward and smiled kindly, looking as gentle as possible.However, Damian did not continue—instead, he flickered his gaze in Nathaniel’s direction and frowned impatiently.Nathaniel, leaning on the table, sipping his tea, looked back at Damian with an innocent gaze when he realized Damian was staring at him.The two just locked gazes for a moment, and sure enough, the younger one could no longer hold it in and pursed his lips. “Don’t you know how to read the room? Can’t you see that we, the company's higher management, have something important to discuss? Get out now!”Silence filled the air for a moment before Nathaniel spoke. “Who? Me?” With a surprised look, he pointed at Damian, then at himself as if he was fright
“What’s wrong? Can’t I do it?” Damian felt displeased at Arianna’s tone. “I know everyone looks down on me because I’m new to the company, and I’m an illegitimate son. You guys were lying when you said that everyone will treat me fairly and that I’m only undergoing some training now before I’d get bigger projects to handle. Pfft…”He muttered while shaking a packet of tissue he picked up from the table. As he waved along the rhythm of his speech, the tissues fell piece by piece. “Those are just empty promises! They’re all fake.”Although he appeared to be mumbling to himself, he glanced at Arianna several times as he spoke and dragged out his words.“Damian, don’t say that!” Arianna got up and walked over to him, her hand placed on his shoulder lightly. In a gentle tone, she said, “I didn’t say you can’t do it. I was just surprised by your request. Why do you want to move over to the new branch?”Hearing that she accepted his earlier request, Damian’s eyes brightened again while hi
Nathaniel only returned to his office when he heard Damian’s footsteps storming away. He glanced at Arianna and said, "That's it? It seems like he isn't satisfied.""Well, we can't always win. If I listened to Damian, you wouldn't be satisfied." Although Arianna seemed helpless, there was no hint of sadness on her face. Instead, there was even a slightly smug smile."All right, enough with the act. That brat is so soft around you!" Nathaniel snorted disapprovingly. "Now, back to business. I'll be off for a business trip soon. You need to keep an eye here.""Are you going to Sapphine?" she asked, raising her eyebrows."Of course. That town can't count us out."Then Arianna’s smile dropped as she glanced at the candle Nathaniel had packed. "Are you sure this will work?""Don't worry about what I'll do." Nathaniel confidently patted his chest and said, "You'd better not get involved. Henry will trust me enough and cooperate with me because I have a history with Lily. Once he enters
"I don't care if you’re in my way, but whoever ordered you should come out and tell me themselves!" she said calmly.Then, she turned around and got into the car."Miss…Miss-" The man stepped forward and tried to stop them but was met with a snarl from Lily. "Move! You should know better than to stop me!"The man was stunned. Perhaps it was her formidable presence or just plain fear of her, but he eventually stepped back. Edward started the car and sped off purposefully as soon as Lily and Alexander got in.Alexander turned his head to look at a huffy Lily and reached out to stuff a piece of candy in her mouth. "It's not worth being angry over taking me for a walk.""They're just bullying us at this point!" she grumbled."It's fine!" he coaxed. "You can just bully them back!"Lily was rendered speechless by what she heard. Then, glancing at the rearview mirror, she noticed the man who had tried to stop her trotting back into the house, seeming to go back to report what had hap
"You're overthinking it. What would I get from selling you out? Besides, didn't we agree on it before?" Jonathan remained calm as Henry approached. "I know you're losing your patience, but it's been years. What're a few more days for you? I'm already at such an old age and have no children. Sooner or later, this would all fall into your hands." Henry, standing in front of Jonathan, stared at him before coldly saying, "It's good that you're aware. Uncle, you can't blame me for bringing this up. That old man had thrown me aside, but my people are all capable men. The Lodge family has always kept a low profile over the years. I hope I don't have to hurt my family if push comes to shove."Jonathan was stunned to hear this and sighed. "What are you talking about? We're all a family. What do you mean by that?"After a pause, Jonathan added, "Back to the main point, three days willld pass in a blink of an eye. We must come up with some concrete evidence to convince the public. Although th
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