“How dare he?!” Eloise smacked the table hard, causing her burnt spot to hurt so much that she clenched her teeth. However, she was not going to back down. “Although it’s just an auction, everyone brings their wives as their partners. Won’t he be afraid of embarrassing himself if he brings that woman? Does he not care about his image anymore? How would the outsiders look at the Tanner family if that were to happen?”“Mom, I’ll have to be honest with you.” After a pause, Arianna said slowly, “I’ve seen men bring their mistresses to various types of events before. Some of their wives have no influence in the family at all, and their husbands would bring different women as their partners each time. In the past, that did not happen in our family because Dad didn’t dare to do it, or rather, he was not interested in that. However, now…”“What? He has the guts now?” Eloise raised her brow and rebuked sternly.“What do you think?” Arianna tossed the question back to Eloise.“I…”Eloise wa
"No way!" Holding her arm, Arianna pressed her face against Eloise's. "I'm real! If you don't believe me, pinch my face to see if it's really me!"This made Eloise laugh as she pinched Arianna's cheek. Then, Eloise joked, "Oh, it really is you. I thought you were a fake."Then, the mother and daughter broke into laughter as if all doubts had been put aside. After a moment of laughter, Eloise turned serious and said, "I didn't mean anything else. I just feel like you've grown up so much. You're no longer a kid that listens obediently. You're starting to have your own ideas and can even advise me. You've grown up!" Eloise studied her daughter's face and sighed. Her daughter was an adult now, and she was also getting old. Her beauty was fading, and no matter how reluctant she was, many things were out of her control. "I'm 26! Of course, I've grown up!" Arianna answered with a pout."That's right. You're already 26!" Then, Eloise sighed again. She seemed to remember something imp
Seeing how Arianna seemed preoccupied as she sighed and stayed silent, Eloise could not bear to ask any more questions."Forget it. You don't have to say it if you don't want to. No matter what it is, I’ll always support your decision." She patted Arianna's hand with one hand while the other fumbled around the sofa behind her. Then, she pulled out a TV remote. After a moment of thought, Eloise pressed the power button. "It's been a while since the two of us sat and watched a show together. Come, accompany me for a while." Arianna definitely felt better around Eloise. If Arianna were to return to her room, it would be hard not to get angry again. Arianna swallowed her intention of going upstairs and sat down obediently. "Okay." She had nothing better to do anyway. She was free these couple of days as she was just waiting for the results from both sides.Eloise, who rarely watched TV, didn't know what to watch. After switching around the channels a few times and finding nothing i
The man on the TV screen attracted Arianna’s focus, not because of how charming he looked or because of his audacity to retort to Lily. It was because he dared to say such a thing with so many people around, including Alexander.He was either too bold or confident that he was powerful enough not to fear Alexander. “That guy… Isn’t he…” Eloise narrowed her eyes, trailing off. The man on TV looked familiar to her. After all, she was a socialite with a broad network of connections. Just before she retired from acting, she got to know many people.When she married Joseph, she had her own circle of friends consisting of the wives of wealthy men, besides the people from the business industry whom she got in touch with from time to time. In comparison, she had met more people than Arianna ever did.“Mom, do you know that man?” Arianna excitedly asked when she noticed her mother seemed to recognize the man on the screen.Eloise could not name him right away. “He looks familiar, and I thi
‘Noah Richards, huh? I want that man!’…The woman finally revealed a satisfied smile at the sight of the big and small bags piling up in the room. Joseph leaned forward, hugged her from behind, and left a peck on her cheek. “Are you happy now?”“Hmph!” The woman rolled her eyes. “It only managed to calm me down.”“Oh dear, the one million dollars I used should be enough to do just that. I apologize, but you must know I’m using Ari’s card. I hope you can see my sincerity.” Joseph rushed over to coax his sweetheart and finally saw a smile on her face after spending over a million dollars.“Sincerity? I’ve been with you for over twenty years. I’m already going easy on you by quickly forgiving you!” Elizabeth pursed her lips and poked her finger at his head. “Do you think spending a million dollars on me is enough?“Do you know how much I’ve suffered over the years? I cared for our son independently and agreed to stay by your side. I had to face the criticisms of others and bear get
Ruby City would hold a charity auction twice yearly where most items, ranging from jewelry to antiques, were donated anonymously. There were no restrictions when it came to the auctioned items.On such events, besides people who were here to build a reputation for themselves, some were here to coax their wives or lovers. Elizabeth had her eyes on one of the necklaces a long time ago. It was a tear-drop-shaped sapphire pendant surrounded by many small diamonds, making it look dazzling under the light.After being with Joseph for so many years, she naturally had no shortage of jewelry. However, Elizabeth's eyes burned with jealousy after seeing a big pink diamond necklace on Eloise the one time she attended an event with Joseph.Since then, Elizabeth had been bugging Joseph to get her a more fabulous necklace. Although he agreed, he could not find a suitable one and pushed this matter aside.However, this was a thorn in Elizabeth's heart. If she could not be "Mrs. Tanner," she would
Artwork such as calligraphy, paintings, and vases dominated the front displays. Prices were not prohibitive, so those interested snatched them up quickly. Tonight's final auction item was the sapphire necklace that Elizabeth had her eye on.She wasn't the only one aiming for the necklace, as many socialites were also waiting for it. Everyone wanted to get their hands on that sapphire necklace.The starting price was 200,000 dollars, and bidding increased by 100,000 dollars each time. Although the item didn't start at a high price, countless bids were made, and in the blink of an eye, the necklace was now worth 2.4 million dollars.Nonetheless, Elizabeth was not worried. Before they got there, Joseph had already told her that he prepared six million dollars with him. Therefore, as long as the price did not exceed six million, the necklace would easily be hers without worry!She sipped her wine slowly and looked around with a trace of self-satisfaction on her face. Tonight, she was g
Now, the price of the necklace had exceeded Joseph's budget. Elizabeth glanced at Joseph and saw that he was gently rubbing the bridge of his nose, looking a little troubled. She knew he did not want to spend any more money than this. "6.2 million, calling once, calling twice-" The bid manager waited for no man, and just as he was about to yell again, Elizabeth couldn't bear it and raised her paddle. "7 million!" She did not believe that anyone would follow her that far. The young man seemed to have been stunned and was silent. Just as Elizabeth thought she had won, he called out again, "7.2 million!" Just like before, the young man only raised another 200,000 dollars. At this moment, Elizabeth would love to rush up and fight him.'Is he doing this on purpose?!' However, she had no idea who he was, so why was he trying to go against her?Regardless of whether the necklace was worth that much, she was starting to worry if Joseph would even pay now that it had exceeded the
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