Having been with him for so many years, Elizabeth could easily tell if he was truly angry or was faking it. She calmed down after realizing something was amiss and only pouted as she rose to her feet in anger. “Mom!” Damian rushed over to help her and looked at his father. “Dad, I know it’s all my fault, and this is my responsibility. However, someone has set me up on purpose. I don’t believe there’s a problem with the perfumes. Someone must have done something to cause me trouble.”He suspected that Arianna sabotaged him, but after some careful thought, he believed that only his own people could have tampered with the manufacturing of perfumes. Even if Naomi Schiffer had no bad intentions, someone could still mess with the perfumes during their delivery to the lab. However, he was stuck there and could not do anything except make wild guesses. Joseph snorted. “You’re still not admitting that there’s a problem with the perfumes? To ensure everything was considered, I’ve had
Damian felt as if he were falling into a bottomless abyss with nothing to hold on to, and even if he managed to grasp something, it was nothing but a poisonous snake. “Enough! What good would saying that do? We have to come up with a solution!”Joseph also felt something was amiss but could not tell what it was. “I’ll come up with something, but first, I've got to visit your uncle. He must know the current difficulties the Tanner Corporation is experiencing.”Joseph knew he had to seize the opportunity to tell Derrick about Benedict’s death. If he could take over the Tanner Corporation, he wouldn’t need to bother about the old-timers on the board, and perhaps he could turn things around. More importantly, he could save his son. With that in mind, he knew he had to leave immediately. “I've got to get going.”“Dad, let me come with you!” He was getting restless at home and did not want to stay there. “Please!”“What for? You can’t be seen in public!” He scolded. “I can put on m
“Are you two blind? Don’t you know who I am?!” Joseph roared, thinking the bodyguards were not showing him respect. The most important question was, who were they? Joseph had never met them before.“Sorry, no visitor is allowed to go in.” Remaining severe, the two bodyguards showed no trace of emotions and were indifferent to his yelling.“Do I need your permission to visit my brother? I’ll report you guys to the police for false imprisonment!” Joseph tried to barge past them as he spoke. As the bodyguards held him back, Damian seized an opportunity to slip past, but one of the bodyguards quickly seized him.“That hurts! Ouch!” As he whined, Joseph stopped to check on him. “Damian, are you alright? How dare you hurt my son?!”“Please leave!” Barring the way, the bodyguards said unceremoniously.“Fine, just wait!” Joseph thundered and held up his phone to make a call. Joseph knew his brother had already shut off his phone long ago and was only doing it for show. Yet, he could
As Stephanie had guessed what Joseph was planning to do, he was stunned for a moment before he caught himself quickly. “How could you accuse me of such things? What was that about me wanting my brother to die sooner? He’s my brother, for f*ck's sake! How could you say something like that?”“Since he’s your brother, you guys have come repeatedly to harass him, huh? First your daughter, then you and your son?” As Stephanie glared with her hands trembling in anger, she finally lost her usual calm.Taken aback, Joseph did not understand what she said about his daughter. After thinking about it, he asked tentatively, “Ari came?”“Drop the act! Ari came over just two days ago. We thought she meant well and simply wanted to visit her uncle, but she ended up…” Shedding her tears, she snarled, “Now that the doctor has saved his life, you two have come to claim it. No matter what, I won’t let you guys see him!”Speechless, Joseph and Damian shared shocked expressions. Damian recovered so
Joseph and Damian remained silent as they left the hospital. When Damian got into the car, he began, “Dad…”“Perhaps what you said is right,” Joseph said in a grave tone. He had been thinking about everything that had happened with mixed feelings. Joseph could not deny that what Stephanie told him had disturbed him greatly. He had never thought Arianna would come here and ask for his brother’s seal.‘Why would she need the seal? She said she wanted to run the business on Derrick’s behalf. In other words, she wants to take over the company. She promised to take care of her brother and help him run the business.‘However, she does things differently. I can’t believe that the daughter I’ve raised, the one I thought had been obedient to me, would do such a thing. What else could she have done?’Damian was surprised by his father’s response and knew he was disappointed. “Dad, I was right, wasn’t I? It’s not that I’m prejudiced against her, but it’s the other way around! Look, if she cou
Thinking of what Stephanie said, Joseph became incensed. ‘Oh, Ari, you’re so capable, aren’t you?” His first thought was to head straight home. Pulling over, he almost leaped out of the car and rushed inside the house. “Arianna Tanner!” Shouting her full name, he wanted her to give him an answer right away. “What’s the matter?” Eloise came out from inside, holding a cup of freshly made lemon tea. “She’s not home. Why are you so angry?”“Why? It’s all your fault that Ariana has become like this!”When he did not see Arianna, he lost it and slapped Eloise. Eloise was caught off guard and had no time to react, so she took the full force of the smack to the face, and the cup she was holding shattered as it fell to the floor.The slap was heavy, and Eloise’s face became swollen immediately. Still, she did not cry or throw a tantrum and simply shot him an icy glare. “What do you think you’re doing?”“I…” After hitting her, Joseph grew calmer and felt sorry for a brief moment se
“Why? That’s the truth!” Narrowing his eyes, Joseph did not think anything was wrong with what he said. At least, that was what he had felt over the years. Letting out a snort, Eloise looked at him. “Oh, you’ve been great to her? Even though she had worked so hard, you refused to delegate power to her, and Ari has gotten to her position through her own effort! What have you given her? You only care about your son and plan to leave everything to him. Have you spared a thought for Ari’s future?”Hearing this for the first time, Joseph took a second to respond. “She’s going to get married sooner or later! When she gets married, she’ll no longer be a member of the Tanner family. How could she inherit the company?“I’ve told you this before, and it’s not my fault that she’s born a woman. Yes, Ari is capable, and if she were a man, I’d definitely hand the company over to her. However, she’s a woman and will get married someday. That’s why I told you we should try to have a son, but you…”
While he said it, he took her hand to slap his face. Eloise yanked her hand off with a frown. “Do you think we’re still kids? Joseph Tanner, let me be frank with you. I’m indeed upset about your mistress and son because no woman on earth is willing to share their husband with someone else. Being someone who’s been around, I’m able to see the big picture and know what should take precedence. Do you think I’d do anything that could damage the company's interest out of jealousy?”Thoroughly convinced, Joseph started to massage her shoulder as he said, “Yes, my dear wife, you’re right. I’m an idiot and an *sshole for suspecting you and Ari.“However, Derrick and Stephanie are upset and refuse to give us what we need. What should we do? We can’t just force them, right? I tried to see Derrick, but Stephanie stopped me. I wonder if she’s trying to take control of the company.”“Are you stupid?” Eloise looked at him. “After so many years, don’t you know what kind of a person she is? Is sh
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