Naturally, the Skull Club had no problem working with Donald. Their feud was with his father several decades ago, not the son. Better yet, Donald loved raining moneyâhe simply favored power more than wealth. If burning a hole through his wallet meant making friends in high places, then he would go through with that without batting an eye. There was truth to his method. Had he been even a little more frugal, his entertainment business would have never flown this high. Who was the Skull Club to refuse his overgenerous offer of money?The Skull Clubâs assistance and his identity as Matthews Sr.âs son allowed him to run to the Eastern Islands. There, he revealed who he wasâinstead of lying lowâto secure a haven. As long as he remained within the Islands, the police would be powerless to catch him. Nollace flashed a perfunctory smile. âYou didnât help him?âSunny set his cup on the table. âI helped Matthews Sr. because heâs a greedy pig at worst. He was never a murderer. He never kill
The men moved aside, revealing a path toward the ship. âItâs time to board your ride, maâam. The ship sets sail 15 minutes later.âSandy was more than excited to take up the offer. The men led her to her bedroom before immediately asking, âSorry for the inconvenience, but please pass your phone to us, maâam.âSandy was confused. âWhy?ââMr. Matthews worries that someone might have bugged your phone to find out where he is. Itâs pertinent that you switch your phone off and hand it to us before we reach the Eastern Islands.âThe woman hesitated, but she remembered how cautious Donald was and obliged. The liner left the pier. The shore seemed to be retreating away while Sandy paced in her room. She felt strangely uneasy. She opened the door and walked out to the corridor before making her way to the deck.Two men appeared to be talking to each other while smoking, but Sandy quickly realized that none of them were her previous escorts. They did not look like Orasians at all.She ha
The sea, especially within a 10-odd-mile radius where the eyes could see, was practically endless. Even a swimmer would find their strength steadily evaporating as the hope of seeing land or rescue, along with the warmth of their body, were slowly chipped away by the claws of icy water. Without ample preparations and gear, death was a surety.Two bodyguards yanked Sandy by her arm with their dear life, but the obstinate mule kicked up a rough fight. Beads of sweat bathed her hands before rolling down the arms.Colton rushed to the railing and bellowed, âAre you suicidal!?âSandy gave out a sheer, mirthless laugh. âI'd rather die than see you people gloat!âShock jolted through Colton. âWaitââThe woman pried her arm out of his grip with all her might. The force knocked her off balance, and she toppled, plunging straight into the sea below. The water swallowed her. It was then that several speedboats emerged from a distance. Two helicopters circled above the sea, inching close
âBit of a waste of her several daysâ worth of tears now that we know Nollace is still alive, right?â Waylon finished.Colton rose to his feet. âI better get to the office.âHis brother considered him. âHowâs Freyja holding up?âColton paused in his tracks. His tone was hard to decipher when he asked, âWhatâs with the concern?âWaylon chuckled. âI thought itâs quotidian for a brother to care about his sister-in-lawâs wellbeing.âColton told him she was fine before leaving the mansion altogether.Somewhere in the distance, atop a quiet lake, a rustic gazebo overlooked its tranquil water. Nicholas held a fishing rod in his hand and a coffee mug in the other. Nearby, a modest array of food was spread across the table. Bodyguards guarded the gazebo from a few steps away, making sure that no one would disturb their peace. Daisie propped her chin on the thick of her palm. She had been sitting quietly on her spot for more than half an hour by now, yet she had never seen her fishing rod
Daisie recalled something and pouted. âIf heâs safe, why hasnât he contacted me or returned?âDidnât he know how worried she was? She really thought that she would never see him again.Waylon sighed. âHe wouldnât feel safe to be with you as long as Donald is alive.âDaisie, Nollace pays a lot of attention to details. He wouldnât put his life in danger if he wasnât sure. He wants to be with you, so heâll have to remove all obstacles first. You have to trust him.âDaisie looked down.She knew what was on Nollaceâs mind. He would always protect her. No matter what he did, even if he had his flaws, he had never hurt her. She didnât need to love a perfect man as long as it was Nollace.Nicholas tossed the bait into the water, which started a ripple and slowly said. âThat child was very lucky.âWaylon chuckled. âHe is. How do you even escape when youâve been pulled underwater? Mr. Southern even saved him.ââMr. Souther?â Nicholas paused and squinted while he searched his memory. âHeâ
Nollace looked up. âMr. Southern.âHe was wearing riding gear with brown boots and was carrying a red horsewhip that looked brilliant under the sun. He looked skinny, his waist and shoulders looked different from other men, and even though he was 5â7ââ, he looked weak. He played with the horsewhip while looking at the crowd. âIf you want to join in, I could get them to teach you something, but you might not be able to handle it.âNollace smiled and rolled up his sleeves, then walked down the stairs. âIf youâre willing to teach, Iâm willing to learn. I donât mind learning more.âCameron crossed his arms and squinted. This man from Yaramoor was keen on learning. When the students saw Cameron walking over, they stopped. âSir.âCameron waved his hand and said, âThis is NoâââNeal Beck.â Nollace cut him off and calmly said, âMy name.âCameron realized that Nollace didnât want to expose his identity, so he played along. âAlright, Mr. Beck would like to learn from you. I hope you sh
Cameron slowly drank his tea and chuckled. âTheyâre just an organization thatâs under the Southern Clan. As long as we keep an eye on their interaction with Puzo, we donât need to pay attention to a girl.âThe butler felt glad.All those years, Cameron had grown more into how Sunny was when he was young. He would be able to take over the family soon. However, something came to his mind, and he quietly sighed.If Cameronâs real identity was exposed, the Southern Clan might have to face some tribulations because Cameron wasnât who people thought he was. At Bassburgh, at the Goldmann mansionâŠNolan placed down the documents and raised his brows at Waylon. âYouâre going to the East Islands too?âWaylon nodded. âI heard that Aunt Saydie was going over to visit the Southern Clan, and Iâd like to meet the hero of Southeast Eurasia, Sunny Southern.âNolan squinted and knocked his knuckle on the desk. âThatâs a messy place and out of our scope. The underground gangs of Ora have power th
Nolan put his hand to his forehead. âYour identity will attract too much attention.âIt wasnât just her looksâanyone who had seen the news would know her identity as a famous actress and a Goldmann.Daisie smiled. âIâll wear a disguise then. Playing a character won't be too hard.âNolan could only agree because he couldnât win over that argument. After a few days, Saydie and Waylon were ready. There wasnât an airport on the East Islands. The furthest a plane could get to would be at the coastal town in the nearby country, and from there, visitors would have to take a boat over. The boat docked at the pier, and Saydie walked out of it, then leaned against the car while waiting for Waylon. âThe ship will sail in 15 minutes.âWaylon looked at his watch, and it was already 10:00 a.m.At that moment, Daisie, who was late, came with her luggage and called out to them. âWaylon, Aunt Saydie.âSaydie turned around and was surprised. âDaisie?âWaylon looked toward her and laughed. S
âDaisie.â Leah and Morrison walked up to her with wine glasses. âYou look so pretty today.ââThank you,â Daisie said with a smile.Leah lifted her wine glass. âI propose a toast. Morrison and I wish you a happy marriage.âDaisie clinked glasses with her. âSame goes for you and Morrison.âAfter the toast, Cameron walked up to Daisie with Waylon. Behind them were Freyja, Colton, Maisie, and Nolan.Maisie raised her hand and caressed her on the cheek. âYou were great earlier today.âShe giggled. âReally?âNolan added, âYouâll forever be our dazzling pride, so yes.âDaisie grinned as if she was still the little princess of the family.Nollace came over. âDad, Mom, a toast to the both of you. Thank you for letting me have Daisieâs hand.ââConsider yourself lucky.â Nolan snorted softly, picked up his wine glass, and clinked glasses with him. âYouâd better treat my daughter well from now on.âNollace glanced at Daisie. âDonât worry. Sheâll forever be my one and only.âMaisie chuck
In order to make way for the wedding carriage, other vehicles had been forbidden from accessing the route from the palace to the cathedral.Daisie looked out of the carriageâthe streets were crowded with citizens, and they were all there to witness this grand scene.Nollace, sitting on the side, was wearing a double-breasted dark blue military jacket. He looked tall and broad, and there were two St. Patrickâs Stars on his epaulets, one on each side, a full set of medals on his chest, and other complicated decorations.He held the back of Daisieâs hand and smiled suddenly. âYou have sweaty palms.âDaisie looked back at him and responded with a trembling voice, âIâm nervous.âHe lifted her hand and kissed the back of her hand. âIâm here, so donât be nervous. Just take it easy.âDaisieâs gaze landed on his wedding jacket. âYou look nice in this uniform.âNollace chuckled. âAnd my bride looks stunning too.âArriving at the cathedral, Nollace was separated from Daisie. Accompanied b
âBy the way, whereâs Cameron?â asked Morrison.Waylon replied, âSheâs accompanying her father on a stroll. Iâm going to go meet them already, so Iâll leave you to yourselves for now. You can do whatever you want with your free time.âAfter saying that, he got up and left the couple.Morrison shook his head. âHeâs changed now that he has a wife.ââYouâre speaking as if you havenât changed.â Leah got up instantly and left the restaurant.Morrison put his cup down and caught up to her immediately. âHey, why would you leave me behind? Wait for me.âMaisie and Saydie came out of the private room and ran into Nolan and Quincy in the corridor.Quincy nodded. âMrs. Goldmann.âMaisie stopped in front of Nolan, and Nolan grabbed her by her hand. âHave you finished catching up?ââOf course. Didnât you want to go to the Hathawaysâ villa with Dad in the afternoon?âNolan smiled. âI was waiting for you. Weâre just going over to have a meal together.âQuincy walked up to Saydieâs side and
Daisie grinned from ear to ear. âThen Iâll wear this crown on my wedding day, which can be considered an endorsement for my momâs jewelry company and design.âNollace hugged her from behind. âYou can do anything as long as you like it.ââŠThe members of the Goldmanns arrived in Yaramoor two days before the wedding and stayed in the hotel arranged by Nollace. The royal family had reserved the entire hotel for receiving distinguished guests from Zlokova who came to attend the wedding.Members from the Bouchers and the Lucases showed up, and Sunny was also present.There were also some familiar faces from the Zlokovian entertainment industry. Hannah, Amy, James, and Charlie, who were close friends with Daisie, all came.Leah and Morrison were also on the invitation list.When Maisie came to the restaurant, the waiter led her into a private room.As soon as she saw the man sitting inside, she smiled and exclaimed, âGodfather!âStrix slowly turned around.She had not seen him for
The rest of the people laughed.The night came, and the entire city was shrouded in a mist of neon light. Daisie and Nollace returned to Taylorton after having their dinner.Her hair was wet as she got out of the shower. Nollace took over her towel and helped her to dry her hair.She sat in front of her dresser and looked at the person behind her through the mirror. There was a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as she said, âNolly, Iâm really looking forward to our wedding.ââReally?â Nollace gently dried the soft tips of her hair. âIâm looking forward to it too.ââI can say that my life is perfect now, right? Since I can marry and walk down the aisle with the man I love the most.âHe laughed out loud and leaned down to her ear. âYou know what? All the wishes in my life have come true as well.âDaisie turned her head around. âWhat are your wishes?ââMarry you, give you a wedding, and have our own kids.âShe was stunned. Slowly, her face turned red due to her embarrassme
âYeah, itâs true,â replied Zephir.âIt seems like youâve finally become more mature after coming back from your vacation.â Naomi patted his shoulder. âI wish you all the best in your future endeavors.â He smiled at her but did not say anything.âŠSoon, it was the end of the month. Their vacation had come to an end, and they returned to Bassburgh.Maisie and Nolan were waiting for them in the courtyard. After getting out of the car, Daisie ran up to them. âMommy! Daddy!âShe hugged both of them.Nolan petted her head and smiled helplessly. âYouâre an adult now. You should stop acting like a kid.âShe smiled back at them and said, âBut I know Iâll always be your kid in your eyes.âMaisie chuckled and looked at the other people. âIt seems like you guys had a lot of fun. Anyway, come in first. We should eat together tonight.âFreyja and Cameron went to look for their kids after they went into the house. Charm and her two cousins were staying in the same room. All of them were sl
Nollace looked at them. âWhat a coincidence.ââMorrison and I were here earlier than you guys,â said Leah. âWe only found out that you guys were here when Daisie posted a photo on her Facebook page.âDaisie pulled Leah to the seat and said, âThen you should stay a few more days with us.âAfter Morrison took his seat, Waylon introduced him to Freyja and Daisie. âSheâs my sister-in-law, Freyja, and sheâs my sister. Her name is Daisie.ââIâve seen them before at your wedding,â said Morrison. âYour sister is my wifeâs classmate. She has told me before.ââSince when did I become your wife? Thereâs a chance I may not marry you in the future,â said Leah.âWeâre already engaged. If you donât want to marry me, who else are you going to marry?â Morrison frowned, causing the crowd to break out in a burst of laughter, save for Daisie.She looked at Leah in disbelief and asked, âEngaged? When did you get engaged, Leah?â Leah cleared her throat and replied, âWell, I forgot to inform you abo
The stall owner said, â$10 for three chances.ââ$10 for three chances only? Thatâs expensive,â commented Freyja.The stall owner raised his head and said, âIâm the cheapest around here. Other stalls offer $15 for three chances.â Daisie tugged at Freyja and said, âLet's just give him the money. It isn't easy for them to set up a stall here anyway, so let's have some fun.âAfter that, she gave $20 to the stall owner and said, âPlease give us six hoops.âThe stall owner gave her six hoops. She had her eyes set on a bracelet. Although she knew it was fake, it was rather beautiful. She held a hoop and threw it toward the bracelet.However, she did not get it.She threw another two hoops at the bracelet, but her attempts failed, much to her chagrin. She had only three hoops left.Seeing that Daisie was prepared to give up, Cameron took over the rest of the hoops in her hand and said, âLeave it to me.âShe squinted and aimed at the bracelet. After that, she threw the hoop at it an
The night of the old town was silent. The air was filled with nothing but the humming of insects. There was a lamp hanging outside of the tent on the grass. The atmosphere was quiet. Daisie was tossing and turning in the sleeping bag as sleep just wouldn't come to her. Suddenly, an arm appeared across her waist as she was brought into a chest. âWhatâs the matter? You canât sleep?ââYeahâŠâ She buried her head in his chest and said, âI want to go to take a leak, but Iâm a little bit scared.âNollace kissed her forehead and said, âIâll go with you then.âBoth of them came out of the tent. Nollace took a flashlight and led Daisie to a row of trees in the distance. Daisie turned her head and said, âYou wait for me here.âNollace nodded. âJust shout my name if you need anything.âShe walked into the forest and stopped in front of a tree not far away from Nollace.After she had done her business, she hastily got out of the forest and held tightly to Nollaceâs arm. âAlright, letâs go