Lucy knew that Mark did not care much about money, so she was not particularly surprised.“Mark, in that case, we truly owe you a big thanks! I hope our late-night visit hasn’t disturbed your rest,” Lucy said as she linked arms with Matthew. It was already quite late, and the two were preparing to head home.Winter had arrived, and the night was cold and biting. The usual hustle and bustle of the city quickly quieted down, and even the busy streets were starting to feel heavy with stillness.Walking side by side down the street, Lucy and Matthew had little to say to each other. To some people, money might seem all-powerful, while to others, it held no more value than dirt. Mark had once thought money was important, but over time, he realized it was not all that significant after all.In the south, winter always came with overcast skies. There were no stars, no moon, no sun, no blue skies. Even the chirping birds at the treetops had gone silent, preparing themselves for the cold sea
Mark was not planning to sleep. He went to his office to prepare further medicinal ingredients for Selena. Based on her description over the phone, he already knew what medicine to use.Selena’s condition had improved. The time she spent aging each day had decreased, her skin had started to regain elasticity, her blood vessels were functioning normally, and her blood circulation was now vigorous.This was undoubtedly good news for both of them. However, Mark was not that happy because once Selena was cured, she would leave, and he did not want her to go.The only way to keep her was to make her continue to be ill. Mark felt conflicted—he wanted Selena to get better, but he also wanted her to stay.Holding the medicine, he felt a bit uneasy. After all, she was his friend’s girlfriend, and they were engaged. Was this not wrong? 'Well, Koven has already cheated. Going back would only bring Selena more heartbreak and pain,' Mark thought.Just then, someone knocked on the door. Mark kn
Charlotte stood in the courtyard, the cold wind blowing her clothes into disarray, her hair flying wildly. The trees had already lost all their leaves, giving the scene a pitiful look. Charlotte released the bird and held onto the note in her hand, slowly reading it before burning it and smiling smugly.Her delicate face, deep-set eyes, and prominent nose made it hard to believe that she was such a ruthless person.The note read: [We’ve already found Lucy Quinn’s weakness. Next time, just make your move. There’s no need to worry.]The insignia at the top was the exclusive mark of Spades, a powerful group known for their evil deeds. Even the police could not deal with them.This was precisely what had caught Charlotte’s attention. She wanted to use Spades to get rid of Lucy so that she could become the sole princess.Even if she was not the princess, she would not let Lucy have the upper hand. If she could not have something, she would destroy it—that was the kind of person she w
Charlotte stormed off, completely disregarding Joan. In her eyes, Joan was just someone she knew and was relatively familiar with, nothing more. No one could stop her thirst for revenge. As for Matthew, he should just wait. He was the one who sent her to this monastery. She would make sure he paid for that in blood. …Lucy had to comply with Juliana's request to visit Charlotte at the monastery to help strengthen their bond. At first, Lucy resisted. She did not want to see Charlotte. She remembered every time Charlotte had hurt her, especially the child she lost. She outright refused Juliana, insisting that she just wanted to focus on her family, taking care of her husband and children, and avoiding further complications. Lucy knew how hard it had been to reach this point with Matthew. She could not afford any more problems. She had already tasted the pain of losing loved ones. However, Juliana insisted that Charlotte had turned over a new leaf. At her last birthday
Lucy spoke with Theodore for a long time, trying to convince him to meet their parents. After all, arriving at the castle but not greeting them would be disrespectful. However, Theodore firmly refused. If he saw Arthur and Juliana, they would pressure him to marry Annabella, a woman he had no interest in. Annabella was arrogant and domineering, the type of person he would never consider marrying, especially since he already had someone he liked. Knowing she could not change his mind, Lucy went alone to meet their parents. Following his request, she did not mention that Theodore was also in the castle. Arthur and Juliana gave Lucy a simple reception and then arranged for the royal carriage to take her to see Charlotte. Lucy did not think much of it and got into the carriage without hesitation. After all, her parents would never harm her, right? Her parents, indeed, would not hurt her. As for others, that was uncertain. Charlotte, after all, was just an adopted daughter and ha
“Lucy!” Theodore shouted anxiously for Lucy amidst the chaos. The scene was pandemonium, with passersby fleeing in all directions and screams echoing from all sides. The royal carriage Lucy was riding in was also hit by several bullets, and the coachman was shot directly in the heart, dying instantly. The other guards were similarly attacked, falling one by one, leaving only a few left to defend the area. Theodore was far from Lucy, and by the time he rushed to the scene, the carriage had gone silent. Matthew had also arrived at this point, staring at the scene in disbelief. He collapsed to the ground in shock. He quickly opened the carriage door, only to find that the person inside was not Lucy. Where had Lucy gone? Matthew was on the verge of losing his mind, desperately searching for Lucy but unable to find any trace of her. All around was the aftermath of the chaos—corpses scattered across the ground but no sign of Lucy. Just as Theodore and Matthew were growing fran
That night, Lucy and Matthew did not plan on returning home, and Theodore also stayed at the castle, confident that the culprit would eventually be found. Later in the evening, Juliana visited Lucy’s room alone. Feeling guilty toward her daughter, she wanted to say a few words to make amends. Juliana had also realized that she had been too partial toward Charlotte and had neglected Lucy. She was not wearing her queenly attire, just a simple outfit, as she hurried over. Lucy sat alone on the bed, seemingly deep in thought. She did not speak, gazing out the window at the bright lights and bustling city below. It was a lively scene, but it felt as if it had nothing to do with her. Sometimes, Lucy envied Charlotte. Even though Charlotte was not Juliana's biological daughter, she had received more love than Lucy herself. It was as if Lucy were the adopted one, coming back only to intrude on others' lives. While she was lost in thought, there was a sudden knock on the do
By the time Lucy returned, everyone had already left, and there was no trace of them on the road. Lucy had no choice but to catch up. She thought about it from every angle but still could not figure anything out, so she decided to stop thinking and closed her eyes. She decided to rest on her bed. After all, she was fine, and tomorrow, she had to go back to take care of the children. It was better to get a good night’s sleep and deal with everything tomorrow. Just as she was about to fall asleep, her phone rang. Slowly opening it, Lucy saw that it was a call from Matthew. In a lazy tone, Lucy answered the call, “Hello? Why aren’t you asleep yet?” There was a moment of silence before Matthew seriously said, “Lucy, I’m sorry. I didn't pay enough attention to you yesterday. If I had been listening, you wouldn’t have had to go through such a terrifying ordeal today.” “It’s fine. You’ve been so busy with work, and besides, none of us could have predicted something like this
As Gabriella examined the luxurious clothes, bags, shoes, and pants, she could not help but feel that Lucy was completely unappreciative of such treasures. She failed to utilize them to enhance her appearance! They spent quite a while going through the various garments and accessories, yet there were still items they had not finished checking out.Lucy gave an awkward smile, acknowledging her own laziness. After a long search, Gabriella finally found a piece that caught her eye. As she checked the tag, she was surprised to find that the dress was designed by a renowned French designer. It featured a V-neck, with simple yet elegant sleeves that revealed a hint of Lucy's arms, while the skirt was a refined and tailored fit.Gabriella held up the dress against Lucy, murmuring to herself, “Hmm, this one’s nice! You should try it on!” Even though she spoke to Lucy in a tone reminiscent of an older sister, she still maintained her authority as a mother-in-law. It made her words both
Since the previous incident, Lucy had become increasingly attentive to her children. She watched over them at nearly every moment. She feared that Charlotte might seize any chance to harm the children, so she remained vigilant and meticulous, avoiding any lapses. In her eyes, Matthew Leon and the children represented her entire world, and she could not afford even the slightest mishap.One day, Gabriella Sharpe visited their home. She arrived as lively as ever, wearing impeccably applied makeup that included an expensive shade of lipstick. Her appearance radiated the elegance of a woman of high social standing, making her stand out among the people on the street.Lucy welcomed Gabriella warmly, treating her with utmost respect. It created an atmosphere of family harmony. Gabriella settled into a chair, savoring the fruit that Lucy offered her. She held Johnny closely, reluctant to part with him. She showered him with compliments and laughter."Mom, you seem to be in a great mood l
Matthew noticed Lucy’s absent-mindedness and asked gently, "Lulu, what’s on your mind?"“Oh, nothing… I just think what happened to Charlotte is so sudden,” Lucy replied.“Don’t worry about it. It has nothing to do with us. She was always trying to harm you. Her fate is something she brought upon herself.” Matthew patted her head comfortingly.However, Lucy found it suspicious. Although the news reported Charlotte’s assassination and that the monastery had burned down to ashes, it did not mention her body. That kind of crucial detail would not have been overlooked by the media.Matthew had also considered this possibility, but he had kept it to himself to avoid alarming Lucy. Charlotte had been sent to the monastery because of him and Lucy, and she had to harbor a deep hatred for them. If she managed to orchestrate her own escape, what if she was now seeking help from Spades to target Lucy? That would be dangerous.“Lulu, don’t worry. I won’t let anything happen to you or the ch
With nothing left to hold onto, Charlotte walked down the empty streets, her heart heavy with despair. She wore a black veil that covered her completely, revealing only her eyes. She even had on dark sunglasses. She dared not walk in the open or be seen, nor did she dare expose Juliana’s crimes to the world.She used to be a princess. Everything she had done, every privilege and indulgence, was backed by Arthur and Juliana’s love and permission. Now that her supporters had betrayed her, what right did she have to be reckless or demand anything? Surviving itself was a luxury. How could she even think of acting willfully?As she wandered in anguish, Charlotte found herself by the river. She remembered coming here with Arthur and Juliana when she was a child, laughing and walking along the bank. Now, each memory felt painfully ironic, and every kiss from Juliana seemed sickening. How could her world be so false? How could even the people she trusted most turn against her?Charlotte cou
Charlotte continued to hide within the castle, unwilling to leave and equally unwilling to let anyone know she was alive—unless they promised never to send her back to the monastery. However, she doubted that would happen, so she kept to the shadows. After all, the castle had plenty of food. It was far better than anything at the monastery.One night, Charlotte quietly slipped into Arthur and Juliana's bedroom. To her surprise, Arthur was not there, and only Juliana was present. 'Dad must be too upset to sleep,' Charlotte thought. She knew him well—whenever he was troubled, he would retreat to the study rather than go to bed.As she watched her beloved mother, a tiny bit of her resolve wavered. Juliana looked utterly exhausted, as if she had lost a lot of weight in just a few days. Charlotte had a sudden urge to go in and comfort her, but she knew that was impossible. Charlotte realized that seeing someone through a wall of separation was the most painful thing of all.Just as
The next morning, news of the assassination attempt on Charlotte was sensationalized across all media outlets. The internet was flooded with headlines about her close brush with death, sparking worldwide shock. No one could believe that Charlotte, notorious for her arrogance and harsh treatment of offenders, could have been targeted like this. Many who resented her strict, often cruel ways were both thrilled and stunned by the news. The royal family immediately tightened security at the monastery, dispatching a large police force to investigate what had happened. The monastery became a focal point of public intrigue.“What? That's impossible! How could there be no trace?” Juliana exclaimed in disbelief. Standing before her was the chief forensic investigator.“Yes, Your Majesty, there's no sign of Princess Charlotte’s remains,” the investigator confirmed firmly.“Fine, I understand. Leave me, and keep me informed if anything changes,” Juliana replied, pressing her fingers to her
As the footsteps came closer, Charlotte held her breath, not daring to make a sound. Suddenly, a shadowy figure appeared—it was clear they were targeting her. She watched as the figure approached the bed, moving so quietly it was as if they made no sound at all. What could they possibly be planning? Surely, the headmistress would not go this far?The figure drew closer to the bed, bundled up the pillows and blankets, and then doused something over them. Charlotte could smell it—it was gasoline! Was the headmistress planning to kill her to silence her? She froze, unable to move. The shadow struck a match and dropped it onto the bed. In an instant, flames surged up from the blankets.In the fire’s glow, Charlotte could make out that it was not the headmistress but a man. After setting the fire, he quickly slipped away without making a single sound. Charlotte crept out while stifling a cough, afraid he might hear and return. The flames grew quickly, engulfing the bed and spreading t
Over the past year or so, Charlotte had gradually come to understand that the world was not just about picturesque landscapes and lavish feasts. In the shadows, beyond her sight, lay a world full of schemes and deception. Despite her ongoing attempts to plot against Lucy Quinn, she had not noticed this aspect at all until she arrived at the monastery. Here, she realized how dark human nature could truly be.The women at the monastery constantly criticized and belittled her, while the headmistress was corrupt, using her position for personal vendettas. She was also driven by greed for wealth and status. All Charlotte wanted was to escape this dreadful place and return to her castle. She wanted to go back to her plush, comfortable bed. There, she led a life surrounded by maids tending to her every need.Thinking of this, she remembered Lucy and envisioned her seated in her rightful place, basking in the affection of Arthur and Juliana. She could see Lucy's haughty expression starin
In a moment of heat, Charlotte blurted everything out. Joan was dumbfounded! Was this really Charlotte? She usually did not talk this much, did she? It was not just Joan who was shocked; the headmistress across from Charlotte was equally taken aback. Charlotte was usually so obedient. How had her tongue turned so venomous today? The headmistress was left speechless as every word Charlotte said was so reasonable that no one could argue against it, and it even warranted some compliments! Although Charlotte was confronting the headmistress, each of her statements felt like a plea for justice.Charlotte was not done yet and continued, “Since you know I’m a princess, you should give me some consideration. Yet, in reality, I’m the one giving you all the consideration. Is that reasonable?” Charlotte’s arguments were layered and logical, her thoughts clear. It left the headmistress in a muddle while Joan looked on with envy! The headmistress glanced at Charlotte, feeling quite displease