Mark was in the kitchen, though it was not clear what he was doing. He held an eggplant, peeled off the skin, then cut it into pieces and tossed it into the hot oil, gently stir-frying. A few minutes later, a freshly cooked plate of eggplant was ready. It looked quite appetizing! For his first attempt, it went smoothly.Next, he cracked two or three eggs and beat them with a fork in one direction until the yolks and whites were completely mixed. He then took two or three tomatoes, blanched them in boiling water, peeled the softened skins, and diced the tomatoes. He placed them in a delicate little bowl. He heated a pan, and then added a spoonful of oil. Gently, he poured the eggs in, and in an instant, the aroma of eggs filled the entire kitchen. After scooping out the eggs, he sautéed the tomatoes until they were mushy, then added the eggs back in and poured in a ladle of water. After simmering for a few minutes, a delicious dish was ready. Next, he cooked up a plat
Daniel sat on the platform, looking down at Linus below. A white cat had appeared in his hands, and he gently stroked its fur. “Have you heard about Lucy’s situation?” Daniel asked, speaking slowly and calmly. The matter involving Lucy in Charleston had already reached their ears. Many people were pointing fingers at Spades for this incident. However, Daniel had not ordered the assassination of Lucy, and he wanted to investigate who acted without authorization. Linus, standing below, claimed ignorance about everything. He had no idea who did it, and he did not want Lucy to be harmed either. It was said that the police found markings related to Spades at the scene, which led many to suspect that members of Spades were responsible. What worried Daniel the most was not whether Lucy lived or died but the fact that social opinion and police searches could put Spades in a precarious position. “I don’t know, Mr. Zimmer. I’ve heard that Lucy is safe for now. As for who acted
Linus disguised himself and arrived at Alice's room. He skillfully sat down and looked at Alice. Alice lay on the bed, ignoring him. She looked haggard, her lips devoid of color. She seemed to be deep in thought with her eyes closed. “What do you want?” Alice said coldly. Then, she returned to her calm demeanor. She just disliked being disturbed by others.Seeing that Linus had arrived, he was either there for a reason or he was up to something. Alice was already used to this. Daniel, that old fox, had quite the knack for scheming, but getting information from Alice was impossible! Alice smirked coldly, mocking these foolish humans. “I’m not here to argue with you,” Linus said with a sly grin. “I’m here to discuss business!” At this, Alice felt a slight tremor in her heart. To her, Linus was a puzzle. Every word he said made Alice ponder for a long time. Unlike Daniel, who was always asking questions without any depth! “Oh, then tell me. What’s your business proposal
The cold weather did not deter people. Instead, the streets became increasingly crowded, lively enough to make one forget the chill of winter. Matthew and Lucy were among the crowd, following the flow of people to the busiest area. Matthew was with his young son while Lucy had her young daughter. They first went to a newly opened restaurant to eat, then strolled around the street, buying everything they needed. Just as they were about to head back, they spotted someone they had not seen in a long time. Lucy saw Selena and stared in amazement, unable to believe that she had actually returned! She turned to signal to the busy Matthew, but he was still occupied picking out gifts. When Lucy turned back, Selena had already vanished into the crowd. She looked around for a while but still could not find her. After walking a considerable distance forward, there was still no sign of her. Matthew eventually found Lucy while still carrying the children, so she had no choice b
This tactic indeed worked. Koven reluctantly agreed even though he didn’t want to eat steak or go out to have fun. After all, he couldn’t ignore the bond of brotherhood!Charlie was as happy as a monkey, jumping around. Once again, he succeeded. Every time, Koven could not resist that one sentence. A guy was really just that simple. Koven felt a bit helpless. He was already used to Charlie’s tricks, but it was true that years of brotherhood could not just be brushed off! Koven packed up his things and glanced at the photo as if Selena was right beside him.He walked out, and as he was walking, he suddenly felt someone watching him. He turned around, and sure enough, there was someone suspiciously disguised. Koven chased after them!"Stop! Don’t run!" Koven shouted, curious about the person running away. Lately, he had been feeling like someone was following him. However, the person ran quickly, and after turning a corner, they managed to shake Koven off.Koven could not catch up
Koven slowly walked back to the residential area, feeling a deep sense of loneliness as he looked around at the scenery. Selena still had not returned, and he was still alone.Suddenly, he saw that person spying on him again. Koven immediately chased after them, but the person quickly ran off, and the two of them ran for a long time.The person dashed through a small garden. Koven hurried to follow, but his calf was scratched by wild grass, and once again, he lost track of them! Koven was becoming more and more confused. Who was spying on him? These past few days, he had an unsettling feeling, but he could not quite explain it. It left him very puzzled!Forget it. It was better to go back to sleep. Staying here was not going to solve anything. Whether he was being followed or not, he would just install a surveillance camera first. By this time, it was dark, and the air began to feel heavy with the temperature dropping across the city.Selena carefully walked forward. Mark’s house
Selena had no other choice. She kicked her leg back, hitting Mark’s vital spot.Mark cried out in pain and let go of Selena, allowing her to avoid being violated.Selena stared at Mark in shock and fear. She could not believe he had such thoughts, and with just the two of them in the house, she felt terrified.She backed away, pleading for Mark to let her go. Although she had a background as an assassin, her illness drained all her strength, making her no different from any ordinary woman without the power to resist!Mark snapped back to his senses. He rushed over to help her up, apologizing repeatedly.Selena ran to her room and quickly locked the door, not daring to take another step outside. Her heart was pounding, and she was trembling all over!Mark remained frozen in place. He did not know how to express his feelings of love. He did not dare to speak to Selena about it, knowing that if he did, their relationship would become unbearably awkward. His actions today had made fu
"Promise me, don’t go looking for Koven anymore. Let’s be together, okay?” Mark asked with a look of sincerity on his face.He wanted to spend the rest of his life with the woman in front of him.Selena was very hesitant. She bit her fork, the food in her mouth long since swallowed into her stomach. She was unsure of what to say. She knew she had to reject him, but she also could not hurt Mark’s feelings. Besides, escaping from his grasp was going to be difficult!Selena put down her fork, tidied her clothes, and solemnly said to Mark, “Mark, I understand your feelings and what you’re going through right now. I also know the pain of loving someone but being unable to have them. Nobody is in the wrong here. You like me, I understand that. But the person I love is Koven, and I can’t leave him…”Her face was full of determination!“When I recover, I’ll go back to Koven. I don’t know how to apologize to you, but I’m truly grateful to you. You’re the one who cured me and gave me a new
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