"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
Mark did not leave. He wanted to stay by Selena’s side, offering her warmth and letting her vent her feelings. Watching the woman he loved in so much pain, he felt heartbroken too. Mark knew today was the day Selena would have her period, so he quietly went out to make her some tea and brought her some snacks.“Here.” Mark handed over the tea, looking at Selena’s pale face with deep concern.Selena thanked him briefly and drank the tea in one gulp, then fell silent again. At that moment, she did not want to say anything, only desiring to be alone. However, she did not have the heart to ask Mark to leave, so she let him sit in the chair beside her while her thoughts drifted elsewhere.“Selena, don’t be so upset. Koven isn’t worth it, and you—” Before Mark could finish, Selena interrupted him.“Mark, I just want to be alone. Can you leave?” Selena’s face was full of distress, and she really did not want to deal with anyone right now.Seeing how Mark lingered, she grew even more ir
Although Selena knew about what Koven had done, she did not plan to accept Mark. Her heart was already filled with someone else, and now, that person was dead to her, so her heart had died with him. She looked at herself in the mirror, finding her reflection both unfamiliar and ridiculous. It turned out that their relationship was so fragile, that any random reason could tear them apart.Selena thought to herself, 'So, I was the clown all along. Koven never truly cared about me!'The night quietly faded away, and dawn slowly arrived. The east revealed golden rays of light as the sun was about to rise. Selena had heavy dark circles under her eyes, and her face was pale—she did not look well. It was likely because of what happened yesterday. Maybe she had been up thinking all night. After all, who could sleep well after something like that?In the kitchen, a man’s busy figure could be seen. He was making oatmeal for Selena's breakfast. He knew she was not in a good state and that
A year had passed, and Lucy's children had grown up a lot. They had already learned to walk and babble, calling her “Mommy”. Lucy herself had matured more and more, shouldering the daily responsibilities of the family as a full-time housewife. Sometimes, she would use her spare time to enjoy her hobbies.Lila was growing cuter by the day, and she bore some resemblance to Matthew, while Johnny, also adorable, was increasingly looking like Lucy. Every day when Matthew came home, the first thing he would do was pick up the two children and play with them. Then, he would look at his beautiful wife. These ordinary days were peaceful and simple, yet they felt relaxed and would forget their troubles to enjoy the happy moments with their family.Koven remained single all this time, constantly thinking about Selena. He thought of her all the time, and meanwhile, Cece had been pestering him until her child was born. Koven took Cece and her child to the hospital for a DNA test, and the result
Lucy went to the market to buy groceries today. She wanted to make pork chops and handmade fries to showcase her cooking skills to Matthew and the kids. These two dishes were her specialties, so she decided to prepare them for dinner.She went to her usual grocery store, carefully selecting the ingredients. Suddenly, she felt that a woman across looked very familiar. Was that Selena? Lucy was shocked. Why would Selena be here? Could she be seeing things?She took a closer look, but the person had already disappeared! How did she leave so quickly? In the blink of an eye, Selena was gone. Could it be a ghost? Normally, people could not move that fast. Even if Selena had undergone assassin training, she should not have been that quick!While Lucy was still deep in thought, the cashier handed her the groceries, snapping her back to reality. Startled, Lucy hastily took the groceries and left. Just as she exited the grocery store, she stopped in her tracks. The woman in front of her wore
Lucy did not want Selena to be upset. She would always be her friend, no matter what decisions she made. She would support her, even if it meant forever parting ways.“Selena, I’m sorry. I was a bit rude earlier. You’ll always be my best friend, and I believe that will never change!” Lucy said seriously. She felt she should not meddle so much. After all, after Selena left, Koven went through a situation himself.“Thank you for your support. Without you, I wouldn’t know what to do. Thank you for understanding,” Selena responded politely.The two of them were like how they were when they first met—awkwardly polite but full of hope for the future.“Come to my house for dinner! I’ll cook tonight. You can help me out. It’s been so long since we’ve done this,” Lucy enthusiastically invited.“Such a gracious offer!” Selena replied with a smile, and the two happily headed back home together.By this time, Matthew had already returned home from work. He was playing with their two children
Everyone enjoyed dinner, and Selena made up a lot of stories to explain what she had been doing during this time. She almost gave herself away but luckily managed to cover it up."Selena, why don’t you just stay over tonight?" Lucy suggested warmly, looking at Selena.She really wanted to talk with Selena; it had been a long time since they had a proper conversation.Selena felt conflicted. After hesitating for a moment, she finally said, "Alright, I’d like to have a good talk with you too."The dilemma was that Mark gave her her medicine daily, and if she stayed at Lucy’s place tonight, she might return late tomorrow. However, she truly wanted to spend time with Lucy. She had been so lonely lately, constantly thinking about her friends. Now that she finally had the chance to see Lucy, she could not pass up the opportunity to stay the night."Great, it's settled, then! We’ll go to a night fair tonight. It’s full of delicious food and fun things to do!" Lucy said excitedly, smili
"It's nothing. I'm fine, just feeling a bit unwell from adjusting to the local environment again. After all, I’ve been away for over a year, and coming back has been a little hard to get used to," Selena explained.Lucy did not think much of it. After all, she was busy every day—cooking, taking care of the kids, and managing the household. Although she cared deeply about Selena, hearing her explanation was enough to put her mind at ease.The two of them continued sipping their tea. Just as they were about to leave, Lucy suddenly spotted Koven on the street outside.Lucy felt awkward while Selena grew anxious. She had not told Koven that she was back, nor had she intended to inform him. Ever since she learned about what Koven had done, she did not want anything to do with him.Selena silently reassured herself, 'Why should I be afraid of him? There’s nothing to fear!'"Selena, do you want to..." Lucy whispered, pointing to Koven outside.Koven was out there drinking and eating lob
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