The Collins family could not believe the news they had just heard. It was not just the shock of the news itself. They had ways to double-check the facts.The truth was hard to accept.The biggest shocker? Whitney had found out that Lucy was actually Matthew's wife. Now, the Collins family had a tough choice to make. Should they tell that pushy man who had called them out of the blue last time?If Matthew found out what was really going on, the Collins family might be in big trouble.Oliver, Whitney's dad, was still trying to figure out what to do when Whitney came up to him with a pout. "Daddy, just tell this to that man from before."Oliver frowned and shook his head. "You don't get it, Whitney. I'd tell him if I could.""But if you don't tell him, then Charleston will blame us, right?"Whitney looked at him with wide, innocent eyes. "Besides, Matthew might never find out it was us who told Charleston about his wife, right?"Oliver thought about it. Whitney had a point. He was
Lucy, the talk of the town, was blissfully unaware of the drama unfolding. She was happily immersed in her work. Her company was climbing the ranks, and she was getting closer to her dream.The non-stop work was taking its toll, however. She massaged her temples, feeling worn out."Why am I so exhausted?" she wondered with a frown. She had not felt this tired before. Maybe it was the relief from her recent success that made her body hit a wall. She pondered the thought and decided it was quite likely.She made up her mind to take a well-deserved break today.Stepping out of her office, she told her team, "I'm heading out early today. Once you're done with your tasks, you can head out too. No need to burn the midnight oil."She had no idea how her words would stun her staff, leaving some with their mouths hanging open in disbelief.Was she really Lucy? She was giving them a break from overtime?"The workaholic boss has finally decided to give us a day off? So, we don't have to st
Lucy's face took on a funny color. Why did Chelsea's voice sound like that?Then, from the other end of the phone came a weird creaking sound. It was as if someone was moving furniture around.Lucy's face changed. She was a grown-up. Surely, she knew what was going on!Feeling super awkward, Lucy realized she might have just interrupted her best friend's private moment.With a guilty voice, she quickly told Chelsea on the phone, "Never mind, you go back to what you were doing."After hanging up, her cheeks were still pink with embarrassment.Oh gosh, that was so awkward.Lucy patted her cheeks, trying her best to shake off the embarrassing moment.If Chelsea was busy, who else could she hang out with?That was when Lucy felt a bit lost. Chelsea was her only close friend. Her other friends? Well, they were all busy with work on weekdays. She could not just ask them to skip work to hang out with her.Lucy was really stumped. She thought hard about who else could keep her compan
In Charleston, Charlotte held her brand-new phone, her smile looking mysterious.'So, it's Lucy? Now I get it. She's the lost princess of the royals. 'But don't you worry, sweetheart. I won't let you waltz back into the palace.' Charlotte had shadows in her eyes, a sign she had been holding a grudge against Lucy for ages. They had never even met and did not even know what the other was like, but because of clashing interests, Charlotte was itching to get Lucy out of the picture.Once she was sure who Lucy was, Charlotte did not waste any time. She sent a million bucks to a certain account and sent a message: [I want her gone. Make it look like an accident.]Then, she sent over Lucy's details.The reply came quickly: [Not enough. She's Matthew's wife, and she's got top-notch guards. A million won't do it.]Charlotte was fuming. That was a big chunk of her savings. Spending more meant cutting back on her shopping.If Lucy got cozy with the royals, Charlotte's own status was on
Cillian and Lucy were walking next to each other, keeping just the right amount of space between them. Neither of them said a word.Lucy started to feel a little awkward as she walked by his side. She thought to herself, 'Oh no, Cillian and I are just people who know each other. At best, we're just former classmates. Why did I even come here to see him?' she wondered. The silence was getting so awkward that Lucy wished she could just disappear.Just then, Cillian looked at her with a warm smile and asked, "Did you come to see me today to have some fun? I can show you around."Lucy was relieved and replied quickly, "It's been ages since I've been back to the campus. I don't even know what it looks like around the university anymore. Could you give me a tour?"Cillian smiled politely and said, "Sure, I'll give you a great tour."There's a really cool amusement park that opened up near the university. The haunted house there is supposed to be amazing," he added casually.Cillian k
Cillian and Lucy walked back to the car, shoulder to shoulder. This time, Cillian was in the driver's seat, and Lucy sat beside him. They were having a great time talking.The car gently merged onto the highway.Cillian stopped the conversation with Lucy to pay more attention to driving. It was always better to be careful on the road to avoid accidents. Perhaps Cillian had accidentally cursed their trip.Even though they were on the highway, a huge truck appeared out of nowhere and slammed into the passenger side with a thunderous crash.Both Lucy's and Cillian's heads throbbed with pain as the airbags popped out. They blacked out in the car.Other drivers nearby were shocked by the crash. They quickly called for help and circled around the big truck.The person in the truck did not try to run away. Trembling, he dropped a spade symbol at the crash site and then breathed his last.The ambulance arrived in no time. Lucy, Cillian, and the truck driver were all rushed inside. The
"Why would anyone want to hurt Cillian? He's just a regular college kid," Leroy wondered aloud, barely holding back his urge to scoff. He had never even heard of something called the Spade Organization. Were there still actual assassin groups out there in this day and age?The man on the other end of the line, Leroy's dad, seemed to read his mind with ease."Assassin organizations are still a thing, you know. They're like mercenaries you hear about in other countries. I didn't buy into the idea of assassin organizations at first either.""You believe in them now?"Leroy could not hide his skepticism. It reminded him of how some people said they did not believe in spirits or gods, yet they were the first to pray when exam day rolled around. "Don't you dare interrupt me, young man," Barock snapped, anger flashing in his eyes. "You'd better listen and take this seriously. I'm not kidding around."Barock's voice turned stern. "The Spade Organization is a big deal. They're an assas
If they were not after him… Cillian's worried gaze turned to Lucy, who was still sleeping peacefully.They had to be after Lucy. His heart sank. The wife of Leon Corporation's CEO was definitely a target worth chasing.A surge of anger bubbled up inside him. How could Matthew let this happen to his wife?He had left Lucy in Matthew's care, keeping his own feelings locked away. Now, because of Matthew, Lucy was hurt.What Cillian did not know was that it was not Matthew's fault at all.Matthew was super protective of his wife and always had a bunch of bodyguards around her. This whole mess happened just because Lucy stepped out without her guards to look for Cillian.Cillian was in the dark about that.Seeing his beloved hurt made him furious, and he desperately needed to blame someone. Matthew was the perfect target.He took a deep breath, trying to cool down. He told Leroy, "I think I've got a clue now."Leroy's face was full of shock as he stared at Cillian. "No way. You're