"We can’t treat Velda badly just to avoid kidnappers from eyeing her. Don’t dwell on it, my dear. We’ll bring Velda back.”Arthur continued to reassure Juliana, and they supported each other as they left Charlotte’s room.Charlotte sat on her bed, the traces of tears on her face completely gone. Instead, she wore a cunning and triumphant smile.‘Search all you want. Even if you scour the entire country, you’ll probably only find Lucy’s corpse,' she thought.Why could they not just be happy with what they had? Why did they have to bring that woman back? Was one daughter not enough? Why did they have to be so greedy, wanting both their biological and adopted daughters?She was already such a good daughter to them, yet they still were ungrateful. If that was the case, they could search all they wanted.When they saw Lucy’s dead body with their own eyes, they would live the rest of their lives in pain and guilt.When the time came, she would take care of Arthur and Juliana, making h
Juliana managed to compose herself, and Arthur sighed in relief as he continued holding her in his arms.They sat there through the night. As the first light of dawn approached, a helper rushed in excitedly.“Your Majesties, Princess Velda has returned!”What?! Arthur and Juliana jumped to their feet, staring at the helper in disbelief. “A-Are you talking about Velda? Has Velda returned?”How could that be possible? Was she not…“It’s true! It’s Princess Velda herself. She’s at the palace gates with her husband right now!”The helper confirmed once again, and the two could not stay seated any longer. They ran toward the palace gates.“Your Majesties, please slow down. Princess Velda isn’t going to run away…”The helper trailed behind, unable to catch up with the two. He was helpless as he stood there panting heavily.He had never seen Arthur and Juliana lose their composure like this before, and it was all because Princess Velda had returned.“Velda, My Velda. Is it you? You’
Matthew’s words and demeanor suggested a deeper meaning, causing Arthur and Juliana to speculate. Their expressions became serious.As the group entered the great hall of the palace, Arthur sat upright and called for a helper in the corner, “Go and fetch the eldest princess.”“Yes, Your Majesty.”Sensing the serious faces of those present, the helper dared not delay and promptly went to bring Charlotte over.“Matthew, what happened to Velda? You can tell us now.”Arthur’s expression was stern. How could he overlook the implications in Matthew’s words that Charlotte had something to do with Velda’s kidnapping?However, he had raised Charlotte since she was an infant. She had always been kind-hearted. How could he believe such accusations without clarification?“Not yet. Before that, I want to know what Princess Charlotte told both of you about Lulu’s disappearance. Did she say Lulu was kidnapped?”Matthew reiterated, emphasizing his point.Arthur and Juliana briefly recounted w
"Alright then. Let’s wait for Princess Charlotte to arrive. My evidence happens to be on its way to the palace too.”Matthew was calm while Lucy remained silent throughout. She did not know how to tell her parents that their adopted daughter had intentions of harming their biological daughter.Both daughters were near and dear to them. It would surely hurt them deeply to hear it from her directly, so she decided to let Matthew be the bearer of bad news.The hall was silent, while in Charlotte’s room, a different scene unfolded.When the helper hurriedly went to report, Charlotte was seated at the table, leisurely eating fruits.Startled by the knock on the door, she quickly climbed back onto the bed and cleared her throat. “Come in.”After receiving permission, the helper opened the door and reported, “Your Highness, the king and queen request your presence in the great hall. Princess Velda has returned.”“What?! Who has returned?!”Charlotte asked, sitting up as if she did not
"Sister, you’re finally back! I’m so glad you’re safe. Dad, Mom, and I were worried sick!”Charlotte cried as she rushed over and embraced Lucy. Taken aback by the sudden gesture, Lucy gently pushed Charlotte away with a frown.Pretending to not notice, Charlotte held Lucy’s hands and inspected her up and down. After a moment, she heaved a sigh of relief and continued, “I’m so glad you’re okay. "I heard that my brother-in-law brought you back. Did the kidnapper do anything to you? Thank goodness, he was there to save you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known where to go look for you.“You have no idea how guilty and worried I was when I woke up. How I wished that they had taken me away instead so that you could come back safely!”Charlotte spoke with a tearful smile. If Lucy had not seen her at the crime scene with her own eyes, she might have even believed that Charlotte was genuinely concerned about her.Seeing how emotional Charlotte was, Arthur and Juliana were momentarily stunn
"B-But even if I’m not your biological child, you’ve raised me for so many years. I’m not an ungrateful child.“I know how much my parents love me. Even though my sister has returned, I know my parents would still treat me the same. What reason would I have to harm my sister?”Charlotte continued, shifting from accusation to gratitude. She played the emotional card heavily, which caused Arthur and Juliana to feel even more pained and guilty.They apologized to her, saying, “We hear you. We know you’re the best child. We’re sorry, Charlotte. We shouldn’t have doubted you. Both you and Velda are our precious children.”With just a few words, Arthur and Juliana were completely convinced of Charlotte's innocence. Charlotte smirked inwardly. The scene left Lucy and Matthew speechless.“Thank you for believing in me. Since you want to confront my sister and my brother-in-law to clarify the truth, I’m willing to oblige. I don’t want my sister to misunderstand me as that'll harm our siste
What would a princess who lived in seclusion know about assassin organizations? Of course, Charlotte would be easily deceived.“Is that so? A ruthless assassin showed mercy to Princess Charlotte and even went out of his way to come up with a story to lie to her. He really put in a lot of effort, huh?”Matthew was almost amused by the situation. He thought that Charlotte was simply foolish, but it turned out that she had quite a way with words.“Can the princess please explain to me why the assassin was hiding in the lingerie store out of all places? How did he know about our whereabouts?“Plus, if you had gone upstairs to take your measurements, there should have been designers, right? Why didn't I hear a single sound from downstairs? If I hadn’t brought my own people to protect Lulu, she would've been taken away by the assassin.“And why were you so insistent on taking Lucy out for a stroll alone? If I hadn’t insisted on going with her, you wouldn't even have brought the royal gu
Now that Charlotte had to repeat the story in front of Arthur and Juliana, she could not lie. However, if she did not, Lucy could expose her in an instant. Of course, Charlotte did not want that.However, Lucy insisted, “Why aren’t you speaking? Are you afraid? If you’re afraid, I’ll say it…”“No, of course not. Everything I said is the truth. What’s there to be afraid of?”Seeing the increasingly suspicious looks from Arthur and Juliana, Charlotte gritted her teeth.“After you were knocked out, I begged the kidnapper to spare you and take me instead. I said that I was more valuable than you, but the kidnapper even ridiculed me. Everything I said is true. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Dad and Mom.”The cunning Charlotte only talked about the things that happened after Lucy fainted, which were indeed the same things she had said to Arthur and Juliana.There was nothing wrong with her words, so Arthur and Juliana nodded. Charlotte smirked, but Lucy did not stop there. “Why
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