"I really have to thank you. If it weren’t for you, that man would’ve kept bothering me.”Lucy continued expressing her gratitude to Linus, which stirred up jealousy in Matthew.Sometimes, Matthew’s intuition was even more accurate than Lucy’s.Linus responded to Lucy’s repeated thanks, “I told you that it’s no problem. Thank you for the treat earlier. The cappuccino was delicious.”With that, he finished the remaining half cup of cappuccino and left the café.Matthew finally relaxed from his alert state.“Matt, aren’t you tired from driving for so long?” Lucy grabbed Matthew’s hand.“Why don’t we find a place to rest for the night? We can go back tomorrow morning. You’ve had a busy day, so you must be exhausted.”Lucy knew exactly why Matthew was upset and silent. It was all because of Linus.Matthew’s emotions were quite volatile. Once he calmed down, he would realize he had behaved poorly and unlike him. He was usually calm, even when dealing with urgent matters. However, h
Linus returned to his car and lit a cigarette.He was extremely nervous before his first meeting with Matthew, but it turned out differently than expected.Linus’ entire focus was on Matthew’s wife, Lucy.The long-lost sense of familiarity returned, but it was unlike the fleeting and intangible feeling one would experience when dreaming. Linus felt as though he had met Lucy a long time ago.However, amidst his chaotic thoughts and foggy mind, he could not pinpoint exactly when he had seen Lucy. His intuition told him that it was when a fiery warmth had embraced him during his most vulnerable and desperate moments. Unfortunately, since joining Spades, he never experienced that warmth again.Before joining the organization, Linus was a homeless child, orphaned and alone. He spent almost every day sleeping under bridges with the sky as his roof and the ground as his bed. Sometimes, he would scavenge for food with beggars in garbage bins when he was starving.Eventually, his frailty
That was why Linus was able to stand out in the organization, earning the admiration of Daniel. His standing in the organization remained unmatched.Returning to the present day, Linus realized he had not really smoked his cigarette. It had burned down untouched, so he put it out and tossed the stub out of the car window.Watching the distant figures of Lucy and Matthew, he felt a twinge in his heart.Since the moment Linus was born, the word 'loneliness' had been permanently tied to him. No matter how many subordinates he had under his command or how prestigious his standing was in the organization, he always felt lonely because no one truly understood him.If he could go back in time, Linus would not have joined the organization, even though the organization was practically another savior to him.After separating from that little girl, he fell seriously ill and nearly died on the streets. It was Daniel’s men who rescued him and brought him into the organization, saving his life.
Linus did not want to block Gwen’s number because he felt that was too harsh.Although he had been distancing himself from her in recent years, he knew her personality well. If he blocked her number and bumped into her the next day, it would only complicate their situation further.…When Lucy woke up the next morning, she noticed that Matthew was already awake.“Matt, why did you wake up so early?”“It’s not that early anymore, you lazybug. The sun is already high in the sky.”Lucy rubbed her eyes and noticed that the breakfast Matthew ordered was on the table—a ham sandwich and a glass of milk.Lucy was still half-asleep as she spoke groggily, “I slept earlier than you last night even though you’re much busier with work.”“You spent the entire day sketching by the beach yesterday. It must’ve been tiring. You just didn’t realize it. You were obviously lying when you said you weren’t tired at the café yesterday.”Although Lucy went to bed early yesterday, her dark circles were
Back at the company, Matthew had Kent bring him today’s work schedule as usual.“Mr. Leon, today’s workload is even heavier than yesterday, so you might have to work overtime again.”Kent was used to working overtime because as long as there was a chance for a raise, he had no complaints. Matthew had always been generous with employee benefits, offering double pay for overtime, which served as motivation for the employees under him.“Alright… Isn’t Sunrise Group supposed to send someone over today to discuss the Eurovian project with us? Have you done the preparations for that?”“Mr. Leon… That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about today. Last week, we discussed work-related matters and contract details with Sunrise Group, but this morning, their head sent us an email saying they want to have a more in-depth discussion about profit distribution in the contract.”Matthew was getting a little impatient. “Why is the head of Sunrise Group changing their stance now? And just be
When the head of Sunrise Group received Matthew’s email, he was not surprised at all because the proposed terms were indeed overboard. No one would have accepted them, especially not Leon Corporation.The head of Sunrise Group immediately made a phone call, “Sir, this is Ted Chorley of Sunrise Group. Do you remember the task you gave me?”“Of course.”The voice on the other end sounded old but authoritative. It was none other than Daniel Zimmer.“How did it go?”“Well, we proposed a 50-50 split in the collaboration project with Mr. Leon, but he’s not happy with it. His assistant just sent me an email rejecting our request.”“Very well. Talk to him again and make some concessions.”“Sir, don’t forget our deal. We’d be happy with a 70-30 split in such a large-scale project with Leon Corporation.”Ted was cunning. He knew that the profits from a 70-30 split with Leon Corporation would be sufficient, but the conditions proposed by Daniel were even more enticing than working with Ma
Daniel was pleased with Linus’ ability to handle significant responsibilities as he no longer needed to worry about the lack of capable successors. However, the overall performance of many newcomers in the organization was still lacking. Some of the older members had not shown outstanding abilities either. They were not even half as good as Linus.The assistant comforted Daniel, “Sir, there’s no need to worry. It’s still early. With more training and experience, someone with unexpected talent might appear one day, perhaps even surpassing Linus!”“You make it sound easy, but it’s incredibly difficult. Not only is Linus fast in completing tasks, but he does them with exceptional quality. He’s good at understanding and manipulating human nature, a quality that others simply can’t replicate. "Even after decades of experience, most people can’t match half of what Linus is capable of. If we randomly pick someone from the organization to compete with Linus in manipulation, few would stand
With only an hour left before meeting the head of Sunrise Group, Matthew decided to set off from the office after dealing with a pile of documents.Kent had already reminded him three times by now, “Sir, we should leave soon. It might be congested on the way to Stike Hotel.”“Alright… Take these files to the car. I must review and revise them by today.”“Mr. Leon, you don’t have to rush. This is the contract with Mr. Xender, and he isn’t in a hurry.”As soon as Kent finished speaking, he received a sharp glare from Matthew.“Who said he’s not in a hurry? This is important to me, so quickly take these to the car. I don’t need to hear your opinion.”“Yes, of course. My apologies, sir.”Kent was surprised by Matthew’s seriousness. Kent was not wrong as there was no urgent need to complete the documents today. The discussions on the key points of the cooperation could continue until the end of the month, so Kent was confused as to why Matthew was rushing this.Of course, Kent was u
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