Matthew sounded quite melancholic when he said this. He was even a little angry.Hudson and Koven looked at each other. Charlie, who had been silent all this time, spoke up.“We can confirm now that Sunrise Group and Spades are in cohorts. If we were to continue investigating this, we have to remember that Spades has always been mysterious and it'll be difficult to find out who's behind them. "It looks like Sunrise Group isn’t the main mastermind. They’re just a hired gun,” Charlie gave his glasses a slight push up his nose as he continued figuring this out.Koven suddenly thought of Charlotte when he heard Charlie’s words. He burst out saying, “Could this have something to do with Princess Charlotte of Charleston? Charleston is a powerful country, and it’s impossible that they would have no connection to Spades. "Besides, Princess Charlotte is stubborn and domineering. If we really think about it, Lucy is the only one who has clashed with Charlotte. Or could there be something
“I’m fine. What about you?” Lucy looked at Linus worriedly. She was very touched by what he did.Linus looked at her. He was worried about the intense feelings he was experiencing. He immediately replied, “I’m fine. I’m glad to know that you’re fine too. Don’t look at your phone when you cross the road next time. It’s dangerous.”Lucy lowered her head in embarrassment.She noticed the wound on Linus’ arm after lowering her head. There was a huge gash on it.Lucy grabbed his arm and dragged him opposite toward the company’s medical room.“Let’s do something about that wound on your arm first. You’ll get tetanus if we don’t get it treated. You’ll need to take better care of yourself if you get infected,” Lucy said while pulling him across the road and rushing toward the medical room opposite.Linus did not object as he listened to her. He felt himself spiraling into deep feelings for her as she pulled his arm while walking straight ahead.When they got to the medical room, a do
“Hey, where are you going, Matthew?” Koven and Hudson watched Matthew hurry out. They looked at each other and grabbed their coats as well. Charlie headed out with them when he saw them leaving.“I’ll go with you. I’d like to see what’s making Matthew so afraid,” Charlie said as he followed them out the door.All three of them had just walked out when they realized Matthew was gone. All that was left behind was the noisy roar of a car’s engine.“Damn, he’s really fast,” Koven stared at the empty spot in front of him and said while scratching his head.“We’ll take my car. Something must've happened to Lucy. Let’s head to Hudson’s office,” Charlie said while looking at Hudson with a shrug.Hudson met Charlie’s eyes and nodded. All three of them got into Charlie’s car, and they sped straight toward Hudson’s office.…Linus’ wound was now fully bandaged, but Lucy was still feeling worried. She got the doctor to check if he had hurt himself anywhere else.“Your girlfriend really car
Matthew turned to look at Lucy unhappily. “Don’t you find it strange, Lulu? He keeps appearing everywhere you are. It was fine before because we're living in the same area.“But you’re in Hudson’s company right now, and here he is right downstairs. Don’t you find this too much of a coincidence? He even managed to save you the moment you crossed the road. I’m beginning to suspect that he’s the one who arranged for that reckless driver.”Before Lucy could answer, Linus spoke up.“There's been a misunderstanding between us, Mr. Leon. I’m here today for some business, and I happened to bump into Lucy. That’s all there is.“Please don’t read too much into this, Mr. Leon. It was just instinct for me to save Lucy. If it were any other woman on the road, I’d save her as well. There's no need to worry about this,” Linus said and smiled at Matthew.However, when Linus smiled at Matthew, it did not feel like he was apologizing. Rather, it felt more like he was taunting Matthew.Lucy did not
Charlie burst out with a laugh and did not say anything else.“Let’s go,” Matthew looked at Charlie and said. After that, he pulled Lucy into his arms and turned to leave. Hudson and Koven followed behind.Matthew’s expression was dark while walking with Lucy at the front.Lucy was feeling a little angry as well. She felt that Matthew was being unreasonable. Linus had saved her but Matthew did not thank him and instead treated him harshly.The three spectators behind them watched as both of them said nothing. They stayed silent as well as they headed to Hudson’s office.When they got into the office area, Lucy flung off Matthew’s arm. She turned to walk into her office while Matthew said nothing as he headed straight into Hudson's office.Matthew lit a cigarette when he got into the office. He sat on the balcony without saying a word.When the three of them saw him acting that way, they stayed silent as well. Matthew was known for his mood swings, and none of them wanted to be y
Matthew and Charlie went over to watch. Koven was typing a bunch of symbols into the computer.Was this various coding they were looking at? Koven kept coding speedily as both his hands got busy on the keyboard.Matthew, Charlie, and Hudson did not understand any of it. They glanced at each other at the side and later looked at Koven with admiration.Koven usually acted playful around them, but when it came to work, he had an admirable vigor and focus that could not be denied. It was not long after that a login page appeared on the computer.Charlie looked at the website and whispered in surprise, “Isn’t this the famous Mermaid Network known in the country?”“What’s the Mermaid Network?” It was the first time Hudson had heard of this, so he asked curiously.Matthew stayed silent at the side as he waited to hear Charlie’s answer.“The Mermaid Network is the most famous site for searching for someone. It has a record of everything a person has done from the day they were born. You
The results appeared, and Koven read what was on the screen.“Linus Gusman, 24, joined Spades at a young age and has given his life to them since then. He was involved in several military incidents and also the Empire’s presidential assassination. He also threatened the leader of Zakonia by abducting his daughter. "He almost lost his life while working for the organization but was saved after that. When he returned, he went into hiding to conduct underground activities…” Koven continued reading the information on Linus. He was in slight disbelief. Linus did not look like someone who had done all this.“Are you sure this is Linus Gusman?” Charlie spoke up. He knew that Linus was not a good person and was right about it, but he did not believe Linus could do all these things.Koven rolled his eyes at Charlie and asked, “Do you mean to say that you don’t believe me?”He clicked on an image of Linus.Charlie took a sharp breath when he saw the image. It was Linus.However, the imag
Matthew frowned when he heard this and said nothing.This situation had too many implications, and this had to happen at a time like this. What should he do? “Find out who's the one spreading the rumor. Looks like Sunrise Group and whichever organization involved has something to do with this,” Hudson said while looking at Matthew. However, he knew that this was just a small matter to Matthew.The most important thing right now was to settle the shareholders who had pulled out their investments. Otherwise, the company would be a mess internally.All four of them were about to discuss a plan when Lucy pushed the door open and came in.She went straight to Matthew’s side and said worriedly to him.“Are you alright? I saw the news. How did something like that happen? What should we do now? Have you found a solution? I’m sorry, Matthew. I was being stubborn this morning and made you worried. I’m sorry,” Lucy said a bunch of things while standing next to Matthew, and he had no idea w
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