"I understand what you mean. Thank you, Linus, for helping me realize so much. These past two years, because of my work with Spades, my heart has gone numb. There's no need to even mention these things." Selena finished speaking and looked at Linus.Linus shook his head and said, "Actually, you're doing quite well. I just don't want you to follow the same old path I did." How he wished he could have a child with Lucy and live a happy life together! However, he was being ambushed by Spades now. He definitely could not abandon other matters to pursue the things he liked, as well as the person he liked. They were merely ideals and dreams in the long stretch of his future life."Don't think too much. Look at the sunset! It's only during this time that we truly have some time to ourselves. All other moments are spent living for others. Let's use this little bit of time to live for ourselves!" Selena said. She then turned to look at Linus before looking up at the sky.A gentle breeze ru
"Alright, alright. Let's stop overthinking for now. Let's first figure out how to resolve this issue!"They must have something important to discuss with you. If you don't want to see them, then just refuse. If you do want to see them, follow my instructions, and there'll be no problem!" Daniel looked at Linus and said to him.Linus pondered for a long time. Thinking that he would have the opportunity to see Lucy, he nodded to signal Daniel to continue. "Mr. Zimmer, go ahead. I'm all ears."Upon hearing this, Daniel laughed twice and said to Linus, "Since you're willing to listen to me, you must remember everything I say next!"Linus nodded in agreement."When they ask you questions, you must deny everything as this concerns the secrets of Spades. I don't want you to accidentally reveal too much information!"Moreover, the first thing they'll ask about is definitely about Spades. If they ask what mission you're currently on, you must tell them that Spades is simply collaborating
"But the main problem now is how to find Linus. After all, this is no small matter," Koven said, looking at the others for an answer.Matthew thought for a long time and then said to the four of them, "Linus almost always appears near my house. I think if the five of us stake out around my place, we should be able to track him down. Alternatively, we might need to ask for help."Charlie looked at Matthew and asked, "Who would we ask for help?""Of course, we'd ask Cingen."Charlie then realized and said, "You mean that police officer, Cingen?""Yes, who else? We don't have any other leads right now, so we need his help. Besides, staking out might not yield results. We haven't seen Linus for a while since that incident in the hospital. I'm afraid he might have moved or done something, but everyone leaves traces. We might as well investigate further. We could uncover something unexpected." Matthew finished speaking and looked at the four of them. He came to this decision after car
"You should know how to explain things to Lucy," Daniel looked at Selena."Understood. I'll go meet up with Lucy immediately and explain everything. I won't let them suspect anything," Selena replied, nodding at Daniel before leaving and heading toward Lucy.Linus waited in the villa for Daniel to continue speaking. He did not dare leave without being dismissed."Alright, why are you still standing here? Are you waiting for me to escort you out?" Daniel said irritably, glaring at him.Linus nodded and walked out expressionlessly.Daniel watched Linus' back and snorted disdainfully....Meanwhile, Hudson, Hugh, and Koven had arrived at DS Group after following Hugh's directions.The three of them got out of the car, preparing to gather some intel by checking the place out."Hugh, are you sure it's here? Why is this place so luxurious? If Spades set up camp here, it's unlikely they'd make it this lavish. It's like a palace. If I owned such a big company, why would I do anything
“What should we do now?” Koven looked at Hudson and asked.Hudson felt a bit frustrated. Spades was so strict that they needed the president's approval to enter. There was not much they could do about it.“Should we just go back? Won’t Matthew and Charlie laugh at us for our failure?” Koven, remembering Charlie’s disdainful expression, felt indignant. Charlie always looked down on him, and he did not want to give Charlie another reason to sneer at him.At this moment, Hugh spoke up, “Did you forget? I came here the last time to negotiate a deal with Spades. It was never finalized."Hudson felt a glimmer of hope. “Alright then. Hugh, go ahead and give it a try. If you don't succeed, we won’t be able to get in.”“I'll give it a shot. If it doesn't work, there's nothing I can do since the deal was almost two months ago. I'm not sure if they’ll still recognize me.” Hugh, with a mix of hope and uncertainty, walked up to the receptionist.After all, the last negotiation had been over t
The receptionist opened the door for them, revealing an exceptionally handsome man. He had sharp, chiseled features. His black hair fell across his face. His deep eyes seemed to contain unfathomable depths. He wore a black suit and sat arrogantly at his desk.“Hello, I'm here to discuss a project with you. We've met once before. Do you remember?” Hugh said as he walked straight toward Alice.“Yes, we’ve met before, I remember. But didn’t that collaboration fall through? Why are you here now?” Alice replied, glancing at Hugh and then at Hudson and Koven behind him.Hugh heard this and gave an awkward laugh, not sure how to respond. The last time they met, the atmosphere was quite pleasant. This time, knowing that Alice might be the head of Spades, he could not help but be cautious. This kind of person was a huge trouble he did not want to get involved with.Hudson, understanding Hugh's difficulty, stepped forward and said to Alice, “Hello, I'm Hudson Xender, a friend of Matthew Leon
Hudson was stunned by these words. He had never faced such a formidable enemy before, and now, he found himself at a loss.Observing Alice's actions closely, Koven stepped forward with a cold sneer. He looked at Alice and said, "Hello, Alice. My name is Koven. I've investigated you before. I admit that your childhood was even more tragic than I had imagined."After your family's business failed, your parents chose to hang themselves. Your enemies killed your grandmother, but not before she secretly hid you outside with her bloodied hands. Later, a stranger took you in and raised you for ten years. "When you were ten, he died of cancer. You then took over his business. Spades has gone through many hardships, more setbacks than successes."When you were 17, you found your enemies who caused your parents' downfall and harmed your grandmother. At that time, they used a sharp knife to sever the tendon in your left hand. Later on, you killed many people, but the ones who harmed your gra
"Alice, you can take your time to think it over. We're not in a hurry. I can only say that this deal is highly beneficial for you, and we just want to ask a few questions. Have you considered other options? "Despite the internal problems within Spades, our small group alone cannot compete with it. So, I'm merely offering a suggestion. Don't get too upset," Koven said. Then, he turned to Hudson and said, "Hugh, Hudson, let's leave for now and give Alice some time to consider."Hugh and Hudson were puzzled by this. They had managed to meet Alice after much effort and had not exchanged contact information. What if Alice did not contact them? Would this trip not be in vain? Moreover, it would be even harder to come back later. Seeing their hesitation, Koven grabbed each of them by the arm and started dragging them toward the door."Wait!" Alice's voice came from behind.Koven turned back with a wink at Hugh and Hudson, then faced Alice with a serious expression.Alice, with a ste
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