Matthew and Charlie grabbed Linus and went straight into Matthew's home.Just as they entered the house, before Linus could even take a casual look around, he loudly exclaimed, "Why did you bring me in here? What do you want?"Meanwhile, Charlie and Matthew were pondering what was going on, prompting Linus to pick up his phone and type out a string of words.The words on the screen read: [Let's pretend to talk first. Later on, let's use our phones to communicate, but we must still speak in real life, or we'll be discovered.]After reading the message, Matthew and Charlie quickly nodded and then took out their phones.Matthew pretended to be angry and said, "Believe it or not, if you ever get close to Lucy again, I'll make sure you end up six feet underground!""Yeah, Linus Gusman. What you're doing is so unethical!" Charlie typed on his phone while speaking to Linus.At this point, Matthew showed Linus the message on his phone: [Who's your immediate superior? Are there any other
This was indeed something Linus had never imagined. The person he had been searching for all his life suddenly appeared before his eyes, and he found it quite unsettling.At this moment, Charlie looked at the text displayed on the screen, lost in thought.Then, he whispered in Matthew's ear, "We've asked just about enough questions. Hudson and Koven probably have more information than us. Why don't we ask Linus to leave now? We can then meet up with Hudson and the others and consolidate all the information together."After hearing this, Matthew nodded and loudly addressed Linus, "Let me make this clear to you. Get out right now. If I ever see you near Lucy again, I'll make sure you regret it."Matthew spoke these words without pretense, showing that he genuinely meant to warn Linus to stay away from Lucy.Immediately after, Charlie opened the door and pushed Linus out.Later, the two men had a drink at Matthew's house before heading to meet Hudson.…Meanwhile, at another locat
"I understand, Mr. Zimmer. After all, I've needed your approval for everything since I was young. You're the most powerful figure, aren't you?" Linus said as he looked into Daniel's eyes.If placed in the past, Daniel's gaze might have intimidated him, but now that he had grown up, Linus had long since grown accustomed to Daniel's ways. Even if Daniel were to strike him now, he would not flinch."Oh, so that's how you're going to talk to me now, Linus Gusman? What do you mean by needing my approval? Every decision I've made for you since you were a child was for your sake. How dare you speak to me like this?!" Mr. Zimmer, upon hearing this, was especially furious and pointed a finger at him. "Isn't it true? From the moment you picked me up all those years ago, I've lived in your shadow. And then, when I finally met Lucy, she disappeared without a trace. Now, I understand. Back then, you were afraid Lucy would interfere with me becoming your pawn, so you had her family send her away
Upon hearing this, Linus frowned slightly, unsure of what to say. He thought his own childhood was already quite tragic.Immediately, he asked Daniel, "Then why can't you just tell me the truth of the matter?" Daniel sighed deeply, picked up a cigarette from the table, and walked toward the balcony.Observing the situation, Linus followed behind Daniel and leaned against the railing."When you were six years old, I took you in and began grooming you to be an assassin. My upbringing was completely different from yours. Both my parents died when I was young, and I was brought into Spades from birth. "Later, everyone in Spades couldn't stand me and often bullied me. It became a norm for the other kids to urinate on my face and make me eat feces. Finally, when I was five years old, the former boss of Spades discovered me and started making me run every day to train my body."The former boss of the organization was really good to me. When I was young, I foolishly thought he was help
"I don't know if I'm happy or not, but I do know that none of the things I'm doing now are what I want to do," said Daniel, turning his head to look at Linus.Linus watched as the sunset's rays scattered across Daniel's face, reminiscent of the younger Daniel. He smiled gently at him.He continued, "Then why don't you have the courage to pursue what you really want to do? You've been with Spades for 40 to 50 years. I think you should have your own life, shouldn't you?" At this moment, Daniel burst into laughter and finally put his hand on Linus' shoulder. "Silly Linus. At my age, what more out of life could I ask for? I could live until now, and that's already pretty good. I'm already very grateful to God. If I ask for more, I'm afraid God won't be able to grant it all."Linus lowered his head after hearing this, unsure of what to say. After all, what Daniel said was true, was it not?"Linus, it's been over 20 years, and this is the first time you've opened up to me like this. It
"By the way, before I left, I asked the boss if he could spare you and Lucy. He said no because he's friends with Charlotte. Since Charlotte asked him to do this, he absolutely can't betray her. "He has already gone against his word by naming Charlotte. If he doesn't complete Charlotte's task, he won't be able to show his face again."Hudson looked at Matthew after speaking, waiting for his response.Matthew furrowed his brows slightly upon hearing this. He then looked at Hudson and asked, "Is there anything else? Can you say everything in one go? This is taking too much time.""As you know, the reason we could make the boss of Spades talk is that the tendon in his hand was severed by his enemies a few years ago. Now, the people in the organization are eager to take his place. We threatened the boss with this, and I happen to have a friend who can heal him, so that's how it went," Koven explained everything.At this point, Matthew frowned slightly and looked at them. "What do you
"That's impossible. Who would dare to lay a hand on Mr. Zimmer? If they dare to touch someone like Linus, who's under Mr. Zimmer, would they not just end up dead? You know, Linus is already so powerful, and Mr. Zimmer grew up in Spades. Naturally, he wouldn't be lacking in capability. Moreover, Mr. Zimmer suffered more hardships in his youth compared to Linus."After Koven finished speaking, he picked up a bite of vegetables and put it in his mouth."It seems that neither of these two is easy to deal with, which is really annoying," said Charlie, pushing his glasses and sighing deeply."Oh, by the way, I wanted to ask you something. Do you think that someone as powerful as Mr. Zimmer would have only Linus as his trusted subordinate? That seems very abnormal." At this point, Koven furrowed his brows.The four people were all drawn into this topic, contemplating."Now that you mention it, I also think it's unlikely. How could someone as formidable as Mr. Zimmer have only one trusted
"Koven, why don't you search Spades again on Mermaid Network? I feel like we must've overlooked something. How could there only be one person under Mr. Zimmer? Moreover, he's preparing to rebel. At this point, shouldn't he have more people under him?" Hudson looked at Koven and said.Upon hearing this, Koven nodded. He took out his briefcase. After opening his laptop, he logged onto the Mermaid Network. He then searched for Spades.Everyone noticed Koven frowning slightly and gave him curious looks."What's wrong, Koven? Why aren't you saying anything?" Matthew observed him impatiently from the side, furrowing his brows."I just searched for information on Spades. Besides Linus, there's another person with a white avatar indicating female gender, but there's no detailed information. It's impossible to tell anything else." Koven finished speaking, looking puzzled at them.Upon this, everyone crowded around the computer."Yeah, I remember when you previously checked Spades, there 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