At this point, everyone was stunned by what had been said. Hugh immediately turned his head and looked at Matthew, asking, "Matthew, how do you know all this?"Matthew replied, “My company also has initiatives to support impoverished areas. But every so often, especially when major events happen, there's a large donation to these areas.“I didn’t know who it was at the time because the donations were anonymous. But this morning, while investigating Linus under Daniel, I discovered that Linus' ID was identical to the one making the donations.“So, after reviewing the information, I had a moment of reflection and started to see Linus in a somewhat better light…”Hugh, after hearing this, looked at Linus in disbelief. "I didn't expect that although you're addicted to killing, you still have a kind heart. It really doesn’t show."“Maybe it’s because I was an orphan myself, so I empathize with those orphans in impoverished areas,” Linus explained. “And donating is a way to buy some pea
"You guys continue talking. I'm going back first," Koven stood up from the couch and said expressionlessly to everyone.The others all looked at Koven at the same time. Just as Matthew was about to say something to persuade him, Koven forcefully closed the door of the private room with a bang."Damn, does this guy have any sense of teamwork? We were just getting to the crucial point of the discussion! What a killjoy!" Matthew grumbled impatiently."Alright, you're a family man, so be more understanding of him," Charlie spoke up for Koven. "If Lucy turned out to be an undercover agent, I think you'd be even more devastated than Koven."Matthew pondered. If his wife, who had shared a bed with him for many years, suddenly transformed into an undercover agent, it would indeed be a terrifying situation. Empathizing with Koven's predicament, he remained silent. Everyone else fell silent too.Koven returned to his car with a heavy heart and sat in the driver's seat. He lit a cigarette an
"Hey, why are you calling me at this hour? Aren't you in a meeting with Matthew and the others?" Selena's voice on the phone carried an undertone, and she was struggling to steady her trembling voice."Selena, there's something I need to ask you, and you must tell me the truth." Koven's determination made his tone colder and more rigid than usual.Selena's sense of foreboding intensified, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it might leap out of her throat. She tried to remain calm. She took a few deep breaths, attempting to steady her wildly fluctuating heart, but it seemed ineffective. Her heart beneath her ribs continued to thud like a drum.How strange. This had never happened before.After years of working with Daniel in Spades, she had honed a calm demeanor in critical situations long ago. She had executed far riskier missions abroad without feeling this nervous and uneasy.Hearing Selena's prolonged silence on the other end, Koven's heart sank a bit. Long silences ofte
Matthew gave him a disdainful look and viciously kicked him under the table."People who can work in Spades for so many years must have professional ethics. How could they randomly kill people like you said? Would they just kill anyone they want to kill?" Matthew finished speaking and gave Charlie a deep glare, no longer willing to engage with him."Alright, stop messing around. Let's go out and check on Koven. He looked so depressed when he left earlier. He might be drowning his sorrows somewhere now," said Hudson, who had been silent until then with a serious expression."Koven wouldn't do anything foolish. I know him best. It's just that he recently broke up with his girlfriend. Women are like clothes, brothers are like limbs—can't he tell which is more important?" Charlie waved his hand indifferently."You don't have a girlfriend, so what do you know? Despite Koven always joking around like you, he also takes relationships seriously." Hugh shook his head helplessly at Charlie J
"Yeah, if Selena is really an undercover agent, can you two still stay together?" Hugh also looked worried."I've decided to cut ties with her," Koven said firmly as if he had made up his mind.This decision was made after careful consideration. He had initially hesitated to give up this relationship, but if he did not separate from Selena, she would still have a chance to get close and harm Lucy and Matthew, which would be unfair to his good friends. Koven was not the kind of person to betray his friends for his own happiness, and he understood that the happiness he had with Selena was all an act from the beginning. Since it was fake from the start, there was no need to continue.But even as he spoke about breaking up, his heart still ached.Charlie grabbed Koven's shoulder from where he was in the back seat and patted him, saying with a smile, "Well done, my good buddy. As the saying goes, 'Women are like clothes, brothers are like limbs.' Although you lost a girlfriend, you st
Matthew and Hugh immediately called their partners and explained the situation, arranging to meet them at the restaurant. However, Matthew did not disclose their usual private room number where they typically discussed matters. Instead, he chose a different private room. After all, they could not let Selena know where they usually held their secret discussions.Halfway there, Koven suddenly remembered something and turned to Matthew. "By the way, I just remembered today is my anniversary with Selena. I want to prepare a gift for her."Charlie, hearing this, was quite puzzled. "Are you crazy? We all know Selena's identity now. She approached you with malicious intentions. Why are you thinking about some stupid anniversary now?""Shut up!" Matthew interrupted Charlie sharply. This time, he was genuinely angry. Charlie really did not know how to pick his moments. Clearly, this was a time when Koven was feeling upset and sad.Since Matthew got together with Lucy, he understood that som
"How is that possible?! You must be lying to me. How could Selena be a member of Spades! She's clearly the purest among us, and she loves Koven so much. Plus, she's always been so good to Lucy. How could she want to harm them?"Chelsea's face was filled with disbelief. It was hard for her to accept that someone she spent almost every day with, someone she considered as important as Lucy, could be the one trying to harm them.Hugh sighed at her reaction. “There’s nothing we can do. The facts are just that. I don’t want to believe it either.”“It’s impossible... Selena could never be a bad person!” Chelsea still muttered incredulously.“Whatever the case, let’s go inside first. Do you want to keep standing in the rain?” Matthew frowned, speaking irritably to Hugh and Chelsea.He held Lucy tightly in his arms. Even though they were standing under the eaves, he did not want his wife to catch even the slightest chill.Hugh, already aware of Matthew's tendency to spoil his wife, did no
Matthew went to open the door and saw Selena dressed in a tight black dress, wearing high heels embedded with rhinestones. Her face was adorned with exquisite makeup, and her long curly hair cascaded down, making her look completely different from usual.Koven was also in disbelief, staring blankly at Selena.This was a side of her he had never seen before, similar to the photo of her at work he saw on Linus' phone earlier today. She looked stunning and aloof, without any trace of her usual sweet and adorable demeanor.Selena smiled at them but did not sit in the seat next to Koven. Instead, she chose the seat opposite him."I have a rough idea why you called me here. If you've indeed discovered that I'm an undercover agent, I'll leave right now."Her tone was more flippant than expected, and her gaze toward Koven was both hollow and frank."You must all hate me now. If you have any questions, ask them now. I'll answer as best as I can, but there are some organization secrets I c
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