Matthew placed a coin in the dish and then called for the manager. The manager hurried over, asking what had happened.“There’s a strand of hair in this dish,” Matthew said as he showed the hair to the manager. The manager immediately apologized, “I’m so sorry, it wasn’t intentional. I’ll have a new dish prepared for you right away.” With that, he rushed back to the kitchen.Lucy did not understand why Matthew had done that. Matthew quietly explained it to her, and she immediately realized the reason. Soon after, the manager brought out a new dish. Matthew checked the bottom of the plate—there was no coin, which indicated that the dish was indeed freshly prepared. It seemed like the restaurant still had some integrity.However, while there was no coin, there was a cigarette butt in the dish. Matthew, seeing this, quickly told Lucy not to touch it. He took out the cigarette butt and showed it to Lucy, who was shocked.There was not a single waiter in sight, so Matthew discreetly w
Matthew pulled Lucy to sit behind the elderly lady and the little boy. The old lady scolded them again, "Young people these days have no manners, changing seats as they please."Lucy wanted to retort, but Matthew stopped her. The old lady was clearly taking advantage of her elderly age, scolding others because she assumed no one would argue with someone as old as her.Matthew began to slowly and deliberately kick the seats in front of them, where the old lady and the little boy were sitting. Lucy understood—he was giving them a taste of their own medicine.Lucy carefully watched the two in front. The old lady did not react, but the little boy did. He turned around and said, "Can you stop kicking? It's making me uncomfortable!"Lucy ignored him, and Matthew continued kicking. The boy complained to his grandmother, who could not take it anymore. She turned around to start scolding them, "Young people these days have no manners, bullying an old lady and a child! How could you be so ru
Lucy and Matthew returned home to find Johnny crying incessantly. The nanny and Venus were trying to soothe him, but he would not stop crying. Seeing this, Lucy quickly hurried over and took her son into her arms. Johnny gave Lucy a strange look before breaking into a smile, and everyone around them started laughing. It seemed the little one missed his mother. Despite being nursed by Venus, he was not distant from Lucy and even preferred her embrace.Matthew leaned in, wanting to hold the baby as well, which made Johnny laugh even harder. Matthew felt something indescribable in his heart. Without realizing it, he had become a father, with two children at that. His career was thriving, his family was happy, and many people envied him. Yet, he also had his own unspeakable pains, though in front of Lucy and the children, those worries did not matter. His greatest happiness now was spending every minute with his family.Later that evening, after putting the kids to bed, Matthew broug
Linus was once again arranged by Daniel to talk to Alice. He seemed heavy-hearted, unlike before when he would not care much and would directly engage. Now, he leaned more toward rationality.Gwen was still walking in the park with her puppy. Knowing that Linus liked small animals, she planned to get familiar with them so that she could have more topics to talk about with him.She saw Linus. She hesitated for a moment, then slowly approached him. At this moment, Linus was sitting cross-legged on the lawn, facing away from Gwen. He seemed to be meditating, though only he knew for sure.Gwen slowly walked closer, intending to tap Linus on the shoulder. Suddenly, Linus turned around and slashed Gwen's hand with a knife.It took a moment before he realized it was Gwen. He sighed, quickly ran to her side, and examined the wound."Why is it you?" Linus asked. "Let's go. We have to get it treated before it gets infected!""What's wrong with you?" Gwen asked cautiously. She knew that as
Linus wore his professional mask once again the next day when he went to see Daniel. In front of Daniel, he was like a living puppet. When Daniel was happy, he would entertain Linus a bit; when displeased, Linus would take a beating.However, life was like that. From a young age, our paths were chosen for us, and as we grew up, all we could do was follow that chosen path with no alternatives.Linus knew that today's meeting with Daniel was about what they had discussed the day before—finding Alice and retrieving the key. It was said that the key only revealed itself and the secret chamber when the right person used it, which was why it had remained undiscovered for so long. Legend had it that several centuries ago, someone opened the secret chamber, and the world suddenly became unfamiliar because the person holding the key could travel freely to different points in time. However, it was said that because of this advantage, those with ill intentions would coerce the key holder
Alice did not speak again and continued reading, ignoring Linus. Linus knew that no matter what he said, it would not make a difference, so he left without saying anything further.Could it really just be another one of Daniel's fabrications? Linus wondered once more. He was merely a middleman, privy to very little information.Outside the door, Gwen was waiting for Linus. As soon as she saw him, she approached to ask what kind of difficult task Daniel had given him.Seeing Gwen made Linus uneasy—he could not betray his own feelings. He did not like Gwen, and this feeling only intensified the closer she got to him.Gwen initially wanted to take his arm, but seeing Linus’ reluctance, she pulled back naturally.She tried to ease the awkwardness by talking about trivial matters, but Linus had no interest in engaging with her.After walking for a while, Linus formally addressed Gwen, “Gwen, I know you haven’t given up yet, but there’s really no chance for us. Don’t waste your time; t
One day, Lucy and Selena returned from the mall. They had bought many things, including a blue tie Lucy got for Matthew. However, when they got home, she saw Gabriella in her house.Gabriella looked furious and immediately slapped Lucy across the face. Lucy had no idea what had happened.The nanny and Venus looked terrified, and Maria Stone was crying in the corner.Lucy then realized her son was missing; only her daughter was in the cradle.Lucy felt a thunderclap in her mind—Johnny was gone!Matthew rushed back immediately. When he saw that their son was really missing, he felt dizzy and overwhelmed."As a mother, you can’t even take care of your child. Are you even worthy?" Gabriella continued to berate Lucy. She had been doing so for an hour.Lucy curled up on the couch, full of guilt. She remembered clearly telling the nanny to watch the children while she went out for a while. She never expected something like this to happen.Matthew stopped his mother from further scoldi
Maria confirmed, "I did go to do some cleaning. It was probably around 1:00 pm when I wasn't in the room. When I came back, the child was already..."As she spoke, Maria could not hold back her tears. Matthew was at a loss, his mind completely blank.Lucy watched the surveillance footage over and over again in the monitoring room, her eyes red and painfully swollen.Gabriella had left earlier due to company matters, but not before she had a word with Lucy.Lucy could not retort, knowing she had not fulfilled her duties as a mother. The pain in her heart was unbearable.Matthew went to the police station to check on the situation. Orders had been issued throughout the city to capture the culprit, and the police were cautiously searching every corner.Suddenly, Matthew noticed a woman on one of the surveillance tapes, approximately ten miles from his home.The woman was sneaking along the road with a child in her arms. Her clothes were shabby, but the baby was dressed in attire th
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