Selena had been sleeping the entire day. The continuous sound of rain outside helped her sleep even more soundly. Koven usually left for work earlier than she did and returned later, so he did not know about her napping at home. As the alarm clock went off again, Selena turned it off and made a call to Koven—this was not the first time she had done so. She feared Koven might notice something unusual, so she made sure to call him every day at the same time just to chat. She sluggishly got up. She looked disoriented, with her hair falling over her cheeks and shoulders. Even so, she still appeared like a delicate young lady."Hey, Koven, what are you up to?" Selena's voice was full of energy, not at all like someone who had been perpetually drowsy and ill."Thinking about you. What else?" Koven replied with cheesy lines that made Selena laugh, though it was all just an act.Selena felt a twinge of sadness, realizing she had resorted to this method to gain Koven's trust, but she had
Mark looked at Selena, feeling somewhat helpless. He was at a loss when it came to the actions of Spades."I have some therapeutic medicine here, but it'll only provide temporary relief. To completely rid yourself of the disease, you still need to obtain the true antidote," Mark said as he took out several bottles and jars from a box.Selena felt a bit excited. She was usually lethargic to the point of near sleep, but she would always wake up in agony. If there was a way to alleviate her symptoms, Koven would not have to worry about her so much.Looking at the bottles, Selena noticed they had no labels."What are they?" Selena asked curiously."This is the medicine I developed myself, just packaged in these bottles. It should be harmless, so you don't need to worry." Mark, who was crouched under a cabinet, realized he had not explained clearly and raised his head to clarify.The hospital could not diagnose Selena’s condition, but Mark had managed to identify it. However, the anti
Linus looked at Daniel, unsure of what scheme he had up his sleeve this time. He mentally prepared himself for several possible scenarios. Linus feared that this old fox, Daniel, had discovered Selena's situation and was even more afraid that it might bring him harm.Linus knew the consequences of being a traitor, let alone helping one escape. Given his relationship with Selena, it was hard to avoid suspicion that he might have been involved in the matter. However, with his intelligence, dealing with Daniel should be within his capabilities.For years, Linus had been working by Daniel's side, which he could use to prove his loyalty. Despite constantly reassuring himself not to be afraid, Linus could not help but feel a chill down his spine and continued to worry."You're back?" Daniel, stroking a black cat, glanced at Linus as he walked in. Gwen was sitting nearby, sipping tea. Everything seemed normal, indicating that Linus had not raised any suspicions.Linus let out a sigh of re
Linus gradually regained consciousness. He weakly looked at the dead cat on the ground, its mouth still holding the cat food it had not swallowed. It seemed as if it could not believe that Daniel had done this to it, yet the truth was undeniable—it had been discarded just like that.Linus understood Daniel's message—those who harbored disloyal thoughts would meet a bad end, just as Selena had, and he would be no exception in the future. Gwen held Linus in her arms, calling his name repeatedly, clearly anxious. Meanwhile, Daniel casually sipped his tea, directing and dismissing his subordinates as if neither Linus nor the dead cat existed.By the time everyone had left, Linus had fully regained his senses. His neck still ached faintly, and there was a distinct scar left behind. "What? Are you blaming me for being too harsh?" Daniel asked Linus. He was not surprised by Linus' recovery."I wouldn't dare!" Linus responded respectfully, bowing to Daniel. Outwardly, he dared not express
The echo resonated throughout the room, as if it, too, felt the injustice. Linus pulled the curtains shut, plunging the room into pitch-black darkness.However, this brought him a sense of peace, as if the darkness could hide him from everyone.In a daze, Linus unknowingly fell asleep by the bedside. Compared to usual, he slept quite soundly.…Meanwhile, Alice stood by the window, her eyes dull and devoid of light. The moonlight made her expression appear even more profound, and her pale face left one uncertain whether she was male or female. Her mask remained on, enhancing the perfection of her features. From a distance, she resembled a beautiful woman steeped in melancholy under the moonlight, evoking a sense of pity.A small bird flew over from afar. It was tiny, about the size of a sparrow, with dark feathers that made it nearly invisible in the night. It flew toward Alice, who extended her finger for it to perch on. Obediently, the bird landed there. Alice retrieved the
Linus remained silent, quietly sitting down. He knew that no matter what he said today, it would not make a difference—Alice would not listen, especially since she was only trying to use him. Alice approached Linus, scrutinizing him from head to toe as she paced around the room. "You’ve got good potential, you're strikingly handsome, and you're full of vigor. You’re a good catch."Linus knew what she meant. She wanted to recruit him to work for her. He also realized that Alice was not entirely confident, so she was probably just spouting nonsense at this point.Linus wrote a few words on a piece of paper and then showed it to Alice. "Don’t kill her, that’s my only request." Alice looked visibly upset, falling silent as she sat on the bed.Linus knew she would react this way because he had written: "That woman has already been captured by us." In reality, Linus knew that Alice was not in love with that person, nor with any woman at all, so he was merely following orders by saying
It was a false alarm. Daniel was not planning to hurt Linus. After wiping the wound, he cleaned it with disinfectant and then applied a sticky black paste to Linus' wound.Linus gradually relaxed from his tense state. The substance was cool and soothing on his wound.“This stuff is for treating wounds. I was a bit heavy-handed yesterday. You don’t mind, do you?” Daniel's sudden inquiry startled Linus.Daniel continued talking while bandaging Linus' wound. It turned out he was not always so sarcastic. Linus could not speak, so he just nodded slightly to show he was listening.Feeling overwhelmed by the unexpected kindness, Linus took a few steps back after being bandaged, as if Daniel might eat him alive.“You don't need to be afraid of me. I won't harm you. I’ve been treating you well over the years, haven't I?” Daniel said meaningfully to Linus, who nodded.“So, will you follow my orders at any time?” Daniel said slowly.Linus silently thought, 'I knew you wouldn't be that ki
The door opened, then came a mix of cheers and music, with ribbons from party poppers shooting out all over Matthew's head.“Welcome home!” everyone shouted in unison before he could even react.Lucy ran over and hugged him. “Welcome home, honey! Our babies are five months old today."Matthew lifted Lucy in a princess carry and brought her over to the cake. Seeing the perfect cake and their children beside it, Matthew was deeply moved.Matthew said with tears welling up in his eyes, “This is the happiest moment I’ve had today.”Everyone cheered joyfully, and just like that, they all had a wonderful evening.Maybe there were more exciting events outside, with richer activities, but none of that could compare to the warmth of home.All happiness stemmed from trust and loyalty, and it was built upon a complete family, which needed to be maintained by people.Lucy might seem innocent, sometimes a bit childish and naive, but when Matthew was not around, she was the pillar of the hou