Heather wondered if this was a stage she had to overcome to increase her kickboxing skills. She could not tell if this was good or bad, and she could not even walk properly.Chump rushed over to help her and led her to sit on the sofa, saying, โLet me get the family doctor over to check on you, Ms. Riggs!โโNo, itโs fine. This isn't something the doctor can fix." Heather knew whatever was wrong with her was not a medical condition.This was due to her learning kickboxing techniques from the secret handbook, which a doctor would not know how to treat. She needed to depend on herself to balance out the different energies in her body.โI need to sit down and balance my inner energy. Stay here and guard me," she said sternly, crossing her legs on the sofa.Chump nodded as he stepped forward, then remembered something and turned to ask Heather, โShould I ask them to send the car back since weโll no longer be leaving?โHeather finally remembered what she was supposed to do. Her dazed m
Hannah bit her lower lip and mumbled, โI understand.โโGo on.โ Heather waved dismissively. She looked pale and feeble.โHeather, are you okay?โ Hannah asked worriedly.โIโm alright. Remember what I said.โ Heather closed her eyes, not wanting to speak anymore.Heather opened her eyes as Hannah quietly left the room. The room was empty as she called out, โChump!โโYes, Ms. Riggs.โ Chump quickly stepped forward.โSend two of our most trusted men to follow her, and remember not to cause a scene.โ Heather had a calm expression on her face, not betraying her emotions.โYes, I understand.โ Chump knew what she meant and left to get it done.Chump had to stay by Heatherโs side as she continued to meditate. She needed someone she could trust to be by her side in case of an accident, and Chump was the only one suitable for this. However, she also needed others to be around Hannah, especially since she had other thoughts recently. Heather needed to ensure nothing would go wrong.โฆAs noo
Alexander nodded and briefly looked around. โWhereโs Grandma?โโYour grandmother will be out soon, donโt worry. We should start first,โ Ralph said.Alexander briefly wondered if his grandmother's being present was particularly significant. He then moved forward and turned to look at Lily. She lifted her hand from his and took a few steps back, but remained by his side.โGood afternoon to all the elders here. Today, weโre gathered hereโฆโ Alexander paused for a moment and turned to Ralph. โSince youโre the one who called us here today, do you have something to announce?โWhen Alexander asked him first, Ralph smiled smugly. โOf course, I have something important to announce. This is something important involving the Russell familyโs bloodline.โOnce everyone heard that it was something important, they immediately sat up. One of Ralphโs uncles started to joke, โWhat is it? Bloodline? Ralph, are you planning to have a kid?โ This caused everyone in the room to laugh.Ralph was not up
Ralphโs comment convinced the elders, and most agreed. They nodded and said, โThatโs true. Who would want to raise someone elseโs child? Who would do that voluntarily?โโThatโs right. If someone told me to raise someone elseโs kid, I probably wouldnโt.โโHow can we ignore the importance of a pure bloodline? Does that mean someone committed adultery in the family? Who is it?โEveryone around the room started discussing as this was a sensitive topic to them, instantly throwing the room into chaos. Everyone looked at each other accusingly and wondered who Ralph was referring to.The elders thought the person had stayed in the family for a long time, even though they were not related by blood.The Russell family was unlike ordinary families. They were a vast and influential family. Even those from the branch family benefited greatly from the family name. Endless wealth and power came with the family name, so why should someone who did not belong to the family enjoy these privileges?
โNo, the outsider wouldnโt be innocent at all.โ Ralph interrupted. He could not allow Alexander to persuade the other elders.โWhat a joke. If the outsider were innocent, Alex would be innocent, and everyone would forgive him. If thatโs the case, I canโt claim my seat as the family patriarch.โโIf the outsider enjoyed our familyโs privileges, they would be at fault. How can an outsider be so entitled when they arenโt one of us? If the outsider is already an adult, they can make a living independently. Since our family has already nurtured the outsider, we must not allow them to take anything more from us.โIt was evident that Ralph aimed his speech at Alexander. Some had already realized who he was talking about and looked at Alexander with unreadable expressions. If Ralph were right and Alexander was not a blood relative to the Russell family, then who was he? Does that mean his mother had an affair?When the elders realized who Ralph aimed his speech at, they chose to remain sile
Most were worried for Ralph when he took Heatherโs hand since they heard she was a strong and scary woman. Even Ralph was not confident when he grabbed her.However, he had to do something since he had already claimed that Heather was his fiancee. If he did not show the elders he and Heather were close, especially to his mother, they would only be suspicious of their relationship.Ralph was sweating as he smiled stiffly and looked at the woman beside him. He was trying to send her a message through his eyes that it was an important day and not to make him look like a fool.Although it seemed like his message had gotten through, it could also mean Heather was in a good mood and might have even changed her mind about working with him again.In short, โHeatherโ did not shrug his hand off or give him an over-the-shoulder throwโinstead, she allowed him to touch her and smiled. โI hope everyone doesn't mind me intruding.โโNot at all.โ Most shook their heads. Since she was Ralphโs fianc
Alexander could not deny the results because Ralph had told everyone to vote anonymously. Ironically, Alexanderโs uncle was the one trying to overthrow him.He continued to remain silent, looking calm and collected, as always. No matter the adversaries, he would always face them head-on without faltering.Lily did not care whether or not her husband was from the Russell family. She only cared about him as a person, not his bloodline or family background. After all, the man Lily loved and trusted wholeheartedly was Alexander.She looked at him with steadfast eyes as she smiled while stroking her baby bump gently.The first round of voting ended shortly, and Ralph announced, โTo ensure the voting session is fair, both Alexander and I will stay out of it. This will be everyoneโs opinion and not dominated by a single person.โโOkay,โ Alexander readily agreed.Ralph turned to one of the housekeepers and instructed, โGo and get Mrs. Russell.โโAs this is an important matter, weโll nee
Moments later, the housekeepers finished counting the votes. Interestingly, both for and against were close, but ultimately, votes for the outsider to leave were slightly higher than those who voted for things to remain unchanged.Of course, some family members were dissatisfied with Alexanderโs reign. After all, it was difficult to satisfy everyone as the head of the family. So, the unsatisfied family members used this opportunity to vote against him.The result had only a two-vote difference, and Ralph revealed a smug expression when he saw the results. โSo, most of our family members have agreed to honor our familyโs tradition that the Russell familyโs pure bloodline is most important.โThose who arenโt part of the Russell family should not be allowed to stay and continue enjoying the privileges that come with being a Russell.โ He raised his hand, which was holding onto the votes victoriously.Ralph was about to obtain what he had always dreamed of. He could imagine Alexander kn
Lily tilted her head up to fight back her tears, saying, โThereโs something I find strange.โโWhat is it?โ Mike asked after comforting his son.โInstead of detaining Prince Ross, Her Majesty has sent him back to Yudonia. If so, why couldnโt we reach him?โAfter some thought, Mike answered, โThere are two possibilities. Itโs probably due to poor signals, or he doesnโt want us to contact him.โThe two shared a look, knowing what each other was wondering.โWhy canโt we contact Ross? Is he planning something?โโฆThree days later, Lily inserted the last needle into the queenโs leg and looked up at her, saying, โYou should start feeling your legs tomorrow. Still, itโll take some time before you can stand.โSuddenly, Lily chuckled.โWhy are you laughing?โ Yasmin touched her legs. She had begun to regain sensation in her legs over the last two days. She then began to believe that she could get up. However, the queen was hesitant when the queen heard Lily chuckle.Lily shook her head
Lily straightened up and said without resentment, โOf course, you wouldnโt.โโThatโsโฆ quite a pity,โ the queen murmured thoughtfully.โWell, thereโs a price to pay for everything. Thatโs how the world balances itself,โ Lily continued, โI canโt stop you if you must carry on with R10. Still, I wonโt witness whether or not it succeeds. I just wish the outcome isnโt something youโll regret.โLily smiled and turned to head out the door.Rick heard their conversation as he stood guard outside. After exchanging looks with Lily as she brushed past him, he entered the room and saw the needles in Yasminโs legs. โYour Majesty, those needlesโโThe queen waved dismissively. โItโs okay. Lily will remove them later.โEven so, Rick was wary. โYouโre being too careless, Your Majesty. What if that womanโโโShe wouldnโt,โ Yasmin interjected, shaking her head."Why do you trust her so much?" Rick asked despite himself. The queen fell silent. If Rick had not asked her that, she would not have rea
Lily took out a cloth and unfolded it, revealing a row of silver needles inside. Yasmin was surprised she carried the needles with her.โTell me. What do you want?โ The queen took a deep breath to calm herself. She then reminded herself that she could always say no to Lilyโs request. Still, Yasmin was cautious about Lily trying to trick her.Lily casually said, "I left because Prince Ross wanted to help me. I hope you donโt punish him.""That's it?" Yasmin thought she had misheard Lily. 'Is she trying to talk terms with me just so that I won't punish my son?' she wondered in disbelief."Ross is my son. I won't harm him. Don't you think you've wasted an opportunity by making such a request?" The queen shook her head. "I wasnโt sure if youโd blame him, but he did rescue me once. If I don't do anything, it would be ungrateful of me," Lily said gently, "Also, didnโt you already lock him up?"Yasmin was puzzled. "No, I only sent him back to Yudonia. He kept trying to get me to sto
"Three days," Lily replied.โThatโs it?!โ Yasmin was in disbelief. She thought Lily would try to buy some more time and suspected she would say the process would take several months or even years.โI havenโt felt my legs for over a decade. I wouldnโt mind waiting for three more days.โโAre you sure I can get up and walk in just three days?โ Yasmin pressed her legs hard but felt nothing. She would have treated her legs long ago if it were that easy.The queen had visited many famous doctors from various countries, but they could only stop her legs from getting weaker. However, Lily confidently told Yasmin that she could fix her legs so quickly.Yasmin wanted to believe it.After some consideration, Lily said, โI canโt guarantee that youโll walk as fast as you once could. After all, you havenโt used your legs for a long time, and your muscles have atrophied. Still, youโll recover slowly.โYasmin nodded repeatedly, thinking it was good enough. She never dreamed of walking as well a
โBecause only our opinions matter." Lily thought of something and said, "Unless you choose to believe Rhea.""Iโฆ don't trust anyone." Yasminโs expression stiffened as she turned her wheelchair away."Your Majesty, I know you're dedicated to the experiment, but there are other things in life. Have you ever considered letting go of your burden to sightsee? Youโve done enough as a queen over the last few decades. Arenโt you tired of living a lonely life?โLily gently spoke as she gazed at Yasminโs back.The older woman caressed her knees with both hands and stared down at her legs, murmuring, โSightsee, huh? Iโve forgotten what thatโs like.โYasmin had not used her legs for many years. Initially, she could still stand up and sometimes took a few steps. However, she could no longer get to her feet.She had grown accustomed to sitting in a wheelchair, but she felt a pang of sorrow after hearing Lilyโs suggestion.Lily asked, โWhat if I can help you stand again? What if you can walk a
"Yes, I returned not just for him but also for you," Lily said, "I'm sure you were anxious for my return, weren't you?"Yasmin scoffed dismissively. "Why would I be? I have my bargaining chip. Besides, did you honestly think I couldnโt bring you back?""Bargaining chip? Do you mean Nick?" Lily shook her head with a smile. "Don't forget that he's not my son. Do you think he'll be much of a bargaining chip to you if I choose to ignore him for my three children?"She did not wait for Yasmin to reply and continued, "Besides, Nick still has a father whoโs willing to die for him. If Mike decides to take drastic action against youโ Yes, you're a queen, and you don't care much about an insignificant businessman.โHowever, don't forget that his business spans worldwide. There's no guarantee what he might do. Who knows, he might spread information that can affect Your Majesty and Yudonia's reputation?""Youโฆ" The queen was exasperated but could not retort.Lily noticed it and casually said
Rick could only remain silent at that moment.Yasmin then turned her wheelchair around and blandly said, โBring Lily over. Iโd like to see what excuses that sly woman can come up with.โ"Your Majesty?" Rick was puzzled. "You know she'll just lie to you. Why must youโ"Yasmin interjected, "I'd like to hear what she has to say."Rick had no choice but to leave and do as she said.As Lily was about to doze off, she heard noises from outside and opened her eyes. Immediately after, the door opened, and Rick appeared. He glared at her and spoke coldly, โHer Majesty wants to see you.โLily glanced at Rick calmly and stood up as if she had expected his appearance. On the other hand, Mike rose before her and headed out.However, Rick stopped him as he reached the door. โYou stay.โ"But we came together!" Mike glanced over his shoulder at Lily, signaling her to persuade the man. Rick added, "The queen doesnโt wish to see you. Just stay here!"Lily patted Mike's shoulder and said gentl
Everyone was shocked when Lily returned to the embassy with Mike. One of the staff members quickly left to report the news to Queen Yasmin.Meanwhile, Lily saw people peering at her and Mike from the corner. Afterward, several guarded-looking men appeared. Lilt recognized them as the queenโs attendants. They brought Mike and Lily inside and then gave the duo a thorough search.The men only relaxed after finding nothing suspicious about the duo. Even so, Lily could not see the queen as the men told her to wait in an innermost room instead.After returning to the embassy, Lily felt a sense of strange familiarity. Although she knew the place well, her mindset had changed.She previously hated the embassy and simply wanted to escape. However, she had returned with a critical mission. Not only did she have to complete it, but she also needed to leave the place in one piece.While she was calm, Mike was somewhat anxious. He clasped his hands on his knees and glanced around as he sat dow
"I promise I'll do anything you want, okay?" Mike begged. He was desperate to see his son, so he decided to follow Lily when she insisted on returning to the embassy.Mike continued, โIf any of you go with her, they might stop or suspect you. They wonโt do that to me. Itโs natural for me to want to see and rescue my son. Iโm the best candidate because it makes sense for me to sacrifice myself for him.โAfter a short silence, Lily said, โYouโre right.โ She then looked at Alexander, who pondered before slowly raising his head and saying, โMe too.โDominic tapped the table. "So do I."Cameron thought for a moment before saying, "I've no objections."Seeing this, Austin spread his arms and said, "Since you all agree, what else can I say? Let's do it!"It did not matter whether or not he agreed, but he just wanted to support Mike. The latter nodded and became emotional, saying, โThanks, you guys!โ"Why are you thanking us? Just be careful, and donโt be rash like you promised," Aust