Alexander kissed and hugged her but stopped at the last step. He sighed reluctantly, but his hand remained at her waist as he squeezed it.โIโm willing. I am, and I wonโt regret it.โ Lily embraced him and confessed her thoughts. โI know.โ Alexander believed her words as he saw her determination in her eyes. He hugged her tightly and kissed her hair.โWhy arenโt you continuing?โ Lily asked in confusion.โI want it to happen properly,โ Alexander sighed softly as he leaned on her.She was precious to him, so he wanted to be careful and treat her right.โ...โ Lilyโs head remained under his chin as she put her arms around him.โI donโt mind.โ In the end, it was the person who mattered most. Everything else was irrelevant. Alexander understood her thoughts and was appreciative. He continued to hug her as they laid down on the bed.โGo to sleep!โ Alexander said while he looked her in the eyes.โ...โ Lilyโs eyes remained wide open as she looked at him. Then she leaned over and kiss
โUgh, Jenny again.โ Alexander frowned, looking displeased. โI should transfer her back to the headquarters soon.โHis words rendered Lily speechless as she thought, โIs this how a CEO should treat his employees?โโIโll have other colleagues even if you transfer her away. You canโt expect me to work alone. What if my new superior is a man? ThenโฆโBefore Lily could finish her words, Alexander pulled her toward him and pressed her against the bed. Staring at her fiercely, he feigned anger, โHow dare you?โLily chuckled. โI wouldnโt dare to do anything. In comparison, Jenny seems to be a much better choice, doesnโt she?โโHmph,โ Alexander disapproved, but he lifted some of his weight off her. While caressing her hair, he asked, โLetโs make our relationship public, shall we?โThe smile on Lilyโs face froze as she shook her head. โLetโs wait a bit longer.โHe sighed. No matter what, he respected her choice. Initially, he was not bothered by the fact that they had a secret marriage. Af
Lily walked back to her room on tiptoes. After scanning her access card, she entered through the door and tried to appear as calm as possible.โIโm surprised youโre back.โ While closing the door, Lily heard a sarcastic voice behind her, making her tense up immediately. โH-Hey! Youโre awake?โ Lily turned back to look at Jenny, sitting on the couch in her pajamas, watching her. It looked like she was waiting for Lily to return.โDid I wake you? Oh, man. I wanted to throw our garbage downstairs and buy breakfast on the way back. Iโm sorry for waking you up.โ Lilyโs words naturally flowed as she had gone over them in her mind earlier.โWow! Continue with your interesting story. Iโm listening.โ Jenny snorted.โWhat story?โ Lily blinked innocently, then said, โIโm tired. It must be because I woke up too early. I better get some more sleep now.โ She stretched her arms as she spoke, wanting to walk to her bedroom. However, Jenny was quick to move. She stretched her leg and stopped Lily
Since Jenny asked Lily all those questions out of concern, Lily did not feel annoyed and allowed Jenny to finish her words. However, she felt that it was inappropriate to tell Jenny about her relationship with Alexander right now. That was something she had to keep from Jenny, and she made a mental note to apologize to Jenny one day.โDonโt worry. My friend isnโt from here. Heโs here on business too, so we agreed to meet,โ Lily paused before continuing, โWe met that late because he was only available then. We were both busy with work during the day, soโฆโAlthough her excuse sounded a little fake, it was much better than getting lost during her night run. Jenny nodded thoughtfully, but something hit her suddenly. โYour friend is a guy?โLily did not know how to respond, but her expression answered Jenny. โIs he your boyfriend?โ Jenny continued.Lily just said, โI guess?โโHe has been my husband since we registered our marriage, and a husband had to go through being a boyfriend be
Lily smiled nonchalantly. โSo, who is it from La Beautรฉ Group then?โJenny sighed. โWhat do you mean by who? Itโs all just a misunderstanding. Iโm not sure why Mr. Will insists on keeping you here, but I know itโs not merely because of your connections or luck since you have the potential to be a great perfumer.โThis was the greatest affirmation for Lily. โThanks. Iโm glad you think so.โโHey, stop flattering me! Didnโt you say you wanted to sleep? Go ahead, but donโt sleep for too long,โ Jenny looked at her watch and continued, โWe need to arrive at the site earlier.โโThe site?โ Lily repeated but quickly understood what Jenny meant.Middle Valley was a suitable climate for flowers and plants to grow. Hence, there were many parterres, including for the grafting of new breeds at considerable amounts. After all, it benefited perfumers to search for fragrances from natural resources. Each plant was a treasure with its own God-given uniqueness. After some refinery, purification, a
He truly cared for her in any way he could.After breakfast, they departed to the site. Although it was barely 7 a.m. and the morning breeze blew, the temperature difference between day and night was clear. Lily wore a thin cardigan and a sun hat. They needed to take precautions against sunburn since they would be at the nursery.This time, a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon was their ride instead of a Rolls-Royce. Jenny did not say a word, but her excitement at seeing the ride was evident. The SUV looked fantastic and was perfect for their journey because of its off-road capabilities.โWhat a great arrangement by the company. I didnโt know they had so many models of cars we could choose to ride in.โ Jenny exclaimed while admiring the view outside the window.Then she turned to look at Lily. While resting her head on the window, Lily sensed Jenny's gaze on her. She continued to stare out the window, trying to appear clueless for fear of Jenny noticing something.However, Jenny would not le
The man in charge of the nursery did not exaggerate its size as it was indeed enormous. After walking around the entire morning, Lily and Jenny probably visited only a third of the site, and their legs were already sore.โLetโs get ready to head back soon. Later, weโll get them to send us samples of all the flowers they have so we can compare them and decide which ones to use. Our task is basically done after that.โ Jenny dusted her hands, her face dotted with sweat from the heat.There was a considerable contrast in the temperatures between the day and evening. It was still bearable in the morning, but it was sweltering now, even after they removed their cardigans.โI want to look around a little longer,โ Lily said.โHuh?โ Jenny was surprised. โAt what? I think weโve seen enough. Even if we spend all day here, we probably wonโt be able to see everything because the place is so big. How about this? What species do you want to look at specifically? Iโll get someone from the nursery
โY-Youโre up?โ Melanie forced a smile.โYouโre going to get what you deserve.โHis words washed away all of her humiliation as she looked at him with wide and gleaming eyes. โReally?โโOf course!โ He lowered his head and planted a kiss on her forehead. โTake a shower and get dressed up. Iโm taking you somewhere later.โโWhere are we going?โ Upon hearing what he said, she suddenly felt energized.โDidnโt you want to learn how to become a star perfumer? Then, you shouldnโt ask anything and just do as I say.โFinally, he stood up and withdrew his arms. When he looked down at Melanie, she felt immense pressure and was at a loss for words. Even though he was right, it made her feel like she was an item for which he could set a price as he wished. It made her uncomfortable, but when she thought about it, she would give him what he wanted in exchange for her dreams. That was how a deal worked.He would find it amusing if she suddenly became concerned about her pride, given that she w
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