With a beep, the door opened. The man now knew that this lady, who appeared to be gentle, was not easy to deal with. Politely, he said, โMs. Christian, this way.โWhen Lily entered, she made an โOKโ sign with her thumb and index finger behind her back. She knew that Alexander could see her.Seeing that the door was closing again, Alexander shook his head, realizing that he had been smiling the entire time. It was great that she was strong enough to protect herself, but even if she could not do that, he would always protect her.โฆLily was right that Noah would show up the next day. He came early, and the doorbell sounded while she was still having breakfast. Not looking up, she continued to eat in an unhurried manner. When Noah entered the door, he saw that she was holding a piece of toast in her hand.โYouโre early and even more diligent than Iโve expected,โ Noah praised, clapping his hands. However, Lily looked at him like he was an idiot. โDiligent? Having breakfast is consid
โWhat if Iโm not interested?โNoah was taken by surprise. โAre you sure?โHe could understand if Lily wanted to venture overseas. Still, she rejected Wesleyโs invitation and insisted on developing her career domestically.Since she had chosen to stay in Sapphine, the Perfumersโ Society would be the most authoritative body in the industry within the country. This bait should be taken without any hesitation by anyone, making Noah wonder, โWhy is she uninterested? Is she playing hard to get?โโMr. Richards, thatโs why you went through so much trouble to trick me into coming here? You mustโve spent a lot. All of this couldโve been settled with just a phone call.โAt this point, she did not want to beat around the bush anymore. Being direct about the topic could save her a lot of energy.โTrick?โ Noah shook his head, chuckling. โI invited you here sincerely. How could you say that I tricked you? Also, arenโt you enjoying your stay here? If you could be a part of the Perfumersโ Society
โFor this wall, addโฆโ Noah pointed to the wall, wanting to add an electric fence. However, he felt that it was too much, not to mention that it could not be installed instantly.Discouraged, he said, โForget it!โ When his gaze landed on the tree, he pondered for a moment. โGet someone to cut this tree down as soon as possible!โโMr. Carter?โ This tree had been planted in the yard for many years and finally grew into a tall and lush tree. His subordinate did not understand why Noah wanted the tree cut down.โJust cut it down! I donโt like looking at it!โ Noah barked.He was aware that the members of the Lodge family could fight, but he believed there were limits to their abilities. They could not possibly fly in the sky, could they? The only possibility he could think of was that Lily made use of the tree to jump over the wall last night.In fact, Noah was thinking in the right direction, but he did not know that Alexander had arrived at Kingsland and was near him. With Alexander
Over the past few days, Arianna did not have the time to watch Lilyโs every move because there was a bigger problem at home.No matter how unwilling or repelled she felt, Joseph brought his illegitimate son home and acknowledged him as part of the Tanner family. She was a step too slow.After only glancing at him, Arianna went to look for her uncle, Derrick. She understood that her mother could not stop this from happening anymore. If there were anyone who could stop her lunatic father, it would be Derrick.โUncle Derrick, I heard you havenโt been feeling well recently. I got someone to bring these nutritious supplements back from overseas for you, and I hope youโll be in better health after taking them.โ Smiling, she pointed at the things she brought while appearing obedient.Derrick nodded and coughed a few times before he spoke. โYouโre a thoughtful one. Why didnโt your parents come with you?โโMy mom has been busy with the Womenโs Federation, but she always worries about you a
Nodding severely, Derrick agreed, โYou're right. I thought the same, so I didn't stop your father.โArianna fell silent. She would have suspected that Derrick was not being genuine if she were not in the Oakley mansion in front of her uncle, who had watched her grow since childhood.โYouโre different from me, Uncle Derrick. No matter what my dad does, I must support him because Iโm his daughter. Youโre the head of the Tanner household, so I thought you would disagree with my dad to protect the familyโs reputation.โThe rumors are pretty disturbing too. My so-called brother is relatively young, so what will the company employees and shareholders think if my dad allows him to join the company? Will even more rumors appear? Iโm worried about our familyโs reputation.โArianna sighed and continued, "I know I shouldn't talk too much about these things, but as a family member, I must consider our familyโs reputation. My dad was a little too impatient this time!"She looked anxious and wo
It was already noon when Lily woke up. She felt a lot more energetic after taking a good rest. After cleaning herself, she was ready to leave.She asked Kasey to leave her address last night, but Kasey only gave her phone number. To prevent disappointment, Lily headed out ahead of schedule.While leaving, she dialed the number, and it quickly connected. "Hey, where will we meet later? By the way, are the fields ready? I want to check it out.โLily had already reached the gate when she finished speaking. However, Kaseyโs voice sounded at the other end of the call, but she seemed hesitant in her reply, โI-Iโm sorry, I canโt sell the grass anymore. I was just bragging and didnโt have as much of it as I said I did.โ"What?" Lilyโs worst-case scenario had come true. Indeed, high expectations would always lead to disappointments. However, she felt things were not as straightforward as Kasey said after noticing her hesitance.Lily said affirmatively, โAre you not satisfied with the price
"Why so impatient?" The other party smiled and said, "Since you're so impatient, letโs not wait for the afternoon. Why not... now?""Now?"She froze for a while, then saw the door open with a "click.โ Standing at the door was Noah, who had just left in the morning. He was still holding the phone in his hand and shook it at her casually, with a face that could not hide his smugness.That explains why the voice was so familiar. She did not expect it to be him again! It appears he was the other girl's uncle, who was there last night. Does this mean he took the initiative and bought all the Water Hyssops the previous night?It made sense why he claimed that if Lily joined the society, she would have access to various rare materials simply by following his orders. Was that a proper threat? "I knew that youโd take the initiative to find me," Noah walked in with a grin and raised his foot. He continued, "Have you thought about it? What do you think? Are you going to change yo
Raising his eyebrows, Noah watched her pick up some raw materials. She finished plucking, gave him a sidelong glance, and headed for the shed.The shed had the equipment ready, but it was not complete. It was obviously meant to make things difficult. Not that it affected Lily one way or another. She ignored him and continued working on perfecting the formula. For the past two days, she had done nothing at this place. It would be wasteful not to use the many premade items she already had. Those included refined essential oils. She only needed to combine the ingredients and get everything else ready; soon enough, a fragrance would develop. Noah followed her everywhere and watched her intently regardless of what she did. He said nothing and just stood there watching. Lily did not bother with the measuring tool and instead poured everything into a bowl and stirred it all together by eye. As soon as Noah saw that, he had to shout out an excited "Hey!" He started to speak ag
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