Ch. 1561..1590

Chapter 1561 A Bloody Sign

Lorraine barked, ‘‘Drive faster! We need to get back to the hotel.’‘

‘‘Don’t worry, Ms. Lorraine. I’ll get you there in ten minutes.’‘ The chauffeur stomped on the gas pedal and sped toward the hotel.

As he promised, the car pulled into the hotel driveway in under ten minutes.

Lorraine was filled with inexplicable dread as she walked along the corridor. She shot her subordinate a look, and he slowly clasped her hand to offer her support.

It’s silent. Far too silent. She suddenly realized what was off about the whole situation. The place was unusually quiet. When she left, she had arranged two men to guard Sonia, and it was too odd for the room to be completely noiseless.

She turned around and whispered to her subordinate, ‘‘Go in and check out the situation. I think something happened. It’s far too quiet. Be careful.’‘

He nodded in acknowledgment before cautiously ascending the stairs. Then, he gently opened the door to the room which held Sonia captive.

He froze on the spot as his gaze roved over the mess in the room. It appeared as though a fight had taken place. More worryingly, no one was in the room.

‘‘Ms. Lorraine! There’s an emergency! Come up here right away!’‘ he yelled toward his boss downstairs.

D*mn it! Something bad really happened. Lorraine’s heart sank when she heard her subordinate’s yells. Immediately, she rushed upstairs and entered the room.

‘‘What on earth happened? Where did everyone go?’‘ Lorraine shrieked at the man beside her.

He hastily lowered his head as though he had done something wrong and mumbled, ‘‘I don’t know.’‘

Though he had little to do with their disappearance, he was the one who chose the two guards in the first place.

Right then, he hated those two outlaws with a vengeance and wished for nothing more than to capture them immediately.

‘‘I don’t care about the guards. Where the heck is Sonia?’‘ Lorraine struggled to suppress her rage and paced the room agitatedly.

She looked like a volcano that was about to explode.

Sonia was no ordinary figure, and her subordinate knew they had to tread with caution. To that end, he had chosen the two most trustworthy-looking fellows to guard her, yet things still went wrong.

‘‘Maybe her family came to save her and took the guards away? What do you think, Ms. Lorraine?’‘ he reminded Lorraine when she continued to pace the room.

However, she did not answer him and appeared to be searching the room for something. Finally, she discarded the cigarette in her hand and slowly knelt as though she had discovered something, staring intently at the floor.

‘‘What did you find, Ms. Lorraine?’‘ Her subordinate quickly followed her line of gaze and stared at the floor, but he did not notice anything amid the mess.

Lorraine got to her feet and explained, ‘‘Bloodstains! Send some men to track the two guards down immediately. I fear that Sonia was injured, not rescued.’‘

At the same time, the two guards who had fled the room covered their faces with caps and were muttering anxiously among themselves.

The shorter of the two grumbled, ‘‘Why did you hit her so hard? How could you kill her when you just wanted to knock her out cold?’‘

‘‘All you know is to complain about me. If you didn’t try to take advantage of her, she wouldn’t have struggled so much. There wouldn’t have been a need to hit her then!’‘ His fellow guard sighed in exasperation.

After they had knocked Sonia out cold, they thought of giving Lorraine a call. Alas, before they dialed her number, they noticed that Sonia’s head was bleeding profusely and that her breathing had become dangerously shallow.

Fearful of potential retributions owing to Sonia’s background, they opted to abandon the injured Sonia and escape.

They believed they were safe as long as they returned to their home country before anyone found out about Sonia’s kidnapping.

 

Chapter 1562 Things Have Gotten Out Of Hand

The sky gradually became darker, and the wind got stronger. It soon started to drizzle.

Out of nowhere, stray dogs appeared and surrounded Sonia, who was lying on the grass. They sniffed her and seemed to be deciding if they wanted to bite her.

However, the instinct of dogs was sharper than that of humans. They sensed that she was still alive and were afraid that she might get up.

All of a sudden, Sonia’s eyelids twitched, and she slowly opened her eyes. Her head hurt so much as if it was going to explode.

When she touched her head, she saw traces of blood on her hand.

Suddenly, she realized that there was a stray dog next to her. It looked like it was about to bite her.

‘‘Ah!’‘ Her scream gave the dog a fright, and it ran off immediately.

I need a phone to contact my family…

Sonia was in a daze when she thought of that.

‘‘Do you think Ms. Lorraine and the others have gone back? They won’t come looking here, will they?’‘ one of the men asked the other one as they waited by the river for their boat.

‘‘It should be fine. Let’s just do our best and leave everything else to fate.’‘

The moment he finished talking, the two of them heard a din. They froze instantly as they knew they were doomed.

Very soon, Lorraine appeared with her men.

Looking at her, the two men dropped to their knees.

Lorraine stared coldly at them before circling the men in silence.

The silence was so overwhelming that no one dared to make a single sound. All everyone could hear was the rapid breathing of the two men.

‘‘Afraid?’‘ Her icy voice broke the silence all of a sudden.

‘‘We are sorry, Ms. Lorraine. Please spare us,’‘ begged the two men as they kept kowtowing until blood flowed from their foreheads.

Lorraine walked up to the two of them and squatted down before she asked softly, ‘‘Where is Sonia?’‘

The two men started perspiring profusely.

‘‘I-I don’t know…’‘

Lorraine lifted her leg and gave the man who answered a kick in the face. Instantaneously, blood splattered on her white high heels.

‘‘Not telling me the truth, huh?’‘ said Lorraine to the man who had collapsed to the ground.

Having said that, Lorraine turned around, picked up a baseball bat, and swung it at his mouth.

Blood began gushing out of the man’s mouth.

At that moment, the man looked like he wanted to say something, but Lorraine did not give him the chance.

When the other man saw his partner suffer such a terrible fate, he began to spill the beans. He told Lorraine everything from the moment they wanted to take advantage of Sonia till the time they chucked her into the wilderness.

As he recounted the entire story, Lorraine’s face became increasingly pale. In the end, she raised her arms and flipped the table.

These two are not only daring, but they are idiots as well.

If someone discovers the body in the wilderness, things will get tricky.

It looks like we have no choice but to return to our country! What a pity. We have come all the way here and accomplished nothing.

Of course, that isn’t the scariest part.

To avenge his precious daughter, General Lawrence will certainly issue a warrant for all of us in every country.

If that’s the case, there’s a possibility of us getting caught no matter which country we go to in the future.

Fortunately for them, the boat was already there. Without taking anything with them, the few of them boarded the boat and left. As for the two men, they were dumped into the river to feed the fish.

 

Chapter 1563 Who Exactly Are You

Meanwhile, Harvey and the rest of them could not eat or sleep in peace while trying to look for Sonia.

Arielle phoned Vinson and asked, ‘‘Is there any news from Harvey?’‘

Although Arielle knew what the answer would be, she was still full of hope. When she heard Vinson’s reply, her heart sank. After all, Sonia was her friend too.

Sonia! Sonia, where exactly are you? Do you know everyone is almost going insane from looking for you?

Arielle did not say anything in response. Instead, she was deep in thought while gazing at the scenery outside the window.

‘‘What’s your plan now? I have been spending a lot of time looking for Sonia. If this goes on, won’t your dad become suspicious?’‘ said Vinson.

‘‘Sonia is more important.’‘ Although her plan had been delayed, finding Sonia was her priority for the time being.

Arielle was a person who cherished her friends very much.

As for Harvey, he had not slept a wink since he found out that Sonia had gone missing. Despite asking around with the connections he had, there was still no news.

Buzz, buzz. Just as Harvey was about to go out, his phone vibrated. It was a call from an unfamiliar number, and he quickly answered it.

The very next instant, he heard Sonia’s voice.

The moment he hung up the phone, Harvey picked up his coat and was about to dash out when he recalled something and shouted at Vinson, ‘‘I’ve found Sonia! She’s hurt. We have to go and pick her up now.’‘

The instant Vinson heard that, he jumped up and followed Harvey out.

When they reached the underground parking, the two of them got into the car and sped toward where Sonia was.

During the drive, Vinson phoned Arielle to inform her that Sonia was fine. Upon hearing that, Arielle could finally heave a sigh of relief.

Not long after they hung up the phone, Vinson arrived home in the dark.

Arielle was still up when he came back. The moment she saw him, her first words were, ‘‘How is Sonia?’‘

‘‘She’s fine. We have already sent her to the hospital. She’s a little anemic, but the baby is all right. Don’t worry about it. Her parents are on the way to the hospital now.’‘ Vinson sounded exhausted. Even though Sonia had only disappeared for a few hours, it still took a toll on all of them.

‘‘That’s good to know.’‘ Arielle could finally be at ease.

Since Sonia was all right, Arielle could at last focus on her affairs.

‘‘Vinson, could you please phone my dad and tell him to deal with the body tomorrow? Tell him to have ‘me’ cremated.’‘ Leaving the body there was fine, but it meant that Vinson had to be there too, and he would not be able to do his own things.

Vinson nodded before walking out to make the call. Even if Arielle had not mentioned it, he would have done so too.

In the meantime, Harvey was at the hospital with Sonia. There was a look of anguish in his eyes as he held her hands. I was so close to losing her.

Initially, he thought all he felt for Sonia was only responsibility. After all, he had taken away her virginity, impregnating her with his child. After almost losing her, he realized his feelings for Sonia were more than just responsibility. In fact, he had no idea when he started to develop feelings for her.

It was my fault for failing to protect her. At that thought, he looked at her guiltily. She would not have been hurt if he had found her sooner.

‘‘Who exactly are you?’‘

 

Chapter 1564 How Can She Be Pregnant

A furious roar came from the door. Harvey turned around to see Sonia’s mother, Kelly, yelling at him. He immediately let go of Sonia’s hands and stood up to greet Kelly, ‘‘Mrs. Wynter.’‘

‘‘Who exactly are you? How are you related to Sonia? Are you the father of the child that she’s carrying?’‘ Kelly shot out a barrage of questions in anger.

She did not expect to find out that her daughter had gotten into trouble after she last saw her two hours ago. However, that was not the worst part. The moment the nurse saw Kelly, she reassured the latter that both Sonia and the baby were fine, startling her.

What baby?

She suppressed her anger and allowed the nurse to explain everything. Only then did she find out that Sonia was pregnant. But she doesn’t even have a male friend. How can she be pregnant?

Then, Kelly told the nurse they had made a mistake and that Sonia was not pregnant. However, the nurse was very adamant and even mentioned that Sonia’s boyfriend was with her.

In a fit of anger, Kelly walked away from the nurse and went to the ward. The moment she walked in, she could not believe her eyes when she saw Harvey holding Sonia’s hands to his lips. Kelly was so enraged that her hands were trembling.

After all, she had spent so much effort grooming her daughter so that she could marry Aaron as his consort. Who gave him permission to touch Sonia?

When Harvey saw the enraged woman, he knew he had to tell the truth to avoid any future issues.

With that thought in mind, he looked at Kelly and explained, ‘‘Mrs. Wynter, my name is Harvey. It’s true that we are seeing each other. I’m also the father of the child.’‘

I can’t believe he’s actually Sonia’s boyfriend.

‘‘Leave now. I don’t approve of your relationship with my daughter,’‘ snapped Kelly as she stared daggers at Harvey.

Aaron was the only son-in-law she wanted. No one else would be worthy of her daughter!

Hearing that, Harvey’s face fell as he did not expect to be rejected by someone.

In Chanaea, many of the prominent families were more than willing to marry their daughters off to him.

‘‘Mrs. Wynter, Sonia and I—’‘

‘‘Just state your price!’‘ Kelly cut him off impatiently. ‘‘How much do I have to give you before you are willing to leave Sonia?’‘

Harvey was stunned to hear that.

Did she just offer me money to leave Sonia?

Do I look like someone who is short of money?

Even if he were, he would never ever exchange his wife and child for money.

‘‘Just say it. How much do you want so that you will stop meddling with our relationship?’‘ asked Harvey in return.

Even though she was Sonia’s mother, he could not care less. To Kelly, her interests were more important than Sonia’s. Sonia was the love of his life, so there was no way he would allow Kelly to disrespect Sonia and use her in exchange for any benefit.

Kelly stared dumbfoundedly at Harvey, obviously stumped by his question.

‘‘What did you say? Are you offering me money to stay out of your affair with Sonia?’‘ She looked at Harvey in disbelief and mocked him, ‘‘How much money do you even have? Do you have any idea who Sonia is supposed to get married to in the future? What makes you think you are fit to be with her? Stop dreaming and get lost!’‘

Just then, Sonia was awoken by her mother’s shrill voice. With a frown, she struggled to open her eyes only to hear that…

 

Chapter 1565 I Am Keeping Him

‘‘I wouldn’t let Sonia marry you even if you were to give me ten billion!’‘ Kelly remarked frostily. ‘‘As for the child inside her, I’ll arrange to have a doctor remove it, so leave. You’re not welcome here. If you truly care about her, I hope you’ll stop bothering her from now on.’‘

The position of princess and queen fazed her more than a ten-billion sum did. As long as we get rid of the child inside Sonia and restore her hymen before marrying her off to Aaron, there’s no way Aaron will notice anything.

Of course, that is provided that everyone who knows about Sonia’s pregnancy keeps their mouths shut. And the best way to ensure that is… The woman’s gaze darkened at the thought. She didn’t want to have to resort to that.

Harvey’s expression turned grim at the mention of Kelly wanting to remove the child inside Sonia’s womb. He could understand if Sonia herself didn’t want the child, but he couldn’t accept her parents making the choice for her.

But before he could respond, Sonia’s weak but adamant voice rang out. ‘‘The child belongs to me, Mother. I’m keeping him.’‘

Never had she expected her mother to find out about her pregnancy this quickly.

Perhaps, she would’ve aborted the child had she not crossed paths with Harvey again. There was no guarantee that she could give the child a bright future, after all, and despite having once looked forward to its arrival, she ultimately chose to think rationally.

But now that the child’s father was here and cared about the child as much as she did, she wanted to keep it.

‘‘Well, that’s not your decision to make!’‘ Kelly exploded, not feeling the slightest bit relieved that her daughter had woken up. ‘‘Listen to me, Sonia, you will not keep the child. You’re getting an abortion tomorrow.’‘

‘‘The child is mine. I have every right to choose whether he stays or goes!’‘ Sonia refuted before losing consciousness, and a panic-stricken Harvey summoned the doctor immediately.

‘‘She just woke up. It’s best to refrain from saying things that may upset her. Anything more stressful and she might lose the child,’‘ the doctor advised before leaving.

‘‘Mrs. Wynter—’‘

Harvey was just about to speak to Kelly when he was off again.

‘‘How is Sonia?’‘ a man asked while rushing over after a seemingly tiresome journey.

It was none other than Sonia’s father, Lawrence.

‘‘She’s fine,’‘ Kelly answered hastily, worried that he would find out about their daughter’s pregnancy. ‘‘What are you doing here, anyway? Didn’t I say I could manage on my own?’‘

‘‘I couldn’t stop worrying, so I decided to drop by and see her personally,’‘ Lawrence replied while walking over, and he fumed the moment he saw Sonia’s swollen cheeks. ‘‘Who the hell did this to her? I’m going to kill them!’‘ Then, he turned to Kelly. ‘‘And you said she’s fine?’‘

Kelly grew sheepish upon being put on the spot like that. She was so upset back then that she hadn’t noticed what had happened to Sonia’s face. But now that she finally took a closer look, her heart ached for her daughter. Please let her face be okay. She has to look perfect if she’s going to marry the prince.

‘‘Dad… I don’t want to lose the child…’‘ Upon hearing that, Lawrence’s eyes widened.

 

Chapter 1566 A Nobody

‘‘Child? What child?’‘ Lawrence asked in bewilderment, not comprehending his own daughter’s words.

‘‘Maybe she’s talking about a child who was with her when the incident happened,’‘ Kelly quipped frantically before glaring at Sonia, warning her not to say anything more.

Harvey’s gaze darkened as he heard that.

Is my child that unwelcome?

However, Sonia knew that Kelly was a woman of her word. Aware that she would really lose her child if she didn’t speak up now, the young woman forced herself up and gazed at Lawrence. ‘‘Dad, I’m pregnant. I don’t want to marry Prince Aaron. I want to marry him,’‘ she declared while pointing at Harvey.

Despite always being collected, Lawrence didn’t know what to say at this point. It was only after turning in the direction of Sonia’s finger that he noticed Harvey standing behind him, and his eyes narrowed. This guy doesn’t look all that simple. Why did he get close to Sonia? What is he after?

A mix of emotions swirled within Harvey, who had clearly never thought Sonia would tell her father who she wanted to marry. He turned to the woman, silently promising that he would make sure she never regretted her decision if she were to marry him.

But as he prepared to be evaluated by his future father-in-law, Kelly could no longer contain her rage. ‘‘What future do you have with someone like him? What do you not like about Prince Aaron? He’s handsome, influential, and talented! Why won’t you marry him?’‘ she grilled, no longer caring that Lawrence was there too.

‘‘It doesn’t matter how good he is if I’m not interested in him!’‘ Sonia’s eyes reddened.

All you care about is the benefits! That’s the only reason you want me to marry Prince Aaron.

‘‘And what good is there in being interested in this man? Can he look after you for the rest of your life just because you like him? Can he make sure you get to live happily?’‘ Kelly clapped back furiously.

‘‘That’s enough!’‘ Lawrence roared at both women.

Kelly had more to say, but she shut her mouth after glancing at her husband.

‘‘Do you want to marry Sonia?’‘ Lawrence asked, gazing at Harvey sternly.

Harvey nodded, returning an equally solemn look.

‘‘Yes. I want to take her as my wife,’‘ he answered before turning to Sonia. ‘‘As long as she agrees to that, I’ll make her happy for the rest of her life so she’ll never regret marrying me.’‘

Lawrence studied the young man before him. The look in Harvey’s eyes reflected his seriousness, but there was no way the older man could hand his daughter over to him just like that.

He didn’t even know who this mysterious lad was.

‘‘I can tell how serious you are about my daughter, but I don’t even know who you are. How can I hand my precious little girl over to you?’‘ he scoffed.

Harvey fell silent upon hearing that.

He was a nobody in Turlen. More importantly, marriage to outsiders was forbidden in this country.

He stared at Lawrence, not knowing how to disclose his identity to the latter.

‘‘You see that? He’s just a nobody! You’d be crazy if you let Sonia marry a guy like him!’‘ Kelly couldn’t help but yell at Lawrence.

 

Chapter 1567 Something Difficult To Talk About

Lawrence frowned at the sight of his usually-graceful wife behaving like a shrew.

‘‘Kelly!’‘ he reminded harshly.

Kelly reluctantly stopped talking.

Then, Lawrence turned to Harvey once more. ‘‘Is it something difficult to talk about?’‘

Harvey nodded.

‘‘Can we talk about it privately?’‘

After pondering for a moment, Harvey nodded again.

He figured there wasn’t a need for him to continue hiding his identity now that he was already thinking of marrying Sonia.

It was only by being transparent about his own character and origins that her father might feel safe letting him marry her, anyway.

‘‘Sonia is still unwell. Take good care of her, and don’t say anything to aggravate her,’‘ Lawrence instructed Kelly before turning to Sonia. ‘‘Be polite when talking to your mother. I have some matters to discuss with him. I’ll be back shortly.’‘

As Lawrence turned and headed for the door, Harvey caressed Sonia’s head, disregarding Kelly in the process. ‘‘Don’t worry. I’ll see you again real soon.’‘

Sonia didn’t expect him to be this affectionate with her in front of her parents. But truthfully, she liked it, and a blush crept across her cheeks as she nodded and watched Harvey leave with her father.

Rather than sit down at a coffee shop, the two men hopped into Lawrence’s car before the man himself began driving. This was perhaps the safest place to talk in detail.

‘‘So, tell me, who are you? Why did you approach Sonia?’‘

Acting like a completely different person the moment he entered the vehicle, Lawrence shot a forbidding glance at Harvey, who was now in the passenger seat.

The older, the wiser indeed.

Harvey smiled bitterly. He had thought that Lawrence genuinely wanted to ask about his true origin before handing Sonia over to him, and yet it seemed it was not the case.

‘‘I never approached Sonia deliberately, Mr. Wynter. We met by complete chance,’‘ Harvey answered gravely. ‘‘My name is Harvey Jupiter. I’m from Chanaea. You can get someone to look into my background if you wish.’‘

Lawrence’s expression turned gloomy instantly. He had been wondering which tribe Harvey could have been from, only to learn that the latter was Chanaean.

‘‘You do know that marrying a foreigner warrants a death sentence here?’‘

Harvey nodded. ‘‘I do.’‘

‘‘Then why?’‘ Lawrence was so exasperated that he didn’t know how to continue.

‘‘Trust me, Mr. Wynter. The laws of Turlen will definitely change. When that happens, marriage to foreigners will be nothing out of the ordinary,’‘ Harvey promised.

The look in Lawrence’s eyes changed as he heard that, and he stared into Harvey’s eyes.

‘‘What do you mean by that?’‘

How would a Chanaean know about Turlen’s future state of affairs?

Recalling Arielle’s current efforts in aiding the king, Harvey responded calmly, ‘‘What changes do you think will happen in Turlen in the days to come? It’s also about time someone else ruled the country.’‘

Lawrence was instantly filled with shock and stared at Harvey in disbelief.

‘‘Y-You’re affiliated with His Majesty!’‘

There’s no doubt about it! Seeing Harvey say nothing to refute that, Lawrence sent the former out with a wave of a hand. He needed time to think.

The next day, Aaron stopped Vinson with tears in his eyes.

 

Chapter 1568 Cremation

Vinson gazed at Aaron sombrely.

‘‘Let me see her one last time.’‘

Aaron didn’t want to start a fight with Vinson, lest Arielle couldn’t rest in peace. Hence, he was much gentler with his words compared to before, although his demeanor still seemed a little aggressive from an outsider’s point of view.

Eventually, Vinson nodded.

Aaron walked toward the bed, his chest tightening as he peered at the woman covered in white cloth. Putting aside the fact that she was his sister, he did want to change the country’s laws so he could marry her and live happily ever after with her.

His hands quivered involuntarily, and he simply didn’t have the courage to uncover the white cloth covering the woman’s face.

Vinson felt sorry for the man, but a deep voice resonated in the room before he could say anything.

‘‘Don’t look at her anymore, Aaron. Let the most beautiful version of her stay in your memories.’‘

Dylan had arrived at the crematorium. There was nothing but sorrow in his eyes, and his head was now full of gray hair in just a matter of days. His appearance tugged at Vinson’s heartstrings. The latter yearned to ease Dylan’s pain by telling him that Arielle was fine, but he could only suppress those thoughts for the sake of their plan.

Aaron glanced at Dylan after hearing the latter’s voice, and emotion swept through him as he noticed all the gray hair his father now had. Then, he retracted his arm, heeding the older man’s advice.

After all the documents were ready, Vinson instructed the workers to cremate the body.

With a nod, the workers began pushing the bed.

Dylan’s eyes began to water as he watched the woman on the bed leave him further. That was his daughter—the only child whom the woman he loved had given him.

Why didn’t I protect her? How could I have let her… Unable to control his emotions any longer, Dylan stepped forward, only to be swiftly held back by Vinson, who shook his head at him.

With that, he closed his eyes in anguish, swearing to himself that he would find his daughter’s killer no matter what it took.

Aaron’s heart grew increasingly empty as he watched ‘‘Arielle’‘ approaching the cremator. I never would’ve brought her back if I knew she’d end up like this.

Alas, it was too late. A tear trickled down the young man’s cheek as he shut his eyes.

Meanwhile, in the palace, the queen mother put down her papers upon hearing the news. ‘‘Are you sure Arielle’s dead? She’s been cremated?’‘

‘‘Yes, Your Majesty,’‘ replied Monisha as she poured the woman a glass of water. ‘‘Both His Majesty and His Royal Highness attended the cremation. His Royal Highness even shed a tear.’‘

The queen mother’s brows furrowed. Aaron shed a tear? Does he like Arielle that much? Chanaean women are good at nothing but seducing men!

She put her glass down as her eyes glinted coldly. Even if Arielle weren’t her granddaughter, she would never let her grandson marry a Chanaean woman.

‘‘Inform the queen about this, and have her arrange Aaron’s marriage with Nico as soon as possible,’‘ the old woman ordered.

‘‘Yes, Your Majesty.’‘ Monisha swiftly withdrew and relayed the queen mother’s instructions to the queen.

The queen mother received a phone call as soon as Monisha left.

‘‘What? Really?’‘ she asked animatedly, rising from her chair.

 

Chapter 1569 Playing Dead

The queen mother had not anticipated that person to find her a hacking expert so quickly. She had been told that this man was the eighth best hacker in the world, and his services couldn’t be bought with just money.

Suppressing her excitement, she hurriedly contacted the number given to her. According to the instructions of the person who had just called her, she was to only communicate with the hacker via text message.

Queen Mother: Is this Mr. Simon?

Simon: Yes.

Despite only receiving a one-word response, the queen mother was greatly relieved. But as soon as she stated her request, the hacker responded, informing her that her phone and computer were being monitored.

That meant that anything she had said recently on both devices was being recorded.

After hearing about this, the queen mother’s gaze turned insidious as she gripped the arms of her chair tightly.

Who on earth could it be? Is infiltrating my internet not enough? Why are they even after my phone and computer now?

She felt a chill down her spine at the thought of this. Does this mean they know all the things I’ve been up to the past few days?

That means they’d know that I’ve been looking for a hacker myself. Why haven’t they done anything to stop me, then?

With so many unanswered questions, the old woman could only rely on Simon to install a firewall for her—one so powerful that no one could break into her devices.

She made her request immediately.

In fact, Simon had begun trying to remove the surveillance software right after receiving the queen mother’s message, but to no avail.

And just like what happened to Gaston before, this evoked his competitive spirit.

He wasn’t going to rest until he had accomplished his task.

With that, Simon replied to the queen mother’s message briefly before getting to work.

Lines of codes appeared on his screen as his fingers glided across his keyboard.

Minutes and seconds passed, and beads of sweat soon gathered on his forehead.

At the same time, Arielle had also been notified that someone was trying to break her surveillance on the queen mother’s phone and computer, and she smirked.

Looks like the hacker this time around is better than the one from before. At least he knows what I’ve done to the queen mother’s devices. But whether or not he can crack it depends on his skills. I look forward to his challenge.

Vinson couldn’t help but ask her what was going on upon walking in and seeing her smile like that, and he immediately had a feeling that the other party was going to fail.

At the same time, Arielle asked him about that day’s events, and her smile vanished as soon as she learned about Dylan and Aaron’s grief.

‘‘Vinson, do you think I’m going too far by playing dead?’‘ Arielle began to question her own decisions.

Vinson walked over and held her. ‘‘It’s heart-wrenching for those who love you, but at least the queen mother has her guard down now.’‘

Knowing the queen mother, she definitely got someone to drop by the crematorium. Even if she initially had some doubts about my death, surely she’d be a hundred percent convinced now after hearing about how devastated Dad and Aaron are.

‘‘I’ll expose all the queen mother’s horrible deeds as soon as I can, so justice can be served.’‘ Once she falls, the power to rule will automatically go to Dad.

And when that happens, there won’t be a need to try and win those guys over anymore.

Suddenly, Arielle’s phone vibrated, and her eyes widened in astoundment as she glanced down at the screen.

 

Chapter 1570 A Different Feeling

‘‘What’s wrong?’‘ As soon as Vinson asked, Arielle showed him her phone, where the screen indicated that her surveillance software had been broken into.

‘‘Someone actually cracked your software?’‘ Even the man was astonished.

That caused Arielle to burst into laughter. Isn’t that normal? It’s not like I’m the best hacker in the world! Besides, this is the most basic surveillance software one can get their hands on. It’s only natural a hacker managed to remove it.

‘‘This is the easiest software to crack. The fun’s only about to begin,’‘ Arielle remarked before setting up her mini desk, taking her laptop out, and tapping away on the keyboard.

It wasn’t long before she planted another surveillance software into the queen mother’s phone and computer, which caught Simon off guard.

The man stared at his screen in a daze.

I just broke into her surveillance software. How did she make another one so quickly?

That’s interesting, though. My interest is piqued and I’m more than ready for a showdown now.

Once again, he immersed himself in his task.

Arielle put her laptop aside after setting up the next software.

Then, remembering Sonia, she got Vinson to give Harvey a call.

At the hospital, a usually-serious Harvey was now gazing at Sonia with a hint of playfulness.

‘‘W-Why are you looking at me like that?’‘ she huffed, her face turning red.

Harvey smiled mischievously. ‘‘Because I like you.’‘

Because I like you.

Those simple words were enough to send Sonia’s heart racing frantically.

She felt at a loss.

He likes me? What does he even like about me?

We’ve only met a few times!

‘‘Do you really like me, Harvey?’‘ she asked, tilting her head in confusion. ‘‘What is it that you like about me?’‘

Noting how perplexed Sonia looked, Harvey knew that she didn’t believe he would catch feelings for her so quickly.

In truth, even he was puzzled by how he felt.

The man had thought he would only love Arielle, but suddenly, Sonia came along without any warning and slowly replaced Arielle in his heart.

We’ve only known each other for a few days, but I can already confirm what I’m feeling after what we’ve gone through.

Yes, I do like her, but I don’t know why.

‘‘I’m certain that I like you, Sonia, though I’m not sure what I like about you,’‘ he answered. ‘‘What about you? Do you like me? Or do you feel anything different about me?’‘

Sonia fell quiet as she heard that, but the memories from the day before began to replay in her head.

She recalled the way he looked at her before she passed out, the way he held her in his arms like she was the most precious gem in the world, and the way his voice shook as he told her not to be afraid for he was there with her.

Then, she wondered why he was the first person she had thought of at that crucial moment, and why did she call him instead of her parents.

She had not managed to figure it out before losing consciousness, but now, she had found her answer.

Chapter 1571 Fallen For You

Sonia gazed at Harvey sweetly.

‘‘I think I’ve fallen for you too, Harvey.’‘

Right after saying that, she felt her cheeks flush, and she hastily buried her face underneath the blanket.

Harvey’s heart fluttered the same way hers did, but he couldn’t refrain from laughing after seeing her reaction.

With a smirk, he gently lifted the blanket and met Sonia’s gaze.

Upon seeing her doe eyes and pink cheeks, he leaned over and placed his warm lips against hers, taking her by complete surprise.

W-Why is he suddenly kissing me? I wasn’t prepared for this at all!

‘‘Close your eyes,’‘ instructed Harvey while gazing at her deeply after seeing her eyes wide open. Sonia then shut her eyes tightly, but before she could even wonder why he had asked her to do so, she felt his lips crashing into hers again.

This time, it wasn’t just a light peck.

He kissed her so deeply and only let go after she was nearly out of breath.

His gaze darkened at the sight of her flushed cheeks and tantalizing lips. Unfortunately, now wasn’t the right time to take this any further.

‘‘Will you marry me, Sonia?’‘ he asked in his deep voice, staring at her intently.

Sonia didn’t think he would bring this up again. Would I seem too desperate if I said yes right away?

‘‘Are you proposing to me? You don’t even have a ring!’‘

Only then did Harvey notice he had asked her to marry him without even preparing a ring for her.

‘‘I…’‘

However, before he could say that this wasn’t an official proposal, Sonia responded, ‘‘Yes, I will!’‘

‘‘Huh?’‘ Harvey couldn’t believe his ears.

‘‘I said yes, I will marry you,’‘ Sonia enunciated, gazing straight into his eyes.

Harvey pulled her into his arms upon hearing that.

This silly girl.

She’s agreed to marry me even without a ring. She didn’t even ask about my background, my family—nothing. She said yes just because I asked!

How could such a silly yet adorable girl exist?

His heart suddenly felt full as he held her in his embrace.

It’s her. She’s the one for me. I’ll love and cherish her for the rest of my life, and I’ll make sure she never regrets choosing me.

Sonia initially wanted to push him away, but instead, she returned the hug while spacing out.

That filled Harvey’s eyes with tenderness.

Suddenly, his phone rang. Sonia swiftly broke free from his arms, lay back in bed, and tucked herself in. Harvey chuckled in response and kissed her cheek before getting up while holding his phone.

The woman beamed after receiving the kiss.

So this is what it feels like to love and be loved by someone.

Upon realizing it was Vinson calling, Harvey quickly answered the phone.

Meanwhile, Lawrence stood by a window in his study, his brows remaining knitted.

Despite looking out at the scenery ahead, his expression was glum as he remembered his conversation with Harvey from the night before.

Chapter 1572 Refuse To Live In Shame

Lawrence walked toward his desk, took a lighter and a pack of cigarettes out of the drawer, and lit a cigarette only after returning to the window. Not a man who would smoke regularly, he would only do so when he felt troubled.

Half a pack later, he finally sat down and gazed at the family photo on his desk, seemingly having made up his mind.

Knock, knock.

A knock came on the door all of a sudden.

‘‘Come in.’‘

‘‘Ms. Sonia’s kidnappers have died, General Lawrence,’‘ a man reported as he entered.

Lawrence frowned immediately.

‘‘How did they die?’‘

I haven’t even fought back yet. Who could’ve done this?

‘‘We’re not sure yet. All we know is that it was a woman who did it. She had them thrown into a river,’‘ the man answered respectfully.

Lawrence looked grim. And who could this woman be? Why did she feed Sonia’s kidnappers to the fish like that?

His mind brimmed with confusion and suspicion.

Back at the hospital, Harvey was just as muddled.

‘‘You mean it was a woman who instigated the kidnapping?’‘

Sonia nodded. ‘‘She said we swapped purses by accident. I don’t know what was inside hers, but it seemed really important to her.’‘

She was still rattled by the incident. Her father was a general but nothing more than that, and she had disclosed his status despite being unsure if her kidnappers would be wary of him.

Thankfully, they did fear her father and dared not violate her. Had they touched her, she would rather die than live in shame—even if Harvey still wanted her.

Harvey pondered deeply. What could’ve made that woman take such a huge risk by kidnapping Sonia?

‘‘Don’t be afraid. It’s all over now. I’ll protect you from now on.’‘ He looked up in time to see Sonia’s petrified expression, and he pulled her into his arms immediately.

She calmed down right after hearing his comforting words.

Still, her fears were real, given that it was her first time encountering such an ordeal after all her years of living.

‘‘Didn’t you say she’s visited your house? Do you have surveillance cameras at home? Get your parents to watch the footage and find out if that woman’s face can be seen. Anyone who dares lay a finger on my woman is going to feel my wrath.’‘ Harvey’s heart ached when he saw how terrified Sonia looked.

I don’t care who that woman is. Once I find her, I’m going to make her pay dearly!

With a nod, Sonia used Harvey’s phone to dial her father’s number as she didn’t have her own device with her.

As a general, Lawrence didn’t usually pick up calls from strangers. But this time, for some reason, he answered his phone right after glancing at his screen.

‘‘Father, this is Sonia. I’m using Harvey’s phone.’‘ Sonia understood her father’s habit of not answering calls from unsaved numbers, so she immediately identified herself.

‘‘Are you feeling better?’‘ Lawrence asked, feeling glad that he didn’t reject the call.

Sonia answered with a brief ‘‘yes’‘ before repeating what Harvey had said to her.

Lawrence couldn’t help but gain a better impression of Harvey. He hadn’t expected the latter to be investigating this matter too.

‘‘All right. I’ll forward any footage I find to this phone.’‘

Meanwhile, another woman felt apprehensive as she spoke into her phone, unaware that she was now being looked into.

Chapter 1573 Rejection

‘‘I refuse to take on this mission,’‘ Lorraine said grimly.

She knew her own life would be at risk if she continued to take the job. After all, it had not been easy for her to leave the godforsaken place in the first place. Hence, she refused to fall down the same path because of a mission.

‘‘You refuse to take the mission?’‘ A cold cackle rang from the other end of the phone. ‘‘You’d better think this through. I don’t think you have what it takes to compensate for breaching the contract, Lorraine. Ah, I suppose I should call you Lorraine Steinar now.’‘

Lorraine’s face darkened. She had forgotten the fact that she signed a contract.

The man was right. She could not bear the consequences of breaching the contract.

Her name, Lorraine, meant ‘‘famous army.’‘ This meant that her parents had wished for her to have the strength to weather through her journey in life, and they were spot on. Lorraine had experienced a multitude of hardships in her life since young as she was abducted by human traffickers to the organization. She had only made a name for herself by being ruthless in her ways.

‘‘So, are you going to take the job or not?’‘ the man asked nonchalantly.

Lorraine gritted her teeth. Breaching the contract will cost me one billion. How am I going to raise that amount of money?

‘‘Yes!’‘ Lorraine almost spat the word out of her mouth and hung up the call immediately.

She felt indignant about having to head back to Turlen when she tried so hard to escape that hellhole. However, she had to walk her talk and fulfill her contract. After all, it was what she should do as a mercenary. Most importantly, she did not have the money to breach the contract.

She stared at the view outside the window for a full minute before she started packing her clothes. This time, she planned to go alone. If the partner assigned to her was a newbie, that person would be a huge liability to her instead.

She called a cab to the port and exchanged a few words with the person in charge. Then, she passed an ATM card to the man before walking onto the ship. It was her second time stealing into the country. Hence, she was already familiar with the procedure.

Lorraine picked out a seat and sat down as she waited quietly for the ship to set sail for Turlen.

She gritted her teeth as she looked around the dark surrounding, and she swore that it would be her last mission in Turlen. After all, she had just abducted a general’s daughter. She could be convicted with a death sentence.

Lorraine wondered if the general had issued a worldwide arrest order for her. If that were the case, it would make her mission all the more difficult.

Not only am I going to end up penniless, but my life is at stake as well!

Nonetheless, she had no other choice since she did not have the money to pay for the compensation for the breach of contract.

Meanwhile, Lawrence was looking at the surveillance camera footage. At the sight of a woman brazenly walking into their house and entering Sonia’s bedroom, he fumed with fury.

He immediately fired the person on duty that day as that person had let the woman enter their house without asking for more details. If I let the man off the hook just like that, he’ll probably let a murderer in next time.

After Lawrence was done dealing with everything, he made a copy of the footage and sent it to Harvey’s phone.

After watching the video, Harvey cast a glance at Sonia, speechless.

Sonia had not expected that the woman simply walked right into her house.

‘‘The security person on duty is going to get fired.’‘ Sonia’s decision coincided with Lawrence’s.

Even though she was innocent and kind, she was no fool.

It was an undeniable fact that the security personnel on duty was negligent. Luckily, the woman was only after her bag. Sonia shuddered to think if the intruder had wanted more. What if she wanted to take my life?

A chill ran down her spine right then. There’s no way I’m keeping such irresponsible security personnel around.

Harvey sent the screenshot of the woman who barged into the Wynter residence to the Jupiters’ residence. He then ordered to issue a worldwide search order for the woman.

Harrison eyed the picture that his grandson sent him with a puzzled look on his face. A moment later, he suddenly thought of something and his eyes glinted.

Chapter 1574 Blunder In Matchmaking

Harrison put on his reading glasses, typed a few words into his phone, and sent the message out.

Harvey almost spat the tea in his mouth when he saw the text from his grandfather.

What the hell is Grandpa thinking? Why would I be interested in that woman?

Harvey immediately replied to Harrison’s text. Then, he circled his arm around Sonia’s waist, took a few selfies, and sent out the pictures.

‘‘Who are you sending those photos to?’‘ Sonia felt rather uneasy and asked Harvey.

Harvey knew that Sonia was feeling shy. He smiled and said, ‘‘I sent it to my grandpa. He’s always urging me to get married. So I have to introduce his future granddaughter-in-law to him, lest he keeps trying to matchmake me with another woman!’‘

Sonia flushed bright pink at the word ‘‘granddaughter-in-law.’‘

She was willing to marry him all right, but it was difficult to get her parents’ blessing in the matter, especially her mother’s. After all, her mother had her eyes set on Prince Aaron of Turlen. Hence, Sonia felt quite apprehensive about the matter.

If Father had not dragged Mother away last night, She would have already forced me to abort my baby.

Sonia furrowed her brows at the thought of her mother. What time is it? Why hasn’t she made an appearance yet?

She was taken care of by her grandparents since young. Hence, Sonia could not help but wonder if her mother no longer wanted to take care of her at the hospital just because she refused to marry Aaron.

Sonia felt quite dejected at the thought of that.

‘‘What’s the matter?’‘ Harvey could not help but ask when he sensed Sonia’s sorrow.

She glanced at him and pondered briefly before expressing the doubt in her mind.

After saying that, she looked at Harvey and added softly, ‘‘Do you think my mother will agree to our marriage?’‘

Harvey was stumped. He was aware that he was not the ideal son-in-law Kelly had in mind. Therefore, it would be difficult for her to agree to his marriage with Sonia.

However, when he met Sonia’s hopeful gaze, he did not have the heart to be completely honest with her.

He thought for a moment and said, ‘‘She will. Your father is on our side, and he will convince your mother to do the same.’‘

Judging from the conversation from the night before, Harvey was confident that Lawrence would agree to him marrying Sonia. As for his future mother-in-law, Harvey knew that he would need all the help he could get from his future father-in-law.

Sonia nodded after listening to Harvey and thought that he had a point.

Kelly was stubborn enough to not listen to what others had to say. But Sonia knew that her mother would listen to her husband no matter how reluctant she was.

‘‘Harvey, I’d like to visit your home after I’m discharged from the hospital.’‘

Meanwhile, at the Jupiters’ residence across the vast ocean, Harrison was beaming with joy as he looked at his phone in the classy-looking courtyard.

He had not expected that his grandson already found him a granddaughter-in-law after going on a trip with Vinson. He beamed delightfully at the thought of the birth of his great-grandchild in just a few months’ time.

‘‘Benny!’‘ Harrison summoned his butler loudly.

‘‘Old Mr. Jupiter.’‘ A middle-aged man whom Harrison addressed as Benny hurriedly headed inside and greeted the former. ‘‘You’re looking for me, Old Mr. Jupiter?’‘

‘‘Come, follow me to the storeroom for a moment.’‘ Harrison wanted to pick out some exquisite gifts for his future granddaughter-in-law and great-grandchild.

Benny did not understand the old man’s intention of going to the storeroom. Nonetheless, he trailed behind Harrison closely. After all, Harrison was already old, and he needed close care and supervision.

In contrast with the cheery ambiance in the Jupiters’ residence, the hospital was shrouded in a frigid atmosphere.

Sonia had her back against Harvey as her eyes brimmed with tears.

Chapter 1575 Ignorant Woman

I’ve only asked him to bring me home to meet his parents. Why is he pulling a long face? What does he mean by that? He said he wants to marry me, but he doesn’t want me to meet his parents? Whatever! As if I care about meeting his parents. I don’t even care if we’re not getting married now.

Sonia felt waves of indignance wash over her the more she thought about it as beads of tears rolled down her face.

Noticing that her voice was off, Harvey realized that she must have misunderstood his hesitance for displeasure.

He bent down and made Sonia face him, disregarding her struggles to free herself. At the sight of her tear-stricken face, he felt his heart wrench. D*mn it, I promised to make her happy, but I’ve made her cry instead.

He wiped away her tears using his thumb and said in a low voice, ‘‘It’s not that I’m not willing to let you meet my parents. It’s just that they’ve lost their lives in the line of duty.’‘

His parents were both in the army, and they had given their lives during a mission.

Sonia was stumped. Died in the line of duty?

She eyed Harvey with tears still brimming in her eyes. Only then did she notice the sorrow on his face. She felt a pang of guilt right then. I shouldn’t have mentioned meeting his parents. He wouldn’t be this upset then.

‘‘I’m sorry. I didn’t know…’‘ Sonia held Harvey’s hand and said apologetically.

Harvey took her hand in his and tried not to think about how much he missed his parents. ‘‘Why are you saying sorry? You have no idea about this. Besides, it’s only normal for you to want to meet them. After all, they’re going to be your parents-in-law. Even though you won’t be able to meet them, you will be able to meet my grandpa and my younger brother.’‘

Nevertheless, Sonia looked at Harvey apprehensively and asked, ‘‘What are your grandpa and brother like? Will it be easy to get along with them? Will they like me?’‘

‘‘Don’t worry. They’ll support my choice.’‘

Meanwhile in Lightspring, in an upscale mansion that could rival a palace, a beautiful woman stood behind a man who had his back against her and reported respectfully, ‘‘Sir, I’ve found out where he is.’‘

The man was intrigued upon hearing that. He turned his chair around to face the woman, showing his face. If Arielle was there, she would surely be taken aback, as the man bore a striking resemblance to Vinson.

The corner of his lips curled into a smirk. ‘‘Where is he?’‘

‘‘Turlen.’‘

The man raised a brow at the mention of Turlen. Is he trying to surrender himself?

‘‘Start executing the plan then.’‘

‘‘Yes, sir,’‘ the woman replied. However, she did not leave afterward.

She stared at the man with affection in her gaze as she walked over to his side. Then, she crouched down and undid the man’s pants before lowering her head.

The man’s breathing became more labored as time passed before finally, he pushed the woman away. Before she could even react, he pressed her down on the desk. Soon, repressed moans of a woman could be heard coming out of the office.

After an hour, the man was satiated. He went into the restroom while the woman put on her clothes and cleaned up the mess that they made in the office. Then, she sat quietly in a corner and waited for the man to return. After he was done cleaning himself up, the man furrowed his brows when he noticed that the woman was still around.

‘‘Sir, can I stay here with you for a few days before I leave to execute the mission?’‘ the woman asked coyly. The man’s furrowed brows deepened after listening to her.

‘‘I don’t like women who don’t know their place.’‘

The woman’s face paled upon hearing that.

The man made his way to the window after the woman went out. He stared out into the distance and smiled wickedly. ‘‘My dear brother, I do wish that you’re as lucky as before!’‘

After all, isn’t it going to be more fun this way?

Chapter 1576 Help

At the moment, Simon was staring at the computer screen as his eyes widened in disbelief. How is it possible that I can’t hack into their surveillance system even after trying for hours?

‘‘Good luck. I’m rooting for you!’‘ Just then, a sentence in red popped up and was plastered all over his screen. Simon’s blue eyes widened as he could not believe that his computer was hacked instead.

Despite so, he was not furious. He had always been the kind of man who admired people who were stronger than him.

‘‘Who are you? You are so good at this. Can we be friends?’‘ He was so impressed by the other person as it was his first time encountering a surveillance system that he could not hack into.

In the apartment, Arielle did not know whether to laugh or cry when she saw the message. He’s someone whom the queen mother has employed to help. Why is he asking if we can be friends now?

That being said, it would be quite a good move since it would definitely give the queen mother a blow. With that thought in mind, she typed another line on her computer.

Simon frowned at the sight of her reply. Pfft… that’s such a minor matter. Then, he immediately took out his phone and sent a text to Arielle in an attempt to brag.

The text read: I’ve told the other party that I won’t be taking this job. Can we be friends now, Boss?

Arielle pondered for a moment when she saw the message popping up on her computer and replied: Yes

‘‘Oh, yeah!’‘ Simon almost leaped in joy after he saw Arielle’s reply. The two of them then exchanged contact with each other.

Meanwhile, the queen mother hurled the documents in her hand away when she saw Simon’s message, livid. D*mn it! Who the hell is the other party? Why are they going against me like this?

At the same time, in the palace, Dylan looked as if he had aged ten years overnight.

‘‘Sybil, what did General Lawrence say? Can he help me out?’‘ Dylan put down the document in his hand and turned to look at Sybil who just walked in.

Sybil shook his head in response and muttered, ‘‘He’s on the fence right now.’‘

Dylan slammed the table after listening to Sybil’s report.

‘‘Your Majesty, you cannot blame General Lawrence for his hesitance. After all, the queen mother is not someone to be trifled with,’‘ Sybil hurriedly advised when he saw that Dylan was infuriated. Dylan’s face sank. ‘‘Where is Vinson right now?’‘

Ever since Arielle was cremated and buried, he had not seen Vinson since. Has he gone back to his country? That can’t be right. There’s no way he will just up and leave like that without even telling me.

At the mention of Vinson, Sybil hurriedly added, ‘‘Mr. Nightshire has said that he wants to investigate the person who assassinated the Princess in secret.’‘

Dylan nodded. He was also investigating the matter as well. However, there had not been any viable lead thus far.

He grew dejected at the thought. After all, he was a king and a father. Hence, he felt defeated for not being able to investigate the matter properly. I’m so useless! How am I going to avenge my daughter this way?

‘‘Sybil, am I a failure? As a father, I can’t protect my daughter. I can’t even find out who’s the person behind the murder of my daughter. As a king, my power is entirely in the queen mother’s hand. I don’t have any true power to do anything.’‘

Sybil felt his heart ache for the king. After all, he had been a devout follower of Dylan since a long time ago.

‘‘Your Majesty, don’t say that.’‘ Sybil looked at him and added, ‘‘Even though General Lawrence is hesitating, I think he will take your side with just a little persuasion.’‘

As soon as he said that, his phone pinged with a message. He opened his phone to read the text, and his eyes widened in disbelief.

Chapter 1577 Revenge

‘‘Your Majesty, there’s good news!’‘ Sybil said animatedly as he looked at Dylan.

A glimmer of hope flashed across Dylan’s eyes when he saw how excited Sybil was. ‘‘Did you find out who murdered the Princess?’‘

To him, the only good news would be finding out who was behind Arielle’s murder as he desperately wanted to do his daughter justice.

Sybil shook his head, and the glint in Dylan’s eyes dimmed.

‘‘Your Majesty, General Lawrence has decided to be on our side. He’s agreed to help us out in taking over the queen mother’s power.’‘ Sybil did not delay further and conveyed the good news.

Dylan’s dimmed eyes glinted once again.

He looked at Sybil and exclaimed, ‘‘Is that true?’‘

It’s great if Lawrence truly decides to be on my side. After all, he actually holds more power than I do. His loyalty will only make my plans go even smoother.

Sybil nodded his head excitedly.

‘‘Yes, Your Majesty. This is General Lawrence’s number. He’s asked for a meeting to have a further discussion,’‘ Sybil said.

Dylan nodded. ‘‘Be careful when you go. Ask him how he knew about my intention to take over the queen mother’s power, and the reason he is taking my side now.’‘

Sybil nodded.

Dylan was overjoyed, for, at that moment, he was finally able to see a glimmer of hope in his attempt to overthrow the queen mother.

In the luxurious palace, Celeste was looking adoringly at Aaron.

‘‘Aaron, your grandma has asked to set a date for your marriage with Nico. What do you think?’‘ Celeste was especially attentive to Aaron after having been separated from her son.

She did not once let Aaron out of her sight since.

In fact, she had suggested to Aaron to stay in the palace after coming back so that it would be easy for her to take care of him. However, he adamantly refused her suggestion. Hence, she decided to move to his mansion to take care of him. But Aaron rejected her outright and told her that she would be affecting his recovery instead. Celeste was furious by her son’s rejection but dared not go over, lest she truly affected his recovery.

Now that he was getting better, however, Celeste saw no harm in going along with the queen mother’s intention and summoned him to the palace to discuss his marriage.

Since that Chanaean woman, Arielle Moore, has died, I think Aaron is going to agree to get married to Nico now. Celeste’s eyes crinkled into a smile at the thought.

Nico was an active and outgoing girl, and Celeste thought the woman had a likable personality. Hence, she figured it would be best if Nico could become her daughter-in-law as her personality would perfectly complement Aaron’s. Celeste truly looked favorably upon the union of the two.

Aaron felt frustrated that his mother had brought up his marriage matter again. However, he did not have the heart to refuse her, especially after witnessing how worried his mother was over him lately. Besides, his mother was already pitiable enough since she was never loved by his father and Aaron did not want to add insult to injury.

Nonetheless, it was impossible for him to be engaged with Nico. He would not agree to it no matter what.

‘‘Mother, can you stop bringing this up? If I truly like Nico, I won’t need you pestering me about it. I will definitely take the initiative to make it happen.’‘ In the end, Aaron could no longer hold it in and grumbled to Celeste.

‘‘But—’‘

‘‘Mother, can’t you just stop forcing me?’‘ Aaron cut Celeste off mid-sentence.

Celeste could only swallow her words as she stared at her son, and her hatred for Arielle snowballed further. If it wasn’t for Arielle, my son wouldn’t have become like this.

Chapter 1578 Getting Drunk

After Aaron left the palace, he gave Bernd a call before heading to the bar. As it was less than three months since Bernd completed his surgery, he couldn’t drink and could only watch Aaron do so.

At one in the morning, he wanted to send Aaron home when he saw that the latter had enough. However, Aaron insisted on driving home alone and urged Bernd and his bodyguards to head home instead.

Failing to dissuade him, Bernd and his men went home first.

Once they were gone, Aaron found his car and got in. Instead of going home, he drove straight to where Alicia’s school was.

The last time Carlos picked him up, he had decided to bring Alicia and her grandfather, Clement, back and settled the latter in a place close to the school.

Alicia was nineteen that year and an economics major.

When Aaron arrived at the school, he took out his phone and dialed her number.

‘‘Who is it?’‘ Alicia answered her phone groggily as she had already fallen asleep.

‘‘It’s me.’‘ When Aaron’s deep voice rang out from the phone, Alicia was jolted awake. ‘‘Aaron!’‘

Upon hearing her suppressed yet delighted voice, he added, ‘‘Come out here.’‘

‘‘Are you at the school entrance?’‘ Alicia asked softly. After Aaron let out a soft grunt, she quickly climbed out of bed and sneaked out quietly.

A delightful smile was plastered on her face as she made her way to the school entrance.

She had not expected him to call or remember the name of her school, for she had written them down in a hurry. Thus, she wasn’t certain if he had remembered it from the note she wrote.

The moment she emerged from the school entrance, she saw Aaron leaning languidly against the car. The dim yellow light above him accentuated the allure of his exquisite features. However, the loneliness he exuded suddenly elicited her sympathy for him.

As their school was located in a secluded area, there was no one around since it was two in the morning. Running up to him, Alicia broke into a sweet smile. ‘‘I’m surprised that you’re here.’‘

Regaining his senses, Aaron’s heart warmed at the sight of her mesmerizing smile.

‘‘Come with me. Let’s go for a drive,’‘ Aaron suggested before getting back into the car.

As she stared at the car, Alicia struggled to decide whether she should be sitting in the front passenger seat or the back seat. After weighing her options for a while, she felt that the back seat was the more appropriate choice.

Noticing her hesitation, Aaron couldn’t help but look at her. The moment he saw her reaching for the back seat door, he furrowed his brows and shouted, ‘‘Sit here.’‘

Responding to his instructions, Alicia circled around the car and got in the front passenger seat.

After she settled down, Aaron leaned closer so that his hand could reach over her. At that moment, they were in such close proximity that they could hear each other breathing.

Subsequently, his abyss-like eyes met with Alicia’s.

Enamored by his gaze, Alicia’s heart began to pound so furiously that she felt as if it was going to explode.

‘‘W-Why are you looking at me like that?’‘ Just as she spoke, she knitted her brows. ‘‘Have you been drinking? Why did you drink so much? Your wounds have not—’‘

When he saw her lips mouthing incessantly, he lowered his head with a frown.

Chapter 1579 A Crush On Her

Alicia’s eyes widened in shock as she didn’t expect Aaron to kiss her all of a sudden. Upon regaining her senses, she gradually closed her eyes and reciprocated, for she had developed a crush on him over the few days they had spent together.

Aaron’s initial intention was to shut her up. But after tasting that plump and sweet lips of hers, he no longer wanted to stop. Nevertheless, he was still rational enough to realize they were at the school’s entrance.

After releasing her, he helped her put on her seatbelt. In the meantime, the kiss had caused Alicia to feel so shy that she didn’t dare to face him. Sensing her awkwardness, Aaron changed his mind about the leisurely drive and decided to head toward a nearby hotel instead.

When they arrived, he opened the car door and carried her out. Even though he had a lot to drink, he wasn’t drunk and could still carry her steadily inside.

‘‘Aaron…’‘ Shocked by his actions, Alicia put her arms around his neck by reflex.

Aaron found her reaction both adorable and demure.

When he carried her to the room, he kicked open the door and entered. Subsequently, he kicked the door close before placing her on the bed and climbing on top of her. Facing each other, he gazed deeply into her eyes.

In spite of her innocence, Alicia was cognizant of what was about to happen. Nonetheless, she showed no fear nor regret, for she had already fallen hopelessly in love with the man in front of her.

While Aaron was staring at her, she threaded both her hands around his neck. Lifting her head gently, she planted her soft and warm lips on his.

After kissing for a while, Aaron finally released her. He looked at her and remarked, ‘‘If you have any regrets, it’s still not too late.’‘

Instead of responding with words, she expressed her decision with actions. She pulled Aaron’s head closer and planted her lips on his.

The passionate kiss caused Aaron to lose all restraint. He then showered her with kisses from her lips down to her porcelain-like neck. After unbuttoning her top, he pressed into her.

Soon, the room was filled with her sensual moans.

When Alicia opened her eyes the next day and saw him lying beside her, she broke into a blissful smile. Luckily, what happened the night before wasn’t a dream. Aaron and I have slept together.

When she noticed that he was still asleep after sneaking a glance at him, she leaned closer to his lips. Closing her eyes, she gave him a gentle peck. That was all she was looking to do. However, just when she backed up, he suddenly turned her over and pressed his body against hers. Finally, he sealed her lips with a kiss before she could even say a word.

By the time they were done, it was already midday.

Snuggling up in his arms, Alicia asked softly, ‘‘So, are we considered a couple now?’‘ Stunned by her question, Aaron remained silent.

When Alicia sensed his apprehension, her heart sank a little. Nonetheless, she quickly rationalized the situation. He’s the future King of Turlen. So there’s no way he will fancy a poor girl like me. I was just carried away by my fantasies.

‘‘I understand. I’ll forget what happened today and I won’t reveal it to anyone else.’‘ The moment she finished, she collected her clothes that were strewn all over the floor and left the room after getting dressed.

Just when Aaron was about to stop her, his phone suddenly rang. When he saw who was on the line, his expression drastically changed.

Chapter 1580 Why Must She Be Killed

After ending the call, he got dressed at once. His gaze darkened upon noticing the red stain on the bed right before he left.

Upon leaving the room, Alicia took the elevator downstairs. As she walked toward the exit, she did so slowly and would turn around intermittently to look, wondering if Aaron would come after her.

Much to her surprise, she actually saw him pursue her. Before she could even break into a smile, she watched him stride past her before driving off in his car.

With a frozen smile on her face, a wave of disappointment washed over her.

Finally, she dragged herself back to her dorm by taking a taxi.

Fortunately, there were no classes that day, so she could lie down for the whole day and rest.

As what happened between her and Aaron played through her mind, Alicia’s lips curled slightly. As long as she had feelings for him, it didn’t matter if he didn’t feel the same way. Hence, she was willing to satisfy him every time he felt the urge to do so, for he was the light in her life, just like the sun. Even though she might get burnt by being too close, she still wanted to stay by his side and hug him.

After leaving the hotel, Aaron headed straight to his mansion in Paelsford Manor.

‘‘Hand me the information you have found.’‘ He looked at the man in front of him with a grim expression.

The man complied by giving him what he asked for.

After going through the contents, his heart skipped a beat.

So, she’s responsible for Arielle’s death! But why did she want to kill her? Is it because of my feelings for Arielle? Or has she found out that Arielle is my sister?

Aaron clenched his fist so hard that his veins bulged.

Despite the urge to question her with the information, Aaron realized that it was useless, for he had no proof at all.

With that thought in mind, he slumped on the couch dejectedly.

After a long while, he looked at the man in front of him and instructed with a deep voice, ‘‘Go and collect the evidence.’‘

The man grunted in acknowledgment before leaving.

Subsequently, Aaron lit a cigarette and began puffing away.

‘‘Ari… Ari…’‘

As he gently closed his eyes, a tear streaked down the side of his cheek.

At that moment, he was confused about Arielle’s place in his heart.

He had feelings for her, but she was his elder sister. To deny those feelings would be to ignore how much he thought of her.

Just the thought of how abruptly she left the world and him caused an irrepressible pain to swell from within.

‘‘I will seek justice for you!’‘ His eyes sparkled with conviction the moment he opened them. As long as he could get his hands on the evidence, he would avenge Arielle regardless of how powerful the perpetrator was.

Meanwhile, in Jadeborough, Chanaea, a lady’s frosty voice rang out from over the phone, ‘‘Have the preparations been made?’‘

After hearing the reply, the lady knitted her brows. ‘‘Isn’t she just a woman? What use are you if you can’t even complete such a simple task?’‘

She added, ‘‘I’ll give you three more days. I want to see her in front of me by then!’‘ The moment she finished, the lady smashed her phone on the table.

She had wanted to resolve the matter as soon as possible so that she could return to the Duke’s side. If she were to be gone for too long, someone would likely take her place. Unlike other women who were good at flattery, the only advantage she had was her body. Other than that, she had no idea as to how to keep herself in his favor.

Having been with the Duke for five years, she had seen him go through tons of women during that period. Even though he kept her by his side, she never dared take it for granted, for she was worried that a single mistake would cost her her place.

Chapter 1581 Outraged

‘‘Argh!’‘ The queen mother smashed the computer in a fit of fury.

The moment she turned it on, she saw the contents that were sent to her.

Who did this? Why? Why do they have that information? Why are they sending it to me? What is their goal? Are they trying to extort me? Or, do they want something else?

The queen mother was seized by panic as she pondered what her next course of action should be.

Should I contact that person? No, I can’t. I definitely mustn’t!

Gritting her teeth, the queen mother picked up her phone from the table with her trembling hands. She then sent Simon a short message, instructing him to find out what the other party’s objective was. Regardless of whether they wanted money or something else, she was willing to negotiate. Her only condition was that they had to delete the content in their hands.

Upon sending the message, she anxiously waited for a reply.

Back in Moranta, Simon furrowed his brows when he received the queen mother’s message. D*mn. I must have forgotten to block her.

Cognizant that he hadn’t completed the task that was due, he sent out a message from his phone.

After Arielle sent the contents to the queen mother’s computer, she received a report from one of the directors of Moore Group back in the country. Pleased with how the company’s progress was going according to her plan, Arielle broke into a satisfied smile.

She had planned to reward all the employees of Moore Group once she had put her affairs in order. After all, they deserved to be recognized for holding the fort in her absence.

As for Sann Group, they were even more deserving of a reward. Even though she had founded the company, she delegated everything to her loyal subordinates after she began to focus on Chanaea as part of her efforts to uncover the truth behind her mother’s death.

After giving the matter some thought, she sent an email to herself.

Once she was done, she noticed an unread message on her phone. The moment she read it, a frosty smile descended upon her face.

So that’s all it takes to scare her? Why didn’t she show the same fear when she got Henrick and Cindy to harm my mother then? Why wasn’t she afraid when she hired killers to dispose of me? But now, she’s terrified of a couple of pictures and videos to the extent of willing to pay a bribe for them to be deleted? She must be dreaming still! Given that I’m in possession of even more controversial content, there’s no way I’m going to let her off that easily!

After replying to Simon’s message, she turned off her phone.

Reading her reply, Simon’s hands trembled. That’s the tone expected of a boss. Even though I have never seen the other party nor heard their voice before, the way the message is composed demonstrates just how domineering they are.

After receiving the message, Simon composed another one and sent it out. Just as he did, he stared at his phone thoughtfully before feeling satisfied enough to put it away.

In the meantime, the queen mother was waiting anxiously for Simon’s reply. The moment she heard the notification sound on her phone, she frantically grabbed it to check. Finishing its contents caused her face to lose all color.

After hastily composing another message, she sent it out to Simon. Unfortunately, the message bounced back, for he had already blocked her number.

The queen mother was naturally outraged that someone actually dared to do so. Nevertheless, she didn’t dare to openly express her anger still. Since the message failed to send, she had no choice but to give the number a call.

However, her face ashened the very next moment.

Chapter 1582 The Only Hope

The reason was that the number the queen mother had wanted to call had mysteriously disappeared from her phone. That’s my only hope. Why can’t I find it?

Subsequently, she made another call and related the situation to the other party. ‘‘Calm down. Let me ask around.’‘

After ending the call, a sullen expression emerged on the queen mother’s face. Just the thought of the contents in her computer triggered a vicious glint in her eye.

If she were to find out who the sender was, she would make sure the latter was severely punished.

Nevertheless, despite the rage and hatred she felt, there was nothing she could do. After all, she had no inkling of who the sender was nor what the sender wanted to achieve. A short while later, her phone rang again and she promptly answered it.

‘‘Simon said that he would not accept any jobs from you anymore since the target is someone he cannot afford to offend.’‘ The man’s deep voice sounded worried. ‘‘What happened to you? Whatever it is, you can tell me, and I’ll share the burden with you.’‘

When the queen mother heard the man express his concern, she was moved by it. After all these years, only he stayed the same. What a shame…

‘‘It’s nothing. You don’t have to worry about me.’‘ The queen mother ended the call when she finished. Staring at the number on the phone, she closed her eyes. There’s no way I can share my affairs with him.

Meanwhile, at Matthew’s residence, Nico was lying on the couch in her classically designed room. Thoughts of Vinson occupied her mind. Now that Arielle was dead, there was no way she could win him from her. After all, there was simply no competing with the deceased.

If Arielle was still alive, she would still have the confidence to wrest Vinson from the former. Unfortunately, Arielle’s death had allowed her to etch herself forever in his heart.

Despite the obstacles, Nico wasn’t going to give up on Vinson yet.

Since Arielle is now gone, the living should move on. There’s no way Vinson can stay true to a dead person for the rest of his life, can he?

Holding that thought, she felt reinvigorated and got herself changed. She wanted to go out and see Vinson so that she could convey to him that it was fine for him to still keep Arielle close to his heart. What mattered was that he saved a spot for her in there too.

Nico had faith that with time, he would develop feelings for her as long as she stayed by his side.

‘‘Nico, it’s already late. Why are you going out?’‘ Melissa called out to her daughter with a frown. She had just returned from Lisa’s place when she saw Nico heading out.

Not expecting to run into her mother, Nico approached her and held her hand. ‘‘Mother, I’m going out to see Mr. Nightshire. I’ll be back after a short chat.’‘ Mr. Nightshire? Which Mr. Nightshire?

Knitting her brows, Melissa racked her brains but failed to identify who Nico was talking about. ‘‘Which Mr. Nightshire? What do you want to talk to him about?’‘ Melissa asked with a baffled expression.

‘‘Arielle’s bodyguard.’‘ Nico explained in earnest, ‘‘Mother, I truly like him and want to be together with him.’‘

The moment she finished, she stared at her mother. Even though she was cognizant of her mother’s disapproval of Vinson, she couldn’t deny her feelings nor bring herself to choose Aaron. After all, she was just too hopelessly in love with him.

Just as expected, Melissa’s expression drastically changed upon hearing Nico’s declaration.

Chapter 1583 Feelings Can Be Developed

‘‘No!’‘ Melissa objected outright. How can she reject Prince Aaron for a bodyguard? What’s wrong with her?

‘‘Mother…’‘ Nico threw Melissa a pleading look.

Under normal circumstances, Melissa would have relented whenever Nico gave her that look. But this time, she steeled her resolve and refused to budge.

‘‘You and Aaron will soon be engaged. So you have to stop this nonsense!’‘ What’s she thinking by falling for a bodyguard?

Regardless of how exceptional Arielle was, that was to her own credit. Mr. Nightshire is nothing more than a bodyguard. There’s no way I’m going to allow my daughter to marry someone of his station.

‘‘Mother, I’m being serious.’‘ Nico’s heart skipped a beat when her soft-spoken mother responded so harshly. Staring at Melissa, she elaborated, ‘‘Let me be honest with you, Aaron doesn’t like me. Both of us have discussed it and agreed to find our own happiness. So can you stop insisting that both of us get together?’‘

Melissa was filled with disbelief as she looked at Nico.

‘‘What did you say? You met him and even agreed to go your own separate ways?’‘

Nico nodded.

Holding her chest, Melissa felt her knees go weak. In response, Nico quickly helped her mother to a chair before pouring a glass of water for her.

After drinking some water and calming down, Melissa stared at Nico and was at a loss for words.

It was one thing if Nico’s marriage to Aaron was something she alone looked forward to. Unfortunately, the matter was equally important to the queen mother and Celeste. Failure of the marriage would cause major repercussions that she had no idea how to manage.

After deliberating on it for a long time, Melissa concluded, ‘‘You should talk to your father about this. I’m washing my hands clean of this matter!’‘

Hearing Melissa deferring the decision to Matthew, Nico tucked her head in reflex. Even though she saw herself as someone who feared nothing, her father still terrified her.

‘‘Mother, I’ll find an opportunity to talk to Father separately. For now, can I go and see Mr. Nightshire?’‘ Her eyes sparkled as she made her request.

Despite the dilemma she felt, Melissa still rejected her daughter. ‘‘It’s already late. You should go tomorrow if you insist.’‘

Face with her unwavering mother, Nico had no choice but to return to her room.

As for Melissa, she sat in the living room for a long while before she, too, went back to her bedroom.

After taking a shower, she wore a silk nightgown and lay beside Matthew, who subconsciously pulled her into his arms.

‘‘Darling, when will Nico and Aaron’s marriage be decided?’‘ Melissa asked.

Although the two of them had agreed to find their own happiness, Melissa was of the opinion that they could still develop feelings after getting married, just like how she and Matthew did it. Both of them only started to grow on each other after their marriage.

‘‘What’s wrong?’‘ Matthew asked.

He knew his wife like the back of his hand and was aware that she wouldn’t pose such a question unless something had happened.

‘‘Aaron doesn’t like Nico. So they might not be happy if they get married.’‘ After a brief hesitation, Melissa finally probed on behalf of Nico.

‘‘They will develop feelings for each other once they’re married. Everything will be fine after that.’‘ While speaking, Matthew looked down at his wife. At the sight of her gentle expression, he gave his blanket a tug and lowered his head underneath it.

Meanwhile, Kelly had just laid herself in Lawrence’s arms when his phone suddenly rang. After pushing her aside to answer, he felt a chill down his spine the moment he heard the contents of the call.

Chapter 1584 The Appearance

After Lawrence ended the call, Kelly asked, ‘‘What’s wrong? Did something happen?’‘

‘‘The woman who abducted Sonia has appeared,’‘ he replied grimly.

Thinking that it was something worse, Kelly heaved a sigh of relief.

‘‘In that case, why don’t you apprehend her?’‘

In truth, Kelly didn’t blame the woman who kidnapped Sonia and was instead grateful to her. If she hadn’t done so and almost hurt Sonia, Kelly would never have known about her daughter’s relationship with Harvey and the fact that she was pregnant.

Just the thought of Sonia choosing an ordinary man over the future King of Turlen infuriated Kelly.

‘‘That sly woman has escaped.’‘ That was the reason why he was angry.

‘‘We’ll just capture her again. I’m sure she has a motive to reappear. Otherwise, she would have fled a long time ago,’‘ Kelly remarked after giving it some thought.

Lawrence nodded. Putting his phone away, he hugged Kelly and prepared to sleep.

‘‘What do you think of Sonia and Harvey?’‘ Dwelling upon the matter, Kelly couldn’t sleep.

Unaware of what was in her mind, Lawrence replied, ‘‘Since Sonia is already pregnant, what else is there to think? We will naturally have to let her marry him.’‘

He already had someone investigate Harvey. If the latter turned out to be someone worthy of Sonia, he, as a father, would not stand in their way.

Regardless of whether the nation’s laws would change, he would make sure that Sonia would get married. If she couldn’t do so officially, he would help her fake her death and let her leave the country with Harvey.

In his mind, Sonia’s happiness was all that mattered.

Upon hearing Lawrence’s words, Kelly’s expression changed drastically.

How can we do that? How can that nobody be worthy of my daughter?

‘‘Lawrence, I don’t agree with letting Sonia marry Harvey,’‘ Kelly snapped.

To her, only Aaron was deserving of Sonia. And only he can make her daughter happy and elevate their family’s status to the next level.

What does Harvey have that can bring my daughter happiness?

Lawrence frowned at Kelly. ‘‘How can you still object when Sonia’s already pregnant? If you don’t approve of Harvey, who else do you want her to marry?’‘

‘‘Prince Aaron of course!’‘ Kelly’s face lit up at the mere mention of the name. ‘‘He’s the heir to the throne. If Sonia marries him, she will become the most distinguished woman in Turlen, while both of us will become Aaron’s parents-in-law. When the time comes, our family’s status will be elevated.’‘

‘‘Enough!’‘ Lawrence snapped at her vainglorious words.

Shocked by his response, Kelly stammered, ‘‘W-What’s wrong?’‘

‘‘Kelly, let me repeat myself, Sonia is going to marry Harvey. So you should stop trying to matchmake her with Prince Aaron. If I hear you bring up that idea again, I’ll definitely make you regret it!’‘ With that, Lawrence grabbed his pillow and stormed off to the study.

Ever since they got married, he knew how much Kelly craved fame, but it didn’t bother him due to his love for her. In fact, he was willing to satisfy her vanity all the time. However, he couldn’t believe she was willing to sacrifice her own daughter just to achieve it.

That was a line he would never cross, for his daughter was everything to him. Even though he was busy with work all the time, and she was raised by his parents, she was still the apple of his eye and the most precious gift God had bestowed upon him.

Chapter 1585 Not Leaving You Behind

That was the first time Lawrence ever flared his temper at Kelly. In the midst of her anger and frustration, a sense of fear crept into her.

Despite her vanity, her love for Lawrence was true. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have agreed to marry him when he proposed to her in their younger days. After all, he was just a lowly clerk back then.

As she flung her pillow angrily to the floor, she hugged her blanket with tears gushing down her cheeks. yearning for the door to open, she grew increasingly worried when there was no movement at all.

In the midst of wiping away her tears, she got out of bed and headed to the study where she hesitate briefly before entering.

Lawrence didn’t bother turning on the light even though he heard a sound.

‘‘What are you doing here?’‘

Even though she didn’t say a word, he was aware that it was Kelly.

As Lawrence’s snarky tone triggered more tears from Kelly, she continued to quietly watch him lying on the couch.

Underneath the dim moonlight, Kelly’s pitiful look melted Lawrence’s heart, for, at the end of the day, she was still the woman he loved.

Getting up to approach her, he bent down to carry her upon noticing that she had come in barefooted.

‘‘Aren’t you worried about falling sick by not putting on your slippers?’‘

Even though Kelly was in her forties, she looked like a woman in her thirties due to how well she cared for herself. Hugging Lawrence’s neck tightly, she purred, ‘‘In that case, why did you leave me just like that?’‘

Kelly felt as if she had been unfairly blamed. Despite her attempt at using Sonia to elevate their family’s status, she did it entirely for Lawrence’s sake. Why doesn’t he understand my intentions? Besides, marrying Aaron is good for Sonia, since he’s someone strong and powerful. No matter how one looks at it, he surpasses Harvey in every department.

After taking a few steps to the couch with Kelly in his arms, Lawrence gently put her down. However, she refused to let go of his neck, worried that he would abandon her again. If it came to that, she couldn’t bring herself to cast aside her pride a second time.

As this was the first time Lawrence saw Kelly clinging onto him desperately, his heart wavered further. The pitiful look on her face elicited from him a sympathetic peck on her forehead. ‘‘It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have left you like that.’‘

Upon hearing his apology, Kelly’s mind was put at ease, as her greatest fear was that he would abandon her in anger.

‘‘Next time, don’t leave me no matter what happens.’‘ Staring into Lawrence’s eyes, Kelly murmured, ‘‘It scares me.’‘

‘‘All right. I promise never to do that again.’‘ Lawrence felt bad over what he had done.

Having obtained his promise, Kelly hugged his neck and planted a kiss on his lips. Soon after, their clothes dropped to the floor followed by feminine moans echoing throughout the room.

Three days later, Vinson’s phone rang just when he came out of his room. As he casually took out his phone, he settled down on the couch before answering.

‘‘What did you say? When did this happen?’‘ Vinson sprang to his feet with a grim expression and barked, ‘‘Search the city at once, including the airports, harbors, cars. As long as it moves, I want it checked.’‘

Chapter 1585 Not Leaving You Behind

That was the first time Lawrence ever flared his temper at Kelly. In the midst of her anger and frustration, a sense of fear crept into her.

Despite her vanity, her love for Lawrence was true. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have agreed to marry him when he proposed to her in their younger days. After all, he was just a lowly clerk back then.

As she flung her pillow angrily to the floor, she hugged her blanket with tears gushing down her cheeks. yearning for the door to open, she grew increasingly worried when there was no movement at all.

In the midst of wiping away her tears, she got out of bed and headed to the study where she hesitate briefly before entering.

Lawrence didn’t bother turning on the light even though he heard a sound.

‘‘What are you doing here?’‘

Even though she didn’t say a word, he was aware that it was Kelly.

As Lawrence’s snarky tone triggered more tears from Kelly, she continued to quietly watch him lying on the couch.

Underneath the dim moonlight, Kelly’s pitiful look melted Lawrence’s heart, for, at the end of the day, she was still the woman he loved.

Getting up to approach her, he bent down to carry her upon noticing that she had come in barefooted.

‘‘Aren’t you worried about falling sick by not putting on your slippers?’‘

Even though Kelly was in her forties, she looked like a woman in her thirties due to how well she cared for herself. Hugging Lawrence’s neck tightly, she purred, ‘‘In that case, why did you leave me just like that?’‘

Kelly felt as if she had been unfairly blamed. Despite her attempt at using Sonia to elevate their family’s status, she did it entirely for Lawrence’s sake. Why doesn’t he understand my intentions? Besides, marrying Aaron is good for Sonia, since he’s someone strong and powerful. No matter how one looks at it, he surpasses Harvey in every department.

After taking a few steps to the couch with Kelly in his arms, Lawrence gently put her down. However, she refused to let go of his neck, worried that he would abandon her again. If it came to that, she couldn’t bring herself to cast aside her pride a second time.

As this was the first time Lawrence saw Kelly clinging onto him desperately, his heart wavered further. The pitiful look on her face elicited from him a sympathetic peck on her forehead. ‘‘It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have left you like that.’‘

Upon hearing his apology, Kelly’s mind was put at ease, as her greatest fear was that he would abandon her in anger.

‘‘Next time, don’t leave me no matter what happens.’‘ Staring into Lawrence’s eyes, Kelly murmured, ‘‘It scares me.’‘

‘‘All right. I promise never to do that again.’‘ Lawrence felt bad over what he had done.

Having obtained his promise, Kelly hugged his neck and planted a kiss on his lips. Soon after, their clothes dropped to the floor followed by feminine moans echoing throughout the room.

Three days later, Vinson’s phone rang just when he came out of his room. As he casually took out his phone, he settled down on the couch before answering.

‘‘What did you say? When did this happen?’‘ Vinson sprang to his feet with a grim expression and barked, ‘‘Search the city at once, including the airports, harbors, cars. As long as it moves, I want it checked.’‘

Chapter 1587 The Most Terrifying Thing

Sensing something amiss, Harvey asked in a concerned tone, ‘‘You’re going back to Chanaea? What happened?’‘

As both of them were closer than brothers, there was no reason for Vinson to hide the matter from Harvey. As such, he revealed Susanne’s disappearance to the latter.

Harvey’s expression darkened upon hearing the news. Vinson’s enemies must have taken the opportunity of his absence in the country to make their moves.

‘‘I’ll hold the fort here. You should watch yourself,’‘ Harvey responded with a frown.

He, too, was concerned about Susanne’s safety and had no idea who would kidnap her.

Once the call ended, Vinson left for the airport with Arielle who was wearing a disguise. Fortunately, they had gotten Dylan to issue them a visa beforehand, so they had no problems flying out of the country.

Due to the great distance between Turlen and Chanaea, their flight had to make a transit in Lightspring before returning to Chanaea.

By the time they arrived, it was already midnight.

Both of them had removed their disguises along the journey home.

Upon reaching Nightshire Manor, Geoffrey and Rayson were already waiting in the living room. Both of them looked emotional and were filled with guilt over failing to protect Susanne.

‘‘Mr. Vinson, I’m so sorry.’‘ Geoffrey looked at Vinson with reddened eyes. Mr. Vinson left Mrs. Nightshire in my care and I ended up losing her.

Rayson, too, gave Vinson an apologetic look. ‘‘Mr. Nightshire, I—’‘

Vinson waved his hand to stop him. ‘‘What’s the situation now? Have all checkpoints been searched?’‘

Rayson nodded. ‘‘We have beefed up our presence everywhere and will be notified the moment something suspicious pops up.’‘

Vinson took a deep breath. Having made plenty of enemies over the years, he had no idea who had pierced his defenses to kidnap Susanne, causing him to fear for her safety.

In fact, he wasn’t afraid of them making demands. What terrified him was the possibility that they had none to be made.

‘‘I appreciate what you have done. You should go get some rest as there’s still a lot to do,’‘ Vinson suggested to Geoffrey and Rayson.

After exchanging glances, both of them felt Vinson was right and retired for the evening.

Once they were gone, Vinson slumped onto the couch and rubbed his forehead with his fingers.

Cognizant of his frustration, Arielle held his right hand and reassured him, ‘‘Don’t worry. Mom will definitely be all right.’‘

Vinson held her hand in return and lay his head on her shoulder, feeling emotionally fragile.

Because his father passed on early, he and his mother relied on each other for more than ten years. Therefore, he couldn’t accept it if anything happened to her. In fact, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself for the rest of his life.

‘‘Sannie…’‘

Given that it was her first time seeing him so fragile, she pulled his head into her arms and comforted him softly, ‘‘Don’t worry. She’ll definitely be fine.’‘

While speaking, a vicious glint flashed in her eye. If I find out who was behind Susanne’s kidnap, I would definitely let the perpetrator feel my wrath.

Meanwhile, inside an abandoned factory, a group of armed men was guarding its entrance while a lady was making a call with her phone.

After hearing what the opposing party said, she nodded with a wicked smile. Her gaze then fell upon a woman in the corner who had her limbs bound and her mouth stuffed.

Chapter 1588 Deluding Oneself

Squinting her eyes, Susanne tried to use the moonlight outside to see who the woman approaching her was. Despite the panic she felt, she still managed to put on a strong front.

Over the years, her son had made plenty of enemies in the course of his company’s expansion. Thus, she had no idea which one of them the woman was. She wasn’t afraid of dying. Instead, her real concern was that she was used as bait to lure Vinson into a trap.

The woman walked up to Susanne and stared at her for a minute before circling behind her and knocking her out with a karate chop.

‘‘Take her away!’‘ As the woman’s piercing voice echoed through the factory, two burly men entered immediately and carried Susanne outside.

Over the last few days in school, Alicia was constantly distracted in class, causing her best friend, Marianna, to worry.

When both of them were having lunch one day, Marianna couldn’t help but ask, ‘‘Alicia, what’s wrong with you? Why do you look out of sorts recently?’‘

‘‘No, I’m not. Haven’t I always been this way?’‘ In spite of the panic triggered by Marianna’s words, Alicia kept her composure.

What happened between Aaron and her could never be shared with Marianna, even if the latter was her best friend. The reason was that she had sworn herself to secrecy in front of Aaron, vowing to pretend as if nothing had happened.

After staring briefly at Alicia, Marianna lowered her gaze in resignation. Given that both of them grew up together, she could tell right away whether Alicia was lying. Since the latter wasn’t willing to share, she decided to give her friend the privacy she needed.

‘‘Perhaps I was just overthinking it.’‘ Just as Marianna spoke, Alicia added immediately, ‘‘Precisely. You are overthinking it.’‘

Throwing her another glance, Marianna didn’t expose her lie.

In the evening, Alicia planned to visit Clement since she didn’t have any classes. Initially, she had intended to rent a place for him right next to her school but didn’t expect Aaron to have thought of it. When the latter sent them home the other day, he had already made the arrangements by presenting Clement with a house in return for saving his life.

Clement declined the gift initially but relented in the end after Aaron’s insistence.

The moment she came out of school, she saw Aaron leaning against the car with a cigarette between his fingers, smoking it intermittently. Underneath the dim street lamp, his towering figure exuded a lonely vibe.

Unsure of whether he was there to see her, she didn’t dare approach him. After all, he didn’t contact her ever since their last meeting. Standing still, she stared admiringly at his figure while her eyes were brimming with affection.

Given the intensity of her gaze, Aaron turned his attention toward her, causing her to lower her head in reflex and walk in a different direction. Suddenly, she felt someone grab her hand. Turning around by reflex, her eyes peered into his abyss-like gaze.

‘‘Why did you leave after seeing me?’‘ Aaron asked with a frown as he maintained his grip on her hand.

Alicia looked toward the ground. ‘‘I was afraid that you didn’t want to see me.’‘

Considering that I heard nothing from you for the past few days, how would I know if you were here for me?

She didn’t want to make assumptions about his feelings for fear of annoying him.

Shoving her hand aside, Aaron barked, ‘‘Follow me.’‘

Chapter 1589 Falling In Love

When he returned to his car, Alicia, who had wised up this time around, got right into the front passenger seat. After giving her a glance, Aaron leaned over to put on her safety belt for her.

With both of them in close proximity again, to the extent of being able to hear each other’s breath, Alicia was surprised when she thought Aaron wanted to get right into it by kissing her. As the tip of her ears reddened, she closed her eyes in anticipation of his kiss.

Letting out a chuckle, Aaron buckled her properly before returning to his seat. When it dawned upon Alicia that Aaron was just helping her put on her seatbelt instead of kissing her, she felt so embarrassed that she didn’t know where to hide her face.

Along the entire journey, she didn’t dare make eye contact and kept looking out the window instead, leading Aaron to curl his lips.

After driving for an hour, they finally came to a stop. When Alicia alighted together with him and saw that they were at the foot of a hill, she gave Aaron an inquisitive look as to why he brought her there.

Noticing her puzzled expression, Aaron explained, ‘‘We’re here to gaze at the stars.’‘

With that, he brought out a tent and backpack from the trunk before leading Alicia up the hill. Along the way, she offered to carry the backpack for him but Aaron declined.

I’m a man, how can I let a girl carry my stuff?

Once they arrived at the summit, both of them pitched the tent before sitting down on the mat they laid.

This was the first time Alicia went stargazing. She felt as if observing the stars from a high vantage point was an entirely different experience. As she stared at the glistening stars in the night sky, a blissful smile emerged on her face.

When his eyes fell upon that smile of hers, Aaron was mesmerized for a fleeting moment. Just as he recovered his gaze and lay down, Alicia turned toward him when she sensed his movement. The instant she did, their eyes locked, causing her to avert her gaze by reflex and look back up at the stars.

Despite appearing to be stargazing, her mind was being flooded by images of Aaron.

She had not expected him to take her stargazing, for this was what couples do. Aaron and I…

Just the thought of their relationship caused her gaze to dim.

No longer serious about observing the stars, she snuck a glance to her side and saw Aaron with his eyes closed. I’m surprised he can sleep in such conditions. How long has it been since he last slept?

At that moment, she felt sorry for him.

Worried that he would catch a cold, she took out a small blanket from the tent and gently covered him with it. Subsequently, she lay down on her side with her hand supporting her head. With the help of the moonlight and the glimmering stars, she quietly observed his face.

With his porcelain-white skin, high nose bridge, and exquisite features, he was the epitome of the perfect man. There was no way she could resist him. In the nineteen years of her life, this was the first time she had fallen in love with someone.

When she saw how soundly he was sleeping, she couldn’t help but lean closer. Staring at him, her heart began to pound uncontrollably as she closed her eyes and planted her lips on his.

All she wanted was to give him a peck. Much to her surprise, Aaron turned her around and pinned her below him before showering her with a barrage of kisses. Having his lust triggered, he carried her into the tent where amorous moans would soon be heard.

Back in Chanaea, Vinson was sitting on the couch gloomily. Despite all the checkpoints he had set up, none of them returned any clues about his mother’s whereabouts. Filled with frustration, he got to his feet, only to pitch backward suddenly.

Chapter 1590 Passing Out

‘‘Vinson!’‘ Arielle exclaimed when she saw Vinson fall backward while she was walking down the stairs. Just as she hurried to his side, Geoffrey, too, did the same when he heard her shout.

‘‘Oh no! Mr. Vinson had also fainted previously. Is there something wrong with him?’‘ Geoffrey remarked anxiously.

Since she wasn’t aware of his first fainting episode, Arielle inquired, ‘‘When was that?’‘

Her gut told her that both occasions were somehow linked.

Geoffrey quickly related what happened the last time.

Subsequently, Arielle ordered him to prepare the car so that they could rush Vinson to the hospital.

En route, Arielle was filled with anxiety, as the last time Vinson fainted was when he didn’t fully recover from his gunshot wound. Hence, she was certain that something was wrong with him.

At that moment, she was angry at herself for not telling him about her trip to Lightspring to save the Wilhelms. If both of them had discussed the matter, she wouldn’t have encountered a firefight while trying to lose him, while he wouldn’t have been wounded while trying to save her.

Recalling the matter caused her to lose her composure. If something were to happen to him, I… No, he will definitely be all right. As long as I’m around, he will be fine!

In the midst of her anxiety, their car arrived at the hospital, which was owned by Nightshire Group. There, Vinson was taken in to be examined right away. When the medical staff first saw Arielle, all of them were surprised, as news of her kidnapping had spread like wildfire.

Nevertheless, their astonishment lasted for a few seconds before they quickly returned their attention to Vinson, with whom their priorities lay.

Cognizant of who Arielle was, they had no objections to her tagging along.

Soon, the results of the tests were out. Holding the CT scan in her hand, Arielle had a niggling feeling that something was amiss even though the results showed that there was nothing wrong with Vinson, including his head.

How is this possible? If everything is fine, how can he have fainted twice?

Arielle fell into deep thought. ‘‘Sannie…’‘

At that moment, Vinson gradually awoke and called out to Arielle when he saw her silhouette. After scanning his surroundings, he asked, ‘‘Why am I in the hospital?’‘

As he attempted to get up, Arielle rushed to his side to help.

Her anxiousness ended up eliciting a chuckle from him.

‘‘I’m not made of glass. There’s no need to worry.’‘

Arielle gave him the side-eye. ‘‘It’s all because you gave me a fright by fainting.’‘ The next instant, she reprimanded him sternly, ‘‘Vinson, why did you lie to me? Am I your wife or not?’‘

Taken aback by her words, Vinson was baffled as to what she was accusing him of.

‘‘Since when did I lie to you?’‘

‘‘Why did you hide your first fainting spell from me?’‘ Arielle elaborated when she saw the baffled look on his face.

Vinson was initially terrified, thinking that it was something serious, but was subsequently relieved to find out that it was no more than a trivial matter.

He pulled Arielle into his embrace and kissed her on the forehead. ‘‘I was given a clean bill of health after the examination, so I didn’t see the need to tell you.’‘ With that, he inquired, ‘‘Now that I have fainted again, what do the results show?’‘

‘‘Nothing at all,’‘ Arielle replied with a heavy heart. She simply couldn’t shake the sense of dread eating at her.