Ch. 881..890

Chapter 881

Chapter 881

Cordelia said softly, "Uncle Bond, we've read your work, and Zephyr likes it a lot. He can only sleep after flipping through a few pages every night!"

Jim scratched his head in embarrassment and looked very down to earth when he smiled.

"Ah, you've flattered me. It's my luck that they could see me!"

Cordelia chuckled.

Destiny was a loser's excuse, while luck was the humble reason of a successful person.

It seemed that Jim was a humble and open person. It was no wonder he was able to impress Janine, who reigned in the business world. Perhaps it was because their personalities were complementary. Jim seemed simple and honest, but he was considerate toward Janine. He knew that she was stressed over several projects recently and ordered her mild-flavored dishes. Janine had a bad back and easily grew tired when she sat for a long time, so he brought along a cushion and stuffed it behind her before she said anything.

After Cordelia chatted with Jim, she also found him to be a friendly elder. He was easy to get along with and knew pretty much everything, from astronomy and geography to literature and economy-he was like a walking encyclopedia.

Halfway through the meal, Zuko was getting restless, so Cordelia took him outside.

The living reapers, Janine and Zephyr, and Jim were the only ones in the restaurant. It was just that Janine did not look one bit like the menace she was during work. Her gaze on Jim was tender as she relished in the steak he had cut up for her.

Zephyr kept a straight face and kept giving his mother looks while Jim excused himself to the washroom.

"What?"

"Mom, you two aren't even that official. Do you have to act like you're Mrs. Bond?" Zephyr snorted.

"Hah, when has your mother ever taken somebody else's last name?" Janine put a piece of steak into her mouth. "I've never called myself Mrs. Hamerton even before I divorced your father!" Zephyr frowned. "What do you mean? You want Jim to marry into our family?"

"To be honest, I haven't thought that far." Janine put down her cutlery and looked at her son seriously. "I don't think a marriage certificate can represent much. Besides, must women take their husband's last name after they get married? Do women not deserve their own name?"

"Well..."

"Given my age, I'm with Jim because we like each other and can seek comfort from each other as we enter old age. But the name Janine Baker stays as it is. Whether I get married or not or who I get married to, I'm Janine Baker. Not Mrs. so and so!"

Zephyr paused and looked at Janine quietly. She smiled and patted the back of his hand.

"Your mother's independent and dominant. It can't be changed anymore, nor will it change because of a man! Besides, I've always thought that women can only decide their own fate when they stay true to themselves. Only by loving themselves will they receive another person's love.

"So, don't you worry. I'm not a hopeless romantic. I won't be tricked!"

Zephyr froze before he chuckled. As a son, he was relieved to hear this from his mother.

However, as a man, he feared that Cordelia would learn from her mother-in-law and become an independent and bossy lady reaper. He would be...

"What are you talking about?" Jim came back beaming.

Cordelia was also back carrying Zuko and sitting down.

"I heard a little just now," she said with a smile. "Something about being a hopeless romantic?"

"No!" Janine blushed. "You must've misheard!"

"Hopeless romantic?" Jim smiled. "That's a coincidence. I was thinking of switching up my style and writing about love!"

"You're changing lanes to romance novels?"

Chapter 882

Chapter 882

"Hmm... not entirely." Jim was eloquent when it came to his work. "It'd still be a mystery novel most of the time, but there'll be elements of romance incorporated." "That must be interesting!" Cordelia looked at him. "Can we have a spoiler, Uncle Bond?"

"Darling!" Zephyr shot her a look to stop her with a smile.

He knew writers had quirks and did not like others to find out the storyline in advance.

Jim was different. He generously explained, "There's a part in the novel based on a true story...

"I've looked it up. There used to be Southeast Aciatic princess who fell in love with a traveling artist in Melorian when she visited here."

"What!?" Cordelia and Zephyr froze and looked at each other simultaneously before they paid attention to what he said next.

"The traveling artist was a nomad and was said to be incredibly talented! Of course, he was very good-looking too. Why else would the princess be smitten?" "What happened after that?"

Jim continued. "I only remember that the royal family didn't support the relationship, but the princess was so in love that she's even given birth to a baby with the man! But the documentation isn't detailed, and a lot has been manually erased. Maybe... it's a humiliation to the royal family, so they don't want this to circulate among the people."

Cordelia put down her cutlery and met eyes with Zephyr. They seemingly understood something.

The princess, a traveling artist, a relationship that was not approved of, an illegitimate child... Each one could relate to Helene Charles!

Cordelia continued to ask, "Uncle Bond, where has the traveling artist gone to?"

"It's said that he's died." Jim stroked his chin. "After the royal family captured the princess back, he wanted to take a boat to Southeast Aciatic to look for her only to be caught in a shipwreck and buried in the deep sea. Hah, who knows if the shipwreck was a natural disaster or a manmade accident? This is one of the main mystery plots in my novel!"

Cordelia's expression flickered dimly.

Jim chortled. "This is the information I rummaged and collected to write. They might not be true. They could be made up by other senior writers! "But I don't like the ending of the princess and traveling artist... Hmm, I'll change it up in the book so they reunite and live happily ever after!" "Huh? This isn't like your style." Janine chuckled. "Your mystery novels all had sad endings. Why do you like happy endings now?"

Jim looked at her and held her hand gently.

"Because happiness is fleeting in life. One can't always wallow in sadness.

"Also, in the past, I heard others say that whatever work a writer produces, their life will move in that direction. It didn't matter to me before I met you. But after meeting you, this is the first time I hope that life will give me a happy ending...

"So, I won't write sad endings from now on, never!"

Janine's hand was on the back of Jim's hand. She felt the warmth under her palm and felt the bliss of their connecting hearts and hands.

Later when Cordelia and Zephyr went back to their place, they were still discussing the matter.

"Darling, I can bet that Uncle Bond must be talking about Princess Lene!"

"But Uncle Bond also said that his information isn't accurate and could be made up by others." Zephyr's gaze was cryptic.

"Uncle Bond also said that he'll keep looking into it!"

Zephyr could not help pinching Cordelia's cheek upon seeing how she refused to back down.

From Jim's work, it could be seen that he was someone after the truth and logic. He would definitely investigate the love story between the Southeast Aciatic princess and the traveling artist.

If he did find out something, the truth would be revealed.

It seemed that Janine had good taste. She actually found a Sherlock Holmes who could write!

Zephyr asked, "Right, honey, how's it going with dad? Has he run a test on Aurelia and Princes Lene?"

Chapter 883

Chapter 883

Rowan had been a visiting professor in Southeast Aciatic's medical college recently and had not gone to check on Helene.

Despite that, Aurelia did well as his spy in the west palace.

Victoria sometimes stood at a high point of the palace to observe the west palace with a pair of binoculars. She had been under the impression that Helene would go crazy and torture Aurelia occasionally by locking the latter in there. She thought that she could hear Aurelia scream for help or see her being tortured to be less than human.

Everything seemed to go against her imagination.

The west palace was quiet as usual. Victoria could only see that everything in there was in order through the binoculars.

From time to time, Aurelia would appear in the front yard, but she looked rosy and radiant. Besides being a bit thin, she did not look like she had been tormented at all. Victoria frowned and bit her lips in resentment.

Which part had gone wrong? That woman attacked anyone she saw like a rabid dog. She had even stabbed Aurelia with a fork the last time!

"Your Highness..." Her maid approached her gently.

She was going to serve her cold tea, but Victoria raised a hand and swatted both the tray and cup off to the floor. The shattered glassware was scattered everywhere. Victoria clenched a fist to punch the palace wall and shouted in rage.

"Your Highness, don't be angry! Watch for your health!"

"Useless! Can't even handle a b*tch!" Victoria vented her fury on the maid. "What's wrong with Helene? Isn't she crazy? Why is she not crazy anymore when the b*tch goes there?" "Your Highness, softer!" Her maid was scared witless. "That's your aunt. You can't call her by her name! If others hear you, then-"

"Then what? She won't take the throne anyway!"

"What if Mr. Irwin heals her?"

Victoria glared at her maid before feeling that what she said made sense. She went quiet for a moment and asked in a low voice, "Is everything ready at the west palace?" "The cinnabar, Your Highness?"

"What else!?"

"Don't worry, Your Highness. All done," the maid lowered her voice in answering, "The amount sent in is sufficient, and a little in Princess Lene's medicine every day won't be detected."

"Mm, ask them to be careful. Keep the cinnabar hidden, and don't let others see it!"

What Victoria did not expect was that Helene did not even take her medicine these few days.

With Aurelia's company, she was happy like a child. She was barely lucid, unable to recall her past and unable to see her future.

However, she knew who was sincere to her. The maids and guards locked her up like they were just looking after a criminal, but Aurelia treated her as an equal. Even in her periods of insanity, Aurelia gave her adequate respect and tolerance.

In the past, she barely had a good meal. Groceries and meal ingredients were sufficient in the west palace, but the maids did not want to cook for a crazy princess. Helene ate whatever they were eating. If she did not like the food, some of the meaner servants would take it away and let her go without eating.

The west palace was like a restricted area cut off from the world. Helene had suffered a lot of grievances like this, but she was unable to speak, which was exactly what the servants took advantage of. Everything changed after Aurelia came.

Aurelia would change up the menu, make her tasty food, and counter those bullying guards and servants.

Helene did not want to take her medicine, and Aurelia would pour it away for her.

This day, the servant came in with the medicine and gave it to Aurelia with a short temper, as usual. "Give it to the princess!"

Aurelia rolled her eyes at the maid the moment the latter turned around. When she twirled back around, she was met with Helene's pleading gaze.

"No, no medicine... Bitter, it's too bitter!"

Aurelia sighed and winced in a dilemma.

Helene had stopped taking her medicine since she came to the west palace. She kept giving in because of how pitiful Helene looked and secretly poured the medicine in the front yard. It was just that how would Helene recover if she did not take the medicine?

Before Rowan left, he had repeatedly asked her to take good care of the princess. If he were informed that she did not even give any medicine to Helene...

Aurelia shook her head. She must not pour this one away today, no matter what!

"Your Highness, be good, okay?" Aurelia coaxed her. "We haven't had medicine in a few days now. Let's have it today! I promise it's not bitter. I'll make you rose jelly after this, okay?"

Helene covered her own mouth, making muffled voices. She turned and ran inside.

As Aurelia gave chase, she saw the princess grab a piece of fabric from the couch and clutch it in her hand. She looked closer and noticed that it seemed to be mini clothing that was intricately made with embroidery on it.

The technique seemed to be the one on the robes Carmella had shown her the other day...

Helene took the materials and embroidered the small butterfly on the garment familiarly.

Aurelia smiled, not expecting the princess to be better skilled than an embroidery artist. She was not in her right mind, but that did not affect her craftsmanship at all.

"Oh, Princess Lene!" Aurelia quickly crouched down next to her. "This thread shouldn't be here... Yes, here is right..."

Helene stopped and tilted her head at her, asking in surprise, "You know?"

"I don't, but I've seen it."

Helene thrust the small garment to her and cried in joy, "You do it!"

"Well..." Aurelia chuckled dryly.

Helene gave her no chance to reject.

"Embroider it! You do it! Hurry!"

Aurelia could only try and outline the pattern on the small piece of clothing with her little embroidery knowledge.

"Your Highness, whose clothes are these?" she asked casually.

Unexpectedly, Helene grinned gleefully that her eyes turned into crescents. She was going to answer aloud but looked around to make sure no one was there and whispered next to Aurelia's ear in bated breath, "My baby's!"

"What?" Aurelia was taken aback.

"Hehe, I have a baby!" Helene seemed to have gone into a trance as she giggled before picking up a small pillow on the couch to hold it in her arms and caress it.

"Baby, this is my baby!" Helene introduced it to Aurelia warmly. "My baby, a girl. She's a girl!"

Chapter 884

Chapter 884

Aurelia's hand that was holding the needle and thread paused.

Helene snuggled the pillow with her face intimately, swaying it gently and humming a lullaby as if she was really lulling a baby to sleep.

"My baby is a girl..." she talked to herself, then smiled at Aurelia. "A very pretty girl!"

Aurelia felt a pinch in her nose.

Before she came to Southeast Aciatic, she did not know that girls could be pampered so much. She thought of her parents when in fact, her impression of the two of them was already blurry.

Before she was ten years old, the family of three had crammed in the dark, dirty, and damp basement. Even if a single penny was left at home, her father would take it for alcohol and drugs. Their source of income had been her mother's prostitution.

Aurelia remembered that her mother would dress scantily and stand by the streets even when it was in the middle of the winter, making sexy giggles that made one's hair stand on end.

The two of them did not really care about her. They would toss her some food each day, as simple as if they were feeding a cat or a dog.

What they would say the most was "What's the point of raising a girl? Money wasting!"

As expected, they abandoned a "liability" like her not too long after, leaving her to fend for herself in that basement...

Aurelia could not help her tears when she recalled her past, her tears falling on the small garment in her hands.

"W-What's wrong?" Helene looked confused.

Aurelia wiped her tears away and quickly apologized, "Sorry, Princess Lene... I dirtied the clothes..."

Helene did not seem to mind the clothing as her gaze stayed on Aurelia.

"Why are you crying?"

Aurelia forced a smile and shook her head.

"Are you... hungry?"

"No."

"Then what's wrong? Tell me!"

Aurelia looked at her. The woman was not lucid, but she seemed decent to be a listener. She could not understand it anyway and would not spread the word. Aurelia was also pent up with emotions and needed to vent.

"I..." Aurelia bit her lips and said softly, "I suddenly thought of my parents."

Helene tilted her head to look at her quietly.

"They abandoned me long ago, and I don't feel much for them... Hah, you know, my parents weren't home one day when I was seven. One went to get drugs, and the other went to the motel. They locked me in the room when they went out, and the basement caught fire that night...

"Luckily, my father was cheap, and the door lock was of bad quality. I could open the door by pushing hard, and I escaped!"

Aurelia was smiling, but there was a dull ache in her heart. She continued to embroider the butterfly but felt warmth on her wrist a while later.

"Your Highness..."

Aurelia looked up and realized that Helene was staring at her. It was only then she realized not only did they have the same color of hair, but they also had the same color of eyes. "Hush, hush," Helene muttered. "Baby, hush..."

"Your Highness, I'm not your baby." Aurelia smiled. "The baby's in your arms! What I have in my hands is the clothes for your baby!"

"Baby, don't cry!" Helene hugged Aurelia and patted her back gently.

Aurelia was shocked, and her instinct was to struggle free, but the moment she was in Helene's arms, she longed for the feeling.

Helene was thin, and her fingers were bony and long like withered twigs. The smallest-sized robe looked big on her.

To be honest, it was hard and uncomfortable in her embrace, but Aurelia was reluctant to leave.

Chapter 885

Chapter 885

When Helene patted Aurelia's back, Aurelia tried to wrap her arms around the former as well... like how a child would cling to her mother.

"Be good, hush," Helene said softly. "I'm here, it's okay..."

"Mm!" Aurelia nodded and wore a genuine smile.

"Princess Lene, will you protect me?"

"I will." Helene smiled without much thought.

"Why?"

"Y-You're my baby."

"Princess Lene, I told you, your baby's over there!" Aurelia pointed at the pillow with a smile.

Helene paused before she smiled embarrassedly as if realizing something. She scooped the pillow over with a hand and kept another around Aurelia so both were in her arms. "Both!" she said loudly. "Both are my babies!"

Aurelia giggled happily, a different sense of bliss engulfing her.

There was a noise at the door then.

Aurelia got up, alarmed, but the person had already entered before she went over.

"Mr. Irwin!" Aurelia's eyes shone.

Rowan hushed her and asked her softly, after looking around to see that there was no one, "How has Princess Lene been while I was gone?"

"Still the same," Aurelia answered honestly and turned angry. "The servants here are bullies! They treat her like that because she can't do anything to them!"

"That's trivial." Rowan was indifferent. What was most important now was not to treat Helene but to root out the person who wanted to harm her.

After resolving what needed to be resolved, only then would Helene recover soon. Rowan also suspected that the large sum of medical fees the royal family had spent over the past years had not been to treat Helene. Someone who had an ulterior motive hoped that she would never regain lucidity...

Rowan instructed Aurelia, "Show me the medicine today."

Aurelia abruptly recalled that she had yet to feed it to Helene and went off to retrieve it.

Helene was currently all curled up on the bed, her big eyes almost disproportionate on her bony face. She was very scared of Rowan because whenever the old man was around, he would poke her with needles. It hurt most of the time, yet she dared not fight back.

Rowan looked so stern, and it was as if he had thorns coming out of him when he glared, like... like a pufferfish.

Helene giggled once she thought of that.

When Rowan glanced at her, she tried to press her lips down to tuck her smile away and inched closer inside the bed.

"Hah, there is a considerable amount of cinnabar inside." Rowan was able to determine with just a glance.

Aurelia was perplexed. "Mr. Irwin, didn't you say that cinnabar will help with Princess Lene's condition?"

"A small dosage, yes," Rowan said in a deep voice. "But taking this amount in the medicine daily, the cinnabar will become a poison over time. I'll be the main suspect when Princess Lene dies of the poison one day!"

Aurelia's heart dropped in fear. It was fortunate that she had been throwing the medicine away these days!

"To eliminate Helene and drag Irwin Pharmaceuticals into it..." Rowan gnashed his teeth. "What a way to kill two birds with one stone!"

"Mr. Irwin, what do we do now?"

"Did Princess Lene take her medicine while I wasn't around?"

"No..." Aurelia was anxious. "She doesn't like how bitter it is, so I secretly poured it away. I thought you'd scold me, but..."

"But you've unknowingly done the right thing, huh?" Rowan chuckled with a cryptic gaze. "Looks like God's fair to have sent you to save her."

Aurelia scratched her head shyly.

"Looks like we have to stay put," Rowan said after contemplating. "Not only will we find out who's harming Princess Lene, but we must also catch the culprit!" He was certain that the culprit's next step would be to blame the Irwins!

Chapter 886

Chapter 886

Jim focused on looking up information these few days while Cordelia and Zephyr stayed in his study.

A lot of the materials Jim was going through were not in Chaisene. Fortunately, Zephyr was a decent translator and translated the materials smoothly. When Zephyr completed the translation of a whole page of Latiumo, Cordelia could not help her brimming admiration and gave him a hug.

"Darling, you're amazing!" She looked at him like a fangirl. "You know Latiumo too?"

How much more about him was what she did not know?

Zephyr felt rather triumphant.

Actually, learning Latiumo was sort of an accident for him.

Josiah had signed up for the Latiumo course, citing that the royal families and nobles of Eropah all picked up Latiumo and that girls would dig guys who could speak Latiumo, but gave up after three lessons.

In order to have enough credit hours and not jeopardize graduation, Zephyr helped him finish up the rest of the course.

If he had known that he would receive Cordelia's starry-eyed gaze, he would have also snatched up the three lessons that Josiah had gone to!

"No, my grammar isn't great." Zephyr chuckled. "I've graduated for so long that I most likely gave everything back to the teacher. I still have to revise it if I have the chance next time."

Cordelia rested her head on his shoulder with a smile. She liked how humble and nice her husband was!

Zephyr was reveling in the attention just a second earlier but was baffled the next second.

After flipping the page, the large chunks of text were in a language he had never seen.

"Darling, is this Latiumo too?" Cordelia took a proper look.

Zephyr gulped, not knowing how to answer. It was infuriating that he only got to look cool for three seconds...

"This isn't Latiumo. It's Reumeni." Jim took off his glasses and smiled at them. "Reumeni is the language the nomads use. Where did you find this?"

"Under this stack." Cordelia pointed. "Uncle Bond, you know Reumeni?"

"Not much." Jim waved a hand. "But I can read a little... Like the text on this page, I can see it's poetry... Hmm, love poetry at that!

"You're the shining moon, the pearl of Southeast Aciatic, the... the tear god's left in the world..."

Jim chuckled. "I think the traveling artist wrote this for the princess!"

Cordelia agreed.

They continued looking. Combining the pile of information Zephyr had translated just now and generally understanding various versions circulating among the common folks, they came to a relatively reliable

answer.

The princess already had a marital engagement when she fell in love with the traveling artist. If this had not happened, her life would turn out like the previous queens-get married, give birth, ascend to the throne, and be looked up to by her people.

In spite of it, this accident that intruded on her life had completely ruined her.

Cordelia was emotional as she listened while Zephyr wrapped an arm around her shoulder to pat her.

On the other hand, Jim had begun thinking.

"Hmm... Actually, I'd also really like to know where their child is."

Cordelia jolted. The child could possibly be in Southeast Aciatic.

"Uncle Bond, look here." Zephyr went through the materials carefully and saw a line that looked like an address somewhere nondescript.

"Bohl Street? Isn't it that slum!?"

Jim took a look, and it was correct. It was just that the information was incomplete, and a search on the Internet did not gather anything too useful. Cordelia furrowed her brows. "I vaguely remember that Aurelia seemed to have been living on that street.

"Yes, it's far from Rylands Square, but she didn't care and frequented there to sing.

"She wouldn't have run into Neil otherwise!"

Cordelia suddenly had an idea. "Darling, why don't we go check out the street?"

Zephyr disagreed in the beginning, but Jim agreed to it. He was a meticulous writer, and the things that were penned in his work had to go through careful scrutiny. He did not want to miss out even if it was just an address.

Hence, Zephyr could only take the two of them to Bohl Street, bringing along several bodyguards before they departed.

Cordelia was not unfamiliar with places like this. Before she returned to the Irwins, she had suffered hardships too.

Zephyr did not like the place and stopped them from getting out of the car for safety reasons. The chauffeur drove around the streets slowly.

Jim looked out the window for inspiration while Cordelia looked out the window... and saw something else!

"Honey, look," she called for Zephyr. "Over there!"

Zephyr jolted and asked the chauffeur to stop the car by the side before he trailed his gaze after Cordelia's finger.

There was a man and a woman across the street. They did not look young, probably in their 40s, and they did not look local either. Two more people were standing across from them... Cordelia said with certainty, "One serves Carmella, and the other serves Victoria. I can't be wrong!"

Both servants were speaking to the pair of man and woman. The pair kept smiling, looking like they were happy with the conversation.

"That's strange." Zephyr was also surprised. "Why would they come all the way to Melorian?"

"They're not following us anyway." Cordelia lowered her voice. "The issue is with that man and woman..."

Zephyr nodded and thought the same. He asked the chauffeur to park somewhere more discreet and observed the group from the rearview mirror.

Cordelia somehow felt that this could be related to Aurelia. Why else would it be such a coincidence that these people were here where Aurelia had been living before? "Darling."

"Cordelia."

Both of them called for each other in unison and exchanged a smile. It seemed that they were thinking of the same thing again.

Cordelia nodded, and Zephyr pulled out his phone to call the bodyguards.

"When the few of them are done speaking, separate into two groups and catch all of them!

"Watch it. Don't let them interact in private after they're done speaking, understand?"

The bodyguards agreed, and a few tall men dressed in black coats appeared in various directions on the street.

Chapter 887

Chapter 887

At Southeast Aciatic, in the secret chamber at the palace...

Victoria looked around at the door. After ensuring no one was behind her, she asked her maid to wait outside and entered discreetly.

Carmella was already inside, standing facing the wall. An oil painting portrait of her and the king, Martin, was hung on it.

It was the year Martin had just become king. He was high-spirited, commanding, and confident. Dressed in formal attire with a crown on his head, he stood behind Carmella, who sat in front with a soft smile. There were two days in Carmella's life that she had been the happiest-one was watching Martin become king, and the other was becoming his bride.

Victoria came up behind her and called out softly, "Auntie."

Carmella broke out of her daze. "All done?"

"Don't worry, Auntie," Victoria said with a smile. "I just came from a call with Suzanne and Joy. They've found the husband and wife in Melorian..." "Really?" Carmella arched her brow.

"Yes!" Victoria nodded and did not forget to pander to her. "Fortunately, you're far-sighted and sent people for them first. Otherwise, Suzanne and Joy couldn't have found them so easily." "Are they sure it's the two of them?"

"Yes, it's Aurelia's parents!" Victoria was triumphant. "I didn't know that b*tch has parents like this. Hah, it's no wonder she's cheap and despicable!"

Carmella did not say anything. Her expression was dim. She had only asked Victoria to look for the couple but had not told her that those were not Aurelia's birth parents at all.

She had passed by the west palace one day and thought she would go for a visit. It was a coincidence that she saw Aurelia wear Helene's white dress and smile brightly like a blooming flower...

The scene had shocked her so much that she stepped back and nearly fell into the pool. She fell to the ground with a thud when she avoided the pool and heaved in loud gasps.

She had been under the impression that she had seen young Helene at that moment...

She refused to believe that the baby she had abandoned in the slum would come back this way. Still, she was skeptical, and after two sleepless nights, she decided to ask her people in the west palace to collect samples from Aurelia and Helene for a DNA test.

The DNA test result felt like an explosion right above her head.

Carmella took a deep breath and did her best to stop her hands from shaking. She turned to Victoria and asked in a stern and deep voice, "Are the two of them arranged to come to Southeast Aciatic?" "All done!" Victoria grinned. "Auntie, you're really amazing to be able to find people like them! It's said that they're illegal immigrants who abandoned that b*tch when she was ten."

"People think that illegal immigrants are hard to trace, but with a little effort, they're easy to find." Carmella said softly, "One's a drug addict, and the other's a prostitute. The circle's only so wide. They can't go far."

"You're right, Auntie."

"Let them come as soon as possible." Carmella closed her eyes as if she was talking to herself, "When they're here, everything will be over..."

'Helene, don't blame me,' she thought. 'I can't let your daughter ruin Martin's throne!'

Aurelia sat on the step at the palace door as she looked at the brick next to her, bored. That piece of brick was her calendar-one stroke for each day she was here.

It was the 10th stroke today. It had been ten days since she was disconnected from the world.

It was long, and it was also short. It was just that she was no longer as reluctant as when she had first come. Maybe it was because of Helene.

Subconsciously, she longed for the warmth Helene brought her.

She had been sleeping in the same bed with Helene these few days.

The maids in the palace slacked. There were always mosquitoes and insects in the palace, not that Aurelia was scared of them. It was just Helene who was pitiful as she was often bitten and had large bumps that looked frightening.

One midnight as Aurelia woke up groggily after she turned, she vaguely saw someone sitting by the bed. Shocked, she nearly cried out loud only to see that it was Helene sitting there.

Helene held a fan in her hand as she worked hard to chase the mosquitoes away from her, but the bumps on her face were still evident.

Aurelia's heart clenched, and she suddenly felt like crying.

Chapter 888

Chapter 888

It was no wonder that Aurelia had been sleeping so peacefully these days and that the mosquitoes only bit Helene instead of her... She really thought that it was like what the Internet said about mosquitoes only biting certain blood types and felt lucky that her blood type was not what the mosquitoes liked.

It was actually because...

It was not that the mosquitoes were not biting her. It was because someone was chasing them away for her.

"You're awake?"

Helene stopped what she was doing in the dark and looked at her stiffly, lowering her head like a child who did wrong.

"I... Am I too loud, and you can't sleep?

"Mosquitoes... There are mosquitoes...

"I'm afraid that you will get itchy..."

Aurelia bit her lips. She could no longer hold back her tears and threw herself into Helene's arms.

Back when she stayed in the basement as a child, she had cried after being bitten by lice and fleas, but her mother had kicked her to the wall, finding her annoying.

Helene patted her back softly and coaxed her with a smile like she was coaxing a child.

"Don't cry, don't be scared."

"Mm..." Aurelia sobbed and looked up at her. After a moment of hesitation, she asked softly, "C-Can I call you mom?"

Helene did not seem to hear her as she was still engrossed in her own world, hugging Aurelia and chasing the mosquitoes away.

Aurelia found it to be impolite, but she really wanted to call mom seriously for once.

She had a mother as a child but had never known what it felt like to be loved by her. She found it here with Helene now.

"Princess Lene, sorry to be rude." Her voice was almost inaudible. "But... please grant me this little wish of mine, okay? I promise, I'll forget this after I call it. No one will know!

"Princess Lene?"

Helene did not respond, still smiling in a daze.

Aurelia licked her lips and coughed. Snuggled in Helene's embrace, she called out softly, "Mom."

Tears spilled from her eyes right after that. She was sad, but she smiled, happy to be able to call mom and not hoping for more.

"Mom," Aurelia murmured to herself, sitting on the step.

This was the best word in the world, but she could only tuck the word in her heart and forever keep it in that night.

It was incredibly hot today, with the sunlight baking the ground. Even the flowers in the yard drooped listlessly.

Aurelia got up and had just stepped a foot into the hall when she heard the guard's sonorous voice behind her. "Your Highness!"

Aurelia froze and turned around to see Alexander's warm smile.

She quickly bowed but had once again forgotten which leg to pull back and was fumbling with both legs. Alexander could not help chuckling.

"Never mind, forget the bow."

"I'm so sorry..." Aurelia was apologetic. "Your Highness, I might already be punished if you weren't this nice! But I'll still pick the protocol up quickly. I can't forget my part just because you're nice!"

"It actually doesn't matter that you don't pick up these pedantic protocols." Alexander half-joked. "Who knows? You might not have to bow when you see me in the future!"

"What do you mean, Your Highness?"

"Won't these be done away if you become Mrs. Harris?"

"Uh..."

Aurelia blushed instantly and hung her head, looking like a cooked shrimp.

"Don't feel shy!" Alexander smiled and stepped aside to let her see behind him. "See who I've brought?"

Chapter 889

Chapter 889

While Aurelia was still dazed, the mysterious person behind Alexander showed his true face.

Aurelia's hand flew to her mouth as she nearly shrieked.

"Don't be so surprised..." Alexander was trying to hold back his laugh as well.

How could she not be surprised, though?

When the two of them entered just now, Aurelia had thought that the one following Alexander was a... maid!

She scanned Neil from head to toe with widened eyes.

He was in a short-sleeved blouse and a long narrow skirt-a large-sized long narrow skirt. He was even wearing floral-embroidered flats and had a headscarf. If one did not look carefully, one would think he was just a maid with a bigger build! This maid with a bigger build had walked in swaying hips just now! Aurelia's face was growing red. When she saw Neil's glower, she could no longer hold herself back. A loud giggle escaped along with her tears. "Shh!" Alexander shushed her and asked Neil to wear the headscarf properly. There were still guards and maids at the door, and nothing was secure. Alexander strolled outside and waved a hand to dismiss those people. "I'm here to visit my aunt. Aurelia alone is enough here. You're dismissed for now." "Your Highness, but..." The guards were wary.

"Why? Must I be supervised when I visit my aunt?"

The guards quickly shook their heads and were gone in the blink of an eye.

Now that the hall was safe, Neil pulled the headscarf off and breathed in relief. It was only then Aurelia dared to cackle loudly.

"And you're still laughing!" Neil glared at her.

"Uncle..." Aurelia was heaving. "Why this... hahaha! Why are you pretending to be a maid?"

"Because Neil can't enter the palace as he wishes," Alexander explained. "And if the two of us appear at the west palace together, it'll attract the attention of Aunt Carmella's spies. So I came up with this idea for him to act as my servant."

"Why not a guard?"

"A guard is too aggressive and will also attract attention." Alexander chuckled. "Besides, it is easier to dress up as a maid. Just the uniform, and we're set. If he acts as a guard, I have to prepare the weapons for him too troublesome!"

Neil shot him a death glare.

Alexander cleared his throat and said, "This is the hardest role Mr. Neil Harris, the award-winning actor, has played. Ms. Chilton, seize the chance and chat with him. I'll wait outside!"

He flashed them a smile and left, closing the door behind him.

Aurelia and Neil stared at each other for some time before bursting into laughter together.

Neil went up to pull her into a hug. Aurelia struggled a little and let him hug her when she could not shove him away.

Speaking of which... his hug was comfortable.

She pressed her ear against his chest and listened seriously.

"What are you doing?" Neil's voice was a little husky, his gaze indulging.

Aurelia smiled. "Listening to your heartbeat!"

"What do you mean? Trying to make sure whether the one hugging you is a man or a ghost?"

"You!" Aurelia punched him. "I heard Cordelia say that she likes staying in Mr. Z's arms the most. When I asked her why, she said that his heartbeat is the best sound in the world!" She blinked and pouted.

"But I think... Cordelia's wrong. Your heartbeat sounds the best!"

Neil froze, and his heart could not help beating faster. He looked down at her.

Since she was "invited" into the palace by Carmella ten days ago, she had never left. Only God knew what he had gone through these ten days!

He could not contact her and did not know if she was safe. He was unable to see her smile or hear her voice... Neil felt worse than a cat on a hot tin roof-he was like a cat on a flaming roof!

Even with Alexander's help as he could go in and out of the palace with the convenience of his status and could help him protect Aurelia in secret-even when Rowan had told him that Aurelia was a great help staying at the west palace and that he would ensure her safety-Neil had still suffered.

When sleep lost him, he would pull out his phone to watch the video again and again. The girl was like a brave, righteous warrior, not flinching even against the queen.

"I won't exchange Neil for anything!

"I'll let him know that I'm worthy of him!"

Neil would keep watching and chuckle when he came to this part. As he chuckled, his tears would fall too.

He finally had the chance for Alexander to take him in today. Although a maid was not as attention-attracting as a guard was and would be safer, the idea of it definitely included Alexander's mind to prank him! Let him prank him, then. He just wanted to see Aurelia. As long as he was not pranked to death, anything could go.

"Hey." Neil swayed the girl in his arms. "Are you done listening?"

Aurelia was enjoying herself with her eyes closed.

"Say, we only get to meet for 20 minutes. Are you going to stay like this for all 20 minutes?"

"Hmm, why not?" Aurelia replied with a giggle.

"You..." Neil swallowed the word brat.

The moment he saw the video clip, he had decided to turn a new leaf. He was going to be nice and elegant and would not lash out at her so impulsively.

It was just that they seemed to be used to being rough with each other being together.

Neil suddenly recalled his lines from the films he had acted in the past. He had acted in roles of a domineering bossy CEO too, and the lines were fresh in his mind.

He smiled and got into character in the blink of an eye. "Sigh, you rascal!"

"Huh?" Aurelia snapped her head up with widened eyes.

Neil's "rascal" seemed to have gone through several turns in his throat as it was tinged with some teasing, mockery, and indulgence... It creeped Aurelia out as she had goosebumps!

However, Neil seemed happy with his performance, thinking that he was good with his lines still. He yanked Aurelia to pin her against the wall and supported himself against it with an arm and a cool look. Aurelia did not know how many ridiculous idol dramas he had filmed in the past. The male leads were as if factory-produced-always brimming with confidence and an overbearing smirk, always the same. "Woman, you're the first person to hear my heartbeat! You've successfully attracted my attention!"

Aurelia looked at him with a grimace. What kind of romance drama was this? This was more like a horror film!

Neil thought that he had won her over with this and stroked his chin, considering that the next step would be a kiss. However, just as he slowly leaned in, the back of his head felt like something hit him!

It was a pillow?

What came together with the pillow was a loud, crisp voice. "Let her go!"

Chapter 890

Chapter 890

Neil turned back and saw Helene, who was glaring daggers at him with her hands on her hips.

Neil was annoyed that he was hit for no reason and wanted to vent it on someone, but he had goosebumps once he saw Helene's temperament...... "Let go of her!" Helene shouted stubbornly, "Let! Go!"

Neil was frustrated. He would have lashed out if it was a usual day, but it was strange today.

Helene, who was pale and fragile, seemed to tower over him somehow. He could only stare at her without being able to get a word out.

After a long time, Neil could only say, "W-What are you doing?"

Helene harrumphed loudly and shoved him away to put herself in front of Aurelia.

Her frail body formed a stark contrast against the tall and muscular Neil.

It was just that she did not seem afraid at all facing this big man.

Neil could not help thinking of a story. A hunter was hunting in the forest. His hound had found a baby bird that had fallen to the ground from its nest and was going to sniff it out when the mama bird flew over, fluttering its wings and chirping loudly to protect its chick.

The hound was tens of times bigger than the mama bird, but it was stunned by the bird's presence and stood frozen.

Helene, who had her arms spread wide, was really like that mama bird...

Neil furrowed his brows and had an odd feeling out of the blue.

Aurelia grinned and put both hands on Helene's shoulders to ask her to put her arms down.

"Princess Lene, what's wrong?" she asked softly. "Oh, you haven't met him? Do you remember the uncle that I always mention?" Helene pursed her lips and blinked but shook her head in a daze.

"I'll introduce the two of you to each other formally then!" Aurelia hooked arms with Helene. "Uncle, you have to bow to Princess Lene!"

Neil was reluctant, but she was an actual royal and Alexander's aunt, so he bowed according to the royal family protocol.

Aurelia beamed. "Princess Lene, he's Neil Harris, General Noah Harris' son... You know General Harris, right?"

Helene's gaze flickered. Noah's name took her back to her carefree teenage days. She was not quite clear with the fragments of memory in her mind, but Noah was a loyal and brave warrior from what she could remember.

"General Harris, I know," she murmured softly, looking up at Neil. "But he's... not as handsome as General Harris!"

"What did you say!?" Neil raised his voice.

He had been good-looking for so many years and sought after by hundreds and thousands of fangirls. Even when he starred in a bad guy role, his great looks could influence the audience's values.

This was the first time in his life that someone said he was not handsome! How could he swallow such an insult!?

"Not handsome!" Helene repeated. "Not handsome, bad guy! You wanted to bully my baby just now!"

Neil was simply bewildered. "What?"

"Uncle!" Aurelia shot him a look and told him barely above a whisper, "Don't be so serious with Princess Lene. She's not in a clear mind. Why must you fight her? Can't you just give in?"

"You..."

"Princess Lene's baby is that pillow." Aurelia smiled. "But sometimes, she calls me baby too!"

Neil was helpless and disgruntled.

"Bad guy, you bully my baby!" Helene went up to punch him.

Neil could only let her hit her. Aurelia had spoken, after all.

Helene ran off after two punches. Before Neil could react to it, she ran back out with a few mini garments.

"Bad guy, don't leave!" Helene sounded righteous as she stood tall and proud in front of him.

Aurelia was surprised. "Your Highness, you..."

Helene told her very seriously, "Bad guy bullies baby. Needs to be punished!"

Neil felt a headache coming. He really did not want to stay there and play games with a crazy woman.