Ch. 1601..1610
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1601
Vivian Is Here
“Kurt, look at what I've brought you?” Vivian asked when she saw him.
Right after school, she had gotten the driver to rush her over. With a strawberry cake in hand, she waved excitedly at him.
The smile on her face was simply stunning.
In the evenings, Atlantius University was a beautiful place to be, with the sunset as its backdrop.
As for Vivian's smile, it seemed to blossom along with the glowing yellow hue of the hour.
Standing by the staircase, Kurt felt as if her smile was the only thing he could see as everything else faded into the background.
“It's really cold today. Why didn't you change before you came?”
Kurt walked over.
Before he said another word, a smile broke out on his face.
Vivian stared at him blankly. “I was worried that I would be late and you would've eaten. Today, I feel like having this with you. Hence, I bought it from school and got the driver to send me over,” Vivian chirped joyously.
Kurt lowered his gaze at her.
When he saw how she was protecting the cake despite the fact that her hands were red from the cold, he felt a warm sensation in his heart.
Subsequently, he took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.
“Kurt, how are your classes coming along? Can you cope with taking on so many new subjects?”
“I'm doing fine,” Kurt replied jovially.
Sitting on a bench in front of the school lawn, both of them shared the cake as they chatted.
Vivian's concerns were eased when she heard his reply.
In truth, she didn't agree with him taking on so many subjects for her own selfish reasons. The reason was that he would consequently end up with less time to spend with her.
Nonetheless, she still chose to support him, as his future depended on it.
“Kurt, let me tell you, Dwayne has suddenly transferred out of my school.”
“Hmm?”
Kurt raised his head and looked at her in surprise.
From her expression, he deduced that she had come to see him just to tell him the news. Filled with conviction, she added, “It's true. If you don't believe me, you can come over to my school and see for yourself.”
Kurt was at a loss for words.
Dwayne left the school? What's going on? Could it be… Did Mr. Hayes find out about what had happened?
Suddenly, he thought back to the day when Sebastian and Sasha had a meeting with Dwayne's parents. At that moment, he felt extremely relieved. It was as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
“Alright. Quickly finish up and go home.”
Nevertheless, that was all he managed to say, considering his cold character and the fact that he wasn't good with words.
Vivian pouted in response.
Why is he reacting so coolly? In fact, he doesn't even seem happy at all.
In spite of that, she didn't voice the questions in her mind. Instead, she happily finished the cake together with him before being escorted to the school entrance and sent home.
“Kurt, was that your girlfriend? You're really amazing! You managed to get into this school at fifteen, and now, you even have such a pretty girlfriend.”
“That's right! You must have found the shortcut to achieving success in life!”
The moment he returned, his classmates from architecture began to tease him.
That week, it really felt similar to when he first went to Clearwater High School. During that time, everyone knew of him due to his exceptionally young age. And now, the entire Atlantius University was aware of a new foreign student in architecture who was only fifteen years old.
After sweeping his gaze at those who were teasing him but were actually jealous, he ignored them and returned to his dorm.
“Hey, why is he being so smug? Does he think he's better than everyone else?”
“Exactly. He's nothing but a kid. Who knows if he really got in here because of his talent?”
“Wait, now that you mention it, I remember that someone came to see him two days ago. In fact, that person arrived in a limited edition Maybach.”
Suddenly, someone brought the matter up.
Maybach? That's a luxurious car that costs millions. Furthermore, it's a limited edition version.
Everyone's eyes began to be filled with wild jealousy.
Nonetheless, Kurt wasn't bothered about it. Since he was used to being alone, he felt that social relationships weren't necessary at all.
Consequently, no matter how coldly others treated him or ostracized him, it didn't affect him in any way.
However, when he returned to his dorm late at night after revising his lessons, he found that the door was locked from the inside.
Knock! Knock!
He started out knocking on the door cordially, but there wasn't any response.
Given that they were first-year undergraduates, there was no way their dorm would be empty. In spite of that, no one acknowledged his knocks, let alone opened the door for him.
Finally, when his frustration began to swell, he yelled, “Open the door!”
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1602
Kurt Has To Die
No one responded still. It was as if everyone inside was dead.
Are they doing this on purpose?
Kurt narrowed his eyes, and it was as if they were two sharp blades that had been drawn in rage.
Bam!
A loud noise rang out as he kicked the door open.
Consequently, he scared the lights out of everyone inside. Just a moment ago, they were holding their breath and waiting with anticipation for the drama to unfold.
“Kurt, wh-why did you kick open the door?”
“That's right! Kurt, do you know that you're destroying public property and that you need to pay for it?”
“Also, it's already late at night!”
Not only did everyone not show any remorse, but they also accused Kurt of destroying the door.
As Kurt's gaze darkened, a frosty aura began to envelop him.
“Is it that late?”
No one dared to answer him.
The next moment, Kurt slammed a kick into one of his dormmate's chairs.
With a thunderous crack, the chair shattered into pieces right in front of everyone's eyes.
“Listen up, the next time this happens, it will be your brains that will be busted instead of the door!” Kurt declared in a hostile tone before heading to his bunk.
Everyone inside the dorm froze.
At that instant, everyone could feel a terrifying aura fill the room while lying on their beds. Consequently, no one dared to make another sound.
All they could do was wonder who Kurt truly was.
The next morning, when Kurt got out of bed, there was no one left in the dorm.
Not bothered by it, he took a quick shower before heading to class with his books.
“Good morning, Kurt.”
“Good morning, Professor!”
When Kurt ran into his teachers in the morning, he greeted them respectfully.
The professor smiled. When he saw Kurt all ready for class early in the morning despite his young age, he couldn't help but ask, “Kurt, are you very interested in architecture?”
“Yeah.”
Kurt nodded in agreement, as it was indeed his passion.
If he hadn't carried so much emotional baggage with him, his goal was to become a successful architect. At least, that was what his plan was before Sebastian found him.
Meanwhile, the professor was also an architectural geek. When he saw how much Kurt loved the subject, he was filled with delight. In less than two weeks from the start of the semester, he had already invited Kurt over to see his works.
“Do you know the Sixth Museum? I designed it. Do you want to visit it today?”
Kurt could see how the professor's eyes glistened with anticipation.
Half an hour later, he left school with the professor.
The Sixth Museum was the most popular development in the city recently. It was a huge project that the Yartran government had invested in. Rumor had it that it was going to be the nation's largest museum.
As a result, special focus had been placed on its design.
Meanwhile, Kurt was in a good mood throughout the entire journey.
Along the way, his phone vibrated inside his pocket.
Vivian: Kurt, what are you doing?
Kurt: Well, nothing much. My professor is taking me to see a project that he had designed.
Vivian: Wow, really? That's wonderful. You have to make the best out of the opportunity. I heard that professor of yours is really good. Even my school was designed by him.
The moment Vivian heard the news, she felt elated on his behalf.
At the same time, she provided him encouragement.
Lowering his gaze, Kurt subconsciously broke out into a smile.
Kurt: What are you doing? Are you in class?
Vivian: No, I'm at Lady Adalyn's place. Have you forgotten that she had a banquet to attend today? I'm here to deliver her gown.
Inside the car, Kurt furrowed his brows in response.
After all, he had indeed forgotten about the matter.
Are such banquets attended by a lot of people? Must she attend it with Lady Adalyn?
He began to worry.
Nonetheless, the car they were driving in had arrived at the construction site for the Sixth Museum.
“Kurt, we're here. Let's go.”
“Sure.”
Kurt had no choice but to nod.
Just as he alighted with his backpack, he sent out a message on his phone while his professor wasn't looking.
Kurt: Make sure you pay extra attention to Ms. Vivian today as she is heading over to Lady Adalyn's. Let me know if Vivian is attending the banquet together with her.
SteelFort: Roger that!
With that, Kurt entered the site together with the professor.
Just as expected, the project was an amazing architectural feat. Even though it was only half-completed, Kurt could see how comprehensive and stunning the design and construction were.
As for Kurt's professor, he was visibly proud of it. Throughout their visit, he would continuously explain the design concepts employed as he guided Kurt through the site.
“Kurt, you have to remember, you must have a strong foundation if you want to do well in architecture. This includes ensuring structural stability and measuring load-bearing capabilities. All these are extremely important as people's lives are at stake. Do you understand?” the professor solemnly reminded Kurt as he pointed to the center of the project's structure.
Considering Kurt's enthusiasm for the subject, he took out the notebook he had brought with him and jotted down everything he had learned.
Ironically, during the first lesson that the professor gave Kurt, the construction plank the former was stepping on began to tilt.
“Professor, be careful!”
The moment Kurt realized it, he rushed forward without thinking to grab the professor's arm.
However, the instant he did so, he had inadvertently added his weight onto the plank, causing it to collapse.
Crack!
Right after he pulled the professor to the other side, Kurt could hear the sound of his hoodie being ripped apart by the exposed steel bars.
The very next second, blood began to gush out.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1603
Surge Of Undercurrents
After Kurt and the professor were brought to safety by some rescuers, the person in charge of the project came over.
The professor, who was still in shock, immediately started to scold him loudly, “What are you doing? Is this the best you can do? The building will collapse after it is completed!”
This old teacher who had created countless brilliant architectural wonders for the construction industry in his life nearly blacked out with anger.
The person in charge turned ashen-faced in fear.
Nevertheless, he defended himself. “No, Professor. I'm proceeding in strict accordance with your standards. It's impossible for this to happen. Professor, please let me check to see what's wrong.”
With that, he set out to inspect the fault.
Kurt stood by and watched.
He was still bleeding from the wound he sustained, but at this moment, he was too preoccupied to pay attention to it.
His eyes were focused on the level higher up where they had just stepped on, and according to his observation, he was very sure that the fault had nothing to do with the construction unit.
It was more like a cement block that was deliberately put there in advance.
Was it placed there in advance?
He narrowed his eyes, and a wave of coldness crept over him.
“You're the professor's student, aren't you? You're injured. Hurry up, come along with us to get bandaged.”
The workers at the site suddenly realized that he was injured, and so they urged him to get bandaged.
However, Kurt did not seem to hear them.
He took out his smartphone and noticed that it was ten o'clock. There was also an unread message. His face, which usually appeared indifferent, suddenly turned pale.
“Kurt, are you alright? Come on. I'll take you to the hospital.” The professor wanted to take him to the hospital for treatment.
Kurt shook his head.
“There's no need for that, sir. It's only a scratch, so I'm fine. I have an errand to run. I've got to go.”
“Oh?” The professor was rather alarmed.
At that, the young man left immediately with his canvas bag slung over his shoulder.
After a few minutes, a taxi drove by on the road outside the construction site. He hailed it, got in, and quickly disappeared into the city.
Meanwhile, at the Royal Academy, Vivian and Sonia had hit the road with Adalyn.
“Vivian, I didn't expect to be attending this party. If I had known earlier, I would have worn something more appropriate.”
Sonia was really overjoyed.
It was a rare occasion for girls like them to attend this type of party. Without a doubt, this was a great opportunity for career development.
Vivian was pleased too.
Hearing her friend's regret, she comforted, “It's alright. We are designers and not really guests at the party, so no one will notice what we are wearing.”
“Is that so?”
“Of course, Sonia. When we attend such functions, the most important thing is for us to observe their clothing and accessories. We must take notes so that we'll know what they are into. Then, we can come up with better designs in the future.”
Sonia was not that smart when it came to designing. Only after Vivian explained it to her did Sonia finally understand what it was really about.
Before long, the two girls arrived at the party with Adalyn.
It was indeed a grand event.
When they arrived, they discovered that the venue was a towering castle topped by a tall tower. The wall was covered with sprawling white roses, and the entrance was a circular arch that was open now and revealing brilliant lights within, lighting up a majestic hall like a palace. It was an amazing sight.
“Vivian, th-this is the Exerine Palace!”
“Huh?”
Vivian was not local, and the name surprised her.
Exerine Palace?
“Yes, this is the Exerine Palace, so, girls, be sure to seize this opportunity today. The people who come here to attend the banquet are all rich and famous.” Adalyn turned to them, smiled tenderly, and exhorted them.
She was indeed a fine woman.
She was very fair to all her students, hoping that they could learn more. As her exclusive designer, Vivian was smart and beautiful. She was from a wealthy family background but was neither spoiled nor arrogant.
Hence, Adalyn naturally put her first.
When they heard this, Vivian and Sonia all but jumped with joy.
Immediately, they followed Adalyn inside, behaving properly and moving along carefully, lest they cause any trouble for her.
When they were inside the castle, even before entering the hall and still in the garden that was lit up with many lanterns, they met many well-dressed royals.
They were chatting cheerfully, holding and raising glasses of wine in their hands.
The ladies were having intimate conversations in twos and threes, yet, by looking at how they had dressed and the jewelry they were wearing, it could be seen that they were competing against one another.
Sonia exclaimed, “My goodness, Vivian! Is the blue jewel that woman is wearing a real diamond?”
Vivian nodded. “Yes, it's the Star Of The Ocean.”
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1604
Taunting
Sonia was speechless.
As she turned around, she saw a glamorous girl not much older than her. On her blonde head, there was an eye-catching tiara.
She gaped.
“Vivian, t-that can't be…”
“Yes, it is Princess Calint's crown from the 19th century. Well, that's enough of that. Let's go in with Lady Adalyn. She still has to change.”
Vivian was not impressed by these priceless jewelry.
Coming from a wealthy family, such luxurious things had always been commonplace in her life. What she wanted to do most was to create designs that were unique and unusual.
When she went into the VIP lounge with Adalyn, she was surprised to see the usually calm and collected lady seemingly flustered.
“Lady Adalyn, are you all right?”
“Vivian, on your way in here, did you notice that every woman was dressed well?” Adalyn said with a disturbed expression.
Vivian was dumbfounded.
Sonia was speechless.
Finally, they realized that Adalyn was upset by these.
The two girls stood there, stunned, not knowing what to do. The dresses and jewelry they brought along today were better than their usual designs, but they compared poorly with those worn by the women they had just seen outside.
“Lady Adalyn, I would like to know what special occasion this is? Why are they dressed so glamorously?” Vivian thought for a while before asking.
Adalyn sat down and sighed. “It's the birthday of the old Duke of Walken. I thought it was just an ordinary birthday party, but unexpectedly, they have made it so grand and even come to the Exerine Palace to hold it.”
Vivian did not comment on that.
She knew who the old Duke of Walken was. In the country of Yartran, this was the most elderly of all the Dukes. He was highly respected and had contributed greatly to the rulers of the Kingdom.
Because of that, the royal family held him in high regard.
Since this birthday was celebrated on such a grand scale, it could only mean that some representative from the royal family was expected to attend.
Vivian arrived at this conclusion.
“Lady Adalyn, if that is so, I think that you should not try to outdo them. There is a marquis and a duke attending this function. If you are dressed too well, you will bring them to shame.”
“Is that so?”
Adalyn, who was feeling quite worried, looked at the seventeen-year-old in surprise.
She is behaving differently.
Is this the girl who always acts innocently in school? Why is she suddenly showing such intelligence and sharpness of mind? How did she make such an acute analysis?
Adalyn was amazed.
She did not know that this young girl was actually very smart. The reason that Vivian did not show off her intelligence was that she had always been surrounded by very protective people who did everything for her, so she did not need to prove herself.
Vivian dressed Adalyn up according to her original design.
However, in order to keep the latter from being too dull in the dazzling brilliance of the other guests, Vivian took off a pink crystal bracelet that her daddy and mommy brought her a few days ago and took them apart.
Then, she made a lifelike cherry blossom with the fishing line that she brought and tied it to the left side of Avalyn's neck.
“Oh, heavens! You're so pretty!” Sonia exclaimed in surprise.
When Adalyn looked into the mirror, her eyes sparkled.
This final touch indeed brought out the best in her appearance.
The three of them finally finished changing, and Adalyn led them out of the VIP lounge. By now, most of the guests had arrived at the castle.
“Lady Adalyn, you have arrived.”
“Yes. How do you do, Lord?”
The guests exchanged pleasantries.
In the magnificent hall, these impeccably dressed guests greeted each other warmly as they arrived.
Seeing the situation, the girls went with Adalyn to the hall and hurried off to the buffet table to feast on the pastry. They were famished.
As they were eating, the hall suddenly became quiet.
What's going on?
Stunned by the silence, the two girls looked at the crowd in the hall. Only then did they realize the reason for the hush was Adalyn, whom they had just sent into the hall.
“My apologies for arriving late, My Lord Duke.”
When Adalyn appeared, she had brought out her gift, ready to present it to the old Duke, and so did the others.
The moment she appeared, she realized that all eyes were on her, including the old Duke. All the other ladies, too, were looking at her.
Adalyn was speechless.
Feeling rather uneasy, she held her dress with one hand and froze there.
Indeed, her gown today was rather plain.
Made of ordinary satin fabric and decorated between the neckline and cuffs with some pearls, there was nothing else. Her status was not low among the royalties there.
Finally, the old Duke could no longer hold his silence and asked, “Emily, has something happened to your family?”
When he asked the question, the other guests who had been quiet all this while started to snicker. Although they were not excessive, to anyone who heard the soft laughter, there could only be one meaning.
That was meant to be sarcastic.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1605
Daddy Is Going To Scold Me
Adalyn turned pale and then blushed.
“No, My Lord Duke, my family is fine. Today, I am only…”
“Lady Emily, have your finances fallen into trouble after buying Sir Goldin's shares in the school? So, why did you do it?”
“Indeed, you cannot afford even one piece of jewelry, and you are wearing only a crystal flower on your neck. Lady Adalyn, it's the Duke's birthday today. Even the king will grace this function. Is your dressing appropriate?”
Adalyn was at a loss for words.
Everyone present started to criticize and insult Adalyn without restraint.
When Sir Goldin's shares were bought off by a foreigner, they were displeased. On top of that, Adalyn had shown so much favor to that girl.
Finally, Adalyn's countenance fell.
The king will make an appearance?
If that is so, then my attire today is embarrassing.
Adalyn turned pale and got ready to leave immediately.
At that very moment, a girl dressed in a school uniform made her way through the crowd. She witnessed so many people ganging up on Adalyn.
The girl's face was cold and stern!
“What is wrong with her attire? The stars today are the old Duke and the old Duchess. Our Lady Adalyn is plainly dressed so that they can shine. Isn't that a good idea?”
With that, the girl took the gift box from Adalyn and opened it.
Instantly, a dazzling light came from inside the box, and everyone was shocked to see a long sword studded with gems was the gift.
“Heavens! I-Isn't that the sword that the old Duke lost in battle long ago?”
“That's right. The old Duke has been pining for it all these years. Where did she find it?”
“It's a mystery…”
When the last phrase was uttered, it was apparent that the gift had outshone every other gift brought by the guests in the whole hall.
Indeed, this was the truest well-wishing for a birthday.
The other guests had outshone the host and taken away his glory.
On the other hand, Adalyn had brought a gift that the old Duke desired, and she had obscured her own brilliance so that he could shine. This was a friend indeed.
Everyone in the hall blushed in shame.
Yet, that was not all. In the next moment, when Adalyn stepped forth to present her gift, the old Duchess discovered the cherry blossom on Adalyn's neck.
“I-Is this Lucifer's Tears?”
“What?”
Adalyn was puzzled.
Even Vivian, who was standing next to her, did not know what was going on.
However, the old duchess was even more excited. “Yes, it's the Lucifer's Tears! Oh my! Who did this? It is wrong to cut up a good pink diamond that is famous all over the world.”
Adalyn was speechless.
The guests gasped.
For one second, not a sound was heard but only the suspenseful breathing of the crowd.
At that moment, Vivian only wanted to find a way out through the crowd and admit it to her Daddy, or else he might give her a scolding.
It was too late, though.
“Vivian, what is this?”
“Oh! Lady Adalyn, I-I didn't know, really. This is a bracelet my daddy bought for me. Seeing that you have no jewelry, I just rearranged it to let you wear it on your neck.”
Again, Adalyn was speechless.
Thud!
Most of the guests there felt their legs going weak after hearing that.
This is unimaginable!
Many of the rich aristocrats and nobles had spent their entire lives in vain to obtain this rare pink diamond, but her father cut it up and made it into a bracelet for her. Now, she had strung it into a cherry blossom for another woman.
The crowd was overwhelmed.
Finally, Adalyn quickly took off the so-called cherry blossom and carefully returned to the wild little girl.
“Vivian, you have no idea how invaluable these stones are. How could you be so careless? Quickly, keep it carefully.”
“A-All right…”
Vivian kept the stones with care.
When she lifted her eyes to look at the guests in the hall again, she found that they met her eyes one by one, smiling stiffly. Only moments ago, they were showing off their gems and diamonds.
Now, they had taken them off and were trying to hide them.
Sigh!
She sighed as she did not do it on purpose.
Vivian scratched her head apologetically.
“You must be the Princess of the Jadeson family! Come on, let's go and meet the king. He has arrived.”
“Huh?”
After having kept the crystal flower carefully, she was at a loss when the old Duke and Duchess came and asked her to come along to meet the king.
“Come on, Vivian. I will accompany you. If you can become the royal designer of the royal family, you will be able to meet with more excellent designers. They are all very famous, and they only design for the royal family,” Adalyn encouraged.
Naturally, she was growing fonder of the little girl, but she did not tell her that the young prince of the royal family had also arrived.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1606
Shocking Discovery
Vivian agreed to it in the end.
She had always been striving to come up with better designs, so she did not want to miss out on such a great opportunity.
When she was brought before the king, she was surprised to see the handsome blond young man standing beside him.
Other than his hair color, his facial features were the same as the man in her memories.
How is this possible?
Vivian was overwhelmed with shock.
“Vivian?” Not wanting her to come off as rude in front of the royal family, Adalyn called out to her when she noticed her spacing out.
That snapped Vivian out of her train of thoughts, and she quickly regained her composure.
“Are you all right? This young man here is Prince Jason. Be sure to mind your manners.”
“Got it, Lady Adalyn,” Vivian said as she lowered her gaze and quickly curtsied to the prince and the king.
Unbeknownst to them, the king had already heard about her from the old duke, so he did not mind her earlier discourtesy. Besides, Vivian's graceful movements and beautiful appearance reflected her great upbringing, even though she was dressed in very plain clothes.
Flashing her a smile, he asked, “So, this is the daughter of the Jadesons?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” the old duke quickly replied and nodded.
The king stepped forward and eyed Vivian from head to toe as he said, “Young lady, did you know that your father, Mr. Jadeson, is an acquaintance of mine?”
“Huh? My daddy?” Vivian was astonished.
“That's right. When your father was in charge of your country's economy, he wanted to collaborate with us in certain financial industries. He came to me with his business proposal, and we had a pleasant partnership.”
The king seemed to be in a good mood when he brought that up.
The crowd was astounded by Vivian's identity. The fact that this girl's father was able to discuss business with His Majesty means he must be of a fairly high status! Moreover, His Majesty even said that her father was in charge of the country's economy!
With that in mind, they finally came to believe that Vivian was an actual princess.
Even Vivian was a little surprised to hear that her father had once collaborated with the king.
“Um… Please forgive me if I have offended you in any way, Mr. King!”
“Hahahaha!”
The king burst out laughing in amusement.
This young lady sure is adorable! She even called me “Mr. King”!
He then turned toward his son, who was standing behind him, and said, “Jason, why don't you show her around the place? Your task for tonight is to take good care of her.”
Vivian felt her heart skip a beat when she heard his words.
Coincidentally, she was hoping to ask the prince some questions in order to get things straight.
Soon, the old duke and his wife led the other royal family members to the main hall, leaving Vivian alone with Jason.
A moment later, she watched blankly as the prince approached. Those rosy lips and gemstone-like eyes… My goodness, he really does look the same as Brother Cal!
“Come on,” he said in a neutral tone as he stood before her.
His indifferent expression brought up her old memories of Calvin, and she found herself spacing out even more.
Brother Cal's personality, too, was always a little cold. I had to pester him a long time before he would carry me and sing me songs…
Her eyes reddened slightly at the thought of that.
“W-What's wrong? We don't have to go on this tour if you don't feel like it.”
Flustered, Jason quickly pulled out a white handkerchief from his coat pocket and handed it to her.
Vivian's mind was all over the place at that point.
I must be seeing things! How is this possible? Brother Cal has been dead for so many years! How could he possibly be standing before me now?
By the time she snapped out of her trance, she had been led to another hall where plenty of young aristocrats was mingling in.
A commotion broke out among the crowd when they saw the prince with an Astorian woman.
“Who is she, Prince Jason?”
“Yeah, we've never seen her before! Is she a new friend of yours?”
“No, she isn't.” Jason denied it immediately.
Due to his royal lineage and status, most of the men were dying to lick his boots, while women wished to go to bed with him.
As such, they were relieved to hear that he did not even see Vivian as a friend.
Vivian, on the other hand, did not mind it at all.
All she wanted to know was why he looked so similar to Calvin.
Ignoring the looks of contempt from those around her, she followed closely behind Jason as she asked, “May I ask you a question, Prince Jason?”
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1607
Get Things Straight
“What is it?”
Vivian was unsure if he was only being gentle toward her because of his father's instructions, but she decided to voice her question anyway. “Well, you look really handsome, so… I just wanted to ask if your appearance is natural…”
She kept her bright eyes fastened on him despite the undivided attention they were receiving from everyone else.
After a brief pause, the prince, seemingly older than her, wore a half-smile and replied, “Yes, it is. However, I have to say that I'm surprised, Ms. Hayes. Is it common for girls these days to express their liking for guys in such a bold fashion?”
Vivian went scarlet instantly.
What the… Since when did I say I like him? I only asked because he looks way too similar to Brother Cal!
“N-No! That's not what I meant! I just… I just think you look really similar to a friend of mine, that's all!” she stammered nervously.
“Is that so?”
“Yeah, you look exactly like him. The only difference is that he's Astorian, and you're Epean,” Vivian replied honestly.
She kept her eyes glued to his face the entire time as if she wanted to burn his image into her mind.
No matter how hard I try, I can never seem to get over Brother Cal… He truly is the one that got away…
Although Jason was a little annoyed by her incessant staring, he kept his cool and patiently denied ever being acquainted with her.
“I assure you that my appearance is one-hundred-percent natural. If you don't believe me, I can show you pictures from my childhood. I have a photo album back at my place.”
The prince did not truly mean it, but Vivian readily took him up on his offer.
“Really?” she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with joy.
The two of them left Exerine Palace half an hour later, and Jason personally drove her to the royal residence.
Little did Vivian know that a cab pulled up outside the palace the moment she got into the car.
A young man wearing a hoodie then stepped out of the cab and soon made his way into the palace.
The reason Vivian was determined to see Jason's photo album was because she wanted to know why he looked exactly like Calvin.
Calvin was Sebastian's most trusted assistant, and he died a tragic death from saving her father's life. Afterward, Sebastian and Sasha both endured a lot of hardship in order to protect Vivian and the country as a whole.
Therefore, Vivian was no longer the ignorant and naïve little girl she used to be.
Although she was still kind and pure-hearted, she could tell right from wrong and had become a wiser person overall.
That was especially the case after Ian got betrayed by his best friend half a year ago.
They soon arrived at the royal residence.
“Wait here; I'll go get the photo album,” Jason said as he led her to the living room before heading upstairs.
The residence was mostly empty as the royal family was attending the old duke's birthday banquet at the palace, so Vivian began exploring the living room around her.
“Huh? Who is this?” she mumbled to herself when she saw a picture of a young soldier in a photo frame.
The man was dressed in military uniform and held a saber in his hand. However, his facial features were well-defined and heavily resembled that of the king's.
Could this man also be the king's son? Vivian thought to herself as she picked up the photo frame for a closer look.
“That's my older brother. That photo was taken when he joined the military,” Jason explained when he came downstairs and saw what she was doing.
“Ah, I'm sorry! I just thought it was you in the photo, so I wanted to get a better look at it!” Vivian quickly put the photo frame back where she found it.
“It's all right. Here, I brought you the photo album. By the way, how old is your friend? Do you have a picture of him that I can see? I'm really curious as to what he looks like! I'm surprised to hear that I have a doppelganger,” he said while handing her the photo album.
Vivian lowered her head in response.
She did not have a picture of Calvin as she was only six when he died.
The only memento she had of him was an eagle-shaped cufflink that she wore as a pendant on her neck.
As she flipped through the photo album, surprise inundated her.
Oh, my gosh! Prince Jason really has had the same facial features since he was a child! These photos taken on each of his birthdays are proof that he's telling the truth. He looks even similar to Brother Cal at the age of eighteen that it's like they're clones or something! How is this possible? Could it be that he is actually Brother Cal?
Vivian felt her heart racing at the thought of that, but she was quick to dismiss that possibility as Jason was only twenty years old.
If Brother Cal were still alive, he would have been in his thirties by now! It can't be him then.
The whole event tied her up in knots. As she rapidly flipped through the photo album, she suddenly spotted a photo of a black-haired Astorian woman.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1608
He Came To Her Rescue
“Who is this?”
“That's my mother. She's home right now. Would you like to meet her?” Jason asked her amiably.
Huh? Isn't the king's wife an Epean woman? I remember seeing her on television, so why is he calling this Astorian woman his mother? Vivian thought, bewildered.
Her train of thoughts was interrupted by the click-clack of high heels behind them. The second she heard those sounds, she looked over her shoulder and saw a gorgeous Astorian woman walking toward them gracefully.
“Mother!” Jason ran up to greet her as soon as he saw her.
In the meantime, Vivian stared blankly at her while frozen in place. She felt a chill run down her spine when she saw the woman had dark green pupils, which was an extremely rare trait.
The image of a terrifying creature instantly surfaced in her mind.
Those eyes… They look like that of a snake!
“Did you bring a friend home, Jason?” the woman asked.
Her voice sounded so mellow and charming that it gave Vivian goosebumps all over.
Jason held the woman's hand to his mouth and gave it a kiss as he replied with a nod, “Yes. She's the daughter of the Jadesons. Father told me to bring her over for a tour.”
“The daughter of the Jadesons?” The Astorian woman shifted her gaze toward Vivian and scrutinized her from head to toe as she continued, “Are you referring to Mr. Jadeson? The man who approached your father for a business collaboration back then?”
For some reason, her gaze reminded Vivian of a slithering snake, making the latter's hair stand on end.
“Yes.”
“I see.”
The woman finally broke into a smile before walking over to Vivian.
Reaching out her perfectly manicured hands to hold Vivian's, she sat her down on the couch next to them.
“This is a rare occasion indeed! Don't worry. We have a long-standing acquaintance with your father, so feel free to make yourself at home!” she said with a smile, but it only made Vivian tense up even further.
How on earth am I supposed to make myself at home? I'm already feeling uncomfortable from your snake-like cold hands! The last thing I want to do is spend another second in this place!
With that in mind, Vivian forced a smile on her face as she replied, “I am terribly sorry to intrude on you so suddenly like this, ma'am.”
“Oh, don't you worry about that! By the way, how did you get to know Jason? Did you attend the party at Exerine Palace earlier?”
“Yes, I design dresses for Lady Adalyn. She invited me over to the party and introduced me to His Majesty as well as Prince Jason,” Vivian replied honestly, all while careful to make no mention of her true reason for coming over.
Although she did not really know what was going on, she could not shake the feeling that something was off. A voice inside her head kept urging her to get out of there as quickly as possible.
“Um, anyway, I think I should probably head back now, ma'am. I don't want to keep Lady Adalyn waiting,” she then said.
“Come, now… There's no need to leave in such a hurry. You're a student at Royal Academy, right? You can just give Lady Adalyn a call and tell her not to wait for you. Jason can send you back later.”
Not only did the woman refuse to let her leave, but her gaze also fell upon the photo album that Vivian was flipping through earlier, much to the latter's terror.
“Why did you bring this downstairs, Jason?” she asked.
Standing before his mother, Jason recounted everything that had happened. “She said I looked like a friend of hers, so I brought her over to show her my photo album.”
An eerie silence ensued as the woman did not speak another word. Instead, she let her gaze fall upon Vivian's face again.
Despite the smile hovering on her lips, her green eyes were like that of a predator that had found its prey, and Vivian could not help but cast her eyes downward.
This woman is so terrifying!
“Who does he look like?” Jason's mother asked.
“I… Please don't get the wrong idea, ma'am. You see, I-I actually made that up as an excuse to hang out with Prince Jason because he's so handsome…”
Vivian came up with that excuse on the fly after racking her brain.
However, the woman was not convinced by it in the slightest. She then reached out all of a sudden and yanked Vivian's pendant off her neck.
“You—”
“Hey! Have you got a death wish, Daphne?”
Just as Vivian paled in the face of the woman's vicious countenance, a slender figure showed up at the residence's front door.
He was emanating such a terrifying murderous aura that the woman shuddered and dropped the pendant.
“Kurt!” Vivian shouted as she threw herself into his arms like a scared little girl and hugged him as tightly as she could.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1609
Unknown Secret
After a few minutes of complete silence, Jason and Daphne watched as Kurt retracted his sharp gaze and hugged Vivian.
“Don't be scared,” he consoled in a tone much gentler than before.
That sudden transition formed such a huge contrast that he looked like a completely different person from earlier.
At that sight, Daphne, the Astorian woman, trembled again before she mustered the courage and asked in a shaky voice, “H-How do you know my name? A-Are you from Elysium too?”
“It doesn't matter who I am. You should be more worried about your own safety, Daphne. If you want to live, I suggest you destroy that face!” Kurt snarled as he fastened his eyes on her again, striking a greater fear into her heart.
“No… This face belongs to him!” the woman protested when she noticed him sweeping his sharp gaze toward her son.
“Is it really his, though? You're the former high priest of Elysium, yet you betrayed the tribe and stole the face of the king's son! Did you really think you could escape his clutches simply by hiding here?” Kurt questioned, narrowing his eyes.
He did not move much as he was holding Vivian in his arms, but Daphne could see a gloomy look in his eyes when he said that. That ice-cold darkness resembled a terrifying abyss that destroyed everything it sucked in.
Daphne fell into despair and slumped to the floor.
Not only does he know about my identity as the former high priest of Elysium, but he also knows I betrayed the tribe and escaped! Who on earth is this guy? How does he know so much about my past? I've been living a peaceful life here for twenty years, so how does a teenager like him know such details about me?
“W-Who are you?” she asked in a trembling voice after a long moment of silence.
That time around, Kurt did not answer her question. With a swift flick of his wrist, a gleaming blade flew out of his hand.
In the next second, a sharp pain tore through Jason's face. He instinctively held a hand against his cheek, only to see blood flowing out of the cracks between his fingers.
“Jason!”
Vivian leaned against Kurt's chest when they got into the car, her mind still in a daze as it tried to process the bizarre incident she had witnessed that night.
Although she had seen far worse when Ian got betrayed and when her parents defended the country, she was a bystander during those situations and had people protecting her.
However, she was directly involved in the incident that night and could have died at the hands of Daphne if Kurt did not show up in time.
The ordeal was so terrifying that the mere thought of it caused her to shiver uncontrollably.
“Are you cold?”
Kurt pulled her closer into his embrace when he felt her shivering.
She must be scared out of her wits… Well, it's understandable. After all, she has been cared for like a princess her entire life, so it's only natural for her to be traumatized after experiencing something so dangerous. The fact that she's able to maintain her composure until my arrival is an impressive enough feat as is. Honestly, she's not the only one who's afraid. God knows how scared I was when I found out what happened back then…
It was the first time he cast aside his inhibitions and held her so tightly in his arms.
Probably because the warmth of his body and the sound of his heart beating strongly in his chest calmed her nerves, Vivian eventually felt at ease enough to speak again.
“Kurt, do you really know that woman? I… I only followed Prince Jason to his place because he looks just like Calvin…”
Her dulcet voice cracked as she started sobbing again at the mention of Calvin.
Calvin? She knows my brother? How come I've never heard about it? Could it be that…
Fighting back the countless thoughts racing through his mind, Kurt asked, “Who's Calvin?”
“Calvin Woods. I call him Brother Cal, though. Daddy put him in charge of my safety when I was young, and he was really nice to me. He'd tuck me in and take me out for walks… Everything was going great until some bad guys caused his demise…”
Vivian buried her face in Kurt's chest and began wailing as she recalled the moment of Calvin's death, which haunted her like a nightmarish curse.
Kurt, on the other hand, was completely frozen in shock after hearing what she said about Calvin.
So, my brother really was working for the Hayeses too?
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1610
Public Enemy
When the king of the tribe sentenced Kurt's aunt to death back then, his grandparents hired someone to investigate what had happened in their state of panic. It was then that they found out that she had sent her two kids away overnight. Because of that, the high priest accused the two kids of bringing bad luck to the tribe.
Although Kurt's grandparents really wanted to save her, there was nothing much they could do within the strictly hierarchical tribe. As such, they decided to try and rescue her children instead. They figured it would at least provide his aunt with some form of consolation while she awaited her execution.
However, they could not seem to find them no matter where they looked.
The tribe tortured his aunt for years while searching for her kids, but they were unable to locate them. Eventually, the wicked king had the worst idea possible—to have his mother bear the punishment of her sister's crime. He forced himself on her, and that was how Kurt came to be.
As if that was not bad enough, the high priest accused him of bringing bad luck to the tribe when he turned ten. He suffered the same fate as his cousins. Had Karl not arrived in time, he would have died there.
In the dark, Kurt wore a scornful smile on his face and said, “That's not true. He only has that face because that woman used some kind of drug,”
“Drug?”
Upon hearing that, Vivian was so shocked that she stopped crying instantly and stared wide-eyed at him.
What? I didn't know it was possible to alter a person's appearance through the use of drugs!
The young man nodded. “She consumed a specially concocted formula when she was pregnant. According to modern-day science, it's a type of drug that alters genes.”
“Seriously? Something this powerful actually exists?” she exclaimed in surprise.
A person's appearance depends entirely on their parents' genes, but Kurt said that woman was able to make Prince Jason look exactly like Brother Cal by altering his genes with drugs… This is unbelievable… Even with how advanced technology is these days, I don't think a drug like this has been invented yet!
“Yeah, so you need to be more careful next time. Don't go off on your own,” Kurt exhorted, frowning.
Naturally, he would not tell her that the woman from earlier was actually a former high priest in Elysium and that the drug she used was no legitimate stuff either. Due to Elysium's mysterious and isolated nature, there were many nasty things in the tribe that the world did not know of.
The two of them returned to the villa that night.
After sending her to her bedroom, Kurt was about to leave when she pleaded, “Kurt, could you leave the door open? I'm still a little scared… A-At least wait till I'm asleep before closing it?”
Vivian was so embarrassed that her face was burning bright red when she said that, and she could not even bring herself to look at him.
Of course, Kurt was not about to say no to her request, especially when she was asking him so earnestly.
His ears, too, turned scarlet as he lowered his head to look at her. Watching her averting her eyes from him, he almost told her to go to sleep and that he would watch over her in the room, but his shyness caused him to swallow those words.
In the end, he stood by the door until Vivian fell asleep.
It was not until he heard the sounds of her steady breathing that he quietly entered the room.
Moonlight pouring in through the window illuminated the room as he sat down in a chair and watched her while she slept peacefully.
The sun was high up in the sky by the time Vivian woke up the next day, but Kurt was nowhere in sight.
Where's Kurt?
As she glanced about the room and noticed the chair that had been returned to its original position, she jumped off the bed with a start.
“Kurt? Kurt?”
“Ah, you're awake?”
Kurt's voice, which had yet to deepen fully, sounded particularly pleasant to the ears.
Feeling relieved, Vivian bolted downstairs in her pajamas and ran toward the young man who was busy making breakfast in the dining room.
“I thought you left.”
“Nope. From now on, I'll drop you off at school before I head over to the university,” Kurt replied as he turned toward her.
However, the sight of her milky white skin and curvaceous figure beneath her thin pajamas caused him to retract his gaze immediately.
A slight blush formed on his face as he lowered his head, but Vivian did not notice it as she was overjoyed after hearing him offer to send her to school every day.
“Really? That's great! Here, these are the keys to my car!” she exclaimed excitedly while handing him the car keys, only to pout in disappointment when she remembered that he could not drive. “Oh, wait… You can't drive since you're not eighteen yet… Then, I'll have my driver pick us up instead!”
Kurt did not say anything in response, but he had a smile on his lips the entire time.
The duo headed out half an hour later, and Vivian stood by the gate until the car disappeared from her sight before skipping into the campus.
“Vivi, you're here.”
“Hey, Sonia!” Vivian chirped, her mood brightening further when she saw her best friend.
Yet, Sonia's expression turned solemn after she greeted Vivian.