《Return of the Crowned Heiress (Felicia)》


 1

    Felicia Fuller was dead. When she died, she had a broken leg and was blind in one eye. Everyone apuded, saying she deserved it. That included her parents and the man she loved her fianc¨¦, Arnold Lawson. However, theyter braved the snow and ice like madmen to find her body, saying they were going to take her home.


    ...


    After Felicia died, her soul returned to the Fuller residence.


    She saw the Fuller residence glowing with lights, Ka Fuller ying a beautiful piano piece under the spotlight, with Myra Walsh and Dexter Fuller smiling indulgently. The three of them were a picture of joy and harmony. As the song ended, the house phone suddenly rang. The news of Felicia''s death came through.


    After a moment of silence, Myra coldly said, "It serves her right. If she''s going to die, she should''ve chosen a ce far away instead of bothering us!"


    With a dark expression, Dexter Fuller said gruffly, "Tell Felicia that even when causing trouble, there should be a limit. Does she think she can use a stunt like this to get our attention? It''s disgusting. She''s a disgrace to the Fuller family!"


    Ka, eyes red and teary, whispered timidly, "Dad, Mom, please don''t me her. It''s all my fault. If I hadn''t taken her ce, she wouldn''t have done so many awful things out of jealousy-"


    "You''re just too kind for your own good. Felicia brought this on herself!" said a warm, low voice.


    With that, a tall, refined man with a gentle smile walked toward Ka.


    "Arnie!"


    Ka instantly jumped to her feet and ran into his arms. He was Arnold Lawson, Felicia''s fianc¨¦.


    What a heartwarming family scene. Felicia smiled as she watched the three most important people in her life shower Ka with love and affection. And as she did, tears of blood filled her eyes.


    At the age of 18, Felicia was suddenly embraced by Myra and Dexter. They told her that she was the true daughter of the richest family in the country.


    She had never received love from a mother. Hence, Felicia''s eyes were filled with tears when Myra, choking up, said, "I finally found you, my daughter."


    Just like that, Felicia was brought back to the Fuller family. However, someone had already taken her ce a fake heiress, the pampered little princess Ka. Hence, although Felicia was the true daughter, she returned to the Fuller family as the second daughter and as an adopted child.


    However, she didn''t mind. Craving familial love, she tiptoed around them, trying to please them with humility. Nevertheless, no matter how hard she tried, she could neverpare to Ka''s effortless coquettish charm.


    Because Ka felt insecure, Dexter and Myra told her, "Ka has never suffered any hardship since she was young. Your return makes her feel insecure. Felicia, could you try not to appear in front of her too much as it would trigger her?"


    Simrly, her fianc¨¦ ordered her condescendingly, "Felicia, you''ve already taken everything from Ka. Why can''t you give her a little more?"


    Ka''s friends taunted her, saying, "Look at yourself! You''re a country bumpkin. You''re not even fit to be Ka''s maid, let alone a daughter of the Fuller family. What a joke!"


    Everyone revolved around Ka. She was the high and mighty heiress, while Felicia was lowly and insignificant, like a rat on the street. Felicia didn''t dare to retaliate, and even if she had, she couldn''t win.


    She humbled herself, hoping for peace, but all she got in return was more cruelty.


    Four years ago, on Felicia''s birthday, Ka tricked her into going to an ind. There, Ka fell into the sea!


    The Fuller family went crazy, sending out search teams for seven days and nights, but they found nothing. Meanwhile, Felicia was branded the murderer responsible for Ka''s death.


    Myra and Dexter were furious. They cut ties with her and even allowed Arnold to send Felicia to prison.


    "Take care"


    With those words, she was sent to prison for four years, where she was tortured. They had broken her leg and blinded one of her eyes.


    On the day she was released, Felicia saw Ka and Arnold unting their love on a big screen in the city. That was when she found out Ka had never died. However, in the very next moment, a truck hit her. Her body mmed to the ground, her organs shifting painfully inside her.


    The pain was so intense she became numb. Lying there in the cold, watching the snow fall, she wanted to ask, "Why?"


    Why had they treated her so cruelly, even though Ka wasn''t dead?


    s, she was already at death''s door. Her eyes were hollow, and she could only gasp in pain. She couldn''t even form a word. However, this was what she deserved.


    As a ghost, Felicia watched it all. She thought that death would finally put an end to her suffering. s, a fresh wave of pain and rage crashed over her, threatening to tear her soul apart.


    She screamed. How cruel were the fates to force her to watch them love Ka unconditionally while cheering at the news of her death.


    Her eyes zed red, filled with unbearable hatred and bitterness.


    She forgot she was a mere ghost. She only wanted to rush forward and rip off Ka''s mask of innocence, to reveal the fake, maniptive woman beneath. However, just as she lunged forward, a strong force yanked her back into an abyss of darkness. She was so full of hatred. She hated how unfair the fates were to her.


    Tears of blood fell silently as she made a vow. If she could live again, she would never let herself be blinded by familial love or foolishly give her heart away, only for it to be crushed. Felicia''s vision went ck as she sank into the dark chaos. Vaguely, she heard someone calling her name.


    "Felicia, Felicia-"


    The sensation of weightlessness came over her, and suddenly, Felicia''s eyes snapped open.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Above her was a blinding crystal chandelier, and she was lying on a hotel bed, the crisp white bedsheet smelling faintly of disinfectant.


    Felicia froze. Hadn''t she died already? Hadn''t she died after four years of unjust imprisonment, left to rot in the wilderness, with no one to im her body?


    Felicia looked down at her hands, suddenly realizing something. She rushed to the mirror in the room. In the reflection, a young girl with long ck hair, fair skin, and bright eyes stared back at her.


    It was her, at 18. She was alive!


    Felicia''s heart raced, and tears immediately welled up in her eyes.


    The fates must be watching. They must have given her a second chance, sending her back to when she was 18. Her body was untouched, free of the scars from prison, her eyes uninjured, and her legs whole. She was no longer disabled. Feliciaughed and cried at the same time, overwhelmed with joy. However, after the initial tion, the burning mes of hatred roared back to life.


    In her previous life, she had been trapped by her misguided longing for love and family, only to end up dead and abandoned. This time, with everything reset, she would never again be that helplessmb led to ughter.


    As she wiped away her tears, Felicia''s eyes grew dark and cold. Her gaze was like that of a predator lying in wait, stripped of innocence and shing with a dangerous gleam. Then, she grabbed a vase from the table and headed for the closed door.

 2

    At this time in her past life, Felicia''s adoptive brother, Shawn Fuller, had schemed against her. He knocked her out and locked her in a hotel room, nning to offer her up to his loan shark as a way to settle his debts.


    In order to escape, she had no choice but to jump out of the window. However, she was caught, and Shawn broke her right hand, ruining her ability to practice medicine and acupuncture forever.


    This time, however, she would strike first. She would carve her own path with blood if needed.


    At that very moment, Shawn was standing outside the hotel room door with the loan shark, nodding and bowing to him. "Mr. Thompson, she''s in there. Just like we agreed-I give you my sister and all my debts will be wiped clean!" Lance Thompson, the loan shark, stared at the closed door, his heart itching with anticipation. "Shawn, I didn''t think you''d actually go through with offering up your sister to settle a debt."


    "She''s not my real sister anyway," Shawn muttered under his breath, then quickly added, "Here''s the room key, Mr. Thompson. She''s all yours!"


    Lance took the keycard eagerly, swiping it immediately. A few days ago, when he hade to collect his debt, he had caught a glimpse of Felicia. Even though she was young, she was stunningly beautiful.


    He had been fantasizing about her for days since then. Finally, he was going to get what he wanted. He could hardly wait.


    Behind him, hisckeys whistled and hooted.


    "Mr. Thompson''s getting lucky tonight!" one of them teased.


    Without even looking back, Lance made his way into the dark room, his belly jiggling with excitement. "You punks wait your turn! Once I''ve had my share, you can have the rest."


    Hisckeys burst into cheers, but just as he stepped into the room, a heavy vase came crashing down from the darkness. It hit him squarely on the head, and blood sttered everywhere. His vision went ck.


    Before anyone could react, the vase smashed into Shawn''s head as well. He let out a piercing scream, finally snapping theckeys out of their shock. All eyes turned toward the figure emerging from the room.


    The hallway was brightly lit, casting light onto Felicia''s form. In her hand, she clutched the vase, blood dripping from the bottom. Her face was devoid of emotion, and her eyes were as cold as ice, making her look like a deranged killer.


    With blood streaming down his face, Shawn looked at Felicia as if he''d seen a ghost. He couldn''t exin it, but his usually docile sister had suddenly transformed into someonepletely different. Her eyes brimmed with ferocity, each nce cutting like a knife. "What the fuck?"


    Lance, whose head had been hit with the vase, growled, "What are you idiots doing? Tie her up! I''m going to teach her a lesson tonight!"


    Hearing themand, theckeys rushed forward to grab Felicia. However, there was no way she''d give them the chance to do that.


    She swung the vase hard, knocking one of them down. She dodged a sneak attack from behind, kicked anotherckey in the knee, and smashed the vase on the ground with a loud crash.


    The shards of the broken vase flew everywhere, and even Lance and Shawn flinched instinctively. In that brief window, Felicia bolted down the hallway.


    At the end of the hallway was the elevator, and next to it, a fire escape. Felicia darted into the fire escape, but not before ncing back. Lance, Shawn, and theirckeys were already in pursuit, their bloody faces twisted with anger as if they wanted to tear her apart. Felicia smirked and flipped them the bird. They were nothing but trash to her.


    Lance''s face turned purple with rage.


    "Catch her!" he roared.


    Some of theckeys continued the chase, while others ran ahead to intercept her path.


    Lance sneered, turning to Shawn. "If you don''t catch her today, not only will I collect your debt with interest, but I''ll also chop off one of your hands to settle the score."


    Shawn''s face went pale. He knew all too well what kind of man Lance was. He was ruthless and always kept his word. He cursed Felicia in his mind. If it wasn''t for her, he wouldn''t be in this mess.


    "Don''t worry, Mr. Thompson! I''ll make sure she''s tied up and delivered to you!" Shawn promised, ignoring the injury on his head.


    He took off in the direction Felicia had gone, his gaze filled with malice. He decided that he would break her legs when he caught up to her so that she couldn''t run.


    Outside the hotel was a busy intersection with cars constantly passing by. Felicia sprinted halfway across but had to stop. Theckeys had surrounded her, blocking her from every side.


    As they closed in, Shawn sneered, "Run if you dare, Felicia! No matter how far you go, I''ll always drag you back. You''ll never escape me!"


    Felicia''s expression remained unchanged. Not even a hint of fear could be seen on her face.


    She couldn''t run even if she wanted to. Lance''s men had surrounded her in all directions. Although the street was lined with passersby, no one dared to step in and help. They all made way for theckeys.


    It was just her, alone against the world.


    Shawn wiped the blood from his head and marched toward her. He snatched a club from one of theckeys and swung it at her leg.


    "You wanna run, huh? I''ll make sure you can''t run ever again!"


    It was like a repeat of what had happened in her past life. However, this time he wanted to break her legs instead of her right hand.


    In that split second, just before the club made contact, Felicia''s gaze sharpened. She grabbed Shawn''s wrist and twisted it. Then, she expertly locked his arm in a painful hold, forcing him to the ground using the acupuncture points in his muscles and tendons. His arm bent at an unnatural angle as the sound of bones snapping filled the air. Shawn let out an agonizing scream.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "That hurts! Let go! Let go!"


    Felicia didn''t budge. That move was something she had learned in prison in her past life. After being bullied countless times, a cellmate had taught her how to defend herself.


    If her body wasn''t still weak, she would have broken Shawn''s armpletely.


    As his screams echoed, Feliciaughed, though the hatred in her eyes was unmistakable. "Doesn''t it hurt? You broke my right hand. That hurt a lot worse."


    Shawn was stunned, blurting out, "What the hell are you talking about? I never broke your hand!"


    He had been aiming for her leg, but before he could, she''d overpowered him. Felicia didn''t bother to exin. All she felt was hatred. Endless hatred.


    In her previous life, Shawn had damaged her hand, ruining her decade of medical training, shattering her pride and confidence, and leaving her defenseless. If he hadn''t done that, she wouldn''t have lost everything so tragically. She wouldn''t have died that way. Hence, instead of letting him go, Felicia twisted harder, her grip even more ruthless. What Felicia didn''t know was that across the street, someone was watching the entire scene y out, casually swirling a ss of wine.


    It was none other than Mike Lawson, the third son of the powerful Lawson family.


    After enjoying the show for a bit, Mike turned and called out to the man lounging on a leather couch nearby, "Hey, Stephan,e and take a look. There''s a young woman downstairs taking on ten guys by herself! She''s fierce!"


    Hearing that, Stephan Russell stirred slightly on the sofa. Under the dark night sky, the city lights glittered. His tall, refined figure was reflected in the floor-to-ceiling window as he moved toward it.


    Immactely dressed in a tailored suit, his every movement exuded an air of calm authority. His presence was stifling, making it hard for anyone to breathe.


    If anyone outside had seen him, they would have trembled and immediately knelt, nervously calling him "Mr. Russell."


    Stephan was the head of the powerful Russell family in Seldvale. He was wealthy beyond measure and wielded enormous power. He was also rumored to be utterly ruthless, unpredictable, and impossible to read. Anyone who met him would avoid him, as anyone who crossed his path could somehow end up dead.


    No one would ever expect someone like him to be in Khogend.


    After a nce downstairs, Stephan seemed unimpressed, and he scoffed. "Is that supposed to be entertaining?"


    "Of course!" Mike chuckled, swirling his wine ss with amusement. "ording to my sources, that youngdy down there is actually the real daughter of the Fuller family. It''s the ssic story of being switched at birth. Interesting, right?" The Fuller family? A flicker of interest shed in Stephan''s deep eyes.


    Mike raised an eyebrow and lowered his voice, "If the thing we''re after is really in the Fuller family''s possession, maybe we should drop by and take a look."


    Stephan''s lips curled into a slight smile as his dark gaze locked on Felicia. His voice was soft but chilling. "I like her eyes."


    "You''re interested in her?" Mike teased.


    He wanted to say more, but Stephan cut him off, "I want to dig them out of her head."


    Mike choked on his words before finally managing to reply, "You really are the devil."


    In the square, Shawn''s face twisted in pain as Felicia held his arm in a brutal lock. Gritting his teeth, he shouted at theckeys, "What are you all standing there for? Grab her, or Mr. Thompson will never forgive you!"


    The group ofckeys began closing in on Felicia, preparing to restrain her. However, a few blinding car headlights shed through the night. Several luxury cars, worth millions of dors, raced over.


    The unique license tes, bold and extravagant, were impossible to miss. These cars belonged to the most powerful family in Khogend the Fuller family.


    The thugs exchanged uncertain nces, instinctively stepping back. They knew better than to cross the richest family in town.


    Shawn, however, still hadn''t grasped what was happening. He cursed under his breath, spitting out a string of expletives.


    Felicia, checking the time, softly counted down, "Three, two, one¡ª"


    As she whispered thest number, a cool breeze swept by, carrying with it the sound of someone sobbing. In the next moment, Felicia was pulled into a tight embrace. "I''ve finally found you, my daughter!"

 3

    The elegant and dignified Myra Walsh hugged Felicia tightly, tears streaming down her face as she called out to her daughter. For a moment, the entire square seemed to hold its breath. Especially Lance and hisckeys, who had arrived a little toote. They all stood there in shock.


    Rumors had been circting for a while that the Fuller family, the wealthiest in Khogend, had sent out people to find their long-lost daughter. Apparently, that daughter was Felicia. Theckeys gasped. One of them turned toward Lance and asked, "What do we do now, Mr. Thompson? Do we still grab her?"


    Of course, they couldn''t capture her anymore. Lance sneered coldly, but his leering gaze lingered on Felicia. "Let''s see how this ys out. If she''s really the Fuller family''s daughter, this just got even more interesting. I don''t care who she is if I want her, she''s mine." With onest sneer, he said, "Let''s go."


    Quietly and unnoticed, Lance and his gang ofckeys slipped away.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Meanwhile, Myra continued to cry in the square, her eyes red and swollen. Despite being nearly 50, her face still appeared youthful, though now streaked with tears. She reached out, wanting to gently touch Felicia''s face, but Felicia subtly avoided her.


    In stark contrast to Myra''s emotional outburst of heartache and joy, Felicia remained unnervingly calm. From start to finish, her face stayed nk, as if she were a bystander to the whole situation.


    Myra''s hand froze in midair, but she quickly reminded herself that Felicia still didn''t know the full story. Wiping her tears, she hastily exined everything.


    "Licia, I''m your mother, your real mother. I only recently found out that the daughter I fought so hard to bring into this world was switched at birth. The moment I learned the truth, I''ve been searching everywhere for you. And now, I''ve finally found you." Myra''s tears flowed again as she spoke, her red eyes filled with heartache and guilt. It was her true emotions as a mother.


    Felicia didn''t doubt the sincerity of Myra''s feelings at that moment of time in her past life, and she didn''t doubt it in her current life, either.


    At that moment, Myra was genuinely her mother. Her heartache was real, and so was her guilt. However, Myra''s favoritism and disdain that cameter were real too.


    Every time Myra had to choose between Felicia and Ka, it was always Felicia who was cast aside. That happened very single time.


    For example, in her previous life, after Ka had faked her death by jumping into the sea, Myra had pped her hard and said, "Felicia, the biggest regret of my life is bringing you back!"


    Felicia closed her eyes briefly, her body trembling uncontrobly. Despite her vivid memories, she couldn''t express her pain and grievances.


    She slowly disentangled herself from Myra''s embrace, her movements gentle but firm. "You''ve got the wrong person,dy."


    "Licia..." Myra''s face was filled with sorrow, but she quickly pulled herself together, forcing a smile through her tears. "It''s okay, sweetheart. I understand you can''t ept this right now. Blood is thicker than water, and I believe one day you''ll recognize me." Felicia stayed silent.


    Myra, trying her best to appease her, said softly, "Licia, it''s sote. Why don''t youe home with me tonight? I''d feel much better knowing you weren''t out here alone."


    Ever since learning that her biological daughter had been switched at birth, Myra had immediately sent her men to gather all information about Felicia''s whereabouts. Hence, she knew quite a bit about Felicia''s adoptive family and their background. Her adoptive mother was unemployed, spending most of her time arguing with the neighbors. Her adoptive father was a petty criminal, constantly involved in scams. Meanwhile, her brother was a gambler, always neck-deep in debt.


    Myra couldn''t bring herself to respect such a family. She was also worried that Felicia would pick up their habits as she grew up in such a terrible environment.


    Since her real daughter was in front of her, there was no way she would allow her to go back to that awful ce. After all, this was her biological daughter, her flesh and blood.


    "Licia, pleasee home with me."


    Despite Myra''s genuine pleading and careful attention, Felicia didn''t respond. Her gaze, however, shifted toward Shawn, who was still frozen on the ground in shock.


    Shawn was stunned, unable to believe that Felicia was really the rich Fuller family''s daughter. That was good news to him as it meant he could ckmail the Fuller family for money. His gambling debts of tens of thousands would be cleared within minutes. After all, his family had raised Felicia all these years. Wasn''t it fair to ask forpensation? A few million, maybe tens of millions, wasn''t unreasonable, right?


    Upon having figured it out, Shawn''s eyes gleamed with a greedy and cunning light.


    Felicia, of course, would never return with Shawn. It wasn''t a ce she would call home; it was suffocating, worse than an abyss.


    Besides, neither Shawn nor Lance would forgive her so easily. The best way to escape these lowlifes was to follow Myra back to the Fuller residence.


    With that thought, Felicia''s expression softened slightly as she looked at Myra. She seemed like a child yearning for love, with a hint of hope and longing in her eyes. The sight of it melted Myra''s heart, and she started crying again. "Let''s go, Licia. Let''s go home."


    Felicia allowed herself to be led into the car by Myra, not resisting the affection.


    As she sat in the back seat, Felicia''s eyes dropped, and all traces of warmth and softness vanished, reced by cold indifference and mockery.


    It was time to meet Ka again. The fleet of luxury cars started up and headed toward the Fuller residence.


    Still sprawled on the ground, Shawn stared at the cars as they drove away, watching as Felicia shed him a thumbs-up before drawing her thumb across her throat in a menacing gesture.


    Shawn snapped out of his daze, his face flushing with anger.


    That little brat! So what if she just became the daughter of a rich family? How dare she threaten him like that?


    He scrambled to his feet and immediately called his parents, shouting, "Dad! Mom! Felicia was just taken by the Fuller family. We need to go over there right now to demand justice. We shouldn''t have raised their daughter for free for 18 years! "Oh, and one more thing." Shawn suddenly recalled what Myra had said about her daughter being switched at birth. His eyes lit up with realization.


    Since Felicia was the Fuller family''s real daughter, that meant Ka, the current Fuller family''s heiress, was actually his biological sister. "It''s also time to bring our family back."

 4

    The Fuller family certainly lived up to their reputation as the wealthiest family in Khogend. The estate spanned over 1.3 acres, and the luxury car drove past a blooming garden and a private golf course before stopping in front of a brightly lit mansion. The driver opened the door, shielding the upper part of the door frame with his hand, ensuring that neither Myra nor Felicia bumped their heads as they got out.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    "Licia, we''re home," Myra said, her voice brimming with joy.


    She was about to take Felicia''s hand and lead her in when the doors of the mansion swung open. Maids lined up on either side as two figures hurriedly stepped out. It was Dexter and Ka.


    "Licia, this is your father, and this is your "


    Myra hesitated when introducing Ka. The two girls were born on the same day. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have been mistakenly swapped at birth. Calling Ka her older sister didn''t quite feel right, but neither did calling her her younger sister. Ka, however, was quick to fill the awkward silence. With a sweet, innocent smile, she called out, "Wee home, my dear sister!"


    Felicia looked at her, and everything seemed eerily simr to her previous life. It was the same settings, the same words, and the same innocent face.


    However, only Felicia knew what evily beneath that seemingly harmless facade. She knew how much scheming hid behind those smiling eyes.


    "Hello again, Ka. Let''s see how long you can keep up the act this time," she thought to herself.


    Felicia studied Ka for a few seconds, then tilted her head. In a voice that was even more naive and yful, she said, "Hmm, we don''t look anything alike. How could they have mixed us up?"


    Even newborns often resemble their parents. Given that the Fuller family was the wealthiest in Khogend, Myra had her delivery at the best hospital. Hence, the whole "idental switch" story sounded far-fetched.


    Nheless, the impossible still happened. Could it really have been an ident? Was it truly an ident?


    Felicia''s seemingly casual remark made both Myra and Dexter freeze. They exchanged a nce, their eyes filled with doubt.


    After learning about the mix-up, they hadunched an investigation. However, as it had already been 18 years, it was concluded to be a mistake. The truth of what happened that day had long been buried, and no substantial evidence could be obtained. Ka, caught off guard, looked hurt and on the verge of tears. "Are you ming me? I was just a baby at the time. I didn''t know I was a fake."


    The word "fake" stung, and Myra''s heart ached. Just as she was about to speak, Felicia calmly said, "When ites to the mix-up, you and I are both victims. No one''s ming you, so there''s no need to cry."


    For a moment, Ka didn''t know whether to cry or not. Just like that, her tears never fell.


    Back then, they couldn''t control their fates when they were mixed up as babies. What about now? Ka''s sly tricks and underhanded tactics were well-known to Felicia. On top of that, that idental mix-up all those years ago had never been an ident, to begin with. Dexter, lost in thought, quickly snapped out of it and smiled at Felicia. "Licia, I''m so d you''re home. Your room is all set up. Do you want me to bring you to see it?"


    Myra, a little frustrated with her husband''s calm demeanor, chided, "Is that any way to act? We just got our daughter back, and you''re not more excited?"


    "I am excited! I was pacing around the living room when I heard we found her!" When Myra didn''t seem to believe it, Dexter turned to Ka to prove his point. "Ka, you''re the witness. Wasn''t I excited?"


    "He really was, Mom. Dad was thrilled when he heard Felicia had been found," Ka said, smiling sweetly. No one noticed the tight fist hidden behind her back.


    Only then did Myra let it slide.


    As the family prepared to take Felicia inside, a maid suddenly ran over, looking anxious. "There''s a family outside causing trouble, Mr. and Mrs. Fuller. They injured two of our security guards and are yelling that Ms. Ka is their daughter. They''re demanding to take her home!"


    The warm atmosphere was disrupted, and Ka''s face turned pale.


    At the front gate, Shawn clung to the iron bars, his greedy eyes scanning the mansion. It was as huge as a park,plete with gardens, a golf course, and even a private pool. "Mom! Dad! We''re about to be rich!" Shawn said excitedly.


    He had it all nned out. Given that they were so wealthy, five million wouldn''t be nearly enough. He was going to demand 50 million, and he wouldn''t ept a cent less. Howell Fuller, his father, took a drag from his cigarette and nodded firmly. "Ask for it! And if they don''t give it, I''ll tear this gate down!"


    Tabitha Shortle, his mother, puffed out her chest, proud. "I told you I made the right decision! If it wasn''t for me back then-" "Alright, alright," Howell cut her off. "They''reing."


    She fell silent immediately.


    The maid, having received orders, opened the gate, casting a disdainful nce at them. "Mr. and Mrs. Fuller are expecting you. Follow me."


    The three of them stepped inside, taking in the mansion''s opulent interior. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and every detail of the d¨¦cor screamed luxury and taste.


    Despite the shared surname, the difference in their statuses couldn''t have been more stark.


    Though momentarily dazzled by the wealth, Shawn didn''t forget why they were there. He scanned the room and immediately spotted Myra and Dexter on the sofa.


    Straightening his back, he said loudly, "Mr. and Mrs. Fuller, we''re here to take our family home! You''ve raised my younger sister for 18 years, and we''ve raised your daughter for 18 years. Now that everything''s been cleared up, it''s time for everyone to return to where they belong!" The phrase "where they belong" made Ka so exasperated that she burst into tears. Hiding behind Myra, she said, "Mom, I don''t know them! I don''t want to go with them. This is my home. I won''t leave!"


    Her sobbing immediately caught Howell and Tabitha''s attention.


    So, that was their daughter? Dressed in an elegant gown, she looked like she had been showered with love and attention her whole life.


    The couple exchanged a nce, then hurried toward her, calling out, "Oh, my dear daughter! How could you say such a thing? We''re your real parents. Come on, let''s go home!"

 5

    "Stay away! Don''te near me!" Ka screamed. Terrified, she hid behind Myra.


    Myra couldn''t bear seeing Ka in distress and immediately ordered the maids and bodyguards in the mansion to hold the intruders back.


    However, that just made things worse. Howell swung his fist at the staff, and Tabitha, with all her audacity, started pulling her clothes off. She threatened them, saying, "Go ahead, touch me if you dare! I''ll use you of molesting me!" The staff had seen difficult people before, but never anyone this shameless. Faced with such a scene, the bodyguards hesitated to act, and soon, the entire mansion echoed with Tabitha''s sharp, grating voice.


    Even Myra, who was usuallyposed, couldn''t take it anymore. Her face hardened as she snapped, "Enough! Just tell me how much you want!"


    Seeing that they had the upper hand, Howell stopped hitting people, and Tabitha stopped tearing her clothes off.


    Shawn stepped forward with a smirk. "50 million dors. Give us 50 million, and we''ll leave right now. I promise you''ll never see us again."


    50 million?


    Everyone except Felicia gasped. They had seen greed before, but never at this level.


    "Absolutely not!" Dexter was furious. It wasn''t about the money. He simply refused to be extorted.


    Shawn sneered at his reply and said, "Well, then, let''s go, Mom, Dad. We''ll just take my sister and leave! Do you think being the richest man in town means you can hold our family hostage?"


    Exactly. It was only right to take their daughter back. Without hesitation, Howell and Tabitha rushed forward and grabbed Ka, refusing to let go.


    Myra was beside herself with worry. Instinctively, she looked over at Felicia, who had been sitting quietly the entire time. After all, this was her adoptive family for 18 years. Couldn''t she say something to stop this madness?


    Felicia was looking back at her with an expression filled with disappointment, coldness, and hurt. Maybe Myra didn''t realize it herself, but in that moment, her frustration and disappointment in Felicia were more painful than she knew. Felicia almost wanted tough, but all she felt was a wave of bitterness.


    Myra had witnessed firsthand just how vile that family was. Yet her first instinct was to protect Ka from being taken, to feel anger at Felicia for not helping, rather than to feelpassion for her biological daughter, who had been raised in such a family for 18 years.


    18 years, during which Felicia had longed countless times for a loving gaze from her parents, only to receive nothing but beatings from Howell and Tabitha. Finally, after her real mother had finally found her, all her attention and care were still directed at someone else. In her previous life, and now in this one, the love she had craved was still nothing but a dream.


    Myra, stung by the look Felicia gave her, felt a pang of regret. She opened her mouth to say something. However, before she could, Felicia stood up and walked over toward Howell and Tabitha to stop them.


    "Let her go. I''ll go back with you," Felicia said calmly.


    Ka, desperate to be rid of them, eagerly nodded in agreement. "Yes, yes, that''s right. Blood ties don''t matter as much as the bonds that were formed. My true parents are the ones who raised me, and I intend to honor them. I don''t want anything to do with these people!" Before anyone could react, Myra''s voice broke the silence, almost hysterical. "No!"


    Felicia smiled bitterly. "Ka is right. The ones who raised me are the ones I am indebted to, so I should be the one to leave."


    No one could have everything in life, but Myra wanted it all. She couldn''t bear to lose either the daughter she had raised for 18 years or her biological child.


    "Fine! 50 million it is," Myra snarled, grabbing a pen and swiftly writing a check before throwing it at them. "Take this and get out! And remember this: from now on, you have no connection to my daughter whatsoever! Got it?"


    "Yes, yes. We got it!" Shawn said, his face lighting up with joy as he held the check. His hands shook as he counted the zeroes.


    However, Ka panicked, clinging to Myra''s arm and pleading as she always did when she wanted something. "Mom, let Felicia go with them! We can just leave things the way they are. That way, no one''s life has to change. Isn''t that better?"This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    For a moment, Myra thought she must have misheard. That suggestion was ridiculous, but looking at Ka''s teary, pleading face, she couldn''t help but relent.


    "Ka, you can''t say things like that. Felicia is my daughter, and so are you. That will never change."


    "I know, Mom. I misspoke," Ka said, forcing a smile and looking as sweet as ever.


    Myra gently patted her head, then turned back to Shawn and his family, her face darkened again. "Why are you still here? Get lost!"


    Shawn and his family, satisfied with the money they had received, eagerly left. Finally, the chaos was over.


    Felicia also turned to leave, but Myra grabbed her arm.


    "Felicia, don''t be mad. I didn''t mean anything by it earlier. Please don''t be upset, okay?" Myra''s voice wavered, her eyes reddened with emotion. "Felicia, are you going to abandon me? Don''t you want your mother anymore?" Anyone hearing this would be moved, especially a child who had been starved of love for so long.


    In her past life, by this point, Felicia''s hand had already been crushed by Shawn. The only person in the world who could have healed her was herself, but because nerve damage was irreversible, she couldn''t perform acupuncture on herself. Her hand was left permanently impaired.


    Back then, Myra had been devastated for her, furious at Shawn for his cruelty, vowing to send him to jail. However, when faced with Shawn''s threat to take Ka away, Myra dropped the charges and chose instead to pay him off to cut ties.


    That was the first time Felicia had been abandoned. To make up for it, Myra had promised to throw a grand party to announce to the world that her real daughter had returned.


    However, Ka cried and begged, fearing the mockery she might face as a fake heiress. Consequently, Myra changed her mind, letting Felicia assume the role of the adopted daughter instead.


    That was the second time Felicia had been abandoned. And then there was the third and the fourth time.


    "So what would it be this time, Mom?" she thought to herself. Felicia didn''t need to pretend. Just thinking about her past life brought tears to her eyes.


    "Mrs. Fuller, you asked me to stay, but... what role am I supposed to take?" Felicia asked.


    "You''re my daughter, my real daughter, the one I carried for nine months and nearly died giving birth to!" Myra was overwhelmed with guilt, her voice breaking with emotion.


    She continued, "I promise, I will announce your true identity to everyone. From now on, you''ll have nothing to do with those people. You are my daughter, the heiress of the Fuller family!"


    Felicia showed no reaction to her deration, but Ka''s face went pale. "Mom, if you announce Felicia''s identity, what''s going to happen to me? If my friends and ssmates find out I''m not actually part of the Fuller family, they''llugh at me!" Myra had thought about that before. Both of them were her daughters, so she struggled to find a perfect solution that would satisfy them both.


    Sobbing, Ka suggested, "Mom, what if we just say Felicia is your adopted daughter? That way, she can stay with us, and no one will make fun of me... Does that sound okay?"


    The idea only served her own interests, but Myra actually considered it. "Well, I¡ª"


    Felicia couldn''t take it anymore. She turned and headed for the door.


    Myra hurriedly grabbed her arm, pulling up her sleeve in the process. The marks on Felicia''s arm-scars from years of beatings-were now in full view, the bruises old and new, telling a painful story of abuse. Myra''s heart ached.


    "Who did this to you?" she demanded furiously.


    Felicia calmly pulled her sleeve back down, covering the scars. "It''s been like this since I was little. I got used to it, so it doesn''t matter anymore."


    Her light and casual remark sent waves of emotion crashing through Myra''s heart.


    She had pampered someone else''s daughter like a princess, giving her all the love and care in the world, while her own daughter had endured a life of suffering-hungry, cold, and beaten in that awful family.


    The thought of it made Myra''s hands tremble with anger and guilt. Her heart ached so much it felt like it was bleeding.


    She didn''t hesitate any longer. Turning to Dexter, whose face was just as grim, she said, "Honey, make the arrangements. Send out the invitations. Next Sunday, I''m officially announcing my daughter''s return to her rightful ce in this family!"

 6

    Dexter was well known in high society as a man who doted on his wife. He supported all of Myra''s decisions without question, just like when she signed that check for 50 million earlier he didn''t say a word. Since his biological daughter was about to be rightfully acknowledged as part of the family, there was no way he would object.


    "Alright, I''ll take care of it," he said.


    The moment Dexter agreed, Ka''s face paled. She knew if she protested now, it would only irritate Myra and Dexter further, making it impossible to change anything.


    However, once Felicia''s true identity was revealed, Ka''s false status would be dered too. Everyone would know her real parents were nothing but lowlife scoundrels.


    Clenching her fists tightly, Ka cast a resentful nce at Felicia, her eyes filled with growing hatred. She figured that was why Felicia had pretended to want to leave. It was a door-in-the-face technique. Sensing something, Felicia nced back and caught a brief glimpse of the malice in Ka''s eyes. It quickly disappeared, reced by her usual innocent smile.


    "Isn''t this wonderful, Felicia? We''ll be a family from now on!" Ka said.


    Felicia shot her a small smile. "Yes, wonderful."


    "The squeaky wheel gets the grease," Felicia thought to herself. It was a tactic she had learned from Ka.


    In her previous life, Felicia had kept her head down, notpeting for anything, desperately craving even a sliver of attention from her parents. In the end, she was epted back into the Fuller family but only as their adopted daughter.


    This time, though, she had used a different approach. By taking a step back to gain the upper hand and shedding a few well-timed tears, she managed to im a fair oue that should have been hers all along. Was she beating the devil as his own game? Felicia yawned. "I''m tired."


    It was gettingte after all the drama, and Myra quickly agreed. "Oh my, it''s almost midnight! Come, Licia, let''s go upstairs and see your room."


    Dexter, still smiling warmly, led the way himself.


    When they reached the second floor, Myra expected Dexter to have picked out one of the guest rooms with good lighting and a nice view for Felicia. Instead, he stopped in front of Ka''s bedroom door.


    The room had obviously been redecorated. All of Ka''s belongings had been moved out, and the furnishings were different.


    Myra hesitated for a moment. "What is going on?"


    "Mom, it was my idea," Ka said, sticking out her tongue in a yful, mischievous way. "I''ve taken Felicia''s ce for so long, it''s only right that I let her have the room now that she''s back. As long as you don''t kick me out, I don''t mind where I sleep." That one sentence practically melted Myra''s heart.


    "You silly child! We have plenty of rooms in this house. You don''t need to make such a big sacrifice."This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    "That''s not the same," Ka insisted with a bright, innocent smile. "This is the best room, so of course it should go to Felicia! Besides, as long as you love me, it won''t be a big sacrifice!"


    Myra was saying it would be a big sacrifice, and Ka was saying that as long as she loved her, it wouldn''t be a big sacrifice. The whole exchange made Felicia feel like she was being painted as the viin who was taking something that wasn''t hers. Cutting through the sentimental moment, Felicia asked inly, "If you''re not willing to give it up, then why did you offer it to me?"


    Was she just trying to y the part of the considerate and selfless daughter?


    "No, no, I really want to!" Ka hurried to exin, looking flustered. "As long as you don''t mind, I''m happy to give you anything!"


    "Oh, in that case, thank you," Felicia replied, stepping into the room without hesitation. She turned back toward them and added, "I''m going to bed. Goodnight."


    Seeing how she epted it so naturally, Ka was left speechless. She had expected her to politely refuse it.


    After all, Ka had prepared a whole list of things to say. If Felicia had just resisted a little, she could''ve kept the room while still appearing generous and considerate. However, Felicia wasn''t ying by Ka''s rules.


    As Ka''s face fell, Felicia tilted her head. As if puzzled, she asked, "Hmm? You don''t look happy. Are you not willing to offer me your room?"


    If Ka said she wasn''t willing, her whole "good girl" act would crumble. However, if she said she was, she''d never be able toin about this again. After all, she had volunteered to give away her own room.


    For once, Ka couldn''t form a response. Hence, she had to grit her teeth and keep smiling. "No, no, I''m happy to do this. You should get some rest, Felicia. Goodnight!"


    With a faint smile, Felicia nodded, gave a quick goodnight to Myra and Dexter, and closed the door.


    The room had clearly been carefully arranged. All the bedding had been changed, and even the furniture had been moved. The only thing left from Ka was a framed family photo deliberately ced on the desk.


    The picture was a family portrait of four people-Dexter and Myra standing in the middle, with a smiling Ka on the left and a serious Sebastian on the right.


    Sebastian Fuller was Felicia''s biological older brother. He worked abroad most of the time and rarely returned home. Even in her previous life, she had only met him a handful of times.


    They weren''t close, and Sebastian was distant from everyone, so they hadn''t interacted much.


    There was no doubt the photo had been left there on purpose. Ka probably meant it as a subtle way of asserting her position and showing Felicia that she was the real outsider.


    It was a simple gesture, but one designed to hit right where it hurt.


    Felicia remembered how much this photo had stung her in her past life. However, in her current life, she couldn''t care less. This ce wasn''t her home, and she wouldn''t be staying for long anyway.


    With a smallugh, Felicia put the photo back in its ce. Then she took a shower, changed into her pajamas, and climbed into bed. Once everything was settled, she sat cross-legged on the bed, closed her eyes, and began to meditate. In this state, Felicia''s mind seemed to open into another world. A dense cloud of archaic script floated toward her from all directions.


    If anyone could understand these texts, they would be shocked to recognize them as part of a long-lost medical manuscript. It was one that every top-tier alternative doctor would kill to get their hands on.

 7

    The value of the medical texts was immeasurable, and every single page was priceless.


    Felicia found it when she was ten years old. While the cover was already faded and nearly illegible, she could still make out the obscure content and acupuncture diagrams.


    Back then, she had been so absorbed in the book that she had forgotten to cook dinner, which had resulted in Howell yanking her by the ear and beating her, while Tabitha had snatched the book and tossed it into the fire.


    After enduring the beatings, Felicia had been kicked out of the house by Shawn after she had prepared the dinner. It had been her punishment for making them starve.


    That night had been a frigid winter night, with temperatures dropping to negative two degrees. Felicia had curled up under the eaves and had almost frozen to death. Just as she had been drifting into unconsciousness, the medical book she had memorized seemed toe to life in her mind.


    Trying it out bit by bit, she had been astonished to discover she could perform acupuncture on herself. From that moment on, whenever she had time, she would enter that focused state, spending eight years fully mastering everything in that medical book. With her eyes closed, she reviewed the acupuncture techniques several times. Before she knew it, it was already past midnight when she finally went to bed.


    The next morning, she woke up at six, just as dawn began to break. After getting out of bed, she instinctively made her bed neatly. However, as she looked at the perfectly arranged nkets, she froze.


    In her previous life, when Ka faked her own death by jumping into the sea, Felicia became the scapegoat, sent to prison by her fianc¨¦, Arnold. With a casual "take care," she was tortured until she was unrecognizable.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    The memories of those four years in prison flooded back-humiliation, torment, and pain crying out to the heavens with no answer. Felicia suddenly threw the covers off.


    This wasn''t the past. There was no past. She was no longer themb to the ughter. In this life, all the rules would be set by her, and all thews would be written by her.


    After gathering herself and calming her emotions, Felicia finally headed downstairs. At this hour, both Dexter and Myra were still asleep. Only the busy maids were downstairs preparing breakfast and cleaning up.


    When the maids saw Felicia, they exchanged nces, then slightly bowed, respectfully greeting her, "Good morning, Ms. Fuller."


    Felicia nodded in acknowledgment.


    Just as she was about to leave, she noticed one young maid sneering at her, rolling her eyes and muttering derisively, "Hmph, a wild goose thinks it''s a swan. It should know its ce!"


    Thement was soft, but the mansion was quiet enough for Felicia to hear.


    She stopped, chuckling faintly, saying, "I see that you''re not happy about it, but what can you do about it?"


    The maid''s face turned red, unable to retort. Indeed, no matter how much she disliked Felicia, she was still the legitimate heiress of the family.


    At that moment, Nora Hall, an older maid, rushed out of the kitchen upon hearing themotion. She quickly apologized, "I''m sorry, Ms. Fuller. This is my niece, Holly. She''s young and doesn''t know better. I''ll teach her properly. Please don''t take offense!" Felicia wouldn''t hold a grudge over something so trivial, especially since Holly White was Ka''s person. In her previous life, she had helped Ka with numerous schemes. Keeping her around could still be useful.


    Once Felicia left, Holly stomped her foot, looking upset. "She''s just an outsider from the countryside. Does she really think she''s all that just because shended here? Ugh!"


    "Shut up!" Nora coldly reprimanded her niece. "Remember your ce. You''re just a maid. If you dare speak out of line to Ms. Fuller again, I won''t protect you again!"


    "I''m just standing up for Ms. Ka! She''s been doted on for so many years, why should she give up everything she has just for this country bumpkin?" Holly snorted. "I really don''t know what Mr. and Mrs. Fuller are thinking!" Infuriated, Nora scolded her, saying, "Let me remind you onest time. You''re just a maid. Don''t think just because you''ve been here for a year and a half that you can act like you own the ce. You don''t have that right! "And if you don''t want to work here, just leave. Don''t drag me down with you!"


    With a stern expression, Nora returned to the kitchen, growing increasingly regretful for having brought her troublesome niece into the Fuller residence. Despite herck of skills, Holly had an attitude and dared to meddle in the Fuller family''s matters. After being scolded, Holly pouted, dismissing the warning. Instead, it only strengthened her resolve.


    Ka had treated her so well, even giving her an expensive skincare setst time and calling her a friend. As a friend, she would help Ka get rid of that outsider, Felicia.


    ...


    Felicia hadn''t gone far. The estate was massive, and after running a fewps around the golf course, she returned to the mansion after over an hour of exercise.


    By then, it was a bitte. Dexter was sitting on the sofa reading thetest newspaper while Myra was on the phone, likely with her son, Sebastian, asking when he would return to the country.


    On the other end, Sebastian replied that he was busy, then hung up, prompting Myra to nce discontentedly at Dexter. "He must have learned that from you, always too busy to care about things at home!"


    Dexter protested his innocence.


    Meanwhile, Ka, covering her mouth to stifle augh, chimed in, "Dad, just admit it while you can, before Mom pulls your ear!"


    The warm and harmonious atmosphere radiated happiness.


    Felicia stood at the doorway, remembering how, in her previous life, this scene yed out almost every day after she returned to the Fuller family. She had envied it so much that it made her want to cry, mustering the courage to approach and trying to fit in, but theughter would stop in an instant.


    That feeling of istion had always loomed like an invisible barrier, keeping her on the outside. Taking a deep breath, Felicia made a sound and stepped inside.


    The moment she entered, the atmosphere seemed to freeze, andughter ceased. Dexter cleared his throat and folded up the newspaper.


    Myra hurried over to greet Felicia, asking warmly, "Licia, why are you up so early? Did you sleep wellst night?"


    "Yeah," Felicia replied.


    "That''s good. Have some breakfast!" Myra said while instructing the maids to bring out the food.


    They had prepared a sumptuous breakfast. There were hearty soups and oatmeal, along with a few tasty sides and baked goods.


    Just then, Dexter received an urgent call and rushed off to thepany, leaving only the three women at the table.


    As Myra served Felicia some food, she said, "Licia, after breakfast, I''ll take you shopping for clothes and jewelry. We''ll buy whatever you like."


    The Sunday party was the day after tomorrow. On such a huge asion, prominent figures of Khogend would be present as guests.


    Ka''s eyes sparkled as she quickly raised her hand. "Mom, I want to go too!"


    "Of course, when do we ever go shopping without you?" Myra yfully rolled her eyes at Ka, full of affection.


    Felicia replied tly, "I have something to do, so I can''t go."


    "What do you have to do? School hasn''t even started yet."


    Before Myra could say more, Felicia stood up and stated, "I''m full. You enjoy your meal."


    Then, she turned and walked outside.


    Myra felt a bit anxious and called the driver, Eugene Nunez, to hurry after her. Just then, Holly rushed in from outside.


    She first nced at Felicia with a smug look before loudly announcing, "Mr. Arnold Lawson of the Lawson family is here, Mrs. Fuller!"

 8

    Arnold Lawson.


    Hearing that name again sent a surge of hatred through Felicia. She couldn''t forget the cold, decisive way he had sent her to prison in her past life. Nor could she shake the memory of him looking down on her, bloodied and barely alive, judging her from above. She didn''t even want to look at him. Felicia strode outside just as Eugene pulled up with the car. Without hesitation, she got in.


    "Drive," shemanded.


    With that, Eugene started the vehicle.


    At that moment, Arnold arrived at the Fuller residence in his own car. As their vehicles passed each other, he casually nced out, momentarily blinded by the morning light. In that brief moment, he caught a glimpse of a wless profile-a cool, striking, distant beauty- before it vanished.


    Arnold got out of his car and turned to look back, but before he could see clearly, he heard Ka''s cheerful voice behind him.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    "Arnie!"


    Arnold turned, his expression softening with a smile that made his already handsome face even more attractive. He reached out, affectionately ruffling Ka''s hair.


    Blushing, Ka was about to say something when Arnold looked toward the end of the road and asked, "Was that the daughter that Mr. and Mrs. Fuller just brought back?" Ka froze, suddenly alert. No matter how reluctant she was to admit, Felicia was undeniably beautiful. Just standing there, she effortlesslymanded everyone''s attention. Biting her lip, Ka cautiously probed, "Arnie, have you met her? What do you think?"


    "What can I think?" Arnold chuckled, teasing her in his usual tone. "I''m just worried that you, my precious pearl, might be doted on less. I wouldn''t want to see you crying as you''ll need me tofort you." "Arnie!" Ka stomped her foot, but inwardly, she rxed. Some people were simply irreceable.


    ...


    Once the luxury car pulled away from the Fuller residence, Eugene nced at Felicia in the rearview mirror and respectfully asked, "Where would you like to go, Ms. Fuller?" "To Harmony Medical Center," she replied.


    Harmony Medical Center was thergest and most prestigious medical center in Khogend, home to many expert-level traditional doctors. People flocked there seeking medical advice. Eugene instinctively asked, "Are you feeling unwell, Ms. Fuller?"


    "No," Felicia said honestly. "I''m going to work."


    Work?


    Eugene was taken aback, feeling a mix of surprise and sympathy. Felicia was different. She had just been brought back to the Fuller family. Given her previous family background, she must have had her fair share of sufferings. He kindly suggested, "Now that you''re back home, you could quit your job. You don''t need to work so hard."


    Felicia shook her head and casually replied, "What others give, they can take away. I can only rely on what I have."


    So what if she returned to the Fuller family? They had discarded her before when it suited them. Only the knowledge, skills, and medicine she had learned truly allowed her to stand on her two feet.


    Eugene opened his mouth to say something else, but they soon hit a traffic jam. Many cars were stuck, and it seemed a serious ident had urred ahead-Felicia could faintly hear someone shouting for an ambnce.


    "I''ll go take a look," she said, stepping out of the car. She navigated through the congested traffic and reached the scene of the ident.


    Two cars had collided, and while it didn''t seem too severe, one of the passengers-a frail elderly man was in distress, lying on the ground with a flushed face, clearly struggling to breathe.


    Felicia was shocked to see this scenario y out so soon. The elderly man was Arnold''s grandfather, the current head of the Lawson family.


    In her past life, after saving him, he had taken a liking to her and had insisted on tying her to Arnold when the Fuller and Lawson families considered an marriage alliance. Due to that, Arnold had grown to despise her, convinced she had orchestrated everything for her benefit.


    However, Felicia distinctly remembered that this incident was supposed to happen after the party, and it was due to poisoning-not a car ident-that she had saved him. Everything had happened too early.


    It was as if the gears of fate were turning, reminding her that no matter how hard she tried to change things, she couldn''t escape her predetermined fate!


    As Felicia stood frozen, a ck Rolls Royce was forced to a sudden stop as thene was congested with traffic.


    "The road is blocked ahead, Mr. Russell," the driver said cautiously.


    At the sound, Stephan, who had been resting with his eyes closed in the back seat, opened them. His darkshes cast a slight shadow over his sharp, sculpted features, making it hard to read his expression, but his presence was imposing. "Mm," he replied tersely, saying nothing more.


    The driver sighed in relief.


    Next to him, Mike shed a gold-embossed invitation in his hand and joked, "You''ve got the invitation, Stephan! You don''t need to sneak into the Fuller residence anymore."


    Arnold raised an eyebrow, taking the invitation from Mike''s hands. He wasn''t interested in the other details, but two words caught his attention-Felicia Fuller. So that was the name of the real heiress.


    Mike, emboldened by the moment, added, "Honestly, on top of her beautiful eyes, she''s quite pretty, especially that face of hers. Wow, very charming!"


    Arnold closed the invitation and tossed it aside. His gaze drifted out the window. "Mike, that looks like Mr. Lawson Senior''s car."


    "What?" Mike''s heart dropped. He immediately turned to look and realized the car involved in the collision belonged to Matthew Lawson.


    While he was enjoying the gossip, he suddenly found out his own family was in trouble. Without a second thought, Mike shouted and jumped out of the car, but he was stopped by Arnold''s firm grip. "Why are you holding me back? I need to save him!" he eximed, panic rising.


    Seeing his friend nearly lose it, Arnold pointed toward the ident scene. Emerging from the crowd was none other than Felicia, the very woman he had just been praising for her beauty.

 9

    Regardless of the circumstances, a life was at stake. Felicia approached Matthew directly. Crouching beside him, she checked his pulse.


    Matthew''s aide, Morgan Jones, who was busy on the phone with the Lawson family, noticed Felicia''s actions and shouted, "Hey, what are you doing?"


    Ignoring him, Felicia swiftly pulled the brooch from his suit jacket and, without a second thought, plunged it into Matthew''s chest.


    No one knew which acupoint she struck. However, there was a faint pop. Then, Matthew expelled a mouthful of clotted blood along with fresh blood like a deted balloon. Following that, he started to breathe heavily. Everything happened so quickly. Felicia''s movements were fluid and seamless, so fast that Morgan didn''t have time to intervene. In an instant, Matthew went from the brink of death to breathing again.


    "Are you alright, Mr. Lawson Senior?" Morgan asked, drenched in sweat, both surprised and relieved.


    Matthew finally caught his breath. He waved his hand and looked around, but Felicia had already vanished from sight.


    "Who saved me?" Matthew asked.


    "It was a young woman. I don''t know her name," Morgan replied. "Should we send someone to find out?"


    A life saved must be repaid. Matthew waved his hand decisively. "Find her!"


    Meanwhile, Arnold rushed to the scene as soon as he got the news. By coincidence, he once again brushed past Felicia.


    After saving Matthew, Felicia was sitting in the backseat, her head down as she wiped her hands with a wet tissue. Sensing something, she looked up just in time to meet Arnold''s gaze. Felicia nced at him briefly before looking away. Her gaze was indifferent, as if it was directed toward the other pedestrians around her. It was detached, with no visible emotions. Arnold pursed his lips. He was always the center of attention, the spotlight following him wherever he went. This was the first time he feltpletely overlooked.


    It left him feeling a bit ufortable, but he didn''t linger, quickly heading toward where Matthew was.


    After the little incident, Felicia finally arrived at her workce Harmony Medical Center.


    She had been working there since the previous year, only working on weekends when she had school. Currently, she was taking advantage of the break after her college entrance exams. Her tasks were simple. She was responsible for gathering and brewing the medication.


    As soon as Felicia stepped into the clinic, she saw a crowd of people exiting. In the middle of the throng was an elderly man with a dignified air.


    He was the founder of Harmony Medical Center and a top doctor nationwide. Everyone who saw him, regardless of their status, would politely address him as "Mr. Walsh Senior".


    Clive Walsh was Myra''s father, which meant he was Felicia''s biological grandfather. In her previous life, Felicia had worked there for a year without realizing this connection. By the time she found out, Arnold had already sent her to prison. Hence, this was the first time she had met her maternal grandfather.


    Felicia hesitated for a moment, not yet having a clear look at him, when someone shoved her aside. "Watch where you''re going! Get out of the way!"


    She obediently stepped aside, then extended her foot as the person passed by.


    "Whoa-"


    The man stumbled and fell,nding hard.


    Felicia lightly retorted, "Watch where you''re going. You tripped me."


    Clearly, she was the one who tripped him, yet she shifted the me elsewhere. It was like punching someone and then insisting that it was their face that hit her hand.


    The man instantly lost his cool, raising his hand as if to teach Felicia a lesson, but Clive shouted, "Have some decency! Why are you arguing with a young woman?"


    The man immediately pulled back, ring at Felicia from the corner of his eye. Then, he bowed his head and retreated behind Clive.


    Clive merely nced at Felicia before continuing on his way. As they walked out the door, Felicia overheard someone say to Clive, "Congrattions, Mr. Walsh Senior! I heard your daughter''s child has finally been found. Congrattions on gaining another granddaughter!" Clive looked sullen and rather displeased.


    Another person chimed in, "What good is another descendant? What Mr. Walsh Senior wants is someone to inherit Harmony Medical Center and continue his medical legacy! It''s just a pity..."


    It was a pity that among all of his children, the one with the most talent and the one Clive had the highest hopes for was his youngest daughter, Myra.


    However, despite being the most gifted, Myra had no interest in traditional medicine. She even chose to sever her rtionship with Clive to pursue her passion in the beauty industry. As a result, their father-daughter rtionship had be quite strained. Noticing Clive''s expression darkening, the others hurriedly changed the subject, saying, "I heard that ten minutes ago, Mr. Lawson Senior almost lost his life. A passing young woman treated him, and supposedly only used a brooch to save him. It sounds so unbelievable. I bet it''s all fake!"


    This time, Clive finally spoke up. "There are always people better than you. Whether it''s true or not, we can find out by visiting the Lawson family, can''t we?"


    "Indeed, Mr. Walsh Senior is right."


    A group of people escorted Clive into a car, which quickly disappeared from Felicia''s view.


    Felicia raised an eyebrow and turned to walk toward the back of the clinic.


    There, a pile of medicine packets awaited her to brew. When her coworkers saw her arrive, they waved eagerly, "Felicia, hurry! We have so many medicine packets today. Let''s pick up the pace!"


    "Alright, I''ming."This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicia rolled up her sleeves and got to work. While brewing the medicine, she asionally caught glimpses of the doctors in the clinic treating patients.


    Felicia believed her medical skills were on par with any of the doctors in the clinic. Even the mostplex and difficult conditions were a breeze for her. However, no one was willing to believe in her abilities for now.


    After a day of work, it was soon 5:00 pm. Felicia left Harmony Medical Center with the 20 dors she earned that day. At the entrance, the Fuller family''s dedicated driver, Eugene, had been waiting.


    As Felicia got into the car, Eugene asked as he started the engine, "Have you always been working like this, Ms. Fuller?"


    "Yeah."


    As long as she could remember, Felicia had been working tirelessly to save money. Half an hourter, the car stopped in front of the Fuller residence.


    As soon as Felicia entered, she noticed something was off. Dexter and Myra were sitting on the sofa, looking pleased, while Ka lowered her head, beaming shyly.


    Next to them, expensive gifts and boxes were piled high.


    Upon seeing Felicia, Myra waved her over with a smile. "Licia, you''re back! I have some good news for you. It won''t be long before we have a second happy event in our family!"


    The first happy event obviously refers to Felicia''s return, their biological daughter. So what could the second one be? It probably had something to do with Ka.


    Felicia didn''t want to pry, so she didn''t ask.


    At that moment, Holly spoke on their behalf. She told Felicia proudly, "These gifts are from Mr. Lawson Senior. They''re all limited-edition jewelry from top designers, specially sent to Ms. Ka!" Upon hearing that, Ka blushed and quickly interjected, "Okay, Holly, stop talking!"


    Holly was only too eager to use this matter to undermine Felicia, so she continued unabashedly, "Who in Khogend doesn''t know that the Lawson family and the Fuller family have intentions of a marriage alliance? "That''s why Mr. Lawson Senior chose today to send so many gifts. He''s definitely showing support for his future granddaughter-inw!"

 10

    The Fuller family was the wealthiest in Khogend and was highly sought after. The Lawson family, on the other hand, boasted a prestigious heritage spanning over a century and was the definition of an elite family.


    Among the four ruling families in Khogend, the Lawson family stood at the top, far above the rest. Their position was absolutely unmatched. The marriage alliance with the Lawson family would be greatly beneficial for the Fuller family.


    However, the intention to form this marriage alliance was established 18 years ago. At that time, Myra was seven months pregnant with her second child and attended an event despite herrge belly. During that event, a massive screen fell from above.


    Everyone there had been struck with fear, their hearts climbing up their throats. Amidst the screams and chaos, Myra emerged unscathed. The enormous screen had a hole punched through it by scaffolding, and in a stroke of luck, Myra was standing directly in the gap,pletely unharmed.


    A doctor present at the sceneughed and said, "Mrs. Fuller''s baby is fortunate. This child is blessed with good fortune. It''s a rare urrence!"


    This incident quickly became a legendary tale. Believing in this omen, Matthew made a pact with the Fullers. If the child was a girl, the two families would form a marriage alliance. When the child turned 18, he would personally propose on behalf of his grandson. However, no one expected a baby swap to ur. Ka and Arnold grew up as childhood sweethearts, deeply in love, and this engagement had been brought up several times. Who could have known that Felicia would suddenly enter the picture?


    "This must be the will of the fates!" Holly said excitedly, casting a subtle re at Felicia. "Ms. Ka and Mr. Lawson are a well-recognized couple. Nobody should harbor wishful delusions!"


    That was a dig at Felicia, but Myra and Dexter werepletely focused on Ka as if they hadn''t heard a word.


    Ka leaned against Myra''s shoulder, her face flushed with excitement as she asked, "Mom, is it true that Mr. Lawson Senior will announce this proposal at the party the day after tomorrow?"


    Myra smiled and replied, "Of course. Both families are pleased with the union between you and Arnold. You''re an adult now, so it''s time to formalize the engagement."


    Dexter nodded in agreement. "Exactly."


    The two families had long agreed on the marriage. Even with Felicia''s unexpected appearance, the oue would remain the same.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Receiving this confirmation made Ka''s heart race with anticipation and joy. Once she became Mrs. Lawson, no one would dare to undermine her even if her identity as the adopted daughter was revealed. In fact, they would have to treat her with respect. With that thought in mind, Ka looked at Felicia with a hint of pride and disdain. Felicia ignored her and walked straight past them, heading upstairs to her room.


    However, Ka followed her. Staring at Felicia''s slender back, she feigned innocence, saying, "You''re not upset that I took your ce, are you? If it weren''t for me, the engagement with the Lawson family would have been yours, and the one who grew up with Arnold would have been you.


    "But s, after 18 years, I guess feelings are worth more than status! Don''t you agree, Felicia?"


    Ka''s every word dripped with arrogance and provocation. Felicia opened her door and nced back at Ka with a look that seemed to say, "You want that kind of trash? Go ahead, it''s all yours." Then, she closed the door.


    Ka, who was left outside facing the door, sneered. "What are you acting for? Don''t you cryter!"


    ...


    Meanwhile, at the Lawson residence, having confirmed that he was in good health, Matthew looked up at Morgan and asked, "Have the gifts been delivered to the Fuller family?"


    "Yes, they have," Morgan replied respectfully.


    Matthew nodded, picking up a set of papers on his mahogany desk, which had been reviewed so many times that the edges were curled. The papers contained details about the young woman who had saved him during the ident.


    The investigation report included a slightly blurred two-inch ID photo, but it was easy to make out her delicate features. She exuded an air of detachment as if she were shrouded in mist and far beyond reach. Printed beside it in bold letters was her name-Felicia Fuller. She was Dexter and Myra''s biological daughter, who hailed from the wealthiest family in Khogend. Although Felicia had been switched at birth and was lost for years, she had finally returned to the Fuller family. The bottom of the report detailed her growth records from the past 18 years.


    Matthew read it over and over, scrutinizing every detail. After a moment, his eyes shed. "So it really is this woman."


    Morgan cautiously asked, "You had me send gifts to the Fuller family without mentioning that they were for Ms. Felicia. What if there''s a misunderstanding, and they think it''s for the fake heiress instead?"


    Matthew scoffed, saying meaningfully, "A misunderstanding is even better. The Fuller couple is clueless. Even though their real daughter is back, they''ll still dote on that imposter.


    "This way, Felicia will bepletely overlooked. When the timees, I''ll give her some support, and she''ll naturally be grateful! Therefore, she''ll definitely ept the engagement with Arnold."


    Matthew casually set the report aside and instructed, "Tell Arnold toe with me to the Fuller family''s party this weekend!"


    ...


    Soon, it was the day of the reunion party. The Fuller residence was adorned with flowers and lovely decorations. The red carpet weing guests stretched from the mansion out to the street, and under the dazzling lights, champagne and a stream of desserts covered the tables. At 7:00 pm, luxury cars arrived at the Fuller residence one after another, filled with prominent figures from Khogend.


    Dexter and Myra greeted their guests, arm in arm.


    Ka had already changed into a stunning white haute couture gown. The princess-style design subtly revealed its luxury, with delicate diamonds on the hem sparkling brightly in the light, making her look wless from head to toe.


    Soon, the Lawson family''s car arrived. When the modest-looking yet luxurious ck vehicle pulled to a stop, Ka could hardly contain her excitement and rushed over to greet them before the driver could even open the door. Sure enough, not only did her beloved Arnold step out, but so did Matthew.


    "Hello, Mr. Lawson Senior!" Ka called sweetly, then turned her gaze to Arnold, her face flushed with shyness as she added, "Arnie, I really loved the surprise you prepared for me."

 11

    Arnold, who had been dragged to the party by Matthew, looked confused.


    Surprise? When did he prepare a surprise for Ka?


    However, recalling that Ka had asked him for a gift a while back, he figured it was about that. Smiling, he said, "I''m d you like it."


    When he confirmed her spection, Ka beamed at him, her eyes sparkling like stars. Just then, Matthew cleared his throat, interrupting their gaze, and strode into the house. Arnold hurried to catch up.


    In her joy, Ka didn''t notice that Matthew hadn''t even bothered to nce at her. After he entered, another car pulled up.


    Seeing who it was, Ka shouted excitedly, "Grandpa!"


    It was none other than Clive Walsh, Myra''s father. He was the top national physician and founder of the famous Harmony Medical Center.


    Clive and Myra had once been so estranged they nearly severed their father-daughter rtionship. Even after Myra relented and conceded, Clive had ignored her, and he hadn''t visited in years. Hence, his appearance was unprecedented. "Hello, Grandpa!"


    "Hello," Clive replied somewhat perfunctorily, then strode inside without further pleasantries.


    Ka was puzzled but didn''t think much of it. She quickly followed him into the mansion.


    Inside the mansion, guests were gathered under the twinkling lights. Soothing music flowed through the hall, creating a perfectly lively atmosphere.


    At that moment, Felicia came down from upstairs. Under the bright lights, the sound of her heels echoed on the spiral staircase, drawing everyone''s attention instantly.


    As they looked up, they saw a young woman in a pale purple gown descending gracefully, exuding an air of ethereal beauty, like a goddess looking down upon the crowd. With her appearance, gasps of astonishment and admiration spread through the guests.


    One voice, clearly shocked, eximed, "Is this the biological daughter that the Fuller family found? I thought they said she was just a country bumpkin! How can she be-" How could she be so stunning and full of presence?


    The custom gown fit her perfectly as if it were the designer''s masterpiece, highlighting her corbone and her delicate waist. As she walked, the handcrafted petals on her skirt danced in harmony, creating an incredible beautiful sight. Her face was breathtaking, with striking features that captivated all. Her bone structure was refined and wless.


    The shadows from the lights fell on her, casting a gentle shade from her longshes, while her bright, clear eyes sparkled with an enchanting allure.


    Amidst the stares of admiration and jealousy, Felicia slowly stepped down thest stair.


    Dexter and Myra approached her with smiles, introducing her to everyone, "This is my daughter Felicia Fuller. She''s my biological daughter. Years ago, due to an ident, we lost her, but thankfully, it''s not toote-my daughter has returned to us. "Also, I sincerely thank you all foring to witness our family''s reunion!"


    The atmosphere became lively with voices of congrattions. As Dexter thanked and mingled with guests, Myra immediately took Felicia over to greet Clive upon hearing he had arrived.


    Clive seemed indifferent toward his daughter, but when he looked at Felicia, he suddenly remembered seeing her at the entrance of Harmony Medical Center.


    "You-"


    Clive was taken aback.


    He hade only because he had heard from Matthew about a little miracle worker who had saved his life with just a brooch. After Clive pressed him for answers, Matthew finally revealed that the little miracle worker was Felicia, the biological daughter who had just returned to the Fuller family.


    She was his biological granddaughter.


    "Do you know medicine?" he asked bluntly without any pleasantries.


    Felicia blinked. "A little."N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Hearing that, Clive''s eyes lit up, and he pressed further, "Who did you learn from? Who''s your mentor?"


    "I don''t have a mentor. I taught myself."


    Felicia''s answer waspletely honest. However, Clive''s bright expression dimmed upon hearing it. He looked at Felicia with a mix of suspicion and scrutiny.


    He figured that she wasn''t telling the truth. After all, without a mentor, how could she learn to save lives with a needle on her own?


    Either Felicia was lying, or her saving Matthew was just a lucky coincidence.


    Sighing, Clive shook his head and said, "Alright,e to the clinic in a couple of days. Don''t do those petty chores like brewing medicine anymore. You can learn more from me. By the way, here''s a little gift for you from me."


    With that, he handed her an envelope containing not cash but a card.


    Felicia graciously epted it, saying, "Thank you, Grandpa."


    Clive nodded and left with his hands sped behind his back.


    Myra had tried several times to join the conversation but couldn''t until Clive left. She turned to Felicia and asked, "Licia, you work at the medical center? Why didn''t you ever mention it before? Are you working there because you''re interested in medicine?" "I work there because I''m poor," Felicia replied with a slight smile. "I can earn 20 dors a day."


    Myra was taken aback, and her expression froze. She remembered how difficult Felicia''s life must have been before she was brought back but didn''t realize it was this bad. She felt both pity and guilt. Unfortunately, such feelings of pity and guilt were worthless. As the party progressed, Felicia found it increasingly dull and decided to leave. She didn''t notice someone standing behind her.


    When she nearly bumped into them, she quickly stepped back. However, they stepped on her dress and nearly called her to fall. "Watch out!"


    A pair of hands caught her just in time, apanied by a smooth, gentlemanly voice. It was Arnold.


    In her previous life, at this very moment, Felicia''s hand had been impaired, and people had mocked her for being an adopted daughter. It had been Arnold who reached out to her and said with a smile, "If you''re scared, I can hold your hand." The feelings of youthful infatuation alwayse unexpectedly and without warning. However, what happenedter?


    He had sent her to prison, led her to despair, and coldly watched her die.


    In an instant, Felicia''s expression turned icy. Reacting almost reflexively, she shook off Arnold''s hand in disgust.


    "Piss off!" Felicia spat rudely and turned to leave.


    However, Arnold stepped in front of her, his tone still polite but firm, "Ms. Fuller, I kindly helped you, yet you''re scolding me instead of saying thank you. Isn''t that a bit rude?"


    Felicia sneered. "Well, you were standing behind me quietly on purpose, weren''t you?"


    Arnold was momentarily taken aback, his expression a bit awkward. However, he assumed his usual gentlemanly demeanor and apologized, "I''m sorry. I meant to say something earlier but didn''t have the chance. I didn''t mean to be rude." "If you know you were rude, then step aside." Felicia''s expression was frigid, her eyes filled with disdain.


    Puzzled, Arnold asked, "You seem to really dislike me. What did I do to offend you?"


    Felicia didn''t bother to engage in a conversation with him. She simply pushed him aside and walked away.


    Themotion wasn''t loud enough to attract much attention. Unfortunately, Ka came over to find Arnold just in time to witness the scene of Felicia and Arnold pulling at each other.


    In an instant, her heart was filled with anger and jealousy, and she shouted, "What are you two doing?"

 12

    Initially, only a few people noticed themotion. However, when Ka shouted, nearly everyone turned to look.


    Felicia felt nauseated with disgust. With Arnold around, even the air felt stale. She decided to leave the hall, ignoring the curious gazes behind her, and headed out to the garden for some fresh air.


    The night was beautiful. The moon shone brightly, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of flowers. Just as her anxiety began to fade, she caught a faint whiff of blood.


    Was someone hurt nearby?


    Felicia followed the scent, stepping cautiously toward where it seemed to being from. She passed through a flourishing rose garden and rounded a corner, only to find a body lying awkwardly on a cobblestone path.


    Before the corpse stood a tall, slender figure. The man stood in the shadows, his long, elegant fingers stained with blood, methodically wiping his hands with a handkerchief, his movements meticulous and careful, as if he had a severe case of germaphobia. Felicia could hardly believe she was witnessing a murder. She froze, unable to process what was happening, when suddenly the streemp next to her flickered. The tall figure slowly raised his head.


    What an astonishingly handsome face. He was breathtakingly beautiful, as if he was sculpted by a divine creator. His features were perfect from skin to bone.


    Felicia had never seen anyone so striking before, and for a moment, she was dazzled. But the more beautiful something was, the more dangerous it could be.


    He radiated a powerful presence that was impossible to ignore. His deep, sharp eyes held a dangerous glint that was gradually intensifying.


    Initially, Felicia thought of retreating entirely, but when she recognized who he was, her heart sank. It was Stephan, the head of the powerful Russell family in Seldvale.


    In her previous life, she had heard many tales about Stephan, known for his ruthlessness, with a temper that could shift without warning.


    However, why would such a big shot from Seldvale be in a small city like Khogend? Why would he appear in the backyard of the Fuller residence?


    There was no way he would be on the guest list. If he were, the whole Khogend would know, and she wouldn''t be unaware of it. Hence, Stephan must have hidden his identity to slip in. If that were the case, her chances of getting silenced were quite high. Felicia knew her fighting skills could handle ordinary people. However, facing Stephan, she had no chance.


    Realizing that, she decided to y blind. She felt around for nearby nts, pretending to be blind, and began to slowly back away.


    Stephan didn''t move. Felicia sighed in relief and was about to pick up the pace to escape when the streemp flickered again, and the next second, Stephan appeared right in front of her, gripping her neck tightly. Felicia instinctively struggled, but it was no use. Hisrge hand, like an iron vice, held her firmly in ce. The sensation of suffocation washed over her. Felicia''s face turned red, veins bulging on her forehead.


    For a moment, she felt as if she had returned to the final moments of her previous life. The same intense feeling of suffocation at death''s door. However, she wasn''t ready to die.


    A glint of ferocity shed in her eyes as she gathered all her strength and kicked at his groin. However, she was like an ant trying to shake a tree.


    Before she couldnd the kick, Stephan anticipated her move, tightening his grip around her neck. He chuckled, clearly amused by her struggle, never expecting her to try to take him down. But what good was it? She was overestimating her strength.


    Felicia no longer had a chance to save herself. The suffocation grew stronger, and a whimper escaped her throat as tears streamed uncontrobly down her cheeks. In the dim light, the sight of her tear-filled eyes, the glistening tears, and her desperate expression could soften anyone''s heart.


    In the next moment, Stephan gently wiped her tears away. His fingers brushed against her skin-cold yet warm.


    "What beautiful eyes you have. You look quite pitiful when you cry..."


    His tone was quite flirty, and his deep, soothing voice felt like a lover''s whisper. However, Felicia could sense the deadly intent emanating from him, sending chills down her spine!


    At that moment, she heard Myra calling for her from the other side of the garden, probably looking for her since she had gone missing.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Just when Felicia thought she was about to die, Stephan released her, leaving her with a warning, "I assume you know what to say and what not to say, right?"


    Felicia obediently nodded, her voice hoarse, "Yes, I didn''t see anything at all."


    Seeing Myra about toe closer, Felicia quickly turned to leave, intending to take Myra with her. However, just as she did, the streetmp flickered once more and then exploded.


    When she turned to look, all that remained were shattered pieces of themp. Stephan had vanished, along with the body on the ground.


    Only the faint scent of blood lingered in the air, a testament to what had just urred.


    "Licia, where have you been? I''ve been looking everywhere for you," Myra rushed over, worry etched on her face.


    "I''m fine," Felicia said, ncing at the ground.


    When Stephan nearly choked her to death, she distinctly smelled blooding from him. This meant that Stephan had likely been attacked and was injured. The body on the ground was probably that of the attacker. The question was, why were they in the Fuller residence?


    Felicia suppressed her confusion, excusing herself to freshen up. Once in front of a mirror, she covered the marks on her neck that Stephan had left before returning to the hall with Myra.


    In the hall, the spotlight shone on Ka and Arnold, who seemed to have reconciled, sitting together at the piano and performing a duet. At first nce, they looked quitepatible.


    Myra watched Felicia. On their way back from the garden, she hesitated several times before finally speaking up with cautious anticipation, saying, "Licia, I don''t think... I don''t think you have called me ''Mom'' yet." "Mom" was such a beautiful word.


    Felicia''s gaze shifted slightly as she was about to speak. However, a loud call rang out nearby.


    "Mom! Come here quickly!" It was Ka, who had just finished ying the piano.


    "Look, someone''s already doing that on my behalf," Felicia thought to herself. Resisting the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, she ultimately said nothing.


    The party was already well underway, approaching the end. At that moment, Matthew stood up from his seat, leaning on his cane.


    Seeing that, the other guests stopped in their tracks, asking, "Does Mr. Lawson Senior have something to say?"


    Matthew chuckled, brimming with energy, "You''re right! I came here today to make an announcement!"


    Finally, he was going to announce the marriage between the two families. Ka''s expression was full of expectation, her smile unwavering.


    News of the Lawson family and Fuller family''s potential marriage alliance had circted in Khogend for some time. It was hardly surprising.


    Some guests joked, "Mr. Lawson Senior, if you''re here to announce the marriage between the Lawson and Fuller families, we''ve already suspected it. Why not tell us which youngdy has caught your eye?" "Yeah, Mr. Lawson Senior, the Fuller family has two youngdies!"


    Hearing these jests, Ka nearly exploded with anger.


    Were they blind? Couldn''t they see that she and Arnold were the perfect match? Even if Matthew didn''t say anything, they ought to know that only she could be Mrs. Lawson.


    Matthew didn''t keep them in suspense. He turned to Dexter and Myra, smiling as he said, "Let''s talk about the marriage. My grandson, Arnold, is set to marry your daughter, Felicia."

 13

    Arnold and Felicia? How could it be Felicia?


    Ka stared wide-eyed in disbelief, thinking she must have misheard.


    Dexter and Myra were also taken aback, uncertainly asking, "Mr. Lawson Senior, are you talking about our daughter, Felicia, the one who just returned?"


    "Yes," Matthew replied in front of all the guests. "Your daughter, Felicia."


    He used the term "your daughter", implying that Matthew only recognized Felicia''s status as Dexter and Myra''s daughter.


    Ka''s face went pale, and she nearly lost her mind. She almost pointed at Matthew and yelled that he must be getting senile.


    Even Arnold didn''t expect his grandfather to pull such a stunt, and he lowered his voice, saying, "Grandpa, what are you talking about? Didn''t youe to meet your lifesaver today?"


    Matthew simply gave him a look that made his meaning clear-he had already met her.


    Arnold froze for a moment, recalling how Felicia was also present on the day his grandfather fell ill. The person who saved his grandfather was Felicia.


    He frowned. If that were true, then Felicia''s timing was too perfect. It was hard not to suspect that she had some ulterior motive.


    "Grandpa!" Just as Arnold was about to say he would never agree to this marriage, a cool voice cut him off from the back of the crowd.


    "I refuse!" Felicia walked out from behind the crowd with a serious expression.


    Matthew merely smiled and said nothing, making it clear that the union between the two families was never something for the younger generation to decide. It was a matter for the elders to agree upon.


    The Fuller family was the wealthiest in Khogend, but just having money wasn''t enough. The Lawson family was a prestigious family with a long history, willing to form an alliance with the Fullers, which meant the Fullers and Felicia had a lot to gain.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Of course, considering that Felicia had saved his life, Matthew was friendly toward her. He kindly said, Don''t worry. Once you marry into the Lawson family, I will guarantee no one will dare bully you!"


    He then pointed at Arnold, "Not even this kid!"


    Was Matthew repaying a debt of gratitude? No, it felt more like revenge to Felicia.


    Felicia was so infuriated that she almostughed. In her previous life, the two families had easilye together, binding her and Arnold tightly. At that time, she had feelings for Arnold, so she didn''t oppose the marriage. This time, she wasn''t going to let that happen.


    "I just said Trefuse." Felicia''s expression was icy, and her tone was even harsher than before. "Mr. Lawson Senior, if you really want to repay my debt of gratitude, just pay me. There''s no need to annoy me with such a disgusting method of revenge!" What did she just say? Arnold''s face darkened instantly


    She said it was a disgusting method of revenge, which meant she was repulsed by the idea of marrying him. It was like a punishment to her. Arnold was furious, his gaze at Felicia filled with rage.


    Meanwhile, Ka was seething with jealousy. She had no idea what Felicia had done to catch Matthew''s


    15


    eye in just a few days. She was truly a bitch.


    Her face twisted with anger as she wished she could tear Felicia apart. The guests at the scene were also stunned, unable to recover for a long time.


    The events of that day were truly entertaining. Some curious onlookers nced at Ka and couldn''t help but jab, "Oh? But I remember that the adopted daughter of the Fuller family is Mr. Lawson''s childhood. sweetheart."

 14

    Chapter 14 1/2


    "So what if she is? Didn''t you hear Mr. Lawson Senior? An Impostor will always be an impostor. There''s only one true daughter of the Fuller family!" one of the guests said.


    "Well, this is going to be quite a show! The adopted daughter desperately pursues a marriage while the real daughter rejects it vehemently. Isn''t this a case of same person, different fates"?"


    The mocking and derisive gazes felt like sharp swords piercing Ka''s heart. All her pride and self-esteem had turned into a joke at that moment. Unable to take it any longer, she burst into tears and ran outside. Seeing that, Dexter and Myra grew anxious, worried that Ka might do something foolish in her distress. They could only turn to Matthew and say, "Let''s discuss the marriageter. We''re not mentally prepared for this."


    If Matthew hade to propose to Ka, it would have been a happy asion. However, he hade for Felicia. Myra frowned, feeling rather conflicted.


    Matthew nodded. Before leaving, he nced at Felicia with a determined look and asked, "Do you still like the gifts I sent over yesterday?"


    Myra was once again taken aback. Wasn''t that pile of gifts meant for Ka? It appeared that they had misunderstood the situation.


    Felicia remained expressionless,pletely uninterested in answering.


    Just like that, the party finally came to an end. After sending off all the guests, Dexter rubbed his temples and asked, "Have you found Ka?"


    "No, I don''t know where she could have gone at this hour!"


    Myra paced back and forth, anxious. After all the maids, bodyguards, and chauffeurs searched the Fuller residence, they finally found Ka by the pond at the back of the vi. When the maids brought her back Ka was soaked through. Myra''s heart sank, and her expression changed drastically.


    Upon seeing Myra, Ka''s first words were, "Mom, I don''t want to live anymore! I can''t live like this anymore!"


    Her cries echoed throughout the vi.


    "When we found Ms. Ka, she was about to jump into the pond," one of the maids reported. "Luckily, we saved her just in time, or the oue would have been unimaginable!"


    Myra''s heart ached.


    That night, Dexter and Myra took turnsforting Ka, terrified that she might do something to harm. herself again in the blink of an eye.


    Ka cried the entire night, her eyes swollen and her voice hoarse. She clung to Myra''s hand, nearly pleading, "Mom, I won''tpete with Felicia for anything! I''m an impostor. I shouldn''t ask for too much. I know my ce! But Mom, just consider it my plea this time. I really like Arnie...".


    Ka cried herself to sleep.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Dexter and Myra didn''t leave her room until dawn. In the hallway, Myra wiped her tears, her tone filled Chapter 14


    If it weren''t for the mix-up at birth, there wouldn''t be such aplicated mess. Myra even thought their family could still be a happy and blessed family if Felicia didn''t exist.


    Just as she had that thought, she heard Dexter scold her, saying, "What nonsense are you talking about? Ka is your daughter, but isn''t Felicia also your daughter? Blood ties connect us. A mother''s heart beats for her children! If Felicia heard you say that, how heartbroken would she be?"


    Myra suddenly realized that her earlier thoughts had slipped out without her even noticing. No wonder Dexter, who usually had a good temper, would suddenly scold her.


    However, Myra felt wronged and decided to fight back, "Yes, I admit Felicia is my biological daughter, but I''ve watched Ka grow from a toddler to a graceful young woman. Is it wrong for me to favor her?"


    Before Dexter could retort, Myra pressed on, "Haven''t you thought the same way?"


    "You-" Dexter was left speechless, unable to respond.


    Meanwhile, around the corner, Felicia quietly leaned against the wall, absorbing every word of their conversation.

 15

    Chapter 15 Chapter


    15


    Just as Myra and Dexter stood in a standoff, Felicia walked out from around the corner. She stood right in front of them.


    Dexter and Myra were both startled, their faces showing visible panic. "Licia, how long have you been here?"


    "I''ve been here all along." Felicia smiled.


    She looked just like her usual self. Her smile was indifferent and distant, making it impossible to read her true feelings.


    Dexter felt a throbbing pain in his head. This meant that Felicia had overheard everything they had said.


    Myra clenched her teeth and decided toy it all out. "Licia, I need to talk to you!"This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "Go ahead, I''m all ears," Felicia replied, rubbing her ear to signal that she was listening.


    Dexter''s heart tightened as he pulled Myra aside and whispered, "What do you want to say? Don''t you think our daughter is already distant enough?"


    Myra held back her frustration and shouted, "Since things havee to this point, it''s better to just say it out loud!"


    "Licia, Ka is your sister. Today at the party, I announced your identity to everyone. It''s not fair to Ka She will definitely be ridiculed as an impostor in the future. Ka has been pampered since she was little. She can''t endure this humiliation-" Just as Myra went on with her lengthy exnation, Felicia interrupted her, "Get to the point."


    "Licia, everyone knows that your sister likes Arnold. They grew up together. They were childhood sweethearts. Everyone thinks they are a match made in heaven! So, I hope you won''t take Mr. Lawson Senior''s proposal seriously." Just because Ka liked him, she was supposed to let her have him?


    Felicia felt augh bubbling up, but for some reason, tears started to roll down her cheeks. All the grievances from her past life erupted at that moment. The humiliation and feelings of abandonment washed over her like a tidal wave. Despite her smile, her tears wouldn''t stop falling. It was as if her eyes had malfunctioned. With a tone of self-mockery, she asked, "What if I like him too, Mom?"


    Ever since she had been brought back to the Fuller family, Felicia had never called her "Mom". Even at the recent party, when Myra had hoped to hear her call her that, Felicia had remained silent. Finally, she had called her that, but it was in such a heartbreaking context. How ironic!


    Myra felt overwhelmed, her hands trembling. She loved both of her daughters, but at that moment, her heart was torn in two, feeling guilty toward both of them. Myra covered her face and cried. Dexter took a deep breath, wrapping his arms around his wife, and said to Felicia, "Licia, your mom didn''t mean it like that. Don''t take it seriously; just pretend you didn''t hear it." Could she pretend nothing had happened when the harm had already been dealt? Could she act like she didn''t hear them when the rift between them had already formed? Felicia wiped away her cold tears, the brief vulnerability in her eyes disappearing as she seemed to revert to her previously untouchable and indifferent demeanor. Chapter th


    "Don''t worry, I won''t acknowledge that ridiculous marriage proposal from Mr. Lawson Senior, and I certainly don''t want Arnold!"


    With that, Felicia turned to leave. However, Myra only cried harder.


    Feeling agitated, Dexter couldn''t help but say, "Isn''t this what you wanted? Why are you still crying?"


    "Are you ming me?" Myra lifted her head from his embrace, anger in her eyes. "Don''t you think that way too?"


    "Well, you can''t say that! You''re being unreasonable!"


    "Who''s being unreasonable? Tell me!"


    The couple, who had loved each other for over 20 years, were arguing like never before.


    Meanwhile, a quarrel was also brewing at the Lawson residence.


    Arnold, who had been somehow roped into a marriage, felt increasingly frustrated. He couldn''t help butin, "Grandpa, how could you propose to the Fuller family without consulting me? And with someone like that!" "Someone like what?" Matthew asked, sipping his tea.


    "Someone like-" Arnold didn''t even want to mention Felicia''s name. All he could recall from the party was her beautiful face and that infuriating remark she made.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 16

    Arnold had never experienced such humiliation before "Anyway, there''s no way I''ll agree to this marriage!"


    "Oh," Matthew replied dismissively, nodding his head before adding, "Does your opinion really matter?" Arnold struggled to form a response. Matthew ruled the Lawson family, and no one could go against his wishes until he relinquished control. "Grandpa..." Arnold said weakly. "What do you see in Felicia? Apart from her looks, what qualifies her to be my fianc¨¦e?"


    Matthew didn''t answer. Instead, he mmed his hand down, dering, "Whether she''s suitable or not is for me to decide! This marriage proposal cannot be refused by anyone-not you, nor that youngdy from the Fuller family!" With a cold snort, Matthew turned and left. Arnold''s eyes twitched, a surge of frustration welling up within him with no outlet for release. He couldn''t go against Matthew. However, he could certainly find a way to make Felicia withdraw herself. the


    With a cold smile, Arnold picked up the phone. "Hello, run an investigation on Felicia and send all the findings to her school. I want to see if she''ll still have any dignity left."


    After the party, Ka locked herself in her room, refusing to eat or drink. She looked incredibly haggard.


    Myra could only repeatedly assure her that she would never agree to Matthew''s proposal, and if there were to be a marriage alliance, it would definitely be with Ka, not Felicia. Hearing this, Ka cried as she asked, "Mom, is that true? You''re not lying to me, right?"


    "Of course not!"


    "But what if Mr. Lawson Senior disagrees?"


    "Don''t worry, your dad and I will negotiate with him. Besides, you and Arnold are in love. No one can separate you," Myra said, stroking her head with a smile.


    Only then did Ka manage a smile through her tears. Once Ka had been consoled, Myra left the room.


    Then, Holly entered the room with a tray, serving Ka food while indignantly saying, "Felicia is truly shameless. How can she steal someone else''s fianc¨¦? Ugh! If such a person disappeared, this household would be much cleaner, and the Fuller family wouldn''t be in such chaos!"


    Ka''s eyes flickered slightly at her words. Yes, if only Felicia could just disappear.


    She would then remain the only little princess of the Fuller family, and only she would be Mrs. Lawson. Arnold wouldn''t be taken away from her.


    However, to ensure Felicia''s removal was both safe and discreet, she couldn''t do it herself. She would have to let someone else handle it.


    With a small smile, Ka said to the indignant Holly, "Call Melvin and tell him I''m sick."


    Melvin Chavez, who hailed from the Chavez family, was Ka''s most loyalpdog. The previous day, after Ka ran out crying from the party, Melvin was the first one to chase after her. She had never looked favorably on him. However, a loyal admirer had its uses-he would do anything she


    asked.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    With a quick phone call, Melvin hurried over to the Fuller residence.


    Kay in bed, her ck hair disheveled, making her pale face look even more pitiful due to her illness.


    Melvin was frantic, asking, "Ka, have you seen a doctor? Have you taken your medicine? It hurts my heart to see you like this!"


    Ka feigned surprise. "Melvin, why are you here?"


    "I heard you were sick." Melvin wanted to hold Ka''s hand, but he hesitated. Remembering that she fell ill because of that party, his anger red up. "Ka, you''ve been wronged!" Ka shook her head, looking bitter. "What right do I have to feel wronged? I''m just an impostor upying someone else''s ce."


    "Who said that? I''ll crush whoever dares to call you an impostor! You''re the queen of my heart. You always have been!"


    Melvin looked at her with a fervent expression. It was as if he wanted to show her his heart.


    However, Ka turned away, tears streaming down her face. "Don''tfort me. I can never get past this hurdle. As long as Felicia is around, I will always be the impostor!"


    Melvin wasn''t dense. He quickly replied, "Then it''s simple. If Felicia makes you upset, just make her disappear! Ka, leave this matter to me. I''ll help you get your revenge!"

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 17

    Ka looked touched, but she still shook her head gently. "Melvin, please don''t do this. No matter what, Felicia is still my sister. I wouldn''t want you to do something like this for my sake..."


    Melvin didn''t catch much of what she said, but hearing her calling his name sent him soaring. After pursuing Ka for over a year, doing everything from sweet gestures to thoughtful favors, he had never once received a smile from her-let alone her calling him his name. Now, at her most vulnerable moment, if he didn''t step in, who would?


    Determined, Melvin thumped his chest. "Ka, don''t worry about it. I promise to make this right. As long as you''re happy, I''ll do whatever it takes!"


    Melvin left the Fuller residence, dialing up one of hisckeys as he walked. By sheer coincidence, one of his men was Lance, the loan shark who lent Shawn money.


    "Lance, I need you to do me a favor."


    He pulled out a cigarette but tossed it aside, remembering how Ka disliked smokers. "I need you to handle a girl named Felicia Fuller. Do whatever it takes; I want her to disappear from Khogend."This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    On the other end, Lance paused, recognizing the name. "Mr. Chavez, are you talking about the real heiress that just reunited with the Fuller family?"


    "Yes."


    After getting a definite answer, Lance smirked and pped his thigh. "Don''t worry, Mr. Chavez, leave it to me!"


    Ever since Felicia returned to the Fuller family, Shawn had transformed from a broke gambler to a rich man overnight, raking in 50 million dors from the Fullers.


    He not only paid off his debts but was now unting his wealth-buyingvish gifts for women one day. and gambling big the next.


    Lance had been trying to use Shawn to control Felicia, but opportunities slipped through his fingers. He let out a sly chuckle as he had a new n for handling Felicia. "Just make sure it''s clean. Once it''s done, you''ll be well rewarded," Melvin said.


    "No problem."


    After the call ended, Lance called over hisckey. "Find out where Felicia is, follow her, and when she''s alone, grab her!"


    Hisckey hesitated. "But Mr. Thompson, she''s still a Fuller family heiress If they find out we''re behind. this, we''ll be in trouble!"


    "Who cares? With Melvin Chavez backing us, the Fuller family won''t dare touch us!"


    Melvin''s family was one of the four prestigious familles,in Khogend-far more powerful than the Fuller family.


    Theckey scratched his head. He wanted to point out that Matthew had his heart set on Felicia bing his granddaughter-inw, and this could offend the Lawsons as well. The Lawson family was the head of the four prestigious families, a century-old noble lineage that left the Chavez family in the dust with generations of wealth and power.


    But before he could speak, Lance kicked him. "Quit wasting time and go!"


    "Right away!"


    Theckey scrambled away, rolling and crawling as he went.


    Since the banquet had ended, the once harmonious atmosphere at the Fuller residence had shattered. Myra and Dexter had been fighting ever since, caught in a silent cold war. More urately, Myra was waging it alone. No amount of appeasing from Dexter could change that


    She focused all her attention on Ka, who she believed had suffered a grave injustice while managing her beauty salon.


    Since the day Felicia overheard their argument, neither parent knew how to face her, so they intentionally avoided her. Even under the same roof, they wouldn''t cross paths. They felt guilty, but to the maids, it was evident that Felicia was being pushed aside.


    "Ms. Fuller is really quite pitiful," one whispered. "Her father doesn''t care; her mother''s indifferent. She has nothing apart from being the real heiress."


    "Exactly! Even if they''re rted by blood, it still doesn''tpare to the bond with someone you''ve raised yourself."


    then, Holly walked by with a tray, catching their words and scoffing. "Oh,e on! Don''t forget about her talent for seducing men?"

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 18

    Chapter


    18


    The other maids waved their hands in panic. "Keep your voice down! Ms. Fuller is upstairs. Don''t let her hear you!"


    "I don''t care!" Holly scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain. "Ms. Fuller? More like Miss Vixen! How else could she have bewitched Mr. Lawson Senior, leaving Ms. Ka behind and insisting on having her as the future Mrs. Lawson?" As she vented her frustrations, she didn''t notice the fine white powder falling from above. A specknded right in her mouth.


    She spat, tasting something bitter but finding nothing. It was probably just dust, she thought, ready to continue her tirade against Felicia when one of the other maids pointed at her in horror.


    "Why is your face suddenly so swollen?"


    "What?"


    Holly opened her mouth to retort but found she couldn''t. Realizing something was off, she rushed to find


    mirror. What stared back was a face so swollen it looked like a pig''s head.


    A shrill scream escaped her lips. What had happened to her face? Her lips were puffed up like sausages!


    While Holly panicked, she stumbled backward. Just as she fell, she caught a glimpse of Felicia standing on the second floor.


    She had just been talking badly about Felicia, and now she looked like a pig! Could it be Felicia''s doing?


    Fear and anger churned inside her. Luckily, Nora came to check on her. "Looks like an acute allergic reaction. Take some medicine, and you''ll be fine in a few days."


    Holly finally felt a bit of relief. When she looked back at the second floor, Felicia had already walked to the living room.


    Felicia remained asposed as ever, ignoring the mixed nces of pity and mockery from the maids. And as always, she headed out the door.


    Nora gave her niece a stern lecture. "This is what you get for not knowing when to keep your mouth shut! No more bad raouthing Ms. Fuller behind her back, got it?" Holly nodded but didn''t take it to heart.


    As usual, Felicia headed to the Harmony Medical Center. She had to go to work no matter what happened.


    Before stepping into the medical center, she looked back as she had a nagging feeling that someone was following or watching her.


    But as she nced back, she found no one was there.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    She turned her gaze away, but in that fleeting moment, no one noticed the glimmer in her eyes or the slight upturn of her lips.


    In her previous life, around this time, Ka wanted to get rid of Felicia quickly and used Marvin to set up a kidnapping scheme. The victim ended up being Ka herself, and the me fell squarely on Felicia.


    This had infuriated Myra and Dexter, leading them to consider disowning Felicia. Although they ultimately held back due to blood ties, resentment had simmered beneath the surface.


    ONLYDER


    But this time? With Matthew publicly announcing his intentions to unite the families, Ka had likely lost. herposure. Rather than frame her, she would probably make Felicia disappear. Felicia smiled to herself.


    She had been waiting for this for a long time.


    F

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 19

    Chapter 19 Felici


    stepped into Harmony Medical Center, feigning ignorance of the prying eyes that seemed to follow her. She strolled into the center with an air of confidence.


    The work was straightforward. In her past life, she had taken the job to earn a little extra cash and to collect discarded herbs for her to practice on her own, but that day, she felt different.


    Just as she set up the small stove, Clive arrived, waving her over. "Come here, Licia. Let''s go make a house call,"Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    The way Clive called her "Licia" left the nearby apprentices and the senior physicians following Clive in stunned silence.


    After a brief pause, whispers erupted around the room. "So she''s Mr. Walsh Senior''s granddaughter? The real heiress that the Fuller family just brought back?"


    "Congrattions, Mr. Walsh Senior!"


    "What a coincidence! Felicia has been working part-time here for a year, and we didn''t even know she was your granddaughter!"


    Obediently, Felicia walked over and greeted him, "Hello, Grandpa."


    Clive only hummed in reply, his stern demeanor softening just slightly. Everyone knew he was a master of medicine, highly respected wherever he went. Yet, he oftenmented hisck of an heir.


    His youngest daughter, Myra, had no interest in medicine and rebelled against him, causing a rift between them. Meanwhile, his two sons had proven to be disappointments,cking any talent. Now that Felicia, who showed promise, had arrived, Clive clearly wanted to nurture his granddaughter


    Felicia understood this but also knew that, with her skills, she could teach him a thing or two.


    Throughout the day, she shadowed Clive as he treated patients. He patiently guided her through the traditional methods, allowing her to observe and learn.


    As they finished up thest patient''s chart, Clive asked, "Licia, did you learn anything? It


    questions, don''t hesitate to ask."


    you have


    Felicia hesitated. She almost voiced her thoughts about their convoluted methods, but she decided to swallow them instead.


    She had just watched him treat two patients using acupuncture, and while his techniques were undoubtedly masterful, they were overlyplicated.


    For problems that required three needles, she knew she could solve them with just one-and achieve better results.


    But she kept that to herself, voicing it would only spark outrage.


    Felicia longed for a chance to demonstrate her skills independently. She hoped to earn her ce in Harmony Medical Centre and split the fees for house calls-this would be a lucrative opportunity! Little did she know that chance was just around theer.


    Thest house call remained on the list. The address led to an upscale estate in Khogend, where every Inch ofnd was incredibly valuable.


    After arriving, Felicia surveyed her surroundings and noticed discreet cameras everywhere. There were no bodyguards or other maids in sight, just an elderly butler leading the way


    Once inside, the butler, William Wayne, stated, "Mr. Russell doesn''t meet outsiders. Aside from Mr. Walsh Senior, only one assistant is allowed. The rest can wait on the first floor." After a moment''s thought, Clive decided to bring Felicia with him.


    William guided them to a bedroom on the second floor. The room was huge, with a sleek, minimalist design in shades of gray. It looked clean and cold.


    ""Mr. Russell is inside. Please,e in."


    As they entered the room, Felicia stole a quick nce. Sunlight streamed through the drawn curtains, illuminating a figure seated on the bed. The man''s long, dark eyes held an unsettling intensity, his lips pale and pressed into a thin line, exuding an intimidating presence. It was... Stephan?


    A chill ran down Felicia''s spine, and she nearly turned to flee. The memory of that suffocating grip a


    around her throat shed through her mind, setting her nerves on edge.


    But to Stephan, her expression was like a startled cat, ready to bolt or swipe at him at any moment.


    Raising an eyebrow, Stephan''s surprise quickly morphed into a smirk. He fixed his gaze on her. "You,e here."


    Felicia pretended she hadn''t heard him.

 Heiress 20

    Chapter


    20


    He didn''t mention any names, after all.


    Clive remained oblivious, stepping forward to check Stephan''s pulse, only for Stephan to avoid his touch. Let your little assistant do it." Felicia held the medical kit, having indeede upstairs as an assistant.


    Clive frowned. "Mr. Russell, my assistant is inexperienced and might misdiagnose you. It''s better if I do it myself."


    "No need. I only want her," Stephan replied, his tonezy, emphasizing thest few words.


    To anyone unaware, it might have sounded flirtatious. But the air was thick with tension.


    Clive was about to protest, but Felicia cut in. "Grandpa, let me handle it."This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    "You..." Clive clearly hesitated, wanting to question her ability, but Felicia didn''t respond. This was her chance to prove herself.


    She stepped closer, half-crouching beside the bed, meeting Stephan''s intense gaze as she reached for his


    wrist.


    There was an injury on his body-not severe, but...


    Pulling back her hand, she said, "You''re injured. The object that caused this has poison on it. The toxin hasn''t entered your lungs yet, but we need to administer acupuncture to drain it and make an incision to remove it." Stephan didn''t seem surprised, merelyzily nodding as he removed his shirt, signaling her to proceed.


    Felicia retrieved a sterilized scalpel from her kit andid out a row of silver needles. Before she began, Clive anxiously guided her on which acupuncture points to use first to draw out the poison, eager to step in himself. Felicia didn''t listen.


    With a decisive cut, she cut open the previously sutured wound on Stephan''s shoulder, then deftly inserted needles into the area around the injury.


    A torrent of dark blood rushed out.


    Though the process was undoubtedly painful, Stephan didn''t even flinch.


    Felicia worked confidently, whether slicing open his skin or drawing out the poison. Her hands were steady as she stitched him up without hesitation. Her eyes lowered in focus. She was calm and absorbed in her task.


    Stephan''s woundy just below his corbone, close to his heart. This forced Felicia to lean in, unavoidably close to him, as she stitched him up.


    Even her breath asionally brushed against his chest


    Stephan seemed to not be himself during the procedure, openly staring at her face. Each time Felicia nced up, her gaze met his deep, dark eyes, filled with mischief and curiosity, bold and unrestrained. "All done," Felicia announced, finally stepping back as she was done with her work.


    Stephan took his time buttoning up his shirt, his hands deliberate and steady, giving off an air of restrained desire.


    Felicia''s eyes drifted downward, taking in his broad shoulders and toned chest, and then quickly back up, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks.


    Meanwhile, Clive was oblivious to the palpable tension, still in shock over Felicia''s swift and decisive actions. He was astonished by her skillful use of needles!


    If he wasn''t mistaken, the techniques she had just demonstrated were the long-lost Five Elements Acupuncture!


    Such ancient medical knowledge was rare; even he, a medical master, only had a glimpse of it once a long time ago.


    Yet here before him was a descendant of this technique-his own granddaughter!


    Clive''s beard trembled as he smiled in excitement and joy.


    After packing her kit, Felicia ignored Clive''s flushed face and refrained from speaking to Stephan. She just wanted to distance herself from this dangerous man and leave the vi as quickly as possible. The exit was clear.


    Felicia finally breathed a sigh of relief once she was ou


    outside.


    What she didn''t know was that on the second floor of the vi, Stephan watched her retreating figure lingering in the fading light.


    After a long moment, he nced down at his bandaged wound. Though it was wrapped up, the spot where Felicia''s breath had brushed against him still tingled slightly, like a feather''s caress.

 Heiress 21

    On the way back to Harmony Medical Centre, it was clear that Clive was practically glowing with excitement as if he''d just won the lottery. His pride was palpable in his words and actions.


    The senior physicians traveling with him exchanged curious nces, wondering what had happened in the estate that could elicit such joy from Clive.


    It wasn''t long before Clive recounted the events, and the room erupted in astonishment.


    "The Five Elements Acupuncture? Mr. Walsh Senior, you can''t be serious!"


    "It''s impossible! That technique has been lost for ages! The book documenting it was destroyed long ago. -there''s no way it still exists!"


    "Exactly, Mr. Walsh Senior! You must have been mistaken!"


    Clive fell silent.


    "I was not mistaken! The Five Elements Acupuncture-its purpose is to draw out poison! I''m not senile; I know what I saw!" he retorted, gesturing emphatically toward his eyes. "I have sharp eyes, and I witnessed it myself!" Their skepticism began to wane. Eyes full of curiosity, doubt, and even disdain turned toward Felicia, darting back and forth among the crowd.


    But Felicia remained unfazed, calmly taking this opportunity to propose that she be allowed to use her name at the clinic for house calls. While her studies were her priority, she wanted the chance to practice her skills and share the fees-a 50/50 split. Clive thought it over for a moment. Not only did he agree, but he improved the offer to a 70/30 split in her favor.


    "You get 70%, and the medical center takes 30%. But you must promise to spend one day a week at my home, studying the texts in my library. You''re wee to explore as you wish!"


    The Walsh family''s medical knowledge had been passed down through generations, and the library contained invaluable medical texts, records, and literature..


    However, these resources were only essible to the next generation of the Walsh family.


    Clive''s words hit like a bombshell. The senior physicians gasped and gazed at Felicia; their eyes were filled with skepticism and doubt.


    They had spent years mastering their craft, longing for the chance to study under-Clive, yet here was a neer, just starting out, suddenly thrust into a position of privilege simply because she was his granddaughter! How could they possibly ept this?


    Despite their simmering resentment, no one dared to voice their displeasure.


    Felicia, on the other hand, wasn''t concerned about the jealousy; after all, it was just reading a few more books-which would certainly benefit her-and she casually agreed.


    By the time the group returned to the medical center, it was already 5.30 pm.


    Clive had nned to send Felicia home, but she declined.


    "I''ll take a stroll for a while before heading back."


    "Alright, it''s good for a youngdy to stroll around and buy things she likes."


    Clive had taken a few steps away to attend a meeting when he turned back, reminding her, "Don''t stay out toote. There''s news about a gang of international fugitives in Khogend-dangerous folks! Stay safe!" "Don''t worry, Grandpa."


    With a gentle smile, she watched him walk away before heading to the back of the medical center, where they processed herbs. In aery a pile of unwanted materials, which the center discarded daily.


    To Felicia, these were treasures. She could pick through them and create defensive toxins for herself-without cost and possibly even profit!


    Once she exited the medical center, the familiar sensation of being watched returned. Raising an eyebrow, she tucked the herbs and a small folding knife into her pocket.


    The streets were bustling with people, alive and vibrant. She intentionally made her way toward a quieter area to incite her attackers.


    t far off, Lance and his gang ofckeys hid in the shadows, sneering as they saw Felicia heading into the secluded part of town. "After waiting all day, our chance has finallye! Let''s go!"


    Just as Felicia navigated through the third alley, a van rolled up in front of her. The doors swung open, and two burly men jumped out, grabbing her and pulling her inside.


    Nowork avable now Please check yourwork.


    ChaOriginal from N?velDrama.Org.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 22

    Chapter


    22


    The van''s door mmed shut, and it sped away quickly.


    No pedestrians were nearby to witness the event, save for a security camera at the intersection that quietly recorded everything..


    After Felicia was forcibly taken into the van, a cloth was thrown over her face. She held her breath to avoid inhaling any scent and immediately pretended to faint.


    In the front seat, Lance noticed the security camera and urged the driver, "Drive faster! If the Fuller familyes looking, we''ll be in big trouble!"


    The van raced out of Khogend City, finally slowing down as they reached the outskirts.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    It was safe on the outskirts. Even if the Fuller family managed to realize Felicia was missing in time, it''d already be toote by the time they got here. Once they felt safe, Lance grinned and said, "Got you now, you little brat!"


    As he pulled the door open, he was stunned to see Felicia sitting upright while the two thugs meant to restrain hery on the ground, foam bubbling at their lips. Felicia smiled sweetly. "Looks like thest time wasn''t enough for you to learn your lesson."


    The mention of that incident made Lance''s head throb. Thest time Felicia had smashed something over his head, it had taken 17 stitches to patch him up!


    His expression darkened as he raised a hand. "Get her under control! I''m going to make her pay today!"


    With only threeckeys in total-two incapacitated and the third the driver-he was running out of options.


    "Let''s take her together!" he shouted, and the two of them lunged at Felicia simultaneously.


    But she kicked the door closed with perfect timing, catching Lance halfway through the opening. The resounding thud of metal hitting flesh made his face contort in pain! The remainingckey saw this and tried to sneak


    k an attack.


    Felicia flicked her wrist, sending two silver needles flying. The man instinctively ducked, but the found their mack, striking his shoulder with pinpoint uracy. His body became stiff, unable to move.


    needles


    Felicia stepped out of the van casually, noticing Lance''s expression of sheer frustration With a friendly kick, she said, "Did you learn your lesson?"


    Lance, stubborn as ever, stayed silent but discreetly grabbed a handful of dirt from the ground, preparing to throw it at her face!


    Felicia wasn''t naive; she anticipated his move and kicked him again. He yelped in pain, dropping the dirt in the process


    Finally, he pleaded, "Ms Fuller, it''s nothing personal! Someone higher up wants you out of the way! Since I couldn''t get the job done, can we just let this go?" Felicia sneered if the positions were reversed, would they spare her?


    Of course not!


    A flicker of murderous intent ignited in her eyes.


    Having been in the game for years, Lance could sense that Felicia was genuinely intent on killing him. Driven by a primal urge to survive, he began to back away, desperate to escape.


    At that moment, dust kicked up on the deste road as two pickup trucks barreled toward them, hot on their trail. Behind them, a third vehicle pursued relentlessly.


    Felicia cursed under her breath.


    Before she could react, the two pickups surrounded her, and several dark gun barrels aimed at her head.


    The assants wore denim jackets and sported thick beards, one of them bearing a scar on his face.


    Felicia recognized them from news reports, a gang of ruthless criminals, notorious international fugitives. with a million-dor bounty on their heads.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 23

    Felicia felt a chill run down her spine. She had walked straight into danger.


    Immediately, she raised her hands in a gesture of surrender. Not just her; Lance and the incapacitatedckey, along with the two frothing at the mouth in the van, were all restrained by the gang of armed criminals.


    With guns pointed at their heads, Lance trembled, nearly wetting himself as he begged, "Don''t kill me! Please, I''m begging you!"


    Hisckeys echoed his pleas, "Please, don''t hurt us! We''ll do anything!"


    "Shut up! If anyone makes another sound, I''ll pull the trigger!" barked the leader of the gang.


    Silence fell as fear washed over Lance and hisckeys, their faces pale and shaking.


    Felicia, initially startled, regained herposure. She knew these criminals wouldn''t fire their weapons. lightly; they needed hostages.


    Just as she thought, the vehicle pursuing the pickups stopped nearby. Armed men stepped out, looking like well-trained undercover agents.


    Upon seeing the situation with the hostages, one of them signaled and began negotiating with the criminals.


    Uninterested in discussions, the criminals pressed their guns harder against their hostages and shouted, Back off, or I swear I''ll shoot!"


    As the standoff unfolded, the agents began to retreat, knowing that the criminals would escape if they didn''t act quickly.


    "Three, two, one!" the gang leader counted down.


    "Don''t harm the hostages! We''re retreating!" the agents shouted as they moved back, quickly distancing themselves.


    During this time, Felicia and the other hostages were thrown into the bed of a pickup truck while the gang members hopped into their vehicles and sped off.


    By the time the sun had fully set, thest light of dusk was reced by the encroaching night.


    Felicia kept her head down, mentally noting the direction they were heading to avoid getting lost if she had a chance to escape.


    The further they drove, the more deste the terrain became, surrounded by deep mountains and devoid


    of life.


    Here, even if someone were to be killed and disposed of, no one would ever know.


    Lance, shaking uncontrobly, had no idea who these people were. Desperation drove him to name-drop anyone he could think of in a bid to save himself.


    "Listen, guys, I''m connected to the Chavez family! You know, one of the four prestigious families in Khogend? We''ve got money and power! If you let me go, I''ll ensure Mr. Chavez treats you to a feast! You''ll be untouchable in Khogend!" The hardened criminalsughed derisively at his words, clearly unimpressed.


    The Chavez family? The four prestigious families? They weren''t afraid.


    One of them pped Lance, then plunged a knife into his foot.


    Lance screamed. It echoed through the valley, startling the birds from the trees.


    "Quiet down!" the gang leaderined, digging at his ears. His grip on the gun tightened as he visibly lost patience, causing Lance to break out in a cold sweat and bite his tongue to suppress further cries.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Once the noise settled, the gang leader turned his attention to Felicia, eyeing her with interest. "This girl is surprisingly calm. Aren''t you afraid?"


    Felicia kept her gaze lowered, remaining silent. The darkness cloaked her; no one would see the small folding knife that had mysteriously appeared in her bound hands.


    She was carefully cutting through the ropes binding her wrists.


    leader tilted her chin up to force her to look at him.


    Noticing her silence, the gan Feliciaplied, her heart racing. Chapplian

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 24

    Under the moonlight, Felicia''s clear, cold eyes shone like gemstones against her fair skin, and her delicate features were wless, radiating both beauty and an air of calm confidence. The gang leader grinned. "Wow! What a prettydy!"


    The others whistled, the meaning behind their jeers clear.


    These were dangerous men, unafraid of anything, and even under the weight of a manhunt, their malicious intent remained unchanged.


    Felicia knew all too well that no matter how fast her silver needles flew, she couldn''t escape with so many guns trained on her.


    Desperate, her mind raced. How could she buy some time?


    Perhaps she had caught Lance''s cowardice, she blurted out, "I''m Stephan''s woman! If youy a finger on me, just guess how you''ll end up dying."


    At the mention of Stephan''s name, theirughter died instantly, and the truck fell silent.


    The criminals, who had nned to have some fun at her expense, suddenly appeared cautious and


    serious.


    Felicia realized she had hit the jackpot. Stephan''s name was indeed powerful.


    There were six people on the wanted list, their faces stered all over the streets. Felicia had seen those posters multiple times, and she recognized five of the individuals.


    But one was missing-the one she had encountered in the Fuller residence''s garden, lying next to Stephan''s feet during the reunion party.


    She didn''t know if these criminals had a vendetta against Stephan, but she was willing to gamble, hoping to buy herself a couple of minutes to cut through her bindings.


    The gang leader cursed, fixing a hard stare on her. "Are you really Stephan''s woman?"


    "Of course," Felicia replied nonchntly.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    When a person was out in the world, their identity was what they created themselves.


    Besides, Stephan wouldn''t know; if she could intimidate them, it was worth it!


    However, Felicia didn''t expect Lance, who was wounded and in agony, to jump in and expose her lie.


    "She''s lying! There''s no way she knows Mr. Russell! I guarantee she''s just making this up to fool you!"


    The gang leader''s expression darkened. It was true that Stephan, the powerful figure of the Rusell family, was known for avoiding women-how could he possibly have a girlfriend? "Thate being yed for a fool!"


    Losing patience, the gang leader lunged forward, intending to grab Felicia by the hair and m her to the floor. But before he could reach her, two silver needles flew from Felicia''s hand, followed by a folding knife plunging into his eye!


    The leader covered his bloodied face, howling in rage like a wounded lion, wanting nothing more than to tear Felicia apart!


    No one expected Felicia to have freed her hands. Even more surprising was her swift and deadly response; she had acted with such precision!


    Chooser:24


    The remaining men reacted quickly, aiming their guns at Felicia and firing.


    Anticipating this, Felicia jumped from the moving pickup without hesitation. Though she tried to minimize the impact, her body still bore multiple bruises from the fall.


    With no time to linger, the two pickup trucks hade to a halt, and the gang of criminals was closing in on her.


    Felicia sprinted toward the forest.


    Fortunately, the cover of the night aided her escape, but it also meant she stumbled and fell countless times along the way.


    After what felt like an eternity, she finally spotted lights ahead. Pushing through the brush, she discovered a vige glowing with light.


    There was hope!

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 25

    Felicia stumbled as she sprinted toward the vige. The vige dogs caught wind of an intruder and immediately began barking furiously. Soon, nearly every dog in the vige joined in.


    Sweat broke out on Felicia''s forehead as she realized she had overlooked this detail-the barking would alert the vigers and the criminals pursuing her!


    To avoid bringing trouble to the vige, she had to find a hiding ce along the way.


    Just then, footsteps echoed, and dozens of buff and sturdy-looking vigers charged to the vige


    entrance.


    Felicia quickly crouched down to hide and overheard one viger ask, "Whose woman has run off? Did we catch her?"


    Another replied, "No one has run away, they''re all tied up tight!"


    With that, the vigers rxed, putting down their hoes and heading back, chatting among themselves." Keep an eye on that one; don''t let her escape! The buyer wille to collect her in the morning, and then everyone in the vige will share in the profits!" Felicia froze, her heart sinking. Were the vigersplicit in this? Were they all monsters?


    Out of the frying pan into the fire.


    The gang of criminals was closing in faster than she had anticipated. The barking of the dogs erupted again, louder and more ferocious than before.


    With nowhere to retreat, Felicia pressed deeper into the vige. As long as she avoided a few lights, the many abandoned houses provided ample cover for herN?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Meanwhile, the vigers realized something was amiss and armed themselves with hoes and machetes, rushing toward the vige entrance, where they met the criminals.


    The gang leader, covering one eye, had a particrly menacing scar that made him look even more fearsome. His tone was as brutal as ever. "Did a young woman run through here? Hand her over, and I won''t harm any of you!" A young woman?


    The vigers exchanged nces, then burst intoughter. "No woman hase into our vige and left!"


    The gang leader narrowed his eyes. "I saw her running in this direction with my own eyes! I want to search this ce and take her with me!"


    The vigers were united; they would never allow outsiders to roam freely in their territory, especially not to search each house.


    They were dreaming!


    Neither side was willing to back down, and it was clear that a major battle was about to break out.


    With heightened tensions, the gang leader, losing his patience, shot the viger standing closest to him dead. "Now, can I search?"


    Amid the screams and chaos, the vigers quickly backed down, fearfully parting to create a path.


    The leader stormed in with his gang to conduct a thorough search!


    This was Felicia''s first time in the vige, and with the darkness obscuring her surroundings, she quickly


    Chapy


    lost her bearings.


    As the criminals kicked down doors, she gritted her teeth, preparing to run further, when she heard the sound of chains rattling from a nearby house!


    Startled, she instinctively nced over to see a young girl struggling at an iron window, her feet shackled by heavy chains, making a loud nking noise as she moved.


    Her hair was disheveled, and her clothes were dirty and torn, but her skin was fair-clearly, she didn''t belong in this vige!


    Recalling the vigers''ments, Felicia realized this girl had been trafficked. A pang of unease washed. over her.


    "Hide in that haystack; it''s safe!" the girl hoarsely instructed, pointing to a corner.


    Felicia nced over; the haystack was messy but well-concealed. She might be okay if she could hide there without being discovered, but there would be no escape if she got caught! Seeing Felicia hesitate, the girl grew anxious. "Get in there, trust me!"


    With determination, Felicia dove into the haystack.


    Momentster, the gang leader and his members arrived, searching through the area. They found no sign of Felicia, only the girl locked up by the vigers. Cursing under his breath, the gang leader moved on to the next house.


    F

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 26

    Felicia couldn''t believe that the girl had helped her from getting captured.


    Once it was safe, the girl confined by the vigers sighed in relief and called softly, "Hey, they''re gone! You cane out now!"


    Felicia emerged from the hay, looking disheveled. With the gang of criminals moving in another direction, it was the perfect opportunity for her to escape!


    As she prepared to run, the girl suddenly dropped to her knees, desperation brimming in her eyes. "Please help me! Take me with you!


    "I was sold here and have been trapped for six months. You''re the only person I''ve seen that isn''t a viger for the past 6 months! This ce is hell, and these people are monsters! If I stay here, I''ll die!" Tears streamed down her face, filled with hope and despair. "Please... save me...


    Felicia wanted to help, but she felt powerless.


    The door was locked, and breaking it would create a loud noise. Besides, the girl was chained and wouldn''t be able to escape even if freed!


    "I promise I''lle back for you! Just wait for me! Felicia said before sprinting toward the vige exit. She needed to get help or call the authorities-only then could she save the girl!


    But after running a few steps, the girl''s tearful cries and desperate eyes haunted her thoughts.


    The vigers had mentioned that a new buyer woulde in the morning to take the girl away. After that, no one would be able to rescue her.


    Felicia stopped. She bit her lip and turned back.


    On her way back, she found a sturdy rock and started banging on the lock of the door with all her might.


    Inside the cramped room, the girl had been crying in despair until she heard themotion. When she looked up and saw Felicia, hope reignited in her eyes.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    After a series of blows, the door finally swung open!


    The girl slowly inched her way out, her movement restricted by the chains around her feet. But the sound of Felicia banging on the door had already spread-the criminal gang and the vigers were all rushing back. "There''s no time!" Felicia dropped the rock and nearly dragged the girl to a nearby trike motorcycle.


    By some miracle, the keys were still in the ignition!


    The girl''s eyes lit up. "I can drive! Let me do it!"


    "Okay," Felicia replied as she climbed onto the back seat.


    The girl twisted the throttle, and the motorcycle shot forward at top speed, leaving the vigers and criminals far behind.


    There was no way they could outrun a trike motorcycle on foot.


    The girl, who had attempted to escape many times before, eximed, "I know another way out of the vige! We can make it!"


    But sometimes, the odds might not be in one''s favor.


    Just as they began to rx, disaster struck. The motorcycle hit a dip in the road and became lodged on arge rock!


    No matter how hard they twisted the throttle, it wouldn''t budge!


    The girl panicked. "What do we do?"


    They were running out of time; the vigers and gang of criminals were closing in.


    Felicia jumped off the motorcycle and tried with all her might to move the rock. The distance between them shrank as they got closer and closer.


    The girl cried in desperation, "We gotta hurry! Please!!


    Finally, Felicia managed to shove the rock aside.


    "Got it!"


    Just as she was about to jump back onto the motorcycle, she fell short. In the darkness, the motorcycle had revved up, racing off into the night, leaving Felicia behind.

 Heiress 27

    hapter 27


    elicia fell to the ground, watching the motorcycle''s taillights fade into the distance. Her heart sank from sbelief to despair.


    he could see the hearts of others but not their true nature. They could have escaped together.


    ist as she hit the ground, a heavy blownded on her back followed by a brutal kick from the gang ader.


    he gasped in pain, curling up as agony surged through her body. In the next moment, someone yanked !r hair and pulled her roughly to her feet, followed by a series of hard ps across her face. ood trickled from the corner of her mouth, and her once-porcin cheeks swelled with clear handprints.


    he gang leader grabbed her hair as if it wasn''t enough to make her suffer and sneered, "Run, keep nning! You blinded me in one eye, and I''ll make sure you can''t live or die in peace!"


    e pulled a knife from his waist and waved it menacingly above her hands. "Which hand poked my eye? Is this one or this one? Forget it. I''ll just chop them both off!!


    s he prepared to strike, a nearby viger interjected, teeth clenched. "This girl let our girl escape! How e we settling this score?"


    he gang leader scoffed, "That''s none of my damn business.


    he vigers were terrified of the guns in their hands, but they knew that if they didn''t deliver the girl


    morrow, their whole vige would be in trouble.


    ne brave viger spoke up, "If she let our girl escape, let her make up for it! That way, our losses are overed, and you get to torment her as well. What do you say?"


    ne gang leader''s interest was piqued. Instead of letting her die quickly, it would be much better to let her offer endlessly, watching her hope fade away.


    he agreed, grinning. "But before that, I need to teach her a lesson!"


    ound of his belt unbuckling made Felicia''s heart race.


    th a burst of desperation, she saw red and grew fierce. Summoning thest of her strength, she tossed est bit of poison powder she had hidden on her.


    an instant, the gang leader and nearby vigers were hit by the powder, some even getting it in their


    res!


    ries of agony erupted around her.


    h! I can''t see!"


    sh, it burns!"


    his poison was her own concoction, designed to create an intense burning sensation, but its effects ere temporary.


    eizing the opportunity, Felicia dashed away, pouring every punce of energy into her escape!


    he vigers froze, incapacitated by the sudden pain.


    owever, the criminal gang were not to be underestimated. They quickly recovered from the initial sting nd, despite the pain, resumed their pursuit of Felicia. nbeknownst to anyone on the ground, six helicopters soared through the night sky.


    In one of them, a man reclined in his seat, eyes closed. The reflection in the ss revealed a chiseled


    man


    profile, his pale skin almost luminous against the dim Interior. His thin lips were sensual, and his Adam''s apple moved as he breathed.


    At the sound of amotion nearby, he opened his eyes, revealing deep, dark pupils that glimmered with a hint of cold light. His eyes radiated an overwhelming sense of authority.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    It was Stephan!


    With his long legs crossed, he saidzily, "Report"


    One of his subordinates promptly handed him the thermal imaging readout, bowing respectfully. "Mr. Russell, we''ve located the five fugitives. They''re in the mountain ahead, and it appears they''re chasing a


    woman.


    Stephan nced at the screen. The thermal imaging showed a slender figure stumbling and dodging as she fled for her life. But it seemed she couldn''t hold out much longer.


    Stephan wasn''t a savior by nature, nor did he have any altruistic tendencies; he simply intended to deal with the audacious fugitives.


    "Find a ce tond," he instructed his subordinates.


    ""Yes, sirl"

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 28

    hapter 28


    licia felt she had run a long way in the forest, but when she looked back, the gang of criminals was still t on her heels!


    ? make matters worse, she spotted the silhouettes of the two pickup trucks ahead. She had been


    nning in circles, ending right back where she had jumped from the vehicle!


    licia hesitated, and at that moment, one of the gang members took aim and fired.


    er right leg was shot, and she copsed instantly!


    ince and hisckeys were still tied up in the pickup truck, but they couldn''t help but chuckle at Felicia''s re situation.


    overed in blood, she crawled forward, inch by inch.


    se gang of criminals slowed down, seemingly enjoying the hunt, asionally firing shots near her and unting. "Come on, crawl faster!"


    Iter taking a hit, Feliciacked the strength to rise and could only drag herself forward with sheer


    irvival instinct.


    uddenly, a pair of handcrafted leather shoes came into view. She blinked, slowly lifting her head to see ce so striking it seemed almost divine.


    unning into Stephan here was thest thing she expected!!


    stinctively, she reached out and grabbed the hem of his pants, her voice hoarse. "Stephan... Mr. Rusell,


    ease save me."


    t that moment, the criminals behind her all turned pale.


    h, no!N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ephan had an extreme germaphobia! They could already envision Felicia''s grim fate.


    owever, contrary to their expectations, Stephan didn''t explode in anger. Instead, he knelt on one knee ith a hint of a smile and asked, "Give me one good reason to save you?" alicia hesitated. "Because I helped you treat your wound today.


    lut I remember I already paid for that."


    ephan''s lips curved slightly, emphasizing hisck ofpassion. Having paid for Felicia''s house call eant they were even-no debts owed.


    elicia couldn''t think of another reason.


    eanwhile, the gang of criminals began to tremble at the sight of Stephan. They exchanged nces, lowing they wouldn''t leave alive that day, so they decided to go down fighting! Na swift motion, they raised their guns, aiming Indiscriminately at Stephan and Felicia!


    tephan could easily dodge the bullets, but Felicia couldn''t. Injured and with a bullet in her leg, she had ng ption but to wait for her fate!


    unfire sliced through the evening air.


    alicia shut her eyes tightly. But instead of the expected pain, she felt her body suddenly lighten, and in a izzying whirl, she fell into a strong embrace.


    Chapp120


    The fresh scent filled her nostrils, and she instinctively clung to the person in front of her. She blurted out before thinking, "I thought you didn''t want to save me?


    The next moment, Stephan''s teasing voice came from above her head.


    "I''ve heard someone boasting about being mine?"

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 29

    hapter 29


    reworks seemed to have exploded in Felicia''s mind!


    he had indeed said that! But how did Stephan know?


    he had been using his name to intimidate the criminals, and if he got mad, he could simply abandon her


    this deste ce to fend for herself, ensuring she''d never live to see another day.


    alicia shivered, momentarily at a loss for how to smooth things over. Fortunately, the chaotic situation dn''t require her to respond.


    he gang of criminals intended to go down fighting, but they had to be capable of doing so!


    ephan''s subordinates were few but highly trained, each one worth a hundred of the criminals. Under uch overwhelming force, there was no doubt thest criminal fell, defeated.


    ne of Stephan''s subordinates stepped forward, collecting the criminals'' weapons and checking each ne for signs of life. After confirming they were all incapacitated, he returned to report, "Mr. Russell, it''s I taken care of." tephan acknowledged him with a casual hum, his gaze shifting to Felicia.


    or a moment, she didn''t react, but then it hit her-she was still in his arms!This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Sorry!"


    he instinctively tried to jump down, but Stephan had lost his patience. He released her, unceremoniously ropping her to the ground.


    e didn''t want her wrapped around him for even a moment longer.


    alicia winced as shended, holding her backside in silent frustration. Fortunately, the ground was soft


    ass, so she wasn''t injured.


    ith the bandits dealt with, attention was turned to Lance and hisckeys


    alicia picked up a rock and hurled it at the pickup truck. During the gunfight, Lance and hisckeys had owered behind the vehicle, too scared to show themselves! specially when they heard Stephan hade-fear drove them into a frenzy as they fled deeper into the


    oods!


    they ran at that point, they might still find a way to survive. Staying put would only mean certain death!


    alicia wanted to chase after them, but with a bullet in her leg, she could only helplessly watch as they scaped.


    ephan wasn''t interested in dealing with such minions. He turned and headed toward the helicopters.


    elicia got up, limping after him.


    ey were several hundred miles away from Khogend, and with the pickup truck''s gas tank shot up, there as no way to drive away. The only way out was to follow Stephan. he could only hope he was feeling generous enough.


    everal helicopters were parked in the clearing ahead. Felicia watched as Stephan boarded one of the J


    seling uneasy, she hesitated but couldn''t muster the courage to stay behind, so she followed him.


    ''ithout an order, his subordinates hesitated, unsure whether to stop her. They could only watch as she barded the helicopter.


    Chap 290


    A few secondster, they exchanged astonished nces, shocked that Stephan hadn''t thrown her out.


    Soon, the helicopter began to rise slowly. Felicia found a corner to huddle in, sitting on the floor.


    Her Injuries weren''t too serious, except for the gunshot wound in her leg: the bullet needed to be removed quickly.


    She spotted an approachable subordinate and asked if there was a first-aid kit.


    The man nced at Stephan, who appeared indifferent, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, before daring to fetch a first-aid kit for Felicia.


    To her surprise, the kit was well-stocked.


    She tore open her pants. The fabric had stuck to the wound since she had been injured a while ago, and pulling it away was painful. She gritted her teeth, refusing to make a sound.


    The helicopter cabin wasn''t spacious, and the scent of blood began to fill the air. Felicia nced cautiously at Stephan, worried the smell might anger him.


    Fortunately, Stephan leaned back in his seat, eyes closed, indifferent to the chaos unfolding in the corner.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 30

    Felicia focused intently as she treated her wounds.


    When it came time to remove the bullet, she took a deep breath, bit down on a piece of disinfectant cotton, and steeled herself, using tweezers to extract the bullet from her flesh. Her face paled as sweat broke out, but she didn''t make a sound.


    She thought she wasn''t bothering anyone, but she was unaware that every movement of hers was visible to Stephan through the reflection in the ss.


    As she tore her pants open, Stephan remained rxed, curious to see when she would cry out in pain or


    scream.


    When that happened, he intended to toss her out.


    To his surprise, she remainedpletely silent, her shoulders trembling slightly. She didn''t even shed a single tear.


    This was unexpected.


    Before long, Felicia bandaged her leg. As her tense nerves rxed,pounded by the loss of blood, she closed her eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep. An hour and a halfter, the helicopter touched down at the Russell estate.


    Felicia woke up. The estate wasrge and opulent. She had been there earlier in the afternoon, never imagining she would return in such a way.


    Wincing, she stood up to exit the helicopter but didn''t notice Stephan also rising, his long legs striding to the door in just two steps.


    She wouldn''t dare rush past him, so she quickly stepped aside.


    However, she forgot about her injured leg. As she stepped back, the pain threw her off bnce, and she stumbled right into him.


    To the onlookers, it looked as though she had thrown herself into his arms.


    Felicia''s heart raced as she instinctively recoiled, but Stephan tightened his grip, pinning her against the cabin wall, their closeness creating an intimate atmosphere.


    His height, easily towering over six feet, made the confined space even tighter.


    A tense energy filled the air. But Felicia only sensed danger.


    Stephan''s sharp fingers traced the delicate curve of her neck. Instead of choking her, he pressed down. lightly, his cold fingertips pressing against the gash on her arm caused by the rock. Blood oozed out.


    Felicia stifled a groan, her face going pale.


    As he released her, Stephan wiped his hands with a cloth. His words dripped with chilling intent. "There won''t be a next time. Understand?"


    Whether it was clinging to him or iming to be his, both were just asking for trouble.


    His eyes narrowed, the murderous intent fading as he turned to leave.


    His loyal subordinate followed closely, asking "Mr. Russell, she knows too much. Are we just going to letThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    her go?"


    Stephan shot him a nce and replied slowly. "I''m a good person. I don''t kill anyone."


    The subordinate was at a loss for words.


    Stephan might want to wipe off the blood stains on his hands before making such ims.


    Felicia leaned against the cabin wall, gasping for breath.


    Stephan had saved her from those criminals, and she had briefly thought that perhaps his cold, bloodthirsty figure in the rumors had a softer side. But she was wrong.


    He was just as unpredictable, if not more so, than the rumors suggested-an emotionally unstable, mercurial figure!


    One minute, he was all smiles, and the next, he could kill.


    With a heavy sigh, Felicia limped out of the helicopter. After leaving the estate, she walked for some time before finally hailing a cab.


    She wondered whether the Fuller family was in a frenzy or calm after she had been missing for an entire night

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 31

    The news of Felicia''s kidnapping didn''t reach the Fuller family until 10:00 pm.


    At first, Myra and Dexter didn''t take it too seriously. They assumed Felicia had simply gone out to have fun and lost track of time. That was why she hadn''te home for dinner. On top of that, Ka wasn''t feeling well, so the couple had been busyforting her.


    It wasn''t until 10:00 pm that Myra realized Felicia still wasn''t home. She decided to call Felicia, only to discover that, as a mother, she didn''t even have her daughter''s phone number. Guilt washed over her. Just as the feeling sank in, the maid led two men into the room.


    Seeing Laurence Quinn, Dexter immediately stood up and greeted them. "Captain Quinn, what brings you here? Isn''t the team busy tonight?"


    Laurence didn''t waste time on pleasantries. He reached into his briefcase, pulling out a piece of paper with a blown-up surveince image. "Take a look. Is this your daughter?"


    Myra rushed over to look. The figure on the paper was unmistakably Felicia.


    "Felicia... What happened to her?" Myra''s hands and feet began trembling.


    A flood of horrible scenarios filled her mind. She was terrified and frantic. "I knew it! I knew something. was wrong when she didn''te back thiste. Has something happened to her? Please, tell me!" Laurence responded calmly, "This footage was discovered by one of our team members in charge of reviewing surveince. You should take a look."This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    As he spoke, he pulled out his phone and yed the surveince video he had saved.


    The footage showed Felicia walking down the street when a van suddenly screeched to a halt in front of her. Two burly men jumped out, grabbed her from both sides and dragged her into the van.. The van sped off, disappearing from view.


    Myra felt her heart sink.


    Through the screen, Myra watched helplessly as her daughter was kidnapped. The impact was overwhelming, and the feeling of being unable to protect her child was crushing.


    What terrified her most was that Felicia had been abducted around 5:30 pm, and now it was 10:00 pm. They hadn''t received a single call from the kidnappers after all these hours. This likely meant the kidnappers weren''t after money. They intended to kill her.


    Myra''s legs gave way, and tears streamed down her face.


    Dexter supported Myra, saying, "Captain Quinn, have you checked the other surveince along the route? No leads at all? My daughter could be in grave danger Laurence ced a reassuring hand on Dexter''s shoulder. We''ve mobilized most of our team to track them down. We''ll notify you as soon as we have any results." With that, he and his team left.


    Myra leaned against Dexter, clutching his shirt as she cried. "You have to think of something. What are we going to do?"


    Dexter felt overwhelmed but tried to reassure her. "I''ll send people out to search for her. I''ll find our daughter, no matter what it takes."


    Myra sobbed and said, "Who has a grudge against us? If they have a grudge, why note after me? Why hurt my daughter?"


    The couple was so caught up in their crying andforting each other that they didn''t notice the corner of a whitece dress peeking around the staircase.


    Ka stood there eavesdropping for a while before quietly retreating to her room.


    Earlier that evening, she had received a message from Melvin saying that everything had gone ording to n.


    Initially, she had been anxious, unsure if Melvin''s contacts were reliable. Now, it seemed everything had worked out perfectly, as Laurence had personallye to verify the situation. She felt a rush of satisfaction. From now on, Felicia would no longer be a thorn in her side.


    A smile spread across Ka''s face, unable to hide her glee.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 32

    Chapter


    32


    Once Ka had her fill of satisfaction, she touched up her makeup and headed downstairs to y the role of a concerned sister.


    When she heard about Felicia''s disappearance, Ka covered her mouth in disbelief. "Mom, you''re saying Felicia was kidnapped? That''s impossible! She was just brought back home a few days ago. How could she have made any enemies?" Myra shared the same thoughts, but the situation had already urred. Their priority was to find Felicia.


    Ka handed Myra a tissue to wipe her tears and hesitated before speaking. "Mom, there''s something I''m not sure I should say. If it''s the wrong thing to say, please don''t be upset with me."


    "Just say it. How could I ever be mad at you?"


    Ka bit her lip and continued, "Do you remember my high school friends? The twin sisters, Yvonne yton and Vivian yton? I had them over to our housest year."


    "I remember. Why do you bring this up?" Myra asked, her eyes red and curious.


    Ka pressed on. "Their family always favored Yvonne. There were several times when Vivian resorted to extreme measures to get attention, such as running away from home or threatening to jump off a bridge.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "So I was wondering, is it possible that this whole thing is just a show Felicia orchestrated? Maybe she''s pretending to be kidnapped to make you and Dad feel guilty and give her more attention and love?"


    Ka''s voice was calm but persuasive. "Otherwise, why would kidnappers take someone and not ask for ransom?"


    People would go to great lengths for money, just as birds would risk everything for their next meal.


    The Fuller family were among the wealthiest in Khogend. It was hard to believe that any kidnappers would pass up such a substantial ransom.


    Myra and Dexter exchanged nces, their expressions showing doubt.


    "Mom, think about it. Felicia has been unhappy with ustely. She might be angry because she feels you favor me and neglected her. Maybe she hase up with this scheme to get attention," Ka continued, her words igniting suspicion. Myra didn''t want to believe it, but uncertainty crept in. Felicia had only just returned to the Fuller residence a few days ago.


    Despite their extravagant reunion party to announce her arrival, she hadn''t uttered a single affectionate word or shown any warmth.


    She didn''t even call them "Mom" and "Dad".


    Ever before that, there had been some tension between Myra and Felicia due to Ka,


    In a twisted scenario, there was a possibility that Felicia, had staged her own kidnapping topete for attention with Ka.


    Myra frowned, her toneced with frustration. "If that''s the case, then that girl is far too willful. She doesn''t act like my daughter at all." Dexter remained quiet, choosing not to jump to conclusions.


    "Mom, don''t be upset. After all, you need to remember the environment Felicia grew up in. It''s natural she might pick up some bad habits/


    Kaforted Myra, a smirk tugging at her lips. Felicia wouldn''t being back.


    She needed to keep Myra calm and make her think negatively of Felicia. So, when they eventually found. Felicia''s body, Myra''s first thought would be that Felicia had orchestrated her own kidnapping, leading to her idental death. It was a ssic case of reaping what she sowed.


    At that point, Myra and Dexter would feel only a slight sense of sorrow and guilt. Felicia''s name would no longer be mentioned.


    Ka suppressed her joy, putting on a sweet and obedient demeanor as she massaged Myra''s shoulders. Just then, a bodyguard rushed in, reporting. "Mr. Fuller, Mrs. Fuller, Ms. Felicia is back." Ka''s eyes widened in disbelief. She thought, "What? Felicia is back alive?"


    Chapterda


    3

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 33

    When Felicia stumbled into the Fuller residence, she was covered in blood, limping painfully. Her face was swollen, and her arms and legs were marked with numerous cuts and scrapes. It was a shocking sight.


    Dexter and Myra were stunned. Just moments before, they had been specting whether Felicia had staged this entire incident for attention.


    But now, seeing Felicia in such a condition made them realize how absurd their thoughts had been.


    "Licia, are you okay? I''ve been worried sick about you all night." Myra pushed Ka aside and got up from the couch, rushing toward Felicia.


    She wanted to help Felicia but hesitated, afraid of causing her pain. Tears streamed down her cheeks from worry.


    "Get a doctor, now!" Dexter shouted at a nearby maid.


    Felicia sat on the couch, her face pale from blood loss, her lips devoid of color. Only her eyes remained clear and sharp.


    "Licia, what happenedst night? Who kidnapped you?" Myra asked urgently.


    Dexter nodded and said, "Just tell us. I''ll make sure we find out who''s behind this."


    Felicia ignored them, her gaze fixed intently on Ka.


    Ka clenched her fists, maintaining an innocent facade. She said, "Felicia, I''m just d you''re safe. Wel were so worried about youst night. We were afraid something terrible had happened to you."


    Since learning about Felicia''s kidnapping at 10:00 pm the previous night, the Fullers had not slept. They mobilized every resource they had to secretly search for her.


    Ka wore an innocent expression, still trying to pin the me on Felicia for staging the whole act. She asked, "But Dad and I waited all night and didn''t receive any ransom calls from the kidnappers. How did you manage to escape, Felicia?" Hearing this question, Felicia''s mind raced, and she quickly grasped Ka''s intent.


    Ka wondered how a defenseless young woman like Felicia could have gotten away unscathed while facing four or five strong kidnappers.


    If it wasn''t a setup, no one would believe it. Ka waited eagerly for Felicia''s response, a smile lingering on her lips.


    Felicia smirked, not about to fall into the self-incriminating trap Ka had set for her. Instead, she said, "I know who kidnapped me."


    Myra and Dexter looked surprised and asked simultaneously, "Who?"


    The Fuller family was a prominent family in Khogend, and they had enemies, both known and hidden. If they didn''t get to the bottom of this, it could easily happen again.


    "The person goes by the nickname ''Lance.'' He''s a loan shark and a thug. After I was rescued, he ran off and probably hasn''t returned to Khogend yet."


    Felicia continued, "I have no grievances with him. Even if there were minor conflicts, he wouldn''t want my life."


    Chaugh 33


    After all, Felicia was the Fullers'' legitimate daughter, the one they had just found and acknowledged.


    There was no way Lance and hisckeys would have the audacity to confront the Fuller family. Someone must be behind this. If they followed this lead, they would surely uncover something. Dexter''s expression darkened. He was usually kind and had few enemies. He had never done anything truly terrible.


    But now, someone was trying to


    harm his daughter, and that was intolerable.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    He gently patted Felicia''s head, reassuring her. "When the doctor arrives, they''ll treat your wounds properly. I''ll send people out to investigate immediately. I promise this won''t happen again." Felicia smiled but didn''t take it seriously.


    However, Ka''s expression soured. She stood up from the couch and called out to Dexter, "Dad, shouldn''t we check on Felicia''s injuries first? What if they''re all superficial?" She suspected this was just Felicia''s ploy for sympathy


    Dexter picked up his phone and issued severalmands. He had plenty of money and people at his disposal, so he wouldn''t need to investigate personally.


    Ka felt a sense of urgency. If this incident was traced back to Melvin, she was afraid he might let something slip, especially since she was the one behind it all.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 34

    Ka felt a wave of frustration and thought, "This useless guy can''t even handle such a small matter. How dare he pursue me?" Just when Ka felt at a loss, the doctor, Osbert Cooper, was called in.


    Seeing Osbert felt like a lifeline to Ka. She rushed forward, grabbing Osbert''s arm and pushing him toward Felicia.


    "Dr. Cooper, please check her injuries. Are they serious or superficial? She wanted nothing more than to expose Felicia''s act. Ka''s anxiety was evident to Dexter and Myra, who thought it was a sign of sisterly love and were somewhat relieved.


    Of course, Felicia knew Ka''s intentions. She just wanted to reveal her supposed "act".


    But the scrapes and cuts on her body did need attention, so she remained seated without moving.


    As Osbert examined her wounds, he said, "These aren''t too deep, but there''s dirt and sand in them. You''ll need to endure a bit while I wash them out."


    During the cleaning process, Felicia remained silent. Meanwhile, Myra turned away, unable to watch.


    Once everything was taken care of, Ka casually remarked, "Hmm... it doesn''t seem like the injuries are too serious."


    Myra was about to scold her for being thoughtless when she suddenly recalled Ka''s earlier words suggesting that Felicia might fake an injury to gain attention.


    Before she could process it, she suddenly heard Osbert exim, "Oh my god, there''s a gunshot wound!"


    "What?" Myra and Dexter immediately turned to see Felicia''s pant leg lifted, revealing a gruesome injury where the bandage had been removed.


    Osbert eximed, "Fortunately, the bullet was removed. Otherwise, the nearby nerves could have been damaged, and the oue would have been unimaginable."


    After rewrapping Felicia''s wounds, Osbert left. Ka felt a mix of shock and confusion. She wondered how Felicia could have survived a gunshot.


    It seemed impossible.


    Myra covered her mouth in disbelief. She couldn''t imagine the dangers Felicia faced the night before. Meanwhile, she had been busy specting, having malicious thoughts about her daughter. Myra couldn''t help but feel embarrassed. Dexter made a couple more phone calls, urging his team to get to the bottom of the incident.


    In the meantime, Myra had the kitchen whip up some food. Felicia was covered in blood. She first went to her room to take a quick shower and changed into fresh clothes beforeing down to eat. The maid quickly brought breakfast to the table, which included a chicken soup that Myra had personally prepared for Felicia. "Here, Li, eat this while it''s warm. It will help your wounds heal." Sitting at the table, Felicia felt Myra''s attentive care, but there was no warmth in her heart.


    Myra always treated her especially well whenever she felt guilty, trying to make up for her perceived shorings


    ww


    Change 34Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    However, that kindness instantly disappeared whenever she had a conflict with Ka,


    Felicia stirred the soup in front of her and tilted her head. She asked curiously, "What if we find out who''s behind this? What will we do?"


    "Of course, we''ll make them pay back in kind. No daughter of ours can be bullied like that." Myra and Dexter were in full agreement on this point. Felicia shot a nce at Ka and asked again, "Really?


    "Absolutely," Myra replied with conviction. "Licia, you have to trust us."


    Felicia simply shook her head, remaining nomittal.


    Before long, Dexter''s phone rang, signaling that the investigation results were in.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 35

    Chapter


    35


    Based on the information provided by Felicia, finding the loan shark known as Lance in Khogend wasn''t difficult. Following the clues, Melvin''s name came to light.


    On the other end of the phone, the investigator continued, "Mr. Fuller, thest contact in Lance''s phone was Melvin. We found out that before Ms. Felicia was kidnapped, Melvin had visited the Fuller residence.... "The investigator didn''t borate further. Since there were surveince cameras inside and outside the Fuller residence, it was easy to find out who Melvin had seen during his visit.


    In fact, it wasmon knowledge.


    This was particrly noteworthy because Melvin''s pursuit of Ka had been a hot topic for a while.


    At that moment, Dexter and Myra both turned to Ka, Kay, what''s going on?"


    Ka didn''t expect that her earlier actions woulde back to bite her at this moment. But there was no way she would admit to anything.


    She pouted, putting on an innocent face. "Melvin came to check on me because he heard I was sick. What''s wrong with that?"


    While her exnation seemed reasonable, the timing felt too coincidental. Myra recalled how Ka had hinted that Felicia''s kidnapping might have been staged, even using the twin sisters as an example.


    However, this theory could easily be applied to Ka as well. The younger sister resented the elder and sought help from an outsider to target her sister...


    Myra was taken aback by the thought


    That couldn''t be true. She had raised Ka, so she knew her personality well.


    Ka was kind-hearted and innocent, too gentle to even harm a small animal, let alone her own family. This had to be Melvin acting on his own.


    Myra grabbed Dexter''s hand firmly. She said in a low voice, "We need to go to the Chavez residence and demand an exnation."


    "Wait..."


    Dexter pulled Myra back. "Right now, we''ve only traced a potential lead. There''s no concrete evidence. Unless we find Lance and get him to confirm whether Melvin was involved, they could easily twist it. around and use us of nder." Myra was trembling with anger. "So what you''re saying is that even if we find this Lance, how could he possibly testify against Melvin when he''s just hisckey?"


    It felt like a fruitless circle; nothing was going to work.


    Dexter sighed and said, "Darling, calm down. I''ll find a way to resolve this. I promise we''ll get to the bottom of this for you and Felicia."


    "Even if you do find a way, we''re still stuck with this loss, aren''t we? The Chavez family is one of the four prestigious families. If we confront them, we''ll be the ones who suffer."


    As the couple''s argument intensified, the maid remained silent. Meanwhile, Ka sat there looking wronged and teary-eyed.


    Felicia watched calmly, as if she were an outsider enjoying the show.


    It felt like the two were putting on a performance. It seemed they were arguing for her benefit, but every word was clearly aimed at her.


    Felicia tossed her spoon onto the table with a sharp tter and said, "Don''t push me to flip this table."


    Myra and Dexter abruptly stopped and turned to Felicia. "Licia, it''s our fault..."


    "Stop right there." Felicia crossed her arms, her gaze scrutinizing and dismissive.


    "I''ve never known this Melvin. Why would he want to kill me? That''s what we should be focusing on. Don''t try to shift the me or change the subject."


    The attempts to shift focus and change the subject were all aimed at protecting Ka.


    Both Myra and Dexter relentlessly directed their anger toward Melvin, trying to distract from any me that could fall on Ka.


    They wanted Felicia to believe that Melvin was responsible for the attempt on her life, making it seem as if Ka had nothing to do with it.


    Chap 36This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 36

    The favoritism was unbearable-tant and suffocating.


    Felicia''s eyes were sharp, as if she could see through their thoughts. Any trace of guilt or denial they had waspletely exposed.


    Myra stammered, "Licia, Ka would never do something like that."


    "You can read her mind now? Know exactly what she''s done or thought? Felicia''s tone was dismissive,pletely indifferent to whether this would tear their rtionship apart.


    The illusion of family harmony had long been shattered, so there was no need to pretend anymore.


    Myra was at a loss for words, and Dexter added, "Licia don''t get sidetracked. The one who tried to harm you is Melvin, and I promise you, I will make sure justice is served. But Ka has nothing to do with this." Ka stood quietly behind them, not needing to defend herself. There would always be someone ready to believe her, to protect her.


    This was a privilege Felicia could never afford.


    Felicia had expected things to turn out this way, but it still hurt. That tight, suffocating pain wrapped around her chest, leaving her too drained to argue.


    It was impossible to wake someone pretending to be asleep, just as it was futile to reason with parents who refused to listen.


    She took a deep breath and looked up again. She saw Ka standing a few steps away, smiling at her.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    That smug expression was the same smile Felicia had seen in her past life, just before everything had ended.


    Without another word, she pushed past Myra and Dexter, walking straight to Ka. Without hesitation, she raised her hand and pped her.


    The sound echoed through the room, and Ka''s cheek instantly swelled.


    Before Myra and Dexter could intervene, Felicia pped her again on the other side, so now both cheeks were swollen.


    She flexed her tingling hand and said calmly, "I''ve wanted to do that for a long time."


    Ka covered her cheek with one hand and then her right. She felt a surge of resentment, but she didn''t dare to retaliate.


    Instead, she timidly said, "Felicia, as long as you''re satisfied, I can pretend it doesn''t hurt."


    What a line-"As long as you''re satisfied, I can pretend it doesn''t hurt."


    This had to be infuriating for Dexter and Myra.


    Felicia shot a scathing nce at them. The couple likely felt guilty. Regardless of whether Ka was involved, Felicia''s kidnapping stemmed from her actions.


    It was only natural to vent her anger this way. Fortunately, Felicia had no intention of striking again.


    She limped into the elevator and went up to the second floor, shutting the door and locking it behind her.


    Myra sighed in relief and turned to instruct the maid to get an ice pack for Ka. She then poured a ss


    of water and said, "Felicia is just upset, but you understand, right?"


    Ka was speechless. She could only nod, looking pitiful.


    Myra sighed and said, "I know you feel wronged, but Melvin went too far this time. You need to stay away from him, okay?"


    "Got it, Mom...." Ka pouted, obediently agreeing. At the next moment, a flicker of malice crossed her face.


    This matter was brushed aside, but the underlying tensions that had been simmering were now brought to the surface.


    In the room, Felicia gazed out at the scenery, her expression calm.


    It was fine. The cracks were forming, bit by bit. The more Ka did, the more her ws would show.


    Sooner orter, that false, hypocritical mask would be ripped away.


    Just like this time, even though Myra and Dexter continued to defend Ka, they must have had a flicker of doubt in their hearts.


    For now, they simply chose to trust their judgment. But in the future, they would be convinced by the evidence:

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 37

    No parents could remain deaf and blind when they found out that the adopted daughter they raised had used such cruel and underhanded means to harm their biological daughter. Felicia might not care about this so-called familial bond, but she had to fight for justice for hersel


    If she didn''t, she would never be able to move on from the torment and injustice she suffered in her past life. Nor would she ever make peace with her fate. Taking


    a deep breath, Felicia crumpled the paper in her hand and tossed it into the trash.


    After three days of rest, Felicia received a call from Clive, asking her to visit the Walsh residence library to look through some books.


    Though her leg hadn''t fully healed yet, she limped her way into the house. Clive was shocked at the sight and immediately asked about her leg.


    Felicia shrugged it off, iming she had fallen.


    But such excuses could fool anyone but him. Clive was a top-tier medical master-he could tell at a nce that this was no ordinary injury but a gunshot wound. Furious, Clive demanded to know what had really happened.


    Left with no choice, Felicia vaguely mentioned that she had run into some trouble and had been kidnapped.


    "Who kidnapped you?" Clive pressed.


    With no intention to hide anything. Felicia simply mentioned the name of the Chavez family''s scion,


    Melvin.


    Clive''s expression darkened, confusion flickering in his eyes. "But you don''t even know anyone from the Chavez family. Why would Melvin, that hotheaded boy, kidnap you?" Felicia smiled without answering.


    Of course, it was to defend Ka''s honor, or perhaps... he was simply acting on her orders.


    But Felicia couldn''t say that out loud. It would sound like she wasining. Andints only worked if there was someone to back her up.


    Clearly, she didn''t.


    Clive sighed, feeling a pang of sympathy. "You''ve been through a lot, Licia."


    Felicia shook her head and replied, "Not really."


    After all, she would settle this score, one way or another.


    Clive let out a snort. His white hair and beard made him appear elderly, but his eyes were sharp and vibrant, filled with mischievous pride.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He said, "Don''t worry, Licia. We''ll just wait for the tables to turn, and when they do, we''ll make sure they turn hard."


    He gave another snort of amusement and added, "There wille a day when the Chavez family wille knocking on our door for help."


    Felicia blinked, not fully grasping his meaning.


    Clive grinned mysteriously and added, "Melvin''s father has beenining about persistent headaches recently. He''s sent several requests asking me to treat him. I was nning to visit him in a few days, but


    now...


    He trailed off with a smugugh.


    "If a child is poorly taught, it reflects on the father," Clive thought to himself. If they wanted him toe for a consultation, they would have to show some real sincerity.


    Felicia couldn''t help but find Clive a bit endearing.


    After the conversation, Clive nced at her injured leg and asked, "With your leg in this condition, you can barely stand. Why don''t we postpone the visit to the library until you''ve healed?"


    "No, let''s go today," Felicia replied with a slight smile. "You can''t back out, Grandpa."


    The eager Felicia was thirsty for knowledge, and her continuous desire to learn pleased Clive. He promptly had someone bring over a wheelchair for her to sit in.


    The Walsh residence library was enormous,parable to a small public library. Rows upon rows of shelves were filled with books.


    As Felicia browsed through the shelves, she noticed many notebooks and pieces of literature. Some covers were yellowed and worn, clearly showing their age.


    In addition, the walls were adorned with acupuncture charts and pressure points diagrams, covering more topics than Felicia had anticipated.


    As she flipped through the books, she realized that much of the information on performing acupuncture was familiar. In fact, it was more than familiar-it was what she had already learned from the book she had found. She guessed that the book must have been left by a true master, who was more concise and profound than what the Walsh family had documented.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 38

    If only Felicia could find a few more books, she would learn even more.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    She dismissed her greedy thoughts and focused on the bookshelves. Soon, she became engrossed in


    their content.


    Traditional medicine was vast and profound, filled with mysteries. She lost herself in the reading.


    Noticing her fascination, Clive observed with a hint of satisfaction. He quietly stepped out without disturbing her and instructed the Walsh family maids not to disturb her.


    The maids were somewhat surprised. The Walsh family had a long-standing rule that only Clive and the next heir could enter the library.


    So, Clive intended to pass the Walsh legacy to a granddaughter who was rted by blood but had grown up outside the family.


    Though the maids didn''t dare speak up, the news spread throughout the Walsh residence like wildfire. When Felicia finally emerged, she had spent the entire day in the library. If it weren''t for her rumbling stomach, she would have hesitated to leave the fascinating medical texts behind.


    Indeed, with such rich resources, there was so much more to learn. As she sat in her wheelchair, a maid, Amber Wheeler, pushed her toward the exit.


    The Walsh residence featured traditional courtyard architecture, exuding ssical elegance.


    Amber pushed Felicia through a connecting corridor when they passed under the Lunar Arch. Just as they were about to move forward, a stone was thrown from a distance and struck the wheelchair.


    She turned her head and saw two teenage boys and a girl standing together in the courtyard, ring at her with expressions filled with hostility and outrage. The girl, Isabe Walsh, raised her chin in disdain and sneered. "So, you''re Felicia?"


    Amber quickly interjected, "Ms. Isabe, remember to be polite. You should call her "Aunt Felicia."


    Felicia was their aunt. Clive had three sons and a daughter.


    The eldest, Jasper Walsh, was the most talented and virtuous. He should have been the rightful heir, but sadly, he had passed away young.


    The second son, Noah Walsh, was a notorious scoundrel who pursued women even in his old age.


    The youngest son, Jake Walsh, was timid and least favored.


    Myra was the youngest daughter of the Walsh family.


    Because Myra was bornte, there was a significant age gap between her and her brothers. This resulted in Myra''s brothers, who could easily be Felicia''s grandfathers, instead bing her uncles.


    As a result, Felicia, who was only slightly older than the younger generation, suddenly found herself elevated to the role of an aunt.


    Felicia couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow and asked Amber, who was behind her, "How old is Grandpa this year?"


    Amber replied, "Mr. Walsh Senior is in histe 80s, around 86."


    That exined a lot. Felica nodded, then asked, "Which families do these little ones belong to?"


    At her description, Isabe, who had just called Felicia by her name, became indigent. "Hey, who are you


    217


    calling little ones?" she eximed.


    Amber stifled augh and exined, "The one in white is her brother, while the other two are a pair of twins. They are Mr. Noah''s grandchildren. Mr. Jake has none since he''s unmarried." Felicia raised an eyebrow, noticing that they were all spoiled teenagers who looked around 14 or 15 years old. She wasn''t much older than them, but now she had the title of "aunt". Since that was the case, as an elder, it was only fitting that she teach these kids a lesson.


    Tilting her chin, Feliciazily said, "Whoever threw that stone, step forward."


    The three of them exchanged nces, clearly unwilling to confess.


    "Fine then," Felicia said. Not holding back, she casually picked up a small stone from a nearby flowerbed, holding it in a way that suggested she was ready to throw it at them. Being just kids, the moment they sensed she was serious, they immediately backed away and slyly pushed out a scapegoat.


    "She threw it. It was her," they shouted.


    As they spoke, the three of them pushed a girl, Roberta Walsh, out from behind the bushes..


    As Felicia caught sight of Roberta, she froze in surprise. She wondered how it was possible for their paths to cross again.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 39

    Roberta, who was pushed out, had bruises on her hands and feet.


    She stumbled and fell to the ground, her long ck hair obscuring half her face. She appeared timid, trembling slightly, like a frightened rabbit. Felicia immediately recognized the girl as the one she had rescued from the vige, only for her to abandon Felicia and escape on her own She had thought they would never cross paths again, yet here they were..


    Fate truly had a strange way of working.


    At that moment, Amber stepped in to introduce, "Ms. Felicia, she''s also part of Mr. Noah''s family, but.... she''s the illegitimate child named Roberta Walsh."


    "Six months ago, Mrs. Walsh sent her abroad for studies. However, just a few days ago, she suddenly returned home, covered in injuries and iming she had been robbed on the way back." "Study abroad?" Felicia thought.


    Studying Roberta''s situation, she couldn''t help butugh. The moment she learned Roberta was the illegitimate child, everything became clear.


    It was just another story from a wealthy family-the legitimate wife couldn''t ept the illegitimate daughter, so she used studying abroad as a cover to send her off to human traffickers, allowing her to be bullied.


    But it was that man''s infidelity that caused all this. Felicia got out of her wheelchair and hobbled toward


    Roberta.


    Roberta, sitting on the ground, kept her head down. She recognized Felicia but didn''t dare look up until Felicia stood before her.


    Trembling, she slowly raised her head and tearfully said, "Felicia, no, Aunt Felicia... I''m sorry..."


    She kept murmuring. I''m sorry."


    In that endless night of despair, she panicked and escaped without thinking, leaving Felicia behind.


    Roberta choked on her sobs, covering her face as she cried, "I''m really sorry.."


    Felicia closed her eyes. She understood Roberta''s fear and despair at that moment. After being Imprisoned and tortured for six months, finally seeing a glimmer of hope, she just wanted to escape at any cost.


    Wanting to survive was not wrong. Yet, as the one who had been betrayed, Felicia understood but couldn''t forgive.


    Felicia sighed and reached out to help Roberta up, but she stubbornly knelt on the ground, wanting to


    atone in this manner.


    Felicia said helplessly, "I''m injured and can''t stand steadily. I can''t hold you up, so please get up."


    Hearing this, Roberta quickly stood, afraid of putting any weight on Felicia. Her face was filled with shame as she urgently asked, "Felicia, no, Aunt Felicia, are you seriously injured? Will there be any aftereffects?" Felicia found it amusing and replied, "What if there are?


    "I would work my whole life to make it up to you," Roberta said. Tears were still on her face, but her


    1


    Choop 30


    expression was serious.


    Felicia shook her head and said, "Don''t worry about that. My injury isn''t serious. I''ll be fine in no time."


    Upon hearing her words, Roberta breathed a sigh of relief. Then she said, "Thank goodness you''re okay. Otherwise, I would feel guilty for the rest of my life..." Felicia didn''t catch thest part she said clearly. Just as she was about to ask, a morous middle-aged woman approached from the direction of the Lunar Arch. The woman wore a dress, draped in a fur coat, and walked in high heels, exuding an air of wealth.


    Upon seeing her, Roberta''s body trembled as if she had been electrocuted. Fear was etched into her being.


    Felicia observed quietly, guessing that this woman was Noah''s daughter-inw. In terms of seniority, she was Felicia''s sister-inw. Her name was Talia Tomlinson. As soon as


    appeared, she ignored Felicia and scolded Roberta, "Don''t you know we have guests? The kitchen is so busy, you should help out." "I''ll go right away."Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Roberta started to leave but was called back. "And remember to wash my clothes. They''re made of silk. and need to be hand-washed."

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 40

    "Okay," Roberta replied meekly and quickly walked away.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    One might think that being brought back as an illegitimate child would grant her some status, but Roberta''s position in the Walsh family was worse than that of the maids. With so many around, there was no reason for her to doundry.


    Chefs in the kitchen, there was no need for her help. Likewise, with so many m


    This was just Talia''s way of deliberately tormenting her,


    That was only the tip of the iceberg, merely what was visible on the surface. Felicia wondered how Talia treated her behind the scenes.


    Felicia returned to her wheelchair, Ignoring her middle-aged sister-inw. After all, there was a vast generational gap. They had nothing to discuss.


    Amber pushed Felicia into the main hall. Inside, Noah''s family and Jake were gathered, looking like a crowded assembly.


    Clive sat in a grand chair, surrounded by the three children from earlier. They were reporting to him with exaggerated tales of how Felicia had mistreated them.


    Talia entered the main hall just in time. Upon hearing this, she exploded with anger. "What? Who dares to hit my precious three?"


    The three children pointed at Felicia in unison. Before Talia could explode, Clive interjected, "What''s wrong with teaching you a lesson? You''re a bunch of rude kids, and you don''t even call her ''Aunt Felicia? "Great-grandpa..."


    The three of them looked utterly wronged and tried to y the sympathy card. However, Clive ignored their antics and remained stern, even dropping a bombshell.


    "From now on, I''ll have your aunt take over the Walsh family. If you don''t treat her with respect, you might end up with nothing. Think carefully about that."


    His words were directed not just at the children but also at the adults in Noah''s family and Jake. Jake didn''t care much. He was often overlooked and rarely spoke up.


    But Noah''s family couldn''t hold back. Talia was the first to stand up in protest. "Grandpa, are you out of your mind? Do you want to give the family fortune to an outsider, a Fuller? Don''t forget you still have sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons." Clive calmly took a sip of tea and replied, "The rules of the Walsh family state that whoever can inherit the medical center can inherit the family. If you''re all useless, don''t me others."


    He added, "And whether herst name is Fuller or Walsh, my granddaughter is still my descendant."


    It was true, but the other members of the Walsh family couldn''t ept that.


    Especially Noah''s family, who had many descendants. They thought they were guaranteed to be the heirs, believing that even if they couldn''t inherit the medical center, Clive wouldn''t leave them with nothing. Then, out of nowhere, a wild card appeared.


    With numerous eyes watching her, Felicia felt a bit helpless. She hadn''t expected Clive to say such a thing, effectively making her a target for their resentment.


    "Grandpa, what you''re saying is a bit premature. I only want to learn medicine. I''m not interested in taking


    Chapter 40:


    over anything."


    The atmosphere had turned tense. Felicia didn''t dare stay for dinner, fearing someone might poison her.


    "Grandpa, I''ll pass on the meal. I need to head back. My college sses will start soon, and I still have things to prepare."


    As Felicia got up to leave, Clive couldn''t keep her there. He sighed and sent a driver, Charlie Freeman, to take her home. On the way, she stopped at a street vendor and bought two sandwiches. Having not eaten all day, she was hungry and wanted something to munch on. Felicia took a big bite of a


    sandwich, and as she turned, she unexpectedly a Stephan.


    Her heart skipped a beat, and memories flooded back of the day in the helicopter when Stephan had been cold and unyielding.


    He had pressed on her wound, his voice icy andced with a warning-there would be no second chances.


    Felicia quickly looked away, not daring to provoke him. She hurried back into the car, urging Charlie to leave.


    After she left, Mike appeared from the side,ughing. "Looks like you scared that youngdy pretty badly. Stephan. She ran away as soon as she saw you. What did you do to her?"

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 41

    Stephan shot Mike a nce, his tone light and dismissive. "It''s not what I did to her. It''s that she wanted


    to throw herself at me."


    Mike''s ears immediately perked up. "Go on, tell me more."


    "Get lost."


    "How stingy," Mike muttered, disappointed at not hearing any juicy gossip.


    Then, as if remembering something, he raised an eyebrow. "If nothing unexpected happens, Ms. Fuller will soon be engaged to my nephew, Arnold. She''s about to be part of the Lawson family." The news of Matthew proposing the engagement between her and Arnold had already spread throughout Khogend. Even though Felicia had rejected it at the time, it didn''t seem to matter.


    Everyone else saw her refusal as being ungrateful, ying hard to get. To outsiders, this engagement was as good as set in stone.


    Stephan''s lips curved into a faint, amused smile. "But what if something unexpected does happen?"


    "Unlikely. My grandfather personally investigated Felicia''s entire background. After that, he was dead set on arranging her engagement to Arnold. And once he makes up his mind, no one can change it."


    Mike clicked his tongue. "Besides, Arnold himself isn''t on board with the whole thing. Just the other day, I overheard him nning to give her a hard time, hoping she''ll back out on her own.


    "I don''t get his logic. Instead of confronting our grandfather, the one who forced this engagement on him, he''s making life difficult for that poor girl. He seriously has a twisted mind."


    Talking about Arnold left Mike shaking his head in disdain. "It''s just one of those cruel twists of fate. If Felicia hadn''t been switched at birth, she and Arnold would''ve grown up together as childhood sweethearts. Their engagement would''ve been natural, Such a shame." After ranting for a while, Mike suddenly realized Stephan had earlier responded to hisment about Felicia''s engagement.


    "If nothing unexpected happens, Ms. Fuller will soon be engaged to my nephew, Arnold. She''s about to be part of the Lawson family," he had said.


    Mike thought, "What if something goes wrong?"


    He gasped dramatically, narrowing his eyes. "Stephan, you''re not interested in Ms. Fuller, are you?"


    Stephan scoffed. "Do I look like I have that much free time?"


    "Good point..." Mike mused.


    There were countless women trying to throw themselves at Stephan, but he was notorious for not showing any interest in them. Not a single woman had ever gotten close to him.


    The thought was even more terrifying. Mike crossed his arms, looking horrified. "Wait, don''t tell me... Do you like men?"


    Stephan gave him a deadpan look. "Where''s my knife?"


    "Kidding, just kidding." Mikeughed nervously, though he quickly put some distance between them.


    Then he said, "My daughter''s waiting at home for me to change her diaper, so I''ll be heading off now."


    Stephan nced at him with disdain and casually tossed a neatly wrapped gift box from the back seat toward him. "For your daughter."


    "Thanks." Mike epted it without hesitation.


    Stephan asked offhandedly, "Your daughter''s one year old now, right? Still no sign of her mother?"


    "None, not a single clue. It''s like she vanished into thin air." Mike smiled bitterly.


    "Sandra''s starting to talk now. She calls for her mom all the time. When she cries, I''m the only one who can calm her down."


    Stephan didn''tment further and simply said, "It''s gettingte. You should head home."


    ""Yeah, will do."


    At the Lawson residence, as soon as Mike walked through the door, a little girl came stumbling toward him. Sandra Lawson reached out with her tiny hands.


    In a sweet, babyish voice, she called out, "Dad."


    Mike''s heart softened immediately. His eyes softened as he scooped her up and kissed her chubby cheeks. "Sandra, did you miss me?"


    "Yeah," Sandra nodded eagerly, the ponytail on top of her head bouncing up and down with her movement. Her cuteness was almost too much to handle.


    Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Felicia had returned.


    Ka''s expression shifted, and she quickly said, "Mom, Dad, why don''t we arrange for Felicia to attend the same college as me? That way, we can look out for each other."


    It seemed she had forgotten that just days ago, Felicia had pped her twice. Her eagerness to mend things relieved their parents and made them appreciate her thoughtfulness. They turned to Felicia and asked, "Licia, what do you think?"


    The college Ka was epted into was the best in Khogend, boasting top-notch educational resources. To get in, one had to either excel academically or have connections-like donating a building or a hefty sum of money.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Ka didn''t believe Felicia could get in on her own ment, so she assumed she would need to rely on connections. Theparison between the two sisters made it clear who was more outstanding


    Worried that Felicia might feel shy about voicing her opinion, Myra confidently dered, "Darling, you should contact the director, Mr. Dickinson, and add Licia''s name. They''re looking to expand the dormitory building, and we can make a donation." "Sure, sure!" Dexter immediately turned to make the call.


    As parents, they had never truly considered or understood Felicia''s past or her abilities. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have made suchments.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 42

    Mike chuckled as he walked inside, cradling Sandra in his arms.


    Just then, Arnold came back from outside. Seeing Mike, who was only seven years older, Arnold respectfully greeted him. "Uncle Mike."


    Mike acknowledged him with a nod and noticed something in Arnold''s hands. He asked, "What do you have there?"


    Arnold instinctively tried to hide it, but realizing the action was too obvious, he replied, "Just a bunch of useless papers I was about to throw away."


    Mike didn''t say anything but fixed Arnold with a scrutinizing gaze that implied, "Go on, keep lying."This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Realizing he couldn''t bluff his way out, Arnold reluctantly revealed the stack of documents. It contained all the background information on Felicia that Matthew had investigated.


    "What do you need this for?" Mike frowned.


    "Nothing much. Just thought I''d take a look," Arnold replied, maintaining hisposure.


    ""Nothing else?"


    "Nope." Arnold smiled, then asked, "Uncle Mike, why are you so interested in this? Are you worried I might cause trouble for Felicia?"


    Mike''s expression turned serious as he lowered his voice. "Arnold, I know you''re unhappy about this engagement because you don''t want your life controlled by someone else. You feel like you''re losing your freedom, which is why you''re refusing topromise.


    "But you should understand that directing your anger at a girl is the least responsible and most shameful thing a man can do. Do you get that?"


    Mike''s words left Arnold''s face shifting between anger and guilt. He clenched the pages tightly and replied, "Uncle Mike, this is my business."


    The implication was clear. He didn''t need Mike''s intervention.


    Mike thought to himself, "What a stubborn fool."


    He shrugged itaff with a scoff. "Fine, as long as you don''t regret it."


    With that, he walked away, holding Sandra in his arms.


    Arnold stood there, his expression darkening. A flicker of disdain crossed his handsome features as he muttered, "Of course, I won''tpromise. That''s why I want her to back off."


    If Felicia hadn''t yed her tricks, Matthew wouldn''t have forced him into this marriage.


    After finishing the two sandwiches, Felicia returned to the Fuller residence. As soon as she walked in, she saw Myra and Dexter holding an eptance letter, their faces beaming with joy. "Ka is truly outstanding. Everyone else is trying so hard to get into the college, but Ka has breezed right in."


    "Exactly! She even ranked third in her school. Amazing! Dexter added proudly,


    Ka, surrounded by Myra and Dexter, smiled broadly. These aplishments were her source of pride. With such excellent grades and remarkable talent, she deserved all the attention. Chapter 42


    Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Felicia had returned.


    Ka''s expression shifted, and she quickly said, "Mom, Dad, why don''t we arrange for Felicia to attend the same college as me? That way, we can look out for each other."


    It seemed she had forgotten that just days ago, Felicia had pped her twice. Her eagerness to mend things relieved their parents and made them appreciate her thoughtfulness.


    They turned to Felicia and asked, "Licia, what do you think?"


    The college Ka was epted into was the best in Khogend, boasting top-notch educational resources. To get in, one had to either excel academically or have connections-like donating a building or a hefty sum of money.


    Ka didn''t believe Felicia could get in on her own merit, so she assumed she would need to rely on connections. Theparison between the two sisters made it clear who was more outstanding.


    Worried that Felicia might feel shy about voicing her opinion, Myra confidently dered, "Darling, you should contact the director, Mr. Dickinson, and add Licia''s name. They''re looking to expand the dormitory building, and we can make a donation." "Sure, sure!" Dexter immediately turned to make the call.


    As parents, they had never truly considered or understood Felicia''s past or her abilities. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have made suchments.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 43

    In their subconscious minds, Felicia came from a rough background. Her adoptive parents were nothing but lowlifes, and her good-for-nothing brother, Shawn, had dropped out early to dive into society to make money.


    Given the environment, they assumed Felicia''s academic abilities must be poor. The schools she had attended must have been subpar. It was possible that she hadn''t even managed to get into college.


    So even if Ka didn''t suggest it, they would find a way to ensure Felicia attended the same prestigious college as her, to make sure they both got the best education.


    Felicia replied calmly, "No need."


    Myra assumed Felicia was worried about the cost of donating a dormitory building andughed. "It''s alright, Licia. This money is nothingpared to the great education you''ll receive. Your dad and I will do everything to support you." "Felicia, are you worried about being teased by your ssmates for getting in through connections? Don''t worry, I won''t let them make fun of you."


    Ka was particrly enthusiastic, even trying hard to promote the idea. It seemed she genuinely wanted Felicia to attend the same college.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Felicia smirked slightly. She understood Ka all too well.


    Ka''s eagerness for Felicia to join the same college was likely because there were already rumors swirling around the campus, and they hadn''t even started sses yet.


    This kind of trick was something Felicia had already experienced in her previous life. To her, it looked like a bunch of clowns desperately seeking trouble.


    As Felicia was about to speak, Dexter returned from his phone call. He looked bewildered, and a hint of disbelief crossed his face.


    Myra couldn''t contain herself and asked, "What did Mr. Dickinson say? Did he refuse to ept Licia?"


    "No, it''s not that..."


    "Then is one building not enough? How many do they want?"


    "Not that either..." Dexter seemed lost in thought.


    Myra grew anxious. "Then what do they mean? Just tell us."


    Dexter''s gaze shifted to Felicia, his expressionplicated.


    Earlier, when he mentioned donating a building to help Felicia get in, ke Dickinson had said, "Mr. Fuller, are you joking? Felicia scored first in the city to get into Khogend College.


    She''s exceptionally talented, and since elementary school, she has been a student that was sought after. To be honest, we nearly fought with other colleges over her."


    Finally, ke added a very cutting remark, "Mr. Fuller, as a parent and a father, how could you not even know your daughter''s grades? I understand you''re busy, but this is quite a neglect of your own child, isn''t it? Dexter felt utterly humiliated.


    After hearing the details of the phone call, Myra gasped in disbelief and said, "No way..."


    Ka''s eyes widened in shock. She ranked third in her school, while Felicia was first in the entire Khogend. That was impossible.


    In her shock, Ka was the first to jump up and question, "That can''t be true. Did you bribe the invigtor?


    "As far as I know, Howell and Tabitha wouldn''t let you attend school, and they didn''t pay a cent for your tuition. If you didn''t cheat, how could you achieve first ce?"


    Felicia raised an eyebrow and smiled. "How do you know your biological parents didn''t let me attend. school or pay for my tuition, huh?"


    She hadn''t even said anything, and Ka had already revealed so much. It was a ssic case of putting her foot in her mouth.


    Myra was stunned. "Is that true? How did I not know about this?"


    After discovering that her biological daughter had been switched at birth, Myra immediately sought Felicia''s whereabouts. Once the paternity test results were confirmed, she even investigated Howell''s and his family''s background. She only found out they were lowlifes who specialized in scams and were avid gamblers. Beyond that, they knew nothing of Felicia''s upbringing


    She wondered how Ka knew all this.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 44

    Even Dexter was momentarily stunned, staring at Ka


    She wished she could p herself for speaking without thinking, but now the words were out. She could only carefully exin, "Dad, Mom, I just found out and hadn''t had the chance to tell you yet."


    "Where did you hear that?"


    "Uh, well..." Ka bit her lip.


    She had intended to make up an excuse, but Myra and Dexter were already upset. Their expression turned serious and persistent.


    Under pressure, she finally admitted and said, "I heard it from ssmates in a group."


    "What group?"


    Ka hesitated but reluctantly handed over her phone


    In that group, Felicia''s name was everywhere. The most striking announcement contained detailed information about Felicia''s background, revealing all the hardships she had faced growing up-far too much to fit on a few pages. Myra covered her mouth in shock as she read through the posts, her heart sinking with every line.


    Her biological daughter was with another family, deprived of food and clothing. At such a young age, she had to do chores, earn money, and even endure beatings...


    Additionally, the group circted several photos of Felicia looking shabby and unkempt.


    These were the points that fueled the relentless attacks on Felicia in the group, filled with cruel insults that were hard to read. Terms like "hick", "country bumpkin", and "dreamer hoping to rise above her station were thrown around with abandon.


    Myra was furious, wishing she could jump through the screen and confront these bullies.


    Dexter''s gaze turned intense as he scrutinized Ka, suspicion creeping into his voice. "Ka, tell me the truth. Is this group set up to bully Felicia?"


    Ka''s heart raced. She hadn''t expected him to see through her. She regretted speaking her initial thoughts out loud.


    If she couldn''t cover up this mess, Myra and Dexter would surely harbor resentment toward her.


    Feeling wronged, she said, "Dad, I don''t know. I was just added to the group, and I tried to defend Felicia several times. However, they flooded the chat so quickly that no one paid attention to me..." There was indeed evidence to check. Scrolling back through the chat history, there was a message from Ka that read, "Please don''t talk about my sister like that."


    Dexter''s expression softened slightly, but he asked a sharper question, "Ka, if you knew these people had such malicious intentions toward Felicia, why did you insist on having her join this college?" It was hard not to question Ka''s intentions.


    Even Myra was momentarily taken aback, increasingly uneasy as she pondered the implications.


    Ka began to cry. A mix of indignation and frustration marred her face. She shouted, "Why am I being med for everything? This isn''t my fault. Mom, Dad, you''re being too biased."


    Dexter remained silent, his demeanor firm, expecting an exnation from her.


    Ka choked back tears and said again, "Khogend College is the best college in Khogend. Who wouldn''t want to attend? We can''t just stop learning because of a few rumors, can we? I was only trying to help Felicia. How did I be the viin?" Her exnation was logical and persuasive. Coupled with her tears, she effectively garnered sympathy, making it hard for anyone to find fault with her. In fact, Dexter might even need to apologize to Ka.


    As expected, Dexter felt a bit awkward and said, "Alright, alright, it''s my fault. Please stop crying."


    Ka ignored him, her eyes red from crying.


    Myra red at Dexter, ming him for being too aggressive.


    At that moment, Feliciaughed and cut to the chase, want to know who managed to dig up all this information about me and who leaked it."Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    1

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 45

    Chapter


    45


    To gather such detailed information on Felicia indicated that the instigator''s background was far from. ordinary. Spreading this information as ckmail showed malicious intent.


    At that time, Felicia had been returned to the Fuller family as the true heiress, transforming from a girl from a poor neighborhood into the daughter of a wealthy family. There would undoubtedly be jealousy


    Not to mention Ka''s numerous supporters-those people would go to great lengths to bully and iste Felicia just to stand up for Ka


    This situation could escte quickly. If the victimcked mental resilience, prolonged harassment could potentially lead to severe psychological issues. Over time, they might be increasingly insecure, causing their grades to plummet and possibly driving them to extreme measures.


    Dexter pondered for a moment and asked, "Could it be Melvin?"


    Given Melvin''s earlier attempt to kidnap Felicia, he was a prime suspect. Moreover, he could easily orchestrate such a scheme with the Chavez family''s influence.


    Ka let out a sigh of relief and innocently replied, "Maybe."


    Myra was about to bang her fist on the table when Felicia calmly interjected, "It''s not him."


    "Why are you so sure?" Myra asked, confused. "Licia, do you know who''s behind this?"


    Felicia nodded and named Arnold. It could only be him. Myra and Dexter exchanged nces, their expressions revealing shock.


    Just recently, at the banquet, Matthew had publicly proposed a union between Felicia and Arnold. They had refrained from agreeing then due to concerns for Ka, but now it seemed they had no reason to consent.


    A forced marriage was never sweet.


    Arnold must have had feelings for someone else. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have resorted to such despicable tactics against Felicia


    Dexter, looking prideful, dered, "I will refuse that proposal from Mr. Lawson Senior, I will never agree to this marriage."


    Myra echoed his sentiments. "Rather than forcing a mismatched union, it''s better to support Ka and Arnold. They seem to be a couple in everyone''s eyes anyway."Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Ka''s heart raced at these words. It seemed that the things she identally said were not entirely bad. At least they had reinforced Myra and Dexter''s resolve to prevent Felicia from marrying Arnold.


    So, Arnold was still hers, and no one could take him away. This could be considered a blessing in disguise.


    For the first time, Felicia found Myra and Dexter''s words ''quite pleasant. As long as they understood that they should refuse the marriage, whoever wanted that engagement could have it.


    In the end, under Myra''s watchful eye, Ka reluctantly recorded the ounts and the insults directed at Felicia from the group chat. Dexter personally sent this Information to ke.


    Most of those involved were freshmen at Khogend College. Secretly ndering a ssmate in such a malicious way was disgraceful. Given that Felicia was a prized student in ke''s eyes, they would undoubtedly take strict action. Still feeling uneasy, Myra said, "Licia, when school starts, I''ll have Eugene pick you up and drop you off every day."


    "I choose to stay at the dormitory," Felica replied, a decision she had made long ago.


    Myra was taken aback, and her concern was evident. Staying in a dormitory isn''t asfortable as at home. The food outside isn''t healthy, and I worry about you being bullied.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 46

    Chapter


    46


    Felicia said, "I can take care of myself. After all, I''ve managed to get inrough all these years, haven''t I?"


    Felicia smiled faintly, like a figure shrouded in mist. Though she stood right in front of them, she seemed unreachable.


    Myra and Dexter understood her meaning clearly. Felicia didn''t want to get close to them and certainly didn''t see them as family.


    Myra didn''t dare to push further, afraid of straining their rtionship even more. She reluctantly said, Well, at least you cane home on the weekends, right?"


    "Sure." That was Felicia''s finalpromise.


    It was gettingte, and as Felicia prepared to return to her room, Myra hesitated and asked, "Licia, how did you manage to attend school all these years? How did you pay for the tuition?" The conversation circled back to where it had started.


    Myra quickly added, "I don''t mean anything by it, Licia. just feel heartbroken over what you went through. I hate myself for not knowing sooner..."


    Felicia''s memories shed back to her childhood.


    Everything matched the investigation. Howell and Tabitha had treated her like a ve, someone to beat and scold at will. They would never have allowed her to attend school.


    "When I was very young, they took me to live in a rural area. There was a small school there, set up in a converted house. The tuition was one hundred dors and a piece of smoked ham.


    "I had no money, so I would quietly crouch outside the window and listen, from spring to summer and from summer to winter. That''s how I learned for two years.


    "When I was eight, a kind old woman from the vige gave me one hundred dors and a piece of smoked ham to pay for my tuition."


    Felicia could still remember the old woman''s warm, gentle smile. She was like a fairy godmother from at


    storybook.


    She had patted her head softly and said, "A child who loves to learn should never be let down."


    "I didn''t take the money. That hundred dors was all she had saved from weaving baskets, earned little by little. When she handed it to me, it was in small bills-fifty cents and one-dor notes-wrapped in a thick bundle.


    "Later, Howell made a bit of money from scamming people and took us to live in town. There, I met a wonderful principal who epted me. In return, I earned the top grades each semester and won variouspetition awards in both the town and the city. "After that. Howell and Tabitha realized they had another way to make money-through me. Each time I brought home awards, they saw me as a source of ie. That was how I earned the right to continue my education."


    With such a resilient spirit, Felicia had made it to where she was today. Myra''s shoulders trembled, while Dexter''s brow furrowed in concern.


    Felicia spoke so lightly of her struggles, without a hint ofint or resentment, as if recounting. someone else''s story. Because she had faced so much Indifference, she didn''t want her world to be confined to this small space,


    In her previous life, Felicia yearned for the familial love and affection she had never truly experienced. In the end, she lost herself, humbly pleading for affection and ending up in a tragic situation.


    In this life, it didn''t matter whether her parents loved her. She needed to learn to love herself first.


    After finishing her thoughts, Felicia returned to her room.


    Myra finally couldn''t hold back her tears, feeling heartbroken.


    Ka wanted tofort Myra several times but was ignored. Usually pampered by her parents, this time, she felt utterly invisible.


    She couldn''t help butugh in frustration. She had to admit that Felicia''s act of ying the victim was impressive. With just a few words, she made Myra and Dexter want to give everything to make up for it.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    It was quite touching.


    Ka smiled coldly. A moment of guilt and sorrow couldn''tpare to 18 years of careful nurturing and protection.


    She thought to herself, "Just wait and see. I wouldn''t lose."


    Especially with the college starting soon, she had more than one surprise gift prepared for Felicia.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 47

    Before they knew it, the first day of college arrived. After much coaxing from Ka, she insisted that Myra and Dexter apany her instead of having Eugene take her.


    "Mom, Dad, you promised me before that no matter how busy you are, you would always put your work aside to be with me. You''ve always done that since I was little. How can you go back on your word now?" Dexter and Myra exchanged nces, unsure of how to respond.


    They had initially nned to apany Felicia since she had chosen to stay at the dormitory and had many things to settle, and they were genuinely concerned about leaving her alone.


    Ka seemed to sense their hesitation. With her head down, she feigned disappointment and said, "It''s okay. I can go by myself. You two should go with Felicia. I don''t mind..."


    As the beloved daughter of the Fuller family, Ka had been doted on since childhood. From her preschool performances to every major event over the years, Myra and Dexter had never missed a


    a single one, especially not something as significant as the first day of college.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Yet this time, they were leaving her behind. The contrast was striking.


    Watching Ka hold back tears while forcing a smile, Myra''s heart ached. She offered apromise. How about this? Dad can go with you, and I''ll go with Felicia. That way, it''s fair."


    Ka pouted but reluctantly agreed. "Okay, fine..."


    Once she had calmed Ka, Myra went to knock on Felicia''s door. When she pushed it open, the room was eerily empty. The bed was neatly made, and there were hardly any belongings in sight, making it look as though Felicia had never been there at all. The maid said, "Mrs. Fuller, Ms. Felicia got up early and went to college by herself."


    Myra frowned. "We promised herst night that we would go with her today..."


    Although she said this, Myra felt relieved inside. After all, she had promised Felicia that she and Dexter would apany her to college, but circumstances had shifted at thest minute.


    It was unclear whether Felicia had anticipated this change and left without saying goodbye.


    "Let''s head out too," Myra said, linking her arm with Dexter''s and wrapping her other arm around Ka. Ka nced back and asked innocently, "Mom, where''s Felicia?"


    "Felicia has already gone to college."


    "Oh..." Ka said with a smile, "Don''t worry. Felicia is independent and capable. She can handle anything on her own. Unlike me, I get lost easily and can''t read people well at all. Last time, I almost got scammed out of my money..."


    Myra couldn''t help butugh as she gently poked Ka''s forehead. "From a young age, you''ve always made people worry. It''s impossible not to care."


    Ka stuck her tongue out yfully. After all, the child who cried got the candy. Even parents couldn''t help but favor the one who appeared weaker and more vulnerable.


    She maintained her persona and asked, "Mom, when are we visiting the Lawson residence? We should clear things up with Mr. Lawson Senior, or else rumors will spread, and it won''t be good for Felicia."


    "Tomorrow." The engagement lesue needed to be resolved quickly.


    Chap 43


    Dexter took the lead and said, "I''ll have my assistant prepare some gifts. We can all go together and have a proper discussion with Mr. Lawson Senior." "Okay."


    When Felicia stepped onto campus, a few upperssmen were directing the new students.


    Upon seeing her, one girl nudged the boy beside her, and they exchanged nces, whispering something to each other.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 48

    Chapter


    48


    It was not just them. Even the people nearby were whispering and pointing at her.


    Felicia overheard someone say, "Look, isn''t that the one from the photos? The real heiress from the wealthiest family, Felicia Fuller?"


    Another voice added, "I heard this real heiress just got back and already snatched her sister''s fianc¨¦. How shameless! It''s not like she did anything remarkable. She''s just lucky to be born into a rich family" "Isn''t it great to go from rags to riches? One moment, she''s just a country bumpkin, and now she''s a refined heiress. Tsk, tsk."


    Thanks to Amold, all of Felicia''s past and information had been spread around, making it impossible for her to stay unnoticed.


    At school, there were various cliques. Those from wealthy families or prestigious backgrounds looked down on Felicia. They thought that being seen with her would lower their status since she came from the countryside. Meanwhile, students from more average or modest backgrounds kept their distance from Felicia, fearing that the bacsh aimed at her might unintentionally affect them as well.


    Many students chose to ally with Ka, defending her fiercely.


    They questioned how the real heiress could return and im everything that belonged to the false one. After all, the mix-up at birth made Ka just as innocent.


    Felicia kept her gaze straight ahead, As long as they didn''t confront her directly, she could pretend she hadn''t heard a thing.


    As she was about to head to her dormitory afterpleting her registration, three boys blocked her path. The leader, dressed head to toe in designer clothes, clearly exuded the air of a wealthy scion.


    Felicia nced over and recognized him immediately-it was Melvin, Ka''s number one admirer.


    To put it simply, thest time she was kidnapped, it was Melvin who had instructed Lance to do it. She hadn''t sought revenge on him, but now he seemed eager to confront her.


    Melvin stepped closer, sizing Felicia up. He scoffed and said, "You''re quite resilient, aren''t you? Surprised you made it out


    Felicia rolled her eyes and pretended to clean her ears I can''t hear you. Are you barking like a dog?"


    If he was brave enough, he should reveal the details of her kidnapping. That way, she could record it as


    evidence


    Melvin wasnt foolish. He knew Felicia was trying to provoke him


    With a sneer, he said. "I don''t hit women, but if you dare to touch someone I care about, you''ll definitely learn a lesson


    Ever since Ka mentioned that Felicia had pped her twice without a second thought, Melvin had been waiting for this moment Though hitting a woman mightck decorum, he feltpelled to act in defense of Ka, wanting to show her his genuine feelings. Melvin raised is hand high Just as it was about tond squarely on Felicia''s face, she reached out and famly grabbed his wrist. 22


    rough the back of his hand, leaving him.


    conds, initially thinking Felicia was trying to scare


    > had truly prated his palm.


    edles had pierced through his palm without


    er, he didn''t dare to make another move. Instead, o get her. If we don''t break her other leg today, I''ll


    w to appreciate her kindness. She was performing


    ed toward Felicia.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 49

    ed toward Felicia. Chapter


    49


    Felicia''s leg injury hadn''t fully healed yet, and using herbat skills against this group of inexperienced. opponents seemed like overkill.


    Hitting them would only worsen the strain on her injured calf. Feeling a bit generous, she decided to give each of them a couple of silver needles for some acupuncture treatment.


    The result was oddly symmetrical, even satisfying to those with OCD.


    At that moment, Melvin''s eyes widened in shock. The first two needles that had just pricked him could be seen as a fluke, but the next four also drew no blood This demonstrated a skill that only someone with real talent could possess.


    He swallowed hard and instinctively stepped back. He had ordered Lance to kidnap Felicia, but now she was unharmed while Lance''s crew hadn''t contacted him since.


    He wondered if Felicia had silenced them.


    The thought sent a chill down his spine. He yelled, "What did you do to me, you witch? Get these needles out of me now."


    The pain was intense, and he feared his hand might be permanently damaged.


    Felicia smirked. "Oh, you''re scared now? Maybe when you admit your mistake, I''ll help you out."


    With that, she walked past them, heading straight ahead. Melvin wanted to stop her, but the pain in his hand held him back as he watched her walk away. "Damn, this country bumpkin is tougher than I thought," he muttered.


    "What should we do, Mr. Chavez? Is your hand going to be okay? Should we go to the medical center? His twockeys were sweating, both anxious and afraid.


    Frustrated, Melvin snapped and said, "Let''s go to the medical center."


    Coincidentally, his father had been suffering from headachestely. He had nned to invite Clive from Harmony Medical Center to visit for a consultation, but for some unknown reason, Clive hadn''t been responding andpletely ignored him. Taking this opportunity, he decided to go to Harmony Medical Center to get the needles removed, and then he could finally get Clive to visit his father.


    Maybe his father would be pleased with his thoughtfulness and surprise him with a new car.


    "Let''s go."


    At that moment, Hubert Chavez, Melvin''s father, had personallye to the Harmony Medical Center. He was there to find Clive, as he had sent several requests to him that had all gone unanswered.


    Reluctantly, Hubert had to visit the medical center himself. However, when he finally met Clive, he simply sipped his tea and replied coldly. "I''m not going to give you any consultations."


    Hubert was taken aback and asked, "Mr. Walsh Senior, have I offended you in some way? Is it the consultation fee? Why won''t you treat me?"This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Clive didn''t even bother to nce up. He sneered as he said, "You should ask your son."


    Hubert finally realized the problem. He knew exactly what kind of trouble his son caused daily.


    He quickly added, "Mr. Walsh Senior, if that rascal did something wrong, I apologize on his behalf. I''ll definitely give him a good talking-toter."


    Clive scoffed, remaining unmoved.


    At that moment, Clive''s assistant, Damon Grant, who stood behind him, seized the moment to speak up. Mr. Chavez, you might not know this. But your son kidnapped Mr. Walsh Senior''s granddaughter, Felicia Fuller, a few days ago. "Ms. Fuller ended up getting shot. If it weren''t for her good fortune, who knows what might have happened


    Damon smiled and gestured to indicate that Hubert should go. "So, Mr. Chavez, I think you should take your leave."


    Hubert took a deep breath, realizing the extent of Melvin''s misdeeds. He had raised one disgraceful child. At that moment, Melvin swaggered into Harmony Medical Center, nked by his twockeys. As soon as he stepped inside, he started shouting for Clive to treat him. His voice echoed all the way to the second floor.


    No one responded the first time he shouted, and just as he was about to yell again, he saw his fathering out of Clive''s office.


    "Dad, what are you doing here?"


    Melvin was surprised, oblivious to the dark expression on Hubert''s face. He raised his hand, showing off


    the two needles embedded in it.


    He continued, "Dad, look at my hand. It hurts so much. I don''t even know how that country bumpkin did/ this. Once I get these needles out, I''ll make her pay."

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 50

    Hubert smiled and asked, "Is the ''country bumpkin'' you''re talking about Felicia?"


    "Wait, Dad, how did you know? Melvin was surprised and was about to tter his father more, but then, he got a few hard ps to the face.


    "Dad, stop hitting me. Ouch, that hurts-Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Melvin was yanked by his ear and kicked by Hubert, sending him right in front of Clive.


    Hubert reprimanded him firmly as he asked, "What have you done, you rascal? I usually let you get away with your antics, but now you think you can y the kidnapper?"


    Hearing this, Melvin finally understood why he was being punished. His first reaction was, "So it was Felicia, that country bumpkin, who reported me?"


    And he received another round of punishment for that:


    Panting, Hubert turned to Clive and said, "I''m really sorry, Mr. Walsh Senior. I promise this kind of thing will never happen again."


    With that, he red at Melvin. "Apologize to Mr. Walsh Senior."


    Reluctantly, Melvin mumbled an apology. Anyone could tell he was submitting reluctantly, still feeling defiant inside.


    He hadn''t done anything wrong, so there was no reason for him to apologize.


    Clive''s expression remained unreadable as he nced at the time and stood up to leave. "I need to go out of town for a few days. I have an emergency patient waiting for my help. I can''t stay any longer." Once he left for this trip, he wouldn''t be back for at least three to five days.


    With that, Hubert felt a jolt of panic and quickly chased after Clive. "Mr. Walsh Senior, you can''t do this. You have to help me too. I''m waiting for your help.''


    Clive didn''t look back, but as he walked out with Damon, he replied, "My granddaughter, Felicia is the heiress of Harmony Medical Center.


    "Don''t be fooled by her youth. She has incredible medical skills. If you really want help, you should ask her.


    Clive got into the car and headed straight for the airport.


    Hubert stood there, feeling the wind hit him and his headache worsening.


    Melvin scoffed and said, "Dad, isn''t there any other medical master in Khogend? Do we really have to beg


    him?"


    Hubert was too frustrated to deal with Melvin,


    He had consulted many other doctors, and they had all said the same thing-that his health was fine and there was nothing wrong. They had merely checked his pulse and confirmed that everything was normal. Hubert was suffering from a terrible headache. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have repeatedly asked Clive for a diagnosis.


    He looked at Melvin with frustration and said coldly, "Of all the people to offend, why did you have to pick Mr. Walsh Senior''s granddaughter?"


    Even the most powerful and influential figures in Khogend would be respectful and polite when meeting a


    CHAVED


    medical master of Clive''s caliber, addressing him as "Mr. Walsh Senior".


    No one dared to offend him so easily.


    "It seems I have no choice but to ask this girl, Felicia, for help."


    "Dad, are you joking? Ask her? No way, I''m not going!"


    "You-"


    Hubert was so angry he could hardly speak. He wanted to shout that if Melvin hadn''t offended her, Clive would have already seen him, and they wouldn''t be in this situation today. But before he could say it, Hubert suddenly fell backward.


    "Dad!"


    Ignoring the pain from the needles still in his hand, Melvin rushed to catch him. They both ended up crashing to the ground.


    Melvin''s hand bled a little, but he was fine. However, Hubert was unconscious with his eyes closed. "Go find Felicia! Hurry and bring her here."


    Melvin shouted at his twockeys. When he saw them frozen in shock, he panicked. "You two, inside. I''ll go look for Felicia."


    lift my dad

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 51

    Felicia was familiar with everything on campus. She didn''t need anyone to guide her and quickly found the dormitory assigned by the college.


    After all, as the top student from Khogend, she was given a standalone room, which had a pleasant environment.


    After unpacking a few things, she headed to the cafeteria for a meal. Coincidentally, Ka was


    as also there.


    There was no sign of Dexter or Myra nearby. They had likely dropped her off at college, checked that


    everything was fine, and then went back to their respective workces o


    Since it was still early, the cafeteria was rtively empty. Ka spotted Felicia immediately and waved her over. "Felicia."


    Felicia pretended not to hear her. After getting her food, she found a clean table and sat down to eat slowly, ignoring the surrounding noise.


    Ka awkwardly dropped her hand, looking embarrassed.


    The two young women, Selena Potter and Tasha Guzman, sitting across from immediately grabbed her arm, ring at Felicia with indignation. Then, they said, "Ka, you''re just too nice. You treat her like at sister, and shepletely ignores you. "Exactly! You''re too easy to bully, and that outsider is taking everything from you. If you don''t start standing up for yourself, your fiance might leave you."


    "I..." Ka bit her lip, looking pitiful enough that onlookers might think she was mistreated in the Fuller, residence.


    "Just wait, we''ll get back at her."


    Selena and Tasha exchanged nces, then stood up and headed toward Felicia. They casually picked up a half-eaten tray that contained leftover noodles and soup.


    Their intentions were clear.


    Students around them whistled, enjoying the spectacle. They pped the tables as they shouted, "Let''s see a fight. Go for it!"


    Some even took out their phones to record. Ka looked anxious but felt rooted to the spot, only managing to shout, "Hey, don''t! Come back."


    But no one listened to her. Selena and Tasha stood in front of Felicia, malicious smiles on their faces as they raised the tray high.


    As the soup threatened to ssh over Felicia''s head, she continued to eat quietly, showing no signs of retaliation


    Suddenly, a pair of delicate fair hands reached out and forcefully pushed the tray back before the soup could spill. In the next moment, the tray crashed down onto the faces of Selena and Tasha.


    "Ah!" They screamed and stumbled back, but it was toote. Their faces and clothes were covered in greasy soup.


    Felicia nced over and saw that the person who had acted was another young woman. She wore a ck baseball cap pulled low over her face, hiding most of her features.


    Despite the disguise, she was quickly recognized.


    "Isn''t that Carmen O''Brien from sophomore year? I heard she''s been messing around with a lot of people outside school..."Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    "Yeah, that''s her. I''ve seen her videos. They''re quite something, tsk, tsk."


    "Samuel, I have a friend who wants to see that. Can you send me a copy?"


    The surrounding voices rose and fell, stirring up amotion like a tidal wave crashing ashore.


    Carmen, whose expression was hidden by her cap, remained unreadable.


    Selena and Tasha, covered in soup, were furious, their voices sharper now. "Carmen, who asked you to meddle? Have you forgotten the ugly things you''ve done? Instead of hiding like a rat, you dare toy hands on us?" "Like attracts like." Tasha shot a re at Felicia, then red at Carmen with a cold smirk. "Hmph, no wonder you all stick together. You''re all the same kind of trash."


    Felicia wiped her mouth and stood up, her gaze sweeping over the crowd. Her gaze was chilling and sharp as she asked, "Have you said enough?" With that:Selena and Tasha huffed and turned to leave.


    Seeing the situation had calmed down, Carmen adjusted her cap and prepared to leave as handed her a napkin and said, "Here, wipe your face." well. Felicia

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 52

    yb


    Carmen finally realized that her hands had also gotten a bit greasy when she flipped the tray. However, Carmen didn''t take the napkin offered, nor did she even nce at Felicia before turning around and leaving. Felicia watched Carmen walk away alone and let out a soft sigh.


    Ka, standing at the back of the crowd, had been hoping to see Felicia suffer a bit this time. If nothing else, at least humiliate her a little. But to her dismay, Selena and Tasha, her two useless friends, had been beaten so quickly. As she racked her brain for ways to make things harder for Felicia, her gaze shifted andnded on Melvin, who was rushing into the cafeteria in a hurry.


    Ka immediately approached him, her voice sweet and soft. "Melvin, why did it take you so long to get here? I''ve been waiting forever."


    The day before college started, Ka had secretly urged Melvin to lead the charge against Felicia. She wanted to make sure Felicia wouldn''tst long at this college. Being her most loyal admirer, Melvin had naturally agreed without hesitation. Now seemed like the perfect opportunity.


    Ka was about to speak when she noticed Melvin anxiously scanning the area for Felicia. He was so distracted that he barely acknowledged her and said, "Ka, I''m actually looking for Felicia. Could you step aside for a bit?" Upon hearing his words, Ka was taken aback. Her smile froze on her face. "You want me... to step


    aside?


    In the past, the moment she appeared, Melvin would hover around her like a fly she couldn''t swat away. But this was the first time he had used such a dismissive tone, asking her to move aside.


    She thought her visible anger would prompt an immediate apology from Melvin, as it always did. Yet, to her surprise, he simply nodded and said, "Yes,"


    Ka was left speechless but managed to hold her temper. Since Melvin was clearly in a rush to find Felicia, she assumed he was going to teach her a lesson on her behalf. If that was the case, she could overlook his rudeness this time. "Go ahead, Melvin. But don''t disappoint me," she said with a sharine smile.


    On the other side of the cafeteria, the noise hadn''t died down. In fact, it was only growing louder.


    However, this time, the scandal surrounding Felicia seemed insignificantpared to the rumors about Carmen.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    A group of guys gathered together to watch the so-called video, eximing in surprise. "Damn, who would''ve thought Carmen looks so innocent but is actually so wild behind the scenes."


    *This is insane. Send it to me. I need a copy to share with my buddies. They''re going to lose their minds."


    As the group was engrossed in the video, they didn''t notice a fork flying toward them. The guy holding the phone rxed his grip, and the phone was about to smash onto the floor when Felicia swiftly caught it She casually tapped the screen a couple of times, then tossed the phone back.


    plurie st


    The guy nced at it and saw the video was deleted.


    "You-" they were furious


    22


    se in this?


    They cursed, "What the hell does this have to do with you? Why are you sticking your nose Deleting my video? The forums flooded with them. Everyone''s got copies. You think you can delete them all?" Felicia smiled slightly. "Can''t help it. I love hearing dogs bark."


    "You-"


    The group of guys turned red with anger, rolling up their sleeves, ready to fight. Just then, Melvin barged through the crowd, pushing people aside.


    When they saw him, their faces lit up. They called out, "Melvin, didn''t you say at the barst night you were going to make sure Felicia was kicked out of college? That she wouldn''t have a good time here? Well, she''s right here. No more talking. Let''s deal with her now." But what happened next left everyone stunned. Melvin, who was usually arrogant and cared for no one, suddenly dropped to his knees in front of Felicia with a loud thud.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 53

    Melvin suddenly dropped to his knees with a loud thud. The previously bustling cafeteria fell into a dead silence.


    Everyone was dumbfounded, their jaws almost dropping in disbelief. Their hearts raced as they struggled toprehend the scene unfolding before them.


    Hidden in the crowd, Ka gasped, her face reflectingplete disbelief. She thought, "Had he lost his mind? Or was he possessed?"


    Melvin didn''t care about what others thought. He only knew that his father was dying, and with Clive on a flight out of Khogend, the only person who could save Hubert was Felicia. Holding back his tears, Melvin pleaded, "Please, help my dad. I''ll even bow down to you."


    Just an hour ago, he had sent people toer Felicia to teach her a lesson. Days before that, he even had Lance and his crew kidnap her, hoping she would disappear for good. With all the past grievances, Melvin expected Felicia to take this opportunity to humiliate and get revenge on him. But to his surprise, she simply said, "Lead the way." ""Huh?" Melvin was stunned, tears in his eyes.


    As Felicia began to walk away, she turned to see him still standing there and repeated, "Lead the way.


    "Oh, okay." Melvin finally snapped back to reality. He quickly wiped his tears and followed her. The car was waiting at the cafeteria''s entrance, and he promptly opened the door for her.. As they drove away, those witnessing the scene remained in shock, unable toprehend what had just happened.


    Someone in the crowd pieced together the events and murmured, "So, Melvin didn''t like Felicia and tried to target her, but now his dad''s life is in danger and only Felicia can help?"Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    "Wow, what kind of background does Felicia have?" Realizing this, the crowd turned to Ka, who was grinding her teeth in frustration.


    She replied softly, "I have no idea..."


    Ka had heard whispers recently about Felicia frequently visiting the Walsh residence. There were even rumors that Clive had publicly dered Felicia as his sessor and the heiress to the Walsh family. Initially, Ka found thisughable and dismissed it. But now, she realized that this news was likely true. She realized she had underestimated Felicia, failing to grasp the full extent of her background. Given this new information, Ka was even more determined that Felicia couldn''t be allowed to live.


    The car came to a stop in front of Harmony Medical Center. Melvin quickly exited and rushed to open the door for Felicia.


    Felicia''s injury still hadn''t healed, forcing her to slow down as she climbed the steps.


    Melvin felt frantic but dared not rush her, knowing that her injuries were his fault.


    Hubert had copsed right outside Harmony Medical Center. Medical staff quickly rushed him inside and called for the physician. However, strangely enough, Hubert''s pulse was steady, showing no signs of any problem. Initially, the first


    physician thought he had simply missed something and called in another expert.


    Yet, after five or six physicians examined him, they all reached the same conclusion-everything was fine.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 54

    But if there was nothing wrong, it was impossible for Hubert to faint and fall into aa.


    When Felicia entered the ward, several physicians were gathered nearby, discussing treatment ns. Meanwhile, Melvin''s twockeys stood silently by the wall, too afraid to speak.


    On the bed, Hubert had his eyes tightly closed, and hisplexion looked healthy, showing no signs of any issues. Felicia reached out to check his pulse.


    As the physicians saw this, their discussion about treatment paused, One physician, who had never seen Felicia before, shouted angrily, "What are you doing? Who allowed you, a young woman, toe in here? Get out."Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Another person tugged at his arm and whispered, "Mr. Rowe, take it easy. This is Mr. Walsh Senior''s granddaughter, Felicia Fuller. He''s already said that she will inherit the medical center..."


    "Is Mr. Walsh Senior losing his mind?" Ingram Rowe replied coldly, showing no respect for Felicia. "How can a young woman treat someone? Doesn''t she worry about making a fool of herself?"


    "Exactly! Be careful, or you''ll ruin our medical center''s reputation."


    The physicians speaking were those who usually apanied Clive for consultations and were regarded by outsiders as his disciples. Clive was getting old and had no heirs, so it was likely that these disciples would take over the medical center. But then, Felicia came out of nowhere. They were unwilling to ept her as this illegitimate heiress


    Felicia was focused on checking the pulse and didn''t hear the physicians'' subtle attempts to undermine her. Once she withdrew her hand, Melvin hurried forward and asked, "How is he? What''s wrong with my dad?"


    Felicia replied, "From the pulse, there really doesn''t seem to be anything wrong."


    A snicker came from behind.


    Ingram didn''t hide his disdain and said coldly, "You know how to put on a show. You heard us say the patient''s pulse was fine, so you just echoed our words. Are you here to pretend to know something?" Felicia raised an eyebrow. "It seems you have a problem with me."


    "Not just me. We all have a problem with you. Do you think just because you''re Mr. Walsh Senior''s granddaughter you''re better than us? Ridiculous! You haven''t even learned the basics and you dare to treat someone?" Ingram scoffed and dered, "Let me make this clear If you can cure the patient, I''ll dly be your apprentice."


    No one believed in Felicia''s medical skills. Even Melvin had doubts, his face filled with despair as he asked, ''Is my dad going to be okay?"


    Felicia nced at him and casually picked up a silver needle. She said calmly. "What''s the rush? I haven''t finished what I was saying."


    She continued, "From the pulse, there''s no indication of a problem, but... who says this is definitely an Illness? Maybe there''s a little bug causing trouble."


    As soon as she finished speaking, she quickly inserted two needles. To everyone''s shock, something slowly wriggled beneath the skin where the needle had pierced.


    Melvin yelped, copsing onto the floor. "Ah! It''s a bug


    Felicia swiftly removed the needle and sealed the bug in a ss vial, ensuring it wouldn''t escape.


    Just as the bug was extracted, Hubert stirred and slowly opened his eyes. "He''s awake? Is he awake?"


    Ingram watched in disbelief while the others were left speechless, all in awe.


    Felicia wiped her hands and wrote down her ount number for her fee. Turning to Melvin and Hubert, she said, "Make sure to transfer my payment."


    After saying that, Felicia started to leave.


    Finallying to his senses, Ingram hurried after her, his voice filled with uncertainty as he called out, Hey, Felicia. What was that thing you just took out? How did you know the cause of the illness was that little bug?"

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 55

    Felicia understood that Ingram was looking for an answer, but she didn''t appreciate his aggressive a


    and domineering tone. She thought, "Are you the one asking me, or am I asking you."


    Ignoring him, she walked straight out. Ingram quickly realized his tone was inappropriate, and his attitude softened.


    In the medical field, expertise mattered more than age or experience. Skill was what granted authority.


    With the skill Felicia had just disyed, her technique was fluid and precise. Her experience in diagnosing and performing acupuncture far surpassed theirs.


    Ingram, who had previously held many biases against her, now felt humbled. His tone softened to one of respect as he said, "Ms. Fuller, I genuinely want to learn Could I ask you to share some insights? If I encounter a simr situation in the future, I don''t want my ipetence to cost someone their life."


    His w


    words were filled with sincerity.


    Felicia paused and replied, "That type of bug is a kind of parasite that can''t be detected through pulse readings. You have to rely on your experience to identify its habits and treat ordingly.


    "If you truly want to learn, start by reading relevant books about it. When I have some free time, I teach you a few things."


    can


    "Great, thank you, Ms. Fuller." Ingram nodded eagerly His attitude toward her had shifted significantly


    Many in the medical field hoarded their knowledge, unwilling to let others learn their skills. Yet Felicia was open and generous; even a casual remark from her reflected her broad-minded attitude. She waved her hand and left. However, footsteps followed her, and thinking it was Ingram, she turned only to find Melvin.


    Melvin caught up to Felicia, his expression somewhat awkward, but he managed to say, "Felicia, thank you for saving my dad. I really appreciate it."


    Felicia asked, "Did you remove the silver needles from your hand?"


    Melvin hesitated for a moment. He had been too anxious earlier to feel any pain, but now he looked at his palm, which was covered in blood. The realization of the pain hit him, and he yelped in agony. Felicia told him to call over his twockeys, so she could remove the needles from all three of them. She said lightly, "Don''t worry, this is just acupuncture. It''ll help you cool down."Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    After all, they had been quite aggressive earlier, blocking her way and even confronting her, a girl.


    Upon hearing this, Melvin felt a bit shameless, especially after receiving Felicia''s help. He and his twockeys apologized to her.


    Felicia replied, "Just remember to pay the consultation fee."


    She wasn''t interested in epting their apology. The reason she intervened to save Hubert was entirely. due to Clive''s heartfelt concern.


    fami


    To stand up for her, Clive had ignored the power of the Chavez family. He refused to treat Hubert even when Melvin came to plead for him, all to defend Felicia''s honor.


    However, if Hubert really died, it would cause significant trouble. Clive and Felicia would have faced the wrath of the Chavez family, used of standing by and doing nothing. So, while she couldn''t ept any losses, saving him was imperative.


    On her way back to college, Felicia received a payment from the Chavez family-two million dors. It was clear that a wealthy family knew how to be p


    be generous.


    Just as Felicia was about to put her phone away, another payment came in from the Chavez family, and this time it was even more-six million dors. There was a note attached. "Apologies for my son''s previous behavior, Ms. Fuller. Please forgive us."


    Felicia had to admit that Hubert knew how to handle things. She was quite satisfied with this windfall and promptly transferred the money into another ount. That ount quickly replied with a simple message, "Thank you."


    Putting her phone away, Felicia paid for her ride with the spare change she had left.


    Just as she was about to head back to her dormitory, she received a call from Myra. "Felicia,e home. tonight. I''m sending Eugene to pick you up." She asked. "What for?"

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 56

    Myra said, "Tomorrow, I''d like you to visit the Lawson family with me to clear up what happenedst time. Licia, what do you think?"


    "Alright," Felicia replied. Since it was about that issue, she had no reason to decline.


    Soon after, Eugene arrived at the school entrance, and Felicia headed back to the Fuller residence.


    During dinner, Dexter handed her a card and smiled. "Licia, here''s your allowance for this month. There''s five hundred thousand dors in it. Feel free to spend it however you like. If you need more, just let me know."


    Felicia epted the card but had no intention of using any of the money inside.


    One day, she would leave this family that never truly felt like her own. Everything she had taken from them would be returned.


    Dexter, unaware of her thoughts, smiled and said, "Let''s eat."


    Across the table, Ka looked surprised and eximed, "Wow! My card looks different than Felicia''s. Mine is ck-why''s that?"Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Felicia''s card was a regr one with a fixed allowance, In contrast, Ka''s ck card was linked to Myrat and Dexter''s main ount, giving her unlimited ess to funds.


    Dexter coughed lightly, quickly changing the subject. Felicia remained expressionless, revealing nothing of how she felt.


    Meanwhile, Ka picked up a piece of bread from the table and took a bite. With her mouth full, she turned to Myra and said, "Mom, this still doesn''t taste as good as yours. I remember when I was little and super picky. You and Dad always made sure to cook up something special for me."


    Myra nced fondly at Ka. But then, as if recalling something, she quickly nced at Felicia before replying, "Hurry up and eat, Kay. The soup''s getting cold."


    Ka nodded but couldn''t resist another nce at Felicia, subtly unting her ce in the family.


    Whenever Felicia was present, Ka would constantly bring up memories of their family, stories from a time when it was just the three of them.


    Felicia had no part in those memories. It was Ka''s subtle way of reminding her that Felicia was the outsider here.


    But much to Ka''s frustration, Felicia remained indifferent.


    Late at night, the house grew silent.


    After showering and drying her hair, Felicia sat cross-legged on the bed, just like she always did. Her mind drifted back to the books she had been reading in Clive''s library recently.


    She had a photographic memory, able to recall anything she had ever read. With her eyes closed, she immersed herself deeply into the material.


    In her mind, the text came to life. She absorbed every detail-meridians, acupuncture techniques, venomous creatures, and poisons.


    As she focused intensely, beams of shlight flickered outside her window, vanishing after a few seconds. This was followed by the sound of hurried footsteps


    Felicia listened carefully and recognized the footsteps of the Fuller family''s bodyguards. She wondered if


    they were catching a thief.


    The Fuller residence was enormous, with an entire building dedicated to the maids and bodyguards. The bodyguards worked in three shifts. While daytime duties were manageable, nighttime required more extensive patrols to ensure the safety of the residence. Additionally, the residence was surrounded by cameras. Unless the intruder was a master thief or had top-tier hacking skills to disable the cameras, sneaking in unnoticed was nearly impossible.


    Felicia opened her eyes and walked to the window. She nced down and saw the bodyguards diligently patrolling and inspecting the grounds. It seemed someone had indeed broken in. "Not my problem," she thought as she casually closed the window. But as soon as she turned, every hair


    her body stood on end.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 57

    A stranger had appeared in Felicia''s room without a sound.


    The figure was tall and dressed in ck, which blended almost seamlessly with the night, making his fair skin appear even more striking.


    His deep, dark eyes showed a cold weariness, and he looked at her with a hint of amusement that felt more like a yful enigma than a clear expression.


    He seemed like a god descending from the heavens, mysterious and dangerous.


    "Stephan?" Felicia thought. Her heart raced, and she immediately became alert.


    As their eyes met, she struggled to keep herposure and forced augh, "Mr. Russell, are yo


    you lost? Would you like me to show you the way out?"


    She couldn''t help but think back to thest party when Stephan had infiltrated the Fuller residence under a hidden identity. Now, in the dead of night, he had returned in the same stealthy manner. Felicia wondered if there was something in the Fuller residence he was after. His gaze flickered slightly. and he remarked, "You''re not even a bit afraid."


    Naturally, she felt terrified. The sudden appearance of a strange man in her room at this hour was enough to unsettle anyone.


    Yet, Felicia understood the consequences of shouting. If she had called for help, he would have either choked her into silence or knocked her unconscious, leaving her unable to call for assistance. It was better to endure the situation than to face that torment.


    Feigning innocence, she offered, "You must have taken a wrong turn. How about I distract the guards while you slip away?"


    In a swift motion, he stepped closer, towering over her. Felicia instinctively tensed, uncertain which of her words had displeased him.


    With a sardonic smile, he asked, "Don''t you want to know why I''m here?"


    "Not really." Knowing too much could lead to dire consequences. "Besides, the Fuller residence isn''t my


    home."


    Felicia lowered her long, darkshes, concealing her emotions. Her gaze fell to the floor, the dim light from the nightmp cast shadows of her and Stephan on the ground.


    It created an intimate illusion as if they were sharing a kiss.


    Reacting instinctively, Felicia pushed him away.


    But as soon as she did, regret washed over her. Stephan''s expression darkened, and an overwhelming. sense of danger filled the room.


    Felicia''s heart raced with anxiety as she recalled thest time she had encountered Stephan. It was during a helicopter ride that she identally brushed against him, only to receive a harsh warning as he misinterpreted her actions as an attempt to throw herself at him. Now, she found herself in a simr predicament, her hands pressing against his chest in an instinctive bush.


    The firmness of his body startled her. As she took a step back, she feltpelled to exin, "I didn''t mean to do that. Do you believe me?"


    His response was a pointed question. "What do you think?"


    Stephan moved closer once more. This time, his expression was devoid of any hint of amusement.


    Felicia had nowhere left to retreat, and her temper red. She asked, "Is it wrong for me to push you away when you''re standing so close?"


    It was infuriating. She hadn''t even used him of taking advantage of her. "A grown man shouldn''t be so sensitive


    "Did you enjoy that?"Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    "I did."


    ""Now it''s my turn."


    In an instant, Felicia realized the gravity of her words. While she imed to feel satisfied in her retort, she had clearly crossed a line."


    Just as Stephan''s long fingers grazed the cor of her shirt, she felt a jolt. The silver needles hidden in her hand glimmered ominously. Just as she prepared to strike, there was a loud knock at the bedroom door.


    "Licia, open the door. There''s a thief in the house," Myra called out urgently, apanied by the sound of guards searching nearby.


    Upon discovering an intruder, the guards immediately reported to Dexter and Myra.


    To prevent any unforeseen circumstances, the family needed to gather together while the guards conducted a thorough search of the entire residence.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 58

    have time.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Felicia didn''t have time to respond before the sound of keys turning in the door lock echoed through the


    room.


    Panic surged through her.


    She couldn''t let them know Stephan was there. In a moment of desperation, she shoved him into the closet. Then, she quickly jumped onto her bed and grabbed a book from the nightstand. Inside the closet, Stephan was bewildered. The space was cramped, filled with Felicia''s lingering scent-a light, delicate fragrance that was almost floral.


    His jaw tightened, and his lips pressed together. At that moment, Myra and the others burst into the room.


    Felicia frowned while sitting on the bed. She asked, "What''s going on? It''ste."


    Seeing her safe, Myra let out a sigh of relief. "Licia, are you reading? Did you close the window? No one came in during thismotion, right?"


    "No one."Felicia kept her expression calm.


    She put down her book and asked, "What was all that noise? Did someone break in?"


    "Yes, but don''t worry. The guards are handling it. The house is secure.


    "That''s good. I need to sleep now,"


    "Goodnight, Licia," Myra said before retreating with the others.


    Felicia threw back her covers and got out of bed. She carefully locked the door before gently opening the closet.


    She stood before a collection of hanging clothes, where Stephan''s tall figure was forced to bend awkwardly. His expression was one of disdain, clearly exasperated by the situation.


    He was surrounded by a jumble of frilly, colorful dresses, creating aical scene that was oddly amusing.


    However, Felicia''s amusement quickly faded. Stephan stepped out from the cramped space, astonishingly not holding her previous actions against her.


    Instead, he said, "Alright, let''s go."


    Felicia froze, her expression stiffened. "Mr. Russell, let''s be reasonable. I did that to protect you, there was no other intention."


    His lips curled into a sardonic smile, his tone cold and domineering as always. "I don''t y by the rules."


    It was clear that there would be no reasoning with him


    Felicia gritted her teeth. No wonder the rumors about Stephanbeled him as a "living nightmare"


    This man could turn hostile in an instant.


    She asked, "Where are you taking me?"


    Stephan shot her a nce and replied leisurely, "Don''t you know medicine? Come with me to save someone. The payment is one million dors." "One million dors!" Felicia''s eyes widened with excitement.


    Forget the nightmare rumors. This was her sugar daddy


    "Why didn''t you say so sooner?" She quickly tucked away her silver needles and looked up, her smile. bing genuine. "Shall we leave now?"


    Her eyes sparkled like stars. Her face, untouched by makeup, appeared wless and captivating.


    Stephan averted his gaze and tilted his chin, signaling Felicia to open the window.


    Felicia was taken aback. "You want to leave from there?"


    She remembered how Stephan had entered through the same window, but shecked the acrobatic skills. to jump down. As she hesitated, Stephan moved with a swift grace,nding safely on the ground below. The guards had already searched the area, so they were safe for now. As for the surveince footage, Stephan was confident that he could wipe them clean,


    Standing on the windowsill, Felicia took a deep breath! She started to inch her way down like a climber. Though her movements were slow, she felt safe.


    Stephan nced at the time, growing impatient. "Jump I''ll catch you."


    Felicia was unconcerned. She remembered thest lesson all too well.


    There was no way she would risk contact with him again. She didn''t want to be used of throwing herself at him..


    Seeing Felicia''s snail-like pace as she struggled to find a foothold, Stephan''s expression darkened. He had little patience left.


    With a single leap, he grabbed her waist and lifted her effortlessly, pulling her back onto solid ground.


    After a dizzying moment, Felicia found herself standing firmly on the ground. Behind her, Stephan released his grip around her waist, his expression calm "Keep up."

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 59

    Chapter


    59


    Felicia


    could barely keep up with the t terrain ahead.


    But as she was about to climb over the tall fence of the Fuller residence, she started cursing herself for not having the wings to fly out.


    The fence was too high, and there were sharp spikes at the top in addition toyers of iron wires coiled around it full of razor-sharp barbs. She''d be painfully pierced with just one wrong move.


    Felicia gave up trying, knowing that there was no way she could get over it without adder.


    Stephan gleaned at her and instructed in a cryptic tone I''d suggest you close your eyes."


    "What?" Before she could react, she felt her body lift into the air.


    A strong force held her so she wouldn''t fall. The arm around her waist was strong and gave her a sense of


    security.


    Felicia took the chance to look down, and her pupils instantly dted. The spikes and sharp wires were dangerously close and could stab her at any moment.


    "Ah!" She couldn''t hold back from screaming sharply.


    This was dangerous!


    Stephan''snguid voice sounded atop her head. There seemed to be a hint of a smile in his voice as he said, "I warned you not to look."


    Luckily, the moment of dangersted only a few seconds.


    Felicia was seated in the car, waiting by the road. By the time she regained her senses, she checked herself over and noticed there weren''t any injuries. She heaved a sigh and got in.


    The driver stepped on the pedals under Stephan''smand, and the ck Rolls-Royce shot off into the


    distance.


    Felicia didn''t ask where they were headed. She figured that since they were going to save someone, it''d either be a hospital or the victim''s house.


    But she''d have never expected Stephan to send her to a prison.


    Her face paled the moment she saw the prison gates. Memories of her previous life in prison were vividly imprinted in her mind.


    She remembered the day she was locked up. Arnold had stood in front of her and told her prison mates," Take good care of her."


    Those words had led to unimaginable suffering and torment. The pain had etched itself deep in her bones and lingered from her past life to follow her into the present.


    Felicia trembled uncontrobly.


    Stephan got out of the car. When he noticed Felicia hadn''t moved, he frowned and rested one hand on the car door. Bending down, he peered inside.


    "Do you need me to invite you out?"This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Stephan froze slightly just after he spoke.


    In the back seat, Felicia''s face was pale, and her bright, clear eyes tinged with redness. As she forcibly held her tears back, she looked like a wronged animal stubbornly refusing to bow despite looking pitiful. Her face was full of resentment and unwillingness.


    Yet, that expression vanished in an instant. It seemed as if it had just been his illusion.


    Felicia got out of the car. "Let''s go, Mr. Russell,"


    Stephan narrowed his eyes, which were filled with a mix of curiosity and scrutiny, but he said nothing more and led Felicia into the prison..


    After winding through several corridors, they finally stopped in front of an iron door.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 60

    hapter 60


    ithout needing Stephan to speak, the man beside him immediately took out the keys and opened the in door. Then, he respectfully stood aside.


    licia nced inside. Behind the door was a makeshift operating room. A many on the bed in the nter with weak vital signs barely sustained by the surrounding medical equipment.


    ming that one million dors fee wasn''t going to be easy. Felicia shook her head and rolled up her eves before walking in.


    phan took a step forward and followed her in. One of his subordinates brought a chair over, and he sat wn not far away. He intended to observe the entire process.


    licia didn''t mind. She stepped forward and checked the man''s pulse. It was so weak that it was almost nexistent


    er a long while, she finally pinpointed the cause of the illness. Aside from the treated external injuries, most severe wounds were internal damage caused by the reverse blood flow in the meridians and d seeping into the body. i opened the needle case she always carried, and a row of silver needles gleamed under the light.


    a swiftly and urately inserted the first silver needle into an acupuncture point. Her actions were ooth, and the patient was covered in needles from head to toe in the blink of an eye."


    oughout the entire process, no one made a sound to disturb Felicia. She was fully absorbed with a used and serious look on her face.


    er administering acupuncture, Felicia prescribed a dose of medicine.


    the medicine seeped into the body through the needles, the patient moved slightly and showed a brief :tuation in his vital signs before returning to normal.


    s was just the beginning of the acupuncture process.


    time psed, Felicia removed all the needles after the final step. She rubbed her sore wrist and lounced, "It''s done. He''ll be fine now."


    only had she unblocked the meridians, but she had also nearly expelled all the coldness from his ly. With some rest, he''d surely walk like normal again in no time. cia nced at the clock and froze briefly. "What time is it? 11:00 am?"


    ter and Myra were supposed to visit the Lawson residence to have a discussion with Matthew. Felicia


    agreed to go with them to make sure Matthew would agree to their request.


    now it was already 11:00 am, and they had likely met. It would take at least 40 minutes to get to the /son residence from here.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    cia dashed to Stephan and said, "Mr. Russell, I''ve treated the man. I have something urgent to attend 30 could you arrange for someone to take me back?"


    assumed he could easily assign one of his subordinates to drive her with so many of them around. to her surprise, Stephanzily got up from the chair. He remained as dignified andposed as ever pite not having slept all night. ne tilted his head slightly, his long, dark eyshes cast a faint shadow. His gaze lingered on Felicia."


    s go."


    It seemed he was offering to send her back.


    Felicia didn''t bother to overthink. She quickly packed her stuff and followed him.


    At the Fuller residence, Dexter and Myra were dressed and ready to leave. They noticed Felicia was still not up just as they were about to head out.


    After knocking on her door, they found the room empty.


    They questioned the maids, but no one had seen Felicia leaving the house.


    "Gosh! Didn''t we agree on thisst night? Why did she sneak out without saying a word? Does she even want to call off this engagement?" Myra frowned. Dexter nced at the time. "It''s gettingte. We should go."


    There were rules to visiting the Lawsons, and showing upte would be disrespectful and improper.


    Ka had dressed up and chosen her outfit carefully She wore a tailored skirt set and a high ponytail, entuated by the diamond hairpin Arnold had gifted her.


    "Don''t get mad, Mom. She might have just snuck out to have some fun. Plus, this visit to the Lawsons doesn''t really involve her," she said as she linked arms with Myra. The true purpose of the visit was to finalize Ka''s engagement with Arnold. Everything else was secondary.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 61

    Wy


    Chapter


    61


    To Ka, it was better for Felicia not to tag along. She was worried that Felicia might cause trouble.


    Myra signed and patted Ka''s hand. Shemented, If only Myra were as obedient and well-behaved as you are."


    Ka replied yfully. "She can do whatever she wants, but I can''t. That''s why I have to behave. What if you and Dad don''t like me anymore and kick me out of the house?" The implication of her words was clear. Felicia relied on the fact that she was the Fullers'' biological daughter and acted recklessly without regard for consequences. Even if she was being disrespectful, they couldn''t abandon their flesh and blood.


    Dexter and Myra wouldn''t have overthought it if the words hade from anyone else, but since Ka had said them herself, they found her endearing and pitiable.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Myra smiled dotingly. "You''re loved by everyone, Kay, I''m sure everyone likes you. Don''t ever talk about getting kicked out of the house again. You''re the apple of our eye, got it?" "Got it! I''m treasured by the Fullers." Ka raised her chin proudly.


    "d you know it!"


    The car arrived at the Lawson residence amid the cheerful conversation.


    Since they had announced the visit beforehand, they were smoothly let in. A butler greeted them and led them into the main hall upon their arrival at the vi.


    Ka had been here many times, so she was familiar with the surroundings.


    Matthew was practicing calligraphy in the main hall. Therge sandalwood table was covered with sheets of calligraphy that had yet to dry.


    Arnold was beside him, grinding ink. When he saw the Fullers arrive, he reminded Matthew, "Grandpa, we have guests.


    Matthew paused and caused a drop of ink to fall, ruining the nearlypleted piece of calligraphy.


    He frustratedly threw his pen aside and said irritatedly, "Do you think I can''t see or hear? You were supposed to focus on grinding ink to calm your impatience!" "Yes, Grandpa. I''ll be more careful next time." Arnold quickly admitted his mistake.


    Matthew took a napkin from a maid with a cold snort and wiped his hands before finally turning to the Fullers and inviting them to take their seats.


    After ncing around and not seeing Felicia, he asked, "Where''s my granddaughter-inw? Didn''t she


    The term "granddaughter-inw" sparked varied expressions on the faces of the Fuller trio as they sat down.


    Dexter cleared his throat and smiled awkwardly. "To be honest, Mr. Lawson Senior, we''re here to discuss that with you. "Neither Arnold nor Felicia has any intention of getting married. Forcing them together would only lead to an unhappy marriage. Myra nodded in agreement.


    Chaptri


    Dexter continued, "So if you''re set on a marriage alliance between our families, why not consider Ka and Arnold?


    "The two of them are fond of each other, and Ka will always be part of the Fuller family though she isn''t our biological daughter."


    Matthew looked surprised to hear her words. "Do you think I chose Felicia because she''s your biological daughter?"


    "Isn''t that why?" Dexter and Myra exchanged puzzled nces. They had assumed that was the reason, as there was no way to exin why Matthew had selected Felicia,


    Matthew shook his head. "You''re wrong. I chose Felicia because of who she is as a person, not whose. daughter she is."


    In other words, he didn''t see the Fuller family''s bloodline as anything special. To him, Felicia was more remarkable than the Fuller family name.


    Dexter was at a loss for words, and Myra couldn''t help but interject, "But Mr. Lawson Senior, we should respect the children''s wishes when we talk about something as important as marriage. If they don''t want the marriage, forcing it won''t lead to happiness."

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 62

    "Marriage is the parents'' decision to make, not the children''s! What do they even know?"


    Matthew''s tone was firm. He cast a warning nce at Arnold. "I know Arnold better than anyone else. He might not want the marriage right now, but he''ll be thanking me for it one day." Arnold was rendered speechless. He rebuked, "That''s an exaggeration, Grandpa. I''ll never agree to this, and I definitely won''t regret it."


    "What does that have to do with me? I''ve decided on this marriage, and nothing can change it!" scoffed.


    Dexter felt a headacheing on.


    He


    Meanwhile, Ka grew increasingly anxious as she looked desperately at Arnold, hoping he would be firm in rejecting Matthew.


    But Arnold would never anger Matthew. If he did piss Matthew off, anything that happened to thetter could escte into a big issue. "Mom..." Ka tugged at Myra''s sleeves pleadingly.


    In response, Myra pinched Dexter''s waist and signaled for him to act.


    Dexter straightened up and said, "My apologies, Mr. Lawson Senior. But I can''t disregard my daughters'' wishes and agree to this marriage.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    After saying so, he stood up and gestured for Myra and Ka to follow. Then, he bowed slightly. "I apologize for the trouble caused. We''ll take our leave."


    Amold breathed a sigh of relief at this clear rejection.


    But just as the Fullers turned to leave, Matthew casually remarked, "Dexter, I heard something went wrong with the project you oversaw a couple of years ago. How serious is it?" Dexter stiffened at his words. He froze.


    Two and a half years ago, he had invested in and supervised a bridge construction project. The endeavor had shaken the nation and made headlines, earning him considerable prestige.


    But just a few days ago, he received troubling news. The contractors had concealed significant safety risks during the construction of the project, which had onlye to light after two years.


    If these ims were verified, the bridge would be deemed a ticking time bomb. Its demolition would tarnish Dexter''s reputation, and as the general supervisor of the project, he would face a potential prison


    sentence.


    To avoid this disaster, he needed evidence proving that the hidden dangers had been covered up on purpose and that he had been set up.


    Dexter abruptly turned. His voice trembled as he asked "Mr. Lawson Senior... what are you implying?"


    Matthew smiled slightly. He seemed confident that Dexter wouldply. "You guessed correctly. I do have what you need. I can give it to you, but there''s just one condition. Felicia must marry Arnold." The ck Rolls-Royce sped along the road. Felicia spoke up as they neared the Lawson residence. "You can stop here. I''I walk the rest of the way."


    The chauffeur nced at Stephan through the rearview mirror. When he saw there were no objections, he slowly pulled over to the side of the road. "Thank you," Felicia said as she pushed the door and was about to step out.


    Then, she heard Stephan''snguid voice. "Are you off in such a hurry to meet your fianc¨¦?"

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 63

    Felicia almost gagged at hearing the word "fianc¨¦".


    She didn''t bother to hide the evident disdain on her face as she replied, "I''m not picking up trash from a garbage dump."


    Stephan seemed to chuckle. His voice carried the usual indifference but with a hint of mischief. "At least you have a good taste."


    From Stephan tone, it seemed he was looking down on Arnold as well.


    Felicia was slightly surprised, but the Rolls-Royce had started moving before she could ask.


    Through the lowered window, Stephan leanedzily against the leather seat. He radiated an imprable air of coldness despite his rxed posture. Every gesture of his exuded an innatemanding presence. Rays of sunlight cast on his face, highlighting his paleplexion and chiseled features.


    Felicia was momentarily dazed. It was only then that she remembered that Stephan, the head of the Russell family, was just 28 years old yet already wielded immense power.


    Arnold was nothingpared to him.


    Felicia started reflecting on herself. Though Stephan wasn''t a kind man, Arnold wasn''t worthy ofpared to him. Trash like Arnold belonged in the trash can. He wasn''t deserving of anything else. being


    After Felicia grumbled, she looked up and met Arnold and Ka''s hostile gazes across the street. Speak of the devil.


    Ka had run out of the Lawson residence in tears.


    After Matthew left Dexter with no choice, thetter had to agree to his demand that Arnold would marry Felicia. Everything had been decided, and the marriage was set. Anyone could tell that Matthew had prepared for this long in advance.


    He had selected the wedding date and ordered the butler to distribute the wedding invites right on the spot. Arnold and Felicia''s names were written on them


    Ka couldn''t ept this. She immediately burst into tears and ran out with Arnold running after her. They pulled and jugged until they ended up outside the vi.


    To their surprise, they saw Felicia arriving and stepping out of another man''s car.


    Though it was just a brief nce, the man in the Rolls-Royce had a face that was stunningly captivating.


    Ka gasped, and her heart raced. On one hand, she was momentarily stunned by the man''s looks, and on the other, she was delighted to get Felicia by the short hairs.


    She sobbed and pretended to mutter, "Why is Felicia getting out of another man''s car? She disappeared early this morning, and none of the maids saw her leave. Could she have sneaked outst night?" Since Felicia hadn''t been seen all morning, she''d likely have spent the night out.


    Arnold''s face darkened at Ka''s words. He wondered why Matthew was forcing him to marry such a woman with no sense of propriety.


    Clenching his teeth, he stormed up to Felicia. His eyes, filled with restrained fury, wereced with contempt and disgust.


    He shouted, "Felicia, didn''t you say you didn''t want to marry me? Why didn''t youe this morning then?Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    It''s obvious you did this on purpose!"


    Felicia was taken aback by his sudden outburst.


    She had no idea what had transpired at the Lawson residence. To her, it was nothing more than just a simple matter of rejecting Matthew''s proposal for a marriage alliance and having Ka marry Arnold instead to lock them together for good. Had Dexter and Myra not handled such a simple task?


    Teary-eyed, Kayle & bright red wedding invite at Felicia. She choked up as she said, "I admit defeat.


    I''m backing out. Isn''t that all you ever wanted?"


    Felicia took the wedding invite and nearly passed out with anger after skimming through.


    Her name was on it alongside Arnold''s, and the date was set.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 64

    Could the Lawsons be any more disgusting and shameless?


    Even after Felicia had made it clear to reject the manage multiple times, they still went against her wishes and forced the marriage alliance without her consent.


    They had done all of that just because they imed to be their guardians. Did they think of her as an object and something they could just give away?


    "Damn it!" Felica cursed in anger and tore the wedding Invite into pieces. She yelled, "Where''s that kidnapper? Oh no, I mean, where''s Mr. Lawson Senior? I want to see him!"


    Arnold let out a coldugh. "Felicia, I have to admit that you''re smarter than other women. You''re so calcting and maniptive. You''re pretending to reject the marriage only to y hard to get. You''ve got some moves."


    Arnold figured Felicia must have approached Matthew just to get closer to him and pretended to reject the marriage just to get his attention. Then, she''d made her way to bing thedy of the Lawson family. It was a truly brilliant move.


    "I swear." Felicia felt dizzy from the rage. She had spent the entire night administering acupuncture, which took a huge toll on her energy and stamina.


    She hadn''t eaten or drunk anything, so she wouldn''t waste her strength on a pointless fight.


    She walked past Arnold without another word and headed straight for the Lawson residence. She needed to find Matthew and demand to know what he was plotting.


    She had saved his life, and was that how he was going to repay the favor? By betrayal?Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    But before Felicia could walk further, Arnold grabbed her arm and violently yanked her back.


    He was so violent and rough that Felicia almost stumbled. Her bag slipped off her shoulder and hit the ground. A needle case rolled out alongside a one-million-dor check.


    Ka immediately spotted it. She picked up the check and gasped, covering her mouth in shock. "Felicia, you didn''te homest night. Could it be that..."


    The perfectly timed pause sparked endless spection


    "Felicia, how could you do something that shameful? If Mom and Dad find out, imagine how heartbroken and humiliated they''d feel."


    Ka depicted Felicia as shameless and involved in illicit affairs with just a few words.


    Arnold froze at her words. Ka was implying that he was being cuckolded.


    "Felicia... Fuller!" He hissed through clenched teeth. "I''d rather bash my head in than marry a disgraceful woman like you."


    "Well, thank you for that." Felicia yanked her arm free from his grip and snatched the check back from Ka


    But Ka refused to give it to her. She dodged to the side and shouted, "I can''t give this back to you!! have to tell Mom and Dad about what you''ve done!"


    In other words, the one-million-dor check was evidence of Felicia''s misconduct.


    Felicia finally lost her patience. She grabbed Ka''s shoulder and forcibly turned her around to grab the check. But just as she did, Ka cried out, lost her bnce, and copsed backward, "Ah!" Ka fell to the ground with a loud thud.


    It all happened so fast that Arnold didn''t even have time to react. By the time he realized what had happened, Ka was already on the ground with scraped knees, bleeding. She looked utterly pitiful. "Felicia, you''ve disgraced yourself, and now you''re going as far as punching Ka? Do you have no shame?"


    Amold erupted in fury and raised his hand as if to p Felicia.


    But just as his hand swung forward, a strong arm intercepted midair, holding him back from moving another inch. Arnold''s expression changed after seeing who it was


    "Uncle Mike?"

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 65

    The man who had interjected was none other than Mike.


    Arnold had aplex expression upon seeing him.


    Given they were just seven years apart in age, they were oftenpared in abilities, upbringing, and in every possible way.


    Over the years, thement Arnold heard the most was that he would never have been the heir to the Lawson family if Mike hadn''t refused to manage the family business. That was exactly why he was always at odds with Mike.


    He took a deep breath and questioned in a sarcastic tone, "Uncle Mike, how is it any of your business when I''m disciplining my fianc¨¦e?"


    Mike ignored him and turned to Felicia instead. He asked, "Would you like me to beat him up for you?"


    Felicia blinked in surprise. She had heard those exact words in her past life.


    Back then, Arnold had gone mad over Ka and directed all his rage toward her. He had smashed everything around her and eventually raised his hand to p her. Mike had been the one who had stopped Arnold in time and turned to her with the same tone and smile. asking, "Would you like me to beat him up for you?"


    Felicia snapped out of her thoughts and replied. "You should let him go, or I won''t get my chance."


    To do what? Mike released Arnold though he was puzzled.


    Felicia didn''t hesitate to throw a punch thatnded squarely on Arnold''s left cheek.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    This punch was a response to his earlier words "How is it any of your business when I''m disciplining my fianc¨¦e?"


    He surely deserved a beating for his arrogance.


    Arnold winced in pain and turned his face to the side. When he turned back, his eyes were burning with fury, and there was a trace of blood on the corner of his mouth. Felicia threw another punch before he could react. Though he was prepared and attempted to retaliate, he couldn''tpare to herbat skills in close quarters.


    Her second punchnded solidly on the same side of his face. This punch was a response to the hand he had raised earlier.


    Thest person who had tried toy a hand on her was still lying in the hospital.


    Felicia flexed her wrist. There was an obvious contempt in her tone. "Next time you want to hit someone, you should gauge your skills. Consider these two punches a lesson learned. No need to thank me." Felicia" Arnold''s face darkened and nearly exploded with rage.


    F¨¦licia started wondering how she had been so insecure in her past life to have ever been interested in such garbage like Arnold.


    She shook her head and decided there was no need to dwell on it.


    Mike raised his brows as he watched from the side. Training for heirs was strict in the Lawson family. ''otential heirs of the family were trained in their abilities, academics and physicalbat. Arnold was skilled, but to be taken down in just two moves by Felicia was an unbearable sight to see. Still, it was quite expected of her as a fierce fighter capable of taking on ten people by herself.


    Felicia picked up her stuff, including the now crumpled check she had snatched back from Ka. Then, she headed straight into the Lawson residence.


    Mike pointed her in the right direction. "Are you here for Mr. Lawson Senior? He''s not inside; he''s in the backyard. Just head straight from here, and you''ll find him."


    "Thanks," Felicia said. She paused after taking a few steps and turned to ask, "Why are you helping me?"


    Mike clicked his tongue and raised an eyebrow. "Maybe it''s because I''m the only normal person among the Lawsons.


    Matthew was stubborn and authoritarian. He refused to listen to what others had to say.


    Though Arnold might appear gentle and politely educated, he was arrogant and utterly haughty.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 66

    Chapter


    66


    Felicia was surprised by the answer. She chuckled. "I can''t disagree with that.


    With that, she headed in the direction Mike had pointed. Soon, she spotted Matthew feeding fish by the pond.


    Without turning, Matthew said with a smile, "You''re finally here, my dearest granddaughter-inw."


    Felicia resisted the urge to push him into the pond as she silently repeated herself to respect the elderly. She took a deep breath and calmly said, "Mr. Lawson Senior, you should know why I''m here. I don''t agree to this marriage, and I ask that you not force me out of consideration for the fact that I saved your life." Arnold tossed another handful of feed into the pond and sent the fishes into a frenzy for food. The surface of the water rippled and sshed with intensity.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    "Marriage is a matter of parental agreement. Your parents have agreed to it, and the marriage has been decided. Rest assured, I''ll give you a grand wedding. Tell me what you want, and I''ll make it happen."


    Felicia felt as though she was speaking to a brick wall. She believed that Matthew understood her and was simply pretending to be clueless,


    "Fine then. You can do whatever you like, but I won''t y along. This is the age of freedom, and you think. you can force me into this marriage?" She let out a coldugh.


    To her surprise, Matthew sighed and replied, "If ites down to that, we might just have to."


    How shameless! Felicia clenched her fist in frustration.


    t was only now that her power disparity with the Lawsons was evident.


    As the leading family of the four prestigious families in Khogend, the Lawsons held an undeniable status ind influence. They had both the means and confidence to do whatever they wanted with such power, ince they wanted her, she wouldn''t be allowed to refuse.


    eliciaughed sarcastically, her rage boiling over. "I regret saving someone like you who couldn''t be easoned with."


    hen, she turned and left without looking back despite Matthew calling after her.


    exter and Myra waited in the car outside the Lawson residence.


    hey exited the vi just after Felicia went in, but they had taken a different path and missed her.


    yra couldn''t stop sighing. There was a trace of resentment in her tone as sheined, "Couldn''t she ave picked a better time? Can''t she save us the trouble?"


    ver since Dexter told her that something had gone terribly wrong with his bridge construction project, yra had been on edge.


    ie even had a fleeting thought that Felicia being switched at birth was some kind of fate, or perhaps eir astrological houses were misaligned.


    erything had started going downhill ever since Felicia returned to their lives.


    e rubbed her temples and was visibly irritated while Dexter remained silent. His hair seemed to have syed in worry.


    Ka bit her lip and spoke hesitantly, "Mom, Dad, I don''t know if I should say this, but I saw Felicia get out of a stranger''s car when she arrived earlier. That man gave her a huge check of one million dors" Seeing that she had piqued their interest, she continued, "I''m just worried about who she''s messing around with. If this goes on, won''t she end up disgracing herself?"


    Already overwhelmed with worry, the couple''s anger red at her words. "What? Something like that happened?


    "Yes, I saw it with my own eyes." Ka replied and nced out the window just as Felicia emerged from the vi. "If you don''t trust me, ask her when she gets in the car." As Felicia approached, the Fuller family car honked


    She frowned and was reluctant to get in, but being in the mountains meant there was no other way to get a ride. She begrudgingly climbed in.


    But before she could settle in her seat, a harsh pnded on her face.


    Spin to im Your Surprise Reward!

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 67

    She shouted in disappointment, "Felicia, how could you do that? If you needed money, couldn''t you havee to us? Why''d you go behind our backs and disgrace yourself? You''ve brought shame on the Fullers." Here it was again, the same story. Dexter and Myra had always believed Ka''s words of nder both in this life and thest, regardless of how fishy the usations might sound.


    They never bothered to ask or verify the truth before resorting to pping and scolding her. If that was the case, what else was there to say?


    Felicia''s eyes sharpened, and she caught a fleeting look of smug satisfaction on Ka''s face. She grabbed Ka by the cor with a cold smile and began pping her mercilessly. As she did, she chided, "Making up stories, huh? Twisting the truth, huh? You''re filthy inside and out, so you assume everyone must be just as filthy as you are!"


    Each p was harder than the one Myra had given Felicia earlier. The ps sounded crisp and clear in the car, mixed with Ka''s cries of pain.


    The scariest part was Felicia''s eyes fixed on Myra and Dexter while her hands were busy pping Ka.


    Her once clear eyes now glinted with violent rage and madness. It was a look that made it impossible to meet her gaze.


    Myra was stunned. She instantly realized what was going on and started panicking. Then, she cried out in fear, "Licia, stop it. We can talk this out, but please don''t hit her." Talk this out? Felicia scoffed and continued her rampage without stopping for a second.


    She even replied, "Mrs. Fuller, that wasn''t what you said when you pped me. Ka ndered me, and you didn''t hesitate to hit me without asking for an exnation. Why?"


    "You could have exined. You can''t do this even if there was a misunderstanding or if I wronged you. Myra''s voice grew softer as she spoke, while Felicia''s eyes grew colder. "You a


    use me of doing something I didn''t, and you''re expecting me to exin myself? So if Ka had used me of stealing food, would I have to cut open my stomach to prove my innocence?"


    Felicia fumed. Her rage seemed to almost tear the car roof off.


    Myra shuddered and finally broke down. "Licia, I''m sorry. It was my fault, and I made a mistake..."


    "That''s not enough. I haven''t proved my innocence yetProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    With that, Felicia repeatedly banged Ka''s head against the car door and shouted, "Tell me! You said you saw me getting out of a man''s car, and what then? How did you jump to the conclusion that I''m out there sleeping around huh!" Ka was disoriented from the ps and could hardly speak between the sobs and pleas. "Mom.... Help me... Ah!"


    Myra tried to intervene several times in the cramped space of the car but was too frightened by Felicia''s murderous re.


    Dexter was lost in his world and consumed by worries about going to prison. He seemed oblivious to the chaos around him.


    In desperation, Myra stomped her feet and shouted for dared not move upon receiving a terrifying look from Fr Felicia''s eyes zed with fury as she yanked on Ka Did you see me with anyone? Answer me!"


    "No... I didn''t..." Ka wailed. Her face was covered in Felicia sneered. "If that''s the case, why did you say I we

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 68

    Chapter


    68


    "I made it all up. I lied." Ka sobbed. Her voice trembled as she begged for mercy, "Felicia, I won''t do it ever again, please let me go..." "Did you hear that, Mrs. Fuller?"


    Felicia''s gaze remained fixed on Myra until thetter timidly nodded. Only then did Felicia release Ka with a look of disdain.


    Then, she turned to Eugene andmanded, "Take me to college.


    Eugene was too afraid to disobey and immediately turned the car around to drop her off at the campus gate.


    As Felicia stepped out of the car, she felt a sense of deep satisfaction. Her mood was lifted, and nothing seemed to bother her anymore.


    Back in the car, it took Ka some time to lift her head. Her face was swollen on both sides and burned painfully. Several lumps had formed on her forehead from being banged against the door and were barely touchable. "Mom..." Ka whimpered miserably. There was a pitiful look on her tear-streaked face as her voice


    trembled with sobs.


    But instead of immediately hugging andforting her, Myra snapped with a frown, "Stop crying. Felicia was wrong to hit you so hard, but you were wrong to falsely use her too."


    Myra''s words made it clear that the matter was to be dropped, and she wasn''t going to take sides


    Ka knew she was at fault and sniffled, but the hatred in her eyes red.


    In the past, both Dexter and Myra would have unconditionally taken her side, but things were now different


    Felicia had caught Matthew''s eye and Dexter''s project had hit a snag, so the Fuller family must get Felicia to marry Arnold. Their marriage was a leverage to obtain evidence from Matthew and save the Fuller family from crisis. Felicia''s status had risen with her importance, but what about Ka?


    The position of thedy of the Lawsons, which Ka had long coveted, was slipping away. Even her ce as the Fullers'' treasured daughter was on shaky grounds.


    Ka lifted her head and caught her reflection in the car window. Her hair was a mess, while her cheeks were swollen and red. Blemishes had appeared on her carefully altered face.


    Even her surgically altered nose looked slightly crooked.


    She screamed and immediately covered her face with both hands. "Mom, I need to go to the beauty salon right now!"


    Before heading to the beauty salon to get her face fixed, Ka remembered to take a few photos from the right angles.


    Her face was covered with visible p marks, her forehead was swollen, and her eyes brimmed with tears. It was a perfect photo of vulnerability.


    It was the kind of photo that would easily trigger protective instincts. She sent the photos in satisfaction.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Arnold called within seconds. His voice seethed with anger. "Did Felicia do this to you?"


    Ka hummed and sniffed. Her voice was still tinged with a sob. "Arnie, now that you''re about to get engaged to Felicia, I wish you both happiness. And... let''s not meet again."


    With that, Ka hung up and immediately turned off her phone. She nned to avoid Arnold entirely for the next two weeks, at least until her face had fully healed.


    She would leave him to confront Felicia. Even if nothing came out of it, it would irk Felicia at the very least. She was sure that the two would grow to despise each other the more they shed. Ka''s lips curled into a triumphant smile as she dialed Talia''s number.


    "Ka, weren''t you saying that Felicia is going to take over the Walsh family and the medical center as Grandpa''s heir? I thought about it, and why don''t we work together?"

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 69

    Ka would be thedy of the Lawsons if Felicia didn''t exist. Simrly, the next heir of the Walshes would have gone to Noah''s family.


    Ka and Talia decided to join forces with the same goal in mind,


    Talia asked, "It seems like you already have an idea. Tell me, what''s your n."


    "It''s simple; just make her disappear," Ka replied with a sweet smile, though her words were chilling.


    "I remembered that there''s a type of poison in Grandpa''s pharmacy that''s colorless, tasteless, and lethal upon contact with blood. Talia, find a way to get that for me, and I''ll handle the rest."


    Talis hesitated briefly before she chuckled. "Ka, you know that Grandpa never lets anyone into his pharmacy and library.


    "I wouldn''t even know what that poison looks like, but I can create an opportunity for you to go in and search for it yourself."


    Ka cursed. Talia only wanted the benefits and refused to lift a finger.


    She retorted, "Talia, I can''t do everything myself, can I? If that''s the case, why would I even need your help?


    Cooperation meant shared risk. None of them could bear the consequences alone if anything went wrong. Talia turned and nced at a slender figure not far away, working hard at washing her clothes. She smiled and said, "Ka, don''t worry. I won''t have you do it all. I''ll find you some help. You don''t have to go, and I won''t have to either. She can do it.


    Even if thi


    if things went south, they wouldn''t be affected in the slightest.


    Ka froze briefly and soon realized who Talia was referring to. "Roberta?"


    Talia hummed in response.


    Ka pressed, "But will she do what she''s told to? What if she refuses and spills everything?"


    "She won''t. She''s my lowly follower, and she does whatever I tell her to. Or else..." Taliaughed hard. Pride was written all over her face.


    "She''s that lowly woman''s daughter, and she''s just as despicable."


    Ka detected something from her words. "Talia, do you have something on Roberta that forces her to listen to you?"


    "Yes, want to see it? I''ll send you a copy." Taliaughed with such delight as though she wanted the whole world to know how pleased she was.


    A 30-second video was sent to Ka''s phone, whose eyes widened the moment she saw it. "This..."


    Talia chuckled smugly. The full video is two hoursng. I just clipped a small part. Now, do you believe that I''m sincere in working with you?" Kaughed along with her. "If that''s the case, here''s to a sessful partnership"


    After hanging up, Talia swaggered to where Roberta was.


    Roberta was washing clothes under the scorching sun, including Talia''s silk robe and wool coats, which were especially heavy when soaked. She was struggling to wring out the water when she looked up and saw Talia''s dark, menacing face. It made her jump, and her grip loosened.


    The heavy coat she was drying spun open and sttered water all over Ta''s dress.


    Talia smacked her across the face and scolded, "You wench! You did that on purpose, didn''t you!"


    "No, no, I didn''t! I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to," Roberta stammered and tried to wipe the water off Talia''s dress, but it got worse the more she wiped. Talia annoyedly kicked her aside.


    Roberta lowered her head and trembled in fear.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Instead of pinching or smacking her like she usually did, Talia bent over and asked, "Roberta, how''s your mother doing in the sanatorium? Do you want to see her?"


    Roberta''s head shot up with tears brimming in her eyes. She dropped to her knees and banged her head igainst the ground in desperation. "Mrs. Walsh, I''ll behave. I swear I will, Don''t hurt my mother, please.... I beg you.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 70

    It was only when Roberta nearly fainted from banging her head so hard that Talia finally showed a bit ofProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    mercy


    "Alright, I''ll give you something to do. Make sure you do it well, or you know the consequences."


    "Got it!" Roberta nodded vigorously.


    But when she heard that she needed to steal poison from Clive''s pharmacy, she started to panic. She anxiously asked, "Mrs. Walsh, what do you need that for?" Talia shot her a re. "Do I have to tell you?"


    But... but it''s poison."


    Rx, it''s not for you, and it''s not for your mother either. If I want to kill the two of you, I won''t have to go


    rough all this trouble."


    oberta breathed a sigh of relief and obediently nodded. ''I''ll find a chance to sneak in."


    he pharmacy and library in the Walsh residence were only essible to those who Cilve recognized as


    eirs.


    other words, the only opportunity to sneak in and obtain the poison would be during weekends when licia came to the Walsh residence to read.


    berta''s heart was filled with bitterness as she whispered to herself, "I betrayed you once, and now ! ve to use you again. I''m sorry, Aunt Felicia..."


    cia attended her sses as usual over the next few days..


    injury on her calf had mostly healed, and she no longer walked with a limp. Clive had also given her a


    -removal ointment.


    :ia hadn''t been too bothered by the scar, but Clive had insisted and said, "No one likes an ugly scar on


    body. Plus, don''t underestimate me. My medicine is priceless in the market."


    uld to hearter hand if she had met him in her previous life.


    1ere were no "ifs".


    a shook her head and held two books as she headed to ss.


    on as she entered the ss, a cup of hot water sshed toward her. She quickly dodged, and the missed its target.


    m so sorry. My hand slipped," said Selena, who had sshed the water. She was the same person ad been sitting with Ka in the cafeteria that day and had tried to dump a tray of food on Felicia''s


    1 she apologized, Selena''s tone we sarcastic. She seemed disappointed that her attempt had


    nced back at the steaming water on the floor It must have been boiling at nearly 180


    jeit.


    ater had sshed on her face, it''d have peeled off her skin.


    Chapter 20.


    Felicia casually tossed her books onto a desk and walked toward Selena. At college, she usually kept to herself and didn''t participate in activities. It seemed to others that she was an easy target. But the moment she showed aggression, her presence was overwhelming, and her gaze was sharp.


    Selena instinctively stepped back and looked nervous, "What? I didn''t do it on purpose. Are you nning to beat me up?"


    "I won''t," Felicia said as she cornered Selena against the wall.


    Then, she casually grabbed a cup from the man in thest row and poured its contents over Selena''s head. She calmly uttered. "This is what you were going for, right?"


    Felicia was being way too politepared to the scalding water Selena had just sshed. It was just cold water, and she could just deal with it.


    No one noticed a figure standing in the corridor outside the ssroom.


    The man had been standing there for some time, and a slight smile tugged at the corner of his lips when


    e saw what had happened. A hint of amusement shed in his eyes..

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 71

    Selena, who had just been doused with water, stood there. Her bangs were soaked, and water dripped from her face.


    She was trembling with anger, "How dare you.


    It was funny how people could be so hypocritical. They thought it was okay to ssh others, but it was uneptable when they got sshed in return.


    Selena furiously tried to rally the rest of the ss against Felicia. She spoke with righteous indignation,. Do you guys want to be ssmates with someone like Felicia? I''m sure you don''t! People like her should get kicked out!" Quite a few people joined in and agreed with her. The once-quiet ss began to buzz with a frenzy filled with whispers and usations.


    Hey, did you hear? Felicia stole Ka''s fianc¨¦!"


    Yeah, I heard. Apparently, the Lawsons have sent out invites. The engagement party is scheduled for the week after next, and the wedding will be the month after."


    No wonder Ka hasn''t been at school these past few days. She must be devastated."


    Felicia has no shame. Ka and Arnold are deeply in love, and the marriage was practically set in stone. ''ho could stand it now that it''s been snatched away?"


    Vell, it''s not like Felicia has a choice. Don''t forget that she''s the real heiress."


    o what if she''s the real heiress? It''s about who came first. Besides, they were switched at birth, and now


    e just waltzes back in and takes the fruits of Ka''sbor. Is that fair?"


    e heated discussion grew louder. Disdain and arguments escted into chaos.


    lena, who had been doused with water, was pleased with how things were going. She took the lead and buted, "Felicia, get out!"N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ah, get out!"


    ryone raised their volume and started to verbally attack Felicia.


    Felicia remained calm and unbothered. She stood in the eye of the storm and remained unfazed.


    ing her so unaffected, Selena was about to take matters into her own hands when the figure standing tly in the hallway made a move. He stepped into the ss with long strides.


    he mor instantly ceased. Those who had been the loudest just moments before seemed to choke heir words and were too afraid to utter a sound.


    man who entered was tall and elegantly dressed in a perfectly tailored suit that entuated his ed figure. He wore a gray trench coat that fluttered with his steps. His posture exuded an air of


    ity.


    what stood out the most was his handsome, well-defined face. His features bore a striking mnce to Felicia.


    a blinked in surprise. The man was Sebastian, her biological older brother,


    new little about him since he''d always been abroad. She''d only met him a few times, even in her >us life, and their interactions were minimal.


    She was surprised to see him suddenly appear in such a situation and was momentarily dumbfounded


    This was the first time they met, Sebastian had initially felt awkward, but he couldn''t help smiling when seeing the bewildered look on Felicia''s face.


    He bent over slightly and asked, "Do you know who I am?"


    "Of course," Felicia responded without hesitation. "Sebastian Fuller."


    Then, she received a light knock on the head. "Show some respect. I''m your brother."


    Felicia blinked and obediently greeted him by his first name, "Hi, Sebastian."


    Sebastian''s lips curved into a smile. He was pleased with her response.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 72

    Chapter 72 gaze


    Sebastian''s smile vanished as he turned away. It was reced by a cold, sharp that swept over the group of students who had been shouting for Felicia to leave.


    His gaze finally fell on Selena, who had led the charge.


    Sebastian had silently returned without notifying anyone, not even his family.


    Afternding at the airport, he headed straight to Khogend College and was eager to meet Felicia for the first time. But he saw Felicia being singled out and bullied by her ssmates instead.


    It was especially the case for Selena, who had intentionally got a cup of boiling water to ssh on Felicia. She might be young, but she sure had some evil tricks up her sleeves.


    Under Sebastian''s intense stare, Sleena burst into tears. She desperately cried out, "Sebastian, don''t you remember me? I''m Ka''s friend. We met when I visited your house." "I don''t know you," Sebastian coldly replied with an icy gaze.


    Selena had no choice but to jog his memory by revealing her identity. "Sebastian, I''m Selena Potter. Our families even have business dealings together, don''t you remember?" ''Oh... Sebastian seemed to recall something and indifferently responded, "The Potters, right? I believe your family is currently bidding on a project."


    Yes, yes!'' Selena breathed a sigh of relief. She figured that their families'' business ties would help her Iscape this situation.


    lut to her horror, Sebastian turned to his assistant, Colin Levine waiting at the door.


    le instructed, "Terminate all coboration with the Potters. From now on, they''re banned from articipating in any future bids."


    ''es, sir," Colin replied with a slight bow.


    elena''s face paled, and her hands trembled. "I''m really sorry, Sebastian. I made a mistake, and I swear I how that. Please go easy and spare me for Ka''s sake." :bastian ignored her plea. His gaze swept over the rest of the ss in a stern warning manner. "Felicia


    ''t someone you can offend. Got it?"


    e ss fell into a dead silence, and no one dared to lift their hands.


    was only at this moment they realized that Felicia was the daughter of the wealthiest Fuller family in ogend; the heiress of the Fullers.


    er warning the group, Sebastian turned to Felicia. His expression had softened slightly. "When do you sh ss? I''ll wait and take you home."


    icia hesitated for a moment. Sebastian had just returned, and he probably didn''t know she was living campus and rarely returned home. seeing how he looked so travel-worn and exhausted, her heart softened. "Sebastian, you haven''t en yet, have you? Let''s go "


    ight."


    t after they took a step forward, Felicia suddenly remembered something. She turned back and told man sitting in thest row, "Sorry about that. I used your water. I''ll buy you a new bottle." Chap 22


    The man realized Felicia had striking features when see gorgeous.


    His face flushed, and he stammered, "No need...It''s fine


    Sebastian shot Colin a look. Thetter immediately und


    Half an hourter, Felicia and Sebastian were seated were served on the table and filled the air with a delicio


    It had been Felicia''s suggestion to eat before headingProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Sebastian agreed, but he asked, "I see that you don''t lik


    Felicia smiled but didn''t answer.


    Sebastian paid the bill after finishing the meal, and the


    Felicia stepped in first while Sebastiangged behind.


    It was dinner time, and the Fullers were gathered aroun


    When they saw Felicia enter, they nced up before lo as if they hadn''t noticed her at all.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 73

    Dexter avoided eye contact with Felicia out of guilt.


    He had visited the Lawson residence and was supposed to reject Matthew''s proposal to bind Felicia and Amold in marriage, but he had done the opposite.


    He had agreed to the arrangement and somehow traded Felicia to protect his personal interest.


    Felicia''s decision to stay at the dormitory and rarely return home had been a relief to Dexter. Seeing her in person filled him with quilt, and he struggled to meet her gaze.


    Myra had more conflicted emotions. Thest time she had pped Felicia in the car, thetter''s furious reaction had left asting impression.


    It was the first time Myra realized she didn''t truly understand Felicia. There was something about Felicia that felt unfamiliar and even frightened her.


    As for Ka, she had been unusually lowkeytely, partly because her face hadn''t healed. It was wrapped in bandages, and she had to eat carefully.


    Seeing Felicia, Ka wished she could go invisible for fear that Felicia might suddenlysh out at her again.


    The trio at the dining table each harbored their own thoughts, and the atmosphere was heavy with tension. Felicia was long ustomed to being singled out no matter where she was. She didn''t care. Sebastian, who had just finished his phone call, walked into the house and immediately sensed that something was off. His eyebrows furrowed slightly.


    The three at the dining table reacted almost simultaneously with surprise and delight to see him. The oppressive atmosphere dissipated in an instant.


    Dexter feigned anger. "You brat, so it seems you do know your way home, huh?"


    Myra was overjoyed. As she stood up, her chair scraped against the floor with a harsh shrill, She hurried over, beaming with happiness.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    "Why didn''t you tell us you wereing home? if we''d known, we''d picked you up at the airport. You''ve lost weight, haven''t you? You must be exhausted."


    Ka let out a delighted cry. She clung to Sebastian''s arm and pouted. "Sebastian, you''re finally back. I''ve missed you so much."


    Sebastian was slightly overwhelmed to be surrounded by his enthusiastic family. He coldly withdrew his hand and was about to speak when he caught sight of Felicia quietly heading upstairs to her room.


    She remained calm, and her back was straightened with pride. She''d always faced everything alone, whether she was being bullied at school or neglected at home."


    Sebastian frowned. He had assumed that Felicia would be well taken care of after she was brought back to the Fuller family. Dexter and Myra would do everything possible to make up and shower her with care and attention. But now, it seemed that this was far from the truth.


    Sebastian ignored Ka''s attempts to get his attention and turned to Myra to ask, "Mom, what happened at home while I was away?"


    Myra was taken aback. She hesitated before replying. "Well, we brought Felicia back..."


    Choover 73


    "I know that. What else?"


    "Nothing much really.." Myra averted her gaze and avoided meeting Sebastian''s eyes in guilt.


    Ka''s eyes flickered. She smiled sweetly. "Oh, there''s something big. Felicia is getting engaged to Amold, and the date is set for the week after next. It''s going to be a joyous asion."


    Sebastian''s frown deepened. "To whom? Arnold? But isn''t Arnold supposed to be..."


    He didn''t finish the sentence, but everyone understood what he was trying to say.


    "It''s all in the past..." Ka forced a smile, and her eyes reddened slightly


    Sebastian''s expression hardened as he walked over to the dining table and looked at Dexter. "Dad, let''s have a talk in the study after dinner."

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 74

    "Alright, it''s been almost a year since we''ve met. We should really have a father-son talk," Dexter said, smiling as he set his fork down and stood up


    The father and son entered the study and closed the door behind them. Not even five minutester, the sound of items being smashed echoed through the house.


    Myra approached the door several times and contemted whether to knock but ultimately decided. against it.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Ka tried to eavesdrop, but the study''s soundproofing was so good that she couldn''t make out a single word.


    In the study, Dexter was seething with anger. As he hurled another vase, his face flushed, and the veins on his forehead bulged as he pointed at Sebastian.


    "Are you back to piss me off on purpose? You spent all those years abroad. Now that you''re back, the first thing you do is lecture your father. Do you think I want Felicia to marry Arnold? I had no choice." Sebastian had gathered some information about the bridge construction project and rushed back, leaving his work behind.


    Yet, he never would have expected Dexter to sacrifice Felicia just to protect himself.


    "Dad, how could you treat Felicia as a bargaining chip? Especially since Arnold was supposed to be with Ka, and you''re tying him to Felicia. Does that even make sense?"


    ''But it''s Mr. Lawson Senior who insists on Licia. You know the power the Lawson family holds, and do you hink I can turn him down every time?"


    Unless they were willing to sever ties with the Lawsons, no one could dissuade Matthew from his lecision.


    ?ebastian paused and spoke in a grave tone. "Dad, is it that difficult to admit your selfishness? Can''t you eject the Lawsons, or do you dare not to?"


    exter''s face flushed with anger as he mmed his hand on the table. "Yes, I''m selfish, and I''ve failed icia. But what choice do I have? If the bridge construction project isn''t dealt with, what do you expect le to do?" here are many ways to handle it," Sebastian said calmly. His gaze was cold.


    ince the bridge is wed, it''s better to make a public announcement and demolish it before anything orse happens.


    s a gesture of apology andpensation, the bridge must be rebuilt. But if we do the rebuild, the public ight lose faith in our construction standards. So let''s not do it ourselves. Instead, we donate a billion irs to Khogend for the new bridge.


    y doing this, we can minimize the negative impact we receive and assure the public that Fuller Group is mmitted to the highest standards of quality control with zero tolerance for ws or risks.


    ie public can continue monitoring our future work."


    er Sebastian spoke, he tapped the table and added, "This bridge was initially funded by the Fullers for >gend''s transportation system. It cost a billion dors. Now, rebuilding and donating another billionrs is another charitable act." ce it was a charitable act, the Fullers would show evident sincerity, and the public opinion would be in


    their favor,


    Dexter sighed. "But those who wish to frame me have evidence. I can''t escape responsibility as the general supervisor."


    Sebastian spoke in a steady and clear voice, "That''s all the more reason to act quickly. We should find a less damaging reason to move forward before they can release the evidence.


    "Once the bridge is demolished and they''ve lost the initiative, what good will their evidence be? Where''s the proof?"


    As Dexter listened, his eyes brightened. The n could actually work.


    Sebastian continued, "So we need to move fast Dad. If we wait until the bridge copses in an ident, it''ll be toote."


    "Let''s do it your way!" Dexter pped the table and immediately called his secretary to get things moving.


    Sebastian remainedposed. "And as for Licia''s engagement to Arnold. It should be called off as well, don''t you think?"

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 75

    Dexter paused and sighed deeply. "It''s not that I want the marriage, but Mr. Lawson Senior is awfully determined.


    "He won''t budge, and he only wants Licia as his granddaughter-inw. There''s nothing I can do about it. You can''t possibly expect me to sever ties with him, can you?" Sebastian fell silent. From the way Matthew was willing to resort to threatening the Fullers into agreeing to the marriage, it was clear that nothing could sway his resolve. But there was one critical question. What was it about Felicia that made Matthew so adamant about her marrying Arnold? Why was he willing to use such forceful tactics?


    "Don''t you find it strange, Dad? Why is Mr. Lawson Senior so fixated on this marriage? What exactly does he see in her?"


    If it were just about family background, there were plenty of other powerful families that were more suitable matches for the Lawsons.


    Plus, Felicia was raised in less-than-ideal circumstances after being swapped at birth. Her upbringing was far fromparable to those who grew up in noble families, and there was nothing she was capable of either.


    If it were just about looks, Felicia was indeed a stunning beauty. However, the Lawsons, as an influential and prestigious household, wouldn''t make decisions based solely on appearance.


    Dexter nodded and felt the same. "Who knows what''s going through his mind? But Licia did save his life when she first came back. Perhaps he''s trying to repay that favor."


    The idea that Matthew would force Felicia into a marriage where she would be stuck between Arnold and Ka hardly seemed like an act of gratitude.


    Sebastian''s lips twitched. "That sounds more like a revenge."


    The conversation between father and son ended as the door to the study opened.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Myra entered and noticed the shattered remains of the vase on the floor. She instructed the maids to :lean up the mess.


    Ince everything was dealt with, she said, "Sebastian, I had the kitchen make your favorite baked fish. Would you like to try some?"


    No, thank you. I already ate on the way back." Sebastian lowered his gaze.


    lo wonder Felicia had suggested eating in a restauraht before returning home. He initially thought she as a picky eater and didn''t like the food at home. Now, I was clear to him that the atmosphere at home ould ruin her appetite.


    s Sebastian left the study, he overheard a maid around the corner mockingly mentioning Felicia''s name. he implication was clear-Felicia was nothing now that He was back to support Ka.


    ebastian couldn''t believe what he was hearing.


    maid who would speak in such a manner in the Fuller residence indicated that Dexter and Myra''s titude toward Felicia was one of disregard.


    ithout their indifference and permission, no maid would ever have the guts to trample on Felicia. bastian''s expression darkened as he turned the corner.


    Chap 75


    Holly was in the middle of her tirade when she looked up and saw Sebastian. She dropped the broom in terror and identally scattered the vase fragments she had just swept up. "Mr. Fuller..."


    "Pack your things and leave. The Fuller family doesn''t need employees who take a paycheck and insult their employers. Sebastian''s tone was as cold as ice.


    He nced at the other maids and made it clear that anyone caught gossiping behind their backs would be dismissed as well.


    Holly panicked. She chased after him and pleaded for another chance, promising to never do it again.


    But Sebastian didn''t even turn. His lean figure exuded an icy indifference.


    Holly burst into tears. It wasn''t the first time she had said so, and it hadn''t been a big deal even when Dexter and Myra had overheard it. She hadn''t expected Sebastian to be this harsh. "Why is Mr. Fuller doing that? Shouldn''t he be protecting Ms. Ka? Isn''t a sibling bond of over a decade more important than some outsider who was just recently brought back?"

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 76

    The other maids went about their tasks in silence, not daring to utter a word or show any sympathy.


    As maids, they knew that not managing their words and overstepping boundaries would inevitably lead to


    dismissal.


    Holly was indignant. She threw her broom and stormed off to find Ka, hoping to cry and plead for


    support


    Ka hadn''t expected the indifferent Sebastian to stand up for Felicia. She had always had mixed feelings about him.


    She loved him, but there were times when she feared him. Every time she tried to approach him and win his favor, his lukewarm attitude dampened her enthusiasm and left her feeling disheartened Could it be that Felicia was treated differently simply because she was his biological sister?


    Ka bit her lip and felt a sense of crisis she had tried to suppress. Felicia was the real heiress of the Fullers and had a legitimate im in the house.


    As long as she bore the Fuller family''s blood, she would naturally enjoy all the privileges that came with it, even if she did nothing


    But Ka''s situation was different. If she didn''t fight for her ce, Felicia would eventually trample her.


    Ka''s eyes hardened as she suppressed her anger. She held Holly''s hands and gently said, "Holly, I know you''re doing this for me, but there''s nothing I can do now that Sebastian has spoken. "I''m sure y


    you understand that I''m in a rather awkward position. Say, I''ll find a way to bring you back after some time. Is that alright?"


    Holly had no choice but to nod reluctantly.


    Ka took out a pair of earrings from her jewelry box with a smile and handed them to Holly.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    These were thetest summer designs and were not yet avable on the market. They were crafted by a famous designer and encrusted with sapphire stones at a starting value of six figures. Holly''s breathing quickened as she stared at the earrings in surprise and delight. Her cheeks flushed with excitement. "Ms. Ka, are these for me? Isn''t this too valuable?"


    "Of course they are! They look beautiful on you. Plus, we''re friends, aren''t we? No amount of money can.pare to our friendship." Ka beamed.


    "Ms. Ka..." Holly''s eyes welled up with tears. Her previous grievances werepletely forgotten. She now felt only regret for not having done enough for Ka. Ka pushed Holly toward the mirror so thetter could admire herself.


    She said, "Since you''ll be leaving soon, could you do me onest favor before you go? You''re my only friend, and there''ll be no one left to help me once you''re gone."


    "Ms. Ka, just say the word! I''d walk through fire for you!" Holly nodded and was ready to do anything for Ka.


    This was exactly what Ka had hoped for. A subtle smile curved at her lips before she leaned in to whisper something in Holly''s ear.


    I''ll get it done. Chapter 76


    Holly''s earlier frustration had vanished as she left Ka''s room. She hummed a tone as she walked, and her steps were light and full of cheer-a stark contrast to the tearful mess she''d been moments earlier. The other maids, including Nora, were taken aback. Nora suspiciously pulled Holly aside and asked, "What were you talking about with Ms. Ka?"


    "Nothing much. She justforted me for a bit," Holly lled without showing any signs of guilt.


    But Nora wasn''t easily fooled. "Holly, I''m giving you this advice because you''re my niece. Don''t get involved in the family''s affairs.


    "Find a decent job and do it well. The Fuller residence isn''t the right ce for you with your personality, and you''ll only end up being used as a pawn." "Yeah, I get it. You''re so naggy, Aunt Nora. I''m going to pack my stuff and leave. Happy now?" Holly waved dismissively.


    Only then did Nora let her go.


    Holly pretended to leave. But when no one was watching, she slipped back to the second floor and sneaked into Felicia''s room.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 77

    Felicia had left the house to attend ss just half an hour earlier and left the room empty.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Holly felt nervous as this was her first time doing something like this. But the thought of helping Ka remove Felicia, the nuisance, renewed her determination.


    She quickly stepped into the room and began searching through Felicia''s belongings.


    The room was spacious, but there weren''t many of Felicia''s personal items.


    After a bit of rummaging, Holly found a medicine kit in one of the drawers. There was a needle case and small bottles inside.


    ording to Ka, these bottles contained medicine Cilve had prescribed. It was a special scar-removal ointment so Felicia''s injured leg wouldn''t be scared. What she wanted Holly to do was swap out the medicine. Holly carefully extracted the contents of the bottle and reced them with the substance Ka had provided.


    She was meticulous in her work and made sure the bottles looked untouched once she was done so Felicia wouldn''t notice anything amiss.


    As she sighed in relief, her curiosity piqued. She wondered what the medicine Ka had given her was supposed to be for.


    She had asked Ka about it earlier, but thetter had just smiled and changed the subject.


    Holly curiously brought the bottle close to her nose and took a sniff. She couldn''t detect anything unusual other than the bitter and fragrant scent of the scar-removal ointment.


    She pouted and was about to put the bottle back when something felt strange. Her body grew intensely hot as though a fire had ignited within her.


    Her face flushed bright red, and a soft moan escaped her lips.


    Luckily, she had just sniffed the scent and hadn''te into contact with the substance. A cool breeze from the window snapped her back to reality, and she shivered upon realizing what she''d been dealing with.


    If Felicia applied this to her skin, the effects would be magnified a hundredfold. In that case, she''d lose. control no matter the setting and perhaps even lose her dignity.


    What a vicious move!


    Holly had thought this substance would just cause Felicia some minor trouble, like a severe allergic reaction, or worsen her scars. She hadn''t expected Ka to go this fare


    The consequences would be unimaginable once Felicia lost control.


    Holly hesitated for a brief second, but she suppressed any lingering curiosity. Felicia deserved all of it and brought it upon herself. There was no one else to me.


    She carefully ced the bottles back in their original positions and quietly left Felicia''s room. Before leaving, she gave Ka an "all-clear" signal and left the Fuller residence with her belongings. eyes. Now


    Sitting by the balcony, Ka took a sip of her coffee as a gleam of satisfaction flickered in her that the n was set in motion, it was just a matter of waiting for Felicia to take the bait. The only downside was that she wasn''t sure when Felicia would use the ointment. She had to arrange for


    some men to be around Felicia soon to ensure sess.


    When that moment came, the show would begin.


    Ka picked up her phone and called Talia again, "Talia, Felicia will likely go to the Walsh residence since tomorrow is a Saturday. Keep a close watch and make sure you get that item as soon as possible." "Don''t worry," Talia responded confidently. "The item I gave you is Grandpa''s work, which he poured all his. effort into. Its effects are potent.


    "As long as Feliciaes into contact with it, she won''t be able to escape even if it''s just the tiniest bit. Plus, there''s the poison waiting for her. There''s nothing to worry about with this double guarantee." Ka felt a twitch in her eye as she replied, "I can''t bepletely at ease as long as she''s alive. Plus, she might not even use scar-removal ointment. Poison is the more reliable option."


    The former would just ruin Felicia''s dignity, while thetter would make her disappear entirely.


    I''ll go to the Walsh residence tomorrow as well. I don''t want to wait any longer. I need to get my hands on that poison and act quickly," Ka dered.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 78

    Time psed. The weekend arrived quickly.


    Felicia received a call early in the morning from Clive, inviting her for breakfast. Before she could respond, Charlie was already waiting at the school gate to pick her up.


    Despite Felicia''s previous attempts to decline Clive''s intentions of grooming her as his heir, thetter persistently refused to ept her rejection.


    Felicia had no interest inpeting with the Walsh family''s descendants for the family fortune. All she wanted was the medical and herbal knowledge the Walsh family had umted over a century. After hanging up the phone, she casually got ready and walked out of the campus gate to get into the Walsh family car.


    She arrived at the Walsh residence at exactly 8:00 am.


    "Aunt Felicia!" A cheerful voice greeted her from the side. Felicia turned to see Roberta''s bright smile. *Just finished doingundry?" Felicia casually asked.


    Roberta was taken aback. She was slightly embarrassed as she raised her arm to sniff herself and asked, How did you know that? Do I smell bad from sweat?" Felicia pointed to her hands, which were red from the cold. Although it would be summer soon, hands in cold water for extended periods would hurt soaking


    Roberta didn''t seem to mind. She smiled and said, "You should go inside. Great-grandpa is waiting for you.


    Felicia hummed in response and walked into the house at a leisurely pace.


    Everyone had gathered in the Walsh residence''s living room. The only empty seat next to Clive was reserved for Felicia.


    e only empty seat next to


    "Come here, sit. Clive beckoned to her with a kind smile.


    Felicia walked over and took her seat.


    1


    Clive was the first to pick up his fork, followed by the rest. With him around, no one dared express any dissatisfaction toward Felicia.


    Even if they had any, they kept it buried deep in their hearts and dared not openly show it.


    After breakfast, the Walsh family members dispersed. Some headed to thepany, and others attended to various tasks.


    Felicia made her way to the library as usual. There were several books from herst visit she hadn''t finished reading.


    Clive was unusually free that day. He was about toe with her when Talia rushed over and said, Grandpa, someone is here for you."Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    "I''ll go take a look," Clive replied. He guessed it was someone seeking a consultation.


    He casually handed Felicia the key and said, "Go ahead. I won''t be joining you."


    "Alright."


    Felicia didn''t realize the key''s significance, but Talia knew it all too well. The key could open the library and the pharmacy. Clive kept it with himself at all times. The privilege was typically reserved for the next heir of the Walsh family.


    Though Talia remainedposed, she was seething inside. She shot Felicia a furious re before walking away.


    As she left, she subtly sent Roberta a warning look as thetter followed behind.


    Roberta stepped forward and nervously fiddled with the hem of her clothes. She tried to please Felicia." Aunt Felicia, I can show you the way if you don''t remember." Felicia declined. "No need, I know the way."


    The Walsh residence was indeed a bit of a maze with various gardens and winding corridors. But Felicia had an excellent memory and wouldn''t forget the path Roberta didn''t give up despite the refusal. She cautiously followed Felicia.


    Once they were in a secluded area, she fearfully asked, Aunt Felicia, are you still mad at me?"


    She was referring to the incident in the vige when Felicia had saved her, only for her to abandon her savior and flee for her life.


    This had since be a tight knot in her heart.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 79

    +


    Felicia chuckled. "Are you going to ask me that question every time we meet?"


    Robert had asked the same question several times before.


    Felicia stopped walking and turned to face Roberta. She looked at her with a calm yet firm gaze. "Like I told you, I don''t me you for the choice you made that day, but I won''t forgive you either. Some betrayals only need to happen once."


    Roberta turned pale after hearing those words. Tears welled up in her eyes.


    She struggled to hold back her emotions and barely managed to stop herself from crying. "Aunt Felicia, I''m sorry. I really am


    "You don''t have to apologize because apologies won''t change anything," Felicia said in an indifferent tone. To Roberta, this incident was a haunting regret. But it was just a fleeting moment for Felicia. If thetter had been less fortunate that night, she''d have been tortured to death and never heard these words of regret.


    As they had both faced despair, Felicia had sympathized with and pitied Roberta''s predicament. It was this empathy that had driven her to risk her safety just to save Roberta that night.


    She had been in Roberta''s shoes and would never want her to face the despair she had felt.


    Felicia had never heard of there being an illegitimate child in Noah''s family in her previous life. This likely meant that Roberta had been trapped in that vige until she was sold, tortured, and ultimately died in some forgotten corner. But now, Roberta was still alive and vibrant like a flower in full bloom.


    As Felicia was about to leave, she paused briefly and spoke with genuine sincerity, "Roberta, it''s good that you''re alive.


    "Don''t dwell on the past. Whatever''s trapping you will eventually pass. You can always be yourself again if you''re determined to make it work."


    A gentle breeze swept through the courtyard and rustled the leaves on either side of the trees.


    Roberta stood rooted to the spot. It wasn''t until Felicia had left that she realized tears were streaming down her face.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Felicia''s words rang in her mind, "Don''t dwell on the past. Whatever''s trapping you will eventually pass You can always be yourself again if you''re determined to make it work."


    The words were spoken calmly, but they carried undeniable power that invigorated Roberta''s long-dead heart


    Roberta covered her mouth and sobbed uncontrobly. No one had ever said anything like that to her before.


    Felicia was the only person who''d shown her kindness in a world of malice and endless despair.


    ww


    Felicia was the only one who''d told her she could always be herself as long she wanted it. As long as she could muster just a little courage and break free from her current predicament, she could always be herself. Roberta wiped away her tears. Her gaze hardened in resolution.


    She decided to leave the Walsh residence and escape this ce she both loathed and feared. She swore


    she would never return.


    With her mind made up, Roberta returned to her room t decided to leave them behind. But she made sure to gr saved a few thousand dors.


    With that money, she could leave Khogend with her mo


    Roberta soon finished packing, but the moment she face and a stinging p.

 Return Of The Crowned Heiress 80

    Chapter 80 "p!"


    Talia''s long manicured nails dug into Roberta''s face as she viciously cursed, "You witch, where do yo think you''re going with that bag? Are you nning to see your crazy mother or run away?" "Mrs. Walsh.." Roberta bit her lip. Though her voice was weak, she looked firm.


    ''I''m not your prisoner. I have the freedom to go wherever I want. Plus, haven''t you always hated me? If I leave, it would just be perfect.


    Talia cackled. "The witch has learned to talk back. It seems you''ve forgotten about what happened in that vige. Do you need me to help you remember?"


    She yed a video with a few taps on her phone. The screen showed a scene of horror where a youngdy begged hoarsely for mercy while menughed cruelly.


    Roberta''s face turned deathly pale, and the courage she had mustered instantly crumbled.


    She clutched her ears, shook her head frantically, and cried out, "Stop it! Stop it! Don''t y it anymore, please!"


    Talia sneered as she put the phone away and looked at Roberta with disdain. "Listen to me, you''re nothing but my lowly follower. You''ll do whatever I tell you to. "Dare defy me again, and I''ll send your crazy mother to hell. Do you understand?"


    "I understand "Roberta choked out. Her voice was hoarse from crying as shey prostrate on the ground with Talia trampling on her dignity and pride. Even her soul felt shattered.


    Only then did Talia seem satisfied. She withdrew her foot and spoke with a tone one would use tomand a dog. "I''m going to the front to create a distraction for Mr. Walsh Senior. "Figure out a way to get me that thing. If you don''t get it done by today, you know what will happen."


    Roberta could only beg. "I''ll do my best. Just don''t hurt my mom.


    "That depends on how well you do!"


    With that, Talia strutted away and took her two children with her. The twins were precious darlings of Noah''s family and Roberta''s step-siblings.


    The twins had always taken pleasure in bullying Roberta by mimicking their mother''s behavior. They were the reason Talia had arrived just in time to catch Roberta trying to leave. They had followed Roberta in secret and reported to Talia when they saw her hastily packing her things.


    Roberta''s hatred burned deep, but when she thought of her mother still


    in the sanatorium, her resolve faltered. She unclenched her fists.


    She stood up from the floor and moved like a soulless puppet as she walked toward the library. The key to the pharmacy was with Felicia.


    To get her hands on the poison, she''d have to find a way to get Felicia to open the door.


    Felicia had just finished reading two books in the library. She had a habit of first skimming through the content and memorizing it before rereading the practices until she''d fully mastered it.


    Just as she was about to pick up a third book, there was a knock at the door followed by Roberta''s voice.


    "Aunt Felicia, I brought you some fruit and juice. You cane out and have some if you''re hungry."


    It was a rule of the Walsh residence that outsiders were not permitted to enter and no one was allowed to eat in the library.


    Felicia ignored Roberta''s offer and continued reading her book.


    But Robert''s voice came again. She sounded persistent. "Aunt Felicia, you''ve probably read all the books in the library by now. How about taking a look at the pharmacy?


    "I heard it''s full of prescriptions Great-grandpa created when he was younger. Some of the medicines are priceless"N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Clive-that would be Mr. Walsh Senior, Felicia''s grandfather-had been a legendary figure in his younger days and saved countless lives with his silver needles. He had made a name for himself with his prescriptions and was as skilled in medicine as he was with poison. If he hadn''t sworn to never meddle with poison again, he might have been the top-ranked assassin in the world.


    Felicia''s interest was piqued


    She had indeed gone through most books in the library, but she had never been to the pharmacy.


    Since the opportunity was there, why not take it?


    Felicia walked out and raised an eyebrow. "Where''s the pharmacy? Lead the way"

 Chapter 81

    Roberta''s eyes flickered briefly before she lowered her head and said, "It''s in the basement of this building. I''ll take you there."


    After passing through a long corridor and turning two corners, they arrived at the staircase leading to the basement. Felicia followed Roberta down the stairs and soon saw a tightly closed door.


    The door was made of solid wood and it was heavy. The lock was the most advanced of its kind and connected to a remote rm system.


    It''d be impossible to open the door without the key unless with the use of explosives.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

 Chapter 82

    Roberta stood obediently to the side and said, "Aunt Felicia, this is it." Felicia nodded and unlocked the door to the pharmacy with the key.


    A strong aroma of herbs greeted her as soon as the door opened. The room was filled with the sight of shelves lined with rare herbs covering two full walls.


    Before stepping in, Felicia nced back at Roberta and said, "You can go about your own business. I don''t need anyone to watch over me."


    Roberta fidgeted with her hands and looked slightly uneasy. "It''s alright, Aunt Felicia. I''ll just wait outside, and I won''t disturb you..


    "Consider me taking a break, or there''ll be more chores waiting for me."


    It seemed true. Talia had always made life difficult for Roberta and constantly found ways to torment her, whether it was by making her doundry or clean spotless rooms. Felicia nodded. "Suit yourself."


    Roberta smiled faintly. "Thank you, Aunt Felicia,


    Felicia said nothing else and stepped into the pharmacy. As she entered, the heavy door closed slowly behind her with Roberta standing still, looking as docile as ever.


    Felicia took in the sight of the room and switched on all the lights to better examine everything inside. Aside from the variety of herbs, what caught her attention most were the medicines her grandfather had created. There was an entire row of shelves filled with jars and bottles. Each was carefullybeled with the name of the medicine alongside its intended use and ingredients.


    Felicia''s gaze lingered for a while until she noticed a small white porcin bottle ced at the top of one of the shelves.


    "Is this poison?" Felicia wondered as she took the bottle and scrutinized it closely. Thebel


    C


    bore Clive''s handwriting, and it read "Lethal upon contact with blood, extremely poisonous, no antidote."


    She quietly returned the bottle to its original ce.


    Besides that bottle of deadly poison, there were many others. It was no wonder Clive had earned the title of the "Poison Sage" while he was young. His reputation was well-deserved.


    After examining the medicines, Felicia finally found what she had been most eager to see. It was a collection of ancient medical texts detailing the properties of different herbs and methods to make poisons. Just as she was about to read one of the ancient texts, a loud crash came from outside followed by a cry of pain.


    Felicia put the book down and went to check. When she opened the door to the pharmacy, she found Roberta lying amidst a pile of shattered ss.


    Not far away, the twin siblings were holding slingshots. They made funny faces when they saw Felicia and quickly ran off.


    Felicia frowned and knelt beside Roberta. "Where are you hurt?"Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Roberta had refused to answer, but she finally murmured under Felicia''s steady gaze, "My hand and leg...


    The twins had struck her with their slingshots, and a picture in the corridor had shattered. When the frame fell and hit the ground, Roberta slipped, and several shards of ss pierced her skin.


    They weren''t deep, but they looked like they hurt


    Felicia was going to help her up. "Let''s go. Let''s treat your injuries."


    Roberta sniffled and was on the verge of tears. It hurts so much, Aunt Felicia. I can''t walk."


    Felicia paused briefly before saying, "Wait here. I''ll get a medicine kit and take care of your wounds."


    Roberta nodded. "Alright."


    Felicia left the basement and ran into a maid when she arrived on the ground floor.


    She asked for a medicine kit and was about to return to the basement when she saw Clive approach her, followed by Ka.

 Chapter 83

    Felicia smiled, but her eyes were cold and carried a hint of amusement.


    Ka had shown up early in the morning and used that flimsy excuse to keep Clive upied for so long. Had it just been to create an opportunity for Roberta?


    The shard of ss under Felicia''s foot indicated that Roberta sneaked back in when she had left the basement to grab the medicine kit.


    Judging from that entire wall of bottles and jars with some filled with medicine and others with poison, she was sure that no one would notice if any had gone missing or was tampered with.


    Interesting. Felicia took a deep breath to suppress the anger and frigidity that rose within her. She turned her attention back to the medical texts and pushed all other thoughts aside. After helping the limping Roberta out of the basement, Ka immediately released her arm with a look of disdain as soon they were out of sight from Clive and Felicia. "Did you get it? Hand it over."


    ...I got it," Roberta replied and bit her lip. Her face was pale. "But this is poison. What are you going to do with it?"


    Roberta had asked Talia the question before, but she never received an answer.


    Now, she


    felt a growing unease with the bottle of poison in her hand. It was especially after seeing the words "Lethal upon contact with blood, extremely poisonous, no antidote" on the bottle.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Her heart trembled. What if the poison was intended to kill someone? Would that make her an aplice?


    Roberta whispered, "If you don''t tell me what it is for, I won''t give it to you."


    Ka immediately burst into mockingughter. "Even if I tell you, then what? What can you do about it?"


    Roberta remained silent. Ka stepped closer as a sweet smile spread across her face. There was a tinge of malice. "Alright, I''ll tell you since you''re so eager to know. This poison is for Felicia, and I want her dead!". Roberta''s head snapped up. Her eyes filled with disbelief. "She''s your sister!


    Kaughed. "I don''t have a sister, and I don'' need one either. I''d always be the precious gem of the Fullers without her around. She''s in my way, so she deserves to die."


    Roberta''s breathing quickened as her hands trembled. "Murder is against thew!"


    Ka spread her hands and feigned innocence. "You stole the poison, so what does that have to do with me?"


    At most, she would find an opportunity to add the poison to Felicia''s food or drink. There would be no evidence since she hadn''t created or stolen the poison. No one would ever suspect it was her doing. Roberta was furious. "I can report you!


    "Go ahead, but don''t forget, your mother''s still in the sanatorium. Talia arranges for a doctor to give her sedatives every day.


    "What if they inject her with something else one day?" Ka clicked her tongue at the thought.


    She covered her mouth and giggled. Then, she added, "Oh, I almost forgot. You''ve just escaped from that vige, right? Let me guess, you must''ve made it out because Felicia saved you, did you not?" Roberta''s face turned deathly pale.


    Her reaction confirmed Ka''s suspicion. "No wonder you were so eager to follow her around and call her ''Aunt Felicia'' that affectionately. So she''s your savior huh? Then, why didn''t you escape together? And how did Felicia get injured?" With one key piece of information falling into ce, the rest of the answer became obvious.

 Chapter 84

    Ka''s guess was straight to the point and terrifyingly urate.


    "You didn''t escape together, so you must have abandoned Felicia and fled by yourself, right? If you betrayed her once, what difference does it make if you do it again? "Roberta, you need to think more for yourself. If you don''t want your future to be ruined, and you want your mother to live well, you warning you not to defy my words better behave. I and test my patience."


    Ka extended her hand and demanded once more, "For thest time, give it to me!"


    Roberta closed her eyes and resignedly handed over the white porcin bottle she had been clutching tightly.


    Her voice was hoarse as she asked, "If I give it to you, can I see my mother?"


    "You can," Ka replied. Her eyes had a mix of pity and mockery as she took the bottle and


    lef


    At that moment, Roberta didn''t understand why Ka had looked at her that way, but everything became clear when she visited the sanatorium.


    Talia had told her mother about her captivity in that vige.


    To punish them both, Talia visited the sanatorium an hour earlier. While Roberta''s mother, Eileen Lutz was still lucid, Talia showed her a video of Roberta being humiliated and tortured in that vige. Eileen lost control again after witnessing her daughter''s suffering firsthand. It took five or six doctors to hold her back as she went into a frenzy and tried to attack Talia.


    Eileen screamed and roared in despair.


    Taliaughed triumphantly and mocked her. "This is what you get for trying to take my man. Eileen, you''re just a burden to your daughter to live like this. You might as well die."


    By the time Roberta arrived at the sanatorium, Eileen had been sedated and restrained to the bed. The doctors informed Roberta that her mother now had tendencies to take her own life. Roberta felt the world spin. Everything turned dark and devoid of light. Why were they being so cruel to her and Eileen?


    That night, Roberta


    stayed by Eileed and cried until she was exhausted. She eventually fell asleep, only to relive those horrifying and nauseating scenes in her nightmares.


    "No, no... please let me go..


    Roberta trembled in her sleep and felt a pair of hands gently stroke her back, patting her


    Chap 4


    softly. It felt like she was a child being lulled to sleep.


    Roberta gradually stopped crying and finally found peace.


    Just as dawn broke that morning, she woke up from her nightmare to see Eileen''s peaceful sleeping face.


    However, silent cries of despair tore through the sanatorium soon after. Eileen had died.


    When Talia received the news, she was sitting with Ka and nning on slipping the poison into Felicia''s food.


    She sneered upon hearing the news and uttered, "Serves her right!"


    Ka didn''t bother to care about Roberta and Eileen. In fact, it had been her idea to send Talia to the sanatorium to torment Eileen, all to teach Roberta a lesson for standing up to them time and again. "Talia, Felicia will being over soon since today''s the weekend. How about slipping it into her juice so she can drink it?" Ka could hardly wait to get rid of the troublesome Felicia.


    Talia nced at her with disdain. "If I give it to her, do you really think she''ll drink it? You should do it since you''re her sister after all."


    Neither wanted to act since they feared they''d be suspected.


    After a moment of contemtion, Ka mmed her hand on the table.


    "Let''s have Roberta do it. Felicia seems to trust her, and since Roberta stole the poison, we can just me everything on her once it''s done!"N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

 Chapter 85

    Ka and Talia quickly agreed on a n.


    Ka''s idea seemed wless, and Talia immediately sent someone to bring Roberta back from the sanatorium. Everything was set and ready.


    But to their surprise, Felicia, who had never missed a weekend visit, didn''t show up that day.


    Ka stared at the ss of juice in front of her that was now half-filled with poison. The n was simple. As soon as Felicia arrived, Roberta would bring her the juice. They had to make sure Felicia drank it no matter what, but now it seemed that she wasn''t


    Only a small portion of the poison remained in the bottle. Furious, Ka shot up to her feet and yelled, "What did Grandpa say? Did he not call Felicia? Why isn''t sheing?" Had their n been exposed?


    Talia pped Roberta across the face in a fit of rage. "Speak! Did you warn Felicia?"


    Roberta took the hit without fighting back. Her eyes were void of any light.


    Ka sneered. "Don''t worry, Talia. Just look at her; there''s no way she could have tipped off Felicia. She''s too heartbroken from losing her mother."


    "Serves her right!" Talia scoffed and grabbed Roberta by the hair to force Roberta to look at


    her


    "You should be grateful to me. If it weren''t for my mercy, she''d have died long ago. I spared her life and let you both live these extra years."


    Roberta remained silent though several strands of her hair were yanked out. She didn''t make a sound.


    Though she was much alive, her soul had died. She was a puppet devoid of hope.


    Talia snorted and released her grip. She found no satisfaction in tormenting someone who didn''t react. "Get out of my sight. Come back when I need you!" Roberta moved sluggishly like a robot and dragged herself away


    Ka bit her lip and was deep in thought. She was unwilling to let this opportunity slip away. She asked Talia, "Have you found out where Felicia is? Why didn''t shee to the Walsh residence today?"


    It was ironic. Not long ago, they both wished Felicia would never step foot in the Walsh residence again. Now that she wasn''ting, they were restless and desperate.


    Talia sent someone to ask and soon discovered that Clive had gone to the medical center early in the morning for a house call. Apparently, he had taken Felicia with him.


    Talia was livid. She cursed, "That fool! Of all days for a house call, he had to choose today? And why did he drag Felicia with him? He could have gone alone!"


    They wasted such a perfect opportunity.


    Ka shared her frustration. She reassured Talia, "There''s no need to rush. It''s still early, and for all we know, Grandpa might bring Felicia back for lunch. We''ll get our chance."


    In a minivan, Felicia nced at Clive and asked, "Grandpa, is the patient we''re visiting today a tricky case? You''ve been frowning all this time."


    "It''s quite tricky. This patient traveled from another city. I treated him a while ago when I left Khogend. He was cured then, but now the illness has returned."


    Clive sighed. "In all my years of practicing medicine, this is the first time I''ve encountered such a strange condition."


    "What kind of condition is it?" Felicia asked.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    "You''ll see when we get there."


    Soon, the car pulled up to a five-star hotel. Felicia followed Clive inside along with several other senior physicians and two assistants carrying medicine kits. They took the elevator straight to the top floor. As they approached the presidential suite, the door was open, and a soft groan could be heard from inside.


    Felicia paused before following Clive in.


    A young many on the bed. He appeared wealthy but was masked as if to avoid being recognized, but those details weren''t the most important thing.


    Chapte

 Chapter 86

    Chapter


    86


    The most striking feature about the man on the bed was his enormously swollen stomach which resembled a pregnant woman''s.


    Felicia felt that the man seemed almost like a fictional character. She held back her reaction, but the other physicians and assistants couldn''t contain themselves and burst intoughter. The man on the bed was furious to hear theughter. "Hey! Do you guys have any medical ethics at all? Hold it in, and noughing!"


    His words only sent themughing harder. "Sorry! We didn''t mean to, but we just can''t help itProperty of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Clive turned and scolded them, "What''s so funny? Be serious!"


    The man on the bed was beyond frustrated. He had no choice but to endure it..


    Then, Clive turned to Felicia. "Licia, check his pulse."


    "Okay," Felicia replied, approaching the bed to extend her hand toward the man. Seeing how young she was, he didn''t trust her at all and refused to cooperate.


    Felicia ignored his reluctance and grabbed his wrist to take his pulse. His pulse was unlike anything she''d ever encountered, but it was recorded in an ancient medical text she''d found as a child. This was a clear case of negative energy invading the body.


    When she shared her diagnosis, Clive was momentarily stunned. "Are you sure?"


    "Positive!" Felicia nodded and unfolded her needle case to pull out a silver needle.


    As she administered acupuncture, she exined, ''Acupuncture alone won''t solve this. We also need to draw blood."


    After she spoke, she flicked the silver needle. She drew a scalpel and incised the man''s finger before he could react. "Hey, are you sure this is going to work?" the man eximed with eyes full of doubt.


    Clive observed from the side and was intrigued. "The blood''s ck..."


    As the dark blood was drawn, the man''s swollen belly shrank and came with a series of loud, embarrassing farts.


    Felicia had retreated far enough to avoid the worst of it, but Clive and the physicians crowding in to observe were hit full force.


    They were too stunned for words. The stench was overpowering, pungent, and downright


    Chapp


    nauseating.


    They quickly backed away when realizing what had happened, while the man on the bed had turned red beneath his mask in embarrassment. Felicia refused to stay any longer. She told Clive, "Grandpa, you can administer the acupuncture. I''ll be waiting for you outside."


    With that, she slipped out of the room.


    Clive grumbled and asked one of the assistants for a mask. Then, he pointed at the other physicians. "Go ahead. I''ll supervise."


    "Mr. Walsh Senior, you should do it. You''re the expert."


    They''d usually fight to showcase their skills, but they were now all eager to give up on the chance.


    Nearly overwhelmed by the stench, Clive grumbled at the assistants for not bringing gas masks. The assistants felt wronged as they hadn''t anticipated such a scene either. Despite Clive''sints, he stepped forward to administer acupuncture.


    Out in the hotel corridor, Felicia sensed the stench wafting toward her. She kept walking further away until she found herself at the end of the corridor.


    This was


    another presidential suite, but all the lights around it were oddly out. Other areas were plunged intoplete darkness, and it was eerily quiet.

 Chapter 87

    Felicia looked around and noted that the door was unlike the others in the hotel. It was adorned with intricate ancient patterns radiating a mysterious and dangerous air.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    It felt oddly familiar. She wondered where she had seen that before.


    As she struggled to recall, a coldugh sounded behind her. The area was dark, and the sudden. rush of cold air on her neck startled her.


    Felicia shuddered and instinctively swung her first. "Bang!"


    A grunt of pain followed as she focused, only to notice that she''d struck Arnold.


    Oh, so that was nothing. She retracted her fist without a hint of remorse.


    Arnold clutched his nose, and his eyes zed with anger. This was the second time she''d punched him after all-once at the Lawson residence''s gate as a lesson learned and now again. "Felicia! I can always give you a beating even if you''re a woman!" he growled.


    "Ha! But can you actually do so?" Felicia retorted with a smile that didn''t reach her eyes


    Thest time he had imed to give her a beating, he had tried to do so, only to end up getting thrashed.


    "You..." Arnold was rendered speechless.


    His gazended on the door of the presidential suite behind her. He sneered, "Here to meet your sugar daddy again? He gave you that one-million-dor check, didn''t he?"


    It wasn''t a question. It sounded more like he was stating a fact.


    To Arnold, Felicia''s presence at the hotel could only mean one thing-she was here for some illicit purpose.


    "How despicable!" He spat out the words with disdain. He turned to leave as if looking at her any longer would disgrace him.


    Felicia didn''t provoke him but ended up getting Insulted instead. She wasn''t going to let it slide.


    She quickly caught up to him, grabbed his arm, and threw his words back at him, "Mr. Lawson, so you''re saying that me being at the hotel makes me despicable. What about you? Are you despicable too?" Arnold retorted, "You think I''m like you? I''m here for business, and I''m meeting a partner."


    Felicia couldn''t help butugh. When she was at a hotel, it was to meet a sugar daddy and it was disgraceful.


    Chup B


    When Arnold was at a hotel, was for a business meeting instead. It seemed clean and respectable. Such a perfect example of double standards.


    Felicia''s eyes shed with a n, and she started dragging Arnold toward the opposite presidential suite.


    Arnold frowned and shouted, "Felicia! What are you doing?"


    She didn''t answer He kept a firm grip on his suit as she shoved him toward the suite''s door.


    His expression shifted, and a look of disbelief crossed his face. Before he knew it, they were at the door of the suite.


    "Felicia, do you even know what you''re doing? Have you no shame?" he gritted his teeth.


    Felicia shoved him in. "Get in there!"


    the


    As he stumbled into room, a strong nauseating odor hit him. It smelled like rotten eyes or maybe a tear gas bomb.


    He noticed a group of people inside led by Clive, whom he immediately recognized. Behind Clive were several other physicians all from Harmony Medical Center. Clive heard themotion outside and called out without turning around. "Licia, I''ve drawn all ten fingers. Take his pulse again and see if the symptoms are gone." Arnold froze. Was Felicia here to assist Clive with a medical case?


    Felicia held her breath and stepped forward to check the patient''s pulse. She nodded after confirming that the pulse was stable and the symptoms had vanished. "All good, everything''s fine now."

 Chapter 88

    The man on the bed sighed in relief when he heard Felicia''s assurance.


    Now that the treatment wasplete, the group quickly made their exit from the room.


    On the way out, Felicia turned to Clive and said, "This time, I want half the consultation fee. Any objections?"


    Clive burst outughing. "No objection at all. I''d even give you the full amount."


    Felicia raised an eyebrow. Her expression was cool andposed. "That won''t do. I have my principles, and since I only did half the work, I''ll only take half the fee."


    She walked past Arnold without bothering to give him a nce. She regarded him as though he were invisible.


    It wasn''t until they exited the hotel that Clive suddenly realized. "Wait a minute. What was Arnold doing here?"


    "No idea."


    "Licia, I heard you two are getting engaged. That boy''s no good. Marrying him would be nothing but trouble for you."


    Felicia smiled lightly and reassured him, "Don''t worry, Grandpa. This engagement isn''t going to happen."


    Matthew, also known as Mr. Lawson Senior, had threatened to drag her to the wedding if necessary, but what if Arnold backed out himself?


    With one week left until the engagement party, anything could happen. She had a backup n if worse came to worst. She''d rather marry just about anyone else than be tied to Arnold. She''d suffered enough in her previous life and wouldn''t repeat those mistakes in her current


    one.


    Clive didn''t press further. He handed over her share of the consultation fee, which was 250


    thousand dors.


    There was still time before lunch, so Felicia suggested, "Grandpa, you should head back. I need to swing by the bank to deposit the money."Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    She also had that one-million-dor check from Stephan that needed to be cashed before it expired.


    Clive nodded and got in the car to leave. Felicia headed straight to the bank and transferred all the money from her ount to another one. The two million dors from treating Hubert and six million dors from the Chavezs as an


    Chap


    apology were immediately transferred from that ount. She did the same thing with the 250 thousand dors.


    Soon after, the ount holder on the receiving end replied with two simple words. "Thank you."


    Felicia exhaled and felt a bit lighter. However, when she tried to cash the one-million-dor check, she was informed that the handwriting on the check was damaged and stained, rendering it invalid. Dang it! Felicia took a closer look and realized that the check was smeared with blood when Ka grabbed it from her during their tussle. The stain had obscured a crucial part of the check. This meant that the check was void and would have to be reissued. Did this mean she had to go back to Stephan?


    Felicia frowned. She fell into a dilemma. She didn''t want to lose such arge sum of money, but she didn''t want to deal with Stephan either.


    That was a million dors, though!


    After much deliberation, pragmatism won out. She carefully tucked the check away, cab, and gave the address of the mansion.


    hailed a


    The sprawling estate was eerily quiet just likest time. There were no bodyguards or extra maids around.


    Felicia knew better than to intrude. She had been here twice before-once to treat Stephan''s wound and the other was when he saved her life and flew her back to Khogend in his helicopter. Though the estate seemed peaceful, who knew how many guards were lurking behind the scenes? Trespassing would be a death sentence.


    After ringing the doorbell for what felt like an eternity, an elderly butler, William Wayne, finally appeared and opened the gate.


    After she exined her purpose, William informed her that he needed to ry her message, so she waited.


    William returned shortly and delivered his message. "Apologies, Ms. Fuller, but Mr. Russell says he won''t see you."

 Chapter 89

    Felicia was at a loss for words. She knew this was going to happen.


    She refused to give up and asked, "Can I wait here?"


    William responded with a polite smile, "Suit yourself, Ms. Fuller."


    Felicia was rest assured, so she found a spot by a flowerbed and sat down. The sun hung high in the sky, and today''s weather was ufortably warm.


    She rested her head on her hand and soon drifted off under the zing sun. She ended up waiting for two hours.


    Her back ached, and she was both tired and hungry. William reappeared and bowed slightly." Ms. Fuller, Mr. Russell will see you now."


    She perked up. She stood up and followed William into the estate.


    "Ms. Fuller, please," William said as he led her to Stephan''s door. With that, he turned and left.


    Felicia felt nervous about seeing him turn away. Was William leaving and noting in with her?


    She took a deep breath and walked in. She reminded herself that she couldn''t let one million dors go to waste.


    She nced around but didn''t see Stephan. Instead, she heard the sound of running water from the bathroom.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Through the frosted ss door, she could make out the silhouette of a tall lean figure amid the steam. Just a quick nce at the posture, outline, and powerfully toned body was enough to make her heart race. The water stopped, and the bathroom door opened. Stephan stepped out.


    His ck hair was still dripping. Water trickled down his wless face, and chiseled abs, and disappeared beneath the towel wrapped around his waist.


    Felicia felt her face flush. As she looked away, she met Stephan''s eyes filled with an unreadable and amused expression.


    Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly turned away.


    The room fell silent. She could hear Stephan undoing his towel and tossing it aside. Then, there was the sound of him dressing up as the fabric slid against his skin.


    Felicia''s face grew hotter. Sometimes, having a sharp hearing was a curse for her, especially when her mind automatically filled in details of the scene. Chapp


    Thankfully, the process didn''tst long.


    indiffe


    Stephan asked in an indifferent voice, "What do you want?"


    Felicia refused to turn around and exined the situation with the check using a low muffled voice. She spoke fawningly as if trying to please Stephan.


    "Mr. Russell, I can''t cash the previous check. Can I get your help in issuing a new one?"


    For some reason, she felt like Stephan''s voice grew colder. "That''s it?"


    Felicia wanted to retort that there was no other possible excuse for her visit. But she dared not since she needed his help, so she could only respond meekly. "I''m sorry for the trouble, Mr. Russell."


    With that, she handed him the old check.


    Stephan didn''t take it. He didn''t nce at it either. Instead, he simply said, "Bank ount."


    It seemed that he didn''t want to bother with a new check and would rather transfer the to her bank ount instead.


    money


    Felicia was relieved. She quickly pulled out a piece of paper from her bag and wrote her bank ount number.


    Noticing the coldness on Stephan''s face, she hesitated for a moment.


    Then, she pulled out a small bottle from her bag and handed it over with a ttering smile." This is for you. It''s a scar-removal ointment."


    This was a special form from Clive. Felicia had used it several times and knew that it was highly effective. No trace of the gunshot wound was found on her leg. Stephan had a scar on his shoulder from a previous injury. Felicia had inflicted the injury while she had detoxified him.


    She noticed the scar was still there and was quite frightening although she''d just caught a glimpse earlier.


    She was certain that her ttery would work. Then, she quickly made her exit after leaving the scar-removal ointment behind.

 Chapter 90

    Felicia would never have any idea that the scar-removal ointment she had just given away had been tampered with.


    This seemingly innocent act would soon lead to unforeseen consequences.


    As she stepped out of the gates, her phone buzzed with a new notification to inform her that the one million dors had just been transferred to her ount. Felicia breathed a sigh of relief. Stephan was indeed one to keep his word.


    As she was feeling great from securing the money, she received a call from Clive asking if she was done with her business as he was waiting for her in the pharmacy. Felicia responded with a nod and hailed a cab to the Walsh residence.


    Ka sat gracefully in the living hall of the Walsh residence, brewing tea. Talia sat beside her, and they greeted Felicia warmly.


    "Felicia, would you like to try the tea I just brewed?"


    Talia wasn''t acting like her usual self either. She smiled brightly, saying, "Licia,e sit with me. We''re all family, and let''s get closer." Felicia''s lips tugged with a mocking smile. "No, thanks. I''m afraid it might be poisoned."


    Ka''s hand paused at her words and she spilled a few drops of tea on the table. Talia was equally taken aback but quicklyughed it off. "What are you saying? We wouldn''t harm you. It''s fine that you don''t want it."


    With that, Talia downed her cup in one go. Ka looked slightly hurt and sipped from her cup as well.


    Felicia couldn''t bother to y mind games with them, so she walked straight through the living room to the pharmacy in the back.


    In the pharmacy, Clive was busy organizing his precious bottles.


    Felicia approached and asked, "Grandpa, did anything go missing?"


    She had requested Clive to organize the medicines. She hadn''t mentioned that someone had sneaked into


    the pharmacy and just reminded him that he should check and mark all of them to prevent theft.


    Clive had thought it wasn''t necessary, but since Felicia had requested it, he did a count anyway. To his surprise, he did find something missing.


    Chopp1.00


    Felicia asked, "What''s gone?"


    Clive hesitated briefly before replying with an embarrassed look, "It''s a rather... hard drug. It''s meant to treat those with severe... sexual deficiencies, but now it''s gone..."


    Felicia understood Clive''s vague exnation. It was no surprise that he encountered all kinds of patients over his long career, and such remedies were both highly profitable and in high demand. She pressed further, "Grandpa, are you sure that''s the only thing missing? What about any poisons?"


    "They''re all here. Not a single one''s missing," Clive spoke with certainty.


    Felicia frowned. The shards of ss in the pharmacy from when Roberta snuck inst night were evidence to prove that something was amiss.


    Ka and Talia had been overly eager to create opportunities and cover for Roberta, and they''d gone as far as to stall Clive.


    Roberta couldn''t have just taken a hard drug avable on the market. There had to be something else that was missing.


    As Felicia went through the bottles one by one, a sudden thought struck her.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    She asked, "Grandpa, what about your ''lethal upon contact with blood'' poison? Where is it?" "Right here."


    Clive picked up a white porcin bottle. Then, he froze and eximed, "Wait, this bottle isn''t right! Where''s my poison?"


    The poison was gone, and even the bottle was a fake. Though it was an identical white porcin bottle, a closer inspection revealed subtle differences.


    The real bottle had been swapped out. The genuine poison was stolen, and a fake was left in its ce to fool anyone who wasn''t paying close attention.


    If Clive hadn''t picked it up, he might never have noticed.


    Felicia felt a chill run down her spine.


    Then, Roberta''s voice came from behind the door of the pharmacy. "Grandpa, Aunt Felicia, why don''t youe out for some snacks? The kitchen made a lot of desserts."

 Chapter 91

    Clive had lost his appetite for food. With a dark expression on his face, he got up. "I must find out who sneaked in here!"


    Losing a poison of that type was noughing matter.


    If the person who stole the poison were to use it with malicious intentions, it would be almost impossible for anyone to detect and avoid that potent, colorless, and odorless poison. Before he left the room, Clive cast a nce at Felicia and reminded her. "Licia, you need to be careful."


    Felicia nodded.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Clive strode out of the pharmacy. He was reminded that Roberta, who was waiting outside, had been injured when he walked past her.


    He came to a halt. "You haven''t changed the dressing for today, right? Once I''ve settled some urgent matters, you cane and look for me. I''ll help you change it." "Thank you, Great-grandpa."


    Roberta beamed.


    If it had been before, she would have been really happy to hear Clive expressing his concern, for her like this. However... It was toote now. It was all toote now. After Clive left, Felicia came out of the pharmacy.


    Robertamented in a gentle voice, "Aunt Felicia, the weather''s nice today. Why don''t we head outside to the garden? I''ve baked a cake and made a few desserts. Would you like to try them?" Felicia stared at Roberta, trying to read the expression on her face.


    Unfortunately, nothing in particr stood out.


    Roberta looked very much like her usual self. The only thing different was that she was not smiling as much and looked a bit tired. The corners of her eyes were slightly red.


    It seemed like she might have cried just a while ago.


    Felicia took her up on the offer. "Sure!"


    She wanted to see how long Roberta was going to keep up with this act.


    Felicia closed the door to the pharmacy and followed Roberta to the garden.


    Several tes of desserts and sliced fruits were served on a stone table in the garden. There were also two sses of freshly squeezed orange juice.


    There was a brief sh of contempt in Felicia''s eyes when she saw the two sses of orange


    juice.


    If her prediction was right, one of the two drinks was spiked.


    Felicia fell behind slightly on purpose to see what Roberta would do.


    Roberta behaved as if she had not noticed anything and sat on the seat on the right. She naturally took the ss of orange juice to the right and ced it before her. Meanwhile, Felicia sat opposite her. She stared at the desserts and the remaining ss of orange juice, which Roberta moved closer to her, without touching them. Roberta lifted her gaze and looked in the sun''s direction. She squinted her eyes against the strong sunlight. However, she smiled faintly. "Aunt Felicia, the weather is so lovely today." Felicia remained silent.


    Roberta did not seem to mind theck of response. She went on talking as if she suddenly had the urge to share her stories.


    "When I was younger, I thought I was the happiest child in the world. My mom was always gentle to me, whereas my dad was always very caring and thoughtful.


    "One day, a woman barged into our house and imed that my dad was her husband. She


    yanked at my mom''s hair and called her a slut and a mistress.


    "I had no idea what a mistress meant at first. It wasn''t untilter on when people started calling me the daughter of a mistress and an illegitimate child...


    ''My ssmates mocked and ridiculed me behind my back. Our neighbors left their rubbish in


    front of our door.


    "No matter how frequently we moved houses, people would always find us and ssh paint onto our front door. They would even print photos of my mom and me on flyers and distribute them on the streets.


    "At some point, my mom started having mental issues. Before she was admitted to a mental hospital, my mom found my dad and managed to get the Walsh family to take me in. She said she did that for my sake. Yet, my mom was so... so naive! She had no idea how hard life was for me when I stayed with the Walsh family."


    Roberta chuckled bitterly. Her eyes were red, but she tried her best to hold back her tears.


    "The caring and thoughtful dad in my memories was no longer the same person I knew. He was so different to the point that I could hardly recognize him "


    She looked at Felicia and mockingly continued, "You already know what happened next, Aunt


    Chaoperat


    Felicia.


    "With the excuse of sending me away to study abroad, Talia had her men sell me off to the people in that vige. I tried escaping many times, but those men always managed to capture me again." Each time, a darker and more sinister hell awaited her back at the vige.


    "The day I met you happened to be my birthday as well. I prayed to the heavens, hoping that they''d save me. You appeared at that very moment."

 Chapter 92

    That night, Felicia was in a tight spot too.


    She was about to leave despite hearing Roberta''s desperate pleas. However, Felicia eventually gritted her teeth, turned around, and rescued Roberta nheless.


    Roberta wiped a tear off the corner of her eye. "Aunt Felicia, there are two things I regret the most in my life. One was when I left you behind and fled alone back then. The second was returning to the Walsh family." Felicia''s eyes were unreadable as she listened silently. She merely called out Roberta''s name.


    Roberta."


    "Yes, Aunt Felicia."


    Felicia wanted to point out that Roberta was nning to betray her again even after saying all


    this.


    However, she decided to hold back on that thought. Instead, she asked, "Do you know why I turned back to save you back then?"


    "No." Roberta shook her head. She thought pensively for a bit and added, "Was it because you thought I was pitiful?"


    "No," Felicia replied tly. It''s because I can see a lot of my old self in your gaze back then.


    The old self she meant was the old Felicia, the one from her previous life.


    In her past life, Felicia went through great despair and mental breakdowns several times after she was thrown into prison.


    She could have lived a happy, fulfilling life. Yet, she was oppressed by those in power, despised. and ndered by her family, and abandoned by the world!


    She never tried to harm or injure anyone. However, Felicia ended up having an arm, an eye, and a leg permanently impaired. In the end, she even lost her life. That night, Felicia saw a shadow of her old self when she met Roberta''s eyes, which reflected her despair.


    That was why Felicia decided to help Roberta even though she knew it was dangerous.


    The thought she had on her mind back then was to save Roberta. By doing so, she felt like she was saving her old self too.


    Roberta paused briefly after hearing that. Then, she picked up her ss of orange juice.


    "Aunt Felicia, I''d like to apologize to you once more. I''m really sorry for leaving you behind at the time... I''ll make it up to you with this orange juice." Meeting Roberta''s docile and expectant gaze, Felicia raised her ss.


    She could smell the rich scent of fruits. If her drink had not beenced with poison, Felicia might have found Roberta''s sharing a bit more sincere. Regrettably, Roberta had said all those things only to get Felicia to drink the spiked juice.


    Felicia remained still. She asked jokingly, "Roberta, your ss of juice doesn''t look as good as mine. Do you want to swap your drink with mine?" That was thest chance Felicia was giving her. She wondered if Roberta would choose to stop. or proceed with her n.


    Roberta paused, but she had no intention of stopping. Instead, she raised her ss and smiled. "Here''s a toast to you, Aunt Felicia."


    Then, Roberta downed the ss of orange juice in just a few gulps.


    Felicia concluded that Roberta was beyond saving


    She shook her head and poured her up to


    Conto the ground. Without a word, Felicia por leave.


    Just then, she heard the sound of something plopping onto the grounding from behind her.


    Felicia furrowed her brows and turned around. "What is it now?"


    She found Roberta had dropped listlessly onto the ground. Blood came out of her eyes, ears, mouth, and nose.


    Felicia was in a state of shock. She could not understand what was happening.


    Coincidentally, a puppy was licking the puddle of orange juice, which formed on the ground when Felicia poured away her drink.


    Even after it had licked up most of the orange juice, the puppy was still up and running. There was no sign of it being poisoned.


    That meant, since the beginning, Felicia''s ss of orange juice did not contain any poison. The drinkced with poison was in Roberta''s ss!Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

 Chapter 93

    Chapter


    93


    Felicia did not expect things to turn out like this, nor did she imagine Roberta would make


    such an extreme decision.


    "Aunt Felicia..."


    Roberta, who was on the ground, coughed up a mouthful of blood. The poison was extremely potent. The blooding out of Roberta''s body was all ck in color.


    Her face was ghastly pale. She knitted her brows due to the excruciating pain.


    Felicia quickly said, "Don''t speak, and don''t try to move."


    She was d she had the habit of carrying silver needles and medicine with her. She immediately produced a silver needle and stuck it into a specific spot on Roberta''s body to stop the poison from spreading quickly. At the same time, Felicia fed Roberta several medicines that might be useful.


    "Swallow them! Hurry!"


    Roberta shook her head. She choked on some blood as she mustered the little strength left in her body and said, "Aunt Felicia, I''ve betrayed you once, but that won''t happen a second time. I''ve aplished that now." "That''s enough. You shouldn''t talk anymore. Be good and swallow the medicine. I''ll insert the needles into your body, and you''ll be alright!"


    Felicia swiftly stuck her silver needles into Roberta''s meridians. Despite her quick actions, the poison was still spreading in Roberta''s body at an rming speed. The acupuncture treatment. did not help much in stopping the spread. Roberta''s breath came in short pants. She smiled. "Don''t bother trying, Aunt Felicia. It''s pointless. The poison... There''s no antidote to it...""


    Felicia ignored her and continued to insert more needles.


    Roberta looked up at the sky, her smile waning. "Aunt Felicia, do you think my mom wille and take me away with her?"


    Without pausing for a response, she continued, "I think she will. She died in my arms just this morning. She said she didn''t want to be a burden for me anymore..


    "With her around, she said I would never be able to escape Talia''s control and torment.


    "My mom had no idea, though... With her gone, I can''t take any more of this either... It''s better this way. No one will be able to harm or torture us anymore...


    Roberta''s breathing grew weaker by the second. She dug deep into her pocket with great


    difficulty and took out a voice recorder. Then, she pushed the voice recorder into Felicia''s hand.


    "Aunt Felicia, you need to be careful of Ka. She... She''s trying to get rid of you...


    "Also, thank you for being the light in my life. I don''t have the strength to continue fighting. You''re probably disappointed in me. I''m sorry, Aunt Felicia."


    With her final word, Roberta shut her eyes. A tear rolled down her cheeks as she dropped her hand to the ground.


    Roberta was dead.


    She died in Felicia''s arms.


    Felicia could feel a lump in her throat as she checked and confirmed that Roberta no longer had a pulse.N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    After some time, she ced her hand over Roberta''s eyes to shield them from the bright sunlight. She was crying silently as she said, "It wasn''t your fault. You were very brave, Roberta." At her back, she could hear approaching footsteps.


    It was not just Clive. Ka and Talia had also hurried over after receiving the news.


    Earlier, a maid hade running to them nervously and reported that someone had died. Ka and Talia could hardly hide the excitement in their eyes as they discreetly exchanged nce.


    By the time they arrived, they were momentarily stunned when they saw Roberta lying on the ground.


    They could not understand what was happening Felicia was supposed to be the one killed by the poison!


    Clive came forward and felt Roberta''s pulse. He could not believe the youngdy who was smiling at him just 20 minutes ago was now a cold corpse.


    He even promised Roberta to change the dressing for her today.


    He lifted his head and directed his gaze to Felicia with a dazed look. "Licia, what happened?"


    Felicia did not say anything. She gently lowered Roberta to the ground and turned around. Her eyes glinted with a cold light.


    While Ka and Talia looked innocently at her, Felicia grabbed hold of their cors and yanked them forward. Then, she gave each of them a forceful kick in the back of their knees Ka and Talia let out a yelp of pain almost simultaneously and dropped to their knees.

 Chapter 94

    "Hey! Have you lost your mind? What are you doing? Ah!"


    Talia was about to shout at the top of her lungs, but Felicia started shoving her head to make her grovel at Roberta''s feet. Ka tried to pull herself away, but she was forced to grovel repeatedly under Felicia''s grip as


    well.


    "See that? That''s a human life! A precious human life!" The corners of Felicia''s eyes were red. Her voice rang with anger.


    "Is it her fault that people call her an illegitimate child? Doesn''t the fault lie with the one who


    chose to have an affair?


    "You can ignore her or kick her out of the house if you don''t like her. Why did you have to sell her to human traffickers and make her suffer inhumane treatment?


    "Do you not feel the slightest hint of regret for driving a person to the point where they decide to take their own life?"


    Felicia was burning with rage. She kept pressing Talia''s and Ka''s heads down to make them grovel at Roberta''s body, which was now gradually turning cold.


    Doing this would not help Talia and Ka atone for their sins or make up for what they did in the past, but Felicia felt that it was only right for these perpetrators to do this much. Thud! Thud! Thud!


    It was only when there were bloodstains on the ground and Felicia became tired that she released Talia and Ka.


    The hair Talia had put up in a bun was now a mess. She felt so dizzy, considering how she had to grovel multiple times. When she regained her senses, Talia


    Talia pointed at Felicia and shouted furiously, "You damned wench! How dare you do this to me? I''m going to tear you to shreds!" With her hands in the air, Talia was about to pounce at Felicia.


    Clive bellowed, "Enough!"


    He had rarely lost his temper in recent years. Even if he was upset sometimes, Clive would at most speak in a severe tone.


    He would not react in the way that he did now-barely able to stand due to his fury and having a loud, stern tone.


    Talia halted andined with indignation, "Grandpa, you must do something about this!


    If this goes on, we, the Walshes, are going to get pushed around by this wench!


    "Who does she think she is? How dare a bastard like her hit me? What an abomination!"


    Ka could still feel her head spinning. The first thought that struck her was the imnt she had recently gotten for her face. She wondered if all that bashing affected the imnt. When she heard Clive taking Felicia''s side, she sobbed dejectedly. "Grandpa, you saw it for yourself. We didn''t do anything, yet Felicia suddenly started hitting us... I''m in so much pain... Ka was right about that.


    Clive felt like his vision went dark for a moment. He quickly tried to calm himself down cleared his mind. Then, he asked, "Licia, what happened?"


    and


    Felicia carried Roberta from the ground and into her arms. The maids quickly brought a small bed to where Felicia was standing, after which sheid Roberta on the bed.


    Then, she answered, "Grandpa, you felt her pulse too. I''m sure you know how Roberta died, right?"


    Clive would be lying if he said he did not know.


    He had made the poison himself, so he knew best how potent the poison was and its effects With agony, Clive closed his


    eyes. This was not the first time. In the past, his wife died because she had contact with a poison he made by ident...N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    "It''s my fault. Roberta ended up like this because of me."


    Tears streaked Clive''s face.


    Felicia smirked. She fixed her gaze on Talia and Ka. "Grandpa, you shouldn''t jump to conclusions. I think the murderer is someone else."


    The poison was not the issue here. Under certain conditions, some poison could even work as a cure to save lives. The problem did not stem from the substance, but rather from the people. using it. It was especially so for those with malicious intentions and no care for human lives.


    Clive asked, "Who is it?"


    "Those two..." Felicia pointed to Talia and Ka. The two of them are the murderers!"

 Chapter 95

    There was no way Talia would admit to being a murderer.


    She yelled, "You darn wench! Who are you to point fingers at others? Roberta died in your arms! That makes you the biggest suspect among us! Yet, you''re trying to use us now?" Ka had a resigned look on her face. "Felicia, Roberta and I are not on bad terms. Why would I want to kill her? Even if you don''t like me, you can''t falsely use me." She made it sound as though Felicia was calling her a murderer because she wanted to get rid


    of her.


    Felicia had to admit that Ka was exceptionally skilled when it came to feigning innocence and misleading those around her.


    She had no intention of arguing with Ka and Talia, so she turned her gaze toward Roberta, whoy on the bed..


    The words Roberta said moments before her death rang in Felicia''s head.


    "Aunt Felicia, the weather is so lovely today.


    "The day I met you happened to be my birthday as well. I prayed to the heavens, hoping that they''d save me. You appeared at that very moment.


    "I''ve betrayed you once, but that won''t happen a second time. I''ve aplished that now.


    "Thank you for being the light in my life. I don''t have the strength to continue fighting..."


    Felicia closed her eyes for a bit. Then, she looked at Clive. "Grandpa, gather everyone. I will prove in front of everyone the evil deeds these two murderers havemitted!"


    If it had been before, Clive would never agree to Felicia''s request. After all, that meant exposing a scandalous incident involving some of their family members to others.


    However, a person''s life was involved this time. Moreover, Roberta was killed by Clive''s poison.


    The culprit who stole Clive''s poison had to have wicked intentions, and they needed to catch. that person!


    Clive drew a long breath. In just a few seconds, he made his decision.


    After hearing Felicia''s words, Ka and Talia exchanged a nce. Both of their eyes shed. with shock and unease.


    Felicia imed to have proof and she even wanted to show it in front of people. The two of them could not help but wonder if she was really telling the truth.


    Talia quickly said, "Grandpa, do you believe what that wench is saying? She obviously has a hidden agenda! She''s trying to break our family apart!"


    "Grandpa, the reputation of the Walsh family and yours will be tainted if news of this incident gets out. We should catch the murderer, of course. Still, we can''t make a scene..." Ka hinted, "Besides, Felicia is under suspicion too. Yet, it looks like she''s trying to lead the investigation now. Even if she found out who did this, would others be convinced?" In other words, Ka was implying that Felicia''s actions were akin to the pot calling the kettle ck as she could also be the perpetrator.


    Clive''s expression darkened. He ignored Ka and instructed his butler, Gerald Stinson, to inform Noah''s family and Jake toe over for a meeting. Gerald responded in acknowledgment and was about to leave when Clive gave him another instruction. "Wait. Tell the Fullers toe over too." "Understood." Gerald hurried away to carry out the tasks.


    Ka felt her heart sink. She subconsciously curled her fingers into a fist.


    "What do I do if Felicia really has the proof? What would Mom and Dad think of me? Will I... get kicked out of the Fuller residence?" she pondered. Talia was gripped by a sense of panic too.


    Despite Roberta being an illegitimate child who was not weed in the Walsh family, she still shared the same blood as the Walshes.


    At Clive''smand, they soon set up a simple wake room at home.


    While the others were busy preparing, Ka asked in a subdued voice, "Didn''t you say the n was foolproof? How did ite to this?" "How am I supposed to know?"


    The feelings of indignation in Talia rose. In all of the scenarios she had thought about, she had never once considered an instance where Roberta would try to retaliate.


    Not only did she possess the photos and videos of Roberta being sexually assaulted by men, but she also had Roberta''s mother, Eileen, confined in a sanatorium.


    With the two trump cards Talia had, Roberta would not say no even if she asked her to kill herself.


    Besides, the instruction she had given Roberta was simply to poison Felicia!N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Chaopt

 Chapter 96

    Chapter


    96


    She never thought Roberta would poison herself instead..


    Ka had been feeling unsettled because of what Felicia said earlier. She snapped when she received a response like that from Talia.


    "Didn''t you say Roberta was like a dog that would follow your every order obediently? Look at what happened now. She bit you!"


    "How dare you say that? If it weren''t because you said we needed to teach her a lesson and had me threaten her mom at the sanatorium, would her mom have killed herself?"


    Talia rolled her eyes and scoffed. "If it weren''t because of your stupid idea, things wouldn''t


    have turned out like this!"


    "I told you to threaten her mom because I wanted to make Roberta more obedient. Couldn''t you tell that Roberta had been getting rebellioustely? I never told you to drive her to the point of suicide, though!" Ka refuted and stood her ground.


    The two partners who had worked closely together all along were now turning against each


    other.


    Talia could feel her head throb painfully. There was no point in arguing about the what-ifs.


    She thought she had Roberta in her hands with those videos in her possession. No woman would want to have these materials of themselves in a vulnerable situation exposed to the public.


    That was why Talia never expected Roberta to choose to end things with such defiance and resoluteness.


    It was somewhat understandable since those videos no longer held any value for her with Roberta dead.


    Ka had a grim expression. "That''s not what''s important now. What matters more is what proof Felicia has!


    "You need to think carefully. When you met with Roberta, could she have recorded a video or a voice recording of what you spoke to her about?"


    "That''s not possible," Talia replied firmly. "shecked the nerve. Besides, I never let her use the phone."


    "That''s good to know." Ka felt slightly relieved.


    In that case, there was a good chance Felicia was trying to trick them by saying that she had proof.


    Chap


    As long as Ka and Talia remained calm andposed, others would only be able to conclude Roberta''s death was an ident.


    Since she still felt quite uneasy, Ka reminded Talia several times about the things she should take note of. The two of them matched up their stories and made sure nothing about. them would arouse suspicion. They finally felt more at ease after doing all that.


    As soon as they rxed, the wounds on their foreheads started throbbing painfully again.


    Talia had never suffered such great humiliation, where she was forced to grovel to someone


    else.


    "Damn it! Roberta used up the poison we had. Would we even be able to get another good opportunity to get rid of Felicia?


    "Felicia Fuller... You better pray that you won''t end up in my hands. If you do, I''m definitely going to give you a hard time!"


    Talia muttered those words through gritted teeth. When she turned her head, she saw that Ka was not trying to clean or treat her wound.


    Instead, she applied some pressure to the wound, causing blood to ooze out of the cuts on her forehead.


    "What are you doing?"


    Ka curled her lips. "I need to earn sympathy, don''t I?"


    Dexter and Myra would be there soon. Ka had to seize the opportunity to appear pitiful and gain their affection and attention.


    Talia clicked her tongue. "You''re ruthless enough to do this to yourself, huh?"


    Ka grinned. "I can be even more ruthless if the situation calls for it."Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    She would do anything just to achieve her goals.


    Soon enough, Noah''s family and Jake arrived at the house after receiving news of Clive''s orders. A whileter, Myra and Sebastian arrived too.


    Save for Dexter, who was upied with the matter of taking the bridge apart, pretty much everyone was there.


    After arriving at the Walsh residence, Myra spotted the bloody wound on Ka''s forehead almost instantly. She was shocked and worried, quickly asking, "Kay, how did you get hurt? What happened?" With a dejected expression, Ka remained silent. However, her gaze seemed to be drifting toward Felicia''s direction.


    Chingine


    She was hinting that Felicia had caused the injury.

 Chapter 97

    "It''s Felicia again!" Myra grumbled inwardly.


    She was extremely frustrated. Previously, Felicia had overpowered Ka and pped her repeatedly in the car just because of what Ka had said.


    Myra felt that Felicia must have caused the injury on Ka''s forehead this time over some measly issues again.


    It made her wonder what she had done wrong to be given such an impulsive, troublemaker daughter.


    Myra was about to scold Felicia, but Sebastian stopped her just in time. "Mom, we just arrived. We have no idea what''s going on. How are you even certain that Felicia is the one at fault?" Anyone could tell that there was an unusual atmosphere in the Walsh residence. Something serious must have happened. Otherwise, Clive would not have gathered all of them here. However, from Myra''s perspective, Felicia must have caused trouble at the Walsh residence


    She was so irked. Even though she tried to suppress her frustration, Myra could not help saying, "Sebastian, you don''t know Felicia that well. She''s very hot-tempered. This isn''t her first time hitting Ka." Sebastian replied in a cold, indifferent tone, "Mom, do you know Felicia that well then?"


    "...


    She was struck speechless.


    He had a point. Although they were rted by blood, none of them knew Felicia well enough, including Sebastian and Myra themselves.


    Ka felt sad, so she asked in a low voice, "Sebastian, am I not your sister too?"


    "No."


    "Sebastian..."


    She was in utter disbelief.


    Sebastian realized how misleading his response sounded. He exined, "What I mean to say is you''re my sister and so is Felicia."


    "However..." He took a pause with a steely look. Even if I''m your brother, I won''t blindly take sides."


    Whether it was his biological sister or the sister he grew up with, Sebastian would treat both of them equally and not show a particr person more favor. He would make his judgments Chap 202


    ording to facts.


    T


    If they were to think deeper about his words, he was also implying that he would not condone or tolerate if any one of themmitted a mistake.


    "Anyhow... it sounds like a warning to me, no matter how I think about it," Ka thought.


    She was very displeased inwardly. Still, she knew better than to fight with Sebastian over this.


    After all, Sebastian had always been like this. He might appear gentle and mild-tempered. However, he was never one to be friends with others easily. It was as though he had put up a wall around him.


    Ka acted as if she waspletely oblivious. She said innocently, "You gave me quite a fright! I thought you were trying to cut ties with me, Sebastian."


    Sebastian did not say anything. His gaze fell on Felicia, who stood somewhere a bit further away from the crowd.


    All this time, she sat silently on a chair and stared at her hands with her head lowered. It was impossible to tell what was going through her head..


    She still had blood on her hands-blood from Roberta''s body.


    There was a fine ray of light left as the sun was about to set. Eventually, it waspletely dark


    outside.


    Clive made an appearance just then.


    He had everyone move to a quiet part of the courtyard, where the area had been nicely. decorated. People could see the white flowers almost everywhere.


    A persony quietly amid those flowers.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    It was Roberta.


    Everyone was shocked to see the sight before them. Jake was the first to break the silence. He was bbergasted.


    "Isn''t that Roberta? She seemed fine when I saw her yesterday. Why is she now..."


    Everyone turned their eyes to Harvey, who was Roberta''s father.


    Harvey reeked of alcohol, and there were lipstick stains left on the cor of his shirt. It was obvious he was meeting another woman when they summoned him to the house. He was still in a daze after seeing Roberta''s body. He asked, "What happened?"

 Chapter 98

    There was a hint of sorrow in his eyes, but that was all.


    His reaction did note as much of a surprise. If Harvey had been devastated by Roberta''s death, he would not have stood by all these years when he knew how Talia was tormenting Roberta.


    Clive signaled to Gerald with a nce. After receiving his order, Gerald came forward and shared briefly about what happened that day.


    To put it simply, someone stole the poison from the pharmacy, and Roberta was poisoned to


    death.


    They had gathered everyone there to seek justice for Roberta and catch the culprit behind this incident,


    After informing others about the incident, Gerald continued, "There are two prime suspects so far. They are Ms. Ka and Mrs. Walsh."


    Upon hearing those words, Myra immediately stepped up and expressed her disapproval.


    She said aloud, "That''s bullshit! Ka couldn''t possibly be the murderer! Which of you bastards said that? Come forward now!"


    Gerald fell silent as he lowered his gaze and moved to stand behind Clive.


    Talia clicked her tongue. She was much older than Myra when it came to their age. Yet, technically speaking, Harvey and her were Myra''s brother and sister-inw.


    Talia went ahead and addressed Myra by her name, "Myra, you should do a better job at disciplining your daughter!


    "Felicia has been spouting all kinds of nonsense and using us of being murderers! Look at the wounds on our foreheads. She did this!"


    "It''s Felicia again! We can overlook the casual bickerings and quarrels she usually gets herself into. Yet, she''s now using others of murder?" Myra pondered.


    She lost herposure and yelled at Felicia, "Can''t you just hold your tongue and stay put? Do you only feel satisfied after causing a fuss for everyone?" Felicia kept her gaze low as she wiped away the blood on her hands with wet tissue. It was as though she could not hear anything from her surroundings. Myra covered her face with her hands and mumbled, "What have I done wrong to deserve this


    Unfortunately, Dexter was not around. There was no one else to support her stance.


    T


    Sebastian frowned. His voice was calm, and he maintained a neutral stance. "What about their motives and the proof they''vemitted the murder?"


    Before Felicia could answer, Harvey got agitated and tried to defend Talia. "Stop ndering Talia! There''s no way my wife would do something like that. She''s always been kind to Roberta!"


    Felicia could not help but let out a chuckle.


    Talia had not been kind to Roberta. Instead, she had been very kind to Harvey. She had turned


    a blind eye to the fact that Harvey was fooling around with other women.


    Instead, she vented all of her rage on just one woman and the illegitimate child.


    As the person who benefited from the situation in every way, it was only natural Harvey would shamelessly say that Talia had always been kind to Roberta.


    It was because he never cared.


    He never bothered to care about Roberta and her mother''s situation. He only thought about enjoying his time with other women. He probably even enjoyed watching women fight for his attention.


    Harvey snickered, "From the looks of things, there''s a good chance that you killed my daughter. Now, you''re trying to frame somebody else for the murder!"


    Felicia finally moved from her spot.


    "I''m sure we''ll know whether that is true after listening to this.


    She tossed the wet tissue aside and rose from her seat. While others directed piercing res or wary gazes at her, she took a voice recorder out of her pocket. Talia''s and Ka''s expressions changed the moment they saw the voice recorder.


    Felicia pressed a button on the recorder expressionlessly.


    For a moment, there were rustling soundsing from the voice recorder. Suddenly, there was the sound of someone being pped followed by Talia''s malicious words.


    "Did you not hear me, you dirty wench? I want you to head to the pharmacy and steal the poison stored on the top shelf! Do you hear me?Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    "Take the poison and find an opportunity to add it to a drink. Make sure Felicia drinks it! Otherwise, I''ll share with the world all the videos of you being assaulted by men in that vige. "You''ll forever have to live in the shadows if that happens. Hahaha..." Chaegug

 Chapter 99

    Talia''s scornfulughtering out of the voice recorder rang in everyone''s ears.


    To make the reveal even more impactful, Felicia instructed some men to install speakers beforehand. Talia''s every word could be heard. The speakers amplified the voice recording with excellent sound quality. Clive''s expression darkened.


    It was a short voice recording consisting of just a few remarks. Yet, anyone could tell from several keywords in the recording that the things Talia did to Roberta were more than stealing the poison. Clive suppressed his anger and asked in a deep voice, "What are the videos about?"


    Talia''s face paled. She dared not utter a word.


    She had asked someone before that day to remove any trace or evidence linking the video back


    to her in instances like this.


    Even if she was caught off guard, she surmised she could make up a usible story for those


    videos.


    Yet, Talia never expected the next word from Felicia tond her in deep water.


    Felicia directed her gaze to Clive and said, "Grandpa, it wasn''t my first time meeting Roberta when I first came to the Walsh residence. I''ve met her before.


    "Back then, everyone in the Walsh family, including you, thought Roberta was sent abroad for her studies. Am I right?Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "Let me tell you how our first meeting went. When I first saw Roberta, she was confined in a vige where people involved in human trafficking activities lived.


    "Her hands and feet were chained. I think everyone can pretty much guess what happened to her there on a daily basis.


    "Yet, why did she choose toe back here? Perhaps it was because she was worried about her mother or she still had hope and expectation toward her father.


    "Anyway, she made it out of the vige and reunited with the Walsh family. Yet, Talia used the videos to threaten Roberta into stealing the poison from the pharmacy and using it to kill me.


    "However, on the very same day, Roberta''s mother died. It was because Talia revealed to her the part of Roberta''s past where she was confined.


    "Roberta''s mother did not want to be a burden for her daughter anymore. During the very rare instances when she had a lucid mind, Roberta''s mother chose to end her life.


    "That made Roberta lose all will to live. She spiked her drink with poison and drank all of it..."


    Felicia nced over her shoulder and looked at Roberta, who had her eyes closed.


    Roberta''s whole life was a tragedy.


    She had to live life as though she was walking on thin ice, thanks to her status as Harvey''s illegitimate daughter.


    In the end, she even lost her life.


    Felicia wiped off the tears that had turned cold on her cheeks. She focused her gaze on Clive again. "Grandpa, what do you think we should do?"


    What Clive just heard left him stunned for quite a while. With Felicia''s sharings and the voice recording from earlier, it was already dreadful just imagining what Roberta might have been through. Moreover, she was still just a teenager!


    Clive grabbed a cup from the nearby table and hurled it toward Talia with force.


    "You vile woman!"


    The cup did notnd on Talia. It missed her by a few inches and merely grazed her head. Still, she could feel her legs go limp.


    She hurriedly exined, "That''s not it. That''s not the truth. Felicia is telling nonsense. Why would I do those things?"


    Felicia answered tly, "We''ll know whether you''ve done those things by just having


    someone look into it.


    "The vige is still there. It can''t go missing. They have a lot of staff at the sanatorium too. There''s no way we can''t find a single witness there."


    It was impossible for someone topletely erase all traces and evidence of what they did. Talia, in particr, was not someone with the ability to achieve that either.


    Clive saw no need for further investigation. The evidence they had now was enough for him.


    He shouted, "Gerald, what are you waiting for? Throw that vile thing out of the house! Also, call the authorities! Call the authorities now!"


    That meant Clive was serious about this.


    Talia could tell there was nothing she could do to change Clive''s mind. She copsed on her knees and begged desperately, "Grandpa, I... I only did those things in the heat of the moment! "I''m Harvey''swfully wedded wife. Yet, I had to see and live with his illegitimate daughter every day! Can you imagine how hard it''s been for me?"


    Felicia found it amusing. At a moment like this, why was the man, the cause of all this, keeping quiet as if he was not there?


    Harvey had dated Eileen before he got married. After Eileen fell pregnant with Roberta, he decided to avoid responsibility, left Eileen, and married Talia.

 Chapter 100

    Talia might have a good reason for resenting Eileen and Roberta. However, the person she should have resented the most was Harvey.


    Felicia did not want to allow him the opportunity to stay silent and avoid drawing attention to himself.


    She said frigidly, "Hey, you piece of trash! Yeah, I''m talking about you. You''re aplete douchebag!"


    Harvey''s face flushed scarlet. "Who are you to lecture me?"


    "Heh!" Felicia curled her lips and looked at him contemptuously. She was not in a hurry since. she knew Clive would take all necessary actions.


    Not only did Talia cause Roberta''s death, but she was also trying to get rid of Felicia for good.


    She thought the position of the Walsh family''s head would fall into Noah''s family''s hands if Felicia, the next sessor Clive had approved of, was gone.


    Considering all that, would Harvey really be oblivious to what Talia was doing all along?Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    It was exactly because she had gone ahead and done all these things for him. As a result, he could just sit back and enjoy the fruits of herbor. He did not even have to do anything to achieve his goals.


    Clive announced in a low voice, "Starting today, Noah''s family is to move out from here. I don''t want to see any single one of you ever again!"


    Harvey was bewildered, crying, "Grandpa, I didn''t do anything wrong! How could you side with an outsider and cut ties with your own son? I''m your son!"


    Felicia cast Harvey a sidelong nce. Once again, she realized how useless he was.


    Unfortunately for Harvey, Clive had already made up his mind.


    He had no intention of listening to Noah''sints as he instructed the maids, "Go and


    pack up their stuff now. You can just throw their things out if these people won''t move those things away."


    "Understood!"


    The maids left to carry out the task.


    Just then, they could hear the sounds of police sirensing from the distance.


    The authorities were heading here to arrest Talia


    The expressions on everyone''s faces had changed several times with how things had


    progressed so far. At first, they had nothing to add to the conversation, but now, none of them dared to interrupt the conversation.


    Yet, Ka was the happiest person in the group.


    The voice recording did not include anything she said.


    Felicia also seemed to put all the me on Talia only, making Ka feel slightly relieved.


    As soon as she heard the police sirens, Talia went pallid. She slumped onto the floor as if there was no more strength left in her to resist.


    At that very moment, Felicia said slowly, "Talia, you have quite a few crimes to answer for. In the end, you''ll have to bear the consequences all by yourself." Talia raised her head upon hearing those words.


    "That''s right! Ka and I nned all of those things together. So, why am I the only one bearing the consequences of our actions?" Talia pondered.


    "She! She''s also..."


    Talia pushed herself up from the floor and pointed to Ka. She added menacingly, "I didn''t do all those things on my own. Ka has been instructing me on what to do!


    "She said Felicia was in her way. Without Felicia, she will forever be the only heiress of the Fuller family. So, she wants Felicia dead! Even the n to poison Felicia was her idea!" Talia said every word loud and clear.


    Myra felt as though she was hit by lightning while listening to those words.


    For a moment, she thought she had heard it wrongly. Then, she asked in disbelief, "What did you say? Can you repeat it?"

 Chapter 101

    Talia lifted her eyelids. Then, with a mocking smirk, she said, "I could say this many times, and it wouldn''t change the fact that the mastermind behind the n to poison Felicia is none other than Ka!"


    "No way! No way..."


    Myra stumbled back a step, repeating the words like a mantra.


    Ka could hardly believe the tables had turned on her, so she vehemently denied it. "I''m innocent! I''ve never done anything like that, I swear!"


    "Mom, you have to believe me! I really did not have such intentions! My cousin''s been cornered, which is why she''sshing out! I''m innocent!"


    Ka tightly grasped Myra''s hand. As the tears streamed down her cheeks, she cried pitifully as she truly felt wronged.


    Myra calmed her mind and asked in a low voice, "Ka, I need you to be honest with me. Did you do such a thing? As long as you tell the truth, I''ll believe you!"


    Thatst sentence confirmed Ka''s unshakeable position in Myra''s heart, exemplifying what a mother-daughter bond looked like.


    Immediately, Ka shook her head and raised her hand in an oath. "No! Mom, I swear I didn''t... I have no idea why Talia would use me. I swear, if I did something like this, I''d be doomed!" "Thank goodness she didn''t," was what Myra thought.


    Just as Myra was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Felicia casually adjusted her ear and identally pressed another button on the recorder.


    Suddenly, the speakers around them red with Ka''s arrogant voice.


    "Did you get it? Hand it over."


    Then came Roberta''s trembling response. "But this is poison. If you don''t tell me what it is for, I won''t give it to you."


    Ka''s face paled as the recording yed. She instinctively lunged for Felicia''s recorder, trying to shut it down.


    "Don''t y that! You can''t y that!" Ka shouted inwardly.


    However, Myra held Ka''s hand firmly, not wanting to let go.


    The recording continued.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "Alright, I''ll tell you since you''re so eager to know. This poison is for Felicia, and I want her dead!"


    "She''s your sister!"


    "I don''t have a sister, and I don''t need one either. I''d always be the precious gem of the Fullers without her around. She''s in my way, so she deserves to die."


    There was more from the recording, but Ka couldn''t process any of it because Myra''s expression grew darker by the second.


    Ka quivered, calling out, "Mom-"


    But this time, the only response was a p from Myra, delivered with all her strength.


    There was a mixture of anger and disappointment on Myra''s face. Just moments ago, she had wanted to believe in Ka''s innocence, but now, there was undeniable proof. She could hardly fathom that the daughter she had raised with love could want to take the life of her own sister.


    "What have I done to deserve this? How has the Fuller family wronged you? How could you do something like this? Ka, you''ve let me down in the worst way possible!" Ka''s face swelled from the impact, tears spilling uncontrobly down her cheeks.


    This was the first time in 18 years that Myra had struck her.


    "Mom, I was wrong. I really was wrong."

 Chapter 102

    With tears in her eyes, Ka looked up at Myra, begging, "Mom, I was misled, and I acted out of confusion. Please forgive me. I promise I''ll never do it again. Mom, please. I''m begging you."


    Her words about being misled were clearly an attempt to shift the me.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Talia was having none of it and snapped back. "Ka, who misled you? It was you who came to me, wanting to team up to take out Felicia! You asked me to help steal Grandpa''s poison! I only pushed Roberta into this because of you!


    "And now that it''s all blown up in your face, you want to push the me onto me? You''re really shameless.


    "I can''t believe I was blind enough to partner up with you!"


    The more Talia spoke, the angrier she became. Just before they dragged her away, she kicked Ka with a final burst of defiance. "You''re the mastermind, and I''m just the aplice. If I go down, you''reing with me! If I''m going to prison, you better believe you won''t get off easy either!"


    When Felicia exposed all her crimes, Ka hid behind the scenes, hoping to turn invisible while letting Talia take the heat.


    She could dream on! Talia would rathery everything bare than let Ka escape unscathed.


    No one could get away with this.


    Soon enough, Talia was taken away. She was facing charges of murder, confinement, and human trafficking.


    That left Ka standing there alone.


    Everyone saw her as a sweet, innocent girl, charming and good-hearted. However, in that recording, she spoke arrogantly and in a venomous tone. Beneath her innocent facadey a heart as cold as ice. Every word she spoke about wanting Felicia dead sent chills down everyone''s spine.


    Myra closed her eyes and slowly yanked Ka''s hands free from her grip. With a heavy heart, she said, "From now on, don''t ever return to the Fuller family. We don''t have a daughter like you." "Mom! Are you abandoning me?" Ka cried, her sobs almost breaking hearts.


    Myra''s eyes reddened, and she turned away to avoid looking at Ka.


    "Sebastian, please help me! We''ve grown up together; I''m your sister..."


    As Myra''s resolve hardened, Ka grabbed onto Sebastian''s hand, pleading like someone drowning and clinging to ast hope. Her eyes were also filled with despair. Sebastian, snapping out of his initial shock, frowned but remained firm. "Ka, what you did is truly unforgivable!"


    Did that mean it was a death sentence for her?


    Ka cried out, turning to Clive, "Grandpa, you love me the most, right? I''ll change, I promise. Please don''t let Mom abandon me, okay?"


    Clive scoffed and turned away, brushing off his sleeves.


    He had already had enough for one day. He dealt with Talia and threw out Noah''s family. Ka was Myra''s problem, and he wasn''t about to interfere, either.


    As Clive walked away, the normally low-key family of Jake quietly slipped out, too.


    Myra felt utterly drained as if she had instantly aged ten years. She took Sebastian''s arm and said, "Sebastian, take me home. I''m so tired." Sebastian could only support Myra. He had intended to take Felicia with them, but she shook her head, indicating that she wanted to stay.


    And so, he helped Myra out while Ka tried to follow but was pushed back each time.


    "Felicia, are you happy now? Is this what you wanted?"


    With no one around, Ka dropped the act, ring at Felicia with a look filled with hatred and resentment, wishing she could tear her apart piece by piece. Felicia replied coolly, "What''s the matter? You can hurt me, but I can''t fight back? The world doesn''t work this way."


    At that moment, the gloves were officially off between them.

 Chapter 103

    Ka was filled with resentment. "Felica, don''t think you''ve won. Even if I''m forced out of the Walsh family, I''ll find my way back, too! Do you believe 18 years of family ties can be severed so easily?" "Well, we''ll see what you''re capable of." Felicia tilted her head with a smile. "Maybe I can kick you out once, and I could do it again."


    "Bring it on!" Ka retorted, raising her chin defiantly. "Mom''s just angry right now. Once she cools down, she''ll definitely want me back!"


    Felicia didn''t respond to that. She knew better than anyone how much influence Ka had in the family.


    Not to mention, she understood perfectly why Myra had rushed off after their conversation. Not letting Ka return to the Fuller family was Myra''s way of protecting Felicia.


    This little p on the wrist was a trivial punishment that lightly brushed over the fact that Ka had wanted to poison Felicia.


    There were no follow-ups nor any repercussions.


    After some time passed, and with the dust settled, everyone would forget the shock of the incident, and Ka would be weed back with open arms.


    Felicia shook her head, but a sharp ache throbbed in her chest. That was even though her heart was as calm as a still pond.


    Myra''s favoritism was as tant as ever, be it in this life or thest.


    Ka brushed off the dust from her dress, and a mocking glint sparkled in her eyes. "Felicia, do you think clinging onto the Lawson family means you''re set for life? I''ll tell you, even if Mr. Lawson Senior thinks you''re the one, you and Arnold won''t end up together!" With each word, she emphasized, "Thedy of the Lawson family will be me in the end!"


    Felicia was speechless.


    For the first time, Felicia paused, scoffing, "Go ahead, take it. Whether it''s Arnold or that so-called position of Mrs. Lawson, I wouldn''t want it even if it was handed to me on a silver tter. Got it?" Ka sneered, clearly not buying it.


    To her, no one would be foolish enough to reject the status that came with being part of the Lawson family!


    So, when Felicia turned down their marriage proposal multiple times, it was merely a tactic to gain leverage.


    She couldn''t help but sigh. "Ka, you''re only 18. Why do you feel the need to depend on a man?"


    "What do you know?" Ka shot back without holding back. "You''re just a country bumpkin with a narrow perspective!


    "You are oblivious as to the Lawson family''s standing. This kind of leap in social standing isn''t something that just having money can achieve. Even the Fuller family has to show them respect.


    "Felicia, are you asking me to give up my dreams just to pave the way for yours? I''m telling you, that''s not happening!"


    Felicia didn''t bother to respond.


    Forget it. Everyone had their ambitions.


    She chose not to say more. Tomorrow, Roberta would be cremated andid to rest. So, she prepared to stay by her side tonight, honoring Roberta with a final farewell.


    Seeing this, Ka refused to back down and taunted, "You really are something, managing to convince Roberta to turn against me willingly. She''d rather poison herself than lift a finger against you! She even secretly recorded everything to gather evidence to expose me!" Felicia shot her a cold nce. "Not everyone is as selfish as you."


    "What''s wrong with looking out for myself? In this world, if you don''t put yourself first, you''ll get crushed!" Ka quickly shifted gears.


    "Let''s be honest, Felicia. You yed a part in Roberta''s death, too!


    "If you hadn''t gotten in the way, she''d still be alive! How could Talia have pushed her out like that? How could she have forced her into a corner?"


    Kaughed triumphantly.


    In response, Felicia thrust a ck-and-white photo of Roberta in front of her.N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    In an instant, Ka''s expression shifted. In the picture, Roberta was smiling brightly, but all Ka felt was a creeping dread as if those happy eyes were staring right through her.

 Chapter 104

    "Ah! Get away from me!"


    Felicia wiped the frame clean and ced the photo back in its spot.


    Then, she fixed her gaze on Ka, her voice icy. "Do you even know how to spell conscience? It''s you who harmed others. Yet, you want to brainwash people into sharing your guilt? Why should they be doing so in the first ce?" Ka staggered backward, fear shing across her face as the chilling surroundings and the sight of Roberta''s body weighed heavily on her.


    "I''m not going to argue with you. Just you wait, Felicia-one day, I''ll crush you beneath my feet!"


    With that, she turned and ran.


    Felicia smirked, calling after her, "Ka, when the clock hits midnight, you better not be dreaming!" Ka''s steps faltered for a moment.


    That night, Felicia stayed in the quiet, secluded courtyard.


    asionally, a maid woulde by to drop off something, but most of the time, Felicia was alone.


    She sat in a chair at the center of the courtyard, surrounded by the square night sky, the moonlight hazy, as memories of her past life blended with this one.


    Back then, Felicia had never heard of Roberta, which meant Roberta had been trapped in that vige until she was sold off and faded into silence.


    But in this life, Felicia had rescued her from that vige by sheer ident, only for Roberta to still meet her tragic end in another way.


    "What, then, is fate?" Felicia closed her eyes and asked herself.


    After a long moment, she opened her eyes and answered herself, "Defying fate was her fate."


    ...


    The following day, as dawn broke, the car arranged by Clive arrived. Roberta was quickly buried, and under Clive''s arrangements, she wasid to rest alongside Eileen, finally reuniting with her mother. It rained for several days in Khogend the remaining days of the week.


    Felicia didn''t return to the Fuller family. She stayed at school, spending her days attending sses and putting people in their ce.


    During this time, Sebastian visited her multiple times.


    Through him, Felicia learned that after that day, Myra had hardened her resolve and refused to see Ka, not allowing her to return. So, it was a real expulsion for Ka.


    Even Dexter, upon hearing about Ka''s actions, had thrown a huge fit, cutting off her unlimited ck card with a fury that shook everyone.


    Sebastian shared this with a touch of constion, hoping to ease Felicia''s frustration and soothe her hurt feelings.


    Felicia chuckled, asking, "And then what? Mrs. Fuller should be softening up by now, right?"


    Sebastian paused, his expression slightly awkward.


    Despite Ka being kicked out of the family and Myra feeling disappointed and refusing to let her return, once Dexter had raged and cut off her ck card, Myra''s heart softened. She arranged for Ka to stay in an apartment under her name and sent two maids to take care of her.


    Sebastian felt this was too much and tried to intervene, but it was useless.


    Myra''s retort pushed him back. "Do you want to see your sister starve or end up on the streets?"


    But was this fair to Felicia?N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Because of this, Sebastian frequently visited Felicia at school, worried about her being bullied and trying tofort her in his own way.


    Felicia smiled slightly as if she had expected all of this.


    He felt a twinge of difort, saying, "I thought with Mom''s personality, she would be more protective of you."

 Chapter 105

    After learning that her biological daughter had been swapped at birth, Myra had been in a constant state of worry, losing sleep over the search for Felicia. She had mobilized countless people and spent significant resources just to track her down! But once she finally found Felicia, the intense concern gradually faded, reced by various feelings of dissatisfaction and annoyance.


    "Do you know why that is, Sebastian?"


    Felicia blinked slowly, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Because people always dwell on what they can''t have.


    "At first, the worry is just a lingering sense of injustice. But when things are resolved, it doesn''t feel as significant.


    "And then when it''s lost again, regret hits hard."


    Sebastian shook his head in disagreement. "Don''t undervalue yourself. You''re just as important in Mom and Dad''s eyes. You can''t dismiss their love for you just because they''ve neglected you a couple of times."


    "Is that so?" She responded with a simple smile, thinking of the idiom. "Even a little can be in enough in a world full of plenty.


    "The bird in the tree only upies a single branch. The mouse drinking from the river needs only a few mouthfuls to fill its belly."


    In the eyes of Myra and Dexter, Felicia was nothing more than someone who could be dismissed with a bit of attention and money. There was no familial love to even begin with.


    Felicia was fully aware. It wasn''t herself she looked down on, but the Fuller family.


    Before Sebastian could respond, Felicia interrupted, "Alright, Sebastian, I have to return these books to the library. See youter."


    With that, she clutched her two books and walked away.


    Sebastian rubbed his temples, feeling somewhat helpless. Just as he was about to chase after her, his phone buzzed-it was Myra calling.


    "Mom, what''s up?"


    "Sebastian, are you at your sister''s school? Make sure to tell her that tomorrow is the engagement banquet! She must be there and absolutely can''t bete!"


    Sebastian was at a loss for words.


    The issues surrounding the bridge had been resolved. The Fuller family had seized the opportunity to push through the construction of a new bridge and donated a billion dors as the construction fund. With this strategic move, they gained a significant advantage in public opinion, and Fullers'' well-funded PR team swiftly managed any subsequent engineering issues.


    Moreover, Dexter also caught and dealt with the individual behind the sabotage.


    This crisis was perfectly handled, but the marriage contract with the Lawson family was still intact.


    Matthew was proving to be more troublesome than Sebastian had anticipated.


    Every time he attempted to negotiate, he was turned away. Even when he managed to meet Matthew, any requests to break off the engagement were met with various excuses to keep the marriage intact. In short, Matthew made it clear that the engagement must happen, or he would force Felicia into the marriage, whether she liked it or not.N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    With the engagement banquet looming, Sebastian rubbed his temples in frustration. "Got it, Mom."


    After hanging up, he found Felicia in the library and immediately said, "I''ve arranged for a car to take you out of Khogend. You cane backter when things cool down. How does that sound?" This was his desperate attempt as a brother to help his sister escape the impending marriage.


    Feliciaughed, "Thanks for your concern, Sebastian, but this engagement isn''t going to happen. In addition, I have a patient to see tomorrow, so I can''t leave."


    Sebastian yfully tapped her on the head. "If you don''t listen to me, what will you do if someone actually carries you off to the wedding?"


    "I can predict that Mr. Lawson Senior''s ns will fail. Just trust me!" Felicia winked.


    Sebastian sighed in exasperation but ultimately decided to respect Felicia''s wishes.


    Before leaving, he couldn''t help but ask, "Silly, the engagement banquet is tomorrow. Aren''t you worried at all?"

 Chapter 106

    Felicia smiled but remained silent.


    Of course, she wasn''t worried because there was someone even more anxious than her.


    In a luxurious apartment situated in the bustling heart of Khogend, Ka was seething with rage. She took a cup from the table and hurled it at the television!


    The screen was stered with news about the uing engagement party.


    The Lawson family, the foremost among the four prestigious families, was a prestigious and powerful n. Their alliance with the richest family in Khogend, the Fuller family, was naturally at the center of attention.


    Not only that, but Matthew was going all out for the asion, renting the most extravagant venue in the city. The construction of this venue alone had cost millions, making it a sight beyond imagination. From a distance, it resembled a luxurious castle, and its interior was as dreamy as could be.


    Matthew had ordered that the entire venue, inside and out, be reserved for the celebration.


    The guest list included prestigious families and high society, and in an unprecedented move, major media outlets were also invited to cover the event.


    Additionally, there would be a performance with over a thousand drones, along with a citywide fireworks disy.


    Such a spectacle was sure to be the envy of all!


    However, Ka thought Felicia didn''t deserve any of these. She felt she should''ve been in Felicia''s position, enjoying all of those.


    Ka was infuriated and began smashing things in her rage, breaking two of her perfectly manicured nails in the process.


    After she had enough of her tantrum and the roomy in shambles, she finally calmed down. She turned to the maid nearby and shouted, "Are you blind? Get this mess cleaned up!"


    Myra had assigned the maid to look after Ka, concerned that she might struggle after being thrown out of the family and left alone in such a luxurious apartment.


    However, the maid hadn''t anticipated that Ka''s temper would only worsen after leaving the Fuller family.


    She didn''t see them as people, barking orders at them without a second thought. And when her mood soured, she took it out on them-throwing things at them or hurling insults their way. The maids didn''t dare retaliate, just hurriedly cleaning up the wreckage while trying to maintain theirposure.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Once the room was tidy, Ka generously dered, "All of you, get lost. I don''t need you tonight."


    "Yes, Ms. Fuller."


    After the maids left, Ka picked up her phone and dialed Arnold, here voice soft and shaky, tinged with a hint of tears. "Arnie, I''m not feeling well. Could you take me to the hospital?"


    Upon hearing that Ka was unwell, Arnold immediately rushed to leave, but Matthew stopped him at the door.


    "The engagement banquet is tomorrow, and the whole city will be watching. Why aren''t you staying home? Where are you going?" "Grandpa..." Arnold hesitated, quickly fabricating an excuse. "There''s something I need to handle at thepany. I''ll be back soon."


    At this, Matthew''s expression


    softened. As the heir of the Lawson family, Arnold had at least provenpetent in managingpany affairs, which didn''t disappoint him.


    "Go on, but be back early."


    "Yes, Grandpa. You should get some rest."


    Arnold nodded and got into the car.


    By the time he arrived at Ka''s opulent apartment, it was already 10:30 pm.


    Worry gnayed at him as he thought about Ka''s condition. After being cast out by her family, she was now unwell. He didn''t even ring the doorbell in his urgency-he just


    knocked loudly on the door.


    After several attempts with no response, anxiety surged within him.


    He prepared to force the door open but, upon turning the handle, discovered that it was unlocked.


    "Ka? Where are you?"


    Arnold stepped inside, finding the apartment more akin to a sprawling t, with floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing a breathtaking river view.


    He called out her name several times, but there was still no sign of her. Just as he headed toward the bedroom, the bathroom door swung open. Turning around, he saw Ka emerge barefoot, d in a delicate, sheer gown.

 Chapter 107

    Ka looked like she had just stepped out of a shower, her hair still damp and the tips glistening with water. Her cheeks were flushed from the steam, and her beautiful, doe-like eyes were filled with a shy innocence, giving her an air of vulnerability. The thin, sheer gown did little to hide her figure as she glided closer to Arnold, leaving a trail of delicate, wet footprints behind her. The gown floated around her like a butterfly in the air. "Arnie..."


    She bit her lip shyly, and as she lowered her head, her dark hair cascaded down, entuating her porcin-like skin.


    Arnold''s breath caught in his throat, and his dark eyes intensified.


    However, when Ka stepped forward to embrace him, he gently pushed her away and said firmly, "Stop it. Put some clothes on."


    Ka clung to him. She refused to relent, her body warm and fragrant against him. The unique scent enveloped him, and for a moment, he felt a rush of confusion.


    Yet in the next second, he pushed her away again, his tone harsher than before.


    "Since you''re not unwell, I''m leaving."


    With that, he strode toward the door. His back turned to her in cold dismissal.


    Ka was stunned.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    She had gone to great lengths to prepare for tonight, spending over a month on beauty treatments and pouring money into ensuring she looked wless from head to toe. And Arnold was now walking away?


    There was no way Ka was going to let that happen.


    Ka dashed forward and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, her voice thick with emotion. "Arnie, I like you so much! Why don''t you want me?"


    Arnold was exasperated, slowly prying her arms off him as he spoke, "Ka, I like you too, but it''s more like the kind of affection a brother has for his sister. You get it, right?"


    Ka''s eyes widened in disbelief, her tears instantly brimming. She couldn''t believe what Arnold just said. It felt as though a knife had stabbed through her heart, leaving it bleeding and raw. "Arnie, I''ve known you since I was eight! It''s been ten years. You''ve given me so many gifts, taken me on trips, and stood up for me when others bullied me.


    "Yet, you''re now saying that the way you feel for me is what a sibling has?"


    She shook her head violently, crying out, "I don''t believe it! You''re lying! You must like someone else now and don''t want me! Who is it? Is it Felicia?" "It''s not!"


    Arnold shot down the usation without hesitation, even feeling irritated at the mention of Felicia''s name.


    He could like anyone, but not Felicia.


    Ka let out a sigh of relief and


    skillfully maneuvered around to face him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Before Arnold could react, she rose on her toes and kissed him.


    "Ka! Get down!"


    He attempted to pull away, but with her arms docked around him, he couldn''t simply toss her aside. Neither knew who stumbled first in the struggle, and they both fell onto the bed in a tangle.


    Arnold looked slightly disheveled, a hint of lipstick smudged on his cor and the corner of his mouth.


    With a sultry voice that dripped with sweetness and temptation, Ka said, "Arnie, you don''t want to get engaged to Felicia, do you? So, why not stay and keep mepany for a while?"


    This time, as she leaned in to kiss him again, Arnold, already breathless from the teasing, didn''t push her away.


    For just a fleeting moment, her stunning face merged in his mind with the captivating image of Felicia.


    ...


    The following day, sunlight flooded the luxurious bedroom of the apartment, and Ka blinked awake. ncing to her side, she found the space next to her empty and cold. She was still wearing the sheer gown from the previous night, covered with a nket.


    The memories ofst night flooded her mind in an instant.

 Chapter 108

    Ka''s face was pale.


    Last night, she had seen Arnold stirred by her advances. If everything had gone as nned, she would have kept him by her side, and tomorrow''s engagement banquet would have made Felicia theughingstock. But even at that moment, he had still forced her away.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Of course, Ka wasn''t about to let him go, but after a brief silence, he said he was sorry before knocking her out cold.


    Ka was fuming. She grabbed a nearby pillow and threw it across the room in frustration.


    It was the day of Arnold and Felicia''s engagement banquet.


    The banquet was scheduled for 5:00 pm, and it was already 3:00 pm.


    That meant there were less than two hours left before the banquet began. She would never get another chance if she didn''t find a way to stop it now. Ka''s eyes darkened, and her once sweet and innocent face was now filled with malice.


    Her gaze then fell upon a fruit knife on the table.


    ...


    Felicia was busy that weekend, having treated five patients in two days, all withplex conditions that the medical center struggled to resolve.


    Since the troubles with Noah''s family and the subsequent death of Roberta, Clive had closed himself off, still reeling from the events. He was angry with Noah''s family and began imposing stricter control over the Walsh family. At the same time, he felt guilty about Roberta''s death.


    As Clive aged, he gradually began to delegate responsibilities to Felicia, allowing her to take over the medical center.


    Felicia, the young heiress, needed to prove herself. Her medical knowledge was unparalleled, unheard of before. She could solve even the mostplicated medical conditions with just one move.


    With each case she handled, even her peers at the medical center, who had once been skeptical of her medical knowledge, were gradually convinced of her abilities.


    Today was no different.


    After finishing with one patient, Felicia was exhausted and hungry on her way back to school. She stopped to buy a hot dog and a croissant from a street vendor.


    en


    Sitting by a flowerbed, she started eating her hot dog when suddenly arge shadow blocked the sunlight overhead.


    Looking up, she saw a group of bodyguards d in ck suits and sunsses surrounding her.


    The leader bowed slightly and said


    respectfully, "Mrs. Lawson, we''v


    This situation echoed Matthew''s previous threat to her.


    Even if it meant force, he would see her brought to the wedding!


    Felicia took another bite of her hot dog, maintaining her calm demeanor. "Mr. Lawson Senior is really something. What''s the point of kidnapping me? If you have the ability, let-"  en


    Before she could finish, the bodyguards parted to make way.


    Arnold stepped out of the car, striding toward her with long legs. "Are you looking for me?"


    Felicia nearly choked on her food, her eyes widening in disbelief.


    What was Arnold doing here? Wasn''t he supposed to be with Ka?


    In her past life, during the engagement banquet, Arnold hadn''t even shown up.


    Let alone in this life, where Felicia and Arnold were hardly on good terms. He despised her and would have preferred to see her humiliated. That was precisely why she was so certain this engagement would never happen!


    But now, this man had actuallye to pick her up?

 Chapter 109

    Felicia felt a bit dazed, her eyes revealing a hint of confusion that she hadn''t had time to conceal.


    Seeing her reaction, Arnold smirked with a trace of mockery. "Felicia, after thinking it over, since you''re so determined to marry me, I''ll grant your wish. "But don''t ever expect me to look at you again."


    Wasn''t she the one who insisted she didn''t want to marry him?


    Wasn''t she the one who had ignored him multiple times and even dared toy a hand on him?N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Well, fine. He would have plenty of opportunities to get his revenge.


    Arnold signaled to the bodyguards, sneering, "What are you waiting for? Get Mrs. Lawson into the car. The banquet is about to start." "Yes, Mr. Lawson."


    The bodyguards immediately stepped forward, one on each side, grasping Felicia''s arms and pushing her toward the vehicle.


    Her eyes red with anger. No matter how hard she fought, she was no match for the powerful bodyguards.


    But if she didn''t resist, was she really just going to end up tied to Arnold, only to repeat the same mistake and be sent to prison by him?


    As she pondered this, she was shoved into the car.


    Arnold followed her inside and ordered, "Drive."


    The line of luxury cars sped away toward a venue known as the "Pristine Hall" wedding castle in Khogend.


    Upon arriving, Felicia was immediately ushered into a dressing room to change into her gown, with a makeup artist on hand to apply her makeup.


    A group of bodyguards stood guard at the entrance, ensuring she wouldn''t escape.


    This was all Matthew''s arrangement.


    Arnold scoffed at the extra precautions, convinced it was unnecessary. He didn''t believe Felicia would actually try to run. Her ims of not wanting to marry were just a tactic to draw him in. Soon, the curtain was pushed aside, and someone announced, "Mrs. Lawson is ready. She can head to the banquet hall now."


    Arnold, lounging on the couch,zily looked up. His gaze froze, and the sight before him took him aback.


    Felicia looked stunning tonight.


    She wore a fiery red gown that entuated her delicate waist, her long hair swept up, exposing her elegant corbone. A hint of makeup highlighted her features and her bright eyes sparkled with charm-she was breathtakingly gorgeous.


    ¦¡¦«¦¯


    Her eyes shone like jewels, clear and bright like a cold moon, exuding an air of unique elegance.


    That icy demeanor, paradoxically, was utterly captivating.


    It took Arnold a moment to collect himself, realizing he had been staring for too long. He cleared his throat and stood up, casually saying, "Let''s go."


    The engagement banquet had already begun.


    The Lawson family had invited all the influential guests, each one a notable figure in their respective industries.


    Matthew was in high spirits,


    personally greeting guests in the front hall. Amid the ttery, he chuckled heartily but discreetly sent people to check on Felicia, worried she might try to escape.


    While Felicia would love to run, she needed to find the right opportunity. So, when she heard Arnold''smand, she surprisingly didn''t argue and followed him into the main hall.


    The hall was filled with guests, and the bodyguards couldn''t follow her every move inside, so she had plenty of chances to slip away.


    However, to Arnold, her actions appeared as pure excitement, as if she couldn''t wait to marry him.


    He sneered, mocking, "So you''re not going to pretend you don''t want to marry me anymore?"


    Felicia tugged at her lips, ready to retort, when Arnold''s phone buzzed with a text message from Ka. He nced at it, and his expression shifted instantly. The message contained only one image.


    She had cut her wrist.


    Without a second thought, Arnold dropped everything and bolted out the door.


    The bodyguards, who had been monitoring Felicia, were


    ?.ne


    momentarily stunned. Matthew had ordered them to keep an eye on


    Felicia, but now that Arnold has un


    off, should they be stopping him?

 Chapter 110

    Someone quickly reacted, shouting, "Go tell Mr. Lawson Senior!"


    One of the bodyguards rushed off to deliver the message. While everyone''s attention was on Arnold''s departure, Felicia seized the moment, lifting her gown to kick off her high heels! This was the opportunity for her to escape.


    She darted away, the bright red gown trailing behind her like a flickering me in the dreamlike hallway.


    The bodyguards yelled in frustration and took off after her!


    Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the banquet hall was lively and boisterous, filled with guests mingling and clinking sses, all eagerly waiting for the appearance of the main couple of the engagement.


    But soon, a bodyguard hurried in, whispering something to Matthew. Beneath the calm surface of the event, a subtle ripple of unrest began to form, but it was quickly masked.


    ...


    At that moment, on the top floor of the banquet hall.


    Stephan, tall and statuesque, stood by a massive floor-to-ceiling window. His dark eyes were calm and deep as he surveyed everything below.


    The room was dim, lit only by the cool moonlight streaming in, casting a long shadow on the ground that seemed thick as ink, radiating a chilling air that warned others to stay away. Just then, the switch clicked, and the lights turned on.


    Mike walked in, curious. "Mr. Russell, why are the lights off? What are you looking at?"


    Stephen nced at him.


    Mike caught on, quickening his pace to the window. Sure enough, he saw Arnold rush into the parking lot and drive away in a hurry.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    "No way! The engagement banquet has already started, and he is going to leave his fianc¨¦e behind?"


    Mike''s expression was one of disbelief, knowing all too well how furious Matthew would be.


    Sure enough, as soon as Arnold sped off, several bodyguards received orders to chase after him.


    Stephan said quietly, "Your nephew is quite the handful."


    Mike sighed. "Right, I have a feeling the Lawson family is in for quite the spectacle..."


    Stephen nodded. "Alright, I''m d you were aware."


    Mike raised an eyebrow, taken aback by his straightforwardness.


    Just as he was about to retort, his gaze fell on a small white porcin bottle on the table. He picked it up curious. Mr. Russell, this doesn''t match your usual style. What''s this?


    Looks like some medic you


    As he was about to uncork the bottle, Stephen snatched it.


    "It''s just scar-removal ointment. Someone gave it to me."


    Mike wondered who that someone was. He asked, "Who gave it to you?"


    He pressed, eyes narrowing with interest. "No way. It''s from Felicia, right?"


    Stephen chuckled lightly but didn''t confirm or deny.


    "Looks like guessed right." Mike smirked. Mr. Russell, she''s concerned about your injury and even gave you this ointment. Why don''t you lend a hand and help her out this time?"


    His implication was clear-it was about Felicia being forcibly married off by the Lawson family.


    Stephen replied coolly, "Do I look like the kind of person who''d do that?"


    "Not at all." Mike''s answer was firm.


    Not only was he not a good person, but sometimes he could be downright heartless.


    Stephen leaned back casually on the couch, crossing his long legs. His rxed posture exuded a charm, and his eyes had a mischievous glint.


    "Besides, she hasn''t asked me for help."

 Chapter 111

    Mike asked, "What if she actually asks for your help? Would you say yes?"


    "It depends on my mood."


    Mike fell silent, thinking Stephan was heartless!


    Stephan toyed with the round, smooth porcin bottle, casually removing the cap to sniff it. The scent of fresh grass wafted up, quite unique. In his boredom, he poured a bit out and applied it to the scars on his hand.


    He remembered Felicia mentioning that it was effective even on old scars, so he thought he''d give it a try for her sake.


    Just then, Mike nced at his vibrating phone and eximed, "No need to ask for help. I just got the news that Felicia has escaped!


    "My grandpa has mobilized nearly half the staff to search for her up and down. I need to check things out. See youter."


    As he typed a message while heading for the exit, he didn''t forget to turn off the lights for Stephan.


    The room was plunged into darkness, and Stephan paused, contemting whether he should offer Felicia a helping hand.


    However, in the next second, his expression changed drastically, his gaze darkening as he smashed the porcin bottle to the ground! Shards flew everywhere.


    Stephan gritted his teeth in the darkness.


    A fierce, overpowering heat surged up from his core.


    There was something wrong with the medicine!


    His eyes turned red, a surge of murderous intent rising within him.


    Felicia had some nerves!


    "Felicia, I can''t believe you had the nerve to mess with me!"


    ...


    The Lawson family''s engagement banquet venue was set in a pce called "Pristine Hall," which appeared to be a dreamy castle from the outside,bining banquet halls, dining areas, and suites.


    Inside, it felt more like a maze, vast and overwhelming!


    Felicia had no interest in admiring the luxury around her. She was too busy feeling frustrated by its size!


    It was her first time here, and she waspletely unfamiliar with theyout. The winding corridors seemed endless!


    Even though she was quick on her feet and agile, she found herself hopelessly lost after running for a considerable distance. She struggled to look for the exit.


    The bodyguards behind her had


    caught up, having received instructions from Matthew. Since Arnold had already fled, Matthew sent another team to intercept him.


    en


    Their task was to bring Felicia back to the banquet hall with no exceptions. Even if it was just her alone, they were determined to carry out this engagement that th@entire city was watching!


    Rolling her eyes, Felicia darted into another corridor.


    In her rush, she collided with someone at the corner-a girl wearing a mask and a hat that concealed her identity.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    The girl, Abbie Dawson, stumbled and fell to the ground, letting out a pained gasp.


    "I''m so sorry! Are you okay?"


    Felicia quickly reached out to help her up, checking her arm to ensure she hadn''t been hurt. Fortunately, the thick carpet had cushioned her fall. Abbie shook her head, her expression also apologetic. "I''m sorry, I was lost in thought."


    "It''s alright."


    Felicia turned around and took a nce. The relentless bodyguards were already on her trail. She couldn''t afford to waste time and continued running. However, because of the brief stop, the long train of her gown snagged on a nearby fire extinguisher, tearing off a section of the red fabric. "Hey, your dress..."


    Abbie tried to call out to Felicia, but as a swarm of bodyguards rushed past, she instinctively recoiled, too frightened to approach.


    Just then, her phone beeped loudly, cutting through the tension and urgency.

 Chapter 112

    Abbie nced at her phone, reading a text from Laurence that said, "Baby, I''m waiting for you in the room. Hurry up, don''t keep me waiting. After tonight, you''ll be the third female lead in this film." She bit her lip, feeling a mix of humiliation and resentment, but ultimately resigned herself to her fate as she walked toward the room mentioned in the text.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Felicia was wandering through the maze-like pce, struggling to find an exit.


    To make matters worse, she had taken a wrong turn.


    At the end of this particr corridor was a heavy ck door with no other way out!N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    She stood frozen, debating whether to run back, but the sound of approaching footsteps from the bodyguards made it clear they were closing in on her.


    Earlier, while fleeing, she had caught a glimpse of Dexter and Myra leaving, following closely behind Arnold.


    They had all seen the picture of Ka''s wrist after she had cut it, and they were rushing to her aid. This included Sebastian, who had promised to take her away if needed.


    Biting her lip, Felicia realized she had no choice but to face them head-on.


    In her frantic state, she failed to notice the intricate, ancient patterns on the door behind her, which radiated an air of mystery and danger in the dim light...


    Suddenly, the door swung open, and a long, powerful hand reached out, pulling her inside...


    Felicia was momentarily disoriented, and before she could react, a hot body pressed against her, pinning her against the door. Then, a raspy voice whispered urgently in her ear. "Help me, and I''ll repay you."


    Felicia''s eyes widened in shock, and before she could protest, her lips were silenced.


    Damn it!


    ...


    The bodyguards were closing in on the corridor, only to find the area empty.


    "What the hell? Where is she?"


    "I saw her run in here! There''s no other way out. Could she really have jumped out a window?"


    The group of bodyguards began to bicker.


    What they didn''t know was that just one door away, Felicia was pinned against the wall, and all her cries were muffled in the darkness of the room.


    The lead bodyguard shouted, "Shut up! Keep looking! There''s another door here. She might have gone through it!"


    At this, a few bodyguards moved to try and force the door open.


    Just then, the manager of Pristine


    Vol


    Hall, Larry Pearson, arrived with some subordinates and blocked their way. "Gentlemen, this is a private area belonging to my boss. No one is allowed to enter! Please leave!"


    The bodyguards snickered. "Do you know who is hosting today''s banquet? The Lawson family is the foremost of the four prestigious families in Khogend! We''ve lost Mrs. Lawson. If we don''t find her, fear you won''t be able to handle the consequences!"


    If it were anyone else, the mention of the Lawson family would surely make them think twice.


    However, Larry merely smiled and replied, "If you dare to trespass, I fear it''s the Lawson family being unable to handle the consequences."


    His casual words carried an unmistakable weight of intimidation.


    "That''s a bold statement!" The bodyguard said this out loud, but inwardly, he was hesitant, so he gave hispanion a knowing nce, who then quickly dialed Matthew. When Matthew received the call, he was furious, shouting several curses. "How can you not keep an eye on a youngdy? What good are you if you can''t manage that?" While he was furious, he still had enough sense to remain rational.


    The identity of the owner behind Pristine Hall was a mystery. No one knew who controlled and owned the ce.


    What was clear was that this ce


    symbolized wealth and status, and many influential figures from Khogend held their weddings,


    birthday celebrations, and banquets


    here.


    Because of this, Pristine Hall had attracted many jealous eyes, and numerouspanies had attempted to take it over, all of which had ended in disastrous failure.


    This proved that the owner behind Pristine Hall was a mysterious and formidable figure!


    It was especially so from the way this person disregarded the Lawson family. It suggested that they might very well be a powerful force from Seldvale.

 Chapter 113

    Felicia had no background to connect with such powerful figures, let alone seek their protection.N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Matthew ordered, "Search elsewhere. You have another half hour to find her!"


    "Yes, Mr. Lawson Senior!"


    With that order, the bodyguards hurried off to continue the search.


    ...


    In the pitch-ck room, Felicia felt a sudden whirl of motion. Her body lifted off the ground, and in the next moment, she was thrown heavily onto arge bed.


    A strong, heated body pressed down on her, arms locking around her like iron, pinning her in ce.


    Felicia raised her foot, ready to deliver a fierce kick aimed at her assant''s most sensitive areas.


    "Damn it! Go to hell!" Felicia thought to herself.


    But the man effortlessly caught her ankle just as she aimed to kick.


    It seemed he had reached his limit. He let out a low groan, his hot hands tightening around her waist as his voice came out in a raspy tone, "Help me, and I''ll repay you."


    It was then that Felicia realized this man must have been drugged!


    "I''ll help you! I can get rid of the effects of the drug. Just wait a moment!"


    Felicia scrambled to find the silver needle she always carried, only to remember that her phone and needle case had been left behind when she was forced into the gown earlier. Was this what it meant to stumble in the dark?


    Desperate to salvage the situation, she was enveloped by the intoxicating scent of fresh grass, mixed with the man''s heat, as his kisses rained down on her.


    When she caught a whiff of that strange, familiar herbal aroma, she froze. Why did it feel so familiar?


    She realized it was the same scent from the scar ointment she had given to Stephan a few days ago.


    But as her remaining rationality was steadily worn away, all that was left was the thunderous beating of her heart.


    Outside, the world was chaotic. Everyone was on edge.


    Yet, in this dark room, the air was thick with an intoxicating fragrance...


    Time seemed to blur until dawn broke, finally ending the chaotic encounter.


    As the rain stopped and clouds cleared, Felicia awakened, feeling utterly wrecked. Remembering the previous night''s events, she became acutely aware, her mind racing with a dreadful realization.


    She turned to look at the person beside her.


    The morning light illuminated the handsome face of the man lying next to her, his features sharply defined, His captivating, deep-set eyes were closed, and longshes cast shadows on his cheeks. His thin lips were pressed tightly together.


    It was indeed Stephan!


    Last night, his voice had seemed familiar, and the scent of the scar ointment had confirmed her suspicions.


    However, Felicia could never have imagined someone tampered with her scar ointment. How could it contain such potent drugs?


    The most infuriating part was that she personally delivered that ointment to him!


    When he woke up, the first thing he would likely do was strangle her!


    Run. She had to get as far away as possible!


    Felicia quickly sat up with only that thought in her mind and ignored the pain. Her dress from the night before had been torn apart, leaving her with nothing to wear. She grabbed a tablecloth to wrap around


    herself and slipped on Stephan''s suit


    jacket.


    Of course, she wasn''t foolish enough to leave any evidence behind, hastily gathering the remnants of her red gown scattered on the floor.


    Taking advantage of Stephan''s slumber, Felicia stealthily made her escape.


    Stephan stirred twenty minutester, and his dark, captivating eyes slowly opened.


    Last night''s tumultuous scenes began to crystallize in his mind.


    The vivid ssh of red on the sheets was particrly striking.


    After a moment of shock, a dangerous light flickered in his deep, ck eyes. He remembered losing controlst night... and that he had been with a woman. Stephan''s expression darkened at that. Damn it, he was no longer clean.

 Chapter 114

    After the initial surge of anger, Stephan''s face darkened as he called for his subordinates.


    Looking at the chaotic scene before them, it was evident that something inappropriate had urred. His men exchanged shocked nces, realizing their normallyposed boss had been with a woman! Stephan''s tone was as frigid as ever, exuding an intense aura of pressure. "Find that woman and bring her to me."


    He always followed through on his promises. If he said he would repay someone, he meant it.


    As for Felicia, who dared to scheme against him, she was as good as dead.


    "Yes, Mr. Russell." Feeling the chilling atmosphere radiating from him, the subordinates bowed and quickly departed to carry out their orders.


    ...


    Felicia retraced her steps to the dressing room where she had changedst night. She sessfully slipped back into her own clothes, after which she retrieved her phone and needle case.


    As for the expensive suit jacket belonging to Stephan, she tossed it, along with the tablecloth, into a nearbyundry basket as she walked past.


    Along the way, she didn''t encounter anyone from the Lawson family or their bodyguards.


    She had no idea how the banquet concludedst night. Curious, she stopped the janitor to ask about thetest gossip.


    As soon as Felicia opened her mouth, the janitor perked up, putting down her mop to enthusiastically share, "Oh, you''vee to the right person! I was there yesterday. I witnessed it all!"N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Through the woman''s animated recounting, Felicia learned that after she fled, Matthew''s bodyguards failed to find her, and they could not bring back Arnold, who had been waiting at the hospital with Ka. Consequently, neither Felicia nor Arnold was present.


    Matthew was furious, and the banquet couldn''t proceed without them. However, since so many guests had arrived, the nned performance with thousands of drones and a city-wide fireworks show went as scheduled. Eventually, after the guests started leaving, Matthew could no longer bear it; he coughed up blood from sheer anger and had to be rushed to the hospital.


    "Oh! How tragic," Feliciamented, feigning surprise. While she expressed sympathy, there was no hint ofpassion on her face.


    The janitor nced around before


    vel


    she whispered, "I heard that the bride ran away because she was being forced into the wedding. These wealthy families are something else. They''re so shameless!"


    "Exactly!" Felicia agreed, "Totally shameless!"


    Afterward, she quickly exited Pristine Hall.


    Just as she stepped out, the entrances to Pristine Hall were locked down. It seemed they were searching for someone.


    Felicia tucked her chin down, hailing a cab back to school. On the way, she didn''t forget to stop by a pharmacy to pick up some supplies. Once she took the medication, Felicia finally sighed in relief, but soon, her thoughts turned to how to extricate herself from the situation. She needed someone to help rescue her as she was caught between a rock and a hard ce.


    She buried her head in her pillow, groaning, "I can''t keep living like this..."


    ...


    Meanwhile, after Pristine Hall was locked down, no one could enter or exit.


    In one of the rooms, Abbie, barely dressed, spoke quietly into her phone. "Jamie, did you get the clothes? It''s almost 9:00 am! I have to go for castingter!"


    "I got them, but I can''t get in! The ce is locked down!"


    Jamie fumed on the other end of the line, "What the heck is Mr. Quinn thinking, not leaving you a single outfit?


    "If you''rete for this casting, you wouldn''t evennd a supporting role."


    about that now won''t help.


    At least... Abbie forced a


    self-deprecating smile. "I''m probably secure in the role of a third female lead with Mr. Quinn."


    Jamie paused briefly before she sighed, "Alright, Abbie, don''t dwell on it. Things will get better. Right now you need to find a way to borrow some clothes and get out of there. I''ll be waiting for you at the O entrance."


    "Got it."


    After hanging up, Abbie furrowed her brow, wrapped herself in a bed sheet, and cautiously stepped out the door.

 Chapter 115

    Perhaps fortune was on her side. Abbie discovered a suit jacket and a crumpled light-colored tablecloth in aundry basket at the entrance of one of the guest rooms.


    Her spirits lifted as she nced around. It was clear that Pristine Hall had no surveince cameras. Otherwise, there was no way she would be able to ept Laurence''s invitation. Taking the items back to her room, she wrapped the tablecloth around herself, transforming it into a simple, elegant dress, and put on the jacket, ensuring she didn''t stand out too much. After donning a hat and mask, she carefully made her way out.


    As she neared the exit of Pristine Hall, she let out a quiet sigh of relief, moving cautiously.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    However, a few trained bodyguards blocked her path, their expressions icy. "Mr. Rusell wishes to see you."


    "I-I don''t know who that Mr. Russell is! Let me go!"


    Panicking, Abbie struggled,pletely unaware of whom she had offended.


    Before long, she was dragged into a room, where she stumbled to the floor, trembling with fear.


    She knew Laurence had a family, but to advance her career, she hadplied with his requests under her manager Jamie''s arrangements to secure the role of the third female lead. Had she been exposed?


    Abbie cautiously raised her head, only to freeze in shock.


    A tall figure stood before her. The massive floor-to-ceiling window backlit the figure, exuding elegance and authority.


    He cast a casual nce in her direction, his sharp brow and deep-set eyes captivating, his handsome face remaining striking even in the dim light. The glow from outside seemed to dim in his presence, rendering the surrounding scene dull. He was extraordinarily handsome-truly one of a kind.


    Abbie''s breath caught in her throat, her eyes filled with awe.


    Having been in the entertainment industry for years, she had seen all kinds of handsome male celebrities, yet none couldpare to the man before her.


    As the bodyguards who had brought her in bowed, they announced, "Mr. Russell, we''ve found her."


    Abbie''s pupils dted. Shock coursed through her when she learned that the man before him was Stephan.


    She thought inwardly, "This man exuding such an overwhelming presence before me-could it be... the powerful figure of the Russell family from Seldvale, Stephan Russell?"  en


    Her heart raced, and she began to tremble even more.


    Everyone knew this rumored "Mr. Russell" was cold and ruthless, known for his mercilessness andck of empathy.


    If she offended such a powerful figure, she''d probably never know how she met her end!


    As Abbie quivered in fear, she heard him say, "Look up."


    Cautiously, she lifted her head.


    As she did so, the evidence of her previous encounters became ringly obvious-the marks on her neck were now fully exposed. Especially with the suit jacket she wore, which was a dead giveaway.


    Stephan''s expression darkened further, his voice chillingly cold. "Now tell me, what kind ofpensation do you want?"


    Abbie was taken aback, her mind


    racing through countless


    fel.n


    possibilities. In an instant, she realized something, her heart


    pounding wildly, nearly bursting


    from her chest.


    en


    The blood rushed in her veins, and every cell in her body screamed, "This was her chance-she had to seize it!"


    With a mix of anxiety and caution,


    she replied, "If you truly wish to


    entertainment industry and rise to


    fame."


    en


    Unsurprisingly, yet somehow shocking, as Abbie''s heart raced, she heard Stephan respond with three words, "Consider it done."


    Her heart raced with excitement, though she didn''t dare show any signs of joy on her face.


    Stephan waved his hand, and his subordinates stepped forward to lift Abbie off the ground, leading her away.


    Yet, before exiting the room, he paused and asked, "Was it really you who spent the night in my room?"


    Abbie opened her mouth to respond, but his smile held a hint of danger, his casual tone sending chills down her spine.


    "I detest being lied to. Think carefully before you answer."


    Abbie bit her lip and replied, "It was me."


    Even after safely leaving Pristine Hall and settling into the car with her manager, Jamie, Abbie still hadn''t fully processed the shock of what had just happened.

 Chapter 116

    "Abbie, what''s wrong? Whose coat is this?" Jamie asked, her concern evident as she repeated the question several times.


    Abbie tilted her head back and suddenly smiled. "Jamie, I finally made it!"


    ...


    In the top-floor room of Pristine Hall, the atmosphere was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. The tension hung heavily in the air, and the presence of Stephan created an almost suffocating pressure that left his subordinates feeling uneasy. Finally, one brave subordinate carefully said, "Mr. Russell, should we bring in the person who was bold enough to drug you?"


    "No need."


    Stephan turned away, his lips curling into a casual smirk.


    His subordinate was taken aback, thinking, "When had Mr. Russell ever been so lenient as to let someone who drugged him off the hook?"


    Just then, Stephan''s smile faded, his eyes shing with a cold, menacing light that made everyone instinctively shrink back.


    With deliberate rity, he spoke, "I''ll handle it personally."


    ...


    The door to the Fuller family home was kicked open following a loud bang, revealing that Felicia was not inside.


    The ssroom door at her school was kicked open following another bang, but there was still no sign of her.N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    After a third bang, the door to her dorm room also swung open to reveal that it was empty.


    Stephan''s expression darkened further.


    Seeing the frustration on his face, one subordinate defensively said, "I checked thoroughly. This was the location, ording to the records! Unless she can turn invisible, how could she just vanish?"


    There was another possibility-Felicia had deliberately concealed her whereabouts, leaving just enough traces for them to find nothing.


    Stephan found himself both amused and annoyed. He thought, "Wow, you really have some skills up your sleeves, Felicia."


    Did she think she could slip away so easily after she plotted against him?


    He intended to find out just how far she could run!


    Just as he was about to instruct his men to search thoroughly, one of them rushed over, phone in hand. "Mr. Russell, we''ve received news from Seldvale..."


    After hearing the message,


    Stephan''s expression grew serious. His gaze swept around the modest apartment, taking in the remnants of Felicia''s presence. Even on the balcony, there was a potted cactus she had cared for.


    A gentle breeze swept through, causing the wind chimes at the door to jingle sweetly.


    Stephen picked up a pillow from the side of Felicia''s bed. It was adorably designed and lifelike, shaped like a pig.


    Squeezing the pig''s face, he chuckled softly, "Consider yourself lucky. We''ll settle this score another day!


    "Let''s go."


    He led his men out.


    After they left, a girl with braided hair, dressed inconspicuously, sat on a nearby bench, her hands quietly lowering a book she had been holding. Behind her thick sses, her eyes sparkled with cleverness.


    It was Felicia, having disguised herself.


    She had anticipated that Stephan


    woulde looking for her, so she returned to her dorm early, brazenly visited the Fuller family, and then cleverly disguised herself to slip away, creating the illusion that she was still there.


    Thankfully, she had managed to pull it off this time.


    Felicia breathed a sigh of relief.


    From themotion that urred before he left, it seemed he had urgent matters to attend to. She hoped their next encounter would be dyed, and she could avoid him for as long as possible.


    Rubbing her neck, Felicia stood up and confidently made her way back to her dorm room.

 Chapter 117

    For the next half month, Felicia had quite afortable life.


    She attended sses as usual, read in the library, and asionally visited the medical center to treat patients. No one bothered her, and she was making a nice profit from her work.


    During this time, she hadn''t returned to the Fuller family at all.


    After the engagement banquet, Matthew had fallen ill due to his anger, and it was said he still hadn''t recovered.


    Ka had also been brought back to the Fuller residence.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    On the day of the engagement banquet, after cutting her wrist in a moment of despair, Arnold had rushed to the hospital with her just in time to save her life. It might have been toote if he arrived 30 minutester. At that time, Dexter and Myra had received the photo of Ka''s cut wrist along with herst words.


    They hurried from the banquet to the hospital, and Sebastian worried about them, so he drove alongside.


    The three of them ran into Arnold at the entrance, who was carrying Ka in his arms, and together they rushed to the hospital.


    That night, Dexter used his connections to clear the roads, ensuring their uninterrupted passage as other vehicles made their way.


    With the pedal to the metal, they arrived at the hospital, and Ka was treated for seven days before being sent back home to recuperate.


    Naturally, all her previous misdeeds were forgiven in light of her situation. Myra felt a pang of sympathy for her daughter and wouldn''t actually consider sending her away.


    This was exactly what Felicia had anticipated, so it didn''te to her as a surprise.


    Dexter, Myra, and Sebastian had shifted their focus entirely to Ka during this time. They had not once thought about Felicia in the past month.


    It was perfect. She could enjoy her peace and quiet.


    One day, as Felicia was leaving school to head to the medical center, a van screeched to a halt in front of her, its brakes squealing loudly.


    She wanted to take a closer look because she thought the van looked familiar.


    Before she could think further, several men jumped out of the van, quickly surrounding her.


    Thest person to emerge limped toward her, a sinister smile spreading across his face.


    "Are you surprised to see me? I''m back!"


    So it was Lance.


    He was the one who had tried to abduct Felicia before, and just when it seemed like she was about to stab them, they coincidentally ran into a gang of international fugitives. Those criminals had taken them hostage, and during themotion, Lance had received a knife wound to his foot due to his continuous chatter.


    Later, Stephan rescued Felicia while Lance and his crew fled. However, during their escape, Lance''s wound became infected.


    In short, he had survived but was now limping.


    He naturally med Felicia for this.


    Thus, when he came back to Khogend, the first thing he did was return for revenge, eager to make Felicia pay.


    Felicia raised an eyebrow, feigning sympathy. "You just got back to Khogend, and you think you cane looking for me without knowing what''s going on?"


    Lance sneered, "I may have just


    returned, but that has nothing to do with confronting you. Ms. Fuller, don''t think you can intimidate me Let''s settle our scores today, and I''m determined to end you today!"


    "That does matter, of course," Felicia replied casually. "Even if Melvin were standing in front of me right now, he would have to show me some respect. What do you think you are?" Upon hearing this, Lance burst intoughter. "What a braggart!


    "Last I checked, the one who called me to say he wanted to kill me was none other than Melvin Chavez. Do you think he''d show you respect? What a load of nonsense!"


    Afterughing, Lance pulled out his


    phone, still looking arrogant. "But thanks for the reminder. Before I take care of you, I need to inform Mr. Chavez. If he''s pleased about it he''ll offer me even more rewards


    Felicia remained calm and collected. "Do as you wish. Just don''t cry after getting off the phone with him."


    As they were speaking, Melvin''s


    voice came through after a few


    beeps from the phone. He spoke in an uncertain tone, "Lance? Wow, you''re still alive! Where the hell have you been this whole time?"


    "Hey, Mr. Chavez!"

 Chapter 118

    Lance couldn''t help but feel like crying as he recalled the past few weeks'' events. That night in the jungle, he had run for his life, terrified of being murdered. The darkness had enveloped him and his two subordinates, and when they stumbled into a ravine, they found themselves helplessly tied up by those bandits. They endured two days of hunger before being discovered by local vigers harvesting mushrooms, which resulted in their lives being saved.


    He had only just returned to Khogendst night after spending nearly a month in the vige''s hospital.


    All in all, it was a long story.


    "Oh, Mr. Chavez, I almost died!" Lance patted his chest and vowed, "But don''t worry, I haven''t forgotten your orders. The first thing I did when I returned to Khogend was to deal with Felicia. She''s right here in my grasp!" On the other end of the line, Melvin swallowed hard and asked, "W-What did you say?"


    "I said I almost died!"


    "Not that part. Thest part!"N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    "Oh! I mean, the first thing I did when I returned to Khogend was to deal with Felicia. She''s right here in my hands. Just give the word, Mr. Chavez, and I''ll take her out!"


    Lance was so proud of himself, but he heard a sharp explosion of sound from the other end of the phone.


    "Ah! Lance, where the hell are you? I''ming to kill you!"


    "Mr. Chavez, don''t be too excited! I''m at Sand Road."


    Lance took Melvin''s reaction as praise for himself.


    11 minutester, Melvin''s sports car roared up. He practically jumped out of the car andnded a heavy blow on Lance''s head.


    Then, heunched a flurry of punches, yelling as he struck, "What makes you think you couldy a finger on her? Tell me this. Do you have a death wish?


    "You thought you were being clever, huh? Did you think I wasplimenting you, you idiot? I''m going to beat you to death!"


    Melvin bounced around, delivering a thorough beating!


    Bruised and battered, Lance was


    en


    Hearing this, Melvin turned his head slightly to nce at Felicia. He was hoping she didn''t hear what Lance said. Then, he met Felicia''s eyes, which were filled with a teasing glimmer. It was as if she was asking him for his thoughts. Melvin fell silent.


    Lance was beaten mercilessly.


    Even the fewckeys he had brought along received a good thrashing from Melvin.


    By the time it was over, Melvin''s hair was disheveled, his designer clothes wrinkled, and he panted as he turned to Felicia, frantically exining, "This was absolutely not my idea! Really!"


    He raised his hand to convince her, swearing, "I swear to God, this wasn''t my idea!"


    Felicia certainly knew this, but it didn''t stop her from pressing further. "It seems too light of a punishment to beat him up. One of my ws is that I hold grudges." "What do you want me to do? I''ll listen to you!" Melvin blurted out without thinking.


    Lance and his gang widened their eyes in disbelief.


    Seeing Melvin''s attitude, it was as if he would agree to anything Felicia proposed, even if it meant finishing them.


    Just the thought of it made Lance shudder. Remembering the murderous look in Felicia''s eyes, he quickly crawled over to her, pleading, "I was wrong! Please spare my life, Ms. Fuller. I promise I won''t do it again!"


    Felicia kicked Lance''s hand away and replied coolly, "I don''t want your life. I just need you to help me with something."

 Chapter 119

    Melvin eagerly replied, "Did you hear that? From now on, we''ll listen to Ms. Fuller!"


    "Yes, we heard you!"


    Lance, bruised and battered, dared not protest.


    The otherckeys nodded vigorously in agreement.


    Felicia shot Melvin a nce, signaling him to leave. "You''re done here. You can go now."


    "Got it!"


    Melvin beamed, eager to please. As soon as Felicia told him to leave, he bolted without a second thought.


    Since Felicia saved Hubert, the Chavez family owed her a huge favor.


    Despite the generous medical fees and the six million they had given to appease her after their failed attempt at the abduction, Melvin remembered Hubert''s warnings. "Don''t underestimate Felicia just because she''s young. "She can surely harm someone without a trace if she can save lives with her skills. Stay clear of her, or you might not even know how you ended up dead one day!


    "Besides, if she saved us once, we might need her help again in the future.


    "You shall never offend the Miracle Healer, understood?"


    Melvin took this to heart.


    Moreover, he vividly remembered humbling himself before Felicia, expecting her to seize the opportunity to humiliate him or take revenge. Instead, she had simply agreed to help treat Hubert.


    At that moment, he realized that Felicia might not be as detestable as Ka made her out to be.


    After Melvin left, Lance and his gang fawned over Felicia, asking, "Ms. Fuller, what can we do for you?"


    Felicia replied coolly, "Do you remember Shawn?"


    "Of course, we remember him!"


    Mentioning Shawn inevitably reminded them of his inappropriate advances toward Felicia.


    Lance''s expression turned awkward, thinking Felicia was about to settle the score. He quickly added, "You''re the daughter of the richest family now. Why dwell on past grievances? Just forget about it!"


    Felicia, aware of Lance''s thoughts, let out a coldugh. "Don''t worry. I won''t cause you any trouble. I just need you to get close to Shawn."


    Sensing the shift and feeling bolder


    since it didn''t involve him directly, he


    replied with sarcasm, "That guy''s


    been living it up ever since he


    received 50 million from the FullerN?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    family.


    en


    "He''s acting all high and mighty, partying all day. Heck, he even had the audacity to try to befriend me. Who does he think he is?


    "Ms. Fuller, why do you want me to get close to him?"


    Felicia leaned down, looking down at


    Lance. Her tone was casually indifferent, but it carried a hint of mischief and menace that sent chills down his spine. "He has 50 million, right? You''re going to take him out on an adventure," she said


    "Have fun until he loses everything and ends up deep in debt. Do you hear me?"


    Lance stared at her with a momentarily nk expression. Then, he nodded quickly. "Yes, I understood!"


    For a fleeting moment, he felt the chill of Felicia''s murderous intent, realizing she intended to take revenge on Shawn!


    After experiencing the high life, she wanted to drag him into the depths of despair, ensuring he could never make aeback again. Lance swallowed hard and nodded fervently, "Don''t worry, Ms. Fuller! I''m on it!"


    "Go ahead."


    Once Felicia gave her orders, Lance and hisckeys scrambled to their feet as if released from prison. Before they left, Lance didn''t forget to tter her, saying, "I''ll report back immediately with any progress!" Felicia smiled. She wasn''t looking to get revenge on Shawn. Instead, she wanted him dead.

 Chapter 120

    With old grudges and new onesbined, Felicia wouldn''t let any of them go.


    No one understood Shawn better than she did. After squandering away the 50 million dors, he would undoubtedly turn his attention back to her, using all sorts of threats and temptations to bleed her dry. And who else would he target when he found no good fortune with


    her?


    Of course, it would be his own sister.


    Felicia''s lips curled into a slight smile.


    Ka had repeatedly harmed her, and now, it was time for Felicia to retaliate.


    ...


    Having received the 50 million dors, Shawn indulged in a life of luxury every day. Once burdened by debt and constantly pursued, he had previously been looked down upon and was unable to attract the women he desired or afford the things he wanted. Now, all he needed to do was wave his hand, and a flock of beautiful women would flock to him.


    Those who once disdained him now submitted to him and called him Shawn too.


    With all this ttery surrounding him, Shawn quickly grew arrogant, genuinely believing he had risen to an exalted status.


    So, when Lance appeared before him several times, attempting to strike up a friendship, Shawn felt immensely proud. "Cheers! This drink is on me!"


    Lance lifted his ss in the nightclub and downed the contents in one go.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Shawn was already drunk. Seeing this, he yfully patted Lance''s face while sneering, "Oh, it''s Lance again! Remember when I owed you a little money? Didn''t you treat me like I was nothing? Have you forgotten about that?"


    As he spoke, Shawn pulled out a wad of cash from his pocket and casually stuffed it into the dress of a nearby hostess before dering boastfully, "Now, I''ve got plenty of money!"


    The crowd erupted with gasps and cheers, chanting and praising his name.


    Shawnughed heartily, banging on the table and shouting, "Tonight is on me! Drink up, everyone!"


    The cheers grew even louder.


    Ignoring the earlier insults, Lance plopped down beside Shawn and leaned in, whispering, "Shawn, that 50 million dors will eventually ran


    out. How about I introduce you to a §ß§Ñ§Û


    lucrative opportunity? It''s


    guaranteed to make money


    §©§­


    He had already mentioned this a few times, but after Shawn had snubbed him repeatedly, he finally perked up. "Let''s hear it." The bait had been set.


    Lance shed a grin and exined his scheme, a gambling setup that Shawn particrly loved.


    After hearing it, Shawn''s eyes brightened. He was visibly intrigued. "Are you serious? Are the odds really that good?"


    "Why not give it a shot?"


    "Lance, you wouldn''t be trying to con me, would you?"


    "Who would want to scam you out of a measly sum? If you want to join, great; if not, too bad!" Lance feigned indifference, pretending to leave.


    Shawn quickly grabbed his hand, grinning, "We''re best friends, right? I''ll give it a try, but just so you know, don''t me me for turning against you if I lose!"


    "Well, that''s all down to your luck. You can start with smaller bets. If it doesn''t work out, just pull out," Lance said.


    Although he said this, Lance knew very well that someone like Shawn wouldn''t easily walk away once he sat down at a gambling table. After all, a leopard never changed?ts spots.


    en


    Shawn hadn''t shed his gambling


    habits even with 50 million dors in hand and continued to bet


    recklessly. Now, with Lance


    introducing him to new venues and ways to gamble, he was eager and ready to dive in.


    After one round, Shawn''s bets multiplied. Just as Lance had imed, he won big!


    "Let''s go again! Myst bet was too small!"


    Time and time again, his wins piled up.


    Shawn was having the time of his life.

 Chapter 121

    For someone already prone to gambling, the taste of victory only fueled Shawn''s addiction further.


    However, as time passed, his winning streak dwindled. Each time he lost, he would pound the table in frustration, desperate to win back his losses. Each time he regained a portion of his money, his greed would drive him to want even more. Day after day, the 50 million dors he had was quickly squandered away. Shawn was utterly blinded by his losses.


    "Do you want to turn things around? How about I lend you some money? You know the contract well-just sign here," Lance said, tossing a pen and a tempting stack of cash in front of Shawn.


    Of course, Shawn wanted to make aeback, so he didn''t hesitate to sign the contract Lance offered and sessfully secured the funds.


    It started with one million dors, then two million dors. Eventually, it escted to ten and even 20 million dors.


    Even when the casino staff kicked him out, Shawn was still trapped in his delusions and shouted, "Let me y one more hand! I can definitely turn things around!"


    "You can only turn things around after you pay back what you owe," Lance said, puffing on a cigarette as he tossed a stack of contracts onto the table in front of Shawn.


    In just under a month, he and Shawn had be chummy. But today, he said, "Who do you think you are, calling me your best friend?"


    With that, Lance kicked him hard. "Best friend, my ass!"


    Shawn was knocked to the ground, and upon seeing that he owed 30 million, he waved it off dismissively. "So what if it''s 30 million? Don''t you know me? I''ve got plenty of money! Do you really think I care about this small amount of money?" "Then show me the money," Lance said, holding out his hand. "Where is it?"


    When Shawn patted himself down, he found nothing he had even pawned the expensive watch he had bought for hundreds of thousands.


    But he figured that it didn''t matter. He had purchased a six-million-dor vi for Howell and Tabitha.


    Just as he was about to boast about his remaining assets, Lance mmed another contract onto the table, shattering his hopes.


    "Is this what you''re going to harp on


    about?


    value six-million-dor vi,


    four million, which


    already signed over ''ve


    coteral."


    Lance grinned wickedly. "My people have already gone to collect the house. Why don''t you think of something else you might have?" Shawn''s expression changed in an instant.


    He finally realized he had been yed!


    Not only was he broke, but he also owed 30 million dors in high-interest loans! That was 30 million dors!


    Crawling to Lance''s feet, he begged, "Lance, I swear I''ll pay you back, but-"


    Lance kicked him again before spitting on the ground, "Who are you calling ''Lance''? You think you can just toss around that name?"


    "I was wrong, Mr. Thompson! Please, you can''t take the vi! Where are we supposed to live if you take it away from me?" he cried.


    "Go back to where you came from. What does that have to do with me? You chose to gamble. I was kind enough to lend you money, and now, you want to back out? Besides, can''t you ask the Fuller family for money? Theyre the richest in Khogend! They donated a billion dors to build a bridge recently! They wouldn''t even blink an eye for that meager amount.


    "You always brag about your connections to the Fuller family, right? That''s perfect! Go ask your connections for help!"


    "I..." Shawn''s face turned a deep


    bet


    shade of red. He often boasted that the Fuller family was closely rted to him, and many believed it.


    But he alone knew the truth.


    swnov


    Frustrated and angry, a thought struck him. What about Felicia?N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    After all, she had lived with them for 18 years. Wouldn''t she feel some obligation to help him rather than cut tiespletely?

 Chapter 122

    Shawn would never allow Felicia to sever ties with them so easily.


    Shawn made up his mind and said, "Lance, give me two days! I''ll make that little brat pay me back!"


    "I don''t care how you raise the money. Here''s my deal. If you don''t pay up in two days, I''ll chop off one of your fingers every day until you do!"N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Lance scrutinized Shawn, his tone menacing. "If all your fingers are gone and you still can''t pay, I''ll have no choice but to sell off every valuable thing you have! Got it?"


    "Got it! I understand!" Shawn nodded vigorously, fear etched on his face.


    Over the next two days, he loitered around Felicia''s college, trying to find a way in. If it weren''t for the security guards blocking him, he would have rushed up to her and demanded money to pay Lance back.


    As the deadline approached, Shawn was frantic, contemting whether he could sneak over the wall into the campus. He spotted a familiar figure walking out of the campus gate just then. It was Felicia!


    When Shawn confronted her, Felicia had stepped out to buy something and was heading toward the nearby night market.


    After waiting outside the college for two days, Shawn''s stubble had grown out, his clothes were a mess, and he reeked of an unpleasant odor that he could hardly cover up.


    Felicia wrinkled her nose and stepped back, pretending to be surprised. "What happened to you? You just got 50 million dors, and you''ve spent it all in less than three months?"


    Shawn was usually the type to bully the weak and fear the strong. In front of the more intimidating Lance, he was a subservient coward, nodding and bowing. He didn''t dare to utter a word in protest. But facing Felicia, an 18-year-old girl, he felt a surge of confidence. He reverted to his usual haughty demeanor.


    "Felicia, you''ve been back in the


    Fuller family for three months now, right? As a daughter of the richest family, you must have a decent allowance. I don''t need much-just 30 million dors will do!"


    Felicia said nothing.


    She thought 30 million dors was such a small request from Shawn.


    Felicia couldn''t help butugh. "Look at yourself-a loser like you thinks he''s worth 30 million dors?"


    "I''m your brother! Don''t push it! I''m not taking action against you only because of our past rtionship. Have you forgotten what it''s like to get beaten?" Shawn shouted angrily. Felicia''s smile grew brighter. How could she forget? Since she could remember, she had been beaten countless times.


    As a child, she had been powerless, subject to the whims of those who were stronger than her. It wasn''t until she could earn money for herself that things began to change a little.


    Even then, she was no match for her adoptive family, who relentlessly bullied and exploited her. That gave them the false impression that they could continue to push her around. Felicia''s expression hardened, and she replied, "I don''t have any money."


    "Who are you kidding? Your


    biological parents are the richest in Khogend. They can casually donate hundreds of millions! They cherish you, so why wouldn''t they give you money?" Shawn said as he made a move to rummage through Felicia''s bag and check her bank cards.


    Felicia''s gaze darkened. With a swift motion, she took him down. When she spoke, her voice wasced with a threatening edge, "It seems like you have yet to learn your lesson because I haven''t broken your hand thest time."


    "Ouch! It hurts-" Shawn copsed to the ground and had his back pinned by Felicia. His entire body was wracked with pain as his cries drew the attention of passersby. Felicia lowered her voice and said slowly, "You''re right. My biological parents are indeed wealthy, but they don''t like me. They prefer Ka."

 Chapter 123

    "Surely, you haven''t forgotten that Ka is your biological sister? If you need money, go ask her. Whye looking for me?"


    Upon hearing Felicia''s words, even Shawn, as dim-witted as he was, realized that she was being deliberately provocative.


    "You little brat! Look at how cunning you are! Are you trying to involve someone else?"


    Felicia applied more pressure with her foot and mocked, "Look at you, finally aware that you''re causing trouble."


    Shawn cursed, "I won''t fall for your tricks! Either you give me 30 million dors, and I''ll leave you alone for good or I promise you''ll never have a moment of peace! Felicia, the choice is yours!"


    With that, he shed a malicious grin, thinking he had the upper hand.


    He knew that even if Ka was his sister, with Dexter and Myra protecting her, he wouldn''t be able toy a finger on her.


    But Felicia was different. She had no one to protect her.


    He had plenty of ways to make Felicia abide by his requests. These included harassing her, extorting her, and even ndering her.


    Yet Felicia smiled sweetly, appearing unaffected by his threats. She remainedposed. "Do whatever you want. I''m not the one who''s in debt. A gambling debt of 30 million dors, whenpounded over time... Well, it won''t be long before it reaches over a hundred million, right?"


    Shawn''s eyes widened. He had only mentioned needing 30 million from Felicia, but he hadn''t disclosed what for. Now, he felt uneasy. "How do you know about my gambling debts?"


    Was Felicia involved in this matter?N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    But after thinking it over, he decided it was impossible; Felicia couldn''t have that kind of influence.


    He tried to steady himself and was just about to threaten her again when Felicia let him go. She casually said, "Ka has a ck card that can be used without limits. If you''ve got what it takes, go look for her." With that, Felicia kicked Shawn whilemanding, "Get lost!"


    After weighing his options for a few seconds, he decided to leave. First, he had to admit that he couldn''t take on Felicia in a fight. Second, that unlimited ck card was too


    tempting.


    Rather than hitting a brick wall with Felicia, seeing what he could get from Ka was a far better option. The delicate Ka should be easier for him to handle.


    After Shawn left, Felicia turned


    around and took a few steps when she spotted Sebastian standing in the shadows of a tree. She had no idea when he arrived or how much he had heard.  en


    Given Sebastian''s keen sense, he would undoubtedly realize that Felicia had intentionally led Shawn to Ka... Felicia maintained herposure, showing no signs of panic or embarrassment. She walked up to him confidently. "Who was that person just now?" Sebastian asked.


    "Just some trash," Felicia replied casually.


    "Does he know you?" Sebastian asked with a tone of certainty, clearly wanting to dig deeper.


    Felicia tilted her head with a smile. "Well, he''s my brother from my adoptive family."


    "What did he want from you?" wan


    Although Sebastian wasn''t fully informed he had heard Myra mention how that rogue family hade to them. They then spent 50 million dors to sever ties with Ka''s biological parents,


    Felicia answered honestly, "He was asking for money."


    "Did he threaten you?" Sebastian''s expression darkened. If he had known this earlier, he would have intervened sooner.


    Now, Felicia was certain that Sebastian hadn''t heard her earlier exchange.

 Chapter 124

    But even if Sebastian had heard everything, so what? It didn''t matter.


    Felicia asked, "Is there something you need?" Her expression was indifferent, her attitude distant. She radiated an air that kept others at arm''s length. Sebastian couldn''t possibly miss that.


    Feeling a bit awkward, Sebastian exined, "Things have been busy at hometely, so I haven''t been able toe see you..." Busy, indeed.


    He had been busy with work and taking care of Ka in the hospital, so much so that no one seemed to remember Felicia''s existence.


    "Mm-hmm. Is there anything else?" Felicia nced back, adding, "I need to go. The store I want to buy from might close soon."


    "Licia..." As Felicia turned to leave, Sebastian called after her while rubbing his temples. "Tomorrow is the weekend. You shoulde home."


    Felicia hadn''t returned home once since the engagement banquet two months ago.


    The shadows of the trees obscured her slender silhouette, and under the chilly moonlight, she paused for a moment. She turned her head to say something before continuing to walk without looking back. Sebastian didn''t catch what she said.


    What Felicia said was just a faint whisper, "Where do I even belong? That''s not my home..."


    ...


    For the sake of that 30 million dors, Shawn loitered outside the Fuller residence all night.


    Today was the deadline. If he didn''t get the money by noon, Lance would surely find him and follow through with his threat to chop off his fingers.


    After anxiously waiting, Ka stepped out at 9:00 am.


    As the little princess of the Fuller family, she had a dedicated driver. Shawn could only watch helplessly as the luxury car sped by and was unable to stop it.


    "Fuck!" Shawn cursed under his breath, running frantically until he finally got an Uber after quite a distance.


    Ka was headed to the mall.


    After over a month of recovery, she had finally been granted permission to go out and had arranged a shopping spree with some friends.


    After just about ten minutes, Shawn saw Ka carrying several bags while following behind her. She swiped her ck card effortlessly as if it would never run out of money.


    His eyes lit up with greed, and when Ka was about to go to the restroom, he blocked her at the door.


    "Ka, you haven''t forgotten your biological brother, have you?"


    Ka was startled. After their


    previous encounter, she recognized Shawn immediately. It was her blood-rted brother! What made it worse was that Shawn looked just like her before she had stic surgery. Just seeing him was enough to infuriate her.


    Ka raised her chin arrogantly, saying, "Didn''t my mom give you 50 million dors? What do you want now?"


    Shawn licked his lips, rubbing his hands together. "I ran into some trouble and urgently need 30 million dors. You''re my biological sister. You wouldn''t let me suffer, would you?" Thirty million dors was nothing to Ka.


    "Yes, I do have that much money. I could receive a few hundred million just as my birthday present," she scoffed. Her gaze was mocking as if she were looking at a clown. "But I won''t give it to you. Does that make you mad?" Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Shawn grabbed her arm, refusing to let her pass.


    Seething, Ka yelled, "Let go of me, or I''ll scream!"


    "Go ahead, scream louder," he threatened with a brazen attitude. "If you don''t give me the money, I''ll run out and tell your little friends that I''m your brother. Then, I''ll call our


    parents and introduce them


    friends!" .


    "You-" Ka felt murderous rage rising within her.


    to your


    Ever since her identity as a fake heiress was exposed, she had endured countless mocking insults and personally witnessed Howell''s and Tabitha''s shamelessness!


    If news of this leaked further, her reputation would be ruined.


    What made it worse was that she had ns to meet with Arnold today.

 Chapter 125

    If Arnold found out that Ka''s biological parents and brother were such people, would he also feel disappointed and contemptuous toward her? Just then, her friends called from outside.


    "Ka, are you done? Mr. Lawson is here! I saw himing up on the elevator on the second floor. He''s headed this way!"


    Ka clenched her fists and replied, "I''ll be out in a moment!"


    If one listened closely, one could hear a hint of panic in her voice.


    Shawn held up a finger, insisting, "Dear Ka, 30 million dors to sever ties is quite a deal, don''t you agree?"


    "Give me your bank ount number!" Ka said while initiating the transfer, her toneced with menace. "You''d better remember your words, or I swear I''ll make you regret it!"


    And just like that, 30 million dors was deposited into Shawn''s bank ount. It was so easy that Shawn could barely believe it. Things had gone so smoothly!


    He believed that Ka had an unlimited ck card and that she received countless gifts worth hundreds of millions on her birthday.


    They were true too. She was indeed treated like a precious princess by the Fuller family. To her, 30 million dors was just pocket change, and she didn''t hesitate to part with it.


    In fact, she was willing to spend this amount for a bit of peace.


    Ka shook off Shawn''s hand and turned to leave the restroom. This time, he didn''t try to stop her.


    He licked his lips, greed swelling in his eyes once more.


    ...


    As Ka returned to the mall''s lounge area, she saw Arnold approaching. The man stood tall and elegant, his handsome features striking and refined.


    As the future heir of the Lawson family, every gesture and movement of his exuded confidence and nobility. From the moment he appeared, he drew a lot of attention. He shone brightly in the crowd. Ka''s face lit up. She stood on her tiptoes, calling out, "Arnie!"


    Arnold walked over, ruffling Ka''s hair and asking, "Are you feeling better?"


    Before she could answer, her friends chimed in yfully from behind, told yo Mr. Lawson doesn''t see aelse! His heart and eyes are all for Ka!"


    "Exactly! Just look at the way he''s gazing at her-it''s making people envious!"


    "Right? We should be considerate and not be third wheels here!"


    Her friends bantered back and forth, causing Ka to blush. She yfully admonished them, "Hey, stop it..."


    Arnold maintained his usual calm demeanor, giving nothing away.


    Once her friends left, Ka linked her arm with Arnold''s and gave a yful pout. "Arnie, I''m hungry. Will you take me to eat?"


    Arnold sighed and said with a hint of affection in his voice, "Alright, let''s go."


    The night before the engagement banquet, Arnold had rebuffed Ka''s advances and made it clear that he regarded her only as a sister.


    The rtionship that should''ve been


    severed was restored to its original


    state after Ka''s wrist-cutting incident. To avoid upsetting her, Arnold kept silent about it.


    Ka was happy to pretend everything was fine. She became bolder and teased him in small ways, trying to push the boundaries of their rtionship.


    While they were eating, Ka suddenly remembered something and asked, "Arnie, how is Mr. Lawson Senior? Is he feeling better?"


    Arnold nodded. "He''s getting better."Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "Then, after we finish eating, let''s


    visit Mr. Lawson Senior. I should et


    apologize to him. Because of me, your engagement party with Felicia didn''t go through..."


    "Sounds good."

 Chapter 126

    The hospital where Matthew was staying belonged to the Lawson family, so an entire floor had been reserved for him. It was a peaceful atmosphere. Outside, bodyguards stood watch; inside, medical staff were on standby around the clock. Ka linked her arm with Arnold''s and held a bouquet in her other hand. Her stiletto heels echoed crisply in the quiet corridor, creating a jarring contrast.


    They soon arrived at the door to the ward. Just as Arnold was about to greet his grandfather, a metal tray came hurtling toward them, stopping his words. The tray hit the door before ttering to the floor and rolling to a stop. The surroundings returned to silence. Matthew, with his back to them, remained in a foul mood. "Get out!"


    Arnold pressed his lips together, choosing not to respond.


    Ka, clutching her chest as if frightened, said with a quiver in her voice, "Mr. Lawson Senior, I-I came to see you..."


    Matthew still didn''t turn around and coldly dismissed her with a huff, "Well, you''ve seen me. You can leave."


    "Mr. Lawson Senior, I know it was my fault. If it weren''t for me, Arnie wouldn''t have run away from the engagement party. But... we really couldn''t help ourselves. Can''t you support us?"


    Tears welled up in Ka''s eyes.


    Arnold frowned, admonishing her, "Ka, go home! Don''t say such things!"


    Now wasn''t the time to bring that up.


    On the day of the engagement party, Arnold defied Matthew for the first time, insisting on staying in the hospital with Ka.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    The bodyguards who were sent to remove him didn''t darey a hand on him, resulting in a standoff thatsted all night.


    Meanwhile, Felicia had gone missing.


    As a result, the engagement party ended in an awkward silence.


    Rumors spread that Matthew was bing senile, stubbornly interfering with Arnold and Ka''s rtionship. In a fit of rage, he coughed up blood and fell into aa for several days. Although he had escaped danger, he was still weak, and no one in the Lawson family dared defy him again. They feared he might go through more torment.


    Ka didn''t just refuse to apologize; she was adding fuel to the fire.


    Hearing her words, Matthew finally turned around. His cloudy eyes were sharp as an eagle''s as they fixed on Ka. He said coldly, "As long as I''m alive, you''ll never set foot in the Lawson residence again. Get out!"


    "Mr. Lawson Senior, I don''t understand why you dislike me so much," Ka replied, biting her lip in a show of extreme grievance.


    If one were topare Matthew''s past attitude toward her, while it was never particrly warm, it wasn''t as vehemently hateful as it was now.


    Ever since Felicia showed up, everything had changed.


    Matthew found itughable. When Ka was younger, he had dismissed her yfulness, thinking nothing of it. But now, she couldn''t


    even learn to tread carefully around


    him.


    en


    Not only that, she had also used self-harm to force Arnold to leave the engagement party, turning the Lawson family''s grand preparations into a joke. Today, she had the audacity to ask why he disliked her. Did she really need to ask?


    "Get out! Everyone, get out!"


    Matthew picked up something nearby and hurled it across the ward. Ka, frightened, ducked behind Arnold. Together, they retreated awkwardly from the ward.


    Arnold''s expression was cold as he said, "Ka, you should go home."


    "Arnie "


    "Go back!" Arnold''s tone was firm, clearly impatient.


    This was the first time he had ever scolded her. Pouting, Ka felt even more wronged.


    Just then, shouts from the nurses inside the ward rang out. "Doctor! Mr. Lawson Senior has coughed up blood again!"

 Chapter 127

    The doctors rushed in, and the once-quiet corridor erupted into chaos.


    "As long as I''m alive, you''ll never set foot in the Lawson residence again!" Those were Matthew''s words.


    Ka couldn''t help but snicker to herself, "That old bastard is better off dead!"


    As Arnold pushed Matthew''s bed toward the emergency room, he caught a glimpse of Ka and noticed the fleeting malice in her eyes. He was taken aback.


    But the next second, Ka resumed her innocent facade and had tears welling up in her eyes. Her expression was full of concern and guilt.


    It felt like a trick of his imagination.


    "Arnie, it''s all my fault. I shouldn''t have been so straightforward and triggered Mr. Lawson Senior..."


    Arnold, drained of energy and not bothered tofort her at this moment, simply replied, "You should leave. My grandfather doesn''t want to see you." "Arnie "Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "Leave!"


    With the force of hismand, Ka finally turned to go, though she did nce back several times.


    The light above the emergency room was on for four long hours.


    Arnold stood guard at the door, refusing to budge.


    During this time, Mike had arrived. Upon seeing Arnold''s bloodshot eyes, he smirked sarcastically. "What are you crying about? Isn''t this all your fault?" "You''d better shut up. I don''t want to argue with you right now!" Arnold''s expression darkened as he red at Mike, and he emanated an imposing presence. But the next moment, his fierce demeanor crumbled as Mikended a solid punch on his face.


    Mike''s tone was even more menacing. "Listen up, kid. You''re my nephew, and I''m your uncle! Do you understand?"


    The way he emphasized "nephew" struck a nerve in Arnold. He tightened his fists, but he couldn''t refute the fact.


    The tension between the uncle and nephew was palpable. Just then, the emergency room door swung open.


    The doctor removed his mask, looking troubled. "The patient has been temporarily stabilized, but..." "But what?" both men asked in unison.


    "There''s a possibility he doesn''t have much time left. At best, he has three months left; at worst, only one. Don''t provoke him again during this period, or his health won''t hold up."


    en


    After the doctor finished speaking, he put his mask back on and left.


    Matthew was wheeled back into the intensive care unit.


    Arnold stood frozen, particrly struck by the sight of Matthew''s pale, frail face. "Grandpa..."


    Mike sat silently on the other side of the bed.


    "Mike..." Matthew extended his hand toward Mike, looking weak but still managing to ask, "Do you still... hate me?"


    Mike was taken aback. He hadn''t realized that the once-vibrant Matthew, who had ruled with an iron fist, had now be so frail. His hands were covered in wrinkles, resembling the bark of an old tree that was dotted with dark spots.


    "Dad."


    Mike hesitated for a moment but eventually took Matthew''s hand, reassuring him, "You''ll be fine. I''ll get the best doctors and the best care for you. You''ll recover." "I''m not talking about that. You know what I mean." Matthew shook his head, a bitter smile on his lips.


    "When I forced Sandra''s mother, Valentina, away, you hated me for many years. When I was in the emergency room just now, I wondered if I... had made a mistake."


    Mike replied with a hint of


    exasperation, "Dad, I''ve exined it to you countless times. Valentina is not Sandra''s mother. I''ve long since moved past those old grievances."


    Matthew blinked in surprise. "Then who is Sandra''s mother..."


    "Sandra is a child I had two years ago with another woman when I got drunk," Mike said awkwardly, rubbing his nose. "I still haven''t found her to this day..." Matthew coughed a couple of times before scolding him, "You little rascal! Why didn''t you tell me sooner?"

 Chapter 128

    "You didn''t ask, did you, Dad?"


    "How could I have known anything if you hadn''t said a word?"


    "How could I possibly bring it up myself?" Mike countered.


    The father and son, separated by a significant age gap, exchanged ring looks.


    In the end, Mike relented first. "Alright, Dad. I was wrong, okay?"


    Matthew snorted coldly, turning his face away. His chest rose and fell, but hisplexion had improved slightly. At least one concern was finally set aside. Matthew turned his gaze back to Arnold.


    Arnold fidgeted with the edge of the bed as he cautiously called out, "Grandpa..."


    He thought Matthew would surely have something to say. Perhaps he would acknowledge that he had pushed too hard by forcing him into a marriage with Felicia.


    Instead, Matthew simply closed his eyes and went back to sleep, ignoring himpletely.


    Arnold was left speechless.


    "Grandpa, I was wrong. I shouldn''t have defied your decision. I promise I''llply with your wishes from now on. I won''t resist marriage either as long as you stay healthy, okay?" Matthew didn''t say anything and only snorted.


    "Grandpa, I mean it. Can you please trust me one more time? Grandpa..."


    After several pleas, Arnold finally got Matthew to open one eye. "You promise you won''t run away?"


    "Yeah! I''ll stick to my word!"


    Matthew''s expression softened a bit after he heard such a solemn promise from Arnold. He even cracked a hint of a satisfied smile. "Alright then, I''ll give you onest chance!" Mike couldn''t help but interject, "Dad, what scheme are you nning this time?"


    "You little rascal, I''m doing this for the good of the Lawson family! You wouldn''t understand a thing!"


    Matthew snapped, iPoeText ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    across his face. "Thest


    engagement is behind us; there


    won''t be another one."


    Just as Mike was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Matthew''s next words shocked everyone.


    He dered, "There will be no engagement and no wedding. Arnie, listen carefully-before I close my eyes for good, you must make Felicia willingly marry you!"


    Arnold opened his mouth to protest, but Matthew''s deep voice interrupted him, "If there''s no opportunity, then create one. I don''t care about your methods; you must get it done!"


    It was clear to everyone that Matthew''s resolve was unshakeable. He was serious.


    Unable to contain himself, Mike asked, "Dad, why must it be Felicia?"


    "Don''t question me on this..." Matthew started coughing violently, his face turning pale. He was clearly exhausted and on the brink of copse. "If you want me to pass peacefully, then do as I say!"


    Meanwhile, in the dormitory building,


    Felicia climbed the stairs step by


    step. She could feel her phone


    vibrating in her pocket. It was a message from Lance reporting back to her on Shawn''s matter, "Ms.


    Fuller, Shawn has once again


    lost


    the 30 million dors he extorted."


    It was just as Felicia had predicted.


    Shawn had indeed approached Ka and sessfully extorted 30 million dors from her using his typical unscrupulous tactics. However, after getting his hands on that money, Shawn didn''t use it to


    pay off his debts.


    Instead, he convinced himself that his previous losses were just bad luck and decided he needed to gamble again.


    Lance had nearlyughed himself silly when he heard Shawn confidently dere at the gambling table, "I''ll get back everything I lost!"

 Chapter 129

    The oue was predictable-Shawn lost the 30 million dors without a single cent left and was unable to repay Lance''s high-interest loan. In the end, he had a finger chopped off.


    Lance also forcibly reimed the six-million-dor vi.


    It was said that when Lance''s men showed up to collect the house, Howell and Tabitha were busy boasting to their rtives over a video call. They were proudly iming their son had made a name for himself.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    They even nned to invite their rtives over in a couple of days. But the next second, Lance''s crew barged in. It was then the couple learned that Shawn had squandered all his money and was drowning in debt! After being kicked out, the three of them returned to their old, dirty, and shabby little rental house.


    It was easier to go from frugality to luxury than to return to frugality from luxury.


    The three cried and argued for a while, ming each other. Soon, their tempers red. They ended up in a fight, leaving scratches and bruises all over their faces and bodies. But after the fight, they surprisingly reached the same conclusion-they would go to Ka for money again!


    After listening to Lance''s report, Felicia raised an eyebrow.


    Now that Shawn was burdened by a 30-million-dor high-interest loan and faced the threat of losing a finger each day, he would definitely approach Ka for money once more.


    Ka would feel that this family''s appetite could never be satisfied.


    At that time, they would surely end up biting each other!


    Once that happened, Ka wouldn''t sit idly by because her hatred for Felicia was too deep. However, she had no one else to use. The only sycophant, Melvin, still hovered around her but was too afraid to act against Felicia again.


    As a result, Ka would use her money to strike a preliminary deal with Shawn, turning him into a weapon specifically intended to deal with Felicia!


    Felicia was delighted to see such a scenario unfold.


    Only by having Ka take action would she have leverage, a chance to counter-attack, and an opportunity to tear off Ka''s hypocritical mask! Felicia tucked her phone back into her pocket as she reached the rooftop of the women''s dormitory.


    She was there to retrieve herforter.


    She had no choice. Although quiet, her unit was on the first floor. Given her notorious reputation, Felicia dared not hang herforter outside, fearing someone might ssh their beverages on it. Hence, she brought it to the rooftop of the women''s dormitory.


    After several days of rain, it was finally sunny today, and theforter had that warm, sunny smell. It wasforting and soothing.


    As Felicia bundled theforter up to take it away, she heard faint crying from a corner of the rooftop.


    She paused, setting theforter down and walking over.


    It was Carmen.


    Felicia remembered that not long after the term began, when a few of Ka''sckeys had attempted to ssh soup on her in the cafeteria, Carmen had stood up to stop them. Later, when Felicia offered her a napkin to wipe off the soup that had gotten on her, Carmen refused to take it.


    As Felicia approached, Carmen quickly stopped crying and wiped her tears upon hearing the sound of footsteps. She tried to leave the rooftop, pretending nothing was wrong. "Wait a second," Felicia called out.


    Carmen stiffened, her back rigid with caution as she turned to look.


    In this college, two students had


    been bullied and isted-one was Felicia, and the other was Carmen, who had been ndered for her


    ???:


    personal life. Due to a maliciously


    edited video that falsely depicted her in apromising situation,


    Carmen had beenbeled


    promiscuous by everyone.


    Since then, the awful rumors had spiraled, and everyone believed them. This included Carmen''s parents as well as her rtives and neighbors.


    Though they were in different grades


    and had no actual interactions, Felicia remembered Carmen because in her past life, Carmen had been unable to endure the rumors and jumped from this very rooftop one fateful night.


    She had fallen heavily to the ground like a butterfly with broken wings.

 Chapter 130

    Felicia picked up the hat that had fallen on the ground and handed it back to Carmen. She said in a gentle voice, "It''s windy on the rooftop. You shouldn''te up here next time." "It''s none of your business." Carmen took the hat and turned to leave.


    Felicia wanted to say something more, but Carmen red at her and coldly warned, "You''d better stay away from me, or you''ll regret it."Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Her tone was fierce and threatening, leaving no room for approach.


    Felicia could only smile helplessly.


    Just then, the campus inte crackled to life, announcing that all freshmen were to gather at the field for an urgent meeting regarding an important announcement. What was this about?


    Felicia frowned, specting that it might be some event like a freshmen wee party or a celebration.


    However, when she arrived at the field and looked up, she saw Arnold standing next to the college director. An uneasy feeling welled up in Felicia.


    On the stage, ke cleared his throat and held the microphone. "I have good news to announce Mr. Lawson has generously sponsored one million for our college to cover the costs of this year''s freshmen training!


    "So, in addition to the freshmen training, we''ll also have a voluntary rural teaching and donation activity!


    "Coincidentally, this year marks the centennial anniversary of our college, so the college will also allocate another one million to purchase books, stationery, and other supplies to donate to schools in the impoverished areas we''ll be serving!


    "This training willst for half a month, and of course, the chosen areas for teaching are very poor and backward, so you all need to be mentally prepared!


    "So, are you guys interested in participating?"


    As ke announced the news, gasps filled the crowd. The moment he asked the question, the field erupted in cheers!


    "Woohoo! We''re in!"


    No one wanted to miss out on this opportunity.


    This was the first time the college had organized such a training activity, which broke away from tradition. It all sounded exciting!


    ke nodded in satisfaction and continued, "Our vice principal and Mr. Lawson will lead this training. You guys must obey the rules; no mischief allowed!" The announcement was made, and the departure was set for early the day after tomorrow.


    The surrounding cheers grew louder, but Felicia''s brows furrowed deeper.


    In her previous life, there hadn''t been such a training activity; there had only been the centennial celebration ceremony.


    During that ceremony, she had


    already been engaged to Arnold but could only watch helplessly as he danced with Ka under the spotlight. The two received


    everyone''s envy and admirael


    swn yel


    After that, the bullying directed at Felicia only intensified.


    What about this life?


    Felicia felt a strange sense of foreboding as if some events were slipping out of alignment, yet within that disarray, everything seemed to follow the original storyline. As she pondered, her gaze collided with Arnold''s from a distance.


    Even from afar, amid the throng of students, she felt the intensity of his gaze. It was hot and piercing, filled with... hatred.


    Since the engagement party had


    been ruined and Matthew had been hospitalized, Felicia was under no further pressure to marry. It seemed as if the engagement had been set aside.


    However, Felicia felt something was amiss. Matthew, who was determined to ensure she and Arnold were together, would not easily give up.


    So what did Arnold''s strange behavior mean? Was it directed at her?

 Chapter 131

    Two days passed in the blink of an eye.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    On the morning of the students'' departure, 11 buses were parked at the college entrance, and all the freshmen boarded different buses based on their assigned locations.


    The special training wouldst for half a month. All the students brought snacks, personal items, and power banks inrge and small bags.


    Felicia only carried a backpack with a few changes of underwear, a charger, a needle case, and some emergency medications.


    After boarding, Felicia found a seat by the window. The smell of the bus was dizzying, so she put on her headphones and popped a mint into her mouth.


    The empty seats gradually filled up.


    The noise in the bus grew louder, and the two women in front of Felicia huddled together, animatedly discussing thetest entertainment gossip.


    "Hey, did you see it? At that red carpet eventst week, so many top-tier celebrities and big names were present, yet the center stage was upied by a newbie called Abbie. She''s taking the industry by storm!"


    "I know! I watched the livestream too. That group of big names pushed that neer, Abbie, to the center stage! What''s her background? She used to be a bit of a yer and was hardly known!"


    "There''s no way! She must have a big shot backing her! Otherwise, how could a nobody like hernd leading roles in several major productions and work alongside top-tier male actors?" "Wow, I''m so curious! Who is the big shot behind Abbie?"


    The woman on the left leaned in and lowered her voice, saying, "I heard it''s a big shot from Seldvale, a global billionaire!"


    Catching those two keywords, Felicia opened her eyes and took off her headphones, which she hadn''t yet connected to music.


    A big shot from Seldvale, a global billionaire.


    It had to be Stephan!


    Felicia suddenly understood. No wonder there had been no news from Stephan after he left Khogend She had been on edge, fearing he mighte back to haunt her one day. Now, it turned out he was busy paving the way for the person he cared about.


    Great! With this, Stephan probably wouldn''t return to Khogend or think of her, a nobody. The incident with the scar cream could be buried in the past. Felicia put her headphones back on and yed a cheerful song.


    The women in the front cleared their


    in th


    throats and continued, "People like those unreachable big shots are like giants who tower over everyone else. The rumor might not be true. We shouldn''t take everything we hear to heart."


    Then, the two women leaned together again, engrossed in their gossiping.


    The bus engine had started, and there was a slight vibration and bumping of the vehicle. Combined with the stereo surround audio, Felicia started to feel drowsy. Though her eyes were closed, she sensed someone sitting next to her.


    For a moment, themotion in the bus seemed to quiet down, only to erupt again.


    Felicia didn''t pay much attention and just shifted positions to continuecher nap. Soon, the bus started moving, and beams of sunlight streamed in, shining on her face.


    Felicia opened her eyes and turned her face away, only to find that the person sitting next to her reading a book was none other than Arnold. What the heck?


    Felicia was taken aback and blurted out, "What are you doing here?"


    Arnold replied coldly, "This is an event I''m sponsoring and the bus I arranged. Is there a problem with me being here?"


    Felicia did not know what to say to that.

 Chapter 132

    Arnold''s expression was dark, clearly indicating he was in a bad mood. He reiterated, "Felicia if it weren''t for my grandfather, I wouldn''t want to look at you for even a second." It was evident that he waspletely rejecting her.


    Felicia pondered over Arnold''s words and asked, "What did your grandfather ask you to do this time? It can''t be..."


    A guess was on the tip of her tongue, but she didn''t finish her sentence.


    Arnold''s expression became somewhat unnatural as he sneered, "Yes, my grandfather insists that I support you and be yourpdog. Are you happy now? Satisfied?"


    Felicia was at a loss for words. She waspletely frustrated and thought, "Damn... What kind of grudge does Arnold have against me?"


    "Can''t you just say no? Do you have to listen to your grandfather?" Felicia rolled her eyes, her disdain and rejection surpassing Arnold''s.


    Arnold replied impatiently, "Felicia, you know that ying hard to get is outdated, right?"


    The two of them were exchanging barbs out in the open, so everyone around them heard the conversation.


    Suddenly, the bus was filled with whispers, and a fewments of disdain were directed at Felicia.


    One woman pulled out her phone and quietly took a photo to send to Ka, who had been absent from college for a long time.


    Ka hadn''t attended sses for quite a while. After all, her family was wealthy, and with Dexter and Myra paving the way for her, she was only attending college to gain a veneer of prestige. Once she graduated, she would be arranged to work in the Fuller family''spany or take over Myra''s extensive beauty business.


    She had missed a month of college due to her stic surgery and another month because of her wrist-cutting incident. Hence, she missed out on the announcement of this training program. Upon receiving the photo, Ka was incredulous, her eyes nearly popping out.


    In the photo, Felicia and Arnold were sitting together. From the angle, it appeared they were having a conversation. They shared nces that looked almost affectionate.


    After making some inquiries, she learned that Arnold had poured a million into this training event.


    Furious, Ka nearly exploded. Ever since Matthew had copsed from anger, no matter how many calls she made or messages she sent to Arnold, he hadn''t responded. So, it turned out that he was secretly meeting with Felicia behind her back.


    Ka asked for the location of the training program and then ordered the maids to pack her things. She summoned the driver as well, "Load my things into the car and take me to Alverton!" The driver hesitated and asked, "Ms. Ka, where''s Alverton? It seems far away. Should I inform Mr. or Mrs. Fuller first?"Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "Just do as I say and stop with the nonsense!" Ka shot the driver a re.


    The maids worked quickly, packing and loading two suitcases into the car.


    As they set off, Ka spotted Shawn lurking at the gate of the Fuller residence. These past few days, Shawn had been relentless in bothering her. After taking 30 million dors, he still wasn''t satisfied and


    returned for more.


    He threatened her, saying that if she didn''t give him money, he would drag Howell and Tabitha to the college and the Lawson residence, making sure everyone knew who her real parents were.


    Ka had originally nned to


    report this to Dexter and Myra. She


    believed that with Dexter and Myra''s favoritism toward her, they would surely get rid of Shawn or at least quietly make him disappear.


    But now, Ka suddenly changed her mind.


    She instructed the driver to stop, then waved at Shawn like a dog. "Want money? Fine. Help me with a few things, and I''ll give you the cash!"

 Chapter 133

    Upon hearing Ka say she''d give him money, Shawn''s eyes lit up, and he readily agreed, "Just tell me what you need!"Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Considering the driver''s presence, many things couldn''t be said out loud. Ka had the driver pull over and wait a distance away before speaking up, "I''m heading to Alverton. Felicia is there, and in a small rural ce like that, it''s perfect for eliminating someone. I want you to deal with her. Are you up for it?" Shawn paused for a moment, then burst intoughter. "Is that all? Just tell me how much you''ll pay to have her killed."


    "One million and no more," she replied coldly.


    "My dear sister, this is murder we''re talking about. Do you think a million is enough to settle that? Do you take me for a beggar?"


    Since receiving the 50 million, Shawn''s appetite had grown. Thest time, he extorted 30 million dors from Ka and even then, it wasn''t enough for him. How could one million suffice?


    Ka''s expression darkened. "How much do you want, then?"


    Shawn had initially thought of asking for an exorbitant sum, but suddenly, he came up with an idea. If he asked for too much, Ka could easily find someone else to deal with Felicia and wouldn''t feel the need to strike a deal with him.


    It would be better to first y along with Ka''s wishes andter use this opportunity to ckmail her for more money!


    "Two million!" he grinned. "Seeing as you''re my dear sister, I''ll help you out this once."


    "Don''t call me your sister. I don''t have a brother like you. It''s disgusting!" Ka replied with disdain but ultimately agreed to the deal.


    She changed her tone, asking, "But are you really capable of doing this? After all, Felicia has been your sister for so many years."


    Shawn sneered, "That woman has long since turned wild! Do you see this arm? I asked her for money, and all she gave me was a good beating. Oh, by the way, I approached you because Felicia instigated it. She mentioned you had money and an unlimited credit card, which is why Itched onto you!"


    Shawn clucked his tongue as he finally realized something. "Looks like you two are both hoping the other has a hard time."


    One pushed him toward the other to extract money, while the other was more ruthless, hiring him to kill.


    Ka abruptly raised her head.


    No wonder Shawn had suddenly be attached to her. It turned out it was Felicia''s instigation.


    "That bitch!" Ka red at Shawn. "How confident are you that you can pull this off? I''m warning you, if you fail, I won''t give you a single cent!"


    "Don''t worry: Alverton is my


    hometown, and I know the terrain


    there like the back of my hand. Killing Felicia is no problem at all." Shawn squinted his eyes.


    Coincidentally, he could also hide out in the countryside to avoid the fallout. He still owed money on the high-interest loans, and Lance had already chopped off one of his fingers!  en


    He would hold Felicia responsible for that!


    She was going to be dead for sure.


    After finalizing the deal, Shawn imed he needed to buy some


    tools and cover the trave/


    to Alverton, so he asked for a ten-thousand-dor deposit.


    One had to spend to gain, so Ka obliged.


    Once Shawn left, the driver returned to the car.


    "Let''s go," she instructed casually, only to suddenly notice the car''s dashboard camera was still recording!


    This meant that everything she had just discussed with Shawn might have been captured on video even if the driver hadn''t heard it.

 Chapter 134

    Ka kicked the driver''s seat back, scolding, "Delete that shit! Who told you to have the dashcam on?"


    Even though there was a seat between them, the driver was jolted by the kick and quickly lowered his head in submission. "Yes, Ms. Ka."


    Under Ka''s watchful gaze, the driver deleted the footage from the dashcam.


    Ka asked, "Is it all gone?"


    The driver''s eyes flickered, but he replied honestly, "Yes, Ms. Ka."


    "Alright then, let''s go!"


    Ka settled backfortably into her seat, putting on the air of a rich youngdy. She closed her eyes to catch a nap,pletely unaware of the driver''s annoyed expression. Taking advantage of Ka''s distraction, the driver discreetly reset the dashcam and quickly pocketed the memory card.


    The vehicle soon set off, navigating toward Alverton.


    ...


    "Everyone, we''re reaching! After we cross this mountain, we''ll be at Alverton. When we arrive, please gather your belongings and exit the bus in an orderly fashion!"


    After an eight-hour bumpy ride, the bus finally arrived near Alverton as dusk approached.


    The area was picturesque, with lush mountains and clear waters. The endless mountain range created a beautifulndscape, especially in the misty winter. The scene looked like it came right out of a painting. While the students were intrigued by the scenery, they all groaned at the thought of hiking up the mountain.


    "Goodness, why doesn''t this ce have proper roads?" oneined.


    There was no cement road in front of the bus, only a rocky path riddled with holes. Every so often, they''d encounter hard clumps of cow dung.


    Nearby, fields stretched out, and since vehicles could not pass, they had to walk.


    "Sir, how far do we have to walk? We have so much luggage. We''re going to die from exhaustion!" another whined.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    "Seriously, what''s the difference between this and staying back at the college for training? It''s just going to wear us out!"


    Amid theints, Felicia


    shrugged her backpack onto her shoulder and strode forward. Every de of grass, every tree, every mountain, and every stream here felt familiar to her. This was Felicia''s hometown.


    When she was a child, Howell and Tabitha had dumped her here. This was where she endured a childhood of beatings and coldness. But she had also experienced the kindness and care of the vigers. It had been a long time since shest visited.


    She wondered about the vige''s development, whether it had progressed as she had envisioned, and if the vigers would be surprised to see her return.


    After walking a short distance, she


    turned back to the vice principal, who was trying to calm the students Sir, there''s another path we can take to reach the vige. If we head that way, we can ess the main road after about half a


    mile."


    In addition to the students burdened with luggage, there were also delivery trucks filled with donated supplies that needed ess to the vige. It wouldn''t do to rely solely on manpower to carry everything. After Felicia spoke, the vice principal hesitated. He sounded doubtful as he asked, "That path is overgrown with weeds. Is it really passable? What if there are pits and the trucks get stuck?"


    While this concern was valid, Felicia simplyughed lightly. "The local vigers can lead the way. They''re familiar with the terrain but not you."


    At that moment, Arnold, who had just disembarked from the bus, red at her with a tense expression. He suddenly asked, "You seem quite familiar with this ce?"


    Felicia shot him a nce and said in a dismissive tone, "Noment."


    With that, she shouldered her backpack and continued along the rocky path.

 Chapter 135

    Arnold felt a wave of humiliation, his face burning with anger as he realized yet again he had been made a fool. His frustration surged, and he could barely contain it. But remembering that Matthew had little time left and that his final wish was for him to marry Felicia, he suppressed his fury and reluctantly followed Felicia''s direction. The students on the bus exchanged confused looks. "What''s going on here?"


    "Isn''t Arnold supposed to be with Ka? Even if Ka hadn''t shown up, why was he getting so close to Felicia?"


    One student clucked their tongue and shook their head. "I don''t understand. Affairs of rich families are tooplicated."


    Arnold and Felicia''s engagement had been the talk of the town, with their engagement party grand enough to capture everyone''s attention. But then, Arnold ran away from the engagement party to be with Ka, and the news sent shockwaves through the entire city. No one med Ka. After all, Felicia had appeared out of nowhere as the true daughter of the Fuller family and stolen the affections of Ka''s fianc¨¦, even driving Ka to attempt suicide.


    So, when Arnold abandoned the engagement party for Ka and stayed by her side in the hospital, people thought it was romantic.


    But now, in front of everyone, Felicia was once again getting close to Arnold.


    Most of the students on the bus sided with Ka, and their anger red. "Felicia still hasn''t given up? She''s taking advantage of Ka''s absence and trying to worm her way back in. How shameless!" "Gosh! I really hate people like that!"N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    The woman who had tipped off Ka earlier looked at her phone with a smug grin. "Don''t worry, Ka is already on her way here. Before she arrives, we need to make sure we keep an eye on Mr. Lawson and not let Felicia take advantage of the situation." "Agreed!"


    The women dropped their bags and rushed after Felicia and Arnold.


    On the bus, some students murmured, "What does Felicia have to do with this? Anyone with eyes can see it''s Arnold following her and not the other way around."


    The path they were walking on


    wasn''t smooth-it wasn''t the kind of neat stone path found in parks but. rather a rugged road made from, building materials. It was durable enough to endure the elements. It was not slippery or easily overtaken by weeds. But it was hard on the feet.


    At first, Arnold, who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, could keep up with Felicia''s pace. But soon, he struggled. His


    l.ne


    custom-made leather shoes began to crease, and the soles were already badly worn.


    When his trousers got muddy, his expression darkened further.


    He was starting to regreting to such a ce.


    Meanwhile, Felicia''s steps remained light,posed, and unaffected. Her demeanor was as serene as ever.


    Arnold ground his teeth and walked faster to catch up. He grumbled irritably, "What kind of path is this? It''s getting more and more isted, and the sky is almost dark!" Felicia remained silent.


    She could tell the hardship was getting to him. At no point had she said she was leading the way. It was Arnold who had decided to follow her!


    Seeing that Felicia wasn''t acknowledging him, Arnold couldn''t take it anymore. He grabbed her wrist, intending to drag her back.


    His posture suggested he considered her his property.


    Felicia''s expression darkened. She tried to pull away, but his grip tightened painfully. Her temper red, and with a swift motion, she kicked him hard from behind. She had aimed for his crotch.


    The blow was effective. Arnold''s


    face turned pale, and he bent over in


    pain, finally releasing her wrist. His face twisted as he gritted his teeth and barely squeezed out the words, "Felicia, you''re ruthless!"


    It served him right.


    Felicia nced at her wrist which was now red from his tight grip. After delivering her blow, she gave him a faint smile.

 Chapter 136

    "Don''t worry, I know what I''m doing. That kick won''t cripple you, but if you dare touch me again..."N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Arnold winced, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he tried to endure the pain. Felicia felt a sense of satisfaction wash over her.


    Just then, the group of women who had been trailing behind approached with concerned looks when they saw Arnold''s pained expression. "Mr. Lawson, what''s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"


    Of course, Arnold couldn''t confess the truth. Gritting his teeth, he slowly stood up while trying to appear unfazed. He strained his voice as he replied, "I''m fine."


    Realizing that returning to the bus was no longer an option, the vice principal consulted some local vigers for directions and led the others toward a road suitable for vehicles.


    Not wanting to spend the night in the mountains, they had no choice but to follow Felicia further along the path.


    Felicia paid no mind to her followers and confidently led the way. After walking for half an hour as twilight set in, she finally caught sight of the picturesque vige at the foot of the mountain.


    The sounds of chirping insects and birds mingled with the wafting smoke of cooking fires, creating a warm, homey atmosphere.


    Felicia paused, taking it all in.


    Arnold and the women caught up with her. They were ready to throw some sarcastic remarks, but they halted in shock at the sight before them.


    Prior to their arrival, the college had warned them that Alverton was impoverished and backward, with no proper roads and ack of basic infrastructure. They were visiting a truly deste ce, but they weren''t there for a vacation in the first ce.


    They were greeted with a vige with white walls and gray eaves decorated with dark wooden beams and elegant roofs. The roof tiles had been arranged in pleasing harmony.


    This ce was serene and beautiful, worthy of the title paradise.


    Arnold''s surprise was evident. He instinctively looked at Felicia, sensing that she seemed quite familiar with this ce. It was almost as if it were her own home.


    The women around them gawked wide-eyed.


    "I thought they told us that this was a very poor ce? Weren''t we told that there were no roads here?"


    "Holy! Is this really Alverton? I thought we had arrived at some tourist destination. It''s so pretty!"


    "The architecture here is so unique! It doesn''t feel like an ordinary vige at all-more like an uncharted ancient town!"


    "It looks nice, but what''s the point? This ce is remote, poor, and filled with bumpkins! If it weren''t for the college, I wouldn''t be here at all!"


    The woman who said this was Olivia


    Adler, whose family ran the


    secondrgest catering mogul in Khogend. The air of superiority around her was thick, and her privilege was evident.


    Given her wealthy background, her words held weight. The others,ing from more modest means felt the sting of her insult. This left them in a mix of awkwardness and discontent, but they didn''t have the courage to voice it.


    Arnold shot her a re, finding the noise annoying. When he looked back, he saw Felicia had already descended the mountain and was heading toward the vige.


    Feeling the lingering ache from earlier, he gritted his teeth and followed.


    She dared to kick him, didn''t she? He would make sure she understood the consequences one day!


    The mayor of Alverton, Charles


    West, had not been informed about the college''s visit beforehand, so when the bus arrived, he went tomunicate with the other party. Only then did he learn about the training program, which prompted him to hurry and arrange for vigers to prepare their homes for hosting.


    Felicia made a beeline for a quaint little courtyard. A smile brightened her face as she called out, "Nana!"


    An elderly woman who was busy weaving a bamboo basket instinctively looked up. Upon recognizing Felicia, she excitedly dropped the basket and hurried toward her. "Licia! Is it really you? You''vee back!"

 Chapter 137

    Felicia nodded. "Yes, it''s me, Nana."


    Macey Garcia and Felicia weren''t rted by blood. But during Felicia''s childhood, when Howell and Tabitha neglected and mistreated her, Macey asionally slipped her a croissant or a couple of apples.


    Later, when the vige repurposed abandoned houses into a small school, the enrollment fee was a hundred dors and a piece of smoked ham. The conditions were simple, but the aim was to ensure that every child could get an education. Howell and Tabitha would never spend a dime on Felicia.


    Felicia could only cling to the window to learn and write words in the dirt with a twig. Seeing her like that, Macey couldn''t bear it. She paid Felicia''s school fees with the money she earned from weaving bamboo baskets.


    That one hundred dors had been saved in small bills that were all crumpled up and piled together.


    Felicia gently said, "Nana, your eyes aren''t good, and you need to take care of your health. You shouldn''t keep running up the mountain to cut bamboo; it''s tiring! Listen to me, and stop weaving baskets!"


    "Alright." Macey chuckled, but her response was clearly just perfunctory. It was clear she wouldn''t really listen.


    Felicia''s expression turned serious. "Nana, I''m serious! The mountain paths are hard to walk on. Don''t weave any more baskets. And winter ising. Your hands are cracked. Are you still washing clothes by the river to save on electricity for the washing machine?"


    "No, I use the things you bought for me every day," Macey replied, pulling Felicia into the house. She rummaged around, revealing a pile of treats like candy, biscuits, and cake.


    Felicia couldn''t help but smile. It seemed all elderly people had the habit of hiding their favorite foods. They were usually too reluctant to indulge unless their grandchildren came to visit.


    "Licia, sit tight. I''ll fry you some fish filets! The fish is fresh. It was brought by Mr. Todd this morning!"


    Indeed, a bucket beside her was filled with small river fish, all still lively and jumping about.


    Macey quickly began to gather the fish while Felicia popped a piece of candy into her mouth. She then rolled up her sleeves. "I''ll start the fire."


    The vige was backward and impoverished.


    Even though Felicia had bought


    many appliances for Macey over the past two years, the old woman still refused to use the electric stove and stuck to the traditional hearth.


    ve


    Felicia expertly lit the fire, and soon, wisps of ck smoke rose from the chimney. The ck smoke turned to white, curling gently and filling the air with a homely aroma.


    Meanwhile, when Arnold descended the mountain, he was covered in dirt.


    The other women weren''t faring much better. The rough terrain had caused them to trip and stumble, and as dusk fell, theirints echoed around.


    "If I''d known, I wouldn''t have followed Felicia. She just dashed off, and we almost got lost chasing after her!"


    "I''m so hungry! Hey, isn''t that our college''s bus over there? I see the vice principal. Let''s hurry and rejoin the main group!"


    "It does look like them! Let''s go!"


    As the women inked arms and prepared to leave, they noticed Arnold standing still, his gaze fixed intently on one spot. This prompted them to ask, "Mr. Lawson, aren''t youing with us to join the main group?"


    Arnold replied coolly, "You go ahead."


    "Oh..."


    The women didn''t linger and linked arms as they left.


    But Olivia remained behind.


    In this remote area with spotty inte, she had received a message from Ka stating that she would arrive at Alverton in about an hour.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    So before that, Olivia was determined to keep Arnold close to prevent Felicia from seizing the opportunity to get close to Arnold.

 Chapter 138

    Arnold didn''t even nce at Olivia and ignored her entirely as he walked toward a nearby house. Just a moment ago, he had seen Felicia enter that yard. He still needed to settle the score for that kick! Felicia added a few more twigs to the fire, which zed brightly as the small river fish sizzled in the hot oil, filling the air with a delicious aroma.


    Felicia couldn''t help but exim and lick her lips in anticipation.


    Macey smiled and asked, "Licia, you must be hungry! Is there anything outside that canpare to the fish filets I fry up?"


    Felicia, eager to Macey, replied, "Of course not! Nana, you don''t know how much I miss your cooking, especially these fish filets that even have the neighbor''s kids drooling!"


    "Alright, tonight I''ll make you a few special dishes! But the ingredients are limited. You should''ve told me earlier so that I could''ve bought some meat..."


    Just as Felicia was about to respond, she sensed a shadow looming at the door. Looking up, she met Arnold''s dark eyes.


    Felicia frowned, her difort and rejection clear on her face. "What are you doing here?"


    Arnold swallowed, his gaze flickering. He had initially intended to confront Felicia and settle scores, but upon arrival, he saw her sitting on a small stool and tending to the fire. It was a down-to-earth scene that was in stark contrast to her usual aloof demeanor. It caught him off guard, leaving him almost speechless.


    Macey also noticed Arnold and sensed the tension in the air. But she clearly misunderstood as she asked with a smile, "Licia, is this your friend? Since a guest is here, you should invite him to take a seat and have dinner together!"


    Felicia wanted to refuse immediately, but Arnold beat her to it and responded, "Thank you very much."


    Felicia was speechless.


    She thought inwardly, "What is this idiot doing? Is he deliberately trying to annoy me?"


    Arnold caught Felicia''s displeasure in his eyes. While his smile might appear polite, it hinted at triumph. Felicia scoffed.


    Just then, another figure entered-it was Olivia.


    Upon seeing the scene inside, Olivia clucked her tongue in disdain and mockery, "Felicia, I heard you were taken back to the Fuller family after growing up in the countryside. Is this your home? It''s really destitute! Just look around; everything is a mess.


    "The toilet in my house is bigger than this ce. Even a dog wouldn''t live here!"


    Olivia''s family ran the secondrgest catering mogul in Khogend. While she usually didn''t unt her wealth back in Khogend, her superiorityplex flourished in this ce that


    swnover


    she considered beneath her va


    Her words dripped with malice.


    Felicia''s expression darkened. "Get the hell out of here."Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    "Oh, so you don''t allow people to speak? Do you think I want to bean a ce like this? What a joke!" After deriding Felicia, Olivia suddenly had an idea. She raised her phone and snapped a photo of Felicia


    "I''m going to post this in the school group chat to show how our little country bumpkin struggles to start a fire!"


    As if that wasn''t enough, Olivia turned her camera toward Macey.

 Chapter 139

    As Olivia recorded, she giggled and teased, "Hey, this country bumpkin is supposedly Felicia''s grandmother. How embarrassing-"


    But before she could finish the sentence, a scream pierced the air.


    Felicia moved like the wind, darting from the hearth to stand in front of Olivia in an instant. She snatched the phone away and deleted the video, then hurled both the phone and Olivia out of the door! It was a swift and seamless motion.


    With her gaze darkening, Felicia coldly uttered a single word, "Get out!"


    As Olivianded hard on the ground, she let out a few pitiful cries. The next second, she furiously bellowed, "Felicia, how dare youy your hands on me? You''d better watch out, or I''ll-"


    Her threatening words faltered as she felt an overwhelming fear. For a brief moment, Olivia caught a glimpse of Felicia''s violent intent in her eyes. This intense aggression suggested that if she provoked Felicia further, Felicia would not hesitate to unleash her wrath. But that fear was fleeting. In the next second Olivia was angry again and shouted, "Hey! What gives you the right to hit me? Felicia, I''m warning you, pick up my phone and apologize right now, or I won''t let this go!"


    "Youngdy... It''s all my fault..." Macey rushed out, wiping her hands on her apron. Her usually kind and gentle face was now filled with embarrassment. "I''m the one at fault here. I''llpensate you for the phone. Let''s not quarrel over me, an old woman..."


    Felicia gently pushed Macey back into the kitchen and said in a steady tone, "Nana, just listen to me. Go flip the fish. It won''t taste good if it burns."


    Even at this moment, she was still focused on cooking.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Macey looked at Felicia reproachfully and tugged at her clothes, urging her to stand behind her. "Licia, don''t say anything. Let me handle this."


    When Felicia was little, she was malnourished and often bullied by local children. Macey would always stand up for her, shielding her and asserting, "I''ll take care of it!"


    Felicia felt a smile tugging at her lips, but as she observed Macey''s silvery hair and anxious expression, her smile faded. A wave of warmth and sadness enveloped her heart. Yet soon after, her rising anger red. With a steely resolve, she turned her gaze back to Olivia and firmly stated, "Get out now!"


    Olivia took a step back, momentarily contemting escape. However, the more she thought about it, the more stubborn she became. She vowed to press the issue.


    "I''m not leaving! What can you do about it? You were the one who hit me first, so you''re the one in the wrong!" Olivia sneered.


    Felicia was out of patience. Without a word, she turned to the kitchen, only to return momentster. In her hands were a pair of fiery tongs. The tongs were glowing red! When she dipped them into the nearby basin full of water, the hot metal sizzled upon contact, and steam billowed up. It was a terrifying sight.


    Olivia looked at Felicia as if she were


    a madwoman, her eyes wide with


    fear and, disbelief. In the next second, she screamed and scrambled out of the yard, too scared to look back.


    Finally, the annoying pest had been scared off. Felicia turned to Macey, smiling. "Nana, I can protect you now."


    Macey''s eyes welled up with tears.


    Upon learning about Felicia''s background, the vigers said she was fortunate to be the daughter of the richest family in Khogend and no longer needed to fear being bullied. But now, seeing Felicia''s situation, Macey felt her heart ache,


    "Licia, do your peers treat you this way at the college?" she asked softly. Felicia shook her head. What was a little malice to her?


    have


    She would have ignored it in the past, but Olivia had crossed a line by spreading her malice to those she cared for Felicia was petty and fiercely protective. She could


    tolerate attacks on herself but not on those around her.


    That was why she couldn''t hold back her anger just now.

 Chapter 140

    Macey looked worried and advised, "Licia, try to get along with your ssmates... Avoid conflicts as much as you can. I''m just an old woman who can''t help you. I''m afraid you''ll get bullied and have no one to support you..." Felicia said seriously, "Nana, it''s not because I did something wrong that they''re targeting me. They''re nitpicking because of their own biases and because they see me as a thorn in their side."


    No matter what she did, those who disliked her would continue to target her because they found her to be a pain. It was not her fault; it was theirs for being prejudiced.


    Felicia raised an eyebrow. "Nana, you taught me this."N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Macey sighed, feeling a mix of pride and concern. Felicia was so well-taught, deserving of being pampered. Yet she...


    "Alright, Nana, don''t worry about it," Felicia said, blinking and smiling innocently. "Not everyone is like you, who can see how outstanding and adorable I am!"


    Macey couldn''t help butugh.


    Just then, a burnt smell wafted from the kitchen.


    Felicia''s expression changed. "Oh no, my fish filets!"


    The two rushed to the kitchen.


    Felicia frantically tried to control the fire on the hearth while Macey hurried to salvage the fish filets Felicia had been craving. In the smoke-filled kitchen, neither of them noticed Arnold''s figure outside. He had been overlooked. Arnold had witnessed everything.


    There were several moments he had wanted to step in to help Felicia, but his feet felt rooted to the ground. He didn''t want to see Felicia do well, yet his feelings turnedplicated when she was truly in distress. Then, he caught Felicia''s words, "They nitpick because that thorn is in their own eyes."


    So... was his animosity toward Felicia also due to his own biases?


    No.


    Arnold dismissed that thought.


    From the very first moment he met Felicia, he could sense the contempt and hatred reflected in her eyes. She was the one who provoked him first.


    As the kitchen smoke cleared, the fish filets were aplete failure. They were burned and stuck to the bottom of the pot,pletely inedible. Felicia pouted in grievance. "Nana... I''m so hungry..."


    "Oh dear, there''s no fish left. How about this? Tomorrow, I''ll have Mr. Todd set more traps in the river. We''ll catch a big batch, and I''ll fry you a huge pot! You can eat to your a


    heart''s content!"


    "Okay!" Felicia nodded obediently.


    After Macey washed the pot, she prepared a few more dishes. Just as she was about to serve the food, she suddenly remembered something and pped her thigh. "Licia, did we forget someone? The guest who said he would eat with us just now?"


    Arnold?


    Felicia shrugged dismissively. "He must''ve left already. It''s better that way."


    Macey lightly tapped Felicia''s head and rebuked teasingly, "You silly goose! Don''t you know the right manners to have as a host? Go look for him. He shouldn''t have gone far."


    "I..." Felicia wanted to refuse, but she surrendered under Macey''s watchful gaze. "Alright, Nana. I''ll go right now."


    ...


    Not far from Macey''s house, several people loomed menacingly at the entrance of an alley. They were led by Olivia, who was preparing to confront Felicia.


    Earlier, she had fled in fear after Felicia scared her off with a pair of hot tongs.


    Now, Olivia had gathered a group ofckeys to do her justice. Olivia wondered if Felicia dared to confront her again.


    However, midway, they were stopped by someone. Olivia was taken aback.


    "Mr. Lawson, what are you doing here? What does this mean? Why are you standing in our way?"

 Chapter 141

    The vige had streetmps, but the light barely pierced the thick darkness of the night.


    The dim light, especially at the alley entrance, cast a long shadow of Arnold on the ground. It made him appear tall and prominent.


    Olivia felt a flush on her face. Arnold was exceptionally good-looking, his demeanor exuding elegance and charm. He looked like a nobleman, refined and graceful.


    They were all from the same circle of friends. If not for her friendship with Ka and knowing that Arnold cared for her, Olivia might have even considered pursuing him herself.


    With a hint of anticipation, she asked, "Mr. Lawson, you saw what happened just now. I''m about to go find Felicia to settle the score. Are you nning to join us?"N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    However, Arnold shook his head.


    Olivia''s face showed confusion, and a bad premonition crept in.


    Sure enough, Arnold shifted his gaze to her. His voice was cold as he said somethingpletely unlike him, "I saw what happened just now, so I don''t agree with you causing trouble for Felicia."


    Did the sun rise from the west today?


    Was Arnold actually speaking up for Felicia?


    Olivia nearly choked with anger, feeling both aggrieved and furious. "Felicia attacked me first! Mr. Lawson, you were present. You saw it! Felicia is a lunatic. She threatened me with red-hot fire tongs! I''m the victim here, and you''re actually siding with her?" "I''m not siding with her," Arnold replied tly. "I''m just stating the facts."


    Then, he added, "Moreover, you provoked her by taking photos first."


    So, her ims of being a victim were invalid.


    When Olivia heard this, she became even more aggrieved and shouted, "I was just taking a few photos! It''s not likemitted murder or anything! Is that a crime?"


    Arnold''s words were sharp. "What were you taking photos for? To mock the poor you look down on? Or to engage in online bullying?"


    Words like knives could kill without bloodshed, but the perpetrators could defend themselves with simple words like, "I was just joking. I didn''t mean any harm".


    Olivia felt exposed, her face turning


    red with embarrassment. "Mr. Lawson, whose side are you on? How can you speak up for Felicia? If the person being humiliated today had been Ka, would you still say the same?"


    Arnold looked at her curiously and said calmly, "First, I''m addressing the issue, not the person. "Second, you''re not Ka. Third, Ka is kinder than you. She wouldn''t do something like this."


    Olivia was incredulous. So, in Arnold''s eyes, Ka was pure and innocent, incapable of any wrongdoing against Felicia.


    "If Ka were truly that clean and innocent, why do you think I''d help her?" Olivia, agitated, began to speak without thinking.


    "And Mr. Lawson, aren''t you the


    master of manipting public


    opinion? Don''t forget how you spread Felicia''s information on the school-forum, fanning the mes to get the whole college to ostracize her You were ungrateful after I tried techelp you, and now, you''re


    backstabbing me?"


    With a coldugh, Olivia dered, "Fine! You''re all saints, huh? And I''m the only bad one, right? Well, I''m not going to y along!"


    After saying that, she turned to leave.


    Theckeys who hade with her exchanged nces before quickly backing away. They noticed that Arnold''s expression had turned quite dark.

 Chapter 142

    The group of students scattered like birds and beasts, and the alley returned to silence.


    Felicia, who was around the corner, rubbed her ears. She had heard everything that happened and was somewhat surprised that Arnold would help her.


    However, she still didn''t think that he was up to any good.


    Felicia pursed her lips and turned to leave.


    Inside the small house, steaming dishes were alreadyid out on the table. Macey was pouring tea and, hearing footsteps, looked over her shoulder to ask, "Where''s the guest? Why isn''t he here?"


    "Oh, he said he had something to attend to and wouldn''t being," Felicia replied without changing her expression.


    Although Macey was slightly disappointed, she didn''t doubt Felicia''s words and could only say, "Alright, let''s eat by ourselves!"


    "Yes!"


    Just as Felicia picked up her cutlery and was about to eat, she suddenly felt a gust of wind sweep in. It was followed by the casual entrance of a tall figure. It was Arnold.


    Macey''s face lit up with joy as she warmly weed, "Oh, the guest is here! Come, take a seat!"


    Felicia was so shocked that her cutlery nearly fell from her hands.


    What the hell? Didn''t he leave? Why was he back?


    Damn it, how shameless could he be?


    Arnold sat down smoothly at Macey''s invitation. When he caught sight of Felicia''s stunned expression, he couldn''t help but smile slightly.


    Usually, it was him getting angry with Felicia, even getting beaten up by her. This was the first time he had the chance to see her looking so flustered. He enjoyed watching her like this.


    With Macey around, even if Felicia was fuming, she couldn''t just throw him out. She could only re at him with resentment and eat quietly.


    Macey looked between the two before finally asking the question she had been wanting to know since earlier, "Young man, what''s your rtionship with my Licia?" Arnold smiled slightly, appearing both polite and humble. "Hello, Nana. My name is Arnold, and I''m Licia''s... fianc¨¦."


    To be fair, when Arnold chose to be decent, he really looked the part. He fit the kind of person that elders would like, especially when he was being so courteous. Felicia was almost infuriated to death! "You''re talking nonsense!"


    She had never been this angry before. She felt the hair on her body stand on end as she was utterly disgusted.


    Arnold raised an eyebrow. Surprisingly, he didn''t get angry and continued to smile gently. But only Felicia could see the slight mischief in that smile.


    Macey pped her hands in delight.


    "Oh, good! Arnold, right? I''ll leave Licia in your care. This child has had a tough life and gone through a lot of suffering. At my age, I don''t really worry about anything else-just that she has no one to take care of her or love her..."


    Macey''s thoughts were simple. She could sense Arnold''s noble temperament at first nce and assumed he came from a distinguished background.


    She feared for Felicia, believing that


    even after being brought back to her


    biological parents, things hadn''t turned out well for her. Now that


    Felicia had a fianc¨¦, she would have someone to protect her.


    Felicia felt a headacheing on. "Nana, don''t believe this guy''s nonsense. I don''t have a fianc¨¦, and even if I did, it wouldn''t be him!"


    This wasn''t the first time Felicia had expressed her animosity toward him. In the past, Arnold only thought Felicia was trying to provoke him intentionally, seeking his attention in this manner.


    However, she was still acting the same way.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Arnold leisurely picked up his cutlery but suddenly put them down again after ncing at the dishes.


    Felicia was aware that Arnold was being picky about the food''s cleanliness.

 Chapter 143

    Older generations were usually simple and unpretentious, and Macey was no exception. Although Felicia had bought her many things, she just couldn''t bear to part with the old ones. In front of them was an old table and old tes. The dishes had no borate presentation. It was just home cooking-simple and not exquisite.


    This was rather shabby to Arnold, who had always lived a life of luxury. He couldn''t even muster his appetite, and his disdain bubbled to the surface. He involuntarily frowned. Not bothering to hide her feelings, Felicia said coldly, "You can leave now. I won''t see you out."


    Macey was taken aback, not expecting Arnold to leave so soon. But then she thought about it and guessed the reason, so she chuckled softly without saying anything more. Arnold walked out.


    As he exited the neat little house, he could hear the sounds ofughtering from inside. His expression turnedplex, even a bit irritable.


    Tonight, he had done several things that surprised even himself.


    First, he stopped Olivia from causing trouble for Felicia. Then, he inexplicably went to have dinner and even introduced himself as Felicia''s fianc¨¦ to Macey.


    Arnold cursed under his breath. He absolutely would not admit that this was his own idea. It had to be the result of Matthew forcing him to make Felicia his. That was why he had acted so irrationally. There was no more next time. He wouldn''t meddle in Felicia''s business anymore.


    With the annoying Arnold gone, Felicia enjoyed her meal and felt content. Macey asked about her recent situation, and Felicia simply replied that everything was fine.


    Macey sighed. "You''re just trying to make me feel better!"


    Felicia smiled. "Nana, you should be enjoying your life at your age. Don''t worry so much. By the way, did you take the medicine I sent for your leg?"


    "I did! I''m all better now, don''t worry," Macey replied.


    The two of them were tidying up the table when amotion erupted outside the house. Felicia lifted the curtains and saw vigers arriving, all of them bustling about. The vigers wereing to visit them while carrying a pile of goods.


    When they saw Felicia, they all rushed over with beaming faces.N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    "Licia, it''s really you! Oh, we''ve missed you so much!"


    "Licia, here''s a scarf I knitted for you! It''ll be cold soon, so you can wear it. The pattern is simple. I hope you don''t mind!"


    "Licia, this basket of strawberries is for you. I picked the biggest ones this afternoon from the greenhouse!"


    The vigers spoke all at once, almost overwhelming Felicia with their gifts and warmth.


    Felicia smiled, epting everything with gratitude and showering them with sweetpliments, making theughter grow louder. After some pleasantries, she declined the invitations to visit their homes, and the neighbors finally left in small groups.


    Looking at the mountain of gifts, Felicia joked, "Every time Ie back, I''m treated like this. I''m going to get spoiled by all these presents!"


    Macey replied, "That''s only right.


    You''ve invested so much in the vige over the years-building schools, repairing roads, and


    improving agricultural product


    so


    that every household has an ie. They''re grateful, so it''s only natural."


    A few years ago, Alverton was a poor, backward ce. It was so impoverished that no roads existed. The vige was left with only the elderly and neglected children. Life was tough for them.


    But Felicia remembered the


    kindness the vigers had shown her in the past, and with her efforts she single-handedly revitalized the vige. She invested heavily in` building wide roads and creating arge greenhouse.


    With the ie generated, the middle-aged couples who had to go to the city to work returned home, and the children no longer had to long for an infrequent reunion. They also had a school they could attend.

 Chapter 144

    The transformation in Alverton was all thanks to Felicia.


    While Macey spoke, she set aside the strawberries and washed them clean before cing a few into Felicia''s hands.


    As Felicia enjoyed the berries, her phone buzzed several times. Pulling it out, she saw messages from the newly created training group chat, where the lead instructor announced that all students should gather as they would be assigned to stay in the vigers'' spare rooms.


    Most of the vigers were weing, especially since the college had donated arge number of goods. It prompted them to clean up their homes to host the students.


    Even with prior preparations, many students stillined loudly, finding fault with the vigers'' homes and hesitating to go.


    Some even unted their superiority in the group chat, asking, "Why aren''t there any hotels here? I usually stay in five-star hotels!"


    It wasn''t until the vice principal chimed in that theints gradually ceased, "You''re here for training, not for a vacation."


    Felicia stroked her chin. In her n, she aimed to turn Alverton into a tourist destination. Of course, there would be homestays. However, those were still under construction.


    If they were ready, she could have generated some buzz for the vige by taking advantage of this wave of visitors. Unfortunately, that was not the case.


    Felicia messaged the vice principal who was leading the team, informing him that she had already found a ce to stay and would not be joining the gathering. The instructor promptly replied, "Okay."


    After a long day of travel, she was finally ready to get a good night''s sleep.N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    After washing up, Feliciay in bed and took in the warm, sun-soaked scent of theforter. She peacefully closed her eyes.


    Those distant memories of her childhood, which had started to fade, suddenly became vivid again. Perhaps it was because she had returned to a familiar ce.


    In her dream, scenes from her past became increasingly clear.


    In the biting cold, a five-year-old Felicia was sent to the mountains to gather firewood on an empty stomach.


    After she left, the sounds of meat sizzling wafted from the house. Howell and Tabitha doted on their pampered son, Shawn. "Son, eat more meat so that you can grow tall  en


    At that time, Felicia believed she wasn''t loved because she was a girl.


    In an attempt to win her parents'' affection, she cut her hair short, trying to look like a little boy. She thought that perhaps then, he parents would feel sorry for her. But that wasn''t the case.


    It was truly painful whenever the belt whipped against her skin.


    Felicia scrambled away, dragging her battered little body into the bamboo grove, where kind vigers passing by took pity on her and


    brought her back to their home


    They''d feed her and give her old


    clothes to wear.


    Later, upon discovering her true origins, she thought to herself, "So, I''m not their biological child. That''s why they treat me like that."


    She wondered if someone would finally care for her if she found her real parents one day.


    Felicia turned over, waking from her dream.


    Staring nkly at the ceiling for a long while, she finally managed a mocking smile before pulling theforter over her head and falling back asleep. The moonlight was gentle, serene in the silence.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the same darkness, a private jet slowly touched down.


    On the ne, Stephan listened to his subordinate''s report and raised an eyebrow. "Hmm? You''ve found her?"


    "Yes, Mr. Russell! Ms. Fuller is currently in a ce called Alverton! This time, there''s no mistake!"


    The subordinate was utterly confident.

 Chapter 145

    "Is the information absolutely right?" Stephan wondered.


    Last time, they had gone to three or four ces. Each time, he was assured that there were no mistakes, yet they hadn''t seen even a glimpse of Felicia!


    Stephan cast a nce at his subordinate. He asked in a low and cold voice, "Are you sure?"


    "Absolutely!"


    The subordinate nodded vigorously, exining, "This time, it''s a collective training program organized by the college. Ms. Fuller is on the participant list, so she can''t escape!" "Alright, let''s move out."


    Switching from the private jet to the helicopter, Stephan''s subordinate nced at his phone and reported respectfully, "Mr. Russell, Ms. Dawson has sent a message saying she wants to meet with you."


    The mention of Abbie made everyone around him silent. They cautiously observed Stephan''s expression.


    Sure enough, his demeanor darkened immediately as an air of cold menace surrounded him.


    After that night at the hotel, hepensated her. At her request, he poured considerable resources into elevating Abbie from an obscure actress to an A-lister. Whatever role she wanted, he provided. Whatever connections she desired, he granted. He also supplied the awards and the spotlight she yearned for.


    With a massive marketing campaign and ample resources backing her, Abbie quickly rose to prominence, attracting a wave of fans and unprecedented attention. Once the few significant projects she had signed on for were released, her position as an A-lister would be secured.


    It was a way to make up for what happened that night when he lost control...


    Stephan settled into the helicopter and impatiently stated, "Tell her to ry her matters to you. You''ll handle everything. No need to involve me."


    There was no way Stephan was going to meet her.


    Since that day, he had not seen Abbie. His subordinates were the ones who handled any necessarymunication or requests.


    Hearing this, the subordinate awkwardly replied, "Mr. Russell, Ms. Dawson said she happens to be in Khogend these days and has no other requests. She just wants to meet you..."


    Stephan red coldly at him, his voice dripping with ice. "Are you incapable ofprehending my words?"


    "Sorry, Mr. Russell, I''ll turn her down immediately." The subordinate lowered his head and quickly replied to Abbie''s message with just one line. It was cold and devoid of warmth.


    en


    "Mr. Russell refuses to meet you."


    The chat box showed "Typing..." for a long time, reflecting Abbie''s hesitation and confusion. She had just been testing the waters with her request.


    The subordinate dared not say more and pocketed his phone.


    The helicopter slowly lifted off, heading toward Alverton.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Three and a half hourster, Alverton appeared before them. The helicopter circled the area twice, searching for a suitable ce tond.


    It was nighttime, so the helicopter would not draw attention. Since t was still some distance from Alverton, the noise wouldn''t carry over.


    Stephan stepped off the helicopter, his long legs striding forward. The vige was small, making it rtively easy to locate Felicia-assuming she hadn''t run away. He chuckled softly, a dangerous glint shining in his eyes.


    His subordinate quickly moved


    forward to lead the way, saying, "Mr. Russell, I''ve checked Ms. Fuller''splete profile. She grew up in this vige, or rather, she lived here until she was nine. She has a close rtive here named Macey. Let''s


    start by checking Macey''s house."


    It was already 4:30 am, and it wouldn''t be long before dawn broke.


    Ten minutester, Stephan stood outside Macey''s house. The ce was enclosed by a bamboo fence, providing little protection.


    Like many rural households, Macey


    also kept a dog. However, this dog


    was still quite young. Its round belly indicated it was well-fed, yet it had a keen sense of duty as a guard dog.


    Upon seeing strangers, it immediately began barking loudly.

 Chapter 146

    In her room, Feliciay on her bed. She was wide awake after her dream and was unable to sleep again.


    Hearing the puppy barking so excitedly, she threw on a jacket and slipped on her shoes before opening the door to see what was happening. She was worried Olivia might havee for revenge in the middle of the night. What if she set fire to the ce? But Felicia never expected that the moment she stepped outside, she would see a tall, striking figure that seemedpletely out of ce in the vige. He radiated a cold, oppressive air of authority.


    Under the moonlight, that enchanting face was mesmerizing-almost otherworldly.


    Felicia''s eyes widened in disbelief as she recognized Stephan standing there.


    In an instant, the intimate scenes from that sultry night flooded her mind-the fervent collision, the intense longing. It had felt like a dazzling fireworks disy.


    Felicia quickly hit the brakes on her thoughts, unwilling to dive deeper.


    In the yard, Stephan held the puppy by the scruff of its neck. His long fingers and distinct knuckles were highlighted under the dim light, with visible veins standing out.


    In his grasp, the small dog''s excited barks turned into whimpers as it became more timid.


    Then, Stephan released the dog onto the ground. He locked his deep eyes on her.


    Felicia forced a smile. "What a coincidence!"


    "It''s not a coincidence," Stephan replied leisurely as he approached her. "I came specifically to catch you."


    He emphasized the word "catch".


    A chill ran down Felicia''s spine. Without hesitation, she turned to run.


    Macey was still inside, fast asleep. Though the elderly woman was usually a light sleeper, she was


    currently in a deep slumber.get


    didn''t want to disturb her, so she quickly darted past the bamboo fence and made a beeline for the back of the mountain. N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Stephan wasn''t in a hurry; in fact, he chuckled lightly.


    Did she think she could escape?


    As he was about to follow Felicia''s fleeing figure, he felt a tug on his pants leg. Looking down, he saw it was the puppy he had just released.


    The puppy refused to let go. Its small tail was tucked between its legs despite its bravado. It tried to confront this intruder. "Mr. Russell, what are you doing..."


    Unfazed, Stephan casually stroked the dog''s head. "I''m taking a hostage. Is there a problem?"


    His subordinate swallowed his remark.


    Holding the dog, Stephan maintained his pace. He was unhurried yet determined as he went after Felicia.


    His subordinates wanted to help block her escape, but Stephan waved them off, saying, "I''ll handle it myself. You stay put." "Understood!"


    The subordinates exchanged


    nces as they retreated, all sharing the same thoughts. Their usually fastidious and cleanliness-obsessed boss was now deigning to holda dog, which suggested a certain affection for it.


    One of the subordinates finally pieced it together and asked, "What exactly are we here for?"


    Weren''t they here to settle scores?


    Now, it seemed like it was something else entirely...

 Chapter 147

    At that moment, Felicia felt as if a thousand sheep were stampeding through her mind.


    She had run for quite a distance. Several times, she thought she had finally shaken off Stephan, only to turn back and find that tall figure still leisurely trailing her. He was calm and unhurried. What kind of skills did this guy have that she couldn''t shake him off?


    After a few attempts, Felicia gave up. She stopped her frantic escape, bent over, and gasped for breath.


    "I''m... I''m out of breath. I give up..."


    Stephan continued to walk toward her at the same leisurely pace. The white puppy in his arms was now whining and nuzzling against his hand, having turned from a feisty little creature to a meekpanion. It even rubbed against Stephan''s palm from time to time. The scene was quite heartwarming and terrifying at the same time.


    Felicia instinctively shrank her neck and quietly took a step back.


    Finally, Stephan''s gaze settled on Felicia. His smile faded into something serious as he stepped closer, a looming presence of pressure hanging in the air. "No more running?"


    "I can''t run anymore," Felicia replied honestly.


    One could only run from what one could not escape for so long; sooner orter, one had to face the music.


    "Then give me an exnation."


    Stephan advanced toward her, his expression sharpening, filled with a stormy intensity. "Why did you scheme against me?"


    After all, he had saved her once before from those wanted criminals. Yet here she was, using such despicable means against him! He recalled that night, and his brows furrowed deeper as irritation and rage brewed beneath the surface. Felicia shivered, feeling like she was at the end of her rope.


    She was unable to voice her


    grievances. First of all, she had never schemed against him. She


    didn''t even have the guts to.


    Secondly, she had already pa


    the


    price that night! But she could never


    say that.


    With Stephan''s unpredictable nature, if she mentioned that she ended up in apromising situation, he might very well seek retribution right then and there! That would truly mean losing her life!


    With a pitiful expression, Felicia


    exined, "It wasn''t me! I was framed as well! The scar-removal ointment gave you is indeed for scar treatment. You can look into it. It''s my grandfather''s exclusive form!


    "I just didn''t know that it had been tampered with before I gave it to you! It was an idental mix-up, a coincidence..."


    Felicia''s sincerity was palpable. Aside from withholding part of the truth, she hadn''t uttered a single falsehood. Her attitude was genuine.


    Stephan had already investigated


    the origins of that scar-removal ointment, confirming it was indeed an exclusive form from Clive. It was consistent with Felicia''s ims, leaving no room for deception.


    Otherwise, he wouldn''t be seeking an exnation from Felicia right now; he would''ve directly dealt with this woman who dared to scheme against him.


    He had never told Felicia why he was holding her ountable.


    This woman had avoided him multiple times; why was that?


    Stephan''s thoughts shifted, and his tone suddenly changed as he locked his gaze on Felicia. "How did you know I was drugged?"N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Felicia''s heart sank.


    She hadpletely forgotten about that detail!


    That day, she had been forced to attend the engagement party. She escaped halfway through and disappeared from sight. Moreover, Arnold had also fled, so the engagement party was ruined. Thus, she should have no knowledge of Stephan being drugged that night or the reason he was seeking her out.


    Her honest confession only seemed to raise suspicion.

 Chapter 148

    It was because Felicia knew too much.


    Stephan moved closer again, the distance between them now mere inches. It created an intimate tension. His gaze was piercing as he repeated, "How did you know I was drugged? Hmm?"


    Felicia''s heart raced with panic, but she forced herself to appear calm as she replied, "I found outter that the scar-removal ointment had issues. Two drugs went missing from the Walsh family''s medicinal room. After I fell out with Ka, I realized she had used this method to scheme against me.


    "It was just an unfortunate coincidence that I gave you that scar-removal ointment. We have no deep-seated hatred, so when you came looking for me, I guessed it had to be rted to this incident. It''s all a misunderstanding, really."


    Felicia put on an innocent expression, trying to smooth over the earlier gaps in her narrative.


    Stephan let out a coldugh, his tone sharp as he quickly seized upon another w in her words. "So, you mean to say that after discovering the ointment was problematic, you didn''t think to warn me?"


    Felicia''s back was slick with sweat. She was caught between a rock and a hard ce.


    It would imply she had indeed schemed against him if she said yes. If she said no, she wouldn''t be able to exin how she knew so much.


    Her gaze darted around as she continued to feign innocence. "When I sent it, you were so dismissive that I thought you wouldn''t use it at all..."


    Her shamelessness almost amused Stephan.


    After all this time, she was trying to shift the me back to him.


    He must have been too patient with her!


    Seeing Stephan''s anger begin to surface, Felicia quickly concocted a new strategy and tossed out a condition. "Mr. Russell, aren''t you looking for something in the Fuller family? I could help you look for it. Consider it a way to make amends. How does that sound?" Although Stephan had never explicitly stated his intentions, it was clear to anyone that a big shot like him had ulterior motives for sneaking into Khogend and infiltrating the Fuller residence twice. It was hard to believe he was doing so without any reason... Felicia''s suggestion was timely, but Stephan was no longer listening.


    l.ne


    His mind reyed the chaotic events of the night he had lost control. He dragged a woman into his room and vaguely recalled hearing her say, "I''ll help you counteract the drug effects. Just wait a moment!"


    Did she say that or not?


    He couldn''t remember clearly.


    All he knew was that the woman''s temperament felt vaguely familiar, and it nearly drove him mad.


    When he regained his senses the next day, he was furious. He wanted nothing more than to torture the woman who had dared to scheme against him!


    But what if that woman was... Felicia?


    The mere thought sent an ominous glint into Stephan''s eyes, making Felicia''s heart race with fear.


    What was that look supposed to mean?


    Was he beginning to suspect her?


    Felicia took a cautious step back, feeling a bit anxious.


    Fortunately, Stephan only gave her a long, hard look before shifting his gaze away and walking off. He neither pressed her further no epted her earlier offer to make amends".


    en


    Felicia let out a silent sigh of relief, only to realize her back was drenched in sweat.


    Had she passed this test? Would she no longer have to live in fear? Would this big shot stop seeking her out?


    Felicia felt a mix of emotions.


    Stephan''s personality was even


    more unpredictable than the rumors


    suggested, making it impossible for her to gauge or understand him.


    swngN?velDrama.Org owns this.


    What she didn''t know was that after Stephan left, the very first thing he did was give orders to his subordinates.


    "Investigate everything about the Lawson family''s engagement party, especially Felicia''s whereabouts that night. I want every detail! Leave no stone unturned!"

 Chapter 149

    "Yes, Mr. Russell."


    After arranging the details, his subordinate promptly acknowledged from the other end of the line and cautiously asked, "Mr. Russell, should we head back now or..."


    "Let''s rest for two days," Stephan replied, gazing at the lights of the vige. He absentmindedly stroked the puppy''s head while adding, "The scenery here is quite nice. Let''s find a ce to settle down first." "Understood."


    ...


    Felicia made her way back to Macey''s house, massaging her neck as she entered. Themotion earlier hadn''t been loud enough to wake Macey, who was still sound asleep.


    She quietly opened the door and slipped back into her room. As shey down, she suddenly remembered the puppy.


    Where did it go?


    It seemed Stephan had taken the puppy with him.


    The puppy, named Cloud, had just turned a month old. Macey mentioned that it was one of the pups from the neighbor''s dog, and she brought the chubby white one home to raise.


    Cloud stayed with its mother during the day, but at night, it would obediently return when Macey called. It was quite adorable.


    When it saw Felicia, it knew to wag its tail at her, looking adorably clumsy.


    Felicia had not anticipated running into Stephan tonight, nor that he would take Cloud with him.


    Lying in bed, Felicia thought about how to look for Stephan in the morning and whether she could negotiate to get Cloud back.


    With that thought in mind, she couldn''t fall asleep.


    The thought of interacting with Stephan made her uneasy. He was too perceptive, and his deep eyes seemed capable of reading her mind. He had nearly exposed her secrets multiple times. After tossing and turning, she could only hope that whatever she told Stephan that night hadn''t raised any suspicions on his side.


    Felicia finally drifted off for about half an hour, but dawn soon broke.


    Early in the morning, a thin mist hovered over the mountains, and the vige was filled with the crowing of roosters. It marked a peaceful and serene morning.


    However, amidst this tranquility, the sound of barking dogs pierced the air, followed by hurried footsteps and voices. There were also a few anxious words about an incident.


    Felicia quickly got dressed and


    rushed outside, just in time to seeText ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Romeo Todd leading a group of people carrying tools as they hurried past. She called out, "Mr. Todd, what''s going on?"


    Romeo turned around and replied, "We just got word that a car went off the guardrail on the winding mountain road leading into the vige. The vige chief has organized a team to help out, and I


    vel


    hear a rescue team is on the way!"


    A chill ran through Felicia.


    The mountain road in front of the vige did have some curves, but they were not particrly sharp. Under normal circumstances, driving wouldn''t pose a problem! Unless... the car was from outside and the driver was unfamiliar with the road conditions?


    The first thought that crossed her mind was of Stephan.


    Could it be that he had an ident while leavingst night?


    Felicia quickly returned to her room to grab her needle case and medicine kit, then rushed to inform Macey, "Nana, stay here. I''m going to check it out." Macey stood on her tiptoes and shouted, "Be careful and stay safe!"


    "I will, Nana!"


    el Pe


    Felicia sprinted to catch up with Romeo''s small truck. She squeezed in, and they drove out of the vige In no time, they reached the scene, where a ck luxury car precariously hung off the edge of a cliff Surrounding the car were several people who appeared to be nning a rescue.


    Among the crowd, Felicia spotted Arnold, his expression full of anxiety and his eyes red-rimmed.

 Chapter 150

    As Felicia rushed closer, she quickly recognized the familiar license te of the ck luxury car that was hanging dangerously over the edge of the cliff. It was a vehicle from the Fuller family!


    This meant that the person trapped inside was none other than Ka.


    Just as that thought crossed her mind, she heard Ka''s terrified voice from inside the car. "Arnie, help me! Save me!"


    Arnold was also in a state of panic.


    Last night, he received news that Ka hade to Alverton, and he felt an overwhelming sense of annoyance.


    He was already here on a mission from Matthew and had been growing increasingly frustrated with Ka''s nearly suffocating presence. She seemed to follow him everywhere, like a piece of gum stuck to his shoe that he couldn''t get rid of.


    He might have shown a hint of indifference and impatience during their phone call. Ka, emotional as she was, started crying uncontrobly.


    Feeling irritated by her cries, Arnold ended the call abruptly.


    When dawn broke and he still hadn''t received any updates from Ka, he asked around, but no one had seen her arrive in the vige.


    Sensing something was off, Arnold called her again, only to be shocked by the news that she had been in a car ident. Now, she was trapped in the vehicle, teetering on the edge of a cliff.


    Without wasting a moment, he called the rescue team and urged them toe as quickly as possible.


    Meanwhile, the vigers noticed the stranded car and formed a small group to help. They proposed a simple yet effective solution. First, they''d move the rocks to stabilize the vehicle. Then, they''d open the doors and let the people inside jump out.


    However, Arnold instinctively felt this approach wouldn''t work and furrowed his brows in concern. He feared that the vigers'' methods, while well-meaning, could be foolish and might endanger Ka''s life instead of save her. The rescue efforts hit a standstill.


    When Felicia arrived, she overheard Arnold sharply reprimanding one of the vigers who had suggested the n, saying, "Can you guarantee the safety of the people in the car? Can you assure me that this method has no risks? If not, we should wait for the rescue team!"


    The viger an older man known for


    his kindness and willingness to help others, felt embarrassed and flustered under Arnold''s harsh words. His face reddened as he struggled to respond.


    Seeing this, Felicia stepped forward with a coldugh. "Arnold, where did your manners go?"


    Arnold shot her a nce. He usually softened his tone in the face of her provocation, but he was too agitated this time.


    Felicia pointed decisively. "Mr. Todd, grab a couple of small rocks and brace them under the front of the car. Put a few in front of the tires as well."Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Romeo immediatelyplied.


    Arnold was furious and nearly exploded, angrily using Felicia, "Ka is a member of the Fuller family! Are you trying to kill her?"


    Ka screamed in terror inside the car, "Don''te over! Don''t move! You all, don''t move!"


    As she shouted, the car swayed a little but quickly steadied again as Romeo and the others ced stones to stabilize it.


    Felicia looked at Arnold with an expression of disbelief and annoyance. She tilted her head and sarcastically said, "Do you see that, Mr. Lawson? It''s solid ground beneath. The car might slide a bit, but it won''t fall down."


    Not only would it not fall, but the dense trees below would act as a buffer even if the car did slip.


    In fact, it wasn''t a cliff at all-just a gentle slopemon in the mountains.


    Felicia pulled open the car door and yanked Ka out, who fell onto the ground, terrified.


    Her first instinct was to cling to Arnold.


    He didn''t push her away and wrapped his arms around her, gently patting her back to soothe her. "It''s okay. Don''t worry."


    After Ka was rescued, Ruben


    Waters, the driver, emerged from the


    driver''s seat. His gaze toward Ka was filled with a mix of emotions that included barely concealed resentment.

 Chapter 151

    As Felicia approached Ruben, she asked, "Ruben, what caused the ident? What happened?"


    Ruben was one of the Fuller family''s dedicated drivers. He was always on standby and had years of driving experience, so it was unusual for such an ident to ur.


    Recognizing Felicia, Ruben replied, "Ms. Felicia, good morning. Yesterday, Ms. Ka urged me to drive her to Alverton. I wasn''t familiar with the road and mistakenly followed the wrong route ording to the navigation. Ms. Ka got angry, and then..." His voice trailed off.


    Not only had Ka been upset, but she had also taken out her frustration on him by kicking his seat while he was driving.


    The winding mountain roads were already challenging, and his attention had been distracted by her kicking him. Fatigued from driving all day, he lost focus for just a moment, causing the car to veer off the road and get stuck on the edge of the slope. From their perspective inside the vehicle, it felt like they were hanging over a precipice, so they didn''t dare to move. Even when their phone fell at their feet, they hesitated to pick it up, fearing that bending down would make the car sway dangerously. It wasn''t until Arnold called this morning that the car audio system automatically answered and allowed them to call for help.


    The more Ruben thought about it, the angrier he became. If it hadn''t been for Ka distracting him, the ident wouldn''t have happened in the first ce!


    While they were trapped inside the car, Ka said many hurtful things. She dered that he wasn''t fit to be a driver for the Fuller family and that she would make sure he was fired as soon as they got out, putting an end to his career.


    If it hadn''t been for his reason, he would have wanted to take Ka down with him!


    As he reflected on this, he tightened his grip on the memory card in his hand.


    That card contained recordings from the dashcam. If Ka pushed him too far, he had evidence to hold against her.


    Felicia didn''t pry further.


    With Ka saved, the vigers felt relieved and began to disperse.


    Cody Gibbs, who had been scolded by Arnold earlier, tried to leave but was stopped by Felicia. "Mr. Gibbs, wait a moment."


    She walked


    to Arnold and saw


    up to


    that he was tightly embracing Ka,


    who was crying. Heforted her


    like they had just endured a


    life-and-death separation. Unable to hold back, she spoke up, "Sorry to interrupt."


    Arnold finally released Ka and turned his attention to Felicia. "What is it?"


    Felicia became even more impatient. Her tone was cold as she stated, "You should apologize to Mr. Gibbs."


    Cody felt a bit awkward and gently tugged at Felicia''s sleeve. "Licia, let''s just let it go..."Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    How could she let it go?


    Felicia stood her ground.


    Cody had a daughter around Felicia''s age who was studying in another city. Any daughter would be upset if she found out her father had been treated this way.


    Moreover, it was just an apology; it wasn''t like she was asking for a piece of Arnold''s flesh. An apology was absolutely reasonable, wasn''t it?


    Meanwhile, Arnold had regained hisposure. Regardless of the circumstances, these vigers had indeed helped.


    He pursed his lips, and his good upbringingpelled him to apologize to Cody, "I''m sorry, Mr. Gibbs. I was out of line earlier." Cody shed a warm and sincere smile.


    Finally satisfied, Felicia turned to


    leave with Cody and the others. She climbed back onto the little truck as it started moving toward Alverton.

 Chapter 152

    The early morning chaos came to an end, and Felicia didn''t bother to find out who would tow the Fuller family''s car away after she left.


    It wasn''t until after she had left that Ka finally snapped back to reality from the shock of the night before. Clinging tightly to Arnold''s waist, she looked up at him with teary eyes and said, "Arnie, I rushed over to see you and almost didn''t make it..."


    Arnold opened his mouth, intending to say, "This slope isn''t high; it''s not as dangerous as you think." However, the words were caught in his throat, and he ultimately swallowed them. Instead, he said, "It''s alright now. Don''t cry."


    Last night''s events must have scared Ka terribly-just like when he first arrived at the scene panic-stricken. It was only after Felicia scolded him that he realized his concern was causing him to lose focus. The terrain looked frightening, but there was no real deadly cliff here.


    However, it was toote to say such things.


    Ka clung tightly to Arnold, fearing that if she let go, he would disappear. Her pitiful appearance made it difficult for him to reject her.


    Just then, a group of students who had heard about the incident rushed over to see themotion and caught sight of Arnold and Ka in an embrace.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Someone remarked, "Ka arrived pretty quickly, didn''t she? She must have rushed over in the middle of the night. Talk about dedication!"


    Ka had been practically absent from college for a long time and wasn''t on the list for this training program. She had only gotten wind of the situation because her good friend, Olivia, had informed her toe quickly to assert her im and ensure that the man she was infatuated with, Arnold, wouldn''t be taken away by Felicia.


    Seeing this, Olivia couldn''t help but smirk. Although she felt some resentment toward Ka after yesterday''s events, her hatred for Felicia was even stronger.


    Anyone who could make Felicia''s life miserable was wee in her book.


    So, Olivia stepped forward without hesitation and said, "Ka, what terrible duck you had, getting into a car ident. Thankfully, you''re okay. Otherwise, wouldn''t Mr. Lawson feel guilty for a lifetime?"


    Her words wereced with sarcasm, and Arnold could clearly hear it. He shot her a nce, but Olivia merely scoffed and turned away, strutting off.


    Ka finally regained her senses after initially feeling scared. She began to pick up on the indifference on Arnold''s face, and her heart sank.


    No one knew Arnold better than she did, and it was clear that something had happened over the past few days. Otherwise, he wouldn''t be so distant and lost in thought in front of her


    Feeling a wave of unease, she followed Arnold''s gaze and was taken aback to find that he was consistently looking in Felicia''s direction!


    "Arnie, you haven''t been paying attention to me these past few days. You even hung up on me yesterday. Do you know I almost died? I was wondering if I''d ever see you again..."


    As she spoke, Arnold seemed to tune her outpletely.


    Finally, she managed a pained smile and asked, "Arnie, who are you thinking about? Is it Felicia?"


    This seemingly casual question drew an unexpected reaction from Arnold. He immediately denied it, his voice filled with resistance as he replied, "Don''t talk nonsense. How could be thinking about Felicia?"


    His clear disdain was unmasked. While Ka initially wanted tough, the smile slowly faded from her face.


    A man''s excessive attention toward a woman, even if he verbally imed not to like her, often indicated that he had begun to develop feelings.

 Chapter 153

    Ka''s eyes turned red, and she dug her nails deep into her palms as she suppressed the almost frenzied and twisted emotions threatening to erupt. She managed to hold back her anger, though just barely. "Arnie, my foot hurts. Can you carry me over there?" she asked, her voiceced with vulnerability.


    The car had broken down, and the driver needed to stay behind to arrange repairs. Moreover, Ka had traveled such a long way to get here; it was impossible for her to be sent away now. For this reason, Ka would have to stay in Alverton by Arnold''s side for a while.


    Arnold felt a sense of helplessness but ultimately did not refuse. He examined her foot and found nothing wrong with it, yet Ka insisted that she had injured it in the ident and couldn''t walk. "Arnie, I really can''t walk anymore..." she whined.


    Having already cried once and after being terrified all night, her face was pale and pitiful. It made it hard for Arnold to turn her down.


    He bent down, offering, "Get on my back. I''ll carry you."


    "You''re the best, Arnie!" Ka beamed, her joy evident as she jumped onto his back. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.


    Amidst numerous gazes, Arnold carried Ka back to Alverton.


    It was no big deal for the vigers since they didn''t know them, but the students participating in the training program couldn''t help but make a few teasing remarks about their apparent intimacy. Ka giggled, asionally blushing shyly.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Upon returning to the vige, Arnold originally intended to have the vige head find another family for Ka to stay with. However, with all the other families'' houses already full and Ka stubbornly refusing to be separated from him, he had no choice but to take her back to the farm where he was staying.


    Unfortunately, there was only one empty room in that house.


    "Alright, you rest well," Arnold said after the college doctor checked Ka''s foot and confirmed it wasn''t serious. Feeling relieved, he ced her on the bed and turned to leave.


    en


    Ka hurriedly grabbed his arm, "Arnie, where are you going? Are you really going to leave me here alone? I''m not familiar with this ce, and I''m scared..." Arnold had been nning to find a separate ce to stay. After all, it would be scandalous for them to share a room. He had to consider her reputation.


    But Ka wouldn''t let it go, presenting a pitiful facade as her shoulders trembled and her eyes glistened with unshed tears.


    Seeing her like this made Arnold''s heart soften, but he still insisted, "You get some rest. I''ll be in the living room. If you need anything, just call me." With that, he stepped out of the room.


    Tears finally fell from Ka''s eyes, giving way to a burgeoning anger that threatened to explode! "Felicia!" she hissed through gritted teeth, her sense of crisis and jealousy amplifying tenfold.


    She was determined to eliminate Felicia, the thorn in her side, at all costs!


    With a cold expression, her brows furrowed in fierce determination. She called Shawn, her voice low as she snapped, "Why haven''t you arrived yet? It''s been two days! Have you gotten everything prepared? Don''t you want the rest of the money?"


    Shawn''s voice sounded distant on the other end as if he were driving. "It''s all set! I''ll be at Alverton in no more than 20 minutes!"


    Hearing this, Ka felt a sense of


    reluctant Satisfaction. After all, the money she had invested was considerable. As long as Shawn''s actions bore fruit, it would alDbe worth it!

 Chapter 154

    Fifteen minutester, the road leading to Alverton echoed with the loud roar of a sports car. At first, the vigers were puzzled, thinking another outsider had arrived. However, when the car door swung open and a mboyant figure stepped out, the onlookers exchanged nces and promptly turned to leave as if trying to avoid something filthy. The figure was Shawn.


    When the Fuller family still lived in Alverton, Shawn had a notorious reputation for petty theft and mischief. He was caught harassing youngdies and married women by the river multiple times, often leading to confrontations. Yet Howell and Tabitha, his parents, were utterly shameless. They not only failed to get any justice but were also experts at turning the tables and ming others.


    Over time, his name became synonymous with disgrace. Naturally, the vigers preferred to keep their distance whenever he appeared.


    Seeing him now, they were quick to steer clear.


    Shawn returned to the vige in a high-profile manner, unting a rented sports car to show off his former wealth. He believed that his status had risen above that of the vigers, whom he looked down upon as mere ants. But the vigers didn''t buy his act. They turned and walked away, leaving him with no one to impress.


    Fuming, Shawn grabbed the nearest viger, ready to boast. But before he could say a word, the viger scoffed. "Make sure to take good care of that rented car. Otherwise, you might not get your deposit back!" Laughter erupted around him.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Shawn''s face flushed with rage.


    Yes, the car was indeed rented.


    After receiving the huge sum of 50 million dors from the Fuller family, he bought a sports car, but Lance seized it to cover his debts. So, he was left with no choice but to rent this car.


    en


    Shawn would never admit to his disgrace. Instead, he sneered, "You group of frogs in a well, you dare to look down on me? Do you even know what my status is now?"


    The viger he had grabbed, who was actually Cody, shot him a cold nce and retorted, "What status? What''s the status of a debtor with missing fingers? That sounds rather pathetic."


    The vigers observed with keen interest as Shawn''s hand was wrapped in thick bandages. Two of his fingers were missing.


    Infuriated by this remark, Shawn''s face twisted with rage. "Did Felicia tell you about it?"


    No one responded to him.


    But in Shawn''s mind, that was the only possibility. His expression darkened further as he spat out, "That little brat thinks she''s untouchable, but I''ll deal with her sooner orter!"


    Cody, who was standing closest to him, overheard that. Though he was typically kind-hearted, he wasted no time before pping Shawn across the face. "You bastard! Just start behaving like a decent person already, would you?"


    Shawn staggered from the p, his eyes glinting with malice. Just as he was about to retaliate, other vigers rushed in to pull him away.


    Even Charles West, the vige chief, looked furious. His expression was a mix of anger and disappointment. "Get lost! You''re not wee here!"


    Shawn was ready to explode, but he


    I.ne


    suddenly noticed how much had changed in the vige. Behind the vigey fields abundant with. crops and further ahead were fows of vegetable greenhouses that stretched out of sight.


    The vigers'' spirits seemed to have lifted, and every household had repaired their homes. There were even numerous construction projects underway, depicting a scene of vibrant prosperity. Shawn stood there, dumbfounded. Was this still the impoverished vige he remembered?

 Chapter 155

    Shawn immediately stuck around like an insistent piece of gum, utterly shameless. "What kind of fortune did our vige strike? Is there a demolition? A payout? Why wasn''t I notified?"


    Charles was furious, almost toppling over as he snapped back, "There were no renovations or payouts! The people in our vige work hard and earn their living honestly, unlike your family, who just got lucky and picked up a stray daughter. You contributed nothing yet still managed to extort a huge sum!"


    He was referring to how the family had picked up Felicia.


    The vigers only learned about Felicia''s background after she returned to her biological family. Before that, they had already discussed how she must have been adopted, given the treatment she received.


    As a result, their feelings towards Shawn''s family were hardly positive. They openly scolded them for their ingratitude.


    Shawn scoffed, "We only received 50 million dors. It''s nothing close to a huge sum. That''s not even enough to spend."


    His implication was clear-he would extort even more if given the chance.


    Charles didn''t quite hear what he said. "What did you say?"


    "N-Nothing."


    Shawn wasn''t foolish enough to reveal his ns. After all, he had already made a deal with Ka. Once he got rid of Felicia, the wealth of the Fuller family would naturally fall to her. Being her brother meant he''d have ess to all of it.


    He chuckled to himself, envisioning a time when these vigers who looked down on him would beg for his favor.


    Shawn was smug and pleased with himself. Meanwhile, the others in the vige were unwilling to deal with such a scoundrel. They quickly left the scene.


    As Charles headed home, he cast onest wary nce at Shawn. Feeling uneasy, he immediately called for his grandson and instructed, "Lucas, go find Felicia. Tell her Shawn is back in the vige and making a scene. She should be careful. That brat probably has something up his sleeve!"


    "Got it!"


    Lucas West, a little boy, quickly abandoned his toy car and sprinted toward Macey''s house.


    The Fuller family had an old, dpidated house in Alverton that had long been abandoned. Since Felicia had cut ties with them due to her traumatic childhood memories,N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    she had been living with Macey.


    When Lucas arrived, Felicia had just pulled a few sweet potatoes from the still-warm hearth. These were left over from breakfast, and Macey had tossed them in, knowing Felicia loved them.


    The surface of the sweet potatoes was darkened from the heat, but once peeled, they released steam and smelled wonderfully sweet. "Felicia!" Lucas blinked, drooling.


    Though he often got to eat sweet potatoes, he still felt hungry when he saw them in the hands of someone else.


    Felicia couldn''t help butugh as she handed one to him. "Here, this is for you. Be careful, it''s hot. I''ll peel another one." "Thank you, Felicia!"


    Lucas joyfully epted it, blowing on it to cool it down. After taking a few bites, he remembered his grandfather''s instructions and reported, "Felicia, my grandpa sent me to tell you that Shawn is back and making a fuss. He said to be careful!"


    "What else did your grandpa say?"


    Lucas nodded, his cheeks full, "Grandpa also said that brat hasn''t figured out what to do!"


    Felicia couldn''t help but chuckle.


    But thinking it through, he was being chased for debts and had already lost a couple of fingers. He was likely desperate, clinging to Ka and trying everything to extort her.


    She started to wonder why Shawn would return now.

 Chapter 156

    Since he came to Alverton, it was likely that he had struck some kind of deal with Ka. Otherwise, how could he be so brazen?


    This deal was undoubtedly aimed at Felicia.


    It was good that he came.


    Shawn probably thought it would be easy tomit murder and bury secrets in a rundown ce like Alverton. Coincidentally, she had the same idea.


    Felicia chuckled softly to herself and concealed the flicker of murderous intent in her heart as she said to Lucas, "Okay, I got it. Thank you for the message!" Lucaspleted his task and bounced away happily, clutching the sweet potato.


    ...


    The training program that was supposed to begin in the afternoon was dyed. Upon learning about the situation in Alverton, the vice principal frowned and found himself in a dilemma.


    The college had organized this trip to carry out donation and assistance work for impoverished elementary schools, but Alverton, as it turned out, was not what they had been led to believe.


    The vige''s school was bright and imposing,pletely unreflective of the poverty they were supposed to address.


    In other words, the vige didn''t need assistance or donations.


    This put the vice principal in a tough spot.


    Charles smiled warmly and said, "Our vige truly doesn''t require donations. We appreciate the sentiment, but other ces need it more. Why not donate the supplies to them?"


    Hearing this, the vice principal quickly asked, "Are there other viges nearby?"


    "Yes. Behind our mountain, there''s a vige called Hillfort. It has only 16 households, and they''re quite poor. Hope Elementary School only has one teacher teaching 22 students of different ages. But the vige is on the mountain, and the only way to get there is a mountain road.


    "If you''re willing to go, I can gather the strong young men from our vige to guide you and help carry the supplies!"


    As soon as Charles finished


    speaking, the vice principal eagerly agreed, saying, "That sounds great Please arrange for some manpower. We have tworge trucks of donated materials to move, and 20 of us won''t be able to carry them all. Thank you so much!"


    "No need to mention it," Charles replied, waving his hands. "You''re doing good deeds; that makes you good people! We''re just lending a small hand. It''s not a big deal." Though he said this, the vice principal expressed his thanks multiple times.


    Even though they initially came under the guise of helping Alverton, they ultimately failed to do so.


    Now, they needed to transport all the donated goods to Hillfort and had to rely on the vigers'' help. The students would still need to stay with the vigers at night too.


    In essence, they were not only giving


    nothing to the vigers but also


    taking advantage of them. The vice principal felt a bit embarrassed and suggested paying for


    amodations, but Charles declined.


    "Oh, we vigers are not soplicated. We pride ourselves on our hospitality! We''re very weing. Please don''t mention money-it makes us ufortable!" Thus, the arrangements were finalized.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    At 2:00 pm, alkthe students gathered


    alongside the sturdy vigers from


    Alverton, and together, they unloaded the tworge trucks with supplies. Then, with their loads, they set off in a grand procession toward Hillfort and delivered those supplies there.


    From the mountaintop, the scene looked reminiscent of ants working together.


    Felicia was also part of the group.


    She carried tworge bags filled with clothes. They were heavy, and after walking such a long distance, her arms felt sore and tired.


    She deliberately positioned herself at the back of the line.


    She knew that Shawn was following closely behind.


    She was just waiting to see if he would dare to make a move.

 Chapter 157

    The curvy mountain path had been shaped by many previous footsteps. The surrounding environment was densely covered with nts and trees, with towering branches overhead blocking the sunlight. Even though they provided shade, many students stillined


    about the hike.


    "This is exhausting. I can''t go on anymore. Can''t we take a break?"


    Most of the students were used to a life offort, especially Olivia''s group, who was the loudest in theirints.


    The vice principal, who was leading the hike, shot them an irritated look. "I didn''t even ask you to carry anything. You''re practically empty-handed, yet you''re stillining about being tired? Funny how you never run out of energy when ites to clubbing." The group went silent after hearing the vice principal''sment.


    Up ahead, the vige chief of Alverton had arranged for tworge trucks to deliver supplies. The people shouldered the load, each carrying a heavy crate. Their muscles were taut as they moved swiftly up the trail and kept a steady pace at the front. Olivia pouted, muttering, "Ka''s lucky to be on leave and miss this training program. I would''ve taken leave too if I had known sooner."


    A few of herckeys exchanged nces, and one of them said cautiously, "Olivia, weren''t you close with Ka previously? You knew that Felicia would charm Mr. Lawson during training, so you warned her about it. So why..."


    It sounded like Olivia held some resentment.


    Olivia huffed and didn''t reply.


    It wasn''t exactly about Ka. It was just that after Arnold had turned his back on Olivia, she felt humiliated. She was angry not only with him but also with Ka for not standing up for her. Both of them were insincere. Crossing her arms, she lifted her chin and strode ahead.


    The group eventually hiked over the mountain. They reached an even slope and passed a shallow stream. Ahead stood Hillfort, with cottages dispersed throughout the mountain and its peaks.


    Felicia waited a little, intentionally slowing her pace so that she was at the very end of the group.


    Shawn had been silently following her, concealing a knife and rope around his waist. This was the result of Ka''s repeated urging.


    Since arriving at Alverton, Ka''s sense of urgency had grown. She was bent on getting rid of Felicia, to the point she couldn''t wait another moment. Each time, she pressured Shawn, asking if he still wanted the money.


    Two million dors would then be his!


    It was too tempting for Shawn-like a piece of meat dangling in front of a hungry wolf. He couldn''t resist it.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Thus, he tracked down the group, trailing quietly at the back.


    The mountain was filled with trees and foliage. He believed he was well-hidden and saw that Felicia was alone andgging. He figured that he could slip up behind, strangle her, and take care of her unnoticed. With each step, he advanced closer to Felicia.


    Felicia heard the crunch of leaves


    behind her and knew that Shawn was making his move. But just then, Arnold emerged from behind arge tree upahead. He seemed to be waiting for her. He called out, "You''re walking way too slow!"


    Arnold had initially been walking alongside the vice principal but turned back halfway after noticing Felicia was missing. His sudden


    dove into the bushes. He was


    appearance startled Shawn, why


    grateful for the cover but frustrated at losing his chance.


    Felicia''s eye twitched. Was Arnold actually concerned?


    Seeing that Felicia was less than grateful, Arnold was unsatisfied. He said impatiently, "The whole group is waiting for you. Don''t you feel even a little guilty for dragging behind?"


    Felicia took a deep breath, fighting off her irritation. For two days now, Arnold had been watching her every move. Even now, when she fell behind, he had taken notice and came looking just to pick a fight.


    With a calm exhale, she tossed her tworge bags of supplies at him. "Here. Since you''re so capable, carry these."


    Once she finished speaking, she continued her walk leisurely at a noticeably quicker pace. Each step she took conveyed a sense of rxed and effortless grace.

 Chapter 158

    Arnold''s expression darkened. As the young heir of the Lawson family, he always had bodyguards when he went out, drivers when he needed them, and even a private jet for special trips. He was used to a life of luxury and had never done heavy lifting like this before. But Felicia had tossed the bags to him and continued up the trail without a second nce. The others in the group were already ahead. Arnold gritted his teeth and reluctantly picked up the two heavy bags to catch up with the group. They were heavier than he had expected.


    He contemted handing them back to Felicia, but after seeing how her slender arms had carried the bags for half of the trail, he decided to carry them himself-perhaps out of chivalry or other reasons.


    As he turned to rejoin the group, he heard a rustling in the grass nearby. He looked over but saw nothing unusual, so he shrugged it off.


    Once the group was far enough ahead, the bushes stirred again. Shawn tumbled out, sighing with relief. That was close. He was almost caught. What a wasted opportunity, though. He had missed his chance, and it wouldn''t be easy to iste Felicia like this again. Shawn frowned as he pondered his next move. He needed a way to distract the others again and draw Felicia somewhere remote where he could finish her off alone.


    On his way down, Shawn ran into a group of children ying games.


    Leading the pack was a lively boy. Shawn squinted and recognized him as Lucas, the grandson of Alverton''s vige chief. He had cheekily stuck his tongue out at him yesterday while he was with Charles. Suddenly, Shawn had an idea and strolled over. "Hey, kid."


    The children, caught up in their game, looked up and stared at Shawn. Startled, they let out a collective scream and dropped their marbles, scrambling away as if they had seen a monster.


    The Fullers were infamous in Alverton, including Shawn. Parents would often warn their kids, "If you don''t behave, you''ll end up like Shawn Fuller, and that''ll get you in serious trouble!"


    Lucas tried to run too, but he


    hesitated as he eyed his precious


    marbles on the ground. By the time


    he finished picking them up, Shawn already had him by his cor.


    Where


    are you headed? Would you like


    some candy?"


    By the time the group finally reached Hillfort, the vigers were already waiting. They had been informed of the group''s arrival.


    The vice principal directed everyone to gather the supplies in one ce. Under a mix of curious and cautious nces from the crowd, they began distributing the donated goods.


    The new backpacks, clothes, books,


    and supplies were donated to the elementary school, while rice and flour were provided to the neediest families. The vige instantly buzzed with excitement. Children were thrilled with their new things the elderly expressed heartfelt gratitude, and even the volunteers felt a surge of joy seeing so many smiling faces.


    By the time everything was done, dusk had set in. The group had to return to Alverton for the night as the cottages in Hillfort were too small and run-down to amodate them all.


    The hike downhill was much easier,


    and the students had fewer


    sore wrists. She guessed that Nana would have dinner ready already.


    Eager to return, she sped up her pace.


    As soon as they reached the foot of the mountain, shouts echoed in the distance.


    "What happened?" Felicia grabbed onto someone and asked.


    "It''s the vige chief''s grandson, Lucas. He''s gone missing!" they replied.

 Chapter 159

    The vige was small, with only a few outsiders passing through. How could a child just disappear like that? Unless... he''d been taken.


    Felicia quickly made her way to Charles for more information. Despite his elderly age, years of hard work had kept him strong and calm under pressure. But now, he was anxious. As soon as he saw Felicia, he revealed all he knew.


    "Lucas went missing in the afternoon. The kids he was ying with said they saw Shawn nearby and ran off. Afterward, they kept ying and didn''t think to look for Lucas. When I got word, I had everyone search the whole area, but we haven''t found a trace of him! "I''m beside myself, Felicia. Lucas is gone, and that no-good Shawn is missing too. What if... What if..." he exined, his voice trembling.


    Charles didn''t finish, but Felicia understood. He feared Shawn had taken Lucas. A five-year-old child in Shawn''s hands... Anything could happen.


    Felicia hadn''t expected this either. If Shawn had really kidnapped Lucas, he''d likely show up soon, using the child to threaten her. She tried to reassure Charles, saying, "Don''t worry. We have enough people here. If I call on my ssmates, we''ll have even more. We''ll search every corner of this mountain if we have to. We''ll find Lucas!"


    "Okay..." Charles mumbled and nodded tearfully. Felicia briefed the vice principal, who immediately agreed.


    They gathered the students who had just returned into pairs to help search. Every able-bodied person in the vige, young and old, joined the effort too.


    It was getting dark, and every household brought out shlights and phone lights to aid the search. Though they had just spent the whole afternoon carrying supplies, everyone went back out without even stopping for a meal. Just then, Shawn himself staggered into the vige.


    The moment Charles saw him, he rushed forward and grabbed Shawn by the cor. "You scoundrel! Where is my grandson? What did you do to him? He''s just a little boy! If you have a grudge, take it out on me!"N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Shawn wobbled, then belched


    loudly. The smell of alcohol was heavy on his breath. With a grin, he slurred, "What are you talking about, Charles? I don''t know where your grandson is. Don''t go using me without reason!"


    Charles was suspicious but kept pressing, "Don''t lie! The kids saw you take him! Where is he? Give him back to me!"


    "Stop talking nonsense!" Shawn replied, unfazed. "I did see Lucas ying marbles with some kids earlier, but then I left. If your grandson''s missing, what''s that got to do with me?"


    "If it''s not you, then who else?" Charles, desperate and furious, was ready to strangle him.


    Shawn was the most obvious


    suspect, yet he denied everything. Without evidence, there wasn''t much they could do, especially with night falling in. The priority was to find Lucas. Charles'' frustration grew, and his eyes welled up with tears.


    Felicia cut through the tension. "If you didn''t take Lucas, then where were you all afternoon?"


    Shawn''s eyes flickered, but he


    quickly regainedposure. "I had a few drinks and ended up falling asleep at the west fields. I just woke up to all thismotion. When heard Lucas was missing, I came to help look."

 Chapter 160

    With that tone, anyone listening would actually believe Shawn was telling the truth. Felicia gave him a surprised look. Was this really Shawn? This idiot actually had a brain for once? It was hard to believe. Charles was silent for a moment, unable to answer. Some of the vigers who joined the search expressed uncertainty, muttering, "Maybe... he really didn''t do it?"


    Felicia kept her gaze fixed on Shawn, her eyes clear and sharp. She said slowly, "Well, since you''re so eager to help, why don''t you join us in the search?"


    Although Charles was still suspicious of Shawn, he had no evidence and could only allow everyone to continue searching for Lucas. The vice principal also organized student groups to assist in the search.


    "Sure thing!" Shawn answered without hesitating.


    Arnold wanted to help too, but Ka, still recovering from a twisted ankle, had called him multiple times toin that the family caring for her hadn''t fed her. Ka''s stomach hurt from hunger. She whined that her low blood sugar was making her feel faint. Frustrated, Arnold decided to stay behind to look after her.


    The entire vige and the nearby hillside soon lit up with bright beamsing from shlights. Voices also echoed across thendscape.


    "Lucas, where are you?"


    "Lucas,e out!"


    Their efforts shone in the growing darkness. Little beams gathered together like stars scattered across the hills.


    Meanwhile, Stephan hadn''t left Alverton. He wasn''t staying nearby either. His helicopter was parked on a clearing on another mountain, giving him a clear view of the vige below. Watching themotion, his expression was cold under the moonlight. He turned to his subordinate and asked, "Has the information I requested still note through?"


    The subordinate felt the pressure of Stephan''s gaze. Just as he was about to say it should be any moment now, his phone rang. Relieved, he quickly said, "Mr. Russell, the information just came in!"N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Clearing his throat, he reported,


    .n


    "That night, during Felicia Fuller and Arnold Lawson''s engagement party, Arnold suddenly left everyone behind to go see his fake sister Ka Fuller. It seems she staged a suicide attempt by cutting her


    wrists."


    Stephan shot him a sharp look. "Get to the point."


    He wanted news about Felicia, not Ka.


    "Yes, sir!" The subordinate''s voice strained as he continued, "After Arnold left, Mr. Lawson Senior arranged bodyguards to escort Ms. Felicia to the party. However, Ms. Felicia managed to escape. She ran from the reception area all the way testhe guest rooms at the back."


    The venue had strict rules against cameras due to the high-profile nature of its guests, so this information had been pieced together from the ounts of staff members who had witnessed Felicia running.


    "Once she was in the guest area,


    nobody knew where she went, and we haven''t managed to find out either. M Lawson Senior''s


    bodyguards almost tore the


    apart trying to find her, but they


    didn''t. So, the engagement party fell


    apart," said the subordinate.


    "It wasn''t until the next morning, just past 5:00 am, that Ms. Felicia left the venue. The first thing she did was take a cab back to her dormitory building at the college," he finished.


    Stephan took this in and finally turned to face his subordinate. "And after that?"


    The subordinate steadied himself before revealing, "Abbie Dawson was invited to the venue by someone in the social circle named Laurence Quinn. We investigated him, and he imed to have spent the night with Ms. Dawson, but..." The subordinate nced at Stephan''s expression and then lowered his voice, "He has no idea why she left the next day wearing your suit jacket."

 Chapter 161

    Based on the logic, it meant Abbie must have stumbled upon Stephan''s suited jacket by chance, which led to a misunderstanding. But even so, it remains unclear who was actually in Stephan''s room that night. Stephan let out a dry, humorlessugh and shot his subordinate a chilly nce. "So, you''ve gone around in circles for nothing?"


    His subordinate was embarrassed. "My apologies, Mr. Russell. Without any cameras at Pristine Hall, it''s tough to gather evidence. But one thing''s certain, Ms. Finch was indeed with Laurence that night.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    "ording to him, he didn''t leave until the next morning. When he did, Ms. Finch was still asleep. I checked the time. Laurence left roughly half an hour before we found Ms. Finch, which means she couldn''t have been the woman who was in your room that night." That being said, Stephan''s expression didn''t lighten up. Whether it was Abbie or not that night, he had still crossed a line, and that was what bothered him most.


    His subordinate said cautiously, "Mr. Russell, how''s this? Would you like to meet with Ms. Finch? If she''s bold enough to im she was there, we could confront her directly or have her face Laurence to settle the truth."


    Stephan''s gaze remained fixed on the faint lights down below. With an even tone, he said. "That''s not the main point. The real question is whether I can confirm another suspicion of mine."


    "A suspicion, sir? What is it?" asked his subordinate. His mind raced so fast it felt like he was going to have a short circuit. Then, the answer struck him.


    Stephan seemed to be talking to himself. He looked down at the glinting lights and muttered, "It''s all right. I''ll ask her myself."


    The answer was there somewhere. It wasn''t going to just disappear.


    But Felicia certainly knew how to keep her distance.


    His tall, lean figure disappeared into the shadows, leaving his men with a single parting order. "You shall stay here. No need to follow me."


    Meanwhile, the search party at the base of the mountain had grown massive. The locals from Alverton knew the terrain inside and out, and nearly everyone was out searching. The vice principal had the specially trained students organized impairs to ensure the students wouldn''t get lost. There were nearly 30 people in total in the search effort.


    With such arge search party, Felicia felt more at ease. Now, the one who should be feeling the pressure... was Shawn.


    If he had taken Lucas, he must have hidden him somewhere. If Shawn didn''t make a move soon, it wouldn''t take long till someone found Lucas.


    Sure enough, Felicia caught a


    glimpse of Shawn wiping the sweat from his brow, trying hard to keep up his calm facade. Finally, when most of the group had dispersed, Shawn pped his forehead as if suddenly remembering something. "I just remembered! When I saw Lucas this afternoon, he was heading toward the back mountain. Maybe we should check there?"


    The fact that he hadn''t mentioned this earlier, waiting until now to suggest it, was clearly a setup


    lure Felicia to where he''d prepared a


    trap.


    Felicia yed along and replied, "Lead the way."

 Chapter 162

    "Right this way." Shawn led the way confidently, his face finally showing a trace of satisfaction. He couldn''t help but pat himself on the back for his cunning n.


    Earlier that afternoon, he''d nearly been caught by Arnold while trying to deal with Felicia, but luckily, he''d been quick enough to hide and avoid blowing his cover. However, Ka kept pestering him relentlessly. She even threatened to reveal his hideout in Alverton to his creditors if he didn''t act soon. Just the thought of Lance''s ruthlessness made Shawn break out in a cold sweat. He couldn''t afford to wait any longer. So, aftering down from the mountain and spotting Lucas, a brilliant idea struck him. Kidnapping the little brat and hiding him away would no doubt cause a stir, but it was the perfect bait to lure Felicia into letting her guard down.


    It turned out that his n worked like a charm. Shawn grinned widely. Once he got rid of Felicia here in the mountains, whether by throwing her off a cliff or burying her on the spot, the money would be his. After that, he could slowly scheme his way into taking over the rest of the Fuller fortune. Sooner orter, it would all be his.


    But as he turned to face Felicia, his grin vanished. It was reced with concern as he upped his act. "Felicia, you and I grew up in Alverton. You know how dangerous this mountain can get at night. Who knows if there will be wolves around."


    Felicia snickered. "There''s one right in front of me, isn''t there? A greedy and foolish wolf."


    Shawn''s face stiffened. His fake facade cracked for a split second into malice, though he quickly covered it up. "Always so quick to insult me, huh? Fine. I''ll let it slide for old times'' sake. I won''t stoop to arguing with a girl like you."


    By now, they had reached the back of the mountain. In Felicia''s memories from her childhood, there had indeed been wolves here. They had once attacked the vigers until Charles led a hunt to kill two of them. Since then, the wolves had been kept away. But this was still deep in the mountains after all. There were still plenty of other dangers lurking. If Shawn had actually tied Lucas up here, it would be too dangerous for a child.


    That was precisely why Felicia, despite knowing Shawn''s ill intentions, hade along without hesitation.


    Once they reached the dense forest, Felicia dropped the act. She demanded coldly, "Where''s Lucas?"


    Shawn yawned and pointed in a random direction. "There. See?"


    Felicia immediately pointed her shlight over to the direction he indicated. In the light, she could make out what seemed to be a person tied behind arge tree-


    partially hidden by vegetation


    But


    because it was dark and the tree blocked her view, she could only see a small section of rope tied around the tree.


    &


    Seeing this, Felicia hurried over. What she failed to notice was the trapid out in front of her. It was a deep pit Camouged with leaves and branches. The beam from her shlight pulled her attention ahead, causing her to overlook the danger beneath her feet.


    Felicia took two steps in that direction.


    Just as Felicia was about to step into the trap, Shawn flexed his wrists and pulled a knife from behind his back. With a triumphant grin, Shawn was going to take the chance and strike her from behind.


    But who would''ve guessed that when Felicia was just a single step away from the pit, she stopped.


    Shawn faltered, confused by


    Felicia''s sudden halt. Fortunately, he was quick to react. Years of facing off against Felicia had taught him a thing or two. He realized that Felicia must have noticed the trap. Without missing a beat, he rushed forward, determined to finish the job.


    In the moonlight, the de gleamed coldly as it sliced toward Felicia''s waist. Yet, as if she had eyes on the back of her head, Felicia moved to the side just in time.


    Shawn''s momentum was too powerful to stop, and with a startled yell, he went flying headfirst into the trap he''d set up himself.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 163

    Shawn screamed.


    Leaves and tangled weeds gave way beneath him. With a shrilling cry, Shawn tumbled headfirst into the pit. Blood began to spread across his chest and pool beneath him.


    He had set this trap himself. The bottom of his trap was lined with spikes.


    Karma was served cold.


    Felicia clicked her tongue and shone a shlight onto Shawn''s face. "Serves you right, doesn''t it?"


    Shawn howled in pain. Sweat poured down his face. Yet, amidst the agony, he found a grim relief. Thankfully, in his rush to dig the pit, he''d only added a few small nails at the bottom. If he''d gone with knives instead, he might not even be alive right now. His sense of relief onlysted shortly. Fury surged up inside him, hotter than ever.


    He struggled to shift his body, so he twisted his head to re at Felicia. He growled, "So you knew all along, huh? Even so, you still followed me, you witch!"


    Felicia kicked him back down into the pit, yanking the knife from his hand. She said coldly, "Lucas isn''t here, is he? Where did you hide him?"


    He set up a decoy by making the tree look like it held someone captive so that he could lure Lucas in. No one was actually there.


    Shawn sucked in a painful breath. A twisted grin spread across his face. "Why don''t you guess?"


    He looked downright pleased with himself. He was certain Felicia wouldn''t dare to do anything to him.


    However, in the next second, the satisfaction on his face twisted into raw agony.


    His scream echoed, scattering the birds in the trees. A few owls hoot eerily into the endless night.


    The truly unsettling sight, though, was Felicia herself. The shlighty on the ground, casting light over only half of her face. The other half was hidden in shadow. She looked more like a demon than an angel.


    She smiled sweetly as she drove the knife into Shawn''s arm and twisted it.


    As Shawn''s eyes widened in agony, Felicia''s voice was calm. She spoke patiently, "Don''t worry, I''ve only severed a few nerves in your arm. That''s all."


    She muttered thest two words


    with an eerie lightness. Shawn''s face


    was drained of color. He stared at her, eyes wide with terror. Felicia looked like a madwoman to him.


    "How dare you..."


    His body shook with rage. He wanted nothing more than to rip her apart.


    Felicia felt wronged.


    Shawn had tried to kill her. She was simply giving him a taste of his own medicine. Wasn''t that fair?


    Besides, she''d never forgotten that it was Shawn who''d destroyed her hand in her past life. Considering both of her lifetimes, she had already shown an extraordinary amount of patience, having waited this long before finally getting her revenge.


    "Now talk. Where''s Lucas?" Felicia''s tone was edged with a warning. "Don''t test my patience, or you''ll lose the other arm too!"


    Shawn''s right hand was already useless, and his chest bled heavily from the spikes that had pierced him during his fall. He looked absolutely miserable.


    "Would you really dare to kill me? If you do, I''ll haunt you to your grave!"Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Shawn was trembling, but he forced himself to look fierce.


    Felicia burst intoughter. "You''re joking, right? I don''t even fear you alive! Why would I fear you dead? You''re just a piece of trash, no matter what form you take!"

 Chapter 164

    Felicia dragged Shawn out of the pit while speaking.


    Earlier when Shawn had fallen into the pit, he had tried to crawl out, but Felicia kicked him back down repeatedly. Now that she was trying to pull him out, he gripped onto the dirt with all his strength, unwilling toe out. "Ah! What are you doing? What do you want?"


    It wasn''t surprising that Shawn was terrified. This ce was perfect for killing someone.


    The mountains were dense with trees and thick with overgrown grass. There was a cliff of moderate height close by as well. During the rainy summer months, a waterfall would form there. Even now in winter, there was a small cascade. Felicia, while dragging him along, said, "You wouldn''t cooperate, so I''ll find Lucas myself! The whole vige is out looking for him. I''m sure he will be found!"


    Shawn screamed and struggled. "Haven''t you thought that maybe I''ve already killed that kid?"


    His words suggested he hadn''t had the chance to act yet.


    Felicia''s eyes flickered, and she exhaled in relief. She pulled harder on him and coldly responded, "If that''s the case, it will be an eye for an eye. You''re the one who deserves to die!"


    She dragged Shawn to the edge of the cliff. The sound of the waterfall was loud, and the water that blew in the wind was cool against their skin.


    Shawn was absolutely terrified. He kept screaming for help till his voice was hoarse, but all he could do was watch helplessly as Felicia dragged him closer to the edge.


    Finally, Shawn cried out in desperation, "I don''t know! I really don''t know! I didn''t kidnap the kid! It has nothing to do with me!"


    Lucas'' disappearance was real, but if it wasn''t Shawn who kidnapped him, who else could it be?


    Shawn wailed, "Maybe it was Ka! She came up with the idea, and she''s the one who hid Lucas. It really isn''t me!"


    Felicia paused. She had indeed overlooked Ka. This afternoon, when they went to Hillfort to deliver supplies, Ka hadn''t shown up to pester Arnold as usual. Instead she imed to have injured her foot and needed to rest.


    819


    However, Ka had always preferred to have others do the dirty work for her. Would she ever get her hands dirty herself?


    In that moment of distraction, Shawn seized the opportunity. He lunged at Felicia, charging toward her with all his fury.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    "I''m going to kill you!"


    Before he could finish, he was struck. Felicia, who had been prepared,nded a powerful kick to his stomach. With a loud thud, Shawn crumpled to the ground andy there like a corpse. In the face of sheer power, even the most cunning ns were futile.


    Felicia sighed.


    She pulled Shawn up by his hair, forcing him to look at her. She sneered and said, "I''ve already given you a chance. You really deserve to die."


    Realizing that Felicia truly intended to kill him, Shawn shouted at the top of his lungs, "Help! Help! Felicia is trying to kill me!"


    Perhaps Shawn had forgotten that


    all his efforts to set this trap, leading the vigers elsewhere and bringing Felicia to this secluded mountain, meant that no one would hear his cries for help.


    Felicia remembered a line viins often said in movies. "Shout all you want. Even if you scream your lungs out, no one wille to save you."


    As soon as she finished speaking, she felt that the light had dimmed.


    A chill ran through her, and she immediately looked ahead. There stood a tall figure in the shadows. He was barely visible in the shifting light. That man wore a faint smile, and Felicia wondered how long he had been standing there, watching.

 Chapter 165

    The man''s tall figure was veiled in the moonlight as if ayer of thin mist draped over him. The cold, silvery light fell on his shoulders as he took long strides forward. His stunning face was heart-stopping, and it captivated Felicia''s gaze. It was Stephan Russell!


    He was still carrying a small white puppy in his arms. His long, pale fingers idly pinched the scruff of its neck, keeping it subdued. The puppy didn''t dare to resist, letting out soft whimpers from time to time.


    Seeing Stephan appear here made Felicia''s expression shift noticeably.


    When did he arrive? How much had he seen?


    The happiest person at that time, however, was none other than Shawn Fuller.


    When he saw another person show up, Shawn''s first thought was that he might be saved. His eyes twinkled with hope as he yelled, "Help! Please! This wicked girl is trying to kill me!"


    The distance from the pit to the waterfall was not long, but a trail had been dragged across the ground, leaving blood stains on the grass.


    Shawn was in such a pitiful state, while Felicia''s hands remained clean and firmly in control. One might think this was a crime in process, especially since they had been caught in the act! This was definitely awkward.


    Shawn had no idea who the neer was. All he knew was that whoever turned up could be his savior.


    He immediately called out, "Sir, help me, quick! This witch is trying to kill me! Help me throw her off the cliff, and I''ll pay you a lot of money, okay?"


    Felicia was speechless.


    Shawn had not noticed how the


    tension in the air grew thick after he spoke. Unaware, he kept talking big and urged on. "Come on, hurry up!" I, Shawn Fuller, will keep my word! Get rid of this girl, and I''ll pay you 500 thousand dors!"


    "If that''s not enough for you, I''ll increase it to a million dors! A million dors will do, right?"


    However, his increasing offers were not responded to, and Shawn finally realized something was wrong. He lifted his head, struggling, to nce at Stephan.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    The moment their eyes met, Shawn


    felt his heart drop. It was as if his


    throat had been mped shut by an invisible hand. An overpowering murderous intent swept over him, sending chills down his spine and soaking his back with cold sweat.


    "You... You''re..."


    Shawn''s face went pale. His lips trembled, unable to utter another word.


    Stephan ignored him and looked at Felicia calmly. "Do you want me to show you how it''s done?"


    "Show me what?" Felicia blinked, momentarily confused.


    It wasn''t until she noticed the faint smirk on Stephan''s face that she realized he was offering to demonstrate how to cover up a murder.


    Felicia immediately waved her hands. "No need for that."


    She had never nned on killing Shawn that fast. She only wanted him to reveal Lucas'' whereabouts. If Shawn died in such a manner, he would be let off too easily. "Oh..." Stephan sounded a bit disappointed.


    Meanwhile, Shawn, who was still


    lying on the ground, was not a fool. He realized that his supposed savior was clearly acquainted with Felicia. Judging from the way they


    interacted, their rtionship seemed to run deep. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have spoken as coldly as she did.


    "Now that''s just great. You''re in this together!"

 Chapter 166

    Shawn broke down. He shouted angrily, "Shameless couple! How dare you!"


    Felicia''s face darkened. Nothing was going on between her and Stephan, but his outburst made it seem like they had some unspeakable rtionship.


    Felicia nced at Stephan quickly and was surprised that he wasn''t mad about it. She felt a little relieved and was about to find some object to keep Shawn quiet. But just then, she heard a rustling sound behind the bush. Shawn eximed, "Help! Help-" He was instantly silenced, spitting and choking as a clump of grass was stuffed into his mouth.


    Felicia picked up her shlight from the ground and shone it in the direction of the noise.


    "Who''s there?"


    The dense grass parted, and a small figure appeared, calling out cheerfully, "Felicia! It''s me!"


    "Lucas?"


    Felicia rushed over and inspected him from head to toe. She sighed a sigh of relief when she saw him unharmed and his clothing still clean. She asked, "Lucas, where have you been all afternoon?"


    Lucas pouted, clearly upset. "Earlier in the afternoon, I was ying marbles with my friends. Then a wicked man tricked me, saying that Grandpa was injured on the way to Hillfort. I trusted him and ran up the mountain, only to find out he lied!


    "He then attempted to tie me up. I was scared so I just kept running. I found a tree to climb and hide. He couldn''t find me, so he left. I was too scared to get down, fearing he might still be around to catch me. Then, just now, I heard that wicked man begging for help. I was so hungry and it was getting dark on the mountain too that I nearly fell from the tree. That''s when I finally sneaked out to see what was going on. "


    Felicia finally grasped the entire scenario after listening to Lucas'' exnation.


    No wonder Shawn refused to say where he''d hidden Lucas. Even though he had lured Lucas out, he eventually lost him. He had no clue where the kid was, either. "Ah, you were so clever and brave!"


    Felicia patted his head, full of adoration and empathy. "You must have been really scared today, huh?"


    Lucas puffed out his chest proudly. "Not at all! I am the bravest kid in Alverton!"


    Felicia chuckled, nodding in agreement. She then took out her phone to call Charles to inform him that they were safe. But they were in the back mountains, so the signal was too weak to make a phone call. It took her three to four tries to finally get through.


    Through the phone, Charles was brought to tears when he heard his grandson''s voice. He quickly gathered people and set off toward the mountain.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    As Felicia watched Lucas talk on the phone, she nced at Stephan, who was walking casually into the dark while holding the puppy.


    She had no idea why he hade here tonight, but at least he didn''t seem to be a threat to her.


    Lucas barely finished his call when the signal got cut off again.


    As he was about to return the phone to Felicia, his eyes widened in terror. He pointed behind her and shouted, "Felicia, watch out!"


    A strong gust of wind blew toward her. It was Shawn, seizing the chance to attack again!


    After Lucas'' sudden appearance,


    Felicia had been distracted and had focused solely on checking his injuries and calling Charles to reassure him. She hadpletely forgotten about Shawn, who had been lying on the ground as if he were dead.


    Who would have thought he still had the energy to fight back?


    Felicia could have dodged, but if she did, Lucas, who was standing right in front of her, would definitely get hurt. It was so sudden that she shielded was


    Lucas and moved to the sideto


    avoid it.


    en


    She thought she had estimated the distance perfectly, but things didn''t always go as nned. Just as she let out a sigh of relief, her footnded on a patch of moss.


    In an instant, she lost control and tumbled down the slope. At thest moment, she only managed to push Lucas away to protect him.

 Chapter 167

    Lucas was shoved with a force that sent his small body tumbling onto a pile of dirt and weeds. Luckily, the cushion of dirt softened his fall, so he wasn''t hurt.


    First, he lifted his head and shouted in shock, "Felicia!"


    But down that slippery slope, there was no trace of Felicia''s figure.


    "Hahaha!"


    Shawn burst into wildughter, clutching a small shard of porcin he had dug out of the ground. Blood smeared the shard a trace left from when he had shed Felicia earlier as she protected Lucas. Fate was truly on his side! It was the perfect timing, the perfect ce, and the perfect setup!


    Felicia hadn''t noticed the slope beside her that led down to a cliff and waterfall. Her attention had been on Lucas, and Shawn had taken advantage of thest ounce of his strength for a desperate final strike!


    If he failed this time, he would ept it. But it was clear that fate was smiling on him now!


    Felicia had fallen off the cliff below, and there was no chance of survival!


    Shawn''sughter was maniacal. Lucas sat on the ground in shock, his small face filled with terror. Shawn''s piercing gaze froze him in ce as he instinctively tried to run.


    "Where do you think you''re going?"


    Shawn sneered, grabbing Lucas''s arm. He grinned maliciously as he said, "You''re going down there too!"


    Just as he was about to toss Lucas over the edge, someone moved faster. A hand caught Lucas, and with one powerful kick, Shawn was sent flying several meters, coughing up blood before his head smacked hard against a rock, rendering him unconscious. It was Stephan who had heard themotion and returned just in time.


    Lucas began to cry, pointing toward the slope and the cliff. "Felicia! She fell-she fell there!"


    Stephan set Lucas aside and immediately looked down the steep slope.


    Felicia had fallen?


    The aura around him became chilling. His usually calm, dark eyes were nowced with red.


    The waterfall''s rushing sound was deafening, and the mist was like a cold drizzle that seemed to pierce one''s heart.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    In the dim moonlight, he looked at the cliff below.


    There, against the cliff''s edge, a pair


    of delicate hands clung to a vine that


    had grown between the cracksa). P


    the stone, steadying her enough to stop a free fall.


    Hearing themotion above, Felicia looked up and grinned. "Hey, Mr. Russell, mind giving me a hand?"


    In the moonlight, her carefree smile held a hint of pride.


    Fortunately, she had reacted quickly enough to grab onto the vine as she fell. If not, she would probably be swept away by the rushing water below or, worse, severely injured.  en


    Seeing Stephan now, Felicia felt reassured.


    After all... He wouldn''t just leave her here, would he?


    He didn''t. He extended his hand to her, the tight tension and worry fading from him as soon as he saw she was safe.


    "Thanks!"


    She clutched the vine with one hand and his outstretched hand with the other.


    Her feet kept slipping, and she struggled to find her footing. She would need a little more help and a solid spot to push off from toclimb


    back up.


    As Stephan pulled her up little by little, he suddenly spoke. "Felicia, did you happen to borrow my jacket the other day?"


    Felicia froze mid-climb, nearly slipping out an answer that would have given everything away.


    Her mind immediately shed back to that night.


    It was the night she had been forced into an engagement with Arnold.


    It was a reckless, dizzying night.

 Chapter 168

    Did Stephan ask that because he found something?


    Felicia''s heart skipped a beat. Distracted, she lost sight of her footing and stepped onto a slick rock, sending her body plunging downward once again.


    To make things worse, the vine she had been holding tightly couldn''t bear the weight this time and snapped right out of the rock crevice.


    As she felt herself falling, she clung desperately to Stephan''s hand, unaware that the sudden downward pull had also yanked him off bnce, causing them both to fall.


    A massive spray erupted from the waterfall''s pool below. The relentless current instantly swept the two tightly entwined figures out of sight.


    "They... They got washed away..."


    Lucas, trembling with fear, peeked over the edge of the cliff before shrinking back. No one responded to his heartbroken whisper, only a small, anxious white puppy at his feet, pacing in circles. He finally couldn''t hold it in and burst into tears.


    In the distance, several beams of light moved quickly through the forest, apanied by hurried footsteps. Charles had finally arrived at the back of the mountain with his people. "Lucas!"


    "Grandpa! Waaah!"


    Lucas ran to Charles, sobbing.


    Charles held him tightly. Some sharp-eyed vigers spotted Shawn sprawled out nearby, covered in blood and unmoving. They were unsure if he was dead or alive.


    "Where''s Felicia? Where did she go?"


    Amid his tears, Lucas tried to


    recount what had just happened but after the shocks he had endured that day, he was crying too hard to exin clearly, speaking in broken, jumbled fragments.


    Charles and the other vigers managed to catch one crucial detail-Felicia had fallen off the cliff! "What? She fell off the cliff?"


    A chill ran through everyone''s heart.


    The base of this cliff was a fierce, rapid waterfall. Even if she were uninjured, the strong current would have swept her away, and if she hit a rock along the way, theBelongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    consequences could be fataver


    She might not make it out alive!


    Charles pped his thigh in distress, disregarding Shawn, whoy near death on the ground, and immediately rallied the young men in the vige, shouting, "Find her! Hurry!" That night, everyone in Alverton was in an uproar. They were frantically searching for Felicia without time to rest.


    Lucas was safe, but Felicia was missing.


    News of the incident quickly spread.


    Everyone in Alverton held her in high regard, partly because they sympathized with the hardships she had endured in her youth and partly because her financial investments had fueled the vige''s development, allowing every household to earn more money.


    While there were practical reasons for this gratitude, Charles would have organized the search regardless.


    Except for the elderly and children, everyone in the vige was out with shlights, scouring the riverbanks for Felicia.


    Others who received the news included Arnold and Ka.


    Ka was nearly ecstatic! Felicia had fallen off a cliff and was swept away by the river? What wonderful news! There''s no way she could survive this, right?

 Chapter 169

    Ka could hardly believe it-Shawn actually had the skill for this job! All her efforts to pressure and pay him more had paid off, finally stoking his ambition just enough. Felicia was surely done for this time! No one would ever threaten her position again. There would be no morepetition.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    She nearlyughed out loud in relief, but the moment she turned and saw Arnold, her smug smile froze on her face.


    "Arnie, what are you thinking about?"


    Could he be thinking of Felicia?


    She hadn''t finished her question when he brushed past her and seized the messenger boy by the cor. His usually calm face was dark and tense as he demanded, "What did you say? Felicia fell off a cliff and was swept away by the river?" "That''s right. The vigers are all panicking; everyone''s out searching. But she must''ve been swept far off with that waterfall, and the current was so strong. They''re saying they may not even find the body."


    The boy, one of the training camp students, had actually been helping search for Lucas earlier and had learned what happened from the vigers.


    Though most training camp students didn''t know Felicia well-and had even formed cliques against her-the shocking news hit them hard.


    "They say she was attacked while trying to rescue that child, and that''s why she fell," the boy continued. "Thank goodness it wasn''t any of us up there; we could have..."


    The others nodded, patting their chests in relief.


    Arnold''s face turned pale, and his grip on the boy''s cor was so tight that his knuckles turned white.


    Ka saw his reaction clearly, and the jealousy in her heart surged again.


    This wasn''t enough. Nothing would satisfy her anger toward Felicia until she was sure Felicia was gone for good!


    But outwardly, she kept her appearance carefully sympathetic, red-eyed as she said, "How could this happen? Is she really... gone? I feel so sad."


    Nearby, Olivia kicked a stone and folded her arms in scorn. "You''re sad? You''re probably the happiest one here."


    She muttered this under her breath, unwilling to expose Ka just yet. She wasn''t ready to go head-to-head with Ka openly but had definitely added her and Arnold to her mental cklist after what had happened earlier.


    The day Arnold belittled her to support Ka, even though it wasn''t Ka herself who said those words, she still held a grudge against them.


    Hypocrites, both of them!


    Taking a deep breath, Arnold quickly


    gathered a few people and instructed, "Come with me to the site. If there''s any chance we can find Felicia..." he trailed off, though everyone knew the odds were slim.


    Ka was frustrated, wishing no one would go looking at all. But she was technically a member of the Fuller family, and Felicia was her sister. She couldn''t let her real feelings show, or her parents would be


    furiouster.


    So, instead, she had to pretend to be more proactive than anyone. Thinking quickly, she added, "I''lle too! I don''t believe she''s really gone-I want to find her myself!"


    He chose several of his own bodyguards and drivers for the search, and they all headed together toward the back of the mountain.

 Chapter 170

    The back of the mountain was bustling, lights from shlights sweeping back and forth, illuminating the area.


    When they arrived, Arnold got the full story from the vigers the person who attacked Felicia was none other than her half-brother, Shawn.


    ording to the locals, Shawn had always been trouble. He was a thief and a scoundrel.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    But something felt off to Arnold. Felicia had already returned to the wealthy Fuller family as the real heiress. Shawn had even extorted arge sum from the Fuller family. Everyone in Khogend knew about it, including Arnold. Why would Shawn risk attacking her now? Was it revenge? Would he risk the wrath of Dexter and Myra?


    Arnold asked if they had managed to apprehend Shawn.


    Without hesitation, the vigers replied, "Yes, we caught him. He was badly injured and unconscious, so Mr. West arranged for him to be taken to the county hospital. They should be there by now.


    "If he makes it, we''ll watch him closely until he can properly charge. If not, well... it''s what he deserves."


    With the attacker in custody, there would be no trouble ensuring he faced justice-assuming he survived his injuries.


    Arnold nodded, casting aplicated look at the rushing water below. If Felicia was truly gone, he could be free from the family''s pressure to interact with her, let alone marry her. But still...an odd, uneasy feeling lingered. To his annoyance, he even felt a tinge of worry.


    Heughed at himself, reminding himself that he and Felicia barely got along. She was insufferable, and they often shed-so why would he care?


    He reassured himself that he was only worried about how Matthew might take the news, and it had nothing to do with Felicia.


    Lost in thought, Arnold didn''t notice Ka''s shifting expression behind him.


    Shawn actually got caught? And now he was in aa, being rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment?


    If he made it through and woke up, would he reveal that she orchestrated everything from behind the scenes during the interrogation?


    A chill ran through Ka. She couldn''t imagine what Myra and Dexter might think if they found out.


    She thought it was better to cut her losses.


    Shawn had already served his purpose. There was no reason for him to live now.


    Resolving to take matters into her own hands, she slipped off to a secluded spot and tried to call


    someone who could "handle" el


    problem for her.


    But the signal on the mountain was weak, and she couldn''t get through.


    Growing more anxious, Ka nced up just as Arnold turned toward her. Quickly stashing her phone, she pretended to wipe away tears as if ovee with sorrow for


    Felicia''s misfortune.


    He tried to reassure her, "Ka, don''t cry. Things haven''t reached the worst-case scenario. There might still be hope."


    With teary eyes, she wrapped her


    arms around his waist and pressed her face to his chest, choking back sobs. "Amnie, I don''t even know how to face my parents... I just wish it had been me instead. Maybe it would be easier for them to bear that way."

 Chapter 171

    "Don''t say things like that! This isn''t your fault." Arnold sighed, patting Ka''s back to soothe her. "If Mr. and Mrs. Fuller saw you like this, they would be heartbroken."


    "Arnie, can we keep this quiet for now? Don''t tell my parents, please. They can''t handle the shock well. Let''s give it a couple of days, and if we still can''t find Felicia, I''ll tell them then." She needed time to deal with Shawn. If he was revived and questioned, there was a real risk he would expose her involvement.


    This would be over in two days, and if Felicia was truly gone, none of it could be traced back to her.


    Tears streaming down, Ka pleaded desperately. Although Arnold hesitated momentarily, he finally agreed, saying, "Alright. I''ll inform the vice principal to hold off telling your parents for now." "Thank you," she replied, curling into his embrace with a faint, satisfied smile.


    Under normal circumstances, the vice principal would have immediately notified Dexter and Myra. But since Ka requested it and Arnold backed her up, he agreed to wait.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    By midnight, the exhausted students had returned to rest, leaving only the locals of Alverton searching tirelessly.


    Lucas, the child Felicia had saved, had a fever. The cold, his fright, and the long night had left him pale and flushed. Feverish and disoriented, he kept mumbling, "Felicia fell... I''m scared..."


    "Shh, it''s okay. Mommy''s here," Janiyah Mercado whispered, heartbroken, as she tended to him, patting his back and helping him with his medicine. Hearing this, she was overwhelmed with gratitude and sorrow for Felicia''s sacrifice. "There was a man too... he fell with Felicia..." he murmured faintly in a daze.


    "What?" Janiyah leaned in closer, unable to make out his words clearly, thinking he was delirious. She hugged andforted him tightly, "It''s okay, baby. Mommy''s right here."


    ...


    The moon hung silently above. As always, the mountain river rushed past, carrying branches and leaves and tossing them downstream. Some driftwood and debris briefly got caught on rocks, while others continued down the current, their final destination unknown.


    Heavy coughing shattered the quiet night as Felicia clung to a rock on the shore, struggling to pull herself up.


    Barely managing to climb out, she turned back and extended her hand to the man in the water. "Hurry up! Grab my hand!"


    Stephan nced at her outstretched


    hand skeptically. Could she pull him up with her thin arms and small frame? Ignoring her hand, he braced himself between the rocks,


    swnoverge


    attempting to pull himself out.


    But she grew anxious. The current was dangerously strong, and anyone fighting it could easily be swept away, even knocked out if they hit a rock.


    "Take my hand-quickly!" She was determined, her expression focused and urgent. After a moment''s hesitation, he reached for her hand.


    Their palmsrge and small, sped firmly together.


    Felicia didn''t dare rx, afraid a slip could send him tumbling back into the water. Using all her strength, she managed to pull him out of the water and onto the shore.


    Once safely onnd, she copsed


    due to exhaustion. As her tension


    eased, she realized she had only a minor injury on her back from Shawn''s attack, and beyond that, she was remarkably unhurt


    Thinking of this, she felt a mix of emotions.


    With so many rocks along the river, how had they both emerged rtively unharmed after being swept downstream?


    She understood now-Stephan had shielded her, taking most of the blows himself.


    She had dragged him off that cliff, and they had both been swept into the waterfall, yet he had protected her throughout.

 Chapter 172

    Yet, in that dangerous moment, Stephan hadn''t abandoned Felicia. Instead, he had held her tightly, shielding her!


    As the current swept them along, she heard him grunt in pain several times, along with the sound of heavy thudding. It suddenly struck her-maybe this powerful man wasn''t as cold-hearted as he seemed.


    Her gaze softened with concern. "Mr. Russell, are you alright? Should I check your injuries?"


    He nced around, his expression unreadable. "Do you know where we are?"


    She shook her head. "Not really."


    She had spent some years in Alverton but was too young to explore every corner of the mountain. Now, surrounded by dark trees with no identifiablendmarks, it was impossible to tell their location. And as for their phones-those had been swept away long ago. "Let''s find a ce to spend the night."


    "Alright." Felicia agreed. The search could wait until morning; she was sure the vigers wouldn''t abandon her and were probably out looking right now.


    She stood up, shivering as the cold wind hit her wet clothes. At this rate, they risked hypothermia-they needed to find shelter and build a fire.


    After scanning their surroundings, she started down the path on her left, but Stephan hadn''t moved from his spot when she nced back. She understood immediately, feeling a pang of guilt. He must be badly hurt, especially after taking all those hits in the water to protect her.


    Returning, she lifted one of his arms and slung it over her shoulder. "Here. Lean on me."Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    After a pause, she added, "But this time, no grabbing me by the throat like before!"


    Stephan let most of his weight rest on her, chuckling at her words. "Still holding a grudge, are we? I thought you would be grateful to the person who saved you." Felicia huffed silently, thinking, "I saved you once too!"


    She scoffed softly, unwilling to finish the thought-that night, someone had been burning with desire, and if it hadn''t been for her...


    They descended the moonlit path, stumbling and slipping asionally until she spotted something in the distance. "Look! There''s a little hut over there!" Sometimes, forest rangers had cabins out here, allowing them to contact the outside world.


    But as they drew closer, they realized it was an abandoned shack, probably built by hunters. It was tiny and hastily made, looking almost ready to copse. Still, they were lucky to have even this bit of shelter in the cold.


    She inspected the door; the lock was rusted. A few taps with a rock, and it fell open. Inside, there was dust, cobwebs, and even a few bugs.


    "Wait here Felicia said, letting go of


    his arm. She snapped off a few branches from a nearby tree to make a makeshift broom, quickly sweeping out the cobwebs and any insects.


    Once she finished, she helped Stephan inside.


    They were drenched from head to toe, water even pooling inside their shoes. She had only one shoe left; he looked worse. Having lost both shoes, his feet were covered in only dark socks.  en


    She almostughed at his state but held back, feeling guilty.

 Chapter 173

    With a ce to stay, Felicia helped Stephan sit down and gather more dry branches. After all, the mountains were full of them.


    He wasn''t idle either. Though he didn''t have a lighter, he had a small folding knife. She watched as his slender, deft fingers struck the de a few times, producing sparks. She handed him a bundle of fluffy grass. A few triester, the sparks caught, and a small me began to grow.


    Felicia smiled. "I''ll leave this to you and go get more branches."


    It was still hours until dawn, and their small pile of branches wouldn''tst nearly that long.


    Stephan stopped her. "No need. You keep the fire going; I''ll gather more."


    But she didn''t listen, replying as she walked out, "You''re injured, so rest. I''ll gather some more, then I''ll check your wounds."


    Though he hadn''t said a word ofint, she could tell he was badly hurt.


    She went back and forth several times, shivering as the cold night air hit her wet clothes, which clung to her even tighter. She sneezed a few times, her head feeling a bit dizzy. Thankfully, the branches she brought back were enough to keep the fire going for a while.


    She ced the branches beside the fire, closed the hut''s door, and sat across from Stephan. On this bitterly cold night, only the fire offered any warmth.


    But now there was a new problem-how would they dry their clothes?


    They couldn''t wear their clothes until they dried up, could they?


    Felicia blushed a little. Stephan seemed to have the same thought, turning away from her with a tone as cool as ever. "You change first."


    In other words, it meant he had no interest in her.


    Under normal circumstances, she


    would probably have teased him, but right now, she was too cold to joke She figured he felt the same. The fire provided minimal warmth, and she needed to dry herself quickly so he could warm up.


    Hurriedly, she took off her damp clothes, wrung them out, and ced them near the fire. Wisps of steam rose as the fabric dried.


    After a few flips, the clothes were


    et vel.


    mostly dry. She put them back on relieved that he hadn''t turned


    around. He stayed still, with his back to her.


    She sighed. "Okay, it''s your turn to warm up."


    But he didn''t move.


    "Mr. Russell?"


    There was still no response.


    A bad feeling crept up on Felicia. She stepped forward and nudged him, but he slumped into her arms.


    "Stephan!"


    Felicia caught him, but exhausted and weak, she couldn''t hold him up and ended up falling backward with him on top of her. Hey motionless.


    She reached out to touch his


    forehead-it was burning up! And on his back, fresh blood stained his


    clothes. Her eyes widened, and with


    difficulty, she pushed him off and kneeled beside him to check his condition. N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

 Chapter 174

    Felicia lifted Stephan''s shirt to reveal injuries around his waist and thighs-marks from crashing into rocks in the water. The wounds had been soaked for so long that the edges were pale and looked gruesome. She knew he was hurt, but seeing it in person shocked her.


    At least half of these injuries should have been on her body, or even more!


    She checked his pulse, furrowing her brow. She didn''t have time to hesitate, quickly tearing off his clothes.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Their small fire wasn''t enough, and the space was too cramped to make itrger. If the fire got any bigger, the entire cabin could catch fire.


    What Stephan needed most right now was warmth.


    Felicia gritted her teeth, removed her clothes, and gently pressed against him.


    After the initial cold, their body heat began to transfer to each other, and the warmth was just enough for them to sigh with relief.


    Time passed-how long, she couldn''t tell. The wind outside howled louder, the temperature dropping further, and the winter chill seemed to settle in the air. The fire inside had dwindled to only a few embers.


    Felicia opened her eyes, put her clothes back on, and rekindled the fire.


    During all this, Stephan had still not woken up.


    She could only put his dried clothes back on him and, with her stomach growling, sat to one side.


    Seeing him frown even in his sleep and look ufortable, she felt soft-hearted. She moved him onto herp, letting him rest his head there.


    When the sky fully brightened, and the sun appeared, the thin mist in the forest began to dissipate.


    He finally woke up.


    The moment he opened his eyes, the crackling sound of burning branches filled his ears, and above him was Felicia''s tired face, leaning against the wall with her eyes closed.


    The woman''s longshes fluttered


    slightly as she slept. In the firelight, her delicate skin had a slight pink flush, and her button nose was stained with dirt. She looked a little


    messy but also endearing.


    Stephan''s gaze flickered.


    He remembered fainting yesterday, and then... He felt warmth pressing against him, a trembling yet incredibly soft warmth.


    His heart shook slightly, but his head ached terribly, making it hard to distinguish whether it was a dream or reality.


    When Felicia felt the weight on her legs disappear, she immediately woke up. She lifted her gaze to find that he was already sitting up. She quickly asked, "You''re awake? How do you feel? Let me check your pulse."


    sione


    She stood up, but her legs had fallen asleep from sitting for so long. As she stood, the world went ck, and her legs buckled beneath her, causing her to fall forward.


    He reacted quickly, reaching out to catch her. She couldn''t stop herself in time, and her head collided with his hard chest.


    "Ouch," she groaned as her head throbbed..


    Stephan grunted, his injury throbbing with pain.


    Hearing him inhale sharply, Felicia immediately forgot her own pain and said nervously, "I''m sorry. Did I hurt you? I haven''t treated your injuries properly. I just tied the cloth to stop the bleeding. We must find help today, or your wounds will get infected!"


    He hummed in response, his dark pupils reflecting her shadow as he said, "My people should be here soon." "That''s great!"


    As soon as she spoke, the sound of a helicopter reached her ears-rescue was here!


    Felicia''s eyes lit up. She rushed to the cabin door and waved a branch in the open area with all her might. "Over here! Over here!"

 Chapter 175

    Since yesterday afternoon, Felicia had been working nonstop-first delivering supplies to Hillfort, then searching the mountains for Lucas,ter falling into the rapids, and finally ending up here. She was utterly drained but she managed to summon thest of her energy, waving branches and jumping to signal to the helicopter above.


    Her efforts paid off; the helicopter circled twice overhead before slowly descending as she watched in relief.


    She stepped back as itnded on arge, t area by the stream. Several of Stephan''s men jumped out. Felicia recognized them-they had been with him outside Macey''s house the other night. Seeing her, they greeted her politely, bowing slightly. "Hello, Ms. Fuller."


    She was taken aback by their sudden respectfulness but replied, "Hello."


    Thest time they had met, they had been indifferent and neutral. Now, there was an unmistakable warmth and deference.


    What happened?


    She didn''t know what had changed but shrugged it off and pointed to the small cabin. "Stephan''s in there. Go help him." "Understood."


    The men hurried over, and when they saw Stephan, their jaws dropped despite having braced themselves.


    Was this really their boss? His clothes were smeared with dirt, ripped in several ces, and he had lost his shoes-a look they had never thought possible for him. Even with his pale face from injury, his gaze was still sharp andmanding. One look from him made them all avert their eyes out of respect.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "Mr. Russell," they greeted him, heads lowered.


    He got up, ncing at the fire still burning in the cabin. One of his men understood immediately and rushed to extinguish it thoroughly before leaving.


    Felicia had already climbed into the helicopter. As Stephan stepped in, he saw her rummaging through a pile of supplies, sounding pleased when she eximed, "Found it!"


    She had pulled out a medical kit. "Lift your shirt. Let me treat that wound."


    There had been no way to clean his wounds yesterday, and the two of them had barely stayed warm by huddling near the fire. Now that they had medical supplies, it was time to


    care for his wounds.


    He sat down, pulled up his shirt, and cooperated as she carefully unwrapped the fabric from his wound. Then, she cleaned, disinfected, and applied fresh bandages. Neither of them spoke. Each of Stephan''s men focused on their tasks, doing everything possible to avoid looking at them.


    As the helicopter lifted off, filling the air with the roar of its des, Felicia worked in silence. Then, out of nowhere, he asked, "Did you strip me of my clothes yesterday?" She was speechless.


    The bottle of hydrogen peroxide


    slipped from her hand with a thud, a


    few droplets sshing onto her face. She quickly wiped them away, looking up and saying loudly"What? I can''t hear you!"


    He held her gaze momentarily before looking away, his tone neutral. "Nothing." "Oh."


    She went back to treating his wound, but the loud hum of the helicopter couldn''t mask her own heartbeat, thundering in her chest, faster and louder with each beat. It was as if it would burst out at any moment.

 Chapter 176

    After treating Stephan''s wounds, Felicia breathed a breath of relief. Looking up, she noticed he was watching her with a sharp, probing gaze.


    She shed a bright smile. "The wounds are taken care of. Now I can rest easy."


    With that, she passed out.


    After enduring a full day and night of suffering, falling into cold water, and being tossed around all night, it was no wonder she copsed from exhaustion.


    The moment she fainted, he caught her, feeling her body burn with a fever despite her shaking from the cold.


    "Faster, take her to the nearest hospital!" he ordered coldly.


    "Yes, Mr. Russell!"


    The nearest hospital was in a small county, and it was the first time a helicopter hadnded on its helipad. The sight shocked everyone in the hospital, stirring up much spection about the arrival of some important figure. "Quick, there''s a patient! Get the stretcher!"


    ...


    When Felicia woke up again, she smelled the faint scent of disinfectant. Opening her eyes, she saw a white ceiling and a row of IV bags.


    She was in the hospital.


    Thinking back, she realized that after she passed out, Stephan wouldn''t have just let her die, and the helicopter''s quick arrival made it easy to reach the hospital.


    She wasn''t sure how long she had been asleep...N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    She tried to move, but she felt sore and weak. She managed to sit up in bed, preparing to get out.


    It was a private ward. She could see the full moon through the window, meaning she must have slept through the entire day.


    Looking down, she saw that someone had changed her into fresh clothes and ced a new pair of slippers by the bed.


    Could Stephan have arranged this?


    Felicia slipped on the slippers and stood up, but her legs were too weak, and it felt like her feet were sinking into cotton. She wobbled, and her knees buckled, almost copsing to the floor.


    Fortunately, a pair of hands reached out to steady her.


    Above her, a man''s voice, cold and filled with displeasure, spoke. "Who told you to get up?"


    After everything they had been


    - voic wasn''t afraid of that et


    man. Her voice was a bit hoarse and filled with a hint of reproach. need to use the bathroom."


    Stephan was taken aback.


    They stared at each other for a long time, the atmosphere turning awkward.


    Finally, he spoke. "Wait here."


    He pressed the call button, and a nurse quickly arrived. When she heard Felicia needed the bathroom, she helped her into the restroom, carrying the IV bag. He stood by the window, gazing out at the night.


    There wasn''t much to see the hospital was quiet, with just a parking lot below and a few people walking by asionally.


    After some time, she returned from the bathroom. She felt a little better and smiled at the nurse as she sat back in bed. "Thank you."


    "You''re wee." The nurse nced at the half-full IV bag before leaving the room.


    It was silent in the ward again.


    Felicia turned on a small nightlight, and only then did she notice Stephan sitting quietly behind the curtains when she had first woken up. Clearing her throat, she spoke up. "Mr. Russell, how''s your wound?"


    Although she had already bandaged it, some injections would still be necessary for safety.


    Stephan walked over from the window, hands in his pockets. His clothes were spotless, and he was impably dressed in a high-end suit with handmade leather shoes, looking as clean andposed as ever.


    There was no sign of injury, and he appeared just as dignified as before, making the previous night''s dishevelment seem like a distant memory.

 Chapter 177

    Felicia''s gaze wandered.


    She knew clearly that everything that happened yesterday was not a dream but a real sequence of events. She had even personally undressed Stephan when he was unconscious from his injuries. But he would never know about that.


    And it was better that way-if he did, it would be one more trouble she didn''t need.


    She wisely chose not to press the matter further because he said nothing. Her eyes shifted to the water dispenser in the room, and she swallowed with difficulty.


    She was so thirsty.


    She regretted not asking the nurse to bring her a cup of warm water earlier.


    Just as Felicia hesitated to get up and take the IV bag to the water dispenser, she saw Stephan move. He took a disposable cup with his long, clean hands and filled it with water. What a good person!


    She was about to reach out to take the cup but saw him leisurely drink from it himself.


    She was speechless.


    Her lips twitched, and her eyes unconsciously shed with irritation and silent usation.


    Stephan''s eyes barely betrayed a hint of a smile.


    He refilled the cup and handed it to her.


    The hand in front of her was long and graceful-a lovely hand. His nails were neatly trimmed, and the veins on his hand were distinct, giving it an unexpectedly sensual allure.


    She couldn''t help but admire it silently. She took the cup and drank it in one go. "Another cup, please. Thank you."


    Surprisingly, he didn''t refuse and filled another cup for her.


    She was a little surprised.


    Thinking back on her interactions with Stephan, she realized that there had always been moments of tension, shes, and tests between them. Yet, after this experience, things seemed to have gotten better. She looked at him gratefully, and after finishing the two cups of water, she felt like she hade back to life, her body finally feeling at ease.


    Because of the IV drip, Felicia didn''t feel hungry anymore. She asked, "Which hospital is this?"


    "A hospital in a nearby county," he replied, though he didn''t remember the county''s name.


    "Oh." She figured it was the closest county to Alverton, so it made sense they hade here first.


    Then, an idea crossed her mind. "I''d like to make a call to let everyone know I''m okay. Do you have a phone?"


    Her phone had been washed away when she fell into the water, and Stephan''s was likely lost as well. "No."


    "Alright..." She nodded. The IV drip was almost done, and once it was removed, she nned to borrow a phone from the nurse to let the vige know she was safe.


    Otherwise, the news of her ident would likely drive Macey crazy.


    She also wondered where Shawn was and if he had been caught.


    She remembered that Stephan had saved Lucas when she grabbed the vine after sliding down the slope. Though she hadn''t seen it, she had heard Shawn''s screams.


    She guessed that Shawn must have been severely injured and captured by Charles and the vigers. Given


    his nature, he might even have sent Shawn to the hospital for treatment.


    Felicia couldn''t sit still any longer. She threw off the nket and prepared to ask the nurse at the nurse''s station.


    If her guess was correct, Shawn must have been brought to the same hospital!


    Seeing her movement, Stephan spoke up. "What are you doing? Do you need to use the bathroom again?"


    "No..."


    She casually exined, "I wanted to look for the one who attacked me yesterday. He might have been brought here too. I wanted to check."


    He didn''t move to step aside, blocking her path.


    She blinked. "Do you have something to say?"N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    He tugged at the corner of his


    mouth and spoke in a low, almost teasing tone. "Since you have so much energy and are eager to care about others'' matters, I''d like to ask what about my question from yesterday? You haven''t answered it."

 Chapter 178

    Stephan''s question from yesterday?


    Felicia had a good memory, and of course, she remembered exactly what he had asked before she fell from the small cliff-"Felicia, did you steal my jacket that day?"


    He was referring to the morning after the engagement banquet.


    She had known he''d suspected her, but since she hadn''t left any evidence, there was no reason for him to catch her in the act, so she had just brushed it off with a few casual responses. Who would have thought he would be so persistent, even pressing her for an answer?


    Felicia wasn''t about to tell the truth. She immediately put on her best performance, looking innocent as she replied, "How could that be? Why would I steal your jacket? Mr. Russell, you must be mistaken." It was perfect acting! She silently gave herself a thumbs-up.


    Stephan''s probing gaze fixed on her for a while, but she didn''t avoid his stare. Her face was full of sincerity and openness, showing no signs of guilt.


    He was both amused and angry. He took a step closer.


    "Alright. Let me ask a different question then."


    Felicia''s heart skipped a beat. She had a bad feeling.


    "The person in my room that night... It was you, wasn''t it?"


    She was taken aback.


    He stepped forward again, leaving her no room to retreat. The space between them had closed to a dangerously close distance. She had no choice but to back up until her back hit the wall, unable to escape. The once spacious room now felt cramped, and the scent of disinfectant in the air was soon reced by the faint, cold fragrance of the man standing before her.


    It was surprisingly pleasant.


    She considered herself not short, but in front of Stephan, who was 6''1", she felt small, pitiful, and helpless.


    But he wasn''t about to let her off. He


    pushed the topic out into the open, asking point-nk, "On the night of October 30th, at Pristine Hall, as it


    you who barged into my room after I had been drugged?"


    Felicia''s pupils were slightly dted.


    It wasn''t so much that she was surprised by his blunt question but more by his tant twisting of the facts that angered her!


    She fumed. "You shamelessly


    twisted


    your roomuth! I didn''t barge into


    You dragged me in there!


    I haven''t even gotten a chance to protest yet, and you''re..."


    Before she thought, the words came spilling out.


    After speaking, her toes curled inward.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    It was over. She had just inadvertently confessed.


    Seeing the storm brewing in his dark eyes, she quickly protected her neck, her anger bubbling up to the surface. She decided to vent her frustrationpletely.


    "We''re adults aren''t we? It was just a


    one-night stand, so why are you clinging to me about it? I won''t be. responsible for you, and I don''t need you to be responsible for me! We owe each other nothing, so just forget about it!"


    She sounded aggrieved as she spoke, muttering, "I''ll just consider it a nightmare."


    With her head lowered, Felicia didn''t notice the faint glimmer or a hint of a smile that shed across Stephan''s deep gaze as she finished speaking. But when she spoke thest sentence, his expression darkened.


    A nightmare? Heh...


    She was quite charming, but the words she spewed were enough to drive anyone mad!


    Felicia was still fuming and muttering as though trying to convince herself. She said softly, "Yes, it was like a nightmare. It''s really no big deal..." It was time for her to quiet down.


    Stephan''s gaze turned dangerously dark. The next moment, he gripped her chin, lowered his head, and forcefully silenced her chatter with a kiss.

 Chapter 179

    As the warmth and sweetness blended, what had started as a simple intent to silence Felicia with a hint of anger suddenly took on an entirely different meaning. It only took one second to lose control.


    Stephan, who prided himself on being calm, had never experienced such a thing. The suppressed and long-hidden thoughts in his heart surged forward like unleashed beasts, tightening their grip, conquering everything in their path. It was like that wild night.


    She was utterly stunned, murmuring, "Mm... Wait!"


    Her protests were, of course, futile.


    It wasn''t until the door to the ward was pushed open by two of his subordinates. "Mr. Russell, we got the new phone, and the SIM card has been reced. Also, we brought some food..."


    Upon seeing the scene inside the room, the two subordinates froze, their words stuck in their throats.


    Huh? What was going on?


    Stephan turned his head, his voice cold. "Get out!"


    The two subordinates snapped out of their daze, quickly leaving the room and closing the door tightly behind them.


    Felicia was speechless.


    It was precisely because of this interruption that she returned to her senses. She pushed him away with all her strength, her face red as an apple.


    As soon as she pushed him, a sharp pain shot through her hand. The IV needle immediately backflowed with blood, and she quickly lowered it to ease the flow.


    Thankfully, the IV had finished, and she immediately pressed the call button, ring at Stephan in frustration.


    Stephan wiped his lips, which Felicia''s teeth had cut.


    She was ruthless.


    She stood warily in the corner, her clothes intact, but she was slightly out of breath from the kiss. Her eyes, though furious, were still glistening with unshed tears, making her look more vulnerable than threatening.


    He hadn''t expected his usually unwaveringposure to falter so easily in front of her, just like that uncontroble night.


    He had known all along that it was Felicia.


    When the nurse entered, she


    immediately sensed something was off. Her gaze flickered between them, and even when she removed the IV there was a hint of excitement, as if she was eager to gossip.


    Felicia tried to act calm, not letting anyone see her difort.


    But what she didn''t know was that after the kiss, her lips were slightly red, and Stephan''s lip had been bitten, blood oozing from the wound. The sight of the handsome man''s face now added a hint of danger and


    allure.


    The nurse collected the IV bag and, once back at her station, would likely share the juicy details with her colleagues.


    Felicia pressed the needle mark on her hand, ring at Stephan warily before quickly slipping out of the room.


    She went to the nurse''s station to borrow a phone, but when she dialed it, she realized she couldn''t remember Charles'' number!


    She didn''t know anyone else''s number either.


    She mostlymunicated with Macey, but those calls were always made with a single press of the button, and she had never bothered to memorize the numbers.


    So, she changed her approach, asking the nurse if a person named Shawn had been admitted.


    "He was brought in eitherst night or this morning with injuries on his hands. I''m his sister. Can you tell me how he''s doing? Which floor is he on, and which ward?" Felicia got the information she wanted.


    Just as she had guessed, Charles


    had indeed sent Shawn here, and


    .n


    after over three hours of emergency treatment, his life was saved. However, one of his hands waspletely crippled, and seven of his ribs were broken, with the other injuries less severe.


    After hearing the details, she couldn''t help but feel that he deserved it.


    The kick from Stephan had directly broken seven of Shawn''s ribs, and it was truly terrifying. She touched her neck and decided to visit Shawn''s room.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    It was in the same building, but not on the same floor.


    As she followed the signs to the elevator, she caught sight of Stephan approaching from the corner of her eye. Without thinking, she immediately turned and ran!


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 Chapter 180

    Stephan blocked Felicia at the stairwell.


    "Why are you running?"


    She froze for a moment and thought, "Why am I running? I haven''t done anything wrong."


    She straightened and replied, "Why are you chasing me then?"


    He replied irritably, "If you didn''t run, would I chase you?"


    That made sense.


    Felicia was at a loss for words. Fortunately, the hospital stairwell wasn''t empty. People asionally passed by, throwing curious nces at them. It was better than being alone together in the ward. At least there wouldn''t be any awkward tension.


    Felicia pulled her neck in. She still remembered Stephan''s obsession with cleanliness. When she identally fell into his arms before, he had warned her with a hand around her throat. She held a grudge. "You''re not going to choke me again, are you?"


    He choked, seemingly recalling his previous actions. He looked slightly ufortable but quickly returned to normal, saying, "I''m going back to Khogend."


    "So?" She didn''t quite understand. Did he chase after her just to say that?


    Something felt off. Was that really all he wanted to say?


    Stephan''s expression darkened when he saw Felicia''s defensive look. He shoved the phone with the new SIM card into her hands and turned to leave.


    His tall, slender figure seemed to carry some anger, and the air around him grew tense and cold.


    She stared at the new phone, deep in thought.


    Some things... had changed.


    "Phew." Felicia took a deep breath. With the new SIM card, she could call and let everyone know she was safe.


    She opened the phone''s contact list and found a new number sitting at the top.


    The contact wasbeled-Stephan.


    Her heart trembled. A strange feeling washed over her like a stone had been thrown into the calme


    waters, creating ripples fr Stone


    nowhere.


    She scrolled down and found Macey''s number, quickly dialing it.


    After a few beeps, the phone was picked up, but it wasn''t Macey. It was Romeo Todd, who lived next door.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Licia? Is that you?"


    "Mr. Todd, it''s me. I''m fine."


    Hearing that she was safe, he patted his leg in relief. She then briefly exined how she was rescued, leaving out Stephan''s involvement and simply saying the water swept her away,ter saving her and bringing her to the hospital.


    After saying all that, Felicia clenched the phone tightly and asked, "Mr. Todd, where''s Nana?"


    There was a long silence on the other end.


    Her expression shifted. She asked again, "Mr. Todd, where is she? Why isn''t she answering my call?" After a brief pause, Romeo sighed deeply.


    "Licia, I need you to stay calm. This afternoon, Macey had an attack... She... She''s gone."


    An hourter, Felicia arrived back at Alverton.


    She exited the taxi and ran into


    Macey''s house, where many people had already gathered outside. As she heard the sounds of crying from inside, she staggered backward.

 Chapter 181

    The main hall of Macey''s house was packed with people.


    A wooden bed was ced in the center, with Macey lying peacefully on it. The once warm and caring woman who hadforted Felicia was now lying still, eyes closed, with a serene expression. It was the image of a crumpled hundred dors pieced together, given with the words, "Take it and pay for your tuition. A hardworking child like you shouldn''t be let down."


    It was Macey who saw her, hungry yet still washing clothes. She took warm boiled eggs and two sandwiches from her pocket, whispering, "Eat these quickly and quietly so the others don''t see." It was the look of pity, apanied by a sigh, "Poor child."


    It was the smile as she patted her head, full of kindness, saying, "Licia, you''re the best girl in the world!"


    It was the day before, when Macey had asked someone to catch some small fish, saying, "You little glutton, wait for me. I will fry you some fish filets."


    Felicia''s throat tightened. The breeze felt cold against her face.


    A basket of freshly cleaned small fishy on the stove, ready to be fried, but it hadn''t been done yet.


    But sadly, she would never get to eat it again.


    She slowly walked up to the bed and looked at Macey''s face. The vigers had already helped care for everything, changing her clothes and fixing her hair, making her look like she was merely sleeping.


    Felicia turned to look at Romeo, who sighed and said, "Licia, don''t me yourself. It''s not your fault. We kept the news of your disappearance quiet. Macey didn''t know anything. We told her you had just gone missing, and everyone was looking for you.


    "She was taking an afternoon nap, peacefully, and then... She never woke up. Her health had always been poor. She often said that this day woulde sooner orter. She had heart problems and couldn''t let go of the guilt from something that happened many years ago.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Over time, despite seeming fine on the outside, her body had already begun to deteriorate."


    Macey had two daughters and a grandson, but they had all died in a car ident more than ten years ago while on their way back to Alverton.


    Since then, she had lived with guilt and regret. It was an unshakable burden in her heart.


    Felicia had heard these stories from the vigers before, but now, she regretted not saying more to Macey when she left. She had only briefly greeted Macey before heading to Hillfort, never imagining it would be theirst meeting.


    If she had known, she would have said moreforting words.


    She lowered her head, feeling a deep ache in her heart.


    Romeo gently patted Felicia''s shoulder, saying, "Licia, try to take it easy. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are all part of life. And these years with your care, Macey was very content. Besides, look at her peaceful, smiling face-she surely didn''t want you to be sad


    She nodded. Though she understood the words, her tears were unstoppable.


    The vige took care of Macey''s funeral arrangements, with Romeo organizing everything. Since her children were gone, he was her only family left.


    The vigers, kind-hearted and


    warm, had arranged for the night vigil. Everything was proceeding smoothly Since Romeo was over 50, he had a more rxed view on these matters. Seeing Felicia still looking pale, he asked Aya Hardin to take her to their home.


    "Licia, it''s too noisy here. Go back with Aya and get some rest. Have a good sleep, alright?"


    Felicia left with them. As she left the courtyard, a small white puppy ran to her feet, circling and whining loudly. "Cloud?"


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 Chapter 182

    Felicia was stunned momentarily, recalling the night before when she had been on the cliff edge. Stephan had been with the little white dog, but after they both fell, the dog was left behind and brought back down the mountain with the vigers to Macey''s house. Now that Macey was gone, Cloud could only be given to someone else to care for.


    For some reason, this made her think of Stephan.


    He had taken Cloud with him that day, so it seemed like he really liked it. If so, should she bring it to him in Khogend?


    As she thought about this, she crouched and picked it up, gently patting its empty stomach-no wonder it had been whining so pitifully.


    She took Cloud back to Romeo''s house. He had adopted it first, so she ced it next to the big dog. The big dogzily opened its eyes, nced at the puppy, and then went back to sleep.


    Cloud immediately tried to nurse, but after a few tries, it returned to Felicia''s feet and whined.


    Aya saw this andughed, "The big dog doesn''t have milk anymore, so it probably won''t get anything. But the meal will be ready soon. We''ll give them some mushroom pasta."


    "Okay."


    Aya was quick and efficient. In no time, several dishes were prepared. Felicia didn''t have much of an appetite but ate a small serving. She had caught a cold yesterday and had a high fever. Though her temperature had dropped, she was still prone to getting a low fever if she wasn''t careful.


    After taking two pills, she helped Aya clean up the table. By this time, it was already past midnight.


    She had slept too long during the day and couldn''t fall asleep now. She put on another coat and stepped outside. Cloud was now full of energy. As soon as it saw her, it bounded over.


    This time, it bit onto the hem of her pants and began pulling her toward Macey''s house.


    Was it trying to go home?


    Felicia picked up Cloud, stroking its head. Even a tiny puppy could be so sensitive and affectionate, while some people were worse than animals...


    Her eyes turned cold as she looked at the group of people approaching.


    Ka and Arnold were at the front, with Olivia and her followers at the back.


    When Ka saw Felicia, a look of disbelief shed across her face. Her nails dug into her flesh, especially when she saw that Felicia waspletely unharmed. But she hid her emotions quickly and gave a surprised expression.


    "Felicia! You''re alright! That''s such a relief! Thank goodness!"


    Arnold nced at Felicia, relieved at first, but his tone shifted to one of reproach the next moment. "Since you''re fine, why did you worry so many of us? Did you know Ka cried the whole day?"


    He was angry that she had returned without informing anyone.


    Only by chance did they find out Felicia hade back when a viger mentioned it. Otherwise, they would have thought she was still missing. Thus, they''d nned to rest for a night before deciding how to send people to look for her.


    When they heard the news, Arnold came over immediately to see for himself. Only after confirming Felicia''s safety did he feel relief.


    But along with that relief came a strange irritation.


    He was annoyed that she hadn''t considered them at all. The feeling of being ignored and neglected left him very displeased!Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


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 Chapter 183

    Felicia couldn''t help butugh.


    If it were any other time, she would have had the energy to retort to each of them, but today, she was genuinely too tired and uninterested, so she just responded coldly, "Do we have a close rtionship? Do I really need to report to you?" "You-"


    Arnold''s first thought was that he was her fianc¨¦! How could she say that?


    But with so many people around, he wasn''t about to admit that, or it would be humiliating. He quickly changed his approach, saying, "I''m the leader of this team. If something happens to you, wouldn''t I be responsible? "Besides, we''ve been looking for you for so long, and you didn''t even say thank you. Do you have a conscience?"


    "Oh, thank you then." Felicia''s tone was indifferent. Although the "thank you" was sincere, it sounded weak because she was still unwell.


    However, it seemed dismissive to Arnold and Ka.


    In a pitiful tone, Ka said, "Felicia, we were really worried about you. We didn''t sleep at allst night trying to find you!"


    Although, in reality, only the bodyguards and drivers Arnold had sent out and the vigers were actually looking for her, she had to make it sound more dramatic.


    Moreover, they had been exhausted from looking all afternoon. They weren''t invincible and needed rest.


    Felicia suspected she hadn''t rified herself enough, so she added, "Thank you for your kindness. I''ll treat everyone to a meal when I get a chance. It''s veryte now, so you should all go to rest. I need to rest too." That should have been enough, right?


    Felicia held Cloud and turned to head back. Ka gritted her teeth, unwilling to let it go. She hadn''t expected Felicia to simply let things slide without getting angry. Instead, she spoke such polite words. She didn''t want to see Felicia getting along peacefully with others!This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Just as Ka was about to speak again, Olivia suddenly pointed to the house next door and said, "Wasn''t Felicia staying next door? Why does it look like they''re holding a funeral over there?"  en


    Arnold froze. His attention had been fully on Felicia, but hearing that, he turned and looked. Sure enough, he saw the funeral preparations next door. Had Macey passed away?


    He had personally seen how Felicia


    vel.i


    treated Macey. She didn''t go anywhere else on the first day she arrived in Alverton. She went straight to Macey''s house. They were cooking together, and it looked warm and harmonious, like a real grandmother and granddaughter pair.


    Even though he had asked around, he knew that Felicia and Macey weren''t rted by blood; they were neighbors.


    Moreover, Felicia had only lived in the vige for a few years before leaving, so it shouldn''t have been such a deep bond.


    In his impression, she was cold and indifferent to everyone, even her biological parents. She had a thorny personality, and anyone who got close would be pricked.


    The only person she seemed close to was Macey. But now, Macey had passed away.


    Arnold looked back at Felicia and saw her swollen eyes. Her face was pale, and no wonder her wordscked strength.


    Even though she had returned safely, she had fallen into such cold water and been swept away for a day and night.


    Instead of showing concern, he arrived and immediately started lecturing her.


    He swallowed hard, and his tone softened. "Rest well. I''ll help you ask for leave from the vice principal for the next few days."


    She was somewhat surprised he


    would say this, but she was too


    exhausted to consider his intentions. She nodded and returned to Aya''s house to close the door and est.


    Ka looked at Arnold in disbelief; even the others who hade along exchanged looks, clearly watching the situation unfold.


    But he didn''t see anything wrong. He simply turned and left.

 Chapter 184

    Ka maintained a sweet and kind demeanor in front of others and smiled at everyone. "Arnie is right. Since Felicia is fine now, we should head back." Her followers naturally agreed, so they all left together.


    Ka deliberatelygged behind Olivia. Once everyone was gone, she could no longer hide the anger and resentment on her face. Her voice wasced with venom as she asked, "Olivia, what happened in the past two days? Why is Arnie constantly defending Felicia?" Olivia nearlyughed out loud.


    She remembered the evening of the first day they arrived in Alverton when she had tried to create trouble for Felicia, only to be taught a lesson by her. Afterward, she and her followers nned to make a scene at the Garcia residence. However, Arnold stopped them halfway.


    At that time, she asked him if the person being bullied had been Ka instead of Felicia, he would still have chosen to help Felicia.


    She remembered his answer clearly.


    He said, "Firstly, it''s about the situation, not the person. Secondly, you''re not Ka. Thirdly, Ka is kinder than you. She wouldn''t do such a thing."


    Was Ka kind?


    Indeed, everyone knew that Ka appeared sweet and kind in public, so much so that even Olivia and others had tried to iste and bully Felicia to help Ka.


    They even formed a little group to force Felicia out of the school!


    But those who didn''t know the truth weren''t aware that Ka was far from a good person behind the scenes. She used her sweet, fragile image to manipte others into doing her bidding. So, while the bad reputation fell on others, she always remained pure, innocent, and harmless!


    Hmph! Olivia wasn''t unaware of Ka''s maniptive ways, but she disliked Felicia''sposed attitude even more, so she dly went along with everything under the pretense of helping Ka.


    She even went against Felicia several times until Arnold harshly reprimanded her, leaving her unable to swallow her frustration!


    Thinking about this, she couldn''t


    help but feel a sense of


    schade. She exaggerated the


    events from that day and said,


    "Ka, on the day you weren''t in


    Alverton, Mr. Lawson was following


    Felicia around.


    "I saw her kick Mr. Lawson, but he didn''t get angry. Instead, he kept following her. Could it be he''s interested in her?


    "Also, since you weren''t around that


    night, I decided to help you get back


    at her! But when I tried, she hit me couldn''t take it, so I gathered a few people to get revenge. But he stopped me. He wouldn''t let me touch her!"


    Olivia looked at Ka''s increasingly twisted expression and fanned the mes further, "Mr. Lawson said that as long as he''s around, I shouldn''t even think aboutying a finger on Felicia!" "Did he really say that?" Ka''s hands were trembling.


    "Of course! Why would I lie to you?" Olivia raised an eyebrow and clicked her tongue. You saw it too. What did Mr. Lawson do when Felicia had her ident yesterday? He was worried! And today, he''s defending her again. I won''t believe it if you say he doesn''t care about her


    Ka closed her eyes. She had sensed Arnold''s strange behavior a long time ago.


    For example, when she first saw Felicia at the gate of the Fuller residence...Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    And when Matthew insisted that Felicia be his granddaughter-inw, and during that highly publicized engagement banquet, Arnold wavered and pushed her away, saying, "I only see you as a sister." Heh... A sister?


    The jealousy inside Ka was so overwhelming that it nearly consumed her. Her eyes were filled with murderous intent, so sharp and terrifying that Olivia instinctively took a few steps back.


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 Chapter 185

    ?


    Chapter 185


    It felt like Ka''s gaze could kill...


    Olivia''s heart skipped a beat. Although she knew Ka was sweet on the outside but ruthless on the inside, she was still frightened by the viciousness in Ka''s eyes.


    Could she really be serious about killing someone?


    Olivia kept her distance, realizing that her previous words may have been too much. Although Arnold had stopped her, he never actually said anything about not letting anyoney a finger on Felicia. She had exaggerated to provoke Ka.


    She swallowed nervously and decided to try to smooth things over, saying, "Ka, don''t be too upset. Anyway, Mr. Lawson still cares about you. You two are childhood sweethearts, destined to be together. How could Felicia, who''s only known him briefly,pete with you?


    But she didn''t know that these words had different meanings for Ka.


    Felicia had only appeared recently, yet she had made Arnold obsessed with her. Matthew''s strong stance that Felicia must marry Arlond made it clear that his heart was wavering.


    Sooner orter, he would fall for her. When that time came, Ka would be theughingstock of the whole city!


    She took a deep breath, trying to suppress the murderous rage inside her. She had to be thankful for one thing-Matthew''s insistence that Arnold marry Felicia. His stubborn nature meant the more he was forced, the more he would resist.


    No one understood him better than she did. His personality wasplicated-even if he had feelings for Felicia, he would never admit it.


    There was still hope. There was still time...


    Ka kept reassuring herself. When she looked up, she noticed Olivia had moved a few steps back, keeping a safe distance from her. Her face still held a look of shock and fear.


    Ka''s expression returned to normal, her smile sweet as ever. "Oh, Olivia, why are you so far away? Come on, let''s head back and rest."


    "You... You..." Olivia marveled at how quickly Ka''s mood had shifted. She decided to stay farther away from Ka in the future, but still, her curiosity got the better of her, and she asked, "Would you really hurt Felicia?"


    "Pfft!" Kaughed lightly, teasing, "What are you talking about? Do you think I''m that kind of person? Besides, Felicia is my sister. As long as she''s okay, it''s no concern."


    Olivia shuddered, clearly unconvinced, but all she could say was, "I suppose you''re right. Let''s go back then."


    Ka wanted to say, "What nonsense are you talking, fool? Even if I were to make a move, would I be stupid enough to tell you so that you can use it against me?"


    None of them noticed that a tall figure slipped away from a dark corner after they walked away, arm in arm.


    The next few days passed in rare peace.


    The vige was busy with Macey''s funeral. At the same time, Andrew continued to lead the students back and forth to the vige, helping impoverished families repair their houses, cleaning for the elderly, teaching children, and distributing donated supplies like books and stationery.


    Once the funeral arrangements were over and Felicia had recovered, she returned to the training camp.


    In the calm that followed, one incident urred.


    That was when Shawn, who had been sent to the hospital, escaped.


    Charles had arranged for two vigers to watch Shawn, fearing something like this would happen. Initially, Shawn, who had been rescued, seemed to behave himself. However, after two or three days, he imed he needed to use the restroom during a routine check-up and disappeared.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    The news enraged Charles, who stomped his feet in frustration. He immediately informed Felicia. She wasn''t surprised at all.

 Chapter 186

    ?


    Chapter 186


    There was no evidence for the two things Shawn did. Even if they reported it to the police, they couldn''t arrest him. First, no one was killed, and second, there was only the testimony of a five-year-old child. What kind of crime could they charge him with?


    Moreover, he would probably have been overjoyed even if they had arrested him. For him, it was a chance to escape the debt collectors led by Lance. He would be thrilled, thinking he had dodged a bullet.


    Felicia casually called Lance, instructing him to hurry up and find Shawn. If he couldn''t pay, they should continue with the usual punishment.


    Hearing this, Lance was eager to help. This was his area of expertise, and given that Melvin had already given orders, how could he dare to cross Felicia? He immediately got to work.


    She suspected that Shawn dared to escape because he had received money from Ka.


    Very well, as long as there was a transfer, there would be a record.


    Soon, 20 days passed in the blink of an eye.


    After the training camp ended, the students packed up again and boarded the bus. This time, even the vigers from Hillfort came down the mountain to see them off.


    Unlike theints and grievances before they arrived, most of the students were moved when they saw the sincere gratitude in the eyes of the vigers before them.


    When they received things from hands weathered by hardships and calloused from years ofbor, they couldn''t help but feel a deep sense of emotion.


    The vige head of Hillfort rubbed his hands, smiling a little sheepishly. "The people in our vige don''t have much to offer. It''s all local-smoked ham, homegrown fruits, and cabbage. We hope you won''t mind."


    These items were from every household, so everyone received something.


    Charles and the vigers from Alverton also sent many gifts, including a basket of boiled eggs and several boxes of freshly picked strawberries.


    All this generosity was because of Felicia. She waved at them.


    The bus slowly started and headed back the way they came.


    On the road, the students in the bus became lively again. Some yed games, made phone calls, and loudly discussed their experiences over the past few days, sharing boiled eggs and strawberries.


    Felicia sat at the back, gazing out of the window, until a clean hand extended toward her-a small piece of bread from the woman sitting in front of her.


    She was a little surprised. Her school reputation was bad, and she had no connection with her ssmates. Most of them either mocked her or isted her in groups.


    Besides the woman, a man nearby smiled at her, his ears slightly reddened, looking quite shy.


    Felicia returned a faint smile and epted the small piece of bread from the woman. "Thank you."


    "You''re wee! We''re all ssmates."


    The other men and women around them said, "Yeah, we''re all ssmates. Maybe there were some misunderstandings before, but let''s all get along well from now on!"


    They had excluded Felicia before because of Ka and Arnold, but mostly they were just following the crowd.


    However, many students interacted with Felicia during their time in Alverton. After spending time with her, they understood her better than just hearing others talk about her.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Naturally, they had less hostility toward her.


    She smiled, and her backpack at her feet shifted. A small round head peeked out from inside, and immediately, a woman screamed, "Wow! It''s Cloud!"


    Cloud pawed at Felicia''s pants, persistently hiding behind her legs.

 Chapter 187

    ?


    Chapter 187


    Felicia carefully ced Cloud on herp.


    When leaving Alverton, Felicia, like when she arrived, didn''t take anything except for Cloud.


    With Macey gone and the big dog at Romeo''s house having just given birth to a litter of puppies waiting to be adopted, she decided to take Cloud with her.


    She couldn''t keep it at the Fuller residence. In her previous life, her hands had been crippled, and she also developed psychological problems, so she raised a cat. But the next day, the little cat was found dead on her windowsill.


    It was Ka''s doing.


    She remembered Ka''s smug look as she said, "The little cat is cute, but too bad it was unlucky enough to be yours, so it had to die."


    Even though Felicia went toin to Dexter and Myra, they found her troublesome. In their seemingly gentle yet dismissive tone, they replied, "It''s just a cat. Ka didn''t do it on purpose. If you feel bad, we''ll buy you another one."


    Since then, Felicia never kept any pets again.


    She had already decided to give Cloud to Stephan when the time came. If he didn''t want it, she would keep it in her single dorm room.


    The women in the back row fed Cloud snacks, asionally ying with it. The atmosphere was quite harmonious.


    Ka and Arnold sat in the front row together.


    When Ka heard the noise from the back, a sh of displeasure crossed her eyes, but she didn''t show it in front of everyone. She yawned, leanedfortably on Arnold''s shoulder, and coquettishly said, "Arnie, I''m tired. Can I sleep for a while?"


    "Mm."


    After the shocking incident where she hade to find him and ended up in a car ident, he had be more indulgent toward her. He had been taking care of her these days and fulfilled every little request she had.


    The trip back to Khogend was an eight-hour journey, with breaks at rest areas along the highway.


    Felicia also took Cloud off the bus to get some fresh air.


    Cloud ran around joyfully but never too far. asionally, it would roll over in front of her, looking clumsy and adorable.


    She took several close-up shots with her phone, but she couldn''t help but think back to Stephan''s kiss that day at the hospital.


    Since that day, there had been no word from him, not even a phone call.


    She couldn''t help but let out a sigh of relief.


    It was for the best. Everything that happened before was in the past, and they were even


    now. No one needed to cause trouble for the other, and she could pretend that night never happened.


    After resting enough, everyone got back on the bus.


    Once everyone was seated, Andrew stood up and counted the number of people. After confirming everything was correct, he allowed the driver to continue.


    The women sitting beside Felicia were scrolling through their phones and talking about thetest gossip. They were all excited and pulled her into the conversation.


    She nced at their screen. It was a video from a luxury brand''s event featuring the famous young actress Abbie, who had just been named their global ambassador.


    Abbie? The name sounded familiar.


    The women around her were already discussing it. One woman said excitedly, "A global ambassador! They''re giving such a huge opportunity to a rookie with no major work yet! Tsk... Lance is really something!"


    "Not only that but apart from this global ambassador role, didn''t she also announce a few other endorsements recently? Other celebrities can''t even keep up with her rise!"Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    "I heard her first movie ising out the day after tomorrow, and she''s got top-tier stars in supporting roles. There''s no way this movie will flop!"


    "Wow, that makes me even more curious about her backer. Whoever supported her must have huge power and financial resources to raise her so high!"


    "You guys still don''t know? The backer is a big shot from Seldvale, one of the wealthiest and


    most powerful people!"


    "Holy crap!"

 Chapter 188

    ?


    Chapter 188


    Amidst the rising sounds of gasps, a curious man who wasn''t much of a gossip lover, couldn''t resist, so he leaned over and weakly asked, "Who is it?"


    The woman who had spoken earlier wore an expression of disbelief. "Are you really that clueless? I already said it''s a big shot from Seldvale. The hint was almost too obvious. Since you peeled the eggs for me, I''ll tell you... this big shot is..."


    She paused, building suspense, and then lowered her voice, satisfied, "Stephan!"


    Stephan was a big shot who controlled the global economic lifeline! Just mentioning his name made some people show awe, while others had faces full of reverence and admiration.


    He was a far-off existence for them.


    The man who asked the question muttered, "Is that true? But I''ve heard that Mr. Russell never shows interest in women..."


    "Your idea of not being interested in women doesn''t mean he''s not ying around behind the scenes."


    That made sense.


    The crowd nodded in agreement and then began discussing Abbie''s looks, eachProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Before Abbie''s fame, her photos were pretty, butpared to her current stunning appearance, she felt like apletely different person.


    The saying "being nurtured by wealth" was no exaggeration.


    "Abbie''s offline event is in Khogend, and I heard two more events areing up. Let''s go and check it out. Who knows, we might get an autograph or a photo!"


    "Yeah, that sounds great!"


    While gently petting Cloud''s sleepy head, Felicia didn''t join in their conversation. She quietly listened, but as she thought about Stephan''s unpredictable temper, she wondered if the rumors were true.


    Spending money for a woman''s favor...


    She paused for a moment, then suddenly thought, if that was the case, could it be that he had been bothering her multiple times after the herbal medicine incident because they had... a rtionship? Maybe he couldn''t exin it to that actress, so he was so angry.


    Hmm... It was possible.


    Should she give Cloud to him?


    Felicia hesitated but still hadn''t figured it out by the time the bus returned to school, and all


    the students got off.


    Meanwhile, at the Russell estate halfway up the mountain, Stephan listened to his subordinate''s report, a faint smile curling at the corners of his lips.


    "Mr. Russell, Ms. Fuller has returned to school and brought that little white dog with her."


    "I see."


    She had really angered him thest time at the hospital. She actually asked, "Do adults still have to take responsibility for something like this?"


    Was it unnecessary?


    He snorted coldly. Since Felicia brought Cloud back, it must have been because she knew he liked it and wanted to give it to him.


    In that case, he would forgive her.


    Stephan was in a good mood and instructed, "When shees, have here to see me.''


    His subordinate wanted to ask, "How do you know she''lle?"


    But they wanted toin even more about how he had just looked so gloomy, yet now he seemed to be in a good mood, even a little happy.


    It was just a dog Felicia brought back. Why was he this pleased?


    The subordinate silentlyined in their mind but respectfully replied, "Understood, Mr. Russell."

 Chapter 189

    ?


    Chapter 189


    However, Felicia didn''t show up on the first day back in Khogend.


    On the second day, she still didn''te.


    Stephan''s expression darkened more and more until he called his subordinate on the third day and asked, "What has she been doing these past few days?"


    Was she that busy?


    The subordinate, of course, knew that the "she" being referred to could only be Felicia. Nervously, he replied, "These past few days, Ms. Fuller has gone to the library four times, went shopping once, and the rest of the time, she''s been attending sses."


    Stephanughed in anger.


    She had time to go shopping but no time to visit?


    The subordinate, feeling the cold gaze from him, cautiously suggested, "Mr. Russell, how about... we go visit her?"


    "No!" Stephan''s voice was icy, sharp, and dismissive.


    The subordinate quickly bent over and carefully backed out of the room. As he reached the door, he heard that calm, cold voice again. "Prepare the car."


    "Understood!"


    The subordinate quickly went to carry out the order.


    A sleek ck luxury car worth millions pulled up at the school entrance.


    Coincidentally, Felicia had just returned from outside the school carrying a package containing a chew toy for Cloud.


    In the past few days, it had gained some weight, and her biggest headache wasn''t its chewing habits but that it would bark loudly at night whenever students or teachers passed by the dorm. This had been driving her crazy.


    She hurried along, not noticing the ck luxury car parked under a tree by the side of the road. The car window was halfway down, and the sharp gaze of the person inside was fixated on her, filled with resentment and barely concealed anger.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    By the time she noticed and turned around, there was nothing there.


    The road was empty, with only a few street vendors setting up their stalls.


    She shook her head, telling herself she must be imagining things. She rushed back to the dorm with the package.


    As soon as she reached the dorm door, she heard Cloud excitedly barking and scratching at the door.


    Felicia opened the door, rubbed its head, and asked, "Cloud, would you like to go to Stephan''s ce today?"


    Cloud didn''t understand, but it still affectionately licked Felicia''s hand.


    Felicia had considered keeping it herself, but since it kept barking at night and disturbed the students in the next dorm, she couldn''t ignore it. She would be away for a whole day soon to assist Clive with some medical consultations.


    Cloud would be stuck alone in the small dorm room, which would be bad.


    After dinner, Felicia casually packed up and ced it in her bag in the evening, leaving the zipper open. It poked its head out, curiously looking around with its big, round eyes, appearing silly and adorable.


    She took a taxi and gave the address, but the car stopped at the Russell estate after over half an hour.


    She remembered that the Russell estate was unknown to the public, and no one even knew that Stephan hade to Khogend from Seldvale.


    After she paid the fare, the taxi drove off, and she took Cloud out of her bag and set it down on the ground.


    It was quite well-behaved, walking quietly beside her without running off.


    Just as she was about to ring the doorbell, an engine roaring toward her caught her attention. She saw a silver sports car approaching the Russell estate''s entrance. The car door opened, and a smooth, wless leg in silver high heels stepped out first.

 Chapter 190

    ?


    Chapter 190


    Then, a graceful figure emerged from the car.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    The woman was dressed in a red dress, short enough to reveal her delicate corbones and long, slender legs, drawing all eyes to her. But what caught attention even more was her face.


    Her beautybined innocence with allure, like a rose in full bloom, her eyes sparkling with captivating charm. Her long, wavy hair cascaded down her back, swaying in the wind.


    Felicia froze briefly, and the name "Abbie" popped into her mind.


    It wasn''t because she knew her personally, but because the gossip about Abbie had been discussed twice on the bus.


    A few days ago, on the way back from Alverton, the woman beside her had shown her a trending video of Abbie attending an event as the global ambassador for a luxury brand.


    That was why Felicia immediately recognized her.


    It was said that Stephan had spent a fortune for her.


    Felicia suddenly felt like she hade at the wrong time.


    While she was thinking this, Abbie also froze when she saw Felicia. This was the second time they had met.


    It was the first time she had been at Pristine Hall. That night, she had been invited by Laurence for the role of the third female lead. Before entering the room, she had bumped into the fleeing Felicia in a corner.


    Since she was in the entertainment industry, even though she was willing to make a deal with Laurence, she was still afraid of being recognized, so she wrapped herself tightly.


    That was why she recognized Felicia, but Felicia didn''t recognize her.


    But now, why was Felicia here on Stephan''s turf?


    ording to Abbie''s investigation, Felicia had some ongoing involvement with Arnold. The sensational engagement banquet at Pristine Hall and the true, long-lost daughter of Khogend''s richest family-everyone knew these two explosive news stories.


    Abbie clenched her hand, feeling a bit nervous.


    After that day, Stephan had made good on his promise to pensate" her, but aside from that, he refused to meet her, which made her uneasy.


    Seeing Felicia appear here now, Abbie felt a strong sense of panic. She walked up and greeted her first.


    "Ms. Fuller?"


    Felicia raised an eyebrow. "You know me?"


    "I''ve heard of you. Ms. Fuller, your engagement to Mr. Lawson caused a stir in the city. You two are a perfect match; I really envy you."


    Abbie smiled faintly, but her gaze remained focused on Felicia''s reaction.


    Hearing this, Felicia felt a brief sense of difort. She disliked Arnold, and of course, she disliked being associated with him.


    What perfect match?


    She made a face but patiently replied, "Ms. Finch, since you know about this, you should also know that the engagement was neverpleted. There''s no need to offer your blessings."


    Abbie flipped her hair. She was now famous and a rising star in the entertainment industry, with endorsements everywhere. Her face was stered on billboards across all kinds of shopping malls.


    In the future, she would reach even greater heights.


    So, it was no surprise that Felicia recognized her. She thought it was only natural.


    Abbie smiled slightly. She raised her chin, her tone nowced with a touch of arrogance." Ms. Fuller, it''s quitete. What are you doing here, at my fianc¨¦''s doorstep?"


    Fianc¨¦?


    Felicia was genuinely taken aback.


    Rumors had said that Abbie was Stephan''s woman, but it seemned true. And now, there was even the addedyer of being engaged?


    Felicia was stunned, but at that moment, Cloud at her feet suddenly started barking loudly at the vi.

 Chapter 191

    At some point, the intricately patterned, ancient iron gate slowly opened. The streetlights lining the path lit up one by one, and at the end of the marble-paved road, a tall and slender figure slowly approached. The man was dressed in a long ck woolen coat, a ck sweater, and a pair of pants that blended seamlessly with the night.


    But what stood out was thezy, nonchnt air about him-elegant and poised, yet mysterious.


    As he got closer, his strikingly handsome face became more vivid under the streetlights, exuding an even greater sense of dominance.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Abbie''s heart raced, and her breath seemed to pause momentarily.


    She was almost captivated by Stephan. Thinking of all the resources he had poured into her these past few months and the path he hadid for her, she couldn''t help but feel her heart race uncontrobly.


    In the past, when she struggled in the industry, facing scorn and constantly being undermined, her carefully earned roles were edited down to nothing simply because she offended a third-tier actor. She had been suppressed, and she was unable to rise to fame!


    But since that day, her fate had changed. He had only slightly raised his hand and spoken a word, and resources she had once only dreamed of were now at her feet.


    The so-called big names who once looked down on her now bowed to please her.


    How could she not be moved?


    But Abbie also knew in her heart that Stephan had no intention of meeting her apart from these resources. Even when she needed help, she could only rely on his subordinates to pass on her requests.


    For that reason, she had tried everything to meet him again, braving the cold winds in a short, sexy dress with meticulously applied makeup just to win his heart.


    She was confident that with her looks, no man could resist her!


    Under her heated gaze, he stopped just a few steps away. His peach blossom eyes were deep, with a cold glint flickering, but he gave a faint smile when his gaze swept over her. He spoke. "Come here."


    Abbie''s heart skipped a beat. She shed a bright and dazzling smile and ran toward him.


    But then he added indifferently, this time speaking directly to Felicia. "It''s cold outside. Come in."


    Abbie''s steps halted in an instant. The cold wind around her surged upward, making her feel as if she had fallen into an ice cavern.


    She looked at him in disbelief, and her stunned gaze quickly shifted to Felicia.


    Felicia felt a chill run down her spine, thinking this scene felt more like a battleground.


    Unfortunately, Cloud, upon seeing Stephan, barked happily and wagged its tail furiously like a propeller, quickly running toward him.


    Cloud eagerly tried to jump onto his leg, and with a swift motion, he picked it up. It let out a contented sound and curled into his arms.


    Felicia didn''t really want to step into Stephan''s domain. Afterpleting her task, she had intended to leave. But he seemed to sense her intentions and gave off a dangerous vibe. "Hmm?"


    She could only steel herself and step inside.


    Then, the massive iron gate of the estate slowly closed behind them. He didn''t acknowledge the person behind him, turning and walking away. In a panic, Abbie had to speak up to catch his attention.


    "Mr. Russell! I..." Abbie hesitated for a moment, then said, slightly aggrieved, "I''m cold, too."


    ording to the usual male thought process, at this moment, he would surely show some tenderness, but he didn''t have such instincts. Instead, he replied bluntly, "What


    does that have to do with me?"


    1.n

 Chapter 192

    Stephan thought, "Why should I care if you''re cold?"


    Abbie''s expression froze, her face pale as Stephan''s distant and indifferent attitude hit her. It was cold and heartless. She had no choice but to use her trump card, cautiously saying, "Mr. Russell, you promised topensate me..."


    Her voice was soft, and Felicia didn''t hear what she said as there was some distance between them. From her perspective, she could only see the beauty with tears in her eyes, making her seem even more pitiable.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    The night wind lifted the hem of Stephan''s coat as he turned around, looking at Abbie, still a few steps away. His lips curved into a faint, almost mocking smile.


    "Ms. Finch, I admire your ambition to climb up thedder. But am I too merciful, allowing you the courage to deceive me? And where do you get the nerve to im you are my fianc¨¦e?"


    Abbie''s face turned ghostly pale.


    Did she just get caught saying those words to Felicia? That was not the main issue. The real problem was the earlier part of his statement.


    Had he discovered the identity swap incident with the stolen clothes?


    Stephan''s tone was icy as he made another cold remark, "Smarten up."


    After that, he didn''t even look back to see how the people behind him reacted, turning and walking away. As he passed by Felicia, he reached out and yanked her along by the hood of her jacket, pulling her toward the vi. Felicia was speechless.


    Before she could even get angry, she felt a burning gaze on her back, making her ufortable.


    Following the difort, she looked over, and there she saw Abbie''s tear-streaked face, her eyes filled with resentment she couldn''t hide.


    The hatred was palpable.


    Felicia thought to herself, "Why am I involved in this? What did I do to deserve this? Why am I being dragged into someone else''s mess?" It was all so absurd!


    She couldn''t help but re at Stephan, muttering angrily, "You''re the one causing all the drama, not me. I''m just caught up in this nonsense... How is this my fault?"


    en


    Once the rant was over, she finally felt the biting cold dissipate, reced by warmth.


    Looking up, she realized she had already been pulled inside the vi by Stephan.


    There was a firece ahead, its warm mes dancing. The spacious vi''s living room was peaceful and cozy.


    As Felicia entered, two subordinates


    holding a stack of files froze


    momentarily. A desk nearby was


    piled high with papers and pens


    indicating that Stephan had been handling matters before her arrival.


    The subordinates quickly bowed and left, hurrying out with the files.


    Her eye twitched slightly as she snatched her hood back from Stephan''s hand, straightening her clothes, and said seriously, "I''m just here to drop off Cloud. Since you''re willing to take him in, I''m at ease now."


    She intended to leave, but he grabbed her again. She turned around sharply, irritated, "What are you doing? If you keep pulling on my clothes, they''ll tear!" Stephan ced Cloud on the ground, and Cloud, excited by the new environment, darted around, even crawling under the sofa, seemingly looking for treasure. He stared at her face, then asked, "Are you angry?"

 Chapter 193

    Felicia said irritably, "You''re pulling on my clothes. Of course, I''m angry.''"


    Stephan shook his head. "It''s not that kind of anger."


    "What kind of anger is it then?"


    "You''re angry because of that actress just now."


    She was left speechless momentarily, unable to believe he would say something like that. It sounded ambiguous.


    After a long pause, she finally asked, "Aren''t you uninterested in women?"


    "Yes."


    Stephan seemed to think briefly, his side profile sharp and defined. From Felicia''s angle, she could see his dark, slightly arched eyebrows and eyes, hidden beneath hisshes.


    His skin was smooth, his nose high, and his lips incredibly attractive. When they were slightly curled upward, the smile made her heart race.


    She was mesmerized, but he turned his head, and his deep, dark eyes met hers. The moonlight outside the window cast shadows, dimming everything around them, and yet he stood there, like a deity descending from the clouds, irresistiblymanding all her attention. "But if it''s you, I wouldn''t mind."


    Felicia was taken aback.


    She thought she had misheard. He... He just said what?Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    The atmosphere froze momentarily, and she finally regained herposure, realizing why he would say something that sounded almost like a confession.


    Ultimately, it was all about a sense of responsibility-because of that night a couple of months ago when they ended up together by chance.


    She cleared her throat. "Are you trying to take responsibility? Or do you just not dislike me, so you''re a little interested?"


    Stephan took a step closer, his cold.


    breath brushing against her, his tone hinting at yful, teasing intimacy. "I''m not sure, but if you want to


    know, we could do it again."


    Felicia nearly choked on his words!


    Her question was blunt; his answer was even blunter!


    He wasn''t sure if he wanted to take responsibility for that night or if he was just interested in her so they could repeat it and figure it out. She practically fled the scene. She couldn''t deal with this.


    As she rushed out of the vi, his voice came again from behind. She looked back and saw him holding Cloud, looking elegant with a hint of arrogance, saying, "I ept your dowry."


    Felicia was speechless.


    She hastily left the vi gates, and


    just as


    be


    up bee stepped out, a car pulled


    her. It was Stephan''s


    private car, recognizable by its distinctive license te.


    But he wasn''t in the car.


    The driver opened the back door and respectfully said, "Ms. Fuller, please get in. Mr. Russell asked me to take you back."


    Getting a taxi from the Russell estate wasn''t easy, so Felicia didn''t make things difficult for herself. She nodded slightly and got into the car. "Thank you." The luxury car sped smoothly away, its taillights disappearing into the distance.


    Stephan stood by therge window on the second floor, watching the car leave. After a moment, he seemed to remember something and called Mike. Mike, who had been ying with his daughter, was surprised to receive Stephan''s call. As usual, he teased him. "Mr. Russell, long time no see." Stephan said only one thing-"Keep an eye on your nephew; make sure he stays away from Felicia."


    Mike was stunned for a moment, his mind struggling to catch up. The call had ended, and the brief conversation confirmed it wasn''t a misunderstanding. He blinked and then burst intoughter.

 Chapter 194

    "Haha... Stephan, looks like it''s finally your turn today."


    ...


    Meanwhile, at a seven-star hotel in the center of Khogend, Abbie sat on the couch in the top-floor suite, surrounded by empty wine bottles scattered on the floor.


    Jamie hurried in to stop her. "Abbie, you have work tomorrow. You can''t drink anymore!"


    Abbie paused for a moment beforeughing and pouring herself another drink. "There won''t be anymore after this."


    "Stop fooling around! Everyone knows you''re at the peak of your career right now. There''s a long line of offers for you to choose from. Your first leading movie just came out, and although it''s only been two days and the box office isn''t great, that''s normal. What are you worried about?"


    "It''s not about the box office..."


    With red-rimmed eyes, Abbie looked utterly lost. Tears gradually welled up as despair filled her gaze. "He knows I lied to him..."


    Jamie froze, her heart tightening. "What did you say? Mr. Russell knows? He knows you''re not the woman he slept with that night?" Abbie choked up and nodded.


    Jamie copsed onto the floor, muttering, "When you took that risk, I knew it would eventually be exposed since it was a lie. I just didn''t think it would happen so soon..." "Jamie, what should I do now?"


    "I don''t know."


    The two of them looked at each other silently for a long time.


    Abbie poured herself another drink. This time, Jamie didn''t stop her. She murmured to herself, "I was too greedy. I brought this on myself, but I just can''t ept it!"


    The strong alcohol burned in her stomach like fire.


    Stephan''s "smarten up" sent a chill down her spine. At that moment, she realized that he had already seen through all the tricks she thought she had.


    She had taken his pensation", and received the coveted resources many envied, but she still let it slip that her backer was Stephan, spreading rumors about their supposed rtionship. She thought he wouldn''t care about those rumors, which could be true over time.


    But who knew...


    She shut her eyes. The image of his face, which had once made her dizzy with admiration, went away, and... Felicia appeared in her mind! She suddenly opened her eyes!


    She felt


    onto something crucial in that sh of insight She followed the thought


    ince she had stumbled


    further, and a suspicion surfaced.


    "Felicia Fuller... So, it was you..."


    "What are you talking about? Which Felicia Fuller?"Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Jamie looked confused. Although there wasn''t anyone named Felicia Fuller in their circle, the real heiress of Khogend''s richest family seemed to have that name.


    But what did this have to do with her?


    "Jamie!"


    Abbie grabbed Jamie''s shoulders tightly. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her gaze was a mix of drunkenness and madness. "Please help me!"


    ...


    It was a bright and sunny weekend when Felicia visited the Harmony Medical Center, where she met with Clive.


    Since Roberta''s death, he had been ill for some time; his hair had turned even grayer, and he no longer seemed as energetic as before. Felicia couldn''t find the right words tofort him.


    Instead, it was Clive who spoke first.


    "The vige that trafficked and


    imprisoned Clive has been


    away. They also tracked down other connections and buyers in thework. They all got what they


    deserved, and they''ve been dealt


    with."


    "I know." She nodded as she had provided information about that vige''s location and other details.


    The two sat in silence for a while.


    After a long pause, he spoke again. "Licia, you haven''t been to my house in a long time..."

 Chapter 195

    Felicia smiled but didn''t respond.


    Ever since the incident with Roberta, she had caused quite a stir within the Walsh family. Talia, the mastermind, ended up in prison. The three troublesome kids hated her to the core, not to mention Harvey.


    No one would wee her if she returned to the Walsh family, and she might even get schemed against again. What was the point of returning to a ce where she constantly had to be on guard, unable to even drink a ss of water?


    Seeing that Felicia didn''t say anything, Clive sighed, looking awkward. "I''m getting old, and there are many things I haven''t managed well. Even if I want to now, I''m powerless. But Harvey is still my son." It wasn''t like he could just cut him offpletely. She understood. She suddenly realized that Myra and Clive were indeed father and daughter in this respect. Their capacity for tolerance has the same limits.


    Clive protected Harvey, and Myra protected Ka in the same way.


    The words offort that had originally been on her tongue suddenly stopped working. She said, "Grandpa, I''ll leave now."


    "You''re leaving already? You just got here. Can you stay a little longer and sit with me? By the way, I brought the books you still need to finish. Take them with you and read them at your leisure."


    "No need, Grandpa. I finished them already. My memory is good. I''ve remembered everything." Felicia smiled slightly as she exined. "I''ve had a lot of schoolworktely. I''lle see you again next time."


    "Alright. Take care of yourself and stay safe."


    "Mm."


    Felicia left the Harmony Medical Center. It wasn''t that she was busy with schoolwork; that was just an excuse. If she stayed longer, hearing more of Clive''s words, she would have felt suffocated by a sensation she couldn''t exin.


    She took a deep breath and stood in front of a movie theater. She walked in.


    She bought a random ticket and went to watch the movie alone.


    She didn''t pay much attention to the plot, but toward the movie''s end, one line of dialogue left asting impression on her "Happy people heal their lives with their childhood memories; unhappy people spend their lives healing their childhood trauma. "People are ultimately trapped by what they couldn''t have in their youth."


    Felicia leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and silently smiled.


    "Where are you? I''ll pick you up and bring you home for dinner."


    "I''m at the entrance to the movie theater."


    She gave him the address, and it wasn''t long before he arrived.


    She got into the car, and the heater''s warmth finallyforted her cold hands and feet.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    "Why did youe to the movies alone?"


    "Because I don''t have any friends." Felicia smiled faintly, responding naturally.


    Sebastian was momentarily stunned and then, without thinking, said, "Next time, call me along. If you feel like it''s not enough, you can also ask Mom and Dad."


    "Alright." She smiled, agreeing in words but not truly taking it to heart. Sebastian wasn''t just her brother; Dexter and Myra weren''t just her parents.


    As he drove, he handed her a cup of tea from the cup holder. "I bought this on the way here. It''s still warm. Don Dwomen usually like this?"


    "Thank you, Sebastian."


    Felicia took it, poked the straw through the seal, and sipped. It was, indeed, sweet.


    It had been a long time since Felicia had returned home. Since she started boarding school, she barely came back. After the training camp, she had been away for over 20 days,


    and when she returned, Myrae


    immediately said she had lost weight.

 Chapter 196

    "Licia, you''re always eating at the school cafeteria, so you''re probably not getting enough nutrition. Why not move back home?"


    "No thanks, Mrs. Fuller. I''m doing fine at school. It''s convenient."


    When Felicia addressed her as "Mrs. Fuller," Myra''s expression stiffened momentarily, and she nced at Dexter, feeling somewhat wronged.


    Ever since Felicia had returned, she had only called her "Mom" once, and that was when she asked Felicia to give up Arnold for Ka. She had said it sarcastically as well. Other than that, the only address she ever used was "Mrs. Fuller". Myra felt deeply wronged. "Licia, I''m your mom. If outsiders hear you calling me that, they''ll think we have no family bond!"


    Felicia didn''t respond. She didn''t have the energy to y a loving daughter.


    Whether in this life or thest, she would be pped in the face harshly whenever she softened her attitude toward them.


    Seeing that Felicia remained silent, Dexter stepped in to smooth things over. "Licia, the New Year ising soon, and you''ll get a break from school. You''lle back home then, right?"


    This was something Felicia couldn''t really refuse, so she nodded.


    Ka rushed downstairs like a whirlwind and ran to Dexter and Myra, acting cute. "Dad, Mom, let me quiz you. What day is it in a couple of days?"


    Dexter hesitated and replied, "There''s nothing special, is there? The New Year is still a bit far off."


    "Mom, your turn!"


    "I don''t remember either." Myra also shook her head.


    Ka stamped her feet in frustration, looking pitiful. At that moment, Dexter and Myra burst intoughter in unison, saying, "Of course, we remember! It''s your birthday. How could we forget?" Ka''s face bloomed into a satisfied smile when she heard this.


    Sebastian, standing beside Felicia, furrowed his brows. He was about to speak but was interrupted by Ka. "Dad, Mom, isn''t my birthday the same day as Felicia''s?"


    As soon as she said this, the previously cheerful atmosphere vanished, reced by a hint of awkwardness.


    Felicia and Ka were indeed born on the same day. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have been swapped at birth.


    What made things awkward for Dexter and Myra was that they had been so caught up in responding to Ka that they had forgotten it was Felicia''s birthday.


    Myra quickly tried to salvage the situation, smiling. "Licia, I''ve already nned everything. Since you and Ka share the same birthday, let''s have a big birthday party. You can invite more friends and ssmates. How does that sound?"


    Earlier, Felicia mentioned that she had no friends and watched the movie alone.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sebastian coughed lightly to ease the tension This is Licia''s first birthday sinceing back. I think it might be better to celebrate separately. If they both have the same birthday, it could feel unfair to one of the birthday girls."


    "Sebastian, you''re being biased!" Ka pouted, looking aggrieved. "I won''t steal Felicia''s spotlight. I''ll let her have the attention, okay?"


    "That''s not what I meant-" Sebastian exined, but Felicia''s cold voice cut him off.


    "When is my birthday? I''ve never celebrated my birthday, and I don''t even know when I was born. So, it turns out it''s this month?"


    It made sense. She had been


    ense.


    "swapped" by mistake the day she


    was born. Howell and Tabitha never celebrated her birthday, and even the day she was born was always vague when they talked about it.


    Myra''s heart ached when she heard this, and genuine guilt and pity welled up. "Licia... I''m sorry that you''ve suffered."


    Ka immediately sensed something was wrong.


    She had intended to suppress and exclude Felicia, but her n had backfired. Felicia had turned the situation around effortlessly, ying the victim to evoke guilt from Dexter and Myra! This wasn''t good!


    Sure enough, Dexter said, "Licia, for your birthday, I n to transfer five percent of thepany''s shares to you as your birthday gift!"

 Chapter 197

    Dexter would transfer Felicia five percent of thepany''s shares? Ka was stunned!


    The Fuller family was the wealthiest in Khogend. Five percent of the shares meant that Felicia could live without doing anything, and even if she spent money endlessly, she would never run out!


    As long as Fuller Group was in operation, she could live as a wealthy heiress backed by mountains of wealth!


    The most important thing was Ka only had one percent of the shares, which she had gottenst year as a prize for winning a pianopetition!


    What did Felicia do to deserve the shares?


    Ka was furious. In her eyes, everything the Fuller family had belonged to her!


    Even Sebastian had his ownpany and career overseas-he shouldn''t bepeting with her for anything!


    Why did Felicia deserve these things?


    In a fit of anger, Ka''s tone became sharper, her voice tinged with annoyance. "Dad, Mom! It''s just her birthday. Why are you giving her so many shares? You''re biased!"


    She had earlier said that Sebastian was biased, and now she used Dexter and Myra of being biased.


    It seemed that if anyone treated Felicia even a little better-like not celebrating their birthday together-it was considered favoritism.


    For the first time, Sebastian found Ka overly spoiled and unreasonable. He spoke up. "Thepany is Dad''s hard work. Whoever he wants to give shares to and how much he gives is his decision, not yours to interfere with." Moreover, Ka wasn''t even a biological daughter of the Fuller family. There was ayer of separation in terms of bloodline, so it wasn''t her ce toment on the inheritance.


    She stomped her foot, her eyes turning red. "Why doesn''t Dad give me anything for my birthday?"


    That was the real issue, wasn''t it?


    Dexter chuckled. He didn''t mind this conversation, knowing that wealth wasn''t the problem-it was fairness. Since he had already made the offer, how could he be the parent who favored one child?


    Heughed heartily. "Don''t worry. Both of you will get something! I worked hard to build this family business. Of course, you''ll inherit it someday. How could I give shares only to Licia and not to you?" At this, Ka''s face softened a little.


    But she was still unhappy. If Felicia had received the shares, she would have only a smaller portion for herself. She could have imed ten percent if it had been all hers


    en This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Now, she had to share it. Who would be happy about that?


    AQUMS


    Ka bit her lip, grumbling, "Grandpa always said that Felicia would inherit the Walsh family''s wealth. She''s really clever, getting both sides." Myraughed. "Where did you hear such rumors? Your grandpa wouldn''t do that. Anyone can inherit the Walsh family''s wealth but not Licia." Besides, the Walsh family had multiple branches and three sons, all eyeing it. Even with Clive backing Felicia, it wouldn''t be her inheriting it. Ka knew this was just a deliberate provocation to make Dexter reconsider.


    However, Dexter and Myra had already discussed the decision regarding the shares the night before. They would be fair and give five percent to each daughter and Sebastian, who had his career.


    Once they had graduated, they could pursue other careers or join thepany for experience.


    After exining his n, Dexter asked, "So, are you satisfied now?"


    Ka''s thoughts raced. She already had one percent of thepany''s shares, and with the added five percent, she would have more than Felicia! She would still be ahead of her!


    What did it matter if Felicia was the natural heiress? It couldn''tpare to her 18 years of time and connection with Dexter and Myra.


    Although she pretended to be sweet in front of everyone, she couldn''t help but give Felicia a smug and provocative look when no one was watching. Felicia chuckled, then slowly said, "I don''t want those shares. Give them all to her."


    With that, she walked past everyone and went upstairs to her room. Dexter and Myra were confused, and even Sebastian paused for a moment.


    Only Ka was ecstatic, feeling victorious. Felicia had been smart enough to refuse the shares, which made it clear that they should belong to her!

 Chapter 198

    Dexter sighed. "Licia is still holding a grudge against us."


    Myra was a little angry. "She is so ungrateful. What have we done wrong to her? We''ve given her everything she deserves. I''ve been trying to please her, and she refuses to get close to me. She won''t even call me ''Mom''!" "Dad, Mom!" Ka clung to their arms, acting coy while also taking a dig at Felicia. "But I''m here, right? I won''t hold a grudge against you like her!"


    "Yes, you have always been considerate!"


    "Hehe."


    Downstairs, it was a picture of warmth andughter.


    Upstairs, Sebastian knocked on Felicia''s door.


    "Sebastian, is something wrong?"


    She opened the door and gestured for him toe in.


    He walked in and sat on the small stool before the vanity. He looked at her innocent expression and couldn''t hold back. He poked her forehead and said impatiently, "Why don''t you want it?" She was taken aback, surprised by his reaction.


    When she faced him, he had never shown her such affection or tenderness in her previous life. At that time, she had been very insecure and never dared to get close to him.


    She could only watch Ka unabashedly act spoiled with their parents and brother and then secretly envy her.


    She envied Ka to the point of tears.


    In Felicia''s previous life, Dexter had also brought up the topic of giving shares, but that was for Ka, and as his "adopted daughter", Felicia naturally received nothing. Sebastian was present at that time, but he didn''t speak, let alone advocate for her.


    Felicia lost herself in these memories, but then her forehead was poked again, and Sebastian''s voice broke through, pulling her back from her reverie. "Are you stupid?" Huh? You were offered shares but didn''t want them. You''ve got too much money, huh?


    "I''ll go talk to Dad and Mom. If they give away the shares, they''ll have to give them to both of you. If not, no


    one gets anything! I''ll fight for you if you''re not fighting for what''s yours!" Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    en


    GUMS


    Sebastian said all of this in one breath, and after a long silence, he regretted it. Had he been too harsh? Had his tone been too heavy?


    But when he looked down, he saw Felicia''s radiant smile.


    "Thank you, Sebastian."


    Her words were sincere.


    Her smile, which had always been distant and polite, now carried a genuine warmth.


    For a moment, he felt dazed. All his earlier anger dissipated, and an inappropriate thought popped into his mind-Felicia was really beautiful.


    He wondered which lucky guy would get her in the future.


    It was strange. Ka was also his sister, at least for the past 18 years. But when she was suddenly brought back, he didn''t feel much. She was just a little closer than a stranger, but that was all.


    However, the moment he saw Felicia, he immediately recognized her.


    They were indeed siblings by blood, and their faces shared a natural resemnce. Coupled with that unbreakable bond, the distance between them was instantly shortened. He sighed and gently patted her head. "It''s okay. I''m on your side."

 Chapter 199

    Felicia''s nose tingled, and the window she could only dream of in her past life seemed to open slightly with Sebastian''s words.


    Though faint, the tiny sliver of light streaming through the gap was enough to give someone trapped in the darkness a glimmer of hope.


    She hoped that light wouldn''t be taken away again.


    She didn''t argue with his good intentions. She nodded obediently, saying, "Mm."


    While the siblings were talking, neither noticed an ear pressed against the door.


    After a while, a maid quietly left and reported Sebastian''s words to Ka.


    Ka was in the kitchen, cutting fruit. She was determined to impress with her performance to secure the shares. When Myra casually mentioned wanting orange juice, Ka volunteered to cut the fruit and make the juice herself. Hearing the maid''s report, she angrily stabbed the knife into the cutting board!


    Mina was startled and quickly warned, "Ms. Ka, be careful with the knife. Don''t hurt yourself!"


    Ka, still seething, red at the knife, wishing she could use it to stab Felicia repeatedly!


    "They''re such close siblings! Heh! What about me?"


    She furiously jabbed at the oranges she had cut, making a mess. The cutting board and the table were sttered with juice, a chaotic sight.


    "Ms. Ka, calm down. It''s only a few words from Mr. Fuller. There''s no need to get this angry!"


    Ka''s face remained cold as she threw the mashed oranges into the juicer and pressed the start button.


    The buzzing sound of the juicer covered her muttered words perfectly.


    "My dear brother, how could he be so ungrateful Has he forgotten I''m his sister too? He''s only just met Felicia, and he''s already protecting her like she''s his precious gem He wants to make my life miserable, huh? Heh! I''ll deal with both of you soon enough!"


    After speaking coldly, she saw the juicer stop. Mina hurriedly brought over a cup.


    Once the orange juice was poured out, Mina wiped her hands and cautiously spoke. "Ms. Ka, I''ve done as you asked. But about the matter with my husband being fired..."


    When Ka went to Alverton a while


    ago, the driver, Ruben Waters, had


    been involved in an ident. She was upset with him and had intended to fire him. But Mina begged on his behalf, and Ka, seeing an opportunity, asked her to eavesdrop on Felicia andProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Wel


    Sebastian''s conversation.


    Holly, who used to follow Ka''s orders without question, had been fired, and now there was no one obedient to her at home, making things a bit tricky.


    She carried the juice out, her attitude high and mighty. "Don''t worry. As long as you continue doing as I told you, I''ll ensure Ruben isn''t fired."


    "Thank you, Ms. Ka. Now I can rest easy..."


    Mina sighed in relief. Working for the


    Fuller family paid well, and aside from asionally dealing with Ka''s tantrums, everyone else was easy to get along with. If they


    worked for a few more years.


    Saynowe


    could buy a house in their


    hometown and enjoy afortable


    life.


    As she cleaned up the mess on the table, she called her husband. "Ruben, I''ve got good news. You don''t need to worry about being fired. I begged Ms. Ka, and she agreed to let you keep your job!"


    She expected him to be happy about the news, but instead, he immediately replied, "Who asked you to beg her? She can fire me if she has the guts. Does she think I can''t deal with her?" Ruben was confident about this.


    After all, the car''s dash cam had recorded everything from that day, including how Ka had instructed and bribed Shawn to take action against Felicia.


    He sneered. "I''m not afraid of Ka anymore. I''m hoping she tries to make trouble. If she dares toe after you or me, you can bet she''ll beg me!"


    Mina, of course, didn''t believe him. She was worried he might do something reckless, so she quickly cautioned, "Ka is spoiled and temperamental. If she throws a tantrum, just tolerate it. Don''t do anything stupid!" "I know what I''m doing. Don''t worry."


    Before hanging up, he added, "Don''t be scared. I''ve got leverage on Ka. If she crosses the line, you just stand up to her. We won''t take any of her nonsense!"

 Chapter 200

    "You''re truly insane..." Mina felt a mix of anger and amusement as she shook her head and hung up the phone.


    Some things would happen unexpectedly and without warning.


    Ka gave Myra the freshly made orange juice, acting sweetly, "Mom, I cut the fruit and squeezed the juice myself. It might not taste as good as what the maid makes, but please make do with it!" "Thank you, Myra."


    Myra took a sip and slightly furrowed her brow. There were still seeds left, and the taste was a bit bitter, but since it was Ka''s thoughtful gesture, she smiled and said, "It''s delicious." "Hehe!"


    Ka was pleased and leaned into Myra''s embrace.


    That evening, the family gathered for dinner.


    At the table, Dexter brought up the issue of the shares again, suggesting five percent for each person, but Ka would receive four percent for fairness.


    Dexter exined, "Ka, this way, no one can say I''m biased. You and Felicia will both have the same number of shares. You already had one percent, and it''ll bnce out with this extra four percent!" Ka''s smile almost cracked.


    From the corner of her eye, she saw Sebastian wink at Felicia. Clearly, it was his doing.


    She smiled and replied, "I''ll listen to your arrangements, Dad."


    If she made another fuss now, all herints about favoritism would be invalid.


    Myra also thought the arrangement was fair, as everything seemed to be split evenly.


    After a tasteless dinner, Ka was still seething. She said she was going shopping because her birthday wasing, and she needed new dresses, shoes, and


    bags.


    en


    Dexter had no objections and waved his hand generously. "Here''s the ck card. Go ahead and swipe it as much as you want. Buy whatever you like!" "Thank you, Dad!"


    She stood up, deliberately ncing at Felicia and Sebastian before walking out.


    When she reached the vi''s entrance and saw the driver hadn''t arrived yet, she shouted angrily, "Where''s the driver? Is he dead?"


    The bodyguard exined, "Ms. Ka, it''s dinnertime. The drivers are on their way after finishing their meal. Please wait a moment. They''ll be here soon!" "Tell them to hurry up! I''ll make them eat dirt if they don''te soon!"


    "Yes, Ms. Ka."This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    The bodyguard had no choice but to call them over the inte again.


    ????


    Several drivers were avable to the Fuller family, working shifts around the clock, Usually, Dexter had an assistant drive him, Sebastian preferred driving himself, and Felicia stayed at school and didn''t often return, so the drivers were mainly at Myra and Ka''smand.


    Darren had just eaten his meal in the driver''s lounge when he reluctantly set down his bowl and was about to go to work, but Ruben stopped him. "Darren, go ahead and finish eating. I''ll take care of Ka."


    "Alright, but be careful. Don''t argue with her. It''s almost the end of the month. You don''t want to lose your bonus now!"


    "Don''t worry!" Ruben smiled. He was


    no longer his usual disgruntled self. Instead, there was a look of


    satisfaction in his eyes, as if he had been waiting for this moment.


    This was the day he had been waiting for!

 Chapter 201

    Darren, confused but disinterested, shrugged it off. He had to drive Myra to the beauty salonter that evening for surgery and figured he might as well finish his meal before heading out. Ka waited five minutes before the car pulled up in front of the entrance.


    A bodyguard quickly stepped forward, opening the door and cing a hand just above her head to ensure she wouldn''t be hit as she got in.


    Ka rushed into the car, her face flushed with anger. The moment she saw it was Ruben behind the wheel, her frustration boiled over.


    "Do you have a death wish or something?" she snapped. "You nearly killed me in that wreckst time, and now you have the nerve to keep me waiting? Do you really want to get fired that badly?"


    Ruben, for once, didn''t adopt his usual deferential demeanor. Sitting straighter than usual, he responded tly, "Where to?"This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    She froze, momentarily stunned by his audacity. She narrowed her eyes, scanning him as though seeing him for the first time.


    Her lips curled into a cold, sharp smile. "You''ve got some nerve," she responded, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Do you really think I wouldn''t fire you? Or did you figure having your wife beg me would make me change my mind?"


    At the mention of his wife, Ruben''s face darkened. He straightened up and said firmly, "Ka, Mina and I have always kept to ourselves. We''ve never done anything to provoke you."


    "Oh, really? Then, how about this? Apologize to me at this instant, or I''ll fire both of you. And this time, not even Mina on her knees will make me change my mind!"


    It wasn''t an empty threat-Ka was perfectly capable of executing it.


    Ruben''s temper red. "Are you saying you want my wife to get on her knees before you? Ka, do you seriously think you''ve won?"


    Ka tilted her chin upward, the picture of smug arrogance. She kicked the back of the driver''s seat sharply and barked, "Enough with the talk. Just drive!"


    Ruben''s jaw tightened, the veins on his neck visibly throbbing. For a split second, he considered throwing the memory card he had onto herp and watching her panic when she realized her secrets were no longer safe. That would feel so good.


    But what if Myra and Dexter decided to cover for her again?


    In a fleeting moment of rity, he decided to bide his time. Perhaps he could gather more leverage. When the time was right, he would ensure that Ka could not talk her way out of the matter.


    The engine roared to life, and the Rolls-Royce glided smoothly into the night, heading toward the city''s most exclusive luxury shopping district.


    Ka spent the next half hour in a whirlwind of rage-fueled retail therapy, racking up over a million dors on her credit card.


    The sales assistants, all too familiar with her spending habits, treated her with the utmost courtesy.


    Afterpleting her purchases, one of them politely inquired, "Ms. Fuller, would you like us to have these delivered to your home? What time would it be convenient?"


    "It''s fine." Ka snapped, pointing at Ruben. "My driver will carry them."


    Her intent to make things difficult for Ruben was obvious.


    By the time she finished, Ruben''s arms were draped with shopping bags. Although the items were lightweight, they were numerous, ranging from shoes, bags, and jewelry... Having blown enough money to calm herself, Ka returned to the car, her anger somewhat abated.


    However, as soon as she sat down, her phone rang.


    Seeing the caller ID, her lips curled into a scowl. It was Shawn calling.


    Without a second thought, she hung up.


    The phone buzzed again and again.


    ncing in the rearview mirror, Ka noticed Ruben loading her purchases in the trunk. With an annoyed sigh, she finally answered.


    "What do you want?" she barked. "Didn''t I tell you not to call me? I''ve already paid you thest time!"


    Shawn''s voice was pitiful on the


    other end. "Ka, please. The


    money''s already gone. You''ve got to help me out. I''m desperate-Lance''s looking for me everywhere. He''s already cut off three of my fingers. If he catches me again, I''m dead!"


    "How''s that my problem?"


    The thought of being biologically rted to Shawn disgusted Ka.


    "Ka, I killed Felicia for you! You can''t just leave me hanging now!"


    At the mention of Felicia, Ka''s temper reignited. "You''ve got some nerve bringing that up. She''s still alive, Shawn! She came back alive and well, without a scratch on Ker. And how dare you ask me for more money?"


    "What?" His voice wasced with disbelief. "How did she survive? But I had her cornered! It must''ve been that man. He came out of nowhere and kicked me so hard I cked out. He must''ve saved her!"


    Ka froze when Shawn mentioned the appearance of a man.

 Chapter 202

    Ka frowned deeply. She didn''t know all the details of what had happened that night. She only knew that Shawn had lured Felicia to the hillside, shoved her off the cliff, and left her for dead, thinking the rushing water would do the rest. However, she now realized someone else had been there.


    Who could it have been?


    Her mind raced, shing back to the day she''d gone to the Lawson family to call off the engagement. She remembered Felicia stepping out of a man''s car and the fleeting glimpse she''d caught of him a stunning, unforgettable presence. "Damn it!" Ka mmed her fist against the car seat, forcing herself to calm down. After a moment, she hissed into the phone, "Do you want more money? Fine. Finish the job. Get rid of Felicia, and this time, I''ll pay you even more." Her ck card had no spending limit, and soon, she would have an additional 4% stake in the Fuller Group. The annual dividends alone were a fortune.


    She could definitely afford to pay Shawn more. It was a drop in the ocean for Ka.


    Spending that amount was definitely worth it if it meant getting rid of Felicia for good.


    "Really?" Shawn was eager. He was desperate, willing to risk anything for the cash. "Then, meet me. Bring the down payment. I''m hiding under the bridge at Cedar Street."


    Even over the phone, Ka wrinkled her nose in disgust. Cedar Street was infamous for its bridge a haven for trash, vagrants, and the foulest smells. There was no way she would ruin her shoes by stepping foot there. "Why don''t you meet me by the nearby beach?" she suggested sharply. "I''ll grab the cash and head over."


    "Sure, whatever you say."


    ...


    Meanwhile, Ruben had just finished loading thest of Ka''s shopping bags into the trunk. As he shut it, he caught Ka''s mention of withdrawing cash. His mind immediately raced.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Thest time Ka had made a cash withdrawal, it had been for Shawn-hush money and a down payment for his failed attempt to harm Felicia.


    And now, once again...


    Ruben''s demeanor shifted in an instant. Putting on a fa?ade of subservience, he asked, "Ms. Ka, are we heading back to the Fuller residence, or do you have other ns?"


    "Take me to the bank," Ka replied


    curtly, shooting him a disdainful nce His apparentpliance seemed only natural to her-proof that the lesson she''d taught him


    earlier had worked.


    "Of course," Ruben said with a practiced smile, suppressing the thrill of knowing he might soon uncover more dirt on Ka.


    Ka naturally had no intention of getting her hands dirty at the bank. She tossed her card to Ruben and ordered, "Go withdraw 100 thousand. The PIN is six eights." "Yes, Ms. Ka," Ruben replied.


    He used three different ATMs to withdraw the full amount, carefully stacking the bills before returning them, along with her card, to Ka.


    Ka took the cash, satisfied. "Let''s go. Take me to the beach near Cedar Street."


    "Right away." Ruben, barely containing his excitement, drove with unusual enthusiasm.


    ...


    20 minutester, the car pulled up at a dimly lit beach. Across the water, the neon lights of a bustling nightlife district reflected off the river, casting faint, colorful glimmers on the sandy shore.


    Shawn was already there, crouched near the edge of the beach. His eyes lit up when he saw Ka stepping out of the car, money in hand.


    After escaping from the local


    hospital, he''d been living like a


    rat-hiding, scavenging, and nursing his injuries. His hand was still useless, and his body was barely holding together.


    He''d even had to fight off elderly vagrants for scraps of food under the bridge.


    Now, seeing Ka with the cash, he looked like a starving man spotting a feast. He rushed toward her, his voice almost frantic. "Where''s the money?"


    Even Ka, who already knew his situation was dire, was taken aback by the sight of him. He was filthy, his hair matted and his clothes tattered. He looked worse than most beggars.


    She hesitated for a moment, doubt creeping into her mind.


    Could this pathetic piece of shit handle Felicia?

 Chapter 203

    But Ka had no other choice.


    For now, Shawn was the best tool at her disposal. Desperate and cornered, he could be wielded like a de.


    She tossed the bundle of cash-100 thousand onto the sand at Shawn''s feet. With a cunning tone, she coaxed, "Look at yourself. How are you any different from a rat scurrying through the gutter? Don''t forget who ruined your life-Felicia!"


    "This money is yours," she continued, her voice dripping with maniption. "But remember, this isn''t just for me. It''s for you. Your right hand is useless now. Your debts are piling up, and I''m the only one who could give you a helping hand in times like this." Shawn wasn''t listening anymore. He was on the ground, clutching the bills like a lifeline, his eyes wild with greed.


    "Do you hear me?" Ka snapped impatiently.


    "Yes, I heard you!" He finally looked up, his face twisted with rage. "Don''t worry, I won''t let Felicia get away this time. Even if it kills me, I''ll drag that brat to hell with me!"


    The venom in his voice pleased Ka. She allowed herself a satisfied smirk.


    Ka had outyed Felicia yet again. The pawn Felicia thought would drain Ka dry was now her sharpened and ready weapon.


    "Good. Don''t disappoint me."


    Feeling triumphant, Ka didn''t notice the shadowy figures lurking just beyond the beach, hidden in the pitch-ck darkness.


    Lance and his threeckeys were crouched in silence, their eyes fixed on Shawn.


    Lance wasn''t just any thug. Protected by the powerful Chavez family, he operated in the gray areas of society, excelling in loan sharking and ruthless debt collection. His methods were as varied as they were brutal.


    Shawn might have thought he was hidden, but Lance had been tracking him all along. The only reason Shawn wasn''t already a bloody mess was because Felicia had specifically instructed Lance to keep tabs on him and not to act. At least not yet. One of Lance''s men whispered, "Mr. Thompson, isn''t that Ka? Shawn''s sister? What''s she doing here?"


    Lance shot him a sharp look. "How would I know?"


    Pulling out his phone, Lance suddenly switched gears. The hard-edged man transformed in an instant, donning a syrupy, servile tone that made hisckeys do a double-take. "Hello, Ms. Fuller! It''s me, Lance. I''ve got something to report.


    "Yes, we''re still watching Shawn. You won''t believe this-Ka showed up and handed him a wad of cash. They''re chatting, but we''re too far away to hear the details." Lance paused, grinning as Felicia''s calm voice came through. She promised him a lucrative deal in the future, one that would make this favor worth his while. "Don''t worry, Ms. Fuller. I''ll report again when there''s any update."


    He was just about to hang up when Felicia dangled a tempting offer in front of him. "Give it some time, and I''ll hook you up with a big deal. You''re sure to make a profit."


    The art of managing people required


    a bnce of carrot and stick.


    Ke solely


    Leaning solely on the clout of Melvin might keep Lance in line for a while, but it wouldn''tst forever. Some perks and sweeteners had to be offered along the way.


    Lance couldn''t say what kind of promises others were making, but when Felicia dangled a deal, it was always the kind that came with the good stuff-something he knew was worth biting into! Lance''s grin stretched wide, his earlier arrogance reced with an overly eager tone. "Don''t worry, Ms. Fuller," he groveled. "I''ll make sure everything gets handled perfectly!"


    After the call ended, Lance kept his eyes on Shawn and Ka, who appeared to be deep in discussion about something. He couldn''t make out their words from where he stood-it was too far away.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Nearby, a sleek ck Rolls-Royce was parked by the beach. Ruben sat quietly in the driver''s seat, blending into the background.


    Ka, preupied withying out ns with Shawn, didn''t notice that the dashcam inside the car had been subtly adjusted. It now pointed directly at her.


    ...


    Felicia sat at her desk in the Fuller residence, scribbling and sketching on a piece of paper as she pieced together her thoughts.


    The timeline had shifted so drastically from her previous life.


    Everything had changed-from the


    moment her true identity as the biological daughter of the Fuller family was revealed to her return to the family as the real heiress instead of the adopted daughter she had been in her past life.


    Her broken engagement to Arnold was another key difference. In her previous life, she had been


    reluctantly tied to him. This tim


    despite their mutual disdain, they hadn''t reached the point of being forced into marriage.

 Chapter 204

    As for Felicia''s rtionship with Ka in this life, it had reached a breaking point. The gloves were off, and her schemes were only getting more vicious.


    ...


    Three yearster, Dexter dered bankruptcy. The once-mighty tycoon of Khogend, known as the wealthiest man in town, fell from grace. In the end, he was left relying on Arnold just to get by. Felicia circled the word "bankruptcy".


    After her rebirth, many events shifted to an earlier timeline. Could it be that the Fuller family''s downfall might alsoe sooner?


    The Fuller family was indeed bound to fall sooner orter, and that was precisely why Felicia refused to take the 5% stake. epting those shares would only tie her down to a sinking ship, making it harder to walk away when the time came. Felicia tapped her pen thoughtfully against the paper.


    Instead, her mind drifted to a memory from her past life-an opportunity that had solidified Arnold''s position as the Lawson family heir.


    He had attended a major venture capital conference and invested in three promising startups. Three yearster, two of thosepanies delivered massive returns, earning him wealth and clout.


    Eventually, they were absorbed into the Lawson family as subsidiarypanies.


    Felicia thought about beating Arnold to it as her eyes lit up. pping the desk, she jumped up and headed straight for Sebastian''s room.


    When Felicia told Sebastian she wanted to attend the uing venture capital conference, he raised an amused brow.


    "There''s a conference in Khogend tomorrow." He grinned. "I was nning to skip it, but if you''re interested, I''ll take you."


    The timing couldn''t have been better. Even if she didn''t find the exact startups Arnold had invested in during her past life, she could keep attending conferences until she did.


    Sebastian chuckled, ruffling her hair. "What''s gotten into you? Are you nning to dive into investments already? You haven''t even got the dividends from that 5% stake yet, and you''re already figuring out how to spend it?" "It''s not like that..." Felicia trailed off, her gaze dropping to the floor.


    In less than two years, the Fuller family would go bankrupt. Those dividends-if they even materialized-were meaningless. She didn''t want them, and she likely wouldn''t get them anyway.


    After a moment, she nced up and asked, "Do you know anything about apany called Jupiter Group? Or maybe a smaller startup with that name?"


    "Jupiter Group?" Sebastian frowned, thinking it over. "No, it doesn''t ring a bell. Why do you ask?"


    "Oh, I was just asking for fun," Felicia replied casually.


    She remembered all too well. Jupiter Group had systematically devoured Fuller Group, piece by piece until nothing was left.


    If she had warned Dexter and Sebastian now, they might be able to preempt Jupiter''s rise and avert the family''s financial ruin. However, she had no intention of doing so.


    Her mind shed back to theBelongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    humiliation and rejection she had endured in her past life. She could still hear her parents'' cold words after casting her out of the house. They told her, "I wish we''d never found you in the first ce."


    Her lips tightened, and she averted her gaze.


    Sebastian didn''t press the matter. His phone rang, and as he prepared to take the call, he turned to her with a smile. "Get some rest. I''ll take you to the conference tomorrow


    "Goodnight, Sebastian."


    ...


    As Felicia left his room, she caught sight of a maid hurriedly turning away. The woman busied herself with dusting a painting on the wall, her movements stiff and unnatural.


    Felicia''s lips curved into a knowing smile. "Mina, how was the second round? Have you heard enough for tonight?"


    Mina froze, her face pale. Stammering, she replied, "Ms. Felicia, I-What are you talking about? I wasn''t eavesdropping. I was just cleaning, that''s all."


    "Cleaning at 11:00 pm?" Felicia tilted her head toward the clock on the wall.


    Mina''s eyes darted nervously, her words faltering.


    Felicia didn''t push further. With a faint smirk, she turned and walked away.


    Behind her Mina exhaled shakily, a look of retjef and indignation crossing her face. With a subtle curl of her lip, she muttered under her breath, not bothering to hide her disdain.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 205

    In the Fuller residence, even the maids could see the power dynamics. Felicia might be the true daughter of the family, but shecked the favor and influence Ka enjoyed. They ought to know how to adjust their sails to the wind. If they weren''t on Ka''s good side now, when would they be?


    With that in mind, Mina decided it was time to take action-not just for herself but also for her husband, Ruben.


    At this, she called out to Felicia, who was just about to head to her room. "Ms. Felicia! Wait a moment!"


    ...


    Ka was at the beach. She meticulouslyid out her n, detailing everyst step until Shawn nodded vigorously in understanding.


    This time, she was sure her n was wless. Once it was executed, Felicia would be erased, as insignificant as a pebble tossed into the ocean.


    Stretching with a yawn, Ka stood and began walking back toward the car. "Get to it," she ordered sharply.


    Shawn clutched his cash, practically glowing with joy. With this money, he wouldn''t have to sleep under a bridge tonight. A hotel bed awaited him instead.


    As Ka approached the Rolls-Royce, she noticed something odd. The dashcam had been turned to face a different direction, and her heart skipped a beat.


    She froze, her mind shing back to Ruben''s recent shift in attitude. Where had he suddenly gained the nerve to defy her?


    It clicked.


    He would not have done so... unless he had leverage over her.


    Her thoughts raced to the day before her visit to Alverton, when she''d had a meeting with Shawn. She distinctly remembered the dashcam capturing their conversation. At the time, she''d told Ruben to delete the footage. But what if he didn''t?


    Her blood ran cold as anger and fear surged through her veins, causing her eyes to darken with fury.


    She turned on her heel and stormed toward Shawn, her voice low and icy. After whispering something in his ear, Shawn hesitated before nodding and entering the car.


    Ruben, oblivious to the exchange, nced in the rearview mirror and caught Shawn''s smug expression as he fondled the cash.


    At that, Ruben rolled his eyes in disdain.


    "Ms. Ka, should I-"


    Before he could finish, something looped around his neck. It was a leather belt.


    Shawn, seated in the back, yanked it tight.


    Ruben''s hands flew to his throat, wing desperately at the belt. His legs kicked wildly as he struggled for air, his face turning a deep, suffocating red. Veins bulged across his forehead and neck as he gasped and iled.


    Through the windshield, he locked eyes with Ka, who stood outside the car. Her gaze was as cold and unfeeling as the night.


    She found out about the memory card Ruben kept.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Ka strode to the car and began rifling through Ruben''s pockets. It didn''t take long to find the tiny memory card.


    She popped it into the dashcam and


    hit y. The footage confirmed her suspicions it contained the


    damning conversation between her and Shawn. It was the footage Ruben had promised to delete.


    BUMS


    Ka sneered, holding the card up for a moment before snapping it in half with a satisfying crack.


    Ruben''s lips moved as if to beg for mercy, but the words never came. His struggles weakened until his limbs went limp. His head slumped forward, and the car fell silent.


    "Is... Is he dead?" Shawn asked between gulps of air, unable to see from his angle.


    She nced at the lifeless body. Then, she quickly turned away, disgusted by the sight. "Go get some alcohol. The strongest you can find. Do it Now!"


    "Okay!" Shawn scrambled out of the car, sprinting toward the nearest convenience store.


    The beach was eerily quiet, the surrounding area deserted. Cedar Street and its adjacentndfill were rarely visited, especially at night. No one would stumble upon what had just happened without the streetlights or nearby residents.


    ¦«¦¯


    Ka''s initial panic began to fade before it was reced by cold calction.


    What she was unaware of was that Lance and his crew, hiding nearby, had witnessed everything.


    When the Rolls-Royce began rocking unnaturally, one of Lance''s men zoomed in with his phone camera.


    What they captured left them speechless-Ka choking Ruben with Shawn''s help and then casually destroying the evidence.


    "Mr. Thompson," the man whispered, trembling. "What do we do? Should we stop them?"

 Chapter 206

    "Why should I stop them? Why would I care? I don''t owe the Fuller family a thing," Lance scoffed, waving off his subordinate''s suggestion. Despite his indifference, he quickly pulled out his phone and dialed Felicia. If she gave the order, he would intervene immediately and save the victim. However, the call went unanswered.


    ...


    Felicia''s phone sat buzzing on her desk, its constant vibration muffled by the wood. She had left it behind to charge when she went to talk to Sebastian. On her way back, she was stopped by Mina.


    "Is there something else?" Felicia asked, her tone polite but clipped.


    Mina gave a fake, syrupy smile, her voice slow and calcted. "Ms. Felicia, there''s something I''ve been meaning to say, but I''m not sure if I should do so."


    "Then, don''t." Felicia turned to leave.


    Mina''s expression stiffened, but she quickly recovered. "Ms. Felicia, you may have the Fuller name, but you''ve only just returned to the family. Besides blood ties, you don''t really have much else to rely on."


    Felicia raised an eyebrow, amused. "Oh? If blood ties are so unshakable, doesn''t that mean I already have something that others don''t?"


    The retort left Mina green in the face.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Felicia''s voice was cold as she added, "If Ka is so great, you''d do better to focus on her and leave me alone."


    With that, Felicia brushed past her and returned to her room.


    Once inside, Felicia picked up her phone to set an rm for the next morning''s venture capital conference. As soon as she unlocked the screen, she saw three missed calls from Lance-one from three minutes ago, another from two, and thest just a minute prior. Frowning, she immediately called him back.


    On the other end, Lance grimly answered, "It''s toote."


    ...


    Shawn came running back to the beach with a bag of alcohol, the bottles clinking noisily with every step. He was panting as he asked, "What''s all this for?"


    "Pour it down his throat. As much as you can," Ka ordered, pointing to the lifeless Ruben slumped in the driver''s seat.


    Shawn''s jaw dropped. "W-What?"


    "Now!" Ka barked, her eyes sharp and cold. "We don''t have time. Don''t forget-you''re the one who did this. You''re the killer."


    Shawn swallowed hard, then set to work. He uncapped bottle after bottle, forcing the liquor into Ruben''s mouth. Ka supervised, her gaze unwavering.


    When the deed was done, Ka adjusted Ruben''s seatbelt to make it look like he''d been drinking and driving. Then, with Shawn''s help, she pushed the car-Ruben still inside-into the river.


    The ck Rolls-Royce sank slowly, the dark waters of the river swallowing it inch by inch until it disappearedpletely.


    Ka let out a deep breath, tension easing from her shoulders.


    When questionedter, she would simply im that Ruben had gone missing after she finished shopping His death would be written off as an ident caused by drunk driving. And even if someone investigated further, the evidence would point squarely at Shawn, not her.


    Ka turned to look at Shawn, who was nervously stuffing his pockets with the cash they''d pulled from the car.


    "You''re not going to silence me, too, are you?" he asked, voice trembling. "I''m your brother, your biological brother. I''m bigger and stronger than you You wouldn''t stand a chance against me!"


    Ka rolled her eyes. She thought he was truly an idiot.


    Her tone was calm but steely as she warned, "Keep your mouth shut. Once Felicia is dealt with, you''ll get your share of the benefits.


    "If you dare turn on me, though, I''ll make sure you regret it. Got it?"


    Shawn nodded quickly, clutching the cash tightly as he fled the scene.


    Ka left soon after, her heels clicking softly against the sand as she vanished into the night.


    Lance and his crew stepped out of the shadows when the beach was finally deserted. He pulled out his phone and gave Felicia a ring again.


    "The location''s at the end of Cedar


    Street by the beach. I just sent you the video recorded-it''s on your phone now. Ms. Fuller, does this count as meing through big time? Please don''t let me down on that big deal you promised!

 Chapter 207

    By the time Ka returned to the Fuller residence, it was already midnight. Myra and Dexter were fast asleep, but she made a deliberatemotion, waking everyone in the house. Dexter stumbled out of his bedroom, yawning and rubbing his eyes. "What''s the matter, sweetie? Who upset you this time?"


    "It''s the driver, Ruben!" Ka pouted, her tone aggrieved but natural. "After I finished shopping, he didn''t pick me up! His phone was off, and I had to take an Uber home!" "What? Did he not pick you up?" Dexter''s irritation red. "He''ll be fired the moment he shows up! Such behavior is uneptable!"


    Ka nodded emphatically, ying along. "Exactly, Dad. Irresponsible drivers like him deserve to be fired. It''ll teach the other drivers a lesson too!"


    "Yes, you''re right," Dextermented with a fond smile. "Now, it''ste. Go to bed, sweetie."


    She felt a wave of relief. She had sessfully distanced herself from Ruben''s absence. No one would connect it to her, even if someone noticed he was missing.


    Humming lightly, Ka turned toward the stairs, her steps lighter. However, as she looked up, she froze.


    Felicia was standing on the second floor, leaning casually against the railing. Her gaze was calm, yet the way she looked at Ka had a piercing stare to it.


    Ka''s heart skipped a beat. Quickly regaining herposure, she put on a sweet smile. "Oh, you''re still awake, Felicia? Sorry if I woke you up."


    Felicia tilted her head slightly, sniffing the air. "You reek of alcohol. What have you been up to?"


    Ka stiffened.


    Dexter''s gaze shifted to Ka, his expression suspicious. "Now that you mention it, she does smell like alcohol. Ka, you weren''t drinking, were you? You know we don''t allow that." She quickly waved her hands in denial. "Of course not, Dad! I''d never. It must''ve been the cab I took-probably thest passenger spilled something. It was awful!"


    Dexter frowned but nodded. "Alright. Go wash up and get some sleep."


    "Goodnight, Dad!" Ka chirped as she ascended the stairs.


    "Goodnight," Dexter said before turning to Felicia. "You too, Licia. Don''t stay up toote."


    Felicia''s eyes briefly met Ka''s.


    Ka''s gaze held a hint of defiance, a challenge. Felicia, however, simply smiled faintly and walked away without a word.


    Back in her room, Felicia unlocked her phone and opened the two video files Lance had sent her.


    Even after everything she''d been through, the footage stunned her. Ka''s ruthlessness was staggering.


    She killed without hesitation or remorse, and afterward, she seamlessly yed the victim, spinning her own narrative as though nothing had happened.


    Ka wasn''t just ruthless-she was entirely devoid of any reverence for life itself.


    Felicia rubbed her temples, frustrated. If only she had seen Lance''s calls sooner, she might''ve saved Ruben and caught Ka red-handed.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Still, the evidence she now had was damning enough.


    If she confronted Ka privately, Myra and Dexter would undoubtedly protect their favorite daughter at all costs. They would spin excuses, erase traces, and ensure Ka walked free without consequence.


    No, that wouldn''t do.


    Felicia''s lips curled into a cold smile.


    Ka''s birthday wasing up-a grand celebration with all of Khogend''s elite in attendance.


    When the event rolled around with so many guests present, there was no way Myra and Dexter could stop so many people from seeing or talking-no matter how much they wanted to protect Ka.


    One thing was certain, though-Felicia couldn''t be the one to expose Ka directly. If she did, the usation would be dismissed as jealousy or revenge, leaving the impact lost.

 Chapter 208

    As for who would reveal the truth...


    No one was better suited for the task than the victim himself.


    That very night, word spread among the Fuller family''s staff about Ruben''s "dereliction of duty".


    Mina, upon hearing the usations against her husband, immediately shook her head in disbelief. "That''s quite impossible! Ruben has worked for this family for years. He''s always been diligent and dependable. How could he make such a careless mistake?" "But Mr. Fuller is furious," one of the maids said sympathetically. "He said Ruben will be fired as soon as he gets back."


    Another staff member patted Mina on the shoulder. "You might want to start thinking about your next steps. It''ll be hard for Ruben to find another job at his age if he''s let go."


    Panicking, Mina tried calling Ruben''s phone repeatedly, but each attempt ended with the same automated message.


    "The number you have dialed is currently unavable," was what the voice repeated.


    Growing desperate, she decided to confront Ka directly.


    She ran upstairs and knocked on Ka''s door, her tone pleading. "Ms. Ka, if Ruben upset you somehow, please forgive him. He didn''t mean it. Please don''t fire him. I''ll do anything you ask in return..." Ka''s eyes flickered, but her tone was cold and impatient. "I already gave him a chance. He blew it. If he can''t even properly do his job as a driver, then he deserves to be fired."


    Mina opened her mouth to beg further, but Ka cut her off, mming the door shut with a final warning, "Stop bothering me, or you''ll be out of a job too."


    Left with no choice, Mina shuffled away, her steps unsteady. She resolved to wait for Ruben to return and plead his case with Dexter. Surely, they could work something out. However, as the hours passed and Ruben still didn''te home, her unease grew.


    He was never the type to stay outte, let alone overnight. He didn''t drink, didn''t smoke, and always came home on time.


    She remembered something he had told her just days earlier.


    "You don''t need to fear Ka anymore. I''ve got something on her-something that could make her beg for mercy."


    The memory sent a shiver down her spine.


    By morning, her growing fear and sleepless night had morphed into a desperate resolve.


    ...


    At breakfast, the Fuller family sat together enjoying their meal when Mina burst into the dining room, her face pale and trembling.


    "Ms. Ka, where is my husband?" she cried, her voice shaking. "You must know something! Tell me where he is!"


    Ka calmly sipped her tea, her expression one of polite confusion. "What are you talking about? How would I know where your husband is?"


    "You do!" Mina''s voice cracked. "Ruben would never just disappear like this! If something''s happened to him, it''s because of you!"


    The room fell silent as the tension thickened.


    Ka''sposure remained steady, though her fingers tightened slightly around the teacup. "You''re hysterical. I have no idea what you''re talking about." "Enough!" Dexter mmed his palm against the table, the sound echoing through the room. Everyone flinched.


    "Mina," he said sternly, his eyes narrowing. "You''ve always been a loyal and hardworking employee, but this behavior is uneptable. If you ever barge in like this again, Dwon''t hesitate to fire you as well.


    "Mr. Fuller..." Mina''s voice quivered as she lowered herself into a desperate bow. "Please, I beg you. Ruben hasn''te home sincest night. I''m afraid something terrible has happened. Please, help me find


    him!"


    Dexter frowned. "Ruben left with one of the family cars, didn''t he? Has he run off with it? That would exin his disappearance."


    "Dad, don''t be angry," KaContent property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    interjected quickly, her voice gentle. "Maybe Ruben just had something


    urgent to take care of and wille On. Let''s give it a little more


    time."


    en


    She couldn''t afford for anyone to start looking for Ruben just yet.


    Then, Felicia''s voice broke the calm. "Don''t the cars have GPS tracking? Finding him shouldn''t be that hard."

 Chapter 209

    The Fuller family, Khogend''s wealthiest household, took their security seriously. Every car in their garage was equipped with a GPS tracking system to ensure they could locate it in emergencies, such as a potential carjacking. Dexter nodded at Felicia''s suggestion and said casually, "Yeah. Have the security team pull up the GPS data and locate the car."


    "Dad, isn''t that a bit excessive?" Ka tried to dissuade him, her tone light but nervous.


    Before she could say more, Dexter''s assistant, Jonathan Peyton, arrived to escort him to a meeting. This minor issue would not distract him from his day.


    "I''ll leave this to you all," he said, standing up and giving Myra a quick peck on the cheek, a gesture he had maintained faithfully for years.


    Myra chuckled, yfully pushing him away. "Go on ahead! And drive carefully, Jonathan," she said, addressing Jonathan.


    "Of course, Mrs. Fuller," Jonathan replied with a polite nod as he carried Dexter''s briefcase.


    Once Dexter left, Mina stayed nearby, restless but unwilling to make a scene. She anxiously awaited the security team''s retrieval of the GPS data.


    ...


    Ka absentmindedly bit into a piece of bacon at the dining table, her brow furrowed. She didn''t even hear Myra talking.


    "Ka? Did you hear me?" Myra asked with a hint of impatience.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    "Huh? Sorry, Mom, what did you say?" Ka replied, snapping out of her thoughts.


    "I asked if you''ve sent out invitations for your birthday party. It''sing up soon," Myra repeated, her tone slightly exasperated.


    "Yes, I have!" Ka smiled brightly, though her palms were slick with sweat.


    Her mind was racing. She had been so confident after "cleaning up"st night. Yet, in her haste, she had overlooked the car''s GPS tracking system. If the security team traced the car''s route, it would lead them straight to the beach. Suddenly, Ka shot up from her chair. "I''m full. You all enjoy your meal."


    Without waiting for a response, she hurried off.


    Myra soon left for her beauty salon, leaving only Felicia and Sebastian at the table.


    The venture capital conference was scheduled to begin at 9:00 am.


    ret


    After finishing his breakfast, Sebastian checked his watch and said, "I''m going to get changed Be


    ready to leave in 15 minuLove


    When Sebastian left the dining room, only Felicia and Mina remained.


    Mina sat in a corner, her nerves frayed, her mind racing with worry about Ruben''s whereabouts.


    "Call the police," Felicia said suddenly.


    Mina looked up, startled. Was Felicia talking to her?


    "What?"


    "Call the police," Felicia repeated calmly. "You''re not going to find anything through GPS. It''s been erased."


    Mina blinked in confusion. "Erased? How do you know that?"


    Felicia leaned back in her chair, her expression thoughtful. "Ka''s probably already in the surveince room,ing up with an excuse to send the security team away. Afterward, she''ll delete all the GPS data from that car-and likely from all the others, just to cover her tracks. She''ll im it was an ident, something like, ''Oops, I hit the wrong button."


    Mina''s breath hitched. "Why would she do that? Do you know where Ruben is? Please, tell me!"


    Felicia didn''t answer immediately. Her silence was heavy, her gaze distant.


    She thought back to the missed calls from Lance. The timing had been perfect¡ªor, rather, perfectly wrong. While she''d been speaking with Minast night, Ruben ha? been, in his final moments, strangled by Shawn''s belt.


    Felicia''s voice was steady but cold as she finally asked, "Did Ruben have something on Ka? Something significant?"


    "If so, then he''s gone because Ka discovered it, and she silenced him," she said bluntly.


    The word "silenced" carried a chilling weight.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 210

    Mina copsed onto the floor, her face as pale as a sheet, her body trembling uncontrobly. "W-What did you say? Is Ruben dead..."


    The sleepless night, the unanswered calls, and Ruben''s cryptic remarks about the leverage he held all connected like puzzle pieces in her mind. With a heart-wrenching wail, she scrambled to Felicia''s feet, clutching at her ankles. "Ms. Felicia, please! You know something-tell me! Tell me where Ruben is!"


    Felicia calmly wiped her hands with a napkin, removing the faint sheen of grease from her breakfast. Her voice was cold and matter-of-fact.


    "In the river."


    Mina''s eyes rolled back, and she nearly fainted on the spot.


    Before she could fully pass out, Felicia flicked two silver needles from her hand, expertly hitting acupoints to restore Mina''s breathing. She gasped, dragging in a sharp breath as consciousness returned. Although she was still dazed, her grief quickly morphed into rage. She lunged at Felicia, her fists iling.


    "If you knew, why didn''t you save him? Why didn''t you save him?"


    Felicia caught Mina''s wrists in a firm grip, her calm gaze locking onto the distraught woman''s eyes. "Do you want revenge?" she asked quietly. "Do you want to see the murderer face justice?"


    Mina froze mid-sob, her anger slowly giving way to despair. "Revenge? Justice? How? What can I possibly do? Your family is so powerful. Covering up a murder would be nothing for the Fuller family."


    "That''s why you need to listen to me," Felicia advised as she released Mina''s hands. Her expression was steady, betraying no emotion.


    Meanwhile, in the surveince room, Ka had sessfully used a flimsy excuse to send the guard on duty away. Once alone, she systematically deleted all vehicle tracking data before that day, ensuring there would be no trace left. When the guard returned with his coffee, he gawked at the empty logs. "Ms. Ka, why did you delete all the previous data?"


    "Oh, I identally cleared everything," she said, her tone dismissive. "It''s not a big deal, so don''t make a fuss about it."


    Ka walked out of the room with a smug smile. If nothing else, she owed Felicia for reminding her about the GPS logs. Otherwise, she might have left an incriminating trail.


    "Let them search all they want," she muttered to herself. "They won''t find a thing."


    Shortly after, Mina and the now-yawning guard arrived at the surveince room.


    Despite clinging to a shred of hope that Felicia had been mistaken, Mina''s heart sank when the guard confirmed the worst. "It''s all gone. The GRS data for Ruben''s


    Rolls Royce and every other car''s tracking data have been erased."


    The guard shrugged and said, "It looks like there''s no way to track it now. I guess we''ll just have to wait for Ruben toe back on his own."Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    But Mina wasn''t listening anymore. She left the Fuller residence in a daze, hailing an Uber to the beach at the far end of Cedar Street.


    The morning sun reflected off the rippling water, its golden light almost mocking in its serenity. The cold wind whipped against Mina''s weathered face as she stared at the beach. With trembling hands, she pulled out her phone.


    "Hello? I need to report a crime. My husband has been murdered. His body is at the bottom of the river."


    In the back seat of the car, while Sebastian and Felicia were on their way to the conference, he waved a hand in front of Felicia''s face, grinning. "Hey Felicia, what''s got you so distracted?"


    She snapped out of her thoughts and shed him a yful smile. "I was just thinking how dashing you look in a suit!"


    "Mastering the art of ttery will get you everywhere!" Sebastianughed, his mood visibly lifting as he puffed out his chest.


    When they arrived at the conference, Felicia was surprised by the sheer scale of the event. The grand venue was packed with prominentpanies and bustling with activity. "This is impressive," she remarked, genuinely taken aback.


    "It''s one of the biggest conferences in the region," Sebastian exined. "All the toppanies are here."


    Felicia nodded, ncing around. But she couldn''t help herself from asking, "Do you think there''s apany here called Jupiter Group?"


    Sebastian raised an eyebrow.


    "You''re really interested in that


    of it-no suchpany here,"


    he


    replied with absolute certainty. "If you don''t believe me, check the guest list over there."

 Chapter 211

    Felicia scanned the list ofpanies one more time, from top to bottom, but Jupiter Group was not listed at all.


    It made sense. In her previous life, the now-renowned conglomerate had only been a fledgling startup at this point, struggling through its early days. They likely hadn''t even qualified for an invitation to such a high-profile venture capital event. Setting aside the thought, Felicia began surveying the other projects andpanies present at the conference.


    As she studied the scene, a cool voice interrupted her.


    "What are you doing here?"


    Felicia turned her head, instantly recognizing the speaker. It was none other than Arnold with his signature scowl.


    Under normal circumstances, she would have told him to get lost without a second thought. However, things were different today.


    She wasn''t here just for the conference-she was here to outmaneuver him. She needed to keep a close eye on him if she wanted to snatch the investments that had propelled his sess in her previous life.


    Her lips curved into a small smile, and her eyes sparkled with a glint of mischief.


    Arnold froze for a moment, caught off guard.


    Was she... happy to see him?


    For a split second, he felt oddly pleased.


    But before he could dwell on the thought, Sebastian appeared, stepping neatly between them. With one arm, he draped himself protectively over Felicia''s shoulder, creating a physical barrier between her and Arnold. "Let''s go, Licia. I''ll help you find a seat. No need to waste your time with strangers."


    "Strangers?" Arnold''s expression darkened instantly. The jab was anything but subtle. What was worse, Sebastian''s dismissive tone stung more than it should have.


    On impulse, Arnold reached out and grabbed Felicia''s arm.


    Suddenly, Felicia found herself caught in the middle-Sebastian''s arm around her shoulder on one side and Arnold''s hand gripping her wrist on the other. What was this circus?


    She rolled her eyes, yanking her arm free from Arnold''s grasp. "You two continue. I''ll find a seat myself."


    Before either man could protest, she spun on her heel and walked into the venue, leaving them behind.


    The two men exchanged cold, measuring stares.


    Sebastian broke the silence first, his tone icy. "Arnold, what''s the meaning of this? Are you seriously trying to grab my sister right in front of me?" Arnold didn''t back down. "What''s the problem? Felicia is my fianc¨¦e, after all."


    "Fianc¨¦e?" Sebastian let out a sharpugh, his expression a mix of disbelief and mockery. "You''re joking, right? That engagement fiasco between the Lawsons and my family was nothing more than aughingstock. And your behavior has been the biggest joke of all."


    Arnold bristled but didn''t reply immediately, giving Sebastian an opening to press on.


    "Tell me, Arnold," Sebastian


    One


    continued, his voiceced with disdain. "When you talk about fianc¨¦e, which sister are you referring to? Are you referring Felicia or the one you''re always ying ambiguously close to-Ka?"


    Arnold stiffened, hisposure faltering.


    Sebastian''s gaze grew sharper, and his words colder. "You can''t have it both ways. Don''t call Felicia your fianc¨¦e when you''re flirting with Ka on the side. Do you think ''m blind? Or do you just think I''m stupid?"


    "I''ve always treated Ka like a sister," Arnold argued, though his voicecked conviction.


    Sebastian snorted. "Do you think I believe that?"Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    His sharp eyes narrowed further, his naturally refined and handsome features tinged with icy anger. The force of his re was almost palpable.


    Arnold drew a deep breath, trying to keep his temper in check. "You''re blowing this out of proportion. How long have we known each other, Sebastian? Don''t let thise between us-"


    "If you truly see Ka as a sister, then stop acting so ambiguously with her. Don''t give anyone-especially her-the wrong idea."

 Chapter 212

    "And as for you and Felicia-forget it," Sebastian said firmly, his voice cutting like a de. "She doesn''t like you and never will. She definitely won''t marry you. Stop using that ''fianc¨¦'' title to act self-important. If I hear it again, you''ll regret it." Without waiting for a reply, Sebastian turned on his heel and strode into the venue.


    Spotting Felicia already seated, he walked over and sat beside her.


    Felicia blinked up at him, then nced back toward the entrance. Sure enough, Arnold had entered the venue but hadn''t left. She rxed slightly.


    For today, he was more than just an annoyance he was a radar. She couldn''t afford to let him slip away.


    The venture capital conference began on schedule.


    Entrepreneurs and project creators took to the stage one by one, presenting their ideas with passion and vigor in hopes of securing investments. The atmosphere buzzed with energy and potential.


    Felicia, however, had her eyes glued to Arnold. She watched his every move, trying to discern which project would catch his attention.


    After a while, Arnold seemed to sense her gaze. His eyes flicked upward, meeting hers. His stern expression softened slightly, and his lips quirked upward into a faint smile.


    "What''s he thinking now?" Felicia thought, irritated.


    She quickly averted her gaze, unwilling to fuel his imagination further.


    Yet, to her surprise, the conference came and went without Arnold making a single move. He didn''t invest in any of the projects or engage with any of the entrepreneurs. Frustrated, Felicia leaned toward Sebastian and asked in a low voice, "Which project stood out to you today?"


    Sebastian tilted his head thoughtfully. "They all seemed solid."


    "All of them?" She frowned.


    "Yeah. Plenty of potential across the board, but who''s to say which one will actually seed? Investing is always a gamble," Sebastian replied matter-of-factly.


    The conference concluded, and Sebastian ran into a few acquaintances as the crowd left. While he chatted with them, Felicia wandered off, bored.


    She soon found herself in a small garden area outside the venue.


    The flowers were in full bloom, their vibrant colors and light fragrance calming her. She strolled leisurely, admiring the scenery, when a faint voice behind a hedge caught her attention.


    "Mypany is small. It is so small that there are only six of us,


    including me. We scrape by, cutting costs wherever we can. Each of us has a workload of three people. This thinning hairline is proof of how much we''ve sacrificed..."


    It sounded like someone rehearsing a pitch-but with an almost desperate edge.


    Curious, Felicia stepped closer and peered past the hedge. She found herself face-to-face with a young man wearing thick sses, clutching a crumpled script.


    He froze, his nervousness evident as he stammered, "Y-You..."


    Felicia nced at her watch and said calmly, "It''s 11:25 am."


    The conference would officially end at 11:30 am.


    Her meaning was clear-he''d miss his chance to pitch if he didn''t hurry.


    The young man''s eyes widened. "What?"


    Realizing the time, he panicked. His sses nearly slid off his nose as he scrambled to gather his things. "No one reminded me it was my turn!"


    Clutching his wrinkled notes, he bolted toward the venue.


    Inside, most of the investors had already left.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Desperate the young man began pleading with the remaining few. "Please, sir, just five minutes to look at my project. It''s innovative- promise you''ll be impressed!


    One investor barely spared him a nce. "I''ve alreadymitted eight million today. I''m not looking at anything else."


    Undeterred, he approached another. "Please, just five minutes. Here''s my project proposal. I¡ª"


    Before he could finish, the investor''s assistant stepped in, brushing him aside.


    He tried repeatedly, bowing deeply and repeating his plea. But every time, he was met with rejection or indifference. No one stopped to listen.

 Chapter 213

    The young man was Vincent McLaren. His heart had sunk to its lowest depths as he watched the investors-the ones who could turn his dream into reality-file out one by one.


    Even the organizer''s assistant, Sidney Johnson, couldn''t resist a jab. "Ah, you''re not the first starry-eyed entrepreneur I''ve seen. Better luck next time. Maybe you''ll get invited to the next conference¡ªif you''re lucky." The light in Vincent''s eyes dimmed further, reced by an unbearable weight of despair.


    "There won''t be a next time," he thought.


    His smallpany of six had scraped together every cent to get to this moment, betting everything on a single shot. And he had let them all down by fumbling at the critical moment.


    Closing his eyes, he felt a grim resolve take root. Maybe it was better to end it now-jump off a rooftop, leave behind the judgmental gazes of his colleagues and the crushing disappointment of his family. But just as that dark thought solidified, a clear and melodious voice rang out behind him.


    "I can listen."


    He spun around, stunned.


    Standing there was a young woman, her face exquisitely serene, her expression warm and free of mockery or condescension.


    Her gaze carried the same gentle reassurance he had felt earlier in the garden, like a breeze through the woods-calm yet uplifting.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    For a moment, he froze, unsure how to respond. However, the woman-Felicia-had already stepped into the empty venue, taking a seat in the center of the room. She gestured for him to begin. Vincent hesitated but eventually followed her into the hall.


    Unlike the suited investors who had exuded polished confidence, Felicia sat casually, her jacket draped over the back of her chair, her white sweater paired with simple blue jeans, and an unassuming backpack entirely devoid of luxury branding. Sidney snorted, shaking his head as he muttered, "What''s the point of pitching to a kid? She doesn''t look like she can call the shots, let alone invest. Don''t waste your time."


    But Vincent ignored him.


    He stepped onto the stage and plugged in his USB drive. He began


    his presentation with nees


    determination, projecting his slides


    onto the screen.


    His project was arge-scale mobile game. The graphics were stunning, and the gamey mechanics were innovative.


    Gone was the timid, stumbling man.


    from the garden. Onstage, he


    radiated passion, his voice brimming with energy and conviction. Every word, every gesture spoke of his deep love for his creation-a love so fierce it seemed to burn through him.


    Felicia listened intently, her eyes never leaving the screen or his face.


    When he finished, the hall fell silent for a moment before Felicia broke into apuse.


    Vincent exhaled shakily, the adrenaline draining from his body. For the first time all day, he felt a glimmer of peace.


    "Thank you," he said, smiling shyly. Gathering his things, he prepared to leave, content to have at least shared his vision with someone who cared. However, before he could step down, Felicia''s voice stopped him.


    "Aren''t we going to discuss


    funding?" she asked, her tone light yet serious. "Your proposal says.you need one million. I''ll double it two million. How does that sound?"


    He froze mid-step, his head whipping around to stare at her in disbelief.


    Behind them, Sidney burst outughing. "Did you mean two million in-game currency?"


    Vincent wasn''t ready to dismiss her, though. His voice trembling with both excitement and doubt, he asked, "May I ask... who are you?"


    Felicia''s lips curved into a yful smile. "I''m Felicia. You might''ve heard of my father-he''s the richest man in Khogend." Vincent''s jaw dropped.


    Sidney, on the other hand, was dumbfounded, hisughter abruptly silenced.


    Felicia leaned back in her chair, her casual posture unchanged. Sometimes, it did help to have a big name behind a person.

 Chapter 214

    The moment Felicia introduced herself, Vincent dropped to his knees with an audible thud.


    Even Sidney, who had been smirking just moments ago, froze midugh, his expression quickly morphing into one of sheer disbelief.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    The daughter of Khogend''s wealthiest man?


    For someone like her, two million dors was probably pocket change.


    The rest of the process was seamless. Felicia and Vincent signed an investment agreement on the spot. Though he had originally sought one million dors, she boldly signed for two million.


    "Ms. Fuller..." Vincent hesitated, his voice tinged with concern. "This is two million dors we''re talking about. Are you sure? What if ourpany, Hexagon, doesn''t make it? You''d lose everything..."


    Felicia raised an eyebrow and replied with a calm smile, "Are you so unsure about your own potential? Because I, for one, have plenty of faith in you."


    As part of the agreement, her investment would secure her 80% ownership of thepany should it seed. And if it didn''t?


    She''d take the loss in stride.


    Felicia folded her copy of the contract and gave Vincent a reassuring look. "The money will be transferred within three days. For now, your job is to grow your team-six people won''t cut it anymore. Start hiring, find a proper office in a business district, and make sure your new headquarters reflects the confidence of a risingpany. First impressions matter."


    She gave him a parting smile, waved her contract in farewell, and left without waiting for his reply.


    Vincent nodded furiously, his spirits soaring as if he had been given a second chance at life.


    Meanwhile, in a secluded garden behind the venue, Arnold paced back and forth, frustration etched across his face.


    After circling the area twice without sess, he turned to his personal assistant with a sharp re. "Didn''t I tell you to ensure Sidney kept that guy out of the venue? Where is he?"


    The assistant, Jeremy Finley, wiped the sweat from his brow nervously. "M-Maybe he has left?"


    Arnold''s expression darkened further. "Find him!"


    Arnold had been keeping tabs on Hexagon, a tiny startup that barely qualified as apany. Their team had developed a mobile game that had piqued his interest.


    His n was simple-prevent them from pitching at the event, then swoop inter to negotiate directly. By doing so, he''d secure the project for a fraction of its value and gain full control.  en


    But now, the n had gone awry.


    Minutes passed before his assistant returned, his face pale as he stammered, "Mr. Lawson, the Hexagon project has already been picked up." Arnold''s brows knitted together. "Who? Which investor?"


    "It wasn''t one of the investors," the assistant replied cautiously. "It was Felicia. The Fuller family heiress."


    Arnold blinked in disbelief. "Felicia? What''s she doing ying at investing? Does she even know what she''s doing?"


    He clenched his jaw, frustrated by the missed opportunity. But after a moment of consideration, he forced himself to shrug it off.


    "Let her have it. It''s just a tiny project from a no-namepany. The Lawson family doesn''t need some second-rate game developer anyway." Turning on his heel, Arnold left with Jeremy trailing behind.


    Outside the venue, Sebastian had finished his conversations and scanned the crowd for Felicia. When she finally appeared, he sighed in relief. "Where have you been? I''ve been looking everywhere for you," he said, walking over.


    "I realized forgot my jacket," Felicia lied smoothly, brushing off his concern. "Went back to grab it. What about you? You don''t look so good. Something wrong?"


    Sebastian hesitated, debating whether to tell her. Ultimately, he decided she needed to know.


    "I just got a call," he said grimly. "Ruben was found dead. Mina reported it to the police. They''re retrieving his body from the water now."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 215

    Felicia feigned just the right amount of surprise and concern before suggesting, "In that case, why don''t we head to the scene, Sebastian?"


    The rescue team was hard at work at the beach near Cedar Street. A crane loomed over the water, its engine humming loudly as a crowd of onlookers gathered outside the police tape, some genuinely concerned, others merely curious. As Felicia stepped out of the car, the rescue team''s shouts rang out.


    "We''ve located the vehicle! We''re confirming the position!"


    "Divers, secure the car underwater! Crane team, be on standby!"


    "Three, two, one-crane, lift!"


    The crane lifted the submerged Rolls-Royce from the river with a mechanical groan. Water poured from every crevice, and the license te confirmed it was indeed the Fuller family''s missing car. Sebastian, standing beside Felicia, frowned and instinctively blocked her view. "Alright, that''s enough. You shouldn''t be looking at something like this. It''s not for the faint of heart."


    "If I were faint-hearted, I wouldn''t havee," she replied, gently brushing his hand aside. Her eyes remained fixed on the scene.


    As the waterlogged vehicle was lowered onto solid ground, the shadowy figure of the driver in the front seat became visible. Mina, who had been waiting anxiously nearby, broke downpletely the moment she saw the lifeless form inside the car. "Ruben! Ruben!"


    Sobbing uncontrobly, she shoved her way toward the vehicle, but officers held her back firmly.


    "Madam, please stay calm. The forensic team will be here shortly to examine the scene. We can''t disturb the evidence before they''vepleted their work," one officer exined, his voice steady but firm.


    Mina''s wails escted into hysterical screams. The sight of Ruben''s lifeless body drained thest shred of strength from her. She clutched her chest, gasping for air, before copsing backward.


    "Is the ambnce here yet? Quickly, get her on a stretcher!"


    Several officers worked together to lift Mina onto a stretcher and rushed her to the waiting ambnce.


    Felicia turned away from the chaotic scene. "Let''s go home, Sebastian." Sebastian nodded. "Yeah. Good idea."


    By the time they returned to the Fuller residence, it was well pasto 1:00 pm. The maids, learning that neither sibling had eaten, quickly reheated the dishes and brought them to the dining table.


    However, as Sebastian sat down and nced at the spread of food, his face turned pale. The image of Ruben''s lifeless body shed in his mind, and he bolted for the restroom, shocking the maids.


    swnove?


    Felicia shook her head. "Prepare some in noodle soup instead. Keep it light."


    "Alright, Ms. Felicia," the maid said, hastily clearing the table and heading to the kitchen.


    A whileter, Sebastian returned to the dining room, hisplexion still wan. Felicia handed him a small ss bottle. "Smell this," she said.


    He held it under his nose, and the soothing scent of mint wafted over him, easing the nausea. Gradually, his color returned.


    Feeling slightly embarrassed, he gave her an awkward smile. "Do you think I''m weak, Felicia? Getting sick over something like this?"Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Felicia shook her head. "It''s not


    about weakness. Some people just have a physiological response to seeing things like that-it''s a natural reaction, nothing to be ashamed of."


    She thought inwardly, "Honestly, it''s better this way. If everyone could stay as calm as Ka, who doesn''t even flinch when taking a life, that would be terrifying." By mid-afternoon, Dexter and Myra returned home after hearing about the incident.

 Chapter 216

    Since the Fuller family had employed Ruben, his murder naturally drew police scrutiny. Standard procedure dictated questioning anyone who had interacted with him before his death. Ka was the first person in line to be questioned.


    When questioned, Ka answered every inquiry smoothly, her expression calm andposed, leaving no room for suspicion.


    Her exnation was simple-it had nothing to do with her.


    Ka recounted her story effortlessly. "That night, Ruben drove me to the shopping district. I told him he could take a break while I shopped. But when I finished and came out, he was gone. The car was missing, and I couldn''t reach him on the phone." Dexter, standing nearby, chimed in, "That''s right, Captain Quinn. My daughter wouldn''t lie. She was furious about having to take a cab home and even yelled at me about firing Ruben. Who could''ve guessed this would happen to him..." Laurence, a seasoned investigator and longtime acquaintance of Dexter, was unbothered by personal connections when it came to his work.


    "Mr. Fuller," he interrupted, "I''m questioning your daughter. Please don''t interfere."


    Laurence wrapped up the formal questions and turned to leave with his team. However, just before stepping out, he stopped and asked Ka, "By the way, what did you buy during your shopping trip?"


    "Well..." Ka paused for a second. Then, she went with the flow, answering, "A watch, clothes, and essories."


    He smiled politely. "A youngdy''s love for fashion-nothing unusual about that."


    But as he turned away, Felicia caught the faint glint of doubt in his eyes.


    No crime was without cracks. And Ka''s story? It was riddled with them.


    Felicia watched silently, shaking her head slightly. Ka was practically a walking web of inconsistencies. Pull one thread, and the entire story would unravel.


    At the front door, Dexter escorted Laurence and his team out. Though Ruben''s death troubled him, he still hoped to glean some answers.


    "Captain Quinn," he asked, "what can you tell me about how Ruben died?"


    Laurence paused, his expression grave. "Ruben was strangled from behind, likely to ensure asphyxiation. Afterward, the scene was staged to make it look like a drunk-driving ident-his body and the car were pushed into the river."


    Dexter sucked in a sharp breath. "So it was... a murder? A personal vendetta?"


    "Too early to say," Laurence replied. "But we''re closing in on some leads." He ced a firm hand on Dexter''s shoulder, his gaze heavy with


    unspoken meaning. "In the


    meantime, Mr. Fuller, you andl


    daughter Ka need to stay in


    Khogend. Neither of you can leave the city until the investigation is concluded."


    "Understood. We''ll cooperate fully," Dexter promised with a heartyugh, showing no signs of concern.


    The thought that Ka might be involved didn''t even cross his mind.


    Back inside the Fuller residence, Ka let out a long breath, finally rxing after the tense encounter. She clung to Myra''s arm, her voice yful and exaggerated.


    "Mom, that was so scary! What if our family is cursed or something? Ever since all this started, everything''s been going wrong!"Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Her eyes flicked briefly to Felicia, the implication in her words as sharp as a de.


    The message was clear-none of this chaos had happened before Felicia returned to the family. Ka was pointing fingers without directly saying the words. "Nonsense!" Myra yfully chided, a hint of mock sternness in her voice. "Quick, take it back-knock on wood! Don''t jinx it!"


    Ka mimicked the gesture with an exaggeratedugh. "Mom, why do you always treat me like a little kid?"


    "Because in my eyes, you''ll always be my little kid," Myra replied with a warm smile, tapping her daughter gently on the forehead. The sweet bond between mother and daughter was heartwarming, a picture of love that could make anyone smile.

 Chapter 217

    Ka''s gaze lingered on Felicia throughout the day, her eyes flickering with hints of smugness and provocation.


    This tactic had worked wonders on Felicia in her previous life. As someone who had longed desperately for her mother''s love, she had once been crushed by the sight of Myra doting on Ka. But that was then. Now, Felicia simply smiled, her immunity fully intact.


    The night at the Fuller residence was calm and uneventful. Nothing out of the ordinary happened.


    Tomorrow would be the birthday celebration for both daughters, and the Fuller family spared no expense. The preparations began at dawn, with workers from an eventpany arriving to transform the estate into a grand, floral paradise. Bouquets of fresh flowers filled the air with their fragrance, purple balloons swayed in the morning breeze, and the mansion''s chandeliers were adorned with glittering enhancements.


    The theme was unmistakable-opulence.


    Ka, ustomed to such fanfare, used the opportunity to show off.


    "You probably don''t know this, but all my birthdays are like this," Ka said with a self-satisfied smile as she addressed Felicia. "Last year, for my 18th birthday, Dad even hired a few A-list celebrities to perform. It was way more extravagant than this!" Then, with a feigned air of humility, she added, "I wasn''t nning on going all out this year, but since it''s your first birthday with the family, we thought we''d make it a special asion for you."


    The implication was clear-Felicia was merely riding on Ka''s coattails.


    Felicia didn''t dignify her with a response. She walked past Ka as if she didn''t exist, heading straight for the front door.


    The driver, Brody Evans, quickly brought the car around and opened the door for her. "Ms. Felicia, the car is ready."


    "Thank you," Felicia said as she got in and gave him an address.


    As Brody drove, he asionally nced at her in the rearview mirror. His curiosity got the better of him, and finally, Felicia raised her head from her phone.


    "Do I have something on my face?"


    Caught red-handed, Brody looked sheepish. "No, no, Ms. Felicia. I was just thinking... You and Ms. Ka are so different, even though you''re both daughters of the Fuller family."


    His voice held an undercurrent of emotion. Everyone in the household-servants, drivers, and bodyguards alike¡ªhad endured Ka''s temper. Brody was no exception.


    Ruben''s death only deepened the heavy atmosphere. Brody couldn''t shake the thought that it could''ve been him. The previous day''s driving assignment had originally been his, but Ruben had taken his ce.


    Felicia nced at him but chose not toment.


    When they arrived at her destination, she stepped out of the car and said, "You don''t have to wait for me. Take some time to visit Mina at the


    hospital. And please send he my regards." Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Mina had yet to wake up since she fainted at the recovery site the day before. Knowing the bond between her and Ruben, Felicia felt it was the least she could do. Brody nodded. "Alright, Ms. Felicia."


    Felicia turned toward where Lance and his men were waiting.


    "Is the contract ready?" she asked.


    Lance greeted her with a wide grin, his demeanor obsequious. "All set, Ms. Fuller! Please take a look."


    She scanned the document quickly. Knowing Lance wouldn''t dare try anything shady, she signed without hesitation.


    Lance thumped his chest, beaming. "You''ve got my word, Ms. Fuller-the funds will be in your ount within half an hour!"


    "Great. You can go now." She waved him off.


    He practically skipped away, his


    excitement palpable. He had initially thought Felicia''s promise of a lucrative deal was just talk. But holding a signed contract, his. admiration for her grew tenfold.


    jelow,


    As he left, he threw a few morepliments her way before disappearing around the corner.

 Chapter 218

    Felicia indeed needed money. All her earnings from treating patients had been poured into the development project in Alverton, leaving her penniless. Although Dexter had given her a bank card with a decent sum inside, she refused to touch a single cent of it.


    But no matter her meticulous nning had already solved her financial dilemma. She had orchestrated a scheme against Shawn, turning his 50 million into gambling debts. Lance repossessed his house, cars, and all his luxury possessions. Now, Felicia sold all those items back to Lance for 20% below market value, pocketing two million dors in the process.


    It was a brilliant y-money earned without spending a dime.


    Lance was more than happy with the arrangement. He''d already taken his cut from the original debt and now acquired a mansion, two luxury cars, and other valuable items at bargain prices. It was a win-win.


    As he drove away, Lance couldn''t help but admire Felicia''s cunning.


    "She''s ruthless!" he thought.


    The money Shawn had swindled from the Fuller family had passed through multiple hands, only to end up back in Felicia''s pocket.


    Lance made a mental note-Felicia was not someone to cross.


    ...


    Within ten minutes, the funds hit Felicia''s ount. Satisfied with Lance''s efficiency, she pulled out her phone to call Jeremy, whom she had met at the venture capital conference, and arrange the transfer. Before she could make the call, two WhatsApp notifications popped up. Curious, Felicia opened the messages.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    They were from Tabitha.


    A video began to y. In it, Tabitha sat before a beautifully decorated cake, tears streaming down her face as she sang a shaky rendition of "Happy Birthday". Her voice cracked as she spoke to the camera.


    "Licia, even though you''re not my biological daughter, we were mother and daughter for 18 years.


    "I''m so sorry for how I treated you in the past. Today is your birthday, and I bought you a cake. Could you... Could youe to see me? I miss you so much."


    When she was little, Shawn always had a cake on his birthday. Tabitha and Howell would go to town to buy it for him.


    Shawn would be the center of attention in the dim glow of candlelight, surrounded by cheers and love.


    Four-year-old Felicia would watch from the sidelines, licking her lips in envy. Shawn had noticed her longing once. After everyone had eaten their fill, he deliberately smashed the leftover cake onto the floor and


    grinned at her.


    "You want some? Too bad!"


    Another time, Felicia had timidly asked Tabitha if she could have a tiny cake for her birthday.


    Tabitha''s response was a p across the face.


    "You ungrateful brat! Are you asking for a cake? Who do you think you are?"


    After that, Felicia never dared to ask again.


    Later, she overheard Howell and Tabitha talking and learned she wasn''t their biological child. That knowledge had sparked a new hope maybe her real parents would love her, would make up for all she hadcked.


    Now, watching Tabitha''s tearful performance, Felicia''s face remained expressionless.


    Barely two minutes passed before a call came in from an unknown number.


    Felicia immediately knew who it was. Her first instinct was to ignore it, but something stopped her.


    She thought of Shawn and Ka''stest schemes.


    So this was their next move.


    Felicia answered, her tone icy. "What do you want?"


    As expected, Tabitha''s weepy voice came through the line.


    "Licia, I''m so sorry. Please, give me a chance to make it up to you. Let me celebrate your birthday with you, okay?"


    Her voice cracked as she pleaded. "L


    bought your favorite cake. It even


    has a little bunny on top, just like you used to like. Please, just see me. Let me make things right."

 Chapter 219

    Felicia could onlyugh at the sheer absurdity of it all.


    With such a heartfelt plea, full of tears and sincerity, it was touching.


    She had been wondering what Ka and Shawn were up to after their lengthy conversation on the beach. They couldn''t possibly have been chatting idly. No, they must have devised what they thought was a foolproof n to get rid of her for good. Over the past few days, Felicia had been extra cautious whenever she left the house, but no one seemed to be tailing her.


    And then it clicked.


    Ka''s constant disys of affection with Myra in front of Felicia weren''t just for show. They were calcted. The idea was to push Felicia''s emotional buttons, exploit her past longing for maternal love, and leave her vulnerable to Tabitha''s tearful ambush. If Felicia had gone to that address, it would undoubtedly have been a trap, meticulouslyid and waiting for her.


    How pathetic.


    Felicia allowed a hint of excitement to creep into her voice. "Really?"


    "Of course! I would never lie to you!" Tabitha''s voice was trembling with eagerness now, sensing her n was working.


    "Licia," she continued, "I''ve sent you the address. Come over now! We''ll light the candles, cut the cake, and you can head back to the Fuller family''s birthday party afterward. The timing''s perfect, don''t you think?" Felicia smiled faintly. "That sounds great."


    "Wonderful! Hurry, my dear. I can''t wait to see you!"


    The moment Felicia hung up, her expression turned icy. Any trace of sentiment was reced with cold mockery.


    These people still thought they were clever, she mused.


    Without hesitation, she dialed Lance.


    She rattled off the address Tabitha had sent her, her tone indifferent. "Keep them alive. I need their statements when Ka''s crimese to light."


    Lance''sughter was practically audible through the phone. "Got it, Ms. Fuller. Don''t worry, I''ve handled plenty of jobs like this."


    ...


    Tabitha ended the call in a shabby rental house on the outskirts of town with a self-satisfied smirk.


    "I told you! That girl''s still under my thumb!" she gloated, turning to Shawn. "See? No need to worry."


    Shawn''s face twisted into a sinister grin. "Good. Once that little brat shows up, we''ll take her out. Then, we can get back to living the good life!"


    Howell, however, remained uneasy. "Are you sure your sister Ka will give you the money? You''re not lying to us, are you?"


    "Rx, Dad. She''s my blood sister, your real daughter. Once she inherits the Fuller family fortune, who else is she going to spoil but us?" Howell still looked skeptical, but Shawn waved off his concerns.


    "Even if she tries to back outter, I''ve got dirt on her. She wouldn''t dare turn her back on us."


    "That''s true." Howell nodded, his gaze flicking to his son''s mangled right hand. His hatred for Felicia


    burned even brighter. "That


    ungrateful wretch! We fed here


    clothed her, and she has the


    audacity to harm my son!"


    "Exactly! When that brat shows up, I''m going to tear her apart!" Tabitha spat venomously. The three exchanged a nce and sprang into action to prepare for Felicia''s arrival.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The small birthday cake on the table wasced with sedatives. The water in the kettle was drugged as well. Beneath the tabley a knife, and behind the sofa, a length of rope.


    en


    The n was simple-Felicia would arrive, eat the drugged cake, drink the water, and pass out. Then, Howell and Shawn would tie her up and finish the job.


    Shawn, having alreadymitted murder the night before, felt emboldened, practically invincible.


    Soon, there was a knock at the door.


    "She''s here Tabitha''s eyes lit up as she whispered for the men to hide. She smoothed her face into an


    expression of motherly affecel!


    and


    opened the door, beaming.


    "Oh, my dear, you finally-"


    Her words died in her throat.


    Standing in the doorway was not Felicia but a tall, broad-shouldered man with a chilling grin.


    Tabitha screamed and tried to m the door shut.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 220

    Tabitha''s attempt to shut the door was futile. With one swift kick, Lance swung the door open and sent her sprawling to the floor with a yelp of pain.


    Behind her, Howell and Shawn instinctively tried to make a run for it, but Lance''s men were quicker. Within seconds, the two were pinned face-first onto the floor, their arms painfully twisted behind their backs. Lance sauntered in, his gait uneven due to the injury that had left him with a permanent limp. He red at Shawn, whoy trembling on the ground.


    "You still think you can outrun me, huh?" Lance''s voice wasced with malice. "Go on. Give it another try!"


    His boot connected with Shawn''s shin in a brutal kick, earning a howl of pain.


    "Mr. Thompson, please! Just a little more time and I swear I''ll have the money!" Shawn begged, his face smeared with tears and snot.


    Lance plopped onto the couch with a dramatic sigh. His eyes wandered to the small cake on the table. He picked up a fork, scooped a bite, and popped it into his mouth.


    The bitterness hit immediately.


    "What the hell is this? Stale cake?" Lance muttered, smacking his lips in distaste.


    Howell and Shawn exchanged nervous nces, both swallowing hard.


    Unbeknownst to Lance, the cake was heavilyced with sedatives and was intended for Felicia. And now, with just one bite, Lance began to feel the effects.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    "Mr. Thompson? Are you okay?" One of his men noticed the boss swaying slightly and rushed to his side.


    "I''m fine," Lance muttered, shaking his head in an effort to stay alert. He managed to stave off unconsciousness but was left fuming. "Give all of them a good beating! But don''t kill them yet."


    His men sprang into action, their


    fists and boots flying at Howell, Shawn and Tabitha. The room erupted in chaos as the three eried and screamed under the relentless assault.


    Lance leaned back on the couch, trying to regain hisposure. His gazended on the knife tucked beneath the table as his strength returned.


    "Well..." Lance said, pulling out the de and holding it up to the light. "You even brought me a toy. How thoughtful."


    The sinister grin spread across his face sent chills through Shawn, whose pupils dted in terror.


    ...


    Brody, the Fuller family''s driver, approached the door to Mina''s hospital ward only to be greeted by the sound of her furious yelling.


    The door flew open, and a bag of fruit tumbled out, nearly hitting Brody, who quickly stepped aside.


    One of Dexter''s bodyguards stood


    stiffly inside the ward, his expression cold and unyielding. Dexter had sent him to deliver a token of goodwilf given that Ruben had been a longtime employee. However, Mina was having none of it.


    The bodyguard snapped, "I''m warning you! This is a gesture of kindness from Mr. Fuller. Don''t be ungrateful. Your husband''s death wasn''t his fault, and he''s alreadypensated for your loss with a recement vehicle. What more do you want?"


    Mina''s chest heaved with suppressed rage.


    "Not his fault?" she finally choked out, her voice trembling with fury. "If it weren''t for his daughter, Ruben wouldn''t be dead!"


    The ward fell silent.


    Brody cautiously stepped inside, but his heart sank when he saw the devastation on Mina''s face.


    She wasn''t wrong. If Dexter and Myra hadn''t indulged Ka so excessively and hadn''t allowed her to be so reckless and entitled, none of this would''ve happened.

 Chapter 221

    Mina was brimming with anger, barely restraining herself from shouting out the name of the killer. She longed to expose the truth, to openly reject Dexter''s insincere gestures, and to unleash her fury at him and his daughter. But before she could erupt, Jeremy walked in and skillfully defused the tension.


    "Don''t upset yourself anymore," Jeremy said, addressing Mina in a concerned tone. "Take care of your health. We''ve worked with Ruben for so many years. I''m heartbroken over what happened to him, too." Turning to the bodyguard, who still looked indignant, Jeremy added, "The dead deserve respect, and grieving families deserve understanding. Let''s not get upset. It''s only natural for her to feel this way.


    With Jeremy''s mediation, the bodyguard said nothing more and began picking up the scattered gifts and the thick envelope from the floor. His movements were reluctant butposed.


    Jeremy, seeing that Mina seemed to have aged another ten years in just two days, sighed deeply. "My condolences," he said, his voice heavy. "Ruben is gone, but the truth wille to light. Please take care of yourself."


    He pulled out a small stack of cash-just a thousand dors-and ced it gently on the table. "This is just a small token of my sympathy," he said. "Ruben and I worked together for many years, and we''ve known each other for so long. I hope you won''t mind the small amount."


    Mina''s gaze remained fixed on the bodyguard, her eyes burning with hatred so intense it seemed almost intangible. Oblivious to this, Jeremy remembered a message he was asked to deliver.


    Jeremy added, "Oh, by the way, Ms. Felicia asked me to pass along her regards."


    Mina froze, the words pulling her back to that day in the Fuller residence''s dining room. She had pleaded desperately, asking what she should do. At the time, Felicia had calmly advised her to call the police, recover the body, and let the authorities investigate.


    When Mina questioned why she shouldn''t directly use the killer, Ka, Felicia had asked her a simple but cutting question. She asked Mina if she thought that Myra and Dexter would ever let Ka bear thebel of a murderer.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Mina didn''t have to think long to


    answer. It was obvious that the Fuller couple wouldn''t let Ka bear such abel. Not only would they refuse to let Ka take the me, but if they found out she was involved, they would use every r¨¦source to clear her name and erase any suspicion.


    Her opportunity to seek justice would vanish before it even began.


    Taking a deep breath, Mina forced a pale smile and turned to the bodyguard. "I''m sorry," she said, her tone t but polite. "I took my anger out on you. Please thank Mr. Fuller for the gifts and the money. Tell him I appreciate his kindness." The bodyguard, visibly relieved, nodded. "Alright then. Take care of yourself."


    Just before he stepped out of the hospital ward, he nced back at Mina. There was something unsettling about her stillness-an eerie calm masking something far more dangerous beneath the surface. He shook his head as he left, murmuring to himself, "I must be imagining things."


    After Jeremy left, Mina picked up her phone and dialed a number. Her voice was steady, almost unnervingly so.


    "I did as you said," she reported. "I epted the gifts and the money without raising any suspicion. I didn''t name the killer, so they won''t be on guard."


    On the other end of the line, Felicia checked the time. There was about an hour left until nightfall. Unbeknownst to Ka, every move she had made the murder, the disposal of the body-had been captured on camera by Lance''s men. Thinking she had passed the routine questioning unscathed, Ka was nowpletely at ease and eagerly anticipating her uing birthday banquet.


    Felicia''s voice was calm and


    deliberate. "I send you a list of reporters. Start calling them. Tell them you''re taking them to the crime


    are to catch the killer in the


    act. The first ten reporters who


    will get ess to exclusive


    evidence."


    "What evidence?" Mina asked, clutching the phone tightly.


    "A footage," Felicia replied, her tone unchanging. "It shows the entire process from the murder to the disposal of the body."

 Chapter 222

    That evening, the banquet hall was alight with festivities. The grand hall was filled withughter and clinking sses. Ka thrived in the attention, basking in the glow ofpliments from her guests. She had invited a big group of her coursemates and friends. In the college, anyone with an average family background who received an invitation from Ka was overjoyed. After all, the Fullers were the wealthiest in Khogend. They were eager to attend such eye-opening events. It was an opportunity to expand their connections and potentially mingle with people from a higher social ss.


    Then, there were people like Olivia, part of the city''s elite herself, who also got an invite. Unlike others, Olivia had zero interest in going. But in the world of high society, family ties and business partnerships often ran deep. Her family owned one of the biggest catering chains in the city and had plenty of business dealings with the Fullers.


    Even though Olivia wasn''t interested in attending at all, her parents insisted, practically pushing her out the door. So, skipping Ka''s birthday banquet wasn''t an option. Watching Ka revel in the praise of sycophants, she rolled her eyes. "Oh, please," she muttered under her breath.


    Ka was hard to miss, draped in an extravagant custom-designed white gown that shimmered under the lights like a cascade of diamonds.


    "Isn''t that thetest spring collection from a high-end designer brand?" One guest gasped. "I heard it hasn''t even hit the stores yet! Ka''s so lucky to wear it first."


    "Forget the dress," another chimed in. "Look at her jewelry! That ne alone was auctioned for an astronomical price. And the rest of her set-it''s a collector''s dream!"


    Ka covered her mouth with a delicateugh. "You''re all too kind! Honestly, I lose track of these things sometimes. I even misced a few pieces the other day. Can you believe it?"


    The crowd fell silent. Her nonchnt boasting was hard to rte to for those whose families weren''t swimming in wealth.


    One of the women let out a nervousugh to break the awkward silence. "So, Ka, is Mr. Lawsoning tonight? I mean, he''s your boyfriend, so he''s gotta make an appearance, right?" K nodded, her confidence radiating. "Of course, he''ll be here."


    In truth, Arnold had initially declined her invitation, citing workmitments. But when she casually mentioned that Felicia''s birthday was the same day, he abruptly changed his mind and agreed to attend.


    That realization had stoked Ka''s simmering anger into a full-blown rage. The fact that her supposed boyfriend cared more about Felicia than her was intolerable.


    There was no way she could let Felicie remain a threat-she had to go. The only question was whether Shawn had managed to pull it off yet.


    Hiding her impatience, Ka kept herposure and shed bright smiles as she greeted the guests around her. This was her night, after all. She moved effortlessly through the grand ballroom. She was the center of attention, basking in all the mor and admiration.


    Myra watched Ka with a satisfied smile from across the room. Yet thoughts of Felicia crept into her mind. She called over one of the maids. "Have you seen Felicia?"


    "Ms. Felicia went out this afternoon and hasn''t returned yet," the maid replied.


    "Oh my... This girl," Myra muttered, her brows knitting together in mild frustration. Just as she reached for her phone to call, the maid suddenly perked up and smiled brightly. "Mrs. Fuller, Ms. Felicia is back!"


    The cold from outside followed


    Felicia as she stepped through the door. The warmth of the heated room greeted her, and she casually shrugged off her coat, letting it


    drape over her arm. Dres 9 it


    simple yet stylish


    in a


    hoodie and


    loose-fitting jeans, her effortless look highlighted her tall, elegant frame. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Her natural grace and perfect proportions made anything she wore look runway-ready.


    Her long hair


    was


    tied back into a


    casual ponytail, emphasizing the


    delicate features of her petite, wless face. Her clear, cool eyes swept across the room with an air ofid-back confidence, giving her an almost untouchable vibe.


    One of the maids chuckled, turning to Myra. "Mrs. Fuller, Ms. Felicia really does look just like you."

 Chapter 223

    "Do we look alike?" Myra asked herself.


    Myra felt a swirl ofplicated emotions. Felicia was her biological daughter, no doubt, but that cold, prickly demeanor of hers was hard to warm up to. It was like hugging a cactus. No matter how much Myra tried, Felicia never softened up. Over time, her initial excitement about reuniting with her long-lost daughter cooled. First, it became calm eptance; now, it bordered on disappointment.


    Hearing the maid''s cheerful remark, Myra''s spirits lifted slightly. She walked over to Felicia, forcing a warm smile. "Why are you back sote? Change into something more appropriate. You can''t dress like that tonight." Felicia nced at her and shrugged. "I''m fine like this."


    Her closet had barely been touched in months. The dresses hanging there were ones Myra had picked out when Felicia first moved back home. She had worn two, maybe three, but the rest were still brand new with the tags intact. Myra frowned. "It''s your birthday. At least make an effort. What about those dresses I got you before..." She trailed off, realizing mid-sentence that those dresses were already out of style.


    Even if Felicia didn''t mind, people would talk. They might think the Fuller family''s daughter couldn''t even afford something new.


    After a brief pause, Myra''s tone sharpened. "You could''ve bought something yourself."


    Felicia didn''t want to argue, but the unfairness of thement got to her. She nced up and said, "Did Ka buy her own dress?"


    Well, Felicia clearly knew the answer. Ka obviously didn''t buy her own dress. Her dress had been handpicked by Myra and delivered directly by the brand. And her custom heels? They were designed by a designer Myra hired. Felicia didn''t usually care about Myra''s favoritism-she was perfectly capable of buying her own things. But being unfairly scolded for it made her snap back.


    Myra''s face flushed, a mix of embarrassment and irritation. She had thought about Felicia when nning things, but Felicia''s cold attitude and her refusal to even call Myra "Mom" made her so angry that she stopped trying.


    Felicia brushed past her without another word, heading straight for the buffet table. She was hungry, and eating sounded way better than dealing with the party.


    The maid leaned closer to Myra, her voice soft and consoling. "Mrs. Fuller, don''t take it to heart. Ms. Felicia is your daughter. Mothers and daughters always find a way to make up."


    The birthday party was meant to celebrate both Felicia and Ka, but it was obvious who the spotlight belonged to.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    While Felicia sat quietly by herself, Ka was surrounded by friends and coursemates, soaking up the attention.


    Everyugh, everypliment, and


    every bit of admiration went to


    vel


    Ka. Even Myra and Dexter seemed to save their warmest smiles for her. The guests, who didn''t even realize it was also


    Felicia''s birthday, didn''t spare her a second nce.


    After finishing her food, Felicia wiped her hands and turned around. She spotted Sebastian making his way through the crowd.


    With his usual easygoing smile, he ignored everyone else and walked straight to her. "Guess what I got you?" he said, extending his hand. Felicia blinked at him, caught off guard. "I have no idea."


    Sebastian opened his palm to reveal a ne. Its pendant was a small, intricate globe designed to look like a tiny.


    "Do you like it?" he asked, his voice warm.


    Felicia smiled slightly and was about to reply when another hand shot in, snatching the ne away.


    Ka''s familiar voice rang out, sounding yfully annoyed. "Sebastian, you''re so mean! You knew + wanted this one, but you gave me the swan instead. Let''s just swap, okay, Felicia?"


    Felicia nced at Ka and finally noticed the ne she was wearing a sleek ck swan pendant.


    With a cheerful grin, Ka ced


    the swan ne back in Sebastian''s hand, her tone sweet and bubbly. "Come on, Sebastian, please?" she said, shing him an


    innocent and calc

 Chapter 224

    Sebastian sighed, clearly frustrated. "I thought you liked swans?"


    "Well, I don''t like them anymore!" Ka replied, her tone confident and unapologetic. Her animated expression added a yful charm, making her bratty behavior oddly endearing rather than annoying.


    To Sebastian, the nes were just nes-the only difference was the pendants. He wasn''t about to cause a scene in front of everyone, let alone argue with his sister. He turned to Felicia instead and asked, "Do you like it? If not, I''ll get you the same one tomorrow."


    Felicia gave a faint smile.


    When she was little, she once found an old doll that a kid from her vige had thrown away. She carefully cleaned it, sewed up the tears, and even made it a little dress. It wasn''t much, but it was hers-something she treasured. One day, a rtive came to visit with their child. The kid saw her doll and demanded to have it. Before Felicia could react, her foster mother, Tabitha, snatched it out of her hands and gave it away without a second thought. People who had everything would never understand how much those with nothing cherished what little they had.


    It was even harder to exin how it felt when those small treasures were taken away over and over again.


    Felicia looked up at Sebastian, meeting his gaze. "It''s fine, Sebastian," she said softly.


    She didn''t need the ne, and she didn''t want it either.


    Felicia didn''t seem angry, but Sebastian could sense something change. The fragile warmth she had started to show toward him froze over again, reced by the same wall of indifference she had built before. Not long after, Arnold arrived with two beautifully wrapped gifts. Felicia barely acknowledged him and just sat quietly to the side, her expression unreadable.


    Meanwhile, Ka was thriving, soaking up the attention of her friends and admirers. Every now and then, she nced at Felicia. She would clench her jaw as she silently cursed Shawn for failing her yet again. However, everything else was going ording to n. Ka was the center of attention, basking in the spotlight on her morous 19th birthday.


    Amid the cheers and apuse, a stunningly beautiful cake was wheeled out into the center of the room.


    Layer byyer, it towered high. There were 12yers in total. Every step was taken with extreme caution to ensure nothing went wrong.


    "Wow, what a huge cake! It''s gorgeous!" a voice rang out from the crowd.


    "Make a wish! Come on, Ms. Ka-our little princess-time to make a wish!"


    A group of cheerful friends hyped up the moment while a few strategically nudged Arnold closer to Ka.


    Ka beamed as she linked her arm through Arnold''s, holding him in ce. "Arnie, make a wish with me! Come on, let''s do it together!"


    Arnold tried to pull his arm back, but the crowd left him no escape. Reluctantly, he stayed where he was, his difort hidden behind a polite smile.


    Ka pressed her palms together, closed her eyes, and leaned into the moment. The attention, the admiration, the envy in the room-it all fueled her confidence as she silently made her wish.


    She wished to inherit the Fuller family''s fortune and have Arnold belong to her forever. She also wanted Felicia gone. While she was still making her long list of wishes, the sudden sound of the doors mming open echoed through the hall, shattering the festive atmosphere.


    Before anyone could react, a flood of reporters poured into the hall, cameras shing and questions flying. Leading the pack was none other than Mina, who should have been recovering in the hospital.


    Mina held a memory card high in her hand as she strode into the hall. Her eyes scanned the stunned faces before locking onto Ka with a look of pure hatred.


    Her voice rang out, sharp and using, "The woman standing in front of you, Ka, is a murderer!"Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Mina''s words sent shockwaves through the hall.


    "My husband, Ruben, was her driver," Mina continued, her voice trembling with rage. "He caught her hiring a hitman and paid for it with his life. She had him killed and dumped his body in the river!"


    She held the memory card higher for everyone to see.


    "And I have the proof right here the evidence of her crimes!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 225

    A single revtion set off a storm.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    The hall was abuzz with murmurs. Just moments ago, the lively and cheerful atmosphere in the grand hall had been palpable. But now, it was as if someone had flipped a switch. Silence fell over the hall. It was so absolute you could hear a pin drop. All eyes turned to Ka, and whispers began to ripple through the crowd.


    "Gosh, murder?"


    "Is this for real? It can''t be, right?"


    Someone else chimed in, "Do you even need to ask? Look at the victim''s family standing right there. This has to be true!"


    "I heard about it! A driver of the Fuller family did pass away recently. They found the car and body yesterday near the beach on Cedar Street. Word is, it sank straight into the water. A friend who went to the scene told me it was... horrific." "Gosh! If Ka really did it... Well, I guess you never truly know someone, do you?"


    The crowd started shifting subtly. Some people discreetly moved farther away from Ka. Step by step, the space around her widened until she stood almost entirely alone.


    Ka felt like she had plunged into an icy abyss. How had things spiraled out of control like this? Why had Mina barged in and exposed everything? What made it worse was how she could im to have evidence tying Ka to a crime. What did she know?


    Ka clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. Regret churned in her gut. If she had known this wasing, she would''ve dealt with Mina a long time ago. Anything would''ve been better than being bitten back like this. Dexter and Myra exchanged a quick nce. As protective parents, they wasted no time stepping forward to shield their daughter.


    Dexter''s expression was grim as he stared down the shing cameras and reporters. His voice was cold and sharp. "This is private property. Who gave you permission to trespass? Security! Confiscate their equipment and escort them out


    elize


    immediately!"


    The security team, already flustered, sprang into action. Mina had arrived with the reporters in tow, iming they were rtives helping her pack up some belongings. Trusting her, the guards let them in without a second thought. Who could''ve guessed these so-called rtives would whip out cameras and reveal themselves as undercover journalists?


    As the guards prepared to act, one of the reporters boldly stepped forward. "Mr. Fuller, as the wealthiest man in Khogend, are you trying to cover up a murder your daughtermitted?"


    Dexter''s face turned red with fury. "Which media outlet are you from? Are you using my daughter of murder without proof? You''d better be prepared to face the consequences of your nder!"


    The reporter smirked, unshaken. "Of


    course, every word I report is backed by evidence. And this story-oh, it''s a blockbuster. The victim''s family


    called us directly, and when we ne


    realized it involved your family, Mr. Fuller, we knew we had to pursue it."


    Dexter''s anger deepened, but Myra gently ced a hand on his arm. "Darling, don''t lose your temper," she whispered. "Throwing them out will only give them more fuel. If we want to prove Ka''s innocence, we need to rely on facts, not force."


    Taking a deep breath, Dexter nodded, reining in his emotions. He turned to face Mina, who the reporters surrounded. Letting out a measured sigh, he spoke calmly but firmly.


    "Mina, I was heartbroken to hear about Ruben''s ident. I even arranged for someone to visit you at the hospital. I gave you money and provided a care package."


    He paused, his tone growing


    sharper. "If you feel it wasn''t enough,


    I''m willing to offer more to help you through this difficult time. But using my daughter and dragging


    her name through the mud is not the way to go about it. Don''t let grief cloud your judgment."


    Dexter''s words were calcted, framing Mina''s actions as those of a grieving widow desperate forpensation. The narrative shifted-she wasn''t exposing a murderer; she was fabricating a story to extort the Fuller family. The crowd began murmuring again, their whispers filling the hall.


    "That makes sense. I mean, Ka is just 19. How could a young woman like her possibly pull off something as extreme as murder?"

 Chapter 226

    "I agree. The Fuller family is the richest in Khogend. Who wouldn''t want a piece of that pie? This kind of behavior... Ugh, disgusting."


    "They already gave her some money out of kindness, but greedy people like her are never satisfied. It''s shameful!"


    "Exactly! Her husband''s death has nothing to do with the Fuller family. This is just ridiculous!"


    The crowd began to share their thoughts again.


    Mina, hearing the murmurs, didn''tsh out or defend herself. Instead, sheughed. But it wasn''t augh of joy. It was harsh, filled with bitterness and malice. It sent chills down the spines of everyone in the hall, including Dexter and Myra.


    With an unsettling smile, Mina handed a memory card to a reporter standing beside her. The reporter, clearly prepared for this moment, quickly inserted the card into his equipment.


    A beam of light illuminated the white wall, and suddenly, both the image and audio of a recorded video were projected for everyone to see.


    Mina''s hoarse voice broke the tense silence. "Listen carefully. This was recorded a month ago when my husband was driving Ka. This conversation is the very reason he was silenced!" Ka''s voice came through first. "I''m heading to Alverton now. Felica is there too. A rural ce like that is perfect for getting rid of someone. I want you to kill her. Do you dare to do it?"


    Then came another voice, casual and mocking. "That''s it? Tell me, if I do it, how much will you pay me?"


    "One million dors-nothing more."


    "My dear Ka, this isn''t picking up groceries-it''s murder! A million? What do you take me for, a beggar?"


    As the conversation yed out, Ka''s face went pale. She wanted to cover her ears and shut it all out. How was this possible? On the night she strangled Ruben, she had taken that memory card from him. She had even snapped it in half and tossed it into the water! Could he have... made another copy?


    Mina answered her silent question.


    "You didn''t expect this, did you? I found this while going through my husband''s belongings." She pointed at the projection, "And this is Ka''s motive for murder! She wanted to kill Felicia, the real daughter of the Fuller family, and take her ce!"


    The hall erupted.


    Many of those present remembered the incident in Alverton. Felicia had gone missing for an entire day and night, and rumors swirled that her half-brother, Shawn, had pushed her off a cliff, causing her to be swept away by the river. She barely survived.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    At the time, most had dismissed it


    as none of their business, especially since Felicia had returned unharmed. But now, the memories all came flooding back. That wasn''t an ident-it had been a carefully orchestrated plot by Ka, who even conspired with her biological brother to eliminate Felicia!


    A woman in the crowd gasped, her hands covering her mouth. "Ka is terrifying!"


    Mina let out a chillingugh. "The worst part is yet toe."


    The reporter pressed another button, and the projection shifted to a new video. This one showed the pitch-ck shoreline of a beach. The shaky footage had clearly been taken in secret.


    On-screen, the faint outline of a luxury car-a Rolls-Royce-came into focus, rocking violently. The camera zoomed in, revealing Ruben in the driver''s seat. He was


    struggling as someone loopedeling


    belt


    around his neck from behind He thrashed and iled, desperate to fight back. His face turned red, his veins bulging. Finally, his body went limp.


    Even though it was just a projection, the gruesome scene of a man''s life being taken left everyone in the room stunned, their breaths caught in their throats.


    But it wasn''t over. The video showed Ka, disturbingly calm, instructing Shawn to buy a bottle of whiskey. They poured it into Ruben''s mouth and then worked together to push the car into the river. Dexter staggered, barely catching himself.


    Myra, trembling, covered her mouth in shock. Her wide eyes turned to Ka, disbelief etched on her face.


    Was this someone they had taken in for 18 years?

 Chapter 227

    Ka shook her head frantically. "No, it''s not like that. It wasn''t me! It wasn''t me!"


    She pointed at the projection, her voice rising. "That video has to be fake! You set me up! You think you can frame me with a forged video? Dream on!"This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    In a fit of desperation, Ka lunged forward, snatching the projector from the reporter''s hands and mming it to the ground. The device shattered into pieces, and the damning footage disappeared from the wall.


    Myra, finally snapping out of her shock, looked at her daughter, who stood alone and defenseless in the room. Her heart twisted in agony. She started to move toward Ka, intending to hold her close. However, before she could, themotion at the door grabbed everyone''s attention again.


    Dexter''s face turned crimson with fury. He spun around and yelled at the bodyguards, "Are you all useless? How are people still getting in here?"


    The guards remained silent, their heads bowed.


    This time, they hadn''t failed to stop an intruder. The people who entered weren''t people they could stop-it was Laurence, apanied by a group of officers.


    Laurence''s presence brought a wave of silence over the crowd. Myra instinctively stepped in front of Ka, shielding her with her body.


    Dexter, caught off guard, pushed through the sea of reporters and shing cameras to confront Laurence. "Captain Quinn, why are you here? Have you made progress on the case?"


    He clung to the hope of hearing something-anything-that could clear his daughter''s name.


    Laurence, however, walked right past Dexter, his gaze locking on Ka. His tone was firm and unyielding. "Ms. Ka, you''re suspected of premeditated murder. You need toe with us." The room collectively gasped.


    The police''s involvement solidified the allegations in everyone''s mind. They were no longer just rumors or circumstantial evidence; Ka''s guilt seemed undeniable.


    The reporters, sensing the story of a lifetime, swarmed like vultures. Cameras clicked furiously, their shes lighting up Ka''s tear-streaked face.


    Dexter and Myra stood frozen as if struck by lightning. Even Sebastian stared in disbelief, unable to process what was happening.


    As an officer approached Ka with silver handcuffs, she started to panic. Her voice cracked as she yelled, "It wasn''t me! I didn''t kill anyone! You''re lying! You''re framing me!"


    Her once-pristine makeup had smeared into a mess, her tears mixing with mascara as she clung to her mother''s arm like a drowning person grasping for a lifeline. "Mom, you believe me, don''t you? I didn''t do it. I didn''t kill anyone!"


    Myra, her heart breaking, looked down at her daughter-the daughter she had cherished, spoiled, and protected all her life. Ka''s desperate, tear-soaked face tore at her resolve.


    Myra''s sorrow quickly transformed


    into fierce determination. She


    stepped forward like a lioness


    protecting her cub, ring at Laurence. "You can''t take my daughter based on a video that could easily be forged. Where''s your proof? You need solid evidence, not conjecture!"


    Laurence nced at Dexter, his expression unreadable. His voice was calm but firm. "Mrs. Fuller, we wouldn''t be here if we didn''t have concrete evidence. Do you really want me to present it here, in front of all these reporters?"


    The unspoken warning was clear-if


    the evidence was revealed now, the Fuller family''s reputation would be further tarnished. But Myra didn''t care. Her maternal instinct drowned out all reason. "If you can''t show proof, this is nothing but nder!"


    Laurence sighed and nodded to one of the officers behind him. The young officer stepped forward and handed Myra two documents-an arrest warrant and a forensic report.


    The arrest warrant was for Ka. The report detailed the findings from Ruben''s autopsy.


    The officer''s voice was steady as he exined, "The time of death


    matches the timeline shown in the video. Cause of death-asphyxiation caused by strangtion. The marks on his neck are consistent with the ligature seen in the footage.


    "The postmortem showed the victim was force-fed arge quantity of alcohol, and his body was subsequently disposed of in the water. All of this aligns with the events depicted in the video."

 Chapter 228

    Laurence continued in an even tone, "Additionally, our forensic team has verified the video''s authenticity. There are no signs of tampering or editing. The video is genuine and admissible as evidence."


    He paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle before continuing, "On the night Ruben died, Ka had him apany her to the mall to carry her purchases. This has been confirmed by the mall''s security footage and statements from the sales staff working that evening.


    "Street surveince shows Ruben stopping at a bank, where he withdrew a hundred thousand dors in cash for Ka. The two werest seen driving together toward Cedar Street. The final footage of them shows the car heading in the direction of the beach. And " "Enough! That''s enough!"


    Dexter cut him off, raising a hand in resignation. His voice, though firm, carried the weight of defeat. "Captain Quinn, I trust in your department''s ability to conduct a thorough investigation. If my daughter is guilty, thew will deal with her appropriately. If she''s innocent, the truth will clear her name."


    Standing toward the back of the room, Felicia raised a brow, catching the subtext in Dexter''s carefully chosen words. Though he appeared impartial, his statement left room for doubt, subtly implying that Ka''s guilt wasn''t yet a certainty.


    By framing it as her "cooperating with the investigation", he gave her actions an air of ambiguity.


    It was unmistakably a calcted move to protect Ka.


    Dexter stepped forward in front of the gathered reporters with the gravitas of a concerned but just father. "Captain Quinn, take her."


    Laurence gave a brief nod and gestured to his officers. Two of them stepped forward, ready to handcuff Ka and escort her away.


    But Ka didn''t see her father''s decision as a calcted effort to help her. To her, it felt like abandonment. Her eyes widened in despair, and she broke into hysterics, screaming, "Dad! Please don''t let them take me! Mom! I didn''t do it! I''m innocent!" Myra''s eyes filled with tears as she clung to her daughter, refusing to let go.


    The officers, however, were relentless. They pried Myra away, separating mother and daughter as Ka screamed and sobbed. For the first time, Ka felt the true weight of istion. She felt like a lone tree battered by a storm, with no one to shield her from the winds of fate.


    As she was being dragged away, her


    tear-filled eyes scanned the crowdThis is from N?velDrama.Org.


    and locked onto Arnold. His expression was one of disappointment mixed with sorrow. That look was like a dagger to her heart, and thest shred of herposure shattered.


    In her rage and despair, she twisted to re at Felicia, who stood quietly among the onlookers. Her voice, filled with venom, echoed through the room. "Felicia-it''s you! You did this to me! This is all your fault!" Her usations grew fainter as the officers pulled her out of the house, but the bitterness in her voice lingered in the air.


    Myra copsed onto her knees, clutching her chest as sobs wracked her body. The ever-elegant Mrs. Fuller, alwaysposed and graceful, was now a picture of despair. Her vulnerability wasid bare for all to see. Sebastian moved quickly to shield her from the cameras, blocking the reporters from capturing her breakdown.


    Dexter, his face streaked with tears, ignored the chaos around him. He approached Mina, his movements heavy with regret. Taking her hand in his, he said in a trembling voice, "It''s my fault. I failed you. I failed Ruben. I''m so, so sorry..."


    Mina didn''t respond. Her face was streaked with tears, but her expression was void of emotion. She had watched the video of her husband''s murder countless times. Each time, it cut deeper into her soul. The pain of seeing his final moments was a wound that would never heal.


    Dexter wiped his face and gave a subtle nod to the security team. They understood immediately and began ushering the reporters out. The reporters left contently pleased with the scoop they had just scored. As the crowd thinned, the Fuller residence grew eerily quiet. Even the guests, including Arnold and Olivia, were politely escorted out.


    Now, only the Fuller family and Mina remained.


    Myra broke the oppressive silence. Still on the floor, she suddenly lunged at Mina, desperately gripping her arm.


    "Who put you up to this? Who told you to do it?" Myra''s voice was sharp, teetering between fury and desperation. "Tell me who!"


    Her words echoed through the hall, but Mina remained silent, her face as impassive as stone.

 Chapter 229

    The night had unraveled in an intricate sequence of events, each one building on thest.


    First, Mina stormed into the Fuller residence with reporters in tow, dropping a bombshell usation in front of the gathered guests. The shock left the family scrambling, giving them no chance to react or regain control of the narrative. Then, as if perfectly timed, Laurence arrived with his team. Without hesitation, they leveled the usations against Ka and took her away.


    It all happened seamlessly-one action leading directly into the next, as if meticulously nned.


    Myra, her mind racing, refused to believe this was merely Mina''s work. A simple housekeeper, skilled at cooking and cleaning, couldn''t possibly orchestrate something this devastating. The person pulling the strings from the shadows had to be someone else. Her voice, sharp with fury, rang out. "Who''s behind this? Tell me who it is!"


    Mina''s expression twisted into something strange, almost triumphant. Her gaze slowly shifted toward Felicia. Her lips curled into a bitter smile. "It''s her. Your other precious daughter."


    Her words were like a lightning bolt, igniting a wildfire of rage in Myra.


    Felicia had indeed helped Mina. Her advice and calcted moves ensured Mina could expose Ka and hold her ountable. But Mina''s gratitude wasyered with resentment.


    She resented Felicia for being so shrewd and for having the evidence all along, yet choosing to do nothing to save her husband. She could''ve stopped Ka and prevented the murder, but instead, she let it happen.


    To Mina, both daughters of the Fuller family wereplicit. One was the killer, and the other was a cold observer.


    With her head held high, Mina radiated the satisfaction of revenge well-executed.


    Myra, consumed by anger, didn''t hesitate. She stormed over to Felicia and struck her across the face with a force that echoed throughout the hall.


    The sound was sharp and unmistakable. Felicia''s head snapped to the side, her neatly tied ponytail unraveling from the impact. A bright red handprint began to bloom on her pale cheek.


    Her ears buzzed from the blow, but Myra''s voice came through clearly, every word a dagger.


    "I wish you were never my daughter! Get out of my sight! Get out!"


    At that moment, Myra''s face bore an uncanny resemnce to that of Tabitha. The same zing eyes, the same unforgiving scorn, and the same venomous words that cut deeper than any p. Felicia wanted tough at the irony, but her swollen cheek made even a small smile painful. She had expected this day woulde eventually.


    Silently, she picked up her coat and


    a


    a small backpack that had been sitting ready by the door. The bag was nearly empty, containing only needle case, a phone with its charger, and two books. These were the only possessions she truly owned in the Fuller residence.


    Sebastian hesitated, his instincts urging him to follow her. But Myra''s sharp voice cut through his hesitation. "Stand right there. Don''t you dare step out of this house!" "Mom..." Sebastian''s brows furrowed. He was torn between loyalty and frustration.


    He looked to Dexter, hoping for some support, but his father remained silent and made no move to stop Felicia. That silence weighed heavily on Sebastian, and his heart sank.


    Sebastian shuffled his feet, torn


    between defiance andpliance. Eventually, he stayed put. He understood why his parents were angry. Felicia''s actions had gone too far. She hadn''t just targeted Ka-she had dragged the entire


    family''s reputation through the mud.


    Frustration bubbled inside him. His head throbbed with the enormity of it all. When he turned around, his eyes fell on something unexpected the ck swan ne.


    It was the ne he had originallyThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    bought for Ka, the one she had rejected so flippantly. In the end, it went to Felicia, the sister who was now walking away, leaving behind nothing but chaos.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 230

    The ck swan ne remained where it was, abandoned.


    Sebastian felt a pang in his chest as he stared at it. A sudden, inexplicable premonition washed over him-Felicia wasn''ting back. She had left this house and everything in it behind.


    ...


    At the airport, a private jet taxied smoothly to a halt. The door opened, and a tall figure descended the steps with an air of authority. Stephan had just returned from a whirlwind business trip. He had cut his schedule short. He slid into the waiting ck luxury sedan and gave his driver a tersemand.


    "What''s Felicia been up to the past couple of days?"


    He had left Khogend in such a rush, anxious to handle pressing matters. However, Felicia had always lingered at the back of his mind. Two days away and he feared she''d slip through his fingers again.


    His subordinate was used to Stephan''s unusual interest in Felicia and didn''t even flinch anymore. He replied promptly, "Mr. Russell, today is Ms. Felicia''s birthday. The Fuller family hosted a party at the Fuller residence. From what I''ve heard, it started off lively, but..." "But what?" Stephan''s voice dropped, cold and sharp.


    "Well, there was an incident during the party. It turns out one of the Fuller family''s drivers passed away recently, and today, Ka was used of being involved. She was taken away by the authorities."


    Stephan''s brows furrowed. "And what does that have to do with Felicia?"


    The subordinate swallowed nervously and then added, "It''s said that Ms. Felicia was the one who provided the evidence against Ms. Ka. When Mr. and Mrs. Fuller found out, they... Well, they struck her and kicked her out of the house." They both fell deathly silent. The tension was palpable, like an oppressive weight that bore down on everyone in the vehicle.


    Then, a low chuckle broke the silence. It was cold, mocking, and dripping with menace. "They hit her?" Stephan''s voice was dangerously soft,ced with a fury that chilled the driver to the bone.


    "To the Fuller residence. Now."


    The driver didn''t dare argue. The car made a sharp U-turn, heading straight for the Fuller residence.


    When they arrived, Stephan was met with disappointment. Felicia was already gone, her whereabouts unknown.


    "Find her," he ordered, his voice icy. "I want to know where she is."


    His gaze lingered on the Fuller residence, his expression dark. For a moment, it seemed he might order. the ce razed to the ground. The driver, reading his mood, was


    grateful Stephan''s angers he


    tamped down by his concern f


    for


    Felicia. Otherwise, the vi might not still be standing.


    Inside the Fuller residence, chaos reigned. Myra had fainted from the emotional strain, and the family doctor assured them she just needed rest. Only then did Dexter and Sebastian allow themselves a


    moment to breathe.


    Vol


    Dexter, worn down and weary, stepped out of the bedroom where Myray sleeping. Even in her unconscious state, she clung to his hand, murmuring over and over about saving Ka.


    Dexter''s heart felt like it had been


    artife


    through a meat grinder. Ka wasn''t


    their biological daughter, but she


    had been their world for so m


    years They had spoiled her, adored her, and would give her everything she asked for. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    To them, Ka was their daughter in every way that mattered.


    And now? Ka was used of a heinous crime. Dexter''s anger and disappointment were real, but so was his unwillingness to see her life destroyed.


    Resolving to do whatever it took, Dexter sought out Mina. He spoke gently, his tone filled with regret and sincerity.


    "Mina, I can''t apologize enough for what''s happened. My family failed you and your husband, and I''ll never forgive myself for that. But life must go on. Let''s talk this through, shall we?"


    Mina''s expression remained icy. "I don''t want your money, Mr. Fuller. I want my husband back. Can you give me that?"


    Dexter pressed on as if he hadn''t heard her, "What about a million dors? Would that help you move on? Or five million? If that''s not enough, I can do ten... Twenty!"


    The coldness in Mina''s eyes flickered for the first time. The numbers were dizzying, and her resolve wavered.


    Dexter noticed the hesitation and pressed harder. "I''ll give you 50 million if you''ll sign the Letter of Understanding."

 Chapter 231

    If money couldn''t convince someone, it only meant the offer wasn''t high enough.


    Dexter knew this all too well. Money was never an issue for him-he had plenty to spare. As long as it got him what he wanted, 50 million was nothing more than a trivial expense.


    Initially, Mina seemedpletely unmoved. But as time went on, her resolve began to crumble.


    Fifty million dors was an astronomical sum, enough to ensure a life of luxury and ease for the rest of her days.


    But the question gnawed at her-what had all this been for? Fifty million couldn''t bring her husband back. Wasn''t her goal to avenge him, to make sure the Fuller family paid for what they''d done?


    Dexter sipped his water with a calm that belied the storm beneath. He said evenly, "Mina, you''ve worked for my family for many years. You know what kind of man I am."


    His meaning was clear. They could settle this quietly and she could take the money and sign the Letter of Agreement. If Mina refused, he would use every ounce of his wealth and influence to protect Ka by any means necessary.


    Mina felt the fight leave her. After a long, heavy silence, she rasped, "Fine, I agree."


    ...


    The night was crisp, the city alive with neon lights and bustling traffic.


    A multi-million-dor luxury car circled the downtown streets twice, its driver growing increasingly anxious. Stephan sat in the backseat, his frustration palpable. His voice was cold and sharp as he red at his team. "Is there still no sign of her?"


    "We''ve found her!" one of them eximed, relief washing over his face. "Mr. Russell, street cameras caught her heading downtown after leaving the Fuller residence. She took an Uber to the city center."


    When they finally located Felicia, she was on the rooftop of the most iconic building in Khogend-the Tall Ben. As the tallest structure in the city, its massive clock face adorned the exterior, and the rooftop observation deck offered sweeping views of the vibrant cityscape. Stephan arrived at the rooftop and stopped in his tracks.


    There she was, reclined on a lounge


    chair in the middle of the deck with her legs propped up. She was eating a small slice of cake. Her posture was rxed, her movements leisurely as if she didn''t have a care in the world.


    Yet the sight of her like this sent a pang through his chest.


    §Õ§Ñ§Ý§Ñ


    Stephan muttered something to his staff, who immediately nodded and withdrew, leaving him alone. He strode toward her with purposeful steps, the sound of his shoes echoing on the deck.


    Felicia looked up, surprised. She had


    paid handsomely to have the rooftop


    to herself. How had someone managed to get in? But when she saw who it was, her surprise turned to mild amusement.


    "Mr. Russell," she greeted, tilting her head. "What brings you here?"


    Her lips curled into a small smile. "Are you here to enjoy the show and have a goodugh?"


    The bruising on her face was still ringly obvious, the red handprint stark against her pale skin. But Felicia showed no sign of


    embarrassment. She had faced


    Stephan in worse conditions before-once with a bullet wound in her leg. She had even crawled to his feet, begging for his help.


    Compared to that, this was nothing.


    Her tone was light, even yful, but Stephan didn''tugh. Instead, he took a step closer and did something unexpected.


    He reached out and gently covered her eyes with his hand.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Darkness enveloped Felicia''s vision as his warm, dry palm rested against her brow and eyelids. She blinked beneath his touch, confused.


    "You don''t have to smile if you don''t mean it," Stephan said quietly, his deep voice steady and unyielding.


    Felicia stilled, her breath caught. She had always been good at hiding her emotions behind an easy smile, but somehow, Stephan had seen through her.


    Before Stephan realized it, he reached out, wanting to smooth away the pain on Felicia''s face.

 Chapter 232

    Felicia blinked in surprise before letting out a softugh. "If you don''t want me to smile, shouldn''t you be covering my mouth instead of my eyes? What''s the point of " Before she could finish, Stephan leaned in and kissed her.


    Her vision was still obscured, but she felt his warmth and the faint, clean scent he carried as he lightly pressed his lips to hers.


    It was brief, fleeting, and when he pulled away, he removed his hand from her eyes, leaving her in stunned silence.


    For a moment, Felicia wasn''t sure if it had actually happened. If it weren''t for the lingering warmth on her lips, she might have thought she had imagined it.


    Stephan, everposed, pulled out a chair beside her and sat down, his expression calm as if nothing had urred. With a slight wave of his hand, he signaled to the staff waiting nearby.


    Felicia ground her teeth in exasperation but chose not to confront him. His sudden, uncharacteristic gesture disrupted her thoughts, effectively pulling her mind away from the events of the evening.


    Momentster, a quiet bustle began as staff members entered the rooftop. Some carried trays of fresh ingredients, others brought cooking utensils. A team of chefs and mixologists quickly set up an impromptu kitchen.


    The quiet rooftop transformed into a fine dining experience, and within minutes, the enticing aroma of seared steak and foie gras filled the air.


    Felicia''s jaw almost dropped when she recognized the team of chefs. They belonged to the most exclusive private dining service in Khogend. Their head chef''s schedule was so packed that even having the money to hire him didn''t guarantee avability. Yet here he was.


    The dishes were ted and served with wless precision. The mixologist ced handcrafted cocktails on the table alongside them. The entire team departed just as silently as they had arrived, leaving only the faint echo of their movements behind.


    Felicia took a bite of the steak. It was perfectly cooked, melting in her mouth with rich, savory vors. "It''s amazing," she admitted grudgingly.


    When she finished eating, she stood up, stretched her arms, and was about to say something when a sudden boom echoed across the city.


    Her gaze snapped to the horizon just in time to see the first fireworks explode into a cascade of brilliant colors against the night sky. One bloom became two, then dozens, and finally, countless bursts of light illuminated the cityscape.


    The buildings around them shimmered in hues of gold, purple, and red as the fireworks reflected off the ss windows. The entire city seemed transformed, a dreamlike wondend of light and sound.


    Felicia stood still, her breath caught.


    But the disy wasn''t over. As the fireworks began to fade, small glowingnterns rose from every direction around the rooftop. They floated gently into the sky, their warm light growing brighter as more joined the procession.


    But what surprised her even more


    came after the fireworks faded.


    From every direction around the


    rooftop, drones lit up and began toet


    in.


    rise into the sky. They moved perfect synchronization, forming intricate patterns and shapes that shifted and glowed against the dark night.


    The view was breathtaking, like a river of stars stretching across the horizon. Felicia stood frozen, her eyes locking on Stephan in disbelief.


    The glow of the moonlight cast shadows and highlights across Stephan''s face, entuating his sharp, chiseled features and cool, wlessplexion. Even with the quiet night around them, he carried an undeniable intensity-a kind of distant, unapproachable air that seemed to warn people to stay away.


    But Felicia was no longer afraid of him.


    She smiled at Stephan, her expression softer than it had been in a long time.


    Stephan nced at her, his dark eyes deep and unreadable. They held a quiet force that demanded attention. He didn''t say a word, but somehow, it felt like he''d said everything.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ...


    Down below, a group of Stephan''s crew was hard at work coordinating the drones. Their faces strained with effort as they worked to perfect the synchronized light disy.


    "Not enough! We need more drones!" one of them barked, sweat trickling down his face as he adjusted the controls.


    Another crew member nced up at the sky, squinting at the intricate patterns already lighting up the night. "Isn''t this... enough?" he muttered hesitantly.


    "Talk about enough. What do you


    know about romance? This is about creating magic. Mr. Russell finally decided to show his softer side, and that Fuller,


    man up there, MS will


    stop


    be the future Mrs. Russell.ining and add more drones!"


    "On it!" the crew called out, scrambling to make the disy even grander.


    ...


    Fireworks burned bright but were fleeting, and even the drone lights would eventually fade.


    But for Felicia, this moment felt like it would stay with her forever. It etched into her memory as something rare and unforgettable.

 Chapter 233

    The Fuller residence was inplete disarray that night.


    Sebastian had summoned the PR team to work overtime, desperately trying to minimize the damage. They worked through the night, attempting to suppress the news and silence the reporters and their affiliated media outlets. But the media wasn''t cooperating. They doubled down, releasing the scandal on every major news tform. By dawn, the entire city was buzzing.


    The fallout was swift and brutal. Fuller Group''s shares plummeted, wiping out 1.5 billion in market value overnight.


    Sebastian staggered home after an exhausting night of damage control, only to hear his parents deep in discussion about how to get Ka out of custody.


    "Are you serious?" Sebastian snapped, his frustration boiling over. "At a time like this, you''re still talking about bailing her out? Do you have any idea how many eyes are watching our family right now?"


    He could already picture the vultures circling the rivalpanies, waiting to exploit the Fuller family''s mistakes and tear them apart. Their shares were already in free fall; any more missteps could ruin thempletely. Dexter, who had been coaxing Myra to take her medication, turned to his son with a weary look. "Do you think I don''t know that? But she''s your sister. Your real sister!"


    "She''s not my sister." Sebastian''s voice was cold, his expression unyielding. "Have you already forgotten the videos fromst night?"


    The first video alone was damning-Ka conspiring with Shawn to eliminate Felicia, the true daughter of the Fuller family. And the audacity of it all? Ka had used the family''s resources to plot against Felicia. Dexter had no retort, and his silence was a testament to the weight of the evidence.


    Myra, pale and frail from the night''s ordeal, coughed lightly before speaking. Her voice wasced with bitterness, "Even if Ka did make a mistake, Felicia could havee to us. She could have sat down with us and worked it out. Why stir up this mess by colluding with Mina and creating such a spectacle?" Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Her tone grew sharper as tears welled up in her eyes. "If Felicia hade to us first, none of this would have happened. We could have resolved it quietly-paid Mina off or ensured there was no evidence in the first ce. But instead, Felicia wanted revenge. She couldn''t tolerate Ka and chose to


    humiliate us!"


    Sebastian was stunned into silence, her words cutting through the room like a knife.


    Myra continued, her voice trembling with regret, "Felicia resents us. She thinks we haven''t done enough to make amends. She hates Ka and can''t ept her as her sister."


    Her tears finally spilled over as she whispered, "I should''ve never brought her back into this house. She was nothing but trouble from the start."


    Sebastian could hardly believe his ears. He suddenly understood why Felicia had acted as she did. She hadn''t confided in their parents because she knew they would protect Ka at all costs, even if it meant turning a blind eye to her crimes. It wasn''t about solving the problem; it was about protecting Ka, no matter the cost.


    ?


    With a deep breath, Sebastian forced his voice to remain calm. "Mom, have you ever considered that it''s not Felicia who couldn''t ept Ka but the other way around? Who was the one who tried to kill Felicia? Who couldn''t tolerate her being here?"


    He fixed her with a piercing look. "Have you forgotten what happened at Grandpa''s house? Ka''s schemes resulted in Roberta''s death instead of Felicia''s. Is that not enough to convince you of who she truly is?" Myra stammered, unable to respond.


    Sebastian pressed on, his tone unrelenting, "Mom, I admit Felicia''s actions were extreme, but the fact remains-Kamitted murder. Are you really going to stand there and try to justify that?"


    "Of course not!" Myra snapped, her voice shaking with emotion.

 Chapter 234

    Myra sat in the aftermath of Sebastian''s harsh words, her face pale and her pride shattered. Anger, humiliation, and guilt warred within her as sheshed out, her voice trembling. "So, what am I supposed to do? They''re both my daughters! Am I supposed to sit back and It was the kind of question that had no answer.


    let Ka die?"


    Sebastian opened his mouth to speak, but Dexter cut him off with a sharp re. "Can''t you see your mother is already unwell? Stop adding to her stress!"


    "Dad, I don''t mean to upset her, but thepany-"


    "Thepany is your responsibility now," Dexter interrupted firmly. "Handle it. I have things to take care of."


    Sebastian lowered his head, hiding the frustration in his eyes. "Understood... Mom, take care of yourself. I''m going back to the office."


    Myra reached for Dexter''s hand as Sebastian left, her eyes brimming with tears. "Darling, am I such a failure as a mother? My daughters resent me, my son''s grown cold, and nothing I''ve done feels right."


    Dexter squeezed her hand gently, his tone softening. "You''re not a failure. You''repassionate. That''s not a w."


    Myra''s tears fell freely as she shook her head. "No, I am a failure. I failed Felicia, I failed Ka, and now, even Sebastian..."


    But her despair gave way to determination as she thought of Ka. She straightened, pushing Dexter toward the door. "Go. Do whatever it takes to get Ka out of this mess. It''s thest thing I can do for her as her mother." Dexter hesitated. "And after she''s out?"


    Myra closed her eyes, her voice wavering but resolute. "Afterward... she''s no longer our concern. I''ll do my duty as her mother onest time and let her go-forever."


    ...


    Dexter spent the next several days running from one ce to another, pulling every string he could think of. He started with Laurence, but Laurence wasn''t swayed and unceremoniously kicked him out. Undeterred, Dexter swallowed his pride and approached his powerful friends. After exhausting every connection, his persistence finally paid off.


    Two weekster, Mina, the victim''s widow, signed a Letter of Agreement. She publicly dered that she had reached an understanding with the Fuller family and would not pursue further charges.


    Shawn, however, wasn''t as


    fortunate. He was arrested after being beaten nearly to death, with two of his toes missing. He


    confessed to all the crimes du


    interrogation. He imed sole responsibility for Ruben''s murder


    and the subsequent disposal of the


    evidence.


    The video evidence, though incriminating, showed Shawn carrying out the actions himself, leaving little room to implicate Ka directly.


    In the end, Ka was dered legally insane. A psychological evaluation deemed her mentally unfit to take responsibility for her actions, citing emotional instability on the day of the incident. She was released on bail and sent to a sanatorium.


    Dexter and Myra felt a measure of relief that their daughter had avoided prison, but their relief was short-lived. The public was outraged.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    The shares of Fuller Group were plummeting harder than ever.


    Moreover, Shawn''s confession only fueled suspicions that the Fuller family had paid him off. His injuries raised further questions. How could a man so badly beaten still manage to confess with such rity? Ka''s insanity plea was even less convincing. To the public, it was an obvious attempt by the Fuller family to shield her from justice.


    The fallout was brutal. Deals that


    had seemed locked in were abruptly canceled. The Fullers'' brands became the target of boycotts, and theirpany''s website was hacked, with the words "A life for a life" written in bloody red across the homepage.


    Morale within thepany plummeted. Two of their top executives were poached bypetitors, and confidential information began leaking to rival firms, who wasted no time exploiting the Fuller family''s vulnerabilities. Fuller Group went from an untouchable giant to a sinking ship in just two weeks, hemorrhaging resources from every direction. Dexter felt the weight of it all-the loss, the betrayal, and the cracks in the foundation of his empire. The once-mighty Fuller family was now a house of cards, teetering on the brink of copse.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 235

    After being kicked out of the Fuller residence, Felicia didn''t bother keeping tabs on Ka''s case.


    But the incident was impossible to ignore it was all anyone in Khogend talked about. A casual scroll through the news feed revealed thetest update-Ka had been sent to a sanatorium under the pretext of a mental health diagnosis. It was just as Felicia had expected.


    The Fuller couple would never abandon Ka, no matter what she had done. Still, the damage was irreparable. Even though Ka was technically dered "innocent", her reputation was in shambles, and the public wanted nothing to do with her. Meanwhile, Fuller Group continued its freefall. Their shares plummeted, their market value evaporated, and their once-impervious empire teetered closer to ruin. The title of Khogend''s wealthiest family was no longer theirs. Bankruptcy loomed like a dark cloud. Felicia arched a brow at the news before setting her phone aside. She had other things to do-like preparing for a meeting. That morning, Sebastian had called her three times, asking to meet at a coffee shop. She agreed, curious to see what he wanted. Since her dramatic exit from the Fuller residence, Felicia had been living at the Russell estate.


    The sprawling estate was far removed from the chaos of the city, offering her a surprising sense of peace. Though the arrangement felt strange at first as she would be living under the same roof as Stephan, it turned out not to be an issue. Stephan was rarely home, and his schedule was as unpredictable as it was packed.


    With him out of sight most of the time, Felicia found herself settling infortably, her initial awkwardness fading.


    Cloud bounded up to her as she stepped outside, its tail wagging enthusiastically. It circled her twice before sitting obediently at her feet.


    Felicia crouched down, scratching behind its ears with a smile. "You''re looking cuter each day, aren''t you, Cloud?"


    The dog''s fur gleamed under the sunlight, a testament to its pampered life. No longer an ordinary pup, Cloud carried itself with a proud, almost regal demeanor. Felicia was pleased with her decision to gift the dog to Stephan. Cloud was clearly thriving in its new environment, growing healthier and more vibrant by the day.


    As she prepared to leave, one of Stephan''s staff members approached her a young man named Keh Hood, who was assigned to drive her during her stay. "Ms. Fuller, please wait here. I''ll bring the car around," he said politely, his tone professional.


    "Thank you," Felicia replied with a nod.


    Keh was efficient and


    unobtrusive, abination she appreciated. His quiet demeanor made the frequent drives more pleasant, and she found herself


    respecting his profe


    The Russell estate, perched on a hill, was far from the city, making it nearly impossible to call for a ride. Half an hourter, they arrived at the coffee shop where Sebastian was waiting. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Felicia spotted him immediately. He was seated at a corner table, his posture tense. She approached, pulled out a chair, and sat across from him with a faint smile. "What''s this about, Sebastian?" she asked, her tone light but distant.


    Sebastian winced inwardly at her choice of words. Though she stil called him "Sebastian", her demeanor was polite yet detached as if an invisible barrier had been erected between them.


    The p from Myra had severed whatever tentative connection they had managed to build, leaving them back at square one.


    "Does it still hurt?" Sebastian asked, his eyes drifting to her face.


    "Nope. It''s fine now," Felicia responded calmly as if she had brushed off the incident entirely.


    But deep down, she hadn''t. Felicia was the kind of person who kept her grudges close, and the memory of that p burned bright in her mind.


    Sebastian hesitated before continuing. "Once Mom and Dad calm down, they''ll bring you back home. Just bear with it for now and stay outside for a bit."


    He paused, suddenly realizing something. "By the way, where are you staying? Is it a hotel?"


    These past few days, he''d been living at the office, working non-stop and barely catching his breath. In the chaos, he hadpletely forgotten something so important. Felicia couldn''t help butugh when she heard this-talk about concerning a little toote.


    It had been two weeks since she was kicked out, and not once had anyone stopped to wonder where she might have ended up.

 Chapter 236

    No one had asked if Felicia even had money to stay at a hotel.


    Felicia curved her lips into a mischievous smile. "Not a hotel-a man''s house. He was kind enough to take me in, and honestly, I''ve been quitefortable there." Sebastian fell silent.


    His eyes red with anger, his protective instincts kicking in. "You''re a young woman! How could you possibly stay at some stranger''s house? That''spletely inappropriate! I''ll book you a hotel right now, and you''re not-" "Sebastian Fuller," Felicia interrupted, her voice sharp and unwavering as she called him by his full name. "There''s no longer any rtionship between me and your family. What I do with my life is none of your business."All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Sebastian froze, stunned by her words. She had always called him "Sebastian". Hearing her strip away that familiarity cut deep, but he tried to reason with her.


    "Mom only hit you because she was upset. Everything she said was in the heat of the moment. Don''t take it to heart!" he urged.


    "And what if I do?" Felicia''s eyes glinted coldly. "Do you think I''ll juste running back whenever it suits you? Called in when needed and cast aside just as easily?"


    Her gaze was icy, and her tone cut straight to the point. "Let''s not waste time, Sebastian. You didn''t ask me here to reconcile, did you? What do you want?"


    Sebastian hesitated, but Felicia continued, her voice calm and unyielding. "You want to know why I advised Mina, don''t you? Why did I let this mess spiral out of control, causing the Fuller family to lose their reputation and tank the shares? Am I right?" Sebastian said nothing, so she answered him, "I''m not the one who caused this disaster. It''s Ka, the murderer, and your parents who chose to shield her."


    Felicia''s voice remained steady, each word hitting like a hammer.


    "Every decision, every misstep-they made those choices. Not me."


    Sebastian was at a loss for words. Felicia''s logic was airtight, leaving no room for rebuttal.


    Sebastian looked at Felicia as if she were a stranger. The way she spoke and the cold precision of her words unsettled him. Finally, he asked, "Was Ruben''s death your doing?"


    Mina had said the video came from Felicia. Had she orchestrated everything from the start?


    "No," Felicia replied inly. "I had nothing to do with his death. But I won''t deny that when I learned the truth, I saw an opportunity. I devised a n to use Mina to expose Ka and to make sure the world saw her for who she truly is."


    Her honesty was chilling.


    "I''m not a good person, Sebastian," Felicia admitted, her tone devoid of remorse. "I''m cold, calcting, and willing to do whatever it takes to achieve my goals. I wanted Ka to face


    Consequences of her


    I wanted her ruined, her reputation destroyed."


    Her words hung in the air, stark and unforgiving.


    Sebastian''s hands clenched into fists, the veins on the back of his hands bulging. For a moment, it


    seemed like he might hurl the e


    in front of him at her, but he


    restrained himself. Instead, he spat out through gritted teeth, "I thought you were kind. I thought you were innocent. But you''re just


    maniptive and coldhearted. And frankly? You''re not that likable


    either."


    With that, Sebastian stood and walked away, his retreating figure radiating disappointment.


    Felicia watched him go, her expression unreadable.


    She had seen thising. To Sebastian, the ideal sister was supposed to be gentle, kind, and unblemished. She was supposed to be tough when needed but never ruthless or cunning.


    By revealing her true self, Felicia had shattered that illusion. Sebastian now saw her as vindictive and calcting, far from the image of a perfect sister he had built in his mind. Felicia let out a small, bitterugh as his figure disappeared through the door.


    "Go on, leave. Everyone does eventually..." She whispered to herself, her voice tinged with self-mockery. "After all, I''ve always been alone."

 Chapter 237

    After leaving the coffee shop, Felicia made her way to the business district.


    Her first-ever investment a two million infusion into Hexagon, a small gaming start-up-had already been transferred as promised. Today, she decided to check on thepany''s progress. This wasn''t just about the money; it was her first step into the world of venture capital, and she couldn''t help but take it seriously. Word of her visit spread quickly, and Vincent, along with the five other founding members, was already waiting for her in the lobby.


    The moment Felicia walked in, Vincent, a young man with renewed energy, stepped forward and greeted her enthusiastically, "Ms. Fuller, wee! We''re honored to have you here for an inspection!"


    It took Felicia a moment to recognize him.


    At the venture capital conference weeks ago, he had been apletely different person-disheveled, sses askew, and radiating despair. He had looked like a wilted nt, brought to life only when passionately presenting his game.


    Now, he was unrecognizable-clean-shaven, impably dressed in a sharp suit and tie, and his hair neatlybed. He finally looked like someone who could lead apany.


    Felicia teased, raising an eyebrow, "Well, you''re starting to look like a real leader."


    Vincentughed, his face reddening with embarrassment. He quickly turned to introduce the five other founders, each of whom greeted Felicia with nervous excitement.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    After a brief round of introductions, Felicia followed them upstairs to their office.


    Just two weeks ago, Hexagon had been a tiny studio struggling to stay afloat. With Felicia''s investment, they had transformed into a properpany, renting an entire floor in a sleek office building.


    Vincent eagerly led the way, exining as they went, "We''ve hired 35 employees so far, and HR is still recruiting. We''re focused on finding top-tier game architects and programmers to strengthen our development team."


    He gestured to different sections of the office. "Over here is the development team and the operations department. The maintenance team is in the corner."


    Felicia took it all in, nodding approvingly. The energy and excitement in the office were palpable, and she couldn''t help but feel a sense of pride.


    "Great work," she said with a smile. "Now, let''s head to the conference room. I''d love to see what you''ve aplished so far."


    "Right this way, Ms. Fuller."


    The team led her to a well-equipped conference room, where refreshments had already been prepared. Felicia took her seat at the head of the table, signaling for them to begin.


    Vincent nodded to one of his


    co-founders, who stood and began


    presenting, Ms. Fuller, the game we


    developed has been live for seven days now. In this short time, we''ve already surpassed 60% of simr games in terms of yer


    our


    engagement. Our user retention rate


    is an impressive 65%."


    He clicked to the next slide on the projector, disying financial figures. "As of today, we have 50,000 active users and a revenue of 44,000 dors from in-game purchases." Felicia''s eyes widened in surprise.


    She wasn''t an expert in gaming metrics, but the team''s excitement made it clear that these numbers were exceptional.


    "Impressive," Felicia said, genuinely in awe. "I wasn''t expecting such a strong start. You''ve exceeded all my expectations. Well done!"


    The six founders exchanged smiles, their relief and pride evident.


    What Felicia didn''t see was the sheer anxiety they had endured during the game''sunch. That first night, they had stayed awake, staring at the backend analytics as their hearts pounded. They kept their eyes on the numbers as they


    climbed or, at times, stagnated.


    They finally allowed themselves to celebrate when the metrics took off with a sharp spike in downloads and engagement. Their joy had been raw, almost surreal. They shouted,ughed, and hugged each other as the weight of their fears lifted.


    Vincent, now calmer, took a breath and added, "Ms. Fuller, while we''re thrilled with the results, thepany''s operational costs are still a challenge..."


    Felicia understood immediately.


    Rent, sries, bonuses, game development costs, and marketing campaigns were eating through their funds. Two million dors had been a lifeline, but it wasn''t enough to sustain their momentum.

 Chapter 238

    When Vincent broached the topic of additional funding, there was a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. While Felicia was known as the daughter of Khogend''s wealthiest family, the Fuller name had taken a significant hittely.


    Their plummeting shares, boycotts from disgruntled consumers, and financial instability were all over the news. If things continued this way, the Fuller family would be lucky to scrape into the top 50 on the wealth rankings, let alone hold their former title as the city''s elite. Felicia noticed his concern and gave a reassuring smile. "I am me. The Fuller family is the Fuller family. Don''t mix the two. As for the additional funding, don''t worry. I''ll wire the money within three days. Same terms as before-I''ll want equity in return." Vincent immediately instructed one of them to draft an additional investment agreement.


    Once the paperwork was signed, Felicia leaned back in her chair, her mind already turning to how she''d raise more funds. It was winter break the next day, and the tourism project she''d been eyeing in Alverton would kick off after the new year. Everything was lining up. Vincent''s voice pulled her from her thoughts as she mulled over her next move.


    He began hesitantly, "Ms. Fuller, since ourpany''s growing, I think it''s time for a rebrand. We''re thinking of a new name that fits our future. Will you approve?"


    Curious, Felicia raised an eyebrow. "What do you have in mind?"


    "Well, we''ve been calling ourselves Hexagon because there were only six of us when we started," he exined. "But now, thepany has grown beyond just us. We want something that reflects our ambition." Felicia took a sip of her tea. "Fair enough. What''s the new name?"


    "Jupiter," he said with a grin.


    Felicia choked on her tea, nearly spitting it out. She stared at him in disbelief. "I''m sorry, what did you just say?"


    Vincent quickly handed her a napkin,ughing nervously. "Jupiter! The biggest in the sr system. We think it''s a name that represents growth and scale. What do you think?"


    Felicia wiped her mouth, still processing the shock. "Jupiter, huh? Well... it''s perfect."


    She didn''t need to think twice-it was more than perfect.


    As she stared at him, something clicked. She had met Vincent twice before but never asked for his name. Now, with everything falling into ce, she finally asked, "By the way,


    what''s your name?"


    If her memory served right, the CEO of Jupiter Group the verypany that had taken down Fuller Group in her past life was named Vincent McLaren.


    Vincent adjusted his sses casually, a light smile on his face. "Well, it''s about time, Ms. Fuller. It took you long enough to ask for my name."


    He paused briefly, then said, "I''m Vincent McLaren."


    It felt as if a deafening noise exploded in Felicia''s mind. The sound of gears grinding together, unstoppable and inevitable, echoed in her thoughts.


    That immense force called fate had arrived silently, pressing down on her with overwhelming weight.


    At that moment, Felicia knew the Fuller family''s downfall was inevitable.


    She couldn''t breathe for a moment, the enormity of the situation pressing down on her.


    Felicia tapped her fingers lightly on the table topose herself. She took a deep breath and smiled. So, this was how things were going to y out.


    The Fuller family was under heavy


    fire from rivalpanies because of Ka. It was only a matter of time before they were forced to cut their losses to survive. When that


    happened, they''d have no choice butAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    to sell off some of their assets.


    Hopefully, by then, Jupiter Group would be in a strong enough position to snap up a few pieces and expand their reach.


    Felicia instructed Vincent, "Keep my identity private. No one can know I''m an investor in Jupiter Group, let alone thergest shareholder."


    "Got it!" Vincent nodded in agreement.


    As Felicia left the building, she


    couldn''t help but feel ted. Who et


    would''ve thought? Her first


    velo


    investment hadnded her the jackpot purely by chance.


    The powerhouse that Jupiter Group had be in herst life was hers this time around.

 Chapter 240

    When the dice settled and the dealer revealed the numbers-triple sixes-it was exactly as Felicia had guessed-high!


    She kept walking, her eyes scanning the tables. Just as one spot opened up at a nearby craps table, she made her way over, ready to join in. But as she turned, she identally bumped into someone. "Oh, sorry..." Felicia apologized reflexively, but when she looked up, her face immediately stiffened. Arnold stood in front of her, his expression dark as a thundercloud.


    Arnold frowned, his gaze sharp. He had spotted her from a distance and thought she looked familiar, but he wasn''t sure. Now that they were up close, there was no mistaking it.


    "This isn''t a ce you should be," Arnold said sharply, his voiceced with authority.


    Felicia''s mood soured instantly. She wasn''t in the mood for his lectures. "It''s none of your business," she snapped, brushing past him.


    Before she could take another step, Arnold grabbed her wrist, his grip firm but not painful. "You''re leaving-now."


    His tone brooked no argument as he tried to pull her away from the table. Felicia stumbled, struggling to keep her bnce under the sheer force of his grip.


    That was thest straw. Fury bubbled to the surface as she twisted in his grasp. Leaning in, she bit down hard on his hand.


    Arnold hissed in pain, jerking his hand back to examine the damage. Deep, crimson teeth marks marred his wrist, the edges already beginning to swell.


    His expression darkened further as he red at her. "Felicia, don''t push it!"


    "I''m not the one out of line here-it''s you," she shot back, her eyes zing. "What I do and where I go is none of your concern. Maybe you should stop sticking your nose where it doesn''t belong!"


    The intensity in her gaze made it clear she wasn''t backing down. If looks could kill, Stephan was sure he''d be a pile of ashes by now.


    For a moment, they locked eyes in a battle of wills. Arnold''s frustration


    boiled over, and he let out a humorlessugh. "Fine. Do you want to gamble? Let''s y. Let''s see just how bold you really are."


    Felicia wiped her mouth with a


    tissue, a fook of disdain shing-et


    across her face, but she didn''t hesitate. "Fine. I''ll take you on Name your stakes."


    The tension between them was electric, drawing attention from onlookers. People began whispering when they recognized the two. They spected about the dramaCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    unfolding before their eyes.


    Before long, the table was filled with curious spectators, many of them young socialites eager to join the action.


    "This looks fun. Count me in!" one of them chimed, tossing down his chips.


    "Me too!" another added.


    "Don''t leave me out," a third called, squeezing into the already-crowded table.


    Sensing the heated energy and growing crowd, the dealer smiled nervously. "Alright, folks. What kind of game are we ying?"


    Arnold''s eyes stayed locked on Felicia. "Something simple. No excusester about being outmatched."


    Felicia let out a dryugh. "I wouldn''t dream of it."


    The dealer set up the game, the familiar sound of dice shaking filling the air as anticipation mounted.


    Felicia exchanged her cash for chips. It wasn''t much as her resources were limited at the moment, but she didn''t hesitate.


    When it was her turn, she pushed all her chips to the center of the table.


    "High!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 241

    "Then I''ll go with low," Arnold dered, his voice calm but defiant.


    It was clear he intended to oppose Felicia at every turn. If she picked high, he''d pick low.


    Arnold''s friends were among the crowd of young socialites. Theyughed, tossing their chips onto the table. They weren''t there for the winnings. To them, this was entertainment, a way to support their friend while watching Felicia lose herposure. They fully expected to see her flustered and embarrassed by the end of the round.


    The dealer rang the bell, signaling the end of bets. The cover lifted to reveal the roll-4-5-5. High!


    Felicia won.


    A pile of chips quickly stacked up in front of her. She smirked at Arnold, her eyes brimming with challenge. "Do you wanna go another round?"


    "Bring it on!" Arnold snorted. His pride stung. "That was just the first round. Beginner''s luck."


    A new round began. Felicia ced her bet on high again, doubling down without hesitation.


    Still fuming, Lucas didn''t hesitate. "Low."


    Despite raising their eyebrows at Felicia''s winning streak, his friends stuck by him and chose low.


    The roll came up, and the cover lifted. Unbelievably, it was the exact same result as before-4-5-5. High!


    Felicia won again.


    She leaned back in her chair, her expression serene but clearly pleased. Meanwhile, Arnold''s jaw tightened, his frustration mounting.


    "Two rounds don''t mean anything," he snapped. "Don''t get ahead of yourself."


    "Of course not," Felicia replied sweetly, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Let''s keep going. Maybe this time, you''ll actually win."


    For the third round, Felicia picked low. Her bet was modest this time, giving the impression she wasn''t entirely confident.


    Arnold chose high, of course. His friends, caught between doubt and stubbornness, followed suit.


    Just before the betting closed, Felicia casually pushed another stack of chips into her pile.


    The cover lifted-1, 2, 2. Small!


    A chorus of groans erupted around the table as Felicia''s chips grew even further.


    "Three in a row! Can you believe this?" one of the onlookers muttered.


    "It''s just luck," another grumbled, crossing his arms. "I''m not giving up. Let''s go again!"


    The tension at the table escted. The young socialites were growing more determined with each loss, refusing to back down. Arnold, with his pride on the line, was equally relentless.


    Round after round, the game continued.


    By the 12th, Felicia''s uncanny streak of wins remained unbroken. She even let Arnold bet first a few times, just to mix things up. But no matter what he chose, she followed her instincts and kept winningThis is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Arnold''s initial arrogance had faded into disbelief, then frustration. Finally, he settled into stunned silence. By now, his face was a mixture of shock and resignation.


    "This... can''t be real!" one of his friends eximed. "There''s no way she''s this lucky!"


    The dealer, unbothered by the usations, calmly exined, "Our tables at Opulent Elegance are strictly monitored. Cheating is impossible."


    Satisfied, Felicia decided it was time to call it a night. She gathered her winnings, a staggering 40 thousand in chips, most of which hade from Arnold''s substantial losses. Well, what could she say? The guy had deep pockets.


    Felicia figured she''d been pretty


    reasonable-she could''ve bled him dry, but she decided to call it quits while she was ahead. She gathered her winnings and got ready to leave, but Arnold wasn''t having it


    "No way," he said firmly, his tone making it clear he wasn''t about to let her walk out. "We''re not done until I say we''re done." Felicia sighed and realized he wasn''t going to let this go. Fine. If he wanted to lose more money, who was she to stop him?


    She dropped her bag back on the table and slid into her seat with a smirk. "Alright, if you insist on gambling, then I''ll humor you."

 Chapter 242

    The other young socialites who had been so eager to join the game now stood on the sidelines, licking their wounds andughing nervously. They had lost far more than they anticipated while Felicia hadn''t lost a single round. By the end, Arnold''s face was ashen, his pride utterly trampled.


    "Come on, Felicia, you don''t have X-ray vision, do you?" one of the socialites teased, trying to lighten the mood.


    Felicia smirked and shot back, "Nah, I just have really good hearing."


    Her yful response had everyone around her bursting intoughter.


    Felicia had no idea that her little gambling spree had caught the attention of someone watching from above.


    Stephan stood at the edge of the upper level, his eyes fixed on the scene below. There was Felicia, seated in the center of the group,pletely surrounded. Arnold sat directly across from her, looking absolutely miserable. Even from that distance, Stephan could hear the noise-the lively chatter and the bursts ofughter echoing through the room.


    "She''s drawing quite the crowd," he remarked, his tone neutral but carrying a weight of authority. After a pause, he added, "Bring her up."


    His assistant bowed slightly and left without dy.


    Felicia had just finished cashing in her chips, and her mood was light from her significant winnings. Just then, one of Stephan''s men approached her.


    "Ms. Fuller, Mr. Russell would like to see you."


    Her brows lifted in surprise. She hadn''t expected Stephan to be here. Though she had been staying at the Russell estate, their paths hadn''t crossed in days. Curiosity piqued, she followed the man upstairs.


    The fifth floor was eerily quiet as it had been cleared of all staff except for Stephan''s trusted personnel stationed discreetly at various points. Felicia walked down the long corridor unimpeded until she spotted him at the far end. He stood with his back to her with his phone in hand, speaking in a tone she had never heard from him before. It was soft, almost tender.


    "Don''t cry. Focus on your recovery. The child will be fine."


    The warmth in his voice was so unlike his usual cold and distant disy that she was ustomed to.


    Felicia froze mid-step, her thoughts racing.


    Who was he talking to?


    The question instantly brought to mind Abbie, the actress she had seen at the estate not long ago. Could it be her?


    It made sense, really. Abbie and


    Stephan clearly weren''t just acquaintances. Why else would


    Stephan go out of his way to throw resources her way so freely?


    ource


    wel?


    Obviously, he was trying to elevate


    her status as she was someone special.


    She remembered the tearful scene when Abbie left the estate. Could they have reconciled? And now... a child?


    Her heart sank inexplicably, and she instinctively took a step back, retreating to a safe distance. Her mind buzzed with thoughts she didn''t want to entertain.


    While she waited, lost in her musings, Stephan turned after having ended his call. Before she could react, he appeared in front of her, his handsome face so close it startled her.


    Felicia instinctively stepped back, but her heel caught on the edge of a thick rug, sending her tumbling backward.


    Stephan reached out before she could hit the ground, moving quickly to catch her. But Felicia dodged his hand.


    Shended on the floor with a graceless bump while Stephan''s outstretched hand grabbed nothing but air.


    For a split second, Felicia could feel the shift in his gaze. His dark eyes became colder and harder to read The air around him seemed heavier and sharper like he was barely holding back his irritation. He seemed to be mad.


    Felicia blinked at the thought, confused. What did he have to be upset about?


    Then, Stephan let out a low, icyugh, his voice cutting. "What''s this? Have you set your sights on Arnold now?"


    What did Arnold have to do with any of this?


    Felicia was about to reply when amotion behind her grabbed everyone''s attention. It was Arnold, forcing his way into the room.


    Arnold had seen Felicia being taken


    upstairs and assumed she was inAll rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    trouble Without thinking, he


    followed after her, and when he saw


    her sitting on the floor, something inside him snapped.


    His expression darkened, and with barely restrained anger, he stormed over. In just a few steps, he pulled Felicia up from the ground and stood in front of her, shielding her from Stephan. Arnold''s icy re locked onto Stephan, his posture protective and unyielding.

 Chapter 243

    Why did this feel like a scene straight out of a soap opera?


    Felicia stood behind Arnold, who was now caught in the middle of what could only be described as a standoff. The two men stared each other down, one icy andposed, the other visibly seething. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. Despite the gravity of the situation, Felicia found her thoughts wandering to the clich¨¦ plot of two men fighting over the same woman. It was absurdly amusing.


    Clearing her throat, she decided she wanted no part in this drama. "Gentlemen, enjoy your conversation. I''ll be going now."


    Without hesitation, she turned and began to walk away, looking unbothered and unapologetic.


    Arnold, however, stayed firmly rooted, his protective stance unwavering. Facing the man before him, he gritted his teeth and demanded, "Who are you?"


    The figure before him was undeniablymanding, a paragon of authority and refinement. Though he spoke indifferently, his disy was oppressive, like a predator eyeing prey.


    Arnold had faced formidable opponents before, but never had he felt such an overwhelming sense of danger-not from Matthew or Mike. Instinctively, he took a step back, sweat trickling down his spine.


    Stephan chuckled softly, his disdain cutting deeper than any words. Hisugh seemed to say, "You''re not worth my time."Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Arnold flushed with anger, feeling humiliated and indignant. His fists clenched as he took a bold step forward, intending to grab Stephan''s cor. But before he could touch him, a sharp motion sent Arnold spinning. The next moment, he was t on his back with the air knocked out of his lungs.


    Arnold groaned, the hard floor unforgiving against his back. Pain radiated through his body, and humiliation surged as he realized how effortlessly he''d been subdued.


    A polished shoe stepped forward, stopping inches from Arnold''s face. Stephan loomed above him, radiating an unspoken threat.


    Before Stephen could deliver a finishing blow, a frantic voice echoed down the hall.


    "Stephan! Please spare him!"


    The interruption came from Mike, who hurried over. His usuallyposed demeanor was reced with barely concealed panic.


    Panting, Mike reached the scene and immediately lowered his head slightly. He said in an ingratiating tone, "Stephan, I apologize for my nephew''s impudence. Please don''t hold it against him. If you injure him, I won''t know how to exin it to the family!" Stephan shot him a look that could freeze fire. "Keep your nephew in line."


    "I promise I will. He''ll be properly disciplined!" Mike patted his chest, his voice dripping with sincerity.


    After onest dismissive nce, Stephan turned and left without another word, his entourage following close behind.


    The suffocating pressure that had filled the hallway lifted the moment he was gone. Mike exhaled audibly, wiping a sheen of sweat from his brow.


    Turning to Arnold, Mike scowled. "Get up!"


    Arnold climbed to his feet, wincing as pain shot through his back. His expression was as dark as a storm cloud, and he ground his teeth audibly in frustration.


    Seeing his expression, Mike snapped, "Stop sulking! Do you have any idea how close you were to getting yourself killed?"


    Arnold bristled but said nothing. He took a deep breath, trying to swallow his frustration. Who could possibly be powerful enough to make even Mike tread so carefully? The realization hit him like a bolt of lightning as he recalled the name Mike had shouted earlier-Stephan.


    "Which Stephan?" Arnold asked, a flicker of fear creeping into his voice. Could it really be...


    "What do you think?" Mike shot him a sharp look. "If I hadn''t shown up when I did, you''d probably be dead by now."


    For the first time, Arnold''s expression shifted.


    In the city, there was only one man powerful enough to make everyone tremble at the mere mention of his name Stephan Russell. He was the feared head of the legendary Russell family from Seldvale.


    Stephan was the kind of man who controlled the game with a flick of his fingers, someone who could bring empires to their knees without breaking a sweat. His reputation was ruthless¡ªa man whose cruelty and power were matched only by his cunningness.


    vel


    Compared to the Russell family''s influence, the Lawsons, with all their local prestige, were nothing more than a small-town dynasty. In Stephan''s eyes, they were ants insignificant and easily crushed.


    But why would someone like Stephen have anything to do with Felicia?


    Rumor had it that Stephan was a man who despised being near women, someone who wouldn''t let anyone close. What exactly was Felicia trying to do?

 Chapter 244

    Was Felicia trying to seduce Mr. Russell?


    The thought struck Arnold like a lightning bolt, and his expression immediately darkened as a storm of emotions shed past-anger, disbelief, and frustration. By the end of it, his teeth were clenched, and his hands were balled into fists at his sides. "Damn it!" he hissed under his breath.


    Mike watched Arnold''s increasingly erratic demeanor with a mix of amusement and exasperation. "One more thing," Mike added, his tone dropping to a serious warning. "Stay away from Felicia. Don''t cause any trouble for her." "Why?" Stephan shot back. "She''s my fianc¨¦e."


    He emphasized the word "fianc¨¦e" with a deliberate force, his jaw tightening as he spoke.


    Mike nearlyughed out loud, a derisive snort escaping before he could stop it. "Oh, she''s your fianc¨¦e now? Funny how that works. Back when your grandfather broke his back arranging your engagement, you were nowhere to be found. You skipped the ceremony entirely, didn''t you?


    "You''ve got no im on her. Stop dragging her name through the mud. She''s not your fianc¨¦e anymore-she''s got nothing to do with you." Arnold didn''t argue or lose his temper this time. Instead, he stood unnervingly still, his voice calm butced with determination. "She will be." Mike blinked, stunned by the confidence in his nephew''s tone.


    After a long pause, Mike sighed and rubbed his temples. "This is why I shouldn''t havee. Maybe I should''ve let Stephan deal with you..."


    But they were family, and no matter how much Arnold tried his patience, Mike couldn''t leave him to face the consequences alone. He adjusted his stance, his tone turning stern. "I''m serious. That warning came directly from Stephan himself. Stay away from Felicia, or you''re going to end up in a world of hurt."


    Arnold flinched, his stomach sinking. Stephan warned him? He couldn''t help but think, "Isn''t Mr. Russell known for being indifferent to women? Could it be... that he actually has his eye on Felicia?"


    A thousand thoughts raced through Arnold''s mind in an instant, colliding and spiraling until he finally spat out the only thing he could muster, "No way in hell!"


    Mike sighed deeply, muttering, "Just end it all already. I''m too tired for this."


    Later that evening, the first thing Arnold did when he got home was to see Matthew.


    "Grandpa," he greeted, stepping into the study.


    Matthew was seated at his desk, practicing his painting skills as his steady hand glided across the page. Despite hisposed appearance, everyone knew his health was failing.


    He had refused hospital treatments, insisting on living out his days at home. His passion for painting was his way of finding peace and bnce.


    Without looking up, Matthew acknowledged him, "You''re back. I assume there''s something on your mind?"


    Arnold swallowed and nodded. "You see right through me, as always."


    He hesitated for a moment before speaking again, "Grandpa, you told me to do whatever it took to make Felicia willingly agree to marry me. But no matter what I try, she''spletely unmoved." Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    He nced down at his hand, the faint pain from the bite still lingering. He then looked directly at Matthew. "Could you please help me with this one more time?"


    Matthew set his brush down, his


    expression calm but tinged with amusement. "After all the effort I went through to arrange your engagement, you were the one who threw it all away. You decided to chase after Ka, of all people, like a lovesick fool. I warned you then, didn''t I? One day, you''d regret it."


    Arnold''s face burned with embarrassment at the rebuke, but Matthew''s next words offered a sliver of hope.


    "So, now you''re here, asking me for help. Tell me, what is it you want me to do?"


    Arnold straightened, his face lighting up with renewed determination. "Grandpa, I need you to arrange another marriage. This time, I won''t back out-I swear!"


    A heavy silence fell over the study.


    The next thing Arnold knew, Matthew had grabbed his color palette and hurled it at him.


    "You fool! Do you think the Lawsons need another public scandal? Wasn''t the first fiasco humiliating enough for you?"


    Arnold dodged just in time, and the color palette missed, smashing into a nearby wall instead. The colors sttered everywhere, staining his clothes and leaving him half covered in coloured streaks.


    "Grandpa..." Arnold said, his voice filled with a mix of frustration and pleading.


    He had a sinking feeling that if he didn''t act soon, Felicia would slip further and further out of his reach.


    Matthew took a deep breath, calming himself before finally speaking, "I''ll handle it."


    His voice was low and deliberate, each word carrying weight. "But this time, Arnold, you''d better not let me down."

 Chapter 245

    Arnold''s eyes lit up, his excitement barely contained as he eximed, "Don''t worry, Grandpa! This time, I''ll do exactly as you say!"


    Matthew waved a hand dismissively and picked up his brush again. But as he reached for the palette, he realized the palette was missing. It had been hurled across the room during his earlier outburst.


    Arnold immediately retrieved it, cleaning up the mess and refilling it with fresh colors. He even started mixing paints to prepare the colors.


    Matthew''s irritation melted away instantly. Chuckling, he said, "You really know how to butter me up when you need something, don''t you?"


    "Grandpa, don''t say that. I''m just being thoughtful," Arnold came up with an excuse for himself.


    "Alright. Your shirt''s covered in paint. Go clean up and get some rest," Matthew told Arnold.


    "No rush, I''ll stick around a little longer."


    As Arnold continued mixing the paints, he watched Matthew''s expression. Once he was sure Matthew wasn''t upset anymore, he decided to try his luck again. "Grandpa, since we''re having a little chat, I''ve got a question for you. And I hope you''ll be honest with me." "Go ahead." Matthew waited for Arnold to throw his question.


    Arnold then said, pushing a dramatic effect, "Why do you like Felicia so much? I mean, you had only met her once before you started talking about an engagement between our families."


    Matthew didn''t look up and moved his brush across the canvas as he painted bold, deliberate strokes. The image of a soaring eagle began to take form. But at Arnold''s question, his hand faltered. A bead of paint dripped onto the pristine part of the canvas. He suddenly broke into a violent coughing fit.


    "Grandpa!" Arnold hurried to his side, patting his back to help him catch his breath. Seeing Matthew''s face turn red as if he couldn''t breathe, Arnold panicked and was about to call for help.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "No... No, don''t bother," Matthew waved him off once he had finally caught his breath. "I know my own body. A doctor won''t do much besides poke and prod. Don''t trouble yourself." Arnold eased him into a chair and quickly poured him a cup of hot water. After a few sips, his breathing steadied.


    Matthew sighed deeply, staring at the unfinished painting in front of him. "You asked why I like Felicia so much. The truth is, it''s not about liking her. It''s about..."


    "What?" Arnold asked, leaning in.


    Matthew''s lips trembled before he finally said, "I had a vision."


    "What was it about?" Arnold curiously asked.


    "The night Felicia saved me after my ident, I had... Well, it wasn''t just a dream. It felt so vivid, so real. It was almost terrifying."


    Matthew''s voice grew quieter, more


    reflective. "In that vision, I saw the future-not just for the Lawson


    family but for the entire city. I saw a disaster that would strike,


    Lovel


    something that could bring everything we''ve built crashing down."


    His hand trembled as he gripped the edge of the table, his cloudy eyes darting about as though he was reliving the memory. "And at that moment, I saw her-Felicia. She was the only one who could save us and keep the Lawson name from fading into history."


    Arnold raised an eyebrow, struggling to suppress a smirk. His grandfather was getting old, clearly. To put so much faith in a vision, a dream-how absurd. But Arnold, cautious as ever, didn''t dare voice his skepticism aloud. Instead, he nodded, letting Matthew''s words settle in the room.


    At this point, all Arnold could think about was finding a way to keep Felicia tied to his side permanently.


    "Arnold," Matthew said, exhaling a heavy breath. "Just remember, everything I do is for you and the Lawson family''s future. Trust me, I won''t steer you wrong."


    Matthew knew his time was running out. Before he took his final bow, he had to give Arnold and Felicia that extra push, even if it meant crossing some lines to get there.


    ...


    That same night, a sleek luxury car pulled up to the entrance of the sprawling estate nestled into the mountainside. The door swung open, and Stephan stepped out, his long strides deliberate as he adjusted his cufflinks.


    As he habitually nced up, his sharp eyesnded on the second-floor guest room, noting that the lights were off.


    It was the room meant for Felicia.


    Stephan continued toward the entrance,menting casually, "It looks like Felicia turned in early tonight."


    Over the past two weeks, Felicia had settled into a predictable


    routine-early nights, minimal trips outside, and hours spent holed up in her room. She had been busy experimenting with her endless collection of herbs and ingredients.


    One of his men spoke up hesitantly, "Mr. Russell, Ms. Fuller hasn''t returned yet."


    Stephan stopped in his tracks, his expression immediately shifting.


    Turning to face his subordinate, his voice dropped. "Didn''t I tell you to drive her wherever she needed to go? If she isn''t back, why the hell didn''t you pick her up?"


    Keh, the driver assigned to Felicia, looked more than a little flustered as he tried to exin, "Ms. Fuller insisted I didn''t follow her."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 246

    Every time Felicia needed to leave the Russell estate, she''d rely on Keh for a ride down to town. But once at her destination, she''d insist he return without her. She''d always arrange her own way back, usually by cab. Keh had followed those instructions to the letter, but tonight, that wasn''t enough to appease Stephan.


    Stephan red at him before turning on his heel and heading toward the door. His determined stride left no doubt about his intentions-he would personally pick her up.


    But just as he reached the entrance, headlights flickered outside, and the sound of an approaching cab made him pause.


    Felicia stepped out of the cab, carrying herself with her usual nonchnce. "Thanks. Just wait here a moment," she told the driver before heading toward the house.


    She met Stephan in the doorway. "Oh, hey," she greeted casually, barely slowing her pace as she slipped past him.


    Stephan stood still, his expression unreadable. Though his dark eyes followed her retreating figure into the house, he said nothing.


    Upstairs, Felicia went straight to the guest room that had been serving as her temporary refuge. She began packing up her things, carefully tucking away the jars of ointments and vials of herbal concoctions she had spent days perfecting. Each bottle was a little treasure resulting from painstaking work and her natural talent for medicinal remedies. They were particrly effective for healing wounds, so she was sure they''d fetch a good price.


    She smiled to herself. Once sold, the profits would help cover her newly rented apartment-her next step toward independence.


    With her bag securely packed, Felicia slung it over her shoulder and headed toward the stairs, only to find her path blocked.


    Stephan stood at the top of the staircase, his tall frame illuminated by the soft glow of the hallway lights. His expression was unreadable, but the intensity of his gaze was unmistakable.


    "It''s 11:00 pm," he said, his deep voiceced with restrained frustration. "Where do you think you''re going?"


    "I''m going back to campus," Felicia replied, her tone calm and even.


    Stephan''s eyes narrowed. She was lying. He could see it in the slight lift of her chin and the overly casual way she said it. The campus had already locked its gates for the holiday break. There was no way she was going back there. "Is that so?" he asked, his voice cool but with a dangerous undertone.


    "Yes," Felicia replied without hesitation, her face unreadable.


    Stephan stepped closer, his towering presence making the narrownding feel even smaller. "Are you just so eager to cut ties with me?"


    His words were low,ced with mockery.


    Felicia tilted her head back slightly


    as she leaned against the staircase


    railing to put some distance between them. But Stephan didn''t move back. Instead, he leaned in, his sharp features only inches from


    hers.


    "We don''t have any ties to cut," Felicia countered quietly, her tone as neutral as ever.


    Something dark shed in Stephan''s eyes. It was a dangerous glint that warned of his shifting mood.


    Before Felicia could respond, she felt herself lifted off the ground in one swift motion.


    "Stephan!" she yelped, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck as he carried her effortlessly down the hallway. For a brief, panicked moment, she thought he might actually throw her over the railing.


    But instead, Stephan strode into the master bedroom and unceremoniously dropped her onto the plush, oversized bed.


    The mattress was so soft that Felicia bounced slightly uponnding, her bag slipping off her shoulder and falling to the floor.


    Stephan''s tall frame loomed over her


    as he ced one knee on the bed, his weight sinking into the mattress The shadows in the dimly lit room only heightened the intensity in his gaze, his eyes burning with suppressed emotions that Felicia couldn''t fully decipher. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    "Stephan..." she began, only to be silenced by the weight of his presence as he leaned down.


    s close, and his breath


    His face was


    was warm against her cheek. In the faint moonlight filtering through the window, she could see the sharp angles of his face, the tension in his jaw, and the fiery determination in his eyes.


    "If you even consider going to Arnold again, I''ll make sure he regrets it," Stephan growled, his voice low and threatening.


    Felicia''s heart skipped a beat, her mind struggling to keep up with the sudden shift in his demeanor.


    Then, he added, his tone firm and possessive, "And it''s not just him. You''re not allowed to go to anyone else."

 Chapter 247

    Felicia finally snapped out of her confusion.


    Why would Stephan say she was going to find Arnold?


    What kind of joke was that?


    Her expression darkened. She opened her mouth to retort, but he forced a kiss on her before she could speak. Amanding, demanding, and relentless kiss swallowed her words before they could escape. She struggled, but Stephan was unyielding. His dominance left her no room to retaliate.


    Felicia didn''t have her silver needles with her, but she didn''t need them. She knew the human body''s meridians like the back of her hand-every pressure point and every weak spot was burned into her memory. Moreover, Stephan sustained some serious injuries after that fall in Alverton. With precision and speed, she curled her fingers into a w and drove them into his waist, hitting the exact spot to make him buckle. A low grunt escaped Stephan, his body stiffening as his dark eyes bore into her. There was no pain in his expression-only a simmering danger that seemed to deepen the room''s already charged atmosphere. Then, a faint, coppery scent filled the air.


    Felicia froze, her anger giving way to guilt. Had she hit him too hard? She knew she''d gone for a sensitive spot, but she hadn''t intended to hurt him like this.


    "Don''t move!" she eximed, quickly climbing out of bed. She flicked on the lights, revealing his disheveled state and the crimson beginning to seep through his shirt.


    "I''ll get the first aid kit. Just don''t touch it!"


    Stephan watched her scurry out of the room, the corners of his lips quirking into an amused smirk. Her flushed cheeks and slightly swollen lips were evidence of their earlier confrontation, which pleased him for some inexplicable reason. When she returned, she set the first aid kit on the bed and carefully began tending to his wound.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    She had been silently grumbling about how Stephan deserved it. If he hadn''t forced that kiss, she wouldn''t have gone so hard on him.


    But when she lifted his shirt to check the damage, herints died on her lips.


    A deep gash marred his waist. It was a wound from when they''d fallen off the cliff in Alverton and were swept downstream by the raging waters. Stephan had shielded her the entire time, taking the brunt of the sharp rocks. The cut had been healing, but her attack had reopened it.


    Felicia felt a pang of guilt.


    Her movements softened as she carefully cleaned and dressed the wound. What she had initially intended to be quick and perfunctory became delicate and precise.


    Stephan had been ready to dismiss


    it entirely and brush off the injury casually by saying, "Just patch it up, it''s nothing." But he swallowed the words as he watched her furrowed brows and the guilt written all over her face.


    "At least this little brat has some conscience left," he thought.


    The red in his eyes began to fade, and though the lingering heat of his earlier emotions hadn''t entirely subsided, his gaze was now calmer and moreposed. Felicia, still tending to his wound, sighed dramatically as she sprinkled her handmade medicinal powder over the cut. "My medicine... This stuff is expensive, you know." "She had some conscience but not much," Stephan told himself.


    Once she finished, Felicia gritted her teeth and handed him the rest of the bottle. "Here, take this. Use a little each day. It''ll stop the bleeding and help it heal faster." Stephan epted it with a smirk, tapping the ss bottle thoughtfully. "This won''t end up likest time, will it?"


    Both of them knew exactly what he was referring to.


    Thest time she had given him


    some of her medicine, it had been a scar-removal ointment. What followed afterward spiraled wildly out of control-something neither of them had entirely forgotten.


    Felicia''s frustration boiled over. She snapped, "And what about just now? You didn''t have any drugs in your system then, so you were plenty clear-headed! Yet you still pinned me down and..."


    She bit back thest part. She had been about to say, "You gave me a long kiss!" Instead, she chose to re at him furiously.


    When he didn''t respond, she made a move to snatch the bottle back. "If you don''t want it, give it back! I made this myself. I could sell it for a fortune."


    Mindful of his injury, Felicia decided against trying to grab the bottle back. She gathered her medical kit and stood to leave.


    Just as she turned, Stephan''s voice cut through the silence. "Are you that desperate for money?"


    "I sure am," Felicia replied without hesitation, carefully tucking her homemade.medicine into her backpack She padded it with clothes to prevent the bottles from breaking, her focus unwavering.


    "Who wouldn''t want more money?"


    As she zipped her bag closed, an idea sparked in her mind. Her eyes lit up, and she turned to Stephan, her gaze practically sparkling.


    Her tone shifted with sudden enthusiasm as she said, "You know, I think I just came up with a business opportunity!"

 Chapter 248

    "Consider thatst bottle a free sample," Felicia began, her tone turning businesslike. "You saw how well it worked, right? Sprinkle the powder, and the bleeding stops instantly. In three days, you''ll be as good as new!" She opened her bag and pulled out five more identical bottles. "I''ve got five left. Are you interested, Mr. Russell?"


    Her pitch was smooth, her enthusiasm genuine. "You''re always getting injured, so this stuff is perfect for you. If it doesn''t work, feel free to trash my reputation!"


    Stephan raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable as he leaned back against the bed. His toned body was still exposed. The bandages she had wrapped highlighted the sharp contours of his abs and the alluring lines of his toned muscles. Felicia quickly averted her gaze, her thoughts threatening to wander. After all, she''d had a wild night with Stephan before.


    She tried to calm herself down.


    Stephan smirked slightly, noticing her momentary distraction. He then calmly adjusted his shirt. His fingers moved slowly and deliberately, and the hint of amusement in his eyes was impossible to miss.


    "I''ll take them all," he said casually, his voice low and smooth.


    Felicia''s annoyance melted away, reced by a bright, businesslike smile. "That''s what I like to hear, Mr. Russell!"


    She tapped the bottles confidently. "These are top-tier. They''ll stop bleeding, speed up healing, and even prevent scarring. They''re priceless!"Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    She hesitated, unsure how much to charge. Then, she cautiously held up five fingers. "This much. It''s reasonable, right?"


    Stephan tilted his head, his gaze sharp. "Are you asking for 500 grand?" he asked, amused. "Done."


    Felicia''s jaw dropped. "What?"


    She''d been thinking 50 grand, but Stephan had clearly misunderstood or deliberately offered more. Before she could correct him, the familiar ding of a money transfer echoed from her phone. She nced down. The full 500 grand had alreadynded in her ount.


    Her shock gave way to joy. Right then and there, she decided that she could overlook his earlier antics.


    "Wait here," she said, rummaging through her bag. After a moment, she produced a small bottle filled with a pale, clear liquid.


    "This is a free gift," she said, handing


    it over. "It''s homemade perfume. I distilled it myself from gardenias before the nts were removed near my college''sb. Use it as a room


    scent or throw it out-it''s up to you."


    Felicia shrugged, trying to downy her gesture. She turned to leave but paused at the door, ncing back over her shoulder.


    She added, her tone casual but with


    a hint of concern, "Oh, by the way, thanks for letting me stay here. I''ve found a ce to rent, so I''ll be


    moving out soon. Also..." She


    hesitated, then decided to speel


    her


    mind, "You need to be more mindful about a pregnantdy''s feelings. Don''t neglect family just Because of work."


    Stephan was halfway out of bed before her words even registered. He then asked, "Wait, are you pregnant?"


    Felicia froze, staring at him like he had grown a second head. "What? No! What are you talking about?"


    She was thinking about how this man could juggle usations of fathering someone else''s child while still managing to entangle her in his mess.


    Anger boiling over, she spat, "I


    overheard you on the phone this afternoon at the casino. You


    mentioned a kid. Are you seriously going to stand there and deny that you''re about to be a dad?"


    Stephan paused, momentarily stunned by the usation. Then, his expression darkened like a brewing storm.


    He reached out and knocked her lightly on the forehead.


    "That''s my sister!" he snapped, exasperated. "My biological sister!"


    Felicia blinked, caughtpletely off guard. "Oh..."


    Stephan continued, his tone dripping with irritation, "And no, there''s no other woman." He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a growl. "I''ve only ever touched you." Hisposure cracked entirely, and frustration radiated off him as he red at her. He was half tempted to pry her head open to figure out what was going on inside. Felicia let out a small, awkward hum, her expression unreadable. Whether she believed him or not was anyone''s guess.


    Stephan didn''t look away, his eyes boring into hers. They were dark andmanding, exuding a raw, almost dangerous intensity. His lips curled into a slow, taunting smirk. He said, his voice dangerously low, "After everything we''ve done, are you seriously going to stand there and say there''s nothing between us?"

 Chapter 249

    Stephan''s low, gravelly voice carried a teasing lilt, but his sharp gaze remained unwaveringly serious, cutting through Felicia''s defenses. It wasn''t a tone she could easily dismiss.


    At their feet, Cloud''s tail was wagging like a propeller as it circled their legs happily. It was oblivious to the tension above.


    Felicia cleared her throat, deciding it was best to respond directly. "It was just a one-time thing. It was no big deal. I already told you I''m not holding you responsible, so you shouldn''t hold me responsible either."


    She paused, a faint smile ying on her lips, but it wasn''t the yful kind. There was something darker beneath the surface.


    "Besides..." she said, her voice trailing off and her smile deepening into one of quiet resignation.


    She thought to herself, "If you ever saw the real me-the me who carries bitterness like a second skin and the one who destroys and maniptes without remorse-you''d regret it."


    Her mind shed back to Sebastian-her so-called brother. She recalled his expression when he realized she wasn''t the sweet, innocent sister he thought she was as well as the disappointment in his eyes as he walked away without so much as a nce back. And then her mind spiraled further to a memory from her past life.


    She recalled the moment her adoptive parents screamed at her, their words like knives, "Felicia, you''ve always been selfish, heartless, and cruel! You don''t care about anyone but yourself. People like you deserve to die!"


    Those words had stayed with her, reying in her mind like a haunting mantra. And over time, she realized she was bing exactly what they used her of being.


    Fine. If that was what they thought of her, she''d lean into it.


    Her facade went up once more, and she buried her emotions deep, deep down.


    But before she could fully retreat, Stephan''s hand reached out and gently lifted her chin upward.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, she saw something unexpected in his gaze-a flicker of concern that looked almost like... regret.


    Her lips curved into a smile, appearing light and breezy as if nothing had happened.


    Yet Stephan could see through her. For just a split second, her eyes had glistened, betraying the tears she hadn''t yet shed.


    His chest tightened inexplicably.


    The Felicia he knew was fierce and unyielding. She was a woman who could drag herself out of the darkest pits and still crack a joke. She would patch him up without aint andugh in the face of danger. But tonight, he had glimpsed another side of her a fragile side that was wounded and perhaps even lonely.


    Cloud was wagging its tail eagerly. Felicia crouched down, about to give it a pat, when a sudden thought


    struck her mind. "Oh no! The cab


    driver must be so annoyed by now!"


    en


    GUMS


    Grabbing her bag, she bolted for the door, her heels clicking against the floor. Stephan didn''t stop her this time.


    As the door closed behind her, he remained rooted to the spot, staring after her.


    One of his men cautiously stepped forward. "Mr. Russell, is everything all right?"


    Stephan''s gaze shifted to the window, watching the tail lights of the cab disappear into the distance. He let out a quiet sigh, his voice soft and almost introspective. "She''s... a little pitiful, isn''t she?"


    The bodyguard blinked, caughtpletely off guard.


    This wasing from Stephan, a


    man known for his ruthlessness. He was the same man who could destroy someone without batting an eye. Now, he was calling someone pitiful?


    And it was not just anyone; it was Felicia.


    The bodyguard rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Wasn''t there an old saying? When one started to pity someone, it was the first step toward falling for them.


    Pity made a person protective, and being protective made one possessive...


    His train of thought derailed when he noticed Stephan had already left the room.


    Stephan was now in his study with a phone pressed to his ear. The bodyguard could just barely catch snippets of the conversation.


    "Yes, I''m back... No, I''m fine. How''s the baby?"


    Stephan''s voice softened, the hard edges smoothing into something almost tender.


    It had to be her. Imogen Russell, Stephan''s older sister.


    Born into wealth and prestige but gued by tragedy. Imogen had been blind from birth-a fact that many whispered was a curse on the family.


    She recently lost her fianc¨¦ in a freak


    ident at sea, and his body was never recovered. If that wasn''t enough, she was also pregnant with his child, and the grief had nearly caused her to miscarry.

 Chapter 250

    The bodyguard quietly exited, leaving the room in silence. Stephan remained in the study with his phone pressed to his ear. He spoke in a low, determined tone, "Don''t worry, Imogen. I''ll find out who killed Archie. And I''ll track down the missing item too."


    He reassured his sister on the other end of the line.


    Felicia''s new apartment was a modest two-bedroom unit near her college. The neighborhood wasn''t the best, but the rent was affordable, and the apartment itself was clean, fully furnished, and surprisingly tidy.


    Feeling bad for keeping the cab driver waiting earlier, Felicia handed him triple the fare as a tip.


    "Thanks for waiting, sir," she said with a sheepish smile.


    The driver waved her off but gave her a word of caution, "Youngdy, this area isn''t exactly safe, especially for someone like you. Watch your back, okay?"


    "I will. Thanks for the heads-up," she replied before heading into the building with her backpack slung over her shoulder.


    The stairwell lights flickered to life as her footsteps echoed through the corridor. Felicia was about to press the elevator button when the fire escape door burst open, and a group of teenagers with colored hair came barreling through.


    One of them nearly collided with her, but Felicia sidestepped just in time. The boys didn''t even pause to apologize as they raced down the hall like they''d just been caught doing something illegal.


    Felicia raised an eyebrow.


    Before she could dwell on it, the fire escape door mmed open again. This time, a young woman stormed out, breathless and furious. She gripped a kitchen knife in her hand like she was ready for a fight.


    Both froze upon seeing each other.


    "Hey!" Felicia said, surprised.


    She recognized the woman instantly. It was Carmen, a senior at college. They''d crossed paths a few times. Once, Carmen had stepped in to defend Felicia in the dining hall when Ka and her friends poured soup on Felicia and another time on the rooftop, where Carmen had warned her to stay away.


    Of all ces to run into her again, this was thest Felicia had expected.


    Carmen didn''t respond to Felicia''s greeting. Her knuckles whitened around the knife''s handle, and without a word, she turned on her heel and disappeared back into the stairwell.


    en


    Felicia shrugged off the odd encounter and took the elevator to the seventh floor.


    As luck or misfortune-would have it, Carmen emerged from the stairwell just as Felicia stepped out of the elevator.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    The seventh floor only had two apartment units. Felicia rented 701 on the left while the door to 702 was open wide.


    What caught Felicia''s attention wasn''t the open door-it was the photos stered all over it and the surrounding walls.


    They were all photos of Carmen taken from different angles, clearly screenshots from some online tform.


    The images weren''t just suggestive-they were downright vulgar.


    Felicia suddenly understood why Carmen had been holding that knife. This must have been the handiwork of the group of punks she had seen earlier.


    Posting explicit photos-whether


    fake or not-outside someone''s


    home was a deliberate attempt to humiliate and destroy them. Imagine if Carmen''s parents or neighbors saw this. They weren''t just attacking her reputation; they were trying to break her spiritpletely.


    Sensing Felicia''s gaze, Carmen spun around, her jaw clenched and her voice defiant. "It''s not me. Those photos are fake. They were edited! I didn''t do any of this!"


    Her words carried a bitterness that hinted at how many times she had said them before, only for no one to believe her.


    Carmen''s lips twisted into a bitter


    smile. She didn''t even bother


    removing the photos as she knew they''d only reappear. With a dismissive scoff, she disappeared into her apartment and mmed the door


    behind her.


    Momentster, the sound of shattering ss and a woman''s shrill voice erupted from 702.


    "Look what you''ve done!" the woman screamed, her tone sharp and filled with venom. "You''ve disgraced this family! I can''t even show my face to the neighbors anymore!"


    Felicia could piece together the dynamic. A stepmother, most likely-someone more concerned about appearances than Carmen''s well-being.


    Felicia stood in the dimly lit hallway, her gaze drifting to the walls still covered in photos.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 251

    The following morning, Carmen was shoved out of her home with a grocery list in hand, courtesy of her stepmother''s shrillmands.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    "We can''t even leave the house because of you!" the woman yelled from the doorway. "Everywhere we go, people point and whisper, all thanks to your shameless ways!" Carmen froze on the front steps, already bracing for the worst.


    Her stepmother wasn''t done. "If you had an ounce of self-respect, you''d disappear! Better yet, just die and spare this family the disgrace!"


    "I didn''t do it!" Carmen shouted back, her voice raw. "Those pictures and videos are fake! None of them is real!"


    But the words fell t, drowned out by years of the same usations. Carmen could recite the next part by heart. No one believed her. Lies told often enough became the truth.


    She trudged out onto the street, her stepmother''s yells still echoing in her ears. But when she looked up, Carmen froze.


    The walls in the hallway, which had been covered with those damning photos just the night before, were bare. Everyst one of those photos had been torn down. Only faint adhesive stains remained.


    For a moment, Carmen wondered if it had all been some fever dream. She stood there, stunned, until she heard the sound of a door opening across the hall.


    Out stepped Felicia, carrying a small duffel bag. She caught sight of Carmen and gave her an easy, natural smile.


    "Good Morning, Carmen," Felicia greeted her as though they were casual neighbors, and nothing about the situation was out of the ordinary.


    There was no judgment or ridicule. It was just a simple hello.


    Carmen turned her head away without replying.


    Felicia chuckled under her breath and waited for the elevator alongside Carmen.


    The building was busy this morning, and by the time the elevator reached the ground floor, it was packed with tenants heading out for errands or work. Carmen remained stoic, staring at the floor. Then, as they neared the lobby, a balding middle-aged man smirked at Carmen and drawled, "So, how much for a night?"


    The air inside the elevator shifted immediately. A ripple ofughter rose from a few bystanders while some older women clucked their tongues in disgust, their res heavy with scorn. Carmen''s face turned pale, then bright red with fury. Without a word, she swung her fist. Itnded heavily on the man''s face.


    The elevator reached the ground floor just as the man stumbled back, clutching his bleeding mouth. The other passengers practically sprinted out of the elevator, eager to avoid further confrontation. The man groaned on the floor, spitting out a tooth and groaning in pain.


    Felicia, casually stepping over his form, "identally" stomped on his hand with the heel of her shoe. She twisted it slightly before walking off, her tone as calm as ever. "Oops."


    The man let out a high-pitched yelp and cursed after her, but Felicia paid no mind. She was already heading out the door.


    Carmen wasn''t the only one with ns that morning.


    Felicia''s first stop was the bank, where she deposited hertest winnings to fulfill her promise to fund her new business venture. The transaction wasplete, and she smiled. Two million dors were now headed to Jupiter Group, pushing them closer to operational stability.


    Her second stop was the local herbal market. Felicia was determined to expand her arsenal of medicinal concoctions, from salves to antidotes. Most importantly, she nned to work on a new project-poison.


    After all, if her physical strength


    couldn''t match her enemies, she could at least outwit them. Poison could even the odds. If she ever found herself in danger, it would be a trump card-one she could count on to escape.


    Meanwhile, Carmen''s trip to the grocery store was just as miserable as she had anticipated.


    The staff avoided eye contact, their expressions twisting in disdain when they saw her. One butcher barely concealed his grimace as he handed her change, as though her money wasn''t good enough.


    By the time she left the grocery store, her bag was only half-full, and Carmen felt the weight of their stares drilling into her back.


    She thought she had escaped it all


    once she turned into a quieter street,


    but she was wrong. Standing in her path was the man from the elevator, now apanied by a loud, heavyset woman who could only be his wife.


    "There she is!" the woman screeched, her voice grating enough to draw a small crowd. "The filthy little tramp who tried to seduce my husband!"


    Carmen froze, her grip tightening around the bag of groceries.


    The man chimed in, his voice dripping with venom, "What, her? Do you think I''d go near that? I wouldn''t touch her if she paid me!"


    The onlookers murmured amongst themselves, some smirking while others watched with curiosity.

 Chapter 252

    Everywhere Carmen turned, she was met with usatory stares. People whispered, pointed, and smirked, feeding on her misery like vultures circling their prey. In a fit of rage, she hurled the bag of groceries straight at the couple, shouting, "You''re the ones who are shameless, not me! Get lost! Leave me alone!" The man, quick to save himself, ducked and stepped aside.


    But his wife wasn''t so lucky. The bag hit her square in the chest. Furious, the woman stormed forward, grabbing Carmen''s hair with both hands.


    "You filthy tramp!" she screeched, dragging Carmen down. "What gave you the right to hit me? I''ll show you what happens when you mess with me!" The woman was built like a linebacker, strong and unrelenting. Carmen, despite her struggles, was no match for her.


    Within seconds, she was pinned to the pavement. She was helpless against the weight pressing her down.


    "Let''s see how brave you are once I strip you bare!" the woman spat venomously, wing at Carmen''s clothes.


    The sound of tearing fabric cut through the air like a knife. The chill of the open air hit Carmen''s exposed skin, and she froze.


    "No! Stop it! Let go of me!" Carmen screamed, tears streaming down her face. Her cries became desperate and echoed across the street.


    For all her efforts to pretend she didn''t care about the lies, the gossip, or the humiliation, this moment shattered that fa?ade. She cared. She cared too much.


    As the woman ripped at her shirt, Carmen''s mind snapped. A surge of adrenaline coursed through her, and with a guttural scream, she pushed the woman off. She was sent staggering backward.


    Without stopping to think, Carmen clutched at her torn clothes and ran. She didn''t know where she was going, but she didn''t care. Her feet carried her to the top of her apartment building to the rooftop. The wind was cold up there, biting against her skin, but Carmen didn''t feel it.


    Standing at the edge, she looked down at the world below. The sounds from the streets, the cars, and the people faded away.


    "Just jump, Carmen." She told herself it would be easy. Just one step forward, and it would all be over.


    ...


    "Someone''s on the roof!"


    When she overheard the frantic


    shout, Felicia had just returned with her bag of herbs. Looking up, her breath caught in her throat. There on the edge of the rooftop, was a figure swaying precariously with their hair and clothes whipping in the Wind.


    Felicia dropped her bag without hesitation, her heart pounding in her chest.


    Her mind raced as fragmented memories surfaced-memories of another life.


    In that life, there had been two outcasts.


    One was Felicia herself, ostracized


    elicia


    and ridiculed as the "illegitimate daughter who had no right to challenge the golden girl of the. family The other had been Carmen, ndered and bullied for sing she nevermitted.


    In that life, Carmen''s torment ended on the rooftop of their school.


    Felicia remembered seeing her fall, looking just like a broken bird with wings too battered to fly.


    The scene had haunted her for years-the blood pooling beneath Carmen''s lifeless body, the whispers and excuses from those who had driven her to it... Not again!


    Felicia bolted toward the building.


    She reached the elevator and punched the button repeatedly, urging it to move faster. But the digital disy showed it was stuck on the fifth floor. "Damn it!"This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Without another thought, Felicia turned and sprinted for the stairwell.


    Her legs burned as she took the steps two at a time, her breathing in short, sharp gasps. She pushed herself harder. She wanted to make it to the rooftop in time to save Carmen.

 Chapter 253

    The wind on the rooftop was fierce, howling past Carmen as she stood teetering on the edge.


    Below, the woman who had attacked her earlier was pointing upward while gesturing wildly, her voice faintly audible even against the wind. Around her, a small crowd had gathered. Someughed while others shook their heads, but they all watched with that morbid curiosity reserved for train wrecks and car crashes. Carmen nced down, her heart heavy with despair but tinged with something darker-resentment.


    She thought about what their faces would look like after she jumped. Would they scream? Would they cry? Or would they feel that cold rush of guilt as they realized they''d pushed her this far?


    A bitter smile tugged at her lips. The thought felt almost like revenge.


    Closing her eyes, Carmen raised her arms, the wind tugging at her clothes. Then, she let herself fall forward.


    "Gosh!"


    "She''s jumping!"


    Screams and gasps erupted from the ground below as her body tipped over the edge.


    For a brief moment, Carmen felt weightless-free.


    Then, everything stopped.


    Pain shot through her arm as her body jerked to a halt. She opened her eyes, confused, only to find herself hanging in mid-air. Her hand was gripped tightly by someone from behind. "What-" Carmen''s voice was hoarse, her mind reeling.


    Looking up, she saw her savior-Felicia. Her face was pale but resolute, and her arm was stretched taut as she clung to Carmen with all her strength.


    Blood dripped from a gash on Felicia''s forearm where it had scraped against the coarse edge of the rooftop, but she was smiling. She looked relieved, almost triumphant. "Gotcha," Felicia murmured, her voice trembling from the effort. "Just in time."


    She had sprinted up the stairs, her legs screaming with every step. She waspletely out of breath by the time she reached the rooftop. But in that critical moment, she managed to grab hold of Carmen''s wrist and grip it tightly.


    Carmen''s voice was choked with emotion, her throat raw as she pleaded, "Let go. Just let me go. I can''t take it anymore... I''m so tired."


    Felicia didn''t budge. One hand held Carmen''s wrist in an unrelenting grip while the other clung to the rooftop''s edge with all her strength to keep them both from falling. Her voice, strained but steady, carried a sharp edge of determination.


    "Carmen, listen to me. The ones who deserve to die are those who spread lies about you. They haven''t faced justice yet. Why should you give up now?"


    Her words were fierce and resolute. The fire in her eyes stopped Carmen cold.


    Finally, help arrived. A crowd of people gathered on the rooftop and worked together to pull Carmen back to safety.


    Once she was back on solid ground, a flood of well-meaning advice followed-"Don''t give up", "Life is precious", and "Think things through". But as the crowd dispersed, Carmen stayed behind, her eyes red as she looked at Felicia.


    "Why did you save me?" she asked, her voice trembling.


    It wasn''t a simple question. Felicia had risked her own life saving Carmen''s. One wrong move, and she could''ve been pulled down too.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Felicia rotated her sore shoulder, inspecting the scrapes on her arm. They were nothing too serious; a good cleaning and some ointment would take care of them.


    Hearing Carmen''s question, she paused. She thought about it, "Maybe it was empathy. Maybe it was my own inability to stand by and watch someone suffer. Or maybe it was because I had seen Carmen die once before." Felicia stood up and extended a hand toward Carmen, who was still sitting on the cold concrete. "Carmen, tell me do you want to fight back? To use their own weapons against them?"


    Carmen blinked, confused and


    bitterly amused. "What do you


    mean? I''ve tried everything. I went to


    the police I tried to exin myself. I even went to the hospital and got proof an official report showing I never did anything they used me of? But none of it worked


    The rumors might shift, but they wouldn''t stop.

 Chapter 254

    Carmen.


    In a dimly lit room on one of the lower floors of a nearby building, a heavyset young man sat hunched over hisputer. His fingers moved deftly across the mouse, clicking through one photo after another as he meticulously edited them. The images, all doctored, were of A sleazy grin spread across his face as he leaned back in his chair, admiring his handiwork.


    "Carmen," he muttered to himself, his voice low and venomous. "I liked you so much. But you never even noticed me, right?"


    His grin twisted into a sneer as his fingers clenched into fists. "How dare you ignore me? How dare you smile at other guys while pretending I don''t exist?"


    His eyes flickered back to the screen. "Well, you brought this onto yourself. If I can''t have you, then I''ll destroy you."


    Calvin Rivas licked his chapped lips as he sent a message to the group chat with his friends, "New photos are ready. I''m uploading them now."


    The group chat lit up with replies. Some participants barely knew Carmen while others simply relished the drama. A few were eager to share the photos further, fueling the mes of gossip and malice.


    Calvin walked to his window, pushing aside the heavy curtains to peer through a telescope aimed directly at the apartment across the street-Carmen''s home.


    The room was dark, the blinds tightly shut. He couldn''t see a thing, but the mere idea of spying on her sent a thrill down his spine. His hands trembled as he imagined her reaction to thetest batch of photos.


    When Calvin heard about Carmen''s attempted suicide and subsequent rescue, his excitement only grew. "She''s almost broken," he muttered. "Just a little more, and she''lle crawling to me. She''ll have no one else." Smirking, he returned to his desk, ready to unleash histest batch of fake images onto the web.


    But before he could click the upload button, his screen flickered and then wentpletely ck.


    "What the " Calvin leaned forward, his brows furrowing together in confusion.


    Suddenly, lines of red text began to appear one after another against the pitch-ck background. "Calvin Rivas.


    "Male.


    "Age: 22


    "upation: IT Specialist, employed by a top 100pany for 2 years and 8 months. Pending promotion to junior supervisor next month. "Address: 703, 22 Springvale Street, Khogend."


    Calvin''s heart pounded in his chest. His throat tightened as more and more details about his life appeared on the screen-personal information about him, his family, and even his colleagues and friends.


    It was all there,id bare for someone else to see.


    "Oh my God..." Calvin whispered, his voice trembling. His hands shook as he frantically tried to close the window, but the keyboard was unresponsive.


    Then, new words appeared, "You''re so ugly and pathetic. You''ll never get what you want."


    Calvin''s face flushed with rage. His palms mmed down on the desk as he roared, "Who''s doing this? Show yourself!"


    The text vanished as quickly as it had appeared, only to be reced by something far worse.


    Photos began to fill the screen.


    Doctored photos of Calvin himself, posing in humiliating and degrading scenarios. The editing was wless, even more convincing than the photos he had doctored of Carmen.


    One after another, the photos scrolled across the screen, and Calvin''s jaw dropped in horror. But it wasn''t just him.


    The faces of his aplices-the same guys who had spread


    Carmen''s photos and rumors-were stered across the screen as well. The photos told fabricated stories so detailed and vile that Calvin felt his stomach churn.


    Sweat poured down his face as his mind raced. What if these photos were leaked?


    His parents, his coworkers, and his boss would see them.


    The promotion he was so close to achieving would be gone in an instant.


    His entire career would be over.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

 Chapter 255

    Calvin was drenched in sweat, his panic so overwhelming that he could barely think straight.


    He sat there trembling, staring at hisputer screen as if it were alive. He started typing desperately, hoping tomunicate with the hacker who had just obliterated his digital fortress. He wanted to beg-no, plead for mercy. But his attempts were futile. His skills, which he once thought impressive, wereughable in the face of the force he was up against.


    Another line of text appeared on his screen, "I''ve sent everything to everyone you know. If you can''t face them, maybe take a stroll to your rooftop. Just a suggestion."


    And finally, the hacker typed, "Oh, and good luck in the afterlife." A smiling emoji followed.


    Calvin''s stomach dropped. The sinister grin on the screen burned into his mind, its cheerfulness more terrifying than any threat.


    He screamed in agony, stumbling backward from his chair and copsing to the floor.


    His bedroom door burst open. His parents stormed in, their faces pale with fury. Calvin''s father held up his phone, his hand trembling.


    "What the hell have you been doing online?" his father bellowed. "Are you trying to ruin this family? You think it''s funny to mess around with those sick photos?"


    His mother was no calmer. "Your aunt just called-she''s seen everything! Do you know what you''ve done? How are we supposed to face anyone now?"


    Calvin tried to respond, but his throat felt like sandpaper. Words failed him.


    Across town, chaos unfolded in homes linked to Calvin''s secret group chat.


    A furious p echoed through one household.


    A husband roared at his wife, waving his phone like a weapon. "I knew something was going on, but I didn''t think you''d actually cheat on me! You''re disgusting!" "No! This isn''t true! Please believe me!" the woman sobbed, her voice cracking.


    ...


    In another home, a woman screamed at her husband, hurling a photo album across the room. "I''ve given you two kids! And this is how you repay me? You''ve been sneaking around with her? I want a divorce! Get out!"


    The man, pale and stammering, pleaded, "Honey, it''s not what it looks like! I don''t even know that woman!"


    His wife shot back, thrusting her phone in his face. "Oh really? How do you exin these photos of you, then?"


    ...


    Household after household descended into simr scenes of turmoil.


    Each person in Calvin''s group chat, whether man or woman, found themselves at the center of their own scandal. The fabricated images, masterfully edited, spread faster than wildfire. Each protestation of innocence was met with disbelief.


    The world they had built on lies and nder crumbled beneath their feet. For the first time, they experienced what it was like to be Carmen.


    ...


    Back at Carmen''s apartment, the change was palpable.


    Rumors that once spread like wildfire through her school and neighborhood began to fade. Whenever someone tried to drag her name through the mud again, it wouldn''t be long before they themselves were targeted. Overnight, incriminating photos of those individuals-equally doctored-would surface online.


    The lesson was clear-mess with Carmen, and you''d be the next target.


    Slowly, the gossip died down. Carmen didn''t need to clear her name anymore. She couldn''t care less about it anymore. Watching her tormentors reap what they had sown was infinitely more satisfying than any formal apology could ever be.


    Over time, Carmen came to realize just how much Felicia was hiding beneath the surface.


    She wasn''t just skilled in medicine and pharmaceuticals-she also had hacking abilities that were nothing short of extraordinary.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    "Felicia, is there anything you can''t do? What other surprises are you hiding from me?" Carmen was impressed by Felicia''s hidden skills.


    Her usual numb expression finally faded, reced by a lively smile that made her look more like the vibrant young woman she once was. As she spoke, she yfully nudged Felicia''s arm with her elbow.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 256

    Felicia closed herptop with a soft click, raising an eyebrow as she smirked. "Don''t idolize me too much. It''s all just survival skills." Her tone was light, but the truth ran deeper. Growing up, Felicia had been like a sponge, absorbing everything she could get her hands on.


    The books she''d read, the knowledge she''d gathered, the medical texts she''d pored over, and the hacking techniques she''d taught herself were things no one could ever take away from her. No matter what, they were hers to keep. "Alright, it''s time for me to check out some medical centers," she said, tossing her backpack over her shoulder.


    It was the same backpack she had thrown aside in her rush to save Carmen not long ago. Thankfully, she had recovered it, herbs and all, after the chaos had settled.


    Although Felicia had spent a good chunk of time helping Carmen get even, exposing the creep behind the photos and dealing with the others involved, she hadn''t been cking on other things. She still made time each day to work on her homemade medicines. Once hertest batch was ready, Felicia set out to find a medical center that was willing to buy her goods. Making a bit of extra cash wouldn''t hurt. After all, people like Stephan, who tossed money around like confetti, didn''te along every day. She went from one medical center to another, only to face rejection after rejection.


    Things took a turn for the worse when she ran into none other than Harvey after she was thrown out of one medical center.


    With a smug smirk, Harvey let out a derisive snort and taunted, "Felicia, if Harmony Medical Center won''t take you, do you really think anyone else in this city will? Let me make this crystal clear-anyone who buys your medicine is dering war on Harmony Medical Center and, by extension, on me."


    Felicia had started to doubt herself, wondering why every medical center in town was mming the door in her face, even when her medicine was of such high quality. Now, the answer was ringly obvious-someone had been sabotaging her reputation from behind the


    scenes.


    Calmly slipping her medicine back into her bag, Felicia shot Harvey a cool, measured look. "I just hope there neveres a day when you need my help."Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Harveyughed so hard he nearly doubled over, pointing at her with mockery in his eyes. "Me? Needing your help? That''s the funniest thing I''ve heard all day!"


    "Alright then," Harvey sneered as he straightened up, his tone dripping with arrogance. "Let me put it on record-if I ever stoop so low as to need help from you, I''d rather end myself right then and there! If there everes such a day, then I''m done living!"


    Harvey eximed theatrically,ughing obnoxiously as he mimicked coughing up blood in an exaggerated mock-suicide gesture. His tone wasced with mockery, and his performance was dialed up to the maximum.


    Felicia, however, remained utterly unfazed. Calm andposed, she gave no reaction to his antics. With her bag slung over her shoulder, she turned and walked away without sparing him another nce.


    Behind her, Harvey was done with


    his


    the notion disy and spat in


    her direction. He loudly dered to the nearby medical center owners "Mark my words! If any of you so much as let Felicia step inside your medical center, you''ll be making an


    enemy of me and the Walsh family!"


    It worked. Harmony Medical Center''s influence carried weight, and after Harvey''s deration, no medical center dared to let Felicia in. Her medicines, despite their high quality, were rejected outright. But Felicia wasn''t bothered in the slightest. Instead, she doubled the prices of her medicines. She was entirely unperturbed.


    She knew that Harmony Medical


    Center would eventually crumble


    under Harvey''s management. Clive''s


    lifelong efforts would go up in


    smoke sooner orter, but that wasn''t her problem-she had no


    sympathy for them.


    As Felicia prepared to head home, her phone rang.


    The call was from Noah''s family. They informed her that Clive''s health had taken a severe turn for the worse he was bedridden and unable to move.


    His final wish was to see her onest time.


    Felicia paused for a moment before agreeing. She hailed a cab and made her way to the Walsh residence.


    When she arrived, a member of Noah''s family came out to meet her. They nced around nervously and whispered, "Thank goodness Harvey isn''t home today. If he were, I wouldn''t have dared let you in." The family member gestured toward the house and added, "Felicia, Mr. Walsh Senior is inside. Please go and see him."


    The situation was almostughable. With Clive bedridden, Harvey quickly took over the position of the Walsh family''s patriarch, leaving Noah''s family, who had never been favored, to tend to the ailing Clive. But that was the Walsh family''s mess, and Felicia wasn''t interested at all.


    When she stepped into the room


    and saw the frail, skeletal figure lying


    on the bed, she froze. For a few


    recognit


    moments, she didn''t even him. It was only after several seconds that realization dawned.


    She stepped forward, her expression


    unreadable.

 Chapter 257

    Clive struggled to open his eyes. When he saw Felicia, he gave her a slight smile. "Licia, you''re here? Good, good... Seeing you onest time brings me peace." For once, Felicia felt a rare hint of guilt.


    She had been aware that Clive had copsed and suffered an injury, but she had not paid him a single visit. She was always finding excuses to avoid stepping foot in the Walsh residence. She told herself it was because Harvey was there and would never let her enter. But the truth was, she simply didn''t want to go.


    Stepping closer, she called softly, "Grandpa..."


    No matter what, she couldn''t forget how just a few months ago, Ka had stirred up trouble by inciting Melvin to act against her, which led to Lance taking advantage of the chaos to kidnap her. Once Clive heard about it, he stood up for Felicia without hesitation, even at the risk of offending the Chavezes. That act of kindness had always stayed with her.


    "Such a good girl," Clive murmured, patting Felicia''s hand before shakily reaching under his pillow to pull something out. He handed it to her. "Licia, this is thest thing I can give you." Felicia took it and immediately knew what it was. "Grandpa, is this... a needle case?"


    "Yes, open it," said Clive.


    She opened it and was stunned to find a set of golden needles inside. These golden needles were a treasured heirloom of the Walsh family.


    She had heard that only the rightful heir of Harmony Medical Center was ever allowed to use them. And yet, Clive handed them to her, a mere outsider.


    Clive let out a long sigh. "Licia, Harmony Medical Center has been my life''s work. Once I''m gone, it''ll fall to Harvey. But that grandson of mine is reckless and ipetent. He''s going to ruin the reputation I''ve built."This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicia remained silent. She understood now why he had called her here and given her such a priceless family heirloom. The old man wanted her to step in to keep Harmony Medical Center afloat and prevent its legacy from crumbling. "Licia, to me, you''re the best candidate to inherit the medical center. No one elsepares. If only... If only you didn''t bear the Fuller name," hemented.


    Even though Felicia was his granddaughter, she was still an outsider because they didn''t share the same family name.


    Felicia''s smile was faint. "So, what exactly do you want me to do?"


    "Licia, I don''t have much time left. But if there''s one thing I can''t let go of, it''s Harmony Medical Center. Would you please watch over it for me? I''m begging you."


    "I''m sorry, I can''t," Felicia said firmly, pushing the golden needles back into his hands.


    Though she had a fondness for the needles and knew her skills would shine with such a tool, she added,


    "I have no interest in working hard just to benefit someone else."


    Her voice was calm but resolute.


    "You know my abilities. If I have the skills to support the medical center, why wouldn''t I establish my own? Why should I uphold someone else''s legacy?"


    en


    Clive''s eyes widened in disbelief. Her words surprised him. "Licia, do you have to be so ruthless?"


    "You''re mistaken," Felicia replied coldly. "I''m simply declining something I have no interest in. How is that ruthless?"


    She stood up and pretended to brush the dust off her clothes. Her tone was as steady as ever, devoid of emotion. "Grandpa, get some rest. I''ll be on my way." Without giving him a chance to respond, Felicia strode out.


    At the doorway, Jake''s family had overheard the entire conversation. When they saw her, they exchanged nces Before hesitantly trying to persuade her, "Felicia, Mr. Walsh Senior will treat you fairly. If you''re willing to help keep the medical center running..."


    "If I help manage the medical center, I''d be splitting Harvey''s authority n half. That would clearly benefit your family, wouldn''t it?" Felicia cut him off. Her words were as sharpas a knife.


    Their expressions froze, leaving them speechless.


    "Whether you fight over the inheritance or lose it, and how it gets divided, is your family''s business," she stated with a straight face. "Don''t use moral obligations to manipte me."

 Chapter 258

    Felicia left the Walsh residence right after saying her piece. Yet as she walked away, her mind was a mess.


    Maybe her parents were right. She was a cold-hearted, ungrateful person incapable of showing love or loyalty to family. Even with Clive on his deathbed, she had still rejected his request without hesitation, even going so far as to dere her intention to start her own medical center. Her words must have felt like daggers to him.


    But what Clive said hurt her just as deeply. Those words were hidden under the fa?ade of family. It was clearly an attempt to convince her to be a pawn for the Walshes, Harvey, and Harmony Medical Center.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Felicia shook her head, frustrated. She was so buried in thought that she failed to see the two vicious men in ck suits approaching silently from behind. Before she could react, a hand grabbed her face. Felicia struggled as she tried to scream.


    Her instincts kicked in. Her fingers reached for her pocket where she kept a vial of homemade poison powder for self-defence. She was about to use it, but her captors seemed prepared. They instantly electroshocked her into unconsciousness. Her body went limp and copsed straight into an awaiting pair of hands.


    Just before darkness overtook her, Felicia caught a glimpse of Arnold''s face. His lips were pressed into a thin line as he spoke softly.


    That bastard!


    Felicia was so angry she wished she could bite a chunk out of him, but she couldn''t resist the weight pulling her eyelids shut, and everything went ck.


    Arnold effortlessly lifted and carried her into his car. The vehicle sped through the night, heading straight for the Lawson residence.


    Inside, Matthew was practicing his painting skills Sheet after sheet, paper after papery discarded. He was unsatisfied with the oue but the moment he heard the car pull up and saw Arnold carrying Felicia in, a sense of relief washed over him. "Go on," he said simply.


    Arnold nodded and brought Felicia to his room. In her unconscious state, she appeared to be serene. Her delicate features, long eyshes, and soft, red lips were breathtaking.  en


    Arnold could not forget the first time he saw her. He was at the doorway of the Fuller family''s vi as she drove past in front of him. Even though he refused to admit it, that


    moment left asting impression on


    him.


    He took a deep breath and reached out. His fingertips lightly brushed against Felicia''s cheek.


    ...


    Meanwhile, a sleek Maybach parked outside Felicia''s apartment building. Its taillights glowed in the darkness. Inside, someone had been waiting for over half an hour.


    Stephan was sitting in the backseat, his eyes closed as he rested. "Is Felicia still not back yet?"


    "No," replied Morgan, his driver, after checking the time. "Mr. Russell, her phone isn''t connecting either. Do you think something might''ve happened?"


    This made Stephan open his eyes rmingly.


    "Find out where she is and make sure she''s fine. If something has gone wrong..."


    Stephan''s eyes darkened, and his voice dropped cold. If anything happened to Felicia, he would relish uncovering which fool had the nerve toy a hand on what was his.

 Chapter 259

    Felicia gradually regained consciousness.


    The first thing she felt was an itch on her face. Struggling to open her eyes, she found herself face-to-face with Arnold, his face just inches from hers. Their lips were almost touching. Without thinking, she threw a punch at Arnold.


    Her fist struck Arnold''s face. However, her strength had yet topletely return, and Arnold barely flinched as the punch hit. Instead, he casually grabbed her wrist. "Felicia, my patience has limits."


    His dark eyes bore into hers. "I don''t care whether you''re trying to y hard to get or whether you hate me, but one thing''s clear. If I want something, I''ll get it!" Felicia''s blood boiled, and for a moment, she felt like she was going to choke on her own blood.


    She had never met somebody so shameless or arrogant. She sneered furiously, "You want me to be yours? In your dreams!"


    Arnold wasn''t upset. Instead, he moved closer. He pinned her other wrist, forcing her to stay still.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    A faint floral scent wafted from her. It was a delicate and surprising fragrance for this season. It was soft yet refreshing. For a moment, Arnold''s focus faltered.


    He felt regret.


    The effort his grandfather had gone through to arrange his engagement to Felicia had been huge. Matthew had even gone so far as to n a citywide spectacle of an engagement party. Yet, in the end, Arnold left the event to meet with Ka instead. If only he''d known... If only he had stayed. Then, Felicia would have already been his.


    Arnold''s gaze lingered on her lips,pletely drawn to them. His gaze grew darker, and he leaned in without hesitation.


    But just then, Felicia used her remaining strength to drive her knee into Arnold''s abdomen.


    Arnold grunted in pain like a beast pushed too far. In the same motion, he shoved a pill into Felicia''s mouth.


    Felicia tried to spit it out, but Arnold wasn''t going to give her that chance. He locked her jaw, forcing the pill to dissolve in her mouth.


    The more she struggled, the faster the drug took effect. Her body burned up, as though it was in mes.


    Arnold''s eyes grew colder and darker. He hadn''t wanted to resort to this, but Felicia had given him no choice. She wouldn''t give in. Previously, Ka had used every trick in the book to seduce him, and though Arnold had been tempted, he resisted in the end.


    But Felicia was different. Especially after what he had seen in Opulent Elegance that night when she was with Stephan. Arnold''s jealousy and anger red up again, and his gaze narrowed.


    As he leaned in to kiss her, something unexpected happened She stopped resisting, and her voice turned soft, almost on the verge of tears. "It hurts... Could you loosen your grip, just a little?"


    Arnold paused briefly. He looked at her fragile wrist, which was now bruised and reddish from his grasp Her face was flushed from the drug''s effects, and her teary eyes made her look so vulnerable


    .n


    His heart wavered. He softened and let go of her wrist, asking, "Will you behave?"


    Felicia''s eyes shimmered with tears as she nodded.


    The moment Arnold released his grip, the despair vanished from her face and was reced by a vicious gleam in her eyes.


    Arnold''s heart skipped a beat. Before he could react, Felicia broke free and sprang to her feet. She seized the bedsidemp and swung it at his head. Arnold instinctively stepped back.

 Chapter 260

    His recoil provided Felicia with the opportunity she needed. She jumped out of bed and smashed themp against the wall.


    Themp shattered into pieces. Felicia picked up one of the shards and gripped it tightly in her hand. The sharp edge cut into her palm, and blood began to drip. She held on fiercely, using it as a weapon to keep Arnold at bay. "Take one step closer and I''ll slit your throat. Go ahead, try me!" she snarled.


    Arnold was furious. He should never have gone soft on her just now! But at least the drug was working. Felicia''s cheeks had turned red, and her eyes were hazy. It wouldn''t be long until she exhausted herself. Or so he thought.


    To his utter shock, Felicia suddenly drew the shard across her own arm. The pain cleared her mind instantly, and her gaze regained its sharpness.


    "You..." Arnold was dumbfounded. He was in disbelief that Felicia was willing to hurt herself just to stay in control.


    Felicia, panting from the sting, red coldly at him. "Get out!"


    She knew there was little chance she''d make it out of the Lawson residence tonight. If she tried to escape, Arnold''s men would easily overpower her and seize the shard from her grasp, rendering her defenseless. Staying in the room was safer. But instead of leaving, Arnold took another step closer.


    Felicia''s grip on the shard tightened, her eyes filled with vignce. Blood streamed down her hand, but the pain only sharpened her focus. She kept a close watch on Arnold''s every move.


    If he came any closer, she would attack without hesitation, intent on killing Arnold.


    However, he seemed unafraid and continued to walk toward her.


    Felicia''s eyes filled with determination. In an instant, she surged forward, shing through the air with the shard aimed straight for his throat.


    Arnold was taken off guard by


    Felicia, but he was not fully unprepared. As the Lawson family''s heir, he had been trained for such situations. Despite having been outwitted by Felicia before, his reflexes were sharp. He moved back just in time as the shard was about


    to sh his neck.


    The shard sliced across his skin, leaving a thin line of blood.


    Arnold''s heart pounded. If he had reacted even a split second slower, it wouldn''t have been just a scratch; it would have been his life. "Felicia!" he shouted furiously. "You''re ruthless! Truly ruthless!"


    Felicia sneered, though there was a flicker of regret in her eyes. She had been so close. With just a little more force, she could have ended him. But that final act drained what little strength she had left. Her legs weakened, and she nearly copsed before catching herself on the table''s edge.


    She was near the end of her rope.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Arnold stood over her and looked down with cold arrogance. "Felicia, you''ve run out of options."


    Before Felicia could react, a deafening explosion suddenly erupted from outside.


    The ground trembled violently, and they could feel the entire vi shaking. The chandelier above them swayed dangerously, and the trinkets on the table rattled. They were confused as to what was happening. Perhaps it was an earthquake?


    Arnold yanked the curtains open to peer outside. His expression instantly shifted as his eyes widened in shock.


    Felicia, still wary of Arnold, quickly nced out the window herself. She froze after witnessing what was outside.


    Outside, the Lawson residence''s


    walls and fences were being torn down as military Humvees


    bulldozed their way through. Thevet


    were unstoppable and fierce. The thunderous crashes came from the relentless assault of dozens of these military Humvees, tearing through everything in their path.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 261

    The Lawsons were the most powerful family in Khogend! Their estate was guarded like a fortress. Tall, imposing walls were reinforced withyers of electric fencing, a grand, secure gate, and an army of bodyguards standing vigil at every point. Yet, all these tight defenses were no match for the relentless force of the military Humvees smashing their way through.


    The walls crumbled, and the gate split open. The re of the approaching headlights blinded the rows of vignt guards. Faced with those monstrous vehicles, their first instinct was to flee. The unlucky ones who couldn''t escape fast enough were sent flying by the Humvees'' ruthless maneuvers. Their screams filled the night.


    In a matter of moments, half of the Lawson residencey in ruins. The scene resembled a battlefield ravaged by a storm. The remains of walls and debris scattered everywhere like the aftermath of a raid. Despite the destruction, the Humvees did not stop. From every direction, they barreled forward, unstoppable, tearing through everything in their path. The front gate, the ornamental pond, and finally, even the French windows on the vi''s ground floor. They were all destroyed as the Humvees charged directly into the grand hall of the vi.


    The chaos was so deafening that it roused Mr. Lawson Senior from his sleep. He was startled awake by the screams and shouts from outside. Just then, a bodyguard burst into his room, panting. "Mr. Lawson Senior, this is bad! There are a bunch of military Humvees outside. At least 20 of them! They have broken through the gates and are storming the vi!"


    "Help me up!" Mr. Lawson Senior demanded, his voice clouded with anger. He needed to find out who had the audacity to invade the Lawson residence. They must have a death wish.


    After quickly getting dressed, he headed out and was met with a shocking sight. A Humvee was parked right in the middle of the grand hall. His fury spiked, and his heart nearly seized up. How dare they!


    "Who are you people? Do you have any idea where you are?" Mr. Lawson Senior shouted from the top of the staircase. His voice was thunderous. Despite his age, his presencemanded respect. It was enough to intimidate most if he weren''t facing Stephan. As soon as Mr. Lawson spoke, the door of one of the Humvees swung open, and Stephan stepped out with long strides. With a simple flick of his wrist, the Humvee in the hall revved its engine, speeding straight toward the staircase where Mr. Lawson stood. The bodyguard supporting Mr. Lawson was instantly paralyzed with fear.


    Mr. Lawson himself wasn''t faring much better. His heart nearly stopped. Just when it seemed inevitable that he would be crushed, the Humvee screeched to a halt-its massive hood stopping just a few inches from him. The gust of cold wind it stirred up sent a chill down his spine, and the flickering headlights red like the eyes of a beast.


    The bodyguard copsed to the floor, pale as a sheet. It was way too close!


    Mr. Lawson brushed off the useless bodyguard and took a few careful steps toward Stephan, who stood like a dark king amid the ruins of the grand hall.


    The scene was one of utter devastation, yet Stephan stood with amanding presence that set him apart from the chaos around him.


    Mr. Lawson stopped and said in a severe but cautious tone, "Mr. Russell, our families have no grudges against each other. What''s the meaning of this?" Stephan had no patience for his games. "Hand over Felicia."


    It turned out he was here for Felicia.


    Mr. Lawson''s mind raced, a


    thousand thoughts shing through in an instant before settling on one "Felicia is my family''s future


    daughter-inw. What businegel


    you have with her, Mr. Russell?"


    The moment Stephan heard the words "future daughter-inw," a murderous glint darkened his gaze. The air around him turned ice-cold as he spoke, "Old man, it seems you''ve grown tired of living


    Mr. Lawson tried to buy time, but Stephan was in no mood for dys. With a swiftmand, he ordered, "Search the ce. Now." "Yes, sir!" his subordinates replied.


    Stephan''s Subordinates who were


    highly trained and disciplined,


    immediately spread out,


    systematically sweeping through the


    rooms to find their target.


    At that very moment, two figures appeared at the top of the staircase.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Arnold came down first, while Felicia was seen behind him.


    Mr. Lawson Senior''s eyes lit up with a flicker of hope. After all this time, he had hoped that what needed to happen had already taken ce.

 Chapter 262

    When he looked up, he noticed a shard pressing against Arnold''s neck, and the one who was holding the shard was Felicia. She now had him hostage. He was so useless!


    Mr. Lawson Senior closed his eyes and spat out a mouthful of blood.


    "Grandpa!" Arnold yelled anxiously.


    He wanted to check on Mr. Lawson Senior''s condition, but Felicia stopped him.


    "Don''t move!" Felicia pushed the shard harder against Arnold''s neck.


    When Arnold wanted to return to his room, he froze in shock at the sight of military Humvees charging into the Lawson residence. So, Felicia seized the opportunity to hold him hostage, nning to use him as leverage for a safe escape from the Lawsons. What she didn''t expect was that Stephan Russell was the one in the military Humvees trying to destroy the Lawson residence.


    Felicia kept Arnold captive until she was at the stairway, then kicked him down.


    She looked at Stephan with a light-hearted smile. "Great, I can finally rx now that you''re here."


    Felicia could no longer hold herself up and fell straight over the steps.


    Stephan moved past everyone like a st of wind and caught her safely in his arms.


    Her skin was scorching hot, and her palm was bleeding, but she was still clutching onto the shard. Both of her arms were covered with scratches and wounds.


    Stephan opened her hand slowly and tossed the shard away.


    He lifted Felicia in his arms and nced coldly at Mr. Lawson Senior who was lying on the ground after coughing up blood, and Arnold who was kicked down the stairs with blood streaming from his head. "The Lawsons... Very well then." His tone dripped with hatred.


    set


    The lights above flickered briefly before exploding. A st of icy wind surged in from outside, making everyone in the vi shiver with cold sweat, despite the weather


    It was a grave mistake to anger Stephan.


    Mr. Lawson Senior coughed up


    another mouthful of blood. His voice strained, "Stephan, please have


    mercy. I didn''t know Felicia was


    yours, or I never would have made


    such a decision."


    en


    He was not lying. If he had known Felicia belonged to Stephan, he would never have pushed the Lawsons to the brink, no matter how demented he was! "It''s toote."


    Stephan walked out with Felicia in his arms, leaving behind three words that hung heavily, like the weight of a mountain.


    Mr. Lawson Senior''s face turned deathly pale. His chest rose and fell with eachbored breath, and his withered, trembling hands shook uncontrobly.


    The vitality he had left suddenly drained away. At that moment, it was as if all the air had been sucked from his body.


    "Grandpa!"


    Arnold yelled at the bodyguards, "Where''s the doctor? Get a doctor here right now!"Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    The bodyguards rushed off, and Mr. Lawson Senior gripped Arnold''s hand tightly. His eyes flickered as he asked, "Did you know about this?" "What?"


    "Did you know that Felicia was with Stephan?"


    "..." Arnold avoided his grandfather''s


    gaze. During that one time at the club, he met Stephan, so he definitely knew. But Arnold did not want to tell the truth.


    Upon Arnold''s reaction, Mr. Lawson Senior knew he needed no further exnation.


    Furious, he spewed another mouthful of blood. "Fool! Your actions are going to destroy the Lawson family!"

 Chapter 263

    Arnold, however, felt resentful. "Grandpa, the Lawsons are one of the most influential families in Khogend, but Stephan has squashed us! Are we just going to ept this? "So, what do you n to do?" Mr. Lawson Senior''s voice was weak.


    "Stephan may have the influence and power in Sedvale, but this is Khogend, ournd! We must show him that no one can mess with the Lawson family."


    Mr. Lawson Senior listened and started tough. It wasn''t out of joy but rather a depressing one.


    He had high hopes for Arnold as their heir throughout the years. Despite his young age andck of experience, he believed Arnold could support the Lawson family on his own in the future. However, this made him realize that his heir, whom he had been training for years, was still naive.


    "Call Uncle Mike and get him here right now."


    Mr. Lawson Senior used hisst bit of energy and spat out, "I need to see him immediately!"


    Arnold was afraid that his grandpa wouldn''t be able to make it through the night, so he didn''t think much and had someone to call Mike quickly.


    At the moment, Mike was at the children''s hospital and didn''t even look at his phone when it rang.


    Nothing was more important than his precious daughter, Sandra.


    Sandra was less than two years old. She had a fever, and her voice was hoarse from all the crying.


    Heartbroken, Mike gently patted her back to soothe her. "Sweetheart, it''s going to be alright. You took your medicine so you will feel better soon after you sleep. Don''t be scared." She sobbed.


    The poor little girl hupped and whimpered, "Mommy... I want my mommy..."


    Mike''s heart dropped when he heard her.


    Sandra had never met her mother.


    It was easy when she was still a baby. Mike could handle himself, and he had a babysitter and maids to assist him too.


    However, as she grew older, Sandra gradually understood the concept of a mother. Sometimes she would point to cartoon characters and say, "That''s her mommy. Where is my mommy?" Mike kissed his daughter on her forehead. "Daddy will find Mommy for you. I promise!"


    Sandra cried herself to sleep after getting an IV and some soothing.


    Her small bodyy peacefully asleep, breathing steadily, with faint tear stains lingering on her chubby cheeks.


    Mike cleaned her face and applied some baby cream to her skin softly. He checked her diaper too and changed it for a new one.


    After he finished everything, his phone was still ringing.


    He answered it, annoyed, "What now?"


    "Uncle Mike, Grandpa might not make it through the night. He wants you here. Where are you now?"


    "I see. I''ll goter." Mike hung up without another word.


    Although Sandra''s fever had gone


    down and two maids took turns watching her in the room, Mike remained uneasy. He urged the doctor and nurses to pay more attention to her.


    "Call me immediately if anything happens!"


    He set his phone to the loudest ringtone before leaving the hospital.


    When he reached the Lawson residence, Mike was stunned.


    He wondered if the Lawson residence had been bombed.


    The entire area was in chaos. The walls were shattered, and even the trees had fallen. Mike hurried inside, and when he saw Mr. Lawson Senior, he realized what had happened.


    He discovered that they had kidnapped Felicia, and even resorted to violence, only to encounter Stephan, who not only rescued Felicia but also left the Lawson residence in ruins.


    Mike replied, "Serves you right!"


    They deserved it.


    Mike scoffed, "What are you proving by bullying a girl? Now look at you. You''re just facing the consequences."


    Mr. Lawson Senior coughed as he leaned on the bed, clearly breathing harder than usual. Even the doctor who was taking care of him shook her head and left.


    "What''s done is done. There''s no point in saying that now. I called you here so the Lawson family can survive."Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Mr. Lawson Senior gripped Mike''s


    hand firmly. There was a gleam in his eyes as if it were his final burst of energy before death. "From now on, you''re in charge of the Lawson family."  en


    Both Mike and Arnold were taken aback by what he had just said.

 Chapter 264

    "Grandpa..."


    Arnold could not ept it.


    He''d spent his entire life living and training as a future heir.


    Mike, on the other hand, only spent all his time taking care of his daughter. He did not understand why Mike was now in charge of the family.


    Mike gave a sarcasticugh. "I have no interest in taking over this broken family!"


    "You have to!"


    Mr. Lawson Senior dropped the bait. "Aren''t you looking for Sandra''s mother? You''ll have all the resources you need if you take over the Lawson family. Wouldn''t it be easier to find her then?" Mike kept quiet.


    He must admit that what Mr. Lawson Senior said was quite tempting.


    He had no reason to turn the offer down, if only for the sake of his daughter, Sandra.


    "Fine. I''ll take over the family."


    After hearing the answer Mr. Lawson Senior wanted, he nodded in satisfaction and finally could rest peacefully. He closed his eyes, smiling faintly.


    The cardiac monitor beside the bed let out a sharp, piercing sound.


    Finally, the line on the monitor went t.


    ...


    Felicia woke up in Stephan''s arms on their way back.


    Her body was heated and her thoughts were lost in the ze. She grasped onto Stephan, whose body was coldpared to hers.


    Right now, she wanted nothing more but to be cooled.


    Her touch drove Stephan insane. He wanted to grab onto her hands but was afraid her bandaged wounds would be torn open.


    He was very concerned about Felicia, while she didn''t care much.


    Stephan''s face darkened, and his breathing became ragged.


    Simon, who was driving, didn''t


    to look behind and stepped hard on the gas. The car sped up


    the


    I estate. Contents


    Simon quickly got down and opened the rear seat door. "Mr. Russell, we''re here."


    Stephan then brought Felicia upstairs.


    Once they reached the bedroom, Felicia grew even more brazen, causing Stephan to grit his teeth.


    "Felicia, do you even know who I am?"


    He was worried that her aggressiveness could have led her to mistake him for someone else.


    Felicia looked sad as she held Stephan''s face, "Stephan! You''re Stephan Russell! I''m not dumb. Why would I get it wrong..."


    Finally, he was satisfied by her answer.


    Felicia was about to cry. "I feel awful..."


    Stephen''s gaze darkened, his voice deep and steady. Despite Felicia''s repeated pleas, he remained calm before finally asking her in a soothing tone, "Do you want me to help?" ,


    en


    Felicia was so frustrated. She nodded. "Yes, please!" "Alright."


    Stephan''s voice was deep, "Don''t regret it."


    It was one sleepless night for both of them.


    ...


    The next morning, Felicia opened her eyes and stared at the strange yet familiar ceiling. Her memories became clearer bit by bit as she blinked.


    First, she had been taken to the Lawson residence, then she had to escape.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Andter, Stephan hade to the rescue.


    Last but not least... Those wild, entangled memories came flooding back, vivid and lingering.


    Felicia turned her body slightly and felt sore.


    Just as she was questioning her life choices, she heard a manly voice by her ear.


    "You''re awake?"

 Chapter 265

    Felicia''s heart skipped a beat.


    She turned her head slowly and saw Stephan''s face. His thick, arched brows and deep, dark eyes exuded an air of intensity.


    As she gazed down slowly, she noticed the scratches she had left on his well-defined corbones.


    She was mostly covered with the nket, leaving Stephan almost naked. His muscr chest and slender waist werepletely exposed, showcasing an undeniably striking body. Felicia gulped.


    Stephan''s figure was nothing short of breathtaking, surpassing any male model found on magazine covers around the world. His broad frame, perfectly proportioned from head to toe, was only entuated by the muscles beneath. It was perfectly reasonable that she couldn''t control herself the previous night.


    Felicia''s eyes roamed over him a few more times and forced herself to calm down. She said, "I helped you out once, and now vice versa. Funny how things work out."


    Stephan was amused. "What? Are you trying to change the topic?"


    Felicia straightened her back. "What do you mean? I''m just saying we''re even now. Neither of us owes the other anything."


    "Oh really?"


    Stephan slid his hand beneath the covers. Felicia shivered at the icy contact, and a wave of electricity seemed to shoot through her body as his fingers moved. Felicia''s eyes widened. "You..."


    Stephan smiled as he reminded her, "That''s not what you saidst night when you were begging. Are you trying to act like nothing happened? It''s toote for that."


    Felicia opened her mouth and was about to exin, but before she could retort, she waspletely disoriented by the hand from under the nket. "Ugh..." She realized there was no escape.


    After another intense round, Felicia copsed. She was exhausted and unable to move. In the end, Stephan even kindly helped her out in the shower.


    By the time they were dressed, the sun had already risen. Stephan helped Felicia, who was starving and dizzy, walk downstairs.


    The dining table was already set up with delicious dishes. Having stayed here for over half a month, Felicia was well acquainted with Stephan''s private chef and knew firsthand that the food was truly exceptional. She picked up her fork and spoon and then dug in.


    The only downside was that when she was kidnapped by the Lawson familyst night, her backpack had somehow been lost along the way.


    Inside the backpack were several bottles of herbal lore, which cost a lot.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Felicia gritted her teeth. The entire Lawson family was full of trash.


    She''d make sure to take them down whenever she had the chance.


    Stephan could tell what Felicia was thinking just by looking at her expression. The corners of his lips curled slightly as he chose not to mention that he had already


    instructed his people to seize het


    the


    Lawson family''srgest mine and two oil fieldsst night.


    This was a huge loss to the Lawson family.


    But it wasn''t enough.


    Stephan remembered that the Lawson family had made big investments in gold mining.


    That was what he would target next.


    "Mr. Russell, Mike Lawson is here. Should I let him in?"


    One of his subordinates approached and nced briefly at Felicia before bowing. "He said he''s here to apologize to... Ms. Fuller." Felicia''s ears perked up.


    The Lawson family was full of trash, but she still held a good impression of Mike, especially since he had helped her before.


    But when it came to making


    amends. What difference did it


    make whether she forgave him or not? After all, she didn''t have the power to take down the Lawson family right now.  en


    Felicia kept quiet.


    Given Stephan and Mike''s good rtionship, there had never been a need for formalities when Mike came over. The subordinates would always let him through without question.


    However, after what happenedst night, it was better to have him wait outside.


    Stephan gave a slight nod, signaling for them to let Mike in.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 266

    The subordinate left.


    Shortly after, footsteps approached them.


    Mike entered with his daughter in his arms.


    Although Sandra had recovered from her fever she was still coughing. She had been clinging to Mike since morning and as a father, he had no choice but to bring her along. Felicia finished her meal and was now reapplying medicine to her hand.


    Her injuries fromst night had already been treated with the Panax pseudo-ginseng, which she had once sold to Stephan.


    The Panax pseudo-ginseng was her creation, developed based on an old medicinal treatise that had long been lost to history. Its healing properties were nothing short of miraculous. In just one night, her wounds were mostly healed; in a few more days, they would bepletely gone.


    Felicia was pleased with the results. She gently applied medicinal powder to her wound and rolled down her sleeve. Then, she turned to look at Mike.


    Felicia''s gaze met the little kid cradled in his arms.


    Sandra blinked at Felicia doe-eyed, and then blurted out, "Mommy! Mommy!"


    The room fell silent.


    Mike was sweating profusely as he hastily covered his daughter''s mouth, "I''m so sorry. She misses her mother so much that she calls anyone who''s pretty ''mommy.""


    It wasn''t the first time. Whenever he took Sandra out, she would do the same thing whenever she saw someone attractive.


    Felicia couldn''t help but chuckle. Kids would be kids, after all. It was hard to resist such a cute little girl too.


    Stephan carried Sandra away from Mike. He raised an eyebrow. "Say ''Daddy."N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Sandra surprisingly answered in a sweet, soft voice, "Daddy!"


    Mike and Felicia froze for a moment. Stephan was acting petty and childish.


    Sandra, a self-proimed beauty enthusiast, had been staring at


    Stephan''s face for a while. She


    giggled, then wriggled in his armet


    and reached out her tiny hands toward Felicia. "I want huggy"


    Felicia exchanged a look with Mike, who made no objection, so she carefully took the little girl into her arms.


    She was surprised at how well Sandra was behaving in her arms. Her longshes fluttered as she rested her small head on Felicia''s shoulder and nuzzled lightly against her. No one could resist this!


    Felicia''s heart melted. Then, she noticed Sandra''s mild wheezing and congestion as she coughed. The poor thing had phlegm stuck in her throat.


    Felicia sat down on the couch, gently patting Sandra''s back.


    Before Mike could even register what happened, Sandra let out a small cough, expelling the phlegm. She was finally breathing smoothly and her voice became significantly brighter. Mike sighed in relief and gave Felicia a grateful nce. Then he moved on to the purpose of his visit.


    Since he was here to apologize, he had brought hefty gifts.


    He ced a stack of contracts in front of Felicia and stated, "These are the contracts for a whole street of shops n Archer Street. It includes four luxury malls, three


    supermarkets, 112 retail stores, and 53 properties. I have already signed everything over to you."


    Felicia blinked.


    A whole street of shops on Archer Street! Those were prime real estate, with sky-high rental prices.


    This meant she could easily make a fortune just by collecting rent!


    Mike then unfolded another contract. "Here are the two medical centers I recently acquired. I''ve signed them over to you too."


    Compared to the vast number of properties on Archer Street, these two medical centers seemed insignificant.


    However, the twist was that these two medical centers were located directly across from Harmony Medical Center.


    Felicia found Mike''s actions rather interesting. He had certainly done his research, knowing how she had been mistreated at Harmony Medical Center, which was why he had given her two medical centers right across the street from it.

 Chapter 267

    Felicia couldn''t help but feel tempted.


    What Mike had sent was exactly what she needed; it was as if everything was nned for her. Who could refuse that?


    "Pathetic." Stephan took the contracts from her hand and threw them back onto the desk, his tonezy and indifferent. "I can give you better gifts. Why bother with the Lawson family''s offer?" She was about to say, "Maybe you don''t need them, but I do!"


    Mike took out another contract and said, "Here are two mines. As an apology from the Lawson family, we''re also giving them to Ms. Fuller."


    "Not enough," Stephan said in the samenguid tone.


    Mike took out another contract. Although he spoke to Felicia, his gaze never left Stephan as if to say, "Here, here, are you satisfied now?" "This is for an oil field, which we also offer to Ms. Fuller."


    Felicia was stunned.


    Just a moment ago, she thought the row of shops he had given her was great. Whether she rented or sold them, it was a considerable sum!


    However, that row of shops'' value was nothingpared to two mines and an oil field!


    Stephan lounged on the leather sofa, his long legs stretched out as hezily sipped tea. His slender fingers toyed with the smooth teacup, not saying another word.


    Relieved, Mike turned to Felicia and spoke earnestly. "My father passed awayst night. I''m now in charge of the Lawson family. As for Arnold... I''m sending him abroad to study; he''ll leave right after the new year and won''t appear in front of you again.


    "Ms. Fuller, on behalf of the Lawson family, I sincerely apologize for the distress and harm we''ve caused. I''m truly sorry."


    He held down his head, a gesture of his genuine regret.


    As far as sincerity went, his attitude to the substantialpensation couldn''t have been more genuine.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    And this was, after all, caused by Matthew and Arnold, not by him.


    Felicia nced at Stephan, who looked utterlyposed.


    She cleared her throat, suppressing the smile that threatened to break free, and replied, "I ept your offer." Mike chuckled, his gaze casually sweeping over Stephan.


    He had no choice but to offer it all.


    In one night, the Lawson family understood what wrath could mean.


    The two mines and the oil field initially belonged to Mike, but Stephan took them. He could have leveraged their friendship to get them back, but he knew all too well that when Stephan decided to turn cold, there were no exceptions.


    Besides, Matthew and Arnold had gone way too far.


    Even if he got those assets back, he would still have to offer them as an apology to Felicia.


    Only if she forgave them and let it go would Stephan consider letting the Lawson family off on his behalf. "Alright. I''ll take my leave."


    Mike picked up Sandra and encouraged her to wave and say goodbye.


    Sandra giggled, blowing a big bubble from her nose, which popped with a soft "plop"-silly yet endearing. After they left, Felicia turned to Stephan and asked, "Where''s Sandra''s mother?"


    "No idea." He gave her a sidelong nce, noticing her thoughtful expression, and added, "Three years ago, Mike had a girlfriend; they were almost engaged, but Mr. Lawson Senior broke them up."


    "And then?" she asked.


    "Then, he drowned his sorrows at a §Ö bar, had a one-night stand, and ten monthster received a baby girl and a note saying she was his child, leaving him to raise her."

 Chapter 268

    Mike did a paternity test, and Sandra was indeed his daughter. Ever since then, he had been searching for any trace of her mother, but it was as if she had vanished.


    Having been close with Mike, Stephan even tried to help him search, yet no leads had surfaced.


    "I see." Felicia sighed, feeling sympathetic. No wonder Sandra would call every woman she saw "mom". Kids were perceptive, and especially at an age when they started to recognize people, she would naturally want her mother. Stephan suddenly leaned closer. "Do you like kids?"


    She was speechless.


    At that moment, a realization struck her, and she shot up from the sofa.


    However, her movement was too abrupt, and with the exhaustion from yesterday, her leg cramped, sending her stumbling right back-straight into his waiting arms.


    He chuckled. "You initiated that."


    She was speechless and quickly left.


    Seeing she was going out, Keh immediately went to bring the car around. As she waited, she overheard a conversation behind the garden.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    It was two bodyguards talking.


    One of them said, "Mr. Russell got so angryst night that he seized the Lawson family''srgest mine and an oil field."


    "I know, right? Only Mike had the sense that pleading with Mr. Russell wouldn''t work and instead sought help from Ms. Fuller. Otherwise, the Lawson family''s newly acquired gold shares would''ve been lost too!" "Yeah, but because of this, word about Mr. Russell being in Khogend might get out."


    "Well, it''s inevitable. The walls have ears. We''ll just have to double the patrol and security around the estate from now on to be safe."


    The voices grew faint as the two moved on.


    The car pulled up.


    Felicia got in, feeling a subtle shift


    within. She knew the Lawson family''s apology was due to


    Stephan. Without him, there was no way they would be making such a


    hefty "offering".


    But knowing it and overhearing it firsthand were two different things, especially since Stephan''s location was revealed because of her.


    She hoped this wouldn''t have any negative consequences for him.


    But she reassured herself that it shouldn''t he had plenty of skilled people around, and his abilities were formidable. Not to mention his powerful background-who would dare mess with him?


    She would be better off worrying about herself.


    When she exited the car, her first stop was the pharmacy. She wasn''t about to leave anything to chance.


    After swallowing the pill with water, she felt relieved and headed toward Archer Street to check on her two clinics.


    Coincidentally, when she arrived, Harvey was just entering Harmony Medical Center.


    As soon as he saw her, he bristled, acting every bit like a cocky rooster ready for a fight.


    "What? Still not giving up? How dare youe back? Brat, just seeing you brings bad luck!" he yelled as if he owned the entire street.


    Felicia ignored him, crossing the street and entering the clinic.


    This clinic was called "Union Clinic


    while the one next door was "Mercy


    Clinic Inside, both were


    deserted and depressingly empty.


    Harmony Medical Center''s fame was unbeatable. Anyone with a choice went there rather than here.


    But now, both "Union Clinic" and "Mercy Clinic" belonged to her.

 Chapter 269

    Felicia''s first decision was tobine the two clinics into one, expanding the floor space and rearranging theyout to use the area better.


    When the seasoned physicians heard about their new boss, they were ready to quit. She assessed their skills and, in the end, kept eight genuinely skilled traditional medicine physicians out of the original 15. Her method for keeping them was straightforward¡ªshe just doubled their sry.


    Once the new contracts were signed, she contacted a construction crew to tear down walls and remodel them. With theyout and wallpaper chosen, renovations began in earnest.


    She didn''t have to worry about funds. The mine and oil field were nothing less than a massive gold mine!


    Felicia didn''t have the time to manage the operations herself, and Mike had already anticipated that. Their final agreement was that while she would own all rights to the mine and oil field, the Lawson family would handle all extraction operations. This way, she would collect her share of the profits while the Lawson family managed the entire workforce and equipment.


    However, the Lawson family wouldn''t do it for free-they would take a 50% share of the revenue.


    It was a win-win situation, so she was more than satisfied.


    Also, with nearly 200 stores along Archer Street, the monthly rent she could collect was substantial!


    She had never thought she could be wealthy by "getting kidnapped".


    Whether it was the eight million inpensation from the Chavez family or this windfall from the Lawson family...


    Well... She deserved it all.


    With the clinic renovations underway, all that remained was the name. Felicia didn''t bother with a new sign and kept the original "Union Clinic."


    Since Union Clinic was right across from Harmony Medical Center, Harvey heard about it immediately.


    When he found out Felicia had actually bought the clinic, he clutched his belly andughed, "You? Union Clinic? More like a Quack''s Shack! A third-rate hole-in-the-wall, trying to go up against Harmony Medical Center? You''re way out of your league!" He was gleeful. However, the other senior physicians at Harmony Medical Center were uneasy.


    They had seen Felicia''s skills


    firsthand, and in a real contest, the whole lot of them together wouldn''t match her! Some of them were even considering switching over Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Working with her, they would learn plenty about medicine. However, if they worked with Harvey... Well, just the thought was embarrassing.


    ...


    Three dayster, Union Clinic officially opened.


    There were no flowers, red carpets, congrattory baskets, gimmicks, or fireworks.


    Instead, a bold announcement was posted outside.


    It read "Our clinic has no bad reviews!"


    How bold did one have to be to im their clinic had no bad reviews?


    Not every illness could be cured; not everyone was that easy to impress!


    Even the self-proimed "Hippocrates" from Harmony Medical Center asionally had patients causing a scene!


    Harveyughed at Felicia''s


    arrogance, pointing at the sign and


    shouting, "Brat, you''re so full of


    yourself! Do you even know your worth? What a disgrace!"


    Even the eight seasoned physicians inside Union Clinic were on edge urging Felicia not to be so extreme. She shouldn''t have imed to have no bad reviews-at least she could leave a bit of room for errort


    Otherwise, it''d be painful and embarrassing if they got humiliated one day!


    But Felicia just smiled, telling them, "Don''t worry. I''m here."


    The eight seasoned physicians were half-minded about quitting again, grumbling to themselves, "It''s because you''re here that we''re afraid!"

 Chapter 270

    Felicia told the seasoned doctors to go about their business.


    Meanwhile, she continued to work in the pharmacy, carefully preparing a variety of medicines that now formed a neat line across her table, all crafted by her hand.


    The eight seasoned doctors could only shake their heads, seeing her as a young woman ying with precious herbs. They couldn''t believe she could actually make anything useful from them. Days passed, and only a handful of patients visited Union Clinic.


    Across the street, Harmony Medical Center remained bustling as it was a golden name in the industry.


    The eight seasoned doctors couldn''t help but feel a bit envious.


    As medical practitioners, they also longed for a chance to use their skills. Unfortunately, with so many renowned physicians stationed at the Harmony Medical Center, there was no room for people like them to be noticed. Just as they watched the action across the street, a Mercedes roared up to the entrance, screeching to a halt. The car door opened, and someone was carried urgently into Harmony Medical Center.


    Again, it was someone looking for treatment at the opposite clinic.


    The eight seasoned doctors exchanged nces and sighed.


    But this time, it was no ordinary patient. It was Lewis Adler, head of the Adler family and a significant figure in Khogend''s restaurant industry!


    The Adler family was incredibly wealthy. When he was brought into Harmony Medical Center, it almost rmed all the physicians.


    They all gathered around him to diagnose and treat him.


    However, they shook their heads.


    "There''s nothing detectable. His pulse is normal. It doesn''t appear to be any illness."


    "My diagnosis is the same-no issues at all!"


    "Same here."


    "Mine too..."


    Their reassurances had an ominous ring, as though they were sealing Lewis'' fate.


    Olivia, who hade with Lewis, nearly exploded with anger. "You''re all a bunch of quacks! If nothing''s wrong, would my dad be


    unconscious with a ckened face?


    Useless! Frauds!


    en


    "Is Harmony Medical Center''s reputation all just hype? You can''t even find the problem. You might as well close down!"


    She was shaking with rage.


    She had seen Lewis copse with her own eyes. One moment, he wasughing with her; the next, he clutched his chest and fell!


    The hospital couldn''t identify the cause, and Harmony Medical Center said there was no problem.


    If he was fine, how was he suddenly unconscious?


    The physicians blushed in embarrassment. One tried to exin. "ording to his pulse, there''s no problem... Could it be that Mr. Adler is pretending to faint?"


    Olivia was stunned. She had a quick


    temper; hearing this, she started


    throwing things off the table in anger. "Why don''t you pretend to faint, then? Let''s see how that works!"


    The noise was so loud that it startled Harvey.


    Seeing that the youngdy of the Adler family was causing themotion, he understood the situation and, with a gleam in his eye, said, "Oh, Mr. Adler''s condition is beyond us. But across the street, there''s Union Clinic-they have a Miracle Healer who can cure him!" Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    "Really?"


    Hope red in Olivia''s eyes, and without hesitation, she ordered Lewis to be taken across the street.


    After sending off the demanding her, Harvey was quite pleased with himself. "Problem solved!" he thought.


    Once Union Clinic admitted they couldn''t treat him, the furious Olivia would inevitably cause chaos and ruin their reputation!


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 271

    After sessfully shifting the problem to Union Clinic, Harvey felt quite pleased with himself and went over to enjoy the spectacle.


    At Harmony Medical Center, one of the seasoned physicians suddenly pped his leg and eximed, "I remember now! The symptoms of the head of the Chavez family, Hubert, were simr to the head of the Adler family! "Back then, we exhausted all our skills and couldn''t do anything. Felicia was the one who stepped in and solved it!"


    "That''s right. This isn''t an illness. It''s a venomous creature!"


    The physicians were delighted to have identified the problem.


    But one voice quickly brought them back to reality, "So what? Can any of you expel the venomous creature?"


    They were speechless, and their wide grins instantly disappeared.


    Exchanging nces, they couldn''t just let this opportunity go.


    "Let''s go over and take a look. We can secretly pick up a technique!


    ...


    Inside Union Clinic, the eight seasoned physicians sighed as they gazed at the empty clinic, feeling increasingly dejected.


    What was the point of expanding the space if there were no patients?All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    As they were sighing, they heard amotion outside. A crowd of people was heading toward their clinic!


    Their eyes lit up. A new case!


    But in the next moment, they noticed something troubling.


    The person on the stretcher was being transferred over from Harmony Medical Center!


    This meant that Harmony Medical Center''s physicians couldn''t handle the patient, and now he was here! Oh dear!


    If Harmony Medical Center''s seasoned physicians couldn''t treat the illness, there was no way they could either!


    But with the patient already inside, no one could just turn him away.


    Thus, Lewis wasid on the main treatment bed in the center of Union Clinic, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers, some curious, some amused.


    The eight seasoned physicians took turns checking his pulse, each one frowning with concern.


    Growing increasingly impatient, Olivia waited until they had all finished, then demanded sternly,


    "What is wrong with mu


    me!


    Tell


    "Err..."


    The physicians exchanged nces, seeing the helplessness in each other''s eyes.


    Their diagnosis matched Harmony Medical Center''s-there was nothing wrong ording to the pulse! Except... Under her intense questioning, they had no choice but to speak honestly.


    "Ms. Adler, ording to the pulse, your father''s health shows no signs of illness. However... he does seem to have..." "A bit of what? Just say it!"


    "Mild kidney deficiency."


    Olivia was speechless.


    Suddenly, someone burst outughing, and soon, the crowd from Harmony Medical Center also broke intoughter.


    "Hahahaha!"


    Harveyughed loudly, clutching a fellow physician''s shoulder and doubling over as tears streamed from his eyes. "Marvelous, Union Clinic. What a team of miracle healers!"


    Olivia clenched her fists, fuming angrily, and ordered her bodyguards, "Tear this worthless clinic down!"


    The bodyguards stepped forward, but a few silver needles whizzed through the air, aimed directly at their faces!


    The needles shed in the light, causing the bodyguards to recoil in shock and dodge to the side.


    The needles embedded themselves in the door frame in a neat line, each at the same depth.


    The onlookers might not understand, but Harmony Medical Center and Union Clinic physicians were all astonished. Such precision and mastery of acupuncture-even a medical master like Clive could not achieve it.


    Everyone turned to where the


    needles had flown from and saw et


    Felicia emerging from the


    yelhet


    pharmacy. She walked slowly, her


    steps calm andp slowly

 Chapter 272

    Felicia''s presence held no aggression, yet an unyielding aura radiated from her, making it impossible for anyone to act out in front of her. Theughter gradually faded.


    Olivia was stunned for a moment and blurted out, "Felicia? What are you doing here?"


    Felicia ignored her and stepped forward to check Lewis'' eyes. Then, turning to the eight seasoned physicians behind her, she said, "Bring me the silver needles."


    Without hesitation, they quickly opened their needle cases and offered them to her, hands respectfully held out.


    She took a few needles and was just about to begin when Olivia immediately stepped in front of the bed, shouting, "No! Bring in your top physician. I don''t trust you!"


    With all their history-from school to Alverton-Olivia could not trust Felicia with Lewis'' life.


    In response to her doubt, Felicia raised an eyebrow and smiled coolly. "To put it bluntly, I am the most skilled here."


    "Hah!" Olivia didn''t believe her for a second.


    The world was big; she was sure she could find someone to save Lewis.


    "We''re leaving!" She instructed her bodyguards to carry him back to the car.


    Felicia remained calm, showing no anger and letting them leave.


    The physicians from Harmony Medical Center exchanged looks, thinking, "Maybe Lewis'' condition is tooplicated, and Felicia knows she can''t handle it, which is why she''s letting them leave so easily?"


    Harvey was getting anxious. He had deliberately guided the Adler family here, hoping to watch them cause a scene! He wouldn''t just let them leave like that.


    He ran over to block Olivia''s path, rubbing his hands as he spoke. "Ms. Adler, you''re really just going to leave? Aren''t you going to give them a little trouble?" Why wouldn''t she tear down their clinic?


    Already frustrated, Olivia raised her chin, "Who do you think you are? Move out of the way!"


    As the Mercedes door opened, the bodyguards lifted Lewis and prepared to put him in the car.


    But at that moment, something terrible happened. His body suddenly began to convulse.


    At first, it was just his limbs, but soon his entire body was seizing.


    His eyes rolled back, leaving only the whites showing, and he twisted and convulsed uncontrobly. "Mr. Adler! Mr. Adler!"


    "Dad! Dad, what''s happening? Don''t scare me!"


    "Oh no! He''s biting his tongue! Quick, pry his mouth open! Don''t let him bite his tongue!"


    The scene was in chaos.


    Cars on Archer Street couldn''t pass, and pedestrians were forced to stop, forming a crowd of onlookers. Olivia broke down in tears.


    Lewis, now lying on the ground, had bitten through his tongue, and even thebined efforts of the physicians couldn''t pry his mouth open.


    Crying, she crawled forward, putting her hand by his mouth, shouting, "Dad, bite me! Bite me, please just don''t bite yourself!" But he had lost all sense of reason.


    His eyes had rolled backpletely, his face red fromck of oxygen, his fingers w-like, and his legs convulsing violently.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    At this rate, he wouldn''t make it.


    The physicians shook their heads, sighing.


    Olivia copsed over Lewis, crying out in despair, "Dad..."


    Even the bystanders felt a pang of sorrow watching.


    In her desperation, she turned to the physicians from Harmony Medical Center sobbing. "Can anyone save my dad? Any of you-I''ll pay whatever it takes. I beg you!


    Some of the physicians, faces flushed with embarrassment, admitted, "It''s not that we don''t want to help-it''s just... We can''t..."


    Olivia, usually proud and haughty,


    strea mess; tears and snotet


    was


    across her face, and she


    was practically on her knees before the physicians.


    Through her blurred, tear-filled eyes, she saw a slim figure step forward from behind the crowd.


    It was Felicia.

 Chapter 273

    Felicia held four silver needles, knelt beside Lewis, and swiftly inserted them into the top of his head. She lightly twisted the ends of the needles between her fingers. Lewis'' eyes, rolling back, gradually returned to normal, the whites giving way to his irises. Even the convulsions stopped.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    His mouth opened with ease, and blood flowed out in a steady stream-he had nearly bitten his tongue in half.


    She opened a bottle of Panax pseudo-ginseng and poured it into his mouth. Everyone watched closely as the powder entered, and the bleeding miraculously stopped! Not only that, but his breathing also returned to normal, and his red, oxygen-deprived face gradually regained its color.


    Onlookers were amazed.


    The physicians from Harmony Medical Center were wide-eyed, afraid to miss even a moment.


    Unfortunately, they could only watch as Felicia applied the needles and medicine but couldn''t understand the acupuncture technique or the exact ingredients!


    Meanwhile, the eight seasoned physicians of the Union Clinic were visibly trembling with excitement.


    Atst, they understood what Felicia had meant earlier when she said there was no need to worry with her around.


    This acupuncture technique was like nothing they had ever seen!


    Olivia still had tears on her face. Seeing Lewis'' improvement, She was caught betweenughing and crying. She wanted to thank Felicia but was too ashamed to say anything.


    She had aligned herself with Ka against Felicia, even going head-to-head with her at Alverton.


    Moments ago, she had refused Felicia''s help outright in the Union Clinic, loudly insisting she didn''t trust Felicia.


    And yet, Felicia had stepped in anyway and saved Lewis'' life.


    Lying on the ground, Lewis managed to open his eyes, and he first said, "Ouch... Why does my tongue hurt so much-who hit me?"


    Olivia halfughed, half-cried with relief and pity.


    Felicia advised, "You''d A get him into the clinic. He hasn''t fully recovered yet." Olivia nodded eagerly, instructing the bodyguards to carry him inside carefully.


    Having witnessed such a dramatic turn of events, the crowd finally let out a collective breath. Now that Lewis was being brought into the clinic, they began murmuring, "She must be from Harmony Medical Center, right? This young physician is incredible!"


    Harvey''s facial expression turned dark.


    What he wanted to see was Felicia''s clinic getting trashed and people cursing her out-not her swooping in like a savior and winning a wave of praise!


    The Harmony Medical Center physicians'' faces burned with embarrassment; they didn''t dare say anything.


    They hade to bring down the Union Clinic, but the situation had turned, giving them a golden opportunity to build a reputation.


    Harvey was fuming. He had


    expected Felicia to seize the


    moment to promote her clinic in front of all these onlookers. But she


    said nothing. She simply dusted off her clothes and walked back inside.


    Puzzled, one of the seasoned physicians asked quietly, "Ms. Fuller, isn''t this a perfect chance to promote our clinic?"


    After what had happened, their way of addressing her had changed.


    Felicia smiled meaningfully. "Those who are truly capable don''t need advertisements."


    Going on and on about it would only cheapen her abilities.


    Many people had witnessed it today-word of mouth would do the work.


    Once word of mouth spread, the Union Clinic wouldn''t be able to stay under the radar even if it tried.


    The eight seasoned physicians lit up as if struck by enlightenment.


    She was right. Word of mouth was the best form of advertisement!


    At that moment, the eight seasoned physicians felt humbled and full of admiration for Felicia.


    She was never impatient or hasty. Although she was so young, she possessed remarkable skill, showed neither pride nor arrogance, and remained level-headed amid all the praise-such rare wisdom was hard to find.

 Chapter 274

    In the Union Clinic, Lewisy back on the same bed he had been brought to earlier.


    His condition had improved. Aside from a slight slur in his speech, he didn''t look anything like someone who had just been at death''s door.


    After learning that Felicia saved him, he said, "Ms. Fuller, you''re truly a miracle healer. To show my gratitude, I''ll make sure the consultation fee this time is¡ª"


    "Don''t be so quick to celebrate," Felicia interrupted, ncing at Olivia before she spoke again. "The reason Mr. Adler suddenly lost consciousness, convulsed, and bit his tongue wasn''t due to illness. Someone ced a venomous creature inside him." A venomous creature? Lewis and Olivia stared at her in shock. They thought, "Can something so unbelievable be real? Is she lying?"


    Felicia could tell from their expressions that they were skeptical.


    "Let me show you then. Hold out your arm," she said.


    Lewis immediately stretched out his arm and rolled up his sleeve.


    She picked up a silver needle, pricked his skin, and a small drop of blood appeared. Olivia leaned in for a closer look-and saw something wriggling beneath his pale skin.


    "Ah!" Olivia gasped. "There''s a bug in there!"


    Felicia''s eyes glinted. "That''s the venomous creature. And not just any venomous creature-it''s a rare twin venomous creature."


    Trembling, Lewis stammered, "Dr. Fuller, you have to help me get this... this twin whatever-it''s-called out! What if it starts eating my flesh or drinking my blood? What if it gets into my stomach?"


    No sooner had he spoken than the bug slithered toward the drop of blood, and with a quick sip, it was gone.


    Olivia sped her hands over her mouth in horror.


    Lewis almost fainted at the sight. This thing was going to be the death of him!


    After drinking that bit of blood, the venomous creature continued to move up his arm, eventually disappearing near his heart.


    Before seeing it with his own eyes, he had half-believed Felicia''s words, thinking she was just using scare tactics to drive up her consultation fee.


    But now, after witnessing it firsthand, he was ready to fall to his knees and beg. "Ms. Fuller, please save me! Get this bug out of me I''m so terrified that my skin is crawling!"


    Olivia pleaded as well, "Felicia, I''m begging you. I apologize for everything in the past. You can hit me or scold me just please, save my dad!"


    Felicia shook her head. "If it were an ordinary venomous creature, I''d have already removed it. But this one is the seedling of the twin venomous creature. If the seedling is removed, it''s fatal."


    "Is..." Olivia stammered. "Isn''t there any way to cure it?"


    "There is. If he wants to live, he''ll need to find the person who ced the venomous creature on him. That person will have the primordial, and only then can I save his life."


    After a pause, Felicia offered a helpful hint. twin venomous creature works by having the seedling endure twice as much pain inflicted on the primordial. In other words, someone''s using it to ensure they drag you down with them. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    "Think carefully, Mr. Adler. Did you have any recent contact with enemies or anyone you might''ve crossed?"


    "No, absolutely not!" Lewis vowed. "I haven''t been in contact with anyone recently, let alone any enemies!"


    "Let''s look at this differently then," she said calmly. "The seasoned physicians here mentioned earlier, that you had issues with kidney deficiency, and that''s urate So, Mr. Adler, perhaps you should consider where that deficiency might havee from?"


    He might not have been in contact with other people, but could he say the same about women?


    His face turned white, caught in utter embarrassment.

 Chapter 275

    Olivia mmed her hand on the table, furious. "Dad, are you messing around with that shameless woman behind Mom''s back again?" A bit sheepish, Lewis replied, "Don''t say it that way-she''s Arely..."


    "Bah!" She sneered. "Wait here. I''m going to drag her over right now! We''ll soon see if she''s the one behind all this!"


    With that, she stormed off with the bodyguards but paused midway, doubling back to grab Lewis'' phone.


    Olivia rifled through his contacts until she found name saved as "Sweetheart."


    Smirking, she used his tone to message Arely and set up a meeting.


    Lewis stood there, stunned. "O-Olivia, Arely would never do something like that! Come back!"


    She ignored him and turned to Felicia. "Please watch over my dad until I get back. I''m worried he might have another attack."


    Felicia nodded. "Don''t worry. He''s in my clinic; I''ll make sure nothing happens."


    Relieved, Olivia left with her bodyguards.


    Meanwhile, Lewis tried several times to get up and chase after her, only to be firmly restrained by the eight seasoned physicians.


    He was frantic. "I have to go and make sure they don''t start fighting! I need to help!"


    One of the physicians chuckled. "Help, you say? Mr. Adler, on one side, is your precious ''Sweetheart'', and on the other, is your daughter. Who are you nning to help?"N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    "Of course, I''m helping my daughter!" Lewis replied without hesitation, anxiously saying, "Come on, let me go! I''m sure I can hold out long enough to help!"


    But as the seasoned physicians


    struggled to hold him back, he suddenly suffered another attack. His eyes rolled back, and he was on the verge of biting his tongue and convulsing once again.


    Clicking her tongue, Felicia stepped forward to perform another round of acupuncture.


    After that, Lewis finallyy still, slumped weakly on the bed. "Ms. Fuller, what will happen if this venomous creature stays in me? Is the person who did this really out to kill me?" He knew the answer without her answering.


    One attack was already this intense. If the venomous creature couldn''t be removed, it would undoubtedly mean death.


    He looked heartbroken as he thought about the person who had cursed him. "I treated her so well. How could she do something so cruel?"


    Olivia returned in less than half an hour, dragging Arely with her. Sure enough, Arely had the primordial with her.


    Before the truth wasid bare, there was always a sliver of hope. He wished that he was wrong about her.


    But when undeniable proof existed, self-deception was no longer an option.


    Lewis sighed deeply, his eyes glistening. "Why would you do this to me?"


    Pinned down by the two bodyguards, Arely stared at Olivia mockingly. "You should be asking your precious daughter that!"


    Olivia scoffed. "What? Why are you ming me now?"


    "If it weren''t for you, Lewis and I


    would''ve been together ages ago! If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t have hated you both so much!" Arely''s


    ???


    voice rose in anger, nearly a scream. "Olivia, your mother''s been dead for


    ten years, yet you still won''t let your dad remarry or be with met Isn''t all this your fault?" Content Belongs to


    Olivia froze.


    Arely then turned to Lewis, her voice filled with hatred. "And you! I was two months pregnant, and yet you forced me to get an abortion just for your precious daughter! You two deserve every bit of suffering


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 276

    Therge clinic echoed with only Arely''s mad screams.


    The eight seasoned physicians exchanged ufortable nces. After all, this was a family scandal; it was awkward for outsiders to witness. They signaled to Felicia exaggeratedly, suggesting they should give the family some privacy to handle their matters. Felicia, however, was short on patience. She looked at the Adlers and Arely and said, "You have five minutes."


    She turned and went to the storeroom to prepare her supplies.


    Five minutester, they had resolved. Lewis handed Arely a sum of money aspensation, agreeing they would go their separate ways.


    Olivia remained silent, her head bowed as if lost in thought.


    Afterward, Felicia carefully removed the venomous creatures from Lewis and Arely and ced them inside a prepared ss container.


    With the matter settled, Arely left expressionless, check in hand.


    Grateful to have his life back, Lewis thanked Felicia profusely. He paid her the two million in fees and bought up all the Panax pseudo-ginseng on her shelf, spending another eight million in the process.


    As the father and daughter exited the clinic, Olivia seemed to have made a decision. She said, "Dad, I won''t interfere from now on. Whether you want to be with Arely or anyone else, marry her as long as you''re happy."


    But to her surprise, he shook his head vigorously. "No, no! I''ve learned my lesson. I''m done with women for good!"


    Their convoy of luxury cars sped off.


    Across the street, everyone-whether from the rival Harmony Medical Center or otherpetitors watching Union Clinic closely-could see that Lewis walked out, brimming with energy after being carried in. Felicia''s im of no bad reviews was starting to seem credible. The sight nearly drove Harvey mad with frustration.


    Inside the Union Clinic, the eight seasoned physicians stood around Felicia, looking as if they wanted to ask her something but didn''t dare.


    Still studying the two venomous creatures inside the ss container, she noticed their hesitation and said, "Go ahead. What do you want to know?"


    One of the seasoned physicians


    finally asked, "Ms. Fuller, this twinC0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    venomous creature is extremely dangerous. If Mr. Adler hadn''t


    managed to find the person with the primordial, would he really have


    been beyond saving?"


    "That''s true, but not entirely." In a good mood, she exined, "An ordinary person couldn''t save him, but I could."


    His eyes brightened but then grew even more puzzled.


    By Felicia''s logic, she could save him, so why not just remove the seedling and end the problem? Why did she insist on having the Adlers find the person with the primordial?


    en


    Thinking this, he voiced his question.


    She turned to him and answered without a trace of shame, "Because I wanted it!"


    A primordial and seedling pair was far more valuable together than just the money she had been paid.


    The seasoned physician was taken aback, momentarily speechless in the face of her blunt self-interest. She smiled. "Don''t look at me like that. I didn''t lie."


    It was true removing the seedling would have meant certain death for Lewis. She simply hadn''t mentioned that she could keep him alive with her skills.


    Looking at the two venomous creatures inside the ss, he shivered. "Ms. Fuller, what do you want these for?"


    "You never know when they''lle in handy. I''ll keep them for now." Felicia tapped the ss lightly.


    After being removed, the pair of worms nestled together, slipping into a dormant state,pletely still.


    Pondering over them, she thought about modifying their properties. With the right adjustments, they could be highly useful someday.

 Chapter 277

    As evening approached, Felicia left the clinic.


    After today''s events, the Union Clinic''s reputation was firmly established. In the future, more people would naturallye for consultations.


    Since she couldn''t spend all day at the clinic, she left the usual cases to the eight seasoned physicians. If they ran into a challenging case, they coulde to her. Feeling pleased, she thought about buying a house now that money wasn''t an issue. But on second thought, it didn''t really matter where she lived-she was alone, after all. Arriving downstairs at her building, she spotted a car parked by the road and a familiar figure leaning against the door.


    It was Sebastian.


    How did he know to find her here?


    Not intending to linger, she was about to head inside when he calmly said, "I couldn''t reach you. Your phone''s been off."


    "Oh, it''s dead," she replied, ncing at the nk screen. "What''s wrong?"


    "New Year''sing. Mom and Dad asked me to get you. Stop being so stubborne home. We should gather for New Year''s dinner."


    He checked his watch as he spoke as if he had fit this visit into his busy schedule.


    Felicia wondered how they could say "stop being so stubborn" with a straight face.


    On her birthday, Ka was used of murder; the evidence was clear, and she was taken away in front of everyone.


    Afterward, Myra pped Felicia hard and told her to leave.


    Sebastian''s call for her to "stop being stubborn" was ridiculous.


    "Even if myst name is Fuller, I''m not a part of the Fuller family."


    She kept walking forward without looking back. "Don''te looking for me again."


    As she walked into the world she belonged in, bathed in the sunset''s blood-red light, her posture was straight, cold, and distant, leaving only a path strewn with thorns in her wake. Sebastian frowned, standing in ce for a long moment before finally getting into his car and driving away.


    This year, the Fuller family was destined for a deste holiday.


    In years past, Ka would dress up cheerfully and charmingly, reaching out with a sly grin to ask for gifts in the lively holiday atmosphere.


    But this year, she remained confined in the sanatorium.


    Myra had repeatedly sworn she was done with Ka and wouldn''t hear any more news about her.


    However, a package from the sanatorium arrived at the Fuller residence the day before New Year''s.


    After a long hesitation, Myra opened it, revealing a bright red scarf and a note-"Happy New Year, Mom. I made this scarf for you. Learning took me a long time, so it''s poorly done. If you don''t like it, you can just throw it away."


    She stared at the scarf, its stitches uneven and clumsy, and pictured Ka knitting it slowly and alone, learning each step herself. She imagined Ka suffering, perhaps bullied or ridiculed. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Suddenly, tears streamed down her face; her heart ached as if cut by a knife.


    She knew that Ka''s situation resulted from her actions, but she couldn''t defeat her emotions.


    Her heart softened countless times; she could only remain steadfast for so long.


    Taking a deep breath, Myra summoned two maids and instructed them to gather some clothing and skincare products from Ka''s room.


    "She likes to look pretty, so don''t


    forget her skincare and face masks. Pack the dresses I bought for her, too. Oh, and the sanatorium must not have any decent snacks. Pack all her favorite treats. What else should I bring..."

 Chapter 278

    Myra muttered to herself, thinking for a long time before going to the kitchen to make a few of Ka''s favorite cakes.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    After packing everything, she called a bodyguard and instructed him, "Take these to the sanatorium, and make sure Mr. Fuller and Mr. Sebastian don''t find out." "Yes, Mrs. Fuller." He nodded.


    The clothes alone filled tworge suitcases, and snacks took up another two big bags. Several cakes and baked cookies of different vors, all personally made by her, were also included. After the bodyguard left with everything, Myra turned to the maid. "No one is to speak a word about this."


    The Fuller family had suffered enormous losses trying to protect Ka.


    Thepany''s stock had continued to fall, several key executives had been poached, confidential information had been leaked, andpetitors had snatched several major contracts. The bad news followed one after another.


    Worst of all, the Fuller family''s reputation remained severely damaged in the public eye.


    The family, once the wealthiest, couldn''t even make it into the top 50 on the list of the richest families now.


    Every day, Dexter and Sebastian would work nonstop just to stabilize thepany''s decline.


    So, even if Myra wanted to send things to Ka, she had to do it secretly, without their knowledge or approval.


    The maids kept quiet about it, not daring to say a word.


    As Myra sat back on the sofa, she was overwhelmed by the heavy, empty atmosphere. A deep sense of sadness filled her heart.


    Most families were bustling and joyous during New Year''s, but the Fuller family had no trace of celebration.


    In past years, gifts would pour in for the family. However, after this scandal, those sending gifts had vanished, and the matriarchs who oncepeted to befriend her now kept their distance.


    The sound of Sebastian returning interrupted her mncholy. She quickly got up and asked, "Did you find Felicia? What did she say?"


    He pursed his lips and replied, "She''s not returning anymore."


    Myra''s temper red when she heard this. "I''m her mother! I hit her in a moment of anger, that''s all. Does she really need to hold a grudge like this?" He remained silent.


    Unwilling to let it go, she pressed, "What did Felicia say exactly? Tell me her words."


    He paused, a hint of fatigue crossing his brow, and replied, "She said she''s not part of the Fuller family, and we shouldn''te looking for her anymore."


    What a heartless thing to say!


    Myra''s eyes reddened with anger. "How could a biological mother and daughter stay mad at each other? How dare she not treat me like her mother!


    "I haven''t even med her! She


    exposed all our private affairs, fed Mina ideas, and brought in many reporters to turn our family''so


    scandal into public tent


    "If not for her, would the Fuller family have been pushed this far? Would we have suffered this much? I''m trying to forgive her and let it go, but she''s holding a grudge! Fine! She can stay out there for good and


    nevere back!"


    She vented angrily, but it did nothing to ease her frustration. She recalled Ka''s gentle, obedient, and filial nature.


    ...


    Meanwhile, at the sanatorium, Felicia sat face-to-face with Ka.


    After brushing off Sebastian that evening, Felicia returned to her apartment to receive an unfamiliar call. It was from the sanatorium.


    The voice on the other end told her Ka wanted to see her.


    After a moment''s thought, she decided toe.

 Chapter 279

    Since the chaotic events at the birthday party, Felicia hadn''t seen Ka after she was arrested andter sent to this sanatorium.


    Over two months had passed, and now they were finally face to face again.


    Felicia was a bit surprised. In just a couple of months, Ka had changed dramatically.


    In the past, she was like a frail, delicate flower-seemingly gentle, easily pitied. But beneath that softnessy a ruthless, calcting mind, though often impatient enough to ruin her ns. For instance, her attempt to murder and dispose of a body by the beach at Cedar Street.


    After all that had happened, Ka looked worn out. Her face was pale, and she seemed so thin and frail, as if a gust of wind could carry her away.


    Yet now, Felicia couldn''t quite read her.


    Ka''s gaze was hollow, neither smiling nor resentful, but she stared intently at Felicia with those dark, ink-like pupils, creating an eerie feeling.


    Only one thought came to Felicia''s mind. "Hmm? She seems to have wised up."


    An attendant at the sanatorium brought two cups of water, setting them down in front of them.


    Felicia took a sip of the water, using the moment to observe her surroundings in the sanatorium. She didn''t feel any rush to speak.


    Finally, Ka broke the silence with a slightly hoarse voice. "It''s been a while, Felicia."


    Felicia sensed something off in that simple greeting.


    And unlike before, Ka wasn''t her usual self-she didn''t leap to provocations or say, "Felicia, do you think you''ve won?"


    Instead, she just said, "It''s been a while."


    Swirling the remaining water in her cup, she asked casually, "You wanted to see me just to catch up?"


    "Of course not." Ka tilted her head back and let out a hollow, hauntingugh.


    It came from deep in her chest, but no one could understand the joke but her.


    Her gaze slowly lowered from the ceiling, settling back on Felicia. She said cryptically, "I just wanted to see you. Now that I have, I''m content."


    Felicia was speechless. Ka was definitely sick.


    Her current diagnosis was for a mental disorder-had she genuinely gone mad?


    Felicia set down her cup and noticed the visible wound on Ka''s forehead, partly concealed by her bangs. It looked severe, so she asked, "What happened to your head?"


    Ka gave a nonchnt smile. "I just took a fall."


    Just a fall?


    Felicia was even more puzzled.


    Ka used to obsessively cherish her looks. She would fret for hours over a small scar, making routine trips to the spa for careful maintenance.


    But now, she was indifferent with such a prominent scar that would almost certainly leave a mark.


    This ordeal had indeed brought her some maturity.


    Felicia didn''t n to stay and chat much longer.


    They were never the type to sit down for a peaceful conversation.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Today, while there was no overt hostility, there was still an underlying tension.


    As she stood to leave, she expected Ka to protest or make a scene, but she didn''t.


    Even as she walked away, Ka continued watching her, her gaze unfathomable for the first time.


    And then, coincidentally, a Fuller family bodyguard arrived, bringing arge bundle of items Myra had sent for Ka, from clothes to skineare products, even down to small items like socks.

 Chapter 280

    Ka muttered, "Mom really goes overboard; I don''t even need all this. Why go through the trouble of sending it?" The bodyguard handed her a few paper bags and said, "Ms. Ka, Mrs. Fuller made these cakes and cookies for you."


    She took them, opening each one and then smiled at Felicia, who was already at the door. She loudly said, "Mom''s baking is great; they''re all my favorite vors. Felicia, you''ve never tried her baking, have you? Want to stay and have some?" Felicia, not interested in replying, left without a backward nce.


    Yet, as she stepped out of the sanatorium, she paused.


    Ka had acted far too differently today. It was almost as if she were a different person. Her every move and word wasyered with strangeness.


    Felicia turned around and re-entered the sanatorium. But instead of seeking Ka, she approached the nurse to ask about Ka''s condition.


    The nurse replied, "She was doing very poorly before. She caused disturbances daily-breaking things, even attacking people! Quite a few of us got hurt!


    "A few days ago, she tried to stab someone in the cafeteria with a fork she grabbed. Thankfully, we managed to stop her in time, or the consequences would''ve been unimaginable. Oh, and the wound on her forehead happened when she fell during that scuffle." So, that was how it happened.


    Felicia caught onto a critical detail and asked, "She was in bad shape before. How is she now?"


    "Much better now! She cooperates with her medication and injections, but she doesn''t interact with others much. Sometimes, she sits alone in her room for an entire day."


    Felicia asked, "Has she been in contact with anyone from outside recently?"


    "No, only family members are allowed to visit."


    "Has she disyed any unusual behavior?"


    "Hmm..." The nurse thought for a moment, and something came to mind. "If you''re asking about strange behavior, she''s been sitting alone andughing a lottely. Does that count?" "When did that start?"


    "About three or four days ago, right after she hit her head. Since then, she''s been calmer, stopped attacking people, and doesn''t cause any trouble."


    Even as Felicia left the sanatorium, she kept mulling over the nurse''s words.


    Ka had been acting out, even resorting to violence. That was in line with her character.


    To fall from such heights, be charged with murder, and then be saved by the Fuller family only to end up locked away here under thebel of mental illness...


    How could Ka possibly ept the sheer shock?N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Yet ever since she hurt her head, she had been calm,plying with her medication and treatments and not making a fuss. Had she really changed? Or had shee to terms with her reality, realizing that tantrums were useless and that a shift in attitude might earn Myra''s sympathy?


    After all, she could be released from the sanatorium as soon as Myra softened. And it was only a matter of time.


    Felicia pondered this for a while,ing up empty, and decided to put it aside for now.


    ...


    After dropping off the items, the bodyguard was about to leave the sanatorium, but Ka called him back.


    "Rowan, wait! Please give this to my mom for me. Thank you!"


    Rowan was taken aback and a bit ttered.


    He knew all too well about her temperament, she had mocked and belittled him countless times. But he never expected her to end up here. Someone once so spoiled now softened, speaking to him politely and smiling brightly.


    It was a bit sad, even pitiful.


    He epted her item.


    When he returned to the Fuller residence, he handed it to Myra.


    It was a red-thread charm for protection, just like the scarf Ka had made herself.


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 281

    ?


    Chapter 281


    Rowan ryed Ka''s message honestly. "Ms. Ka said this is a cheap item made during an activity at the sanatorium. She tried making a protection charm and wanted to give it to you, hoping for your safety and well-being."


    Myra looked at the charm in her palm, her emotionsplicated. It was a cheap, small trinket one could find on the street for a few dors.


    What was rare, though, was that Ka had made it herself sincerely.


    "Silly girl..."


    She gently stroked the charm, then asked, "How is Ka doing at the sanatorium? Has anyone been mistreating her?"


    "Well..." He hesitated, unsure how to respond.


    Her heart sank when she heard this. "Just tell me!"


    "Ms. Ka has lost a lot of weight. She looks weak, and herplexion isn''t good. She also has a serious wound on her head; it looks like she fell and hurt herself." Rowan reported. "The people at the sanatorium say she injured herself while falling."


    "What?" Myra almost lost her temper again. If not for thest shred of rationality, she would have rushed to the sanatorium to demand answers about how her daughter was treated.


    How could Ka have gotten hurt so severely? She was definitely being mistreated!


    At that moment, Dexter returned from work. Myra quickly put away the charm and waved at Rowan to leave.


    He immediately exited the vi.


    Dexter changed his shoes at the entrance. Myra took his coat and hung it up, gently asking, " Darling, why are you back sote again today?"


    He rarely shared thepany''s troubles with her, not wanting her to worry. But with the pressure mounting recently, he told her the truth.


    "Another department was disbanded these past two days. Some employees caused trouble, and I had to step in to handle it, so I came homete."novelbin


    "Why disband the department?"


    "A project got snatched away, so there was no choice but to shut down the entire department."


    "I see." Myra walked behind the sofa and started massaging his temples.


    They talked about a few other things.


    She suddenly nudged Dexter''s shoulder as they conversed and softly said, "Darling, the New Year ising. The house feels too empty. I was thinking..."


    "Thinking about what?"


    "I want to bring Ka home for the New Year."


    "No!" Without a second thought, he rejected the idea outright. "There are too many eyes on us right now. Public opinion is just starting to settle down. We can''t give them any more reasons to criticize us."


    She was frustrated. "You''re always overthinking, afraid of everything! I just want to bring my daughter home for the New Year. What business is it of outsiders? They can gossip about it if they want to."


    He was speechless and sighed in helplessness. "But didn''t you say before that you''d treat her like she no longer existed, that you''d never see her again, that you''d sever tiespletely?"


    "I..." Myra paused for a moment but didn''t feel guilty at all. Instead, she became even more adamant. "I did say that, but people change! Ka has always been an obedient child. If it weren''t for Shawn''s instigation, how could she have made such a mistake?


    "Shawn has been sentenced. He got what he deserved! As parents, we should give our child a chance to change!"


    She went on and on, but Dexter''s stance remained firm.


    "This is not negotiable! Even if you want to bring Ka home, it''ll have to wait at least a year or more until this matter ispletely forgotten."


    She remained silent. Frustrated, she turned and stormed back to their room, mming the door shut and locking it behind her.


    He shook his head, helpless and resigned.

 Chapter 282

    At the same time, in the sanatorium, Ka stood before the bathroom mirror, stretched out her hand to wipe the fog off the ss, and then rolled her eyes, mirroring the movement of the reflection in the mirror.


    A burst ofughter came from her chest. "Hahaha..."


    Four days ago, she had been consumed with frustration, unable to ept her fall from grace, feeling despair, hatred, and resentment!


    She wanted to drag everyone down with her!


    Especially after beingbeled with a mental disorder, she began to feel like a true madwoman.


    On that day in the sanatorium''s cafeteria, she snatched a fork and knife from an elderly man, and as she looked into his confused eyes, a malicious thought formed in her mind.


    But just as she was about to wildly stab the man with the fork and knife, a few male nurses rushed forward, and in the ensuing struggle, she was knocked to the ground and hit her head, losing consciousness on the spot.


    In her unconscious state, she had a dream. In the dream, she was the victor! Felicia was being trampled beneath her feet! She was begging, but neither Dexter nor Myra showed her any favor!


    With a small scheme, Ka made Felicia go from being the real heiress to being an adopted child taken back by the Fuller family!


    In the end, because Felicia was responsible for her fall into the sea, Felicia was cast out of the Fuller family and sent to prison by Arnold, where she suffered for four long years!


    By the time she was released from prison, she had lost one hand, gone blind in one eye, and broken a leg! Finally, she died in a car ident that Ka had arranged!


    The dream felt so real! So real, as if everything had happened!


    But when she woke up, everything in the dream waspletely different from reality!


    Ka reyed the events over and over,paring them with the dream.


    In the end, she realized that the biggest variable was Felicia!


    Ever since she returned to the Fuller family as the real heiress, everything had changed!


    And she had fallen deeper into the abyss after one wrong move!


    She shouldn''t have been so hasty in wanting to get rid of Felicia, and she shouldn''t have recklessly teamed up with that useless Shawn!


    By the time she regretted it, it was toote!


    She had handed her most fatal weakness to Felicia, who easily used it to crush her.


    "Hehehe..."


    Ka lifted her head and looked at herself in the mirror, letting out a series of cold, eerieughs.


    "I won''t lose again. I know what to do now Felicia, I''ve already beaten you once. This time, it will bej no different!"


    On New Year''s Day, firecrackers filled the air everywhere, and the scent of spent fireworks lingered.


    Felicia took a deep breath, a slight smile curling at the corners of her mouth.


    Khogend had seen another snowfall.


    kes of snow floated down gently, covering the ground with a lightyer that crunched underfoot.


    In the distance, fireworks were being set off, their bright colors streaking into the sky in spectacr bursts.novelbin


    Felicia returned to her rented apartment, holding a bag full of groceries.


    The moment she opened the door, something felt off.


    "Who is it?"


    Her eyes narrowed, and the small knife hidden in her sleeve appeared.


    The room was dark, and only the pale moonlight and the intermittent fireworks shes outside the


    window illuminated the space. She could make out a handsome face.


    It was Stephan.


    BUMS


    He was sitting on the small sofa in her living room, his long legs straight and poised. His presence was so striking that it feltpletely out of ce in the ordinary setting.

 Chapter 283

    Felicia rubbed her nose, put the knife back into her pocket, and then turned on the lights.


    The room lit up brightly, and Stephan squinted slightly, adjusting to the sudden brightness. His voice was hoarse, deep, and seductive in the quiet night. "Why are you back sote?" She felt an inexplicable warmth spread across her face.


    His tone sounded like a husband waiting for his wife to return home-longing and yearning until she finally returned, only to ask her one heartfelt question. She didn''t think the rtionship between her and Stephan was that intimate.


    At most, they had shared a few nights.


    Ahem... Felicia interrupted her thoughts and shook the grocery bag in her hand. "I just went to the supermarket to buy some vegetables before they closed." Stephan raised an eyebrow slightly, his expression subtly questioning. "Is that all you''re eating?"


    She nodded. She lived alone, so it didn''t matter what she cooked as long as it was enough to fill her stomach.


    She took the items from the bag one by one, and when she noticed he hadn''t left, she asked, "Aren''t you going back?"


    "Back where?"


    "To your own ce."


    Felicia was referring to Seldvale.


    She had no family to return to, but Stephan should be returning to celebrate the New Year with his family, right?


    Before she could finish speaking, his phone buzzed several times. He nced at it and casually typed a few words before putting the phone away.


    She continued to unpack her groceries and prepared food for herself.


    It was so cold that she nned to make a small stew-something festive for the New Year.


    As she rubbed her hands together and rolled up her sleeves, ready to get started, the doorbell rang.


    She didn''t need to guess to know it was probably Carmen from next door.


    But when she opened the door, Carmen wasn''t standing there. Two of Stephan''s subordinates were there, each carrying tworge bags of ingredients. One of them was also holding a bouquet of bright red roses.


    Felicia froze for a moment.


    The two subordinates bowed respectfully. "Ms. Fuller, this is from Mr. Russell. May wee in and deliver them?"


    She stepped aside to let them in.


    Once the items were delivered, the subordinates left, and one of them even thoughtfully closed the door behind them.


    Her gaze fell on the bouquet of roses on the table. She couldn''t tell the variety, but each flower was vibrant and beautiful-a stunning sight.


    Stephan noticed Felicia''s gaze and


    walked over to the roses. He


    delicately picked up one of the


    flowers and brought it to his nose


    with his long fingers.


    His actions appeared to be admiring the flower, but his nonchnt posture added a touch of elegance and charm.


    She rolled her eyes inwardly and muttered, "Why aren''t you leaving..."novelbin


    Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the tall figure take two steps forward and stand right in front of her.


    Suddenly, she felt a shadow loom


    over her; the light above her head was blocked, and in the next second, his handsome face appeared right before her eyes. His gaze was deep as the ocean, and his smile was spurious.


    "Do you want me to leave that badly?"


    His voice was even huskier now, his dark eyes reflecting rity and desire.


    Felicia was pinned to the door, unable to move.


    Stephan''s gaze was almost


    scorching as he stared at her. He suddenly spoke. "I do need to go back to Seldvale. My car''s waiting downstairs. I''ll be gone for two months this time."


    "So what?"


    She blinked, her expression showing that his departure had nothing to do with her.


    It held a touch of innocence yet also a trace of infuriating audacity.


    He stepped closer, and his eyes were locked on her like a predator watching its prey. The atmosphere was dangerous yet maic.


    Felicia sensed something and tried to retreat, but her back was pressed against the door, and she had nowhere to go.


    The next moment, her chin was tilted up, and before she could react, a kiss was forced onto her lips.


    "Mm..."


    In the silence, the only sound that could be heard was the pounding of hearts.

 Chapter 284

    After a long moment, Felicia felt her waist give way, but Stephan''s strong hand firmly held her up.


    "I''ll be gone for more than two months. Be good, and let me kiss you one more time."


    She was speechless momentarily and cursed, "You''re shameless! Mm!"


    Another kiss silenced the rest of her words.


    On the wall, two shadows intertwined almost inseparably, tender and lingering, exuding an air of captivating intimacy and unspoken desire.


    The temperature in the room kept rising. Felicia''s eyshes fluttered, her gaze a little dizzy, and she too felt a stir of emotions.


    Thump, thump, thump.


    The sound of heartbeats grew louder.


    Thump, thump, thump.


    Someone was knocking on the door.


    "Felicia, are you home?"


    The sudden knocking and calling made her snap back to reality. Her face turned crimson, and her lingering emotions were immediately gone. "Mm... Enough... You... enough!"


    Felicia tried to push Stephan away, but he was clearly impatient with being interrupted and even more displeased with herck of focus. In response, he bit her lightly yet firmly enough to make his point. She gasped, a little annoyed. "Bastard!"


    He chuckled softly, pressing his forehead against hers, his voice low and tempting. "Wait for me toe back."


    After that, he finally released her.novelbin


    The knocking grew louder, apanied by Carmen''s increasingly anxious voice. "Felicia, are you okay?"


    Felicia cleared her throat and responded, "I''m fine!"


    She straightened her clothes and opened the door.


    Carmen was holding a steaming bowl of dumplings, pouting. "Why did it take you so long to open the door? I thought something had happened to you!"


    Felicia''s face flushed slightly with embarrassment.


    She had been pressed against the door by Stephan earlier, even feeling the vibrations from the knocking outside.


    Just one door separated


    them-outside, Carmen''s face was


    filled with anxiety, while inside, the atmosphere was thick with an intoxicating and suggestive atmosphere.


    Felicia quickly covered up. "I was in the kitchen and didn''t hear it."


    "Oh, I came to bring you some dumplings. I was worried you''d be lonely, so I thought I''d keep youpany."


    Carmen waved the bowl in her hand, and the white, plump dumplings bobbed gently in the soup.


    Felicia felt a warmth in her heart. "Come in then."


    The living room was empty, and the balcony window was half-open.


    Stephan was already gone.


    She considered whether she should close the window. After all, he could easily climb through, even though it was the seventh floor. But then, she dismissed the thought.


    Carmen immediately noticed the bouquet of roses on the table and gasped. "What''s going on here? Did your boyfriend send these?" "No."


    Felicia moved the flowers to the coffee table and turned to Carmen. "Have you eaten? I''m cooking stew. Would you like to join me?" "Yes, please!" Carmen happily agreed.


    The two of them got busy in the kitchen.


    Carmen washed the vegetables and,


    noticing the tworge bags of ingredients on the floor, casually


    looked through them. "It''s all


    ingredients for stew and so mi


    seafood! Felicia, you really bought a


    lot


    Felicia smiled. "Let''s use it all. We can put the leftovers in the fridge."


    "Alright, I won''t hold back then!"


    Soon, the stew was ready, and the bubbling broth filled the air with its


    savory aroma. The table was


    el?


    e''


    covered with a variety of ingredients,


    ready for cooking.


    Carmen suddenly stood up. "Drinking soda only won''t be enough. Wait here. I''ll steal a bottle of alcohol from my dad, and we can have a little drink tonight!"

 Chapter 285

    Felicia nodded. "I''m fine with it. Are you sure you won''t get caught?"


    "Don''t worry. My dad and my stepmom took my little brother out. I''m home alone, so I won''t get caught!" Carmenughed and quickly returned with the alcohol. "Cheers!"


    "Cheers!"


    The two clinked their sses together.


    Felicia didn''t ask Carmen why her father and stepmother only took her little brother out and left her alone at home, just as Carmen didn''t ask why Felicia, the heiress of the Fuller family, was spending the New Year alone. They exchanged a knowing smile and downed their drinks.


    There was a silent understanding between them.


    The room warmed up as they ate stew and sipped their drinks. The air was filled with the aroma of the food and a delicate floral fragrance. Outside, the sound of fireworks mixed with the noise from the TV could be heard. The two continued to eat and drink.


    Gradually, Carmen became a little drunk. After a burp, she asked, "Felicia, what''s the one thing you want the most right now?"


    The one thing she wanted most?


    Felicia paused momentarily, and an image of a face unexpectedly shed through her mind.


    She shook her head, thenughed. "I want money, power, and everything else I can have."


    "Hahaha... Who doesn''t want that?" Carmenughed loudly, likely quite drunk, and suddenly jumped onto the chair. With one hand raised high, she shouted, "I want to sail the seas and see what the end of the ocean looks like!" Felicia propped her head up,ughing.


    The induction stove was turned off, and the bubbling stew gradually quieted.


    Carmen jumped down from the chair and grabbed another drink. Her face was flushed, and she swayed as she tried to walk straight.


    Before long, she copsed onto the floor.


    Felicia had no choice but to drag her into the guest bedroom.


    Fortunately, the apartment she rented had two bedrooms.


    After settling Carmen down, Felicia was about to go out to clean the table when Carmen suddenly


    grabbed her hand. Her eyes were et


    barely open from drunkenness as


    she mumbled, "I''m going to conquer the stars and the sea!"


    "Okay, okay. You can conquer whatever you want." Felicia could only go along with the drunken ramblings, feeling amused and helpless.


    Luckily, Carmen soon fell asleep, apanied by soft snores.


    Felicia left the room, closed the door behind her, and rolled up her sleeves to clean up the mess on the dining table.


    Plenty of ingredients were left, so she put them all in the fridge.


    After finishing up, she opened the


    window to air out the smell of stew.


    The cold night breeze rushed


    drilling straight into her new.novelbin


    She stretched out her hand to catch a falling snowke, quickly melting in her palm.


    Smiling, she spoke to herself. "Happy New Year, Felicia."


    ...


    Meanwhile, the New Year''s Eve


    dinner wasid on the table at the


    Fuller residence, steam


    hot, with


    more than a dozen different dishes, all fragrant and appetizing


    But despite the abundance of food, the Fuller family had little interest or appetite for it.


    Since Dexter had rejected Myra''s suggestion to invite Ka over for the New Year, she hadn''t spoken to him for two days.


    Only Sebastian seemed unaffected at the table, casually looking at the food and saying calmly, "Dad, Mom, why aren''t you eating?"


    "I have no appetite!" Myra turned her face away, shooting a resentful re at Dexter.

 Chapter 286

    Dexter sighed helplessly. "Darling, do we have to argue on New Year''s?"


    "You started it!"


    "Alright, alright. It''s my fault." He tugged at Myra''s hand, saying, "How about this? Next month, I''ll apany you to the sanatorium to visit Ka. How does that sound?"


    "That''s better!" Her expression softened, and she grudgingly epted.


    Dexter picked up his cup and smiled. "Great! Now we can eat. Come on, let''s have a drink together. Cheers!"


    Just as they were about to clink their sses, there was amotion outside, apanied by the bodyguards'' shouting.


    "Who''s out there? Come out!"


    Dexter and Myra exchanged nces and put down their fork before asking, "What''s going on? What''s with all the noise?"


    A bodyguard soon ran in and reported, "Mr. Russell, Mrs. Russel, we caught someone just now. That person tried to sneak into the vi while we were changing shifts, but we stopped them!" "Who would be so bold?" Dexter frowned, clearly irritated.


    The bodyguard exined, "The person kept their face covered so we couldn''t see their appearance. We''re asking why she sneaked in, but she won''t speak."


    Dexter ordered coldly, "Bring her in!"


    "Yes, Mr. Fuller!"


    The bodyguard left and came back a whileter, looking embarrassed. "Mr. Russell, the woman is still holding onto the door. She refuses toe in!" Dexter and Myra exchanged a nce, both sighing in exasperation.


    Myra was already in a bad mood. She mmed the table and stood up angrily. "I''ll go see for myself!"


    Dexter had no choice but to follow.


    Only Sebastian stayed seated, continuing to browse the news on his phone.


    They stormed outside and immediately saw the intruder clutching the door frame with all her strength.


    The intruder had messy hair and kept her head down, hiding her face.


    The bodyguards were tugging at her, but she refused to let go, even though her hands were turning red and purple from the force.


    Myra felt a sense of familiarity.


    "Ka?" she called out, her voice trembling.


    The intruder froze.


    Finally, she slowly lifted her head, her face streaked with tears. She cried out, "Mom..."


    Myra pressed her hand to her mouth in shock.


    Ka stood before her. She was so


    thin that it seemed like the wind could blow her away. Her clothes were tor and dirty. She wasn''t wearing shoes, and her bare feet were frozen, turning a deep purple. She was shaking violently in the cold.


    "My daughter!" Myra''s heart ached terribly. She immediately rushed forward, gathering the disheveled Ka into her arms, trying to warm her up while walking her toward the vi.


    But Ka stubbornly refused to go inside.novelbin


    Myra asked with a heavy heart, "Why don''t you want toe in since you''re home?"


    "I''m too ashamed to go in." Ka lowered her head, choking on her sobs. "Isneaked out of the sanatorium. I just wanted to sneak home and see you both. I missed you so much, Mom..."


    Hearing this, both Myra and Dexter were deeply moved.


    She had always been the precious jewel of the Fuller family, spoiled and cherished. But now, she looked like a beggar-her hair a mess, clothes ragged and thin, her feet bare and frozen, trembling O uncontrobly in the cold.


    ovel.n


    She had even lost her usual confidence and boldness. She sounded timid and frightened now.


    Myra''s heart bled for her. This was the daughter she had loved with her life for 18 years!


    At that moment, Dexter couldn''t bring himself to say anything about weighing the pros and cons. He finally sighed. "Let''s go. We''re going home to eat!"

 Chapter 287

    Ka was carefully escorted inside by her parents.


    Myra spoke sharply, ordering the maids, "Quickly run a bath and prepare a clean set of clothes! Also, make some peppermint tea. Hurry up!" The maids scrambled to carry out her orders.


    She gently touched Ka''s forehead. Though Ka didn''t have a fever, she was still uneasy, so she led Ka to the room.


    The maids had already prepared the bathwater, adjusting the temperature just right.


    "Go take a warm bath to get rid of the chill. When you''re done, call me, and I''ll help dry your hair."


    "Thank you, Mom."


    Ka sniffled, her nose red from the cold, tears in her eyes.


    After Myra left and closed the door behind her, Ka quickly undressed, throwing the filthy clothes aside, and sank into the bathtub.


    The warm water soothed every pore of her body, gradually reviving her numb limbs.


    A smile slowly spread across her face.


    Her first step was sessful.novelbin


    After a rxing bath, she wrapped her hair in a towel, changed into clean clothes, and left the room.


    She overheard Myra receiving a call from the sanatorium.


    After Ka had gone missing, the sanatorium immediately organized a search. When they couldn''t find her, they anxiously called the Fuller family to report the situation. When they learned she had returned home, they asked, "Should we send someone to bring her back?"


    Myra, furious, gave them a piece of her mind.


    "No! My daughter is perfectly fine! She doesn''t need to return to the sanatorium, so don''t call us again! Also, I have yet to hold you ountable for the injury to her head!" After scolding them, she finally hung up.


    Ka quietly crept back to her room, trying to make it sound like she had juste out. She called out pitifully, "Mom..." "Coming. Are you done with your bath?"


    Myra hurriedly tossed her phone aside and gently guided Ka back into the room, saying, "Sit down. I will dry your hair." Ka obediently sat at the vanity.


    In the room, the only sound was the hum of the hairdryer.


    Myra smiled. "Look, your hair is so beautiful and healthy!"


    Ka didn''t respond. Her gaze was fixed on Myra, and her eyes were still filled with unease and longing.


    Myra asked, "What''s wrong?"


    Ka bit her lip as her eyes


    reddened "I''m just wondering if this is real, Mom. I''m so scared this is all just a dream. When I wake up,''ll still be locked in the sanatorium, with so many people bullying me...


    She was clearly terrified.


    Myra''s heart ached. No matter what Ka had done before, as long as she had turned over a new leaf that was enough. After all, she was just 19 and still her child!


    Her face softened with affection as she gently patted Ka''s hair, reassuring her, "I won''t let you return to that ce. Never again!"


    "Mm!" Ka sniffled, then turned and hugged Myra.


    Just like in the past 19 years, the mother and daughter were as close as ever-one full of maternal love, the other clinging and dependent.


    At the New Year''s Eve dinner table,


    the atmosphere in the Fuller family instantly felt different with Ka present. Laughter asionally filled the air, making the ambiancewarm and cozy.


    No one brought up Felicia.


    Sebastian was the first to put down his fork, stand up, and say, "I''m full. I hope you all enjoyed your meal."

 Chapter 288

    After speaking, Sebastian didn''t wait for anyone to react and left directly.


    "Does Sebastian not want me back?" Ka bit her lip, feeling a bit aggrieved and uneasy.


    Dexter and Myra quicklyforted her, "No, no. You know his bad temper. He may seem cold, but he''s warm-hearted. He''s been busy with worktely and acts like this toward everyone. Don''t mind him!" Ka''s mood lifted again.


    Dexter said affectionately, "Here, eat some shrimp scampi. It''s your favorite."


    "Thank you, Dad!" She smiled sweetly, lowered her head to eat, and a gleam of triumph shed in her eyes as hershes fluttered down.novelbin


    She had already noticed that the Fuller family hadpletely ostracized Felicia. Even Sebastian, who had always supported Felicia in the past, was no longer speaking up for her.


    This was a good thing.


    She carefully concealed her satisfaction and wore a gentle and harmless expression when she looked up again.


    ...


    Recently, three major events had urred in Khogend.


    The first was that Ka had been brought back to the Fuller residence from the sanatorium.


    The reason was that the sanatorium had mistreated the patients, leading to injuries, so the Fuller family decided to let her rest at home. They promised she wouldn''t leave the house until her "condition" fully recovered. This incident once again put the Fuller family in the spotlight.


    The public opinion that had been suppressed before began to rise again.


    However, this time, the Fuller family''s response was unprecedentedly firm!


    The matter gradually settled down thanks to a million-dor PR team and the coverage of other sensational news stories.


    ...


    The second event was that Lewis,


    the owner of Khogend''s secondrgest restaurant chain, suddenly fell seriously ill a week ago. He suddenly copsed on the street, convulsing, and was on the verge of death!


    UAS


    At the time, several physicians from Harmony Medical Center were helpless.


    In the end, the physician from Union Clinic across from Harmony Medical Center managed to treat him.


    Lewis said he had encountered a miracle healer who saved his life.


    When this rumor spread, some people were skeptical, while others thought Union Clinic was simply using the story as a publicity stunt, exaggerating the facts!


    But no matter how they felt, they were aware of Union Clinic.


    The third event was rted to the entertainment industry.


    This news was explosive enough to satisfy the public''s thirst for gossip, bing the center of attention and overshadowing the previous two events! The news was about the rising star Cam.


    A few years ago, she was unknown,


    barely making a name for herself in the entertainment industry. She often yed minor roles and faced bullying and difficulties.


    But a mysterious backer began supporting herst year, pouring resources into her career!


    In just two months, she had several major drama scripts and movie roles, with senior actors supporting her, and she secured several high-end endorsements!


    At the time, there was much spection about the identity of her mysterious backer.


    When asked in an interview, she


    didn''t reveal the name directly, but her words made everyone believe that the influential figure behind her was a big shot from Seldvale, Stephan!


    However, just as this rumor gained traction, Cam, who had been at the height of her poprity, suddenly fell from grace!

 Chapter 289

    The newly released movie was a flop, with no one showing interest. It made no impact and was pulled from theaters three days after its release!


    Moreover, all the endorsements Cam had recently secured were withdrawn, and the resources that were just handed to her were quickly snatched away by others.


    In short, Cam, who had just been lifted up, was now forcefully brought down again.


    The mysterious backer, who had supported her and paved the way for her, retracted the privileges they had given her, and she, who had just be proud, was now reduced to a pitiful joke.


    The ups and downs weren''t the real story, though. The news that truly ignited public gossip was that she had recently been spotted in Ablil, entering and exiting the Glover residence!


    Everyone knew about the Glover family. They were the unrivaled rulers of Ablil.


    They were second only to the Russell family of Seldvale in terms of wealth, status, and power.


    Most importantly, the rtionship between the Russell and Glover family was always contentious!


    Cam seemingly siding with the Glover family led to spection-had she offended the Russell family and switched sides? Or was it possible that her mysterious backer had always been from the Glover family? The rumors and theories were endless.


    Despite the public''s fervent curiosity, they tried to investigate the matter through every possible channel, but no useful information was uncovered.


    Naturally, the public believed that since she had aligned herself with the Glover family, she had be the new favorite of the Glover family''s head, and hereback was only a matter of time!


    What the public didn''t know, however, was that at that very moment, their "new favorite" was kneeling on the floor of the Glover residence, scrubbing it.


    The elegant and unique Glover residence in Ablil has several naturally formed underground hot springs.


    The springs emitted a constant wisp of steam, luxurious and indulgent.


    Cam was scrubbing the floor, exhausted and unable to straighten her back. Since no one was watching, she casually tossed the rag aside, nning to stand up and stretch her body.


    en


    Just then, the sound of a wheelchair rolling across the stone bridge between the springs reached her ears. He wasing!


    She was so frightened that she immediately knelt, grabbed the rag, and frantically cleaned the floor Despite being prepared, her body trembled uncontrobly.


    The sound of the wheelchair grew louder.


    A gust of wind blew, dispersing the thin mist, and the silhouette in the wheelchair became clear. It was a young, exceptionally handsome man.


    The man appeared to be in histe 20s. His pale skin rarely saw sunlight, and only his thin lips showed the faintest trace of color.


    His sharp eyebrows and brown eyes


    were unreadable, giving off an unsettling aura. When he gazed


    from a distance, it felt like a demonic being from hell was staring at one, which was extremely dangerous.


    He was Maurice Glovers, the head of the Glover family in Ablil.


    Everyone knew Maurice, also known as "Mr. Glover", was the ruthless and decisive head of the Glover family.


    What no one knew, however, was that he was a cripple who could only sit in a wheelchair.novelbin


    Cam held her breath, obediently kneeling by the side, lowering her head, and waiting for the wheelchair to pass.


    But unexpectedly, the wheelchair suddenly stopped.


    A voice came from above her head. "Why are you trembling? Are you afraid of me?"


    She shuddered again. She didn''t want to, but she couldn''t control her fear of him.


    A month ago, when Stephan said, "Smarten up," she knew that her lies had been exposed and that her stolen dreams were fleeting illusions.

 Chapter 290

    Cam clutched Jamie''s hand tightly that night, pleading to help her and take her to Ablil to find Maurice!


    Jamie was confused and asked why she wanted to find Maurice.


    Cam''s n was simple as long as she could hook herself up with the Glover family, she would eventually be able to make aeback with their influence and status! With Jamie''s help, she arrived in Ablil and did everything possible to meet this mysterious man.novelbin


    However, Maurice was different from any man she had ever encountered. Despite her tearful pleas, he didn''t even spare her a nce and had her thrown out directly! Determined, she gritted her teeth and imed that Stephan had abandoned her.


    She didn''t have a chance to make up any more excuses, but those words caught his interest, and he decided to keep her around.


    She felt a flicker of hope.


    But he wasn''t keeping her for her beauty; instead, he had her do menial tasks like cleaning floors-jobs only a maid would do!


    She had no choice. She was at her wit''s end. As long as she could stay in the Glover family, even as a maid, she would eventually find a way to get closer to him.


    Over the past month, though she didn''t get any chance to seduce him, she realized just how ruthless Maurice was.


    Once, when someone identally broke a wine ss during a hot spring bath, ruining his mood, he had the person thrown into a high-temperature hot spring, killing them instantly. He was more terrifying than a demon!


    From then on, Cam walked on eggshells, abandoning any thoughts of seducing him.


    With a trembling voice, she answered hesitantly, "N-No, I''m just a bit cold..."


    "Oh? So you''re not afraid of me?"


    Suddenly, Maurice reached out, hooked his finger under her chin, and forced her to look up at him.


    The cold touch made her shiver, her skin crawling with fear. She couldn''t bring herself to meet his gaze.


    He sneered, and as he withdrew his hand, he wiped his fingers with a handkerchief.


    Cam exhaled in relief, only to see him casually drop the handkerchief on the ground, then hear his catmmand, "Throw her into the crocodile pit."


    What?


    Her heart nearly stopped in panic. She saw two of his men moving to grab her, and she immediately threw herself at his feet, crying out, "Mr. Glover, please don''t! I don''t want to die."


    en


    Maurice looked at her with a tender expression. "Go. If you''re lucky, you might just lose an arm or a leg. If you''re unlucky... Well, that''s on you." "Please, no!" Despite her desperate pleas, two strong men seized her, dragging her away.


    In the estate was a crocodile pit where he kept his "pets".


    At that moment, Cam realized that,pared to Maurice, Stephan, though cold and indifferent, had never actually wanted to kill her! But she was unwilling to ept her fate.


    She longed for the spotlight again, to see everyone who had once looked down on her bowing to her, to be the center of attention again, and bask in the limelight!


    She had already achieved that once and got everything she wanted-why was she now reduced to this?


    Cam screamed, struggling violently, and perhaps out of sheer survival instinct, she suddenly recalled a vital piece of information!


    It was rumored that the Russell and Glover families were at odds!


    In a panic, she shouted, "Mr. Glovers! Mr. Glovers! I can help you deal with Stephan. I know his weakness! He has a woman he loves in Khogend!"

 Chapter 291

    "Oh? Didn''t you say you were his woman?" Maurice''s tone remained indifferent as his brown-colored eyes scanned Cam from head to toe. He sneered. "I knew it. How could he possibly fall for someone like you." With that one remark, Cam''s face turned red and pale, feeling humiliated.


    He raised his hand, and his subordinates released her, but they still stood behind her, waiting for hismand to drag her away.


    "Tell me what you know."


    "I..." She bit her lip. She had previously told him that Stephan had abandoned her, which was why he had kept her around.


    But now, she couldn''t lie anymore.


    She could only tell him everything, from the first time she met Stephan that morning, to her impersonation, the lies being exposed, and even the day at Stephan''s estate when she witnessed his unusual rtionship with Felicia. "Felicia Fuller?" Maurice repeated the name, a yful smile spreading across his face. "Interesting."


    Cam pleaded in a trembling tone. "Mr. Glovers, I''ve told you everything I know. Please don''t kill me. I beg you... I can do anything for you..."


    He clicked his tongue and turned his wheelchair around, leaving behind only one sentence. "I like obedient people; I can''t stand... clever women." What did that mean?


    She forgot to continue crying for a moment as an overwhelming fear consumed her!


    The two subordinates behind her immediately stepped forward, pulling her up and dragging her away.novelbin


    "Ah! Let go of me! No! Help! Help!" Cam screamed, struggling as they dragged her farther and farther until she caught a glimpse of the crocodile pit.


    The water in the pit shimmered, and the giant creatures below heard themotion and quickly swam to the shore.


    "Ah!"


    Cam was thrown into the water with a ssh.


    On the vi''s rooftop, Maurice sat in his wheelchair, watching the scene in the crocodile pit from a distance. His eyes narrowed, and a smile of amusement yed on his lips. "Tsk, useless."


    With that finalment, he looked away and sipped the wine a maid had brought him.


    One of his subordinates hurriedly approached, reporting, "Mr. Glovers, Stephan left Khogendst night and has justnded back in Seldvale!"


    "Oh?" Maurice''s eyes grew cold. "We searched for him for so long and couldn''t find him. Turns out he was in Khogend. It seems there''s someone there who can tie him down."


    The subordinate asked, "Mr. Glovers,


    should we send people to Khogend to capture Felicia? If she really is Stephan''s woman, we''ll have an advantage in dealing with him..."


    "No need." Maurice set his wine ss down and smiled widely. "I''ll go personally."


    The subordinate hesitated for a moment, looking worried. "But Mr. Glovers, your leg can''t handle the cold, and you can''t leave the hot springs..."


    Maurice''s smile instantly vanished. "Are you reminding me that I''m a cripple?"


    The subordinate immediately knelt. "Sorry, Mr. Glovers! That wasn''t my intention!"


    Maurice snorted coldly, his tone calm. "There''s a medical center in Khogend, Harmony Medical Center. The owner is the medical master, Clive Walsh, whose skills are so extraordinary, he''s said to be like Hippocrates reborn."


    "Yes."


    He spun his wheelchair and casually said, "Looks like I have no choice but to go to Khogend." The subordinate didn''t dare reply, knowing another medical center would soon be in big trouble.

 Chapter 292

    For years, Maurice had sought countless physicians to treat his leg, but none of them could seed. In the end, those physicians were all dismissed with a simplemand. "If you can''t cure it, you might as well die." His subordinates dared not argue further and obediently asked, "Mr. Glovers, should we inform Mrs. Glovers Senior before we go to Khogend?"


    "No need. Let her focus on her prayers."


    "Understood."novelbin


    In the morning, a ne took off from Ablil toward Khogend.


    ...


    At the same time, a private jetnded smoothly at the Russell residence in Seldvale.


    Rows of luxury cars lined the tarmac, with well-trained bodyguards standing at attention beside them, heads lowered in respect, waiting.


    At the front, surrounded by a protective guard, was the eldest youngdy of the Russell family, Imogen Russell!


    Imogen was blind, but that did not stop her gaze from being as gentle as water. She had a serene and graceful presence, like moonlight.


    She wore a simple crescent-white dress with a white woolen coat, one hand gently resting on her slightly rounded belly. The sunlight shone on her wless face, adding a glow of maternal radiance.


    Hearing the sound of the nending, she smiled as she touched her belly and spoke to the baby inside, "Your Uncle Stephan is back. Are you happy?"


    A young woman stood beside her, smiling as she responded, "We''re about to see Uncle Stephan. The baby must be happy!"


    "And you? Are you happy?" Imogen yfully nudged the young woman''s arm, teasing her.


    The young woman blushed instantly.


    Stamping her foot, she pouted. "Imogen, you''re always teasing me!"


    Imogen''s smile faltered. A breeze blew, reddening her eyes as she whispered, "If only your brother were still here..."


    "Imogen..."


    "Let''s not talk about that. Johanna, your brother may be gone, but I will always take care of you," Imogen said as she gently took Johanna Rosario''s hand. Johanna nodded, her eyes red, understanding that Imogen couldn''t see. She added, "Imogen, I will always be by your side! And the baby too!"


    "Mm." Imogen hid the sorrow in her heart and joked, "You''re the baby''s aunt now, but soon you''ll be the aunt-inw!"


    Johanna blushed even more, especially when she saw the tall, handsome figure emerging from the ne. Her heart raced.


    In a low voice, she said, "Don''t say that. Stephan may not like me. I''m afraid this is just wishful thinking..."


    "Wishful thinking? You''re excellent.


    You''re so beautiful and clever. How


    could my brother not like you?" Imogen said with confidence.


    Vol


    "Besides, I raised him, so I''m like mother to him. He wouldn''t dare not


    listen to me."


    As she spoke, her keen ears caught the familiar footsteps. She immediately took a few steps forward. Johanna, quick to react, supported her to prevent her from falling. Not far away, Stephan stepped off the ne and quickly walked over to Imogen. "Imogen."


    "I thought you lost your way home." Imogen''s earlier joy faded, and she pretended to be angry. "Look at you, noting home on New Year''s Eve. I would''ve been so lonely if it weren''t for Johanna keeping mepany."


    Stephan exined, "ording to the n, I was supposed to arrivest night, but I got dyed due to a cold front and had to detour."


    When she heard this, she


    immediately stopped being angry and quickly said, "Next time, don''t rush home if you face weather like this. If you can avoid flying, do so. Safety is the most important thing!"


    "Got it." He agreed readily, but in his mind, he was thinking of Felicia. She was all alone. She was so pitiful and lonely...


    He couldn''t help but wonder if Felicia had cried after he left. But then he quickly dismissed the thought as she was always heartless.

 Chapter 293

    Imogen didn''t sense anything unusual and smiled. "Alright. Let''s go home!"


    The private jet hadnded at the Russell residence.


    The Russell residence was vast, nestled between the mountains and by the water. The front was home to the vi, while the back featured arge helipad. Aside from a few private nes, several helicopters of various types were also parked in a row. After a short drive, they arrived at the vi from the private airport at the back of the mountain.


    Throughout the journey, Johanna sat beside Imogen, holding her hand and carefully supporting her. However, Stephan didn''t spare her a single nce.


    Johanna felt a pang of anxiety.


    Thankfully, Imogen took the initiative to bring the conversation to her, winking and asking straightforwardly, "Stephan, what do you think of Johanna?"


    Johanna lowered her head slightly, pretending not to hear, though her ears turned pink.


    Both Imogen and Johanna waited for Stephan''s answer.


    He had been looking at his phone, his finger hovering over Felicia''s WhatsApp profile. He had specifically created an ount to add her, but the friend request had remained pending.novelbin


    He didn''t believe that she hadn''t seen it. She was just someone who, after taking everything, would suddenly turn her back and pretend she didn''t know him!


    When he heard Imogen''s question, he looked up, and his gazended on Johanna for the first time. However, his expression was indifferent and cruel. He said, "Not much."


    The coldness in his words was unfeeling, with no consideration for anyone''s feelings.


    Imogen''s expression changed, and a sh of anger appeared. Just as she was about to speak, Johanna quickly held her back.


    His words deeply hurt Johanna, but she understood his response was a warning. The more Imogen pushed them to be together, the more it would backfire!


    She spoke first, her voice soft. "It''s


    just a casual question from Imogen. Don''t take it to heart, Mr. Russell. I don''t have any other intentions."


    ,??


    "Good."


    Stephan shifted his gaze. His extraordinarily handsome face showed no hint of emotion, making it hard to tell whether he was pleased or angry.


    Once they returned to the vi, Imogen was still upset. She turned and went straight to her room.


    Worried that Imogen might fall, Johanna nced apologetically at him before following her to support her. She said gently, "Slow down, Imogen. Be careful not to fall"


    en


    Once in the room, Imogen plopped onto the bed, still furious.


    "What was that all about? He doesn''t show me any respect at all. Does he still see me as his sister?"


    Johanna pursed her lip. Despite being ten years older than Stephan, Imogen still retained a youthful heart. She had been protected so well.


    When they were young, it was she who protected him.


    After the death of their parents, she took on not just the role of an older sister but also became half a mother to him.


    They had always relied on each other and shared a deep bond.


    At the age of 20, Imogen had shielded Stephan from an assassination attempt, resulting in her blindness.


    Growing up surrounded by enemies, Stephan had ruthlessly fought through it all, eventually eliminating every threat to the Russell family.


    The so-called "rtives" who had caused Imogen to lose her sight had been subjected to gruesome torture and died horribly.


    With his ruthless methods, he cleared every obstacle and created a worry-free world for his blind sister.


    However, Imogen didn''t know that


    the little brother she once protected


    had long since be a formidable and fearsome man with power and influence beyond imagination.


    GUMS

 Chapter 294

    Hearing Imogen''s frustration, Johanna gentlyforted her. "Imogen, I know you mean well, but I''m just ordinary. I only have one brother, and he''s missing at sea-there''s not even a body to recover. "With my status, I''m not worthy of the Russell family and even less so of Mr. Russell. So, please don''t say such things anymore. I don''t want to upset him..."


    This only made Imogen more upset. She retorted, "Who says you''re not worthy? Your brother was my fianc¨¦. He''s gone, so I should take care of you!" Johanna sniffed and whispered, "But Mr. Russell doesn''t like me... It''s better not to force it."


    "But I like you, and that''s enough!" Imogen said proudly. "I''m like a mother to him. Does he dare to refuse if I tell him to marry you?"


    "But... If you say it like that..." Johanna was still hesitant.


    Imogen smiled and patted her hand infort. "Don''t worry. I have plenty of ways to bring you two together. You just need to cooperate when the timees." Johanna blushed and whispered, "I''ll listen to your arrangements then..."


    After taking care of the pregnant and sleep-deprived Imogen for her nap, Johanna finally left her room and happened to run into Stephan.


    She stopped, speaking softly, "Mr. Russell, Imogen is asleep now. I''ve talked to her, and she shouldn''t be matchmaking anymore. I''m sorry for causing today''s trouble." She bowed, showing an apologetic expression.


    He didn''t say anything, as he wasn''t the type to argue with two women, especially one being his sister and the other his sister-inw.novelbin


    He turned to leave.


    She followed a few steps and bit her lip, saying, "Mr. Russell, women are more emotional during pregnancy and can be easily upset. If she repeats anything, we must be more patient andfort her..." He nced at her and finally spoke, not in aforting tone, but rather coldly. "I don''t need you to remind me."


    She was taken aback.


    Imogen was his sister. He would naturally be patient with her. Did he need her to remind him?


    With that, Stephan turned and walked away, his tall figure soon disappearing from view.


    Johanna stood there, gently biting her lip. She reminded herself to be patient and not rush things. She would take things slow as there would be plenty of time.


    ...


    Felicia had been busy.


    The number of patients visiting the Union Clinic had been steadily increasing, so she hired a few more assistants.


    On ordinary days, she didn''t need to intervene directly. Eight seasoned physicians were at the clinic, and everything was running smoothly She would step in only when they encountered some particrly difficult or unresolved cases.


    MS


    She had been in the storeroom for the past few days, working on the twin venomous creatures.


    Under her careful modifications and care, the venomous creatures'' color changed from transparent to light red!


    Felicia was pleased with the results.


    The modifications had given the


    twin venomous creatures additional properties, but she needed to determine their effectiveness since she had yet to test them.


    She ced the twin venomous creatures into a small porcin bottle and put it in her pocket.


    Just as she was about to leave, her phone rang. She nced at the screen-it was a call from Stephan.


    Felicia''s brow twitched, and after some hesitation, she answered the call.

 Chapter 295

    Felicia and the person on the other end of the line didn''t speak.


    The only sound that came through the receiver was the faint breath on the other end, asionally interrupted by a slight electrical buzzing.


    Bored, she fiddled with her phone in one hand and picked thebel on a herb rack with the other, slowly peeling it off.


    Finally unable to take it anymore, she pursed her lips and asked irritably, "What are you doing?"


    "You tell me. What do you think I''m doing?"


    A deep, clear voice responded, tinged with amusement. She pressed the phone to her ear, and when the words came through, they felt almost as if the warmth of his breath was brushing against her ear, sending a tickling sensation down her spine. Felicia nearly sprained her back from the provocative tone!


    She realized then that the once aloof and indifferent Stephan, whom people had once regarded as an untouchable deity, now seemed to have be someone entirely different.


    After experiencing intimacy, he had unlocked some hidden side of him. Not only did his skills in bed be effortless, but his ability to speak seductive words also seemed toe naturally. She gritted her teeth. "You''re shameless... Goodbye!"


    Just as she was about to hang up, she heard his innocent voice say, "Tsk... Why do you always think like that?"


    She was speechless. He even yed the victim! How infuriating!


    Felicia left the storeroom, and the eight seasoned physicians were busy inside the clinic. One of them noticed her and was surprised. "Ms. Fuller, why is your face so red?"


    "Is it really red?" she thought. She then touched her face and realized it was slightly warm.


    She couldn''t help it. Certain images kept shing in her mind uncontrobly.


    To some extent, she could be easily swayed by a handsome man.


    Felicia cleared her throat to cover it up. "It''s too stuffy inside. You guys continue. I''m going out to get some fresh air."


    "Okay," the physicians replied as they continued their tasks-consulting, performing acupuncture, prescribing-everything running smoothly.


    Once outside, the cool breeze cleared her head a little. It was rare for the weather in Khogend to be so clear-it was a beautiful day.


    Carmen had invited her to go hiking in the afternoon, and she agreed. After leaving the clinic, she took a taxi to her apartment to meet Carmen. It was still early, so they decided to have lunch first.


    Carmen had made the meal herself-three dishes and a soup. They were all delicious and full of vor.


    After eating, Felicia cleaned the table.


    and then went to the kitchen to wash the dishes, as was their unspoken routine-Felicia would clean up when Carmen cooked.


    en


    Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.


    The knocking came from apartment 702, Carmen''s ce.


    Carmen''s expression slightly changed. Seeing that Felicia was busy in the kitchen with the sound of water running, she walked out quietly. The person knocking was Calvin.


    Since his information had been exposed, teading to a barrage of rumors and a tarnished reputation, his dreams of a promotion were shattered, and he even lost his job!


    As a result, he had been harassing her almost every day, either threatening her or begging her.


    Her face turned cold as she pretended to reach for her phone. "Leave, or I''ll have to call the police!"


    He turned around, his eyes


    bloodshot. Then, suddenly, he kneltnovelbin


    lov


    in front of Carmen, crying. "Carmen, I really like you! Why are you punishing me like this?"


    Carmen was disgusted! His shamelessness repulsed her even more!


    She barely knew Calvin; they lived in the same neighborhood, and if anything, they were neighbors!


    They had only bumped into each other a few times on the street and barely exchanged words!


    Yet here he was, iming he liked her while secretly taking photos of her, altering them, and creating some obscene, indecent images and videos!

 Chapter 296

    Calvin''s actions ruined Carmen''s reputation, exposing her to cruel gossip.


    Spreading such vile rumors about a woman was already despicable enough, but hiding behind the excuse of "I like you, that''s why I want you" to cover up the harm was utterly disgusting! She took a deep breath and sneered. "Did you ever think about today when you ndered me? I''m just paying you back in kind. I''ve been merciful!"


    People had stuck little photos on her doorstep in the past, bullied her at school, and in the end, those rumors had driven her to attempt suicide! Compared to that, what did his oue even matter?


    His eyes turned cold with malice when he heard this. "Bitch! It was you! How did you find a hacker and expose me? I really underestimated you!" Carmen found itughable. Those who oftenmitted evil would never reflect on their wrongs but only remember the retaliation they faced. Words were useless; only fists could speak.


    She suddenly kicked him. Calvin was already kneeling on the ground, and her kick was swift and fierce, hitting his shoulder directly.


    He was sent rolling across the floor twice with a thud.


    But she didn''t stop. She drew a shining knife and lunged at him!


    "You disgusting pervert! Get lost!"


    Calvin was terrified! He scrambled backward, clumsily rolling and crawling, bumping into the walls twice before finally finding the stairs and running up in a panic.


    "Hmph!" She put away the knife, turned to calm her breath, and returned to Felicia''s house.


    Felicia had just finished cleaning up the trash and asked, "What''s happening outside?"


    "I sent a thug packing." Carmen smiled.


    Felicia guessed and asked, "Did that perverte to find you? Do you need help?"


    "No thanks. You''ve already helped me a lot. I can handle it!"


    Carmen didn''t mention that Calvin hade to her more than once, each time using a different disgusting method.


    Last time, he even said that she


    should be with him since her reputation was already ruined, This made her so angry that she grabbed a kitchen knife! novelbin


    This kind of pest was useless in every way except for making people disgusted.


    She wasn''t afraid at all.


    Felicia nodded without saying anything further.


    The two of them quickly packed their things and set off hiking.


    Felicia didn''t know that when they reached the top of the mountain, a neat convoy arrogantly arrived and parked in front of Harmony Medical Center.


    Since Union Clinic''s reputation had spread, the number of peopleing to Harmony Medical Center had noticeably dropped.


    Harvey watched across the street every day, his jealousy evident!


    His pride andpetitive spirit wouldn''t allow him to be overshadowed by Felicia!


    For the past few days, he had been staying at Harmony Medical Center, boasting nonstop about how amazing his medical skills were whenever a patient walked in, and today was no different.


    A Jaguar pulled up, and the person inside was helped out in a wheelchair.


    Although the person was disabled, his air and demeanor immediately revealed that he was of high status and noble lineage!


    Harvey''s eyes lit up; he couldn''t let such a great opportunity slip away, so he immediately weed the person into Harmony Medical Center! Then, he boasted endlessly, iming to be the grandson of the medical master, Clive, and the heir of Harmony Medical Center!

 Chapter 297

    Harvey''s ims were exaggerated to the point where the other physicians in the Harmony Medical Center were sweating profusely, their faces turning red.


    Not only them, but even the renowned Clive would have shut him up! He was utterly shameless!


    Harvey, however, was full of confidence. His gaze rested on the paralyzed legs of the man in the wheelchair as he made another boast. "Only our clinic can treat your legs!"


    "Oh?" The man in the wheelchair''s eyes shifted slightly, and he finally spoke. "Are you sure?"


    The other physicians nearby were so anxious they almost covered Harvey''s mouth!


    Saying something could be treated without absolute certainty was a grave taboo in medicine!


    But he had no concept of humility. In his eyes, there were many physicians in the clinic, all of whom had followed Clive for many years. How could they not handle such a small issue? Thus, with absolute certainty, he replied, "Of course!"


    The man in the wheelchair lowered his eyes, pausing momentarily before suppressing the brief flicker of hope in them.


    He had heard these words many times before, each time kindling a flicker of hope, only to be followed by deeper despair.


    He folded his hands, speaking slowly, "If you can treat it, I''ll give you a mountain of gold. But if you dare deceive me... Heh... I''ll burn your clinic to the ground!"


    Harvey only heard the first part and immediately said, "I''ll be waiting for your mountain of gold then!"


    With that, he waved his hand and instructed all the renowned physicians in the Harmony Medical Center, "Why are you all standing there? Treat this gentleman''s legs! Be sure to cure him!" The lower-ranked physicians exchanged looks, dismayed.


    What was happening? Harvey had boasted, and now they were expected to run themselves ragged to make ite true!


    But there were exceptions. He recently hired two medical masters for a hefty price, both with recognition and statusparable to Clive''s.


    These two had a high opinion of themselves, and their arrogance rivaled Harvey''s.


    Upon hearing Harvey''s words, the two medical masters remained calm, exuding the aura of a true expert. They instructed the others, "You guys handle the diagnosis We''ll step in only when you can''t fix it!


    They were truly impressive with their confident demeanor.


    The other physicians rxed slightly, knowing that things wouldn''t go south. So, they began diagnosing the man in the wheelchair and checking his legs. The man in the wheelchair was none other than Maurice.


    The subordinates behind Maurice could hardly contain their excitement, whispering, "Mr. Glovers, there''s hope to cure your legs!"


    Maurice didn''t respond, his fingers tapping as though lost in thought.


    The physicians stepped forward one by one, but after diagnosing and examining him, each one sighed and shook their heads.


    Seeing this, the two medical masters sneered with disdain and condescension in their voices. "Are you all useless? Why can''t you even diagnose the cause?" With that, they took action themselves.


    Maurice''s gaze grew sharper.


    The subordinates behind him held their breath, tense with anticipation.


    After a round of examination, the two medical masters quickly lost their confident air. Beads of sweat


    appeared on their foreheadset


    from their earlierposed demeanor, they grew flustered and embarrassed, unable to speak a word.


    Maurice closed his eyes.


    The next second, his eyes snapped open, his amber pupils burning with the fury of an approaching storm. His voice was so cold it seemed to freeze the air. "Burn this ce down. Burn it all. Not a single beam mor board should remain!" novelbin

 Chapter 298

    As soon as Maurice finished his sentence, a group of subordinates immediately rushed in!


    They began sshing bucket after bucket of gasoline, the sharp smell filling the air.


    Harvey never imagined the other party would go through with it. His heart skipped a beat in fear, and he quickly tried to stop them, saying, "What do you think you''re doing? This is Harmony Medical Center! Who allowed you to cause trouble here?" Ever since he took over Harmony Medical Center, he had used this line whenever he encountered difficult patients.


    Most of the time, it was enough to intimidate them. But today, he miscalcted.


    He didn''t realize Maurice was the kind of madman who would do anything!


    As things were about to escte, Maurice''s subordinate said sternly, "Isn''t Clive from Harmony Medical Center a medical master? Where is he?"


    One of the physicians, trembling with fear, replied, "Clive is gravely ill. He''s unable to recognize anyone and can''t even speak clearly. He can''t see patients anymore!"


    There was nothing else to be done.


    The subordinate fell silent.


    Harvey clearly hadn''t grasped the situation and spoke domineeringly, trying to intimidate them with the Walsh family''s influence. "Who are you people? Offending the Walsh family means you won''t have a good end!" He felt he was being targeted as soon as he spoke those words.


    Maurice seemed to remember his identity and slowly said, "Didn''t you im to be the heir of Harmony Medical Center and the grandson of Clive? So, your medical skills must be impressive, right?" Harvey snorted coldly, trying to bluff. "Of course!"


    "Very well." Maurice raised his hand. "Take him away."novelbin


    Two subordinates immediately rushed forward, forcefully dragging Harvey into a car.


    Several tanks of gasoline had already been poured.


    Maurice casually tossed a lighter behind him as they were leaving Harmony Medical Center.


    The lighter flew through the air in an arc, a small me flickering on and off.


    Boom!


    The moment the lighter hit the ground, the gasoline ignited, and mes shot into the sky!


    Screams and panic filled the air as Harmony Medical Center was burned down.


    Lying on his bed, the increasingly ill Clive heard the news and immediately spat out a mouthful of ck blood. His eyes bulged with horror as he gasped.


    Harmony Medical Center-the clinic to which he had devoted his life.


    He had always known that if it fell


    into Harvey''s hands, it would eventually fail, but he never expected it to be so fast, sudden, and tragicpletely destroyed in an instant!  en


    "Ah! Ah!"


    No one could know the regret Clive felt in his heart.


    Had he known this would happen, he would never have let his moment of weakness allow Harvey to have the opportunity, nor would he have pushed away Felicia...


    His face darkened, and his trembling hands reached for something at his side. It was a box containing a set of golden needles, a treasure of


    Harmony Medical Center!


    His heart bled as he struggled to pick up the box containing the golden needles. He muttered to himself, "Fuller... Felicia... Fuller... Give them to her..."


    He could not let these golden needles be destroyed as well. They had to be given to Felicia!


    Only in her hands could the golden needles unleash their hidden, immense value and be more powerful than ten Harmony Medical Centersbined! This would be his final gift to his granddaughter.

 Chapter 299

    Clive''s outstretched hand dropped weakly.


    The sandalwood box containing the golden needles slowly slipped from his hand.


    It was then caught steadily by someone from the third branch of the Walsh family, who had been standing by the bed.


    "What did he just say?"


    "Something about giving the golden needles to Felicia?"


    "This old fool is still thinking about an outsider at the brink of death. He never thinks about us and how we''ll live after this!"


    "Are you stupid? The arsonist took Harvey away. He''s probably noting back. The Walsh family will fall into our hands now."


    "As for the golden needles... they''re nothing. Whoever wants them can take them. He''s the only one who treats them like a treasure!" "You''re right."


    "What are we waiting for? Let''s notify the rtives and friends and prepare for his funeral."


    The murmurs were filled with excitement, with no hint of sorrow-only barely contained joy.


    ...


    Felicia and Carmen reached the mountaintop.


    At the top was a tower, weathered and old from the passage of time, with a centuries-old tree standing beneath it. A sign beside the tree indicated it was over 700 years old.


    Carmen hade specifically for this. She magically pulled out two small wooden ques tied with red cloth from behind her, nudged Felicia, and said, "This tree is very powerful. Hurry! Write a wish and hang it up!" Felicia couldn''t help but smile, helplessly amused.


    The tree was already covered in red cloth and small wooden ques. As the wind blew, the ques clinked together, adding an air of solemnity to the ancient tree.


    Carmen was already writing, her face full of seriousness.


    Felicia didn''t want to contradict her, but she didn''t know what wish to make, so she wrote "Peace and Safety" on the que.


    Carmen kept writing line after line, her handwriting dense and tight.novelbin


    Felicia couldn''t help butugh. "Aren''t you being a little greedy?"


    Carmen finally stopped writing, a bit embarrassed, and said sheepishly, "I guess I might have written a little too much..."


    "It''s fine. You can just hang it higher so your wishes are seen first."


    Felicia winked and tied the "Peace and Safety" que onto a branch.


    Carmen was delighted as she ran over to find a stone to stand on, trying to hang the que as high as possible.


    But it still wasn''t high enough.


    Seeing this, Felicia picked up a stick and handed it to her. With the stick''s help, Carmen sessfully tied her que to the highest spot possible on the tree! Though it wasn''t the top of the tree, it was the highest position among all the ques!


    She pped her hands out of satisfaction.


    Just as Felicia was about to speak, they heard footsteps from the path behind them. Soon after, Ka''s coquettish voice came from afar "Mom, look, that tower looks so ancient! Let''s go check it out


    together, okay?"


    Immediately, Myra''s indulgent reply followed, "Alright, alright. Since today is about spending time with you, you can decide." "Thank you, Mom! You''re the best!"


    The two walked arm in arm toward the ancient tower, chatting andughing until they saw Felicia. Theirughter instantly stopped.


    Ka cheered joyfully, her smile radiant.


    At that absurd and chaotic birthday


    P.n


    party, when it was revealed that Felicia had orchestrated and incited Mina to bring in the reporters to cause trouble, Myra was so enraged that she lost control and pped her hard, ordering her to leave.


    Afterward, even though she extended an olive branch by asking Sebastian to bring Felicia back, Felicia repeatedly refused, even dering that she was no longer part of the Fuller family. Myra then resolved to make Felicia beg her to return!


    She was certain Felicia must be living a hard life after leaving the family, with neither money nor friends.


    How long could Feliciast after leaving the family?

 Chapter 300

    So, Myra had been waiting for Felicia to lower her head ande back to apologize.


    Even when she took Ka back, aside from feeling heartache for Ka, part of the reason was to annoy Felicia!


    She wanted Felicia to know that even if she were unwilling to apologize and reluctant to recognize her as her mother, there would always be someone who would!


    She also wanted Felicia to know that she didn''t have just one daughter!


    But three months had passed, and Felicia was not as miserable as Myra had imagined. Not only did she dress better than before, but she even had the leisure to go hiking! This made Myra feel a deep sense of defeat!


    It was as though Felicia didn''t care at all about losing the title of the heir of the Fuller family!


    Myra''s emotions wereplicated. Just as she was about to speak, she heard Ka whisper, "Why is Felicia hanging out with someone like Carmen? People at school say that Carmen does... that kind of work..." Myra''s expression immediately darkened when she heard this.


    This was simply crossing her bottom line!novelbin


    "You''re hanging around with such disreputable people after being away from home for so long?"


    Myra red at Felicia, her face filled with disappointment. "You''re simply embarrassing me!"


    Felicia almostughed.


    "Mrs. Fuller, from what position are you lecturing me? Have you forgotten the p and the words you said that day?"


    But Myra wore a hurt expression, sighing. "But I''m your mother. It was just a p. Must you hold a grudge forever?" Felicia''s smile slowly faded.


    To this day, Myra had not realized her faults.


    The p might seem small, but what was its meaning?


    It was prejudice, misced anger, and ack of love.


    "I''m not your pet or someone you can casually beat and scold without me holding a grudge. I''m a person. I have feelings, and I can feel pain and injustice."


    Felicia looked at Myra and spoke each word clearly. "Why shouldn''t I hold a grudge? Why shouldn''t I resist? Why can''t I hate you?


    "Why is it that Ka can kill someone and still be forgiven? Why can''t I expose her crimes and be forgiven?"


    Each "why" struck at Myra''s heart.


    "Mrs. Fuller, you''ve never been a worthy mother to me."


    The wind blew, and the wooden ques on the ancient tree clinked together, making a crisp sound.


    Myra staggered back a step.


    Felicia''s words, spoken calmly and inly, were like a thunderp in her ears. It felt as if a gaping hole had opened in her chest, and a cold wind rushed in.


    She wanted to say something but couldn''t.


    Could it be that she was such a terrible mother in the eyes of her biological daughter?


    She was deeply shaken, and tears welled up in her eyes. "But we''re mother and daughter... You were the flesh from my body, born after ten months of pregnancy. How can you say such things? I searched for you day and night, waiting for you, yet you say I''m not a worthy mother...


    "How can you say such heart-wrenching words?" She pointed at Felicia, her hand trembling.


    She could only see the coldness in Felicia''s eyes, but she couldn''t see the hurt and sorrow behind that coldness.


    She knew that Felicia hated and resented her, but she didn''t understand why.

 Chapter 301

    Felicia tilted her head slightly, unable to say another word in defense. What was the point? Exining herself was like talking to a wall.


    No one cared about her grievances or the injustice she''d faced.


    Felicia shook her head, deciding not to waste her breath. She grabbed the dazed Carmen by the arm and walked off without looking back.


    On the way down the mountain, Carmen didn''t mention what had just happened near the old tower, nor did she mention Myra. Instead, she kept things light, chatting with Felicia about random stuff and pointing out the scenery along the trail.


    Felicia smiled, catching on to Carmen''s way of steering the conversation away from heavier topics. She yed along, appreciating the effort to lighten the mood.


    Their chatter made the descent fly by, and soon, they arrived the base of the hill.novelbin


    At the feet of the mountain, Carmen''s face lit up when she suggested, "How about heading for stew? My treat!"


    "Sure!" Carmen said with a grin. "I''ll take you up on that!"


    "Go ahead and eat all you want! Let''s find a good spot, and you can order anything you like."


    Carmen was the kind of friend who always had your back.


    The two of them hadn''t known each other long, but their bond had been cemented during a life-or-death moment on the rooftop. Over time, they''d found themselves kindred spirits, their struggles mirroring each other''s in uncanny ways. Naturally, they''d be each other''s one and only confidant.


    Felicia and Carmen shared a smile and walked together to the bus stop at the foot of the hill. The area had plenty of options to get back into the city-buses, cabs, and even private rides.


    But trouble always had a way of showing up when you least expected it.


    Just as they walked toward the stop, a car came screeching straight at them. Felicia''s reflexes kicked in, and she yanked Carmen back just in time.


    The car skidded to a halt exactly where they had been standing a second ago.


    Immediately, all four doors flew open. Five burly men jumped out, their intentions clear-they were after Felicia.


    Felicia''s eyes narrowed. She shoved Carmen hard and barked, "Run!"


    Carmen didn''t budge, tilting her head defiantly. "I''m not leaving you. Whatever this is, we face it together."


    There was no time to argue.


    From the corner of her eye, Felicia spotted two more cars speeding toward them, their headlights cutting through the dim light. Once they closed in, escape would be impossible. Gritting her teeth, Felicia shot Carmen a sharp look. "If you stay, you''ll just hold me back. If you run, you can actually make a difference! Got it?"


    Carmen hesitated, the weight of the


    words hitting her. She looked at Felicia, torn between guilt and determination. Finally, she gave a firm nod, realizing what needed to


    be done.


    en


    Without another word, Carmen turned and sprinted down the path, her figure disappearing into the shadows as Felicia stood her ground.


    The men didn''t give her a second nce. Their focus was entirely on Felicia.


    She tightened her grip on the small de hidden in her palm and drew three silver needles from her pocket with the other hand.


    As the men closed in, Felicia moved first. The needles shed in the air, and she lunged forward, her de aimed directly at their vital meridian.


    The men instinctively dodged the de. However, in their haste, they failed to notice the inconspicuous silver needles.


    Three of them suddenly stumbled,


    clutching their shoulders. Their eyes widened in confusion as they felt sharp pain spread through their chests. A secondter, they dropped like stones, their bodies frozen stiff.


    The two other cars swerved into position, hemming her in. Their headlights gleamed menacingly as they bore down on her.


    Three down. But more wereing.


    Felicia knew better than to


    overestimate herself. She couldn''t


    possibly take on so many people with brute force alone. The silver needles she carried were limited, and while she had a decent stash of poison powder, it was only strong enough to incapacitate


    temporarily-it wasn''t lethal.


    These guys weren''t amateurs. Their build and speed made that apparent.


    Felicia spun around and bolted before those two cars could box her in. As she ran, she shouted at the top of her lungs, "Human traffickers! They''re trying to grab me! Help!" The two remaining men froze.


    At this point, her top priority was saving her own life.

 Chapter 302

    Maurice couldn''t hold back hisugh in a nearby car as he watched the chaos unfold. "Well. This is getting interesting."


    The long-lost daughter of Khogend''s wealthiest family had been missing for 18 years before finally being found and brought home. But her fairy-tale returnsted barely six months before she was cast out once again.


    She was now renting some run-down shack on the outskirts of town. And the kicker was-she was almost engaged to Khogend''s golden boy, Arnold, the heir of the Lawson family.


    The more Maurice dug, the more surprises he uncovered.


    One particr nugget was some seriously shady history between her and Stephan. The untouchable Stephan, who never cared about women, had not only taken her side but nearly obliterated the Lawson family to do it. He''d even forced them to hand over a whole oil field and a mine, all transferred to Felicia''s name.


    When Maurice first uncovered that, he thought it had to be an exaggeration. What kind of woman could bring a guy like Stephan to his knees? Even as he pieced together these hidden connections, he''d been skeptical. But now, seeing her from afar, he finally understood. She wasn''t just holding her own against an ambush. She''d already taken down three of his men with sharp, unexpected moves and had managed to make a run for it.


    And on top of that she was stunning. She wasn''t just beautiful. There was something striking about her, a kind of edgy charm that you couldn''t ignore.


    Maurice''sughter died away as he snapped his fingers. The yful glint in his amber eyes vanished, reced by his usual cold, ruthless demeanor.


    "A bunch of idiots," he said tly. "If you don''t get her this time, you''re the ones who''ll pay the price."


    His men didn''t need further motivation. The threat was crystal clear. They immediately tightened their pursuit, determined to corner her. Failure wasn''t an option-not when their lives were on the line.


    Meanwhile, Felicia sprinted toward the nearest crowd, shouting as she ran. "Human traffickers! Somebody help me!"


    Themotion caught the attention


    of hikers and campers near the bus stop. Some were tourists heading back to town, while others were just starting their overnight treks


    Her cries drew some concerned looks, and a few people even seemed ready to step in. But the two cars barreled through the crowd, scattering everyone before they could act.


    Faced with the danger, bystanders quickly backed off, too worried about their own safety to help a stranger.


    Within moments, Felicia found herself cornered.


    The two cars blocked her path. Their doors flew open, and tenrge men spilled out, moving in on her without a word.


    Felicia pulled out herst resort with


    no other options-every ounce of the poison powder she carried. She flung it in all directions, catching most of the attackers off guard.


    Several went down, coughing and choking. However, two or three managed to evade the worst of it.


    Felicia wasn''t a match for them in hand-to-handbat. After a few desperate moves, they overpowered her, tying her hands and shoving her into one of the cars.


    At the same time, not far away, Myra and Ka were making their way down the mountain.


    Ka spotted themotion first, her heart skipping a beat as she recognized Felicia being forced into a car with her hands bound.


    Her pulse raced with excitement. Could the wish she made under the old tree for Felicia to be abducted really being true?


    "Thank goodness!" Ka silently wished, hoping Felicia would simply vanish. That way, she wouldn''t have to get her own hands dirty.


    Myra heard themotion, too, and nced in that direction with a frown. "What''s going on over there? Who''s shouting?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.novelbin

 Chapter 303

    Ka quickly stepped in front of Myra, blocking her view. She tugged on her mom''s arm with a cheerful smile. "Mom, look at those flowers over there! They''re gorgeous. Let''s go take a picture!" "But there seems to be something going on over there¡ª"


    "Oh, it''s just a crowd of people fighting over their rides. What''s there to see? Come on, let''s check out the flowers. I''ll take some nice pictures of you!"


    "You always know how to make me feel better." Myra sighed, shaking her head with a small smile.


    Her mood had been terrible ever since Felicia said those sharp words up on the mountain. But now, looking at her sweet and considerate daughter, her heart softened.


    The two of them turned and walked toward the flowerbed.


    Ka nced back once, catching sight of the car speeding away until it disappeared from view. A smug smile tugged at the corner of her lips.


    Felicia sat with her hands tied behind her back in the car, staying silent. She knew better than to speak since the two men nking her were ready to shove a filthy rag into her mouth at the first sound. She was already caught.


    ...


    At this point, shouting for help or begging would be pointless.


    Her only question now was who was behind this abduction.


    It definitely wasn''t Ka. If Ka had orchestrated this, her hatred would''ve meant Felicia would already be lying in a pool of blood. These people, however, were only interested in capturing her. That realizationforted Felicia. She stopped resisting and leaned back in her seat, adjusting for a morefortable position.


    To an outsider, it would''ve looked like she was the one in charge, with the two burly men beside her acting as bodyguards instead of kidnappers.


    Her nonchnt attitude baffled the two men, who exchanged a look, their lips twitching in disbelief.


    The car sped along, eventually arriving at the airport.


    Felicia''s eyebrows shot up. Were they taking her out of Khogend?


    Before she could process the situation, the men shoved her toward a private jet.


    Their rough handling caused her to stumble and fall, but luckily, the plush carpet cushioned the impact. It didn''t hurt much, though it did sting her pride. Grumbling under her breath, Felicia struggled to get up, only to notice a wheelchair roll into view.


    She looked up and saw a strikingly handsome young man seated in a wheelchair, His skin was pale, almost unhaturally, glowing under the cabin''s bright lights like polished porcin-wless and cold


    BUMS


    His amber-colored eyes locked onto hers, unblinking, with a faint smirk ying on his lips. The kind of smirk that wasn''t warm but sharp-edged,


    yful in a way that sede


    danger. It was chillingly yful.


    Felicia quickly noticed that his smile


    was purely for show. His eyes betrayed him, revealing a sharp, scheming nature and a twisted sense of amusement at the situation. The kind of look hinted they were calcting countless


    ways to make someone miserable.


    Felicia thought inwardly, "This guy''s aplete psycho."novelbin


    She then instinctively shuffled back a little, narrowing her eyes. "Why did you have me kidnapped?"


    Maurice leaned forward slightly, closing the distance between them. He didn''t answer her question. Instead, he raised a brow and asked, "Are you not scared of me?" Felicia remained silent.


    He seemed excited when he asked Felicia that question.


    Her eyelid twitched. Then, she stood up from the floor, towering over him as she looked down. "Scared of what? You jumping up to knee me in the shins?"


    Behind him, his men red daggers at Felicia, their faces filled with disbelief. They thought, "This woman doesn''t know when to shut up. How dare she talk to Mr. Glovers like that?"


    Maurice blinked, momentarily stunned.

 Chapter 304

    Felicia''s audacity to taunt Maurice stunned his men.


    But instead of getting angry, Maurice burst intoughter. He smacked the armrests of his wheelchair, his deep chuckles vibrating through his chest.


    When he finally calmed down, he looked at Felicia with a sly smile and said, "I''ll give it to you-you''re definitely not like other women. No wonder you caught Stephan''s eye."


    In a sh, the pieces fell into ce before she spoke up. Felicia''s mind raced, and she figured out who he was.


    The only one bold enough to abduct her in broad daylight, speak of Stephan with such hostility, and fly her straight toward Ablil was no other than Maurice-the tyrant of Ablil. People also called him a mad dog.


    Felicia''s stomach churned, but she forced herself to stayposed. At least she''d had the foresight to send Carmen running before she got caught. Only God knew what this lunatic would''ve done if Carmen had been there too. Maurice studied her face, watching her expressions shift and change. His smile deepened. "Judging by that look on your face, I would say you''ve figured out who I am."


    "Nope. I''ve never heard of you."


    Felicia refused to give him satisfaction. Even if she knew exactly who he was, she wasn''t about to let him gloat. Denial would irritate him even more.


    Maurice wasn''t fazed. Instead, he leaned back and saidzily, "How about I give you a chance?"


    Felicia stayed silent, waiting for him to continue.


    "You''re my hostage now. If you want to live, why not let Stephane save you?"


    He tossed amunicator onto the seat in front of her, smirking. "Call him. Video, voice, whatever you want. Say anything you think will make him drop everything and walk straight into my trap. If you can pull that off, I''ll let you go. I promise." Maurice raised an eyebrow, a sly chuckle escaping him like he had a sarcastic remark about lovebirds on the tip of his tongue.


    But Felicia cut him off. "Listen, I''ve always been the kind of person who handles things myself. Relying on someone else? Not my thing."


    She wasn''t going to gamble her life on someone else''s mercy or intervention.


    Stephan had indeed saved hernovelbin


    before. When the Lawson family hade after her, it was Stephan who dismantled their threats. He''d forced Arnold out as the heir, reced him with Mike, and handed Felicia an oil field and a mine on a silver tter. Without Stephan''s influence, she never would''ve received an apology, let alonepensation.


    But that was exactly why she knew she couldn''t afford to rely on him-or anyone else.


    If she wanted to stand tall, she had to build her own strength. Depending on others was a fool''s game.


    Besides, Felicia wasn''t naive enough


    to believe that Stephan would risk


    himself just for her. Banking on someone else''s emotions or goodwill? That was a losing


    strategy.


    en


    Felicia shook her head, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Of course I want to live. That''s why I''ll make sure I do. On my own terms."


    This time, Maurice''s expression shifted. For the first time, he looked genuinely surprised.


    Her refusal to call for help didn''t stem from arrogance or stubbornness. It came from an unwavering belief in self-reliance.


    "Interesting," Maurice murmured, his lips curling into a faint, amused smile. "But if I decide to kill you anyway, what makes you think you can escape me?" Felicia didn''t answer.


    At some point, she had slipped out of the ropes binding her wrists.


    She approached him step by step, her calmposure unnerving his men. One of them moved to stop her, but Maurice raised a hand, signaling them to stand down.


    Felicia stopped in front of him,


    leaning forward slightly. Her long


    dark hair cascaded over her


    shoulder, framing her face like a silk


    curtain swaying in the cabin''s gentle breeze.


    She locked eyes with him, her gaze steady and unflinching.


    "What if," she said slowly, enunciating each word, "I could fix your legs?"

 Chapter 305

    As she spoke, Felicia ced her hand on Maurice''s knee and pressed lightly.


    Of course, he didn''t feel a thing. Not long ago, he''d consulted several of the best doctors at the renowned Harmony Medical Center. They couldn''t even figure out what was wrong with his legs. But Felicia hit the nail on the head. "You''ve been dealing with this for at least nine years. Every winter, or when it''s rainy and damp, it feels like needles stabbing your legs. The only thing that gives you some relief is soaking in a hot bath. Sound about right?" Maurice''s expression slightly shifted as he wondered how Felicia knew about his condition. Even the timeline of his injury was spot on.


    Felicia straightened up, rubbing her wrists where the rope had left angry red marks. With unwavering confidence, she said, "Don''t even bother looking. No one else in the world can fix this but me."


    She leaned closer with a yful smirk curling her lips. "So, what''s it going to be, Mr. Glovers? Do you want to ask me to heal your legs, or are you nning to stay in that wheelchair forever?"


    Her tone was light, almost teasing, but her words carried a sharp edge. She was no longer the helpless hostage. The roles had flipped-Felicia was now the one holding the cards.


    And she wasn''t just asking him to release her. She was making him ask her for help.


    Felicia now had the upper hand.


    Mauriceughed again, pping his hands in genuine amusement. "Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant."


    She frowned slightly. This wasn''t the reaction she''d expected. Dealing with someone as unpredictable as him was exhausting-he never acted how she thought he would.


    But one thing she was sure of was that Maurice dreamed of walking again. No matter how heughed or yed it cool, there was no way he''d pass up an opportunity like this. And if she turned out to be lying? Killing her was always an option. Instantly, Felicia went from being shoved around on the floor to being treated like a VIP.


    The men roughly pushing her around now escorted her with exaggerated politeness to a plush leather couch.


    Felicia was not one to miss an opportunity to profit. If she was going to heal him, the fee had to be astronomical.


    Maurice didn''t even blink. "Name your price," he said simply.


    "Alright then-one hundred million," she said boldly, throwing out an absurd number.


    Maurice''s expression didn''t change. "Alright. Let''s call it a deal."


    Surprised by how he gave in so easily, she added another condition. "Pay upfront. Checks are not epted. Wire the money directly."


    Maurice shot her a look, his expression unreadable, before gesturing to one of his men. The man stepped forward with a phone, and within moments, the transfer


    wasplete.


    en


    The private jet''swork made the process quick. Felicia nced at her phone, confirming the deposit of an eye-popping hundred million.


    With a satisfied smile, she made her promise. "Seven days. In seven days, I''ll have you walking again."


    Maurice''s face stayed calm, but the way his hand tightened on the armrest of his wheelchair betrayed the storm brewing inside him.


    "Deal," he said quietly, his gaze piercing.


    Felicia met his stare with a cool smile.


    On the face of it, their exchange seemed amicable, the earlier tension fading away. But beneath the calm, both were calcting their next moves.


    Maurice had no intention of letting


    vel


    Felicia off the hook once she''d served her purpose. Whether it meant killing her or making her suffer, he wouldn''t hesitate.


    And Felicia knew exactly what kind of person he was. That was why she yed the part of the arrogant. negotiator, demanding an outrageous fee and insisting on


    payment upfront. novelbin


    The more arrogant she appeared, the less seriously Maurice would take her. And that gave her the edge she needed.

 Chapter 306

    Felicia casually reached into her pocket and brushed her fingernail against the surface of a small porcin vial. Inside, two specially bred venomous creatures stirred slightly, reacting to the subtle vibrations she created. No one noticed her discreet actions. To anyone else, she appearedpletely at ease, lounging on the plush couch as if she owned the ce. With azy tone, she gave orders to Maurice''s men.


    "I''m hungry. Bring me something good to eat. And I''m thirsty. I want a freshly squeezed juice-none of that boxed stuff."


    Though her demanding tone was infuriating, the men had no choice but to obey.


    Maurice gave a casual wave of his hand before wheeling himself into the private cabin. "Take care of Ms. Fuller. Don''t let anyone ck off."


    The door shut behind him, sealing off the noise. One of Maurice''s closest men couldn''t hide his excitement inside the soundproof room.


    "Mr. Glovers, if this girl can really fix your legs, that''d be amazing!"


    Maurice''s smile was cold, and his voice was calm but carrying a dangerous undertone. "If she actually pulls it off, that''s all the more reason to make sure she doesn''t walk out of here."


    His tone dropped to a chilling softness as he added, "We''ll keep her around for now. No harm in letting the goosey a few golden eggs before we cook it."


    ...


    Back in the cabin, Felicia was enjoying her newfound status as a guest. She nibbled on premium dishes and sipped wine worth tens of thousands per bottle. Life was good.


    Just as she was savoring the moment, a loud tter echoed from the far end of the cabin. She turned her head and found herself locking eyes with a disheveled-looking Harvey. "What are you doing here?" they both asked at the same time.


    Felicia blinked, but the surprise wore off quickly as the pieces fell into ce.


    Maurice must''ve made a stop at the Harmony Medical Center. No way would he havee to Khogend just to pick her up without seeking treatment. Harvey, being the useless fraud he was, had probably boasted about his skills and failed spectacrly. Now, here he was, dragged along as part of Maurice''s retaliation. It totally served him right.


    OVnovelbin


    Felicia rolled her eyes and turned away, not bothering to look at him again.


    Harvey, on the other hand, was fuming. Seeing Felicia lounging like a queen while he was in such a sorry state made his blood boil. "I knew it! You''re in on this with them, aren''t you? Did you send that cripple to the clinic? Were you the one who started the fire?"


    Felicia froze, caughtpletely off guard. "What fire? What are you talking about?"


    "Don''t y dumb!"


    Harvey hadn''t been conscious when he was thrown onto the ne, so he had no idea what had actually transpired. In his mind, Felicia was behind everything-the sabotage, the fire, and now his abduction.


    "You and that cripple are working together! You sent him to Harmony Medical Center to stir up trouble, and then you had the ce burned down! And now you''ve got me abducted, too!"


    As Harvey''s usations flew, Felicia


    began piecing things together. Her suspicions were right-Maurice had visited the clinic, and Harvey had run his mouth. That must''ve triggered Maurice''s infamous temper,O resulting in this mess.


    But a fire? Was Harmony Medical Center burned down? Her brows furrowed.


    The thought of Clive hearing such devastating news made her uneasy. His health was already fragile. If he learned about the destruction of his life''s work, it might very well be the end for him.


    Lost in thought, Felicia didn''t notice Harvey fuming like a volcano about to erupt. If his hands weren''t tied, he''d be pointing an usatory finger right in her face.


    "Harmony Medical Center was Dad''s entire legacy! And you destroyed it, you heartless monster! Felicia, you''re a disgrace!"


    Without a word, Felicia picked up her ss of wine and tossed its contents straight at Harvey''s face.


    The red liquid sshed over him, dripping down his hair and clothes. He stood frozen for a moment before flying into an even greater rage.


    Unfazed, Felicia set the empty ss down and said coldly, "Harmony Medical Center went down because of you. Don''t drag me into your mess. Just because you''ve got something to say doesn''t mean you get tosh out at everyone."

 Chapter 307

    Those who had truly messed up and caused harm never took a moment to reflect on their actions. Instead, they shamelessly shifted the me onto others, acting as if they were always the victim.


    It had been no different with Harvey or with Ka. Ka never acknowledged her wrongdoings, even when she had the blood of two people on her hands.


    After being thoroughly scolded by Felicia, Harveypletely lost it. Despite his tied hands, he iled and lunged at her, desperate tond a hit.


    But Felicia, calm and collected, simply kicked him away.


    With a loud crash, he tumbled backward, knocking over a stack of items behind him. He ended up sprawled in a pile of bottles and jars, groaning in pain and unable to get up.


    "Felicia! You''ll regret this soon enough! When I get back to Khogend, I''ll make sure your Union Clinic is wiped off the map! I''ll tear you apart piece by piece! You''ll pay back every penny Harmony Medical Center lost!"


    Lying on the floor, Harvey screamed and cursed, his rage pouring out in endless threats.


    Felicia, however, found it all amusing.


    The Harmony Medical Center was burned down, and even an idiot like Harvey had to realize that whoever was behind it had serious power-far beyond what the Walsh family could handle. But instead of facing the real culprit, Harvey chose to target Felicia, someone he saw as an easy victim.


    It was pathetic.


    By ming her, he could mask his own fear and ipetence. He was spineless, all bark and no bite. So Felicia let him rant. She sat there,pletely unfazed, waiting until he ran out of steam.


    When his voice finally faltered, she spoke slowly, her toneced with a faint smile.


    "Out of respect for Grandpa, I was going to let you live. But I''ve changed my mind. Good luck to you, Harvey."


    The private jet touched down smoothly as Felicia''s words hung in the air. The cabin door opened, and Felicia walked off without sparing Harvey a nce.


    Harvey, still lying on the floor, scoffed at her audacity. He thought, "What a load of nonsense! She actually had the audacity to say she was nning to spare my life."


    He sneered, his face twisting in


    contempt. "I''m the head of the


    Walsh family, holding all its power!


    Who the hell does she think she is to talk about sparing my life? What


    nonsense!"


    Spitting on the ground in disgust, Harvey didn''t realize where his spit hadnded until it was toote.


    It hit Maurice''s shoe.


    Maurice, who had just wheeled


    himself out of the inner cabin, had been too preupied with thoughts about whether Felicia could truly heal his legs to even remember the extra passenger they''d picked up.


    The moment his sharp eyesnded on the spit-stained leather, his expression darkened like a brewing storm. The men behind him froze startled. Without hesitation, one of them crouched down, slipped the shoe off Maurice''s foot, and flung it fap


    away.


    Harvey''s heart skipped a beat. He couldn''t forget how this "cripple" had burned the Harmony Medical Center to the ground with a single order.


    But then, bolstered by his own arrogance, Harvey lifted his chin. Surely, even Maurice wouldn''t dare kill him. After all, he was the head of the Walsh family.


    Straightening up like a puffed-up rooster, Harvey red at Maurice with defiance.


    Maurice''s voice was cold and calm. "Find a helicopter and send him back to Khogend."


    See? Just as he thought-Maurice wouldn''ty a finger on him.


    Harvey''s smugness returned. So what if they''d tied him up and dragged him here? Now, they''d have to send him home.


    But Maurice wasn''t finished. "Throw him out when you''re flying into Khogend''s airspace," he added with a chilling smile.


    The room went silent. It took a moment for the full weight of his words to sink in.novelbin


    Fly him back, sure. But throw him out once they were above Khogend?

 Chapter 308

    Maurice had ordered to send Harvey down as a boxed set.


    Harvey''s smug grin froze on his face. His disbelief turned to anger as he red at the man in the wheelchair. "You cripple! I''m the head of the Walsh family now. Do you dare to kill me?" When the words left his mouth, one of Maurice''s men delivered a hard kick to Harvey''s stomach.


    This wasn''t the same as Felicia''s earlier kick. This time, the blow was full force, sending Harvey sprawling to the ground, coughing up blood. His face turned ghostly pale.


    "What makes you think you can speak to Mr. Glovers like that?" the man spat.


    "Take him away!"


    Without hesitation, several men grabbed Harvey and dragged him off.


    It was only then that Harvey noticed something striking. The ne hadnded at Ablil Airport, with the Glovers'' name prominently disyed on the jet''s livery.


    He pieced the puzzle together, and the realization hit him like a ton of bricks. That "cripple" wasn''t just anyone he was Maurice, better known as Mr. Glovers, the ruthless head of the Glover family. Harvey froze in shock, his body trembling violently.


    Years of arrogance had made Harvey dismissive of others, even when he suspected the other party''s identity might be extraordinary. Though he felt a twinge of unease, fear was not in his nature. But Harvey never imagined that this crippled man before him was none other than Maurice Glovers.


    The Glovers were notoriously low-key, but their reputation for ruthless efficiency was known far and wide.


    If Maurice said he''d throw someone out of a helicopter mid-flight, he''d do it without hesitation.


    Panic set in as Harvey''s thoughts raced. Desperate, he called for the only person he thought might save him.


    "Help me! Felicia, help me! I''m your cousin-your blood cousin! You can''t just leave me to die like this!" Harvey thrashed and screamed, his voice raw with desperation.


    Inside a nearby Bentley parked


    beside the ne, Felicia leaned back against the luxurious leather seat, watching themotion unfold through the rearview mirror. Her gaze was calm as she took in Harvey''s pitiful struggle.


    "Are you going to save him?" Maurice''s voice came from beside her. He had just been helped into the car. "If you ask, I might consider it." Felicia nced away from the mirror and said coolly, "Let''s go."


    Maurice raised a brow, mildly surprised. "If he hadn''t cursed you out on the ne, would you have saved him?"


    Felicia tilted her head slightly and replied with a question of her own. "Why would I?" Her voice was indifferent as if the idea itself was absurd.


    She could barely protect


    herself-how could she afford to worry about saving anyone else? Especially someone like Harvey. He had brought this on himself. Why shoul@she intervene? Even if she saved him, a man like Harvey wouldn''t feel gratitude. He''d only turn around and make her life harder.


    Maurice seemed even more intrigued. "If you never nned to help him, why say you''d spare his life in the first ce?"


    He had been waiting for Felicia to beg him, but she''d never followed through.


    Felicia let out a soft "oh" and pretended to be confused. "Did I say that? I don''t remember."


    Maurice was momentarily speechless. He had no idea Felicia was ying him on purpose-giving someone hope only to snatch it away. It was so calcted. So ruthless. Harvey was still struggling and shouting in the rearview mirror, calling for Felicia to save him. However, his pleas eventually turned into curses when no response came.


    By the time the men dragged him onto the waiting helicopter, the weight of his predicament hit him fully.


    He thought back to Felicia''s words on the private jet. She wished him good luck. If only he hadn''t spent the entire flight berating her. If only he''d kept his mouth shut. Maybe she would''ve helped him.


    Regret and terror swirled in Harvey''snovelbin


    chest as he was forced to the floor of the helicopter. He could only watch helplessly as the aircraft lifted off, climbing higher and higher into the sky-and headed straight for Khogend.

 Chapter 309

    Felicia urged, "Just drive. Also, did you prepare everything I asked for? The herbs and the silver needles?"


    "Of course. Everything''s ready," Maurice replied.


    Even while still on the ne, he had issued the necessary orders. The herbs Felicia requested were rare and expensive, but they were a mere trifle to someone like Maurice. What caught him off guard was Felicia''s sense of urgency.


    With a curious glint in his eye, he asked, "Ms. Fuller, you seem more eager to fix my legs than I am."


    Felicia leaned backzily and replied, "I''m not a fan of Ablil. The sky''s always so gray. The sooner your legs are healed, the sooner I can return to Khogend."


    Maurice''s eyes flickered with an unreadable expression before he said nothing further. He signaled the driver to move.


    The Bentley picked up speed, winding through narrow roads until it finally arrived at a secluded estate.


    The property was tucked away in a remote location, hidden deep within the mountains. As soon as Felicia stepped out of the car, she felt the temperature rise noticeably. Felicia caught a faint scent in the air and raised an eyebrow. Typical of the wealthy-this estate had multiple natural hot baths scattered throughout the property.


    Maurice''s leg pain always red up during the colder months, and soaking in a hot bath was the only thing that relieved him.


    As Felicia inspected the supplies, she found everything in order. The herbs were fresh, the needle kit was pristine, and the other tools she requested were neatly prepared. "Your legs have been damaged by prolonged exposure to cold and damp energy, which has settled into your body like poison. Topletely heal you, we''ll need to drive it out." Felicia held up a handful of herbs and waved them lightly. "Maurice, I''ll need to prepare the medicine first. Meet me by the hot bath in an hour for the first acupuncture session." "Fine," Maurice said, gesturing to two men. "Help her."


    As he turned to leave, he murmured in a barely audible tone to one of his subordinates, "Keep a close eye on her."


    "Yes, Mr. Glovers."


    The men understood their orders


    clearly. Though Maurice intended to rely on Felicia''s skills, he wasn''t foolish enough to trust her


    Vel


    didn''t tamper with the medicine or botch the procedure.


    Felicia crouched by the pile of herbs, sifting through them methodically. Every now and then, she brought a handful to her nose to inspect their scent.


    The two men stood on either side of her, feigning helpfulness but watching her every move.


    "Ms. Fuller, let us help you," one of them offered, smiling obsequiously.


    Felicia smirked. If they wanted to do the work, she was happy to let them.


    "You," she said, pointing to one of the men, "set up the stove and get the fire going. Make it strong."


    "And you," she continued, gesturing to the other. "Bring the herbs I''ve picked to boil. Watch carefully-once the water turns ck, take it off the heat."


    While the two men busied


    themselves, Felicia reclined in a shaded pavilion. She settled into a lounge chair, closed her eyes, and let herself sway gently with the motion of the chair.


    The men exchanged a nce, shrugged, and got to work.


    Soon, the sound of bubbling water filled the air as the herbs boiled in a y pot over the fire. The bitter aroma wafted through the estate, sharp and pungent. Forty-five minutester, the liquid had turned dark. One of the men carefully removed the pot from the stove and carried it over.


    "Ms. Fuller, the medicine is ready."


    "That was quick," Felicia murmured,novelbin


    rubbing her eyes. She stretched


    With a small sigh, she sat up and got to work.

 Chapter 310

    "Alright, take me to Mr. Glovers," Felicia said, yawning and stretchingzily, wearing an exaggerated look of exhaustion.


    On the way to the hot baths, one of the men carrying a pot of pitch-ck liquid hesitated and asked, "Ms. Fuller, uh... this isn''t for drinking, is it?"


    She smirked. "Nope, it''s for soaking his feet."


    Felicia started listing the ingredients, exining, "Mr. Glovers'' leg issuese from cold invading his system. These herbs are top-notch for driving out that cold. But honestly, there''s no point in exining it all-you wouldn''t understand anyway. Just wait and see." The two men exchanged a nce. They didn''t know much about medicine, but one thing they did know-as long as that ominous-looking ck water wasn''t for drinking, they were fine with it.


    Before long, they arrived at the hot bath.


    Maurice was already there, waiting in the rising mist.


    Felicia directed the men to pour the ck liquid, along with the boiled herbs, into a smaller hot bath pool. Once it was ready, she gestured for Maurice to enter. As he slid into the steaming water, Felicia pulled out her needle kit and positioned herself at the edge of the pool. "Mr. Glovers, are you ready? I''m about to begin acupuncture. It might hurt a bit, so if it''s too much, just say the word, and I''ll stop."


    Maurice''s upper body was bare, his back facing Felicia. Amid the swirling steam, his calm voice sounded. "Go ahead."


    "Alright."


    Wasting no time, Felicia began inserting the needles. One by one, they pierced Maurice''s skin, from his shoulders down to his back.


    The process did sting, but it was bearable. He even had the presence of mind to ask, "What kind of acupuncture technique is this? My legs are the problem-shouldn''t you be working on them?"


    "That''s where you''re wrong," Felicia replied without looking up. "The body''s meridians are all connected. Even though your legs are paralyzed, the toxins aren''t isted there."


    As she spoke, several more needles flew from her hands, preciselynding along Maurice''s spine.


    The two men standing guard


    watched Felicia like hawks. They were ready to take her down without hesitation if she made even the slightest suspicious movement-any attempt to harm Maurice.


    Felicia''s work took time. For half an hour, she moved methodically, inserting and removing needles with practiced precision.


    Finally, she stepped back, gathering up her tools. "We''re done for today. We''ll continue tomorrow."


    She nced at Maurice and added, "Try moving your toes. You should feel some sensation by now."


    Maurice didn''t respond immediately.


    Still soaking in the steaming water, his face remained unreadable as the thick mist obscured his features. But beneath the veil of steam, his eyes betrayed a mixture of shock and delight. He could feel his toes moving. The motions were small, almost imperceptible, but they were there.


    This was the first time in years he''d regained any sensation in his legs.novelbin


    Felicia wasn''t bluffing-her methods were extraordinary.


    Maurice had consulted countless senior physicians, but none had evere close to producing results like this. All it had taken Felicia was a pot of herbal soak and a few dozen needles to achieve what others couldn''t.


    And yet, that only solidified one thought in Maurice''s mind-he couldn''t let her go.


    If she wouldn''t serve him willingly, then he''d make sure she couldn''t help anyone else.


    el:


    Raising his head, Maurice fixed his gaze on Felicia. His lips curved into a smile-not a warm one, but the cold, calcted grin of a predator eyeing its prey. The smile of someone who saw what they wanted and was prepared to take it by any means necessary


    Seemingly oblivious to the shift in his demeanor, Felicia yawned again, stretchingzily. "Alright, I''m exhausted. Did you arrange a ce for me to stay? I''m ready to crash." Maurice signaled to one of his men. "Take Ms. Fuller to the Bamboo Court. Make sure she''s well taken care of."


    "Yes, Mr. Maurice," the man replied, bowing respectfully before leading Felicia toward her amodations.

 Chapter 311

    The Bamboo Court was located on the eastern side of the estate, the most elegant section of the property. The courtyard housed several suites, all meticulously cleaned and beautifully maintained. "Ms. Fuller, this is your room. Rest well. I''ll arrange for some maids to take care of you. If you need anything, just let them know."


    "Got it," Felicia replied, yawning as if she were too tired to care. She stepped inside, shut the door behind her, and flopped onto the soft, spacious bed. With a quick kick, her shoes flew off, and she buried herself under theforter like she was ready to sleep the night away.novelbin


    However, under the nket, her eyes snapped open, wide awake and sharp.


    Maurice was a deranged control freak. That psycho had hidden cameras in the room.


    The moment Felicia entered the suite, she felt the unnerving sensation of being watched. Pretending to yawn, she quickly scanned the room. The d¨¦cor was almost wless, but one painting on the wall stood out-it didn''t match the room''s style, and it was clearly a recent addition.


    It was obvious the frame had been mounted just recently to conceal the hidden pinhole camera behind it.


    She had no doubt Maurice was watching her right now, scrutinizing her every move.


    Dealing with him was like walking a tightrope over a pit of sharks. As long as she was useful, Maurice wouldn''t make a move. But the moment her value ran out or if she defied him-there was no chance he''d let her go alive. With a sigh, Felicia tossed the nket off her head, rolled onto her side, and closed her eyes.


    ...


    Elsewhere, Maurice stared at the screen disying the live feed from the hidden camera. Listening to the sound of Felicia''s steady breathing, he raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "She''s got guts. Sleeping so soundly in this situation."


    A nearby subordinate reported, "We''ve been monitoring her closely, Mr. Glovers. Ms. Fuller has been quiet, with no unusual behavior. Even earlier, when she was brewing the medicine, she didn''t interfere with anything."


    "Keep watching," Maurice instructed. He nced at the screen one more time before shutting it off. "Send a few maids to look after her." After a pause, he asked, "Right, What about Abbie?"


    The subordinate hesitated before


    replying, "She survived. When she was thrown into the crocodile pit,


    she got away with just a few scratches. Her face is scarred, but she didn''t lose any limbs. Still, the incident scared her badly."


    Maurice''s lips curved into a sly grin. "Perfect. Send her to take care of Felicia."


    He leaned back in his chair,


    chuckling to himself. "One woman who ims Stephan threw her away, and another who Stephan treats like a princess. Let''s see what happens when they''re in the same room."


    When Felicia woke up, the sky outside was pitch ck.


    Out of habit, she reached under her pillow for her phone to check the time, but her hand found nothing.


    Reality hit her immediately-she wasn''t in her small rented apartment. She''d been abducted.


    Sitting up in bed, Felicia remembered the camera in the room. She let out a fake yawn, slipped on her shoes, and shuffled toward the door.


    It was just past 1:00 am.


    Quietly, she wandered toward the kitchen, thinking she might whip up ate-night snack or at least find something to eat.


    To her surprise, the kitchen light was already on. A woman in a maid''s uniform stood at the sink, washing sses.


    Felicia walked in, opened the fridge, and grabbed a bag of bread. Without hesitation, she tore the bag open and started eating.


    The woman turned around, and as soon as she saw Felicia, her hands froze. The ss she''d been washing slipped from her fingers, shattering loudly on the floor. Startled, Felicia nced at the maid.


    The woman was young and had a


    decent figure, but her face was marred by deep scars-shes that had clearly been made by something sharp. The wounds were brutal leaving her permanently disfigured.

 Chapter 312

    When the woman saw Felicia, her eyes locked on her, filled with shock and something deeper. It was almost too intense.


    Felicia raised an eyebrow. "Do you know me?"


    The woman quickly shook her head, lowering her gaze, refusing to make eye contact again.


    Felicia didn''t press further. She wasn''t interested in interacting with anyone under Maurice''s thumb. Whether it was his staff or his so-called maids, they were all just extensions of his watchful eye. Without another word, Felicia returned to her room.


    Left alone, the scarred woman finally lifted her head, trembling as she stared after Felicia''s retreating figure.


    She was Abbie.


    When Abbie had been assigned to care for a special guest, she never imagined it would turn out to be Felicia.


    They''d crossed paths before-back when Abbie was a rising starlet in the entertainment industry. At that time, she had it all-endless resources, every industry headline, and fans'' undivided attention everywhere.


    Now? She was scrubbing sses and fetching errands for Maurice''s household, a far cry from the morous life she once knew.


    Even her face hadn''t been spared-thanks to a single order from Maurice, she''d been tossed into a crocodile pit. She barely escaped with her life, but not without being scarred for good.


    Her beauty had been her ticket to everything her confidence, power, and chance to reim her ce in the industry. But now, her beautiful face was ruined.


    Deep gashes scarred her once wless skin, carving over her features like jagged lines on a shattered vase. The wounds cut to the bone in ces, ensuring that even when they healed, they''d leave permanent reminders of her fall from grace.


    She couldn''t bring herself to look in the mirror anymore. If she couldn''t recognize herself, how could Felicia?


    Abbie clenched her fists so hard that


    her nails dug into her palms, breaking the skin. Blood dripped. onto the floor as she stood there, trembling with barely contained rage and jealousy.


    Why was Felicia fine? Why did she get to be treated like a guest? Like she was untouchable?novelbin


    Abbie''s breathing grew ragged, and her mind spiraled into dark ces.


    "Felicia..." she whispered, her voice low and venomous. "I''m already in hell. You should join me."


    ...


    The next afternoon, at the same time and ce, Felicia performed another acupuncture session on Maurice.


    By the end of it, Maurice''s legs showed even more progress. He could feel pain when pinched and tingling when pped.


    She smiled smugly. "I told you, seven days I need. You''ve got five- moons, and after t


    be out of that wheelchai


    Maurice reclined in the steaming hot bath, exhaling deeply. His eyes glimmered with an unreadable light.


    Meanwhile, Felicia stretched her sore wrists and neck, muttering to herself, "That''s enough for today. I need to rest."


    As she turned to leave, he gave a subtle nod to his men. They immediately understood and followed Felicia.


    One of them quickly approached


    effering to help her carry her


    Kit Ms. Fuller, let me carry your


    kit for you."


    Another man chimed in, "Ms. Fuller, I''ll show you the way."


    Carrying the kit and leading the way was just a pretense. Their real job was to keep an eye on her.


    Felicia shed a sweet, clueless smile, ying the role of an unsuspecting guest to perfection. "Thank you so much!"

 Chapter 313

    Felicia acted as if she had no idea of her precarious situation, carrying herself like a guest of honor in the Glover estate. She demanded the best food and drink every day, directing the staff with an air of entitlement. Beyond that, she frequently mentioned her ns to return to Khogend once Maurice''s legs were healed, dropping casual remarks that made her optimism clear.


    Even Maurice''s men, tasked with shadowing her under the guise of assisting, found her naivet¨¦ amusing.


    Did she really think she could walk out of Maurice''sir unscathed?


    Of course, they all yed along until Maurice''s legs were fully restored. No one would tip their hand or reveal the fangs waiting beneath.


    ...


    Meanwhile, back in Khogend, it was the third day since Felicia had disappeared.


    Carmen was at her wits'' end, her lips cracked and dry from stress.


    Three days ago, she''d been hiking andughing with Felicia, only to have their descent interrupted by an ambush.


    Those men weren''t amateurs-they came prepared, and they came for Felicia.


    Carmen had wanted to stay and fight alongside her friend, but Felicia had pushed her away, insisting she''d only be a burden. She''d told Carmen to run, to find help.


    Clearly, Felicia was trying to protect her, and with no time to argue, Carmen fled.novelbin


    But when she returned with help, Felicia was gone. There wasn''t a single clue left behind. The trail had been wiped clean, and every surveince camera along the way had been disabled. Felicia had vanished without a trace. Carmen reported the incident to the police, but three dayster, there was still no progress.


    The longer Felicia remained missing, the more danger she was in.


    Carmen was barely holding it together. She hadn''t slept since the abduction, her mind gued by nightmarish scenarios of what might be happening to Felicia. Visions of Felicia being hurt, tortured, or worse-her life cut short-made Carmen''s face pale. She shook her head furiously, trying to banish the thoughts.


    There had to be someone who could


    save her. Then, like a lightbulb


    flicking on, it hit her. She could get help from the Fuller family since Felicia was still their daughter, no matter the estrangement. Surely, her biological parents wouldn''t ignore her disappearance. Surely, they''d do something.


    Carmen grabbed a jacket and bolted for the door. But as soon as she opened it, she was met with an all-too-familiar face-Calvin.


    For days, Calvin had been loitering outside both her apartment and Felicia''s. He was relentless, like an annoying leech she couldn''t get rid of.


    His presence made Carmen''s blood boil, especially since he''d started harassing Felicia as well, even though she wasn''t there.


    "Get lost, or I swear I''ll kill you!" Carmen snapped, storming back inside to grab a kitchen knife. She returned, de in hand, eyes zing with fury.


    Calvinughed, unbothered. He


    leaned against the doorframe with a


    smug grin, like he thought she wouldn''t dare follow through. Even if Carmen dared to kill him, he''d just run. However, he would just return to harass her all over again.


    "Carmen," he said, his voice oozing a twisted kind of sweetness. "You''ve already ruined me. I lost my job. Fed up with all the gossip, my parents returned to the countryside. Now, I''ve got nothing left but you." His face contorted with a disturbing mix of desperation and fake devotion as he continued speaking, his words sending chills down her spine.


    "It doesn''t matter if you don''t like me. I''ll keep following you. Wherever you go, I''ll be right behind you... You can''t get rid of me."


    Carmen clenched her fists, her patience snapping like a twig. Without hesitation, she grabbed the kitchen knife and swung it down hard.


    Calvin dodged just in time, the de striking the wall and leaving a jagged mark as dust and ster crumbled to the floor. However, she wasn''t done. She lifted the knife again and charged at Calvin with fierce determination.

 Chapter 314

    Calvin fled for his life.


    Carmen chased him until she was out of breath, only stopping when he disappeared into the distance. Frustrated, she threw the kitchen knife onto the ground, wiped the sweat off her face, and gged down a cab to head to the Fuller residence. The vi remained grand and imposing, a symbol of their past as Khogend''s wealthiest family. Despite recent turmoil, its opulence remained untouched.


    Carmen hammered on the gate, repeatedly pressing the doorbell.


    "Is anyone there? Come out! I need to speak with the Fuller family members! It''s urgent!" she yelled.


    Finally, a maid appeared.


    Carmen clung to the iron gate, desperation clear in her voice. "I need to see Mr. and Mrs. Fuller! Let me in!"


    "They''re not home," the maid replied coolly. "Even Mr. Sebastian isn''t here. Why don''t you try the Walsh family if it''s something urgent?"


    Carmen froze for a moment before quickly jumping back into the cab. "To the Walsh residence," she told the driver.


    The Fuller residence was draped in mourning.


    Clive had passed away, and the family was in the middle of his funeral.


    Carmen hesitated at the sight of the somber white decorations but steeled herself. She didn''t have a choice. Alone, she had no power to save Felicia.


    She banged on the gate, her eyes red with urgency.


    "I need to see Mr. and Mrs. Fuller! Let me in!" she yelled.


    A maid came out to assess the situation. Unable to make the decision themselves, they went to inform the family.


    Inside the memorial hall, Myra was sobbing uncontrobly.


    She was the youngest daughter of the Walsh family and had always been doted on by her father.


    Clive had cherished her, raising her


    as if she were his heir. He had hoped


    she would inherit the Harmony


    Medical Center, but Myra had no interest in medicine. She had


    wanted to focus on her beauty


    a


    business instead, leading to a bitter fallout between father and daughter.


    The rift widened when Myra married Dexter, and she rarely returned to the Walsh residence after that. Stubbornness ran deep on both


    sides and neither was willing


    make the first move to reconcile.


    Over the years, the distance grew until their rtionship was nothing more than a faint memory. Now, all that was left were regrets.


    Myra knelt before Clive''s


    photograph, tears streaming down her face as fragments of childhood memories surfaced-memories of his strong, reassuring hand holding hers, his arms lifting her up inughter, and the warmth of his


    embrace when she stumbled.


    "I shouldn''t have been so stubborn," she choked out. "I shouldn''t have ignored you all these years. I shouldn''t have let my anger keep us apart... Dad, I''m sorry. I''m so, so sorry..."


    Sobs broke her words. Ever since learning of Clive''s passing three days ago, Myra hadn''t stopped crying. She''d even fainted twice from the emotional toll.


    Ka stayed close by her side, soothing her gently. "Mom, please don''t cry anymore. Grandpa wouldn''t want to see you like this. He loved you."


    Myra clung to her daughter, crying into her shoulder.novelbin


    At that moment, the maid returned and reported, "There''s someone outside asking for Mr. and Mrs. Fuller. She says it''s urgent."


    Dexter and Sebastian were busy hosting mourners from the extended family and close friends. They couldn''t leave.


    Myra, still distraught, asked weakly, "Who is it?"


    The maid shook her head. "I''m not sure. A young woman who ims to be a friend of Ms. Felicia. She insists on speaking to you and Mr. Fuller personally."


    "A friend of Felicia?" Myra showed little reaction, still overwhelmed by grief.


    But Ka''s expression sharpened, her eyes narrowing as her mind raced. A flurry of thoughts and schemes flickered across her face in an instant.

 Chapter 315

    On the day Felicia was taken, Myra hadn''t seen what happened at the foot of the mountain. Afterward, the news of Clive''s passing had consumed all her attention.


    So now, the person outside iming to be Felicia''s friend and demanding to see the Fullers could only be Carmen. It had to be her.


    After all, who else would care about Felicia''s fate?


    They were each other''s only true friend.


    A faint glimmer of mockery shed in Ka''s eyes as she said, feigning nonchnce, "Grandpa''s passing is such a big event, yet my sister hasn''t shown up? Instead, she sends her friend to cause a scene? How inconsiderate of her..."


    At this, Myra''s expression darkened, her hands clenching into fists. Felicia''s words from the mountain that day when she''d severed ties with her reyed in her mind.


    What an ungrateful wrench.


    ring at the servant, Myra snapped, "Get rid of her. Make sure she leaves, and don''t let her disturb the family."


    "Yes, Mrs. Fuller."


    The maid moved to carry out the order, but Carmen refused to leave. She fought against the guards and maids, desperately trying to force her way inside.novelbin


    In the end, she was driven out, pushed past the gates and onto the ground.


    Standing outside the high estate walls, Carmen screamed, her voice raw with anger and desperation.


    "Mr. Fuller! Mrs. Fuller! I''m Felicia''s friend! She''s been kidnapped-she''s been missing for three days!"


    Her cries echoed in the air, but the thick walls muffled the sound. It couldn''t reach anyone inside.


    Carmen''s voice grew hoarse, her throat raw from shouting.


    Finally, the gates opened.


    A flicker of hope lit up in her eyes, only to be extinguished the moment Ka emerged instead of the Fuller couple. The disappointment hit like a wave.


    Of course, Ka had heard Carmen''s shouting, especially the part about Felicia being kidnapped and missing for three days. Three days without a trace. The odds of Felicia still being alive were slim to none.


    Ka''s heart swelled with satisfaction. Whoever had taken Felicia had done her a huge favor, removing the biggest thorn in her side. Smiling faintly, Ka said, "My mother won''t see you. If you have something to say, you can tell me, and I''ll pass it along."


    Carmen red at Ka, her voice cold. "You''re enjoying this, aren''t you?"


    Feigning innocence, Ka blinked. "I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    "There''s not a single decent person among the Fullers!" Carmen spat, turning on her heel to leave.


    If no one else was willing to save Felicia, she would have to do it herself.


    After Carmen left, Ka hid her triumphant smirk and returned to Myra''s side.


    "Mom, the person outside was indeed my sister''s friend," she said, her voice soft and tinged with pity. "It''s the same woman you saw on the mountaintop. Her name is Carmen, and I heard she''s involved in... questionable work. I really don''t understand why my sister associates with people like that."


    She sighed, shaking her head as if it pained her to even think about it.


    Myra''s face darkened further. Her


    impression of Carmen had


    poor when they met at the


    vel


    mountain, and Ka''sments only reinforced her disdain


    "What did she want to speak to me and your father about?" Myra asked sharply.


    "Well..." Ka hesitated, pretending to struggle with her words.


    "Speak," Myra demanded, her tone icy.


    Ka carefully omitted most of


    what Carmen had said, finally settling on a single line. "She said... no one in the Fuller family is decent..."

 Chapter 316

    Myra, seething with rage, hurled the item she had in her hand across the room.


    Ka quickly hid her delight and stepped in to pacify her. "Mom, don''t be upset. Carmen was just spouting nonsense. I''m sure that''s not what Felicia meant!"


    Her words seemed reassuring, but the undertone was clear-if Carmen went out of her way to say such things, wasn''t it obvious Felicia had something to do with it? Maybe Felicia even orchestrated it. "That ungrateful brat! That wretched daughter!" Myra''s voice trembled with fury. "What did I do to deserve a child like her?


    "She''s always been rebellious, always going against me. Fine. But her grandfather just passed away! At a time like this, she''s not even paying herst respects but instead sends some disgraceful friend to insult me?" Her eyes reddened as she continued to rant, each word heavier with resentment.


    "We treated her so well. Her grandfather treated her so well! Even in his final moments, he wanted her to inherit the family''s golden needles. But that ungrateful girl couldn''t even be bothered to send him off!"


    Myra''s voice cracked, and she spat out her words through clenched teeth.


    "It''s fine if she doesn''t show up. She is no longer my daughter moving forward!"


    Ka kept her head lowered, saying nothing, but the subtle curl of her lips betrayed her satisfaction.


    Later that afternoon, Ka made a trip to the airport.


    Today was the day Arnold was leaving the country.


    While Ka had been stuck in a sanatorium, she hadn''t heard the details about what the Lawson family had done to Felicia. She only knew that Arnold had been stripped of his role as heir, and the family''s reins had passed to his uncle, Mike. "Arnie..."


    Ka clung to Arnold in the bustling airport terminal, her voice trembling as tears welled in her eyes.


    However, Arnold peeled her hands off, stepping back to maintain some distance.


    It caused her to freeze. "Arnold, you..."


    "Ka," he said, his voice steady andposed. "We''re grown now. We can''t behave like we did when we were kids. People will gossip about us."


    Arnold wore a long ck coat, his tall figure exuding poise and sophistication. His sharp, familiar features the ones Ka


    adored felt distant now. It was


    she was looking at a stranger


    BUMS


    if


    Whenever Arnold went on long trips, she would hug him like this, whispering sweet nothings and acting as close as two people could be.


    But now, as he prepared to leave the country with no return date in mind, he brushed her off like a stranger.


    "People will gossip about us." The words cut deep.


    Ka forced herself to hold back the ache in her chest. She wouldn''t let him go so easily.


    "Arnie, I don''t want you to go. You''ll miss me, right? Will you think of me?"


    Arnold hesitated for a moment, then looked her straight in the eye.


    "Ka, you''re a great person," he said slowly. "But there will never be anything between us."


    He paused as if to let his words'' weight settle before adding, "I love Felicia. And one day, I''ll make her fulfill our engagement and be my wife." Before Ka could process his words, she covered her ears.


    She knew what Arnold wanted to say, but she refused to listen to it.


    However, he left her with no choice but to hear him out. After delivering the final blow, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing there, frozen.


    As people passed, casting curious nces her way, Ka suddenly began tough and cry at the same time. Her unhinged reaction sent chills through those who overheard it.


    en


    Onboard the ne, Arnold took his seat.novelbin


    As the aircraft taxied down the runway and ascended into the sky, he stared out the small window, watching Khogend fade into the distance below. His hand clenched into a tight fist.


    With the death of Matthew and Mike taking over the position of the heir of the Lawsons, Arnold had been exiled at Mike''smand.


    Yet, strangely enough, there was no hatred in his heart for either Matthew or Mike. Losing his position as the heir meant little to him. The only thing consuming his thoughts was Felicia.

 Chapter 317

    Arnold had been so close to making her his that night.


    However, Felicia had fought him with everything she had. She would rather stab herself with shards of ss than surrender, keeping her rationality despite the drugs in her system. Her determination to stay lucid, to guard herself like he was the enemy, had been


    unshakable.


    And then, Stephan had taken her away.


    At that moment, the jealousy inside Arnold erupted, consuming every ounce of his rationality.


    Every cell in his body screamed, "Felicia belongs to me. She was always meant to be mine."


    For the first time, Arnold faced his true feelings. He didn''t just want Felicia. He needed her.


    As Khogend grew smaller and smaller beneath him, fading into the horizon, Arnold''s dark eyes burned with fierce determination.


    One day, he would return. And when he did, he would reim everything that was his.


    He thought, "Felicia, you won''t escape me."


    ...


    On Felicia''s fourth day in Ablil, her acupuncture treatments on Maurice continued to work wonders.


    Under her care, Maurice''s progress was undeniable. He had gone from slight movements to being able to bend and straighten his legs.


    His sense of pain and fatigue had also begun to return he could feel difort when pinched and a dull ache after keeping his legs raised for too long.


    For someone like Maurice, who had endured years of paralysis, this transformation was nothing short of miraculous.


    At the edge of the hot bath, he watched Felicia with a faint smile, his eyes calm but focused.


    "You''ve saved my life, Ms. Fuller," he said, his tone light but full of intent.


    Felicia politely returned the smile, but deep in her heart, she was rolling her eyes and cursing him. "This psycho. He knows I''m his savior, and yet he''s already nning to get rid of me once he doesn''t need me anymore. ssic."


    Taking advantage of the moment,


    Felicia yed along, putting on a


    cheerful tone. "This ce is so


    boring. There''s no signal, and I


    even go online. I''d love to rxt


    Maybe even y some games."


    bit.


    She wasn''t wrong¡ªthe estate''s security measures meant no one except Maurice and his closest men could ess thework. For everyone else, phones were useless bricks. Maurice raised an eyebrow, his smileced with hidden amusement.


    "Four days in, and she is already restless. Is she trying to reach out to Stephan? Or has she figured out I won''t let her go and is trying to call for help?" He found himself pondering. Still, he indulged her. "What do you want?"


    "I want aputer," Felicia said, grinning. "One that can connect to the inte so I can y games."


    With a slight nod from Maurice, one of his men left the room and returned a short whileter, carrying aptop. He ced it in Felicia''s hands with exaggerated politeness. Felicia nced at theptop, then at the man, feigning irritation. "What are you giving it to me for? Put it in my room."


    The man nodded, bowed slightly, and carried theptop to her suite.


    After lingering by the hot bath for a bit longer to check Maurice''s pulse, Felicia dered herself satisfied and returned to her room at the Bamboo Court.


    This man, a senior physician on


    Maurice''s payroll, wasn''t skilled enough to cure Maurice''s paralysis, but he had a sharp eye for medical malpractice. If Felicia had tried anything suspicious during the treatments, he would catch it.


    After checking Maurice''s pulse and condition thoroughly, the senior physician, Caeser Phil, couldn''t help but marvel.novelbin


    "Mr. Glovers, Ms. Fuller is truly remarkable. The cold toxins in your body have gued you for years, and countless experts have tried and failed to treat them. Even I, with all my experience, couldn''t make progress... However, she removed more than half of the toxins in just four sessions. Her skill is extraordinary, especially for someone so young."


    Maurice shot him a frosty re. "Did I bring you here to sing her praises?"


    Caeser chuckled awkwardly, quickly changing the subject. He moved on to inspect the water in the hot bath and the herbs Felicia had used, confirming there were no abnormalities. "You can rest assured, Mr. Glovers. Everything is perfectly safe," he finally reported.


    Maurice nodded faintly, his expression unreadable. "Good."

 Chapter 318

    Maurice gave a slight grunt of acknowledgment.


    He didn''t think Felicia would have the guts to pull anything while treating him-unless she had a death wish. However, to be on the safe side, Caesar reviewed every prescription she provided. He had also observed every acupuncture session from a discreet distance,


    posing as a butler.


    For four consecutive days, Felicia had beenpliant, never showing the slightest hint of ulterior motives.


    Maurice casually picked up a nearby tablet. The device disyed not only the live feed from Felicia''s room but also the activity on theptop she had just been given. Maurice could monitor it all in real time, no matter who she contacted or what she did online.


    Not long after, theptop powered on.


    His attention sharpened before he broke into a smug smile. It was the look of someone excited at discovering leverage over his prey.


    He was wondering who Felicia would first contact using theputer. Would it be Stephan?


    Maurice watched the screen intently, his sharp eyes narrowing. On the tablet before him, he saw Felicia lounging on the bed, engrossed in what looked like... a card game. He raised an eyebrow. From the tablet, the unmistakable sounds of a game app echoed in the room.


    "Bet! Fold. All in! Raise!"


    Maurice''s lips curled in disbelief.


    He couldn''t believe it and switched to the surveince feed, only to see Felicia sprawled out on the bed,pletely engrossed in herptop, ying a card game.


    When one of her teammates made a


    bad move, she angrily yelled at the screen Are you serious? We''re on the same team, and you''re sabotaging me? Do you ever know how to y this game?"


    Maurice''s face darkened instantly.


    "There''s no way she asked for aptop just to y poker," he muttered, tossing the tablet to his men. "Keep an eye on her. I refuse to believe she''s wasting my time on a game." "Yes, Mr. Glovers," his subordinate replied with a nervous salute, gripping the tablet tightly.


    The hours ticked by, yet Felicia


    remained glued to the poker app.


    Theptop went with her even when she got up to use the bathroom. Naturally, the suite''s bathroom was the only area not covered by surveince-Maurice might have been a control freak, but even he had limits.


    From the bathroom, muffled game notifications carried through. "Flush! Straight! Full house!"


    Inside, Felicia sat on the toilet with theptop propped up in front of her. While the game ran in the background, she typed furiously on the keyboard.


    Within minutes, she executed several programs, forcing theptop''s connection to break free from Maurice''swork for a few precious moments. The first person she contacted was Carmen.


    Felicia had gone to such great


    lengths, using the game as a cover,


    because she knew Maurice wasnovelbin


    watching. If she reached out to anyone openly, there was no doubt


    he''d use them as leverage against


    her


    But she also couldn''t stay silent. She couldn''t let Carmen, her only friend, spiral into reckless decisions out of worry for her. She made the call.


    Hearing Carmen''s voice was much more reassuring than a text could ever be.


    On the other end, when Carmen saw the iing call with an untraceable number, her heart raced. Without a moment''s hesitation, she swiped to answer.

 Chapter 319

    "Hello?"


    "It''s me."


    "Felicia? Are you okay? Where are you? Are you hurt?"


    Hearing Felicia''s voice, Carmen couldn''t stop herself from firing off her questions, her voice shaking with emotion. Her eyes reddened as relief and worry washed over her.


    These past days, she had done everything she could to find Felicia. However, she was alone, without resources or connections, and she didn''t even know where Felicia had been taken. With no leads or clues, finding her was like searching for a needle in a haystack.


    Carmen''s guilt gnawed at her. She regretted leaving Felicia behind that day, fleeing when she should''ve stayed. Maybe they could have fought back together if she had stayed.


    Felicia nced at the clock. Time was tight. She spoke quickly, "I don''t have long, Carmen. Don''t worry about me I''m fine.


    "In three days, I''ll be back. Listen, don''t try to find me, and don''t do anything reckless. I''lle back, I promise."


    Outside the suite in Bamboo Court, footsteps echoed in the hallway.


    Felicia''s heart skipped. The brief disconnection from thework must''ve alerted the guards. They wereing to check.


    With no time to spare, Felicia cut the call and swiftly deleted all traces of the activity using hacking software. Then, she threw theptop into the bathtub, submerging itpletely. When the suite door opened, Felicia emerged from the bathroom holding the soaked, brokenptop.


    "Oh, good timing!" she said innocently, looking at the guards. "I need a new one. This one fell in the tub while I was in the bathroom."


    The guards exchanged nces.


    Her expression was so casual and natural that there wasn''t even a hint of suspicion.


    One of them inspected theptop. It was soaked andpletely dead-no wonder the connection had dropped.


    Their doubts eased as they ced a tray of snacks on the table. "Ms. Fuller, these are from Mr. Glovers. He wanted you to have them."


    "Oh," Felicia replied absentmindedly.


    Once she received a recementptop, she returned to her spot and resumed ying card games.


    She knew better than to try the same trick twice. It would raise too many red gs.


    Felicia''s attention seemed fixed on her terrible hand of cards, but her thoughts were elsewhere.


    The call to Carmen had been brief, but it was enough to reassure her friend. She just hoped Carmen wouldn''t do anything rash while she figured out her escape. As for Stephan...


    She hadn''t responded to his earlier


    message and wasn''t sure if he''d


    vel


    tried to call her over the past few days. Even if he had, the calls wouldn''t have gone through. Knowing him, he probably hadn''t


    reacted much.


    She didn''t even bother thinking about Dexter and Myra. If the news of her abduction had reached them, she doubted they''d be concerned at all. Lowering hershes, Felicia curled her lips into a faint, self-mocking smile.


    Meanwhile, in Seldvale, fresh buds had begun to sprout on the once-barren branches after several spring showers. In the courtyard of the Russell residence, clusters of forsythia bloomed brightly, bringing life to the surroundings.


    Imogen plucked two flowers from a bush, holding them delicately in her hand.


    Johanna leaned over to steady her and teased, "If you keep picking them, the garden will be bare, Imogen."novelbin


    Imogen froze. Then, she let the flowers fall to the ground. With a wry smile, she muttered, "Well, what does it matter? I can''t see them anyway."


    Her world was shrouded in


    darkness. She couldn''t see the


    flowers, the garden, or anything at all. Her only connection to the world was through touch, feeling her way through life.


    Johanna instantly regretted herment. "I''m sorry. That was thoughtless of me."


    "It''s alright," Imogen replied softly, shaking her head. "You didn''t mean anything bad."

 Chapter 320

    Imogen chuckled softly, letting go of her fixation on the flowers. She turned her head toward Johanna''s voice and said, "I''ve already made arrangements. When my brother gets back, we''ll visit Frosty Chapel together. And then..." She beckoned Johanna closer with a mischievous wave.


    Johanna leaned in, curious.


    "I''ll make sure you two get some alone time," Imogen whispered with a smile. "You have to take the chance, okay? No man can resist when a woman puts herself out there. Sometimes, you''ve just got to drop the whole ''ying hard to get'' thing." Johanna''s face turned crimson, and her blush spread to her ears. She mumbled, "I get it, Imogen. I''ll try my best..."


    Satisfied, Imogen patted Johanna''s hand.


    The two of them lounged in the courtyard, soaking up the sunlight as they waited for Stephan to return.novelbin


    Stephan had been tied up with work these past few days. After being away from Seldvale for so long, the responsibilities waiting for him were endless. His conglomerate alone had umted piles of issues requiring his attention, not to mention his numerous other enterprises.


    While smaller tasks could be delegated, major decisions still required his personal approval.


    He was in his CEO''s office at the top of the tallest skyscraper in the city. Stephan finally finished reviewing a stack of documents. Tossing the pen aside, he reached for his phone.


    His inbox was flooded with messages, but none of them were from Felicia.


    Stephan dialed her number directly as he pondered what she''d been up to.


    The cold, automated voice answered instead, "The number you have dialed is temporarily unavable. Please try againter..."


    His brows furrowed together. This was the third time in the past few days he''d tried calling her, and every time, the result was the same.


    Was she ignoring his calls, or had something happened to her?


    His sharp gaze darkened as he considered the possibilities. Without wasting a moment, he dialed another number.


    Mike wasn''t expecting the call, and when he picked up, his voice wasced with yful sarcasm.


    "Well, Stephan. It''s been a week. Miss me already?"


    Stephan resisted the urge to hang up on him. Instead, he got straight to the point. "I need you to find Felicia. See what she''s up to."


    Mike scoffed, clearly unimpressed. "Seriously? You''re pulling me into this? I''ve got a lot on my te, you know."


    "I''m not joking. Just do it," Stephan replied curtly.


    "Fine." Mike sighed, grabbing his car keys. "Man, my life is tough."


    Mike started his search at Felicia''s rented apartment. He knocked on the door but got no response. Frowning, he called Stephan back to report.


    "Hey, she''s not here. Maybe she moved out? I mean, she''s loaded now, right? Why wouldn''t she upgrade to a better ce?"


    Stephan wasn''t interested in spections. "Check the college."


    Mike groaned but obliged.


    When he got to the campus and asked around, he was stunned to find out Felicia hadn''t shown up for first


    the semester-not even on the


    day of sses.


    Before he could call Stephan with the update, his phone buzzed.


    "Did you find her?" Stephan''s voice was as sharp as ever.


    "No," Mike admitted, his tone turning serious. She wasn''t at her


    apartment, and she hasn''t been to campus either-not even for registration."


    The line went quiet for a moment before Stephan''s voice broke through. "Keep looking."


    "Rx, Stephan. I''ll check the Walsh residence next," Mike offered, trying to calm him. "Felicia''s grandfather passed away a few days ago. She might be with them for the funeral."


    Stephan''s grip on the phone tightened. "Let me know the second you find her."


    "Will do," Mike replied, already heading to his car. His own expression had turned grim.

 Chapter 321

    There was indeed a chance Felicia might be at the Walsh residence.


    Stephan pressed his temples, trying to ease the throbbing ache, but the frustration in his chest was harder to suppress. He casually unbuttoned two buttons on his shirt, loosening it at the cor. His expression was calm despite the irritation boiling within him. Mike, sensing the tension, didn''t dare joke around anymore. He immediately made his way to the Walsh residence.


    The Walsh residence was shrouded in mourning, draped in somber white.novelbin


    Clive hadn''t beenid to rest yet. In his prime, he was a legend a medical master and a master of poisons. His reputation earned him respect even from the most influential families in town.


    Mike searched everywhere but found no sign of Felicia. Left with no choice, he approached Myra directly. Surely Felicia''s mother would know something?


    But the moment he mentioned Felicia''s name, Myra''s expression turned icy.


    "That ungrateful girl has nothing to do with us anymore. I don''t know where she is, and I don''t care."


    Mike stood frozen, the rest of his words catching in his throat. For the first time, he felt a pang of sympathy for Felicia.


    Her own mother didn''t care whether she was alive or dead. If something really did happen to her, would anyone even bother looking for her body?


    Trying another route, Mike sought out Dexter. The response wasn''t any better. Dexter shook his head, disappointment etching into his features. "That daughter of mine is heartless. No matter how much we tried, she''s always been cold and ungrateful." Mike didn''t want to overstep by meddling in family matters, but he couldn''t help pointing out, "Mr. Fuller, Felicia hasn''t even been to college. Aren''t you worried about her? What if something has happened?"


    Dexter raised an eyebrow. "What could happen to her?"


    Mike was left speechless.


    Clearly uninterested, Dexter excused himself with a polite nod and walked off, leaving Mike in disbelief.


    As Mike turned to leave, he ran into Sebastian.


    Sebastian had overheard parts of the earlier conversation and asked, "What''s wrong with Felicia?"


    "She''s unreachable. No one can find her," Mike replied, keeping his tone light. Without confirmation of anything serious, he avoided saying Felicia was missing outright. all, maybe she was just out


    exploring, enjoying herself Over


    somewhere.


    Sebastian merely nodded, his face betraying no concern.


    Mike had seen enough. The indifference from Felicia''s parents was bad enough, but her brother didn''t seem to care either. Unable to hold back, Mike asked, "Why does it feel like your whole family just doesn''t care about her?"


    "It''s not that we don''t care," Sebastian said with a sigh. "It''s that she''s... disappointing."


    He shook his head as if speaking to himself. "She''s nothing like a Fuller. Her mind runs too deep." Sebastian''s thoughts seemed to drift back to the day Felicia hadid her cards on the table in the caf¨¦.


    She had spoken calmly, and her expression was serene, but her words had been chilling. She had said, "Watching Ka''s reputation crumble and seeing her be the target of everyone''s scorn-that''s


    I


    what I want."


    en.k


    And she achieved it.


    She had also admitted, "Ruben''s death had nothing to do with me, but the moment I learned the truth, I changed my ns. I used his death to my advantage." And she had done that too.

 Chapter 322

    mind for strategy.


    Sebastian still couldn''t forgive Felicia''s ruthlessness and patience. Her ability to quietly dismantle the family without breaking a sweat felt cold and calcting, far from the sibling he thought he knew. His sister wasn''t supposed to be someone with such a deeply ingrained It made her... frightening.


    Mike, however, found it all amusing. The mess within the Fuller family was well-known in Khogend, and he was privy to plenty of the details. The irony wasn''t lost on him.


    "I''ve heard of murderers paying for their crimes, but I''ve never heard of someone being resented by their own family for exposing the truth about a killer."


    Mike smirked, his tone dripping with disdain. "You say she''s nothing like a Fuller. Honestly? Thank God for that."


    He didn''t bother sticking around to see Sebastian''s reaction. He tossed the words over his shoulder as he strode away.


    He''d always thought his family was the epitome of dysfunction, with each member uniquely stubborn. But the Fuller family seemed just as bad.


    Mike made onest stop at Union Clinic.


    ording to the senior physicians there, Felicia hadn''t shown up in four or five days.


    With no trace of her, Mike was at a loss. He didn''t know how he''d exin this to Stephan. As he stood deliberating his next move, his phone rang again. It was Stephan. Mike answered hesitantly, "No luck. I''ve checked everywhere she might be, but there''s no sign of her."


    Stephan''s reply was curt. "Understood."


    The line went dead.


    Mike let out a long sigh. He knew what wasing-Stephan would mobilize his own people. If Felicia was truly missing, the fallout would be massive.


    Turning his car around, Mike prepared to head home. As he drove past Union Clinic and its rival, Harmony Medical Center, something caught his eye. He mmed on the brakes.


    When he arrived earlier, he hadn''t noticed the charred remains of Harmony Medical Center''s signboard. Now, in the fading light, the damage was obvious. The building bore clear burn marks, and the interior looked half-destroyed. What the hell happened here?


    Mike''s mind raced. Could Felicia''s disappearance be connected to this fire?


    Without hesitation, he spun the car around and headed straight for the Walsh residence.novelbin


    ...


    "Start from herst known ces. Trace her steps and find out who she saw, where she went-anything. I want updates the moment you learn something."


    Meanwhile, Stephan had already dispatched his team.


    After issuing his orders, Stephan''s scowl deepened. An oppressive presence surrounded him, his anger simmering just beneath the surface.


    His sharp,manding tone left no room for error.


    When Stephan was angry, even he


    underestimated how intimidating his presence could be. His demeanor was like a cold and unrelenting. storm with a lethal edge that sent chills through anyone in the room.


    When his assistant, Thomas Bolt, entered his office, he felt the


    suffocating pressure immediately. It was as if the air itself had thickened, weighing heavily with an icy tension.


    Before Thomas could speak, Stephan''s voice cut through the silence. It was calm yetmanding, "I''m heading to Khogend. Handle thepany in my absence."


    With that, he strode out of the room.


    Thomas stood there for a moment, stunned, before scrambling after him. "Mr. Russell! You just got back to Seldvale, and you''re already leaving?" Stephan didn''t respond, his long strides taking him toward the exit.


    Desperate, Thomas blurted out, "Mr. Russell! Ms. Russell just called. She said she''s not feeling well and asked if you could go see her." Hearing his sister''s name, Stephan stopped in his tracks. His brows furrowed slightly, almost imperceptibly, but his tone betrayed his concern. "Did she not go to the hospital?"


    "She said... she''d prefer it if you apanied her," Thomas ryed the message carefully.

 Chapter 323

    Just a few minutes earlier, when Stephan''s line was busy, Imogen had called Thomas instead,ining of stomach difort. Hearing that, Stephan rubbed his throbbing temple.


    After all, she was his only sibling his sister who had shielded him when they were children, losing her eyesight in the process.


    And there was more. Imogen''s heartbreak ran deep. Her fianc¨¦, Archie, died a month before their wedding and became lost at sea under circumstances that tied back to Stephan inplicated ways. Archie''s death left her shattered, and the only thing keeping her grounded now was the child she carried. If something happened to that baby, Stephan knew Imogen might not recover. "Got it."


    Stephan left the office and headed back to the Russell residence.


    In the Russell residence''s front yard, Imogen was sipping on juice, her cheeks flushed and her demeanor lively. There was no hint of the difort she had imed earlier.


    Stephan''s jaw clenched, his sharp eyes darkening.


    Hearing his footsteps, Imogen turned toward the sound. A maid beside her quickly informed her, "Ms. Russell, Mr. Russell is here."


    She put her ss down and said in a toneced with mild irritation, "So busy you can''t even take my calls? Well, since you''re here now,e with me and Johanna to Frosty Chapel. I haven''t been out in ages." Stephan suppressed his annoyance. The only reason he had rushed over was because of her supposed illness. Clearly, she had used it as an excuse to summon him.


    Stephan suppressed the flicker of irritation in his chest. He replied, his voice cool and detached, "If you want to go out, feel free to bring along any of the house staff or bodyguards-however many you need." Imogen''s expression shifted in surprise even though her gaze remained distant.


    Her heightened senses immediately picked up on his impatience. She felt every ounce of his frustration and irritation.


    "Are you mad at me?" Imogen''s voice trembled, a tinge of hurt slipping through.


    Her fingers clenched involuntarily as she thought of her blindness, her dependence, and now, her brother''s apparent annoyance. Tears welled in her eyes.


    "Do I even matter to you anymore? Am I just a burden now? If you can''t stand me now, how will you treat me in the future?"


    Stephan took a deep breath, forcing himself to speak calmly. "Imogen, I really am busy. I''ll be out of Seldvale for a few days. When I''m back, I''ll take you to the chapel, alright?"


    en


    But she wasn''t listening. All she heard was that he was leaving again. He''d only been back for a few days, and now, he was already nning to leave.novelbin


    Imogen grew more upset, spiraling in emotions as she thought of her earlier promises to Johanna. She''d been so confident that today''s ns would work out. And now this? It felt like a p in the face.


    "Be honest with me, Stephan. Are you running off to see some woman?"


    Stephan froze, his gaze narrowing.


    "Is it that actress, Abbie?" she pressed. "I heard rumors about how you supposedly gave her all kinds of resources. Is it true?" "It''s not," Stephan replied tly, brushing off her suspicion.


    But his eyes flicked to his phone again. He was still waiting for updates on Felicia''s whereabouts.


    Imogen rxed slightly. "Good. Don''t waste your time with people like her. I''d never approve."


    Her relief was short-lived. She heard Johanna''s soft, deliberate footsteps approaching and felt an urgency to salvage her ns.


    "Fine, I won''t stop you if you have urgent business. But can''t you dy it by just one day? I just want to visit the chapel today and make a wish."

 Chapter 324

    Felicia was missing, her whereaboutspletely unknown.


    While others might afford to take their time, there was no way Felicia could afford to wait. And Stephan? He could hardly stand still. If he could, he would fly straight to Khogend without dy. Every second felt like a wasted eternity. "Take care of Imogen," Stephan barked over his shoulder before striding out the door.


    Hismand was met with a unified, disciplined response from the maids, bodyguards, and everyone else within earshot.


    "Yes, Mr. Russell!" they echoed in sync.


    Watching Stephan leave in such a hurry, Johanna sighed quietly as she approached Imogen, ready to soothe her disappointment. "Imogen..."


    Before she could say anything more, Imogen''s face suddenly contorted in pain. Her hand flew to her stomach, and beads of sweat broke out across her forehead.


    "It hurts... It hurts so much..." Imogen gasped, doubling over. Her voice was weak, trembling.


    "Imogen!" Johanna cried.


    "Ms. Russell!" one of the household staff yelled.


    Then, someone''s voice rang out in rm, "Blood! She''s bleeding!"


    All eyes turned toward Imogen''s skirt, where a crimson stain had begun to spread.


    "My baby..." Imogen whispered, her voice barely audible. Then, her body went limp, and she copsed into unconsciousness.


    "Get the car!" someone shouted. "We need to get her to the hospital!"


    The Russell residence, usually serene and orderly, erupted into chaos.


    Stephan had barely made it to the private airstrip at the back of the house where his jet was prepped and waiting for departure when he heard themotion. He stopped dead in his tracks and turned back.


    The aircraft''s doors were open, the flight path was cleared for Khogend, and the jet stood ready to take off.


    But it sat there, empty, waiting for Stephan, who didn''t board.


    On the sixth day of Felicia''s captivity in Ablil, she stood by the hot spring as usual. She had her silver needles in hand.


    After five days of treatment, the results spoke for themselves. And today''s session brought even more progress.


    "Try standing up, Mr. Glovers," Felicia suggested, raising an eyebrow.


    Maurice''s eyes flickered. He exhaled slowly, gripping the armrests of his wheelchair. After a few tense moments, he pushed himself to his feet.


    He stood. The moment felt electric.


    His closest guards, loyal to a fault, watched in disbelief. They cheered like they had just witnessed a miracle.


    Maurice''s body stiffened. Yearsnovelbin


    confined to the wheelchair had left


    his legs weak and unsteady, and his muscles seemed unsure of the movement. He hesitated, then willed


    himself to take a step forward.


    But his legs betrayed him. They buckled under his weight, and he teetered toward the steaming waters of the spring.


    Felicia, standing closest to him, moved swiftly to steady him before he fell.


    His men quickly surrounded Maurice, helping him back into the wheelchair.


    Felicia''s expression remained calm. She stretched her armszily as if she hadn''t just saved him from an embarrassing tumble.


    "No need to rush," she said


    smoothly. "We''ve still got one more


    session tomorrow. After that,


    guarantee you''ll be walking like you


    never stopped."


    Maurice took a deep breath, his jaw tight with frustration. The taste of standing, however brief, had ignited a yearning he hadn''t felt in years.


    Now, the wheelchair felt more like a prison than ever before.


    "I''ll leave it in your hands, Ms. Fuller," he said, his tone measured butced with determination.


    Felicia waved off his words like they were nothing. "No big deal."


    She tossed her medical kit to one of the guards and began rolling her shoulders, easing her own aches and pains Casually, she added, "Once tomorrow''s session is done, I''ll be heading back to Khogend. I''m sure you don''t have a problem with that, right, Mr. Glovers?"

 Chapter 325

    Maurice maintained his usualposed demeanor, exuding that schrly, polite air as he replied, "Of course."


    Felicia''s lips curled into a bright smile. "Thank you in advance, Mr. Glovers."


    The atmosphere remained pleasant, at least on the surface.


    Just as Felicia was about to leave, a small group appeared on the path ahead. Leading them was an elderly woman with a kind face, supported on either side by maids. Her steps were hurried as she made her way toward the hot spring. The men carrying Felicia''s medical kit immediately greeted, "Mrs. Glovers Senior."


    Felicia raised an eyebrow but said nothing.


    Kelsey, upon reaching Maurice and seeing him standing, broke into a beaming smile. Her joy was palpable, her voice trembling with emotion. "Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful! My grandson is standing again!"


    She sped her hands together and murmured "Praise be!" several times before speaking again.novelbin


    "This is the best news I''ve heard in years! But you, child, how could you keep such a thing from me? I only heard about it through the maids!"


    Maurice''s lips curved slightly, but his eyes showed no warmth. "You''ve been so focused on your prayers; I didn''t want to disturb you."


    "No way!" Kelsey wiped at the tears forming in her eyes. "How could this be a disturbance? I''ve been praying every day for your legs to heal, and now, they finally have! It''s nothing short of a miracle!" Her voice cracked with joy as she spoke, her delight evident.


    But Maurice''s response was distant, his tone lukewarm. His eyes carried a faint trace of mockery buried deep within their calm surface.


    Felicia blinked, catching the subtle tension between them.


    Still, she had no interest in getting involved in family affairs, especially not those that looked as murky as the Glovers family. Staying out of it was her best bet.


    She was about to slip away when Maurice, ever the tactician, brought the conversation back to her.


    "It''s all thanks to this miracle doctor," he said smoothly. "She''s the one who healed my legs."


    Kelsey turned her attention to Felicia for the first time. With her maids'' help, she approached, her kind expression growing even softer.


    "Ms. Fuller, you''ve done such a


    wonderful thing for my grandson. You''re an honored friend to the Glovers family now. If you ever find yourself in trouble, know that we will


    do whatever we can


    Her words carried weight, and her tone was warm and genuine. The light scent of sandalwood clung to her,plementing the serene air she carried.


    Felicia smiled politely, though inwardly, she mused, "I''m in trouble right now. Perhaps Mr. Glovers could start by letting me leave tomorrow after thest treatment." But, of course, she knew better.


    Rumors swirled outside about


    friction between Maurice and his grandmother, and judging by his attitude, there was likely some truth to them. The Glovers family''s dynamics seemed asplex as they were vtile.


    Felicia wasn''t interested in finding out. She exchanged a few pleasantries before politely excusing herself and heading back to her suite in Bamboo Court.


    Once back, the men ced her medical kit down and said respectfully, "Ms. Fuller, please let us know if you need anything."


    "Got it."


    Hunger gnawed at Felicia, who hadn''t eaten much earlier. She casually instructed one of the maids, "Make me some pasta. Add some prawns."


    Being treated as an honored guest in the Glovers estate meant Felicia had no shortage of attendants. Several maids had been assigned to her over the past week, taking care of her every need. Still, the one who stood out most was the maid with the disfigured face.


    The woman worked diligently, never saying much and always keeping her head down. She hovered silently around Felicia. Her presence felt but unobtrusive.


    Before long, the scarred maid


    entered the suite with a steaming te of pasta. The aroma wafted through the room, prompting Felicia to lift her gaze from herptop, where yet another game of cards was open.


    The pasta looked springy and topped with a perfectly cooked prawn and a sprinkle of parsley.


    Felicia sat down at the table and started eating, savoring the meal.


    The maid quietly stepped out.


    When Felicia finished, the same woman reappeared to clear the table.

 Chapter 326

    The disfigured maid left the suite silently with her head bowed as if she was trying to vanish into the shadows. She avoided eye contact, unwilling to let anyone see the ruined features of her face. What woman wouldn''t care about her appearance?


    Felicia could have made a scar-removal ointment to restore the maid''s face. But the process would require rare ingredients and time-two things Felicia didn''t have to spare.


    Her only goal was to get out of the Glovers'' ce as fast as she could. Helping strangers wasn''t exactly her thing.


    After finishing her meal, Felicia sprawled on her plush bed, her mind turning to tomorrow''s confrontation.


    Once she administered the final treatment, Maurice''s body would be free of the toxins. From that moment on, he''d walk like any other man and be free from his wheelchair.novelbin


    But she knew all too well that Maurice wasn''t the type to show gratitude. The moment his legs were healed, he''d dispose of her without hesitation and wouldn''t let her walk out of Ablil alive.


    So, the real question was, did she truly want to help this madman stand?


    Felicia hugged the nket. She rolledzily onto her side, trying to find afortable position for a nap. Her mind reyed tomorrow''s potential scenarios, but she remained blissfully unaware of the simmering hatred just outside her suite door.


    The disfigured maid slowly lifted her head in the corridor, her scarred face contorting with a venomous re. Her eyes burned with malice.


    It had taken days of careful observation and eavesdropping, but Abbie finally pieced it all together. She now understood why Felicia had been spared his notorious cruelty, unlike anyone else brought into Maurice''s grasp. Her medical skills gave her the leverage. Abbie''s lips twisted into a bitter smirk. But so what? She knew Maurice''s patterns. Once the treatment was done, Felicia''s fate was sealed. Maurice would never let her walk away alive.


    Abbie would be there to witness it. She''d watch every moment.


    The next day, Felicia prepared for the final acupuncture session in the hot spring. Maurice sat in his wheelchair, his loyal men watching intently. Excitement buzzed in the air.


    ...


    This was it. After today, Maurice would finally walk again, free from his wheelchair forever.


    As Felicia began her work, she broke the silence with a question, "Are you feeling nervous, Mr. Glovers?"


    "Not at all," Maurice replied coolly. He nced at her, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "If anyone should be nervous, it''s you."


    The implication hung heavy in the air. If she seeded, she might earn her freedom. If she failed... Well, the consequences were obvious.


    Felicia didn''t respond. She smiled faintly and focused on her task.


    One by one, the silver needles glinted as they flew from her hands,nding precisely in the critical points of Maurice''s body.


    Nearby, the white-haired medical practitioner, Caesar, watched with rapt attention. Though he had been assigned to monitor her for any foul y, he couldn''t hide his awe


    Felicia''s technique was seamless, fluid, and mesmerizing. Her movements were almost


    otherworldly. Even someone of his experience couldn''t fully grasp how she worked her magic.


    Soon, Felicia removed the final needle. She said in a calm and steady tone, "It''s done."


    Maurice gripped the armrests of his wheelchair tightly, his knuckles whitening. "So, I can stand and walk?"


    "Why don''t you give it a try?" Felicia replied, her voice deliberately nomittal.


    Maurice drew a deep breath and slowly pushed himself up.


    He stood just as he had yesterday. But today, he went farther. He tentatively lifted one leg to test his bnce before stepping forward. His footnded firmly on the ground.


    en


    The treatment was a sess.


    IMS


    Though his movements were still shaky, his legs were functional again. With time and practice, he would walk, run, and jump like anyone else.


    It had been a long, grueling journey, but atst, the moment he had waited years for had arrived.


    Maurice''s lips curled into a slow, satisfied smile. He turned to Felicia, his eyes gleaming with triumph, fulfillment, and anticipation.


    Then, just as Felicia had predicted, the smile disappeared.


    And the monster revealed itself.

 Chapter 327

    If Maurice still had a veneer of politeness a moment ago, it was gone now.


    The mask came off, and his true nature wasid bare. The air around him turned heavy with danger as he locked eyes with Felicia, like a predator zeroing in on its prey.


    Felicia, however, didn''t flinch. She remained calm and even yed dumb. "Well, the job''s done. I''ll just be heading home now."


    But two men stepped forward, blocking her path.


    She raised an eyebrow, feigning confusion. "What''s this supposed to mean?"


    Maurice took a step closer, his smile seemingly polite butced with a sharp edge. "Ms. Fuller, you''re a valued guest of the Glovers family. I haven''t had the chance to properly host you. Stay a few more days, won''t you?" Felicia tilted her head, her tone casual yetced with subtle defiance. "And if I insist on leaving?"novelbin


    "Then, you''d be showing poor manners."


    Maurice''s smile grew wider, his voice deceptively gentle but brimming with menace.


    Felicia let out a soft noise of acknowledgment, neither angry nor distressed by his tant duplicity. Her unexpected calmness took Maurice by surprise.


    Still, he dismissed her reaction. What did it matter? To him, she was nothing more than prey-a trapped bird pping futilely in a gilded cage.


    For the first time in years, Maurice was enjoying true freedom. Walking, unencumbered by his wheelchair, felt euphoric. He marveled at his ability to stand and move without help.


    His men were also ted, their faces lighting up with joy. Their boss was no longer tied to that chair, which meant that the Glovers family''s power would only grow stronger.


    The air around the hot spring buzzed with celebration.


    No one paid attention to Felicia, the "valuable guest" who had outlived her usefulness and was about to be discarded like a worn-out tool.


    Even Kelsey arrived, beaming with joy. Seeing her grandson stand, she sped her prayer beads and muttered endless blessings.


    "Praise be, praise be! What a miracle! My grandson can walk again!"


    But just as the celebration hit its high point, Maurice''s smile suddenly froze. His legs were locked in ce.


    The celebratory chatter died instantly as he toppled backward like a felled tree.


    "Mr. Glovers!" his men called out.


    Chaos erupted. His men sprang into action. One threw himself onto the ground as a cushion. Another rushed to stabilize him before he hit the floor, while others frantically wheeled his chair over.


    Maurice, who had just been standing tall, was back in his wheelchair within minutes.


    Panic spread among his men as Maurice, his jaw tight with fury, tried to move his legs. But no matter how hard he concentrated, his legs wouldn''t budge. His expression darkened as a storm brewed behind his eyes. He turned his sharp gaze on Felicia, his tone icy.


    "What did you do?"


    Felicia gave him a sweet, almost innocent smile. "Hmm... Maybe you celebrated too early?" Her nonchnt tone and smug expression hit like a p. Maurice''s knuckles whitened as his anger bubbled over. His voice boomed across the spring. "Caesar, get over here!"


    Caesar shuffled forward nervously.


    Under Maurice''s murderous re, Caesar examined his pulse with trembling hands. By the end of it, he was visibly shaken. His eyes flicked toward Maurice with unmistakable fear.


    Holding back his simmering rage, Maurice asked coldly, "What''s the verdict?"


    What else could it possibly be?


    A man who could barely stand managed to stay upright for just five minutes before copsing back into his wheelchair. Everything had returned to square one.


    With trembling hands and a cautious


    tone, Caesar carefully chose his words. "Mr. Glovers, please don''t be upset, but I must speak honestly The toxins in your body were nearly gone. But after checking your pulse this time, I''ve discovered that half of them have returned."


    "So, you''re saying I can''t walk again?" Maurice questioned.

 Chapter 328

    Maurice let out a cold, humorlessugh, his eyes narrowing into dangerous slits.


    Caesar stood frozen, not daring to utter a single word. He feared that any sound might draw Maurice''s ire and make him the scapegoat for Maurice''s growing rage.


    If Maurice had never experienced the joy of standing again, perhaps this wouldn''t have stung as much. But to taste that fleeting freedom-only to have it ripped away-was cruelty almost worse than death.


    Especially for man like Maurice, whose obsession with curing his legs had consumed him for years. Now, all hope was gone. His fury surged like a wildfire.


    "Felicia!" He spat her name through gritted teeth, every syble dripping with venom. The murderous intent in his voice was palpable.


    "Do you think you can make a fool of me? You''re courting death!"


    At hismand, a group of men lunged toward Felicia, ready to subdue her like a dangerous criminal.


    But before they couldy a hand on her, Felicia moved. She executed a wless over-the-shoulder throw in a blur of motion, sending them crashing to the ground.


    Painful groans filled the air as they scrambled to recover, their pride and bodies equally bruised.


    Felicia stood tall, dusting off her hands with an air of nonchnce. She smirked. "Mr. Glovers, you yed me first. Do you want to talk about fairness? I''m just returning the favor."


    For a moment, Maurice was stunned. In his eyes, Felicia had always been nothing more than a slightly cocky, overly confident young woman with some medical skills. She was a useful pawn at best. But now, he realized he had underestimated her. She wasn''t as innocent as she looked.


    Still, it didn''t matter. No matter how clever or skilled she was, she was trapped in his den, surrounded by his men.


    Maurice''s lip curled in a sneer. "Take her down!"


    The men hesitated briefly but quickly moved in, determined to follow orders.


    Felicia fought valiantly, taking down a few more men with quick, precise strikes. But she was outnumbered, and after a few rounds, they finally pinned her down, holding her arms in an iron grip.


    Maurice wheeled himself closer, his expression a chilling blend of fury and satisfaction. Grabbing her chin roughly, he forced her to look up at him.


    "You''ve got onest chance," he hissed. "Fix my legs, or I''ll make you regret ever being born."


    Felicia didn''t flinch. Instead, she met his gaze with a defiant smile.


    She said lightly, "You know, if you had asked nicely, maybe I would''ve let this slide. But I don''t take kindly to threats."


    Maurice''s patience snapped.


    "So, you''re choosing the hard way, it seems." His voice was deadly calm, but his eyes betrayed his intent to kill. He raised his hand and snapped his fingers.


    "Throw her into the crocodile pool. Let''s see if a little ''swim'' changes her attitude."


    When the crocodile pool was mentioned, the men stiffened but quickly obeyed. They grabbed Felicia by her shoulders and began dragging her toward the exit.


    From her spot nearby, Kelsey, who had been quietly observing the scene, finally spoke.


    "Be careful with her hands," she said, her voice calm and maternal. "We still need them intact."novelbin


    The men nodded, understanding the unspoken implication. No matter how much Felicia suffered, her hands had to be preserved for now.


    In the background, one person


    couldn''t contain her glee. Abbie, her scarred face hidden behind a curtain of hair, watched the scene unfold with a twisted smile. She had been waiting for Felicia to get what she deserved.


    Thrown into a pool of crocodiles? Even if Felicia survived, she''d still be unrecognizable with her pride and beauty stripped away.


    The poetic justice made Abbie''s heart race with exhration.


    As Felicia was dragged toward her doom, she attempted a small struggle, which earned a sharp p across her face from one of the guards. "Behave yourself!"


    The p was loud and resounding


    leaving a red mark on her cheek. But oddly, the sound seemed to echo in Maurice''s ears as if it hadnded on him instead.

 Chapter 329

    When the p mark appeared on Felicia''s face, an identical one inexplicably appeared on Maurice''s cheek.novelbin


    Everyone


    froze.


    "What just happened?"


    "What the hell..."


    Even the men stared, dumbfounded.


    Felicia, however, burst intoughter. Loud, unrestrainedughter echoed through the courtyard, defying her dire predicament.


    Her uninhibitedughter was so jarring it made the men furious. One of them grabbed her hair and kicked her hard.


    "What''s so funny? Shut up!"


    But as Felicia was kicked and her body lurched to the side, Maurice, sittingfortably in his wheelchair, suddenly felt the same force. His body jerked violently, almost toppling him to the ground. One of his men scrambled to steady the wheelchair, panic written all over his face. "What''s wrong, Mr. Glovers? Are you okay?"


    Maurice''s expression turned stormy, his dark gaze clouding with suspicion.


    The p could have been a strange coincidence. But the kick was definitely not just his imagination.


    Felicia must have done something to him.


    Maurice rolled his wheelchair forward, stopping directly before Felicia. Grabbing her jaw with a force that was both menacing and unrelenting, his sharp gaze bore into her like a de.


    "What did you do to me?" he demanded, his voice cold and threatening.


    His grip tightened, his fingers pressing hard enough to break her bone. But as he exerted more pressure, a dull pain began to radiate from his own jaw, forcing him to falter slightly.


    He red at Felicia, who was now back on her feet but restrained by his men. Her face bore the red imprint of a p, and her hair was disheveled. Yet her eyes sparkled mischievously, making her look bright and fearless. Felicia smirked, her eyes gleaming with confidence. "Let me clue you in on something I''ve perfected over the years. It''s a twin venomous creature anything you do to me, you''ll feel back double.


    "Surprised, Mr. Glovers?" she added with mock innocence, her smile widening. "Bet you didn''t see thating."


    When Felicia got pped earlier, her cheek turned red, but Maurice''s face ended up slightly swollen. It was worse than hers.


    Felicia took a kick and only stumbled, but Maurice nearly fell out of his wheelchair.


    The pain was doubled.


    Hearing this, Maurice''s eyes


    narrowed as he stared at Felicia for a long moment. Then, to everyone''s surprise, heughed. It was a few, chilling sound that echoed louder than Felicia''s earlierugh.


    "Well done, Felicia. I underestimated you," he said, pping slowly. His gaze deepened, taking on a dangerous intensity that made it impossible to tell what he was thinking. Felicia frowned, unease crawling over her.


    Maurice was a twisted lunatic. He didn''t y by any rules. The look in his eyes... Could he possibly be thinking...


    Before the thought could fully form, Maurice snapped his fingers. His voice wasced with a strange excitement as hemanded, "Throw her in!"


    Her heart sank. "Throw me where?" she thought.


    The answer came too quickly-the crocodile pool.


    Without hesitation, his men-well-trained to obey without question-grabbed Felicia and dragged her toward the pool.


    Nearby, the white-haired medical


    practitioner, Caesar, rushed forward to examine Maurice''s pulse. His voice was trembling. "There''s no sign of any venomous creature in your system..."


    As he spoke, Caesar opened Felicia''s discarded medical kit and pulled out a set of silver needles. Taking one, he carefully pricked Maurice''s arm.


    The moment blood beaded at the


    surface, everyone saw it-a small, slithering creature beneath his skin. It was drawn to the drop of blood, gulping it down before vanishing back into the depths of his body.


    Gasps erupted around the room.


    "What on earth is that?"


    "Oh my God!"


    Kelsey, watching in stunned silence, staggered backward in shock, nearly fainting. A maid quickly caught her and steadied her.

 Chapter 330

    As the chaos subsided, Caesar''s grim, steady voice cut through themotion, "This is indeed a venomous creature. It''s a twin venomous creature!" Caesar''s voice carried through the tense air.


    "With these venomous creatures, one host feels pain, but the other feels it doubled. And if one host dies, the other doesn''t just die-they die in excruciating agony!" The room erupted in chaos.


    Kelsey''s voice cracked with urgency. "Is there a way to fix this? Caesar, think of something! Get that damned thing out of him!"


    Caesar hesitated, beads of sweat glistening on his forehead. "There''s a method to remove it... If we extract the primary venomous creature, the bond will break, and Mr. Glovers will be fine. But..." "But what?" Kelsey demanded, her voice sharp with desperation.


    "But these venomous creatures have been altered. If we forcefully remove them, it''ll kill him instantly."


    The air turned icy.


    Kelsey staggered, her face pale as the realization hit her. "Is there nothing we can do?"


    She gasped, clutching her chest as the weight of the situation overwhelmed her. "I''ve already lost my son... If I lose my grandson too... the Glovers family will be finished!"


    Her breaths grew shallow, and before anyone could stop her, she copsed. The maids scrambled to catch her.


    Maurice waved a hand, his expression unreadable. "Take her back to her room. Caesar, go with her and make sure she''s fine."


    Caesar nodded quickly, more than happy to escape the tense scene.


    As the chaos settled, one of Glovers'' loyal men pped his thigh as if struck by a sudden thought.


    "Mr. Glovers, if this venomous creature is as dangerous as they say, we can''t throw Felicia into the crocodile pool! If anything happens to her, it''lle back on you-worse!" The logic was undeniable. If Felicia suffered, Maurice''s pain would double. If she died...


    The men didn''t even want to think about what would happen.


    But Maurice was unmoved. His lips curled into a chilling smile. "Let''s see for ourselves."


    His tone held no concern-just cold amusement. Maybe he doubted the venomous creature''s power, or maybe his curiosity about Felicia outweighed everything else. He was


    taking a gamble.


    He signaled for his guards to push his wheelchair toward the crocodile pool, his dark gaze sharp with anticipation.novelbin


    Before leaving, he pointed to a seemingly unremarkable maid lingering in the corner. His smile deepened. "You wanted to see her being punished, didn''t you? Come forth."


    The maid froze. It was Abbie. Her heart raced, not with fear but with a mix of satisfaction and twisted excitement.


    Not long ago, she''d been the one thrown into that pool. She barely escaped with her life-and at the cost of her face. Now, Felicia was about to face the same fate. No, worse. Abbie didn''t hesitate to follow. She wanted to see it happen.


    The pool wasn''t far. It was hidden behind the sprawling estate.


    By the time Maurice and his entourage arrived, Felicia had already been thrown in.


    Her body hit the water with a ssh, the noise echoing through the humid air. Felicia surfaced, gasping for breath. The murky water soaked her from head to toe.


    She quickly scanned the scene, her


    Vel


    sharp eyes catching sight of the crocodiles sunning themselves along the edges of the pit. They were huge saltwater crocodiles, fast and deadly, with jaws strong enough to crush bone.


    As the water rippled ominously, Felicia knew there were more hidden beneath the surface, their movements barely perceptible in the muddy depths. Her scalp prickled with fear.


    "Maurice, you lunatic," she thought.


    He wasn''t bluffing. He had really


    thrown her in, knowing full well what


    could happen to himself. She


    realized with a sinking feeling that he wasn''t just ruthless. He was betting everything, even his own life, for this twisted spectacle.


    It wasn''t just about punishing her. It was a power y.


    Felicia clenched her fists, her heart pounding. She had underestimated just how unhinged Maurice really was.

 Chapter 331

    Felicia was seething inside, barely holding back a string of curses.


    But it wasn''t like she could voice them, especially with Maurice watching from behind the protective barrier. His smug, mocking grin made her blood boil.


    "Lunatic. Absolute psycho!" Felicia cursed inwardly.


    Still, anger wasn''t going to get her out of this mess.novelbin


    The moment she hit the water, the crocodiles on the banks began moving, slipping silently into the murky depths. Those already in the water surged toward her with terrifying speed, their presence rippling beneath the surface. All she could do now was try to escape.


    Feliciaunched herself toward the nearest shore, her legs pumping furiously as she sshed through the water.


    The crocodile enclosure was massive, a controlled habitat surrounded by high fences and iron bars. It kept the reptiles contained, but it also trapped anyone unlucky enough to be thrown in. The only way out was through the locked gate, which was impossible without help. She had no choice but to aim for the nearest patch of drynd, where severalrge trees offered a slim chance of survival.


    A deafening ssh sounded behind her as she scrambled onto the muddy bank. One of the crocodiles erupted from the water, jaws snapping open to reveal razor-sharp teeth. It lunged straight for her. Behind the fence, Maurice''s brow twitched.


    His men exchanged nervous nces, their hands clenching into fists. They weren''t worried about Felicia-they were worried about her taking their boss down with her if the venomous creatures kicked in.


    Off to the side, Abbie''s lips curled into a vicious smirk. She gripped the hem of her uniform tightly, silently praying for the crocodiles to finish Felicia off.


    On the bank, Felicia could feel the predator''s rancid breath on the back of her neck.


    She didn''t turn around as there was no time. Instead, she pivoted sharply, rolling to the side just as the crocodile snapped its jaws shut where she''d been standing.


    The loud crack of its teeth mping together could make anyone''s blood run cold.


    But there was no time to celebrate. Two more crocodiles surged out of the water, then a third.


    Onnd, they moved slower, their heavy bodies dragging across the ground-but they were relentless, their unblinking green eyes locked onto her.


    Felicia darted toward the nearest tree, but the crocodiles were closing in from all sides.


    Her heart sank as she was trapped.


    Behind the barrier, Maurice sighed, already bored. "Well, that''s that," he muttered, raising a hand to signal his guards.


    He wasn''t about to let her die-not when it would kill him too.


    But before he could give the order, one of his men let out a startled yell.


    "What the-look!"


    Maurice turned back just in time to see Felicia leap into the air.


    In a desperate burst of energy, she grabbed hold of a tree branch, scrambling up as if her life


    depended on it. She had perched herself on a thick, sturdy branch in mere seconds, clinging to it for dear life.


    Below her, the crocodiles were in chaos. Their jaws snapped at the empty air where she''d been just moments ago, and their frustration boiled over. The closest one lunged too far, identally biting another''s leg.


    That was all it took.


    The next moment, the enclosure descended into a brutal, bloody


    frenzy. The crocodiles turned l


    each other, hissing, snapping and tearing with primal ferocity.


    The scene was a blur of sshing water and flying dirt, the air thick with the sound of death rolls and guttural roars.


    The survivors grew even more frenzied, their territorial instincts driving them to fight to the death.


    Meanwhile, up in the tree, Felicia clung to her branch like a ko, watching the chaos unfold below. She was safe at least for now.

 Chapter 332

    Maurice froze for a moment. Wait... She actually pulled that off? Not only did Felicia survive, but she even had the audacity to flip him the bird.


    And just like that, Maurice burst intoughter.


    It wasn''t a chuckle, either-it was a full-throated, chest-shakingugh that echoed across the enclosure.


    Everyone else was alsopletely baffled.


    But there was no denying it-Felicia had just defied every single expectation.


    What everyone thought would be her gruesome end turned into an incredible show of survival. Step by step, she lured the crocodiles into attacking each other. She narrowly avoided their jaws and came out of itpletely unscathed. Some of the men breathed a sigh of relief. After all, her death would''ve spelled trouble for Maurice.


    Not everyone was happy, though. Standing in the shadows, Abbie''s face twisted in frustration.


    It was bad enough that she was disfigured by the crocodiles. Now, watching Felicia not only survive but win? It was unbearable. Why should Felicia get to escape when she couldn''t? Jealousy churned in her chest. And then an idea hit her-Maurice''s other "pet". The bear that lived just beyond this enclosure.


    The thought made Abbie''s lips twitch into a smile, but she didn''t dare suggest it outright. Maurice was too unpredictable. One wrong move, and she''d end up back in that crocodile pool.


    But then, as if reading her mind, Maurice casually said, "Open the gate to the next enclosure. Let the bear out."


    Abbie''s heart skipped. Was this guy telepathic?


    The men moved quickly, unlocking the partition between the crocodile pool and the small forest where the grizzly bear resided. They created amotion to draw the animal out. Up in her tree, Felicia''s stomach sank.


    The crocodiles had mostly retreated


    into the water after their bloody fight, leaving behind only the stench of death and blood. Felicia had thought she''d earned a breather.


    en


    Then, she heard it.


    The ground shook slightly as a deep growl rumbled through the air. Momentster, a massive grizzly bear-easily over seven feet tall on all fours-appeared at the edge of her vision.


    Her gaze darted to Maurice, who tilted his head with a mocking grin that practically screamed, "Show me what you''ve got."


    Felicia clenched her jaw and turned her attention back to the bear.


    At first, the bear didn''t notice her.novelbin


    Perched high in the tree, p


    concealed by leaves, the bear


    seemed more interested in sniffing


    the source of the noise.


    It wandered a bit, clearly unsettled but not aggressive.


    Then Maurice, the lunatic he was, ordered someone to toss in a string of firecrackers.


    The bear froze, ears twitching. The sudden noise startled it into a frenzy. It bolted, crashing into Felicia''s tree in its panic.


    The impact shook the tree violently.


    Felicia clung to the trunk with all her strength, her heart hammering as she nearly lost her grip. Somehow, she managed to stay on, but just barely. Unfortunately, the bear lifted its eyes and locked onto her.


    Time seemed to freeze for a moment as man and beast stared each other down.


    The bear''s roar shattered the tension, and it reared back on its hind legs before mming into the tree with all its weight.


    Felicia was livid, barely able to contain her rage.

 Chapter 333

    The firecrackers had done their job, sending the grizzly bear into a frenzy. Feeling threatened and on edge, it locked its sights on Felicia even though she was perched up in a tree. It didn''t matter to the bear-she was a target. The bear rammed into the tree with all its weight, shaking it violently. Felicia''s grip faltered, her body jarred so hard that her chin hit the tree trunk several times.


    If this went on, the tree wouldn''t hold.novelbin


    Felicia''s arms and legs were starting to go numb. But just as desperation peaked, a surge of rage red up in her chest.


    "Seriously? Is this how they wanna y?" Felisha muttered under her breath.


    She shot a venomous re at Maurice, locking eyes with him through the barrier. Her expression was anything but subtle. A wicked grin slowly spread across her face, a promise of trouble. Maurice arched a brow, curious but unconcerned.


    Then, it hit him.


    A searing pain shot through his arm.


    "What the "


    Maurice''s left arm went limp, dangling uselessly at his side. His tailored suit, once perfectly fitted, now sagged awkwardly at the shoulder.


    He stared at Felicia in disbelief.


    "Did she just-"


    Oh, she did. Felicia had dislocated her own arm.


    And thanks to the double-bond effect of the twin venomous creatures, Maurice''s pain and injury were magnified.


    Still grinning, Felicia casually popped her arm back into ce with a sickening crack. The motion was almost dismissive like she had just straightened out a bent paperclip.


    Maurice''s expression darkened as he realized her n.


    Before he could respond, she twisted her body slightly and dislocated her other arm.


    The popping sound was sharp and intentional, and Maurice immediately felt the corresponding pain tear through his other shoulder. Both his arms hung limp now, useless and screaming with agony. Felicia, unfazed, worked quickly to set her arm back into ce. Sure, it hurt, but the satisfaction of watching Maurice grimace in double the pain? It was totally worth it.


    With her medical skills, it was almost too easy for her.


    "Mr. Glovers!" One of the men by Maurice''s side immediately noticed something was wrong.


    Both of his arms were hanging limply by his sides! It looked like they were broken.


    Maurice took a deep breath, his expression unreadable as he pushed through the searing pain radiating from his arms. He gave her a look that could kill.


    Now, he understood. The twin


    venomous creatures weren''t just a game¡ªthey were a weapon, one that connected their fates inextricably. If one died, the other would face endless torment before meeting the same fate.


    The bear continued ramming into the tree, readying itself to attack Felicia. Maurice closed his eyes briefly, suppressing the simmering rage within him. Finally, he gave the order, "Bring her back!"


    "Yes, Mr. Glovers." His men didn''t hesitate and sprung into action immediately. A few tranquilizer dartster, the raging bear copsed.


    The gate to the enclosure swung open, and Felicia sauntered out,pletely unscathed. Her expression was calm andposed.


    Meanwhile, Caesar hurried over to


    Maurice to assess his injuries. After a careful diagnosis, he concluded that Maurice''s arms had suffered fractures and would need time to heal As long as he avoided further injury, there shouldn''t be anysting effects.


    But Maurice, who usually exuded control andposure, now looked downright disheveled. His men wisely kept their heads down, saying nothing. Felicia, however, had no such restraint. She let out a softugh and, without holding back, taunted him, "Serves you right. Bravo, really."


    "You-"

 Chapter 334

    Maurice''s men shot Felicia a look that could kill her, their fists twitching as if itching to strike. But then came the realization. If they hurt her, whatever pain she felt would rebound back onto their boss with double the intensity. The risk wasn''t worth it. They froze.


    Meanwhile, Felicia dusted herself off, her clothes still soaked and dirtied from the fiasco with the crocodiles and the bear. She looked like she''d been dragged through a jungle, but somehow, her confidence radiated stronger than ever. Her gaze flicked to Maurice, his useless arms limp at his sides. She let out a soft, mocking sigh.


    "Hey, Mr. Glovers, quick question," she began, her tone light butced with mischief. "How do you n on cleaning up after using the bathroom?"


    Maurice''s temple twitched.


    Felicia blinked innocently, then added, "Maybe try using your feet? Oh wait those don''t work either, huh?"


    That was it.


    Her smirk,bined with the over-the-top innocence in her tone, was the perfect recipe for disaster.


    Maurice''s expression darkened, his patience snapping like a dry twig. His anger boiled beneath the surface, but his voice was eerily calm.


    He asked through gritted teeth, "When did you do it?"


    He wasn''t asking if she had done something. He was asking when.


    Ever since Felicia had been dragged onto his private ne, she''d been under his constant surveince. Her room was monitored as well. Caesar had observed every treatment session. Even her tools and materials were meticulously checked for tampering. There had been no opportunity for her to pull off something like this-or so he thought.


    "Oh, from the very start," Felicia said breezily as if she were talking about the weather. "Right after I boarded your fancy little ne andid eyes on you. That''s when I got the twin venomous creature into your system."


    When Felicia was forced onto the private ne, she noticed the emblem of the Glovers family and immediately pieced together the identity of her captors. From that moment, she knew escaping wouldn''t be easy.


    At the time, Maurice couldn''t have


    looked down on her more. He thought so little of her that he hadn''t even bothered to have her searched. Why would he? To him, she was just a harmless young woman, incapable of causing him any trouble. novelbin


    Even if she had been handed a knife, he was certain she couldn''ty a scratch on him.


    But what Maurice hadn''t counted on was just how wrong he was. The bimbo in his eyes had been carrying a pair of twin venomous creatures all along.


    When Felicia revealed this, Maurice


    stared at her like he was seeing her


    elet


    for the first time. His usually calm and calcting gaze now carried a flicker of genuine


    astonishment-something not often seen in the feared head of the Glovers family.


    Who would''ve thought the person he had dismissed as insignificant would turn out to be his greatest undoing?


    "I really underestimated you," he muttered, his voice carrying an edge of grudging admiration.


    Felicia didn''t gloat. She didn''t need to. Her calm demeanor spoke volumes.


    She said, her voice steady, "All I want is to go home." Her gaze locked with his, unflinching.


    The implication was clear-there was no bad blood between them. It was Maurice who started all of this by kidnapping her and,ter, by breaking his promise to let her go. That was what had led to the mess they were in now.


    "I took your payment, so, of course, I


    won''t ruin my own reputation. Plus, I''m someone who always keeps


    their word, We don''t have to draget


    this out. If you let me go and promise to leave me alone, I''ll keep my end of the bargain. I''ll fix your


    l¨¦gs, and we can both your


    away


    from this."


    Maurice tilted his head, his expression unreadable. "So, what you''re saying is, you''ve tied my life to yours, but now, I''m supposed to just let you walk out of here while I babysit you for the rest of my life?" Felicia''s lips curled into a small smile.


    "Well, it sounds a bit dramatic when you put it like that. But, yes, essentially. If I''m safe, you''re safe. It''s a win-win."


    She delivered the line so matter-of-factly that it almost sounded logical.


    Maurice raised his brow again.

 Chapter 335

    To Felicia, Maurice was the definition of a loose cannon-a rabid dog you couldn''t leash. So, there was no way she was removing the twin venomous creature.


    Without that connection, Maurice would have no reason to hold back. He''d take her life the second it suited him. But with the venomous creatures binding their fates together? He''d be forced to protect her if only to save his own skin. Felicia knew she couldn''t trust himpletely. Still, she had to throw him a bone-like treating his legs. It was her way of showing she wasn''t trying to burn every bridge.


    Their eyes locked in a long, tense standoff. Finally, Maurice broke the silence, his tone dripping with something she couldn''t quite ce. "Fine. I agree. Just don''t regret itter." Maurice didn''t borate, and Felicia didn''t press him. With that, they reached an uneasy truce.


    Once she was certain Maurice wasn''t about to double-cross her again, Felicia got to work. She pulled out her needles and removed the lingering toxins that had been crippling him. When Maurice stood up this time, it was different. There was no faltering and no copsing back into his wheelchair. His legs were finally healed.


    Maurice moved experimentally, taking a few steady steps. Then, he turned back to her with a satisfied smirk.


    "When do you n on heading back to Khogend?"


    "Now," Felicia replied without hesitation.


    The sooner, the better. Staying any longer only increased the risk of Maurice changing his mind-or, worse, pulling another stunt. Maurice nodded at one of his men, who immediately made a call. Within minutes, his private ne was prepped and ready to go. Maurice also assigned four of his most trusted men to apany Felicia.


    "These four will stick with you. Their job is to protect you. Don''t donovelbin


    anything stupid that''ll get both


    of us


    killed" he said, his tone sharpwith mockery.


    Felicia didn''t take the bait. "No worries, Mr. Glovers. I value my life too much for that."


    The truth was, this whole situation was a double-edged sword. Using the twin venomous creature to control Maurice had worked, but it also painted a massive target on her back.


    If word got out, anyone looking to


    take down Maurice would realize et


    they only needed to kill her. It''d be


    easier, cleaner, and just as effective.


    She sighed internally, reminding herself that she''d have to tread carefully. "Keep this between us," she warned.


    Maurice wasn''t stupid. He knew the stakes. Still, he couldn''t resist a parting jab.


    "If you''re so scared, why not just remove the venomous creature?"


    Felicia shot him a t look. "Because the second I do, you''ll probably have me killed. Don''t even try to deny it."


    Her voice was calm, but her words were pointed.


    Maurice chuckled, neither confirming nor denying it.


    Without waiting for another word, Felicia turned and boarded the ne. The cabin doors closed, and the ne began its ascent.


    As the ne sliced through the clouds, Felicia leaned back in her seat and let out a long, relieved breath.


    She was finally out.

 Chapter 336

    As Felicia''s ne disappeared into the horizon, Abbie stood frozen with her fists clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. Her disfigured face twisted with rage, making her look even more terrifying. She was stunned at how Maurice let Felicia leave just like that.


    Grinding her teeth so hard they squeaked, Abbie couldn''t hold back anymore. She stormed after Maurice, desperate and furious.


    "Mr. Glovers!" she called, her voice trembling with anger. "She put that venomous creature in you! She did something so serious. Are you really just going to let it go?"


    Maurice paused before turning to face her, his expression eerily calm and lips curled in a faint, almost disarming smile.


    "What do you think I should do about it?" he asked, his tone mild, almost yful.


    For a moment, his calmness threw Abbie off, but the bitterness in her chest wouldn''t let her stop. Fueled by frustration, she blurted out, "Bring her back! Force her to remove the venomous creature and then kill her!" Maurice''s smile widened slightly as if he found her suggestion amusing. "Well, you certainly sound like you''re looking out for me."


    "Of course, I am!" Abbie forced a smile, trying to suppress the trembling in her voice. "I''ve always been loyal to you, Mr. Glovers. Everything I do is for you."


    Her attempt at charm might''ve worked if those deep scars hadn''t marred her face. What could''ve been alluring instead bordered on grotesque, her disfigured features robbing her of the allure she once relied on. Maurice tilted his head, appearing to consider her words.


    His expression shifted just as she opened her mouth to add more. His smile widened-too wide. His brown eyes gleamed with an unsettling glint and dark humor.


    "Mr. Glovers..." Abbie''s stomach twisted, her instincts screaming. That smile-it was the same one he had worn when he threw her into the crocodile pool.


    "Get rid of her," Maurice saidzily as thoughmenting on the weather. "The Glovers family doesn''t need ugly maids."


    The order hit like a thunderp. Two men immediately stepped forward to grab her.


    Abbie''s legs buckled, her mind racing. If she was thrown out like


    this, looking the way she did


    have nothing left-no career, no future. Her ruined face would sshed across headlines, a cruel reminder of what she once was.


    "No! Mr. Glovers, please!" Abbie dropped to her knees, clutching at Maurice''s pant leg.novelbin


    She couldn''t afford to leave-not when this was herst lifeline. Despite her resentment toward him, she still clung to the faint hope that he might help her regain her beauty and her old life. "Don''t send me away! I''ll do anything I''ll obey you, I swear!"


    Maurice gazed down at her, his smile unchanging. For all his charm, there was no mistaking the sadistic satisfaction he got from watching people grovel.


    "You like guessing what people are


    thinking, don''t you?" he said, tilting his head. "I give you a chance. Guess what I''m thinking right now if you get it right, I''ll grant you your wish. I find the best doctors to fix your face. I''ll put you back in the spotlight with all the resources you need. Fame, fortune-it''ll all be yours."


    Her heart pounded.


    This was it her chance to get everything back. But she had to y her cards right.


    Maurice''s thoughts... What could he possibly be thinking?


    Recalling his every move that day, Abbie''s mind raced. He was ruthless and vindictive. Felicia humiliated him and crippled his arms. There was no way he''d let her off the hook. Maurice wasn''t the forgiving type. She inhaled sharply, steeling herself for the gamble of her life.


    She said, her voice firm despite her


    trembling hands, "I think you''re already looking for a master healer-someone who can remove


    the venomous creature. Once it fo


    gone and you''re free of her, you''ll do


    to her exactly what she did to you."

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 337

    The atmosphere grew tense, the air thick with silence.


    hen, Maurice broke intoughter. The sharp glint in his brown eyes betrayed a flicker of


    musement.


    for a moment, Abbie felt relief wash over her¨Chad she guessed correctly? novelbin


    ut before she could fully exhale, Maurice¡¯sughter ceased abruptly, reced by a slow, eliberate response. ¡°You guessed wrong.¡±


    His words were as calm as they were decisive.


    wo men stepped forward, each grabbing one of Abbie¡¯s arms. Dragged toward the estate


    ates,


    her face paled in disbelief. Was she wrong? Was Maurice really not nning revenge on elicia? That didn¡¯t make sense!


    Mr. Glovers!¡± she shouted desperately, struggling against their grip. ¡°Are you seriously oing to let Felicia go after what she did to you?¡±


    er words hung in the air unanswered.


    The heavy gates creaked open, and without another word, the men tossed her onto the dirt oad outside.


    Not far away, behind the cover of some trees, a car sat idling. Inside, two paparazzi, who had een camping out for days in hopes of catching a juicy story involving the infamous Glovers amily, perked up at the sudden movement.


    one of them eximed, ¡°Finally! Something¡¯s happening!¡±


    Wait, is that just a maid?¡± the other asked, puzzled.


    Who cares? Maybe she knows something. Let¡¯s talk to her and see if we can get a lead.¡±


    xcitedly, the two paparazzi approached Abbie.


    ressed in a maid¡¯s uniform, Abbie kept her head habitually low, a reflex born from the scars. hat marred her once beautiful face. Her pupils constricted in panic, especially now, when she vas nked by two paparazzi. She turned and bolted, desperate to avoid being photographed hher current state.


    Hey, miss! Why are you running?¡± one of the paparazzi called after her, his voice sharp and ncredulous.


    hat single ¡°miss¡± froze Abbie in her tracks for a split second, her footsteps faltering just nough for the two men to exchange a nce of confusion.


    The paparazzi immediately sprang into action, their instincts sharp. ¡°Hey, miss! You work for


    the Glovers family, don¡¯t you? Have you seen a certain actress here¨Ca big star, Abbie? She blew up a few months ago¡­¡°¡®


    As he prattled on, his partner grabbed his arm, cutting him off mid¨Cquestion.


    ¡°What are you doing? I wasn¡¯t done!¡± he snapped, irritated.


    But his partner¡¯s eyes remained fixed on the maid in front of them. His expression shifted from confusion to dawning realization before he muttered in disbelief, ¡°She looks like¡­ Abbie.


    ¡°What?¡± The first paparazzo froze, his jaw ck.


    Their eyes bored into Abbie, scrutinizing her scarred face as if trying to reconstruct the superstar she once was.


    Panicking, Abbie shoved them aside and bolted, running as fast as she could.


    Not long ago, she had held all the power. She <b>was </b>an actress bathed in the limelight, with every screen and poster bearing her wless image. Fans adored her, rivals envied her, and even the most influential bowed in deference.


    But now? Her ears were filled with phantom echoes ofughter and cruel jeers. The mocking tones of those who once envied her cut through her mind like a knife. Her face was destroye her beauty a thing of the past.


    Even these so¨Ccalled eagle¨Ceyed paparazzi hadn¡¯t recognized her right away.


    Abbie broke down. It only took her a moment of greed¨Ca single wrong choice¨Cand she ended up so miserably. There was no going back either.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 338

    By the hot spring, Maurice¡¯s trusted aide rubbed his nose with a mischievous grin after throwing Abbie out. ¡°Mr. Glovers, are you really just going to let her go without getting even?¡±


    Showing kindness to enemies was never part of Maurice¡¯s ybook.


    A sly smile yed on Maurice¡¯s lips, the kind that hinted at schemes brewing beneath the surface. He instinctively tried to brush off the dust on his coat, only to be reminded by the sharp ache in his shoulders that he couldn¡¯t use both his arms now.


    His smile froze<b>, </b>and his expression darkened.


    Caesar had made it clear that torn muscles and broken bones would take at least three months to heal fully. That was yet another debt Maurice mentally added to Felicia¡¯s tab.


    ¡°Does my grandmother know about this?¡± Maurice asked, his tone unusually calm.


    ¡°Yes,¡± one of his men replied. novelbin


    ¡°Alright, send people to keep an eye on Felicia. She can do whatever she wants, but until the damn venomous creature is removed, ensure Felicia¡¯s safety. No exceptions.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Glovers!¡±


    Maurice¡¯s smile deepened, carrying a hint of something ominous. His gaze driftedzily toward the distant Grandeur Hall, where his grandmother resided. With a voice as smooth as silk and just as cutting, he murmured, almost to himself, ¡°What a shame¡­ I almost feel sorry for her.¡±


    His words hung in the air as though addressed to no one in particr.


    ¡°Ms. Fuller,¡± he said softly, his eyes narrowing.


    Inside Grandeur Hall, the air was thick with the scent of essential oils.


    Kelsey had regained consciousness. After a brief check¨Cup, Caesar reassured her that aside from some mild stress, there was nothing to worry about.


    But as Caesar packed his tools, she suddenly grabbed his hand. Her frail but firm grip stopped him in his tracks.


    ¡°Caesar,¡± she said, her voice low and serious. ¡°You¡¯re an esteemed physician. Are you telling me there¡¯s no way to deal with the twin venomous creature?¡±


    Caesar hesitated, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.


    He was renowned for his medical expertise, but this situation had humbled him. A young


    woman barely out of her teens had managed feats he could only dream of¨Ccuring Maurice¡¯s legs and deploying a modified version of the twin venomous creature.


    Caesar began, his tone cautious, ¡°Mrs. Glovers Senior, even if we summon the best doctors in the country, the answer will likely remain the same. This particr venomous creature has been modified. Its toxicity is extremely aggressive. Attempting to forcibly remove it would undoubtedly lead to Mr. Glovers¡® <b>death</b>.¡±


    Kelsey¡¯s face fell, her already¨Clined features creasing further with worry. She waved him off, signaling the end of the conversation.


    Caesar nodded and turned to leave, but halfway out the door, something made him pause.


    Looking back, he saw an unsettling sight. Kelsey¡¯s lips had curled into a faint smile. It was brief but striking¨Cso at odds with her usual kind demeanor that it sent a chill down his spine.


    Had he seen it wrongly?


    Caesar froze, staring again at Kelsey. Her face was back to its usual sorrowful expression, but just a moment ago, he could have sworn he saw a sharp, calcting smile sh across her features. It was as though it had been a mirage. It was gone as quickly as it appeared.


    ¡°<b>Caesar</b><b>, </b>is there anything else?¡±


    Startled, he quicklyposed himself. ¡°No, Mrs Glovers Senior. I just wanted to reassure you -the twin venomous creature won¡¯t harm Mr. Glovers as long as the other host, Ms. Fuller, remains unharmed. As long as she¡¯s safe, there¡¯s no risk of the harm rebounding on Mr. Glovers.<b>¡± </b>


    Kelsey nodded, then abruptly asked, ¡°And if that woman dies? Maurice will die too, won¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Glovers Senior. I¡¯ll return to my texts immediately and search for a way to remove the venomous creature safely from Mr. Glovers.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave it to you, Caesar.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Caesar replied with a slight nod before leaving Grandeur Hall.


    Once Caesar was gone, a maid stepped forward to assist Kelsey. ¡°Mrs. Glovers Senior, you¡¯re still recovering. Shall I help you back to rest?¡±


    ¡°No need, I¡¯ve never felt so alive!¡± Kelsey said, her face breaking into a wide, satisfied grin. Her deeply wrinkled eyes crinkled further, and a glint of malice flickered in their cloudy depths. Her voice, hoarse and low, wasced with unrestrained glee.


    Kelsey¡¯sugh echoed in the room. Her tone darkened as she uttered wordsced with venom, ¡°I¡¯ve waited years for this day. I can finally avenge my son.¡±


    Her chilling words lingered in the air while the faint scent of essential oils swirled, adding an eerie stillness to the hall. Kelsey¡¯s frail face, illuminated by flickering candlelight, now carried <b>an </b>unmistakable hint of ruthless resolve<b>. </b>

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 339

    The maid shuddered involuntarily, a chill running down her spine as she caught the glint in Kelsey¡¯s eye.


    To outsiders, the Glovers family appeared harmonious¨Ca picture¨Cperfect legacy of wealth and power. But beneath that polished veneery a grim truth. Maurice, the current head of the Glovers family, had seized his position not by birthright but through <b>blood </b>and betrayal.


    Years ago, Maurice rose as the illegitimate son, unexpectedly dismantling the family¡¯s carefully curated hierarchy. Ruthless and <b>calcting</b>, he eliminated both his father and his half -brother. Step by step, he dismantled the legacy they built.


    He left nothing to chance, securing his hold over the family within a single year.


    With an iron grip, Maurice absorbed every faction under his <b>control</b>, consolidating his power to be the undisputed master of the Glovers family¡¯s empire.


    But none of this had earned him his grandmother¡¯s approval.


    In Kelsey¡¯s eyes, Maurice was nothing more than a disgrace¨Cunworthy, treacherous, and illegitimate. The perfect storm of humiliation and fury simmered beneath her gentle facade. Her doting ¡°grandmotherly¡± demeanor was nothing but a mask, hiding years of calcted hatred and resentment.


    For <b>years</b>, she had plotted silently, biding her time. She had even gone so far as to engineer the crippling condition in Maurice¡¯s legs, using a carefully administered poison to paralyze him from the waist down.


    ¡°Just one more year,¡± she murmured to herself, her voice as brittle as ss. ¡°And the poison would¡¯ve reached his heart, and that wretched bastard would¡¯ve been gone for good.¡±


    Her lips curled into a sneer. She spat, venom dripping from her words, ¡°But along came that young woman with her so¨Ccalled genius. She fixed him so easily, undoing everything I worked


    for.¡±


    The lines of her face hardened into deep creases of fury, but momentster<b>, </b>sheughed. It was a low, raspy chuckle that sounded almost unhinged.


    She muttered, her tone brightening with wicked glee, ¡°Still, perhaps I owe that a word of thanks, after all.¡±


    ing woman


    Her fingers sped up, spinning the prayer beads around her hand with unsettling precision.


    ¡°This pair of twin venomous creatures¡­ What a remarkable gift. One hurts, and the other suffers twice as much. And if one dies, the other dies in agony. This will save me the trouble of dealing with him myself. If the young woman dies, Maurice dies. It¡¯s that simple.¡±


    The glint in her eyes returned as she turned to the maid by her side. Her tone was calm, almost


    cheerful, as she said, ¡°Contact the best assassins. Spare no expense. That young woman must not live.¡±


    The private ne touched down in Khogend, <b>and </b>Felicia could finally exhale.


    The moment her shoes hit the pavement, she felt a wave of relief wash over her. The ordeal


    was over.


    Her phone, which had been disconnected during her captivity, suddenly me back to life. Notifications poured in, messages and missed calls flooding her screen. The device even froze for a moment under the sheer weight of it all.


    She scrolled through quickly, her eyes catching on the sheer number of attempts from Carmen over 200 missed calls and 60 messages. She had been frantic, trying desperately to reach her.


    Thank God for that


    one brief moment of contact. If Felicia hadn¡¯t sent word that she was <b>safe</b>, Carmen would¡¯ve gone out of her mind. novelbin


    Among the sea of notifications<b>, </b>another name caught her eye¨CStephan. Over 20 missed calls.


    Apart from Stephan and Carmen, a few unfamiliar numbers also called her. Other than that, there was nothing.


    Felicia texted Carmen back, letting her know she had arrived in Khogend and was on her home. She reassured her not to worry.


    <b>way </b>


    Then, she called Stephan. It took several rings before someone picked up, but the voice that answered wasn¡¯t what she expected.


    ¡°Hello?¡± It was a woman¡¯s voice¨Csoft, delicate, and unmistakably intentional in its


    sweetness.


    ¡°Stephan just fell asleep,¡± the woman continued, her tone gentle but possessive. ¡°He¡¯s been working through the night for days. Is there something I can pass along to him for you?¡±


    Felicia¡¯s grip on the phone tightened, her mind momentarily nk.


    After a pause, she forced herself to respond, her tone icy andposed, ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not important.¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 340

    ¡°Alright then, bye¨Cbye!¡± The sweet, yful voice on the other end hung up with a click


    Felicia stared at the call log on her phone for a moment, her grip tightening before she slid it back into her pocket. With a deep breath, she straightened her back and strode purposefully toward the airport exit.


    Behind her, the four men assigned by Maurice followed at a discreet distance. They¡¯d been ordered to protect her but not to hover. Keeping to the shadows, they maintained a watchful presence while ensuring they <b>didn¡¯t </b>intrude on her life or reveal their identities.


    Felicia didn¡¯t spare them a second nce. She gged down a cab and headed straight for her rental apartment.


    When the car pulled up to the familiar building, she spotted Carmen pacing anxiously in front of the entrance. The moment Carmen caught sight of Felicia stepping out of the cab, her face lit up with relief.


    ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± Carmen rushed forward, giving Felicia a once¨Cover and confirming she was in one piece. She let out a long sigh of relief only when she was satisfied. ¡°Thank God, you¡¯re okay! That¡¯s all that matters!¡±


    Carmen started talking as she rummaged through her bag, eventually pulling out a small bundle of dried herbs. She gently brushed Felicia¡¯s left shoulder with it while muttering, ¡°Bad vibes, be gone. Negative energy, get lost!¡±


    Felicia was caught off guard but didn¡¯t resist, letting Carmen finish her little ritual.


    After finishing her little ritual<b>, </b>Carmen reached into her bag and pulled out a small fabric pouch. It was clearly handmade, with uneven stitches and mismatched fabric.


    She handed it to Felicia with a serious expression. ¡°Here, keep this with you. Stick it in your pocket or bag and carry it everywhere. Except when you¡¯re in the shower, of course. It¡¯s for good vibes and to keep the bad luck away!¡±


    The pouch was filled with a mix ofvender and rosemary, emitting a calming, earthy scent. It felt oddlyforting in Felicia¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll keep it on me.¡±


    Carmen beamed, clearly pleased with herself. The two headed upstairs together.


    Back in the apartment, Felicia immediately noticed how spotless everything was. The floors. gleamed like mirrors, and the air smelled faintly of disinfectant.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been staying here since you went missing,¡± Carmen exined sheepishly. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what else to do, so I just kept cleaning, waiting for news. I¡¯m so d you¡¯re back, Felicia. Otherwise, I would¡¯ve been guilty for life. I was so scared something bad had happened.¡±


    Felicia handed Carmen a ss of water and gently patted her on the shoulder.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got nothing to feel guilty about,¡± she said firmly. ¡°What happened wasn¡¯t your fault. If anything, I¡¯m the one who dragged you into my mess. Splitting up that day was the right call.¡±


    Carmen¡¯s expression softened, but the guilt still lingered in her eyes. ¡°What happened, anyway?¡± she asked hesitantly. ¡°Where did they take you? Was it¡­ Was it Ka behind all this?


    Felicia shook her head, deciding to keep Carmen out of the tangled web involving Maurice.


    ¡°No,¡± she said lightly. ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that. Someone just wanted me to treat them. They¡¯re¡­ not exactly stable, so they used some unconventional methods to get my attention.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t entirely a lie. In Felicia¡¯s opinion, Maurice was indeed out of his mind.


    Carmen blinked as she processed this. Then, she broke into a relieved smile. ¡°Well, as long as you¡¯re okay. To celebrate, I¡¯m treating you to stew tonight!¡±


    Felicia chuckled softly.


    Talking about stew reminded her of the ns she and Carmen had made after their hike. It was a n derailed by the chaos that followed her kidnapping.


    But tonight wasn¡¯t the night to revive those ns


    Feliciaughed softly. ¡°Let¡¯s do it tomorrow. I need to stop by the Walsh residence today.¡± ¡°Alright, but it¡¯s on me tomorrow!¡± Carmen said, lifting her chin in mock defiance.


    Felicia threw up her hands in mock surrender. ¡°Alright, fine! I¡¯ll make sure to eat enough to put you out of business.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Carmenughed, walking Felicia to the door. As she opened it, her smile faltered, and she hesitated. ¡°Do you want me to go with you?¡± novelbin


    ¡°No need,¡± Felicia said, smiling reassuringly before stepping out.


    She gged another cab and asked the driver to head toward the Walsh residence.


    But the moment she arrived, she understood Carmen¡¯s hesitation.


    The tension in the air was palpable. It was clear from the moment Felicia stepped out of the car that she wasn¡¯t wee¨Chere.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 341

    The Walsh residence was draped in somber white.


    Felicia had barely set foot inside the threshold when a ceramic cup came hurtling at her. She stepped aside, letting it shatter on the ground.


    The culprit was Myra. Dressed in a stark ck mourning outfit adorned with a white flower, Myra¡¯s face twisted with fury. Her eyes bore into Felicia with a venomous intensity.


    ¡°What are you doing here? Get out!¡±


    Without hesitation, she grabbed a nearby ashtray and hurled it at Felicia.


    Felicia ducked again, narrowly avoiding the hefty object that crashed onto the marble floor. She could feel the weight of Myra¡¯s rage. If that ashtray had struck her, it could¡¯ve cracked her


    skull.


    A shadow flickered across Felicia¡¯s face, her patience waning.


    She hade to pay her respects¨Cnothing more. If not for her desire to honor Clive onest time, she wouldn¡¯t have bothered stepping foot into this house.


    Taking a steadying breath, Felicia said calmly, ¡°just want to pay myst respects to Grandpa


    and leave.¡±


    But this only seemed to stoke Myra¡¯s fury. Her voice rose to a near scream as she unleashed a


    torrent of words.


    ¡°Pay your respects? Now? Spare me your hypocritical act! If you cared about him at all, you would¡¯vee the day he passed! Or at least the day he was buried! But you¨Coh no¨Cyou waited until now to show your face? Felicia, you¡¯re heartless! You¡¯re cold¨Cblooded and a disgrace! How did I ever give birth to someone like you?¡±


    Her chest heaved with the weight of her disappointment and anger.


    Felicia nced further inside, noticing that the mourning wasn¡¯t just for Clive. The atmosphere was heavy, with whispers among the guests. Their murmurs <b>painted </b>grim novelbin


    pictures.


    ¡°The Walsh family must¡¯ve seriously offended someone. First, Harmony Medical Center <b>was </b>burned down. Then, Mr. Walsh Senior passed away. And <b>now</b>, they¡¯ve found Harvey¡¯s body on


    the outskirts of town:¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I heard it was from a helicopter. They say he ¡®fell¡®¨Cbut we all know what that means. Someone probably pushed him.


    ¡°And just like that, the third branch has risen to power. Harvey used to suppress them left and right, but look at them nowpletely taking over.¡±


    Chap 341


    ¡°No kidding!¡±


    The chatter confirmed what Felicia had already suspected. Harvey¡¯s death had thrown the family into even greater disarray.


    Myra¡¯s explosive rage at the mere sight of her suddenly made sense. To her, Felicia¡¯s absence during these critical moments <b>was </b>an unforgivable betrayal.


    Though Felicia felt sad about Clive¡¯s passing, she didn¡¯t regret her actions. Clive had been aplicated figure in her life, bringing her moments of warmth but also reminding her of the familial expectations she could never meet.


    Her throat tightened. Facing Myra¡¯s searing re, she spoke the truth.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t stay away by choice. I was abducted and held captive for seven days. I escaped just this morning.¡±


    After changing into fresh clothes at her apartment, Felicia reached the Walsh residence the moment she returned to Khogend. Her words were direct and unvarnished.


    But i Myra scoffed, disbelief etched into every line of her face.


    ¡°Abducted? You? Save it for someone gullible enough to believe your lies! You¡¯re just like your no¨Cgood adoptive parents, Tabitha and Howell. You were born liars, every one of you!¡±


    The venom in her voice cut deep, and her words came with the force of unchecked fury.


    ¡°I should¡¯ve never given birth to you! Get out! You¡¯re a stain on this family!¡±


    At that moment, a maid walked by carrying a basin of water.


    Myra snatched it without hesitation and flung the murky contents straight at Felicia.


    Felicia braced herself, but just as the water was about to hit, a ck umbre snapped open in front of her, blocking most of the ssh.


    The man holding the umbre tilted it away, letting the remaining water spill harmlessly onto the ground.


    It was none other than Mike. He casually tossed the umbre aside and turned to Felicia with a cheeky grin. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. Thanks,¡± Felicia replied evenly, <b>the </b>corners of her lips lifting ever so slightly. Without another word, she turned and walked away, her back straight and unyielding.


    Chuppi 112

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 342

    Mike nced down at his now damp <b>pants </b>and shoes, shaking his head in mild annoyance. Without a word, he turned and walked after Felicia.


    Inside the Walsh residence, Myra finally calmed down after throwing <b>that </b><b>basin </b>of water. <b>She </b>reyed her words in her <b>head </b>and realized how harsh they had been.


    Ka stepped forward in perfect timing and gently supported Myra¡¯s arm. Her gaze followed Felicia as she disappeared beyond the gates.


    ¡°Mom, why would Felicia be hanging out with Mr. Lawson?¡± Ka¡¯s tone was <b>casual</b>, her expression innocuous. ¡°You know, he has a daughter. Felicia wouldn¡¯t¡­ I mean, she wouldn¡¯t be thinking of bing someone¡¯s stepmom, would she?¡±


    The words were seemingly innocent, but they <b>hit </b>nerve.


    Myra¡¯s expression darkened immediately. The thought was uneptable to her. Any flicker regret she might have felt moments ago vanishedpletely, extinguished by Ka¡¯s nted seed of doubt.


    With a voice full of disdain, Myra muttered, ¡°Don¡¯t bother with her. Let her do whatever she wants!¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Ka nodded obediently, pressing her lips together like she had said too much. But inside, she was positively gleeful.


    For days, she had been carefully droppingments about Felicia in front of Myra, stoking her anger little by little. Myra¡¯s frustration had already reached a boiling point with Felicia missing during Clive¡¯s funeral. It was easy enough to keep that me alive.


    And now? Myra waspletely fed up with Felicia.


    It was exactly as Ka wanted.


    Still, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of frustration. She had seen Felicia being taken away that night and assumed she was as good as gone. But here Felicia was, alive and well.


    Whoever took her clearly hadn¡¯t done their job. Useless!


    She cursed inwardly, though her face betrayed nothing.


    After everything that had happened, Ka had learned the art of patience. The stint in the clinic and <b>that </b>unsettling dream had changed her she wouldn¡¯t make the same impulsive mistakes <b>as </b>before.


    Now, she would wait. Slowly and carefully<b>, </b>she would worm her way into Myra¡¯s and Dexter¡¯s good graces, recing every trace of affection Felicia once held.


    When that day came, she would see to it that Fell was ruinedpletely.


    Ka lowered her head slightly, hiding the glint of ambition in her eyes.


    She thought with a cold smile, ¡°Felicia, how about I gift you another four years behind bars? Just like in the past life.¡±


    Outside the Walsh residence, Felicia stood by the curb, waving down a cab.


    Before one could pull up, Mike¡¯s car rolled to a stop beside her.


    ¡°Do you need a ride?¡± he asked.


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she got in.


    ¡°Where to?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I need to visit my grandfather¡¯s grave. You know where it is, right?¡± novelbin


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    He nced at her briefly as she buckled her seatbelt, then hit the gas.


    The drive was quiet, and they arrived at the cemetery within half an hour. Felicia found Clive¡¯s headstone without much trouble.


    Mike, sensing she might want some privacy, lingered a few paces behind, leaning casually <b>against </b>a nearby tree.


    But Felicia didn¡¯t say a word. She knelt and muttered a prayer before rising to her feet.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go<b>,</b>¡± she said simply.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Mike asked, surprised but too polite to press further.


    On the way back, he finally broke the silence. ¡°Felicia, where were you the past week? You know, Stephan was practically losing his mind. He sent a small army looking for you and dragged me into it too. I¡¯ve been running all over looking for you.¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 343

    Felicia nced at Mike, noting his serious expression. He didn¡¯t seem to be joking or lying.


    So, Stephan had really gone to such lengths?


    She stayed silent for a moment, recalling the voice she heard when she returned his call- soft, sweet, and almost sharine tone that was delicate enough to leave an impression even over the phone. The owner of that voice had to be a charming and beautiful young woman.


    It seemed Stephan didn¡¯tck forpany.


    Felicia looked forward, noting the light had turned green. She gestured, ¡°You can go now.¡±


    Mike resumed driving, this time at a slower pace. He nced at her again, his curiosity piqued. ¡°Felicia, are you sure nothing happened to you?¡±


    ¡°Nothing at all,¡± she replied with a light smile, gesturing toward her healthy, rosyplexion. ¡°See? I¡¯m perfectly fine. I even gained two pounds while I was away.¡±


    Mike raised a brow, puzzled. ¡°So, you went on a trip? Why was your phone off the entire time?


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be disturbed,¡± Felicia answered casually, brushing off <b>the </b>question with a half¨Chearted excuse.


    He seemed to ept the exnation, nodding in understanding. ¡°Fair enough. I¡¯ve done that too¨Cjust ditch everything and take off for a while when I¡¯m fed up. No phone, no work. Feels good to just let things slide sometimes.¡±


    He chuckled, adding, ¡°It¡¯s like hitting a reset button. Best stress relief there is.¡±


    The car¡¯s atmosphere rxed further as he fiddled with the radio, letting a soothing cello melody fill the space.


    When they arrived at Felicia¡¯s apartment, she unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said simply, digging through her pocket for anything she could offer in return. The only thing she found was the little pouch that Carmen had given her earlier.


    Mike noticed her hesitation and waved it off with a grin. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s no big deal.


    He paused as though debating something before speaking again, ¡°Actually, if you really want to repay me, I could use your help. My daughter, Sandra, has been having trouble sleepingtely. She keeps waking up in the middle of the night. Got any tips?¡±


    Felicia thought for a moment before nodding. ¡°I can make her a herbal sachet. It should help her sleep better. Give me a couple of days<b>, </b>and you can swing by to pick it up.¡±


    Clupy St


    ¡°Great! Thanks, Felicia,¡± he said with a genuine smile before driving off.


    Felicia turned and headed upstairs.


    The day had dragged on, and by the time she got back to her apartment, the sun had long since set. Carmen had left, leaving the ce quiet and empty.


    She exhaled, letting the day¡¯s tension drain away as she headed straight to the bathroom.


    Under the warm spray of the shower, Felicia let the water wash over her, trickling down from her face to her toes. Tilting her head back, she closed her eyes, finally rxing.


    Meanwhile, Mike, who was driving back to the Lawson residence, decided to call Stephan to let him know Felicia was back.


    He dialed once, but the call went unanswered.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he muttered, redialing.


    In the heart of the Seldvale, at one of the most exclusive private hospitals¨Cwhich was also one of the many businesses under the Russell family name¨CStephan was dozing on a leather couch in a VIP ward on the top floor.


    His phone buzzed again, but a delicate hand reached out to answer it before he could stir.


    Johanna, who had been keeping watch, was the owner of the hand. Just as her fingers brushed across the phone, Stephan¡¯s eyes snapped open. His voice was low and gravelly


    Who said you could touch my phone?¡±


    The ward instantly froze as his tone wasced with irritation.


    as he asked,


    Johanna, unfazed, gracefully withdrew her hand ¡°Stephan, you¡¯ve been pushing yourself for days without rest. I only meant to help. You¡¯ll wear yourself out at this rate.¡±


    <b>¡°</b>Get out.¡± His words were cold and unyielding, leaving no room for


    argument. novelbin

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 344

    Stephan didn¡¯t even nce at Johanna. In an icy tone, he said, ¡°Get out.¡±


    Johanna bit her lip, hesitated momentarily, then obediently turned toward the door. But as she reached it, she stopped as if remembering something.


    She said, her voice deliberately soft and sweet, ¡°Oh, by the way, Stephan, a call came in two hours ago. You were sound asleep, and I didn¡¯t want you to miss something important, so I answered it for you.¡±


    <b>Stephan¡¯s </b>hand froze mid¨Cmovement, and anger shed in his dark eyes. Before he couldsh out, his gazended on the caller ID¨CMike.


    Mike wouldn¡¯t call unless it <b>was </b>about Felicia.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Stephan¡¯s focus immediately shifted as he answered the phone. His first question was short and tense. ¡°Did you find her?¡±


    Johanna¡¯s expression flickered, though she kept herposure.


    She hadn¡¯t seen the contact name earlier, but the voice on the other end had been a woman¡¯s clear and distant. Stephan¡¯s anxious tone now made it obvious that this ¡°her¡± was someone who mattered to him.


    No wonder he had left that day without hesitation. Clearly, it was for that woman. If Imogen hadn¡¯t been so upset that she almost lost the baby, he wouldn¡¯t have stayed at all.


    Johanna quietly slipped out of the ward, closing the door behind her.


    On the call, Mike¡¯s voice came through, sounding as lighthearted as usual. ¡°Felicia¡¯s fine. She <b>said </b>she went on a little trip to clear her head and turned off her phone to avoid distractions So, rx, Stephan. Everything¡¯s okay now.¡±


    Stephan exhaled, his tense shoulders casing slightly. But his brows remained furrowed.


    ¡°She¡¯s always busy running her clinic. Does it make sense for her to just disappear without a word?¡± he questioned, his tone sharp. ¡°And even if she did, why are there no travel records? No tickets, no hotel stays¨Cnothing<b>.</b>¡± novelbin


    It was <b>as </b>if Felicia had vanished into thin air for seven days. Even with all the resources he had mobilized, they hadn¡¯t found a single trace of her


    ¡°Did you meet her?¡± Stephan pressed. ¡°What else did she say?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, really. Just what I told you,¡± Mike replied<b>, </b>halfughing. ¡°Stephan, I think all those assassination attempts have made you overly suspicious.¡±


    Stephan couldn¡¯t argue with that. After all, the number of attempts on his life over the years. was truly beyond counting-


    ¡°Got it,¡± <b>he </b>said curtly, ending the call.


    Immediately, he checked his call history. Sure enough, Felicia had called him two hours ago, only for Johanna to pick up.


    His expression darkened. That woman¡¯s audacity


    He dialed¡¯Felicia¡¯s number without hesitation. The line rang seven or eight times before it finally connected.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Her voice was calm, distant.


    Felicia had just stepped out of the shower, her damp hair dripping water down to her


    corbone. She was drying it off with a towel when the call came through. Seeing the unsaved number, she answered cautiously and only said one word.


    But that simple ¡°hello¡± sounded cold, almost dismissive to Stephan. Neither spoke for a long moment, the silence stretching between them.


    Eventually, Stephan broke it, sighing softly as he gave in. ¡°Where have you been these past few days? Did something happen


    Felicia hesitated.


    Her recent ordeal with Maurice was indirectly linked to Stephan. It wasn¡¯t his fault, but his association with her had painted a target on her back for someone as dangerous as Maurice.


    But she wasn¡¯t the type to hold a grudge over circumstances beyond his control, especially given how much he had helped her in the past. When she fell into the


    waterfall, Stephan


    shielded her with his body. When the Lawson family drugged her and tried to trap her, it was


    Stephan who found her and took her away.


    She owed him, whether she liked it or not.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 345

    People couldn¡¯t just reap benefits from others without bearing the associated risks. Besides, it wasn¡¯t hard to connect the dots¨CMaurice was the one who orchestrated her kidnapping.


    And speaking of Maurice, wasn¡¯t he widely known as Stephan¡¯s archenemy?


    Felicia paused, weighing her options. Despite everything, she decided to give Stephan a subtle warning.


    ¡°That day¡­¡±


    Just as she was about to exin, a faint noise came through from Stephan¡¯s side.


    That soft, syrupy voice from earlier¨Cthe one that had answered her call previously¨Cspoke again.


    ¡°Stephan, dinner¡¯s ready.¡± Johanna gently pushed open the door. After she finished speaking, na mock she feigned surprise at seeing Stephan on the phone and quickly covered her mouth apology. Then, she tiptoed back out, closing the door quietly behind her.


    Stephan barely spared the doorway a nce, but the icy sharpness in his eyes was unmistakable.


    Felicia couldn¡¯t see what was going on, but being interrupted like that made her lose any


    inclination to continue the conversation<b>. </b>


    ¡°Stephan, you sound busy. I still have to dry my hair, so I¡¯ll hang up now.¡±


    She ended the call without waiting for a response. She plugged in her hairdryer and flipped if


    <b>¦¯¦°</b><b>. </b>


    Stephan pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling slowly. Rising from the couch, he strode out of the ward.


    In the adjacent VIP ward, Imogeny on the hospital bed, her face pale and gaunt. Her once soft features were sharp with exhaustion, her frailty apparent.


    Her unfocused eyes stared nkly at the ceiling her hands gently cradling her stomach. She let out a soft sigh of relief only when she felt the reassuring curve of her baby bump.


    Johanna had set up a table full of food, her voice gentle and coaxirig. ¡°Imogen, don¡¯t cry anymore. The baby¡¯s safe, and that¡¯s all that matters. You need to focus on resting and keeping yourself healthy<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°How can I not think about it?<i>¡± </i>


    Imogen¡¯s reddened eyes brimmed with tears<b>. </b><b>¡°</b>I was nearly driven <b>to </b><b>a </b>miscarriage by my brother. How can I face Archie if something happens <b>to </b>our child?¡±


    Johanna¡¯s expression darkened briefly at the mention of Imogen¡¯ste husband, but she


    quickly stered on a smile, doing her best to offerforting words.


    ¡°Imogen, for what it¡¯s worth, Stephan has been by your side every step of the way since you were admitted. He¡¯s barely left the hospital and has been handlingpany affairs from here. He feels terrible about what happened.¡±


    Her gaze flitted to the door, where a tall figure loomed silently. Pretending not to notice him, she tugged yfully at Imogen¡¯s hand.


    Imogen¡¯s anger softened slightly. How could she stay mad? He was, after all, her only remaining family.


    Seeing Imogen¡¯s mood ease, Johanna smiled sweetly and lifted the lid of a simmering pot. A fragrant aroma wafted through the air.


    ¡°Imogen, I made some chicken noodle soup just for you. It smells amazing! Do you want me to feed you?


    ¡°I may be blind, but I¡¯m not paralyzed,¡± Imogen replied, taking the spoon herself.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll let you enjoy it, then. I¡¯ll wait for Stephan to join us.


    As Johanna turned back to set the table, she finally acknowledged Stephan¡¯s entrance. His presence dominated the ward due to his barely restrained fury.


    ¡°Stephan¡­¡± Johanna¡¯s voice faltered as she instinctively stepped back


    She quickly tried to exin herself, her tone soft and apologetic, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to disturb you earlier¡­ And about that call this afternoon, I didn¡¯t mean to overstep.¡±


    Her voice was barely a whisper, but Imogen wasn¡¯t deaf. She heard everything, and her head. turned toward them with a snap.


    ¡°What call? What happened?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Imogen. Please don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Johanna replied hesitantly,


    Imogen¡¯s temper red, and she mmed the spoon back into her bowl. Soup sshed onto the table, but <b>she </b>didn¡¯t care. novelbin


    ¡°Tell me what happened! Now!¡±


    ¡°Imogen, please calm down,¡± Johanna urged, feigning concern as her voice dropped to a <b>pleading </b>tone. ¡°You need to think about the baby¡°

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 346

    Johanna quickly stepped forward to calm Imogen, her delicate hand gently patting Imogen¡¯s back. asionally, she would nce at Stephan nervously with a slightly aggrieved look as if silently saying, ¡°I really didn¡¯t mean to cause trouble.¡±


    Stephan cast her a cold re, his voiceced with warning. ¡°Don¡¯t let it happen again.¡±


    He despised anyone touching his belongings, especially his phone.


    Johanna bit her lip, her voice barely audible. ¡°Understood.¡±


    Imogen didn¡¯t have the full picture of what had happened but managed to glean that Johanna had presumptuously answered one of Stephan¡¯s calls and was now being reprimanded for it. To her, it seemed like an overreaction.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a small thing, Stephan. Must you be so harsh? Johanna is my sister¨Cinw, and you should treat her like your own. Don¡¯t bully her!¡±


    Stephan¡¯s expression remained unchanged, his tone as cold as ever. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything yet, and it¡¯s only because of you.¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for Imogen, he would¡¯ve ensured Johanna paid the price for her actions. novelbin


    Imogen¡¯s temper red, but she forced herself to take a deep breath. She silently repeated the words, ¡°Don¡¯t get angry. Don¡¯t get angry.¡± Finally, she muttered in exasperation, ¡°Fine. Just get out. Go do whatever it is you need to do.¡±


    After <b>a </b>moment, she added begrudgingly, ¡°Take care of yourself and eat on time. Don¡¯t drink so much you know your stomach can¡¯t handle it.¡±


    Her tone softened at the end, the irritation fading into concern. She turned her head away, <b>signaling </b>the conversation was over. Her sulking was reminiscent of a child.


    Stephan sighed softly, <b>a </b>rare hint of helplessness flickering across his face. He had nned to. leave, but as he nced at Imogen¡¯s sightless eyes, guilt and sorrow surged within him.


    He would never forget the day she had shielded him from a spray of poison. That small, frail figure had stepped in front of him without hesitation, her courage unwavering.


    ¡°Imogen¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± She arched a brow, her tone light. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve found a few specialists. After you¡¯ve delivered the baby, I¡¯ll have theme to check on


    your ev


    ¡­


    Imogen hesitated for a moment. She wanted to refuse. Over the years, Stephan had sought out countless renowned doctors, and not one had been able to restore her sight.


    But seeing his determination, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to crush his hopes. Smiling faintly, she nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡±


    Satisfied, Stephan finally turned to leave.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Her voice stopped him in his tracks. Imogen¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°Stephan, have you found any leads on who killed Archie?¡±


    Four months ago, her fianc¨¦, Archie, was lost at sea. His body was never recovered. The devastating news had caused Imogen to faint on the spot.


    Stephan had personally led the search effort, recovering only a bloodstained wreckage of the boat and the remains of a few crew members trapped in the cabin.


    The rest of the passengers, including Archie, had vanished without a trace. The grim consensus was that they had likely been devoured by the creatures lurking in the deep.


    Off to the side, Johanna¡¯s fingers clenched tightly. She looked at Stephan, her face a picture of nervous anticipation as she waited for his response.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 347

    Stephan hesitated. He wanted to shield his sister from the truth, afraid the details would be too much for her to handle. But Imogen knew him too well.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about lying to me!¡± she snapped. ¡°Tell me everything. I can handle it.¡±


    Her hands gripped the edge of the nket tightly, her sightless eyes filled with an unyielding resolve and searing hatred. ¡°Once you find the culprit, I¡¯ll kill them myself!¡±


    Stephan paused, his expression darkening. After a moment, he said slowly, ¡°The killer hasn¡¯t been identified yet. The trail¡¯s gone cold. But the lead we have points to a faction operating in Khogend.¡±


    He stopped, gauging her reaction before continuing, ¡°There was something on that ship- something incredibly valuable. It was worth more than just <b>money</b>. People would kill for it.¡±


    Imogen froze.


    ¡®Archie wasn¡¯t just your fianc¨¦,¡± Stephan said, his voice heavier now. ¡°Before that, he was my man. That shipment¡­ It was a high¨Cstakes operation. I needed someone I could trust implicitly, and Archie volunteered.¡±


    He looked away as if reliving that decision. ¡°He even joked about it being hisst mission as my subordinate, saying he¡¯d be retiring from my service to be my brother¨Cinw.¡±


    Stephan¡¯s fists clenched at his sides. ¡°I agreed. I also sent decoy ships to confuse any potential threats. But somehow, the intel got leaked. They went straight for the real ship, ughtered everyone, and took the cargo. Archie didn¡¯t stand a chance.¡±


    His voice dropped to a chilling whisper. ¡°The more I dig, the more the trail points back to Khogend. And¡­ it might have ties to the Fuller family.¡±


    Stephan didn¡¯t borate further, keeping some details to himself.


    ¡°Khogend¡­¡± Imogen murmured, her brows furrowing together. ¡°You¡¯ve been spending so much time theretely. It¡¯s all connected, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he admitted.


    Imogen¡¯s shoulders sagged slightly at that, her grief¡¯s weight evident. But instead of breaking down, she turned to guilt.


    ¡°This is my fault,¡± she muttered. ¡°You¡¯re already dealing with so much, and I¡¯ve been adding to your stress. I¡¯m sorry, Stephan<b>.</b>¡±


    Stephan exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing a fraction. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just focus on your recovery. Let me handle the rest. I¡¯ll make sure you get the justice you deserve.¡± novelbin


    Imogen nodded, her hand instinctively cradling her belly. Her fianc¨¦ might be gone, but the


    Chary 547


    child she carried was a piece of him. It was a reason to keep fighting.


    Just as Stephan turned to leave, Imogen called out again, stopping him in his tracks. ¡°Stephan, take Johanna with you!¡±


    His eyes narrowed. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s Archie¡¯s sister,¡± Imogen pressed, her voice soft but insistent. ¡°No one wants justice for him more than she does. If there¡¯s anything she can do to help, she should be there.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Stephan repeated firmly, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.


    Imogen gently nudged Johanna forward, giving her a meaningful look.


    Johanna stepped up, her eyes red¨Crimmed with tears. ¡°Stephan, I promise I won¡¯t be a burden. Please, let mee. I miss my brother so much.. just want to help.¡±


    Her voice cracked, and tears rolled down her cheeks, sshing onto the polished floor. Her vulnerability, paired with the desperation in her eyes, made her look heartbreakingly pitiable.


    Imogen sighed, her tone softening as she yed the role of mediator. ¡°Stephan, please. Do it for me. I take her as my sister, just as Archie was my family.¡±


    Johanna immediately picked up on, the cue and chimed in, her voice trembling, ¡°Yes, Imogen is my sister. And you, Stephan¡­ I promise I¡¯ll be good. Please, just give me a chance.¡±


    Between the two women¡¯s pleading, Stephan felt cornered. He could dismiss Johanna¡¯s requests without a second thought, but Imogen¡¯s quiet heartbreak was a different story altogether. He couldn¡¯t say no to his sister.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 348

    tephan had his misgivings but ultimately relented. He couldn¡¯t deny his responsibility for rchie¡¯s death. None of it would have happened if he had insisted on not letting him take that nission.


    ohanna<b>, </b>however, remained tactful and respectful throughout the journey. She kept her


    istance, never overstepping her bounds. Even when offering Stephan a cup of coffee or some ruit, she had the subordinates deliver it instead of doing it herself.


    J


    F


    F


    C


    on the flight to Khogend, she also made a point of doing small gestures with the crew¨Clike anding out juice and choctes or simply offering a warm smile. These subtle moves quickly on her some goodwill among the staff.


    1


    fter all, she was Imogen¡¯s sister¨Cinw. The staff treated her politely, addressing her <b>as </b>¡±


    1s. Rosario¡°.


    he private jetnded in Khogend the following day.


    T


    When Stephan returned to the mountainside estate, the maids and guards stationed there vere startled to see a young woman following behind him.


    A


    efore anyone could react further, Cloud, the sleek white dog, came bolting out, its tail vagging furiously. The dog circled Stephan, whining softly as ifining about its oneliness in his absence.


    tephan picked Cloud up by the scruff of its neck, his sharp eyes assessing it. The dog was oticeably heavier, its coat shiny and healthy, and its eyes bright and clear.


    T


    T


    You¡¯ve been eating well,¡± he muttered.


    Wow! What an adorable dog!¡± Johanna eximed her face lighting up. She hesitated, then sked cautiously, ¡°Can I pet it, Stephan?¡±


    tephan gave her a brief nce.


    he had generally been well¨Cbehaved despite overstepping boundaries, like answering his hone. She had diligently cared for Imogen back in Seldvale withoutint, and she hadn¡¯t aused any trouble on this trip either.


    fter a moment¡¯s thought, he turned and walked into the vi without answering her, leaving er to interpret the silence however she wished.


    ohanna took his non¨Cresponse as tacit permission and cautiously extended her hand toward


    loud.


    Hi, doggy! You¡¯re so cute. Let me pet you, okay?¡±


    ut before her hand got close, Cloud bared its teeth growling low in its throat. The sudden,


    Chack


    aggressive response startled her so much that she stumbled back and fell onto the ground. novelbin


    ing with


    Johanna¡¯s expression darkened for a split second, her eyes frustration and resentment. ¡°Stupid dog!¡±


    But just as quickly, she smoothed her features, recing her anger with an innocent and pitiful look.


    One of the maids quickly stepped forward, nervous about offending her. ¡°Ms. Rosario, please don¡¯t be upset. Cloud is just shy around new people. Give it a couple of days<b>, </b>and it¡¯ll warm up


    to you.¡°.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Johanna nodded softly, her smile gentle. She stood, brushing off her skirt with a touch of embarrassment.


    It wasn¡¯t hard to see why people were so taken with her. With her delicate features, soft voice, and demure demeanor, she exuded an image of a sweet, well¨Cmannered young woman. The subtle vulnerability in her mannerisms only added to her charm, making her seem even more endearing.


    The maid led Johanna into the vi and showed her the guest rooms, allowing her to choose one she liked.


    At first, Johanna appeared easygoing, saying she wasn¡¯t picky. But her eyes lingered on one particr room, where subtle signs suggested someone had stayed there before.


    ¡°This one, can I stay here?¡± she asked, her tone light but curious.


    The maid hesitated, a trace of difort shing <b>across </b>her face. ¡°Well¡­ This room¡­¡±


    The truth was that this room belonged to Felicia Stephan had explicitly ordered that it remain untouched apart from regr cleaning.


    Why did Johanna have to pick this one of all the rooms to choose from?

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 349

    The maid hesitated, trying to


    litely decline. ¡°Ms. Rosario, could you stay in the room next


    door? It has great lighting as well.¡±


    Johanna wandered around the room, her eyes catching a half¨Cused bottle of sunscreen on the table. An object like that could only belong to a woman.


    Feigning curiosity, she asked, ¡°Who stayed here before? This sunscreen must¡¯ve been left by the previous guest, right?¡±


    The maid nodded curtly. ¡°Yes,¡± she said, not offering any further information.


    Johanna didn¡¯t push. She smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll stay in this room. Please tidy it up for me and throw out anything unnecessary, thanks!¡±


    With that, she let the sunscreen slip from her hand, and it dropped into the trash with a dull


    thud.


    The maid looked even more ufortable, hesitating before gently advising, ¡°Ms. Rosario, without Mr. Russell¡¯s approval, we¡¯re not allowed to make such decisions. I must insist you take the room next door instead. All the guest rooms are decorated the same, so there really


    isn¡¯t much difference.<b>¡± </b>


    Johanna¡¯s patience was wearing thin after being refused twice in a row. However, her soft, graceful demeanor didn¡¯t waver. Smiling sweetly, she replied with a subtle firmness, ¡°And what if I insist on staying in this room<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to get permission from Mr. Russell,¡± the maid responded evenly.


    Speak of the devil, Stephan appeared just then.


    His brows furrowed when he saw Johanna standing in the room where Felicia had once stayed for over a month. Without any hesitation, he ordered, ¡°Move her to the first floor. She¡¯s not allowed upstairs.¡±


    With that, he strode toward his master bedroom changed into fresh clothes<i>, </i>and left the vi without ncing back. The rumble of the car engine echoed as his sleek ck vehicle. disappeared down the driveway.


    Johanna had no choice but to settle for a room on the first floor.


    The sprawling mountainside vi was massive. The first floor wasn¡¯t just for guest rooms. It also housed entertainment areas like a private theater and game room. The basement level featured a gym, living quarters for the staff, and other utility spaces.


    But Stephan¡¯s words weren¡¯t just about assigning her a room¨Cthey were a clear boundary. The second floor was his private domain, one that was evidently open to someone else but firmly closed off to her.


    Johanna felt a twinge of frustration.


    But she quicklyposed herself. Being able to apany Stephan to Khogend was already a major step forward, wasn¡¯t it? She just needed time and patience.


    ¡°Slow and steady wins the race,¡± she whispered to herself.


    She wouldn¡¯t just aim to stay by his side¨Cshe wanted his heart, his everything.


    With her resolve renewed, she smoothed her expression into a gracious smile. She even turned to the maid to apologize for earlier, politely asking if she could explore the vi to familiarize herself with her surroundings. novelbin


    ¡°Would you like me to guide you, or would you prefer to look around on your own?¡± the maid asked, her tone still professional but slightly warmer.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wander by myself. Thank you,¡± Johanna replied, heading off in a random direction.


    The mountainside estate lived up to its name<b>, </b>sprawling across an entire mountainside. The pathways were lined with rare and exotic nts, giving the estate an air of refined luxury.


    She spotted a small dog ying with a colorful ball on the well¨Cmanicuredwn as she strolled.


    It was none other than Cloud, the same dog that had snarled at her earlier.


    The maid had mentioned that the dog belonged to Stephan. Johanna found it hard to believe How could someone as obsessive about cleanliness as him have a pet?


    Before she could ponder further, the ball rolled over and stopped at her feet.


    Cloud barked twice, eager for its toy but hesitant to approach her..


    Animals had a way of sensing human emotions, and despite Johanna arriving with its master, Cloud instinctively kept its distance from her.


    Johanna¡¯s lips curled into a cold smile.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 350

    She bent down to pick up the ball and tilted her head slightly as she looked at the dog, her eyes gleaming with unrestrained malice.


    ¡°Well, it seems you¡¯ve figured me out, little mutt,¡± Johanna murmured with a cold smile, her fingers curling tightly around the ball.


    Since returning to Khogend, Felicia had practically been living in her clinic. She had treated. two critical patients early on and had since buried herself in the medicinal herb storeroom.


    The eight senior physicians of Union Clinic were overjoyed when Felicia showed up.


    Whenever she was around, they could confidently take on patients, knowing that if they encountered a tough case, Felicia could step in. This meant their clinic¡¯s reputation would stay


    intact, no matter what.


    The recent surge in patients after Harmony Medical Center was burned to the ground kept everyone busy. Thepetition¡¯s misfortune had worked in their favor.


    Amid the bustling activity, a sleek ck luxury car pulled up outside the clinic.


    The car was unmistakable. Its unique license te and top¨Ctier limited¨Cedition model turned heads immediately. novelbin


    All eight doctors nced toward the entrance.


    The car door opened, and Stephan¡¯s long legs stepped out as he entered the clinic, his sharp gaze sweeping the room. He didn¡¯t see Felicia.


    One of the senior physicians mustered the courage to ask, ¡°Sir, may I help you-


    Before he could finish, Stephan interrupted curtly, ¡°I¡¯m here for Felicia. Where is she?¡±


    The doctors exchanged uneasy looks.


    This man¡¯smanding presence was overwhelming. His sharp eyes carried an unspoken threat, making it clear he wasn¡¯t someone to mess with. What if he was here to cause trouble<b>? </b>


    Quietly, they debated sending someone to warn Felicia to leave through the back.


    <b>But </b>just as they were scheming, Felicia emerged from the storeroom, <b>holding </b>a list and jotting down notes. Without looking up, she called out, I¡¯ve made a list. Kerry, head to the herb market and pick these up for <b>me</b><b>. </b><b>I </b>need them urgently.¡±


    Kerry Rodriquez was her assistant. When no response came, Felicia raised her head<b>, </b>confused, and froze at the sight of Stephan standing in the middle of the clinic.


    What was he doing here? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be in Seldvale? He¡¯d said he wouldn¡¯t be back for two months, and it hadn¡¯t even been half a month since New Year¡¯s.


    Before she could fully process the situation, Stephan strode toward her with purpose. Without a word, he grabbed her by the wrist and led her into the storeroom.


    The door mmed shut with a loud bang, cutting off the curious gazes of everyone outside.


    In the dimly lit space<b>, </b>Stephan stepped closer, his tall frame casting a shadow over Felicia. Before she could say a word, he leaned in, iming her lips in a powerful, unyielding kiss.


    Felicia¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She hadn¡¯t expected him to kiss her the moment the door


    * closed.


    The kiss wasn¡¯t just aggressive¨Cit was filled with a longing intensity, a relentless passion that left no room for protest. His lips moved against hers with an authority that demanded. submission, each movement precise and overwhelming.


    Suddenly, loud knocks sounded on the door.


    The senior physicians were panicking, and Kerry, the assistant Felicia had just called out to, shouted at the top of her lungs, ¡°Ms. Fuller, are you okay in there? Hang tight. We¡¯reing to save you!¡±


    Felicia¡¯s face burned with embarrassment. The mere thought of them barging in made her want to dig a hole and disappear.


    Desperate, she bit down on Stephan¡¯s lip, hard enough to catch <b>him </b>off guard and push him away. She gasped for air and shouted toward the door, ¡°I¡¯m fine! This is my friend. Get back to


    work!¡±


    The banging finally stopped, and the footsteps faded away.


    Just as Felicia exhaled in relief, she felt a sharp nip on her shoulder.


    Before she could react, an arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her back into his firm grasp.


    His deep, gravelly voice murmured by her ear,ced with amusement and an edge of danger. He deliberately emphasized, ¡°Friend? Hmm?¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 351

    Stephan¡¯s warm breath brushed against Felicia¡¯s ear, making her spine tingle. Combined with Stephan¡¯s teasing tone, which was thick with innuendo, the atmosphere was unmistakably charged.


    The storeroom was pitch¨Cck, with the only illuminationing from the faint light seeping in from the door¡¯s cracks. Despite the darkness, Felicia could feel Stephan¡¯s burning gaze locked onto her.


    She shrugged, feigning nonchnce. ¡°It¡¯s either friends or not even that. There¡¯s no middle ground.¡±


    Stephan chuckled, his hold around her waist tightening. He made it clear he wasn¡¯t about to let her go.


    ¡°Funny,¡± he murmured, his voice dangerously low. ¡°You weren¡¯t talking about ¡®just friends¡® when you were begging mest time.¡±


    The suggestive edge in his tone caught Felicia off guard, her mind shing to that night. She¡¯d been drugged by Arnold and was barely keeping herself together until Stephan found her and got her out of the Lawson residence. Once her defenses crumbled, everything else happened as if it were inevitable<b>. </b>


    For a split second, guilt flickered in Felicia¡¯s heart. She had been rather cold afterward, hadn¡¯t she? After getting what she needed, she walked away without looking back.


    Quickly, she seized the moment to shift the narrative. ¡°I can make it up to you!¡± she blurted,


    Stephan¡¯s expression darkened further, his jaw tightening. It was as if he was debating whether tough or strangle her.


    Sensing his rising frustration<b>, </b>Felicia leaned her head back slightly and added, ¡°Come on, we¡¯ve been over this. That night wasn¡¯t some grand affair. Back then, it was mutual. We were consenting adults having fun. No big deal. No need to blow it out of proportion.¡±


    Her words struck a nerve.


    Stephan¡¯s brows knitted together. He leaned closer, his gaze piercing. It was as if he were dissecting her very soul.


    Felicia sighed inwardly, knowing full well how blunt her words sounded. She couldn¡¯t deny the pull she felt toward him if she were honest with herself. His chiseled face, maic presence, and unrelenting intensity made anyone¡¯s heart skip a beat.


    But she couldn¡¯t trust himpletely, let alone depend on him, just because her heart wavered momentarily. novelbin


    <b>In </b>some twisted way, Felicia admitted that Myra¡¯s insults had hit the mark. She was cold-


    hearted and unfeeling¨Calways calcting gains and losses, always guarded, and always doubting others¡® sincerity.


    Like a stubborn <b>stone</b>¨Cimpossible to warm, impossible to break.


    And besides, she barely knew Stephan. The little she did know came from rumors. He was a mystery, one cloaked in danger and allure. That made him both tempting and untouchable.


    His presence in Khogend wasn¡¯t a coincidence either. He clearly had a purpose. And she was. just a small, incidental part of his ns. Or worse¡­ a distraction.


    She hesitated but eventually asked, ¡°Mr. Russell, you must¡¯ve had something important to deal with when you came to Khogend. Is there anything I can do to help?¡±


    His dark, piercing eyes bore into her, a storm brewing beneath hisposed exterior.


    To her surprise, he seemed¡­ angry.


    Why?


    Could it be that his reason foring here wasn¡¯t some hidden agenda but her? No way. She


    wasn¡¯t about to tter herself like that.


    Stephan¡¯s low voice broke the tension. ¡°I thought something had happened to you.¡±


    Felica froze.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 352

    Stephen¡¯s words caught Felicia off guard. So, the reason Stephan had rushed back to Khogend, leaving everything behind in Seldvale, was because he thought she was in danger as she had


    been unreachable?


    She recalled what Mike had mentioned


    that during her seven¨Cday disappearance, Stephan


    had deployed numerous resources to find her.


    Pressing her lips together, Felicia forced a small smile. ¡°So, it seems <b>I </b>owe you another favor?¡±


    Her tone was polite but distant.


    Stephan¡¯s expression darkened, his frustration barely contained. He chuckled bitterly. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. I <b>do </b>have ulterior motives foring to Khogend.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Felicia let out a small exhale, her shoulders rxing slightly.


    But her apparent relief <b>only </b>stoked the fire within Stephan. To him, it seemed like <b>she </b>was desperate to sever any ties between them as if his presence was something she wanted to avoid at all costs.


    Was he that intolerable?


    A heavy silence lingered between them as Stephan¡¯s jaw tightened. His hand around her waist instinctively clenched tighter as though trying to anchor her. But something inside him shifted when his gaze locked onto Felicia¡¯s calm, detached eyes.


    Without a word, his hand loosened, and he stepped back.


    For a fleeting moment, Felicia saw a flicker of the man she had first met¨Cthe one who exuded a cold, unapproachable air. The same unyielding indifference and aloofness now seemed to build an imprable wall between them had returned in full force.


    Stephan turned and left.


    When he arrived, hismanding presence had parted the crowd in the clinic. His sharp gaze had found Felicia instantly, his steps purposeful and resolute. There had even been a softness in his expression when he looked at her, a rare moment of warmth that thawed his otherwise icy <b>demeanor</b>.


    But as he walked away, his demeanor turned sharp and oppressive. A storm was brewing beneath his surface. The chilling air he left in his wake silenced the entire hall. The senior physicians and assistants, who had been busy moments before, froze, a collective shiver running down their spines.


    Felicia emerged from the herb storeroom soon after, her expression calm and collected as if nothing had happened. Spotting Kerry still lingering around, she raised an eyebrow.¡± Thinking about skipping out on your bonus? Get going and buy the herbs.¡±


    Chary


    ¡°Oh, right! I¡¯m on it!¡± Kerry clutched the list and bolted out the door, not daring to linger a second longer.


    Union Clinic had been growing steadily under Felicia¡¯s leadership. With more staff and


    generous pay, everyone was kept on their toes. No one wanted to risk losing out on their hefty


    bonuses.


    The eight senior physicians kept their heads low pretending to be preupied with their work. Curiosity burned in their eyes, but no one dared ask about the mysterious man or his


    connection to Felicia.


    Returning to her tasks, Felicia busied herself in the storeroom again. The next two days passed uneventfully. As promised, she crafted a calming sachet that emitted a subtle fragrance of jasmine and osmanthus, making it pleasant and soothing.


    The sachet was made with carefully selected ingredients to ensure it was safe for a child to use, whether carried around or ced by a pillow.


    Once it was ready, Felicia called Mike and asked him to pick it


    <ol>


    <li>up. </li>


    </ol>


    He arrived quickly, stepping into the clinic just as Felicia came out of the storeroom. She handed him the two sachets she had made. novelbin


    Mike raised an eyebrow as he brought one to his nose, sniffing curiously. ¡°Osmanthus and jasmine?¡±


    ¡°Yep. Let Sandra smell them first. If she likes the scent, she can keep them. It¡¯ll help her sleep better.¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡± Mike¡¯s grin was broad and genuine as he carefully tucked the sachets into his pockets like prized possessions.


    Felicia lifted her hand in a casual wave, signaling he was free to leave. But Mike hesitated, shifting on his feet as if something was on his mind.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Felicia prompted, raising a brow.


    Clearing his throat, Mike scratched his nose sheepishly. ¡°Did you and Stephan have a fight or something? I went to see him yesterday, and he mmed the door in my face.¡±


    Felicia blinked, caught off guard. She then let out a smallugh. ¡°No, you¡¯re overthinking it.¡±


    It hardly counted as an argument. It was more like clearing up a misunderstanding.


    Felicia wasn¡¯t about to waste time dwelling on it. She had bigger things to deal with. Turning to Kerry, she said simply, ¡°See him out.¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 353

    Felicia had clearly underestimated Mike¡¯s shameless persistence.


    For someone who always seemed the perfect gentleman¨Cpolished,posed, and annoyingly polite¨CMike had a hidden streak of stubborn audacity.


    When Kerry tried to show him the door politely, Mike casually brushed it off and followed Felicia all the way into the storeroom. novelbin


    Kerry hovered awkwardly nearby, unsure whether she should physically intervene. Ultimately, she decided against it. After all, this was Mike, not some random troublemaker. Still, she kept a watchful eye.


    Felicia paid no attention to her unwanted guest, focusing on the colorful powders spread out on the table in front of her. The air was heavy with a strange, medicinal aroma.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Mike asked, leaning closer to the array of red, yellow, blue, and green powders. He reached out, curiosity getting the better of him. ¡°It smells¡­ interesting. Mind if I


    ¡°Poison,¡± Felicia said with a faint smile, not looking up. ¡°Deadly stuff. One touch <b>and </b>you¡¯re


    <b>gone</b>.¡±


    Mike¡¯s hand froze mid¨Cair. His expression shifted from mild curiosity to wide¨Ceyed shock, as though she had just told him the powder could explode. His hand snapped back to his side, and, he instinctively took two steps back.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± he asked, swallowing hard. ¡°You¡¯re out here whipping up poison like it¡¯s no big deal?¡±


    Felicia finally looked up, her lips curving slightly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you call me a ¡®tough girl¡® the first time we met? Just living up to the reputation.¡±


    ¡±


    Mike thought back to their first encounter¨CFelicia, alone and unarmed, taking on a group of street thugs like it was a casual Tuesday. He had been impressed back then. Now? He wasn¡¯t so


    sure.


    Straightening up, he cleared his throat and tried to sound serious. ¡°Okay, fine. But, uh¡­ Are you upset because of that woman hanging around Stephan?¡±


    Felicia paused her work, her hands still over the array of toxic powders she was mixing. It took her a moment to process what Mike had just said.


    She thought, ¡°There¡¯s a young woman with Stephan? Well, that exins a lot.¡±


    Instead of addressing his statement, Felicia tossed her own question back at him, ¡°Mr. Lawson, can you tell me what Stephan is really looking for in Khogend? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s connected to the Fuller family?¡±


    Channsd


    She hadn¡¯t forgotten about Stephan¡¯s twote¨Cnight visits to the Fuller residence. Coupled


    with his


    s stau


    in Khogend under a concealed identity, there was clearly more to this story.


    Felicia wasn¡¯t someone driven by idle curiosity, but if it involved the Fuller family, she couldn¡¯t ignore it. That unspoken tension between her and Stephan¨Cwas it intentional or purely coincidental?


    Mike¡¯s expression shifted noticeably. ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t answer that.¡±


    He looked like he wanted to p himself. He scolded himself inwardly, ¡°Why did I even bring this up?¡± Now, he had managed to dig himself into a hole. He should¡¯ve just stayed quiet instead of nosing around and creating trouble for himself.


    ¡°If you really want to know, ask Stephan directly. Anyway, I¡¯ve got something to do. Thanks for that calming sachet you made for Sandra. I¡¯ll see myself out!¡±


    The man who had been loitering shamelessly just moments ago now bolted as if his life depended on it.


    Felicia chuckled softly.


    With the interruption gone, she refocused on mixing her powders. But Mike¡¯s earlierment about the ¡°young woman¡± by Stephan¡¯s side left a strange feeling lingering in her chest.


    She recalled the soft, feminine voice that had answered <b>her </b>call to Stephan before. It should be


    her.


    Clearly, their rtionship wasn¡¯t ordinary.


    Felicia pushed down the faint difort stirring in her and turned her full attention back to crafting the poison in front of her.


    Kerry was still standing nearby, her eyes wide as she nervously pointed to the vibrant array of powders on the table.


    ¡°Ms. F¨CFuller¡­¡±


    ¡°Straighten your tongue before you speak,¡± Felicia said without looking up.


    ¡°Ms. Fuller!¡± Kerry finally managed, her voice trembling. ¡°Is this really poison? The kind that ¡­ you know¡­ kills on contact?¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 354

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Felicia¡¯s expression was serious, leaving no trace of humor in her tone.


    Kerry sucked in a sharp breath, her voice shaking. ¡°Ms. Fuller, calm down! Don¡¯t lose your head¨Cimpulsiveness is the devil!¡± novelbin


    Felicia shot her an annoyed look. ¡°Get back to work. Quit cking off!¡°.


    Once she managed to chase Kerry out, Felicia turned her focus back to her task. She carefully finished mixing the poisons and stored them in her custom¨Cmade capsules. Each capsule was about the size of a marble and easy to carry around.


    With these to


    she ever ran into trouble, all she had to do was twist one open and toss it. The powder inside would disperse immediately.


    Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t have enough ingredients this time and could only fill seven capsules. That meant she had seven chances to fight <b>back</b>.


    Since Maurice¡¯s men kidnapped her, Felicia had been rethinking her strategies. She¡¯de to realize her methods were way too soft.


    Before, she avoided lethal options, crafting powders that only caused temporary effects¨Clike brief paralysis or unbearable pain at the point of contact. It was enough to disable someone withoutsting harm. But it left her opponents too much room to recover.


    She didn¡¯t stand a chance if she faced a group of enemies. That kidnapping incident had


    proven it.


    So, she changed her approach. This time, she wasn¡¯t going to hold back. Each of the seven. capsules now carried a lethal poison. Just a tiny bit of that powder would cause immediate death. The victims would bleed from their eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.


    This safeguard gave her a sense of security she hadn¡¯t felt in a long time.


    Satisfied, Felicia dusted off her hands and meticulously cleaned the workspace, ensuring no speck of poison was left behind. Only then did she leave the storeroom.


    Outside, the clinic was running as usual. Eight junior physicians were busy seeing patients while Kerry and a few assistants bustled around running errands.


    Felicia exchanged a few quick words with them before heading out. She had ns with Carmen that night for stew¨Ca n they had made weeks ago when she had just returned to Khogend from Ablil. She¡¯d been too swamped with work to follow through until now.


    As Felicia stepped out of the clinic, her phone buzzed with a message from Carmen, sharing the restaurant¡¯s address. ording to Carmen, the ce served the most authentic stew in town. It was so popr that reservations were always booked solid¨Cshe¡¯d had to wait three days to secure a spot.


    Felicia chuckled, gged down a cab, and headed out. But as she got into the car, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that someone was following her. ncing back, she saw nothing unusual.


    It <b>had </b>to be Maurice¡¯s men. Those four men had been tailing her for days, iming it was for her protection. They stayed hidden most of the time and only showed themselves in emergencies.


    Shrugging off the unease, Felicia settled into the cab, and soon enough, she arrived at the


    restaurant.


    The aroma hit her as soon as she stepped out¨Cspicy, rich, and mouthwatering. It lingered in the air, spreading down the entire street. The three¨Cstory stew joint was packed to the brim, the lively chatter and clinking of cutlery spilling outside.


    Carmen was seated by a second¨Cfloor window. She spotted Felicia immediately and waved excitedly. ¡°Over here! Hurry up!¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Felicia walked inside. The same eerie feeling of being watched crept over her as she crossed the threshold. She frowned but didn¡¯t look back this time, pretending not to notice anything. Casually, she made her way upstairs and slid into the seat across from Carmen.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 355

    Carmen had been starving, and the moment Felicia sat down, she pushed the menu toward her eagerly. ¡°I already ordered my favorites, but it¡¯s your turn now. Go wild, and don¡¯t even think about holding back!


    Their time spent together had made them close, and Felicia didn¡¯t hesitate. She skimmed the menu and ordered without a second thought.


    The waiter came by to collect the menu and poured them both drinks. Soon, the <b>fragrant </b>stew arrived.


    As Felicia dug in, her eyes flickered toward the window several times. Carmen was engrossed in devouring the food and didn¡¯t notice a thing.


    ¡°This is amazing!¡± Carmen eximed between bites, her mouth slightly red from the spice. She breathed, cooling her tongue, and downed her drink. When she looked up, she noticed Felicia shutting the window.


    ¡®Why close it? Isn¡¯t it hot in here?¡±


    ¡°To keep bugs out,¡± Felicia replied casually.


    Her exnation was reasonable, and Carmen didn¡¯t think twice about it.


    The two of them devoured the stew, almost licking the bottom of the pot clean. After Carmen paid the bill, they were about to leave the restaurant when Felicia stopped her.


    She handed Carmen two small spheres and exined how to use them.


    Carmen examined the tiny balls curiously. ¡°What are these for?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re for emergencies,¡± Felicia said seriously. ¡°If you¡¯re ever in danger, use them. But be careful¨Cthey¡¯re filled with poison. Don¡¯t use them unless you absolutely have to.¡±


    Carmen¡¯s eyes widened in awe. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Felicia! You even know how to make stuff like this!!


    Felicia smiled faintly, saying nothing.


    As they stepped out of the restaurant, Felicia casually mentioned having another errand to run and suggested Carmen head home first.


    Carmen agreed readily but hesitated as she opened the cab door. Turning back, she squinted at Felicia suspiciously. ¡°Wait a second. You gave me these poison balls and are now trying to send me off alone. You¡¯re not secretly trying to get rid of me, are you?<b>¡± </b>


    Feliciaughed, her expression one of amused exasperation. ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m heading back to the clinic for ate appointment. Do you want to tag along and see some patients with me?¡±


    Carmen¡¯s face paled at the thought. She shook her head vehemently. ¡°No thanks. I get queasy just thinking about needles! I¡¯ll pass. See you tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow it is. Stay safe.¡±


    After Carmen¡¯s cab drove off, the faint smile on Felicia¡¯s face disappeared.


    That nagging sensation of being watched hadn¡¯t gone away. If anything, it had intensified. The precision and subtlety of the surveince made her certain this wasn¡¯t the doing of Maurice¡¯s men. There were others.


    The presence was too sharp, too numerous. It wasn¡¯t just four people trailing her; there were novelbin


    far more.


    She couldn¡¯t risk leading these people to Carmen


    Standing still for a moment, Felicia discreetly gauged her surroundings. The feeling of being watched didn¡¯t shift, which meant these people weren¡¯t splitting up to follow Carmen.


    Relieved, Felicia took a slow, deep breath and began walking toward the clinic. Her pace was leisurely and unhurried as if she were merely out for a post¨Cmeal stroll.


    In the shadows, a team of 17 assassins kept her in their sights.


    Every nearby surveince camera had been disabled. Hidden among the darkness, their ordinary, nondescript faces made them invisible to anyone passing by. They were experts in blending in and striking unseen.


    The leader spoke in a low voice, his tone curt andmanding, ¡°The client wants this done. fast. No dys. The moment we get an opening, we hit hard and get out immediately.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± the team replied in unison.


    One of them sneered, ¡°Seventeen of us for one little girl? Overkill much? This job¡¯s a joke.¡±


    ¡°Shut it!¡± the leader snapped. ¡°We get paid to do what we¡¯re told. If the client says jump, we ask how high. And don¡¯t forget¨Cshe¡¯s got four bodyguards lurking nearby. Stay sharp.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± the others muttered, though a few still seemed unimpressed.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 356

    Felicia¡¯s slow, unhurried steps echoed faintly along the deserted road. The farther she walked, the darker the path became. Several streetlights along the stretch had long since gone out, leaving the area shrouded in eerie shadows. The silence was deafening, broken only by the soft shuffle of her shoes against the pavement..


    In the dark, the assassins knew their moment had arrived.


    ¡°Now!¡± the leader ordered in a hushed tone.


    Seventeen shadowy figures moved like a wave, swift and silent as they closed in on Felicia from all directions. She¡¯d have seen nothing but the blur of ck¨Cd figures barreling


    toward her if she turned around.


    Within seconds, they were upon her.


    One assassin lunged, his de shing in the dim light as it aimed directly for her throat. The steel glinted menacingly as it drew closer, inch by inch.


    But just as the knife was about to meet its target, it froze in mid¨Cair.


    The assassin hesitated, ncing at his wrist. A thin silver needle now protruded from his skin, its shaft still vibrating faintly as though it had only just embedded itself.


    The assassin sneered, mocking, ¡°Go to hell!¡±


    Just then, his body stiffened. Blood began trickling from his wrist, dripping down the de in his hand. His sneer faltered as confusion overtook him.


    The assassin stared at the silver needle. To his horror, its gleaming surface was rapidly turning ck.


    ¡°Poison!¡± he gasped, his voice hoarse.


    ¡°Not just poison,¡± Felicia murmured, her tone almost yful. ¡°It¡¯s a deadly poison.¡±


    With a single finger, she pushed the de away from her face. The assassin¡¯s eyes widened in shock as blood suddenly gushed from his nose, ears, and mouth. In mere moments, he copsed backward, lifeless.


    The remaining 16 assassins froze, stunned by the sudden and silent death of theirrade. But their shocksted only a moment. They were professionals, after all. Death was part of the


    job.


    ¡°Stay sharp! Finish this quickly!¡± barked the leader, his voice sharp andmanding.


    The rest of the team moved in unison without missing a beat, their training and precision unmatched. des gleamed as they surged forward, ready to strike.


    Before they could reach her, however, four figures dropped from the trees above.


    They were Maurice¡¯s men.


    The guards quickly formed a protective circle around Felicia. As the assassins closed in, the men engaged, throwing themselves into the fray


    The sh was chaotic. des nged, and grunts of effort filled the air as the two sides fought. But four men against 16 trained killers? The odds weren¡¯t in their favor.


    The men were soon overwhelmed, locked in viciousbat with no way to free themselves. One of them, caught in a fierce struggle, shouted desperately over his shoulder, ¡°Ms. Fuller, run!¡±


    Felicia rolled her eyes. She knew these people couldn¡¯t save her. She had never counted on anyone else to protect her.


    With the guards fully upied, seven or eight assassins broke off and charged toward her, determined not to let her escape. Their des, swift and unrelenting, aimed to kill.


    Felicia¡¯s eyes gleamed with a dangerous light. Perfect timing. She would see how well her new toys worked. novelbin


    Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out two small spheres and flung them toward the advancing assassins. The assassins barely spared the spheres a nce. To them, it was a desperatest¨Cditch effort from a cornered target


    In the past, they¡¯d seen someone throw a bottle of water at them in a simr situation.


    Unbothered, they pressed forward, even smirking at Felicia¡¯s futile attempt to resist.


    But the moment the spheres hit the ground, they cracked open, releasing a fine, almost invisible powder into the air.


    Carried by the breeze, the powder enveloped the assassins and clung to their faces and hands, even wafting into their mouths and noses. Within <b>seconds</b>, the assassins¡® des darkened.


    The other assassins turned to one another, horrified. In the ssy, bloodied eyes of theirrades, they saw their own gruesome reflection.


    No one screamed.


    One by one<b>, </b>their bodies crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 357

    Seven assassins were down, and ten remained.


    The group leader felt a chill run down his spine. His wide, disbelieving eyes fixed on Felicia, who stood under the moonlight with an air ofplete calm.


    She was young, barely 19, yet her demeanor showed no fear or panic. She stood with her hands. sped behind her back, her sharp, clear gaze scanning the assassins as if surveying a corpse


    lineup.


    The leader¡¯s heart pounded against his ribs. He had spilled enough blood to feel invincible, yet for the first time, he found himself shaken¨Cby a woman half his age.


    ¡°Watch out for her poison!¡± he barked, masking his unease with a gruff shout. ¡°Surround her! Take her down!¡±


    The assassins, seasoned professionals, didn¡¯t hesitate. Despite the deadly toll Felicia¡¯s poison had already taken, they quickly recalibrated their strategy. They tightened their encirclement, avoiding the wind¡¯s direction and sparing themselves to avoid concentrated attacks. Their des gleamed in the dim light.


    Felicia rolled a small sphere in her palm, pretending to prepare for another throw. Her feint worked perfectly¨Cone of the leading assassins flinched and sidestepped, breaking formation,


    In that split¨Csecond distraction, Felicia flicked out a silver needle. It whistled through the air and embedded itself in the assassin¡¯s neck.


    The scream died in his throat. He crumpled to the ground, lifeless.


    Nine more assassins left. novelbin


    The leader cursed under his breath. His patience snapped, and he surged forward, knife in


    hand.


    Before he could close the gap, however, another few assassins fell. This time, it wasn¡¯t Felicia¡¯s doing¨Cit was Maurice¡¯s four bodyguards.


    The guards, bloodied but unrelenting, had finally managed to free themselves. Now, with their backs to the wall, they fought with a ferocity that rivaled the assassins¡®<b>. </b>


    Felicia didn¡¯t waste the opportunity. Standing back, she sent needle after needle flying, each one finding its mark with surgical precision.


    The tide began to turn.


    Ten minutester, the battleground was silent.


    Seventeen assassinsy motionless on the ground. Not one <b>had </b>escaped.


    Felicia stepped forward, crouching beside the leader¡¯s lifeless body. She rummaged through his clothing, her expression unreadable. As expected, there was nothing¨Cno identification,


    no hint of who <b>had </b>sent them.


    Her fingers brushed over the thick calluses on his palms, telltale signs of years spent wielding weapons. A cold smile tugged at her lips. These were professional assassins. But who hired them?


    Felicia rose, dusting her hands. Her calm, measured voice carried easily to Maurice¡¯s bodyguards.


    ¡°Tell Mr. Glovers this¨CI¡¯ll get rid of the twin venomous creatures when I¡¯m ready. Until then, he¡¯d better watch his step. If he keeps pushing me, I won¡¯t hesitate to let him. go


    Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away.


    The men exchanged uneasy nces,


    first.¡±


    They wanted to exin that they had nothing to do with the attack, but doubt crept in when they considered Maurice¡¯s erratic tendencies. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time he had staged something reckless just to toy with someone.


    Still, the scene before them was undeniable. Seventeen dead assassins and four battered. bodyguards. And in the middle of it all, a calm,posed Felicia who had saved their lives more than once during the fight.


    One of them sighed. ¡°We¡¯d better report this. Maybe we can talk some sense into Mr. Glovers. He needs to stop this nonsense before someone actually dies.¡±


    However, when they ryed the incident back to Maurice, the response wasn¡¯t what they expected.


    ¡°Kill her? When did I ever send anyone to kill her?¡±


    His voice dripped with incredulity.


    ¡°Mr. Glovers, we thought-¡±


    ¡°What? That I¡¯d waste good assassins on someone tied to my own life?¡± Maurice barked. ¡°Use your brains! Do I look like an idiot?¡±


    The men hesitated. Then, one muttered under his breath, ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯ve never done something crazy before¡­¡±


    ¡°What was that?¡± Maurice¡¯s tone promised retribution.


    Maurice let out a string of curses, his irritation barely contained. But when he heard how Felicia had handled the attack¨Ctaking down seven assassins on her own¨Chis temper shifted.


    ¡°Damn,¡± he muttered, a sly <b>grin </b>spreading across his face. ¡°She has guts.¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 358

    ¡°It seems that this challenge wasn¡¯t enough to trouble her.¡±


    Hearing this, Maurice¡¯s loyal subordinates became even more convinced that it was Maurice


    who sent the assassins.


    The subordinates thought that Maurice was taking things too far and ying with fire.


    Maurice couldn¡¯t care less about what his men were thinking. He simply ordered, ¡°Keep tailing her. Report back to me on any updates immediately.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± replied the subordinates.


    After ending the call, Maurice nced in the direction of Grandeur Hall and asked the subordinate behind him, ¡°How much did Kelsey spend hiring these people?¡±


    The subordinate replied honestly, ¡°Two million dors. Their rates are usually much higher, but since the target was just a youngdy, they lowered it.¡±


    Maurice couldn¡¯t hold back and burst outughing.


    Seventeen subordinates. It was supposed to be a sure win, but they had all been utterly


    defeated.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Grab some gifts and we¡¯ll pay that olddy a visit.¡±


    Maurice, who was now on his feet, had long since abandoned his wheelchair. Although his arms had not healed entirely, it did very little to affect his uncontroble temper.


    At Grandeur Hall, Kelsey was in shock when the news reached her.


    ¡°What? All seventeen assassins couldn¡¯t even handle one young woman<b>? </b>They¡¯re all useless!¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Glovers Senior, please stay calm. Perhaps Mr. Glover¡¯s subordinates were simply too strong. With them protecting Felicia, it¡¯s understandable that the attempt failed-¡±


    ¡°Maurice only sent four people! Seventeen against four, and they still lost? What a joke!¡±


    Kelsey became increasingly furious, but before she could continue, she noticed one of the maids winking at her frantically. This meant that Maurice just got here and that she should


    end the conversation.


    Kelsey turned around and saw Maurice entering He was perfectly unscathed with no missing limbs, not even a scratch.


    He carried himself as usual, wearing a fake, casual smile. Yet the air of authority radiating from him made her insides churn. novelbin


    Kelsey clenched her fists.


    Over the years, Maurice had solidified his position as the head of the Glovers family so thoroughly that he was basically untouchable.


    Suppressing her anger, Kelsey forced a smile. ¡°Dear grandson, you¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°Just thought I¡¯d check in on you and bring some gifts to show my respect.¡± Maurice gestured, and his subordinates immediately stepped forward with an array of gifts. Every single gift was geared toward cooling down tempers and lowering blood pressure. Drinks, snacks, and even medication were neatly arranged before her.


    Kelsey¡¯s smile faltered. Her expression stiffened as she forced out the words, ¡°How thoughtful of you, dear. The weather¡¯s been so warmtely, and I¡¯ve been feeling a bit¡­ overheated.¡±


    ¡°Really? What a coincidence.¡±


    He exchanged a few more pleasantries, watching as her expression grew darker with every word. Once he was satisfied, he turned back and left.


    The moment Maurice was gone, Kelsey flipped the entire table of gifts onto the floor.


    ¡°That ungrateful wretch! Bastard!


    ¡°Mrs. Glovers Senior, please calm down. Don¡¯t hurt yourself.¡± The maid tried to console her, only for Kelsey to grab her wrist tightly.


    ¡°Did you see the way he looked just now? So arrogant, so smug! That little bastard! If he could kill his own father and brother, it¡¯s only a matter of time before he drives me to my grave!!


    Kelsey kept muttering, and a thought consumed her mind. She had to avenge her son and grandson.


    ¡°If one attempt isn¡¯t enough, I¡¯ll try again. I¡¯ll spend more money to hire fearless assassins, Whatever it takes to get rid of that bastard and reim the Glovers¡® name!¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 359

    Kelsey¡¯s old, raspy voice carried an unrelenting resolve, teetering on the edge of madness.


    The maid felt a chill in her heart. She was convinced Kelsey had gone insane.


    Regardless of how Maurice had wed his way to the top, he was now the head of the Glovers. That fact was set in stone. If Kelsey continued to recklessly plot against herst remaining grandson, it would spell doom for the family. Once Maurice was gone, the vast Glover residence would be devoured by outsiders in an instant.


    What then? Could a frail, elderly Kelsey possibly hold the family together on her own?


    The loyal maid hesitated before speaking, but eventually, she couldn¡¯t hold back. ¡°Mrs. Glovers Senior, Mr. Glovers still respects you. Besides, he bears the Glovers name as well.¡±


    Having the Glovers family in Maurice¡¯s hands was still better than letting the family fall into the hands of strangers.


    Regardless of how much a grandmother and grandson despised one another, there remained -harmony on the surface. Kelsey was still addressed respectfully as ¡°Mrs. Glovers Senior¡°. But


    if things got out of control, would Maurice, given <b>his </b>reputation for aggression, still spare her?


    The maid had been by Kelsey¡¯s side for over 40 years, going through countless obstacles together. She wasn¡¯t just a confidante but the closest and most trusted person to her. Every word <b>she </b>spoke was for Kelsey¡¯s sake.


    Yet Kelsey let out a coldugh that was dismissive and scornful. ¡°He¡¯s just a bastard child. Do I <b>need </b>his respect? If I¡¯d known he¡¯d turn out like this, I would¡¯ve strangled him at birth!¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Glovers Senior-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough! Don¡¯t say another word!¡± Her expression was filled with murderous intent.¡± Those 17 failures have died. Good riddance to them. Go hire another batch of assassins, but this time, no brawlers. I want people who use guns. Tell them that as long as the job is done<b>, </b>money will not be an issue.¡±


    ¡°I understand¡­¡±


    The maid sighed. Then, she turned and left to make the arrangements. novelbin


    With the Glovers family¡¯s vast influence and wealth, finding assassins was not a challenge at


    all.


    Moreover, Kelsey had been a formidable figure in her youth, and she still maintained a criticalwork of connections <b>that </b>even Maurice, as the current head, didn¡¯t possess.


    It didn¡¯t take half a day before she received <b>a </b>response.


    A candidate had been chosen.


    This time, it was an assassin known as ¡°Baldy¡± He ranked among the top three assassins on the underground leaderboard. Baldy¡¯s record included several high¨Cprofile assassinations, and he had never failed.


    ¡°Excellent, excellent!¡± Kelseyughed triumphantly, her confidence soaring. ¡°Send him the target¡¯s information. Tell him to be sharp. He can take his time, but the strike must be fatal! I


    won¡¯t tolerate another blunder like thest one!


    For the next two days, Felicia didn¡¯t leave the house.


    Reflecting on the recent incident, she diligently worked on a few improved and enhanced versions of her poison pellets.


    Unlike the earlier version, which relied on being thrown into the wind, these new pellets were designed to be hurled onto the ground.


    When they hit the ground or an obstacle, they would explode, releasing a cloud of poisonous. powder that spread out instantly, like fireworks.


    One could never have too many life¨Csaving tools.


    After finishing her preparations, Felicia went online to check the news. It had been three days since the attack, and it had been quiet at Khogend. There were no reports rted to the


    incident.


    It seemed Maurice¡¯s four trusted subordinates had already taken care of the


    17 bodies.


    Those assassins were fugitives who made a living doing dirty work. Their identities weren¡¯t traceable to the public. Likewise, their disappearance left no trail.


    Felicia turned off herputer. She was deep in her thoughts.


    With this first failed assassination, would there be a second attempt?


    Considering the night¡¯s events, it didn¡¯t seem likely that Maurice was behind the attack. As reckless as he was, he wouldn¡¯t risk the lives of his own trusted men.


    The fight that night was not an act. They had been going all out, fighting for their lives.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 360

    But to say this had nothing to do with Maurice? Felicia scoffed. She wasn¡¯t buying it. novelbin


    That psycho thrived on chaos. He loved watching others suffer and took delight in stirring up trouble. Even the twin venomous creature controlling him couldn¡¯t suppress his self-


    destructive tendencies.


    Felicia felt a headacheing on.


    She had originally used the twin venomous creature on Maurice as a desperate measure to save her own life as ast resort. But now, she realized it was a double¨C<b>edged </b>sword for her too.


    Especially with Maurice¡¯s knack for causing trouble, he had no shortage of enemies. If word of the twin venomous creatures reached them¡­ Felicia shivered at the thought.


    If Maurice¡¯s enemies found out, they wouldn¡¯t even bother targeting <b>him</b>. Wouldn¡¯t it be much easier toe after her instead? It¡¯d be quicker, simpler, and far more efficient.


    For all she knew<b>, </b>maybe those 17 assassins from the other night were already acting on this logic!


    Felicia had ounted for every detail, yet one crucial misstep slipped through the cracks. She cursed under her breath. Then, she stepped outside and called out loudly. Soon, one of Maurice¡¯s four trusted subordinates emerged from somewhere.


    ¡°Ms. Fuller, is there anything you need?<b>¡± </b>


    Felicia gave the man a quick nce. He was wearing a janitor¡¯s uniform from the apartment,plex. It didn¡¯t quite fit as it was slightly too big, and he was holding a cleaning rag in his hand.


    Noticing her gaze,


    the subordinate chuckled awkwardly. ¡°Since you don¡¯t want us following you openly, we¡¯ve been having to protect you in secret. This is just for cover.¡±


    Felicia gave it a thought. He was right.


    When she stayed holed up in her apartment, these men disguised themselves as janitors, patrolling the building. When she visited the clinic, they waited in <b>a </b>parked car nearby. At night, their hiding techniques got even more creative. Perching in trees seemed like a


    The corners of Felicia¡¯s mouth twitched. These guys sure were dedicated.


    She couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of envy. Where could she find such loyal and obedient subordinates<b>? </b>


    Too bad they belonged to Maurice.


    If she had people like them working for her, that would be great.


    CHUU NO


    Shaking off her momentary wistfulness, Felicia got to the point. ¡°Tell your boss I can help


    him reve the twin venomous creature. Have hime to Khogend.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± The subordinate¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°That¡¯s great! I¡¯ll inform him right away!¡±


    Felicia nodded.


    There was no way she¡¯d return to Ablil. So, Maurice would have toe to her instead.


    That way, even if he turned on her the moment the venomous creature was extracted, she¡¯d have a better chance of escaping on her own turf.


    Felicia had it all nned out.


    What she didn¡¯t expect was for Maurice to t¨Cout refuse after the subordinates made a call to


    him.


    ¡°He refused?¡± Felicia was shocked by the response.


    Even the subordinate who had called to report the news was dumbfounded. It was such a good opportunity. How could Maurice turn it down?


    Felicia, thinking perhaps the subordinate had failed to exin things clearly, grabbed the phone and said directly, ¡°Mr. Glovers, I¡¯ll extract the twin venomous creature for you¨Cno strings attached. You don¡¯t need to worry about anything.¡±


    On the other end of the <b>line</b>, Maurice let out a heartyugh.


    Even through the phone, Felicia could feel the vibration of his chest as heughed. A sense of unease crept over her.


    Then, in a maddeningly casual tone, Maurice drawled, ¡°No thanks. I like being bound to you. What are you going to do about it? Bite me?¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 361

    Felicia¡¯s eyelid twitched, and her lips curled from frustration.


    She finally understood what it meant to be a master maniptor. Maurice embodied it perfectly.


    His mood shifted faster than the flip of a page. It was unpredictable and impossible to pin down. No one ever knew what he was up to, as his actionscked rhyme or reason.


    If one had to sum it up, Maurice was a man who lived for entertainment. Every decision he made hinged entirely on his whims.


    Felicia took a deep breath to calm herself before speaking again. ¡°Mr. Glovers, you should know the only reason I used the twin venomous creature was to protect myself. As long as you don¡¯t harm me, I won¡¯t scheme against you.


    What¡¯s done is done. Come to Khogend. I¡¯ll remove the twin venomous creature, and we¡¯ll part ways,pletely even. How about that?¡±


    Felicia tried reasoning with him, but Maurice remained unmoved. He uttered one word. ¡°No.¡±


    Felicia was speechless.


    There was no negotiating with this man.


    Felicia¡¯s patience finally snapped. ¡°Fine, then. If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll just remove the twin venomous creature from my own body. Without the connection, the twin venomous creature in you will be useless.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, not a bad n,¡± Maurice replied, his tone entirely sincere. But just as Felicia thought he¡¯d finally relented, he added, ¡°But do you think¡­ anyone will believe you?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Felicia froze, then quickly realized what he was implying. Her voice shot up. ¡°You¡¯re nning to spread this? Maurice, are you out of your mind?¡±


    ¡°Why, thank you for thepliment.¡±


    It was the first time Felicia had addressed him by name. Surprisingly, he wasn¡¯t offended. If anything, her current bristling anger seemed to amuse him.


    She was like a little kitten puffing up its fur.


    Maurice was almost certain that if he stood in front of Felicia right now, she¡¯d lunge at him. with bare ws.


    Grinding her teeth, Felicia seethed with fury, yet there was nothing she could do about it.


    Even if Maurice refused to cooperate, the moment Felicia removed the twin venomous creature from herself, the effects would disappear.


    Chap 361


    But¡­ Would anyone else believe that?


    All Maurice had to do was leak the information. Just a single sentence iming that the twin venomous creature tied his life to hers, and his enemies would swarm like sharks drawn to blood.


    They couldn¡¯t take Maurice down, but they could exploit the twin venomous creature by targeting Felicia instead.


    In such a situation, no matter how much she tried to exin that the twin venomous creature had been neutralized, who would believe her? No one.


    Even a sliver of doubt would be enough for them to act.


    After a long pause, Felicia finally spat out, ¡°You¡¯re ruthless.¡± novelbin


    Maurice chuckled. ¡°I learned that from you.¡±


    Felicia was silent.


    She bit back her curses and forced a cold smile. ¡°Fine. If that¡¯s how you want to y, we¡¯ll hurt each other then. You¡¯d better hope none of your enemies catch wind of this, because if I¡¯m in danger, you¡¯ll die too.¡±


    Without waiting for his response, she hung up and tossed the phone back to Maurice¡¯s subordinate.


    The subordinate hadn¡¯t fully recovered from his shock when Felicia kicked him out the door.


    With a loud bang, the door mmed shut behind him, leaving the subordinate grimacing in pain.


    He wondered what kind of madness possessed Mr. Glovers this time for him to refuse to remove the twin venomous creature!


    If Felicia got angry enough to pull another stunt likest time, where she literally dislocated. her own arms, then Maurice¡¯s arms would be permanently wrecked!


    If only they were back in Ablil. Maybe they could have talked some sense into Maurice.


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± The four subordinates exchanged helpless looks. Their faces were uniformly etched with despair.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 362

    The eldest of the four, known for hisposed nature, finally spoke up. ¡°No need to worry. When Mr. Glovers makes a decision, he rarely goes back on it. Let¡¯s stay alert and keep up with our protection efforts! As long as Ms. Fuller¡¯s safety is guaranteed, the issue with the twin venomous creature won¡¯t be a big problem!¡±


    ¡°Agreed!¡±


    They thought back to that night when they faced 17 assassins. Felicia¡¯s extraordinarybat skills, almost superhuman in execution, had been nothing short of remarkable. That memory reassured them. Even if such a dire situation repeated, they believed they could handle it.


    One of their men, disguised as a janitor, nodded and chimed in, ¡°As long as we don¡¯t run into a sniper, we¡¯re golden.¡±


    The room fell silent.


    The other three exchanged nces and then kicked him in unison. ¡°Shut up. Don¡¯t jinx it!¡±


    The ¡°janitor¡± rubbed his bruised hip, looking upset. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to jinx it. It¡¯s just the truth.¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up!¡±


    Cold sweat formed on their foreheads as they contemted the idea. A face¨Cto¨Cface attack, where the enemy was visible and the battle was fought with skill and bravery, was manageable. But a sniper hidden in the shadows? One bullet could end it all before they had a


    chance to react.


    If Felicia were to be assassinated, the effect of the twin venomous creature would ensure Mr. Glovers wouldn¡¯t survive either. novelbin


    ¡°He has a point. We can¡¯t be careless. Felicia can handle closebat herself, but we need to stay hidden and scout every potential sniping location. We have to eliminate any chance of failure.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    They immediately revamped their protection strategy, shedding their disguises and blending Into the shadows under new identities.


    That same day, a bald man arrived in Khogend. A guitar case was slung over his shoulder, and he smoked a cigarette as he strolled down the bustling streets. Calling himself ¡°Baldy¡°, at first nce, he looked no different from the average passerby. But beneath the brim of his baseball cap, his eyes carried a dangerous edge.


    Lowering the cap, Baldy hailed a cab and gave the address of a residentialplex. He made his way to the seventh floor of the apartment and pounded on the door.


    The forceful knocking sent a wave of unease through the unit. In cases like this, it was an instinctual reaction to want to investigate.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    The tenant, Calvin, was barely awake. His hair was disheveled, and he looked greasy and unkempt. Ever since being fired, he had holed himself up in his apartment. He even started spying on his neighbor, Carmen, across the street through a telescope.


    At first, Calvin would hide the telescope behind his curtains. Now, he would just brazenly leave the telescope on his balcony in in sight.


    When he wasn¡¯t peeping, he was harassing Carmen whenever he had the chance. Even when Carmen showed nothing but disgust, Calvin found her beautiful and was determined to own her. If he couldn¡¯t have her, he would rather destroy her, or drag her down with him.


    Calvin knew he had a problem, but he didn¡¯t care. His odd behavior had driven people away, and their avoidance only fueled his arrogance.


    When he opened the door, he assumed it was some fool disturbing his sleep. He cursed, ¡°Who the hell are you, pounding on my door like that? Trying to get yourself killed?¡±


    The next second, a powerful <b>kick </b>sent him flying back into his apartment.


    Baldy stepped inside and calmly locked the door behind him.


    Calviny sprawled on the floor. His stomach was in pain, and it took him a good few seconds before recovering. He concluded the intruder was either Carmen¡¯s rtive or someone she had sent to confront him.


    He immediately shouted, ¡°What¡¯s your deal with that bitch<b>, </b>Carmen? Did she send you? Dream on. I¡¯ll tell you right now. I¡¯ll never stop bothering her unless one of us is dead!¡±


    Baldy didn¡¯t even acknowledge him. He moved as if he owned the ce, and set the guitar case on a table to utch it.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Infuriated at being ignored, Calvin grabbed the closest object and hurled it at the intruder. At this moment, thetches of the guitar case clicked open. Inside the case was a sniper rifle.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 363

    The moment Calvin saw the gun, he froze. He stopped mid¨Cswing as if every drop of blood in his body had turned to ice in that instant. novelbin


    Was that thing real?


    It had to be for show, right?


    Calvin couldn¡¯t believe it. There was no way Carmen, a girl with no connections, could bring in someone this powerful to deal with him. That gun had to be fake!


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think of fooling me!¡±


    Calvin¡¯s hesitation vanished as he bellowed. He lifted the lid in his hand and continued to swing it straight at Baldy. ¡°I¡¯m not scared of you!


    The lid was heavy, and if it hit, Baldy would definitely be left with a bloody head.


    Calvin expected Baldy to dodge, but to his surprise, Baldy didn¡¯t move an inch. He let the lid m down onto his head.


    Calvin expected a bloody scene, but it didn¡¯t happen.


    He paused, bewildered. He¡¯d swung with every bit of his strength, yet the impact didn¡¯t feel like he was hitting a human¡¯s head. Instead, it felt more like he had struck solid metal.


    Even his own hand tingled from the shock, while Baldy showed no sign of pain whatsoever.


    Does this guy have a skull made of steel?


    Calvin¡¯s mind raced, and he prepared to strike again. However, this time, Baldy removed his baseball cap and then mmed his own head directly into Calvin¡¯s.


    Calvin screamed in pain.


    His vision went blurry as a wave of dizziness overtook him. Warm blood trickled down from. his scalp.


    Baldy¡¯s head<b>, </b>as unyielding as iron, had mmed into him like a hammer.


    ¡°That¡¯s it. I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    Calvin scrambled back to his feet. His rage boiled as his eyes flickered around the room. He spotted a fruit knife on the table and snatched it up before lunging at Baldy.


    Unfazed, Baldy calmly adjusted his rifle and attached a silencer. He aimed directly at Calvin and fired a single shot.


    The bullet grazed the top of Calvin¡¯s head. Just bit lower, and it would¡¯ve been a fatal shot.


    Cold sweat poured down Calvin¡¯s face.


    The new


    moment, he wet himself.


    Finally, Baldy spoke. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, then sit still. Got it?¡±


    Calvin¡¯s face went white as a sheet. Fear consumed him, and he dropped the lid to the floor. He was in tears as he nodded frantically.


    Baldy looked away and walked toward the balcony. He drew the white curtains, then set up his


    rifle.


    After that, he just sat there. He was perfectly still, like a statue.


    After a long while, Calvin finally came back to his senses. His legs gave way as he dropped to


    his knees.


    Baldy didn¡¯t turn around, but he could smell the stench in the air. He frowned. ¡°Clean yourself up, coward.¡±


    Calvin didn¡¯t dare to talk back. Terrified of angering Baldy, he scrambled to wipe the mess on the floor, changed his pants, and cleaned up the wrecked living room.


    Whether it was leftover noodles or bits of takeout, Calvin bundled up all the trash.


    The entire time, Baldy gazed out the window. He looked like a lone wolf, calm and alert. His eyes were glued to his scope, while his finger hovered over the trigger.


    This went on till the sky had already turned dark


    Calvin huddled in a corner, frozen. He was too scared to move or even make a sound.


    If it weren¡¯t for the bullet lodged in the wall, he might¡¯ve thought it was all just a nightmare.


    Just like that, he stayed there trembling the whole day. When night finally fell, his stomach growled with hunger. Even so, he didn¡¯t dare to move, asionally, he¡¯d steal nces at Baldy, who remained on the balcony.


    Only now did it start to dawn on Calvin. Baldy wasn¡¯t here for him, and he definitely wasn¡¯t. someone Carmen had sent to teach him a lesson.


    So, what was Baldy really here for?


    Calvin¡¯s curiosity got the best of him as he nced over, following the line of Baldy¡¯s scope. Suddenly, his face went pale as he pieced it together.


    Baldy was aiming at the seventh floor of the building across the street.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 364

    The room across the street in 702 was Carmen¡¯s home.


    Apart from that, there was also 701. Calvin had dropped by often enough to know exactly who lived there. She was a stunning beauty who happened to be Carmen¡¯s ssmate. Her name was Felicia Fuller.


    A bold idea crossed his mind.


    Calvin swallowed hard.


    Baldy, with his rifle and his calm yet intimidating demeanor, looked just like a professional hitman from the movies.


    Calvin¡¯s eyes darted around, and he seemed to have thought of something. His whole body quivered with excitement.


    He carefully edged closer, trying to cozy up with Baldy. ¡°Hey, big guy. Maybe I can help you<b>¡­</b>¡± All day, Felicia had not been near the windows. novelbin


    She was still fuming over how shameless Maurice had been. The frustration was so intense that she¡¯d considered teaching him a lesson, though that would mean hurting herself in the process.


    After thinking it over, she decided it wasn¡¯t worth it.


    Felicia stretched and was getting ready for a shower. As she walked past the windows, she tightened the gap between the curtains.


    When the lights were on at night, her floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows didn¡¯t offer much privacy. She was particr about these things. Even during the day, she¡¯d close the sheer curtains. They let in light but still gave her a sense of security from prying eyes.


    This time, she nced outside out of habit. The buildings in this old, cramped neighborhood were built closely together. At a nce, nearly every apartment had its lights <b>on</b>.


    In this field of light, only one room was different.


    That unit was dark, but with the dim light spilling over from other floors, she could make out a figure standing motionless behind the curtains


    Felicia frowned.


    She knew that pervert Calvin lived across the street. Apparently, <b>he </b>still hadn¡¯t given up and continued to pester Carmen.


    The thought of that creep lurking by the window every day, peeping, was utterly disgusting.


    Chapter Sent)


    She suddenly felt <b>the </b>urge to move out.


    Previously, she had rented this ce because she was practically broke. She¡¯d spent all her earnings on building schools and developing the projects in Alverton.


    Afterward, she poured arge investment into Jupiter Corp.


    Back then, she couldn¡¯t afford anything better and didn¡¯t want to continue relying on Stephan any longer. So, she¡¯d quickly found this ce to settle down.


    However, things were different now.


    She was loaded.


    The annual rent from over a hundred shops on Archer Street had been deposited into her ount. That alone was enough for her to buy a few vis.


    Not to mention, she owned a mine.


    In addition to that, an oil field.


    Felicia looked at the endless zeros in her bank ount. After a brief pause<b>, </b>she contacted the rental agent she¡¯d worked with before and asked him to find two new ces.


    One would be a vi for herself to live in<b>. </b>


    The other would be a high¨Csecurity apartment as a gift for Carmen.


    By the time Felicia finished her shower, the agent had already sent her several options<b>, </bplete with detailed photos and locations.


    She casually forwarded the listings to Carmen, letting her pick one.


    Carmen was clearly shocked. Her typing icon popped up in the chat for a while before she finally sent over a message. ¡°Richdy. I¡¯m hungry. Feed <b>me</b><b>.</b><b>¡± </b>


    Felicia chuckled.


    Then, Carmen sent over two more messages. ¡°I love to move out, but my dad and stepmom won¡¯t let me. They¡¯re eager for me to start working and making money for them. If they find out I have a ce worth a million dors, they¡¯d rip it away from me and take it for


    themselves.¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 365

    That was true. novelbin


    Even if Felicia were generous, she still wouldn¡¯t sacrifice that much.


    She came up with apromise and replied, ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll put the property under my name for now and you can move in first. I¡¯ll only pass it on to you when you¡¯repetent enough to manage it.¡®


    But Carmen shook her head. She would jest about being a sugar baby, but it was only a joke. A property was far too expensive to ept.


    Felicia didn¡¯t argue further and instead picked a property herself.


    Besides, she had already intended to give Carmen the keys once it was acquired. Whether she chose to live there or not would be entirely up to her.


    The real estate agent was ecstatic at her decisiveness. He would have rushed over with the contract and gotten her to sign it right away, but it was already toote.


    Felicia also had her eyes on another vi and scheduled a viewing the next day. If she liked it, she¡¯d finalize both deals at once.


    After scheduling the appointment, the agent offered to pick her up the next day, which Felicia. readily agreed to because it saved her the trouble of booking a ride.


    The next morning, Felicia cooked a bowl of noodles herself and cleaned up the kitchen after she was done eating. By then, the agent had already arrived, 20 minutes earlier than scheduled.


    The agent called her with an earnest tone, ¡°Please take your time, Ms. Fuller. I¡¯ll wait downstairs for as long as you need. There¡¯s no rush at all!¡±


    Felicia didn¡¯t keep him waiting long. She quickly changed her clothes and headed out.


    ¡°Good morning, Ms. Fuller!¡± The agent greeted her with a bright smile and escorted her all the way.


    He held out an umbre to keep her from the sum, and he even ced a hand near her head to ensure she wouldn¡¯t bump it while getting into the car. Every detail was covered with meticulous care.


    Once Felicia settled into the car, the agent returned to the driver¡¯s seat and drove away. He was chatting non¨Cstop during the ride, disying a perfect bnce of humor and charm.


    As the car drove off, no one noticed a bald man lurking by the window on the seventh floor of the building across the street.


    Baldy didn¡¯t look happy.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 366

    Chaug 16:


    The moment Felicia stepped out earlier, he had the perfect shot lined up. He could have aplished the job in <b>one </b>shot.


    But that overly attentive young agent had hovered around her so persistently that he couldn¡¯t get a clear shot.


    Three days.


    He gave himself three more days toplete the job. Baldy cleaned his rifle and muttered to himself.


    Meanwhile, at the Russell Estate, Stephan had been in his study for over ten hours since receiving a new investigative lead yesterday afternoon. He hadn¡¯t stepped out since.


    <b>The </b>maids had tried delivering food to him multiple times, but they didn¡¯t dare to bother him.


    By morning, the door to the study still hadn¡¯t opened.


    Johanna tried to knock but was stopped by one of the subordinates guarded by the door. ¡°Ms. Johanna, Stephan instructed us that no one is allowed to disturb him.¡±


    Johanna frowned and murmured, worried, ¡°But he hasn¡¯te out for so long, I¡¯m concerned¡­ Just let me check on him, please. Just one quick look!¡±


    No matter how much Johanna pleaded or pouted, the subordinate remained stone¨Cfaced and did not budge. He was as emotionless as <b>a </b>statue


    Finally, he replied in frustration, ¡°Ms. Johanna, this is the second floor and you should not be novelbin


    here.¡±


    Johanna froze.


    The study was on the second floor, which was also Stephan¡¯s private quarters.


    On her very first day here, she had been explicitly forbidden from going to the second floor.


    Enjoy Ad¨CFree Reading>>


    <b>Go </b>


    Johanna initially followed the rules but grew bolder over time, constantly trying to seek attention.


    If no one had called her out on it, things could have stayed as they were. But when someone pointed it out, the final piece of her facade was ripped away.


    Johanna felt utterly embarrassed and stomped away in frustration.


    In the study, Stephan sat on a leather chair, and his expression was calm and unreadable. His long, clean fingers tapped rhythmically on the desk subconsciously.


    A thick stack of documentsid before him. It contained thetest investigation lead on Jacob¡¯s death and the subsequent sinking of the ship.


    All the evidence pointed toward the former wealthiest family of Khogend, the Fullers.


    The hitmen had worn masks when attacking, leaving no obvious clues. However, a button was found in an inconspicuous corner of the ship.


    It was likely dropped by one of the hitmen.


    The button was made of amon material, but Stephan¡¯s subordinates had poured an immense amount of effort into tracing its origins.


    From its manufacturing factory to distribution channels, this exhaustive investigation finally uncovered a significant clue.


    A year ago, the Fuller family had discreetly assembled an elite group of battle¨Chardened mercenaries.


    Dexter had hidden them well, training them in secret and ensuring that no one knew about these deadly subordinates.


    But no secret couldst forever. With enough persistence, someone would eventually¨Cuncover


    the truth.


    Stephan¡¯s subordinates discovered that Dexter¡¯s men were always wearing uniforms with buttons of the same material and design.


    Additionally, on the very day of Jacob¡¯s death, Dexter was coincidentally out in the sea. <b>attending </b>an event.


    He had attended the maritime banquet but left earlier, iming that he was drunk on that night.


    The location of the banquet was only an hour¡¯s journey away from where Jacob¡¯s incident urred, which was dangerously nearby.


    If Dexter had orchestrated the attack, the timing and location worked perfectly in his favor.


    Jacob had died, and the items he was carrying had disappeared. If those items ended up in Dexter¡¯s hands, he would have hidden it securely, not letting a single hint slip.


    Otherwise, the Fuller family would be threatened


    Not only would Dexter doom himself, but everyone in the Fuller family would be in danger too.


    No one could handle Stephan Russell¡¯s rage.


    The worst part was if the items were known, countless people woulde swarming like sharks, plunging the Fuller family into chaos and violence.


    Normally, Stephan would have taken action immediately, whether it was Dexter or not.


    But this time, he hesitated.


    When his subordinates asked whether they should take action, Stephan¡¯s first thought wasn¡¯t about the missing item or Jacob¡¯s death. It was about Felicia Fuller.


    After all, she was still Dexter¡¯s daughter.


    Even though she had been kicked out of the Fuller family and had publicly cut ties with them, Stephan knew better than anyone that some bonds could never be truly broken.


    If Stephan acted against Dexter and the Fullers, how would Felicia feel?


    Just like a few days ago at the storeroom, Felicia might believe his intentions were maniptive and that every interaction between them had been part of a calcted n.


    The reason Stephan had rushed to Khogend from Seldvale was because of her. When Felicia went missing, he abandoned everything just to make sure she was safe.


    But now¡­ She would never believe him again.


    Stephan closed the file and tossed it into the drawer, then summoned one of his subordinates and ordered, ¡°Close this investigation. These findings must never be leaked.¡±


    ¡°But Mr. Russell¡­¡±


    The subordinate, stunned and confused by the order, hesitated before asking, ¡°But what about the item we threw away?¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 367

    The importance of the item was clear to everyone in the Russell family and their subordinates.


    Stephan had poured countless efforts into acquiring it, and he had finally seeded after all his hard work.


    But it was stolen on its way back.


    Not only was the item gone, but Jacob, the one tasked with transporting it, had also lost his


    life.


    Now that they had finally found a lead, how could they just give up?


    When the subordinate was about to speak again, Stephan shot him a nce.


    There was no anger in his eyes, but the subtle pressure of that look weighed like a thousand pounds, silencing the subordinate immediately. Cold sweat ran down his back.


    ¡°Understood.¡± He turned to leave.


    However, Stephan spoke again. He demanded, ¡°If Imogen asks about this, you are to say nothing!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Russell!¡±


    Once the subordinate left, the study was filled with silence again.


    Stephan picked up the thick stack of documents and tossed it into the shredder. The whirring sound filled the room as the documents, images, and clues turned to mere scraps.


    He wouldn¡¯t make a move on the Fuller family, for now.


    But the investigation would not stop.


    If the suspicion against Dexter Fuller proved true, then the Fullers¡® downfall would be inevitable.


    Stephan stood up and left the study.


    Half an hourter, the door of the study opened again. It was a maid entering to tidy up.


    As usual, the maid wiped the desk and emptied the shredder<b>, </b>gathering the scraps into a bag to <b>be </b>discarded.


    Just as the maid was about to throw the trash away, she ran into Johanna.


    The maid stepped aside politely, allowing Johanna to pass.


    Johanna took a few steps forward but then turned around suddenly. ¡°What¡¯s that in your hand?


    ¡°Oh, just some trash from Mr. Russell¡¯s study. I was only about to throw it away,¡± the maid. replied, then tossed the bag into the garbage bin.


    Johanna¡¯s eyes flickered with curiosity. She waited until the maid had left, then quietly retrieved the trash bag and headed back to her room<b>. </b>


    She had a hunch that the bag contained a secret.


    A big one.


    Otherwise, Stephan would not have stayed in the study for over ten hours.


    If she could find even the smallest clue, perhaps she could get closer to Stephan and maybe even help him, bridging the gap between them.


    It would be far better than right now. Even though she hade all the way to Khogend, she couldn¡¯t see him even once.


    To Stephan, it was as though she didn¡¯t exist.


    Johanna locked the door, then opened the bag, only to find that the inside was just a pile of shredded papers.


    Was that it?


    She felt disappointed.


    She casually rifled through the shreds and found that some of the papers had not beenpletely shredded.


    Johanna¡¯s heart raced as she fished them out.


    It seemed that the thick stack of documents had jammed the shredder, leaving the bottom of the documents just partially shredded.


    The strips of paper could still be readable if it¡¯s ttened.


    Johanna scanned the fragments, her shock growing with each line.


    The documents turned out to be an investigative report about her brother¡¯s death.


    Most of the evidence had been destroyed, but at the bottom of the page, she discovered at suspect list, along with a photograph.


    Reading carefully, she saw the name and identity of the culprit. novelbin


    It was the former wealthiest man in Khogend, Dexter Fuller!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 368

    In an instant, a look of hatred shed in Johanna¡¯s eyes. Thinking of Archie¡¯s body being lost to the sea and torn apart, she could barely contain her fury, wishing she could capture the mastermind and make them pay with their life!


    She trembled with anger, her eyes bloodshot, and tears instantly welled up and fell.


    ¡°Archie¡­¡±


    Archie wasn¡¯t actually her biological brother.


    The two had met in an orphanage. Both had no parents and shared the same misery, suffering together in that orphanage.


    When they were 13, he had nned his escape from the orphanage, and she had clung to his sleeve, asking if she coulde along.


    He agreed.


    From then on, they became siblings by choice, relying on each other for survival.


    Archie gave her the name Johanna Rosario.


    He had said, ¡°Your name is Johanna Rosario. You don¡¯t know yourst name, so I¡¯ll give you mine. From now on, I¡¯ll be your brother, and you can rely on me.¡±


    At that time, they had endured many hardships. They slept on the streets and rummaged through trash bins, and to survive, she would create distractions while he stole.


    However, not every time did luck favor them. Sometimes, they got caught and were beaten badly.


    Back then, Archie would drag her away and, with a bruised face, pull a croissant from his pocket, proudly saying, ¡°Look, I still have one hidden!¡±


    Later, Archie joined the Russell family and became a subordinate to Stephan.


    But Stephan had too many subordinates, and Archie was always just an ordinary member, never standing out. novelbin


    Archie saved Imogen from drowning by chance, and he caught her eye from that moment.


    With her help, he gradually gained more recognition<b>, </b>bing one of Stephan¡¯s trusted subordinates.


    Had it not been for the mission he was ambushed on, ending in his body being lost at sea, he would have long been a son¨Cinw of the Russell family!


    Johanna wiped away her tears, her focus returning to the papers before her.


    After the initial shock and anger, confusion set in.


    Why? Had Stephan already discovered this and learned who was responsible for Archie¡¯s death? Why did he do nothing, even destroying the clues?


    Did he not want revenge for Archie? Did he not want to retrieve what was lost? Had he destroyed the evidence to keep it secret? Or did he have other ns?


    After a few moments of deep thought, she calmed down and called Imogen, hoping to probe for more information.


    Based on Imogen¡¯s deep feelings for Archie, she was sure Imogen would care about this matter. If she knew there was a lead, she wouldn¡¯t remain indifferent!


    The phone was answered quickly.


    Johanna forced a smile, her voice sweet as usual. ¡°Imogen, did you miss me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. I¡¯ve been so used to having you by my side. It feels strange without you.¡± Imogen¡¯s voice was as gentle as always.


    Even though they were talking over the phone, Johanna could imagine her smile, her hand lightly resting on her belly, radiating maternal warmth.


    ¡°Imogen, I miss you too. I¡¯d rather take care of you myself. I don¡¯t trust anyone else to take


    care of you.


    If it weren¡¯t for Archie¡¯s case, which is still under investigation, I¡¯d be back to stay with you sooner.¡±


    Johanna spoke in a lively tone, but if anyone had been present, they would have noticed that although she was coquettish, her face remained unmoved, even cold.


    Sadly, Imogen could neither see nor sense this. She continued to ask, ¡°Is there any progress?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like it; Stephan is busy every day, and I barely get a chance to see him¡­¡± Johanna feigned frustration, sighing deeply.


    Imogen could only offerfort.


    After the call ended, Johanna confirmed that Imogen truly knew nothing.


    So, Stephan suppressed this information, keeping everyone silent and preventing any word from leaking.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 369

    Why did Stephan do that?


    Johanna couldn¡¯t understand it. She almost wanted to take the evidence straight to him and demand an exnation!


    But she knew that since he had already destroyed the clues, it meant he didn¡¯t want anyone else to find out.


    Even if she confronted him, she wouldn¡¯t get the answers she sought.


    So¡­ What if she told Imogen<b>? </b>


    ¡°If Imogen caused a scene, Stephan would be concerned about her.


    ¡°No, that wouldn¡¯t work,¡± she thought. She dismissed the idea.


    Imogen was pregnant and under careful watch. Any stress might harm her child; if something happened, Johanna would be med for bringing it up!


    Most importantly, the bond between the Russell siblings was strong. Even if Imogen knew the truth, as long as Stephan gave her any reason<b>, </b>she would believe him.


    It seemed no one else could be relied on.


    This <b>revenge </b>was something she had to take into her own hands! novelbin


    Johanna clenched the papers in her hand, her eyes burning with intense hatred<b>! </b>


    ¡°Dexter Fuller from the Fuller family¡­¡±


    She silently repeated the name, her mind racing as she immediately searched for Dexter online.


    From what she could gather, even though the Fuller family wasn¡¯t the richest in Khogend anymore, their financial power and status were still considerable.


    She needed to pull them off their pedestal first to bring them down!


    She quickly skimmed through the news about the Fuller family, and she saw that the reason. they had lost their position as the wealthiest family in Khogend was to protect an adopted daughter who had killed someone¡­


    This <b>was </b>a piece of dirt that could be turned into a scandal.


    And the best part was that the Fuller family handed it to her on a silver tter.


    Johanna sneered as a n began to form in her mind.


    At around <b>noon</b>, Felicia had purchased two properties¨Ca vi for herself and a <b>three- </b>


    bedroom apartment for Carmen.


    Both contracts were signed, and the full payment had been processed.


    The three¨Cbedroom apartment was fully furnished and ready for move¨Cin; only the appliances and furniture needed to be added.


    As for the vi, it still needed to be renovated.


    Fortunately, Felicia wasn¡¯t short on money.


    She contacted a reputable renovationpany, confirmed the design ns, and made the payment to let them takeplete charge of the proje


    At the current pace, it would likely take two or three months to finish the renovations.


    The real estate agent was delighted as he eagerly went above and beyond to apany Felicia. He even held an umbre for her as he escorted her into her apartment before finally leaving.


    She went upstairs and knocked on Carmen¡¯s door of apartment 702. There was no response, so she assumed Carmen had gone out. She then called Carmen.


    The background noise on the other end was chaotic, sounding like a market.


    Felicia returned to her apartment, poured herself a ss of water, and asked, ¡°When will you. be back?¡±


    ¡°Soon. You get the food ready, and I¡¯ll be there. Let¡¯s have a drinkter!¡± Carmen turned around and saw a small food stand, her eyes lighting up. ¡°I¡¯m going to buy some sd. What do you want? I¡¯ll ask the owner to add more.¡±


    ¡°Mm¡­¡± Felicia thought for a moment and listed a few items. ¡°Lettuce, tomatoes, and onions.¡±


    ¡°Got it! I¡¯ll be back after I buy everything. Wait for me!¡±


    Carmen ended the call, grabbed a handful of vegetables, and headed toward the stall. She ordered the ingredients Felicia requested and then added a few of her favorites.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 370

    The stall owner was quick and efficient, mixing various ingredients and tossing them, finally adding a generous handful oftro. Just looking at it was enough to make anyone¡¯s mouth


    water.


    Carmen paid, grabbed the food, and headed back home.


    Halfway there, she saw a familiar figure blocking her the pervert Calvin.


    Her face instantly turned cold, and she tried to keep her distance and walk around him, but he moved to block her way, grinning as he stepped forward.


    ¡°Carmen, that¡¯s a lot of delicious food you bought there. When will I get to taste the food your cook for me? I¡¯d be the happiest man alive.¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡±


    Goosebumps rose on her skin. She would have loved to p this shameless garbage if she hadn¡¯t held the food in both hands!


    But he was the scoundrel who wouldugh it off no matter what and even say something disgusting like, ¡°Fighting between men and women is showing affection.¡±


    Carmen didn¡¯t want to let him ruin her mood, so she ignored him.


    But Calvin, who clearly had <b>no </b>sense, stepped up and tried to grab her hand, saying, ¡°Carmen, I¡¯ve been pursuing you for so long. You can¡¯t just keep ignoring me, can you?¡±


    She felt nauseous and immediately shook off his hand.


    Was this what he called pursuit?


    Spreading rumors about her, spying on her from the shadows, and even watching as she almost jumped off the <b>roof</b>¨Cwas this his idea of pursuit¡°?


    If only he had been normal and pursued her properly, she could at least have given him basic respect even if she didn¡¯t like him..


    <b>But </b>now, she only found him revolting!


    She coldly said, ¡°If you don¡¯t move<b>, </b>I¡¯ll call the police.¡±


    He hesitated momentarily but eventually stepped aside, though he kept following her, showering her with sweet words.


    She walked <b>as </b>fast as she could, eager to shake him off.


    Just as she was about to enter the building, Calvin suddenly stopped and threateningly said, ¡± Carmen, I¡¯m giving you onest chance. If you agree to <b>be </b>my woman,


    I¡¯ll tell you something.


    about your good friend.


    ¡°But if you reject me again, I guarantee your friend¡­ will die!¡±


    He smiled triumphantly.


    This statement made Carmen stop in her tracks.


    She whipped around, threw the food to the ground, and rushed toward Calvin, grabbing his cor with both hands. Her delicate face twisted in fury, and her eyes were filled with


    murderous intent.


    ¡°You dare touch my friend? I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    Her eyes were bloodshot, not from sorrow but from rage.


    She could tolerate Calvin¡¯s pestering, but his threat crossed the line<b>! </b>


    The thought of him targeting Felicia made her furious. All her rationality evaporated, reced by a surge of anger and a single thought rushing through her mind-¡°Kill him! Kill this


    scourge!¡±


    ¡°Go to hell!¡± novelbin


    In her hand was the small ball Felicia had given her for self¨Cdefense in case of danger. Inside, it was a toxic powder!


    Carmen lost herposure, not caring that throwing the ball might poison her too.


    Even if it killed her, she didn¡¯t care¨Cshe would rather die with this scumbag.


    With a scream, she was about to throw the ball when, at that very moment, two people walked into the building. It was Tom and Alyson.


    To them, it looked like Carmen and Calvin were struggling, even hugging.


    They were immediately furious!


    Especially Tom, who rushed up and pped her hard, knocking her to the ground. He shouted, ¡°What are you doing with this kind of person? Are you shameless?¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 371

    Carmen was pped to the ground, a buzzing sound ringing in her ears. She gripped the small ball tightly as Tom and Alyson took <b>turns </b>scolding her.


    They hurled insults like <b>¡°</b>shameless,¡± ¡°disgraceful,¡± and ¡°lowly¡± at her.


    After scolding her, Tom turned his gaze toward Calvin but didn¡¯t dare toy a hand on him<b>, </b>nor did he scold him as harshly. He only said, ¡°Leave. Don¡¯t let me see you again!¡±


    Calvin nced at Carmen lying on the ground, licked his lips, and said, ¡°Think it over before youe find me.¡±


    He quickly ran off, not wanting to face her murderous re.


    Upon hearing that, <b>Tom </b>was even more furious. He pointed at her with a disappointed expression. ¡°What? Did you make some dirty deal with that guy? How could I raise such a shameless daughter?¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright. It¡¯s not like this is the first day you¡¯ve known what she¡¯s like. She¡¯s grown up now, and we can¡¯t control her anymore. Just let her be,¡± Alyson said, trying to console him while sneering. <b>¡°</b>She¡¯ll always embarrass <b>us </b>as long <b>as </b>she¡¯s around. You¡¯ll get used to it.¡±


    He gave Carmen onest cold nce and muttered, ¡°You don¡¯t need to return. Your brother¡¯s, teacher ising for a home visit. <b>Leave </b>for a few days ande back when this blows over.¡±


    She picked herself up from the floor and started picking up the bags from the ground.


    When she saw that the entirerge portion of sd she had packed was spilled and ruined, she- couldn¡¯t help but burst into tears.


    Tom and Alyson had already left, and Carmen was alone in the lobby.


    After cleaning up the trash, she returned to the market to repurchase the sd, but the city. enforcement officers were driving away the stall.


    The stall owner was apologizing profusely, nodding and bowing, before quickly pushing his


    <b>cart </b><b>away</b><b>. </b>


    Carmen cried again. Why was it so hard for someone like her, who just wanted to live, to survive<b>? </b>


    She stood in the cold wind until the redness from the p on her face nearly disappeared. Then<b>, </b>she picked up her bags of vegetables and started walking back.


    She didn¡¯t return home, though<b>. </b>She headed to the unit across from her own.


    Calvin entered, holding two boxes of fried rice, several drinks, and two packs of cigarettes.


    ¡°Baldy, <b>I </b>got the stuff.¡±


    Chap 371


    Baldy was still sitting in the same spot on the balcony, his rifle resting on a small table. The scope was aimed at Felicia¡¯s balcony, but he couldn¡¯t find his target.


    Calvin handed over a cigarette, lighting it for him with a fawning expression.


    Over the past few days, Calvin had been smart enough to stay on the good side of Baldy, doing all his errands without resistance. As a result, he hadn¡¯t been imprisoned or tied up, and Baldy had let him do some of the menial tasks like buying food and cigarettes.


    Calvin was lucky to have a powerful connection, and his confidence had grown. Today, while running errands, he had gone to find Carmen, trying to force her into submission.


    Baldy saw it all through the scope.


    He exhaled a puff of smoke and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Brat, your woman¡¯s not bad looking.¡±


    Calvin paused, immediately responding, ¡°If you like her, she¡¯s all yours!¡±


    Baldy had only mentioned it casually.


    A woman wasn¡¯t as valuable as money. As long as hepleted the mission and killed the target, he would be rewarded with arge sum of money¨Cwhat kind of woman couldn¡¯t he get then?


    Vould be behave. If you mess this up, I¡¯ll be the first to kill you!¡± he warned sternly.


    Calvin, eager to please him, nodded vigorously, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I got it.¡±


    ¡°Alright, go take out the trash. It stinks,¡± Baldy said, finishing his meal and tossing the novelbin


    takeout box aside. The floor was littered with cigarette butts and food wrappers, leaving not ce to step.


    Calvin eagerly began cleaning up.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 372

    Calvin grabbed threerge trash bags and disposed of them.


    What he didn¡¯t know was that before he opened the door, Carmen had already been standing outside his apartment, tightly gripping a small knife and two balls filled with poison.


    She heard noisesing from inside the door, suggesting more than one person was in there.


    She felt suspicious. Just as he came out to throw the trash away, she quickly ducked into the fire escape and hid herself.


    Calvin entered the elevator with a cigarette in his mouth. novelbin


    Carmen quietly emerged from the fire escape as the elevator numbers kept going down and peeked into the half¨Copen door.


    What she saw shocked her.


    There was a bald, muscr, and imposing figure with a shiny head that looked like a lightbulb.


    The key thing was that this bald man was holding a rifle.


    Where was the rifle aimed?


    She followed the scope¡¯s direction and, to her horror, realized it was pointed directly at Felicia¡¯s balcony!


    Carmen¡¯s cold sweat broke out instantly when she recalled Calvin¡¯s earlier threats.


    Who were these people? What did they want to do to Felicia?


    She covered her mouth to stop herself from making a sound.


    At that moment, the elevator behind her dinged and when she turned around to retreat into the fire escape, it was toote¨CCalvin was already walking out of the elevator.


    Their eyes met. He initially smiled, thinking she had changed her heart and was ready to be


    with him.


    But when he saw her pale face, he quickly realized she had seen something she shouldn¡¯t have.


    A cold wave of fear washed over him. If Baldy found out, he would have no hesitation in killing both of them.


    ¡°Damn it! This bitch is going to get me killed!¡± he cursed inwardly.


    Then, he yelled without hesitation, ¡°Baldy, we¡¯ve been exposed! She-¡±


    Before he could finish, the door flung open.


    Baldy stood there<b>, </b>his face dark with anger.


    Everything happened so quickly and unexpectedly <b>in </b>just a few seconds.


    Carmen immediately turned and ran. She bolted into the fire escape, charging down the stairs, her mind focused on one goal¨Cgetting a warning to Felicia!


    Baldy didn¡¯t chase her but instead turned to Calvin, threatening, ¡°Catch her. If you don¡¯t, you¡¯re dead!¡±


    Terrified, Calvin immediately chased after her.


    Baldy returned to the room, stood before the rifle, and ced his finger on the trigger. The scope was aimed at the exit.


    If Carmen ran out, she would be in his kill zone.


    Meanwhile, Carmen, drenched in sweat, was running desperately. She had already lost track of the vegetables she bought as she focused only on running faster.


    She had to warn Felicia!


    With that thought fueling her, she ran faster than ever before.


    Calvin, giving his all to catch up, shouted, ¡°Stop! Stop right there!¡±


    But she was too fast, leaping two or three steps at a time. She was almost at thest few steps when suddenly, she sprained her ankle!


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    She gasped, feeling a bone snap, but she couldn¡¯t stop. She limped toward the exit as quickly as she could.


    He seized the opportunity and was getting closer.


    Carmen realized that she might not make it out. Her <b>phone </b>shed in her mind. She


    immediately pulled it out of her pocket, but her hands shook so badly that she kept entering the wrong password.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 373

    Carmen was on the verge of copsing.


    Just then, Felicia¡¯s call came through.


    Carmen¡¯s eyes lit up, and she quickly answered the call.


    Felicia¡¯s voice came through the speaker,ced with a hint of amusement. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you back yet? I¡¯ve cooked three dishes and a soup. Now I¡¯m just waiting for your appetizer.¡±


    Carmen¡¯s nose tingled, and she couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. Forgetting everything else, she screamed desperately into the phone, ¡°Felicia, don¡¯te out! Stay inside and don¡¯t <be </b>out! Someone wants¡± To kill you!


    Before she could finish the sentence, someone pped the phone out of her hand, sending it crashing.


    The phone screen shattered into a spiderweb pattern.


    The screen went ck, and the call was abruptly cut off.


    Calvin had caught up, grabbing Carmen by the hair from behind and yanking her backward with all his strength.


    She cried out in pain, her mind racing. She remembered the knife in her pocket and immediately pulled it out, stabbing it into his thigh!


    Blood poured out!


    The cut wasn¡¯t deep nor a fatal blow, but he was just an ordinary man. Lacking the strength and resolve to withstand the pain, he screamed and <b>released </b>his grip on her.


    Carmen threw the small ball from her pocket at him!


    But in her panic, she forgot to disengage the safety switch on the ball. When she threw it, the poison inside didn¡¯t spill out.


    Calvin kicked the ball away, his face twitching with anger. He became even more vicious and lunged at Carmen again¨Cthis time with deadly intent!


    Meanwhile, she was only a few steps away from the door!


    If she didn¡¯t escape, she would die at his hands<b>. </b>The call with Felicia had just ended, and Felicia woulde downstairs to look for her!


    That would <b>put </b>Felicia in danger!


    Carmen no longer cared about anything else. She didn¡¯t even know how she managed to break free from Calvin¡¯s grip. She only had one thought¨Cshe had to get to Felicia!


    She bolted out of the fire escape, and sure enough, she saw Feliciaing from the opposite building, looking for her!


    ¡°Felicia! Don¡¯t! Turn back!¡±


    Carmen screamed hoarsely, her voice breaking from the force of the shout!


    At that moment, she could almost feel the sniper¡¯s crosshairs aiming directly at Felicia!


    Felicia turned at the sound of her voice, spotting her terrified face, her disheveled appearance, and her blood¨Cstained clothes!


    Her heart tightened, and she rushed over to her, calling out, ¡°Who did this to you?¡±


    It <b>was </b>toote!


    Carmen dashed forward like a gust of wind. She threw herself in front of Felicia, using her body to shield her, and then, with all her strength, knocked Felicia to the ground. novelbin


    Bang!


    At almost the same moment, a bullet shattered the window and flew toward them!


    The sequence happened so quickly¨Cfrom Carmen running out of the fire escape to throwing herself in front of Felicia¨Cit all took less than three seconds!


    Felicia¡¯s back mmed against the ground, with Carmen practically on her.


    ¡°Good thing I was first in the physical test¡­ Good thing¡­ I made it in time¡­¡±


    <b>She </b>smiled weakly, her eyes slowly closing.


    Felicia¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She hadn¡¯t fully understood what had happened when she suddenly saw drops of blood falling from the back of Carmen¡¯s head.


    ¡°Carmen¡­¡± Her panic finally made sense. She shakily reached out to touch the back of Carmen¡¯s head, her fingers feeling a bullet wound!


    She immediately looked up, <b>and </b>through the now¨Copened curtains of the seventh¨Cfloor apartment, she saw a towering figure standing there, looking down at her,


    He held a rifle in his hand!


    Felicia¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot in an instant.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 374

    Felicia stared at the shadow for several seconds as if trying to imprint every detail of the figure in her mind.


    Then, she picked up Carmen, and before the second gunshot could ring out, she swiftly rolled with Carmen in her arms and retreated into the building.


    At <b>the </b>same time, the four trusted subordinates of the Glovers family finally appeared. They looked up at the building and immediately rushed inside, prepared to capture the hitman.


    ¡°Carmen, hang in there. Stay with me, stay with me¡­¡±


    She took out her needle case and quickly set it up, injecting one needle after another into Carmen¡¯s body, using all the techniques she knew.


    But Carmen had already stopped breathing.


    Her pulse and heartbeat had both ceased after taking that bullet.


    Felicia covered her face in agony, tears mixing with blood as they slipped through her fingers.


    ¡°We were supposed to have dinner together¡­ I cooked your favorite dishes¡­¡±


    Also stained with blood was the key she never had the chance to give.


    Felicia knelt on the floor, her body curled up in pain. A lump of agony choked her throat, and her shoulders trembled violently. The only <b>sounds </b>she could make were hoarse, desperate


    cries.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault¡­ It¡¯s all my fault¡­¡±


    Her heart felt like it was being torn apart.


    She remembered that night, on New Year¡¯s Eve, under the fireworks and firecrackers outside, when Carmen had brought her food.


    She remembered Carmen, drunken and drowsy, full of energy, saying, ¡°I want to go sailing and see what¡¯s at the <b>end </b>of the sea.¡±


    She remembered that when she escaped from the Glovers family in Ablil, Carmen was the first -to pick her up. Carmen gave her a hand¨Csewn cloth pouch filled with salt, saying it could ward


    off bad luck.


    She took the cloth pouch from her pocket.


    The stitching was crooked and far from perfect. novelbin


    The pouch even spilled <b>a </b>little salt asionally, leaving grains of salt scattered in her pocket. She had joked with Carmenst time, saying she wouldn¡¯t ever run out of salt for cooking.


    Carmen repeatedly reminded her not to remove it and that she needed to carry it for good luck.


    ¡°Carmen, did you forget to prepare one for yourself? Or maybe being friends with me was the biggest mistake of all.¡±


    Felicia slowly rose, cing the blood¨Cstained pouch in Carmen¡¯s hand, holding her increasingly cold hand. Her voice was hoarse, each word a painful promise. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I will send those people down to meet you and atone for their sins.¡±


    There were still peopleing in and out of the building. They were shocked when they saw the scene, screaming so loudly that it felt like the roof might copse.


    In the end, Tom and Alyson arrived.


    It waste, and it was clear that he was devastated. However, when his son cried out in fear, he turned away from Carmen¡¯s body tofort his son.


    Felicia stopped them and handed them a sum of money. Tom frowned, but under Alyson¡¯s insistence, he reluctantly agreed to give up Carmen¡¯s body.


    As Felicia carried Carmen away, Tom, looking at the money, couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Where are you taking her?¡±


    ¡°To the end of the sea,¡± she replied.


    She bought a luxury yacht, hired an expensive crew, and personally took Carmen¡¯s ashes. aboard, sailing to the ce Carmen had dreamed of¨Cthe end of the sea.


    There were no flowers or farewells along the way, but there were stars and the vast ocean.


    By the time Felicia returned to Khogend, it had been four days.


    She found the four trusted subordinates of the Glovers family.


    They had expected her to ask if they had captured the sniper, but before they could formte their response, they heard her say, ¡°I want to see Maurice. Either hees to see me, or I¡¯ll go see him.¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 375

    ¡°Ms. Fuller, you¡­¡±


    The subordinates looked awkwardly at each other and whispered, ¡°We thought you would ask if we caught the hitman¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you catch him?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    That day, as soon as she was attacked, the four of them rushed into the building to capture the hitman, but they were toote. By the time they got inside, all they found were two spent bullet casings.


    The hitman was already gone.


    While they were searching the area, they found another body in the stairwell¨Cthe body of the man who owned the apartment where the hitman had been hiding these past few days.


    He had been silenced.


    They continued to trace the hitman¡¯s movements but never saw his face.


    In all the surveince footage, the hitman was wearing a hat and kept his head down, so they/ only saw his strong, imposing back.


    But what did this have to do with Felicia wanting to see Maurice?


    The subordinates were thinking about this, and one of them finally asked.


    She didn¡¯t hide anything; she no longer cared to conceal her intentions. She said directly, ¡°I want to know who the hitman is. Maurice must know.¡±


    The four subordinates exchanged nces, worried it might be Maurice¡¯s doing. None of them. dared to respond.


    She lost patience, and her tone grew colder. ¡°Do I need to repeat myself?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Fuller, please wait a moment. We¡¯ll report to Mr. Glovers right away.¡±


    The subordinates had no choice. Even if they didn¡¯t contact him, she could still reach him. Having them pass on the message would at least make it less awkward.


    The message quickly reached Maurice<b>. </b>


    Upon hearing that Felicia had been attacked again, nearly losing her life, and that her friend <b>had </b>shielded her<b>, </b>he frowned.


    A second attack in <b>such </b>a short time?


    Cup 375


    One of his subordinates nervously asked, ¡°Mr. Glovers, this time wasn¡¯t your doing, was it?¡±


    If it had been Maurice¡¯s n<b>, </b>considering Felicia¡¯s current state, she might have died with him!


    Maurice cursed, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Do you think I¡¯d be so ruthless?¡±


    He admitted that he did take a certain pleasure in her suffering, but he had never acted directly. At most, he just observed coldly from the sidelines.


    But this time, it was beyond what he had imagined.


    He thought she would only face an attack, but he never expected it to be a sniper attack. That was something nearly impossible to defend against!


    The four subordinates breathed a sigh of relief and truthfully conveyed Felicia¡¯s message.


    ¡°She wants to see me?¡±


    He instinctively touched his chest.


    In recent days, he had felt a difort in his chest. Just yesterday, while dining, tears suddenly started flowing down his face, scaring the maids and subordinates beside him. novelbin


    They thought he had seen a ghost!


    It wasn¡¯t his emotions, so it must have been Felicia¡¯s emotions¨Cgrief, pain, guilt, regret.


    Maurice clicked his tongue. He never expected that the so¨Ccalled ¡°twin venomous creature, could make him feel the other person¡¯s emotions too.


    He let it go. Since she was so upset, he would reluctantly agree to her request.


    ¡°Arrange the <b>ne</b><b>; </b>we¡¯re going to Khogend.<b>¡± </b>


    He threw down the papers in his hands and walked out.


    ¡°Ms. Fuller, Mr. Glovers has agreed to meet you<b>. </b>A ne is already arranged, and he will arrive by evening at thetest.¡±


    The four subordinates spoke respectfully. They were somewhat surprised by Maurice¡¯s unusually good mood.


    They had expected that, given his bad temper, <b>even </b>if he agreed to meet Felicia, he would have sent her to Ablil. But instead, he wasing personally.


    What was going on with him?

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 376

    Felicia gave a soft ¡°mm¡± and said nothing more.


    The four subordinates of the Glovers family exchanged looks, each wanting to say something but hesitating.


    They wanted to offer somefort but didn¡¯t know where to start. They wanted to mention how they had done their best these past few days, even searching the rooftops of nearby buildings.


    But none of these words would help now.


    What was done was done. Their failure to fulfill their protective duty was a fact; saying anything more would only add to the frustration


    The four of them left one by one.


    Felicia was left alone in the rental apartment. The silence was oppressive, the ce empty.


    She sat on the couch for a long while, then opened herptop. With swift movements, she hacked into an underground trading site. After browsing for a while, she finally found a leaderboard.


    The people on the leaderboard were all notorious hitmen, and those at the top of the listmanded higher fees.


    Felicia¡¯s gaze locked onto the third person on the list.


    The leaderboard didn¡¯t disy photos, only codenames.


    This person¡¯s codename was ¡°Baldy¡°. novelbin


    He was the only hitman in the top ten to be famous with a rifle, and his fee was astronomical¨Cone appearance would cost a staggering 150 million!


    He had the highest profile and was a force to be reckoned with!


    Felicia momentarily stared at the impressive record, then issued a global bounty.


    It was a five billion bounty. The task was worded, ¡°Capture Baldy. Nothing matters as long as he¡¯s breathing!¡±


    The five billion reward was unprecedented!


    Once the announcement went out, the entirety of the underground world was thrown into chaos. Countless people started sharpening their knives, showing off their skills, and using every means to track down Baldy.


    Felicia even set a time limit. They had 24 hours to bring him to her.


    Chuck


    After issuing the bounty, she shut herptop and waited silently for news.


    With such a huge reward, brave souls would be willing to take on the task. She was confident that Baldy would be caught within 24 hours.


    She wasn¡¯t 100% sure that the sniper who had shot at her and ultimately killed Carmen was Baldy, but it didn¡¯t matter.


    As long as they brought him to her, she could recognize if he was the killer based on the shape


    she saw.


    If it was him, great; if not, it didn¡¯t matter¨Cshe could always issue a second or third bounty!


    No matter where the hitman was hiding, even if it were the end of the earth, he wouldn¡¯t be able to escape!


    Felicia suppressed the surge of anger in her chest, her eyes cold and filled with resolve.


    Just then, her phone rang.


    She picked it up immediately, but it wasn¡¯t the message she had been waiting for¨Cit was a call from Union Clinic.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Fuller, someone hase seeking treatment. They want you to help with an eye condition. They said you can set the fee however you want!¡±


    The seasoned physician paused, then added, ¡°You can charge whatever you want!¡±


    That person was trying to throw money at her to get treatment.


    Normally, Felicia might have agreed to see the patient, but she wasn¡¯t in the mood right now. ¡°Tell them to leave.¡± She hung up without hesitation.


    At Union Clinic, the seasoned physician, left with no choice, declined the patient tactfully.


    ¡°Sorry, miss, my mentor is very busy these days and doesn¡¯t have time for consultations. You could consult someone else or return in a few days.


    The person seeking treatment was Johanna.


    She didn¡¯t have any eye problems. She had specifically inquired about Union Clinic, but not just to seek treatment for Imogen. Her real reason foring was to see Felicia.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 377

    Beforeing to Union Clinic, Johanna spent the entire night investigating and finally solved. theplex web of rtionships in Khogend.


    Her primary focus was the Fuller family.


    To avenge Archie, she needed to find a breakthrough, and the most urgent task was to bring the Fuller family down from their current position, causing chaos and putting them under public scrutiny!


    The first thing Johanna thought of was making them repeat their past mistakes.


    Dexter and Myra had once gone to great lengths to protect Ka, the murderer, even resisting public opinion and severing ties with several people to protect her forcefully.


    They had even gone as far as kicking Felicia out of the house!


    What if this happened again?


    If the Fuller family fell from grace, who would they be able to protect then?


    Bankruptcy would just be a matter of time, wouldn¡¯t it?


    So, Johanna¡¯s first thought was of Felicia, the real heiress of the Fuller family.


    The more she investigated, the more interesting it became.


    Felicia, the real heiress of the Fuller family, had opened a medical center and was said to be a miracle healer, gaining widespread fame in Khogend!


    Johanna, of course, was curious. Moreover, she wanted to cooperate with Felicia, so she used the pretext of seeking treatment for Imogen to visit the Union Clinic to see this l¨¦gendary real heiress.


    However, what she didn¡¯t expect was that Felicia actually refused to meet her.


    How ungrateful!


    Suppressing her anger, she raised her chin and said, ¡°Tell Ms. Fuller that I can help her fulfill her wish. I¡¯ll be here waiting for her toe meet me.¡±


    She implied that Felicia would be at a loss if she didn¡¯t meet her!


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± The seasoned physician was a bit confused. How had the situation changed so quickly? One moment, she asked for treatment, and the next, she demanded a meeting.


    It was hard to follow.


    But seeing that Johanna spoke as if she knew Felicia, the seasoned physician obediently called. Felicia and passed on her message.


    At this moment, Felicia wanted to capture Baldy, expose the mastermind behind the attack that killed Carmen, and get her revenge.


    Other than that, she didn¡¯t care about anything else.


    So, when she heard the words ¡°help her fulfill her wish,¡± she thought it was rted to this matter and immediately set off for the Union Clinic.


    Johanna was already drinking tea while waiting in the reception room.


    The door opened, and her assistant, Kerry, walked in, bowing to the person behind her, ¡°Ms. Fuller, this is the guest who wants to see you.¡±


    Felicia responded with a brief sound and entered the room.


    The exhaustion from days without rest was evident¨Cher eyes were bloodshot, her clothes had not been changed for two days, and her hair was casually tied up.


    But even so, her beauty was undeniable, her features striking from skin to bone<b>. </b>She had an overwhelming allure that couldn¡¯t be hidden or ignored.


    Johanna¡¯s hand froze mid¨Cmotion, spilling some tea.


    She thoroughly investigated everyone in the Fuller family and saw photos of Felicia in various news reports. But Felicia was even more stunning than the photos!


    Especially the unique aura around her¨Ccool, distant, and indifferent, as if she had stepped out of a painting.


    She was captivating, mysterious, and noble. But at the same time, it seemed that no one could catch her eye or enter her heart.


    Johanna clenched her hands, watching Felicia with intense focus. novelbin


    There was something about Felicia that made her utterly unconquerable.


    The more untouchable she seemed, the more she attracted attention.


    Men wanted to conquer her<b>, </b><b>and </b>women only felt envy.


    Johanna was consumed by jealousy.


    She even thought that if that woman who had called Stephan some time ago looked anything like Felicia, she would be jealous!


    Felicia never cared about how others looked at her; she had long since grown ustomed to it.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 378

    Felicia did not want to waste any more time and directly said, ¡°Speak. What do


    Was it a lead on Baldy or information about the person who hired him?


    you know?¡±


    Johanna misunderstood, putting her teacup down with a sweet smile. ¡°Ms. Fuller, I¡¯m here to help you fulfill your wish. As the real heiress of the Fuller family, being kicked out must be unbearable for you, right?¡±


    Felicia was speechless.


    As quick¨Cwitted as she was, she hadn¡¯t expected such a sudden shift in the conversation. This clearly meant that what Johanna had originally referred to as ¡°your wish¡± was rted to this novelbin


    matter.


    It was her misunderstanding.


    She turned to Kerry and said, ¡°See her out.¡±


    Kerry responded promptly, stepping forward and gesturing toward the door.


    Johanna¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Ms. Fuller, <b>I </b>came here to help you! Don¡¯t you want to return to the Fuller family? If that¡¯s the case, we can cooperate!


    ¡°I¡¯ll offer you advice; all you need to do is follow my n. You can easily drive out that fake daughter, the one who¡¯s taken over what¡¯s yours, Isn¡¯t that a good deal?¡±


    Felicia couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°It seems like you know me quite well.¡±


    Johanna, thinking she had hit the mark, stepped closer to Felicia and lowered her voice, ¡°That fake daughter is a murderer. With that stain on her record, it¡¯s the perfect leverage!


    ¡°Ms. Fuller, if you want to reim everything that¡¯s yours, you have to use that leverage, create a simr incident, and make the fake daughter carry the me for another murder! By then, who do you think will be able to protect her?¡±


    It did sound convincing.


    Felicia understood now. Johanna was targeting Ka.


    No. To put it more precisely, she was after the Fuller family.


    Making Ka take the me for another murder wasn¡¯t hard<b>, </b>but it would deal a massive blow to the Fuller family¡¯s reputation, just like thest time. They had lost so much and still hadn¡¯t recovered.


    If this happened again¡­ The Fuller family would truly be finished.


    And this person wanted her to be the one to wield the knife¨Chad she calcted that Felicia


    hated Ka? Or did she think Felicia was naive enough to be manipted?


    Felicia spoke slowly. ¡°Do you have a grudge against the Fuller family?¡±


    ¡°No. Everything I¡¯ve said is for your benefit,¡± Johanna responded with a yful blink, acting<b>. </b>all innocent, as though she genuinely cared for Felicia.


    Felicia asked again, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Rosario, Johanna Rosario.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll remember it.¡± Felicia nodded, then added, ¡°Now, leave.¡±


    Johanna was puzzled. Her smile froze, and she hesitated, pointing at herself, ¡°You want me to leave<b>?</b>¡±


    Felicia did not need to repeat herself. Kerry swiftly picked up a feather duster and began sweeping toward her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear Ms. Fuller? Get lost-¡±


    Johanna was promptly kicked out.


    Standing outside the Union Clinic, she was furious. She would have smashed the entire ce if she weren¡¯t still holding onto some rationality!


    At that moment, a luxury car worth millions drove up.


    The unique license te highlighted the owner¡¯s status and prestige.


    ¡°Stephan?¡±


    Her eyes lit up, and her cheeks flushed with surprise and joy. She hadn¡¯t expected that just after leaving, Stephan would be rushing to find her.


    He must have heard she was kicked out of the Union Clinic and came to stand by her side!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 379

    The car door opened.


    Johanna quickly walked over, her cheeks flushed, her voice soft and sweet as she said, ¡±


    Stephan, I¡¯m fine. You don¡¯t need to wor novelbin


    Stephan nced at her and asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    His tone was cold and somewhat impatient.


    She froze. Wasn¡¯t he here to find her? How could he not know she was here? Or had she been deluding herself?


    She certainly couldn¡¯t tell the truth, so she bit her lip and whispered, ¡°I¡­ I heard there¡¯s a famous miracle healer at this medical center, so I came to see if she could help Imogen with her eyes, but¡­ I was kicked out.¡±


    He should have at least reacted to this, right?


    But there was nothing.


    His face was expressionless, showing no anger at all. If anything, he seemed almost unsurprised.


    She thought maybe she had misread the situation.


    Just then, Felicia walked out of the Union Clinic.


    She had received word from the Glovers family that Maurice¡¯s ne hadnded, and she couldn¡¯t wait any longer. She was eager to get information from him about the person behind everything, so she was about to find him.


    However, she ran into Stephan at the entrance.


    To be precise, he hade here specifically to find her.


    She forced a smile, greeting him briefly, then tried to walk past him to catch a cab.


    But he gently pulled her back by her arm.


    Felicia checked the time, suppressing her patience, and asked, ¡°Is there something you need?¡±


    Standing to the side, Johanna was wide¨Ceyed, her expression changing from shock to astonishment and finally to intense jealousy and a sense of crisis.


    It was obvious to anyone with half a brain that something was happening between them! That phone call she had overheard


    arlier¡­


    She recalled the voice she had heard then, and when shepared it to Felicia¡¯s, they were


    strikingly simr!


    When she first saw Felicia, she was stunned by her looks and didn¡¯t think much of it.


    Now, it all made sense¡­


    Her hands trembled slightly. The effort it took to suppress her anger and jealousy was clear only to her.


    Stephan paused momentarily before speaking, ¡°I need to talk to you about something. It¡¯s rted to the Fuller family.¡±


    The hijacked ship, the thing he lost, and the death of Archie¡­.


    All the clues pointed to the Fuller family, but he wasn¡¯t entirely convinced. He suspected that someone was manipting everything from behind the scenes.


    That was why he kept the information under wraps, wanting to confirm it himself.


    He had to investigate the Fuller family personally, so he came to Felicia to discuss this matter.


    Felicia raised an eyebrow, ncing at Johanna hiding behind Stephan. A trace of mockery and amusement in her eyes followed her reply, ¡°Mr. Russell, if you want to take action against the Fuller family, you don¡¯t need toe to inform me. 1


    ¡°I won¡¯t stop you, nor can I. Likewise, I won¡¯t be helping.¡±


    With that, she gently brushed his hand aside.


    Just then<b>, </b>another car pulled up¨Ca modified Lincoln.


    The window rolled down halfway, revealing Maurice¡¯s face.


    From a distance, Maurice saw the scene of them pulling and tugging. Instead of avoiding it, he let out a loud whistle and called out to Felicia with an ambiguous tone, ¡°Get in, baby.¡±


    Felicia was speechless.


    Some people just had to act like dogs.


    Ugh! What a bastard!


    She was disgusted by the word ¡°baby¡°, but she walked toward the modifi

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 380

    The car door opened automatically, and Felicia got in.


    ¡°Mr. Russell, bye¨Cbye.¡±


    Maurice, that mad dog,ughed uncontrobly, even blowing a kiss, while the car sped away, leaving behind Stephan, who looked like he wanted to skin Maurice alive.


    Furious, Stephan forced his driver out of the car and took the driver¡¯s seat himself, mming the elerator down hard.


    ¡°Stephan!¡±


    Johanna gritted her teeth, quickly diving into the car before he could speed off.


    A powerful inertia hit her.


    Before she could buckle her seatbelt, her small body was thrown around the spacious backseat, tumbling until she finally managed to steady herself and fasten the seatbelt, still shaken and terrified.


    He was driving way too fast!


    The speedometer surged from 110 mph to 125 mph to 160 mph¡­.


    The car was swerving more and more, but the Lincoln didn¡¯t fall behind and was speeding up


    as well.


    The two cars chased each other. Stephan seemed to have forgotten there was someone in the backseat, his foot heavy on the gas as he tried to overtake the Lincoln!


    But they were heading into a curve, and just as arge truck wasing from the opposite direction, Stephan sharply swerved the steering wheel. Instead of avoiding it, he tried to force his way between the Lincoln and the truck, narrowly slipping through!


    Johanna was <b>so </b>scared her face turned pale, and she couldn¡¯t help but scream, ¡°Ah!¡±


    With this speed, one little mistake could be fatal!


    Maurice clicked his tongue inside the Lincoln and looked at Felicia meaningfully, saying slowly, ¡°You really are Stephan¡¯s weak spot. Look how crazy he is.¡±


    She was speechless. Who could beat Maurice when it came to crazy?


    She looked through the rearview mirror and saw Stephan¡¯s reckless driving. Her palms clenched tightly, and she felt that things werepletely out of controll


    She called to the driver, ¡°Pull over!¡± novelbin


    The driver didn¡¯t say a word and didn¡¯t respond.


    Charge


    Maurice snapped his fingers with a smile. ¡°This still isn¡¯t exciting enough. Adam, pin the car behind to a stop.


    Adam immediately turned the wheel to the left. The two cars almost collided, and sparks flew as their bodies scraped against each other!


    But that wasn¡¯t enough. He aggressively turned the wheel again,pletely blocking Stephan¡¯s car. The road was already narrow, and another vehicle wasing from the opposite direction just then!


    Boom!


    The loud crash sounded as if everything happened in a matter of seconds. Stephan¡¯s luxury car was sent flying several meters away!


    The Lincoln, with all the advantages, sped away arrogantly.


    Felicia turned back and saw Stephan¡¯s car was almostpletely deformed, and she couldn¡¯t even imagine how badly the people inside might be injured¡­


    A dull pain surged as she btedly realized what had just happened.


    From the street race to the forced stop and then the incident during the high¨Cspeed chase, it all happened at over 160 mph. It was too fast for anyone to react!


    Maurice clicked his tongue and stroked his chin, sighing. ¡°That was a brutal crash. I hope Mr. Russell isn¡¯t dead.¡±


    A fistnded on his face just as his words left his mouth.


    It was


    It was Felicia.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s dead! Pull over!¡±


    She grabbed him by the cor, her eyes fierce and cold.


    He licked the blood from the corner of his mouth, pretending not to notice, then stabbed another metaphorical knife into her heart. ¡°Mr. Russell is famous for his driving skills. In that situation, he could have easily turned the tables on me.


    ¡°If he had been a little more ruthless and forced me off the road, my car would¡¯ve flipped. But he didn¡¯t do that. I guess¡­ It¡¯s because you¡¯re in my car, so he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. Hahaha.¡±


    Heughed heartily, even a little mad, clearly enjoying the triumph of turning the tables on Stephan.


    Felicia, however, felt as if she had been struck by lightning.


    A sharp, suffocating pain gripped her heart, and she felt like she was drowning in the overwhelming sense of suffocation.


    She gave Maurice onest cold look, and then, without hesitation, she opened the car door and jumped out.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 381

    Felicia jumped without hesitation.


    Adam was so startled that he mmed on the brakes, but the car was going too fast, and it took another 200 meters before it came to a halt.


    She fell into the grass outside the road.


    At that moment, her mind wentpletely nk. She didn¡¯t even know what she was doing- she just wanted to turn around and check on Stephan¡¯s condition.


    Although she tried to protect herself while jumping and rolling through the grass to cushion her fall, she still got injured badly.


    Her face, hands, and waist were all covered in cuts.


    It took her a long time to get up, her body feeling like it was falling apart. Every step she took left a trail of blood, but she kept moving toward the ident site.


    When she finally got close to the scene, she saw Stephan, holding the unconscious Johanna, getting into another car.


    The car turned around and was likely headed for the hospital.


    She slowed her pace and stopped.


    The ident scene was already being cleared. Everything was orderly and efficient, and aside from the twisted car and some scattered debris, it looked as though nothing had happened.


    Felicia pressed her hand against her wounded back, and when she touched it, her hand was covered in blood.


    This injury had been caused when she jumped out of the car and hit a rock in the grass, leaving a deep gash that exposed the bone<b>. </b>


    She couldn¡¯t hold herself up any longer and copsed.


    Before she lost consciousness, she saw Maurice, also covered in blood, limping with a face as dark as ink.


    She almostughed. She wanted to curse him for getting what he deserved, but the heaviness of her eyelids won out, and she passed out.


    He wanted to curse, too, but the twin venomous creatures<b>¡® </b>effects were taking their toll. His pain was just as intense as Felicia¡¯s.


    His eyes rolled back, and he passed out beside her.


    The four loyal subordinates from the Glovers family looked at each other, stunned and numb.


    They immediately called for help and prepared a stretcher.


    When Felicia finally regained consciousness, she found herself lying in a hospital bed. novelbin


    There was a faint sound of breathing beside her. She turned her head and saw Maurice wrapped up like a mummy.


    He was still unconscious.


    ¡°Serves him right!¡± she thought.


    She pushed herself from the bed, tore off the bandages, and grabbed her belongings. Then, she applied her specially made Panax pseudo¨Cginseng to the cuts.


    This would help the wounds heal faster.


    As for Maurice¡­ She couldn¡¯t care less what happened to him.


    She found her phone on the bedside table and saw that only a few hours had passed, so she felt slightly relieved. She looked at the bounty.


    There were still two hours left before her deadline. Whoever captured Baldy would receive five billion.


    She had the patience to wait.


    Meanwhile, Bald


    was


    was


    ving a terrible time.


    First, he failed the mission¨Chis target had been rescued. His second shot failed, exposing his position, and he had to scramble to escape!


    During his escape, he encountered Calvin.


    That useless man had grabbed his leg, begging him to take him in as his underling, forcing


    him to deal with him.


    Baldy had killed him immediately.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for that idiot messing up his ns, he would have alreadypleted the mission and walked away smoothly.


    He had hidden his tracks and fled Khogend, thinking he was safe, but he never expected that the person he had almost killed had posted a five billion bounty!


    Five billion! It was five billion!


    If he had received that money earlier, he wouldn¡¯t have been so foolish as to try to assassinate such a wealthy backer.


    However, it was toote now.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 382

    After the bounty was released, Baldy had nowhere to hide!


    Everyone he knew, even those he didn¡¯t, whether they had a grudge against him or not, were all like hunting dogs, tracking his scent!


    No matter where he tried to hide or how well he concealed himself, a group of people would always be on his tail within ten minutes.


    He was dizzy and disoriented, feeling as if every person on the street wanted to capture him.


    He was caught amid this breakdown.


    The first to capture him was a female mercenary


    She had wavy, voluminous hair, <b>a </b>seductive, mature look, and a body d in tight leather that entuated her curves. Her face was beautiful, and her unique charm captivated everyone around her.


    But the ruthlessness in her actions sharply contrasted with her appearance!


    After capturing Baldy, she swiftly dislocated his arms and then broke one of his legs!


    ¡°I got you. Five billion,¡± she said, blinking and smiling like a fox.


    Baldy hung his head, looking defeated as if he had epted his fate.


    The female mercenary grabbed him by the cor confident that he wouldn¡¯t escape, and took out her phone to call her employer and im her reward.


    Just as she dialed <b>the </b>number, Baldy suddenly looked up and smashed his head into her forehead!


    The collision didn¡¯t sound like a simple headbutt¨Cit was like iron smashing into bone!


    She staggered back several steps. If she hadn¡¯t reacted quickly to dodge, she might have been killed or severely injured by the impact.


    He seized the chance, limping forward and running away.


    She touched the bleeding wound <b>on </b>her forehead, her stunning face now twisted with killing intent. ¡°Baldy, you¡¯re finished!¡±


    With that, she quickly chased after him. novelbin


    But just then, cars suddenly surrounded them from all sides!


    People emerged from the cars¨Csome hunters as wiry as monkeys, some carrying spiked clubs, others with cold, expressionless faces and sunsses<b>. </b>


    All of them were after the huge bounty!


    To catch Baldy, they used all their skills and resources, sparing no effort in creating this chaotic scene¨Ceveryone showing off their own talents!


    Baldy could no longer escape.


    Next came the battle for the bounty.


    To im the five billion for themselves, hundreds of people started fighting!


    Baldy was tied up tightly and hung in the center of the chaos, unable to escape, surrounded by the fighting.


    An hour and a halfter, the fighting finally stopped.


    Among the crowd of fallen people, only nine remained standing.


    One of them was the female mercenary.


    With a smile, she tossed her hair back with a simple yet graceful motion that had a thousand kinds of charm. ¡°So, are we still fighting?¡±


    The man in sunsses nced at the time and said indifferently, ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but there¡¯s no time left.¡±


    There were only 15 minutes left until the 24¨Chour deadline set by the employer.


    Everyone wanted to im the full bounty for themselves, but if they continued fighting, they would miss the deadline and get nothing¨Cif that happened, they might as well hang themselves!


    The big guy with the spiked club scratched his head and spoke in a slow, naive voice. ¡°How about we make peace? Split the five billion evenly so no one loses out. What do you say?¡±


    ¡°Fine¡­¡±


    At least they would still get <b>a </b>significant portion. It was better than both sides being wiped out. Thus, the nine of them temporarily allied <b>and </b>contacted Felicia, who sent them a location.


    So, the group of nine marched into the hospital with Baldy tied up and walked confidently toward her.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 383

    The moment Felicia saw Baldy, she immediately recognized him as the sniper watching her from the balcony on the seventh floor.


    ¡°Who sent you?¡±


    She sat on the hospital bed, her face pale from blood loss, making her dark, bright eyes stand out even more. There was a fire burning in the depths of her gaze.


    Now, in such a dire situation, Baldy knew exactly what his fate was<b>. </b>


    He was going to die anyway, so he chose not to speak.


    Turning his face away, he sneered. ¡°Kill me quickly. I¡¯ve been in this line of work for years, and if I were afraid of death, I wouldn¡¯t have chosen this profession!¡±


    She got out of bed, walked slowly toward him, bent down, and grabbed his chin with her bandaged hand. With a swift movement, there was a loud cracking sound.


    His jaw was dislocated.


    Felicia flipped her palm and threw a ck pill into Baldy¡¯s mouth, her voice calm.¡°You won¡¯t die, but you¡¯ll wish you did.¡±


    A quick and easy death wasn¡¯t on the table.


    She gave him a faint smile, patted his face, and wiped her hands clean before returning to the hospital bed.


    He remained defiant, his expression cold and unafraid, even though the poison had already dissolved in his mouth. He didn¡¯t flinch..


    The nine people who had brought him in exchanged looks.


    Finally, the female mercenary stepped forward. ¡°Little girl, since you¡¯re the one paying, I can help you interrogate him if you want any information.¡±


    She was confident that with a range of torture methods, he would break,


    Before she could finish, Baldy, who had been held on the ground, suddenly raised his head. His face turned red, and he began struggling violently. His throat made rasping sounds, and his body convulsed.


    It was as though he was being ughtered like a pig. Several people couldn¡¯t hold him down.


    With incredible strength, he broke free from his restraints and began writhing on the floor in agony. He seemed to be enduring unimaginable pain as he ripped apart the ropes binding him and mmed into the floor with a loud thud.


    Chapy: 383


    The impact was so forceful that even his Iron Skull Technique couldn¡¯t withstand it. Blood sttered everywhere, and the floor was nearly cracked from the force of the impact.


    The female mercenary and the remaining nine stepped back in shock, instinctively retreating a few steps.


    Baldy¡¯s condition was so horrific that he couldn¡¯t even scream. His throat emitted a horrible wheezing sound, and his face was twisted in excruciating pain.


    He deeply regretted his decision..


    No one knew the torment he was suffering.


    It felt as though countless bugs were gnawing at his insides, an itch so intense it reached into his bones, far worse than any physical pain.


    Additionally, the nerves in his head seemed to be pulled and stretched, ready to split his skull open one moment, then throbbing violently the next.


    However, his throat seemed to be choked, preventing him from making any sound other than frantic gasps, trapping him in a silent hell of suffering.


    Felicia watched quietly, her expression calm and unwavering.


    Atst, he made a gesture of surrender. Crawling desperately, he knelt at her feet and began banging his head on the ground. His words were broken and uneven. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll talk¡­ I¡¯ll tell you everything¡­¡±


    He had beenpletely broken. From defiance to submission, it didn¡¯t even take three minutes.


    The other nine stared in stunned silence<b>. </b>


    Their gaze toward Felicia shifted, now filled with awe.


    They were mercenaries who lived on the edge and were used to bloodshed, but she remained moreposed and unshaken than any of them.


    She threw two silver needles, whichnded on Baldy¡¯s shoulders. novelbin


    The pain and difort gradually faded. Baldy, now limp on the floor like a fish out of water, had lost all his pride. He immediately began spilling everything he knew.


    However, when asked who his employer was, he said he didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know? Are you sure?¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 384

    hapter 384


    Miss, I wouldn¡¯t dare lie anymore! I really don¡¯t know anything else. The person who


    ontacted me was Mr. Fs. He said someone asked him to have me do something and offered high price, so I agreed.¡±


    aldy spoke honestly. ¡°After that, I received information from Mr. Fs, came to Khogend, nd prepared to assassinate you¡­¡± novelbin


    elicia lightly tapped her fingers, remaining silent.


    he female mercenary kicked Baldy and coldly said, ¡°You¡¯re still hiding something. Speak up!¡±


    ¡®hey needed to resolve this quickly to get the five billion dor reward.


    ut he truly didn¡¯t know anything else. ¡°That¡¯s all I know! I swear I¡¯m not lying. I won¡¯t dare ide anything!¡±


    elicia believed he was telling the truth.


    ince Mr. Fs contacted him, this was a solid lead. With this clue, it would be easier to nvestigate.


    he turned, pulled back the curtain, and looked at Maurice, who was also lying in the bed, oldly saying, ¡°Stop pretending. I know you¡¯re awake¡±


    le chuckled and then opened his eyes.


    lis dark eyes were full of life, showing no sign of just having woken up.


    You found me out. How boring.¡±


    le shifted his body, gasping from the pain.


    , </b>he was hurt much more than elicia.


    he immediately asked him, ¡°Who is this Mr. Fs, and who is he working for? Tell me.¡±


    Ithough her facial expression didn¡¯t change much, the suppressed killing intent in her voice as heavy and intense.


    he was out for revenge for her friend.


    would be wise not to provoke her or y games now. If she went mad, she was just as rrifying.


    at Maurice wasn¡¯t an average person.


    e clicked his tongue and asked, ¡°Is <b>this </b>how you ask for my help?¡±


    Felicia gave him two punches, one from each side!


    ¡°This is how I ask!¡±


    She grabbed him by the cor, her eyes bloodshot. She might have dragged him down with her if not for still having some sense.


    If not for him, she wouldn¡¯t have had to use the twin venomous creatures to protect herself!


    If not for the twin venomous creatures, she wouldn¡¯t have faced such an assassination attempt and caused the innocent Carmen to be dragged into it, even losing her life.


    Seeing this, the four loyal subordinates of the Glovers family immediately moved to pull her


    away but were stopped when she shouted, ¡°Get lost!¡±


    Her body was filled with murderous intent.


    No one dared to approach.


    She gripped Maurice¡¯s cor and spoke slowly. ¡°You leaked the information about the twin venomous creatures, didn¡¯t you? You know who your enemies are, and you¡¯re happy to see me be your scapegoat. You think this is fun, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Maurice didn¡¯t speak. Even though he had been punched twice and blood was dripping from the corner of his mouth, he didn¡¯t get angry. He even ordered his subordinates not to intervene.


    Once again, he sensed her intense emotional turmoil.


    Inside her, there was<b>¡­ </b>sorrow.


    It was a suppressed emotion, a confusion of who to me, who to hate, and in the end, she took all the guilt onto herself.


    Beneath her calm exterior, her broken soul repeatedly asked, ¡°How do I pay back Carmen¡¯s sacrifice?¡±


    Maurice sighed, reached up, and gently wiped the coldness from the corner of Felicia¡¯s eye with his clean fingertip. ¡°I¡¯ll give you an answer.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 385

    Maurice always followed through with his words. As the head of the Glovers family, his


    ruthless methods were well¨Cknown; when he was determined to do something, he would stop at nothing to achieve it.


    Ablil nearly turned upside down at hismand, and the ¡°Mr. Fs¡± that Baldy had


    mentioned was quickly brought to light!


    He was tied up and brought before Felicia.


    This time, she didn¡¯t need to say a word. Maurice simply said, ¡°Louie Fs, right? Have you hidden your wife and two kids well<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>


    With those words, Louie¡¯s face turned pale.


    He knew what kind of person Maurice was¨Cif he threatened him like this, he meant it.


    Louie gritted his teeth, trembling as he spoke. ¡°Mrs. Glovers Senior contacted me, asking me for a small favor. She helped me a lot in the past, so when she asked, I couldn¡¯t refuse.¡±


    Maurice chuckled, a look of surprise on his face, though it seemed logical.


    He hadn¡¯t expected that, even though he had thought he had removed all of Kelsey¡¯s influence, she still had such a card up her sleeve.


    He waved his hand, and the desperate Louie was gagged and dragged away.


    He turned to Felicia. ¡°How do you want to handle this?¡±


    It sounded like he was leaving the decision to her.


    She countered, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to stop me? After all, I¡¯m nning to kill someone from the Glovers family.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t stop you. I¡¯ll even hand you the knife.¡±


    She remained silent and turned to walk away.


    Maurice chuckled and followed, saying, ¡°The helicopter is waiting on the top floor. You¡¯re going the wrong way. The elevator is over here.¡±


    Only then did she turn back and follow him.


    While Felicia waited for news of Louie<b>, </b>the nine mercenaries<b>, </b>under her orders, had already put Baldy on the first helicopter to Ablil.


    They were still waiting for Felicia¡¯s five billion dor reward, so they were happy to follow her orders.


    The second helicopter, arranged by Maurice, was waiting on the top floor.


    Felicia changed out of her hospital gown <b>into </b>a loose sweatshirt and sweatpants, which made it easier to avoid rubbing against her wounds. Plus, the special Panax pseudo¨Cginseng she used was healing her injuries rapidly.


    Maurice¡¯s injuries were more severe, wrapped in bandages, making him look almost like a mummy. He couldn¡¯t even change into his own clothes.


    Yet he refused to sit in a wheelchair and shamelessly draped his arm over her shoulder while waiting for the elevator.


    She wasn¡¯t having any of it and immediately shook his arm off. ¡°Get lost!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re mean.


    He clicked his tongue but quieted down for a moment. Then, he started yfully poking at her hand, his tone unusually curious. ¡°What kind of medicine are you using? Your recovery is so good. Can you share some?¡± novelbin


    She was speechless. Why was he so annoying?


    Felicia was incredibly irritated, and her desire to strangle Maurice only grew stronger!


    Just as she was about to tell him to get lost, the elevator doors opened. She nced in and was stunned to see Stephan¡¯s handsome face.


    She hadn¡¯t expected to run into him here. Even less had she expected that they were in the same hospital.


    She thought back and realized this was the nearest hospital to the car ident scene and the spot where she jumped out of the car.


    Upon a closer look, Stephan didn¡¯t seem to be seriously injured. Felicia sighed in relief, but just as she did, she felt an arm drape over her shoulder, and Maurice¡¯s slightly mischievous voice whispered in her ear, ¡°Ah, I¡¯m losing my bnce. Can you help me?¡±


    She was speechless.


    She wanted to curse but saw Stephan step out of the elevator. His eyes casually scanned her and Maurice, then moved away without a trace of emotion.


    It was as though he had seen a stranger.


    She realized that, from his perspective, the way she and Maurice were ¡°pulling and tugging¡± must have looked very intimate.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 386

    Plus, Felicia had previously been in Maurice¡¯s car¡­


    As she was lost in thought, she saw Stephan take a long stride, bypassing her and walking


    away.


    ¡°Stephan!¡±


    Johanna¡¯s voice rang out at the end of the corridor, filled with joy and bashfulness.


    Felicia was led into the elevator by Maurice.


    As the elevator doors closed, she saw Stephan approaching Johanna, beaming with a bright, sweet smile that was radiant and captivating.


    ¡°Hey, feeling upset?¡±


    Maurice¡¯s teasing voice came from beside her during the slow ascent of the elevator, filled with sarcasm.


    She ignored him.


    Once aboard the helicopter, it slowly took off, heading toward Ablil.


    At the end of the corridor on the hospital¡¯s eighth floor, Johanna rushed toward Stephan but stopped a few steps away when she saw his brow furrow in displeasure. novelbin


    ¡°Stephan¡­<b>¡± </b>


    She looked a bit aggrieved. She was the only one who had been willing to chase after him, even when he lost his mind, speeding and crashing in a car ident. She had no regrets.


    In fact, she saw it as an opportunity. Otherwise, how could she make him feel guilty? She wasn¡¯t seriously hurt and was rushed to the hospital in time. She only had a mild concussion and some cuts and bruises.


    All of her wounds had been treated with the best medicine avable.


    Biting her lip, she reached out to tug at his clothes, her voice tinged with a pitiful tone, Stephan, I¡¯m feeling dizzy¡­¡±


    Stephan gave a silent look to his subordinate. ¡°Call the doctor.¡±


    Johanna was speechless.


    The doctor arrived quickly and, after examining her, confirmed it was a mild concussion with some lingering dizziness and advised her to rest.


    So, she had to rest on the bed.


    Stephan stood by the window, gazing out at the distance, his thoughts seemingly elsewhere.


    She racked her brain for a topic and was just about to speak when she saw him turn around. His deep gaze locked onto her as he asked, ¡°What did you say to Felicia at the medical center today?¡±


    Her heart skipped a beat.


    How did he know about this?


    She felt nervous, not knowing how to cover up her actions.


    If she lied, he might catch her in the act! But if she told the truth¡­ That would be even worse!


    The only option was to tell a half¨Ctruth that would sound believable.


    Johanna¡¯s eyes flickered briefly before she found a response. With a quivering voice, she said, Stephan, I found something you threw out from your study in the trash can! You already knew who the person who killed Archie was, so why haven¡¯t you avenged him?¡±


    Tears welled in her eyes, and she choked up as she continued, ¡°I wanted to avenge him, so I found Ms. Fuller to get more information about the Fuller family, but unexpectedly, she kicked me out¡­¡±


    His expression darkened.


    No wonder Felicia had spoken so mockingly, saying that if he wanted to go after the Fuller family, she wouldn¡¯t stop him or be able to.


    It turned out that Johanna had gone to her, making her think he was nning to target the Fuller family and deliberately had Johanna inform her.


    He was speechless.


    He pressed a hand to his throbbing brow and asked again, ¡°Did you tell Imogen about this?¡±


    ¡°No, I couldn¡¯t let her know about this. She¡¯s pregnant, and her condition is unstable. She needs to <b>rest</b>¡­¡±


    Fortunately, she hadn¡¯t.


    Stephan suppressed his irritation and said slowly, ¡°The clues you¡¯ve found are iplete. I will avenge Archie, but as for the Fuller family¡­ They may not be the culprits.¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 387

    Johanna, however, refused to believe it.


    She only believed what she had seen. The investigation results pointed to the Fuller family- how could it not be rted to them?


    Unless¡­ Stephan was trying to protect the Fuller family.


    She was heartbroken, her eyes reddening as she asked, ¡°Stephan, is it because of Ms. Fuller that you¡¯re no longer pursuing the murderer who killed Archie?¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond.


    The investigation had marked the Fuller family as a ¡®suspect¡®, which meant there was no solid proof linking them to the crime.


    Based on his usual methods, if someone appeared on his suspect list, he always believed in killing, even if there was a mistake, rather than letting anyone go free.


    So, why hadn¡¯t he acted against the Fuller family yet?


    He could deceive others but not himself.


    It was because Felicia also shared the samest name.


    Stephan stood tall and unmoving in the shadowed area, his voice cold, deep, and slow, ¡°I will find out the truth in three days at most.¡±


    Three days?


    Johanna only felt like sneering. novelbin


    She couldn¡¯t even wait three hours, wanting nothing more than to wipe out the Fuller residence, tie up every Fuller family member, and kill them all!


    Why would she have to wait another three days?


    What if Stephan still couldn¡¯t find evidence? Would Archie have died for nothing?


    Dizziness clouded her vision, and she wasn¡¯t sure if it was a side effect of the concussion or from her agitation.


    However, she held it back.


    ¡°Stephan, <b>I </b>trust you. I know you¡¯ll give me and Archie an exnation.¡±


    Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at him, her gaze bright with reliance, admiration<b>, </b>and unconditional trust.


    Johanna was sure they would have softened at this sight if it were any other man.


    Cropp: 347


    After a pause, she continued, ¡°Stephan, I can tell you¡¯re not indifferent toward Ms. Fuller. But¡­ she seems to have quite a connection with that man today. They look very well- matched¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t know Maurice, but when she saw Felicia get into the car with him, she couldn¡¯t contain her excitement. She had to bring it up to make sure Stephan didn¡¯t forget.


    She wanted him to see clearly that Felicia, a flirtatious and fickle woman, likely had more than just one or two <b>men </b>around her!


    ¡°As far as I know, Ms. Fuller was even engaged to the young heir of the Lawson family in a grand ceremony that stirred the whole city. She has been so skillful in managing men all this time. With such methods, she must be even more unscrupulous in private¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Stephan¡¯s cold, sharpmand stopped her.


    His presence had turned dangerously heavy, a sign of his anger, a subtle but growing menace. She was frightened and flustered under his cold, piercing gaze, her heart racing. ¡°Stephan¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let this slide out of respect for Archie, but there won¡¯t be a next time.¡±


    With that, he turned and left, carrying an overwhelming chill.


    It took Johanna a long time to calm her wildly beating heart. Her hands even shook.


    When angry, he radiated a murderous intent that was overwhelming and terrifying.


    She was sure that if it weren¡¯t for Archie, Stephan might have killed her in his rage!


    Was it just because she bad¨Cmouthed Felicia?


    Felicia¡­ was really a thorn in her side.


    She clenched her fists. Whether for Archie¡¯s vengeance or her sharp intuition as a woman, she knew she had to do something.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 388

    Johanna decided to deal with the Fuller family and Felicia.


    She pulled out her phone and searched her contacts. It was from a group of friends she and Archie had met during their rough days in society


    At first, Archie was a small¨Ctimeckey in this group. However, after he got involved with the youngdy from the Russell family, the group turned into his subordinates.


    His death hadn¡¯t <b>been </b>announced, and even if it had, these low¨Clevel thugs wouldn¡¯t have been able to touch anything rted to the Russell family.


    Now, this group of people coulde in handy.


    She dialed the number, and it was quickly answered.


    The noise on the other end suggested they were in a loud ce, likely a bar. They seemed quite surprised to receive a call from her.


    ¡®Ms. Rosario! Hey, long time no see! How have you been? Where¡¯s Mr. Rosario? When are we going out for a drink?¡±


    They had such wishful thinking. novelbin


    Her face showed clear disdain.


    This group had once bullied her and Archie, treating them like dogs. Only after his rise in status did these people start fawning over him, eager to be hisckeys and calling her ¡± Ms. Rosario¡± and Archie ¡°Mr. Rosario¡°.


    She had long stopped contacting these losers. She had once considered deleting their


    numbers, but Archie had insisted that there were some dirty jobs these people would have to handle.


    He treated it as keeping a fewckeys¨Cgive them some money, and that would suffice.


    Now, they coulde in handy.


    Johanna spoke with a condescending tone. ¡°Archie¡¯s busy. Unlike you lot, who have nothing better to do than run around doing small¨Ctime<b>, </b>petty thefts in alleyways.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Ms. Rosario. We¡¯re just a bunch <b>of </b>small fry. How can wepare to Mr. Rosario? He¡¯s the one who managed to win the heart of the youngdy from the Russell family!¡±


    ¡°Enough. Stop talking nonsense. I called you because I need something done, and if well, you won¡¯t have to worry about Archie taking care of you.¡±


    Not a single one of them didn¡¯t envy Archie.


    you do it


    He had gone from an orphan and a small¨Ctimeckey to bing a key yer in the Russell family, and eventually, he even became the fianc¨¦ of the youngdy from the Russell family!


    That was the Russell family they were talking about!


    He had gone from a nobody to the son¨Cinw of the Russell family, moving across countless social sses.


    They couldn¡¯t even dream of such a rise!


    Unfortunately, they had offended Archie and Johanna so badly before Archie¡¯s sess that they lost the chance to rise with him.


    Now that Johanna offered a helping hand, anyone who turned it down would be a fool.


    ¡°Ms. Rosario, just give the order, and we¡¯llplete it perfectly!¡±


    ¡°Good. I need you to find someone, and then¡­¡±


    Her n was aimed at the Fuller family.


    She had gone through all the news and materials at the time. When she learned that Ka and Shawn had strangled Ruben, the n had taken shape in her mind.


    It was said that after Ruben¡¯s death, Dexter had reached a settlement with Mina and paid arge sum inpensation.


    What if Mina was dead as well? And with the same method¨Cstrangled with her body dumped along with the car in the water?


    Public outrage would soar. Could the Fuller family handle it again?


    Even if the Fuller family wasn¡¯t responsible, the public would think it was them, believing it was their revenge on Mina after the incident had settled.


    With a little push, the Fuller family would inevitably go bankrupt!


    Once the Fuller family fell, crushing them afterward would be a piece of cake.


    Johanna finished exining, and theckeys on the other end of the line were stunned. ¡°W- Wait, that¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s murder! It¡¯s illegal!¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 389

    ¡°Just tell me if you ept this task or not. If not, <b>I¡¯ll </b>find someone else.¡±


    Johanna sneered. ¡°You can¡¯t even use the given you. What a bunch of useless


    opportunity I¡¯ve fools!¡±


    The group of low¨Clevel thugs hesitated momentarily, but fearing that she might give the opportunity to someone else, they quickly responded, ¡°We agree to it!


    ¡°Ms. Rosario, we¡¯re all in. Once this is done, you must speak to Mr. Rosario and let us join the Russell family, okay? We¡¯ll work hard for him!¡±


    ¡°That depends on how you perform.¡±


    Having said everything she needed to, she hung up the phone.


    The only problem now was finding Mina. After receiving Dexter¡¯spensation, Mina had returned to her hometown and bought a house there.


    The location of that house was right on the outskirts of Khogend.


    Johanna knew this in detail because Mina¡¯s rtives had been boasting about it, even posting videos online. novelbin


    It was easy to track down.


    Now, it was up to these thugs to do their part.


    Johanna scrolled through her phone and absentmindedly clicked into her photo album, where thousands of photos of her and Archie were stored.


    She reached out and stroked the image of his handsome face through the screen<b>, </b>her eyes filled with longing and dependence. ¡°I miss you so much, Archie¡­¡±


    At the Fuller residence, as time passed, the negative impact surrounding Ka slowly faded. She no longer had to hide herself when going out; she could walk confidently under the sun. The Fuller family¡¯s business entered a new phase. Dexter was still busy but not as frantic <b>as </b>before, so his mood had improved considerably.


    Ka seemed to have truly turned over a new leaf. She had even kept a low profile, doing a few small charity events.


    She couldn¡¯t return to school and was still on temporary leave.


    Most of the time, she yed the role of a thoughtful little darling, still acting cute and coquettish with Myra and Dexter.


    She would asionally wash Myra¡¯s feet, moving her to tears.


    Sebastian had not stayed to develop his career in the Fuller family¡¯s business for some


    unknown reason. Ignoring Dexter¡¯s objections, he had flown overseas a while ago to continue his own ventures abroad.


    Ka was actually pleased by this.


    Shortly after Clive¡¯s passing, Myra and Dexter transferred 20% of thepany¡¯s shares to Ka without Sebastian¡¯s interference.


    In addition, they had already made a will, dividing their entire estate in half¨Cone part for Sebastian and the other for Ka.


    Furthermore, Ka inherited Myra¡¯s beauty salon entirely.


    They were deliberately ignoring one person¨CFelicia.


    Even the room she had once lived in had been cleared out and turned into Ka¡¯s bedroom.


    Her belongings were sparse¨Csome clothes in the wardrobe and a few books on the desk. Everything was thrown into the trash, swept away clean without a trace.


    All of this was thanks to Ka¡¯s subtle ndering


    After Clive¡¯s death, Felicia disappeared for seven days and nights, even skipping his funeral which only deepened Myra and Dexter¡¯s hatred for her.


    With the family assets already divided, Ka felt much more secure.


    Today, she took out the box left by Clive and pretended to be troubled. ¡°Oh no, this is thest thing Grandpa left for Felicia. Should we¡­ send it to her?¡±


    Everything from the Walsh family had gone to Jake¡¯s family, except for the golden needles in this box. These were the ones Clive had specifically said he wanted to give to Felicia before his death.


    To others, it was just <b>a </b>set of gold needles, nothing valuable.


    Jake¡¯s family hadn¡¯t kept it for themselves and gave it to Myra to handle.


    But because Felicia hadn¡¯t even shown up for Clive¡¯s funeral, Myra had confiscated the golden needles out of anger and vowed never to give them to Felicia.


    Now, Ka had taken out the gold needles, and Myra¡¯s immediate reaction was to think of Felicia¡¯s cold¨Cheartedness and misdeeds. She scowled. ¡°Why should I give it to her? Put it back!¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 390

    Ka chuckled to herself and tossed the box back.


    No one noticed that as the box hit the ground, it was jolted just enough to reveal a small gap, and the golden needles inside shed with a dazzling gleam.


    But it was only for a moment before the light faded again.


    On the helicopter heading to Ablil, Felicia sneezed twice, prompting Maurice to make a snarkyment, ¡°Look at you. You really know how to make people hate you.¡±


    She leaned back against the cabin, closing her eyes to rest.


    Maurice, never one to take a hint, moved closer, almost right up to her ear, and said, ¡°How about considering staying in Ablil with me-


    Before he could finish his sentence, she threw a punch at him. ¡°How many times do I need to say it? Stay away from me.¡±


    He was too close, and his breath brushed against her ear as he spoke.


    She absolutely disliked this proximity, especially when it was him.


    But no matter how many punches she threw at him along the way, he still seemed to never learn, constantly approaching her again and again.


    She had keenly sensed that his attitude seemed to have changed when they were in the hospital.


    At that time, he had been talking back, and she had pinned him to the hospital bed, hitting him fiercely. Strangely, he hadn¡¯t struggled. Instead, he had even wiped away the tear from novelbin


    her eye¡­


    Felicia was thoroughly disgusted and immediately jerked her arm away. She rubbed her eye where he had touched it, not stopping until the area was red from the friction.


    Despite that, Maurice persisted,ing closer again and again.


    She didn¡¯t know what he was thinking and what his intentions were.


    She stayed on alert.


    He sighed deeply, rubbing his handsome face, now bruised by her punches!


    She sure had a heavy hand!


    She didn¡¯t even show any mercy at all.


    He felt somewhat helpless, but there were no signs of him getting angry. Was this still the Maurice they knew? Had someone swapped him out?


    The Glovers family¡¯s subordinates were shocked to the point of disbelief.


    Their eyes were almost popping out of their heads.


    In the past, not only would no one have dared to p Maurice¡¯s face, but even a wrong look or


    a slight gesture could have been enough to get them thrown out of the helicopter!


    But how many times had Felicia hit him today?


    He didn¡¯t even get mad!


    It was a miracle!


    The subordinates could only guess Maurice wasn¡¯t retaliating against Felicia because he maintained his gentlemanly demeanor and didn¡¯t hit a woman.


    But that couldn¡¯t be it. He didn¡¯t care about gender¨Che only cared about who he wanted to kill and who he didn¡¯t.


    Maybe it was because of the twin venomous creature?


    That was even less likely!


    When he went mad, he didn¡¯t even spare himself!


    Even if the twin venomous creature were to backfire severely, he wouldn¡¯t bat an eye!


    There was only one exnation.


    Damn it! It seemed like Maurice¡­ was trying to cajole Felicia.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 391

    Maurice even lowered his tone and humbled himself.


    The subordinates all exchanged nces, sensing that something was off.


    In this strange atmosphere, they finally arrived in Ablil.


    At that moment, in the Glovers family¡¯s Grandeur Hall, Kelsey kept turning the prayer beads. in her hand, muttering under her breath with her eyes closed. Yet, no matter how much she prayed, her mind remained unsettled.


    Gabby tried tofort her, ¡°Mrs. Glovers Senior, don¡¯t worry. The hitman we hired is very skilled, and we¡¯ve offered a reward of over ten million. It will surely seed!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope so,¡± Kelsey muttered, still feeling uneasy.


    But then she thought Baldy wasn¡¯t targeting Maurice; he was after a brat who only knew medicine. How could such an assassination fail?


    It would seed; it had to seed!


    Her tense nerves loosened when she thought of that, and a smile appeared on her face.


    Just then, the familiar sound of a helicopter came from overhead. Kelsey¡¯s expression changed immediately, and she anxiously asked, ¡°Who¡¯s here? Who¡¯s here?¡±


    Gabby was also startled and rushed outside to check.


    Two helicopters bearing the Glovers family¡¯s unique insignia descended smoothly one after another.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s Mr. Glovers<b>!</b>¡±


    Gabby nced up from a distance and rushed back into the Grandeur Hall to make a report. Kelsey staggered, almost losing her bnce. ¡°How did we fail again? Didn¡¯t they boast about how skilled the hitman was? How could they fail to deal with a brat?¡±


    She had made two attempts, and both failed. novelbin


    If Maurice learned about this, thest bit of politeness between the grandmother and grandson would be gone!


    He would never tolerate her existence!


    She briefly panicked but quickly regained herposure. Under Gabby¡¯s worried gaze, she straightened her back and sneered. ¡°It¡¯s not over yet. Why worry?¡±


    With that, she took the lead and walked outside.


    Chap 391


    In the courtyard, Baldy was tied up and pinned to the ground, surrounded by nine mercenaries who hadn¡¯t received their bounty. They were standing with their arms crossed.


    Felicia stepped out of the helicopter and had Baldy untied. She then threw him his rifle.


    Baldy hesitated momentarily, quickly realizing that she had brought him to the Glovers. family, not for a one¨Cday visit.


    Now that she had returned his rifle, it meant¡­ She wanted to avenge her friend in the same


    <b>way</b>.


    Kelsey should meet the same fate as Carmen.


    Baldy¡¯s hands trembled, and he dared not pick up the gun. Instinctively, he nced at Maurice, but seeing that even the head of the Glovers family showed no signs of opposing this, he begged, ¡°Ms. Fuller, I¡¯ll do anything you ask. Please, just let me live.¡±


    The implication was that if he killed Kelsey, she couldn¡¯t kill him.


    After all, he was only doing his job to eliminate her.


    She neither agreed nor disagreed, saying calmly, ¡°I will give you a chance to choose.¡±


    He believed her and immediately raised the rifle, aiming in the direction where Kelsey wasing from. As soon as she appeared, he would pull the trigger!


    In the distance, two figures emerged from the door.


    One was Kelsey, and the other was Gabby.


    As Baldy adjusted his aim, ready to act, suddenly, the scope went ck, and someone¡¯s hand blocked his vision.


    It was Maurice.


    Baldy froze in fear, not daring to move.


    It made sense. He was on the Glovers family¡¯s grounds and trying to take a shot at Kelsey in front of the Glovers family¡¯s head¨Che was out of his mind!


    Felicia also looked toward Maurice, her fingers lightly poised to send a few silver needles flying at any moment.


    Since she was already here, she was determined to get her revenge!


    No one could stop her!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 392

    Maurice smiled helplessly, as if he hadn¡¯t noticed the murderous intent emanating from Felicia, and slowly took the rifle from Baldy¡¯s hands.


    He said, ¡°Let me handle this.¡±


    After all, he had personally killed his father and another of his father¡¯s sons. He wasn¡¯t afraid of adding one more old woman to the list.


    But Felicia was different.


    Even though he had ordered all the maids nearby to leave, there was still bound to be gossip. If news of Felicia¡¯s attempt to have Kelsey assassinated got out¡­


    Those who had once followed Kelsey would swarm to take revenge on her.


    She would never have peace again.


    After speaking, he raised the rifle in his hand and calmly pulled the trigger without blinking!


    Kelsey, who had just stepped out from inside, saw the rifle from afar. Her expression changed in shock, and she tried to retreat.


    However, it was already toote.


    His shooting skills were unusually good¨Cquick and precise. With a casual raise of his hand the bullet shot out, and she fell to the ground not far away!


    ¡°The old hag wanted to kill me, so I killed her. There¡¯s no problem with that, right?¡±


    Maurice blew on the rifle¡¯s muzzle, smiling with a carefree attitude, but his words were directed at everyone around him.


    The decision was his, and so were the actions.


    It had nothing to do with Felicia.


    He didn¡¯t mind taking the me for another death, but he wanted her hands to stay clean. novelbin


    She hadn¡¯t expected him to do this. She thought he was stopping Baldy to protect Kelsey, but instead, he had acted on his own.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to thank you.


    Felicia put away the silver needles between her fingers, her expression still cold and indifferent, even a little distant.


    Maurice casually tossed the rifle aside and leaned in to whisper two words in her ear, ¡°You will.


    ¡±


    Chopp en


    She was speechless.


    Crazy.


    With the mastermind¨CKelsey¨Ctaken care of, Gabby started wailing in despair beside her. She even lunged toward Maurice to fight him, but two of Maurice¡¯s men quickly subdued her.


    He was never one for kindness. He gave his men a signal, and they understood, gagging Gabby¡¯s mouth and dragging her away.


    In the courtyard, Baldy was trembling with fear.


    He regretted not acting faster earlier. Had he helped Felicia immediately, he might have had a better chance at begging for mercy.


    But now, there was no opportunity for him to perform.


    Maurice had originally nned to deal with him, intending to throw him into the crocodile pit, but Felicia stopped him.


    This was her own mess; she didn¡¯t need anyone else to carry the weight.


    Felicia handed Baldy a small porcin bottle. ¡°I told you I¡¯d give you a choice. This bottle contains two pills¨Cone is poison, the other isn¡¯t. You decide.¡±


    The two pills lookedpletely different¨Conerge, one small; one ck, one white<b>. </b>


    He swallowed nervously, unsure of what to choose. He begged, ¡°Ms. Fuller, please don¡¯t kill me. I¡¯m willing to obey your everymand forever!¡±


    ¡°Sher


    ¡°Choose.¡± She remained unmoved.


    When Carmen had fallen on her, so much blood had been spilled. How terrified must she have been?


    Baldy would have seeded long ago if Carmen hadn¡¯t shielded her with her body.


    He shouldn¡¯t have brought up how he was just following orders. If he chose to be a hitman, he had to face the consequences of his failure. People in this line of work would never get lucky. Trembling, Baldy finally chose the white pill and put it into his mouth

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 393

    Baldy didn¡¯t want to eat the pill, but he had no choice.


    The Glovers family¡¯s men were watching him closely, and the nine mercenaries standing behind Felicia looked as if they wanted to pry his mouth open and make the decision for him.


    Rather than letting others decide his fate, he might as well gamble on it himself.


    He swallowed with difficulty.


    Two minutes passed, and he didn¡¯t feel any difort. His excitement grew! He had chosen the right pill!


    This white pill waspletely non¨Ctoxic!


    ¡°You said it yourself, Ms. Fuller. A bet¡¯s a bet. Can you let me go now?¡±


    Baldy wore an expression of joy, afraid that Felicia might change her mind. novelbin


    Felicia simply gave a soft ¡°mm¡± without any intention of stopping him.


    Baldy quickly scrambled to his feet, ignoring everything else, and ran toward the gate, eager to escape before something happened.


    With no one chasing him, he rxed as he was about to leave the Glovers estate, and a malicious glint appeared in his eyes.


    He would repay all the humiliation he had suffered today a hundred or a thousand times over! ¡°Just you wait, bitch!¡± he muttered in his heart as he stepped through the Glover estate gates. But just as his feet left the estate, his stride faltered. A sharp, piercing pain shot through his chest, and he coughed up a mouthful of ck blood!


    The pill¡­ was poison!


    Realizing this, Baldy crashed to the ground, his eyelids heavy as if filled moments, hest saw Felicia¡¯s emotionless face.


    In that instant, he understood¨Cboth pills were poisoned from the start.


    She had never intended to let him


    <ol>


    <li>go. </li>


    </ol>


    with lead, In his final


    ¡°You¡­ You tricked me¡­¡±


    ¡°Betting means epting the consequences,¡± she said lightly.


    With thest matter finished, Felicia kept her promise and handed the five billion dor reward to the nine mercenaries. How they divided the money was up to them.


    After receiving the money, the nine mercenaries left contentedly.


    The female mercenary, before leaving, winked at Felicia, her smile flirtatious and captivating.


    ¡°Miss¨Cuh, I mean, boss¨Cif you ever need help again, feel free to hire me. I may be


    expensive, but I promise you won¡¯t be disappointed.¡±


    Felicia raised an eyebrow and replied, ¡°Want to leave a contact?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    With no paper or pen nearby, the female mercenary tore off a piece of her sleeve and, using lipstick, wrote a phone number on it before handing it to Felicia.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have real names in our line of work, only codenames. I go by Scarlet.¡±


    Scarlet?


    True to her name, she was as brilliant and fiery as the red leaves in autumn, bright and full of life.


    Feliciaplimented her. ¡°It suits you.¡±


    Scarlet smiled even wider, and her impression of Felicia increased. She winked and said, ¡°See you again, boss.¡±


    After they left, Felicia casually saved Scarlet¡¯s contact information on her phone.


    Though she didn¡¯t need it right now, having the contact was better than finding herself in needter.


    She had originally nned to return to Khogend immediately, but after some thought, she decided to see Maurice first and have the twin venomous creatures removed.


    But Maurice seemed to have anticipated her intention and avoided her.


    She searched all over the Glovers estate but couldn¡¯t find him. By the time night fell, she missed thest flight back to Khogend.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 394

    Maurice still hadn¡¯t shown up. novelbin


    However, one of his trusted subordinates came in and respectfully informed Felicia, ¡°Ms. Fuller, Mr. Glovers has arranged a room for you. You can settle infortably.


    ¡°He also said that whenever you wish to leave, we¡¯ll arrange a private jet to take you back.¡±


    He said nothing about Maurice¡¯s whereabouts.


    Why was he so kind?


    Felicia replied, ¡°I¡¯ll leave tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    The subordinate showed no hesitation, giving orders right in front of her, organizing the private jet, and ensuring everything was ready to depart the next day.


    She was skeptical.


    Moreover, the new room they had arranged for her wasn¡¯t the same at Bamboo Court. Instead, it was a muchrger, more elegantpound surrounded by peonies in full bloom. At this time of year, the peonies would bloom brightly; they were incredibly beautiful.


    Felicia had no interest or energy in admiring the scenery. The first thing she did when entering the room was check it thoroughly. She found no cameras or listening devices.


    This gave her an odd feeling.


    It was as though Maurice was deliberately trying to make her forget the unpleasant experience of being imprisoned here before.


    Although she had been treated like a guest during the seven days, the fact remained that she had been imprisoned, constantly under surveince.


    She couldn¡¯t contact the outside world, nor could she


    e escape.


    Though she was still at the Glover estate, she was free. The ce she was staying was different from before, and if her memory were a bit hazy, she might even mistake this for her first time here


    ¡°Heh¡­¡± Felicia sneered, closed the door, and immediately took out a knife and silver needles, preparing to remove the venomous creature directly.


    It didn¡¯t matter that Maurice wasn¡¯t cooperating As long as she removed the primordial controlling her, the seedling controlling him would have no effect.


    Once that was done, the bond between them would be severed.


    With a few quick needles, the venomous creature appeared just beneath her skin. She made a small incision, and the venomous creature slowly crawled out.


    Once it emerged, it didn¡¯t sense the presence of the other venomous creature and quickly stopped moving.


    The twin venomous creature required both creatures to be removed simultaneously to survive. If one were removed alone, it would die, just like now.


    Felicia tended to her wound and wrapped the dead primordial in paper, discarding it in the trash.


    Meanwhile, avoiding Felicia, Maurice had sought out Caeser, a white¨Cbearded medical master, and asked him an unexpected question, ¡°How can I keep the venomous creature inside me?¡± Caeser thought he had misheard and asked him to repeat the question several times to be sure. This was unheard of! Normally, people cursed with a venomous creature sought ways to remove it as quickly as possible.


    Why would anyone want to keep it, especially the twin venomous creature?


    Had he forgotten the consequences? The twin venomous creature¡¯s influence caused his wounds!


    ¡°Mr. Glovers, this is madness! You must remove the venomous creature. There¡¯s no benefit to keeping it. If anything happens to Felicia, you¡¯ll be dragged into it!¡±


    Maurice grew impatient. ¡°I know that! I¡¯m asking you how to keep the venomous creature, not for you to lecture me.¡±


    Caeser shook his head, sighing deeply. ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡±


    Maurice remained silent.


    Caeser felt ashamed. When Maurice had asked him to find a way to remove the twin venomous creature, he had no solution. Now that Maurice didn¡¯t want it removed, he still had no solution. Maurice fell silent, frustrated. He wanted to ask if there was any other way, but before he could speak, he suddenly felt an overwhelming emptiness in his chest.


    When Felicia was emotionally agitated in the past, it felt as if a second person was living inside him. He could sense her every emotion¨Cher joy, anger, and sorrow.


    But now, the invisible connection between them had been severed as if someone had cut it with a knife.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 395

    Maurice could no longer feel Felicia¡¯s emotions.


    He froze.


    Caeser quickly noticed something was wrong and immediately took Maurice¡¯s pulse, eximing in surprise, ¡°Mr. Glovers, the venomous creature is gone!¡±


    But Maurice showed no signs of joy. Instead, he angrily pushed Caeser¡¯s hand away and shouted, ¡°Get out!¡± novelbin


    Caeser was startled but used to Maurice¡¯s vtile nature. He knew better than to provoke Maurice at this moment, so he quickly retreated.


    Maurice stared at his hand, and in his amber eyes, there was a faint sign of losing control.


    He didn¡¯t understand why.


    Under the control of the twin venomous creature, he had often sensed Felicia¡¯s emotions- good or bad, happy or angry¨Cand found it amusing at first.


    Gradually, he became ustomed to it and even started to look forward to it.


    Now, she had severed this connection without mercy, leaving him feeling lost and with a trace/ of inexplicable anger.


    Maurice stood up, a murderous intent surging within him.


    He stormed toward the guest room where Felicia was staying.


    His hand froze mid¨Cair just before he could knock on the door, yet he didn¡¯t bring himself to knock.


    The night wind blew, and the wounds on his body ached slightly.


    As the redness in his eyes faded, rationality began to return. He pped himself, then turned and walked away.


    Damn it. He was going crazy over a woman!


    He must have been out of his mind due to the twin venomous creature¡¯s influence. Now that the venomous creature was gone, he believed it wouldn¡¯t be long before he would ¡°wake up.¡±


    On his way back, the maids quickly stepped aside bowing their heads, not daring to look at him<b>. </b>


    Only his trusted subordinates approached, reporting, ¡°Mr. Glovers, Ms. Fuller said she ns to leave tomorrow. I¡¯ve arranged the ne. Should we keep her here?¡±


    ¡°Keep her? Let her go! The farther, the better!¡±


    Chap 395


    He didn¡¯t even know where this sudden anger came from. He snapped, ¡°I hope I never have to see her again in this lifetime!¡±


    His subordinate was confused, unsure whether this was genuine or just in the heat of the


    moment.


    But seeing his explosive mood, his hair almost standing on end and his face dark with fury, they dared not ask any more questions¡­


    The following day, the weather was clear and sunny.


    A subordinate knocked on the guest room door, but there was no response.


    ¡°Where is Ms. Fuller?¡±


    ¡°She left before dawn. She left a message saying not to see her off and that it was ¡®goodbye, indefinitely,¡± the maid who had been cleaning the courtyard replied.


    The subordinate gasped, trembling as he reported this news to Maurice.


    When Maurice heard this, his hand paused mid¨Cair as he fed fish. He said nothing,


    maintaining his indifferent posture as though he didn¡¯t care.


    It was just that the fish bait had been overused. The fishes were probably going to be stuffed to death today.


    At the airport, crowds of people bustled about.


    Felicia disembarked from the ne and walked out, and everything went surprisingly smoothly. From leaving the Glovers estate to flying back to Khogend, she had faced no obstacles.


    She hailed a taxi.


    The driver nced at her several times in the rearview mirror along the way, seemingly scrutinizing her as if trying to figure something out.


    im Bonus For Free Every Day

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 396

    The driver¡¯s gaze made Felicia ufortable.


    She opened her eyes as he nced at her again and asked calmly, ¡°Is there something you want?¡±


    The driver didn¡¯t feel embarrassed. Instead, he perked up and asked, ¡°Are you Ms. Fuller from the Fuller family? Are you the biological daughter of the former richest family?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She immediately denied it, not wanting to continue the conversation.


    She leaned back in her seat, closed her eyes, and rified she wasn¡¯t interested in talking any further.


    However, the driver continued chatting, smiling ¡°I heard you cut ties with the Fuller family. Is that true? Well, it¡¯s a good thing. Now that the Fuller family is in trouble, it won¡¯t affect you!


    ¡°The Fuller family is finished. Don¡¯t even mention the former richest family in Khogend. They¡¯re probably going bankrupt now! Soon, they¡¯ll be forgotten entirely!


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what Mr. And Mrs. Fuller were thinking, abandoning their biological daughter while cleaning up after that fake daughter time and time again! Now, they won¡¯t be able to clean up the mess!¡±


    He clicked his tongue and got more excited, clearly enjoying the gossip.


    Felicia was confused. What did he mean by the Fuller family being in trouble? What happened?


    A sense of unease crept over her, and she asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Really? You haven¡¯t heard about this huge thing?¡±


    The driver became even more animated. If he weren¡¯t driving, he would have turned around to talk. He eagerly described, ¡°The Fuller family is in trouble again!


    ¡°Remember that driver from the Fuller family who died? That incident was barely over, and now, his wife is dead too! I heard the couple¡¯s fate and manner of death were the same! Both were strangled in the car, and then both the bodies and the car were dumped in the river to destroy the evidence!


    ¡°This news just broke this morning. The recovery team is still out there searching the riverbank. You can look it up online if you don¡¯t believe me!


    ¡°And ording to the couple¡¯s rtives, the murderer is someone from the Fuller family! Tsk tsk, such a tragedy!¡± novelbin


    What? Mina was dead?


    Felicia froze for a moment, then immediately took out her phone. She had switched it <b>to </b>flight


    mode on the ne and hadn¡¯t turned it on since.


    Once she connected to the inte, a flood of news alerts popped up, each with bold headlines and sensational wording that stunned her!


    ¡°Sir, take a detour to the riverbank!¡± Felicia instructed.


    ¡°Got it!¡± The driver, clearly curious, was eager to see the scene. He immediately turned the car and headed toward the riverbank.


    It was the exact location, the beach at the end of Cedar Street, where Ruben had been murdered.


    In just a few months, Mina had met the same fate here.


    Was it a coincidence?


    It was the same method and ce. Without anyoneing forward to speak, the public would immediately suspect the Fuller family!


    They would think it was an act of revenge, a cold¨Cblooded execution by the Fuller family!


    When Felicia arrived, there were even more people at the scene than when they had searched for Ruben¡¯s body a few months ago. The riverbanks were crowded with reporters and media people holding cameras.


    The driver parked the car on a small bridge. Although it was far from the scene, they had a clear view of the search operation below.


    ¡°I heard the police were calledst night. The search team went in around midnight and started their search this morning. It has already been a few hours, so they should have results by now.¡±


    Just as he finished speaking, a loud shout came from the search site.


    ¡°We¡¯ve found it! Secure the cable; prepare the crane!¡±


    A few minutester, a waterlogged car was lifted from the river.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 397

    Felicia nced at the scene from a distance before quickly looking away.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Huh? You¡¯re leaving without even taking a proper look?¡±


    The driver had just lit a cigarette, looking like he was enjoying himself, but he put it out. reluctantly and continued driving.


    After settling the fare, she returned to her rental apartment. Without thinking, she reached for her phone to contact Carmen. When she opened their chat, she realized Carmen was no longer around.


    Their conversation had endedst week,


    Any messages sent from now on would go unanswered,


    After Carmen¡¯s death, Tom quickly took the money Felicia gave him and moved his family to start a better life.


    The old unit across from here had been handed over to a real estate agent to be sold.


    As Felicia headed upstairs, she ran into an agent who was showing the house to some people/ The front door was wide open, and voices could be heard from inside asionally.


    She walked in, scanned the area, and headed straight to Carmen¡¯s room.


    The ¡°room¡± was actually a storage space turned into a makeshift bedroom with no door, just a curtain for separation. novelbin


    Aside from a pile of clutter, there was a single bed and an old desk¨Cbarely furnished.


    This was Felicia¡¯s first time visiting Carmen¡¯s home.


    Under the old desk were several books, one at the bottom of which caught her eye. It had a different cover, and when she pulled it out<b>, </b>she discovered it was Carmen¡¯s journal.


    The journal was thick and looked quite old. Many pages at the front had been torn out, but the entries resumed further back<b>. </b>


    Carmen had torn out her previous entries and stopped writing for a while, possibly because her parents or younger brother had read them.


    But in thest six months, she had started writing again<b>, </b>recording her thoughts asionally.


    Felicia flipped through the pages and was shocked to find that several of them were Carmen¡¯s suicide notes!


    The dates indicated they were written just days before Carmen was pushed to the brink and


    Chap 397


    stood on the rooftop, ready to jump. She repeatedly wrote in the journal that she couldn¡¯t take it anymore and wanted to end everything.


    The entries were short and desperate.


    Further on, there was a long entry spanning two full pages.


    It was written the night she was about to jump from the rooftop but was saved by Felicia.


    That night, after the rest of the family had fallen asleep, Carmen wrote down her feelings at that old little desk in the small, dimly lit storage room.


    ¡®Amid all the rumors drowning me like a wave, surrounded by cold, contemptuous gazes, felt like a cornered rat, even starting to doubt my filth.


    ¡°When I stood on the rooftop, I felt the free wind and imagined myself flying away, so I decided to jump. But I never expected someone to rush in, throwing themselves at me, catching me as I fell.


    ¡°The wind was so strong that day, her movement so dangerous¨Cher arm scraped by the rough concrete edge of the rooftop, blood oozing out¨Cbut she was smiling, out of breath, saying, ¡®I¡¯m d I made it in time.¡±


    ¡°Words can¡¯t describe how I felt. I just wanted to cry.


    I


    ¡°It was as if I thought I had reached the end, but someone was there with me, giving me the courage to keep going.


    ¡°Felicia, thank you.


    ¡°Thank you for saving me when I was helpless.¡±


    The journal was long, and after reading it, Felicia stood still for a long time, lost in thought.


    To her, saving Carmen and helping her take revenge on the person who spread rumors was a small, simple thing.


    But to Carmen, this small act of kindness had been her redemption. In the end, she was even willing to sacrifice her life to shield Felicia from that bullet.


    Why was she so foolish?

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 398

    ¡°Why are you <b>so </b>foolish?¡±


    Felicia slowly bent down, squatting on the floor with her hands covering her face.


    The coldness slipping through her fingers hit the floor, and a strong feeling of helplessness surged within her.


    Roberta¡¯s fate was like this, and so was Carmen¡¯s.


    Felicia once believed that by rescuing Roberta, who had been taken to a mountain vige, she had saved her from the tragic fate of being passed around and ultimately dying in some


    obscure corner.


    She also believed that by saving Carmen, who had been isted and bullied due to rumors, she had changed her fate of jumping off the school rooftop.


    But in the end, despite all her efforts, both of them had died because of her.


    It felt as if this was all part of some preordained fate. No matter what twists and turns happened along the way, their endings couldn¡¯t be changed, including her own..


    Felicia felt someone tap her shoulder. Looking up, she saw the young real estate agent in front of her, handing her a piece of paper.


    She raised her head and noticed that the only person left in the house was the agent. She took the


    paper and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the client you showed the house to?¡±


    ¡°They ran off¡­¡±


    The agent looked helpless. Just now, he had been showing the house to a client who seemed interested, especially since the house was priced lower than the market rate.


    But when the client turned around and saw someone crying in the room, they got scared and immediately left.


    Felicia was stunned for a moment before standing up from the floor. ¡°So, I¡¯m that scary, huh? Fine, I¡¯ll buy the house. You don¡¯t need to show it to anyone else anymore.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    The agent, clearly excited, immediately nodded in agreement.


    Felicia returned Carmen¡¯s journal where she had found it and left with the agent. After locking the door again, she paid using her card.


    She didn¡¯t care about the rest of the process. All she wanted was for no one to touch Carmen¡¯s belongings anymore, and that was all.


    Chapp 298


    When she returned to her rental apartment, she had barely settled down when her phone rang again. It was from Vincent, the head of Jupiter Group, which she invested in and controlled.


    She had a headache and just wanted to rest or take a nap.


    Vincent was decisive and wouldn¡¯t usually call unless something significant required her input on a major decision or negotiation.


    Felicia answered the call and got straight to the point. ¡°What is it?¡±


    He wasted no time and got to the issue immediately. ¡°Ms. Fuller, the sectors you asked me to monitor have had some developments. Are we going to go ahead with the acquisitions?¡±


    It took her a few seconds to recall which sectors he referred to. novelbin


    They were some of the less popr industries under the Fuller family.


    These industries, however, would be highly popr in the future.


    At thest meeting at Jupiter Group, Felicia asked Vincent to monitor these sectors, especially since the Fuller family was near bankruptcy. Once they started selling them off, she instructed him not to hesitate and to acquire them immediately.


    Now, the opportunity had arrived.


    She replied without hesitation, ¡°Buy them all. If thepany doesn¡¯t have enough funds, I can cover the difference.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s enough, Ms. Fuller. Our game has entered its mature phase, and you may not know this, but our new and old users¡® download and recharge rates have hit an unprecedented peak!¡±


    Even after creating such a sess, his voicecked arrogance, showing a growing sense of steadiness.


    He was truly bing a reliable leader for Jupiter Group.


    Felicia understood the hesitation behind his question. He was probably concerned that with the Fuller family going bankrupt, Jupiter Group would be seen as profiting from the family¡¯s downfall, and he worried that she might be upset or angry about it.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 399

    ¡°Just do it. No need to ask me next time.¡±


    Felicia said, ¡°Opportunities are fleeting. Jupiter Group¡¯s foundation is unstable right now, while we need to be cautious in many areas, we must often be ahead of the game and take decisive action when the timees.¡±


    and


    Besides, if the copse of the Fuller family was inevitable, what difference did it make whether she took the family¡¯s assets or someone else did?


    She didn¡¯t feel any guilt about it.


    The business world was sometimes like a battlefield, where visible and invisible battles had never <b>ceased</b>.


    It was the same- some would win, and some would lose.


    ¡°Understood, Ms. Fuller.¡±


    Having set aside hisst bit of hesitation, Vincent opened up and began making moves after hanging up the phone. novelbin


    Felicia¡¯s fingers lightly tapped on the desk. Her mind was on something else.


    Right now, the media and the Inte were flooded with news about the Fuller family having allegedly murdered Mina.


    They were unlikely to escape unscathed if the case was still under investigation and whether the Fuller family was innocent.


    In her previous life, the Fuller family did face the threat of bankruptcy, but it wasn¡¯t because Ka had killed someone. It was because of business problems.


    This time, however, the destruction came from negative public opinion..


    Was this the work of Stephan?


    What did the Fuller family steal from him that would make him plot Mina¡¯s death just to bring them down?


    She had many, many questions, but they couldn¡¯tpete with the exhaustion from days of sleeplessness.


    Her body slid down from the couch, curling up as she fell asleep.


    Felicia felt a chill wash over her in the half¨Cdream, half¨Cwake state.


    It was as if she had returned to the moment in her past life when she had just been released from prison. She <b>was </b>deliberately hit by a small truck into the snow, feeling her life and


    Chap 399


    warmth slowly slip away¡­


    She saw Arnold¡¯s face, looking down at her with only hatred and resentment in his


    eyes.


    She saw Ka, still wearing her innocent expression, giving her a smug, provocative smile.


    She saw Myra and Dexter, cold and determined, driving her out of the house. Their voices were filled with anger as they shouted, ¡°Bringing you back to the Fuller family was the biggest mistake we¡¯d ever made!¡±


    Back then, everyone said Ka had fallen into the sea because she pushed her. They said she had killed Ka.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t! I didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    Felicia was having an uneasy sleep, her brows furrowed as she repeatedly muttered, ¡°It wasn¡¯t <b>me</b>. I didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    But no one believed her.


    She was still trapped in the nightmare, unaware that a tall, slender figure had half¨Cknelt beside her, his dark, ink¨Clike eyes gazing deeply at her.


    A soft sigh escaped him.


    He raised his hand and gently stroked her trembling back.


    However, she remained oblivious.


    In her previous life, during herst moments before death, every bit of pain was evident as it reached her brain. After Arnold kicked her, the broken ribs pierced her lung. The sensation of suffocation overwhelmed her, and her consciousness began to fade.


    As she descended into darkness, her heartbeat slowed. Footsteps approached, and a low, clear voice spoke indifferently. ¡°Tch¡­ How pathetic.¡±


    As the person came closer, a coat fell over her.


    It covered her exposed body and hid herst shred of dignity.


    Who was that person? Who was it?


    Felicia tried desperately to see clearly, but all she saw was darkness and nothingness.


    Suddenly, she jolted awake, breaking free from the nightmare, only to realize her body was drenched in cold sweat.


    It was already dark outside. The room had no lights on, and it was dim and ck. The moonlight filtered through the window, and <b>a </b>soft breeze blew in, causing the curtains to flutter gently.


    Huh?

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 400

    Felicia got up from the sofa, looking at the open window, puzzled. When had she opened it?


    Could someone have climbed in through the window again?


    It was unlikely.


    She probably opened it earlier and just forgot.


    She closed the window again and drew the curtains shut.


    Sitting back down on the sofa, the wind made her sweat chill, and her skin felt cold.


    She sneezed, ignoring the stuffy feeling in her nose. Her mind kept reying thest voice she heard in her previous life.


    Who was the person who had covered her with the coat?


    A kind passerby? Or¡­ Someone she knew?


    Unfortunately, she never saw their face.


    Felicia rubbed her temples. Her body still felt weak; the wounds hadn¡¯t healed, and she was still in pain. After changing the bandages, she ordered some takeout.


    A few minutester, the doorbell


    rang.


    Was takeout delivery usually this quick?


    Felicia put on her slippers and went to answer the door. To her surprise, Myra and Ka were standing there!


    They were both covered up, wearing hats, masks, and sunsses, probably to avoid the media and reporters.


    But what baffled Felicia was why they were here to see her.


    She stood at the door, blocking their way, and Myra didn¡¯t want to enter. She first asked a question that had already been stamped with judgment.


    ¡°Did


    you


    have something to do with Mina¡¯s death?¡±


    Felicia was speechless.


    She repeatedly told herself not to feel wronged by other people¡¯s nders, misunderstandings, or unjust usations.


    But these words didn¡¯t help much.


    Especially when the person using her was her biological mother.


    Chap 100


    She took a deep breath, pushing down the anger rising inside her, and asked in return, ¡°I had no grudge against Mina; why would I want to harm her?¡±


    Myra had thought the same at first.


    This morning, the Fuller family had been caught off guard by the news!


    Who could have predicted that something that had already settled down woulde back again?


    Mina¡¯s rtives had done exactly what Felicia had done before, bringing in many media outlets to cover the story. By the time Dexter found out, the police were already retrieving the body!


    Mina¡¯s death was identical to that of Ruben¡¯s,


    The only difference was that Mina was kidnapped and taken to a beach near Cedar Street, strangled, and then thrown into the water with the car.


    With the same type of incident happening, the public uproar was even greater!


    The Fuller family had Ka as a precedent, and the online bacsh was almost unanimous using Myra and Dexter of covering up for her murder, using a mental health report to clear her name. novelbin


    Now that a second murder case had appeared, the Fuller family had motive and reason, making them the prime suspects in the eyes of the public!


    No matter the investigation¡¯s final result, the Fuller family¡¯s already sinking ship could not be righted!


    In just one night, the Fuller family¡¯s shares evaporated by tens of billions!


    Their businesses suffered, contracts were breached, the funding chain copsed, and even their vi was targeted with bricks!


    Dexter was surrounded when he went out this morning and was hit on the head, which required 16 stitches!


    There was even an online debate iming Ka was the murderer and demanding the Fuller family turn her over as a criminal!


    Myra could never believe that this was connected to Ka!


    After the incident with Ruben, Ka reformed, bing more obedient, thoughtful, and even quietly involved in several charity efforts.


    She was already atoning for her past.


    Furthermore, she had been under the watchful eyes of Myra and Dexter the whole time, so she had no motive or ability tomit such an act!


    400


    The only one left was Felicia!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 401

    <b>Chapter </b>401


    Myra was certain. ¡°You hate me, your father, and Ka, so you¡¯re doing this to take revenge on us! You killed Mina, framed the Fullers, and manipted Mina¡¯s rtives to report to the media! You want to see our family destroyed as revenge, right?¡±


    The reasoning was impressive but alsoughable, yet Felicia couldn¡¯t bring herself tough.


    She sighed. ¡°Mrs. Fuller, this is just your assumption. I¡¯ve never done such a thing. You¡¯re biased against me, so you¡¯re putting all the me on me. To be honest, I envy Ka. Why do you trust her blindly but never spare even a sliver of trust for me?¡±


    It was the same in her past life, and it was still the same in this one. They always pinned the me on her as long as Ka said the word, even if it was baseless. Myra would always side with Ka.


    Felicia met Myra¡¯s eyes. ¡°Is your daughter so worthless and undeserving of your trust?¡±


    Myra¡¯s jaw fell, but no words came out.


    Felicia was calm and didn¡¯t fly into a rage. Her tone wasposed yet brimming with disappointment.


    Why did Myra always trust Ka but never spare even a sliver of trust for Felicia? Was she that worthless and undeserving of Myra¡¯s trust?


    The questions echoed in Myra¡¯s ears. She couldn¡¯t help but tremble.


    Ka panicked. ¡°Who else could it be but you? Can you swear you don¡¯t hate Dad and Mom? That you don¡¯t hate me?¡±


    How blunt.


    Felicia muttered indifferently, ¡°I do hate you. I hate you all very much.¡±


    ¡°Look, Mom! I was right!¡± Ka shook Myra¡¯s hand.


    Myra closed her eyes. ¡°Felicia, if this is your way of taking revenge, then you¡¯ve seeded. You¡¯ve caused your father to get his head smashed in and the Fullers¡® finances to be in the red. Now, we¡¯re on the brink of bankruptcy. Our entire family is about to live on the streets because of you!¡±


    Myra¡¯s voice was hoarse as she used Felicia.


    Felicia didn¡¯t want to be the scapegoat and denied it, ¡°Mrs. Fuller, nothing big happens <b>in </b>a day. Whether it was you and your husband or Ka, none of you are faultless.


    Actions had consequences. How did the Fullers fall from grace? Wasn¡¯t it because Kamitted murder? And wasn¡¯t it also because Myra and Dexter insisted on covering for her?


    novelbin


    Disaster was inevitable.


    ¡°You made the choice, so what does the bacsh have to do with me? Why am I to me? And one more thing¡­¡± Felicia¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°If you¡¯ve stolen something, it¡¯s best to return it immediately. Then you might still have a chance to survive.¡±


    Felicia said everything she wanted to say and mmed the door shut.


    Ka kicked the door and shouted, ¡°Felicia! What do you mean by that? Are you threatening us? Come out right now!!


    Myra put on her mask. ¡°Enough. Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    ¡°But Mom¡­¡± Ka whined.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Myra ordered.


    Ka had no choice but toply.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 402

    The mother and daughter snuck out in their disguise, terrified of being recognized. Only after getting into the car did they finally sigh in relief,


    Not far away, a sh went off.


    Myra¡¯s face fell, and she urged the driver, ¡°There are reporters behind us. Step on the gas!¡±


    The driver didn¡¯t dare dy and sped off, causing the two in the back seat to feel dizzy by the eleration. Eventually, they managed to shake off the reporters and return to the Fuller residence.


    The atmosphere in the house was tense. It was far worse than thest time Ka had been arrested. novelbin


    Dexter had stitches on his head, with thick gauze and ated cap wrapped around it. He looked haggard, a far cry from his once energetic appearance.


    The phone beside him rang with calls from thepany. Their partnerships were being terminated, and rivalpanies were poaching his top employees.


    Dexter turned off the phone, not wanting to see the mess,


    When Myra came home, Dexter smiled as he always did. ¡°Where have you two been?¡±


    ¡°Nowhere. We just went out for a walk,¡± Myra replied as she sat beside him. ¡°Does your head. still hurt?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Dexter held her hand and added lightheartedly, ¡°My rivals have made their move and areing for our throats. This time¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll recover.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of as long as we¡¯re together,¡± Myra muttered, her eyes. filled with pity.


    Dexterughed and tried to lighten up the mood<b>. </b>¡°Maybe our family will have to live on the


    streets soon.¡±


    The Fullers were bankrupt, and all their assets would have to be sold off to repay debts. They might really be homeless soon.


    D


    Kaughed awkwardly. ¡°Mom¡¯s right. There¡¯s nothing to fear as long as we¡¯re together!¡±


    But the moment she turned around, her face twisted with rage and she gritted her teeth. She had just obtained 20% of Fuller Group¡¯s shares! Dexter and Myra had even prepared their will, splitting the inheritance evenly between her and Sebastian<b>! </b>


    But there was nothing left to inherit now!


    Ka couldn¡¯t understand how the Fullers <b>could </b>go bankrupt. Was there no way to save the


    She didn¡¯t recall dreaming about the Fullers¡® bankruptcy! She racked her brain when the realization struck her.


    She remembered now! In her dream, the Fullers had gone through a financial crisis once. But Arnold, who had inherited Fuller Group, stepped in and resolved everything!


    Should she turn to Arnold for help now?


    Ka¡¯s mind raced. The dream she had after hitting her head at the sanatorium had been vivid, as though it had happened in a past life. It was thanks to that dream that she returned to the Fullers and regained Dexter¡¯s and Myra¡¯s love


    She never doubted the dream! Since she won against Felicia in her past life, this life would be no different!


    Ka immediately pulled out her phone and called Arnold. But after a few rings, the number was shown to be unavable.


    Was this because of the time difference? Was Arnold still asleep?


    Ka kept calling, but the call still didn¡¯t go through.


    After several failed attempts, Ka finally realized that Arnold had blocked her number.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 403

    <b>Ka </b>had gone to see Arnold off when he left the country. She thought her actions would move him, yet Arnold not only remained indifferent but also pushed her away when she tried. to hug him.


    He said he wanted to avoid suspicion and told her not to contact him again. He even said that he hade to terms with his feelings and realized he liked Felicia. novelbin


    He only saw Ka as a sister¨Calways had and always would.


    Ka was furious but didn¡¯t think she had lost. After Arnold left, she frequently texted him<b>, </b>sharing updates about her life. But Arnold never responded.


    Ka didn¡¯t care, though, She believed Arnold would have a change of heart as long as she was persistent.


    After all, he had been cast out by his family, left the country, and been reduced to a miserable state. She was the only one who still cared about him.


    Who wouldn¡¯t be touched by that?


    But Ka never expected Arnold to be this cold¨Chearted. He severed all ties with her and refused to have any further contact!


    Ka screamed in rage and hurled her phone across the room.


    The screen shattered, scattering tiny shards of ss across the floor. A maid jumped back to avoid the ss, only to hit her leg on the table. She burst into tears from the pain.


    The maid felt both wronged and angry and secretly red at Ka.


    Ka noticed it and snapped, ¡°I¡¯ll gouge your eyes out if you keep ring!¡±


    No one dared challenge Ka in the past. After all, she was the Fullers¡® precious daughter, known for her temper and unpredictability. She wouldsh out whenever she got upset.


    But the Fullers were under close surveince now and their home was surrounded by reporters!


    The maid decided she wasn¡¯t going to endure this treatment anymore. She shot back, ¡°I can do whatever I want! What are you going to do about it?¡±


    Ka couldn¡¯t handle being provoked. Rage surged through her, and she grabbed a figurine from nearby before hurling it at the maid!


    The maid wasn¡¯t foolish enough to stand there like a dummy. She bolted immediately!


    A loud bang echoed as the figurine struck a priceless painting on the wall, tearing through it and ruining everything in its vicinity.


    277


    Dexter and Myra thought someone had broken into the house and rushed to investigate. What they saw was Ka picking up objects to throw while the maid scrambled to dodge.


    It was a mess!


    Dexter roared, ¡°Stop it!¡±


    Only then did Ka halt. She stomped her foot andined, ¡°Dad, this maid disrespected me! She¡¯s taking advantage of our family¡¯s downfall to insult me!¡±


    The maid fumed at the usation. How could someone twist the truth so shamelessly?


    The maid defended herself, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Fuller, I¡¯ve never insulted Ms. Ka<b>, </b>nor have I looked down on your family¡¯s misfortune. Ms. Ka has been hitting and mistreating us maids. She¡¯s the one who-¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Dexter cut the maid off.


    He summoned all the staff, paid them their due wages, and dismissed most of them, keeping only two maids who could cook. Not only that, but even the drivers were let go. He also reduced the number of bodyguards, keeping only seven or eight behind.


    Once everyone else left, the enormous vi suddenly felt empty.


    Ka felt a creeping sense of fear as she watched this unfold. The Fuller family was really on the verge of bankruptcy¡­

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 404

    Dexter had given up struggling. He allowed thepany to go bankrupt because he felt like any effort he made would go to waste.


    Ka had still clung to a glimmer of hope before this. No matter how loud the criticism grew, she believed there would eventually be a way to ovee it. novelbin


    She thought this was just another storm among many for the Fullers. It wasn¡¯t umon, and they wouldn¡¯t end up bankrupt no matter how bad it got.


    But her dreams were about to be shattered.


    Ka clutched Dexter¡¯s hand and cried, ¡°Dad, are we really going bankrupt? <b>Can¡¯t </b>you think of something? Please, think of something!¡±


    Dexter smiled bitterly. ¡°Ka, there are many things I haven¡¯t told you. The business world isn¡¯t as simple as you think.¡±


    The real issue was that the rumorsst time had knocked the Fullers from their high horses. Their assets shrunk, their market value dropped, and internal struggles began to surface. It was like a building whose foundation had been destroyed.


    It might still appear intact on the surface, but the structure was shaky and ready to copse at any moment. All it needed was one final push for their entirepany toe crashing down.


    Ka refused to believe it and urged, ¡°Dad, let¡¯s ask Mr. Sully for help! He¡¯s always been close to you, and he sends me birthday gifts every year. He¡¯ll help us!¡±


    Dexter sighed. He had wanted to protect his daughter¡¯sst shred of innocence, but he had not choice but to reveal the harsh realities now. ¡°Ka, Mr. Sully is one of our biggest rivals. It¡¯s not just him; those businessmen and friends you¡¯ve met before are also taking advantage of


    this situation.


    ¡°They¡¯ve been eyeing my business for years. Now that the opportunity has arisen, who would. let it go to waste?¡±


    Even if they didn¡¯t take over the business, someone else would. And if everyone else was taking a piece, why wouldn¡¯t they?


    To be honest, if another family were in Fuller¡¯s position, Dexter would have made the same. decision. That was just how things were.


    Myra forced a smile. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t be so pessimistic. Nobody knows what will happen next. Maybe there¡¯s still a way out of this.¡±


    Ka quickly nodded. ¡°Yes! Mina¡¯s death has nothing to do with our family. Won¡¯t we be cleared of suspicion once the truth is revealed?¡±


    Dexter wasn¡¯t as optimistic.


    This crisis didn¡¯t happen because of Mina. It didn¡¯t matter how she died or who killed her, the me would still fall on the Fullers. Someone wanted to silence the Fullers for good.


    Dexter stumbled.


    ¡°Sit down,¡± Myra urged.


    She and Ka helped him to the couch.


    Myra wanted to call for the maids but remembered that almost all of them had been let go. The remaining two were still busy in the kitchen


    She turned to Ka. ¡°Go pour your dad a ss of water.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Ka turned to leave.


    Myra pafted Dexter¡¯s back, trying to help him catch his breath. But her mind was racing with Felicia¡¯s words. ¡°And one more thing. If you¡¯ve stolen something, it¡¯s best to return it imm¨¦diately. Then you might still have a chance to survive.¡±


    What exactly did Felicia know? Why did she say the Fullers stole something? Could this entire situation be orchestrated by someone behind the scenes? But how did Felicia know?


    A flood of questions swirled in Myra¡¯s mind. She wanted to ask Felicia, but Felicia had simply shut the door in her face, leaving her with nothing but frustration.


    That ungrateful child!


    Myra cursed under her breath. After some thought, she turned to Dexter and asked, ¡°Darling) have we¡­ ever taken something that didn¡¯t belong to us?¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 405

    It was a seemingly random question, yet Dexter¡¯s reaction was anything but. He abruptly turned his head and started coughing violently. He couldn¡¯t catch


    s breath, and his face turned bright red.


    Fortunately, Ka came back with the ss of water. ¡°Here, take a sip of water to calm down.¡±


    Dexter finished the entire ss before finally catching his breath.


    ¡°Dad, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Ka asked in confusion.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Ka, it¡¯s gettingte. Go back to your room and get some rest. Your mother and I are about to go to bed as well.¡± He grabbed Myra and quickly headed toward their bedroom.


    It was the first time Dexter had lost hisposure in front of Myra. It was as if something was chasing him. His expression turned panicked, and his steps were unsteady. Upon closer inspection, he was even trembling,


    He was afraid. But what was he afraid of?


    Ka frowned. Even the threat of bankruptcy hadn¡¯t scared Dexter this much. Something must have happened while she was away getting water.


    Her eyes flickered, and she silently followed them. novelbin


    Myra was confused by Dexter¡¯s sudden urgency. She whined as he pulled her into the bedroom, ¡°What are you doing? Why are you in such a rush?¡±


    But Dexter wasn¡¯t in the mood for romance. He anxiously asked, ¡°Who told you that?¡±


    ¡°Told me what?¡± Myra was puzzled.


    ¡°The part about me stealing something. Who told you that?¡± Dexter pressed.


    ¡°Did you really steal something? What did you steal?¡± Myra¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°You didn¡¯t cheat on me, did you?¡±


    Dexter nearly choked again. His wife¡¯s suspicious re made him sweat even more profusely.<i>¡± </i>No! Not that! I mean literal objects!¡±


    ¡°Why are you acting like a thief? If you wanted something, couldn¡¯t we just have bought it? Why did you need to steal it?¡± Myra¡¯s confusion grew.


    ¡°Because it couldn¡¯t be bought¡­¡± Dexter wore a pained expression as though the situation was tooplicated to exin. ¡°It¡¯s a priceless treasure.


    ¡°What is it? Just tell me already!¡± Myra was anxious.


    Dexter sighed and exined, ¡°Rememberst year when I attended that yacht party? <b>I </b>even hired a new team of bodyguards to go with me for safety reasons. Well, that night¡­ something happened.¡±


    Dexter¡¯s mind drifted back to that fateful evening


    ¡ª


    Dexter was invited to a grand yacht party that was attended by all sorts of prominent figures from all over. The event was a hub of activity, with guests socializing and negotiating deals. There were dancers performing as well as young men hired to entertain wealthy women. The ce was filled with the sound of sses clinking, toasts being exchanged, and buzzing conversations.


    Dexter himself had been toasted repeatedly, drinking far more than he should have. Feeling dizzy, he left the cabin to get some fresh air and sober up.


    As he wandered to the stern, he saw something that sobered him instantly. There was a figure floating in the sea. The person was covered in blood and seemed gravely injured.


    Dexter froze before immediately springing into action. He threw a rope down, urging the person to grab it so that he could pull them up.


    But the person was too weak. Halfway up, they lost their strength and began to slip. Dexter was about to call for help when the injured person shook their head. Summoning theirst bit of energy, they handed Dexter something and begged, ¡°Please deliver this item to the Russell family in Seldvale. You must make sure it reaches Stephan Russell! I¡¯m begging you!¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 406

    As soon as Dexter took the item from the man, the man lost his grip and slipped back into the sea, disappearing into the depths.


    The man was gravely injured. Even if Dexter managed to pull him up, he probably wouldn¡¯t have survived.


    Dexter felt a pang of pity and regret, but he couldn¡¯t help sighing at the tragedy. It was such a simple favor. How could he not agree to it?


    But Dexter was shocked when he saw what the item was. His heart began to race, and he was tempted. His mind and his heart were at war! In the end, greed triumphed over reason.


    He tucked the item into his jacket and left the party early with his bodyguards. He returned to shore on his own yacht, pretending the whole incident had never happened.


    After all, the man who entrusted him with the item was dead!


    m


    Dexter kept rationalizing to himself. If it weren¡¯t for his kindness in tossing the man a rope, the man and the item would have sunk to the bottom of the ocean anyway. It would never have made it to Stephan in the first ce!


    So, this wasn¡¯t stealing. It was fate!


    Dexter knew all too well the dangers of possessing something this valuable. He kept the item hidden and never let a single word slip, not even to Myra.


    Months went by, and no rumors or trouble came his


    <b>way</b>.


    Dexter thought the matter was behind him. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that Myra would repeat those damn words back to him!


    ¡°Who told you that, darling?¡± Dexter asked nervously.


    After hearing the entire story, Myra hit him and scolded, ¡°How could you take another person¡¯s possession? Especially something belonging to the Russells!¡±


    ¡°We can discuss thatter. First, tell me. Who told you I stole something?¡± Dexter dismissed her.


    ¡°It was Felicia. I confronted her tonight, wanting to ask if she was the one who hurt Mina. But that brat just threw out those exact words to me.


    Myra paled and grabbed Dexter¡¯s hand. ¡°Do you think everything that has happened to our family is because Stephan knows you took that item? Could this all be his way of getting revenge?¡±


    ¡°T¨CThat¡¯s probably¡­not the case¡­¡± Dexter stammered.


    What kind of family were the Russells of Seldvale? They were a force to reckon with, capable of overturning industries with a lift of their finger Crushing a family like theirs would be a walk in the park for them.


    If Stephan ever discovered what happened, their family would be doomed!


    Dexter shuddered at the thought. The realization that his greed might drag his wife and children into this mess filled him with regret.


    ¡°We can¡¯t wait any longer!¡± Myra said decisively. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether Stephan knows or not. We have to return the item immediately. Otherwise, we¡¯re doomed!¡±


    If Stephan had traced the matter back to them, returning the item now might earn them some mercy. If he hadn¡¯t, then returning it would at least put them in his good graces. novelbin


    Dexter nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right! We¡¯ll do as you say, darling¡±


    ¡°After all this talk, what exactly have you been hiding?¡± Myra held out her hand. ¡°Where are you hiding it? Show me!¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ maybe you shouldn¡¯t see it. I¡¯m afraid you wouldn¡¯t want to give it up if you do¡­¡± Dexter trailed off.


    ¡°Nonsense! Do you think I¡¯m as greedy as you?¡± Myra huffed.


    Dexter didn¡¯t dare argue further seeing Myra¡¯s temper re. He scurried to the bed and pried open a wooden floorboard before retrieving a small box.


    ¡°That¡¯s it? It doesn¡¯t look all that valuable. Did you get conned?¡± Myra was skeptical.


    Dexter gave her a mysterious look and opened the box.


    Myra¡¯s expression shifted from disinterest to shock. ¡°This¡­ This <i>is</i>¡­¡±


    Spin to im Your Surprise

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 407

    Chapter <b>407 </b>


    In front of Myra was a map, which marked a specific set of coordinates based on the


    constetions seen on an ind. The alignment with the stars gave it an air of mystery.


    ¡°W¨CWhat is this?¡± Myra stuttered.


    ¡°A treasure map!¡± Dexter lowered his voice<b>, </b>his tone filled with concealed excitement.


    The legend of this treasure map had been circting for many years. It was said that the ind marked on the map held a treasure that could overturn the world! It held immense wealth and power. Whoever found it could have the treasure for themselves.


    Over the years, countless people <b>had </b>set sail in search of the treasure, but all returned empty-


    handed.


    But now, the map was within reach, and the coordinates marked on it pointed to the ind that held the treasure! Who wouldn¡¯t be tempted?


    This was also why Dexter had taken the risk of offending Stephan and hidden the map <b>to </b>im it for himself! The temptation was just too great!


    Myra was skeptical. ¡°Did you send someone to check the coordinates? Is there really such an ind? Is there really a treasure?¡±


    Dexter sighed and admitted, ¡°I sent people to investigate a few months ago. I sent four men, but none of them ever came back.¡± novelbin


    ¡°How could that happen?¡± Myra was shocked.


    ¡°There are two possibilities. They either reached the coordinates, found something valuable, and took off with it or they didn¡¯t even make it to the ind before something happened.¡± Dexter didn¡¯t gloss it over.


    ¡°After that, I was afraid of attracting attention, so I didn¡¯t <b>send </b>anyone else. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s on that ind. But I¡¯m certain of one thing. If even Stephan is searching for this, it has to be something extraordinary!¡±


    Dexter¡¯s tone was resolute, and Myra couldn¡¯t help but agree.


    If Stephan had spent so much effort and resources to obtain this map, it should hold tremendous value! But no matter how valuable it was, it wasn¡¯t something they could afford


    to covet.


    Myra wanted to get rid of this map as soon as possible. ¡°We¡¯ll hand this map over first thing in the morning to avoid bringing trouble on ourselves!¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Dexter nodded. He was about tofort his wife when the bedroom door was pushed open. The couple was startled!


    Chapt


    Dexter quickly shoved the map under the nket, then grabbed a nearbymp to use as a


    <b>wean </b>


    weapon.


    The intruder was none other than Ka.


    Dexter let out a sigh of relief. He put themp back down and wiped the sweat off his brow.¡± Couldn¡¯t you knock beforeing in? Why aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡±


    Myra also rxed.


    Ka stepped forward. ¡°Dad, Mom, you mustn¡¯t hand over the map!¡±


    The couple exchanged a look and grew alert. Had she overheard them?


    Ka had followed them and eavesdropped at the door. She had heard every word that Myra and Dexter said!


    She couldn¡¯t describe the shock and excitement she felt! This map was heaven¨Csent!


    ¡°Mom, Dad, since this map is so important, it¡¯s the perfect bargaining chip for us! We can aplish so much more with it. We absolutely can¡¯t hand it over!¡± Ka was insistent. ¡°And what do you want to do?¡± Myra asked.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 408

    ¡°We can use this map to secure the Fullers¡® position. Whoever wants this map will have to give us something in return! Why should we just hand it over?¡± Ka was ambitious. ¡°Besides, we could also seize the opportunity ourselves and im that fortune!¡±


    In her mind, it doesn¡¯t matter if the Fullers went bankrupt as long as they obtained the


    treasure.


    She was gambling their lives away.


    Dexter and Myra exchanged a look.


    He asked, ¡°And what if there¡¯s no treasure?¡±


    Ka froze. ¡°That¡¯s impossible! Dad, didn¡¯t you just say it yourself? You said the legend must be true if even Stephan is searching for the map!


    ¡°But what if it¡¯s fake?¡± Dexter sighed.


    ¡°Dad¡­¡± Ka stomped her foot in frustration, frustrated at Dexter¡¯s insistence on challenging


    her. novelbin


    Myra chimed <b>in</b>, ¡°If it¡¯s fake, then not only will we fail to obtain the so¨Ccalled treasure, but we¡¯ll also offend Stephan. So¡­ we can¡¯t take that gamble.¡±


    Dexter nodded. That was what he thought. When one¡¯s capabilities couldn¡¯t support one¡¯s ambitions, one¡¯s greed would only lead to disaster.


    Dexter was already regretting his actions. But since he stole the map, he could only find a way to fix the situation.


    Ka was still unwilling to give up. ¡°But Mom, Dad, risk and reward oftene hand in hand! Even if we don¡¯t pursue the treasure ourselves, we can still use it to gain some benefits!¡±


    ¡°Such as?¡± Dexter stared at her.


    ¡°Like¡­¡± Ka¡¯s eyes lit up as she came up with a brilliant idea. ¡°We could sell the map to Stephan¡¯s rival! Let them fight it out, and we¡¯ll reap the benefits!¡±


    Dexter pondered over it but quickly dismissed the idea. ¡°No, that won¡¯t work. Stephan has too many enemies, and every single one of them is a lunatic. We can¡¯t afford to provoke them.¡±


    Hearing Ka¡¯s suggestion, Myra came up with an idea of her own. ¡°If we don¡¯t want to bring trouble to ourselves, we need to sever all ties with it. Let¡¯s pretend we don¡¯t know anything and donate the map!¡±


    ¡°Donate it? Where?¡± Dexter was perplexed.


    ¡°There¡¯s an auction this Saturday. It¡¯s been in the works for a while now. We¡¯ll donate the


    Chapter Adil


    map, and once Stephan hears about it, he¡¯ll definitely bid for it!¡± Myra smiled.


    ¡°But if we do that, the map¡¯s contents won¡¯t stay hidden. The coordinates will be leaked!¡± Dexter felt uneasy just thinking about it.


    Myra nodded. ¡°That¡¯s exactly the point. We can redirect the attention away from us.¡±


    Once the coordinates were revealed, countless people would want to find the treasure. Stephan would be too busy dealing with them to have time to retaliate against the Fullers.


    Dexter thought it over and realized it made sense But for some reason, he still felt uneasy.


    Wouldplicating the situation not backfire on them? Even if they managed to divert Stephan¡¯s attention, would he let them off the hook?


    Despite his worries, when Dexter saw his wife¡¯s confidence, he swallowed his concerns and said nothing.


    And so, the n was decided.


    Ka was dissatisfied but had no way to argue further. As the couple ushered her out of the


    she reluctantly nced at the map, a strange glint flickering in her eyes.


    room<b>, </b>


    Meanwhile, Johanna had been lying low since her discharge. She hadn¡¯t left her room in days.


    Johanna smirked as she watched the public¡¯s uproar online. No one would ever guess the person orchestrating the rumors about the Fullers was her.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 409

    The n had worked perfectly. All of this was thanks to the thugs <b>Johanna </b>hired. To her surprise, those useless fools managed to pull it off!


    That night, they lured Mina out with a phone call and carried out Johanna¡¯s instructions.


    To ensure the me fell on the Fullers, Johanna even had those thugs draft an unfinished text message on Mina¡¯s phone. In the message, Mina was begging the Fullers to have mercy on her.


    Later, Mina¡¯s phone was recovered, and the data was restored. This message was uncovered and went viral online, sparking outrage amongizens.


    Where was justice? Was thew just for show? How dare the Fullers do such a thing?


    As the mastermind, Johanna was very pleased with how things were progressing.


    Originally, she nned to pin the me on Felicia. But after reconsidering, it seemed safer to shift the me onto Ka. After all, Ka was a murderer!


    As for Felicia¡­ Johanna decided to let her enjoy her moment of triumph. There would be plenty of opportunities to make her disappear in the future.


    Johanna continued to fan the mes when her phone suddenly rang. The thugs were calling


    her.


    She didn¡¯t want to <b>answer </b>at first, but since she still needed them, she picked up and answered impatiently, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Rosario! We¡¯vepleted the job. What do you think? We didn¡¯t leave a single trace!¡± one of the thugs eximed.


    ¡°Not bad. At least you managed to make yourselves useful.¡± Johanna sneered.


    ¡°Ms. Rosario, about what you promised¡­ When can we work for the Russell family? We¡¯ll work hard and never cause trouble for the boss or you! the thug said.


    Johanna cursed them silently. This bunch of lowlifes wasn¡¯t fit to work for the Russell family.


    How ridiculous of them to even think about it!


    Johanna dismissed them, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t you know how busy my brother is? You¡¯ll get your rewards once he¡¯s free. Just wait and stop pestering me!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Rosario, you¡¯re right. We¡¯ll stop bothering you now. You-¡± Before they could finish, Johanna hung up the phone.


    knock on the door interrupted her. She quickly stashed her phone andptop, tidied her hair, and responded, ¡°Come in!¡±


    It was one of Stephan¡¯s subordinates. ¡°Ms. Rosario, Mr. Russell would like to see you. novelbin


    Chapper dog


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right there!¡± Johanna¡¯s eyes lit up. She immediately got up from her bed, touched up her makeup in the mirror, adjusted her hair and dress<b>, </b>and put on the sweetest smile before walking out of the room.


    In the living room on the first floor, the crystal chandelier illuminated every corner.


    Stephan sat on the couch, hisshes hiding the emotions in his eyes. His expression was as cold as ever, and he exuded an intimidating air..


    In front of him were a few sheets of paper filled with data that Johanna couldn¡¯t understand. She clenched the hem of her dress and cautiously approached. ¡°Stephan¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you kill them?¡± Stephan looked up and asked bluntly.


    Johanna¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively clenched her hands. But she put on an innocent and puzzled look. ¡°Stephan, what are you talking about? How could I¡¯possibly kill someone? Don¡¯t scare me¡­¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 410

    Stephan fixed his gaze on Johanna.


    She shrank back, looking absolutely terrified. Her innocent expression carried just the right amount of panic. It was <b>as </b>if she truly had no idea what he was talking about.


    Stephan¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t know anything?¡±


    Johanna was on the verge of tears. She hesitated before making up her mind. She bit her lip and admitted, ¡°I¡­ I was involved in this. The rumors about the Fullers are my doing.


    ¡°I hired people online and paid the reporters to create unfavorable publicity for the Fullers, but it wasn¡¯t my n to bankrupt the Fullers. I just wanted them to get the punishment they deserved! All I did was stir up some rumors. I really had nothing to do with the murder!¡±


    Johanna wiped her tears. ¡°Stephan, even if you me me, I¡¯ll still avenge my brother!¡±


    Her confession moved a few of the men. After all, she was just trying to get justice for her


    brother.


    As for the murder, maybe the Fullers really were responsible. Or maybe it was the work of someone else. Either way, it didn¡¯t seem like Johanna had anything to do with it.


    Johanna¡¯s beautiful appearance gave her an air of vulnerability, especially when she cried. The mix of stubbornness and vulnerability in her demeanor easily evoked pity.


    It was hard for anyone to believe she could be the mastermind,


    But Stanley, Stephan¡¯s longest¨Cserving subordinate, wasn¡¯t swayed by her tears. He asked, Mr. Russell, should we investigate further?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Stephan said. If he investigated every minor detail, his men would have to work themselves to death.


    Besides, he wasn¡¯t avoiding an investigation because he trusted Johanna. It was because he simply didn¡¯t care.


    Stephan shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll have someone escort you back to Seldvale tomorrow. Stay with Imogen and take care of her. I¡¯ll handle your brother¡¯s matter.¡±


    Johanna¡¯s eyes widened in shock. This was probably the longest sentence Stephan had ever said to her, yet it was to send her away!


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go! I¡¯ll stay here! Stephan, please don¡¯t send me away!¡± Johanna cried.


    But no matter how much she begged, it didn¡¯t stop Stephan in his steps as he left.


    Moments after Stephan entered his study, a new report came in. There was an update about the auction happening this Saturday. Among the items to be auctioned was a new donation.


    from the Fullers¨Ca map.


    ¡°What?¡± Stephan stared at the man delivering the news. ¡°Are you sure about this?<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Russell. I went to the auction house to inquire. The map is currently sealed in a metal box, waiting for the auction on Saturday!¡± The man added angrily, ¡°This means the map¡¯s existence is no longer a secret. More people will start targeting it and the ind marked on it!¡±


    How bold of the Fullers. Did they think they could wash their hands of everything by donating the map to the auction? Did they think that they could prove they acquired the map fair and square this way?¡±


    were


    Stephan had a pretty good idea of why the Fullers were doing this. It was obvious they overwhelmed by the recent negative publicity. They likely thought the map was the root of


    it as quickly as possible. their troubles and were now trying to distance themselves fro novelbin


    He couldn¡¯t understand them. If they wanted to clear their name, they should have returned the map to its rightful owner. If they had done that, maybe he would have let them off the


    hook.


    Yet the Fullers had caused him more trouble!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 411

    The reporting subordinate stood aside and said ¡°Mr. Russell, Mr. and Mrs. Fuller personally delivered the item to the auction house. They made it public that the map was something they came across by chance and didn¡¯t dare to keep, hence they¡¯re donating it for auction, with the proceeds going to a charity foundation.¡±


    Doing so would also convey a message to the public¨Cthe Fuller family was innocent of the public bacsh they were facing.


    The im was that they were framed for murder because they happened to have this map. This shifted the public¡¯s attention to the map instead


    Carefully choosing his words, the subordinate suggested cautiously, ¡°Mr. Russell, the Fuller family is tantly opposing us. Should we¡­ take them down?¡±


    That was something that should¡¯ve been done long ago.


    However, Stephan seemed to be hesitating for some reason and had yet to get it done.


    Leaning back in his chair, Stephan replied casually, ¡°No need. The Fuller family is already


    doomed.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ Mr. Russell, should we send some men to retrieve the map that¡¯s rightfully ours?¡±


    The map was currently in the hand of the auction house, locked away with other donated


    items and under constant surveince.


    In the same indifferent tone, Stephan said, ¡°The auction is on Saturday, right? Let¡¯s use this ¡®opportunity to see who else will be making a move.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± the subordinate replied respectfully and left.


    Desperate to win the battle of public opinion, the Fuller familyunched an all¨Cout media campaign. Their PR team worked tirelessly to salvage their reputation but had limited sess.


    Those truly interested in the map wouldn¡¯t abandon their ambitions to take over the Fuller family. Meanwhile, the general public saw the rumors as mere entertainment, making the Fuller family¡¯s efforts to divert attention futile.


    It was inevitable. After all, the Fuller family harbored and protected Ka, whose hands were stained with blood. It was an unforgivable sin.


    Public outrage wasn¡¯t something that could be easily dissipated.


    Felicia saw the news while at college.


    She could hardly believe that the Fuller couple had actually stolen something from Stephan<b>! </b>


    Chapte 411


    Even more surprising was that despite her warning to Myra, she ignored it and instead sent the map to an auction house, stirring up chaos and public outrage.


    She was speechless..


    Was this some sort of borate self¨Cdestruction


    Did they really think that throwing the item out there would prove their innocence?


    Felicia thought for a moment, then called Vincent, asking for his help to get her an invitation to the auction. She wanted to witness the drama firsthand.


    Vincent got things done quickly and efficiently. With Jupiter Corporation¡¯s growing sess, increased social status, and expandingwork, securing an auction invitation was child¡¯s y.


    Saturday came.


    At 8:00 pm, just five minutes before the auction began, Felicia arrived at the venue.


    Initially, the auction was supposed to be a small¨Cscale event with only a dozen invitees But after the Fuller couple donated the map, interest in the event skyrocketed, and more people sought invitations.


    As a result, the venue was changed from a small room to the main hall.


    Even so, it was almost at full capacity.


    Felicia scanned the attendees and the hall¡¯syout, noticing that there were private VIP rooms on the second floor, shielded from prying eyes for added privacy.


    Once the auction began, the initial items failed to capture Felicia¡¯s interest. They were just antique paintings and antiques. novelbin


    Most attendees were wealthy individuals, which resulted in the constant ringing of bidding bells with hardly any pauses in between.


    Felicia deliberately chose a secluded corner seat. After sitting there for over an hour, she felt drowsy, yawning several times and nearly falling asleep.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 412

    It seemed Felicia had arrived too early. In hindsight, she should¡¯veeter, just before the final item made its appearance.


    Thinking of that, Felicia scanned her surroundings again to distract herself. Her gazended on a VIP room on the second floor with an excellent view. Behind the screen in that room, she


    noticed a tall <b>and </b>slender silhouette.


    The moment she looked over, the silhouette shifted slightly as if the person had made a small


    movement. novelbin


    Given the considerable distance between the first and second floors,bined with the screen and the room¡¯s doors and windows blocking the view, it was impossible to make out the person¡¯s appearance


    Still, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the figure was looking in her direction. It had to be her imagination, right?


    Felicia withdrew her gaze and couldn¡¯t help but let out another yawn. Just as she wondered whether to take a walk to clear her head, the lighting in the auction hall suddenly changed.


    Following that, an item was brought out from backstage.


    At the same time, arge screen disyed a photo and description of the auction item¨Cthe map donated by the Fuller couple!


    The host began with an introduction, explicitly mentioning the donors¡® names in gratitude. Then, in a dramatic tone, he recounted the legend surrounding the map.


    It truly sounded like a legend¨Cfor Felicia, at least.


    Even though it was just a map, the host¡¯s storytelling skills were so vivid and engaging that the legend seemed almost real.


    Felicia noticed that many participants adjusted their posture when this item appeared. That was a <b>signal</b>. It meant that a considerable number of people were interested in acquiring the


    map.


    She pondered whether Stephan might be present. If the map truly belonged to him and he still allowed the auction to proceed, there <b>was </b>a chance he might use his wealth to reim it. The bidding war that followed would be intense.


    Feeling a surge of interest, Felicia¡¯s drowsiness was somewhat dissipated.


    The starting price for the map was modest, at a mere ten thousand.


    The sound of the bidding bells barely stopped as the price rose, mostly driven by those seated at the back of the first floor. They were the people with some financial means.


    The real heavyweight remained still, calmly sipping their tea. They would wait for the price to rise sufficiently so that the smaller yers could no longerpete before taking part.


    <b>In </b>just ten minutes, the price went from ten thousand to ten million, and it kept climbing. Some bidders began to drop out while a few persisted.


    As more participants were eliminated, the real battle began. By this point, the price had soared. to 50 million!


    Listening to themotion in the hall, Felicia couldn¡¯t help but feel her eyebrow twitch. Only the wealthy could afford to spend 50 million on a map linked to an uncertain legend.


    After a few more rounds, the first¨Cfloor bidders hesitated to continue. That was when the bells from the second¨Cfloor VIP rooms began ringing.


    She watched silently and noticed that the one room she had observed earlier¨Cthe one with the silhouette¨Chad yet to make a bid.-


    Finally, when the price rose up to a hundred million and most participants dared not go higher, the host raised his gavel and asked with a smile, ¡°Any higher bids?¡±


    After the gavel struck twice, the bell for an additional bid rang out.


    Felicia looked up. The sound hade from the VIP room where she had seen the silhouette earlier.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 413

    At this stage, each bid would bring a significant crease to the price. This was a game beyond. the reach of ordinary wealthy folk, where a single bid could easily cost them their entire fortune. It seemed that this legendary map would surely be going to this person.


    Felicia watchedzily. She had thought the auction would wind down at this point, but to her surprise, another bid came from a different VIP room on the second floor!


    The crowd erupted in astonishment.


    What left them even more stunned was the immediate response from the VIP room on the left, doubling the price in one go, making it clear they were determined to win the bid.


    At that rate, the bid would reach an astronomical price!


    The two VIP rooms seemed to be locked in a bidding war. Each new bid from one side was quickly matched by the other, sending the price skyrocketing to another level entirely.


    Amidst the sh, the atmosphere in the hall was tense and seemed ready to ignite.


    Felicia clicked her tongue at the sight. She came here just so she could witness that legendary item.


    Before the map went up for auction, the big screen had disyed its appearance. It did seem worn and tattered with indiscernible origin.


    With her goal achieved, she stood up and surreptitiously left the auction.


    Everyone¡¯s attention was focused on the two VIP rooms upstairs, so no one noticed her departure.


    However, what she didn¡¯t know was after she left, the situation in the hall changed. While the crowd was still anticipating the bidding war to drag on for some time, one of the upants of the VIP room seemed to have lost interest and left abruptly.


    The fierce bidding war came to a sudden end.


    Regardless of what the crowd thought, the auctioneer¡¯s gavel struck one final time, dering the map sold at a jaw¨Cdropping price of a few hundred million. The map was then respectfully delivered to the VIP room of the winning bidder.


    The box containing the map was opened, and a roll of manuscript made of silk was unfurled.


    ¡°It¡¯s a fake,¡± said the person sitting in a chair after a brief nce.


    That map was a fake!


    When the news broke, the auction organizer nearly fell to his knees, swearing that the map had been sealed in a ss case and under constant surveince from the moment he received


    It.


    ¡°Our auction house has operated for many years with an impable reputation. We¡¯d never engage in fraud!¡±


    Many found that statement to be believable.


    After all, the one running the auction was no ordinary person either, and the auction house¡¯s reputation was built on offering authentic Items. If they dared to sell counterfeits, their business would¡¯ve been destroyed long ago and they wouldn¡¯t have the powerful influence they had now.


    That left only one possibility.


    The item was already a fake when it was sent to the auction house! novelbin


    ¡°It¡¯s the Fuller family! The Fuller family delivered it to us!¡±


    The auction hall erupted into a scene of chaos.


    Many participants of the auction were there for the map. Some had even nned to rob it outright after the auction.


    Now, with this revtion, the Fuller family was thrust into the spotlight once more!


    ¡°Let¡¯s go demand an exnation from the Fuller family!¡±


    The person in the second¨Cfloor VIP room of the auction house remained motionless throughout, offering no furtherments beyond the initial deration that the map was a fake.


    Inparison, those harboring ulterior motives below were far more vocal with their demands than the rest.


    Meanwhile, the Fuller couple was just about to go to bed when loud banging sounds could be hearding from outside their vi. Within moments, their heavy and expensive front door was broken down by a violent crowd.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 414

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Myra was startled.


    Dexter tried tofort her, ¡°Stay In the room. I go take a look.¡±


    He felt quite aggrieved himself. The Fuller family had once held the title of the wealthiest in the region, with a legion of bodyguards serving them. However, he had to dismiss most of them recently.


    Now, the sprawling vi had only a handful of bodyguards around. Their numbers were insufficient to respond effectively or provide any real protection in an emergency. That was how their door was forcibly taken down.


    When Dexter rushed out, he was greeted by arge mob, their faces vaguely familiar. Recognizing them, he furrowed his brows together and asked in an icy tone, ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±


    The leading trespasser demanded, ¡°Dexter Fuller, hand over the map right now!¡±


    ¡°What map? I¡¯ve already donated it! If you want it, you should¡¯ve gone to the auction! Don¡¯t harass me for the map just because you¡¯re too broke to outbid the others!¡± Dexter retorted controlling his urge to curse at them outright.


    It was only natural for anyone to be faced with a mob like this to be furious.


    However, what they said next shocked Dexter to his core.


    ¡°That map is a fake! There¡¯s something wrong with the coating; it was clearly painted on with ink. Even the material of the map is nothing more than in cowhide<b>!</b>¡±


    ¡°Dexter Fuller, you¡¯ve yed everyone for a fool!¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the real map? Where is it? Hand it over before we resort to violence!¡±


    Hearing their usations, Dexter was caught off guard and reflexively retorted sense! I


    handed it over myself! How could it be a fake?¡±


    The mob tossed the fake map at his feet and shouted, ¡°See for yourself!¡±


    He quickly picked it up to examine the map. He felt his mind implode, followed by a chilling sensation that surged through him, leaving him in a daze.


    The map had been swapped!


    This was not the map he handed over!


    Be it the texture, material, and even the drawings on it, they were, all different from the one he had!


    Chaput 14


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the map 1 handed over¡­¡± Dexter muttered.


    Before he could exin further, someone shoved him forcefully. He staggered backward,


    in pain. colliding with a nearby piece of furniture. The impact made him gasp


    ¡°Where¡¯s the real map? Where is it?¡±


    One of the trespassers, unable to contain his rage, grabbed Dexter by the cor. His face was intimidating, his features twisted with anger. Unlike the well¨Cdressed and respectable businessmen, this man was a desperado, the very same one who suggested breaking down the door!


    Dexter quickly said, ¡°I already handed it over! I don¡¯t have the map anymore! There must be some misunderstanding. This has nothing to do with me!¡±


    ¡°Being stubborn, are you? Let¡¯s see how long you canst!¡±


    Without any hesitation, the man raised his fist and slugged Dexter right in the face.


    Dexter had only recently suffered from a head injury that required stitches. Now, after two punches, his old wound reopened, and blood started streaming down, his head, leaving him in a sorry state.


    The other trespassers simply watched, having no intention to intervene. They stood there unmoving, only offering help in the form of mockery.


    ¡°Come on, Dexter. Just hand over the map. Why keep it all to yourself?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Don¡¯t be so greedy. Do you think you can handle all of it alone? Why not share it with everyone? It¡¯ll be better for everyone, a win¨Cwin situation!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t cooperate, we¡¯ll have to send our men to search your house. We¡¯re all acquaintances here. Letting this go out of hand will only make things awkward for everyone.¡±


    Although they imed that this would be awkward, their actions suggested otherwise. With novelbin


    ¡°You¡­


    a wave of the leader¡¯s hand, the mob rushed into the vi, ransacking it with reckless abandon. Dexter felt <b>his </b>vision darken and felt a suffocating feeling in his chest as he muttered, You thugs!¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 415

    In the past, when the Fuller family was the wealthiest in Khogend, who would¡¯ve dared behave so brazenly?


    Now, after their downfall, everyone in the city seemed eager to kick them while they were


    down.


    Dexter was so enraged he almost coughed up blood!


    Themotion was so overwhelming it seemed like a group of bandits were raiding a vige.


    Even Myra, who stayed in the bedroom, was rmed. She rushed out, and upon seeing the chaotic scene before her, eximed in shock, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    They just ignored her.


    Dexter thought of calling out for his bodyguards, but after looking around, he realized that the few who were still employed were already pinned down to the ground by the crowd. Even their mouths were gagged.


    That was thest straw!


    Dexter turned around and grabbed an antique sword from his collection from the shelf behind him. With one swift motion, he swung it down and split the wine cab beside him in half!


    The expensive bottles of wine inside shattered with a loud crash. The rich aroma filled the air in the room as crimson liquid spilled across the floor.


    His dramatic action stunned everyone.


    To be precise, it was the extremely sharp sword that intimidated them.


    ¡°Get out! Everyst one of you!¡±


    With the sword in hand, Dexter roared furiously as his face twisted with fury, ¡°I¡¯ll cut down.


    anyone who dares to take another step forward! You¡¯re wee to try me if you¡¯re not afraid of death!¡±


    For a moment, no one dared to test the sword¡¯s edge with their life.


    The person who struck Dexter earlier didn¡¯t step forward, but he didn¡¯t back off either. Instead, he sneered, ¡°We¡¯ll leave if you hand over the map! Otherwise, let¡¯s see how long you can keep running away from us!¡±


    ¡°What map?¡± Myra interjected, her furious expression taking on a hint of confusion.


    However, her question only earned her mockingughs from the crowd. novelbin


    ¡°Quite the actress, aren¡¯t you? I didn¡¯t expect you to be so talented.¡±


    Myra was at aplete loss of what they were talking about. She turned to Dexter, who let <b>out </b>a bitterugh, unsure of how to express his current state of mind.


    Finally, the trespassers were the ones to exin the situation to her. Myra listened for a long time and was unable to make heads or tails of it all until someone finally threw the fake map at


    <b>her </b>feet.


    The markings on the fake map were blurred,pletely different from the genuine one <b>she </b>had seen that day!


    Myra was dumbfounded. She couldn¡¯t figure out at what point did things go wrong or how the map they personally delivered had turned into this counterfeit.


    in amount of


    At this point, exining would convince these people. Outsiders would only assume they had hidden the real map and provided a counterfeit to deceive everyone.


    Even if they tried to recreate the map from memory, it would be useless. There was no way they could remember how <b>the </b>mountains and rivers on the map corresponded to the stars.


    Their mistake was that they chose not to take a photo of the map or leave any other evidence when they handed it over as their goal had been to distance themselves from the map.


    Now, no amount of justification could clear their names!


    Myra¡¯s face turned deathly pale as she staggered backward.


    The desperado who had been most vocal throughout the raid stepped forward and shoved her, threatening, ¡°Where¡¯s the map? Are you handing it over or not?¡±


    There was no way Dexter could tolerate anyoneying a hand on his wife like that. His body. trembled with rage as he raised the sword and swung it down with all his might.


    The desperado quickly moved aside, dodging the de.


    The sword struck the floor, leaving a fissure in its wake.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 416

    Chapter <b>416 </b>


    ¡°Get out!¡± Dexter roared with all his strength.


    Under the threat of <b>his </b>intimidating sword swings, the trespassers reluctantly turned and fled.


    Once they were gone<b>, </b><b>he </b>finally let out <b>a </b>sigh of relief, setting the sword aside and slumping on the floor.


    <b>Myra </b>remained in shock, muttering to herself, ¡°How could it be a fake?I put that map in the box myself and locked it with my own hands¡­.


    ¡°If I had known this would happen<b>, </b>I wouldn¡¯t have resorted to such an underhanded tactic. Now, I¡¯m <b>stuck </b>between a rock and a hard ce. It would¡¯ve been better to just return it to Mr. Russell right from the start.. It¡¯s all my fault¡­ I was too arrogant.


    <b>Myra </b>covered her mouth and continued muttering to herself. The earlier chaos had shaken her deeply.


    Despite the blood running down his head, Dexter tried tofort his wife, ¡°It¡¯s <b>not </b>your <b>fault</b>. It¡¯s mine. My greed brought this upon us. 1 dragged you <b>and </b>our daughter into this mess¡­¡±


    At the mention of their daughter, Myra jolted and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s <b>Ka</b><b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t Ka in her mom? Dexter replied, then paused. He realized that with all themotion earlier, there was no way Ka didn¡¯t hear them. Why didn¡¯t shee out to check things out? Could something have happened to her?


    The couple quickly rushed upstairs to Ka¡¯s room, only to find it empty.


    They questioned the bodyguards and maids<b>, </b>who exined that Ka had snuck out after dinner and had yet to return.


    Dexter let out <b>a </b><b>sigh </b>of relief. ¡°She¡¯s <b>probably </b>out with friends. There¡¯s no need to worry.¡±


    ¡°No! That¡¯s not id¡± Myra felt achill in down her spine, she tumed around to look at Dexter and said, ¡°That day, when I ced the map <b>in </b>the box, Ka was there


    with us.¡±


    ¡°What about it?¡± Dexter asked, confused.


    <b>¡°</b>Could Ka <b>have</b>¡­ <b>swapped </b>the map?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it! That¡¯s impossible. We know our daughter. She knows better than to pull a prank like that,¡± Dexter said with a forcedugh, but he soon


    stopped.


    Ka had overheard their conversation that <b>night</b>. Upon <b>learning </b>about the existence of the map, <b>she </b>seemed ambitious and kept persuading them not to give the map away for free.


    If the map wasn¡¯t swapped after being sent to the auction house, it was entirely possible that it had been reced beforehand


    ¡°I¡¯ll call her and ask her toe back right now!!


    Myra started dialing tight after saying that novelbin


    The call was answered quickly.


    Without beating about the bush, she asked Ka directly if she had swapped the <b>map</b>.


    Hearing that, Ka immediately responded with a ¡°Huh?¡± before throwing a tantrum, her <b>voice </b>quivering in Indignation as she said, ¡°Mom! How could you suspect me? It¡¯s <b>obvious </b>someone else is trying to frame us!


    Her voice became clearer over the phone, and she sounded aggrieved. ¡°I told you both before, but you wouldn¡¯t listen. Now, look what happened! We don¡¯t even know who¡¯s behind this!


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough Your father and I will handle this. Come home soon. Don¡¯t stay out <bte</b>, and be careful, Myra <b>said</b>.


    After ending the call, Myra looked at the mess around them and the broken front door. She felt a deep sense of helplessness and somow welling up from within


    How had thingse to this?


    Just <b>as </b>Dexter tried tofort her, Myra started crying and let out a despairing wall. ¡°What sin have Imitted? Could those people be right? Did I bring a curse <b>upon </b>us by bringing that wretched girl back?

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 417

    Chapter <b>417 </b>


    At first, it didn¡¯t ur to Dexter who Myra was referring to. It took him a few seconds to process and understand the ¡°wretched girl¡± she mentioned was Felicia.


    If there had been another person present, they might have wondered how could these two not even know who their daughter was.


    However<b>, </b>it was more likely that they would be shocked by how these parents could call their biological daughtera curse


    Either way, it would still be rather iprehensible.


    Dexter sighed weakly. ¡°Stop saying nonsense. Let¡¯s focus on figuring out what to do next..


    Myra, however, hadpletely <b>given </b>op, canting, ¡°This whole thing has nothing to do with us in the first ce! Let them say whatever they want! We¡¯ve handed over the map. If it got swapped midway, that¡¯s their problem to figure out!


    Although it was easy for her to say that, it wasn¡¯t that easy for this incident to die down.


    Human desire was like a huge web. With the <b>appearance </b>of a legendary item like the map, who could resist getting caught in its grasp?


    After his initial frustration, Dexter slowly calmed down. With his hand behind his back, he paced around the room before suddenly saying, ¡°Something¡¯s not right. It doesn¡¯t make sense.


    ¡°What doesn¡¯t make sense? Myra asked


    ¡°That map¨Cwe put it in the box ourselves and locked it. No outsiders handled it at any point. If anything, <b>Ka </b><b>was </b>the only one who touched It¡±


    ¡°What are you implying?¡±


    ¡°What if Ka stole the map


    Doubt started to take hold in Dexter¡¯s mind. He picked up the fake map that was thrown on the floor and <b>examined </b>it closely.


    Ka often painted, and her coom was full <b>of </b>art supplies.


    Theposition of theke map¡¯s Inkwas identical to the paint <b>she </b>used!


    Myra found it hard to believe. ¡°That doesn¡¯t prove anything! Don¡¯t go around using your own daughter!¡±


    ¡°Then how else can you exin this? The box was securely locked. It <b>wasn¡¯t </b>opened until today at the auction. There was no chance for it to be tampered with!¡± If <b>his </b>suspicions were true, Dexter didn¡¯t know how to feel about it.


    Although Myra still wanted to argue the point, she couldn¡¯t help but clench her fists tightly. From Dexter¡¯s forced smile, she could tell what was on his mind right then¨Cbioma.


    Be it their initial greed in secretly sneaking the map away or having the adopted daughter they adored betray them, it was all karma.


    It wasn¡¯t untilte at night that Ka returned home.


    Upon seeing the house in disarray, with even the front door broken, she jumped in tright, ¡°Dad! Mom! What happened here?¡±


    Myra briefly exined the events and then pulled Ka aside to quietly <b>ask</b>, ¡°Ka, tell me the truth. Did you secretly swap the map?


    Ka¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she cried indignantly, ¡°Mom! How many times <b>are </b>you going to question me? Didn¡¯t you just ask me the same thing over the phone?1 already told you it wasn¡¯t me


    Myra stared at her for some time to confirm if she was lying. However, she saw no signs of guilt or evasion, so she let the matter drop.


    If the problem wasn¡¯t with Ka, then it must¡¯ve been swapped at the auction!


    ¡°Maybe it was the auction house¡¯s owner or someone in charge of guarding the item who did this.¡± novelbin


    In the end, <b>that </b>was the only conclusion <b>Myra </b>coulde to.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 418

    However, in the following <b>days</b>, the Fuller family <b>felt </b>as though they jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire instead. They were besieged from all sides, overwhelmed with misery.


    They were already involved in a murder case, which brought unprecedented blows to Dexter¡¯s business. It was nearly destroyed, with its market value and stocks plummeting.


    In just a few months, they applied for bankruptcy protection as they were unable to withstand the mounting pressure.


    Unfortunately, the bankruptcy protection application was rejected for various reasons, <b>and </b>thepany was forced into liquidation. One project falled after another, leaving thepany¡¯s ounts insufficient to cover its debts


    Loans from banks, penalty fees for <b>contract </b>breaches<b>, </b>and an enormous amount of unpaid employee wages.


    With all <b>that</b>, despite Dexter¡¯s countless attempts to turn the tide, he <b>couldn¡¯t </b>find anyone willing <b>to </b>support him old friends avoided him, and business partners eagerly swooped in to carve up the Tuller family assets, wishing they could devout him whole.


    To make matters worse, the damned map <b>took </b>away any <b>chance </b>for the Fuller family to <b>take </b>a breather. They <b>even </b>faced two incidents of threats and ckmail during this time.


    After months of torment, the Faller couple was left drained and disheveled.


    In the end, the Fuller family dered bankruptcy. Even their vi was confiscated to pay off debts. <b>Dexter¡¯s </b>previous jest that they might end up sleeping on the streets had tragically be a reality.


    It was a gloomy afternoon when they were evicted from their vi<b>. </b>All valuable items <b>in </b>the <b>house </b>were considered part of the debt cepayment and could not be Taken with them. novelbin


    They were only allowed to pack personal items such as clothing


    Although they had been prepared for this, being forcibly removed from the vi they had lived in for over two decades still hit <b>hard</b>. <b>Myra </b>tried to hold her head high, but the moment she turned around, her eyes reddened.


    From now on, this ce would no longer be their home,


    Dexter consoled her, saying, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll make aeback. It won¡¯t take long. I¡¯ll definitely buy our home back!¡±


    Myra <b>nodded </b>in agreement


    It was not just the vi, but even the cars in the garage were seized as part of the debt repayment. The once¨Cprominent Fuller couple had no choice but to hail a cab. Their new residence was the only property still under Myra¡¯s came that hadn¡¯t been seized for debt repayment. It was located in the city center and had barely been used in the past.


    At least it gave them <b>a </b>ce to stay.


    When Fa entered the new home, she was dumbfounded. ¡°It¡¯s <b>so </b>small! How are we supposed to live here?¡±


    The apartment wasn¡¯t small, but it felt cramped to them. Transitioning from a frugal lifestyle to a bumious one was easy, but the reverse was difficult. Even Myra found it hard to <b>adapt </b>to such a drastic change.


    However, there was no <b>altemative</b>. These days, the Fuller family endored severe blows, and the taste of cold indifference from others left them feeling isted


    and helpless..


    With a sigh, Myra said, ¡°At least <b>Sebastian </b>is abroad. His littlepany seems <b>to </b>be doing alright. It¡¯s also our tallback. At worst, we won¡¯t starve Dexter remained silent,


    ¦§


    He and Sebastian had a major <b>fallout </b>when Sebastian was going abroad. At the time, Dexter was furious, nearly scolding his son to his <b>face </b>for refusing to inherit the family business and niging off to start his own instead


    But now, he couldn¡¯t even provide his son with anything <b>and </b>might end up relying on him instead. The blow to his pride was undeniable.


    However, the most affected was still Ka. She <b>had </b>never imagined the Fuller family would go bankrupt like this, to the point of being evicted.


    she muttered, ¡°If I¡¯d known, we should¡¯ve kept that <b>map</b>. At least we could¡¯ve sold it for some money¡­


    Hearing that, Dexter and Myra exchanged better smiles.


    Spin to im Your Surprise Reward!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 419

    After falling from their pedestal overight, the cracks in the Fuller family¡¯s unity began to show in every <b>aspect </b>of their lives.


    Gone were the <b>days </b>of luxury, where their needs were provided at their beck and call. There were no more maids at <b>their </b>service, <b>nor </b>were there grand disys of status when they walked out.


    Having to deal with such frustrations, Ka¡¯s temper grew worse by the day. Slowly, she stopped <b>pretending </b>to be the sweet, obedient girl.


    She used to be thrilled about driving <b>our </b>Felicia, the true heiress, smugly dreaming of taking everything the Fuller family had. But now, all her schemes had failed miserably, leaving her back at square one.


    She mmed the door so hard that it echoed through the house. As she stared at the house that <b>was </b>several times smaller than her previous one, her fury only deepened. This ce wasn¡¯t even asrge <b>as </b>the bathroom of her old <b>bedroom</b>!


    From outside the door, Myra tried to coax her, speaking softly, ¡°just bear with it for now. Things s will get better. Your dad and I will make it up to you.¡±


    <b>¡°</b><b>Yeah</b>, whatever,¡± Ka replied half¨Cheartedly


    After the sound of footsteps faded, she smirked and reached into her pocket, pulling out an object.


    It was neatly folded into a square. As she carefully unfolded it, the object revealed itself to be an ancient <b>and </b>mysterious <b>map</b><b>. </b>


    ¡°Good thing I¡¯m not like you guys. Something like this has to stay with me, <b>of </b>course¡­¡±


    A smile crept across her face while her eyes <b>burned </b><b>bright </b><b>with </b>ambition


    When she failed to dissuade the Fuller couple <b>from </b>treating the map like a hot potato and <b>getting </b><b>rid </b>of it, she didn¡¯t press the matter. novelbin


    However, after they went to bed that night, she crept into their room and swapped the real map with a hastily drawn replica


    <b>Did </b>she not consider the consequences? Of <b>course</b>, she did, but she didn¡¯t care.


    If the mess spiraled out of control, that would be due to Dexter and Myra¡¯s ipetence! It had nothing <b>to </b>do with her!


    Her only concem was securing something of value for herself. She believed she waspletely justified in doing so.


    The most important issue now was the map¡¯s destination. Whaty at the end of the path?


    Linked to the stars, the map indicated a location that resembled an isted ind on the ocean.


    What could be on that ind? What kind of treasure did the legends speakof<b>? </b>


    She absolutely had to visit the ce for herself <b>as </b>opportunities like this were care. But first, she needed to figure out how to slip away unnoticed.


    Before she coulde up with a n, she <b>was </b>gued by her frustrations. The present didn¡¯t align with the ¡°past life¡± that she dreamed of Many things seemed to have changed<b>.. </b>


    In the dream of her past lite, the Fuller family¡¯s bankruptcy crisis should have been resolved by now, and she would¡¯ve also sessfully captured Arnold¡¯s heart. Then..


    She felt a sudden jolt, her eyes lighting up with <b>a </b>sudden tash of <b>rity</b>.


    She remembered now!


    <b>In </b>her dream, she had orchestrated a staged ident at this exact point in time. She faked an incident of her falling into the sea and then pinned the me on Felicia!


    Ultimately, Felicia was kicked out of the Fuller family and thrown into prison.


    Although the current Fuller family had gone bankrupt and she no longer needed to fight desperately for Myra and Dexter¡¯s favor or inheritance, Felicia remained <b>a </b>potential threat.


    If Felicia <b>wasn¡¯t </b>dealt with, who could say if an even more severe deviation from <b>her </b>destined path might ur in the <b>future</b>?


    Clutching the map tightly, Ka¡¯s lips curled into a ister grin,


    Falling into the sea¡­ <b>That </b>was a great n!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 420

    On one hand, Ka could use this opportunity to frame Felicia and get rid of her. On the other hand, it would give her the perfect chance to escape with the map and head to the mysterious ind.


    who could deny that it was fate?


    Time passed day by day, and Felicia remained incredibly busy. The clinic was booming<b>, </b><b>with </b>shelves of Panax pseudo¨Cginthera, scar¨Cremoval ointment, and other medicine selling out the moment they were stocked.


    the medicine. If she hadn¡¯t set limits on the number of customers and the quantities they could buy, she might have worked herself to exhaustion just producing


    She didn¡¯t neglect her coursework either. Having already revived the material twice and with her photographic memory, the sses posed no challenge at all.


    Meanwhile, Jupiter Corporation sessfully acquired the niche industries left behind after the Fuller family¡¯s bankruptcy.


    <b>With </b>their dominant position in the gaming industry already unmatched, jupiter Corporation began expanding into other sectors. In another year or two, Jupiter Corporation would grow into the powerhouse Felicia remembered as the renowned <b>Jupiter </b>Group.


    In addition, the tourism development of Alverton had officially begun operation. Though the number of visitors was modest at first, she was confident <b>that </b>Alverton would be a popr tourist destination in the future.


    people.


    With so much to worry about, Felicia was endlessly busy. However, there was an upside¨Cshe had no time to think about other matters orp


    That evening, Felicia left the college campus and boarded the usual bus at the gate.


    Her timing was impable as the bus always <b>arrived </b>just as she <b>stepped </b>out. Only <b>on </b>rare <b>asions </b>did she misjudge, and even then, she only had <b>to </b><b>wait </b>a few


    minutes.


    Although the new vi she had purchased was almost fully renovated, she wasn¡¯t <b>in </b><b>a </b><b>hurry </b>to move <b>and </b>continued living in her previous rental apartment.


    Since it was thest bus of the day, there weren¡¯t many passengers.


    Halfway through the journey, the bus came to an abrupt stop while tuming past an intersection clogged with traffic.


    The driver announced, ¡°There seems to be an ident ahead. The <b>road </b>is blocked, <b>and </b>we can¡¯t pass would you like to get off here or wait on the bus?¡±


    The passengers didn¡¯t need the reminder as they could see the traffic ahead. Judging by the jam, it would take at least an hour to clear


    Felicia decided not to <b>waste </b>time and got off with h


    hher backpack.


    As she walked past the site of the ident, she unexpectedly spotted a familiar figure.


    The <b>man¡¯s </b>hair was disheveled in the wind, his poised and elegant demeanor entirely gone. His eyes were swollen and red, and her hands were trembling


    It was Mike Lawson!


    To be fair, Felicia¡¯s impression of Mike was favorable. He always gave her a feeling of warmth and kindness, like <b>a </b>gentle spring breeze. He had even stepped in several times to help her out of difficult situations, even going as <b>far </b>as teaching Amold a lesson


    But now, Mike looked utterly distraught and frenzied. He seemed almost out of control as he gripped a middle¨Caged man by <b>his </b>cor and threw punch after punch to his face.


    From a distance, Felicia caught faint snippets of words like ¡°daughter¡± <b>and </b>¡°where¡±


    Her heart skipped a beat. Could his daughter be missing?


    With that thought, she quickly rushed over.


    When she got closer, her suspicion was confirmed. Mike was demanding furiously, ¡°Where¡¯s my daughter? Where did you take her? Tell me, or I¡¯ll kill you!¡± One should never try to provoke a father who had lost his child.


    At that moment, Mike resembled a feral wolf, seemingly ready to tear out the other man¡¯s throat if he did not get the answer he wanted. The middle¨Caged man, already bruised and battered, burst into tears at the threat Trembling, he stammered, ¡°I¨CI really don¡¯t know¡­¡± novelbin

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 421

    Mile roared in fury, throwing another punch <b>aimed </b>straight for the man¡¯s temple. If this hitnded, it would be a guaranteed kill,


    The crowd around them had grown. Some bystanders were even recording with their phones, eager for some drama to post online. If Mike killed the gay, b


    he¡¯d be


    facing serious consequences himself.


    ??????


    In a split¨Csecond decision, Felicia licked the middle¨C<b>aged </b><b>man </b>in the side, causing him to stumble, Mile¡¯s punch veered off course, smashing into the man¡¯s nose


    Instead


    The sound of breading bone was unmistakable.


    Blood gushed <b>from </b>the man¡¯s nose as he let out a scream <b>and </b>copsed. His nose was <b>clearly </b>done for, but at least he wasn¡¯t dead.


    Mike turned, his <b>eyes </b><b>zing</b>. <b>When </b><b>he </b><b>saw </b>it <b>was </b>Felicia, the <b>veins </b>on his hand bulged as he clenched his fist. It took every ounce of <b>his </b>self¨Ccontrol not <b>to </b>hit her<b>. </b>


    ¡°Move,¡± he growled out one cold and menacing wood,


    Behind him, his driver stepped forward as he was unable to hold back. The <b>man </b>gently tagged on Felicia¡¯s sleeve and said, ¡°Miss, Mr. Lawson¡¯s daughter has been kidnapped. We don¡¯t know where she is. Please don¡¯t interfere!¡±


    Felicia ignored the driver. Her eyes stayed locked on Mikor as she asked, ¡°The calming sachet I made for Sandra¨Cdid you have her <b>carry </b>it with her?¡±


    Mike was still teetering on the edge of losing <b>control</b><b>, </b><b>and </b>his bloodshot eyes looked wild. But her question broke through <b>his </b>haze of <b>rage</b>.


    If Sandra still had that sachet on her, there was a reason Felicia would ask She wouldn¡¯t have brought it up otherwise.


    ¡°It¡¯s on her,¡± Mike said quickly.


    ¡°Good,¡± Felicia replied. ¡°Take me to where Sandra disappeared. Now.¡±


    She ced <b>a </b>hand on his shoulder, her tone steady and efficient. There¡¯s an herb in that sachet with a very distinct scent. <b>I </b>can track it¡±


    The second he heard her exnation, Mike¡¯s anger evaporated.


    Without wasting another second, he bulldozed through the crowd, shoving his driver aside. He climbed into the car and <b>took </b>the wheel himself, speeding toward the spot where Sandra had gone missing


    On the way, Felicia asked for the details.


    Mike drove like a man possessed, though his demeanoc had settled somewhat. He exined the situation in clipped sentences


    Sandra had just been out with the family¡¯s nannies for <b>a </b>fun outing. At some point, there was some sort ofmotion. When they turned back around, Sandra <b>was </b>


    It had been nearly two hours since she


    sappeared.


    During this time, Mike had spared no expense, locking down every exit from the city andunching a relentless search. <b>So </b>far, they had only managed to catch one person a middle¨Caged man. It was the same mas Felicia had just seen, the one whose nose Mike had broken.


    Unfortunately, they weren¡¯t able to get any useful information out of him


    Felicia figured the man probably wasn¡¯t holding back. Most likely, he genuinely didn¡¯t know anything. If this was <b>a </b>kidnapping ring, they would¡¯ve had <b>a </b>hierarchy. The middle¨Caged man was probably a low¨Clevel grunt kot responsible for a single task. He wouldn¡¯t know where Sandra had been taken novelbin


    The thought filled Felicia with <b>a </b><b>cold </b>fury


    Her brows furrowed as she recalled Roberta, who was trafficked and held captive. The monsters who did these things deserved nothing short of hell.


    They <b>arrived </b>at the spot where Sandra had been <b>taken</b>.


    It was outside a bustling shopping center filled with families and kids. There was even a y area neachy for children


    Felicia got out of the car and closed her eyes, trying to focus on the <b>scents </b>camed by the wind.


    It was chand


    The air was thick with <b>a </b>jumble of smells. Someone nearby was selling flowers, so the sweet scent of roses and sunflowers lingered in the breeze. Cigarette smoke watted from a group of men on the za. Further off, food vendors were selling snacks, with the sugary aroma of candled apples standing out among the rest.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 422

    Amidst the mix of scents, there was a faint, bitter trace of herbs. It was so subtle it was nearly buried by everything else.


    Felicia¡¯s eyes snapped open. She climbed back into the back seat and pointed ahead. ¡°Tumleft, then make <b>a </b>right ¡ª¡®


    Before she could finish, the car door on the other <b>side </b>suddenly opened. A cool night breeze swept in as someone slipped into the passenger <b>seat</b>.


    Felicia instinctively <b>nced </b>up and saw a sharp, chiseled profile. Hisplexion <b>was </b><b>pale </b><b>and </b>cold, his features strikingly defined. She could even see his <b>Adam¡¯s </b>apple shift when he spoke.


    ¡°Drive. I¡¯ming with you,¡± came the deep, resonant voice.


    It was <b>Stephan</b>. Felicia hadn¡¯t expected him to show up, hut considering the unusual bond between him and Mike, it <b>wasn¡¯t </b>exactly shocking.


    Stephan, now in the passenger seat, directed his words at Mike. He didn¡¯t even seem <b>to </b>notice Felicia in the back.


    It <b>wasn¡¯t </b>until Mike, who kept one hand on the wheel, nced back and asked, ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± that Stephan realized someone else was there.


    ¡°Head to the bridge. Keep going straight. I¡¯ll let you know when to turn, Felicia instructed.


    She rolled down the window, letting the wind toss her hair as she focused on the faint, lingering scent. Stephan caught her unusual behavior and shot her a surprised look<b>, </b>but she ignored him.


    Following Felicia¡¯s guidance, the car weaved through the streets until it finally arrived at an abandoned fireworks factory.


    The factory looked like it had been shut down for years. Wild grass had overgrown the <b>area</b><b>, </b><b>and </b>there were no streetlights¡ªjust the pale, eerie glow of the moon. The darkness inside was stifling. It was impossible to tell whether the windows had beenpletely boarded up or if the building was empty


    <b>Felicia </b>Inhaled deeply, sensing the scent still hanging in the air. ¡°This is it. The trail hasn¡¯t faded.¡±


    Mike didn¡¯t hesitate. He stepped out of the car with deadly intensity and headed straight for the factory¡¯srge, misted gate.


    A heavy lock hung on the door, but it didn¡¯t stand a chance. After a few brutal kicks, the metal twisted, and the lock shattered


    The gate creaked open. novelbin


    Before following Mike <b>inside</b>, Stephan tomed to Felicia. His tone was calm but left no room for argument. ¡°Stay in the car and lock the doors.¡±


    Staying behind would have been <b>the </b>safer choice, but Felicia couldn¡¯t sit still she bent down, picked up a loose brick from the ground, and tested its weight in <b>her </b>hand before quietly slipping in after them.


    Inside the factory, Mike found the power box. He showed the lever upward, and a blinding spotlight suddenly nickered to life, nooding the <b>area </b>with harsh, unforgiving Light The sudden brightness was disorienting, leaving everyone momentarily blinded.


    Mike instinctively shat his <b>eyes</b><b>, </b>but the split¨Csecond pause gave his enemies an opening


    A steel pipe caine swinging down toward his head with temlying force.


    Reacting purely on instinct, Mike dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow. But he didn¡¯t realize there was another attacker behind him.


    Aknite glinted in the harsh light as it shot toward his lower back


    Before the de could strike, another hand intercepted it inmid¨Cair.


    In one swift motion, the attacker holding the <b>knife </b>was sent thing backward, his body <b>bending </b>unnaturally as he crashed <b>into </b>the ground like a ragdoll Stephan hat kicked him hard.


    The force of the lick was so brutal that the man twitched <b>a </b>few times before fallingpletely still.


    The other attacker, clutching the steel <b>pipe</b>, went pale with fear. He stumbled backward, his courage rapidly draining. But after a moment¡¯s hesitation, he let out a roar and charged at Stephan in desperation.


    Stephan sighed, making <b>a </b>sharp, annoyed sound as <b>his </b>patience wore thin. He sent the unlucky man flying with a single sweeping kicktoo

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 423

    In the face of overwhelming strength, every attempt at sneaky ambushes seemed utterly ridiculous.


    The most annoying thing, however, was the enormous spotlight overhead. It darted around, blinding anyone it targeted, malding it nearly impossible to see clearly. The abandoned fireworks factory glowed so brightly from the outside that even its walls appeared faintly translucent.


    Mike was desperate to find <b>Sandra </b>and kept trying to push forward. But that relentless spotlight followed his every move, sweeping across the factory floor as more attackers emerged from the shadows, anned and ready.


    Stephan wasn¡¯t immune to the harsh te, squinting as the intense light bumed his vision. Yet his movements remained calcted and <b>calm</b>. He picked up a metal pipe from the ground and hurled <b>it </b>at the spotlight with brutal precision


    <b>The </b>shattering sound echoed loudly as the spotlight exploded <b>into </b><b>darkness</b>. For <b>a </b>moment, the factory was plunged into shadowy stillness.


    Then, anotherlight flickered on from a different angle.


    ¡°Damn it, this is endless! Mike muttered in trustration. He reached for the <b>main </b>power switch <b>again</b><b>, </b>but it was no use. The spotlights weren¡¯t connected to the <b>factory¡¯s </b>main circuit.


    Before they had time to react further, the attackers swarmed. More figures rushed toward Mike <b>and </b>Stephan from every corner of the factory, their weapons raised.


    Stephan shoved Mike forward, his vole calm but tim ¡°o find Sandra. Leave this <b>to </b>me.<b>¡± </b>


    Mike didn¡¯t hesitate. No matter how chaotic the situation was, he charged ahead. Faintly, he <b>could </b>hear the sound of <b>Sandra </b>crying from the second floor.


    Meanwhile, chaos erupted <b>on </b>the ground floor. Stephan¡¯sbat skills were terrifying. Every move he made was lethal<b>, </b>every strike calcted to ensure no one gor past him to block Mike¡¯s path.


    ¡°Go to helll¡®


    One attackernged, but Stephan caught him by the throat with one hand. His dark eyes were as deep and cold as the sea, exuding a chilling menace that froze the man in ce.


    With a sharp twist<b>, </b>a sickening crack was <b>beard</b>. The attacker¡¯s head lolled to the side, terror still etched on his face. The next moment, his body copsed lifelessly to the ground.


    Dutside, headlights cur through the dacloness as a fleet of o


    cars <b>roared </b>to a stop


    Stephan¡¯s reinforcements had arrived.


    The Tussell family¡¯s well¨Ctrained men moved precisely around the factory, making sure no one could escape. While some stayed outside <b>to </b>secure the perimeter, the rest flooded into the factory.


    Stephan had already dealt with most of the attackers inside, but his men swiftly took control of the remaining chaos.


    ¡°Mr. Russell,¡± one of his men called out.


    ¡°Search everyer. Don¡¯t miss a single spot,¡± Stephan ordered<b>, </b>taking the banchiet handed to him and wiping the blood from his hands. It wasn¡¯t his own blood but someone else¡¯s.


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    The men dispersed quickly. The factory <b>was </b><b>vast</b>, and finding <b>a </b>two¨Cyear¨Cold child in such a ce wouldn¡¯t be easy.


    Stephan headed toward the stairs leading to the second floor, <b>his </b>stalde steady. Then, as if something had urred to him, he paused and asked, ¡°Is Felicia still in


    The man hesitated before anwening, ¡°Felicia? No, Mr. Russell When we arrived, the car was empty. We didn¡¯t see her inside<b>. </b>


    Stephan stopped in his tracks and tumed sharply. His piercing gaze sent a sh?ver down the man¡¯s spine.


    Before entering the factory, stephan had told Felicia to stay in the car. Now, she was gone. Had she left on brown, or had someone taken <b>her</b>?


    His expression darkened instantly


    Before he could say anything, the sound of a scuffle erupted from upstairs. novelbin

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 424

    Mike <b>chased </b><b>a </b>man up to the Iron ralling on the second floor. Just as he was <b>about </b><b>to </b>close the distance, the man, Frank Goode<b>, </b>spun around, perched himself on the railing, and <b>barked</b>, ¡°Don¡¯te any closed!¡±


    In his arms was a little girl with delicate features, her face <b>pale </b>and frightened¨Cit was Sandra


    ¡°Stay back! If you take one more step, I¡¯ll throw your daughter off!¡±


    Frank, holding Sandra, had a scar running across his <b>forehead</b><b>. </b>Dressed in a ck tank top, his arms were covered in tattoos, and his face was cruel and menacing.


    Mike froze, stepping <b>back </b>a few paces and raising his hands in surrender. ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯te closer. Just don¡¯t do anything rash. Let my daughter go.


    and I promise I won¡¯t go after you.¡±


    Franksneered, ¡°And what if I <b>have </b>other demands<b>? </b>You <b>gonna </b>agree to those too?¡±


    ¡°Of course<b>!</b>¡± Mike¡¯s voler was firm. He didn¡¯t care what the terms were as long as Frank was willing to negotiate. Nothing mattered more than Sandra¡¯s safety.


    Juste <b>down </b>from there, I swear, whatever you ask for, I¡¯ll <b>give </b>it to you,¡± Mike <b>said</b>, his tone sotter now. He was trying to calm the man down.


    The railing wasn¡¯t very high, but beneath it was a massive machine, its gears grinding loudly as it operated. If <b>Franklet </b>Sandra go, the consequences would be novelbin


    catastrophic.


    Stephan<b>, </b>observing from below, gestired subtly to one of <b>his </b>men. The man slipped away, heading toward the machine to try and shut it down.


    But there <b>was </b><b>a </b>problem. The machine didn¡¯t have a visible power switch, and its <b>wiring </b>was hidden deep within the structure, making it nearly impossible to disable quickly.


    Realizing the movement below, Frank tightened his grip on Sandra¡¯s neck and shouted, ¡°Tell your people to back off! Get out of here, or don¡¯t me me for what happens!¡±


    Sandra, barely over two years old<b>, </b>Iwang limply in his arms. She wasn¡¯t crying or making a sound. She was likely drugged during the hours she had been held captive.. The sight of her like this tone at ntike¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Stephan!¡± Mike shouted toward the ground floor. ¡°Tell your men to stand downl Move them out of here!!!


    Stephan raised his hand<b>, </b><b>and </b><b>his </b>men immediately began <b>withdrawing</b>, leaving the factory


    ¡°You tool Frank snarled his eyes locked on Mike ¡°Move back!¡±


    Mike¡¯s feet felt cooted to the floor. He didn¡¯t want to <b>move</b>, but the threat to Sandra forced him to step back slowly, inch by inch


    <b>Frank </b>smirked mockingly and patted Sandra¡¯s face as he taunted Mike, ¡°Mc. Lawson, did you ever think about this moment when you made it impossible for us to survive?¡±


    Mike¡¯s brows furrowed. He couldn¡¯t recall offending a group like this. Then<b>, </b>something clicked.


    A month ago, while inspecting <b>a </b>construction site, he fired a group of workers. They¡¯d been harassing a female <b>coworker</b>, but harassment was putting it lightly. It had escted to physical <b>assault</b>,


    Mike despised men like that and immediately dismissed everyone tolved, including one of the site supervisors.


    Frank¡¯s face twisted with anger<b>. </b>¡°That¡¯s night. I¡¯m that supervisor you firedst month. With just one word, you ruined us. You made it impossible for me and my friends to <b>make </b><b>a </b><b>living</b>. Do you think the world is that easy for people like us? Huh? Do you think you can just walk away?


    This was revenge


    Mike¡¯s eyes darkened, and uncontroble fury surged within him.


    ¡°Take it out one, he said, his voice cold and sharp. ¡°Leave my daughter out of <b>this</b><b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°Oh, <b>no</b>. That¡¯s not how I work, Frank sneered, histone dripping with malice, ¡°I hate rich bastards like you. Since I can¡¯t touch you, I¡¯ll make do with your daughter. It¡¯s not too much to ask, is it?¡±


    Frank¡¯s smile tamed sinister as he raised Sandra higher, dangling her over the <b>void</b>. She would fall straight into the roaring machine below if he let go


    Mike¡¯s heart <b>nearly </b>stopped. His eyes turned bloodshot as he lunged forward in a desperate attempt to save her.


    But the distance was too great, and he wouldn¡¯t make it in time.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 425

    Ray


    At the veryst second, no one could have predicted that someone would suddenly appear behind Frank


    she had been hidden in the shadows, her slender figure concealed by the debris along the hallway. Using the clutter <b>as </b>cover, she had crept closer without being noticed.


    It was Fellda.


    Just as Frankloosened his grip to throw Sandra off the edge, two silver needles <b>shot </b>through the air, strildng him with plopoint uracy.


    His movements froze, his body stiffening on the spot.


    Realizing someone was behind him, he let out an enraged howl, straining with every ounce of strength to break free from the paralysis caused by the needles. But before he could move, Felicia smashed <b>a </b><b>brick </b>into his head with all her might.


    The impact left him dazed, and Felicia took the opportunity to lunge forward, grabbing Sandra¡¯s clothes,


    Sandra had already been dangling precariously over the edge of the calling. To pull her back, Felicia had to lean so far out that half her body hung in mid¨Cair beyond the railing.


    What happened next waspletely unexpected..


    Though paralyzed by the needles, Frank let out a feral par. In a final, desperate act, he leaned back <b>over </b>the <b>railing</b>, pulling himself and Felicia toward the edge in an attempt to drag her down with him.


    It all happened in a heartbest.


    As Frank¡¯s body tipped over, Felicia had just enough time to fing Sandra upward with all her strength.


    Mike, sprinting toward them, caught Sandra in mid¨Cair in his arms.


    But Felicia wasn¡¯t so lucky. The momentum of Frank¡¯s fall pulled her over the edge.


    She plummeted from the second floor. novelbin


    She thought that was the end of her life. Her mind nked except for the horrifying realization of the grinding machine below her. If she hit it, she would be gone In an instant, ground to nothing


    ¡°How pathetic<b>,</b>¡± she thought, squeezing her eyes shut.


    In the chaos, she vaguely heard someone shout something from above, she couldn¡¯t make out the words,


    A powerful force <b>yanked </b>her out of freetall, pulling her sideways through the air.


    s, but in that <b>instant</b>, she felt a tight grip around her waist


    The iron grip was unyelding, like avice<b>, </b>and the scent that hit her was <b>sharp </b><b>and </b>clean¨Cfamiliar<b>. </b>Someone shielded her before she could process it as they both tumbled to the ground, rolling several times before stopping.


    <b>The </b>fall¡¯s impact had been absorbed, leaving her shaken but not seriously hurt.


    Opening her eyes, she wasn¡¯t surprised to see Stephan¡¯s face.


    The two of them were tangled together, limbs intertwined <b>in </b><b>a </b>way that could easily be mistaken for something romantic¨Clike star¨Ccrossed lovers risking it all. Hearing themotion, his men rushed inside and froze at the sight. Their expressions shifted awkwardly <b>as </b>if they wished they could turn invisible on the spot. Stephan stood up, <b>brushing </b>himself off as if nothing had happened. Without a <b>nce </b>at Felicia, he turned and walked away, <b>his </b>expression cold and expressionless.


    Felicia climbed to her feet, wincing as she rubbed her sore lower back.


    Mike camerashing down the stairs, relief flooding <b>his </b>tace when he saw both of them safe. ¡°That was too close¨Cway too close!¡± he eximed, still catching his breath


    Felicia hadn¡¯t seen what had happened during her <b>fall</b>, so she didn¡¯t realize the extent of what Stephan had done to save her.


    From Mike¡¯s perspective, it had been termifying. At the speed she had fallen and the distance between them, Stephan hadunched himself recklessly, risking everything to grab her.


    Mike¡¯s heart was still racing <b>at </b>the memory. The scene had been etched into his mind¨CStephan leaping into the air without hesitation <b>and </b>narrowly catching Felicia. Both of them had just been inches from being pulled into the deadly machine.


    Words could not adequately describe the <b>danger </b>and sheer adrenaline¨Cit was breathtaking and horrifying all at once.


    Had Stephan miscalcted even slightly, he would have been the first one swallowed by the machine.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 426

    It was only thanks to Stephan¡¯s quick reflexes and unmatched strength that the worst had been avoided. As he <b>caught </b>Felicia mid¨Ctall, he nted a powerful <b>lock </b>on Frank¡¯s chest, using the momentum to roll them both to safety. Theynded away from the edge, unharmed.


    Frank, however, wasn¡¯t so lucky. Dragged by <b>gravity </b><b>and </b>unable to regain his bnce, he plunged straight into the grinding machine below. The horrific sound of metal tearing through flesh was the only <b>marker </b>of his end¨Cthere wasn¡¯t even time for him to scream.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Milke said, shielding Sandra¡¯s eyes from the scene. He didn¡¯t want her to see any of it.


    As for whether Frank had aplices or if someone else <b>had </b>orchestrated the kidnapping, Mike left those questions to his men to handle.


    His team had now arrived and taken over the cleanup. They secured the area and ensured no loose ends were left.


    Sandra still hadn¡¯t woken up. Her face was flushed<b>, </b>and her hair was soaked with sweat.


    Felicia checked her pulse and exhaled in rellet. ¡°She was given a mild sedative. It¡¯s not a heavy dose, but she¡¯s also running a low¨Cgrade fever from the shock. Give her some medicine, and she¡¯ll be time. Nothing else to worry about.


    Mike¡¯s tension finally eased. He tamed his gaze to the subdued attackers on the floot, his expression growing darker and his anger sharper


    ¡°Thank you, Felida,¡± Mike said eamestly, ¡°You saved my daughter. You saved both of us, really. If you re willing, I¡¯d like to have Sandra <b>officially </b>call you her godmother. She¡¯ll owe you a lifetime bi gratitude;¡±


    He paused, then added, ¡°And, of course, there¡¯s Stephan, But he¡¯s already her godfather, <b>so </b>there¡¯s not much more to say on that <b>front</b>.¡®


    The suggestion caught Felicia off guard. She nced at Stephan instinctively, but he had already retreated to the car, his demeanor as distant and cold as ever.


    ¡°Typical,¡± she thought.


    Felicia politely declined, ¡°It¡¯ste, <b>and </b><b>Sandra </b>still has a fever. You should get her home and let her rest¡±


    Mike <b>nodded</b>. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take her back. You can ride with Stephan. He¡¯ll take you home.¡±


    Before Felicia could protest, Mike disappeared with his daughter in his arms, leaving no room for argument.


    It was obvious he had noticed the unspoken tension between her <b>and </b>Stephan <b>and </b>had deliberately created an opportunity for them.


    Felicia sighed, rolling her eyes. Before she could dwell on it, Mike paused at the door and <b>added</b>, ¡°By the way, Felicia, Stephan might have gotten hurt saving you. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s menor


    Felicia froze. She recalled how her own back acted from the tall even though Stephan had taken the brunt of the impact. How bad must his injuries be?


    All initation vanished as she quicklyushed toward Stephan¡¯s car. She yanked the door open, climbed inside, and shut it behind her in one smooth motion.


    <b>Stephan</b>, seated in the back, nced at her. His expression was <b>impassive</b>, but his eyes carried their usual frosty indifference. He said nothing.


    The driver, now <b>highly </b><b>aware </b>of the situation, subtly adjusted the rearview minor before starting the cart. novelbin


    The spacious back seat was filled with a <b>bravy</b><b>, </b>awkward silence.


    Felicia shifted slightly, her gazending on Stephan. Something about his posture struck her as off. <b>Normally</b>, he loungedzily in his seat, but this time, his body leaned slightly to one <b>side</b>, stift <b>and </b>deliberate.


    Then, she caught <b>a </b><b>faint </b>metallic scent in the air¨Cblood.


    Her stomach dropped Felicia reached out and touched <b>his </b>back. Her fingers brushed against something wet and sticky. She drew her hand back, and sure enough, her fingertips were coated in blood.


    The ck shirt he wore masked everything, but the wound beneath was clearly bleeding.


    ¡°You¡¯re hurt,¡± she said, her voice sharp with concern<b>. </b>¡°Let me see.¡± ¦§


    She moved to unbutton his <b>shirt</b>, but Stephan shifted away, his tone calm and distant. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 427

    The night was dark, and the evening breeze was cooling.


    Felicia¡¯s hand froze awkwardly in mid¨Cair after being rejected, making her look particrly foolish.


    Normally, Felicia would never humiliate herself by clinging to someone, much less insist on tending to someone¡¯s wound. However, this time was different as Stephan had genuinely saved her life.


    After all, he got injured because of her. Hence, she couldn¡¯t just ignore it as that would weigh too heavily on her conscience.


    Felicta quickly calmed down and reached out again. Her voice softened, carrying a hint of appeasement. ¡°Mr. Russell, can you at least let me stop the bleeding? Otherwise, I won¡¯t be able to live with mysell.


    After hearing what Felicia said, Stephan turned his head to look at her.


    In the dark, Felicia couldn¡¯t make out Stephan¡¯s expression, not even his silhouette. His deep and <b>dark </b>eyes churned with intense, unreadable emotions.


    Felicia¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she felt an invincible pressure bearing down on her. <b>She </b>didn¡¯t dare to contemte whaty behind his <b>gaze</b>, nor did she want to.


    Stephan let out a chuckle, his thin lips carving into a smile as he mocked, ¡°Felicia, do you even have a heart?¡±


    Felicia was at a loss for words. She instinctively wanted to retort but remembered the day when she had left with Maurice.


    Stephan had driven after them, wanting to bring her back, only to end up <b>in </b><b>a </b>car ident. In Stephan¡¯s eyes, she hadn¡¯t even looked back once.


    Felicia couldn¡¯t <b>argue </b>and didn¡¯t have the strength to defend herself. Her hand, which she had started to withdraw, was suddenly caught by his firm grip.


    For a second, Felicia froze. By the time she came back to her senses, the light in the back seat had turned on and Stephan had already let go of her hand. Only a trace of <b>residual </b>warmth was left on her wrist


    This man could change his mind in just an instant<b>. </b>


    Felicia secretlyined but still acted quickly. In a few deft moves, she tore open Stephan¡¯s shim. The sight of the gruesome wound on his back silenced herints.


    There was a gash on his back, inflicted by a sharp weapon


    Felicia remembered when Stephan caught her as she fell and colled to the side. There must have been something on the ground, and Stephan had no choice but to take the hot to protect her from getting injured.


    That was why she was <b>left </b>inscathed..


    The car had a small emergency kit. Opening <b>it</b>, Felicia swiftly and saltully disinfected the injury to stop the bleeding. Then, she applied medicine and bandaged Stephan. Even so, the ganze quickly turned red with blood.


    Lowering her gaze, Felicia remembered how her parents had often scolded her<b>, </b>calling g her a jinx who brought bad luck <b>to </b>anyone near her. Now, it seemed they might have beenright.


    At least since meeting Staphan, she had caused him to be injured multiple times.


    Stephan stared at the top of her head and felt an unsetting frustration surge in his chest when she stayed silent. Her emotions were unreadable. With a tense expression, he asked, ¡°<b>Why </b>aren¡¯t you saying anything? Who are you thinking about? Is it Maurice?¡±


    Damn it. What was so good about Maurice?


    Felicia looked up in confusion. ¡°What? What did you say<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Nothing.<b>¡± </b>Stephan¡¯s tone turned even colder, just then, the <b>car </b>arrived back in the city, and he instructed the driver to stop and let Felicia out of the car. Felicia got out decisively, not lingering for even a moment,


    Then, the ck luxury car slowly pulled <b>away</b><b>, </b>and Felicia¡¯s figure grew smaller and smaller in the <b>distance</b>. novelbin


    Meanwhile, <b>Stephan¡¯s </b>eyes remained focused on the rear¨Cview mirror as if trying to drill a hole through it.


    Feeling the weight of the tension, the driver cleared his throat and said nervously, ¡°Mr. Russell, it¡¯s sote now. I don¡¯t think we should leave Ms. Fuller on the side of the road.¡±


    Spin to im Your Surprise Reward!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 428

    However, Stephan didn¡¯t say anything.


    Hence, continued by saying, ¡°It¡¯s the middle of the night. <b>What </b>if something happens to Ms. Fuller? That would be <b>a </b>disaster.¡±


    <b>Stephan </b>shot him <b>a </b>sharp <b>nce</b><b>, </b>his eyes as piercing as des. In the end, he finally spat out two words, ¡°Turn around¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± The driver released a sigh of relief and immediately inade a U¨Ctum at the next intersection, Immediately returning to where they had left Felicia.


    However, Pelicia was no longer in sight when they got there.


    The driver let out <b>an </b>awkwardugh and said, ¡°Ms. Fuller most¡¯ve taken a cab.¡±


    Stephan frowned, his voice icy. ¡°Did you see any cab pass by just now? Check over there.


    He pointed <b>to </b>a roadside lined with cherry blossom trees. Though it wasn¡¯t the blooming season for the blossoms, a car was parked under one of the trees, and next to it stood two figures.


    One was Felicia, and the other was Maurice


    The driver¡¯s jaw dropped in shock <b>as </b>he asked, ¡°Mr. Rouell, isn¡¯t that the head of the Glover family? I thought he <b>had </b>a leg injury and hadn¡¯t been able to walk in years. How is he standing now?¡±


    There was no need for questioning. The only one who could heal Maurice was Felicia.


    No wonder Felicia <b>had </b>gotten out of the car so decisively, eager to end things. It was because someone had been waiting for her


    Stephan let out a low, bitterughced with self¨Cmockery. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The driver didn¡¯t dare say <b>anything </b><b>else </b>nor dare nce at the rear¨Cview mirror to catch Stephan¡¯s expression. Just the sound of his cold, mockingugh was enough to send chills down his spine.


    Under <b>the </b>cherry blossom trees, Felicia stood at the roadside, facing Maurice. Her <b>face </b><b>was </b>full of caution, and a few silver needles were glinting in her band, <b>ready </b><b>to </b>strike at any insment. novelbin


    A few minutes earlier, Felicia was about to hall <b>a </b><b>cab </b>when a car following her bonked persistently.


    She stopped in her tracks, only to be surprised when Maurice stepped out of the <b>car</b><b>. </b>


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Of course, Felicia didn¡¯t bother <b>to </b>hide her displeasure. Her brows knitted together, and her expression was cold and imitable. Maurice clicked his tongue, wearing his usualzy and roguish smile. Feigning heartbreak, he asked, ¡°Why are you so mean to <b>me </b>


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to <b>you</b>. Felicia turned on her heel to <b>leave</b>.


    However, Maurice didn¡¯t get back in hiscar. Instead, he followed her unhurriedly.


    Perhaps to ease Felicia¡¯s guard or maybe he was wary of the silver needles in her <b>hand</b>, Maurice always <b>raised </b>his hands in a gesture of surrender whenever Felicia <b>nced </b>back at him. Moreover, he kept a five¨Cyard distance the entire time.


    After walking like this for a while, Felicia finally lost her patience. She stopped<b>, </b>her tone full of irritation as she questioned, ¡°Maurice, what do you want?


    He should just get it over with the <b>had </b><b>a </b>tatck up his sleeve. Instead, he loept annoying her like this!


    Matice lowered <b>his </b>gaze lightly. His figure stretched long under the streetlight, <b>his </b>smile revealing his white teeth and rosy lips. The red mole at theer of his eye also added a touch of devilish chim


    Lazily, <b>he </b>said, ¡°Nothing I just want to send you home.¡±


    Felicia colled her eyes hard, thirlding that this guy was crazy. She would¡¯veughed <b>in </b><b>his </b>face if he had any shame.


    Maurice spread his hands, feigning innocence. His expression suggested that he didn¡¯t care whether she believed him or not.


    After that, Felicia quickened her pace, wanting to get as far away from this lunatic as possible.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 429

    Chapter <b>429 </b>


    This dynamic persisted until Felicia returned to her apartment building. Finally, <b>Maurice </b>stopped following her. novelbin


    Once Felicia went upstairs, the first thing she did was lock all the doors and windows. After doing that, she walked to the window and looked out, only to see Maurice still standing below.


    As it sensing her gaze, Maurice raised his head and smiled up at her window. His expression wasn¡¯t clear from a distance, but his demeanor remained as indifferent as ever with a hint of teasing yfulness.


    There were no tricks and retaliation. It seemed he <b>had </b>genuinelye to see her home safely.


    ¡°He¡¯s crazy,¡± Felicia was calm as ever and pulled the curtains shut.


    In her mind, Maurice was far too unpredictable. No one could ever guess his thoughts<b>, </b>and his actions were entirely random, driven purely by whim and mood, Someone like him was better kept at a distance.


    Downstairs, Maurice lowered his head<b>, </b>fully aware that he had been given the cold shoulder <b>again</b>. The light above cast shadows over his sharp brows and high- bridged nose


    He let out a low chuckle, which then turned to a string ofughter.


    why would heugh in


    The four subordinates from the Glover family exchanged bewildered nces, confused. They were wondering if Maurice <b>had </b>lost it because why would such a situation?


    <b>After </bughing for a while, Maurice stopped. The curve of his lips gradually ttened, and his gaze sharpened. <b>¡°</b>What about those people following us? Have you all handled them?¡±


    Mr. Glover, they¡¯ve


    ve been dealt with as per <b>your </b>orders,¡± a subordinate replied respectfully,


    Unbeknownst to Felicia, she had already been secretly targeted by more than one group of people. Maurice¡¯s men silently dealt with those who had nned to act against her that night, leaving no trace of their actions.


    Maurice got back into the car. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Then, the engine roared to life, and the vehicle disappeared into the night.


    Felicia slept soundly that night.


    The renovation in the vi Felicia had purchased was finallypleted as the weather grew warmer. She even personally inspected it and was <b>pleased </b>with the


    results


    Most of the design blueprints were her own, and the oue was nearly identical to what she had envisioned.


    On the day the flowers in Khogend bloomed most vibrantly, the vi had been thoroughly aired out and was ready for Felicia to move in. Hence, she terminated her cental lease and moved in with her modest belongings


    Living alone might be a bit lonely, but at least this was Felicia¡¯s own space. This ce was a home that belonged solely to her. No one could ever and exile her again.


    her to get out


    On her first night in the new home, Felicia suddenly remembered that <b>the </b>Fuller family had dered bankruptcy. She even heard that their multi¨Cmillion¨Cdor mansion was auctioned off to pay debts.


    She was now wealthy while the Fuller family was destitute. What a twist of events


    After that, Felicia retrieved a few bank cards. One was from Dexter, which was given to her as pocket money. Although it couldn¡¯tpare to Ka¡¯s unlimited bankcard, Felicia hadn¡¯t <b>spent </b>a cent from it.


    The other one was gifted by her grandfather, Clive, during the reunion banquet when she was brought back to the Fuller family. It <b>was </b>a one¨Ctimepensation for the <b>18 </b>years of missed birthday gilts


    Overall, the cards contained several hundred thousand dors.


    After some thought, Felicia decided to retum the cards via delivery. However, she was caught off guard the next day by the arrival of truckloads of items before she could arrange for pickup.


    Two delivery trucks parked before her <b>vi</b>, and someone approached her with a courteous demeanor the moment she stepped outside. <b>¡°</b>Good day, Ms. Fuller¡± ¡°Are you from the Lawson family?¡± Felicia recalled this person. He was the one who had driven for Mike the night Sandra was abducted

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 430

    The assistant replied with a cheerful smile and gestured to the two trucks behind him. ¡°Yes, Ms. Fuller. <b>I¡¯m </b>honored that you still remember me. Mr. Lawson asked me to deliver these as a housewarming gift for you.¡±


    The two trucks were loaded with various potted nts and trees<b>, </b>all meticulously grown. All of the greenery was undeniably rare and valuable.


    Felicia raised an eyebrow, finding Mike rather amusing. His information was impressively fast; he even knew she had moved<b>. </b>Moreover, he specifically chose a gift that was considerate, generous, and wouldn¡¯t cause misunderstandings.


    Hence, there <b>was </b>no reason to refuse <b>his </b>gifts.


    ¡°Move them in.¡±


    <b>Ouce </b>the pots were arranged in the <b>otherwise </b>empty yard, they added a touch of vibrant color to the serpent and elegantyout.


    After Mike¡¯s assistant lett, Felicia prepared to head out <b>as </b>usual. However<b>, </b><b>the </b>interruption dyed her, and she still hadn¡¯t sent off her delivery.


    Just as she was about to take care of it, she received <b>a </b>call from the clinic. An urgent patient required her to be there.


    Recently, Union Clinic had expanded the team to include more than eight highly skilled seasoned physicians.


    Many said Felicia was heartless or monopolizing talent. After Maurice burned Harmony Medical Center down to the ground, she recruited several renowned medical practitioners for her own clinic<b>. </b>


    Under normal circumstances, they wouldn¡¯t have contacted her unless the patient was particrly difficult to treat.


    As Felicia hurriedly prepared to hail a cab, she realized a very serious issue. No cabs were avable in an area like this.


    She had chosen this vi for its tranquility when she purchased it. While it wasn¡¯t on the city¡¯s outskirts, it also wasn¡¯t in a bustling area. Waiting for a cab to pass by could be quite a challenge.


    Though <b>Felicia </b>could drive, she didn¡¯t have a license. Hence, she never bothered buying acar.


    Now, it seemed she would have to buy a car <b>soon </b>


    While mulling this over, Felicia pulled out her phone to book a ride. Just then, a Lincoln pulled up beside her<b>, </b>and the window was rolled down halfway to reveal Maurice¡¯s amused face


    ¡°Get in. I¡¯ll give you a ride<b>.</b>¡±


    Felicia was speechless and could feel his ill intentions from looking at his face.


    Choosing to ignore him, she stood by the roadside waiting for her ride, which was just two minutes away. Not once did she spare Maurice a nce. novelbin


    However, Maurice didn¡¯t get upset. Instead, he <b>casually </b>gestured for his men to puncture the cab¡¯s tites when it arrived.


    Felicia turned around, her temper ring as she red at Maurice and asked, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Get in. I¡¯ll give you a ride.¡± <b>Maurice </b>repeated himself, smiling with unrestrained mischief.


    As for the unfortunate driver, he was quickly silenced by a wad of cash that was handed over by Maurice¡¯s subordinates. Judging by his reaction, he seemed more surprised by his unexpected windfall <b>than </b>upset.


    Felicia let out a frustratedugh. She knew <b>Maurice¡¯s </b>audacity well enough to understand <b>that </b>he would continue to sabotage the cars no matter how many she booked. Left with no choice, she grudgingly got into his car, swallowing her frustration


    Satisfied, Maurice snapped his fingers, and the Lincoln smoothly started moving toward the address Felicia had provided.


    Finally<b>, </b>they arrived at Union Clinic, and Felicia got out of the car. Maurice didn¡¯t make any Inappropriate moves the entire journey, as if his only intention was truly to give her a ride.


    Felicia was dumbfounded as she was unable to make sense of his behavior. Then, she pointed to the clinic¡¯s sign and <b>asked</b>, ¡°Why don¡¯t youe in and register <b>for </b>an appointment?¡±


    <b>Maurice </b>burst intoughter, doubling over with amusement. He fixed his intense gaze on her, his brown colored eyes deepening with emotion. With a <b>sly </b><b>curve </b>to his <b>lips</b>, he countered, ¡°Can <b>you </b>cure any illness?¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± Felicia grew uneasy under Maurice¡¯s meaningful state. His gaze was so intense that it made her scalp tingle. Dropping the pretense of subtle jabs, she turned and entered the clinic.


    Only after the barer of walls shielded her from his gare did Felicia finally feel a sense of relief<b>. </b>

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 431

    When Felicia stepped into the clinic, one of the physicians came over to guide her toward <b>a </b>consultation room. Once there, he pointed inside with a meaningful gesture.


    Felicia was confused by the situation. Then, she raised her eyes to look into the room and saw the thin, hunched figure of someone with their back tumed. She couldn¡¯t see their face or any obvious injuries.


    The physician exined, ¡°This patient is rather peculiar. He onlyins of <b>headaches</b>, but there¡¯s nothing unusual when we check his pulse. We¡¯ve tried acupuncture and medicine, but nothing works. He¡¯s been here three or five <b>times </b>already! I¡¯m worried he¡¯ll tamish Union Clinic¡¯s reputation if he keeps this up!¡±


    Lowering his voice, the physician added, ¡°I suspect he¡¯s here to cause trouble because he has specifically requested you by <b>name </b>several times. I couldn¡¯t handle it, so I had to call you.¡±


    ¡°I understand. You can go back to your work now.¡± Felicia¡¯s tone was calm.


    Ever since Union Clinic had gained fame, troublemakers and challenges hade <b>in </b>droves. Yet such petty tricks i After hearing what she said, the physician nodded and lett.


    didn¡¯t faze her in the slightest.


    at face. However, she keenly noticed


    Felicia walked into the consultation room, and the man by the window turned at <b>her </b>footsteps, revealing an entirely unfamiliar his breath falter for just a moment when his gazended on her.


    ¡°You¡¯re experiencing headaches, right? Let¡¯s start by checking your pulse. Give me your hand. Felicia tapped the desk to signal him to ce his hand on the wrist pillow. She needed to test the waters to see if he was here to cause trouble or not.


    The man hesitated briefly before cing his hand on the pillow


    Felicia checked his pulse but didn¡¯t notice anything unusual. The only weird thing was his heartbeat was unusually fast,


    With a faint, skeptical smile, she asked, ¡°Are you nervous?


    The man averted his gaze without <b>speaking</b>, merely shaking his head.


    Felicia withdrew her hand, stood up, and said, ¡°The body doesn¡¯t lie, and neither does the pulse. You don¡¯t actually have headaches, and you specifically asked for me. <b>Are </b>you here to cause trouble<b>? </b>


    The man shook his head again, but it was unclear whether he was denying her usation or saying no to something else.


    However, the man¡¯s <b>gaze </b>never left Felicia throughout the exchange. He watched her intently, as if afraid to miss even the smallest change in her expression. There was <b>even </b>an undercurrent of inscrutable emotion in his <b>eyes </b>


    Felicia frowned, scrutinizing his face. She <b>was </b>certain she <b>didn¡¯t </b>know him, so she threw out a warning before walking away, ¡°Whether you¡¯re here to stir up trouble or for some other purpose, I¡¯ll make your Take pain real if you keeping back.¡±


    Then, she walked out of the consultation room and instructed Kerry to escort the man out. novelbin


    Surprisingly, the man didn¡¯t cause <b>a </b>scene when he was escorted out. His calm demeanor was so unexpected that Kerry scratched her head in confusion. She even wondered if there was a misunderstanding between Felicia and the man.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t a misunderstanding. Felicia couldn¡¯t discem the man¡¯s motives, but his gaze carried a faint predatory edge. Though it was subtle, it hadn¡¯t escaped her notice.


    Hence, she reminded Kerry, ¡°Don¡¯t let him in again. We don¡¯t need this kind of nuisance.¡±


    Kerry nodded vigorously and resolutely replied<b>, </b>¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Fuller, I¡¯ll keep a close eye on the entrance and make sure he doesn¡¯t slip through.¡±


    After that<b>, </b>Felicia dismissed the matter in her head, quickly forgetting about it in the midst of her busy day.


    Outside Union Cline, the man who was escorted out stood for a while before getting into a car parked nearby.


    The man¡¯s <b>throat </b>moved as he let <b>out </b>a low, self¨Cdeprecatingugh. He reflected on how Felicia had failed to recognize him..


    He couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether it was because his disguise was too <b>good </b>or because he had never left an impact on her heart to begin with.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 432

    Chapter <b>432 </b>


    The man inoked down, his fund brushing rent his left wrist. There was a faire bite mark there, and it seemed to have imprinted onto his soul.


    As Felicia let the medical center after a boy day, she became wed about Stephan¡¯s injury and wondered if he had any Panax pseido tinthera left


    So, she went back to the medical center, grabbed thest two bottles et Fans pode ginthera, and called a cab straight to the Russell estate


    When she reached the entrance, she realized she had been too impulsive. Herst visit hadn¡¯t gone well. She doubted whether she¡¯d even be allowed to enter this


    Feliza clenched her teeth and decided to go ahead and press the doorbell Suddenly, the automatic gate started to open, and a thirty white ball ran toward her,


    arking stically


    ¡°Canad


    keprd its tail fumously and dated to Felicia¡¯s teet. It rubbed its head against her legs and rolled on its back, whining softly and begging for attention cur pamed Cloud¡¯s head. It had been months since shest saw it, and it had grown a lot. She could tell that clod had been well cared for from the looks of its


    1 she lifted her brad, she saw Stephan standing not far away from her.


    hadows of the dimming light, making it feel as if he was standing at an unreachable distance.


    Before Felicia could think harther, Stephan effortlessly walked to her in just a few steps


    distance disappeared instantly, and it felt like Stephan had crossed from his world into hers


    didn¡¯t show it on her face.


    now why she had such a poetic thought. She blinked in embarrassment, feeling lucky that


    your injury? I brought some medication for you. It¡¯s good for wound recovery.¡± She quickly took out the two bottles from her bag and handed


    hanted his eyelids slightly, his dark pupils as deep as a cold pool. He stared at Felida for a few seconds, and she was certain that his gaze lingered on her face


    thoughts crashed into her mind like


    waves¡ªor like a scorching me¨Cshocking her to the core.


    almost wanted to flee.


    finally said calmly, ¡°My injury hasn¡¯t healed yet. You¡¯ll have to take care of it for me.¡±


    Did he mean forberto unge the dressing for him?


    She thought she would novelbin


    as soon as they entered the vi, but Stephan slowly walked upstairs to his bedroom instead.


    Felicia besitated at his door, unsure whether to enter.


    (tresing voi


    e came from inside ¡°What wrong? Are you afraid that I might do something to you?¨C


    Felicia feirchlenged.


    She calmed herself and strode in, but she deliberately left the door wide open


    reptum casually took off his jacket and began unbuttoning his shirt one button at a time. His <b>slender</b>, defined hands moved <b>in </b><b>a </b>calm manner that was oddly


    His pace was a little too slow,


    trying to seduce her.


    Felicia ribbed her nose, not daring to show her annoyance. the <b>stood </b>aside obediently, her gaze fixed finnly on her feet to avoid looking anywhere else.


    To her surprise, Stephan said, ¡°My hand hurts. Take off my clothes for me.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 433

    Chapter <b>433 </b>


    beta thought she had misheard, but Stephan really stopped and stood there, waiting for her to do the job for him. He didn¡¯t even hurt his hand.


    Felicia froze in ce. She was intimidated by Stephan¡¯smanding presence and didn¡¯t dare to approach him.


    ¡°I could ask one of your subordinates,¡± said Felicia.


    i


    stephan nced at her, his <b>lips </b>curving into a teasing vet judgemental smile. ¡°It¡¯s not your first time taking off my clothes anyway. Are you afraid?¡±


    His words were bold and straightforward, shattering the unspoken tension between them.


    They had slept together<b>, </b>after all,


    Felicia was so thastered that it felt like her face was burning. She wanted to flee, but she remembered that Stephan had only gotten injured because he saved her. She couldn¡¯t move an inch.


    Forget i


    Felicia sighed and walked up to Stephan. Under his intense gaze, she took off <b>his </b>clothes.


    This strong and muscr figure was revealed in front of her eyes<b>. </b>


    stephan had a ssic physique that made him look slim in clothes but muscr when without. His toned waist, firm chest, and strong back radiated power with smooth, defined muscle lines.


    Yet his body was covered with countless scars, each mark exuding a sense of ruthlessness and danger.


    Felicia was st


    was stunned at the sight. ¡°Why is it so <b>bad</b>?


    Stephan¡¯s newest scar was from the night he saved her.


    Although she had tended to his wound that night, she wasn¡¯t able to take a good look due to the dim lights. She had assumed he would handle it properly when he returned home.


    She didn¡¯t expect the injury to still look so severe after so many days. She felt an overwhelming sense of guilt.


    Her heart ached with regret. She wished she had asked about it and shown more care after that day.


    Now, Stephan¡¯s wound was showing signs of infection. The topyer of necrotic tissue needed to be removed immediately.


    Felicia exined the condition of his wound, but Stephan didn¡¯t even flinch. He simply nodded, indicating that she could proceed.


    Felicia furrowed her eyebrows and raised her voice. ¡°It¡¯ll hum. You don¡¯t even have anesthetics in your first aid kit. We should go to the hospital for this or my medical center¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that


    The corner of his lips curled. Stephan looked like he was in a good mood. novelbin


    Felicia clenched her teeth. She was so focused on the wound that she didn¡¯t realize the worry and concern on her <b>face</b>.


    She had no choice but to handle it there<b>. </b>


    Felicia had steady hands and a calm demeanor. But when the sharp scalpel cut through the flesh, she couldn¡¯t help but nce at Stephan¡¯s expression. However, Stephan¡¯s gaze was fixed on her. His pupils were scarily dark and intense.¡± There was no way he wasn¡¯t in pain, but he didn¡¯t even flinch. Still, the faintly visible veins on <b>his </b>neck and the tension in his flexed and muscles were clear signs that he was enduring immense pain. Felicia saw it all. She couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°We could¡¯ve gone to the hospital for anesthetics. You didn¡¯t have <b>to </b>force yourself to go through all this pain¡­ Stephen let out a softugh<b>, </b>making his Adam¡¯s apple bob. His <b>voice </b>was raspy as he said, ¡°You could do something about that.¡±


    Before Felicia could react<b>, </b><b>a </b>shadow fell over her, she felt a warm breath on her face, followed by <b>a </b><b>soft</b>, cool <b>sensation </b>on her <b>lips</b>.


    Her mind felt like it had exploded with fireworks. Her heart pounded wildly as if it <b>was </b>about to leap out of her chest. Her vision darkened, and all of her senses. were focused on her lips.


    The sensation of being bitten and having her teeth paled apart was vivid.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 434

    Chapter <b>434 </b>


    Dephanaltemated between fast and slow, gentle <b>and </b>forceful.


    The two went on until they couldn¡¯t catch their breath.


    Felicia momentarily forgot to breathe until Stephan let go of her. His love, raspy voice carried a hint of yfulness. ¡°The pain relief works well, doctor.¡±


    Felicia¡¯s face flushed in silence.


    The ¡°doctor¡± was clearly a tease, filled with so much mischief that it <b>was </b>almost infuriating.


    ya


    Felicis red at Stephan, then continued to tend to his wound. She applied the Panax pseudo¨Cginthera before finally bandaging the wound.


    While wrapping the gauze around the wound, she had to <b>get </b>close to Stephan. Her fingertips brushed across his firm, muscr chest, and it felt like his body ignited at her touch. His body temperature was getting higher and higher


    With Felicia¡¯s medical expertise, she knew that it wasn¡¯t fever¨Cit was <b>a </b>different kind of heat.


    She had to ignore it.


    uty, M. Russell, you¡¯ll be fine if you apply the cream for the next two days. I¡¯m busy, <b>so </b>I¡¯ll leave now.¡± Felicia wanted to escape right after saying that. Suddenly, she felt something gripping her waist. She eximed in surprise. The next thing she knew, she was pinned to the wall by Stephan. ¡°Felicia, you asked for it,¡± Stephan said with a raspy voice. He gazed deeply into Felicia¡¯s eyes, his dark pupils reflecting Felicia¡¯s angry expression. Felicia was pissed off.


    Not only did he kiss her, but now, he wasn¡¯t letting her go<b>. </b>W


    She didn¡¯t forget that Stephan had a woman by his side.


    Whatnd of tangled mess was


    as this? Was it just a fleeting distraction or a passing interest?


    Felicia¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Mr. Russell, please have some self¨Crespect. You wouldn¡¯t want your beloved to find out about our messy rtionship, would you?¡± Beloved?


    Stephan was stunned for a while. Suddenly, he remembered something.


    Johanna had answered his phone in the hospital without permission, and <b>she </b>also followed him to Khogend. Those incidents must¡¯ve made Felicia misunderstand. Stephun couldn¡¯t help bu


    but let out a softugh. Felicia felt weirded out and tried to get out of his hold, only to be patted on the <b>head </b>like a pet. She red at him.


    ¡°That time when you called me, I was with Imogen, who was at the hospital. The person who picked up was Imogen¡¯s fianc¨¦¡¯s younger sister. I have nothing to do with her. As for the other things¡­¡±


    Johanna¡¯s background and her reason for following him to Khogend were tooplicated to be exined, but Stephan exined it clearly anyway. novelbin


    Felicia listened to every single exnation. Momentster<b>, </b>she realized that Stephan was exining himself to her. It seemed he thought she had misunderstood or was jealous. Perhaps it was both


    She froze. It was at this moment she felt a sharp bite on her lips<b>, </b>which made her hiss in pain. She looked at Stephan, who was giving her a teasing smile. ¡°Felicia, tell me. Who¡¯s Maurice?¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 435

    Chapter <b>435 </b>


    There was no way Stephan didn¡¯t know who Maurice was. He just wanted to ask what her rtionship with him was,


    Stephan¡¯s darkened as his arms were fixed around Felicia¡¯s waist, to the point that she could feel the warmth of his fingertips. His fingers were rough, calloused from years of training.


    When she didn¡¯t speak, his slender arms tightened, as if wanting to merge their bodies into one.


    the room was dark, only illuminated by the taint moonlighting in from the window. Under the moonlight, Stephan¡¯s features looked even sharper. His


    ow, almond eves held a cold, unfathomable depth that exuded a sense of allure..


    Maybe it was the closeness, the intense heartbeat, or the atmosphere.


    Felicia rassed her head. She felt like she had been possessed as her mind went nk Somehow, she ended up kissing Stephan.


    The hand on her waist suddenly tightened.


    Stephan¡¯s gaze darkened as he lowered his body and took control


    things seemed on the verge of bing uncontroble, footsteps were <b>heard </b>from outside the door. Felicia jolted, snapping back into her senses. Stephan quickly grabbed a shirt and covered Felicia.


    ¡°Mr. Russell- novelbin


    Get out!!


    A dueless subordinate came in to report but was cut off by Stephan before he could start. The icymand scared him, making him feel as though he had stumbled upon the Grim Reaper. The subordinate scrambled to retreat


    Felicia took the opportunity to release herself from Stephan¡¯s hold.


    She straightened her clothes and cleared her throat. After a brief moment of silence, she answered Stephan¡¯s question from earlier, ¡°I have nothing to do with Maurice. He kidnapped me and released me after 1 healed his leg.¡±


    Felicia exined what happened when she was kidnapped, mentioning the twin venomous creatures as well. That was the only connection she had with Maurice. But she truly didn¡¯t know why Maurice would pester her again and again she just assumed he wasn¡¯t in his right mind.


    After listening, Stephan seemed to remember that Felicia had gone missing for seven days. At that time, he was at seldvale<b>, </b><b>so </b>he had no <b>idea</b>.


    When he sent someone to search for her, she had already returned, so he naturally forgot about it. He didn¡¯t know that all of that <b>had </b>happened during that time. Stephaniew for a fact that Maurice would never kidnap Felicia without reason. He feared that it <b>was </b>because Maurice had thought that Felicia was <b>his </b>woman. ¡°It was because of me. It was my fault,¡± said Stephan.


    Felicia shook her head and didn¡¯t say anything. Even if he was part of the <b>reason</b>, it <b>wasn¡¯t </bpletely his fault.


    The problem was the people behind it all.


    Felicia let out a


    ta sigh of relief<b>. </b>She felt lighter now that she had spoken <b>her </b>mind. But the atmosphere became even weirder


    Felicia felt uneasy under Stephan¡¯s <b>gaze</b><b>, </b>especially when she thought about how they almost ended up sleeping together again just moments ago. Her ears began to burn. She couldn¡¯t help but scold herself for being so distracted by his good looks and losing control like that.


    Felicia coughed and took a step back Before Stephan could <b>do </b>anything, she dashed out of the bedroom and ran downstairs.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving now.¡±


    She didn¡¯t notice that


    Stephan caught up to her <b>before </b>she could call a <b>cab</b>. He picked her up and put her in the front seat of his <b>car </b><b>Felicia </bined about how he left her on the roadside the other night before telling him her new home address.


    was going to send her back himself.


    Stephan¡¯s long fingers, with their clear, defined joints, rested on the steering wheel. With veins running across the back of his hand, it was a sight to behold.


    ice that two hours had passed. Was time fleeting, or was she just too immersed in the situation earlier?

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 436

    Telkia couldn¡¯t help but steal a few nces. However, her mind was instantly filled with the intense moments she had shared with Stephan, prompting her to look out the window to distract herself.


    Stephan seemed to notice and gave her a teasing smile.


    Felicia, fearing he might tease her<b>, </b>shifted the conversation before he could say anything. ¡°You have to be careful of Maurice. He¡¯s crazy and unpredictable!¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Stephan responded casually, but Felicia could see a flicker of ruthlessness in his eyes.


    It wasn¡¯t directed at her, of course. It was for Maurice.


    The two definitely <b>had </b><b>a </b>grudge against each other¨Cthe kind where they wouldn¡¯t rest until the other was <b>dead</b><b>¡­ </b>


    Felicia decided it was best to stay away from both of them in case she got caught in the crossfire.


    Soon after, the car stopped in front of a vi.


    <b>Felicia </b>unbuckled her seatbelt and was about to exit when a warm hand gripped her wrist. She instinctively turned around, only to find Stephan¡¯s face mere inches


    ¡°You¡­.¡± Felicia didn¡¯t get to say anything more as Stephan silenced her with a kiss.


    This kiss was soft and gentle. Felicia was caught <b>off </b>guard, and Stephan quickly pulled away.


    ¡°Felicia, you like me.¡± Stephan chuckded softly. It wasn¡¯t a question but a statement. It was almost assertive and arrogant, even novelbin


    Felicia¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and a ringing sound filled her ears. She wasn¡¯t going to just take it, so she quickly responded, ¡°Mr. Russell, I like your <b>face</b><b>, </b>but not you <b>as </b>a person. I¡¯m <b>a </b>sucker for good looks. The more handsome, the better.¡±


    She was being honest.


    Nobody disliked aesthetically pleasing things, especially a handsome face


    And Stephan happened to be the most handsome person she had ever met. No one had ever surpassed him, and no one ever would. That was why Felicia was captivated by his looks every time.


    was right, so it just happened. But that didn¡¯t mean that she would


    As for the two times they had slept together, they didn¡¯t mean much to Felicia. The atmosphere was righ give her <b>heart </b>away because of it


    So, she didn¡¯t like him.


    Although it sounded irresponsible, she thought Stephan would be okay with it. To her surprise, he stared at her for a while, smirked, and said, ¡°In that c you won¡¯t find other people attractive. Even if you <b>do</b>, I¡¯ll end them.¡±


    case, I think


    Felicia <b>was </b>stunned for a few seconds before finally understanding what he meant. She looked at him in shock, her gaze meeting his deep, ocean¨Clike eyes. They were as dark as ink¨Cturbulent and unreadable.


    He wasn¡¯t joking.


    Felicia couldn¡¯t remember how she managed to escape the car. All she remembered was his handsome face. Her breath started running hot as she <b>found </b>herself consumed by his deathly allure.


    She had a gut feeling that he was serious about it¡­


    But her rationale told her to stay away from him as he was dangerous. Anyone who got too close would suffer the consequences.


    Felicia dashed into the vi and leaned bet back against the door. She pressed a hand to her chest, where the sound of her heartbeat echoed clearly in her eart

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 437

    Felicia stood still until the sound of the roaring engine had faded away. Only then did her racing heart begin to calm down


    It was a little lonely staying in such arge vi by herself, but she had gotten used to it as it had been this way sure she was young, it didur seberte iul she nammaged through the fridge for ingredients and cooked a couple of simple dishes.


    As she finished cleaning up the kitchen after eating, her phone suddenly chimed with a notification. It was a text ¡°Me and stallere samount Skyway Street. Their lives might be in danger,¡±


    Along with the text was a photo. It was blurry, but it showed a group of people surrounding a couple. Felicia could immediately teller ant styra


    Who sent this text? What did they want?


    Was the person simply <b>trying </b>to inform her that Dexter and Myra were being surrounded, or were they trying to lure her there?


    Felicia called the number. After a few rings, the call went through.


    A young man¡¯s voice said, ¡°Felicia, if you don¡¯t go now, your birth parents are going to die¡±


    The coldly asked, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    You don¡¯t need to know who I am. I just¡­ don¡¯t want you to have regrets.¡± The man <b>sighed</b>, sounding empathetic.


    With that, the call ended.


    Felicia tried calling back but to no avail. She was frustrated for always getting involved with crazy people. It seemed she needed to sit the chundi


    She cursed under her breath, her gaze falling <b>back </b>on the photo. She stayed silent for a moment before quickdy changing her clothes and cutting out


    She got lucky as she found a cab not long after leaving her house..


    ¡°To Skyway Street, please <b>Quick</b>¡±


    Skyway Street was crowded with people. More specifically, it <b>was </b>filled with a group of thugs, with each one holding a menacing mace. They weapons against the streetlights, malding <b>loud</b>, threatening noises.


    <b>Trapped </b>in the center of the thugs were Dexter and Myra<b>, </b>along with a terrified Ka


    Ever since the Fullers had gone bankrupt, the couple and Ka had moved into the only small house that hadn¡¯t been confiscated the sem hann inacable debt. They didn¡¯t have a single bodyguard or maid.


    Dexter had been looking for a way to rebuild his fortune. But his old friends either avoided him or kicked him while he was down. None at the vid brig


    Myra¡¯s beauty <b>salon </b>shut down due to serious medical malpractice. Now, she faced awsuit and a ruined reputation. There was also the possibilitex vt argepensation payment.


    It was like adding salt to the wound for the already bankrupt Fullers.


    Dexter and Myra endured all of it and didn¡¯t tell their son, Sebastian, who was abroad. novelbin


    Dexter had the ability to handle these problems, but the issue was that he had angered many people because of the treasure map


    Now, the public believed that he deceived others with a fake treasure map while keeping the real one for himself.


    So, like <b>hounds</b>, wave after wave of <b>people </b>came after him, all eager to tear him apart for a chance to get their hands on the map and the Ingers

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 438

    Chapter <b>438 </b>


    Dexter had never argretted his decision to auction off the map more than he did now!


    If he had known, he would¡¯ve returned it to its owner, Stephan. <b>That </b>would¡¯ve saved him all this trouble. s, no one


    e was a


    able to predict the future!


    He took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. Then, he turned toward his wife and daughter and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll distract them. You two should make a run for it while I have their attention. Go look for help. Try to get someone toe forme,¡±


    Myra shook her head. Despite how nervous she felt, she firmly dered, ¡°No, I want to stay here with you. As your wife, I¡¯ll stick with you no matter what!¡±


    Ka gripped her pockets and immediately said, ¡°Mom, <b>Dad</b>, I¡¯m quick on my feet. I¡¯ll go get someone to help!


    ¡°Okay. Be careful. If things don¡¯t go as nned, you should find a hiding spot far, far away. Don¡¯t show yourself unless you¡¯re sure it¡¯s safe!¡± urged Myra.


    Myra doted on Ka. After the Walsh family went bankrupt, they weren¡¯t able to provide Ka with avish lifestyle. Because of this<b>, </b>she felt even more indebted


    to her


    Ka nodded <b>and </b>pursed her lips. She looked impatient and annoyed


    chiatool would choose to stay here and suffer with both of them! Ka was leaving¨Cshe was getting as far away as she possibly could


    esides, she had the real map with her. If someone were <b>to </b>figure that out, it would be over!


    Dexter and Myra didn¡¯t notice Ka¡¯s disdainful expression. They rposed themselves and began to negotiate with the men. Ka, on the other hand, managed to gradually sneakoff and escape into the night.


    The man who orchestrated the entire thing was known as <b>Mason </b>Lloyd. He <b>was </b><b>a </b>gangster and the leader of the entire group. Mason hadmitted plenty of crimes. He¡¯d do anything as long as he was paid to <b>do </b><b>so</b>. novelbin


    Dester had never interacted with someone like Mason before. He could only act <b>as </b>he usually would.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the <b>map</b>¨CI swear! You have the wrong guy!¡± he eximed before trying to walk off with Myra


    <b>The </b>hooligansughed as they casually approached the couple and blocked their path.


    ¡°I¡¯ve tried being nice!¡± Mason <b>stepped </b>forward and pressed his cigarette into Dexter¡¯s arm.


    Dexter let out a cry of pain as a blister instantly formed on <b>his </b>arm.


    Myra couldn¡¯t bear to watch her husband suffer. In a fit of cage<b>, </b>she pushed Mason and yelled, ¡°This is against thew! Step back¨Call of you!¡±


    Mason fell on the floor and sat there for a briet moment before he came back to his senses. When he realized <b>what </b>had happened, he looked even more furious than he was before.


    One of his sensibleckeys immediately rushed forward and helped him up. Then, he asked in an obsequious manner, ¡°How would you like to punish them, boss? <b>Just </b>say the word and we¡¯ll be on it.¡±


    ¡°Beat them up. Give them hell!¡±


    Mason practically jumped to his feet as he barked out orders. He looked ridiculous, but none of his subordinates dared tough at his demeanor. Instead, they immediately nished forward and began beating Dexter and Myra up.


    ¡°What are you guys doing? Don¡¯t you <b>dare </by your hands on any wife! Hit me instead. Leave her alonel Dexter said.


    He was shielding Myra from the <b>attacks </b>with more <b>than </b>half of his body. Despite that, she still suffered injuries. She <b>ended </b>up getting kicked heavily. Her hair was tousled, and she was panting.


    at out a mouthful of blood. At least two of his ribs were broken, and his clothes were covered


    Dexter was in worse condition, with his entire face bruised. He even <b>spat </b>out in footprints.


    ¡°Let me ask <b>you </b>again. Where is the map?¡± Mason it up another cigarette. He kicked Dexter aside and pulled Myra upright by her hair, blowing a puff of smoke in


    herface.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 439

    <b>Myra </b>coughed as the ash and smoke made her feel nauseous. She was repulsed and angry. She had never been treated this way in her entire life.


    Up until this point in time, she had barely faced any hardships. Before she got married, she was supported by her father, Clive. After getting married, Dexter <b>had </b>beenshowering her with endless love and allection. It was safe to say that she <b>had </b>been living an extremely sheltered life. That was one thing she lud inmon with Ka


    Unfortunately for her, the two people who usually protected her <b>were </b>both unavable today. Clive was <b>dead </b>while Dexter was currently being stepped on


    Myra was fuming. <b>¡°</b>Where did all you savage dogse from? If you keep going around attacking people like this, you might just end up-


    The rest of her sentence turned into a pained cry. Mason had tightened his grip on her hair, and her face paled from the burning pain


    Dexter tried tonge forward to protect his wife but was held down by the men.


    Mason pped Myra across the face before staring directly at Dexter. He let out a sinisterugh and asked, ¡°Are you still feeling tight¨Clipped, Mr. Fuller? I have all day, but your wife might need to suffer for a little while more.¡±


    ¡°Let her go, you bastard!¡± Dexter desperately struggled against their hold. novelbin


    Did Ka manage to get help? Has she informed someone of the situation yet? If no one wasing to their aid, he¡¯d probably get beaten up a okay. He was just afraid that something unfortunate would happen to Myra<b>! </b>


    Just as he expected, Mason began clicking his tongue. His <b>gaze </b>fell on Myra <b>as </b><b>he </b>gradually grew bolder.


    a bit more. That was


    ¡°You look so young for your age, Ms. Fuller. Your skin is still so soft <b>and </b>supple. No wonder you were known as the most beautiful woman in Khogend back then. You¡¯re still <b>as </b>pretty as ever. My heart aches when I see you cry.¡±


    Mason¡¯s hand slowly brushed across Myra¡¯s face. When Myra struggled against his touch, he pped her across the face again.


    Her hair was now a mess<b>. </b>She looked slightly afraid, but it was toote <b>as </b><b>Mason </b>was already ripping her shirt open.


    ¡°Let go of me! Don¡¯t touch me¨Cyou <b>animal</b>!¡± Myra was screaming hysterically.


    Dexter, <b>who </b>was pinned to the ground, suddenly managed to break free from the men¡¯s restraints. Growling, he pounced at Mason! Mason dodged the punch that Dexter had thrown <b>his </b>way


    trying to console his wife.


    Dexter protected Myra despite his bleeding nose. The blood had trickled all the way down to his chin. Even so, he was tryin ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid¡­¡± he said.


    ¡°<b>What </b>a lovely <b>couple</b>,¡± Mason scoffed, ¡°Since you insist on doing things the hard way, I have no other choice than to continue beating you up. Give them hell, boys!¡±


    Mason¡¯sckeys rushed toward Myra <b>and </b>Dexter. One of them picked up their weapon and struck Dexter¡¯s head with it.


    ¡°No!¡± Myra¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she watched Dexter¡¯s body shake before blood started flowing <b>down </b>the side of his <b>head</b>.


    Dexter¡¯s eyesight turned fuzzy. His <b>grip </b>on <b>Myra </b>loosened before he lost consciousness and fell to the ground. It wasn¡¯t clear if he was still alive.


    Mason pursed his <b>lips</b>. Instead of stopping his actions, he barked, ¡°Did I ask you to stop? Carry on!¡±


    <b>Even </b>if Dexter was still alive, he was bound to end up dead if they continued beating him up like this. Crying, Myra <b>covered </b>his body with her own. She was shulding, but she insisted on protecting her husband.


    Just as the mate was about to hit them <b>again</b>, the man holding it suddenly froze and let out <b>a </b>pained cry. While everyone <b>was </b>confused, multiple silver needles came flying over<b>. </b>The needles pierced into the men¡¯s bodies.


    All of a sudden, the men started to yell in <b>pain</b>.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 440

    Masoumize. Then, he kicked oor of his subordinates and yelled, ¡°Stop ying dead and get off the ground!¡±


    The inan was rolling on the floor, looking like he was in a tremendous amount of palu. He lifted up a trembling finger and pointed at his chest. novelbin


    Upon kneeling down to get a closer look, Mason then realized that a long, silver needle had impaled the man¡¯s chest. The needle was still shaking too. They had evidently been ambushed!


    ¡°Who did this? Show yourself!¡± Mason stood up and barked angrily.


    Cadling a heavily¨Cinjured Dexter in her arms, Myra was also shocked by the sudden tuns of events.


    ¡°Did Kae back? Did she manage to get help?¡± she wondered ecstatically.


    One of Mason¡¯s men noticed a figure a small distance away. He tugged on Mason¡¯s shirt and pointed in a direction. ¡°Look, boss. There¡¯s someone there!¡±


    Ashadowy figure gradually emerged from the very end of Skyway Street. The person had a slender build and was wearing a ck <b>jacket</b>. The hood of the jacket covered half of their face, and they had <b>a </b>mask on as well. It was impossible to tell who it was.


    their eves could be <b>seen</b>, and their gaze felt oppressive.


    Is that a woman?¡± Mason narrowed his eyes. He instantly rxed in the next moment, and a look of mockery spread across his face.


    <b>Did </b>shee to throw her life away too?


    He raised his hand and gave out another typical instruction. Turning toward the men who were still standing, he said, ¡°Bring her to me now!¡±


    Aside from the ten men who had been knocked down by the silver <b>needles</b>, there were still about 20 of Mason¡¯s subordinates left standing. They instantly dashed forward and surrounded the shadowy figure.


    More than half of Felicia¡¯s face was hidden under her hood and behind her mask The only thing that was exposed was her eyes. She nced emotionlessly at Dexter and Myra. Dexter was lying unconscious on the ground while Myra was sobbing.


    Felicia¡¯sbat skills were mediocre. In terms of physical <bbat</b>, she alone was no <b>match </b>for all these men.


    However, she carried her medicinal powder with her at all <b>times</b>. So, when Mason¡¯s men pounced at her, she chucked the spheres containing said powder at them. When the spheres were tossed into the air, they would open up and scatter the powder onto her enemies¡® skin. The powder would cause <b>a </b>burning sensation upon contact with human skin.


    Even if the effects hadn¡¯t set in yet, she could still capitalize on the opportunity and knock her opponents to the ground.


    Not a momentter, the floor was covered with men crying out in pain.


    Mason started getting anxious. <b>He </b>promptly swung the mace in his hand and tried to attack Felicia from behind.


    Felicia <b>had </b>just taken care <b>of </b>two of Mason¡¯s men. Once she picked up on the movement behind her, she immediately dodged to the side. When Mason swung his weapon, Felicia seized the opportunity to kick him to the ground.


    She was <b>in </b>prison for four years in her past life. <b>There</b>, she faced countless hardships, but she also got the chance to meet her mentor. That was how she learned self -defense and closebat techniques. Because of this, she also naturally <b>developed </b>a heightened sense of alertness and <b>a </b>faster reaction time.


    Felicia only developed these skills when she ended up in prison because of Myra and Dexter. She hadn¡¯t imagined she¡¯d use said skills to save the couple.


    What were the <b>odds</b><b>? </b>She found the entire <b>ordeal </b>ironic.


    All <b>of </b>a <b>sudden</b>, Myra pointed behind Felicia and yelled, ¡°Behind <b>you</b>!¡±


    Two people had snuck up behind Felicia. They had coordinated their ambush and attacked simultaneously from both directions


    Felicia swiftly flipped one of them over before throwing a sphere onto the other man. Just as she had taken <b>care </b>of that attack, she spotted Mason dashing toward Myra from her peripheral vision.


    Ohno¨Che was going to take her hostage!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 441

    In a moment of desperation, Felicia picked up a mace from the ground and swung it at <b>Maxoil</b>.


    The weapon cut through the air and struck its target squarely on the backd The sharp spikes nearly sledded Mason¡¯s flesh, leaving his back drenched in blood


    He let out a wall and shot Felicia a furious re before growling. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for this!¡±


    With that, Mason and the twockeys who could still manage to move propped each other up and Imped away.


    With the danger momentarily dealt with, Felicia tugged at the brim of her cap and approached Myra and Dexter.


    Dressed in all ck and still carrying the scent of blood from the earlier chans, Felicia¡¯s presence made Myra instinctively take a few steps back. In Myra¡¯s eyes were a mix of relief <b>and </b>gratitude for being saved but also a hint of wariness,


    Felicia checked Dester¡¯s <b>pulse </b>and sighed in relief.


    Thankfully, his injuries were external. Four fractured ribs<b>, </b><b>a </b>serious head injury, and severe blood loss had left him in <b>a </b>state of shock


    With thest silver needles she had, Felicia blocked key acupuncture points on Dexter¡¯s body to keep him stable until he could receive emergency care. Once done, she stood up and left. She remained silent the entire time, not uttering <b>a </b>single word


    Myra stared nkly at the slender figure in ck. Her expression was filled with uncertainty, and she felt as if she had seen the person before. Her lips quivered slightly. With reddened eyes, she said, ¡°<b>Wait</b>. Who are you?¡±


    <b>Felicia¡¯s </b><b>steps </b>paused for a brief moment.


    The sound of police sirens grew louder from the end of the road, drawing closer and closer<b>. </b>


    Without lingering, Felicia quickened her steps and left. Her tall, slender figure was soon swallowed by the darkness and disappeared into the distance.


    The police arrived quickly, taking control of the scene and detaining the groaning thugs lying on the ground. An ambnce <b>also </b>arrived soon after


    As Dexter was being carried into the vehicle, Myra nced back into the darkness several times, seemingly searching for someone.


    ¡°Get on quickly! The patient needs emergency treatment!¡± a nurse called our, snapping <b>Myra </b>out of her daze as she hastily boarded the ambnce.


    Racing through every green light, Dexter was brought to the emergency room in time.


    For eight hours, Myra waited in a state of constant tension. When the doors to the emergency room finally opened, she rushed forward. ¡°Doctor, how is my husband? Is he out of danger?


    ¡°Mrs. Fuller, your husband¡¯s condition has stabilized, Fortunately<b>, </b>someone administered <b>acupuncture </b>before he was brought to the hospital, which gave us the time we needed to save him,¡± the doctor replied.


    Myra¡¯s mind immediately shed back to the scene fromst night and that figure dressed entirely in ck. That person was wrapped so tightly that his or her face remainedpletely concealed.


    If not for that person, she and her husband might have <b>fallen </b>victim to foul y. Without that person¡¯s intervention, Dextermight not have survived long enough to reach the hospital, She couldn¡¯t help but wonder who that person could be. novelbin


    Myra¡¯s mind <b>was </b><b>a </b>tangled mess <b>of </b>thoughts, so <b>much </b>so that she didn¡¯t snap out of it until the doctor called her twice. ¡°Mrs. Fuller, one more important reminder Mr. Fuller may be stable now, but the head injury he sustained is extremely serious. During his recovery, it¡¯s essential to ensure he remains free from any form of agitation<b>.</b>¡±


    ¡°Alright. I understand. Thank you, doctor. Thank <b>you </b>so much.¡± Myra sped her hands together in gratitude.


    The doctor nodded and continued, ¡°Alright. There¡¯s nothing else. Mr. Fuller will be sent to the intensive care unit. Please remember to settle the payment.¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 442

    ¡°Sate. No problem,¡± Myra responded immediately.


    However, when she received the payment invoice and saw the amount, her expression stiffened. She suddenly recalled that the Fuller family was bankrupt,


    All their properties, including their jewelry, had been auctioned off to settle debts. The only thing they still had <b>was </b>the house they were currently staying in it they sold that too, they would truly be homeless.


    With no choice left, Myra called Sebastian and briefly exined the situation. In the end, she asked for two million dors.


    Sebastian had his own business andpany, but what he didn¡¯t mention was that his entrepreneurial journey abroad was difficult, and on top of that, he had business partners.


    When the Fuller family was being publicly ridiculed<b>, </b>Sebastian and his partner¡¯spany suffered significant consequences. Later, when the family went bankaupt, theirpany was hit even harder, leading his partner to m the table and curse.


    Sebastian couldn¡¯t tolerate the insults directed at his parents.


    As a result, the friction that had been quietly building up finally came to a head. The two parted ways unhappily, and in the end, they dissolved their partnership, Breaking up the partnership meant that the shared profits <b>would </b>now have to be divided. Naturally, that caused even more friction and conflict. Neither side wanted topromise, and neither did.


    It was at the point of division that Sebastian realized there were significant ws in the contract his partner had given him. He had ced his trust in the other


    , only to find that this trust had tumed into a <b>weapon </b>used <b>against </b>him.


    With this huge w in <b>ce</b>, most of thepany¡¯s resources had been redirected and ended up entirely in his partner¡¯s hands. Sebastian¡¯s assets dwindled, but he didn¡¯t utter a word. Loolding at the bnce in his <b>ount</b>, he still transferred two million dors to Myra regardless.


    The money relieved Myra¡¯s urgent need. The medical <b>and </b>emergency fees <b>had </b>all been <b>paid</b>.


    Before Dexter regained consciousness, Myra was concerned about Ka and hurriedly left the hospital to go home.


    On the <b>way</b>, she was afraid something might happen to Ka. Her heart was in her throat, and it wasn¡¯t until she opened the door and saw Ka lying on the couch eating fruits <b>that </b>she felt a sense of relief. ¡°Ka, are you okay? I was so worried about you!¡±


    Myra let out a breath of relief, but <b>soon </b>after, she was overwhelmed by <b>confusion </b>and a creeping sense of coldness,


    The previous night, they had sent Ka to escape and seek help. However, the police who <b>arrived </bter said they hadn¡¯t received any distress calls. They only arrived after noticing the situation during their patrol.


    That suggested that Ka hadn¡¯t reached out for help. She had been at home, leisurely eating fruits and watching TV while her parents were missing and in danger. Aftering to the realization, Myra felt as though she had fallen into an ice cer. A dyed chill crept up from her feet, and soon, her hands and feet were freezing cold novelbin


    Ka <b>was </b>startled by the <b>sound </b>of the door opening. When she saw Myra, her eyes widened in surprise, and she was shocked. She hadn¡¯t expected Myra to retum so soon. <b>Given </b>what <b>had </b>happened the previous night, she had thought Myra and Dexter were more likely to meet a tragic end. It was even possible they might not


    return <b>at </b><b>all </b>


    Cursing inwardly, Ka immediately put down the watermelon in her hand and concealed her expression in an instant. ¡°Mom! You¡¯re back Where¡¯s Dad? Are you both okay? Boo¨Choo¡­ <b>I </b>was so scaredst night. When I escaped<b>, </b>I tried to find someone for help, but I ended up being followed¡±


    She then jumped off the couch and rushed to Myra. There was a mix of fear and joy on her face as she cried, ¡°I was terrified, so I ran all the way home to wait for you.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 443

    <b>With </b><b>just </b>a few words, <b>Ka </b>managed to regain control of the situation. She came up with a reasonable exnation for herself and portrayed herself as the victim. That <b>way</b><b>, </b>she could make people forget what she had done, leaving only sympathy and pity for her.


    Once Ka finished speaking<b>, </b>Myra¡¯s expression softened considerably.


    So, that was what happened. Well, that made some sense.


    Myra repeatedly reminded herself that she had brought up Ka with so much effort, dedicating all her energy and love. She was kind, innocent, naive<b>, </b>and adorable. She was definitely not the cold¨Chearted, ungrateful person Myra had just imagined her to be.


    Gradually, Myra seemed to convince herself.


    She paused for a moment before briefly recounting the events of the previous night. However, she skipped over the part about being saved by the girl in ck and only mentioned <b>that </b>she was rescued by the police.


    <b>Ka </b>was eager to move past the topic. Although she felt that Myra and Dexter were incredibly lucky, she didn¡¯t dare to ask more questions.


    Myra continued, ¡°Your dad is injured and in the hospital. He needs someone to care for him. I¡¯ll pack some clothes and head over. What about you, Ka?¡±


    <b>¡°</b><b>I¡¯ll </b><b>go </b>too! Mom, I can take care of you and Dad. Don¡¯t worry!¡± Ka responded.


    <b>¡°</b>Good girl.¡± Myra smiled with relief.


    When the mother and daughter arrived at the hospital, Dexter was still unconscious.


    <b>To </b>show her care and filial devotion, Ka prepared a basin of warm water and gently wiped Dexter¡¯s face. After that, she used a cotton swab to dab water on Dexter¡¯s cracked lips. <b>Even </b>though those were small gestures, her careful attention proved she had put her heart into it.


    Witnessing the scene, Myra felt deeply reassured.


    ¡°Mom, you¡¯ve stayed up all night. Go get some rest now. I¡¯ll take care of Dad here. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Ka said thoughtfully.


    After staying up all night, Myra was mentally and physically drained. She truly felt exhausted. She gave a small nod and said, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t go far. I¡¯ll take a nap <b>at </b><b>a </b>nearby hotel ande back to switch with youter.¡±


    ¡°<b>Mm</b>¨Chmm.¡± Ka nodded obediently.


    The moment Myra walked away, her gaze fell on the still¨Cunconscious Dexter lying on the hospital bed. The smile on her face disappeared in an instant, leaving only irritation.


    Enough was enough.


    She had assumed that Dexter, having once been the wealthiest man in Khogend, would have the capability to rebuild his fortune and reim his position. However, <b>it </b>turned out she had overestimated him. novelbin


    If Dexter truly had any capability, he wouldn¡¯t have ended up in such a state¨Cbeaten to the brink of death, leaving his wife and daughter living in constant fear. There was <b>no </b>future with the Fuller family. She couldn¡¯t let herself remain stuck with them. She had to think of a way to secure a better path forward. Frustration surged through Ka. The map in her hands was her ace, but the problem was, she couldn¡¯t decipher the constetion on it at all.


    <b>It </b>seemed like there <b>was </b>only one option left. She had to divide the constetions on the map into sections and find various pretexts to seek help from different <b>people </b><b>to </b>decipher them.


    Without wasting any time<b>, </b>Ka sprang into action. Seizing the moment while the ward was empty, she took out the map she had been keeping close to her, held it <b>up </b><b>to </b>the light, and prepared to cut it into <b>pieces</b>.


    Just as she was about <b>to </b><b>act</b><b>, </b>a hoarse voice sounded behind her, questioning in disbelief, ¡°Ka, what is that in your hand?¡±


    Startled<b>, </b>Ka Immediately turned around, only <b>to </b><b>see </b>that Dexter had woken up at some point. His cloudy eyes were fixed on her and the map she hadn¡¯t managed to conceal.


    Act Fast Free <b>Bonus </b>Time is Running Out!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 444

    <b>¡°</b>Dad¡­ Dad¡­ <b>Please </b>listen to me! <b>It¡¯s </b>not what you think. T¨CThis map is actually-¡±


    <b>¡°</b><b>Ka</b>! Don¡¯t you dare lie to me<b>!</b><b>¡± </b>


    Dexter was enraged. The map that was swapped without his knowledge had turned their family¡¯s fate upside down. The hardships, the humiliation, and the ambush they enduredst night<b>¡­ </b><b>It </b>was all <b>because </b><b>of </b>that switch!


    He was so angry that his fingers <b>were </b>trembling.


    <b>How </b>could it be her? The daughter he loved beyond measure, the one he would give his life for, had betrayed him.


    If he hadn¡¯t stumbled across the truth today<b>, </b>she <b>would¡¯ve </b>kept ying innocent<b>, </b>watching the Fullers crumble into ruin while standing on the sidelines- untouched and uncaring.


    <b>¡°</b>Hand me the map. Now!<b>¡± </b>Dexter demanded, extending his hand. His voice was <b>so </b>loud it seemed to shake the ceiling.


    <b>¡°</b>Dad¡­ I <b>can¡¯t </b>give <b>it </b>to <b>you</b><b>. </b>It¡¯s mine<b>!</b>¡±


    Ka felt a twinge <b>of </b>guilt, but her determination didn¡¯t waver. She even tried to manipte Dexter as she said, ¡°Dad, this map is useless in your hands. Only I can unlock its true potential. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t give it to you!¡±


    Dexter was left speechless. At that moment, he was very furious.


    Then, summoning strength he didn¡¯t even know he had, he ripped <b>the </b>IV from his arm andunched himself at Ka. He wanted to snatch the map back.


    Whether he tore it apart or handed it over to someone else didn¡¯t matter. The map just couldn¡¯t be in the hands of the Fullers.


    Otherwise, the disasters it would bring were unthinkable.


    <b>¡°</b>Dad?¡±


    Ka waspletely caught off guard. She never imagined Dexter would resort to grabbing it by force.


    Panic <b>set </b>in, and her instincts kicked in. She lunged forward, grappling with him as the struggle for the map began.


    As the struggle intensified, Ka¡¯s frustration turned into cold resolve.


    Seeing Dexter¡¯s weakened state after his surgery, she pushed him forcefully back onto the hospital bed. Without hesitation, she grabbed a pillow and nket from nearby<b>, </b>pressing them firmly over his face.


    With eyes burning with rage, she said maliciously, <b>¡°</b><b>You </b>forced me into this¡­ You made me do this. Just die already!¡± novelbin


    Dexter thrashed beneath her, his body convulsing with desperate resistance. However, his strength quickly faded, and a muffled whimper escaped him as his <b>movements </b><b>slowed</b>.


    Suddenly, the sound of a door handle turning shattered the tension in the air.


    Ka panicked, and her heart pounded like crazy at that moment. She then quickly threw the pillow and nket aside while crying out, ¡°Doctor! Doctor, help! My dad<b>¡­ </b><b>He¡¯s </b>not breathing! Please, someone, help!¡±


    Chaos erupted <b>as </b>medical staff rushed into the ward. Dexter was whisked away to the emergency room amidst themotion.


    <b>With </b>her face streaked with tears<b>, </b>Ka wept bitterly, clinging to her role as the distraught daughter. She painted a convincing picture, iming Dexter had tried to take his <b>own </b>life after waking up in despair.


    <b>Her </b>tearful exnation <b>was </b><b>enough </b>to dispel any suspicion, <b>so </b>no one doubted her story.


    When Myra <b>received </b>the news and rushed to the hospital, Dexter had already <b>been </b>sent into the emergency room. She refused to believe that the tough man, Dexter<b>, </b>would <b>attempt </b><b>to </b>take his <b>own </b><b>life</b><b>. </b>It was <b>so </b>absurd! It was impossible!


    <b>No </b>matter how many <b>times </b>she <b>pressed </b>Ka for answers, all she <b>got </b>in return were sobs and a tearful exnation.


    ¡°Mom<b>, </b><b>I¡¯m </b><b>so </b><b>sorry</b>. If I had been more <b>attentive</b><b>, </b><b>I </b>could¡¯ve stopped Dad from doing something <b>so </b>reckless<b>. </b>I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡±


    <b>Ka¡¯s </b>hands <b>were </b><b>icy</b>, and her face was pale<b>, </b><b>as </b><b>if </b>she <b>were </b>truly terrified.


    Myra felt bad <b>as </b>she said, ¡°This is all my fault<b>. </b>I should never have left the two <b>of </b><b>you </b>alone while I went to rest. If I had stayed, none of this would¡¯ve happened.¡± Fortunately<b>, </b>the ordeal in the emergency room didn¡¯t <bst </b>long.


    An hourter<b>, </b>the doors opened. The doctor <b>stepped </b><b>out</b><b>, </b>pulling off his mask. ¡°The patient is stable now and out of danger<b>.</b>¡±


    <b>¡°</b>Thank goodness! Thank you so much, doctor<b>!</b><b>¡± </b>Myra eximed.


    She was too overwhelmed to notice the subtle tension in <b>Ka¡¯s </b><b>expression</b><b>, </b><b>such </b><b>as </b>the stiffness of her <b>posture </b><b>or </b>the way her <b>gaze </b>flickered <b>nervously</b><b>. </b>


    It was over now¡­ What was she <b>supposed </b>to <i>do </i>now<b>? </b>

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 445

    The moment Dexter woke up, all her secrets would be exposed. When that happened, Ka knew there was no way the Fuller couple would let her stay in the family.


    Her heart raced wildly, her panic palpable. She didn¡¯t even hear Myra calling her name until they were back in the hospital ward. Dexter was wheeled in and ced on the bed now that he was stable.


    Should she just kill him?


    The thought raged in Ka¡¯s mind, growing more insistent with every passing second. Her hands twitched, and she almost gave in to the urge that wed at her from the inside.


    However, Myra¡¯s presence was like a wall. It was impossible to scale or break.


    There wasn¡¯t even a usible excuse to get her out of the room.


    Ka¡¯s panic mounted. Her chest tightened as regret and frustration churned within her. What had she been thinking earlier?


    In that split second of rashness, she exposed the map and risked herself. Now, she was trapped and caught between two disastrous oues with no other option. While Ka spiraled in her frantic thoughts, a faint movement from the hospital bed snapped her attention back.


    Dexter stirred, his fingers twitching before his eyes slowly fluttered open.


    ¡°Darling, you¡¯re finally awake! How do you feel? Does anything hurt?¡± Myra¡¯s voice brimmed with relief as she grasped Dexter¡¯s hand tightly.


    Dexter didn¡¯t so much as nce at Myra. His vacant eyes were fixed on the ceiling, unblinking. They looked utterly lifeless. novelbin


    No matter how many times she called his name, there was no response.


    Myra felt a growing sense of unease. Without hesitation, she called for the doctor, but the results only shattered her even further.


    ¡°The patient had already suffered severe trauma to the head, and the recent near¨Csuffocation likely triggered psychological damage from external stimuli¡­


    As the doctor finished his sentence, Myra staggered, nearly copsing under the weight of his words.


    How could this happen? How was this even possible?


    Myra was about to lose it as she said, ¡°Doctor, please! Do something! Whatever it takes¨Cmedications, surgeries, even the most expensive equipment¡­ I don¡¯t care about the cost. I just want him to get better!¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Fuller, I understand how you feel, but it¡¯s not a matter of money. Given your husband¡¯s condition, there¡¯s¡­ no hope for recovery.¡±


    Myra was speechless.


    There was no hope for recovery¡­


    Those words hit her like a punch to the gut.


    Myra stared nkly at Dexter lying on the hospital bed. He stared back at her, chin.


    his eyes wide and vacant. He was even grinning foolishly as drool dripped down his


    He mumbled incoherently, and his words were nothing more than garbled sounds.


    Myra closed her eyes tightly because she didn¡¯t know how to process this terrible news.


    After a few moments, she began to steady herself, slowly epting the harsh reality. She thought to herself, ¡°It¡¯s okay. It doesn¡¯t matter. As long as he¡¯s still here, that¡¯s enough.¡±


    Then, she took a few tissues and gently wiped the drool from Dexter¡¯s chin. Her movements and expression were filled with tenderness.


    As Ka watched the scene unfold, her heart raced.


    This was absolutely perfect!


    Dexter had be <b>a </b>fool!


    With Dexter in this state, no one would ever learn about the map. She no longer had to worry about him ¡°waking up¡± anding after her for revenge.


    Ka pretended to wipe away her tears and said with a trembling voice, ¡°Mom, now that Dad is like this¡­ What are we going to do?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m still here. Ka, <b>you¡¯ve </b>been through enough. Go home and rest<b>. </b>I¡¯ll stay here with your father. <b>I </b>won¡¯t be going back for a while, so take care of


    yourself.¡±


    Though Myra sounded tired, if one listened closely, there was more resilience and calmness than fatigue <b>in </b>her voice.


    The events she had faced had changed her<b>, </b>yet in some ways, she remained the same.


    However, Ka was too absorbed in her own concerns to notice the subtle shift. She didn¡¯t see the deeper look Myra gave her, one that held more meaning than she could possibly understand.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 446

    After exchanging a few pleasantries, Ka reluctantly left the ward. She said as she walked out, ¡°Mom, take care of yourself. I¡¯ll go home for now, but I¡¯ll make some soup ande back to keep youpany in <b>a </b>couple of days.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re such a good girl,¡± Myra responded with a gentle smile, just like before.


    Once Ka had left, the ward fell silent.


    Myra reached out, gently brushing her fingers across Dexter¡¯s vacant face.


    It was as if she were speaking to him but also to herself, ¡°I don¡¯t believe you could¡¯ve just fallen sick like this. I don¡¯t believe you¡¯d ever want to end your life. The doctor said you were agitated, but the only one by your side at the time was Ka. What could have possibly happened to you that would affect you like this?¡±


    As she lowered her head, she thought <b>of </b>something that she hadn¡¯t told Ka earlier. She wanted to let her know that she still had some money left, which was the two million dors she had taken from Sebastian.


    After covering the medical bills, she still <b>had </b>a substantial sum.


    With that money, she would take Dexter to a better hospital and find a renowned doctor with a solid


    She swore to herself that she would bring Dexter back.


    reputation.


    Taking a deep breath, Myra waited until Dexter had fallen asleep again before she quietly slipped out of the ward to find the nurse who had been doing rounds earlier.


    She needed answers.


    What really happened to Dexter? Why did Ka say he tried to kill himself?


    Would someone actually use a pillow or nket to suffocate themselves like that?


    The nurse shook her head and said, ¡°Mrs. Fuller, I honestly don¡¯t know what happened. I only remember when I walked in, your daughter was shouting, saying your husband was going to kill himself. She told me to get help.


    ¡°When I rushed in, your husband¡¯s face was already turning purple. He almost died back then, but when we checked, we found that the IV needle in his hand had been pulled out by him. The wound was unmistakable. As for why it happened¡­ I really don¡¯t know.¡±


    The nurse spoke in great detail, sharing everything she knew.


    Myra pressed her palm tightly to her hand and asked again, ¡°So, at the time, it was just my husband and daughter in the ward? No one else?¡± novelbin


    ¡°Yes, just them.¡± The nurse nodded.


    ¡°Alright, I got it. Thank you.¡±


    Myra clenched her fists until her fists turned pale, but her expression remained calm as she smiled softly at the nurse.


    That smile was unexpectedly beautiful.


    The nurse was momentarily taken aback, remembering how<b>, </b>when she was younger, Myra was known as the most beautiful woman in Khogend.


    Time had passed, but it had treated her well, giving her a grace <b>that </b>others could only envy.


    Caught up in the moment, the nurse blurted out without thinking twice, ¡°Mrs. Fuller, you might want to keep an eye on your adopted daughter. She doesn¡¯t like a good person¡­ She looks so shrewd, like she¡¯s plotting something¡­¡±


    As soon as the words left her mouth, the nurse immediately regretted it. She realized how inappropriate they sounded.


    Though her intent was only to war, it might seem like she was stirring up trouble for no reason.


    seem


    ¡°Mrs. Fuller, I¡¯m so sorry. That¡¯s not what I meant at all. I probably read too many novels and just have a habit of thinking the worst of people. Please don¡¯t mind


    <b>me</b>.<b>¡± </b>


    To her surprise, Myra didn¡¯t seem angry or upset. She replied with a gentle tone<b>, </b>¡°Thank you<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Oh<b>, </b><b>n</b>¨Cno problem.¡±


    Feeling embarrassed, the nurse quickly left.


    As Myra returned to Dexter¡¯s side, her mind was a tangled mess.


    The quiet ward seemed to echo with her barely audible murmurs<b>, </b><b>¡°</b><b>Ka</b>¡­ He¡¯s your father¡­<b>¡± </b>


    soft and distant.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 447

    Chapter <b>447 </b>novelbin


    Ka sneezed twice when she got home. After all that had happened, she ate the takeout she bought on her way home for dinner. She merely took a few bites before putting down her fork. ¡°Ugh! It tastes horrible!¡±


    She was used to <b>a </b>life of luxury, always eating the best foods and getting served by maids. The downgrade in lifestyle felt like endless torture for her.


    After what had happenedst night, she realized her apartment wasn¡¯t safe either. She wouldn¡¯t be able to escape if the thugs came looking for her again. But she couldn¡¯t think of anyone she could turn to. Who should she share the map with to maximize the returns?


    Curling up on the couch, Ka poked the plushie beside her out of boredom.


    She thought of looking for Arnold but quickly dropped the idea. Arnold could not even secure his ce as the heir of the Lawson family. Not only that, he was banished to <b>a </b>foreignnd by Mike and barred froming home unless necessary.


    How about Melvin? No, that wouldn¡¯t work either.


    Melvin was once her number one simp, but something must have snapped in him because he had suddenly lost interest in her. He no longer gravitated around her, and rumor had it that he recently got himself a girlfriend.


    Men <b>were </b>so unreliable<b>¨C</b>all of them!


    Her train of thought was interrupted by the doorbell ringing. She jumped in shock and nearly fell off the couch in a hurry. At the same time, she grabbed a fruit knife from the coffee table.


    Was that bunch of troublesome thugs here again?


    Ka stayed quiet as she made her way to the door barefoot. She cautiously peeked through the peephole and saw a familiar middle¨Caged couple at the door. They were Howell and Tabitha¨Cher biological parents!


    What were they doing here?


    Ka had no ns to open the door. She wanted to ignore them, but they wouldn¡¯t stop ringing the doorbell, yelling, ¡°Hey, Ka darling, open the door! We¡¯re your parents!¡±


    Ka trembled in rage at their audacity. She kicked the door open and threatened them with the knife. ¡°Get lost! How dare you call yourself my parents? You reek of poverty! You disgust me!¡±


    ¡°Child, what¡¯s with the knife? Put it down now. We¡¯re here with good news!¡± Howell beamed, his features wrinkling up. A cunning glint appeared in his eyes. Tabitha acted the same way.


    Ka was confused and frustrated. Ever since Shawn was arrested for murder, Howell and Tabitha had been harassing her non¨Cstop, even threatening to kill her to avenge him.


    Back then, they hated her so much that they wanted her dead. But now, their attitudes had changedpletely.


    She eyed them warily. In a frosty tone, she barked, ¡°Spit it out! Don¡¯t y games with me. I don¡¯t have time for you!¡±


    ¡°What a thoughtless child,¡± said Tabitha.


    Noticing that Ka was about to fly into a rage, she hurriedly added, ¡°Alright, alright. So, this is what happened. My cousin¨Cyour aunt¨Cwishes to see you.¡±


    Ka fell silent, wondering if she had heard Tabitha wrongly. Then, she chortled, not bothering to hide her contempt. ¡°Are you guys sick in the head? Where is this poor rtive from? Do I have to meet her just because she wants to see me? Who does she think she is?¡±


    Howell stole a panicked nce over his shoulder and quickly stopped Ka¡¯s rant. ¡°What nonsense is that? Your aunt is a big shot!¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 448

    Chapter <b>448 </b>


    ¡°Hm? Tell me, then. Who is she?¡± Ka rolled her eyes with disdain. Howell and his family were parasites from the lowest rung of society. They couldn¡¯t possibly know any big shot!


    Straightening up, Tabitha deliberately bragged, ¡°My cousin married into the Carrell family of Seldvale!¡±


    The Carrell family of Seldvale? novelbin


    Ka might not have heard of many prestigious families, but the Carrell family of Seldvale was well¨Cknown.


    They were an extremely reputable, wealthy, and powerful family with a high social standing in Seldvale. Never had Ka expected Tabitha to be rted to someone from the Carrell family.


    ¡°Is that for real? Are you lying to me?¡±


    Even Tabitha could not believe in her good fortune.


    Two days ago, when Tabitha and Howell carried out their usual fraudulent operations on the streets, they were cornered and sandwiched between two cars. They were terribly shocked because they thought they had gotten into serious trouble. To their surprise, they were invited into one of the cars, where they met the woman¨CGabrielle Tisch¨Cwho imed she was Tabitha¡¯s cousin.


    It took Tabitha a while to remember her cousin, who was, in reality, a distant rtive of hers.


    Of course,


    she would never give up on such a golden opportunity to associate with someone from wealth. She immediately acted chummy with her cousin.


    As a daughter¨Cinw of the Carrell family, Gabrielle was generous to Tabitha and Howell. She immediately paid them a huge fortune and requested that they reach out to Ka as she wanted to reunite with Ka.


    That was the reason Howell and Tabitha immediately came to Ka.


    Ka snorted. ¡°Even so, what does this have to do with me?¡±


    Howell thought Ka was an ungrateful woman, but he tried not to show it. He snapped, ¡°Your adoptive parents are bankrupt and can¡¯t fund you anymore. Why won¡¯t you reconnect with a wealthy and powerful aunt?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Tabitha chimed in. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have gotten the chance to reunite with Gabrielle if it weren¡¯t for me. You have me to thank. Got it?¡±


    Ka sneered and rolled her eyes. She refused to fall into their trap. There was no free lunch in this world. Gabrielle probably wanted to meet her because she had an ulterior motive. It had nothing to do with a family reunion!


    Who knew? Gabrielle might be eyeing the map in her possession!


    With that in mind, Ka immediately stepped back into her ce and tried to shut the door.


    At that moment, the elevator arrived on their floor. A plump and extravagant woman stepped out and approached them with a few bodyguards by her side. Tabitha immediately cooed, ¡°Gosh, it¡¯s Gabrielle.¡±


    Howell greeted Gabrielle as well. At the same time, he urged Ka, ¡°That¡¯s your aunt! Greet her!¡±


    Ka stared at him silently while cursing him in her mind. She had wanted to m the door in everyone¡¯s faces, but she controlled her anger out of respect for the Carrells¡® reputation and status. She quietly stood at the door.


    Gabrielle was the first to break the ice. She carried herself with arrogance, coldness, and a sense of superiority. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know who I am. I¡¯ll get to the point. I want the map in your hands. In return, you can choose to take me as your aunt. I¡¯ll provide you with whatever you need and protect you to the best of my ability. ¡°Of course, you have the right to turn me down, but¡­ Before that, you should consider if you can handle the repercussions.¡±


    Gabrielle wrapped up her speech without batting an eye. She had threatened Ka with a calmness and arrogance that belonged to those from the upper crust of society<b>. </b>

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 449

    Ka was stunned from the moment Gabrielle opened her mouth. She blurted out, ¡°How did you know I have the map?¡±


    She instantly regretted the slip¨Cup. She had walked right into Gabrielle¡¯s trap.


    Gabrielle arched a brow in amusement and replied proudly, ¡°Well, now I know.¡±


    Ka¡¯s face turned ashen, but her mind worked fast. Her family was no longer able to support her. She¡¯d rather give up on that useless map in exchange for connections with the Carrell family <b>of </b>Seldvale.


    Besides, she could muddle through it if the Carrells managed to decipher the constetions on the map! Who knew? She might eveny im to the legendary treasure!


    Always a flexible woman, Ka now put on an obedient, smiling face. She replied sweetly, ¡°Aunt Gabrielle, I can¡¯t say no to your request. Here¡¯s the map¡­¡± novelbin


    She pulled out the map from her shirt pocket and handed it to Gabrielle with both hands. Gabrielle shot her a look of approval for her deference. ¡°You¡¯re sensible.¡± ¡°Aunt Gabrielle, I¡¯ll have to count on you in the future.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s <b>for </b>sure. I¡¯m always generous to my younger rtives.¡± Gabrielle took the map and tossed it at the bodyguards without so much as taking a look. One would wonder if she had full trust in Ka or if she was confident that Ka wouldn¡¯t have the guts to trick her.


    She said to the guards, ¡°Bring the map to Pete.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    The bodyguards took the map and carried out Gabrielle¡¯s orders right away. Ka was worried that the map might be swapped again when it was delivered, which would be really funny. She¡¯d end up like Dexter and Myra<b>, </b>unable to exin the whereabouts of the map.


    Thankfully, her worries did not materialize. Pete was waiting in a car on the first floor.


    When he received the map, he immediately rolled it out and checked it. Ka stood by the window, trying her best to take a glimpse of him, but all she could see was his pale and thin wrist with a rosary bracelet on it.


    Gabrielle asked, ¡°Alright. What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Nothing special. I just want to stay by your side, Aunt Gabrielle. I want to hide from those thugs and learn about the world from you.¡± Ka¡¯s reply was a half- truth, but her great ambitions shone through.


    Gabrielle stared at Ka again, praising, ¡°You¡¯re much better than your biological parents.¡±


    Then, she nced at Howell and Tabitha, who had been acting ingratiatingly this whole time. She said with disdain, ¡°You¡¯re a failure of parents. Not only is your real daughter nothing like you, but that girl you raised is also much more capable than both of you.¡±


    Ka sensed that something was wrong when Gabrielle brought up Felicia. Gabrielle knew too much. She had obviously been investigating¨Cor rather, monitoring -everyone¡¯s movement, including Felicia¡¯s.


    That exined how Gabrielle knew the map was with Ka.


    Ka felt relieved that she made the wise decision to hand over the map. Had she crossed Gabrielle, she would have lost the protection of the Carrell family.


    That day, Ka left with Gabrielle. Howell and Tabitha, who had been standing on the sidelines all day, finally came to their senses. They hurried after the two women, trying to curry favor. <b>¡°</b>Gabrielle, how about us? Which car do we take?¡±


    Gabrielle paused, which was a rare thing for her to do. She finally replied, ¡°Didn¡¯t <b>I </b>give you money? That¡¯s the payment for your efforts. Are you guys seriously thinking of going to Seldvale with me?¡±


    <b>¡°</b>C¨CCan¡¯t we?¡± Howell prodded carefully.


    Speechless, Gabrielle snapped, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Ka snorted and rudely said to him, ¡°You should go on with your day. Look at yourself in the mirror!¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 450

    Howell and Tabitha exchanged looks, seemingly flustered. Finally, Gabrielle¡¯s entourage made a move and left them behind.


    Ka shared a car with Gabrielle. She asked, ¡°Aunt Gabrielle, are we heading to Seldvale?¡±


    Gabrielle replied without hesitation, ¡°No. We¡¯ll stay in Khogend for a bit.¡±


    Ka was about to nod when she heard a soft cough from the back seat. She snapped around and spotted the pale wrist with the shining rosary bracelet. The man¡¯s face finally came into view.


    Pete Carrell had good features. He was good¨Clooking, though he looked sickly. Perhaps that was the reason he came across as soft and noble yet non- confrontational.


    He wore <b>a </b>gentle expression, looking poised, quiet, tender, and weing.


    In that instant, Ka recognized him as Gabrielle¡¯s son. That would make him her cousin.


    Smiling sweetly, she greeted him, ¡°Hi, Pete¡­¡±


    Pete coughed a few more times before giving her a nod as a response.


    Silence filled the air. Ka decided to go along with it. She had decided to be on her best behavior.


    There were only a total <b>of </b>four people in that car, and each was lost in their own thoughts.


    The driver did not make a sound either. He was the odd one out in the entire group.


    Felicia was in the dark about the incident at the hospital. She had done her best by saving Dexter and Myra from the thugs, and she couldn¡¯t be bothered about what happened next to them. At the very least, she did not have a guilty conscience for not helping.


    She assumed that Dexter and Myra would be safe as they had been sent to the hospital right away. To her surprise, she received an urgent call from the hospital weekster, urging her toe.


    She was expecting a critical,plicated medical case awaiting her help, only to find Dexter lying in a ward.


    Stunned, she thought, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    The physician by her side whispered into her ear, ¡°He was sent here two hours ago, all bruised and scratched up, but those wounds are recovering. It¡¯s just that¡­¡± He pointed at his temple and continued, ¡°Mr. Fuller suffered a serious blow to the head and underwent severe mental stress. Inyman¡¯s terms, he¡¯s gone mad.¡± Felicia gathered herself and replied, ¡°I understand. Please go ahead. I won¡¯t take up more of your time.¡± novelbin


    ¡°Sure.¡± The physician left.


    Felicia stood at the door of the ward. Myra had lost so much weight that she no longer looked like the affluentdy she used to be. She was sleeping with her head resting on the side table. There were dark circles under her eyes, presumably from exhaustion after taking care of Dexter for days.


    Dexter¡¯s limbs were strapped on the patient¡¯s bed. Hey motionless as he stared at the ceiling. He made noises while drooling.


    Myra stirred awake when she heard the sounds. She quickly grabbed a few tissues to wipe the saliva dripping from the corner of his mouth. It looked like she had done this many times until it became almost reflexive.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 451

    Chapter <b>451 </b>


    After finishing her tasks, Myra turned toward the door. Felicia quickly ducked down.


    Felicia wasn¡¯t even sure why she felt the need to sneak around. Perhaps she didn¡¯t want to see the couple in such a pitiful state. Or maybe there was something else weighing on her heart and bringing back memories from long ago.


    In her miserable childhood, she often curled up in <b>a </ber after being beaten by her adoptive parents. She had imagined countless times what her biological parents might be like. She pictured them as a loving couple who supported each other through thick and thin.


    If Felicia hadn¡¯t been switched at birth, she would have grown up in a family full of love. And her parents were indeed in love just as Felicia had imagined. Yet they were not the parents she had envisioned.


    Felicia crouched in the corner for a long time. Kerry happened to pass by and was startled. ¡°Ms. Fuller, are you¡­ crying?¡±


    Crying? Felicia snapped out of her thoughts and instinctively touched her face, but there were no tears.


    Kerry blinked innocently and chuckled. ¡°Maybe I was mistaken.¡±


    Felicia gave him a weird smile. ¡°ying tricks on your employer? Say goodbye to your bonus this month.¡±


    ¡°What? No, Ms. Fuller! I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Kerry followed after her and apologized relentlessly.


    Felicia finally relented and sighed. ¡°<b>If </b>you don¡¯t want your bonus cut, then stay outside and make sure no onees in.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡± Kerry grinned brightly, her already pretty face lighting up with glee.


    Felicia entered the room.


    ¤Ê


    The moment Myra saw her, it was as though she had seen a ghost. Her expression was now a mix of rm and defensiveness. ¡°What are you doing here? Where¡¯s the physician?¡±


    Felicia ignored her. She stepped forward and checked Dexter¡¯s pulse. His injuries weren¡¯t severe, and his organs were fine. After half a month of rest, he had recovered well physically. But the head trauma he suffered, coupled with emotional distress, had left him mentally scarred.


    Did something happen that night that further traumatized Dexter?


    Felicia couldn¡¯t figure it out, nor did she want to waste her energy guessing. Regardless of the cause, Dexter was her patient, and it was her responsibility to treat him to the best of her ability. novelbin


    Felicia took out a row of needles that gleamed under the sunlight. But before she could start, Myra grabbed her arm and demanded, ¡°What are you trying to do? Can¡¯t <b>you </b>see how badly hurt your father is? How dare you act recklessly?¡±


    Myra was agitated. Exhaustion over the past few weeks had drained her patience, and faced with Felicia, who was convinced she was cold and ungrateful, only fueled her anger.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the medical master? Doesn¡¯t the Miracle Healer work here? Get them! I only want them!¡± Myra shouted for help as she shoved Felicia toward the door.


    Kerry immediately burst into the room. Seeing Felicia being pushed out, she said sharply,


    <b>¡°</b>Mrs. Fuller<b>, </b>let <b>go </b>of her <b>if </b>you want your husband to recover! The medical master you¡¯re shouting for is standing right in front <b>of </b>you!¡±


    <b>Kerry </b>was furious. She didn¡¯t know the full details of the Fuller family drama, but she had heard whispers among the others. The couple seeking treatment today <b>were </b>once the wealthiest in Khogend. And they were also Felicia¡¯s parents!


    So, Kerry had gone <b>above </b>and beyond for the couple before Felicia arrived. But this didn¡¯t seem like a reunion between mother and child. It was more like a showdown <b>between </b><b>enemies</b><b>! </b>

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 452

    Chapter <b>452 </b>novelbin


    Myra shoved Felicia away<b>, </b>her grip leaving marks on Felicia¡¯s arm.


    Kerry noticed this and scoffed. ¡°Mrs. Fuller, don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t know your daughter is skilled in medical knowledge?¡±


    Myra froze as her expression turned to one of shock and disbelief.


    Felicia nced at Kerry. ¡°Go back outside and keep watch. Don¡¯te in unless <b>I </b>call for you.¡®


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Kerry obeyed and left.


    The door closed again<b>, </b>and the room was filled with loud silence.


    Felicia finally broke the silence<b>. </b>¡°Mrs. Fuller,e back when you¡¯ve thought things through. I have other matters to attend to.


    She opened the door and was just about to leave when Myra¡¯s voice stopped her. ¡°Felicia, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you. I¡¯m <b>just </b>afraid. I wouldn¡¯t know what to do if anything were to happen to your father again¡­¡± |


    Her <b>words </b>made it sound as <b>if </b>Felicia had harmed them before<b>. </b>


    Felicia smiled bitterly and turned to leave.


    Behind her, Myra turned back to Dexter, who was still restrained on the bed. Her heart twisted. Over the past weeks<b>, </b>she had taken Dexter from hospital to hospital, seeking out renowned doctors and specialists. She had spent a fortune, yet none of them could restore Dexter to his normal self.


    With no other options, she came to Union Clinic.


    After examining Dexter, the doctor said that only their mentor could possibly help Dexter. So, Myra waited. After more than two hours of waiting, she never <b>expected </b>Felicia <b>to </b>show up!


    Thinking back on it, Kerry was right. Myra didn¡¯t understand her daughter at all. She had no idea Felicia even practiced medicine, let alone how skilled she was.


    Myra gritted her teeth. Since even the medical master<b>, </b>who was widely regarded as the best<b>, </b>imed to be Felicia¡¯s student, she decided to trust Felicia just this once!


    When Myra stepped outside, Felicia hadn¡¯t gone far. She was treating another patient, and the way she moved was mesmerizing.


    <b>It </b>was the first time Myra had ever seen Felicia perform acupuncture.


    The needles seemed <b>to </be alive in Felicia¡¯s hands. Her movements were precise<b>, </b>and the depth at which the needles prated the patient was nearly identical


    <b>with </b>each insertion<b>. </b>


    Myra finally understood why Clive had insisted that Felicia take over Harmony Medical Center. Even on his deathbed, he hadn¡¯t forgotten to leave the family¡¯s treasured <b>set </b><b>of </b>golden needles to Felicia. He had said that only Felicia could use the golden needles <b>to </b>their full potential.


    Myra had dismissed his words back then<b>. </b>But after witnessing Felicia¡¯s skill, she finally believed it.


    The golden <b>needles</b><b>! </b>


    A pang of guilt struck Myra.


    <b>Clive¡¯s </b><b>golden </b>needles <b>were </b>entrusted to her. But she had <b>carelessly </b>stashed them <b>away </b>and, in her anger at Felicia for not attending Clive¡¯s funeral, had given the needles <b>to </b>Ka <b>to </b>y with.


    <b>Later</b><b>, </b><b>Ka </b><b>apparently </b>sold them<b>¡­ </b>


    For the <b>first </b><b>time</b><b>, </b>Myra felt <b>regret </b>and frustration. <b>However</b>, <b>the </b>emotion didn¡¯t linger as Felicia was already walking toward her. <b>¡°</b><b>I </b>can try performing


    <b>acupuncture </b><b>on </b>Mr. Fuller<b>, </b><b>but </b><b>I </b><b>can¡¯t </b>guarantee <b>he¡¯ll </b>wake up.¡±


    Myra nodded desperately.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 453

    Myra wanted to cling to everyst hope.


    Felicia returned to the room. Dexter was still lying on the bed, his limbs restrained with ropes.


    It was Myra who had tied him up. novelbin


    Ever since Dexter lost his mind, he would wander off and repeatedly tear at his wounds. Left with no other choice, Myra had resorted to tying his hands and feet to prevent further harm.


    It was <b>a </b>desperate measure<b>. </b>


    Felicia sterilized the needles and began inserting them into the acupoints on Dexter¡¯s head. Her fingers pinched the end of each needle<b>, </b>gently twisting it as she inserted it.


    Halfway through the process, Dexter shouted before struggling violently. His hoarse voice was like the roar of a trapped beast.


    Myra¡¯s heart skipped a beat as the sound sent shivers down her spine. She instinctively stepped forward to intervene. ¡°He¡¯s reacting this way because it hurts, right? Did you do something wrong? Should we stop for now or maybe try a different method?¡±


    Felicia found it strange as well. It wasn¡¯t that her acupuncture technique was wed but rather that Dexter¡¯s condition didn¡¯t seem to stem from a mental shock as she had suspected. Instead, it felt more like he was trapped in a nightmare<b>¡­ </b>


    During the needlework<b>, </b>Felicia sensed a force resisting her treatment. If that were the case, then Dexter would have to wake himself up from the nightmares.


    Felicia removed the needles and concluded.


    Myra listened closely, but Felicia¡¯s words went over her head. She only caught the gist of it. <b>¡°</b><b>So</b>, you¡¯re saying your dad is currently trapped in a nightmare? And he can only wake up on his own?¡±


    Felicia ignored the word ¡°dad¡± and muttered, ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    Myra was baffled. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean he has lost his mind?<b>¡± </b>


    <b>¡°</b><b>You </b>could put it that way. But it¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± Felicia added, ¡°From what I¡¯ve observed, he¡¯ll likely return to normal within two weeks<b>. </b>It could happen in a day or <b>two </b>if things go well. You can try stimting him in the meantime.¡±


    K


    ¡°How?¡± Myra was perplexed.


    ¡°You could talk to him<b>, </b>show him something meaningful<b>, </b>or bring someone he knows <b>to </b>see him. Anything that can evoke <b>a </b>strong reaction might help.<b>¡± </b>Felicia


    hummed.


    Myra sighed. That didn¡¯t sound like it would <b>work</b>.


    Myra had tried countless times <b>to </bmunicate <b>with </b>Dexter over the <b>past </b>two weeks. She would even bring up their younger days<b>. </b>But Dexter remained numb and didn¡¯t react!


    ¡°That¡¯s <b>all</b><b>.</b><b>¡± </b>Having said everything she needed to<b>, </b>Felicia wiped her hands and said coolly, ¡°The consultation is <b>over</b>. Since <b>I </b><b>can¡¯t </b>cure him, there¡¯s no need to pay the <b>fee</b><b>. </b><b>You </b>may leave <b>now</b><b>.</b><b>¡± </b>


    <b>As </b>soon <b>as </b>Felicia finished speaking, Kerry appeared out of nowhere. He gestured to the door<b>, </b>cutting off any protests Myra might have.


    Myra <b>hesitated</b>. But in the <b>end</b><b>, </b>she said nothing. She stood frozen<b>, </b>watching Felicia¡¯s retreating figure in a daze<b>. </b>


    She <b>wasn¡¯t </b><b>sure </b><b>if </b>the light was ying tricks <b>on </b>her<b>. </b>But for a moment<b>, </b>the figure walking away blurred and ovepped with <b>the </b>ck¨Cd figure who had saved her and Dexter that fateful <b>night</b><b>. </b>


    The <b>figure </b>had been a <b>young </bdy <b>in </b><b>a </b>hat. It had <b>been </b>dark, with a lot of fighting and a bunch of thugs.


    Myra strained <b>to </b>recall the <b>details </b><b>of </b>that night<b>, </b><b>and </b>suddenly<b>, </b>something clicked in her mind.


    <b>After </b>the mysterious <b>young </b><bdy </b>appeared, she likely <b>used </b><b>a </b><b>poisonous </b>powder during her fight with the thugs<b>. </b>Once she scattered the powder, it immediately paralyzed the <b>thugs</b><b>, </b><b>leaving </b>them sprawled <b>across </b>the <b>floor</b><b>. </b>


    After <b>that</b><b>, </b><b>she </b>crouched down and checked <b>Dexter¡¯s </b>pulse before performing acupuncture on him<b>. </b>It was the <b>only </b><b>reason </b>Dexter could make it <b>to </b>the hospital for treatment!


    Spin <b>to </b>im Your Surprise Reward!


    X


    <b>y </b>

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 454

    The youngdy who saved Myra and Dexter that night was skilled in medicine and acupuncture.


    Who else but Felicia could pull that off?


    As soon as this thought surfaced, Myra stumbled. She immediately chased after Felicia. ¡°Was it you, Licia? Were you the one who saved us that night?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me.¡± Felicia didn¡¯t even turn back. She looked detached as though she were shutting the world out.


    At moments like this, Myra couldn¡¯t help but feel resentful and helpless. She hated Felicia¡¯s indifferent attitude. How could her daughter feel so impossible to get close to?


    Even a dog would wag its tail at its owner.


    But Felicia? She always addressed Myra as Mrs. Fuller and never once called her ¡°Mom¡°. When had Felicia ever viewed Myra as her mother?


    Myra¡¯s heart ached.


    Just then, Kerry¡¯s mockingughter rang out behind her.


    Myra realized she had spoken her thoughts aloud. She grew embarrassed and snapped, ¡°What are youughing at?¡±


    Kerry crossed his arms. ¡°Ms. Fuller is a wonderful person. She may look cold on the outside, but she¡¯s kind. If you feel she¡¯s shutting you out, have you ever considered that maybe you were the one who pushed her away first?


    ¡°And one more thing¡­ You said she doesn¡¯t treat you as her mother. Well, I¡¯ve never seen a parent treat their daughter the way you and your husband treat her. Mrs. Fuller, if there were an exam for being a parent, you two would fail miserably.¡±


    Myra was speechless. Her face paled, and she didn¡¯t know how to retort. ¡°You¡­¡±


    She wanted to defend herself, but Kerry had lost interest in the conversation. He carried Dexter out the door and loaded her into a cab. Then, he ushered Myra in as well.


    ¡°Off you go!¡± After settling them into the car, Kerry stuffed a hundred¨Cdor bill into the driver¡¯s hand and urged, ¡°Step on it, sir. Take them as far away as you can!¡±


    The cab sped off.


    Kerry dusted off his hands, his coat fluttering with the breeze as he turned to leave.


    In the cab, Myra had no choice but to give the driver their address. Once they arrived, she coaxed and tugged until she managed to drag Dexter back upstairs.


    The apartment they were staying in now was aplete mess. The trash bins were overflowing and reeked, but no one had bothered to take the garbage out.


    Myra sighed and rolled up her sleeves to clean, Between tidying up and watching Dexter to make sure he didn¡¯t eat trash off the floor, she was drained by the time. the house was finally in order.


    That was when she remembered Ka wasn¡¯t home. She quickly called her daughter.


    Ka stammered, ¡°M¨CMom, I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m having dinner outside. Just wait a bit, okay? I¡¯ll bring some takeout back for you!¡±


    Myra frowned. Ka¡¯s voice was hushed as if <b>she </b>didn¡¯t want someone nearby to hear her. novelbin


    Who was she having dinner with?


    Myra wanted to ask, but Ka had already hung up.


    An hourter, Ka returned with two takeouts. She entered the house with a bright smile. But Myra frowned at her..


    After their family dered bankruptcy, all their <b>assets </b>had been frozen or seized to pay off debts. When their house was taken, all their handbags and jewelry were confiscated too.


    Ka had cried over that loss<b>. </b>Yet now, her outfit <b>was </bpletely new. Around her neck was an expensive sapphire ne, and she wore a matching bracelet on her wrist.


    How could Myra possibly afford this?

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 455

    Myra recognized the sapphire jewelry set. It was an auction piece from a month ago that was rumored to have sold for nearly two million dors. ¡°Ka, who were you with? And who gave you this jewelry?¡±


    ¡°M¨CMom¡­¡±


    .¡± Ka stammered, trying to steer the conversation elsewhere. ¡°Let¡¯s eat first. I¡¯ll exin everything after dinner. Look, I brought back all your and Dad¡¯s favorite foods!<b>¡± </b>


    She unpacked the food andid it out on the table. The rich aroma filled the room, and the selection was luxurious.


    But Myra¡¯s frown only deepened. The containers bore the logo of a five¨Cstar hotel. She asked suspiciously, ¡°Ka, are you dating someone?¡±


    ¡°No! It¡¯s nothing like that. I just had dinner with a cousin of mine, and they gave me a gift. That¡¯s all.¡± Ka touched the sapphire ne around her neck and


    smiled.


    Myra quirked a brow. ¡°Which cousin? Jake¡¯s family is avoiding us like the gue. Would they give you such an extravagant gift?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not them<b>! </b>It¡¯s from my biological parents¡® side of the family¡­¡± Ka confessed. ¡°My aunt found me and said she wants to take me in.¡±


    Myra froze. She finally understood where Ka was hinting at. Ka wanted to leave. She didn¡¯t want to suffer alongside the bankrupt Fuller family anymore. novelbin


    A flood of emotions washed over Myra. She didn¡¯t know what to feel, but she knew that her heart had turned cold.


    Countless thoughts raced in her mind. In the end, she sighed. ¡°Fine. Leave if you want to.¡±


    Ka pouted, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry! I¡¯m just staying with my aunt temporarily. I¡¯lle back. I still have to take care of you and Dad!¡±


    If this had been in the past, Myra would have been heartbroken to hear Ka say such things. She might have tried every possible way to keep her daughter by her side. But after everything that had happened, her feelings for Ka weakened.


    Before Myra could respond, she heard a noise at her feet. It was Dexter, who had been sitting quietly in the corner all this time. He had crawled over to her side without anyone noticing.


    Myra was stunned. Just as she reached out to help him up, Dexter¡¯s expression shifted.


    Dexter began growling like a dog. His hostility was evident, but it wasn¡¯t directed at Myra but at Ka instead!


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Dad? Is he having another episode?¡± Ka was startled and nearly fell off the couch. For a moment, she thought Dexter had regained his senses<b>! </b>


    But that was not the case. Dexter still couldn¡¯t string together a coherent sentence. He only bared his teeth like a wild animal.


    Myra recalled what Felicia had said earlier. Giving Dexter enough stimtion might pull him out of the nightmare.


    The things that could stimte Dexter probably had something to do with the cause of his madness.


    With this in mind, Myra nced at Ka before quickly masking her expression.


    Just then, Dexter suddenly leaped up and swiped his arm across the table, sending the food crashing to the floor! He roared as he swung his hand at Ka.


    Ka never expected him to hit her and couldn¡¯t dodge the attack


    Seeing Dexter about to strike again, Ka scrambled out of the way and ran toward the door. She was filled with anger and frustration. What was wrong with him? First, he lost his mind; now, he was acting like a mad dog!


    To Ka, Dexter was nothing more than a burden. No matter how many years she had called him ¡°Dad¡°, she couldn¡¯t tolerate taking care of someone so far gone as what Myra was doing now.


    Ka deemed Dexter to be utterly useless now.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 456

    Ka could only count herself lucky that her aunt had shown up when she was at her lowest. If not for that, she couldn¡¯t imagine the kind of misery she would be in


    now. ¨C


    Ka grabbed her bag and fled.


    The door mmed shut. As soon as Ka was out of sight, Dexter began to calm down. Then, he copsed to the floor and fell asleep.


    Everything had happened so quickly. The timing was also oddlyedic.


    Myra tried to make sense of what went down. What could have possibly happened to make Dextersh out at his cherished daughter?


    ¡°Wake up¡­ Please wake up¡­ I can¡¯t handle this on my own. I¡¯m so tired¡­¡± With great difficulty, Myra dragged Dexter to their bedroom and got him onto the bed. Her back ached terribly, and finally, she couldn¡¯t hold back her tears.


    But Dexter was secretly crying too. His body refused to move, and he couldn¡¯tmunicate with the world around him, but his mind felt awake.


    He remembered catching Ka stealing the map and lying through her teeth right before he lost consciousness. He also remembered how Ka had tried to suffocate him with a pillow to silence him for good.


    His own daughter! The one he had treasured so much, who he had held dearer than life itself, had tried to kill him!


    Dexter couldn¡¯t believe it. How could his beloved daughter want to end his life?


    That moment of betrayal haunted him. What if Ka decided to harm Myra next?


    No. He had to wake up and warn Myra to be on guard!


    But no matter how hard he tried, it felt like he was trapped. His eyes wouldn¡¯t open, and he couldn¡¯t make a sound.


    In the long darkness that followed, Dexter dreamed an unending dream.


    In the dream, he became a spectator watching his life unfold from an outsider¡¯s perspective. He saw how he and Myra had favored Ka, showering her with love, while treating their biological daughter, Felicia, with indifference simply because she had been swapped at birth and only returned to their familyter on.


    These were past events. But seeing them now shocked Dexter.


    Was that him? Was that the kind of father he was?


    As the dream continued, Dexter¡¯s horror grew. His blood ran cold, and a deafening hum filled his ears. What he saw next shook him to his core<b>. </b>


    He watched Ka repeatedly scheme against Felicia, provoking her with harsh words and setting traps to harm her. The most damning scene was Ka faking her death by falling into the sea<b>, </b>sessfully framing Felicia as her murderer.


    In the dream<b>, </b>Dexter saw his past self furiously drive Felicia out of the house. He even pped her andter turned a blind eye as Arnold imprisoned and tormented Felicia.


    He watched Felicia¡¯s eyes lose their spark. Her life drained away until the day she died. Shey in the snow, surrounded by blood. Her final words were a heart- wrenching whisper, ¡°If I had a second chance at life, I wouldn¡¯t want parents like mine¡­¡±


    Dexter felt as though a bolt of lightning had struck him. A wave of anguish surged through him, leaving him breathless and wracked with pain.


    Was that a dream or was it reality? was it from a past life? Or was it a reflection of this one?


    Dexter¡¯s mind was a mess<b>, </b>unable to distinguish between dream and reality. One thought ate at him.


    How could he be such <b>a </b>cruel father and doom his own daughter? novelbin

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 457

    Sometimes, it was hard to tell right from wrong when one was caught in the middle of something. But when one looked at it from another perspective, things would be clear.


    How foolish! Especially since the daughter Dexter had cherished so much had tried to kill him.


    Dexter broke down. He was trapped in this nightmare. His tightly shut eyes twitched, and his expression twisted into one of pain and torment.


    Myra, who was by his bedside, was startled. She immediately shook him and called out, ¡°Wake up! Please wake up! Darling, what¡¯s wrong? Are you having a nightmare?¡±


    After a few shakes, Dexter finally opened his eyes.


    The bright light from themp blinded him. Myra appeared in his sight, still as beautiful and elegant as he remembered. Even though there were now more strands of white in her hair and a few wrinkles at theers of her eyes, he still thought she was stunning.


    Dexter froze before he came to his senses. Tears streamed down his face. ¡°Darling¡­¡±


    Hearing the familiar voice, Myra was overwhelmed with surprise and joy. She almost burst into tears. ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re better? Have youe to your senses? Do you recognize me?¡±


    Dexter nodded. He held Myra¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°You must¡¯ve had it hard from taking care of me. You must be exhausted.¡±


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re better¡­¡± Myra choked.


    She believed that if their roles were reversed, Dexter would have taken care of her just as well.


    The two exchanged a look that said everything they needed to without words.


    Then, Myra¡¯s expression tumed grim. ¡°What happened that day? You were fine when I left the hospital. But not long after, you were rushed to the emergency room for attempting suicide!¡±


    Suicide?


    Dexter¡¯s expression turned strange, and he snorted. ¡°Is that what Ka told you?¡±


    He sounded cold and harsh when he said this, void of any affection he had for Ka.


    Myra¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she nodded hesitantly. novelbin


    Dexter continued, ¡°Darling, do you think I¡¯d ever kill myself? Even if the sky were falling, I¡¯d stand strong for you. Do you think I¡¯d take such a cowardly way out?¡±


    Myra shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t believe it either. So, who tried to harm you? What happened?¡±


    He sat up in bed and stared at Myra. His gaze was filled with reluctance, hesitation, and heartache. No one knew better than him how much Ka meant to Myra.


    Neen years of being mother and daughter had long since surpassed the bonds of mere blood rtion. Myra loved Ka and even valued Ka as much as her life. Otherwise<b>, </b>she wouldn¡¯t have gone to the lengths of bankrupting the family to save Ka from a murder charge.


    Dexter couldn¡¯t bear to tell Myra the truth. But then he remembered the things he had seen in his dream. The cruel treatment his biological daughter, Felicia, endured, ate at him.


    Finally, he answered, ¡°It was Ka<b>. </b>She tried to kill me.¡±


    Myra stared at him in disbelief.


    He sighed and began <b>to </b>recount what had happened that day.


    Ka stole the swapped map.


    That day, he identally discovered what she had done and confronted her to try to retrieve the map. But because he was injured and weak, Ka pushed him down. Then<b>, </b>she grabbed the pillow from the hospital bed and pressed it over his face<b>, </b>cutting off his airflow.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 458

    If the nurse hadn¡¯te in to check on Dexter, he would have suffocated to death.


    Dexter thought he would have tofort Myra after telling her the truth, maybe even endure her wrath. Yet Myra remained unusually calm after the initial shock. She didn¡¯t refute him, nor did she blindly defend Ka.


    Dexter was both surprised and uneasy, fearing this was the calm before the storm. But instead, Myra gave him a weird look. ¡°I guessed as much.¡±


    Yes, she had guessed it. So, she had been avoiding Ka and quietly questioning the nurse who had checked on Dexter when the incident happened.


    Later, she stayed by Dexter¡¯s side to take care of him. Using the excuse of being considerate of Ka, she forbade her froming to the hospital or even getting


    close to Dexter.


    Myra even secretly took Dexter to seek medical treatment without Ka¡¯s knowledge.


    Myra¡¯s eyes watered and she sobbed. ¡°I guessed it. I just didn¡¯t want to believe it.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t until she heard Dexter¡¯s recount that she gave up.


    Myra was heartbroken. She had seen the video of Ruben dying. In that video, Ka coldly ordered Shawn to strangle Ruben before calmly staging the crime scene. That image of her smiling while doing so was terrifying. [1


    But Ruben was merely a driver to them. The guilt they felt was quickly dismissed afterpensating Ruben¡¯s family with money.


    It was different this time. Ka had tried to kill Dexter! Myra couldn¡¯t let this slide.


    She heaved with anger. If Ka were here, she might not have been able to resist hitting her! The p Ka got this afternoon was not enough!


    And now, Myra found itughable how Ka had gone off with her so¨Ccalled aunt and reconnected with her biological parents. novelbin


    Back then, she had given those people 50 million just to sever their rtionship with Ka so that she would never have any connection to her biological family!


    Yet now that the Fuller family had fallen on hard times, Ka had eagerly gone back to her biological family.


    But the farther Ka went, the better. At least Myra wouldn¡¯t be tempted to p her the next time she saw her!


    ¡°Darling, let it go. Sometimes, seeing through someone earlier is a blessing in disguise.¡± Dexterforted Myra. But his voice dropped as he recalled his dream. It¡¯s just¡­ we owe our real daughter far too much¡­¡±


    Myra hesitated before stammering, ¡°D¨CDo you know who saved us from those thugs that night?¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Dexter was curious.


    That night, Dexter had already copsed when Felicia appeared. In b/


    face and didn¡¯t know what happened afterward.


    semi¨Cconscious state, he only saw a figuree to their rescue. He didn¡¯t see that person¡¯s


    Myra said bitterly, ¡°It was Licia. But she won¡¯t admit it and doesn¡¯t want to reunite with us.¡±


    Dexter was stunned. ¡°There were so many people that night. Was Licia hurt?¡±


    Myra stammered, ¡°I¨CI don¡¯t think she was<b>?</b>¡±


    The couple exchanged an embarrassed look.


    Felicia was reluctant to call them her parents because they had wronged her first.


    People had feelings. And when they had feelings<b>, </b>they would feel hurt.


    Was Felicia hurt by this?


    11

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 459

    Myra wiped away her tears and stood up immediately. ¡°Let¡¯s find Licia now!¡±


    Dexter was perplexed. It was the middle of the night. Where were they supposed to find Felicia? Besides, going over like this wasn¡¯t appropriate.


    But Myra had always been impulsive and emotionally driven. Once she decided something, there was no stopping her. She grabbed Dexter and rushed out the door.


    The couple arrived at the apartment Felicia had rented before and rang the doorbell repeatedly. Finally, they heard the sound of slippers shuffling inside. The door opened, but an old man showed up.


    The couple was stunned.


    Myra even checked the address. It was the right ce. She hade here with Ka to visit Felicia when they still had money. She remembered the door number.


    ¡°It¡¯s the middle of the night. Who are you looking for?¡± The old man, who was thendlord, was cranky from being woken up. He looked angry and impatient.


    Myra peeked inside. ¡°I¡¯m looking for my daughter, Felicia. Where is she?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that youngdy? She moved out a long time ago.¡± The old man yawned.


    Myra and Dexter exchanged a look. ¡°Where did she move to?¡±


    ¡°How would I know? Aren¡¯t you her parents? How could you not know where your own daughter moved to?¡± The old man rolled his eyes but then suddenly sobered up. His gaze sharpened with suspicion.


    ¡°Wait a minute. You¡¯re not¡­ human traffickers, are you? You im to be her family, but in reality, you¡¯re targeting young women living alone to kidnap and sell off!¡±


    <b>For </b>the first time in their lives, the couple found themselves used of being human traffickers. They didn¡¯t know how to exin.


    The old man red <b>at </b>them<b>, </b>determined to serve justice. He grabbed Dexter¡¯s arm with one hand while pulling out his phone with the other, ready to call the police. ¡°You¡¯re not getting away today! You heartless crooks, preying on innocent girls. Don¡¯t think you can get away with this!¡±


    Dexter exined, ¡°No, sir, you¡¯ve misunderstood! We really are here to find our daughter. We¡¯re not traffickers!¡± novelbin


    ¡°Hmph! We¡¯ll let the authorities figure that out. You don¡¯t have to worry if you¡¯re innocent. But don¡¯t think about escaping if you¡¯re guilty!¡± The old man huffed.


    Dexter felt helpless and didn¡¯t dare to struggle. It would only make things worse if he identally hurt the old man.


    Myra had an idea. ¡°Sir, why don¡¯t <b>you </b>call my daughter? She rented your ce, so you must have her number, right?¡±


    The old man paused and thought it over. That made sense. He could just call and ask.


    Felicia was stunned to receive the call. After hearing about the situation, she fell silent. To avoid the matter getting out of hand, she reluctantly admitted the truth. Only then did the old man release Dexter.


    Dexter had gone through a lot in his dream. Hearing Felicia¡¯s voice now, his eyes immediately watered as guilt surged within him. ¡°Licia, I¡¯m sorry¡­ It¡¯s all my fault. I failed <b>to </b>protect you¡­¡±


    Only he knew he was apologizing to the daughter in his dream who had been neglected, abandoned, and left out in the cold. At the same time, he was apologizing to the current Felicia too<b>. </b>

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 460

    Felicia fell silent again. Then, she burst outughing. Some apologies were meaningless. An apology could neither erase the past nor heal the wounds of those who


    had been hurt.


    Of course<b>, </b>Felicia didn¡¯t bother figuring out what Dexter was apologizing for. She wasn¡¯t interested. Instead, she replied tly, ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Wait, don¡¯t hang up! Your mom and I want to see you. Where are you now, Licia? Would you consider moving back home?¡± Dexter was desperate.


    Felicia couldn¡¯t believe it. Was her ears ying tricks on her?


    Dexter remained unaware of howughable he sounded. ¡°Licia, please give us another chance. Let us make it up to you, okay?¡±


    <b>So</b>, her ears were fine. It was Dexter who was the issue. Perhaps he got hit in the head. That would exin the nonsense he was spouting.


    Felicia cursed them and hung up the phone.


    Myra hadn¡¯t even gotten the chance to say a word. Her expression darkened when she learned the call ended.


    ¡°See? We¡¯ve alreadypromised, and she¡¯s still ungrateful. She¡¯s clearly holding a grudge against us!¡± Myra almost smashed the phone, but the device wasn¡¯t hers<b>. </b>It belonged to thendlord.


    The old man quickly snatched his phone back and mmed the door shut.


    On the way home, Myra grumbled, ¡°What a waste of time, running around in the middle of the night! We said all the right things, yet she couldn¡¯t care less! That ungrateful girl. How could she be our daughter? I¡¯m starting to think she¡¯s a curse sent here just to make me miserable!


    ¡°What did I do to deserve this? Why does fate have to torment me like this-¡±


    Myrained in frustration. She couldn¡¯t help but feel wronged. Time and time again, she had tried to mend her rtionship with Felicia. But Felicia always refused to yield!


    How could she not feel angry over it?


    After venting for what felt like forever, Myra suddenly realized Dexter had been silent the entire time. She nced over at him. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Do you think I¡¯m wrong too?¡±


    Dexter stopped in his tracks and shook his head.


    <b>¡°</b>Then why are you¡­¡± Myra looked at him in confusion.


    Dexter sighed and looked at her. ¡°I had a dream before I woke up. It was a vivid one. It felt so real as if it had actually happened.¡±


    He began recounting the dream. He told her about how Felicia was brought back to the family, only for them to favor Ka and dere that Felicia was adopted. novelbin


    He spoke of how Ka repeatedly framed Felicia, even faking her death and leading everyone to believe that Felicia had killed Ka.


    And finally, how they, as Felicia¡¯s parents, had driven her out of the house and allowed Arnold to send her to prison, where she endured unspeakable torment.


    Dexter recounted the entire dream and didn¡¯t leave out any details.


    Myra listened closely<b>. </b>The way he described it sounded real. She immediately protested, ¡°Impossible! There¡¯s no way I¡¯d ever allow something like that to happen. She¡¯s still my daughter no matter what. How could I just stand by and watch her die?¡±


    Myra was confident.


    He shook his head. ¡°But what if that dream was real? Or rather¡­ it actually happened in a past life?¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 461

    Myra felt utterly baffled, even finding Dexter¡¯s statement somewhat amusing ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Dexter¡¯s expression gradually darkened. The smile he forced upon his face looked more like he was crying than anything else, twisting his features altogether.


    He called it a dream, but it felt tas too real for it to be post a dream because every detail of it matched perfectly with reality.


    Yet no matter how he exined it. Myra simply thought he was being delusional


    ¡ª


    ¡°No matter how real it teels, it¡¯s just a dream. You¡¯re overthinking it, Myra said dismissively


    ¡°Darling, let me ask you a few questions. Please answer honestly,¡± Dexter insisted


    He took a deep breath, then asked, ¡°It Ka were to cry and beg you, saying she didn¡¯t want to live in shame after Felicia¡¯s rerum and pleading with us to announce Felicia as our adopted daughter to the public, would you have agreed?¡±


    Myta was silent for a moment before answering. ¡°Yes¡°!!


    She recalled the night Felicia was first brought home. If not for discovering those bruises all over her body, she truly might have chosen this method to justify things


    Deep down, she selfishly believed this would spare Ka from the ridicule and grievance of being exposed <b>as </b>a take heiress. She thought thatpensating Felicia with material wealth would suffice to soothe the unfaimess of dering her as their adopted daughter.


    Dexter continued, ¡°Licia was abused by her foster parents and even had her right hand crippled by Shawn, her so¨Ccalled brother. Would you, for Ka¡¯s reputation, choose not to pursue justice?¡±


    Myra was speechless. She already understood Dexter¡¯s intention behind these questions. He merely wanted to use the events in his dream to prove its authenticity


    tumed her head away, unwilling to answer. However, her silence already suggested that she would.


    Dexter asked onest question, ¡°Then, if under such circumstances, Ka fell into the <b>sea </b>and her body wasn¡¯t found, and Licia was used of being the murderer. what would we do?¡±


    answer was self¨Cevident.


    They would sutter emotional turmoil, breakout in rage, and believe that Felicia was the murderer without a shred of doubt! Then, they would ever ties with Felicia. They might even p her in anger when she tried to defend herself, and ultimately, they would kickher out of the house!


    Finally, they would acquiesce to Amold sending felicia to prison, just like in Dexter¡¯s dream. After that, whatever torment she endured would be her ultimate


    Imagining the scenario Dexter presented, Myra took a frightened step back, steadied herself, and retorted, ¡°So what? <b>What </b>you¡¯re describing is just a dream, nothing more. Reality isn¡¯t like that!¡±


    The biggest difference between reality and that dream i


    In Dexter¡¯s dream, she always looked at them with longing <b>and </b>admiration. Even the slightest bit of attention from them could make her smile contentedly.


    But in reality, she remained indifferent and distant, never once calling them ¡°Mom¡± or ¡°Dad¡°.


    Why was it like this? Where did they go wrong?


    Dexter muttered, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible that this dream actually happened? Is that why our daughter is so heartbroken and disappointed in us that she won¡¯t acknowledge us?


    ¡°You You¡¯re just spouting nonsense!¡± Myra¡¯s hair stood on end, goosebumps breaking out all over her body.


    He forced a faint smile, taking her hand again and walking forward ¡°just think of it as nonsense, then¡­¡±


    He believed <b>his </b>suspicions were true, but he would rather they weren¡¯t. Even if it meant deceiving himself, it was better than facing an unbearable truth.


    Myra pressed her lips together, saying nothing. However, her <b>mind </b>was a mess of thoughts. Dexter¡¯s questions echoed incessantly in her head, painting <b>vivid </b>scenarios of her own action<b>. </b>


    No, it just couldn¡¯t be it was past a dream! It couldn¡¯t be <b>real</b>!


    Myra tried tofort herself, but cold sweat soaked her palms.


    Meanwhile, Felicia was unaware of the couple¡¯s thoughts. She found herself wide awake after that phone call. Her attempt waspletely wasted novelbin


    set herself up for a good night¡¯s sleep

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 462

    Chapter 462.


    tuming in bed for half an hour the finally got


    pot on her clothes, and went the motto terrace to enjoy the


    the hat invested a lot at etter inta it¡¯syout and decoration. After


    During the designing ph


    moving in. It indeed became less favourit


    Sommet was approaching. The


    rature was just right 1the evening breeze was protle


    Teliesa loungedfortably on a recliner, garing at the crescent moon hanging like a silver book in the night sky. Her heart was calm, yet she was strangely aware


    cumprecedented smuar et loneliness.


    the feeling fiest suitaced, it was merely a faint emptiness in her heart. But as time went on, it


    vincreasingly vivid, spreading throughout her body


    Gnise there wasna ane to enjoy the moonlight with her.


    It only carmen, her only friend, were still amunt.


    Telicia sighed softly and slowly closed her eyes. The night was silent, with all sounds fading into stillness.


    Shey there for a long time until her drowsiness gradually washed over her curling up on the recliner, she decided to spend the night there


    But as she drifted on the cusp of sleep, a faint, distant sound of a bell reached her ears.


    The sound was ancient <b>and </b>mysterious, like a chant from a distantnd. It soundedyered, sometimes near, sometimes distant


    Felicia telt as though her consciousness had lifted from her All she could bear was the haunting chime of a bell, captivating her very soul.


    Something was wrong! Where was the sounding from?


    Felicia ined to open her eyes, but she had no control over her body!


    the bit down hard on the tip of her tongue. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth, and her body suddenly felt lighter. She snapped her eyes open, <b>only </b>to find berwelt standing in the middle of the road!:


    What was going on? Wasn¡¯t she asleep on the recliner of her rooftop terrace?


    In an instant, every hair on Felicia¡¯s body stood on end. An inexplicable fear and confusion surged through her mind as her breathing quickened.


    But soon, she forced herself to calm down. Her gaze sharpened <b>as </b>she scanned her surroundings


    The neon lights were still dazzling, and the wide <b>road </b>had fournes<b>. </b>At thiste hour<b>, </b>traffic was sparse, and the street felt deserted


    On the other side, the pedestrian crossing light turned from red to green, with the timer counting down. But <b>since </b>it <b>was </b>sote, there were no pedestrians at all.


    Everything appeated normaal


    Felicia <b>looked </b>down at herself. She was dressed in pajamas <b>as </b>she stood on the side of the road. Thankfully, she had woken up in time. Otherwise, she might have


    pin walked straight into the traffic.


    Was she sleepwalking? Had she unluowingly left her home and wandered onto the road, <b>courting </b>disaster?


    Felicia stood in silence for extrument. When she turned around, she saw Stephan standing a short <b>distance </b>behind her.


    He seemed to have just gotten out of his car. The engine was still warm, and the <b>car¡¯s </b><b>headlights </b>illuminated the floating dust in the air. As Stephan walked <b>toward </b>ber, his movement started a slight breeze, scattering the dust like drifting snowkes. novelbin


    Stephan looked her up and down, then clicked his tongue. <b>From </b>his expression, Felicia could tell that he <b>was </b>utterly baffled


    Well, it <b>wasn¡¯t </b>surprising. Seeing someone in pajamas standing at an intersection in the middle of the night was bound to <b>raise </b>questions.


    She didn¡¯t know what <b>to </b>say. We averted her


    still trying to make sense of her own situation, let alone exin it to him.


    The next moment, she felt something heavy on her shoulders.


    It was Stephan¡¯s roat. He had draped it over her and then readjusted it, wrapping her singly in its warmil

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 463

    Felicia finally snapped out of her dare, feeling her face heat up. She asked, ¡°Why are you here?


    Stephan repliedzily, ¡°I just finished work I was nning to swing by and see you, but I didn¡¯t expect to catch you here¡±


    He deliberately emphasized the word ¡°catch¡°, his tone carrying a teasing edge.


    Felicia was at a loss, moble toe up with a retent


    Ever since she helped treat his woundsst time and nearly lost control in the heat of the moment, had been deliberately avoiding him. Whenever possible, the would evade him, and it she couldn¡¯t, she would find excuses to stay far away.


    Yet here they were, running into each other again.


    Stephan nced at his watch, then took a closer look at Felicia. He frowned and said, ¡°It¡¯s 4:00 am, and you just ran out onto the streets like this? In your pajamas? Barefoot?¡±


    She felt <b>embarrassed</b>, instinctively curling her toes


    In the next second, she felt her feet leave the ground. Felicia let out <b>a </b>short gasp of surprise as Stephan effortlessly scooped her up into his arms. Before she could protest, he had already ced het inside his cal


    Well, there was no point struggling now:


    Maybe it was the bizarre nature of what had happened earlier, but Felicia <b>was </b>unusuallypliant and didn¡¯t resist


    About ten minutester, his car pulled up in front of Felicia¡¯s vi.


    It was then that she realized she had wandered quite far while sleepwalking, barefoot even.


    The vi¡¯s front door <b>was </b>wide open. She must have left it that way when she wandered out, and it hadn¡¯t been closed since. Who knew it a thief had taken advantage of it?


    arry her once more, As she got out of the car, Stephan reached out to carry


    But as soon as her bare feet touched the <b>ground</b>, she let out a gasp.


    but she quickly refused. ¡°No need! I¡¯ll walk on <b>my </b>own


    During her sleepwalking episode, her left foot must have been cut by stones or other debris. There were several small, dirty cuts on her sole, and they stung tembly.


    Felicia hobbled forward awkwardly. Out of theer of her eye, she saw Stephan¡¯s expression darken. His patience seemed to have run out. With one long stride, be was in front of her Turning his back to her, <b>he </b>crouched down slightly.


    ¡°Get on,¡± he said.


    She blinked a few times, feeling something in her heart stir at the sight.


    The garden lights dotted around the front yard glowed softly like fireflies<b>, </b>casting a warm light. Against this backdrop, she could clearly see the defined, well- toned lines of Stephan¡¯s back. Even through his clothes, the Lautness of those muscles came through


    As she climbed onto his back, Felicia caught sight of their shadows on the ground. A ridiculous and amusing thought popped into her <b>head</b>.


    ¡°Withium crouched down like this, wouldn¡¯t it look like a proposal if he were to turn around?¡± she mused.


    However, she <b>quickly </b>stopped herself from entertaining the thought further.


    Stephan carried her through the garden and up to the vi door,


    The facial recognition lock clicked open automatically, and the lights inside came on, illuminating the space. Everything was <b>as </b>it had been. It would seem that nothing was stolen


    Felicia patted Stephan¡¯s shoulder and pointed toward the bathroom, embodying the epitome of entitlement. ¡°<b>Could </b>you drop me off over there? I need to wash my


    He tumed to look at her. The distance between them was already minimal, <b>and </b>now, it felt almost nonexistent. Their breaths mingled<b>, </b>and their eyes met in an unspoken exchange that bumed intensely.


    It was way too much for her to handle¡­


    She quickly looked away and slid off his back, darting into the bathroom and shutting the door behind her. Washing her feet with opencuts was a uniquely painful experience, one she wouldn¡¯t like to experience <b>again</b>. novelbin

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 464

    was standing


    After everything was tidied up. Felicia assumed Stephan would have left by the time she came out. Yet as soon as she opened the bathroom door, he was right outside the door with his amis crossed<b>. </b>casually


    ¡°Uh.. Felicia waved her at him, signaling for him to step aside. ¡°Canyon, move aside?


    Stephan let out a faint chalde, his gaze moving down slightly. novelbin


    Following <b>his </b>line of sight, Felicia looked down and saw her own slippers neatly ced right in front of her. To be honest, she was caught a little off guard by his


    meticulous care.


    What followed was disinfecting and dressing her wounds. Since the cuts were minor, it was over fairly quickly


    As usual, she used the Panas psenda¨Cginthers she made, which had excellent healing properties.


    Thinking of that, she suddenly nudged Stephan¡¯s amand asked, ¡°Have your wounds healed yeti


    He nced at her, raising an eyebrow as he replied, ¡°More or less.¡±


    what


    t do you mean by that? Are <b>you </b>trying to in my reputation?


    Felicia almost blew her fuse right there and then. However, Stephan widened his eyes, <b>staring </b>into hers with his deep, alluring gaze that made his already attractive features even more captivating.


    She was stuck in a momentary daze. Interally, she couldn¡¯t help but grumble<b>, </b>¡°How is it fair for a grown man to look this good? That¡¯s no different from cheating!


    ¡°By the way, it¡¯s reallyte. Aren¡¯t you leaving yet?¡± she finally spoke up.


    She gestured at the time, which was nearly 5:00 am. The first light of dawn was faintly illuminating the sky, casting it in a deep blue hue as night <b>and </b>day <b>began </b><b>to </b>


    Stephan¡¯s reply was a confident and unapologetic, ¡°Nope.¡±


    Felice was rendered speechless


    From his tone, it seemed he was nning to stay and catch up on some sleep. She felt utterly flostered and quickly objected, ¡°No, you can¡¯t stay! I can¡¯t amodate you. The guest rooms aren¡¯t set up yet. They¡¯repletely empty!¡±


    She wasn¡¯t lying, Despite the vi¡¯s size, she lived alone. When she <b>renovated </b>the ce, she hadn¡¯t considered hosting guests. As a result, the guest empty without even a bed.


    <b>rooms </b><b>were </b>


    Stephan hummed in acknowledgment but didn¡¯t press the issue. Just as Felicia breathed <b>a </b>sigh of relief, she suddenly felt a weight pressing her down onto the


    couch


    ¡°Hey Stephan, don¡¯t push your luck!¡°


    She was furious, iling her arms and legs to resist. However, she was quickly <b>restrained </b>in his powerful embrace and unable to move.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±


    His warm breath ticked her ear as he whispered in his deep, husly <b>voice</b><b>, </b>each word sinking into her mind, ¡°Let me rest for <b>a </b><b>bit</b>, just ten minutes.¡±


    When she listened carefully, there <b>was </b>a trace of exhaustion in his tone.


    Felicia gradually stopped struggling. True to his <b>words</b>, Stephan didn¡¯t make any further moves on her. The couch was spacious enough, and he simply held <b>her </b>like a pillow, keeping her tightly in his arms without budging an inch.


    Then, he closed his eyes.


    Perhaps it was the exhaustion <b>from </b>the night¡¯s events or the steady rhythmn of his powerful heartbeat, but Felicia found herself growing drowsy <b>as </b>well


    <b>She </b>caught the faint scent of his cool, fresh fragrance that was reminiscent of fresh snow falling from a mountaintop¨Ccold, yet pure.


    Exactly ten minutester, Stephan opened his eyes, as if on cue.


    His slight movement woke Felicia instantly, Realizing the two of them were still locked in an embrace, she instinctively pushed him <b>away</b>.


    Caught off guard, Stephan rolled off the couch andnded on the floor with a <b>heavy </b>thud.


    to see him already


    She was just about to say he deserved it but then <b>worried </b>he might have actually gotten but by the fall. She leaned over to check on him, only to see getting up. Despite the fall, his handsome face showed no trace of anger, only a look of resigned helplessness¨Cperups even indulgence.


    Felicia was no stranger to that kind of look. Whether in this life or her past one, she had often seen the Fuller couple direct such an expression toward Ka. <b>However</b>, Stephan was different. She was certain that the indulgence he <b>was </b>showing was directed at her <b>and </b>her alone.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 465

    ¡°You heartless little thing,¡± Stephan muttered.


    As he propped himself up with one hand, he bent his leanwaist slightly, bringing his face level with Felicia¡¯s as she sat on the couch.


    In that fleeting moment, the distance between thein was almost nonexistent.


    In Stephan¡¯s dark, piercing eyes, Felicia caught a fleeting glimpse of something possessive. It was an almost tyrannical thirst for control, tinged with a predatory hunger. It exuded a domineering sense of ownership, as though he wanted to brand her as his


    But just as quickly, Stephan pulled back. He reached out with his other hand and ruffled her hair before standing up and walking away.


    That intense, heart¨Cstopping gaze and his subtle intention of wanting to kiss her seemed to have been nothing more <b>than </b>an illusion.


    Felicia snapped out of it, realizing <b>that </b>aside from feeling nervous, there was also a faint trace of excitement bubbling within her. It was as if a part of her <b>had </b>been secretly hoping he¡¯d follow through with that loss.


    Shaking her head, she refocused her thoughts on something more important and immediately grabbed herptop. Quickly, she pulled up the vi¡¯s surveince footage from the night before.


    The cameras had been installed long before she moved in, covering every corner from the front gate to the front yard and the back garden, leaving no blind spots.


    She had <b>never </b><b>recalled </b>being a sleepwalker before, but when she reviewed the footage, it clearly showed <b>that </b>at precisely 3:20:05 am, she walked out of the house barefoot in her pajamas. Her steps were slow, steadily heading forward.


    She tried to recall the events, but her memory only extended to falling asleep on the rooftop terrace under the evening breeze. She had no recollection of walking such a distance.


    If not for the undeniable evidence that was the surveince footage, she wouldn¡¯t have believed it no matter what people said!


    Frowning, she zoomed in on the footage.


    She noticed that throughout the sleepwalking episode, her eyes remained closed, and her actions appeared guided by some unseen force. There was even a faint expression of resistance on her face.


    A dull ache throbbed in her <b>head</b>. Was her problem physical or psychological?


    Or perhaps¡­


    A sudden memory struck her. Right before losing control of her <b>body</b>, she had faintly <b>heard </b>the sound of a bell ringing <b>Where </b>did that sounde from? Could it have anything to do with her sleepwalking?


    And if so, who was behind <b>it</b>, and what were they trying to achieve?


    Taking a deep breath, Felicia resolved to remain vignt at all times no matter where she <b>was</b>. She also called the vi¡¯s property management to report having seen someone suspicious lurking around the area the previous night. novelbin


    Of course, that was just a fabricated story, but the property manager immediately promised to enhance nighttime security and patrols to ensure the safety of <b>all </b>residents.


    After hanging up, she let out a sigh of relief.


    The following days were calm and uneventful. She didn¡¯t hear the bells again, nor did she experience another sleepwalking episode. This brought her some


    Besides that, even Maurice, who had a habit of behaving like a madman, hadn¡¯t made an appearance. Amidst her busy schedule, Felicia couldn¡¯t help but think of Steplun asionally.


    Since that early morning encounter, he hadn¡¯t shown up <b>again</b>. Instead, there were the asional phone calls and messages, but the calls neversted more than a minute before he was hurriedly interrupted.


    Thest text message be sent was three days ago, and it contained just two words, ¡°Miss me?


    Even through the phone, Felicia could vividly picture the mischievous expression on <b>his </b>face as he typed those words.


    She hadn¡¯t replied


    Yet in the moments of idleness, she would find her thoughts <b>wandering</b>. <b>She </b>would wonder where Stephan might be and what he was doing at that moment.


    No matter how hard she tried to suppress it, some thoughts were simply impossible <b>to </b>control. She could only sigh helplessly, then threw herself into her work with greater focus. She hoped to redirect her attention elsewhere.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 466

    Chad been inattest long tell in die moved in, oneong every ser hum the be


    Stephan omastamalle


    thout the sleepwalking episode, hei everi mund doset, und bin settimi appened jaded by AI |


    they b?ng boartine.


    ¾Æ


    with the foundation of two lifetimes and her photographic memory, Felicia never wasted any time. From the beginning of the school year until now, she had rapidlypleted all her courses and achieved the highest grades in every subject.


    As a result, amidst the envious and even jealous gazes <b>of </b>het peers, she graduated early.


    With more free time on her <b>hands</b>, she devoted herself fully to her clinic. She was busy preparing medicine and treating patients. Her reputation grew increasingly prominent


    The once¨Cthriving Harmony Medical Center had gradually faded into obscurity, and now, everyone was talking about Union Clinic instead.


    <b>As </b><b>her </b>fame spread, the clinic received <b>an </b>overwhelming number of requests for consultations.


    One day, Felicia had just finished applying acupuncture for a patient. She flexed her wrist and was just about to take a short rest when her assistant, Kerry, approached with a look of indignation. His face was flushed red, and the young man¡¯s clear eyes were tinged with anger.


    Felicia <b>found </b>the scene amusing and teased, ¡°Kerry, who upset you this time? You look like you¡¯re about to explode.¡±


    Seeing Felicia, Kerry¡¯s gaze flickered uneasily before replying, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just two uninvited guests. I¡¯ve <b>already </b>chased them away!¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Felicia replied and poured herself some water, not pressing the issue further.


    As the reputation of Union Clinic p grew, being pestered by troublemakers became routine.


    Felicia had always believed in trusting her team. She allowed her <b>staff </b>to <b>handle </b>minor issues independently.


    Take Kerry, for example. When he first applied for the job, he was barely in his <b>early </b>20s but was quick¨Cwitted<b>, </b>hardworking<b>, </b>and neverined about running errands and doing odd jobs


    Even now, as a lowly assistant, he was considered a veteran of the clinic. He had been with Union Clinic since its inception. novelbin


    After setting down her ss, Felida noticed that the ever¨Cthoughtful Kerry was ready to refill it.


    ¡°No need to refill,¡± she said, flexing her wrist as she prepared to step outside for some fresh air.


    However, Kerry blocked her path and said, ¡°Ms. Fuller, it¡¯s about to rain outside. Perhaps you should stay in?¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Felicia raised an eyebrow, her gaze locking onto Kerry. With <b>a </b>somewhat forced smile<b>, </b>she asked, ¡°<b>What </b>are you hiding from me this time that you don¡¯t even want me stepping outside?¡±


    Whenever she showed this expression, there was always a subtle sense of pressure. It wasn¡¯t overpowering, but it was impossible to ignore.


    Kerry quickly nced at Felicia. He was <b>visibly </b>uneasy but stood firm as if determined to block her path <b>no </b>matter what.


    Right after that, Felicia locked him <b>aside </b>without hesitation.


    When she stepped outside the <b>clinic</b><b>, </b>she finally understood why Kerry had been acting so strangely, even daring to stop her.


    The person standing at the entrance was Dexter.


    <b>What </b>was he doing here again? Felicia frowned as she wondered.


    <b>When </b>Dexter arrived, he was stopped at the clinic¡¯s entrance by Kerry, who refused to let him in. Yet Dexter wasn¡¯t willing to leave and <b>had </b>been waiting at the door, hoping for another chance to see Felicia.


    Finally, Felicia stepped through the front door.


    Dexter looked pleased at first, but his smile quickly faded when he noticed Felicia¡¯s cold expression.


    <b>In </b><b>a </b>cautious tone, he said, ¡°Licia, I don¡¯t know where you live<b>, </b><b>so </b>I could onlye to the clinic. I want to both want to make things up to you.¡±


    to ask if you¡¯ll


    considering home. Your mother and 1


    His words left Felicia baffled. She startedughing, but it was aughter that stemmed from anger. ¡°I don¡¯t need <b>that</b>. You can make it up to me just by stopping your pestering


    Having said that, she tumed and <b>walked </b>back into the <b>clinic</b><b>, </b>ignoring Dexter¡¯s hesitant expression and the disappointment in his

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 467

    ?


    Chapter 467


    Inside the clinic, Kerry rubbed his leg with an aggrieved look on his face.novelbin


    Felicia couldn''t help butugh. The kick she gave him earlier wasn''t even that hard. Even so, she said, "Alright, I''ll count it as a work injury."


    Kerry beamed immediately, his neat white teeth on full disy as he chuckled.


    It wasn''t until the sun was about to set that Dexter finally left. His staggering figure seemed pitiful.


    Felicia only spared him a nce before looking away. She took a different path home, a route entirely opposite to the one Dexter had taken.


    By the time she arrived home, the sky had already gonepletely dark.


    As soon as Felicia stepped through the gates of her vi, she noticed someone standing under the automatic lights in the courtyard.


    The figure was tall and lean, ying idly with a silver lighter. With every flick, the me cast a faint glow on his face, illuminating his features.


    Who else could it be but Stephan?


    This man really was something else. Back when she lived in her rental apartment that was on the seventh floor, he managed to climb through the window to get in without a problem.


    Now that she had moved to a vi, the height advantage was gone, making it even harder to keep him out.


    She pondered whether she should get two dogs, preferablyrger, ferocious ones!


    That way, if Stephan dared to climb over the wall next time, the two fierce dogs could chase him down and give his butt a good bite...


    The thought of it made herugh out loud as if she could already see it happening.


    Lost in her imagination, she didn''t notice she had walked right up to Stephan.


    He pocketed the lighter and smiled yfully. His gaze locked onto Felicia''s clear eyes as he drawled, "Are you that happy to see me? Hmm?"


    His deep voice carried a unique charm, blending together with the gentle evening breeze as it reached her ears.


    Felicia cleared her throat and was ready to interrogate him. "Stephan, this is my home. Have you made it a habit to show up uninvited?"


    He chuckled lightly and repliedzily, "You said you missed me, so I came."


    "Huh?" Felicia was dumbfounded. When had she ever said that? She hadn''t even replied to the text he sent!


    Lifting her chin, she gave him a questioning look, seemingly asking him what nonsense he was spewing.


    Just as she was about to refute him, Stephan took a step forward. Under the light, his tall figure loomed over her, almost covering her from view entirely.


    "If you didn''t dare reply to my message, that means you missed me," he said, clicking his tongue softly.


    His lips curved into a smile, and when he caught the fleeting difort on Felicia''s face, his eyes gleamed with amusement. "You never dare to admit that you like me. You''re a cowardly liar." "You!" Felicia''s face flushed bright red at being called a coward. The blood rushed to her head, and


    when she saw Stephan''s condescending gaze, her temper red uncontrobly. Sometimes, impulsiveness truly was the devil. She did something that surprised even herself. She grabbed Stephan by his cor, pulled him toward her, and bit down hard on his chin. She didn''t hold back at all, biting with enough force to taste blood almost instantly.


    Instead of getting angry, Stephan let out a chuckle, a look of indulgence on his face. He even leaned down slightly to make it easier for her to continue.


    That ruined the fun.


    Felicia released him, still ring fiercely. Her anger was far from subsiding. She forgot there was a trace of blood on her lips and unconsciously licked it away, paying it no mind.


    However, Stephan''s gaze changed immediately. His rough fingertips brushed against her lips as he asked softly, "How does it taste?"


    It was only then that Felicia realized what she had done. Biting him was one thing, but she had actually drawn blood, and to make matters worse, she even swallowed it...


    Her actions were too bold and unbearably intimate, so much so that she startled herself.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 468

    Felicia fumbled, trying to exin. But before she could say anything, the wlessly handsome <b>face </b>before her suddenly loomed closer,


    As Stephan¡¯s shadow enveloped her, she heard him munnia, ¡°Now, It¡¯s any turn.¡±


    ¡°You¨Cmmph¡­¡±


    Her words were abruptly cut off. It was not one of those gentle or fleeting kisses from before. At that moment, Stephan was far more intense as though he intended to devour her whole. The hand gripping her <b>waist </b>tightened inexorably.


    It came like a storm, a ferocious offensive that heunched against her. Finally, in the midst of this <b>fierce </b>kiss<b>, </b>he even bit her. Felicia, unwilling to be outdone, bit him back just as hard.


    What should¡¯ve been a passionate kiss now carried <b>an </b>undertone of battle. It was fierce and unyielding.


    <b>It </b><b>was </b>unclear who <b>gave </b>in first nor who started it. Everything just happened naturally, as if it were inevitable.


    When Felicia opened her eves the next morning, her expression showed quite a range ofplexity.


    Stephan observed her for a <b>while</b>, finding her reaction amusing yet feeling a subtle sinking feeling in his chest. Fixing her gaze on her, he asked, ¡°Do you regret it?¡±


    Felicia widened her eyes. Thoughst night had been impulsive, she was painfully aware of the reasons behind her actions. She liked him, and her heart stirred for him. It waspletely voluntary.


    Facing Stephan¡¯s gaze, her cheeks and ears flushed a deep red, but she didn¡¯t look away. Instead, she replied firmly, ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±


    Stephan froze for <b>a </b>moment, then smiled, ¡°Felicia, I¡¯ll hold you to that ¡±


    ¡°<b>Yeah</b>,¡± she replied, blinking a few times. Whatever the reason, her <b>heart </b><b>had </b>already made the decision before she took this step forward.


    Since that was the <b>case</b>, she was willing to acknowledge her feelings. She would try to¡­ respond to his affection.


    What Felicia did not expect <b>was </b>that after her reply, Stephan stared at her <b>for </b><b>a </b>long time. Then, a barrage of kisses rained down on her once more<b>.. </b>


    She <b>was </b>utterly drained from the previous day. Feeling his restless hands again, she was unable to bear it and protested loudly, ¡°Stephan! Are you done yet?¡±


    His voice <b>was </b>muffleding through the covers. She froze for a moment, taking a while to process what he <b>had </b>said.


    ¡°If I don¡¯t take <b>care </b>of you properly, <b>what </b>if you flip out and deny everything likest time?¡±


    She <b>was </b>stunned by his words. This guy was absolutely shameless!


    By the time they were done, it was already noon. Felicia waspletely spent and ultimately left Stephan to do as he <b>pleased</b><b>. </b>


    When she finally left the room after freshening up, she found a table full of foodid out in the dining room downstairs. Without a doubt, Stephan must¡¯ve ordered his subordinates to prepare it. novelbin


    Starving, Felicia was too <b>tired </b>to care about his tantmandeering of her <b>space</b>. She quietly sat <b>down </b>at the table and started eating without reservation.


    The food was excellent¨Cperfectly suited to her <b>tastes </b>and preferences.


    She couldn¡¯t help but nce at Stephan and ask, ¡°Did you have someone investigate me?


    Otherwise, how could be know her <b>likes </b>and dislikes so well?


    <b>Stephan </bdled a bowl of mushroom <b>soup </b>and ced it in front of her, smiling faintly as he answered, ¡°No. I just have them all memorized from the few times we¡¯ve eaten together.¡±


    His words were simple, but they left Felicia stunned for a brief moment


    Back in the Fuller family, be it Dexter, Myra, Howell, or Tabitha, <b>none </b>of them had <b>ever </b>bothered to observe her preferences or <b>care </b>about what she liked or disliked.


    Stephan, on the other hand, had memorized everything despite their rtively few meals together.


    A subtle feeling stirred in Felicia¡¯s heart.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 469

    After the <b>meal</b>, Felicia was about to clear the table when Stephan stopped her.


    He gave a slight nod toward the doorway, and a few familiar looking maids entered. They swiftly began tidying the table and cleaning up


    They were the staff Stephan had brought over from the Russell estate.


    Felicia was more than happy to <b>rx</b><b>. </b>Her vi <b>spanned </b>three floors, plus <b>a </b>basement. Cleaning it all was exhausting. Having help made life so much easier.


    She settled onto the couch while holding a cup of hot water with both hands. Blowing it, she took a sip, then repeated the process warmed her face, the seat beside her sank suddenly, and Stephan¡¯s voice sounded in her ear. ¡°Does it still hurt?¡±


    cess. As the steam from the cup


    She spat out the water, nearly cholong on it. She started coughing violently as her face flushed bright red,


    Stephan patted her back gently, his well¨Ccontrolled strength right on point.


    Once Felicia recovered, she immediately shot him a te.


    However, her violent coughing fit earlier had brought rears to her eyes. Her attempt at intimidation failed. Her gaze, shimmering with unshed tears, inadvertently camed a <b>fatal </b>allure.


    Stephan chuckded softly.


    His dark eyes, usually <b>cold </b>and piercing, softened at that moment, shedding their sharpness. The typically aloof and icy man now looked warm, almost tender, as he gazed at her.


    Felicia stared at him, momentanly lost in <b>thought</b>.


    The next second, ber view was entirely blocked by a pair of hands. Everything went dark, leaving her unable to see anything. But the <b>voice </b>that reached her ears was deep andced with humor. It sounded husky and restrained. ¡°My <b>dear</b>, please don¡¯t look at me like that anymore. I can¡¯t handle it.¡±


    Felicia had no idea that <b>every </b>time she fell in a daze, her pure, innocent gaze <b>was </b>enough to drive him wild. And yet, she remained blissfully unaware she caused.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± She blinked a few times.


    Stephan immediately felt the flutter of her eyshes against his palm. It was like a soft tickle from a feather.


    Just then, several vehicles pulled up outside the vi.


    Standing respectfully in front of the cars were members of Stephan¡¯s crew.


    Felicia nced at them and immediately understood that he <b>was </b>about to leave, probably to some distant location.


    The vehicles were all off¨Croad models, packed full of supplies.


    Calmly, she retracted her gaze and said nothing novelbin


    However, her indifference made Stephan click his tongue in annoyance. He raised his <b>hand </b>again, this time pinching her <b>face </b>hard


    Felicia swatted his offending hand away and protested, ¡°What the heck?¡±


    of the chaos


    ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving for a while. It might take some time.¡± Stephan leaned closer, his tone tinged with coaxing ¡°You heartless girl, aren¡¯t you going to ask when t


    going


    Would it be dangerous?


    Felicia¡¯s eyes flickered <b>as </b>she turned to him and asked, ¡°Where are you going, and what are you doing?¡±


    <b>Until </b>now, Felicia had never shown any curiosity about him. She had always maintained a detached, indifferent attitude that made it seem by the world around her or by him.


    as if she was unaffected


    Finally getting her to ask <b>that </b>question, even if it was just a simple one, was enough to prove that she was letting go of her indifference. She was beginning to ept him and wanted to know more about him.


    Theers of Stephan¡¯s lips curved into <b>a </b>smile. He gently cupped her face as he replied, ¡°Where I¡¯m going has to do with that map¡±


    Momentarily forgetting to resist, she stared at him in surprise. ¡°But isn¡¯t that map a fake?¡±


    The mere mention of that map gave her a headache. A supposedly mythical object¨Can ancient, legendary map¨Cwas somehow tied to the Fuller family!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 470

    It turned out that Dexter stole the map from Stephan¡¯s subordinate under some strange circumstances!


    When Felicia first learned about it, she had kindly warned the Fuller couple to return the map immediately. She thought doing so might save the Fuller family from bankruptcy


    But what did they do?


    The Fuller couple decided to y tricks, pretending they knew nothing. They feigned ignorance and even sent the map to an auction house, allowing all interested parties to fight over it.


    They had assumed this would confuse Stephan, making him think the map had been acquired through pure chance. Thus, he would spare the Fuller family.


    But what they didn¡¯t realize was that, to <b>Stephan</b>, their clumsy antics only made them look like clowns! And to make matters worse, the map they sent to the auction house <b>was </b>a fake.


    The Fuller couple¡¯s clever ploy backfired spectacrly. Not only did they fail to deceive anyone, but they also turned themselves into targets for all the interested parties.


    It was an indescribable disaster


    with things escted to this point, various factions were convinced that the Fuller couple still possessed the real map. Countless eyes were on them, and they were ready to use any means necessary to find out the map¡¯s whereabouts.


    Felicia tumed to Stephan and asked, ¡°Have you found the real map? novelbin


    ¡°No? Then how do you know if the ce you¡¯re going <b>is </b>correct or not? What if it¡¯s a mistake, or worse, a trap?


    ¡°That¡¯s why I need to investigate it.¡± Stephan¡¯s voice remained calm, but Felicia could hear the hidden menace in his tone. ¡°Nobody else can leam the contents of that map


    ¡°What is it?¡± Felicia felt she had asked an inappropriate question, so she quickly added, ¡°You don¡¯t have <b>to </b>answer <b>that</b>. Pretend I didn¡¯t ask ¡°


    She wanted to avoid suspicion. After all, the rumored treasure was too tempting.


    Before she could say more, she felt a sudden sting on her lips: Stephan had bitten her lightly in dissatisfaction. Before she could <b>retaliate</b>, he chuckled and said,¡± When ites to you, I have no secrets to hide. I¡¯ll tell you anything you want to know.¡±


    ¡°Oh, go ahead, then<b>.</b>¡± Felima straightened up, adopting a posture of keen interest. She wasn¡¯t after the treasure. She was just curious.


    Stephan began speaking at a leisurely <b>pace</b>, recounting an old story.


    Once upon a time, a sailor was caught in a storm during a distant voyage and swept onto an unknown ind. There, he discovered an isted <b>kingdom</b>.


    The kingdom was said to be filled with treasures¨Cmountains of gold and countless rare wonders that the outside world had never seen.


    After recovering from his injuries, the sailor was sent back to sea by the kingdom¡¯s inhabitants.


    Before he left, they <b>made </b>him swear to keep their existence a secret. But like the tropes we had all read, the sailor secretly recorded the ind¡¯s coordinates <b>as </b><b>he </b>departed


    The coordinates were eventually leaked. <b>Many </b>people became obsessed with finding the kingdom, desperate to im its gold and treasures.


    Wave after wave of expeditions set out, yet no one ever found the isted kingdom. They either returned empty¨Chanded or perished in the storms on the sea


    That was how the <b>story </b>ended.


    However, the


    map, with its astral coordinates<b>, </b>remained. The sailor had written them himself on the day he left the ind.


    Stephan lightly tapped Felicia¡¯s <b>forehead </b><b>and </b>asked with <b>a </b><b>smile</b>, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    She rested her chin on her hands, clearly enjoying the story. Without thinking, she replied, ¡°It¡¯s a great bedtime story. I¡¯ll remember it and tell it to my daughter


    someday.¡±


    What a perfect tale to lull a child to sleep.


    Felicia swore she had only said it <b>as </b><b>a </b><b>casual </b>remark, a lighthearted joke with no other intentions!


    However, the room seemed to have fallen into a deathly silence.


    Slowly, she looked up and found herself locked in Stephan¡¯s dark, profound gaze. His eyes seemed like an enigmatic, bottomless abyss. Shadows flickered in them with some unspoken emotions, ready to break free at any moment.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 471

    Their gazes , and Delicia¡¯s heart skipped a beat, novelbin


    She opened her month, about to say something to smonth things over. But then, she saw Stephan¡¯s smile. It wasn¡¯t his usualzy, nonchnt smirk. This one seemed genuinely joyful, ti lit up his entire fare.


    ¡°Alright, In the future, I¡¯ll tell bedtime stories to both you and our child ¡°


    She was rendered speechless Wasn¡¯t he getting a bit too far ahead?


    Felicia was mustified by the idea and almost bit her own tongu


    Tut the moment he said those words, an image involuntarily popped into fermind¨Ca cozy room lit by warm light, a child peacefully drifting off to sleep, and two inexpetenced parents telling bedtime stories.


    ¡°Nope! Hold it right there?¡± she yelled in her mind.


    She hurriedly changed the subject. ¡°Wait, let¡¯s focus on the main topic. Since the re


    real map has surfaced, it must have a traceable lead. Who has it? Do you have a


    Stephan gave her an aimused side¨Ceye. Her attempt to change the topic was anything but subtle.


    He took his time, watching as Felicia¡¯s cheeks blushed, the redness spreading all the way to her ears. She <b>clearly </b>wanted to crawl into a hole but still forced herself tu appear calm and serious.


    It made bini even more adorable.


    Stephandecided not to push her <b>too </b>far. After all, this wildcat had a fierce bite. Justst night, she left two teeth marks on his shoulder, not to mention the scratches on his back.


    Leaningzily against the couch, Stephan drawled, ¡°There aren¡¯t any concrete leads, but i have a theory. If I¡¯m not mistaken, the real map should be in the hands of the Fuller family¡¯s adopted daughter.


    Felina blinked in surprise and blurted, ¡°Ka?¡±


    Stephan reached out to tuck a stray strand of Felicia¡¯s hair behind her ear. The gesture <b>was </b>so natural it seemed like second nature to him.


    He continued, ¡°Ka <b>has </b>abandoned the Fuller couple. Rumor has it she has reunited with her biological family and is now under the protection of the Cartell family. They te hiding her very well.¡±


    The Ganelidamily?


    ¡°Where did this Canell familye from?¡± Felicia muttered,


    Camell family


    She lowered her bead, sifting through childhood memories. She vaguely recalled Tabitha often boasted about having a cousin who married into the C


    If that were true, then that Mrs. Carrell would be Ka¡¯s distant aunt.


    For Ka to reunite with such a far¨Cthing rtive at this <b>critical </b>moment, there had to be something more.


    Feps Ka possessed something that caught the Carrells¡® attention, something valuable enough to for an alliance with Ka and secure their protection. And that something was undoubtedly the real map!


    tia¡¯s thoughts raced and concluded, ¡°If Ka really brought the map to the Cartells, they¡¯d definitely want to keep it for themselves. They¡¯d focus entirely on


    lenting! To avoid suspicion, they might even set up traps or false trails. You have to be extra careful when tracking then.¡±


    Was she worried aboral Steplun


    Stephanchuckled softly, clearly pleased by her reaction.


    ¡°The Canells <b>have </b>indeed sent out people secret. But <b>as </b><b>so </b>as th


    as they left, news spread that the real m


    map was in their possession tight after that, various factions


    Felicia¡¯s eye twitched. With a teasing tone, she asked, ¡°Let me guess. You leaked that news, didn¡¯t you?¡± stephanieint confined for denied it.


    But the Canells were prepared for it. This tim


    they even bought twee extra people with them


    Ben stopped and looked directlydo l¡¯ell¡¯s ryne


    She linge for a moment beter realizing what he meant <b>and </b>asked, ¡°The Fuller cosiple?¡±


    It was crawledge that the real potially came from the Fuller couple.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 472

    <b>Fuller </b>couple as ¡°ilving


    So, now that the teal map had disappeared and the Cartells refused to admit it was in their possession, they had chosen to use the F


    instead


    In the end, it was kanna getting <b>back </b>at them.


    maps¡®


    Felicia felt conflicted. She couldn¡¯t understand why the Fuller couple had gone to such lengths, dragging themselves into this inescapable vortex. Were they really risking everything<b>, </b><b>even </b>their lives, just to protect Ka?


    Seeing her displeased expression, Stephanexined, ¡°Before I spread the news about the Carrells, they had already taken the Fuller couple with them.¡±


    In other words, it wasn¡¯t his doing, so he couldn¡¯t be med


    Felicia couldn¡¯t help butugh. Stephan, a man known for his decisive, ruthless actions that struck fear into the hearts of others, was someone who dealt with people coldly and mercilessly.


    couple, Dexter had stolen from him, feigned ignorance, and even sent the item to an auction house as an act of provocation,


    Yet in this matter involving the Fuller couple exposing the secret to the world.


    Anyone else would have been dead a hundred times <b>over </b>by now, but he tolerated the Fuller family time <b>and </b>time <b>again</b>.


    Felicia low the reason why.


    This thoughtfulness and consideration he had for her was something he showed but never spoke of


    Felicia blinked and leaned forward, nting a quick kiss on Stephan¡¯s lips before retreating just as swiftly. She said softly, ¡°I understand.¡±


    Stephan, 100, caught the meaning in her eyes, with a faint smirk, he asked, ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°What else do you want?¡± Felicia pointed toward the convoy <b>outside</b>, reminding him, ¡°Stephan, you¡¯re supposed to leave now.¡±


    As soon <b>as </b>she finished speaking and began backing away, Stephan grabbed her. Startled<b>, </b><b>she </b>thought he would kiss her with his usual domineering, tyrant¨Clike Tervor. Bat to her surprise, this time, <b>his </b>kiss was achingly gentle.


    It left Felicia stunned, stuckin a daze.


    She opened her eyes to look at Stephan He<b>, </b><b>too</b>, gazed deeply into her eyes. His expression was focused, almost reverent, as he lowered his head slightly. He traced her lips with careful precision, lingering and exploring.


    The world fell silent, <b>leaving </b>only the sound of their racing hearts.


    After a long while, Stephan released her and rested his forebead against hers as he chuckled softly. ¡°Wait for me toe back. I¡¯ll marry you.¡±


    Felicia blinked. ¡°why don¡¯t you marry into my family instead? I¡¯ve <b>got </b>the bridal home <b>ready </b>right here. Just make sure to bring plenty of dowry.¡±


    Much to her surprise, Stephan chuckled and agreed, ¡°Sure.¡±


    The off¨Croad¨Cconvoy rumbled out of town in a grand procession.


    Befour leaving, Stephan assigned a group of his men to stay with Felicia, both to assist her and to ensure her safety. He mentioned that thest time he returned to Seldvale, Felicia <b>was </b>kidnapped by Maurice.


    This time, be made sure to leave some men to keep her <b>safe</b>.


    Among the inen Jett behind was someone Felicia was familiar with. When she <b>was </b>kicked out of the Fuller family and stayed at the Russell estate for over half a month, this man, Stanley, had been her driver.


    was from Standry that Felicia leaned that Steplun had originally nned to leavest night,


    She thought about it for a moment. It turned out that when Stephan scaled her wallst night, it was just to say goodbye before <b>leaving </b>Khogend. But instead, she had grabbard tam by the cor and draggedm to bed. novelbin


    Felicia nked onrt own saliva. Thankfully, she had trained herself to maintain a calm exterior, so no one noticed anything unusual.


    Marley cluelessly called out, ¡°Mis. Hussell, air you going on? I¡¯ll being the car atuand<b>.</b>¡°


    Tricia nodded at first, she did need to go out Previously, she had been taking cabs to get around. Having a driver <b>op </b>call now was definitely much more convenient. However, she suddenly realized something and asked, ¡°Wall amute What did you call ine?¡±


    was rendered speeddess<b>. </b>


    Shar matially wanted for, but sing the ly, cheerful grinds face, <b>she </b>let it slide. Maybe this was part of stephant¡¯s ¡°dowry¡± too. The templi lunght a bi undle to l?r t?r.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 473

    After the happy thought, Felicia suddenly remembered <b>that </b>she had forgotten to remind Stephan to stay safe when he lett earlier.


    But it should be fine. He was bringing plenty of men along, and his skills were formidable enough for him to handle any trouble with ease.


    Just as she was about to rx, another thought hit her. She should¡¯ve packed some hemostatic medicine or Panax pseudo¨Cginthera for him. In case he got injured, they¡¯de in handy,


    Was this what it felt like to love someone? Was this the kind of evesting longing that would never really go <b>away</b>?


    She inwardly chastised herself, but before she knew it, she <b>had </b>already blurted out the question in her mind, ¡°How long will he be gone?


    Stanley blinked, then quickly answered, ¡°Ms. Russell, Mr. Russell said it¡¯ll take at least <b>half </b>a month but might go up to a month.¡±


    ¡°okay¡± Felicia looked away and got into the car. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I need to go to the clinic.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Stanley had always been a steady driver. They arrived at the entrance of Union Clinic in just 20 minutes.


    As soon as Felicia stepped inside, Kerry rushed up to her, holding two consultation request letters in his hands. He eagerly presented them and eximed<b>, </b>¡°Ms. Fuller, the consultation fees from these two clients are sky¨Chigh! Should we take them?¡±


    Felicia took the letters and casually flipped through them. The first one had no signature or any indication of who had sent it. novelbin


    How strange. Why would someonee seeking medical help but refuse to leave their name or details? <b>What </b>kind of <b>game </b>was this?


    She had little patience for people who sought help while being secretive and evasive. She immediately tossed the letter back to Kerry, ¡°Throw it in the <b>trash</b>. The second letter, however, bore <b>a </b>signature from the Russell family.


    The Russell family from Seldvale?


    She froze for a moment. Stephan had just left Khogend. If someone in the Russell family really needed medical attention, why wouldn¡¯t he simply tell her? Did he think she¡¯d refuse?


    Examining the letter closely, she saw that the patient was Stephan¡¯s elder sister, Imogen Russell.


    The letter was quite eamest, exining that they had heard of a miraculous doctor at the clinic. They offered a sky¨Chigh consultation fee to treat Imogen¡¯s eyes. Felicia paused <b>for </b>a moment, then called Stanley in to ask about it.


    Stanley seemed surprised when he saw the consultation letter. He exined, ¡°Ma¡¯am, the letter is right. Ms. Russell really has been blind for nearly two decades.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Stanley hesitated before continuing, ¡°Ms. Russell is currently pregnant. There¡¯s no way she¡¯d rush to treat her eyes at a time like this. At most, she might be looking for a consultation or seeking <b>advice </b>on whether recovery is possible


    Felicia nodded. In other words, the letter might not have been sent by Imogen herself but by someone using her


    her name.


    If it was just a consultation, Felicia had no problem with that. However<b>, </b>she was worried that there might be some other schemes involved with the letter.


    ¡°Ms. Russell is a kind person. She¡¯s gentle and good¨Ctempered. It¡¯s just a pity she can¡¯t see. Over the years, Mr. Russell <b>has </b>been searching for famous doctors to treat her eyes,¡± Stanley said.


    He hesitated for a moment, then decided to be fully transparent with Felicia, given her status. ¡°Also¡­ the reason Ms. Russell is blind has to do has always felt guilty about it.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Felicia asked<b>. </b>


    with Mr. Russell. He


    Stanley sighed and briefly recounted the Russell family¡¯s past. The gist of It was that the siblings, who lost their parents at a young age, had suttered years of bullying


    <b>During </b>one particr plot against them, Imogen, who was already an adult at the time, shielded Stephan. <b>As </b><b>a </b>result, she lost her eyesight.


    Felicia was deeply moved. She realized how little she truly knew about Stephan<b>. </b>


    Beyond what she had seen and understood, his <b>past</b>, his struggles<b>, </b><b>and </b>his life¨Call of <b>it </b>remained a mystery to her.


    She sighed The consultation fee was generous enough. With that being the case, she might as well take the trip Aftering to a decision, Stanley immediately volunteered to arrange the flight for her

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 474

    was by private jet.


    want to cause too much of amotion. After all, whether or not she could treat the patient was still uncertain. If the fantas


    shead, looking confused. ¡°Huh? It¡¯s nothing much. This is just how we travel normally!¡±


    was rich and powerful. Everyone knew that already!


    She needed to prepare some medicinal ingredients first, so they scheduled the departure for three dayster..


    Il estate in Seidvale, Johanna was the one who received the reply to the consultation request.


    to be precise, the request letter was something that she had sent using Imogen¡¯s name.


    While Stephan was around, she didn¡¯t dare make such a move. But she seized the opportunity the moment he left Khogend and submitted the request to Union


    se, woking for Felicia toe for the consultation.


    During this time, Johanna had been persistently whispering in Imogen¡¯s ears, iming she had discovered an unparalleled doctor in Khogend during herst visit.


    person was capable of curing Imogen¡¯s blindness!


    a first, Imogen didn¡¯t believe her. She had been blind for so many years and had endured countless disappointments, leading her to have given up hope.


    Regardless, Johanna¡¯s eloquence eventually wore her down. Johanna had painted Felicia¡¯s medical skills as nothing short of divine novelbin


    Finally, Johanna gave her onest push. ¡°Imogen, don¡¯t you want to know what your baby looks like when they¡¯re bom? Only by restoring your vision <b>will </b>you be


    ie to see them with your owryes


    Johanna Izrw Imogentoo well with just that, she had hit her soft spor


    From then on, Imogen began to feel a flicker of hope, something she hadn¡¯t felt inve anticipated the arrival of the famous unrivaled doctor that Johanna had promised.


    in years. She looked forward to the possibility of regaining her sight and


    for a dramatic failure.


    11 Felicia had been present, she would have recognized this tactic for what it was a calcted setup by raising someone¡¯s expectations, the crushing disappointment of failure would only deepen their despair. And what would follow was the hatred and resentment aimed squarely at the one who represented that false hope!


    Jolumna smiled Laimly.


    By then, she would reveal the truth that Auchle¡¯s death was connected to daughter of the said family.


    <b>d </b>to the Fuller family and that the miracle doctor they had invited was <b>none </b>other than a


    Imogen would undoubtedly lose her mind. Archie was the one uncrossable bottom line for her. Knowing her enemy¡¯s daughter was right before her eyes, she might rensh out and all Felicia in a fit <b>of </b>rage!


    stephan and Felicia Heh With Imogen in the picture, their rtionship would never stand a dunce


    Just those thoughts alone brought jolunna great joy<b>. </b>


    Thuer days passed in the blink of an eye.


    The private jet touched down directly at the Russell family¡¯s private airstrip behind their estate in Seldvale


    s the cabin door opened, bright sunlight poured in Lounging on the leather <b>couch</b>, Felicia stretchedzily and asked, ¡°We¡¯ve arrived?¡±


    We¡¯re currently at the Russell family¡¯s private alstrip behind the main residence. Those vis up ahead are <b>part </b>of the mat¨ª estate,¡± Stanley exined enthusiastically.


    salready waiting nearby. I took <b>about </b>ten minutes to drive from the airstrip to the vi.


    estate exuded opulence at every tum


    heloria casually nced around. The grandeur was undeniable. As the wealthiest family in the world, the Russell family¡¯s est As the marveled, the car came to a stop


    Standry quickly got out, walked around to her side, and opened the car door with a deep bow. He deliberately raised his <b>voice </b>as to make sure everyone could hear


    ¡±


    Thee Loud and clear ¡°Mis RussellTM Leit Felicia feeling awkward.


    But the most ufortable person of all was the one standing at the vi entrance to greet them¨CJohanna. Her expression darkened immediately upon hearing how badey addiesard Felicia

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 475

    ¡°Stanley, what did you <b>call </b>her?


    Johanna¡¯s face was stiff, <b>her </b>smilepletely wiped away. Her gaze sharpened, radiating with malice as she demanded, ¡°What did you just call her?¡±


    Stanley grinned,pletely unfazed ¡°Mrs. Russell. Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°<b>Who </b>gave you the permission to call her that? She doesn¡¯t have the proper title or status. There are countless women vying to marry into the Russell family. Some people should stop being delusional!¡±


    Johanna red daggers at Felicia, making it crystal clear who <b>she </b>was referring to.


    Stanley shook his <b>head</b>, maintaining a polite demeanor, but his tone grew more serious as he replied, ¡°Ms. Rosario, you seem to be overstepping. Mr. Russell¡¯s intentions are not for you to specte on¡±


    <b>¡°</b>You


    The remark was a sharp reminder for Johanna to know her ce. In the Russell family, she <b>was </b>merely a guest. Acting, so presumptuously and trying to interfere in <b>the </b>Russell family¡¯s matters was far beyond her standing.


    Seething in anger <b>but </b></divcking the authority to reprimand, Johanna had no choice but to swallow her frustration and sneer at Felicia.


    Hmph! She would endure this for now. One day, she¡¯d make sure Felicia <b>realized </b>that the position of Mrs. Russell belonged to her, Johanna!


    Felicia, of course, felt the huming <b>gaze </b>directed at her. If looks could kill, she would probably <b>have </b>died many times over.


    ¡°What on earth is her problem?¡± Felicia mused.


    Her patience wore thin, so her voice tumed cold as she <b>said</b>, ¡°So<b>, </b>are you here to seek consultation or not? If not, I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    She hade as the miracle healer. Did they really think famous doctors were all pushovers? novelbin


    When seeking medical help, showing a respectful attitude was to be expected.


    Johanna¡¯s dark expression quickly changed. Forcing a smile<b>, </b>she masked her hostility and adopted a deferential posture. She lowered her head slightly and gestured, ¡°Ms. Fuller, this way please.¡±


    Felicia strolled in leisurely, epting <b>the </b>courtesy as if it were her due.


    Her poised and regal demeanor exuded <b>an </b>air of unshakable confidence, as if others were naturally obligated to bow before her.


    Johanna secretly clenched her teeth. How dare this woman demand respect from her?


    And yet Felicia did. She had received countless requests from all walks of life¨Cnobles, tycoons, <b>and </b>elites. Private jets and extravagant wees were hardly new


    <b>to </b>her


    She had always been casual about it. No matter how grand the arrangements were, she epted them without fuss. If the other party¡¯s attitude was respectful and the payment fair, she would help Conversely, if she deemed someone worthy, she would go to great lengths to treat them, even those who couldn¡¯t afford her


    Otherwise, how did Union Clinic eam their reputation? How had the title of miracle <b>healer </be to be?


    As Johanna led the way, Felicia followed at a rxed pace. Stanley, responsible for her safety, didn¡¯t think there was much danger in the Russell estate <b>and </b>had instead taken on the task of carrying Felicia¡¯s medical kit.


    Even so<b>, </b>Stanley¡¯s chatter filled the air. At almost every turn, he eagerly pointed things out to Felicia.


    ¡°Mrs. Russell, <b>look </b>at that pond over there. It¡¯s <b>full </b>of glowing fish. Mr. Russell always feeds them when he¡¯s home.


    ¨C Mrs. Hussell, up ahead is a garden i think you¡¯ll like it. It¡¯s full of flowers, and this time of the year, they should all be in bloom.


    His enthusiasm and the repeated use of ¡°Mrs. Russell grated on Johanna¡¯s nerves. Felicia seemed indifferent, <b>paying </b>no mind to it, but Johanna was bolling with tage and could barely keep herposite


    They passed iluough <b>an </b>opulent reception hall, took <b>a </b>turn down a lung corridor, and finally stopped.


    ¡°We¡¯re fuere,¡± Joleanna announced,


    it was a garden, just as Stanley had described. It was bursting with vibrant colors, with the blooms of various rare and precious flowers at their peak

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 476

    A gust of wind carried the rich fragrance of flowers through the air.


    <b>Felicia </b>almost choked on the overpowering floral scent.


    Though it smelled pleasant<b>, </b>her nose was incredibly sensitive to all kinds of <b>odors</b>. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to track down Sandra¡¯s whereabouts with just a potpourri <b>bag </b>


    she sneezed twice in quick session


    The sound startled the person lying in the middle of the garden.


    ¡°Has the miracle healer arrived? A gentle, ethereal female <b>voice </b>rang out, apanied by a soft smile.


    Felicia looked up and saw a woman in <b>a </b>white dress standing up from a recliner in the garden. She smiled ever so gently, her entire being exuding <b>an </b>air of peace


    and serenity.


    The woman was indeed <b>beautiful</b>. She <b>had </b><b>a </b>wonderfulplexton, delicate skin, and well¨Cproportioned features. Whether smiling or not, <b>she </b><b>was </b><b>a </b>captivating sight to behold.


    But what was even more attractive than her appearance was the transcendent temperament she possessed, which felt like gentle moonlight¨Cquiet, tranquil, and


    This had to be Imogen.


    Felicia was about to speak but couldn¡¯t hold back another sneeze.


    Imogen chuckled and said, ¡°I love flowers, but since I can¡¯t see, I <b>can </b>only rely on their fragrance to feel the changing seasons. Let¡¯s go to the front hall.¡±


    She extended her hand<b>, </b>and a maid immediately stepped forward to support her. Johanna held onto her other side.


    Other maids stepped up to lead Felicia, but Stanley, carrying the medical kit, respectfully took the <b>lead </b>instead. ¡°Mrs. Russell, this way, please.¡±


    The walk from the garden to the front hall was short, just around theEE.


    Because of her pregnant belly, Imogen walked slowly. When they finally reached the front <b>hall</b>, the first thing she did was instruct the maids to prepare beverages and bring out some fruits.


    ¡°miracle healer, please have <b>a </b>seat. <b>Please </b>forgive me if there¡¯s anythingcking in our hospitality.¡±


    Imogen was also helped into a chair, where a soft pillow was ced behind her waist. She leaned <b>back </b>carefully, clearly enduring a difficult pregnancy.


    Felicia tapped the table lightly and gestured, ¡°Ms. Russell, let me check your pulse first. Please ce your hand here.¡±


    Hearing Felicia¡¯s voice, Imogen froze for a moment


    The miracle healer was this young ?


    Judging by the voice, she sounded barely out of her teens.


    Imogen instinctively <b>turned </b>her head toward Johanna, who <b>was </b>sitting nearby, with <b>a </b>questioning look that suggested, ¡°Are <b>you </b>sure <b>you </b>brought the right person?


    Joha nced at Felicia and smiled as she exined, ¡°Imogen, don¡¯t worry. Though the miracle healer here may be young, her medical skills are truly extraordinary, reaching unparalleled heights. She¡¯ll definitely be able to cure your blindness!¡±


    Although Johanna¡¯s words were meant as praise, <b>they </b>were way overboard and sounded like she was setting Felicia up for failure.


    Felicia opened luer medical dr and smoothed out the wrist pillow, smirking slightly as she said, ¡°Ms. Rosario seems to have more confidence in me than i do <b>¡± </b>Johanna pursed her lips <b>and </b>responded <b>smoothly</b>, ¡°I¡¯m just worried about Imogen. I only hope her eyes can recover. I¡¯d do anything to make it happen!¡±


    Those words touched mogen deeply, making her eyes well up and her heart wam. How could she not feel moved? novelbin


    Felicia gave her a perfunctory acknowledgment and toyed with the needle case in her hand. She said in a leisurely tone, ¡°Is that so? Well, there is a <b>way</b>. If someone is willing to dorate their eyes<b>, </b>I can guarantee her vision will be restored.¡±


    Johanna was Hunned <b>into </b>silence.


    She had spoken so confidently moments ago, believing Imogen¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t possibly be cured and that Felicia wouldn¡¯t have the ability to do so!


    However, Felicia¡¯s blom weggestion left her with no way to respond


    Caught in an awkward situation, job didn¡¯t dare question whether this eyes for¨Can¨Ceye method was real or not. Even if it turned out to be a real cure, there w no way der would r grown eyes to linagen!


    The atmosphere burned unumitortably quiet,

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 477

    Imogen was just about to say that she didn¡¯t need such a method and wouldn¡¯t want anyone to sacrifice for her<b>. </b>


    something but still insist on


    But before she could speak, she heard Feliciaugh and say, ¡°Some promises shouldn¡¯t be made so lightly. If you can¡¯t truly offer some making a vow, what¡¯s the point? To make others feel indebted to you?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it that way!¡± Johanna <b>was </b>tastered. She tried to argue back but found herself <b>at </b>a loss.


    It was all Felicia¡¯s fault for being so sharp and brutally direct!


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s fine. Even if such a method exists, I wouldn¡¯t agree to it,¡± Imogen said soothingly, casting a gentle nce at Johanna before turning to Felicia with smile, ¡°Miracle healer, please don¡¯t scare her.¡±


    Felicia¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°I¡¯m not scaring


    ut anyone.


    ?1 just can¡¯t sta


    stand hearing things like <b>that</b>.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t personal. It was an equal disdain she had for all Inpocritical words and actions. Imogen chuckled, shalding her head. ¡°You¡¯re both like children.¡±


    Perhaps it was her age that made her see them as kids, or maybe it was her blindness that kept her from sensing the hidden ruthlessness in Johanna and the subtl tension in the air.


    Johanna seized the opportunity for anout and said in a sweet <b>voice</b><b>, </b>¡°Imogen, put your hand u


    your hand up and let the doctor checky


    your pulse.¡±


    Imogen had harbored some hope, but upon realizing that the so¨Ccalled miracle healer was merely a young girl, her expectations plummeted.


    However, not wanting to disappoint Johanna¡¯s efforts, she eventually ced her hand on the wrist pillow


    Felicia ced her fingers on Imogen¡¯s wrist and quickly released them


    ¡°How is it? Can she be treated<b>?</b>¡± Johanna was the first to ask, her tone filled with eager concern. novelbin


    Imogen, however, remained calm and indifferent as if she had already anticipated the answer.


    Felicia casually tossed the wrist pillow back into her medical kit and said lightly, ¡°Ms. Russell, if I¡¯m not mistaken, your blindness is due to external poisoning. Someone introduced a toxinto your eyes.¡±


    Imogen was momentarily surprised but quickly came to terms with it. Knowing the cause wouldn¡¯t change anything, and yet¡­.


    ¡°It can be treated<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>


    Felicia¡¯s straightforward answer cut through Imogen¡¯s thoughts.


    Felicia sat upright in her chair,posed herself, and assured timogen, ¡°I can treat it.¡±


    ¡°R¨CReally?¡± Imogen¡¯s breath caught <b>for </b>a few seconds, her mind turning <b>nk </b>momentarily. Then, a flood of nervousness and joy swept over her.


    She had been in darkness for too long. It had been <b>so </b>long that she couldn¡¯t imagine ever seeing the world <b>again</b>.


    Instinctively, she touched her belly and thought, ¡°Baby, did you hear <b>that</b><b>? </b>I might be able to see you, after all. ¡±


    The little one in her womb kicked her belly as if in response,


    Overwhelmed with emotion, toogen began crying tears of joy. Turning toward Felicia, she asked excitedly, ¡°How will the treatment work? Can I start after I give


    You can.¡± Felicia nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll <b>search </b>for a few special herbs to detoxify your eyes. However, since you¡¯ve been blind for years and the toxins <b>have </b>deeply settled, esemalter detoxification, your vision will only recover to about 80% of what it was.¡±


    80% recovery would essentially leave her with just a slight


    Imogen nodded vigorously, then suddenly grasped Felicia¡¯s hand, urgently asking, ¡°Will the poison in my eyes <b>affect </b>my baby?¡±


    earsightedness, which wouldn¡¯t affect her quality of life significantly. ¡°No, it won¡¯t. Don¡¯t worry ¡®


    elicia¡¯s confident answer inexplicably reassured her.


    Imogen immediately rted, bet tense muscles easing as she expressed her gratitude. ¡°Thank you, miracle healed! Thank you so much!¡± Felicia subtly withdrew her hand and replied inher usual calm tone, ¡°Once the herbs <b>are </b>collected, 11 prepare the detoxifying medicine


    you. Alright<b>, </b>I¡¯ll take

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 478

    Chapter <b>478 </b>


    Imogen quickly tried to get up to see Felicia oft personally.


    Felicia<b>, </b>not wanting to trouble a heavily pregnant <b>woman</b>, <b>was </b>just about in decline when johanna raised her voice.


    Imogen was startled and scolded her gently, ¡°<b>Why </b>are you shouting so loudly? What is it?¡±


    Johanna forced a smile, though it looked strained. ¡°The doctor traveled so far to <b>see </b>you, How could we let her leave in such a hurry without even offering proper hospitality? Don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. I was so overjoyed that I forgot my marmers!¡±


    Imogen was naturally good¨Ctempered, especially toward Johanna<b>, </b><b>tolerating </b>almost anything she said or did.


    To Felicia, however, this excessive kindness bordered on naivety, making Imogen an easy target to manipte.


    ¡°No need for that. I have other matters to attend to. I won¡¯t be staying.¡± Felicia said as she tumed to leave.


    Stanley, who had been silently following her the entire time, obediently picked up the medical kit and stepped forward to lead the way.


    Johanna panicked. She wanted to keep Felicia here but couldn¡¯te up with a convincing excuse or <b>reason </b>Gritting her teeth, she leaned <b>close </b>to Imogen and whispered something in her ear,


    Imogen¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. ¡°Are you sure? <b>This </b>miracle <b>healer </b>Es Stephan¡¯s sweetheart?¡±


    The word ¡°sweetheart made Johanna so turious she <b>could </b>scream. But to keep Felicia here for her scheme, she yed along and nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Didn¡¯t I mention I went to Khogend with Stephan before? I saw it with my <b>own </b>eyes, Stephan seems very fond of her. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Stanley. He¡¯s Stephan¡¯s most trusted subordinate, and even he has started calling her Mrs. Russell.¡±


    Johanna expected Imogen to be displeased after hearing all <b>that</b>. Instead, Imogen eximed, ¡°Oh dear! Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡±


    With that, Imogen, cradling her belly, hurried after Felicia<b>, </b>shouting as she went, ¡°Felicial My sister¨Cin¨CJawl Don¡¯t leave!¡±


    Johanna was speechless.


    Felicia had nearly reached the main gates of the Russell estate and was about to get into the car when she heard themotion behind her. Tuming around, she saw a heavily pregnant woman running toward her. rmed, she quickly stepped forward to support Imogen


    Imogen was out of breath but startedughing when she grabbed Felicia¡¯s hand. She was almost pleading, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯t go yet. Stay with me for a few days, I¡¯ll show you around our house, alrig?u?¡±


    Our house? When did it be their house?


    Felicia couldn¡¯t help butugh<b>. </b>She then firmly shook her head. ¡°I really can¡¯t. Ms. Russell, I.,¡±


    Before she could finish, Imogen suddenly clutched her belly and cried out, her face turning pale.


    Felicia immediately checked her pulse and frowned. She turned to the maids and Stanley, Instructing. ¡°She¡¯s experiencing fetal distress. Help her back to her room to lie down.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. Right away.


    Stanley reacted quickly, picking up Imogen in his arms and carrying her back to her room. Once she was settled, he respectfully stepped aside.


    Felicia administered two acupuncture needles.


    Imogen slowly recovered, still shaken. ¡°Irantoo fast just now Is the baby okay?¡±


    ¡°The baby¡¯s fine. Both you and the child <b>ate </b>healthy, but you <b>must </b>be more careful. Judging by your condition, there¡¯s a high chance you¡¯ll deliver prematurely,¡± Felicia said bluntly


    Imogen nodded, her <b>unfocused </b>eyes still radiating a surprising brightness. novelbin


    Felicia sighed inwardly.


    Faced with Imogen¡¯s repeated pleas, she found it impossible to refuse a frail pregnant woman and reluctantly agreed to stay for a few days


    Imogen was overjoyed. She chatted with Felicia for a while, then, realizing Felicia was tired from her travels, insisted she rest.


    Felicia did need anap.


    What she didn¡¯t expect, however, <b>was </b>that the room Imogen arranged for her to rest in was none other than Stephan¡¯s bedroom!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 479

    Felicia considered moving to the guest room but realized the maid win brought her here had already left.


    on second thought, what was there to feel awloward about? She had shared a bed with Stephan more than once. Surely, sleeping in his bed alone wasn¡¯t a big deal. With this in mind<b>, </b>curiosity got the better of her. Wandering around the mom, she began poking and prodding, inspecting things here and there. Unable to resist, she even considered rummaging through his belongings.


    She had just picked up a book from the desk and barely opened the first page when her phone rang, startling her. It was a call from Stephan!


    Did that guy somehow know she was snooping around and timed his call on purpose?


    Clearing her throat, she answered the call, ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Do you miss me


    Strangely, there was a strong wind blowing on his end, and its sound rushed into her <b>ears</b>. It sounded like he was standing on a mountaintop. Despite the noise, his words came through clearly.


    His words carried a hint ofughter, casual yet teasing


    Felicia scratched her nose <b>and </b>replied, ¡°Maybe a little.¡±


    Stephan clicked his tongue, clearly dissatisfied. Whether his response was genuine or yful, she couldn¡¯t tell. ¡°You heartless little thing. I¡¯ve scoured an entire mountain just to find a signal, and that¡¯s all I get? Hin?¡±


    Felicia asked in surprise, ¡°Didn¡¯t you guys bring a satellite phone?¡±


    ¡°We did, but there was a mishap, and we lost it. Luckily, I found <b>a </b>spot with some signal. I <b>was </b>worried <b>you </b>might miss me too much, so I thought I¡¯d call to let you hear my voice.¡±


    Felicia was speechless.


    That offhand remark made it impossible to tell <b>how </b>serious or dangerous the mishap really was.


    Felicia flopped backward onto the bed and casually started recounting her day. She concluded with, ¡°Guess where I am right now? I¡¯m in your bedroom, taking over your bed. Bet you didn¡¯t see thating, did you?¡°¡±


    Life was full of surprises.


    She sighed dramatically, her tone unconsciously lifting at the <b>end</b>.


    There was a moment of silence on the other end of the <b>line</b>.


    Felicia rolled over and asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡±


    Was he mad?


    As she pondered, she heard a low chuckle from Stephan¡¯s end. His voice, <b>husly </b>and rough, carried a teasing edge as he said, ¡°Felicia, you¡¯re seducing me.¡± She was speechless. Just where was that bastard¡¯s mind going?


    Her heart skipped a beat. Just as she was about to scold <b>him </b>for his indecent thoughts, he added something even more brazen and explicit, ¡°I can¡¯t wait to go back She was left speechless once more.


    She was both <b>annoyed </b>and amused at the same time. Knowing there were thousands of miles between them, she decided to match his flirtation without fear. Finally, a chance to settle old scores!


    She poked at the pillow beside her and said, ¡°Mr. Russell, weren¡¯t you so aloot and above everything in the past? I distinctly remember when I identally fell into your arms and you <b>nearly </b>strangled me to death Ah, what a cold¨Chearted man.¡±


    Sure enough, Stephan was momentarily stumped by her jab. Then, after a brief pause, she <b>heard </b>a low, rumblingugh.


    His voice softened, and it wasced with affection and an attempt to appease her as he said, ¡°That was my mistake. If I had known I¡¯d fall for you this <b>hard</b>, I


    wouldn¡¯t have resisted back then.¡±


    Felicia froze, thinking, ¡°W¨CWhat does he mean by that?¡± novelbin

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 480

    Stephan didn¡¯t exin further, but the meaning was crystal clear.


    It was in that fleeting nce when he looked down from a high¨Crise and caught sight of her. It was in the helicopter when he watched her grit her teeth to extract a bullet frem herself without offering a sound despite the pain


    It was when she, bloodied and battered, crawled step by step to grab the hem of his trasers and pleaded in a near¨Cbroken voice, ¡°Mr. Russell, save me.¡± It was in her defiant smile, framed by the p mark on her face, as she stood homeless and abandoned all while refusing to shed a single tear. novelbin


    It was in her gaze, her presence, her entire being


    Sometimes, love began much earlier than one realized. It was silent and unnoticed, dismissed as irrelevant or even mocked. By the time one was aware of it, it was already a roaring storm that swept away everything in its <b>path</b>.


    Stephan didn¡¯t spell it out, but Felicia felt like she understood what he meant.


    Covering her eyes, shey on the bed, allowing those strange yet sweet emotions to chum within her. Then, she asked, ¡°Can I nimmage through your stuff? ¡°Do you even need to ask Stephan sounded like he wanted to knock some sense into her.


    Felicia chuckled


    She wanted to say more, but the unstable signal filled the line with static. Right before the connection broke, Stephan¡¯s voice came through clearly. ¡°The signal might cut off. Wait for me toe back¡±


    As expected, the call ended abruptly.


    Staring at her phone, Felicia felt a pang of regret for wasting the call on casual chatter, once <b>again </b>forgetting to remind him to stay safe.


    She would have to wait for next time, then


    She buried her face in the nket. The room w was spotless¨Calmost unnervingly so and the bed and pillows carried none of Stephan¡¯s scent. That clean, refreshing fragrance she was so fond of was absent.


    Unable to sleep after the call, Felicia got up, grabbed some paper and a pent, and quickly jotted down a list of medicinal ingredients.


    The herbs required to detoxify Imogen¡¯s eyes were rare. Since she would be staying for a few days, she decided to have <b>the </b>Russell family mobilize their resources to procure them. That way, all <b>she </b>needed to do <b>was </b>focus on preparing the antidote.


    Satisfied with her n, she handed the list to Stanley, who eagerly set off toplete the task


    By the next afternoon, Imogen had regained her energy and rook Felicia <b>on </b>a short tour of the Russell estate. Of course, they didn¡¯t go far. The ce was simply too <b>vast</b>, with too many areas to explore.


    During their idle chatter, Imogen subtly probed into Felicia¡¯s rtionship with Stephan<b>, </b>asking how tar they had progressed and when they nned to many. It was evident Imogen saw herself not only <b>as </b><b>a </b>sister but also as a concerned elder.


    Felicia¡¯s responses were vague. She either avoided the question or changed the subject,


    Perhaps the topic timed some memories for Imogen. Her unfocused eyes glimmered with sadness and longing as she gently caressed her belly, saying, ¡°If only Archie were still bere


    Felicia remained silent, choosing not toment.


    Imogen, seemingly lost in her own <b>world</b>, continued with a faint smile, ¡°My fianc¨¦, Archie Rosario, is the father of my <b>baby</b>. He died at <b>sea</b><b>, </b>and his body was never recovered. To this day, I don¡¯t even know what he <b>looked </b>like. He <b>was </b>so kind to me and so patient.


    ¡°We loved each other deeply. We were supposed to marryst year, but a month before the wedding, <b>he </b>died.


    Her smile faltered as tears began to stream down her face, Wiping them away, she <b>sighed</b>. ¡°I miss him so much, yet I never dream of him- not even <b>once</b><b>¡­</b>¡± Felicia remained silent.


    Empty words offort felt pointless. This kind of grief <b>could </b>only be processed by the person experiencing it.


    Given her limited familiarity with Imogen, Felicia didn¡¯t think it <b>was </b>her ce to offer any opinions. Sometimes, saying too much only made things worse. That


    was <b>a </b>timeless truth.


    Fortunately, Imogen didn¡¯t seem to need constion, only <b>a </b>silent listener.


    Felicia handed <b>her </b>a tissue. As she did <b>so</b><b>, </b>she <b>casually </b>nced upward and noticed Johanna standing by a second¨Cfloor window, watching them. From that distance and angle<b>, </b>she would have been able to overhear their conversation.


    Just now, one of Imogen¡¯s remarks seemed to have struck a <b>nerve </b>Johanna¡¯s face was tense, her expression unusually grim. Felicia noticed IL

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 481

    When Imogen mentioned Archie¡¯s name, for a fleeting moment, Johanna, who was standing on the second floor, pressed her lips together. Her expression was d mix of anger, jealousy, and pride. It was aplex mix and rather battling


    By the time Felicia looked again, Johanna had already tumed and lett.


    Imogen sat on a small chair brought over by a mald, still reminiscing about Authie. Every word she spoke v


    e was imbued with heartfelt emotion.


    Felicia sipped her tea and basked quietly in the sun. She sablnothing.


    After three days, the herbs on the list were all gathered.


    During those three <b>days</b>, it was unclear <b>what </b>scenarios Imogen had imagined in her mind, but shepletely took on the role of an older sister. She was exceedingly warm toward Felicia, constantly asking about her well¨Cbeing.


    During the day, they moved some tea, <b>chatted</b><b>, </b>admired flowers, and fed fish. At night, Imogen pulled Felicia along to sift through baby clothes. Since Imogen. couldn¡¯t see, she relied on touch while Felicia described the styles and colors for her.


    Felicia, who had always been used to solitude, wasn¡¯t fond of too much interaction with others. It always made her feel uneasy.


    However, Imogen had a certain gentle persistence that Felicia couldn¡¯t resist.


    In that respect, Felicia felt that apart from their simr looks, Imogen and Stephan couldn¡¯t be more different in temperament.


    One was blind yet camed light in her heart; the other wore <b>a </b>smile on the surface, but his soul resided in a deep, dark abyss. He was elusive and terrifying.


    They embodied two extremes.


    Felicia didn¡¯t want to linger any longer. On the night the herbs were gathered, she expressed her intent to leave. After all, to create the antidote, she needed to return to her circ


    Imogen touched her prominently rounded belly and sighed. ¡°Alright. The ne is on standby anytime. But it¡¯s toote today. Leave tomorrow, alright?¡± novelbin


    Felicia nodded. One more night wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference.


    After some thought, Felicia added, ¡°Once the antidote is ready, I¡¯ll have it sent to you. After the child is bom, <b>you </b><b>can </b>take it anytime<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Alright. ¡°Imogen nodded with a smile.


    It was gettingte, so Felicia prepared to return to her bedroom <b>to </b>sleep. As she turned around, she brushed past joltanna.


    It was strange Over the past few days, Johanna rarely appeared around Imogen. Even during meals, she would silently observe how Imogen showered Felicia with care and attention.


    She seemed indifferent even though just <b>days </b>ago, she had been so hostile and co


    confrontational But now, it felt as though she was facilitating something. What could it be?


    To be fair, Felicia didn¡¯t want to assume the worst about people, but johanna¡¯s <b>faintly </b>resentful and <b>venomous </b><b>gaze </b>often left her uneasy


    Felicia withdrew her gaze, returned to her room, and locked the door.


    Deep in the night, Johanna knocked on Imogen¡¯s door while holding a cup of warm milk.


    Soon, <b>a </b>voice answered, ¡°Come in.¡±


    ¡°Imogen, you¡¯re still awake? 1 heated a cup of warm milk for <b>you</b>. Are you


    you. Are your <b>legs </b>cramping again? Let me massage them for <b>you</b><b>.</b>¡±


    Johanna tumed on the lights and saw Imogen <b>leaning </b>against the headboard. Knowing she was ufortable due to her advanced pregnancy, Johanna adeptly massaged her legs. ¡°Dors this feel better?¡±


    Imogen nodded, her <b>heart </b>filled with gratitude. She sighed emotionally. ¡°I¡¯m so fortunate to <b>have </b><b>a </b><b>sister</b>¨Cin<b>¨C</b><bw </b>like you.¡±


    Johanna chuckled, her lips curling into a smile. However, that smile carried no sincerity at all. Instead, it was more mocking than anything else.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 482

    else was present, Johanna no


    When no one else was


    ablind person couldn¡¯t see


    chothered to hide her expression. After all, a blind p


    ¡°Imoget your eyes can be cured. I¡¯m so happy for you. Besides.


    johanna lowered her head, and her tone suddenly tumed somber. ¡°That miracle healer, Ms. Fuller, is also Stephan¡¯s sweetheart. Soon, you¡¯ll all be one family.¡±


    Imogen reached out and grasped <b>Johanna¡¯s </bnd. A mix of guilt and pity could be seen on her face.


    Before this, she had tried repeatedly to bring Stephan and Johanna together.


    However, even if she had that intention, Stephan had rejected her efforts without leaving gany room for negotiations. As his elder sister, she couldn¡¯t force him.


    Now, there was Felicia


    After spending the past few days with her, Imogen had grown quite fond of her. Aside from her slightly aloof personality, there was nothing to criticize.


    Most importantly, Stephan liked her, and that was enough.


    ¡°Johanna, I¡¯m so sorry, I know you like Stephan, but feelings can¡¯t be forced¡­ Imogen then promised, ¡°But don¡¯t worry. <b>I¡¯ll </b>always think of you as my little sister, (and I¡¯ll never let anyone bully <b>you</b>!¡±


    ¡°Imogen, I know but there¡¯s something I¡¯m not sure if I should tell you¡­¡± Joharma hesitated, her voice full of uncertainty. However, a strange look of excitement could be seen on her fare


    Imogen urged, ¡°What is it? Do tell.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid to say.


    The more Johanna wavered, the tighter Imogen <b>furrowed </b>her brows. Finally, she raised her voice. ¡°Johanna, I hate being kept in the dark the most. If you want me to feel at ease, speak up!¡± novelbin


    ¡°Imogen, don¡¯t get mad if I tell you!¡± Johanna sniffled a few times, her voice trembling as though she were on the verge of tears. ¡°LI found out who killed my brother. It happened just a few months ago, during the time I was apanying Stephan in Khogend!¡±


    The room fell deathly silent, quiet enough to hear a pin drop.


    Imogen stared ahead, her voice trembling as she spat out each word, ¡°Who¡¯s the murderer?¡±


    Finally, the day hade! A sh of satisfaction crossed Johanna¡¯s eyes as she <b>dered </b>loudly, ¡°The murderer¡¯s name is Dexter Fuller of the Fuller family, the former nichest man in Khogend! And his daughter, Felicia Fuller<b>, </b>is the one now staying in the Bussell estate, iming she can cure your blindness!¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Imagen¡¯s body trembled violently.


    ¡°Imogen, it¡¯s true! I found the information about the murderer in Stephan¡¯s study. But he threatened me not to tell you because of that woman! I didn¡¯t dare to speak until now¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s inapossible! Impossible! Stephan is my brother! He wouldn¡¯t lie to me!¡± nogen shook her head frantically, her voice trembling, ¡°It he had discovered the murderer, why hasn¡¯t he taken action?¡±


    Johanna sobbed loudly. ¡°finogen, don¡¯t you understand? Stephan kept it from you <b>because </b>of Felicia! He¡¯s afraid that if you leam the truth, you¡¯ll harm the Fuller family. For Felicia and the Fuller family¡¯s sake, he chose to deceive you and forget my brother¡¯s death. He refuses to seek justice for him!¡±


    With every word that Johanna spoke, Imogen¡¯s face turned a shade paler.


    By the end, she was on the verge of copse.


    She was overwhelmed by a mix of emotions¨Canger at her fianc¨¦¡¯s murderer; hurt from discovering that the person she had been treating kindly was the murderer¡¯s daughter, and heartbroken at being betrayed by the person she trusted most.


    Johanna watched Imogen¡¯s <b>face </b>intently, taking in her fury, pain, and despair. Then, Johanna¡¯s <b>face </b>took on a smile¨Ca triumphant, malicious smile.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 483

    Imogen clenched her fists tightly, her anger intertwining with an overwhelming chill that surged within her heart.


    She despised deceit and betrayal above all else, yet the one who deceived and betrayed her was her only family member.


    It felt as though someone had run a knife through her heart, leaving her bleeding and taw. She wanted to unleash all her rage, to tear Archie¡¯s murderer into pieces. She wanted to seek vengeance no matter the cost!


    ¡°Summon the others! Have them tie Felicia up and bring her to me!¡± Imogen mmed her fist against the bed, shouting furiously. novelbin


    Johanna smirked inwardly but feigned fear <b>as </b>she replied, ¡°Alright¡­ I¡¯ll go¡­ right now¡­¡±


    Felicia <b>was </b>sleeping soundly and even had a dream. In her dream, she once again heard the faint sound of a bell


    The sound of the bell, apanied by ethereal chanting, seemed toe from <b>a </b>distant ce ancient and mysterious.


    She abruptly opened her eyes. Thankdully, she was still in bed. Perhaps it had been a shallow dream, or maybe herst instance of sleepwalking had been a fluke.


    Or perhaps the bell had just begun ringing and she hadn¡¯t had the chance to sleepwalk


    Clutching her chest, Felicia realized she was drenched in <b>cold </b><b>sweat</b>.


    <b>What </b>on earth was going on?


    Frowning in frustration, she felt a deep hatred for situations beyond her control, especially when she had no clue where to start unraveling them.


    <b>She </b>was resolved to investigate <b>this </b><b>as </b>soon as she returned home. She would do whatever it took to uncover the truth!


    She let out a long breath to calm herself.


    At that exact moment, there <b>was </b>a forceful pounding on the door to her room.


    ¡°Ms. Fuller, pleasee out.¡±


    It was Johanna¡¯s voice from outside, shouting loudly. After all, the door had an exceptionally high¨Csecurity rating. Felicia had noticed it on her first day here. It was the kind of door that could even endure an explosion. The soundproofing was undoubtedly top¨Cnotch as well.


    ncing at the clock, she noticed that it <b>was </b>1:00 am. Whoever came knocking at this hour couldn¡¯t have good intentions


    After quickly putting her clothes on, she opened the door to find Johanna standing outside with a group of people. Their demeanor was anything but friendly. Felicia smiled and asked calmly, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Johanna let out a sigh of relief. She had worried <b>Felicia </b>might refuse toe out. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to take down the door even with the use of explosives. Furthermore, it was Stephan¡¯s bedroom door. No one in the Russell family would dare attempt to breach it.


    With a smirk, Johanna gestured. ¡°Tie her up and take her away!!


    The group behind her consisted of the Russell family¡¯s subordinates. They hesitated momentarily, but remembering that it was an order from Imogen Russell, they reluctantly picked up the ropes and approached Felicia,


    ¡°We¡¯re <b>sorry</b>, Ms. Fuller.¡±


    The group moved <b>closer</b>, preparing to tie her up.


    With a flick of her wrist, several silver needles appeared in Felicia¡¯s hand.


    Just then, a blurred figure stormed in like a whirlwind, raising a hand to deliver several forceful ps to the people closing in on Felicia


    At the same time, a string of curses erupted, ¡°How dare you try toy a hand on Mrs. Russell? Are you all out of your fucking minds? Are you tired of living? Do you


    want to die?¡±


    The person who charged in was none other than Stanley.


    Without missing a beat<b>, </b>Stanley unleashed his tirade. His breath <b>was </b>even and steady, but his anger was boiling over as bis face contorted in cage. His reprimands left the group frozen, too scared to move.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 484

    Johanna felt that Stanley wasn¡¯t just scolding the otherschut indirectly mocking her as well!


    That damned bastard was niining her ns again!


    Johanna sneered coldly, ¡°Stanley, you dare defy Imogen¡¯s onders? Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re just a dog the Russell family hired. And now, you¡¯re disobeying <b>your </b>master to defend an outsider?


    Though her words were harsh, Stanley didn¡¯t so much as blink. Instead, he simply chuckled nonchntly and corrected her, ¡°I¡¯m not the Russell family¡¯s dog. I¡¯m Mr. Russell¡¯s personal dog, and his order was for me to protect Mrs. Russell That¡¯s the only order I¡¯ll follow.¡±


    Having said this, Stanley turned to the other subordinates and baked, ¡°Stand down!¡±


    Without hesitation, they retreated like a receding tide, leaving no one behind.


    It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t respect Imogen, but Stanley, as Stephan¡¯s trusted alde, represented his will The moment he addressed Felicia as Mrs. Russell, 1 daredy a finger on her.


    After all, they were first and foremost Stephan¡¯s subordinates


    ¡°Fine! Perfect! This is just great!¡± Johanna sneered, ring at Stanley. ¡°<b>You¡¯d </b>better not regret this!¡±


    Stanley shook his head without responding


    Johanna shot Felicia a vicious re betore turning on her heel and leaving


    <b>no </b>one


    Felicia calmly stowed her silver needles away. She <b>had </b>no shortage troublesome.


    e of defensive poisons


    poisons on her, and while she didn¡¯t mind using them, she found it a little


    She rubbed her temples, feeling exasperated. ¡°What¡¯s with Ms. Russell? One minute, she¡¯s fine, the next, she¡¯s flipping out and sending people to tie me up. There¡¯s got to be <b>a </b>reason, right?¡±


    Stanley scratched his head, equally clueless ¡°How about this, ma¡¯am? You head back to your coom,¨C


    , and I¡¯ll go investigate the matter.¡±


    ¡°No need. Let¡¯s go together and <b>save </b>some time going back and forth.¡± novelbin


    ¡°That works too.¡±


    Felicia started heading toward Imogen¡¯s room. Just as they arrived at the room, they heard the sound of objects smashing inside Momentster, Johanna emerged, having clearly just finished making her report.


    Upon seeing Felicia, Johanna¡¯s expression shifted to one of wariness, mixed with provocation. She raised her voice and <b>said</b>, wee!¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here? You¡¯re not


    Imogen was blind, but she wasn¡¯t deat, she immediately tumed her attention toward themotion at the door. Her face <b>was </b>devoid of the usual gentleness, reced by unbridled fury


    Stanley, trailing behind felicia, hesitated before speaking softly, ¡°Ms. Russell, is there somend of misunderstanding?¡±


    Hearing his voice, Imogen grabbed thest pillow on her bed and hurled it in his direction, shouting, ¡°You¡¯re just in time! Stanley, tell me, does the person who alled Archie go by thest name Fuller?¡±


    Standry¡¯s expression darkened as he cast a quick nce at Johanna, realizing she had spilled everything to Imogen despite Stephan¡¯s <b>repeated </b>warnings.


    He hastily replied, ¡°Ms. <b>Russell</b>, please hear me out. The current evidence may point in that direction, but there are still numerous unverified doubts! Mr. Russell suspects someone is deliberately misleading us. He¡¯s still investigating, which is why he hasn¡¯t told you yet!¡±


    Imogenughed, but herughter was filled with battemess and <b>despair</b>. It <b>was </b>evident she didn¡¯t believe a single word he <b>said</b>.


    Anything rted to Archie¡¯s death would bring out the beast within Imogen.


    Avenging her beloved was the one thing she had been determined to do.


    Clues had emerged, only for someone to deliberately conceal them from her, <b>as </b>if mocking her blindness. T well, incapable of seeing the truth


    How cruel and heartless


    They wanted her not only to remain blind but dead as


    Even when she, in a fit of rage, sent people to bring the murderer¡¯s daughter before her, she discovered that not a single subordinate <b>was </b>willing <b>to </b>tollow her


    orders


    the life out of her.


    The suffocating darkness of her world, coupled with the istion and helplessness, was crushing the ¡°Tell Stephan toe <b>and </b>see me! I want him to say it to my face!¡± Imogen wiped the tears from her face, her voice icy as she said, ¡°All of you, get out right now! Especially that Fuller family member! Get out! <b>Now</b>!!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 485

    There was only one Fuller in the room, and that was Felicia.


    Not long ago, Imogen had been warm and caring toward her, treating her like a beloved younger sister. Her kindness and attentiveness were evident to all the maids and subordinates of the Russell family.


    Yet now, she turned against Felicia in an instant.


    Stanley instinctively nced at Felicia, expecting her to show some reaction, perhaps sadness or indignation. But there was nothing. Felicia¡¯s expression remained calm. There was not even a frown on her face. It was as though the matter had nothing to do with her, or it was as if she had grown used to such situations.


    Stanley braced himself and said, ¡°Ms. Russell, the Fuller family¡¯s matter has nothing to do with Mrs. Russell. Even if you¡¯re upset, you shouldn¡¯t vent your anger on her¡­¡±


    What a choice of words¨Cventing anger!


    Mrs. Russell? What a bold im!


    Imogen¡¯s eyes suddenly gleamed with sharpness. In that instant, all the warmth she showed previously disappeared, reced by an imperious air. ¡°Without my approval, how could there even be a Mrs. Russell in the Russell family?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Russell, please calm down-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m calm enough! Get her out of here<b>! </b>I never want to see her again!¡±


    ¡°Ms. Russell, things aren¡¯t what you think. Besides, you still need to have Mrs. Russell treat your eyes. Can you please calm down first?¡± Stanley was sweating with anxiety, unsure of how to persuade her. He resorted to saying whatever came to mind.


    However, those words only made Imogen¡¯s eyebrows arch even higher and her sneer grow colder.


    ¡°Treat my eyes? Hah! I wouldn¡¯t dare <b>ept </b>such kindness!¡±


    Once prejudice and hatred took root, they would only keep growing, distorting every action of the other party into something malicious and insincere. The affection Imogen had previously shown Felicia had now twisted into intense hatred!


    The thought of having let her guard downpletely, treating the daughter of her enemy with such sincerity and trust, filled Imogen with regret and self- loathing. She med herself for being blind in more ways than one, unable to discern the true nature of those around her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say this onest time. Tell Stephan toe and see me. I don¡¯t care where he is right now or what he¡¯s doing. If I don¡¯t see him before tomorrow morning, he might as well stop calling me his sister!¡±


    Imogen delivered her ultimatum and motioned for Johanna to close the door. novelbin


    Johanna obediently stepped forward with a faint smile ying on her lips. She said to Felicia, ¡°You heard her. You¡¯re not wee here. Please be sensible enough to leave on your own.¡±


    Felicia remained silent throughout, her expression contemtive. Based on the conversation between Imogen and Stanley, she pieced together the general situation.


    So, that was what this whole thing was about.


    Imogen¡¯s fianc¨¦ died, the map went missing, and all the evidence pointed to Dexter as the murderer and the thief.


    But for some reason, Stephan had withheld this discovery. Now that the truth hade out, Imogen felt deceived and betrayed, leading to herplete breakdown


    Felicia <b>found </b>the whole situation quite unfair to herself.


    She had never benefited from the Fuller family, yet she had suffered plenty because of them.


    Fortunately, she was used to it. She had lost count of how many times she¡¯d experienced being shouted at to leave and get lost growing up.


    Before turning to leave, Felicia still offered some professional advice as a doctor, ¡°Ms. Russell, I suspect your condition will escte sooner than expected. You could very well deliver this month. Please take care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your fake concern!¡±


    Felicia nodded and said no more. She quietly gathered her few belongings and left.


    Mandey sighed and followed her out. Along the way, he kept trying to exin and mediate, hoping to ease the tension.


    ¡°s, Ms. Russell is actually a pitiful person She¡¯s lonely andcks a sense of security. That¡¯s why Johanna is so important to her. The emotional support and reliance she has on Johanna are things no one else can rece<b>, </b>not even Mr. Russell.


    ¡°Now, having just learned about all this, it¡¯s only natural for her to be angry and say hurtful things in the heat of the moment. Ma¡¯am, please don¡¯t take <b>it </b><b>to </b>heart.¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 486

    On the ne back to Khogend, Stanley kept mumbling the entire way. novelbin


    Felicia leaned back in her seat with her eyes closed. She looked as though she was peacefully asleep.


    Stanley scratched his head and wisely kept his mouth shut. Just then, he heard Felicia ask, ¡°Any news from Stephan?¡±


    ¡°None,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Felicia opened her eyes. Thest time she received a call from Stephan was three days ago. At that time, he mentioned there was no signal, and then the line went dead.


    She had tried calling Stephan twice since then, but the response was always that the call could not be connected.


    It had been nearly ten days since he left. Could something have happened?


    She gazed at the scenery outside the ne window. They were now flying over Khogend. It wouldn¡¯t be long before theynded. From above, the winding <b>lights </b>on the ground resembled sparkding stars<b>. </b>


    Stanley tried to curry favor with her, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, ma¡¯am. If there¡¯s any news from Mr. Russell, <b>I¡¯ll </b>be sure to inform you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Felicia replied, smiling faintly.


    With Imogen¡¯s temper going out of control and her threatening to sever ties with Stephan, would he go against the will of his only <b>sister </b>under such circumstances?


    Why make things difficult for herself or others, right?


    Felicia fell silent. By the time she returned home, it was almost dawn. The vi was <b>brightly </b>lit, and shadows could be seen moving through the full¨Clength windows.


    She paused for a moment, her first thought being that a thief had broken in!


    But when she stepped inside the vi, she realized it was the maids. She then remembered that before leaving, Stephan had arranged for them to be there. Some were tasked with cleaning, and others handled her meals.


    At that time, he had even jokingly said it was to prepare her for their married life. He wanted to integrate people into her daily routine in advance.


    Only now did Felicia realize that both she and her life had been imprinted with traces of that man in a domineering yet subtle way.


    How infuriating. That bastard!


    She pressed her temples, feeling the urge tough but being unable to do so.


    Having stayed up all night, her body was sore and fatigued, but her mind was in chaos, leaving her wide awake.


    Dragging her heavy steps, Felicia prepared to go upstairs to catch up on some sleep. A maid approached and asked respectfully, ¡°Miss, we prepared some oatmeal for you in the kitchen. Would you like to have some first?¡±


    ¡°No thanks. I¡¯ll have it after I wake up. Thank you for your hard work.¡±


    Felicia originally nned to figure out arrangements for these people. If worse came to worst, she would just consider them as hired hands and negotiate their wagester.


    But for now, she didn¡¯t have the energy. She decided to put it off. Everything could wait <b>until </b>after she had some sleep.


    Returning to her bedroom, Felicia copsed onto the bed, wrapped herself in the nket, and quickly fell asleep.


    The sound of an ancient, distant bell rang again.


    Fuck! That was it! This could not continue<b>! </b>


    Felicia opened her eyes from her dream and looked around, only to find herself not in bed. Cold sweat poured from her as chills ran down her <b>spine</b>. Every hair on her body stood on end.


    It seemed¡­ she had sleepwalked again<b>! </b>

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 487

    Chapter <b>487 </b>


    Thest thing Felicia remembered before falling asleep was lying in bed. But when she opened her eyes, she found herself standing in the living room downstairs, with no recollection of how she got there. novelbin


    Taking deep breaths, she forced herself to calm down.


    Just then, Stanley returned with a group of his men after patrolling the vi¡¯s perimeter. Seeing Felicia standing motionless like a scarecrow in the living room with a grim expression on her face, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Ma¡¯am, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Felicia asked, ¡°You just came back from patrol? Did you see anyone nearby or someone carrying something like a bell?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all,¡± Stanley replied honestly, shaking his head.


    <b>It </b>was the answer she expected to hear.


    Justst night, she heard the same bell ringing back at the Russell residence in Seldvale. It startled her awake, but nothing happened.


    If someone was controlling this, they couldn¡¯t have stayed by her side all the time without her noticing.


    The Russell family¡¯s security was extremely tight, making it impossible for outsiders to sneak in. And even if someone had infiltrated, the incessant ringing of a


    bell would¡¯ve alerted others<b>. </b>


    Considering this, Felicia gathered all the busy maids in the vi and asked, ¡°Did any of you hear the sound of a bell earlier?¡±


    The maids looked at each other in confusion before ultimately shaking their heads. No one had heard anything.


    Felicia began to wonder if her anxiety and stress had pushed her to a mental breaking point. Honestly, if she told anyone about this, they¡¯d think she was crazy.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You can all go back to your work,¡± she said.


    Felicia returned to her room. She found herself unable to fall asleep again after the ordeal. Lying on her bed, she stared nkly at the ceiling.


    In her past life, she had already been sent to prison at this point in time. Those dark, hopeless four years filled her with heartbreak and despair.


    In this life, some trajectories had changed while others continued as before. Within this new trajectory, new variables had emerged.


    Felicia thought about Roberta, Carmen, and her former self from her previous life.


    If her fate of death remained inevitable even in this second take in life, would she still end up dead four years from now?


    She covered her face andughed bitterly. If that were true, then the bell sound only she could hear was like a death knell.


    To hell with that.


    Felicia suddenly sat up in bed. She didn¡¯t believe that after surviving so much hardship over the years, she¡¯d suddenly develop a mental issue!


    If someone was ying tricks on her, she¡¯d find them, skin them alive, and rip them to shreds!


    Her gaze turned sharp. She quickly changed into a fresh set of clothes, grabbed Stanley, and headed out. Their first stop was a musical instrument store to see if they could find a bell that matched the sound she kept hearing.


    To her surprise, there were plenty of bells of various shapes and sizes<b>, </b>but none matched the sound she was searching for.


    Although she hadn¡¯t seen the bell¡¯s design<b>, </b>she could at least recognize the sound. The bells avable in the shop didn¡¯t evene close.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to another shop,¡± Felicia said, turning around and striding out the door.


    Stanley scratched his head and called after her, ¡°Ma¡¯am, this is already the <b>12th </b>store. What kind of bell are you looking for? There are <b>so </b>many types here. Are none of them good enough?¡±


    He thought Felicia might¡¯ve suddenly taken an interest in musical instruments or wanted a decorative bell <b>to </b><b>hang </b><b>at </b>home.


    Felicia ignored him and focused on navigating to the <b>next </b>shop.


    However, the result was the <b>same</b><b>¨C</b>nothing.


    She was filled with disappointment. Perhaps she wasn¡¯t using the right approach.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 488

    hapter <b>488 </b>


    Just as Felicia was about to leave the shop, the shop owner shook a bronze bell at his side, and the crisp sound rang out.


    She turned back to see the shop owner clicking his tongue and saying, ¡°If none of these match the sound you¡¯re looking for, then you¡¯ll need to find <b>a </b>craftsman to custom¨Cmake one for you. Even then, the sound varies depending on the material and size of the pper. It¡¯s hard to get a perfect match.¡±


    The shop owner gave her a scrutinizing look and added, ¡°Youngdy, you¡¯re not here just to mess around, are you?¡±


    ¡°Do I look like it?<b>¡± </b>Felicia replied.


    She felt she had been sincere enough, but sound was <b>a </b>subjective thing. Unless someone had heard the same bell before, it was impossible to give it a description that both parties would understand.


    With a sigh, Felicia realized she¡¯d have to try another approach.


    Just then, the shop owner chuckled and pointed to the disy case behind him. ¡°If you buy something from my shop, I¡¯ll tell you where I¡¯ve heard a bell like the one you described.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Although Felicia was skeptical, money wasn¡¯t an issue for her right now, so she waved her hand and bought the most expensive violin in the shop.


    ¡°Now, tell me. Where did you hear it?¡±


    The shop owner, delighted as he counted his money, cleared his throat and said, ¡°At a chapel on the very top of Sunset Mountain, southwest of the city.¡±


    Walking out of the shop, Stanley was holding onto the violin case and asked, ¡°Ma¡¯am, you¡¯re not seriously nning to <b>go </b>to this so¨Ccalled Sunset Mountain, are you? What if he was just bluffing?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯lle back and smash his shop,¡± Felicia replied as she got into the car. Her thoughts, however, were elsewhere.


    Southwest of the city, at the top of Sunset Mountain.


    She had actually been there before.


    Back then, she and Carmen had climbed to the summit, where they saw an old tower and a 700¨Cyear¨Cold tree next to it. Carmen had even pulled out two small wooden ques seemingly out of nowhere, and the two of them wrote down their wishes and hung them on the tree.


    Their visit was cut short when they unexpectedly ran into Myra and Ka. The awkward encounter ended their trip early, and they descended the mountain without visiting the nearby chapel.


    After they descended, Felicia was kidnapped by Maurice¡¯s men.


    Returning to the ce she had once visited with Carmen felt surreal. She also wanted to see if the wooden ques they had hung on the <b>tree </b>were still there or if they had been blown away by the wind.


    ¡°I miss you, my friend,¡± shemented inwardly.


    Felicia gazed out of the car window in silence.


    Stanley carefully ced the expensive violin in the back seat before getting into the driver¡¯s seat. He started the car and headed southwest toward Sunset Mountain.


    When they arrived at the foot of the mountain, it was noon. The zing heat made her drowsy.


    It was Stanley¡¯s first time here<b>. </b>Seeing the bustling crowd and the many food stalls, he clicked his tongue in wonder. ¡°This mountain doesn¡¯t look particrly special. Why is it <b>so </b>crowded?¡±


    Felicia smiled faintly <b>at </b>thement. She had said the exact same thing on her first <b>visit</b>. novelbin


    At the time, Carmen told her while eating an <b>ice </b>cream cone, ¡°The view of the sunset on this mountain is stunning, which is why <b>it¡¯s </b>called Sunset Mountain. A lot of photographers and touristse here <b>to </b>capture <b>it</b>, and that¡¯s how it became so popr.¡±


    Now, Felicia repeated the story <b>to </b>Stanley, word for word, but prefaced it with, ¡°My friend told me this.¡±


    Stanley noticed that when Felicia mentioned the word ¡°friend¡°, her <b>eyes </b>carried a hint of nostalgia and sorrow<b>. </b>


    ¡°Alright, wait for me at the foot of the mountain<b>. </b>I¡¯ll <b>go </b>up alone,<b>¡± </b>Felicia said.


    She bought some food but didn¡¯t linger, heading straight up the mountain trail. Stanley rubbed his <b>face </b>and, with <b>a </b>sigh<b>, </b><b>followed </b>after her.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 489

    The mountain was steep, and climbing it at noon during the hottest part of the day was exhausting.


    Felicia knew better than to rush to the top all at once. She paused periodically to rest, buying water from vending machines along the way and taking a few sips before continuing.


    She had to admit that those who were well¨Ctrained were definitely different. Stanley was doing remarkably well. Despite the grueling climb, he wasn¡¯t even out of breath. At one point, he found a sturdy tree branch and offered it to Felicia as a hiking stick.


    She declined the offer.


    She had never stopped training and strengthening her physical abilities. Her endurance had improved greatly, and climbing a mountain like this posed no real challenge.


    By the time they reached the summit, a refreshing breeze swept over them.


    Felicia first headed to the location of the old tower. The towering structure stood silently, its surface marked by the passage of time yet still majestic regardless.


    A little further ahead stood the ancient tree, lush and full of life. Its branches were adorned with countless red ribbons and small wooden ques, their varying shades a testament to how long they had been there. The ques swayed in the wind, producing a crisp, melodious sound. novelbin


    She stood beneath the tree, gazing upward for a while before speaking, ¡°Do you see that que at the very top? Help me take it down.¡±


    Stanley was momentarily stunned. This was the first time Felicia had asked him to do something specific. Without hesitation<b>, </b>he leaped up, using the tree branch in his hand to dislodge the que, which he then caught with one hand and passed to her.


    Felicia flipped it over. As expected, it was the que she had helped Carmen hang all those years ago. The handwriting, delicate and neat, had faded slightly but was still legible, filling the entire surface with tiny words.


    She remembered how Carmen had carefully shielded the que with her hand as she wrote with a serious expression. Felicia had teased her then<b>, </b>calling her greedy.


    However, none of the wishes on the que were for Carmen herself.


    Every single wish was for Felicia.


    ¡°I wish for Felicia to be happy every day and that she¡¯ll stay safe.


    ¡°I wish for Felicia to face less hardship and that someone will cherish her more.


    ¡°I hope that everything will always go smoothly for Felicia.¡±


    When she read thest row of words, tears welled up in Felicia¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you make a wish for yourself, you silly girl?¡± she asked wordlessly.


    She ran her fingers over the faded handwriting, a mix of sorrow and guilt washing over her. These emotions churned within her, leaving her heart aching unbearably each time she thought about them.


    Felicia closed her eyes briefly, then pulled out a small knife and carved a line of words on the back of the wooden que. With a quick toss, the quended firmly on the highest and most visible branch of the tree.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said, folding the knife and tucking it back into her pocket before turning to Stanley. She started walking ahead.


    Stanley, curious about what Felicia had just carved, wanted to ask but didn¡¯t dare to. Instead, he silently followed her.


    On the other side of the summit was the chapel the shop owner had mentioned.


    The chapel was a small one, its white walls and ck tiled roof worn by the elements. The paint on the walls was peeling in ces, leaving bare patches. The overall appearance was dpidated and weathered.


    Felicia ascended the steps leading to the chapel. As she reached the <b>top</b>, a gust of mountain wind carried with it the sound of a bell.


    Simultaneously, her phone rang. Someone was calling her at that exact moment. She didn¡¯t even nce at the screen before silencing the call.


    She scanned her surroundings, trying to locate the <b>source </b><b>of </b><b>the </b>bell. The chapel, though shabby, was clean, and its surroundings were open and unobstructed<b>. </b><b>Yet </b>she couldn¡¯t see any bell nearby.


    Unwilling to give up, she circled the area thoroughly, <b>even </b>rushing inside the chapel<b>, </b>but she found no sign of a bell.


    Stanley followed <b>closely </b>behind her<b>, </b>growing increasingly <b>bewildered </b>as <b>he </b>trailed her around the <b>chapel</b><b>. </b>Finally, he asked in confusion, <b>¡°</b>Ma¡¯am<b>, </b>what <b>exactly </b>are you looking for?¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 490

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear that sound? The bell! It rang. Help me find it!¡±


    Stanley fell silent, his expression strange and hesitant, as though he wanted to say something but didn¡¯t dare to.


    Felicia seemed to have realized something and stated right at Stanley. Although phrased as a question, her tone was certain. ¡°You didn¡¯t hear it?¡±


    Not only did he not hear the sound, but he was also on the verge of panic. ¡°Ma¡¯am, the surroundings arepletely quiet. There¡¯s no sound at all.¡±


    Indeed, there was no sound.


    It was noon, and the scorching sum bore down on them mercilessly. The area was devoid of tourists or worshippers. It <b>was </b>so quiet that even the rustling of winds


    was barely a whisper.


    Felicia froze in ce.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, are¡­ you okay?¡± Noticing her increasingly paleplexion, Stanley grew nervous, Worried that she might be having a breakdown, he considered reaching out to steady her but hesitated.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    She continued forward and soon found the chapel¡¯s abbot sitting on a cushion to the side, meditating with his eyes closed. He gave no indication of acknowledging


    her arrival.


    It wasn¡¯t until she spoke that he stirred.


    ¡°Sir, pardon my intrusion, but did you happen to hear a bell ringing just now? Or do you have any bells in this chapel?¡±


    The abbot recited a string of chants before replying slowly, ¡°Ma¡¯am, this chapel doesn¡¯t have what you¡¯re seeking,¡±


    Felicia gave his reply some thought, then felt a wave of unease wash over her. She hadn¡¯t mentioned that she was looking for something, yet the abbot¡¯s words seemed to grasp her purpose as if he could read her mind.


    Was this some sort of cryptic religious response or something else?


    Felicia had already given up hope. Stanley hadn¡¯t heard the bell, and she had searched everywhere without sess. It seemed pointless to press further.


    ¡°Sorry to bother you.¡±


    She stood up and got ready to leave.


    As she turned around, the abbot opened his eyes. His praying came to a halt, and he watched her retreating figure. Almost imperceptibly, he shook his head.


    A soft sigh escaped his lips.


    On the way down the mountain, Stanley asked cautiously, ¡°Ma¡¯am, where to next?¡±


    Felicia¡¯s mood had already stabilized. Although she hadn¡¯t found the bell, there were other avenues to explore.


    Libraries or archives might hold records or descriptions rted to the bells. She would have tob through every resource she could find.


    It was a monumental task, but as she nced at Stanley, she saw the perfect helper. With such a capable person at her disposal, how could she not take advantage of it?


    Patting his shoulder, Felicia said in a friendly tone, ¡°Gather every book and piece of material rted to bronze bells and send them to my house. That shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡±


    Stanley nodded. ¡°No problem.¡±


    The Russell family¡¯s subordinates were renowned for their skills and efficiency. Before Felicia even arrived home, the requested books and documents had already been delivered to her vi.


    She was very pleased with the efficiency.


    By the time they reached the base of the mountain, It was already evening. The setting sun cast a golden glow over the mountain, gilding the old tower at its summit and lending it an air of solemnity.


    As expected of Sunset Mountain.


    Felicia nced back at the mountain briefly before shifting her focus. Once seated in the car, her phone rang again. It reminded her of the call she had ignored


    <b>earlier</b>.


    When she checked the screen, she was surprised.


    The call was from Sebastian.


    Ever since leaving the Fuller family and confronting Sebastian at the caf¨¦, they had not been in contact. The tenuous sibling bond they once shared had been severed cleanly. novelbin


    Now, seeing his name on her phone again, Felicia¡¯s Instincts told her he was calling to use her of something once more.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 491

    Felicia pressed the answer button. ¡°Hello?¡±


    There was a brief silence on the other end, followed by Sebastian¡¯s tired and hoarse voice. ¡°Felicia, where are you? I¡¯lle find you.¡±


    She thought for a moment and replied, ¡°Let¡¯s meet at the same caf¨¦ asst time.¡± novelbin


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    After arriving at the entrance of the caf¨¦, Felicia asked Stanley to stay in the car while she went in alone. It was the same table asst time. It was by the window, where the light was bright.


    When Felicia entered, she immediately spotted Sebastian, whom she hadn¡¯t seen for a long time.


    He had lost a lot of weight. His handsome face had sharper angles, his eyes were bloodshot, and he carried an air of weariness from his travels. Yet his cold and distant demeanor remained unchanged.


    Felicia sat across from him.


    When the waiter came to take their order, Felicia declined. She was worried that if the conversation turned sour, Sebastian might attempt to ssh the coffee in her face again.


    Although he managed to restrain himself thest time, there was no guarantee he would do <i>so </i>this time.


    Unaware <b>of </b>Felicia¡¯s concerns, Sebastian casually ordered two cups. When the coffee was served, the two simply stared at each other through the rising steam. After a long pause, Sebastian was the first to speak. His voice carried a deep hoarseness to it as he asked, ¡°How have you been?¡±


    Was he trying to catch up on old times?


    Felicia smiled faintly and cut straight to the point. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with. I¡¯m sure you asked me out to ask some questions. What is it?¡±


    Sebastian was silent for a moment, his dark eyes fixed on her.


    The siblings resembled each other greatly<b>, </b>especially their eyes. There was about 60% simrity between their features, and when they looked at each other, they saw the same coldness reflected in them.


    Finally, Sebastian broke the silence. His first question was, ¡°Felicia, do you know that our parents are missing?¡±


    She already knew that.


    On the morning Stephan left<b>, </b>she asked him about the map. From him, she learned that the Carrells from Seldvale had acknowledged Ka as <b>a </b>rtive, likely using the map as leverage.


    The Carrells would undoubtedly do everything possible to decode the map and set off for the location marked on it. To cover their tracks, the Carrells took two people with them¨Cthe Fuller couple.


    Now that over ten days had passed, Felicia had no idea how things were going <b>on </b>Stephan¡¯s side or how the Fuller couple, treated as both a living map and a decoy, were faring.


    After some thought, Felicia offered Sebastian a lead. ¡°You could start with the Carrell family in Seldvale. If you¡¯re well¨Cinformed, you should know that they¡¯ve recognized Ka as their rtive. So, your parents were probably taken by them. The reason they took them has to do with the map. Your parents have seen it, so the Carrells need them to be their guide.¡±


    Felicia only shared what she knew and avoided mentioning Stephan.


    But to Sebastian<b>, </b>Felicia seemed almost too well¨Cinformed.


    Gripping the table tightly, Sebastian said in a low voice<b>, </b>¡°Felicia, if you knew all of this, how could you just stand by and watch them be taken? No matter what, they¡¯re still your parents!¡±


    She was dumbfounded by his logic and retorted, ¡°What did you want me to do? Beg the Carrell family <b>to </b>let them go<b>? </b>Or did you want me to kill them all? Would it satisfy you if they killed me instead?¡±


    Sebastian¡¯s expression showed a fleeting moment <b>of </b>helplessness<b>. </b>¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    ¡°Then what did you mean<b>?</b><b>¡± </b>Felicia found it hard <b>to </b>contain herughter <b>as </b>their conversation progressed. In the end, she justughed, though it was <b>tinged </b>with bitterness and self¨Cdeprecation. ¡°Why is it that no matter what I do, it¡¯s always wrong? Why?¡± 1


    It had always been this way. Always.


    Whatever she did was wrong¨C<b>even </b>simply breathing or existing.


    im Bonus For <b>Free </b>Every <b>Day</b><b>>> </b>

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 492

    When it came to Felicia, nothing was ever right!


    Everyone seemed entitled to criticize her indiscriminately, to point fingers and me her for whatever she did!


    Everyone stood on a moral high ground, acting as though they could never be wrong. They would lecture her with self¨Crighteous arrogance<b>, </b>fulging her at every angle!


    Felicia looked Sebastian in the eye and asked, ¡°My dear brother, beforeing to me, did you go to Ka? Mrs. Carrell is het aunt, and Pete Cantell is <b>her </b>cousin. If the Carrells wanted to act against our parents, wouldn¡¯t she <b>have </b>had more inthience and more grounds to stop them?


    ¡°You didn¡¯t look for her, did you? You came straight to reprimand me <b>instead</b>. My dear brother, is it because you think l¡¯in the easier one for you to bully?


    Felicia¡¯s reddened eyes brimmed with tears, and she let out a bitterugh.


    Sebastian was taken aback by her expression. His body stiffened, <b>and </b>theposed indifference on his face vanished, reced by a rare moment of befuddlement


    ¡°Licia, L


    He stood up, intending to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes. But before he could reach her, Felicia, with a nk expression, picked up her coffee and sshed it onto his face.


    Satisfied, she set <b>the </b>empty cup down and turried to leave.


    re soaked in coffee. He looked utterly disheveled. Never had he appeared so pitiful before. novelbin


    Sebastian wiped his face, but his clothes and pants were


    The cat¡¯s p


    patrons turned their attention to themotion, whispering and exchanging curious nces.


    Sebastian pulled out two bills from his wallet, left them on the table, and rushed after Felicia. But when he reached the entrance, she was already nowhere to be seen.


    When Felicia returned to the vi, she found the living room piled with booles. She sat cross¨Clegged on the floor, flipping <b>through </b>the pages as though nothing had happened


    leaving the cafe. Beneath her calm exterior burned a fierce fire of rage and mixed feelings


    Only Stanley knew how low her mood had been after leav


    At this moment, whoever was ignorant enough to provoke her would end up suffering her wrath. Whether Felicia would erupt in madness or tury was anyone¡¯s guess,


    And of course, such ignorant fools did exist.


    After Stanley instructed the maids to move quietly and told the men outside to stay out of sight, the vi became serene, with only the faint rustling sound of Felicia flipping through pages.


    Curses at the vi with shrill and piercing voices, spewing vile vitriol.


    But then, two unwee guests arrived, screaming cur


    It was a shrewd and pretty¨Clooking couple


    Stanley didn¡¯t send his men to deal with them. Instead, he opened the vi door himself, prepared to drive them away personally.


    However, the couple seemed emboldened and raised their voices to an ear¨Csplitting pitch, aiming to attract as much attention as possible. They screamed at the top of their lungs at the vi¡¯s entrance.


    ¡°You heartless wretch! Your father and I worked ourselves to the <b>bone </b>to raise you, and now that you¡¯ve grown independent, you¡¯re trying to cut yourself off from us? You even got your brother thrown in jail! He¡¯s about to be executed now! Are you happy?¡± ¡°If my son dies, I¡¯ll make you pay with your life, you wretched girl! Just you wait! I¡¯ll skin you <b>alive </b><b>a </b>


    The couple was none other than Howell Fuller and Tabitha Shortle


    Their outrage stemmed from the impending; execution at 5 deali sentence was set to be carried out in a work


    and rip you to shreds!¡±


    Shawn Fuller, who <b>was </b>convicted of murder. After all the legal processes werepleted, his


    Upon learning the news, Howell and Tabitha nearly fainted. <b>Spurred </b>on by a few haftammatory remarks, they stormed over to Felicia¡¯s new home, Juurling invults and nurses in a fit of rage.


    Stanley was about to intervene when a cold voice came from behind him. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this.¡±


    The voice was calm andposed. Felicia stopped out of the vi, her movements unhurried, her demeanor rxed and <b>unshaken</b>.


    Yet hermending presence <b>was </b>so powerful that it was hard to ignore.


    Howell and Tabatha froze noomentarily, intimidated by her presence. They exchanged nces, silently egging each other more shameless and vicious cursing


    before breaking into ev

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 493

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have adopted you! <b>We </b>should¡¯ve drowned you in a cesspit when you were born!¡±


    ¡°you¡¯re nothing but a curse! You bring nothing but trouble!¡±


    *Felicia, give me back my son¡¯s life!¡±


    Howell¡¯s eyes bulged with rage as he fumbled in his pocket. He pulled out a pair of scissors and lunged at Felicia.


    Right as Stanley was about to intervene, he saw Felicia effortlessly grab Howell¡¯s wrist, twist it, and kneed him, toppling him over. Without hesitation, she scooped up a handful of dirt and grass from thewn and stuffed it into Howell¡¯s mouth.


    While in hardly caused any harm, it was absolutely himmiliating!


    Howell instinctively tried to spit it out, but Felicia mped his jaw shut, preventing him from opening his mouth.


    Tabitha shrieked at the sight, then charged at Felicia like a mad <b>woman</b><b>. </b>She wed at Felicia with her nails, which she intentionally sharpened.


    Felicia kicked her to the ground, then repeated the same humiliating treatment, shoving dirt into Tabitha¡¯s mouth.


    Moments ago, the pair had been hurling insults with unbridled ferocity. Now, they were bent over on the ground, frantically spitting dirt and coughing updirt. Even after spitting out the dirt, the earthy bitterness lingered, leaving them retching in disgust


    Throughout the ordeal, Felicia remained expressionless, She said calmly in a cold voice, ¡°It was Ka who sent you, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Her new address was a secret. Even Dexter and Myra didn¡¯t know it. The only person with connections capable of uncovering it was Ka, who had


    ched onto the Carrell family.


    Howell opened his mouth to curse again, but the sight of Felicia scooping up another handful of dirt made him shut up instantly.


    Tabitha braced herself and retorted, ¡°So what if she did? Without <b>us</b><b>, </b>you¡¯d be nothing, you wretch!¡±


    Hearing this, Felicia let out a soft, chillingugh. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you two deliberately swapping me with Ka back then, I wouldn¡¯t be what I am. Instead.¡±


    She trailed off, shading her head. It wasn¡¯t worth pursuing the thought anymore.


    Meanwhile, Howell and Tabitha froze, their faces turning pale as though they¡¯d seen a ghost. They stared at Felicia in disbelief, stammering, ¡°H¨CHow did


    You know..


    time, this exnation had gone unquestioned. Even Dexter and Myra believed it to


    For years, they had imed that the baby swap was an ident. Over time, the be a mistake, a tragic mix¨Cup.


    But Felicia¡¯s tone revealed that she knew everything


    ¡°How hard is it to figure out?¡± Felicia said indifferently. ¡°There aren¡¯t so many idents in life. It was premeditated. But whether I know or not doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡±


    It was true enough


    Tabitha dusted herself and lifted her chin. At this point, what did it matter even if Dexter and Myra learned of the truth? The Fuller family had already fallen from grace. The once¨Cmighty tycoons were now powerless.


    What could they possibly do for revenge?


    Clearly, Howell was thinking the same.


    With no more reservations, the couple suddenly felt energized and continued their tirade.


    ¡°Sine you know the truth, then you should be grateful! You¡¯re not even our real daughter, but we still fed you and raised you! Now that you¡¯re sessful, don¡¯t you think you owe us something¡±


    Stanley couldn¡¯t help but wist his face in disbelief. The audacity these shuaneless people had was Just unbelievable! novelbin


    Felicia stroked her chain and smiled.


    people had one thing inmon ¨C they no


    never suffered from uner turmoil or guilt. Without the


    fearden of conscience or moodity, they acted withplete self Interest


    never reflected on their actions. They ne


    If something spelted them, they¡¯d stop at nothing to seize it. If it didn¡¯t, they¡¯d <b>discard </b>it without a second thought, ming others with e


    In short, it healed down to two things. Firstly, they would never be wrong, and others were always at fault. Secondly, no matter how badly they had treated others, they expected them to be grateful.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 494

    ¡°Ask not why you should be grateful, just be.¡±


    That was what these shameless people demanded of others.


    Felicia decided to take a page from their ybook. Snapping her fingers, she turned to Stanley, who was grinding his teeth in frustration. She said, them up. Show them no mercy.¡±


    ¡°Beat


    Stanley had been waiting for thismand. With a few quick strides, he arrived before Howell and Tabitha. He then gave Howell a merciless beating. While Stanley had notid hands on Tabitha initially, Howell<b>, </b>screaming in pairs, grabbed her and used her as a shield. As a result, Tabitha ended up taking a few kicks too.


    When the pair was beaten half to death, Stanley finally stopped.


    Felicia, standing above them, looked down coldly and said, ¡°You should thank me. If I hadn¡¯t told him to stop, you¡¯d be dead by now. Do you understand?¡± Howell and Tabitha were rendered speechless.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t touch you myself because I didn¡¯t want to dirty my hands. I thought you guys getting your just desserts was punishment enough. But now, changed my mind,¡±


    <b>I¡¯ve </b>


    Felicia tilted her head slightly, her smile radiant yet terrifying. The couple shivered, their hands and feet growing cold as a chill of fear settled over them. ¡°I don¡¯t argue with the dead. Get lost.¡±


    Howell and Tabitha flinched violently, their faces full of anger as they tried to muster the courage to intimidate her and suppress their growing fear.¡± You wouldn¡¯t dare!¡±


    However, Felicia didn¡¯t bother sparing them another nce. She turned around and walked back into the vi.


    Stanley wasted no time kicking them out of the vi¡¯s gatedmunity.


    The two stumbled away, trembling. They had been beaten ck and blue. Even as they walked down the road, they nced around anxiously, afraid that Felicia might actually send someone to finish them off.


    ¡°What now? What should we do?


    ¡°It¡¯s all your fault! Whatnd of lousy idea was that? Why provoke that wretched girl of all people? Now <b>look </b>at <b>what </b>you¡¯ve done! If we push her too far, she¡¯ll definitely send someone to kill us!¡±


    Should we run andy low for a while?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s our only option! Let¡¯s hurry and pack up our things! We¡¯ll go to


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right! We¡¯ll go find our real daughter!¡±


    go to Ka She¡¯s our real daughter. She won¡¯t just ignore her parents, <b>will </b>she?¡±


    Howell and Tabitha exchanged nces,ughing slyly at the same time.


    Little <b>did </b>Ka expect that her scheme to create trouble for Felicia would backfire. She had deliberately leaked Felicia¡¯s address to these two greedy. despicable people in hopes that they would <b>harass </b>Felicia


    But what happened instead was that Felicia scared them off with just a few threats <b>and </b>sent the couple right back at Ka!


    Howell and Tabitha headed straight for the Carrell residence in Seldvale, only to be informed that Ka wasn¡¯t home. The couple refused to believe it and, carrying arge sack of belongings, nted themselves at the Carrell residence¡¯s doorstep, refusing to leave.


    These two were seasoned troublemakers, experts at ying the victim. Their shamelessness knew no


    bounds


    The Carrell family¡¯s maids were at their wits end. They had no choice but to let them linger however they wanted.


    At that momra, Ka was indeed not at the Carrell residence.


    Since reuniting with the Carrells, Ka had cling to her aunt, Gabrielle, much <b>like </b>how she once Lawned over Dexter and Myra. She l with attention, massaging her shoulders and ttering her at every turn.


    Her efforts were somewhat sessful. Though Gabrielle secretly despised <b>her</b><b>, </b>she was willing to put on a kind face and treat Ka decently. The Carrell family was wealthy, and even the rules that fell from their table were enough to dazzle Ka, who had experienced the fall of the Jarmily


    -Fuller novelbin


    She was ecstatic


    convinced that she had truly than she would with her own notare, But ten days ago<b>, </b>Gabrielle gave Ka an assigament.


    y securel


    ce in the Carrell family. The one she adresse abrielle with was even


    en more affectionate

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 495

    en more affectionate


    Ten days ago, Ka was trying on a new dress¨Ca light blue, off¨Cthe¨Cshoulder gown with a flowing hem that fluttered gracefully as she walked, giving it the appearance of rippling water. It was handpicked for her by Gabrielle, and Ka adored it, admiring herself from every angle in the mirror.


    She eagerly picked out various pieces of jewelry to match, opting for items that were both expensive and unique. She clung to one piece, unwilling to part with it, while coveting another with longing eyes, Immersed in her indulgence, Ka wished she could wear all the jewelry at once. novelbin


    Behind her, Gabrielle watched with a hint of contempt in her eyes, scoffing inwardly, ¡°So petty and unsophisticated. No matter how pampered she was by the Fullers for over a decade, she can¡¯t change her true nature.¡±


    Gabrielle stepped forward and asked with an air of charity, ¡°Do you like them? Then take them all. Have the staff pack everything up and send it to the Carrell residence.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Aunt Gabrielle!¡± Ka eximed in delight, clinging to Gabrielle¡¯s arm and affectionately saying, ¡°Aunt Gabrielle, you¡¯re the best!¡±


    ¡°If you <b>really </b>think so, then help me out with something¡± Gabrielle patted Ka on the cheek, then said with a <b>smile</b>, ¡°My girl, take a few of my men with you and bring the Fuller couple to me.¡±


    Ka froze, unsure if she had somehow upset Gabrielle. She quickly tried to reassure <b>her</b><b>, </b>saying, ¡°Aamt Gabrielle, I¡¯ve already cut ties with the Fuller family. ording to our blood, you¡¯re my true family!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s precisely why, as part of the family, you should contribute. Besides, this is your cousin¡¯s request. He has a use for the Fuller couple.¡± Use? What use<b>? </b>


    Ka wanted to ask more but was silenced by G


    silenced by Gabrielle¡¯s sharp gaze.


    Gabrielle sneered, ¡°Ka, you¡¯re not hesitating because of some lingering <b>gratitude </b>toward them for raising you, are <b>you</b>?


    ¡°Of course not! It¡¯d be my pleasure to help you and Pete!¡± Ka replied sweetly, her ttering words putting a smile on Gabrielle¡¯s face.


    ¡°Good girl. Take care of this properly<b>, </b>and Pete will be pleased when he returns.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡±


    At the mention of Pete, Ka lowered her head, her <b>checks </b>flushing slightly.


    She recalled the first time she met Pete in his car. He had delicate and gentle features, and he exuded a refined elegance like a piece of precious gem. His lips always carried a faint smile. He was calm andposed, radiating warmth and kindness.


    Whenever he looked at her, his dark, focused gaze <b>made </b>her heart race. She <b>wished </b>she could dive into his eyes and willingly drown in his tender


    attention.


    Biting her lip, Ka asked softly, ¡°Aunt Gabrielle, when will Pete be back?¡±


    ¡°Soon. The map is being deciphered by specialists, and the results should be ready in a day or two. He¡¯ll return shortly.¡±


    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll go fetch the Fuller couple right away so that everything is ready before Pete <b>gets </b>back!¡±


    Excited, Ka dashed off, taking several bodyguards with her to the Fullers¡® current residence in Khogend


    After Ka departed, Gabrielle¡¯s eyes brimmed with even more disdain as she thought to herself, ¡°Raising a dog would be much better than raising a daughter like this!


    At least a dog was loyal and would show gratitude to its owner. But Ka? She didn¡¯t even acknowledge the p


    She was just a short¨Csighted, selfish, and despicable wretch!


    Gabrielle speered as she thought, ¡°<b>And </b>she has the audacity to covet my son?¡±


    parents who had raised her for over a decade.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what Pete is thinking. The map is already in his hands. Why is he keeping Ka around? What a nuisance,¡± she muttered, shaking her head in exasperation.


    Anearby maid consoled her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, ma¡¯an. Mr. Carrell must have <b>his </b>reasons. Perhaps Ka could still be of some use.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 496

    use.


    Gabrielle thought about it and agreed, but she still had some concerns. ¡°Pete asked me to be kind to Ka. Could it be her?


    that he¡¯s interested in marrying


    The maid couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, and Gabrielle found the ideaughable as well. ¡°I must be overthinking. Don¡¯t I know my son¡¯s taste? There¡¯s no way he¡¯d fancy someone like Ka¡±


    Ka arrived at the current Fuller residence with eight bodyguards in tow.


    Myra was hangingundry when she heard the door open. Assuming it was Dexter returning home, she turned to call out to him but was instead greeted by a group of unexpected intruders!


    ¡°Who are you? Get out!¡± Myra shouted sternly, only to see the eight bodyguards step aside, making way for a dazzlingly dressed Ka to enter. ¡°Ka Myra¡¯s expression changed instantly. She deeply regretted her earlierziness in not having someone rece the door¡¯s lock.


    Now that the intruders were inside, Myra retreated step by step and asked coldly, ¡°What do you want<b>, </b>Ka?¡±


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be nervous. I¡¯m here to invite you as a guest. Aunt Gabrielle <b>has </b>some matters to discuss with you and Dad, so she a you to her.¡± Ka¡¯s eyes darted around. ¡°Where¡¯s Dad? He¡¯s not home?¡± novelbin


    ¡°Get out! You¡¯re not wee here, and I won¡¯t go with you. Get lost!¡± Myra¡¯s face turned pale, her attitude firm.


    asked me to bring both of


    But Ka seemed to have anticipated this oue. She signaled her bodyguards with a nce. ¡°So, you want to do this the hard way, eh? What are guys standing around for? Take her!¡±


    The bodyguards immediately rushed toward Myra.


    Myra screamed and quickly retreated into the bedroom, locking the door behind her.


    That made things difficult.


    Back when Dexter reced the doors for the safety of his wife and daughter, he chose ones that were difficult to break through without a key.


    you


    Ka sneered and instructed the bodyguards, ¡°Ignore her. Once Dexteres back, she¡¯lle out on her own. I¡¯ve got plenty of patience and time!¡± Inside the room, Myra frantically searched for her phone to call Dexter, only to realize she had left it on the <b>dining </b>table while doingundry. ¡°Damn it!¡± she cursed inwardly.


    That same day, Dexter was standing penitently outside Union Clinic<b>, </b>earnestly hoping to catch a glimpse of Felicia,


    As an unworthy and ipetent father, he desperately wanted to make up for his mistakes. But when Felicia saw him, she merely said, ¡°Stop pestering me That¡¯s the best way to <b>make </b>it up to me,¡±


    After that, Dexter trudged home dejectedly.


    On his way <b>home</b>, he passed by a bakery offering discounts and promotions. Remembering how Myra had mentioned wanting blueberry cake the night before, he bought a slice.


    Rubbing his face with his <b>hand</b>, he carried the cake into the <b>house</b>, only to find several strangers in their small home!


    rmed, he thought it was those relentless people hunting him for the map. He immediately pulled out the knife he had hidden on him.


    Just then, from behind the strangers, a woman dressed in opulent jewelry and fine clothing stepped forward. It <b>was </b>Ka,


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, Dad. It¡¯s me. I just came back.¡±


    Seeing Ka again, Dexter¡¯s attitude toward her changedpletely. It wasn¡¯t just because of that dreamlike vision from another lifetime but also because of her ruthless attempt to kill him at the hospital

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 497

    Chapter <b>497 </b>


    The feeling of having his mouth and nose smothered by a pillow¨Csuffocating and teetering on the brink of death¨Chaunted Dexter¡¯s mind. It was an experience he would never forget in his life.


    Not to mention the heart¨Cwrenching sorrow and disappointment of betrayal.


    The precious daughter he had cherished and <b>doted </b>on for 19 years had actually tried to kill him!


    Had it not been for a nurse entering the ward to check on him, he would already be dead.


    So, when Dexter heard her call him ¡°Dad¡± again, nausea and revulsion surged through him. His stomach churned, and he wished he could block out th sound entirely. He spat angrily, ¡°Don¡¯t disgust me. I don¡¯t have a daughter like you, nor am I fit to be your father. Get out!¡±


    Ka casually admired her freshly done nails and chucked, ¡°Dad, why are you so petty? Can¡¯t I just apologize?¡±


    ¡®Get out!!!


    Dexter grabbed a broom nearby, ready to strike, but Ka quickly stepped back. In a sh, her suited bodyguards pinned him down.


    ¡°I tried to be nice, but you just refuse to appreciate it!¡± Ka rolled her eyes, nced at the tightly shut bedroom door, and ordered coldly, ¡°Take him


    way!¡±


    <b>¡°</b><b>What </b>are you doing? Let go of me! Let go!¡±


    Dexter struggled desperately, but his injuries had yet to fully heal. How could he possibly match the strength of the burly bodyguards? One of them punched him in the stomach, leaving him curled up on the floor while drenched in cold sweat


    As the bodyguards dragged him out, the locked bedroom door suddenly flew open. With disheveled hair, Myra stormed out and pped Ka <b>across </b>the face at lightning speed!


    The crisp sound echoed loudly in the room. Myra had put all her strength into the p, so much so that one of Ka¡¯s earrings fell to the floor. ¡°You ungrateful wretch! We raised you for 19 years, and this is how you repay us? Do you even <b>have </b>a conscience?¡±


    ¡°Conscience?¡± Ka touched her stinging face<b>, </b>her gaze turning icy and sinister, yet she smirked mockingly. ¡°What does that have to do with me? I never asked you to raise <b>me</b><b>. </b>It was your choice, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    <b>Her </b>words were a devastating blow, rendering all arguments futile.


    Myra stood frozen, staring at Ka in disbelief. For the first time, she realized that her daughter had be aplete stranger to her.


    <b>¡°</b>Consider that p my <b>way </b><b>of </b>settling things with you two!¡± Ka turned around and ordered the bodyguards coldly, ¡°Take them both away!¡±


    Two bodyguards dragged Dexter along, his feet barely touching the ground.


    Myra snapped back to reality and chased after them, screaming, ¡°Where are you taking him? Someone help! Let him go!¡±


    Ka watched indifferently, a hint <b>of </b>smugness on her face. ¡°I¡¯d advise you not to waste your energy. I¡¯m part of Seldvale¡¯s Carrell family now. Who would dare interfere with the Carrell family¡¯s affairs?¡±


    Since reuniting with Gabrielle, Ka¡¯s status and attitude soared. She carried herself with an air of arrogance and entitlement.


    Myra suddenly recalled how the Fuller family, before their bankruptcy, had been the richest in Khogend. Back then, Ka had been equally overbearing and condescending, even to the maids.


    At the time, Myra thought nothing of it. Whenever the maidsined, she¡¯d scold them without question, always siding with Ka.


    Only <b>now </b>did she understand how humiliating and suffocating it felt to be on the receiving end of such treatment. novelbin


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then take me ton. Is that eptable?


    Myra straightened her back and walked over to Dexter¡¯s side, <b>pushing </b>the bodyguards away and supporting Dexter, who could


    Dexter spat out a mouthful of blood and looked at Myra disapprovingly, trying to dissuade her from acting recklessly.


    Despite that<b>, </b>she smiled faintly. ¡°It¡¯s fine<b>. </b>At worst, we¡¯ll just die together.¡±


    Ka clicked her tongue and waved her hand dismissively, Instructing the bodyguards to take both of them away.


    barely stand.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 498

    On the journey from Khogend to Seldvale, the Fuller couple remained unusuallypliant. They neither struggled nor attempted to escape.


    They bothnew deep down that neither of them would abandon the other. If they couldn¡¯t <b>escape </b>together, there was no point in running at all.


    Ka sessfullypleted her task.


    Upon returning to the Carrell residence in Seldvale, she didn¡¯t concern herself with where the Fuller couple would be taken. Instead, her first question to the maid at the door was ¡°Has Pete returned?¡±


    ¡°Pete returned not long ago. He¡¯s in the main hall.¡±


    Perfect! novelbin


    Upon hearing this, Ka eagerly ran toward the main hall.


    Inside the hall, Pete sat leisurely in a foldable chair made of rosewood, sipping tea <b>with </b>an air of refinement and nobility.


    Steam curled upward, partially obscuring his features. His hands, holding the teacup, were strikingly pale, yet pronounced veins crisscrossing beneath the skin. He gave off a unique impression of masculinity.


    Ka instinctively softened her footsteps and voice<b>, </b>calling out sweetly, ¡°Pete.¡°¡±


    Pete looked up with <b>his </b>dark eyes. His sharp nose, faintly smiling lips, and kind gaze exuded warmth. In a gentle tone, he <b>replied</b><b>, </b>¡°Ka.¡±


    She blushed. After that, she bravely approached him and wrapped her arm around his. In a coquettish and yful manner, she said, ¡°Pete, I¡¯ve brought the Fuller couple to you. How do you n to reward me?¡±


    Pete smiled at her and asked, ¡°<b>What </b>kind of reward does my little cousin want,


    hm?


    ¡°¡­¡°Ka bit her lip, gathering her courage. ¡°Pete, has the map been deciphered? Are you nning to go there yourself? I want to go with you!¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Pete agreed warmly as he gazed deeply at her.


    That was it?


    Ka was overjoyed. She had expected Pete to refuse but was surprised by his willingness to indulge her,


    ¡°Thank you,


    Pete!¡±


    Her face grew even redder, and her heart bloomed with happiness. She was so ted that she <b>didn¡¯t </b>notice Pete subtly withdrawing his arm as he raised his teacup to take a sip.


    Behind the cover of the teacup, the smile in his eyes vanished entirely.


    That same day<b>, </b>Pete departed Seldvale with Ka and the Fuller couple, heading to the location deciphered from the map.


    Based on the coordinates, the destination was a remote canyon a <b>thousand </b><b>miles </b>away, surrounded by uncharted mountains. Further out, connected to an unnamed river and waterfall.


    the area was


    On the first day of the journey, everything went smoothly. <b>On </b>the second day, their itinerary was leaked. Rumors spread that the real map had fallen into the hands of the Carrell family.


    As a result, various factions¨Cboth in the open and in the shadows¨Cturned their attention to the Carrell <b>family</b>. Under such circumstances, it didn¡¯t take long for people to discover where Pete had gone.


    Pete, seemingly anticipating this, used the Fuller couple as scapegoats, iming they had seen the map and would act as guides.


    After that, he ceased hiding his movements. He even weed other parties to follow his team or journey together in their search for the location Indicated on the map


    No one could figure out why he did so.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 499

    With <b>this</b>, those who coveted the map and the legendary treasure it supposedly led to swarmed in. People from all walks of life arrived, creating a chaotic mix of individuals.


    <b>The </b>previously untouched rainforest, which had likely never seen human footprints, suddenly became a hub of unprecedented


    activity. novelbin


    <b>What </b>was even more terrifying was that, before the location was <b>even </b>found, disputes over potential spoils escted. The shing ambitions led to irreconcble conflicts, resulting in fights and bloodshed.


    The night was filled with chaos, with endless screams and roars outside the camp. Terrified, Ka flung herself into Pete¡¯s arms.


    Pete stood tall andposed, his gaze fixed on somewhere <b>in </b>the distance. He maintained his usual gentle and refined smile as he reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. It has nothing to do with us.¡±


    It seemed that no matter the situation, his demeanor remained calm and untainted, like an elegant gentleman unbesmirched by worldly problems.


    Ka didn¡¯t know <b>what </b>came over her. Perhaps it was the fear or perhaps her feelings for Pete had reached their peak at <b>that </b>moment. <b>She </b>even forgot about Arnold, the man she had once loved so deeply.


    Raising her head, she stood on her toes, attempting to kiss Pete.


    However, he avoided her.


    ¡°Pete¡­¡± Ka bit her lip, frustrated and disappointed. What stung her the most was that she hadn¡¯t expected him to reject her. He had always been so kind to her, endlessly tolerant. His deep and focused eyes seemed to hold a special affection for her. Didn¡¯t all that mean he liked her? Why did he refuse her advances?


    Pete didn¡¯t bother exining. He merely smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯ste, Ka Go back to your tent and rest. Tomorrow¡¯s hike will be tough.¡±


    Frustrated, Ka stomped her foot and ran off.


    Back in her tent, the distant sounds of fighting continued faintly, though they had quieted down somewhat.


    Ka consoled herself by thinking that Pete¡¯s rejection was simply because the timing wasn¡¯t right. With this thought, she felt somewhat better.


    In the middle of the night<b>, </b>a sudden torrential downpour washed away all traces of the previous chaos.


    However, the group, mixed with various factions, was on edge. They were filled with mutual distrust and <b>scheming</b>. Human greed was on full disy, intertwined with the inherent dangers of the rainforest.


    <b>In </b>the following days, the group encountered venomous snake


    snakes, swamps, and <b>ferocious </b>beasts. Each mishap imed more lives,


    Ka began to regreting along. It was far too dangerous. The ce was teeming with snakes, insects, and rodents. Within just a few days, she had over a dozen bites and welts on her skin.


    The Fuller couple fared even worse.


    As the supposed ¡°living map¡°, they were tasked with guiding the way. But in truth, they had only caught a brief glimpse of the <b>map</b>, which was nothing more than a bizarre drawing of celestial constetions<b>. </b>


    They couldn¡¯t make any sense of it!


    P¨¦te was simply using them to divert attention, ensuring no one realized that the real map was in his possession.


    The journey was grueling. By the tenth day, as they neared the canyon, a violent storm with powerful winds scattered all the groups.


    The Fuller couple


    couple had vanished!


    During the chaos, Ka managed to stay close to Pete and avoided harm. Others, however, suffered greatly, losing men and struggling to survive themselves.


    ¡°Pete¡­¡± she muttered.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 500

    For a brief moment, when Ka saw the faint smile at the corner of Pete¡¯s lips, she suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. It seemed like everything had been nned by him in advance. She <b>just </b>couldn¡¯t figure out what he was truly <b>scheming </b>


    In this dangerous situation and in such a perilous ce, he ced himself on the frontline. If anything went wrong<b>, </b><b>he </b>wouldn¡¯t be able to escape either!


    Ka felt that Pete <b>was </b>like an enigma. Every move he made was impossible to predict


    It was as it, despite standing in front of her, he was like an elusive breeze that couldn¡¯t be grasped. He made her uneasy, yet she found herself inexplicably <b>drawn </b>to him. She continued to follow <b>him</b>.


    Pete looked at Ka, noticing that she was holding tightly onto his arm. He smiled <b>and </b>asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?


    ¡°N¨CNothing¡­¡± Ka bit her lip, hesitating before swallowing her words.


    After the storm passed, allmunication devices andpasses failed. The scattered teams, full of diverse and conflicting groups, started to panic, stumbling around like headless chickens. Some decided to continue the search, while others attempted to leave or contact the outside world.


    But it was all useless.


    In the depths of the rainforest, how could they tell the direction?


    Every direction seemed to be filled with identical trees, and there were no visible paths<b>, </b>only rocky outcrops, ridgelines, and <b>thick </b>forests to navigate through.


    Those who tried to signal the outside world fired res, but there was no response. The rescue they hoped for never came.


    After repeated disagreements, disputes, and conflicts, a bombshell of good news came.


    canyon was the very location Pete had mentioned, the spot marked


    Some in the group imed they had found a canyon, and that ca on the map that the Fuller couple had spoken of!


    In an <b>instant</b>, the scattered teams went wild!


    Driven by greed, they all rushed <b>toward </b>the canyon with great urgency, fearing they might miss out on the opportunity. It became. a race to reach the location!


    Ka also felt anxious. Unable to hold back, she asked, ¡°Pete, why are we still waiting? You worked so hard to decode the map. Are you really going to let others reap the rewards?¡±


    ¡°Just wait a little longer.¡± Pete turned his head, his gaze lingering somewhere behind him. Smiling, he added, ¡°A big shot still hasn¡¯t arrived. What¡¯s the hurry?¡±


    Big shot?


    <b>Ka </b>asked curiously, ¡°Who is it?¡±


    The Carrell family of Seldvale was already a powerful and influential family. <b>In </b>terms of status and influence, they were firmly. entrenched in the city¡¯s elite.


    be


    The only one in all of Seldvale who could be regarded as a ¡°big shot¡± by <b>the </b>Cartell <b>family </b>could only be¡­


    Ka gasped, suddenly realizing something. ¡°The Russell family of Seldvale? Mr. Russell?¡± novelbin


    ¡°Just what kind of treasure is hidden at the location marked on the map? To think that it¡¯d even attract someone like Mr. Russell! ¡°she asked the question aloud.


    Pete <b>paused </b>for a moment, then smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡±


    Ka was speechless. He was obviously lying!


    She felt a bit wronged <b>and </b>used him, ¡°Pete! You don¡¯t trust me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not¨Clying. I¡¯ve never been to this ce, so I don¡¯t know what¡¯s there. But if even Mr. Russell is going to great lengths to find it, it must be hiding something important.¡±


    After Pete said that, <b>Ka¡¯s </b>eyes showed a brief sh of excitement, but she quickly concealed it.


    1:00


    And it was from that day onward everyone who entered the depths of this rainforest disappeared and lost contact. Nobody heard from them again!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 501

    After driving Howell and Tabitha away, Felicia pushed the thought of them away. She knew they would likely pester <b>Ka </b><b>knowing how </b>shameless they were


    This was fine. Threats and intimidation worked on Howell and Tabitha, and Felicia believed the couple wouldn¡¯t dare to cause trouble for her again anytime soon.


    Felicia turned her attention to her books..


    Information and records about bronze bells were scattered and hard toe by. One book might only contain minor


    information, and the collected books and materials piled up.


    After two days of relentless reading, Felicia¡¯s head spun, and her eyes <b>were </b>bloodshot.


    Stanley couldn¡¯t bear to see her like this and offered to help. Felicia handed him about ten books. But after reading just three, he started whining about eye strain and fled!


    How unreliable.


    Felicia slumped onto the couch and closed her eyes to rest. But the weight of the matter<b>, </b>coupled with the fear of sleepwalking again, made her restless.


    That was when Sebastian showed up.


    When the maid informed her of his arrival, Felicia rubbed her eyes, baffled at how Sebastian had found her address. Theirst encounter at the cafe had ended on a sour note. She couldn¡¯t fathom what brought him here now.


    She sighed and sat up before telling the maid to let him in.


    Soon, footsteps approached,


    Felicia saw Sebastian, <b>who </b>appeared just as exhausted with simr bloodshot eyes. Their eyes met. Anyone who witnessed the scene would have to admit <b>that </b>these two were undeniably siblings.


    Felicia massaged her temples and muttered helplessly, <b>¡°</b>Sebastian, I¡¯ve already told you everything I know. Why are you here again?¡±


    Sebastian¡¯s visit could only mean trouble. But <b>his </b>response caught her off guard. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Felicia thought she had misheard. Was the world <b>ending</b>? Or was there something wrong with her hearing? <b>¡°</b>I¡¯m sorry,¡± Sebastian repeated.


    He stepped closer and crouched in front of Felicia. His handsome face looked tired, but his gaze was firm. He said hoarsely, ¡°I¡¯ve never been a good brother to you. I¡¯m sorry, Licia.¡± novelbin


    That day at the caf¨¦, he had sat and pondered for a long time.


    The image of Felicia¡¯s tear¨Cfilled eyes and her bitter smile after his usations and questioning reyed in his mind repeatedly. Every time he thought of it<b>, </b><b>a </b>wave of guilt and remorse washed over him.


    It seemed he had hurt her countless times. Other than ming her, what had he done as her brother to support the family?


    Before Felicia could respond<b>, </b>Sebastian sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve found the <bst </b>known location where our parents disappeared. I have to find them. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll have another chance. So, before I leave, I decided to apologize. I know you won¡¯t acknowledge me as your brother, but I still want to do this. I¡¯m sorry, Licia.¡±


    After apologizing, Sebastian stood up. He instinctively reached out to pat Felicia¡¯s head, just like he used to. But halfway through<b>, </b>he stopped <b>and </b>withdrew his hand.


    It wasn¡¯t until Sebastian left that Felicia snapped out of it. What did he mean he might not have another chance?


    Where exactly had their parents been taken? And what had happened to cause their disappearance?

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 502

    Felicia lost her mood to continue reading.


    She stared at the mountain of books<b>, </b>a surge of frustration rising. Forget the research! It didn¡¯t matter who was using the bronze bell. If someone was behind it, they would show themselves sooner orter. When that happened, she would know who was scheming against her.


    When the thought of giving up crossed her mind, Felicia felt aches all over her body. The exhaustion and sleep deprivation from the past two days finally hit her.


    Forget it. It was time to sleep.


    Feliciay on the couch <b>and </b>wrapped herself in a nket before falling asleep.


    The maid moved around quietly, careful not to disturb her. The asional clinking sounds from the kitchen were apanied by the aroma of <b>food </b>that wafted through the air. It was a peaceful weekend.


    But Felicia had a dream.


    In her dream, she saw Stephan standing at the edge of a cliff, bathed in the golden light of the rising <b>sun</b>. She called out to him<b>, </b>and he turned around. Against the light, <b>his </b>handsome face was hidden.


    Even though she couldn¡¯t see him clearly, Felicia guessed he was smiling teasingly. Those eyes likely held a yful glint, and he might even mock her next, ¡°Are you dreaming about me? And you still say you don¡¯t <b>miss </b>me?¡± novelbin


    She blushed at the thought. The sheer beauty of the moment stunned her, rooting her in ce.


    Stephan chuckled and began walking toward her. But with <b>each </b>step he took, a new wound appeared on his body. The injuries were gruesome. By the time he drew nearer, he had left a trail of bloody footprints behind <b>him</b>.


    Felicia¡¯s eyes widened in shock


    However, Stephan covered her eyes with his hand. His voice was soft by her ear as he whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t look.¡±


    His fingers felt cool against her eyelids. Felicia could sense the calluses on his palm


    ¡°You¡¯re hurt. Let me see.¡± Felicia pushed his hand away nervously. Stephan¡¯s figure suddenly turned transparent and vanished. ¡°Stephan!¡± Felicia reached out to grab him but caught only empty air.


    In her frantic struggle<b>, </b>she felt her body go weightless for a moment, and then she woke up. She realized she had fallen off the couch.


    The maid rushed over to help her up. ¡°Are you okay, Ms. Fuller? Did you have a nightmare?¡±


    Felicia noticed she was drenched <b>in </b>a cold sweat.


    The dream felt surreal as though she had witnessed Stephan disappear before her eyes.


    Felicia let out a shaky breath and pushed herself off the ground. Thankfully, the carpet softened her fall, so it didn¡¯t hurt too much. She pulled out her phone and called Stephan. But as with the past two days, it couldn¡¯t connect.


    It had been nearly <b>a </b>week since Stephan¡¯sst call.


    Felicia frowned and quickly found Stanley. She asked him if there were <b>any </b>updates about Stephan or if he could find a way to


    contact him.


    Stanley admitted, ¡°Not yet. But don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Russell. Mr. Russell has a team in ce to ry updates. They¡¯ll let us know immediately if there are any updates.¡±


    <b>Felicia </b>was about to nod when Stanley¡¯s phone rang. He chuckled at the screen. ¡°Speak of the devil. Look, there¡¯s news already.¡± He answered the call. But after listening to the message, he paled.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 503

    Felicia felt chills go down <b>her </b>spine. Her dream seemed like a warning. ¡°What¡¯s the news? Did something happen to Stephan?¡±


    Stanley nodded but quickly regained <b>his </bposure. He immediately began organizing his team, instructing them to prepare. their <b>gear </b>and arrange for helicopters.


    Afterpleting the preparations, Stanley turned to Felicia. ¡°Mrs. <b>Russell</b>, I¡¯ll leave a team here to protect you. Something happened to Mr. Russell, and I need to take a team to him!¡±


    As he was about to leave, Felicia grabbed him by the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ming too.¡±


    Ten minutester, nine helicopters took off in the same direction.


    Back at the Russell residence in Seldvale, Imogen was growing increasingly irritated. Being pregnant was exhausting enough. But her pregnancy hormones, coupled with Johanna¡¯s constant instigation, only made <b>things </b>worse.


    She was heartbroken over Archie¡¯s death and angry that Stephan had kept the truth from her.


    What made things <b>worse </b><b>was </b>Stephan¡¯s silence despite demanding an exnation from him. It had been two days, yet Stephan never even called her!


    ¡°That bastard! Did he abandon me for the sake of that Fuller girl?¡± Imogen mmed her hand on the table. Johanna smirked to herself. It seemed her instigation was working.


    you. If she marries into the


    Johanna cleared her throat and feigned concern. ¡°Imogen, it seems Stephan is choosing Felicia over yo Russell family, we won¡¯t be able to bring my brother to justice.¡±


    Imogen was enraged. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it! Over my dead body! I¡¯ll never allow that to happen!¡± ¡°Imogen, we should take matters into our own hands if Stephan refuses to act. Why not <b>use </b>this opportunity to eliminate Felicia and the entire Fuller family? They must pay with their lives for Archie¡¯s sake!¡±


    Johanna¡¯s words were cruel,pletely at odds with her usual gentle demeanor.


    Imogen shifted ufortably and ced a hand on her belly. She frowned. ¡°Dexter killed Archie. This <b>has </b>nothing to do with Felicia, It won¡¯t do us any good to target her.¡±


    ¡°Imogen¡­¡± Johanna bit her lip, realizing she had pushed too hard. She quickly changed tactics. ¡°You¡¯re right¨CDexter was the one who did it. But Felicia <b>is </b>his daughter. She might¡¯ve known something but stayed silent! Besides, who else can avenge Archie but you and me?¡±


    Imogen sighed, but her eyes brimmed with tears.


    Of course, she wanted to avenge Archie and seek justice for the father of the <b>child </b>she carried. But when it came to taking action, the thought of bloodshed made her physically ill. Her stomach churned, and her limbs weakened.


    She couldn¡¯t even bring herself to issue the order, let alone carry it out.


    Johanna clenched her teeth in frustration. She always knew Imogen would falter when the time called for it.


    This was Stephan¡¯s fault for sheltering his sister! Because of him, Imogen had never experienced human nature¡¯s dark side. She couldn¡¯t <b>even </b>bring herself to deal with her enemies, novelbin


    How could someone like this im to love Archic? Howridiculous!


    Johanna wanted to push further, but Imogen shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t force me, Johanna. I need time to think¡­¡±


    ¡°Imogen, there won¡¯t be another chance if we miss this! Do you want Felicia to be your sister¨Cinw? If that happens, the Russell family will be hers. How will we ever talk about revenge again?¡± Johanna sneered<b>. </b>


    She continued, ¡°Archie is dead, yet you¡¯re willing to make peace with the family responsible? You would even be their in- <bws</b>? You¡¯re so cruel, Imogen.¡±


    She pressed relentlessly, pushing Imogen into a corner.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 504

    Imogen pped a <b>hand </b>over her mouth and shook her head. ¡°<b>I </b>said I won¡¯t let Felicia marry into the <b>family</b>. I won¡¯t allow it¡­¡±


    Johanna could barely contain her frustration.


    But on second thought, her schemes hadn¡¯t been in vain since Felicia and Imogen¡¯s rtionship had turned hostile. They couldn¡¯t be on good terms again, especially with Archie¡¯s death looming over them.


    Now, Stephan was caught in a dilemma. Would he choose his sister or his lover? No matter which side he supported, the other would be abandoned.


    Felicia was bound to be sacrificed.


    When that time came, taking down Felicia and her family would be far easier.


    Johanna smirked at the thought. She softened her tone tofort Imogen, saying, ¡°Imogen, don¡¯t cry. I didn¡¯t mean to pressure you. Believe me, no one feels your pain more than I do. But as for Stephan¡­¡±


    Before Johanna could finish, a maid rushed in. ¡°There¡¯s been an incident, Ms. Russell!¡±


    ¡°What incident?¡± Imogen¡¯s heart sank


    ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Russell! He¡¯s gone missing<b>. </b>They say he¡¯s injured and his whereabouts are unknown<b>!</b>¡± the maid shouted.


    ¡°What?¡± The news hit Imogen hard. Her vision blurred, and she nearly fainted.


    The maid hurried to support her, cursing herself for delivering the report so suddenly. If anything happened to Imogen <b>because </b>of this, she would have to bear the me,


    Imogen clung to the maid¡¯s sleeve desperately. ¡°Exin<b>! </b>What happened?¡±


    The maid had no choice but to reveal everything. ¡°Ten days ago, Mr. Russell led a <b>team </b>to a remote rainforest. However, only one member of the team managed to send a message back. He said Mr. Russell is injured and now missing!¡±


    Injuries and disappearances¡­ These words only brought bad luck.


    Imogen¡¯s heart went cold. All her anger and resentment were reced by overwhelming guilt and worry. The thought of Stephan potentially being in danger while she had been berating him sent waves of regret crashing over her.


    She had even threatened to sever their sibling bond, oblivious to the risks he might be facing. novelbin


    Imogen pushed the maid away. ¡°Have you sent anyone to search for him? Do it now!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Russell. We¡¯ve deployed search teams. We¡¯ll find Mr. Russell. I promise!¡± the maid promised.


    But no reassurance could quell her anxiety.


    ¡°I¡¯m such a useless sister¡­¡± Tears streamed down Imogen¡¯s face as dark thoughts crowded her <b>mind</b>. She felt lost


    <b>The </bst time she had felt this way was when she learned of Archie¡¯s death. Back then, Stephan had immediately arranged search


    teams.


    This time, Stephan himself <b>was </b>missing.


    With no one else to lean on, Imogen realized for the first time how much she had depended on her brother¡¯s unwavering support over the years. She had taken for granted her carefree life and sense of superiority as his sister.


    How could she have been so ignorant?


    Imogen <b>took </b>a deep breath. ¡°Prepare a ne. I¡¯m going there myself!¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 505

    Imogen¡¯s deration left Johanna stunned.


    ¡°Ms. Russell, you <b>can¡¯t</b>! The rainforest is too dangerous, and you¡¯re close to giving birth. This is far too risky!¡± The <b>maid </b>tried to stop her.


    ¡°Yes, think about the baby, Imogen. What if the stress causes a premature birth? Let me go instead. I promise to keep you informed of everything!¡± <b>Johanna </b>shook her head.


    Despite their desperate attempts to dissuade her, the usually gentle Imogen stood her ground. Her tone was firm, leaving no room for argument. ¡°I¡¯ve made up my <b>mind</b>. Make the arrangements!¡±


    Left with no choice, the maid set about preparing for her journey. The <b>preparations </b>were extensive, including medical supplies and two private doctors to ensure her safety.


    The ne was soon ready, and Johanna helped Imogen onto it.


    By the time their group reached the outskirts of the rainforest, night was falling.


    From the helicopter, the rainforest showed signs of recent human activity. Muddy footprints marked the ground, and shed vegetation indicated paths carved with des.


    After a day¨C<b>long </b>flight, Imogen¡¯s face was pale. However, thanks to her <b>good </b>health, her unborn child <b>was </b>fine.


    As the helicopter began its descent, Imogen sighed. ¡°Why not simply fly over the area<b>?</b>¡±


    ¡°Ms. Russell, the rainforest is shrouded in a dense fog. It¡¯s impossible for the helicopter to go further,¡± one of the <b>crew </b>members exined.


    <b>¡°</b>Alright.¡± Imogen nodded. Though anxious, she understood there was no way to win <b>over </b>nature.


    The Russell family¡¯s men were handpicked and trained by Stephan himself. They were both loyal and capable. Once the


    helicopternded, they quickly set up a camp in arge open area, creating protective barriers and scattering repellents to ward off insects and snakes.


    Imogen was ced in thergest military¨Cgrade tent. A bonfire was lit outside, and night guards were stationed to ensure safety. Though the rainforest <b>was </b>humid, the crew did their best to make Imogenfortable.


    At dawn the next day, four teams equipped with search gear entered the rainforest, leaving two teams behind to guard the camp and ensure Imogen¡¯s safety.


    Imogen was frustrated yet worried, tormented by her helplessness. She hade all this way out of concern <b>for </b>Stephan, hoping it would ease her mind.


    But it was also because she didn¡¯t trust outsiders to handle the search. She wanted to be on¨Csite to receive updates as <b>soon </b>as possible.


    However, she felt like a burden, left waiting anxiously in <b>the </b>camp. Worse, she was diverting manpower <b>to </b>protect her.


    Her <b>guilt </b>went unnoticed by the rest


    Johanna spoke up with feigned determination, ¡°Imogen, I¡¯m worried about Stephan too. Let me go into the rainforest to look for him. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll risk my life if that¡¯s what it takes to bring him back!


    ¡°Johanna¡­¡± Imogen was touched. Before the others could voice their objections, she agreed, ¡°Alright, <b>you </b>can go with Andy and the others!¡±


    Andy¡¯s eyes widened.


    They were heading here to <b>rescue </b>Stephan, not going on a casual bike!


    The rainforest was full of dangers. Bringing along the delicate Johanna would not only slow the search but also force them to divert attention to protect her.


    That was absurd!


    Unlike Stanley, who would have voiced his objections, Andy always kept his thoughts to himself. novelbin


    When Charles heard about the irregr heartbeat Evelyn acquired from being locked up and how she almost died from shock, he <b>was </b>shaken to his core. Yet, his instinct was to defend Dahlia. ¡°Grandma, Dahlia had nothing to do with this,¡± he said.}


    ¡°You!¡± Rosa was so enraged by Charles that she nearly lost her breath.


    ¡°<b>Please</b>, help my grandma rest,¡± Charles instructed the servants attending to Rosa, ¡°Grandma, you wouldn¡¯t want Evelyn waking up and worrying about you, would you?¡± he added, striking a nerve.


    ¡°Hmph!¡± With a heavy snort, Rosa red at him fiercely before leaving the room.


    Charles remained inside the bedroom and casually removed his white shirt, revealing his back covered in crisscrossing whip marks. They were much worse than thest punishment Rosa ordered. The freshshesyered over old scars, creating a grim spectacle.


    Dr. Nelson quickly tended to Charles¡® wounds. Throughout the treatment, Charles expression remained unchanged. He sat in the armchair, his gaze resting on Evelyn.


    Once Dr. Nelson finished tending to him, he was about to change the dressing on Evelyn¡¯s finger. ¡°Leave us,¡± Charles said, asking him to leave the special ointment behind<b>. </b>


    After Dr. Nelson left, Charles moved to the bedside, gently unwrapping the bandages from Evelyn¡¯s injured hand. The hospital had treated the wound, but it still clearly showed what she had endured. Charles¡± throat tightened as if something was pricking at his heart, causing an ufortable sensation.


    He stared at Evelyn¡¯s finger for a while, motionless. ¡°Now you feel the pain for her?¡± Rosa¡¯s voice came from behind him, her eyes scrutinizing. It seemed Charles still had some kindness left.


    Charles pressed his lips together and didn¡¯t reply, quickly masking any flicker of emotion. He wouldn¡¯t admit to feeling distressed. Rosa wasn¡¯t about to let him off the book. She noticed his reaction to Evelyn¡¯s injuries and pulled out her phone, showing him photos the bodyguard had taken in the Greenrose basement. Look at what you¡¯ve done to Eve<b>!</b>¡®!


    The door had been opened, and the rats inside were long gone. But the bloodstains left on the door were a haunting reminder. Charles eyes widened in shock. The difort he had tried to suppress rushed back, weighing heavily on his heart. No wonder she was so furious andshed out at him.


    ¡°Take good care of Eve,¡± Rosa said, seeing a glimmer of hope in Charles before leaving him to rest.


    After the bedroom door closed again, Charles picked up the ointment and began applying it to Evelyn¡¯s wounds. His touch was gentle yet deliberate. Despite his care, the pain was sharp, <b>as </b>fingers are sensitive.


    In her daze, Evelyn furrowed her brows, cold sweat dampening her hairline. Charles paused<b>, </b>his gaze softening as he looked at her face. An image shed in his mind: before Dahlia and Sandy returned, he had seen a young Charlie holding Evelyn¡¯s hand, blowing on her injured finger. ¡°Mommy, if I blow <b>on </b>it, will it stop hurting?¡± Charlie had asked sweetly. Evelyn had smiled, touching Charlie¡¯s head. ¡°Yes<b>, </b>when you blow on it, I don¡¯t feel the pain,¡±


    Charles, almost without thinking, gently blew on Evelyn¡¯s finger while applying the ointment. Whether it actually helped or not, Evelyn¡¯s furrowed brow visibly rxed a bit. Encouraged, Charles focused on the task at hand, not noticing Evelyn slowly waking up.


    The tender care confused Evelyn; only Rosa had ever treated her so gently. Opening her eyes, she softly called out, ¡°Gran¡­¡± but stopped short when she saw it was Charles. Her expression froze. Since Dahlia¡¯s arrival, Charles hadn¡¯t shown her <b>such </b>kindness; his attention had been solely on Dahlia


    Evelyn¡¯s brief daze was fleeting. She quicklyposed herself, withdrawing her hand from Charles¡® grasp. In her haste, her finger hit the edge of the bed, causing a sharp pain that made her gasp. Charles¡® expression shifted, and he instinctively reached for her hand again, but she pulled away.


    She could handle this pain. Evelyn understood that Charles¡® gentleness was a facade¨Ca sugar¨Ccoated bullet. Beneath ity something for more dangerous. Facing Charles¡® darkened expression, Evelyn sat up, her gaze icy. ¡°Charles, quit pretending. I don¡¯t need your act. Let it go. I won¡¯t change my mind about Dahlia.¡°W

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 506

    Cupter 506


    Andy silently ked up and led a teen into the dense reinforest, escorting the delicate Johanna without a word of protest.


    Meanwhile, at another drop¨Coff point in the jungle, nine helicopters had just Landed. Stanley stood with a backpack and a stack of gas masks, his expression one of helplessness.


    Mrs. Russell, please stay outside,¡± Stanley pleaded. ¡°We¡¯ll go in and handle everything. If anything happens to you, Mr. Russell will have my head!¡° Felice turned around, her features framed by a high ponytail that added a sharpness to herposed face. Dressed in a ck tactical jacket, with a knife strepped to her thigh andbat boots Laced tightly, Felicia embodied both elegance and determination.


    Her eyes, cold and clear, revealed an unyielding strength as she moved to take a gas mask from Stanley¡¯s hands <b>and </b>slung a backpack over her shoulder. Felicia strode into the rainforest without another word, her resolute figure leaving Stanley and the others exchanging resigned but admiring nces. ¡°Move out!¡± Stanley called, snapping everyone into action.


    The rainforest stretched endlessly, its trees so dense it obscured the sky. Unbeknownst to Felicia and her group, yet another faction arrived at the same


    Maurice gazedzily at the <b>nine </b>helicopters, clicking his tongue with amusement.


    ¡°that the crowd.¡± He smirked


    One of Maurice¡¯s subordinates knelt to examine the fresh tracks in the mud. ¡°Mr. Glovers, they just went in. Should we follow?¡±


    ¡°Follow? Of course, we follow!¡± Maurice grinned, hisughter rolling through the jungle. ¡°This is way too entertaining to pass up


    Meurice tucked his hands into his pockets and strolled forward as though he were taking a walk. His nonchnt demeanor was so exaggerated tis Felicia had seen lilm, she might have called him a show¨Coff lunatic.


    The once silent rainforest now hummed with a flurry of activity, with multiple parties navigating through it. novelbin


    At the same time, Dexter and Myra fought their own battle.


    They were separated from the others amidst a chaotic storm and deadly snake swarms. Dexter tried to lead Myra to safety. He was aware that their lives held no value beyond temporary leverage for the Cerrells. If they ever reached the rumored destination marked on the map, their deaths would likely


    Aspen,exter gripped Myra¡¯snd as they navigated through the forest. But as they continued, confusion turned to despair as the two realized they were lost.


    ¨C Charter

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 507

    The fog in the rainforest grew thicker, obscuring their view. It felt as if there were paths everywhere and nowhere simultaneously.


    Dexter held Myra¡¯s hand tightly as they wandered in circles, only to realize they were utterly lost. He broke out in a cold sweat. In a ce like this, getting lost was akin to a death sentence.


    <b>Myra </b>panicked when she realized the severity of their situation. ¡°We need to go back. What if there are wild animals here?


    Dexter led her back the way they came. They ran, drenched in sweat, only to stop in front of a tree with a familiar scratch mark


    ¡°Darling, we¡¯ve been here before!¡± Myra eximed.


    Dexter saw it too and felt Myra trembling. He tried to reassure her, ¡°I must¡¯ve remembered the direction wrong earlier. Let¡¯s try another way.¡±


    But no matter which direction they chose, all they encountered <b>was </b>thick fog. The eerie silence pressed down on them.


    Myra tried shouting for help, but there was no response.


    They werepletely separated from the group. Worse still, they had no <b>food</b><b>, </b>no water, and only a small knife Dexter had hidden earlier when opening a can, thinking it mighte in handy for self¨Cdefense.


    Dexter med himself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, darling. This is all my fault. I should¡¯ve kept you close and followed the Carrell family.¡±


    Myra shook her head. ¡°Everyone was running for their lives back then. Even if we had stayed close, we would have still gotten separated in this fog.


    She forced a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Maybe they¡¯ll send someone to look for us. novelbin


    ¡°And Ka is <b>with </b>Pete. She¡¯ll definitelye back for us when she realizes we¡¯re missing!¡± [


    Though Myra tried to smile, it was clear she was grasping at straws.


    my out or someone


    Dexter patted her back. ¡°Let¡¯s find shelter for now. It¡¯s not safe here. We have to save ourselves until we either find a way ¡°Alright.¡± Myra nodded.


    The couple trudged forward.


    Dexter used the small knife to carve t


    two marks on tree trunks along the way, leaving a trail behind them<b>. </b>


    What they didn¡¯t notice was a ck mass silently crawling closer to them from the ground, moving with rming speed<b>. </b>


    Meanwhile, Felicia, Stanley, and the others had been trekking through the rainforest for three hours. Along the way, they spotted cigarette butts, food wrappers, and other trash littering the ground.


    Stable wiped the sweat from his brows <b>and </b>studied the footprints on the ground. ¡°Based on the <b>tracks</b>, <b>we¡¯re </b>on the right path. The Carrell family and those mercenaries definitely passed through here. But¡­ Mr. Russell didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡± Felicia asked


    Stanley grinned and pointed to the footprints. ¡°You can tell by the tread marks. The gear Mr. Russell took <b>is </b>identical to ours. I¡¯ve been watching, and I haven¡¯t seen any of our own prints here.¡±


    Felicia nced back and realized he was right. The shoe prints left by Stanley¡¯s team were uniform, except for her own.


    Another subordinate chimed in, ¡°So, are we on the wrong track? If Mr. Russell hasn¡¯t been <b>here</b>, should we keep going forward or try another path<b>?</b>¡±


    None of the subordinates who had entered the rainforest with Stephan could be reached. The <b>one </b>who had escaped to deliver the message was gravely injured and currently in the hospital, <b>unconscious </b>and in critical condition.


    As a result, no one knew which path Stephan had taken or where he wasst seen.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 508

    Stanley turned to Felicia. ¡°Any ideas, Mrs. Russell?¡±


    Felicia took a sip from her water bottle calmly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you bring signal res? Let¡¯s rest here ar


    Wandering around aimlessly might take forever.


    and novelbin


    fire one. We¡¯ll see if we get


    we get any response.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± Stanley grinned and nodded.


    The six¨Cperson team stopped to eat and drink to regain their strength. Stanley set off a red signal re. The red smoke spiraled upward, spreading through the dense rainforest.


    If someone had been observing from above, they would have seen bright red smoke emerging from the vast sea of deep green trees.


    But there was no response.


    Stanley then used a satellite phone to contact the other teams. The nine helicopters that had arrived <b>had </b>split into several teams, each searching along different routes. But, like them, none had made any progress.


    Felicia finished her snack, dusted her hands <b>off</b><b>, </b>and stood. ¡°Speaking of which, the Carrell family¡¯s team should¡¯ve reached their destination by now, right? We weren¡¯t far from them when wended. Maybe we can catch up. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡± Stanley nodded. ¡°Exactly. Mr. Russell must be near there. Let¡¯s move!¡±


    Everyone packed up their gear and was about to set off when the walkie¨Ctalkie in Stanley¡¯s hand suddenly emitted a burst of static.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Stanley inspected the walkie¨Ctalkie. He tapped it a few times. <b>Was </b>it broken?


    But soon,


    the other walkie¨Ctalkies started emitting the same static noise.


    Felicia¡¯s pocket also contained a walkie¨Ctalkie for emergencies in case the team p


    got separated. Now, it, too, was buzzing with static.


    One of the subordinates checked the rest of their electronic equipment, including the trackers, and shouted, ¡°We¡¯re experiencing interfere devices have stopped working!¡±


    Unexpectedly, Stanley rxed. ¡°That makes sense. Mr. Russell must have lost contact because of this. Let¡¯s pick up the pace and try to reach the destination before sunset!¡±


    Felicia had <b>no </b>objections and led the group forward.


    After another three <b>hours</b>, the footprints <b>on </b>the ground suddenly became chaotic. Up ahead, arge <b>swamp </b>appeared, and beyond ity countless snakes chopped into pieces.


    Stanley surveyed the area. ¡°Looks like there was <b>a </b><b>snake </b>swarm here. The teams that passed through probably got scattered at this point.¡±


    Another subordinate picked up a dead snake and examined it closely. ¡°They¡¯re all venomous. We need to stay alert moving forward.¡±


    ¡°Understood.<b>¡± </b>Stanley crouched down to examine the footprints. One of his skills was <b>his </b>exceptional tracking ability, earning <b>him </b>the title of tracking


    <b>expert</b>.


    After a short investigation, he concluded, ¡°The Carrell family went <b>this </b>way. Let¡¯s follow their trail.¡±


    The rest of the team prepared <b>to </b>move, but Felicia remained standing still, her gaze fixed on the dead snakes around her.


    ¡®s wrong, Mrs. Russe// <b>Stary </b>asked.


    Felicia pointed at the chaotic footprints on the ground. ¡°Can you identify if any of these belong to a couple? Even if they encountered the snake swarm, they would¡¯ve stuck close together, so their footprints <b>should </b><b>be </b>side by side.¡±


    Stanley¡¯s strong point was his decisiveness. He didn¡¯t question who Felicia was looking for and immediately began analyzing the chaotic trail for any signs that might fit her description

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 509

    To anyone else, this area might seem like nothing more than a chaotic tness. But for a tracking expert like Stanley, every footprint told a story, and every leat revealed a different scenario.


    After inspecting the area, Stanley pointed in a specific direction. ¡°Mrs. Russell, if my deductions are correct, the couple you mentioned likely ran that way. One of the footprints is heavier than the other, and the two sets are close together. It¡¯s clearly a man and a woman.¡±


    However, that direction was different from the route they were following.


    Felicia paused for a moment. ¡°You continue forward. I¡¯ll go check it out. No need to wait for me.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Russell?¡± Stanley immediately stepped in front of her. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous for you to leave the team alone! We can¡¯t let you take such a risk!¡± Felicia shook her head. ¡°You keep going. I¡¯ll catch upter.¡±


    Stanley tried to stop her, but Felicia dodged him <b>and </b>disappeared into the forest.


    Her figure moved swiftly through the trees, and with the thickening fog, her silhouette quickly vanished from sight.


    Stanley was beyond frustrated. He tried to chase after her, but another subordinate held him back. ¡°Stanley, finding Mr. Russell is our priority. We need to move quickly!¡±


    ¡°But Mrs. Russell..¡± Stanley protested.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Haven¡¯t you noticed? Mrs. Russell isn¡¯t the fragile woman we thought she was. She¡¯s no less capable than any of us,¡± the subordinate reassured him.


    Everyone had witnessed it firsthand.


    Before entering the rainforest, they had all assumed Felicia <b>would </b>be a burden <b>and </b>had braced themselves for dys because of <b>her</b>. Yet throughout the journey, whether trekking long <b>distances</b>, climbing mountains, or racing against time, Felicia hadn¡¯t uttered a singleint.


    She never mentioned being tired or in pain, and <b>she </b>never fell behind. And there was also her remarkable medical skills.


    Before reaching this point, one of the team members had been bitten by an unidentified yet venomous insect. Half of his body became paralyzed instantly. Felicia treated him <b>with </b>a few acupuncture needles and crushed a couple of leaves she had found nearby to apply as medicine. <b>In </b>no time man could move <b>again</b><b>, </b>and the pain was significantly reduced.


    It was nothing short of miraculous.


    The subordinate added, ¡°<b>Once </b>we find Mr. Russell, we can go back and look for Mrs. Russell if she hasn¡¯t returned by then.¡±


    Stanley sighed and had no choice but to agree.


    As the fog grew thicker, the team stopped wasting time and quickened their pace toward their destination<b>. </b>


    Felicia navigated through the <b>dense </b>log, asionally spotting marks on trees <b>that </b>seemed to have been left by her parents. novelbin


    Following these signs made tracking them much easier.


    As the fog around her thickened, Felicia put on her gas mask and quickened her <b>steps</b>. She only knew from Sebastian that her parents had gone missing. But she didn¡¯t know how many days it had been since they disappeared.


    But she knew her parents had gone bankrupt. They had no money and no influence. Even if Sebastian wanted to organize a search<b>, </b>he likelycked the


    resources to do so.


    Her parents would surely die if she didn¡¯t act now.


    Felicia¡¯s emotions were a mess.


    She hated and resented her parents. The trauma from her two <b>lives </b>was something she could never fully heal from or forget.


    But when faced with the thought of watching them die, her feet moved faster than her mind could decide.


    Felicia chuckled bitterly. She must have done something wrong to have to endure them for two lifetimes.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 510

    Deep within the fog, Dexter and Myra staggered forward slowly.


    Eventually, Myra copsed. ¡°I can¡¯t go on¡­ I¡¯m <b>so </b>thirsty¡­ and so tired¡­¡±


    They hadn¡¯t had <b>a </b>sip of water all day, nor anything to eat


    <b>As </b>far


    Even the strongest person would be on the verge of copse, let alone someone like Myra, who had lived a life of luxury. The fact she had made it this was already a miracle.


    Dexter hurriedly reached out to help her up, but he was also at his limit, and he was a beat too slow,


    Both of them fell to the ground, their legs numb and painfully swollen. They were so exhausted that they couldn¡¯t even lift a finger.


    ¡°I just want water.¡± Myra mumbled.


    Water was everywhere in the rainforest. Whether it was on the leaves or in the puddles on the ground. Yet even as <b>their </b>throats burned with thirst, the couple had resisted drinking it.


    Any water they drank from here would be teeming with bacteria and <b>parasites</b>. It would mean certain death if they got sick.


    But pushed to her breaking point, Myra <b>could </b>no longer hold back. She crawled over and reached for a clump of leaves nearby, tilting her head back to drink the droplets clinging to them.


    She had never been so desperate, yet water had never tasted as sweet. She crawled forward, drinking from one leaf to the next.


    Dexter struggled to his feet, intending to stop her. But before he could speak, a rustling <b>came </b>from the fog behind him.


    What was that?


    Dexter took <b>a </b>few steps forward cautiously and sighed in relief when he didn¡¯t see any wild animals. That was until he noticed the fallen leave covered in something dark, like ayer of ck mud. But why was the mud moving?


    Dexter¡¯s blood ran cold. The mud was actually a massive swarm of ck ants!


    ¡°Myra, run!¡± Dexter yelled. When he saw Myra still drinking water, he rushed over, yanking her up and dragging her along with him.


    ¡°W¨CWhat¡¯s going on?¡± Myra resisted<b>. </b>She hadn¡¯t rested enough and didn¡¯t want to move. But when she heard the sound behind her<b>, </b>she instinctively nced back, and the sight <b>seared </b>itself into her memory forever. novelbin


    A surging tide of ck and red ants was moving in all directions, their sheer number sending chills down her spine.


    Each ant was five times the size of a normal one, with pincers at the front and a short, sharp stinger at the rear.


    If they were bitten, or worse, swarmed by the colony, they would be stripped to just their bones in <b>moments</b>!


    The strength that humans could summon in the face of mortal danger was astonishing.


    Though the couple had been too weak to move just moments ago, now, under the threat of these deathly ants, they clung tightly to each other and ran for their lives


    Even so, <b>one </b>ant managed to crawl onto Dexter¡¯s leg, biting into his heel


    The pain was excruciating, and he let out a cry of agony.


    Myra nced at him worriedly, but he barked, ¡°<b>Don¡¯t </b>stop! Keep running! Don¡¯t look back!¡±


    They were running a race against death itself


    But disaster struck again. Ahead of them, the path suddenly ended.


    They had been running too fast to stop in time. Without even realizing it, the two of them plunged over the edge of a cliff.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 511

    The Fuller couple screamed in unison, tumbling down the slope, Luckily, the dense rainforest vegetation¨Ca mix of bushes, shrubs, and weeds¨C cushioned their tall.


    Even then, they bothnded in a pile of wet, rotting leaves on the damp, four¨Csmelling forest floor. Dazed and disoriented, theyy <b>there </b>for what felt like forever, too stunned to move


    Just then, a tall shadow loomed over them, blocking out the light. Someone stood above them, looking down.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s here! We¡¯re saved!¡± Dexter thought as his face lit up with hope.


    Summoning his strength, he pushed himself to sit up straight and eagerly addressed the stranger, ¡°Did youe to rescue us? That¡¯s amazing! <b>Please </b>give us some food and water, then help us get out of here!¡±


    The man before them stood with his hands in his pockets, moving about casually as if he were on a Sunday stroll. His brown eyes sparkled with mischief, and a small red mole at the corner of his <b>eye </b>added a devilish charm to his appearance.


    As Dexter waited expectantly, the man¡¯s lips curled into azy smirk. With a drawl that carried a hint of mockery, he said, ¡°Where did these old geezerse from? Let¡¯s just bury them.¡±


    The words ¡°bury them¡± echoed in Dexter¡¯s mind, leaving him stunned. The man had said the words so casually like he was suggesting getting rid of some garbage.


    Dexter froze at those words.


    But the man wasn¡¯t bluffing. A few of his subordinates emerged from behind him, and judging by their determined expressions, they were p about to carry out his order.


    genuinely


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± Dexter, having never faced such humiliation in the past, strained his neck and shouted, ¡°Do you even know who I am? If youy a hand on me, I¡¯ll make sure you regret it!¡±


    Instead of intimidating the man, Dexter¡¯s outburst only seemed to amuse him further. He chuckled and replied, ¡°Oh? Regret it? What¡¯s yo youe back and haunt me <b>as </b>a ghost?¡±


    Dexter was rendered speechless. His earlier threats were the desperate cries of the powerless. They carried no weight at all.


    The man gave a slight wave of his <b>hand</b>, and his subordinates hauled Dexter <b>and </b>Myra to their feet. However, instead of burying them, the subordin were simply clearing the couple out of the way because the couple were blocking the narrow path.


    Dexter¡¯s heart sank even further. Thinking they were about to <b>be </b>abandoned in the wild, he thrashed and iled like a fish out of water but to no avail.


    Just as Dexter was lifted off the ground, Myra snapped out of her daze. Mustering her courage, she broke <b>free</b><b>, </b>lunged at the man giving orders, and struck out with her nails


    Five deep, bloody scratches, drawn by her fingernails, appeared on the man¡¯s neck.


    The air suddenly fell eerily silent as a deadly air filled the <b>sky</b>. novelbin


    The man touched the scratches on his neck calmly and even smiled. However, the bloodthirsty menace in his presence made everyone around him shudder involuntarily.


    ¡°Mr. Glovers!¡±


    One of the subordinates turned pale and kicked Myra to the ground, then dropped to his knees.


    ¡°Forgive me, Mr. Glovers! I failed to keep them under control. Please have mercy on me!¡±


    Maurice nced at the blood on his fingers. He was never known for having a <b>good </b>temper<b>, </b><b>especially </b>after getting injured by someone like this. Although he gave a murderous <b>re</b>, he remained smiling and said in a deceptively gentle tone, ¡°Cut off thedy¡¯s hand<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>


    The moment he gave themand, Myra was pushed to the floor, and her hand was pressed firmly on the ground before her. The same subordinate <b>who </b>went down on his knees earlier quickly pulled out a knife from <b>his </b>belt. Raising it high, he brought it down in <b>one </b>swift motion.


    ¡°No!¡±


    Dexter¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he screamed, but he was held down and too powerless to intervene,


    At that very moment, a small stone flew out of nowhere, striding the subordinate¡¯s wrist with a sharp crack. The man cried out in pain, and the knife ttered to the ground.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 512

    Chapter <b>512 </b>


    From behind a bush, the sound of rustling leaves broke the silence,


    Maurice looked up instinctively, his sharp paze catching sight of a figure standing at the top of the slope from which the Fuller couple had fallen.


    It was a young woman dressed in a ck windbreaker. Her features were strikingly delicate, but her expression was cool. In her hand were two more


    small stones.


    ¡°Well, look who we have here,¡± Maurice said with a yful whistle, grinning from ear to ear.


    Felicia¡¯s sudden appearance left the Fuller couple wide¨Ceyed in shock, their disbelief quickly giving way to tears. They had never imagined that the person brave enough toe after them in this treacherous rainforest would be none other than Felicia <b>herself</b>. novelbin


    But she was just one girl. How could she possibly stand up to this many opponents?


    Myra cried out, ¡°Licia, run! Forget about us!¡±


    Dexter thrashed against his captors, shouting with all his strength, ¡°Get out of here, silly girl! Save yourself!TM


    It turned out to be <b>quite </b>a touching scene, though it wasn¡¯t entirely clear why they found it so moving.


    Felicia¡¯s eyes twitched mildly as she ignored their melodramatic cries. She gave the <b>slope </b>a quick <b>once</b>¨Cover, assessing the height. It was a manageable distance for her to jump across


    out with mock concern, ¡°Careful!


    With that, she leaped off the edge in one swift, clean motion. However, halfway through the jump, Maurice <b>called </b>out with There¡¯s


    ¡®s a snake!¡±


    ¡°What the.¡± A thought quickly appeared in Felicia¡¯s mind.


    Already in mid¨Cair, she couldn¡¯t adjust her trajectory. The sudden jolt of rm threw off hernding, and she stumbled, nearly face¨Cnting into the ground


    Before she could hit the dirt, a hand caught her <b>around </b>the waist, pulling her forward. Momentum carried her right into <b>someone¡¯s </b>ches


    She heard Maurice¡¯s triumphant chuckle near her ear. ¡°See? I told you to be careful.¡±


    His statement left her speechless.


    She quickly shoved him away and retorted <b>icily</b>, ¡°You did that on purpose!


    ¡°So what if I did? At least I stopped you from falling t on your face,¡± Maurice replied, his grin shameless and unapologetic. He was absolutely smug


    with his achievement


    Felicia decided he wasn¡¯t worth the argument. The more attention she gave him, the more obnoxious he¡¯d get.


    She nced at the Fuller couple who were lying battered on the ground <b>and </b><b>said</b>, ¡°I¡¯m taking these two with me. I¡¯d appreciate it if you¡¯d let them go, Mr. Glovers.¡±


    y was the ex¨Crichest man in


    By now, Maurice had put the piece together. The couple on the ground had to be Felicia¡¯s biological parents, and the guy Khopend


    He had dug up everything there was to <b>know </b>about Felicia <b>back </b>in the day. Her past, her roots¨Che <b>knew </b>it all.


    Frankly, he couldn¡¯t understand why she¡¯d bother saving these two. They didn¡¯t seem worth the effort. Letting thern rot here in the jungle seemed like <b>a </b>far better <b>idea </b>


    Thinking of that, Maurice decided to voice out his thoughts, thinking he could help Felicia solve a problem, ¡°They¡¯ve been nothing but cruel to you. Why not just end it here? I¡¯ll even <b>do </b>the dirty work for you. It¡¯ll be quick and clean. What do you say?¡±


    His suggestion rendered Felicia speechless.


    She took a deep breath and looked at him. He wasn¡¯t joking. The cold, indifferent cruelty in his gaze made that painfully clear.


    ¡°No thanks. This is my problem, not yours. I¡¯ll handle it myself.¡±


    Meurice seemed aboost disappointed. He took a step closer and said in a <b>coaxing</b>, tone, ¡°Don¡¯t you hate them? They abandoned you and hurt your time again. Don¡¯t you want to get back at than? To make them suffer the way they made you suffer?¡±


    time and


    Felicia met his gaze steadily. There was something unhinged in the way he spoke. At that moment, he was no different from a psychopath. With that, she decided to get straight to the point and confronted him directly, ¡°<b>Maurice</b>, you murdered <b>your </b>own father, your stepmother<b>, </b>and all those half¨Csiblings of yours. And now, <b>you</b><b>! </b>want me to follow in your footsteps? I¡¯m not you, and I sure as hell don¡¯t want to be a lunatic like <b>you</b><b>.</b>¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 513

    To be honest, Felicia regretted it the e moment she said those words.


    She didn¡¯t know what happened in Maurice¡¯s past to make him the way he was. She didn¡¯t know what kind of harm his father, stepmother, or siblings had inflicted on him. As an outsider, she had no right to judge him,


    What drove her tosh out like that was her anger over Carmen¡¯s death. Whether directly or indirectly, her death was tied to Maurice. Felicia had let her emotions take the wheel, and the words came slipping out.


    But words were like spilled milk¨Cthere was no taking back.


    Maurice¡¯s expression darkened in an instant. His brown eyes glimmered with an unnatural light, the red mole by his eye standing out like a drop of blood on snow. His handsome face was stone cold as he gave off an air of hostility around him. novelbin


    At the same time, all of his men turned their furious res on Felicia. Even the four who had once been assigned to protect her looked ready to draw blood


    The air around them went still, making the atmosphere feel all the more oppressive.


    Felicia didn¡¯t move, but internally, she sighed. For a fleeting moment, she had seen something in Maurice¡¯s <b>eyes</b>¨Can ache that mirrored her own. Yet no matter how brief it was and how well he <b>had </b>kept it hidden, in that brief instance, Felicia realized they shared a simr kind of pain.


    She opened her mouth to say something, but before <b>she </b>could, Maurice burst intoughter. It was loud, unrestrained, and jarring like he was trying to drown out the echoes of his own bitterness.


    Despite theugh sounding wild and unrestrained, to Felicia¡¯s ears, it carried an undertone of emptiness. It was as if he was mocking not just her but himself too.


    She felt a headacheing on. <b>She </b>wasn¡¯t the type to be confrontational. If anyone knew how much words could wound, it was her. Sometimes, a few careless sentences cut deeper <b>than </b>any <b>knife</b>.


    She wanted to make things right but didn¡¯t know how


    While she was still mulling it over, Maurice seemed to have returned to his usual <b>self</b>. The mask was back in ce, smooth and unshakeable, leavi trace of the vulnerability she glimpsed earlier.


    <b>His </b>gaze shifted to the Fuller couple pinned to the ground. His lips curved <b>into </b>a half¨Csmile, teasing but unreadable as he said, ¡°You want me to let them go? Fine. But you¡¯ll have to agree to one condition.¡±


    ¡°What condition?¡±


    Felicia¡¯s instinct told her it wasn¡¯t going to be easy. She braced herself<b>, </b><b>half</b>¨Cexpecting him to demand something impossible or cruel


    Before Maurice could respond, the Fuller couple started shouting ¡°Licial Do


    Their voices were cut off abruptly as someone gagged them.


    listen to him! Leave us and run! Hurry up and get¨Cmmph!¡±


    Felicia massaged the bridge of her nose in frustration and asked, ¡°Just name it. What¡¯s your condition?¡±


    To her surprise, Maurice didn¡¯t <b>y </b>any of the <b>cards </b>she had anticipated. Instead, he satzily on a


    <b>rock</b>, tilted his head to expose the scratch marks on his neck, and <b>said</b>, ¡°Treat my wounds<b>.</b>¡±


    Was that all?


    Felicia <b>froze</b><b>, </b>caught off <b>guard</b>. <b>For </b>a moment, she wasn¡¯t sure if she had heard him correctly.


    The man before her was Maurice Glovers, a man known for his ruthlessness<b>, </b>unpredictability, and the kind of madness that made him downright terrifying. When did he start making requests this <b>reasonable</b><b>! </b>


    Regardless, she wasn¡¯t about to question her luck.


    Felicia <b>quickly </b>pulled herself together, worried he might change his mind. She stepped <b>forward</b>, pulled out a first aid kit from her backpack, and started cleaning his wounds.


    She had to admit that Myra had done quite a number on hm. <b>A </b>woman¡¯s nails could be as sharp as knives when she was desperate, and this was proof. The scratches had torn through his skin, leaving live deep, bloody lines. Dirt had gotten into the cuts, making the wounds look even worse. Treating them meant getting close¨Creally <b>close</b>.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 514

    Felicia kept her head down, her focus entirely on cleaning and treating the wounds on Maurice¡¯s neck.


    Even though Maurice was leaning back casually on the rock, he still towered over her by a head. This height difference allowed him to look down at her, his gaze fixed on her every movement.


    At this distance, he could see everything¨Cfrom the soft fuzz on her cheek and the flutter of her eyshes to the intense concentration on her face.


    His gaze slowly went over her delicate features¨Cfrom her captivating eyes to her dainty nose, and finally, her full and rosy lips.


    Maurice¡¯s eyes darkened as his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed slightly. Quietly, he murmured her name, ¡°Felicia.¡±


    Felicia was oblivious to his gaze. Looking up and meeting his eyes, she finally noticed the dangerous, dark look in his eyes, like that of a wolf eyeing its prey. It was the same kind of gare a man had toward his woman¨Cintense, predatory, and dangerous.


    Maurice made his move. He leaned in closer, reaching around her waist and pulling her firmly toward him.


    However, Felicia reacted at the same time. She applied pressure in her hand that was still pressing on his neck wound. Blood seeped through the reopened scratches, trickling toward his corbone.


    The tense atmospherested several seconds.


    fter that, Maurice chuckled and let go of Felicia¡¯s waist. He leaned back against the rock once more, exuding an air of nonchnce.


    Felicia wasted no time. She quickly bandaged his wound and stepped back, putting some distance between them. There, all done. Can I take them and leave now?¡±


    Mace didn¡¯t reply, but he didn¡¯t stop her either.


    She looked at the Fuller couple. They had been released, and though both looked battered and bruised, they managed to help each other to their feet Thi wear sble to move about novelbin


    In a ce like this, you would have to keep moving as long you still breathed¨Cinjured or not. Otherwise, death would be inevitable.


    ¡°Come with me,¡± Felicia said curtly and started wallding


    As she passed by Maurice, her guard was up. She didn¡¯t spare him a nce, but her hand hovered near her weapon, ready just in case he changed his mind at any moment.


    Fortunately, he didn¡¯t budge. Still lounging against the rock, he looked entirely at ease with his legs stretched out carelessly in front of him. Well, at least he kept <b>his </b>word this time.


    Breathing a sigh of relief, Felicia led her parents away.


    After they were out of sight, Maurice¡¯s men exchanged uneasy nces, sharing a silent understanding.


    Felicia had to be the only person <b>who </b>could leave safely after injuring, confronting, and insulting their boss.


    ¡°Mr. Glovers, get a grip!¡± said one of his trusted men as he was unable to hold back any longer. He advised, <b>¡°</b>Sir, don¡¯t forget that she¡¯s Mr. Russell¡¯s women<b>. </b><b>She¡¯s </b>off¨Climits!¡±


    Two months ago, Maurice had been circling the area near Khogend, showing up wherever Felicia happened to be. He had even secretly stepped in to shield her from danger a few times. His intentions couldn¡¯t have been more obvious.


    And what happened next? The Glovers family suffered a string of disasters. Their businesses faced sudden, inexplicable setbacks, forcing Maurice to return to Abid to sort out <b>the </b>mest


    But that wasn¡¯t the end of it. Even the senior executives and shareholders in hispany started stirring up trouble, testing his patience at every turn. Who else could be behind such calcted rhaus? It was none other than the all¨Cpowerful Stephan Russell!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 515

    Chapter <b>515 </b>


    Stephan¡¯s message to Maurice was loud and clear¨Cstay away from Felicia.


    The way he had gone about it was domineering, protective, and unapologetically bold, leaving no room for negotiations. It was a warning as in as day. Maurice scotted and repliedzily. ¡°Off¨Climits, eh? And what if I decide to touch her anyway?¡±


    His subordinate wiped the sweat from his brow and reminded cautiously, ¡°Mr. Glovers, with all due respect¡­ She¡¯s not into you. You know what they say, forcing it just doesn¡¯t work


    ¡°Forcing it doesn¡¯t work, huh?¡± Maurice mumbled, then chuckled. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not trying to make it work. I¡¯m doing it just for the sake of doing it.¡±


    His subordinate choked on his words, unable to argue. He thought to himself, ¡°Damn it. The logic is twisted, but somehow, it still makes sense.¡± Still, was it really okay for his boss to go against Stephan openly like this?


    H


    The subordine racked his brains <b>and </b>made onest attempt. ¡°Mr. Glovers, there are plenty of beautiful women out there. If you wanted, you could <b>have </b>them line up around the block. <b>Why </b>put all your eggs in one basket? Especially this one?¡±


    Maurice burst outughing again. This time, it was a deep, resonatingugh that made his chest heave. It was as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world.


    The rest at his men werepletely baffled by his reaction.


    After some time, Maurice¡¯sughter faded. He dropped his gaze and m entirely.


    ¡°They¡¯re not her, and there won¡¯t be another like her¡­¡±


    muttered in a very soft voice. If one didn¡¯t pay attention, one would¡¯ve missed it


    er and some food. Finally, she took our some


    Sure, the world was full of beautiful women, but there was only <b>one </b>Felicia Fuller.


    Felicia found a sale spot to stop and helped the Fuller couple settle in. She handed them bottles of water medical supplies and passed them along, instructing them to treat their own injuries


    The moment they saw the water and food, the Fuller couple practically dove in, gulping and eating with no regard for <b>appearances</b><b>. </b>Once their immediate survival needs were met, they finally had the energy to think about everything else. For example, why was Felicia here in the first ce, and what exactly was her connection to the dangerous what they had seen, the <b>two </b>seemed to be quite close with each other.


    man everyone called ¡°Mr. Glovers¡°? From


    But after what they¡¯d been through, they didn¡¯t dare ask. Felicia couldn¡¯t be bothered to offer any exnations either. After rummaging through her <b>bag</b>, she pulled out two more bottles of water, some ration packs, and <b>a </b>satellite phone. She handed them all to the Fuller couple


    ¡°Sebastian will be here soon. J


    Just follow this path out, and once you¡¯re somewhere with a signal, use the phone to call him. After that, you¡¯ll be safe,¡± With that, she slung her bag over her shoulder, turned on her heel, and began heading back the way she came.


    The Fuller couple exchanged worried nces and quickly rushed after her.


    *Liria, aren¡¯t youing with us? It¡¯s too dangerous over there! The <b>fog </b><b>is </b>so thick that you can¡¯t see anything! Your <b>dad </b>and I <b>ran </b>into a lot of ants over there just now! You can¡¯t go back there!¡± Myra eximed.


    <b>¡°</b>She¡¯s right, Licia Let¡¯s leave together,¡± Dexter chimed in, <b>barely </b>managing to stand. His voice was strained, <b>as </b>though the words were being pushed our through clenched teeth


    Earlier, one of the ants had bitten him on the heel. In the ss, he <b>had </b>been too focused to notice the pain. But now that burning agony red back up. It was bad enough that he almost wanted to <b>scream</b>.


    they were rel


    were rtively <b>safe</b>, the


    Myra was the first to notice something wrong with him and shouted, ¡°Darling, are you okay?<b>¡± </b>


    Dexter could no longer hold it together and copsed to the ground<b>, </b>sweating bullets as he clutched his leg in palm ¡°Lieta, please have a look at him! Your father was bitten by an ant parler! The wound is on his her¡­. Oh my gosh!¡± Myra let out <b>a </b>screan the moment she pulled up Dexter¡¯s pant leg to reveal thete


    The wound was swollen, nozing pus, and already beginning to <b>rot</b><b>. </b>It <b>was </b>far worse than anyone could¡¯ve Imaglued from something as small as an ant novelbin


    bite<b>. </b>


    Felicia examined it and said in a low voice, ¡°Those weren¡¯t regr ants. They were bullet ants, and the ones you guys ran <b>into </b>might have been mutated. A single bite can hurt as much <b>as </b><b>a </b><b>gunshot</b>. In severe cases, It can be lethal.¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 516

    Chapter <b>516 </b>


    we do now?


    Mura was on the verge of tears. Chinching Felicia¡¯s arm in desperation, she begged, ¡°Licia, can you please do something? You¡¯re skilled in medicine! You


    Fra beadacheing from all the noise. She stared at Myra and asked, ¡°If I really wanted to stand by and do nothing, would I have even helped you in the first ce


    Meena¡¯s trantic pleas made her feel like she was being cornered.


    it would seem like she was giving in under pressure with no credit to her name. That would sting her pride. But if she didn¡¯t help. randed as heartless for lite.


    Felice shook of Myra¡¯s grip and moved away to search for medicinal herbs¡­


    Matrone to a moment, finally realizing the weight of her earlier words. They wereden with guilt and moral coercion, implying she didn¡¯t trust


    elicia to help unless forced. That wasn¡¯t the first time she did that. In fact, she did it all the time.


    trusted Felicia


    She thought back to before the family went bankrupt. Anytime Ka spun half¨Ctruths or outright ndered <b>Felicia</b>, she had believed it without question. She had never even bothered to verify the facts.


    Her hands began to tremble as the thought crossed her mind. Quietly, she asked Felicia, ¡°Licia, why didn¡¯t youe to your grandfather¡¯s funeral after he passed?


    had just rated with some herbs in her hands. She crushed them into a paste and applied it to Dexter¡¯s wound. Then, she sprinkled ayer of


    mider over it.


    Only atte finishing her work did she respond, her tone calm and detached, ¡°At the time, I had been kidnapped. When I escaped and returned to Khogend, I went straight to the Walsh residence. Well, you know what happened after that.¡±


    Yes, Mara knew very well


    welled up in her eyes. Back then, she believed Ka¡¯s lies and threw Felicia out of the house. Not <b>only </b>that, but she also hurled harsh words tumped a bucket of water on Felicia


    Shedased Felicia was holding a grudge and refused to attend her grandfather¡¯s funeral out of spite. But in reality, Felicia had been kidnapped! Aber escaping the ordeal, the first thing she did done was rush to see her family. Instead offort or concern, she was met with vicious usations novelbin


    It was all a misunderstanding, one that could have been cleared up with a single question, but Myra hadn¡¯t even given her daughter the chance to exin


    Myre lowered her head, her voice breaking with shame and regret. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Licia¡­ I¡¯m so, so sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡±


    ped her hands clean, her expression as


    as stole as ever.


    The past was long gone. It didn¡¯t matter anymore¨Cbe it the incident or the people involved. <b>None </b>of it mattered anymore.


    Felicia slung her beg over her shoulder and turned to leave


    On the ground, Dexter rolled over while groaning in pain until the medicine began to take effect. As the searing agony subsided, he started to recover. Looking up, he saw his wife¡¯s the streaked fare


    ¡°It¡¯s fine now Look, the pain¡¯s gone! Our daughter¡¯s medical skills are amazing,¡±


    As he chuckled, his face broke into a goody grin. He hadn¡¯t heard their earlier conversation as he had been too consumed by <b>his </b>pain. He assumed his wife


    arrying out of worry for him.


    But Myra¡¯s tears fell harder, her sobs filled with choking regret. ¡°I pushed her away¡­ I pushed my own daughter away with my own two hands¡­¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 517

    The worst pain was knowing you could never make up for your mistakes,


    Dexter remained silent for a moment, his eyes resklening as he said, ¡°It¡¯s not just you. I¡¯m to me too. As her father, I¡¯ve also let her down.¡±


    Felicia was already far away by <b>then</b><b>, </b>out of earshot. Even it she had heard, it wouldn¡¯t have moved her in the slightest.


    Myra cried uncontrobly, het sobs wracking her body mutil she was gasping for air. After finally calming down, her fever red up, causing her body to be burning het.


    It was <b>a </b>bad sign


    Dexter immediately recalled how she had drunk water from the leaves of the trees out of desperation carller. That water could have been contaminated with bacteria or parasites


    ¡°Let¡¯s go We need to get out of here right now. If we can¡¯t reach the outside world soon¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish the thought before pulling Myra along as they


    They followed the path Felicia had pointed out, clinging to the food and water she had left them. It would have tost. ording to Felicia, Sebastian was already on his way. It they kept moving, they¡¯d eventually meet him and be rescued


    hallway there, Myra, burning with a fever, copsed.


    Dexter had no choice but to carry her on his back, gritting his teeth as he pressed on.


    He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed. The sky darkened, and the rainforest fell into darkness. Soon, he couldn¡¯t even see the path ahead. Before he lost all sense of direction, Dexter¡¯s strength gave out first, and he fell to the ground.


    As he copsed, he shielded Myra¡¯s head. His fading consciousness caught sight of light beams from shlights cutting through the darkness. At the front, Sebastian was sprinting toward them.


    <b>They </b>were saved


    Dester managed a smile before passing out. novelbin


    Night fell in the rainforest. Countless creatures stirred to life in the darkness. The rustling of monkeys jumping on the trees and the soft movement animals in the underbrush filled the air. Mosquitoes swarned relentlessly, buzzing around Fell¡¯s head and hands.


    Thankfully, the herbs she brought with her were enough for her to prepare <b>several </b>mosquito¨Crepellent sachets during her helicopter ride. They worked, but the sheer number of insects meant their effectiveness was limited. Standing still for too long would practically guarantee being drained dry by those


    The mosquitoes were the least of her concerns. Polsonous snakes, pythons, and so on posed far greater threats.


    Felicia pressed on with her shlight in hand


    Oddly enough, despite the danger of being alone in <b>such </b>a perilous environment at night, she didn¡¯t feel scared. <b>Instead</b>, her mind wandered.


    She wondered it she¡¯d hear that bronze bell again if she fell asleep here. Would she sleepwalk? And it she did, would she instinctively fight back in a dangerous situation or simply surrender?


    The thought made her chuckle at how unbothered <b>she </b>seemned.


    She then wondered where Stephan was at right now. Had Stanley and the others found blum <b>yet</b><b>? </b>


    <b>Suking </b>her head, she cleared her mind of wandering thoughts and focused on the path ahead. A pile of leaves might hilde a deadly swamp, and one wrong step could be total


    After walking for over an hour, she realized she was lost.


    It she was not mistaken, she had strayed far from Stanley and the others. Worse still, she wasn¡¯t sure which direction she was heading anymore. At a loss for words, she thought, ¡°Oh, great.¡±


    With how things were, alwe couldn¡¯t continue straight ahead and risk wandering further. She nned to da sale, opens continue at daybreak


    Just as she legats scouting,


    to wait out the night <b>and </b>


    r, for such a ce, a falut mustling sound reached her ears from behind her. It was the unmistakable slithering¡­ of a python,

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 518

    Felicia whipped around and shone her shlight behind her, only to see a <b>pair </b>of golden slit shaped pupils staring back at her. The python¡¯s scales glistened under the beam, resembling a suit of grotesque, armored tes. Its reflective, sickly sheen made Felica¡¯s scalp prickle with unease.


    Without hesitation, she tumes and bolted forward


    The python immediately gave chase, slithering after her at a terrifying speed. Its body glided across the ground as it closed the gap between them.


    Felicia yanked the kasite strapped to her thigh and, without looking back, hurled it toward the sound.


    There was a briet pause behind her. Then, as it enraged, the python surged forward even taster, chasing her with renewed fury.


    That was not an opponent she could handle.


    Felicia ran as fast as she could, using the terrain to create obstacles in hopes of losing the python, but this was the python¡¯s domain. No matter how hard she tried, sweating and panting heavily from all the running, she just couldn¡¯t throw the python oft. novelbin


    And then, the path abruptly ended


    A massive boulder, likely dislodged by andslide or earthquake, loomed ahead, blocking her way.


    To the left was flowing water, undoubtedly filled with crocodiles <b>or </b><b>piranhas</b><b>. </b>And to her right? The python was blocking her path!


    Given no other choice, she decided to strike <b>first </b>


    Felicia gripped a handful of silver needles and hurled them without hesitation at the python¡¯s eyes. To her surprise, the python was quite bold and <b>didn¡¯t </b>dodge at all.


    Three needles embedded themselves into its left pupil, causing the massive python to thrash violently in pain. Its tailshed out, whipping toward Felicia


    She quickly backed off, her skin crawling from the fear of having that disgusting thing touch her.


    The python missed its mark and was further enraged. Itunched another attack. This time, it was intent on coiling around her and crushing her to death Felicia had nowhere left to run. Clutching herst small knife, she braced herself while searching for an opening to break free. But when the python came crashing down, she could not find any opportunity to escape


    This was it<b>. </b>She was doomed


    At that critical moment, a gleaming de sliced through the air with terrifying precision. The de struck the python¡¯s neck with immense force, severing its head in an instant. Even after it was decapitated, the python¡¯s body continued to writhe, lunging toward Felicia.


    Before she could even let out a curse, she felt something around her waist. At the same time, a deep, maic voice whispered close to her ear, ¡°Close your eyes.¡±


    She obeyed without question


    In the next instant, she felt herself lifted, and a sense of weightlessness washed over her.


    With an almost impossible maneuver, the man carried her onto the massive boulder. By the time her feet touched something, she realized she was already standing atop the boulder.


    It reminded her of that night the Fuller residence when someone had whisked her away in the middle of the night over the towering iron gates to save a life in exchange for ten million dors.


    Below them, the python¡¯s thrashing body crashed into the boulder where she stood. The Impact shook the ground, and the python finally stopped


    Looking down at herself, Felicia noticed with relief that not a speck of filth had touched her. She let out a deep breath, then turned to look at the man


    beside her


    He stood tall and imposing, his silhouette almost entirely engulfing hers. In the pale moonlight and the faint glow of the abandoned shlight, all the cold hues around them seemed dim and insignificant.


    Only this man shone brightly. He was strikingly handsome, an unparalleled presence that could bring everyone under his charm<b>. </b>It appearance rendered all danger trivial


    It was as if h


    his mere


    Felicia blinked at the breathtakingly handsome face belote her.


    After <b>a </b>pause, he broke the silence, taking, ¡°I¡¯vee to marry you. Are you touched?¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 519

    As soon as Stephan finished speaking, Felicia felt a sharp smack on her backside.


    It wasn¡¯t yful. It had real torce behind it.


    She yelped, jumping up in pain. She nearly lost her bnce on the massive boulder. Before she could tumble off, Stephan quickly caught her.


    Fuming. Felicia snapped, ¡°Fine! Don¡¯t marry me, then! Who cares about marrying you anyway? And now, you¡¯re even hitting me!¡±


    Stephan¡¯s expression darkened. His arm was still around her waist as he fixed her with an intense gaze, his usually charming eyes devoid of warmth. His deep, maic veke carried a hint of coarseness as he enunciated each syble of her name, ¡°Felicia!¡±


    He added, ¡°You sure are brave, huh? Wandering alone through the rainforest at night? Do you have any idea what could¡¯ve happened to you?¡± Beneath his angry toney an unmistakable undercurrent of fear,


    sped from a cliff over


    When he saw her nearly entangled in the python¡¯s deadly coil earlier, his heart had all but stopped. Without a second thought, he leaped 60 feet high. The palms of his hands had nearly caught fire from the friction against the jagged rocks as he scrambled to reach her in time His fury was palpable, his expression terrifyingly grim


    Felicia was equally pissed, retorting without a <b>second </b>thought, ¡°And why did Ie here in the first ce? <b>It¡¯s </b>because I was worried about you! Your men said you were seriously injured and missing I was afraid that something might happen to you, so I ran over here without thinking!


    ¡°I haven¡¯t had a proper meal or a good night¡¯s sleep, and my feet are covered in blisters from walking non¨Cstop! I¡¯m exhausted! Instead of being grateful you¡¯re scolding me and hitting me?¡±


    Her voice cracked as she spoke. Her frustration surfaced, and along <b>with </b>it was perhaps a touch of grievance. For some reason, her nose tingled, and her eyes began watering


    She red at Stephan and then turned to leave, only to stop short. The boulder was too high to jump down from safely, and below themy the python¡¯s corpse. There was no way down


    Hearing her words, Stephan felt his frustration melt away. His anger had never truly been directed at her. It was the thought of her risking her life that


    had let him shaken


    She had knowingly put herself in danger, all for his sake.


    Leming our a soft sigh, he extended his hand toward her. ¡°Does it still hurt?¡±


    With an audible smack, Felicia pped his hand away. Her re was sharp and piercing, tinged with <b>some </b>frustration. ¡°Idiot! Where do you think were touching?¡±


    assage it for you¡±


    <b>¡°</b><b>I </b>was going to massage


    She was speechless, on the verge <b>of </bughing from her exasperation. He hit her, then offered <b>to </b>soothe it. Did he not know what basic respect was?


    After having his hand pped away, Stephan retracted his hand and casually stuffed it into the pocket of his jacket. The movement <b>was </b>unremarkable, but Felicia noticed something was off. novelbin


    ¡°What¡¯s <b>wrong </b>with your hand?¡±


    ¡°Nothing<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Take it out. Let me <b>see </b>


    ¡°What for? Do you want me to massage your backside now?¡± Stephan¡¯s lips curved Into <b>a </b>faint, teasing smirk as his eyes gleamed mischievously. ¡°I man, I wouldn¡¯t mind ¡±


    He sure knew how to dream!


    Felicia turned her head away, Ignoring hlin


    But just as Stephan chuckled softly and let down his guard, Felicia suddenly grabbed his hands from his pockets.


    When she saw made her eyes narrow in shock.


    ¡°Bloodied and mangled couldn¡¯t begin to describe the


    e state of his hands. Flesh and skin had been to away in several ces<b>, </b>leaving raw, exposed


    <b>wounds</b>. Two fingemails had peeled backpletely. The jutes were fresh, clearly inflicted just before he had appeared.


    Felicia¡¯s p


    paze darted toward the clit. She realized it was a sheer<b>, </b>rocky surface over do feet high. And Stephan had descended it without any climbing tools<b>, </b>sliding down with nothing but his hands to brace himself.


    He had literally for his hands to shreds just to reach her in time, and now, he was trying to hide them from her!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 520

    Chapter <b>520 </b>


    A surge of inexplicable anger red in <b>Felicia¡¯s </b>chest. Her teeth were clenched so rightly that her gums <b>ached</b>. There was <b>a </b>sharp pain in her chest from an emotion she couldn¡¯t quite name, and it was swelling <b>rapidly </b>within her. It was part frustration, part anxiety,


    She looked up at Stephan, her re even fiercer than before.


    ¡°You¡¯re something else, aren¡¯t <b>you</b>? Do you have <b>a </b>death wish? Falling from that height could¡¯ve killed you! Don¡¯t you know that?¡±


    Her eyes turned red as that unceable emotion hit its peak. Tears welled up, blurring her vision. When she blinked, a tear rolled down her cheek.


    Felicia troop, stunned by her own reaction. In all the years of being abandoned by the Fuller family, wrongfully used<b>, </b>silently bearing every Injustice¡ª and even when she dug a bullet out of herself¨Cshe had never cried.


    But now? She actually cried?


    Damn it! She was dumbfounded.


    Stephan¡¯s gaze sharpened. He felt as if that single tear had burned him. His entire body tensed up, his expression shifting in an instant. His deep, dark eyes flickered withplex emotions before dimmingpletely.


    Before Felicia could react, he leaned in and imed her lips.


    It was a fierce, overwhelming kiss, brimming with dominance and fiery intensity as if it would ignite them both. Yer <b>the </b>aggression would sometimes transform into a tender reverence as if he were pouring every unsaid word into this one act


    Felicia found herself entirely enveloped in Stephan¡¯s embrace. She was still fretting over his injuries, struggling to tend to them.


    However, like doling out a punishment, Stephan bit her lip, reminding her to focus


    Emotions swirled within her chest, bittersweet and overwhelming. She finally closed her eyes <b>and </b>bravely responded to him with equal fervor.


    At that moment, the heavens and earth alike testified to the passion they shared.


    After some time, the two pulled apart, gasping for breath. Their foreheads were still pressed together, their noses touching. Their breaths intermingled. <b>Felicia </b>swayed unsteadily, her cheeks flushed as she met Stephan¡¯s fiery, smoldering gaze that seemed intent on devouring her. She whispered, ¡°Your injuries¡­ Let me bandage them first.¡±


    Stephan chuckled softly and released her.


    Felicia rummaged through her gear for her medical kit<b>. </b>She then treated Stephan¡¯s hands under the shlight¡¯s illumination.


    The gravel bad embedded deeply into his flesh, and cleaning the wounds was a painstaking process. Felicia frowned the entire time, her concentration unwavering. Meanwhile, Stephan watched her expression with an air of amusement, his mood oddly lighthearted


    Thankfully, Felicia had prepared well and brought along <b>a </b>supply of <b>her </b>homemade Panax pseudo¨Cginthera.


    After disinfecting the wound, she applied the medicine and wrapped his palms with gauze, securing it snugly. If all went well, he should recover in two days.


    Felicia let out a sigh of relief and said, ¡°All done.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s one more.¡±


    The wounds on his hands had been tended to, but Stephan gave her a meaningful look and nced downward, saying, ¡°There¡¯s still something here that hasn¡¯t settled down. Care to help me out?¡±


    Felicia was speechless


    She nced down instinctively before snapping her head back up, her face burning


    It was a ¡°fire¡± that had just started, and it had yet to subside.


    She looked skyward, obviously trying to y the fool, but Stephan caught her hand.


    His smile deepened, overflowing with mischiel as he <b>said</b>, ¡°I¡¯m injured. Shouldn¡¯t my wife lend me a hand?¡±


    At that moment, words falled herpletely<b>. </b>novelbin


    She closed her eyes, feeling her face grow unbearably hot. How could he make such a shameless request with such conviction? To make things worse, she couldn¡¯t <b>say </b>no


    When it was finally over, Felicia <b>shot </b>him a re filled with indignation.


    Stephan let out a low¨C<b>pitched </bugh, his chest rumbling with the sound. In <b>a </b>half¨Cserious<b>, </b>half¨Cteasing tone, he said, ¡°If not for our current location, I wouldn¡¯t have let you off so easily.¡±


    Felicia believed him. She had been surprised earlier. Despite the heat of their kiss, he hadn¡¯t taken things further.


    Ultimately, it was because he couldn¡¯t bear to treat her so <b>callously </b>in a ce like this.


    Raising a brow, she refocused on the matter at hand and asked, ¡°By the way, how did you find me? Your men said they split into multiple teams to search for you. Did you run into any of them?¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 521

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. I saw a flicker of light here from the mountain. When I looked through my binocrs, I realized it was you,¡± Stephan exined.


    So, that was what happened.


    Felicia nodded. That flickering light must have been from the shlight she had dropped during her escape. She hadn¡¯t expected Stephan to <b>notice </b>it.


    By that logic, gering lost and encountering that massive python that almost got her killed had actually led her to Stephan by sheer chance!


    However, he didn¡¯t seem to be seriously injured. Felicia circled him, scrutinizing him <b>closely</b>. She then <b>said</b><b>, </b><b>¡°</b>Your men who returned from the rainforest said you were gravely injured and missing. Thet the entire Russell family is in chaos right now.


    <b>¡®</b>Oh, and <b>your </b>sister too. If she finds out, she¡¯ll probably be quite shaken¡­¡± she <b>added</b><b>. </b>


    As she trailed off, she noticed a subtle change In Stephan¡¯s expression. For a brief moment, his <b>eyes </b>flickered with surprise. He didn¡¯t seem to know


    about that at all.


    Felicia suddenly realized something and asked in astonishment, ¡°Wait¡­ don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t send anyone to report this?¡±


    ¡°I <b>didn¡¯t</b>,¡± Stephan replied.


    At first, he hadn¡¯t thought much about Felicia¡¯s words, but now, it was clear that someone had taken advantage of his inability tomunicate with the outside world due to the interference in the rainforest. They had spread news that he was gravely injured and missing


    Stephan let out a coldugh, his gaze icy. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s time to clear house.¡±


    Felicia frowned, realizing another possibility. ¡°If they¡¯ve spread <b>false </b>news like this, they must have other ns in y. Maybe they¡¯re hoping to tum that false news into reality¡­¡±


    She sighed. ¡°Wow, you really have no shortage of enemies, huh?¡±


    <b>¡°</b>Are you regretting it now?¡±


    Stephan leaned closer<b>, </b>intending to pinch her cheek. But his bandaged hands made that impossible<b>, </b>so he gently pressed his forehead against hers instead. He chuckled softly and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to marry me? It¡¯s toote to back out now!¡±


    Felicia clicked her tongue <b>and </b>replied <b>sarcastically</b>. ¡°Ugh, what a loss. How I wish I could return the goods.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not happening. Not a snowball¡¯s chance in hell¡± Stephan shot her an amused nce, his lips curving into a teasing smirk. ¡°Wee aboard this one¨Cway trip. Don¡¯t even think about jumping off hallway!¡±


    Felicia pouted, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.


    At that moment, several bright beams of light appeared in the distance. Startled, Felicia instinctively pulled Stephan away, in


    intending <b>to </b>hide. However, he pressed down on her shoulders gently, calming her.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. They¡¯re our people,¡± he assured her.


    Felicia nodded novelbin


    Soon, the sound of hurried footsteps approached, and the bears of Light grew closer.


    Squinting against the re, Felicia saw that the neers were Stephan¡¯s men. These were the same trusted subordinates who had been with him ten <b>days </b>ago


    <b>When </b>Stephan jumped from the cliff to save her, his men <b>couldn¡¯t </b>follow and had to tale a detour, <b>which </b>was why they arrivedce.


    They angled their shlights away and asked respectfully, ¡°Sir, ma¡¯am, are you both okay?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re tine,¡± Stephan replied. He pointed at two of them, then told them to leave the rainforest and head to the nearest location withmunication ess. He needed them to spread the word and correct the misinformation.


    He wasn¡¯t concerned about much else, but he was worried that Imogen might be distressed or frightened by the false news of his injury <b>and </b>disappearance.


    The men nodded in acknowledgment, lowering their heads slightly before turning to make their way out of the rainforest.


    Felicia saw that and lonew that Stephan had no intention of leaving


    Raising an eyebrow, she asked curiously, ¡°You¡¯re still nning to find the ce marked on that map? That supposed kingdom with its legendary Treasure?!!


    Stephan didn¡¯t deny it. Instead, he <b>said</b>, ¡°I have a reason I must go.¡±


    Felicia recalled how he had once told her about the legend tied to the map. At the time, she hadn¡¯t taken it seriously, finding the whole idea too far-


    Ietched


    She had treated it as nothing more than a story, even joldingly saying she would use it as a bedtime story for her future daughter.


    But now, it was clear that Stephan had always been serious about it.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 522

    Chapter <b>522 </b>


    Felicia¡¯s curiosity was piqued, which was rare. Raising an eyebrow, she said, ¡°Then let¡¯s go together. I¡¯m curious to see what kind of ce could attract 30 many people like moths to a me.¡±


    Stephan chuckled softly and took her hand. ¡°I wasn¡¯t nning to let you go anywhere else to begin with.¡±


    The rainforest was far too dangerous. Here<b>, </b>even nts could be lethal, let alone the animals. He couldn¡¯t possibly let Felicia leave <b>his </b>side. Now, more than ever, it was safer to keep her close


    ¡°Let¡¯s move. The Carrell family should¡¯ve already reached the destination. If we head there now, the timing will be just right,¡± Felicia <b>said</b>, recalling the general direction.


    She took ount of the time and figured that Stanley should have arrived with his men by now. They would also have left behind markings <b>along </b>the


    <b>way</b><b>. </b>


    Eagerly, Felicia sling her bag over her shoulder and started to march ahead. However, Stephan grabbed the hood of her jacket, stopping her.


    Before she could react, her bag was taken off her shoulders. Stephan handed it to one of his men and stood in front of her<b>, </b>crouching slightly. ¡°Get on.¡± ¡°What? Does he want to carry


    y me she thought


    Feeling a little awkward, Felicia rubbed her nose and declined, ¡°I can walk on my own. I don¡¯t need you to carry me.


    Without a word, Stephan took a step back, then firmly hoisted her onto his back with ease as if she were just a little rabbit. novelbin


    By the time Felicia registered what was happening, she was already leaning against Stephan¡¯s lean but powerful back. It felt broad <b>and </b>steady, giving her a sense of security while also carrying that familiar, refreshing scent.


    <b>She </b>gave up struggling and restedfortably against his back. She was utterly exhausted.


    After an entire day of running, climbing, and navigating rugged terrain at top speed with minimal rest, her legs ached terribly. She had been relying on sheer willpower to push through, refusing to give in..


    But now that she had rxed, the full weight of her fatigue hit her all at once.


    Resting her head on the crook of Stephan¡¯s neck, Felicia let the gentle rhythm of his strides lull her to sleep.


    No one noticed the petite figure hiding in the shadows of the <b>dark </b>rainforest, silently watching this scene unfold. Jealousy, anger, and a swirl of unspoken emotions flickered in her eyes. Then, the shadowy figure darted out of hiding


    ¡°Stephan!¡±


    A sharp, feminine voice broke through the chorus of insects and frogs, momentarily silencing them.


    It was Johanna.


    She looked utterly pitiful, with dirt and stains all over her clothes. The moment she saw Stephan, she pouted, looking pitifully aggrieved. Her eyes immediately reddened as she ran toward him.


    ¡°Stephan! I finally found you¡­¡± she eximed, then started sobbing.


    Before Stephan <b>could </b><b>say </b>anything, one of his men stepped forward and blocked Jolianna from throwing herself at


    at him.


    Frustrated, Johanna bit her lip, only to hear Stephan warning her <b>coldly</b>, ¡°Keep it <b>down</b>.¡±


    As for the reason? It was because he didn¡¯t want to d disturb Felicia, who was sound asleep on his back.


    Johanna clenched her fists tightly, consumed by jealousy.


    This tant favoritism and unreserved affection was an exception Stephan made for Felicia alone!


    was


    He turned slightly, ncing at Felicia on his back. She was sleeping soundly,pletely undisturbed. It was clear just how exhausted she was after the day¡¯s ordeal.


    How could he not feel bad for her?

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 523

    Chapter <b>523 </b>


    Whenever Felicia was hurt, wronged, misunderstood, or maligned, she never spoke of it. At most, she would brush it off with a smile, acting as it nothing could ever hurt her.


    Because of this, those who hurt her¨Ceven if it was the Fuller couple would never see her pain or vulnerability. They couldn¡¯t see the scars etched into her heart and kept stabbing at it time and time again.


    How could he not feel bad for her?


    This time was no exception. Upon hearing the false news of his grave injury and disappearance, Felicia set out without hesitation. Her bag was packed with first aid supplies, medication, surgical tools, and suturing equipment.


    And yet, she hadn¡¯t mentioned a word about all her worry and anxiety.


    Even though Felicia hadn¡¯t voiced them out, Stephan could tell. The moment she saw him, even Felicia herself was unaware of the light that had shed in ber eyes..


    Stephan¡¯s gaze softened. To let Felicia sleep morefortably, he carefully shifted her from his back into his arms. Then, with one hand free, he adjusted her jacket¡¯s hood to shield her face from the re of the surrounding shlights.


    Once everything was settled, he finally turned to the dazed Johanna and frowned. ¡°You¡¯re here. Where¡¯s Imogen?¡±


    Johanna bit her lip and exaggeratedly recounted the story. She said that both she and Imogen had been devastated by the news of his injury and disappearance. They then hurried to find him.


    ¡°Stephan, I was so worried about you. I begged Imogen


    en to let mee here and look for you. Luckily, I found you. If I hadn¡¯t¡­ I wouldn¡¯t have known


    what to do¡­¡±


    Her words were pitiful, with an unmistakable hint of seeking credit. Combined with her disheveled appearance, she painted a convincing picture.


    With anyone else<b>, </b>her story might have stirred sympathy¨C<b>even </b>if unspoken


    Unfortunately for her, she was dealing with Stephan. novelbin


    He gave her a once¨Cover a


    -over and asked bluntly, ¡°Where are the others?¡±


    The implication was clear. He didn¡¯t believe Johanna hade alone. Even if her actions were genuine, her story was likely filled with embellishments. Johanna faltered, unable to <b>respond</b>. But the men behind him immediately understood and shone their shlights into the jungle behind her, signaling. Before long, simr signals shed back from the darkness. Momentster, a group of men emerged, rushing toward them.


    ¡°Mr. Russell!¡± The leader of the group, Andy Wolowitz, couldn¡¯t hide his relief and excitement. He greeted him with a booming voice.


    In exchange, he was met with a sharp, warning re from Stephan. ¡°Quiet!¡±


    Another subordinate from behind quickly reminded him, ¡°Lower your voice. Don¡¯t wake up Mrs. Russell,¡±


    It was


    then that Andy noticed the slender figure resting in Stephan¡¯s arms. He immediately fell silent and lowered his voice as he reported, ¡°Sir, Ms. Russell is waiting outside the rainforest. She followed us all the way from Seldvale despite being heavily pregnant. We tried everything to stop her, but she wouldn¡¯t listen


    ¡°When we got here, Ms. Russell wanted toe with us. After much persuasion, she reluctantly agreed to stay outside, but she insisted that Ms. Rosario join us to look for you. Thankfully, we found you.¡±


    Andy¡¯s tone was t and devoid of emotion. Unlike Stanley, <b>he </b>wasn¡¯t one for dramatics. He simply stated the facts.


    Yet even this calm andposed man had his expression twist briefly as he finished his report.


    What Andy didn¡¯t say was the journey had been a nightmare. Johanna, who wouldn¡¯t carry anything and couldn¡¯t even walk for long withoutining, had <b>nearly </b>driven the entire team to their breaking point


    Nearly everyone on the team had taken turns carrying her at some point. Despite their efforts, sheined incessandy.


    During one rest stop, she refused to sit on the dirty ground and insisted on finding a cleaner spot. She ended up near a waterhole, where she identally


    attracted crocodiles


    The team almost got killed because of that!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 524

    Armed only with knives and no firearms, they managed to kill over a dozen ferocious crocodiles.


    When they finally dragged Johanna away and fled, every member of the team was covered in mud, looking far more disheveled than Johanna


    Just moments ago, when Johannained that she couldn¡¯t walk anymore, they decided to stop <b>and </b>make camp for the night. Disliking the sweat and grime on them, she wandered off alone, which was how she coincidentally stumbled upon Stephan.


    Stephan frowned and repeated, ¡°My sister is waiting just outside the rainforest? Did you station enough people there? Is there a doctor with her? And whe couldn¡¯t you stop ber?¡±


    By the end of his questioning, there was a faint trace of anger in his tone.


    Andy lowered his head, not daring to offer excuses. Whether they could have persuaded Imogen or not, the fact remained that she had followed them here, which was ultimately a failure on their part.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir!¡±


    <b>¡°</b>You¡¯ll take Johanna back. Inform Imogen that <b>I¡¯m </b>fine and tell her not to worry. Once she¡¯s escorted back to Seldvale, don¡¯t let any further updates reach her ears!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Andy respectfullyplied and then began leading the team back the way they came. novelbin


    Johanna resisted vehemently, shouting, ¡°No, I¡¯m <b>not </b>leaving! <b>Stephan</b>, let me <b>stay </b>with you, please!¡±


    <b>Stephan</b>, carrying Felicia in his arms, didn¡¯t even nce at her before turning away.


    Seeing this, Andy stepped forward to pull Johanna along ¡°Ms. Rosario, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving! Why does Felicia get to stay, but I can¡¯t?¡± Johanna¡¯s eyes reddened as she screamed in frustration.


    Stephan had never been one to give women special treatment. Or more precisely, his standards were entirely different for those he cared about and those he didn¡¯t. In short, he was the embodiment of double standards, and his favoritism was absolute,


    ¡°You want to know why? Because she¡¯s my wife. Is that reason good enough?


    With just one sentence, Stephan left Johanna pale and speechless<b>, </b>her strength seemingly drained.


    It wasn¡¯t until Andy had dragged her a considerable distance that she finally regained her senses. Then, she smiled silently.


    That smile, in the pitch¨Cck rainforest, illuminated only by the dim light of the shlights, was strange and unnerving.


    When Andy inadvertently turned back, he was startled.


    For a brief moment, he thought Johanna resembled a ghost that had crawled out of hell¨Cher smile was haunting and sinister. But when he took a second look, she appearedpletely normal.


    He shook his head, dismissing it as his imagination.


    The path out of the rainforest was easier since they had le


    had left markers along the way.


    When they finally exited the rainforest and returned to the camp, Imogen had just woken up. Hearing t


    <ol>


    <li>up. Hearing themotion, she rushed out of her tent. </li>


    </ol>


    ¡°How is it? Did <b>you </b>find him? Is there any news?¡±


    Andy nodded and ryed Stephan¡¯s instructions.


    <b>Upon </b>hearing that Stephan was <b>safe</b>, Imogen finally rxed and let out a long sigh of relief. Tears of joy streamed down her face. ¡°Thank goodness¡­ That¡¯s great..¡±


    ¡°Ms. Russell, for the sake of your health, we <b>should </b>return to Seldvale as soon as possible. <b>Mr. </b>Russell insisted we escort you back,¡± Andy advised ¡°What about him? When is heing out?¡± Now that her initial worry had <b>subsided</b>, the grievances and frustrations she had previously felt resurfaced. Imogen¡¯s expression turned cold, her tone carrying a hint of usation.


    Andy hesitated for a moment before replying, ¡°Mr. Russell didn¡¯t specify. But whatever he¡¯s doing, it must be extremely important. Ms. Russell, please listen to reason and return first, alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving!¡± Imogen stated in a firm tone, then turned her face defiantly. ¡°I¡¯ll wait right here! I¡¯ll wait for him toe see me and exin things personally!¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 525

    ¡°<b>Oh</b><b>, </b>my deardy! Please don¡¯t do this to me!¡± Andy eximed internally as he was on the verge of dropping to his knees in exasperation. novelbin


    Even if Imogen wanted to be willful, couldn¡¯t she at least find a better time and ce? Did she not realize the situation they were in right now? The ce was infested with snakes, Insects, and rodents¡ªnot to mention the countless unseen dangers lurking in the shadows!


    Dying and staying here could lead to all sorts of unexpected disasters!


    But to be fair, Imogen was blind and couldn¡¯t see any of those threats.


    That ignorance was precisely why she had no idea about the immense pressure and sacrifices her guards had to endure to ensure her safety.


    Her rxed mindset remained <b>unshaken </b>as she enjoyed theforts of a military¨Cgrade tent, with all her needs taken care of. There were even several medical personnel on standby. She <b>was </b>enjoying the absolute best treatment right there!


    This gave her the illusion that this was nothing more than a carefree camping trip


    Andy attempted to persuade her <b>again </b>but was interrupted by Johanna¡¯sugh. She then cut him off, ¡°Andy, why don¡¯t you step outside for a bit? Let me talk to Imogen.¡±


    Andy nodded, ignoring the grudge he held against Johanna for all the trouble she had caused earlier. If she could talk some sense into Imogen, everything would be worth it


    After Andy left the tent, Imogen turned her head and snorted coldly. ¡°Johanna, are you siding with them now?¡±


    Johanna chuckled. ¡°How could I, Imogen? I¡¯m not here to persuade you. I just wanted to tell you something, but you must promise me you won¡¯t get mad after hearing it.¡±


    When someone prefaced a statement like that, it would almost always be something infuriating.


    <b>Still</b>, Imogen¡¯s attention was sessfully diverted. She asked, ¡°What is it? Out with it!¡±


    With exaggerated indignation and embellishment, Johanna recounted what she had seen in the rainforest¨CFelicia¡¯s appearance, her inexplicable presence, and how Stephan had fiercely protected her


    ¡°She showed up at just the right time, didn¡¯t she? She left Khogend just to stir up trouble here. It¡¯s <b>hard </b>to believe it wasn¡¯t to badmouth us to Stephan! Why else would be send us away?


    ¡°And the way he treated her was like she was somend of princess! He carried her the entire time, and when I spoke too loudly, he even snapped at me! With Felicia around, Stephan will never take our side. His heart has already been stolen by her!¡±


    Imogen¡¯s expression darkened visibly as she listened, her teeth clenched tightly. Her hatred for Felicia reached new heights.


    But what stung her more was her own brother¡¯s tant favoritism. To prioritize an outsider so openly was just downright infuriating!


    Seeing that her n had taken <b>root</b><b>, </b>Johanna feigned concem. ¡°Imogen<b>, </b>should we head back, then?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Imogen said, gripping the chair as she sat down. Her expression was <b>as </b>cold as ice, her resolve even firmer than before. ¡°I want to see for myself who actually calls the <b>shots </b>in the Russell family!¡±


    Hearing this, Johanna¡¯s lips curled into <b>a </b>satisfied smile. She <b>was </b>about to watch a <b>good </b>show y out before her.


    She could only hope that Stephan and Felicia would emerge from the rainforest soon. Once they did, Imogen would undoubtedly cause a scene. Then, they¡¯d see who Stephan chose¨Chis sister or his lover.


    Meanwhile, outside the tent, Andy was busy instructing the team to pack up and prepare for departure. Yet Johanna emerged to inform them that Imogen was refusing to leave, intending to stay put,


    Andy was dumbfounded. ¡°Ms. Rosario, why didn¡¯t you try harder to convince her? She¡¯s pregnant! This isn¡¯t a joke!¡±


    ¡°I did my best, but she won¡¯t budge. There¡¯s no point in you wasting your efforts either,¡± she replied, wearing an expression that suggested she had done her best.


    Andy couldn¡¯t formte a response.


    Taking this opportunity, Johanna made <b>a </b>new request. ¡°By the way, I¡¯d like to wash my face. Could someone fetch me a bucket of water?¡±


    Andy and his men were speechless.


    Fetching a bucket of water? It was easier said than done!


    The water supply they had brought by helicopter was dwindling fast. All the food, drinks, and necessities provided to Imogen and Johanna had <be </b>from the limited tanks of purified water.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 526

    The other guards had to drink water fetched from the nearby mountain streams. Being in a rainforest, the water was dirty and required filtering. sterilizing with purification tablets, and boiling before it could be consumed.


    Andy exined patiently, ¡°Ms. Rosario, the drinking water supply is limited and reserved for essential consumption. If you must wash your face, I can take you to the waterfall.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Fine.¡±


    Although Johanna was reluctant, she quickly agreed this time because of her good mood.


    The Russell Lamily¡¯s camping site was near a water source. After walking a short distance through patches of wild grass, the sound of rushing water became audible.


    Up ahead, a waterfall cascaded down the mountain into a stream below. The surroundings were lush and verdant, forming a beautiful scenic spot. If one ignored the dangers of the nearby rainforest, the scenery was undeniably picturesque.


    Johanna approached the stream and scooped up some water <b>to </b>wash her hands. After that, she removed her shoes as well andmented, ¡°You guys sure know how to pick a spot.¡±


    Andy scanned the area to ensure they were safe and then said, ¡°Ms. Rosario, take your time washing. I¡¯ll patrol over there. Just call out if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Go on, then.¡±


    Johanna leisurely washed her face, feeling a rare moment offort.


    If the circumstances permitted<b>, </b>she would have loved to take a full bath. The humid, stifling environment was unbearable, and after trudging through the rainforest for so long the previous night, she felt utterly filthy,


    As she dried her hands and feet, she took in the serene beauty of her surroundings, enjoying the silence. However, things seemed a little¡­ too quiet.


    A sudden chill ran down her spine as she suddenly realized that Andy had gone too far, leaving her entirely alone.


    Fear crept into her heart. She hurriedly slipped her shoes back on, intending to return to the camp. Just as she turned, she heard a faint rustling sound behind her <b>of </b>grass being parted.


    Was it a wild animal?


    In a surge of panic, she turned to run, but before she could even take a step, a pair of hands emerged from the grass and pulled her in.


    ¡°Ah! Hel¨Cmmph!¡±


    Her scream barely escaped before her mouth was firmly covered by the stranger.


    Johanna struggled with all her might, only to hear a <b>voice </b>she knew all too well¨Ca voice that haunted her dreams. novelbin


    ¡°Johanna<b>, </b>it¡¯s me.¡®


    The figure slowly walked to her front to face her.


    Johanna¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. Tears instantly welled up and streamed down her cheeks.


    Meanwhile, deep within the canyon, a group pressed forward toward a spot marked on the map. It was said <b>to </b>contain a kingdom and its treasures. The long line of people wore expressions of excitement and greed<b>. </b>


    After days of toil, endless searching, and countless losses, they had finally reached their destination.


    At the tail end of the group were the members of the Carrell family.


    encountered along the way had left her exhausted and


    d worn. Her once


    Ka followed closely behind Pete. Days of relentless trekking and the dangers <b>on </b>radiantplexion was now pale and haggard.


    She asked, ¡°Pete, is this really the right ce? There¡¯s nothing here. Where¡¯s the legendary kingdom? Is it a kingdom of dwarves?¡±


    She nced at the cracks along the canyon walls and muttered, ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s an ant kingdom?¡±


    Pete chuckled at her remark, his gentle gaze lingering on her for a moment. Then, he raised a finger to his lips and whispered, ¡°Shhh. Don¡¯t speak. We¡¯ve

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 527

    Ka was momentarily captivated by Pete¡¯s tender, soft gaze that she could just drown in. Her face flushed a deep red from shyness.


    For a fleeting moment, she felt that all the hardships endured during their arduous journey had been worth it¨Cespecially with how considerate Pete had been to her throughout. Her heart was brimming with sweetness.


    After her bashfulness subsided, she finally registered his statement.


    They had arrived? Arrived where?


    Looking around, there wasn¡¯t the slightest sign of any so¨Ccalled kingdom. Could it really be a miniature kingdom, one so small that she couldn¡¯t see it?


    Ka wanted to ask, but Pete¡¯s gaze was already focused ahead.


    The group in front had started to argue. They had reached the spot marked on the map, but all they could see were towering canyon walls and a pile of strange rocks. There was no trace of the treasures they had been yearning for.


    Soon, the crowd geared their frustrations toward Pete. Their tone grew increasingly hostile as they questioned him.


    ¡°Mr. Carrell, there¡¯s nothing here! Are you trying to lead us astray on purpose?¡±


    ¡°Exactly! We¡¯ve been trekking through these mountains for days because of you. If you¡¯re hiding something, don¡¯t me us for turning against you!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better exin yourself, Mr. Carrell. Otherwise, your handful of guards won¡¯t stand a chance against all of us!¡±


    Theirints escted into overt threats.


    Ka was infuriated and instinctively wanted to defend Pete, but he stopped her. Facing the motley crowd, he said calmly, ¡°The location marked on the map is precisely here.¡±


    ¡°The map?¡± The same thought echoed in everyone¡¯s mind.


    They exchanged nces, their expressions a mix of suspicion and disbelief.


    Before entering the rainforest, Pete had never mentioned the map. Even when rumors circted that the map was in his possession, he hadn¡¯t confirmed it. Instead, he had used the Fuller couple as a diversion, iming they were the only ones who had seen the real map and were leading the expedition based on memory.


    Yet at this critical juncture, he suddenly admitted to having the map.


    ¡°You scheming bastard! How dare you lie to us? You¡¯ve been toying with us all along! What are you up to?¡±


    ¡°Looks like the map is really in your hands. Why don¡¯t you hand it over now?¡±


    The crowd¡¯s anger boiled over, and they started encircling Pete. Their intentions were clear¨Cthey would take the map by force if necessary.


    Pete¡¯s guards immediately drew their weapons, forming a protective ring around him. The atmosphere was tense, with the possibility of a fight breaking


    out at any moment.


    Ka nervously clung to Pete¡¯s arm, moving closer to him. novelbin


    He smiled faintly, maintaining hisposed and gentlemanly demeanor. He seemedpletely unfazed by the hostile stares, as if oblivious to their desire to tear him apart. He stated slowly, ¡°Yes, the map is indeed in my possession. So what?¡±


    His tone was full of arrogance and disdain.


    The crowd,posed of individuals with their own schemes and motivations, understood his meaning without needing further exnation. When a secret was revealed openly, it only meant one of two things.


    Either the secret was no longer a secret¡­ or everyone who heard it was about to be silenced for good.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 528

    Chapter <b>528 </b>


    A few quick thinkers immediately drew their weapons and pointed them at Pete<b>, </b>shouting angrily, ¡°Pete, are you nning to kill us all so that you can have the treasures all for yourself?¡±


    Pete chuckled softly. ¡°I guess you¡¯re not that stupid, after all. It¡¯s unfortunate that you realized it toote.¡±


    By admitting the map was in his hands, he was effectively giving everyone present the death sentence.


    ¡°Damn it! How dare you trick me? I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    ¡°Pete, you¡¯re asking for it!¡±


    In an instant, people from the various factions with their individual agendas lunged at Pete, strangely united in their goal at that moment.


    However, it was toote.


    Pete stood motionless, not even blinking. At that moment, a dense white fog surged in from the other end of the canyon, swiftly enveloping everyone. The sun overhead was obscured, and the bright lights of the narrow canyon disappeared entirely.


    In the thick fog, chaos ensued. Everyone except Pete and his men lost their bearings.


    Then came a loud rumble. The ground beneath the crowd suddenly copsed and caved in, forming a circr pit centered around Pete.


    Screaming, the unsuspecting group fell into the crevice below.


    Pete remained standing at the center, unharmed. His men, along with Ka, who was clinging tightly to his side, were also safe.


    From above, one could see a circr pattern in the crevice carved with intricate designs.


    Ka¡¯s heart raced wildly. Unable to contain her curiosity, she leaned forward to peer into the crevice below. To her astonishment, she saw a spacious chamber with a massive disk at its center.


    ¡°Pete, what¡¯s that?¡± she asked.


    Due to the poor visibility, she couldn¡¯t make out what was on the disk even with a shlight. She could only look at Pete expectantly, waiting for an


    answer<b>. </b>


    Pete answered with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s a key, the real key to essing the maritime kingdom the legend speaks of.¡±


    Ka was surprised. So, after all this effort, they were merely retrieving a key? Then¡­ once they had the key, finding the kingdom would be a breeze!


    Her eyes flickered with excitement as she nced at the people who had fallen into the crevice. Anxiously, she urged, ¡°Pete, we need to send someone down there immediately! If they get the key first, all our efforts would¡¯ve been in vain!¡±


    Peteughed. It was a calcted, confidentugh that carried a tinge of mystery. ¡°There¡¯s a small price to pay to obtain the key.¡±


    ¡°What kind of price?¡±


    He pointed to the disk below, his expression as warm and gentle as spring day sun. With a faint smile on his face, he exined, ¡°The mechanism of the disk requires blood to activate. The blood of those people down there should be enough.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± novelbin


    Ka was startled. Hearing Pete deliver such chilling words in the most amicable tone sent a shiver down her spine.


    But soon, her fear gave way to exhration. The people in the crevice had also seen the disk and the coordinates <b>of </b>the maritime kingdom inscribed upon


    <ol>


    <li>it. </li>


    </ol>


    All they needed to do was activate the mechanism, and they would obtain the true coordinates and the key to the kingdom.


    In an instant, everyone went mad. They forgot their perilous situation and began fighting ferociously, each determined <b>to </b>im the kingdom¡¯s treasures


    for themselves<b>. </b>


    The space below was vast,rge enough <b>to </b>amodate <b>the </b><b>carnage </b>unfolding. In <b>fact</b>, <b>it </b>could be said that the <b>space </b><b>was </b>designed for that very <b>purpose</b>.


    Before long, some were <b>beaten </b>and bloodied<b>, </b>copsing onto the ground. Their spilled blood seeped into the giant disk¡¯s intricate <b>design</b><b>, </b>illuminating parts of its ancient, <b>mysterious </b>patterns.


    Tragically, the chaos of the battle was <b>so </b>intense that no one <b>noticed </b>this happening.


    1

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 529

    Chapter <b>529 </b>


    Screams, roars, and every imaginable act of desperation unfolded as one after another fell. The massive disk continued to light up, now half¨Ccovered in dark red patterns, with blood snaking across its surface like crimson vines. It resembled a brutal yet grandiose ritual.


    Finally, the fighters noticed this horrifying detail. They realized that as the intricate patterns filled with blood, the mechanism holding the key began to make grinding sounds, revealing a faint crack in its structure.


    ¡°So, that¡¯s how it works¡­ Hahahah! I get it now!¡± A burly manughed maniacally, his eyes bloodshot as he red at the others. <b>¡°</b><b>If </b>you all die, the mechanism will be fully activated! The key is mine!¡±


    However, before he could finish, a de plunged into his back, skewering him.


    The arrogant grin he had froze on his face as he copsed unwillingly to the ground.


    Blood continued to flow, covering two¨Cthirds of the disk¡¯s intricate carvings. If the remaining survivors also fell, the mechanism would be fully activated.


    It was at this point that the fighters began to grasp the grim reality. Even if the others all died, they would still be trapped at the bottom of this crevice, unable to escape. They would only be paving the way for someone else to reap the rewards.


    ¡°Stop! Stop fighting right now!¡± The leader of one faction shouted, his voice echoing through the vast space. He yelled so desperately that his voice cracked, but it finally halted the chaotic carnage.


    Pointing upward, his face twisted with rage as he bellowed, ¡°What¡¯s the point of killing each other? Don¡¯t forget that Pete Carrell is still up there, waiting for us to wipe ourselves out so that he can take everything for himself!¡±


    Before they fell into the crevice, Pete was their target. But this unforeseen trap made them realize his meticulous n of luring them here. He had nned for them to fall into this crevice. novelbin


    In the end, Pete would sit back and watch them ughter one another to activate the mechanism. Then, he¡¯d send someone down to im the key effortlessly.


    It was a wellid n by Pete.


    The leader red upward and shouted at Pete, ¡°You bastard! It¡¯s no wonder you were so generous about giving up the location. You were waiting for us to fall in here all along! But your n is falling apart! I swear I¡¯ll climb up there and kill you myself!¡±


    The others, finally grasping the trap they had walked into, put aside their schemes temporarily and agreed to a truce.


    ¡°Guys, let¡¯s make a deal. Let¡¯s figure out how to climb out of here first. Once we¡¯re up there, we¡¯ll ughter that guy and use his blood to activate the mechanism!¡±


    ¡°Agreed!¡±


    ¡°Damn it! I¡¯ve never been yed like this in all my years. That bastard is mine! I¡¯ll kill him myself!¡±


    The remaining fighters were all hardened and ruthless, having survived the earlier chaos through sheer will and brutality. Though injured, their hatred for Pete burned hotter than ever,


    Above them, Pete could hear their conversation clearly. He leaned forward slightly, watching the people below as they scrambled about, searching for sections of the walls to climb.


    One by one, like geckos, they clung to the walls. They used their knives as anchors where footholds were scarce, slowly ascending. If they worked together, they might indeed seed in getting out. But s, that was also within Pete¡¯s expectations.


    He smirked and raised his hand to signal his subordinates.


    His subordinates, standing behind him, stepped forward without a word. Like emotionless machines, they pulled out their guns and took aim. A series of repeated gunshots filled the air.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 530

    After a few shots, those who had been climbing the rock face¨Cno matter how strong or famous they had been in life¨Cturned into cold, lifeless corpses at the bottom.


    They were caught off guard, and even those who realized what was happening had nowhere to run.


    Their blood spread, staining the ground. The intricate patterns came to life, almostpletely illuminated. There was just a little bit more to go.


    But just when it seemed it would bepleted, it stopped abruptly.


    Pete ordered for two more shots to be fired into the depths, but it was still insufficient toplete thest pattern. novelbin


    ¡°s¡­¡± Pete sighed, almost as though he was disappointed, but it seemed to be within his calctions as well.


    He then turned to Ka, offering her a soft, affectionate smile. He asked slowly, ¡°Ka, do you love me?¡±


    Ka froze for a moment. She felt the progression was a bit too fast. After all, they hadn¡¯t even officially be a couple, and he was jumping straight to this question already.


    However, she had to admit that she had deep feelings for Pete, and she also valued the power and influence of the Carrell family.


    Securing this man was the best option for her at the moment!


    So, she nodded vigorously. Her gaze was tender, shy, and bashful as she replied, ¡°Pete, you already know the answer. My heart is yours. Of course, I love you¡­¡±


    ¡°Great. Since you love me, you¡¯re willing to do anything for me, right?¡± Pete asked as he took a step closer to her, his breath nearly brushing her ear. His posture was intimate and enticing, like a lover¡¯s whisper¨Ctender yet alluring.


    Ka¡¯s face flushed again. Instinctively, she wanted to nod and please the man before her.


    But at that very moment, her gaze inadvertently fell upon the grim scene in the crevice below and thest part of the mechanism before it was fully activated. A sudden chill shot through her heart.


    An unprecedented sense of fear and dread washed over her, seeping through every pore of her being and chilling her down to the bones.


    Ka shuddered, feeling as if she had just been thrown into the icy waters of midwinter. All the admiration and fantasies she had harbored just moments ago shattered in an instant.


    When she looked at Pete again, she saw not the gentle face she had known but an expression full of malice. Those eyes that had once been so tender and focused now glowed with the cruelty and viciousness of a venomous snake.


    Finally, it clicked in Ka¡¯s mind. Before those people had fallen into the crevice, Pete had patiently answered all their questions. It was because the dead were the best keepers of secrets.


    At that time, he had answered all her questions just as thoroughly without hesitation.


    Back then, Ka had secretly rejoiced, thinking she had gained ess to the heart of his secrets. She thought Pete trusted her deeply and had let down his guard around her, even sharing the legendary secret with her.


    Now, she realized how utterly wrong she was!


    In Pete¡¯s eyes, she was no different from the others. She was already a dead man walking in his mind. He had brought her along just for this moment.


    ¡°Pete¡­¡± Ka trembled violently.


    Pete seemed puzzled as he gently ced a hand on her shoulder. Still smiling, he asked softly, ¡°Ka, you¡¯re shaking all over. Are you¡­ afraid of me?¡± He was smiling, but his gaze was icy.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 531

    Ka sobbed uncontrobly, her trembling voice stammering as she pleaded, ¡°P¨CPete, <b>I </b>can do so much for you. I¡¯m useful! Oh, right, the map! Pete, actually, I hid something from you before. There¡¯s something else on the map I gave you that I kept hidden. When we get back, I¡¯ll give it to you, okay?¡±


    Back when Gabrielle had arrogantly approached her, iming to establish familial ties, her true intention had been to acquire the map from Ka. In order to curry favor with the Carrell family and secure Gabrielle¡¯s goodwill, Ka showed her sincerity by handing over the map.


    However, she had kept a trump card up her sleeve. Not even Dexter, her father, knew about it!


    There was a highly discreetpartment concealed at a corner of the map. Inside it was a leaf made of gold and was as thin as a cicada¡¯s wing!


    The gold leaf was exquisitely crafted, its lifelike veins and intricate details showcasing masterful craftsmanship.


    Ka didn¡¯t know what it was, but anything hidden within a map everyone was fighting over had to be extraordinary. It could very well be a relic tied to the fabled kingdom mentioned in the legends.


    The leaf, being so small and delicate, had gone unnoticed even by Dexter when he first obtained the map.


    Thrilled by her discovery, Ka hid the gold leaf without breathing a word about it¨Cnot even to Pete. Who would have thought it would now be her lifeline?


    ¡°Oh?¡± Pete squinted slightly, his tone amused. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a leaf made of gold and as thin as a cicada¡¯s wing. But its veins and patterns are exceptionally clear and beautiful. I think¡­ it must have significant value as a collectible!¡± novelbin


    Ka didn¡¯t dare hide anything, describing it in as much detail as possible. She desperately hoped that by proving her worth, she could survive this.


    Pete¡¯s expression shifted subtly at the mention of the leaf. That reaction was all the confirmation Ka needed to prove that she made the right gamble.


    The two locked eyes¨Cone pair filled with fear while the other was unreadable and enigmatic.


    After a long pause, Pete gently stroked Ka¡¯s face. The action seemed intimate and tender, yet it sent a shiver of terror down her spine.


    ¡°The final step to activate the star disk requires a woman¡¯s blood. But here, where am I supposed to find another woman to take your ce, hm?¡± ¡°P¨CPete, the rainforest is so vast. I¡¯m sure I¡¯m not the only woman here. I¡¯ll find someone else for you. If it¡¯s not enough, my mother will definitely agree to it. I¡¯ll bring her here, okay?¡±


    The first people she thought of were the Fuller couple. Although they had already fled the group, they couldn¡¯t escape the rainforest without assistance.


    If she captured Myra and brought her back, she would be the perfect recement!


    Pete chuckled and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea, but¡­ Ick the patience to wait. So, Ka, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to make the sacrifice yourself.¡±


    Hearing those words, Ka was overwhelmed by panic and turned to run.


    However, before she could even take a step, Pete easily grabbed her and, with a light push, sent her hurtling toward the crevice.


    A piercing scream echoed through the air, reverberating within the narrow, deep canyon with chilling intensity.


    At that exact moment, Felicia and Stephan followed the trail and arrived at the canyon. Standing at the edge, they looked down just in time to witness the


    scene.


    ¡°That¡¯s Ka! And the other¡­ is the head of the Carrell family?¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 532

    Felicia was bbergasted. She could never have imagined that Ka, in her attempt to connect with her family, would ultimately lose her life¨Cand at the hands of the Carrell family no less! By blood rtions, Pete was her distant cousin!


    Felicia wanted to observe further, but the distance was too great. And the thinyer of fog floating within the canyon obscured her view. Now that Ka had fallen, her fate was uncertain.


    During this brief pause, Stephan¡¯s men had already secured three ropes, clearly preparing to descend into the canyon.


    Just as Felicia reached for another rope, Stephan held her hand, stopping her. ¡°Stay up here. Don¡¯t move. I¡¯ll grab what we need ande back. Wait for


    Grab what? Before Felicia could even voice out the question in her mind, Stephan released her hand and plunged downward like a shooting star. In mere seconds, he vanished from her sight!


    Felicia was startled, then furious. Was he trying to lose his hands permanently? Despite having his hands badly wounded, he still descended at such a crazy speed!


    It he failed to stop in time and crashed at the bottom, the height alone could kill him in an instant.


    The gust of wind from Stephan¡¯s descent dispersed <b>some </b>of the fog. Using her binocrs, she saw himnd with an incredibly smooth andposed motion, his posture sharp and confident.


    He seemed to sense Felicia watching and tilted his head upward and gestured to her to calm down. It was as if he were patting her head from afar.


    She rolled her eyes in exasperation. Gripping the rope in front of her, she felt an urge to follow him down. She was never one to simply wait as told. But before she could act, a group of Stephan¡¯s men surrounded her and blocked her way.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, Mr. Russell has already gone down with a team. Please don¡¯t go. It¡¯s too dangerous!¡±


    Felicia considered her own abilities and reluctantly restrained herself. She sat on the cliff edge above the canyon, asionally using her binocrs to check for any movement below.


    Unfortunately, the fog was growing thicker, and visibility became increasingly poor.


    Frowning, she strained to hear any sounds. <b>Without </b>looking away, she asked the men beside her, ¡°Have you located Stanley and his group? They should be nearby. Find a way to get them to regroup with us.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am¡±


    The men nodded and followed her <b>orders</b>.


    The Russell family had a uniquemunication system. Depending on the location and situation, the codes and signals would vary. In this case, they used a bird call produced by a whistle.


    The sound was distinctive and had good projection. If Stanley¡¯s team was nearby, they would definitely hear it and follow the sound to find them. Sure enough, a simr bird call echoed from the cliff across the canyon. However, the rhythm and tone of the call were hurried and tense.


    Felicia asloed, ¡°Is it Stanley? What¡¯s he saying?¡±


    One of the men had <b>a </b>grim look, his face tightening with worry. ¡°<b>It¡¯s </b>Stanley. He said they found explosives on the cliff across from us. There are quite a lot of them. If they blow up, the canyon will copse. He warned us not to go down there.¡±


    But the warning came toote! Stephan had already led a team into the canyon!


    Felicia¡¯s expression changed. Without hesitation, she <b>ordered</b><b>, </b>¡°You go to the other side. See if you can <b>remove </b>the more dangerous explosives. I¡¯ll go warn them!¡± novelbin


    ¡°<b>Ma¡¯am</b>, it¡¯s too dangerous. You can¡¯t¡­¡±


    Before the man could finish, Felicia had grabbed onto one o had descended all the way to the bottom.


    of the ropes, flipped over the cliff edge, and slid down like a nimble cat. In mere moments, she


    Moments earlier, she had <b>scolded </b>Stephan for sliding down recklessly, iming he had a death wish. Yet here she was<b>, </b>aplishing the same daring feat in the blink of an eye!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 533

    <b>Chapter </b><b>533 </b>


    The Russell family¡¯s subordinates who were left on the cliff were utterly stunned by what they had just witnessed.


    It <b>was </b>just insane and absolutely reckless!


    But there was no time to dwell on the matter. The explosives on the opposite cliff had to be dealt with immediately. Stanley¡¯s team didn¡¯t have enough manpower, and reinforcements were necessary.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move! Clear the explosives!¡±


    Using the ropes, Stephan¡¯s men swing over to the opposite cliff. After meeting up with Stanley and his group, they were greeted by the sight of several bombs, their indicator lights blinding ominously.


    These weren¡¯t ordinary bombs. They <b>were </b><b>remote</b>¨Ccontrolled!


    This meant that whoever nted them could, from within a certain range, press a button and bring the entire cliff down. The falling rocks would bury everyone in the canyon below.


    Who would do such a thing?


    Stanley was already working on disarming the first bomb. His hands moved steadily, with precision and caution.


    Even when under such high pressure and requiringplete focus, Stanley still managed to greet the reinforcements casually, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here? How¡¯s Mr. Russell? And the madam? Are they olcay?¡±


    ¡°¡­They¡¯re fine,¡± one of the men replied, though their eyes twitched at Stanley¡¯s nonchnce. He reminded Stanley, ¡°Stanley, can you please stop talking and focus on the bomb? This is serious!¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡± Stanley grinned, his expression suggesting that he would totally do something like this again next time.


    Of course, they had long since gotten used to h


    scene.


    to his demeanor <b>and </b>knew hispetence. Otherwise, they would¡¯ve bolted as far away as possible from this


    Once the teams regrouped, they shared information.


    When Stanley learned that both Stephan and Felicia were in the canyon below, his brows furrowed tightly, and his hands moved even faster. He stopped joking entirely, his focus razor¨Csharp


    Without looking up, he instructed, ¡°Leave this to me. <b>You </b>all follow the tracks and search the surrounding area. See if the person who nted the bombs is still nearby. Kill them if you can and get the <b>detonator</b>!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    With the tasks divided, half the group stayed behind to disarm the bombs while the other half spread out <b>to </b>search <b>the </b>area and eliminate the source of


    the threat


    Finally, Stanley sessfully disarmed the first bomb. But instead of feeling relieved, he examined the device in his hand and fell into deep thought, his brows furrowing even tighter.


    Something wasn¡¯t right. The bomb¡¯s model¡­ looked eerily familiar, like a batch that the Russell family had disposed of some time ago.


    If that was true, it meant there might be a mole within the Russell family. Who could have nted these explosives? <b>And </b>who was the <b>other </b>party¡¯s target?


    The more Stanley thought about it, the more rmed he became¨Cespecially considering that Stephan was currently in the canyon below.


    If the mastermind¡¯s target was indeed Stephan, the detonation would cause half the cliff to copse, leaving no survivors below


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Stanley¡¯s expression darkened, and he shouted at the others, ¡°Hurry up and disarm them!¡±


    Amidst the rustling rainforest, o people were beside the stream beneath the waterfall.


    Johanna¡¯s eyes were brimming with tears as she clung tightly to the person before her. Her nails dug into his back, breaking skin, while the sky above her seemed to sway violently.


    Only after a long moment did their heavy breathing subside. novelbin


    ¡°Johanna¡­ I missed you. I missed you so much the man murmured into her ear, his hoarse voice filled with satisfaction and yearing


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 534

    Tears welled up in Johanna¡¯s eyes again <b>as </b>she choked out, ¡°I missed you too¡­ Archie.


    After their moment of tenderness, Johanna seemed to recall something. Grabbing the man before her, she asked anxiously, ¡°Archie, weren¡¯t you on that ship when the ident happened? I thought you were really <b>dead</b>¡­. I <b>almost </b>wanted to give up on living!¡± She then started sobbing


    ¡°You silly girl. Aren¡¯t I standing right here in front of you now?¡± The man gently wiped away her tears and said softly, ¡°Time is tight. I¡¯ll exin everything to youter.¡±


    ¡°Johanna, you must return to that old woman¡¯s side and ensure her child is born safely!¡±


    Johanna pouted, a flicker of jealousy and resentment shing in her eyes as she snorted, ¡°Are you more concerned about the baby in her belly or that old woman, huh? Hmph!TM


    ¡°My darling, don¡¯t you already know who I care about most?¡± Archie chuckled indulgently while he continued his intimate actions. ¡°T told you, I missed you so much that I was about to go crazy!¡±


    <b>Johanna </b>gasped softly, her heart filling with joy and sweetness from their reunion. The jealousy and resentment melted away quickly. She replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve been taking good care of her and the baby. They¡¯re both fine and healthy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. My ns are almostplete.¡±


    Archie smiled, but a ruthless glint shed in his eyes. ¡°Once Stephan is dead, Imogen will have no one else to rely on but me, and the child in her belly


    ¡°Johanna, it won¡¯t be long before the Russell family is ours. I¡¯ll protect you, and we¡¯ll never have to be at anyone¡¯s mercy or bullied again! I promised you that I¡¯ll always protect you, <b>love </b>you, and be your rock,¡± <b>Archie </b>said as he nted a kiss on her forehead. ¡°Trust me, Johanna ¡±


    ¡°Of course, I trust you. In my life, no one will ever be more important <b>than </b>you.¡±


    The two of them embraced tightly, savoring the fleeting joy of their reunion.


    Elsewhere, Andy, who had finished his patrol, was heading toward them. When he didn¡¯t immediately spot Johanna by the stream, he panicked and shouted at the top of his lungs, ¡°Ms. Rosario! Ms. Rosario! Where <b>are </b>you?¡±


    His voice startled the pair hiding in the bushes.


    Archie quickly zipped up his jacket and said to <b>Johanna</b>, ¡°Time is running out. I need to finish what I started<b>. </b>Johanna, wait for me to


    ¡°Okay. Be careful. Stay <b>safe</b>!¡±


    Johanna watched him leave with a heavy heart. Her longing was palpable, but she quicklyposed herself as Andy¡¯s voice grew closer. She hurriedly got dressed and stepped out from the bushes.


    Andy was startled to see her and immediately scanned her flushed <b>face</b>. He asked, ¡°Ms. Rosario, what were <b>you </b>doing in the bushes<b>? </b>You scared me! I thought something happened to you!¡±


    ¡°¡­I just washed my face and feet and needed to answer nature¡¯s call, okay? If not here, where else<b>?</b>¡±


    Johanna rolled her eyes at him, then turned and walked away <b>as </b>if nothing had happened. Her <b>usual </b>high¨Cand¨Cmighty demeanor remained intact.


    <b>Andy </b>scratched his head, confused. Who would hide in the bushes to answer <b>nature¡¯s </b>call ande out blushing like that?


    Still, it made sense. Solving such ¡°problems¡± outdoors could be embarrassing for anyone.


    Satisfied with that exnation, Andy nced briefly at the bushes again. Seeing nothing but thick <b>grass </b>and calm surroundings, he thought nothing more <b>and </b>followed Johanna back to camp.


    Perhaps it was the coolness of the stream or the beauty of the scenery, but Johanna¡¯s mood visibly improved. She even became noticeably more attentive and cheerful toward Imogen.


    Imogen, smiling, teased her, ¡°You should take a break too. Aren¡¯t you tired from all this running around? Come, sit here. Let me <b>wipe </b>your sweat.¡±


    Johanna replied with a grin, ¡°I¡¯m not tired. How could I be? The baby in your belly is my little precious too. Taking <b>care </b>of you is only natural!¡±


    ¡°Oh? So I¡¯m no longer your sister¨Cinw now?¡± Imogen raised her eyebrows yfully, her unfocused eyes glinting as she teased.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 535

    Johanna pursed her lips and pretended to look aggrieved. ¡°Last time I called you that, Stephan scolded me. How would I <b>dare </b>to say it again?¡±


    Imogen knew about <b>that </b>incident. She couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit resentful toward Stephan for hisck of tact. Comforting Johanna, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t bother with him! We¡¯re both sisters¨Cinw and sisters at heart. No one can change that!¡±


    Johanna nodded happily, maintaining a docile appearance. However, her smile carried an unmistakable hint of mockery and


    singness,


    Unfortunately, Imogen couldn¡¯t see it


    Unable to unt her triumph openly, <b>Johanna </b>felt her satisfaction diminished slightly.


    But the thought of her and Archie doing things as they <b>pleased </b>right under the blind Imogen¡¯s nose filled her with a secret thrill and joy.


    Johanna scoffed inwardly, ¡°So what if you¡¯re the eldest daughter of the Russell family? So what if your powerful status makes you untouchable? I¡¯m the one who climbed step by step from the bottom with him! I¡¯m the one who shares the deepest bond with him! I¡¯m the one he truly loves and understands!¡±


    She curled her lips into a smile, eagerly imagining the day when her efforts would alle to fruition.


    m her waist


    At the bottom of the canyon, Felicia released the rope she had rappelled down on and unhooked the safety harness from before scanning her surroundings.


    The area <b>was </b>shrouded in thick white fog, heavy with moisture. Within moments, tiny water droplets gathered on her eyshes, and even the stray hairs on her forehead were dampened by the fog


    She couldn¡¯t see far ahead, so she <b>didn¡¯t </b>dare move recklessly <b>for </b>fear of falling into a hidden pit. Instead, she cautiously inched forward step by step.


    Earlier, she remembered seeing Stephan running southeast from above. That <b>was </b>where the t area Pete and the Carrell family members camped on


    The visibility was so poor that she couldn¡¯t see anything clearly. Worse still, the wind was blowing in the opposite direction, preventing her from hearing any sounds from that side. Then again, it was unlikely to <b>have </b>any


    Softly, she called out, ¡°Stephan!¡±


    Her voice was deliberately controlled, barely reaching a few steps around her. There was no response. Stephan must have gone farther


    <b>away</b>.


    Just as she was about to move forward again, she suddenly sensed a subtle change in the <b>air </b>currents behind her. She quickly sidestepped, dodging a hand that lunged toward her from behind


    Without hesitation, she drove her knee toward the attacker with <b>a </b>swift and powerful motion.


    Though her overallbat skills were average and not suited for long¨Crangebat, her mastery of close¨Cquarterbat ensured she could overpower anyone within three steps.


    The attacker seemed caught off guard by Felicia¡¯s ferocity and instinctively retreated to avoid the knee strike aimed at his abdomen. He unwittingly fell into her trap. She seized the moment, throwing a sharp uppercut thatnded squarely on his chin.


    A pained cry echoed. It was a voice she didn¡¯t recognize. The attacker copsed to the ground, incapacitated.


    But before she could catch her breath, another figure darted out from the fog.


    ¡°Nice timing!¡± she thought.


    Her eyes shed with determination. Her closebat skills were something she had learned in her previous life while in prison. Back then, she had been bullied to the brink of despair until a fellow inmate taught her this technique.


    From then <b>on</b>, in countless conflicts and confrontations, herbat skills had saved her life time and time <b>again</b>.


    After her rebirth, she rarely had the chance to use them. Now, someone hade looking for a tight, so she could test whether her skills had grown rusty.


    Felicia charged forward proactively. With a smooth chokehold and an over¨Cthe¨Cshoulder throw, she mmed the second attacker the ground.


    to

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 536

    The attackers were no doubt the Carrell <b>family </b>members. It meant that the moment Felicia descended, they had her in their sights. Using the thick fog <b>as </b>cover, they encircled her and attempted to capture her.


    Those disgusting cowards!


    Felicia¡¯s entire body <b>was </b>tense as she kept her ears attuned to the slightest sound around her. If there was any movement or another sneak attack, she would react and counter¨C<b>attack </b><b>immediate </b>


    After waiting for a while, there wasn¡¯t a third attacker. Instead, she heard a chuckle, low and amused,ing from behind her.


    ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought my little cousin is quite skilled?¡±


    Felicia immediately recognized the voice. It was Pete! But calling her his ¡°little cousin¡°? That was downright revolting¨Cespecially considering this was the man who had just shoved his actual cousin, Ka, into a crevice without any hesitation.


    Turning toward the voice, Felicia readied herself. She had a few silver needles in her left palm while <b>her </b>right <b>hand </b>drew the knife strapped to her thigh. Her <b>stance </b>was detensive, poised to fight at a moment¡¯s notice.


    The air current from her earlier fight had dispersed some of the fog, making the scene in <b>front </b>of her gradually clearer.


    She squinted as she focused on the figure approaching her. It was a tall, upright silhouette that moved with an unhurried elegance. His movements stirred the fog around him, creating an almost ethereal effect.


    She looked at his face with skin so pale that it had an almost sickly hue. His lips were curled into a faint smile. He had the kind of delicate and refined appearance that might inspire pity, and he exuded a trail, schrly air.


    By looks alone, he could be considered quite handsome. Unfortunately, Felicia was unimpressed.


    While keeping her guard up against him, she took the opportunity to scan her surroundings, hoping to catch sight of Stephan. However, there was no sign of him¨Conly arge pit in the ground not far away, shaped like a crevice. That was where Ka had fallen into.


    So¡­ what exactly was the thing Stephan was looking for? Could it be in that <b>crevice </b>as well?


    Felicia quickly withdrew her gaze, careful not to betray her thoughts. Yet Pere had been watching her closely since his arrival and didn¡¯t miss the fleeting expression on her face. Before she could ask, he spoke up.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Mr. Russell just went into the crevice. Unfortunately¡­ he won¡¯t being out. My dear cousin, do you want to go take a look?¡± His voice wasced with temptation, as if coaxing her into making a reckless decision.


    Felicia sneered and retorted, ¡°I¡¯m no cousin of yours! Don¡¯t <b>give </b>me <b>such </b><b>a </b>disgusting title!¡±


    ¡°<b>s</b>¡­¡± Pete sighed, feigning sadness. He added, ¡°My dear cousin, you must¡¯ve forgotten. I saw you when you were seven years old.¡± Speechless, Felicia rolled her eyes. If these people weren¡¯t blocking her path, she wouldn¡¯t have wasted a second listening to Pete¡¯s <b>nonsensical </b>rambling. She wasn¡¯t interested in <b>dredging </b>up memories either. Whatever happened back then wasn¡¯t worth remembering


    Even if she had met Pete when she was seven, so what?


    Idly spinning her knife in her hand, Felicia¡¯s patience <b>was </b>wearing thin. Her voice carried an unmistakable threat as she asked, you done talking? Can you move aside now?¡±


    Pete seemed surprised by how uncooperative she was. Her guarded and indifferent demeanor amused him to no end


    ¡°My dear cousin, you-¡±


    He had <b>barely </b>started speaking when a gleaming knife flew straight toward his face


    Pete¡¯s reflexes were <b>sharp</b>, and he dodged it just in time.


    Felicia withdrew her hand and warned coldly, ¡°<b>That </b>was yourst chance. If I hear you calling me that again, I won¡¯t miss the next time

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 537

    Pete chuckled softly, his gaze carrying a trace of indulgence as though he were looking at a misbehaving pet he couldn¡¯t bear to punish.


    Felicia¡¯s face turned icy <b>as </b>she hurled thest knife in her hand straight at him.


    The angle and force were aimed precisely at Pete¡¯s heart. She wasn¡¯t bluffing and truly meant to kill him.


    This time, Pete didn¡¯t move, but one of his subordinates did. With a metallic <b>ng</b>, the knife was deflected and fell harmlessly to the ground.


    Felicia telt a pang of regret. If only she had brought arger de¡­


    Pete¡¯s eyes darkened as he spoke, his toneced with a cryptic nostalgia, ¡°When I first <b>saw </b>you, you were just a skinny little thing. <b>covered </b>in bruises from beatings. But even then, you were as guarded as you are now. You had thrown a rock at me with everything you had. My dear cousin, you really haven¡¯t clunged a bit. ¡±


    She was speechless.


    She racked her brain but couldn¡¯t recall anything like that. Before the age of seven, she <b>had </b>lived in Alverton with Howard, Tabitha, and Shawn. She had been beaten so many times, and she always fought back.


    Apart from that, she had also been asionally bullied by other children, who would insult or hit her. During those times, she would <b>pick </b>up rocks and retaliate with all her strength.


    If she had indeed met Pete back then, it must have been because he made her feel threatened, prompting her to attack


    Felicia decided not to dwell on it. Lingering on the past would only let Pete drag her into his verbal <b>trap </b>and she¡¯d be him


    ¡®d be string along by


    Instead, she chose to bypass him entirely.


    Cautiously, she circled around Pete and his men, keeping a wary <b>eye </b>on them <b>as </b>she made her way toward the crevice from another angle. Finally, she reached its edge.


    Peering down<b>, </b>she saw faint movements at the bottom of the crevice.


    She called out, ¡°Stephan<b>!</b><b>¡± </b>


    A sh of light from below momentarily blinded her. Before she could confirm if the figure was Stephan, a thunderous explosion echoed from the cliff above the canyon.


    The st sent rocks of all sizes tumbling down.


    Luckily, the explosion urred about 30 feet away from the crevice. Still, Felicia felt the impact as sand and debris rained down on her, striking her body.


    Before she could steady herself<b>, </b>a second explosion rocked the area, sending vibrations through the ground. She staggered, struggling to maintain her bnce.


    What baffled her was that, despite the dire situation, the people down in the crevice still showed no intention ofing back up. Was whatever they were after really that important?


    Clenching her teeth, she decided to descend Gripping the jagged edges of the crevice, she carefully slid down its uneven walls andnded at the bottom.


    Just <b>as </b>she turned her head to call out, she froze. Something was terribly wrong.


    The area at the bottom of the crevice was devoid of Stephan or his people. Instead, the ground was littered with corpses!


    And at the center of it all was Ka, her legs shattered and twisted.


    When Ka was pushed into the crevice by Pete, she screamed as she plummeted. Despite trying to shield her vitals uponnding, the pain that tore through her legs had been excruciating. In that instant, Ka had heard the sickening crack of her own bones breaking The agony <b>was </b>so overwhelming that she passed out. By the time she regained consciousness, she couldn¡¯t feel her legs anymore.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 538

    Ka loathed Pete with every fiber of her being. She cursed the heavens for their unfairness until her voice gave <b>out</b>. Exhausted and powerless, she began to sob.


    But her <b>tears </b>had barelysted two minutes when explosions echoed above, followed by the crashing of massive boulders.


    At that moment, Ka knew it was over. She couldn¡¯t escape She would die here.


    Yet just when she was about to sumb to despair, she heard Felicia¡¯s <b>voice</b>.


    At first, <b>Ka </b>thought it was a hallucination brought on by her near¨Cdeath state. After all, Felicia was the person she hated most in her life¨Cthe thorn in her side, the obstacle she could never ovee!


    Even though the Fuller family had gone <b>bankrupt </b>and her once¨Cmorous title as the heiress was now meaningless, <b>Ka </b>still viewed Felicia as a threat. She wished for nothing more than to crush Eeliciapletely.


    But never in her wildest imagination did she expect Felicia to appear here, at the very moment when she was on the brink of despair.


    Dragging her paralyzed, mangled legs, Ka stretched out her hand, desperately trying to grab Felicia¡¯s pant leg. She begged, sobbing uncontrobly, ¡°Felicia, save me! I don¡¯t want to die. Please save me¡­ It was all my fault before. I was wrong. I¡¯ll never do it again. Please, for the sake of the bond we <b>once </b>shared as siblings, help me! I beg you!¡±


    Her face was a mess of


    and blood. She was truly a pitiful sight, unlike anything Ka had ever shown before.


    She pleaded humbly, her words dripping with desperation and her gaze filled with hope, fear, as well as an overwhelming need to survive. She was willing to <b>do </b>anything


    Felicia had seen such a look before.


    Years ago, in that remote, isted mountain vige, a trafficked woman named Roberta had been <b>chained </b>and was begging on her knees. She had looked up at Felicia with the same despair in her eyes.


    Back then, Felicia was also struggling for her own survival as she was pursued by ruthless killers. Weighing the risks and benefits, she chose to walk away. But after taking just two steps, she turned back to rescue Roberta.


    Now, Ka was crying and pleading in the same pitiful way.


    But Felicia didn¡¯tugh, nor <b>did </b>she gloat or <bsh </b>out with cruel words of revenge. Instead, she crouched down and pried Ka¡¯s hands off her pant leg, one finger <b>at </b>a time.


    Not kicking Ka while she was down was mercy enough. Saving her was out of the question.


    Ka¡¯s face turned ashen. She shook her head frantically, her voice breaking as she screamed, ¡°I¡¯ve learned my lesson! I really <b>have</b><b>! </b>Please have mercy! Save me, and I¡¯ll repent! Don¡¯t leave me here! I don¡¯t want to die¡­¡±


    But Felicia acted as though she hadn¡¯t heard a word. Her heart waspletely unmoved, without a shred of pity.


    From the very beginning, she and Ka had been adversaries¨Clocked in a conflict that wouldn¡¯t end until one of them was <b>gone</b>.


    In fact, Felicia felt a <b>faint </b>regret. Letting Ka die like this seemed too easy a way out.


    Breaking free of <b>Ka¡¯s </b>grasp, Felicia scanned her surroundings once more. Seeing no sign of the person she was looking for, she made up her mind and started climbing <b>back </b>up the crevice the way she <b>had </be.


    But just as she began to ascend<b>, </b><b>a </b><b>pair </b>of bony hands mped onto her ankle!


    Ka¡¯sughter echoed from below, tinged with despair and <b>madness</b>. Her voice was hoarse, and herugh carried the chilling tone of <b>someone </b>who had given up on everything. She was bent on mutual destruction.


    ¡°Felicia, if you won¡¯t save me, then you won¡¯t be leaving either! Let¡¯s go to hell together<b>, </b><b>shall </b>we?¡±


    <b>Ka¡¯s </b>grip was unnaturally strong, her nails digging into Felicia¡¯s skin and drawing blood. Felicia even kicked her twice but failed to shake her off. Her grip just wouldn¡¯t budge.


    At that moment, the ground began to tremble violently again. Another explosion had erupted. Boulders rained down from above, smashing into the ground <b>and </b>creating massive craters.


    This time, the explosions were <b>not </b><b>only </b>stronger but getting closer too<b>. </b>

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 539

    Chapter <b>539 </b>


    Felicia nced down at Ka, her voice ice¨Ccold as she ordered, ¡°Let go.¡±


    Ka let out a crazed <bugh</b>, her face twisting in deranged determination. ¡°I won¡¯t let go even if I die! If I can¡¯t live, why should you?¡±


    Her expression was a picture of desperation¨Ca madness that sought to drag everyone around her into the abyss.


    And because it was Felicia, her grip tightened even more. If she couldn¡¯t have peace, neither could Felicia.


    Her maniacalughter echoed, her once¨Cdelicate and lovely face now grotesque and terrifying. With venom dripping from every word, she spat, ¡°Felicia, you¡¯re the reason I ended up like this! You owe me, and you must pay it back!¡±


    Felicia didn¡¯t know what to say. She could never understand Ka¡¯s twisted logic.


    People like Ka <b>never </b>reflected on their actions. When they were on top, they believed their victories were deserved. When they were defeated, they med everyone but themselves. It was never their fault. The consequences of their own deeds were always someone else¡¯s doing


    Felicia narrowed her eyes and, without hesitation, drove her foot into Ka¡¯s head with considerable force. The blow left Ka reeling, her head ringing. Yet even through the pain, Ka clung desperately to Felicia¡¯s leg.


    ¡°I told you, even if I die, I won¡¯t let go!¡± she screamed. ¡°Felicia, you¡¯reing down with me-¡±


    Before she could finish, Ka let out a bloodcurdling scream. Two silver needles had pierced her back, instantly sapping the strength she had summoned in her madness. Her <b>hands </b>involuntarily loosened, freeing Felicia.


    Felicia <b>didn¡¯t </b>spare another nce and immediately climbed upward, her movements agile and swift as she scaled the crevice¡¯s rocky


    walls.


    Above her, another round of explosions started<b>, </b><b>causing </b>rocks and debris to rain down continuously. A few more such explosions would copse the narrow canyon¡¯s walls entirely, and this ce would be buried.


    ¡°Felicia! Felicia! Pull me up! Save me! I <b>don¡¯t </b>want to die¡­ Felicia! I¡¯ll continue haunting you <b>as </b>a ghost!¡±


    Ka¡¯s screams were desperate and heart¨Cwrenching. She seemed to understand that there was no hope left. Watching Felicia near the crevice¡¯s edge, about to escape to safety, her hatred <b>and </b>unwillingness to ept defeat surged <b>anew</b>, drowning her mindpletely.


    ¡°Bitch! Go to hell!¡±


    In a burst of frenzied strength, Ka grabbed a shlight that had rolled near her hand and hurled it with all her might toward Felicia.


    The shlight cut through the air, gleaming as it flew toward Felicia¡¯s back


    At that moment, Felicia was nearly out of the crevice. She was using both her hands and feet to push herself over the edge. When she sensed the shlight hurtling toward her, she had no free hands to block it.


    With a dull thud, the cold, hard metal of the shlight struck Felicia squarely on her spine. The sudden pain and impact threw her off bnce, <b>causing </b>her to sway dangerously, but she <b>managed </b>to steady herself.


    However, at that exact moment, another deafening explosion rocked the ground, causing it to tremble violently.


    Climbing without safety ropes was dangerous to begin with, and Felicia¡¯s palms were slick with sweat, reducing her grip. shockwave from the st sent her body tilting backward.


    In an instant, she plummeted like a bird with broken wings, falling straight down.


    Ka erupted into uncontrobleughter upon witnessing her <b>fall</b>.


    The


    But just then, a slim and agile figure dove into the chaos<b>, </b>cutting through the swirling dust and quaking ground. Amidst the explosions and tumbling rocks, the figure leaped downward. They caught Felicia mid¨Cfall and wrapped an arm firmly around her waist.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 540

    At that moment, the man twisted his <b>waist </b>with precision, using his powerful legs to push forcefully against the rock wall. The impact of his kick left cracks on the rock¡¯s surface¨Ca testament <b>to </b>the terrifying strength behind it.


    Using that momentum, he flipped in mid¨Cair, pulling Felicia along with him. Hended back on solid ground in one fluid motion


    The entire sequence of events happened in the blink of an eye, so fast it left onlookers stunned and unable to react.


    Ka stared, her wide eyes fixed on them as her expression froze over from disbelief. The grin that had been stered on her face moments earlier now twisted into shock and despair, a grotesque mix of emotions that contorted her features horribly.


    Ka screamed at the top of her lungs, her fury boiling over<b>. </b>She had been so close! Just a little bit more and Felicia would¡¯ve joined her. They would¡¯ve perished together in this deste crevice!


    But fate intervened, letting someone descend from above to save Felicia.


    All Ka could do was me the heavens for being unfair to her.


    She tilted her head back and screamed into the faint light above, ¡°Bitch! You wretch! You¡¯ll die a horrible death!¡±


    This was herst moment as she had no more chances to say more.


    This time, a deafening explosion erupted from directly above the crevice, sending countless massive boulders crashing down.


    Ka¡¯s eyes widened in terror.


    In her pupils, the falling rocks grew closer andrger until-


    The thunderous sound of copsing rocks echoed through the canyon, sealing the vast crevicepletely.


    With that, all the schemes and the grudges of two lifetimes were buried under the rubble, erased in an instant.


    From a distance, Felicia stood quietly, watching the mound of rocks that had be Ka¡¯s grave. An indescribable feeling washed over her. It was neither satisfaction nor pity but a passingment.


    The moment passed quickly, and Felicia turned her gaze to the man before her.


    Who else could it be but Stephan?


    In such a perilous and desperate situation, no one else would risk their life without hesitation to <b>save </b><b>her</b>.


    Felicia had <b>a </b><b>long </b>list of questions¨Clike where he had been just now, why he <b>hadn¡¯t </b>responded to her calls<b>, </b>and whether he had


    retrieved the item they hade for. But clearly, this wasn¡¯t the time for <b>that</b>.


    The explosions above grew louder and more chaotic, and staying in the canyon any longer would mean certain death for both of them.


    Grabbing Stephan¡¯s hand, Felicia noticed his icy¨Ccold palm and the dirt¨Ccovered bandages around both his hands. They were filthy beyond recognition, but fortunately, her miraculous <b>Panax </b>pseudo¨Cginthera had stopped the bleeding.


    ¡°We have to get out of her! Now!¡± Felicia pulled <b>him</b>, ready to run


    But Stephan stopped her.


    ¡°This way.¡± He grabbed her hand and led her in the opposite direction at a sprint.


    It was toward the cliff where the explosions <b>originated</b>¨Cthe most dangerous and unstable area. The closer they got, the more perilous it became


    Felicia was about to ask if he was crazy, but then she heard the hum of helicopter des above them.


    She looked up and spotted a sleek ck helicopter circling in the sky¨Cit was from the Russell family.


    She understood immediately.


    He was heading for higher ground so that they could reach the ropedder that the helicopter would lower. If they ran in the opposite direction, the narrow canyon walls would prevent the helicopter from reaching them.


    Without another word, Felicia pushed herself to run at full speed with her life on the line.


    As they ran, she noticed the group from the Carrell family was nowhere to be seen. Before she descended into the crevice, they had lied to her, iming that Stephan was trapped at the bottom. But all she had found there was Ka.


    Now, with the explosions and imminent copse of the canyon, Pete must have realized the danger and fled with his people long ago.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 541

    Those bastards sure were fast runners.


    Above, the helicopter had already spotted them. The person standing at the cabin door and peering <b>down </b>anxiously appeared to be Stanley.


    The ropedder had been lowered, swaying wildly with the helicopter¡¯s movements and the <b>wind</b>.


    Felicia nced <b>at </b>the distance and noticed <b>there </b>was still quite a way to go before they could reach thedder. However, they were running out of time.


    The copse above <b>was </b>worsening by the second. In less than two minutes, <b>this </b>ce would turn into <b>a </b>wastnd of rubble.


    With Stephan gripping her hand and pulling her forward, Felicia felt she was already running at her limit, but his speed was even faster. Her feet barely <b>touched </b>the ground. She felt as though she were a kite being dragged along by him.


    Dust, sand, <b>and </b>fragments of debris whipped at her face, clinging to her hair and clothes.


    Felicia was out of breath, but she <b>had </b>no choice but to keep going. She gritted her teeth to endure.


    And right at that moment<b>, </b>a massive boulder plummeted from above.


    In that instant, Stephan grabbed Felicia <b>and </b>dodged to the side. Although his reaction <b>was </b><b>lightning</b>¨Cfast, the impact wave still caught them both and sent them tumbling


    As they hit the ground, Felicia heard Stephan grunt in pain.


    For a brief moment, the copse paused. Stephan shielded Felicia with his body, protecting her from the scattered debris. Several rocks had struck <b>his </b><b>back</b>.


    Felicia reached out instinctively, trying to shield him, even if it was futile<b>. </b>


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Felicia asked, feeling regretful. If she hadn¡¯t gone down the canyon, Stephan might have already escaped with Stanley and the others.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine<b>. </b>Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    He rested his <b>head </b>lightly against her neck as he took <b>a </b>couple of deep breaths, Warm air <b>brushed </b>against her skin, making her neck Itch slightly.


    She flinched reflexively.


    It triggered <b>a </b>soft chuckle from Stephan, his tone stillzy but tinged with helplessness. ¡°What¡¯s this, little troublemaker? <b>Did </b>youe down here to die with me?<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°L¡®


    Felicia wanted to exin that she hade to warn him, but it was clear now that her efforts <b>had </b>been pointless. The explosions above were powerful enough that even the deaf wouldn¡¯t miss. Whether or not she hade, it wouldn¡¯t have changed a <b>thing </b>


    So<b>, </b>she simply shut up.


    Stephan pinched the soft flesh at her waist yfully, then pushed himself <b>up</b>, pulling Felicia to her feet <b>as </b>well. He leaned in closer<b>, </b>then chuckled softly. ¡°By the <b>way</b>, I¡¯m quite touched.¡±


    She was <b>rendered </b>speechless by his antics.


    The <b>two </b>didn¡¯t linger much before Stephan grabbed her hand again, and they resumed running. This time, their path was smoother, <b>and </b>they quickly <b>reached </b>the spot beneath the ropedder..


    The helicopter <b>had </b>descended, lowering its altitude. While thedder didn¡¯t quite touch the ground, it was close enough for them to jump up and grab it.


    ¡°Go up <b>first</b>,¡± Stephan instructed.


    He <b>gave </b>Felicia a boost, and she suddenly felt weightless. With the ropedder within <b>arm¡¯s </b>reach, she quickly grabbed hold of it and then <b>looked </b>down at Stephan, who <b>was </b>right below her.


    When the boulder <b>had </b>fallen earlier, the force of the st had thing them both through the air. Stephan had clearly been <b>injured </b><b>and </b>even let out a muffled groan earlier. But <b>his </b>expression remainedpletely <b>calm</b>, as though nothing had happened.


    However, Felicia could see blood trailing down beneath him, staining the ground.


    It was eerily simr to the dream she once had.


    Her pupils contracted sharply in shock!


    At that moment, a more intense tremor shook the ground. The massive explosion triggered a chain reaction, <b>and </b>the towering canyon <b>walls </b>on both sides began to crack and crumble.


    With a deafening boom, countless boulders started cascading down.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 542

    The force of the explosion caused even the <b>helicopter </b>to wobble <b>slightly</b>.


    Felicia held tightly to the ropedder, her eyes scanning the chaotic scene below. She reached out desperately toward <b>Stephan </b>on the ground, shouting, ¡°Hurry, grab my hand!¡°


    Stephan smiled faintly, steadying his breath. Then, with a powerful leap, he reached for Felicia¡¯s outstretched <b>hand</b>. His strong fingers wrapped tightly around hers as he used the momentum to pull himself upward. With <b>that</b>, he grabbed hold of the ropedder.


    Stanley<b>, </b>who was crouching by the helicopter¡¯s cabin door, immediately shouted to the pilot, ¡°Go! Take off now!¡±


    The sun <b>was </b>rising, and the thick mnist that had once filled the canyon had long since been swept away by the shockwaves produced by <b>the </b>explosions,


    The helicopter ascended rapidly <b>and </b>headed toward a sate direction.


    The ropedder swayed in mid¨Cair. Stephan held Felicia protectively in <b>his </b>arms, ensuring she wouldn¡¯t lose her grip and fall. The wind roared past them, whipping their hair and clothes as it howled into their cars.


    Above them, the zing sun illuminated the endless expanse of greenery below. Behind them, explosions erupted in session, sending rocks and debris flying, creating a scene that was both breathtaking and terrifying at the same time.


    Felicia looked up <b>and </b>was immediately struck by the sight of Stephan¡¯s stunning face so close to hers.


    His deep, brilliant eyes gleamed with a subtle smile. Strands of disheveled ck hair, tousled by the wind, fell across hisshes, but they couldn¡¯t conceal his striking elegance.


    Felicia¡¯s heart skipped a beat, its rhythm thrown into disarray. Images of the perilous moment earlier shed through her mind.


    If they had been a second slower¨Cjust one second¨CStephan would¡¯ve been crushed beneath the massive boulders.


    Gripping his shirt tightly, Felicia felt a wave of lingering <b>fear</b><b>. </b>Seeing his casual, carefree smile only fueled her frustration. She snapped, ¡°You¡¯re still smiling? Do you <b>even </b>know that you almost died?¡±


    Stephan leaned close to her ear, his voice blending with the <b>wind</b>. Each word was clear, carrying his signature yful and teasing tone, ¡°Felicia, do you know what I was thinking at that moment? I was thinking, if I really died, I¡¯d let <b>you </b>go. I¡¯d let you find someone else, someone you can truly love<b>, </b>someone who can <b>make </b>you happy. Even if you forgot about me, it¡¯d be okay.


    ¡°But then<b>, </b><b>in </b>the next second, I realized I couldn¡¯t do it. I¡¯m too selfish. I¡¯m <b>not </b>that generous. I can¡¯t allow you to forget me and run to someone else. You¡¯re mine, and you can only ever be mine. So, I won¡¯t die.¡±


    Stephan¡¯s lips curved into a faint smile, his expression as unreadable as ever¨Cdetached yet oddlypelling. But <b>his </b>words carried an undeniable deration of his overbearing and possessive nature.


    Felicia rolled her eyes at him, exasperated by his morbid talk. ¡°Stop saying things like ¡®dying¡®! Ugh! Haven¡¯t you heard the saying,¡® Troublemakers live forever? That¡¯s you, a certified troublemaker!¡±


    Stephan raised an eyebrow, momentarily unsure if she was scolding him or showing concern. Either way, he was pleased.


    The helicopter flew steadily onward, and the ropedder was gradually reeled in. Finally, Felicia and Stephan were pulled back into


    the cabin.


    Felicia checked his injuries right away. He <b>was </b>hurt, though not as severely as she had feared. Yet true to form, he treated his injuries as though they were nothing. He barely made a sound even when she cleaned and dressed his wounds.


    Felicia knew <b>this </b>was <b>his </b>way of easing her guilt and making her worry lesa. But the more he acted like <b>this</b><b>, </b>the more her heart ached. She was as gentle as possible while applying the medicine,


    In the corner of the cabin, Stanley <b>and </b>two other subordinates huddled together, watching the scene untold with wide¨Ceyed astonislument.


    Their usually cold and distant employer was actually grinning from ear to ear. The ley <b>sharpness </b><b>in </b>his eyes <b>had </b>melted, reced by a warm, tender glow. Even his furrowed brows had smoothed out, leaving no trace of his <b>usual </b>harshness.


    This gentleness <b>was </b>something they had never seen before. It was nothing short of a miracle!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 543

    After Felicia finished treating Stephan¡¯s injuries, she was about to pack up the medical kit when he stopped her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you hurt somewhere else?¡±


    Stephan didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he reached out, grasped her calf<b>, </b><b>and </b>began untying her shoces. From the looks of it, he was intent on removing her shoes.


    Felicia froze for a moment before realizing what he was doing. She quickly pulled her foot back, her face flushing with embarrassment. ¡°What are you <b>doing</b>? Let go!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± Stephan ordered <b>firmly </b><b>as </b>he continued to remove her shoes. ¡°The blisters on your feet need to be treated too.


    ¡°I can do it myself¡­ Really, I¡¯ll take care of it. Let go¡­¡±


    It was only natural for her to feel awkward¨Cnot because <b>he </b>wanted to apply medicine on her feet but because of something else. After walking and running through the rainforest for <b>days</b><b>, </b>her feet had been hot and sweaty <b>from </b>being stuffed in her shoes. Just imagining. <b>their </b>odor made <b>her </b>want to hide in a hole.


    But <b>Stephan </b>shot <b>her </b>a sidelong nce, his lips curving into a mischievous smile. In a low voice only they could hear, he murmured, ¡± No need to be shy, my <b>dear</b>. After all<b>¡­.</b>I¡¯ve seen all parts of you.¡±


    She was speechless.


    However, he <b>wasn¡¯t </b>wrong. They had shared far more intimate moments than this. What was there left to be embarrassed about?


    <b>With </b>a resigned sigh<b>, </b>she stopped resisting. To be precise, she didn¡¯t have much of a choice. Stephan held her legs down firmly with. one <b>hand </b>while deftly removing her shoes with the other.


    A pair of red socks appeared before them. They were originally white, but due to the blisters on her feet being popped repeatedly from all the walling and running, they were stained <b>red</b><b>.. </b>


    Stephan¡¯s movements faltered, his brows knitting into a frown.


    Felicia, however, didn¡¯t think much of it. Knowing the socks were likely stuck to her wounds, she assumed it would be difficult for him to remove them. She bent forward, intending to <b>pull </b>them off herself.


    To her surprise, he stopped her.


    From the medical kit, he <b>retrieved </b><b>a </b>small pair of scissors. Lowering his head<b>, </b>he carefully began to cut the socks open, working meticulously to avoid causing her any unnecessary pain. His touch was gentle, precise, and tender.


    Felicia didn¡¯t feel any pain, only an unbearable ticklish sensation on the <b>soles </b>of her feet.


    She wanted tough but held it in. The sight of Stephan cradling her feet with <b>such </b>reverence, as though handling a priceless treasure, left her flustered and at a loss for words.


    Just what was he thinking?


    Leaning back against the cabin wall, Felicia <b>raised </b>her hand to cover her eyes, hiding her expression.


    No one spoke. The only sound was the steady hum of the helicopter des cutting through the air.


    Meanwhile, Stanley exchanged another <b>nce </b>with the two subordinates beside him. Without a word, they all reached the same <b>conclusion</b>¨Cthey had to firmlytch onto Felicia¡¯s favor. Nothing else would matter!


    Just then<b>, </b><b>a </b>soft beep came from themunication device. Miraculously, all the signals disrupted by the maic field had been


    restored.


    Whether this was due to the seismic activity subsiding or the team leaving the peculiar rainforest, no one could say. Either way, it was


    good news.


    With the restored signal, Stanley quickly contacted the personnel stationed <b>outside </b>the rainforest. <b>The </b>other teams scattered within the rainforest also began regrouping at the designated meeting point.


    After another half hour of flying, <b>Stanley</b>, who had been monitoring the ground below, spotted a clearing with several tents set up. He shouted excitedly, ¡°We¡¯re here! Prepare tond!¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 544

    Chapter <b>544 </b>


    had been treated, so the


    As soon as the helicopternded steadily, Felicia had already put her shoes back on. The blisters on her teeth pain was much less severe and didn¡¯t hinder her from walking.


    Stephan was the first to disembark. He then turned back and extended his hand toward Felicia.


    <b>Felicia </b>didn¡¯t hesitate and ced her hand in his. With his assistance, she jumped down from <b>the </b>helicopter.


    Before she could fully steady herself, <b>an </b>angry voice from a short distance away rang out. ¡°Stephan! So, you do know how toe back! I thought you didn¡¯t care about me anymore! All you think about is that Fuller girl!¡±


    When the helicopternded moments ago, Johanna had already ryed the scene to Imogen. Of course, her description emphasized two key individuals¨CStephan and Felicia.


    Due to Johanna¡¯s words, Imogen¡¯s already pent¨Cup frustrations were immediately directed at Felicia. Her hostility was unmistakable.


    Felicia was mildly surprised. She hadn¡¯t expected Imogen to personallye to this dangerous rainforest, especially while heavily pregnant<b>! </b>


    It was evident that the bond between the siblings was gemine.


    Once Felicia steadied herself, she instinctively tried to withdraw her hand. However, she found that Stephan had no intention of letting go. She bugged slightly, but his grip only tightened


    ¡°Imogen, didn¡¯t I tell you to leave<b>? </b>Why are you still here? <b>Stephan </b>trowned. His tone was soft, though it carried an undertone of exasperation


    Fortunately, the explosion site from earlier was far away enough to avoid affecting this area. Otherwise, it would¡¯ve been terrible to have a pregnant woman caught in all that mess.


    Imogen, however, was too angry to think rationally, Coupled with her vision impairment, she couldn¡¯t see the disheveled and bloodied <b>state </b>of Stephan and his group


    She only knew she had spent days anxiously waiting outside the rainforest, unable to eat or sleep. Day after day of worrying and waiting had left her with nothing but pent¨Cup frustration and anger.


    Now, finally seeing Stephan <b>in </b>person, <b>her </b>suppressed <b>rage </b>surged uncontrobly.


    With a coldugh, she snapped, ¡°You can¡¯t wait to send me <b>far </b><b>away</b>, can you? So I won¡¯t get in your way, right?¡±


    <b>Stephan </b>was momentarily speechless<b>, </b>caught between amusement and exasperation. What was she even saying? He told her to <b>leave</b>. not because she was a bother. Rather, it was because he was worried about her safety.


    ¡°My dearest sister, why are you¡±


    Just as he began, he was cut off right away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to be close with me! I¡¯m unworthy of being your sister. Are you satisfied now?¡±


    Guided by the sound of his voice, Imogen turned her cold, furious gaze toward Stephan. Her anger unrestrained, she raised her hand to point in Felicia¡¯s direction and barked, <b>¡°</b>Tell that Fuller girl <b>to </b>get lost! I¡¯ve told you before¨CI don¡¯t want her around me <b>again</b>!¡±


    Behind Imogen, Johanna stood silently, her fingers tightening slightly. She didn¡¯t appear to be enjoying the spectacle. Instead, her mind was preupied with someone else entirely.


    Hadn¡¯t he promised that this time, he would eliminate Stephan for good? Why was Stephan still alive and well? And her brother¡­ What happened to him?


    <b>Johanna¡¯s </b>eyes flickered with unease, but no one paid any attention to her.


    <b>Stephan¡¯s </b>expression darkened, the usual glint of amusement absent from his eyes. He summoned Andy, who had been <b>staying </b>by Imogen¡¯s side, and asked, ¡°What happened while I was gone?¡±


    Right <b>as </b><b>Andy </b><b>was </b><b>about </b>to <b>give </b>his report, Stanley stepped forward, patting him on the shoulder. Stanley cleared his threat and said, ¡±


    Mr. Russell, let me exin.¡±


    With that, Stanley vividly recounted everything that had transpired after Stephan left Khogend.


    He described how Felicia had epted the Russell family¡¯s request for medical consultation and traveled to Seldvale to diagnose and treat Imogen¡¯s eyes. Felicia had even <b>assured </b>them that the condition was treatable and prepared the necessary medicinal Ingredients.


    Initially, Felicia and Imogen had gotten along well, but everything changed when Johanna brought up the death of Archie, hinting that it was connected to the Fuller family. Enraged, Imogen turned against Felicia, her hatred for the Fuller family extending to her. She¡® even kicked her out of the Russell residence.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 545

    Stanley¡¯s recounting was thorough, his tone fluctuating but unbiased. He neither exaggerated nor omitted details, rying the eventspletely.


    After hearing everything, Stephan furrowed his brows. ¡°Imogen, you¡¯ve misunderstood. I kept things from you because I didn¡¯t want <b>you </b>to worry. Besides, the real culprit behind Archie¡¯s death isn¡¯t the Fuller family. <b>I¡¯m </b>close to uncovering who it is. Just wait a little longer ¡±


    ¡°Wait?¡± Imogenughed angrily. ¡°After everything, you¡¯re still lying to me? For the sake of the Fuller family¨Cfor the sake of Felicia- you¡¯re ready to abandon your own blood rtives?¡±


    She sneered, ¡°Fine! If that¡¯s the case, then make a choice. Either I die in front of you, or you order the extermination of the Fuller family and kill Felicia!¡±


    No one expected Imogen¡¯s anger to reach this level. She suddenly drew a knife and held it to her own neck


    Her emotions were so intense that her motion carried enough force, which immediately drew a red line across her neck. The red was a stark contrast against her <b>fair </b><b>skin</b>.


    Stephan¡¯s expression changed dramatically. ¡°Imogen, put it <b>down</b>!


    No one expected things to escte this much so suddenly. Stanley, Andy, and all the Russell family


    nily members were a


    all frozen in shock.


    Stanley, reacting quickly<b>, </b>intended to take advantage of Imogen¡¯s blindness and stealthily subdue her and snatch the knife away. But Imogen, knowing them all too well, immediately shouted, ¡°Don¡¯te near me! Take one more step, and I¡¯ll kill myself right here!¡±


    Stanley halted instantly, terrified.


    The sight of a pregnant woman with a <b>knite </b>in her hand and threatening to take her own life <b>was </b>horrifying enough. But adding to the tension was Imogen¡¯s notoriously stubborn personality. Despite her <b>usual </b>gentle demeanor, the Russell <b>family¡¯s </b>inherent streak of madness ran deep in her veins.


    Now, in her emotional frenzy, she seemed fully capable of harming herself.


    ¡°It¡¯s either my life or hers. Choose! Imogen pressed the knife against her neck, her cold smile unwavering.


    This shocking scene left everyone reeling except <b>for </b>Johanna.


    She wasn¡¯t surprised at all. After all, it had been her idea. Even the knife Imogen now wielded was one Johanna had discreetly handed


    Before the helicopternded, Johanna had whispered to Imogen, ¡°Imogen, I dreamed of my brotherst night. He told me to take good care of you and the child¡­ It pains me so much that our enemy is right before us, yet we can¡¯t avenge him!¡±


    Imogen, who was deeply <b>in </b>love with Archie and was consumed by grief over his death, had made revenge her obsession.


    Johanna¡¯s carefully crafted words,ced with subtle provocations and embellishments, pushed Imogen into agreeing to this desperate n. She was forcing Stephan¡¯s hand with her life!


    The strategy proved extremely effective.


    Imogen, driven mad by her emotions, had resorted to this extreme course of action.


    Holding the knife against her neck, she began to count down. ¡°I¡¯ll give you one minute <b>to </b>decide<b>. </b>Counting down now¡­¡±


    Stephan took a deep breath and said, ¡°Imogen, this isn¡¯t you. Someone must be misleading you Calm down and put the knife down first!


    As he spoke, his gaze briefly <bnded </b>on Johanna


    That single nce, cold and amenacing, made Johanna feel as though she was already dead. Terrified, she instinctively took a step back.


    Imogen, however, was deaf to reason. Clutching the knife tightly, she continued counting down the seconds. ¡°Fifty¨Cfour, fifty¨Cthree.¡±


    ¡°Imogen, even if we assume Dexter was truly responsible for Archie¡¯s death, what does that have to do with Felicia?¡±


    ¡°A father¡¯s debt should be repaid by his children. Isn¡¯t that how it works?¡± Imogen tilted her chin upward, genuinely believing she was justified


    To her, Stephan¡¯s repeated opposition and tant defense of Felicia only fanned the mes of her anger.


    ¡°Stephan, can you honestly <b>say </b>you¡¯re not forsaking revenge for <b>Archie </b>just to protect this girl? Do you think what you¡¯re doing is fair


    to me as your sister? To Archie, who fought and died for you?¡±


    If those words weren¡¯t cutting enough, what Imogen said next was the dagger aimed directly at Stephan¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Stephan, do you even remember how I lost my sight? Do you?¡±


    she pointed at her unfocused eyes, her face filled with a mix of disappointment and fury. Tears streamed down her pale, delicate


    cheeks.


    One by one, the memories of the past came flooding back.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 546

    Chapter <b>546 </b>


    The siblings were 12 years apart in age. After their mother¡¯s death and their father¡¯s subsequent disappearance, the vast Russell family empire was left without <b>a </b><b>leader </b>and became the target of the extended family¡¯s greedy ambitions.


    At six years <b>old</b>, Stephan was ambushed. Imogen, without hesitation, shielded her younger brother.


    A handful of poison powder caused her to lose her sight.


    She was only 18 that year and in the prime of her youth, yet she suddenly became a blind woman who had once known light but would never see it again.


    Yet she never onceined or expressed a hint of regret.


    Over the next decade and more, the young child grew to shield his sister from storms, taking on the weight of the enormous Russell family empire. He became its fearsome leader, renowned for his iron fist and <b>ruthless </b>methods. His name struck terror into all who


    heard it.


    In all those years, Imogen had never once used her blindness to seek pity.


    But this day, she brought it up. Her words, sharp <b>and </b>piercing, demanded an answer.


    Had he lived up to her expectations? Did he remember why she went blind? Did he still have a conscience?


    The world around them fell silent.


    Stephan stood motionless as the wind swept past. He looked like a statue frozen in time.


    It was as if a gaping hole had been torn through his chest. The harshest, most devastating words came not from an enemy but from his family member, stabbing straight into his heart.


    Felicia sighed silently. She lowered her gaze and looked at the hand Stephan still had tightly sped around hers.


    He hadrge hands with long, well¨Cdefined fingers and <b>veins </b>running across the back. They were beautiful, <b>almost </b>artistic.


    But right now, his palm <b>was </b>cold as ice.


    Felicia pulled her hand <b>away </b>with force.


    Imogen wasn¡¯t <b>hard </b>to appease. All Felicia had to do was leave. If she just left, Imogen would put the knife down. She was prepared to <b>leave</b><b>. </b>


    Why prolong this? Why put everyone in such an awkward position and make it so difficult for him?


    After all, she wasn¡¯t unfamiliar with being abandoned. It wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    Time and again, in moments where choices had to be made, she had always been the one left behind. It had never been any different. Between her and Ka, the Fuller couple chose Ka<b>; </b>between her and the Fuller family, Sebastian chose the family¡¯s reputation.


    In moments of injustice and misunderstanding, others had always chosen to go against her.


    Stephan could do the same.


    He only needed to appease Imogen with a few words to calm her anger. The siblings wouldn¡¯t be estranged, and the rift between them would close


    But what Felicia didn¡¯t expect was that just as she withdrew her hand, Stephan reached out and held it again. His fingers slid between hers, locking their hands together. Felicia tried several times to shake him off, but he just wouldn¡¯t let go.


    Seeing this, Johanna immediately whispered a description of the scene into Imogen¡¯s ear.


    ¡°So, this is your decision, is it?¡± Imogen¡¯s chest heaved in anger, her eyes reddening. She said recklessly, ¡°<b>I </b>regret it. If I had known you¡¯d treat me like this, I would¡¯ve never shielded you back then<b>!</b>¡±


    ¡°Imogen¡­¡± Stephan¡¯s <b>voice</b><b>, </b>already hoarse, grew even raspler. His face, pale from blood loss and injuries, looked even paler. His tightly pressed lips trembled slightly.


    With <b>a </b>smile, he <b>said</b>, ¡°Imogen, I¡¯ll repay your sight with my eyes, alright?¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 547

    No one saw Stephan¡¯s actions clearly, and no one expected that Stephan would actually go through with it!


    By the time <b>everyone </b>came to their senses, a sh of silver light streaked through the air. Felicia, standing closest to him, lunged <b>forward </b>to stop him.


    But even so, Stephan¡¯s normally <b>calm </b>and deep eyes were now bloody red. His fair face was sttered with drops of blood, making him appear eerle and demonic like a vengeful demon


    Imogen, unable to see, clearly heard the gasps of those around her and the rushing footsteps the Russell family¡¯s men


    ¡°Mr.


    Russell!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Russell!TM


    ¡°Where¡¯s the doctor? Hurry,e quickly!¡±


    The <b>air </b>was filled with chaos.


    Imogen froze, a sense of dread washing over her. Trembling, she grabbed Johanna¡¯s hand and asked in a shaky voice, ¡°What happened?


    Tell me!¡±


    Johanna, pale with fear, swallowed hard before replying, ¡°1¨CImogen, Stephan. He¡­ He used a knife¡­ to cut his own eyes. There¡¯s so much blood.


    ¡°What?¡± Imogen was dumbstruck


    How had things escted to this? She had only wanted to vent her frustrations and force Stephan to choose between <b>her </b>as his sister


    alicia, an outsider.


    That was all!


    Even if her words had been harsh, he couldn¡¯t and shouldn¡¯t have resorted to such drastic measures to force her hand.


    Imogen began to tremble all over, consumed by <b>pain</b>, <b>anger</b><b>, </b>and regret. The knife pressed against her own neck ttered to the ground. Blindly, she stumbled toward Stephan¡¯s direction, but she tripped and nearly fell. Fortunately, Stanley was quick to catch her.


    She grabbed Stanley¡¯s arm tightly and asked, ¡°How is he? How is Stephan?¡±


    Stanley nced back at the scene and replied, ¡°Ms. Russell, Mr. Russell took his eyes out for your sake.¡±


    Imogen broke downpletely, screaming at Stephan, ¡°You fool! What are you doing? What are you trying to prove? Are you trying to <b>drive </b>me to my <b>death</b>?¡±


    Stephan couldn¡¯t <b>hear </b>her anymore.


    His eyes were closed as he slipped into unconsciousness. Yet beneath his long, darkshes, blood continued to flow.


    The camp¡¯s apanying doctors arrived, but they specialized in attending to Imogen¡¯s needs andcked expertise in this area. Seeing Stephan¡¯s bleeding eyes, they were too frightened to act.


    This¡­ looked like permanent blindness!


    Not all of the Russell family¡¯s men knew of Felicia¡¯s medical skills, and even those who had heard rumors weren¡¯t inclined to trust her


    abilities right away.


    Felicia didn¡¯t care about their doubts. She shouted at those nearby, ¡°Bring water¨Cclean water, now!¡±


    Andy, quick on his feet, sprinted to the supply area in the camp. To his dismay, all the packaged and bottled purified water had been used up!


    Cursing under his breath, Andy grabbed several water canteens. ¡°Ma¡¯am, these <b>contain </b>disinfected, boiled spring water. I don¡¯t know If it¡¯ll work¡­¡±


    It was not like they had any other choice.


    Felicia took the canteens, opened them, and poured the water over Stephan¡¯s <b>eyes </b>and face without hesitation.


    At that moment, Felicia¡¯s expression was so icy and intense that even Stanley, who was usually chatty, didn¡¯t dare interrupt her.


    Andy was stunned. He was worried about Stephan¡¯s eyes but also didn¡¯t dare to stop Felicia¡¯s actions. He <b>scratched </b>his head in


    frustration.


    Gradually, they began to understand what Felicia was doing. She was flushing out Stephan¡¯s eyes!


    Stephan had genuinely tried to destroy his own vision. While Felicia had managed to block most of the force, the knife had been contaminated with sap from the poisonous nts in the rainforest!


    That was why Stephan had fallen unconscious. Even the bleeding from his eyes was a result of the poison.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 548

    Felicia disinfected the silver needles and quickly began applying acupuncture.


    Despite het efforts, the poisonous nts in the rainforest were merous, with toxins of varying and even mutated properties. The <b>poison </b>was spreading too quickly and couldn¡¯t be expelled


    To make matters worse. because the injury was to the eves, the toxins rapidly infiltrated the nervous system.


    Felicia tetapang et frustration It only she had acted a bit faster¡­ If only her medical skills were at a higher level..


    Stankes, who had been observing breexpression, immediately asked, ¡°Ma¡¯am, how¡¯s Mr. Russell?¡±


    Felicia removed the needles and lifted Stephan¡¯s eyelids. The redness in his eyes was gradually fading, reced by a grayish¨Cwhite haze covering his pupils.


    ¡°What the


    Andy was the first to cry out. He dropped to his knees before Felicia <b>and </b>pleaded urgently, ¡°Take my eyes! Give them <b>to </b>Mr. Russell!¡±


    Betore Febcia could even respond<b>, </b>a second and then a third subordinate also fell on theirres One after another, all of them eagerly volunteered, their faces filled with sincerity. ¡°Take My evesight is good. Use mine!<b>¡± </b>


    ¡°Don¡¯t fight me on this! Take mine! My life belongs to Mr. Russell What¡¯s a pair of eyespared to that?¡±


    you¡¯re skilled in medicine. Surely, you <b>can </b>transnt my eyes to Mr. Russell, right?


    Most of these were familiar faces to felicia. They had always been silent and calm, standing seadastly by <b>Stephan¡¯s </b>side. Most importantly, their loyalty was to him alone. Felicia sighed. ¡°It¡¯s useless. Without neutralizing the toxin, restoring his vision is impossible. Now, <b>get </b>up. I¡¯ll think of another way<b>.</b><b>¡± </b>


    Stanley pulled the men to their feet one at a time, sending them off to pack up and prepare for departure.


    Soon, the camp was dismantled, and 21 helicopters were prepared for <b>takeoff</b>.


    Stephan was ced in one of the ck helicopters. When Felicia <b>boarded</b>, Imogen also climbed in, without any assistance, she carefully felt along the cabin walls until she reached Stephen¡¯s <b>side </b>


    ¡°Imogen, wait for me!¡± Johanna called out, attempting to board as well.


    However, Stanley rudely yanked her back and shoved her into another helicopter. His actions were rough, and after tossing her inside, he shot her a cold re. If it weren¡¯t for this Troublemaker, none of this chaos would¡¯ve happened.


    the deafening roar of engines filled the air as the helikopters took off


    Inside the cramped space of the ck helicopter were only four people¨Cthe unconscious Stephan, Felicia, who <b>sat </b>quietly in theer, Imogen, who was silently weeping, and Stanley, who kept his mouth tightly shut.


    Although the earler chaus had been overwhelming, Imogen had been present throughout and was fully aware of Stephan¡¯s current condition. <b>Now</b>, both siblings were simrly


    ¡°Why Why did this have to happen.¡± <b>mogen </b>murmured through her rears, frustration, and sorrow etched across her face. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it enough that I¡¯m blind? Why did he have to


    ¡°because of pu


    sad avuire from the corner.


    Itwa Telch whin answerd


    Imogen¡¯s face was filled with hostility as she turned around to look in <b>Felicia¡¯s </b>direction <b>and </b>scolded, ¡°What would an outsider like you know? You heard a few things and think you understand everything?¡±


    li aeftustied, ¡°I don¡¯t understand everything, but I do think that when a loved one sullers because of you, guilt is inevitable. If the rules were reversed and it was the brother hat shurided his sister, resulting in blindors, wouldn¡¯t the sister feel the same guilt? She¡¯d probably wish that the injured person wasn¡¯t her brother but herself.


    ?50, when you asked why he hurt himmell, I think it¡¯s <b>because </b>of guilt and because it broke his heart.¡±


    Feberia¡¯s words nude imogen pauar in thought

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 549

    In the past, Imogen had always been consumed by her sorrow over losing her sight. Outwardly<b>, </b>she pretended not to care, but inwardly, her spirits were perpetually low.


    However, <b>when </b>viewed from another perspective, back when Stephan had witnessed her copsing to the ground while screaming in agony, would the trauma and pain be any less than hers?


    Now, Imogen used that incident as leverage to attack him and threatened to take her own life to force him into making a choice¡­ How was that any different from stabbing a knife into his heart?


    Ingen covered her mouth as a wave of immen


    immense sorrow and regret washed over her. She dared not make a sound, <b>but </b>tears <b>streamed </b>down her face uncontrobly. Stanley noticed and pulled our a packet of tissues, handing two sheets to her.


    Imogen epted them, but her expression suddenly twisted in pain<b>. </b><b>She </b>bent over, clutching her swollen belly and crying out, ¡°M¨CMy stomach. It hurts!¡±


    Ms. Russell¡±


    Stanley immediately supported her, <b>his </b>panicked eyes darting to Felicia for help.


    Felicia quickly checked imogen¡¯s pulse and cursed inwardly. ¡°Her water broke. She¡¯s going intobor!¡±


    Sure enough, amniotic fluid began seeping from beneath Imogen¡¯s skirt


    ¡°W¨CWhat?¡± Stanley was utterly flustered, stammering, ¡°B¨CBut there are still two months to go! H¨CHow can this be happening now?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s too emotional and stressed. Going into prematurebor is the best¨Ccase scenario at this point.¡±


    Felicia quickly regained herposure and instructed Stanley, ¡°There¡¯s no choice. <b>We </b>need to head to the nearest hospital immediately<b>! </b>


    However, in the rainforest region, even the nearest hospital was several hours away.


    Fortunately, as the Russell family¡¯s eldest daughter, <b>Imogen¡¯s </b>travel arrangements had been meticulously prepared. The equipment and supplies forbor and delivery <b>had </b>been brought along, almost as if in anticipation of every contingency


    If pash came to show, they could find a ce tond and perform the delivery on¨C<b>site</b>.


    Luckily, Imogen¡¯s body was well¨Cnourished and cared for, and the fetal monitoring showed the baby to be healthy. Although her water had broken, the situation wasn¡¯t yet critical Even <b>so</b>, Imogen was visibly shaken, trembling non stop, Going intobor under such circumstances was understandably terrifying


    Felicia ced aforting hand on her shoulder and reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Lie down and stay <b>still</b>, We¡¯re on our way to the <b>hospital</b>; everything will be fine.¡±


    At this moment, regardless of any previous tensions, Felicia couldn¡¯t bring herself to hold a grudge against <b>a </b>woman inbor.


    Imogen nodded tearfully.


    Fortunately, everything proceeded smoothly.


    Three hourster, the helicopter arrived at the nearest hospital.


    During the journey, the Russell family summoned the best obstetricians and prepared state¨Cof¨Cthe¨Cart equipment with just a phone call. By the time the helicopternded, Imogen, donched in sweat and wracked with pain, was swiftly transferred to the delivery room.


    Stanley was more nervous than anyone else.


    When Felicia called out to him, he seemed dazed and slow to respond. ¡°Huh? Ma¡¯am, did you call me?!


    Felicia was quite surprised. She had intended to ask him to go buy some food and drinks since no one had eaten anything after leaving the rainforest. Imogen would also need mergy replenishment


    ¡°Never mind. Stay and keep watch. I¡¯ll go out and grab some food myself¡±


    With that said, Felicia lett the hospital


    Alter an exhausting day, the sky had turned dark. The street outside the hospital was lit by streetmps, and vendors lined the sidewalks, selling fast food and other <b>snacks</b>. Felicia stopped by a nearby store to buy chocte bars and water, then got several takeout meals. After paying, she headed back to the hospital. Along the way, she had to pass through a dindy li, eluded parking lot.


    The lot was mostly empty, with afew cars parked there and no one in sight.


    Halfway through, Felicia suddenly stopped in her tracks. The bags in her hands fell to the ground, causing the food to spill. The enticing aroma of food wasted up to her nose as sher trouse iti ne.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 550

    Felicia couldn¡¯t move at a


    tetasit her feet had taken root or were nailed to the ground. She was able to budge in the slightest, Cold sweat broke out across her back in an instant. She tried to move her hand, but bet body refused to obec.


    It was as though she had been thrown into <b>a </b>rapidly hardening pool of cement and sealed from <b>head </b>to lor,pletely immobilized!


    Why was this happening?


    Pary surged in her chest as Felicia focused every ounce of her anareness on her right hand she tried to wist her wrist to pinch herself hard. The internal struggle felt like two opposing forces pulling him from either side.


    Her body seemed to be telling her to give up, that struggling was futile. Yet her consciousness was cursing at her own body furiously.


    At that moment, a young couple happened to pass by


    The woman, noticing Felicia¡¯s unusual state, approached kindly and asked, ¡°<b>Miss</b>, are you alright? Are you feeling unwell? You look so pale. Do you need help?¡±


    Felicia couldn¡¯t respond. She couldn¡¯t utter a word<b>, </b>nor could she blink her eas, which we now sore and bloodshot from being held open for so long


    The woman waved her hand in front of Felicia¡¯s face but got no <b>reaction </b>Without hesitation, she turned to her boyfriend and urged, ¡°Something¡¯s wrong with her! Go Inside and pet a doctor right now!¡±


    The man dropped his backpack and sprinted into the hospital like the wind to find help


    Meanwhile, the woman stayed behind, offering Felicia words offort.


    Felicia¡¯s gaze remained unfocused, but she could feel the warmth <b>and </b>kindness anating from the woman. Her heart was touched, and her tightly wound <b>emotions </b>rxed slighth.


    But just then, a fent, distant sound reached her ears¨Cthe jingling of a bronze bell.


    The sound was haunting, almost like a curse.


    Each chime seemed to form a singr, chilling phrase ¡°Hill her Killher!¡±


    A searire pein exploded in Felicia¡¯s head as her very soul was being torn apart. Her nerves screamed, and her consciousness teetered on the brink <b>of </b><b>copse</b>.


    * she screamed internally, clenchingher teeth <b>so </b>hard it felt like they might shatter


    But to her horror, her hands began to move uncontrobly Slowly, they rose into the air until they wrapped tightly around the woman¡¯s neck!


    Just martactits age, the woman had been gently reassuring Felicia, telling her not to worry and that help was on the way


    The next second, her feet lett the ground as she <b>was </b><b>hoisted </b>up by her neck, with Felicia¡¯s hands gripping her rightly like a vice.


    In just a few seconds, the woman¡¯s tace turned red from theck of oxygen, then purple. Her limbs tailed weakly but to no avail


    The bromur bell¡¯s chimes grew louder and more frequent in Felicia¡¯s ears, clearer and more insistent.


    Hei mind was filled with an overwhelming surge of malice and bloodlust as if every ounce of her being demanded destruction and death.


    ¡°No! Siop right now!


    Cong to thest shred of rity in her mind, Fe bit down hard on her tongue, resulting in a <b>sharp </b>pain and a rush of blood in her mouth.


    The buze bell¡¯s chimes quirketed as if enraged by her resistance, its hypnotic pull growing stronger, more sinister.


    With bloodabut ejus, Feliciu let out a puttinal roat<b>, </b>summoning every ounce of willpower to release ber grip.


    The women dropped to the ground as Felicia¡¯s hands fell away


    This wehr unfolded just a farman pemuined with a doctor in tow


    oregs widened <b>in </b>bontor, and dead to his gidilend¡¯s side¨Cquickly.


    The donor who stand was momentarily stunned by the si and quickly rushed over to examine the word. After a moment, he let out a sigh of rellet. ¡°She¡¯s okay. She¡¯s still


    The worst called prom ched her neck, gaspang lui air Triton st?llet


    and the bruised, daboned handprints on her pale neck stood out starkly, a chilling


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 551

    Chapter <b>551 </b>


    The young man trembled with rage as he stormed toward Felicia with his fist raised.


    Felicia was already exhausted. She looked pale, and her body was drenched in sweat. She made no effort to dodge or retaliate.


    The young man¡¯s hand hovered in the air but never struck. Instead, he shaved Felicia forcefully and yelled, ¡°My girlfriend tried to help you, and you strangled her! Where¡¯s your heart?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Felicia closed her eyes. At that moment, she felt as though she was more like a puppet than a human


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She turned to Jenifer, who was on the ground, and struggled in move in and check her injur


    Jenniter flinched and backed away, clearly still shaken. The young man immediately stepped in front of her and blocked Felicia. ¡°We don¡¯t need your fake


    concem


    Since Jenniter was unharmed, the doctor left. There was still much to be done elsewhere.


    The young man helped Jennifer up from the ground. <b>¡°</b>Jennifer, are you okay? Does anything hurt?¡±


    Jennifer shook her head, but her gaze remained fixed on Felicia


    Anyone who tried to help only to be betrayed and nearly killed would feel a whirlwind of anger and confusion. Jennifer was no different and was caught between rage and frustration.


    But she also remembered the struggle and anguish in Felicia¡¯s eyes when she was almost strangled to death. Felicia even bit her own tongue until she bled to stop herself.


    Jennifer said to her boyfriend, ¡°I don¡¯t think she meant to hurt me¡­¡±


    ¡°What? She strangled you! And you¡¯re saying that¡¯s not intentional?¡± The young <b>man </b>was furious and wanted to shake <b>some </b>sense into her. ¡°Jennifer, stop being so na?ve. Don¡¯t just go around helping people. Always <b>protect </b>yourself first!


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± He guided Jennifer away while still shielding her protectively. Before leaving, he shot onest re at Felicia.


    Once their footsteps faded, Felicia was left alone in the dimly lit parking <b>lot</b><b>. </b>


    She sat on the ground and leaned against a flowerbed. Her hands were still trembling. She had almost strangled an innocent bystander.


    It had been so close.


    Whenever that bell rang, she would lose consciousness and sleepwalk. But now, <b>her </b>awareness lingered while her body acted against her will.


    Felicia couldn¡¯t help but wonder what would happen next time.


    If shepletely lost consciousness, would she wake up to find her hands sealed in blood? Would she discover she had killed someone? What about the people around her? Would they be in danger?


    No, she had to figure something out.


    Felicia took out her phone, only to realize it had run out of power. She retraced her steps to the convenience store and borrowed a charger.


    A few minutester, her phone powered back on. <b>She </b>scrolled through her contact list and called a number.


    The call connected quickly, and a woman teased, ¡°No wonder my <b>eyes </b>have been twitching all day. It turns out my golden goose is calling. Do you have a job for me? I¡¯m always avable.¡±


    Even over the line, Felicia could imagine Scarlet throwing a flirtatious wink as she spoke.


    Scarlet was a mercenary,


    A few months <b>ago</b>, at her apartmentplex, Carmen took a sniper¡¯s bullet meant for Felicia Though the sniper escaped, Felicia had issued a five¨Cbillion -dor bounty on the sniper¡¯s head to avenge Carmen.


    Nine mercenariespleted the task, and Scarlet was one of them.


    Felicia never expected she would need to reach out to Scarlet again so soon.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 552

    Felicia urgently needed someone she could trust by her side.


    Standing in front of the convenience store¡¯s ss window, the metallic taste of blood lingered in her mouth from biting her tongue. She had to speak slowly. Otherwise, her words woulde out garbled. ¡°Thave a job. Be my personal bodyguard. I¡¯ll pay you one million dors, deal?¡±


    On the other end of the line, Scarlet¡¯sughter echoed through. ¡°Send me your location.


    After hanging up, Felicia sent her location.


    Scarlet replied instantly. ¡°Okay.¡±


    She didn¡¯t mention when she would depart or when she would arrive, but Felicia felt assured she woulde.


    Felicia sighed and bought a few bags of bread from the store. Then, she started walking back to the hospital<b>, </b>retracing her earlier route through the parking lot.


    Felicia remained on high alert and scanned her surroundings. Nothing unusual urred, and the bell sound didn¡¯t return.


    Back at the hospital, Imogen was still in the delivery room<b>. </b>Word was she had dted, but there was still a <b>while </b>before the actual birth. Stanley remained outside.


    In another ward, Stephan was still unconscious. Two of his men stood guard at the door. When they <b>saw </b>Felicia return, they greeted her immediately,¡± Mrs. Russell.¡±


    ¡°Get some rest and eat something¡± Felicia handed them the bags and water bottles.


    Her voice sounded different <b>than </b>usual. It was muffled and strained


    But no one noticed.


    After the two guards left, Felicia entered the ward to check Stephan¡¯s pulse. The toxins still lingered in his system, but his body was otherwise stable. She estimated he would wake up by the next day.


    His eyesight, however, wouldn¡¯t recover in the short term.


    Felicia was exhausted and considered squeezing <b>onto </b>the bed with Stephan for some rest. But when she nced at her own hands, she immediately stepped back.


    In the end, she curled up on a couch near the door. Wrapping the charging cable she bought earlier around her hands, she closed her eyes and drifted into sleep.


    She didn¡¯t know how much time had passed until an itch on her face roused her. Opening her eyes, she was met with Stephan¡¯s handsome face. He was awake, his hand gently caressing her cheek. That was why she felt itchy.


    Felicia shifted, realizing she was no longer on the couch but lying on the hospital bed. Someone must have carried her there, No wonder her sleep had felt so restful. Beds were far morefortable than cramped couches.


    Felicia waved a hand in front of Stephan¡¯s eyes.


    He caught it immediately. ¡°Stop waving. I¡¯m blind.¡±


    His pupils were veiled in a grayish haze. The mysterious air about him was now tinged with an enigmatic allure.


    At the moment, Stephan could only see vague shapes and shadows.


    ¡°Do you <b>regret </b>it?¡± Felicia asked. She smiled lightly, trying to sound carefree. ¡°You could¡¯ve just thrown me out. Wouldn¡¯t that have solved everything? Instead, you hurt yourself. How foolish.¡±


    Stephan propped his head on his hand, lying next to Felicia on the same hospital bed. Their bodies pressed together, close enough to feel each other¡¯s warmth, heartbeat, <b>and </b>scent


    He traced her face with his fingertips, gently outlining her brows and eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll never let you go.¡±


    It <b>wasn¡¯t </b>a choice. To Stephan, Felicia was more important than life itself.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 553

    Felicia was caught off guard by Stephan¡¯s words. In that instant, her heart warmed and tears gathered in her eyes.


    She instinctively turned her away, not wanting Stephan to notice. But he did. His fingers gently guided her face back toward him, his lips curling into a mischievous smile. ¡°Why are you hiding? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re about to cry.¡±


    Felicia rolled her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re the one crying!¡±


    Even though Stephan couldn¡¯t see, his intuition remained uncanny


    Felicia pouted. She wasn¡¯t crying, just a little moved.


    After all, she had been abandoned too many times and had never been someone¡¯s choice.


    But now, someone was holding her hand so firmly. Someone refused to let go no matter the situation¨Cnot even for a second.


    She felt secure.


    Felicia was still emotionally lost when she suddenly felt a hand slide under the nket.


    The hand was well¨Cdefined, with calloused fingertips. Wherever it moved, it sent sparks through her body,


    The two of them were already squeezed into the same hospital bed. With their bodies so close together, Stephan couldn¡¯t miss her reaction.


    He chuckled, his eyes flickering <b>even </b>though his vision was blurred. Yet his gaze stillnded on Felicia¡¯s face.


    Felicia felt a mix of frustration and embarrassment. How could be keep <b>making </b>these increasingly bold moves while maintaining such a calm and collected demeanor?


    Just as she was about to move, Stephan lowered his head and muzzled her neck. His breath tickled her skin. ¡°I¡¯m blind now. <b>Will </b>you still want me?¡±


    His tone was seductive, but if one listened carefully, there was a hint of pleading in it. Stephan wasn¡¯t as fearless as people made him out to be.


    Felicia found it amusing, but her heart softened. She reached out and shoved him away forcefully. Before he could react, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his.


    Did Felicia want him? Well, this was her answer.


    Stephan froze, and his gaze darkened. Then, he chuckled as he grabbed the back of her head and kissed her fiercely. He quickly took control.


    The hospital ward grew warmer.


    When Felicia woke up the next day, her entire <b>body </b>ached <b>as </b>if she had been run over. Her <b>limbs </b>felt so heavy that she could barely lift them. Thinking about <bst </b>night, she felt an overwhelming sense of embarrassment.


    They were so loud. Did anyone outside hear them? Probably not


    The hospital was quiet, and the VIP <b>floor </b>had very few people. The small lounge outside the room should have muffled the sounds.


    Felicia sat up and realized that all her clothes had been changed. Everything she was wearing, from <b>inside </b>to out, was fresh and clean. Naturally, she knew whose handiwork it was,


    She couldn¡¯t help but wonder how Stephan, with his eyesight impaired, had managed to distinguish the front from the back of the garments.


    The thought of him fumbling through the process made her <bugh</b><b>. </b>


    At that moment, there was a knock on the door, followed by the voice of one of the guards. ¡°Mrs. Russell, I¡¯ve brought <b>breakfast</b>.¡± ¡°Come <b>in</b><b>,</b>¡± Felicia responded.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 554

    The bodyguard entered after knocking and ced the breakfast on the table before quickly leaving


    After freshening up, Felicia walked out. The breakfast took up the entire table


    After finishing her meal<b>, </b>she wiped her mouth and headed to the delivery room. As expected, Stephan was already waiting there.


    Felicia approached silently, but Stephan noticed her immediately. He reached out and pulled her close. ¡°You wereining about being hungryst night. Did you eat breakfast?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡± Felicia then teased, ¡°How did you know it was me? What if you <b>had </b>mistaken someone else for me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Stephan said confidently. ¡°How could I not recognize my own wife?¡±


    Felicia was at a loss for words. Fine, he got her there.


    For some reason, she pressed, ¡°But what if¡­ What if one day, you can¡¯t recognize me?¡±


    Stephan pondered her question. Then, he chuckled and shook his head. ¡°If that ever happens, it means I¡¯m dead ¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that!¡± Neither of them knew at the time that this casual exchange would one day be a haunting prophecy.


    Felicia¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She quickly covered Stephan¡¯s mouth with her hand. But he simplyughed and kissed her hand.


    Felicia stared at him. His handsome features, the curve of his lips, and his every word and gesture struck a chord within her. She vowed she wouldn¡¯t let him be blind forever. She would find a way to cure his eyes no matter the cost.


    By noon, after around 16 hours in the delivery room, Imogen sessfully gave birth to a healthy baby boy. When the nurse came out holding the newborn, the baby had already been cleaned and wrapped in a towel.


    Being premature, the baby¡¯s cries were faint, and his body was small and frail. His red skin made him look like a monkey wrapped snugly in the nket.


    Stephan hesitated to touch the baby as he <b>couldn¡¯t </b>see. Upon hearing the good news that both mother and child were safe, his expression softened, and he breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I can¡¯t hold him. Will you hold him instead, Mrs. Russell?¡±


    Felicia froze before realizing he was addressing her. She immediately stumbled back, waving her <b>hands </b>in protest.


    <b>No </b>way. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t like children. She just feared the baby¡¯s mother mighte out and tear into herter!


    After all, Imogen was not someone to be trifled with. She was <b>scary </b>when she was angry, and Felicia¡¯s survival instincts kicked in


    Stephan arranged for others to take care of the baby. Soon, Imogen was wheeled out of the delivery room and transferred to her ward. The baby was brought to her side.


    Stephan wanted to check on his sister, but Felicia found an excuse not to follow. If Imogen saw her, she would likely get emotional again, and things could escte into another confrontation


    Stephan understood. He sighed and patted Felicia¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯ll take <b>care </b>of it. Sorry you have to endure this.¡±


    Felicia pushed him gently. ¡°Go <b>on</b>.¡±


    If Stephan had let go of Felicia¡¯s hand or asked her to step back to avoid worsening the conflict back when Imogen had threatened to harm herself, Felicia would have felt aggrieved. But Stephan hadn¡¯t done that.


    In a situation where it seemed impossible to satisfy both sides, he made a different choice. Even at the cost of himself, he had never let go of her. Felicia sighed. How <b>could </b>she not fall for him?

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 555

    Chapter <b>555 </b>


    After Stephan lett, Felicia found herself bored. The weather was nice that day, so she went downstairs, found a clean spot by a flowerbed, and sat down to enjoy the sun. She opened a mobile game on her phone to pass the time.


    The sound effects of the game filled the air.


    After ying a couple of rounds, Felicia lost interest and tossed her phone aside. The moment she stopped, memories of the bronze bell fromst night came flooding back


    She couldn¡¯t stop thinking about how much time she had spent flipping through books and scouring materials, only to find absolutely no clues. She grew frustrated at the thought.


    As her irritation died down, a thought shed through her mind.


    Wait!


    Felicia froze, staring nkly at her hand as suspicion crept into her mind. Could it be that someone had cursed her? The sound of the bell could be a means to manipte her, using the curse ced on her as a medium to take control!


    If that were true, her investigation would have been in the wrong direction! The real culprit affecting her wasn¡¯t the bell. It was a curse!


    Felicia had checked her pulse and found everything normal, which was why she hadn¡¯t considered this possibility. She had assumed that the mysterious bronze bell was to me.


    But how could she have heard it in different locations if it were truly the bell? It simply didn¡¯t add up!


    It she looked at it from the perspective of curses, everything made sense!


    Whoever was behind the curse didn¡¯t need to be near <b>her</b>. With the help of venomous creatures, they could use the bell to control the venomous creature inside her body.


    Felicia ced her fingers on her pulse. It was steady with a trace of fatigue. Other than that, she didn¡¯t feel any signs of being poisoned.


    With her level of medical expertise, no venomous creature should be able to evade her detection unless it had been imnted in her when she was a child.


    If it had been with her for that long, the venomous creature would have be a part of her body, making it impossible to <b>remove</b>.


    Who could it be? Felicia wracked her brain, searching through her childhood memories.


    But <b>most </b>of what came to mind were images of <b>chores</b>, beatings, and leftover scraps of food in broken bowls.


    There were no recollections about the <b>venomous </b>creature, or perhaps she was too young to remember it happening.


    Felicia shook her head in frustration and suddenly felt a wave of <b>dizziness</b>. Just then, the eerie bell chimed again in her mind, like a haunting curse. Felicia¡¯s gaze hardened. It was happening again!


    She gripped her hand tightly to fight off the urge. But before she could focus, a shadow fell over her, apanied by the familiar voice she had heard on the phonest night. ¡°Boss, what are you doing in this godforsaken ce? It¡¯s so remote. There¡¯s no airport or train station. I had to call a helicopter to get here. You¡¯d better pay me for the travel expenses<b>!</b>¡±


    It was <b>none </b>other than the mercenary, Scarlet.


    Scarlet set out immediately after she epted <b>Felicia¡¯s </b>request. She was dressed in her signature leather jacket and pants, her <b>hair </b>cascading down her shoulders. She looked feminine yet bold and was as striking as ever.


    <b>She </b>carried a ck bag slung over her shoulder. There was no doubt it contained weapons.


    Felicia struggled <b>to </b>suppress her trembling hands. Her voice was hoarse, but she managed a smile. ¡°Perfect timing. You¡¯re just in time. Did you bring any ropes? The me up!¡±


    pay me back. But


    ¡°What?¡± Scarlet was in disbelief. Even as a mercenary, Felicia¡¯s request left her speechless. ¡°Boss, I understand if you don¡¯t want to pay isn¡¯t this going too far?¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 556

    Felicia was on the verge of losing control. The bronze bell in her mind rang louder, driving her toward a killing frenzy.


    Her whole body trembled as she fought against it. The splitting headsche felt like it would tear her apart, and she could barely hang on


    Felicia gritted her teeth as sweat poured down her face. ¡°Get¡­ a rope. The me up. I¡¯ll pay you¡­ Hurry!¡±


    Only then did Scarlet notice something was wrong


    Felicia was sitting by the flowerbed, her face twisting in <b>pain</b>. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her fists were clenched tightly as if she were on the brink of madness. It was <b>clear </b>this was no joke.


    Scarlet immediately abandoned her yful nature. <b>She </b>pulled a rope from her bag and tied Felicia¡¯s arms behind her back.


    Unfortunately, it was daytime, and people didn¡¯t really pass by this area. If anyone saw this, they would think Scarlet was a kidnapper.


    Felicia was aware of the risk. She used thest shred of rity and murmured, ¡°Take me back to Khogend¡­ To my clinic¡­ Find¡­ Find¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, her body gave out, and she copsed.


    Scarlet caught her just in time. She took off her leather jacket and draped it over Felicia before carrying her out of the hospital.


    ¡°Oh, my poor boss, you owe me extra for this!¡± Scarlet muttered <b>as </b>she shook her head.


    That day, Imogen gave birth to a baby boy named Caleb.


    That day, Felicia disappeared from the <b>hospital</b>.


    That day, Stephan left his sister and nephew <b>only </b><b>to </b>discover Felicia was nowhere to be found. He searched the entire hospital before breaking into the surveince room to check the footage, which showed her being taken awa


    away.


    That day, in a shadowy corner where <b>no </b>one noticed, someone stood with a sinister prin


    The scorching summer wind carried a stifling heat.


    When Felicia woke up, she saw a white ceiling and tightly drawn curtains. The air smelled of herbs. It was bitter but familiar.


    She recognized this ce. It was her clinic, Union Clinic.


    Felicia let out a breath of relief. She remembered everything before she passed out. The money wasn¡¯t wasted, and the Scarlet delivered her back to Khogend and brought her to the clinic.


    Felicia opened her <b>mouth</b>, but her voice was hoarse. ¡°Scar¡­¡±


    <b>¡°</b><b>Oh</b>, you¡¯re awake?¡± The curtain was pulled back, flooding the room with light. Scarlet stood at the bedside, her tone tinged with grievance. ¡°On top of the travel expenses, you¡¯re covering medical bills too!¡±


    The sudden brightness stung Felicia¡¯s eyes, and it took her a moment to adjust before she could see Scarlet. She was stunned by the sight.


    Bruises marred Scarlet¡¯sce, one on her forehead and another on the corner of her mouth. She looked like she had been in a fight or <b>was </b>a victim of domestic violence,


    Felicia blurted, ¡°Who did this to you?¡±


    Scarlet fell silent <b>with </b>aplicated look. ¡°You.¡±


    Wie?


    Felicia choked, taking a moment topose herself before sitting up. ¡°Exin.¡±


    Seeing that Felicia seemed clueless<b>, </b>Scarlet felt her bruises started hurting even more. She recounted what happened after Felicia passed out.


    After Felicia copsed, Scarlet carried her out of the hospital and boarded the helicopter to Khogend. She had to pay an evenrger sun to fly back. But during the flight, Felicia suddenly woke up and immediately attacked everyone around her!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 557

    Scarlet and Felicia were the only ones at the back of the helicopter.


    Felicia¡¯s sudden attack was <b>swift </b>and ferocious. Scarlet was caught off guard and took a hard headbutt that left her ears ringing.


    Scarlet had to defend herself. ¡°I was unprepared. That¡¯s the only reason you got the jump on me. Otherwise, with my skills, you wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance¨Cow.¡±


    She winced as she touched the bruise on her mouth.


    Felicia silently thanked her lock. Fortunately, her hands <b>had </b>been tied behind her back. It wouldn¡¯t have been a simple sneak attack if she had been free to grab a knite.


    ¡°What happened after that?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Well, I knocked you out, of course¡± Scarlet shrugged innocently. ¡°Don¡¯t me me, boss. You can¡¯t cut my pay for this.¡±


    Felicia was speechless. So, the pounding headache she woke up with was thanks to <b>Scarlet</b>.


    Felicia listened as Scarlet nted her hands on her hips andined, ¡°You said to take you <b>to </b><b>a </b>clinic but didn¡¯t mention which one. It took me some effort to track <b>this </b>ce down.¡±


    ¡°Then I figured you¡¯d wake up soon, but those oldies outside.¡± She <b>pointed </b>at the hallway. ¡°<b>They </b>checked your pulse <b>again </b>and again and couldn¡¯t figure out why you were unconscious. How useless!¡±


    ¡°How long was I out?¡± Felicia asked. Based on her experience, she guessed it couldn¡¯t have been more than a day.


    But Scarlet¡¯s reply left her stunned. ¡°Three days! You were out for 76 hours!¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Felicia snatched her phone from the bedside table and checked the date. It <b>had </b><b>indeed </b>been three days since she lost consciousness.


    But something didn¡¯t add up. In her fregmented memories, she recalled briefly waking up before cking out again.


    Scarlet noticed her confusion and added, ¡°Oh, right. One of those oldies suggested using acupuncture to wake you up. But before they even started, you suddenly woke up. I figured you might go berserk <b>again</b>, so 1¡­ I punched you out. You know, just to be safe.¡±


    Felicia¡¯s eyes widened in shock as Scarlet¡¯s words echoed <b>in </b>her mind. She could have woken up a day earlier if not for that! Instead<b>, </b>she was knocked out <b>cold </b>again the moment she regained consciousness.


    No wonder her neck felt sore!


    Felicia rolled her eyes. ¡°Be honest. Are you sure you¡¯re not working for <b>one </b>of my enemies?¡±


    Scarlet burst intoughter. She pinched Felicia¡¯s cheek and <b>teased</b>, ¡°You¡¯re adorable. You¡¯ll believe anything I say, won¡¯t you? Haha!¡±


    Felicia groaned <b>and </b>decided to ignore her.


    Just then, Kerry peeked into the room. <b>He </b>squealed in excitement and leaped into the room with such force that the curtain fluttered in his wake.


    ¡°Boss! You¡¯re finally awake! I was scared to death! Caesar and the others had no idea what to do. They said the only option was to wait for you to wake up. And they even warned us that the worst¨Ccase scenario was you never waking up¡­ Thank goodness you¡¯re okay!¡± Kerry jumped in glee.


    Felicia offered him a smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine now. But I¡¯m starving. Could you get me something to eat?¡±


    ¡°Of course, boss! I¡¯ll go right now!¡± Kerry¡¯s eyes sparkled as he dashed out the door.


    Before long, he returned with a steaming bowl of stew from the shop next door, a ce Felicia had frequented before. It was rich and delicious. Felicia finally felt better after eating it.


    She instructed Kerry, ¡°Get me the medicine kat. And bring me a small knife.¡±


    ¡°Right away, boss!¡± Kerry nodded.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 558

    Kerry quickly left toplete the task


    What Felicia liked about Kerry was his obedience and efficiency. Despite being young, he was sharp, didn¡¯t ask unnecessary questions, and followed


    enders without hesitation.


    Once Kerry brought the items, Felicia dismissed him.


    Now, only Felicia and Scarlet were left in the room.


    Felicia opened the medical kit,id out her acupsmeture needles, and disinfected the knife. After preparing everything, she rolled up her sleeves and made


    her first incision.


    Blood dripped down


    Scarlet sat on a nearby chair, observing with surprise but refraining from Interrupting


    It wasn¡¯t until Felicia made three cuts that Scarlet finally asked, ¡°Boss<b>, </b>what exactly are you doing


    Felicia didn¡¯t lift her head. ¡°Looking for a venomous creature.¡±


    ¡°Venemous creature?¡± Scarlet¡¯s eyes widened in shock. It was rare <b>to </b>see her startled. ¡°Are you saying that you lost control and attacked me because you were being manipted by one?¡±


    ¡°Probably. I¡¯m still trying to confirm.¡± Felicia made another cut on her arm, but there was still no sign of anything unusual.


    When she had previously extracted the twin venomous creatures from Lewis, the same bloodletting method had forced the creatures to surface. However, there was no reaction even after four cuts.


    This left two possibilities. Either there was no venomous creature, <b>or </b>it had been nted in her so long ago that it had be undetectable.


    She hoped it wasn¡¯t thetter.


    If she didn¡¯t resolve this soon, she would eventually


    Felicia¡¯s grip tightened around the knife, but her trembling <b>hand </b>failed to hold it steady. Soon, the de fell to the ground.


    Felicia bent down <b>to </b>retrieve it, but Scarlet was faster and picked it up before cing it aside


    Scarlet rummaged through the medical kit and retrieved some gauze and medication. She started dressing Felicia¡¯s wounds. While wrapping the bandages, she said, ¡°Boss, I understand why you hired me. You have a venomous creature within you and fear losing control, so you brought me on board to lock you our or restrain you when pushes to shove, right?


    Felicia didn¡¯t deny it. She hadn¡¯t tried to hide her actions from Scarlet. Even if Scarlet hadn¡¯t asked, Felicia had nned to exin eventually.


    After dressing the wounds and securing the final knot, Scarlet looked at Felicia andughed. ¡°Boss, why did you choose me for this? You give me the feeling that you trust me ¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just a feeling I do trust you. Felicia met Scarlet¡¯s gaze. She smirked and countered, ¡°Why do you like calling me boss? You give me the feeling that you knew me


    Scarlet chuckled, her hand instinctively reaching out to pinch Felicia¡¯s cheek, though she stopped halfway, ¡°I have a younger sister about your <b>age</b>. I¡¯m reminded of her whenever I see you.¡±


    <b>So</b>, Felicia reminded Scarlet of her sister.


    Felicia didn¡¯t press further. Sometimes, unspoken things were easy to guess


    She picked up her phone and quirked a brow <b>at </b>Scarlet


    Scarlet looked puzzled.


    Feliciammed. ¡°Let me pay you back for your expenses.¡±


    The tople shift was clumsy, but¡­ Scarlet liked it!


    She immediately provided her ount details with a bright smile. The helicopter fee costs 600 thousand dors. And another 300 thousand dors <b>for </b>my medical bills. You hit my precious face. That doesn¡¯t sound like much, right?¡±


    Felicia opened her bank ount on <b>her </b>phone, but it suddenly froze and shut off


    Felicia sighed. ¡°It¡¯s out of battery. Seems like you¡¯ll have to wait.¡±


    <b>Scarlet </b>watched as Felicia walked past her. She could see how Felicia was trying hard to fight back a grin. Scarlet knew she was doing this on purpose!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 559

    Such a vengeful and cunning girl!


    a reason she liked her.


    Scarlet couldn¡¯t help butugh as she watched Felicia walk away. She knew there was a re


    Scarlet knew this mission wouldn¡¯t earn her a dime. In fact, she might even lose money!


    Felicia exited the clinic room and was surrounded by the eight seasoned physicians and the helpers they called in. They <b>bombarded </b>her with questions about her condition.


    She brushed them off with a few vague answers. She was a medicine expert. If she couldn¡¯t solve the problem, how could they?


    After sending them away, Felicia was about to check on the medicine storage when a car pulled up. Before the vehicle had fully stopped, someone jumped


    DUL.


    It was Stanley!


    Felicia was surprised before recalling that she had vanished from the hospital three days ago without leaving so much as a note or exnation. Stephan was unaware of what had happened and probably searched <b>for </b>her everywhere.


    As she pondered, Stanley ran up to her, his face a mix of relief and distress. ¡°Mrs. Russell, I finally found you!¡±


    Felicia nced behind him but didn¡¯t spot Stephan. ¡°Where¡¯s Stephan? Is he still at that hospital? Or has he returned to Seldvale?¡±


    The situation back then was urgent. Imogen <b>had </b>gone intobor, forcing them to stop at a hospital. The facilities weren¡¯t ideal, and Felicia figured they would have returned to Seldvale by now for Imogen¡¯s postpartum care.


    As expected, Stanley nodded. ¡°They¡¯ve returned to Seldvale<b>, </b>Mr. Russell nearly lost his mind looking for you!¡°.


    ¡°He broke into the security room and reviewed the footage. That was how he found out you were taken away¡­¡± Stanley nced behind Felicia and noticed Scarlet. He grew cautious. ¡°Mrs. Russell, what happened to you that day? <b>Were </b>you kidnapped?¡±


    The hospital¡¯s security cameras hadn¡¯t captured everything. All they saw was Scarlet carrying Felicia away, not the moment she lost consciousness.


    Felicia shrugged. ¡°She¡¯s a friend. I¡¯m fine. Go back and tell Stephan I¡¯ll call him.¡±


    Stanley hesitated and lowered <b>his </b><b>voice</b>. ¡°Mr. Russell might not be able to answer right now. Seldvale is a mess, so he sent me to Khogend to check on you. He¡¯ll be fine as long as you¡¯re safe.


    Felicia frowned. ¡°Is he so busy that he can¡¯t even answer the phone?


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Stanley hung his head with an unreadable expression. He added, ¡°But maybe he¡¯ll still answer, depending on the situation¡­¡±


    What kind of ambiguous answer was that?


    Felicia found it amusing. ¡°Fine. Just let him know I¡¯m okay. You can go now.¡±


    <b>¡°</b><b>Okay</b>.¡± Stanley nced at her and returned to the car. <b>Soon</b>, the vehicle sped off.


    Scarlet, who had been watching the exchange, crossed her arms and walked up to Felicia. ¡°He¡¯s lying, <b>Mrs. </b>Russell.¡±


    Scarlet was learning fast.


    Felicia¡¯s eye twitched


    Scarlet chuckled and was about to tease Felicia further. However, her expression shifted, and her smile faltered. She quickly turned toward the corner of the street with a tense look. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 560

    Before Felicia could react, she saw something flying from Scarlet¡¯s hand. A secondter, a scream echoed from the alley.


    Felicia quickly headed toward the source of the sound. When she reached the alley, she saw <b>a </b>shadowy figure limping away, disappearing into the far end


    of thene.


    Scarlet¡¯s rxed demeanor was gone. Her expression hardened, her muscles taut. ¡°Should we go after them?¡±


    Scarlet would give chase it Felicia gave the order. Her skills as a former mercenary made her unmatched <b>in </b>agility andbat.


    Felicia turned back toward the clinic. ¡°No need. Let¡¯s go back. I <b>know </b>who it is.¡±


    It was one of Maurice¡¯s men. Ever since Maurice left Khogend, he had stationed people to monitor her.


    Normally, these men were well¨Chidden and rarely revealed themselves. The spy must <b>have </b>seen the car from the Russell <b>family </b><b>and </b>assumed Stephan


    had arrived, prompting him to take a risk and show himself. He must have not expected Scarlet to sense him.


    Once back at the clinic, Felicia thought over her options before finally giving in and calling Stephan. As expected, he didn¡¯t pick up.


    She scrolled through her contacts until she found Maurice¡¯s number. This time, the call was answered instantly.


    Maurice¡¯s nonchnt voice came through the line. ¡°Say you miss me, or I¡¯m hanging up¡±


    <b>What </b>was wrong with this guy?


    Felicia rolled her eyes. She snapped, ¡°Did you forget to take your meds today? Get your people to¡ª¡±


    The call ended abruptly


    Felicia swallowed her curses. But she couldn¡¯t let it slide and called again.


    Maurice answered just as quickly. He sounded smug over the line. ¡°Alright, I get it. You missed me, didn¡¯t you, sweetheart?¡±


    ¡°Fuck off!¡± This time, it was Felicia who hang up!


    It was pointless to talk to someone like him. Maurice clearly had no intention of withdrawing his men. He was either intentionally annoying her or just


    <b>insane </b>


    Nothing good woulde out of him!


    Felicia tossed her phone aside and looked up to see Scarlet lounging nearby. Her head rested on her hand as she watched Felicia with an amused smirk. Felicia rubbed her throbbing temple before heading into the storeroom


    The rare herbs she had taken from the Russell family were still there. Regardless of the fallout between her and Imogen<b>, </b>Felicia had been paid to do a job. A deal was a deal. She would fulfill her promise to cure Imogen


    Felicia spent two days in the storeroom. When she emerged, her clothes were stained with the scent of herbs. She finallypleted the antidote.


    She called Kerry over and handed him a small bottle. ¡°Take this to the Russell residence in Seldvale and deliver it to their eldest daughter. Tell her to take it, and her eyesight will be restored within two hours.¡±


    ¡°Yes, boss!¡± Kerry was enthusiastic. He was eager to represent the clinic for such an important task. He straightened up, his posture exuding confidence Felicia paid for his travel expenses, including his airfare and taxi fare. When she turned around, Scarlet leaned in and teased, ¡°What about my pay, boss?¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 561

    Felicia was never stingy with her people. She immediately transferred 20 million to Scarlet. Half was payment for hiring her as a bodyguard while the


    test covered her experises.


    Scarlet was startled. She had initially thought this job might leave her at a loss, ¡°You¡¯re so generous Aren¡¯t you worried I¡¯ll just take the money and run?¡±¡±


    Felicia stretchedzily. The extra can count as sparring fees.¡±


    Over the past few days, Felicia hadn¡¯t been idle outside her pharmaceutical work, Every morning, she stuck to her training regimen. Dissatisfied with her


    Initially, Scarlet merely watched, but after a while, her interest seemed piqued. She volunteered to spar with Felicia, who eagerly epted.


    The result? She pot thoroughly beaten.


    Despite her decent closebat skills, she was no match for Scarlet. As a mercenary, Scarlet had superior strength, technique, and realbat experience. After several sparting sessions, Felicia was covered in bruises, but she also improved significantly


    <b>Scarlet </b>clicked her tongue and teased, ¡°For all that, these sparring fees are pretty low. Fin acting as your punching bag, your sparring partner, and your bodyguard: Do you know <b>how </b>tough that is?¡±


    Feliciaughed and scolded, ¡°Be grateful. You¡¯re getting paid to beat up your boss. Isn¡¯t that satisfying enough?¡±


    Scarlet rubbed her chin with a smirk. ¡°Can¡¯t argue with that. It is pretty satisfying.¡±


    Felicia was speechless. She somehow managed to create <b>a </b>situation where only the employer suffered


    Scarletughed beartily, but she did offer some reassurance. ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad. Your closebat skills are impressive. They¡¯re better than I expected. I was even thinking of teaching you a trick or two, but it seeins you won¡¯t need them.¡±


    Scarlet asked, ¡°By the way, where did you learn your fighting style? Your moves are so simr to mine. Yesterday, when I watched you, I almost thought I was the one who <b>taught </b>you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible ¡°Felicia chuckled.


    Her fighting skills came from her past life. After Arnold sent her to prison, one of the cellmates had taught her.


    At that time, Fellesa had been tormented to the point of being blind in one eye and suffering


    ing from a broken leg. It was the darkest period of her life, barely <b>any </b>different from death.


    Thisbat technique had helped her survive. It allowed her to defend herself and fight <b>back </b>when bullied in prison.


    The memory of her cellmate surfaced in her mind. If she ever had the chance to meet her again, Felicia vowed to repay the kindness.


    She shook her head and sank into the couch. Just as she was about to answer Scarlet¡¯s question, what Scarlet said shed through her mind ance Yesterday, when I watched you, I almost thought I was the one who taught you.¡±


    Felicia fell into a stunned silence. She stared intently at Scarlet<b>, </b>scrutinizing her as if trying to uncover a secret.


    Could it be? Could Scarlet be that cellmate?


    A gasp escaped her lips. What were the odds?


    more.¡±


    Scarlet noticed Felicia¡¯s unrelenting stare and chuckled. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, boss? Why <b>are </b>you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?¡°¡±


    <b>¡°</b>How old are you?¡± Felicia asked abruptly.


    Scarlet¡¯s grin widened as she let out a whistle. ¡°I¡¯m 16.


    Felicia rolled her eyes in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m being serious!¡±


    Scarlet raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m 28. Nine years older than you.¡±


    As expected, even their ages matched!


    Felicia inhaled sharply. With no one else around, she reached out to lift Scarlet¡¯s shirt.


    Felicia vividly remembered a terrifying scar across her cellmate¡¯s stomach¡ªa prating wound.


    <b>As </b><b>she </b>lifted the fabric, Scarlet¡¯s abdomen was revealed. It was taut and muscr, with beautifully defined abs and smooth lines that exuded the strength


    of years of rigorous training. Her sculpted physique carried a bold, untamed feminine allure.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 562

    There was no sign of a prating scar.


    Felicia lowered her <b>gaze </b>and slowly retracted her hand.


    Searler, who had allowed Felicia¡¯s actions without resistance or protest, found it amusing and asked, ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing ¡°Felicia replied with a faint senile, convincing herself she was just overthinking


    For now, there were more pressing matters to address¨C<b>like </b>helping Stephan detoxify and curing his blindness


    She didn¡¯t have much time left.


    Felicia thought grimly about the venomous creature nted inside her. The parasite had fused with her very bones and blood, making it impossible to remove. Each chime of the bronze bell awakened the parasite, and with every instance of control, its grip over her wouldst longer.


    Eventually, she would lose her mind entirely and be a puppet under someone else¡¯s control.


    She would rather die than let that happen..


    But before that, she needed to cure Stephan¡¯s eyes first. Atter that, she would unearth the person who had plotted against her and was attempting to manipte her. Even if it meant mutual destruction, she would make sure to take that bastard down.


    Felicia tumed and immersed herself in the storeroom once more.


    monce


    The form she used yesterdaycked potency. She pondered whether substituting different herbs and incorporating acupuncture could seed in neutralizing the poison.


    She worked tirelessly, covering the desk with over a dozen sheets of paper filled with her hasty handwriting. She kept recording treatment methods and herbal prescriptions. Each attempt ended in failure, but she persisted.


    Meanwhile, the other eight senior physicians and medical masters were busy treating patients. Despite the bustling activity, everything in the <b>clinic </b>proceeded in an orderly manner.


    Just then<b>, </b>another unwee guest arrived.


    It was Sebastian


    After finding Felicia¡¯s vi empty, Sebastian came to the clinic. A quick inquiry at the entrance confirmed that Felicia had indeed returned from the rainforest and was currently <b>inside</b>.


    He hurried in, visibly anxious as he called out, ¡°Licia, where are you? I need to talk to you!¡±


    In the past,


    Sebastian wouldn¡¯t have gotten past the front door of the clinic because Kerry would¡¯ve unceremoniously chased him out with a broom.


    But now, Kerry was away on an errand to deliver medicine to Seldvale, and everyone else was preupied. Sebastian strolled unimpeded into the clinic, shouting Felicia¡¯s name as he went.


    Felicia had no intention of confronting him. Instead, she nced at Scarlet, who immediately understood and stepped out.


    ¡°Just throw him out,¡± Felicia instructed. ¡°But don¡¯t hit him too hard. We don¡¯t want to <b>tarnish </b>the clinic¡¯s reputation.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    At the consultation room entrance, Sebastian was about to push open the third <b>door </b>when he felt a tap on his shoulder.¡±


    ¡°Fel¡­¡± He spun around, thinking it was Felicia, but before he could finish saying her name, a fish mmed into his nose.


    Sebastian groaned in pain as warmth surged from his nostrils. Blood gushed instantly.


    Standing before him was a tall, alluring woman exuding both charm and menace.


    ¡°Who are you? Where¡¯s Felicia? I want to see her!¡± Sebastian demanded, wiping the blood from his nose. <b>His </b>brows furrowed together when he didn¡¯t see


    Feirin


    Scarlet, uninterested in conversation, threw another punch. This time, Sebastian was prepared and narrowly dodged. The two quickly engaged in a


    Sebastian had some training It wasmon practice for wealthy families to train their heirs to have some skills in self¨Cdefense.


    However, his skills were no match for Scarlet, a battle hardened mercenary who lived life on the edge.


    In no time, Sebastian took a beating. His handsome face bore two bruises<b>, </b>his mouth was bleeding, and he looked utterly disheveled.


    After tossing him out of the clinic, Scarlet dusted her hands and ryed the message. ¡°My boss <b>said </b><b>she </b>has already cut ties with you <b>and </b>your family. Do her a favor and stop bothering her in the future<b>, </b>got it?¡±

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 563

    ¡°Is that really what Felicia wants?¡±


    Sebastian¡¯s expression darkened, his lips pressed tightly together. His emotions were a mess, but when he thought of his family¡¯s current situation, he let out a bitterugh and then left without a word


    After just a few steps, Scarlet called out to him again and tossed him a card.


    Sebastian recognized it at a nce. It was the same card Dexter had given Felicia when she was first brought back to the Fuller family. The card was meant as pocket money, tied to an ount loaded with 500 thousand dors.


    ¡°My boss said she has never touched a single cent of this money. Now, it¡¯s being returned, so consider everything settled. You can leave now, and don¡¯t


    Scarlet didn¡¯t care whether he wanted the card or not. She shoved it into his hands.


    Before turning around to leave, she gave him a once over, <b>head </b>to toe, before sneering. ¡°Your family¡¯s judgment really is terrible. Mistaking a fraud for the real one and then treating the real one as trash. And now, you have the nerve to regret it?¡±


    Rolling her eyes, Scarlet turned around and sashayed away.


    By the time Sebastian left, the sky had grown <b>dark</b>. Dark clouds loomed overhead, and <b>a </b>bolt of lightning split the sky, followed by a loud p of thunder. Soon,rge raindrops began to fall.


    People on the streets hurried off to find shelter or opened umbres they had prepared in <b>advance</b>.


    But Sebastian neither sought cover nor opened an umbre. He walked through the rain, soaked to the skin by the time he returned home


    In the kitchen, Dexter, who had never cooked before, was clumsily preparing a meat. When <b>he </b>saw his son return, he was startled and identally sttered hot oil on the back of his hand, <b>causing </b>him to hiss in pain.


    ¡°Sebastian, did you manage to see Felicia? It¡¯s pouring out there. Why are you soaked? Go take a shower and change your <b>clothes</b>. Dinner¡¯s almost ready.¡±


    When the food was finally <b>served</b>, the pasta and side dishes were a disy of varying levels of overcooked and burned food. Some of the meats were cut into such uneven slices that one might think they were hacked apart by an axe.


    The final product was just an unappetizing mess that was almost inedible. Still, this had been their daily reality for some time now.


    The Fuller family had no money left.


    After Sebastian rushed back to the country and learned that his parents were missing, he spent thest of his money pulling strings to get information. Eventually, he rushed to the rainforest and sessfully found them


    After leaving the rainforest, Dexter¡¯s condition was diagnosed to be just some superficial injuries. However, Myra <b>was </b>in bad shape.


    During their days lost in the rainforest, <b>Myra </b>became severely dehydrated and drank contaminated water, which led to her developing a high fever. By the time Sebastian found her, she was already showing signs of a bacterial infection.


    What followed was a chaotic rush to the hospital. The father and son waited outside the operating room for hours on end, like prisoners enduring torture.


    The medical bills piled up quickly. Imported medications were used, and every possible test was conducted. Myra just wouldn¡¯t wake up.


    Although the doctor said that her vitals had stabilized, the parasites were sessfully removed during <b>surgery</b><b>, </b><b>and </b>the bacterial infection was <b>under </b>control<b>, </b>she was still stuck in aa. Now, <b>Myra¡¯s </b>life depended entirely on a daily supply of nutrient infusions.


    Dexter wondered if it might be simr to his own experience. He had once been in a prolongeda but eventually woke up after a long dream. Could Myra be experiencing the same thing?


    Uncertain of what else to do, their first thought was to turn to Felicia for help.


    That was why Sebastian had gone to see <b>Felicia </b>earlier<b>, </b>only to be thrown out without even catching a glimpse of <b>her. </b>


    Looking down at his hands, Sebastian realized he had been gripping the card so tightly that his fingers had gone stiff. As he slowly unclenched his hand, Dexter caught sight of the familiar card.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the card I gave Felicia?¡± Dexter asked in su


    in surprise.


    He still remembered the day he handed it to Felicia. At the time, Ka had smugly boasted that while Felicia only received an ordinary <b>card</b>, hers was <b>a </b>supplementary card linked to the primary ount, allowing her unlimited spending

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 564

    At the time, those words sounded quite harmless to Dexter. But thinking back, it was clear that every word Ka said was meant to emphasize the difference in status between herself and Felicia. The bigger problem, however, was Dexter himself.


    He was the one who gave Ka the confidence to step on Felicia. He knowingly turned a blind eye, choosing to act oblivious. His bias was so extreme it bordered on absurdity.


    Now<b>, </b><b>as </b>he looked at the returned card, Dexter couldn¡¯t help but feel it was all deserved.


    He forced a strained smile and asked, ¡°Sebastian, didn¡¯t you talk to Felicia? Ask her toe take a look at your mother even it¡­ Even if we have to offer to pay her as a doctor!¡±


    The family was out of money, but they still had thisst house as coteral they could use as payment.


    Sebastian shook his <b>head</b>. ¡°She won¡¯t see us. Let¡¯s think of another solution. Worst¨C<b>case </b>scenario, we transfer her to another hospital and see if they can help¡±


    ¡°That¡­ That¡¯s all we can do for now¡­¡± Dexter picked up his cutlery and said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡±


    The food wasn¡¯t good. It was either too greasy or too salty, but neither of themmented on it. The dining table fell into silence, punctuated only by the asional clinking sounds from the cutlery.


    After dinner, Sebastian cleared the table while Dexter carried <b>a </b>basin of water to the bedroom. Be carefully wiped his wife¡¯s face and adjusted her position on the bed.


    ¡°Wake up soon, darling. Look at you. You¡¯ve lost so much weight. If this goes on any longer, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll <b>do</b>.¡± Dexter murmured softly, sighing repeatedly.


    Focused on turning his wife over, he didn¡¯t notice her fingers twitch twice before bing still again.


    It was a long dream, one that took her back to her past life. In her dream, Myra saw a woman giving birth. She stood frozen for a long time before realizing that the woman was herself¨Cher younger self from 20 years ago.


    Back then, she was still young, her eyes free of wrinkles. Even though her <b>eldest </b>son, Sebastian, <b>was </b>already in elementary school. She was well cared for, still the pampered daughter of the Walsh family and Dexter¡¯s beloved wife.


    The most difficult experience of her life had been giving birth.


    One week before her due date, Myra had stubbornly attended a gathering with her friends, ignoring all


    rest.


    As the event ended, someone identally bumped into her stomach. Her water broke, <b>and </b>she went intobor right there.


    <b>In </b>a flurry of chaos, people rushed her to the hospital. Dexter arrived shortly after in a panic.


    Theborsted several hours. The pain was excruciating, and by the end<b>, </b>Myra was tugging at Dexter¡¯s hair in frustration, dering that this would be herst child. She never wanted to go through this pain again!


    Dexter hurriedly promised her.


    Watching this scene unfold again in her dream, Myra couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    At the time, she had felt nothing but satisfaction and sweetness. Now<b>, </b>seeing it all from a different perspective, she felt the same happiness. A few hourster, the sound of a <b>baby¡¯s </b>cry echoed in the room.


    On the delivery bed, Myra was utterly exhausted. Drowsiness overwhelmed her as she heard the doctor and nurses congratting her.


    ¡°Congrattions, Mrs. Fuller! It¡¯s a baby girl! She looks just like you. Look at her beautiful features. She¡¯ll grow up to be a stunning beauty!¡±


    ¡°Of course! My daughter will be the most beautiful of all!¡± she thought


    Myra smiled, her lips curling up. She wanted to see her daughter, but exhaustion imed her, and she fell into a deep sleep.


    In her dream, Myra observed the scene as a third party. She leaned closer and indeed saw a delicate baby girl. Even as a newborn, her extraordinary beauty was evident.


    ¡°Licia¡­¡±


    Myra¡¯s eyes grow misty. She reached out, wanting to hold her daughter. But before her hand could make <b>contact</b>, the baby away.


    she saw a w


    saw a woman in work attire take


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 567

    Myra watched Felicia grow up, witnessing her transformation from resignation to hope, only to <b>see </b>all her hopes shatter in the end. They pierced her soul like countless sharp des.


    The deepest wounds were often inflicted by those closest to one.


    Myra saw with her own eyes how Ka, with her innocent and gentle facade, secretly orchestrated schemes. Beneath her seemingly innocent and pitiful exterior lurked a sinister expression eerily simr to that of Howell and Tabitha. She schemed repeatedly, sowed discord, and framed Felicia time after


    In the end, she put on a falling¨Cinto¨Cthe¨Csea act and pinned all the me on Felicia!


    Myra watched helplessly as her past self pped Felicia hard across the face, severed ties, and cast her out of the <b>family</b>.


    In the end, with their tacit approval, Arnold sent Felicia to prison under the guise of seeking justice for Ka. It was to punish Felicia, to make her pay the price she deserved.


    And while all this was happening, Ka hid in the shadows,ughing with delight.


    Later, Felicia died, but Ka emerged unscathed, iming that she had been miraculously saved after falling into the sea. She pretended to have suffered amnesia and only recently regained her memory, allowing her to return home.


    It was a flimsy excuse, yet that was all it took to convince everyone!


    No one questioned her story, nor did anyone doubt her miraculous return. Instead, they celebrated, believing it <b>was </b>divine providence to regain what was


    once lost


    Myra¡¯s chest tightened, and she coughed up a mouthful of blood.


    <b>How </b>blind and foolish must she have been to ignore her biological daughter¡¯s years of suffering, all to protect <b>the </b>reputation of an imposter? To overlook Howell and Tabitha¡¯s heinous deeds and even willingly pay them so million as hush money?


    How blind must she have been to dismiss her daughter¡¯s cries for justice time and <b>again</b>, failing to see through the petty schemes of a con artist and ultimately bing an aplice in driving her own child to her death?


    How much of a fool must she have been to show such tant favoritism and end up in this situation?


    Regret and hatred ate at her heart.


    The more Myra thought about it, the more her heart twisted in pain. Waves of remorse washed over her<b>, </b>leaving her hands and feet icy <b>cold</b>. She clutched her head and spat out another mouthful of blood


    Her eyes opened to the warm glow of the ceiling light.


    Dexter¡¯s worried yet hopeful voice echoed in her ear,


    ¡°Darling, you¡¯re awake? Are you feeling unwell anywhere? Why are you crying? Tell me. I¡¯ll take you to the hospital!¡±


    Myra stared nkly for a long time. A tear slid down the corner of her eye, after which she shook her head.


    Her body


    ly felt numb, void of pain. Only her heart felt as if a plece had been carved out. It was hollow, aching, and filled with regret.


    <b>She </b>gripped Dexter¡¯s <b>hand </b>tightly as silent tears continued to fall, quickly dampening the pillow beneath her. ¡°I had such a long, long dream¡­¡±


    In that dream, she saw her past life and her present.


    Dexter, who had recently said simr words, seemed to understand. He held her hand firmly and gently said, ¡°It¡¯s over now, darling. It¡¯s all in the past¡­. Don¡¯t think about it anymore.


    Myra¡¯s gaze at the ceiling, her eyes vacant.


    That long dream had shown her her <b>past </b>life from a new perspective.


    When she was inving it, she hadn¡¯t thought she <b>was </b>wr


    sew her indecision and ignorance, her tolerance of what should not have been toleratest


    wrong. But viewing it from this angle<b>, </b><b>she </b>saw her own impulsiveness and self¨Crighteousness. She


    There had been so many opportunities to change things, yet she had chosen to blind herself to ignore the truth and deceive herself.

 Return of the Crowned Heiress Chapter 569

    For the past few days, Stephan hadn¡¯t contacted her. Whenever she called, no one answered. The messages she sent remained unread.


    Stanley had said he was busy. Could he really be as busy as Stanley imed? So busy he couldn¡¯t <b>even </b>spare a minute or two for a phone call?


    Excuses. All of them were just excuses! Men just couldn¡¯t be trusted!


    Previously, he had personally promised that once he returned from the rainforest, he would marry her. He had even nned the dowry. And now, there was only silence.


    Felicia pondered for a moment and decided to call Stephan again.


    After a few rings, the call went unanswered.


    Was she¡­ being given the silent treatment? Or had Stephan, upon returning to <b>Seldvale</b><b>, </b>finally agreed to sever ties with her at Imogen¡¯s insistence? Was that why he was refusing to contact her now?


    Felicia forced a smile, suppressing the emotions surging in her heart.


    At the same time, a nended in Seldvale. Among the passengers was Kerry.


    He was there to deliver medicine.


    Even though Seldvale¡¯s splendor was dazzling, with its <b>towering </b>skyscrapers and a scene of overwhelming prosperity everywhere, Kerry didn¡¯t dare nce around recklessly. His mind was focused solely on one <b>task</b>¨Cdelivering the medicine.


    He needed to ensure hepleted what Felicia had entrusted him to do


    This trip wasn¡¯t just about representing Union Clinic. It also represented Felicia herself. He <b>had </b>to handle this task wlessly and not embarrass her in the slightest!


    So, as soon as he got off the ne, Kerry hailed a taxi <b>and </b>headed straight to the Russell residence¡¯s address in Seldvale. The address had been provided by Felicia


    After a 30¨Cminute cab ride, he arrived.


    Even though Kerry had mentally prepared himself, he was still stunned by


    by the Russell family¡¯svish estate.


    The entire estate was an epitome of luxury, with every inch ofnd worth its weight in gold, and the Russell family upied a vast <b>area</b>. The grand and imposing vi, with its opulence, was unmistakably the Russell residence.


    It was every bit as awe¨Cinspiring as its reputation suggested!


    Kerry trembled slightly, feeling inexplicably nervous. Even his legs started shaking uncontrobly.


    He gathered his courage to approach the imposing vi. However, before he could get close, two stern¨C<b>faced </b>guards in ck suits appeared in front of him, blocking his way.


    ¡°This is the Russell residence. Who dares trespass here?¡± one of them bell


    bellowed


    ¡°I¡¯m not trespassing! I¡¯m here to deliver medicine!¡± Kerry waved his hands <b>frantically</b>. Despite being <b>sharp </b>and quick¨Cwitted as a runner for the clinic, he was just a fresh graduate. He had never faced such an intimidating situation before and instinctively <b>shrank </b>under their imposing demeanor.


    Fortunately, he remembered his mission and stammered, ¡°I¨CI¡¯m here to deliver medicine to Ms. Russell. Please pass the message and let me enter ¡°Delivering medicine to Mr. Russell?¡±


    The two guards exchanged nces, then one of them said<b>, </b>¡°Stand here and wait.¡±


    Kerry obediently waited in ce, not daring to move an inch while one of the guards went to ry the message.


    Imogen was cradling her child, gently soothing the little one when she received the news


    The baby, so small and delicate at birth, was growing stronger and more robust every day. His cries were now loud <b>and </b>clear, and his health was visibly Improving This filled logem with a deep sense offort.