Andrea took a deliberate step forward, her boots echoing softly against the concrete. Helena’s eyes narrowed, tracking every move. The operatives shifted uneasily behind their leader, sensing the tension but unsure who would act first.Carl moved alongside Andrea, silent and lethal, his presence a steady anchor. “Stay close,” he whispered, eyes scanning for any sudden attack.Helena clapped slowly, mockingly. “Impressive… you really think you can walk in here and dictate terms?”Andrea’s gaze never wavered. “I’m not negotiating. Release her—or I make you regret it.”A single smirk crept across Helena’s face. “Regret? My dear, you’re still so naïve. You think this is just about your cousin? It’s bigger than that. It’s about power. Control.”Andrea’s voice dropped, steady and cold. “And I am the rightful queen of this kingdom. You want to control Brightskia? You’ll have to go through me.”At that moment, one of Helena’s operatives lunged at Carl with a knife. Instantly, Carl disarmed hi

After everything was settled, Andrea returned to the palace.She insisted that Elara stay there until she fully recovered. The palace doctors monitored her condition closely, and Andrea made sure her cousin was never left alone.Meanwhile, Carl began preparing for his departure.He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his cellphone. Up until now, he still hadn’t spoken to Sophia. He didn’t even know how to begin explaining himself. He had ignored her calls for months.For sure, she was furious.Carl drew in a deep breath.“I can do this.”He was the leader of special operations. A man trained for high-risk missions. Enhanced abilities, tactical genius—and yet here he was, hesitating because of one woman.Pathetic.He grabbed his phone and opened it with his eyes half-closed, as if bracing himself for impact.Less than a minute later, it rang.He nearly dropped it from shock.Steadying his grip, he inhaled once more before answering.“Hell—”“Wow. So you’re still alive, huh?” Sophia’

The palace was already awake before sunrise.Andrea stood in front of the tall mirror inside her private chambers, her expression calm—but her thoughts anything but.Glenda adjusted the structured cream blazer over Andrea’s shoulders. “The Carson Group delegation will arrive at nine, Your Majesty.”Andrea nodded. “Security?”“Tightened. Background checks cleared. Though…” Glenda hesitated slightly. “Their CEO’s daughter arrived in Brightskia last night.”Andrea’s brows lifted faintly. “Unexpected?”“Yes.”Andrea turned away from the mirror and walked toward the window overlooking the capital. “Unexpected guests have become a pattern lately.”She didn’t know just how true that was.—At exactly eight o’clock, Carl’s car stopped in front of the hotel.He had barely slept.Sophia stepped out five minutes later, dressed sharply in a tailored navy suit, confidence radiating from every step. Jessa followed, tablet in hand.Carl got out and opened the door for Sophia.She paused before enter

That strange feeling refused to leave Sophia.Something wasn’t right.She was certain Carl was hiding something from her—and somehow, the queen was involved in whatever secret he was keeping.Meanwhile, Carl was growing increasingly restless.He stepped out of Sophia’s suite, quietly closing the door behind him.Andrea had to be planning something. He could feel it.And if she was—he needed to stop it before things spiraled out of control.Without wasting another second, he headed straight for the queen’s chambers.“Carl,” Andrea greeted the moment she saw him.She was seated beside the tall window, the late afternoon light spilling across the room as she reviewed a stack of documents. The papers rested neatly on the small table beside her.Carl approached her slowly.Before speaking, he paused and bowed his head respectfully.“My Queen.”Andrea set the papers aside and looked at him.“Do you need something?” she asked coolly.Carl felt it immediately—the distance in her tone.“Andrea

By the time dinner ended, Sophia could no longer sit still.She knew it. She could feel it.The way the queen and her fiancé looked at each other—there was something strange about it. Something hidden. Something that carried meaning beneath the surface.Even the servants had been acting oddly, restraining themselves as if they were holding back from doing something they normally should.“Something isn’t right,” Sophia murmured.She was already back in her room.Jessa paused from typing on her tablet and looked up at her employer.“What is it, Ms. Carson? Is there something in the contract that needs to be adjusted?”Sophia took a deep breath.“Can you check what Carl was really doing here in Brightskia? And how exactly he ended up here?”Jessa frowned in confusion.“What do you mean?”Sophia rolled her eyes and finally turned to face her.“Carl was supposed to go to Armenia. That was his assignment. Then suddenly, I found out he was here in Brightskia instead. Doesn’t that sound stran