She's My Sleeping Pill

Just as expected, Mhalik tried every possible ways to stop Athalie from leaving his home. Unfortunately, the second prince was around which hindered the success of his plan.

"You'll end up a spinster if you choose to wait for him. I don't think he's coming back," Mhalik commented while sitting on a couch with poise, yet the sinister look in his eyes didn't escape Athalie's observation.

"It doesn't matter, Mhalik. You know, I'm a princess in name only but I have given up my qualification for the throne. There's nothing for you to gain in this marriage. If anything, you're missing on a good woman out there."

"Why look for a good woman when I have the best in front of me?"
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Athalie wanted to roll her eyes in front of her enemy, but she had to fake a smile to ensure she's not alerting him to take any further threat.

Just as the saying goes, fake it 'til you make it.

"I appreciate your compliment," Athalie answered as she got up from her seat. "Anyway, I just came over to tell you my part of the story. I would appreciate it if you can convince yourself and your father to stop the marriage from happening."

Mhalik didn't say anything. He just nodded his head several times, but based on his expression, it wasn't a nod of agreement.

Athalie didn't look back at all when she left the mansion. She hung her head low to keep her expressions hidden from the cameras pointing to her.

"Let's visit the capital," she told her brother with no room for agreement. This might be the last time that she'd get to visit her country. At the very least, she'd like to see the place that she enjoyed touring when she was growing up.

She visited her favorite pastry shop and bought her favorite dessert. She ate as if she wasn't worried for Steve. In truth, when she paid for her order, she slipped some note.

"Here's your take out," the waitress said and handed the paper bag to Athalie. "Can I get a picture of you?" whispered the woman with anticipation. "I can tell that you are the famous model. I won't tell anybody."

"Let's do it outside, right next to my car. I don't want to disturb the business."

The waitress nodded her head happily and agreed. Both of them went out of the pastry shop, took a quick selfie and bid farewell.

"I hope you'll find justice for him soon," commented the waitress in a voice just enough for the two of them to hear. She was one of the people who believed that Steve was killed unjustly.

Athalie smiled faintly without saying anything and got inside the car. As soon as the car opened, the waitress saw the second prince sitting at the back and her eyes went wide in shock.

Sadly, before she could recover from the surprise, they had already left.

"So, what's their relationship?" muttered the waitress with an expression from shock to confuse.

From the time they left home until they returned, Athalie didn't hear any unwarranted remarks from her brother. He really was there just to accompany her. She had no idea what was going on in his mind but to her, as long as he won't do anything to go against her plan, she wouldn't mind him just being a bystander.

She immediately went back to her room as soon as she got home while her brother went to seek their parents to make a report.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Athalie hid the paper bag under her bed as soon as she heard the faint foot steps outside her room. She can't have someone see the content of the package.

Her sister pushed open the door and smiled at her. "Did you get him to agree with dissolving the agreement?"

Athalie sighed and recalled to her sister what transpired at the Darian's home. "I'm tired. Can we talk later. I want to rest."

"Hn. Okay. I'm sorry for disturbing you."

Athalie didn't respond to her sister anymore. She didn't want to appear in a hurry to shoo her sister away. She even had to put an adamant look on her face, though she didn't even try to stop her from leaving.

***

"He is in coma," Brown told Stefan over the phone after he checked Steve's condition. "He was beaten, left with no food, water and enough ventilation. Though he wasn't tortured, being confined in a dark place for several days was enough to break him."

"But he'll recover," Stefan said without the slightest bit hesitation. Since Brown didn't sound conflicted, it means there wasn't anything he should be worried about. "I'll leave him in your hands. Let me know if there's something else you need."

Brown pocketed his phone when the call ended and signaled for the other doctor to come inside and discuss some important matter with the older man.

Since Steve couldn't be admitted to any of the hospitals in D country for fear that Mhalik would find him again and end his life. It took Cleo a lot of planning to get him out of the country for medical assistance. Fortunately for her, Stefan was willing to negotiate despite the fact that they've affected his wife's reputation.

Thus, Brown came into picture to help Stefan with Shein and Tristan cleaning up traces of the patient's data from the hospital's and flight's network.

Though it seemed like it was a win-win situation, Cleo still felt that he was losing against the man.

"I'm going back to the office," Cleo expressed since their visitors had left already. "Call me if you need anything else."

Augustine didn't hold his daughter in high regards just because she's a daughter. In this world with power struggle, he preferred a son over a daughter. So, he doted on Mhalik more than he would to his daughter. In short, he overlooked her efforts and neglected her.

"Wait!" Mhalik shouted and approached his sister in big strides. "Why did you take him out?!"

"Then what? Would you like her to smell the rotten stench coming from your little playground?" Cleo retorted with a mocking look at her stupid brother. "At least, check your toys if they're already broken or if they need a little fixin'. Don't just leave them."

"You are crueler than I thought," Mhalik said with a wide grin.

"You don't know what I'm capable with. If you want to check the body, just ask your men," Cleo said and left.

Of course, she had already expected Mhalik to find out about her actions. She had calculated her steps including the loyalty of their people.

When a cruel person takes action, it would instill fear in people's minds. However, when a smart and cruel person make a move, it would instill a bone-deep fear in many people.

In the hearts of the servants, a heirarchy was already formed and in silence, they had already chosen to follow Cleo's arrangement.

Whatever Mhalik would do, if Cleo won't say anything, they wouldn't make a single peep.

But when Cleo steps in, even Augustine couldn't do anything.

The servants knew that sooner or later, the Darian family would either flourish or disappear depending on Cleo's choices. She had all the cards in her hands.

"I've done everything I could. It's on you now to clean up the rest," Cleo told Stefan over a voice message.

***

While the other side of the world was in chaos, Cayenne was happily chatting with her brothers and Sabrina during their live stream.

This time, they were having a cook off battle to make a dish and a dessert.

Mainly, it was to endorse Chiffon and the new product that Saucy had introduce in the market. Saucy didn't publicly announce that Cayenne would endorse them, but they would pay her 5% of the total sales after a week of her live stream.

[I can't get enough of Luiz!]

[I thought I'd only see Luiz in chef uni, I didn't expect I'd see Kyle as well.]

[I don't care about the food they're cooking. I'm already full.]

[So, they are really friends, huh.]

For a moment, the live stream went silent after this comment, then it was bombarded with a lot of inquiry.

[What do you mean by your statement?]

[Who do you mean? I never heard of the brothers having a fight?]

[It's even more impossible for Cayenne to have a fight with her brothers.]

[You don't mean Sabrina and Cayenne, right?]

[??????]

Addie was watching the live stream on her phone and when she read the comments and questions, she raised her head to look at the four people in camera.

They all seemed natural to her and Sabrina had been staying with the Dumrique family. It was impossible for them to be fighting.

Kyle and Luiz would certainly get an earful of scolding from Cayenne if they would fight, too.

"Did I miss anything?" she asked herself in whisper, not daring to ask out loud.