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“Rod is right. I think that’s his true nature. He’s just been hiding it until now.”
Travis patted his chest proudly. “That’s right! You can trust me on this. My mentor listed a thousand types of bad men, and Yuvan is just like one of them. My master never gets it wrong-Yuvan is like a scruffy peacock, proudly showing off his feathers without realizing how ugly he looks.”
The three who were overthinking froze for a moment when they heard Travis’ words. His mentor said that? Then, it must be reliable.
“Seriously, trust me,” Travis continued. “My mentor says that no matter how powerful or ambitious a intentions man is, he can’t hide toward women. Sophie, you especially need to believe this. If
Prince Rafael ever starts looking at another woman, you’ll see right through him without a second thought.”
Rafael had been following Travis’ line of thought, but after hearing that last comment, his face darkened. “Nonsense! There’s no way I’d be interested in any other woman.”
Travis lifted his chin in defiance. “Well, you can never be too sure. My mentor’s list of a thousand men includes those who start off all innocent and full of devotion, but eventually turn fickle. And when those kinds of men turn, they’re far worse than others.”
Jacob noticed that Travis had gotten off-track and quickly intervened.
“Mr. Mullen, we can’t use Prince Rafael as an example. Sure, men like that exist, but that’s not what we’re discussing right now.”
Travis put on a look of deep sympathy, as if he were offering sage advice, and continued, “Vivi says she doesn’t want to marry, and I’m all for it. If she doesn’t marry, she won’t get hurt. Young love is intense, but after time passes, it just becomes gross.
“It’s like iron with a coating of gold-when that coating falls off, the iron rusts and decays. Even with genuine feelings, it turns out like that. And then you have someone like Yuvan, who’s all scheming and never tasted the sweetness of love. He’s like an old thief. The minute a woman like Vivi steps into his life-someone who can heal his broken heart and also help him out-he becomes like a dog in heat and shows all his ugly sides.”
Jacob was utterly lost. After a long pause, he asked, “Is that something your mentor said?”
If one hadn’t been through so much, how could one possibly speak such words of weariness and wisdom? Travis definitely couldn’t have said something like that.
“Yeah, my mentor has said a lot of things like that. Want to hear more?” Travis grinned.
“No thanks,” everyone responded in unison, more than a little disgusted by the idea.
Yet, there was truth in Travis’ words. Everyone took a moment to think, realizing that his perspective was rooted in human nature, which surely overpowered the behavior Yuvan had previously shown.
Sophie quietly noted the number of skilled servants and maids she had encountered at Edgeview Estate earlier that evening.
“There were 18 maids and 23 attendants. They didn’t seem like suicide soldiers. Suicide soldiers undergo intense training, especially for high-risk situations. They instinctively react with defensive reflexes because they’ve been trained in life-or-death crises. I tested three of them today-one maid and two attendants. They showed no change in expression or bodily reaction when faced with unexpected pressure,” she said.
Rafael nodded in agreement. “I agree. Suicide soldiers don’t need to be calm-they need to be ruthless and completely obedient. Those who are as steady as that are most likely martial arts experts, probably used as bodyguards.”
They were all trained in martial arts and had undergone crisis training, but every move they made was calculated. However, suicide soldiers operated in the shadows. Their sole mission was to relentlessly pursue their target without hesitation, to the point of death.
When Icarus tried to assassinate Sophie, he had suicide soldiers with him. A few of them had been captured, and they had been tested. Just as Sophie had said, they responded exactly as expected.
“I’ve gone through nearly every part of Edgeview Estate except for the study in the central courtyard,” Sophie said. “I didn’t feel the bloodlust of a suicide soldier, but l can’t say for certain that there aren’t any There could still be hidden rooms or secret chambers where they’re being kept.”
“I’ll look into it,” Violet replied.
“No,” Sophie cut her off firmly. “You’re not going. You can’t go back to Edgeview Estate.”
“Why not? It’s the perfect opportunity! That was the plan when we went there tonight.”
Sophie shook her head. “At the time, we didn’t know how vile Yuvan truly is. You can’t go. That man is cunning and vicious, and he uses all sorts of strange poisons. If he poisons you and takes control of your mind, you’ll be forced to do whatever he wants.”
“I’ll be careful,” Violet insisted. “Who knows? I might just find the suicide soldiers myself.”
Sophie was adamant. “No! That’s not why we went there in the first place. We weren’t looking for suicide soldiers-we were just trying to figure out what Molly’s intentions were in inviting you and to observe the security of the estate. All their guards are disguised as servants and maids. They blended.in everywhere without any clear order. That kind of unpredictability is even more dangerous. If you fall into a trap, you won’t be able to escape.”
“You can’t go,” she reiterated. “If they invite you again, you must refuse. Travis, keep an eye on her.”
Violet grinned playfully. “If you tell me not to go, then I definitely won’t.”
Having Travis keep an eye on her was pointless. He lacked what she had in abundance he was the easiest person to bribe.
The next morning, when Rafael went to the palace to retrieve the approved documents, he casually remarked, “I heard from Sophie that the orchids at Edgeview Estate are blooming beautifully. They have a wide variety, and there are many skilled and unusual individuals in the estate. Even the servants and maids all seem to possess martial arts skills.”
Salvador paused, surprised. Ian had been secretly investigating Edgeview Estate for a while and hadn’t been able to uncover what gave Yuvan the confidence to remain in the capital for so long.
But now, Rafael and Sophie had uncovered it in just one visit?
“We didn’t find any guards at Edgeview Estate, but there’s concern that suicide soldiers might be hiding nearby. They’re highly skilled, making it difficult to detect them, so we didn’t dare to intrude recklessly,” lan had reported.
Salvador went quiet for a moment, then asked, “Were they suicide soldiers?”
As soon as the question was out, Rafael smiled at him. “No.”
–
Salvador shot him an irritated look. “Why are you smiling? What’s so funny?”
Rafael’s smile only widened. “I’ve recently developed a liking for pointless smiles.”
Salvador glared at him but then couldn’t help but chuckle. “You fool.”
The two brothers exchanged a quick glance and smiled at each other. That smile carried an unexpected power, as if it had cracked the high, sturdy wall Salvador had built around himself.
His question about suicide soldiers suggested that he hadn’t reached that part of the investigation yet. However, his willingness to ask indicated he was open to sharing the general progress lan had made, and possibly seeking some information in return. There was a hint of trust in his approach, a small step away from his previous tight-lipped position.
Under Yuvan’s urging during dinner, Molly used a sum of money to quash the rumors about Skye Embroidery. The same group that had spread the rumors was now responsible for clearing them up. Although it wasn’t entirely convincing, Molly had at least made a financial sacrifice to resolve the issue.
When Jessica learned of this, she immediately sought out Molly, but the latter avoided her.
Jessica resorted to standing outside the gates of Edgeview Estate and shouting her grievances. Concerned that the situation would esinee
Fiona ordered that Jessica be chased off if she appeared. With no other choice, Jessica returned to the Workshop, this time with a much calmer attitude.
At the workshop, the staff couldn’t make decisions on their own, so they said they would report to Hannah and let her decide. Jessica waited outside Hannah’s residence, Seabrook Estate. When Hannah emerged, she rushed forward and began to sob.
Hannah was the type of person who didn’t respond well to force or threats-she was more likely to be swayed by a softer approach. Jessica was known for her arrogance, and Hannah wouldn’t usually care about someone dike her. Seeing the once-respected duchess now reduced to such a pitiful state, however, Hannah’s heart softened.
“You can stay for a few days, but don’t expect me to take you in. I’ll try to find you a place where you can work for your food, but that’s all I can do for you.”
Jessica was reluctant. “You want me to do servants’ work? No, I can’t do that!”
Hannah motioned for a maid to help her into the carriage. “Then, go beg for food, like a beggar. Don’t stay at the workshop. Go find a rundown shack somewhere to sleep in. The sooner you start, the better.” With no other choice, Jessica agreed, though begrudgingly. “Fine. You find me something, and I’ll stay at the workshop for now.”