Charlotte Lane stepped out of the villa after washing her face and saw Gael Easton standing at the entrance.
Her expression was back to normal, but her eyes were slightly red and swollen.
âYouâre here too?â
Gael hummed a laugh and teased, âYeah. Arenât you surprised? Why wouldnât I come for the opportunity to⦠let you owe me a favor? Today, Iâm doing you guys a favor, so tomorrow, youâll both have to help me out.â
Heâs referring to what she said at the airport last time, about not complicating their relationship and just using each otherâs power.
âYou have a high level of awareness,â Charlotte Lane said lightly, âBut⦠your luck isnât very good. Youâve met someone like me whoâs cold-hearted and loves to take advantage. Donât worry, if you need help, Iâll definitely bring people to watch.â
âYou!â Gael was choked with anger.
Kevin Clark was standing beside them with no expression and did not join in their banter.
Charlotte took a glance at Gael: âThanks.â
âHuh?â Gael thought his ear was broken.
âBut it wonât change the fact that Iâll be watching the fun.â Charlotte added.
Gael: ââ¦â His ear was still intact.
When things here were almost dealt with, Charlotte went back with them to their base in Continent A.
On the way, there were seven of them in one car, including the driver.
There was a bloody smell on each person in the car, and they had to open the windows for ventilation.
After the car had been driven for a while, Allonzo Hobson said, âBrook Sister, were you frightened when the explosion happened?â
Charlotte Lane, with Kevin Clark on her left and Roy Madison on her right, nodded her head.
âDonât worry, Brother Nine,â Robinson Scott, who was sitting next to Allonzo Hobson, said. âNone of our people were lost.â
Charlotte nodded again, and although she didnât say anything, her gaze at Robinson Scott and Allonzo Hobson told them to continue.
Allonzo Hobson said, âOur Third Masterâs brain is not an ordinary one. When we saw the positioning, our first reaction was to come to you. But when our Third Master saw the positioning, he immediately sent people to Continent A to deliberately expose their tracks in a concealed way.â
Charlotteâs face showed a hint of a smile.
âThird Master directly launched a counter-surveillance operation,â Allonzo Hobson said. âIn a short time, he figured out their plot, and last night, we took the initiative to throw a thunderstorm at them, followed by a sky-high explosion. Then we let the people who were secretly monitoring outside the laboratory follow you to the location, surrounded it, and attacked.â
Charlotte glanced at Kevin Clark.
Kevin Clark didnât look at her, but just lowered his gaze. However, the hand holding hers tightened slightly.
âAnd whatâs the most annoying thing, do you know, Brook Sister?â
âWhat?â Charlotte Lane asked.
âWhen we asked him why he thought it was like this,â Allonzo Hobson complained. âThis guy just said: âI donât know, itâs just a feeling.ââ
Perhaps it was because Allonzo Hobsonâs tone was so angry and funny.
Everyone in the car laughed except for Kevin Clark.
Kevin Clark seemed like a person who had exhausted his energy and left only an empty shell, with his inside in hibernation.
âSure enough, among the gods who descended to earth, only I am a mortal,â Allonzo Hobson sighed. âBut fortunately, someoneâs carrying me along, so Iâm basically winning by laying down.â
Charlotte Laneâs lips curled slightly, then turned her head again to look at Kevin Clark.
Kevin Clark had lost a lot of weight.
It made his appearance even sharper.
âKevin Clark, youâve lost a lot of weight,â Charlotte Lane whispered.
Kevin Clarkâs drooping eyes blinked gently, and then he turned his head to look at Charlotte Lane.
But after looking, he didnât say anything and just lowered his gaze again.
Charlotte Lane: ââ¦â¦â
Allonzo Hobson, Robinson Scott, and Hugo Clark were all watching them.
Roy Madison, sitting on Charlotte Laneâs right, naturally saw the look in Kevin Clarkâs eyes.
For the first time in his life, he wanted to side with the man between his sister and a man.
Kevin Clark had lost at least more than twenty pounds in this period.
Looking at his sister, on the other hand, her face was glowing and she might even have gained some weight.
Kevin Clark had been worried and had hardly slept in his time in Imperial Capitalâ¦
Roy Madison remained silent, too.
At this moment, what could Kevin Clark say?
Although Arthur North didnât say anything, he gently caressed Robinson Scottâs hand with his thumb, reassuring her and letting her know that he was fine.
â¦
They spent half a month in Continent A, completely emptying the Kingsley familyâs laboratory and bringing everything back home.
The people on the underground Level 2 were also rescued.
Most of them were not in life-threatening condition, but some were difficult to treat.
During this half month, while they moved those objects, Robinson Scott organized the data in her head and came up with a solution for the 319 problems.
However, it required experimental verification.
Apart from that, Robinson Scott found Arthur North to be unusually calm.
More than calm, she felt that Arthur North could even be described as cold.
Regarding the drugging and escape incident, Robinson Scott always thought Arthur North would hold a major grudge against her.
But Arthur North didnât bring it up at all, or even mention the incident.
During the half month they spent in Continent A, they lived and ate together, and Arthur North still took care of her as before.
He would serve her food, peel shrimp for her, blow-dry her hair at night, hug her while sleeping and give her a gentle kiss on her brow.
But⦠these were all the interactions between them.
During the day, they were both busy, so they didnât have much time to talk. Most of their conversations were about the laboratory.
Moreover, it wasnât just towards her, Arthur North talked less with everyone, and seldom smiled.
He would still smile at her, but his smile seemed to lack the tenderness it once had.
After half a month, they all returned home.
Robinson Scott went back to the Lane Family with William Lane first.
Arthur North didnât follow her; instead, he sent Charles Amos to the Lane Family an hour after she got home.
Robinson Scott began to consider the possibility of marital discord.
She spent a week at the Lane Family, and Arthur North only called her every night without mentioning picking her up.
The possibility of marital discord grew greater.
Robinson Scott didnât know if her mood was affecting her, but her appetite decreased a lot.
After being forced to stay at home and rest for a week by her parents, she decided to go to the Research Institute.
On the morning of the day she was to go to the Research Institute,
Arthur North suddenly appeared at her home and took her away.
On the way, Robinson Scott noticed they werenât heading to the Research Institute and wondered if they might be going to the Civil Affairs Bureau instead?
Robinson Scott started to feel carsick again and felt nauseous.
Just when she was about to talk to Arthur North, the car stopped at a manor house.
Robinson Scott looked at the sprawling manor, which was still under construction, and asked, âWhereâs this?â
âEmperor Winter Mansion. The place I live.â Arthur North helped her unbuckle her seat belt and said, âBefore I lived at Clark Manor, I used to live here.â
Robinson Scott followed him out of the car.
As soon as she got out, Arthur North quickly grabbed her hand.
Robinson Scott felt the urgency in his grip, as if he was afraid she would run away.
Arthur North led her by the hand and took her straight to the bedchamber.
Robinson Scott was still uncertain about why they had come to the bedchamber this early in the morning when she suddenly heard the sound of a door lock.
She paused, her excitement at admiring the manor and room disappearing in an instant.
Two words immediately came to her mind: âItâs done.â
Arthur North stood by the door, watching her while slowly undoing his cuff. His eyes became more sinister, and he chuckled, âMadam, how do you feel about this place?â
Robinson Scott calmly looked into his eyes, not wanting to answer his question.
All of it suddenly made sense.
There was no marital discord, she had been duped. She had been tricked big time, Arthur North was here waiting to settle the score with her.
Cold and calm, they were just Arthur North suppressing his emotions.
Letting her return to the Lane Family for a week was just to set the stage for keeping her locked up here.
This would be where she would never be allowed to go home again in the future.