The news made Avery stop fooling around with her baby girl. Her hand was in the air, frozen. And she didn't move for a while.

Charles told Avery Evan was in B Country.

She did all she could to stop it from happening. She blocked his phone number. She had prohibited him from entering B Country. She ordered strict checks at the airports and train stations.

None of this stopped him? How did he come in?

Charles listened to every move Avery made with full attention. If he didn't hear the occasional noises of Avery's daughter, he would think there was no one on the other side of the phone.

Charles guessed Avery didn't know Evan was in B Country.

Avery took a deep breath and said, "When was this?"

Charles took a look at the woman sitting across him and said, "I don't know. I heard it from someone else."

Charles told Avery to alert her. The crueler she was to Evan, the more chances he got.

After hanging up, Charles spun his chair and took one look at the woman sitting across him. He said, "Miss Summer, you heard Avery. She didn't know Evan went to B Country."

Diana pouted. Her makeup was sophisticated. And her real face was underneath the heavy makeup. She overheard it from the maid when she brought Evan soup.

Diana played with her manicure that was only done. Her fingernails were pink with tiny diamonds. And she said, "Is their daughter's illness that hard to treat?"

She knew the painted glass was harmful to human bodies. She thought it was like leukemia or something else. But it was much more serious than that.

"Of course."

"I think it's best that you don't just cure their daughter."

Diana looked fragile, but she saw everything and knew everything.

The reason their daughter got the illness must have something to do with Evan. And that was why Avery left.

So, as long as their daughter was ill, Avery would not forgive Evan.

Only if she died would there form the harm that would not be fixed forever. And as she knew Avery, she would never forgive Evan.

That was the result Diana hoped.

Charles saw her sinister smile. He said calmly, "I know what to do."

"Really? I already bought the plane ticket. Aren't you coming with me?"

Charles shook his head.

Diana was surprised. She knew how badly Charles wanted to get Avery since he called and suggested cooperation. But the president was choosing a husband for Avery. How could Charles act so calmly?

Diana watched him secretly. Charles was either confident, or he gave up. Why else would he be so calm?

"Aren't you afraid she marries someone else?"

"I don't care about the process. I only want the result."

Diana was about to say more. But Charles called his PA to send Diana out.

Charles tapped on the desk with rhyme. He smiled. That was right. He only wanted the result.

***

Avery hung up the phone. She looked down, and her daughter fell asleep. One second before, she was giggling at the toy. And now she was asleep. Avery admired how carefree she was.

She sat by the bed and checked all the pictures and other stuff Charles sent her.

Vanda, a precious orchid, mainly grows in the Namib and Angi Desert. It was an extremely precious relict plant, and could only be found in the narrow coastal deserts in the south and west of Africa. It was listed as one of the world's most endangered plants by national botanists, rich in both medical and academic values.

Avery sent the picture of Vando to the president's PA. She also sent him some simple notes. She wanted to find it ASAP.

Wait—

Avery sent a message to the PA to ask for a guest list for the banquet.

After 5 minutes, the PA sent Avery a photo of the list. She found H Country in the compact printing. Angi Desert was in H Country.

So she could get something from the H Country...

She opened the file next to H Country. There was a prince of H Country—

George Lautner?

Avery's hand suddenly shook. She almost dropped her phone on the ground.'

What were the odds! They had the same last and first names.

But when she moved to see the photo next to the file, her hope that this prince was the same guy she met before was broken.

George Lautner was the prince of H Country? That was why he was one of the diplomatic banquet guests?

She subconsciously bit her lower tip. She was so hard that blood almost came out from her tender lips. She couldn't help recalling some shameful fragments from last night. She shook her head. she thought they would never meet again. But... not only did she need to see him, but she had to ask for a favor.

The maid knocked on the door and came in. She reminded Avery that piano practice was about to start. To her surprise, Avery got up. She was resistant to it all the time. And she walked fast, to the piano room. The maid didn't know that Avery attended the banquet to meet George Lautner.

The piano room was a giant glass room next to the garden. A white piano was in the center of the room. The piano teacher hasn't shown up yet. So Avery sat down, opened the lid, and put her sheet on the shelf.

She looked at her palm. She held the broken glasses last night to remain clear.

Later, the man must wrap up her wound. Luckily, the wound was not serious. It would not affect her practice.

Avery pressed the keys, feeling boring.

There was a clear rhythm from the piano. The windows were glass and outside was snow. The thick snow was on the tree leaves and fell down as wind came by.

Avery heard footsteps and thought the piano teacher came. She stopped playing and heard someone talking.

"I've been so busy lately. I haven't slept for three days because of the banquet."

"Ugh, for the princess, the president would waste money and manpower. If the princes knew Avery's infamous history, I'm afraid they would not want to meet her..."

"Infamous history? I haven't heard anything about it."

"Didn't you know that Avery used bodyguards as the target while practicing shooting? Who would marry such a violent woman? And she didn't come back last night. And her underpants were wet when she washed them this morning..."

"No matter what, she's still our princess. The two countries forged an alliance..."

Clatter—

Avery didn't want to hear the gossip. She started playing the piano. It was the classic To Alice.

She sat in front of the piano. Her long fingers jumped all the keys.

This was a love song Beethoven created to a student he admired.

Avery looked down. Her eyelashes were long. Her deep bone structure was gentle underneath the light. She was like the noble lady in the portrait.

But her mood, like the snow blown by the wind, never stopped being quiet.

As the rhythm got faster, so did her fingers move.

Suddenly, as the clattering sound, there was red blood on the keys when Avery pressed some keys simultaneously...