Chapter 301

That night, some meticulously plotted their schemes while others carefully executed their plans. At Royal Bay, the severely injured Richard Hampton had been unconscious for twenty-four hours. Sidney Pauley had also stood guard by his side for the same period. A servant brought coffee. Sidney accepted it, took a sip, and frowned. “The temperature is too low. It’s not even 130°F.”

Sidney was fastidious. His coffee always had to be the perfect temperature—neither too hot nor too cold. The shocked servant recovered quickly, bowing. “Please forgive me. I will be more careful next time.”

Though only a few degrees off, he'd detected the difference. Mr. Pauley certainly lived up to his reputation as the renowned Asclepius. The servant left.

Just then, John Ross entered. “Mr. Pauley, we’ve discovered what happened last night.”

“Let’s talk outside,” Sidney said, setting down his coffee and stretching. After being confined to the room for twenty-four hours, his blood felt stagnant.

The two men went outside, closing the door behind them. Unbeknownst to them, a graceful figure slipped into Richard’s room the moment they descended the stairs.

Yvonne Shaw's heart pounded. She'd waited a long time for this opportunity. Sidney was absent, and Richard was unconscious. This was her chance.

Yvonne locked the door and tiptoed toward the handsome figure on the bed, removing her clothes with each step. Under the light, her figure was exquisitely graceful.

Downstairs, Sidney made himself a cup of coffee at precisely 140°F—the temperature he believed yielded the best flavor. He sipped slowly before turning to John, who was anxiously scratching his head. “Tell me. What have you found out?”

“The Missus was attacked last night!”

“The Missus,” as John always called Tiffany Kelley, was the only one he could have meant.

Sidney nodded. “Yes. So?”

They already knew Tiffany was targeted; they'd seen the list. Otherwise, Felix Quaid wouldn't have emerged from his secluded retreat, and Richard wouldn't have been injured trying to stop him. Their efforts were all to protect Tiffany.

“You don’t understand!” John exclaimed, anxiously recounting the events. “The people assigned to protect the Missus last night didn't show up. Not only was she injured, but her friend, a young man named Ged Moody, died…”

“What?” Sidney was shocked. Since yesterday, he'd been puzzled by Tiffany's angry confrontation with Richard, assuming she was merely spoiled and impetuous. He'd never considered this possibility. No wonder she’d been so distraught, filled with bitter disappointment and resentment. The assigned protectors had feigned loyalty, idly watching and waiting to profit without effort. Worse, they were all Richard's subordinates. No wonder Tiffany believed Richard had planned the attack, that he was callously using her because her name was on the list. Everyone wanted to find the Azure Sea Royal Family's princess and the key to the Treasure. If even a remote possibility existed that a girl on the list was the princess, the various factions would rather kill the wrong girls than let the right one escape.

Sidney clicked his tongue. This was a terrible misunderstanding, culminating in Ged Moody's death. He’d heard Tiffany had been very kind to Moody, bailing out his bankrupt family with billions of dollars. Her anger was understandable.

Sidney asked, “What about those subordinates? Who ordered them?”

John had interrogated everyone. “Yvonne Shaw.”

Sidney cursed. “Damn it! I’ve always disliked that woman! If Richard’s mother weren’t indebted to her family, I would have dismissed her long ago! Where is she now?” His usually gentle face contorted with fury. He wanted to kill her.

Upstairs, in the brightly lit bedroom, Yvonne, fearful and breathless, continued to undress, approaching the bed. Her nervousness prevented her from noticing Richard's subtle frown at the unfamiliar scent in the air—a scent he found unbearable.

As she neared the bed, Richard suddenly opened his eyes. His gaze, sharp and murderous, seemed intent on tearing someone apart. Yvonne panicked. Before she could react, she was flung backward with a scream.

Downstairs, as John was about to answer Sidney, a loud crash echoed from upstairs. A moment later, a half-naked woman, Yvonne, crashed through the second-floor railing, falling to the ground.

Yvonne spat out blood. Several ribs were broken, her arms useless, her internal organs felt displaced. The pain was excruciating, but insignificant compared to the icy viciousness she'd just encountered.

Upstairs, Richard didn't even look at her. “John, get rid of her.”

“Yes, sir,” John replied instantly.

Sidney rushed upstairs, supporting Richard and checking his pulse. “Why are you flying into a rage when you’re barely recovered? You’ve reopened your wounds! Are you deliberately ruining my reputation?” he protested. Richard Hampton was threatening to destroy his reputation as Asclepius! He glanced downstairs at the motionless, half-naked Yvonne. No explanation was needed. “Richard, did you… do that?”

“Get lost,” Richard replied curtly.