\u00a0<\/p>\n
After giving his phone number to Larissa, Haskell leaves the village with his assistant, while Larissa immediately orders a thorough background check on the Judson family, focusing on their daughter. As she reflects on her own past, Larissa recalls the story of how she was found abandoned as a newborn in freezing cold by Seaton, the man who raised her. Despite his lifelong search for her birth parents, she has always felt unwanted by her biological family, which now seems painfully true.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Larissa\u2019s neighbor, Zendar Schwartz, approaches and inquires about the man she just met. She reveals that he is her fianc\u00e9, and Zendar encourages her to have him stay for a home-cooked meal next time. Meanwhile, during their journey, Haskell\u2019s assistant Crispin questions the wisdom of marrying Larissa, a poor orphan herb-gatherer, instead of forming strategic alliances. Haskell counters by pointing out the rare and valuable herb he noticed in Larissa\u2019s humble home, suggesting she is more than she appears and has exceptional medical skills.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Haskell admits to Crispin that his feelings for Larissa are genuine and immediate\u2014love at first sight\u2014which contrasts with his previous arranged marriage plans. He has already decided to consider her his fianc\u00e9e and commands Crispin to treat her with respect. Later that night, Larissa receives the background report revealing that Honora Judson, the only daughter of the Judson family and Haskell\u2019s arranged fianc\u00e9e, is cherished but that Haskell\u2019s accident and broken legs have halted his expected rise as heir. The news leaves Larissa deep in thought, burdened by the implications.<\/p>\n
Chapter 3<\/p>\n
After handing over his phone number to Larissa, Haskell rose and, accompanied by his assistant, departed from the village. Larissa\u2019s eyes followed their retreating figures, her expression hardening into something unreadable. Without hesitation, she pulled out her own phone and quickly dialed a familiar number.<\/p>\n
\u201cNightveil, I want a comprehensive background check on every member of the Judson family from Regal City. Focus especially on their daughter. I expect a full report by tonight,\u201d she instructed, her voice cool and determined.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnderstood, Boss,\u201d came the prompt reply.<\/p>\n
Ending the call, Larissa\u2019s gaze deepened, shadowed by a storm of thoughts. The story Seaton, the man who had raised her, had told her countless times echoed in her mind. Two decades ago, on a cold, bitter winter day, Seaton was on his way to retire in a quiet southern town when a faint, desperate cry caught his attention. Following the sound, he found a newborn baby girl, no more than a month old, abandoned in a dumpster, her tiny body flushed red from the biting cold. Had her cries been weaker, or had he not taken that lonely, forgotten road, she would have perished silently that night.<\/p>\n
Seaton had named her Larissa, a name chosen to reflect a child torn from her family so young. He never ceased searching for her birth parents, even as death approached his own bedside. Larissa herself had always imagined that whoever had left her behind must have been driven by some heartbreaking reason.<\/p>\n
But now, the truth seemed far more painful.<\/p>\n
They hadn\u2019t wanted her then, and it appeared they didn\u2019t want her now. If not for the love and care of the family who had adopted her and cherished her for twenty years, she would have remained an orphan forever.<\/p>\n
Suddenly, a voice broke through her reverie from outside.<\/p>\n
\u201cLarissa! Who was that man in the fancy car?\u201d came the cheerful inquiry.<\/p>\n
It was Zendar Schwartz, her neighbor who spent his days exploring the nearby mountains in search of medicinal plants. His weathered face lit up with curiosity as he approached.<\/p>\n
Larissa slipped her phone into her pocket and stepped outside, offering a warm smile. \u201cZendar, you won\u2019t believe it\u2014that was my fianc\u00e9.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zendar\u2019s eyes widened in surprise. \u201cYour fianc\u00e9? Well, you\u2019ve got excellent taste! He\u2019s quite the handsome fellow. Why didn\u2019t you invite him in for dinner?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe had urgent business back in the city, so he couldn\u2019t stay,\u201d Larissa replied, a hint of wistfulness in her tone.<\/p>\n
\u201cNext time he comes by, make sure he stays for a meal. The food here is all homegrown and fresh. Let him experience something better than what they serve in the city,\u201d Zendar said with a friendly grin.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will, Zendar,\u201d she promised.<\/p>\n
With that, Zendar hoisted his sickle and hoe and headed toward the mountains, leaving Larissa to return inside and resume sorting her herbs.<\/p>\n
\u2014<\/p>\n
As the village disappeared behind them, Crispin, Haskell\u2019s assistant, stole a glance at his calm employer in the rearview mirror.<\/p>\n
\u201cSir, are you really planning to marry that crude herb-gatherer?\u201d Crispin asked, his voice tinged with skepticism. \u201cYou saw her\u2014she\u2019s an orphan, abandoned by her own parents, barely getting by with her remedies. After everything that\u2019s happened to you, you need allies who can strengthen your position in the Palmer family. Marrying her won\u2019t help you at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Haskell\u2019s eyes lifted from the fields of herbs passing by outside the window. He gently traced a petal of the purple flower he had picked near Larissa\u2019s cottage.<\/p>\n
\u201cCrispin, do you remember six months ago when my grandfather was critically ill and needed a rare herb to survive?\u201d he asked softly.<\/p>\n
Crispin, puzzled by the sudden shift in topic, nodded. \u201cYes, I remember. It was sold at Regal City\u2019s largest auction house. You spent a hundred million to acquire it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd did you notice,\u201d Haskell continued pointedly, \u201cthat the very same priceless herb was hanging carelessly in the corner of her bare-walled cottage?\u201d<\/p>\n
That single bundle was worth over a billion at auction in Regal City.<\/p>\n
Crispin was stunned. From the moment he had stepped inside Larissa\u2019s humble home, his mind had been distracted by its dilapidated state. He hadn\u2019t noticed such a valuable detail at all.<\/p>\n
Now, everything made sense.<\/p>\n
\u201cSir, are you saying she\u2019s more than she appears?\u201d Crispin asked, voice low with newfound respect.<\/p>\n
Haskell brought the purple flower to his nose, inhaling its delicate fragrance. \u201cI\u2019m not sure how simple her identity really is, but I am certain her medical skills are exceptional.\u201d<\/p>\n
Crispin grasped the implication. If what his boss said was true, then there was genuine hope for his legs.<\/p>\n
Still, hesitation lingered.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you only want her to heal your legs, you could just pay her a fortune. There\u2019s no need to marry her,\u201d Crispin ventured, unable to hold back the question.<\/p>\n
Haskell blinked slowly, twirling the flower between his fingers. A faint smile curved his lips. \u201cWhat if I told you it was love at first sight? Would you believe me?\u201d<\/p>\n
Crispin froze, studying his boss\u2019s reflection in the mirror. His face was calm, neither joking nor entirely serious. But since Haskell rarely joked, Crispin decided to take him at his word.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGood. Because in my mind, she is already my fianc\u00e9e. From now on, you will treat her with the utmost respect.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUnderstood.\u201d<\/p>\n
Haskell wasn\u2019t joking. He had never believed in love that grew gradually over time. To him, if there was no spark at first sight, any feelings that developed later were merely calculated, not the thrilling rush of true love. His agreement to the arranged marriage with Honora had been purely strategic.<\/p>\n
But the moment he laid eyes on Larissa, his world shifted. Everything around her dulled to gray, and she was the only vivid splash of color. He couldn\u2019t explain why it was her\u2014perhaps it was the instant their eyes met, the brilliant universe in her gaze pulling him in like a black hole.<\/p>\n
Haskell carefully placed the purple flower between the pages of a book on the car seat, closed it gently, and shut his eyes, lost in thought.<\/p>\n
\u2014<\/p>\n
Later that evening, around eight o\u2019clock, Larissa was bringing the herbs she had been drying on the roof back inside. The cool night air brushed against her skin as she set down her winnowing basket and dusted her hands. Just then, her phone rang.<\/p>\n
She answered quickly, recognizing the familiar, calm voice of Nightveil.<\/p>\n
\u201cBoss, I have the report,\u201d Nightveil began. \u201cThe Judson family has only one daughter, Honora, born to the second master, Paxton Judson, and his wife, Vivica Caldwell. She is the same age as you and is dearly cherished by the family. Two months ago, Paxton arranged a marriage for her with Haskell, the eldest son of the Palmer family, Regal City\u2019s most powerful dynasty. Haskell was considered the designated heir, but last month he was in an accident. His legs were broken, and ever since, all talk of him being the heir has stopped.\u201d<\/p>\n
Larissa listened quietly, the weight of the news settling over her like a heavy fog.<\/p>\n
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella\u2019s storytelling style is immersive and addictive\u2014perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.<\/p>\n
Wings of Broken Time by Alina Das 3 Wings of Broken Time by Alina Das 3 Summary \u00a0 After giving […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[89],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30522","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-throne-of-thorns-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30522","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30522"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30522\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30522"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30522"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30522"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}