CHAPTER 25: WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

"What is it?"

Aiston’s aged yet sharp eyes narrowed with suspicion, his gaze locked onto the man’s hand, his face etched with wariness.

"Take a look, my lord," The man unfurled his palm, and a pocket watch suddenly dangled free, swaying gently.

"What is this?"

Aiston’s focus zeroed in on the watch—only to realize, a second too late.

Damn it—hypnosis!

He tried to tear his eyes away, but it was already too late.

The taut thread of his consciousness snapped, his mind slipping into fog.

A cruel smirk curled at the corner of Sinclair’s lips.

He was going to extract the evidence from Aiston—the proof that would drag Luna down from her throne.

—— Meanwhile, in the grand hall of the palace.

Damn it!

Harvey’s already grim expression darkened further at the sight of Luna, clad in her navy-blue suit, her face stern and unyielding.

He knew all too well that the next few minutes would be the most excruciating of his life.

"Your Highness!"

The guards at the door naturally didn’t dare to stop Luna, bowing their heads and stepping aside.

Kiara shot the two of them a haughty glance and snorted coldly.

"Your Highness," Harvey stepped forward, inclining his head in a respectful bow to Luna.

"Harvey," Luna eyed him with a sidelong glance, her calm tone laced with accusations.

"Kiara tells me you barred her from seeing Mother?"

"That’s not true," Harvey, of course, wouldn’t admit it.

He gave Kiara a composed look before replying smoothly, "I merely informed Princess Kiara that the royal physicians were examining Camilla and suggested she wait outside for a moment.

It seems princess Kiara misunderstood my intentions."

Kiara, seeing Harvey’s smug expression, instantly flared up and stepped forward, ready to unleash her fury.

"You—"

"Kiara!"

Luna shot Kiara a warning glance, silently telling her not to cause trouble.

The more Harvey acted this way, the more it confirmed something was amiss.

"Mother... yes," Kiara clenched her fists in frustration but didn’t dare disobey Luna.

Gritting her teeth, she took half a step back. Yet her furious gaze remained fixed on Harvey.

Harvey’s expression was calm, but bitterness churned inside him.

He would have preferred if Kiara had made a scene—at least that could have bought some time.

But clearly, Luna wasn’t going to give him that chance.

"If it’s just a misunderstanding, then let’s leave it at that," Luna said gently, though her sharp eyes briefly flickered toward the inner chamber behind Harvey.

"I’ll go check on Mother and see how her examination is coming along.

You won’t stop me now, will you?"

To those who didn’t know her, she might have seemed gracious and accommodating.

But Harvey knew better—this was Luna’s way of advancing by retreating, leaving him no room to argue.

Not that he had any grounds to refuse in the first place.

All he could do now was hope that Madam Luther could wake the Queen as quickly as possible.

Otherwise, today’s matter would inevitably end badly.

Luna curled her lips slightly and strode past Harvey into the chamber.

Kiara approached Harvey and let out an irritated huff before following.

With a wry smile, Harvey trailed behind the two women.

As soon as they stepped into the inner hall, they spotted Lucky, his expression grave.

"Your Highness," he greeted Luna with a bow. "And to you, my lady," he added, nodding at Kiara.

Luna halted, studying Lucky with a flicker of something unreadable in her eyes.

Kiara, however, didn’t bother with subtleties.

She frowned and cut straight to the point.

"Lucky, if you’re out here, then who’s attending Grandmother inside?"

"Well..."

Lucky hesitated, his gaze darting toward Harvey for help.

Harvey could only offer a helpless look in return.

"I asked you a question," Kiara snapped, her patience thinning.

"Why the hesitation?"

By now, Kiara had clearly sensed something amiss.

She shot another sharp glance at Harvey.

"What the hell is going on here?!"

Lucky kept his head bowed, remaining silent.

Unlike Harvey, he was merely a royal physician—hardly in any position to offer excuses before Princess Luna.

Luna didn’t press him further. Instead, she turned her sharp gaze toward Harvey.

"Explain yourself."

Her voice was low, yet it carried the unmistakable authority of royalty.

"The Queen’s condition shows no signs of improvement," Harvey admitted, realizing there was no point in hiding the truth any longer.

"We had no choice but to consult a physician, hoping he might uncover the root of the problem."

"A physician?"

Luna’s expression instantly darkened, her presence radiating an aura of unspoken authority.

"Preposterous!"

Her piercing eyes gleamed with sharp disapproval.

"My mother’s health is the royal family’s utmost priority.

How dare you take matters into your own hands and let some unknown outsider examine her?!"

Under Luna’s icy gaze, Lucky felt a cold sweat trickle down his back.

Harvey, meanwhile, kept his head slightly bowed, offering no rebuttal.

The tension in the room thickened, suffocatingly heavy.

"Guards," Luna commanded, her voice low and steely.

"Open the door."

"Yes," The guard who had entered behind Luna immediately stepped forward, ready to open the door.

"Wait!"

Harvey suddenly moved in front of the guard, blocking his path.

Luna’s brows furrowed slightly, her gaze icy and stern as she fixed it on Harvey.

"Harvey, do you realize what you’re doing?"

Kiara also stared at Harvey in shock.

Was this old man trying to stage a rebellion?

"My apologies, Your Highness, but I have no choice," Harvey replied, his face etched with bitterness and helplessness.

"It’s just that they’re at a critical stage inside. Interrupting now could ruin everything.

Please, just a few more minutes."

A critical stage?

Luna’s sharp mind latched onto the key phrase in Harvey’s words, a shadow flickering in the depths of her eyes.

"And how do I know that mysterious doctor inside isn’t someone you hired to harm my mother?"

Her frigid glare shifted to the guard behind her.

"What are you standing around for? Get him out of my sight."

"Your Highness—"

Harvey struggled, but his strength was no match for the professionally trained guards. Calvin was dragged aside, looking utterly disheveled.

"You’d better pray Mother is unharmed.

Otherwise, neither you nor the family behind you will escape punishment!"

Luna’s expression was icy, her voice dripping with menace.

The sheer authority radiating from her made the air around them turn frigid, sending shivers down everyone’s spines.

She took a few steps forward, reaching out to open the door—

Only for it to swing open from the inside before she could touch it.

A slender woman in a tailored skirt suit stepped out, her face partially obscured by a mask.

She met Luna and Kiara’s gazes with composed dignity, offering a respectful nod.

"Your Highness."

"Princess Kiara."

Harvey’s eyes locked onto Camilla, his tension spiking.

He strained the peer behind her, but the doorway revealed nothing. Luna frowned, studying the woman before her.

*She should be at Hill Manor right now.*

Kiara, however, gasped aloud, her eyes widening in shock.

"Camilla?!

What are *you* doing here?!"

Camilla?

The moment the name reached her ears, Luna’s pupils contracted sharply, the composed and dignified expression on her face cracking ever so slightly.

"Your memory serves you well, Your Highness," Camilla removed the mask from her face, her lips curving into a calm, composed smile.

"It’s me."

Even more like *him* than in the photos.

Through Camilla’s delicate features, Luna caught a fleeting glimpse of another strikingly handsome face, her eyes turning icy and unreadable.

*What is she doing here?*

*Does Harvey... know who she is?*

Camilla met Luna’s gaze steadily, her dark, clear eyes perfectly guarded, betraying nothing.

Kiara, oblivious to the tension, shot Camilla a displeased look, her tone dripping with arrogance.

"So, you’re the doctor Harvey was talking about?"

Camilla nodded smoothly.

"That’s right."

"Since when do you know anything about medicine?"

Kiara’s eyes flicked toward the room behind them, skepticism heavy in her voice.

"Or is this just some scheme to cozy up to the royal family on behalf of the Luther Corporation?"