CHAPTER 29: SOMEONE IS AFTER MY LIFE

"This—"

Lucky froze in stunned silence as he took in the scene inside the hall, his voice barely above a whisper.

"What on earth is going on?"

It was the first time he had ever seen the queen so visibly overcome with emotion.

Harvey shot Lucky a meaningful glance, signaling for him to step aside and wait.

Nearly twenty minutes passed before the queen finally regained her composure.

Her tear-filled eyes turned toward Camilla, her voice trembling as she spoke.

"Child, come here. Sit beside me."

"Yes."

Camilla rose obediently and made her way toward Queen Elizabeth.

As she passed Luna, she cast a fleeting, indifferent glance in her direction.

The latter’s icy, venomous glare was barely concealed.

Once Camilla had taken her seat, Queen Elizabeth immediately reached out with trembling hands and clasped hers tightly.

"My child—"

The moment she opened her mouth, tears began streaming uncontrollably down her face.

Camilla’s heart ached in sympathy as she pulled out a handkerchief and gently dabbed at Queen Elizabeth’s cheeks.

"Your Majesty, please take care of yourself."

"My dear child, my dear child," Queen Elizabeth murmured, taking the handkerchief and wiping away her own tears.

She drew a deep breath, steadying herself before she could speak again.

"I’m just... so happy.

Truly happy," she said, her reddened eyes brimming with tenderness as she gazed at Camilla.

"My child... I am your grandmother."

Grandmother?!

Kiara felt something inside her snap.

Her eyes widened in shock.

A suspicion had been lurking in her heart, but she still couldn’t believe it.

She whipped her head toward Luna, her voice trembling.

"Mother, what is this?

How could Grandmother allow this woman to call her that?"

Luna’s gaze remained fixed on Queen Elizabeth and Camilla, offering no answer, no reaction at all.

Camilla stared at the weeping woman before her, her own heart twisting as if soaked in vinegar—sour and bitter.

She parted her lips, but no words came out. Queen Elizabeth, however, refused to believe it was too late.

She immediately pointed at the photograph and revealed Allen’s identity, along with the events of the past.

To lend credibility to her words, she even summoned Harvey and Lucky to examine the photo as proof.

"You truly are my granddaughter, the eldest princess of country E."

Camilla pressed her lips together, about to speak—

But Luna’s icy voice cut through the air.

"Mother, don’t you think all of this is far too convenient?"

Queen Elizabeth’s reddened eyes turned to Luna, her voice hoarse.

"What do you mean?"

"You’ve been ill for so long, and none of the royal physicians could diagnose the problem—yet she just happens to uncover it," Luna said, her gaze fixed on Camilla, her tone deliberate and razor-sharp.

"You’ve searched for Allen’s bloodline for years without success, and suddenly, she appears out of nowhere."

She paused for a beat before continuing.

"Doesn’t it all seem a little *too* perfect—as if someone orchestrated it?"

Queen Elizabeth frowned.

Deep down, she *felt* it—this girl before her was indeed her granddaughter.

Blood ties can sometimes be a mysterious bond.

Just like how I felt an instant fondness for her the moment our eyes met—an inexplicable urge to get closer.

But Luna wasn’t entirely wrong either.

Queen Elizabeth gazed at Camilla with tender affection, her voice softening to its gentlest tone.

"Child, did someone say something to you?

Is that why you’ve come to the palace now?"

Her words carried no accusation, only concern—a fear that someone with ill intentions might be manipulating the young woman.

Camilla met the queen’s eyes, her expression layered with unspoken emotions.

Slowly, she spoke.

"I didn’t come here of my own will.

Someone forced my hand."

"Forced?"

Queen Elisabeth froze.

Luna had expected Camilla to deny the accusation, but the woman’s blunt admission left her sharp eyes widening in disbelief.

This woman was utterly unpredictable—and that was terrifying.

"Child, tell me," Queen Ellia finally found her voice, her gaze steady on Camilla.

"Who forced you?"

Camilla’s eyes lingered on Luna for a fleeting moment before she lowered her lashes and recounted the pursuit they had endured, her words measured.

"Ever since my husband and I arrived in E Country, we’ve been stalked and hunted.

I was terrified. When I heard you were in a coma, I thought... perhaps I could help."

Under Luna’s increasingly stormy glare, she softened her voice.

"If we succeeded, we’d gain your protection.

If not... we were prepared to abandon the search for my family and return to San Francisco."

"Hunted?"

A cold glint flashed in Queen Elizabeth’s eyes.

Had someone discovered this child’s identity—and tried to silence her?

To Kiara, Camilla had always been the epitome of unflappable composure—maddeningly so.

This was the first time she’d seen the girl adopt such a pitiful tone and expression.

Gritting her teeth, Kiara scoffed, "Cut the act with your nonsense..."

"Silence!!"

Queen Elizabeth’s icy glare snapped toward Kiara, her voice razor-sharp, all traces of the gentleness she’d shown Camilla utterly vanished.

Decades of wielding authority had honed her every gesture into an instrument of intimidation.

And now, wrath ignited, that presence was terrifying.

Kiara flinched under the Queen’s blistering reprimand.

"Grandmother..."

Queen Elizabeth’s gaze lingered briefly on Luna before she turned fully back to Camilla.

"Don’t be afraid, child," she said, voice softening.

"I won’t let anyone harm you again."

"Thank you," Camilla met the Queen’s eyes, her tone featherlight yet unyielding.

"But regarding my identity—whether it’s you or me—we need clarity."

A pause.

Then, with quiet resolve: "I demand a paternity test."

Harvey spoke up at the opportune moment.

"Your Majesty, what Mrs. Luther said makes sense.

Given the matter concerns the royal bloodline, I also believe verification is necessary."

Queen Elisabeth held Camilla’s hand and nodded firmly.

"Arrange it immediately. I want the results as soon as possible."

Though she said this, deep down, she trusted her instincts—this young woman before her was indeed Allen’s daughter, her own flesh and blood.

"Understood," Harvey replied with a respectful nod.

"I’ll see to it right away."

Two medical staff entered briskly and efficiently drew blood from Camilla.

Harvey followed them out, his expression unreadable.

He needed to witness this process firsthand, to confirm whether Mrs. Luther’s identity truly aligned with the queen’s belief.

Meanwhile, Luna pressed her fingers to her throbbing temples, knowing full well she couldn’t intervene.

From the moment the queen had awakened, everything had spiraled beyond her control.

Her only hope now was that Easton would act swiftly—eliminating that man named Sinclair.

Once he was dealt with, handling this woman would become far simpler.

"Dr. Lucky," Camilla turned to face Lucky, who stood frozen in shock, his expression a picture of stunned disbelief.

"What do the test results say?"

Her question snapped everyone’s attention back to the matter of the poisoning.

This doctor—could she really be the long-lost Grand Princess?

It was almost too surreal to believe.

Lucky remained deep in thought, his brow furrowed, oblivious to Camilla’s words.

Queen Elizabeth frowned.