The Princess and the Pauper

Chapter 1890

"Awake yet?" The voice on the other end of the phone, distorted by a voice changer, was emotionless.

Martin spoke the truth, "Yeah, she’s up."

A few days earlier, he had called Arabella, begging her to save Serena. Arabella had flatly refused.

Just when he was at his wit's end in the hospital, an unknown number called him, saying there was a

way to save Serena.

But there was a catch: Martin had to agree to do three things for the caller.

The caller didn't specify what these three tasks were, only insisting that Martin agree first.

In the end, with Serena's life hanging in the balance, Martin agreed.

"What's the first thing I need to do?" Martin asked.

"No rush," came the calm, authoritative reply, even through the voice changer.

"When the time comes for you to act, I'll let you know. If I don't reach out, you don't need to contact me.

Now that your lady's awake, our deal is in full swing. Here's to a pleasant collaboration."

With that, the call ended.

Martin felt uneasy. He had a hunch that the caller was trouble, but given the situation, he had no other

choice.

He couldn't just watch the woman he loved slip away.

Initially, the caller had sent him to a place to pick up a pill. After Serena took it, she didn't wake up.

He even suspected the medication was faulty and made threats.

It wasn't until two days later, when the hospital announced that Serena's condition was stable and she

could go home to recover, that he began to feel some relief.

Thanks to the high-end medical equipment he had splurged on for Serena, she could spend the

holidays at home instead of in the sterile environment of the hospital.

To his surprise, a few days after taking the pill, Serena actually woke up.

While he was overjoyed, he also felt worried about whatever might come next.

Back at Reflections Villa.

Arabella arrived home to find family portraits from last Christmas displayed everywhere.

"Bella, you're back? How do you like these photos?" Louisa, gripping her hand, beamed, "The biggest

one goes on the wall, so guests see it right as they come in. And these smaller ones, let's put one on

each end table, so guests can see our happy family while they're having coffee."

"Oh please, who cares about those?" Sean commented sourly. "Besides, is the family even complete?

Anyone would think you've lost a son."

He had missed the last Christmas photo, so he wasn't in the family portraits. Knowing now how

adorable and beloved his sister was, he wished he had crawled to be in the photo with her, no matter

how badly he had been hurt.

"You're just sour grapes because you missed out." Clark, picking up a photo of him and his sister,

admired it contentedly, "I think this one will look perfect on my desk. And this frame is super cute."

"Look at you, it's hideous." Sean scoffed at Clark in the photo, "Look at Bella, she's practically

grimacing with you."

"That's not true, she's clearly smiling."

"That's called a forced smile."

Seeing her brothers bicker again, Arabella couldn't help but laugh, "Alright, cut it out, you guys. We'll

take more photos at the New Year's celebration, won't we?"

"How did you know?" Everyone turned to look at her in unison, puzzled. They hadn't leaked a word.

Who had told her?

"Don't we take them every holiday?" Arabella replied with a smile, already anticipating the next round of Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

family photos and the memories they would capture.