The Unveiling of Secret Queen

The jade bracelet was indeed beautiful.

But to her it was too fragile, something that might shatter if she wasn’t careful.

Nathalie Quinlan drew her hand back, took off the jade bracelet and put it back in the box, then closed the box and put it away with solemn care.

Amadeus Yancey watched her put the Gift away, the corners of his lips lifting slightly as he said to the Girl, ”This is your coming‑of‑age Gift in advance.”

He had prepared a total of 20 Gifts, and this jade bracelet, which he had personally designed, ground, and polished, counted as the first one.

He had been absent for her first nineteen years.

Now he wanted to make up to her for everything the Quinlan Family had once owed her.

Amadeus Yancey knew that, given Nathalie Quinlan’s personality, she might not care about these things, but he couldn’t stand seeing her suffer any Grievance.

The one he held in his Heart ought to deserve the best of everything in the world, not a life riddled with regrets.

If she had ever had regrets, then he would use the rest of his life to make up for those missing pieces.

”There’ll be more Gifts next month.”

Nathalie Quinlan had already put the box away, and answered with a soft, ”Mm.”

”Why are there more Gifts next month?” She thought for a moment, then turned back to look at the man. ”What Gift do you want?”

Amadeus Yancey looked at her with a burning gaze, bent one Leg and walked toward the Sofa. ”The Gift I wanted, I’ve already received.”

Nathalie Quinlan shot him a puzzled glance, pondered for a second, and then, rather seriously, asked him again, ”That thing you just said about regretting it—were you serious?”

Just now she’d been half joking, and hadn’t really taken it to Heart.

Now she’d changed her mind.

Amadeus Yancey hadn’t expected her to bring this up again. He ducked his head with a cover‑up cough, reached up to rub the tip of his own nose, and said in a helpless tone, ”A gentleman’s word is his bond. I’m not that impatient yet.”

”Really?” Nathalie Quinlan gave him a doubtful look, running her gaze up and down him, clearly not quite believing what he said.

After all, lately this man really didn’t look as composed as he claimed to be.

But Amadeus Yancey switched the Topic, suddenly asking, ”What did Mr. Fuller come looking for you for?”

Nathalie Quinlan’s attention was pulled away by him. She walked over to the water dispenser and poured herself a cup of water, pinching the Paper cup in her hand as she said casually, ”He found an experimental application my mother left behind in the archive room of The First Research Institute, something to do with nuclear fission. He suspects my mother’s later departure from The First Research Institute and her early death are both inseparable from this research.”

”Nuclear fission?”

As the actual person in charge of the Yandor Sect, Amadeus Yancey knew the situation on all sides like the back of his hand.

The moment Nathalie Quinlan mentioned nuclear fission, he immediately thought of the stakes involved.

So he asked the Girl, ”What do you think about it?”

”What can I think.” Nathalie Quinlan shrugged her shoulder, her tone quite indifferent. ”The facts are right in front of us, aren’t they?”

Amadeus Yancey fell silent.

Nathalie Quinlan carried her water cup into the living room and found a place to Sit down. ”I’ll keep digging into it. This might end up involving a Hidden Family behind the scenes.”

Amadeus Yancey snapped his gaze to her, his brows knitting together, but unlike Nicholas Fuller he didn’t try to dissuade her. ”If you want to investigate, then investigate. But you can’t act alone. Whatever comes up, you have to tell me—I’ll go with you.”

Nathalie Quinlan had always been used to acting alone, very rarely coordinating with anyone.

She instinctively looked at the man speaking to her, and when her gaze met the sincerity and concern in his eyes, Nathalie Quinlan withdrew her eyes, lowered her head to take a sip of plain water, then put the cup on her knees, lowered her lids, and said, ”Okay.”

*

With the experimental application for Lynette Kingsley that Nicholas Fuller had given her in hand, Nathalie Quinlan was determined to Start her investigation from the nuclear fission experiment.