"This is not a coincidence, right?" Edward asked.
"Exactly," Carl said. "He is out and she is out. She is the boss, and she has all the connections to Ghost."
"Something is not adding up," Lee added. "She might be the exact person we are looking for."
"Stop it, guys," Eller countered, standing up. "Ghost has existed for as long as I can remember, but she is only nineteen years old. It's impossible for her to be Ghost. Besides, she's pregnant and has a business to run. And since when did she become a little girl who doesn't trust anyone? I'm grieving the loss of a friend—a potential sister-in-law—and you guys have the nerve to sit here and laugh? Why couldn't that child belong to Edward? He really is destined to die alone and single."
Ten hours later, the private jet touched down at the royal family's exclusive airfield. Jessy stepped onto the tarmac, the cool British air hitting her face. She was wealthy beyond measure, but even she had to admit she hadn't seen anything quite as majestic as this.
She rested a hand on her belly, a soft, expectant smile lighting up her face. One day, my little one, she whispered to herself, you'll own an airport as grand as this.
"Welcome, Miss Jessy," a woman's voice called out.
The Chief Maid stood there with a row of attendants, bowing deeply. "We have been instructed to take the utmost care of you. Prince Ethan, Princess Rubby's younger brother, will be arriving shortly to escort you home."
Right on cue, a slender young man approached, radiating a noble, effortless aura. Jessy stared, momentarily caught off guard. How can a man be this beautiful? she wondered.
"Hello, beautiful mogul," Ethan said, his voice smooth. "I'm Ethan. You can call me 'Brother Ethan' if you like. I'm hoping to stay in my sister's good books, and looking after her boss seems like the best way to do it."
As Jessy smiled back, Ethan froze. Those dimples... that smile... A sudden jolt of recognition hit him. She looks exactly like Princess Addah! He shook the thought away, completely bewildered. I hope I'm wrong, but why does the woman standing before me look so completely different from the profile I was sent?
"Greetings, Prince Ethan," Jessy said, noticing his dazed expression. "Well, this is my real appearance. To be honest, I don't even know what I look like since I haven't checked a mirror yet. I just hope I'm not ugly."
"Oh, no, Miss Jessy!" the Chief Maid interjected quickly. "You are stunning. We have never met a beauty like you. Not even the top models or actresses could match your looks."
After a short drive, they reached the spectacular mansion Jessy had long prepared for herself.
"When my sister told me you had a mansion over here, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of place it would be, especially since you've never traveled outside the United States," Prince Ethan said. "But looking at this, I can finally understand why a young girl became my sister's boss."
Jessy smiled, but a sharp, sudden pain radiated through her lower back, causing her to wince.
"I can see you are in pain," Ethan said, immediately growing concerned. "Since you are my sister's boss, I will summon the palace physician for you right away."
Even as he gave the orders, Ethan still couldn't wrap his head around it. How could a nineteen-year-old girl be the massive business tycoon his own sister bowed her head to? According to Rubby, this girl held not just one, but two PhDs. Who exactly was she? It seemed a tragedy that she was already dealing with a pregnancy before she could truly enjoy her vast wealth.
But what puzzled him the most was her striking resemblance to his uncle, Prince Robert. The texture of her hair and the shape of her lips were identical to his. Yet, in the Qin royal family of the United Kingdom, Prince Robert had never had any children since his beloved wife left him. They had only been married for three short months before she vanished. Though everyone believed she had died, Robert refused to accept it. His absolute devotion to that mysterious, powerful woman of unknown origins kept him from ever remarrying.
Within minutes, Doctor Charles arrived at the master suite. He examined the teenage girl, noting how young and fragile she seemed. But as he looked closer, his brow furrowed in deep shock. She looked hauntingly like her—the very woman Prince Robert had never stopped mourning.
Folding his stethoscope, Doctor Charles offered a warm smile. "Your children are perfectly healthy."
Jessy's eyes widened. "Children? As in... more than one?"
"Identical twins," the doctor confirmed. "But you must be very careful. Carrying twins is a heavy burden on a young body. Tell me, Miss Jessy, where is your family? Who will be here to help you?" He asked the question not just as a medical professional, but as someone desperately trying to confirm a wild suspicion.
Jessy's smile turned bittersweet. "I consider myself an orphan, Doctor. My mother died when I was eight. My father... well, he wasn't really my biological father. I was told I was a child of tragedy. Apart from my friends and the two lives growing inside me, I have no one. But don't worry, I have what it takes to survive."
The doctor felt a lump form in his throat. He wasn't just looking at a patient anymore; he was looking at the missing piece of a royal puzzle.
"I'm sorry," Doctor Charles said softly. "I didn't realize you had gone through so much. Please, take good care of yourself and your two babies."
"I will," Jessy promised.
Doctor Charles stepped out into the hallway to update Ethan. "She is perfectly fine, aside from a mild fever. Flying while pregnant takes a toll, so she just needs adequate rest."
After the doctor left, Prince Ethan gave strict instructions to the mansion's maids regarding Jessy's care. However, the burning questions in his mind were too big to ignore. He needed to confirm his suspicions with his uncle immediately, so he left the estate.
The Residence of Prince Robert
Prince Robert's estate sat just a few miles away from the imperial palace. He was the brother of Princess Rubby's father.
"Prince Robert, Doctor Charles is here to see you," a maid announced, bowing.
"Hey, old friend. Long time no see," Doctor Charles said, stepping into the study.
Robert looked up from his desk. "Well, now that you've finally remembered your old friend, what brings you here? Did you get another grandchild or something?"
Doctor Charles took a deep breath, his expression dead serious. "What I am about to tell you, my old friend, was worth the drive."