Chapter 213: Stay with Me for One Night
When Tristan hung up the phone, Harriet quickly asked, "I think I just heard Lark's name."
"Yes, we've found out."
"Who's backing her?"
"The Romanov family."
"Are they a big deal?"
Tristan served her some food. "The Romanov family has quite a background. Going way back, they can be traced to over a hundred years ago - supposedly related to royalty."
"More recently, even before the Lancaster family rose to power, the Romanov family was already the wealthiest in several countries. Their influence runs deep, spanning various fields - politics, business, both the underworld and authorities."
"Later, legend has it that the Romanov family head married into foreign royalty, sold off their Athenia properties and moved abroad to develop and settle there. So it's normal you haven't heard of them."
Harriet was curious. "How is Lark connected to the Romanov family?"
"According to my investigation, Lark is supposedly the long-lost granddaughter of the current Romanov family head, Mr. Mason Romanov."
Harriet asked again, "How is the Romanov family doing now?"
"The Romanov family is thriving abroad, incredibly wealthy." Tristan said, "Plus they have connections to royalty - they're true nobility."
"Lark is the Romanov family's granddaughter? So she was adopted by the Brown family?"
"I'm not clear on that. Ask Grandma, she might know something."
After dinner, Tristan called Haven.
Haven was shocked. "Lark is the Romanov family's young lady?"
"The Romanov family would be very careful about acknowledging relatives - they wouldn't make a mistake." Tristan said, "Grandma, was Lark adopted by the Brown family?"
"She was indeed." Haven let out a long sigh. "Not many people know about this. If you hadn't brought it up, I would have almost forgotten."
"Back then, Opal couldn't get pregnant. After going to the hospital, she found out she couldn't have children."
"She was afraid her husband would look for other women, so she begged Lark's grandfather on her knees, saying she wanted to adopt a child and raise it as her own."
"Lark's grandfather was a good man and naturally agreed. Opal's husband wanted a daughter. The couple went abroad for two years, and when they came back with a daughter, they said she was their own. So not many people knew Lark was actually adopted."
Tristan's eyes darkened. "So Lark's true identity really is as the Romanov family's young lady."
"Tristan, although the Romanov family's influence isn't domestic, their assets are mysterious and they're backed by royalty." Haven said worriedly, "If it really comes to a direct confrontation, are you confident you can win?"
A cold glint flashed in Tristan's eyes. "When it concerns Harriet, whether I can win or not, I have to fight."
Lark soon met with Opal in prison.
Thanks to the Romanov family's arrangements, they could meet privately, and all surveillance equipment in the visiting room was turned off.
"Mom!"Lark gripped Opal's hand tightly. "You've suffered!"
"Lark!" Opal couldn't believe it and broke down crying. "You... you're alive! My child, why didn't you contact me sooner!"
"Mom, don't cry." Lark lowered her voice. "Not only am I alive, I'm now the young lady of the Romanov family. I came back this time to save you."
"But I've already been sentenced to death."
"The Romanov family has connections everywhere. They're already working behind the scenes. I absolutely won't let you die!"
"What did you just say?" Opal suddenly realized. "You said you're the Romanov family's young lady? Which Romanov family?"
"Of course, the incredibly wealthy Romanov family."
Opal was shocked. "You're really the Romanov family's young lady?"
"Of course not, I'm your biological daughter." Lark leaned close to her ear and whispered, "The Romanov family mistook me for someone else. Of course I won't expose it. I went along with it and became the Romanov family's young lady, because only with the Romanov family backing me can I get everything I want!"
A dark gleam flashed in Opal's eyes.
If she told Lark now that they weren't blood-related, Lark definitely wouldn't try her best to rescue her. So she absolutely couldn't reveal this secret!
"Lark, you don't know how much I've missed you." Opal cried. "I thought you were dead, so I didn't want to live either. I just wanted to kill Harriet to avenge you. But unfortunately, I didn't succeed and got myself caught instead. I'm so useless..."
"Mom, I know how much you love me, so I came back to save you. I won't let anything happen to you."
"Good, with those words from you, everything I've done for you is worth it."
"Mom, there's more good news." Lark said happily. "The Romanov family has already found the miracle doctor Aiden for me. He'll soon come to Emberfall to treat my condition."
"Really?" Opal was thrilled. "That's wonderful! Once your condition is cured, you'll be Emberfall's number one socialite. No one will be able to match your status."
"Naturally."
Tristan learned two days later that the miracle doctor Aiden had been found by the Romanov family and was being escorted to Emberfall to treat Lark.
Tristan lit a cigarette and took a hard drag.
"What's wrong, Tristan?" Finnegan asked. "Do you have something on your mind?"
"I've been searching for the miracle doctor Aiden for years without success, but now the Romanov family has found him. This shows how unfathomable the Romanov family's power is."
"Yeah, and you still need to ask the miracle doctor Aiden to treat your mom, which means you'll have to get past Lark."
Just as he finished speaking, the secretary knocked and came in to report. "Mr. Lancaster, Ms. Lark Brown is here."
"She couldn't wait and came to find you herself." Finnegan smiled and instructed the secretary, "Let her come."
"Yes."
Since it wasn't convenient for Finnegan to be present, he left directly.
Ten minutes later, Lark walked into the CEO's office in high heels.
Seeing Tristan, she had mixed feelings. "Tristan, long time no see."
Tristan sat in the executive chair behind his desk and said flatly, "Get to the point."
Lark's heart turned cold. "After all this time, don't you have anything to say to me?"
"Between us, there's nothing to say."
"Tristan, how can you be so heartless to me?" Lark looked hurt. "I'm not the same Lark as before. I'm the young lady of the Romanov family."
Tristan raised an eyebrow, looking at her with an indifferent expression. "So what?"
"In the past, when the Brown family fell, even though we had an arranged marriage, I wasn't good enough for the Lancaster family. But now I'm the Romanov family's young lady - I'm worthy of you." Lark said urgently. "Tristan, we were meant to be together. Now we're an even better match. We should be husband and wife!"
"Looks like there's something wrong with the Romanov family's genes if they can make you dream like this." Tristan sneered. "Do you think that just because you became the Romanov family's young lady, all that dirty business between you and Owen can be wiped clean?"
Lark's face paled. "I thought that once I became the Romanov family's young lady, things between us would turn out differently. I didn't expect..."
Lark closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, there was a hint of ruthlessness. "Fine, since you're heartless, don't blame me for being unkind!"
"Don't forget, your mom needs the miracle doctor Aiden, and Aiden is in my hands now."
"As long as I don't agree, your mom will never get treatment from the miracle doctor Aiden!"
Tristan smiled, though the smile didn't reach his eyes. "Let me think - what happened to the last person who threatened me? Their grave has been there for two years now, hasn't it?"
Although Lark now had the backing of the Romanov family and could be arrogant in Emberfall.
She was still frightened by the cold, menacing aura around Tristan.
"Tristan, I love you. I just want to have you. What's wrong with that?" Lark composed herself and said, "I'm not asking for much. Just spend one night with me, and I'll have the miracle doctor Aiden treat your mom."
"Spend a night with you?" Tristan laughed mockingly. "Aren't you afraid you won't live to see the next morning's sun?"
"I've already died once. What is there to be afraid of?" Lark looked like she was going all in. "Tristan, you can ignore your mom, but can you ignore Harriet too?"
"I heard that Harriet has a serious condition and can't even have children. You even personally sent her to the operating table to abort a baby."
"Don't you want the miracle doctor Aiden to cure Harriet's condition? Don't you want her to have a child for you?"