A few days ago, Harris returned to his country, only coming back today. Shortly after his return, Lily Peake introduced Harris to Chris Shelby and Esther. “Dad, let me introduce you. This is my college friend, Esther from Amerosia Chester Group, and this is… her husband, Chris Shelby!” As Lily introduced Chris Shelby, she hesitated slightly. After all, mentioning Chris Shelby’s status as a son-in-law was somewhat awkward.
“Are you Mr. Shelby?” Upon hearing the name Chris Shelby, Harris was momentarily taken aback. As the Ambassador of Amerosia at the Oxwoods Embassy, Harris was somewhat aware of Chris Shelby’s identity. Chris Shelby nodded and said, “Yes, I am Chris Shelby!” Hearing this, Harris immediately responded with great respect, “Mr. Shelby! It’s an honor to meet you here.” Chris Shelby was a prominent figure in Amerosia, and Harris naturally did not dare to treat him with anything less than the utmost respect.
Lily Peake was surprised to see her father treating Chris Shelby with such deference. Given her father’s status in Amerosia, he was a significant figure. Who was Chris Shelby to command such respect? Chris Shelby simply smiled and said, “No need to be so formal; I’m not here on official business, just some personal matters.”
Relieved by these words, Harris understood the implication: Chris Shelby was here for personal rather than official reasons. Since it was a personal visit, Chris Shelby obviously did not want too many people to know about his identity. Harris, an experienced diplomat, quickly grasped the situation.
After a brief exchange, Esther and Chris Shelby returned to the embassy. As for Harris, he naturally went to the hospital to stay with his daughter, Lily Peake. Over the next few days, Chris Shelby and Esther stayed at the embassy, occasionally visiting Lily Peake at the hospital. The impact of a shooting incident at a cocktail party in Oxwoods was significant. The originally planned Global Economic Summit was also canceled due to the incident.
With no further reason to stay in Oxwoods, Esther booked tickets to return home. Chris Shelby would, of course, return with her. Before leaving, they both visited the hospital to say goodbye to Lily Peake. Lily, looking at Esther, said regretfully, “Esther, are you leaving so soon? Why not stay a few more days?” Esther replied helplessly, “I can’t, there’s a pile of work waiting for me back at the company. I’ll come to visit you again when I have the time!”
Upon learning about the summit’s cancellation, Lily expressed her disappointment: “Esther, it’s really a shame it turned out this way. Once I’m out of the hospital, I’ll definitely help you find some business partners.” Esther smiled and replied, “That sounds great!”
Just as Chris Shelby and Esther were preparing to leave, a group of men in suits entered, led by an elderly man over seventy. The elderly man approached with a smile, “Hello, I am Tony, the butler of the Oxwoods royal family. May I know which one of you is Mr. Chris Shelby?” Chris Shelby stepped forward, curious, “I am Chris Shelby; what can I do for you?” Tony said, “Mr. Shelby, please come with me. Her Majesty the Queen would like to see you.” “The Queen wants to see me?” Chris Shelby’s expression turned curious. He nodded and responded, “Alright!”
Following their departure from the hospital, Chris Shelby and Esther followed Tony into a Rolls-Royce Phantom. Upon learning that they were headed to the palace in Oxwoods, Esther’s face was etched with nervousness. After all, this was a summoning by Her Majesty the Queen; how could Esther not be anxious?
Chris Shelby took Esther’s hand, smiling reassuringly, “Don’t be nervous, I’m here with you.”
“Okay!” Esther nodded, reassured by Chris Shelby’s presence.
Soon after, they arrived at the majestic palace of Oxwoods, built like a castle. As the residence of Her Majesty, the palace was naturally secured with strict protocols. After undergoing thorough security checks, Chris Shelby and his companions were allowed inside. The palace was guarded by fully armed sentries throughout.
Led by the royal butler, Tony, they approached the chamber where the Queen resided. Tony knocked on the door, and after a moment, a voice from inside called, “Come in!” Carefully, Tony pushed open the door.
Inside, a woman wearing a crown sat upon a throne. Without a doubt, this was the Queen of Oxwoods. Tony approached her and respectfully announced, “Your Majesty, the guests have arrived.”
The Queen nodded and smiled faintly, “Let them in.”
Following Tony, Chris Shelby and Esther entered. The Queen looked at Chris Shelby with a half-smile, “Death, we meet again.”
Chris Shelby responded calmly, “Indeed! You seem even younger than when we last met, Your Majesty.”
Esther turned to Chris Shelby in surprise. She could hardly believe that he knew the Queen of Oxwoods. At a loss for words, Esther didn’t know what to say.
The Queen didn’t engage in further conversation with Chris Shelby; frankly, she was uninterested in prolonged dialogue with him. His visits always led to upheaval in Oxwoods. This time, his actions had been particularly disruptive; he had swept through Knights’ Liberty, causing such a commotion that it alarmed the International Mercenary Alliance.
The Queen held no particular fondness for Chris Shelby. Turning her gaze to Esther, she asked with a gentle smile, “Are you Esther, the CEO of the Amerosia Chester Group?”
Esther, surprised that the Queen knew her name, could only nod.
The Queen continued with a smile, “Don’t be surprised. I knew who you were the moment you entered Oxwoods.”
Given that Chris Shelby, a figure of significant global influence, was always the center of attention, it was only natural for Esther, his wife, to be noticed by the Queen.
Regaining her composure, Esther hurriedly replied, “Hello, Your Majesty, I’m Esther. It’s an honor to meet you.”
The Queen nodded, then turned back to Chris Shelby, “Death, I heard about your recent actions in Knights’ Liberty and the missile strike on Knights’ Isle. Regardless of the circumstances, Knights’ Isle is still part of Oxwoods. Don’t you think you owe me an explanation?”
“An explanation?” Chris Shelby scoffed disdainfully, “What explanation do I owe you? My wife was kidnapped at a party. You should be explaining that to me.”