Lillian had little appetite, but under Sophie's insistent urging, she managed to finish her milk and nibbled on a few bites of the sandwich. Seeing that Lillian really couldn't eat anymore, Sophie didn't press further.After cleaning up, Sophie sat back down. "Feeling any better?""Hmm."Sophie cleared her throat, probing, "Then, shall we head back for today?"Lillian didn't respond.Sophie took her hand, resolute, "Let's go.""Alright..."Lillian felt as if she was wandering through a fog, indeed needing someone to give her a push, no matter the decision.She stood up, and together with Sophie, they left the hospital. Passing a corner, Lillian overheard an argument."But Mom, I love him," the girl's voice sounded heartbroken."Shut up!" The woman's angry, harsh voice retorted, "Nonsense! How did I teach you? You were deceived by him, understand?""Mom...""After this, you're not allowed to associate with him anymore. A poor wretch like him is not worthy of you. If people find out, yo

Here we go again.That same sentence structure.Lillian once thought Serena to be exceptionally gentle and likable, for she always appeared generous and appropriate in public.But since returning home, Serena had used this kind of talk twice. Last time it was Oliver, now the household staff.On the surface, it seemed like gratitude, but it was actually a declaration of ownership.Ownership that Serena didn't truly possess.If before, her relationship with Oliver could be labeled as boyfriend and girlfriend, then her words might seem reasonable.But they weren't, and Lillian couldn't grasp the stance Serena was taking now.Moreover, had they been a couple, Lillian would never have agreed to a sham marriage with Oliver, no matter how much she adored him.Nevertheless, Serena had helped her in the past.So, Lillian could only purse her lips and swallow the discomfort, eventually pushing it back down. She offered a shallow smile and said nothing.Lillian's lack of discomfort and non-react

Her words struck him like a blow, leaving Oliver speechless for a long time. When he finally regained his senses, he saw Lillian's eyes filled with mockery and pain. Before he could look closer, she lowered her head and resumed packing with an urgency that hadn't been there before. Clothes were no longer folded neatly but crumpled together hastily and stuffed into her suitcase.As she turned, Oliver's icy voice came from above and his grip tightened around her delicate wrist. "Why move out today? Are you so eager?"His tone was laced with sarcasm. "Let me guess the reason for your haste—is it because of the lunch you had today with your dear Nolan?"Lillian jerked her head up in disbelief. "You have no right to mock me! You know exactly what my relationship with Nolan is!"She struggled to free her hand, but Oliver's grip was unyielding, clutching her even tighter as she attempted to pull away.His mouth was set in a straight, displeased line. "What? Am I wrong? If he's not the reason

At that moment, Lillian had already changed into her pajamas, ready to lie down for the night. No matter how upset she felt, she couldn't let it disrupt her normal routine. If she truly decided to keep the child, she knew she might have a tough battle ahead. Thus, she needed to be constantly rejuvenated and prepared. Even if sleep eluded her, she had to lie in bed and rest.Unexpectedly, her phone rang at this hour, and to her surprise, it was Oliver calling. The sight of his name on the screen brought a complex swirl of emotions. After their rigid confrontation earlier and his abrupt departure, Lillian had assumed he went to seek solace with Serena. Yet here he was, calling her.Tempted to answer, then considering the call he had Serena make earlier, she almost didn't want to. But as the phone continued to ring, she finally relented, only to hear an unfamiliar male voice on the line.After a few seconds of internal conflict, Lillian resigned herself to change out of her sleepwear and

"What do you think?" Ji Qingbei countered with a question of his own.Their gazes locked in mid-air, and after a beat, Ji Qingbei added, "What's wrong? Disappointed she didn't come?"The 'she' they referred to was clear to both.Silence lingered for a moment before Oliver scoffed, "Disappointed? About what? Doesn't matter to me whether she shows up or not.""Oh," Ji Qingbei raised an eyebrow, "since you don't care, I won't say anything else."And with that, he remained silent.Oliver's brows knitted tightly together, his gaze on Ji Qingbei filled with annoyance."Why play coy? If you know something, just spit it out.""I'm playing coy?" Ji Qingbei feigned surprise, "I thought you didn't want to know, fearing it would annoy you. So I said nothing. But do you really want to know?"Oliver's response was an irritated silence.Damn it, why did he even know someone like Ji Qingbei?Oliver was too exasperated to c