Chapter26
Lilydidn’tpullherhandaway,allowingLoidtoholdit.
Noonesaidanotherwordfortherestofthejourney.Anhouter,thecarpulleduptothehospitalinthecitycenter.
Lilyhadjustreachedhergrandmother’swardwhensheheardangryshoutingfrominside.“Belinda,you’reateacher<b>,</b>forheaven’ssake.Withallyourexperienceteachingcountlessstudents,howcouldyouraiseLilytobelikethis?”
ItwasSusan’svoice.
Lily’seyesnarrowedinaninstant,ashiverrunningdownherspine.Loid’sexpressionalsoturnedcold,hisdeepeyesgleamingwithapiercingintensity.
“What’swrongwwithLily?Belinda’svoicewasweak<b>,</b>punctuatedbyafewcoughsasshespoke.
“How<b>dare</b>you<b>ask</b>what’swrong?EversinceshecamebacktotheMartinezfamily,she’sbeennothingbutrude.Isupposeyoucan’texpectmuchfromacountrybumpkinintermsofmannersbuthowdareshetreatshannonlikeaservant?
<b>“</b>Whodoesshethink sheis?Howdareshebossaroundmydaughter?”Susm’sfacetwistedinrage.Herdemeanorwasfarfromthatofadignifiedy.
Belinda’sfacewaspale.“ButLilyisalsoyourdaughter,”shepleaded
Susanscoffedcoldly.“Hmph!She’sjustadaughterInolongerwant.”
“Howcanyousaythat?Belinda’s voicetrembledwithemotion.“She’sstillthechildyoucarriedfortenmonths.Howcanyoubesocruel?”
“Whatabouther?Ineverwantedher<b>,</b>soshe’snottrulymydaughter.HavingherreceShannoninmarriagewastheonlyreasonIbroughtherback.IfshewerehalfasgoodasShannon,maybeIcouldfindawaytoepther.
“Butshefailedeverysingleexam,andherspecialtiesarefightingandskippingss.She’sarrogantanddisrespectful,justlike<b>a</b>typicaldelinquent.I’mdoingherafavorbymarryingheroff”
Belindammedherhandonthetable,hervoicerisinginanger.“Shutup!Lilyisnot<b>as</b>worthlessasyoumakeherouttobe.She’sexceptional,morethanyoucouldeverimagine.
Susanletoutaburstoughter,hervoedwithscorn.“Her?Exceptional?Onlyyouwouldseethatinber.
<b>“</b>Alright,I’llcuttothechase.TheMartinezfamilyhasdecidedthatshe’snolongerrequiredto<b>proceed</b>withthearrangedmarriage.However,sincetheengagementceremonyhasalreadytakence,<b>she’s</b>stillconsideredLoid’sfiancée
“Itwouldbeinappropriateforustounterallybreakofftheengagement.IsuggestyouhaveLilyexinthesituationtoLoidpersonally,I’llthenimmediatelyarrangeforyourdeparture.”
Susanreachedintoherbagandpulledoutastackofbills.“Tillgiveyouahundredthousanddorsifyougetthisdone
Susanpaused,thenletoutacolugh.“Tobehonest,Ithinkyoushouldjustgiveupontreatment.Thedoctormentionedthere’snocureforyourcondition.Theonlythingyoucandoismanageitwithmedication.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.
“Butconsideringyourfinancialsituation,evenaffordingmedicationisastruggle.So,Ithinkit’sbestifyoujustgiveup.”
ThemomentSusanfinishedspeaking,thedoortothewardwaslockedopenwithaloudbang.Shaunburstin,hisfeaturestwistedwithrage.HeforcefullykickedatSusan,causing hertofalltothefloor.Hisveinsbulgedonhisforeheadashesnarled
“I’vewitnessedmuchinmylife,butneverhaveIencounteredamotherasviciousasyou!Youdon’tdeservetobecalledhuman!”
wasfuming.Hehadbeeneavesdroppingoutsidethedoorforhalfanhourwithhisteethclenchedinanger,sobedidn’tgoin.
LilyandLoidremainedstill.However,whenShauterheardSusanaskingLily’sgrandmothertogiveuponhertreatment,hecouldn’ttakeitanymoreandkickedthedoor openShaun’sforcefulkicksentSusansprawlingagainstthewall,Wincinginpain,sheliftedherheadtoseeShaun’sfumingface.
BehindhimstoodLily,Daniel,andanotherunfamiliarmanwhomshehadnevermet.
Everyone’sfaceswereetchedwithworry,theirexpressionsgrim.Susantriedtosalvagethesituation.Despitethethrobbingpaininherbody,shefranticallyexined,“Shaun,it’snotwhatyouthink.Please,letmeexin.”
Shaunsneered,“Exin?ExinittoLoid.”
Loidremainedsilent,hisgazefixedonLily.
AssoonasLilyenteredtheward,sherushedtoBelinda’sbedside.
Belinda’semotionaldistresshadcausedthepoisontosurgethroughhersystem,maldingitdifficultforhertobreathe,Withoutanyhesitation,Lilyretrievedapillfromherpoich
AsBelinda’sconditionstabilized,LilystoodandwalkedslowlytowardSusan.Herexquisite<b>beauty</b>tumedcoldasfrostasshesaid,“Doyouthinkthatbytakingcareof mygrandmother<b>,</b>youcanmaniptemealwill