Millie remained oblivious to her supposed transgression. Why would she eat with another man instead


    of her grandmother?


    As a man, Marcus could read the intensity of Patrick’s affection for Millie through his gaze. As a


    married woman, Millie remained oblivious to these signals and simply went out with him.


    Upon arriving home, Millie opened the refrigerator only to find it empty.


    Following the Thomas family tradition, any leftover food was discarded to ensure fresh meals each


    time.


    Faced with the prospect of preparing her own food, Millie felt a pang of weariness.


    She resolved to bear her hunger for the night.


    Upstairs, after freshening up, she voluntarily reclined on the sofa and draped herself with a quilt. Her


    eyes fixed on the resplendent chandelier overhead. Slowly, she drifted into illusion.


    In her mind’s eye, her grandmother’s image slowly faded away.


    Throughout the night, Marcus maintained his chilly demeanor, withholding his attention. But Millie found


    herself unwilling to exin or engage in an argument.


    On the balcony, Marcus chain-smoked, his thoughts enshrouded in smoke.


    Suddenly, a pained voice echoed from behind him.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    “Grandma, please don’t go. Don’t leave me all alone.”


    Another nightmare, it seemed.


    Marcus discarded his cigarette and entered the room. Millie was perspiring heavily, her forehead


    glistening. She seemed to be in immense distress, her eyes shut as if contending with agony.


    Marcus reached out, intending to reposition Millie’s hand atop the quilt. Upon contact, he realized her


    hand was chilled to the bone.


    Meanwhile, in Sirius Vi, Lois arrived early in the moming.


    “Good moming, Miss Rayne. The master is in the study,” greeted warmly by Julius.


    “Good morning, Julius.” Lois nodded in return.


    Though Sirius Vi was grand in its expanse, it maintained an air of tranquility.


    Other than Leon, the vi’s owner, Julius was the sole servant in residence.


    Lois entered the study quietly.


    Leaning against the back of the chair, Leon dozed off. In front of him, a stack of documents regarding


    the western city’s developmenty in disarray. Lois gently organized the scattered papers.