Chapter 140 Seeing Things From A Different Perspective


    Steven nced at Lily. Being kind, gentle and understanding was a mask Lily always put on. However,


    he didn''t like that. Compared to Irene''s outspoken attitude and ignorance, he preferred Irene more. He


    liked how she was always honest and blunt.


    Steven was a man who had been in politics for many years. Although he wished that Lily would change


    her ways, deep down, he knew that such a tremendous change in her attitude was highly suspicious.


    Edric was also surprised when Lily was smiling from ear to ear at him. The person who was trying to


    get into his pants the previous night was now being such aposed state. This was all very puzzling


    to him. This further confirmed his intuition of Lily not being an innocent person.


    "Let''s talk inside," Steven invited them in. Steven shared the same couch with Deborah; Irene and


    Edric on another. Lily plopped down alone in a single chair.


    Irene couldn''t help feeling that the entire scenario looked odd. After thinking about it for a bit, she


    recalled how she used to be the one sitting in that single chair, but now it was Lily.


    Seeing Steven talk to Edric as if nothing had happened, and how Deborah and Lily were trying to put


    on an act, Irene felt all this was extremely ironic. This entire family deserved Oscar awards for being


    such great actors; their acting skills were really top-notch.


    Maisy set the dishes on the table before she beckoned for everyone to have dinner. Surprisingly, the


    atmosphere at the dining table was good. Lily actually scooped some dishes for Irene and Edric, and


    so did Deborah. Seeing how hospitable she was to Edric, Irene felt nauseated.


    At first, she did her best to resist that sickening feeling in her stomach. But when Deborah tried to put


    some sd onto her te, Irene couldn''t hold it in any longer. She pulled her te away. Seeing the


    look of disgust on Irene''s face, Steven remarked, "It''s okay, we''re a family. There''s no need to be so


    courteous. Just let her be!"


    On the surface, the whole dining experience seemed to be a happy one but deep down, it was far from


    being a joyful asion.


    After dinner, Steven called Edric into the study. After closing the door behind him, the smile on Steven''s


    face faded away, and it was reced by a gloomy expression.


    "Edric, I am starting to see you from a different perspective! What''s so good about you? Both of my


    daughters… they''re amazing in their own ways, so why did they have to fall for you? Sigh... If news of


    this breaks out, it''ll tarnish my family''s reputation! My name will go down the drain too!"


    Before this, Steven was all smiles. But seeing how his face changed immediately, Edric was positively


    amazed by him. He had to give it to Steven, to be as skilled at being this two-face, for it must''ve taken


    years of practice.


    But wasn''t Steven the one who told him to seduce Lily? Why was he turning around and ming it on


    Edric now?


    Finally, Edric understood why Irene despised Steven so much. He said lightly, "About Lily, please


    ept my apologies. It was my mom''s doing. If she didn''t want a grandchild so badly, none of these


    would have happened."


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    "Yes, if your mom hadn''t treated Irene like that back then, then everything would not have happened.


    It''s all your mother''s fault," Steven echoed.


    As that, Edric chuckled faintly. "It''s true that it wasn''t right for her to be selfish and snobbish, but it


    wasn''t right for you and Mrs. Cook to set me and Lily up either. If we''re going to bring up the past,


    clearly you and Mrs. Cook had a part in it too."


    Hearing this, Steven''s face turned red. He never expected Edric to be so straightforward. All he could


    do now was to titter in embarrassment.


    With a weary smile, Steven stated, "The things parents do to protect their children... I didn''t think things


    through... But the past is the past; there''s no point regretting it now. The reason I invited you over


    tonight was to discuss Irene and Lily. So how are you nning to deal with all this?"


    "That''s also why I''m here." Edric looked at Steven. "I''m nning to break off my engagement with Lily


    and marry Irene."


    Steven mmed his hand onto the table, but continued to remain silent.


    Edric went on to say, "Although I''m engaged to Lily, we haven''t done anything inappropriate. What


    Irene and I have is special; I hope you will give us your blessings!"


    "There''s nothing I can do since things have turned out this way. As long as Irene says yes, I won''t


    object to your proposal. However, it pains me to see Lily in such a state!" Steven sighed deeply.


    Trying to ease his broken heart, Edric replied, "If Lily needs anything, I''llpensate her with money!"


    Steven''s eyes lit up when he heard the word pensate''. He pondered for a moment and said,


    "There''s no need for that, as long as you and Irene are happy, I''m sure Lily will be happy for you two


    too."


    Seeing that Steven was on the same boat with him, Edric felt more rxed.


    After Steven and Edric entered the study, Deborah and Lily pretended to rinse and prep the fruits in the


    kitchen. Irene knew they didn''t want to be with her alone. Well, neither did she want to stay in the same


    area with them. Thus, she walked into the living room alone to watch TV. She wasn''t paying to the


    show, instead, she was wondering what Steven and Edric were discussing in the study.


    After a few moments, Lily and Deborah marched into the living room with a te of fruits. cing down


    the te in front of Irene, Lily said with a bright smile, "Irene, please have some fruits."


    Smiling politely, Irene responded, "Thank you, but I don''t feel too well, you can enjoy it yourself, Miss


    Cook."


    "Oh my, I''m sorry!" Lily apologized sincerely. "It''s my fault for not being thoughtful enough. Please


    forgive me!"


    Irene scoffed, "Miss Cook, cut that off." This meant that she didn''t ept Lily''s apology. The smile on


    Lily''s face vanished immediately while she stared at Irene with her big, pitiful eyes.


    "Irene, I know what I did previously was wrong. This is all Freya''s fault. She chose to abandon me


    when I was at my weakest. I was so mad that I went along with her n... Deep down, I really feel bad


    for it. After all, we''re sisters, and blood is thicker than water..."


    As Lily said this, she started choking on her words. Tears started streaming down her pretty face.


    Frankly, Irene was astonished at her wless performance!


    She wanted to give Lily a round of apuse for her marvelous acting skills. If she remembered


    correctly, after the whole thing in the past, Lily was the one who stood her ground and argued with her.


    Even a child could tell that such a change in her attitude was questionably suspicious!


    "Miss Cook, don''t cry. I didn''t even touch you," Irene stood up and stepped aside in disgust.


    "Irene, your father and I have already taught Lily a lesson. She really wants to turn over a new leaf! You


    need to give her a chance to change!" Deborah chimed in.


    "Irene, please give me a chance!" Lily cried aloud, "I won''t fall for someone else''s words anymore. I''ve


    cut all ties with Freya already!"


    Lily called this an apology, yet all Irene could hear was her pushing all the responsibility onto someone


    else. There wasn''t an inch of sincerity in Lily''s words. Irene felt utterly broken at Lily''s pretense. "Miss


    Cook, you really don''t have to do this. Everything is in the past. We all know what really happened back


    then; none of us are that stupid. Do you understand what I''m saying?"


    "Does this mean you''re not willing to forgive me?" All of a sudden, Lily got onto her knees in front of


    Irene. "Irene, I''m begging you!"


    As Lily knelt down, coincidentally, the room of the study swung open at the same time. When Steven


    saw this, he frowned and asked, "Lily, why are you kneeling on the ground?"


    "I... I''m apologizing to Irene. If she doesn''t forgive me, I... I won''t get up!" Lily sobbed. Her eyes were


    beaming with tears as if Irene had just beaten her up.


    Hearing this, Steven quickly walked over. "You two are sisters and you''ve gone through so much


    together! The key here is to realize your mistake and don''t repeat it." After saying this, he turned to


    Irene. "Lily''s still a young girl; it''s normal that she will make mistakes as such. Why can''t you just


    forgive her this once?"


    Didn''t Lily say that she wouldn''t get up if I didn''t forgive her? Seeing how Steven was defending Lily,


    clearly, he thought that he could resolve this entire situation that easily.


    Irene smirked yfully. She didn''t show any intentions of helping Lily to her feet, neither did she say


    anything. All she did was just stared coldly at Steven and Lily. When she finally had had enough, she


    said, "Mr. Cook, did you ask me toe back just to watch her put on an act?"


    "What are you talking about?" squealed Steven.


    "Impressive. I have always seen actors on TV begging for mercy. Little did I know I will have the honor


    of seeing such a magnificent act when Ie over for dinner tonight."


    Irene stood up as she spoke, "Mr. Cook, thank you for your dinner. I had enough of her acting.


    However, all of you have better practice more. Maybe then, you''ll gain my sympathy the next time!"


    With that, she turned around and left without even noticing the horrid look on Steven''s face. Seeing


    Irene leave, Edric knew it was his cue to leave too. After muttering something to Steven, he quickly left


    the house.


    Watching Edric and Irene disappear from their lines of vision, Steven''s face suddenly turned cold.


    When Irene mentioned the word ''act'', he was reminded of something.


    If Lily really wanted to apologize to Irene, then she wouldn''t have chosen a time like this. He turned his


    head and looked at Lily, who was still kneeling on the ground. "What are you still kneeling for? Wasn''t it


    embarrassing enough?"


    Deborah quickly reached out to help Lily up. Lily''s eyes were twinkling with tears. "Dad, I really wanted


    to apologize and ask for her forgiveness."


    "Regardless of whether it was sincere, don''t do anything like this in the future. You''re not the brightest,


    and those around you aren''t dumb," Steven said and went back into his study.


    Back in the car, Irene couldn''t help sneering when she thought about what had happened a while ago.


    She wondered if Lily was putting on this show for Steven or Edric.


    "Edric, do you think I''m taking things too far?"


    "Irene, no matter what happened, I''ll always support." Edric didn''t know what exactly had happened


    earlier, but he was sure that Irene would never force Lily to kneel. They''d been married for three


    years; he knew very well what kind of person Irene was. Regardless of how cruel Lily could be, Irene


    would never make such a ridiculous demand.


    "You''ll support me? Edric, Lily was your fiancee after all. This reply of yours would disappoint her,"


    Irene teased.


    "Irene, she''s no longer my fiancee. I''ve already made it clear to Mr. Cook that Lily and I have broken off


    the engagement." Edric reached out and held her hand. "Irene, you told me that you''d give me another


    chance if I rid myself of all the troubles. Now that I''ve done that, we can start over again, right?"


    Irene did recall saying this, but she never said they''d start seeing each other again. For her, Edric''s


    problem didn''t end with Lily; he also had a demanding mother. With Margaret in the picture, there was


    no way Edric and she would make it to the end. With that being said, now wasn''t the right time for her


    to reject him. Forcing a smile on her face, she said, "Yes, we can start over again."