Chapter 51
The Fultons were all deeply concerned about Lily.
However, Xavier didn’t want to trouble his elders with something he saw as a minor issue.
He figured once Lily calmed down or if he could talk to her in person, he could set things straight.
“She’s not feeling well. I’ll go check on her, so I won’t be staying for dinner.”
Edith’s worried expression immediately turned to one of excitement. “Is she pregnant?”
Shane, who had been sipping tea nearby, set down his cup and chimed in. “Pregnancy is serious business. She should move back here so we can take care of her.” “No,” Xavier responded firmly.
He was confident the measures he had taken to prevent any surprises were effective.
Edith and Shane exchanged questioning glances, silently demanding an explanation for his certainty.
Xavier fumbled for a half–hearted excuse. “She’s just feeling under the weather because… well, you know, that time of the month.”
Edith sighed, disappointed. She then urged Xavier, “Take good care of her. You’re not getting any younger…”
Xavier was just 25 years old. At that moment, he was left speechless.
No one stopped him from leaving once they heard Lily was unwell.
Shane walked him to the door, reminded him to drive safely, and then returned inside.
“Xavier seems a bit more considerate than I expected,” Shane remarked. He settled next to Edith. “At least he still cares about Lily.”
Edith rolled her eyes. “That’s the bare minimum. If Lily doesn’t have a child soon, I worry he won’t be able to hold onto her.”
Despite being thoughtful, Shane’s intuition couldn’t quite match Edith’s maternal instincts.
She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off between the two.
“It shouldn’t be…” Shane replied, though he made a mental note to have a talk with Xavier sometime.
Balancing work and family was crucial.
Edith half–joked, half–complained, “It’s all thanks to you for marrying such a wonderful wife and raising a grandson as stubborn as a mule.”
Just then, Tamara descended from the second floor. “What’s this about stubbornness?” she asked, catching the end of the conversation.
Edith quickly changed her tone while smiling brightly. “Oh, just talking about the duck in the kitchen. It’s been marinating all night, but still hasn’t soaked up any flavor!”
Lily was hiking at Crownridge Peak in Jade ford’s northern outskirts.
She wasn’t in the best shape physically and found herself exhausted halfway up the trail.
She was dressed in a white athletic outfit. Her long hair which was tied into a ponytail had loosened and fallen over her shoulder during the climb.
“Here, have some water.”
Terence’s shadow stretched over her, shielding her from the blazing midday sun.
He wore a black athletic outfit and a string of beads on his wrist. He offered her a bottle of mineral water with the cap already loosened.
Even though the season was cool, the midday sun beat down relentlessly.
Lily squinted against the harsh light while gratefully accepting the bottle.
“Thanks, Terence.”
As he sat on a nearby boulder, Terence said gently, “You don’t have to be so formal with me.”
Maryanne was full of energy. She ran back from scouting the trail and exclaimed, “We’re about two hours from the top! Hang in there, Lily!”
“Alright,” Lily replied while nodding.
The mountain scenery was breathtaking. A refreshing breeze swept through, soothing and invigorating her.
Since making the decision to divorce Xavier and dealing with the fallout of Hayden’s trouble, she hadn’t felt this free in a long time.
The Devereux siblings had picked up on her low spirits and made it their mission to lift her mood. Their playful banter kept her mind off her worries.
It felt as if this entire trip had been planned solely to help her unwind.
They finally descended the mountain around 10:00 pm.
Terence drove Lily back to Bayview Gardens, while Maryanne had already dozed off in the backseat.
Lily stepped out of the car quietly, waved to Terence through the window, and made her way inside.
