Chapter 143

Lily was shocked. She looked at the body that shielded hers and was stunned to see that it was Carolina, Ariana's mother.

Ariana screamed, "Nooooo!! Noooo!!! Mother!!!" She dropped the gun and immediately rushed toward her mother, whose body was held by Lily.

She knelt down and shook her mother's body in desperation. "Mother,please wake up!!"

Alexander pulled Lily up to let Ariana hold her mother instead. Lily, still dazed,stared at Alexander.

"Alexander, how...?" she stammered, surprised to see him there.

Blake and the others, who had seen what happened, immediately left the base nearby and rushed to the scene.

"Why would you plan all this without my knowledge?" Alexander demanded.

"I'm sorry. Knowing you, you wouId have done things more rashly," Lily replied.

Alexander sighed, his anger momentarily dissipating as he held her in his arms. Relief swept over him-she was safe.

After a brief embrace, Lily moved toward Ariana,who was crying bitterly over her unconscious mother.

Lily looked at James, who had just arrived with the others, her gaze full of questions. She then turned to her grandfather, Caleb, with the same silent inquiry.

How was Ariana's mother here? Lily questioned them with her eyes.

"We didn't doanything. Her mother followed her here secretly, according to what she said," James explained.

Hearing this. Ariana's cries intensified. It was her fault. Her mother had warned her to stop, but she hnadn't listened, and now her mother lay unconscious because of her.

"All of you have a lot of explaining to do later," Alexander said, casting a sharp look at Lily, Blake, James, and Michael-the latter being someone he particularly disliked.

If Carolina hadn't taken the bullet, Lily would have been the one lying on the ground.

Lily glanced at Alexander. Although they had hugged, she knew it was merely relief that she was unharmed. She could sense the anger simmering beneath. She was certain that after today, Alexander would keep her on house arrest.

"She's still alive, so let's get her to the hospital immediately," Lily said."The bullet didn't hit any vital organs."

Ariana wept uncontrollably.

"Max."

"Yes,boss."

"Seize her," Alexander ordered.

"No, I will take care of Ariana instead," Blake interjected.

Alexander was stopped by Caleb. "You've done your part. Let me do mine.

"Let's not handle it this way, Alexander. The whole country saw what happened here. The police are already searching for her. If we don't hand her over, we'Il face the consequences," Caleb warned.

"After everything she's done, you expect me to just hand her over without torturing her for days?" Alexander growled through clenched teeth.

"You think I don't feel the same after she tried to kill my granddaughter and great-granddaughter because of you?!" Caleb retorted heatedly.

Alexander clenched his fists. "I will take her."

"No, you won't," Caleb countered firmly.

The bodyguards on both sides stood tense,awaiting orders.

Lily, seeing neither man willingto yield, stepped forward. Her grandfather had allowed her to handle things her way, and now that things had unfolded as they had, Ariana had to be handed over to the authorities.

Lily placed a hand on Alexander's clenched fist.

"Alexander, please reconsider. Since things have already gone this way,we have to hand her over to the authorities," she pleaded softly.

"Not when she deserves death," Alexander replied coldly.

"Yes,she deserves death, and she will get what she deserves. We'll make sure of that together."

After a tense pause, Alexander relented. "Fine, do what you want," he muttered before turning to leave, dragging Lily with him.

Caleb scoffed as he watched them leave. "Seize her and take her mother to the hospital," he instructed.

With the matter settled, everyone began leaving the forest one by one.

As they walked, Lily asked Alexander to slow down.

"Alexander, slow down."

He slowed his pace."Why?"

Lily hesitated, then said, "I'm sorry for not telling you."

"You're sorry? You were almost shot, Lily!" he snapped.

She nodded, unable to meet his gaze.

"I called you earlier today, and what did you say? That you'd be home soon with Viola! And here you are!"

Alexander was seething. "You found out who tried to kill you and our child, and you kept it from me. Why?"

Lily remained silent, staring at the ground.

"Look at mae when I'm talking to you!" Alexander demanded.

Lily hesitated but eventually raised her eyes to his angry face.

"Alexander, can we leave here first? It's dangerous. There might be wild animals or snakes, and you know I'm scared of snakes," she said innocently.

Alexander stared at her in disbelief. "Now you're worried about safety?

You didn't think about this when you decided to come here!"

Lily bit her lip.

Alexander sighed, unable to decide how to deal with his stubborn wife.

"Because of this, you've doubled your punishment," he said.

Lily sighed, knowing she had a lot of makeup to do.

They reached the road and got into the car. The drive back to the city would take over an hour.

Gathering her courage, Lily finally said, "Alexander, I was thinking we should stop by the police station where Ariana is being taken to press charges."

"We can do that tomorrow," Alexander replied curtly, focused on his phone.

Lily nodded and fell silent.

That night, they returned to the family residence. But Alexander, unwilling to stay,decided to go back home with Viola.

Viola,who hadn't seen her father in weeks, clung to him tightly,showering him with kisses as he did the same.

Lily, feeling like an outsider, watched them quietly during the drive home.She regretted separating them for so long.

Lost in thought,she received a text from Sarah.

Sarah had been in touch throughout and was relieved everything went smoothly.

"When did the doctors say you're due?" Lily texted.

"In about two weeks," Sarah replied.

"I'can't wait to welcome my godchild." Lily wrote back.

"Me too," Sarah replied.

Unaware of the exchange, Alexander turned to Lily. "Did Sarah know?"

Lily's silence confirmed his suspicion.

"So she knew?"

Lily nodded hesitantly.

Alexander looked out the window, clenching his jaw.

"I needed her help," Lily murmured.

"You needed her help?" he echoed biterly.

"Yes," she admitted.

"Fine. But why didn't you inform me?" he asked, his voice calm to avoid waking Viola.

"Telling you would've tipped Ariana off. You would've confronted her.taken her to a base, and tortured her to death," Lily explained.

"And you think that wouldn't have been the best course of action?"Alexander growled.

Lily sighed. "I thought about the families who lost loved ones in that demolition. They deserve justice, Alexander. I'm sorry for keeping this from you, but I knew how you'd react."

She was right. He would've taken matters into his own hands. But that

didn't mean Ariana would escape his wrath.