Chapter 22

Lilly sighed. exhausted by the constant battle of wills with Alexander. If she wanted to leave the house today, there was no point in dragging this out further. Standing up. she made her way to the elevator. her frustration simmering just beneath the surface.

In her room, she chose a loose red dress that brushed just above her knees,its flowing fabric both modest and elegant. She paired it with dark,low-heeled shoes and slung a black bag over her shoulder. Letting her long.blonde hair cascade down her back, she cast one last look in the mirror.She looked radiant, poised-ready for whatever storm awaited.

When she returned downstairs, a maid informed her that Alexander was waiting in the car. She braced herself as she stepped outside. The moment she slid into the passenger seat, his piercing gaze swept over her. It was brief, but the tension was palpable. He gave a subtle nod of approval.though his silence spoke volumes.

They arrived at Highland Hospital, its sterile halls buzzing with activity.The elevator ride to the Obstetrics and Gynecology department was thick with unspoken words. Lilly glanced at Alexander, his stoic expression betraying none of his thoughts.

The door to Dr. Richard's office opened, and he greeted her with a warm hug. "Nice to see you again, Ms. Evans."

Lilly returned the gesture with a polite smile. "Same here." Richard studied her for a moment, his gaze curious. "You look... different." "Mm-hmm," Lilly replied, keeping her tone light. "So," Richard turned toward Alexander, his curiosity piqued, "what's the good news? You were rather cryptic when you called."

Alexander,sitting on the couch with his legs crossed, didn't bother to respond. His silence was a wall.

Lilly,tired of the games, took the lead. "I'm pregnant," she announced,her voice steady.

Richard's face lit up with genuine excitement. "Wow! Congratulations to you both!" He hugged Lilly again, his enthusiasm infectious. "The man of steel is going to be a father. Who would've thought?"

"Thank you," Lilly said softly, glancing at Alexander. His eyes were on her,sharp and calculatinng, as though searching for cracks in her calm demeanor.

"I'll have one of the female doctors run all the necessary tests and bring me the results," Alexander interjected, his tone clipped and authoritative.

"Of course," Richard replied, undeterred by Alexander's brusqueness. "Come on, Lilly. Let me introduce you to the doctor who'll be taking care of you throughout your pregnancy."

Dr. Elena's office was warm and inviting, a stark contrast to the tension Lilly had been carrying. As they entered, Elena ended a phone call and turned toward them with a bright smile.

"Hey, Richard," she greeted, giving him a quick peck on the lips. Lilly's eyebrows lifted slightly. The gesture didn't escape her notice.

"And who is this?" Elena asked, her gaze landing on Lilly with a mix of curiosity and admiration.

"Alexander's wife, Lilly Evans," Richard introduced smoothly.

Elena's smile widened as she crossed the room to take Lilly's hands. "I'm so pleased to finally meet you. Richard has told me a lot about you."

"Nice to meet you too," Lilly replied warmly.

"Elena is not just a doctor," Richard added with a proud smile. "She's also my girlfriend."

Lilly's lips curved into a knowing smile. "I had a feeling. You make a lovely couple."

"Thank you," Elena said, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I hope we can be friends too, apart from me being your doctor."

"Of course," Lilly agreed, lking Elena's easygoing nature.

Just as they were settling in, Elena received an emergency call. Apologizing,she promised to return shortly and left in a hurry.

As they waited, Richard leaned back, his demeanor relaxed. "So, Lilly, tell me about yourself. Alexander never shares anything personal."

Lilly hesitated briefly but decided to share a sanitized version of her past."I grew up an orphan, mostly alone. I own a small coffee shop now, and I only completed high school," she said, glossing over the finer details of her life. Richard raised an eyebrow. "You carry yourself with a grace and confidence that suggests otherwise. You could easily pass for someone with a prestigious education." Lilly smiled faintly. In truth, she held two master's degrees, but this wasn't the moment to reveal her secrets.

"And there's something... unique about you," Richard added, studying her closely. "You have an aura, like someone born into privilege."

"That's thanks to hard work," she replied smoothly.

Richard chuckled, clearly impressed. But Lilly wasn't done probing. "Since you're one of Alexander's closest friends, I assume you know about his father's memorial two days ago?"

"Yes," Richard said, his expression darkening slightly.

"HIe wasn't there. His grandmother told me why," Lilly said cautiously.

Richard's shoulders tensed. "He never attends. The memories are too painful."

"Was his mother there?" Lilly asked, testing the waters.

"She's deadto him," Richard replied curtly.

The finality in his tone hinted at deep scars, but Lilly wasn't ready to let it go. "Is it true that his mother was the reason for his father's death?"

"That's what everyone believes," Richard admitted, his voice quieter now.

"But there's more, isn't there?" Lilly pressed, her intuition sharpening.

Richard's gaze met hers, a flicker of something dark crossing his features. He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. "Yes. Nine years ago, Alexander gave love a chance." Lilly's breath hitched. The weight of those words settled over her, heavy and foreboding. Before she could ask more, a shadow seemed to pass over Richard's face, his expression unreadable.