"It seems that the shock of suddenly losing her husband has made anything related to him a trigger for trauma for your mother," said the doctor who saw her mother's symptoms.
"So it's best not to call her 'mom' or talk about family, especially about your late father, until she stabilizes."
Not being able to call mom "mom" - it felt like the sky was falling and everything was going dark, but since it was for her mother's sake, Lily was as careful as she could be.
But she couldn't completely prevent herself from calling her "mom" unconsciously. It was natural, having called Grace "mom" for 20 years of her life.
It was fortunate if she realized it before finishing the word and managed to cover it up like now. When she couldn't, Grace would invariably have a seizure.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, mom..."
Whenever this happened, Lily would lock herself in a place where no one could see her, like the bathroom, and cry her eyes out.
They were tears filled with guilt for hurting her mother due to her mistake and sorrow for not being able to call her mom "mom".
"Elder sister, don't cry."
"I'm not crying."
I won't cry in front of mom, no matter what.
Lily hid her gloomy feelings behind an awkward smile and hugged Grace. With every deep breath she took, the familiar scent that penetrated deep into her lungs comforted her depressed heart a little.
What comforted her most was the warm temperature. The sound of the thumping heartbeat was also a great consolation. It was definite proof of life. Thanks to Grace returning from the brink of death, Lily was not left alone.
If Grace had closed her eyes in the accident two years ago, Lily would have turned her back on the world without any regrets.
So stay by my side like this, mom. Even if you don't remember me... Just please don't leave. Then I'll do my best to endure...
Lily engraved the resolution she had repeated dozens of times deep into her heart again and hugged her mother even tighter.
[This is the timeline separator]
Early evening, when the blue sky was dyed with red sunset.
"..."
After saying a reluctant goodbye to her mother and returning to the Benjamin mansion, Lily paused at the sight of the carriage the coachman was diligently cleaning.
It was Fredick's exclusive carriage, which neither Lily nor Samantha were allowed to use. The fact that this carriage was here meant that Fredick had returned.
"Has he returned?"
Wanting to know for sure, Lily asked the coachman. The coachman, who belatedly noticed her, bowed deeply and answered.
"Yes, madam. The master returned an hour ago."
"I see..."
Although she had guessed as much, confirming it didn't make her feel any better. Lily trailed off and glared at the mansion's door. It was already a place she didn't want to enter, but knowing Fredick had returned made her even more reluctant.
If asked to choose the most uncomfortable person here, it would undoubtedly be Fredick. It wasn't that Fredick had done anything particular to her. As he had declared on their wedding night that he wouldn't interfere with her affairs, he hadn't done anything, but she still disliked him.
That man was the root cause of dragging her into this hell.
At the same time, it was truly ironic that he was also the savior who had rescued her and her mother from another hell.
"Young madam?"
Lily, who had been standing still glaring at the door, blinked her eyes wide when the coachman called her cautiously. She had been staring so intently that her eyes stung.
"Good work."
Lily smiled as if nothing had happened and entered the mansion. There were many servants in the hall, but none of them paid any attention to Lily. They all treated her as if she didn't exist and just did their own work. Even the maids who usually attended to Lily were the same.
"..."
Seeing the servants deliberately ignoring her, it was clear that Samantha's influence was at work.
Then perhaps it wasn't Brian who ordered the coachman to leave me behind, but Samantha?
Lily corrected the culprit she had guessed in her mind as she climbed the central staircase. Her footsteps heading straight to the bedroom stopped when she saw a man standing in front of the bedroom.
"...Fredick?"
Search "lover" on redcatty(.)com to read ahead up to chapter 70.