Ray’s playful demeanor flickered with a hint of concern as Lilly’s words sank in. He pulled back slightly, his brows knitting together as he searched her eyes for any sign of discomfort. “Nauseous?” he echoed, trying to keep his tone light despite the unease creeping into his chest. “How long has this been going on?” Lilly blinked, her gaze unwavering. “A few weeks,” she replied matter-of-factly. “It’s not constant, just… sporadic. It’s strange.” Ray’s mind raced, the mischievous glint in his eyes replaced with genuine worry. He tried to mask it with a casual grin, but his thoughts were already spinning. *Could it be something serious?* He quickly dismissed the thought, unwilling to jump to conclusions. “And you haven’t mentioned this to anyone? A doctor, maybe?” “No,” Lilly responded simply. “It’s not a priority. Besides, I thought you might have some insight. After all, you claim to know everything about me.” Ray forced a smile, though his heart wasn’t fully in it. “I do,” he
Chapter 69Ray's mind was racing as he made his way back to Lilly. He couldn’t help but replay his conversation with his mother, her words swirling in his thoughts. The possibility of Lilly being pregnant was exhilarating, but he needed to be sure before jumping to conclusions. *What if she's really carrying my child?* The thought filled him with a mix of anticipation and nervousness.When he reached the bedroom door, he paused, taking a deep breath to steady himself. He knew he couldn’t let Lilly see how rattled he was. Whatever happened next, he needed to approach it calmly and with care.Pushing the door open, Ray found Lilly still resting on the bed, looking as serene as ever. Her gaze flickered to him, and he could sense the quiet strength she carried even when she was vulnerable."Hey," he greeted her softly, moving to sit beside her. "Feeling any better?""A bit," she replied, her eyes studying him closely. “I heard talking to someone, who was it?Ray nodded, trying to keep his
Chapter 70“This marriage talk again…” Lilly thought, trying to keep her expression neutral as she glanced at the faint line on the pregnancy test. The possibility of being pregnant had already thrown her mind into a whirlwind, and now Ray was pushing for marriage on top of that. She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before speaking. Why did most of their conversations end with talk of marriage? She could see that Ray might genuinely feel love for her, but she was still trying her best to come to terms with that.“Ray,” she began, her voice steady, “pregnancy and marriage are two different things. Just because I might be pregnant doesn’t mean we need to rush into getting married.”Ray’s smile faltered slightly, but he held her gaze, his eyes full of sincerity. “I understand that, Lilly. But I’m not suggesting marriage just because of the baby. I’m suggesting it because I love you. Isn’t that reason enough?”Lilly studied him for a moment, her logical mind trying to process ev
**Chapter 71**Ray picked up his phone and dialed Derek’s number. After a few rings, Derek answered.“Derek, I need you to come over,” Ray said, his voice tense. “It’s important.”Derek could sense the urgency in Ray’s tone. “Alright, I’ll be there shortly. What’s going on?”Ray didn’t elaborate, ending the call with a frown. Derek’s mind began to race. Ray had been calling him frequently, and it was often for something out of the ordinary. First, it was a psychologist; now, he didn’t even explain. Derek concluded that something serious was happening and hurried to see him.A short while later, Derek arrived at the address Ray had sent. He was surprised by the new location. Why wasn’t Ray at home?“You’re late, man,” Ray said instead of welcoming him inside. Really? That was the first thing Ray was going to say to a man who put his work on hold to come see him, Derek thought.“You sounded urgent,” Derek replied.“I need you to confirm if my baby girl is pregnant.”What! I hope I’m not
**Chapter 72**Chloe couldn’t shake the unease bubbling within her. She had always admired her boss’s calm demeanor and sharp mind, but this time, things were different. Her boss was about to step back into the real world after the whole death incident, fully aware of the chaos that awaited her. The upcoming press conference would mark her role model's official return, and Chloe knew the impact would be seismic.As she reviewed the final preparations, Chloe's thoughts wandered. *My boss facing the world again will be epic.* The idea seemed almost surreal. For two months now, her boss had operated from the shadows, controlling everything with an iron grip while remaining out of the public eye. But now, everything was changing. And while Chloe trusted her boss’s judgment, a small part of her couldn’t help but worry about the storm that was sure to follow.Meanwhile, in another part of town, James Anderson sat in his study, brooding over the latest developments. The rumors Helena had pos
**Chapter 73**Lilly hung up the phone, her expression as blank as ever. Across the room, Ray Manchester observed her carefully, searching for any sign of what she might be thinking. He knew her well enough to understand that reading her emotions was almost impossible—her face remained impassive, her eyes cold and calculating. Still, he couldn’t help but try.“Lilly?” Ray ventured cautiously, hoping to gauge her mood. “Who was that?”“Well, it was my amazing father,” she answered sarcastically.Ray looked into her eyes, trying to make out her train of thought. It was always hard to pinpoint what each of her expressions meant, which made understanding her quite difficult. “What does he want?” he eventually asked.“Control,” she replied flatly, setting her phone down on the table with a soft click. “He always wants control.”Ray nodded, sensing there was more she hadn’t said. She seemed to be up to something, and he had overheard her earlier speaking to her assistant about a press confe
**Chapter 74**Helena’s eyes flicked over the screen of her phone, and her face twisted into a mask of rage as she read the latest news. Her manicured nails gripped the device tightly, her knuckles white with anger. The headlines screamed about Ray Manchester’s unexpected marriage to Liliana Anderson, and it was more than she could tolerate.“What the hell is this?” Helena screeched, her voice echoing through the opulent living room. She flung her phone onto the couch, sending it skittering across the cushions. “Liliana Anderson—married to Ray Manchester? How dare she!”Her voice rose in pitch as she tried to comprehend the reality before her. “How is that even possible? How in the world would he marry that… that piece of shit?”Helena’s rage boiled over, and suddenly, she snapped. Her hand shot out, grabbing the nearest object—a crystal vase sitting delicately on the coffee table. With a guttural scream, she hurled it across the room. The vase shattered against the wall, shards of gl
**Chapter 75**Helena’s fury was far from quelled as she paced through the wreckage of her living room. Her rage had simmered into a cold, dangerous intensity. As she glanced around at the shattered remnants of her possessions, a dark idea formed. She grabbed her phone from the floor where it had landed during her tantrum and dialed Ellen’s number, her fingers trembling with residual anger. Only Ellen could help her now—her mother wasn’t reliable.The call connected quickly, and Ellen’s calm, sweet voice greeted her. “Baby, what’s wrong?”“Ellen,” Helena snapped, her voice tight with frustration. “I need your help. Liliana is married to Ray, and I can’t stand it. I want her gone. I need you to take care of her.”Ellen’s voice, though steady, held a hint of something deeper. “I see. You want me to… take care of her?”“Yes!” Helena’s voice was sharp with desperation. “I want her out of my life. She’s made a fool of me, and I want her to pay.”There was a pause on the other end of the li