Lillian's perspective."You know, their prayer room is huge. What you've seen and been to is only the front hall of the prayer room"—Hazel brought her finger to her red lips, lowering her voice, "I heard these from word of mouth, though. It can be hard to determine if they're real or fake. So, let's just keep it between you and me. Don't be so stupid as to ask Ismail about this or to try to snoop around the prayer room playing detective. You don't want to see Mother unhappy."I nodded quietly, "I got it."I wanted to heed her warning, but I still found myself at the door of the prayer room as soon as I got the chance. Meylani had gone with Helen to the famous church of the Azure Pack and would stay there for three days. Ismail, too, was at the base, and I was told that he would only come back late at night.I may be full of fear of the place, but the desire to find out the truth compelled me to walk deeper into it. Was the lover in his previous life somehow connected to the portrait
Lillian's perspective.Yet again, I found myself in a series of nightmares. Ever since I married Ismail, I often had nightmares. However, the previous nightmares weren't even half as horrendous as the one at the moment. I almost woke up with a scream.It was already bright outside the window, and the clock on the wall pointed to eight.Raising my hand to touch the cold sweat on my face, I closed my eyes. Everything in my dream came back with a vengeance to my mind again.In my dream, I had gone alone to the strange prayer room of the Amus family. I had seen the "Madam June", and a woman in repose lying in the crystal coffin, and then even Ismail had appeared...I suddenly opened my eyes. No, it was not a dream. It was reality!I really had gone to the prayer room the night before. I really had. That meant Ismail had really said those words to me."Are you awake?" A calm voice rang out from the side.I was stunned for a moment, and then I found out that Ismail had entered the bedroom a
Lillian's perspective.Mechanically, I walked to my own seat and sat down.Meylani had also recovered her usual seriousness. She looked around at everyone and said, "Today, I'll repeat myself here: The prayer room of the Amus family is the house of the divine artifacts of our ancestors. It is sacred and it is inviolable. Whoever dares to trespass in the future will risk my wrath. Am I clear?""Yes." The room echoed with replies.Ismail set down his knife and fork, wiped the corners of his mouth with a tissue, and sneered, "Mother, here I was, thinking you would finally kick her out and find me a new wife."Meylani gave him a sidelong glance, avoiding his glare that was shot straight at her. After clearing her throat, she said, "The ring is in her hands. Consider it her luck. However, if she does it again, I will definitely not let her off just because of a ring."The latter part of the sentence was for my ears.I lowered my head. "I understand."However, in my heart, I secretly gritte
Lillian's perspective.Ever since she found out that I was pregnant, Meylani had appeared to be unchanging in her strictness toward me. However, when no one was looking, not only did she order the chef to make me nutritious meals every day, but she also inquired about my health endlessly.However, I wasn't exactly euphoric about the change in her attitude, because I knew that everything she was doing was for the baby in my belly.I knew for a fact that without the child, I would still be a nobody—or worse, nothing—to the Amus family!It was the weekend. When it was time for breakfast, Melylani glanced at me and Ismail, who were more distant than two strangers, and said, "It's rare for the weather to be so good today. Ismail, why don't you take Chloe to shop for some new clothes and jewelry?"As soon as these words came out of her mouth, not only was everyone at the table surprised, but I was also stunned for a moment. I whipped my head toward Meylani at the same time as everyone else.
Lillian's perspective.Seeing that I was in such a rush, he did not stop the car but taunted, "What, are you going to frolic with those feral kids again?""Ismail! Watch your mouth!" I retorted, my courage fueled by outrage. "For the last time, they're not feral kids. They're just poor kids abandoned by their parents. They are either lacking in a limb or physically sick. To put it bluntly, they're just like you, a child born with an illness. It's just that they're not as lucky as you to be born into a rich family, to be spoiled and loved by so many people."I couldn't go on. I touched the tears on my face and shouted at him, "Stop the car! I want you to stop the car right this minute!"His expression changed slightly as he continued to press his foot against the accelerator.Seeing that he didn't intend to stop the car, I didn't care whether it was dangerous or not. I grabbed his arm and shook it hard, crying out, "Didn't you hear it? Rainy is on the verge of dying! He just wanted to
Lillian's perspectiveI stayed in the hospital for a while and lost track of time. Realizing that it was almost dinner time, I had to go back.Back at the mansion, I stepped into the main hall but found no one inside. Immediately, I quickened my pace and walked in the direction of the spiral staircase. I thought I could tip-toe to my bedroom without anyone noticing, only to run into Ismail, who was coming out of his room.Taken by surprise, I instinctively slipped my right hand, which was carrying the shopping bag, behind me.He glanced at me from head to toe and frowned, asking, "Where are the new clothes?"When we separated at the hospital gate, I had had four or five shopping bags in my hand, yet I only had one at the moment."I..." I opened my mouth, not knowing how to answer him.What kind of lie could make him believe that the clothes were still there? No lies could get past his ears."Did you return them?"How was he so accurate at guessing?It seemed that there was no need to
Lillian's perspective.Since the door couldn't be closed, I was forced to open it fully. I stared at him and said, "It's late at night, and I'm gonna go to bed."He seemed to be drunk, as the faint fragrance of wine emanated from his body.Panicking, I thought, "Is he trying to have sex with me? God, no. I've learned a thing or two about drunk men being more sexually aggressive. I'm still at a high-risk stage of my pregnancy too."He steadied himself and pointed at himself, saying, "Don't you see it? I'm drunk. Dead drunk.""Yeah, I see it... so?""What do you think?" Holding my neck with one hand, he drew me into his arms. As he lowered his head, his alcohol-flavored breath brushed my face. "Helping me take a bath, changing my clothes, and serving me to sleep... Aren't those the responsibilities of a wife?"Sure enough, he was here for such a thing!Ever since he was discharged from the hospital and I had trespassed the ancestral hall alone, the two of us had never slept on the same
Lillian's perspective.I chuckled and was about to put my phone back on the table when my fingertip accidentally touched the "gallery" icon. A young girl's figure came into my sight.My hand, which was holding onto the phone, stiffened and a look of surprise appeared on my face.In total, there was only one album in his phone's gallery, in which only one photo was stored. That was to say, there was nothing else in the album except for a girl's photo.There could only be one girl who was so lucky to solely occupy his phone album: his first love, Miss Moonshine. It was a no-brainer.I knew it was unethical to peek at someone else's phone, but I still couldn't help but click into the photo. Meylani had said that the girl in the portrait was a spitting image of Miss Moonshine.I had been itching to catch a glimpse of what Miss Moonshine looked like and determine if she really did look like the girl in the portrait. However, as she had left no trace of her existence, I didn't know where to