"If I told you I was thinking about you, would you believe me?" Lily asked with a smile.
Alexander Harrison answered without hesitation, "No."
"But I really was thinking about you…" Lily insisted, her mind racing with thoughts of potential scandals, "I was wondering if one day a mistress would come knocking on my door to throw sulfuric acid at me…"
Lily sighed self-pityingly, "Although Im not the kind of woman who relies on my looks for a living… if one day you dont want me anymore, I will have to rely on my looks to find my future support, right?"
Listening to this woman ramble on about nonsense, Alexander didn’t interrupt. Strangely enough, he found her chatter amusing and a bit of a relief from the daily grind.
The reason he had chosen Lily as his wife was largely because she understood her position. Over the past two years, he had confirmed this. Lily occasionally expressed a little jealousy, but it was harmless—mostly just a way to please him. She never questioned his actions, and even when rumors about him circulated, she remained unbothered.
He knew how the world saw the mysterious "Mrs. Harrison"—a Cinderella who had married into a wealthy family, trapped in her own circumstances. Yet, despite this, she never showed any displeasure. From the very beginning, she had needed money, and for the past year, that was all she had needed from him.
But thinking about this made Alexander feel a little uncomfortable. Why was this woman so different from others? Why didn’t she care about anything other than money? Shouldn’t she at least care about him or their relationship?
As they drove from Blue Bay Villa to Alexander’s residence in Lishan, the car ride was barely half an hour. Once they parked, Lily could feel her nerves tightening. Even though she knew that person wouldn’t return from abroad for another year, she couldn’t help but feel anxious.
"Whats wrong?" Alexander noticed her sudden shift in demeanor. "Are you feeling unwell?"
Lily quickly concealed her unease and forced a smile. "I might just be a bit tired… Its nothing."
Alexander’s expression darkened slightly. "What work is there to do? Is the money I give you not enough?"
"Im just being proactive," Lily replied playfully, a hint of annoyance in her voice. "What if one day you decide to divorce me? I cant just sit back and rely on your money forever. I need to support myself, dont I?"
Hearing her speak so logically made Alexander feel even more uncomfortable. Was she really so set on keeping her position?
"Lets go," he said curtly, leading the way inside.
Lily bit her lip, her mind racing with thoughts about how lucky she was that Alexander had no idea of her past. She couldn’t imagine what Charles Adams would think if he knew she had become his sister-in-law. When she chose to marry Alexander for money, she had known that her past with Charles was over—not only because she was marrying someone else but also because the vow they had made to wait for each other had been shattered.
“Lily looks thinner again,” Alexander remarked, pretending to care as he placed a piece of steak on her plate.
“Thank you,” she replied, feigning gratitude before falling silent.
Today, Alexander had invited the Adams family over for dinner to discuss a large project recently secured by Harrison Group. The Adams Group was keen to be involved, but everyone knew that Alexander had a ruthless reputation in business. He was known for cutting ties without hesitation, even with family.
But Alexander skillfully steered the conversation away from business, leaving Charles Adams and his wife struggling to redirect the discussion.
Suddenly, Lily felt a wave of nausea wash over her. Covering her mouth, she rushed to the bathroom without a word.
The people at the table exchanged confused glances, unsure of how to react.
“Whats wrong with Lily?” Alexander paused, his brows furrowing as he turned to his sister-in-law. “Is she…?”
The moment he spoke, a realization dawned on him. He quickly stood up and headed to the bathroom.
Moments later, they both emerged. Lily’s complexion was noticeably paler.
“Brother-in-law, I’ll take Lily to the hospital,” Alexander said, his tone urgent. Without waiting for a reply, he guided Lily toward the exit.
Charles Adams and his wife exchanged glances. Despite their unfinished business discussion, they couldn’t stop him. If Lily were pregnant, this would be Alexander’s first child, and it was important to ensure her well-being.
On the way back, Lily acted as if nothing was wrong, her demeanor light and carefree.
"I just did you a huge favor… How are you going to thank me?" Lily asked playfully, contemplating whether to bring up her design proposal.
"Didn’t I just help you?" Alexander replied with a smirk.
“…” Lily was taken aback.
With an intense gaze, Alexander continued, "Who was it that was so restless earlier? I was just cooperating with your departure. Shouldn’t you be thanking me?"
“…” Lily was speechless.
Suddenly, Alexander leaned closer, his voice dripping with seduction. "Given how things went earlier, I think tonight, you’ll owe me a good return."
“You’re really twisting the truth… You must have a talent for it,” Lily shot back, her lips twitching. “You must have written the book on shamelessness.”
Ignoring her, Alexander pulled her into his embrace, chuckling, “Thanks for the compliment!”
At that moment, Lily was at a loss for words.
In the end, Lily didn’t get what she hoped for.
Once they returned to the villa, Alexander eagerly devoured her as if he were a ravenous wolf.
Lily couldn’t help but wonder… why did Alexander always act like this whenever he returned home?