There was no reply from Vivian Lynch for a long time, but Shannon could clearly see the "typing..." indicator on her screen.

"I believe Chase won’t be deceived by her."

After agonizing for ages, Vivian Lynch finally sent a classic, passive-aggressive message. Shannon Preston sneered at the screen.

This was her usual tactic. To maintain her public persona, she couldn’t just rush over and throw a tantrum.

But that was fine. As long as the seed of doubt was planted in Vivian’s mind, she wouldn’t let Mia Kane have an easy time in the future.

Shannon didn’t reply. Instead, she called Adrian Preston.

"Bro, where are you?"

"I’m almost at the hospital. What’s up?"

"Wait for me at the entrance. I’m coming down to find you."

Shannon Preston hurried downstairs and saw the familiar car moments later.

Adrian Preston had made a special trip back to the villa to bring some food, guessing Mia Kane wouldn’t be used to the bland, watery fare at the hospital.

Even if she had to eat light, liquid foods, they should at least be delicious and nutritious.

He was just about to go up when Shannon Preston stopped him.

"Bro... I just got my period. Could you go buy me some pads?"

"If your stomach hurts that bad, you should go home and rest. I can handle things here."

"Hey, just go buy them for me first. It’s an emergency."

Left with no choice, Adrian Preston went to buy the feminine products for her.

When they were young, their parents didn’t care for them, so he was the one who took care of Shannon Preston’s every need.

The first time she got her period, she didn’t know what it was. She only knew she was bleeding a lot and thought she was going to die.

She had cried and screamed, trying to give her brother her last words, which terrified Adrian. After figuring out what was happening, he was caught between tears and laughter. He bought her pads and taught her how to use them.

From then on, during those few days every month, Adrian would always remind her to avoid cold or spicy foods and to stay warm whenever he was around.

Once, she got her period at school and the cramps were so bad she posted on her social media, complaining that the pain was worse than death.

By noon, Adrian had shown up with a thermos of sweet bird’s nest soup with white fungus, and he wouldn’t leave until he watched her finish it.

Back then, her classmates had been green with envy, all saying they wanted to find a man like him for a husband.

Watching Adrian’s retreating back, she had made a small wish in her heart: to grow up and marry her brother.

Now, she was also watching Adrian’s retreating back, but her heart was filled with a sour bitterness.

’He’s all I have left,’ she thought. ’I can’t give up. No one is going to take my brother from me.’

When Adrian Preston returned with the pads, his expression was grave.

"It’s not your time of the month."

"Oh, come on. It can be early or late, it’s not set in stone."

"It’s true it’s not exact, but it’s never off by more than three days. Your cycle has always been regular. You get it at the end of the month, but it’s only the middle of the month now. How is that possible?"

"Then I must have remembered wrong."

Shannon Preston intentionally let the guilt show on her face. How could Adrian Preston not notice?

His face grew cold and grim. He strode toward the stairs, and Shannon Preston panicked.

"Bro, can you wait a minute before you go up? My stomach really does hurt. Maybe it’s not my period... maybe... maybe it’s an upset stomach..."

"What exactly is up there that you’re trying so hard to keep me from seeing? Is it that she doesn’t want to see me?"

"Bro, please don’t ask."

Hearing this, Adrian Preston’s brow furrowed, but he continued upstairs, finally arriving at Mia Kane’s hospital room.

"Good thing it was just a minor surgery, nothing too serious. I’m just glad you’re okay. I remember that time you were crossing the street and got hit by a car trying to save a little kid. You were in the hospital then, too. I was so scared..."

The two of them were reminiscing, the atmosphere in the room harmonious. The sight of the garish bouquet of flowers on the bedside table made Adrian Preston clench his fists.

"It was... it was my sister-in-law. She asked me to keep watch downstairs, in case you showed up unexpectedly."

Shannon Preston said timidly.

"Keep watch?"

"There’s nothing going on between her and Chase. It’s just a friendly visit, really not what you’re thinking. She was just afraid you’d get the wrong idea and get jealous or something, so she asked me to keep an eye out. She wanted me to wait until he left to let you come up, to avoid any conflict."

"Bro, just pretend you didn’t see anything. Please don’t tell my sister-in-law you saw all this. Our relationship has only just started to get better. If you tell her, she won’t trust me anymore."

Shannon Preston pleaded pitifully.

"Don’t worry, I won’t tell her."

"Bro, let’s go before my sister-in-law finds out."

Shannon Preston pulled Adrian Preston away, chattering nonstop as they walked.

"When a girl gets sick, she feels weak and vulnerable. Chase was with her for three years, so of course there are some unforgettable memories. It’s understandable that he’s the first person she’d call when she’s sick..."

"She called Chase Lockwood first?"

Adrian Preston stopped in his tracks, his voice turning ice-cold.

"Just now, when the doctor was checking her wound, it seemed like it had split open a little. It hurt so much, she meant to call you, but somehow she called Chase instead."

Shannon Preston didn’t even blink when she lied, nor did she make any extra fidgety movements. Adrian Preston stared at her intently.

He had studied micro-expression analysis himself, but right now, Shannon’s gaze was sincere and crystal clear, without a hint of impurity.

It was hard for Adrian Preston not to believe her.

’Shannon is right,’ he thought. ’How could three years of feelings be let go of so easily?’

’She acts tough on a normal day, refusing to bow her head to Chase Lockwood, but now she’s sick. This is when she’s at her most vulnerable. It’s only normal that she’d want him to come see her.’

’She’s such a little liar, saying she’s forgotten Chase Lockwood and would never go back to him.’

’But her heart clearly feels otherwise.’

"I’m leaving. Don’t tell her I was here."

"Bro, you’re leaving already...?"

Shannon Preston feigned reluctance to see him go, but Adrian Preston still got in his car and drove away.

She watched the car drive off into the distance, her eyes filled with triumph.

"Mia Kane, you think you’re worthy of being my sister-in-law? Dream on."

Inside the hospital room—

"Chase Lockwood, I’m tired. You should go. If Vivian Lynch finds out about this, she’ll be upset."

Mia Kane thought mentioning Vivian Lynch would make Chase Lockwood leave immediately, but he just furrowed his brow and looked at her with pity. "You’re in this state, and you’re still worried about her. Don’t worry, she won’t be upset."

"Just get some rest if you’re tired. I’ll come see you again next time."

Chase Lockwood even thoughtfully tucked her in before preparing to leave. Mia Kane couldn’t help but call out to him.

"Chase Lockwood, don’t come anymore. I’m worried Vivian Lynch will misunderstand, and I don’t want to have anything to do with you."

She thought she had made herself perfectly clear, but all Chase Lockwood heard was that she didn’t want to cause him any trouble.

"Don’t think about all that while you’re sick. Just focus on getting better."

Mia Kane frowned. "Chase Lockwood, your comprehension skills are truly..."

"Vivian’s calling. I have to go."

Before she could finish, Chase Lockwood was already walking out while answering his phone.

Mia Kane rubbed her temples, finding the situation absurd.

’When she and Chase Lockwood were together, he had never been this attentive to her. Is it true that the one you can’t have is always the best? Back then, Vivian Lynch was abroad, and he was so hung up on her that he treated me like a substitute. Now, he’s finally with her, but he’s here fussing over his ex-girlfriend.’

’Can’t he just make a clean break?’

She wasn’t feeling sorry for Vivian Lynch; those two were a perfect match.

Chase Lockwood had his own issues with relationships—he never cherished what he had once he got it.

Before, when he couldn’t have Vivian Lynch, she was his pure white moonlight, a goddess no one could compare to.

Now that he had her, she’d become a boring grain of white rice on his clothes, while she—the forgotten smear of mosquito blood—was on the verge of becoming the unforgettable cinnabar mole on his heart simply by being away from him.

Exhausted, Mia Kane glanced at the time. It was seven o’clock. Adrian Preston should be coming over from work soon.

She wasn’t consciously waiting, but she implicitly assumed Adrian Preston would definitely come. After all, she’d had surgery and been hospitalized, and as her husband, he was bound to show up at least once throughout the day.

But, by eleven o’clock, Adrian Preston still hadn’t arrived.

Shannon Preston walked in. "Sister-in-law, are you waiting for my brother?"