"I liked you from the first moment I saw you. You''re so brave..."


    M froze, a look of shock crossing her face.


    The first moment?


    That must have been seven years ago, on a stormy night, when she was pregnant and knelt at the Montgomery Manor, desperately knocking on the door with her head.


    Back then, she had been cornered by the Suthend family and Lysander, with no other option but to make such a reckless and desperate move. In her mother-in-w''s eyes, was that really courage worth admiring?


    Did she truly like her from the first nce?


    But...


    If she hadn''t been pregnant back then, and if she wasn''t the daughter-inw of the Montgomery family, would her mother-inw still have liked her?


    She didn''t voice that question in the end, but tears fell silently, staining the bedspread with dark spots.


    So, it was like this.


    And that was enough for her. She had always been content with little.


    She managed a faint smile, wiping away her tears, but then noticed her mother-in-w''s brow furrowing deeply, her face marked by heavy unease, as if trapped in a terrifying nightmare.


    "If only I... if only I were as brave as you, then I wouldn''t... wouldn''t..."


    She murmured, her breath quickening, and the hand M held began to tremble slightly.


    Sensing something was wrong, M quickly climbed into bed, wrapping her arms around her mother-inw as ifforting a child.


    "Don''t be afraid, I''m here, I''m here..."


    She repeated softly, and gradually, her mother-inw''s small frame curled up in her embrace, her breathing steadied, and soon she was peacefully asleep. M let out a sigh of relief.


    But knowing her mother-inw was a light sleeper, she dared not move, choosing instead to nap alongside her.


    When her mother-inw awoke in the evening, she was delighted to see M, her spirits lifting considerably, even eating a little more at dinner.


    Conrad was pleased as well.


    However, when bedtime came, his mood soured.


    Felicity hadn''t seen M in a while and was quite attached, bringing her pillow into M''s room for the night, refusing to leave.


    With her emotional state still unstable, Conrad had no choice but to agree.


    And so, that night, the Montgomery men each found themselves in separate, empty bedrooms.


    Conrad vented his frustration on Lysander, leaving him perplexed about why he had even returned home that day.


    Was he just a nuisance?


    Felicity''s extreme emotional highs and lows were concerning.


    M first coaxed her into taking her medication, then simply kept herpany, listening to whatever she wished to share and indulging her in whatever she wanted to do, until exhaustion from the medicine finally took over, and she fell asleep.


    When her mother-inw had an episode, it was like dealing with a child at their most troublesome age.


    But unlike a child, her energy fluctuated wildly, making her more unstable and potentially dangerous.


    Fortunately, M''s experience with children had left her patient and understanding.


    She treated her mother-inw not as someone ill but as a child whose emotions were just a bit out of control, ying and chatting with her as needed.


    And so, she apanied her through those days.


    During this time, Lysander only showed up on the first day, using work as an excuse to avoid returning thereafter.


    M didn''t mind.


    She cherished the peace and was there primarily for her mother-inw. Lysander''s presence would have been more of a hindrance.


    However, Conrad was furious, and M asionally stumbled upon him angrily berating Lysander over the phone, making for awkward moments.


    Thankfully, her mother-inw''s emotions stabilized soon enough, allowing M to make her excuses and leave.


    How Conrad would exin things to his wife was his concern.