Nighttime at the hospital.


    Leonard arrived as usual to give his daily update. After he finished, the man lying quietly in the hospital bed, who had listened in silence until now, suddenly spoke up.


    "How''s my wife beentely?"


    Leonard, caught off guard, kept his face expressionless. "She''s doing well."


    Lysander fell quiet for a moment, then asked, "You went over therest night. Did she ask you anything?"


    With his hospital stay keeping him away, Lysander had Leonard visit Crimson Gardens every evening to keep tabs on things. If anything happened, Leonard was the one to report it.


    Knowing full well that Mrs. Montgomery wasn''t at Crimson Gardens—so no matter what, she couldn''t possibly know-Leonard could only steel himself and try to imagine how she''d respond.


    "She didn''t ask."


    "...And her mood?"


    "I think she''s okay."


    Lysander''s brow furrowed. His gaze fixed on Leonard, those fox-like eyes growing dark and inscrutable. After a long pause, he finally let out a cold, mirthlessugh.


    "She cracked my head open, and hasn''t bothered to visit the hospital once. I suppose she must be in great spirits, huh?"


    Leonard fell silent for two beats, then deftly shifted the topic. "Forrest''s newpany is holding aunch party this weekend. The invitation''s already arrived― do you n on attending, sir?"


    Lysander''s eyes glinted coldly. "Look at me. Do you think I''m in any shape to go?"


    Leonard''s gaze lingered on Lysander''s forehead, where the bandages had juste off and the wound was still pink and raw. He said nothing.


    Bamboo Grove.


    After dinner, once M had tucked the child in for the night, she was just about to drift off herself when someone knocked at the bedroom door.


    It was Forrest.


    "Mimi, thepany just went public. I''m hosting a celebration tomorrow night. Would you be my date?"


    A party?


    Would anyone from Montgomery Holdings be there?


    Andtely, Forrest had mentioned Lysander was recovering well. What if he showed up...? M instinctively wanted to refuse.


    Forrest seemed to read her mind. "He won''t be there."


    M paused, and Forrest continued, "Actually, Mimi, there''s something I''ve always wanted to ask you would you consider joining mypany? With your skills and technical knowledge, you''re on par with the best engineers out there. You already know our core algorithms, a lot of the foundational code is yours-"


    "No."


    M cut him off quickly. "You knowputers were never my passion."


    She''d already given up her dreams once before for Lysander, wasted her talent once before. This time, she only wanted to do what truly made her happy. She had no intention of getting involved in another tech project.


    Besides, if she joined Forrest''spany here, what would that mean for her ns to go abroad?


    "I''ll go to the party with you, but let''s not talk about thepany anymore." Forrest smiled. "Alright."


    The night of the party arrived in the blink of an eye.


    As the host, Forrest was busy, so M arrived early and waited upstairs in the second-floor lounge, Julian in tow.


    Lately, the child had been sleepwalking a lot, his sense of security fragile-he couldn''t be far from her.


    She only nned to apany Forrest at the party for a little while, then slip back upstairs to stay with Julian.


    With the event fast approaching, Forrest had already taken care of everything- including a couture gown for her.


    The dress was an elegant sleeveless white satin mermaid gown, embroidered with leafy green vines and dotted everywhere with tiny jeweled ents that sparkled beneath the lights. Two strands of pearl fringe draped from the nape of her neck, veiling her bare back with a shimmer that caught every movement. M''s beauty was refined and understated. Her dark hair swept up, pinned with a delicate emerald hairpin, she moved with a grace that made her seem even more ethereal than a pale, slender-necked vase adorned with fresh green leaves and white blossoms.


    Forrest waited at the door in a crisp white tuxedo, his cufflinks set with jade in the shape of bamboo leaves.


    The moment M stepped out, he was momentarily stunned. The gentleposure that was his usual mask fell away, his eyes behind the sses awash with wonder.


    He stood there for a long moment before finding hisposure, then offered his


    arm.


    As they entered the hall together, Forrest couldn''t help but lean closer and whisper, "All these years, you''ve only grown more beautiful..."


    There was a richness to her presence now, something deepened by time- impossible to look away from.


    M hesitated, but before she could respond, they were already inside, and a small crowd was gathering around them.


    The guest list was impressive: leaders from every corner of the industry, each a luminary in their field. Forrest''s reputation preceded him-even though he''d only recently returned to the country, everyone had shown up out of respect.