Finnian had just left when Liliana immediately called her family doctor over. "After I fainted, what kind of tests did they run? They didn''t find out about... you know, did they?" she asked anxiously.


    No matter which hospital she visited, her family doctor was always the liaison with the attending physician. She had told Finnian before that she didn''t trust outside doctors as much, reasoning that her family doctor knew her medical history better. Finnian hadn''t suspected a thing, so they''d kept the ruse going until now.


    But fainting today had been unexpected, and it had scared her half to death.


    "Don''t worry, Ms. Porter," the family doctor reassured her quickly. "Nothing about the... situation was revealed."


    Liliana sighed in relief, dismissing the doctor with a wave of her hand.


    Staring up at the white ceiling, her expression slowly turned more intense and determined.


    The truth was, she wasn''t pregnant at all. The so-called "baby" she was carrying didn''t exist!


    That day when Finnian had been drugged, it wasn''t even her who had saved him!


    But she had seized the opportunity to make Finnian believe it was her, thus binding him to her. Now, with Finnian''s feelings for Amara growing increasingly uncertain, she had to hold onto this charade of a pregnancy, or she''d lose everything.


    ll


    Meanwhile, Larry Sullivan, who''d been in the hospital for over two weeks, was finally discharged. was recovering well, able to eat a walk normally, and could even handle work without issue. Fiona suggested throwing a wee home party to celebrate, and Larry agreed. The party was set for that afternoon.


    As Larry''s only acknowledged biological daughter, Amara was naturally invited to the celebration Though Fiona and Elowen intended for her to be a guest, Amara arrived at the Sullivan estate hours early. She spent time fussing over Larry, then helped Fiona prepare for the party, assuming the role of a


    hostess.


    Fiona was seething, continuously making snidements to try and drive Amara away, but Amara just yed dumb, dodging Fiona''s barbs with ease.


    By five in the evening, guests began arriving in droves. Amara and Elowen stood


    by the entrance, greeting guests and solidifying Amara''s ce as a hostess.


    Fiona was fuming but couldn''t openly confront Amara. Instead, she vented her frustration in private, cursing Amara under her breath.


    "Ely! You made it!" Amara eximed as the grand hall filled with the who''s who of Wye''s elite. After weing twodies, she spotted Elysia elegantly dressed,


    approaching with Dorian in a sharp suit beside her.  s?novel


    Elysia hooked her arm through Amara''s and smiled warmly. "Of course, I had toe. Your lovely stepmother sent me an invitation, and besides, I wanted to see you."


    Grabbing Amara''s arm, Elysia started chatting away. Meanwhile, Dorian, feeling sidelined, frowned slightly and slid an arm around Elysia''s waist. "Shall we head inside?" he suggested.


    "Yes, let''s," Elysia replied, her tone towards Dorian neither warm nor cold. To outsiders, it seemed like a perfectly normal interaction, but Dorian felt uneasy.


    The Elysia of the past few days was worlds apart from the Elysia he''d known. What on earth had changed?