Once alone, I sat beside Matriarch Evelyn''s bed and reached for her hand. Her skin felt


    paper-thin beneath my fingers, the blue veins visible through the translucent surface.


    +15 Points >


    I leaned over, pressing my face against her wrinkled hand. "Grandmother," I whispered, using


    the term of endearment I never dared speak when she was conscious, "my Lily is dead."


    The words broke something inside me. Tears burst forth, hot and unstoppable. Even now, I couldn''t truly ept that Lily was gone. Every time I mentioned her name, thought of her face, or saw anything that reminded me of her, my heart ached as if cut by a knife.


    Lily was a piece of my soul, my daughter whom I had raised and cherished like the most


    precious treasure. After finally finding apatible kidney donor and seeing hope that she


    would ovee her illness to grow up healthy and happy, she was killed by Victoria.


    How could I not be in pain? How could I not hate?


    "It was Victoria Frost who killed her," I continued, my voice breaking. "She deliberately stole


    Lily''s kidney donor on the day of her operation, causing Lily to die on the operating table."


    I clutched Matriarch Evelyn''s hand tighter. "And I clearly know the murderer is Victoria, but I


    have no evidence and can''t do anything about her."


    The words


    out of me now,


    that Lily is


    pable. "I''ve tried telling Ethan repeatedly


    dead, wanting him to avenge her, but he refused to believe me."


    My voice turned bitter. "He doesn''t care for Lily. He favors Emma, and he wholeheartedly protects Victoria and her daughter. I have no recourse. I can''t count on him."


    I wiped at my tears, but they kepting. "I want to confront Victoria directly and make her pay myself to avenge Lily, but Ethan... arranged bodyguards for her, and I can''t even get close


    to her."


    Hatred burned in my chest like acid. "Victoria is truly vicious. She killed Lily, and that wasn''t


    enough-she took ck dog blood with talismans and poured it on Lily''s grave."


    I broke downpletely then, my body shaking with sobs. "Grandmother, I hate Victoria with


    every fiber of my being. I want to make her pay dearly to avenge my Lily, but I''m helpless..."


    Once unleashed, my emotions were impossible to contain. I leaned over the bed''s edge,


    +15 Points>


    consumed by grief so profound I couldn''t control myself. Unable to avenge Lily, I- her mother-


    was the one most pained.


    As I cried, I didn''t notice Matriarch Evelyn''s fingers moving. I was so immersed in sorrow that I remained unaware until a gentle handnded on my head, stroking it with distress.


    My body froze. I quickly raised my head to meet Matriarch Evelyn''spassionate eyes.


    The matriarch had awakened.


    My mind went nk. I stared at her, tears still clinging to my face, until her distressed voice


    reached me.


    "Olivia... don''t cry..." She slowly raised her hand to gently wipe away my tears.


    In that moment, I realized she had truly awakened. Setting aside my own grief, I forgot to use


    the call button and instead rushed out with tears streaming down my face. "Matriarch Stone is awake!" I shouted to the security guards. "Call Dr. Bet immediately!"


    Dr. Bet arrived promptly. He gave Matriarch Evelyn a thorough examination and confirmed


    she had indeed awakened with all vital signs normal.


    "Remember, the patient must not be emotionally agitated," he warned me sternly. After all, she was elderly and couldn''t withstand excessive stimtion.


    I nodded, and Margaret escorted the doctor out. Throughout the examination, Matriarch Evelyn held my hand tightly. While the doctor checked her, her eyes remained fixed on me, the


    distress in them almost palpable.


    "Don''t inform anyone else. You may leave us," Matriarch Evelyn instructed Margaret.


    The caretaker, who had been about to call Ethan and other Stone family members, immediately put away her phone and left the ward.


    "Grandmother..." I stood beside the bed with reddened eyes, my expression helpless.


    Uneasiness filled my heart.


    After the initial joy of the matriarch''s awakening came fear. I had revealed too much about Lily while at her bedside. The doctor had repeatedly warned that she shouldn''t be upset.


    I wasn''t certain when Matriarch Evelyn had awakened or whether she had heard about Lily''s death and Victoria''s role in it. Although I desperately wanted her guidance, if it would endanger her health, I couldn''t bear the responsibility....


    Matriarch Evelyn studied my expression and seemed to understand my internal struggle. Her


    eyes softened with affection.


    +15 Points)


    "I heard everything... Lily, she..." The word "death" caught in her throat. Even though she had heard me say it, she still couldn''t immediately ept it.


    When Lily was mentioned, tears rolled uncontrobly from her eyes. It was profoundly tragic for an elder to outlive a child.


    "Olivia, don''t cry," she said, her voice gaining strength. “I will make this right for you! I will never let Victoria, the murderer who killed Lily, escape justice. She will pay for Lily''s life!"