"Poppy, what... what did you say?"
"You want to frame her for causing you to miscarry?"
In his room, Liam couldn''t help but cry out in shock.
After rying Soren''s message that day, Liam had left, but the more he thought about it, the stranger Poppy''s willingness to apologize seemed.
He couldn''t resist calling her again, wanting to warn her to be careful of Evangeline''s retaliation. After all, Evangeline had lost her child; even with an apology, there was no guarantee she wouldn''t do something drastic.
He shouldn''t have bothered. His warning only prompted Poppy to tell him her real n: to stage a scene with his help. She would use the apology as an opportunity to frame Evangeline for causing a miscarriage, which would also conveniently resolve the lie about her pregnancy.
Liam was at home, but he was still worried someone might overhear their
conversation. He walked to the door, nced outside, then shut it firmly and lowered his voice.
"Poppy, this is too risky."
"If you get caught, you''ll lose Soren''s trustpletely."
More importantly, if she were exposed, Soren could trace the scheme back to him, and then he''d be finished too. Before, he wouldn''t have been so afraid, but now, Soren was under some kind of spell cast by Evangeline, and his desire for revenge in matters concerning her was terrifyingly strong.
He didn''t want to fly into the storm.
Poppy had anticipated this reaction. Her voice was calm. "But when the timees and I can''t produce a baby, Soren will find out the pregnancy was a lie, and I''ll lose his trust anyway."
"Liam, you were part of the fake pregnancy. Neither of us can get away."
She was right. From the moment he''d agreed to help her forge the fake medical reports, they had been tied together in the same boat. They would sink or swim together.
But the way she said it sounded like a threat, making this Poppy feel strangely unfamiliar to Liam.
Instead of anger, however, he felt a pang of pity.
He paused for a long moment before saying, "Poppy, have you ever thought about... leaving Soren?"
Liam didn''t mean anything else by it. It was just that Soren had personally told him he didn''t love her. He felt that Poppy was now acting with the hysteria of someone cornered with no way out.
But the Poppy he knew wasn''t like this.
The Poppy was bright and sunny, innocent and kind before. She would never harm anyone; she was the type of person who would
generously offer a helping hand to a stranger in need.
Liam felt that the woman on the phone was drifting further and further from the person she used to be.
But Poppy was furious when she heard his words.
Her voice became sharp and shrill.
"Leave?"
"Liam, what do you mean by that? Did Evangeline say something to you? Or do you also think that after
everything I''ve do
I don''t deserve.
Soren?"
"You think I''m despicable for hurting Evangeline and deceiving Soren. You think I''m hateful, don''t you?"
Liam heard this and rushed to exin. "No, Poppy, that''s not what I meant."
But Poppy''s eyes were red with tears, and she didn''t believe him at all.
The moment Liam suggested she leave, her emotional defenses had crumbled.
She bit her lip, her fingers gripping her phone tightly.
"Liam, I don''t have many rtives in Serenity City. I''ve always considered you my best friend."
"Since you''re not willing, I won''t force you."
"Let''s just leave it at that. We don''t need to contact each other anymore."
Hearing Poppy say this, Liam grew frantic.
Worried she would actually hang up and cut him off for good, he blurted out, "Just forget what I just said. Poppy, I''ll help you."
"Whatever you want to do, I''ll help
you," he said, rubbing his temples with a headache. He knew Poppy was stubborn; once she set her mind something, she wouldn''t give up. If he didn''t agree, she would. just find someone else to help, and that would be even riskier.