Ariana Evans turned her gaze, glanced at her, and said displeased, "Could I even lie to you!"
She pressed the cigarette butt into the ashtray, then gathered up all the evidence of her bad habits, closed the drawer in front of the bed, Ariana turned around, facing her, grabbed her daughter’s hands, and earnestly advised.
"Mom just wants to tell you, you’ve been pretending for so many years, don’t get exposed at the last moment. By then, not to mention your dad, even Nathan Moore won’t forgive you."
Olivia Zane pouted, complaining, "Mom, it’s all because of you, insisting that I pretend to be paralyzed. Now it’s great, I want to walk but can’t, and Nathan even despises me for it!"
Ariana reproached disapprovingly, "If it weren’t because you’re ’paralyzed’, would Titus Zane willingly stay in the country to take care of you?"
"Humph, it would be better if she didn’t stay in the country. Then Nathan wouldn’t go to her room every night." Olivia Zane muttered her dissatisfaction, provoking another scolding from Ariana.
"How many times has mom told you, in life, you need to look at the bigger picture? What does losing a little advantage now matter? Making her pay it all back with interest in the future is what’s important!"
"Mom, how is this a small advantage? Nathan has already slept with her. Nathan never used to touch women, but he..."
Olivia Zane was cut off before she could finish speaking, as Ariana glared at her disapprovingly, "What’s more important? A man’s purity or your own life!"
"But Nathan is no longer a virgin! And I, I still am!" Olivia Zane was still struggling with this issue.
"Is it hard to find a virgin man?"
Ariana glared at her daughter again, "After the surgery, when you’ve recovered, if you feel it’s unfair, we can pay a high price to find a virgin man, compensate him well, and then reconcile with Nathan Moore. By then, you won’t feel wronged anymore."
"Mom! What are you talking about!" Olivia Zane objected unhappily.
Ariana slapped the back of her daughter’s hand, "Let’s not talk about all this nonsense for now, it’s crucial to keep Titus Zane stable and prevent her from leaving."
After finishing speaking, she glanced at the small alarm clock on the bedside cabinet, saw that it was about time, then got up and walked toward the room door. She stopped halfway, turned back, and sternly warned, "Also, remember, keep your composure, whether Nathan Moore cares if you can walk or not, you continue pretending!"
"Ah, got it!" Olivia Zane answered reluctantly. She had planned to tell Nathan Moore upon returning that she had almost recovered and could walk without crutches, but now it seemed, she had to keep pretending.
After glaring at her again, Ariana turned her head and continued walking out of the room. Reaching the door, she grasped the handle, then suddenly remembering something, she reopened and turned her head towards her daughter still sitting on the bed, "And! Don’t secretly smoke my cigarettes! Nathan Moore isn’t your dad! That lad is sharper than he looks!"
"Oh!" Olivia Zane replied impatiently, really hoping her mother would leave soon—so nagging and annoying!
Pulling open the room door and walking out, before Ariana left, she didn’t forget to remind her daughter, "Nathan Moore will be here soon, get back into the wheelchair!"
Reluctantly, Olivia Zane got up, grabbed the blanket thrown on the floor, sat back in the wheelchair, and adjusted it before slamming her hand on the armrest, "Maybe one day I’ll smash you to pieces!"
Ariana had just walked out of the room when she came face-to-face with the man ascending the stairs.
With a kindly smile on her face, she said, "Nathan is here, Lily has been quite anxious waiting."
"Hmm," Nathan Moore nodded slightly as a greeting, "There was traffic on the way, so I’m late."
"Oh, go on then, Lily has already gotten ready, just waiting for you to take her back."
"Good." Passing Ariana, Nathan Moore nodded again and with unhurried steps, headed towards Olivia Zane’s room.