Chapter 77

Lily Savigny trembled from head to toe.

She had never seen Adrian Roland this furious before.

Even at his angriest, he would simply give her the cold shoulder. But this time, he had ignored her calls for days and was now shouting at her outright.

"Adrian, you—"

Adrian clenched his fists, barely containing his rage. The woman before him bore no resemblance to the one he'd met six years ago.

"You've changed, Lily." His voice dripped with disappointment. "All these years, I rarely mentioned Stella. You two should've been strangers. Yet you knew about our anniversary? Who told you? Or... was our meeting never a coincidence to begin with?"

Lily's heart skipped a beat.

She had slipped up, forgetting how sharp Adrian's instincts were.

Back when he'd despised Stella, he'd overlooked the inconsistencies. But now, his hatred no longer blinded him—Stella was reclaiming his heart.

"It was just a coincidence," she insisted, steadying her voice. "You came to fix your car, and I happened to be the receptionist. How could I have predicted when your car would break down? Or which repair shop you'd choose?"

Adrian closed his eyes briefly. "Explain the anniversary."

"...Dad told me."

"Victor Lefèvre?"

"Yes." Lily bit her lip. "He's Stella's uncle, after all. He knew everything about you two."

"Stella and her uncle were never close. She wouldn't share private matters with him."

"But she would tell her mother!" Lily argued desperately. "Isn't it normal for a daughter to confide in her mom?"

Adrian's lips curled into a cold smile. "Did you send Victor to pry for information?"

"No!"

"Lily." His voice turned glacial. "I despise lies. This is your last chance."

Her face paled. "What will you do? Send me to the police? Accuse me of pushing Martha down the stairs?"

She hoped he'd deny it—or forgive her.

Instead, Adrian countered icily, "Was it really an accident?"

"I—"

"No witnesses, no clear surveillance footage. You can claim it was unintentional." His gaze sharpened like a blade. "But what about your conscience?"

Lily's lips trembled.

"I've pieced most of it together." Adrian's tone was merciless. "Stella left, and you appeared. When I lost everything, you conveniently showed up. Who benefited the most? Victor Lefèvre, Sophia Durand... and you."

"Adrian, you've got it all wrong—"

"The detective was right." He cut her off. "Follow the money."

Her eyes darted away, unable to respond.

Adrian's stare pierced through her. "I've replayed these past years in my head. That car crash took Stella's child and father—she was the real victim. Meanwhile, Victor swallowed both the Valentine and Roland fortunes, then welcomed you all into his mansion."

"You suspect Dad?"

"Shouldn't I?"

"But what does he have to do with the crash? Could he control how Stella's father drove?"

Adrian took a deep breath. "I'll uncover the truth. Lily, I hope you're innocent. But logic tells me otherwise."

Panic flashed in her eyes. "How dare you accuse me? I'd never even met Stella's father back then!"

"If the investigation clears you, I'll apologize and compensate you." His voice was steel. "If not..."

The unspoken threat hung between them.

He couldn't prove Martha's death was murder, but he would never let his parents' crash go unpunished.

"Fine! I'll wait for your apology when you find nothing!" Lily forced defiance into her voice.

"I hope so." Adrian pulled out his keys. "Keep the apartment. You'll receive a settlement. We're done."

......

"Mom! Adrian suspects everything!"

Sophia Durand was mid-facial at a luxury spa when the call came. Her sheet mask slid off in shock.

"How?!"

"That old maid Martha! The police told him 'follow the money,' and now he's accusing Dad! He even thinks our first meeting was staged—"

Sophia bolted upright. "What did you say to him these past days?"

"I couldn't even see him! He blocked my number!" Lily's voice shook. "He just came back and broke up with me—"

"Useless!" Sophia hissed. "Did you at least get the old mansion's address?"

"No chance!"

"Listen." Sophia lowered her voice. "Every man has a weakness. We orchestrated that crash so you could swoop in when he was vulnerable. Now his heart belongs to Stella's bastard. Find that child—"

"What should I do?"

"Check his shopping records." Sophia's eyes gleamed. "Babies need formula and diapers. Get his assistant to leak the delivery address—that's where the mansion is."