Chapter 1463

"Calm down!" Lily comforted Olivia. Even Lily struggled to control her own racing heart; even the baby in her stomach seemed to sense her anxiety. She gently placed a hand on her abdomen, took a deep breath, and said, "Let me look."

Lily carefully examined the ring in Olivia's hand and the piece of skin wrapped in the handkerchief. After a thorough examination, she leaned closer to smell it, then looked up at Olivia.

"You've been played," she stated with certainty.

"Huh?"

"That doesn't belong to Edward," Lily said. "To be precise, that's not even human skin. It's pigskin."

"Pigskin?!" Olivia's eyes widened in surprise. She took the skin and re-examined it. Although she wanted to believe Lily, she couldn't help but wonder, "Is this pigskin? It looks so real, and the tattoo looks exactly like Edward's."

"People can imitate tattoos and create remarkably realistic-looking skin. Think of the film industry—special effects artists routinely make convincing props. However, I assure you, this is pigskin, not human skin," Lily said after re-examining it.

Olivia, noticing Lily's confidence, realized Lily wasn't just trying to comfort her. A wave of relief washed over her, calming her racing emotions.

Olivia patted her chest. "It's just pigskin. Thank goodness."

Just as a smile touched her lips, she noticed her ring, and her face fell. "Even if the skin is fake, this ring is real. Something must have happened to Edward."

"Since the skin is fake, the ring might be too," Lily suggested.

Olivia shook her head. "No, this ring isn't fake. I initially wondered if it was an imitation, but a master craftsman made our wedding rings to commemorate our special day. The diamonds are a matching pair; the inner circle has our initials. And..." She leaned closer, pointing. "Look, there's a small scratch here. You can only see it on close inspection. It's from when he protected me from that car. No one could replicate that level of detail."

Lily considered Olivia's analysis. It made sense.

"Then why leave a seemingly fake object at your door without explanation?" Lily asked. Her initial panic subsided, replaced by a more analytical approach. Hearing about Edward's supposed accident had sent her into a frenzy. Edward was Alexander's protector; something happening to him meant...

But now, it seemed like a prank—or perhaps a trap. Lily was too cautious to fall for it.

"I don't know..." Olivia shook her head. "Does someone know about Edward's supposed accident and want to warn me without being discovered? Whatever it is, I think they're in danger. Otherwise, with Mr. Russell's personality, he'd be calling you constantly."

Olivia was right. Alexander wouldn't stay silent this long. Even with poor signal, he would try to contact Lily unless completely prevented.