Chapter 1593

The two women looked at each other in silence, an awkward atmosphere settling between them.

"You..." Lily began, unsure how to address Olivia. "What are you doing? Are you following me?"

Olivia remained silent, her head drooping, a worried expression on her face. Lily sighed.

"Is this about Edward?"

Olivia finally looked up. "No. Is Mr. Russell back?"

Lily was astonished. Instead of Edward, Olivia was asking about Alexander. She pursed her lips, frowning slightly.

"Yes. What's wrong?"

"Can I see him?" Olivia asked.

"No!" Lily's refusal was immediate. Alexander's weakened state necessitated minimal contact. She had even kept his return a secret from his mother to prevent a visit; at her age, contracting the plague would be devastating. The precautions were necessary given the disease's contagious nature.

"Why? I just have a few questions," Olivia insisted, surprisingly persistent. "I'll leave right after."

"With his current condition, he may not be able to answer your questions," Lily replied, sighing.

"Huh?"

"If there's news about Edward, I'll tell you immediately!" Lily reassured her, suspecting Olivia's actions stemmed from concern for Edward. She reached out to pat Olivia's shoulder, but Olivia subtly avoided her touch.

"There's no need for that," Olivia said.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. You don't have to keep lying to me like this." Olivia's tone held an undercurrent of resentment, shocking Lily. Olivia had never been this way before.

"Olivia, what's the matter with you? Why are you talking like that? If there's anything wrong, just say it to my face," Lily said. "You know I hate it when people beat around the bush."

Olivia's eyes reddened. "You know I've always been straightforward. I've always believed in you and Mr. Russell. I trust everything you say. If you tell me I should wait, I patiently wait. But, Lily, if you had to choose, are you going to choose Mr. Russell or me?"

Lily was taken aback. "What is going on?! What do you mean I have to choose? You're my friend, and he's my husband. You two are important to me. How am I supposed to choose?"