Chapter 1712

"Of course." His drawl, tinged with impatience, ended the call. A sneer curled his lips. "These academics," he mused, "are far from noble; they only care about fame and fortune. I, however, am different. My goal is world domination."

He rose and approached the window, gazing down at the sprawling research facility. Everyone below worked diligently, precisely as he intended. "Soon," he whispered, "everyone here, in Hyderland, the entire world… will yield to me!"

Inside, a rare moment of familial harmony unfolded. Lily watched, feeling as though a century had passed, as Alexander playfully carried their son on his shoulders, moving from room to room, upstairs and down. Galen's face radiated happiness. Lily herself had endured much lately, working at two research centers, her life consumed by viruses and experiments. Though she had studied herbal medicine with Dominic for years, this was her first deep involvement in virology.

Previously, perfumery had captivated her, making the world feel good. But recent events revealed a darker side—a pandemic and surrounding tragedies, man-made disasters that left her feeling suffocated.

Sitting on the carpet, she observed the happy scene of father and son, caressing her visibly pregnant belly, cherishing the precious moment.

"Mommy, Mommy… am I getting an older sister soon?" A childish voice broke her reverie.

Lily smiled at Galen and chuckled. "Yes! Would you like an older sister?"

"If she's pretty!" he declared thoughtfully.

Surprised, Lily laughed, ruffling his hair. "How can you tell who's pretty at your age?"

"Of course, I can," he said seriously. "Mommy is pretty!"

"You little suck-up!" Lily pinched his nose, then glared at Alexander. "What have you been teaching him?"

To her surprise, Alexander nodded approvingly. "He inherits my aesthetic standards, and he's right!"

Lily was speechless. Just as she prepared to reprimand them both, her phone rang. She rose, picked it up from the table, hesitated at the unfamiliar number, and answered.