Without waiting for Olivia to answer, Lily quickly added, "I don't even remember what you said."

"Lily..."

"Enough. If you take me as a friend, stop blaming yourself. If I were you, I'd be upset too. What you did was normal, and I bet you felt sad when you said those things." Lily understood how Olivia felt; she would certainly side with her husband if forced to choose between Alexander and Edward. Olivia felt she needed to apologize, as they were friends; she too would side with whomever was most important to her in such a situation.

"But..."

Lily grabbed Olivia's hand. Clearing her throat, she said thoughtfully, "No buts. Stop dwelling on it. I know you were in a difficult situation. We're not just partners, but good friends!"

Lily smiled casually, continuing, "Since we're friends, we shouldn't get hung up on this. I'm not, so you shouldn't either."

Olivia, seeing Lily's point, knew she would be petty to hold onto it. She smiled, holding Lily's hands and nodding.

Lily repeatedly cautioned Olivia to keep the experiment secret as she saw her friend off. Edward's involvement underscored the importance of secrecy.

Afterwards, Lily settled onto the sofa, placing a cushion behind her back. Suddenly, she heard movement upstairs. Galen stood at the top of the staircase, gazing down at her but not descending.

Lily's smile beckoned him. She sat up, spreading her arms.

Galen seemed hesitant, but seeing Lily's outstretched arms, he carefully descended the stairs, holding the railing. He climbed onto the sofa and snuggled close to his mother, gazing at her. However, he was unusually quiet.

Sensing something was amiss, Lily pulled his head to her chest. Gently, she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Mommy, have I been a naughty boy?" Galen murmured softly in her embrace.

His voice was soft, but Lily heard him. Puzzled, she looked down. "Of course not. You're a good boy!"

"But you said my younger siblings aren't as naughty as me." His voice was muffled against her stomach.

Lily was surprised. 'He must've overheard my conversation with Olivia,' she realized, feeling terrible for her carelessness. She cupped his face, kissed his forehead, and said, "You misunderstood. Mommy doesn't think you're naughty, and Mommy loves you very much because you're a good boy."

"But you said I was naughty!" Galen looked pitiful, his eyes red-rimmed and his lip trembling.

Lily realized then that she had neglected her son's feelings. She hadn't spent enough time with him, preoccupied with other things over the past few months. When she finally brought Galen home, he had overheard her conversation with Olivia about his mischievousness.