Chapter 779

After a while, Lily moved and placed her hand on his, offering warmth. Alexander turned to look at her, shaking his head. "I'm fine," he said.

Lily chuckled. "I know you are. I just felt like holding your hand." He held her hand too, feeling his frustration lessen considerably. His head leaned against the headrest. He was silent for a moment before saying, "Don't worry. I won't let them hurt you."

"Them?" Lily pondered, then realized who he meant. Nodding, she said, "I trust you."

She knew little about the Russell family. Outsiders and the media were unable to report on their internal affairs in detail. Something seemed to shroud the large family, concealing its inner workings. Lily knew Alexander was the fourth of his siblings, hence Brandon's nickname, "Fourth Russell." He was the only one left; his older brothers had all died. She was unsure of the exact cause of death, but Alexander, previously frail, had apparently strengthened after his family hired a genius doctor. He later inherited the family business and continued to lead it to the present day.

Even with her limited knowledge, Lily sensed the family's disharmony, judging by his earlier interactions with his grandmother and aunt. While Wilfred's leadership of the Lodge family had fostered relative harmony, even they had someone like Henry. Wealthy families, like the Russells, inevitably faced conflicts of interest as their businesses expanded. Self-interest fueled competition and underhanded tactics. Ultimately, the human heart remained both the simplest and most complex thing to understand.

"I heard them mention someone's engagement. Would it conflict with our wedding?"

Alexander said lightly, "They must be talking about Ralph."

"Yeah!" Lily nodded repeatedly. "I think that's the name they mentioned. He's your…" Lily hadn't known he had other siblings. Who was Ralph?

Alexander pinched the bridge of his nose. "He's my youngest uncle, only a few years older than me."

Lily recalled someone from the Russell family. Margaret had apparently conceived him later in life. Ralph's father, Hugo Russell (Alexander's grandfather), died while Ralph was still a teenager. This intensified Margaret's affection for her youngest son, even more than for Alexander or her other children. She was constantly with him until his rebellious teenage years made that impossible. Lily, however, hadn't paid much attention to family matters before, recalling only vague memories from years ago, picked up from conversations within the Lodge family.

"Then… would our wedding clash with his engagement party?" Lily asked.

Alexander looked at her, pulling her hand to his lips and kissing the back of it. "It doesn't matter. Our wedding is about us. What does it have to do with them?"