Chapter 720: She Loves Him So Much

Reuben said, “If you’ve guessed, please go back. Don’t lose face.” Lily knew Anabelle had returned, but she didn't know Anabelle had been with Alpha so early. It was dark; Lily wasn't stupid enough to think they were merely drinking tea. What were they doing? Lily was furious. The thought of them possibly enjoying themselves ached her heart. She snapped, “Ashamed? I am Mrs. Augustine, and Anabelle dared seduce my husband! What a shameless homewrecker! Reuben, let me in!” Lily was ready to fight.

“Lady Lily, if I respectfully call you ‘lady,’ wouldn’t you consider yourself my lady?” Reuben replied. Lily froze. Reuben, a decades-long Augustine family employee, looked at her with disdain. “Lady Lily, the boss and his wife aren’t divorced. That ‘homewrecker’ sounds like you're scolding yourself.” Lily's face paled. The lack of a marriage certificate was a constant pain. Ironically, because of this, Alpha, still unmarried to Anabelle, made her feel like the homewrecker. Anabelle was still Mrs. Augustine; Lily was just a replacement. The real lady had returned; her replacement would be dismissed. Lily felt a deep sense of crisis, but she remained intelligent. She knew causing a scene would be unproductive; Alpha would simply send her away. Alpha was a deeply intimidating man. Lily wouldn't dare conspire against him, but she had professional help. “Lady Lily, you can handle this yourself,” Reuben said, closing the mansion door. Lily angrily dug her nails into her palm.

For years, Reuben had treated her politely, yet he showed great respect for Anabelle, seeing only her as his lady. This wasn't Reuben's fault, but Alpha's; he had always favored Anabelle. Even Mrs. Samantha recognized Anabelle as her daughter-in-law. Anabelle! Anabelle! Lily had never hated anyone so much; she wished Anabelle would disappear. Lily got into her car, telling the driver, “Let’s go to Bounty’s place.” She needed Bounty, the pawn who had opened this vulnerability, allowing for the behind-the-scenes expert's machinations.

Lily rushed to Bounty's place. Bounty was awake, pale and weak. “Sister-in-law, why are you here?” she asked.

“Bounty, I just saw your brother, and he threw me out. He’s with Anabelle; she spent the night there,” Lily said, her face displeased.

Bounty snorted. “Sister-in-law, is this surprising? My brother has always been obsessed with Anabelle’s beauty. After all these years apart, their reunion is passionate.”

“Bounty, what do we do? Anabelle has charmed him. We must stop them!” Lily urged, but Bounty was silent for a moment, then pulled her hand away. Lily was shocked. “Bounty, what’s wrong? Have you forgotten Anabelle hurt you? She harmed you and your child! She’s an outsider in the Augustine family; it would be best if she disappeared! Now she’s harming your brother!”

Bounty spoke quietly, “Anabelle hurt me, but she won’t hurt my brother because she…loves him so much.” Lily was stunned.

Bounty stood by the window, arms wrapped around herself. “Anabelle loves my brother so much. I learned that later. When my brother locked her in the Red Velvet room, she repeatedly reaffirmed her commitment to him, despite her first love. I thought she didn’t love him at all, until that day…”

“That day, I confronted her. I told her, ‘As long as you’re here, my brother won’t be okay. If you’re here again, he’ll die. It’s your fault. You’re a sinner. Leave him. It’s okay for you to disappear…’” Bounty’s voice was low. “I said terrible things. She was pale, but she left without a word.”

“I thought she wouldn’t leave him, but I heard she and Marcus went to the Red Velvet room, and my brother caught them. She was pregnant, and he assumed the child was Marcus’s. No matter how he tortured her, she said nothing.”

Bounty hugged herself. “Later, my brother wanted to kill the baby, but she endured it, giving birth prematurely. But I heard…she took a knife, cut open her stomach, and took the baby out… The baby died. It was a girl.” Bounty looked out at the autumn scenery. “I was shocked. I didn’t expect Anabelle, so cold and cruel, to be so brave. She does know how to love. Her love, hidden and fierce, bloomed silently, bright as summer flowers, enduring through the years.”