The fine china clinked softly as the servants poured steaming Earl Grey into the delicate cups, the aromatic steam curling up into the air. Lily watched her parents' faces carefully as she finished recounting the entire story – from the contract marriage to Chris's selfless sacrifices, from Avery's scheming to the heart transplant that had saved her life.
"So you see," she concluded, her gaze steady, "it's Avery you need to be angry with. She's the one who tried to kill me, not Chris."
Her mother's lips pressed into a thin line, the only outward sign of her inner turmoil. "We already knew about Avery's... involvement," she admitted, the words seeming to pain her. "That's why we kept Nysoria a secret from you. To protect you."
