Lance found it hard to accept. With a calm face, he raised his hand to block Addison, preventing her from moving forward. From the back, the sight of Lance and Addison standing close together might give the impression of intimacy. However, only they knew the truth: Lance maintained an invisible barrier between them despite their proximity. What separated them was a long stretch of coldness and estrangement. "Lance, turn around and look at Marilyn! This is about her health—it's not a matter to take lightly." Lance arched an eyebrow, his tone flat. "The affairs of the Johnstons don't involve you. "You can go." His voice carried no trace of warmth, cold and distant. Addison stared at Lance's frosty expression, a faint sense of despair washing over her. "I understand that what happened today has made you think less of me. "But Marilyn has done nothing wrong, and she's your mother. How can you stand by and watch her suffer like this?" She had always known Lance to be a cold-hearted man, like a gust of icy wind cutting through the air, leaving chills in its wake. But she never imagined he could be this unfeeling. Even after everything she said, he didn't so much as glance back. He truly was cold-blooded. Lance might question her for being dishonest, but the least he could do was turn around and check on Marilyn's condition, wasn't it? "Lance, I'll say this one last time. Marilyn's emotions are unstable, and her health is fragile ... " "Let me check on her ... " Addison said while struggling to free herself from the firm arm blocking her path. Lance's patience snapped. "I told you to leave. Are you deaf?"You talk about wanting to destroy the Johnstons, yet here you are, lingering around it. I can't even get rid of you. "Addison, what exactly is going through your mind?" His tone was icy and detached, but each word struck Addison with piercing clarity. Is the next step really to have him beg her to stay? Hearing his words, Addison's eyelashes quivered slightly, and anger surged through her, rendering her speechless for a moment. "I'm lingering at the Johnstons?" she finally retorted. "Lance, this is your mother! I'm trying to help your family, and instead of showing gratitude, you accuse me of hanging around here aimlessly ... "Maybe I should be asking you—what exactly is going through your mind?" As soon as the words left her mouth, a wave of regret crept in. She shouldn't have wasted her breath arguing with Lance. No matter what she said, he would never believe her. Out of nowhere, a Maybach zoomed past, its engine roaring as it sped in their direction. Addison's sharp eyes caught sight of the vehicle. Her face lit up with recognition as she called out, "Gordon!" "Get over here!" This time, Lance's brows furrowed, and he turned to look. The car came to a halt, and a man stepped out swiftly, rushing toward Addison without a moment's hesitation. In mere seconds, Gordon reached Addison's side. He grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her away from Lance, drawing her into his embrace. Before Lance could react, Addison had already slipped free from his grasp. When Lance finally snapped out of it, his instinct was to pull Addison back, but Gordon moved faster, thwarting him. Lance's hand extended toward her but grasped nothing but air. Addison quickly regained her footing and hurried toward Marilyn without a second thought. Marilyn was about to sit, her chest rising and falling rapidly, with beads of sweat dotting her forehead. ... Untrained individuals may perceive these symptoms as ordinary signs of emotional excitement.But Addison knew Marilyn well—and she was even more familiar with her condition. She recognized the signs. Marilyn was about to fall ill. As Addison moved closer, the bodyguard stepped forward, attempting to block her way. However, before he could act, Gordon swiftly moved, throwing a punch that sent him crashing to the ground. The bodyguard lay on the ground, groaning in pain. Addison reached Marilyn without any obstruction. Marilyn seemed a little disoriented, but when her eyes landed on Addison's face, she softly murmured, "Addison ... Addison, is that you?" "I'm here!" Addison gently took Marilyn's hand and soothed her, "Marilyn, don't talk right now. Just take deep breaths." "Match my rhythm—inhale and exhale slowly." Lance's brow furrowed. Gordon stood close by Addison, and with his strength, Lance had no way of pulling her away. After all, Gordon's power was undeniable. Lance could only stand off to the side, his face frozen in an icy expression, watching Addison's every move. "Marilyn, try to follow my rhythm, clear your mind, and don't focus on anything else." Addison's voice was soft but surprisingly firm. Her movements were fluid and precise, her hands expertly guiding Marilyn, like someone trained in this. Marilyn followed Addison's instructions, her breathing slowly becoming more controlled as she synced with Addison's rhythm. Lance stood off to the side, his expression cold. The longer he watched, the more uneasy he felt. His gaze fixed on Marilyn's face, scrutinizing every detail, as if something about her expression was indeed off. Could it be that Marilyn's condition had really worsened?Lance's gaze grew darker. Addison's recent actions ... he had assumed they were just another attempt to grab his attention. At first, hearing Addison speak those words in front of Yarrow's director had infuriated him. Especially when she mentioned wanting to destroy the Johnstons with the Yarrow's director, his anger had reached its boiling point. When Addison blatantly lied to the Yarrow's director, claiming she had never given authorization to the Johnstons, Lance's anger had already reached its peak. By then, his emotions had settled into a cold, unflinching calm. Addison had clearly succeeded in her objective. Without her authorization or the backing of Yarrow Hospital, the Johnstons were heading straight into the crisis she seemed to desire. However, her recent actions began to disrupt Lance's earlier assumptions. Moments ago, when his mother had pleaded with her to give the Johnstons another chance, Addison had remained rooted in place, showing no intention of walking away. Lance pieced together Addison's tactics in his mind. First, she threatened to push the Johnstons into a tough spot, all to draw his attention. Then, under the excuse of Marilyn's illness, she forced her way into staying close to him. If his guess was right, the next step would be to use the excuse of treating his mother's illness as a way to make him keep her around, wouldn't it? Meanwhile, Addison continued her steady actions, guiding Marilyn with precision. Marilyn's breathing had already stabilized under her care. Lance's frown deepened as he observed Addison's actions. All the conclusions he had just drawn were based on his assumptions, but now, his gaze shifted to his mother's face. Even though her condition had improved significantly from earlier, her face was still far paler than normal, unmistakably revealing the toll of the illness. A sudden idea crossed Lance's mind, casting doubt on his earlier assumptions. What if everything Addison had said was actually true? What if she wasn't inventing reasons to linger at Johnston Residence ... and his mother really was unwell? Could it be that her claims about putting the Johnstons in jeopardy were true as well? Was it not merely a strategy to capture his interest?As this thought settled in, Lance's expression grew darker, his anger simmering beneath the surface. The cold indifference in his eyes gave way to a raw, unmasked fury.