Lance returned to the Johnston Residence, his mood far from cheerful. He hadn't even entered the house as he approached, but he noticed a figure standing by the large floor-to-ceiling windows. When he got closer, he saw that it was his mother. Marilyn sat alone, her eyes fixed on the outside world, unmoving. The quiet, somber atmosphere surrounding her made her lonely posture appear blank. There was a noticeable weariness in her demeanor, as if she had aged several years in an instant. Lance's expression softened as he approached. "Mom, what are you doing?" He entered the house and casually shrugged off his suit. A servant quickly took it from him, hanging it on a nearby rack. Lana quickly approached with ginger tea as Lance returned from outside." "Mr. Lance, I made some ginger tea for you," Lana said, holding out the cup. "It'll warm you up." "No need," Lance replied, pushing the tea aside. He walked straight toward Marilyn. "It's late. Why are you still sitting here alone? Why not go to bed?" he asked. Marilyn glanced at her son but didn't speak. She continued staring out the window, ignoring him entirely. Lance wasn't angry. He looked toward where she was gazing, but there was nothing out there. "Mom, the weather is bad, and there's no moon tonight. What are you looking at? "If you want to see the moon, you can go up to the land north of Halton. It's perfect for moon-watching. I can take you there sometime," he suggested, trying to break the silence. Marilyn remained silent, her gaze still fixed on the empty night, as though she couldn't even see her son standing right in front of her. A wave of irritation swept over Lance. After he left the medical consultation place, the sudden appearance of Ryan had left him in a bad mood. Now, coming home to find his mother like this only made things worse.Lana had been with the Johnstons for many years. She had watched Lance grow up, and she noticed the shift in his expression. She stepped forward quickly. "Mr. Johnston, please don't be upset," she said gently. "Mr. Johnston, please don't be upset," she said, trying to ease the situation. "Mrs. Marilyn is often alone at home, and no one talks to her. She gets lonely, so sometimes she doesn't mean to be distant." "And with Mr. Steven's illness... it's been a strain on Mrs. Marilyn," Lana added, trailing off, unsure of how to continue. Lance furrowed his brows, glancing at Marilyn's back. In the dark reflection of the window, she looked infinitely lonely. Lance's expression softened a little. He looked around the house. Aside from a few servants moving about, there was no one else. Despite the lights being on, the house felt lifeless, almost eerie. The grand residence was now silent and cold, as if it had lost its soul. He pressed his lips together. "It used to be your grandfather staying here with me. We two old folks at least had each other for company. "But now, even Steven's in the hospital. Whether he'll wake up is still uncertain. What am I supposed to do now?" Suddenly, Marilyn spoke, her words carrying pain. Lance fell silent. "If Addison were still here," Marilyn continued, her eyes still fixed on the view outside, "the house would be filled with laughter. Whatever I needed, she was always there, always ready to make things happen." She sighed deeply as she looked out of the window. "Such a wonderful girl, and my b*stard son had chased her away. What's left in this house? Nothing but silence." Lance had kept his calm until he heard Addison's name. His anger, which he had been holding in, suddenly burst forth."Don't bring that woman up!" he snapped, his voice rising. The sudden outburst startled Marilyn. Even Lana almost dropped the fruit tray she was holding. "What's wrong with you?" Marilyn turned sharply. "You want me to forget Addison? Without her help, could our family have even lasted this long?" This son of hers was hopeless. She was wondering why her son couldn't see the good Addison had done for the family. "Who do you think signed the authorization letter for us? Did it just fall from the sky?" she continued, her voice rising in frustration. "People need to know how to be grateful!" Marilyn's anger grew, and she even slammed her hand on the table. The atmosphere shifted instantly, from silence to tension. It was as if they had gone from one extreme to the other. Mother and son stood facing each other, while Lana, too anxious to intervene, only watched nervously. "If you're so lonely, maybe you should let Vir ... " Lance began but stopped himself mid-sentence. He remembered Virginia's lies, the deceit surrounding her, and all that she had done. It was better not to bring her up at all. Lance took a deep breath and said, "I'm going back to the office." He grabbed his suit, began putting it back on, and headed outside. As he was heading out, a bodyguard hurried past him, clearly in a rush. When he saw Lance, he immediately bowed his head. "Mr. Lance, good evening," the bodyguard greeted, then headed toward the house in a hurry. "Lance, come back," Marilyn called out from behind. Lance turned slightly. "No, I have work at the office. You should go to sleep."His tone was soft, but his stance was firm, clearly brushing off his mother's concerns. Marilyn was taken aback. They hadn't exchanged more than a few words before the argument, leaving her breathless with frustration. "Mrs. Marilyn, there's someone outside who wants to come in," the bodyguard said, breaking the silence. "Someone is here?" Marilyn frowned. Who would come to my house at this hour? "I won't see them. Tell them to leave," she said immediately, not even thinking twice. She didn't want to deal with anyone else, not after everything that had happened with Lance. And besides, she wasn't in the mood to keep up the perfect image of the mistress of the house. "But the person says her name is Virginia," the bodyguard stammered. "Virginia?!" Marilyn immediately knitted her brows. What is that woman doing here? Doesn't she know I don't want to see her? Without hesitation, she raised her voice and declared, "Tell her to go away." After saying this, Marilyn glanced up at her son, eager to gauge his reaction. Virginia had come here—there's no way he would stop her from entering, right? But Lance seemed not to hear her at all, continuing to walk toward the door. Hmm? Marilyn frowned, confused. This didn't make sense. Lance had always pampered Virginia. How could he possibly let her push Virginia away like this? Had they argued? Marilyn quickly changed her mind and called the bodyguard who had been about to leave. "Come back," she ordered. The bodyguard was puzzled but obeyed, walking briskly back to her. "Mrs. Marilyn, is there something else you need?" Marilyn's expression was cold as she said, "Let Virginia in." As soon as she finished her sentence, Lance, who had been silent, abruptly spoke up. "Don't let her in. Send her away." He didn't want to see her. "Let her in," Marilyn insisted, ignoring her son's words. This fight between them worked in her favor. It was the perfect chance to drive a wedge between the couple and bring Addison back to the house. "No, don't let her in," Lance said firmly. The bodyguard stood still, looking from one to the other, unsure of what to do. Marilyn noticed the bodyguard's hesitation, and with a sharp huff, she snapped, "It's fine. I'll go out and get her myself." With that, she started walking toward the door. "Mrs. Marilyn, please put on your coat before going outside!" Lana called, hurrying after her. Marilyn was frail, and the cold outside would definitely cause her to fall ill if she was not properly dressed. Lance glanced at Lana, then let out a deep sigh, as if reluctantly giving in. He bent down and massaged his chilled fingers, his posture softening. "You don't need to go. Let her in."