When Lance heard those words, he slowly raised his head. His deep, inscrutable eyes revealed an emotion that Virginia couldn't quite understand. Seeing his expression, Virginia assumed he didn't understand her words. She gently repeated, "Lance, didn't you hear what I said? "What I meant was ... " Before she could finish, Lance raised his arm, interrupting her. His gaze still carried an emotion she couldn't decipher. Virginia froze, forced to stop mid-sentence. "Lance, I ... " From Virginia's perspective, Lance's face showed no surprise, and his brow was even more furrowed than before. This was not the expression one should have when presented with hope. Her earlier triumph quickly faded; she had no idea what Lance was thinking. Although she merely suggested an idea and offered him a favor, she never intended for Steven to recover. Moreover, she was just a branch family of the Daves. She often presented herself as a Daves in front of others, seemingly in the spotlight. In reality, a mere branch family had no right to meet with the Daves's elders. She said all this only to seize the opportunity to make Lance see her in a different light, to show him that she had value. To make him realize she was at least a hundred times better than that powerless orphan. She could help him when he was in trouble. What could Addison do? She could do nothing! But why did Lance show no interest at all? This was the only hope for saving Steven. She had given him such a good suggestion. Shouldn't he be grateful, seeing her as a light in his time of hardship? Eventually, his heart should naturally return to her. It was supposed to unfold naturally, step by step. Besides this method, there was no other way to save Steven. This was the last lifeline, so wouldn't he grab it tightly? Why was he acting like this? Did she say something wrong?Virginia's eyelashes trembled lightly, but she was completely puzzled, unable to figure out where she went wrong. "Lance, do you think I won't be able to find the Daves residence? "Although the Daves is a hidden family in Kreshill, rarely seen or disturbed by outsiders, but I am indeed part of the Daves. If outsiders can't find it, how could I, a Daves member, be unable to? "Lance, you don't need to worry. I can handle it. Just trust me." Virginia thought it through again. The only possible reason for Lance's reluctance was his doubt about her ability to locate the Daves's residence. Lance stood with his hands behind his back, the moonlight casting a mysterious shadow over his face. His expression was unreadable. "You say you'll take me to find the Divine Healer?" "Yes," Virginia nodded. Suddenly, Lance laughed softly as if he found the idea absurd. "Lance, you don't believe me? I really can take you there," Virginia said, her voice slightly urgent. Before she could finish, Lance suddenly changed his expression. His eyes turned cold and distant, his forehead slightly furrowing with anger. "Why didn't you say anything when I spent all that money trying to get an invitation? Why bring it up now? "On the journey from Preigh to Halton, you mentioned missing the Divine Healer several times but never mentioned you knew the Daves's location. "Virginia, do you really think I'm a fool?" His tone wasn't loud, but the pressure in his voice made the air feel heavy and suffocating. Virginia was stunned. His questioning echoed in her mind. She had been so focused on trying to impress him that she hadn't considered this. She hadn't expected Lance to be so sharp, asking such a detailed question. Virginia felt a bead of sweat on her forehead, unsure how to respond. What should she say now? She couldn't admit she had watched him spend his fortune trying to get an invitation, only to step in at his wit's end and perform a 'heroine saves the day' act. "Why aren't you speaking?" Lance raised his voice slightly, his imposing presence instantly overwhelming her. Virginia flinched, and she quickly grabbed onto his sleeve. "Lance, It's not that I didn't say anything before, but before ... " Virginia's mind raced as she tried to devise a suitable explanation. Still, she couldn't find a convincing reason after thinking for a while. Knowing Lance's meticulous nature, she realized any flimsy excuse would be immediately exposed. If she angered him further, it would only backfire. Lance raised an eyebrow, his eyes cold and indifferent, waiting for her response. Feeling the weight of his gaze, Virginia found herself unable to speak. She stammered, "Lance, I ... " Lance's patience was running thin. He glanced at Virginia and was about to turn and walk back inside. Virginia panicked and immediately grabbed onto him. Lance furrowed his brow and turned back to her. "Lance, I didn't say anything before because I was afraid you'd look down on me. I was wrong. It's all my fault." As she spoke, tears welled up in Virginia's eyes, her big, pitiful eyes glistening with tears, making her seem helpless and vulnerable. "Afraid I'd look down on you?" Lance stopped in his tracks. "What does that mean?" Virginia bit her lip, her voice trembling as she spoke through her sobs. "Before, I told you I had a high status in the Daves, but I was lying. "Though I am part of the Daves, I'm just a branch family and not favored." Lance's gaze locked onto her, his tone still cold but softer than before. "Why lie to me?" "I just wanted to seem helpful, to not be seen as a waste staying by your side. "If you think I'm valuable, maybe I could stay close to you." Virginia lowered her head, her posture full of guilt. "If I had said I was just an insignificant branch family, you would have realized that I have no say in Mr. Steven's illness at the Daves. "My only value is to help you find the Daves residence." Lance's expression darkened. "How could you think so lowly of me?" He had never once thought that Virginia only had value because of her usefulness. She was his lover; he always treated her well, even if she did nothing. Virginia seemed hesitant, stammering as she struggled to continue. "I ... " "Don't be afraid. Speak your mind," Lance encouraged gently. He couldn't understand what he had done wrong, making Virginia so fearful of him. "Before the banquet, you thought I was poorly dressed, lacked grace, and wasn't as good as Addison. "I know I'm not good at anything, and I embarrassed you. "So I thought I should at least help you in some way. That way, you wouldn't think I was worse than Addison and wouldn't drive me away." Lance paused.Virginia kept her gaze lowered, nervously fiddling with her fingers. "Actually, I wanted to take you to Kreshill to find the Divine Healer before, but I was afraid that if my identity was exposed, you wouldn't like me anymore, so I kept it to myself. "But hearing about Mr. Steven's condition today, I couldn't hold back any longer." She looked determined, as if ready to sacrifice everything. "I'm willing to risk being abandoned if it means saving Mr. Steven's life. I'll have no regrets!" Her words resonated with sincerity and determination. Lance, standing nearby, was silent; his expression conflicted as he processed what she had said.