Addison lifted her head, her expression serious. "Isn't this moral coercion? Is it fair to assert such moral superiority?" Nobody should slander her grandfather in such a way. Her grandfather may be revered as a divine healer, but he is not a deity. "In this world, countless patients teeter on the brink of death, suffering daily ... "Is it really expected that a divine healer should save every single one? Is it even possible to save them all? "Even with his best efforts, there are limits to what one person can do. Inevitably, many will remain unaided." Her grandfather, despite his divine healer status, was still human. And as he ages, battling against time himself, how could he possibly attend to everyone? Addison fixed Lance with a stern look, challenging his earlier accusations. "Are you going to continue claiming that divine healer is selectively saving lives, dismissing others as if they are mere pawns in a game?" Her words left Lance without a response. They even made him reconsider his stance, perhaps he had been too harsh. "Just tell me—will you help or not?" The man's gaze shifted away, seeking to steer the conversation elsewhere. Addison instinctively responded, "No." However, as the words left her mouth, she suddenly hesitated and quickly added, "Wait. "Perhaps it's not entirely out of the question?" Lance's expression brightened, his disbelief apparent as he realized Addison might actually consider his request. "Really?" Seeing Lance's sudden surge of hope, Addison raised an eyebrow and tempered his expectations. "Yes, but there are conditions." Lance's expression instantly cooled. "What conditions?" The shift in his demeanor was immediate, a mix of wariness and anticipation hanging in the air. He could sense that whatever Addison was about to propose was not going to be straightforward. "What conditions are you thinking of?" Lance leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand, his gaze intense as he scrutinized Addison. With a slight smile playing on her lips, Addison teased, "You should have some idea." Lance paused, taken aback by her response. Do I? His brow furrowed deeply as he pondered, trying to piece together what Addison might require of him. Could it be ... "Are you using saving Grandpa as a bargaining chip to force Virginia out of the Johnston Residence?" Lance's suspicion was evident as he voiced the thought, his eyebrow arching skeptically. This speculation caught Addison completely off guard. What?Gosh! She searched her mind for the right words to describe Lance's leap in logic but found herself at a loss for words. His conclusion baffled her. Did he truly believe she had been so indirect and elaborate just to orchestrate Virginia's departure from his life? What kind of logic was that? Did Lance truly think the world revolved around him? Addison wished for nothing more than for Virginia to stick to Lance day and night and marry him as quickly as possible. That would allow her to discard that cumbersome marriage certificate and reclaim her status as a single, unencumbered noblewoman sooner. As Lance observed Addison's rapidly changing expressions, he mistakenly believed he had correctly interpreted her stance. Given the frequent squabbles he witnessed between Addison and Virginia, it seemed logical to him that Addison might use such a strategy. Reflecting for a moment as if seriously contemplating her proposal, Lance then stated, "I can agree to everything except for asking Virginia to leave Johnston Residence. "Virginia is currently on her own and can't just leave me. "If she were to leave, she wouldn't even have a place to go. We can't just let a young woman be homeless, can we?" His tone appeared rational and just, merely stating Virginia's predicament. Upon hearing this, Addison burst into laughter. "Virginia is alone?" she mocked. Hearing the sarcasm in Addison's tone, Lance felt compelled to elaborate. "Virginia's mother died abroad, and as for her father ... " He paused briefly, then sighed. "That's a discussion for another time. "She truly has no other refuge but us in Halton." Raising an eyebrow, Addison responded skeptically, "Is that so? "Then I must be an orphan too," she remarked lightly. At Johnston Residence, she felt utterly isolated, like a character who belonged nowhere."Isn't my situation worse than Virginia's? When I was pushed out, why didn't you worry about whether I'd end up homeless or needing to find a place to stay on the streets?"