"Quick! Go and make some egg custard for me," Marilyn spoke with an air of insistence, firmly guiding Virginia toward the house. It was as if she'd decided that she had to have that dish today. Virginia, pushed along by Marilyn's persistence, felt trapped. She wasn't one to make a fuss and had hoped to avoid saying anything. However, as she glanced back and realized she was getting farther and farther from Lance, with no chance of catching the car, panic bubbled up. I havetospeakup. "Marilyn, wait! Please, wait!" Virginia turned her head awkwardly, her voice tinged with urgency, hoping to grab Marilyn's attention. The dramatic plea worked. Marilyn paused in her tracks, perplexed. "What's the matter? Do you not want to make egg custard for me?" Virginia waved her hands frantically. "No, no! That's not it at all! Marilyn, I'd be happy to make whatever you want to eat for you." Marilyn narrowed her eyes thoughtfully, her lips curving into a small smile. "Oh? Is that so? Well, if that's the case, then let's go inside. No need to waste time," Marilyn said casually.She knew what Virginia wanted to say, but she was pretending not to notice. Her deliberate obliviousness put Virginia in an impossible position. As Marilyn reached for her again to push her forward, Virginia could no longer hold it in. She clenched her fists and blurted, "Marilyn ... how about I make it for you later? I need to go with Lance to pick up Addison from the airport first." Marilyn's brows arched in mild surprise; her expression tinged with disbelief. "Are you going with Lance to pick up Addison?" Seeing the opportunity, Virginia's voice rose slightly in excitement, "Yes. When I'm back, I'll make you whatever you'd like to eat!" Virginia never expected Marilyn's next words to feel like a bucket of icy water dumped over her head. "Lance is picking up Addison. That's husband-and-wife affair. Why are you tagging along?" Husbandandwife ... Those three words stabbed into Virginia's heart like needles, sharp and unrelenting. Her face fell instantly, her complexion paling as if all the blood had drained away.Husband-and-wifeaffair! The words echoed in her mind, their sting unbearable. Virginia clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms, struggling to suppress the storm of emotions threatening to overwhelm her. She hated hearing people call Addison Lance's wife. I'mLance's real wife. Addison isnothingbut a stand-in. Howdaresheput Addison onthesame level as me? As a stand-in, Addison has norighttobecalledLance'swife! "Let them solve the affairs of their husband and wife by themselves. You come with me." Marilyn grabbed Virginia's arm again, determined to drag her back to the house as if oblivious to the growing storm brewing in Virginia's chest. Yet this time, Virginia stopped buying it. If I stillcan'tseethroughMarilyn'sintentionsnow, thenI'mtruly a fool. All this talk aboutwantingmetomakeeggcustardisnothingbut a pretense. Marilyn has beendeliberatelydraggingthingsoutjusttogive Lance and Addison timetobealone. Marilynisusingme as a pawntoachieveher agenda. The realization burned like fire in Virginia's veins, and her frustration boiled over. Furious, she yanked her arm free from Marilyn's grip and bolted toward where Lance's car was parked. When she'd started running, something happened ahead that made her heart sink.