11:59 AM
"Are you okay, dear?"
Grace's voice pulled Lilian from her thoughts.
"Sorry, Mum. What did you say?" Lilian smiled faintly, the effort barely masking the tension she felt.
Her mother’s gaze lingered on her with a subtle mix of concern, a hint of pity, and—Lilian noticed—something else: guilt. But why guilt? Lilian wondered.
"I was asking why Oliver isn't with you. It's your first time visiting since you got married. He should be here, as a good son-in-law," Grace said, her tone slow but laced with an edge that pierced through Lilian's insecurities, even though her mother probably meant no harm.
"He's busy," Lilian replied, her smile faltering as she resisted the urge to leave. The last thing she wanted was to be here.
"Oh," Grace murmured, her hands fidgeting, eyes darting
