"I just don't understand. Why do you prefer to get stuck with that good-for-nothing. In what way is he good enough for you?" Lilian asked Freya, who sat on the sofa with folded arms, biting her lower lip.
Lilian took a deep breath, walked hurriedly towards her and knelt by her side. She grabbed Freya's hand, stared warmly into her eyes as she rubbed her hand.
"Freya, I love you, and I want nothing but the best for you. You know how your grandmother had refused to help you ever since your father's death, and how it all worsened since that brat entered your life. All of these could change, you just need to give in to Nicholas and sign those papers."
Lilian mumbled to her.
Freya sighed, glanced quickly at Lilian before withdrawing her gaze.
"Mum, Maxwell is at least my husband, he might be poor, I know, but he definitely treats me right. You should be on my side, mum. If it's about the money, I will work hard and everything will be back to normal." She replied to her, darting her eyes around the room as she said the words.
"Besides, don't you know that Nicholas already has a wife? Do you want me to marry into such a family that the rest of my life will be filled with struggles." Freya added.
Meanwhile, Maxwell had alighted from his bicycle, and had overheard all of their discussions, he glanced at the wristwatch in his hand, and raised his eyes back at the door. Giving Freya the wristwatch would only raise Lilian's suspicion towards him. He slid the wristwatch into his pocket, and decided to find another means to give her the wristwatch.
He slid open the door, and wore a smile as he entered.
"Mum, you are here." He greeted Lilian, who just replied to him with a loud hiss.
"Look at your wife suffering, and all you could do was to angrily storm out of the board room earlier on. Since you can't take care of her and protect her, why don't you just let her go? That will benefit both of you." Lilian spat angrily. Before Maxwell could reply, Freya sprang up from her seat, and grabbed Maxwell's hand.
"Mum, I won't have you disrespect my husband in our house. He is your son-in-law, accord him with some respect, please." Freya replied to Lilian, staring coldly into her eyes. During Freya's childhood, her mother had suddenly disappeared and rumor had it that she eloped with another man, leaving Freya with only her father. Thankfully, her father was responsible, and he ensured he gave Freya the best life he could afford. However, her father's deep love for Lilian, took a toll on him as he slowly fell into depression, and became critically ill.
It was Marie, her father's close friend that took care of her when he was hospitalized.
If not for her father's last words that said she shouldn't bear a grudge against her mother, she wouldn't have accepted Lilian as her mother when she suddenly reappeared a year after her father's death.
Right now, she doubts if she loves her at all, or if she just wanted her to marry Nicholas so she could be receiving the wealthy amount she did receive from Adele before the incident.
"Also, it's my business the way I talk to my husband, but I won't have others talk to him in a disrespectful manner." She replied, grabbed her phone and headed towards the room.
She had only taken a few steps when she suddenly had a call. She checked the caller ID and it was from Sara. She picked the call, and pressed the phone to her ear.
"Freya, where are you? Auntie Marie is dying and needs a heart transplant." Sara said to her hurriedly.
"What?" Freya screamed in shock, took a few steps backwards as she crashed on the floor. Her mouth dropped wide, and her eyeballs widened.
Maxwell and Lilian hurried to her side, wondering what had happened.
"What…which hospital." Freya stuttered, after some seconds of bewilderment.
"Royal Gate. Be fast." Sara said and ended the call. Freya stood up and ran outside. Maxwell rushed towards her, screaming her name in successions. Lilian also ran after her.
"What happened?" Maxwell inquired, grabbing her by her shoulders as he stared into her eyes.
"It's Auntie Marie, she is dying and I have to be there quickly." Freya replied, while Lilian hissed upon hearing Marie's name.
"Husband snatcher, she better not disappoint me, and die." Lilian hissed.
Maxwell ignored her comment and patted Freya's shoulders.
"Don't worry, she will be fine. You seem tense already, I will drive you." He said to her, and Freya agreed instantly.
They both hopped into the car and Freya asked Lilian if she cared to come.
"No." Lilian replied sharply and turned to enter the house.
Maxwell drove away and they arrived at the hospital in no time. Rushing out of the car, something fell off him and dropped on the car's floor.
"Wait for me." Freya said as she ran off. Maxwell sighed and leaned against the wall, watching her run away.
Freya rushed to the reception area and said to the receptionist.
"I am here for Marie Peters, she was admitted here." Freya said in a single breath. The receptionist consulted her computer, and raised her head.
"Ward 52, by your left." The receptionist replied to her.
Freya rushed to the ward, and was shocked to see Marie in a critical condition, she had an oxygen pipe clogged on her nose and several computers that monitored her heart beat.
A doctor was with Marie and Freya decided to ask about her condition.
"How is she, please?" Freya asked the doctor who took a quick glance at Marie.
"You are here for her?" The doctor asked while Freya nodded hurriedly.
"Well, she needs an urgent heart transplant, and we will be needing a million dollars for that. The surgery had to be done in the next forty-eight hours or we might lose her." The doctor said and walked out of the room.
Freya's mouth dropped in shock, she staggered as the doctor's words rang in her brain one more time.
"One million dollars? Forty-eight hours?!"