Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Battle of the Fake Sweethearts

Gabriel stared silently at the woman crying in front of him, a flicker of hesitation showing in his deep eyes.

His lips moved slightly but no sound came out-he seemed to hesitate.

Noticing this subtle shift, Lilah felt a spark of hope surge in her chest.

She jumped on the chance before it slipped away, dropping her gaze and speaking gently, "Gabriel, I know I messed up before, I wasn't thinking clearly... but this time, it really wasn't me."

Her eyes darted toward the uneasy maid, and the momentary vulnerability in her tone turned razor sharp.

"You sure no one else saw anything besides you?"

The maid instantly paled, cold sweat dripping down her temples.

"I... I..."

Her lips trembled, and her eyes darted around the floor, too scared to meet anyone's gaze.

"Enough," Gabriel's voice cut in, low and steady.

There was a flicker of surrender in his eyes, one even he didn't notice.

"This ends here. Lilah, go get some rest."

The weight in Lilah's heart finally lifted-she'd played her cards right.

Gabriel was starting to doubt. He wasn't sticking to just one side anymore.

She quietly murmured an "okay," still looking frail, and turned toward the stairs.

Just as she turned her back to him, she paused like she'd just remembered something, then said casually, "And... about the divorce?"

Behind her, silence stretched on. Her heartbeat picked up slightly.

Finally, Gabriel answered, "We'll talk about it later."

Those simple words hit her like music to her ears.

The axe of divorce? Shelved for now.

She held the stair railing, moving up with feigned exhaustion but genuine urgency.

But the moment she stepped onto the hallway, a slender figure stepped out from the shadows, blocking her path.

It was Verity, her face full of undisguised animosity.

"Rough day, huh? You look wiped. Lilah, you've dragged this out for three years. Be smart and leave before you're kicked out. That'd be a real mess, wouldn't it?"

"Oh? Funny thing is... someone's been trying to butter him up for three years too, and guess what? Still irrelevant."

Lilah tilted her head, her cold gaze slowly scanning Verity from head to toe like she was just a cheap prop in the wrong room.

One sentence-and Verity's smug smile collapsed.

Her lips tightened, her face turned pale, and her frustration boiled over. "Why are you looking at me like that? Everyone knows you're mentally unstable. Gabriel gave up on you ages ago. Why don't you pack up already-?"

But her forced arrogance was crumbling fast.

Lilah cut in, voice calm and slow, "Sorry to disappoint you. Gabriel just told me... we'll revisit the divorce. Later."

She paused, watching Verity freeze mid-breath-then let a faint, satisfied smile bloom.

"As long as I'm still here in the Wallace home, you're nothing more than a maid."

"You think you can weasel into this spot? Please. Not everyone gets to fantasize about being Mrs. Wallace."

With that, she turned, gripped the door handle, and shut it firmly behind her without sparing another glance.

"Bang!"

Verity stood there, face dark like a storm cloud, biting her lower lip so hard it almost bled.

That bitch...

She couldn't waste more time.

Lilah, just wait.

Lilah opened her eyes, got out of bed, and walked to the window for a look outside.

Almost all the faces cleaning the yard were unfamiliar.

She instantly got the message.

Gabriel moved faster than she'd expected.

After getting cleaned up, she had just settled into the single couch when there was a soft knock at the door.

A girl in her early twenties stepped in, her spotless maid uniform practically shouting "new hire." She carried a tray with a steaming cup of coffee, her eyes cautious.

"Ma'am, your coffee," she said, voice light but laced with nervousness.

Lilah didn't take the cup right away.

Instead, she watched the girl, her calm gaze somehow pressing.

The girl stiffened under the gaze, fingers tensing slightly around the tray.

"What's your name?" Lilah spoke evenly.

"Nina Carter."

"Scared of me?"

"No, not at all, ma'am..." Nina's eyes dropped to the floor.

"Know why the last staff got replaced?"

Lilah walked slowly back to the couch. Nina followed, hearing the question hang in the air.

Nina blinked, then nodded.

"The last maid wasn't careful with her duties."

"She talked too much." Lilah's voice was flat. "If you do your job right, I won't treat you poorly. But I can't stand betrayal. If I find out you're taking orders from someone else... let's just say getting fired will be the least of your worries."

"Yes, ma'am. I would never do that!"

Nina's hand trembled a little, her already pale face turning whiter.

Definitely green. Way too young and easy to read.

Lilah sighed. "Just leave the coffee. Next time, take it straight to the dining room."

"Yes, ma'am."

Later, dressed and ready, Lilah made her way to the dining room.

A long white linen-covered table stretched before her. Verity, dressed in a soft yellow dress, sat right beside Gabriel's usual spot, gently feeding Aiden spoonfuls of oatmeal.

The moment Lilah entered, Verity's hand paused ever so slightly.

Then she smiled.

Lilah stared her down, eyes cold.

A nanny eating at the family table – all because she's 'looking after' Aiden.

Now that Gabriel wasn't around, she dared to sit right next to the head seat, acting like she owned the place.

"Lilah, you're here. Perfect, I have something to tell you," Verity said sweetly.

Lilah sat directly across from her, not bothering to hide her attitude.

Let's see what trick she has up her sleeve today.

"Go ahead," she said, casually beginning her meal.

Verity subtly pulled Aiden closer, fingers brushing over his hair like a subtle claim. "Gabriel specifically asked me to stay close to Aiden. He thinks a familiar face is better for the little one right now."

"The doctor's here today for your psych evaluation. So until your recovery begins, Aiden won't be going anywhere with you."

"Oh? So you're gonna take him every day?"

Lilah let out a cold chuckle.

"Of course. You need to focus on getting better," Verity replied with clear satisfaction. "It's what Gabriel wants... He's just worried you might accidentally hurt the kid."

She finished, waiting for a reaction.

Lilah didn't bother replying. Her expression didn't even flicker.

She calmly sliced her bacon, didn't even look her way once.

That so-called psych evaluation didn't fool her-just another front.

No matter what the doctor found, she knew exactly the kind of info that would end up on Gabriel's desk.