Chapter 9

The following morning, the sound of cannon fire echoed through the sky, signaling the start of Mona and Hale's wedding. Lyanne's father, George, and her mother, Margaret, wore jubilant expressions, their tailored suits and gowns adorned with delicate rosebuds pinned to their chests. Chloe stood nearby, laughing and chatting with the bridesmaids.

Margaret glanced around but couldn't spot Lyanne. She frowned. "Chloe, where's Lyanne? Why isn't she here yet? Mona is her sister, and she's late for her wedding? Who taught her such manners?"

Chloe replied nonchalantly, "Probably doesn't want to see Hale marrying Mona. After all, she's liked Hale for so many years."

Margaret's mood darkened further upon hearing this. She turned to the Miller family's housekeeper. "Mabel, go find Lyanne! If she's not here, people will start gossiping about the Millers and Mona."

Mabel nodded and was about to leave when Chloe stopped her. "You all should focus on setting up the garden; Hale will be arriving soon. I'll go get Lyanne." After a pause, she asked, "Which room is Lyanne in?"

"The storage room," Mabel replied.

"What?"

Chloe wasn't the only one stunned; everyone present froze in disbelief. George frowned. "Why is Lyanne staying in the storage room?"

Mabel lowered her eyes. "When Ms. Lyanne first came to the Miller family, it was sudden, and no room had been arranged. Margaret said she could temporarily stay in the storage room." That "temporary" had stretched into twelve years.

Hearing this, Margaret frowned. "I intended to prepare a proper room for her, but I forgot. She never brought it up herself. I'm her mother—would I mistreat her? I really don't know where she got this stubborn personality from; she's nothing like me."

Mona, dressed in a custom-made wedding gown with a diamond tiara resting on her head, spoke from her spot on the plush mattress. "Even the Miller family's storage room is better than her wandering around outside before. Staying there shouldn't be a problem for Lyanne, right?"

Chloe felt something was off about Mona's comment but said nothing. She furrowed her brow and made her way to the storage room at the end of the corridor. As she pushed the door open, a cloud of fine dust swirled in the air, causing her to step back instinctively. Covering her nose, she entered the dim, cramped room, which was packed to the brim with discarded items. Lyanne's so-called bed was shoved against a shelf overflowing with clutter. Calling it a bed was generous—it was merely a thin wooden plank laid across several buckets. Beside the bed stood a large water tank, on top of which sat an old desk lamp, a diary, and a stack of papers. This was everything Lyanne had in the Miller household.

Chloe was speechless, stunned by the sight before her. She even forgot to keep her nose covered. She never imagined Lyanne would be living in such squalor, especially in the Miller family's home—her home. The storage room was so small it didn't take long to confirm that Lyanne wasn't there. But if she wasn't in the room, where could she have gone? Chloe was perplexed. She approached the water tank, which seemed to serve as Lyanne's "desk."

"Dad! Mom!" Chloe called out to George and Margaret. She picked up the diary and the stack of medical reports, aged from old to recent. "Lyanne isn't here, but she left these behind."

George was about to examine them when a servant announced Hale's arrival.

"She's probably throwing a tantrum somewhere," Margaret said dismissively. "I don't know who spoiled her with these bad habits. Chloe, come out—Hale is here to pick up Mona."

George had no choice but to follow Margaret outside, leaving Chloe standing alone.

Meanwhile, Hale stood in the living room, holding a bouquet. His face showed no trace of joy, despite it being his wedding day. He scanned the room, his brows furrowing when he didn't see Lyanne. "Where's Lyanne?" he asked.

Mona's expression soured as she noticed that Lyanne was the first person Hale inquired about. In a soft, delicate tone, she said, "Hale, Lyanne probably didn't want to see us getting married, so she ran off. Don't be upset with her."

Margaret chimed in, "Hale, this is our failing as parents for not raising Lyanne better. Don't take it to heart."

Hale felt a surge of irritation at their words. Wasn't this supposed to be a fake wedding? Why couldn't Lyanne understand that? He pulled out his phone and sent her a message on WhatsApp: "Why are you being so unreasonable? Where did you go?"