Chapter 1164

"Dad asked me to pass on a message. Loid's father called him this morning. He wants you and the two children to stay at Laurier Residence for the time being. Dad agreed," Sapphire stated bluntly, skipping any pleasantries. "That's it?" Lily frowned. She was woken up for something this trivial? Sapphire met Lily's gaze and pressed her lips together before continuing, "Dad also said you need to speed things up. Whatever it is, it must be done by the day of the lunar eclipse." Sapphire had no idea what business Neal had with Lily. She had never been valued in the Hutchinson family, and Neal had never involved her in family affairs. In fact, over the years, she had barely seen him a handful of times. Yet now, out of nowhere, Neal had sought her out, arranged for her to work at Laurier Group, and assigned her to keep an eye on Lily. He hadn't given her any specifics—only instructed her to report Lily's whereabouts and every detail of her interactions with Loid. Sapphire had secretly done some digging. To her shock, the so-called "long-lost daughter" Neal had taken in was the spitting image of Loid's late wife. After connecting the dots, she had a vague idea of what was going on. "The day of the lunar eclipse?" Lily narrowed her eyes. This was the first time in five years that Neal had ever revealed a timeline. She had tested Neal multiple times before, but he had always been cautious. He remained suspicious of her, never revealing the truth. Every time they met, he did nothing but drill into her mind that Loid was her enemy. But today, he had suddenly let this slip. Was it another test? Or did the lunar eclipse have something to do with Mr. Black? "I don't know the details. You can ask Dad," Sapphire said, carefully observing Lily's expression. Yet Lily remained utterly calm as if the matter had nothing to do with her. "Mm." Lily nodded lightly and said nothing more. Sapphire fell silent as well. Lily waited for a while, but Sapphire showed no intention of leaving. She raised an eyebrow, asking, "Is there something else?" Sapphire didn't answer right away. She hesitated. Lily's patience wore thin. These people were so annoying! Couldn't they just get to the point? They were constantly beating about the bush… and she was exhausted! After a long silence, Sapphire finally said, "You're Lily Brooks, right? You never lost your memory." The first half was a question, but the second was a statement. Lily lifted her gaze and locked eyes with Sapphire, but she remained silent. Sapphire took a sip of water and, after a pause, continued, "I didn't come here today just because Neal asked me to. I came because I wanted to." At this point, she no longer referred to Neal as "Dad" but with his first name. Lily glanced at her, smirking. This Sapphire... How interesting. "Actually, I noticed you five years ago. You were unconscious when Neal brought you back. He kept you locked away in the backyard, forbidding anyone from going near. He took care of you for five years. At first, I thought you were his lover. After all, I'd never seen him care for anyone like that before." Sapphire turned back to Lily and said, "Then, I found out you had two kids, but neither resemble Neal at all. Plus, you're much younger than him—at least 20 years. That's when I realized you couldn't possibly be his lover. When he introduced you as the Hutchinson family's young lady, I actually believed it. "Now, though, I've figured it all out. You're not the Hutchinson family's young lady. You're Loid's wife, Lily Brooks. Neal wants you to kill Loid. He's been plotting something big with someone." Lily simply leaned back on the couch, watching Sapphire in silence. Sapphire remained unfazed, continuing, "I've done my research on you. You're incredibly capable. Five years ago, your commanding presence left a lasting impression on everyone. I admire strength, and I want to work with someone like you. Lily, you should seriously consider partnering with me."