Chapter 1325

Lily looked up at Anastasia and smiled. "I'm not sure. Your aunt might know best, as she hired him."

Anastasia wanted to ask more questions, but Maria's shrill voice cut through from outside the door. "Of course I do!" She strode in, visibly upset. Staring at Lily, she sighed. "Mr. Fike is Dominic Fike's secret apprentice. Mrs. Russell, you, with your fortunate marriage and good looks, have no idea what my niece is going through. I went to great lengths to bring this miracle doctor here, yet you made him leave!"

Lily chuckled. "Ma'am, if I recall correctly, this is my house. Do I require your approval to decide whom I invite and whom I don't wish to see?"

Maria, unable to direct her anger at Lily, turned to Anastasia. She stepped forward and seized her niece's hand. "Tasia, come home with me!"

Anastasia frowned, dumbfounded. "I don't want to leave yet."

"What are you saying? I went to so much trouble to hire the miracle doctor, and you've upset him! Go home. You used to be a good girl! Why have you changed so much? Has someone led you astray? There are all kinds of people out there. Don't blindly believe everything you hear!"

Maria tried to pull her niece up, but Anastasia, being heavier than her aunt anticipated, remained unmoved.

Lily lowered her gaze, a slight smile playing on her lips. She remained silent.

Anastasia, however, grew upset. "Don't talk nonsense, Aunt Maria! Lily is my friend, and I won't let you accuse her like this. Besides, over the years, you and Father have hired many miracle doctors—to what end? I know you mean well, but stop wasting your energy. I'm not seeing any miracle doctor, and I want to stay a little longer at my friend's house."

Exhausted, Maria released her niece. She changed tactics, beginning to cry. "How could you say that? How could I let you be? Your mother died young, leaving only you. With your father so busy, how could your uncle and I not care for you? Your uncle and I are responsible for what you've become. Every girl your age has a boyfriend. If you weren't so…large, you wouldn't have trouble getting a boyfriend. Now you can't even get a date!"

Anastasia looked ashamed.

Maria continued to sob. "As an innocent child, you don't understand how evil people can be, and you naively believe her sweet talk. You have no idea that we are the ones who genuinely care about you! I worked hard to get you the miracle doctor, yet she chased him away. Still, you think she cares about you? If she truly cared about your health, she wouldn't mislead you into overeating."

Lily, holding her temples, finally spoke. "Excuse me. Who are you accusing of misleading Tasia into overeating?" Maria stopped crying and glared at Lily. "You! I was talking about you!"