Chapter 1377

Lily was puzzled by the abundance of plants and herbs surrounding Anastasia's home during her first visit, especially considering Anastasia's professed dislike for them. It wouldn't be unusual if Anastasia were a herbalist, but she knew nothing about plants. "Anastasia gave me such valuable agarwood, and numerous expensive medicinal herbs are all around her home. Some potent-smelling herbs are in the yard, while those with milder, more refreshing aromas are inside." Lily suspected this variety of haphazardly placed plants might be the source of the poisoning.

Of course, these were merely speculations, and she felt uncertain. This uncertainty led her to Dominic, a well-traveled and knowledgeable man who might have encountered similar situations. His agreement that her theory was plausible bolstered her conviction.

Lily's first step was to create a proper diet plan to alleviate Anastasia's food anxiety. Helping the young woman overcome self-suppression and unhealthy eating habits would be a significant success. Next, she planned to visit the Rollins to examine the herbs and remove them, addressing the root cause. Treating the poisoning, however, required more investigation. She needed to identify the specific poison before devising an antidote.

She hadn't shared any of this with Anastasia. She worried that revealing her suspicions might increase Anastasia's stress, hindering her weight loss efforts. Furthermore, lacking concrete proof, Lily feared Anastasia might dismiss her concerns as alarmist. And, she still needed to determine the herbs' origin. "Let me take it one step at a time. There's no hurry," she mused.

As Lily finalized her recipe, her phone vibrated. Seeing "Hubby" flash across the screen, her heart pounded. She set down her pen, snatched the phone, and answered in a trembling voice, "Hello?"

"Lily, are you asleep yet?"

Alexander's familiar, deep voice brought tears to her eyes. She'd always considered herself strong, yet the inability to reach him for the past few days had left her restless. Controlling her emotions, she replied calmly, "Not yet."

"Sorry, you must have been worried," Alexander said softly, his tone suggesting a fear of disturbing her sleep.

Lily's pent-up worry and frustration overflowed. "So you knew I'd be worried, huh?" she wept, unable to suppress her tears. She couldn't help blaming him for the anxiety he'd caused. Yet, his voice, despite her distress, calmed her.

"Sorry. I'm really sorry! The signal here is terrible, and the situation is complicated, so…" Though unsaid, his exhaustion was evident. Her anger instantly shifted to concern.

"Why? What happened? Was someone poisoned?" The complexity of the situation, she suspected, suggested more than a simple accident.