Chapter 855

"Why are you guys so early?"

Lily smiled and greeted Alexander, her hand reaching for his as he drew her close, his arm around her waist. They fit together perfectly. Olivia blushed, watching their affection. She glanced at her impassive boyfriend, a wistful sigh escaping her.

"Why don't you tell me how long it's been since you last came home? Would you even consider coming home if I hadn't visited you today?"

Alexander regretted setting up the studio for his wife; she happily spent all her time there, forgetting everything else.

"No, I'm almost done for today. The next step is blending the finished product, and it's nearly complete. I haven't slept well for days, so I'll definitely go home and sleep," Lily said, smiling. Turning to Olivia, she added, "You too, go home and rest."

"I'm not tired. I can stay and compute more detailed data," Olivia replied hastily.

Edward, watching from the sidelines, said, "No, you're tired."

Olivia protested, "I-I'm not tired!"

"It's obvious," Edward stated flatly. His serious demeanor lent weight to his words.

Olivia touched her face, puzzled. "Is it obvious?"

Lily laughed. Olivia then realized her boyfriend had teased her again. She playfully threw a pillow at Edward, who caught it effortlessly. Her outburst was nothing to him.

"Okay, Edward's right. These past two days have been exhausting. I'm so tired I feel like dying! How can you not be tired? Let's all go home and rest. There's still work, but no need to rush; we can't finish it anyway. Also..." Lily paused, a smile playing on her lips. "I have a hunch we'll receive more orders after this."

"You're that confident?" Alexander playfully flicked her nose, enjoying her assurance.

"Of course!"

She hadn't always been so confident. Working behind closed doors, unaware of her capabilities, she’d feared setbacks. But recent years had changed her. She'd faced numerous challenges, learning to accept failures calmly. The world, once terrifying, now felt vast and exciting. She embraced challenges, her achievements fueling her forward momentum.

Soon, they left the studio. Edward planned to drive his boss home before taking Olivia, but Alexander suggested they leave first to avoid intruding. Edward drove Olivia, leaving a pouting girlfriend in his wake. Alexander drove Lily home.

Lily quickly fell asleep, her head resting against the window. Exhaustion from her new job and constant rumors weighed heavily on her. Dark circles shadowed her eyes. Alexander’s heart ached. He slowed the car, adjusted the air conditioning, and drove home silently.

Lily slept soundly even upon reaching home. Alexander waited patiently, content simply to watch her sleep. The car was silent, yet the atmosphere was warm and comforting; the simple, genuine happiness he longed for. He felt complete, because of her.

Lily awoke with a start, noticing the darkness. She looked around, slowly remembering where she was.