Chapter 559 Masks Torn Away

“I think it’s not that you don’t have schemes–it’s that you have too many!”

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Ivan rolled his eyes arrogantly, then pressed on. “Every word out of your mouth today has been aimed at Lily. Don’t tell me you meant nothing by it. She’s never touched your family’s grave, so why act like she has? You’ve been overseas for years and only just came back–Lily’s never wronged you. So why do you keep going after her? Unless…” His eyes narrowed. “You’ve got improper thoughts about my brother and you’re jealous of her?”

The jab hit Renee’s heart like a knife. For the first time, herposure cracked.

“I–I don’t know what you’re talking about. James is about to be a father. How could I possibly…”

“Ivan, that’s enough.”

Nancy’s voice cut through.

She remembered Renee as a little girl–bright, clever, endlessly endearing. Looking at her now, so full of calction, Nancy felt a wave of disappointment and strangeness.

Her younger son’s blunt words stirred a suspicion in her too–that Renee’s hostility toward Lily truly might have sprung from James.

James, itoo /ihandsome, too maic, had always drawn trouble.

She would need to warn him sternlyter to keep his distance.

But with Lily still sitting at the table, Nancy knew how sensitive a pregnant woman’s mind could be. She didn’t want to risk her imagining things and upsetting herself further. She shot her younger son a re, silently telling him to hold his tongue.

James already had rumors in the past of preferring men—if Ivan went on about childhood crushes or childhood sweethearts, Lily might imagine all sorts of nonsense. What if she left her son over it?

“Enough,” Nancy said quickly. “No chatter at the table. Eat first.”

But Ivan bristled. He thought she was defending Renee.

“Mom, Renee’s been targeting Lily all morning, trampling right over her. How do you expect me to shut up? I know you and Grace love Susan and treat Renee like your own daughter. But if she’s scheming, she’s scheming–you can’t cover for her. Lily’s pregnant–she can’t be upset, 1/3

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Chapter 559 Masks Torn Away

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can’t be wronged. Renee shouldn’t being around anymore. And James mustn’t be alone with her either. My gut is never wrong. She wants to break them up! If Lily leaves James, what happens to my two little nieces? You’ll have to sit back and watch James find a son–inw or a groom instead!”

Nancy was exasperated.

When had she ever covered for Rence?

She only feared Lily would misunderstand James and Renee, not that she sided with the girl.

But this foolish boy–bringing up James’s past and throwing fuel on the fire! Was he trying to doom his brother to die alone?

Her re sharpened, and she opened her mouth to scold him.

But James’s icy voice cut her off.

“Renee does harbor malice toward Lily. I’ll tell the gatekeepers not to let her in anymore.”

James had intended to keep the peace through breakfast and speakter.

But with the mood already ruined, he saw no reason to dy.

His tone dropped, measured and cold. “Yesterday morning, she deliberately told Lily the wintersweet tree in the garden was nted by me and her together.” fn899c Readplete version only at FιndＮovel/fn899c

“What?”

Ivan leapt to his feet. “That tree is my wife! How could it have anything to do with her? Wintersweet’s called the ‘tree of love. Saying that to Lily–that’s vicious!”

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James ignored his antics and continued evenly, “Last night when I was away, she made a social post visible only to Lily, to make her think I was with her. This morning at the hospital, while I was in the washroom, she answered Lily’s call from my phone and said I was sweating and showering at her ce. She wanted Lily to believe I’d been with her.

“Grandfather, Grandmother, Father, Mother–I know you’re fond of Renee, and Grace, you have reason to feel indebted to Susan. But Renee is not as innocent or pure as she pretends. She even tried to drive Lily away from me. From now on, don’t let here and go as she pleases.”

The elders‘ expressions turnedplicated.

They were no fools. They had noticed Renee’s admiration for James before, but never

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Chapter 559 Masks Torn Away

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imagined she could be so shameless–plotting to make Lily believe James had slept with her.