CHAPTER 37: EYES ON HER

Marce rose early the next morning, unwilling to let Lyra slip away without a proper farewell.

"Please come again, sweetheart. I truly don’t mind if you visit as often as you like," Marce said, taking both of Lyra’s hands.

From the side, Edris interjected politely.

"She works, Mom. A doctor can’t just take vacations whenever they feel like it."

He glanced at Lyra, a small apologetic smile tugging at his lips.

"Sorry. Mom forgets you’re just as busy as we are. Married to a doctor, surrounded by doctors... somehow she still forgets how chaotic a doctor’s schedule is."

Marce didn’t scold him. One poised look was enough—a refined, motherly glare. Even annoyed, she refused to lose her grace.

Lyra couldn’t help a soft laugh. Watching the two of them go back and forth was honestly adorable.

Marce turned back to Lyra, her expression softening instantly from stern to sweet.

"If you feel Bellwyn is too far, you can move here whenever you’d like. There are more than enough rooms. And my husband’s hospital is always open to you if you plan to work there," she offered, sincerity glowing in every word.

Edris brought a hand to his forehead. His mother was already planning ahead before he even had the chance.

Before Marce could continue negotiating Lyra’s relocation, Mia stepped in quickly and urged everyone to get moving.

"Lyra, wait."

Edris called out, stopping her just as she was halfway to the car. Lyra paused and turned back, her steps gentle.

Silas and Mia continued on with quiet smiles, leaving the two of them a moment.

From the porch, Marce slipped inside the house quickly, not wanting to embarrass her son by hovering nearby.

"Is something wrong, Edris?" Lyra asked gently. She glanced toward the car, worried she might keep Mia and Silas waiting too long, then looked back at him.

Before she could finish the thought, Edris stepped forward and hugged her—just for a second.

Lyra stiffened in surprise.

Edris himself looked just as startled by what he’d done, his expression turning awkward as he pulled back.

"So... I’ll see you again," he said, trying to play it cool.

Lyra smiled softly. "Yes. See you—until I see you."

She slipped into the car, and it pulled away soon after.

Edris stood there, lifting a hand in a small wave. "Bye, Lyra," he whispered.

He headed straight to the hospital—urgent matters he couldn’t avoid.

Meanwhile, Mia and Silas brought Lyra to the conference. Lyra felt a flutter of nerves. She had never attended a conference before, let alone a business one.

The moment they stepped into the main hall, Lyra slowed.

The space was enormous and grand. The audience was only just arriving, moving in quietly as they found their places.

Silas walked ahead, while Mia guided Lyra to walk in front of her. They moved through rows of white-draped chairs arranged with precise symmetry.

Silas’s assistant immediately stood when they approached, offering Lyra his seat with a polite nod.

For a moment, Lyra wasn’t sure how to respond. But Silas gave her an encouraging look, as if to say this was fine. She thanked the assistant and took the seat.

A quiet vibration hummed in Lyra’s pocket, and Theo’s name flashed across her screen.

"Have you arrived?" came his deep, low voice.

He knew she would be attending the conference with friends today, but he still needed to make sure she was safe—even if she was surrounded by people he trusted.

Lyra lowered her head slightly, covering part of her mouth with one hand so her voice wouldn’t disturb the audience around her as she answered the call.

"I’m inside the hall with Dr. Chavan," she said, her voice low, almost a whisper yet clear enough for Theo to hear perfectly.

"I’m in the hall too. Are you on the left or the right side?" he asked.

Lyra straightened in her seat, craning her neck as her eyes swept across the hall.

A moment later, she spotted Theo not far from her row, walking between the white chairs near the center aisle. His hands swung naturally at his sides, a small Bluetooth device clipped to his ear.

Lyra rose and gave him a small wave. Theo met her gaze and nodded once, acknowledging her presence.

"Alright, I see you," he said. "If anything happens, call or text me. Okay? And remember what I told."

"I remember," Lyra replied, and the call ended.

Theo’s movement and the warm wave Lyra gave him immediately drew eyes. Several audience members paused mid-conversation, exchanging quick glances before leaning into whisper.

The wealthy, high-status, thirty-eight-year-old divorcé didn’t acknowledge just anyone like that.

Who was the young woman greeting him so openly, so warmly, in a room full of people watching?

And more importantly—why was she doing it so comfortably, when she was clearly young, and clearly a woman?

Curiosity sharpened.

A few women straightened in their seats, their expressions tightening. Others shared quick, assessing looks, interest and jealousy flickering beneath the polite surface of the hall as the whispers grew.

But Lyra noticed none of it. Her thoughts were still tangled in what Theo had told her the day before.

He had reminded her not to bother contacting Rowan unless he reached out first. If he chose to ignore her, then she should ignore him in return.

And Theo had assured her she didn’t need to worry that he and Albert would back her up if anything happened. Her safety came before everything else.

Speak of the devil. The audience suddenly stood, giving a thunderous round of applause. Lyra quickly rose to her feet, following everyone’s lead and joining in the clapping.

Rowan appeared on stage as one of the invited speakers who will discuss the business topic on stage, along with other experts.

He sat upright with one leg crossed neatly over the other, his hands resting loosely on his lap. He appeared composed, effortlessly professional.

Lyra felt a small swell of pride seeing her husband on stage. She smile, secretly lifted her phone and snapped a picture, ready to send it to Rowan but she stopped.

And suddenly, a faint sting of sadness crept in. What if her small gesture was misunderstood by Rowan?

What if something that simple made him angry again—just like that night?

Theo’s reminder echoed in her mind—don’t bother contacting him.

She gave up and slipped her phone back into her pocket.

Beside Rowan sat one of the invited speakers, a beautiful and mature-looking woman whose poise radiated confidence. She leaned in and whispered to Rowan.

Her smile brightened when he nodded.

Lyra felt a faint tug low in her stomach. She looked away, the moment clearly bothered her.

For the next two hours, Lyra didn’t move from her seat. She didn’t even look toward the stage.

Mia noticed the faint heaviness in her expression.

She leaned closer and whispered, "Are you tired? We can step into the lounge for a bit if you need to rest."