Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Go Public?

Lila’s POV

The sparrow outside the window flew away, leaving only a few small feathers on the windowsill, their edges gilded by the morning light.

I looked up at Zoe. “About Lilith… can you still keep in touch with her?”

She nodded immediately, her lips curving into a sharp, confident smile. “Of course. Jasper put me in charge of this investigation from the start.”

She paused, a hint of pride in her voice. “He said, ’Zoe will lead the surveillance on the Thorne family. Everyone else is to follow her orders. She knows better than anyone what to look into and what to leave alone.’”

My heart warmed at the undisguised earnestness in Zoe’s voice, the feeling of being entrusted with a great responsibility.

“Good,” I replied, a note of relief in my voice that I hadn’t even noticed myself. “Then I’m counting on you. Any detail—even if she just idly mentions her mother’s name, or flips through an old photo album… please tell me everything.”

“You can count on me,” she said, patting her chest with a brilliant smile.

Just then, Zoe suddenly clapped her hands, her eyes shining. “Oh! I just remembered the perfect excuse to invite her out on the water. I’d almost forgotten!”

She pulled her phone out of her bag, her fingers flying across the screen. She brought up a high-resolution photo and held it out for me to see.

The photo showed a yacht moored on an azure sea. Its hull was sleek, the silver-gray paint glinting with a cool, luxurious hardness in the sunlight. On the bow, one enormous, gilded word glittered under the camera’s lens—

“MOMMY”

I froze.

“The Mommy?” I was utterly stunned. ’So Zoe wasn’t just joking to cheer me up earlier.’

Zoe stood with her hands on her hips, her chin tilted up, her smile as brilliant as the midday sun. “Yep! It’s called the Mommy! The name’s already painted on the hull!”

I pressed my palm to my forehead, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. “Zoe, that name… isn’t it a little too blunt? What if Lilith asks, ’Why is it called the Mommy?’ How will you answer?”

She blinked, her expression completely matter-of-fact. “Why would I have to explain myself to her? She’s not my dad, and she’s not my teacher!” She paused, then suddenly lowered her voice and leaned closer, a cunning glint in her eyes. “However—now that you mention it, that reminds me of something else.”

She sat back down in her chair and leaned forward, her expression growing unusually serious.

“About your and Jasper’s contract marriage…”

My heart skipped a beat, and I held my breath without thinking.

She looked at me, the corners of her mouth curving into a gentle, reassuring smile.

“In the beginning, it was just to give you a place to land on your feet so the Goodrich family wouldn’t look down on you. The Hale family didn’t widely publicize your existence.”

She paused, her gaze meeting mine, frank and direct.

“But now, it’s plain to see you two are in love. Soon, you’ll be the true First Lady of the Hale Group. So, are you two going to have a wedding of the century and officially announce it to the world?”

I clenched my fists without thinking.

’A wedding…?’

’The title of “Jasper’s wife”… to be honest, it still doesn’t feel real to me. Although Jasper and I are genuinely in love right now… I’m afraid to think about whether it could last. After all, my years of feelings for Caleb also vanished in an instant.’

’Not to mention, if we made a grand, public announcement, would it make Derek guess something? Would it trigger an even more deranged plot from him?’

“My advice is,” Zoe said, looking me straight in the eye, her tone decisive, “it’s time to announce it.”

I didn’t say anything.

I just took a slow, deep breath.

’Zoe’s advice made a lot of sense. Announcing my marriage to Jasper would be a turning point, a silent but sharp boundary line.’

’From then on, anyone who tried to get close to me would first have to cross that line—’

’First, guards could openly appear by my side to ensure my basic personal safety.’

’Ordinary people, or even average Werewolves, wouldn’t dare to make a move against me.’

’It would also be a way to identify my true enemies.’

“However,” I said, pausing as my fingertips unconsciously traced the edge of the desk, “Jasper is still in Black Water Town. We’ll have to wait for him to get back to discuss this.”

Zoe nodded, not disagreeing in the slightest. “Of course. That’s between the two of you.” She blinked, her tone becoming light and breezy. “Buuuut… the maiden voyage party for the Mommy can’t wait. See you at the marina, tomorrow at three p.m. Lilith has already confirmed she’ll be there—she even messaged me to ask if she could bring her mom on board.’”

I let out a small laugh, a sharp, easy confidence in it that I hadn’t even noticed myself.

“Her mother, the mole they call Gray Dove? Then by all means, let her bring her.”

「The day of the party arrived in the blink of an eye.」

The morning sunlight, carrying the crisp, bright quality unique to early spring, poured generously through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows of the master suite in Moon Hidden Villa, flooding the entire walk-in closet.

Zoe was like a sparrow that had found its way into a jewelry vault, flitting excitedly between the rows of clothing racks. She was wearing a bright orange miniskirt today with her hair in a high ponytail, making her look like a dancing flame.

“No, no, no!” She snatched the plain, cream-colored dress from my hand and shook it disdainfully. “It’s too bland! Today is the Mommy’s maiden voyage! You’re one of the stars of the show, not here for a funeral!”

I stood helplessly before the full-length mirror, looking at my reflection—dressed in a silk robe, my hair a mess, with faint dark circles under my eyes.

“Then what do you suggest I wear?” I asked.

Zoe didn’t answer. She just stood on her tiptoes, reached up, and took a velvet box down from a glass case on the highest shelf.

She opened the box. A swimsuit lay quietly inside.

It was a two-piece with a minimalist, high-waisted cut, colored a deep, dark blue. It had no garish sequins or flamboyant lace. The top featured a vintage cross-back design, and the bottoms were high-waisted and wide-legged. The fabric was a matte spandex with a subtle sheen that felt cool and smooth to the touch, like a second skin.

“Try this on,” Zoe said, shoving the box into my hands, her eyes sparkling. “Jasper had it custom-made in Milan last week. He said to give it to you whenever you were willing to get in the water. Let me see… yup, the size is a perfect fit.”

I froze.

As my fingertips brushed over the cool, smooth fabric, it felt as if something soft had gently nudged my heart.

’It wasn’t because of the gift itself.’

’It was because… he remembered.’

’He remembered that I’d never once gone for a swim in the pool at Moon Hidden Villa.’

’He remembered how I always said the water was too cold, how I always said, “Maybe when I’m in the mood someday.”’

’He remembered every little thing I’d ever said offhandedly, things I never even took seriously myself.’

Zoe didn’t give me time to space out. She grabbed my wrist and pushed me toward the dressing room. “Hurry up and change! We don’t have all day!”

In the dressing room, I slipped out of my robe and put on the deep blue swimsuit.

In the mirror, my shoulders looked defined and my waist slender, the high-waisted cut cleverly flattering my proportions. The deep blue was like a calm sea, enveloping me in a way that wasn’t too ostentatious, but still gave me an undeniable presence.

’Is this really me? Lila Bennett?’

I almost didn’t dare to open the door and walk out.

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