"I'll just eat in the dining room," Evelyn said softly.
"Of course, ma'am. I'll get it ready now," Lily replied, turning toward the dining area.
Evelyn stepped out of Sterling Manor. The sunlight hit her eyes, making her squint. She paused for a moment, letting her vision adjust. She stared at the koi pond in front of the manor. No flowers bloomed there. Just clear water and colorful fish swimming beneath the surface.
She stood there for a while. Then she turned around and walked back inside to have breakfast.
Lily had already set the table. Everything was waiting for her.
Evelyn washed her hands and sat down. She picked up her fork and began to eat.
But after just a few bites, a wave of nausea hit her.
She set down her fork. In the end, she barely touched her food.
"Ma'am, you've barely eaten anything these past two days," Lily said, her voice filled with concern as she looked at the nearly full plate.
"I just don't have much of an appetite," Evelyn replied quietly.
"Is the breakfast not to your liking? Tell me what you'd like to eat, and I'll make it right away," Lily offered.
"No, it's not the food. I just don't feel like eating much. Don't worry about me. Go ahead with your work," Evelyn said. She stood up and walked out of the dining room.
Lily watched her go, a worried expression on her face.
At noon, Evelyn still ate very little. Lily couldn't hold back any longer. She called Mr. Sterling to report that the young lady hadn't been eating well.
Alexander answered the phone. He hesitated for a moment. Then he called Amelia Vance, Evelyn's mother.
Evelyn was surprised to see her mother arrive.
"Mom, what are you doing here?" Evelyn asked, a happy smile spreading across her face.
"I'm about to become a grandmother, and you can't even take care of yourself. If I didn't come, I don't know what state you'd be in when you finally come home. It's fine if you lose weight, but don't you dare affect my grandchild's nutrition!" Amelia scolded her youngest daughter. At the same time, she poured the soup she had brought into a bowl and handed it to Evelyn.
Evelyn took the bowl. She took a sip. Then she looked up at her mother and smiled.
"Mom, I'm taking good care of myself."
"Taking good care of yourself? By eating like a bird?" Amelia shot her a sharp look.
"Mom, who told you?" Evelyn asked, half laughing, half crying.
"Who told me isn't important. What matters is that you're making me worry. You're this old, and I still have to coax you into eating. I didn't stew this soup for you. I stewed it for my grandchild. You have to finish it all!"
"Mom, there's so much here. How can I finish it all?" Evelyn said, looking at the large pot her mother had brought.
"Take your time. I didn't say you had to finish it in one go," Amelia said.
Evelyn laughed.
"You said yesterday that you had something to take care of at home and didn't have time to come back. What was it?" Evelyn asked.
"Nothing special. I just didn't feel like moving," Amelia replied.
Amelia gave her daughter another look.
"You were never this lazy before. Now that you're pregnant, you've turned into a big sloth!"
"Mom, you told me not to do any strenuous exercise," Evelyn said with a smile.
"I told you not to do strenuous exercise. I didn't tell you not to move at all. Go for a walk nearby. Do some simple housework. It's good for your health. That's not strenuous exercise!"
"Don't worry, Mom. I go for a walk every day. I just don't do housework. Lily does a great job with that. I've been learning to knit scarves instead," Evelyn said.
"As long as you're happy," Amelia said, not pushing the matter further.
"Did Dad and Victoria go to work?" Evelyn asked while drinking her soup.
"They left early this morning. Your sister has been acting strange these past two days. She's been pestering your dad to figure out how much profit and cash the company has right now. She wants to give you that ten million as soon as possible. Do you need it urgently?"
"No, I haven't spent much money lately. Besides, if I need to buy something, the card Alexander gave me is more than enough. I don't need to use my own money," Evelyn said.
"Maybe your sister is thinking about the ten million you took with you when you married into the Sterling family. She wants you to have a stronger position there," Amelia murmured.
"Mom, don't worry. Alexander and my mother-in-law are very good to me. You don't have to worry," Evelyn said.
She thought about her sister. Victoria didn't believe her. She was afraid Evelyn would be bullied at home. She wanted to pay back the money she owed so Evelyn would have more confidence in the future.
But her sister didn't know that some things couldn't be solved with money.
Still, she was her sister. Her starting point was for Evelyn's own good.
"It's good that you're happy. You married into their family. And that money is a debt our family owes. We have to pay it back eventually so we can feel at ease," Amelia said.
"Mom, just take your time. I can make money in the future. We'll pay it back sooner or later," Evelyn said.
Amelia nodded and sighed.
"I'm not worried about you anymore. Now I'm worried about your sister's situation."
"What's wrong with Victoria?" Evelyn asked.
"I heard she broke up with Aiden Fisher. Breaking up is a good thing, but your sister can't seem to let go. Haven't you noticed how much weight she's lost recently? I really don't understand what's so good about that young man. Why is she so obsessed with him?"
"Mom, feelings are hard to explain sometimes. We might think he's not good enough, but maybe he's exactly the type Victoria likes. I just don't know why they broke up so suddenly."
"I don't know either. I asked your sister, but she wouldn't say. Didn't she tell you?"
"No, she just said they broke up. She didn't give me a specific reason," Evelyn said.
"Do you think your sister can't let go because that guy cheated on her?"
"Mom, what do you think? Do you really think she's that stupid? Don't think so badly of others."
Amelia looked at her youngest daughter and decided not to argue. She just urged Evelyn to eat more.
After Evelyn finished eating, Amelia told her to rest. She said she would go to the main house to chat with Mrs. Sterling for a while. Since she rarely came to visit, it wouldn't be polite not to sit with her.
Evelyn wanted to go with her. Amelia said she had just finished eating and should rest instead. She asked Lily to take her there.
Evelyn thought her mother might have something to discuss with her mother-in-law. She didn't insist. She asked Lily to take her mother to the main house while she stayed behind at Sterling Manor.
Lily accompanied Mrs. Vance to the main house. Along the way, Amelia asked Lily about Evelyn's appetite, mood, and health during this period.
Lily answered each question. She said the young lady's appetite wasn't very good. She didn't know what she liked to eat, so she could only try to change the menu. She also said the young lady was in a good mood, and Mr. Sterling was very good to her.
Amelia nodded, feeling a little more at ease. But she would have to talk to Evelyn later. If she couldn't eat, she had to force herself. Not for herself, but for her baby.