My Husband's Affair My Anniversary Gift (Lily and David) novel Chapter 356

“Mum,” she said calmly, placing the food box on the table beside the bed. “I brought porridge for Dad.”

Her voice was steady, controlled. Too controlled.

Her mother looked up. “Your dad just fell asleep again,” she said softly. “I’ll feed him when he wakes up.”

Riyana nodded once.

She didn’t go closer to the bed. She didn’t look at Jabco. She stood beside her mother, her posture stiff, distant.

Rose noticed everything.

She noticed how Riyana hadn’t even spared Jabco a glance. How she had walked past him without a word. A small smile slowly formed on Rose’s lips.

She stood up.

“Mr. Grey,” she said sweetly, turning toward him. “Why don’t we go get some coffee? It’s crowded here anyway.”

She glanced briefly at Riyana before continuing.

Riyana’s mother smiled politely, clearly aware of the tension thickening in the room.

“Yes,” she added warmly. “Mr. Grey, thank you so much for coming to visit. We don’t want to trouble you any further. You must have a busy schedule.”

Jabco forced a smile.

“ No, it’s fine,” he replied politely. “I don’t have any urgent work.”

His eyes drifted back to Riyana.

She was standing quietly, her gaze lowered, her expression unreadable.

“I heard about Mr. Glito’s accident from Riyana,” he continued. “So I came to visit.”

His voice was calm, respectful.

But his attention never left her.

Riyana felt his gaze. She chose to ignore it.

The room felt smaller now. Too tight. Too full of things left unsaid.

Jabco stood there for a few seconds, waiting.

He waited for Riyana to say something. Anything.

A question. Even anger would have been better than this silence.

But she didn’t speak.

She didn’t even look at him.

The quiet between them felt heavy, uncomfortable, like something pressing on his chest.

He finally understood that staying longer would only make things worse.

“Then… I’ll take my leave,” he said quietly.

His voice was calm, polite, controlled, but there was disappointment hiding underneath. He turned slightly toward Riyana’s mother instead of Riyana herself.

“Please let me know if you need any help,” he added, respectful as always.

Riyana’s mother nodded with a gentle smile, still unaware of what was really going on.

“Thank you for coming,” she said.

Jabco gave a small nod in return. As he walked toward the door, he slowed down for a brief second. His steps hesitated.

He looked back at Riyana.

She was sitting there, her hands folded tightly on her lap, eyes lowered, face blank. Not once did she meet his gaze.

Something tightened in his chest.

Then he turned and left.

Rose didn’t hesitate for even a moment. She followed him out immediately, almost too quickly, as if she had been waiting for the chance.

The door closed softly behind them.

The room fell quiet again.

Riyana’s mother turned toward her slowly.

“Riyana,” she said, her voice low but firm.

“What was that?”

Riyana blinked and looked up, genuinely confused. She leaned back on the sofa, exhaustion written all over her face.

“What?” she asked.

“Don’t try to hide it,” her mother said. “I saw everything. The way you treated him. That was rude.”

Her mother’s expression hardened slightly.

That look was not normal at all.

“Is something going on between you two?”

The question came suddenly.

Too suddenly.

Riyana froze.

Her mother’s voice wasn’t loud, but it was sharp enough to cut through the air. It wasn’t asked casually. It wasn’t asked without thought. It was the kind of question a mother asks only when she has already seen something, felt something, and can’t ignore it anymore.

Riyana’s body stiffened before her mind could catch up.

For a brief second, she forgot how to breathe.

Her fingers curled slightly on her lap. Her heart thumped hard against her chest, not because she was guilty, but because she hadn’t expected this.

Not here. Not now. Not when her stepfather was lying unconscious just a few feet away.

“What?” she asked quickly, turning her head. “No. Why would you think that?”

She spoke fast. Too fast.

“Nothing is going on,” she added immediately, trying to seal the lie before it cracked.

But lies had weight. And mothers had instincts.

Her mother didn’t respond right away. She watched her instead. Closely. Too closely. She had raised Riyana. She knew her habits, her pauses, the way her eyes moved when she was nervous.

“Riyana,” her mother said slowly, her voice lowering, “I’m your mother. Don’t forget that.”

It wasn’t a threat. It was a warning.

Riyana felt irritation rise up inside her chest. She hated this. Hated being questioned. Hated being looked at like she was hiding something shameful.

She rolled her eyes and stood up abruptly.

“I’m not lying,” she said, her voice harder now. “Think whatever you want if you don’t believe me. I’m going out.”

She didn’t wait for another question.

She didn’t wait for permission.

She walked out of the ward before her mother could stop her, her steps fast, her head buzzing with frustration.