Too Late, Mr. Cooper: Your Bride Ran with Your Baby novel Chapter 104

Mrs. Hart smiled warmly at Liliana and stroked her hair. Then, remembering her reason for being there, she said, "By the way, old Mr. Cooper finally woke up today. The family is throwing a welcome-home party for him in a few days to celebrate. I want you to come with me."

Liliana froze for a moment, an instinctive reluctance washing over her. In a way, it was her decision to break the engagement that had shocked the old man into his illness. If she showed up at the Cooper residence now and her presence caused him to have a relapse, sending him back to the hospital, she would never forgive herself.

She couldn't bear that responsibility.

She was just about to refuse when Mrs. Hart, sensing her hesitation, reassured her. "Don't worry, Liliana. He wants to see you."

"He never blamed you in the first place, so you shouldn't feel guilty. Our families were joined by a business arrangement, and it's perfectly normal to call it off if it's not a good fit. It's not a big deal."

With her mother putting it that way, Liliana felt she couldn't refuse any longer.

She nodded. "Alright, I'll go with you."

A few days later, before leaving for the party, Liliana stopped by her workshop and picked out a jade she had crafted. It was made from a beautiful piece of jade she had found while sourcing materials.

This jade symbolized good fortune, a perfect gift for an elderly man recovering from a serious illness.

Liliana carefully placed the box containing the crafted jade in her purse, then drove home to pick up her mother before heading to the Cooper estate.

When they arrived, old Mr. Cooper hadn't yet been brought back from the hospital by Linton. The Cooper's living room was already crowded with relatives, friends, and the usual assortment of Crownport's elite, all eager to curry favor with the powerful family.

Mrs. Cooper and Isabella were playing the gracious hostesses, both wreathed in smiles.

As Liliana and her mother entered the room, they overheard a woman gushing.

Her words were met with another round of fawning and flattery. For Linton's sake, the movers and shakers of Crownport were always willing to shower Isabella with compliments as a way of getting on the Coopers' good side.

As Isabella smiled, her eyes caught sight of Liliana. Her expression hardened for a split second before she plastered on a sweet, gentle smile.

"Speaking of which," she announced loudly, "my sister-in-law Liliana has also left the Cooper Group to start her own company. Just like me, she's in the high-end jewelry business, and she's designing everything herself."

Her voice dripped with false sincerity. "If you all wouldn't mind, I hope you'll support her venture as well."

Isabella looked at Liliana, her smile unwavering, the picture of magnanimity.

Liliana's eyes narrowed, and her face grew cold. This was not a friendly gesture.