Quintin looked around and whispered, "Don't worry. We'll sneak in after he leaves."
Avery raised an eyebrow. "You sly guy."
Quintin put his arm around her shoulder and acted like they were close. He said, "Didn't you say we're friends because we have a common enemy?
"Good friends should help each other and work together against the enemy. They don't stab each other in the back like you did just now!"
Avery crossed her arms and looked at him with a half-smile.
Quintin felt he was right. "Why are you looking at me like that? Did I say anything wrong?"
"You're right, but don't think I don't know what you're planning. Even though I don't like that scumbag, it doesn't mean I'll allow a pig like you to snatch Josephine away."
"Wait. How can you say that? What do you mean pig? Did you just call me a pig?"
"Whoever gets worked up is the pig."
"You ..."
Quintin didn't want to talk to her anymore. He held his frustration and glared at Avery. "I won't argue with a woman like you!"
Avery couldn't help but laugh at how angry he looked.
Meanwhile, Lewis returned upstairs. Josephine had just gotten out of bed and was walking toward the door. She leaned on the wall for support.
He approached and helped Josephine. "Where are you going?"
Josephine panted, looked up at him, and said, "I heard Avery's voice."
Lewis lifted her and placed her back on the bed. "You must have heard it wrong. There's no one downstairs."
Josephine furrowed her brows in doubt. She was sure she had heard it.
Lewis tucked her back into bed and covered her with the blanket. "Rest well. I'll stay here with you."
"But I don't want to lie in bed."
Lewis fell silent briefly. "Then where do you want to go?"
Josephine pondered for a while and looked at Lewis with pleading eyes. "I want to ride a hot air balloon."
Lewis held her hand and said softly, "You're still recovering."
Josephine pouted and looked like she was about to cry. She kept her eyes on him.
"Good girl, stay home and rest. Once you are feeling better, I'll take you to ride a hot air balloon. I'll take you wherever you want to go."
He patiently tried to comfort her. Josephine bit her lip and remained silent.
"If you really don't want to stay in bed, I can carry you downstairs, and we can watch TV together. How about that?"
Josephine nodded. "Okay."
So, Lewis carried her downstairs and settled on the couch in the living room with her.
Lewis turned on the television and found her favorite cartoon. He also gave her a lollipop.
Josephine leaned against him and watched the cartoon. She sucked on the lollipop. Josephine was completely engrossed in the show.
Lewis also watched with her, but nobody knew whether he was focusing on the show.
He wrapped his arm around Josephine's shoulder and glanced at her.
From his angle, he could see her side profile.
Josephine's nose was tall and straight. Her eyelashes were curled. Her lips were tiny, and she had a lollipop.
The lollipop moved back and forth in her mouth. Her cheeks looked puffed up because of it.
Josephine would giggle whenever she saw something funny.
Lewis' lips would curve into a smile whenever he saw her smile.
Josephine looked up and met his gaze. She pointed to the TV. "Ferb is so funny."
Lewis grinned. "Is he?"
Josephine nodded. "Yes, he always bullies Phineas."
Lewis stared at her twinkling eyes. He went into a trance for a while and fell into silence.
Josephine didn't mind him and turned her attention back to the TV. She would occasionally chuckle as she watched the cartoon.
Finally, Jospehine's laughter filled the quiet manor.
However, a ringing phone interrupted the peaceful atmosphere.
Lewis took out his phone and glanced at it. It was a call from the hospital.
He lowered his head to look at Josephine before answering the call.
Her mother hurriedly pressed her back down. "Oh, just lie down first. I'll tell you everything."
Sierra anxiously looked at her mother. She was eager to know the truth.
After hesitating momentarily, Sierra's mother decided to come clean. She began, "Sierra, you used to say that we are not your biological parents. You even said that we are so plain-looking while you are so beautiful."
Feeling somewhat sad, she paused. "It's true. We are not your biological father and mother. We found you."
She explained the whole story. She even told the incident when Lewis had come to inquire about Sierra's background.
Sierra seemed utterly shocked after hearing the story.
"What did you say ..."
Sierra's mother wiped her tears. "I'm sorry, Sierra. We didn't mean to deceive you. But we don't know who your biological parents are, so we never told you."
Sierra stared at her intensely. Tears were welling up in her eyes. Resentment began building in her too.
She slowly pulled her hand back. Sierra looked angry. Even her mother was panicking.
"Sierra ..."
Sierra said hoarsely, "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"I ..."
"If you had told me earlier, maybe I would have found them by now!"
Sierra's mother's expression froze when she heard Sierra's words.
She never expected Sierra to blame her immediately after learning the truth. She had raised Sierra for nearly thirty years.
Sierra didn't seem grateful at all for all those years of upbringing. It seemed insignificant compared to her desire to find her biological parents.
Sierra cried in devastation. If she found her biological parents, who knew she could have a status worthy of matching Lewis? Maybe Lewis would have married her long ago.
It was all because of these two people that she ended up in such a miserable situation.
The more she thought about it, the deeper her resentment grew.
Her gaze filled the old couple with heartache.
Sierra had left them speechless.
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