Chapter 9 Bad Lilibeth

• In a moment of awkwardness, Lilibeth found herself grappling with the memory of the incident that had just unfolded. She could vividly recall the name that had inadvertently escaped her lips, yet, in a display of sheer obstinacy, she vehemently denied the act. “Nope, didn't say a word,” she asserted with a tone of defiance.
• Damian, with a hint of mischief in his voice, teased, “Mommy Lilibeth, you're setting a bad example for the kids.”
• Lilibeth shot back, “Hey, I'm one of the kids too, you know.”
• Damian's eyes sparkled with excitement as he waved his beloved Autobots toy in the air, his intentions clear—he was on a mission to defeat Lilibeth. However, much to everyone's surprise, Lilibeth, with a swift and unexpected move, snatched the toy right from Damian's grasp.
• The hospital corridor was suddenly filled with the sound of a child's heart-wrenching cry. Damian, visibly distraught and overwhelmed by a sense of injustice, stomped his foot in frustration. “Mommy Lilibeth took Autobots, and it's mine!” he protested, his voice echoing off the walls.
• Despite Damian's tears and the evident anguish in his eyes, Lilibeth remained unmoved. Clutching Sebastian's hand tightly, Damian looked up at his father with eyes brimming with tears, his voice quivering as he said, “Daddy, Mommy Lilibeth took my Autobots away. She's bad!”
• Sebastian, disturbed by the commotion and the sound of his child's crying, found it increasingly difficult to enjoy a moment of peace in the hospital. In an attempt to soothe the situation, he called out to Lilibeth, “Lilibeth, please, give him back his toy. Let's not have any more tears.”
• Lilibeth stood her ground, her expression one of determination, her hands clasped firmly behind her back. “Absolutely not,” she firmly stated, “He's still got this idea of defeating me as Autobots' representative. I'm not about to let that happen.”
• Sebastian couldn't help but chuckle softly as he observed Lilibeth's stubborn stance, akin to that of a child refusing to grow up.
• Amidst this, Damian's crying only intensified, the sound filling the room.
• Sebastian, in an attempt to console his son, offered a compromise, “Let's allow Lilibeth to have her moment with Autobots. It's important for boys to show kindness toward girls. I promise, I'll get you a brand new one as soon as I get back home.”
• “Daddy, but Mommy Lilibeth isn't a little girl, she's all grown up,” Damian pointed out, his voice laden with disappointment.
• Sebastian responded with a smile, “To me, Lilibeth will always be a little girl.”
• Lilibeth, the so-called “bad guy” in this playful tussle, offered a glance of indifference toward Sebastian's words. She rolled her eyes in secret, scoffing internally. She was far from naive, understanding all too well that Sebastian's sweet nothings were merely an attempt to win her favor, hoping she would continue to look after Damian.
• “If you don't stop crying this instant, believe me, your toy might just end up missing an arm and a leg,” Lilibeth warned with a sternness that brooked no argument. Immediately, Damian ceased his crying. His eyelashes were heavy with unshed tears, and he sat down, a picture of meekness and submission, yet his eyes never left the Autobots toy that Lilibeth held in her hand.
• With the freedom to do as she pleased, Lilibeth, who owned the coveted mobile phone that all the kids envied, decided to immerse herself in an Autobots TV series, drawing Damian's attention with the familiar theme song.
• Upon hearing it, Damian couldn't help but become fidgety with excitement.
• Then, with an air of pride, Lilibeth spoke the words that Damian was eager to hear. “If you want to watch with me, then come over here.”
• No sooner had she spoken than Damian rushed over, his little legs carrying him swiftly. He propped himself up with his hands on a nearby chair, standing on his tiptoes, eager to catch a glimpse of the screen of Lilibeth's phone.
• Soon after, Sebastian joined them, taking the phone from Lilibeth to hold it up so they could all enjoy their favorite show together.
• Damian, yearning to sit in Lilibeth's lap, found himself instead scooped up by Sebastian, who cautioned, “We must be careful not to hurt Lilibeth's delicate legs.”
• Lilibeth threw a quick look at Sebastian's leg and then at her own before grabbing Damian out of his hands, visibly annoyed. “What, you think you're better than me?” she snapped.
• The man was rendered speechless. Serves me right for trying to be nice!
• Two hours passed, and Leticia was finally brought out from the surgery room, with the doctor announcing to Sebastian, “The operation was a complete success.”
• At the doorway, the trio’s faces lit up with smiles. Lilibeth, despite her numb legs, gazed at Damian and chuckled, relieved, “Looks like this little troublemaker's going make it.”
• Sebastian watched Lilibeth, a subtle smile on his face.
• Damian, filled with excitement, buzzed around his mother's bed, the picture of happiness.
• Upon seeing that Leticia was unharmed, Lilibeth, holding her purse, began to totter away, feeling unexpectedly light-hearted.
• Not knowing exactly why, but feeling merry, she decided a shopping spree was in order.
• She had barely taken a couple of steps when she stopped dead. It hit her—she was out of cash!
• Imagine the gossip if this got out. The granddaughter of the richest man, flat broke!
• Sebastian relaxed on the couch at the bed's end, legs stretched out, tapping his thigh and smirking slightly.
• “Daddy, what are you laughing at?”
• “Any second now, your Mommy Lilibeth will storm in to pick a fight with me.”
• Right on cue, the door was slammed open, startling Damian.
• Lilibeth threw her purse at the dashing, handsome man. “Sebastian, how long are you going to keep my card blocked?”
• Sebastian, picking up his wife’s purse, approached her and looking down at her, much shorter, remarked, “Grandpa was the one who locked it. You'll have to see him if you want it back. Since you've been good lately, I guess you can shop. But I have to approve.”
• “Sebastian, just because I've played nice for a few days doesn't mean you can push me around.”
• Damian moved closer to Leticia, whispering, “Daddy was right.”
• Eventually, it was the frail Leticia who finally broke up their squabble.
• Sebastian reached out to grasp Lilibeth's wrist in an attempt to lead her away, only for his gesture to be met with a sharp rebuke as she wrenched her arm free from his grasp. “We'll head out for now. Your recovery should be your main focus,” he addressed Leticia.
• No sooner had they exited the hospital than Lilibeth reclaimed her bag from Sebastian with a decisive tug. Without hesitation, she dialed her phone, her voice deliberate and clear, “Edward, I need you to pick me up from the hospital.”
• The winter sun cast a radiant glow, its brilliance contrasted by the frosty tension that emanated from Sebastian, who inquired with a cold edge, “And who, pray tell, is Edward?”
• Avoiding direct eye contact, Lilibeth turned away, her voice laced with defiance, “There's no shortage of individuals willing to support me financially.”
• Her childhood adoration for men in suits had evolved into a complex aversion, primarily due to Sebastian. His always impeccable attire and calculated demeanor, which once fascinated her, now served as a reminder of the distance between them, fueling her disdain for such formalities and, by extension, Sebastian himself.
• Sebastian, alienated by Lilibeth's influence, found himself isolated from the socialites of Lofbury, without a single ally among its influential circles.
• With a gesture of defiance, Sebastian opened the car door only to close it abruptly. Hands buried in his pockets, he issued a challenge, “I'm eager to see who dares to whisk my wife away right from under my nose.”
• Lilibeth, undeterred and visibly annoyed, rolled her eyes dismissively, “Stop referring to me as your 'wife.' It's utterly repulsive.”
• Soon after, a Ferrari made a dramatic entrance, pulling up to the hospital. Out stepped a young man, his hair a striking shade of red. His initial concern, “Ms. Montague, what brings you to the hospital so suddenly? And where's your car— M-Mr. Yandell?” quickly turned to astonishment upon noticing Sebastian.
• Sebastian, ever the imposing figure, stood with a commanding presence. His role at the helm of Montague Group's affairs had always lent him a serious demeanor. “So, the heir to ApexHealth Pharmaceuticals decides to show up. What are your plans with my wife?” He was well-acquainted with Lilibeth's social circle.
• Intent on entering the vehicle, Lilibeth moved toward the car. However, Edward, in a surprising turn of loyalty or perhaps fear, obstructed her path.
• “Edward, step aside. What's got you so spooked about Sebastian?”
• Edward's past encounters with Sebastian had left a lasting impression, one that had significantly impacted his family's business and caused him to be punished by his father for associating himself with Lilibeth.
• Caught in the act, he stammered, “Mr. Yandell, it... it wasn't like I was here to fetch Lilibeth. Just a casual stroll, that's all. My apologies, I'll be on my way.”
• Yet, as he turned to leave, Lilibeth's grip on him was firm. “Hey! Since when did you become so spineless? What's Sebastian to you?”
• Edward's response was tinged with a pearl of resigned wisdom, “History hasn't been kind to those with backbone. I'd much prefer to live. Please, let me be.”
• With those final words, the car roared to life and sped away, its echoes lingering long after it had disappeared from view.