Chapter 190
The car door opened, and a girl stepped out. Josephine looked closer—it was Lily.
She rushed over. Lily took her arm.
"Josephine."
"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be resting at the hospital?" Josephine had been worried reporters would hound her, so she'd deliberately kept Lily's location secret.
Lily squeezed Josephine's hand. "Thank God you thought of that. Otherwise, how could I have recovered in peace?"
"Lily!" Yves shouted, lunging toward her.
He reeked of urine. Lily immediately pulled Josephine back, dodging the nauseating stench.
"Is this your brother?" Josephine asked.
She'd been ready for Yves to be an impostor, but to her surprise, Lily nodded. "Yes. He's my brother. My real brother."
Yves lifted his chin, smug. "Told you. I'm her brother! Everything I've done has been for my sister. Lily, tell them—they never gave you medical expenses or compensation, did they? You even paid for the hospital yourself!"
He grabbed Lily's arm hard, glaring at her. When no one was looking, he hissed under his breath, "If you don't want Grandma to get hurt, you'll do as I say."
Lily's eyes widened in disbelief. "She's your grandmother, too."
"That old hag just drags me down," Yves muttered. Then he raised his voice dramatically. "Don't be scared! Say whatever you want. I'll protect you. Anyone who hurt you will pay."
Reporters went wild, snapping photos. Someone shoved a microphone forward.
"What a devoted brother. So you've been taking care of your sister this whole time she's been in the hospital?"
"I wish I could've stayed with her, but I had to work. I could only visit after my shifts. Then, just these past couple days, she disappeared. I looked everywhere. I thought she'd been kidnapped."
Yves's eyes reddened as he glared at Cedric and Josephine. "These two abducted my sister. They brought her here today—who knows what threats they used on her!"
Josephine didn't even bother responding. She turned to Lily. "You tell them. Whatever you say, I'm sure everyone will believe you."
Lily glanced at her, then at Cedric.
Cedric's expression remained unreadable, but there was something steady about him. Lily thought back to what he'd said before they came. She took a deep breath and looked at Yves. He flashed her a grin—bright and cheerful on the surface, but his eyes were full of menace.
Lily slapped him across the face.
The scene went dead silent. Even the reporters forgot to take pictures.
Yves stared, stunned. Then he exploded. "You dare hit me?"
Lily's hands clenched into fists. It was the first time she'd ever struck her brother.
"You've been threatening me with Grandma for years. Ever since Mom and Dad died, I've had to support myself, Grandma, and you. Why? I'm a person too. I want to live. I want to go to college. But every cent I earn, you take! "
Her voice cracked.
Years of resentment and grief poured out, tears arriving before the anger could. "You've bullied me for so long, and you still won't leave me alone. I gave you most of the money I made volunteering, and it's still not enough? Are you trying to kill me?"
"So what if I took your money? I'm your brother!" Yves's fury boiled over. He raised his hand to strike Lily.
Josephine moved fast, pulling Lily behind her.
In an instant, Yves saw a blur—and suddenly Cedric was standing right in front of him.
Cedric was taller, broader. And after that car chase earlier, where he'd seemed ready to run someone down without a second thought, Yves knew better than to push back. This guy was a lunatic.
Josephine asked Lily, "Don't be afraid. Tell us how he's treated you. I promise, these reporters will stand up for you."
She glanced at the press.
The reporters nodded. What else could they do?
Yves grabbed Lily's arm. "You wouldn't dare. If you start making things up, I swear I'll—"
"How long has it been since you went home?" Cedric cut in.
Yves froze, eyeing him warily. "Why are you asking?"
Cedric glanced at his driver, who pulled out his phone and made a call. Moments later, a video call connected.
On the screen appeared an elderly woman.
She was thin but kind-faced, her smile gentle and warm.
"Lily, dear."
At the sound of her voice, Lily's eyes filled with tears. "Grandma… Where are you? Has my brother hurt you? Has he hit you?"
Her grandmother shook her head, worry flickering in her eyes. "Don't worry about me. Is this person a friend of yours? They said they're here to protect me—said they were worried someone might use me to threaten you."
Lily fought back a sob, not wanting to worry her. "Yes, they're my friends. Don't be scared. I'll come see you as soon as I'm done here."
Her grandmother said softly, "All right. I'll wait for you at home."
After the call ended, Lily looked at Yves. Her gaze was ice-cold. Yves seemed to realize what was coming.
He knew his sister too well. She'd always been stupid. When he got into fights, when he caused trouble and made her take the fall, all she ever did was cry and say it wasn't her.
She couldn't even tattle properly.
But she was stubborn. Once she made up her mind, she never turned back.
Yves grabbed Lily's wrist. "I'm warning you—don't talk nonsense, or else—"
Lily wrenched her hand free, biting out, "You're a bastard! Mom and Dad died because of you. Grandma and I had to survive on our own, and you took all her retirement savings. You even used her to threaten me. I worked part-time in college just to pay for food, and you wanted to take that too!"
Tears streamed down her face as she spoke. She wiped them away furiously. "When I got hurt, you didn't even come see me. You didn't even call. How did you even find out I was hurt? Why didn't you visit? You didn't come here for me—you came to use me to scam money!"
Her accusations rang out. The crowd fell silent.
Yves's face darkened. He hadn't expected her to lay it all bare. She'd really grown a spine. "You're lying! I'm your brother—would I hurt you? I followed you to college because I was worried you'd abandon Grandma. I asked you for money to pay for her treatment. You're making it sound like I did it for myself. You're twisting everything!"
His eyes reddened as he gritted his teeth. "I've been wronged! I protected you when you were little. I've been helping you take care of Grandma so you could focus on school. I never even got to finish school myself—because all the money went to you!"
Brother and sister, each with their own side of the story.
The reporters didn't know who to believe. Josephine looked at Lily, then at Yves. "Stop lying. Your acting is terrible."
"You're slandering me!" Yves shot back, indignant, as if he'd been gravely wronged. "She's my sister! Why would I lie? I have no reason to! We're family. Who the hell are you?"
He was practically spitting as he spoke. Josephine didn't waste any more words. She pulled out her phone.
And played a recording.
"If you don't want Grandma to get hurt, you'll do as I say."
"That old hag just drags me down!"
The voice was deliberately lowered, but the recording had caught it clearly. When Yves heard it, his face went pale.