In the hospital room, Julia lay in bed, still under the effects of anesthesia, fast asleep.
Two little girls were placed in the crib beside her. They were tiny, with red skin, looking just like newborn monkeys.
Deanna glanced at the babies and then left with Lance. She was tired from standing for several hours and felt her presence in the room was unnecessary and made it crowded.
With Deanna's departure, only the Kings and the Grants remained in the room. Lionel was also there, but he was busy handling the birth registration and check-ups, running around constantly.
When he returned, he found his parents were gone, and the Kings didn't look very happy. "Did my parents leave?" he asked, testing the waters.
Norah glanced at him without speaking, playing with the little hands of the two girls in the crib.
Zackery noticed his wife's displeasure directed at their future son-in-law.
Remembering what the Grant couple had said before leaving, he was also quite angry. Considering Lionel's behavior recently, he decided it was time for a serious talk. "Lionel, come with me."
He walked out of the room, and Lionel quickly followed. They went to the balcony at the end of the corridor. Lionel looked at Zackery's serious expression, feeling uneasy. "Zackery, what do you want to say?"
"I want to know if what you said in the delivery room was true or not," Zackery asked directly.
Lionel was momentarily stunned but quickly understood what Zackery was referring to. He replied earnestly, "Of course it's true. Julia has already given me two children; that's enough. I don't want her to suffer like this again."
Hearing this, Zackery's stern face softened a bit. "At least you have a conscience, but your parents don't think that way." He looked at Lionel.
Meeting his gaze, Lionel felt helpless. Although Zackery hadn't said much, Lionel knew his parents well enough to guess what they might have said. "Zackery, please don't mind my parents' words. I will talk to them."
Zackery was satisfied with his attitude and nodded. "You are sensible, but I can't ignore the issues with your parents. If they already treat Julia like this before marriage, I can't imagine how it will be afterward. If they dislike the girls because they are daughters, then let's call off the wedding. The King family can afford to raise two children. Of course, you are welcome to visit them."
"Zackery, please don't say that. I promise I'll resolve this issue!" Lionel assured him again.
Back in the hospital room, Julia woke up. After a while, not seeing Lionel around, she felt a bit aggrieved. "Mom, where is Lionel?"
"Your dad took him out," Norah replied, her expression not very pleasant.
Julia sensed something was wrong. "Mom, did something happen?"
Norah sighed when she met her daughter's dark eyes. "I don't know what you see in that boy. His parents are difficult to deal with; you'll suffer in the future."
Julia lowered her eyes. Although she hadn't spent much time with the Grant elders, she had some understanding of their personalities. Looking at the crib beside her, she asked, "Do they dislike the children because they are girls?"
"Dislike is one thing. Mrs. Grant implied that you must have a son; otherwise, you can't stop having children," Norah said angrily.
"What's wrong with daughters? They are so caring. Do they have a throne to inherit? Do they think you are a breeding machine? I've asked your dad to talk to Lionel. If the Grant family doesn't give a satisfactory response, we'll call off the wedding and return the betrothal gifts. You are not allowed to side with them; otherwise, I won't recognize you as my daughter!"
Julia quickly reassured her mother. "Don't worry, I'll listen to you and do whatever you say."
She knew that defending Lionel would only make her mother angrier. Moreover, the Grant family's repeated issues made her uncomfortable as well, especially since her mother had made a valid point.