Late that night, Lance walked into the living room, looking exhausted.
As soon as he entered, he saw Deanna sitting on the sofa, her head nodding off, dressed in pajamas.
Under the light, Deanna's figure appeared somewhat thin, but she exuded a warmth that felt like home.
Lance smiled knowingly and walked over quietly.
He bent down, intending to lift her from the sofa.
As soon as he touched Deanna, she woke up with a start.
"You're back!"
Deanna looked at the man in front of her with delight, rubbing her eyes as she struggled to stand up from the sofa.
She picked up the phone next to her and saw that it was already 2 AM. She couldn't help but feel concerned. "Why did you come back so late?"
Lance looked a bit sheepish.
"I got caught up discussing work with Dad and lost track of time."
"Don't call him Dad like that," Deanna said, glaring at him. She could tell he was trying to smooth things over with sweet talk.
But seeing the fatigue on his face, she couldn't bring herself to scold him harshly. "Fine, just this once. Don't let it happen again. Think about your health."
"Yes, I promise it won't happen again."
Lance took the opportunity to hold Deanna's hand and promised earnestly.
Deanna smiled slightly, then pulled her hand away and gently pushed him. "Alright, go upstairs and freshen up. I'll make you a late-night snack."
"Thank you, darling."
Lance was indeed a bit hungry. He gave Deanna a quick kiss on the cheek before heading upstairs with his briefcase.
Later, after he had freshened up, Deanna had prepared a delicious bowl of pasta with tomato sauce.
"It smells so good. When I was abroad, I often missed your cooking."
Lance sat down by the coffee table, speaking sweetly.
Deanna felt happy hearing this.
But her good mood didn't last long. She remembered there was an important matter between them that hadn't been resolved.
Lance didn't notice anything wrong at first and continued eating his pasta heartily.
When he finished and noticed Deanna's silence, he looked up. "Why aren't you saying anything?"
As soon as he spoke, he saw Deanna staring at him expressionlessly.
"What's wrong?"
"Mr. Mercer, I suddenly remembered we have some unfinished business."
Deanna's smile didn't reach her eyes.
Her expression made Lance pause.
He quickly realized she was referring to the matters he had hidden from her while abroad. His eyes showed guilt as he tried to divert the conversation.
"Ahem, it's late. We have a lot to do tomorrow. Let's get some rest."
He made a move to head towards the bed.
Deanna's stern voice stopped him. "Stay right there. Did I say you could leave?"
Lance showed a helpless expression, knowing he wouldn't get a good night's sleep without addressing this issue.
He turned back and sincerely admitted his mistake. "I know I was wrong to hide things from you. I promise it won't happen again."
"Do you know how many people were affected because of your secrecy?"
Even though Xavier had told her that those who protected her were prepared for anything, Deanna had been an ordinary person before meeting Lance.
Suddenly having so many people die to protect her weighed heavily on her conscience.
Especially knowing that Lance's incident was just a ruse made it an indelible mark on her heart.
Lance fell silent, perhaps understanding what Deanna meant.
Deanna continued, "Even though it's been a long time and I seem fine now, I've kept this in my heart. I can't forget it; it's painful. They didn't have to sacrifice themselves."
Her voice choked up as she spoke.
Seeing her silent tears made Lance feel even worse.
"I swear this won't happen again. I'll tell you everything about my plans from now on."
Lance walked over and gently held Deanna, comforting her softly.
Deanna clutched his clothes and sobbed quietly.
For a while, the room was filled only with Deanna's quiet crying.
After some time, Deanna seemed to have cried enough. She lifted her head from Lance's embrace and spoke hoarsely. "Once things settle down, let's visit the families of those who died and see if they need any help."
"Alright."
Lance agreed without hesitation, nodding as he gently wiped away Deanna's tears.
To distract her, he asked about Eula's condition.
Deanna's attention shifted as she replied, "She suddenly had a high fever in the evening, but it's under control now. As long as she doesn't have another fever tonight, she'll be stable by tomorrow."