Her Heart Her Terms (Lily and Xavier)

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Lily had thought her heart died when she saw the video of Xavier's affair and heard his cruel words. Yet now, she realized that Xavier could hurt her even more deeply than before, making the physical pain from her wounds seem trivial in comparison. After the doctor finished treating her injuries and prescribed some medication, she thanked him and left. Xavier's betrayal cut deeper than her parents abandoning her as a target for the mob.

Then again, she was not surprised by Bobby's actions. After all, he had always been capable of abandoning his daughter to save himself.

She went back to Maryanne's place to shower, and as soon as she got out, Hazel called. "Lily, you got away safely, right?"

Lily made a non-committal sound. "Mm-hmm."

"That's good. Your dad knew you'd be able to handle it; that's why he left you there. I know you're angry at him, but you can't abandon Hayden-he loves you more than anyone else. Don't be heartless...

Hazel was not calling to check on Lily; she was worried that Lily might stop helping Hayden out of anger.

"From now on, I'll only be involved if it concerns Hayden, not you, Dad, or the family," Lily said before hanging up and calling Sylvester.

Sylvester had already seen videos of her being mobbed online, as bystanders had uploaded footage that quickly went viral.

"Ms. Joyner, please be careful when you go out. However, this incident might work in our favor -many reasonable people online are saying that attacking innocent people is wrong, regardless of the situation." "Thank you, Mr. Hammock, but I feel useless since I haven't done anything meaningful yet. Is there anything specific you need me to do?" Lily asked.

Lily curled up on the couch, hugging her knees. Her petite frame looked so vulnerable, though her face was blank, and her eyes had a faraway, hollow look.

"Actually, there is something we need to investigate," Sylvester replied. He had already negotiated with the police, who agreed to give them time to gather evidence.

In cases of suicide staged as accidents for insurance money, the victims were usually either

terminally ill or facing severe problems and wanted to leave money for their children.

"You could have someone check the hospitals for the victim's medical records and investigate her life in the months before her death," Sylvester stated as he emphasized the words "have someone"

If the deceased's family knew anything, they would likely be on guard around Lily. Since Lily had already shown her face in public, the deceased's relatives could recognize her easily.

Moreover, tracking records from every hospital in Jadeford was no simple task. It was impossible with the Joyner family's resources, but it could certainly be done with the Fulton family's help.

Though Xavier would not help her, Lily decided her pride was not worth Hayden's freedom. Hence, she went to Fulton Manor to see Shane, who had just returned from a business trip with Tamara. Their luggage was still in the living room when she arrived. "Lily, perfect timing," Shane said, setting down his newspaper and removing his glasses." How's your brother's case going?"

Lily briefly explained the situation and mentioned Sylvester's suggestion. "Shane, do you have any way to help check the hospitals for medical records?"

"That's a simple matter for the Fulton family," Shane replied without hesitation. "I'll make a few calls and have them email the records to you."noveldrama

For the first time in days, Lily felt a glimmer of hope breaking through her somber mood.