Ch. 1511..1520

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead chapter 1511

A One Year Marriage Contract

In the end, Tillie never managed to say anything.

The love she had for him was a secretive, fearful one. She already had a lower status than him, and she was definitely not thinking of only helping out at the bar.

She was there because she had heard him cry out the name Sabrina upstairs on the day of her marriage.

Tillie went back to the Cooper family.

She did not return to the bar after that. The reason she gave to the others about her absence was how inconvenient it would be for her to go there with a twisted ankle.

Although she was not at the bar, the members of the family were quick to assign her to various tasks. While the condition of her twisted ankle was not too serious, ever since Violet came back from the hospital, she began ordering her around again.

“Tillie, get me chicken soup from the supermarket. Oh, get some supplements too. Buy more of them.”

Violet was not at all holding herself back from ordering Tillie around.

Of course, Tillie ignored her.

However, her mother-in-law soon began siding with Violet.

“Yes, Tillie, hurry on. Your sister-in-law has been in the hospital for too many days. She needs to be healthy soon. Hurry on and get the chicken soup and the supplements for her.”

Tillie was exasperated, yet she had no choice but to head out.

Tillie was on her way back from the supermarket after buying what Violet wanted when she encountered someone from her family.

That woman was her aunt. When her aunt saw how haggard Tillie looked, her heart broke, and she hastily asked, “Oh my god, Tillie, what’s the matter with you? Why do you look so pale? Are you all right?”

Hearing that, the feelings she had been bottling up over the months finally spilled over the brim, and tears sprang to Tillie’s eyes.

“Aunt—” Before she was even done calling for her aunt, she had launched herself into her arms.

Her aunt was dumbfounded.

The Zander family was somewhat related to Silas Zander.

Thus, when Tillie’s aunt heard the wails of her niece, she instantly figured out what had happened. Then, she began demanding Tillie to lead her back home to settle the score with the Coopers.

“Let’s go. Let’s go back to the Coopers. I want to see for myself what right they have to be so mean to my niece!”

Tillie’s aunt was a woman of a fiery temper, so she immediately wanted to head back to the Coopers to hold them accountable for Tillie’s miserable state.

However, Tillie stopped her in time.

She did not want things to turn ugly, for she was sure that Edmund would be mad if they were to have a falling out.

Thus, she convinced her aunt to go back home.

Nevertheless, what she did not expect was to hear Violet’s curses and insults about how late she was upon going home.

“Tillie, you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? Do you have any idea what time it is already? Are you trying to starve me to death?” Violet shrieked as she threw a cup at Tillie.

Thump!

A bruise instantly formed on Tillie’s wrist.

When the pain shot up her arm, Tillie’s eyes widened before they darkened. It was then a downright murderous look crept into her eyes.

Yet, at that moment, Edmund came home.

When he registered what was going on, he bellowed, “Do you have a death wish? Do you want me to blow your brains out right now?”

Just two sentences from Edmund made Violet shudder violently before stilling herself obediently.

Tillie’s eyes then flicked toward the man.

The murderous look, by then, had faded away and was replaced by joy and hope.

It did not matter even if that man never once glanced at her after his initial assessment of the scene.

Due to Edmund’s abrupt appearance, Violet temporarily ceased in her domineering ways. As it turned out, Gabriella seemed afraid of her stepson as well. As long as he was at home, she did not dare to order Tillie around.

For once, Tillie had a few peaceful days.

Nevertheless, what Tillie did not know was that these were the works of his older sister, Riley, who was living in Yorksland. She was the one who had convinced Edmund to stay in the same house as Tillie.

“Ed, I think you should stay at the Coopers as often as possible. Although you don’t want to sleep in her room nor get physically close to her, you have to remember that we’re using her right now. We can’t be too mean to her. I heard that Violet and Mom have been putting her in a tight spot quite often. At the very least, you should let her have a peaceful year with our family.” That was what Riley had told Edmund.

That day, when Tillie was bringing supper to Edmund, she heard his call with Riley.

After hearing their conversation, her mind went blank.

Tillie knew that he had a motive for marrying her. She knew it because she had kept telling her family that she wanted to marry into the Cooper family, but nothing had happened until that sudden one day.

She had known it back then, so she was not angry about being used.

But why a year? Is he going to get a divorce with me in a year?

Tillie did not know how she managed to get back to her room. She only knew that when she woke again, blood was everywhere on her table, and a razor blade was in her hand.

Then, she saw cuts all over her other arm.

Why? Edmund, are we not people of the same world? I’m not pretty, so the entire Jadeborough laughs at me for that. You’re an illegitimate child, and everyone looks down on you. Are we not people of the same world? Can’t we stick together?

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead chapter 1512

She Is At Red Pavilion

Is it because you only have Sabrina in your heart?

Tillie stared at the pool of blood as a cold look crawled into her eyes. A chill spread out from her heart as a terrifying expression appeared on her face.

The following day, the Zanders called Edmund early in the morning to tell him that something had happened at work, so he was out of the house in minutes.

Tillie saw it, and soon, she was getting ready to leave the house as well.

“Where are you going?”

The moment Edmund was gone, the three Cooper women were back out again.

This time, Tillie ignored them. She had put on a fashionable dress, as well as makeup that Sabrina had taught her to do. In other words, Tillie looked stunning.

“I’m going out to shop.”

“To shop? Tillie, are you telling me you have time to shop? Do you really think you’re that free? Look at the clock and see how much time you’ve wasted!” Violet screamed out when she heard Tillie’s response.

Behind her, both Gabriella and Alice were equally displeased with Tillie.

Tillie, who had already walked to the doorway, lowered the pretty umbrella in her hands and halted in her tracks.

“I’ve already hired a housemaid for you. She’s now shopping for groceries in the supermarket. Don’t worry, Ms. Violet. Everything she buys will be good for your health. Just wait for her to come back.”

With that said, she opened up her umbrella and danced away.

Half an hour later, Tillie arrived at Red Pavilion.

“Who did you say came?”

Sabrina, whose stomach was visibly larger by now, was figuring out how she should send the little imp to preschool at home when she heard about Tillie’s arrival. Immediately, a look of confusion flashed past her face.

Why is Edmund’s wife coming to me? She’s not even working at the bar anymore.

Minutes later, Sabrina stepped out of the house.

“Ms. Sabrina,” Tillie, who had been waiting outside for a while, shyly greeted when she saw her.

“Oh, it really is you. Come in and have a seat.” Sabrina enthusiastically invited her, nevertheless.

As there were not many housemaids in Red Pavilion, Sabrina made a cup of coffee for her guest before serving her some nuts.

“Mrs. Cooper, here, a cup of coffee for you.”

“Thank you,” Tillie politely answered.

Sabrina then sat down and asked, “Mrs. Cooper, is there anything I can help you with?”

Tillie then furrowed her brows a little before saying, “I just… wanted to ask you what Edmund usually likes. I know that he used to be good friends with Mr. Jadeson, b-but Mr. Jadeson’s a man. I-I’m too embarrassed to ask him, so I’ve come to you instead.”

She stammered out her words, seemingly eager to find out more about her husband, and yet, was too shy.

Sabrina chuckled.

She knew that feeling well.

Thus, she began telling Tillie about Edmund, hoping that the two of them would be able to get closer to each other.

“Did you say that he likes to cook?”

“Yes, he loves to. Although he often makes a mess, for some weird reason, he keeps doing it. You might want to try cooking with him,” Sabrina said as she thought about the time they were locked up and the time they were at Aquene Temple.

Just as those words left her mouth, Tillie fell silent.

It seemed like she was mulling over her words and contemplating what to do next.

When Sabrina saw that, she smiled and decided to give her some space. Hence, she went to the garden outside to check on her kid.

By the time she brought Jaena back into the living room, the place was empty.

“Ms. Sabrina, Mrs. Cooper has left. She said thank you, and she left with a smile,” the housemaid quickly said when she saw Sabrina coming back inside.

It looks like my words helped her.

Sabrina was in a good mood upon hearing that. After finishing the bowl of dessert on the table, she brought her child back out to play.

At night, Sabrina went to Oceanic Estate, a place where she brought her child to ever since Sebastian and Sasha stopped staying at the house.

One reason was that she could keep Jonathan company.

Secondly, Matteo’s holiday had started. As his aunt, and since Jonathan was the only one at home, she had to go over to take care of him.

“Aunt Sabrina, when will Mommy and Daddy come back?”

“In another two days, maybe.”

Years had gone by in a blink of an eye. The boy was already almost thirteen. Soon, he would be entering middle school. When Matteo saw his aunt, he began asking about his parents’ whereabouts.

Still holding hands with her child, Sabrina consoled, “Soon. They’ve been there for quite a while. I’m sure they’ll be coming back soon.”

Matteo muttered, “All right.”

He could only hang his head despondently before turning to leave, thinking of running another two rounds in the garden.

However, Jaena spotted him, and she quickly pulled herself away from her mother and ran after him. “Matt, I want to come with you!”

Sabrina immediately shouted, “Jaena Jadeson, come back—”

It was too dark outside, so she did not want her cheeky child to run everywhere. However, right as she tugged her child’s sleeve, a sudden pang of pain hit her stomach and cut her shout off.

“Aunt Sabrina, are you okay?” Matteo quickly asked when he noticed his aunt’s rapidly paling face.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead chapter 1513

Something Happened To Sabrina

Even Jaena froze instantly.

“Mommy…”

“I’m fine,” Sabrina said when she finally recomposed herself. She then quickly consoled the two children, reassuring them that she was fine.

It was then Matteo left for his jog.

On the other hand, Jaena quieted down and stayed by her mother’s side all night. Even when the urge to play came over her, she stayed in the living room and played.

After dinner, the mother and daughter returned to Red Pavilion.

“Mommy, does your tummy hurt a lot?”

Although Jaena was a cheeky girl, she was concerned about her mother’s state after that earlier incident.

Thus, when she saw her mother tiredly sitting down on the couch after returning home, she crawled over and gently placed her hand on her stomach. At the same time, she thought, Mommy’s tummy has my little brother in it.

Indeed, Sabrina was feeling unwell.

However, she pretended not to be so that her daughter would not be too worried.

“It’s fine. Mommy’s all right now. Be a good girl, Jaena, and let the housemaid shower you, okay?”

“Okay!” Jaena quickly replied.

After a while longer of sitting, Sabrina finally dragged herself back to her room and to her bed.

In minutes, she was asleep.

Anxious shouts and a child’s wailing were what brought Sabrina back to the waking world.

“Ms. Sabrina? Ms. Sabrina?”

“Mommy! Mommy! Daddy, Mommy’s not moving! Mommy’s not moving!” The girl was bawling so hard she could barely catch her breath at that point.

Sabrina was dumbstruck, and she slowly opened her eyes.

A while later, she finally saw what was going on.

She was still on her bed in the room, but her daughter was sobbing as she sprawled on her bed. At the same time, the housemaid was fearfully looking below her and calling the ambulance.

The ambulance?

Finally, realization struck Sabrina, and she sobered up.

It was then a familiar voice of a man traveled out of the phone’s speaker. “Jaena, where’s Mommy? Is Mommy awake yet? Quick, tell Daddy how she is!”

Jaena blinked at her mother, but tears were still free-falling from her eyes.

Sabrina stared back at her.

A moment later, Sabrina finally grabbed the phone from the sobbing child.

“I-I’m fine.”

“Sabrina?”

Finally hearing her voice, the frantic man on the other end of the line calmed down a little.

Lying on the bed, Sabrina looked up at the ceiling as she continued to weakly say, “Yes, it’s me. You don’t need to worry. D-Don’t worry.”

Devin shouted, “How are you fine? You’re bleeding! Where did you go? How did things end up like this? Don’t you know that you’re pregnant?”

“All right, stop yelling at her about this. You should be asking her whether or not the doctor has arrived,” came another man’s voice, reminding the first to not berate her at a time like this.

Sabrina pursed her lips and thought, Where did I go? I didn’t go anywhere but Oceanic Estate. I didn’t even do anything.

Nevertheless, she could not think much, for the world was spinning like a carousel around her. After Grayson brought the gynecologist over to put her on an IV drip, and after the nurse cleaned her up, she fell back asleep.

Then, Grayson asked, “Doctor, isn’t her baby supposed to be in a stable condition? It’s been three months. Why is this still happening to her?”

The doctor replied with a look of bafflement, “I find it strange too. She was completely fine when she came for her checkup two days ago, and the baby is developing well too. I’m rather confused by the sudden condition as well.”

In the meantime, Sasha, who was on a video call with them, leaned closer to the camera and said, “Could it be that she’s feeling jealous? Dr. Wallen, why don’t you try checking her pulse?”

“Huh?” Grayson blurted out, stumped.

He was not as well versed in TCM, after all.

Nevertheless, Sasha said, “It’s all right, Dr. Wallen. Just take her pulse and tell me what you feel. I’ll do the diagnosis.”

At that, Grayson fell silent.

A few beats later, he quietly put his fingers on the woman’s wrist.

“Her pulse is a little weak and hard to find.”

“What?”

Sasha’s face turned ashen when she heard that.

Hard to find? That’s nothing good. An ordinary person’s pulse should be strong and rhythmic. For a pregnant woman like to have a hard-to-find pulse…

Sasha’s expression gradually turned solemn, and Devin asked, “What’s the matter, Sasha? Is this something serious?”

Sasha replied after a moment of contemplation, “Obviously. It’s best for Dr. Wallen to bring her to the hospital for a thorough checkup. She should do some blood tests too. Sab’s not a meticulous person; she might have missed out some signs.”

Of course, Sasha kept the details to herself.

They were all away from Jadeborough, so she did not want to instill panic in any of them.

On the same night, they brought Sabrina to the hospital. On the other side, after Jonathan found out about the incident, he sent his trusted men to pick up Jaena and send her to Oceanic Estate.

After that, he sped to the hospital too.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead chapter 1514

Are You Okay

After a checkup in the hospital, they found out that Sabrina had a higher white blood cell count than others.

In most cases, that would be a sign of bacterial infection. However, Sabrina did not have a fever, nor was she hurt anywhere. Thus, bacterial infection was not the right diagnosis.

If that’s not the case, then what could it be?

After Sasha, who was in Moranta, read the blood test report, she asked the housemaid in Red Pavilion to tell her what Sabrina had eaten and what she had used in detail.

However, nothing the housemaid told her warranted any suspicion, except for the bowl of the dessert she had in the afternoon.

“A dessert made of jujubes and snow fungi?” Devin immediately turned to Sasha. “Sasha, is there anything wrong with that?”

Sasha furrowed her brows.

Jujubes and snow fungi were good for a pregnant woman, but the main thing was whether other ingredients had been added into the dessert or not.

Thus, Sasha asked the housemaid to bring the leftover dessert over.

“Mrs. Jadeson, I really didn’t put anything else in there. I just put jujubes and snow fungi, as well as some longans. These are all good for pregnant women, and it’s the same thing I made for Ms. Jasmine back when I was taking care of her.”

The housemaid who had served the dessert was an old housemaid.

When she heard that her dessert was being suspected by the others, she hastily explained herself and even mentioned her experience in taking care of Devin’s late mother.

However, Sasha ignored her. She waited for her to bring her the bowl of dessert before asking her to pour it out in front of the camera and slowly stir its contents.

“Isn’t that almond?”

“Huh?”

The housemaid froze before her eyes drifted toward the small almonds in the dessert.

Then, a look of confusion crept upon her face.

Devin was equally confused.

Only Sebastian, who had been living with Sasha for a long time, understood what she meant. He stood up from his chair and walked over to the computer.

“Is there something wrong with almonds?”

“Yes, almonds are meant to improve blood circulation. Pregnant women tend to have bleeding when they eat these. Sab’s pregnancy is already an unstable one, and it’s only worsened by eating this.”

When she neared the end of her explanation, Sasha’s voice was already as cold as an iceberg.

When the old housemaid heard that, she panicked. “Mrs. Jadeson, I really didn’t put this in. Trust me! I’ve been working here for so many years. How could I hurt the child of the man I took care of since young?”

The old housemaid was bawling by then, seemingly about to go down on her knees at any moment.

Both Sasha and Devin were quiet.

A while later, Devin forced out, “Then why are there almonds in the dessert? Did you hand this dessert to someone else?”

He was still trying to trust her. After all, she had been working in his family for years.

As she wiped her tears, she muttered, “No, I did this all by myself. Ms. Sabrina said that she wanted some dessert yesterday, so I scoured through the cabinets and found jujubes, snow fungi, and fruits for the dessert.”

“Did you not bother checking them through? Are these all that was inside?”

“I—”

The housemaid’s mind went blank in her panic.

She was starting to wonder if she added something else when she made the dessert; she was starting to doubt that she had only put in jujubes, snow fungi, and fruits.

Right then, a thought entered Sasha’s mind, and she asked, “Did you really put in the almonds I gave for Jaena’s cough medicine last time?

The housemaid fell silent.

So did Devin and Sebastian.

At that moment, they were all too furious and shocked to say anything.

The housemaid was old, and if those almonds were still in the cabinet, the housemaid might have really accidentally put them in.

Fortunately, thanks to the efforts of the gynecologist, Sabrina managed to keep her child. After finding out about the incident, Jonathan immediately assigned a few young housemaids to Red Pavilion.

Of course, he even assigned Colton’s wife to Red Pavilion to personally take care of Sabrina.

Only then did Devin, who was still at Moranta, sigh in relief.

He was genuinely afraid. His wife was dense, and if the people around her were as unmeticulous as her while he was not around, the anxiety he would feel every day would send him to his early grave.

It looks like I have to go back as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Sabrina stayed in the hospital.

Colton’s wife, Sigrith Halford, was actually working at the bar too. After receiving Jonathan’s order, she went to the hospital.

However, just as she was about to leave her workplace, she spotted someone familiar at the bar.

“Mrs. Cooper? Why are you here? Are you here to work?” she asked, surprised and thinking that Tillie was back to work after her recovery.

However, Tillie shook her head.

“That’s not it. Sigrith, I heard that something happened to Mrs. Jadeson, and I was thinking of visiting her in the hospital. Are you going there too? Can I go with you?” Tillie nervously asked.

When Sigrith saw the gift basket in her hands, she thought, Oh, she’s here to visit her too.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead chapter 1515

Not Wanting To Lurk In The Shadows

Colton’s wife did not dwell too much on it. When she heard that Tillie wanted to visit her niece-in-law, she happily agreed to it.

The two then headed to the hospital.

“Sigrith, you’re here. I’m sorry to trouble you this time,” Sabrina said when she saw Sigrith, feeling embarrassed.

Sabrina was still ordered by the doctor to have more bed rest, so she could only turn her head and greet her apologetically.

Sigrith smiled. “What’s there to feel sorry about. We’re a family, so there’s no need to be so polite with me. I’ll get you a glass of water. Mrs. Cooper, come in. Come and keep Sabrina company.”

With that said, Sigrith hurried away to get Sabrina a glass of water.

Colton and his family had lived at The Ataraxy since a long time ago. They were an honest family. Back then, Charles, Connor, Candice, and even Jared all thought of Sebastian as a threat to them. Thus, they tried again and again to kill him. However, Colton’s family did not participate in it. They were either hiding away or telling the others that they were too cowardly to do anything. Nevertheless, they ended up being the only survivors at The Ataraxy.

Furthermore, the people at Oceanic Estate were nice to them now, and they knew not to be ungrateful individuals.

After Sigrith went out, Sabrina turned to look at Tillie, who was awkwardly standing in the middle of the room. She then greeted, “Mrs. Cooper, you’re kind to come and visit me.”

At that, Tillie blushed before stepping closer to Sabrina.

“As I should. Ms. Sabrina, are you okay now? Why did you have signs of miscarriage all of a sudden? You were still fine when I came to see you yesterday,” Tillie said in concern.

Her eyes then trailed toward Sabrina’s stomach.

A helpless smile appeared on Sabrina’s face. “The housemaid made a mistake when she was making my dessert.”

“Huh?”

Tillie’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Is that so? What happened? How did you all find out about it? That’s so dangerous!” she blurted out. Her questions were like bullets from a machine gun.

Sabrina’s brows drew together.

She found it odd that Tillie was asking so many questions despite the two of them not being that close.

Still, she truthfully replied, “Almonds. My sister-in-law noticed it. She’s a really impressive TCM doctor, so it’s fine. It’s just that the housemaid who’s taking care of me is a little old and forgetful, so she threw in the almonds my sister-in-law gave to Jaena for her cough into the dessert. My aunt is coming over to take care of me now, so don’t worry.”

At the end of her words, she was even reassuring Tillie again.

It was then Tillie sighed in relief as the heart in her throat returned to its original position.

What no one noticed was that her knuckles had turned white from clenching her fists and that her palms were clammy with sweat.

Half an hour later, Tillie came back out of the ward.

Then, she ran all the way back to her car. Once she was in her car, she spent a long time gripping the steering wheel and trembling.

It was a fear never before that made her shake like a leaf.

It was panic, too.

She never thought that there would be someone so impressive in the Jadeson family.

After that, Tillie drove back to the Coopers’ place distractedly.

The moment she reached home, Violet hissed out, “You’re finally back? What’s going on with your housemaid? I told her I wanted to eat abalone, but why is she telling me that we need your approval? When have you become the one in charge of the Cooper family?”

Once again, those were the voices that greeted her when she went home.

Tillie stopped in her tracks and stared at Violet for a moment. The look in her eyes made her seem like a devil who had just crawled out of hell, and it sent chills down Violet’s spine.

“Are you going to be the one to give her money?”

“I…” Violet trailed off, at a loss for words.

It was then Tillie averted her cold gaze from her and looked at a distance away instead. The patience in her slowly dissipated, and all that was left was a hair-raising feeling to her whenever anyone looked at her.

“So, if you want to eat that, you better shut your mouth. Otherwise, if I’m no longer in Cooper residence, you’re all going to eat dust until Edmund comes and saves you.”

The entire living room was silent.

Violet, as well as Gabriella and Alice, who had come out of their rooms when they heard their conversation, was furious after hearing Tillie’s words.

However, for some reason that they could not quite understand, no curses could leave their mouths as they looked at Tillie. Chills just kept running down their spines.

Is this ugly girl possessed or something?

Tillie then went upstairs.

Around midnight, Edmund came home.

Tillie stayed in her room as she listened to the shuffling sounds he made downstairs. An urge had formed in her mind, tempting her to rush downstairs to ask the man if they were really going to divorce in a year.

Ultimately, she stopped herself from doing so.

Not long after, Gabriella seemed to have started talking to Edmund.

“Edmund, what’s going on with your wife? The housemaid is listening to her now! Without her permission, they’re not even allowed to buy things for us to eat. What is this? Why is she acting like she’s the head of the household now?”

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead chapter 1516

Just A Deal

Yet, to Gabriella’s surprise, Edmund responded, “Is there a problem? You’re all relying on the Zander family’s money, so what’s wrong with her being the head of the household? It’s already good that she’s letting you enjoy your stay here.”

When the woman who was sitting numbly by the window heard that, her dull eyes lit up, and she straightened her back.

He’s not holding me accountable for that? In fact, he agrees that they’re the leech?

Meanwhile, Gabriella was livid after hearing Edmund’s response.

“We’re the one living off the Zander family’s money? Are you not working? Edmund, are you even a man? You’re one of the Coopers, so how can you shamelessly say such things?”

“Why should I be ashamed? I married her because of the Coopers, didn’t I?” he nonchalantly stated.

Immediately, Gabriella’s face turned red, utterly furious. At the same time, Tillie stiffened when she heard that.

She had mixed feelings as she stared at the man downstairs.

It’s not like he’s doing any better. For the Cooper family, he has come to the Zander family to propose to me even though he doesn’t like me; even though he has someone he loves, he still has to marry someone he doesn’t at all. That’s tough, isn’t it? That’s why there’s nothing wrong with what he says now.

Eventually, Gabriella slinked away, but Tillie continued to quietly stand there and watch the man walk up the stairs.

It seemed like he did not expect her to stand there as he froze when their eyes met. This is the first time he properly looked at me, Tillie thought to herself.

Nevertheless, their locked gaze only lasted a few seconds. The surprise in his eyes died away, and he turned to head toward his bedroom.

Unable to hold herself back anymore, Tillie cried out, “Edmund, wait! I have something to tell you.”

Then, for the first time, she mustered enough courage to run toward him.

Edmund stopped and turned to look at her coldly.

He hated her. Not only because of her face but also because she reminded him of how much of a failure he was.

He never thought that he would end up living like that.

He never thought that he would need marriage to complete certain things.

“Edmund, I just want to explain that I’m not thinking of being the head of the Cooper family. Mom and Violet asked the housemaid to buy something, but the housemaid didn’t. I think it’s because the housemaid only wanted my approval since I’m the one who hired her,” she explained.

However, the man seemed unfazed by it.

“You don’t need to explain it to me. You can do whatever you like in this house.”

Only when the man was about to enter his room did Tillie finally come back to her senses. She then rushed after him.

“If I settle everything at home well and return the Cooper family back to its glorious state, will you let me stay in the family forever? Will you not drive me away?” she blurted out as she followed the man.

Right as those words left her mouth, the man skidded to a stop.

Then, silence filled the place.

How much courage did I have to muster to say that?

Tillie did not know the answer to that.

She only knew that she was trembling terribly after saying that, but instead of panicking, she felt as if a weight had lifted from her shoulders.

For once, she felt like she was no longer working from the shadows. She did not need to be afraid that she would accidentally slip and fall into the dark, dark abyss anymore.

She liked that feeling.

She liked it even if he was going to curse at her again.

To her surprise, the man slowly turned to look at her with surprise, confusion, and impatience in his eyes.

“Aren’t you sick of this? Aren’t you sick of being with those unbelievable people?”

“No,” Tillie tentatively answered as she tightened her shaking fists.

“As long as you give me a chance, I’ll change the family for the better, and I’ll make them change for the better too.”

For a few seconds, Edmund did not know what he should say.

He was not Devin, who was simple-minded when it came to love. He was not Sebastian, who only loved one despite having tons of scandals. He, Edmund, was a renowned playboy.

He could read the minds of women as long as he interacted with them.

“Tillie, you know that our marriage is just a deal. You must have overheard me when I went to the Zander family to ask for your hand in marriage, right?”

Tillie paled.

Edmund continued, “I was clear when I said that I’d be working with the Zander family to launder some of the assets that my father has. I promised the Zander family that they would get one-third of those assets. Since you’ve heard me, you should know that our marriage is but a front. Why are you still trying so hard to preserve it?”

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead chapter 1517

But I Love You

Edmund’s candid words caused all the colors on Tillie’s face to drain away.

Standing behind him, Tillie felt as though she was hit by a bucket of cold water. It doused all the courage and hopes that she had held on. While staring at him, her face had turned pale all over again.

“Even so, can’t we live out our days in peace?” she pleaded, unwilling to give up.

However, Edmund’s smirk widened.

“Are you dreaming? Has all the luxury goods gotten into your head?”

“No, I sincerely meant what I said. Edmund, I know you don’t like me, and I’m not worthy of you, but don’t you need a family too? If you want to establish yourself in Jadeborough and expand the influence of the Cooper family, don’t you need to marry someone sooner or later? Does it make a difference who you marry?”

Tillie suddenly realized that she had calmed down.

Having lost all hope and no longer caring about the consequences, she gained the courage to go all out. Her mental state allowed her to be more shrewd than ever.

Edmund was stunned.

I-I have never thought about that before. She’s right. If I want to restore the glory of the Coopers, don’t I need a complete family? As for my feelings, there’s no way I can satisfy them in this lifetime.

“Edmund, don’t worry. Even though I’m staying by your side, you can treat me as your partner. I no longer want to go through the hassle of remarriage again. I’m also sure that you’re unwilling to spend time marrying another girl, am I right?

She paused for a while and continued, “Therefore, we can come to an agreement. We will pose as a married couple in public, but in private, we are nothing more than partners or friends. We won’t bother nor interfere with each other’s lives. Isn’t that better for you?”

This time, she had seized the initiative and was emboldened by it. Every word that came out of her mouth seemed to strike a chord with Edmund.

Evidently, Tillie wasn’t a fool in at all.

Edmund was indeed tempted by her idea.

After that, he didn’t say another word until he returned to his room and closed the door.

Meanwhile, Tillie heaved a sigh of relief when she saw how he reacted. Feeling her body go limp, she almost collapsed in the corridor.

Edmund’s response was indicative of his tacit agreement, causing Tillie to break into a smile.

When she returned to her room for the night, she enjoyed the best sleep she had gotten for the first time in months.

The next day, Edmund left the Cooper residence early in the morning.

After accepting the Zander family’s business, Edmund was busy every day, laundering the Cooper family’s assets.

Cognizant of the fact, Tillie reacted calmly the moment she realized Edmund was gone before she woke up.

However, when she arrived downstairs, she was greeted by the sight of the three ladies waiting for their food. At the same time, the maid she had hired a few days ago was busy cooking in the kitchen.

Thus, she proceeded to stand in front of the ladies.

“Tillie, why are you blocking my view? Can’t you see that I’m watching television? Instead of making breakfast, why are you being annoying so early in the morning?” Violet berated her.

Meanwhile, Alice was silently playing on her phone while Gabriella looked equally upset.

Nevertheless, Tillie stared at them coldly.

“Violet, I’m afraid I’m here to annoy you today. Last night, I had a discussion with your brother. From today onward, I will be in charge.”

“What did you say?”

Everyone in the living room had their mind blown.

“You? In charge? Who gave you the right? My mom is still around, you know.”

“Exactly, Tillie. Have you forgotten your place? You have just been married into the family, and yet, you want to seize control? Aren’t you getting ahead of yourself?” Alice rebuked Tillie with a disdainful expression.

As for Gabriella, she was so infuriated that she felt the urge to tear Tillie apart.

Nonetheless, Tillie was a sea of calm. Unlike in the past, she no longer listened to them. Instead, she continued to stare at them with an indifferent expression.

“Because I have not forgotten my place as a daughter-in-law of the Coopers that I am stamping my foot down. You are not going to establish yourself in Jadeborough by whiling your time away. Just look at the both of you. You are no longer young, but has any family worth their salt come and sought your hand in marriage?”

“You—”

Tillie’s words struck a nerve with both the Cooper sisters, causing them to rage.

However, she didn’t stop there.

That morning, she had hardened her resolve to instill some discipline into the sloppy family.

“From now on, I make the rules. Alice, Violet, both of you can no longer stay at home and do nothing. You should go out and do whatever needs to be done. The Cooper family will no longer accept freeloaders.”

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead chapter 1518

Everyone Loves Glory

“Tillie, who are you accusing of being freeloaders? This is the Cooper residence, not the Zander home!” Violet hissed.

Tillie sneered, “You’re right. This is the Cooper residence. It’s fine if you don’t like to see me here. I’ll just get a place outside and move out with Edmund. And then, you can have this place all to yourselves.”

The three women were speechless upon hearing that.

Tillie then continued, “But, we will no longer pay for your expenses. Even though I’m younger than the lot of you, I make my living with my own two hands. But what about you? Do you plan on depending on Edmund for the rest of your lives? I’m sorry, but Edmund and I plan to have kids. Also, I need to take care of my parents too. Considering our heavy commitments, there’s no way we can bear the expenses of two young and able-bodied persons.”

Glaring at the two sisters, she informed them of her final decision.

In truth, she had been respectful by not calling them scum.

Just as expected, the sisters were outraged at Tillie’s words. Staring daggers at her, they looked as if they were about to kill her.

Luckily for Tillie, they didn’t dare do so because she had made her stance clear to them.

If they didn’t start finding work, they would end up going hungry.

Half an hour later, Alice left home without even having breakfast. She was planning to find something to do.

However, Violet was still refusing to leave, and that made Tillie warn her again.

“Violet, you, of all people, shouldn’t even be in the Cooper residence. After what you have done, Dad would’ve disowned you and kicked you out of the house if he was still around. I really don’t understand how you can still stay here with such a defiant attitude.”

Within a split second, Violet felt as if she was about to burst a vessel.

“Tillie, I’m going to kill you!”

With a sharp gaze and a smirk on her face, Tillie sniggered at Violet. “Go ahead, but you had better remember that neither my parents nor Edmund will let you go. Therefore, once you kill me, you will no longer have a home to return to!”

Finally, Violet’s face turned pale after hearing Tillie’s threat.

In truth, she was no match for Tillie from the very beginning.

After all, despite her ordinary looks, Tillie wasn’t the kind that freeloaded on her family. Instead, her mediocre looks motivated her to work harder than any other daughter of prominent families.

In the event her looks came up short, she hoped to achieve success through her talent and capabilities.

Consequently, the Cooper sisters were forced by Tillie to go out and find a job. As for Gabriella, she dared not utter a single word of protest.

When word of the incident reached the hospital, Sabrina was extremely shocked.

“Is Tillie really that capable?”

When Sigrith saw that Sabrina was unconvinced, she poured her a bowl of soup and explained with a smile, “She is. Remember Mabel, who often keeps in contact with her? Tillie called her today and personally told her about it. In fact, she barely made any sense on the call. Considering how frightened she was after the fact, she had evidently gathered tremendous courage to do it.”

Sabrina couldn’t help but laugh when the image of the usually meek Tillie admonishing the two sisters was conjured up in her mind.

Indeed, it must have been tough on her.

“Nevertheless, this will actually do the Coopers some good.”

“Of course. Everyone in Jadeborough knows how lazy and bad-tempered those two sisters are. Haven’t you noticed that no one has ever asked them for their hand in marriage after so many years?” Sigrith scoffed.

Just when both of them were chatting in the ward, Tillie suddenly arrived with some health supplements.

“Ms. Sabrina, good morning.”

“Good morning!”

Sabrina’s eyes lit up when she saw Tillie.

“What a pleasant surprise! You shouldn’t have brought me anything.”

“Well, I just came from my Grandma’s. On the way here, I bought some health supplements that hopefully can help your condition a little,” Tillie explained shyly after placing the supplements on the table.

Although Sabrina didn’t know much about supplements, she could recognize that Tillie had carefully curated them instead of buying a random gift pack.

Therefore, it was obvious to her that Tillie had thoughtfully selected the supplements herself.

“Thank you, Mrs. Cooper. I appreciate the thought.”

“Not at all.” Tillie blushed at the praise. Even Sigrith’s heart was warmed at that sight.

After chatting for a while, they assumed Tillie would leave.

Unexpectedly, she continued to stay in the ward even after Sigrith had returned from refilling water outside.

“Mrs. Cooper, are you busy with anything? If not, I would like to return to Red Pavilion for a while, as I still have something cooking on the stove.”

“Of course, Sigrith. Go on ahead. I’ll stay here with Ms. Sabrina.”

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead chapter 1519

Exposed

Contrary to their expectations, Tillie readily agreed.

Given how close they were, Sigrith went off without giving it much thought.

With that, only Tillie and Sabrina were left in the ward. Being her usual outspoken self, Sabrina did whatever she wanted. As for Tillie, she quickly peeled fruits for Sabrina instead.

“Ms. Sabrina, I’ll peel an apple for you. I heard they’re good for the baby.”

“Well, don’t listen to that nonsense.”

Considering it was her second baby, Sabrina didn’t care much about hearsay.

In spite of that, Tillie lowered her head and began to peel the apple earnestly.

“If it’s good for the child, you should have more of it. Ms. Sabrina, can I spend more time with you next time? I can prepare whatever you like to eat for you. If there’s any fruit that you’re craving for, I’ll buy it for you too.”

“Huh?”

Caught by surprise, Sabrina turned to looked at Tillie.

Spend more time with me? Prepare food for me? Isn’t she being over-friendly?

Sabrina no longer had any intention to consume the fruit.

“Mrs. Cooper, what are you…”

“Huh?” Finally, Tillie regained her senses.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Ms. Sabrina. I-I have just disciplined the Cooper sisters, causing them to be upset with me. Hence, I don’t feel like going home during the day and only want to hide…”

After mumbling through her explanation, her nervous face blushed again.

Sabrina was stunned.

So that’s the reason. It does make sense as the Cooper sisters are not to be trifled with.

Realizing the situation, Sabrina readily agreed.

“All right then. You are welcome to come every day, but there’s no need to prepare any food. Just stay and chat with me.”

“Oh… I-I can’t do that. I have to eat too. I-I’ll prepare some food and bring it over so that both of us can eat together, all right? By the way, I heard Mabel mention that you used to run Hayes Corporation. Considering what a large corporation it is, you must be really capable of doing so. Thus, I hope you can teach me a thing or two about managing the Cooper family.”

After rejecting Sabrina’s suggestion with a reddened face, she revealed her other intention in a fumbling manner.

Flattered by Tillie’s words, Sabrina naturally agreed to her request.

From that day onward, Tillie would visit Sabrina at the hospital every day. Just as she promised, she would bring along a scrumptious meal every time.

It usually consisted of soup, delicious dishes, and fresh fruits.

Initially, Grayson had instructed Sabrina to be monitored in the hospital for half a month. However, in less than ten days, not only were there no problems with her examinations, but she also put on quite a bit of weight.

When the news reached Moranta, Devin was delighted.

“It seems Edmund’s new wife really knows how to care for someone. All the credit for Sabrina’s speedy recovery goes to her.”

“That’s impressive! Does she have knowledge in this field?” Sasha casually asked while packing her luggage.

Devin replied, “She does. Every day, she would boil soup with added herbs. Sabrina mentioned that she knows TCM.”

Sasha questioned, “What did you say?”

When she looked up abruptly, Devin was taken aback.

Luckily, Sebastian was just beside them. He walked right over when he noticed her strange reaction.

“Devin, please let Mr. Milken know that we will be going back first.”

“Sure.”

After he sent Devin away, Sebastian came up to Sasha.

“What’s wrong? What did you think of just now?”

“Hmm, I suddenly recalled the day Sabrina got into trouble. Didn’t the maid mention that Tillie came over to Red Pavilion on the same day? Coincidentally, there was something wrong with the soup when she was there,” Sasha remarked with a frown.

Indeed, the maid did raise the matter to her on that fateful day.

Moreover, Sasha also remembered something else. She had given Sabrina only ten grams of almonds for Jaena’s cough.

Even if Jaena didn’t finish it, could that ten grams have caused a pregnant lady so much harm?

The more she thought about it, the gloomier her expression became. In fact, she felt the urge to make a call right away.

Sensing what she was about to do, Sebastian quickly stopped her.

“Wait, now that Sabrina is fine, it means that she is safe. Why don’t we go back at once and see for ourselves if something fishy is really going on.”

“You’re right.”

In the end, Sasha took Sebastian’s advice.

That day, all of them returned to the country after being away for more than half a month.

Sabrina was delighted when she heard it. When she received Devin’s call in the ward, she asked him to visit, to which he readily agreed.

Still, Tillie, who was sitting by Sabrina’s side, was so unnerved by the news of Devin and his family’s arrival that her expression changed drastically.

“Ms. Sabrina, s-since Mr. Jadeson is back, I’ll take my leave.”

“Why are you leaving? I am planning to sing your praises in front of my husband. This time, it’s all thanks to you. Why don’t you stay and join us for dinner?”

“But…”

Tillie wanted to decline, but Sabrina was a lot more persistent than she was.

Not only did she have Tillie stay, but she also forced Tillie to call Edmund and invite him to dinner together.

Tillie was rendered speechless.

But in the end, she braced herself and gave him a call still.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead chapter 1520

Can I Speak To You

“Hello? I-It’s me, Tillie.”

“What is it?” Edmund responded in an indifferent tone.

Nonetheless, there was an improvement from before. At the very least, he wasn’t exasperated by what he usually saw at home. In fact, he even bothered to answer her call.

“I-I am visiting Ms. Sabrina. Since Mr. Jadeson and the others are back, she wants to invite us t-to have dinner together. Can you make it?”

She was extremely nervous, as she hadn’t even told him about her daily visits to the hospital.

Just as she expected, she could sense the tension over the phone the moment she mentioned Sabrina. Consequently, she didn’t even dare make a sound.

“How dare you—”

Unable to tolerate what was going on, Sabrina snatched the phone over. “Dare what? Edmund, let me warn you. You’re not allowed to scold Tillie. I was the one who got her to call you, so you had better come quickly. By the time Devin calls you, it will be too late.”

From the time Edmund was infuriated by Tillie spraining her ankle at the bar, Sabrina understood the marital problems they were going through.

Ever since then, Tillie never came over.

Reading between the lines, she was certain that Edmund was upset with his newly-wedded wife.

Moreover, she had seen all the gorgeous women he had been with. It served to cement her impression that it was difficult for him to be attracted to someone as ordinary-looking as Tillie.

Only after the scolding did Edmund succumb and agree to join them.

By the time it was nightfall, Sasha and the others had arrived in Jadeborough. At the same time, Sabrina was already dressed and waiting for them in the hospital.

As for Tillie, she was filled with anxiety.

When Edmund arrived at the hospital, he didn’t blame Tillie after being reprimanded by Sabrina.

When Sasha and the rest arrived, he drove her to dinner.

Considering how unsettled Tillie was, she struggled with herself in the back of the car before finally deciding to explain herself.

“Edmund, I-I didn’t hide it from you on purpose. I was just worried that you would be angry when you found out. As Ms. Sabrina has business ties with my family, it was natural for me to visit her at the hospital.”

Although Edmund didn’t say a word, it was obvious from his facial expression that he was feeling upset.

The thing he hated the most was someone disturbing Sabrina because she was his threshold. As long as one stayed away from her, anything could be negotiable.

Nevertheless, after hearing Tillie’s words, he suddenly felt as if he had been overly suspicious over the matter.

Finally, he calmed himself down and snapped, “The next time you want to pull a stunt like that, tell me first.”

Tillie was delighted by his response.

Obviously, she would definitely do so.

After all, him not blaming her was the greatest mercy he had ever shown her.

Considering she was one big step closer to success, Tillie’s mind was finally put at ease.

That evening, everyone gathered merrily at a hotel, as they had not seen each other in a while. As for Tillie, she managed to socialize with the others in a more natural manner after having the burden lifted off her chest.

“Mrs. Cooper, I heard that you have done a wonderful job of taking over the responsibilities of the Cooper family.”

“Not at all. It’s all because… Edmund was willing to give me an opportunity to try.”

When Tillie saw Sasha approach her on her own accord, she could feel her heart in her throat. In fact, she even stammered when she spoke.

With regards to the few women, Tillie admired Sabrina for how outspoken she was.

However, Sasha, as the lady of the Jadeson family, was the one who truly struck fear into her.

Back when the nation was in chaos a few years ago, she had worked together with her husband to save it. Consequently, no one dared to trifle with someone like that.

Even the ladies of Jadeborough high society feared and respected Sasha, let alone someone like Tillie.

With her hands drenched in sweat, Tillie pulled herself together to face Sasha.

Sasha remarked, “It was your capabilities that earned his trust in the first place. To be honest, Edmund is in need of a capable wife to assist him. The only thing we could help him with was to make your marriage a success. With regards to truly restoring the Cooper family to its past glory, the tasks still lie on both your shoulders.”

Speaking with a faint smile, Sasha’s tone was extremely calm.

In contrast to that, Tillie’s eye widened in shock as she stared blankly at Sasha.

“A-Are you saying that it was your idea that Edmund came to my house to ask for my hand?”

“That’s right.” Sasha plainly nodded.

“Technically speaking, it was my husband’s idea. Mrs. Cooper, Edmund saved his life before and is also Devin’s good friend. Therefore, we treat him as family and naturally want to see him live an increasingly good life.”

Sasha’s last sentence had clearly conveyed her intentions.