Chapter 89 The Thing Controlling Lila
'I just want Alexander to come to the ward alone so I can spill the beans. If he drags Catherine along, what can I even say?' Lila thought.
She shot a look at Annie and barked, "Go and tell Catherine I don't want her here. I need to talk to Alexander alone."
Annie's lips twitched as she thought, 'Why does it feel like Lila's got a beef with Catherine? But she looks at Esme like she's her own flesh and blood. Weird.'
"I can't make that call. I'll pass your message to Mr. Howard," Annie said.
Lila cut her off, annoyed. "Don't give me that crap. You're Alexander's assistant, and you can't handle this? Useless."
Annie kept her cool, smiling politely. "Mr. Howard's the one who judges my work, not you."
"Fine, just get out," Lila snapped, rubbing her temples.
Once Annie left, Lila grabbed Esme's hand and said, "Esme, when you marry Alexander, ditch all those other women around him. They give me a headache; they can't be any good."
"Lila, I get it," Esme replied sweetly.
Seeing Esme's obedient demeanor, Lila smiled, thinking Esme was her most sensible granddaughter. The others? Just illegitimate kids who didn't measure up.
Esme, watching Lila closely, pulled out a Vitality Pill from her pocket and handed it to her. Lila had been hooked on these pills for years. As soon as she swallowed it, her frown eased up.
"Lila, I'm your only granddaughter. If I marry Alexander, you'll have a good life. You gotta stick with me," Esme said, almost hypnotically.
Lila, half-asleep, let Esme's words sink in, her own thoughts fading away.
"Yeah, I know, I know," Lila murmured.
Seeing Lila in this state, Esme quietly took Lila's phone and transferred money to herself, then slipped the gemstone bracelet off Lila's wrist and into her pocket.
"Lila, remember, Catherine took your money and jewels. She's always after your stuff; she's bad news," Esme added.
Lila, superstitious as ever, repeated, "Thief! She's a thief! Bad!"
After all that, Esme tucked Lila in and watched her drift off to sleep.
'Vitality Pills are the bomb. Too bad Felix and Marcus don't get any, and I'm running low. If I want Lila to keep loving me and listening to me, I need more,' Esme thought.
Half an hour later, Alexander showed up outside Lila's ward with Catherine.
Annie was waiting at the door and said, "Sir, Miss Windsor, Lila just woke up, but she wants to see Mr. Howard alone."
This was Lila's wish, and Annie was just the messenger.
Even though she thought Lila was acting a bit off, it didn't seem like Lila really cared about Catherine and Alexander's marriage...
Catherine got it; it was normal for Lila not to want to see her.
"I'll go see Marcus first," Catherine said.
A flicker of surprise crossed Alexander's face. 'Maybe Catherine and Lila didn't get along so well after all.'
He used to think everyone in the Windsor family treated Catherine like gold, just like her brothers did. If there were folks in the Windsor clan who didn't treat her right, he wouldn't mind giving her a more loving family.
Maybe the Howard family was just what she needed.
"Alright, I'll say hi to your grandma and then come find you," Alexander said before pushing the door open and stepping inside. He immediately noticed a dozen caregivers and a flamboyantly dressed Esme in the room.
Lila shivered at the sight of his cold aura and thought, 'The head of the Howard family really lives up to his rep. He’s got that superior vibe. If Esme marries him, she'll definitely have a good life.'
"Lila, hello," Alexander greeted.
"Hello, Alexander, come over here," Lila warmly waved him over, wanting him to stand next to Esme.
Esme looked at Alexander with a shy, excited expression and said coquettishly, "Alexander, long time no see."
Seeing this, Alexander's eyelid twitched. His annoyance at not having Catherine by his side turned into a cold aura, and the slight warmth in his smile vanished, replaced by a chilling demeanor.
"No need. Just say what you have to say," he said indifferently.
Seeing his indifference, Lila awkwardly coughed. For some reason, she now had only one thought: such a good man could only be Esme's.
"Alexander, I'll be straight with you. Catherine isn't right for you. You should break off the engagement ASAP. You don't know, she took thirty million dollars from me. How can the Windsor family be short of her pocket money? Not to mention she took my jewelry! I bet she's been fooling around with some shady people, which is why she needs so much cash. Even her foster parents said Catherine has poor character and is totally unfit to be the future mistress of the Howard family," Lila said, pulling Esme closer to Alexander. "Esme is the one most suitable for you!"
Esme's face was full of shyness and excitement! As long as Alexander was willing, she could marry him right now! The thought of soon becoming the hostess of the Howard family made Esme almost die of excitement.
Alexander's face darkened bit by bit. Looking at Lila lying on the hospital bed, he was filled with suppressed displeasure.
"Lila, I'm here because you are Catherine's grandmother, not to listen to you trash her."
Lila panicked and thought, 'How can Alexander not believe me! I am telling the truth! It can't be that the Smith family, who raised Catherine for nineteen years, are lying, right? They know Catherine best. Alexander must have been deceived by Catherine!'
"I'm telling the truth. You've been deceived by Catherine! Alexander, only being with Esme is good for both the Howard family and the Windsor family. Catherine is not fit to marry you! Who knows how wild she is outside," Lila added.
Alexander's brows furrowed as he wondered why Catherine's own grandmother could use such nasty language to describe her.
"Lila, please watch your words! I know Catherine better than you do," he said firmly.
Seeing that Alexander was about to leave, Lila, afraid her plan wouldn't work, clutched her chest and lay down. "My heart hurts! Am I about to die? Esme, if I die, you must protect yourself."
"Lila, don't scare me!" Esme tearfully looked at Alexander, "Alexander, please, don't make Lila sad."