?Chapter 866:


    That night, sleep never came.


    By morning, deep shadows framed her eyes, evidence of her restless mind. Sheyered on foundation and blended out the dark circles with eyeshadow, forcing herself to look asposed as possible.


    Alban had already arranged everything. Once breakfast was done, they could leave.


    Recalling how An had struggled with his fork the night before, Rachel quietly swapped out the silverware, cing lighter ones instead—anything to make things easier for him.


    As they ate, she hesitated before voicing a question that had been weighing on her.


    “An, does Lizzie know about your condition?”


    An’s hand stilled mid-motion, his spoon hovering over his te. His expression darkened,yered with emotions too tangled to decipher.


    “I’ve thought about telling her so many times, but every time, I lose my nerve. I keep telling myself I’ll find the right moment… but I never do.”


    “Let me do it!” Rachel volunteered without hesitation. “I’ll be the one to tell her. Call her over now. If I were in Lizzie’s shoes, I’d want to be there for my brother, especially when he’s struggling. I’d want to make him smile, to bring him even a littlefort.”


    “Little happiness. When Jeffrey passed, I wasn’t there. It’s the biggest regret of my life. I don’t want Lizzie to live with that same pain.”


    An met her gaze for a long moment before nodding. “Alright. I’ll leave it to you.”


    Rachel made the call, and within half an hour, Lizzie arrived.


    The rich, savory aroma of breakfast filled the air as she stepped inside. Spotting the spread on the table, her face lit up.


    With her usual directness, she made a beeline for the food, snatching a crispy strip of bacon. She popped it into her mouth, chewing happily. “Hmm, your bacon’s still the best, An!”


    Halfway through, she suddenly paused, her eyes narrowing at the stic spoons An and Rachel were using instead of silver forks.


    “Wait a second.” She frowned. “Why are you both using stic spoons? What happened to the silver ones?”


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    Rachel’s voice was calm but firm. “Lizzie, finish your breakfast first. There’s something important we need to talk about.”


    Ten minutester, Lizzie finished her food, curiosity shining in her eyes. Rachel inhaled deeply before speaking with quiet seriousness.


    “Lizzie, what I’m about to say is important. I need you to listen carefully.”


    The moment Rachel finished, Lizzie sat frozen, as if the weight of the words had pinned her to her seat.


    She let out a shakyugh. “Rachel,e on. This has to be some kind of joke, right? You and An are just messing with me—right?”


    Her voice wavered, her hands gripping the edges of her chair. She turned sharply, eyes pleading as they locked onto Alban. “Alban, tell me!”


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