Early next morning, Tegan flew off for a medical conference abroad.


    As Ste got a ring from Susanna, she said on the phone, "Looks like your cousin''s gonna pack on pounds for a bit longer. Tegan''s out of the country, mentioned something about being away for a month." "How''d you know? Tegan rang you up?"


    Ste replied, "Yeah, got a call around one in the morning."


    "One in the morning? To share travel ns? Has she lost her marbles?"


    It wasn''t like everyone could just flip their sleep schedules upside down because Tegan decided to.


    Ste sighed, "It was about Urs."


    "Urs? What about her?"


    Ste said, "Urs ended up in the hospitalst night, hit with a bunch of illnesses."


    "A bunch? How many? Like what?"


    Susanna was shocked at the news.


    Just yesterday, spotting Urs with Yorick near the maternity ward had them betting on a baby bump, not a bout of illnesses.


    Ste shared, "Uterine cancer, heart disease, and seemingly liver cancer too."


    The news made Susanna gasp, "All, all that? And she has uterine cancer?"


    It was clear neither of them was well-versed in medical knowledge, their reaction to the uterine cancer news a bit off-kilter.


    Like Ste, as Susanna heard the uterine cancer, her tone unwittingly turned strange.


    "How should I know? Tegan said she''s not one to spread rumors. She won''t gossip, let''s not add to the gossip mill."


    Susanna agreed, "Fair, not gossiping. But, this puts Urs and Yorick''s future in a bind. Which family would ept someone with such health issues as their first choice?"


    The Quarry elders already frowned upon Urs''s background as a maid''s daughter. Her illnesses only added fuel to the fire.


    "You''ll need to tread carefully. With Urs''s condition, the Quarry elders will push for you and Yorick to tie the knot sooner to prevent any rekindling of old mes."


    It was toote to find someone else, so they would hold onto Ste at all cost, especially given her Larkin family ties. This would, in the Quarry''s eyes, counterbnce Urs''s influence.


    Susanna''s remind was right.


    The Quarry elders are keeping a close eye on Urs; her being in the hospitalst night had already been noticed by them. Besides, they''d learned of Urs''s illnesses; among them, what they couldn''t ept the most was uterine cancer.


    ...


    After a simple breakfast, Ste, busy with work at her design studio, received a call from Yorick''s mother, "Star,e to the manor this noon, will you? I''ll personally cook your favorite, I''ll tell Yorick to pick you up."


    Ste declined directly, "Thanks, Imogen, but I have some things to attend to this noon, I''ll have to pass."


    She really was tied up. The project StarRiver offered this time was grand; she determined to take part in it personally.


    Hearing she was busy, Imogen signed, "You don''t want to even see me?"


    Ste was speechless.


    Imogen pressed, "Or I go to meet you?"


    "Don''t. I''ll swing by this noon."


    Ste had no choice but to agree for Imogen insisted on meeting her, thinking it was better to clear things up in person. After all, people''s attitude was palpable when talking face to face. Shortly after hanging up, Ste received a call with a strange number.


    She picked up, "Hello."


    "It''s me."


    Yorick''s voice came from the other end.


    Ste barely controlled the urge to hang up directly, but in fact, Yorick was also irked by calling her, because each time she got Yorick''s call, he''d be block-listed.


    Orion''s number has already been in the list. Right now this number was unknown, yet unexpectedly, she''d block-list the number few momentster.


    "My mom asked me to pick you up. Did you say you''lle to the manor?"


    At the time, Yorick''s voice wasced with indescribable exhaustion.


    Ste gave a simply acknowledgement.


    "Where should I meet you then?"


    "I''ll go straight to the manor, you don''t need pick me up."


    Even walking in the same road would make her feel the air around was polluted.


    Yorick noticed the aloofness in her tone, his head throbbing in frustration, "I''ll pick you up, wait for me at the Silk-River Residences."


    Not bothering to utter another word, Ste directly hung up.


    Yorick, on the other side, like what Ste had thought, had stayed at the hospital for Urs the entire night. Now with Ste ignoring him like that, he felt utterly exasperated. Orion, who was driving,forted as he couldn''t stand to see the scene, "The more a woman cares, the angrier she gets."


    Yorick replied, "Is that so?"


    Orion nodded, "If I don''t care at all, I won''t make any scene."


    This notion offered Yorick a glimmer of sce amidst the heated strife.