“So, you want to attend your father’s memorial service with Mrs. Grace Benjamin, is that correct?”

When Charles Dudley asked as if to confirm what he had heard, Lily nodded and asked back.

“Is it possible?”

“Hmm, well…”

Charles Dudley trailed off as he flipped through the chart. His eyes scanning the paper didn’t look too serious. Since she hadn’t heard of any issues with her mother so far, Lily was confident that her mother’s condition must have improved.

However, going out was a different matter. Especially attending her father’s memorial service, which was practically the cause of her mother’s mental instability, made her anxious and worried about potential problems.

If there was even a slight chance of her mother’s condition worsening, it would be right to give up. Yet she couldn’t let go because the image of her parents, whose relationship was envied by others, lingered before her eyes.

Lily wanted only one thing. For her mother to place a pure white chrysanthemum on her father’s grave herself. Since Grace Benjamin, with a mental age of only about 8 years, couldn’t possibly offer sincere condolences, that was all she hoped for.

But for that to happen, they first needed to attend her father’s memorial service…

Lily waited for Charles Dudley’s answer, tightly gripping her anxious heart. The middle-aged doctor with graying hair thoroughly checked the chart to the end before speaking.

“From the chart alone, it seems possible, but to be sure, it would be best to check directly if it’s alright for her to attend.”

Saying that, Charles Dudley picked up the white coat hanging on his chair back and stood up. Lily’s head bowed involuntarily at his action, as if he had sensed her desire to find out quickly.

“Thank you, doctor.”

“…”

Charles Dudley looked at Lily with a strange expression. Most patients admitted to this nursing home were those abandoned by their families. They were reluctantly admitted to the nursing home because their families were conscious of others’ eyes, not because they truly needed care. In such cases, families usually hired private caregivers.

As a result, there were very few guardians who cared about the patients. Naturally, the number of guardians who came to visit was also countable on one hand. A guardian who visited weekly was as rare as a unicorn.

That rare guardian was right in front of him. Charles Dudley had worked at the nursing home for over 20 years, but he had never seen a guardian like Liliana Benjamin. So he found it fascinating, and on the other hand, pitiful. Knowing the circumstances that forced her to admit her mother to the nursing home against her family’s opposition made him feel even more sympathy.

“It’s nothing. I’m just doing my job, so there’s no need to bow your head, madam.”

Lily smiled quietly.

“You’ve taken time out of your busy schedule for me, so of course I should bow in gratitude.”

“Ho ho, I’m not that busy. Today is a visiting day, so I had nothing special to do until the evening rounds. I was even thinking of taking a nap.”

Of course, he didn’t really intend to take a nap. Charles Dudley spoke jokingly, wanting to ease Lily’s burden.

“You had… nothing to do?”

But Lily couldn’t take it as a joke. When Charles Dudley asked why she reacted that way, she didn’t answer and thought deeply before carefully asking.

“Did you perhaps tell Margaret that I wanted to see you right away?”

“No. Rather, I heard that from Margaret. She said you wanted to see me immediately.”

“…”

Lily had clearly told Margaret that she wanted to see Dr. Dudley towards the end of visiting hours. Why then did Margaret relay that Lily wanted to see him right away? If she didn’t know Margaret was Fredrick’s person, she might have let it slide, but knowing that made her uneasy. She had a strong feeling there must be another reason.

“Did Margaret make some kind of mistake?”

“…No, nothing.”

Lily smiled as if nothing had happened and shook her head. This was an issue she needed to resolve with Margaret, not Charles Dudley.

‘I’ll ask her directly.’

There was nothing to hold back now that even Fredrick had found out. Margaret might not tell the truth, but if Lily said she knew everything, she wouldn’t be able to just lie.

When Lily returned to her mother’s room with Charles Dudley, she was startled by the scene before her.

“Oh, if you give me one cookie, I won’t eat you!”

Herald was reading a fairy tale to her mother, even imitating animal sounds. He was reading so entertainingly that her mother’s innocent laughter could be heard through the tightly closed door.

“Who is that person?”

When Charles Dudley, seeing Herald for the first time, asked, Lily inwardly groaned. She didn’t know how to answer. Their relationship was too deep to call him just a friend, but they weren’t lovers. He was certainly not her kept man.

“Ah, you’re here.”

“Yes, I’m here!”

Unable to find the right word to explain her relationship with him, Lily was struggling when Herald suddenly addressed her. She brightened up and approached him. As if to prove they had spent quite an enjoyable time, Grace Benjamin smiled brightly and hugged Lily.

“The wolf said he’d eat grandma if she didn’t give him cookies!”

“Oh my, that’s terrible. Did you give him cookies?”

“Yes! I gave him all the cookies I had, and then he let her go!”

Huh? That’s a bit different from the fairy tale I know. Lily looked at Herald curiously. Herald, meeting her eyes, put his index finger on his lips, which were curved in a strange smile. It seemed he had lied to protect Grace Benjamin’s innocence.

As always, Herald was full of consideration, contrary to his appearance that made him look like he lived for his own conceit. That contradictory behavior made Herald Braden an even more attractive man.

“Mrs. Margaret, come over here for a moment.”

Charles Dudley called Margaret, who was sitting and waiting in a corner of the room, and gave her various instructions. Meanwhile, Lily gently stroked her mother’s hand and said,

“The doctor over there will ask you various questions. If you know the answer, just answer as you know, and if you don’t know, just say you don’t know.”

“Is he giving me a test?”

“Something like that.”

Grace Benjamin raised her hand high and smiled innocently.

“Then I’ll answer! I can do well!”

“Yes.”

I hope you do well. That’s the only way we can go to dad’s memorial service together.

Lily swallowed the words lingering in her mouth and lowered her gaze for a long time. Just thinking about her father’s memorial service made her emotions well up. As she was biting the soft flesh inside her mouth to compose herself, Charles Dudley asked,

“May I start now, madam?”

Although the question was directed at Lily, his gaze was on Herald. He was asking if it was alright to start with an outsider present. Lily also felt it wasn’t right and looked at Herald. Just by meeting his eyes, he seemed to understand what she wanted and stood up.

“I’ll wait outside until it’s over.”

“Big brother, are you leaving?”

Grace Benjamin, seemingly having become quite close in a short time, held onto his clothes regretfully. Herald soothed her, saying he was just going out for a moment and would return soon if she solved the problems well, then went outside.

As soon as Herald left, Charles Dudley immediately asked Grace Benjamin,

“What is your name?”

“I’m Grace Dawson!”

Dawson was Grace Benjamin’s maiden name. In other words, it meant she had no memory of marrying Madison Benjamin and becoming Mrs. Benjamin. Although Lily had thought her mother’s condition might not have improved, facing it directly made her heart ache so much that she clenched her fists tightly.

Charles Dudley’s questions continued.

“Do you know that you’re married?”

“Am I married?”

“Yes. You got married 30 years ago. To a very fine gentleman named Madison Benjamin.”

As her father’s name, which was practically taboo, was mentioned, Lily stopped breathing and looked at her mother. Charles Dudley and Margaret did the same. While everyone was holding their breath, Grace Benjamin blinked her innocent eyes wide and said,

“I don’t know that person.”

Compared to the past when she would have seizures just hearing her husband’s name, this was a huge improvement. At this rate, it seemed there wouldn’t be a problem taking her to her father’s memorial service, and Lily’s face brightened.

Charles Dudley’s test continued. He asked various things, but Grace Benjamin’s answers were all the same. She knew nothing. Lily saw this positively, but the doctor frowned. After pondering for a moment while looking at the chart, Charles Dudley spoke again.

“Then do you know who Liliana Benjamin is?”

“…!”

The moment she heard Lily’s name, Grace Benjamin’s peaceful expression instantly turned to fear and shock. Her body trembled like an aspen tree.

“No, no. I don’t know that person. I shouldn’t know. Ah, I mustn’t know… Aaagh!”

Grace Benjamin screamed and flailed her arms and legs violently. As a result, Lily, who was nearby, was kicked mercilessly, but she didn’t feel the pain. She was too shocked by the fact that her mother had a seizure the moment she heard her name.

“Calm down, madam!”

“It’s alright! No one will harm you, please calm down!”

Charles Dudley and Margaret frantically tried to calm Grace Benjamin. As Lily, belatedly coming to her senses, was about to step in, someone grabbed her arm.

“I’ll handle this.”

It was Herald. He strode over to Grace Benjamin and hugged her tightly.

“What, what are you doing now!”

Charles Dudley shouted, startled by his sudden action, but Herald didn’t budge. Even as Grace Benjamin screamed and hit him violently, he endured steadfastly, stroking her back.

“It’s alright.”

And in a low voice that only she could hear, he whispered,

“No matter what happens, I will protect you… Don’t worry, madam.”