"So, why?" he asked after Miranda perused the document he gave her.

Miranda's expression turned grim.

“Who else knows about this?" she demanded coldly, her piercing gaze boring through Gerard.

Her expression was so icy and intense that even Gerard couldn't help but frown.

After a moment of tense silence, Gerard finally figured out why she was being so defensive. “You're protecting her, aren't you?"

Miranda's gaze never wavered, her silence a calculated pause, as she weighed the extent of Gerard's knowledge.

“I discovered that Darian is not your only enemy. You have a rather long list of foes," Gerard commented when she still refused to speak.

"You must think you're very clever just because you dug up my past. If I may ask, why does Lilah always end up getting hurt when she's with you?" Miranda asked, a cold smile playing on her lips.

"Let's forget about me for a second. I'm actually curious about you. Do you think you're a good boyfriend? She has even given birth to a child for you, but you're yet to even offer her any kind of commitment."

The question struck a nerve and Gerard's eyes went wide, a look of shock and guilt on his face.

For a moment, he had no idea how to reply.

"You don't deserve my sister at all," Miranda concluded, taking advantage of Gerard's silence. "Please stay away from her from now on."

"No," Gerard replied instantly, finally snapping out of his shock.

"I'll protect her with my life. I'll ensure no one harms her, including you."

Miranda's face twisted in a bitter smile, her laughter dry and humorless, as if she found the irony of the situation almost too much to bear.

In fairness, she probably couldn't protect her sister the way Gerard could.

If she ever told the world they were sisters, she would unleash a horde of enemies on Lilah, thereby turning her sister into a sitting duck.

This was the real reason why she never dared to reveal her true identity to anyone.

"Can you really guarantee that?" Miranda asked, her voice regaining strength as she queried Gerard. "You've pointed out why I can't reconnect with my sister but what about you? Can you ensure she'll never get hurt again?"

Gerard didn't respond immediately.

After a moment of introspection, he smiled softly and said, "The path Lilah chose is tough and filled with countless obstacles. I can't guarantee she won't get hurt, but I'll do everything in my power to walk this path with her. If she lives, I live. If she..."

"Alright," Miranda murmured begrudgingly. Her expression softened the tiniest bit.

She pulled out several bottles of medicine from a first-aid kit and handed them to Gerard. “I've written down the instructions of how they will be used. Make sure she takes them as at when due. She should wake up in a couple of days."

“You're leaving?" Gerard asked suspiciously, puzzled by her actions.