The next morning, Lilah awoke to a quiet room. Gerard was already up and about. Glancing at the clock, she realized it was past seven, nearly time for breakfast, yet the apartment was unusually silent.

Upon opening the bedroom door, she was greeted by the sight of Gerard and Jerrold having breakfast in the dining room. Jerrold's face lit up at the sight of her. "Mommy!" he exclaimed with a sparkle in his eyes.

Gerard looked up, surprised. “Why didn't you sleep in? Aren't you tired?" he asked gently.

“Just a little. It's alright. I have things to take care of today,"

Lilah replied, managing a smile.

Jerrold pushed his chair back and approached her. “Mommy, are you hungry?" he asked with concern.

“Yes, I am," Lilah answered.

“Let me get you a plate," Jerrold offered, eagerly heading into the kitchen to assist.

As Lilah heard the lively chatter from the dining room, she realized everyone had been mindful not to disturb her while she slept. It was a small act of consideration that warmed her heart.

After freshening up, she joined Jerrold and Gerard for breakfast.

Jerrold eagerly shared details about his studies, creating a pleasant family atmosphere. Curious, Lilah inquired, "Which school does your little friend attend?"

Before she could clarify which child she was referring to, Jerrold quickly caught on. "She goes to Newington Elementary School too," he said, understanding exactly who Lilah was asking about.

Lilah, impressed, commented, “She must be quite a bright student then.”

Jerrold gave a dismissive snort. “She's not that smart. I've had to help her out a lot."

Lilah chuckled at this, exchanging an amused glance with Gerard, who caught on to her amusement.

After breakfast, as they dropped Jerrold off at school, Lilah mused to Gerard, "Don't you think they might become good friends?"

Gerard agreed. "Yes, he's never shown this much interest in anyone else before, nor has he ever offered to tutor anyone."

"I'm just happy he's making friends. It's important for him to enjoy his time at school." Lilah expressed her contentment.

Later, at the Phillips Group, Lilah headed straight to her office.

The significant bet she had with the board members was nearing its conclusion. The project's profits had already surpassed 4@ million dollars, inching closer to the 5@ million target. The entire company was abuzz with anticipation.

Meanwhile, Clint and Howard were on edge. If Lilah succeeded, it would mean a considerable loss for them. Despite their frequent private disputes, they realized bickering was futile.

“Enough of this arguing. It's useless. We might as well focus on what to do next, instead of watching Lilah run the company unchallenged." Clint spoke with a cold, harsh tone.

"Your idealistic talk got us into this mess. If you hadn't agreed to the bet, we wouldn't be in this crisis now. The mall is thriving.

They're bound to hit that 50 million dollar mark by next week,"