?strongChapter 62:/strong

Her voice trailed off, punctuated by a heavy sigh. Carrie, in a gesture offort, squeezed Mny’s hand. “I understand.”

“He only has Lise in his heart. Now that they’re rekindling their rtionship, you’ll probably have a great-grandchild soon.”

At the mention of Lise, Mny’s face hardened with disapproval. “No, no, no! That woman could never rece you in my eyes. As far as I’m concerned, you’re my only granddaughter-inw. As long as I’m alive, I won’t allow him to marry Lise!” Her voice rose with each word, thick with indignation, until Carrie interjected, her tone calm yet resolute.

“Mny, emotions can’t be forced. I’m telling you all this because I respect you and don’t want to deceive you any longer. Please don’t be angry. It’s simply that Kristopher and I… we were never meant to be.”

Carrie’s eyes dropped to the floor, her voice heavy with bitterness and resignation. Observing Carrie’s demeanor, Mny understood that no persuasion would change her mind. That foolish Kristopher didn’t know how to appreciate Carrie. Let him regret itter! Perhaps Carrie would find happiness after leaving him.

“Alright, dear. If a divorce is what you want, I won’t stand in your way,” she said softly, her voice filled with love. “But remember this—whether you’re part of this family or not, you’ll always have a home here. Promise me you’ll visit Shawn and me often. The Norris Mansion will always have a room waiting for you.”

After bidding farewell to Mny and Shawn, Carrie left the Norris Mansion and slid into Oliver’s car. As they drove through the estate’s gates, Oliver nced over and inquired, “Mrs. Norris, where would you like me to take you?”

“Just stop here,” Carrie responded, gathering the items Mny had given her, preparing to exit the vehicle. Oliver appeared visibly concerned.

“Mrs. Norris, this area isn’t easily essible by taxi. It would be inconvenient for you to find transportation.”

“Please allow me to drive you to your destination.”

Carrie’s tone was resolute. “No need. My agent will pick me up nearby.”

After several moments of apparent hesitation, Oliver reluctantly opened the car door, his worry evident. “Mrs. Norris, if you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call me.”

Carrie ignored his offer and walked down a narrow path, her figure soon disappearing from view. Oliver pulled out his phone to call Kristopher but found the call wouldn’t connect. Momentarily, he realized it might be the day Lise was signing a contract with the production team. With that thought, he steered the car towards her talent agency.

Meanwhile, Carrie hadn’t gotten far when her phone buzzed. It was Ruby on the line, sounding apologetic. “Carrie, my car’s conked out, and I’m stuck waiting for a tow truck. No clue how long it’ll take. You might have to grab a ride back on your own.”

“Got it, no worries,” Carrie replied, her tone calm as she ended the call. She turned around instinctively, only to find that Oliver’s car was already gone, its tail lights swallowed by the darkness.

The Norris Mansion sat nestled in Orkset’s most exclusive neighborhood, perched like a crown jewel atop a wooded hillside. Surrounding it were sprawling estates, scattered like stars, and the road downhill stretched long and lonely. Above her, the sky brooded, heavy with storm clouds. Not a sliver of moonlight pierced the dense gray, and the wind hissed through the trees like a whispered warning. The air carried a chill that crept under her coat, prompting her to tug it tighter and quicken her steps.

After nearly twenty minutes of trudging downhill, the glow of the main road’s lights flickered through the tree line. Relief washed over her—it couldn’t be more than a kilometer away.

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