?Chapter 1606:

Nate’s gaze rose slowly to meet Franco’s, his eyes harboring depths both dark and inscrutable. “A beautiful woman inevitably draws attention. It’s never misguided to ensure her safety.”

Franco was so startled by Nate’s words that he inhaled his cigarette sharply, choking and coughing as smoke burned the wrong passage. His eyes watered as he shot Nate a look brimming with conflicted emotions.

Beside him, Maddox released a frustrated chuckle, shaking his head. “Damn! So you’re merely using us to ward off potential suitors trying to steal her away!”

As night fell, only a slender crescent moon remained visible, casting a soft, mncholic glow that seemed to magnify the solitude of the night.

Corrine, wrapped in her thoughts under the moon’s silvery light, turned to Rachel and asked quietly, “Do you regret it?”

Her question, though aimed at Rachel, seemed to echo back to her own past decisions.

Caught off guard, Rachel paused, the directness of the question cutting through the quiet of the evening without warning.

Regret? The idea had scarcely crossed her mind.

When she had chosen to marry Jules, Rachel had carefully considered her own future and Jules’ feelings toward her. Now, as events unfolded as she had anticipated, the concept of regret seemed irrelevant.

“People feel regret when their realities fall short of their expectations,” Rachel replied, her voice steady as she smiled faintly at Corrine. “So, no, I don’t harbor any regrets.”

Hearing her response, Corrine observed Rachel for a moment before a knowing smile yed across her lips. “Stubbornness can be costly when it blinds us to the likelihood of failure.”

The pain of too deeply invested emotions. The wisdom in knowing when to withdraw.

This was a universal truth, well understood by all, including Rachel.

Yet, applying such wisdom to oneself can be challenging.

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“But doesn’t everyone cling to a slim chance?” Rachel lifted her hand, her fingers stretching toward the distant crescent, symbolizing her own unreachable desires—so near, yet eternally elusive, much like the affections of the one she yearned for.

She inhaled deeply, trying to quell the surge of sadness. “I entered this marriage with eyes wide open, chasing what I thought was worth the pursuit.”fn7861 ?????? ???? find?novel/fn7861

Corrine was taken aback by the response.

She had always assumed Nate was the one who leaked the Ford family’s alliance n, giving Rachel the chance to step in and offer herself. This exined the Astley family’s apparent disapproval of the union.

Following a moment of silence, Corrine inhaled deeply, managed to hide her astonishment, and offered Rachel a gentle smile. “I hope all your wishese true, Rachel.”

Rachel was momentarily caught off guard. She had prepared herself for sarcasm, ready to be dismissed or ridiculed for chasing after something that made her look pitiful.

But Corrine didn’t scoff. She didn’t throw stones.

Contrary to the widespread belief that the Ford family’s heiress from Lyhaton was arrogant and rude, Corrine was actually misunderstood and wrongfully maligned.

Rachel understood Corrine better; she seemed aloof but was actuallypassionate.

With a slight twinkle in her eyes, Rachel smiled warmly. “Thank you.”

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