?<strong>Chapter 939:</strong>


    Meanwhile, Carrie’s gaze lingered on Alethea’s retreating figure, her mind briefly wandering.


    Beside her, Marina noticed and, before she could jump to conclusions, quickly rified, “Carrie, don’t misunderstand! We didn’te with Alethea. She saw us in the underground parking garage and decided to tag along. My brother didn’t want to be rude, so he walked her in.”


    Kyson added, “She didn’t bring her attendant with her when she got out of the car, so she was alone down there—”


    Before he could finish, Carrie smiled.


    “Kyson, there’s no need to exin. You already defended mest time, so I know you stand for what’s right. You wouldn’t take sides for personal gain, nor believe usations without proof. You’re not the kind of person who ys both sides.”


    Her words took both Marina and Kyson by surprise. They exchanged nces, momentarily caught off guard by the weight of what she had just said.


    Marina was the first to recover. She quickly stepped forward, looping her arm through Carrie’s.


    “What do you mean ‘stand for what’s right’? My brother and I are obviously on your side.”


    Carrie smiled but countered gently, “Kyson isn’t someone who blindly takes sides. He has his own judgment.”


    She knew Kyson leaned toward her, that he had always quietly supported her. But now… now that she and Daxton were testing the waters of a rtionship—even if she hadn’t made a final decision—she felt it was necessary to establish some distance.


    “My brother…” Marina started to protest when Kyson tugged lightly at her arm, stopping her.


    “Alright,” he said, his tone amused yet resigned.


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    “Are you only satisfied if you paint me as someone whocks a sense of judgment?” He understood what Carrie was doing. She was drawing a line between them. If Carrie was ever going to change—if she was ever going to see him in a different light—it had toe from her own heart. Not because he pushed, not because he argued. That would only backfire, making her retreat further.


    The rtionship between them was never just about the two of them. It was about their families. Unlike Kristopher, who pursued Carrie with reckless abandon, Kyson couldn’t afford to be impulsive.


    There had to be boundaries—ones that kept them safe, ones that gave them the choice to remain friends if they stepped back… or to be something more if they moved forward.


    Still, sometimes Kyson wondered. What if he could be reckless? What if he could throw caution to the wind, chase after her without hesitation, without restraint? Wouldn’t it be better to have a love that burned hot, even if it ended in ashes… rather than this careful, uncertain bncing act?


    Sensing the slight awkwardness in the atmosphere, Carrie took the initiative to excuse herself.


    “I’m going to the restroom to touch up my makeup.”


    “I’ll go with you.” Marina stood up immediately, ready to follow.


    But before she could take a step, Kyson caught her wrist, his gaze dropping pointedly to her heavy gown.


    “You really shouldn’t be walking around in that dress too much. Onep around, and it’ll start changing color.”


    Marina scowled but ultimately relented, flopping back down with a dramatic sigh.


    The Morrison family didn’t say anything. They knew Carrie well enough to understand her intentions—she wanted some space. Their reason for attending this party was clear: to remind the Hinks family of where Carrie stood. Now that she had yed her part, they wouldn’t interfere with where she went or what she did.


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