?<strong>Chapter 196:</strong>


    Turning back to Carrie, Nate’s lips curved into a subtle, enigmatic smile. “Ms. Campbell, might you be harboring some misunderstanding about me? Or perhaps you suspect those thugs in Foxfire County were part of an borate rescue scheme I orchestrated?”


    Carrie kept herposure, her voice steady. “Mr. Crawford, you’re overthinking things. I’m married, and my actions represent more than just myself.”


    Though she suspected the thugs might have been Nate’s doing, she had no proof. Spection without evidence would onlyplicate matters, and the situation already felt like a web.


    The waiter began delivering their dishes, momentarily interrupting their conversation. Nate, ever the image of refinement, ced several desserts before Carrie. “Let’s not discuss unpleasant matters while dining,” he said with a gentle smile.


    Carrie turned her focus to the desserts. One soufflé, shaped like a delicate camellia, caught her eye. Its cream petals transitioned seamlessly from pale pink to white, ented with droplets of maple sugar.


    As she took a bite, the elderflower strawberry filling provided a subtle tartness, perfectlyplementing the soufflé’s rich, creamy texture.


    She savored the treat, gazing out the window at the city’s sparkling nightscape. The lights of Orkset, on its path to bing a first-tier metropolis, shimmered like stars. Much of the city’s rise was owed to the Norris family, with Kristopher ying a pivotal role.


    As she admired the view, a reflection in the ss made her heart skip. Turning abruptly, she spotted Kristopher stepping out of a private room. A woman in a white dress clung to his sleeve—a mask covering her face, a wide-brimmed hat concealing her hair.


    Yet there was no mistaking her identity. It was Lise.


    Lise’s childlike mannerisms were painfully familiar as she leaned into Kristopher, her movements yful and intimate.


    Kristopher didn’t pull away, his expression one of indulgent helplessness. They seemed to exist in a world of their own, oblivious to Carrie and Nate by the window.


    She averted her gaze quickly, unwilling to let Nate notice. But when she turned back, her heart sank. Nate’s eyes, soft with sympathy, met hers.


    “Why do you pretend to be so strong in front of me?” he asked, his tone kind yet piercing.


    He had seen everything.


    Carrie felt her chest tighten with humiliation. The man she had painstakingly escaped from now witnessed her husband’s betrayal. She reached for her ss of juice, gripping it so tightly that her knuckles turned white.


    “Carrie,” Nate began in a gentle voice. “Why do you push me away for someone like him? You almost married me once, and now, after all this time, fate brings us together again. Isn’t that a sign?” He reached for her hand as he spoke.


    Carrie pulled back violently, her chair screeching against the floor.


    The noise drew annoyed nces from other diners, but Nate simply smiled and said, “Apologies, everyone. I upset my girlfriend.”


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