?<strong>Chapter 247:</strong>


    He hesitated before responding awkwardly, “Got it, Grandma.”


    Mny paused, confused. “Wait, when did Bayview Vi get a dog?”


    Carrie’s tone was casual, almost yful. “Oh, it’s a stray Kristopher found. Maybe he’ll bring it home someday.”


    Mny bought Carrie’s story without further questions and hung up after offering a few more words of advice.


    After the call ended, the room fell silent.


    Kristopher’s gaze was fixed on Carrie, cold and inscrutable.


    Carrie, however, was unfazed.


    She met his gaze with calm defiance and said, “I’m a little hungry right now. If you want to scold me or argue, can we do it after I eat?”


    Kristopher didn’t take the bait.


    Instead, his tone softened, though his words stung. “Lise didn’t have a great family growing up.”


    She might have some ws and act out sometimes, but she has a good heart. She would never hurt anyone.”


    The bitterness hit Carrie like a wave.


    So, he wasn’t blind to Lise’s behavior—he simply chose to overlook it, letting Carrie bear the brunt of the consequences.


    Did he ever stop to think about her own struggles? Her upbringing hadn’t been perfect either—a cold-hearted, greedy father, a life devoid of genuine affection—yet she had chosen to rise above it.


    Family circumstances might shape someone, but they didn’t define their character.


    Kristopher was pushing on her frayed nerves again.


    Suppressing her anger, Carrie retorted sharply, “What kind of ridiculous logic is that? What do you mean by having a bad temperament but a good heart? A person’s heart defines them—how do you separate the two? If my hand killed someone, would you say it’s not my fault, and that just my hand should go to jail?”


    The room fell into an awkward silence.


    Kristopher’s face twitched, as if he wanted to argue but couldn’t find the words.


    Eventually, he sighed and changed the subject. “Willow made your favorite dishes,” he said softly.


    Kristopher would concoct the most oundish excuses to defend Lise.


    Carrie simply replied, “Understood,” and made her way toward the dining room.


    She had no desire to waste energy sparring over such futile arguments.


    The logic was crystal clear to everyone. Kristopher wasn’t some naive dreamer; his achievements spoke volumes about his intellect.


    Yet when it came to Lise, his stubbornness defied all reason.


    Given this, Carrie could only bide her time, quietly gathering irrefutable proof of Lise’s deceit.


    The day she presented it to Kristopher, she intended to shatter his illusions beyond repair.


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