?<strong>Chapter 317:</strong>


    Carrie blinked at Kristopher, trying to picture him as vulnerable. The story was new to her, and she couldn’t imagine Kristopher needing help from a man as inept as Cory. The mental image was absurd—like a lion needing a mouse to pull a thorn from its paw. She couldn’t even picture it in her mind.


    Kailee, perched on the edge of her seat, tilted her head in curiosity. “When did my dad save Kristopher?”


    Kristopher’s jaw tightened. A fleeting flicker of difort crossed his face. He didn’t want to dwell on it.


    Billie, realizing her slip, coughed and waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, that? Just some childhood nonsense.”


    Kailee, easily distracted, turned her attention to Albin, her brow furrowing. Kristopher’s earlierment had nted a seed of doubt in her mind. Could Albin’s cold demeanor be because Carrie had been saying things about her behind her back?


    Meanwhile, Carrie’s thoughts spiraled. Kristopher, the man she had spent years trying to love and understand, seemed more enigmatic than ever. He had secretsyers of his life she had never uncovered. She now realized that although she had devoted herself to tending their fragile rtionship, trying to be the wife he needed, she had never questioned his past or truly tried to know him.


    And yet, here they were. Why had his demeanor shifted recently? Was his sudden kindness genuine? Or was it calcted? Theories churned in her mind. Was he clinging to the marriage out of pride?


    But with Lise back and Kristopher now the head of the Norris family, he could be with whomever he wanted. Why was he reluctant to go through with the divorce now? Was it out of spite, a refusal to let her be the one to leave? Was he holding onto her to protect the Norris Group’s image, or perhaps saving his face? Carrie’s thoughts churned with countless questions.


    “Carrie.” Billie’s sharp tone snapped her out of her spiraling thoughts. “Stop sitting there like a bump on a log. Go check if the kitchen’s done with dinner.”


    Suppressing the irritation that red in her chest, Carrie nodded stiffly. “Got it, Billie.” As she moved toward the kitchen, her mind remained clouded with unanswered questions.


    Billie waited until Carrie was out of earshot before turning back to Kristopher. She said, her voice low but pointed, “I know about everything you’ve been keeping from your grandparents. I didn’t want to make things harder for you, so I called her back to talk alone. But now that you’ve followed her here, let’s get this straight. When do you n to divorce her? If you’re worried about her, give her Bayview Vi and add five million in cash. That should be enough for her to livefortably for the rest of her life.”


    Kristopher’s jaw tightened. Billie pressed on, her tone softening as if offering apromise. “If you’re worried about her, just give her Bayview Vi and five million in cash. That’s more than enough for her to livefortably for the rest of her life.”


    “We’re not divorcing,” Kristopher said tly. “We had an argument—what couple doesn’t? Even the best marriages have rough patches.” He leaned back against the sofa, his gaze drifting to the kitchen. Through the doorway, he could see Carrie’s slender frame moving with practiced efficiency. Her hands worked with precision, a skill honed from years spent tending to chores.


    Billie sighed, frustration flickering across her face. “Didn’t you like Lise? I didn’t care for her at first either, but she’s far more impressive than Carrie. She’s sessful, independent, and doesn’te with messy family ties—”


    “Mom,” Kristopher cut her off, his voice sharper now. “Why do you always meddle in my life? Lise and I are over. She’s like a little sister to me. Stop trying to push us together.”


    .


    .


    .