?<strong>Chapter 382:</strong>


    Carrie’s lip curled into a sneer. “I walked over openly. How exactly is that sneaky?” She folded her arms, her eyes locking onto his. “Or are you freaking out because you’ve got something to hide?”


    Tristan stiffened, his face flushing with anger, but before he could erupt, Cindy discreetly nudged his arm. She stepped forward, stering on a concerned expression.


    “Carrie,” Cindy began in a sickly sweet tone, “there’s no need to speak so harshly to your father. Now that you’ve got most of thepany shares and your star is rising, you have everything anyone could ever want. Why can’t you show a littlepassion for us poor souls? My Yara is badly hurt and still missing…”


    Her voice cracked, and a few tears glistened in her eyes. For a moment, it looked genuine—perhaps because she was actually thinking of Yara.


    Carrie raised an eyebrow, unmoved. Her gaze flickered to the hospital behind them. “Why are they loitering outside instead of going in?” she wondered. But pity had no ce in her heart for them. Whatever suffering they were enduring now was their own doing.


    “Yara’s situation has nothing to do with me,” Carrie replied coolly, cutting through Cindy’s charade. “If she hadn’t tried to harm me, she wouldn’t have ended up involved with someone like Nate.” Her voice sharpened, slicing through the tension like a knife. “Nate’s in custody now.”


    “I’m willing to let the past go,” Carrie said, her voice steady but firm. “But if you dare target my grandmother again, don’t me me for being ruthless.”


    Cindy flinched at Carrie’s words, her expression faltering before she quickly recovered. Years of maniption had taught her to mask her true feelings. She forced a smile and cooed, “Why all this talk of violence? We’re just here to see Gracie.”


    Tristan, sensing his wife was losing ground, puffed up his chest and switched tactics. His voice thundered with the authority of an elder. “Like it or not, I am your father—morally and legally! You have a duty to support me. If you drive me to ruin, it won’t reflect well on you either!”


    Before Carrie could respond, a security guard approached, alerted by themotion. “Didn’t I already tell you to leave?” he barked, his sharp eyes focused on Tristan and Cindy. “Why are you still here?”


    When the guard noticed Carrie, his demeanor shiftedpletely. A smile softened his face. “Mrs. Norris, is there anything I can help with? Mr. Norris specifically instructed us not to let these two into the hospital.”


    Carrie blinked, momentarily surprised, then felt a warm flicker in her chest. So, Kristopher had already taken steps to protect her. Her expression softened as she looked at the young guard. “Thank you. You’ve done well. I’ll make sure Mr. Norris hears about your dedication.”


    The guard, who couldn’t have been older than a college student, blushed under her praise. Mrs. Norris wasn’t just beautiful—she was kind too. He straightened up, filled with pride and determination. “Thank you, Mrs. Norris,” he said earnestly. “Would you like me to remove them?”


    Tristan’s temper red. “Remove us? Are you blind? Can’t you see we’re her parents? You’re just a guard! You’re crossing the wrong people!”


    Carrie chuckled softly, but her words were razor-sharp. “You really think you can just waltz in and dere yourselves my parents?”


    Tristan’s face turned a deep red as he struggled for aeback. But then his gaze flicked to something behind Carrie, and his demeanor shifted abruptly. “I don’t have time to argue with a disrespectful child like you,” he muttered, grabbing Cindy’s arm. “Let’s go.” With that, they hurried off in another direction.


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