?<strong>Chapter 425:</strong>


    The manughed, low and guttural. “Your parents? They just sold thepany for scraps.”


    “If they knew you were here, why would they have left you wandering alone in the parking lot?”


    He shoved her into the back seat with little effort, his strength unnervingly effortless. Before she could utter another word, he stuffed a rag into her mouth.


    Meanwhile, at the Norris Group building, Kristopher and Carrie arrived in a sleek ck car driven by Oliver.


    Kristopher turned to Carrie, a faint smile softening his otherwise sharp features. Leaning in, he nted a kiss on her forehead. “Don’t wait up for me tonight. Finish your work, get some rest. I’ve got a contract to sign.”


    Carrie, everposed, tilted her head up, adjusting his shirt cor with an almost instinctive grace. “Not in Orkset?”


    “No, I’m headed to Ofrubert. I’ll be back tomorrow, and we can have dinner together. Just the two of us.”


    Kristopher’s hand found hers, his fingers brushing over hers in a way that seemed almost unconscious. For the first time, he realized that even the smallest gestures—simple, quiet moments like this—could hold a world of meaning.


    “Okay,” Carrie responded quietly.


    Kristopher sped her hand briefly, then hesitantly let go and exited the car. Carrie followed his progress to the door with her gaze, then shifted her attention and settled deeper into her seat.


    “Mrs. Norris, shall we return to Bayview Vi?” Oliver asked, looking at Carrie through the rearview mirror.


    Her phone buzzed.


    Opening her messaging app, Carrie read the screen and hesitated. Then she said, “No, take me to Hazelnut Time Coffee Shop.”


    The WhatsApp chat on her screen disyed two new messages from Daxton.


    “Carrie, I’m in Orkset again. How about dinner? Please don’t find a reason to say no this time?”


    Suddenly, Carrie recalled that Daxton was rted to her somehow. When Kristopher had mentioned it, it hadn’t seemed important, but now it felt strangely awkward. A former schoolmate she had admired was now a rtive.


    However, every cloud has a silver lining. Since Daxton was practically family, there was no reason to avoid him. Otherwise, as Mrs. Norris, meeting a male friend alone would be unseemly.


    Lost in thought, her fingers swiftly typed a response, saying, “Sure, dinner’s on me.” She then shared the location of Hazelnut Time Coffee Shop with Daxton.


    Oliver, observing from the rearview mirror, saw only Carrie engrossed with her phone, unable to see the disy. After a moment, he redirected his focus to the road and murmured, “Very well, Mrs. Norris.”


    At Hazelnut Time Coffee Shop, Carrie had been waiting in the private room for an hour, yet there was no sign of Daxton.


    “I’m here. The first room on the left. Where are you?” She sent two messages, but received no reply.


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