?<strong>Chapter 477:</strong>


    Did he harbor feelings for her?


    The thought startled her, causing her fingers to curl involuntarily in herp. “I’m married to Kristopher,” she emphasized, her voice steady. “So I should follow his family’s generational hierarchy.”


    Daxton’s expression softened. He retracted his leg into the car and closed the door with measured movements. “Kristopher and I don’t see eye to eye,” he exined patiently. “Honestly, I don’t want to acknowledge this family connection or benefit from the Norris family.”


    His gaze met hers, a mixture of vulnerability and resignation crossing his features. “For someone older than you, it’s challenging to ept that a girl I’ve always considered my junior is suddenly a generation above me.”


    Carrie studied him, her eyes clearing as if dispelling an illusory moment. She searched his eyes, finding no trace of intimacy or guilt. Her curled fingers gradually rxed.


    Embarrassment crept in.


    If Daxton had truly liked her, he would have confessed during their college years. Back then, she was just a young girl, and he had shown no romantic interest. Now, with her being married to his least favorite rtive, the idea seemed absurd.


    She bit her back teeth, silently chastising herself. With age, she was bing increasingly self-absorbed.


    Upon seeing Carrie, Ailyn turned to the room with a dramatic flourish. “Stop chatting, everyone,” she announced with a bright, almost performative smile. “Our campus belle has arrived. I wonder how many hearts will break tonight, seeing her all settled and spoken for.”


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    As soon as the voice resonated, the once vibrant private room turned eerily quiet, and all eyes darted towards the door.


    Time had etched lines on the faces of those gathered—except for Carrie. Deep down, they had harbored a hope that Carrie’s radiant beauty would have dimmed, that the once untouchable goddess had descended to their mortal realm.


    Yet, to their astonishment, she had transformed, her allure magnified. Time had graced her with a refined elegance. Compared to her high school days, she was like a budding flower that had bloomed into its full glory.


    The men found themselves unable to look away. The vision of their youthful desires stood before them, more enchanting than ever, yet her heart was pledged to another—a man they deemed undeserving.


    A wave of regret, bitterness, and the sharp pang of lost chances swept through them.


    Meanwhile, the women huddled, whispering fervently, “Notice the shimmer of the pearls around her neck? Absolutely stunning.”


    “And that gown—surely it’s the work of a top-tier designer’s recent collection?”


    Before Carrie’s arrival, Ailyn had been busily weaving malicious gossip about her.


    Suddenly, someone questioned, “Isn’t her husband a mere junior staff member? The jewelry, her gown—it must’ve cost a fortune. Not even a senior manager at Norris Group could unt such extravagance. Are they stretching their finances too thin? Or is this akin to ‘The Ne’ by Maupassant—a facade masking their reality?”


    “Look, we’re living in modern times. Getting a decent imitation doesn’t have to break the bank. With all the counterfeits out there, you can snag a passable set for a couple hundred bucks.”


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