?Chapter 319:
Phillip and Kelvin stood behind Sean in the tranquil reception area, casting cold, judgmental nces at Oscar. Kelvin wished he had struck Oscar during their previous encounter. The sight of Oscar made him feel queasy.
Norah, wearing a regretful expression, leaned in to whisper to Sean, “We can’t leave on time like this.”
Sean reassured her, “It’s fine. Thepany matters are under control. I can returnter.”
Despite his words, the Scott Group had been dealing with a significant work backlog in recent weeks. Sean rationalized that stayingte was eptable if it meant being with Norah.
Anxious, Norah rubbed her forehead. Initially, she had hoped for an early departure, but now the prospect of leaving today seemed uncertain. Alice was tied to Riss from the Breaker, yet she had encouraged Norah to disrupt the Breaker’s arms trades. Norah couldn’t be sure about Alice’s feelings for Riss, and the possibility of Alice returning with her was unclear.
Norah held Sean’s hand, staring nkly at their palms.
Thirty minutester, Riss wheeled Alice into the reception room. “Norah,” Alice said, her voice hoarse. Her eyes and nose were red from crying. She trembled slightly in her wheelchair.
Norah released Sean’s hand and approached Alice, her concern evident on her face. “You…” Norah struggled to find the right words, feeling it inappropriate to ask Alice about the situation with others present.
Alice offered a tearful smile, holding Norah’s hand as she reassured her, “It’s alright.”
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In that moment, Norah understood the meaning behind Alice’s smile. She fell silent for a moment before her gaze shifted to the handsome man standing behind Alice. Riss mirrored Alice’s emotional state. Tear stains were visible on his chest, hinting at a shared, tearful embrace between the two. His gaze remained fixed on Alice.
“What are your thoughts? Are you going to leave with me?” Norah asked, her voice steady.
“Yes,” Alice responded, her determination clear.
Little did Alice know that Oscar had found her. Despite her careful efforts to avoid the Breaker’s pursuit over the years in Lochdeer, she was brought back to their base, where she encountered Riss once more.
As she reflected on this, Alice felt sorrowful, teetering on the brink of tears again. She had once advised Norah to learn to let go, but now she found herself in a simr predicament, feeling utterly bewildered.
Nevertheless, the pain from her past rtionship with Riss was something that could never be fixed. Alice had decided to move on—a resolve that was clear in her decision to change her name from Marley to Alice.
Riss ced a hand on Alice’s shoulder, his voice filled with desperation. “Marley, are you truly nning to leave me? Please don’t. I can’t bear the thought of being without you.”
Hemented his failure to properly care for Alice since losing her. During the quiet nights, he had prayed fervently for her return. Now that she stood before him, Riss felt overwhelmed with words he longed to say. He simply wished for her to stay by his side forever. “Marley…”
Riss’s hands on Alice’s shoulders conveyed the weight of his emotions.
Alice turned to face him, her expression serious. “Riss, I value my independence. I lead my own life. Please don’t try to control me any longer,” she stated firmly, her voice cold and devoid of warmth.
At her words, Riss’s heart skipped a beat, and he froze, unable to believe what he was hearing. He couldn’t understand how, despite his care and love for her, she perceived him as controlling.
“Marley, it’s not what you think…” Riss began, instinctively trying to exin himself. He loved her deeply, and since she left, he hadn’t developed feelings for any other woman.
But he stopped himself, realizing the truth in her words. He wondered if her departure had been because of his controlling nature and the betrayal she had felt. Seeing her alive before him was a blessing, and he was determined not to lose her again.
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