?Chapter 3096:


    “That so?” Neville’s smile didn’t change. “Then tell me—what brings you here?”


    Ernest inhaled deeply, rose to his feet, and bowed slightly as a sign of respect. “Mr. Brown, I’m here to formally ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage. Elissa and I truly care about each other, and I wish to take her home with me…”


    “Absolutely not!” A furious voice sliced through the room.


    Savannah had stepped onto thest stair just in time to hear his deration, and her temper ignited instantly.


    “Take her home?” she shot back without restraint. “Elissa is my daughter, and her home is here in Ontmond with us. She has her family here, and she’s not going anywhere!” Her voice grew sharper with every word.


    “Don’t you understand innguage? How many times must I repeat myself?” She pressed a hand to her abdomen, wincing.


    “Savannah!” Neville panicked and hurried to steady her, worry flooding his face. “Don’t push yourself too hard.”


    She had undergone galldder surgery just over a year ago.


    “Let’s discuss this calmly, alright?” Neville urged.


    “I’m perfectly fine! I’m not on my deathbed!” Savannah snapped, brushing off his hand before turning her full attention back to Ernest. “Let me make this crystal clear one more time—forget it. You will never take my daughter away from me.”


    “Mrs. Brown,” Ernest said, having already prepared himself for her hostility. He hadn’t expected to win her over today, but he still attempted to reason with her.


    Be part of ourmunity on


    His brows knit together as he spoke. “Elissa is already an adult. She has the right to choose her own path. Even as her parents, you can’t make that decision for her.”


    “Dad, Mom!” Elissa’s shaky voice drifted from the stairs.


    “Elissa!” Ernest’s face immediately brightened, instinctively moving toward her.


    But Savannah stepped in front of him, blocking him like a shield.


    “Elissa? Why did youe downstairs?” she demanded, fury rising again. “Where are the servants? The caretakers? What exactly are they doing if they can’t even keep an eye on you?”


    “Savannah!” Neville murmured, pulling her gently into his arms to steady her. “Please… calm yourself. Elissa is already here. Let’s hear what she wants to say.”


    He nodded encouragingly at his stepdaughter. “Go on, sweetheart. Tell us what you think.”


    “O-okay…” Elissa inhaled deeply, trying to steady her nerves. “Dad, Mom… I—I’m willing to…”


    “Shut up!” Savannah’s voice cracked like a whip, cutting her off before she could finish. Her eyes were bloodshot, her breath uneven.


    With a hardened heart, she spoke, tears spilling from the corners of her eyes.


    “Do you not have any idea what condition you’re in?” she demanded, her voice trembling with a mixture of grief and anger.


    Elissa froze, the cold spreading upward from her toes, her back turning rigid.


    “Elissa?” Ernest winced as though he had been struck, directing a pained re at Savannah. “If you need someone to me, take it out on me instead.”


    “Oh, I absolutely will.” Unable to bear looking at her daughter’s stricken expression, Savannah redirected her fury at Ernest. “You can make all the promises you want, swear loyalty, swear devotion, but what difference does it make?” she challenged. “Given Elissa’s condition, how long do you think you can shoulder the burden? Caring for someone who is chronically ill wears a person down. It destroys rtionships and marriages. No one can endure that forever.”


    She let out a bitter, humorlessugh before adding, “And let’s not pretend society is kind. You’re a businessman, part of Srixby’s upper circle. Don’t tell me you’re not worried about peopleughing behind your back because your wife is someone like Elissa.”


    Ernest’s expression faltered, and he immediately looked toward Elissa.


    She stood motionless, her face devoid of color, as if Savannah’s words had physically struck her. The cruelty of it was undeniable.


    “That’s enough,” Ernest said sharply.


    Savannah, however, pressed on relentlessly. “Can you silence every rumor? Every whisper?” she demanded. “Even if you tolerate it now, can you honestly endure it for the rest of your life?”


    “Enough!” Ernest’s voice cracked, his eyes turning red as he clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. “Please… just stop.”


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