?Chapter 197:


    Merlin continued, “Everything that happened today proves my point. Elliana isn’t safe to keep around. I even think this sudden marriage wasn’t random. It could’ve been her plot all along.”


    Watching Cole stay silent and stone-faced, Merlin raised his voice even more. “Keeping her close is like holding onto a fuse that’s already lit. That kind of risk will only keep growing. If you don’t let her go now, you’ll always be one step away from disaster!”


    With every word Merlin threw into the room, the pressure inside thickened, like a storm cloud settling over their heads…


    The tension in the room had grown suffocating, and Manley was the first to crack under its weight. He nced at Cole—still silent, unreadable—and then shifted his eyes to An, seated beside him. Usuallyposed and soft-spoken, An now wore a grave expression, his gentle demeanor stripped away by the seriousness of the moment.


    “Cole, I may not understand what draws you to Elliana, but I can see that your feelings for her are real. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that Merlin has a point—and this time, I’m with him.”


    An leaned forward, his tone taking on an almost pleading quality. “There are all kinds of women in the world. Finding someone you care about is rare, I get that. But caring about someone shouldn’t mean gambling with your life. What we witnessed today… Elliana isn’t just impressive—she’s frightening.”


    Across the room, Aron and Hugh exchanged uneasy nces. Though their time with Elliana had been limited, she hadn’t struck them as dangerous—at least, not toward Cole. Yet, after what they’d seen, they couldn’t ignore the possibility. For Cole’s safety, they too found themselves aligning with Merlin’s judgment, however reluctantly.


    Manley spoke up. “Cole, I think Elliana is nice. I really do. Butpared to your safety, that doesn’t carry weight.”


    Now, every pair of eyes in the room was trained on Cole. But he remained still.


    Then, without warning, Merlin reached out and slid the ck handgun resting on the table toward Cole. “If you’re serious about eliminating the threat,” he said, “this is the time. The ce. The stars have aligned.” No one spoke—but everyone knew exactly what Merlin meant. If there was ever a perfect time to end Elliana—it was now.


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    Atst, Cole lifted his head. His gaze swept across the room, sharp and unwavering. “Is that what you all want?” he asked, his voice quiet but cutting. “For me to kill her—right here, right now?”


    A suffocating silence followed. No one dared to answer. No one dared to breathe.


    Manley was the first to crack. He shifted ufortably, scratching the back of his neck. “I don’t think it has to go that far,” he said, his voice strained. “Just divorce her. Cast her out of the Evans family. That alone would neutralize the threat. If she turns troublesome after that, then maybe you can take harsher steps.”


    An and Merlin exchanged nces but said nothing. They didn’t disagree. Killing Elliana was overkill. Effective, yes—but brutal. Unnecessary, if exile would suffice.


    A soft, mirthlessugh escaped Cole. “I know your concernes from loyalty—and for that, I appreciate it. But my marriage, my wife… Those are my decisions. I don’t appreciate outside interference. Let this be thest time this subjectes up.”


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