?Chapter 489:


    Brendon let out a humorlessugh. “And what entitlement do you think you possess to im that ce? No matter your justifications, it’s never going to be yours.”


    “Exactly!” Katie jumped in, her eyes gleaming with spite. “Even if the Dawsons were wiped out, it still wouldn’tnd in yourp! We’d give it to strangers before letting it go to a disgrace like you.”


    Christina let out a low, amusedugh, lifting one brow. “We’ll see about that. Before your lineage fadespletely, you’d better watch closely and see who ends up holding the keys.”


    “Are you wishing death on us?” Katie shot her a venomous re.


    Christina grinned. “I didn’t say that. You brought up ‘wiped out,’ not me. Don’t twist your own words to suit your outrage. Own what you say.”


    “You!” Katie’s rage overwhelmed her, leaving her speechless.


    Christina eased back into the chair, her expression unreadable, and shut her eyes with deliberate calm.


    “You better hope my grandmother pulls through, or I won’t let you off easy,” Brendon warned, settling beside her.


    No reaction. Watching her recline, ignoring him altogether, only made Brendon’s temper spike. “Did you hear me, Christina?” he barked.


    She remained still, as though in deep slumber.


    “Do you really have to act like this? Don’t you know that avoiding the issue makes you really annoying?” Brendon added, his voice tight.


    Her stillness remained uninterruptedshes unmoving—fueling his rising rage. “Christina! You—” Brendon reached to touch her shoulder, but in a blink, her hand snapped up and caught his wrist.


    “What’s your intention?” Brendon scowled, tugging to free himself—but she held firm.


    “Let go!” hemanded.


    Christina didn’t flinch, her grip only strengthening.


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    “Agh!” Brendon gasped, his breath catching from the pain.


    She then shoved his hand away with a sharp jolt, rising to her full height, her presencemanding. “If you have nothing better to say, maybe you should find a more useful way to upy your mouth.” With that, she drifted toward another seat by the wall.


    Before shutting her eyes again, she tossed them a sharp nce. “Try me, and I’ll tten both of you right here—hospital or not. You won’t even need to call an ambnce…” She tilted her chin toward the ER entrance. “It’s a short trip—real convenient.”


    With those words, she closed her eyes once more.


    Katie burned with rage, jaw clenched so tightly that her teeth ached—but she stayed rooted to the spot. She knew Christina wasn’t bluffing. Her face still throbbed from theirst run-in.


    Brendon kept his distance, his nerves shot, still remembering how Christina had nearly crushed him with a vicious throw. Ever since the divorce, Christina had unraveled.


    Brendon thought back to her behavior after the separation, eyes narrowing. It was evident that the end of their marriage had deeply unsettled her mind—and maybe even broken something permanent inside.


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