?Chapter 251:


    For a moment, he seemed taken aback by his own words, a flicker of something—perhaps regret—crossing his face. But it quickly vanished, reced by a cold sneer. “I didn’te here to talk about us.”


    My gaze hardened. “Then what? I have nothing to discuss with you.”


    With that, I turned to walk away, unwilling to waste another second on him.


    “Wait!” Frank stepped in front of me, his expression serious. “Do you even know what’s happening? Because of previous events and what went down with Kristina, the Dunn family is on the brink. Without support, we’re struggling to survive.”


    I raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “And why should I care?”


    His voice was tinged with desperation as he continued, “Even if you’re angry with me, your father is still your father. There’s no such thing as an irreparable rift between a father and daughter. Are you really willing to abandon the Dunn family over something so trivial?”


    Frank’s pov:


    I had hoped my probing questions would make Makenna feel some semnce of shame or regret. But rather than remorse, she met my words with a cold, disdainfulugh.


    “Do you think I don’t know why you’re here?” she said, her voice dripping with contempt. “It’s clear you’ve offended the princes, made a series of mistakes, and fallen out of favor with the king. Now, you’re left with no other options.”


    Her words cut through my desperation, leaving me flushed with embarrassment as I stuttered, “You…”


    I had no counterargument, because deep down, I knew she was right. Both the Dunn family and I were teetering on the brink of disaster. Makenna was our only hope; she was well regarded by the princes, and given that the Dunn family was her own, I couldn’t understand why she would turn her back on us.


    I wanted to argue, but the piercing rity in her eyes rendered me speechless.


    Feel the thrill at g aln  ov el s .


    Makenna’s sneer grew more bitter. She turned to leave, her back to me.


    “Wait!” I called out, reaching for her hand, desperate to keep her from walking away.


    But she spun around, her hand connecting with my face in a sharp p. The sound echoed in my ears, and a searing pain exploded across my cheek.


    Makenna… She hit me?


    I stood there, stunned and unsure how to react, my gaze fixed on her in disbelief. She had never struck me before. I remembered our time together fondly—she had always been gentle, her eyes filled with affection and concern whenever she looked at me.


    Now, however, she was a different person. Her gaze was filled with disgust and fury.


    Her voice was icy, her words slicing through the air. “I am now a prince’s woman. If you dare to harass me again, a p will be the least of your worries!”


    With that, she shook off my hand and mmed the door behind her with a finality that reverberated through me.


    The echo of the closing door jolted me back to reality. I stood there, numb and disoriented, my heart tangled in a jumble of emotions and a profound sense of loss.


    I had meant to go home after my shift, but I had identally seen Makenna and yton together, walking side by side in a way that was both intimate and sweet. The sight of them drove me to follow, leading me straight to her residence.


    Watching them part, with yton kissing Makenna’s forehead—a gesture she didn’t shy away from but instead weed with a blush and augh—ignited a green-eyed fury within me. That should have been my ce.


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