?Chapter 512:


    She methodically dried her hands, her lips curving into a calcted smile.


    “rissa, your talent for iming others’ possessions never ceases to amaze. Is this your measure of cleverness? Or perhaps it’s gic? Indeed, like mother, like daughter.”


    There was no mistaking the bite in her words, the mockeryced within them.


    rissa maintained herposure, her serenity undisturbed by the verbal assault.


    “My acquisitive nature isn’t universal—you’re my chosen target.”


    Her clear eyes locked with Corrine’s as her smile widened yfully.


    “I always believed you could maintain your cold indifference regardless of circumstances. But now…”


    Before she couldplete her thought, Corrine’s hand shot forward, fingers wrapping around rissa’s throat in one fluid motion.


    Corrine’s hand, ice-cold against rissa’s neck, made her flinch on instinct.


    The grip tightened, pressing hard enough to leave rissa gasping for air.


    A flush crept up her face as the suffocating pressure mounted.


    She pushed against Corrine’s hand, her brow creased as she struggled to force out a single breath.


    “Are you really this easily provoked?”


    rissa lifted her chin, her gaze locking onto Corrine’s with a strange steadiness.


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    There was no fear—no panic. Only an unsettling calm, tinged with something almost taunting.


    Corrine stared down at her, pinned against the cold wall, a flicker of malice glinting in her eyes.


    Slowly, she leaned in close and whispered near rissa’s ear, her voiceced with venom.


    “rissa Hond, I’m warning you—stay away from him.”


    rissa’s lips curled into a yful smirk.


    “Looks like you care more than you let on.”


    Corrine’s eyes darkened, her fingers digging in harder.


    “Say one more word, and I swear, you’ll never speak again.”


    The tension in her hand betrayed the restraint she was barely holding onto, her re searing into rissa’s face.


    “And don’t ever call me your sister again. The Hond family means nothing to me.”


    “If you don’t want to hear it, I won’t say it again.”


    rissa blinked up at her, her ssy eyes shimmering with unshed tears, catching the dim light like polished crystal.


    Corrine let out a sharp scoff and shoved her away, releasing her grip.


    rissa staggered but caught herself, leaning against the wall as she rubbed her sore neck.


    “Dad’s birthday is next week. Are you going to visit him? He’s been thinking about you all these years.”


    Corrine shot her a sidelong nce before letting out a low, bitterugh.


    “Thinking about me? Or just wondering if I’m still alive?”


    With that, she turned on her heel and walked away, never sparing a nce back.


    By sheer chance, as she stepped out, she brushed past Leah, whose eyes widened in shock.


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