?Chapter 571:


    Corrine immediately set the apple and knife down, reaching for the ss of water on the table. She helped him sit up, steadying him as he took a sip.


    Carl’s eyes shifted, catching the glint of the ring on her finger. His expression stiffened ever so slightly. When he looked up again, the warmth in his gaze had faded, reced by something heavier.


    “Corrine…” His voice was no longer light, no longer reassuring. This time, it carried weight. A quiet, unspoken gravity.


    “What?” Corrine’s gaze lifted, locking onto Carl’s eyes. For once, the usual warmth in his expression had vanished, reced by something far sterner. His normally clouded eyes were sharp, his gaze steady and unwavering.


    “Every step you take in life carries weight. When you are young, driven by passion, it is easy to believe everything is within your control. But some choices have consequences you may not be able to bear. Do you understand? One wrong move could cost you everything.”


    Corrine’s grip tightened around the ss in her hand before she silently set it down. Before she could respond, Jayden’s voice cut through the tension.


    “Corrine, end the marriage arrangement.”


    This was the third time someone had told her the same thing. Why? Why was everyone so insistent that she break it off?


    Doubt, which she had buried deep in the recesses of her mind, began creeping back in. Slowly, she looked up, her expression unreadable as her gaze met Jayden’s. He held her stare, calm andposed. Then, his voice dropped, steady but firm.


    “Corrine, let me be honest with you. The entire Ford family is strongly against this arrangement.”


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    “Strongly against.” The phrase was deliberate.


    It was clear now that the Ford family had always known about the arrangement, yet she—the one most affected by it—had been left in the dark. If Nate had not presented Carl with the token of their arrangement, the Ford family wouldn’t have even acknowledged it.


    But why? This arrangement had surfaced out of nowhere, and the Ford family’s opposition was unwavering. Every sign pointed to something deeper, something unspeakable lurking beneath the surface. Would marrying Natee at an unimaginable price? Or would it put her life in danger?


    Silence settled over the room, thick with unspoken truths. Carl watched her carefully, noting the way her expression hardened.


    Finally, Corrine exhaled, her voice steady when she spoke.


    “Can you tell me why?” Her gaze flicked between Carl and Jayden, her patience wearing thin.


    “Back then, none of you said a word about this arrangement to me. Now, you are all demanding that I end it. What is the real reason?”


    Carl rubbed his thumb against his forefinger, his voice measured but evasive.


    “You are still young. There is no need to rush into marriage. Besides, the Ford family has no reason to form political alliances anymore. We stand strong on our own.”


    “Is that so?” Corrine murmured, a faint, knowing smile curving her lips.


    But her eyes told another story—one of suspicion, of quiet defiance. She did not believe him.


    The Ford family had no need for strategic marriages—fine. But the excuse that she was too young? That was weak.


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