?Chapter 572:


    “Grandpa, I am not a child,” she said, her voice calm but firm.


    “Do you truly expect me to believe that?”


    She met Carl’s gaze head-on.


    “What exactly are you hiding? Why are you so adamant that I end this marriage arrangement? And more importantly—how did this arrangement evene to be?”


    Carl’s jaw tensed. He had already said too much.


    He inhaled deeply, regaining hisposure before answering.


    “It was arranged by your mother. I do not know the specifics.”


    A new voice broke the silence. Jacob, who had remained quiet until now, finally spoke.


    “Miss Hond, listen to your grandfather. He would never do anything to harm you.”


    “Corrine, marriage is not a decision to take lightly,” Jayden added.


    “Think carefully before you proceed.”


    One by one, they all urged her to walk away. Yet not one of them had given her a solid reason. And that only strengthened her resolve.


    Corrine’s instincts whispered that there was a story buried beneath all this secrecy—a truth waiting to be uncovered.


    Corrine had never doubted her grandfather’s loyalty to the Ford family. But this time, their attitude made her wonder. Why were they so opposed to her marrying Nate?


    “Grandpa, if you don’t want to tell me, there’s no need toe up with an excuse just to brush me off. I can wait,” Corrine said calmly, cing the peeled apple on the table. Her expression was unreadable as she carefully wiped her fingertips with a tissue.


    Let your imagination soar with g?lnσν???s


    “When you’re ready to tell me, I will think about whether or not to call off the arrangement.”


    She crumpled the tissue and tossed it into the trash before turning on her heel and walking away.


    Jayden watched her go, a deep frown settling on his face.


    Corrine had always been strong-willed. She might appear obedient on the surface, but once she set her mind on something, there was no changing it.


    If she said she needed to know the reason before even considering breaking off the arrangement, then she would not end it easily.


    After she left the hospital room, Corrine’s phone rang. It was Jules. He asked about their grandfather’s health, and after giving him a brief update, Corrine took the opportunity to bring up the arrangement.


    “You’re right. Their attitude is definitely strange,” Jules admitted.


    “But to be fair, this marriage arrangement came out of nowhere. It’s only natural for them to want you to reconsider.”


    Corrine pressed the elevator button, her expression unreadable.


    “The problem is, they’re clearly hiding something from me. They want me to call it off yet refuse to exin why this marriage arrangement even exists in the first ce. Why?”


    Jules exhaled.


    “Are you saying there’s some backstory to all this?”


    “Exactly!” Corrine said, frustration creeping into her voice.


    Jules let out a dry chuckle.


    .


    .


    .