?Chapter 885:


    Nate’s words cut straight to the truth, but Evelyn, calm as ever after years of navigating tricky waters, didn’t so much as blink.


    She turned her eyes toward Nate, her expressionposed. “What else could it be? It’s just the usual kind of agreement between two families. That’s all.”


    “So, you’ve already met Corrine’s mother?” Nate asked, his voice light but edged with curiosity.


    “Of course.”


    “In that case, shouldn’t we start getting things in order and discuss marriage with the Ford family?” Nate’s tone remained casual, but his sharp gaze told a different story.


    For a brief moment, something unreadable flickered in Evelyn’s eyes. “Are youpletely sure this is what you want?”


    “There’s nothing to think about. She belongs with me, and that’s all there is to it.” His voice was steady, but the weight behind his words left no room for argument.


    Evelyn held his gaze for a beat before a faint smile tugged at her lips. “Looks like I was right about you after all.”


    Nate leaned back slightly. “If things hadn’t alreadye this far, would you really have let me walk away from the marriage agreement without a fight?” His voice stayed light, but the question itself felt anything but harmless. It sounded simple on the surface, but anyone paying attention would know it was full of pitfalls.


    If Evelyn tried to deny it, Nate would notice something suspicious. Her smile lingered, but a sharpness hid just beneath it. “There’s no point thinking about things that never happened.”


    The conversation ended there, and silence filled the room again. After several moments, Evelyn’s voice broke the stillness. “The cab meeting ising up in a few days. Why don’t you bring Corrine along?”


    Nate lowered his eyes, keeping his thoughts concealed behind his unreadable expression. He filled his own cup and then carefully set the pot back down. When he looked at Evelyn again, something sharp flickered in his gaze. “Didn’t you set all this in motion before you even showed up here?”


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    If Evelyn hadn’t already made her decision, she wouldn’t have invited Corrine to visit the Independent Continent earlier.


    In the end, whether Corrine went or not was never really Nate’s call. The choice had always belonged to Corrine. Just like Evelyn had said—if Corrine wanted to go, nobody would stand in her way.


    Evelyn didn’t answer him right away. Instead, she took another slow sip, her eyes wandering to the window. They narrowed slightly, and for an instant, her expression darkened. “The wind’s picking up. Looks like a storm’s on its way.”


    Returning to her bedroom, Corrine grabbed her ringing phone and saw an iing video call from Karina. Without a second thought, she swiped to answer, her screen filling with Karina’s bright smile and a backdrop of vibrant flowers.


    “Where are you?” Corrine asked, her curiosity piqued by the floral setting.


    “At Wi’s wedding,” Karina replied, her voice brimming with the festive energy of the event. Her eyes narrowed yfully as she took in Corrine’s cozy attire. “Wait… Are you still in bed?”


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