?Chapter 972:


    Now, even though she was just a little upset, Giselle was very concerned about her. This made her genuinely happy. Deciding not to hide anything, she decided to tell her mother everything that had happened today.


    A quick pat on the seat beside her invited Giselle to sit down, and Brenna held out her phone to show her the photo Thiago had sent her.


    “Take a look at this. Gracie took off her clothes and hugged Ethan, just to y on his sympathy and get him to feel sorry for her. This makes me very ufortable. Honestly, I just want to break up with him.” Brenna lowered her gaze.


    Giselle studied the photo carefully, her brows furrowing. Although she had never been particrly supportive of Brenna dating Ethan, she hadn’t strongly opposed it either, seeing how much her daughter liked him.


    Years of life inside a wealthy household had taught Giselle the truth about those glossy, respectable facades. Shepard looked like a perfect husband and father in public, but she knew his secrets outside the family all too well. For her own reasons, she’d chosen to keep quiet, epting that these scandals were just the cost of belonging to a family like theirs.


    Over the years, she had endured countless grievances quietly, never sharing her pain with anyone.


    Seeing Brenna endure heartbreak was more than she could bear. She had noticed this pattern before; wealthy men often repeated the same mistakes. Ethan might have been loyal at the moment, but that didn’t promise whaty ahead.


    No matter how well Ethan behaved, she remained clear-headed.


    When Giselle noticed how down Brenna looked, she could not bring herself to add to her pain. She held back from telling Brenna that she had already expected things to end this way.


    She had no intention of turning this moment into a chance to show off her own wisdom or foresight. What truly mattered to her was finding a way tofort her daughter, even just a little.


    Softly, Giselle said, “Look carefully. That woman, even dressed like that, seems to have injuries all over her body. And see—Ethan isn’t hugging her back. That means he doesn’t want to hug her. Maybe the truth is moreplicated than it seems. If you can, you might want to let him exin this to you.”


    Brenna had no experience in rtionships. She just didn’t want to be mistreated.


    “If he didn’t want that, he could have pushed her away.” Images from earlier reyed in Brenna’s mind—Ethan pleading for her trust after work. She felt conflicted. While she was angry at Ethan, she instinctively believed that Gracie had been the one to seduce him and that Ethan had been passive in the situation.


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    Even though she was giving Ethan the cold shoulder, her feelings were a mess. She believed he hadn’t done anything to betray her, but she also didn’t want to forgive him. Why hadn’t Ethan avoided Gracie’s hug?


    Thinking of that, she couldn’t bring herself to forgive Ethan.


    Giselle let out a quiet, amusedugh. “I understand that you’re angry with him because of this. If he’s made you this upset, maybe it’s time you gave him a taste of his own medicine.”


    A spark of mischief appeared in Brenna’s eyes, and her gloom faded away. “You are right! He’s acted like my feelings don’t matter at all, letting that woman get so close to him. There’s no reason I should just forgive him. Mom, how do you suggest I give him a taste of his own medicine?”


    “Leave it to me. Tomorrow, don’t bother eating in the cafeteria at work. I’ve arranged a lunch meeting for you with someone new.” Deep down, Giselle really wanted Brenna to be reminded that Ethan wasn’t the only man worth her attention.


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