?Chapter 1136:

    The truth hit her like a cold p. If she had known it woulde to this, she wouldn’t have bent over backward to try to win Connor’s approval. She should’ve stayed with Aelfric—at least he had genuinely cared for her.

    But now? She had burned her bridges with both men. She couldn’t return to her family, and Connor had made it clear she was disposable. What was left for her?

    Lost in thought, she barely registered the hurried arrival of Foley and De.

    The couple had been watching from the sidelines, curious to see how Chloe’s pursuit of Connor would y out. They hadn’t expected Aelfric to be there—or for Chloe to end up injured. rmed, they rushed over to diffuse the situation.

    De was the first to step forward, greeting Connor with all the politeness she could muster, then nodding toward Aelfric before putting on an exaggerated expression of shock. “Oh my! What happened here?”

    Foley quickly jumped in, trying to match her energy. “We were just strolling through the garden and happened to spot you, Uncle Connor. We thought we’d stop by and say hello. But… how did Chloe end up hurt?”

    Connor and Aelfric exchanged a nce, their expressions dripping with disdain as they looked at the couple—two clowns performing their act. Neither of them bothered to say a word.

    It was Domenic, standing dutifully behind Connor, who finally broke the silence. “Mr. Warren was a bit careless,” he exined tersely. “Some soup identally spilled on Miss Brock’s face.”

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    De put on a stiff smile. “Oh, just a little mishap, then! Nothing serious. I’ll take Chloe to get cleaned up. Connor, Mr. Warren—please, carry on with your discussion.”

    Without missing a beat, she helped Chloe to her feet, offered a hasty farewell, and ushered her away, herposure cracking as she left.

    Foley trailed after them, awkwardly mumbling his goodbyes.

    Once they had left, the pavilion was finally still. Yet Aelfric’s expression only grew darker, the storm within him intensifying. He had resolved to let Chloe go, but the love he had once felt for her was no passing infatuation—it had been real. And now, that same love twisted in his chest, leaving him with a deep, aching pain.

    Connor, meanwhile, seemed rather satisfied. Aelfric had attempted to embarrass Marissa earlier, clearly hoping to humiliate him in the process. But now the tables had turned, and Connor had exacted his revenge wlessly.

    “Mr. Warren,” he began with a measured smile, “to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit today?”

    Aelfric was no ordinary man. Though romantic disappointments and the taunts of his nemesis had cut him deeply, he was not one to let emotional turbulence steer him off course. He bore his wounds with quiet dignity, refusing to let them derail his grand ambitions. Hopelessly romantic as he was, his determination remained steadfast, like a lighthouse in a storm. He had mastered the art of knowing when to hold on and when to let go.

    Having wiped Chloe’s image clean from his mind, he raised his head to meet Connor’s gaze. His expression was once again calm andposed, like still water hiding its depth. “Mr. Daniels, I’m here to discuss the marriage between Melinda and Derek,” he announced coolly.

    Connor arched a brow, his curiosity piqued.

    Had Marissa not tipped him off about Aelfric’s strings being pulled by that shady organization, he might have bought the act. On the surface, it seemed like genuine brotherly concern for his sister’s future—perfectly in line with Aelfric’s reputation for doting on Melinda.

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