Lise spoke these words partly to offer Carrie an escape route, but mostly because she craved Carrie’s suffering—the same agony she had endured. Even if they vited Carrie, she remained a Morrison family member. The family would bury the incident deep, protecting her future from scandal.

    Sumner’s brow creased as he considered their options. “Where should we take her? The car?”

    Fraser cut him off with a sharp gesture. “Absolutely not in the vehicle. Any traces we leave behind—DNA, fluids—will lead investigators straight to our doorstep.”

    He exhaled heavily, scanning their surroundings before pointing toward the distance. “Beyond that ridge lies a cliff. Even if she regains consciousness halfway through, she’ll have nowhere to flee.”

    “No!” The word exploded from Lise’s lips, stopping him cold.

    She understood Carrie’s nature too well after their countless encounters. Given any opportunity, Carrie would hurl herself from that cliff without a moment’s hesitation. Survival might be possible, but the child growing inside her wouldn’t stand a chance.

    Previously, Lise had schemed to make Carrie lose her baby, hoping to sever her connection to Kristopher. Now, she desperately wanted that pregnancy to continue—for the exact same reason.

    Time had woven unexpected threads through Lise’s heart. Despite initially pursuing Kristopher’s wealth, genuine feelings had taken root and flourished. Her love for him had opened her eyes to an ufortable truth: Kristopher’s devotion to Carrie burned just as intensely. She also recognized his unwavering determination. Once he fixed his sights on something—whether career ambitions or romantic pursuits—he pursued it with relentless focus.

    After her release from prison, Lise had gathered intelligence about Isonridge’s recent developments. Kristopher’s supposed amnesia struck her as suspicious, perhaps even fabricated. Yet even if his memory loss proved genuine, the Norris family possessed resources that could restore his recollections eventually.

    If Carrie delivered this child, she would undoubtedly surrender to Daxton’s marriage proposal without resistance.

    g?lnσν????s, the heart of storytelling

    If Lise couldn’t im Kristopher’s heart, then Carrie wouldn’t either. But without the pregnancy binding her, and with Kristopher’s memory potentially returning, he might reunite with Carrie once more.

    Lise wasn’t acting frompassion toward Carrie—she simply feared that ultimately, Carrie and Kristopher would find their way back to each other, leaving her looking like aplete fool.

    Fraser and Sumner exchanged confused nces, their faces darkening with irritation. “You agreed to this n earlier, and now you’re backing out?”

    Lise scrambled to rify her position. “You can still proceed with her, but that mountain crawls with dense forest, and none of us know the terrain. If she awakens and bolts, we’ll spend hours chasing her through unfamiliar wilderness, creating unnecessaryplications. I spotted a nearby office building when we arrived—you can use that space instead.”

    She had memorized the building’syout during their approach. A rear exit opened onto abyrinthine garden, which connected to a side gate. If they assaulted Carrie there, she could seize any moment when Sumner’s attention wavered to make her escape.

    Sumner studied the structure, noting the workers’ makeshift amodations inside,plete with a temporary bed. He stroked his chin and chuckled darkly. “You women always consider the practical details. A proper bed beats cold ground any day.”

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