Chapter 1161:

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She did not respond to any implied threats, nor did she take the initiative to mention the truth. She knew it, but disdained to point it out, and had no need to entangle with him. Their time for truths and entanglements was long past, buried under years of calculated silence.

There was another silence on the other end, and the faint sound of glass clinking could be heard, as if he were drinking whiskey again. The silence stretched, thick with unspoken words, with accusations he would never voice and a remorse he would never admit.

His tone remained cold and hard, with no trace of remorse or pleading, only a hint of impatience. “I have no interest in whether you leave or not, but Effie is a Lancaster by blood. You’d better ensure her safety.”

The words struck Isolde like a physical blow. A Lancaster by blood. It was a brand, a claim of ownership she had fought against since the day Effie was born. It was the very thing she was running from.

He never mentioned his remorse, never defended his past coldness, and even less revealed his secret investigation. He would never confess those truths to Isolde, even if they were both victims. His pride was a fortress, and he would rather die within its walls than surrender.

Isolde frowned slightly, her grip on the phone tightening. Her tone was still cold, with obvious distance and no warmth at all. “Effie is my daughter, not a Lancaster. The Lancaster name is a legacy of cold ambition and tragic secrets. I am taking her away from that, not into it. I will take good care of her, no need for you to remind me.”

She gave no extra explanation, nor any sympathy. Her attitude toward him was purely indifferent, no hatred, no love, and no desire for any involvement. He was a problem she had solved, a variable she had eliminated from the equation of her future.

𝗪𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗼𝗻 𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Grayson’s tone turned a little sharper, carrying the pride etched into his bones. He was a man accustomed to giving orders, to having his will be law. Her calm defiance was a language he barely understood. There was not a single humble word, nor any sign of weakness. “I hope so.”

He paused, not mentioning his plans, not revealing anything about the Lancasters or Dr. Finch, only leaving a cold warning. “Don’t try to pry into anything about the Lancasters. It’s better for you and Effie.” It was both a threat and, in its own twisted way, a piece of advice. He was warning her away from a storm he himself was about to unleash.

Isolde let out a sneer, a small, sharp sound of pure derision. Her tone carried a hint of impatience and distance, with no compromise at all.

“I have no interest in anything related to the Lancasters. Your world of power plays and dark money holds no appeal for me. I’m taking Effie away just to get away from here completely, away from everything related to you and the Lancasters. From now on, we owe each other nothing, and we’ll leave each other alone.”

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