Chapter 262/Chapter 282

Carissa had stayed up late, so she was groggy and barely coherent when Lulu arrived early that morning to report that Aurora was outside the estate, demanding to see her. The noise was so disruptive that Lulu had no choice but to wake her mistress.

As Carissa sat up in bed, blinking away sleep, she was stunned to realize Aurora had actually come. Focusing her inner force, she listened more closely and confirmed the commotion outside was indeed Aurora’s voice, accompanied by thunderous banging on the door. If this continued, it would disturb Ryan. Although he had improved significantly, loud and aggressive noises still frightened him.

Carissa’s first instinct was to grab her Rose Spear and drive Aurora away. However, with Northwatch Estate surrounded by influential families, she couldn’t afford to embarrass herself by personally handling the situation. Engaging directly with Aurora was beneath her status.

However, Carissa’s curiosity was piqued. She wondered what Aurora could possibly want at this point.

“Show her to the side hall in the outer courtyard. I’ll change and join her shortly,” Carissa said, getting up.

Though clearly displeased by the disturbance, Lulu understood the urgency. Northwatch Estate had very few capable guards, and while they might handle ordinary intruders, Aurora was skilled in martial arts. It would be even more disgraceful if the guards were defeated.

“Alright, I’ll go fetch her now,” Lulu replied, turning to leave. She instructed Pearl to assist Carissa with dressing as she muttered, “This is such bad luck.”

Carissa donned a slightly worn everyday outfit, layering it with a fur cloak. It was chilly, and snow seemed imminent. Perhaps it was for the best—Ryan could enjoy a snowball fight with the next snowfall. The sky was overcast, and the wind was biting, but it was nothing compared to the Southern Frontier, where the wind seemed to pierce straight through one’s bones.

In the side hall of the outer courtyard, Carissa finally saw Aurora. She was dressed in a rich burgundy satin gown draped in a black velvet cloak. A black veil covered her face, and her hair was styled in an elegant updo. Though she wore only a few pieces of jewelry, the red ruby earrings were strikingly radiant. Her attire was impressive and exuded sophistication. However, her eyes were cold and piercing, remaining fixed on Carissa as she slowly walked in.

Aurora remained seated, not rising or offering any greetings. Her cold, unblinking eyes followed Carissa’s every step.

Choosing not to waste time with pleasantries, Carissa sat down and asked directly, “Why are you here?”

“Barrett is about to marry the discarded daughter of the Earl of Silverstone’s family. Do you know about this?” Aurora questioned in a chilling, sinister tone.

Chapter 282 (continued)

“What does that have to do with me?” Carissa replied with a hint of indifference. “Whether I know or not, it’s none of my concern.”

“None of your concern?” Aurora sneered icily. “Yes, you’re about to marry Prince Rafael. Why would you care about Barrett? But Carissa, let me ask you something: would you still love Barrett if Prince Rafael wasn’t in the picture?”

Carissa’s eyes grew cold with annoyance. “You came here to ask me this? What answer do you want from me?”

Aurora spoke with harsh, rude urgency: “I want to hear the truth from you. If Prince Rafael wasn’t an option, would you still have feelings for Barrett? Even after the divorce, did you still hope he would come back to you? After leaving Valor Estate, have you ever regretted it? Have you ever been jealous of me? Have you ever hated me?”

Carissa remembered what Charlotte had said—that Aurora was nearly insane. Seeing it for herself now, Aurora indeed seemed to have lost touch with reality. What was all this about? It had been so long since the divorce, and Barrett was set to marry someone new. Instead of confronting the new bride, Aurora had come to question Carissa—someone who was no longer connected to Barrett in any way. What was the point of this?

“First, when Barrett returned to tell me he was going to marry you, I had no lingering feelings for him. I would have left the Warren family immediately if I could,” Carissa responded plainly.