?


    Though Carrie was called a fool by Bethany since she was a child, she was far from foolish. When she heard the words “living together”, she reacted with a slight shrug and trembled. The sweetness of the orange juice in her mouth left a lingering bitter taste.


    Ryan secretly took her cold hand and held it tightly. He quickly said, “Uncle Greg, I acknowledge that my private life in the past was reckless, but please give mea chance to make amends. While I was once flirtatious, I’ve never crossed any boundaries or brought any woman home before Carrie."


    “Ryan, what I mean is..."N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    “To be honest, now I can’t imagine my life without Carrie anymore.” Ryan confessed as he ced a warm kiss on Carrie’s hand and gazed at her with affection. “Even a single day away from her feels unbearable. I’m afraid ’ll lose my mind."


    Ryan’s soft, soothing voice flowed into Carrie’s ear, eliciting a flutter in her heart, as if tickled by a soft feather.


    She felt the same way. She didn''t want to leave Ryan. Without him, she couldn''t eat or sleep in peace.


    Gregory was taken aback by Ryan''s audacity. He had never encountered such shamelessness before. He found it hard to believe how bold Ryan acted in front of him.


    Ryan then shifted to a more serious tone and said, "I have another reason for not wanting Carrie to return to Tideview Manor."


    "What could that be?" Gregory asked with confusion.


    "I''m afraid Carrie will be bullied."


    "What are you talking about?"


    Gregory appeared even more perplexed. "Carrie means everything to me, and Tideview Manor is her home. Who would dare to bully her in her own home?"


    "Uncle Greg, you''re not often at home, so it''s understandable that you may not fully understand the situation here. But you can''t just assume that Carrie is content with living in this house."


    Ryan refrained from directly pointing out Bethany''s mistreatment toward Carrie, as he did not want to embarrass Gregory or put him in an awkward position regarding his daughters.


    Ryan''s primary concern was protecting Carrie. Even if Gregory knew everything, what could he actually do about it? He could not even handle his own wife, let alone Bethany.


    Beside them, Paul stood silently and looked at Gregory. Everyone in Tideview Manor, including Shannon, was aware that Bethany had always bullied Carrie.


    Meanwhile, Gregory seemed unaware of the situation.


    "Carrie, who is making things difficult for you in this house?" Gregory locked eyes with his timid daughter, questioning her with suppressed anger. Carrie''s forehead glistened with sweat, and her lips parted slightly, but she stayed quiet.


    Feeling her palms sweating in his, Ryan quickly spoke tofort her. "Don''t be afraid, Carrie. With me and your father here to support you, feel free to talk about any difficulties or problems."


    Deep down, he hoped that Carrie would open up about all the cruel things Bethany had done to her, speaking out for herself to seek justice.


    The two men gazed at her with intense eyes, waiting for her response.


    After a while, Carrie''s lips trembled, and she finally spoke, "No... No one bullied me."


    "Carrie..." Ryan felt a surge of disappointment in his heart.