Chapter 181 He’s Dangerous Territory
The two settled into their chairs as Corrine’s phone chimed, drawing their attention. A gentle smile graced her features as Nate’s message illuminated her screen.
Jules observed that lingering smile with a faraway look in his eyes, memories washing
over him.
He vividly remembered Corrine’s first days with the Ford family–a fragile figure with eyes that betrayed deep–seated unease.
Unlike her privileged peers, life had etched wisdom into her young spirit far too soon.
Her method of processing pain–that stoic silence–had touched him more profoundly than any tearful display ever could.
During those early days, Jules would have moved mountains just to see her smile.
Never once did he view her as a burden. Instead, he enjoyed her quiet presence behind
him.
But everything shifted five years ago after that devastating overseas attack.
The Corrine who emerged from that trauma was like a fortress–impenetrable, refusing
to speak of what transpired.
Though their connection grew stronger, Jules noticed an unsettling detachment had taken root in her spirit, as if she’d grown indifferent to both joy and sorrow.
“Corrine, do you ever look back with regret?” Jules‘ words emerged rough and hesitant.
She turned to him, wearing that same gentle yet unwavering smile. “Adults don’t have the luxury of regrets. We simply press forward.”
A shadow of a smile crossed Jules‘ face, devoid of warmth.
“Are you familiar with Nate Hopkins?” Corrine inquired.
His frown deepened as he contemplated her question. After a weighted silence, he
shifted his gaze away. “Only whispers reach me. They say he hails from a sovereign land–a place beyond our reach, independent of any nation. Some refer to it as the Independent Continent.”
Though Corrine had always sensed hidden depths to their world, Jules‘ revelation sent a shiver of intrigue down her spine.
“The Independent Continent,” she echoed, curiosity burning bright.
Jules leaned in, his voice dropping to a protective growl. “Corrine, keep your distance from him. He’s dangerous territory.”
She met his stern gaze unflinching, raising her beer bottle to her lips in silent response.
Dangerous territory…
Yet who could truly judge the measure of another’s character?
Morality, she mused, was like a compass that invariably pointed toward those we
cherished, often without our conscious awareness.
That was precisely how she felt about Nate; the more others cautioned against him, the stronger her resolve grew to understand the soul beneath his polished exterior.
Jules watched her thoughtful silence, his expression hardening. “Corrine, are my reaching you at all?”
words
His tone carried the weight of genuine concern.
She cast him a sidelong glance, offering a slight smile. “Perfectly clear.”
The clock struck eleven as Corrine lay restless in her bed, Jules‘ words echoing through her mind. “He is from a place beyond our reach.”
Her thoughts swirled with possibilities about this mysterious territory, keeping sleep at bay.
