My coldhearted ex demands a remarriage

Chapter 97:

Kristopher’s response was icy and clipped. “They’re not a good match.”

Clifton raised a brow, misinterpreting the comment as a slight against Carrie. “Well, to each their own. You’ve always had an eye for substance over mere beauty, Mr. Norris.”

Kristopher, feeling both irritated and exhausted, merely grunted in response.

Billie’s approach caught Clifton’s attention. “Mr. Norris, you’re here to meet your mother?” He greeted her warmly. “Mrs. Norris, you should have informed me of your arrival. It’s quite crowded today, and I apologize for not welcoming you properly.”

After exchanging pleasantries, Clifton wisely excused himself, sensing the tension that seemed to follow the Norris family like a shadow.

Billie wasted no time, her tone cold and clipped. “Where’s Carrie?”

Kailee, ever the eager informant, scanned the room and pointed. “Aunt Billie, there she is—chatting up that guy from the Rodgers family again!”

Billie’s expression curdled like milk left in the sun. Her voice sliced through the air with sharp disapproval. “Why don’t you keep a tighter leash on your wife? What sort of spectacle is she making, cozying up to another man at such a formal event?”

Kailee, always eager to fan the flames, added with mock concern, “Exactly, Aunt Billie! Imagine what people might say if they saw this. The whispers alone could tarnish the Norris name!”

Kristopher pressed his fingers against his temple, the beginnings of a headache knocking insistently. His patience frayed, he replied curtly, “Soren and Carrie are collaborating professionally. This is a business event—social mingling comes with the territory. There’s no scandal in networking at a party.”

Billie’s frown deepened, her displeasure bubbling into open disdain. “So that’s it? You’d rather play the peacekeeper than hold her accountable? Fine, if you don’t want to be the bad guy, I’ll do it for you.” She turned sharply toward Kailee, her tone decisive. “Go get Carrie.”

Kailee’s eyes lit up with a zeal she reserved for stirring trouble. Like a soldier given marching orders, she strutted toward Carrie and grabbed her hand. “Aunt Billie says you’re coming home with us now.”

Carrie, aware of the growing attention around them, allowed herself to be led to a quieter corner. Once there, she shook off Kailee’s grasp with an air of quiet defiance. “Kailee, let’s get one thing clear—I’m your cousin’s wife, a Norris daughter-in-law, not some errand girl for the Myers family. You’d do well to remember that.”

Kailee smirked, her smugness barely contained. “Oh, please. Are you about to lecture me about overstepping? Save it—I’m just the messenger here. Aunt Billie thinks it’s best if you stop making a spectacle of yourself, chatting with every man in sight. The Norris family doesn’t need a daughter-in-law with loose boundaries.”

Carrie let out a laugh, brittle and cold. “How convenient. I don’t want to be a Norris daughter-in-law anymore, anyway. I’ve already handed Kristopher the divorce papers. If Billie is so concerned, why doesn’t she help her precious son sign them so we can both move on?”

Kailee’s smugness faltered, replaced by a flicker of disbelief. “You’re joking. No way. You’ve worked so hard to claw your way into this family. Why would you throw it all away—this wealth, this status?”

The question hung in the air, heavy with implications Kailee didn’t dare voice. Deep down, she knew Carrie loved Kristopher, even if she masked it with indifference now. That love had cost her dearly—her pride, her peace, maybe even herself.

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