Chapter 869: Chapter 869



Fiona’s gaze shifted briefly towards the house before she approached Dulce. “I’ve heard you’ve been staying with Michael lately?”

Dulce, concerned about how it might be perceived, opened her mouth to clarify, but Fiona cut her off.

“I’m not upset. I get it. You’re an important witness now. You’ve done so much for both Michael and me, and I won’t forget it.”

Dulce still felt like an outsider, but she couldn’t deny the truth in Fiona’s words. She nodded quietly, then asked how Fiona was holding up.

Fiona’s eyes, void of their former brightness, reflected her unimaginable grief.

“All I want now is for those monsters who murdered my son to receive the death penalty.” She turned her gaze back to Dulce. “Dulce, thank you for your courage—for standing up for me and telling the truth. I’ll never forget it.”

“I only did what I needed to do.”

Fiona’s eyes welled with tears as she shook her head and clasped Dulce’s hand tightly. “Everyone believed Crowell’s facade. If it weren’t for you, no one would’ve believed he was capable of killing his own son.”

Her voice faltered, her throat thick with emotion.

“Dulce, you’ve been my saving grace.”

“Please, don’t say that.”

“I must. And I also need to apologize for everything that happened before.”

Fiona’s expression was resolute, her crow’s feet etched deeply around her eyes, each line a testament to years of strength and grace.

“I always believed you were trying to take my sister’s place, and because of that, I was hostile towards you from the start. But I didn’t expect that, in my darkest moments, you would stand by me, defending me even when I was at my lowest. When I woke up in the hospital and saw you, it felt like seeing my sister again.”

Her voice cracked as she covered her mouth, tears welling in her eyes. “Thank you, Dulce.”

Dulce quickly brushed her own tears away. “I was just doing what anyone should.”

Fiona lifted her head, clasping Dulce’s hands tightly in hers. “But I can’t bear the thought of you being with Michael. My sister adored him, and he loved her deeply too. You know that, don’t you?”

Dulce’s heart churned with emotions too heavy to bear. She couldn’t meet Fiona’s eyes, afraid of the guilt and judgment she’d see reflected there. She felt like an intruder—someone disrupting the sanctity of Lacey and Michael’s bond and burdening Fiona with guilt over her sister’s memory.

Maybe Fannie was right. She should never have let herself fall for a man who couldn’t offer her a future. It was absurd. She had only liked him, and yet here she was, causing turmoil for everyone.

“Promise me you’ll keep your distance from Michael, please?” Fiona pleaded.

Dulce’s throat tightened, leaving her unable to respond.

“Dulce, I think of you as a friend. I’m begging you.” Fiona’s tone was desperate, her grip unrelenting. “Please don’t get too close to him. I don’t think I can handle it. My sister loved him more than life itself. You’ve seen how strong their bond was. This won’t end well for you.”

Each word struck Dulce’s heart like a blade, cutting deeper with every syllable.

“I understand,” she finally said, her voice trembling as she fought back tears. With a fragile smile, she tried to console Fiona. “It was never serious. Just a fleeting crush for fun.”

After Dulce finished speaking, Fiona found her words difficult to believe.

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