Chapter 145

Marlow glanced at Isabelle. Her eyes were firm, there was no hesitation in them. After a solid five seconds of silence, he finally gave a slow nod. "Alright then... just be careful, you hear?" With that, the old man turned and began the descent, leaning heavily on Lucas for support as they slowly made their way down the hill. Isabelle stood rooted in place, eyes fixed on their retreating figures. The moment they disappeared from view, the sorrow that had clung to her face like a mask cracked-and shattered. A flash of ice-cold sharpness lit up her clear eyes. She turned back, facing the headstone of the girl who bore her exact same face, the one smiling so radiantly in the photo. She reached up to wipe away a trail of tears, but there was no trace of grief in her gaze anymore-only a piercing chill. "Ha." The disdainful scoff slipped out almost lazily. Isabelle stepped closer to the grave, pressing her palm against the marble that felt colder than ice, a sneer flickering at her lips. "Mu