Chapter 364
Isolde nodded without a second thought. “Yes. I owe my life to Deborah. Right now, the only thing keeping me going is getting revenge for her.”
Emily gazed at her for a long moment before letting out a sigh. “You were really raised by Deborah. You’re every bit as stubborn as she was.”
Emily felt powerless. She had no reason to extinguish Isolde’s determination for revenge, but when it came to St. Gabriel Reform Academy, that was something she truly couldn’t talk about.
So, after thinking for a moment, Emily said, “I promised Deborah that I would watch over you and make sure you live a safe and happy life. But if you really want revenge, whether it’s against Sean or Adrian, I’ll help you.”
Sean and Adrian were the ones indirectly responsible for Deborah’s death, but Emily never once mentioned the person who had killed her directly.
Isolde definitely picked up on that. She could sense there was something complicated going on behind the scenes, so she chose not to push any further.
No matter what, she wasn’t going to give up on avenging Deborah.
Whoever the real culprit was, after she took care of Sean and Adrian, Isolde would get to the bottom of it herself.
**
When Emily left the cemetery, Isolde was still engraving Deborah’s tombstone.
That was a private moment just for the sisters, and Emily knew better than to disturb them.
But Emily hadn’t expected to see Austin waiting by the car as soon as she stepped out of the cemetery.
Austin looked in a foul mood. His brows were tightly knit, even when he saw Emily come out.
Austin strode over. Before Emily could say a word, he touched her neck. “Does it hurt?” he asked.
The sudden touch made Emily tense up instinctively, but she didn’t avoid it.
Only then did she remember that Isolde had scratched her neck, and she finally felt the sting.
But when she met Austin’s worried eyes, she just shook her head. “No.”
Austin frowned. “It’s bleeding, and on your neck, such a delicate spot. How could it not hurt?”
He knew Emily had gotten used to pain, and so had he. But he didn’t want her to spend her whole life numb to it. He wanted to see her wince when she was hurt, and cry when she felt wronged.
However, Austin didn’t say any of that out loud because he knew that as long as St. Gabriel Reform Academy remained, the thorn lodged deep in Emily’s heart would never be removed.
In the end, he said nothing. He took Emily’s hand and led her to the car, where a first-aid kit was already in the back seat.
Many of Emily’s bodyguards were Austin’s people, so as soon as Emily got out of the car with Isolde, with the scratch still visible on Emily’s neck, he immediately got word.
Austin didn’t approve of Emily taking such risks, but he would never interfere with her choices.
He knew better than anyone that what Emily cared about most was her freedom, and what she hated most was having it taken away under the excuse of “it’s for her good.”
All Austin could do was make himself stronger so he could protect her better and give her even greater freedom.
Emily could sense his helpless worry and tolerance. That was why she never resented Austin for having his people mixed in with her bodyguards.
The respect and freedom Austin gave her came straight from the heart, and they were pure. With this kind of respect, Emily was naturally willing to compromise a little, just to put his mind at ease.
“Next time something like this happens, I’ll think more about my safety,” Emily said.
Her words were like a promise, which softened Austin’s tense expression a little.
They didn’t need to talk much. With just eye contact or a simple gesture, they instantly knew what was in each other’s hearts.
It was as if their souls resonated with the same frequency. They had a kind of wordless understanding that ran deep.
