Chapter 270

Confusion flickered across Ivan's face. He absentmindedly rubbed his chin, lost in thought, his brows drawn tight as he tried to piece it all together.

After a beat, he spoke up, his voice hesitant and tinged with doubt. "This person's eyes... there's something familiar..."

He trailed off, searching his mind for the connection.

Next to him, Verena's mood changed in a heartbeat.

Her eyes flashed with sudden fury, and her words came out like a blade. "That's Carl."

There was no mistaking those eyes.

Staring at the shrouded figure on the screen,Verena's fists clenched so hard the veins stood out on her hands.

Before, she might have doubted herself-identifying someone from just a pair of eyes would have seemed impossible. But after seeing Carl at the Clokron hospital on surveillance footage, she could never forget that ice-cold, predatory stare burned into her memory.

Even though his face was hidden behind layers of gauze, just those eyes showing, Verena knew it was Carl. She would recognize that gaze anywhere, no matter the disguise, even if he was nothing more than a silhouette.

Ivan's expression grew tense, concern etched into every line of his face. "Should I keep looking into this,Verena?"

She shook her head, jaw tight, each word deliberate."There's no need to dig further. The man in that car is Carl. Isaac's crash-he's the one behind it."

Her shoulders slumped as she rose from her chair,face pale and distant.

A heaviness clouded her eyes as she looked down,guilt and regret settling over her like a tidal wave, threatening to pull her under.

Verena's hands curled so tightly that her nails bit into her skin, leaving pale crescents along her palms,but she barely registered the pain.

A swirl of memories raced through her thoughts,haunted by a silent voice that wouldn't let her rest.

She tried not to put stock in destiny, but sometimes she wondered if the universe had singled her out for heartbreak.

She couldn't remember a time she felt truly cherished.

Childhood had been nothing but cold indifference-a father and mother whose love always belonged to someone else. That emptiness had left her hollow,unable to find warmth in her own home.

Her own sister treated her as arival, each scheme a fresh betrayal that cut deeper than the last.

Even her brother never reached out with kindnesS,keeping her at arm's length as if she were a stranger in her own family.

Only her grandmother had offered a flicker of comfort, the one person who ever made her feel safe.Yet even that comfort had been snatched away by tragedy-one she couldn't help but feel responsible for, the ache of loss still lodged deep inside.

Now, the guilt weighed heavier than ever. Isaac's father gone, Isaac himself losing his ability to walk-all of it seemed to trace back to her.

Every memory pressed down on her chest, making it nearly impossible to draw breath.

A relentless whisper in her mind insisted none of it would have happened if not for her.

Everyone's suffering, in the end, was her burden to bear.

Verena's eyes shone red, shadowed with grief and uncertainty.

She had no idea how she could ever look Isaac in the eye again, let alone find a way to carry the weight of her guilt.

"It's all because of me... I set everything in motion,"Verena whispered, her voice trembling as she finally forced the confession out, rough and raw.

Her words barely made a sound, thick with regret.

Ivan opened his mouth to respond, but suddenly,Verena swayed, overcome by a dizzy spell.Her knees buckled beneath her.

He caught her just in time, worry sharpening his features. "Verena, are you all right?"

She shook her head hard, trying to shake away the fog.

Forcing a brittle smile, she tried to play it off. "Really,I'm fine."

Ivan wasn't convinced. He knew too well her habit of taking on every burden herself, and he feared what it might do to her spirit. He let out a quiet sigh and stepped closer, voice gentle. "Verena, you can't shoulder all of this. None of this is your fault."

Ivan's comfort drew the ghost of a smile from her,but it was hollow, tinged with sorrow.

Lifting her head a little, Verena spoke in a cool,steady tone. "Ivan, can you send the video to my email? It's getting late. I should be heading home."

She sounded calm, but her composure was only a fragile mask over a storm of emotion.

Ivan, seeing her detachment, hesitated. "Let me at least drive you back," he suggested quickly, concern coloring every word.

Verena shook her head, waving off the offer. "No need, really. I drove myself here. But thank you,Ivan."

Without waiting for a reply, she turned and made her way toward the door.

Stepping out of the building, she pulled out her keys,ready to head home. As she lifted her gaze, a pair of headlights sliced through the night, washing over her in stark white.She covered her eyes on instinct, only to realize,once the glare faded, that lsaac's car sat quietly by the curb.

He was waiting outside, seated in his wheelchair,calm and unhurried beneath the streetlamp's soft glow.

A breeze played through his hair, tossing a few strands across his forehead, giving him an air of quiet, unintentional elegance.

His eyes found her in the darkness, their depths steady and unwavering.

When he saw her, Isaac offered a gentle, reassuring smile."Did you get what you needed?"

His voice was soft, gravelly, full of warmth and devotion.

Verena had meant to ask what he was doing there,but the words evaporated. The only thing she could do was cross the distance between them and fall into his arms, clutching him fiercely as if she might never let go.

Her tears came fast and heavy, spilling down her cheeks, soaking into lsaac's collar as she pressed her face against his neck.

Earlier, after Verena left the house, lsaac had quietly instructed the driver and Jacob to follow her. He waited outside lvan's building, his mind a whirlwind of emotion.

Isaac's thoughts were tangled, an uneasy ache settling in his chest as he watched Verena step out of Ivan's apartment building. He'd meant to gently ask,to uncover the truth behind her late-night visit.

But when her tears pressed hot against his neck, all his questions faded away. Worry eclipsed everything else.

He drew her closer, his large hand cupping the back of her head, fingers threading softly through her hair in a gesture of pure comfort. "Verena, talk to me-what happened?" he asked quietly.

She only clung tighter, sobs shaking her shoulders as she shook her head. "Please, don't ask," she managed to reply, her voice barely more than a gasp.

Her arms wrapped around his neck like she'd finally found somewhere safe to fall apart.

Seeing her so broken, Isaac leaned in, his lips close to her ear, voice gentle. "Okay. I won't press.Whenever you're ready, I'll listen."

His kindness only deepened the ache inside her.Ivan's advice replayed in her mind-she knew she wasn't meant to carry the world on her own shoulders.

Still, the sense of responsibility gnawed at her, sharp and stubborn, a weight that refused to let go.

Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks as she whispered, voice ragged with grief, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..." Isaac's chest tightened at the sound of her apology,the word slicing through him.

Sorry?

His brows drew together in concern, and his gaze drifted-almost involuntarily-toward Ivan's apartment, its windows glowing against the night. His throat felt tight, and for a moment, he forgot how to breathe.

Was she apologizing because of Ivan?

The idea left a bitter taste, a pang of jealousy he tried to swallow down.

For an instant, a shadow of loneliness flickered in his eyes as he looked at Verena, shaking and lost in his arms, unsure of how to help.

She wept for what seemed like forever, as if she could cry out every sorrow she'd ever carried.

Isaac stayed by her side, patient and gentle, his hand tracing soothing circles on her back. Maybe she was simply worn out-emotionally spent,sleep-deprived. Slowly, her sobs faded, her breathing evened out, and her eyelids fluttered shut as exhaustion pulled her under.

Once her breathing steadied and her tears faded into quiet, Isaac gazed down at Verena, still nestled in his arms. Moonlight caught on her lashes, where the last glimmers of tears clung, and her brow stayed faintly creased, even in sleep-uneasy, unsettled.

With a tenderness that seemed to steady his own heart, Isaac pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. Then he glanced over at Jacob and spoke quietly. "Jacob,can you take Verena's car back for her?"

Jacob gave a silent nod, took the keys, and headed off toward her car without another word.

With the driver's help, lsaac carried Verena to his own car, holding her close as though he could shield her from the world.