The Cold Surgeon's Contract Bride novel Chapter 767

"He... I'm not really sure," I lied softly, choosing the path of least resistance.

Tiffany's mental state was far too fragile.

She had spent her whole life complaining about her family's suffocating expectations and dreaming of absolute freedom.

But wanting independence didn't mean she wanted her entire family erased from existence.

The Thorne empire had collapsed overnight, and Theodore had fled with terrifying efficiency. It was brutally cold of him to forbid Sylvia from even making a phone call to her own daughter.

With Sylvia unreachable and Caspian vanished, Tiffany's terror of absolute isolation had entirely eclipsed her desire for freedom.

She was spiraling into a vortex of insecurity, and the truth would completely break her.

So I kept the dark reality to myself. "Hey, don't be scared. You're Queen T, remember? And I'm right here. Let me walk you back to your room."

"You're the best, Selena." A watery smile broke through her tears, and she nodded enthusiastically.

I grabbed the handles of her wheelchair and started pushing her down the hall.

As we moved, I looked down at her fragile frame, watching her subtly wipe away the lingering tears, and my heart ached all over again.

Her empire was gone, her parents had abandoned her, her beloved brother was incarcerated, and she was still recovering from severe injuries. I couldn't imagine how she was going to survive the fallout.

But Tiffany possessed a resilience I hadn't expected.

Once we reached her room, she wiped her face clean and looked up at me with fierce determination. "Selena, I'm not scared anymore. I have you. Caspian is probably just dealing with some mess, but he'll be back. With you guys, I can handle anything. That show I did just blew up, and I actually have a real fanbase now! Brands and studios are already sending me offers. The second I'm healed, I'm going back to work. I'm going to be a rich, independent woman on my own terms!"

"A stunning, rich, independent woman," I corrected, a genuine smile touching my lips.