?<strong>Chapter 582:</strong>


    “Allison, Colton’s still being held at the casino. We… we just can’t raise that much money right now. Could you speak to Mr. Vargas? Maybe he’d listen to you…”


    “Oh? And why should that be my concern?”


    Allison’s lips curved into a cold, mocking smile. Her voice was sharp, cutting through the air with ice.


    “Or do you think I’m somehow responsible for your reckless choices?”


    A frigid silence settled between them, the tension thick enough to slice through.


    Lindy clenched her jaw, but she forced herself to lower her tone, keeping the resentment out of her voice as best she could.


    “Allison, you and Colton were married once. We got along for three years. I wouldn’te all this way if it weren’t serious. Please, just this once — help him.”


    But Allison’s face remained impassive.


    “I divorced him, remember? The Stevens family’s troubles are none of my business.”


    Only then did it dawn on Lindy that the woman standing before her was no longer thepliant, soft-spoken girl she once knew. The realization cut deep, but she pushed it aside. This wasn’t the time to give up.


    “I know you’re still upset with me, and I take full responsibility. I lost my temper; I shouldn’t have.”


    Forcing a brittle smile, she endured the bitter taste of humiliation, locking her gaze on Allison.


    She had never humbled herself like this for anyone.


    “Mny mentioned you came out on top atst night’s gambling game. And… and Muisvedo transferred hundreds of millions into your ount.”


    She said it like it tasted bitter on her tongue.


    Who would have thought that Allison — an orphan — could win such a fortune?


    She paused, choosing her next words carefully.


    “Allison, that money — such a small amount to someone like you now — would save Colton. I only ask that you show a bit of mercy, for the sake of the bond you once had.”


    This wasn’t just about her son; it was about preserving what little dignity Lindy had left. If word of this reached their social circles, the shame would be insufferable.


    “The bond between us?” Allison let out a soft, sardonicugh. “Oh, I’d say it’s long gone.”


    But it was never just about her rtionship with Colton. For three years, Allison had yed the dutiful daughter-inw, always bending over backward to please the Stevens family, wlessly fulfilling every obligation. Yet on the day of her divorce, Lindy and the others dined with Mny, celebrating without a hint of regard. They hadn’t even had the decency to tell her, just tossed her belongings out like discarded luggage.


    “Allison, I know our family hasn’t always treated you right, but Keanu, at least, has always been kind to you.” Lindy was still struggling to keep the forced smile on her face.


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