https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1574-A-War-with-No-Victors-Twenty-Four-/12529198/
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Chapter 1575: A War Without Victors (Twenty-Five)
Chapter 1575: A War Without Victors (Twenty-Five)
"When did my self-control become so lacking?"
After the passion had faded, Albert felt a strange calm within him as he silently gazed at the exhausted young woman now sleeping soundly on top of him.
To be honest, Albert had never imagined things would turn out this way, but he knew that any excuses at this point were futile. He needed to figure out how to wrap things up without becoming a despicable man who simply pulled up his pants and walked away.
Gently moving the woman on top of him, Albert adjusted the covers and then got out of bed. Bending down, he picked up the clothes that had been discarded carelessly on the floor and took out his pajamas from the Undetectable Extension Charm bag before quickly turning his attention to the tricky task of explaining what had just happened to Isabelle.
Albert had considered keeping this a secret from his wife, but given Isabelle's intelligence, he suspected that if he didn't return tonight, she would probably guess what had transpired.
Or perhaps he should use a Time-Turner to go back to Britain?
As he gazed at the sleeping form on the bed, Albert ultimately abandoned that thought and resignedly took out the two-way mirror to contact Isabelle, who was far away in Britain.
After establishing a connection with Isabelle through the mirror, Albert chose his words carefully, considering how to explain what had just happened.
"Something came up here, and I might not be able to come back tonight."
"Oh, so you've already taken Miss Granger to bed." Isabelle's words made it difficult for Albert to maintain his composure.
"Why would you say that?" Albert asked, his face stiff.
"How many years have we been together? Don't you think I know you well enough?" Isabelle didn't seem angry about Albert's "transgression" but instead spoke with a smile, as if discussing something amusing. "I dare say there are very few people in this world who know you better than I do.
"If it was just about helping Granger find her family, given your habits and style, you definitely wouldn't need an entire day. But since you mentioned that something came up, it must be something important, otherwise, you would have just come back." Isabelle analyzed succinctly, "And it's not difficult to guess what that important matter might be."
"Well, although I don't want to make excuses, it really wasn't my intention." Albert turned to look at the woman on the bed and sighed softly. "I thought I could convince her to give up. Usually, being someone's mistress doesn't end well."
"If Katrina heard you say that, she'd be very unhappy," Isabelle said, glancing at the girl beside her and smiling gently as she offered a gentle reminder.
"I've actually told Katrina about this," Albert said, feeling helpless about the situation.
"You're really not good at refusing others."
"Am I not?"
Albert didn't consider himself a casual person.
"To be honest, if I didn't know you so well, I might have thought this was your new tactic to woo women." Isabelle's expression was peculiarly amused.
"What tactic?" Albert was completely baffled.
"A man who truly loves his partner—how could he bear to refuse her?" Isabelle sighed softly. "You probably don't realize how alluring you are to those innocent and ignorant girls."
Albert was stunned. He hadn't really felt anything special, nor had he experienced similar issues in the past.
Could it be that he was similar to some of those kings in his past life?
Isabelle saw through this aspect more clearly than Albert himself.
If Albert had been an ordinary young man, Isabelle believed that his approach would have been enough to dissuade most girls. But Albert was no ordinary man; before he had even defeated Voldemort, the various halos surrounding him were enough to make him shine like gold, and even more so now.
Even though Albert had tried to use a harsh approach to dissuade Hermione, the fact that it came from a place of genuine concern for her well-being had an irresistible allure for those girls who were already love-struck.
More importantly, Albert also had strong feelings for Hermione Granger; otherwise, he wouldn't have accompanied her to Australia to search for her parents.
The highly emotionally intelligent Isabelle was all too aware of what this meant! "You know..." Albert stammered, "I might need to stay here a few more days."
"Go ahead and indulge your little mistress for the next two days, but don't stay away for too long." Isabelle appraised her husband, satisfied that he hadn't hidden anything from her.
"However, if you don't come back soon, Katrina will probably be very angry. You should have spent time with her after returning, so make sure you think of a way to soothe her emotions." Before Albert could say anything else, Isabelle smiled and waved at him, ending the brief conversation.
"You don't look as happy as you seem," Katrina pouted, feeling a bit glum that another girl had taken the initiative.
"Are you jealous now?" Isabelle smiled gently at her sister and shook her head. "This is the price that needs to be paid."
"But he..."
"Once a person has found a reason to convince themselves, their fall from grace is swift." Isabelle believed that if it weren't for Katrina's situation, Albert would have been able to resist Hermione's allure.
"Moreover, you have no reason to complain. After all, you are both beneficiaries, and I am the only victim here."
Katrina fell silent, her mood sour.
"Alright, go to sleep early. Staying up late can make you look older." Isabelle kissed her sister's cheek. "Stay here and sleep with me tonight. You'll have to get used to it anyway."
"So, you're really not angry?" Katrina wanted her sister to be furious about Albert's betrayal; it would make her feel better, as sulking alone made her feel foolish.
"Well, although I've mentally prepared myself for this outcome, I do feel a bit annoyed." Isabelle knew what her sister wanted to hear and sighed softly. "No one wants their possessions to be taken by others, unless there's something wrong with them."
"Then how can you remain so calm?" Katrina felt even more glum.
"Because Miss Granger is actually in a worse situation," Isabelle said softly. "She barely got to enjoy a few days of happiness and sweetness, and now she has to separate from Albert again. For a girl who has just tasted the forbidden fruit and become addicted to it, this will be a torturous ordeal. But you and I don't have to worry about that."
The most important thing was to make Albert feel guilty, so he would spend more time and energy on her.
As Isabelle had said earlier: "There are very few people in this world who know you better than I do."
(End of Chapter)
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