?Chapter 458:


    Nte’s gaze locked onto the check, longing and desperation reflected in her eyes. To her, fifty thousand was an enormous sum. With that money, her mother’s medical expenses would be covered—no more humiliating pleas, no more borrowing from others. Yet, she knew generosity rarely came without conditions.


    If K was offering this, there had to be a catch.


    “Miss Wade… what exactly do you want?” she asked warily, forcing down the flicker of hope in her chest.


    K stepped out of her car, pressed the check into Nte’s trembling fingers, and leaned in, her voice a soft murmur in Nte’s ear. “It’s simple. I need you to do something for me.”


    Her voice was low, almost hypnotic.


    “What is it?” Nte’s pulse quickened, an uneasy feeling creeping over her.


    “I want you…” K deliberately paused, then enunciated each syble with chilling precision. “To hand over Sadie’s design draft.”


    Nte’s face turned ghostly pale. She instinctively stepped back, the check fluttering to the ground.


    “No… Absolutely not!” Nte cried, her voiceced with fear as she shook her head frantically. “I can’t do that!”


    Sadie had been the only one to believe in her talent when no one else would. How could she possibly betray that trust? Besides, taking the draft without permission wasn’t just immoral—it was a crime. If she got caught, her entire future would be destroyed.


    K scoffed at Nte’s reaction, her gaze cold and calcting. “You might want to reconsider. Your mother is still in the hospital, isn’t she? And her fate… well, it’s entirely in your hands.”


    Nte’s whole body trembled, her heart caught in a merciless tug-of-war. On one side stood Sadie—the person who had given her a chance and ced faith in her. On the other was her mother, clinging desperately to life in a hospital bed. How was she supposed to make that choice?


    K’s smirk widened as she savored Nte’s torment. The deeper Nte’s distress, the more satisfaction K seemed to derive from it.


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    The night was pitch ck. However, Sadie’s studio was as bright as day. She rubbed her sore temples and shifted her gaze from theputer screen.


    “Carol went to pick up Averi tonight,” she murmured, a smile curving her lips. With Carol looking after Averi, she could finally focus on her work, feeling a kind of happiness.


    “Knock. Knock. Knock…” A sudden knock at the door broke the silence. “Who could it be?” Sadie frowned, assuming it was her delivery, and rose to open the door.


    “Come in, please,” she called, pulling the door open.


    But it wasn’t the delivery guy at the doorway; it was Nte, who had unexpectedly returned. Nte stood there, her head lowered, her body trembling. Her face was pale, her eyes red and swollen as if she had been crying. She looked distressed, a stark contrast to her usual poised self.


    Sadie froze, having never seen Nte like this. A sense of foreboding filled her, and her heart sank.


    “Nte? What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice trembling as she stepped forward, her concern clear. “What happened?”


    Nte slowly lifted her head. “Sa… Sadie…” Her voice was so hoarse it was barely audible. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words wouldn’te.


    Sadie’s heart clenched. She sensed something serious had happened. “Nte, don’t be afraid. Tell me, what’s going on?”


    Nte’s tears finally overcame her restraint. As they cascaded down her cheeks, she faced Sadie, her lips quivering, struggling to find the words.


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