?Chapter 221:


    A sharp, stabbing ache tore through Ste’s chest as Haley coldly used her of infidelity.


    Memories of that night came rushing back—Ste remembered stumbling through a haze, the party’sughter echoing dimly in her mind. She could still taste the bitterness of the drugged drink, how the world spun out of control until everything went ck. When she came to, dawn had already broken, and she found herself tangled in unfamiliar hotel sheets, her clothes rumpled and her body aching with confusion.


    The room was empty. Whoever had been there had vanished without a trace, leaving only a chilling silence and her own dread.


    With trembling hands, she’d confessed everything to Marc, her voice thick with tears. He’d pulled her into his arms, holding her until her sobs subsided. “It’s alright,” Marc had whispered against her hair, his tone steady, almost gentle. “I was with you all night. Nothing happened—you can trust me. I’d never let anyone hurt you.”


    For a time, she clung to his words, convincing herself it was true. But after that night, Marc seemed to withdraw further each day, growing colder and more distant, his tenderness fading into indifference. Whenever Ste pleaded for an exnation, he hid behind excuses—iming exhaustion, meetings, anything to avoid the truth.


    As the weeks wore on, Ste couldn’t shake the feeling that everything circled back to that night.


    Yet, even now, she still had no idea if it truly was Marc who’d been with her—or someone else entirely.


    “Ms. Gilbert, did you catch what I said just now? Honestly, I’m not picking on you—it’s just uncanny how much you resemble Marc’s ex-wife. But don’t stress. I’ll make sure nobody here mixes you up with her.” Haley offered Ste a seemingly gentle smile, but a sh of self-satisfaction glimmered in her eyes.


    Gossip rippled through the crowd, sharp and relentless, seeping into Ste’s awareness.


    “Have you seen her up close? She’s the spitting image of Marc’s ex-wife! That’s wild. Are we sure they’re not the same person?”


    “They say Marc’s ex disappeared more than six months ago. Maybe she’s really gone for good.”


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    “Isn’t it strange how some people look alike? Do you think Ms. Gilbert is just like her? Didn’t she arrive with William earlier? Maybe she’s trying to climb the socialdder, too.”


    The whispers in the crowd quickly spiraled into wild spection.


    A shadow crossed Ste’s face; this was the one chapter of her life she had fought hardest to keep hidden—and now, Haley had ripped it open for all to see.


    Marc hovered tensely at Haley’s side, his jaw clenched in silent fury. He had never breathed a word of this to Haley, so how had she uncovered it?


    Only one exnation made sense—Haley clearly dug into every detail of his and Ste’s past, prying into secrets he thought he’d buried for good.


    That thought alone made Marc’s stomach twist with anger. With every word, Haley wasn’t just humiliating Ste—she was dragging Marc through the mud as well, reminding him of the ugly past involving his wife and another man.


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