?Chapter 244:


    Ste took the snack with a small smile. “Thanks.”


    Sandra lingered a bit longer, walking beside her as they stepped out of theb. It was clear she had something to say—but she kept hesitating, the words hovering on the tip of her tongue.


    Sandra took a deep breath, finally working up the nerve to speak. “Sylvia… whether what Haley said at her engagement party was true or not, I don’t care. I just want you to know—I think you’re an amazing person. That whole mess? It couldn’t have been your fault. You’ve always been someone I admire.”


    It made sense now—why Sandra had felt a strange sense of familiarity when she first met Sylvia. It was because she was Ste. The same Ste Sandra had always looked up to.


    Ste smiled softly. She understood what Sandra was trying to say.


    But the truth was—Sylvia, Ste… the names didn’t matter anymore. She was just herself now. A new version.


    She’d once avoided acknowledging her identity, hoping to escape Marc and the shadows that came with him.


    But she’de to realize it didn’t matter what name she used—Marc always found a way to follow her like a bad habit that wouldn’t die. So why bother hiding anymore?


    She was done running. Her life was moving forward.


    “Thank you, Sandra. I know you’re just looking out for me,” she said gently. “But that incident… it’s behind me now. It didn’t break me because I know the truth—I was a victim. I didn’t do anything wrong. So, don’t worry about me. I’m not that fragile.”


    Yes, she’d been shaken when Haley brought up the past in front of everyone. Humiliated, even.


    But in the days since, she’de to a decision—that night wouldn’t define her anymore.


    It wasn’t her shame to carry.


    L?t??τ ch?ρτ?rs ιn g??l?ov?l??.??о??


    If enough time hadn’t passed, she might’ve taken legal action again just to prove a point.


    Back then, she hadn’t known how to fight back. But now? She did. And she was strong enough to stand on her own.


    Sandra beamed, genuinely relieved. “That’s so good to hear, Sylvia. Just know—most of us at the institute are on your side. We’ve got your back.”


    Ste chuckled, holding up the snack bag Sandra had handed her earlier. “Yeah, I know. You guys are good people.”


    After lunch and a quick nap, Ste got ready to head back to theb.


    But as she neared the building, she noticed a pair of familiar brown leather shoes standing in her path.


    She squinted into the sunlight—then her stomach dropped. Marc.


    So much for her good mood.


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