?Chapter 493:


    Spotting Ste with William instantly soured his mood.


    Back on the cruise ship, Marc had finally gotten a chance towork with Jon, only to have Ste throw a wrench into everything. After that, Jon ignored every call and message Marc sent.


    With the Walsh Group teetering on the edge, Marc found himself scrambling to find anyone willing to partner up.


    While Marc was buried in stress, Ste looked like she was thriving, walking beside William without a care.


    He watched Ste, a heavy mix of envy and regret welling up inside him. Leaving Marc had changed everything for Ste, and he couldn’t stand how much better off she seemed without him.


    Marc couldn’t help but regret picking Haley and chasing quick rewards instead of holding on to Ste, but seeing how quickly she’d built a new life stung even more.


    Frustration took hold, and Marc found himself trailing after Ste and William as they headed for dinner.


    Marc followed them right up to the restaurant’s doors.


    When William stepped outside to answer a phone call, Marc seized the moment and hurried over to Ste.


    “Stel!”


    That seemingly devoted and sorrowful tone made Ste’s patience run thin.


    She couldn’t believe Marc was showing up again.


    “Stel, just give me one more chance. I swear I mean it this time. If Doreen’s the problem, I’ll have her abort the baby and send her out of the country. She won’t get in our way anymore.”


    Marc’s disy of phony emotion made Ste want tough out loud. She remembered seeing Marc slip away to meet with Willow in secret on the ship.


    Whatever Marc and Willow did back then, Ste was certain it was nothing good.


    “Back on the cruise ship, you were cursing me in front of Mr. Warden. Now you’re here begging for forgiveness? What, did you develop a split personality or something?”


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    One moment, Marc was badmouthing Ste. Next, he was chasing after her, hoping for another chance. If that wasn’t hypocritical, Ste didn’t know what was.


    Embarrassment colored Marc’s cheeks. “Stel, I’m really sorry. Sometimes I say things I don’t mean, but you’ve always meant something to me!”


    Ste couldn’t help but scoff. “If you cared at all, you wouldn’t have thought you could hide from meeting Willow. Did you forget the security cameras picked up everything?”


    Marc froze, eyes wide, clearly stunned that Ste knew about his meeting with Willow. Panic red across his face.


    “It’s not what you think, Stel,” he blurted. “I saw her, yeah—but it wasn’t to set you up!”


    Ste had zero interest in hearing his excuses. She gged down a waiter without even looking at Marc. “I don’t know this guy, and he’s ruining my dinner. Can you get him out of here?”


    The waiter hesitated. Marc was dressed sharply and didn’t exactly look like someone causing trouble. Still, he stepped in. “Sir, please leave.”


    Marc felt heat rise in his face—anger, humiliation, the whole mix. But with the restaurant packed, making a scene would only make things worse. He clenched his jaw, trying to keep it together. Right then, his phone buzzed in his pocket.


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