?Chapter 782:


    His patience finally snapped. “Feelings can’t be forced. I don’t have any for you, Miss Carter. Face reality and stop clinging to this obsession. And stop using the excuse of a ‘marriage alliance’ to pressure me—it’s nothing but self-humiliation.”


    Thest shred of Nina’s pride shattered. The facade she had held together crumbled, leaving only raw despair and humiliation. Her voice rose in a broken cry. “William, you bastard!”


    She shot him one final, venomous re, then covered her face and stumbled out of his office.


    Nina stormed back to the Carter estate in tears, skipping her afternoon shift at theb. She ignored her family’s startled looks, ran straight upstairs, mmed her bedroom door, and locked it behind her.


    The moment she copsed on the bed, the dam broke. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks as sobs wracked her body.


    Never in her life had she been so humiliated.<fnc241> Original content can be found at fin?novel</fnc241>


    William hadn’t just rejected her—he had crushed her pride,paring her unfavorably to Ste, as if she wasn’t even worth standing in the same light.


    The shame burned her chest raw, leaving her unable to think straight.


    With trembling hands, she grabbed her phone and dialed her parents abroad. “Mom…” Her voice cracked with a sob. “William Briggs… he humiliated me. He rejected me—for that nobody, Ste Russell.”


    Choking on her tears, Nina poured everything out, desperate forfort. “He looked down on me, Mom. He praised her instead! Why? How am I any less than Ste? Why would he do this to me?”


    On the other end, her mother, Norene Carter, turned sharp with fury. She had already despised Ste ever since learning the girl was Karson’s real granddaughter. Hearing Nina cry only made her blood boil hotter.


    “That’s outrageous!” Norene snapped. “How dare William say such things to you? Don’t cry, sweetheart. I’ll take care of this.” Her tone hardened, dripping with venom.


    “That woman is nothing but trouble. She hasn’t even been back for long and already she’s stealing what should be yours, turning William against you. I’ll speak to your grandfather myself. He needs to understand exactly what kind of granddaughter he’s protecting.”


    Norene booked the next flight without hesitation. The moment shended in Choria, she went straight to the Carter estate, rage burning in her chest.


    L?t??st chαpt?rs in ???lnovels.??????


    In the study, Karson Carter was listening to the butler’s report on Ste’s work at the research institute. The old man’s expression was calm, almost pleased.


    The door mmed open. Norene barged in, her face twisted with rage.


    Karson’s brow furrowed. “Norene? You return without notice and burst into my study without knocking?”


    His voice wasced with displeasure. He valued discipline, and her behavior grated instantly.


    “If I hadn’te back, Nina would’ve been bullied to death!” Norene cried, her voice trembling. “You have no idea how William humiliated her on Ste’s ount!”


    Karson’s expression darkened slightly, though confusion flickered in his eyes. What did William have to do with Nina, and how was Ste involved?


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