?Chapter 1001:


    The streets were dead quiet, the night air biting against her bare arms. In just her thin nightclothes, Nina wandered aimlessly, tears streaming down her face. Why? Why did everyone side with Ste? What was so special about her?


    Her mind, a storm of anger and hate, drifted her into a narrow alley without her even noticing.


    That was when a group of drunken men stumbled toward her, their gazes locking on her disheveled, vulnerable figure.


    One with a greasy smile swaggered up and reached for her face. “Hey, sweetheart… why’re you crying alone out here? Care forpany?”


    Nina stumbled backward, panic shing in her eyes. “Get away from me!”


    She tried to turn, but another man blocked her path, leering. “Feisty. I like that.”


    They closed in, theirughter reeking of booze. Hands reached for her clothes. Terror flooded Nina. She struggled, screaming, but one man mped a hand over her mouth. Her eyes went wide, her whole body trembling. She couldn’t even imagine what wasing.


    They shoved her against the cold brick wall, tugging at her nightwear. Pure horror broke her down into uncontroble sobs. She cursed herself for running out alone at that hour.


    Then a harsh beam of light cut through the alley—a shlight.


    A stern voice rang out, sharp andmanding. “Hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing? Stop right there!”


    At the sound of the sharp voice, the drunken men froze, their hands suspended mid-motion. They tried to bark back, telling the neer to mind their own business, but when their eyes fell on the uniform, the bravado drained from them. They let Nina go, muttering curses as they stumbled away.


    Officers moved in quickly, steadying Nina, who looked pale, disheveled, and utterly terrified. “Miss, are you hurt? Do you need help?”


    Nina trembled so hard her knees nearly buckled. Tears streaked her cheeks as she shook her head and kept her face lowered, desperate not to be recognized. Shame and humiliation pressed on her chest until it felt unbearable.


    She pped the officer’s hand away and staggered forward, forcing her legs to carry her out of the alley. When she finally reached a brighter, busier street, she wrapped her arms around herself and wiped at her tears, her sobs muffled by the night air.


    Your imagination begins with gα?ησν????s﹒?????


    Her gaze drifted over the strangers passing by, but her eyes burned with a rising bitterness. This was Ste’s fault—every bit of it. If not for Ste’s interference, William would never have confronted her; Lance would not have reprimanded her; and she would not have bolted into the night, only to stumble into such a dreadful misfortune.


    Every loss pointed straight back to Ste. That jinx had stripped her of everything.


    Nina snapped her head up. Her eyes were rimmed in red, malice glittering within them. A cold promise formed in her mind. “Ste, just you wait. I will make you answer for this. All the humiliation and pain you caused me today—I will repay it a hundred times over. I will repay it a thousand.”


    While Ste packed, William sat in the living room and watched her. He opened his mouth more than once to speak, but her indifferent expression kept him silent.


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