?Chapter 1056:


    Just then, her phone buzzed and a text from an unknown number came in: “Want to change your situation? We’ve got you.”


    Her heart skipped. Without thinking, she replied, “Who are you?”


    The response came quickly: “Meet at West Park tomorrow at three p.m. Come alone. You’ll get the answers you’re looking for.”


    Nina stared at the screen, hesitation flooding her chest.


    It had to be Erebus. She had leaked information about Ste before, but she wasn’t one of them, so why were they suddenly reaching out now?


    Should Lance know about this?


    No. If he did, she’d have to exin how she was involved with Erebus in the first ce—and how she’d been the one leaking Ste’s secrets.


    After a long pause, Nina took a deep breath and deleted the entire conversation. Every message disappeared, as if it had never been there at all.


    The next afternoon, Nina drove alone to a park on the west side of the city.


    The air was cool and smelled fresh, filled with the scent of grass and trees. Sunlight poured over everything, warm and golden, but Nina couldn’t shake the chill inside her.


    After a moment, a man in a ck trench coat appeared from the other side of the park. His smile made her uneasy. “Miss Carter, I’m d you made a wise choice.”


    Nina forced herself to stay calm, even though her eyes gave her away. “Skip the small talk. What do you want?”


    The man walked over and sat next to her, his tone smooth and persuasive. “We know what’s going on. The Carter family doesn’t trust you anymore. Ste and William have been digging into your past. When they find out everything, it’s not going to end well for you.”


    Nina bit her lip, her voice shaking slightly. “Just tell me what you’re getting at.”


    He turned to her, his eyes sharp. “What I’m saying is, we can help you. We can fix your reputation with the Carters. Get rid of the Ste and William problem. Even help you take control of the entire Carter family.”


    Nina froze. Take control of the Carter family?


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    It sounded impossible—something she’d never even let herself imagine—but the man spoke like it was nothing.


    She swallowed hard, her voice low and tense. “What’s the price?”


    He gave a softugh, clearly pleased by her quick thinking. “It’s simple, just a bit of cooperation. If you seed, the Carter family is yours. We only take what we need.”


    Nina’s heart raced so fast she could hardly breathe.


    She knew what this meant—betraying her family, cutting a deal with dangerous people.


    But afterst night’s humiliation, she couldn’t stand the thought of letting Ste outshine her again.


    And if they ever discovered what she had done… the Carters would cast her out, and her parents would likely turn their backs to save themselves.


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