?Chapter 1085:


    Luca gave a brief nod and left to carry it out.


    Ste’s lips curled into a faint smile. Now all she had to do was wait and see if Nina would take the bait.


    By the next morning, rumors of Ste’s “dire condition” had spread all across Choria.


    People lined up to visit, but Luca turned them all away, allowing only a few members of the Carter family inside.


    Karson arrived first, with Lance at his side. The moment he saw Ste hooked up to tubes, her face deathly pale, tears welled in his eyes.


    “After all these years, I finally found my granddaughter… Who would dare do this to her?”


    Lance ced a steady hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry, Grandpa. Ste’s tough. She’ll pull through.”


    No sooner had he spoken than the elevator doors slid open. Daniel, Norene, and Nina stepped out.


    The sight of Ste barely clinging to life made Nina’s heart leap. She lowered her head, her shoulders trembling as she pretended to cry. Only her parents knew she was secretly thrilled.


    Lance walked over, his eyes fixed on Ste through the ss. “The shooter from the forum disappeared without a trace,” he said quietly. “It’s as if he vanished off the face of the earth.”


    The news made Nina even happier.


    If the man was gone, there would be no trail leading back to her. She just needed to make sure he stayed away from Choria for good.


    “I need to use the restroom,” Nina said softly as she excused herself. Once inside, she locked the stall door and pulled out her phone. The call connected almost instantly, a rough male voice answering on the other end.


    “Hello. You did well,” Nina said quickly. “Now that the job’s done, I’ll arrange for you to leave the country. Don’t evere back to Choria.”


    The man’s voice was calm but cold. “I need more money.”


    Nina froze. “What? We already agreed on a price.”


    He cut her off. “Do you have any idea how many people are looking for me now? I’m risking my life because of you. If you don’t pay up, I’ll go public—every message, every detail.”


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    Her stomach twisted. He was ckmailing her.


    Nina clenched her fists, forcing her voice to remain steady. “How much?”


    “Half a million.”


    Her mind went nk for a moment. It was outrageous. She had already drained her savings to pay him the first time, and her family’s finances weren’t in good shape right now. But if she refused, he might really leak everything.


    Her pulse raced. For the first time, Nina realized she waspletely trapped.


    “Fine,” she said through gritted teeth. “Half a million. I’ll transfer it tomorrow. After that, disappear. Don’t ever contact me again.” There was no way she could risk any further contact with him.


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