?Chapter 1118:


    Sitting there in the dark, Ste’s chest ached with guilt. If only Jeff had never met her. None of this would be happening to him. He was innocent, caught in the crossfire—and she was the one who had dragged him into it.


    The van sank into silence, broken only by the low rumble of the wheels and the faint sound of their uneven breathing.


    After a heavy pause, Jeff finally whispered, “Ste, if we both get out of this, there’s something I must tell you.”


    Something in his tone made Ste’s chest tighten. Whatever he meant to say, it had to matter.


    She answered with steady resolve, squeezing his hand. “We’ll get out. I promise.”


    The drivested another thirty minutes or so before the van finally came to a stop.


    When the door swung open, sunlight hit like a p, and Ste squinted, realizing they’d been brought to the entrance of a deserted mansion.


    They were ushered into an empty room on the second floor. A handful of people were already gathered there.


    Faces crowded the space, most of them unfamiliar. One, however, made Ste’s jaw clench—Nina.


    Nina sauntered over with a mocking smile and a sneer. “Surprised, cousin? Did you really think I’d obediently stay in Asnain like an idiot?”


    Ste’s voice stayed calm, but her eyes were sharp. “Seems you’ve gotten better at lying.”


    It stung to remember that Nina had fooled the whole Carter n—Ste included.


    Nina’s face twisted with resentment. “Don’t you dare mention them! They just abandoned me—their only daughter—at your request!” she snapped, grabbing a handful of Ste’s hair and yanking her head back. “I told you, I’d rather destroy everything than let you win.”


    Jeff tried to intervene, but a burly man kicked him to the floor. He hit hard, grimacing, yet he still shouted, “Leave her alone!”


    Nina crouched low, jeering at him like a viper to its prey. “Oh, right—the lovesick fool. How touching. Did you know Ste only ever looks at William? You don’t exist to her. All your pain, all you’ve suffered—it’s her doing.”


    “Stop it,” Ste snapped. “This is between us. Don’t take it out on him.”


    Nina’s rage only deepened. “You’ve taken everything from me! Everyone I care about ends up on your side. Even this penniless man would die for you. Why you?”


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    Ste held her ground. “Because you’ve spent your whole life hating instead of living.”


    Before Nina could make her next move, a deep,manding voice cut through the tension. “That’s enough.”


    From the shadows stepped a middle-aged man in a sleek ck suit, and Ste’s heart dropped instantly. Drake.


    His presence could mean only one thing—Nina was working with Erebus.


    His calm smile didn’t reach his eyes as he took a seat on the worn sofa. “Ms. Russell,” he greeted lightly, “forgive the harsh treatment. Not exactly the way I prefer to meet an old acquaintance.”


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