?Chapter 1158:


    “Now, don’t rush. The performance has only just begun.” After a brief pause, Nina continued, “Do you know why I’m doing this? I intend for William to learn the torment of losing the one he loves. I want him to carry that regret for the rest of his life.”


    She would rather see him suffer than allow him to live a blissful life with Ste. If she couldn’t have him, no one could.


    In Nina’s mind, once Ste disappeared, William’s so-called devotion would crumble with time. There was no way he would cling to a memory forever.


    When her bitter words ran out, she fixed her gaze on the road again, keeping silent about where she was taking Ste.


    The steady hum of the car worsened Ste’s dizziness. The world around her began to tilt, and before she could gather her thoughts, she slipped back into unconsciousness.


    William sped toward the wedding estate, a gnawing sense of dread rising inside him with every turn of the wheel.


    He had meant to be back an hour earlier, but the jewelry shop had dyed him, iming the ring had already been collected. After arguments and confusion, he finally managed to recover it.


    With the ring box in hand, he pushed open the lounge door—only to be met by an empty room. Ste’s veily draped over the chair like a silent witness.


    “Ste!” His deep voice echoed through the space, unanswered.


    At the sound, Luca came rushing in. The color drained from his face the instant he saw the deserted room. “Mr. Briggs, Ms. Russell left with a security guard about thirty minutes ago. She hasn’t returned.”


    “A security guard?” William went still, a sharp pang stabbing through his chest. “Didn’t I tell you to watch her closely?”


    Luca’s breath caught, and his hands began to tremble. “The man was in a security uniform, sir. I assumed—”


    He stopped mid-sentence, realizing toote that his assumption had cost them dearly. Ste was gone.


    Without wasting a second, William pulled out his phone and tried to trace her location. The screen shed an error—Ste’s signal had been jammed.


    His eyes widened as the truth hit him. He sprinted to the Maybach and crouched beside it. A small blinking device was attached to the underside of the car.


    “Damn it!” he growled, mming his fist against the concrete wall. The sound echoed through the estate.


    When Luca caught up, William spun on him, his voice cutting like a de. “She’s been taken. I want her found immediately!”


    Before Luca could respond, movement at the doorway caught William’s attention.


    Marc stood there, looking disheveled in his crumpled suit, his face drawn and weary—an odd sight amid the chaos of what should have been a wedding.


    Marc’s voice rasped with exhaustion, his eyes locked on William. “William, I saw everything.”


    William turned sharply, his gaze narrowing. “What exactly did you see?”


    Marc drew in a shaky breath before speaking. “Ste was kidnapped.”


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