?Chapter 1172:


    His voice carried a trace of sorrow, yet there was no hesitation—no intention of shielding her from the punishment she had earned.


    Ste and William had both given her more than enough chances in the past, but Nina had never learned to value them. Now, she had no one to me but herself.


    “What about Uncle Daniel?” Lance asked. “They must’ve realized by now that Nina’s gone missing.”


    Karson let out a dry scoff. “They failed to raise her properly, and now they want to demand answers? The nerve of them.”


    Lance didn’t respond, though he was certain Daniel and Norene would eventuallye to Carter Mansion. It was only a matter of time.


    Karson lifted a tired hand and waved him off. “You can go now, Lance. I need a little time alone to think.”


    Meanwhile, Ste was in her hospital room, restingfortably against Marc’s shoulder as she flipped through a wedding magazine.


    Her smile was soft and full of joy,pletely unaware of the betrayal and pain the man holding her had once caused.


    Marc held her close, feeling as though he was living inside a dream he had never thought he’d reach. He knew this fragile happiness, built on lies, could copse at any moment—but having her in his arms made every risk worth taking.


    Even if the truth resurfaced one day, he was determined to protect this stolen joy for as long as he could—no matter how many lies it took to keep it alive.


    Outside, night settled deeper over the city, blending sorrow and peace together. But inside Ste’s heart, there was only calm, unbroken happiness.


    As Ste’s condition improved, Marc threw himself into nning their wedding with renewed excitement.


    “Stel,” he asked, wearing a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, “what do you think? Should our wedding be in that blue-domed church in Santorini, or on the private beach where we had our first date?”


    Snuggledfortably against his chest, Ste flipped through photos of wedding venues on her tablet, her eyes forming little crescents as she smiled with excitement.


    Her thoughts drifted back to that beautiful moment on the private beach where Marc had proposed, and her heart softened at the memory. A wedding held there would truly carry special meaning for both of them.


    Every journey starts at gα?ησν????s?c????


    Marc quietly observed her reaction after making the suggestion, the memories of their first marriage shing briefly through his mind. A few unpleasant moments surfaced, but he brushed them away, unwilling to let them taint this second chance he’d been given.


    This time, he intended to do everything right—to give her the kind of wedding she truly deserved.


    He lowered his head, letting his chin rest lightly on her shoulder as he breathed in the soft scent of her hair. In a gentle voice, he murmured, “Or anywhere you want, love. Wherever your heart feels happiest, I’ll make it happen. I’ll do whatever it takes to make your dreame true.”


    “Then the beach it is,” Ste said almost instantly, her face glowing with excitement. “You know how much I love the ocean. It means a lot to us. I can already picture a white floral arch by the shore, maybe with a champagne carpet leading to it…”


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