?Chapter 1194:


    Even if the odds were slim—one percent, half a percent—it didn’t matter.


    She wasn’t going to let Ste live the rest of her life inside someone else’s lie.


    And who knows? It might really work.


    When Sharon looked up again, her expression had hardened into quiet resolve. “Thank you, Dr. Robinson. Truly. You’ve given me more help than you realize.”


    Charles waved a hand, his smile kind, his tone gracious. “Think nothing of it, Ms. Mitchell. I hope your friend finds her way back to herself soon. If you ever need further advice, don’t hesitate to reach out to my hospital.”


    Marc burst through the vi doors, his pulse racing with dread. The living room was silent, its stillness amplifying his unease. Only after questioning the housekeeper did he learn that Ste had stepped out not long ago.


    Panic tightened in his chest, and he immediately reached for his phone to call her.


    At that moment, Ste came in from outside. Spotting him in the living room, she greeted him with a warm smile.


    “Marc, you’re home early! Tired of the party already? How was it?”


    Her gaze held nothing but warmth and trust—the kind that used to calm him, but now only made his heart ache. The fear and tension Marc had fought to conceal all evening broke loose the instant he saw her.


    He rose quickly and pulled Ste into his arms, holding her so tightly that she frowned in surprise.


    “What’s wrong?” she asked. “Did something happen?”


    In Ste’s memory, Marc was someone who almost never lost his calm.


    “Stel…” Marc’s voice came out low and trembling as he pressed his face into her shoulder, breathing in her familiar scent like a man afraid she might vanish if he let go.


    Ste, calm as ever, spoke gently. “I’m here.”


    Marc drew in a shaky breath, his words muffled against her shoulder. “Stel, tell me you love me. Promise you’ll marry me, no matter what happens. Nothing will evere between us, right?”


    The sudden desperation in his voice startled Ste. Still, she wrapped her arms around him, her hand moving in slow,forting circles across his back.


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    “Marc, what’s the matter?” she murmured. “Of course I love you. We’re getting married soon, aren’t we?”


    If she didn’t love him, she would never have agreed to spend her life with him.


    “Did something happen at the party?” she asked. “You can tell me. We’ll face it together, whatever it is.”


    Ste’s gentle voice flowed through the silence like a warm current, softening the fear that gripped Marc’s chest. Yet beneath that warmth, a chill lingered—a coldness no amount of affection could thaw.


    He tightened his arms around her, holding her as though sheer force could fuse their souls together. His breath brushed her ear, his voice trembling between desperation and denial.


    “Stel, you must love me. Only me. Don’t ever…”


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