?Chapter 1254:


    Josie took a slow breath, forcing herself to steady her voice. “Talking about it won’t change anything. The question is, what do we do next?”


    Steven didn’t notice the fleeting exchange between Josie and Sharon—the quick flicker of unease in their eyes, the way Sharon’s hand tightened around her cup. His mind was still on William.


    “If we want to get to the bottom of this,” he said slowly, “we need to figure out where William was during that missing month. Someone must’ve filled his head with lies about Ste. And there’s something else—he came back with Nina.”


    “Nina?!”


    Both Josie and Sharon blurted it out at once, disbelief etched across their faces.


    After everything Nina had done to Ste, the idea that William would have anything to do with her was impossible to digest.


    Steven nodded grimly. “Yeah. I’ve already asked Luca to look into it. Whatever happened to William during that time… I’m sure Nina’s involved. Maybe she’s not even the one pulling the strings. Someone else could be behind it all.”


    Josie’s brows knitted together, a quiet dread creeping into her chest. She exchanged a nce with Sharon. “Then what do we do now?”


    She knew Ste was in no position to defend herself. The amnesia, Marc’s constant maniption—how could Ste possibly remember her past with William when the man she once loved had been turned against her?


    Steven leaned forward, his tone earnest. “I know I’ve messed up before, but we need to help William. I can’t just sit back and watch him ruin his life—or hers. I need your help. Consider it helping both of them.”


    Sharon arched an eyebrow. “Help how?”


    It didn’t seem like there was much they could do.


    Your favorite tales are on gα?ησν????s??оnn


    Steven’s answer came calm and certain. “If you notice anything unusual—anything at all—with Ste, tell me immediately. And I’ll share everything I find about William. I’m not giving up until I uncover what happened to him.”


    For a moment, the two women said nothing. Then, after a long, uneasy pause, they both nodded.


    When Steven stepped out of the cafe, the evening light was already fading. The sky glowed a soft orange, casting a warm hue over the bustling city. But the warmth did nothing to ease the heaviness in his chest.


    He slid into his car, exhaling deeply as he looked back through the windshield. Inside, Josie and Sharon were still seated at their table, talking in hushed tones.


    Steven gripped the steering wheel, his eyes dim with thought.


    They hadn’t found William for over a month, and his sudden reappearance wasn’t the relief it should have been. Whoever had taken him—or controlled him—had power. Enough to twist his memories, his emotions, even his love.


    And now, William harbored nothing but hatred toward Ste.


    No matter how Steven looked at it, this wasn’t something that could be fixed easily. But giving up wasn’t an option.


    It wasn’t just loyalty that drove him—it was something deeper. William didn’t deserve to lose himself like this. And Ste… she didn’t deserve to be hated for something she might not even remember.


    .


    .


    .