?Chapter 1279:


    Karson mmed his cane down with a crack. “Has William lost his mind? He snatched Ste in front of everyone. Does he think he’s untouchable?”


    “Grandpa, I’m going to get her right now.”


    Lance pulled out his phone with hands that shook from anger.


    Karson caught the edge of his sleeve. “Wait. William isn’t someone who bows to force. If he’s reckless enough to take her like this, barging in won’t scare him. It might even push him over the edge. Ste would pay the price.”


    “Then what do we do?” Lance’s voice broke out of sheer frustration. “We can’t let him keep her like a prisoner.”


    He had already heard how Sharon and the others had tried and failed.


    And the longer Ste stayed with William, the more Lance feared what that rage-filled man might do.


    Karson sat still for a beat, eyes shadowed with thought. Then he exhaled, sharp and resolved. “Get the car. I’m going there myself,” he said, voice steady. “Let’s see if William dares lock me up too.”


    Lance stiffened. “I’ming with you.”


    There was no way he’d let his grandfather walk into that alone.


    Karson didn’t argue. Within minutes, a line of ck sedans pulled out of the Carter estate and sped toward the Briggs vi just outside town.


    Nina heard about it not long after. She’d been at the wedding—had seen William burst in, unravelpletely, and drag Ste away.


    At the time, she thought he’de for revenge. But now? Taking Ste like that… it didn’t look like hate.


    It looked like a man stillpletely gone for a woman he couldn’t forget.


    Even with his memories altered, William still couldn’t stop himself.


    That was the part Nina couldn’t stomach.


    And now her family was going head-to-head with him? It felt like the whole city was orbiting around Ste—like everything somehow always led back to her.


    Nina’s jaw clenched as she hissed into the phone, “Keep eyes on them. I want updates the second something happens. There’ll be perks in it for you.”


    In the lead car, Karson stared out the window, silent. His features were hard, unreadable. Lance sat beside him, fists clenched so tight his knuckles had gone white. The tension was thick. No one said a word.


    Meanwhile, back at William’s vi, the shouting had finally stopped. The silence that followed was heavier than the yelling.


    Ste sat on the floor by the bed, shoulders slumped,pletely wrung out. She stared nkly at the ceiling, like she wasn’t really seeing it. Her face was streaked with dried tears, but her expression didn’t hold anything anymore.


    William was across the room, half-sprawled on the couch. His breathing hadn’t quite steadied yet. He nced at Ste, his jaw tight, but said nothing. Instead, he reached for his phone and started scrolling through documents.


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