?Chapter 1283:


    And in that moment, her chest split open with pain.


    She wanted freedom. She wanted it so badly it hurt to breathe.


    But if she chose herself, everyone she loved would pay the price.


    She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t be that selfish.


    Her fingers trembled as she took a step back instead of forward.


    “Ste—?” Lance’s voice faltered.


    She shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Lance…” Her voice broke. “I’m sorry. I can’t leave with you.”


    Her whole body shook with despair.


    Lance froze. The hand he extended toward her hung in the air, trembling. “What are you talking about?” he said, desperate. “Come with me! The Carter family can handle anything he throws at us. I’ll protect you, and your friends too. Don’t listen to him!”


    Ste shook her head, sobs slipping out uncontrobly. Her legs wobbled, and for a second she thought she might copse from the sheer weight of it all.


    Until today, she had barely even known who William was. But after everything—the way Sharon was blocked, the way her grandfather had rushed over in fear—she finally understood the truth.


    This man held power. Real power.


    Enough to make authorities stand back. Enough to make people with influence feel helpless.


    If he were just another ordinary person, she would have been taken away hours ago.


    If she walked out of this house now, every person she cared about would be dragged into the fire with her.


    She couldn’t risk that.


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    From behind Lance, Karson closed his eyes, his entire frame sinking with age and helplessness.


    He understood now. William had taken the entire Carter family and everyone his granddaughter cared for as hostages to force her to stay.


    They couldn’t take her away.


    After a long, suffocating silence, Karson’s voice broke through, sounding as if a decade had settled onto his shoulders all at once. “Lance… we’re leaving.”


    “Grandpa?!” Lance spun toward him, stunned.


    Ste was right there. So close. One more step and he could have pulled her into his arms and taken her home.


    How could they walk away now?


    Karson opened his eyes again, and although grief clouded them, the authority of the family patriarch still rested there. “We’re going,” he repeated, firm and final.


    If they stayed, they would only make things worse for Ste.


    Lance stared at Ste’s shaking figure, then at Karson’s firm, resigned expression. All the anger and helplessness inside him tightened until it burst out as a low roar.


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