?Chapter 1308:


    He scowled, trying to fight it off. Trying to stay cold.


    But Ste just pressed closer. “I feel cold…”


    His voice came out harsher than he intended, rough at the edges. “Quiet.”


    But she didn’t hear him. Or didn’t care.


    William let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding—then bent and hooked an arm under her knees. With one smooth motion, he lifted her. She was rmingly light. Too light.


    His gaze dropped to her ck dress, wrinkled and clinging to her skin. The memory of those men staring at her—hungry, disgusting—made something vicious spark inside him.


    “Damn it,” he muttered.


    He carried her out of the bathroom, down the quiet private corridor, heading straight for the exit.


    Unbeknownst to him, a pair of eyes watched from the shadows behind one of the marble pirs.


    Marc.


    He hade with friends, trying to forget the humiliation of his ruined wedding. Thest thing he expected was to see this.


    Ste draped in William’s arms, her face nuzzling into his chest like she belonged there.


    Marc’s hands curled into fists so tight his nails dug into his palms. She was supposed to be his. His bride. Even if the wedding never happened, everyone knew who she was meant to marry.


    And now she was being carried out by William as if she were something precious. Something imed.


    Marc’s face twisted with anger and jealousy, the sting of his own disgrace burning deep. For a moment, he almost stepped out—almost confronted them both right there in the middle of the hallway.


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    However, as Marc stood in the corner, feeling the sheer pressure rolling off William like a silent warning for everyone to back away, his courage deted like a balloon pricked with a needle.


    Even though he hated admitting it, he knew deep down that he didn’t dare show his face in front of William—much less confront him head-on.


    He was nothing more than a fledgling businessman who had justunched a smallpany. How could he possiblypete with the general manager of the Briggs Group? William had crushed him once before, and Marc knew he was destined to suffer the same fate again.


    When it came to influence, money, or the ruthless means to get things done, Marc wasn’t even in the same league.


    If he charged in recklessly now, he would only humiliate himself—or worse, provoke William into retaliating in a way he couldn’t withstand. He still had no way to take Ste away, and nothing good woulde of confronting him.


    Once that realization sank in, Marc could only shrink back like a cornered rat, helplessly watching William disappear around the corridor with Ste in his arms.


    William carefully eased Ste into the back seat and told the driver to take them straight back to the vi.


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