?Chapter 1318:


    There was no mockery in his eyes now—only raw, bone-deep conviction.


    He truly believed Marc was unworthy.


    “You… you’re lying…” Her voice cracked. She tried to push him away, but she was too weak, too drained. Tears slipped over his fingers still curled under her chin. “Don’t nder him…”


    William let out a humorlessugh. How could she be so naive?


    “nder?” he echoed. “You think that man’s clean? You want me to show you what he’s been hiding from you all this time?”


    Hadn’t she said she forgot everything? Then maybe reminding her—dragging all of it back into the light—wasn’t cruelty. That would be a favor.


    A sharp thrill ran through William at the thought. Expose Marc. Strip away that polished mask Ste clung to. Let her see exactly who she’d almost married.


    Wouldn’t that be the perfect revenge?


    William let go of her chin, but the coldness in his eyes didn’t soften at all. He looked down at her like someone peeling back a lieyer byyer.


    “You think you and Marc were some perfect love story?” His voice was low, every word cutting clean. “You really believe you were lying in a hospital bed for two years after a car ident?”


    Ste blinked, stunned. A faint ache pulsed behind her temples, like something deep in her memory was being kicked awake.


    William didn’t pause. “You two were married, Ste. Married. And while you were breaking your back building your research, he cheated on you, again and again. He stole your work. He betrayed you in every possible way.”


    Her breath hitched. Her fingers curled into the sheets. It felt like her mind was splitting—shes of something dark and unbearable flickering at the edge of her vision.


    “No… stop. This isn’t real.” She shook her head hard, palms pping over her ears. “You’re twisting things to hurt me. I don’t believe you!”


    g?lnσν????s﹒??????, the heart of fiction


    William pulled her hands down again, not letting her hide. “You weren’t in aa for two years. That was his lie. You were divorced for two years.”


    Her whole body shook. “No. No, no, no…”


    Ste shook her head, hard, as if she could fling the words out of her mind. Her vision blurred, her thoughts no longer dulled by alcohol but tangled in a storm of confusion and disbelief. “You’re lying…” she cried out, hands mped over her ears like a child refusing to listen. “You just want me to hate him. You’re twisting everything—this isn’t real!”


    William crouched slightly to meet her eye, expression sharp enough to slice through her denial. “Think I’m lying? Fine. Come with me to the court tomorrow. Check the records. Your marital status is public.”


    He had never judged her. Honestly, he felt sorry for her—for the version of her that loved the wrong man and paid the price.


    But what had that gotten him? The thought stirred something darker.


    Watching her wrestle with the truth, watching her refuse it, something in him snapped.


    “You think you’re still special to him? That he made you forget everything because he loves you? Stop lying to yourself, Ste. If you didn’t still serve some purpose, Marc would’ve thrown you away a long time ago.”


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