?Chapter 1346:


    For a second, she considered walking away. Then a voice called her name.


    She turned.


    It was Whittaker Ashton—Marc’s friend. She remembered his face.


    There was a quiet plea in Ste’s eyes, but Whittaker’s expression was… strange.


    “What are you doing here? No seat?” he asked, brows slightly furrowed.


    Ste didn’t want to admit what had happened, but she gave a small nod anyway.


    Whittaker paused for a moment, then stood up. “You can sit here,” he offered.


    Ste blinked, surprised. “But what about you? Where will you sit?”


    Whittaker’s eyes flicked over to William, who was seated just to his right. “Something came up. I won’t be staying after all. Enjoy the event.”


    He turned and walked out of the venue without a backward nce.


    Seeing the vacant seat, Ste didn’t bother with false modesty. She simply took her ce.


    Next to her, William let out a quiet, mocking snort. “You really have a way with men,” he muttered. “Wherever you go, someone’s always eager to rescue you.”


    She knew exactly who he meant—Whittaker Ashton, Marc’s friend, one of the Ashtons. William hadn’t missed it either.


    Ste didn’t respond. She kept her head down, hands folded in herp, trying not to breathe too loudly. Anything she said would only give him an excuse to toy with her.


    The lights dimmed. The charity g officially began.


    Just outside the venue, Whittaker pulled out his phone and called Marc. “Guess who I just saw?” he asked, skipping the small talk.


    Marc had been staying hometely, keeping his distance from everything.


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    He answered without much energy. “Who?”


    “Ste.”


    That got his attention. Marc straightened up, phone pressed tighter to his ear. “What did you say?”


    “I saw her,” Whittaker said again. “At the g. She’s here with William.”


    Marc went quiet.


    Whittaker kept going. “What’s going on with you two? One minute she’s with you, the next she’s back with him.”


    Whittaker recalled that a few months ago, Ste was supposed to marry William, then suddenly, a monthter, she was set to marry Marc, only to be taken away by William at the wedding.


    It sounded like something out of a soap opera.


    The brief flicker of emotion that had sparked inside Marc dimmed again. Of course. William still had her.


    “Are youing?” Whittaker asked. “If you are, I’ll wait out here.”


    Marc hesitated. For a second, he almost said yes. Then: “No. I’m not going.”


    Whittaker blinked. “Seriously? What, you’re giving up just like that?”


    He’d seen Ste inside. She didn’t look happy. Didn’t even look present. It wasn’t hard to guess she hadn’t gone willingly.


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