?Chapter 1517:


    Luca appeared instantly, pulling the door wide and motioning toward the exit.


    Lance fixed his eyes on William’s rigid form, rage swelling inside him until it threatened to burst through his skin.


    If only he and Steprised the Carter family, he would sacrifice everything—obliterate the entire family legacy if necessary—to pull her free from William’s grasp.


    But there was still their grandfather to consider. Lance couldn’t stomach the thought of the old man enduring punishment because of his reckless actions.


    Ultimately, he swallowed his fury, pivoted on his heel, and marched out of the office.


    When Lance’s vehicle came to a halt before the Briggs Group building’s entrance, he twisted in his seat to stare up at the massive structure piercing the sky.


    He extracted his phone and typed out a message to Ste. “Ste, this is my failure. I’ve proven myself useless. I failed to protect you, and I haven’t managed to free you yet. But trust me—I will discover a solution. I refuse to abandon you. Hold on and wait for me.”


    Once he’d verified the message had gone through, he pocketed the device, turned the ignition, and pulled away from the curb.


    The message reached Ste while she sat in the vi, sending her heart plummeting.


    She understood immediately—her brother had confronted William once more, and the encounter had undoubtedly ended in defeat.


    Perched on the sofa, she gazed through the windows at the brilliant sunshine bathing the grounds outside, yet not a single ray of warmth prated the darkness in her chest.


    From the moment William had dragged her away, everyone in her life had lived in constant anxiety on her behalf.


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    Sharon and Josie. Lance and their grandfather.


    A thought struck her suddenly—if she had existed alone from the start, without connections, without loved ones, would any of this have unfolded? Would they have been spared this endless cycle of worry and suffering?


    While her mind spiraled through these turbulent thoughts, knuckles rapped against the door.


    Jewell entered carrying his medical bag. Finding Ste seated in the living room rather than hiding in her bedroom sparked visible surprise across his features. “Having a better day?”


    Ste manufactured a smile tinged with bitterness. “He’s been absent for days, so I felt safe enough to venture downstairs briefly.”


    The response clearly caught Jewell off guard. His hand rose awkwardly to rub the bridge of his nose.


    “How have the past few days treated you? Has anything returned to you memory-wise?”


    Understanding his purpose involved helping restore her memories, Ste walked him through everything she’d experiencedtely.


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