?Chapter 1628:


    Ste shook her off coldly. “Stop yelling at me if you want your son to have any peace in prison.”


    Jazlyn flinched. Her knees buckled, and she looked ready to kneel again. Ste stepped back just in time. “Jazlyn, kneeling won’t help. Do you want a repeat ofst time?”


    Jazlyn froze,cking the courage to go through with it. Tears streamed down her face. “I’m sorry, Ste. I treated you badly before, but it had nothing to do with Marc. You can me me if you want.”


    Ste looked down at the woman who had once lorded her arrogance over her and felt not a trace ofpassion. She responded with an eerie calm, as though reciting a simple list of facts. “Did you also push him to betray me and im my work as his own? Was drugging me to erase the past two years of my memory your idea as well?”


    Jazlyn had known her son was guilty of terrible things, but hearing Ste enumerate them aloud brought a fresh wave of shame washing over her. Still, for Marc’s sake, she swallowed her pride and nodded. “Yes. All of it was me.”


    Ste let out a humorlessugh. “Jazlyn, spoiling your son has only destroyed him. Since you’re so willing to take the me for everything he’s done, why not turn yourself in to the police and confess?”


    Jazlyn’s sobbing cut off abruptly. When she lifted her head, her expression was one ofplete disbelief. She had begged so desperately, degraded herself so thoroughly — and yet Ste remained utterly unmoved.


    “I’ll never forgive either of you,” Ste said, each word deliberate and cold as she looked down at her. “Marc should endure every hardship prison has to offer. And you should be grateful you were spared from joining him.”


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    Ste got into her car and drove away through the prison gates, leaving Jazlyn standing alone in the dark.


    The car idled at the intersection, waiting for the light to change. Ste stared out the window at the crowds flowing past the mall, her gaze drifting to the massive LED screens overhead. A jewelry advertisement flickered across them — all sparkling diamonds and perfect smiles.


    She pressed her fingers to her temples as Sharon’s and Josie’s faces surfaced in her mind. Ever since the vi fire, her life had spiraled into chaos. Work had consumed her. She had been injured. And through it all, she had barely thought of her two best friends. The realization hit her with a sharp pang of guilt.


    Ste pulled out her phone. Sharon’s number came to her without thinking, muscle memory guiding her fingers as she dialed. The phone rang just twice before someone picked up.


    Sharon’s voice cut through, crisp and familiar. “Hello?”


    The sound of it made Ste’s throat tighten unexpectedly. “Sharon, it’s me.”


    A beat of silence. Then recognition flooded Sharon’s voice with excitement. “Stel?”


    Ste drew a slow breath. “I’m sorry, Sharon. Everything’s been so chaotictely — I should have called you and Josie sooner.”


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