?Chapter 1726:


    Startled, Josie lunged forward and grabbed her arm. “Sharon, we don’t have all the facts yet. If you tell her now and this turns out to be a misunderstanding, she and William are finished for good.” She paused, then pressed on. “Steven just needs one week. If he still can’t prove William was framed after that, we’ll tell Ste everything. It won’t be toote.”


    “One week?” Sharon shook off Josie’s grip and let out a harshugh. “Josie, whose side are you even on? What if William and Alisha cause more problems during that week? How do we exin that to Ste — that we knew the whole time and said nothing?”


    When Ste had lost her memory and believed she still had feelings for Marc, Sharon hadn’t been able to tell her the truth immediately. She had hated herself for it. Now, watching history repeat itself, she refused to keep secrets again.


    The question left Josie speechless. She was silent for several long moments before speaking. “But you saw it yourself — Alisha seems off. I just don’t want to mislead Ste before we know the truth. One week will go by fast.” This might be thest real chance for Ste and William’s rtionship.


    Sharon fixed Josie with a hard stare. “Look, I know Steven has feelings for you — but you can’t blindly trust him because of that. He’s William’s closest friend. Of course he’s going to defend him.”


    Josie knew Sharon had a point.


    But she wasn’t asking for this week because of Steven or William. “I’m not trusting Steven just because he has feelings for me. There are genuinely too many suspicious things about this whole situation. William isn’t like Marc. And deep down, Ste still cares about him.”


    Sharon’s voice shook with barely contained anger. “Look at the state Ste’s in right now. She still has scars on her arm because of William. He’s hurt her again and again, and now this? How exactly is he different from Marc?” Could a man like that truly make Ste happy? She didn’t believe it. Not for a second.


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    The two women faced each other in tense silence, the air between them thick with unspoken conflict. Outside, the rain intensified, beating steadily against the window as though echoing the turmoil churning inside them.


    After what felt like an eternity, Josie’s voice softened first. “I know you want what’s best for Ste. So do I.” It was precisely because they both loved her that they needed to tread carefully. This was about Ste’s happiness for the rest of her life.


    “Just one week. If Steven can’t uncover the truth by then — or if the truth proves William really did betray her — I’ll tell Ste everything alongside you. Can you ept that?”


    Sharon searched Josie’s earnest gaze, and the fire burning inside her chest slowly began to die down.


    Didn’t she want to believe this was all some terrible mistake too? She wanted Ste to find happiness more than anyone. She had watched Ste fall apart when Marc destroyed her, and now Ste’s rtionship with William hung by the thinnest of threads. All Sharon wanted was to spare her as much pain as possible.


    Just then, the kitchen door swung open. Ste stood in the doorway, taking in the sight of them facing each other. “Are you two fighting?”


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