Chapter 83

"We're family—there's no need for thanks."

Stein sat down beside her, his presence reassuring.

"I bought this place, you know. It's yours whenever you need it.”

Victoria's eyes shimmered with tears.

"Stein-" she whispered.

He reached out, ruffling her hair with gentle affection, the way you'd comfort a child.

After a moment of silence, he made up his mind to tell her the truth.

"When you were taken, McNeil showed up. He wanted to take you away, but I wouldn't let him."

The tears faded from Victoria's eyes, replaced by a cold, distant look.

Stein sighed inwardly. Matters of the heart were never simple.

He still remembered the way Victoria had once been determined-almost desperate to marry McNeil, no matter what anyone said. And over the years, everyone close to the family knew just how much she'd endured.

It didn't help that McNeil's name was constantly tangled up in tabloid rumors with other women. The gossip columns made sure there was no ignoring it.

"I'm not going back to the Langford family," Victoria said quietly.

She couldn't forget how, after Violet's return, McNeil had grown cold, indifferent- how he'd blamed her for things she never did, for no reason at all.

she was tired now.

you have my

side. That meant the world

she wasn't

as she was able to move her hand a little, Victoria reached out

phone,

put out a missing person's report! I almost called McNeil to see

that something awful had

worry, so she made

had to travel for something personal. I'm

Garcia is upset

if he wants

a

He'd never

he's been like a

as you're back, call

"Alright."

longer, but she was already

to a few other people—Max and

hadn't heard anything about them since that car

picked up her phone to call Marcus, it buzzed with

missed calls from her daughter; it had been a

they'd really

calling so often

was

dialed back, and Gwyneth's voice was soft

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