?Chapter 1013:


    Hailey’s gaze jerked upward. She was stunned.


    A memory unit? Overwrite someone’s entire recollection? She vaguely recalled hearing whispers of such tech before, but…


    “Isn’t that still experimental?” she asked quietly, brows knitting in concern.


    “What if something malfunctions? What if there are…sting effects? What would happen to Noah?”


    But Forest only grew more energized, his smile turning grim with dark intent.


    “A malfunction would be ideal,” he hissed, leaning closer. “Think about it. If he ends upatose—or better, doesn’t survive—then you’re his bereaved spouse. And you’re carrying his heir. The elders in the Wall family wouldn’t dare cast you aside. For that child’s sake, they’d back youpletely. Eventually, you’d hold the reins of the Wall Group.”


    He paused, his expression calcting. “And if it works? Then he’s yours alone. Sadie vanishes from his mind like she never existed. He’ll only see you. At that point, both he and the business are in our pockets. Either way, we win. It’s a high-stakes bet—with nothing but upside.”


    Hailey’s pulse thundered in her ears.


    As twisted as it sounded, the n was nearly foolproof. Whichever direction things turned, it would secure her ce—and that of her family.


    Still, her stomach twisted. Brain operations weren’t a game. The dangers weren’t theoretical.


    Noticing her faltering, Forest grew anxious.


    His daughter had everything—charm, intelligence, drive—but always second-guessed at the final stretch.


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    How was she supposed to pull off something big if she couldn’t make hard calls?


    “Hailey! We can’t afford to wait anymore!” His tone cracked like a whip. “Sadie’s expecting! Noah could find out about that any moment! The longer we wait, the riskier this gets. Are you really going to let him return to her and throw everything we’ve fought for into the dirt?”


    Hailey didn’t reply. Her hands clutched her sleeves tightly, knuckles pale, the fabric trembling.


    Seeing this, Forest picked up on her inner conflict and switched tactics. His voice dropped, gentler now, more personal.


    “Hailey, have you blocked out what went down three years back? Our family hit rock bottom. The business was copsing, and the world mocked us—treated us like filth. Have you truly erased how crushing that was? We only got to stand up again because of Noah. Do you want to be broken like that again, powerless and disgraced?”


    That sting—Hailey remembered every bit of it. The burning humiliation, the fury masked as silence—she vowed never to relive that nightmare. Her chin lifted abruptly, uncertainty vanishing from her expression, now hardened with fierce purpose. Fingers curled tightly, pressing crescent-shaped marks into her skin.


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