based on a true storysteven vance was the man everyone thought they knew: dependable, kind, the quintessential "nice guy" who would never hurt a soul. but one fateful night shattered that illusion, leaving behind a trail of blood, unanswered questions, and a chilling video that exposed a side of steven even he didn't recognize.haunted by a blackout he can't explain, steven is thrust into a nightmare of his own making. the evidence is damning: surveillance footage places him at the crime scenes, a bloodied knife is found in his possession, and his own chilling declarations are caught on camera. yet steven insists he remembers nothing.as the trial unfolds, a darker truth emerges-a man broken by years of suppressed rage, toxic relationships, and unhealed wounds. his obsession with james, his ex-best friend, and the betrayals of those closest to him weave a tapestry of violence and self-destruction. steven's reckoning isn't just about what happened that night-it's about the hidden chains he's carried his entire life and the shadows of himself he's been too afraid to confront.but steven's story is more than a tale of guilt and innocence. it's a reflection of the universal struggle with identity, trauma, and the lies we tell ourselves to survive. as the world watches and debates his guilt, steven must face the ultimate question: is he the monster everyone believes him to be, or a man lost in the chaos of his own fractured mind?the chains we carry is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of human emotion, the weight of unresolved trauma, and the devastating consequences of suppressed truth.this book is best suited for mature audiences, particularly readers aged 18 and older. with themes of psychological trauma, addiction, violence, toxic relationships, and moral ambiguity, it offers a raw and emotionally intense journey for those ready to confront the darker corners of the human psyche.