After saying all that, Abby quickly said goodbye to Ste and hung up before she could respond.


    Ste stared at her phone, listening to the dial tone for a moment. In the end, she didn''t call back.


    Joshua noticed the troubled look on her face and asked, "Is something wrong?"


    Ste exined everything Abby had told her.


    Frowning, she said, "Abby said she has to leave for a while-she might be going undercover in the Lerman family."


    She sighed, worry etched on her brow. "I have no idea where Abby got her intel, but this is way too dangerous."


    "We need to figure out a way to get her out of there."


    Joshua''s gaze was fixed on Ste, his eyes dark and inscrutable, like the surface


    of a deep well hiding dangerous undercurrents.


    "You''re... worried about this?" he asked quietly.


    Lost in her thoughts, Ste didn''t notice the shift in Joshua''s tone.


    "I don''t dare contact Abby directly. If I reach out and she gets exposed, it could be even more dangerous for her."


    She looked up at him, her eyes searching for reassurance. "Joshua, is there any way we can get Abby out safely?"


    She raised her head, instinctively seeking his advice-only to meet those


    fathomless eyes, so intensely focused on her that she felt a strange weight in the air.


    Ste''s eyelid twitched. "What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?" Joshua lowered his gaze. "I thought you might worry that the news was fake." He hadn''t expected her first instinct would be to worry about Abby''s safety. Ste paused, then realized why Joshua was reacting this way.


    "Abby''s been my friend since childhood," she said softly, gazing at the green nt sitting on the windowsill. "No matter how reckless she is or how much trouble she gets into, I''ll never give up on her."


    She smiled faintly. "I know-if you can''t be ruthless, it''s hard to achieve anything big."


    A hint of self-mockery crept into her voice. "Maybe I''m just not cut out for greatness."


    Joshua replied, "But having you as a friend is a blessing in itself."


    Ste smiled. “As long as you don''t think I''m too sentimental."


    Joshua had taught her so much, and she didn''t mind. But there''s a difference between understanding something and truly being able to do it.


    Joshua said, "Haynes and Keen never understood how lucky they were. They never saw your true worth."


    Steughed softly. "Maybe what I have to offer just isn''t what they needed."


    Joshua''s tone was calm, but there was an intensity beneath it. “But there are plenty of people who would give anything for what you offer and know they''ll never have it."


    Ste wasn''t sure if it was just her imagination, but Joshua''s gaze felt oddly intense today—almost unsettling. She found herself avoiding his eyes.


    Sensing her difort, Joshua looked away.


    He said, "We still need to verify if Abby really is in the Lerman family. Their security is tight, so it might take some time, but I''ll let you know as soon as I hear anything."


    "Alright," Ste replied.


    ***


    Three dayster, Ste boarded a ne to Germany with Joshua, Aicken, and the otherpany executives.


    Unlike Solmaris, where the seasons were distinct, Germany seemed to enjoy perpetual spring-mild and pleasant all year round.


    They were headed there to sign a major contract worth billions-a huge deal by Ste''spany''s standards, even if it couldn''t quitepare to the Williams Group''s multi-billion-dor projects,  s


    Aside from acquiring the Pearce Group and the recent deal in Israel, this was thergest project Ste''spany had evernded.


    The proposal she''d spent all night working onst time was for this very project.


    With a contract this size, the negotiations were extensive. They spent the entire day hashing out the details.


    After a working lunch, they went straight back to the meeting room, hammering out termste into the evening. Finally, after hours of back-and-forth, they signed the deal.


    The other party was the renowned Gibson family-a powerhouse in Germany. In the past, a family like the Gibsons would never have considered partnering with a rtively small firm like Ste''S  s


    met


    But Ste''s recent string of sesses, her status as the Williams Group heiress, and her controlling stake in a cutting-edge techpany had caught thei attention. That was enough for the Gibsons to take her seriously. Once the contract was signed and hands were shaken, the Gibsons invited everyone to a celebratory dinner.  s


    At events like this, business banquets were more than just formalities-they were


    the perfect opportunity to connect with influential partners and open doors to new ventures.<fn1992> ???? ????s? ???????s ?? f?ndnovel</fn1992>