?Chapter 65:


    Marc had spent the entire night locked up at the police station. He hadn’t even bothered to change clothes before storming over to the institute in a frenzy to find Ste.


    Too bad for him—the guards at the gate weren’t letting him take a single step past the entrance, leaving him no choice but to shout from outside.


    His shouting got so obnoxious that it finally drew out a man in a tailored suit and sleek sses, clearly someone important.


    “I need to see Ste Russell! Get her out here, now!” Marc barked, not caring who he was yelling at.


    The man didn’t flinch. “Ste’s not here. And if you keep this up, I’ll call the police.” His tone was calm but firm, the kind that didn’t invite negotiation.


    Marc’s face twisted in anger, irritated by the man’s poise. “Who the hell are you?”


    Seeing Marc’s unreasonable behavior, the man introduced himself as Paul Hoffman, the director of the institute.


    “Ste is my employee,” he added. “She submitted a leave request this morning and left. Where she went isn’t my concern—and it’s certainly not yours.”


    To prove his point, Paul pulled out Ste’s handwritten leave note and showed it to Marc.


    Marc stared at the familiar handwriting, suddenly unsure of himself.


    He had been so sure she’d still be here—where else could she have gone?


    Paul didn’t wait for a response. He turned and walked back inside, casually instructing security to call the police if Marc caused any more trouble.


    Marc flinched. After spending the night in a holding cell, thest thing he wanted was another trip back. Now that he knew Ste wasn’t here, he had no choice but to slink away, humiliated.


    Back in the Maybach, Ste burst into quietughter as William exined that Paul had personally handled Marc.


    The image of Marc being tossed out like a stray dog? Utterly satisfying. After all his self-righteous posturing, watching him crash and burn was the sweetest kind of justice.


    William caught theughter in her eyes and immediately knew—she was thinking about Marc. His gaze darkened, the corners of his mouth tightening.


    “The project’s demanding,” he said coolly. “If your head’s still stuck on personal drama, maybe it’s better you stay home and y house.”


    Ste’s smile vanished as she straightened up. “Mr. Briggs, don’t worry. The moment I join the project team, I’m all in. No distractions. I’ll be focusedpletely.”


    Her tone was firm, eyes unwavering. She was dead serious. If she’d had to swear on it, she would’ve.


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    Having made her decision, she was determined to follow through, leaving the past behind and pursuing a better future.


    William seemed satisfied. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he focused on the road. From Ste’s angle, she caught a glimpse of his sharp jawline—clean, strong, like it had been sculpted.


    She hated to admit it, but he really was unfairly good-looking. She used to think Marc was attractive, but now? William made Marc look like a dor-store knockoff.


    That suddenparison made her cringe. She quickly shook her head to banish the thought.


    They arrived at the project base—a hidden facility tucked into the side of a mountain. William cut the engine and nodded at her to get out.


    She took a deep breath before stepping out of the car.


    The others were already neck-deep in work, and since she’d arrivedter than the rest, she was directed through the back entrance.


    As a core team member, her identity was confidential. Regr staff didn’t even know she existed. There were five core members in total, herself included. She hadn’t met any of them before now.


    When they stood together for the first time, the air was polite but stiff. No one really knew each other. No one knew what to expect.


    “Once you get to know each other, feel free to choose any dorm,” the team leader addressed them.


    Ste scanned the group and gave a brief nod to the two other women, but she wasn’t picky.


    A bed was a bed—she just chose one and got on with it.


    They were expected to dive straight into work. Their first task was to head into the surrounding mountains and collect biological specimens for research. Before leaving, Ste buried herself in the project files, scanning every detail to familiarize herself with the mission.


    Just as she slung her backpack over her shoulder, ready to head out, the team leader stopped her to inform her that she had a partner. “Your partner’s waiting. Men’s dormitory, room 305.”


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