?Chapter 70:


    Kody found the whole situation a little ridiculous, but since Marc was his boss, he kept his sarcasm in check and simply told him Ste’s birthday.


    Funny thing was, Kody always had to be the one reminding Marc about her birthday. Eventually, Marc just passed the entire responsibility off to him—picking the gifts, getting the cake, even delivering everything.


    So, naturally, Kody remembered the date better than Marc ever did—no need for notes.


    Marc ended the call and stared at the safe. His hands were mmy as he punched in the code. Click. The lock released with a soft sound, and the lid sprang open.


    He had no idea what Ste might’ve left inside, but this—this safe—was thest thing that connected them. Hisst shot at finding some kind of clue. Some kind of hope.


    Inside, there was just a single folder lying there quietly.


    His heart sank before he even touched it. He reached in, fingers brushing the smooth paper, and slid the folder out. He’d barely pulled a third of it free when the words “Divorce Agreement” jumped out at him.


    His breath caught. His hand trembled, and the folder slipped from his grasp, scattering papers all over the floor.


    His eyes locked onto thest page—Ste’s signature, written in that familiar, graceful handwriting.


    So this was her surprise? She had already signed the divorce papers.


    He thought back to the odd look on her face when she handed him the safe. Back then, he’d brushed it off, thinking she was just hiding something silly.


    Turns out she was hiding her exit n.


    She had nned to leave him since then… while he was still busy thinking his affair with Haley was well-covered.


    Marc’s heart twisted, a sharp, suffocating pain tightening in his chest as he stared at the papers. His eyes reddened, but he didn’t look away.


    Meanwhile, Ste had been part of the project team for several days now. Every day, she was out collecting samples, trekking through mountains and woods.


    The samples changed daily, and the difficulty of finding them increased with each assignment. In the beginning, she and William could finish within an hour. Now? Sometimes they’d search for hours and stille back empty-handed. Ste knew it would only get harder from here.


    Aware of the growing challenge, the team had assigned a few more colleagues to join her and William on today’s search. They were all hunched over,bing through the woods, but after a while, it was clear they wereing up short.


    Ste stood still, flipping through the reference materials again. Today’s target had a few very specific traits—it thrived in moisture, hated sunlight, and always grew in damp environments. She ran through the facts in her head, then looked up and said, “Let’s try the riverbank.”


    Her teammates blinked at her.


    “The river? It’s a half-hour hike from here,” one of themined. “And we haven’t finished searching this area yet.”


    They were exhausted and frustrated, and nobody wanted to waste time on a hunch.


    “I just think,” Ste started, “based on its environmental needs, the river makes sense.”


    But the doubtful expressions didn’t fade.


    “You think?” one woman scoffed. “If it’s not there, we’ll have wasted all that time. We’re not here to chase guesses.” The words stung, leaving Ste a bit rattled.


    Then William, who had been quietly standing behind them, spoke up. “We haven’t checked the river yet. It’s worth a look.” His calm, firm tone silenced theints.


    He didn’t raise his voice, but the others fell in line instantly. William was their senior—more experienced and definitely more intimidating. No one dared argue with him.


    Grudgingly, someone muttered, “Fine. Let’s go.”


    Ste nced at William, a quiet thank-you in her eyes. Without his help, the other team members wouldn’t have listened to her.


    As they walked side by side, Ste leaned a little closer and whispered, “Thanks.”


    William, as always, looked unmoved. “Don’t thank me. I just want to find the sample quickly. If it’s not there, don’t expect help next time.” Then he walked off ahead, cold as ever.


    Ste let out a breath and rubbed her nose, muttering to herself, “He’s really got ice in his veins.”


    They eventually reached the river, the gentle gurgle of water greeting them. Ste rolled up her sleeves and got to work, carefully checking beneath mossy rocks. The rocks were slippery and massive, and the ground uneven, but Ste kept going.


    Then something caught her eye—a narrow cave opening, barely visible behind a cluster of rocks.


    Her heart skipped.


    It was dark, damp, secluded—exactly the kind of ce that nt would grow.


    She crept closer and peeked inside. Sure enough, there it was. A rare, vibrant nt nestled in the shadows.


    “It’s here!” she shouted, excitement bubbling up.


    But in her joy, she forgot to be careful. Her foot slid out from under her—in the blink of an eye, she tumbled straight down.


    .


    .


    .