?Chapter 88:


    “Let him in,” Steven said with a nod.


    Standing by the doorway, Kevin Sampson’s expression was difficult to read. He had caught the tail end of everything that had just happened. He hade to discuss a potential coboration with Steven, but instead, he walked into the middle of a scandal, and a pretty revealing one at that.


    It didn’t take him long to recognize the man at the center of it all—Marc Walsh, from the Walsh Group.


    Kevin had previously been leaning toward partnering with the Walsh Group, but with their patent no longer secure, he was already second-guessing that decision.


    Haley, on the other hand, had been leveraging her family’s clout in Achury to push him toward going through with the deal.


    Though he’d been wavering, Steven’s remarks only solidified his decision. He was now firmly set on pulling out of the coboration.


    Marc looked up and froze when he saw Kevin at the entrance. The very investor he and Haley had been courting relentlessly.


    “Mr. Sampson!” he eximed in shock.


    Kevin’s face remained unreadable. After a brief pause, he got straight to the point. “Mr. Walsh, since fate has brought us together here today, I’ll give you my answer now. I won’t be pursuing the coboration with Walsh Group. If the stars align in the future, we might revisit it, but for now, I’m out.”


    After delivering his message, Kevin turned to Ste. Her poise amidst the chaos caught his attention. She hadn’t flinched once. Intriguing, to say the least.


    Even with everything unfolding around her, she radiated calm confidence—a quiet strength that hinted at sess.


    “Miss,” Kevin began, “I overheard a bit about your technology earlier. It sounds promising. Would you be willing to share more details?”


    Ste immediately recognized him—Kevin Sampson, the influential head of one of Briset’s three major families.


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    Ste began to smile and offered her hand, but before she could say anything, Haley cut in, practically shouting, “Mr. Sampson, don’t let her fool you! She’s not who you think she is! We were supposed to coborate—remember? You made a promise to me… and to my family!”


    The moment she mentioned her family, Kevin’s face clouded.


    His tone sharpened as he interrupted, “Ms. Smith, you’re standing on our soil now. I suggest you tread carefully. Don’t let your family’s influence abroad make you forget where you are. Push too far, and you just might regret it.”


    Since when did the Sampson family bow to pressure from foreign interests?


    Haley’s face drained of color, and her hands balled into fists. “She’s a fraud! Even her name’s not real!”


    That struck a chord.


    For the first time, Ste’s gaze turned icy.


    “Ms. Smith,” Ste said coolly. “What exactly is your connection to Mr. Walsh that makes you so invested in his problems?”


    Without missing a beat, Haley dered, “Marc and I are together. I’m his girlfriend. Of course, his business is mine, too!”


    Upon hearing that, Ste turned to Marc with a look of mock surprise, her voiceced with sarcasm. “Oh? So it’s official now?”


    Marc’s expression instantly darkened as he shot a sharp re at Haley. His displeasure was obvious.


    The moment she saw his reaction, Haley’s confidence faltered. A flicker of unease crossed her face.


    Deep down, she knew Marc had never truly seen her as a girlfriend. But in front of Ste, she couldn’t help herself—she had to stake her im, even if it was just an illusion.


    She had stayed by his side for six months and shared everything with him. Why shouldn’t she be acknowledged as his girlfriend?


    Noticing how Marc was clearly furious but trying to keep it in, Ste let out a soft, mockingugh.


    “I had no idea you two were a couple,” she began, her tone drenched in sarcasm. “But didn’t you just tell me at the party a few days ago that your heart belonged to your wife, Mr. Walsh? And now, suddenly, you’ve fallen for someone else? That was quick. From the looks of it, this doesn’t seem like a rtionship—it seems more like an affair. Or maybe you both enjoy this kind of sneaky little drama. I may not know this ‘Ste,’ but whoever she is… I feel bad for her. Watching two people shamelessly parade around like soulmates? What a joke.”


    With both Kevin and Steven watching, Ste didn’t bother with politeness. She tore straight through their carefully crafted facade.


    Marc’s face froze. But then something flickered behind his eyes.


    Could this be jealousy? Was she upset because she still cared? She had to care. Why else would she react like that to Haley’s im?


    That must’ve hurt.


    His lips curled into a smile, mistaking her disgust for longing. “You’re jealous, aren’t you, Stel?” he said smugly. “That’s why you said all that. You can deny it all you want, but you’re still my Ste.”


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