?Chapter 155:


    “My games are nothingpared to how you dismantle things so precisely.”


    The two exchanged teasing remarks as if no one else was present, while the others watched quietly, too nervous to interrupt.


    “I’m really looking forward to what your group delivers this time,” William said with genuine interest.


    With so many teamspeting, he was curious to see if hers would rise to the top.


    “Don’t worry, we’ll make sure it’s worth your while,” Ste replied, brimming with confidence.


    Seeing that confident glow in her expression, William couldn’t help the faint smile tugging at his lips. He knew this look all too well. Whenever Ste got this spark in her eyes, she lit up like she owned the room.


    “If that’s all, you should go. We’ve got work to start,” Ste added as she turned her back to him.


    William gave a simple nod and walked out without another word. The entire room was stunned. Did Sylvia just tell William to leave? And did he… actually listen to her?


    Once he was out of sight, Sandra eagerly moved closer.


    “Sylvia, you and William seem pretty close!”


    Sandra had been around the institute long enough to hear the whispers—William was known for being distant and difficult. But the way he’d just spoken to Sylvia? That didn’t match his usual image at all.


    Before Ste could respond, Cecelia let out a derisive snort from her seat.


    “Huh. Seems like it doesn’t take much to cozy up to William now. A few polite words, and suddenly some people start clinging to him like lost puppies. Pathetic.”


    It wasn’t hard to guess who she was throwing shade at.


    gα ?η σ ν?? ??s holds great reads


    Sandra raised an eyebrow, finding Cecelia’s words out of line, but before she could speak, Ste cut in sharply, her eyes sharp.


    “Only people with twisted minds read too much into a normal chat. Maybe it’s because that’s how they think of themselves.”


    Ste wasn’t the type to lose her temper easily—she usually stayed polite, even with strangers. But that didn’t mean she’d sit quietly while someone tried to step on her.


    Sensing the rising tension, Elbert quickly stepped in.


    “Okay, everyone—back to work.”


    He shut theb door and started delegating tasks to keep things organized and running smoothly.


    Ste was assigned to data verification and analysis—a crucial task, though not as physically demanding.


    Unsurprisingly, this didn’t sit well with Cecelia.


    “Why does she get the easiest role? Just because she’s gotten close to William, she thinks she can cherry-pick her duties? That’s tant favoritism! What about the rest of us?”


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