?Chapter 180:


    So this was indeed a coincidence.


    William gave a polite nod. “Thanks,” he said, his voice calm and casual, without any trace of the high-powered executive persona he usually wore.


    Even dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, there he was—settling into a modest diner like it was nothing. It felt oddly grounded.


    The owner chuckled and headed back inside. William turned slightly, catching Ste’s stare.


    “What a coincidence,” he said in his soft, unreadable tone. The owner nced between the two, clearly picking up on something.


    “Oh, you two know each other? What a small world! You bothe here often, but I never realized you were acquainted,” the owner said with a surprised smile. “Since that’s the case, would you mind sharing a table today? It’s getting pretty full outside, and we’re short on seats.” Noticing the hesitation between them, she quickly added, “But of course, no pressure. If you’d rather not, that’spletely fine too—you’re wee to eat separately.”


    Her tone was friendly and light, just hoping to help, not insisting on anything.


    William remainedposed and gave a short nod. “I don’t mind. I’ll leave it to Ms. Russell.”


    Ste turned to Sharon beside her. “What do you think?” she asked, not wanting to make the decision alone.


    Sharon had already been watching William out of the corner of her eye—tall, good-looking, and surprisingly polite.


    She’d caught enough of their exchange to put two and two together. When Ste mentioned she’d been working at the research institute for the past six months alongside colleagues, Sharon quickly connected the dots—this man was likely one of them.


    She couldn’t help but wonder—was he the next guy Ste might be interested in?


    Wanting to y the supportive friend and maybe get a closer look, Sharon shed a grin. “I’m cool with it!”


    With her on board, Ste turned back to the owner. “Sure, we’ll share the table.”


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    The table was square with three open seats. William walked over and calmly took the spot right next to Ste.


    What was originally meant to be a quiet meal for two had suddenly turned into dinner for three.


    Sharon tugged Ste aside. “Stel,e with me. I need to use the restroom.”


    The second the restroom door closed behind them, Sharon’s eyes lit up with curiosity. “Okay, spill. Who is he? Is he your new guy?”


    Ste let out a long sigh. “Don’t be ridiculous. No, he’s not. And honestly… we’re not even that close.”


    It wasn’t a lie. They weren’t involved. They were strictly colleagues. Even when they lived under the same roof in Briset, they’d barely chatted.


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