?Chapter 204:


    Haley hopped out of the car the second it stopped. “Marc, done with your meeting?” she asked sweetly, then turned her attention to Ste with a smug smile. “Ms. Gilbert, we really do keep running into each other, don’t we? If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were following Marc around on purpose.”


    Marc frowned slightly, ready to tell Haley to knock it off, but before he could say anything, Ste beat him to it. “Maybe save those words for yourself and Mr. Walsh.”


    Her tone was calm but sharp, and the response shut both of them up for a beat.


    Haley’s smile froze for a second before she forced it wider. “Must be a misunderstanding. I’m sure you’re not that type, Ms. Gilbert. Anyway, Marc and I are getting engaged. If you’re free, you’re more than wee toe to the ceremony.”


    She clung tighter to Marc’s arm, clearly trying to mark her territory.


    Ste didn’t flinch. “Sorry. I’m busy that day.”


    “Oh? But I haven’t even told you the date yet. How do you know you’re busy?” Haley pressed, fake-innocence all over her face. “Or… could it be you still have feelings for Marc and don’t want to see us together?”


    Footsteps sounded behind Ste, and a momentter, William walked up beside her. “There are way too many mosquitoes here. Why not wait in the car?” he said casually, ncing at Marc and Haley like they were nothing more than background noise.


    Ste nearly smirked. She gave him a thumbs up mentally.


    Haley’s expression faltered, but she quickly recovered and kept up appearances. “Mr. Briggs, I was just inviting Ms. Gilbert to my engagement party with Marc. You’re wee to join us too.”


    William barely gave her a look. “And who exactly do you think you are that I’d attend your engagement?”


    Then, without waiting for a response, he turned to Ste. “Let’s go.” The two of them walked off, leaving Haley standing there, fuming.


    Why did Ste always have men like that around her?


    Your new favorite stories are at gα?ησν????s


    Back in the car, William didn’t drive straight to the institute.


    He said, “Since the project’s locked in, it’s time to discussnd development. With Neb’s new equipment and your biotech n, we can probably increase efficiency.”


    Work talk didn’t bother Ste.


    William was a known workaholic—she’d figured that out back in Briset.


    Once they were seated in a private meeting room, she opened herptop and pulled up the files. “It makes sense to build a resort in that area. The terrain’s elevated, and this nt variety thrives in that kind of climate. It’s rare and could be a big draw.”


    She walked him through her ideas, everything she’d drafted in just over an hour.


    When she finally looked up, she noticed William seemed lost in thought.


    She waved a hand in front of his face. “William, are you even listening?”


    He snapped out of it. “I heard you. The n’s solid. Let’s go with it.”


    .


    .


    .