?Chapter 249:


    Ste shrugged, warmth in her eyes. “You two set it up, and I’m in.”


    Once she’d changed out of her work clothes, Ste reached for her phone, scrolling to Steven’s name.


    She realized she’d neglected Neb recently—she needed an update on thetest technical inputs, and it was time to check with Steven about any tweaks or improvements still needed.


    Ste slipped into a quieter hallway and quickly pulled up Steven’s number, pressing the call button with a restless thumb.


    Instead of his voice, an emotionless recording filled her ear. “Sorry, the number you dialed can’t be reached right now. Please try againter…”


    She pressed her lips together, her frown deepening, and hung up. Two more tries, same robotic message. Anxiety prickled beneath her skin.


    Still clutching her phone, Ste drifted toward the dormitory, her thoughts swirling with worry. Had something happened to Steven? Was she supposed to go find him?


    She was so caught up in her concerns that she barely noticed the person inside the elevator when the doors slid open. Stepping inside, she froze. William was already there.


    Their gazes locked, a silent current passing between them.


    William’s eyes flickered down, catching sight of her screen—Steven’s name still lit up, lingering on the call screen.


    He broke the hush with a crisp announcement. “Steven’s handed over all project matters to me.”


    The words took Ste off guard. She hesitated, caught between confusion and curiosity. “So… that means I’ll be coordinating with you directly now?”


    “Yeah,” William replied.


    Ste nodded, though confusion still flickered behind her eyes.


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    “So… where did Mr. Harrison go?” she asked casually, but her tone held a trace of concern. “I tried calling him a few times earlier, but it kept saying he was in an area with no reception. Is he okay?”


    William’s brow twitched slightly, almost too subtle to notice. But it was there.


    “He’s fine,” he said, keeping his voice even. “Just taking a vacation.”


    A vacation?


    She hadn’t expected Steven to suddenly take time off—it didn’t seem like him at all.


    “You sound like you really want to see him,” William said, ncing sideways at her.


    “No, it’s just… normal concern for a business partner,” Ste replied quickly, worried he might read too much into it.


    William responded with a low, skeptical grunt that gave nothing away. She decided not to press it. No point trying to read him.


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