?Chapter 431:


    Even if she couldn’t bring Ste downpletely, she’d make sure to ruin her peace. If it came to that, she was ready to drag Ste down with her. After all, she had nothing left to lose.


    After turning down Shaun’s projects, Ste threw herselfpletely into her research at the institute. She kept her head down, didn’t ask about William, and only heard in passing from colleagues that he’d been spending a lot of time with Willowtely.


    At first, the shift in mood had made Sandra nervous—expecting Ste to be bothered—but after seeing her stay calm and collected, Sandra finally rxed. “Sylvia, there’s a ging up,” Sandra said one afternoon. “The institute’s hosting it. All the big names in Choria will be there. Are you going?”


    It was her first year at the institute, and she was really looking forward to meeting the big shots in the industry. “What day is it?”


    “This Saturday!” Sandra huffed, then pouted. “I mean, really? A fancy banquet on a weekend? That’s basically overtime in disguise. So… are you going?”


    Ste nodded. “Of course. Why not?”


    All of Choria’s power yers in one ce? She’d be stupid to skip it. It was the perfect chance towork, expand Neb’s reach, and maybe lock in some high-end deals.


    Sandra beamed. “Awesome! Wanna go shopping for dresses? I’ve got nothing fancy to wear. Can’t exactly show up inb gear.”


    Ste thought about it. “If you don’t mind, I have a few brand-new ones at home. Tags still on.”


    Sandra’s eyes lit up. “Seriously? Sylvia, you’re a lifesaver!”


    Ste had never been fond of shopping. To spare herself a trip to the stores, she suggested lending Sandra her own clothes. Thankfully, Sandra had no qualms about borrowing them.


    On Saturday, Sandra showed up two hours early, buzzing with excitement and ready to try on her dress.


    The moment she stepped into Ste’s apartment, her jaw dropped. “Whoa. Your ce is so sleek. Minimalist. Feels like a guy decorated it.”


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    Ste’s ce was ck, white, and gray. Sharp edges. Clean lines. Not a single fluffy throw pillow in sight.


    Sandra, a lover of all things cozy and cute, blinked around.


    It actually did remind her of someone—William. But Ste brushed past thement and waved her inside.


    Once they’d picked out dresses and changed, Sandra suddenly remembered, “Oh no—I forgot my makeup bag. Should we just get our makeup done somewhere?” Ste didn’t mind.


    They headed to a high-end salon in Choria—spacious, chic, with an open garden and a pool that shimmered untouched under the sun.


    A stylist led them to the makeup room, and just as they sat down in front of the mirror, a familiar figure floated in from the other side. Haley.


    She was in a long gown, her expression sour as soon as she spotted Ste.


    “Well, well,” she drawled with a smug smile. “What a small world, Ste.”


    Ste noticed she’d lost weight—her cheeks sharper, her corbones more prominent. She probably hadn’t been having a good timetely.


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