?Chapter 483:


    Ste, now more aware, felt the tension.


    She lightly tapped his arm. “You can put me down. I’m fine now.”


    William ignored her and walked right past Willow without a nce.


    Ste looked back. Willow stood frozen, tears in her eyes. The scene felt impossible to fix.


    “William, what are you doing?” she asked quietly. “I don’t need help.”


    “You almost drowned. Let me finish what I started.”


    Ste frowned. “This isn’t helping. You’re just making things worse.” Willow’s re earlier had been lethal.


    William didn’t reply. In minutes, they were at her room. Ste blinked. “How do you know where I’m staying?”


    William raised an eyebrow. “Go change.”


    Ste sighed, went inside, showered, and changed.


    As they walked toward the deck, she hesitated. “You should exin things to Ms. Lawson,” she said, “so she doesn’t misunderstand.”


    William looked at her. “Misunderstand what?”


    Ste stared at him. “You know what.”


    William met her eyes. “Do I?”


    His gaze was deep, unreadable.


    Ste didn’t answer. She walked ahead.


    The deck was buzzing again. Willow stood in the crowd, crying quietly as her friends tried tofort her.


    Nearby, Sharon and Josie stood at the buffet table, snacking and watching.


    Sharon spoke through a mouthful. “Her tears look fake, right?”


    Josie shot Willow a nce. “Totally.”


    Step into new worlds at g ? lnσ ν?? ?s?conn


    “William, what are you doing?” she asked quietly. “I don’t need help.”


    “You almost drowned. Let me finish what I started.”


    Ste frowned. “This isn’t helping. You’re just making things worse.” Willow’s re earlier had been lethal.


    William didn’t reply. In minutes, they were at her room. Ste blinked. “How do you know where I’m staying?”


    William raised an eyebrow. “Go change.”


    Ste sighed, went inside, showered, and changed.


    As they walked toward the deck, she hesitated. “You should exin things to Ms. Lawson,” she said, “so she doesn’t misunderstand.”


    William looked at her. “Misunderstand what?”


    Ste stared at him. “You know what.”


    William met her eyes. “Do I?”


    His gaze was deep, unreadable.


    Ste didn’t answer. She walked ahead.


    The deck was buzzing again. Willow stood in the crowd, crying quietly as her friends tried tofort her.


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