?Chapter 738:


    And so, Ste had no intention of moving forward blindly. Even if someone wanted to help her, she deserved to know who that person was.


    “I’m not trying to make this difficult for you,” she said calmly. “I just need to know who initiated all this. I promise it will remain between us. But if you can’t tell me, I won’t sign.”


    The assistant studied her face for a moment, then gave in with a sigh. “It was Mr. William Briggs.”


    A tightness gripped her chest. She had suspected it, but hearing the name out loud still caught her off guard.


    “I see,” she murmured, her voice slightly hoarse. “I’ll review the document, and if it’s all in order, I’ll sign.”


    “Thank you, Ms. Gilbert!” The assistant’s relief was almost palpable. “Please take your time. Once it’s signed, just leave it on the table. I won’t disturb you further.”


    Ste found the sudden shift in his tone almost amusing.


    When she finished reading and confirmed everything was in ce, she signed the contract and left Horizon Group.


    Two dayster, a beautifully wrapped envelope arrived at her research institute. Inside was a thick stack of documents. On topy Horizon Group’s official appointment letter, naming her as the project’s cultural advisor. Below her title was the advisory fee—followed by a string of staggering zeros.


    She didn’t dwell on the money. Instead, she skimmed through the project terms one more time, confirming her house would remain untouched. Only then did she set the documents aside with quiet relief.


    Her fingers trembled slightly. The matter that had weighed on her for so long was finally resolved. She could sleep peacefully again, knowing her home was safe.


    This wasn’t a dream. But it was William who had made it happen.


    She blinked away the moisture in her eyes, pushing down the surge of conflicted emotions rising in her heart.<fn0bcf> Follow current nov?ls on f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?</fn0bcf>


    For reasons she couldn’t quite exin, William’s face drifted into Ste’s mind, blending seamlessly with the weatherworn walls of the old house. She could almost smell the faint sweetness of the osmanthus blossoms from the tree in the yard. And in that imagined scene, William stood beneath its branches, watching her quietly… his gaze steady and warm.


    Her eyes burned, a mist of emotion rising faster than she could stop it. She tilted her head back and drew in a deep breath, trying to steady herself before the tightness in her throat betrayed her.


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    The name William Briggs carried too much weight.


    Gratitude, yes—but also a tangle of emotions she could never fully untangle,plications knotted tightly around the history of his family and hers.


    Was he helping her out of genuine feeling… or was he simply trying to make amends? She had once promised herself she would not rely on him—not too much. Because leaning on someone was the beginning of dependence. And dependence, sooner orter, brought pain.


    Yet here she was again—sheltered under his quiet protection. And once more, because of him, she had been able to preserve what she cherished most. The debt weighed heavily in her chest, and she doubted she would ever find a way to repay it. But how could she face the past between them?


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