?Chapter 778:


    Without another nce, she slid into her car, started the engine, and drove off, leaving Marc standing behind in silence.


    As the distance grew, she sank into her seat, letting out a long, tired breath. The night had left her mind in knots, and William’s mocking smirk from dinner kept reying in her thoughts, making her mood worse.


    Nearly thirty minutester, she pulled into the parking garage of her apartment. The silence of the night was broken only by the sharp echo of her heels as she stepped out.


    The elevator crawled upward to her floor, and when the doors slid open, she started down the hall. But only a few steps from her door, she froze.


    In the dim glow of the corridor lights, a tall figure stood waiting, leaning casually against the wall beside her apartment.


    It was William. His dinner jacket was still on, his tie loose around his neck. A faint red glow came from the cigarette between his fingers.


    When he heard her steps, he looked up. His eyes met Ste’s for a moment, a flicker passing through them before he went still again.<fn2492> Find the newest release on </fn2492>


    He said nothing, just watched her, and she couldn’t tell what he was feeling. His ce was across the hall, yet he had chosen to wait outside hers.


    Ste’s heart jolted, then quickly gave way to annoyance.


    After such an exhausting dinner, all she wanted was to rest, not face him.


    She met William’s piercing gaze for a moment before pulling in a deep breath and looking away. Acting as if he wasn’t there, she walked straight to her door and pressed her finger to the lock.


    “Ste.”


    His voice, low and rough, broke the quiet.


    She froze but didn’t turn. “Do you need something, Mr. Briggs? If this is about dinner, don’t bother. I’m not interested.”


    William put out his cigarette and walked closer, closing the gap between them. The sharp scent of sandalwood,ced with a hint of tobo, reached Ste.


    “This isn’t about dinner,” he said in a firm tone, his eyes fixed on her. “It’s about your adoptive parents.”


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    Ste’s body went rigid, her fingers curling tightly in midair.


    William noticed the sudden tension in her back and said, “I know you don’t want me to bring this up, let alone get involved, but I promised you an exnation. I’ve been looking into it.”


    He paused, weighing his words, his tone carrying a solemn weight. “I haven’t found direct evidence yet, but my team followed a vague lead from a witness who was at the scene of the ident years ago. We uncovered some details that were overlooked back then.”


    His words struck her like a pebble dropped into still water, sending ripples through the numbness of her heart.


    She spun around, a flicker of panic in her eyes. “What did you find?”


    Her voice quivered beyond her control. Sharon had been investigating for so long, yet they had barely scratched the surface. How could William suddenly dig up what had been hidden all this time?


    Meeting her searching gaze, William’s voice remained steady. “I can’t confirm everything yet. The clues are scattered, and it’ll take time to piece them together. But I promise, once I know for sure, you’ll be the first person I tell.”


    Hope flickered, only to be dimmed again by the demand for more waiting.


    For Ste, it was agony.


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