?Chapter 800:


    The silence on the line stretched on, making every second feel unbearable. Sharon’s breath hitched as though the truth had knocked the air out of her. When she finally spoke, disbelief clung to her words. “Stel, I… I swear I had no idea. Honestly, I didn’t know. Tell me where you are right now. Are you safe?” Sharon’s voice carried both panic and regret, each syble betraying how much she med herself for leaving Ste exposed.


    Hearing that raw mix of guilt and fear broke something inside Ste. Tears slipped free, streaking her face and falling to the floor beneath her.


    She forced her voice through the tightness in her throat. “I’m alright, Sharon. I made it home. Please stop ming yourself. Amon set everything up so carefully. We’d never seen him before, so it’s only natural we couldn’t recognize who he was.”


    The kindness in those words only deepened Sharon’s guilt. “I can’t believe William has a cousin none of us even knew about! What game is Amon ying? If he’s targeting you, I won’t sit back. I’m already digging into his past.”


    “Drop it, Sharon.”


    Ste leaned her head back against the wall, her voice heavy with fatigue. “He’s been nning this long before tonight, waiting for us to stumble. I’ll investigate that ident myselfter. You don’t have to get tangled in this.”<fna7c3> Fresh chapters posted on Find[?]ovel</fna7c3>


    The thought of dragging her closest friend into the danger was unbearable, and Ste knew Sharon deserved to stay clear of it.


    But to Sharon, Ste’s words sounded like disappointment over what happened earlier.


    “I’m sorry, Stel,” Sharon said, her tone thick with remorse. “I promise I’ll pay closer attention next time. I won’t let you down again. Don’t take this on by yourself. We’ll figure it out together, alright? Two heads are always better than one.”


    Ste pressed her fingers to her temples. “Sharon, you’ve done nothing wrong. I just don’t want you dragged into this. I’m exhausted. Let’s talk tomorrow. I’m hanging up. Good night.”


    She ended the call before Sharon could say anything more.


    Quiet reimed the room, broken only by the faint hum of traffic drifting through the window.


    For a long moment, Ste remained slumped against the door, the chill seeping through her frame. Atst, she pushed herself upright and walked toward the bathroom.


    Feel inspired by ga  ln o vels .


    Steam soon wrapped around her as warm water eased the stiffness from her body. With her eyes shut, her thoughts flooded with the faces of Amon and William. Until tonight, she hadn’t even known William had a cousin, and the revtion struck harder than she wanted to admit.


    The truth became clear: the Briggs family was a nest of dangerous men. Amon’s easygoing manner was nothing more than a mask, hiding a mind as calcting as William’s. From here on, she resolved to keep as much distance as she could from both of them.


    Across the city, William still hadn’t returned home. A ck Rolls-Royce rolled quietly into the Briggs Group’s parking lot. The building was mostly dark, but one light still glowed—the CEO’s office. William entered the office, and the atmosphere weighed down like a storm ready to break.


    He moved to the tall ss window, his broad frame casting a presence that warned others to keep their distance. Behind him, Luca lingered with unease, his palms damp and a sheen of sweat collecting on his forehead.


    “I failed you today, Mr. Briggs,” Luca admitted. He lowered his head, unwilling to meet William’s eyes as the man kept his position by the window.


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