?Chapter 803:


    Ste put her pen aside, slid her hands into her coat pockets, and fixed Amon with a cold look. “Mr. Briggs, if this is about funding, talk to the director. I’m here for research, not entertaining visitors.”


    Amon didn’t so much as flinch. He strolled right up to her bench, leaning in just enough to blur the line between casual and invasive. “Ms. Russell, you’re always so distant, aren’t you?”


    He reached out, trailing a finger across a piece ofb equipment she’d just finished arranging. The scrape of his nail against metal grated in the quiet room.


    “Groundbreaking research doesn’t run on passion alone,” he said smoothly. “It needs serious backing.”


    He tilted his head, keeping his eyes fixed on her as his voice dropped lower. “And yours… yours has real promise. Tremendous potential. I’d love to see it grow.”


    He let the word potential drag a little, giving it a strange weight.


    “Radiance Group has the power and connections to take your work further, as long as you’re willing to… be friends with me.”


    Amon was standing too close, and his heavy cologne mixing with theb’s chemical smell made Ste feel sick.


    She caught the mocking look in his eyes, and her face turned cold.


    Taking half a step back, Ste put some space between them. “Mr. Briggs, my project already has full funding. You don’t need to worry about it.”


    She paused, then added, “This is ab. We keep things sterile here. If you don’t have real business, please leave.”


    Amon gave a lowugh at her firm tone. “Ms. Russell, you’re always so eager to kick me out. That hurts, you know? I only came with good intentions.”


    Amon’s eyes moved to a stack of project files on Ste’s bench, where a photo of her in ab coat caught his attention. In the picture, she looked calm and confident, her gaze sharp and focused.


    He reached out and let his finger trace over her face in the picture, stopping at her cheek.<fn1964> Find the newest release on FindN0vel</fn1964>


    “My cousin’s got good taste. But women like you always draw attention. Tell me, Ms. Russell, what do you think would happen if something went wrong with you, your data, or your samples? Wouldn’t that crush William?”


    Feel the thrill at gα?ησν????s﹒??o??


    Amon looked up, his eyes full of threat.


    He was pushing her, and she could feel it without question.


    A shiver ran through her as disgust and caution rose all at once. Ste was certain a man like Amon was capable of anything, and now he was using her research as leverage.


    Her expression grew darker as the weight of it sank in.


    Just as she narrowed her eyes, ready to snatch up a test tube and throw it at him, theb door burst open with a sharp bang.


    William stood in the doorway, a rush of icy air from outside sweeping in with him.


    William stormed into theb, his breathing uneven, every step radiating suppressed fury. His sharp eyes locked instantly onto Amon, who was leaning against theb bench as if he owned the ce.


    The air went cold in an instant.


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