?Chapter 826:


    Inside William’s office, Ste sat on a velvet sofa, her silence heavy.


    William answered the call at his desk, his voice taut with anticipation. “You found something?”


    “Mr. Briggs,” Luca said quickly, “We traced Alonzo back to Oshos eight years ago. He met with several people there. Within two weeks, every single one of them left the country under different excuses. It’s too neat to be a coincidence. Something big must’ve gone down. Otherwise, why would they all leave one by one?”


    William’s eyes sharpened, a dangerous glint shing through them. “Track them all down. I want to know exactly where they are and what they’re hiding.”


    Ste watched him quietly, exhaustion etched across her features.


    Her tears had dried, but the faint stains on William’s immacte ck suit betrayed how much she had cried.


    She lowered her head, her thoughts a tangled mess.


    When William hung up, he immediately crossed the room and poured her a ss of water.


    Holding it out, he softened his tone.


    “Drink. It’ll help.”


    But Ste didn’t reach for it. Her swollen eyes lifted slowly to his face, her voice raw with fatigue.


    “William… no more secrets. I don’t care how dangerous it is—I have the right to know the truth.”


    For a moment, William just stared at her, the weight of her plea pressing into his chest. He realized then that if he stayed silent any longer, the fragile bond between them might shatterpletely.


    After a long pause, he lowered himself onto the sofa beside her. Leaning forward, his gaze locked on hers, steady and earnest.


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    “Fine. I’ll tell you. But you have to promise me one thing—don’t act impulsively after you hear it.”


    Ste’s lips pressed into a thin line, but she nodded.


    William drew in a deep breath. His voice was low, deliberate, each word measured.


    “From the moment I suspected your adoptive parents’ ident wasn’t random, I’ve thrown everything I had into uncovering the truth. Luca found an old film reel in Curtis’ hometown, and I had an expert restore it.”


    Ste’s chest tightened. She knew it wasn’t simple.<fn685b> For original chapters go to </fn685b>


    “The restored film revealed an emblem carved on a metal te,” William continued, his tone grave. “That symbol is tied directly to Alonzo’s organization. They’re not just criminals—they’re ruthless predators. Going against them without proof is suicide.”


    Ste’s nails dug into her palms, her heart aching. Her adoptive parents hadn’t been victims of a tragedy—they had been caught in something muchrger, and far deadlier.


    “When the expert was analyzing the reel, he got a call out of nowhere,” William said slowly, his eyes narrowing. “It was from Curtis’s father—Harold. The man who was supposed to be dead. He warned the expert to stay away from the emblem… and muttered some strange words.”


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