?Chapter 856:


    But when Ste suggested she use the money to rebook her flight and head home soon, Lena’s smile froze. Hesitation clouded her face, followed by reluctance.


    For a while, she said nothing. Then, she finally lifted her eyes to meet Ste’s. “I’ve been nning this trip for so long. I’ve looked forward to it sincest year, made all my ns. There are still so many ces I haven’t seen yet, so many things I wanted to buy. Going home now… I just can’t. Especially not when I’ll have to deal with all those problems waiting for me there.”


    Ste blinked, caught off guard. Just moments ago, Lena seemed ready to walk away from everything. Now she couldn’t bear to cut the trip short? Did Lena value her sightseeing more than her rtionship with Hancock—or even her own safety?


    Still, Ste couldn’t entirely fault her. The city was stunning, and its pull was undeniable.


    Beside her, William’s brow furrowed slightly. He said nothing, but the flicker of impatience in his eyes betrayed what he thought of Lena’s sudden change of heart.<fn2334> ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? findnovel</fn2334>


    Lena seemed to realize her words mighte off wrong, so she quickly added, “I won’t trouble you anymore. I can find a guide and explore on my own. Just let me see the ces I nned, and then I’ll head back.”


    As she spoke, her eyes flicked toward William, a cautious plea hidden in her gaze.


    Ste noticed the nce but didn’t think much of it. William’s looks drew attention everywhere, so a few extra stares weren’t surprising. William, however, turned to Ste, clearly waiting for her opinion.


    Though Ste hadn’t known Lena for long, she saw her as a young, slightly naive woman—the adventurous type who didn’t think things through.


    She tugged at William’s sleeve, offered Lena a small smile, and said, “We need to step outside for a moment.”


    In the hallway, Ste lowered her voice. “If she wants to keep exploring, we can’t force her to leave.”


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    William shrugged, seemingly fine with whatever Ste decided.


    “But hernguage skills are poor. Even if she has money, she’ll have trouble getting around. Why don’t we hire her a guide who actually speaks hernguage? The city isn’t a major tourist hub, but its scattered sights make it impossible for Lena to manage on her own.”


    William gave a small nod.


    Back inside, he stopped in front of Lena. “Tell me which hotels you have in your travel n.”


    She rattled off the names quickly. William scribbled them down, made a short call in the nativenguage, then hung up.


    He fixed his gaze on her. “I’ll get you a local guide who speaks English. They’ll handle your ns and keep you safe for the next few days. After that, you’re on your own. Clear?”


    He kept his tone even, but there was no room for argument. He didn’t want either he or Ste dragged out of their rooms at midnight again.


    Lena hesitated, then nodded quickly. “Y-yes. Thank you, Mr. Briggs, Ms. Russell.” She kept her head low.


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