Chapter 870:


    William’s frown deepened. “What’s been going on with you these past few days? Why are you avoiding me?”


    The evening breeze carried a chill, rustling the bushes outside the institute.


    Ste looked at William’s stubborn expression, her heart skipping a beat. The sunset framed William in a golden glow, deepening the mystery in his eyes, making it hard for Ste to read him.


    Two days had passed.


    William had thought their time in Swaynia, filled with subtle sparks, would bring them closer.


    But since returning, Ste had grown distant, a new barrier rising between them. William’s voice, lower than usual, carried a mix of doubt and vulnerability that hit Ste hard.


    His gaze seemed to pierce into Ste’s soul, pulling out her doubts andying them bare between them.


    Ste’s first instinct was to avoid the question, her fingers tightening around the strap of her bag as a faint chill settled into her hands.


    Uncertainty clouded her mind. Should she ask William directly if he had gone on a date yesterday, or if there was someone from his past he still held close? The words hovered on her lips, but she forced them back down.


    What authority did she even have to question him? And if she dared ask, what would she do if his reply confirmed her fears?


    Anxieties piled on top of each other, leaving her gaze fixed on the floor. In a carefully measured tone, she said, “You’re reading too much into this. I’m not avoiding you. I’ve just been buried in finishing the project.”


    “So you’re buried in work, but not enough to spare a moment for dinner? Too busy to even acknowledge me in the hallways?” William’s tone carried disbelief. He stepped closer, his shadow stretching across her.


    Lατ??τ ?нαρτ?rs ιn g??l??ov?l??.??om


    When Ste continued to look away, impatience edged into his voice. “Ste, look at me when you speak.”


    Ste’s usual confidence faltered. Why did his presence feel so overwhelming? Reluctantly, she lifted her eyes, and in his dark, ocean-like gaze, she saw her own pale reflection staring back at her.


    William kept his eyes locked on Ste, his brow furrowed as if trying to unravel the reason behind her distant mood. “Did someone at the institute bother you again? Is Nina making trouble?”


    If she admitted it, he was ready to handle everything on her behalf without her having to lift a finger.<fn2247> Checktest chapters at Find_Novel(.</fn2247>


    Once, that kind of protection would have soothed her heart, but now it pricked like a thorn, echoing Nina’s taunts in her mind.


    Could it be that his sudden attentiveness was nothing more than guilt for meeting someone else yesterday?


    Ste turned away from his piercing gaze, her voice tight. “It’s not that. I’ve just been busy with work. If there’s nothing else, I need to leave.” Ste tried to move past William.


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    Message from Noah: New novels in a few hous dear readers. God loves you and Noah wishes you all the best. (?? ? ??)?


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