?Chapter 874:


    William noticed the shift in her expression, and a softness returned to his eyes. Unable to resist, he reached out and pinched her flushed cheek, the gesture light but warm. “Feeling better now?”


    His voice was softer now. Ste nodded, still flustered. “Next time,” William said with a smile, “just ask me. Don’t overthink things. And stay away from Nina. She’s just ying you.”


    His fingers lingered on her cheek, and Ste’s heart picked up speed. She wanted to pull away, but something in her chest held her still. Her face burned with embarrassment, and she could only nod again, too shy to meet his eyes.


    William’s expression darkened suddenly as he remembered what she’d said about the attack. His eyes sharpened, and his voice turned colder, more serious. “About the guys who jumped you yesterday,” he said, voice tight. “I’m getting to the bottom of it. Whoever did this isn’t getting away.”


    The calm certainty in his words gave Ste a sense of reassurance. He would handle it, just like always. She knew that for sure.


    Just then, William’s phone rang, breaking the moment. He checked the screen.


    Luca.


    His face darkened as he listened.


    “Got it,” he muttered. “Keep them locked up. I’m on my way.”


    He hung up and turned back to Ste, his gaze softening just a little. “They’ve got the guys who attacked you. They’re just some local thugs. I’ll take care of it. Go home. I’ll call you.”


    Ste nodded, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders. “Okay. Be careful.” She didn’t insist on tagging along this time.


    William gave her onest lingering look, his expression unreadable. Then he turned and walked to his car, each step purposeful.


    Ste stayed rooted to the spot, watching as his car disappeared into the evening.


    Feel the thrill at g aln  ov el s .


    The evening breeze yed with Ste’s hair, her cheeks still warm, but her heart felt clear and at ease. She realized she needed to trust William more, not jump to conclusions, especially based on Nina’s words. With the misunderstanding cleared, Ste’s suppressed feelings surged like a floodgate opening, growing clearer and stronger in her heart. She had fallen for him.


    Ste had no idea that just across the street from the research institute, someone in a baseball cap and mask was lurking behind a tree, snapping photos of her and William. Every interaction, every moment between them was caught on camera. The figure’s eyes sparkled with satisfaction as they flicked through the shots, then slipped quietly back into the shadows, vanishing like smoke.


    As night fell, the neon lights flickered on, casting sharp, shifting shadows across William’s face. He sat in the car, his profile a perfect cut-out in the dark. The tension inside the vehicle was thick enough to cut with a knife. Luca, sitting in the driver’s seat, kept sneaking nces at William through the rearview mirror. The silence hung heavy.


    After locating the two thugs who’d attacked Ste, William had picked him up from the Briggs Group, and now they were heading straight for the thugs’ hideout.


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