?Chapter 946:


    When they got to his office, William handed her a document.


    She skimmed it, and her eyes widened. “You want me to take a leave?” After everything, she hadn’t expected that.


    “It’s better if you don’t show up at the institute for now,” he said. “For your sake—and everyone else’s. I can keep you safer at the vi. And if you’re not here, Nina won’t have anyone to aim at.”


    From his perspective, this move had nothing but upsides.


    Ste hesitated. “But the issue started because of me. How can I just walk away and do nothing?”


    It felt like he was shutting her out—telling her to stay out of it. And even though she knew he was trying to protect her, it didn’t sit right with her.


    William looked her in the eye and said calmly, “This isn’t about acting on emotion. It’s the smartest choice right now—and you know it. Don’t let guilt cloud your judgment.”


    Those words hit home. Just like that, her resistance faded.


    He was right. This wasn’t about pride or proving herself.


    She wanted to clear her name—badly—but staying in the institute would only stir up more drama.


    Stepping away wasn’t cowardice; it was a tactical move.


    After a long pause, Ste signed her name on the document.


    William took it back and gave her a reassuring look. “Don’t worry. I won’t let you be gone long.”


    Her ce in the institute wasn’t going anywhere either.


    Ste slumped onto the couch the second she got back from the research institute. She feltpletely drained—mind and body both running on empty. Rubbing her temples, she tried to think, but everything in her head was a tangled mess. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t get her thoughts straight.


    Then, right on the edge of a breakdown, her phone buzzed with a call from some unfamiliar international number.


    She hesitated for a beat, then picked up. “Hello? Who’s this?”


    There was a brief pause, and then a voice came through, slow and smooth, with that smug tone she recognized instantly. “Well, well, Ms. Russell. Heard you’ve hit a bit of a rough patch?”


    It was Amon. Of course it was. He sounded amused, like this whole thing was just some joke to him. “What a shame,” he went on, almostzily. “But hey, if you need help… maybe we should revisit that little chat we had about working together.”


    Ste’s grip on the phone tightened. Her heart sank. “Amon… did you have something to do with this?”


    She already knew the answer. This was his style—he thrived on chaos, but if he wasn’t behind it, he wouldn’t have called her now.


    He was like a kid pulling pranks, calling just to hear her reaction. If she freaked out, that’d be the cherry on top for him.


    .


    .


    .