?Chapter 961:


    She handed the note to William, watching as his brow furrowed while he read it. When he finished, she quickly grabbed it back and lit a match, burning the note to ashes in an instant.


    William’s voice was tight. “You agreed to this?”


    Ste’s eyes were distant, voice low. “Yeah. The meeting’s tonight.”


    William mmed his hand on the steering wheel. “That’s too dangerous. You don’t even know who you’re dealing with.”


    Ste’s voice was shaky but firm. “This is my only chance. I need to find out who killed my mom, and I can’t leave any stone unturned.”


    William’s gaze locked with hers, his concern palpable. “I’ming with you.”


    “No,” she replied quickly, shaking her head. “If they see anyone else, they’ll call it off.”


    He opened his mouth to argue, but she added, “If I’m not back in two hours, call the cops.”


    William didn’t like it, but the hard set of her jaw made it clear she wasn’t changing her mind. With a heavy sigh, he gave in.


    “Promise me you’ll stay alert. If anything feels wrong, you signal me. I’ll be across the street, ready to help.”


    Ste nodded, feeling a wave of warmth rise in her chest. Without him, she wasn’t sure she’d have the courage to go through with it.


    As night fell, Ste arrived at the restaurant they had agreed on. The ce was tucked away in a quiet corner of the city. It had a ssy vibe, but it was nearly empty. The host led her to a window table, not saying much. Only one other table was upied—a man sitting alone.


    He was blond, with striking blue eyes, maybe in his mid-thirties. His burgundy suit was impably tailored, and he sipped his wine with a calm, almost predatory elegance. Under the soft lighting, his features were sharp, almost too perfect, like someone had sculpted him from stone.


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    Ste took a steadying breath and walked over to him. “We spoke on the phonest night.”


    The man looked up slowly, his blue eyes sizing her up before a small, almost amused smile curled at his lips. “Ms. Russell. You look even more like your mother in person than in the photos.”


    Ste felt a flicker of irritation but quickly tamped it down, keeping her expression neutral. She sat down across from him. A ss of water was already on the table, but she didn’t touch it—too many risks for something that could easily beced.


    She got straight to the point. “What do you want from me, and what do I get in return?”


    He chuckled softly, his voice smooth. “Straight to business, I see. We need you to finish your mother’s research. In exchange, we’ll offer you more money than most people see in a lifetime, and…”


    He paused, letting her digest that, his eyes never leaving hers. “I’ll give you the full details about your mother’s death.”


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