?Chapter 975:


    His gaze swept across the cafe briefly, then made a beeline for Ste. His eyesnded on Nina and Marc, and his gaze turned ice-cold. “What are you doing here?”


    He didn’t raise his voice, but the weight behind those words made the air feel heavier. Marc, who had been lounging like he owned the ce, suddenly sat up straighter without even realizing it.


    Nina’s mask slipped for half a second—just a flicker of panic—but she caught herself and quickly put on her best look of innocence.


    “William, we just happened to run into Ms. Russell. We were just chatting, catching up.”


    William didn’t buy a second of it. His eyes narrowed. “Oh yeah? Then go ahead—tell me what you were talking about.”


    Marc let out an awkward chuckle, trying to defuse the tension like he did in boardrooms. He cleared his throat. “Well, man, it was nothing serious. We just saw Ste here and asked how she’s been. You know we were married once—”


    William cut him off with an icy re, his eyes shing with a dangerous warning. Just hearing Marc mention his past with Ste made something dark stir behind his expression. Marc shut his mouth instantly.


    William turned away from them and reached for Ste’s wrist. Her hand was ice-cold, but his grip was warm, firm—he was clearly trying to pull her close.


    She flinched a little, half out of instinct.


    He leaned down to her ear and said quietly, “Let’s go.”


    There was nothing worth staying for. He wasn’t about to let her sit there another second with those two.


    Ste let herself be led like a puppet, too lost in her own thoughts to resist.


    Nina’s words echoed in her head. He was part of Erebus…


    If that was true, why hadn’t he told her?


    Didn’t they promise—no secrets? Or had that just been something pretty they said but didn’t mean?


    Then again… she’de here today without telling him. She’d met with Marc and Nina behind his back. What right did she have to demandplete honesty?


    Even after William helped her into the car and started driving, Ste said nothing. She just stared out the window, watching the streets blur past, her chest tight and heavy.


    William nced over at her, clearly worried. His brow was furrowed. “What did they say to you?”


    He could tell something was off. He was sure they’d said something to mess with her, but he didn’t know what.


    Ste blinked and snapped out of her spiral. Her heart thudded again, painfully. She lowered her gaze, trying to hide whatever was swimming in her eyes, and answered in a low, raspy voice, “Nothing. Marc was just running his mouth like always, trying to stir the pot. Nina was there too. It was nothing. Just noise.”


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