?Chapter 982:


    That kind of thoughtfulness left Ste a little speechless. She opened her mouth to thank her, but—


    “Nope,” Lainey said, cutting her off with a grin. “Don’t even say thank you. Just promise you won’t bail on me that day.”


    Ste chuckled at that, then gave her a serious look. “You’ve got my word, Lainey. If I say I’ll be there, I’ll be there.”


    She wasn’t someone who made promises lightly. And if she did, she kept them.


    Lainey looked relieved. That was good enough for her.


    The anniversary fell on Monday—just three days away.


    Over the next few days, Ste kept herself upied, purposely avoiding William as much as she could. Even at home, she mostly stayed holed up in her room, barely crossing paths with him.


    William knew they couldn’t go on like that forever, but he didn’t know how to break the silence between them.


    He asked Luca to dig into what Marc and Nina might’ve said to Ste that day. But the cafe’s surveince camera had no audio—so William couldn’t hear a word, and he had no clue what exactly had upset her.


    Still, just by watching the footage, he could tell—Ste had clearly gotten worked up during that meal.


    She wore her heart on her sleeve. From the video alone, it was easy to tell when she got impatient… and when she got downright angry.


    “Mr. Briggs, should I bring Mr. Walsh and Miss Carter in for a talk?” Luca asked, careful with his wording but not hiding the suggestion.


    William shook his head. “No. Don’t bother. Let it go.”


    Luca didn’t really get why William wasn’t following up, but he nodded and left the office without another word.


    Finally, Monday arrived.


    g?lnσν????s﹒??оm opens doors to fiction


    The university was buzzing with life—colorful gs, wee banners, and excited students everywhere. Laughter and chatter filled the air, and the whole ce radiated youthful energy.


    As Ste walked across campus, watching studentsugh and mess around, she felt something stir inside her. A flicker of nostalgia, maybe. A version of herself she hadn’t felt in a long time—back when she was focused on research, full of dreams, and didn’t have the weight of the world on her shoulders.


    She walked beside Lainey, slowly getting pulled into old memories.


    They were lost in conversation when they passed a restroom. Lainey gently unhooked her arm from Ste’s. “Be right back.”


    The moment Lainey stepped away, someone called out Ste’s name from behind.


    She turned—and her eyes lit up with surprise and warmth.


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