?Chapter 1019:


    Ste’s eyes locked with his for several moments before she finally gave in.


    Knowing how unyielding William could be, Ste wasn’t about to jeopardize her safety just to prove a point. Atst, she looked aside and muttered, “Alright, I’ll agree. Now, will you let me inside my own apartment?”


    Relief flickered across William’s features, though it faded instantly when she dismissed him with cool finality. “Go rest. We’ll talk tomorrow.”


    Ste stepped through the doorway without another word and closed it firmly behind her.


    Pressing her back against the wood, she waited until William’s footsteps faded down the corridor before exhaling a long, weary breath.


    Exhaustion weighed on her, yet even after a hot shower and an attempt at an early rest, her thoughts refused to settle. Sleep eluded her as she turned restlessly through the night.


    Morning noises stirred Ste from her uneasy sleep. Still groggy, she shuffled to the door and squinted through the peephole—only to jolt fully awake.


    The apartment across from hers, William’s ce, was buzzing with movers carrying in furniture.


    Throwing her door open in nothing but pajamas, Ste stormed outside and snapped, “William, what exactly are you trying to pull here?”


    William nced over at her, his voice steady. “I’m moving in.”


    Ste stared, momentarily speechless. “So your definition of protecting me from afar is abandoning your vi and setting up across the corridor?”


    She shouldn’t have been surprised. This wasn’t the first time he twisted words to suit his own ns.


    With a wave of his hand, William signaled the movers to keep working before approaching Ste. “I can’t rely on anyone else to guard you, so I’ll handle it myself.”


    The apartment had been purchased for her in the first ce, and in his mind,ing back was nothing more than taking up his rightful ce.


    Ste’s fury boiled over, words catching in her throat until she finally said, “How can you break your promise so easily?”


    gα? ησ ν?? ?s is your story hub


    “My only promise is to keep you safe, and that’s something I won’t abandon.”


    Unruffled, William added, “I’ll stay out of your way, unless the momentes when you actually need me.”


    Ste shot him a re so fierce it felt like her temper might send her into a fit before the day had even begun.


    For the sake of her sanity, Ste knew she had to retreat and stop staring at him before she lost it.


    “Suit yourself,” she dered, retreating into her apartment and mming the door hard enough to echo through the hall.


    All day long, her irritation simmered. Knowing that William was stationed just across the way left her feeling as if unseen eyes were on her. The sensation of being monitored unsettled her deeply.


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