?Chapter 1075:


    Ste didn’t want Jeff to fall into the same trap Marc once had, consumed by one-sided love until it hardened into bitterness. She understood that love was never a trivial matter. It had the power to lift a person higher than they had ever been—or break them beyond repair.


    Jeff’s gaze lingered on her, steady and earnest. “I’ll remember that. But I still think if someone’s truly sincere, they can make anything happen.”


    Ste gave a quiet nod before turning toward the institute doors.


    She had no idea that, just behind her, Jeff’s smile had slipped away. A quiet seriousness settled in his eyes, thoughtful and unreadable.


    Back in theb, Ste stood by the window, watching the sun dip below the horizon, her chest heavy with tangled emotions.


    Jeff’s question about William had reopened something she had pushed aside for too long—the tangle of emotions tied to a rtionship that had never quite found its footing.


    As she reflected on the advice she had given Jeff, it dawned on her that the same words applied just as well to her own situation with William.


    Wasn’t it time for her and William to finally decide what they truly meant to each other?


    Ste’s phone buzzed. A message from William popped up on the screen: “Free tonight? Need to talk in person.” She stared at it for a long moment, not typing anything back. Outside, the sun had fully set. City lights shimmered beyond her window, soft and scattered, mirroring her thoughts.


    After a pause, she typed a single word: “Okay.”


    She didn’t agree to dinner. She had already eaten with Jeff. Instead, she chose a quiet café and arrived early to wait.


    William showed up right on time. He paused at the entrance when he spotted her already seated. Something flickered across his face—surprise first, then a hint of regret, as if he were chastising himself for not arriving sooner. “Sorry I’mte,” he said softly as he took the seat across from her.


    Ste shook her head. “I was early.”


    For a few seconds, he simply looked at her, his eyes searching, as if trying to grasp something she wasn’t saying. Then, finally, he asked, “You’ve been spending a lot of time with Jefftely. He’s at the research institute almost every day, isn’t he?”


    Ste had expected this. Jeff wasn’t exactly discreet, and everyone at theb had noticed how often he showed up. “Hees for academic consultations. The professor asked me to help him. I’ve told you that before.”


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    Her tone carried a quiet edge, that familiar irritation that surfaced whenever she had to exin herself again. She could understand others doubting her—but William?


    William leaned back slightly, his voice low. “Academic consultations, huh? I’m sure he talks about more than just research. Stel, I know guys like him.” He was a man himself, and he knew how men could be.


    The few times he had crossed paths with Jeff, he had caught the subtle challenge in the young man’s eyes—hidden behind polite smiles, but unmistakably there.


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