?Chapter 1202:


    “A will?”


    The word slipped from Ste’s lips in disbelief. Her eyes darted toward the hallway—though Marc had already left for a meeting.


    The house was silent.


    After a brief pause, she spoke again, her voice soft but steady. “Mr. Wade, there must be some mistake. My fiancé is Marc, and we’re preparing for our wedding. I’ve never met anyone named William Briggs.”


    She tried to think, searching for where she might have heard the name before. It surfaced faintly—perhaps from a business magazine. A wealthy executive, if she remembered correctly.


    But what could any of that possibly have to do with her?


    Kyler hesitated for a beat, then pulled out another document from his briefcase. He flipped it open, turned to a specific page, and pointed.


    “Ms. Russell,” he said evenly, “Mr. Briggs stated in his will that if he were to die in an ident or be legally dered dead, all his shares in Briggs Group, along with his properties and personal assets, would go to you.”


    He paused, studying her face.


    “Given the current circumstances, Mr. Briggs has been missing for almost three months. That meets the legal threshold for being dered deceased. If you agree to proceed with the announcement and initiate the process, you’d be the primary shareholder of Briggs Group… and his sole heir.”


    “Inherit… Briggs Group?” Ste repeated, stunned.


    It didn’t make sense. She shook her head. “No. That’s not possible. I don’t even know the guy. Why would he leave anything to me? This has to be a mistake.”


    There had to be another Ste Russell out there. They must have mixed things up.


    But as Kyler calmlyid out the rest of William’s estate details, something in her mind snapped. Out of nowhere, sharp, scattered images tore through her thoughts.


    A man turning toward her beneath harshb lights—tall, straight-backed, smiling faintly—his face blurred.


    Running through a forest. Branches whipping past. Someone gripping her hand tight as they sprinted, voices shouting in the distance.


    hosts great stories


    A ring—unique in shape—glinting beneath a sky full of stars.


    The shes came fast, like a reel of scenes from a dream she couldn’t quite hold onto.


    “Ah—!” Ste clutched her head, eyes squeezed shut as pain spiked behind her temples.


    It felt like something was trying to rip through her skull. The images hit so hard her stomach turned.


    Kyler rushed toward her, rmed. “Ms. Russell?”


    She went pale, sweat beading along her forehead. Her vision blurred at the edges.


    “I…” she mumbled, swaying slightly as she pressed a hand to her chest. “I don’t know. My head… it hurts…”


    Kyler opened his mouth again, but Ste beat him to it.


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