?Chapter 1616:


    William had no interest in small talk and went straight to the point. “Do you know how Ste and I used to interact?”


    Amon paused, momentarily stunned, before quickly catching on. A mocking smile curled at his lips. “Why? Are your memories a mess now, and you want me to remind you how much you loved Ste?”


    William’s expression darkened — but to Amon’s surprise, he didn’t deny it.


    Amon nced at him with visible surprise before clearing his throat deliberately. “William, don’t forget the facts. You pursued her first — relentlessly, if I recall. And if you genuinely felt nothing for her, would you have thrown yourself off a cliff to save her life?”


    Though Amon had witnessed rtively few of William and Ste’s interactions personally, their dynamic wasn’t difficult to read.


    William offered no response.


    Amon continued, “Instead of seeking validation from everyone around you, why not actually try building something with Ste? She hasn’t abandoned you yet, has she?” No amount of external opinions could substitute for William’s own authentic feelings.


    The words struck William with unexpected force, cutting through the fog to deliver sudden, ufortable rity. His fist tightened slowly beneath the table, hidden from view. He fixed Amon with a hard stare, his tone deadly serious. “I won’t renege on my promise to you, but you’d better maintain exemry behavior. If I discover you’re involved in anything questionable—”


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    Before he could finish the threat, Amon interrupted smoothly. “I understand perfectly. I’m aligned with your interests now, William.”


    William waved dismissively toward the exit.


    Two dayster, in the afternoon, Ste received a call from Jewell. His voice vibrated with barely contained excitement. “Merrick’s offshore ount received five separate wire transfers over the past six months — all from shellpanies, totaling over eight million dors. We traced them back, and they’re definitively connected to Arlo.”


    Jewell and Steven had grown suspicious of Merrick because of his unusually frequent bank visits. Apparently, paranoia about losing his illicit fortune kept him constantly moving funds Arlo had deposited. A recent graduate conducting such extensive international financial transactions had raised immediate red gs.


    Ste’s pulse elerated the moment she processed the information. “Are we absolutely certain it’s him?”


    “Steven obtained both theplete bank transaction records and IP tracking data.” The evidence created an undeniable connection between Merrick and Arlo’swork.


    Yet worry gnawed at Ste regardless. “Arlo’s proven himself clever and cautious. Without irond proof, we mightck sufficient grounds for action against him.” Jewell’s silence acknowledged she had identified a critical vulnerability in their case. They both understood that Arlo wouldn’t have nted Merrick inside Briggs Group without meticulous nning and multiple contingencies. Ste’s concern was valid.


    “Can we monitor his phonemunications?” After cycling through potential strategies, shended on this as their most viable option. If Arlo intended Merrick to sabotage Briggs Group’s partnership with Carson, he would inevitably need tomunicate instructions somehow.


    Understanding sparked immediately in Jewell’s voice. “You’re absolutely right. I’ll consult with Steven about feasibility right away.”


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