?Chapter 1621:
No matter how William perceived her now, no matter how drastically their rtionship had deteriorated, she would not stand idle while someone with hidden agendas exploited his memory gaps and manipted him like a chess piece.
Surprise flickered briefly across Carson’s expression before his gaze intensified with renewed scrutiny. “What if Mr. Briggs discovers you came to see me and his resentment toward you deepens?”
Ste’s body wavered slightly at the question, but she straightened her spine immediately, refusing to show weakness. “I simply do what I believe is right. How he chooses to feel about it remains his own concern.” She possessed no power to influence William’s feelings, but she wouldn’t allow the fear of his anger to stop her from taking actions that might benefit him.
Silence descended over the hospital room. Sunlight filtered through the blinds, painting elongated shadows across the polished floor. The sharp scent of disinfectant caught in Ste’s throat, drawing a soft, ufortable cough before she gathered herself to continue.
“Mr. Carson, I’m deeply sorry about the ident you suffered, but that shouldn’t serve as grounds to sever cooperation with Briggs Group entirely. I hope you’ll consider giving them another chance — I promise thepany won’t disappoint you.”
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Carson released an unexpected sigh. The hardness in his eyes softened slightly as he continued to observe her, something almost sympathetic recing his earlier severity. “Ms. Russell, I admire your courage, but business must remain separate from emotional considerations. I can’t justify partnering with apany that may harbor internal problems simply because you’ve demonstrated remarkable bravery.” Ste’s insistence that the ident wasn’t Briggs Group’s direct fault revealed that something had clearly gone wrong somewhere in the execution.
Ste felt her heart plummet. She pressed her lips together before speaking. “Mr. Carson, if you’re willing to grant Briggs Group one more opportunity, I guarantee that within a week they’ll deliver a satisfactory exnation. I will personally ensure that the individual responsible for your ident stands before you to answer for their actions.”
Carson looked at her with surprise. “How can you possibly guarantee something like that?”
Without hesitation, Ste replied, “I understand you have no reason to trust me, but if I fail to deliver, you can refuse cooperation at that point. You risk nothing by waiting. Briggs Group will cover all your hospital and medical expenses during this period.”
Carson held her gaze for what felt like an eternity, something thoughtful and assessing flickering deep within his eyes. Finally, he spoke with measured deliberation. “Ms. Russell, your performance today surprised me. I initially thought a woman by Mr. Briggs’s side would be a delicate, sheltered creature who had never weathered real challenges — but you’ve proven that assumption entirely wrong.” He paused before continuing. “You have business acumen and courage that rivals any man’s. More importantly, you chose the most difficult path forward when you could have simply walked away unscathed, and that earns my genuine respect.”
Ste maintained her silence, waiting with tense patience for him to reveal his decision. His unexpected praise left her uncertain whether he genuinely intended to cooperate or was simplyying diplomatic groundwork before delivering another rejection.
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