?Chapter 1651:


    Alisha’s body trembled, and tears rushed up uncontrobly. She gathered her bag, kept her head lowered, and walked out of the room. When she reached William, she forced a faint smile. “I didn’t expect to run into you here, sir. I’m sorry you had to see that.”


    As she spoke, she brushed the tears from the corner of her eye, her appearance fragile and quietly heartbreaking.


    William studied her without a word. She was dressed in a crisp white blouse paired with a ck skirt that fell to her knees, her hair neatly tied back in a ponytail and her makeup light. She looked moreposed than she had the day before.


    Hurst and Luca observed the exchange, each wearing a very different expression. Hurst traded a brief nce with the two interviewers, and in that silent moment, all three arrived at the same conclusion — the young woman had some connection to William.


    Without hesitation, Hurst gave his assistant a subtle signal. Understanding the cue immediately, the assistant stepped forward. “Miss Cooper, pleasee with me. We’d like to continue discussing your interview.”


    Alisha, who had already resigned herself to failure, froze in surprise at the invitation. Her face brightened at once. Turning toward William, she smiled and said, “Sir, I need to take care of this first. If you’re freeter, could you wait for me?” She wanted a chance to make up for the meal they had missed the day before.


    William showed no response. His expression remained unreadable.


    Seeing that, Alisha didn’t press the matter. She turned promptly and followed the assistant out of sight.


    Once she was gone, Hurst guided William toward the restaurant. The smile on his face had grown noticeably more ingratiating. “So, Mr. Briggs — that youngdy just now, she’s someone you know?”


    William’s lips pressed into a thin line. “We’ve crossed paths before.”


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    The answer was deliberately vague, offering no rification about how close they were or whether she mattered to him at all.


    Hurst, however, wasn’t inclined to gamble on uncertainty. He discreetly sent a message to his assistant, then continued walking as though nothing unusual had urred.


    Elsewhere, Alisha followed the assistant, still eager to salvage the opportunity. “I’m a fast learner. Even though my experience is mostly from universitypetitions, I’ve gained a lot of practical—”


    Before she could finish, the assistant smiled and said, “Miss Cooper, you may report to work tomorrow.”


    Alisha froze, the rest of her sentence catching in her throat. She blinked a few times, then asked hesitantly, “You… mean I passed the interview?”


    “Yes,” the assistant confirmed. “But why didn’t you mention earlier that you knew Mr. Briggs?”


    There was a faint note of reproach in the question. Had William not appeared at thepany just then, they might have unknowingly dismissed someone connected to an important figure.


    A trace of difort flickered through Alisha. In truth, she had no idea who “Mr. Briggs” really was. Still, with an offer finally in hand, she was sensible enough not to contradict the assumption — and instead thanked the assistant repeatedly.


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