?Chapter 1655:


    Reaching for her coat, she answered, “I’m going to the Briggs Group to see him.” If he was deliberately keeping his distance, then she would be the one to close the gap.


    By four o’clock, afternoon sunlight nted through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the CEO’s office at the top of the Briggs Group building. William stood near the ss, his posture upright andposed, a report resting in his hand — though his attention was clearly elsewhere.


    A light knock came at the door, followed by Luca’s careful voice. “Mr. Briggs, Ms. Russell is here.”


    William’s shoulders tightened almost imperceptibly. He didn’t turn around. “Let here in,” he said, his tone t.


    The door opened, then closed. The rhythmic sound of heels striking marble echoed across the room, stopping just short of his desk.


    Without looking back, William could already picture how Ste looked in that moment.


    Her voice came softly, carrying a note of careful restraint. “Are you still tied up? I found a really good restaurant today. Would you like to have dinner with me after work?”


    William turned around, his expression already settled into its usual chill. “Is something wrong?”


    Ste met his eyes. Pain flickered briefly across her face before she pressed it away. “No. Just dinner.”


    William lowered his gaze back to the report. “I’m busy.”


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    It wasn’t a direct refusal, but it might as well have been. Being “busy” was simply his way of saying no.


    For a moment, the atmosphere grew dense and ufortable. Ste studied his profile as he read, then drew in a steady breath and moved to sit in the chair beside him.


    “That’s fine,” she said quietly. “I’ll wait.”


    She hadn’te all this way just to leave alone. Even if she had to stay until night fell, she was prepared to do exactly that.


    William didn’t look up. His long fingers turned another page. “Suit yourself.”


    A dull pressure settled in Ste’s chest. She sat in silence, watching him work through the document. Only when he finally paused did she speak again.


    “William, we can’t keep doing this.”


    Ste had exhausted herself searching for solutions, but William refused to meet her halfway. He had gone out of his way to avoid her.


    William’s pen stilled against the paper, leaving a dark blot of ink spreading across the document. He lifted his gaze to meet hers, his eyes swirling with emotions she couldn’t quite parse. “So what do you suggest we do about any of this?” After everything that had unraveled between them, did she honestly believe they could simply rewind to how things used to be?


    Ste held his stare without flinching. “Your condition is deteriorating. Even if you won’t do it for my sake, you should take your medication for yourself. The bottles are sitting on the counter at home, untouched.”


    She couldn’t understand why he had be so hostile toward taking something meant to help him. The William she remembered had never had any issues with his prescribed medication.


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