?Chapter 1671:


    William paused, watching her detached, almost indifferent posture as an unfamiliar sense of unease settled in his chest.


    In the dining room, the two of them sat facing each other. Four dishes and a bowl of soup were arranged neatly on the table, all of them his favorites. They ate without speaking. Compared to the morning, the atmosphere had eased slightly, but an undercurrent of tension still lingered.


    Ste kept her head down and said nothing. In the past, she would have gone out of her way to fill the silence, searching for topics just to keep him talking. William found himself wanting to say something more than once, yet each time he noticed her deliberately avoiding his eyes, the words died before they could leave his mouth.


    Then his phone rang.


    Ste looked up and caught sight of the name on the screen: Alisha. Her heart tightened. Thest time she had noticed, he hadn’t even saved Alisha’s contact. Now the name was there — just her full name, nothing more, but it was enough to make Ste uneasy.


    William’s brows drew together, clearly unwilling to take the call. But under Ste’s steady gaze, a trace of irritation crept in, as though her silence itself were using him of something. Acting on a sudden, stubborn impulse, he set his fork and knife down and answered right there at the table.


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    The moment the line connected, Alisha’s voice came through, shaky and tearful. “Mr. Briggs, I… I was in a car ident at the intersection of Tower Avenue and Ivy Street. The other driver was extremely aggressive. I don’t know who else to call. Could youe help me?”


    William nced at Ste, noticing theplicated look in her eyes as she watched him. “I’ll be there shortly,” he said, and rose from his seat.


    Before he could take another step, Ste stood as well, her voice calm. “She was in a car ident? I’ll go. You stay here and finish dinner.” She had barely eaten and already felt full, while he still seemed to have an appetite and should eat properly.


    William froze, staring at her in surprise. “You’re going instead?”


    “What, are you worried I’ll make things difficult for your girlfriend?” A faint, mocking smile tugged at her lips. “I’m not the type to hold grudges over something like this. She’s a woman, and so am I — it’ll be easier for me to handle. Besides, you just got back from work. You must be exhausted.”


    She grabbed her coat and car keys and headed straight for the door without looking back.


    Ste didn’t spare William another nce. She pulled the door shut behind her and vanished from view.


    William remained seated at the dining table, listening to the sound of a car engine roaring to life outside. He sat frozen in ce for what felt like an eternity. His eyes drifted across the spread of dishes covering the table, and whatever appetite he’d had vanishedpletely.


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