?Chapter 1693:


    Tears poured down Alisha’s cheeks. “Mr. Briggs, I… I really like you. You’re incredible — the most outstanding man I’ve ever met. You’re refined and considerate. I keep wondering how I could ever be good enough for you. I—”


    William stopped her immediately, without patience to let her finish. “Alisha, I’ll say this onest time. I have no interest in you. I never had any intention of forming an inappropriate rtionship with you. You haven’t even finished college yet. Why would you think I’d be interested?”


    His wordsnded brutally, making Alisha’s lips quiver. So that was how he truly saw her. To him, was she really that insignificant?


    Tears slid steadily down Alisha’s face. “But… if I was only being used, then why stop now?”


    William seemed faintly entertained by the question. “Are you actually challenging me? Are you saying you’d prefer things stayed the same — continuing to y the viin who interferes between my fiancée and me?”


    As she stared at the man she had fallen for at first sight, a wave of self-mockery washed over her. There was no tenderness in his eyes, no trace of affection. Only then did she fully understand that everything she had believed had been nothing more than her own fantasy. If she kept pushing, all she would earn was deeper contempt.


    After a brief pause, Alisha spoke again, bitterness threading her voice. “What about her, then? You did all this on purpose just to provoke her jealousy. Did it work? Was she jealous at all? Does she even deserve this kind of attention from you? She obviously doesn’t care about you. And I’ve heard she’s been married before…”


    The moment Ste was mentioned, William’s face darkened sharply. “Enough. Shut up. You’re not qualified to talk about her.”


    His sudden intensity startled Alisha. She stepped back instinctively, yet the words still spilled from her lips. “Am I wrong? She’s a divorced woman. And if things between the two of you were really that solid, I wouldn’t have been useful at all. Why won’t you admit that something is wrong in your rtionship?”


    At that, William’s fury surged, the air around him growing menacingly heavy. “Alisha, don’t push me. I don’t take pleasure in targeting women, but if I hear you mention her again, you won’t get a second warning.”


    His tall frame loomed before her, cutting off the light and radiating an overwhelming sense of intimidation. “Leave.”


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    The chill in his eyes was terrifying. In that instant, the fear gripping Alisha reached its breaking point. She suddenly understood that she had never truly known this man at all. He was a powerful businessman famed for his decisiveness and ruthlessness — how could she ever have imagined she could challenge him?


    In the end, Alisha spoke softly, her voice shaking. “Alright. I’ll go. I won’t bother you again.”


    Without turning her head, she walked out of the vi. The movie tickets slipped from her fingers, caught briefly by the breeze before fluttering down at William’s feet. He didn’t bother to look at them. Stepping right over the fallen tickets, he continued on his way as if they were nothing.


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