?Chapter 1722:


    Emotion elevated her voice as she leaned into his space. The distance between them closed — close enough for Steven to catch the subtle notes of her perfume, citrusyered with jasmine. His throat constricted involuntarily.


    After all, the woman confronting him was someone he cared for deeply. Her proximity awakened feelings he could neither suppress nor ignore.


    Resignation colored his voice as it dropped lower. “Sometimes ignorance offers better protection than knowledge. This might be one of those times.”


    Josie didn’t back down. “Whether we deserve to know isn’t your decision to make — that belongs to Ste and me. If you genuinely care about William’s wellbeing, you’d tell me everything.”


    Finally, Steven released a defeated sigh, hisst resistance crumbling. “Fine. I’ll tell you everything. But you have to promise not to react impulsively once you hear what I’m about to say. This situation is far moreplicated than you’re imagining.”


    Josie nodded curtly and lowered herself back onto the sofa.


    Steven turned to face her directly, his tone shifting into something more serious. “Alisha does harbor feelings for William. Their initial encounter urred at the hospital, where she apparently developed an immediate infatuation.”


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    Josie already knew that much from Ste. “Tell me something new. Why did she arrange a private meeting with him?”


    Steven pressed his lips together, visibly choosing his words with extreme care. “Last week, William attended a corporate party where someone drugged him. Through circumstances I’m still investigating, Alisha ended up in his hotel room, and then…” The implication hung heavily between them, requiring no boration.


    Josie demanded explicit confirmation anyway.


    Steven closed his eyes and drew a slow breath. “William was heavily drugged — not functioning rationally. In his altered state, he mistook Alisha for Ste, and they slept together.”


    Josie shot to her feet, staring at him in disbelief. “What did you just say? What kind of ‘slept together’ are we talking about here?”


    Innocent, or consummated?


    Steven held her stare unflinchingly and nodded once.


    Josie finally snapped. “He slept with another woman? No wonder Alisha was crying in that café — everything suddenly makes perfect sense!” How could William possibly entertain thoughts of reconciliation with Ste aftermitting such a betrayal? His mental state was beside the point. The act had urred regardless, and that fundamental fact was immutable.


    “I’ve heard everything I need to hear. I’m going to tell Ste right now.”


    She would never permit William to approach Ste seeking forgiveness after what he had done.


    Watching her prepare to bolt, Steven seized her arm. “Wait. What did I just say? I explicitly warned you against impulsive action — let me finish.”


    Josie wrenched her arm free. “Haven’t you said enough already? Regardless of the circumstances, he still did it, didn’t he?”


    Steven let out a frustrated sound. “Ms. Patel, doesn’t any of this strike you as suspicious? Given William’s character — even chemically impaired — he wouldn’t simply engage with another woman. The entire scenario reeks of maniption. I’m actively investigating, and there’s a real possibility William never actually touched Alisha at all.”


    Josie scoffed. “You say he didn’t, so he didn’t? How could you possibly know what happened? You weren’t there.”


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