?Chapter 354:


    Elbert looked over at Ste, his tone calm but firm. “So, what’s our n?”


    If Finnegan had the power to sway the organizers, then this wasn’t just a one-time scam. And digging up evidence wasn’t going to be easy.


    Ste’s thoughts drifted back to the auction—the way William had acted that day. Distant. Like he was hiding something.


    She turned to Elbert and the others and said, “Give me a second. I need to make a call.”


    William had been there during thepetition. If he knew something and wasn’t telling her, that could change everything. Why else would he have gone cold at the auction? Pretending not to know her?


    She stepped out of theb and dialed William’s number.


    The phone rang a few times before a robotic voice answered: “Sorry, the number you dialed is temporarily unreachable. Please try againter…”


    Her brows furrowed. William never had reception issues. Ever.


    She tried again. Same message. A third time. Still nothing.


    Frustrated, she typed out a message: “Thepetition results are out. Did you see them? Do you know what trick Finnegan pulled this time?” She hit send.


    She didn’t expect an immediate reply.


    Sliding her phone back into her pocket, she walked back into theb.


    “Elbert, I know this won’t be easy,” she said, “but we have to dig into this. It’s not just about us—it’s the integrity of the whole field.”


    If Finnegan could keep cheating and still walk away with the trophy, then what was the point ofpeting at all?


    His kind of behavior wasn’t just hical—it was destructive. It would rot the whole industry from the inside out.


    Elbert gave her a solemn nod. “You’re right, Ste. We can’t just sit back. We need to push back.”


    He looked around theb at everyone else. “Alright, here’s what we’ll do—everyone go home today, start pulling any dirt you can find on Finnegan’s team. Anything that doesn’t add up—we track it down.”


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    The sudden twist in events had left everyone reeling.


    If they were going to dig up any solid proof, they needed a game n. And not just any n—a smart, thorough, and airtight one.


    But that wasn’t something they could whip up in an afternoon. Work still needed their attention, so the matter had to be set aside for now.


    By noon, Ste’s shoulders ached from hours of tension. She made her way to the break room, rubbing at her stiff muscles and reaching for a bottle of water. She nced at her phone. Still no reply from William. The message had been sent, sure—but unread.


    She stared at it for a second longer, then told herself maybe he was just busy. Maybe he hadn’t seen it yet.


    The break room was quiet, spacious, and designed for moments like this—a ce to dpress. Ste found a spot in the corner and sat, her mind still turning.


    Not long after, she heard footsteps and hushed voices drift in.


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