?Chapter 385:


    Standing in the living room, she felt slightly uneasy—she hadn’t taken off her shoes.


    His ce was so clean, not a thing out of ce, and she couldn’t help but worry she was tracking in dirt.


    Sensing her hesitation, William spoke softly. “It’s okay, juste in. No need to take your shoes off.”


    She nodded and walked over to the sofa. Then, reaching into her bag, she pulled out the documents andid them neatly on the table. “These are the files you gave me on Nixon’s fraud. I’ve sorted through them all. I was going to take them to the police today… but I figured I should check in with you first. See what you think.”


    William’s brows lifted slightly, surprised. Ste never used to check in with anyone before taking action.


    “You’re asking for my approval now?” he asked, amused.


    Ste blinked, a little surprised by how he phrased it. “No, not approval,” she replied honestly. “I just want to know what you think. Do you believe this is the right time to involve the police?”


    William walked over and took a seat on the single-seater sofa beside her, towel still in ce but his demeanor now far moreposed.


    “If it were me…” he said thoughtfully. “I’d hold on to those documents for now. Keep them secure. And in the meantime, I’d track down the family that Nixon destroyed back then—the ones whose lives werepletely derailed. See how they’re doing now.”


    The moment William spoke, Ste got it. Back then, Nixon had caused someone’s death. The whole thing stirred up a huge mess in Choria, but then—just like that—it vanished overnight. Not a word about it again.


    Even the victim’s family had gone radio silent. Not a singleint. It was obvious something fishy was going on.


    If she could track the family down and get them to testify, Nixon’s chances of walking free would drop fast.


    Ste nced at William, genuinely thankful. The problem she’d been racking her brain over was cleared up with just one casual line from him. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, he really was sharp sometimes. “I know what to do now. Thanks for the tip. If that’s all, I’ll be on my way.”


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    William watched her stand, then let out a softugh from the couch. Ste turned, confused by the sudden sound. He wasn’t even trying to hide the teasing in his voice.


    “Mr. Briggs, is there something else?” she asked, with an edge.


    William raised a brow. “Funny how that works. You need something, you show up. The second it’s done—’Mr. Briggs, I’ll be on my way.’ Gotta say, Ms. Russell, you’re good at keeping your boundaries.”


    The sarcasm wasn’t subtle, and Ste frowned. “It really was rude of me to drop by unannounced today.”


    William stood, his tall frame casting a light shadow as he shifted from lounging to towering over her. “If I were you, I’d at least offer a meal in return.”


    So that was what he was getting at.


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