?Chapter 388:


    The following day at the research institute, Ste bumped into Lainey in one of the hallways.


    Lainey didn’t waste a second—she grabbed Ste’s arm and pulled her to the side. “Stel, thank God you’re finally here!” she whispered urgently. Noticing the urgency written all over Lainey’s face, Ste immediately asked,


    “What’s going on? Did something happen with the project again?”


    Lainey sighed heavily. “Someone showed up at the institute before you got here this morning.”


    “Who was it?” Ste asked curiously.


    Lainey gave her a look of disbelief, sighed again, and tapped her on the forehead. “It was Willow—William’s fiancée!”


    Ste frowned slightly but didn’t think much of it. What did Willow visiting William have to do with her, anyway?


    Lainey stared at her, clearly frustrated by her oblivious attitude.


    “Willow came by today and brought fancy gifts for everyone at the institute. It was obvious she was trying to make a statement,” Lainey said, pressing her lips together. “She even smiled and told us not to take William’s temper seriously, like she runs the ce or something. And if that wasn’t enough, she ended with a warning disguised as kindness. She told us to keep an eye out for anyone who might be secretly interested in William and said today’s gift was her way of thanking us in advance.”


    In simple terms, Willow’s visit was nothing short of a public announcement that she was William’s fiancée, and at the same time, it was a subtle jab aimed straight at Ste.


    After all, everyone at the institute knew that before Willow entered the picture, William and Ste had always been close. Some even assumed they were a couple.


    So, it didn’t take much to figure out who Willow was aiming at.


    Only now did Ste realize the weight of those words. She had been staying away from William, yet somehow, she was still caught in the crossfire.


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    Ste looked at Lainey with a helpless expression. “There’s never been anything between William and me. We’ve always been just coworkers—I’d never cross that line.”


    Lainey gave her shoulder a reassuring pat. “I know that. But Willow clearly doesn’t.”


    Ste felt cornered, like no matter what she said, people would still assume the worst. And one thing hit her hard—William never told Willow he wasn’t into women. If he had, Willow wouldn’t be so defensive.


    That realization annoyed her. Turning to Lainey, she asked, “Has William shown up today?”


    Lainey seemed puzzled by the sudden question. “I don’t think he’s arrived yet,” she replied.


    Ste inhaled deeply to steady herself. “If he shows up, let me know. I really need to speak with him.”


    Lainey leaned in slightly and spoke in a low tone. “People here are watching you and William closely. If you approach him directly now, it’ll only confirm what Willow suspects. If it’s that important, maybe call him instead.”


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