?Chapter 399:


    He noticed. Raising an eyebrow, he leaned in with a teasing smirk. “Syl, do you really hate being near me that much?”


    Ste paused, then gave him a sidelong look. “You’re overthinking it.”


    “Oh yeah? Then why do you keep running off every time I get close?” Shaun wasn’t letting it go that easily.


    Ste sighed, eyes flicking away from his. The way he looked at people always held this strange softness, like they all meant something to him—and she didn’t want to read too much into it. Gently, she pushed him back a bit. “Alright, enough. Let’s focus. We’re here to find clues.”


    Seeing her serious look, Shaun dropped the yful tone and went back to searching with her.


    Outside, Willow didn’t say anything at first—she just followed quietly as William made his call.


    William was on the phone with Luca.


    “Send a few people to the port,” he instructed Luca. “Keep it discreet. Stay hidden, but if anything happens, step in right away.”


    Luca immediately got the message. “Understood, Mr. Briggs. I’ll send a team over.”


    Willow’s expression shifted as she watched from a distance. She wasn’t stupid—she could see the difference in the way William looked at Sylvia. There was something deeper there. Complicated. Quiet. And definitely not the way he looked at her. Was there really something going on between them?


    Willow pressed her lips together, smoothed out her expression, and stepped forward.


    “William, are you okay?” she asked softly.


    Hearing her voice, William quickly ended the call and slipped his phone back into his pocket.


    He turned to face her, still polite—but distant. “Miss Lawson, did you find anything?”


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    That formal tone again. Willow’s chest tightened. She was supposed to be his future wife, yet he acted like she was just another business associate. She forced a smile. “Looks like Ms. Gilbert and Mr. Smith found something. We should go check it out.”


    The second she mentioned Ste, William’s expression shifted. His eyes sharpened with interest, and without a word, he headed back inside.


    Inside, Ste had just finished snapping photos of some useful documents. She and Shaun were about to move on to another room when William and Willow walked in.


    Shaun looked up with a knowing smile. “Mr. Briggs, did you flirt with Miss Lawson outside? She looks quite pleased.”


    William almost said something to exin himself, but the sight of Ste standing so close to Shaun made him stop. Instead, his voice turned cold as he said, “Willow is my fiancée. Do I need permission to be with her?”


    Willow hadn’t expected such a bold deration in front of others. A blush crept up her face as she smiled softly. “William, we’re just here to investigate. Don’t say things like that out of the blue.”


    William’s tone remained even. “I’m just telling the truth. Is there an issue?” He wasn’t emotional, just stating things inly, as if he were listing facts on a page.


    Shaun let out a shortugh. “No problem at all. In that case, Syl and I will check the other rooms.”


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