Chapter 1658:
Stella’s eyes settled on the younger woman, assessment sharpening her gaze. Alisha was perceptive enough to read volumes in that single look, and the realization of what Stella likely meant to William only heightened her nervousness.
Alisha took the seat directly across from William, her white dress simple and unadorned. She looked young and unsure — caught somewhere between innocence and unease. “Mr. Briggs, may I ask who this is?”
Her gaze drifted toward Stella, uncertainty clouding her expression.
Stella extended her hand first, a polite smile fixed firmly in place. “Hello, Miss Cooper. William has mentioned you several times. My name is Stella Russell.” As the words left her mouth, she cast a deliberate glance toward William. The way she said his first name carried an unmistakable note of familiarity that spoke volumes about their relationship.
William remained completely impassive in the seat beside her, offering neither confirmation nor denial.
Alisha reached out and shook Stella’s hand. “Hello, Ms. Russell. I’m Alisha Cooper. I’m terribly sorry — I had no idea you’d be joining us this evening. If I’d known, I would have reserved a larger room.”
The private room could comfortably accommodate four diners, but with just the three of them inside, the space felt suffocatingly uncomfortable.
Stella kept her composure intact, her expression pleasant and controlled. “Don’t worry about it — this room is lovely. You’re studying at Crossroads University, aren’t you?”
“Yes, I’m in my final year. I’m doing an internship at Dixon Group right now,” Alisha replied, though her eyes kept drifting back to William despite her best efforts. He had barely spoken since they’d arrived and didn’t seem to look at Stella much at all. The dynamic between them confused her, making it impossible to pin down the exact nature of their connection.
Course after course arrived until the table was crowded with plates, yet none of them made more than a token effort to eat. Stella and Alisha fell into sporadic conversation — university life, internship challenges, career aspirations. Though Alisha seemed reserved and a little guarded, she responded to Stella’s questions with genuine warmth, her answers painting a picture of someone quietly optimistic about what lay ahead.
Stella raised an eyebrow and asked deliberately, “You mentioned your internship at Dixon Group. That’s quite impressive — not just anyone manages to land a position there.”
𝘓𝘢𝘁𝘦𝗌t 𝗰𝗁𝖺𝗽𝘵е𝗿𝘀 𝗼ո 𝗴alnо𝘃𝗲𝗹s.𝗰𝗼m
Alisha tensed slightly, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “To be honest, I owe it all to Mr. Briggs. If it hadn’t been for his help, I never would have gotten the opportunity to intern at Dixon Group.” She turned toward William with unmistakable sincerity, her eyes bright with gratitude. “Mr. Briggs, I truly can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for me.”
She had only learned his full name after striking up conversations with her fellow interns at Dixon Group. The man who had helped her turned out to be none other than the renowned heir to Briggs Group — one of the most powerful families in Choria.
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