Chapter 1833:

Before Nina had been arrested, she had insisted that William still had feelings for Stella—that he had never actually let her go.

“She betrayed me. She threw herself at other men and treated me like I was diseased. Why would I waste any more energy on someone like that? The reluctance before was just part of the game—keeping her compliant.”

That explanation seemed to satisfy Arlo somewhat. The suspicion in his voice eased.

“This is what you’ve wanted from the beginning, Arlo. I’m offering it to you on a silver platter while getting my own revenge in the process. Come or don’t come—that’s entirely up to you. I’m not going to beg.”

𝖫𝖺𝘵е𝗌𝘵 𝘤𝗁𝗮𝗉t𝖾r𝘴 o𝘯 𝗴𝗮𝗅n𝗼𝘷𝖾𝘭𝗌.с𝘰m

William moved to hang up. Arlo stopped him immediately.

“Wait. Fine, I’ll come. But I want you waiting for me when I land—you personally. If I don’t see your face the second I step off that plane, I’m getting right back on and leaving.”

A faint smile pulled at William’s mouth—Arlo had taken the bait—but his voice stayed perfectly neutral.

“Done. I’ll be there.”

The private tarmac at Choria International Airport was freezing, the night wind cutting through the darkness like a blade. William stood in the cold, his black coat blending into the shadows around him.

Arlo had deliberately scheduled the latest possible arrival time, clearly hoping to slip in unnoticed.

Besides William, the tarmac was empty except for a handful of blinking runway lights cutting through the darkness. The dim lights threw half of William’s face into shadow, but his expression remained perfectly calm.

Lance’s team was already positioned around the perimeter, hidden but ready. The second Arlo set foot off that plane, they would close in.

In the distance, a sleek black private jet touched down and rolled slowly toward its designated position. The cabin door swung open, and Arlo stepped into view.

Even from across the tarmac, William could feel what Arlo truly was—something hollow and dead, as though he had clawed his way out of a grave and forgotten how to be human.

Arlo looked much the same as William remembered—tall and powerfully built, with sharp features. He descended the stairs slowly, four heavily built bodyguards following close behind him.

Arlo’s eyes swept across the empty tarmac before finally landing on William standing alone in the shadows. A thin smile curved across his face.

Good. William had done exactly as instructed.

Arlo advanced slowly until he stood directly in front of William. Though they were the same height, Arlo lifted his chin slightly, as if asserting dominance.

“So you finally decided to come yourself. I almost thought you’d hide behind others. Still, you should have brought Stella along.”

His intention was obvious. If Stella appeared, he could seize the opportunity and take her away immediately.

William had already anticipated this. He let irritation show on his face.

“She’s been acting overly cautious lately, barely leaving the estate. Convincing her to come here would have been impossible, which is why I asked you to meet instead.”

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