Chapter 277

Chapter 277:
She snatched a tissue, half-expecting the worst, and sure enough, her fingers came away stained crimson.
Maybe Sharon had a point, Stella thought with a sigh. Was she really so desperate for a man that her body had started rebelling?
She drifted into a heavy, disjointed sleep at home and woke feeling only slightly less foggy. By the next morning, she dragged herself out of bed and forced her mind into work mode.
Inside the lab, Stella dove headlong into her experiments, letting her focus sharpen to a razor’s edge, driving herself harder than ever.
Sandra shot her a sidelong look, amusement in her eyes. “Sylvia, what’s gotten into you? You’re acting like you’re trying to win a trophy for working hard.”
Stella lifted one shoulder in a loose shrug. “You know how it is. If I don’t pay attention, one slip-up could ruin everything.”
But deep down, her real motivation was simpler: she was determined to work herself into a new life, one where she could finally afford a place of her own in Choria.
Real estate in Choria was no joke—a decent apartment could easily run a million dollars. Stella knew that if she didn’t push herself harder, her dream of owning her own place would stay forever out of reach.
If she was going to spend that much, it had to be somewhere spacious, somewhere she could actually see herself living for years. The thought of that hefty price tag sent a jolt through her chest.
Around noon, she returned to the dorm, prepping lunch for William out of habit. She was about to hand it off to Rita, but Rita intercepted her. “Ms. Russell, Mr. Briggs said he wants to speak with you personally, so he asked you to bring his lunch yourself.”
Stella’s nerves prickled with embarrassment—yesterday’s awkwardness still lingered. But since William had specifically asked for her, she had no choice but to swallow her discomfort and head over.
During the meal, an uncomfortable silence stretched between them, broken only by the faint clatter of silverware.
Every minute dragged. Stella wanted to say something to ease the tension, but the words wouldn’t come.
LⱯtєѕτ cнαρτєrs ιn g𝒶l𝑛ovєlѕ.𝒸𝑜𝑚
At last, William set his utensils aside, dabbed his mouth with a napkin, and finally spoke. “Nebula’s landed a major deal. It’s bigger than anything we’ve handled before. If we pull this off, your bonus will be more than triple what you’ve earned in the past.”
Stella shot upright, meeting his gaze with determined eyes. “Really?”
William’s expression stayed serious. “This collaboration won’t be easy. It’s far more complicated than the time you negotiated with Winston. You need to be ready for anything.”
Memories of the last deal flashed through Stella’s mind—she’d sealed it effortlessly with a few well-placed remarks, barely breaking a sweat.
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