Chapter 455

Chapter 455:
“Is it the staff that’s hard to manage?” Stella asked gently.
Steven let out a short laugh. “If it were only the employees, he’d be coasting.”
Stella looked confused. “Then what’s the issue?”
“It’s not just his dad in the picture,” Steven explained. “He’s also got an uncle and an aunt—his dad’s siblings.”
Stella blinked in surprise. “Wait, I thought William was the only grandchild Dexter Briggs had?”
Steven let out a sigh. “Those reporters outside? They’re just making stuff up. You can’t trust a word they report.”
He sounded so certain that, for a moment, Stella felt like she’d stumbled onto something big—something hidden about William’s family.
She hesitated. If she kept asking, this would cross into the Briggs family’s private affairs.
But once Steven started talking, he didn’t know how to stop. “William’s grandfather really does want to back him. That’s why he handed over the company. But the rest of the family? They’re not making it easy. They’ve got their own plans.”
Steven leaned in a little, lowering his voice. “William’s uncle—you know, Mr. Dexter Briggs’s second son—he’s got an illegitimate kid. A son. About the same age as William. The guy’s been circling Briggs Group for years, trying to get in. Keeps pushing Dexter to bring him onboard.”
Steven paused, then continued, “And William’s aunt? She’s got a daughter too. That one’s something else. She lives large overseas, but every time she burns through her money, guess who she comes running to? William. He’s her walking ATM.”
Stella frowned. “So, is William close to that cousin of his?” If they weren’t close, he wouldn’t give cash to her every time she asked, right?
Steven scoffed. “Not really. But that woman’s sharp. She might party abroad, but she’s holding a key trade route for Briggs Group. If that gets cut off, the company’s import-export lines take a hit. And now, William’s aunt is plotting to bring her daughter back to snag a bigger slice of the pie.”
The more Stella listened, the clearer it became—William wasn’t just carrying a heavy load. He was practically surrounded.
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Steven’s voice dropped. “If the uncle’s son and the aunt’s daughter team up, William’s gonna have a real problem.”
Stella pressed her lips together, about to ask more, but William came back from his call, face serious. “My grandfather’s calling me back. You done eating? I’ll take you home.”
Stella remembered what Steven had just told her and softened. “You should go. I can get home on my own.”
But William was firm. “No. I need to make sure you get home safely. If something happens to you on the way, it’s on me.”
Steven raised an eyebrow, eavesdropping shamelessly. “Wait, wait. Am I some kind of danger now?”
William shot him a look. “Did I say I was talking about you?”
Steven was speechless. Probably not worth arguing with William anyway.
Stella grabbed her bag, and the three of them left the restaurant together. On the ride home, Stella sat in William’s car, watching his calm but focused expression. Something tugged at her.
“Your grandfather… he called you back because of your uncle and aunt, right?” she asked quietly.
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