Chapter 626

Chapter 626:
The door clicked shut. Stella stood frozen, frowning. He was mad. But… why? She had cooked for him. Nina brought him food. What was there to be upset about? Was it the dishes? But she hadn’t asked him to wash them.
Stella sighed. William’s moods were impossible to figure out, so she stopped trying.
The next day at the institute, William was nowhere to be found. Stella needed his signature on some experimental data. Since he wasn’t around, she brought the documents to Paul instead.
He glanced at the folder. “William’s not here?”
“I checked his office and the lab earlier. Didn’t see him.”
Paul gave a knowing nod. “He went out with Nina this morning.”
Stella didn’t ask further. She just took the documents he signed and headed back.
Paul watched her walk away and let out a low sigh. “She really doesn’t seem interested in him at all, huh…”
On her way back to the lab, Stella caught sight of William just getting in. He looked sharp in his black suit, calm and composed as always, his long strides confident.
She quickly looked away and turned to leave—only to run straight into Nina at the stairs.
Nina lifted her coffee with a smirk. “It’s lunchtime. Want to catch up?”
At first, Stella wanted to say no, but since Nina was now heading the project team, she decided to go along—for the sake of the research.
Up on the rooftop, Nina handed her a coffee again.
Stella shook her head. “No, thanks. I’m not into overly sweet coffee.”
Nina’s expression turned cold. “What, you only drink black coffee now too?”
Stella didn’t take the bait. Instead, she asked, “So what did you want to talk about?”
She didn’t have time for Nina’s games—she still needed to grab lunch and prep for the afternoon experiments.
Nina stared at her, clearly annoyed by her calm indifference.
“Stella, do you really think you’re all that? That you’re actually good enough for William?” She stepped closer, her voice sharp with disdain. “He’s the Briggs heir, you know. He’s not just running this institute—he’s managing the whole Briggs Group. He’s on the list of the wealthiest men alive. And you? What do you have?”
Stella’s face darkened. “What does any of that have to do with me? I’m just here to do my work.”
“I’m just trying to help you see reality. You don’t belong in his world. I studied abroad, I have a powerful network, and I’ve already contributed to the international market. I’ve also achieved more than you in research. So be honest—don’t you think I’m the better match for him?” Her tone was smug and arrogant.
Stella didn’t argue. She wasn’t about to get dragged into some petty debate over who was more “worthy.”
“Nina,” she said calmly, “you’ve got it all twisted. I’ve never once said I wanted to be with William. You’re the only one treating this like a rivalry.”
Her voice was steady, but her message was clear—she had no interest in fighting for a man. Her priorities were crystal clear: her work, not romance.
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