She Left She Thrived She’s Worth Billions novel Chapter 881

The Royce Group still had ongoing business ties with Shawn Sterling.

Regardless of whether he was the true mastermind behind the synthetic Chimera virus, Melanie Royce knew she had to test the waters. There was always a chance she might uncover a crucial lead.

Shawn had always struck her as a deeply dangerous and eccentric man.

He constantly manufactured reasons to get close to her, yet none of it felt like a genuine romantic pursuit.

Her instincts screamed that she possessed something he desperately wanted.

But he was far too cunning to admit it openly.

Confronting him directly would be pointless; he would never give her a straight answer anyway.

So, Melanie planned to use a potential business deal as a Trojan horse to gather intel.

It felt like a solid strategy, but when Preston Whitmore parked the car outside Sterling's Bio-Wellness Center, they hit a brick wall.

"Closed?" she muttered.

The doors were locked tight in broad daylight. A crisp notice was plastered across the glass:

*Temporarily Closed for Business.*

"What is going on?"

Melanie turned to look at Preston. "Did he panic and run?"

A cynical laugh escaped her lips. Was Shawn really that paranoid?

Right on cue, her cell phone shattered the silence. The caller ID flashed Shawn Sterling's name.

"Speak of the devil," she murmured.

"I have men stationed around the perimeter," Preston said, his voice a steady anchor. "He isn't anywhere in the vicinity."

Preston's calm assessment eased her initial suspicions. It didn't seem like Shawn was monitoring her from the shadows, calling the second she arrived.

Was it just a coincidence? Or maybe...

Shawn was calling specifically to tell her the center was closed, completely unaware she was already standing on his doorstep.

Melanie exchanged a loaded glance with Preston before answering the call and putting it on speaker.

"Angel..."

Shawn's voice drifted through the speaker. He had a distinct, charismatic tone, but every time he used that pet name, it dripped with malicious intent.

"Mr. Sterling, what do I owe the pleasure?" she asked smoothly.

"I just missed my Angel!"

Melanie remained silent.

"I want to see your face," Shawn purred. "I want to hear your voice... I want... to get up close and personal with you..."

As Shawn casually tossed out the flirtatious remarks, Melanie could practically feel the suffocating, predatory aura radiating from Preston. If Shawn had been standing in front of them, Preston would have snapped his neck without hesitation.

Melanie didn't know whether to laugh or sigh.

"Well, if you miss me that much, Mr. Sterling, why don't we meet up?"

Her bold invitation was met with dead silence on the other end of the line.

The sudden closure of the center made it obvious Shawn was planning to skip town—if he hadn't already. If he was truly that obsessed with her, she didn't mind using herself as bait to draw him out.

The silence stretched on for an uncomfortably long time. The air in the car grew heavy and utterly still.

Suddenly, Melanie's eyes widened.

She heard something. It was faint, barely there, but the absolute silence in the car made it discernible.

Someone was speaking a foreign language.

She strained her ears, confirming she wasn't imagining things. She met Preston's gaze, and though he didn't say a word, his dark, intense eyes told her everything. He had heard it too.

"Angel, I'm so sorry," Shawn finally spoke, his tone dripping with fake remorse. "As much as I'd love to see you, I'm not in Averin right now. I have some pressing business to handle."