Aira: "..."


    The room went dead silent.


    She stared at Dan, her breathing fast and shallow.


    Danger flickered in Dan''s eyes. "Aira, you''re unforgivable."


    Aira: "!!!"


    Unforgivable? Had she heard that right?


    "What did you say?"


    Did he really mean her?


    Had she actually done something so wrong? No. No, she hadn''t.


    Tears welled up, her eyes stinging. "You think I''m unforgivable? Dan, I''m your fiancée. I''ve stood by you for years, and we''re supposed to get married soon."


    "We''re supposed to spend our lives together! This time, you''re the one who betrayed me. And now you''re saying I''m the one at fault?"


    Yes, they really were about to get married. Or at least, they had been.


    Now, with Yvonne suddenly showing up, their wedding had been postponed indefinitely.


    And now Dan... was saying this to her?


    Aira''s chest tightened, as if all those years together had just turned into some cruel joke.


    "You hate me because of her? Do you even remember-if you hadn''t left that night, you would''ve died!"


    "I saved your life."


    She spat thosest words out, furious.


    To her, Yvonne was nothing but trouble. "The Quinns are like quicksand, Dan. Once you''re in, you''ll never get out. Don''t you get it?"


    Her words came out sharp and using.


    Dan''s eyes went cold as ice.


    Aira, who was usually a little afraid of him, felt like she couldn''t breathe. "Yvonne doesn''t even love you!"


    "Think aboutst night-after what you did, how did she act around you?"


    Aira was sure that Dan was the one who''d been with Yvonnest night. That just made her hate Yvonne even more.


    She''d nned everything so carefully, so why did it feel like all her schemes just sent Yvonne right into Dan''s arms?


    She remembered how Yvonne reacted to what happenedst night.


    "She looked like she wanted to kill you, Dan. She doesn''t love you at all."


    If she did, would she act like that?


    Aira was nearly hysterical, her voice breaking. Dan''s expression only grew darker. Finally, he turned toward the door and called out, voice like a winter storm. "Scar." Scar had been waiting just outside.


    Especially today, after Dan had fainted so many times, Scar hadn''t dared leave his side.


    The moment Dan called, Scar came in. "Sir?"


    "Get her out of here."


    Scar nced at Aira, uncertain.


    Aira: "Dan..."


    Hearing him tell her to leave made her heart ache even worse.


    She knew it was because she''d said something he didn''t like. Dan was always like this.


    Say the wrong thing, and he''d just make her disappear.


    But she wasn''t just anyone-she was supposed to be his fiancée. Why did he keep treating her like this?


    Scar just sighed, as if he''d seen it all before. "Miss, let''s go."


    Aira gulped back a sob, tears streaming down her cheeks. "It doesn''t matter how you feel a more."


    "She''s already Mrs. Schultz. You two never stood a chance."


    Every word hit Dan like a p, his stare growing more and more dangerous.


    ...


    At the Quinn family estate.


    Ste had a big appetite that


    night-three bowls of chicken noodle soup. After a long walk with Ronald, she finally feltfortable enough to sleep.


    In the middle of the night, her phone buzzed.


    It was Tegan James. "Star, you awake? I''ve got news."


    Ste was half asleep and already


    had a


    rse on her lips. But whem


    she heard it was Tegan, she


    vermet


    swallowed it down.


    "What''s up, Tegan?" she mumbled, her voice soft and groggy.


    Tegan heard her tone and winced. "Oh, crap, I forgot the time difference."


    Ste: “It''s fine. Just tell me what''s going on?"


    Tegan took a breath. "Urs Larkin. She''s dead."


    Ste: "!!!"