When Tegan said the word ''help,'' Ste froze. "You want me to stop Uriah?"


    Ugh...


    That kind of help!


    How was that any different from helping Susanna fend off Hull? They had all seen clear as day how Uriah felt about Tegan all these years.


    Ste''s first instinct was that this was a favor she couldn''t grant.


    But Tegan shook her head. "No, not stop him."


    "Huh? Then what do you need?" Ste breathed a sigh of relief.


    It wasn''t that she didn''t want to help Tegan, but honestly... her gut reaction was that she couldn''t possibly stop him!


    Besides, even though Uriah was from Portis City, he had some serious connections in the underworlds of both Yornd and Ferrond.


    To put it simply, Tegan''s decision to leave was probably still ying out right in the palm of his hand.


    She..... she had been a bird in his gilded cage for a long time.


    If Uriah didn''t want to let go, it wouldn''t be easy for Tegan to fly free.


    Tegan took a deep breath. "Even though I''ve left Portis City, I know things with Uriah aren''tpletely over. Those people... they still won''t let me go."


    Ste was confused. "???"


    Those people? The Horner family?


    "His sister, Leslie Horner, and his mother," Tegan said. "I think they''ll try toe after me in Yornd."


    "What?" Ste eximed.


    "I need your help to stop them," Tegan said, looking straight at Ste.


    She was, without a doubt, asking Ste to protect her. A bitter smile touched her lips. "I just want to leave Uriah. I don''t want to die."


    "Before I can cut ties with him for good, I need to make sure I stay alive, right?"


    Tegan said it with a forced casualness, but only someone who had lived it could understand the deep pain behind those words.


    "Does Uriah know his mother and sister would do something like that to you?" Ste asked.


    "Him? Hah....." The mention of Uriah shattered Tegan''sposed facade.


    All that was left was thick, biting sarcasm.


    "In his ming, his mother is just a sheltered socialite, a prim and properdy who wouldn''t hurt a fly. And his sister is just the sweetest girl you''ll ever meet."


    Hearing that, Ste suddenly understood everything.


    It seemed like Uriah had doted on Tegan for years, taking her everywhere he went.


    But in reality... he had no idea what kind of crap she had to put up with by his side. No... maybe he did know.


    Maybe when he had to choose, when it came down to it, Tegan just wasn''t his priority.


    Ste nodded. "I get it. I''ll arrange everything for you in Yornd."


    "Thank you, Star."


    "Don''t be a stranger," Ste said, squeezing Tegan''s hand and giving it aforting pat.


    She wanted to say something to console her, but she knew that no words would help right now.


    The profound sadnessing off Tegan was palpable; it felt like she had reached her absolute limit.


    *Buzz, buzz, buzz.* Tegan''s phone vibrated.


    She pulled it out. It was Uriah.


    She gave Ste a small smile. "I''m just gonna take this."


    "Okay."


    Tegan walked to the side to answer the call.


    The moment she picked up, Uriah''s voice, tight with suppressed rage


    came through the line Where are


    you?"


    "Does it matter?" Tegan shot back.


    "Tegan!"


    His tone sharpened, his anger now crackling through the phone.


    Tegan closed her eyes. "The night you left me standing in the rain, that was it From that moment gos norte


    fyourbusin on where