After Ste hung up on Haynes without waiting for a response, Rachel was left in shock.


    What was Ste up to with that phone call?


    Was she trying to use Rachel as an excuse to keep Haynes around?


    Even if Haynes came over, it would be to see Rachel, so what was Ste''s angle here?


    With the call ended, Ste invited Mr. Burton and Keen to continue their lunch.


    Rachel nced at her own grumbling stomach. She hadn''t eaten breakfast, hoping to have lunch with Haynes. But then Mr. Burton had kept her there instead.


    At least Haynes was on his way to get her, which was why she hadn''t stopped Ste from making the call in the first ce. She needed him to see the tough time she''d been having here.


    An hourter, Haynes arrived. By then, Ste and the others had finished their meal. Marvin was sorting through some herbs while Ste ground them into a fine powder. Rachel, the "patient," sat on a chair, ncing expectantly toward the door.


    When the tall, rugged figure of Haynes strode in, Rachel''s face lit up.


    "Haynie, you''re here!" she eximed.


    Haynes nced at her hand. "Is the injury serious?" he asked.


    Rachel, like a startled rabbit, quickly hid her hand behind her back. "No, it was just


    a little cut. It''s healed now," she replied.


    Haynes frowned and gently pulled her hand out from behind her.


    He froze. Rachel''s hand was unmarked, just as she had imed.


    His eyes flicked to Ste, who was busy with the herbs, and his voice dropped to


    a dark, using tone. "Did you set me up, Ste?"


    Before Ste could reply, Marvin chimed in. "Mr. O''Brien, why jump to conclusions and me Ste? Ms. Pearce came here iming she was in pain, saying her current condition made her prone to bleeding."


    Marvin continued, "She mentioned howst week, she cut her finger and you were so worried, insisting on a hospital visit and even prepped a blood pack just in case."


    "But at the hospital, an emergency came up, and her blood pack was used for another patient. You were so upset you fired all the doctors."


    Marvin, young as he was, had no reason to lie. Haynes was skeptical, but the boy''s details checked out.


    Just then, Mr. Burton emerged, clutching a few medicine bottles. "Yep, that''s exactly what Rachel said. We didn''t dare bandage her without knowing more."


    Haynes turned a scrutinizing gaze on Rachel, his eyes deep and unreadable. "Rachel, is this true?"


    Rachel''s fists clenched. She had forgotten that everyone here was Ste''s friend; of course, they''d side with her.


    Thinking quickly, Rachel spun a story. "I''ve heard that medicine can be harmful if not used carefully. When I identally cut myself on the herbs, I panicked about infection."


    "I only mentioned the hospital incident to Ms. Cameron because Marvin here said he''s never worried about bumps and scrapes, and I felt embarrassed."


    She looked up at Haynes, her voice softening. "Besides, I didn''t use Ms. Cameron of anything. You jumped to conclusions without asking."


    Her eyes flickered with a hint of triumph as she spoke, hoping her story would hold.