Haynes and Rachel left, taking Keen with them.


    This time, no one tried to stop them.


    Once the three were gone, Abby burst out, her voice brimming with frustration. "Star, what''s with Keen and Haynes? Why are they always looking down on you? Don''t they know you went to college?"


    Ste took a sip of water, then shrugged. "Maybe they don''t."


    Neville studied her for a moment. "Why is it that when we looked into your background, there''s nothing after high school?"


    "I left the country before I graduated," Ste replied matter-of-factly.


    Neville''s brows arched in surprise. "Even so, there shouldn''t be aplete gap in your records, should there?"


    Ste''s longshes lowered, masking whatever emotions flickered in her eyes.


    "That''s because, while I was studying abroad, I used a different name. That record was deliberately altered. It''s not surprising you couldn''t find anything."


    Neville''s gaze sharpened. “Deliberately altered?"


    Abby nced at Ste, noticing she was openly discussing her past without any sign of holding back. Sensing this, Abby decided to press on.


    "Mr. Connolly, have you ever heard of The Williams Group?"


    "Which Williams Group?" Neville''s eyes darkened, his tone suddenly serious. "Don''t tell me you mean the one in Solmaris?"


    Abby nodded. "That''s right. That Williams Group."


    Neville''s expression deepened as he looked at Ste. "Would you mind telling us more?"


    The Connollys had helped her so much already. There were some truths Neville deserved to hear.


    Ste was quiet for a while before she finally began, her voice soft but steady. "It''s honestly a cliché story. My parents were married for business reasons. From the very beginning, my father never really cared for my mother.


    He was still hung up on his first love. Even after my mother became pregnant and gave birth to his child, he kept seeing this woman for years.


    Eventually, my mother grew disheartened and decided to let him go. That''s when my father realized he''d actually fallen in love with her.


    He came back to us, trying everything to make up for the pain he''d caused. He was so good to my mother, so devoted, that she eventually opened her heart to him again."


    "A couple of yearster, she gave birth to twin boys. My father, true to his promise, finally cut all ties with his old me.


    Then, my mother''s family made some disastrous business decisions and almost went bankrupt. But my father never looked down on her for it. He stood by her side, just as loving and supportive as ever.


    Thanks to him, her family''spany managed to stay afloat, barely."


    Ste would never forget the look on her mother''s face as she told her about those years—a peace and gentleness Ste had never seen before.


    Ste''s eyes grew distant. "Just when my mother thought their life would finally settle down, the unthinkable happened."


    "On their anniversary, my father arranged a sailing trip for her. But out at sea, they were caught in a storm.


    My father insisted she take the first spot on the rescue boat. He was swept away by the waves."


    "When they returned, my mother sent out search parties, paid a fortune for any news of him, but nothing ever came back."


    "She still had three young children to care for. Somehow, she pulled herself together and took over my father''spany.


    Three years went by in a sh. Everyone assumed my father was dead, but my mother never gave up hope.


    And then, one day, she heard that a man who looked just like my father had been seen in a remote fishing vige."