Back then, he put in so much effort just to win over the woman he idolized.


    For her, he broke every rule and defied every expectation. But then, my boyfriend was in a car ident, and just like that, he lost his sight.


    Right at his lowest point, his goddess dumped him and moved overseas, abandoning him without a second thought.


    The shock of going blind, coupled with his girlfriend''s betrayal, broke himpletely. He spiraled into depression, and even tried to end his own life.


    I was the one who stayed. I took care of him, encouraged him, and refused to give up on him.


    That''s when we officially became a couple.


    Three years ago, after a long series of treatments, his vision was restored.


    Last year, he took over his family''spany.


    And this year... his goddess came back.


    Candida recounted her story in full, without embellishment or self-pity.


    She wasn''t looking for sympathy-she simply wanted Ste and Abby to understand her determination to work hard.


    She had already wasted too many years. She wasn''t going to let any more slip away.


    These past few months, she''d sent out countless résumés and gone to interview after interview.


    But everywhere she went, rejection followed.


    Finally, one kind-hearted recruiter, moved by her persistence, pulled her aside and told her the truth.


    She had crossed the wrong person.


    Nobody in Sandford would dare hire her.


    Candida knew exactly who was pulling strings behind the scenes.


    She realized she couldn''t stay in Sandford any longer.


    So she came to Neo-Vespera, hoping for a fresh start.


    She understood perfectly well that her résumé looked impressive on paper, but after years away from the industry, she''d lost her edge.


    "All right."


    Ste''s voice rang out, snapping Candida from her thoughts.


    Candida''s eyes lit up. "Ms. Cameron, does that mean you''re offering me the job?"


    Ste smiled and nodded.


    Abby seemed to want to say something, hesitated, and finally only let out a silent sigh.


    When they agreed that Candida would start on Monday, she was ecstatic.


    Her eyes sparkled with a joy she hadn''t felt in ages.


    After Candida left, Abby finally voiced what she''d been holding back.


    "Star, Candida''s from Sandford, but she''se all the way here to look for work. The way she''s desperate for a job-it''s obvious someone made things impossible for her back home."


    Abby was a talent agent-her instincts were rarely wrong.


    "And she mentioned her boyfriend took


    now


    bet


    the familypany, but


    ''s broken up with him, ?d


    anything that scumbag is behind


    all this."


    "If we take her in, that guy mighte after us, too... Honestly, why are there so many ungrateful jerks in the world?"


    She shook her head with a sigh.


    "Good people are all alike, but every scumbag is rotten in their own special way." Abby genuinely felt for Candida.


    But reality was harsh. For people like them, with no powerful connections, being targeted could ruin everything.


    Ste said, “I know, but I want to give her a chance. Besides, this is Neo-Vespera, not Sandford. They can''t do whatever they want here."


    Abby looked at her. "Star, is it because you see yourself in Candida? Is that why you want to help her?"


    "That''s part of it," Ste admitted


    él


    with a faint smile. “But I''m not running a charity. If she doesn''t prove herself, I won''t keep her around just for show."


    Abby thought it over and dropped her objections.


    No matter how underhanded Candida''s ex was, could he really be worse than Haynes or Jasper?


    When you''re already covered in flea bites, one more doesn''t matter.


    ...


    Monday morning, Ste had just dropped Marvin Connolly off at kindergarten when her phone rang. It was Abby.


    "Star, something''s happened! Someone threw paint all over our studio!"