Abby had dealt with lecherous creeps before, but nothing like this—it was practically daylight assault, no different from a mugging on the street.


    Ste leaned in tofort her. "It''s okay, Abby. It''s over now."


    Neville nced at Mr. Hunter with a sardonic smile. "Mr. Hunter, what''s this? You made the poor girl cry?"


    Mr. Hunter realized he''d crossed a line he couldn''te back from.


    Without a word, he dropped to his knees, pping himself across the face again and again.


    "Mr. Connolly, I was wrong! I shouldn''t have done it—I swear, I''ll never do it again!"


    He didn''t hold back. Each pnded hard, and within moments, his cheeks were swollen and red.


    Desperate to prove his remorse, Mr. Hunter seized a wine bottle from the coffee table and smashed it against his own head, "thud, thud," splintering ss everywhere.


    No one moved to stop him-shards rained across the private room, but the only sound was the bottle shattering.


    Abby was stunned by the spectacle, frozen in ce.


    It wasn''t until Mr. Hunter knocked himself out cold that Neville finally looked away. He turned to Ste. "We''ve got Abby. Ready to go?"


    Ste nodded quietly.


    Outside the club, Ste nced at the man beside her and said softly, "Thank you, Mr. Connolly. I mean it-thank you."


    Neville smiled. "No need for thanks between us, Ste."


    She knew all too well-if Neville hadn''t stepped in, she never could have found Abby so unprepared.


    Neville checked his watch. "Come on, let''s get you to the hospital first."


    Abby, knowing Ste had a high fever but still came running to help, felt even more guilty.


    "Star, I''m so sorry. I acted without thinking."


    Ste gave her a small, reassuring smile. "You did nothing wrong. Why apologize? You just wanted to protect yourself. Besides..."


    A cool, ssy light flickered in Ste''s eyes.


    "Maybe this wasn''t just bad luck. Maybe... someone set this up."


    Abby sucked in a sharp breath, as if suddenly understanding.


    Half an hourter, Neville drove Ste to the hospital.


    Abby sat with her while she got her IV.


    Ste turned to Neville. "Thank you for staying sote, Mr. Connolly. Really, you should get some rest. Marvin''s waiting at home for you."


    Neville shook his head, making no


    move to leave. "Marvin''s alreadyet


    asleep by now. It''s not like I read him bedtime stories-whether I''m there or not doesn''t make a difference."


    He turned to Abby. "I''ll go grab some food. Ms. Murphy, is there anything you''d like?"


    Abby understood-Neville wanted to stay for Ste''s sake.


    She and Neville were on friendly terms, so she didn''t refuse. "Just a cup of milk tea for me, thanks."


    "Got it." Neville nodded. "Keep Starpany, I''ll be right back."


    Night had deepened; it was well past midnight.


    Getting an IV was tedious, and with her fever, Ste soon drifted off on the hospital bed.


    Somehow, she found herself dreaming of her time with the Williams family. Since leaving them, she''d barely dreamed about them at all.


    Even though she''d spent over three years in that house, those years hadn''t brought her any sense of belonging.


    She''d never felt the slightest hint of affection for her so-called father or brothers.


    Back then, when her mother told her she had three biological brothers and a father, Ste''s heart had been nervous but full of hope.


    She knew she also had a half-sister.


    Ste had suspected that her half-sister wouldn''t like her.


    But what she hadn''t expected was that on her very first day back at the Williams estate, it was her three brothers who made their feelings painfully clear.


    Her third brother, always cold and taciturn, barely waited for her to step through the door before dering, "The only sister I have is Aurora Williams."