When Deanna found out, she didn''t show Ste a shred of understanding. Instead, she scolded her for making a fuss over nothing, lecturing her harshly.


    Later, Haynes tracked down the person who had "identally" pushed Ste into the water at the party. But since everyone at Deanna''s birthday bash belonged to old-money families closely tied to the O''Briens, there was no way to hold them ountable. All Ste could do was grit her teeth and ept their flimsy apologies.


    But nearly drowning? That was hardly something an empty "sorry" could make up for.


    After Haynes made them delete the video of Ste falling into theke, that was the end of it. No one ever mentioned it again.


    Ste''s fear of water had started years ago, when she''d identally fallen overboard while on a boat trip with her mother. She''d grown up far from the coast, her life crammed with schoolwork, and rarely encountered oceans orkes. Over time, the terror faded, but water still made her instinctively want to run. She''d never learned to swim.


    But after that incident at the party, it took Ste more than half a year to finally confront her fear. In the end, she forced herself to learn to swim.


    Now, Jasper was sneering. "Ste, you jumped into theke on purpose, didn''t you? Just to get everyone''s attention?"


    Ste lifted her head, her expression calm. "You think I jumped in on purpose?"


    Jasper raised his eyebrows. "Oh, so you''re saying you didn''t? What, are you going to im Rachel pushed you in?"


    "That''s exactly what happened," Ste replied tly.


    Jasper''s face twisted, as if he''d just sniffed out a secret. Pointing at her, he dered, "Oh, I get it now! You jumped in, not just to cozy up to Haynes, but to set Rachel up at the same time. Two birds, one stone. Ste, you''re devious." He looked incredibly pleased with himself foring to this "brilliant" conclusion.


    A cold wind swept by, making Ste, still dripping wet, shiver uncontrobly. Haynes shrugged off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders. "Ste, Rachel would never do something like that. You must be mistaken."


    Ste shot him a frosty look. "Don''t call me ''Star.'' It makes my skin crawl."


    Haynes frowned. “It''s getting chilly. Let''s go inside and get you changed. We can talk about thister."


    Jasper chimed in, voice oozing


    mock sympathy. “She''s ying the innocent victim just to get Haynes''s attention. What a maniptive little brat."


    Ste tossed Haynes''s jacket aside as if it were trash. Then, without a word, she started walking.


    Haynes, thinking she was finally backing down, rxed a little.


    But instead of leaving, Ste strode straight to Rachel, grabbed a fistful of her hair, and yanked hard.


    "Ah!" Rachel shrieked, her face contorted in pain-gone was any trace of her usual delicate beauty.


    Ste red at her, voice icy. "Didn''t you just ask me if Haynes would ever me you for anything? Well here''s my answer: whether he mes you or not is none of my business. You wanted me dead? Then let''s see how you like it." Cóntent


    With that, Ste kicked Rachel hard, sending her sprawling into theke with a ssh.


    The loud crash of water echoed across thewn as Rachel tumbled in, soaked and gasping.


    Jasper stared at Ste in shock and outrage. "Are you insane? Did you just shove Rachel into the water?"


    Ste tried to hold back but couldn''t. She swung her arm and pped Jasper across the face, hard.


    The crack echoed in the cold air. She''d wanted to hit him for a long time.


    his eyes wide with disbelief. He simply couldn''t wrap his head, around the fact that Ste had just pped him right in front of Haynes.


    Jasper''s head snapped to the.