Rachel sent Haynes and Jasper away, and Ste could pretty much guess what wasing next-Rachel was up to her old tricks again.


    So, quietly, she tapped her phone and started recording.


    Honestly, when Rachel had called her earlier and asked her toe over, Ste had already suspected Rachel wasn''t just looking for a friendly chat. After all, Rachel had lost too many rounds to hertely. Even though Rachel managed to snatch away her studio and force her topose music for her, it had cost Rachel a hefty ten million dors.


    Rachel strutted around, acting as if she''d won some grand victory, but in reality, she hadn''t gained much at all.


    Ste, on the other hand, was now sitting pretty with Haynes''s ten million-a tidy little nest egg and the perfect startup fund for her next move.


    If this had happened in the past, and someone with deep pockets had shown up wanting to buy their studio for that kind of money, they might''ve said yes without a second thought. Who turns down a fortune like that?


    But this time, the buyers were Rachel and Haynes. There was no way Ste would let them get what they wanted so easily.


    After thesest few skirmishes, Ste was certain Rachel woulde at her again.


    She was more than ready.


    Rachel''s schemes were never exactly subtle, but Ste had to give her credit- Rachel was clever. She rarely got her own hands dirty. Instead, she preferred pulling strings from behind the scenes, letting others do her bidding.


    Pushing Ste into theke herself? Now, that had been a surprise. Even if the security cameras had been disabled, what if there''d been a witness lurking somewhere she hadn''t noticed? If Rachel got caught, her whole "sweet and innocent" act would shatter in an instant.


    But Rachel had still taken the risk. That, more than anything, showed just how desperate she''d be after losing so many times.


    And the more desperate Rachel got, the more likely she was to slip up.


    Still...


    Ste nced at her phone, droplets of water trickling down its screen. A glimmer


    of frustration shed in her eyes.


    One thing had caught her off guard: her phone had gotten wet.


    She tried turning it on, but the screen stayed ck.


    She definitely had a recording of her conversation with Rachel, but exposing Rachel right now? Not possible.


    But Ste wasn''t too worried. As long as she got the phone fixed, the recording would still be there.


    Her gaze flicked from her phone to Rachel''s face.


    Rachel was already rattled. A little bluffing wouldn''t hurt.


    Jasper, oblivious to everything, was still shouting at her from across the room.


    "Go on, y it! You think I''m scared of you?"


    Ste ignored her and looked straight at Rachel.


    "Rachel, do you really want me to y it?"


    Panic flickered across Rachel''s eyes.


    ét


    She didn''t doubt for a second that Ste had been recording. There''d been a few incidents before, and every time, Ste had managed to produce a recording as proof.


    Rachel cursed herself. She suddenly remembered-Ste never met her without secretly recording the whole conversation. How had she


    forgotten something so important?


    Thinking back to what she''d just said to Ste, Rachel felt cold sweat trickle down


    her back.


    If Ste yed that recording, Haynes would be furious with her.


    And just now


    w, she had already


    sensed the shift in Haynes''s


    attitude-he hadn''t rushed to defend


    her like he used to. He didn''t


    immediately take her side or scold


    Ste. He''d only told Ste to apologize and let things go.


    He was tantly taking Ste''s side.


    Rachel clenched her fists without thinking.


    She lowered her head, masking her anxiety with a soft, obedient smile.


    "Jasper, let it go," she said, her voice gentle. "Haynes is right. The concert''s just around the corner-we can''t afford any more drama.”


    She paused, then added, "Since Haynes has spoken, I''ll do as he says."