After all, if Haynes ever saw this side of her, everyst bit of her carefully crafted image woulde crashing down.
As for Jasper...
He was more of a liability than an ally-she''d be lucky if he didn''t mess things up for her.
Ste wasn''t worried about whatever tricks Jasper might try to pull.
Besides, Foreman was keeping an eye on his every move.
Other than Haynes and Jasper, Ste couldn''t think of anyone else who''d lift a finger for Rachel.
And with Neville, Antoney, Lauretta, and the others at her side, she had no reason to fear whatever games Rachel might y.
Still, despite all her rational assurances, an uneasy feeling lingered at the back of her mind—a thinyer of cloud shadowing her thoughts.
Something just felt off, though she couldn''t quite put her finger on it.
A chilly wind swept past, making Ste sneeze.
The night air had a sharp, biting cold to it.
She needed to get home, shower, and change her clothes as soon as possible. This was not the time to get sick.
Just as she reached the entrance, about to call for a ride, a sleek ck luxury car pulled up in front of her.
The license te caught her eye—familiar, and just as attention-grabbing as always, with its string of eights.
The door swung open, and a tall, striking figure stepped out.
"Star, are you alright?" Neville hurried over the moment he saw her, soaked through and shivering.
Ste blinked in surprise. "Mr. Connolly? What are you doing here?"
Noticing the pallor in her cheeks, Neville quickly shrugged off his coat and draped it over her shoulders.
"Marvin mentioned you had a rehearsal tonight. I happened to be nearby and thought I''d drop in."
Ste had nned to take Marvin back to the Connolly estate after her rehearsal, but the boy had stubbornly refused to go. So Abby was at home with him instead.
Earlier, Marvin had asked where she''d be practicing, saying he wanted toe see her perform. Ste hadn''t thought much of it and simply gave him the address.
She was about to say something else when another figure approached from down the street.
"Ms. Cameron."
It was Benson, Haynes''s assistant.
He greeted her with a polite smile. "Ms. Cameron, Mr. O''Brien heard you identally fell into theke. He was worried you might have trouble finding a ride and catch a chill, so he asked me to take you home."
Benson''s car had been waiting nearby, originally meant to take
Haynes home. Not long ago, I
had called him, instructing him to
make sure Ste got home safely first.
Although she disliked most of Haynes''s entourage, Ste had always found Benson decent enough. Whenever she couldn''t reach Haynes, it was Benson who did his best to help.
He was one of the few around Haynes who treated her with genuine respect.
"Thank you, but that won''t be necessary," Ste replied politely. "My friend''s already here to pick me up."
Benson nced at Neville, quickly understanding why Ste wouldn''t be taking his car. He didn''t insist.
"Of course. If you need anything, Ms. Cameron, just give me a call."
Ste nodded her thanks and got into Neville''s car.
Once they were on the road, Neville asked, "Star, what happened out there? You look like you''ve been through hell."
Ste gave him a brief rundown of what had happened earlier.
Then she added, "Mr. Connolly, do you happen to know anyone who can fix a phone?"
Neville chuckled. "Water damage? That''s easy. Don''t worry, I''ll have someone repair it for you first thing tomorrow."
That same night, Rachel had just finished her shower when her phone, lying on the table, suddenly rang.
She stared at the screen, recognizing the number instantly—a familiar dread flickering in her eyes.
Him. Again.
This was the person who had faked her medical records so thoroughly that even Haynes hadn''t suspected a thing—a testament to his almost frightening abilities. He''d helped her with countless problems, ones she would never have dared bring to Haynes.
But she never dared to manipte him the way she''d used Jasper.
Taking several deep breaths to steady her shaking hands, Rachel finally picked up the phone and hit "answer."