"Jonathan, do you still resent your mother for leaving you and your brothers behind?"


    Jonathan stopped in his tracks, suddenly motionless.


    With his back turned to Skyler, his expression was impossible to read.


    "Mom had her reasons... and besides, she''s gone now."


    Skyler let out a heavy sigh. "I never imagined she was already pregnant with Raven when she left. If I''d known, there''s no way I would have let her go. But... it''s pointless to talk about it now.


    Honestly, I''ve regretted throwing Raven out of the house in a fit of anger all those years ago. It was all over a man-if she liked him, I should have just let her go for it. Aurora never liked Sherman Burton anyway.


    Speaking of..."


    A thought seemed to ur to Skyler. "Sherman''s Mr. Burton''s grandson, isn''t he? We''ll probably see him at Mr. Burton''s birthday dinner. Go and give Sherman a heads-up-he needs to take responsibility for what happened with Raven." Jonathan finally lost hisposure and turned to look at Skyler.


    "But... Raven''s already married. She has a child now..."


    "Didn''t she get divorced?" Skyler arched an eyebrow. "What, are you thinking of letting Aurora marry Sherman?"


    Jonathan fell silent.


    The Burtons'' family background was a good match for the Williamses, but Sherman himself was hardly what you''d call outstanding-certainly not worthy of Aurora.


    Aurora was the cream of the crop, a true socialite. Ordinary men couldn''t measure up to her.


    But for Raven, Sherman was more than enough. Even if Raven had never been married, she''d still be out of Sherman''s league, let alone now, with a divorce and a child behind her.


    Jonathan said nothing more.


    Matters of the heart can''t be forced. Who knows what the future holds? There was no sense in arguing over something so trivial.


    ...


    That day, Ste got a call from Neville.


    "Star, I''ve had your phone repaired. But I couldn''t find a trace of that recording from the other night."


    Ste froze. "What?"


    "Are you sure you actually made a recording?" Neville pressed.


    "I''m sure," Ste replied without hesitation. "When she pushed me, it was sudden,


    but I hit save the moment I fell into theke."


    "I see. I''ll ask someone else to take a look."


    "Alright."


    After Ste hung up, Abby noticed her troubled expression and asked, "Star,


    what''s wrong? Did something happen?"


    Ste recounted the phone call.


    Abby frowned. "It just disappeared? That''s odd..."


    A suspicious glimmer shed in Abby''s eyes. She lowered her voice, "Star, do you really trust Neville?"


    Ste caught her meaning. "I believe he''s trustworthy."


    "But you definitely made a recording, and now it''s just gone. Isn''t that suspicious?


    Star, maybe I''m being paranoid, but that recording could have been game-changer for you-and for


    vichel. If Neville got close to you


    just for Rachel''s sake, then


    Abby let her words hang, but Ste understood.


    After all, Sherman had yed tricks like that before.


    Ste shook her head lightly. "Neville''s helped me a lot. If something shady


    happened, I''d rather me his friend than suspect him."


    Abby seemed to ept that. "You''re


    right, it could''ve been the technician. But if the recording''s really gone,


    what now? That was our best leverage against Rachel. Losing it would be such a waste."


    Ste replied, "Even if it''s deleted, there should be traces left. Neville will get to


    the bottom of it."


    Abby thought for a moment, then nodded. She knew they had bigger things to worry about-bringing Rachet down was just a side quest. They didn''t have the time or energy to waste on her.


    Besides, Mr. Burton''s charity g was starting tomorrow.