Although suspicion flickered in her mind, Ste Cameron had no intention of wasting her breath on a man like Jasper Wilkinson.


    She shot Jasper a dismissive nce and turned to leave.


    Jasper, however, took her indifference as a sign of guilt and quickly stepped in front of her, blocking her path.


    "So I was right, wasn''t I? You snuck in here, didn''t you?"


    Seeing Ste, Jasper puffed up like a cocksure rooster, instantly forgetting every word of advice Galen Wilkinson had given him.


    He raised his voice for the whole room to hear. "Is anyone in charge here? There''s someone at this party who doesn''t have an invitation! A woman like this, sneaking in with who knows what intentions-she should be thrown out!"


    Just then, Haynes O''Brien and Rachel Pearce entered the foyer and witnessed themotion.


    Keen O''Brien''s eyes lit up the moment he spotted Ste.


    "Mom!"


    Instinctively, he started to dash toward her, but Deanna O''Brien quickly caught him by the arm.


    "Keen, your grandmother already exined how important tonight''s party is. What about your manners?"


    Keen faltered, then obediently lowered his head and stood quietly by Deanna''s side.


    Rachel hadn''t expected to see Ste here either. For a moment, she seemed caught off guard, but quickly collected herself.


    She smiled, turning to Haynes. "Haynie, I wonder if Ms. Cameron is here to see you, or perhaps Mr. Walden... Let''s go and find out."


    Haynes simply nodded. He nced at Deanna. "Rachel and I are going over."


    Suddenly, Keen piped up, "Dad, I want toe too."


    Haynes remembered how long it had been since Keen hadst seen Ste, and nodded gently. "All right,e along."


    A flicker of annoyance crossed Deanna''s face. She opened her mouth as if to protest, but, noticing the people around her, forced herself into silence. Tonight''s event was far too important for her to risk her image over Ste Cameron.


    Ste was about to slip away when Rachel''s soft, gentle voice called after her.


    "Ms. Cameron, the professor isn''t epting new students anymore. If you keep pushing like this... you''ll only make things harder for him."


    Ste turned to see Rachel approaching gracefully, her hand holding Keen''s, walking by Haynes'' side. For a moment, they looked for all the world like a perfect, happy family.


    Before Ste could respond, Rachel continued, "Ms. Cameron, the professor''s getting older, and his health isn''t what it used to be. I hope you won''t trouble him any further."


    Rachel didn''t actually think Ste was here for Haynes. Still, she couldn''t shake the sense of unease she felt whenever she remembered how determined Ste had seemed the fast time she''d tried to meet Mr. Walden. Perhaps Ste really hade here for him.


    Ste''s


    talent was undeniable. Even if Rachel didn''t want to admit it, she knew Ste outshone her in every way. Mr. Walden hade


    dangerously close to taking Ste on as his protégé. If Rachel hadn''t seized her chance and managed to be hisst student before Ste ever got the chance, that ce might have been Ste''s.


    "Ste, what are you doing here?"


    The man''s voice was low and cool, with an air of calm detachment. Dressed in a tailored ck suit, he stood nearly six-foot-three, his striking, elegant presence impossible to ignore.


    Ste looked at the small group in front of her, her expression icy.


    "I don''t owe any of you an exnation for why I''m here.”


    All she''d wanted was a quick word with the lighting technician about her entrance cues. Running into this crowd was thest thing she needed-just her luck.