Ste''s response was short and sharp.


    "You''re out of your mind."


    Sherman was, in her eyes, even more loathsome than Jasper.


    At least Jasper made no effort to hide his dislike-he hated her, and that was that.


    Sherman, on the other hand, despised her but pretended otherwise, putting on a fa?ade of kindness. In the end, he''d orchestrated that borate scheme topletely ruin her reputation.


    Catching the open disgust on Ste''s face, Sherman merely smiled, as if her hatred didn''t bother him in the slightest.


    To him, contempt from the weak was meaningless-a minor annoyance, nothing


    more.


    "Ste, my grandfather only trusts you because he doesn''t know who you really are. He''s been taken in by your little act. But now that I''m here, I won''t let you keep fooling him."


    Ste looked him right in the eye. "Then go ahead. March over to Mr. Burton and expose me. I''ll wait right here."


    Sherman''s gaze narrowed, studying her.


    She wasn''t afraid at all.


    Either she had some powerful backing, or she was simply confident that, even if the truth came out, Mr. Burton would still believe her.


    Sherman leaned toward the second option. From what he''d heard, she''d known Mr. Burton for almost a year now. She''d had plenty of time to win him over.


    Otherwise, why would the old man go to such lengths for her?


    Confronting her in front of his grandfather probably wouldn''t work-the old man would just take her side.


    As Sherman considered his options, a new idea took shape.


    He smiled at Ste, his eyes cold, like a predator watching its prey''sst desperate struggle.


    "Ste, do you really think that just because you''ve charmed my grandfather, there''s nothing I can do to you?"


    Ste didn''t flinch. Her answering smile was icy. "Of course not. With Mr. Burton''s cunning, there''s nothing he wouldn''t try, is there?"


    Sherman''s smile faltered for a moment.


    He shrugged. "If you''re so smart, you''d better just leave. I don''t want things to get rough."


    If he


    persuade his


    grandfather to give up on Ste,


    like


    è he could drive her awaren x


    he''d done years ago.


    Tonight''s concert was the perfect opportunity. If Ste didn''t show, or if she ruined the performance and embarrassed Mr. Burton, even the old man would be disappointed in her.  s?novel


    That thought brought a glint of malice to Sherman''s eyes.


    Without warning, he stepped forward and mped a hand over Ste''s mouth.


    He nced quickly around-no one was watching. In silence, he dragged Ste away.


    In the backstage dressing room, Abby kept calling Ste, but no one picked up.


    She frowned. "What''s going on? Why isn''t Star answering her phone? The concert''s about to start."


    Candida Fletcher looked anxious. "You don''t think something''s happened, do you?"


    Ever since she''d run into her ex-boyfriend Karl earlier, her eyelid had been twitching non-stop-a bad omen, she thought.


    Abby shook her head, puzzled. "It''s just a simple charity concert. What could possibly go wrong?"


    Antoney, who''d been lost in thought, finally snapped back to reality.


    "Should we check with Neville? Maybe Star''s with him."


    Abby immediately called Neville. He picked up right away.


    After a brief exchange, Abby hung up.


    Everyone turned to her. "Well? Is Star with him?"


    Abby shook her head. "Neville said she was with him a little while ago, but they split up. He ran into a business partner, so Star left first. He''s helping look for her now. If he hears anything, he''ll call us