Her demeanor was lukewarm, as though she were speaking to a stranger-calm, without a hint of emotion.


    Haynes felt his throat tighten inexplicably.


    "It''s been ages since Keen saw you. Don''t you want to visit him?" he asked.


    Ste replied, “I''m still busy here."


    The implication was clear-she was turning him down.


    Haynes'' voice grew heavier. "No matter how busy you are, don''t you have even a few minutes to see your child?"


    Ste''s lips curved in a faint, nomittal smile. “I''m not the person he wants to see. Ms. Pearce is here, isn''t she? With her around, that''s enough."


    A faint furrow appeared between Haynes'' brows.


    "You''re Keen''s mother. Even if he''s close to Rachel, she can never take your ce."


    Ste remained unmoved.


    Haynes looked as if he wanted to say more, but Neville approached briskly and stopped by Ste''s side.


    Leaning close, he murmured, "Sherman''s awake."


    Ste''s brows shifted almost imperceptibly.


    When Sherman had dragged her away earlier, she hadn''t struggled. She''d wanted to deal with this troublemaker before her performance anyway.


    She always carried pepper spray in her pocket-she wasn''t afraid of him.


    Pretending she couldn''t break free, Ste had let Sherman take her to a storage room. His n was to lock her inside.


    One swift blow with a brick, and she''d knocked him out cold.


    She was still debating what to do with the unconscious Sherman when Neville found her. With her performance about to start, she''d left Sherman for Neville to handle.


    Ste asked under her breath, "What''s his situation now?"


    Neville answered, "He''s Mr. Burton''s grandson. We can''t exactly make him disappear. I locked him up in the storeroom."


    He paused for a moment.


    "If the Burtonse askingter, just put it on me. Say I had a score to settle with Sherman. Mr. Burton won''t make things hard for me."


    Ste shook her head. "The real grudge is between Sherman and me. He won''t let this go so easily."


    Neville raised an eyebrow. "You two knew each other before?"


    He''d assumed Sherman had just been hitting on Ste because she was pretty, and that she''d knocked him out in a fit of annoyance before her show.


    "Yeah." Ste was about to exin when Karl appeared.


    "Ms. Cameron." He wore a polite smile, but his eyes were cold.


    He didn''t think much of Ste.


    "Mr. Burton would like to see you. There''s something he wants to discuss."


    Ste shot Karl a look of her own. Candida had mentioned he was her ex-boyfriend-handsome enough, but aplete jerk, nothing like Mr. Burton''s steadfast loyalty.


    "Lead the way, Mr. Burton."


    Seeing this, Haynes instinctively started after them.


    Karl stopped him. "Mr. O''Brien, you''ll have to stay here. Mr. Burton asked for Ms. Cameron alone."


    Haynes halted mid-step.


    Neville, too, tried to follow, but Karl blocked him with the same line.


    Neville''s voice was smooth and measured. "If you need to talk to Star, you might


    as well talk to me. I know more than she does."


    Ste understood he was trying to


    shield


    her. "Mr. Connolly, just wait


    for me here. Don''t worry, I''ll be fine.


    , Mr. Burton will be.


    Neville didn''t insist further.


    With Mr. Burton present, Ste would be safe-at least for now.


    Still... Ste was an outsider, while Sherman was Mr. Burton''s own grandson. The difference in standing was obvious.


    Ste followed Karl away.


    After they''d walked for a bit, Karl suddenly spoke.


    "Ste, I don''t know how you got involved with my grandfather or with Candida,


    but I''m warning you stay away from them."