"It''s just a bit of harmless bickering between the kids, Mr. Burton. No need to take it to heart."


    As he spoke, he turned to Ste.


    "Raven, I''d like to have a word with you in private."


    Ste hadn''t nned on talking to Skyler, but considering she still needed the Williams family''s help with her academic credentials, she gave a small nod.


    Just as she was about to leave, Nicolle spoke up as well.


    "Ms. Cameron, I''d like to have a chat with youter too, if you''re free?"


    Seeing Nicolle, Ste could guess it was probably about Antoney.


    She agreed, "Of course, Mr. Watson."


    A top graduate and so polite, Nicolle thought, feeling quite satisfied.


    After exchanging a few words with Mr. Burton, Ste left the room with Skyler and Jonathan.


    Aurora alone remained, lingering in the room.


    Mr. Burton nced at her, his expression unreadable.


    "Aurora, aren''t you joining them?"


    Aurora gave a smallugh and shook her head.


    "No, I don''t think Ms. Cameron wants me there right now."


    The door had barely closed before Jonathan spoke bluntly.


    "Ste, you can''t agree to the Watsons adopting you."


    Ste''s expression was cool. "And why not?"


    "You''re part of the Williams family. Being adopted by the Watsons-what sense does that make?"


    Ste replied, "Does it really matter whose daughter I am? It''s not like anyone else knows the truth. Either way, I''d be a foster daughter-what''s the difference which family I belong to? If be the Watsons foster daughter, I''ll get a ten percent share in theirpany."


    She remembered overhearing Skyler and Jonathan discussing, long ago, that


    they''d announce her as their foster daughter to the public.


    Jonathan''s displeasure was obvious, though he tried to hide it.


    "Ste, you can''t measure family with money."


    Ste countered, "Then what do you measure it with? Affection?" Jonathan opened his mouth, but the words caught in his throat.


    As far as affection went-they might be siblings by blood, but they''d spent years apart and didn''t have much of a bond. Since Ste''s return, she''d barely spent any time with the Williams family. His two younger brothers were indifferent toward her. Aurora''s rtionship with her wasplicated. As for himself, he was always buried in work, rarely home.


    He couldn''t, in good conscience, try to y the "family card."


    At that moment, Skyler spoke.


    "Raven, whatever the Watsons offer, I can give you too. I was already nning on giving you a ten percent share."


    Ste knew as well as anyone that nothing in this world came free. If she epted those shares, the rest of her life would be under the Williams family''s control. They might even try to marry her off for their own benefit.


    She replied calmly, "You can keep the shares. I don''t need them. What I do need is your cooperation to correct my name on my academic records. It doesn''t match


    the one I use now."


    Skyler frowned. "Raven, you don''t like this name?"


    Ste''s smile was half-amused, half-cold. "Who would want to spend their life as someone else''s shadow?"


    Skyler rushed to exin, “You''re misunderstanding. The name wasn''t meant to make you anyone''s shadow. It''s just—"


    Ste cut him off. "It doesn''t matter what it was meant to be. There''s no need to exin. All I need now is for the Williams family to give me the adoption paperwork and an official letter, so I can get my records changed."


    Skyler tried again. "If you don''t like that name, then just go by Ste Williams... Ste is a beautiful name."


    Ste looked at him, her voice t. "It''s just a name. Is it so shameful to take my mother''s surname? She gave me this name herself-it''s the only thing she left me in this world. You always said you could never forget her, so why are you so hung up on a name?"