She and Karl had been together for so long, their lives had tangled up with the same group of friends.


    It was through these friends that she heard all about Karl and that so-called "first love."


    They told her that Karl cared most about her, that he barely spared a kind word for that other woman. They urged her to go back to him.


    After all, it was Candida who''d stood by his side during his darkest days, tending


    to him, supporting him. Now, just as she was about to finally "reap the rewards," why should she let someone else swoop in and take it all away?


    Their arguments made sense.


    But Candida didn''t want to go back.


    It wasn''t pride, or some lofty refusal to ept afortable life. If not for Karl''s ident, with her background, the Burtons never would have let her into their family in the first ce.


    She''d even considered turning a blind eye to Karl''s affairs and just focusing on building her own wealth. Maybe that was enough.


    But she couldn''t do it.


    The very thought of it made her sick-physically ill.


    How could anyone be with a person who disgusted them, even for money? No matter how much she tried, she just couldn''t swallow it.


    After spending so much time around Ste, Candida had learned a bit about her story too. She could understand why Ste''s mother, Nora, had left the Williams family.


    Nora hadn''t left because she was weak, or because she was foolishly in love. She''d left because she was repulsed-down to her bones.


    Just the memory of it could make someone feel queasy. Who would willingly leave their own child behind and run, unless staying was truly unbearable?


    The thought that the same mouth which once kissed her now touched other


    women made Candida''s skin crawl. The idea of spending a lifetime enduring this man was enough to make her despair.


    "Candida." Karl spotted her and immediately strode over. "Let''s talk."


    She instinctively backed up a few steps, her face wary.


    "I don''t see what there''s left to talk about between us."


    Karl stared at her, shocked by how guarded she''d be.


    "Candida, what''s that look for? What, do you think I''d hurt you?"


    Suddenly, as if a lightbulb went off, he turned sharply to re at Ste, his gaze icy.


    "It''s you, isn''t it? You said something to her, didn''t you?"


    Ste, caught in the crossfire, could only stare back in confusion. Was there


    anyone decent in the entire Burton family besides Mr. Burton?


    Candida''s cheeks flushed with anger. "Karl, what on earth are you talking about? This has nothing to do with Ste!"


    it


    Karl sneered, "She''s wrapped Grandpa around her little finger, doing everything she can to get her hands on our family shares. Now she''s driving a wedge between us. If it weren''t for her, would you have broken up with me?"


    Candidaughed bitterly, disbelief etched across her face. "We broke up because your old me came back, remember? Maybe you should take a book in the mirror before ming innocent people. Karl, do you even know what it means to be a man?"


    Karl''s face darkened. "Candida, before you met her, you never once spoke to me like this. Now, after befriending someone like her—” Hè shot Ste a contemptuous nce, "-even the way you talk has changed for the worse."


    His endless finger-pointing made Candida burn with embarrassment. Ste had given her a job, treated her like a friend, and here Karl


    was dragging Ste''s name


    vel


    through the mud with every word. If


    twere anyone else, they''d have


    thought Candida was plotting


    against them behind their back.


    Candida fixed Karl with a cold re. "Let me say this one more time: Ste has


    nothing to do with what''s going on between us."


    A mocking smile tugged at her lips, as if she''d just remembered something.


    "You want to know why we broke up? Fine. I''ll tell you right now."