Haynes was still in a daze long after Ste had left.


    In the past, he could always tell himself that this was just one of Ste''s moods. Once Rachel''s concert was over, he''d smooth things over, apologize, and she''de back-she always did.


    After all, they had a child together. He knew better than anyone how much Ste cared about Keen.


    He simply couldn''t believe that, as a mother, she''d ever truly be able to leave Keen behind.


    And he, well, he owed her so much because of Rachel.


    He used to think of Ste as his wife, a part of himself. Whatever troubles she had to endure didn''t seem to matter much.


    Rachel was, after all, just an outsider. He''d rather owe Ste a little than be in Rachel''s debt again.


    He thought, once Rachel''s situation was settled, he''d make it up to Ste. He''d convinced himself it was only six months-surely Ste would bear it.


    But the more he took Ste''s patience for granted, the more he began to see her forbearance as something owed to him-just the way things were.


    It wasn''t until muchter, when Haynes finally snapped out of it and went looking for Ste, that he found Neville examining her wrist.


    They hadn''t noticed him approach.


    He overheard Neville''s voice, heavy with guilt. "Star, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to hurt you just now. Maybe we should have a doctor take a look-yourpetition''sing up soon, and you can''t afford anything to go wrong with your hand." "I''m fine," Ste replied gently, her tone warm and calm—so different from the cold impatience she reserved for Haynes. "It''s not broken."


    “But there''s a bruise on your wrist," Neville said, concern etched in his voice.


    "It''s just a surface bruise, and besides, it wasn''t you who did it."


    Neville seemed to realize something was off and quickly let go. He hadn''t pulled her that hard to begin with.


    "Even if I wasn''t the one who did it, it still happened because of me. I have to take some responsibility," Neville insisted.


    Ste smiled. “Honestly, I almost fell just now. If you hadn''t caught me in time, I might have really hit the ground and hurt my hand a lot worse."


    Haynes felt a jolt of shock.


    Had he misunderstood everything?


    He noticed then that there was a vivid bruise circling Ste''s right wrist the very spot where he''d lost tightly


    Control and gripped her to lost


    just


    moments ago.


    Rachel was a violinist, someone who obsessed over the health of her hands. Haynes knew that better than anyone.


    And yet, without thinking, he''d been hurting Ste''s hands all along.


    He started to move forward, but suddenly found himself rooted to the spot, unable to take another step.


    In the end, Neville managed to convince Ste to go to the hospital.


    After the checkup, the doctor confirmed that her hands were fine, and only then did Neville finally rx.


    "Star, it''s gettingte," he said. "Let me take you home. I''ll bring Marvin with me, so you can rest for the next couple of days Don''t worry about. anything else. If there''s something you can''t deal with, call me, okay?"


    He lowered his voice. "I still have people keeping an eye out for you, but be careful when you go out, alright?"


    Ste nodded.


    Marvin, reluctant to leave, still managed a cheerful, “Good luck at thepetition, Ste!"


    Ste smiled and said goodbye, then took Keen and headed home.


    Keen asked if he could stay with her for a couple of days, and Ste agreed.


    With thepetition and concert fast approaching, she barely had any free time left.


    But Keen was, after all, her son-her own flesh and blood.


    Now that he wasn''t acting out like before, Ste couldn''t bring herself to turn him away no matter how hard she tried.


    Once upstairs, Keen set off to explore Ste''s apartment with wide-eyed curiosity.