Still, when Joshua tried calling Haynes, no one picked up.


    What on earth was going on today?


    Why wasn''t anyone answering their phone?


    On the second attempt, someone finally answered Haynes''s line.


    "Hello, this is Mr. O''Brien''s assistant. May I ask who''s calling, and what can I do for you?"


    Joshua replied, "My name is Joshua. I''m not sure if Benson remembers me."


    Benson had an excellent memory. He barely needed to think before recalling Joshua''s face.


    The man was strikingly handsome-impossible to forget, really.


    "Mr. Joshua, how can I help you?" Benson asked.


    "I need to speak to Haynes. Please put him on the line," Joshua said.


    Benson hesitated for a moment before answering, "Mr. O''Brien is currently in the hospital with serious injuries. He''s unconscious and unable to take your call."


    He wavered, unsure if he should reveal the full truth to Joshua. But after a moment''s thought, Benson realized Haynes''s condition was hardly a secret anymore-Deanna and Callie had already told others.


    Upon hearing the news, Joshua''s eyes narrowed.


    "What caused his injuries?" he demanded.


    Benson paused, then replied, "...It was an ident."


    Joshua''s voice turned cold, a steely edge creeping in. "If you don''t want anything


    to happen to Ste, you''d better not brush me off."


    Benson''s heart skipped a beat. "Ms. Cameron? What''s happened to Ms. Cameron?"


    "Answer my question first," Joshua shot back.


    Haynes had given strict instructions before he''d lost consciousness: if Ste needed anything, she was the priority.


    And since Joshua was Ste''s bodyguard, there was every reason to believe that something really had happened on her end.


    Benson dared not hide the truth any longer. He ended up telling Joshua everything.


    When he finished, Joshua fell silent for a long moment.


    Benson grew anxious. "Mr. Joshua, is something wrong with Ms. Cameron?"


    "Ste''s gone off the grid," Joshua said quietly.


    Benson blurted out, "But isn''t she in Sandford, under Mr. Richards''s protection? How could she be missing?"


    "If you manage to reach Ste, call me immediately," Joshua ordered.


    With that, he hung up without another word.


    So Haynes was in aa?


    Without Haynes keeping Foreman in


    renere was no telling what


    moves Foreman might


    And if Neville was also out of the picture...


    Joshua had a sinking feeling-something had definitely happened to Ste.


    His expression hardened, turning icy. He dialed Neville''s number next.


    This time, someone picked up


    almost immediately. The


    Neel


    background was noisy, and sounded exhausted.


    "Who''s this?" Neville said.


    "It''s Joshua," he answered.


    Neville sounded surprised. "Joshua? What''s going on? Why are you calling me?"


    "Where are you right now?" Joshua asked.


    Neville seemed puzzled by the


    question but answered anyway, et


    ne


    justnded. Got off the ne a few minutes ago."


    "Which airport?"


    “Neo-Vespera. I just got back from a business trip.”


    "So you haven''t been in Novaris until today?"


    "That''s right. Why? Has something happened?"


    Joshua''s voice grew heavy. "Something might have happened to Star."


    A ssh of cold water hit Ste''s face.


    She woke up instantly.


    "Awake?" The voice that greeted her was low and rough, tinged with an uncanny familiarity.


    Ste blinked, slowly opening her eyes.


    A deathly pale face loomed above her, lips curled into a sinister half-smile.


    "Ms. Cameron, we meet again."