If Leonard hadn''t left, Ste would''ve suffered even more. She might''ve lost the


    use of her other hand entirely.


    Abby''s eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Joshua.


    "Joshua, how did you know something happened to me and Star?"


    Joshua had been the furthest away; he''d shown upst. Abby had figured he hadn''t been able to help at all.


    Joshua just smiled. "What if I told you I dreamt something happened to Star? Would you believe me?"


    It wasn''t just Abby and Neville who looked skeptical-Ste was unconvinced too.


    Abby yed along, teasing, "What, you and Star have some kind of psychic link now?"


    Seeing they didn''t buy it, Joshua let the subject drop.


    Abby''s joking faded, reced by a troubled expression.


    "But seriously, how did Sellers just vanish into thin air?"


    Neville and Joshua exchanged a subtle nce before both quickly looked away, feigning nonchnce.


    Joshua shrugged. "Maybe karma finally caught up with him?"


    Abby replied, "Honestly, aside from Leonard—that absolute maniac-I can''t think


    of anyone gutsy enough to kidnap the head of the Burton family."


    But even that was just Abby''s guess.


    Neville steered the conversation away, turning to Ste.


    "Star, how''s your hand doing now?"


    Ste replied, "Dr. Burton said I''ll just need physical therapy from here on out. I can be discharged any time."


    "When are you nning to leave the hospital?" Neville asked.


    "In the next couple of days, I think."


    Neville''s deep gaze lingered on her face.


    "I heard you''re joining the Williams Group. Does that mean you''ve decided to go back to the Williams family?"


    Ste nodded. "Yes."


    "When will you leave?"


    "Next week, probably. This week I''ll go back to Neo-Vespera to sort through my things."


    She looked up at his handsome face, a gentle smile tugging at her lips "Whenever I have some time off, I''ll fly back to Neo-Vespera to visit Marvin. And when he''s on break, he cane stay with me for a while too."  ?wnovel


    She was heading to Solmaris for her career. She knew chances to see Neville


    and Marvin together would be few and far between in the future.


    Thinking of Marvin, Ste felt a pang of reluctance. There was so much she owed Neville-gratitude, and a lingering sense of guilt. He''d done so much for her, yet aside from helping take care of Marvin, she couldn''t think of any other way to repay him.


    But Neville just smiled.


    "As it happens, the Connolly Group just signed a huge deal with apany in Solmaris. I''ll be working there for quite a while."


    He looked directly at Ste.


    "As for Marvin... He doesn''t have any family or ties here. If you don''t mind, could


    you look after him for me a little longer?"


    Ste was taken aback for a moment, then smiled warmly.


    "Of course I don''t mind."


    Off to the side, Joshua watched the two of them exchange that smile, his lips pressed into a thin, tense line. An odd irritation simmered in his chest.


    It had been ages since he''d heard Ste y the violin. His insomnia was threatening to re up again. Recordings used to help him sleep, but without Ste herself there, even her music on tape didn''t seem to work anymore.


    And it was all Leonard''s fault.


    The thought darkened Joshua''s eyes with a stormy anger. He wanted nothing more than to shatter Leonard''s bones, one by one, and feed them to the dogs- make Leonard watch as he was torn apart, bit by bit.


    When Joshua''s insomnia hit, it was agony. Why should Leonard get off easy?


    Right now, a thousand ways to make Leonard suffer were already running through Joshua''s mind.