For a moment, both of their expressions wereplicated.


    Jonathan hadn''t quite expected this turn of events either, but the important thing was that Ste hadn''t embarrassed the Williams family. That alone was a relief.


    Skyler, on the other hand, was positively beaming, every inch the proud father relishing the fact that Ste was his daughter.


    Sensing that the time was right, Skyler turned to the crowd clustered around Ste and said, "Star''s a bit tired-let''s let her rest for a while. You can chat with her againter."


    With that, the guests took the hint, dispersing with polite smiles.


    Skyler leaned in to Ste. "You must be exhausted, sweetheart. Rest for now. When the party''s over, I''ll introduce you to thepany''s shareholders."


    Ste nodded softly. "Okay."


    Once Aurora had left, Abby and Joshua made their way to Ste''s side. Joshua handed her a ss of water. "You must be thirsty. Here."


    Ste realized how dry her throat felt. She epted the ss with a grateful smile. "Thank you."


    Abby, noticing the fatigue in Ste''s eyes, leaned closer. "Social events are no joke, huh? Just the hair and makeup takes hours, not to mention having to make small talk with a never-ending parade of people."


    Ste took a sip of water. "I guess this kind of thing will be the norm for me. At least everyone was just being polite-no one tried to make things difficult."


    She really had been working hard to learn the ins and outs of the business world, but even a genius couldn''t master it all in just a few days.


    She knew this was still her biggest weakness-and it probably would be for quite some time.


    Abby looked at her with genuine concern. "Star, you hardly ate anything all night. You must be starving. Let me get you something to eat."


    She nced at Joshua. "Stay here with Star. Don''t leave her side until I get back, okay?"


    Joshua nodded. "I won''t."


    While Abby went to fetch some food, Ste and Joshua made their way to the sitting room and settled onto a plush sofa.


    Other guests who had been resting there smiled and nodded at Ste as she entered-none of them seemed interested in making things awkward for her.


    Still, more than a few eyes drifted to Joshua.


    With his striking looks and unmistakable air of confidence, many assumed he


    must be the son of some distinguished family.


    It was only after a little discreet inquiry that people realized he was, in fact, Ste''s bodyguard.


    The fact that Ste kept such a handsome bodyguard at her side made for more than a few raised eyebrows and knowing nces.


    Ste and Joshua, for their part, acted as if they didn''t notice a thing.


    Even at the beginning, when Skyler and Ste''s other three brothers first learned that Joshua was her


    vel.


    bodyguard, their reactions had been


    telling.


    Most people hired a bodyguard of the same gender for discretion, but Ste had


    chosen an impossibly good-looking young man.


    It was hard not to let the mind wander.


    By the old Williams family rules, this never would have been allowed.


    But the way the family saw it-if Ste was focused on men, at least she wouldn''t be causing trouble for thepany. As long as she didn''t


    go too far, they were willing to turn a blind eye.


    As Ste and Joshua waited on the sofa for Abby to return, a steady, measured footstep sounded behind her.


    "Ste. We meet again."


    Her eyshes fluttered violently. She turned to see a strikingly handsome, if somewhat pale, face.


    Those dark, brooding eyes and that cold, almost predatory smile they were so achingly familiar, like a nightmare she never wanted to recall.


    Her hand, though healed, throbbed with a ghost of old pain.


    Leonard looked at the disbelief in Ste''s eyes and smiled, clearly satisfied. "What''s wrong? Didn''t expect to see me here?"