She murmured softly to herself, "Climbing to the top by stepping on Aurora?"


    Joshua replied, "No matter where you started, Aurora''s got you beat by a mile- connections, family, everything. The Williams brothers have been working at Williams Corporation for ages, and with their support, she''s right at home. If you try to outmaneuver her by ying the same game, you don''t stand a chance. The only way forward is to take a different path."


    Ste listened carefully, then asked, "So, do you have any ideas?"


    Joshua leaned back, considering. "Business is war, Ste. The old strategists knew their stuff, and what worked on the battlefield works just as well in the boardroom. There''s no point insisting on always ying fair. Look at the people who reach the top-how many of them got there without using a little leverage in private? Say you and Aurora both want to bid on a major contract, and your proposal is stronger than hers. If the Williams brothers found out, how do you think they''d help Aurora win?"


    This time, Joshua didn''t need to spell it out. Ste understood immediately.


    The Williams brothers would try bribes and ckmail first—if money didn''t work, they''d move on to threats. And if those failed, there were always Leonard and Sherman Burton to apply even more pressure.


    She saw exactly what Joshua was getting at.


    From the moment she returned to the Williams family, peace with Aurora was impossible. So why not make use of her and turn the situation to her own advantage?


    Never mind Leonard or Sellers Burton for now; the Williams brothers themselves were the biggest obstacle standing in Ste''s way. She couldn''t avoid them. Trying to work around them would waste time and energy and only give them more chances to block her path.


    If she couldn''t avoid them, she''d have to break right through.


    Ste epted Joshua''s advice. She wasn''t going back to the Williams family to y fair with Aurora.


    She nced over at Joshua. "You really have given me a new perspective."


    She meant it—Joshua was brilliantly sharp. A stray thought crossed her mind: if someone like him ever became her enemy, how terrifying would that be?


    Joshua, oblivious to her sudden distraction, pointed to herptop screen. "Mr. Connolly''s notes aren''tpletely useless. We can use them to analyze which firm Aurora''s most likely to pick tomorrow."<fn2d33> For more chapters visit FindN()vel</fn2d33>


    Ste snapped back to attention and realized just how close Joshua was standing.


    She''d been sitting at her desk, staring at theptop, while Joshua leaned over beside her, both hands braced on either side of the keyboard, effectively caging he between the chair and his chest. He didn''t seem to notice the proximity, with one hand, he moved the mouse while the other gestured at the screen with a pen as he exined his thoughts.  s


    The subtle scent of his cologne drifted toward her, and Ste''s heart skipped ufortably. She suddenly felt distinctly out of sorts.


    Joshua was her bodyguard-he''d


    seen her at her most vulnerable and


    knew more of her secrets than anyone else. People on the outside might gossip about a single woman constantly appearing in public with a young attractive man: Even her father and brother sometimes gaves them odd looks, but she''d never cared.  s


    She''d always considered Joshua a friend and partner, never as a man.


    But right now, she couldn''t ignore the fact that she was alone in a room with a dangerous, fully grown man. This was someone she''d


    allowed into her bedroom countless


    times, forgetting that with unless


    strength, if he ever wanted to, she''d have no way to resist him.  s