Shawn''s eyes lit up. Now that Leonard was willing to help, what reason did he have to hesitate?


    He rubbed his hands together, unable to hide his excitement. "Mr. Lerman, so... when do you think would be the best time?"


    Click.


    Leonard flicked open a lighter and lit a cigarette. Wisps of smoke curled around his striking features, casting his face in a haze. "Aurora''s birthday is next week. That will be our best opportunity."


    A sly grin slowly spread across Shawn''s lips as he heard this.


    ...


    After dealing with Shawn''s nonsense, Ste had no energy left for work. She decided to just head straight home.


    As usual, Aicken opened the car door for her and helped her inside.


    Just as Ste was about to get in, Joshua spoke up.


    "Mr. Aicken, Star and I are heading home. Are you nning oning home with us too?"


    The way he said "home" carried a subtle, ambiguous undertone.


    Aicken''s eyes flickered, then he managed a polite smile. "My apologies. I thought Ms. Cameron might be returning to the office."


    Joshua''s lips curled in a half-smile. "It''s already thiste, Mr. Aicken-are you really suggesting Star go back to work overtime? No matter how important the job is, people need rest, don''t they? I always thought you were considerate, but it seems you don''t care for your colleagues as much as I imagined."


    Aicken froze, a look of embarrassment crossing his face. "Ms. Cameron, I''m truly sorry. I was too eager to get thepany back on track, and I didn''t think it through."


    Since he admitted fault so readily, pressing the issue any further would juste off as overly aggressive.


    Joshua cast him a nce, then hit the gas and drove off.


    The moment the two of them walked into the Williams estate, they found Jonathan


    and Israel sitting in the living room, both looking grim.


    As soon as Ste stepped through the door, Israel shot to his feet.


    "Ste, you''re nothing but a<fndc46> Content originallyes from F?nd-Novel</fndc46>


    l.ne


    liability-do you have any idea what kind of trouble you''ve brought on the Williams family?" he snapped. "Shawn''s grandfather was an old war buddy of our own grandfather. He even saved his life once and you went and assaulted his grandson! Right now, you''reing with me to the Pearce house to apologize to Shawn!"


    belongs to s


    Joshua nced at Israel, who was stomping over in a fury, and said with a faint smile, "Second son, is your hand feeling better?"


    Israel stopped dead in his tracks. He shot Joshua a furious re but didn''t take another step forward.


    In the past, neither Skyler nor Jonathan had ever taken his side in these arguments. After all, he had been the one to start the fight, so he couldn''t really im the moral high ground.


    Jonathan rubbed his tired brow. "Star, back when Father was away for those years, Old Mr. Pearce did a lot to help our mother. Whatever happened, for his sake, you shouldn''t have lost your temper like that. Violence is never the answer."


    "I wasn''t acting out of impulse," Ste replied evenly. "Someone like him deserved


    it."


    She hadn''t even finished before Israel cut her off, livid. "It was bad enough when you crashed into the oil tycoole son and son and the banker''s kid. Now you''ve gone and hit Shawn too? Ever since you came back to the Williams family, you''ve forgotten your ce!”  s


    Jonathan said, "Star, Father doesn''t know about this yet. I''ve kept it under wraps for now. If youe with us to apologize, I''m sure the Pearce family will let it go for our parents'' sake."


    Israel red at her with barely


    contained rage. "Listen to me-if your little stunt messes up our family''s rtionship with the Pearces, don''t think for a second


    that I let you off in fact, the entire I Williams family won''t forgive you!"  s