Ste''s voice was calm, steady as still water.


    "If Shawn is so important to you both," she said quietly, "why not just knock me out and toss me into his bed? That way, you can make amends and grant Shawn his wish all at once. Wouldn''t that be easier?"


    A cold, derisiveugh slipped from Israel. "So, Ste, have you finally taken a liking to Shawn? Can''t wait to climb into his bed, is that it—"


    Before he could finish, Jonathan cut him off, his tone sharp as steel. "That''s enough, Israel."


    At the same moment, a mug sailed through the air and struck Israel squarely on the head.


    Smash. The mug hit the floor and shattered, shards skittering across the hardwood.


    Israel staggered, seeing stars, and it took him a while to collect himself.


    Joshua''s voice rang out cool and clear from across the room. "She''s your sister, not someone you can insult whenever you feel like it. You haven''t even bothered to ask what happened, but you''re so quick to pass judgment. It''s a pretty ugly look, don''t you think? If you can''t muster a little respect, I''d be d to teach you some manners myself."


    Israel opened his mouth to argue, but Jonathan silenced him with a look.


    After a brief pause, Jonathan turned to Ste, a note of uncertainty in his voice. "Star, what happened?"


    As he spoke, a suspicion had already begun to take root in his mind. He''d heard rumors about Shawn''s wandering hands. Paired with what Ste had hinted at earlier, he could piece together most of the story.


    Ste replied, "While I was signing the contract with Shawn, he couldn''t keep his hands to himself. So L


    taught him a lesson." She raised an eyebrow. "Or did you both expect me to just let him do as he pleased?"  s


    Jonathan looked as if he wanted to say something, but Ste spoke again before he could.


    "As far as I remember, when your old business partner made a few


    off-color jokes about Aurora, you punched him in the face and


    canceled the deal-after ten years of working together. You refused to


    forgive him and told


    that


    whoever partnered with his firm would be an enemy of the Williams family, Hispany went The man jumped from his office window because of the debt. It was all over the news, both here and abroad, for days."


    to s


    Ste turned to Israel, giving him a chilly little smile. "It was quite the scandal, wasn''t it?"


    Israel wiped the blood trickling from his hairline, his expression dark and uncertain. He wanted to argue, but the words caught in his throat.


    He finally managed, "You and Aurora aren''t the same."


    Ste''s eyes narrowed, her voice suddenly frosty. "We''re both daughters of the Williams family. We''re both human. What exactly makes us so different?"


    Israel let out a bark ofughter, as if he''d just heard the world''s best joke. "Ste, don''t embarrass yourself byparing yourself to Aurora. She''s the most sought-after socialite in the city None of those other


    as


    privileged girls-taloney


    are-can hold a candle to her. She''s


    a hundred times the woman you are. As for you-"  s


    He gave Ste a slow, dismissive once-over, his contempt barely concealed. "What do you have besides your violin? And now you can''t even y anymore. What right do you have topete with Aurora?”


    He seemed oblivious to how much his words stung.


    Jonathan, unable to listen any longer, snapped, "That''s enough, Israel."<fna66c> The source of th?s content is findnovel</fna66c>


    But Israel pressed on, righteous in his indignation. "I''m just telling the truth. She''s always been jealous of Aurora, always trying to outdo her, even though she never measures up."