Haynes nodded, his expression tense.


    Every second they dyed was another second Ste remained in danger.


    Just as Joshua gripped his handgun, ready to kick down the door, it swung open abruptly from the inside.


    Foreman stepped out, his face grave.


    He paused for a split second at the sight of the three men standing outside, but showed no sign of surprise.


    "You''re just in time," he said steadily. "Ste''s taking a cold bath right now. She needs a doctor."


    Haynes narrowed his eyes. "Foreman, what are you doing here with Ste?"


    Foreman didn''t flinch. "Ste left Keen with Joshua, but she was worried and wanted to check on her herself. I happened to be nearby, so I tagged along."<fn216d> The rightful source is find?novel</fn216d>


    Jonathan, who''d arrived looking for his sister, gave a slight nod-he recalled seeing Foreman around earlier.


    Foreman nced at the group. "Shouldn''t you get a doctor first? We can talkter."


    Haynes shot Foreman a searching look, then turned briskly to fetch a physician. Jonathan, as Ste''s older brother, would never leave his sister in the care of two men at a moment like this, so he followed Joshua into the room.


    As the two entered, Foreman''s gaze followed them, a shadow flickering across his eyes.


    He''d abandoned his earlier intentions the moment Joshua had called him. With Joshua already suspicious, there was no way he could make a move on Ste


    now.


    There simply hadn''t been enough time.


    Ste was in bad shape, but she hadn''tpletely lost consciousness. When Foreman helped her into the bathroom, she''d even managed to whisper a thank you.


    If he''d wanted the drugs to take full effect, he''d have needed more time.


    But he didn''t have it.


    He could have forced things, but that would have meant burning bridges with Haynes and Ste would never forgive him.


    It wasn''t worth losing so much for a fleeting moment of pleasure.


    He''d always been patient, always known how to bide his time. That was how he''d


    managed to scheme and maneuver for so many years.


    No matter. He could wait. He had plenty of patience left.


    ***


    Meanwhile, in the grand ballroom, the scandalous photos and videos of Simone were finally taken off the screens amid chaos and shouting.


    Aurora''s birthday party had quickly morphed into a gossip-fueled circus.


    Simone, mortified, had been whisked upstairs by Aurora almost as soon as the spectacle began.


    Aurora moved calmly through the turmoil, restoring order and smoothing over themotion with quiet efficiency.


    While Simone''s disgrace provided


    endless fodder for gossip, it did nothing to tarnish Aurora''s


    reputation on the contrary her poise under pressure won her widespread admiration.  s


    "No wonder, she''s the city''s top debutante," someone remarked admiringly. "She handled that


    disaster without missing a beat.


    Skyler, you mus


    be so proud of your


    daughter


    s


    Standing beside Skyler was a distinguished man of simr age-impably


    dressed, with the air of a gentleman.


    Skyler smiled. "You tter me, Chapman. Your Lauretta is every bit as impressive as Aurora."


    The man was none other than


    Lauretta Chapman''s father, heren et


    tonight specifically to discuss the


    possibility of Joining the two families through marriage.  fo s


    He nced around, lowering his voice. "Skyler, where''s Jonathan? The party''s


    been going for ages, and I haven''t seen him once."


    Skyler frowned. He''d been wondering the same himself.


    With everything that had happened tonight, Jonathan should have stepped


    forward to take charge—yet he was nowhere to be found.


    At first, Skyler had assumed his son was giving Aurora a chance to prove herself.


    But now, with the party nearly over and Jonathan still absent, it was starting to feel strange.


    Especially since he knew the Chapmans hade tonight to discuss Jonathan and Lauretta''s engagement.