"No progress yet," Jake replied.


    A faint, satisfied smile yed on Joshua''s lips.


    He continued, "What''s the situation with Simone and Rachel?"


    Jake nodded. "As you instructed, I''ve already let Simone know that it was Rachel who leaked the photos."<fn3ea8> This content belongs to Find~Novel</fn3ea8>


    He paused, then went on, "As for Simone... on the surface, it looks like she was threatened into passing on confidential information about the Lerman family''s business. But in reality, I suspect she resents Leonard-she leaked those secrets on purpose. She didn''t even bother to look into who was supposedly ckmailing her."


    "But Leonard isn''t someone to underestimate," Jake added. "He''s probably already noticed Simone''s been siphoning offpany secrets. I think he''s even got people watching her now."


    Joshua''s gaze sharpened. "Have you found out who kidnapped Simone?"


    Jake shook his head. "Whoever it was covered their tracks well. There''s no solid evidence, at least not yet."


    After all, this was Solmaris-Joshua''s influence didn''t stretch everywhere. Besides, it was only after Aurora''s party that he''d asked Jake to dig into the photo leak, which was how they''d traced it back to Rachel.


    Joshua mused, "There are only a handful of people capable of kidnapping Simone. Haynes and Neville wouldn''t use tactics like this. Foreman is the most likely culprit."


    His eyes turned cold. "If Foreman thinks Leonard is an easy target, he''s in for a rude awakening."


    Jake nced at Joshua''s handsome, impassive face and suddenly realized the man seemed less vtile than before. At the very least, he wasn''t as unpredictable as he''d once been.


    If half a billion dors was the price for Joshua''s newfound calm, Jake figured it was a bargain.


    Casting a quick nce toward the door, Jake lowered his voice, "Wasn''t Ms. Cameron a little too quick to ept the investment? Didn''t she find it suspicious?"


    Joshua smiled slightly. "Of course she''s suspicious. But fortune favors the bold. She''s willing to take the risk, which just confirms my judgment—she deserves that money."


    Jake echoed his smile, though inwardly he couldn''t help but grumble.


    If Ste had refused the investment, Mr. Gardner would probably have just praised her caution and sharp instincts. And in the end, he''d still. find another way to get that money into her hands.  s


    After all, these days the Gardner family had nothing left but money.


    Soon after, Ste returned.


    Everything at the bank had gone so smoothly it almost felt unreal-no obstacles, no dys. Even as she left the private lounge Ste @ shake the feeling she was caught in some sort of dream.


    belongs to s


    Was it really this easy to get the money?


    It all seemed too good to be true.


    Meanwhile, the Williams family was still waiting for Ste toe to them for help.


    Three days passed, and she never showed up.


    Even Skyler was beginning to look puzzled. “What''s going on? Why hasn''t Star asked us for help? Did she already find the funds?"


    Jonathan, who''d gotten wind of some news, looked grim. "I heard she tried contacting shareholders from her mother''s side to sell her original shares to them. But Israel and Coleman have already found a way to stall her. She won''t be able to sell those shares in three days that''s for sure."  s


    Skyler, however, didn''t seem the least bit surprised. It was as if he''d expected Ste to try this route all along.


    Some things, he thought, people had to experience for themselves—otherwise, they''d never be satisfied.


    This was his first lesson for Ste, and he was determined to let her learn it on her own.