"But-"


    Before she could finish, the call was abruptly cut off.


    Jake stared at his phone, the dial tone echoing in his ears. For a long moment, he was at a loss for words.


    Across the room, Harold, buried in his paperwork, nced up and caught sight of Jake''s stunned expression. From their earlier conversation, he''d already gathered


    the gist.


    He sighed. "See? I told you-Mr. Gardner''s patience only goes so far. The only reason he''s put up with it this long is out of respect for her."


    Jake finally snapped out of his daze. "Which just goes to show-Ste is Mr. Gardner''s real Achilles'' heel."


    Harold shrugged. "I wouldn''t be so sure. We used to think she was special too, didn''t we? But look how that turned out."


    Jake looked up suddenly. "And what makes you so certain she isn''t still special to him?"


    Harold blinked, momentarily thrown. He opened his mouth to argue, but no counterpoint came.


    After a pause, he relented. "You''re right. Who really knows what''s going on in Mr. Gardner''s head?"


    Jake nodded. "But one thing''s certain: Mr. Gardner treats Ste—and the one before her differently from everyone else. As for Rachel..."


    Jake and Harold exchanged a knowing smile. Some things didn''t need to be said out loud.


    Rachel was just a passing amusement for Joshua. Nothing more.


    Rachel didn''tst long-she confessed to everything.<fncd42> Updates are released by Find_Novel(.</fncd42>


    She was a terrible liar anyway, and Leonard''s piercing gaze and relentless mind games left her with nowhere to hide.


    Now, shey crumpled on the floor at Leonard''s feet, sobbing helplessly.


    Even after spilling everything, Rachel still clung to a shred of hope that Joshua would save her.


    "I''ve told you everything I know. Now... will you let me go? If Joshua finds out what you''ve done to me, he won''t let you get away with it."


    Leonard took the towel from his assistant, wiping his hands with slow, deliberate


    care.


    He let out a coldugh. "No wonder Joshua yed you like a fiddle. You''re so naive it''s almost impressive."


    He tossed the towel aside. "Did you really think he was on your side? He set you up from the very beginning."


    Rachel forced herself to look up. "You''re just trying to turn me against him. I don''t believe a word you say."


    Leonard handed the towel back to his assistant and settled onto the sofa, crossing his legs with effortless grace.


    "Think about it, Rachel. If he truly wanted to help you, why would he ask you to lie? Anyone with half a brain knows that one lie leads to a thousand more He went to all trouble to cover for you-bribed the doctor, faked your medical records-when it would''ve been easier to just throw you and Haynes into bed together and be done with it."  s


    He arched a brow. “And then he told you to buy followers and fake your poprity. With his resources, he could''ve made you a real star overnight—if he''d wanted to. Instead, he left you with nothing but empty numbers and a house of cards ready to copse."


    “Because lies are always exposed in the end."


    Rachel shook her head violently. "No! I don''t believe you! If I really slept with Haynie; maybe he''d take


    responsibility, but he''d never loven et


    me. Getting close to him


    slowly-step by step-is the right move! I''m Joshua''s one true love. I''m different in his eyes!"  s


    Leonard looked at her with a mixture of pity and exasperation. "Rachel, you''re hopeless. You''ve been sold


    the


    out and you''re still counting money for your seller. If you can''t even fool me, what makes you think


    you can fool Joshua-especially


    when you don''t even have proof of your so-called importance to him?"


    s


    Rachel bit her lip until she tasted blood. "If he knows I''m a fake, then why does he keep helping me?!"