If Ste couldn''t forgive him, or decided to leave him, Harold didn''t know what Joshua might do. The possibilities were terrifying. He nced nervously at Joshua''s face.


    There was no denying that Joshua''s actions had caused Ste a great deal of trouble, and she had worked tirelessly to protect him. Even as Joshua''s subordinate, Harold had to admit that Ste was fiercely loyal to the people around her, from Abby Murphy to Joshua himself. It was no wonder Abby had been willing to infiltrate a viper''s nest like the Lerman estate for her.


    But Joshua was falling deeper and deeper. He had never been a saint. If Ste couldn''t give him what he wanted... Harold didn''t dare imagine the oue. It was a ticking time bomb between them.


    Just then, Joshua''s attention returned to the broadcast. Perhaps it was the novel feeling of being protected, but a small, genuine smile touched his lips. His mood was visibly, undeniably bright.


    The sight sent a chill down Harold''s spine. This looked dangerously like... a man in love.


    Ste had deftly resolved the crisis. The inte was now flooded with praise for Joshua.


    Back in the office, he asked her, "Were you so certain you could clear my name? What if the public didn''t buy it?"


    "They were always going to buy it," Ste said with a small smile, taking a sip of water. "Joshua, times have changed. It''s no longer a


    ckand-white world where people are expected to turn the other cheek. What most people want is simple: fairness. And everyone knows the world isn''t fair."  s


    "The resentment many people feel toward the wealthy isn''t just jealousy," she continued. "It''s anger at the double standards, at the


    injustice they face when the e<fn800c> For original chapters go to Find~Novel</fn800c>


    by power. The rich already have so many advantages, yet they refuse to grant ordinary people even a sliver of fairness. So, in the public''s eye, fairness is more important than right and wrong Even though you killed someone, you were on the side of fairness, so they support you. When thew fails to restrain monsters, vignte justice bes the most satisfying solution. A man like Stuart could die a thousand times, and it wouldn''t be enough. In their hearts, Joshua, you''re the hero who delivered the punishment they couldn''t."  s


    The word "hero" was so foreign to Joshua that he felt a flicker of unease. In all the descriptions he had ever heard of himself, not one had ever been positive. Even he saw himself as an irredeemable viin.


    His heart skipped a beat. For the first time, he felt genuinely awkward. He turned his head, avoiding her gaze.


    "Thank you, Star."


    Д?Л


    "I spent a long time fighting battles against Jasper and Rachel," Ste said. "I understand the public. People like Stuart, who look down on ordinary citizens with such arrogance, are destined to be brought down by them. The same water that supports a ship can also sink it. Without the public''s support, my words would have been useless, no matter how eloquent."  s