"Let''s talk about it tonight when we meet," Ste said, not wanting to discuss it in the hospital hallway.


    Neville didn''t press the issue. "Alright."


    After setting a time and ce, Ste went back into the room. Harold wasn''t talking to Joshua; instead, he was perched on his chair as if on pins and needles, nervously looking around. Joshua was propped up against his pillows, absorbed in a game on his phone. The sounds of digital carnage filled the air as he appeared to be in the middle of a critical battle, his face an emotionless mask as he methodically eliminated his opponents like a soulless reaper.


    Ste was surprised. In all the time she had been looking after him, she''d seen him on his phone constantly but had rarely seen him y games. Whenever she''d asked, he''d said he was just catching up on news and celebrity gossip. She had assumed he was avoiding games because the exertion might aggravate his gunshot wound.


    She turned to Harold. "Aren''t you ying with him?"


    Harold gave an awkwardugh. "Uh... I''m not really a big fan of video games."


    Thest thing he wanted was to get annihted in a game. Joshua usually turned


    to virtual ughter to blow off steam when he was in a bad mood.


    Ste, unaware of this, asked him, "Harold, do you have any nster?"


    "Not really. Do you need help with something, Ms. Cameron?"


    "I have to go out for dinner with a friend," Ste exined. "I should be back before eight. Would you be able to stay here with Joshua for a while?"


    Harold instinctively nced at Joshua, who seemed not to have heard a thing, his eyes still glued to his game. Seeing no objection, Harold smiled and agreed. "Of course, no problem."


    "Thank you, I appreciate it."


    "Don''t mention it, Ms. Cameron."


    After giving Harold a few more instructions, Ste said a quick goodbye to Joshua and left.


    ***


    When Ste arrived at the restaurant, Neville and Marvin were already waiting in a private room. Marvin''s eyes lit up the moment he saw her. He jumped up from his chair and threw himself into her arms.


    "Ste, I''ve missed you so much!"


    Ste hugged him back, smiling. "I''ve missed you too, Marvin. Are you staying for good this time, or will you be going back to Aetheria?"


    "We''re staying for now," Marvin said. "Dad can''t be away from work for too long, so he brought Great-Grandma here with us."


    Ste nodded gently. With only six months left, it was the right decision to have her close.


    As she settled into her chair, she asked, "Neville, is there really nothing that can


    be done for your grandmother''s illness? Have you asked Mr. Burton?"


    "I have," Neville replied. "Mr. Burton even flew to Aetheria himself. There''s nothing more to be done."


    After they ordered, their


    conversation turned to recent


    events. Neville looked at Ste, hisz dark eyes deep and thoughtful. "Star, you must have heard about Lerman Manor being destroyed and the cargo being stolen, right?"


    "Yes," Ste said calmly. "I was the one who took Leonard''s cargo."


    Neville didn''t look surprised. In fact, a faint smile yed on his lips. "I thought it might be you, Star." He wore a fook that said, of knew knew it "And those rumors spreading like wildfire... that was your doingtoo, wasn''t it?"


    "I just gave the Eder family a little nudge in the wrong direction," she said. "There wasn''t any concrete evidence. They lost their shipment and needed someone to me They''d never admit it was their own fault, and by pinting it on someone else, they might even be able to extort somepensation." <fnc27a> Follow current nov?ls on FιndNovel</fnc27a>