The moment he saw Joshua, the smile on Foreman''s face tightened.


    "Star likes music boxes," he exined coolly. "It''s only natural I''d give her something she likes."


    Joshua''s tone wasced with insinuation. "Is it that Star likes them, or is it you, Mr. Richards? Or perhaps..." His gaze shifted to the music box in Ste''s hands. "Is there something special about them?"


    A flicker of stiffness crossed Foreman''s face before vanishing. "There''s nothing special about them. The only unique thing is that they''re all crafted by the same master sculptor."


    Joshua raised an eyebrow, feigning keen interest. "And which master sculptor would that be, Mr. Richards?" He added, "I find this music box quite charming myself. I''d love to know where you bought it so I can get one too."


    "The artist''s name is Louis," Foreman said dismissively. "He''s a wanderer, travels constantly for inspiration. There''s no telling where he''ll turn up."


    But Joshua pressed on, "You''ve given her so many music boxes, so you must have a way of finding him. Or are you unwilling to tell me your source, Mr. Richards?"


    Foreman had, of course, carved every music box himself. There was no master sculptor. Joshua''s relentless questioning ignited a spark of irritation deep within him.


    "I''ll let you know if I hear of his whereabouts," he said, trying to brush him off.


    Joshua didn''t press further. Instead, he turned to Ste. "Star, may I have a look at the music box Mr. Richards gave you?"


    Seeing his interest, Ste handed it over. "Of course."


    Joshua took the music box and began examining it closely.


    The


    Foreman''s expression shifted, and he had to fight the urge to snatch it back. He had poured his heart and soul into carving this for Ste, and now it was being held by the man loathed most. A wave of possessive rage washed over him; he wanted to chop Joshua''s hands off


    But there was a more urgent reason for his anxiety. The music box had hiddenpartment containing a listening device he had installed. He wanted to hear how Joshua was poisoning Ste''s mind when they were alone Thepartment was protected by a delicate mechanism; any attempt to force it open would trigger a self-destruct sequence. Dropping it would do the same. It was designed to be virtually undetectable and perfectly safe under normal circumstances.


    But Joshua wasn''t normal. He never yed by the rules. What if...


    Just as his thoughts began to drift, a sharp *crack* echoed through the room. The music box had slipped from Joshua''s grasp and shattered on the floor.


    Foreman snapped back to reality. His eyes, fixed on the splintered pieces, turned crimson.


    "My apologies, Mr. Richards," Joshua said, his voice devoid of any real remorse. "My hand must have slipped. I''ll pay you back for it. How much was it? Cash or a wire transfer?"


    Foreman stared nkly at the wreckage, his heart bleeding with every shard.


    Then, Joshua''s tone shifted. "Though, if you don''t mind me saying, Mr. Richards, the craftsmanship seems a bit shoddy. Are you certain you bought this from a master sculptor? You weren''t swindled, were you?"


    Foreman didn''t seem to hear him. He was lost in the sight of the fragments scattered on the floor. The tiny violin, broken in two, had rolled to a stop at his feet. Hidden in a small recess of the model were the words he had painstakingly carved: *Forever Love*.


    He had imagined that one day, when he and Ste were finally together, this


    music box would be a cherished memento of their love.<fn3092> Fresh chapters posted on find(?)ovel</fn3092>