Foreman''s voice was as cold as ice. "Joshua is her bodyguard, Haynes.


    Protecting her is his job. It''s what he''s paid to do. She doesn''t owe him some debt of gratitude. Keen''s condition is critical-she shouldn''t be wasting her time on an employee. Blood is thicker than water. Keen is her family. Shouldn''t he be her priority? Joshua is nothing to her, just a stranger."


    He red at Haynes. "I thought you couldn''t stand his two-faced act. When did you be so charitable?"


    Haynes''s gaze settled on him. "I checked his injuries. He''s in bad shape. It''s a toss-up whether he''ll even make it. If he doesn''t, this might be thest time Star ever sees him. If he dies saving her and Keen, and she isn''t there, she''ll carry that guilt for the rest of her life."


    Haynes looked Foreman directly in the eye, his tone heavy with meaning. "Is that what you want to see, Foreman?"


    Foreman fell silent.


    Haynes didn''t press the point. Instead, he gently took Keen from Foreman''s arms. "Thank you for protecting him. Let''s get going."


    As their helicopter lifted into the air, Haynes asked quietly, "When did you fall in love with Star?"


    Foreman knew his recent impulsiveness had likely betrayed him. The mask he wore so proudly had been cracked for Haynes to see. He dropped the pretense.


    "Haynes, do you remember in high school when my stepmother poisoned me? My face broke out in rashes, and they sent me away to ''recover''?"


    A flicker of understanding crossed Haynes''s eyes. "Don''t tell me..."


    A nostalgic look softened Foreman''s features. "That''s right. That''s when I met Star. My stepmother wanted me out of the way so her illegitimate son could inherit the Richards fortune. She didn''t dare kill me outright-my grandfather would havee after her. So she came up with a more vicious n rain my face. With a disfigurement, I''d bepletely disqualified from the line of session." <fn31d9> Follow current nov?ls on f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?</fn31d9>


    From ancient dynasties to modern corporations, a wed public image could be a death sentence for an heir.


    "They shipped me off to another


    city," Foreman continued, his voice hardening. "The rash on my face


    was so bad that I was relentles


    bullied at school. During a summer camp, the kids in my group ditched me deep in the woods. When I checked my bag I found they taken my satellite phone, my map. mypass... most of my food and water."


    A cold, dangerous light entered his eyes. "I couldn''t find my way out. I got lost. I nearly died in that forest. And then..."


    His expression softened once more. "Then I met Star."


    At that moment, Ste had found him copsed in the undergrowth, clearly dehydrated. She immediately uncapped her water bottle to help him.


    Her friend Abby Murphy, had shrieked in disgust. "Ugh, isn''t that the famous freak from our schoo What was his name again? Ican''t remember."


    Antoney Watson, another boy with them, had added, "Star, that''s thest of our water."