Ste''s expression was cial, her voice devoid of warmth. "Aplete stranger has saved my life time and again. The people you call ''family'' never raised me for a single day, and now you want to take away the most important person in my life."


    She added lightly, "Of course, if you''re so determined to get rid of Joshua, you''ll have to do it over my dead body. Otherwise, I will tear the Williams family apart."


    Haynes quickly recovered from his shock. Her words were harsh, but she had no emotional attachment to the Williams family, and now they were threatening Joshua. He was at his most vulnerable, and in Solmaris, their home turf, it would be all too easy for them to make a move. If Ste showed even a hint of weakness, they might act first and ask for forgivenesster.


    For so long, Ste and the Williams family had maintained a fragile peace. She wasn''t yet in a position to openly defy them, but for Joshua, she was burning every bridge. A thick, bitter jealousy rose in Haynes''s chest. She was protecting Joshua with her own life.


    He was jealous, so jealous he could go mad. But he knew, this was Ste. She hadn''t changed. She was the woman who would destroy her own hands-more precious to her than life itself—to protect Abby. And she was the woman who would risk everything for Joshua.


    Once, she would have done the same for him. But he had lost her.


    Skyler staggered back, clutching his chest. He pointed a trembling finger at Ste, speechless.


    "Dad, Keen still needs someone to look after him," Aurora said quickly, rushing to support him. "Let''s go back and check on him." She shot a meaningful nce at Jonathan. Ste didn''t want aplete break, and because of the original shares, the Williams family didn''t want one either.


    Jonathan moved to Skyler''s other side. "Aurora''s right. Let''s go home."


    A heavy sigh escaped Skyler, and in that moment, he seemed to age a decade.


    Just as they were about to leave, Israel, ever the instigator, spoke up. "Fine, it was your son who got hurt in the Gibson affair. If you want to proted that pretty boy, that''s on you. But what about what Joshua die to Aurora? He went after her, caused her trouble. Aurora never did anything to him. She''s innocent. What right did he have to bully her?"


    Ste''s eyelids lifted. "I''d like to ask what, exactly, Joshua did to the ''innocent'' Aurora. Did he hit her? Did he curse at her? Is asking her treat him to dinner now considered an attack?"


    She turned to Harold. "Harold, transfer a million dors to Ms. Williams''s ount


    for meal expenses. Consider their dinner my treat."


    Harold shot Israel a contemptuous look. "Right away, Ms. Cameron."


    These people really thought highly of themselves Attack Aurora?* As if she were worthy of his attention. The people Joshua had personally dealt with-Karl, Leonard, Shawn Pearce, Stuart-none of them had met a pleasant end. All Joshua had done was warn Aurora not to waste her time trying to get close to hip He couldn''t be bothered to y nice with her. And for that, they were crying foul? It was pathetic. If Joshua had truly wanted to harm Aurora, her hands would have been destroyed long ago, just like Ste''s. He couldn''t fathom how Israel could make such shameless usations with a straight face. Aurora had agreed to treat them, hadn''t she? She had lent them the car of her own free will. The Williams family was like a pack of leeches—once theytched on, they were impossible to shake off.


    Israel was still shouting. "But he wrecked her car!"