Haynes ignoring Joshua and looked directly at Ste.


    "Star, I need to talk to you alone."


    Ste knew it was about Keen. Without pausing her task, she replied, "We can talk after Joshua has finished his breakfast and is resting."


    Haynes''s lips tightened in displeasure, but he said nothing, quietly taking a seat to wait.


    From a distance, Leonard, watching the scene through a pair of binocrs, let out a cold sneer.


    "So patient. No wonder Ste divorced him. And no wonder Foreman Richards thought he could steal her away."


    He lowered the binocrs, bored. Just then, his phone rang. It was Aurora.


    "Leonard, are you feeling any better?"


    "What is it?" Leonard''s voice was devoid of emotion.


    "I wanted toe see you," Aurora said softly.


    After a moment''s silence, Leonard gave her the address of his new residence. About forty minutester, she arrived carrying a thermos.


    "Leonard, why did you move here?"


    "It''s closer to the hospital. Convenient for my treatments," he replied tly.


    Aurora nced at the hospital across the street but didn''t press the issue. She smiled warmly. "I heard about a new homestyle restaurant that''s supposed to be excellent. I picked up a few of your favorite dishes."


    Leonard nced at the food without interest and didn''t move to take it. "Thank you."


    Sensing his coldness, Aurora asked gently, "Aren''t you going to open it?"


    "I can''t eat anything this greasy in the morning," he said.


    Aurora knew she had been


    neglecting him, and his anger was to be expected. Her smile didn''t waver. "Then what would you like to eat? I can go buy it for you."


    "I don''t like takeout."


    Aurora''s smile faltered. If he didn''t want takeout, it meant he wanted her to cook


    for him. A troubled expression crossed her face.


    "Leonard, I''ve never cooked before. I''m afraid..."


    "I know," he cut her off. "Don''t worry about it. I''ve already eaten."


    Aurora took a deep breath. If it wasn''t for Joshua''s meddling, Leonard would never be treating her this way.


    She forced another smile. "Well, if you want something I''ve made, I can learn. I just hope you won''t mind my cooking when the timees."


    In the past, Leonard would have immediately insisted she not trouble herself, that the thought was


    enough. But now, the image of ste


    waking up early to cook for Joshua shed in his mind. He remembered the look on Joshua''s


    BUM


    face-something akin to pure bliss-when he realized Ste had


    cooked for him.


    Leonard found it bothughable and pathetic. Joshua could be bought with such a


    small gesture? Was he a five-year-old child?


    And yet, it urred to him that he had never received even that small a gesture.


    When Joshua was on the brink of death Ste had turned the hospital into a fortress, staying by his side day and night. But him? He had been cast aside like a worthless pawn.


    Even a heart as cold and hard as Leonard''s felt a strange pang at the stark contrast.