"You''re right," Ste said. "Violet Yancey''s father wanted her to climb the socialdder, preferably by marrying into the Williams family, so he orchestrated the whole thing with Israel."


    Violet was the woman at the center of the scandal. Her family was indeed involved, so Israel wasn''t entirely a victim. They had nned the entire follow-up, but they had underestimated the Williams family''s power and connections, and the matter had been buried.


    ording to Ste''s investigation, the forced abortion had caused permanent damage to Violet''s body, making it difficult for her to ever conceive again. She had been used as a pawn, passed back and forth, and was the only one who ended up truly hurt. She despised both Israel and her own family. By making the story public, she could get revenge on them both.


    "Does she still want revenge?" Joshua asked.


    "Yes. The hatred she has for Israel runs deep. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have been willing to risk a scorched-earth approach by working with me." Being forced onto an operating table was a traumatic experience for any woman. She had no desire to marry Israel. Perhaps she had considered making the best of a bad situation at first, but his subsequent actions had shattered anyst glimmer of hope.


    "I have an idea," Joshua said. "It could help her get revenge and make Israel''s life miserable at the same time."


    Ste looked at him expectantly. "What is it?"


    "If she marries Israel and bes your sister-inw, she''ll be living with him day in and day out. She''ll have endless opportunities for revenge. With her keeping him busy, he won''t have time to bother you. We can even provide her with some support behind the scenes so she''s notpletely isted."


    Ste''s eyes flickered with thought. "Isn''t using her marriage to get revenge too high a price to pay?"


    "That depends on the person," Joshua replied. "For some, living in the shadow of what happened is a worse fate than anything else. Given the choice between that and


    chance


    for revenge, I think she would choose revenge without hésitation. Of course, youpshould ask her. If she doesn''t want to, then don''t force her."


    Ste had already promised Violet that once this was over, she would help her move to Novaris to escape retaliation from both the v Williams and Yancey families. But Joshua'' proposal was certainly worth considering. It all depended on whether Violet wanted a new start or a chance at retribution.


    After they talked a bit more, Ste set up her easel again.


    "What''s with the sudden urge to paint?" Joshua asked.


    "It''s a former client of mine," Ste exined. "He managed to track down Lauretta and asked to buy one of my paintings. Anyone who can find Lauretta must have some serious connections. It''s just a few paintings, no need to put her in a difficult position. Besides, his original offer helped me out when I was in a tight spot financially. A few free paintings are a small price to pay to return the favor. And it never hurts to make a powerful friend."


    Despite her pragmatic exnation, Joshua knew that at her core, Ste was still a kind person.


    He looked at the canvas and asked, "Star, are you this good to everyone who has ever helped you?"


    Ste, who was mixing colors, paused. "Not really. I just don''t like being indebted


    to people. And this is a small thing. It won''t affect anything."


    She finished mixing her colors and resumed painting.