After Joshua left, Ste began opening her other gifts.


    Keen, Marvin, and Abby had all given her handmade items. Lauretta and Candida''s gifts were carefully selected pieces of jewelry, far from themon styles found in stores. The three remaining men had given more practical gifts. Antoney and Neville had presented her with lucrative partnership opportunities. When Ste opened Haynes''s gift, she couldn''t help but smile. It was a check for a billion dors. He was still hung up on that past debt.


    After a moment of contemtion, she decided to ept it.


    The past was in the past. If it was possible to be on peaceful terms with Haynes, there was no reason not to be.


    After sorting through all the gifts, Ste noticed an unfamiliar box at the very bottom of the bag. She paused. She was certain she hadn''t seen this gift at the party.


    A sense of premonition washed over her, but she opened it anyway. Inside was a beautiful crystal music box, with a figurine of herself carved in lifelike detail.


    Ste stared at the music box, aplex mix of emotions stirring within her.


    Abby had helped her pack up the gifts, so she must have been the one to put it in the bag.


    As if on cue, her phone rang. It was Abby.


    "Star, have you finished opening your presents? I''m the one who put Foreman''s gift in there. I''m so sorry. He contacted me before your birthday and said he couldn''t make it, so he asked me to bring his gift for him. At the time, I had no idea he was the one who hurt Joshua like that... I''m sorry, I shouldn''t have done it without asking."


    Abby had only learned of Foreman''s treachery when Antoney drove her home, since the gift had already been delivered, all she could do was exin, hoping Ste wouldn''t think she had conspired with him.


    Ste didn''t me her. "It''s okay."


    Abby sighed. "I just can''t believe Foreman would try to harm Joshua." She paused again.


    While his actions were shocking, they also made a twisted kind of sense. She had known for a while that Foreman liked Ste.


    Seeing Ste and Joshua grow so close during her absence must have been devastating for him. It never dawned on her that a man stealousy could be so terrifying.


    Ste looked at the music box. Thest one Joshua had smashed had contained


    a listening device. She wondered what this one held.


    It didn''t matter. She had already packed away all of Foreman''s other gifts in storage. This one would join them.


    Changing the subject, Ste asked, "How have things been on your end with Hand Lerman?"


    "Not much has changed," Abby replied. "I did hear from Hand that Leonard has beenpletely out of sighttely. No one knows what he''s up to."


    The mention of Leonard reminded Ste of the materials for ''Dawnlight.'' Now that Joshua was out of the hospital she could ask him to apany her to retrieve them. ,


    Just as she ended the call with Abby, a knock sounded at her door.