Ste replied, "It''s fine. With everything that''s been happening, I could use a day off anyway."


    Since she put it that way, Joshua didn''t press the issue.


    ...


    Because of Ste''s "outrageous" decision to skip the meeting, the voices of opposition against her grew louder. Her support among the board plummeted from eighty percent to a mere twenty.


    Ste''s recent actions had caused many to lose faith in her. Now, people started bringing up her "fake heiress" status again. The seeds Sellers had nted were beginning to sprout.


    Even though Skyler had tried to rify the situation at thepany several times, the rumors and spection only intensified.


    In Coleman Williams''s office, he, Israel, and Aurora were gathered.


    Coleman remarked, "I thought Sellers had lost his touch,ing up with such a clumsy n. Now I see what his real goal was."


    "But no matter what the rumors say, Ste''s identity is certain," Israel said. "Father knows that, or he wouldn''t have given her the shares."


    Coleman sneered. "Father may not have disowned Ste, but he hasn''t lifted a finger to help her either."


    Back when Aurora was in trouble, it was Skyler who ultimately cleaned up the mess. Leonard wanted nothing to do with it, and swapping shares was a fair trade for the Williams family. Since Leonard wa out, the family had to step in for one of their own. Now, while Skyler hadn''t thrown Ste to the wolves at the Cameron''s party and had even tried to quell the rumors at the office, he had done nothing more.


    Ste was on her own.


    If she could survive this, she could stay at the Williams Group. If she couldn''t... she


    would probably have to give up her original shares.


    Israel now understood the stakes.


    He stroked his chin. "Sellers is ying a nasty game. It''s truly a lose-lose for her. If Ste doesn''t get rid of Joshua, she can''t stay at thepany, But if she does she loses a powerful ally, and hell likely resent her for it."


    At this thought, Israel turned to Aurora. "Aurora, you were right not to let me expose Joshua. Even if Ste knew he helped Rachel


    Pearce she would never give up an asset like him. And if we didn''t reveal his true identity, she would never believe a mere bodyguard could have helped Rachel."


    The reason Joshua helped Rachel was rooted in his true self. Remove that foundation, and his actions lose coherence, bing difficult to ept.


    Looking back, exposing Joshua would have been a poor choice. His true identity was a powerful card. Ste had gained countless advantages because of him.


    What happened in the past was done. Why dwell on it? Given how much Joshua could offer, Ste would have to be an idiot to turn against him over Rachel.


    Realizing this, Israel broke out in a cold sweat. No wonder so many people knew Joshua''s identity but never said a word to Ste. Even a fool would know which choice to make.


    If Ste knew who Joshua really was and was forced to choose, she would pick him without a second thought. But since she didn''t know...


    Israel couldn''t help but say, "Sellers might not be as ruthless as Leonard, but he''s certainly more cunning."