Coleman finally understood. No matter what heinous act Stemitted, Joshua would always find an excuse for her.


    A dark glint shed in Coleman''s eyes.


    He sneered, "Joshua, we''ve known your identity for a while. Do you really think Ste didn''t know? She was just ying dumb. Otherwise, why would she keep you by her side and treat you so well? She was just using you.


    "And she didn''t just use you to stir up conflict between us. She also used us to expose your identity."


    He paused, his gaze bing profound.


    "Have you ever wondered why Rachel Pearce was so coincidentally captured by Leonard? It was likely a setup orchestrated by Haynes O''Brien and Ste. Haynes still feels guilty about what happened and is begging for her forgiveness. He''d do anything for her.


    "After you helped her establish a foothold in The Williams Group, she decided you were no longer useful and schemed for us to drive you away. Then, she pretended to be the victim and had people pass messages to you, just to keep you on the hook."


    As if remembering something else, Coleman continued, "And I bet you don''t know this, but shortly after you left, she eagerly found two new assistants to keep by her side. The headlines about her frequent dates with Neville Connolly have been all over the ce. Not to mention Haynes and Foreman Richards, who often visit her at The Williams Group.


    "Joshua, you''re just another guy hung up on her, someone she uses to clear herpetition out of the way. She''s calcting to the core and never truly honest with anyone."


    Coleman knew that for someone like Joshua, Ste''s morality was irrelevant. He wouldn''t care what kind of person she was. But whether she was sincere with him— that, he would definitely care about.


    Joshua listened patiently until


    Coleman finished, then smiled. "Ever heard the line that it''s not being used that''s scary-it''s having zero value to anyone? What''s the point of wing for power and money if not to prove/ you''re worth something? The fact that I have value to be used is proof of Star''s recognition of me.


    "As for you two..."


    Joshua nced at Jonathan and Coleman. "You don''t even have any value to be used. As human beings, you''re aplete joke. Still, I should thankyou for telling me all this


    Otherwise, I would never have


    krown just how important Fantin Star''s heart."


    Coleman stared at Joshua in disbelief. He felt his entire worldview shattering.


    What kind of response was that? Happy about being used? Believing it gave him value?


    Unwilling to give up, Coleman pressed on, his voice low. "Ste only likes your power. She doesn''t genuinely like you."


    "It doesn''t matter," Joshua said


    nonchntly. "Whether she likes me


    for my personality, my face, my


    money, or my power-it''s all me. Its all part of who I am."


    Coleman gritted his teeth. "Joshua, if you ever became powerless, she wouldn''t give you a second nce."


    Joshuaughed. "That''s wonderful. I might becking in many things, but power isn''t one of them. In fact, I''m d Star likes my power instead of my kindness."


    He feigned a troubled expression. "If she liked kind people, that would be a real disaster. For me, being a good person is much harder than being powerful." Coleman''s eyes went wide. He was rendered utterly speechless, choked by Joshua''s words, with only one thought running through his mind.