Simone said, "If you could find a way to spend some time with Ste, she might start to see you differently. You sharemon interests and have a lot to talk about. And didn''t she give you that calico cat? If she saw how well you''ve been taking care of it, she would definitely be impressed. People like Ste, artists, tend to bepassionate. If she could forgive Joshua, she can certainly forgive you."


    Leonard''s deep gaze rested on Simone. "You want me to kidnap Ste, which would conveniently create an opportunity for you to be with Joshua, right?"


    A chill ran down Simone''s spine.


    He had seen right through her.


    Deciding to drop the act, Simone looked him straight in the eye, a strange smile ying on her lips.


    "And you don''t want that? If you didn''t, why do you have her under surveince day after day? Seeing how she treats Joshua... don''t you want her to treat you the same way?"


    Leonard''s eyes narrowed, his gaze sharpening like a de.


    Simone had intended to provoke him further, but the intensity of his gaze silenced her.


    The Williams Group, Ste''s Office.


    Abby walked in with a file, beaming as she gave her report.


    "Jonathan is still throwing everything he has at us to block our progress. He has no idea that the resources they''re funneling to Aurora are starting to have issues."


    Ste flipped through the file. "We can''t let Jonathan realize we''re targeting Aurora''s resources. Abby have a few project managers continue negotiating with our major partners. Make our offers sincere enough to keep him distracted. And don''t ck off on the partnerships with the overseas families When youre under attack, the natural response is to seek external support. Jonathan is the heir to The Williams Group; he''s no fool. We can''t afford any mistakes."


    Abby smiled. "This misdirection is brilliant. Jonathan would never guess that we''d actually go after Aurora''s assets."


    "It''s not that he can''t imagine it," Ste corrected. "He just thinks I wouldn''t dare touch anything of Aurora''s."


    Abby scoffed. "Who does Aurora think she is? Does she really believe a few sycophants are enough to make everyone afraid of her? Without those men, she''s nothing!"


    Ste, however, didn''t underestimate


    Aurora. "Regardless, her ability to get those family heads to do her bidding


    is a skill in itself. A method isn''t good or bad it''s effective or it''s not For my father and Jonathan to value her so highly, she must have considerable abilities of her own."


    Abby looked surprised. "Star, don''t you think you''re giving her too much credit? Since joining The Williams Group, Aurora hasn''t done a single impressive thing. We''ve been running circles around her."


    Ste looked at Abby. "Aurora may have majored in music, but she''s been minoring in business this whole time. She''s not like me, a


    wha


    thiste. She definitely knows what she''s doing. She befriends the heads of powerful families and uses them as tools for her own advancement. Don''t you think, Abby, that getting help from people like that is much faster than working your way up on your own?"


    Abby pouted. "That just proves she has no real talent, just a knack for flirting her way to the top."


    "But her approach is undeniably the fastest way to achieve her goals," Ste said. "We see it as selling out, but to Aurora, her beauty is her most valuable asset—and the one with the biggest payoff. As for why we''ve been able to keep her down..."


    Ste closed the file, her voice calm and rational.


    "It''s because Joshua is just that good. If I didn''t have his help,ing into this with nothing and knowing nothing, how could I possibly have stood a chance against Aurora?"