Hearing the door open, Joshua slowly looked toward the entrance, his eyes meeting Ste''s.


    Ste froze in her tracks. "Joshua, what are you doing here?"


    Her office door had a fingerprint scanner. She hadn''t deleted Joshua''s print after he left, so she wasn''t surprised that he could get in. But for him to be waiting for her here... Abby must have told him. Only Abby knew her entire schedule.


    Even knowing this, Ste had never tried to stop it because she trusted Joshua.


    In the faint light, Joshua''s face was shadowed and unreadable.


    His deep gaze fell upon her. "It''s been a while. I missed you, so I came to see you."


    He said the words "I missed you" so naturally, as if they had been lovers for a very long time.


    It had been a while, but really, it had only been a week.


    Seeing her standing motionless at the door, Joshua offered a faint smile. "Star, why don''t youe in? Are you afraid I''m going to eat you?"


    Though he was smiling, they had spent enough time together for Ste to see that he was not in a good mood.


    She walked over to him and tried to exin.


    "I''ve been a bit busytely, so..."


    Before she could finish, Joshua''s voice cut her off.


    "Busy meeting with Neville?"


    Ste''s eyes widened, and she shot a look at him.


    Joshua stared back, unblinking. His dark eyes radiated an intimidating pressure, his gaze unusually sharp.


    The air in the room grew heavy, making it hard to breathe.


    They locked eyes for several seconds before Ste finally broke the silence.


    "Neville just got back from a business trip. He just invited me to dinner."


    "So you have time for dinner with him, but not to see me," Joshua stated.


    "He called when I was about to get food anyway, so I epted his invitation," Ste said softly.


    Joshua didn''t say anything else, just watched her quietly.


    Ste instinctively avoided his gaze.


    Joshua''s eyes narrowed. "Star, are you avoiding me?"


    bet


    "No." Ste turned her back to him and Walked toward the drink station. "Joshua, have you eaten?s there anything you''d like to drink? content


    He stood up, walked over to her, and grabbed her by the wrist.


    Startled, Ste instinctively tried to push him away. But his tall frame was as immovable as a stone wall.


    Even when she used leverage, she couldn''t budge him.


    Joshua''s dark eyes stared into her panicked, wavering ones. It was


    Clear from her bodynguage


    she


    was pushing him away.


    It was never like this before.


    He was losing control of his emotions. He instinctively pulled her in front of him,


    forcing her to meet his eyes.


    "Star, why?"


    He didn''t realize his own strength, his hand tightening around her wrist as if he were afraid she would run away.


    Ste felt a sharp pain shoot through her arm.


    "Joshua, you''re hurting me."


    Joshua froze. Seeing her face pale,


    he seemed to snap back to his


    senses. He reacted instantl


    letting


    go of her hand.


    A momentter, he took her hand again, but this time his touch was much gentler.


    He looked at her, his voice turning hoarse.


    "Star, I''m sorry. I hurt you."