-


    Because Joshua was quickly getting the hang of it, and his kisses became intensely aggressive.


    His kiss was an all-consuming fire that left her gasping, her resistance crumbling instantly. Ste was no match for him. Her thoughts grew hazy, and her body went limp, melting like water into his embrace.


    Their breathing quickened, and the temperature in the room seemed to rise, creating an atmosphere that was rapidly spiraling out of control.


    Just as the situation was about to escte, a soft noise came from the doorway.


    A momentter, Abby Murphy''s voice drifted in.


    "Joshua, you haven''t eaten yet, have you? I brought some snacks, you can just....." Abby''s voice abruptly cut off. The snacks in her hand fell to the floor with a thud.


    The next second, her face turned beet red, and she looked as panicked as if she had walked in on a crime scene.


    "Uh, wrong room... bye..."


    Abby snatched the snacks off the floor and fled.


    Once she was gone, she pped her own forehead in frustration.


    She had been worried Joshua was hungry, so she''d brought him a few bags of snacks to tide him over. She hadn''t realized the only thing he was hungry for was Ste.


    After Ste finished her overtime work, Joshua personally drove both her and Abby home.


    Abby joked, "Joshua, I haven''t been in a car you''ve driven since you stopped being Ste''s bodyguard. Well...having a man of your standing as a chauffeur definitely feels different."


    Joshua was in an excellent mood. Not only had he made up with Ste, but they had also officially confirmed their rtionship, and he was still riding the high of the intimacy they''d just shared. The corners of his eyes crinkled with a smile.


    Joshua yed along. "If Ste enjoys role-ying, I''m more than happy to y whatever part she wants."


    Ste fell silent.


    For some reason, her mind immediately went somewhere it shouldn''t have.


    Joshua dropped Ste and Abby off


    at the entrance to the estate. Given his current status, it wasn''t


    appropriate for him to enter the


    Williams family grounds.


    They said their goodbyes at the gate.


    Joshua suddenly remembered something. "Ste, any news on Aurora Williams?"


    Ste shook her head. "Not yet, but


    the Williams family has more or less confirmed that Aurora is neither in srs nor Germany. They were fooled by King Wright''s diversion and have shifted the focus of their investigation."


    She had to admit, King Wright''s move had been ruthless, wasting so much of the Williams family''s time.


    Joshua nodded and didn''t press further.


    After watching Ste leave, Joshua got back into his car.


    His phone vibrated. He nced down at the message.


    His dark eyes instantly turned grim, his gaze as cold as ice.


    The night was pitch-ck and silent. It was nearly dawn.


    A single warm yellowmp was lit in Beckett Torres''s study.


    Hisptop was closed, and his files were neatly stacked on the desk. He had clearly finished his work long ago.


    Yet, he hadn''t left the office. Instead, he was leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed, as if waiting for someone.


    Suddenly, as if sensing something, his eyes snapped open.


    He looked toward a specific


    direction and chuckled. "You got hered


    het


    e fast Justake you to get her calmed down so quickly."


    In response, a knife came flying straight at his face.


    Beckett tilted his head, and the knife embedded itself in the bookshelf behind him.


    Joshua''s icy voice echoed from the shadows, where the light couldn''t reach.


    "What did you say to her?"