The moment she heard Leonard''s name, Ste frowned reflexively.


    She turned her head and, sure enough, saw Leonard pushing the door open and walking in.


    Abby''s expression tensed when she saw him, too.


    "Star, should I call Jake and Harold over?"


    Before Joshua left, he had stationed Jake and Harold there, telling Ste she could call them if she needed anything.


    Ste shook her head slightly. "Not for now. If anything happens to me, Joshua will find out immediately and rush back. Besides, if I can''t even handle a small matter like this, I might as well just give up."


    Though Ste''s reasoning was sound, Abby was still worried.


    She knew Leonard had feelings for Ste, but in Abby''s eyes, Leonard was not a normal person. She was terrified he would suddenly snap.


    Ste gave her a reassuring look and said softly, "You and Wilbur wait for me outside."


    This only made Abby more anxious. "But..."


    "If he wanted to hurt me, even Wilbur might not be able to stop him," Ste said. "Don''t worry, he won''t do anything rash."


    Abby knew she wouldn''t be much help if she stayed. It was better to wait outside and keep an eye on things. If Leonard made any sudden moves, she could at least call for help.


    "Let Wilbur stay," Abby suggested. "He can handle himself, at least."


    Ste nodded slightly. "Alright."


    As Abby was leaving, Leonard walked right up to Ste.


    Just likest time, his eyes saw no one else,pletely ignoring Wilbur''s presence.


    His voice was hoarse. "Ste, why didn''t youe back?"


    Ste''s expression was indifferent. "There''s no reason. I didn''t want to, so I didn''t. It was never my home to begin with."


    Leonard''s voice dropped. "Ste, I won''t hurt you. I won''t do anything to you. I just want to see you from a distance."


    He knew she was wary of him, so he was trying his best to control himself and not disturb her. Just being able to see her every day was enough to satisfy him.


    He knew he shouldn''t have let Aurora move in; it would only make Ste misunderstand their rtionship and push her further away. But he was just so desperate to see her.


    He couldn''t find any other way to break the stalemate between them, so he resorted to a self-destructive solution.


    When Ste didn''t respond, Leonard continued, "Ste, there''s nothing between Aurora and me. I won''t help her hurt you again, nor will I allow her to do anything to harm you. If you don''t want to see me, I won''t appear before you again."


    He paused, his raspy voiceced with a hint of humble pleading. "Can youe back?"


    For a split second, a cold dread settled in the pit of Ste''s stomach.


    He couldn''t have actually fallen for her. Could he?


    If that was the case, it was utterly terrifying.


    Ste wasn''t Aurora; she had no interest in using a man''s feelings to achieve her goals. Though she loathed Leonard, she found the idea of emotional revenge even mor uneptable, especially a method that involved making him fall in love


    with her.


    It wasn''t because she had high morals, but because it disgusted her. She found it


    truly difficult to feign affection for someone she detested.


    Right now meeting Leonard''s


    obsessive, dark gaze, Ste felt


    nothing but fear was a feeling she


    hadn''t even experienced when he


    kidnapped her and personally


    destroyed her hand.


    Back then, when he ruined her hand, it was simply an act of cruelty.