"Joshua, actually, nothing happened between me and Leonard..."


    Before she could finish, Joshua squeezed her hand, a reflexive tightening.


    In an instant, he realized she had misunderstood.


    Joshua looked at Ste, his gaze so intense and focused that she could see nothing but herself in his eyes.


    "Star, it''s not that I care about that. That''s not why I don''t want to sleep with you. I really want to... but I can''t right now."


    He instinctively rubbed his temples. "My headaches might be acting up again. I can''t be too close to you. I''m afraid I''ll lose control and hurt you."


    In truth, he shouldn''t even be staying in the same room with her. He knew he should be as far away from her as possible. But if he couldn''t see her, even for a moment, he would feel restless and extremely agitated.


    He couldn''t bear to be separated from her, not even for a few minutes. When Ste had invited him to sleep with her, he had almost thrown all reason to the wind and agreed.


    But he knew he couldn''t. He couldn''t risk her safety to satisfy his own selfish desires. He couldn''t hurt her again.


    Ste stared at Joshua, a tightness in her chest. Joshua''s own condition was already so bad, yet he was still thinking of her.


    Ste''s hand slid into his,cing their fingers together.


    "Joshua, we''ll get through this together."


    Joshua squeezed her hand back. "Okay."


    ***


    A few dayster, Ste returned to the Williams family estate to meet with everyone. She didn''t offer much of an exnation for her kidnapping; it wasn''t as if the Williams family truly cared about such things anyway. Even when she gave them a vague excuse, they didn''t press the matter.


    Although Ste had been missing for a month, she hadn''t really lost anything. The situation at The Williams Group remained in a


    delicate bnce. It was a stalemate that would be difficult to break in the short term. For now, neither she nor Jonathan could do anything to the other.


    Ste told Joshua about Leonard''s offer to transfer his shares to her.


    After a long silence, Joshua only said, "Star, no matter what you choose, I will support you."


    Joshua was a smart man; Ste didn''t need to analyze the pros and cons for him. He left the choice to her.


    Ste still had time to think, so she didn''t rush to give Rhett an answer. There was something far more important she needed to do. She had to be there for Joshua''s treatment.


    Laurel Quinn''s proposed treatment n had been approved by the medical team, and they could begin.


    Although the n was designed by Laurel, the actual treatment would be carried out by Joshua''s own doctors. Even if Laurel and Joshua had been partners in the past, she was o


    Wan outsider and no one could entrust Joshua''s safety


    entirely to her.


    After about a week, Ste decided enough time had passed and ordered Aurora to be released.


    Not long after she was freed, the Williams family found her. There were no physical injuries on her, but her mental state was in shambles. It took a week of sessions with both a psychologist and a psychiatrist to stabilize her.


    Once they learned Aurora''s condition had improved, Skyler, Jonathan, and Coleman Williams went to her room to see her.


    Skyler asked hesitantly, "Aurora, what on earth happened? Who kidnapped you?"


    Aurora''s hair was disheveled, and her face was as pale as a ghost''s.


    Her colorless lips parted to utter a single name: "Joshua Gardner!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!