As Haynes was about to say more, Ste seemed to sense something and suddenly


    looked


    up.


    She saw Joshua standing by the second-floor railing.


    His eyes were as dark as ink, their color deep and heavy. He stood there silently, and she had no idea how long he had been watching.


    Her attention was drawn to him. "Joshua, are you finished talking with Harold?"


    Joshua acknowledged her with a sound and slowly descended the stairs.


    "Yes, we''re done."


    Soon, he was beside Ste. He naturally wrapped an arm around her waist, gently pulling her into his embrace.


    Ste was taken aback for a moment but didn''t pull away.


    Joshua looked at Haynes and said with a smile, "Thank you for your help these past few days, Mr. O''Brien."


    Haynes raised an eyebrow but didn''t say anything deliberately to provoke Joshua.


    "I should be the one thanking you for saving Keen."


    Ste still had many questions for Joshua. Seeing the situation, she said to Haynes, "You should head back. Joshua and I will go see Keen tomorrow."


    Haynes didn''t linger. "Alright, I''ll be leaving then."


    As he walked out of the vi, he saw Laurel Quinn standing outside, having just finished a phone call.


    Laurel Quinn wasn''t familiar with Haynes. She just gave him a polite nod and was about to go back inside the vi.


    Haynes stopped her. "Ms. Quinn."


    Laurel Quinn turned to look at him. "Is there something I can help you with, Mr. O''Brien?"


    Haynes asked, "Is Joshua okay?"


    Laurel Quinn knew that Haynes had overheard what she said when he and Ste first arrived.


    She looked at Haynes. "What are you trying to say?"


    Haynes''s eyes were deep. "I''ve


    wronged Star in the past, so if Star wants to be with Joshua, I won''t


    stop her. But that doesn''t mean just anyone car bully St?r. Me


    ???


    you''re an outsider. You have no right to interfere in other people''s rtionships."


    Hearing Haynes''s words, a look of surprise appeared on Laurel Quinn''s face.


    She knew the man before her was Ste''s ex-husband but had never really paid him any mind. In her heart, no man in the world couldpare to even a fraction of Joshua.


    At this moment, she finally took a good look at him.


    Laurel Quinn said, "It''s clear you''re still in love with Ste, and you have a child with her. You should be thest person who wants to see them together, shouldn''t you? If they break up, you''ll have your chance won''t you?"


    Haynes replied, "Star can choose to break up with him, but you can''t be the one to make her sad. Ms. Quinn, although the O''Brien family isn''t as powerful as the Quinn family, we still have what it takes to back Star up."


    Laurel Quinn didn''t get angry. Instead, she smiled faintly.


    "With the Richards family gone, the O''Brien family will absorb their assets and be the sole powerhouse in Novaris With Mr.


    O''Brien''s abilities your fut.


    development won''t necessarily be any weaker than the Quinn family''s."


    At this point, Laurel Quinn''s tone shifted. "What I said to Ste was for her own good. If she doesn''t want to leave, I can''t force her. You all think I''m the viin now, but one day you''ll understand why I said what I did."


    After saying that, Laurel Quinn didn''t exin further and turned to leave.


    In the room, Ste couldn''t help but ask again, "Joshua, are you really okay?"


    This was the third time Ste had asked.


    Joshua said patiently, "Star, I''m really fine."


    Ste frowned. "But..."


    Joshua looked at her with a heavy gaze. "Star, why do you think something''s wrong with me?"


    Ste wasn''t the type to gossip behind people''s backs. She said, "But you were unconscious for many days."


    Joshua said, "That''s because my hypnosis was wearing off, and I remembered some things."