Ste was no longer as naive as she used to be; she easily caught the hidden caveat in his words.


    She pressed, "What do you mean by ''getting in your way''? Does that mean I''m never allowed to see them again?"


    Joshua remained silent.


    Ste knew she had hit the nail on the head.


    A heavy, suffocating weight settled in her chest, but it wasn''t fear of Joshua''s "true colors."


    Instead, it was a terrifying wave of panic at the thought of losing him.


    She had a sinking feeling.


    Joshua''s condition truly couldn''t be ignored any longer.


    But agreeing to the hypnosis meant the end of their rtionship.


    And she didn''t want to break up with him.


    Ste didn''t know if human beings were just fundamentally selfish.


    Or perhaps it was the simple truth that you didn''t feel the sting of the whip until it struck your own skin.


    Even knowing that her friends had been ruthlessly manipted by Joshua, she still couldn''t bring herself to leave him.


    She desperately wanted to find some shred of evidence that he wasn''t sick.


    She prayed Joshua would promise never to target her friends again.


    As if a simple promise would magically mean he waspletely fine.


    But Ste knew she was only lying to herself.


    She needed to face reality.


    Just like she once had to ept the harsh truth that she wasn''t as important as Rachel.


    But this time, she couldn''t find the strength to make a decision.


    She kept hoping and praying for a miracle.


    Just like how she had crawled out of her own living hell and miraculously gained everything she had never dared to dream of.


    However, she had forgotten that miracles were a raremodity in this world.


    Every miracle she had ever experienced had been given to her by Joshua. He was her miracle.


    But she was powerless to create one for him in return.


    Ste''s eyes slowly grew red.


    Tears welled up, quickly spilling over in heavy drops that tracked down her cheeks.


    Joshua froze, a sh of genuine panic instantly piercing his dark gaze.


    "Star, don''t cry."


    He reached out, his hands unusually frantic as he wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.


    "I''m sorry. This is all my fault...


    I promise you, I won''t touch them ever again."


    Ste gently shook her head, but her tears only fell harder, like a broken string of pearls.


    From the day Joshua had met Ste, he had hardly ever seen her cry.


    Now that she was a powerful woman in her own right, her heart had hardened significantly.


    It took a lot to bring her to tears these days.


    Seeing her break down so suddenly left the always-calcting Joshua entirely at a loss for the very first time.


    The man who could remain perfectly


    "Star, please stop crying, okay?"


    He bowed his head, softly kissing away the moisture on her cheeks, his voice hoarse.


    "Whatever you don''t like, I''ll change it. I''ll listen to you from now on. I''ll do anything you want."


    Ste


    her own voice ring out


    withing rity. "Since y


    agree to anything then let''s break up


    Joshua''s body instantly went rigid.


    His gaze darkened into so?


    terrifying, and the air around grew deadly and oppressive.


    "Star, I don''t like jokes like that."


    Catching the dark, obsessive gleam in his eyes, Ste felt a dull ache throb in her chest.


    She chose not to provoke him further and simply looked away.


    "Let Sellers go first."


    Joshua remained silent for a moment before replying, "Alright."


    ...


    The next day, Laurel called Ste to confirm that Sellers had indeed been released.


    "Joshua actually let him go... Ms. Cameron, you really are the only one who can handle him."