Even a man as deeply devoted as the male lead had eventually moved on.


    Once you lost your chance, it was gone for good.


    After leaving the cinema, Joshua drove Ste to a live violin concert.


    Swept up in the beautiful melodies, Ste''s heavy heart gradually began to lighten.


    All her crushing worries and anxieties slowly faded into the background.


    As the concert concluded, Joshua asked, "Star, doesn''t this ce feel familiar to you?"


    He led her out of the main hall.


    Ste looked around, a spark of recognition in her eyes. "I think I''ve performed here before."


    Joshua smiled, taking her hand and leading her toward the rear gardens.


    The scenery in the gardens remainedpletely unchanged.


    She had yed at this venue countless times. Despite the years that had passed,


    she still remembered the exactyout of the pathways and flowerbeds.


    Joshua held her hand gently as they strolled toward an elegant pavilion.


    "Star, do you remember this spot?"


    Ste''s brows flickered as a realization hit her.


    She turned to look at him. "Is this... is this where you first saw me?"


    Joshua smiled and nodded. "Yes. You were practicing your violin right here, but your back was to me, so I never saw your face.


    I was on the run from assassins andpletely exhausted. I stopped to listen for a while, just to catch my breath.


    I never expected I''d actually fall asleep.


    By the time I woke up, you were gone. The only thing left behind was a single


    earring where you had been ying."


    Thinking back on that day, Joshua''s gaze softened immensely.


    "If I had known I was going to fall so madly in love with you, I would have walked right up to introduce myself and made sure you''d never forge The


    Ste arched an eyebrow. "I thought you were going to say you would''ve started pursuing me right then and there."


    Joshua shook his head. "I couldn''t have. I wasn''t the head of the family yet. It was too dangerous, and I wouldn''t have been able to protect you."


    Hearing this, Ste suddenly remembered what Laurel had told her recently.


    Sometimes, destiny worked in the strangest ways.


    If she had actually met Joshua back then, he might never have fallen in love with her at all.


    Because at that exact moment in his life, romance was thest thing on his mind.


    It was only after he had secured his absolute power as the head of the family that he remembered the girl with the violin and sent


    his met to


    find her


    And even then, his only goal in tracking her down was to cure his insomnia and blinding headaches.


    But after realizing he had grabbed


    the wrong girl, Joshua decided


    velmet


    was amusing enough to keep Rachel around-purely to toy with her andy traps for her.


    Since he was busy ying his twisted games, he never bothered sending his men back out to find the real girl.


    He could never have guessed that fate would deal him such a wild card.


    The person he had been looking for all along was already right by his side.


    Ste asked, "If you couldn''t pursue me yet, what would have been the point of introducing yourself?"


    Joshua chuckled softly. "To make you fall in love with me at first sight, of course, so you''d never be able to get me out of your head."


    Ste couldn''t help butugh. "Were you that confident I''d like you? What if I didn''t feel anything for you at all?"


    Joshua smirked. "Well, I heard from Abby that I''m exactly your type.


    She said if you had seen me back then, you would have fallen for me on the spot, and Haynes wouldn''t have even stood a chance."


    "...Why does Abby tell you everything?" Ste sighed helplessly. "When did she even say that to you?"


    "Shortly after I became your bodyguard, she let it slip," Joshua replied smoothly.


    Ste looked at him, genuinely curious. "When exactly did you realize you had fallen for me?"