She mocked, "Are you trying to tell me Joshua did all this?"


    His voice was raspy. "If I were being selfish, I''d be the one wanting him to undergo hypnosis the most. Logically, once he forgets you, you''ll separate, and I''ll have a chance, right?"


    Her gaze was freezing. "Maybe your goal isn''t to separate us. Maybe you just want to drive himpletely insane."


    Leonard fell silent.


    Old Mr. Wyatt finally understood the situation.


    He couldn''t help but defend Leonard. "Ste, if this kid really wanted to hurt the Gardner boy, wouldn''t it have been smarter to nt his own man? I''m the one who rmended Colby. If Leonard was really scheming, he''d be dragging me and Mr. Burton down with him. Given your rtionship with Mr. Burton, do you think he''d let Leonard off the hook for that? He still needs Mr. Burton to cure his poison. Pulling a stunt like that would be a death wish."


    Ste turned to Mr. Burton.


    "Poison? What poison?"


    Seeing her confusion, Mr. Burton cast a lingering look at Leonard.


    She didn''t know he had poisoned himself as a test subject just to get Old Mr. Wyatt to treat her.


    He assumed Leonard would have taken the credit and told her long ago.


    Even though Leonard was recovering at his estate, Mr. Burton rarely mentioned him to Ste.


    Ste knew exactly what was going on, but she yed dumb.


    Old Mr. Wyatt opened his mouth to exin, but Leonard cut him off.


    "It''s nothing. Just some poison from a while back. Mr. Burton is helping me detox."


    Old Mr. Wyatt gave him a long look but didn''t expose the lie.


    Leonard turned to the two older men.


    "I need a moment alone with Ste."


    Mr. Burton had no interest in their drama and immediately turned to leave.


    Old Mr. Wyatt tried to say something, but Mr. Burton dragged him away.


    "Leave the kids alone, you old geezer."


    Old Mr. Wyatt was furious. "You''re an old geezer! Your whole family is full of old geezers!"


    The two of them bickered as they walked off.


    Once they were gone, Ste finally asked, "The poison... was it because of me?"


    "No, it was from a while back," Leonard replied.


    She stared at him nkly. "Mr. Burton knows our history. He wouldn''t just cure you for no reason."


    She locked onto his eyes, watching his every micro-expression.


    Her words were sharp. "Old Mr. Wyatt treating my hand was likely part of a deal you made. And that deathas something to do with the* poison."


    Instead of rushing to deny it, Leonard unexpectedly smiled.


    He looked at her with a softness and admiration he didn''t even realize he had.


    "You''ve always been smart and


    gutsy. From the moment I met you, I


    knew you were different from ther


    women. No wonder Aurora always.


    lost to you."


    Ste''s face darkened.


    Sensing her displeasure, he dropped the subject and steered the conversation back


    to the issue at hand.


    "I admit I used some heavy-handed


    methods to get Colby here. But did you ever wonder how those fake treatment ns got approved by Joshua and his doctors? Do you


    honestly think just anyone can treat him?"