"How... how did you know?"


    Ste would never be foolish enough to tell Cedric rke that Briony saw Stewart coughing up blood.


    She scoffed, "Did you really think I couldn''t hear what was going on just because you didn''t put the call on speaker?"


    Cedric rke fell silent.


    "I couldn''t make out every word, but over thest few calls, I definitely heard something about blood. And every single time you say there''s an emergency, it happens at these ridiculously specific times. Cedric, I''ve worked in a hospital before. Sure, maybe I missed things when I''d lost my memory, but now that I remember everything, do you honestly think you can still fool me?"


    Cedric rke looked uneasy. "You didn''t tell Briony, did you?"


    "I haven''t even had a chance to interrogate you yet. Why would I go running to Bryn?" Ste rolled her eyes. "Besides, even if Stewart really was on his deathbed, I wouldn''t tell Bryn. They''re divorced now. He''s the one who hurt her first. If he dies, well, that''s on him—"


    Before she could finish, Cedric pped his hand over her mouth, sighing, "Shhh, honey, don''t say things like that. Let''s not tempt fate, okay?"


    Ste pulled his hand away. "So Stewart really is dying?"


    Cedric gave her a pointed look. "He''s still my best friend, you know. Could you at least pretend you''re not enjoying this?"


    Ste scratched her forehead, a little embarrassed. "I don''t think I was that obvious."


    "You were." Cedric''s tone made it clear.


    Ste sighed. "Fine, fine. I get it, you value his friendship. I''ll stop trash-talking him in front of you."


    "Or behind my back, preferably."


    "Cedric, enough already!" Ste pinched his arm. "Can you just tell me what''s really going on?"


    "You''ve basically figured it out." Cedric rubbed the spot where she''d squeezed him. "But you can''t breathe a word of this to Briony, promise me."


    "They''re divorced. Why would I tell her?" Ste huffed. "Honestly, I''m just worried Stewart will try to get sympathy and guilt-trip Bryn."


    "He won''t." Cedric''s voice was steady and sure. "Stewart will never bother Briony again."


    That surprised Ste. Cedric almost never lied to her. After four years of marriage, she could read him like a book, especially when it came to telling the truth.


    The sadness and heaviness in Cedric''s eyes weren''t fake. Stewart really was out of hope.


    Ste pressed her lips together and was quiet for a moment before she asked softly, "What''s wrong with Stewart, exactly?"


    "Don''t ask." Cedric sighed and pulled her into a hug, holding her tight. "I''m really upset about this, honey. I know you care about Briony, and know Stewart hurt her, but he never meant to. There''s so much more to all of this than what you see on the surface. Stewart''s life wasn''t easy. Thirty-two years, and in the end, all he has left is a little pride and


    dignity. I have to help him keep that."


    "Can''t you at least tell me what''s wrong-" Ste abruptly looked up, banging her


    head hard against Cedric''s chin.


    "Ow..."


    Cedric winced, but immediately reached out to rub the spot on her head.


    Ste stared at him. "It''s not something... contagious, right? Like—"


    He cut her off with a stern look. "Don''t even joke about that! Stewart is not that kind of person. My friends are not trash, okay?"


    "But he and Rosita Lockwood-"


    "Nothing ever happened between Stewart and Rosita. They were never together like that."


    "Not like that? Then why did they go public with their rtionship?" Ste bristled. "Don''t forget, Cedric, Stewart nearlymitted bigamy just for her!"


    "He did all that to send a message to certain people. That''s all."


    "Yeah, to let the whole world know, to give Rosita a title! Without a single thought for Bryn, his actual wife!"


    Cedric sighed, exasperated. "Star, I can''t give you all the details. There are other people and things involved I can''t talk about. Honestly, I don''t even know the full story. I just feed you to trust me-Stewart isn''t as bad as you think."


    "Maybe he''s not a bad person, but when ites to love and marriage, he''s a total jerk! He kept Bryn tied to him with a contract for nine years, Cedric! Do you know how many years that is for a woman?"


    The more Ste spoke, the more worked up she got. Cedric tried to calm her down, smoothing her hair "Hey, don''t get upset. I get why. you''re angry. I''ve said it myself-Stewart really did Bryn wrong."


    Now that he''d said that, Ste couldn''t keep going.


    She was quiet for a while, her brow furrowed as she muttered, "Cedric, sometimes


    I just don''t get it."


    Cedric had already closed his eyes, sleep tugging at him, but when he heard Ste''s voice, he opened them again and asked quietly, "Don''t get what?"