Ste bolted from the Miller estate, shrieking, her face and neck raw with scratch marks. Every step sent a jolt of pain up her battered, limping body.


    Margaret, that wretched woman, had ordered the servants to pin Ste down while she straddled her, beating her mercilessly.


    Ste would never forget this humiliation. She would see Margaret pay.


    She stumbled through the grand front gates, frantically scanning the driveway, but there was no sign of Remington anywhere.


    The West family''s chauffeur rushed over. "Miss Ste, what on earth happened to you?"


    Ste shot him a venomous re. "What, you think this is funny? You dare mock me now?"


    "N-no, of course not," the driver stammered, lowering his head. He knew better than to cross her; Ste''s temper was no secret.


    She pushed her tangled hair back and demanded, "Did you see Remington? Where did he go?"


    "Mr. Dashiell and Mr. Sterling drove off just now, ma''am. Didn''t even look back."


    Instead of relief that Remington had simply left-without so much as confronting her —an uneasy feeling crept into Ste''s chest.


    But then she remembered why Remington hade to the Miller family in the first ce: to have Mr. Miller send Margaret away, far from here. Maybe, just maybe, Remington still held some affection for her. Maybe he''d let her off the hook after all. After all, it was Margaret who had caused all the trouble. Ste had only said a few ambiguous things. Now Margaret had been punished, hadn''t she?


    With thatforting thought, Ste''s nerves settled somewhat. She climbed into the car, pulled out herpact, and carefully dabbed at the scratches on her face.


    She couldn''t risk scarring—not when she still nned to marry into the Dashiell family and be the nextdy of the house.


    Worried about her looks, Ste took a detour to a cosmetic clinic, making sure every blemish was treated before finally heading home.


    She couldn''t have known that the moment she stepped inside, a ss tumbler woulde hurtling at her head.


    There was a sharp crack as it struck her temple. Warm blood trickled down her cheek before she even registered what had happened.


    Dazed, clutching her bleeding forehead, Ste looked toward the couch-straight into the thunderous gaze of Martin West.


    Her knees nearly buckled. She shrank with fear.


    "Dad, what did I do wrong?" she whimpered, moving over and standing before Martin like a chastened schoolgirl.


    Martin''s voice was low and icy. "What did you do wrong? Don''t you know what a mess you''ve made?"


    Her head throbbed, but Ste dared not talk back.


    "I...I really don''t know, Dad. Please, calm down—"


    "Calm down?” Martin exploded. “Remington just pulled the plug on three major deals with our family. The projected losses are in the billions, Ste. What the hell did you do?!"


    Ste''s heart turned to ice. She''d thought Remington would let things slide, would show her mercy.


    Instead, he''d gone straight for the West family''s throat.


    Tears welled up in her eyes, red from crying earlier.


    “Dad, I swear I didn''t do anything. It was all Margaret. She leaked some photos and videos of me with Remington, and told everyone about how I saved Remington years ago. That''s all, really..."


    Martin''s patience snapped. "If it was all Margaret, why is Remington taking it out on us?"


    Ste''s voice cracked with humiliation. Tears spilled down her cheeks.


    "I thought-even if Remington traced those rumors back, he''d see it was all Margaret and just punish her. I never thought he''d stop trusting me or believe was innocent: He kept pressing Margaret, and that idiot, as soon as she panicked, she sold me out..."


    "You useless girl!" Martin spat. "If you''re going to do something, do it cleanly. Don''t leave anyone with something to use against you!"


    He snatched up the ss ashtray from the table and hurled it. Ste ducked just in


    time; it smashed against the TV screen, sending spiderweb cracks across the ss.


    Ste''s face drained of color. She sobbed, "Dad, Lizetta''s back. Ever since she lost the baby, Remington''s been cold to me. Now that she''s returned, she''s clinging to him again. I don''t stand a chance


    anymore what am I supposed to do?"


    Martin''s expression twisted with disgust.


    "Pathetic. You can''t even hold onto a man? What a waste of all the trouble I went through to bring you back."


    Ste hung her head. Blood seeped through her fingers as she pressed them to her wound-a pitiful sight.


    But her misery did nothing to soften Martin''s anger. He closed his eyes and gave a curt order. "Take her to the basement."


    Ste''s face nched. She threw herself at Martin''s knees, clutching his leg in desperation.


    "Please, Dad, don''t lock me up. I''m begging you. I know I messed up, but I''ll fix it— I''ll go to Remington, I''ll apologize, I''ll do whatever it takes!"


    Martin sneered, "You really think he''ll change his mind? If he had any feelings for us, he wouldn''t have cut ties without a word."


    The moment Remington called off two of their joint ventures, Martin had tried calling him—over and over, more than ten times. Remington hadn''t answered once.


    He''d even tried reaching out through the Starlight Group''s executive office, but Remington''s secretary just kept making excuses. Remington wouldn''t see him.


    Martin knew all too well what it looked like when a man decided to cut someone off.


    There was no way Ste''s tears or pleading would sway Remington now. With a silent nod from Martin, two bodyguards stepped forward.


    Panic-stricken, Ste clung to


    Martin''s leg. "Dad, Mr. Temple''s birthday ising up in a couple of days Remington will definitely be there. Give me another change-l''ltz change his mind, I promise!"


    Her voice trembled.


    But her words finally brought a glimmer of interest to Martin''s eyes.