Hearing the name Quinn, Yorick''s face hardened, but he didn''t dwell on it too much.


    "Why is Ste here?" he asked Orion, his tone clearly annoyed.


    Orion replied, "Must be a coincidence. Our trip wasst-minute, and no one knew about it. Maybe she came with Mr. Patel?"


    He wouldn''t dream of betraying Yorick''s whereabouts, that much was certain.


    Somehow, after mentioning it could be a coincidence, Orion could feel the atmosphere around Yorick turn even colder, especially at the mention of Jeremy. He didn''t seem to buy it. "Find out who she''s here with," Yorickmanded, his voice icy.


    Orion hesitated. "..."


    This was a tough one.


    "We need to hurry up and find the Lugar family heir. If we don''t settle things today, Mr. Thane Quarry..." Orion trailed off, leaving the rest unspoken.


    Thane''s wrath was the least of their worries. The Quarry Group would also suffer, not to mention the bacsh from Urs.


    Yorick massaged his temple, feeling a headacheing on. "It won''t take long. Just check."


    Orion nodded. "Understood."


    Seeing Yorick''s unwavering resolve, Orion had no choice but to obey.


    ...


    Ste changed her clothes in the locker room. Following Ronald''s advice, she dressed warmly for the walk from the dressing room to the hot springs.


    As she stepped out, she identally bumped into a woman wrapped in a bath towel.


    The woman lost her bnce and fell straight into the footbath by the door, soaking her towelpletely.


    Furious, she yelled, "Can''t you watch where you''re going?"


    Ste was taken aback. It was clearly the woman who had run into her.


    Her face hardened, "I don''t know about my eyes, but you clearly need to check yours!"


    The woman''s anger intensified at Ste''s words. Wiping water from her face, she stood up and red at Ste, recognizing her.


    "It''s you!"


    Ste retorted, "Oh, it''s you. That exins the blindness and rudeness."


    Vivian Warner, Urs''s best friend.


    Ste had encountered her once at


    the Larkin family''s home, where Vivian had treated her rudely under Urs''s influence. Later, they''d crossed paths while shopping, and Vivian had stirred up trouble yet again on Urs''s behalf. Given Ste''s tendency to retaliate on the spot, their mutual animosity was hardly surprising.


    Vivian, enraged by Ste''sment, dropped her wet towel and squared up as if ready to throw a punch at any further provocation from Ste.


    "That''s right, I''m talking about you. What are you going to do about it?"


    As Ste stood her ground, Vivian, ovee with anger, raised her hand to strike.


    Ste wasn''t about to back down. Just as she prepared to fight back, a hand reached out from behind, pushing Vivian away and pulling Ste into an embrace.


    Ste instinctively turned around to see Ronald, his face a storm of anger. He fixed a cold re on Vivian before looking down at Ste. "You okay? Did she hurt you?" Ste shook her head. "No, but she was about to!"


    Soon after, Finley hurried over. He nced between Ste and Ronald, noting how protective Ronald was of her. He couldn''t help but marvel at how glued Ronald''s eyes were to Ste, even from such a distance.


    He was in such a hurry earlier, worried that Ste might be bullied.


    Come on, this girl has never had any trouble in Portis City. Was all this worry necessary?


    Ronald''s expression was frosty as he red at Vivian, who was picking herself up from the footbath, her anger palpable.


    Vivian, seething with rage at being


    pushed, snapped, "Oh, Ste, no


    wonder you''ve been acting


    you''ve found yourself a new me? What''s this? A tragic love story in the making?"