"I tripped."


    That excuse was far from believable.


    But given Ste''s current state of mind, she waspletely out of the mental bandwidth to concoct any other excuse.


    Please don''t ask anymore. If he kept pressing, she truly might crack and spill everything. Then what? Would they even be able to stay siblings? No, she couldn''t bear the thought. She couldn''t take that risk!


    Ronald frowned. "Tripped? Star, do you really think that excuse holds any water?"


    Ste froze.


    He''s still asking?


    Oh,e on! Could someone just arrest her already?


    "Star."


    His voice, low and maic, drilled into her frayed nerves like a persistent drumbeat.


    Ste couldn''t take it anymore.


    Fine, forget being siblings. Maybe it was time to throw caution to the wind and pursue him instead.


    Ste steeled herself, heart pounding, ready to take the plunge.


    But just as she opened her mouth to speak, Ronald''s phone buzzed sharply, cutting through the tension and halting their conversation.


    Ste, already stiff with tension,tched onto the ringing phone like it was a lifeline. "Your phone''s ringing."


    Ronald''s gaze lingered on her for a moment before he finally relented, turning to pick it up. It was a call from Idris. At this hour?


    Ronald''s expression hardened as he stepped away, answering with a cold tone. "Speak."


    Ste''s heart continued to race as she watched him retreat to the balcony. Her instinct screamed that this wasn''t over. Barely a minute passed before Ronald returned, his face grim. "Aren''t you tired? Why aren''t you sleeping?" "Sleeping! Right now! Sleeping!" Ste blurted, her words tumbling over each other as she dove into the covers. Him deciding not asking anymore was the best. Just don''t ask anymore.


    But what about tomorrow?


    The bruises around her neck wouldn''t fade for a week at least.


    Seeing her bundled under the small nket, Ronald, who had a frosty expression, now showed a trace of exasperation.


    He approached, picked her up, and


    told


    you not to sleep like that? It''s


    bad for your heart."


    belongs


    Ste couldn''t help but think," want


    right now my head in the


    flip


    You''ll leave, and I''ll just


    603


    right?"


    But she couldn''t bring herself to voice it.


    Ronald pulled the nket over her, and just as he was about to stand, his fingers brushed against the bruises on her neck.


    Ste''s heart, already unsettled, raced even faster.


    Ronald''s tone was heavy with implication. "With this many, these won''t fade for a week."


    Ste was left speechless. Was there really a need to agitate her like this?


    Wait... what did that mean?


    She suddenly got the feeling that Ronald actually remembered everything.


    Before Ronald could fully stand, Ste, in a panic, grabbed thepel of his robe.


    In her haste, her nails scratched across his chest, leaving marks that mirrored the ones already there.


    Ste''s breathing hitched.


    Ronald, feeling the pain, nced down at his chest. "Star."


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    Ronald asked, "Did you scratch me?"


    Ste replied, "I didn''t."


    Now she was truly done for; there


    was no way to exin this away t


    But, in all honesty, the marks on him


    earlier hadn''t been her doing him


    Ronald''s gaze deepened. That meaningful look now seemed to hide a flicker of fiery intensity.


    Ste''s breath hitched. "Is falling for a man really unforgivable?"


    Especially falling for you?


    She couldn''t take it anymore. Fine, she might as well tell him, sooner orter, it was all the same.