"Are you seriously encouraging your adopted daughter to steal your biological daughter''s fiancé? What''s next? Are you nning to match your biological son with your adopted daughter too?" Cloudia was so furious she was ready to p L. But L wasn''t one to back down easily. She grabbed Cloudia''s wrist and pushed her away.


    "What''s the matter? Feeling embarrassed and angry now, Mrs. Larkin? How can you be so disgusting?"


    Cloudia shot back, "What did you just say? You think I''m disgusting?"


    "Yeah, I do. Aren''t you? Or are you nning to have your adopted daughter keep your husbandpany too? That way, your whole family could be tied together, right?" Ste was at a loss for words.


    Wow. L''s fighting spirit had really amped up. She had never been one to back down, even against Cloudia''s money, and now she was downright fearless.


    Soon after, a new video from Susanna came through.


    Ste clicked on it, and the video showed a chaotic scene with L and Sirena getting into a scuffle.


    Cloudia tried to help Sirena, but L effortlessly tossed her aside, leaving her struggling on the ground.


    Susanna''s call came in.


    "Did you see that?"


    Ste replied, "Yeah, I saw it."


    Susanna added, "After today, the Patel family will probably be furious with Jaxon too. This counts as a marriage scam, you know."


    Ste nodded. "With the kid involved, it definitely counts as a scam."


    "Oh, and by the way, once Cloudia cools down, she''ll dig up those photos of Mr. Larkin with that woman at Cherry Galleria."


    Ste''s lips twitched. That was fast. "You''re not giving them any breathing room, are you?"


    Susanna chuckled. "Well, I''m not sure who I''m doing this for. Guess I''m ying favorites here, helping your real mom."


    Ste sighed.


    Was this really helping? It felt more like stirring the pot, but she couldn''t deny she enjoyed the chaos.


    "Right, right, we need to correct our mistakes and know who to favor," Ste said with a hint of schadenfreude, making her way toward the main building. Suddenly, a shadow flitted across the snow-covered ground under the lights.


    Ste''s heart skipped a beat, instincts kicked in.


    Before she could fully process it, a cold gust of wind brushed past her from behind.


    Ste reacted swiftly. She hurled her phone backwards.


    The shadow dodged, then lunged toward her.


    She evaded, but her opponent was closing in on her with


    fast.


    every


    step. rmed, she found her


    forced into a fight.


    She urgently shouted, "Help! Somebody!"


    Seeing her call for help, the person initially seemed to want to toy with her, but then quickly subdued her. Her slender wrist was twisted behind her back, and a warm palm mped over her mouth, silencing her. Meanwhile, Ronald was leisurely enjoying a cigar, watching Finley work himself into exhaustion.


    Suddenly, he thought he heard


    Ste''


    hen an instant, he


    In an instant, he


    to his feet, striding quil


    Idris noticed the urgency in his movements, paused for only a second, then followed without hesitation.


    ...


    Ste struggled.


    But the man easily restrained her.


    "Star," he whispered in her ear, a voice she hadn''t heard in years, yet one that was bone-deep familiar.


    Ste''s breath hitched. Her pupils contracted as anger, fear, and a


    myriad ofplicated e


    shed across her eyes.


    She fought harder, her desperation rising.


    But in his arms, she was like amb caught in the grip of a predator, so helpless.


    "Mmm, mmm..."


    Ste tried to speak, but his hand over her mouth muffled her words.


    Nearby, there were sounds of people approaching.


    Ste lifted her eyes and saw Ronald emerging from around the corner.


    As their gazes locked, Ste''s struggles intensified.