The two were deep in conversation when Idris entered. Ste immediately scooted closer to Ronald, sitting obediently by his side.
Ronald gave Idris a sideways nce, his expression less than weing. "What is it?"
"Mr. Larkin is here," Idris replied, nodding toward the waiting room. "He''s causing a scene, insisting he sees Miss Ste."
When hearing Jaxon''s name, Ronald''s eyes turned icy. "Causing a scene?"
Idris nodded again. "He''s making a fuss. He must have heard Miss Ste might not return to Portis City after heading back to Ferrond. He''s too desperate to care about his dignity anymore."
Jaxon was indeed frantic. With the Larkin family in shambles, he believed everything could be set right if only Ste would help. Knowing she was leaving Portis City made him anxious.
Ronald closed his eyes briefly, then spat out, "Throw him out."
If Jaxon wanted to throw away his dignity, Ronald was more than happy to help.
"Wait," Ste interjected.
Ronald opened his eyes to look at her. "Why?"
She smiled slightly, "If he wants to suffer, shouldn''t we let him?"
Ronald raised an eyebrow. "Tossing him out would do just that."
With so many people at the airport, Jaxon would be humiliated enough. Ronald had already had Idris look into the Larkin family when theynded in Portis City. They were new money, and reputation meant everything to them.
Ste shook her head. "Reputation means nothing to them now."
She stood up from beside Ronald and nced at Idris. "Where is he?"
"By the door," Idris replied.
Ste nodded, then turned back to Ronald. "I''ll be right back."
Without waiting for a response, she walked out.
Ronald watched her retreating figure, a smile ying on his lips.
Idris followed her, but Ronald stopped him. "Let her go on her own. She can handle it."
Idris nodded, understanding. "Yes, Miss Ste''s grown up now."
She was no longer the little girl who came crying to Ronald each time she got bullied. Somewhere along the way, she''d learned to face her challenges head-on.
Ronald''s smile turned indulgent. "Grown-up? More like mischievous."
Idris chuckled Ste had always toyed with the Larkin family, and now she had them wrapped around her finger When they learned she was part of the Lugar family, their faces turned an amusing shade of green as if they''d lost billions overnight.
Outside, Jaxon was waiting. Though he wasn''t causing a scene, he was visibly agitated, with bandaged hands and a limp that made it hard for him to stand still. At most, Ke was scowling and muttering
"I need to see Ste. I''m not leaving until I do," he insisted stubbornly to Idris''s men, He was careful not to demand to see his ''sister'' too loudly. They were at an airport, and he knew Ste was with Ronald. He dared not make a scene.
As Idris''s men were about to lose their patience and call him for instructions, Ste arrived. The men holding Jaxon back nodded to her respectfully. "Ms. Quinn."
Ste waved them off. "Let him go."
Jaxon''s eyes lit up with relief, and his anger dissipated, reced by a pleading look. "Ste, you''re finally seeing me."
His grievances were momentarily forgotten as he realized this might be hisst chance to see her. He tried to grab her hand. "Star, my dear sister..."
But Ste stepped back, her re undisguised in its distaste. The word ''sister'' made her skin crawl.
When Ste was with the Larkins, Jaxon had called Urs ''sister'' at every turn. It was only a word, but their attitudes truly disgusted her.
And he called her his dear sister? The word made her shiver with revulsion.
Jaxon hesitated as Ste dodged his hand, leaving him awkwardly frozen with nowhere to ce it. He retracted it, feeling a bit lost and embarrassed.
He opened his mouth to speak, but Ste beat him to it, "So, are you here for Urs or Cloudia?"
Jaxon hesitated.
Cloudia?
Was that what she called their mother? He took a deep breath, ready tosh out.
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