Aurora studied the look on Queenie''s face, frowning. "Queenie, don''t tell me you still have feelings for Haynes?"

    Years ago, when Haynes had helped Aurora, Queenie couldn''t help but develop a crush on him. But she''d been so young then, and her family had already arranged an engagement for her since childhood.

    She couldn''t just go chasing after Haynes while wearing thebel of someone else''s fiancée.

    When she got home, she tried to break off the engagement, but her family wouldn''t hear of it.

    Her fiancé, someone who''d grown up with her and always adored her, refused to let her go as well.

    It took Queenie years of effort to finally free herself from the arrangement and all the expectations that came with it.

    She went to Novaris to find Haynes-only to be hit with the news that he was already married.

    Queenie wasn''t the type to be the other woman. She buried her feelings deep and left Haynes alone, quietly returning to the Burton family.

    She didn''t bother denying anything now. Instead, she said softly, "Over the years, I''ve tried dating a few times, but it never made my heart race. I know he''s been married before, and he has a child. But honestly, I''d rather be with someone I care about than settle for a lifetime with a man I feel nothing for."

    Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Aurora, you know as well as I do-being part of the Burton family, there''s no way I''ll be allowed to stay single forever. When the timees, the family will arrange a marriage for me. The O''Brien Group is doing well these days, and Haynes is one of the most aplished men of our generation. If I put in a little effort, I''m sure the family would approve." Aurora hesitated. "But Ste is Haynes''s ex-wife. With the way she and Mr. Burton get along, I''m not even sure he would be on board with all this."

    Queenie just smirked, dismissive. "I''m Grandpa''s granddaughter, his own flesh and blood. No matter how close he is to her, that doesn''tpare to me. I''ve always been his favorite. I''ll spend some more time with him in theing weeks, and soon enough, he''ll forget all about Ste. She was only ever a stand-in for me."

    There were far more sons than daughters in the Burton family, and Queenie was easily the prettiest of the girls-spoiled and adored from the day she was born.

    She''d always gotten her way.

    But Aurora wasn''t convinced. The way Mr. Burton

    looked at Ste et

    was nothing like how like how someone

    I look at a mere substitute.

    She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could speak, someone shouted, "Sellers is awake!"

    The two women dropped the conversation and hurried into the hospital room.

    Inside, Sellers was awake atst. But after everything he''d endured, he

    was a shadow of his former self-his body battered and frail, nothing left of the charming, confident man he''d once been.

    As Aurora entered, he flinched and barked, "Get out! All of you, get out!"

    His voice was rough and broken, like a cracked bellows.

    Everyone rushed to calm him down.

    In the end, it was Aurora''s gentle words that finally soothed him.

    "Sellers, your injuries aren''t permanent. If you cooperate with the doctors, you''ll recover in no time."

    Once he''d settled down, Aurora asked the question on everyone''s mind.

    "Sellers, what happened? How did you disappear for so long? Who took you?"

    The memory of that harrowing month shed through Sellers'' mind, and his hatred for Foreman Richards burned white-hot.

    But he knew all too well-someone like Foreman, who''d dared to him,

    y didn''t even fear det

    prepared for the

    He

    If he wanted to make Foreman suffer...

    A strange, calcting glint appeared in Sellers'' eyes. He uttered each word

    slowly, as if weighing them: "It was... Ste."