Vivian had zero intention of consulting George. She knew perfectly well the old patriarch would spin whatever lie Zachary needed if it helped their rtionship.

"Fine-get checked at the hospital and cure the problem. Next time you ''sleepwalk'' into my bed, I won''t be so polite," she warned, voice sharp as broken ss.

Relief rushed through Zachary. He straightened, nodded, and finally vacated the mattress.

The moment he left, Vivian patted herself down from corbone to ankle. Only after confirming nothing inappropriate had happened did she allow her pulse to settle.

Before sunrise, George had already slipped out of the Sinir residence. His chauffeur steered the car toward the psychiatric hospital, where Ste was being held.

At the facility, the director met him at the gates, bowing ever so slightly before leading the distinguished visitor down a sterile corridor. "Old Mr. Sinir, she''s right in here," the man murmured with rehearsed deference.

George leaned close to the director, his cane tapping once against the tiled floor for emphasis. "No one is to mention my visit to Zach-absolutely no one. Do you understand?"

The director straightened as if a thread had pulled him upright and answered with a brisk nod. "Yes, sir."

The question lodged in Erwin''s mind like a splinter. Who on earth was Ste Ross -important enough to weigh on Cecilia, on Zachary, and now on the patriarch of the Sinir family himself?

Through the narrow pane set into the ward door, George studied the young

woman.

Gone was the glitter-eyed starlet who used to calcte every breath. The figure slumped inside looked hollowed out, her gaze vacant, her once-polished aura scraped away to nothing.

George''s whisper rasped across the corridor. "Zach really brought her here?" Disbelief cracked in each word.

"He did," the director confirmed, voice low.

George beckoned him into a side office, closed the door, and demanded every detail-what had happened since Ste''s admission, what instructions Zach had left, nothing spared.

When the ount was finished, relief eased George''s shoulders. Zachary had not betrayed Vivian. He truly no longer cared about Ste.

"Atst," George muttered, "the boy has done something right."

Still puzzled, the director ventured, "Old Mr. Sinir, should we arrange for Ms. Ross to be discharged?"

He had assumed the visit''s purpose was mercy.

George''s reply was a brittleugh. "Discharged? Don''t be absurd. Whatever

misery she faces now-she earned every inch of it."

Only then did the director grasp the patriarch''s iron resolve.

If even George-renowned for leniency-rejected her, Ste''s sins must be carved deep.

"Understood," he said quietly.

"Good."

George rose and headed back toward the ward, footsteps measured, final.

He ordered someone to unlock the door. Hinges groaned, and a bar of afternoon light sliced into the dim room.fnf8e5 This update is avable on find?novel/fnf8e5

Believing a nurse had returned with more pills, Ste bolted behind the bed. "I''m not ill. Keep the medicine away!"

"Ste Ross," the old man called, his voice sanded by years, "it''s me."

Peering around the bedframe, Ste froze at the sight of snow-white hair and unmistakable Sinir eyes. "O-Old Mr. Sinir..."

Desperation toppled her pride. She

scrambled forward and the to

her knees, forehead striking the linoleum. Sip was wrong. Please-have mercy on me."  s

George regarded her with winter-cold detachment. "Do you remember the promise you once made me?"

Tears rimmed Ste''s eyes. "I do. I do. I have stayed away from Zach."

"Stayed away? Yet yesterday you insisted on seeing him," George countered. His tone left no room for lies.

Shaking so hard her shoulders jerked, Ste stammered, "I only wanted Mr. Sinir to spare me-nothing more."

George let out a brittle,

contemptuousugh, the sound

echoing off the high-ceilinged

corridor like steel dragged acro

stone Good. Zach is already

married. Keep your distance or I''ll make sure whatever hell you''re living now feels merciful."  s

Ste''s shoulders jerked at the

threat. A needle of cold ran the

length of her spine, and in the

instant, she knew George wOU never stand on her side.  s

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