"Is he back?" Kylie abruptly opened her eyes.

"What do you mean? He's always here," Fannie said. "I saw him discussing something serious with several men when I came here, so I didn't bother him."

​​

"I went to call Lucas just then, and he was standing alone in the garden. I don't know what he's thinking."

"Oh." Kylie lay down again and smoothed Pupu's fur.

"Oh?" Fannie observed Kylie's face, then pointed at her eyes, asking, "Don't tell me you cried because of Ethan."

"Of course not." Kylie moved her eyes away. All of a sudden, she thought of something. "Fannie, why don't you go out with me?"

"Now? Will Ethan agree?" Fannie asked.

Kylie thought to herself that Ethan didn't care about her now, but she still replied, "He will. It's something about him."

Half an hour later, Fannie stopped the car at the dock of Seattle. Stephen, who was waiting for them, waved his hand.

"Stay here, and I'll be right back," Kylie said to Fannie, then lifted her collars up, walking towards Stephen in the ocean wind.

"Isn't it cold?" Stephen took off the scarf around his neck and put it on Kylie's.

"Why do you pick such a place?" Kylie covered her lower face with the scarf, and only her swollen eyes were bare in the air now.

"Didn't you say that you want to meet at a place where Ethan can't think of?" Stephen smiled.

Kylie pointed at a nearby pile of containers and said, "The wind isn't blowing there. Let's go and talk along the way."

Stephen glanced at the direction. "Sure."

After they walked ahead for a short distance, Kylie asked Stephen, "You found out Ethan is Adolph's son a long time ago, right?"

Stephen pulled his lips. "Does Ethan send you here to ask me that question?"

"Nope, but I come here for him." Kylie walked at a slow pace, and the ocean wind blew her hair to her face. "I just want to remind you that you two are biological brothers."

"We aren't anymore because of you." Stephen looked at the waves. "Do you think Dinah can replace you? Let me be honest with you, it's impossible."

"Stephen..." Kylie felt a little sad.

"Please, I love to hear you call me Star." Stephen almost begged.

Kylie sighed, "Star, please tell me Adolph's condition."

"You called me Star also for Ethan." Stephen smiled and mocked himself. Afterward, he told Kylie the story.

Ever since he got to know Agnes was the cause of his mother's death, he had made up his mind to take revenge. The first thing he needed to do was to know the couple and Agnes's body condition so that he could find the easiest way to kill them.

Hearing that, Kylie was scared. Stephen looked gentle and kind to others, but he was ruthless in the heart. He had planned for nearly ten years for his revenge.

Stephen found out the fact that Ethan was Adolph's biological son by accident.

He couldn't believe it at the beginning, but the result of DNA paternity testing wouldn't lie.

Stephen's voice was calm and gentle all the time, and he didn't sound jealous or angry at all.

"I know Adolph's properties will be Ethan's sooner or later, so I refused to take over his company." Stephen guided Kylie to the back of those containers, and the wind did stop blowing.

"It was because of you that I wanted to try it. If I'm as successful as Ethan, will you choose me?"

Although Fannie was sitting in the car, she fixed her eyes on Kylie and Stephen, in case any accidents happened.

Seeing them walking to a place out of her sight, Fannie got anxious, then called Ethan.

Kylie touched the bracelet on her wrist, then looked at Stephen. "So, you stopped Dinah from telling the truth last time at Coco Resort?"

Stephen nodded. "I believe you haven't told Ethan the truth yet, because he won't forgive Adolph once he finds out what Adolph has done to his mother."

"Well..." Kylie took off the scarf. "Should I keep it a secret forever or tell him the truth now?"

"Do you think you can keep it a secret from him?" Stephen smiled. Ethan would never forgive those who had hurt him.

Most importantly, if he was going to clear her mother's name, he had to face Adolph.

Kylie nodded. She had the same idea. "How did you get here? Why don't you leave with us?" She gave the scarf back to Stephen.

Stephen raised his hand and glanced at the time. "I need to wait for a friend. You can leave before me."

He took the scarf but put it back on Kylie's neck. "If you're afraid Ethan will be mad at it, throw it away when you leave this dock."

The more considerate Stephen was, the more guilty Kylie felt. "Star, Dinah, really..."

Before she could finish, Stephen stopped her. "Go back home now."

Kylie turned around and walked faster and faster with her mouth covered in his scarf. Stephen's gaze followed her. He fell in love with Kylie a long time ago when Ethan told him to guard her for a while while he was away. That was ten years ago, and he even created Star to help Kylie's needs during her downfall while Ethan was battling against those who slaughtered his clan.

In the end, she ran away.

She couldn't respond to Stephen's love towards her, but she couldn't pretend that she knew nothing about it either.

Fannie walked around the car in anxiety. Seeing Kylie running over, she stepped ahead to welcome her at once. "What happened? Did Stephen annoy you?"

Kylie shook her head and got in the car with Fannie. "Let's go."

"Do you get what you want?" Fannie asked.

"Yeah," Kylie replied. She took off the scarf and put it away in her bag.

When she fastened the safety belt well, she found out the car was still stopped at the dock.

"Why don't you start the car?" she asked Fannie with surprise.

"Ethan will be here in any second," Fannie said.

"What?" Kylie was shocked.

"Fine, let's go back now. The wind is too strong here. I'll give him a call later." Fannie turned her car and drove by a black Buick.

Stephen put his mask on, then walked out from the back of those containers. The second he saw Tory getting off the Buick, he strode over.

"Mr. Romeo, I do admire your courage of coming here alone," Stephen said with a smile.

It was an unspoken agreement, and they didn't shake hands with each other, but just stared straight at one another's eyes.

Tory pointed at Stephen's face with a cigarette in his fingers. "I think I'm sincere enough coming here alone, but Mr. Brown..."

Stephen nodded, then slowly took off the mask.

A strange white man's face showed, which was totally different from Stephen's.

"Nice to cooperate with you."