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Chapter 141
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As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 142
Under the weight of countless eyes and a wave of applause, Stellar stepped onto the stage, her movements slightly stiff. In the audience, Percy finally snapped out of his daze. Seeing the slight nervousness in Stellar’s posture, a sneer tugged at his lips. "Hah, there’s no way she’ll do well. As if she could possibly measure up to Professor Song." To be honest, despite Stellar being hailed as a genius back in school, Percy had always thought that title was exaggerated. Back then, she was always so meek around him—where was the brilliance everyone spoke of? Two years had passed, and he still didn’t believe she was as capable as people claimed. On stage, Stellar took the microphone from Sean, his kind and encouraging gaze steady on her. Hundreds of scholars and professors watched her expectantly. Her heartbeat pounded in her chest, and her throat felt dry. She could even hear whispers from the crowd. "Why hasn’t she started yet?" "Did she freeze up?" She really wa
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Dawn approached again with a bright smile, this time with Percy trailing behind her, his expression unreadable. "I really want to apologize for earlier. Actually, I’ve always admired you, Miss Rivers. Your speech just now was incredible! I’d love to treat you to dinner as an apology. Would you be willing to join me?" Her eyes shimmered with cautious hope. "No need," Stellar replied flatly, unmoved. Dawn’s face faltered, a hint of disappointment flashing across it before she quickly turned to Percy for help. "Mr. Moore, you and Miss Rivers know each other well, don’t you? Could you help me invite her? We could all have dinner together—my treat." Percy hesitated for a brief moment, but quickly masked it with his usual indifferent demeanor. "You heard her, didn’t you, Stellar? Dawn is extending such a sincere invitation. Can’t you drop that high-and-mighty attitude of yours just this once?" Right on cue, Dawn put on a pitiful expression, as if she had been wronged. That
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"It’s nothing. Just an idiot. Let’s go."Without another glance, Stellar turned and left the venue with Stephen.Behind them, Percy stood frozen, his entire body rigid with anger. He could practically feel his insides burning with frustration."Mr. Moore, don’t be upset. I didn’t handle things well. I couldn’t create the right opportunity for you," Dawn said apologetically, her face full of guilt."If you want to blame someone, blame me.""It’s not your fault."If anything, all of this only made Percy think even more highly of Dawn.She had a face so similar to Stellar’s, yet why couldn’t Stellar be as obedient and considerate as Dawn?After leaving the venue, Stellar turned to Stephen, curiosity sparking in her eyes."What did Professor Song say to you just now?""He praised your quick thinking and said your speech was outstanding. He’d like to discuss more professional topics with you next time if the opportunity arises."Stephen glanced down at her, a flicker of amusement in his ga
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Stellar sat in the backseat with Mary beside her. Sensing her unease, Mary gently reassured her. "Miss, there's no need to be nervous. Mr. and Mrs. Rivers Sr. are both kind people—they're going to love you."Stellar was, in fact, anxious. After experiencing the coldness of the Harlow family, she wasn’t eager to relive that kind of disappointment. From the front passenger seat, Claude turned slightly to offer his own reassurance. "Relax, Stellar. Everyone at home has been looking forward to meeting you. They won’t let you down." The driver smoothly turned the car around, pulling out of the estate. Just as they exited the driveway, Stephen happened to step out of the neighboring villa. His gaze landed on the car, and for a brief moment, he caught sight of the man sitting in the passenger seat. Something about that silhouette felt oddly familiar. He took a few steps forward, intending to get a clearer look, but before he could, the car had already driven past him. …
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Stellar stood frozen in place. It had been a long time since she had felt such a warm embrace, and she wasn’t quite used to it. She hesitantly raised her arms and gently hugged Martha back. Even Laurence, a man who spent years on the battlefield, found his eyes misting over. He stepped forward and placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "Stellar, welcome home. No one will ever bully you again. This family is your safe harbor." "Grandpa…" A lump formed in Stellar’s throat, and the grievances she had carried for so many years seemed to vanish in an instant, leaving only warmth in her heart. They held onto each other for a while until a male voice behind them finally broke the moment, unable to hold back any longer. "Mom, Dad, alright, alright. The rest of us haven’t even had a chance to say hello to Stellar yet!" Martha finally let go of her and turned to glare at the speaker. "Brat, you always have so much to say.”Stellar wiped her reddened eyes and finally noticed the two
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"Our Stellar is incredibly talented and thoughtful—the most caring little sweetheart," Martha said, her eyes welling up with emotion again. Seeing this, Stellar quickly walked over to her grandmother and picked up the hair clip. "Grandma, let me put this on for you. Let’s see how it looks." "Alright, alright," Martha eagerly agreed. Stellar carefully gathered her grandmother’s hair into a neat bun, securing it with the elegant clip. After examining her handiwork, she nodded in satisfaction and said with a straight face, "Now, when you step outside, you’ll be the most dazzling lady in all of Southport." Martha couldn’t hold back her laughter, thoroughly amused. Laurence watched their interaction, a sense of nostalgia washing over him. For a fleeting moment, it felt like stepping back in time—his daughter had always been a cheerful little girl, making Martha laugh with ease. Now, Stellar’s face overlapped with the memory of his daughter. She was such a wonderful child,
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"You have no idea how much effort the Rivers family has put into finding you over the years. “Grandpa and Grandma have been heartbroken from missing you, and not long ago, Grandpa even fell ill. “Thankfully, you finally decided to show up, or who knows what would have happened!"It was meant to be a kind sentiment, but to Stellar, something about it felt off."Stellar didn’t go missing by choice. No one in the family blames her, and my illness has nothing to do with her. Janet, don’t put so much pressure on her."Laurence was sharp as always, cutting straight to the issue in her words.Janet's face turned pale, and she immediately looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, Grandpa. I got too emotional and misspoke."Laurence nodded, choosing not to dwell on it with a younger generation.The family quickly shifted their attention back to Stellar."Stellar, this is a gift from me."Julian handed her a card. "This is an all-access pass to my resorts, hotels, and restaurants. “Whenever you're trave
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 149
To everyone’s surprise, Stellar simply smiled at Janet’s words."If I’m not mistaken, this should be the work of the renowned painter and calligrapher, Mr. Malachi Law, from a thousand years ago. “At the time, his country had just endured devastation and was in the process of rebuilding. “This painting reflects his emotions during that period. As for the poem, it conveys the importance of cherishing a prosperous homeland…"Janet listened in stunned silence as Stellar spoke with eloquence, citing historical references with ease. Every word felt like a slap to her face.When Stellar finished, she turned to Janet. "Miss Cole, do you think I’m correct? Or would you like to add something?"If she had thought it was just her imagination before, now she was certain—the girl standing before her harbored clear hostility.But why? They had never met before. Where did this animosity come from?"I…" Janet had only thought of using an expensive gift to win Laurence’s favor. She knew jewelry, l
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As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 404
"I’ll walk him back."After dinner, Stellar helped Stephen to his feet and headed toward the door with him."Stellar, let us give you a hand…" her uncles stood up, ready to help.But she turned and shot them a glare, snapping, "No need. Didn’t you all want to drink? Then drink up—drink more, take your time!"The uncles were stunned.They only realized what had just happened when the two disappeared from view."Did she just snap at us… for that guy?""We tried to make things hard for him, and she ended up siding with him. Are we seriously the ones helping him win her over?"Laurence gave a cold snort and shook his head. "Bunch of rookies. You’re all still too green."…Outside, Stephen leaned on Stellar, one arm draped over her shoulder, his head gently resting against hers as she helped him toward the villa across the street.His warm breath, laced with the sweet scent of alcohol, brushed against her skin.It made her neck tingle, her whole body heating up.The evening breeze swept pas
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But Stellar couldn’t help hearing a faint trace of loneliness in his voice."Stephen, do you want to come over for dinner? My uncles are all here. But if you’d rather not…"She hadn’t even finished when Stephen answered right away, "Give me ten minutes. I’ll be there."Even through the phone, she could hear the happiness in his voice.Her lips curved into a smile without her realizing it.Of course, this little exchange didn’t go unnoticed by her uncles.They exchanged a look—an unspoken agreement passing between them. They’d keep a close eye on Stephen. No way would they let him off easy.The doorbell rang exactly ten minutes later.Before Stellar could move, Adrian, stood up. "I’ll get it."He was curious to see just what kind of man Stephen really was.As he opened the door, his eyes locked onto Stephen’s with a gaze as sharp and penetrating as a hawk’s.Having come from a political background, Adrian didn’t even need to speak to give off a commanding, oppressive presence.He staye
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 402
Stellar's heart fluttered, though she still tried to sound casual. "Someone like you is pretty hard to forget, even if I wanted to."Stephen’s smile deepened at her words.He spoke up, seemingly offhanded. "You free tonight? A friend gave me two tickets to a play. It would be a shame to let them go to waste."When Stellar heard the name of the theater troupe performing, her interest piqued instantly—it was one of her favorites."Absolutely!"She agreed without hesitation, delighted by the coincidence.Stephen, of course, knew it wasn’t one. But in truth, Stephen had deliberately gone out of his way to win over Claude, just so he could subtly learn about Stellar’s interests from them.But when the car pulled up outside the villa, his good mood faltered.Claude was already standing by the gate. He gave Stephen a nod of acknowledgment before turning to Stellar. "Stellar, your grandparents said we’re having a family dinner tonight—just us. A little reunion."Stellar blinked. "Tonight? Is
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 401
"Mom." Nathan suddenly put down his plate and utensils, his eyes red. "If you die, what am I supposed to do!"He grew up with his mother, and the two of them depended on one another. She raised him single-handedly and worked hard to put him through college, all so he could get to where he was today."Besides, those scammers used my safety to trick you into transferring the money. I was the reason it happened. If anyone should take the blame, it’s me!""Nathan, don’t say such foolish things!" His mother broke down in tears.Everyone present felt a twinge of sadness watching the two of them."It’s not time to give up hope just yet," Simon spoke up. "How much do you owe? We can pool our resources and help."Stellar had thought of that too, but hadn’t said anything because…"No need." Nathan’s tone was firm. "I know you all mean well, but this is my problem. It has nothing to do with any of you, and I don’t want to owe anyone that much."Even now, he clung to his pride. He didn’t want t
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Nathan quickly replied, "Mom, no, it's my friends who came to see me.""If it's your friends, then quick, quick, let them in," his mother's voice was hoarse, and she coughed twice as she spoke.The group exchanged glances before finally following Nathan into the house. There, they saw a woman with a haggard face and deep wrinkles.Stellar looked surprised.The woman in front of them looked to be at least in her sixties.Yet Nathan wasn't even thirty."I'm sorry you had to see us like this," his mother stood up and bowed gratefully to the group. "You were the ones who chased those people off just now, weren’t you? Thank you all so much.""Please, don’t mention it," Lilian quickly waved her hand."You’ve all been staying at home these past few days? Those people never left?"Judging by the dark circles under their eyes, Stellar could tell that the mother and son must’ve been trapped inside for days without a proper night’s sleep.Nathan lowered his head in embarrassment. "We’ve run out
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Stellar was just about to reply when a commotion erupted not far away."Something’s wrong—that sounds like Nathan’s place! There’s a whole crowd outside!" Simon cried out in alarm.Stellar didn’t hesitate. She quickly typed a reply to Stephen: “Something’s come up. I’ll talk to you later.”Snapping her phone shut, she rushed off with the others toward the building.From a distance, they could already hear the shouting."Nathan, get your ass out here! Your mother owes us a hell of a lot of money. You think you can play dead now?""You really think hiding in there means we can't do anything to you?""Go ahead and starve in there for all we care!"Outside the apartment, a gang of rough-looking men with tattoos crawling up their arms and expressions hard with menace had surrounded the door, yelling threats without pause.Stellar and the others exchanged looks. After a beat of hesitation, she stepped forward."What do you think you’re doing here?" she demanded.The men turned at her voic
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 398
Stellar found the whole thing baffling. She didn’t even know why the other party hated her so much.Still, after this incident, she realized she'd been far too nice to Joy.After retrieving the blueprint, she knocked on the team leader’s office door.Lucien wasn’t surprised to see her and even invited her to sit.But Stellar stood straight and got straight to the point. "Mr. Song, I want to report Joy."She stole my blueprint and, along with Christopher Sung, forcibly occupied Lab 1. They refused to let me in to use the equipment, which seriously disrupted my research. I hope you'll look into this."Lucien raised an eyebrow as he listened. The light in his blue eyes flickered, and he spoke lazily, "Oh? And why would you think I’d offend Mr. Shaw’s granddaughter and his favorite student just for you?""Because to me, this is a place for research. Everyone came here with a dream, hoping to contribute to the country. Who someone is doesn’t matter."Stellar's tone was calm and firm. "If y
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Joy was quietly reveling in her triumph.With the tide so clearly turned in her favor, Stellar’s team was seething with frustration.But Stellar simply let out a soft laugh, then spoke with calm poise. "I may not have signed my name on the blueprint, but unfortunately for you, Miss Joy, while I was drawing it, my fountain pen accidentally left a blot of ink on the back."She flipped the original blueprint over. Sure enough, there was a dark ink stain on the back.A flicker of panic flashed across Joy’s face, but she quickly recovered and snapped, "That blot came from my pen. You probably saw it earlier and decided to claim it as yours."That seemed plausible enough, and the crowd began to murmur in agreement.But Stellar let out a sharp chuckle. "Ah, I forgot to mention that this isn’t just any ink. The one I used has a distinct scent of lavender. You’re welcome to smell it yourselves."A few people stepped closer out of curiosity, leaned in, and took a sniff."It really does smell
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Did she have no idea just how powerful his background was?Or maybe she knew and still didn’t care.The thought only piqued Evan’s interest. He leaned in, smirking, and kept pushing. "And what makes you so sure I took your blueprint? Got any proof?"Stellar’s expression darkened.Just then, Joy walked over, arms full of documents. "Stellar, can you stop making a scene? You couldn’t come up with a proper design, so now you're blaming others? Aren’t you embarrassed?"Having been outshone by Stellar time and again, Joy had been quietly stewing in resentment. Now that the tables seemed to turn, she seized the chance to mock her, eager to see her humiliated in front of everyone.Sure enough, the commotion drew a small crowd from the institute, curious to watch the drama unfold.But those sneering and skeptical glances didn’t faze Stellar one bit.She turned to Joy with a cold stare.Then something on the back of the blueprint Joy was holding caught her eye. Her gaze sharpened instantl
