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Chapter 162
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As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apartย ย ย Chapter 163
Stellar felt a bit awkward but forced herself to introduce them."Uncle Claude, Stephen is the senior who lives in the villa across from mine."The moment she said it, both Claude and Stephen froze in realization.So that was why they had found each otherโs faces so familiar!Neither of them had expected such a coincidence.But now that they understood, both men looked equally displeasedโthough for entirely different reasons.Claude regretted not finding out sooner. Had he known the man next door was the very one who broke off the engagement, he would have gone over and beaten him to a pulp long ago!Stephen, on the other hand, was filled with a completely different kind of regret. If he had known Stellar was the Rivers familyโs heiress, he would never have chosen to end the engagement in the first place.Keith, observing the sudden tension, caught onto something and deliberately tested the waters."Just now, I heard Mr. Ward mention that the Ward and Rivers families had a marriage a
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When it came to striking where it hurt, Keith was just as ruthless.Their gazes clashed again, the tension between them crackling like static in the air.Stellar sighed, rubbing her temples. This was exhausting.Thankfully, the banquet was finally drawing to a close.The other young men, seeing two powerhouses like Keith and Stephen openly competing for Stellarโs attention, quickly gave up and left.Just as the event wrapped up, Marcus stormed forward, his eyes practically burning with fury."Stephen, weโre leaving. Now."Stephen still had so much to say to Stellarโhe wanted to explain everything about the broken engagement.But seeing his grandfatherโs expression, as if he were ready to drag him out by force, he had no choice but to follow.Before leaving, though, he caught sight of Keith lingering behind, clearly planning to continue his conversation with Stellar. Stephenโs eyes narrowed slightly."Mr. Sinclair, could I have a word with you?"Keith folded his arms, immediately adop
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apartย ย ย Chapter 165
Marcus slapped his thigh in frustration, his anger boiling over.How could something be so absurd, yet fall into place so perfectly?If he had known, he wouldnโt have gone out of his way to break the engagement, even at the risk of offending Laurence.That girl would have been the perfect granddaughter-in-law!It should have been a match made in heaven!"You, youโฆ why didnโt you look further into her background first? Look where thatโs gotten you!" Marcus groaned, practically beating his chest in regret.But then, something from their earlier conversation clicked in his mind. He suddenly clapped a firm hand on Stephenโs shoulder."Listen, kid, you still have a chance. The Rivers girl hasnโt accepted anyone yet! You better get your act together and go after her!"Of course, Stephen already knew that."I never said I was giving up."The determination in his eyes burned brighter than ever.Marcus nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Thatโs the spiritโnow thatโs a true Ward!"โฆThe Rivers Estat
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Janet felt utterly humiliated. It felt like they were implying she was desperately chasing after something Stellar had thrown awayโand worse, she still couldnโt have it."Thatโs enough," Laurence finally spoke, his sharp gaze sweeping over the mother and daughter. He waved a hand dismissively. "Itโs getting late. You should head homeโweโre calling it a night." Layla quickly composed herself, her expression smoothing into something polite. "Of course, Uncle Laurence, Aunt Martha. Weโll take our leave now," she said, before pulling Janet away with her. โฆOnce they were gone, no one in the Rivers family immediately went to bed. Instead, they all gathered in the living room, circling around Stellar. "Stellar, I have to say, that young man from the Sinclair family seems quite promising," Martha spoke first, a clear note of approval in her voice. "Handsome, witty, and most importantly, he seems to care for you. He could be a good match." "Agreed," Julian chimed in. "That ki
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But looking at Stephenโs behavior today, he didnโt seem like a man who had a girlfriend.Could it beโฆ that she had misunderstood something?A sudden heat crept up Stellarโs face. She quickly shook off the chaotic thoughts running through her mind.Rolling over, she wrapped herself tightly in the blanket like a cocoon and forced her eyes shut, willing herself into sleep.โฆTwo Days LaterThe short break was over, and it was time for Stellar to return to school for her studies.The Rivers family, of course, was reluctant to see her go."Stellar, here, take this diamond bracelet," Martha said as she gently slid the piece onto Stellarโs wrist, her eyes warm with affection."This was something I had once set aside for your mother. Now, Iโm passing it down to you. It represents our family being whole again. No matter what, always take care of yourself, alright?""Grandmaโฆ"A lump formed in Stellarโs throat. She reached out and hugged Martha, her voice soft with reassurance."Donโt worry. A
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apartย ย ย Chapter 168
Stephen's expression stiffened.If it were Keith, he could have easily brushed him off, matching sarcasm for sarcasm without a second thought.But Claude? That was different.As Stellarโs eldest uncle, he was someone Stephen would inevitably have to win over. Right now, Claude looked about as displeased with him as humanly possible.And it was entirely Stephenโs own doing.Keith, watching Stephen, who was usually so sharp and eloquent, suddenly rendered speechless, couldnโt contain his amusement. He let out a chuckle, full of blatant schadenfreude.Stephenโs gaze snapped to him like an arrow.But Keith wasnโt the least bit intimidated. If anything, his grin widened."Mr. Ward, I have to agree with Mr. Rivers. You should really be more mindful of your actions. Wouldnโt want to send the wrong message, now would we?"Stephen was speechless.His expression darkened.Stellar, seeing him take such a hit for once, felt a strange pang of sympathy.Just as she was about to speak up and smooth
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โI donโt need a ride anyway!โ Janet muttered under her breath, clearly annoyed. But her frustration didnโt last long. Her gaze quickly shifted to Stephen, and with a flushed face, she stepped forward, her voice sickly sweet. โMr. Ward, could you give me a lift instead?โ Stephen was even more blunt than Stellar. โNo.โ With that, he turned around and got into the car, slamming the door shut with a resounding thud. Janet stood frozen in place, her face a mix of embarrassment and humiliation. Seeing her daughter rejected so coldly, Layla had no choice but to turn to Keith. However, before she could even speak, Keith scoffed, cutting her off. โWhat, has the Cole family fallen so low? No personal chauffeur? Or are you saying you canโt even afford a cab?โ Without waiting for a response, he got into the car and shut the door, not sparing them a second glance. Layla was speechless. Three cars, and two of them had empty seats, but not a single person was willing to take Janet
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apartย ย ย Chapter 170
โMiss, remember I mentioned I went home for a bit? Well, my husband asked me to bring you this gift. He hopes youโll like it.โ Stellar was surprised as she reached out to take it. When she opened the box, she found an intricately carved, beautifully detailed keepsakeโmade of polished stone, with an antique, heirloom-like quality.โThis must be expensive!โ โItโs nothing, just a little trinket,โ Mary said casually. However, Stellar was touched. โMary, please thank your husband for me. Iโll make sure to visit and thank him in person next time.โ Regardless of its value, a gift was a gesture of kindness. Being treated with such sincerity was rare, and she appreciated it deeply. โOh, Miss, youโre too polite.โ The two chatted and laughed as Mary helped her unwrap the rest of her gifts and tidied up the bed. Before long, it was getting late, and Stellar turned in early for the night. โฆThe next morning, when she went to school, she brought local specialties from Southport for
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As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apartย ย ย Chapter 398
Stellar found the whole thing baffling. She didnโt 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 leaderโs office door.Lucien wasnโt 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 Iโd offend Mr. Shawโs 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 doesnโt matter."Stellar's tone was calm and firm. "If y
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apartย ย ย Chapter 397
Joy was quietly reveling in her triumph.With the tide so clearly turned in her favor, Stellarโs 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 Joyโs 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 isnโt just any ink. The one I used has a distinct scent of lavender. Youโre welcome to smell it yourselves."A few people stepped closer out of curiosity, leaned in, and took a sniff."It really does smell
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apartย ย ย Chapter 396
Did she have no idea just how powerful his background was?Or maybe she knew and still didnโt care.The thought only piqued Evanโs interest. He leaned in, smirking, and kept pushing. "And what makes you so sure I took your blueprint? Got any proof?"Stellarโs expression darkened.Just then, Joy walked over, arms full of documents. "Stellar, can you stop making a scene? You couldnโt come up with a proper design, so now you're blaming others? Arenโt 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 didnโt 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
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apartย ย ย Chapter 395
The very next secondโฆโPfftโฆโSomeone couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing.A ripple of muffled chuckles spread through the room.Stellar froze, bewildered, and turned to look at the projector screen, only to see an enormous turtle displayed across it.She stood there, stunned."Miss Rivers, if you're having trouble with the design, no oneโs going to mock you," Joy seized the moment to attack. "But whatโs with the turtle? Are you trying to be funny, or do you just not take the project seriously?"Stellar quickly snapped out of it and responded, "This isnโt my drawing."Joy arched a brow, sarcasm dripping from her tone. "Oh? Then what? Did I draw it?""Yeah, Miss Rivers, are we supposed to believe youโre playing some elaborate prank on all of us?""Is this what genius arrogance looks like?"Just when people had finally begun warming up to her, it all crumbled in an instant. Voices chimed in one after another, mocking and skeptical.Stellarโs expression darkened. She knew someone
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She denied it three times, but Stellar still looked suspicious. That man's voice on the phone sounded oddly familiar.But seeing she clearly didnโt want to talk about it, Stellar didnโt pry. She wasnโt the type to dig into other peopleโs business. "Alright then, I wonโt ask about yours, so you better not ask about mine."Lilian quickly nodded. A mutual understanding was reached.That afternoon, they resumed work on the new project, which involved the latest aerospace technology design and development.After two solid hours of work, Stellar finally took a short break and headed to the break room with the team for some water.They had just stepped out when a figure entered from outside.Evan walked in, his expression dark, clearly in a foul mood.These days, heโd finally managed to be in the same research institute as Joy. Heโd gone out of his way to shower her with kindness, offering her everything he thought was good. But she didnโt appreciate it at all.In fact, she told him to
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apartย ย ย Chapter 393
There was still no reply from the other side, so Stellar set her phone aside and headed to the bathroom to wash up. When she came back, she watched a movie for a while.Only then did she pick up her phone again and unlock the screen.But there was still no reply from Stephen.A faint sense of disappointment crept in. She turned off the light, lay down, and placed her phone on the nightstand, ready to sleep.Just then, the screen lit up.A flicker of joy surged in her chest. She quickly grabbed the phone and tapped to check it, only to find it was a spam advertisement.Stellarโs forehead twitched. She nearly swore out loud. "They keep sending me this junk. I'm filing a complaint tomorrow!"The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. But just then, another message popped up.โI just finished work. Still up?โโI just got back my phone. Sorry, Iโll keep it on me next time.โโDid you eat, rest, and take care of yourself properly?โStephenโs message came like rain in a drought.I
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apartย ย ย Chapter 392
It took Stellar a moment before she finally spoke, disbelief lacing her voice. โWait, doesnโt that mean she basically admitted to covering up crimes? Isnโt that illegal too?โโExactly, but I guess sheโs not the sharpest tool in the shed. She kept insisting it was all Toriโs doingโthat she and her son were innocent.โSuzy let out a snort. โIโve never seen anyone exposing their own sonโs crimes on camera and dragging themselves down with him. โNo wonder Eddie turned out the way he did. With a mom like that cheering him on, itโs no surprise he grew up thinking he could do whatever he wanted. โThe apple really doesnโt fall far from the tree.โStellar felt a wave of complicated emotion. The woman she remembered to be gentle, kind, and full of warmth suddenly appeared like a total stranger.Had it all been an act?She let out a soft sigh.Suzy must have picked up on her silence, because her voice turned more soothing. โStellar, donโt let this weigh on you. That mother and son duo were hid
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apartย ย ย Chapter 391
โI just came back to grab a file,โ Claude said, his tone laced with suspicion. โI thought I heard you talking to someone just now?โโNope!โ Stellar answered quickly, not daring to admit the truth.Claude studied her for a moment, then his expression eased. โStellar, Iโm not against you dating, Just remember, men are mostly just entertainment. Don't get too serious. If it starts going south, cut your losses and move on. The Rivers family will always have your back.โStellar twitched at the corner of her mouth and thought, โUncle Claude, are you seriously telling me to be a heartbreaker?โโThat doesnโt sound like a good idea,โ she said hesitantly.โWhy not? Your happiness is what matters most. If anyone makes you uncomfortable, kick them to the curb. Simple as that. โOf course, weโll also keep an eye on things and make sure no one messes with you.โThere was a sharp glint of calculation in Claudeโs eyes.Stellar could only offer a wry smile.She hadnโt even started dating yet, and even
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apartย ย ย Chapter 390
Stephen let out a quiet sigh and turned, ready to leave.โDo you like Stellar?โ A sweet voice chimed in beside him.Xavier turned in surprise, puzzled as he looked at the young woman. โYou areโฆ?โโIโm Stellarโs friend, Lilian Yates.โShe was supposed to be in the gallery that day, but a last-minute delay with her project caused her to arrive just in time to catch the end of the scene.And what she saw in Xavierโs eyes that were filled with admiration, reluctance, and a trace of sorrow, she knew Xavier had feelings for Stellar.โIโฆโ Xavier was caught off guard, unsure how to respond.Lilian cut him off with a grin. โYouโre the legendary attorney she always talks about, right? Perfect. I was wondering if I can ask you for a favor?โโWhat kind of favor?โ he asked, instinctively curious.She leaned in and whispered something in his ear, her voice barely audible. When she pulled back, she added softly, โBut you have to promise to keep it between us.โXavier paused, considered it, then nod
