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Chapter 179
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As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 180
Stellar jumped, caught off guard, as a sudden wave of guilt washed over her."Uncle Claude, don’t misunderstand. It was just a team dinner, and Stephen happened to be heading in the same direction, so he gave me a ride home," she quickly explained with a smile.Claude’s eyes narrowed. "Why did you need a ride from him? What happened to the Ferrari I gave you? Why aren’t you driving it?"Stellar felt a bit flustered. That flashy convertible was way too eye-catching—driving it around didn’t scream student; it screamed heiress on a joyride.Forcing an awkward laugh, she made up an excuse. "I just haven’t driven in a while, so I’m not used to it. I’ll take it out once I feel more comfortable."Claude wasn’t buying it. "That’s easy to fix. I’ll assign a driver to take you everywhere.""Uncle Claude…" Stellar clung to his sleeve, putting on her best pleading expression. "Please don’t do that. Just let me keep a low profile, okay?"The moment she pulled the sweet niece act, Claude sighed in
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 181
Stephen hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. "Are you free tonight? A friend of mine is hosting a birthday party for his fiancée, and I need a partner to attend with me. I’d like to take you as my date." Stellar's breath hitched slightly. "Your… friend?" A birthday party for a friend’s fiancée, yet he specifically invited her—was there some kind of hidden meaning behind this? "He’s Gavin Lockwood. He has a good relationship with the Rivers family," Stephen explained. Understanding dawned on her. So that was it. This was just about strengthening ties between their families. Nothing more. For some reason, that realization left a strange sense of disappointment in her chest. But she quickly pushed it aside and smiled. "Alright, I’ll go with you. Just give me a moment to change into a dress." But Stephen had already anticipated this. He reached into the back seat of his car and pulled out several gift boxes. "I’ve already prepared everything—gowns, jewelry
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 182
The murmurs weren’t exactly quiet. Stellar naturally heard them and instinctively glanced over. "The one in the white dress in the center is the birthday girl, Serena Thompson," Stephen introduced. "I’ll go say hello and give her the gift," Stellar said, letting go of Stephen’s arm before making her way over. The socialites surrounding Serena covered their mouths in curiosity, instinctively stepping aside to clear a path for her. Once Stellar reached Serena, she extended a beautifully wrapped gift box. "Miss Thompson, happy birthday! This is a little gift from me—I hope you like it." Even though she was here as Stephen’s date, she had prepared a present herself. Serena accepted it with a polite smile. "And you are…?" "I’m Stellar Rivers. I suppose you could say I’m here as your fiancé’s friend’s partner," Stellar introduced herself with easy confidence. Serena’s lips curved slightly, and her first impression of Stellar was quite favorable. "Can I open it?" "Of cours
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 183
The moment those words left Stellar’s lips, every gaze in the room shifted to Annie’s hairpin. "Wait… it’s a fake? No wonder I thought something about it looked off." "Pfft, parading around with a fake—remind me, who's the real embarrassment here?"Annie’s face flushed bright red as she snapped back furiously. "Who do you think you are to say it’s fake? This is from the Floral Whisper Collection, a limited-edition piece—there’s only one of its kind." Stellar simply shook her head and replied calmly, "Unfortunately, it’s not. Because the real one is with me." With that, she pulled out her phone and brought up a picture of the genuine piece, displaying it for everyone to see. The socialites leaned in, examining the details closely. It didn’t take long for them to spot the differences. Within moments, all the scornful gazes turned to Annie. "Miss Yates, you might want to check your jewelry a little more carefully before stepping out next time. Wouldn’t want to embarrass y
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 184
"The swan earrings look so elegant on Serena—absolutely stunning." Janet's eyes flickered with a trace of calculation. She suddenly chimed in, her voice deliberately light. "That’s nothing special. My cousin designs jewelry too, and her handcrafted hairpins are far more exquisite and valuable!" At her words, the conversation stilled, and heads instinctively turned toward her. Most of the guests didn’t recognize the person she was referring to. But Stellar’s eyelid twitched. Janet shot her a sweet, innocent smile. "Cousin, why don’t you show everyone your own jewelry? Those pieces of yours are practically priceless! Compared to them, everything else is hardly worth mentioning." Her tone sounded full of praise, as if she were lifting Stellar onto a pedestal. But to the crowd, the whole thing felt off. Suspicious even.Their gazes flickered between the two women, curiosity growing. "Pfft, I knew it—she’s just here to sell her designs!" A familiar sneer cut through the
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 185
"So that’s why it did sound insincere when she said all that earlier.""She didn’t even know her own cousin’s real identity, yet she had the nerve to judge others?""If I had a scheming relative like that, I’d cut ties immediately."Murmurs of ridicule, disdain, and outright contempt filled the room.At that moment, Janet had never felt more humiliated. Barely holding herself together, she mumbled something about needing the restroom and bolted from the scene.But as she turned a corner near the restroom, she unexpectedly overheard a hushed conversation."Stephen, you’ve been searching for her for years. Are you really going to give up now?""It’s not giving up… I just have this feeling that the girl I’ve been looking for is actually Stellar…""But didn’t you say the details didn’t match?""They don’t, but after all these years, I still remember that she used to wear a red string around her neck, with a pendant that…"The voice belonged to Stephen.Janet’s footsteps faltered.What gir
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 186
"Then for Miss Thompson to take a liking to you, does that count as an act of charity for your intelligence?" "You…" Gavin was momentarily choked by the remark. However, Serena couldn't hold back her laughter. The atmosphere instantly became more relaxed. "Since everyone finally has some free time, why don't we play a game?" someone in the crowd suggested. "Great idea! Isn't Mafia pretty popular lately? Let's play a couple of rounds!"Everyone agreed enthusiastically, and Stellar naturally had no reason to refuse.She sat down with Stephen as the game began, with the "moderator" handing out role cards.Unexpectedly, in the first round, both Stellar and Stephen happened to draw the Mafia cards.They exchanged a quick glance.Soon, the first phase began, where everyone introduced their roles."I'm just a civilian—""Civilian and above.""..."Then the open discussion started.Throughout the conversation, Stellar and Stephen worked together seamlessly, subtly using their words t
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 187
Stephen's gaze flickered slightly, but he remained calm. "Did I?" Stellar narrowed her eyes, her tone unwavering. "Yes. I caught it. When you lie, your eyes shift slightly to the right." Stephen raised an eyebrow, his expression meaningful. "You've been watching me pretty closely." Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly tried to justify herself. "That was just during the game. I observed everyone, not just you." Stephen didn’t expose her lie. In reality, throughout the entire evening, his gaze had never once strayed from her. If anyone here wasn’t exactly innocent, it was both of them. Especially now, with her sitting right next to him, an unfamiliar yet oddly familiar feeling crept into his heart. It was the same feeling he’d had back then—for the girl who saved him all those years ago. But if they weren’t the same person… Did that mean he was being unfaithful? That he fell for someone else? Or had he unknowingly fallen for two people at the same time? Stellar
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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
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 403
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
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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
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 399
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
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 397
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
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 396
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
