"Stellar, are you okay?" Ethan asked with concern."I'm fine." Stellar snapped out of her thoughts and explained seriously, "Ethan, I never pretended to be Star Luna."Perhaps her gaze was too resolute, because after a moment, Ethan nodded. "I believe you."He had seen her capabilities firsthand—there was no reason for her to fake it.He wanted to ask more, but just then, Stellar’s phone rang. She waved at Ethan before stepping aside to answer Suzy’s call."Stellar, I just saw the news... I'm so sorry, I dragged you into this."Suzy’s voice was full of guilt."What are you apologizing for? The ones in the wrong are those shameless impostors."Stellar’s tone was calm. "Don't worry, I won’t let them off so easily."Hearing the way she spoke, Suzy could tell she had something planned. She curiously asked, "Stellar, what are you going to do?""You’ll find out soon enough."After hanging up, Stellar returned to the base without haste and resumed her morning work.Stephen stopped by at so
Eddie knew exactly how to exploit Tori’s weak spot. After a moment, she finally calmed down. "What are you so afraid of? At the end of the day, this so-called 'Star Luna' is just one of Suzy’s regular friends from outside the industry. "If she really had any connections, do you think someone who looks like her would still be a nobody?"Eddie's eyes lit up at her words. "Right! I remember her mentioning that she was the fake heiress of the Harlow family and was kicked out. She really has no backing at all." "Then it’s simple." Tori beckoned him over and whispered a few instructions. Eddie nodded repeatedly, then quickly picked up his phone from the floor and dialed a number. …By evening, Stellar left the base, but instead of heading home, she drove to a nearby café. When she approached a window seat, Eddie was already there, waiting. As soon as she arrived, he stood up and pulled out a chair for her, his attitude overly attentive. "Go ahead," Stellar said as she sat dow
Stellar paused for three seconds before bursting into laughter. Of all people, it turned out to be the Moore family again. "What’s so funny? Do you think the Moore family is easy to deal with?" Eddie snapped, thinking she still didn’t grasp the gravity of the situation. "Zayden Moore is known in the industry as the King of Hell. Anyone who ends up in his hands has no way out!" But instead of looking intimidated, Stellar’s smirk deepened, her eyes growing sharper. "If he’s that powerful, then I guess I’ll have to see for myself." "You… You’re absolutely insane!" Realizing there was no point in arguing further, Eddie stormed off, heading straight back to report to Tori. At the time, she had been sipping tea, waiting for good news. But the moment she heard what happened, her face twisted with rage, and she threw her teacup across the room. "That bitch dares to look down on me?! Just wait…" She turned and hurried upstairs, dialing a number. When the call connected, he
Stellar felt a wave of emotion as she typed her response: "Thank you for your understanding and support. Can I ask..."Initially, she had only planned to make some casual small talk.But Wind Charm quickly replied: "Maybe because I’ve had a similar experience to the protagonist. If I were in their shoes, I’d make the same choice."Feeling intrigued, Stellar continued the conversation.Before she knew it, midnight had passed.Even then, she still wasn’t ready to stop.Wind Charm understood her writing, resonated with her thoughts, and even shared similar values. Having a reader like this made her genuinely happy.But Wind Charm was more considerate, sending a final message: "It’s late. You should get some rest. Goodnight.""Goodnight."With that, Stellar went to sleep in a good mood.The next day at the base, trouble came knocking.The aircraft modification project was nearing completion, but her internship wasn’t over yet.Which meant all the tedious work had been dumped on her."Thes
She realized she had been far too lenient with Percy before, which only emboldened him to push his limits again and again. Now, she wasn’t going to hold back. She would crush the thing he valued most—his dignity—underfoot. "Shut up!" Percy’s face turned crimson with rage. He hadn’t expected her to know about his illegitimacy. Humiliation, anger, and shame surged through him all at once. "The one who needs to shut up is you," Stellar said coldly. "And consider this your final warning, Percy. Next time you show up in front of me acting like a fool, don’t blame me for what happens next." She flexed her fingers, casually swinging her fist past him. Percy instinctively flinched, taking a quick step back. Memories of his last humiliating beating flashed through his mind, making him retreat another two steps. Stellar caught the cowardice in his expression and let out a scornful laugh before walking past him without another glance. Watching her arrogant silhouette disappea
At that moment, Guy’s face turned an alarming shade of red—humiliation and rage twisting his expression. But this time, even those who had sided with him stayed silent. After all, they had almost been dragged down with him. At the same time, their perception of Stellar shifted. For the first time, they truly acknowledged her capabilities. Just then, Joy entered the room. "I saw everything that just happened," she said, her voice calm and authoritative. "This was indeed Mr. Wellson’s mistake, and I will be reporting it for further action. Moving forward, I will personally assign the project tasks." Her handling of the situation was fair, leaving no room for argument. Everyone accepted it without question. Even Stellar had no objections. The only one left shaken was Guy. His face had gone pale, his emotions a mix of shock and disappointment. He had only done this to get back at Stellar for Joy’s sake, yet not only had it backfired, but he was now facing consequence
Tori came with Zayden tonight.A calculating gleam flashed in her eyes as she scanned the crowd, searching for him.It took a while, but she finally spotted his familiar, laid-back figure."Zayden…"Instantly, she plastered on a pitiful expression, rushing forward to cling to his arm. Her voice was soft, laced with grievance. "You're finally here. Someone bullied me! You have to stand up for me."Zayden’s lips curved into a faint, almost mocking smirk as he glanced down at her."Someone actually managed to bully you?""You think I'm untouchable?" she pouted. "If it weren’t for you looking out for me, I wouldn’t last a day in this industry. And now, even some nobody thinks she can walk all over me. You have to put her in her place for me."She whined as she reached out, dramatically pointing in Stellar’s direction.Zayden followed her gesture, his gaze landing on a tall, poised figure walking away.His eyes widened.Without a word, he shoved Tori off and strode forward, moving with su
Stellar lifted her head coldly, glancing at her through the mirror before quickly looking away, treating her as if she didn’t exist. Her indifference instantly ignited Tori’s anger. She strode forward, ready to confront her, but just as she was about to speak, her gaze landed on the red string wrapped around Stellar’s wrist. The design was simple, nothing particularly special about it. However, Tori immediately thought of Zayden’s earlier outburst. As her eyes flickered with calculation, an idea surfaced in her mind. A smile suddenly curled on her lips, her arrogance from before vanishing as she spoke in a friendly tone, "Miss Rivers, I was wrong about what happened earlier. I’ve actually been wanting to find a chance to apologize. “How about we go out for a drink and put everything behind us?" Stellar found her sudden change of attitude nauseating. "If you think we can just make peace, you must still be dreaming," she replied, voice laced with sarcasm. Surprisingly, T
Stephen stepped into the room, his expression as composed as ever, completely free of flattery or pretense."See, Grandma? Even he says so," Stellar chimed in playfully. "He wouldn’t lie to you, would he?""Really?" Martha asked, raising a curious brow."Absolutely," Stephen replied, holding up a professional-looking camera that he'd clearly brought with intent. "In fact, I was hoping to take a photo—something to remember this by, if you don’t mind.""I’ll join her!" Stellar grinned, slipping behind her grandmother and wrapping her arms around her neck, resting her head on her shoulder.Martha couldn’t help but smile, the joy on her face soft and genuine.Stephen captured the moment—warmth, love, and laughter frozen perfectly in frame.He wasn’t the smooth-talking type, nor was he known for charming people easily. He usually kept his distance with that cool, reserved demeanor.But somehow, in the span of just one afternoon, he’d managed to win Martha over completely. She looked at h
“I’m here to see a friend and didn’t expect to run into you two,” Stephen said as he strode over, greeting Martha with a polite nod. Then he turned to Stellar, curiosity in his eyes. “I overheard something about wanting to try on costumes?”“That was the plan,” she replied.“Well, that’s perfect. A friend of mine owns a costume shop just around the corner. Why don’t I take you there?”Stellar’s eyes lit up as she looked at her grandmother. “Sounds like fate, Grandma. The costumes are right there. Why don’t you come with me? I’d love to see you dressed up too!”Martha hesitated, but a faint smile tugged at her lips. “Alright then.”Stephen quickly sent a message to his friend. “All set. Let’s go.”The three of them stepped into the shop, and it felt like walking into a vibrant world of drama and color.Gowns adorned with intricate embroidery swayed gently on their racks, chiffon sleeves fluttering like mist. Gold and silver threads wove through rich velvet and satin, forming elega
"You’re really turning down this kind of exposure? I get it that you’re holding out for payment, right? Fine. If you do the scene properly, I’ll give you one thousand."Anthony said it like he was doing her a favor. In his mind, anyone else would’ve been falling over themselves with gratitude.But Stellar had already run out of patience."You could offer me one million, and I still wouldn’t do it."Her words landed like a slap across his face.His expression darkened instantly. In all his years in the industry, he had never encountered a woman so ungrateful.Most women groveled for roles, buttered him up with flattery, and even agreed to unspoken terms just to get into his productions.But this woman? She looked at him like he was beneath her. Who did she think she was?Rage surged through him, stripping away whatever civility he had left."You think you’re somebody? Just because you’ve got a pretty face, you think you can play hard to get? Look at you, like some cheap little tease
The summit concluded smoothly.“Stellar, that was incredible! Even Dean Shaw was so impressed he offered you that opportunity. You absolutely can’t miss it!”“And when did you even publish that paper? None of us had a clue!”Back at the base, everyone buzzed with excitement, firing off questions one after another.Stellar pressed her lips together, then cast a slightly sheepish glance at Stephen beside her. “Honestly, it was thanks to him. He helped me find the fastest way to get it published.”“Ohh…” The group immediately exchanged knowing looks, teasing smiles spreading across their faces.They didn’t press further—just gave her the kind of look that said that they understood.“Stellar, I’ve got something else to handle, but we’ll definitely throw you a celebration soon!”“Same here! Got a bit of work piling up. You two take your time.”One by one, her colleagues slipped away.Before she could even say anything to stop them, Stephen chuckled softly beside her. “Your coworkers
Joy leaned in, curiosity sparking in her eyes. “Who is it?”Dean smiled and spoke slowly, “He used to be one of our senior engineers at the base—young, brilliant, and incredibly promising. His name is Stephen Ward.”Joy’s eyes widened in realization. “It’s him?”The crowd erupted with murmurs of admiration.“Ah, of course—it’s Mr. Ward. No wonder!”“I’m not even surprised. Men do tend to have the edge when it comes to technical work.”But just then, a calm voice rang out from behind them, slicing clean through the chatter.“It’s not me.”The entire room fell silent.Everyone turned to watch as Stephen walked through the crowd and stopped beside Stellar. His tone was steady as he looked toward Dean.“I’m not the author of that paper.”Dean blinked in surprise. “But… didn’t you call me before and ask to have it approved for publication? If it’s not yours, then whose is it?”“I only helped submit it,” Stephen said, his gaze landing on Stellar with clear admiration. “The true author is s
But as the doubtful stares around the room gathered on her, Stellar slowly curved her lips into a calm smile and said offhandedly, “Miss Shaw. Do you really believe this is a flaw?”“Isn’t it?” Joy narrowed her eyes, eager to see how she’d try to spin her way out.“That issue might’ve been considered a flaw in the past,” Stellar replied casually. “But not anymore. Not with what I’ve developed.”Joy let out a sharp laugh. “Oh please, now you’re just making things up to save yourself from getting humiliated. If you’re really that capable, why don’t you show us the solution?”The crowd seemed to agree—skepticism flashed across several faces, a few even looking at Stellar with thinly veiled contempt.But the next moment, she calmly reached into her bag and pulled out a folder, opening it with practiced ease. Her voice was steady.“I’ve already broken through this technical barrier. With the data in this set, the issue resolves itself. That’s why I said it’s not a problem at all.”All tho
“Miss Rivers, I’ve heard so much about you. It’s a pleasure to finally meet. Your proposal was recently featured in a national journal. I had the privilege of reading it. It was truly impressive…”It was clear that they were here for her reputation.Some looked at her with admiration, while others came with questions, subtly probing as if trying to see whether the stories about her brilliance were true or just hype.Thankfully, Stellar was well-prepared. She responded with ease, and the overall atmosphere remained warm and respectful until a sharp female voice suddenly cut through the hum of conversation.“Miss Rivers, I admire you as well. When you left SA and chose the more prestigious Starlight base, I was genuinely disappointed. It’s a shame we never got to be colleagues. That was my loss.”Joy stepped out from the crowd, all smiles.On the surface, it sounded like a compliment. But her words suggested Stellar had turned her back on SA in pursuit of fame, casting her decision in
After finding out she’d be attending the summit the next day, Stellar threw herself even deeper into her research.But she remained stuck on a key point and couldn’t crack it.While her colleagues gradually clocked out for the day, she stayed behind in the lab. After sending a quick message home to let her family know she was safe, she returned to her work.She kept at it until nearly midnight with no breakthrough. Just as she was starting to feel completely lost, her phone rang.She glanced at the screen and saw the call was from Stephen.She picked up his call in surprise.His deep, velvety voice came through the line. "Are you still at the base?"Stellar guessed he must’ve heard from her grandparents, so she didn’t hide it. "Yeah, I’m burning the midnight oil on a major project.""Then I’ll just borrow a few minutes. Can you come downstairs?"Caught off guard, she quickly made her way down and pushed open the main door.There, by the curb, stood Stephen—tall and steady like a
Now Stellar had gotten a taste of just how overbearing Stephen’s mother could be. If Grace was that tough on her own son, there was no way she’d dare face her in person.Seeing her resistance, Stephen’s expression dimmed slightly, but he didn’t push her. "Alright, I’ll take you home."He had enough patience to slowly win over the girl he liked.This time, Stellar didn’t turn him down.After getting home and taking a shower, she still felt a lingering sense of unease.Thankfully, the meeting didn’t happen. Who knows how awkward it could’ve been!Pushing those thoughts aside, she returned to the base the next day to continue working on her project.Because of her efforts, several investors had been brought in, and Stellar’s position at the base rose quickly.That morning, Rendell called her into his office to inform her of a new assignment."Stellar, there’s an important aerospace summit coming up. You’ve been working on that new project recently, right? Perfect timing. You’ll represe