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Chapter 351
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As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 352
“Our company’s planning to bid on a major infrastructure project,” Claude said as he adjusted his cufflinks. “It’s city-led, and there are a lot of strong contenders. From how things look, we’re unlikely to land the primary contract—maybe a secondary one, if we’re lucky.”Claude had always aimed for the top, but there was always someone better, especially in areas outside his core expertise.Stellar wasn’t in that field herself, so there wasn’t much she could do. Still, her mind wandered back to Percy. As much as she loathed the man, there was no denying his professional skills—this kind of work had always been his forte.It was a shame she’d switched to finance back then instead of staying long enough to learn more about that field.She looked up, a bit apologetic. “Sorry, Uncle Claude. I don’t think I’d be much help with that.”“It’s alright,” he said with a reassuring smile, reaching out to ruffle her hair. “It’s not your responsibility. No need to stress yourself over it.”Wit
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 353
The next day, just as Stellar wrapped up her tasks at the base and headed toward the parking lot, she spotted a shadowy figure standing beside her car.The underground garage was dimly lit, and the sudden silhouette made her instinctively brace for a fight. Without hesitation, she lifted a foot, ready to strike straight for the intruder’s face.“Stellar…it’s me!”Her foot halted just an inch from his nose. She widened her eyes and stared in disbelief. “Percy? What the hell are you doing?”“I didn’t have a choice,” he said, looking a little flustered. “I can’t get past security at your villa, and you haven’t been picking up your phone. This was the only place I could wait for you.”He stared at her with a strange, lingering tenderness.Stellar’s expression twitched. She didn’t waste a breath asking why he was there and simply turned on her heel, heading straight for her car.Seeing her about to leave, Percy quickly stepped in her way.“Wait, wait… Stellar, I swear, I’m not here to
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 354
"You…" Percy’s face twisted with frustration, stunned she’d humiliated him so directly. "Fine. You win."Clenching his jaw, he turned and walked away.This time, he was going to make it. He’d rise again and prove to Stellar just how wrong she’d been to dismiss him.With that thought burning in his chest, Percy forced himself back to the pawn shop and handed over the heirloom—this time, for a long-term loan.…Stellar didn’t give the encounter another thought. After getting into her car, she didn’t head home right away.Instead, she drove straight to Howard’s studio.She carefully carried in a canvas from the back seat."Sorry to keep you waiting, Professor. This is my latest piece. I wanted you to have it now.""No worries," Howard said with a warm smile. "The exhibit doesn’t officially open until tomorrow."His eyes lit up the moment he laid them on the painting. The longer he looked, the more pleased he became."Incredible, absolutely incredible! You’ve outdone yourself. I always
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 355
The moment Howard saw Stellar, a flicker of guilt crossed his face."Stellar... I owe you an apology. The piece you worked so hard on was damaged. Completely ruined. We can’t exhibit it now."Stellar froze.Zayden’s face darkened as he stepped into the studio, eyes scanning the room until they landed on the shredded canvas lying on the floor."Who did this?"His voice was sharp with anger, and his gaze immediately shifted to Susan.Susan blinked, wide-eyed with innocence. "As soon as I found out, I asked the staff to look into it. But the power cut out in the studio last night. None of the security cameras caught anything."Howard let out a weary sigh and shook his head. "The announcement’s already out—everyone’s expecting the return of ‘Sole Light.’ The spotlight’s still waiting for your painting... but now there’s no time to create another."Stellar had only just rediscovered her spark.That piece took everything she had. There wasn’t a backup—her older works had already been sho
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Zayden immediately caught on."This is about the painting, isn’t it?"Stellar gave a subtle nod, then leaned in and whispered a few quick words in his ear.His brows lifted in surprise, but he nodded without hesitation."Got it. Wait here."With that, he turned and hurried off.Not far away, Stephen stood with arms crossed, his expression dark. Watching them whisper to each other, that spark of closeness—it twisted something in his chest. Jealousy curled up sharp and bitter inside him.When Stellar returned, he kept his tone casual, though his eyes gave him away."Is there something I’m not allowed to hear?"She flashed a mysterious smile."You’ll find out once the exhibit starts."Stephen narrowed his eyes, voice low and laced with something unreadable."You trust him more than you trust me?"Stellar studied him, amused by the flicker of insecurity in his eyes."You sound jealous.""Am I not allowed to be?" he replied, dead serious."Alright, alright," she said with a laugh, like she
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 357
Stellar showed up in a simple, casual outfit.Her hair loose with no makeup.But somehow, she looked like she’d stepped straight out of a graphic novel. There was a quiet elegance to her, something effortlessly refined that couldn’t be faked."Sorry to keep you waiting," she said as she approached Stephen. Her gaze skimmed past Joy without pause, as if she hadn’t even seen her. She held out her hand to Stephen with a light smile. "Shall we?"Stephen blinked, slightly caught off guard.Then, without a word, he took her hand—fingers lacing together in a natural, intimate clasp.Joy’s eyes locked on their joined hands. Her nails dug so hard into her palm, her lip nearly split under her teeth. But the pain didn’t even register."Tch."A scoffing sound broke the moment.Joey sauntered up, sneering as she looked Stellar over."So, this whole gallery thing was just an excuse for a date? Figures. Pretending to be cultured, but I doubt she even understands half the meaning behind those pain
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 358
"Sir, my name is Howard Roberts."Dean's face lit up with joy. "Is that you, Howard?""You... you're Dean?" Howard stared at him, trying to confirm the familiar voice. After a closer look, he said in disbelief, "It's been so many years... you've grown a full white beard. I almost didn't recognize you.""Professor, you two know each other?" Stellar asked curiously.Only then did Howard explain to her that they were old friends who hadn’t seen each other in years.The two old men chatted happily and brought Stellar with them into the lounge."Don’t even think about making a move on my student. She’s the one I trust and value the most.""She's important to me too. Her talent in aerospace is truly remarkable.""She's also great at painting. My student is a true all-rounder!"The two old men took turns singing her praises.Stellar had clearly become the center of attention.Stephen followed silently behind them like a quiet guardian.Just as they reached the lounge, they saw Zayden, who had
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"I've made up my mind."Stellar’s expression was firm. "Thank you for the offer, Mr. Shaw. I’m honored to accept the invitation and join the research project.""Excellent!" Dean’s smile grew even brighter.The conversation shifted to the upcoming art exhibition. At first, it seemed Stephen might struggle to keep up—this clearly wasn’t his field. But to everyone’s surprise, he slipped into the conversation effortlessly, speaking with a calm confidence and insight.Even Howard found himself impressed by his insight.At first, Stephen appeared like just another face in Stellar’s circle, but the dynamic was already shifting into something more—an unlikely friendship in the making.The scene felt all too familiar.Stellar had witnessed how easily Stephen won over every important elder in her life with just a few well-placed words countless times.It was as if he had a gift for it.When it looked like Howard was about to take him under his wing, Stephen shot her a desperate look.Finally, St
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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
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
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 395
The very next second…“Pfft…”Someone 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 one’s going to mock you," Joy seized the moment to attack. "But what’s 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 isn’t 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 you’re 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.Stellar’s 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 didn’t want to talk about it, Stellar didn’t pry. She wasn’t the type to dig into other people’s business. "Alright then, I won’t 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, he’d finally managed to be in the same research institute as Joy. He’d gone out of his way to shower her with kindness, offering her everything he thought was good. But she didn’t appreciate it at all.In fact, she told him to
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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.Stellar’s 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.“I just finished work. Still up?”“I just got back my phone. Sorry, I’ll keep it on me next time.”“Did you eat, rest, and take care of yourself properly?”Stephen’s message came like rain in a drought.I
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 392
It took Stellar a moment before she finally spoke, disbelief lacing her voice. “Wait, doesn’t that mean she basically admitted to covering up crimes? Isn’t that illegal too?”“Exactly, but I guess she’s not the sharpest tool in the shed. She kept insisting it was all Tori’s doing—that she and her son were innocent.”Suzy let out a snort. “I’ve never seen anyone exposing their own son’s crimes on camera and dragging themselves down with him. “No wonder Eddie turned out the way he did. With a mom like that cheering him on, it’s no surprise he grew up thinking he could do whatever he wanted. “The apple really doesn’t fall far from the tree.”Stellar 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. “Stellar, don’t let this weigh on you. That mother and son duo were hid
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“I just came back to grab a file,” Claude said, his tone laced with suspicion. “I thought I heard you talking to someone just now?”“Nope!” Stellar answered quickly, not daring to admit the truth.Claude studied her for a moment, then his expression eased. “Stellar, I’m 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.”Stellar twitched at the corner of her mouth and thought, “Uncle Claude, are you seriously telling me to be a heartbreaker?”“That doesn’t sound like a good idea,” she said hesitantly.“Why not? Your happiness is what matters most. If anyone makes you uncomfortable, kick them to the curb. Simple as that. “Of course, we’ll also keep an eye on things and make sure no one messes with you.”There was a sharp glint of calculation in Claude’s eyes.Stellar could only offer a wry smile.She hadn’t even started dating yet, and even
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Stephen let out a quiet sigh and turned, ready to leave.“Do you like Stellar?” A sweet voice chimed in beside him.Xavier turned in surprise, puzzled as he looked at the young woman. “You are…?”“I’m Stellar’s friend, Lilian Yates.”She 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 Xavier’s eyes that were filled with admiration, reluctance, and a trace of sorrow, she knew Xavier had feelings for Stellar.“I…” Xavier was caught off guard, unsure how to respond.Lilian cut him off with a grin. “You’re the legendary attorney she always talks about, right? Perfect. I was wondering if I can ask you for a favor?”“What kind of favor?” he asked, instinctively curious.She leaned in and whispered something in his ear, her voice barely audible. When she pulled back, she added softly, “But you have to promise to keep it between us.”Xavier paused, considered it, then nod
