Agonizing pain exploded from the back of his head, rippling through his entire body like a shockwave, as if his organs had been forcibly jolted out of place.Percy nearly coughed up blood. He could hardly believe what had just happened before his eyes. Mary had long harbored resentment toward this wretched man who had bullied Stellar. However, without Stellar’s permission, she didn’t dare to act. She had been holding back all this time. However, who would have thought he’d actually dare to break the priceless hairpin that Stellar gave her?It was a gift filled with Stellar’s heartfelt sentiments!So, Mary could no longer endure it. While Percy was still struggling to get up, she launched another furious attack, landing each blow on the most painful spots. Even the manager, who initially planned to call security, was dumbfounded. Stellar was completely stunned. She couldn't believe the elderly woman in front of her was Mary.Then, the sharp sound of something snapping ec
"Sir, that’s enough!" This time, even the leading officer lost his patience. "I'm not lying!" Percy was on the verge of exploding. He was telling the truth, so why wouldn’t anyone believe him? "Wait! The security footage! The cameras can prove I’m telling the truth!" It was as if he had grabbed onto his last lifeline. But before he could feel any relief, the store manager immediately spoke up. "Apologies, sir. Our boutique offers private, custom services. To protect our clients’ privacy, we don’t have surveillance cameras inside. However—" At that, the manager suddenly shifted, adopting a righteous and indignant expression. He jabbed a finger at Percy and declared, "I saw it with my own eyes—this man was the one who attacked first!" The words barely fell when Percy’s face twisted in fury, his eyes nearly bloodshot. "Bastards! You’re all in on this! You’re conspiring against me!" He was so enraged he nearly lunged at the manager. But before he could act, the le
Stellar nodded in satisfaction and gave the leading officer a slight bow. "Thank you, Captain Lee. I accept the ruling." With everything settled, she turned and left the station with Mary Warren. But the moment they stepped outside, a familiar figure was already waiting. Margaret stood there, her expression cold, unaware that Stellar had already refused the settlement. Without a word, she shoved a document toward her—a formal agreement, its crisp white pages stamped with bold black ink."Stellar, I’m warning you not to push your luck. My son gave you plenty over the years. If you’re not an ungrateful wretch, then sign this statement of forgiveness!" She was the one asking for a favor, yet she still carried herself as if she were the one in control. Mary’s eye twitched with irritation, barely restraining herself from slapping the woman outright. But before she could react, Stellar spoke first. "I’m not signing it." "What did you just say?" Margaret’s fists tightened
"Our strength as women is naturally weaker than a man's. That’s why we don’t rely on brute force. “It’s all about technique—striking when least expected, with speed, precision, and force."She demonstrated a few key moves, walking Stellar through the motions twice."When you need to teach someone a lesson, it’s all about hitting the right spots. “These moves cause the most pain without leaving visible marks. The real soreness won’t kick in until twenty-four hours later."Stellar was a fast learner. Her sharp mind and strong intuition allowed her to absorb every detail of Mary’s demonstration with ease.Within just thirty minutes, she had already replicated the moves flawlessly."Miss Stellar, you’re incredible!" Mary exclaimed, stunned. "Not only did you pick it up instantly, but your movements are clean, precise, and completely fluid. You’re a natural!"She hadn’t expected Stellar to have such raw talent.It must be in her blood—the Rivers' blood. Strength was simply in her genes
Back when Stellar was around, this had never happened. "Percy…" Chris hesitated for a moment before speaking, his tone casual yet deliberate. "It’s been a while since we’ve seen Stellar, hasn’t it? Is she still mad at you?" For the first time, he dared to mention Stellar when she wasn’t around. The moment Percy heard her name, his expression turned thunderous. With a sharp motion, he slammed his glass onto the table, his voice laced with fury. "I told you—don’t ever mention that woman in front of me again! And—" His bloodshot eyes swept across the room, locking onto each of his so-called friends. "From this day on, she and I are enemies. Anyone who dares speak up for her is going against me!" A heavy silence fell over the room. Chris frowned. He heard that Percy’s recent arrest had something to do with Stellar, and while he didn’t understand why she would do such a thing, openly declaring her an enemy seemed extreme. The woman had no background and real connecti
Wanting to maintain a polished image in front of Percy’s friends, Yvonne took extra care with her appearance. She applied flawless makeup, chose an elegant outfit, and carried herself with the perfect blend of grace and sophistication."Apologies for being late," she said with a warm smile, addressing the group."Good evening, Miss Harlow," someone greeted politely."Miss Harlow? What are you talking about? She’s going to be the future Mrs. Moore! We should start calling her properly." "Oh, right! Good evening, Mrs. Moore! Sorry for the trouble!"Percy’s friends were quick to adapt, playing their roles well.Yvonne gave a modest nod, satisfied with their respect.But the moment the sound of the woman footsteps reached Percy’s drunken ears, his hazy eyes suddenly snapped open.Through his blurred vision, he saw a graceful figure approaching, her voice soft and patient."Percy, let’s go home."A familiar and comforting fragrance surrounded him, and without thinking, he assumed it was
"Stellar!"The first face that flashed through Percy’s mind was hers, and the mere thought of her name made him grit his teeth in anger.But soon, the hazy memories from last night started coming back.Towards the end… it wasn’t Stellar who took him away.It was Yvonne.And yet, she actually dumped him on the side of the road and left him there?At that moment, his disgust for Yvonne deepened even further.Furious, he stormed away from the scene.…Meanwhile, on the other side of town.Stellar spent her entire day at the research institute, buried in her latest experiment.For once, no one had caused trouble for her, and she enjoyed a rare, peaceful day.Just as she was about to leave, her phone rang."Babe, I finally wrapped things up on my end. How about a dinner date?"Suzy’s lazy, sultry voice carried an irresistible charm.Stellar couldn’t help but smile, her tone softer than usual."Sure! Where are we meeting?"Suzy rattled off an address.Stellar paused for a second but agreed w
"You haven't seen this yet? Well, I guarantee it’ll make your day!"Suzy, grinning with excitement, shoved her phone in front of Stellar.On the screen, a shaky, handheld video played—a clip taken by a bystander.In the video, Percy was a complete mess. His clothes were disheveled, his face twisted in rage as he stumbled out of a roadside flower bed. His expression darkened even further when he realized his surroundings, and as he yanked up his pants, he roared at the onlookers, "Get the hell away from me!"Suzy burst into laughter, wiping away tears. "Oh my god! This scumbag went from living in luxury to literally waking up in the streets. Talk about karma! Serves him right after the way he treated you."If this had been in the past, Stellar might have felt something—anger, sadness, even pity.But now, seeing Percy like this?She felt nothing."Whatever happens to him isn’t my concern anymore," she said calmly.As she spoke, her gaze drifted toward the entrance, where a tall, famil
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
“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
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
At that moment, Eddie stared at Tori—her face all innocent, but a flicker of triumph flashed in her eyes.Surrounded by the reporters' jeers and public outrage, rage surged in him like a tidal wave.His last shred of control snapped.In the blink of an eye, he pulled a box cutter from his coat pocket and drove it hard toward Tori’s chest.“Die!”Her eyes flew wide, that faint smirk still frozen on her face as pain overtook her. She clutched her chest and crumpled to the ground.For a second, the crowd stood frozen in disbelief.Then chaos exploded.“Someone call security!” “He stabbed her! He actually stabbed her!”Shrieks tore through the air, sharp enough to split the sky.People scattered in every direction.As the crowd parted, Stellar’s figure came into view.Eddie, now completely unhinged, turned on her—blade dripping red, madness in his eyes.“This is all your fault!”Stellar reacted in a flash. She had some basic self-defense training, but she’d never faced a live blade befo
Xavier rose to his feet, voice clear and steady. “Your Honor, my client, Ms. Stellar Rivers, is a gifted and accomplished novelist. Yet she has been the victim of identity theft and public defamation at the hands of the defendant, Eddie Palmer…”He laid out the facts with composed conviction, then switched on the projector to display a series of damning evidence.They were screenshots of Eddie’s defamatory posts on social media, malicious comments under Stellar’s novel, financial records of suspicious transactions—each piece adding weight to the case.“During this time, my client endured repeated harassment and psychological distress, while the defendant reaped the rewards—standing on her name, using her reputation, and profiting off her fanbase. “We request a criminal conviction, along with appropriate compensation.”With that, Xavier concluded his argument.The defense attorney then slowly stood. Everyone expected him to offer a rebuttal, but instead, he delivered a bombshell.“Wha
When she saw the caller ID, Tori felt like she’d just grabbed onto the last lifeline she had. “Hello…?”“I’ve heard about your situation,” said the voice on the other end. It was heavily disguised through a voice changer, making it impossible to tell if it belonged to a man or a woman. “If you don’t want everything to fall apart, I might have a solution.”“What is it? Please… you have to help me,” Tori responded quickly.It was this mysterious person who had advised her from the start, coaxing her step by step into targeting Suzy and Stellar. Without them, she never would’ve come this far.She still had no idea who the person was, but she knew they were powerful.Even after breaking up with Zayden, she managed to remain untouchable in the industry, all thanks to this person pulling strings behind the scenes. She’d long suspected they were someone with a grudge against Suzy or Stellar—maybe both.But as the saying goes, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”And right now, they were t
At that, Eddie clenched his jaw, then spat out a vicious threat. “Then I’ll go public with everything you did back then.”Back when they were close, he’d known all the humiliating details—how desperately Stellar had chased after Percy, how much she gave without ever asking for anything in return, and all the painful history with the Harlow family. Now, he was trying to use it all as a weapon against her.He thought that would be enough to shake her. That she'd panic, beg him not to bring it up. After all, those were old wounds—raw and bloody things she once tried so hard to bury. If they were dragged into the light now, it would be like tearing open skin that had only just begun to scar.But on the other end of the line, her voice was startlingly calm.“Go ahead. Say whatever you want.”Whatever she’d been through, it was still part of her story—a path she had walked herself.Now, she could face it without shame. She’d come to terms with her past, and she valued the life she had no
Thanks to Larry’s heads-up, Stellar found the burner account and, sure enough, the screen was filled with venomous posts. The comment section was swarming with replies piling on, criticizing her from every possible angle.It was hard to tell whether they were paid trolls or just people riding the wave of attention.The more she scrolled, the colder her expression became.She could guess why this was happening.It was because she hadn’t responded yesterday.They probably assumed she was backing down. So now, they were doubling down, even bolder than before.From the tone and habits in the posts, she was almost certain it was Eddie behind it.“I’ll take care of it, Larry. Don’t worry,” she assured her editor.After hanging up, Stellar immediately called Julian.“Uncle Julian, do you know any media firms in the industry that handle troll management? I need your help with something.”After hearing her explanation, Julian agreed right away and quickly made the arrangements.Half an hour la
“This time, they’re finally going to get what they deserve.”As Stellar said it, something seemed to click. Her eyes widened slightly as she turned to Stephen.“You… how did you even know about the comments on my novel page? Don’t tell me…”In that instant, a thought flashed through her mind like lightning.“You’re Wind Charm, aren’t you?”Stephen raised an eyebrow, the corner of his lips lifting into a slow, knowing smile.“You're only asking about this now?”That alone was as good as a confession.Stellar stared at him, stunned and at a loss. “You actually created a whole account just for me? No wonder you only followed my work. “You don’t even read novels, do you? You really didn’t have to go that far.”Thinking about his thoughtfulness and his quiet care, Stellar realized he’d done so much that it left her overwhelmed.“Your writing is incredible. Why wouldn’t I read your work? Besides…”Stephen eased off the gas, casting a soft glance her way. “Weren’t you the one who said a re