'Why the hell is he blaming me? Does he even remember what he said about the ripped jeans?' thought Stella. She recalled Keegan had looked at her indifferently and said, "Can't you afford clothes without holes? How expensive can normal clothing be? It's one thing for Aurora to dress like that at her age, but you're a married woman; could you dress a bit more maturely?"Naturally, that did not go down well with Stella. She felt offended because she was only a few years older than Aurora. So, she bought a few more pairs of ripped jeans and wore them every day, purposely showing them off in front of Keegan.By coincidence, autumn arrived and brought rain for over half a month. Stella preferred sun-dried clothes since air-drying left a lingering smell, and machine-drying made clothes feel less fresh. As a result, a pile of dirty clothes accumulated and remained unwashed.When the skies finally cleared, the housekeeper tossed everything into the washer, unintentionally causing some of th
Albert had been living with Xenia recently to provide better care for the "baby" growing in her belly. He had also become remarkably accommodating toward her needs. [Every time I go to the bathroom, he'd worry that I might accidentally give birth in the toilet.] Xenia texted Stella.Upon reading that message, Stella chuckled for quite some time, picturing Albert's anxious demeanor. He displayed the same behavior when Rainee successfully got the IVF. He was obsessed with ensuring everything was perfect. He would pre-squeeze Rainee's toothpaste every morning and serve her warm porridge.For that brief period of bliss, Rainee entertained the idea that she would have a happy family life. However, that illusion was shattered when she suffered an unexpected miscarriage.The truth was Albert did not harbor genuine affection for any of the women in his life. His occasional glances at Xenia only reminded him of the son he once had and not Rainee.Stella found it both amusing and pitiful wat
"I want to inquire about the best day for Xenia to get the C-section according to God's plan," said Albert.Stella was at a loss for words. 'When did Albert become so godly? Where was this behavior when he decided to hurt her wife of twenty years?' she thought as her face tightened with displeasure.Keegan grabbed her hand and gently rubbed his thumb over it, trying to soothe her. "I'm not sure. I'll have to ask," he answered Albert indifferently.He paused briefly before adding, "Mr. Jewell, while I may not be a spiritual person, I find tampering with destiny and manipulating life events through artificial means to be violating divine favor. Instead of seeking spiritual guidance, perhaps doing good deeds to create more blessings for the child might be more beneficial."Albert's expression momentarily stiffened upon hearing that. He contemplated about it and said, "That makes sense." He then reminded Keegan to get the venerable's number and hung up.After the call ended, Stella co
Keegan was not happy. "Why should I leave just because he's here?" he asked."Don't act all indignant! You know how close he and my brother are. Trevor's going to know you're living here the moment Marshall shows up. He already doesn't like you, and Wenham isn't fond of you either. The Hall family despises you even more. This is your chance to make a good impression. So show some restraint and know your boundaries, okay?" Stella explained.Keegan's face looked tense as he said, "Marshall came without prior notice; why aren't you accusing him of not knowing boundaries?"Stella was puzzled by Keegan's logic. "It's not like he's the one I'm with."That response seemed to ease the tension.However, Keegan still was not keen on leaving. "We should just go public if he tells Trevor."Stella shot him a sideways glance and said, "While I don't want to discourage you, I have to remind you that you're on my family's blacklist. When I mentioned your name during our reunion, it was met with
"Coffee," stated Keegan."Tea," replied Marshall.Stella hesitated momentarily, then glanced at Keegan and suggested, "You might as well have some tea too. It would save us from firing up the coffee machine."Keegan looked slightly displeased about the situation but chose not to argue.Marshall pressed his lips together slightly as he watched the scene unfold. 'Brewing tea was also a bit of a hassle,' he thought. The fact that Stella did not ask him to accommodate Keegan's request felt respectful, yet created a sense of unfamiliarity between them.Keegan settled onto the nearby couch, maintaining a comfortable distance from Stella. He turned to Marshall and asked, "How's the injury?"Marshall opened up his palm to show Keegan the wound. Though it was healed, the scar remained prominent. It would likely need some time to fade. "It's alright," he said."Given your experience, you don't really need to take on cases like that. The pay isn't a lot, and there are tons of risks involve
Marshall took the cup of tea and thanked Stella.Keegan reached for the other cup, only to find Stella grabbing and sipping from it. He shot her a puzzled look, to which she responded, "Your cup's in the kitchen. Go fetch it yourself."Stella's words left him speechless. 'Seems like she's seizing every opportunity to tease me, he thought. Annoyed by the situation, Keegan stood up and headed for the kitchen. There, he found a cup of coffee with a heart-shaped latte art waiting on the counter. His anger dispersed immediately. 'Aw, she loves me.'"Mr. Moore, you mentioned something about my mother's accident during our call. What is it?" Stella asked.Marshall placed his cup down and pulled out his phone. He showed Stella a photo of someone and said, "Take a look at this person. Do you know him?"Stella glanced at the picture and immediately recognized the face. "He used to be my family's driver. I had investigators look into him before, but he's rather cautious and avoids having int
Marshall had clearly put thought into selecting the gifts. The present he chose was a stylish leather backpack with dual shoulder straps, perfect for Felicity's relaxed and casual fashion sense. However, the silk scarf he included felt a little out of place, given that it resonated more with Stella's typical style. There were numerous scarves in that particular style in Stella's spacious walk-in closet. She even owned several of the same design in various colors.Not fully attuned to women's fashion preferences, Keegan playfully teased her for having so many scarfs. Stella then teased him back for his shoe collection.Felicity liked the bag Marshall gifted her. She swung it over her shoulder and asked Stella. "Stella, do you think I look good in this?"Before Stella could respond, Vermont interjected, "You do. That bag fits your aesthetic perfectly."Felicity rolled her eyes at him and said, "I wasn't talking to you. What would a man like you know about fashion?"Her words render
"What happened to playing fair?" mouthed Marshall.Keegan pretended not to notice and avoided the subject, while Felicity managed to score two presents due to her brave intervention.With the kindergarten issue grabbing headlines, Marshall was aware of the situation.Stella was mildly concerned that he would be displeased at her for consulting another lawyer since he was the one who first helped her with the investigation. However, her worries were unfounded. This was proven when Marshall nodded affirmatively and said, "Ted is a great attorney. I'm sure he can help you deal with this matter well."He even offered some advice saying, "However, keep an eye on the account called @ShilohTalks. His posts might appear pro-public, but they often carry a provocative tone that fuels division among the people.""He's practically a leech. Remember that viral incident about a girl wearing a Lolita costume taking her wheelchair-bound grandmother with her when she enrolled in university?" asked
Keegan moved from initial resistance to reluctantly listening, and eventually to questioning."Why do these novels portray men as so stupid and brainless, yelling at the female lead as if they have intermittent explosive disorder?""Is the male lead sick? Forcing the female lead to donate a kidney, is he out of his mind?""How many years would they get for calling the police in their world?""Why is he so dumb? The supporting actress claims the female lead pushed her into the water and he believes it? Is checking surveillance footage illegal?""Stella, are you making fun of me?""I can't learn this. It all feels so neurotic. What does the female lead see in him?"Stella retorted, "Who cares if it's neurotic? Just mimic that stupidity, that's how these innocent women like men who protect them like that."Keegan was very reluctant, but his brain was more compliant than his body. Without needing to study deliberately, everything he heard stuck in his mind.So when Keegan mentione
Keegan's expression darkened with anger. "You're being completely unreasonable!"Stella crossed her arms, wearing an expression that seemed challenging. "You let her take it. Let's see if I dare."Jaylene hadn't actually wanted those junk items in the first place; she was deliberately trying to stir up discord between them. Now that her goal was achieved, she put on a sympathetic look."Keegan, I don't want it anymore. Don't be angry. Your health is more important. Didn't the doctor say to keep your emotions stable?"Turning her head, she reproached Stella. "Stella, are you here to help Keegan recover his memory or just to provoke him?""Shut up, you brat! Do you even have a say here?"Acting under the guise of a drama, playing the role of someone lacking in manners, was incredibly satisfying.She’d wanted to curse this brat for a long time!Jaylene's lips twitched, but she held back, tearfully saying, "Stella, if you don't like me, I'll leave. There's no need to humiliate me l
Jaylene understood the situation perfectly. Even though she didn't particularly like these cold, mechanical devices, she put on a pretense of surprise, saying, "Really, Keegan?"Keegan nodded. "Choose one you like.""Keegan!" Before Stella could finish her sentence, she couldn't hold back her sharp voice, "With your pile of junk that I can't even touch normally, she takes a look and now you want to give it to her? What's the meaning of this?!"Keegan frowned, apparently not comprehending her current anger at all. "Jaylene gave me a gift, and I'm giving her one in return. What's the problem?""What problem?" Stella's eyes started to redden. "I can't touch them, so why should she be able to? Have you forgotten, or do you have inappropriate feelings for her?"Keegan's expression darkened. "This makes no sense!"Jaylene secretly delighted in this, hypocritically trying to calm things down, "Forget it, Keegan. Since Stella minds so much, I don't want it anymore. You've strained your r
The standoff lasted for over twenty minutes before Keegan grabbed a book and knocked the beetle off Jaylene's neck. The beetle fluttered twice and suddenly flew up, landing on Jaylene's face.Jaylene screamed, rolled her eyes, and fainted.As she collapsed, the bug flew off again."Jaylene?"Keegan called out to her.He looked up at Stella and said, "You go start the car, I'll carry her to the hospital."As he spoke, he signaled to Stella.She understood and coldly grunted, "So troublesome."Walking over to Jaylene, she squatted down beside her and slapped her face twice.Jaylene immediately opened her eyes and reached out to push her away. "What are you doing!"Stella was prepared and had already moved back before she could be pushed.She shook her tingling hand and innocently said, "Jaylene, you fainted because of the bug. I was just saving you. Don't believe me? Ask Keegan."Jaylene nearly ground her teeth. Did she think she hadn't heard? She was intentionally exposing h
Her fingertips trembled with a mix of horror and excitement. Just as the teapot was about to slip from her grasp, Keegan suddenly said, "Jaylene, don't move."Jaylene froze, instinctively thinking Keegan had regained his memory. She had barely twitched when Keegan loudly stopped her again, "Don't move, absolutely don't move."Jaylene wanted to say something, but then felt an itching sensation on her neck, as if something was crawling slowly. Goosebumps erupted all over her body.By now, Stella had turned around and saw Jaylene standing stiffly with the teapot in hand. Her eyes quickly assessed the situation and then she noticed the beetle crawling on Jaylene's neck.It was an unknown species, not overly tentacled but as long as a little finger, its mouthparts slightly twitching, genuinely alarming in appearance.Stella murmured, "It's so big."Jaylene couldn't see what was on her neck, unsure if it would bite or if it was venomous. She stood frozen in place, her voice trembling,
Seeing him, Stella even lowered her eyes and softly praised, "Mr. Kane, you acted very well."Keegan glared at her, his voice low and intense. "If you keep watching like this, Coco will cut ties with me tomorrow."Stella replied confidently, "No, she won't. After accepting the red envelope, she can tolerate you a little longer."Keegan asked sharply, "Did you teach her to ask for red envelopes like this?""Don't falsely accuse me; I didn't teach her.""You may not have taught her directly, but you set an example. Have you forgotten how you always make me buy things for you?"Stella was speechless. Whenever she wanted Keegan to buy her something, she would often say, "Gifts are only surprises when given voluntarily. If reminded, it shows they don’t like me that much."It had to be said, Coco had learned the essence of it.Stella also felt a bit awkward, thinking that in the future, she needed to avoid such flirtatious conversations between spouses in front of the children. They
Could she figure all this out?Keegan frowned, casting a disappointed look at Coco. "Are you not listening to me now?"Coco raised her gaze defiantly and stated, "Aunt Stella taught me that if I don't want something someone gives me, I can say no. I don't want this hairpin.""Didn't she teach you that even if you don't like something, you should still say thank you?"Coco fell silent for a moment, then reluctantly said to Jaylene, "Thank you, Aunt Jaylene, but I don't want it."Jaylene hesitated with her hand extended, unsure whether to retract it or leave it there, managing a strained smile. "Then what do you like? Next time, I will get you something you do like."Coco asked, "Do you want me to do something for you?"Jaylene was taken aback. "What?"Coco replied seriously, "Aunt Stella says offering help without reason is either deceitful or thieving. Since you don't like me, why else would you give me something? You want me to do something for you, right?"Jaylene forced a s
Leighton's incident did indeed revive their suspicions.Jaylene was gullible, but Darcie might see through this scheme. "Keegan, why didn't you go to work today?" Jaylene chose to ask directly at first.Keegan remained composed. "I've been busy with the press conference lately and haven't had much rest. Now that things have slowed down, I thought I'd take a break and relax."Jaylene spoke gently, "You should rest well. Since you came back, you've been busy, and you've been postponing Dr. Stone's follow-up appointments. Keegan, I'm really worried about your health. Since you're resting these days, I'll arrange for Dr. Stone to give you another check-up. Stella has been living here to assist your recovery for so long. We need the doctor to give a clear assessment of whether there's been any improvement. Otherwise, it's not good for Stella's reputation to stay here so long, unmarried and under one roof."Keegan nodded. "Okay, please arrange it. Thank you."His response was decisive,
Stella had just descended the stairs when she heard that remark, causing her eyelids to twitch as she thought to herself, “Damn it! He really knows how to come up with excuses!”Upon hearing this, Jaylene's eyes briefly flashed with disdain, but she ultimately accepted the shoe covers Keegan handed her. As Keegan led Jaylene into the house, her eyes continued to scrutinize every corner.There were a couple of pillows on the sofa, couple mugs on the table, wedding photos of Keegan and Stella on the walls, and even headbands and hair ties scattered on the table. The house exuded an unmistakable feminine touch.Jaylene's expression darkened, but when Keegan turned to ask if she preferred tea or coffee, she adopted a gentle, harmless demeanor. "Tea would be perfect."Keegan invited her to take a seat and called for Maria to prepare tea. Jaylene spoke softly, "Keegan, I heard from Stella that you brew Dragon Well tea better than anyone else. Is there a special technique?"Stella paused