The place was empty, and no one was there.Although that was the case, Stella did not believe that it was just her imagination. The feeling of being watched was simply too intense and impossible to ignore.'Could it be paparazzi?' she wondered to herself.The Palace had finished airing for some time now, and the show's popularity had cooled down too. Although the role gained her some fame, she was not particularly a hot shot that would make paparazzi follow her.Just as she was thinking about that, Keegan's car pulled up in front of her. "Get in."Stella snapped out of her thoughts and got into the car.In the car, Stella kept looking out of the window until the car finally drove out of the parking lot. Then, Keegan asked, "What were you looking at?"Stella averted her gaze. "I feel like someone was watching me when I was waiting for you just now, but I couldn't see anyone around."Keegan paused. "I'll have Aldor check the surveillance footage later."Stella was a little surpr
Stella could not help but ask when she handed him a bowl of soup and saw him chuckling with his head down.Keegan lifted his gaze, and a faint smile appeared on his face. "It's nothing. You're almost done filming the show, right?"Stella nodded. "Just a couple more days.""Are you going to take a break after that, or do you have other work to do?""I won't be in any new productions this year. Trevor helped me secure a role in an art film, and I've already met with the director. They plan to start filming around the beginning of spring. So, after The Palace wraps up, I won't be working for a while. It's good because I'll have time to focus on managing the family's business."Keegan asked, "Do you need me to introduce some clients to you?"Stella glanced at him. "With that attitude of yours, are you sure you're going introduce clients to me and not sabotage my business?"Keegan scoffed, "Why do you think those people associate with me?"Stella said without hesitating, "Because yo
Keegan was not exactly happy with the fact that Stella was going to move back to the Saun residence.He had done so many things to finally live under the same roof with Stella. And now, after just a while of living together, his girlfriend was going to move back to her house and have a curfew.Keegan turned the steering wheel, as she asked, "Are you going to stay there tonight?""I'll move tomorrow. I'll go back tonight and pack."Keegan was reluctant to be separated from her, but when he thought about how long Stella had been away from her own family and how much Wenham missed her, he realized that there was no reason for him to be unhappy.He pursed his lips and said after a long pause, "Then, I won't go back to the office. I'll pack with you. If you're going to move up, there's no reason for me to stay there anymore."Stella looked at his resentful expression and chuckled. Then, she whispered, "I'll only stay there temporarily, and I'll have a reason not to go back when I star
As soon as they went inside, Felicity ran to Stella and hugged her, expressing how much she was going to miss her.Stella felt a little sad at first. But, her face darkened, as she listened to what Felicity said to her.Felicity blurted out the truth when she was about to stop crying. "Stella, why do you have to leave? Whose makeup and facial masks can I leech off from? I'm going to spend so much more money now. Boo-hoo..."Stella was speechless.Her lips twitched, as she clenched her teeth and said, "Are you going to miss me or my makeup products?"Felicity continued crying. "Both, so please leave your makeup products here as a memory."Stella wanted to unfriend her right there and then!It was unbelievable how much Felicity's attitude had changed after she started dating Vermont. She had become extremely shameless and stingy as if she had turned into a completely different person!Vermont did not just sit there either. He held a fruit platter that Keegan and Stella had brough
Vermont was surprised. "Thirty percent?" he asked. "Listen, Stella, the selling price for these can easily hit eight figures. Do you know what giving me thirty percent means?"He was worried that Stella might not be familiar with the value of these items, so he thought it would be best to give her a heads-up.Stella chuckled, "Of course. I'm well aware of this. I'm offering you a generous commission, so you won't shortchange me. We'll both benefit from the sale. But, if you feel uneasy about taking thirty percent of the profit, you could do me a little favor in return.""Don't worry. I may not have much, but I have a thick skin. I'm comfortable with taking your money," Vermont reassured.Stella was taken aback by his comment.Keegan kicked Vermont from behind, nearly causing him to crash into the coffee table."Hey!" Vermont ground his teeth. "I was just kidding! Can't y'all take a joke?""You had it coming for running your mouth with my best friend," Felicity giggled.Vermont
Vermont found Stella's proposal intriguing. After contemplating, he said, "You'll need to familiarize yourself with every aspect of The Velvet, from sourcing raw materials to crafting and delivering the final product. It's crucial to have reliable people in key positions. There is no room for error once you start getting large orders."Stella nodded. "Darcie's assistant arranged for me to visit The Velvet tomorrow to get a feel of the operation.""I'll join you," Felicity chimed in immediately. "Jaylene must be mad that you got the jewelry store. She's probably itching to ruin your plans. Take me along. I've got your back if they try to give you a hard time."Vermont thought for a moment and suggested, "That's a good idea. We can have a video call before you guys enter the store, and I'll keep an eye on things through the screen."Stella was waiting for Vermont to say that. "As long as The Velvet can be managed smoothly, I'll add an extra one percent commission for you on these pie
"Good morning, Stella," Felicity greeted with a yawn. She grabbed some clothes from another room and disappeared into the bathroom. Shortly after, she came out, all set.Stella pushed a glass of soy milk toward her and inquired in a hushed tone, "Where's Vermont?""He went back to sleep," Felicity replied.Stella pursed her lips and finally asked after a moment, "How's Vermont's condition?"Felicity let out a sigh. "It's still the same. You know, we share a bed, but his member doesn't respond to me at all. The doctor suggested surgery, but Vermont is dead set against it, claiming it's too risky. But, I think, since he's already living on the edge, what's the extra risk? He could just continue living the way he is."Stella did not know what to say. Her best friend had a remarkably open mind."So, are you considering giving up on treatment?""I do want him to get better, but it feels like he's resisting," Felicity confessed.Stella found it peculiar. Vermont was still young, so i
Stella's expression turned serious."Stella, what's going on?" Felicity noticed the sudden change in her best friend's demeanor and felt a twinge of concern.Stella collected herself and said, "Tell me, how is Vermont treating you?"Felicity's eyes sparkled, as she responded, "He's... treating me well. I don't have to worry about cleaning or doing laundry. He's always there to lend a hand, even when it comes to cooking. After meals, he takes care of the dishes. He also handles things like changing the light bulbs and fixing the pipes, so I don't have to do it myself."Her words caused Stella to be surprised."Tell me something beyond being handy around the house.""He drives me to and from work and saves my favorite food for me. He's quick to apologize whenever he upsets me. He's just a bit too much of a smooth talker."Stella was not quite sure how to respond. Vermont seemed practically flawless. It was just his approach to courtship that was infuriating. 'How dare he deceive h