Marshall's heart raced, as he said in a low voice, "Hold on tight." Then, he started the bike's engine.The news of Stella and Marshall "dating" quickly spread among their friends and gained a lot of people's attention.As Stella's closest friend, Felicity could not believe that she actually heard that from someone else first.Although she had seen the news online, she did not take them seriously at all. She figured that Keegan would not have a chance to be with Stella again after the divorce if Stella was really interested in Marshall.So, she did not believe anything she read online.She only began to sense that something was not right when the rumors had spread around her.She figured that Stella would not let rumors run wild without clarifying anything if it was not true.However, Felicity still chose to believe in her best friend. "New love? Wouldn't I have known about it if Stella was in a new relationship? These people are just fabricating things!"Vermont glanced at her
Felicity glared at Vermont. "I'm off to see my bestie!"Vermont dragged Felicity's suitcase and said, "You're being a tad melodramatic. Stella hasn't clarified anything about her relationship with Marshall. Can't I be mad at her for Keegan?""You weren't just mad though. You were personally attacking her! How dare you tell me not to hang out with her anymore?! We wouldn't have even met if it wasn't for her!""Alright, alright. So, she played matchmaker. I'm thankful that I got to meet you," Vermont said while pulling Felicity toward the bedroom. "But, what's with the whole storming out every time something happens?"Felicity huffed, "This isn't my home; it's yours. And, this doesn't count as storming out. I didn't even put any clothes in there. I was just giving you a little scare."Vermont lifted the suitcase and confirmed its feather-light weight. He sighed, "Ever heard of the story of the boy who cried wolf?"Felicity gave him a side-eye. "Yeah. People didn't believe him when
Felicity checked the caller ID and noticed that it was a landline number. She became curious and asked, "He's currently unavailable. Would you like to leave a message?""Are you Mr. Snyder's spouse?""Yeah," Felicity responded casually, considering her role as a girlfriend was equivalent to that of a spouse.The warm voice on the other end continued, "Hello, Mrs. Snyder. We're from Sunfert Hospital. We're expanding our sperm bank, and as an incentive, we're reaching out to healthy men with high sperm quality. Mr. Snyder, being a regular client for annual check-ups, prompted us to contact him first. We're wondering if he'd be interested in making a donation.""Does he even have the capability to donate sperm?" Felicity mumbled to herself."Sorry?""Ahem. Unfortunately, due to his health condition, it would be physically challenging for him to donate," she explained.The woman on the other end inquired, "Is Mr. Snyder not feeling well recently? This isn't urgent. He can come in wh
Vermont barely had a chance to ponder how Felicity had discovered his secret. His brain was already working at full speed, as he attempted to minimize his wrongdoing. He admitted, "...Yes, but the burn was not as severe as I made it out to be."Felicity glared at him. "Are you trying to deceive me again?""I'm not," said Vermont, and his tone softened. "It did hurt at the time, and I didn't expect you to be so concerned. I was just trying to tease you.""Tease me?" Felicity's face darkened. "Am I a fool to you? Do you find it amusing to string me along?""No, that's not what I meant." Vermont tried to get up.But Felicity promptly pushed him back down and warned, "Don't you dare get up, or I'll knock you out!"Vermont complied and laid back down. "Felicity, when did you start liking me?" he asked in a soft voice.Felicity's ears burned, as she angrily responded, "I don't like you, you liar. If I had known that you were faking your illness to deceive me, I would've never gotten i
Felicity had mixed feelings after hearing Vermont's words. "While it may not have been your intention to manipulate my emotions, did it ever occur to you that using a fake illness to garner sympathy meant that my feelings for you were driven by pity and guilt? You say you were just giving me more time to get to know you. But, wasn't it an attempt to sever any potential connection between me and Dr. Steven? Doesn't that fall under the category of deception, Vermont?"Vermont's face turned pale. "Well, it's true I didn't want you to be with Corbin. He's not right for you.""And, you are? You went to great lengths just because you liked me. You allowed me to walk into your trap like a fool willingly. What happens when you stop liking me? Do you treat me the same as how you treated your ex-girlfriends? Are you going to give me a house or a car in hopes that it'll get rid of me?"Vermont's heart ached. He felt as though he had wasted the past half a year pouring his heart and soul into a
Shortly after Vermont's departure, Felicity found herself alone in the empty apartment. She felt an indescribable emptiness in her heart. Her emotions had shifted from anger upon learning the truth to a current state of bewilderment.Seeking solace, she decided to call Stella.Stella had just finished attending a concert with Marshall featuring a well-known orchestra from abroad. Despite Marshall's enthusiastic introduction of the group, Stella could not recall their name.The music was beautiful, and the concert hall's acoustics were impressive. However, Stella struggled to discern anything special beyond that. Marshall noticed her constant nods to the music and realized that something was amiss.In a low voice, he asked, "Do you not like the music?"Stella shook her head. "It's not that I don't like it; I just don't know how to appreciate it like you do."Marshall paused for a moment and whispered, "I'm sorry. I thought you'd like this since you play the piano.""I learned to
Marshall let out a chuckle. "If spending a little money can make you happy, then I think it's worth it."Stella stayed silent. She avoided his gaze and focused on the piano. "I don't really know much piano pieces.""Do you know how to play Lyphard Melody?""I guess so."Marshall quickly searched for the sheet music on his phone and placed it on the stand. "Why don't you give it a go?"Glancing at the moving shadows in the audience, Stella walked around the piano and sat down. After studying the sheet music for a while, she slowly pressed the keys.The ethereal melody instantly filled the hall. Stella's fingers were slow, and the chords barely connected due to her lack of practice. The world-famous piece sounded rather unpleasant when Stella played it.She considered giving up, but before she could stop, a pair of well-defined hands landed on the piano keys next to hers.The person had fair, slender, and elegant-looking fingers. The veins on the back of their hand were subtly vi
Stella remained quiet. Exploiting Marshall for scandals was one thing, but shamelessly manipulating his feelings to secure his cooperation was a moral boundary she refused to cross. She would rather have Marshall know the truth than burden him with this favor, even if it resulted in his hatred and resentment toward her.Marshall picked up the necklace in his palm and said, "Let me put it on for you. This 'token of love' is going to make headlines tomorrow."Stella instinctively tried to back up, but Marshall did not move away. He gently pressed Stella's shoulder, and his deep voice echoed in her ear. "The paparazzi are already taking pictures. If you reject the present, the groundwork we laid won't be believable."Stella immediately froze in place.Holding the necklace in both hands, Marshall put it around her neck and gently fastened it.From the audience's perspective, the two seemed to be intimately involved.Stella turned her face away, avoiding eye contact with Marshall. How