Stella was heartbroken to hear what Keegan had been through.'He was in a daze. How much painkillers did he have to take to be in that state?' Stella couldn't shake off the overwhelming feeling. She contemplated what could have been if she had just held onto him in the river. It might have prevented the subsequent events, sparing him from facing the most challenging moment of his life all alone.Sensing her distress, Keegan's mood seemed to darken. Without meeting her eyes or uttering a word, he matched her stride and silently accompanied her.The streetlights extended their shadows as Keegan suddenly inquired, "Did you use to take walks like this with him?"Stella was momentarily stunned but then comprehended that the "him" Keegan referred to was the previous version of himself, the one she had married. This realization stemmed from her previous statement, "I want to make sure the Keegan who deeply loved me is safe and sound."Dropping her gaze, Stella responded slowly, "No, we r
Stella felt anxious and reluctant to leave, but Baldwin insisted, "Ms. Hall, please step outside. It's Dr. Morghen's protocol."Stella tightly clutched her hands and eventually stepped back. The door closed firmly, muffling any sounds from within.Anxiously pacing outside the room, Stella couldn't shake off a growing sense of unease. Finally, she turned to Baldwin and said, "Who is this doctor? Can we trust him?""You've met him before," Baldwin replied.Perplexed, Stella questioned, "When did I meet him? I don't remember.""At the Temple of Abawo.""Temple of— Is he the Venerable Raphael Morghen? Isn't he a religious figure? Since when he knows medicine?" Stella did not recognize Raphael due to his loose hair.Baldwin explained, "His belief and job are two different things."'It sounds like he has quite a flexible career,' thought Stella.Raphael had a deep connection with Cordelia, and her trust in him prompted his invitation. Still, Stella wondered about his medical skills.
Wenham's voice echoed from the kitchen, asking if the soup was ready. "Coming," Darcie replied while swiftly deleting all the messages on her phone. She gracefully carried the hot soup to the dining area."Let Sandra handle these matters moving forward." Wenham wiped his hands and continued, "It's getting cold, and the food will cool down during all the back-and-forth.""Sandra has been busy all night. She's currently having dinner. We shouldn't trouble her with these minor tasks," Darcie said as she filled another bowl of hot soup for Wenham. "Plus, I'm used to it. I took care of your mom, remember? It's not a big deal."Wenham paused upon hearing that and refrained from saying anything more.Darcie had put a lot of effort into taking care of Eleanor over the years. With the wealth of the Saun family, finding help for such tiring work was easy as long as the pay was good. Eleanor, once a renowned debutante in Rivera, had become bedridden because of her illness. Her self-esteem suf
With the thought of Darcie caring for her late mother, Wenham's expression softened. "I've bought two tickets for the theater. Are you free tomorrow afternoon?"Darcie couldn't help but feel surprised. Throughout their lengthy marriage, it had consistently been her responsibility to arrange their outings. Wenham rarely took the initiative, and when he did, it was usually in response to invitations from friends.Her raised eyebrows turned into a warm smile as she asked, "Sure. What time is the show?""Three o'clock. I'll pick you up tomorrow," Wenham replied.Darcie nodded in agreement. As Wenham ate his soup, he addressed the unspoken tension between them. "I've raised Jaylene for twenty years, treating her as my own. Being separated from Stella for over two decades and only recently reconnecting, I might sometimes be a bit biased. Please don't read too much into it."With a calm tone, Darcie responded, "I understand. You don't need to explain. I know I was in the wrong before. It
Jaylene had always believed that Keegan stood apart from other men. She trusted that he wasn't one to judge solely based on appearances but their personality as well. The only obstacle between her and Keegan was the time they spent together or the lack thereof.Unexpectedly, Stella shamelessly clung onto Keegan despite him declaring the annulment of their engagement and her having heated moments with Marshall. From Jaylene's perspective, this conduct resembled that of a woman who lacked decency.Unsure of Jaylene's thoughts, Darcie softened her tone. "Plenty of good men exist in this world. The situation between Keegan and Stella is complicated. He isn't your perfect match. You should put a stop to your feelings sooner. Stella is entirely focused on Keegan now. This is your chance. Invest your energy in Caline. Establish a solid foundation quickly because, in the end, your customers are what matter most, not just shares."Jaylene was not enthusiastic about the idea. With Keegan unab
Stella halted and turned around with a smile. "Where to? Galaxy Avenue, Century Mall, or Briller Plaza? Which mall would you like to go to, Mr. Kane? Are we driving there, or are we taking a cab? If you prefer a cab, I can arrange it right away."The immediate switch in her demeanor left Keegan speechless.Her flattering tone was usually the type he detested. Yet, when Stella spoke like this, he not only didn't mind but even felt a peculiar sense of pleasure. He found it adorable.Keegan pressed his fist against his lips, coughed lightly, and averted his gaze. "Let's drive. You choose the place.""Then, let's go to Briller Plaza. They offer goods with a better value for money there.""Sure."Stella made an inviting gesture. "Mr. Kane, come upstairs. I'll help you change."Keegan scowled and asked, "Is one million dollars not enough? How come you want to take advantage of me?"Stella's remark was a playful tease, not meant to be taken seriously. However, Keegan's response caught
Kayla was busy cleaning mud stains from her pants, regretting her choice of white attire. Muttering complaints to herself, she assumed the approaching footsteps were from the restaurant staff. Only when she finished did she look up and see Marshall standing by the table.Startled, Kayla cleared her throat and said, "You're here. Why didn't you say anything?"Marshall chuckled. "I wanted to hear what you were complaining about."Kayla felt embarrassed at the thought of her criticizing the person who plagiarized her friend's work and Marshall for choosing the restaurant. She was annoyed that she had to walk the stretch of road and dirtied her pants on the way."I was mainly complaining because I dirtied my pants," she explained.Marshall pulled out a chair and glanced at her, amused.Kayla licked her lips and lowered her eyes. "I don't usually act like this," she said softly.A light laughter came from across the table.Kayla was taken aback. She looked up into Marshall's eyes, a
Marshall spoke slowly, "Now, I'm no longer shocked at the cases I hear. The darkness in people has no limit. It's all just human nature. What could be scarier or worse than humans? We often insult people by saying they're vultures, snakes, pigs, or dogs, but if those animals could speak, they would say that being human makes us worse."Kayla was stunned. It was then that the anger she felt for her friend dissipated.Following that, Marshall asked more questions related to the case. Kayla was only inquiring on behalf of someone else, so she wasn't clear about some details. With Marshall's consent, she passed his number to her friend.Finally, she asked, "Mr. Moore, do you think my friend could win this case?""This person has copied the book title, characters, and story structure from the original text and claims it's only a rewrite. This goes beyond conventional plagiarism—it's a clear case of copyright infringement. The next steps depend on your friend's goals. Does she want a sim