Stella averted her gaze and addressed Baldwin, "Baldwin, I'm here to pick up Coco."Baldwin replied, "Coco is practicing the piano. I'll take you to her."Stella nodded and was about to follow him when Dahlia stopped her, resentfully saying, "Stella, you must be feeling so proud, kicking me out of the Kane family and separating me from my son."Stella paused, calmly looking at her. "I guess. Give it a little more time, and I might even be prouder."A hint of hatred flickered in Dahlia's eyes, but she quickly suppressed it. She clenched her fists and whispered, "I want to talk to you."Stella smiled coldly, "Is there anything left to discuss between us?" She hadn't forgotten why Dahlia ended up there. A woman who had tried to harm her baby wouldn't get a second chance from her.She was puzzled, though. Why would Dahlia suddenly demand a share of her late father-in-law's inheritance?Even though Dahlia had been kicked out of the Kane family and Keegan had cut her off, providing
Stella glanced at her. "Keegan deposits your living expenses into your account every month. He also has evidence of the money you've been withdrawing from the company's account over the years. Do you think you can win this case?"Dahlia sneered, "Even if I can't win, do you think such a scandal won't affect The Vinci Rivera Group's stocks or his election votes?"Stella's smile faded gradually. She couldn't fathom how there could be such a shameless and despicable mother, selfish enough to ruin her own son's life.Darcie Arnold and Hylda White were so malicious, yet they stood by their children. What was Dahlia?Stella looked at her in silence for a moment, then spoke, "What do you need so much money for?"Dahlia impatiently replied, "That's none of your business. Just transfer the money to me. I'll give you three days. If you don't, I'll sue Keegan immediately!"Stella's expression turned serious. "If it weren't for a paternity test, I would seriously doubt if Keegan is your biol
"No way!" Dahlia exclaimed anxiously. "Two weeks is just too long! I'll give you a week at most!"Stella furrowed her brow. "Ten days. I really can't gather it in a week."Dahlia didn't buy it. “Do you think I'm clueless about how much money Keegan has?"Stella's expression turned icy. "You expect me to ask Keegan for the money? Do you think he won't question such a large sum? Or do you want me to personally inform him that his own mother is pressuring me for money?"Dahlia didn't care about Keegan, let alone his feelings.She knew Keegan well enough to understand that if he found out about this, he wouldn't give her a penny. He wouldn't be swayed by her threats in the least.Initially, Dahlia had wanted to find Stella, but Keegan had shielded her too effectively, leaving Dahlia with no opportunity to get close. So, she shifted her focus to her deceased husband's inheritance. Little did she know she would run into Stella herself.After Stella's words, Dahlia calmed down slightly
She recalled the amusing scene from earlier and, now, observing the sluggish fish, couldn't resist kicking a pebble into the water. With a splash, the plump fish jerked in alarm, its tail nearly swatting the nearby small koi.Cordelia's eyelid twitched. How much did this impulsive act resemble her mischievous grandson?Stella realized the effect of her action and quickly withdrew her foot guiltily, mustering a smile as she called out, “Grandma."Coco bounded over, clutching onto Stella's leg and chirping, "Stella, why did you take so long to come? I missed you~"Stella tousled the little girl's soft hair and said gently, "I bought you some little gifts, which took a bit of time."At the mention of gifts, Coco's eyes sparkled. She tugged at Stella's sleeve, eager to leave with her."Go with this big brother first. Great-Grandma and I need to talk for a bit."Coco obediently nodded and was led away by Samuel.Once the child was out of earshot, Cordelia inquired, “What did you two
The Crosby family had been declining ever since Dahlia tied the knot. The Crosby siblings, all looks and no brains, would have disappeared from high society long ago if not for the support of the Kane family in recent years.After Keegan cut ties with Dahlia, who was using Cordelia's name to manipulate and deceive for her brother's business, the already struggling company took a further nosedive.But Blake's wife running off with the money? Stella wasn't buying it.They hadn't even gotten a divorce, so where could she possibly run off to with two children in tow? If she was going to leave, why not do it when Blake had money? Without money, where could she possibly go?And Keegan's aunt wasn't that naive.Blake was a gambler, blowing through half of the Crosby family's fortune despite his good looks and respectable background. None of the well-mannered girls wanted to marry a gambler like him.Blake's wife, Kanrara Kent, was introduced to him by someone from the Crosby family. She
Dahlia quietly slipped money to Blake to get him on her side.Quitting gambling was just like quitting drugs. You might manage to stay clean for a while, but one slip and it was tough to regain control.Blake found himself drawn back to the casino, while Kanrara, juggling the care of two kids, had little energy left to oversee him or the company. Just as things were looking up for the company, it teetered on the edge of collapse. Coincidentally, Keegan had already taken charge at the Vinci Rivera Group, and Dahlia began leveraging the Kane family's name to collaborate with Blake.Kanrara shifted her focus to the kids' education, neglecting company matters. Blake gambled recklessly. Even though Kanrara held the purse strings, the money he squandered was all supplied by Dahlia.Recently, Marshall mentioned their impending divorce, apparently triggered by Blake's affair and asset transfers.Later, Stella discussed this with Keegan. He opined that since Kanrara managed the finances, B
Stella grinned, took a sip from her thermos, and remarked, "This is the last time. Keegan's got big dreams, and I won't let Dahlia mess them up."After passing through Blake's hands, ten million came up two million short. There was only one explanation: this guy was still hitting the tables.Stella's hunch was spot-on; Blake had indeed returned to his old gambling habits.Blake was already a regular at the casino, despite being banned before. But in this world, rules and boundaries hardly mattered. If you had the cash, doors swung wide open.Getting into an underground casino wasn't easy; usually, you needed an introduction from someone in the know and had to go through a few hoops blindfolded. But with Vermont leading the way, Stella, a newcomer, got in without a hitch.Vermont was bold, ambitious, and loved a good gamble. In his younger days, he rubbed shoulders with all kinds of people and was introduced to the world of gambling by his pals.There were no guaranteed winners in
Stella furrowed her brow, "Weren't you boasting about your dice-rolling skills?"Vermont replied, "Yeah, but they don't let you roll your own dice at the casino."Stella was speechless."It's all mind games, plus..." Vermont lowered his voice, "a bit of cheating. You just have to play the part. Even a gambling pro would have problems if they depend on just gambling skills."He paused, then whispered, "Here he comes."Following his gaze, Stella spotted a man of average build with his hands behind his back, surveying each gambling table.Vermont gestured for her to stay quiet and led her straight to the high-stakes game.To lure Blake over, Vermont splurged. After losing three consecutive rounds, his one million chips quickly disappeared, drawing more onlookers. Eventually, Blake approached.Stella felt a bit nervous, but Vermont remained composed. He adjusted his cufflinks, chuckled, and said, "Luck's not on my side today."One of the onlookers chuckled, "Is this your first tim