Her voice trembled with sorrow as she spoke. "Mom, is Dad still mad at me?"When she was hospitalized after being injured by Keegan’s aunt, Wenham Saun visited her every day. But he no longer treated her with the same warmth and intimacy he had when she was a child. There was a newfound distance and coldness.She had been deceived by Dahlia because she couldn’t let go of Keegan. Wenham had already warned her once when he noticed her feelings, but she had knowingly ignored his warning. He was utterly disappointed in her.Jaylene didn’t think it was wrong to love Keegan. She believed the fault lay with Stella. If she had been lost for over twenty years, why did she have to come back and disrupt everything? Why did she have to come back and steal her father and brother?Their family of four had been so happy. Stella’s return had caused her parents to fall out of love, her brother to shift his affection toward his biological sister, and her father to no longer dote on her as he once di
Darcie looked away and asked, “Is there power downstairs?”Someone replied, “Yes, it seems only our floor is affected.”Darcie glanced at the surveillance camera above and said calmly, “Call someone to check it out. Everyone else, go back to your workstations.”She then looked at Jaylene. “You should go too. Don’t forget to review the materials I gave you. I’ll be testing you.”Jaylene pouted and said softly, “I know, Mom.”After everyone left, Darcie glanced around and pursed her lips before heading to the stairwell.The stairwell had no windows, and there was a faint smell of smoke. The sensor light didn’t turn on, leaving the area dimly lit. As soon as Darcie entered, she saw someone standing against the wall on the stairs, holding a cigarette.She closed the stairwell door and hissed, “This is the company. Are you out of your mind?”“If I didn’t, the cameras would have caught me. How would you explain that?” The man’s voice was deep and raspy, tinged with sarcasm.Darcie’s
The man stayed quiet until he finished his cigarette. Then Darcie spoke up again, “If you hadn't let such a big threat hang over us, Jaylene and I wouldn't be in this tough spot.”Of course, by "threat," she meant Stella.Bringing this up made the man's face darken subtly.He only found out about the fact that the baby girl hadn't died shortly before Stella was recognized by the Saun family.Back then, the woman had shown him a dead baby, claiming it was Freesia's. It turned out the baby wasn't the Saun family heiress; she had taken a dead infant from elsewhere and falsely claimed it was Freesia's.He hadn't seen his own daughter being born, but he had seen the baby who would soon replace his daughter in life. He had felt deeply guilty at the time, so much so that he didn't dare to look too much, thinking that once death was confirmed, his purpose was achieved. But he never expected that one of the people he bribed would have a soft heart.If Stella hadn't died, the Saun and the
Stella glanced at Aldor. "You don't seem well. Have you been overworking lately? Work has calmed down, so you should take a break. If Aldor gets burned out, you'll be the one dealing with the consequences down the line."Keegan handed her the thermos. "Do I seem like the type of boss who doesn't care about my employees' well-being? If Aldor needs time off, I can grant it anytime."Aldor quickly responded, "That won't be necessary, ma'am. I'm perfectly fine and don't need time off."Normally, Keegan would have approved Aldor's leave request without hesitation, but after what had just occurred, Aldor didn't dare to ask.Keegan didn't react much when he found out about Aldor’s night fishing plans with Aurora during his call with Stella.After they hung up, just a few hundred meters later, Keegan asked, "About your night fishing... How many people are there?"Aldor replied, "There's a night fishing group, about twenty-something people. Depending on everyone's schedule, there could be
Stella quipped.Keegan chuckled, "Worried you'll go soft, huh? Seems I was overthinking."Stella said, "I was indeed feeling a bit soft, but something just happened that made me very uncomfortable."She briefly mentioned Larry kneeling down, "I wasn't that angry before. But when I saw him kneeling outside, my temper flared up instantly. With so many people watching, I felt like he was pressuring me, so I took the opportunity to reassign him."Sighing, she continued, "Actually, on the way here, I felt a bit guilty. I wondered if I was being too harsh. He's currently short of money to get a cochlear implant for his son. His new position will surely pay less than before."Keegan patted her hand. "A cochlear implant is just an assistive device; it's not a matter of life and death. If he wants to get one for his son, there's no rush for it. But going behind your back to take on a side job, I find that hard to justify."Stella blinked, asking softly, "Do you think he's lying?"Keegan
Stella glanced up and saw Trevor sitting in the Bentley next to them, glancing their way.Their car windows were closed, so Trevor couldn't see much, but he recognized Keegan's car. Since they hadn't gotten out of the car for a while, Trevor figured Keegan was up to no good.Hearing Trevor's voice, Keegan let go of Stella's hand, straightened up, and tidied her clothes, sitting upright.Aldor had a vague feeling like he was seeing his own future mistakes.Trevor got out of the car, wearing a khaki casual jacket and black pants, his hairstyle and demeanor reminiscent of Leighton Hall's. With sunglasses hanging from his nose, lips slightly pursed, broad shoulders and long legs, he looked both suave and commanding.Previously, they didn't think he looked much like Leighton, but now, dressed like this, wearing sunglasses, if someone unfamiliar saw him, they'd probably mistake him for Leighton. They were too alike.Stella got out of the car, carrying her bag, and walked toward Trevor,
Stella nodded, "Hi, Maya."Maya retrieved a neatly wrapped gift box from her bag and handed it over, "I wasn't sure what to bring for our first meeting, so I made these sachets myself. Give them a try."Stella was a bit surprised. "Maya, you're into scents too?"Maya smiled, "I got into scents because of Trevor. He used to love playing around with them."Stella was surprised once again.She hadn't seen Trevor indulge in scents much, so she assumed he wasn't interested in them.However, Trevor seemed hesitant to broach the topic further, simply saying, "Let's order first, I'm hungry."Maya hesitated for a moment, lowering her eyes to conceal her disappointment.Stella quickly interjected, "Maya, it's been a while since you've been back, right? How about trying some hometown dishes today?"Maya put on a smile. "Sure, you decide."As the waiter was about to leave after taking their dinner orders, Trevor suddenly piped up, "Add a roast."Maya shot a quick glance at Trevor, who ex
"Haha," Stella chuckled awkwardly, "Trevor, how did you know I didn't bring tissue?"Keegan's eyelid twitched. That was indeed a seamless excuse. His lips moved slightly, unabashedly following his wife's lead, "I didn't bring any either."Trevor tossed Stella’s bag and tissues to them, then shot Keegan a glare before slamming the door shut.Stella was speechless."Is he mad at me?"Keegan looked worried. "I think, instead of worrying about yourself, you should worry about me first. Even if Trevor is mad at you, his target will only be me."Stella breathed a sigh of relief, "That's a relief then."Keegan was speechless.Stella grabbed his hand, speaking earnestly, "Anyway, he's never liked you for a long time, so this one thing won't make a difference."Keegan was even more speechless.Blessed is she while he carries the blame. Truly, she's a good wife to him!Keegan took Stella to the hotel's entertainment area. Ever since her morning sickness had passed, Stella's appetite h