Stella suddenly got a strange feeling about Larry.Here was a guy with just a middle school education, yet he had impeccable handwriting. He had a wife with mental health issues and a son with hearing impairment, and he was the sole provider for the family. And yet, he somehow managed to afford his son's lessons in painting and calligraphy. Instead of cutting back on his son's expenses to save for a cochlear implant, he took on extra jobs on the side, even if it meant risking his main job.Stella had seen parents sacrifice and scrimp to give their kids the best education, but something about Larry's situation didn't sit right with her. She couldn't quite put her finger on it.Even as she met up with Keegan, her brow stayed furrowed. When Samuel finished his shift and went home, Aldor took over driving duties. Keegan tossed his jacket onto the front seat and joined Stella in the back."What's up? You look troubled," Keegan asked, buckling his seatbelt.Stella shook her head. "It's
Keegan always felt that Larry was a bit too concerned about Stella. Getting reassigned and having a pay cut when you're already strapped for cash would make most people resentful. But not only did Larry not complain, he even gave Stella a drawing by his own son, which was quite unusual.However, the background check Keegan did on Larry showed nothing suspicious. In fact, Larry's life could be described as quite unfortunate. Larry's son wasn't born deaf. He lost his hearing due to a kidnapping incident. Mistaken for a wealthy family's child, the kidnappers demanded a ransom, but the wealthy family refused to pay. The police, fearing the kidnappers might harm the child, didn't inform them they had the wrong kid. When the kidnappers realized the ransom wasn't coming, they abandoned the child and fled.After Larry's son was rescued, doctors declared he had permanently lost his hearing. Larry's wife, who had a family history of mental illness, couldn't cope with the trauma and had a menta
C: Damn, I knew someone this handsome couldn’t be single! Turns out he's a cheating scumbag! D: Wasting my feelings. Scumbags must die! F: As expected, the handsome ones are never faithful. Those who look too good are hard to handle. Stella, I don’t have high standards for looks. As long as he’s reliable, motivated, doesn’t smoke or drink, that’s enough for me. Do you know any guys like that? A: Boo-hoo, I still like handsome ones. If he’s too ugly, I can't kiss him~ B: Ladies, I have a friend whose classmate works at Semiconductor Technology. Their company has a complaint email. Should we expose this scumbag for going on dates behind his girlfriend's back and make him "famous"? B: Seconded. C: Seconded. F: Seconded. -This was the first time Keegan understood the meaning of "bringing trouble upon oneself."Stella didn’t hide her phone from him at all, even looking at Keegan with a half-smile. “I think this idea is great. A man who goes on dates while having a wife sh
Keegan slowly got out of the car with Stella's guidance.The air was cool, carrying the subtle fragrance of jasmine. Keegan felt as if he could see countless small white flowers trembling in the breeze, the scent he loved wafting through the air.“There are steps, lift your legs a bit higher, don’t trip,” Stella's soft voice reminded him. Keegan held her hand firmly, taking each step carefully.The path beneath his feet was paved with gravel, which crunched softly as they walked. After a short distance, Stella said, “Alright, we're here.”Keegan stopped and asked gently, “Can I take off the eye mask?”Stella laughed, “I’ll help you with that.”Keegan lowered his head to let her remove the mask. As it came off, he squinted instinctively. Light seeped in through the slits of his eyes, and when he opened them fully, he saw white jasmine flowers surrounding them, just as he had imagined—each tiny bloom gently trembling in the wind.String lights circled the small courtyard, convergi
Felicity Thompson chimed in, “With how stingy you are, if you didn’t steal something on his birthday, he’d think you had changed.”Vermont ground his teeth. “You’re heartless! I might be stingy with others, but when have I ever been stingy with you or my bros?”Felicity gave an example, “Did you forget how you tricked both me and your bros, getting me to cook for you for a month without spending a penny?”Vermont defended himself, “As a middleman, can’t I make a bit of a margin? I just got a few meals out of it, is that so bad?”“Shameless!”As they bickered, they reached Keegan. Vermont handed Keegan a gift box, “Happy birthday, bro. When you fell into the water, I thought I’d be visiting your grave for your birthdays. Luckily, the heavens didn’t want you yet. So today, I solemnly promise that as long as I outlive you, I’ll celebrate your birthday every year.”Felicity elbowed him. “Watch your mouth! It’s his birthday, no talk of death!”Vermont slung an arm around her shoulder
Stella hesitated briefly, then Keegan whispered something in her ear, and she didn't object anymore.When Felicity faced difficulties in Rivera, Stella provided considerable help. Florence, Felicity's mother, always remembered this act of kindness. So, when Felicity requested funds to assist with Rainee Spade's medical expenses, Florence promptly transferred a million without hesitation.Keegan had overheard Vermont mention this and kept it in mind. Without fanfare, he redirected all procurement for the Vinci Rivera Group's subsidiaries, holiday gifts, and partnerships with supermarkets to Florence’s company, Deron Holdings.Florence was loyal and principled, but she was also a savvy businesswoman. She would quickly deduce the origin of these orders and understand that her daughter's friend, from a prominent family in Rivera, was quietly supporting her business. She wouldn’t hesitate to return the favor, nurturing a mutually beneficial relationship. It also boosted her daughter's re
Initially, Stella thought it was accidental, so she stepped aside on her own. After the model car circled around her once, it "accidentally" bumped into her foot again.She frowned and glanced upstairs. The second floor was empty, with no sign of Keegan.When she was angry, Keegan really got on her nerves. She thought, "You're not content with teasing me yourself; now your darn machine has to join in too?"Deciding she'd had enough, she stood up, grabbed her jacket, and went out for a walk. To her surprise, that oddly shaped model car tagged along.Wherever she went, it followed like a little puppy, and Stella was thoroughly annoyed. She wanted to kick it away, but then she remembered it cost more than her handbag, so she forced herself to endure.Finding a seat, she sat down. The contraption then used its mechanical arm to place a bottle of water at her feet.Stella glared at the ugly contraption, lifted her hand, and tossed the bottle away. The "ugly thing" turned around, actin
The bottle was adorned with a circle of dots and dashes. Stella wondered where he had found such an ugly bottle.She drank the water, tossed the bottle away, and after her temper had cooled a bit, she bid farewell to the kids and headed home.Upon her return, she noticed Keegan sitting upright on the sofa but didn't acknowledge him. She went straight for a shower and then to bed.In the dead of night, someone suddenly reached out and touched her waist. Stella jumped, raised her hand, and slapped out.Her hand landed on Keegan's head, prompting him to cry out in pain, "What are you doing!"Stella shouted even louder, "That's what I should be asking you! What are you doing? Acting like a hooligan in the middle of the night?"Keegan's expression shifted unpredictably. After a while, he gritted his teeth and said, "Didn't you drink that bottle of water?"Stella was taken aback. "Did you drug me?" So he came in the middle of the night to be her antidote?Keegan's expression turned s