Chapter 6

After seeing Stella, Keegan lost interest in discussing business and promptly left.

As Vermont returned to the lobby, he noticed Andrew coming downstairs and inquired, "Where's Dusk Galaxy? Why didn't she come down with you?"

"She left a while ago. Didn't you see her downstairs?"

Vermont was confused.

He glanced at the front desk, where the receptionist whispered, "She's the one who just came out of the elevator. The one who looked exceptionally pretty and nodded at you."

Vermont was stunned.

'Stella Jewell is Dusk Galaxy?! The world suddenly feels magical. The woman Keegan married to for show—the one who flaunted her wealth and love life on social media—is actually a famous voice actor. Yet, Keegan paid money to have Bella take his wife's job? This is...unexpected!' he thought.

Seeing Vermont's expression, Andrew frowned. "You're squinting your eyes again. What are you up to?"

Vermont smiled.

"It's a secret."

...

'Keegan Kane, you impotent son of a bitch! Who needs your stupid bracelet? Save your money and spend it on a doctor! I don't want it!' Stella seethed.

Keegan's words only fueled Stella's anger. As she scrolled through her phone, she came across the fertility clinic's slogan on the application homepage. After a brief pause, she decided to book an appointment.

Just as she finished filling out her information, her phone rang.

Stella glanced at the incoming caller ID and unconsciously frowned. She took her time before answering the call.

"Hey, dad."

"Where are you?"

Stella couldn't figure out what Albert wanted, so she lied, "I'm at a private lesson. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Come over with Keegan once your lesson is over. My friend gave me some white truffles. Doesn't your mother-in-law like truffles a lot? You two should come over and take some."

'My own dad still doesn't understand my preferences, even though he's known me for 26 years. Yet, he knows exactly what my mother-in-law likes. How ironic,' Stella thought.

"Alright."

Albert felt relieved when Stella agreed. He asked her a few perfunctory questions and then hung up.

Stella had just gotten her Porsche Cayenne back from the car shop. It was a special gift she received when she got married, and it cost a lot of money. The car had some serious damage before, but they fixed the bumper, and now it looked brand new.

She couldn't help feeling upset as she thought about her divorce, and how the car might be the only thing she would get to keep. She even wished she had driven Keegan's Bugatti on the day of the accident, just to hurt him financially since she couldn't do so physically.

In an effort to make her lie about Keegan's inability to visit the Jewell family more convincing, Stella came up with a plan. She decided to schedule a last-minute private lesson with her tutor.

Stella didn't hurry to the Jewell residence; she took her time and arrived at six in the evening.

As she stood at the door, Stella took a moment to compose herself and then rang the doorbell.

The door opened, revealing Sophia, the adopted daughter of the Jewell family, who greeted Stella with delight.

"Stella, you're here!" Sophia exclaimed, glancing behind Stella. "Where's Keegan?"

"Something urgent came up at the last minute, so he couldn't make it," Stella replied.

Sophia's expression fell, clearly disappointed. She grumbled, "Well, why didn't you tell us earlier?"

Noticing Sophia's dolled-up look, Stella asked, "Do you have a date tonight?"

Caught off guard, Sophia hesitated and replied, "No, I was just practicing."

Ignoring Sophia's response, Stella entered the house, and Sophia followed.

Albert had prepared an elaborate dinner, expecting Keegan to join them, so the servants set up a lavish spread. However, only Stella arrived, which disappointed Albert.

He observed Stella closely, trying to read her expression.

Stella maintained a perfect poker face. Even someone as astute as Albert couldn't discern if she was telling the truth. After a moment, he finally said, "Let's eat."

Stella felt relieved. 'I can't tell them about the divorce until I have the certificate. I don't want things to get complicated,' she thought.

The dining hall at the Jewell residence was vast, but that evening, it only accommodated the three of them.

When Stella was younger, she wasn't close to Albert. But things got even more distant between them after her mother, Rainee Spade, had a car accident that left her in a vegetative state. Their relationship only improved slightly after her marriage to Keegan, but it was mostly on the surface.

When Keegan wasn't around, Stella and Albert acted more like strangers than a father and daughter. In contrast, Albert and Sophia, their adopted daughter, had a strong bond that made them appear more like a real father and daughter.

Sophia had a way with words. During the meal, she cracked jokes to entertain Albert, and even though Stella didn't find them funny, Albert laughed heartily.

Seeing how affectionate they were with each other, as if she was an outsider, made Stella lose her appetite.

After entertaining Albert, Sophia started making requests. "Dad, I recently got a new job, and I often meet clients with impressive status. It would be really helpful if I could use a better car for work."

"Sure, what kind of car are you thinking of?" Albert asked.

"Well, it doesn't have to be brand new, just something better than what I have now. An older one would be fine," Sophia replied, glancing at Stella.

Stella, however, kept her gaze down and focused on eating. She seemed uninterested in joining the conversation. Undeterred, Sophia addressed her directly, "Stella, would it be possible for me to use your Cayenne in the meantime?"

Stella still didn't say anything.

Sophia continued, "You don't use it that often, and even if you need a car, Keegan has plenty. It would mean a lot to me if you could lend it for a while. You're not that stingy, are you, Stella?"

Stella finally looked up and replied, "You don't know me well. I've never been generous. To me, cars are like husbands. You don't just let anyone borrow your husband."

Sophia felt embarrassed and taken aback by Stella's response.

Albert frowned at Stella's answer. "Did you really have to say that? We're family, and there's nothing wrong with letting Sophia use your car for a while."