Stella's hand that was holding her phone paused as she immediately noticed Keegan's jealousy.'Does this dumb man really think I have a crush on Trevor?'Stella rolled her eyes and suddenly started acting.She sighed and said, "I'd be lying if I said I have absolutely no feelings for him. He was once my crush, after all."Keegan kept quiet.Then, he said in a deep voice, "Why did you reject him and come with me then?""Because..." Stella drawled before whispering into Keegan's ear, "Because someone looked so sad and disappointed, as if he would start crying if I didn't come with him. I couldn't bear to see that."Keegan paused and was delighted. He wrapped his arm around Stella's waist and held her chin with another. Then, he gritted his teeth and said, "Who's going to cry?"Stella chuckled and pinched his ear. "Were you worried that I'd go with him?"Keegan turned her head and kissed the back of her hand. "I'll understand if you go with him because of work." He paused before
Stella was very tempted but rejected Keegan's offer anyway. "You bought me plenty of new clothes previously, didn't you? I hardly wore any of them. I shouldn't be buying any new ones now."Keegan looked at her. "I was talking about myself."Stella was speechless.Keegan smiled and walked into the fashion store after saying that. She gritted her teeth and followed behind him.'How could he do this during his probation period? I'm going to deduct his marks!'Stella forgot about deducting Keegan's mark completely as soon as she entered the store.The latest collection had just arrived, and the store was filled with various clothes designs. Stella liked everything she touched, but she put them back after seeing their price tags.Keegan rarely went shopping with her because he was always busy. Stella could really take her time in a store.Stella could make a decision immediately when it came to a huge amount of money but would become very hesitant while dealing with little money.S
"Which one do you think is nicer?"Stella had two dresses in different hands and asked Keegan.Keegan looked over and found out that both dresses had a collar and the same pattern. He could not tell their difference apart other than their color.Keegan pursed his lips then said, "The lighter one."Stella finally thought Keegan had a sense of fashion as she said, "I think so too, but it costs twice as much as the darker one, yet both of them use the same material.""Get the darker one then."Stella paused. "Am I not good enough to get the more expensive option?"Keegan was speechless.He gazed at his cheeky girlfriend and slowly said, "Actually, you can put a paper bag over your head, and other people will think it costs a million. The value of a piece of garment comes from the person who wears it."Stella held her laughter and asked, "How much is Aldor charging you to teach you this?"Keegan answered seriously, "It's included in his bonus."She threw her bag at Keegan. "Wait
The manager asked Stella gently, "Miss, you have fair skin, and this color suits you very well. What do you think?"Stella nodded and asked, "How much is this?""Three thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight, and members get to enjoy a five percent discount."Stella looked at the tag. "It's made from polyester fiber. It's not worth the price at all."The sales assistant immediately spoke as if she finally had the chance to mock Stella. "Just say it's too expensive, and you can't afford it. There's no need to find excuses for yourself."Keegan frowned. He was about to speak, but Stella grabbed his wrist.They understood each other so well that Keegan immediately knew that Stella did not want him to intervene as soon as she did that.Keegan swept his gaze across the sales assistant with a long face. Then, he pursed his lips without saying anything.The manager slightly told the sales assistant off and said to Stella with a smile. "The price is the same across all of our stores. Y
However, Keegan did not dare to speak his thoughts out loud.He took the pair of socks over and put them in a bag. Then, he asked curiously, "How did you know that they were acting?"Stella answered, "I wasn't sure at first. It's a pretty normal thing to encounter a snobbish salesperson like her, but she was just way too arrogant. She didn't even think she did something wrong after her manager came, and she still provoked me in front of her manager by repeatedly saying that I couldn't afford them. That was when I knew something fishy was going on.The manager was acting rather strangely too. All she did was tell the salesperson off without actually penalizing her. Also, did you notice how they kept looking at your wrist? Your match is the most valuable thing you put on today. They probably thought that you're a foolish rich man and I'm your pretty sugar baby who happens to be stupid. That was why they tried to provoke and fool us into buying everything."Then, she proudly said, "Th
Keegan paused. "How did he look like?""He's a short man and about forty to fifty years old. He wore a face mask and a cap. I couldn't see his face. However, his eyes did look wrinkly. He came to donate, yet he just wouldn't stop asking about Stella and Ms. Spade. He looked a little downhearted after finding out that Ms. Spade had passed away. Then, he donated a few thousand dollars and asked Ms. Cooke where Ms. Spade's grave was before leaving. I feel like he knew Ms. Spade, but he denied it when Ms. Cooke asked him that. He just feels strange."Keegan frowned.'A short middle-aged man?'He tried to think of a man like that who could be related to the Spade family, yet he just could not think of one."What else did he say?"Julian thought for a while and said, "That's about it. He went through a few photos of Ms. Spade and Stella. Also, he said that he would visit again at some other time."Keegan paused and thought of a possibility. 'Could he be... Stella's biological father?"
Keegan did not say anything. Instead, he lifted his glass and chugged it down again.Shelley poured him another glass after they finished their drinks. "I'm going to tell you a secret about Stella. Can I trust you on this?"Keegan put on a serious look and said in a deep voice. "I'm all ears."Shelley looked at Stella, who was playing with the children, and said softly, "Stella is not Rainee's biological daughter. She's not an illegitimate child."Keegan paused, and his expression looked even more serious. "How did you know that?"Shelley bowed her head down. "I accompanied Rainee to do the paternity test. I promised Rainee that I'd bring this secret to my grave. However, she's not here anymore, and Stella is the only person she'd ever care about."There's only so much I can do as a partner that she trusts. I couldn't help her much with her marriage or work. I know there are a lot of rules in a wealthy family like yours, and everybody takes social status very seriously. I'm only
Stella's eyelids twitched violently. She elbowed Keegan and said, "Are you pretending to be drunk?!"Keegan felt a little sore and frowned. "We can't go against the doctor's orders. We have to make lo—" Stella covered his mouth in horror before he could finish his sentence. She looked at the loose cannon in front of her with a dark face, and the hair on the back of her neck stood up.'How did he go from speaking normally to being drunk all of a sudden?! Who knows what kind of shocking thing would come out of him if I hadn't covered his mouth!'Keegan was a little upset after being held back. He reached out and pulled Stella's hand away, trying to make her let go. However, Stella did not do so. Instead, she asked Julian to call Aldor.Stella immediately dragged Keegan into the car when Aldor drove over, and they left in a hurry so as not to dirty the minds of the youths at the scene. When they got into the car, Stella let go and leaned back in the seat. Aldor started the engine and
Keegan moved from initial resistance to reluctantly listening, and eventually to questioning."Why do these novels portray men as so stupid and brainless, yelling at the female lead as if they have intermittent explosive disorder?""Is the male lead sick? Forcing the female lead to donate a kidney, is he out of his mind?""How many years would they get for calling the police in their world?""Why is he so dumb? The supporting actress claims the female lead pushed her into the water and he believes it? Is checking surveillance footage illegal?""Stella, are you making fun of me?""I can't learn this. It all feels so neurotic. What does the female lead see in him?"Stella retorted, "Who cares if it's neurotic? Just mimic that stupidity, that's how these innocent women like men who protect them like that."Keegan was very reluctant, but his brain was more compliant than his body. Without needing to study deliberately, everything he heard stuck in his mind.So when Keegan mentione
Keegan's expression darkened with anger. "You're being completely unreasonable!"Stella crossed her arms, wearing an expression that seemed challenging. "You let her take it. Let's see if I dare."Jaylene hadn't actually wanted those junk items in the first place; she was deliberately trying to stir up discord between them. Now that her goal was achieved, she put on a sympathetic look."Keegan, I don't want it anymore. Don't be angry. Your health is more important. Didn't the doctor say to keep your emotions stable?"Turning her head, she reproached Stella. "Stella, are you here to help Keegan recover his memory or just to provoke him?""Shut up, you brat! Do you even have a say here?"Acting under the guise of a drama, playing the role of someone lacking in manners, was incredibly satisfying.She’d wanted to curse this brat for a long time!Jaylene's lips twitched, but she held back, tearfully saying, "Stella, if you don't like me, I'll leave. There's no need to humiliate me l
Jaylene understood the situation perfectly. Even though she didn't particularly like these cold, mechanical devices, she put on a pretense of surprise, saying, "Really, Keegan?"Keegan nodded. "Choose one you like.""Keegan!" Before Stella could finish her sentence, she couldn't hold back her sharp voice, "With your pile of junk that I can't even touch normally, she takes a look and now you want to give it to her? What's the meaning of this?!"Keegan frowned, apparently not comprehending her current anger at all. "Jaylene gave me a gift, and I'm giving her one in return. What's the problem?""What problem?" Stella's eyes started to redden. "I can't touch them, so why should she be able to? Have you forgotten, or do you have inappropriate feelings for her?"Keegan's expression darkened. "This makes no sense!"Jaylene secretly delighted in this, hypocritically trying to calm things down, "Forget it, Keegan. Since Stella minds so much, I don't want it anymore. You've strained your r
The standoff lasted for over twenty minutes before Keegan grabbed a book and knocked the beetle off Jaylene's neck. The beetle fluttered twice and suddenly flew up, landing on Jaylene's face.Jaylene screamed, rolled her eyes, and fainted.As she collapsed, the bug flew off again."Jaylene?"Keegan called out to her.He looked up at Stella and said, "You go start the car, I'll carry her to the hospital."As he spoke, he signaled to Stella.She understood and coldly grunted, "So troublesome."Walking over to Jaylene, she squatted down beside her and slapped her face twice.Jaylene immediately opened her eyes and reached out to push her away. "What are you doing!"Stella was prepared and had already moved back before she could be pushed.She shook her tingling hand and innocently said, "Jaylene, you fainted because of the bug. I was just saving you. Don't believe me? Ask Keegan."Jaylene nearly ground her teeth. Did she think she hadn't heard? She was intentionally exposing h
Her fingertips trembled with a mix of horror and excitement. Just as the teapot was about to slip from her grasp, Keegan suddenly said, "Jaylene, don't move."Jaylene froze, instinctively thinking Keegan had regained his memory. She had barely twitched when Keegan loudly stopped her again, "Don't move, absolutely don't move."Jaylene wanted to say something, but then felt an itching sensation on her neck, as if something was crawling slowly. Goosebumps erupted all over her body.By now, Stella had turned around and saw Jaylene standing stiffly with the teapot in hand. Her eyes quickly assessed the situation and then she noticed the beetle crawling on Jaylene's neck.It was an unknown species, not overly tentacled but as long as a little finger, its mouthparts slightly twitching, genuinely alarming in appearance.Stella murmured, "It's so big."Jaylene couldn't see what was on her neck, unsure if it would bite or if it was venomous. She stood frozen in place, her voice trembling,
Seeing him, Stella even lowered her eyes and softly praised, "Mr. Kane, you acted very well."Keegan glared at her, his voice low and intense. "If you keep watching like this, Coco will cut ties with me tomorrow."Stella replied confidently, "No, she won't. After accepting the red envelope, she can tolerate you a little longer."Keegan asked sharply, "Did you teach her to ask for red envelopes like this?""Don't falsely accuse me; I didn't teach her.""You may not have taught her directly, but you set an example. Have you forgotten how you always make me buy things for you?"Stella was speechless. Whenever she wanted Keegan to buy her something, she would often say, "Gifts are only surprises when given voluntarily. If reminded, it shows they don’t like me that much."It had to be said, Coco had learned the essence of it.Stella also felt a bit awkward, thinking that in the future, she needed to avoid such flirtatious conversations between spouses in front of the children. They
Could she figure all this out?Keegan frowned, casting a disappointed look at Coco. "Are you not listening to me now?"Coco raised her gaze defiantly and stated, "Aunt Stella taught me that if I don't want something someone gives me, I can say no. I don't want this hairpin.""Didn't she teach you that even if you don't like something, you should still say thank you?"Coco fell silent for a moment, then reluctantly said to Jaylene, "Thank you, Aunt Jaylene, but I don't want it."Jaylene hesitated with her hand extended, unsure whether to retract it or leave it there, managing a strained smile. "Then what do you like? Next time, I will get you something you do like."Coco asked, "Do you want me to do something for you?"Jaylene was taken aback. "What?"Coco replied seriously, "Aunt Stella says offering help without reason is either deceitful or thieving. Since you don't like me, why else would you give me something? You want me to do something for you, right?"Jaylene forced a s
Leighton's incident did indeed revive their suspicions.Jaylene was gullible, but Darcie might see through this scheme. "Keegan, why didn't you go to work today?" Jaylene chose to ask directly at first.Keegan remained composed. "I've been busy with the press conference lately and haven't had much rest. Now that things have slowed down, I thought I'd take a break and relax."Jaylene spoke gently, "You should rest well. Since you came back, you've been busy, and you've been postponing Dr. Stone's follow-up appointments. Keegan, I'm really worried about your health. Since you're resting these days, I'll arrange for Dr. Stone to give you another check-up. Stella has been living here to assist your recovery for so long. We need the doctor to give a clear assessment of whether there's been any improvement. Otherwise, it's not good for Stella's reputation to stay here so long, unmarried and under one roof."Keegan nodded. "Okay, please arrange it. Thank you."His response was decisive,
Stella had just descended the stairs when she heard that remark, causing her eyelids to twitch as she thought to herself, “Damn it! He really knows how to come up with excuses!”Upon hearing this, Jaylene's eyes briefly flashed with disdain, but she ultimately accepted the shoe covers Keegan handed her. As Keegan led Jaylene into the house, her eyes continued to scrutinize every corner.There were a couple of pillows on the sofa, couple mugs on the table, wedding photos of Keegan and Stella on the walls, and even headbands and hair ties scattered on the table. The house exuded an unmistakable feminine touch.Jaylene's expression darkened, but when Keegan turned to ask if she preferred tea or coffee, she adopted a gentle, harmless demeanor. "Tea would be perfect."Keegan invited her to take a seat and called for Maria to prepare tea. Jaylene spoke softly, "Keegan, I heard from Stella that you brew Dragon Well tea better than anyone else. Is there a special technique?"Stella paused