After the local police sealed off the scene and investigated the cause of the shooting, they concluded that Erin had committed suicide out of fear. They contacted the domestic police, who had already closed the previous case, and left it to the local police to handle. The local police took the body to the crematorium and cremated it on the spot.
As Stella watched Erin’s body suddenly sit up in the cremation furnace due to a neural reflex, she suddenly wished it was real…
But as a doctor, she knew that after a person dies, their muscles do not completely die for about three days. When the muscle tissue feels the burning pain, there will be a nerve reflex. Erin sitting up in the cremation furnace was just a reaction caused by the pain in his muscles. Erin was dead and would never come back…
And his protection of her before he died saved her from being implicated, while he himself was labeled a rapist and an illegal thug…
After death, he didn’t get a good reputation. He was removed from the family tree by Thomas, and the Simpson family never called anyone Erin again, just to save face. He still came overseas to pick up Erin’s ashes…
Accompanying Thomas were Karen and her child, who was only seven years old and looked small, but had a shrewd look in his eyes…
When Stella handed the urn containing Erin’s ashes to Mike, he only took it briefly and then disdainfully threw it to the servant behind him, without even looking at it again.
This was the urn that should have been cherished by Mike as Erin’s younger brother, but he was so cold-blooded and indifferent that he didn’t even want to bring it back to the country.
Stella had nothing to say about that. She had killed the person, so how could she expect a seven-year-old child to have a good impression of Erin? After all, Erin hadn’t treated this child well either…
But why did Karen’s mouth curl into a smile when she touched Erin’s urn?
She was the one who had driven Erin’s mother to her death and ruined Erin’s life, so why was she able to smile?
When Stella was young, Karen treated her very well. She would often say in her ear, “Stella, your brother Erin is a very well-behaved child. You should get along with him, care for him, and be kind to him. Don’t make him angry…”
Thinking that her aunt was so good to her, Stella made sure to heed her words and tried to please and get close to Erin…
When she was naive and ignorant, Karen would whisper in her ear, “Stella, look, your brother Erin is getting more and more handsome as he grows up. If you can win his favor and marry him in the future, you can live with your aunt forever…”
At that time, Stella had already developed feelings for Erin, and her face turned red. Karen asked, “Stella, do you like Erin?”
Stella, with her secret teenage crush, of course wouldn’t admit it, so she immediately shook her head in denial. Karen saw this and just smiled without saying anything…
But since then, Karen would have the nanny prepare delicious. meals and put them in lunchboxes for Stella to take to school for Erin. She would also call her in to bring towels to Erin when he was bathing, even if Erin never asked for a towel. And when Erin was sleeping, she would call her to bring him a glass of milk…
At that time, Erin didn’t like her and treated her rudely despite her attempts to please and get close to him. He would throw the lunchbox directly into the trash, slap the towel onto Stella’s face, and pour the milk on her. Stella, who was deeply hurt, didn’t want to continue doing this, but Karen advised her to endure it, saying that Erin would eventually be moved.
Stella didn’t understand, so she asked Karen why she had to do this. Karen playfully tapped her nose and teased her, saying, “Isn’t it all for you? Since you like him, of course your aunt has to help you…”
Karen seemed unconcerned about whether Stella’s actions were unethical. Although Stella and Erin were not blood-related, they had grown up under the same roof and were as familiar as can be. Was it really okay to push her to get close to Erin like this?
When Stella was young, she never reflected on this question. She just thought that her aunt was helping her pursue the boy she liked, so she needed to be braver and more obedient. She listened to Karen and always cared for Erin, always following behind him. She even pretended to be bad at school so that Erin could teach her, even though their relationship was strained. She believed that Erin would be moved by her and fall in love with her, but unfortunately, that didn’t happen.
Erin hated Karen, and as a result, he also hated Stella. Whenever she approached him, he would insult her and tell her to stay away because she was Karen’s niece and only knew how to seduce men. But strangely, even though he despised her, he would sneak into her room at night. Sometimes when she woke up, she would see him standing there, looking at her with a complicated expression. Once she noticed him, he would glare at her and leave.
After Karen caught Erin leaving her room a few times, she suddenly changed her attitude and advised Stella to stop liking Erin and start liking Mason instead. Mason was Stella’s cla*smate. One day, on her way home from school, she encountered a group of bullies, and Mason saved her. He kindly escorted her home, but unfortunately, Karen saw them.
Karen checked Mason’s background and thought he was decent.
However, she didn’t openly ask Stella to pursue him. She just told Stella that Mason seemed polite and well-mannered, much more than Erin, and encouraged Stella to become friends with him.
Stella didn’t have many friends, and Mason was indeed well-mannered. He always came to talk to her, and they became closer. Karen noticed this and welcomed Mason into their home. After a few times, Karen would actively seek out Mason and invite him to their house.
Mason probably had some feelings for Stella, and she could tell at that time. But he never verbally expressed it, and she didn’t want to reject him because she liked Erin. She always failed to receive his affection, so she treated Mason with kindness.
Later, Karen encouraged Mason to confess his feelings to Stella. Stella told Karen that she didn’t like him, but Karen said. that she shouldn’t reject him at this crucial time when they were applying for college. If she rejected him, it could ruin his chances of getting into his desired university. Stella thought Karen had a point, so she didn’t reject Mason and told him that they could consider a relationship after they both got into good universities. Mason agreed eagerly.
Finally, they both got accepted into good schools, and that’s when Stella truly rejected Mason. She mustered up the courage to confess her feelings to the person she liked. But unfortunately, when she was ready to open up to him, he arranged for someone to gang-rape her.
Her life took a drastic turn at that moment, and when Karen found out what happened to her, she cried and demanded justice for Stella. But when she discovered that Erin was the mastermind, Karen went crazy and tried to attack him. Stella vividly remembers Karen’s desperate attempt to tear Erin apart, the way she fought for her.
She always believed that her aunt loved her. After finding out about the rape, Karen not only dealt with the thugs herself but also fought to send Erin to jail. However, Erin was protected by his grandfather and didn’t face legal consequences. He only received a severe beating.
At the time, Erin didn’t say a word. It seemed like he realized how terrible his actions were and endured the punishment silently.
Not long after, Karen discovered that Stella was pregnant. She caused a scene with the Simpson family, insisting that Erin be sent away. Erin didn’t know what was happening, but after checking Stella’s pulse, he didn’t say a word. He just grabbed her and left the Simpson family.
He took her to a private hospital and personally performed an abortion on her. As he terminated her pregnancy, he inexplicably berated her. Their conflict only grew deeper.
What Stella resents the most is that after the operation, Erin had someone dump her in the wilderness, barely alive. He didn’t even show his face, as if he wanted to kill her.
At that time, Stella wanted to go back and ask Erin why he treated her that way. She desperately crawled through the thorny bushes, using all her strength, but she couldn’t escape.
She suffered so much, and it was natural for her to hate Erin. But why didn’t Karen hold Erin accountable? Instead, she seemed to be victorious, like she had won a war without gunshots, as she smiled upon seeing the enemy’s dead bodies.
Stella couldn’t understand. Stiffly, she walked up to Karen, asking her, “Aunt, what are you laughing about?”
Karen didn’t hide her smile at all. Instead, she raised her hand and gently touched Stella’s hair, saying, “I’m laughing because my little Stella has finally escaped this demon.”
She seemed to pity Stella very much. With gentle movements, she stroked Stella’s cheek and said, “You’ve been through hell because of Erin all these years, and I really feel sorry for you. So when he died, even though it pained me too, I still felt happy for you. After all, your escape from nightmares matters more….”
Karen was very kind to Stella, giving her money and love without reservation. Right after Stella joined the Simpson family, Karen transferred all the money that Thomas had given her to Stella’s account and even gave her several houses.
Karen treated Erin well too, in Stella’s eyes. She always cared for him and protected him, even when Erin treated her with harsh words and violence. Karen had no complaints and even showed love for Erin.
But when Stella wasn’t there, Erin would often angrily accuse Karen of being two-faced. Without waiting for Karen to explain, Thomas would slap Erin, and then Erin would say nothing, just kick the chair and leave the Simpson family…
Many times, when the three of them had conflicts, Stella would be upstairs.
Stella felt like she was just a guest, and it was better not to get involved in their family affairs. So she would obediently keep her distance.
As their conflicts intensified, Stella developed a habit of not getting close or cavesdropping, and she never knew the reasons behind their fights.
But in Stella’s impression, Karen was indeed a very gentle and kind stepmother. At least, she never said anything bad about Erin in front of her. She always praised the child for being smart. Even with the servants around her, she never said. anything horrible about him.
Stella thought that maybe this good person was genuinely happy for her, just like Andrew. After all, Karen and Andrew were her relatives, they had blood ties, and naturally, they loved her more. than Erin, who had hurt them…
Stella thought about it and didn’t ask any more questions. She just looked away and glanced at the urn that had been placed in the black car. Erin had turned to ashes, and even with all the grievances, it was now over.
However, strange feelings surged within her heart as Stella touched her chest.
She felt suffocated, as if all the hatred she held toward Erin was gone. Moreover, it felt like she had lost the purpose of being.
As Stella couldn’t hold back these strange feelings, she could only let them consume her and drag herself into the abyss, into hell…
Stella put away her smile. The taste of victory was reflected in her eyes…
Erin was finally dead. There would be no one to belittle her, no one to point fingers at her as a homewrecker, and no one to oppose her. And her son would be able to inherit the Simpson family without any competition.
From now on, as an uneducated, uncultured, and immoral woman who came from a small county town, she could sit firmly in Mrs. Simpson’s position. No one would expose her past, and no one would look down on her arrogantly.
Thinking of Erin, Karen stared coldly at the small black urn. She sneered to herself that no matter how stubborn or capable he was, he still turned into ashes.
After a mocking laugh, Karen greeted Stella and got into the car. As the black window rolled up, Karen and Mike exchanged a glance, and then both of them grinned.
Erin was dead, and no one would know what Karen had done behind the scenes, including Erin himself. In this world, only she knew the schemes she had set up back then, and she would never be foolish enough to reveal her secrets to the public.
Karen thought about this while touching Erin’s urn, and laughed heartily, feeling a joy she had never experienced before.
She had been hoping for his death to come for many years, and now that he was finally dead, she was overjoyed.
Erin’s ashes were brought back to the country by the Thomas family. According to news from Imperial Capital, Karen treated this stepson with genuine affection. Thomas angrily criticized Erin for bringing shame to the family and refused to hold a grand funeral. Karen argued with Thomas, saying that even. if Erin had a bad reputation, he was still part of the Simpson family and deserved a grand funeral.
In the end, Thomas was unable to resist Karen’s insistence and handed over the funeral arrangements to her. People who came to pay their respects from the Simpson family said that Karen knelt in front of Erin’s portrait and cried hysterically, almost fainting. People in the Imperial Capital circle spread rumors that Karen was the best stepmother and Erin was an ungrateful stepson.
When Stella heard these rumors, she was injecting medication and continued her actions without pause, showing no significant change in expression. It seemed that she had no emotional attachment to the deceased person and simply brushed it off as background noise.
After returning from Panama and arranging for Henry to be hospitalized for recovery, Stella took care of him while still working her regular job without missing a beat, just as she did before. Initially, Amelia and Eva were worried that Stella would be excessively saddened by Erin’s death. However, to their surprise, as soon as she returned, she put on her white coat and started working.
Whether Erin was mentioned or not, she had a cheerful demeanor. It seemed that Erin’s absence was a relief to Amelia and Eva saw her like this and didn’t ask much further. They only instructed her to reach out to them if she needed anything. They promised to help her whenever she needed it. Stella nodded and let them go about their own business.
Amelia had to rush to work on her design plans, and Eva had to manage the night club. They were both busy, and Stella had already caused them enough trouble during this time. Naturally, she wouldn’t have them worry further.
After flicking the syringe, Stella bent down, smiling and comforting a child while secretly giving the child an injection when they weren’t paying attention.
The child initially smiled at her, but when she removed the syringe, the child burst into tears. The parents nearby comforted the child, and Stella smiled as she patted the child’s head. She even performed a magic trick, pulling out a lollipop from her pocket and handing it to the child.
The child took the lollipop and not only stopped crying but also. behaved obediently, saying thank you. Stella once again patted the child’s head before leaving the ward with a smile.
Once she left the ward, her smile suddenly froze, and the world spun around her. She quickly reached out and grabbed the wall, trembling fingers feeling for her white coat, searching for her medication bottle…
In her mind, she flashed images of shooting Erin and Erin slumped against the floor-to-ceiling window, blood flowing from his body. These gruesome images caused her to feel on the verge of a breakdown, and she had to rely on medication to forget
After finding the medication bottle, she poured out a pill, trembling as she placed it in her mouth and swallowed it.
After taking the pill, she leaned against the wall, waiting for her emotions to calm down. A doctor approached her.
“Director, are you okay?”
During this period, she had been working tirelessly, helping out in neurosurgery, internal medicine, and anything else that needed assistance. Now she even personally came to the children’s department.
“I’m fine.”
Stella waved her hand, telling the doctor to focus on their own tasks, and then she mustered up her tired body and returned to Henry’s room.
Henry didn’t suffer any serious after-effects, and he had made a good recovery. He should be able to leave the hospital after some more rest and recuperation.
When Stella entered, Henry quickly asked his parents, who were by his bedside, to leave. After glancing at Stella, his parents got up and left.
Stella walked over and sat down in front of Henry’s bed. “How are you today? Can you move your hand?”
Henry nodded and looked at Stella with gentle eyes. “My hand can recover to normal. Don’t worry…”
Stella held Henry’s hand and checked it. Seeing that it had recovered well, she replied, “You can recover, but you probably won’t be able to perform surgeries in the future.”
Henry didn’t mind. “I’ve been working at the Evans’ pharmaceutical company for a while and I’ve realized that I’m more interested in the field of medicine than performing surgeries.”
Stella still felt a bit regretful. “You’re an excellent surgeon. It’s a pity to lose the opportunity to operate.”
At these words, a faint smile appeared in Henry’s eyes. “Being a doctor, whether it’s developing drugs, performing surgeries, or helping patients with rehabilitation, it’s all about healing and saving lives. As long as we can save people, there is nothing to if something had grabbed her, leaving her standing there…
Erin, who was only eighteen years old, once said the same thing. At that time, he stood with his hands in his pockets, leaning against the escalator, listening quietly to the Simpson family discussing his career direction…
His grandfather said Erin shouldn’t waste his talent and must become a doctor. Thomas, on the other hand, said Erin was the talent needed in the finance industry and must pursue a career in finance. The father and son argued fiercely about this, and in the end, Erin’s grandfather couldn’t convince Thomas and became very angry.
Erin comforted his grandfather, saying, “No matter what industry I work in, I can heal and save people. As long as we can save people, there is nothing to regret.”
It was because Erin promised Thomas that he studied finance in college. Thomas then decided to let Erin become the heir and formally enter the Simpson family’s business field after graduating from university.
Unfortunately, before Erin could graduate from college, he committed an unforgivable mistake while still in high school. He violated her and faced the resistance of everyone in the Simpson family, losing his qualification as the heir.
If it weren’t for that incident, Erin wouldn’t have inherited his grandfather’s profession and chosen to become a doctor. Instead, he would have become an elite in the finance industry, leading the Simpson family to great success in the business world.
doing and had nothing to do with her. When Henry asked her what was wrong, she gently shook her head, saying, “I’m fine, just tired. Sometimes I space out.”
Henry stared at Stella’s face, trying to read any signs of change in her expression, but she remained calm as if Erin’s death hadn’t affected her at all.
After contemplating Stella for a moment, Henry asked, “Stella, I told you before that once we sent Erin to prison, we could be together again. Now that he’s dead, there’s no longer any obstacle between us. Can we start over?”
Henry hadn’t forced Stella, but he believed that Erin was the one standing in their way of being together. He wanted to send Erin to prison first, to protect Stella from harm and to be able to restart their relationship. However, he never expected things to escalate to the point of someone’s death.
Henry felt that it was inappropriate to ask about getting back together at this time, but his selfishness made him blurt it out. He had a feeling that something was quietly changing after Erin’s death, but he couldn’t quite grasp it…
Stella lowered her unfathomable gaze, staring at Henry’s wrist wrapped in gauze. After a moment, she slowly hooked the corner of her lip and said, “Henry, ever since we’ve been together, it’s been nothing but injuries. Maybe we should stop.”
Upon hearing this, Henry felt a fierce tremor in his heart. He didn’t know why, but it seemed like he had a premonition that Stella would give this kind of answer. So when Stella said it, Henry wasn’t surprised, but…
“Stella, Erin is gone. There won’t be anyone else to hurt me…”
Stella looked away and met Henry’s hopeful gaze.
“I have taken a life and been violated in front of you. These two barriers, I can never overcome them in my heart…”
She didn’t offer any other reasons, just said it directly.
Who could go through such humiliation and still peacefully marry someone for a lifetime? If it were anyone else, they probably wouldn’t even want to see each other again. Stella was considered strong, at least she could help treat Henry as if nothing happened.
“I don’t mind.”
“Stella, you’re just forced to do this. It’s not your fault, including shooting and killing Erin. You were forced to do it, you didn’t really want to kill him. I see all of this, and I understand you. So I don’t mind at all, why do you…”
Stella smiled, her eyes curved like the brightest moon in the night sky.
“Henry, I do mind.”
After interrupting Henry with a smile, Stella turned to look at the middle-aged couple standing outside the hospital room. When she saw their tired faces and graying hair, she sighed deeply.
“Henry, your parents are getting older, they can’t handle any more turmoil. They love you so much, and they’re so open-minded. You should think about them more…”
“Henry, in addition to the reasons mentioned above, I also have to tell you that I still haven’t completely fallen in love with you…”
This sentence made Henry swallow the words he was about to say. He lowered his head, staring at his own wrist for a while, and then, unwillingly, he raised his head again.
“Stella, I know you haven’t fallen in love with me yet. It’s always been just me, wishful thinking. But what can I do? As long as I love you, it’s enough.”
It’s not enough.
After rejecting Henry, Stella raised her eyebrows and gave him a faint smile.
“Being with you before, you made me feel loved. I thought that would be enough for a lifetime, but I never thought that what I’m doing is unfair to you…”
He loved her purely and passionately, and she should reciprocate with the same love, but she couldn’t. Regardless of whether Henry minds or not, it’s unfair to him.
“Henry, you’re such a kind and outstanding person. You deserve a better woman. And as a murderer like me, I am destined to be lonely until the end.”
Even if the law doesn’t punish her, she will face consequences in other ways. Her life will never be peaceful again. So why drag Henry down to hell with her?
After Stella finished speaking, she didn’t wait for Henry to respond. She got up and left directly, just as decisive as when she fired at Erin.
Stella was never a person who hesitated or wavered. When she made a decision, she would tell the other person directly and then cut off all ties. But Henry knew that Stella wouldn’t cut him off like that. At least until his hand fully recovered, she would still care for him as she always had.
To Stella, he was still an important person in her heart, just not as important as a lover. But the weight of his presence wouldn’t diminish to the point of being strangers.
Henry knew too well what kind of person Stella was. He looked at her back and slowly spoke, “Stella, if I hadn’t gone to find you, would you have gotten along well with Erin on the island for a month?”
Stella’s footsteps slowly paused, but she didn’t turn around. After standing in place for a few seconds, she continued on her way. No one knew the answer in Stella’s heart, but Henry could see it. If he hadn’t gone, Stella would have gotten along with Erin for a month and then returned safely.
Henry lay back on the pillow of the hospital bed, looking at that figure standing in front of his parents, his expression gradually turning pale… Did he indirectly cause Erin’s death?
After greeting Henry’s parents and reminding Henry not to get wet, Stella planned to leave, but she was stopped by Henry’s parents.
“Stella, we heard what you just said to Henry,” Henry’s mother said with a gentle face, with a few uncertain emotions flickering, but ultimately firming up. She smiled and thanked Stella, “Thank you for being decisive.”
They couldn’t afford any more trouble. They hoped their son could have a peaceful life in the future and not go through such dramatic events again. Stella was also a good woman, but Henry’s mother felt that Stella, who had loved someone so deeply and even shot and killed her beloved, would never be able to get past this hurdle in her life..
Stella would always carry an indelible mark in her heart, which couldn’t bring Henry a stable life. Even if he didn’t mind, as time went on, if Stella never fell in love with him, he would inevitably feel a bit resentful.
If this resentment grew, wouldn’t Henry start to have grievances against Stella? And once grievances arose, how could the two of them live peacefully together?
Henry’s mother didn’t want her son to blame Stella in the future, argue with her, and then abandon her. In the end, the one who would suffer would still be Stella.
A Woman understood another woman most. What Henry’s mother worried about was exactly what Stella was thinking. Stella smiled and said, “This is what I should do, and also…”
Stella sincerely bowed to the two elderly people. “I’m sorry.”
I’m sorry for causing your son to get hurt.
I’m sorry for heartlessly rejecting your son.
I’m sorry I can’t be your daughter-in-law….
Henry’s mother approached and helped Stella up, then gave her a hug. After hugging her, Stella let go and waved goodbye to the two elderly people, stepping away in her high heels and leaving the hospital ward.
When she returned to the outpatient department and was about to ask which department needed help, someone tapped her shoulder from behind. Stella turned around and saw a man in a blue suit. He looked familiar, but she couldn’t remember. “Who are you?”
The man smiled with a clear smile and said to Stella, “Stella, I’m Mason. Don’t you remember me?”
Upon hearing the other person say that he was Mason, Stella took a serious look at him. He looked different from his youth, shedding his innocence and becoming dignified and refined. He was quite handsome.
After recognizing him, Stella smiled and returned the smile. “Weren’t you settled in Singapore? Why are you back now, and why are you here at the hospital?”
Mason felt a sense of familiarity, like meeting an old acquaintance, and became more enthusiastic. “My grandmother hasn’t been doing well lately, and my mom urged me to come back and see her. So I hurried back, and I didn’t expect to meet you here at the hospital.”
After saying that, Mason’s gaze shifted to Stella’s white coat. “From the way you’re dressed, it seems like you’re a doctor. Did you become a doctor?”
Stella nodded without saying much. Mason continued, “Back in high school, you always talked about wanting to go to medical school. I thought you were just joking, but I didn’t expect you to actually become a doctor.”
Stella, not paying much attention, smiled and asked, “From the way you talk, it sounds like you look down on doctors.”
Mason quickly waved his hand. “No, not at all. I just thought footsteps…”
He wanted to continue speaking, but realizing that his words were a bit too much, he quickly stopped and apologized, “I’m sorry, I spoke without thinking.”
Stella shook her head. “It’s okay, it’s all in the past…”
Erin was dead, and along with his death, all those memories disappeared.
Mason mentioned Erin again and couldn’t help but ask, “Erin passed away, did you know?”
Stella’s face turned a bit pale, but she remained calm and nodded, “Yes, I knew.”
How could she not know when she was the one who killed him?
Mason let out a sigh. “Although he died at such a young age, there’s a saying that makes sense. Bad people will always face retribution, and Erin did some really terrible things, which is why he died so early…”
Back then, he had bought a boat and planned to confess to Stella on the boat. It was supposed to be a meaningful and beautiful thing, but Erin inexplicably rushed onto the boat and took Stella away. After she was taken away, he heard that Erin had his men rape Stella.
Mason still regretted it. If he had been a little braver and chased Erin to protect Stella, she wouldn’t have suffered such harm. But he had been afraid of Erin at that time and didn’t have the courage to follow. That’s why Stella was bullied by the people Erin sent.
Thinking of this, Mason felt guilty. He wanted to invite Stella to have a meal, but she didn’t want to go. However, Mason said, “Stella, don’t worry, I don’t have those feelings for you anymore. I just see you as a classmate, as a friend.”
Unable to resist his enthusiasm, Stella took off her white coat and handed it to a nurse, then left the hospital with Mason. As they were leaving, a doctor called Stella “Director.” That’s when Mason learned that Arcadia, the most expensive and best hospital, was actually run by Stella.
He couldn’t help but give Stella a thumbs up. “So you’re not just a doctor, but also the director. You’re quite impressive now…”
The young Mason used to be shy and often too timid to speak, but now he dared to tease her, which made Stella feel relaxed.
She didn’t ride in Mason’s car, but drove her own car and took Mason to a moderately priced restaurant. After they sat down, she asked Mason, “What are you doing now?”
Mason wanted to treat Stella to something more expensive, but it was evident that Stella was still the same as before, frugal and considerate. He understood and didn’t force it.
As he handed her the utensils, Mason replied, “I’m doing research and development abroad, which is related to programming.
Talking about this, Mason mentioned Erin again with a smile. “I can do this job because of Erin. If it weren’t for him showing off his computer skills at school, I wouldn’t have started learning computers at that young age. But it’s precisely because of that competition with him that I have my current job…”
Mason’s family background in Imperial Capital was also quite good. Stella asked, “Why didn’t you inherit your family’s business and instead went abroad to do research and development?”
Mason picked up his tea cup and took a sip, nonchalantly saying, “My brother is the heir, and he will take care of the family business in the future. As for me, I’m carefree, doing things I enjoy. Besides, I’ll still receive a good share of the family inheritance. Isn’t that a good thing?”
After finishing his last sentence, Mason laughed at himself. “Don’t laugh at me, I’m just this kind of person with limited ambition…”
Mason had a good temperament, which Stella had always known, so how could she laugh at such a genuinely cheerful person? “You’re fine just the way you are.”
Confident and sunny, Mason raised his eyebrows at Stella. “Right, I think so too.”
Stella smiled, but deep down, she still felt calm. For some reason, ever since Erin’s death, Stella found it difficult to genuinely laugh. It seemed like she was carrying a heavy burden that prevented her from laughing wholeheartedly.
The food arrived quickly at the restaurant, and as they ate, they continued chatting and ended up talking about past events.
Stella wasn’t originally planning to ask, but after hearing Mason mention what happened to the people who had bullied her after. they were released from prison, she couldn’t help but ask, “They were just small-time troublemakers, so how did they manage to thrive overseas? Did they get into some big business?”
Mason replied, “Those guys didn’t get involved in any big business. After they got out of prison, it was like they hit the jackpot or something. Suddenly, they became rich and all immigrated abroad. They didn’t do any business at all; instead, they spent their days partying and having fun. It’s unclear where the money came from.”
On the night of Stella’s incident, a few individuals fell into the water while trying to escape and died on the spot. The others, although later sent to prison by Karen, suddenly became wealthy after their release. Stella’s hand holding the fork trembled, “So where are these people now?”
Thinking that Stella wanted to confront them, Mason quickly replied, “They’re long gone. Some died at sea, some were killed in gambling disputes, and some were hit by cars. None of them had a good ending. It’s like karma caught up with them.”
Mason always believed that bad deeds would be met with consequences, it was just a matter of time. After hearing about the fate of those people, he didn’t think much of it.
But for Stella, it raised many suspicions. Why did they suddenly become rich, and why did they suddenly meet unexpected deaths? It sounded as if someone was afraid they knew some secret and had bribed them, only to slowly silence them so no one would suspect a thing.
Stella lowered her eyelashes and pondered for a few seconds before raising her gaze to Mason, who was still eating, “How do you know all this?”
Without lifting his head, Mason replied, “I was in the same country as them. After their incident, it made the local news. How could I not know…”
With confirmation, Stella’s heart sank even further. She suddenly remembered the doubts she had before. If Erin had a slight liking for her back then, why would she send people to rape her? Even if Erin was furious, she couldn’t do such a thing, especially considering Erin’s possessiveness…
Thinking of this, Stella abruptly stood up, “Mason, I’m sorry, but I have something urgent to take care of. Let’s reschedule our meal another time…”
Mason was still chewing his food, and seeing Stella in a rush with her bag, he wanted to talk to her but found it inconvenient. He could only nod and wave goodbye.
Stella went straight to the Evans’ and asked Andrew for help in investigating the bank records of those people who had bullied her in the past after their release from prison. Andrew didn’t understand why Stella wanted to look into this. Those rapists had fled to Singapore out of fear of retaliation from the Simpson family. Andrew had planned to go and kill them, but Stella believed they were merely following Erin’s orders, so she let it go and didn’t pay them any further attention. Now, why suddenly investigate them? Did her cousin still seek revenge?
Stella didn’t explain further and just told him to hurry and check. Andrew went to the bank, and he was quite efficient in his work. Stella only waited for a short while before Andrew returned with the information. When he saw Stella, his face was solemn.
“How did it go? Who sent them the money?”
Andrew didn’t reply but instead handed the documents to Stella with a cold expression.
Stella, feeling anxious, quickly took the documents and flipped. through them. These transfers went through multiple bank accounts before reaching the accounts of those individuals who were released from prison. It was evident that they had taken precautions to avoid detection.
However, even with such complex and intricate operations, Andrew managed to trace the source of the funds…
When Stella reached the name of the sender, her face turned pale, and her fingers holding the documents couldn’t stop trembling.
Bart – Karen’s cousin.
Standing in front of her, Andrew felt something strange when he saw Bart’s name, and immediately reminded Stella, “That thing back then was likely Karen’s doing. Otherwise, her cousin wouldn’t have coincidentally sent money to these people, and the amount in each account is the same… Even though it was divided into several transactions, they all went through similar routes. If the person behind this is Erin, then she must have directly opened foreign bank accounts for these people and manipulated them so that no one could trace anything. Only someone like Karen, who lacks education, would transfer money to multiple accounts in a gradual manner…”
Stella’s mind was a bit hazy, and she leaned on Andrew for support to steady herself. She grabbed Andrew’s arm and slowly sat down on the couch….
Seeing her like this, Andrew immediately pulled out the small knife he had tucked at his waist and was about to go to Imperial Capital to kill someone. “I’ll go and bring that woman here and find out what’s going on?!”
Stella stopped him with her hand. “I’ll go myself.”
She wanted to ask Karen why she transferred money to these people and why she laughed when she saw Erin’s urn, but cried at the funeral after returning to Imperial Capital. She wanted to ask her loving aunt why she had two faces.
With great effort, she supported herself and stood up, but Andrew was worried about her and wanted to go with her. Just then, Mia’s phone call came in…
When Stella saw the corners of Andrew’s lips gradually lift and heard him repeatedly say, “Really?” she vaguely guessed what the good news was,
Sure enough, after Andrew hung up the phone, his face lit up with joy as he said to Stella, “Stella, your sister-in-law is pregnant!”
Stella’s heavy heart was unable to contain its joy upon hearing this good news. “That’s great!”
Andrew was overjoyed and wanted to rush to the hospital to pick up Mia, but when he saw Stella, he quickly suppressed his excitement. “Let’s go, I’ll accompany you back to Imperial Capital first.”
It was rare for her brother to go this far, but Stella had to be sensible. “Mia just got pregnant and needs company. You should go and be with her. I’ll go find Aunt myself…”
Andrew had already established a family. Now, this family had added a new member. The role Andrew played in Stella’s life was not only her brother, but also her husband and father. He was already busy enough, so she shouldn’t burden him with her own issues.
Furthermore, Andrew had cut ties with the Simpson family, while she had a close connection with them. She could even say that she was raised by the Simpson family. It was normal for her to ask questions. It would be better for Andrew not to get involved in the relationship and situation with the Simpson family to avoid any conflicts.
Andrew’s intention was to go to Imperial Capital with her after he picked up Mia from the hospital, but Stella refused. She was only going to find Aunt and clarify what was going on, not to fight with Karen. Nothing would happen.
Andrew also believed that Stella wouldn’t conflict with her beloved aunt because of Erin’s matter, so he didn’t try to persuade her further. Instead, he assigned a few bodyguards to protect her and instructed Stella to call him if anything happened. Stella agreed with a nod, and then she went to Imperial Capital with the bodyguards.
Meanwhile, Andrew went to the CEO’s office to ask James for an extended leave. Maybe because of Mia’s pregnancy, he was overly happy. When he pushed open the door, he couldn’t contain his smile, even with his hand covering it.
James, who was reviewing documents, raised his cold eyes when he heard Andrew occasionally burst into laughter. He coldly glanced at him and asked, “What’s so funny?”
Andrew, who was waiting for Mr. Evans to ask, quickly moved This hands away from his covered smile and rushed to James’s desk, using both hands to support himself. “Mr. Evans, my wife is pregnant. I’m here to request a few days off…”
James, with eyes as cold as snow, had been staring at Andrew’s hands on his desk. But when he heard what Andrew said, he slowly moved his disdainful gaze away and looked at Andrew’s smiling face….
Seeing that smiling face, James suddenly had the urge to smack him.
James frowned and thought for a moment, figuring out the source…
Andrew got married later than him, yet Andrew’s wife got pregnant first…
He picked up the pen in his hand again and said coldly, “I won’t approve your leave.”
Andrew’s smile immediately froze on his face, “Why?”
His wife was pregnant and his boss won’t approve his leave, that’s too harsh!
James ignored him and continued signing, while Andrew anxiously pleaded, “Mr. Evans, just let me take a leave, even if it’s just for a day…”
Seeing that his boss still didn’t pay attention to him, Andrew immediately let go of the table and turned to walk towards the sofa. “If you don’t agree, then I’ll sit here and protest silently…”
James: …
After giving Andrew a sidelong glance, he opened the drawer and took out a bank card, throwing it directly at Andrew. “Congratulations.”
Andrew was stunned for a moment upon seeing the bank card, then he waved his hand. “Your blessings are enough, I don’t need the money…”
James put down the pen again, extending his slender fingers to take back the card. “Since you don’t want it, then I’ll save it for Zack’s child.”
Upon hearing this, Andrew immediately snatched the bank card back from James. “Then you should give it to me.”
With a thick-skinned smile, Andrew took back the bank card. “Well then, Mr. Evans, I’ll go pick up my wife…”
Without even lifting his head, James nodded slightly. It was only after Andrew left the office that he raised his eyes, sparkling like stars, and smiled at Andrew’s receding figure.
He was probably the first person around him to become a father, and he naturally felt happy for Andrew. He just wondered when his own child would come…
James originally didn’t want children, but seeing Andrew’s joy made him slightly look forward to it. However, the moment The thought about the pain Amelia would have to endure, that anticipation instantly vanished. It’s better not to have children, so his wife could suffer less.
Stella quickly arrived at Imperial Capital and returned to the Simpson family. Karen was sitting on the sofa, scolding the servant severely. When she saw Stella coming in, Karen immediately shut up, quickly helped the servant up, and told her not to cry. After instructing her to get back to work, Karen. stood up and smiled at Stella.
She linked arms with Stella and led her towards the living room, explaining what had just happened. “She ruined my dress with the iron. She got scared and kneeled in front of me apologizing. I told her it’s okay, but she was afraid she couldn’t afford to compensate for the dress, so she kept crying. I scolded her on purpose, but I didn’t expect you to come back so soon…’
After Karen gently finished speaking, she waved her hand towards the teary-eyed girl. “Didn’t you see that Stella is back? Stop crying and go back to the kitchen to cook. Remember to prepare more of what she likes to eat…”
The girl looked helpless, glanced at Stella, but didn’t dare say anything. She obediently nodded and turned to walk towards the kitchen.
In the past, Stella wouldn’t have been able to see through this, but now she could see the sadness in the girl’s eyes. It was probably because she knew that Karen’s cousin had paid money to those thugs. Only then could she see that her aunt had two faces.
She also thought about how Erin had scolded Karen many times. for being fake, but because Karen was her aunt, she had never doubted what Karen said or the explanations she gave. If she had thought about it more at the time, would she have been able to discover the different side of her aunt…
Thinking of this, Stella calmly pushed away Karen’s hand, and without wasting any time, she sat down on the sofa. Then, she directly stated her purpose, “Aunt, I came here to talk about an old matter.”
Karen, who was about to sit down on the sofa, stiffened for a moment upon hearing this, but she sat down without showing any signs of it. Then, she smiled and asked, “What old matter?”
Stella took out a stack of documents from her bag and placed them on the glass coffee table. “Why did your cousin Bart give money to those thugs after they were released from prison back then?”
Karen glanced at the documents and felt a twinge in her heart. She hadn’t expected Stella to investigate this after so many years. But she quickly composed herself, pretending not to know anything, reaching out for the documents with a surprised expression.
“Oh, I don’t know. Why would he give those thugs money?” Karen took the documents, furrowing her brows and flipping through them. Stella sat opposite her, silently observing Karen, trying to detect any hint of emotions on her face. She could sense a hint of anger in Karen’s eyes and eyebrows.
“That bastard Bart, why would he give those bullies money who used to torment you?” After finishing reading the documents, Karen became so angry that she threw them away. Her elegant body trembled, clearly furious.
“If that bastard hadn’t died two years ago, I would definitely bring him here and ask him why he did this.” Indeed, Bart had passed away, making it impossible to confront him. Otherwise, Stella could have simply sought help from Andrew, captured Bart, found evidence, and then confronted Karen. Karen would have had nothing to say. So why bother coming here to extract information from her?
Stella stared at the furious Karen and remained silent for a few seconds before saying softly, “Aunt, Bart transferred money to those people after they were released from prison. This proves that he was the one behind it. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have a reason to give them money.”
Karen’s emotions flickered in her eyes, but she didn’t show it. “Wasn’t Erin the mastermind? He admitted it himself when we interrogated him. How could it be your uncle? Maybe Bart owed those thugs money, so he sent them the money after they were released. You know what desperate people like them are capable of. Perhaps your gambling-addicted uncle was afraid of being hunted down by them, so he gave them the money.”
Karen found a reasonable excuse for Bart, but Stella didn’t believe it. “Aunt, those thugs were associated with Erin. They’re much younger than your uncle. How could your uncle borrow money from them? Besides, your uncle always gambles abroad. How could he dare to have any dealings with these people? And those thugs don’t have much money. Why would your uncle borrow money from them?”
Karen was somewhat speechless under interrogation but refused to admit it. “Stella, I really don’t know much about your uncle’s affairs. He never told me who he associated with, who he gambled with, or how much money he owed. He always just asked me for money… Perhaps your uncle did have contact with Erin’s people in secret. Perhaps Erin bribed your uncle and made him do something to hurt you. You know your uncle had a lot of gambling debts. When I refused to lend him money, he got angry and went to see Erin. It’s possible they conspired together.”
Stella knew it would be very difficult to get the truth about why Bart made the payments from Karen. So she decided to play the emotional card. “Aunt, you should know about Bart’s situation. He relied on you his whole life. If he really was bribed by Erin and did something bad to me, he would have definitely told you. Now that Erin is dead and our grievances have been settled, I won’t argue with you over his actions or blame you for hiding anything. I just want to know the truth.”
Karen calmly looked at Stella and saw the respectful and friendly gaze, just like before, without a hint of hatred. Her heart softened slightly, but she shook her head. “Stella, I really don’t know why your uncle would give money to those thugs.”
After saying that, she let out a long sigh. “Now that Bart is dead, no one knows why he did this. But if you say he was the mastermind, I find it hard to believe. After all, Erin really did admit to sending people back then.”
If Karen now agreed with Stella’s words and said that Bart was the mastermind, Stella would suspect that Karen was somehow involved herself. So Karen decided to push the blame onto Erin. After all, Erin did have such intentions back then, even if it was just to scare Stella. What harm would it do to go along with it?
Karen was determined that Erin had admitted to being the mastermind behind everything. But Stella didn’t hear it firsthand; she was in the hospital at the time and Karen was the one who told her all the news.
Because of this, Stella was shocked when she saw Bart giving money to those thugs. But at the same time, Stella wondered why Erin would admit it if she didn’t send them.
Stella wanted to clear up these doubts, but it was clear that Karen wouldn’t tell her. After hesitating for a moment, Stella stood up and walked over to Karen. Just like when they were kids, she squatted down next to Karen and placed her hand on her leg, looking up at her.
“Aunt, I am your beloved niece. I have always treated you like a mother. We both came from a small town, and we should love, help, and trust each other. You know Mike is still young, and his cousins are all eyeing the position of heir. The Simpson family is a corporation, and who knows if one day those cousins will take over. If that happens, Mike’s position as heir will be in danger.”
“Even though I am in Arcadia, I have some influence behind me. If you trust me and tell me the truth, I will definitely help Mike become the heir of the Simpson family in the future.”
These words were truly touching and struck a chord deep within Karen’s heart. Before Erin died, Karen feared that Erin would become the heir. Now she had to fear Mike’s cousins for the sake of her own son.
The corporate structure of the Simpson family was truly despicable, as if anyone could interfere. Thomas was the chairman, so why should others have a say in the position of the heir?
Karen was furious inside, but she didn’t show it. She looked into Stella’s innocent eyes and felt that Stella wasn’t trying to deceive her into revealing the truth. But regardless of whether Stella was trying to deceive her or not, Karen couldn’t reveal the truth. On the contrary, she had to stabilize Stella and make her help Mike in the future, using the power of the Evans family as her strong support.
With this in mind, Karen raised her hand and placed it on Stella’s hand, gently patting it. She praised Stella for being sensible, saying, “Stella, I am so grateful to have a niece like you. If you are willing to help Mike, I can’t shortchange you. How about this, when the Simpson family redistributes their shares, I will talk to your uncle and let you join in.”
This way, Stella would have a share, and Mike would have a large portion. When it came time to choose the heir, Mike would definitely be ranked first and no one would be able to surpass him.
Mike, who was sitting next to them reading a book, blinked when he heard this. The Simpson family’s shares were already divided, and now if Stella joined in, his share would be even smaller?
What if Stella found out the truth and chose not to help him, but instead helped someone else? That would be making enemies for him. Instead of taking this risky step, it would be better to completely cut off Stella’s path to the Simpson Group, to avoid future trouble.
Thinking of this, Mike put down his book, took off his glasses, and looked coldly at Karen, who was inconsistent. “Karen, didn’t you have Bart send someone to rape our cousin? Why don’t you admit it?”
One sentence completely shocked Karen. Her widened pupils seemed to be saying, “How did you know?”
It was as if Mike could see through her thoughts. Expressionless, he said, “Two years ago, when you were arguing with Bart in the room, I happened to overhear.”.
Indeed, Bart had approached her two years ago, but she didn’t want to give him money anymore. Bart then used the past incident to threaten her, and they had a heated argument. But she didn’t expect Mike to hear it…
But Mike was only five years old at the time. How could he have such a good memory? And why didn’t he tell her at the time, but instead mentioned it when she suggested giving shares to Stella? Did he feel that his interests were being threatened?
Karen’s shocked pupils, upon seeing the coldness in Mike’s eyes, made her heart race nonstop. And then it sank heavily…..
She suddenly felt that this son was so unfamiliar, even more unfamiliar than when Andrew angrily called her a mistress. At least Andrew thought she had wrong values and blamed her for not fighting back. But the feeling Mike gave her was cold to the bone…
She suddenly felt afraid. Someone like him could very well betray their own family for personal gain. Especially when this feeling came from a seven-year-old child…
Karen wanted to stand up and educate Mike, but her hand was held by Stella. Karen lowered her gaze and looked at Stella, who had turned pale with red eyes, trembling all over. It was only then that she remembered that Stella knew the truth. She quickly shook her head and denied, “I didn’t do it. Mike misunderstood. He was only five at the time. What did he know?”
Stella stared at Karen, her eyes red and filled with anger. “You’re my aunt, and yet you sent someone to rape me and blamed it on Erin.”
When she found out that Bart was the one who sent the money, she suspected it was Karen, but deep down she believed it was Bart acting on his own. She never expected Karen’s own son to accuse her.
Stella collapsed onto the couch…
It turned out it was her aunt who orchestrated it, not Erin…
But she had plotted for ten years out of resentment towards Erin, and finally succeeded in making Erin fall in love with her.
She hurt him, tormented him, drove him crazy, and forced him to die willingly when he found out she didn’t truly love him.
The thought of Erin slowly bleeding to death while she callously refused to help him, her heart couldn’t bear it and started to ache.
All the pent-up emotions she had been suppressing suddenly broke free, tears streaming down her face.
Stella didn’t know how to face Karen. She could only grasp Karen’s skirt and repeatedly ask, “Why did you do this? Why?!”
“Calm down. It was Mike who misunderstood.”
Then Karen turned her head fiercely and glared at Mike. “Tell your cousin that you misunderstood me. Stop falsely accusing me.”
But Mike didn’t follow Karen’s words as he usually would. Instead, he exposed everything she had done in the past. “Bart used this incident to blackmail you for money, and in the end, you gave him millions. After that, he kept coming to you for money, but unfortunately, he died right after receiving the last payment.”
He was clearly reminding Stella that Bart was silenced by Karen.
How could Stella not understand? She suddenly realized that Erin wasn’t responsible for these things, it was her own aunt. She was overwhelmed.
Still, she couldn’t believe that her aunt had so many people rape her.
Stella couldn’t believe it, but she had to believe it.
Staring at Karen intently, she snapped, “Tell me the truth. Why did you do this?”
Karen, who had been betrayed by her own son to this extent, felt powerless and slumped onto the couch. When she looked up at Stella, the acting on her face disappeared, leaving only coldness.
Stella smirked inwardly but pretended to nod lightly, just like before. “Aunt, I know you must have had no choice. No matter how cruel the truth is, in my heart, you are still the aunt who raised me, who took care of me. I will always be grateful.”
Before, Stella had always felt abandoned by her relatives after her parents died, but her aunt never gave up on her. She treated her like her own daughter from childhood. Stella was always grateful for that. So, no matter what Karen said, she would listen. When Stella was young, she even told Karen that she would do anything for her if she needed it.
Karen was well aware of this and also knew that if she didn’t tell Stella now, Stella would find out about it eventually. When Stella found out herself, it would be a pile of evidence. If Stella, in her emotional state, handed the evidence over to the police, Karen would have no way out.
Now, if she revealed what happened back then and soothed Stella with kind words, once Stella’s anger subsided, she could erase all the remaining traces with the help of others. Even if Stella found out about it, there would be nothing she could do about it.
At most, she would hate her or cut ties with her, but with Stella’s respect and care for her, she wouldn’t seek revenge. And the biggest mistake in this whole situation was still Erin. If Stella wanted to hate someone, she should hate Erin.
However, Karen never anticipated that Stella had a voice recorder in her bag. She had been recording everything from the beginning. As long as Karen revealed these things, even if she escaped to the ends of the earth, she wouldn’t be able to escape from Stella’s grasp.
“Aunt, please tell me…”
Sitting on the floor, Stella grabbed Karen’s skirt, looking pitifully at Karen, who was leaning against the couch with her arms crossed.
Karen decided to use a delaying tactic to calm Stella down. After seeing Stella in this state, she slowly began to speak…
“Those people were indeed sent by Erin. He wanted to scare you, but unfortunately your uncle overheard it. He immediately encouraged me to bribe those people and make them act for real. I was confused at the time and thought that if Erin’s reputation was ruined, I wouldn’t have to endure his insults anymore, so I reluctantly agreed…”
Karen finished speaking with a pitiful expression, gently touching Stella’s face.
“I’m really sorry, Stella. I wasn’t thinking clearly at the time. Erin deceived me, otherwise I would never have hurt you. After seeing what you went through, I deeply regretted it and felt incredibly guilty…”
Stella remained still, letting Karen’s cold fingertips glide across her face. Her blood ran cold, like being trapped in an icy pond, unable to struggle free, only allowing the coldness to envelope her.
She knew that Karen’s words were half true and half false, the only thing she believed was that Erin didn’t want those people to gang rape her, he just wanted to scare her. So that’s why Erin never explained anything?
Suppressing her anger, Stella slowly lifted her vacant gaze and looked into Karen’s eyes, void of any cruelty. She asked calmly,
“When you punished him using family methods, did he explain himself?”
While Stella was in the hospital, she heard that apart from the thugs who fell into the water, the others who were caught and sent to prison didn’t reveal the mastermind behind it. Erin narrowly escaped.
It was after Stella woke up that Karen forced her to accuse Erin. Erin was standing by her hospital bed at the time, wanting to explain something, but Thomas slapped him several times and he chose to remain silent.
Stella knew that after he was taken back by the Simpson family, he was severely dealt with. She didn’t witness it firsthand, but she saw Erin covered in blood when he came to her hospital room. He wanted to come in, but Karen wouldn’t let him get close.
Until Stella recovered and found out she was pregnant, Erin hadn’t seen her alone. Even when she had an abortion, Erin didn’t explain anything. If he only wanted to scare her, why didn’t he explain to her?
Karen didn’t really want to tell Stella, but seeing that Stella didn’t blame her, she reluctantly said,
“When the Simpson family punished him, he did explain that it was just a scare, but he didn’t expect those people to take it seriously. When I heard him say that, I was afraid the Simpson family would believe him, so I slapped him and angrily accused him of making excuses. I questioned him, even if what you said was true, this whole thing happened because of him. If he hadn’t done it, how could you have been gang raped? So whether it was a scare or not, you were hurt because of him. He didn’t say anything after I finished speaking, probably thinking that it was indeed his fault and there was no need to explain anymore…”
So that’s how it was. Because he also believed that he sent people, whether he explained or not didn’t matter. After all, the damage had been done. In Erin’s mind, he probably always thought it was his doing, so he never mentioned this incident to her…
Even when they met again, Erin treated her the same way as before. He must have believed that their relationship couldn’t be reconciled because of this, so he acted like a little boy bullying a little girl, surrounding her.
Stella wanted revenge, so she seduced him and made him fall in love with her, intending to hurt him badly, thinking that this would be a successful revenge. But she didn’t expect that the real enemy was sitting in front of her, looking at her with pity.
This person even claimed that Bart instigated her. How could Stella believe that? Bart wasn’t even in the country at the time, how would he know that Erin wanted to scare her?
After understanding everything, Stella no longer pretended. She raised her finger, wiping away the tears at the corner of her eyes, and looked at Karen with cold eyes.
“If I’m not mistaken, you had already bribed those people, but Erin accidentally fell into your trap…”
As these words came out, Karen’s expression changed drastically. She didn’t expect Stella to figure this out, even though she had concealed the truth. How could Stella…
When Karen tried to find an excuse to dispel Stella’s suspicions, she saw Stella gripping her skirt tightly, exerting great force as if she wanted to tear it off.
Karen couldn’t tell from Stella’s actions and expression whether she was shocked by the truth or suppressing her hatred. She only felt that this child had also learned how to disguise herself and was ultimately unable to control it…
But regardless of whether she could control it or not, Karen wouldn’t admit it and chose to remain silent.