A sudden rush of wind came from behind."Watch out!"Suzy noticed the attack, but it was too late to stop it.Just as the wine bottle was about to crash down, a hand shot out, grabbing it midair.Stellar had already sensed the attack. With her current reflexes, dodging would have been easy. What she hadn’t expected was someone stepping in to help.She turned around, eyes widening slightly in surprise to see Jonathan."Jonathan, what the hell are you doing?!"Pauline stared at her brother in shock, unable to believe what she was seeing."Calm down, Pauline," Jonathan said firmly, his gaze heavy as he tried to soothe her. Then, he turned to Stellar, his expression strangely conflicted."Stellar… are you okay?"His voice carried a hint of concern, but she wasn’t fooled.Jonathan had never shown her an ounce of kindness before. Every time they crossed paths, his attitude had been cold and dismissive.And now he was suddenly worried about her?Sure enough, before she could respond, he
"Uncle Claude!" Stellar Rivers' eyes lit up with surprise and delight as she turned to the newcomer.Claude reached out and gently ruffled her hair. "My good niece."Jonathan's brows furrowed slightly at the word "uncle."There was something familiar about this man, but he couldn’t quite place it.The rest of the guests had the same nagging feeling, as if they’d seen him somewhere before.But Percy was completely stunned.Uncle?How the hell did she have an uncle this young?It took him only a couple of seconds to process before he scoffed in disdain."You’re just here to put on a show for her, aren’t you? A girl from the countryside having a wealthy uncle like you? Please."He scoffed. "I remember you handing Riverside Corporation over to her. Who are you trying to fool? She clearly latched onto you as her sugar daddy."But before he could gloat any further, Claude let out a sharp, cold chuckle.His voice was steady, deliberate, every word carrying weight."You’d better listen carefu
Suzy caught up with Stellar, glancing at the tall man beside her before lowering her voice. "So… this Mr. Rivers is really your uncle?"He was undeniably handsome, young even, but his aura was commanding, exuding an authority that couldn’t be ignored.One look, and it was obvious that this was a man of power.And he definitely wasn’t the type who’d dare pretend to be the head of the Rivers family."As real as it gets," Stellar said, a hint of pride in her voice. Then, as if remembering something, she turned to Suzy apologetically. "I wasn’t trying to keep it from you, I just hadn’t officially returned to the Rivers family yet. I planned to tell you once I did."Suzy waved off her concern without a second thought. With a sudden clap of her hands, she grinned."Are you kidding? With a family like this, you should’ve brought them out sooner! Watching those idiots eat their words would’ve been so satisfying."Stellar was speechless.Before she could say anything, Claude nodded in agreem
Stellar felt her face heat up. "Mary, that’s enough.""But I’m only telling the truth!" Mary said matter-of-factly, as if her words were indisputable.Claude was caught between pride and heartache.Other daughters of wealthy families were pampered from birth, untouched by hardship. Yet his Stellar not only crafted handmade gifts but also practiced martial arts.The thought of what she must have endured after being kidnapped weighed heavily on him.A flicker of darkness passed through his eyes.Sensing that Mary’s praises might never end, Stellar quickly changed the subject."Mary, I’m a little hungry."Mary’s attention immediately snapped back. "Oh! I’ll whip something up right away!"As soon as she bustled off to the kitchen, Stellar let out a quiet breath of relief.Claude chuckled. "What’s wrong? She wasn’t wrong about you.""She just sees me through rose-colored glasses. I’m worried you’ll believe everything she says, and when you realize I’m not that amazing, you’ll be disappoint
"This is the collaboration project between Riverside Corporation and Brighton Group. I’ve successfully secured the deal. “You can take a closer look at the investment returns. As for the follow-up work, I’ll leave it to you! I need to focus on my research for now.""Good job, Stellar. You’re truly capable."Claude grew increasingly convinced that his niece was an all-around genius.Honestly, no man in this world was worthy of her!With the task off her hands, Stellar felt relieved and went back to her room to continue studying.…The next day.At the Harlow and Moore families' engagement banquet, the scene of Yvonne being taken away by the police had already caused an uproar across the city.After all, so many reporters had been present.The Harlow family tried to suppress the news, but there was no way to stop it from spreading.As soon as they returned, numerous media outlets published articles, reporting on how Yvonne orchestrated Stellar’s kidnapping.Word spread like wildfire.Th
"Why should I help her? After everything she did to Stellar, she still thinks she can walk free? What a joke! “Since you’re here, I might as well make it clear—our families never finished the engagement ceremony that day, so consider it officially over.“I, Percy Moore, will never marry a vicious woman like her!""You…"Pauline stared at him in disbelief. "How… how can you say that about Yvonne? She was framed! Even you have been brainwashed by that ungrateful girl, haven’t you?""Enough!"Percy snapped, his patience gone."What right do you have to talk about Stellar? Do you even know who she is now? Your family must be blind to have mistaken Yvonne for something valuable while letting her run wild.“A woman like her—classless, reckless—who knows what kind of foolish things she’s done? She has no one to blame but herself for how things turned out.""Shut up! You’re not allowed to talk about Yvonne like that!" Pauline was livid."Oh, am I wrong? If your family hadn’t kicked Stellar o
Stellar frowned slightly. What was he doing here?Not far away, Percy had already spotted her. Holding a bouquet of bright red roses, he strode toward her with purpose."Stellar, these are for you. I sincerely apologize for what happened yesterday."His tone was gentle, as if he were making some grand romantic gesture."I also have something important to tell you. I’ve broken off my engagement with the Harlow family. “There’s nothing standing between us anymore. We can start over. This time, I promise I’ll treat you right.""So, let’s put the past behind us, okay?"Stellar stared at the man in front of her, listening to his self-serving speech, and felt nothing but disgust."And why would I want to be with you?""Stellar, stop being stubborn," Percy sighed, as if speaking to a child throwing a tantrum."I know why you broke up with me back then. But I’ve thought it through. What happened to you wasn’t your fault. You didn’t choose it. “I don’t mind that you’re tainted, so there’s n
"Senior?""Mr. Ward?"Percy’s stunned gaze darted between the two of them, his expression turning increasingly sour.Memories of the past few weeks flooded his mind—images of Stellar and Stephen together, moments he dismissed but now took on a new meaning.To outsiders, they were already a strikingly attractive pair, an undeniable match.At that moment, fear and jealousy consumed him, making him lose all restraint."Mr. Ward, do you really not care about her past?"He refused to believe that any man could be so magnanimous as to accept a woman who was no longer 'pure.'Stephen’s gaze narrowed slightly, his expression unreadable before softening as he looked at Stellar."I don’t just accept her, I also wish I could have been there sooner to protect her."His voice was gentle, carrying an unmistakable warmth."Because none of it was ever her fault."His words settled over Stellar like a soft spring breeze, warmth spreading through her chest.She lifted her head and smiled at him, a rare,
"I didn’t..." Joy’s voice trembled, panic flashing across her face as she instinctively turned to Evan. “Evan, you’ve been with me this whole time. Tell them that I didn’t do anything!”Evan slowly stepped forward, arms crossed.Under Joy’s desperate gaze, he looked at Stellar and said calmly, clearly, “She’s telling the truth about you. I overheard you on the phone arranging a deal with a hacker. “There are call logs, payment records… you never intended to let Stellar or her team walk away unscathed.”The words dropped like a bomb, plunging the room into stunned silence.Joy stared at him in disbelief, as if struck by lightning. “Evan Burns, are you out of your mind?!”She never imagined that the man who had always groveled at her feet would one day betray her so thoroughly.“You’ve got no one to blame but yourself,” Evan said, voice cold. “Pulling cheap tricks like that and jeopardizing an entire research team? Save yourself the embarrassment and just admit what you did.”He hadn’
Stellar’s face darkened. “Who would stoop to something that…”She suddenly paused mid-sentence. A thought struck her like lightning.Of course. That was it—someone had tampered with the equipment, not the data.Her expression shifted in an instant, the realization lighting up her eyes.Evan caught the change and a sharp glint flickered across his own gaze....Three days passed in a flash.On the fourth day, shortly after Stellar and her teammates arrived at the institute, Joy once again blocked their path."Three days are up, and not a word from you. Don’t tell me you were hoping to bluff your way out of this?"Her eyes gleamed with satisfaction, her tone smug. “Unfortunately for you, I won’t give you that chance. Pack your things. You're done here.”People from across the institute gathered to watch the confrontation unfold.But facing Joy’s aggression, Stellar and her team remained calm and composed.“Sorry to disappoint you, Miss Shaw,” Stellar replied lightly. “The issue’s been f
She’d expected him to take at least a few minutes to think it over.To her surprise, Stephen didn’t even hesitate for a second.“Sure. Bring them with you.”Stellar’s heart lifted. “Alright.”After ending the call, she returned to the lab and motioned to the others. “Grab whatever we might need. Come with me.”Though unsure of the plan, the three of them followed without question, trusting her completely.Half an hour later, the group arrived at the university’s research institute.Lilian glanced around, hesitating. “Stellar, why are we back here?”Stellar didn’t answer right away. She simply smiled mysteriously and led them into one of the labs.When they entered and saw the tall, lean figure waiting inside, all three straightened instinctively. “Senior Ward!”Stephen gave a faint nod, then walked over to Stellar and handed her a folder. “Here’s what you asked for.”She took it, and the others quickly gathered around, curious.A few moments later, their eyes widened as realization da
Everyone instinctively turned their heads as Lucien stepped up beside Stellar. Smiling faintly at Joy, he said, "After such a significant contribution, you're already planning to cast her aside? Miss Shaw, are you trying to make our entire research institute the laughingstock of the industry?"Joy’s expression froze.The man before her stood tall, and with those deep blue eyes, he gave off an intimidating presence. Though he was smiling, it carried an unsettling chill that instantly weakened her aura.Before she could figure out a response, Stellar let out a cold laugh. "This isn’t the first time Miss Shaw’s tried to stab someone in the back the moment they were no longer useful."That snapped Joy out of her daze. She snapped back in anger, "Just because she made a contribution doesn’t mean her mistakes can be overlooked! If we let her and her team off that easily, what about everyone else’s hard work?"As soon as those words left her mouth, the other researchers around them visibly
Lilian stood before her with red-rimmed eyes, face filled with panic and remorse. Her voice trembled as she choked out, “Stellar, it was my mistake during the experiment. I messed up the process… all of our hard work, it’s my fault. I ruined everything…”“Easy, Lilian, take a breath,” Stellar said, reaching out to gently pat her back.They’d worked together for so long, and she knew Lilian wasn’t the reckless type.“Don’t panic. We’re a team. When something goes wrong, we find a way to fix it. Just tell me exactly what happened.”Her tone softened, trying to reassure her.“Well…” Lilian wiped at her tears, her expression clouded with guilt. “Everything was going smoothly at first, so I didn’t watch the progress too closely. I thought it’d be fine if I took just a brief break, nothing major… but somehow, it spiraled. I don’t even know how it got this bad…”Stellar’s brows drew into a deep frown.Something about this didn’t sit right. She could feel it. But to get to the bottom of it
That night, Percy stumbled home, still reeking of alcohol.Since reclaiming his place at the top, he’d gone back and bought Azure Heights—the same villa he once shared with Stellar.He had even restored her old room exactly as it was, down to the smallest detail. Every piece of furniture and arrangement just as she’d left it.With unsteady steps, he walked into the room, letting his fingers trail across the familiar surfaces—the vanity, the mirror.He remembered how she used to sit there, carefully putting on makeup while he leaned against the doorway, impatiently telling her to hurry.And she’d always reply that she wanted to look her best for him, every single day.The memories returned in waves—so vivid, so sweet, and all the more painful because they were gone.He sank onto the bed, lying back as if he could still feel the trace of her warmth in the sheets.Then, almost instinctively, he pulled out his phone and dialed her number. Only when the automated message played did he rem
If her grandfather or uncles caught them, she didn’t even dare to imagine how chaotic that scene would be.Stephen’s smile deepened. “What, isn’t the doorstep romantic enough?”Stellar said nothing.“You wish!”Throwing the words over her shoulder, she spun around and dashed back into the house.Stephen stood there, watching her retreating figure, a bright mood blooming in his chest.Clearly, he meant something different to her.At the very least, he was sure that Stellar would never kiss anyone else as a token of gratitude.This was something only they shared. A kind of secret intimacy.And with that thought, his desire to make their relationship public and mark his territory burned even stronger.He needed to act fast—cut off any competition before they even had a chance.…Meanwhile, after being turned down by Stellar and mocked by Keith, Percy’s mood was heavy.Back at the office, he was stopped by his boss, Jackson Far.“Percy, what’s with the long face? Come on, let’s grab a drin
Keith seemed to catch on to her thoughts—just for a moment, a flicker of something unspoken passed through his expression, a hint of melancholy."Of course, I believe in you," he said with a playful edge. "Guess that just makes me your silent supporter from the sidelines, Miss Rivers."The tension in the car eased, replaced by a lighter, more comfortable air.Before long, they pulled up to the villa.As Stellar stepped out, she turned back to him. "Are you sure you don’t want to come in for dinner? It’s the least I can do to repay you for today."Keith didn’t want to pass up the chance. But he had an important meeting scheduled in just half an hour. Missing it would be unprofessional and disrespectful to the client.With clear reluctance, he declined. "Next time. I’ll come by properly, with a gift in hand to visit your grandparents."Stellar waved him off with a smile, then turned around, only to jump slightly at the sight of a tall, shadowy figure lingering a short distance away.I
But just as Percy darted after her, a server stepped in his path. "Sir, you haven’t paid yet."He let out an irritated sigh, pulled out his card to tap at the register, then hurried out the door.He managed to catch up to her after a short sprint, blocking her path. "Stellar, wait… just hear me out…"Her brows furrowed deeply. She didn’t want to cause a scene in public, so she held back."Move.""Stellar, I mean it this time," Percy pleaded, desperation creeping into his voice. "Why won’t you give me another chance?"As he reached out to take her hand, she smacked it away without hesitation."A second chance? Are you seriously joking right now?" a cool, mocking voice cut in from the side.Percy turned his head sharply, only to see Keith standing at Stellar’s side, arms crossed, his eyes glinting with disdain."Percy, do you even own a mirror? What makes you think you’re qualified to chase after her? You’re a joke.""Keith Sinclair," Percy ground out through gritted teeth, the old