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Chapter 228
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As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 229
She thought that since Stephen took the initiative to come over, it seemed he did have some feelings for her. Maybe she could give him a chance. But what if he denied it? Stephen froze for a moment. So, this was what she was upset about. But he never intended to keep it a secret. Now was the perfect moment. "Yes, I…" For once, he felt a little nervous. Just as he was about to take out the gift he had prepared for his confession, Stellar's expression turned ice-cold. The hint of anticipation in her eyes vanished. She pushed his hand away, opened the car door, and got in, driving off without hesitation. Stephen stood there, stunned. A flicker of confusion and disbelief crossed his face. Why was she angry? Was she upset because Janet had found out about the gift in advance? Or was it because he hadn't told her earlier that he knew Janet? With that thought, he pulled out his phone, intending to explain things to Stellar. Just then, Janet’s call came through.
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 230
A flicker of surprise crossed Stellar’s face. Hadn't Stephen already agreed to let her observe in the lab? Just then, Stephen approached. Noticing the tools she was carrying, he immediately understood. "Stellar, you're here to continue the second phase of the experiment? Come use my lab. The equipment there is more advanced—it'll be easier." He offered the invitation first, but Stellar’s tone remained indifferent. "No need." "Why?" Stephen looked puzzled. Stellar didn’t hide anything. She lifted her gaze to meet his and spoke directly. "Since you've already given Janet access to your lab, it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to go there as well." Stephen froze for a moment before suddenly laughing. So, this was why she was upset with him. "You misunderstood. Janet did ask to observe in the lab, but I rejected her. I wouldn’t give her special treatment. What kind of person do you take me for?" Stellar was slightly surprised. Her expression softened a little. Step
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 231
Janet felt like she was choking on her own words, nearly spitting blood in frustration. Her face burned with humiliation, especially when she met Stellar’s calm, indifferent gaze—it was a silent mockery. Clenching her fists tightly, she lifted her chin, forcing herself to maintain an air of arrogance. "Even if he won’t bend the rules for me professionally, I’m still the most important woman in his life. “You probably don’t know this but let me tell you a little secret—he owes me his life. I once saved him, and because of that, he promised to marry me. “You know what kind of man he is—responsible and honorable. He won’t go back on his word." Her lips curled into a smug smile again. "An exceptional man like him belongs to me. Too bad, Stellar—you’ll never win against me when it comes to stealing a man." The thought of gaining the upper hand over Stellar filled her with satisfaction. She had expected Stellar to explode with jealousy, maybe even lash out at her. If she di
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 232
For a moment, the team’s admiration for Joy soared to an all-time high. However, Stellar wasn’t so easily convinced. She had researched this equipment model before and knew that only one company in the country had the authorization to distribute it. She planned to look into that company’s background later. Since she was now officially part of the base’s engineering team, she wanted to do her part to help. …After work in the evening, Stellar received a call from Edwin. "Uncle Edwin?" A warm, clear voice came through the line. "Stellar, Mary told me you’re at the base. I just so happen to be outside right now." Surprised, Stellar quickly ended the call and headed out. The moment she stepped outside, her eyes landed on a sleek black Bentley. Standing beside it was a tall, refined man with strikingly handsome features. His deep-set eyes carried a hint of indulgence and warmth when they landed on her, instantly making him seem approachable and charming. But, why did
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"This is your welcome gift from me," Edwin said matter-of-factly. "But didn’t you already give me the equipment as compensation?" "That’s different. One thing has nothing to do with the other," he replied smoothly. "Besides, not everything here is from me. Your other uncles, along with your grandparents, also picked out gifts for you. They asked me to bring them all over." Stellar could already picture her family buying anything they thought would suit her, letting the gifts pile up until they finally decided to send them all at once. She pressed a hand to her forehead, already dreading the endless unwrapping ahead. "Uncle Edwin…" She was about to say more, but Edwin glanced at his watch. "Stellar, I have plans tonight, so I won’t be staying." "Is it a date?" she teased, unexpectedly curious. It was meant as a passing remark, but to her surprise, Edwin flashed a knowing smile. "A female friend." Stellar was speechless.She didn’t know much about this uncle, but f
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 234
Joy’s words were carefully chosen—she never actually denied that she was the one who had secured the equipment."That’s our Ms. Shaw..."The engineers were even more in awe of her now."Unlike a certain intern who still has the nerve to stand here embarrassing herself—""Had enough?"Stellar finally lost her patience, her brows furrowing as she cut them off.They were using something she had provided while insulting her? Did they really think she was an easy target?And Joy... something about her was off. This wasn’t the first time.She never corrected the praise when people assumed things, only brushing it off vaguely later."What’s the matter? We weren’t even talking about you. Feeling guilty?" Guy taunted, his tone dripping with sarcasm.Stellar let out a cool laugh, then calmly dropped the truth."This equipment? I donated it to the base. So, before you start running your mouths, maybe get your facts straight."There was silence.A stunned hush fell over the entire room.For a few
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Stephen strode into the office area, his tall figure commanding attention as he made his way straight to Stellar’s side. His sharp gaze swept over the crowd, ice-cold and intimidating."This equipment was purchased from Harper Group by Stellar and donated to the base. It has nothing to do with me."He held up a receipt. "Here’s the delivery confirmation—signed by Stellar herself."He had already noticed the lab key she left behind and planned to ask her about it. But before he could, he had overheard people wrongly accusing her.Without hesitation, he went straight to security to retrieve the signed paperwork.Every shipment to the base required an official recipient, and the name written on the delivery form was Stellar.The moment he presented the proof, it was as if the entire room had been slapped across the face.There was silence.A collective wave of disbelief and awkwardness washed over the crowd.Even Joy’s expression flickered with shock.No one had expected Stellar to have
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Stellar hurried forward. "Suzy, what are you doing here?""Get in the car first, I’ll explain."Once they were both seated, Suzy immediately pulled off her sunglasses and mask, letting out a deep breath."Let’s go out tonight—drinks, dancing, the whole deal. We’re going to have a night."Her excitement was almost palpable.Stellar frowned slightly. "What happened?""You have no idea. I’ve finally met my match in the dating game. This guy—absolute premium-grade trouble. Looks good, sure, but he’s even more of a player than I am. “He’s been running the whole push-and-pull act on me, and I swear, it’s driving me insane. If I don’t let loose tonight, I’m going to lose it."Suzy huffed in frustration.Stellar raised a brow, genuinely surprised. It was the first time she’d ever seen Suzy struggle when it came to men."Didn’t you always say you could walk through a garden of roses without a single petal sticking to you?""That’s different. This is about the challenge, you know? The harder th
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As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 434
Message after message, all of them were overly affectionate displays of love.From the details in the photos, the chat records, and the familiar username, Stellar quickly figured out the account belonged to Janet.So, the reason Stephen had been in such a bind, spending so long helping her pick a script was it all for Janet?The thought stung more than she expected.But then, she remembered the misunderstanding caused by Janet not long ago.She still felt it wasn't fair to jump to conclusions. Stephen deserved her trust.With that in mind, she opened messenger and made a video call.Stephen picked up the call shortly after."Stellar, what’s wrong?"Stephen seemed to notice her shift in mood right away."I... there’s something I wanted to ask you..." She paused, noticing the scenery shifting behind him. "Hold on, are you in a car? Where are you going?""I'm just checking on something. I’ll be back soon. What did you want to talk about?"After thinking for a moment, she asked, "Have yo
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Unfortunately, Janet agreed with her mother."I’ve said it all along—the Rivers family never saw us as their own. At least now you’re finally seeing their true colors. “But Mom, there’s no need to be upset anymore. We don’t need to rely on them."Her tone was firm and resolute."If not the Rivers, then who? You know your father’s limited abilities. With the company in its current state, what else can we do..." Layla muttered, already regretting marrying such a useless man."Mom, you still have me!" Janet’s eyes lit up. "To tell you the truth, I’ve already gotten close to Stephen Ward.""What did you say?" Layla blinked, unsure if she’d heard correctly. "You mean the heir to the Ward family?""That’s right. Things between us aren’t ordinary anymore. I told him I wanted to become a director, and he immediately promised to give me the best resources. “It won’t be long before I win him over completely. Once that happens, he’ll help the Cole family out of this mess and bring us more ben
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 432
She had only learned about her family situation from her mother after returning to Southport this time. If they couldn’t find a way to turn things around soon, the Cole family would be finished.Janet had to start planning for herself. But on the other end of the line, it suddenly went silent. Just as Janet grew anxious, Stephen’s deep voice finally came through. But he brought up something else entirely. "Janet, tell me, were you really the girl who saved me back then?" Janet’s heart skipped a beat, and she nearly dropped her phone. Her expression turned flustered, but thankfully, he couldn’t see her face through the screen. "Of course I was! Isn’t the pendant the best proof? Stephen, why would you suddenly ask that? Did someone say something to you?" She tried to sound hurt. "Is that so? But you don’t remember anything about saving me." Stephen’s tone was calm, almost testing her—though it also sounded like an offhand remark. "That’s because of the aftereffects f
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When Stellar came downstairs in fresh clothes, Stephen was just finishing up a call in the living room.She walked toward him, planning to share what had just come to mind, but paused when she realized he was on a work call.“A script?” he was saying.“Yes, Mr. Ward,” came the voice of the development director on the other end. “We’ve just reviewed last quarter’s report from the film division—it exceeded projections by a wide margin. “If we continue selecting strong scripts and hiring top-tier actors, this production model could take the company even further.”“So, you want me to choose?” Stephen asked.“Yes, I’ve received several promising scripts and we’re ready to move forward with a major production. “But I’m struggling to narrow down the best one. I’d really appreciate your judgment on this.”“Got it. I’ll come by shortly,” Stephen replied, ending the call.He turned to see Stellar approaching. “Something on your mind?”Then, as if struck by inspiration, his eyes lit up. “Star
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 430
Stellar turned around, puzzled, and met a pair of eyes filled with emotion so intense it felt like it might swallow her whole.The weight of it hit her all at once. “What’s wrong?”“Stellar, Promise me... no matter what happens, no matter the situation, don’t ever risk your life like that again. Please,” Stephen said, his voice rough, heavy with something deeper. In that moment, she understood. Her expression softened as she stepped closer, her tone gentle, almost coaxing. “I only had the courage to jump in because I knew you were there. “You’re the reason I felt safe. You’re my biggest sense of security.”The words, light and sincere, hit Stephen right in the chest.It was like a quiet confession that reached the softest part of him.He let out a helpless breath and smiled, brushing the damp strands of hair from her forehead. “Let’s get you changed. You’re completely…”Soaked.He didn’t finish the sentence.His gaze had fallen to her chest, where a familiar emerald pendant hung fro
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"Mary, Wayne, we’ve decided that we’d like you to be our mentors and carry on your legacy. “Martial arts may not be our full-time focus, and we won’t be able to devote ourselves to it completely... but if you're willing to accept that, please take this as a symbol of our commitment."Both of them had made the same decision.The older couple exchanged a glance, visibly moved.With successors finally in place, they had a renewed sense of purpose. With time, they were confident the two would come to love martial arts just as deeply as they did.“I couldn’t ask for better students,” Wayne said with a wide grin. “Alright, enough with the bowing.”Mary chuckled. "Honestly, it’s starting to feel like a wedding ceremony."Stellar flushed and quickly stood straight.The four of them chatted warmly, already discussing plans for the trip back. After some thought, Wayne made his decision."This time, I’ll head back to the city with you two for a while. It’s been ages since I visited the Mr. and
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 428
Lillie’s manner was polite, her words respectful, with no hint of provocation.Still, Stellar felt a flicker of unease stir in her chest.“The second match—ready, go!”At the sound of the whistle, Lillie made the first move, launching herself forward.Stellar reacted instantly, meeting her head-on. The two quickly locked into a rapid exchange of strikes and counters.To most observers, the fight looked evenly matched. But Stellar picked up on something others might have missed—every one of Lillie’s moves was calculated, ruthless, aimed with precision at the most vulnerable points of her body.A single mistake could lead to serious injury.Thankfully, Stellar’s reflexes were sharp. She dodged every blow by the skin of her teeth, her movements agile and fluid.Dozens of moves passed in quick succession, the two appearing evenly matched.But soon, Lillie began to falter. Her breathing grew labored while Stellar remained steady, her rhythm controlled, her energy barely flagging. The b
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Hank wore the smug expression of a man who thought he’d already won. “She agreed to the match. “She can back down now if she wants, but you have to hand over your academy, and maybe I’ll consider letting her walk away.”“Not a chance,” Stellar cut in before Wayne could speak. “I don’t care who I’m up against—bring it on.”“Well said. Gotta admire that spirit.”The match was about to begin.In the first round, Stellar stepped onto the platform opposite Hulk.He cracked his knuckles and looked her over with a leering grin. “Tell you what, sweetheart—bow your head and call me a darling, and maybe I’ll go easy on you.”Stellar gave a low chuckle, eyes glinting with mischief. “Call me ‘Queen,’ and I might let you walk away with a couple teeth still intact.”Hulk’s face twisted in rage, a vein popping along his temple. “You’re dead meat!”The whistle blew.His eyes narrowed, and with a growl, he lunged, throwing a vicious punch straight at her face.It was fast and brutal.If the punch lan
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 426
“Miss, are you awake?”Stellar slowly blinked her eyes open, still groggy, only to be met with a close-up view of a man's strikingly handsome face.“Aah…!”She screamed instinctively, jerking upright and startling Stephen awake beside her.From outside the door, Mary’s worried voice called out, “Miss Stellar? What happened? Are you alright?”The doorknob rattled.Mary was seconds from walking in and Stellar panicked.“It’s fine, Mary!” Stellar blurted out in a rush. “I just thought I saw a cockroach—false alarm! Don’t come in, I’m getting dressed!”She got it all out in one breath.Mary paused. “Oh… alright, then.”Only when the doorknob stilled did Stellar finally exhale in relief. She turned and found Stephen watching her with an amused smile.He lay on his side, effortlessly handsome, looking far too comfortable for someone who had just narrowly avoided being caught in such a compromising situation.Stellar’s eye twitched.“I’ll leave you to change then. Breakfast is ready. I’ll g
