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Chapter 232
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As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 233
"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
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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
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 237
Suzy immediately stepped back from Edwin, whipping her head toward Stellar with a guilty expression.Shit. Busted.As Stellar’s self-proclaimed love guru, the last thing she wanted was for her best friend to find out that the jerk she had been ranting about was none other than her uncle.This is a disaster.But… there was no escaping it now.With a quick flash of cunning in her eyes, she suddenly let out a light laugh."Well, there you have it. This is the jerk I told you about."Then, without hesitation, she turned to Edwin and snapped, "Since you’re only looking to fool around, I won’t waste my time. Let’s be honest, you’ve got nothing going for you besides that face."She finished with a playful wink at Stellar. If she was going to be caught, she might as well use the situation to her advantage.Stellar stiffened. It took her a second to process the absurdity of it all, but then she realized that Suzy was totally putting on a show and expecting her to play along.She was still ree
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Edwin stood and walked out without looking back.The moment he was gone, Suzy turned to Stellar with a triumphant grin, slapping her palm against hers."Good job, bestie. I’ll give you all the details later, but for now, just go with it. Tonight, I refuse to lose."Stellar was speechless and thought, “This? This is how she plans to win him over?”Suzy, however, was dead serious. "You don’t get it. This is called playing hard to get."Stellar fell silent.She wasn’t sure what was worse—watching Suzy dig herself deeper into this mess or the fact that she actually looked a little invested this time.Just as she was about to say something, Suzy’s confidence wavered for a moment. Her shoulders dropped slightly, and a trace of frustration crossed her face."If he wasn’t your uncle, I’d have made a move already. But I have to be careful. Do you know how rare it is for me to actually be into someone? And of course, the one time I am, he turns out to be worse than me.“Hmph. Maybe I can’t have
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That night, Suzy ended up crashing in Stellar’s bed, drunk and completely knocked out. Edwin never returned to the villa. Surprisingly, when Stellar woke up the next morning, Suzy was already gone. She had left breakfast for her along with a message saying her agent had called her in for something urgent. In the afternoon, Stellar headed to the aerospace base for her internship. She needed to push forward with the aircraft modifications, perform well, and secure her position as a full-time engineer. Over the years, the country’s aerospace industry had been advancing rapidly, but many critical technologies remained under foreign restrictions. It was one of the biggest obstacles holding them back. She had always dreamed of helping break through those barriers—of pushing the country’s aerospace program forward in a way that would shatter limitations and allow them to take a major leap. That was why she had returned to school. And once she secured her position, she would fi
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The outcome was obvious. "Stellar, you’re amazing. I lost." Ethan was completely convinced now, admiration written all over his face. The other interns were equally in awe, their respect for her growing even more. However, Stellar remained modest. "I still haven’t fully figured out the last few steps. I need to look up some references before finalizing the solution." Just as she was considering where to start her research, Ethan spoke up enthusiastically. "My professor gave me some related materials. I can transfer them to you from my computer later!" Stellar’s eyes brightened.She was just about to accept the offer when a voice interrupted. "I have more comprehensive resources. You probably won’t need his." She looked up and found herself meeting Stephen’s deep, unreadable gaze. There was an unmistakable hint of jealousy in his tone. He had walked in just in time to see her fully absorbed in calculations, her profile glowing in the afternoon light. And that int
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Her movements were gentle, and the warmth of her breath brushed against his back, making Stephen shudder all over."What's wrong? Does it hurt a lot?" Stellar thought she'd touched his wound.Stephen, of course, wasn’t about to tell the truth. He just mumbled, "A little." Stellar leaned closer and blew softly on the wound like she was coaxing a child. "There, it won’t hurt now."This time, Stephen tensed up completely, even the tips of his ears turned red.Unaware of his reaction, Stellar carefully finished applying the iodine, then wrapped the wound with a bandage. She wound it round and round, finally tying it off with a neat bow. "All done. Just keep it dry and it’ll heal quickly." As she gave her instructions, Stephen turned around at that very moment.Their eyes met, and his bare torso was once again in full view before her. They were sitting on the same bed, close—far too close. Even the air between them seemed to thicken with tension. Stellar's heart pounded wil
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The car finally came to a halt after crashing into the greenery on the side.Stellar gripped the handlebar tightly, her head spinning and her heart pounding.Then, she felt a pair of arms scoop her up into a broad embrace.Only then did she slowly open her eyes and look up into Stephen’s worried gaze."You alright?"Her breathing gradually calmed. "With you here, how could I not be?"He truly lived up to his promise—no matter what danger came their way, he always made sure she was safe."But your driving is seriously impressive."That moment had been terrifying. She was sure the two cars were going to collide.Stephen gave a modest reply. "I learned a bit of racing before. Just the basics."Stellar couldn’t help but laugh, finally feeling at ease. She tried to pull away from his arms.As he let go, his brow twitched slightly, and the movement of raising his arm looked a bit off"You're hurt?"She caught the detail right away, and her heart clenched again."It’s nothing..."Stephen tr
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 414
But the teasing tone behind their words made it clear that they weren’t being entirely serious.Still, Stellar flushed with a mix of embarrassment and shyness. And this time, she didn’t correct them. She didn’t deny the term “boyfriend.”Stephen noticed, of course. His smile deepened, and on the way to Southport, he brought it up himself.Stellar blinked, caught off guard for a moment before quickly firing back, "That’s only because you kept interrupting. Even if I wanted to deny it, I didn’t get the chance.""Is that so?"Stephen knew better. If Stellar had truly wanted to distance herself, no amount of interruption could’ve stopped her.It was her quiet indulgence that gave him the courage to inch closer and desire more.Still, he understood how reserved she could be, so he let it go, without calling her out."You’re right," he said with a soft laugh. "But I still hope one day… you’ll say it out loud that I’m your boyfriend."Her heart skipped a beat, pounding faster than she co
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 413
Stellar glanced at her phone.It was a message from Stephen. “You’re still up? Don’t overwork yourself. Get some rest.”She blinked in surprise. “How did you know I wasn’t asleep? Are you spying on me?”Stephen replied almost instantly. “I saw your latest update.”Realization clicked. Right. She just posted her new chapters.A second later, another message came in. “Do I seem like the type who spies on others?”It was followed by an exaggeratedly pitiful sticker which appeared so wildly out of his character that she burst out laughing.“Where did you even get that? It’s kind of… adorable. Did some girl send you those?”Stephen’s reply came fast. “Is this an interrogation?”Before she could deny it, another message popped up. “You sent me that sticker pack once. I bought the whole set because you liked it.”“There’s no one else I message with this account. Just you.”He’d only said two simple sentences, but they sent her heart into a sudden, unsteady flutter.A smile tugged at her lip
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Martha’s expression turned a little wistful at the mention of her daughter.After all, she was their only child—and losing her so young had been the deepest heartbreak of her life. Back then, when grief nearly swallowed her whole, it was Mary’s quiet companionship that helped her find the strength to carry on."What about her background?" Stellar asked. Mary mentioned bits and pieces before, but nothing too detailed."She comes from a family of martial artists. Her husband does too. Back in the day, they were a formidable pair."They stood by your grandfather and me through countless storms, both within the family and beyond. Without them, the Rivers family wouldn’t have made it through, let alone become what it is today."There was a gleam in Martha’s eyes as she recalled the past.Stellar listened, feeling intrigued."Mary’s husband is a man I’ve always respected. Though he’s mostly retired now,” Laurence added.Then he gave a small chuckle. "If I had to guess, I’d say the reason
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"But..." Stellar started to protest, but Autumn gently took her hand, her eyes soft and full of warmth. "Honestly, it’s because I really like you. I know it’s our first time meeting, but I can’t help wanting to be good to you. “Just take it, alright? It’s my way of showing how much you mean to me." Stellar’s heart tightened at her words. Because the truth was—she felt the same. She felt a kind of care she had never quite experienced before from AutumnIt wasn’t just kindness. It felt maternal. She never knew her birth mother, never even had the chance to meet her. But in her mind, if she had, she imagined it would’ve felt like this. "Thank you, Autumn," Stellar said quietly. She accepted the gift. And in her heart, she made a note to prepare something meaningful in return for the next time they met. The afternoon ended, and eventually, the group split up. Stellar left with Stephen. Keith tried several times to speak with her before they parted, but each time, St
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It took a moment before Rory finally snapped out of it. "Stellar…"She looked like she wanted to say more, but her phone rang. The moment she saw the caller ID, her expression drained of color."Where are you right now?" a woman’s harsh voice barked through the speaker.Rory stiffened, nerves kicking in. "Mom, I…I’m just out shopping, why?""You’re not with Autumn, are you? I warned you about staying away from that woman. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten."Her mother’s words sent a chill straight down her spine.For as long as Rory could remember, her mother had always despised her younger sister. As a child, Rory hadn’t understood it, but later she’d learned the truth: her mother believed that by taking Autumn in, the Lane family gave away a share of what should’ve rightfully been hers.Rory, on the other hand, knew Autumn never cared about any of that.But her mother would never believe it. If she found out Rory spent time with Autumn today, she would absolutely lose her mind."No,
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Stephen remained perfectly composed, his slender fingers deftly peeling the shrimp and placing it onto Stellar’s plate. Every movement was smooth and elegant, executed with an effortless grace. Only after he’d done it did he speak, casually, as if making an offhand observation. "Some people call it friendship, but they’re secretly coveting more. They pretend to be devoted, but all it does is make things uncomfortable for the person involved." "You act like you know everything!" Rory snapped, fuming. What was with this guy? Did he think he could be so smug just because he had a handsome face?And honestly, in her eyes, her cousin was even better looking. But Stephen only chuckled softly, saying nothing more. Still, the sarcasm behind that laugh couldn’t have been clearer. Keith, unwilling to let him have the last word, fired back. "Mr. Ward, I heard you’re heading back to take over the Ward family business. Word is, your family already lined up a few marriage prospects f
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"Thanks for the offer, but we haven’t finished discussing the project yet,” Stellar rejected her.Rory finally realized the timing wasn’t right.She understood when to step back and gave them space to continue their talk.The meeting went on for quite a while before finally wrapping up. Just as Rory was about to try matchmaking again, a car horn sounded from outside.Stellar glanced at her phone screen and a smile spread across her face before she even realized it."My friend’s here to pick me up," she said, rising to her feet.She said her goodbyes to the three of them and headed for the door.Keith quickly followed. "I’ll walk you out."Rory and Autumn exchanged a glance, then trailed out after them.Outside, Stephen stood beside his car, posture straight and steady. As soon as he saw Stellar, he stepped forward and took her coat, looping it over his arm without a word."You came yourself? Weren’t you tied up with that big project?" Stellar asked with a hint of surprise."I wrapped
