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
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
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
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
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
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
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
The car window rolled down, revealing Suzy’s bright, playful smile."Stellar! Weren’t we supposed to grab dinner and go shopping? We’ll be late for our reservation—hurry up and get in!"Stellar snapped out of her thoughts and quickly nodded."Right, sorry, Stephen. I already made plans with a friend. Maybe another time."Without waiting for a response, she slipped into the car, leaving Stephen standing alone once again.He sighed, watching the car disappear down the street before finally turning to leave.…Inside the car, Suzy glanced at Stellar, reading her expression carefully.After a moment, she asked, "I didn’t interrupt anything, did I?"Stellar, completely unfazed, answered smoothly, "No, you showed up at the perfect time."Seeing that she wasn’t sulking or drowning in heartbreak, Suzy relaxed."Well, what about you and my dear Uncle Edwin…"Before Stellar could finish voicing her concern, Suzy waved it off breezily."Him? Oh, please, I forgot about him ages ago. I’ve already g
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
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
“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
“Um…” Stellar looked flustered. “I forgot to bring my clothes, so I borrowed your bathrobe. Sorry about that.”“It’s fine.” Stephen didn’t realize how hoarse his voice sounded until the words were already out.“I’ll just head back to my room then…”She turned to leave, but just as she took a step, a flash of lightning split across the sky, followed by a deafening clap of thunder.The lights cut out in an instant, plunging the room into darkness.“Ah!” Stellar flinched and stumbled forward, instinctively crashing into him, her body pressed tightly against his chest.She was warm, soft, still smelling faintly of shower gel—the subtle, clean scent wrapping around him. For a moment, Stephen’s thoughts scattered.But when he felt her trembling, instinct took over. He wrapped his arms around her without thinking. “Don’t worry. It’s probably just a power outage.”His voice, low and gentle, carried a soothing calm that helped ease her tension.Just as she began to relax, another crack of thu
"Of course, no problem at all!""Take your time, there's no rush."The couple smiled warmly, their expressions full of quiet joy. With the perfect successors in sight, both seemed genuinely pleased.Mary even chimed in with a suggestion, “Mr. Ward, why don’t you stay for dinner tonight?”“Thank you, Mary. I’d be happy to,” Stephen replied with a courteous smile.But after dinner, a light drizzle began to fall outside. At first, no one paid it any mind.Then the drizzle turned into a downpour, rain lashing against the windows as flashes of lightning split the sky.Stephen was getting ready to leave, but the sudden turn in weather made Stellar hesitate. “Why don’t you stay the night? It’s not safe to drive in this storm.”They had already shared a room once before, so she didn’t see any reason to fuss over it.Stephen glanced toward Mary and Wayne, hesitating.“You should stay, Stephen,” Wayne urged. “We’ve got plenty of guest rooms here at the courtyard house.”“Well, if you insist,
Wayne stood off to the side, a little taken aback.The man in front of him looked every bit the part of a well-bred heir—polished suit, refined demeanor. And yet, he knew how to fight?“You sure you want to spar with me?”Stephen looked mildly surprised by her challenge.“Why not? Afraid you’ll lose?” Stellar raised a brow, a glint of mischief flashing in her eyes. “Relax, even if you do, I won’t tell anyone. Your secret’s safe with me.”He knew she was baiting him, but he still took the hook with a smirk. “Alright then, let’s see what you’ve got.”Stephen shrugged off his coat and hung it nearby, left in a crisp white dress shirt. With effortless precision, he rolled up his sleeves, his fingers moving with a fluid grace that was oddly captivating.Stellar gave her head a shake, forcing out the sudden thoughts that slipped in.“Ready... go!”She lunged forward, a sharp punch aimed straight at his face, but Stephen sidestepped neatly, twisting his body as his open hand shot out to gr
"I never agreed to any of this. You made the arrangements on your own, so you should be the one to deal with the fallout. I'm not going."His tone was firm, and it instantly darkened Grace’s expression. “Stephen!”He'd always been cold toward her, but he had never flat-out embarrassed her like this.Suddenly, her thoughts turned to the woman she’d seen hidden away in his villa last time. Her gaze turned sharp.“It’s that woman, isn’t it? She’s the one filling your head with nonsense! I’m telling you now—I will never approve of that relationship!”Stephen, however, remained unfazed.He'd never had a close relationship with his parents. He didn’t care what they thought back then, and he didn’t now.“Then wait for Grandfather to return and ask him what he thinks.”Lately, Marcus had been overseas, traveling the world with his wife, and likely wouldn’t be back anytime soon.“You’re using your grandfather to pressure me now?”Grace let out a cold laugh. “Do you really think he’d accept ju
After watching the demonstration, Stellar quickly memorized it. She took a deep breath with her eyes closed, then opened them again, her gaze sharp. Moving step by step, she repeated the moves with precision.Wayne, who had been watching from the side, was dumbfounded.She wasn’t just mimicking the movements—her strength and control were spot on, powerful and exact.Everything Mary bragged about turned out to be true.In fact, it was even more impressive than she’d claimed.“She’s a natural martial arts prodigy!”Wayne’s eyes lit up as he grew even more excited. “Stellar, let me be your official mentor! Carry on my legacy! I’ll teach you everything I know, every move from my school—what do you say?”Before Stellar could respond, Mary exploded, “You shameless old man! She’s the one I picked as my apprentice! Who do you think you are?”“Don’t get cocky, you old hag! It’s up to Miss Stellar to decide which school she wants to follow. For all you know, she might prefer mine!” Wayne refus
Mary was about to punch Hulk square in the face, fists clenched in fury at the way he’d just humiliated Stellar.But before she could move, Stellar stepped forward and gently patted her shoulder, calming her down. Then she turned to face the other side and spoke, her voice steady."You want to fight me? Fine. But I have one condition—it has to be an official match. “If your side loses, I want a public apology. And I want a banner that reads: 'Ironclad Academy lost to Rising Cloud Academy and left in disgrace.' “From that moment on, you stay away from us permanently."Her words left Mary and the others stunned."Listen to this one!" Hank barked out a laugh like he’d just heard the world’s best joke. "You really think you can take us down, little girl?"Stellar raised an eyebrow, a cool smirk tugging at her lips. "What, are you scared?""Who’s scared?" Hulk snapped, instantly provoked. "You want a fight? You’ve got one! But if you lose, you’ll get on your knees, bow your head, and d