Stellar instinctively turned away, pretending she hadn’t seen them.But, of course, Margaret noticed her immediately.Remembering how she had been humiliated the last time they crossed paths, her expression darkened.Then, as if suddenly struck with an idea, she looped her arm through Dawn’s and approached, a bright smile plastered across her face."Ms. Rivers, what a surprise! You still have time to shop for jewelry? But why isn’t Stephen here with you? Isn’t he your boyfriend?"She feigned concern, but her tone dripped with sarcasm.She had been waiting for this moment.Last time, she was forced to endure Stellar’s sharp tongue, but now? She had a new daughter-in-law. And soon, a golden grandchild. With that, the Moore family had secured their place in the main lineage. Their status was completely different now.Stellar’s tone was indifferent. "My personal life has nothing to do with you, Mrs. Farrell."She was indirectly telling Margaret to mind her own business.However, Margar
Stellar abruptly turned around and saw them standing in front of the same display case.Dawn confidently pointed at the emerald necklace inside and said, "Madam Margaret, in my opinion, this emerald necklace has a vibrant hue, a brilliant shine, and is quite rare. Why don’t we go with this one?""Excellent. I like it. As expected of my daughter-in-law—your taste is impeccable."Besides, since it was the one Stellar chose, it had to be a good pick. She was determined to take it for herself.Margaret, pleased with the choice, didn't forget to shower Dawn with praise.Suzy, watching the blatant act, let out a laugh of disbelief. "Do you even understand the concept of first come, first served? Stellar picked this first. You’re just stealing her choice."However, Dawn put on an innocent face. "Oh? Ms. Rivers liked this necklace too? I’m so sorry, I didn’t notice you earlier. “I just thought it would suit Aunt Margaret perfectly. But someone as distinguished as you wouldn’t fuss over somet
The looks from the crowd were filled with mockery and disdain.Exhibition samples were always fake, yet she had just boasted about buying one—at double the price, no less.And all because she had trusted Dawn’s so-called expertise.In all her years, Margaret had never suffered such an embarrassing moment. It was utterly humiliating.Her face burned bright red as she shot a furious glare at Dawn. Unable to endure the humiliation under so many watchful eyes, she turned and fled in disgrace.That left Dawn standing alone in the middle of the hall, overwhelmed with embarrassment.She instinctively glanced at Stellar, only to find her standing with arms crossed, a faint smirk playing on her lips.It was obvious that Stellar had set her up.She had deliberately led her into this, making a fool out of her in front of everyone.Dawn clenched her jaw tightly.So, she had done this on purpose?How vicious could one woman be?But now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. She needed to catch up with Ma
Dawn’s phone screen was filled with message notifications.“Dawn Jones, you heartless thing! It’s been days, and you still haven’t transferred the $20,000?”“I raised you all these years, and this is how you repay me? Ungrateful brat.”“If you don’t send the money soon, I’ll come find you myself! Your brother needs the dowry for his fiancée.”Disgust flashed across Dawn’s face. She silenced her phone and shoved it back into her bag.These parasites.If she hadn’t been desperate to cut ties with them, she wouldn’t have gone behind Percy’s back to seek out Margaret.Margaret’s voice suddenly broke her thoughts. "I heard you’re still living alone?"Dawn immediately collected herself and responded obediently. "Yes, but my lease is almost up. I was just thinking about finding a new place…""There’s no need for that. It’s not safe for you to live outside, especially while you’re pregnant. I’ll take you to stay at Percy’s villa for now." Margaret decided for her.A surge of excitement shot
Stephen was the last person Stellar expected to see at the villa entrance.He was wearing only a light jacket, despite the cold weather. His fingers had turned red from the biting wind, and it was impossible to tell how long he had been waiting.The moment he saw her, his dark eyes lit up, and he immediately stepped forward."Stellar, you’re back. I was afraid I might miss you, so I waited. Luckily, you came."Stellar looked at his wind-chilled face, emotions stirring within her.She remained silent for a while before finally speaking. "What exactly do you want to say?"Stephen froze.There was so much he wanted to ask.“Why are you treating me so coldly?”“Why did you return the lab keys?”But when he finally opened his mouth, all he said was, "I wanted to take you out for dinner. Will you come?""There’s no need."Stellar’s expression turned indifferent as she prepared to head inside.Panic flickered across Stephen’s face. Ignoring the situation, he hurriedly explained, "I wanted to
Stephen’s presence was overpowering, as if he carried some kind of built-in radar.The moment he appeared, Stellar sensed it immediately."Uh, you guys go ahead and enjoy. I just remembered I have an important report I haven’t submitted yet."Without waiting for a response, she turned and left before Stephen could reach her.At the doorway, Stephen’s steps halted, and a suffocating pressure radiated from him.If before, Stellar had at least maintained a polite facade and exchanged a few words with him, then her outright avoidance just now made her stance painfully clear.She didn’t want any contact with him.A dull ache spread through his chest, a bitter emotion slowly seeping in.Taking out his phone, he opened their chat. The last message was from a month ago.He hesitated, typing out a message.“Stellar, can you tell me why…”He reworded it over and over again, typing it at least a dozen times, only to delete it every time.For the first time in his life, Stephen felt fear in matter
Stephen didn’t answer.But when Lilian looked up and met his gaze, she already knew.A satisfied smile spread across her face. "Alright, I’ll set it up for you."That evening.As Stellar left the base, her phone rang. It was Lilian, inviting her to a class gathering.She was about to decline, but Lilian wouldn’t take no for an answer, insisting that this was a one-time thing, their last chance before graduation. After relentless coaxing, Stellar finally agreed.Following the location Lilian sent, she arrived at Sophie Hotel.As she pushed open the private room door, she saw a lively crowd inside.Yet, despite the number of people, her eyes immediately locked onto a familiar figure.She froze for a moment, caught off guard. She hadn’t expected Stephen to attend something like this—a casual social gathering."There you are!" Lilian jumped up to greet her, pulling her over. "Come sit! We’ve been waiting for you.""Wait a second."Stellar hesitated, then offered an apologetic smile. "Li
Her voice was soft. "I just don’t want others to misunderstand.""Who would misunderstand? I gave you the keys. I don’t want distance between us. I want you to look at me and give me an answer!"Stephen’s grip tightened as he tilted her chin up, refusing to let her avoid his gaze.A wave of grievance swelled in Stellar’s chest. Her eyes burned, turning misty at the edges. She slapped his hand away."You want everything, don’t you? You made promises to Janet, gave her a ring, and now you still want to stay entangled with me. Stephen, what do you take me for?"Stephen froze, confusion flashing across his face. "What promises? What ring?""Don’t play dumb!" Stellar glared at him, frustration bubbling over. "Didn’t you personally say you helped her pick out a gift?""A gift?"Stephen hesitated for a moment, as if piecing something together. Then, reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small, exquisitely wrapped box."You thought the gift I was talking about… was this?"He flipped ope
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