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Chapter 278
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As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 279
Stellar hadn’t expected that.Stephen suddenly turned to her, his gaze deep and unwavering, his voice low and serious."What if I said I was?"Her heart skipped a beat.A rush of emotions flooded her all at once—nervousness, panic, uncertainty, and warmth."I…"She pressed her lips together, her mind scrambling for words.Maybe it was the intensity of his gaze, or maybe it was something else entirely, but she found herself speaking, her voice steady."You misunderstood. He’s my junior—someone I look out for, like a younger brother. That’s all."The moment the words left her lips, Stephen’s dark eyes lit up.They were brighter than the moon hanging in the night sky.In an instant, all the tension, unease, and frustration he felt earlier vanished.His voice was rich and unwavering."That’s all I needed to hear."So, it wasn’t just him.Stellar’s heart pounded against her ribs.She quickly averted her gaze, trying to compose herself. But the slight upward curve of her lips betrayed her.
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Deep down, she refused to be seen as a delicate flower—someone incapable of standing on her own without a man's protection.But that wasn’t something she could easily explain to anyone.Yet, as if reading her mind, Stephen’s reply came through:"I know you don’t like being treated this way. I’ll talk to your uncles for you."Stellar was taken aback.She assumed that since Stephen was pursuing her, he would seize this opportunity to spend more time with her.Instead, he was turning it down.Stellar: “Why would you…?”Stephen: “I won’t force you into something you don’t want. But whenever you need me, I’ll always be there.”His words struck a chord in her heart.A slow smile spread across her lips.This time, she didn’t bother with polite refusals or empty words.“Okay.”That night, she fell asleep with an inexplicable sense of warmth.The next morning, upon arriving at the base, Stellar received an official notification.Her proposal had been approved.It should have been good news.Aft
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Stellar had never seen such shamelessness.Not only had Joy stolen her work, but now she was twisting the situation to make herself the victim.Backing down wasn’t an option—not for her."Fine. If that’s the case, I’m out of the final stage of this project!" she declared without hesitation.The room fell into stunned silence.Many were taken aback by her decisiveness, unable to hide their shock.Joy was the first to recover."Miss Rivers, do you really think the team can’t function without you?" she sneered. "This isn’t some playground where you can throw a tantrum. If you quit now, your work will be discarded, and your internship might not even be approved. Are you sure you want to be this reckless?"She spoke as if she were lecturing a child—one who was acting spoiled and irrational.But Stellar merely let out a cold laugh, standing her ground."Yes. If this place can’t even uphold fairness, I see no reason to stay."With that, she turned on her heel and walked away.Joy’s gaze dark
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Hearing Zayden’s offer, Stellar couldn’t deny that she was tempted."Alright, I’d love to give it a shot!"A satisfied smile spread across Zayden’s face.He reveled in the feeling of having her within his grasp, unwilling to let go."I’ll personally take you there tomorrow.""Then…" Stellar was about to say she needed to head back and prepare.But the moment Zayden sensed she was about to part ways with him, he quickly spoke up."Senior, I didn’t just come here to see you today. There’s someone I want to take you to meet.""Who?""Our old mentor. He’s in town for a while. Would you come with me to visit him?" His gaze was sincere, almost pleading.Stellar hadn’t expected him to be so respectful toward their teacher.Back when they were younger, she assumed Zayden hated their mentor and their fellow classmates—practically everyone except her.Maybe she had misunderstood him.With a warm smile, she nodded."Of course! I haven’t seen him in so long. Let’s stop by a shop and pick up some g
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Percy looked utterly defeated, his voice hoarse. "Mom, we can't win against her. The one who locked us up was Zayden Moore!"Margaret's face was filled with disbelief. "What?! He…how could he…""Stellar got involved with Zayden behind my back. He’s only helping her to humiliate and torment us."Percy's eyes were bloodshot, veins bulging on the back of his clenched hand. His heart burned with resentment and shame."That shameless vixen! I always knew she was trouble, but to go behind your back and seduce your cousin…"Margaret was completely enraged now, abandoning all pretense of composure, cursing viciously without restraint.But no amount of insults could change reality."No, we can't just let this go! I’ll make her pay!"Percy's eyelid twitched, sensing something. "Mom, what are you planning?"A sinister glint flashed across Margaret’s face. "Since she’s so ruthless to us, we’ll destroy her!""Mom, you’re not thinking…""If she loves throwing herself at men, then we’ll help her do
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That made sense—Joy would never let something like that spread. Stellar remained silent for a moment, considering that Stephen was still a senior engineer at SA Aerospace. She decided not to speak ill of the place. "Let’s just say it wasn’t a good fit for me." Stephen frowned slightly, suspecting she had encountered something unpleasant. "What’s next? Do you have any plans?" On this, Stellar had nothing to hide. In fact, she spoke with a hint of excitement. "My junior mentioned an opportunity at Starlight Aerospace. I’d like to give it a shot." She had meant to share her good news with him. But as soon as she said it, Stephen’s frown deepened. "So, you'd rather accept his help than mine?"Stellar was caught off guard. "What?" Stephen’s voice grew heavier. "Do you really think he’s just helping you out of kindness? He’s making sure you owe him…" Who knew what else he was planning behind the scenes? "That’s your bias talking." Stellar emphasized, displeased. "He’s
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"You’re welcome."A glint of something unreadable flashed in the waitress’ eyes as she supported Stellar into the elevator.By the time they reached the top floor, Stellar had already lost consciousness, slumped against her shoulder.The waitress scanned the hallway before stopping at a slightly ajar suite door.Without hesitation, she carried Stellar inside, placed her on the bed, and quietly slipped away.Not long after, the door creaked open again and someone stepped inside.…Downstairs, inside a hotel room.Percy sat on the edge of the bed, phone in hand, waiting anxiously. Finally, a message popped up on his screen:“Mission completed.”But instead of feeling the thrill of revenge, unease twisted in his chest.Moments later, he shot to his feet, ready to leave.Before he could take a step, Margaret grabbed his arm. "Where do you think you’re going?""Mom, I… I think we went too far…"Margaret let out a cold laugh. "It’s too late for regrets. If you walk out now, you’ll only expo
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Stephen draped his coat over her shoulders, his voice gentle yet firm. "Be good, just hold on. I’ll take you to the hospital." With that, he scooped her up effortlessly and strode out of the room. Nestled against his familiar embrace, Stellar felt a deep sense of security. Her tense body gradually relaxed, and before she knew it, she drifted off to sleep. When she woke again, daylight was streaming through the windows. She was lying on a hospital bed. The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was Stephen, seated at her bedside, his gaze locked on her. "You’re awake." There was unmistakable relief in his voice. Her hazy mind slowly cleared, memories flooding back in an instant. Clutching his neck, clinging to him, kissing him deeply—fragments of those intimate moments flashed through her mind, making her cheeks burn. Had she really thrown herself at Stephen like that? But before she could dwell on the embarrassment, a realization struck her, and her expressi
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As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 452
"Stellar, I really need to thank you." Autumn’s tone was sincere. "There’s no need for that, Autumn. I just did what anyone should’ve done." Stellar couldn’t explain it, but something about Autumn made her feel warm, almost protective. "Stellar…" Just then, Laurence approached from the side. Autumn turned instinctively at the sound of his voice. The moment their eyes met, both froze. That strange sense of familiarity surged again in Laurence’s chest. The closer he got, the stronger it felt. Stellar quickly stepped forward and took his arm. "Grandpa, let me introduce you."This is Ms. Autumn Lane, Keith’s aunt—the one I told you about. She’s always been kind to me. She even gave me an emerald pendant as a welcome gift when we first met!"Autumn, this is my grandfather." Autumn was the first to snap out of it, pushing aside the strange feeling in her chest. "Mr. Rivers, it’s an honor. I’ve heard so much about you. I really appreciate you taking the time to help ide
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The manager turned to her in shock, clearly about to say something, but Keith stopped him with a single look."You’ve got some sense, I’ll give you that. At least you know I’m not someone you can afford to offend." The wealthy woman sneered smugly, then barked at the manager, "Well? Hurry up and get these things packed for me!"The manager looked troubled, but before he could respond, Stellar spoke up with a cheerful smile. "Ma’am, you can take them, sure, but we’ll need your signature and fingerprints first. These three antiques are each worth over two million. “If it turns out someone took them without the owner’s permission, it’ll go straight to court. And that’s a serious offense—major fraud with a possibly of a life sentence."Her tone was breezy, but the words sent a chill down the woman’s spine. "Wh-What are you trying to say? Are you threatening me?""Oh no, not threatening. Just stating the facts. If you’ve got the owner's permission, there’s nothing to worry about, right?"
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"This is…" Laurence’s eyes lit up instantly. He leaned in, examining the piece carefully for a long moment before exclaiming, "This piece is from the early 1700s—right around the time of the Baroque period. I remember coming across it in historical archives..."Once the topic turned to his area of expertise, Laurence became animated, his voice filled with energy as he explained.A small crowd began to gather, drawn by his enthusiasm and deep knowledge.Stellar, who actually recognized many of the antiques herself, chose to play along, feigning curiosity. When Laurence finished, she pointed to another item. "What about this one, Grandpa?"He turned and his eyes lit up even more. "That’s an artifact from the early medieval period, likely from the 8th or 9th century. It’s absolutely priceless."He launched into another detailed explanation.Stellar kept the conversation going, asking thoughtful questions one after another, giving Laurence the chance to fully shine. Applause broke
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When they stepped out of the car, Keith was already waiting outside.Guests coming and going couldn't help but glance his way—tall, poised, and impeccably dressed, he was instantly recognizable. Several people greeted him with polite smiles and nods.Keith returned the gestures with a cool, distant air, his smile polite but faint.But the moment he spotted Stellar and Laurence, a flicker of warmth lit up his eyes. Cutting through the crowd, he greeted them with uncharacteristic enthusiasm."Mr. Rivers, Stellar, you're here! Come on, I’ll take you inside."Guests nearby were visibly surprised by his sudden shift in demeanor, their curious gazes drifting to Stellar and her grandfather.Their composure and presence were impossible to miss.A few who had previously met Laurence found themselves stunned.Could the Rivers and Sinclair families be tying the knot soon?Unaware of the speculation swirling around them, Stellar followed Keith inside with her grandfather.The moment she stepped
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Though a little disappointed, Keith didn’t push further. "Then let me give you a ride home.""No need, Mr. Sinclair. With me here, I’ll make sure Stellar gets home safely,” Stephen finally spoke, his voice cool and composed. "Yeah, we’re heading in the same direction anyway. No need to trouble you," Stellar added with a polite smile.Keith clenched his fists slightly, frustration flashing through him.Damn Stephen. The only reason he got this far was because he made the first move.Keith had even considered moving closer to Stellar’s neighborhood. But he’d held back, worried it might come off as too deliberate and push her further away instead. It was not worth the risk.In the end, he gave a casual wave and turned to walk away, doing his best to play it cool.It was fine. They’d be seeing each other again soon anyway.…After Keith left, Stellar and Stephen got into the car. On the ride back, Stephen finally broke the silence."You’re being too nice to him."Stellar blinked a
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Now that the truth was out, netizens finally saw the full picture and reacted with outrage and clarity:"No wonder I thought the book was just average, but everyone online was hyping it like crazy. Turns out, it was all bots!""I left one comment about the poor plot logic and got attacked by a swarm of fake accounts. I thought I poked a hornet’s nest—turns out they were just panicking.""Compared to that, After Dawn is gripping, suspenseful, and logically tight. Star Luna really is in a league of her own and always has been.""I went to her signing today—she’s even more stunning in person! Smart, talented, and graceful… no wonder people are jealous."The entire incident ended up boosting Stellar’s reputation. Support flooded in, and even readers who hadn’t been interested in this genre started checking out her novel, only to find themselves completely hooked.In no time, After Dawn soared to the top of the site’s trending chart.As for Tori, the one who orchestrated the sabotage from
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Even though acknowledging it meant giving credit to a rival, Keith had no intention of claiming what wasn’t his.Besides, if he kept it quiet and Stephen ended up telling Stellar the full story later—with a few embellishments to make himself look better—it’d all backfire anyway.Stellar froze for a second, then looked at Stephen in surprise.So, was it because she’d casually mentioned the issue before that Stephen took it to heart and made preparations ahead of time?The moment their eyes met—his gaze warm and steady—something soft bloomed in her chest."Thank you. Both of you."She truly meant it.Her connection with Stephen didn’t need words to be understood.As for Keith, she genuinely considered him a good friend now.Just as they stepped out of the hall, a wave of reporters from the neighboring signing event rushed toward them."Miss Rivers, it's been said that your friend paid to hire a crowd of fake fans to boost your signing event. Care to explain?""A group that large showing
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Seeing how calm and composed Stellar was, Larry finally let out a breath of relief.At exactly two o’clock, the signing event officially began.A pair of hands slid a book across the table toward her, followed by a familiar deep voice above her head."Star Luna, would you sign your name for me? I’ll treasure it for the rest of my life."Stellar looked up and was met with Stephen’s handsome face. She couldn’t help the smile that bloomed on her lips.After signing her name on the first page, she added a note: To: my dear Stephen, followed by a little heart.When Stephen took the book back and saw what she wrote, a soft, lingering smile rose in his eyes.The chemistry between them was so sweet it practically clung to the air—enough to make anyone nearby cringe from the sugar overload.Readers began to trickle in. At first, there were only a dozen or so. After getting their books signed, they quietly left, making the event feel rather sparse.The reporters kept snapping photos, clearly
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"It’s not even close. I checked that book out myself. It’s nowhere near as good as yours," Larry said firmly. "And it didn’t even have that title originally. It’s clearly trying to ride your wave. All the trending buzz? “That’s paid promotion, no doubt about it. There’s serious backing behind it."Stellar couldn’t help but laugh, though she wasn’t really upset about being overshadowed."Alright, alright. Don’t get worked up. Let’s just let things play out," she said, trying to calm him before ending the call.That evening, while out to dinner with Stephen, she brought it up in a teasing tone.Stephen listened quietly, thoughtful for a moment, as if something had just clicked in his mind.Soon, the day of the signing arrived.With Stephen by her side, Stellar arrived at the hall right on time.A group of reporters had already gathered. The moment they spotted her, they swarmed in.Thankfully, Stephen stepped in front of her, shielding her from the worst of it. With him there, no one
