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Chapter 311
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As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 312
“I thought you wouldn’t come… because of Stephen,” Keith said, his voice still carrying a trace of wounded pride.“He’s him, and you’re you. No one makes decisions for me,” Stellar replied calmly. “Besides, we’re friends, aren’t we?”That single word “friends” shouldn’t have meant so much, but somehow it did. His heart warmed. “How’s your mom, by the way?” she added, remembering suddenly.Keith's expression softened. “She’s doing better now—just a stomach bug, nothing serious.”She cared about his family. Did that mean she cared about him, even just a little?The thought made his smile widen unconsciously.In the distance, hidden behind a patch of bushes, a paparazzo crouched with his lens trained on them. The golden-orange sunset cast the pair in silhouette, their figures outlined in a warm glow. The resulting photo looked strikingly intimate.“Damn,” the photographer muttered. “Who knew these two looked this good together?”After chatting a little longer, Stellar and Keith said t
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It was a classical oil painting.Deep blue waves surged across the canvas like restless beasts, their white crests crashing with untamed force. Beneath the surface, shadows hinted at something colossal stirring in the depths, ready to break free.The composition was masterful, bursting with tension—a clear reflection of the artist’s turbulent inner world.Stellar stood there, momentarily lost in the piece.She didn’t notice when Susan quietly walked up beside her. Catching the look on Stellar’s face, Susan’s eyes flashed with a glint of calculation."Miss Rivers, your tea," Susan said sweetly, her voice breaking through Stellar’s trance.Stellar blinked and turned to her. "Oh, thanks, but I’m fine.""You should have a sip. Otherwise, the professor might think I’ve been a poor host," Susan replied politely, lifting the cup and offering it with a smile.Not wanting to appear rude, Stellar reached out to accept it. Just as her fingers touched the porcelain, Susan ‘accidentally’ nudged
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Back then, after being cast out of her home and later trafficked, everything had hit her all at once. The pain, fear, and shame drained her completely. She’d lost the strength to reach out again, and even if she had wanted to, she didn’t feel she had the right to face her mentor.“That wasn’t your fault.”Zayden’s voice came from the side, full of quiet regret. “If anyone’s to blame, it’s me. I should’ve found you sooner. I should’ve been there for you. You shouldn’t have had to face everything alone.”“I don’t blame anyone,” Howard said with a gentle smile, warmth softening his gaze. “As long as you’re both safe and well, that’s all I care about.”A few steps away, Susan stood off to the side like an outsider.Watching the warmth between the three of them, she bit her lip hard, unable to hide the jealousy in her eyes. Still, she forced herself forward and sat down, inserting herself into the conversation with a forced smile.“I had no idea you were so young, Senior. No wonder I d
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"Ahem..." It was Howard who finally broke the silence, clearing his throat. "Susan, your senior was just being honest. Don’t take it too personally."Stellar almost burst out laughing at Howard’s remark. He clearly wasn’t even trying to spare Susan’s feelings.Howard seemed to realize that too and quickly added, "If you run into any issues with your painting, come straight to me. Stellar still has pieces to prepare and really can’t spare the time."Susan flushed scarlet, her face darkening by the second."Professor, I have something to take care of, so I’ll get going now."With that, she didn’t stay a second longer and left in a hurry.Watching her retreating figure, Stellar asked curiously, "Professor, when did you take her on as a student?""About six months ago. To be honest, she doesn't have much talent for painting, but she once saved my wife’s life by accident. Taking her in was my way of repaying that debt."Howard didn’t hide anything from her.Now it all made sense—no wonde
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A flicker of something dark and venomous flashed through Zayden’s eyes, like a snake coiling in the shadows.“Didn’t you call me Stephen just yesterday?” Stephen’s low chuckle crackled through the receiver.The sound sent a shiver down Stellar’s spine, making her ears tingle. Her cheeks flushed—though she wasn’t sure if it was the wine or something else entirely.She pretended not to hear it and changed the subject. “What’s up?”Stephen didn’t press her. “You weren’t home, so I thought I’d check in. Want me to come pick you up?”Only then did Stellar remember her current situation. She glanced at Zayden. “No need. I’m on my way back. I’ll be home soon.”She hadn’t said much, but Stephen picked up on it immediately. “You’re not alone, are you? Who is it—Keith or Zayden?”Stellar’s eyelid twitched.Before she could answer, Zayden cut in, voice laced with provocation. “Mr. Ward, you don’t need to worry. I’m taking care of her.”Stephen’s tone turned ice-cold. “Zayden Moore, has no one e
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The next morning, on Monday, Stellar was originally planning to head to the Starlight Aerospace Base.But just before leaving, she received a call from Lilian. The moment she answered, Lilian’s frantic voice came through.“Stellar, have you seen the news? Something huge just broke!”Puzzled, Stellar opened her news app, only to see tags like #AerospaceEngineerCaughtDatingMultipleMen trending at the top.Her heart skipped a beat. She clicked into it and was immediately met with candid photos of herself with Stephen, Keith, and Zayde.The images were overlaid with a pink filter, making them look dreamy and suggestive.The caption described her as a so-called genius engineer—young, pretty, and calculating—playing three brilliant young men at once. It accused her of having a chaotic personal life that seriously disrupted the professional environment at the base.In short, it was filled with degrading and humiliating language aimed at tearing her down.The comment section was swarming wit
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Stellar looked at the self-righteous faces in front of her and let out a cold, mocking laugh.Her icy gaze locked onto Joy."Joy, you were the one who begged me to come back to the base after I left. Now that you’ve gotten what you wanted, you’re ready to toss me aside like trash?"My technical work has been flawless, but you’re using my personal life as an excuse? You’re so hypocritical it makes me sick."I want nothing more to do with this place. You don’t deserve me."With that, she turned on her heel and strode out of the base.The moment she stepped outside, the reporters swarmed toward her."Miss Rivers, have you been kicked out of SA Base?" "Are you staying silent because you’re guilty?" "So, the rumors were true, then?"Stellar stared straight into the nearest camera, calm and unshaken. "What rumors? You mean those blurry, stalker-shot photos with not a shred of intimacy? That’s your proof I’m dating three men at once?"So now, a man and woman can’t even be in the same fra
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Joy stepped forward with a polite, insincere smile. “Technically, I know it’s not my place to interfere, but as an outsider watching from the sidelines, I feel obligated to speak up. “You’re in charge of the Starlight Base, and I hope you’ll think carefully. Bringing someone like her in will only invite endless trouble for your team.”She was just short of pointing a finger in Stellar’s face.The engineers behind her quickly chimed in.“She’s right! Are you really willing to accept just anyone into your base? If her presence ends up dragging all your engineers down with her, don’t say we didn’t warn you.”Their tone was laced with smug satisfaction, unable to hide how much they were enjoying the spectacle.Rendell’s expression didn’t waver. “We don’t need outsiders worrying about how we run our base. If you’ve got that much free time, maybe put it toward improving your own skills.”Joy hadn’t expected him to throw the jab back at her. Instead of gratitude, he gave her a slap in the
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As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 446
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
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"You really are as sharp as they say," Jonas remarked, handing her a folder.Tori immediately reached for it. Inside were detailed notes on Stellar’s current situation, including the announcement of her upcoming book signing event.A cold, bitter laugh slipped out.She gripped the papers tightly, growing more furious with each line. "Unbelievable. She ruined my name, dragged me through the mud, and now she gets to rise from it all? “A book signing? Seriously? If it weren’t for me mentioning Star Luna in the first place, that washed-up author would’ve been long forgotten!"The more she thought about it, the more rage bubbled inside her.No. There was no way that book signing was going to go smoothly. She was going to sabotage it.Jonas watched the shift in her expression and gave a faint, satisfied smile. It looked like his job was done.…The next day.Stellar returned to the research center and shared some specialty treats she’d brought back from Southport with her team.Every
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The two finally returned to the villa after an hour.Just before they stepped inside, Stellar suddenly stopped and grabbed Stephen’s arm, leaning in close to whisper in his ear. "By the way, I should warn you that I'm pretty sure Mary’s starting to suspect something’s going on between us. You might want to tone it down around her.""Something going on?" Stephen raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Are we hiding some kind of scandal?""I’m talking about that night during the thunderstorm. When you stayed in my room! I think she caught on to something. She’s been subtly probing me ever since."She shot him a half-glare, half-pout. "Anyway, no matter what Mary asks you, don’t admit to anything. If my family gets the wrong idea, they’ll come after you for sure."Stephen paused, eyes flickering with surprise. Was she more worried about him than herself?"Don’t worry, from the moment I decided to pursue you, I was ready to take whatever came with it. So, stop worrying about me," he said,
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Hulk and the others were practically fuming with rage. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go! Wasn’t she just some harmless little girl? Why was even the guy next to her such a monster? Had they been played?In the end, Stellar let out a cold snort and made a call to the police, having the entire group hauled away. From start to finish, neither she nor Stephen were harmed.In fact, they looked more energized than ever."You two are even more in sync than my wife and I! Honestly, you're a perfect match," Wayne said with genuine admiration after watching the whole scene unfold.Stellar cleared her throat awkwardly and pretended not to hear. Stephen, however, smiled gently.…After settling the trouble in Southport, the group finally arrived in Northvale that evening.With the family reunited, Laurence and Martha were overjoyed. They chatted warmly with Wayne for quite a while.Just in time for dinner, they even insisted Stephen stay for the reunion meal. Having learned from
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"Stellar, Stephen, this is my oldest student, Isaac Cross. Let me introduce him. He's the one I trust the most."Isaac might not have been the most gifted, but he was dependable and steady to the core.Everyone exchanged greetings."Isaac, while I’m away, I’ll be entrusting the academy to you. I believe you can lead everyone well." Wayne patted his shoulder firmly."Mentor, don’t worry. I won’t let you down," Isaac nodded earnestly.After a pleasant chat, everyone said their goodbyes and left.But not long after Stellar and the others stepped outside, they found the path ahead blocked by a crowd of dozens."Miss Rivers, where are you off to? Want me to walk you home?"The one teasing her in the lead was none other than Hulk—the same guy she’d knocked flat earlier.And behind him were clearly members of the Ironclad Academy."What’s the meaning of this?"Wayne's face darkened instantly. "Your academy lost to us in the challenge match, and according to the wager, you're not allowed to ca
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Fueled by rage, Janet stormed toward the living room, ready to smash whatever else she could get her hands on.But before she could touch anything, a sharp slap landed across her face.Layla’s voice followed, cold and cutting. “Have you lost your mind?”“Mom!” Janet looked up in shock, clutching her cheek, utterly stunned.“Do you not think we’ve been humiliated enough already? I put all my trust in you, pinned every hope on your future—and this is what you do? “Pretending to be Stephen Ward’s childhood savior? How unbelievably stupid can you be!”The thrill and anticipation she'd felt over the past few days vanished like a bucket of ice water poured over her, snapping her back to reality.“But Mom, how can you blame me? I did all this for the family!” Janet protested, her voice laced with indignation.“You think I’m angry because you lied? If you were absolutely certain you wouldn’t be exposed, I might’ve turned a blind eye. “But Stephen Ward of all people? You thought you could foo
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"Thinking back now, I’m pretty sure the people around me kept the truth from me on purpose. “And as for me falling into the water... I don’t think that was just an accident either.""Are you saying someone tried to hurt you?" A cold, sharp glint flashed in Stephen’s eyes."It’s been too long. I don’t really remember everything clearly..." Stellar didn’t want to dwell on the past. With a smile, she shifted the mood. "Didn’t you invite me out for dinner? Let’s not ruin it with gloomy talk."Stephen nodded but made a mental note to look into it later.Their dinner unfolded in warm, quiet elegance.Then, just as dessert plates were being cleared, the soft notes of a waltz began to float through the room.The next second, Stephen rose from his seat and stepped toward her, offering his hand like a perfect gentleman."May I have this dance with this beautiful lady?"Stellar looked up, surprised.He stood tall under the soft golden light, his every feature kissed with a glow, and the earnest
