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Chapter 354
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As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 355
The moment Howard saw Stellar, a flicker of guilt crossed his face."Stellar... I owe you an apology. The piece you worked so hard on was damaged. Completely ruined. We can’t exhibit it now."Stellar froze.Zayden’s face darkened as he stepped into the studio, eyes scanning the room until they landed on the shredded canvas lying on the floor."Who did this?"His voice was sharp with anger, and his gaze immediately shifted to Susan.Susan blinked, wide-eyed with innocence. "As soon as I found out, I asked the staff to look into it. But the power cut out in the studio last night. None of the security cameras caught anything."Howard let out a weary sigh and shook his head. "The announcement’s already out—everyone’s expecting the return of ‘Sole Light.’ The spotlight’s still waiting for your painting... but now there’s no time to create another."Stellar had only just rediscovered her spark.That piece took everything she had. There wasn’t a backup—her older works had already been sho
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Zayden immediately caught on."This is about the painting, isn’t it?"Stellar gave a subtle nod, then leaned in and whispered a few quick words in his ear.His brows lifted in surprise, but he nodded without hesitation."Got it. Wait here."With that, he turned and hurried off.Not far away, Stephen stood with arms crossed, his expression dark. Watching them whisper to each other, that spark of closeness—it twisted something in his chest. Jealousy curled up sharp and bitter inside him.When Stellar returned, he kept his tone casual, though his eyes gave him away."Is there something I’m not allowed to hear?"She flashed a mysterious smile."You’ll find out once the exhibit starts."Stephen narrowed his eyes, voice low and laced with something unreadable."You trust him more than you trust me?"Stellar studied him, amused by the flicker of insecurity in his eyes."You sound jealous.""Am I not allowed to be?" he replied, dead serious."Alright, alright," she said with a laugh, like she
As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 357
Stellar showed up in a simple, casual outfit.Her hair loose with no makeup.But somehow, she looked like she’d stepped straight out of a graphic novel. There was a quiet elegance to her, something effortlessly refined that couldn’t be faked."Sorry to keep you waiting," she said as she approached Stephen. Her gaze skimmed past Joy without pause, as if she hadn’t even seen her. She held out her hand to Stephen with a light smile. "Shall we?"Stephen blinked, slightly caught off guard.Then, without a word, he took her hand—fingers lacing together in a natural, intimate clasp.Joy’s eyes locked on their joined hands. Her nails dug so hard into her palm, her lip nearly split under her teeth. But the pain didn’t even register."Tch."A scoffing sound broke the moment.Joey sauntered up, sneering as she looked Stellar over."So, this whole gallery thing was just an excuse for a date? Figures. Pretending to be cultured, but I doubt she even understands half the meaning behind those pain
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"Sir, my name is Howard Roberts."Dean's face lit up with joy. "Is that you, Howard?""You... you're Dean?" Howard stared at him, trying to confirm the familiar voice. After a closer look, he said in disbelief, "It's been so many years... you've grown a full white beard. I almost didn't recognize you.""Professor, you two know each other?" Stellar asked curiously.Only then did Howard explain to her that they were old friends who hadn’t seen each other in years.The two old men chatted happily and brought Stellar with them into the lounge."Don’t even think about making a move on my student. She’s the one I trust and value the most.""She's important to me too. Her talent in aerospace is truly remarkable.""She's also great at painting. My student is a true all-rounder!"The two old men took turns singing her praises.Stellar had clearly become the center of attention.Stephen followed silently behind them like a quiet guardian.Just as they reached the lounge, they saw Zayden, who had
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"I've made up my mind."Stellar’s expression was firm. "Thank you for the offer, Mr. Shaw. I’m honored to accept the invitation and join the research project.""Excellent!" Dean’s smile grew even brighter.The conversation shifted to the upcoming art exhibition. At first, it seemed Stephen might struggle to keep up—this clearly wasn’t his field. But to everyone’s surprise, he slipped into the conversation effortlessly, speaking with a calm confidence and insight.Even Howard found himself impressed by his insight.At first, Stephen appeared like just another face in Stellar’s circle, but the dynamic was already shifting into something more—an unlikely friendship in the making.The scene felt all too familiar.Stellar had witnessed how easily Stephen won over every important elder in her life with just a few well-placed words countless times.It was as if he had a gift for it.When it looked like Howard was about to take him under his wing, Stephen shot her a desperate look.Finally, St
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"I..." Susan faltered, unsettled by the sharpness in his eyes.But Zayden gave her no chance to wriggle out of it. He cut straight to the truth. "You destroyed her painting yourself and you're terrified of being found out."The room went completely still."I-I didn’t!" Susan quickly snapped back, her eyes reddening as she put on a wounded look. "Zayden, I know you and Stellar grew up together, and you’ve always been close to her, but that doesn’t give you the right to smear me just to protect her!""Smear you?" he scoffed. "Let’s see what the footage says."Before she could react, he tapped the screen on his tablet and turned it toward the crowd.People leaned in out of curiosity only to freeze in disbelief.On the screen, Susan could be seen sneaking into the studio in the middle of the night. She stood in front of a stunning painting, her expression cold and furious, a far cry from her usual soft demeanor. She pulled a utility knife from her bag and began slashing at the canvas
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"I didn’t…" Susan flatly denied any involvement. "I-I just wanted a chance for my work to be exhibited too. I never meant for anyone to hurt her, he acted on his own!" Everyone exchanged doubtful looks. But when their eyes landed on the painting on the wall, someone couldn't help but comment, "This piece is really well done. The colors are a little muted, but it actually brings out the story behind it more." "Honestly, I didn’t even know it was done by Sole Light at first. I was just drawn to it. I think it’s just as good as Sole Light’s original piece." "So, Susan Raines is actually quite talented too..." People naturally held a bit more admiration and leniency toward those with talent. Hearing this, Susan immediately seized the opportunity. Her eyes welled up with tears as she looked pitiful and remorseful. "I’m sorry, I truly am. I shouldn’t have resorted to this just to achieve my goal. But our professor has always been so biased, he only ever had eyes for you. "I
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It didn’t take long for Stellar to remember that she’d painted it during the lowest point of her life, when she first discovered the truth about her past. Lost and overwhelmed, it became a raw expression of the turmoil she was drowning in. It was no wonder the memory was so vivid.Afterward, she asked Zayden to look for it in the studio and eventually put the original on display.If Susan hadn’t pulled this stunt—risking Stellar’s reputation just to elevate her own—maybe Stellar wouldn’t have exposed the truth. But now that it had come to this, she had no reason to hold back."No wonder I thought the painting was so striking. Turns out it is really the work of Sole Light." "God, Susan Raines is disgusting! Faking remorse just to climb higher? She has zero talent and still had the nerve to copy someone else’s work for fame and profit." "I actually felt bad for her earlier. I thought she was just a victim stuck in someone else’s shadow." "She played us all for fools. Someone lik
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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
