If people were only criticizing her poor writing, Stellar wouldn’t have taken it to heart. After all, a thousand readers have a thousand interpretations of Hamlet. She couldn’t expect everyone to like her work.But the comments below were crossing the line."Isn’t this author the one all over the internet lately—Stellar Rivers? They say she’s an aerospace researcher, a painter, and a writer. “What now? Does she think she’s some kind of god who can split into multiple versions of herself and never get tired?""I’m guessing the author has already been swapped out. No wonder the quality’s gone downhill. Feels like she’s just playing the readers for fools.""I heard Stellar Rivers comes from some outrageous background—fake heiress in a rich family, raised in someone else’s place while the real daughter got dumped. “If that’s true, it says a lot about what kind of people her parents were. No way someone like her turned out any better.""I actually feel sorry for her adoptive family. The
As for where Eddie got the money to fund that operation, there was no doubt that it came from Tori.Stellar let out a cold laugh. “She really doesn’t know when to quit, does she?”After what happened at the signing event that morning, she had let Tori off the hook, thinking she'd learn her lesson and finally keep a low profile. But not even half a day had passed, and she was already back at it."People like her, shameless and reckless, don’t deserve any mercy. She needs to be held accountable," Stephen said, his voice resolute.Stellar nodded seriously. “Yeah. I won’t go easy this time. I’m calling the police.”“Just reporting it might not be enough. We’ll need a lawyer to press charges and make sure it sticks,” Stephen added, always thinking a step ahead when it came to anything involving her. He never wanted her to get hurt—not even a little.Stellar had the same thought. When it came to lawyers, one name immediately came to mind.That person was Xavier—the one who used to work clo
"That's right!" The receptionist’s eyes lit up with admiration at the mention of her boss. "He’s incredible. About six months ago, he took on a high-profile case and made a name for himself overnight. “Since then, more and more clients have been coming to him. Not long after, he partnered with another top attorney and started this firm. “He has definitely become a major player in the field."Stellar was caught off guard—but deep down, not all that surprised.When someone had real talent, they’d shine no matter where they were.They were soon led into the conference room. When they knocked and entered, Xavier was already there, dressed sharply and wearing a warm smile as he greeted them.But the moment he saw Stephen beside her, the smile on his face subtly faltered."This is my friend Stephen Ward. He came along to go over the case with me," Stellar introduced.“I know. Mr. Ward. It’s a pleasure. I’ve heard a lot about you,” Xavier said politely, extending his hand.Stephen shook it
“This time, they’re finally going to get what they deserve.”As Stellar said it, something seemed to click. Her eyes widened slightly as she turned to Stephen.“You… how did you even know about the comments on my novel page? Don’t tell me…”In that instant, a thought flashed through her mind like lightning.“You’re Wind Charm, aren’t you?”Stephen raised an eyebrow, the corner of his lips lifting into a slow, knowing smile.“You're only asking about this now?”That alone was as good as a confession.Stellar stared at him, stunned and at a loss. “You actually created a whole account just for me? No wonder you only followed my work. “You don’t even read novels, do you? You really didn’t have to go that far.”Thinking about his thoughtfulness and his quiet care, Stellar realized he’d done so much that it left her overwhelmed.“Your writing is incredible. Why wouldn’t I read your work? Besides…”Stephen eased off the gas, casting a soft glance her way. “Weren’t you the one who said a re
Thanks to Larry’s heads-up, Stellar found the burner account and, sure enough, the screen was filled with venomous posts. The comment section was swarming with replies piling on, criticizing her from every possible angle.It was hard to tell whether they were paid trolls or just people riding the wave of attention.The more she scrolled, the colder her expression became.She could guess why this was happening.It was because she hadn’t responded yesterday.They probably assumed she was backing down. So now, they were doubling down, even bolder than before.From the tone and habits in the posts, she was almost certain it was Eddie behind it.“I’ll take care of it, Larry. Don’t worry,” she assured her editor.After hanging up, Stellar immediately called Julian.“Uncle Julian, do you know any media firms in the industry that handle troll management? I need your help with something.”After hearing her explanation, Julian agreed right away and quickly made the arrangements.Half an hour la
At that, Eddie clenched his jaw, then spat out a vicious threat. “Then I’ll go public with everything you did back then.”Back when they were close, he’d known all the humiliating details—how desperately Stellar had chased after Percy, how much she gave without ever asking for anything in return, and all the painful history with the Harlow family. Now, he was trying to use it all as a weapon against her.He thought that would be enough to shake her. That she'd panic, beg him not to bring it up. After all, those were old wounds—raw and bloody things she once tried so hard to bury. If they were dragged into the light now, it would be like tearing open skin that had only just begun to scar.But on the other end of the line, her voice was startlingly calm.“Go ahead. Say whatever you want.”Whatever she’d been through, it was still part of her story—a path she had walked herself.Now, she could face it without shame. She’d come to terms with her past, and she valued the life she had no
When she saw the caller ID, Tori felt like she’d just grabbed onto the last lifeline she had. “Hello…?”“I’ve heard about your situation,” said the voice on the other end. It was heavily disguised through a voice changer, making it impossible to tell if it belonged to a man or a woman. “If you don’t want everything to fall apart, I might have a solution.”“What is it? Please… you have to help me,” Tori responded quickly.It was this mysterious person who had advised her from the start, coaxing her step by step into targeting Suzy and Stellar. Without them, she never would’ve come this far.She still had no idea who the person was, but she knew they were powerful.Even after breaking up with Zayden, she managed to remain untouchable in the industry, all thanks to this person pulling strings behind the scenes. She’d long suspected they were someone with a grudge against Suzy or Stellar—maybe both.But as the saying goes, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”And right now, they were t
Xavier rose to his feet, voice clear and steady. “Your Honor, my client, Ms. Stellar Rivers, is a gifted and accomplished novelist. Yet she has been the victim of identity theft and public defamation at the hands of the defendant, Eddie Palmer…”He laid out the facts with composed conviction, then switched on the projector to display a series of damning evidence.They were screenshots of Eddie’s defamatory posts on social media, malicious comments under Stellar’s novel, financial records of suspicious transactions—each piece adding weight to the case.“During this time, my client endured repeated harassment and psychological distress, while the defendant reaped the rewards—standing on her name, using her reputation, and profiting off her fanbase. “We request a criminal conviction, along with appropriate compensation.”With that, Xavier concluded his argument.The defense attorney then slowly stood. Everyone expected him to offer a rebuttal, but instead, he delivered a bombshell.“Wha
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
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
"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
"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
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,
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
"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
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
"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