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Chapter 85
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As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart Chapter 86
He looked at the young woman in front of him, the admiration in his eyes deepening."Hmm, I have no doubt in your abilities, Miss Rivers. But there’s no need to be so formal—just call me by my name.""Alright, then you can call me Stellar. I’ll be heading off now."She waved at him and quickly walked away.Shane watched her retreating figure, unable to tear his gaze away for a long moment.A storm of emotions swirled inside him, an unshakable frustration lingering in his chest.Without hesitation, he pulled out his phone and called Stephen."Hey, got time tonight? Even if you don’t, make some. Considering I just landed you a major deal, the least you can do is come have a drink with me."There was a rare hint of dejection in his tone.Stephen paused, setting his pen down before teasing, "What’s this? Did you just get your heart broken?"The other end of the line fell into an awkward silence.A few seconds later, Shane huffed, clearly annoyed."Are you coming or not?"Now, Stephen was g
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"I've already said—I won’t accept an arranged marriage. I’ll put an end to it." Stephen's tone turned colder, and for a brief moment, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes. It was obvious that he had nothing but disdain for the idea of a forced engagement. Sensing his displeasure, Shane quickly backed off from the subject and changed the topic. "Alright, let’s not talk about your love life. Help me out instead. I don’t want to give up on her just yet. What do you think I should do?" For once, his expression was completely serious. Stephen could tell he wasn’t joking around this time. Dropping his usual sarcasm, he responded in a calm, matter-of-fact tone. "Gift her something. Women love grand romantic gestures. If you want a real chance, you need to be prepared." Shane nodded in agreement, not the least bit bothered by the fact that he was taking relationship advice from a man who had never been in one himself. In fact, he thought Stephen made a lot of sense. "Wait—" A
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"No need to trouble yourself. I can take the elevator on my own." Stellar almost felt like all of this was a bit too over-the-top. She accepted the access card, and as soon as she stepped toward the elevator, the doors slid open for her. Stepping inside, she let her thoughts wander. What kind of person was Brighton Group’s CEO? Was he tall? Short? Given that he had built an empire in just a few years and gathered some of the best talents under his wing, she figured he was probably a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties. At that age, he was likely past his prime—maybe even overweight, sporting a beer belly and thinning hair. No matter what, she had to remain respectful and professional. First impressions were everything. As she mentally prepared herself, the elevator doors quietly closed. Meanwhile, on the top floor— Shane tugged at his bow tie, his legs bouncing with restless energy as he sat on the edge of his seat. "Stephen, are you sure this plan is going t
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"Wait!"Stephen’s gaze darkened slightly as realization set in.A memory surfaced—the fleeting glimpse he’d caught of a familiar figure in the elevator that day.At the time, he’d assumed it was a mistake. It clearly wasn’t.Pressing his lips together, he felt an unfamiliar sensation stir within him.So, she was the one who had Shane completely enthralled?His brows furrowed slightly, but he still wanted to confirm it."You’re here to meet Brighton Group’s CEO?"Stellar turned at his words, a sudden, almost absurd thought flashing through her mind."Wait… don’t tell me you’re—"Stephen gave a small nod.The middle-aged executive she had imagined, the balding, beer-bellied businessman, had just been replaced by none other than her senior from university?Her brain momentarily short-circuited.Stephen let out a quiet sigh. He should have figured this out sooner.So, she was the brilliant mind behind the CM material.And the very same person working with Riverside Corporation all this ti
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She wasn’t exactly a stranger to praise. But hearing Stephen, now speaking as Brighton Group’s CEO, praise her work as a business partner left Stellar feeling unexpectedly self-conscious."Well, I should be thanking you, Senior. If you hadn’t let me use your lab, I wouldn’t have been able to complete the upgrades so smoothly. I’d say this was a win-win for both of us." She looked up at him, eyes bright with sincerity. "It’s an honor to work with you." A faint smile brushed Stephen’s lips. Shane, watching from the sidelines, caught it all too clearly. And in that instant, whatever hope he had been clinging to was completely crushed. He had never seen Stephen look at a woman like that before. At this point, he was almost certain that Stellar was the junior Stephen mentioned.A sharp pang of realization hit him, draining the color from his face. Had he just fallen for… his best friend’s woman? His entire expression collapsed. But the two of them remained oblivious, dee
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On the drive back, Stellar gazed out the window, her mind drifting over the night's events while the driver navigated the road in silence.The whole situation felt almost too coincidental—like fate had orchestrated it all a little too perfectly.Brighton Group’s mysterious CEO turned out to be Stephen, her senior from university, and now, he was her business partner."I didn’t expect you to be the one behind Riverside Corporation," Stephen suddenly spoke, breaking the silence. "Do you know its background?"His question pulled Stellar from her thoughts. Feeling a little lightheaded, maybe from the wine, her voice carried a hint of languid ease. "Background?""Hmm."Stephen’s fingers tapped idly against his knee as he spoke, his tone calm and measured."From what I know, Riverside may seem like a small firm, but behind it stands the Harlow family from Southport. Do you know much about them?"A wave of shock rippled through Stellar’s heart.Claude had assured her they went to great leng
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As if the endless demands weren’t frustrating enough, they were also draining his finances.The moment Percy so much as suggested a compromise, Yvonne would throw a tantrum, playing the spoiled heiress to perfection."If you can’t meet my expectations, I’ll tell my uncle and the others that you can’t even afford this. Let’s see how he deals with you then."Percy knew all too well how much the Harlow and Jonathan’s family doted on her. They would bend over backward to satisfy her every unreasonable demand, and somehow, he would still end up being the villain in the story.If word of this reached his father, he’d be in for a lecture, and if it caused any trouble for the engagement, it could even hurt the company.His past missteps had already cost Moore Enterprises several partnerships, leaving the business on shaky ground.At this point, he couldn’t afford any more turbulence.And Yvonne, of course, had figured that out. That was why she was pushing her limits, knowing full well he ha
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"What’s that supposed to mean? Why are you talking like that?" Lilian frowned, clearly puzzled. "I’m just stating the facts. Is there a problem with that?" Vivian shrugged innocently, but her tone carried the same irritating smugness. Lilian couldn’t stand that attitude. Simon, ever the peacemaker, sighed and stepped in. "Alright, both of you, let’s just drop it and keep working." "We’ve been at this for hours. If it’s not working, maybe we should just cut our losses," Vivian said flatly, dousing any lingering hope."If this approach isn’t yielding results, we should consider switching to another—" Before she could finish, Stellar suddenly spoke up, her voice calm but firm. "Hold on. I’m about to get the answer." Vivian’s brows furrowed slightly. Then she let out a soft, condescending scoff. "We’ve all been working on this for hours with no solution, but now, suddenly, after sitting there mumbling to yourself, you think you can solve it?" "You—!" Lilian’s tempe
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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
