Chapter 6

Stella wanted to explain. She wanted to tell him that she had been framed. But when she opened her mouth, all she could taste was blood.

Julian’s eyes fell on the white grand piano in the corner of the room. Stella had brought it with her when she moved into the villa. It was the thing she treasured the most.

At that moment, he seemed to find the perfect way to get his revenge.

“I almost forgot. You love playing the piano, don’t you?”

He picked up a sharp piece of the broken vase from the floor and grabbed Stella by the wrist. Before she could react, he dragged the sharp edge across her wrist.

“Ahh!!!”

Stella cried out in pain. A searing pain shot through her wrist, and blood quickly spread across her hand.

“Julian…” Pain wracked her entire body, and she could barely get the words out. All she could do was stare at him in despair.

Julian let go of her and watched her curl up in pain. There was no sympathy in his eyes. There was only cold satisfaction. “Remember this. If you hurt her, I’ll destroy the thing you love the most!”

He turned around and pulled the terrified Yara into his arms. He softly said, “Come on. Let’s get out of here. This place is filthy.”

The two of them left together. Their footsteps slowly faded down the hallway.

Stella collapsed in a pool of blood. She was in so much pain that she could not even call out.

Her consciousness slowly faded. In a daze, she remembered something from years ago.

They were still in school back then. Stella had made some chocolates for Julian and wanted to give them to him. When she reached the back of the gym, she heard him talking with his friends.

“Julian, so many girls like you. What kind of girl do you actually like?”

The teenage Julian leaned against the wall with a lollipop in his mouth. He had a carefree smile and a hint of arrogance in his eyes. “A girl who can play the piano.”

From that day on, Stella practiced the piano every day. She practiced every day until her fingers swelled and her fingertips were covered with calluses.

She thought that one day, she would play the most beautiful piece she could for him.

But he had hurt her.

She looked down at her injured wrist and suddenly felt like laughing.

She had spent so many years learning to play the piano, only for him to destroy her ability to play with his own hands.

Her vision grew darker. At last, she could not stay conscious any longer. Everything went black.

…

When Stella woke up, she was lying in bed in her own room. The blood had been cleaned up, and the private doctor was packing up his medical kit.

When he saw that she was awake, the doctor sighed. His voice was full of regret.

“Ms. Wallace, your hand… The tendons and nerves were damaged. I’m afraid you won’t be able to do anything that requires fine motor skills anymore. As for the piano, I’m afraid you won’t be able to play the same way again.”

Stella stared at her wrist, which was wrapped in layers of gauze. She was silent for a long time.

“I understand,” she said softly. Then, she slowly closed her eyes.

The villa was unusually quiet in the days that followed.

Julian had taken Yara on a trip. Apparently, he wanted to help her get over what had happened.

Yara posted on social media every day. Her posts were full of affectionate photos of the two of them.

They went to the beach, visited the mountains, and stayed at hotels.

The photos had a caption.

[Every day with you is so sweet.]

In the past, photos like these would have made Stella sad. She would have cried and wondered why he could never love her like that. She would have wondered what Yara had that she did not.

But this time, she simply scrolled past them. She felt nothing.

She was no longer Julian’s fiancee. Whoever he loved had nothing to do with her.

Every day, she packed her things and put away everything that belonged to her.

She packed her clothes, her books, and all the little things she had collected over the years.

After seven years in this home, everything she owned fit into three boxes.

That day, Stella was organizing the bookshelves when the butler from the Wallace family’s main residence suddenly arrived.

“Ms. Wallace.” The butler’s voice was polite but distant. He was no longer as respectful as he used to be.

“Mr. and Mrs. Wallace told me to let you know that the real heiress will be coming home in the next few days. This is your plane ticket. They hope you can take care of everything here as soon as possible and leave on time.”

Stella took the ticket and looked at the date. Then, she nodded. “I understand.”

The butler nodded as well. He did not say another word before he turned and left.

Not long after, the familiar roar of an engine sounded from outside.

Stella looked out the window. It was Julian’s black sports car.

He walked in with the chill of the outdoors still on him. His brows were furrowed as he watched the butler disappear into the distance. He asked impatiently, “Why was the Wallace family’s butler here?”

Stella quietly slipped the plane ticket into a drawer in the bookcase. Then, she turned around and calmly changed the subject.

“Why are you back so soon? I thought you were having such a great time traveling with Yara. I thought you wouldn’t be back for at least a month.”

Julian sneered. He loosened his tie and tossed his jacket over the back of the couch. Then, he sank into the soft leather couch. “You think I wanted to come back?”

He looked up at her, with a hint of mockery in his eyes.

“You’ve gotten pretty good at this. Are you complaining to your parents about this? Your parents went to my family to talk about the wedding. They said we have to get married by the end of the month.

“Stella, let me make one thing clear. Even if we get married, don’t expect me to give you so much as a second glance. Yara’s the only woman in my heart.”