Chapter 8

Stella leaned against the doorframe. The fever had left her weak all over. Her lips were pale, and her voice was faint. “I didn’t do it. There’s nothing to explain.”

“You didn’t do it?” Julian stepped closer. Anger burned in his eyes. “You let Luna go, then you found her, and now she’s been poisoned! Stella, do you think I’m really that stupid?”

“I told you… I didn’t do it,” Stella said. Her voice was hoarse. “I can’t make you believe me, but that’s the truth.”

Julian grew even angrier when he saw how stubborn she was.

He turned around, picked up a bottle of liquor from the table, and opened it. Then, he grabbed her chin and forced the liquor into her mouth.

“Fine! You want to keep denying it? Let’s see how long you can keep this up!”

The liquor went down her throat. Stella coughed violently. Tears filled her eyes as the alcohol burned her throat and made her feel sick.

She tried to push him away, but the fever had left her too weak to break free.

He forced most of the bottle down her throat. She could barely breathe. She struggled desperately, but Julian held her firmly.

“Let me go… Let me go…”

She finally broke free and stumbled toward the door. Her stomach was churning, and all she wanted was to throw up.

Julian caught up with her and grabbed the back of her collar.

She struggled, but he held on tighter. In the struggle, her foot slipped. She lost her balance and fell over the second-floor railing.

Thud!

A heavy crash echoed through the empty hall.

Stella lay on the cold floor. Her whole body felt broken, and blood ran from her forehead, arms, and legs.

She was in so much pain that she could not even cry out. All she could do was curl up on the floor and gasp for breath.

A bodyguard rushed over. His face was pale when he saw her. He looked up and asked, “Sir… should I call an ambulance?”

Julian stood on the second floor and looked down at Stella’s battered figure. He was silent for a long time.

“No.” He turned around. His voice was cold and hard. “It’s time for her to learn her lesson. Maybe she’ll do better next time.”

His footsteps faded away. Then, the door closed. The sound was crisp in the silence.

Stella lay on the floor. She had a fever. Julian had forced her to drink, and the fall had left her badly injured. The pain was overwhelming, and she was barely conscious.

Her vision grew darker and darker. In the end, she could not hold on any longer. She closed her eyes.

…

When Stella woke up, she was in the hospital.

The smell of disinfectant stung her nose. The ceiling was painfully white.

Someone sat beside her bed. It took her a moment to recognize him as Frank Sullivan, Julian’s assistant.

“Ms. Wallace…” Frank’s expression was hard to read. “You’re awake.”

“I…” When she spoke, she realized that her voice was so hoarse that it was almost impossible to hear.

Frank handed her a glass of water. His voice was calm. “Luna’s dead. Ms. Xenford’s devastated. Mr. Quinn has been staying with her. Nothing else is going on right now, so please don’t bother him.”

Stella was silent for a long time. Then, she nodded. She took the glass but did not drink.

Frank asked, “Is there anything you want me to tell Mr. Quinn?”

Stella stared at the ceiling for a long time. In the end, she said, “Tell him not to forget to come back for the wedding.”

Frank froze for a moment. He clearly did not expect her to say that. He nodded. “Understood.”

Then, he stood up and left.

The hospital room fell silent.

Stella picked up her phone to check the time. Instead, she saw messages from Liam and Natalie.

[Stella, Yvonne’s coming home today. Even if you haven’t finished dealing with your things, you still have to leave.]

She stared at the message for a long time and finally sent a reply.

[Okay.]

After she sent it, she put her phone down. She forced herself out of bed despite the pain in her body and handled her discharge papers herself.

By the time she returned to the villa, it was almost dark.

She carried the luggage she had packed days ago. She also held a cardboard box in her arms.

Inside were all the things she had kept that reminded her of Julian.

There were the love letters she had written to him over the years. She had never sent a single one but only kept them all in this box.

She had secretly picked the candy wrappers from lollipops he had casually thrown away and kept them.

Among them were also laminated magazine covers with his photos on them.

There was also the only photo they had together. Their families had made them take it at a family gathering. He looked annoyed, while she smiled so brightly that her eyes curved into crescents.

Stella stood at the door and took one last look at the place where she had lived for years.

She had chosen the light blue curtains in the living room, picked out every cushion on the couch, and brought the plates and utensils in the kitchen from overseas herself.

She had given this place her entire youth, and in the end, she had nothing left.

Stella turned around and threw the cardboard box into the trash can by the door.

Then, she got into a cab and told the driver to take her to the airport.

The cab slowly drove away. The villa grew smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror. Soon, it became a blurry dot and disappeared into the darkness.