Semua Bab As the Fake Heiress Rose to Power, the CEO Falls Apart: Bab 411 - Bab 420

Martha’s expression turned a little wistful at the mention of her daughter.After all, she was their only child—and losing her so young had been the deepest heartbreak of her life. Back then, when grief nearly swallowed her whole, it was Mary’s quiet companionship that helped her find the strength to carry on."What about her background?" Stellar asked. Mary mentioned bits and pieces before, but nothing too detailed."She comes from a family of martial artists. Her husband does too. Back in the day, they were a formidable pair."They stood by your grandfather and me through countless storms, both within the family and beyond. Without them, the Rivers family wouldn’t have made it through, let alone become what it is today."There was a gleam in Martha’s eyes as she recalled the past.Stellar listened, feeling intrigued."Mary’s husband is a man I’ve always respected. Though he’s mostly retired now,” Laurence added.Then he gave a small chuckle. "If I had to guess, I’d say the reason

But the teasing tone behind their words made it clear that they weren’t being entirely serious.Still, Stellar flushed with a mix of embarrassment and shyness. And this time, she didn’t correct them. She didn’t deny the term “boyfriend.”Stephen noticed, of course. His smile deepened, and on the way to Southport, he brought it up himself.Stellar blinked, caught off guard for a moment before quickly firing back, "That’s only because you kept interrupting. Even if I wanted to deny it, I didn’t get the chance.""Is that so?"Stephen knew better. If Stellar had truly wanted to distance herself, no amount of interruption could’ve stopped her.It was her quiet indulgence that gave him the courage to inch closer and desire more.Still, he understood how reserved she could be, so he let it go, without calling her out."You’re right," he said with a soft laugh. "But I still hope one day… you’ll say it out loud that I’m your boyfriend."Her heart skipped a beat, pounding faster than she co

Her movements were gentle, and the warmth of her breath brushed against his back, making Stephen shudder all over."What's wrong? Does it hurt a lot?" Stellar thought she'd touched his wound.Stephen, of course, wasn’t about to tell the truth. He just mumbled, "A little." Stellar leaned closer and blew softly on the wound like she was coaxing a child. "There, it won’t hurt now."This time, Stephen tensed up completely, even the tips of his ears turned red.Unaware of his reaction, Stellar carefully finished applying the iodine, then wrapped the wound with a bandage. She wound it round and round, finally tying it off with a neat bow. "All done. Just keep it dry and it’ll heal quickly." As she gave her instructions, Stephen turned around at that very moment.Their eyes met, and his bare torso was once again in full view before her. They were sitting on the same bed, close—far too close. Even the air between them seemed to thicken with tension. Stellar's heart pounded wil

"In my eyes, he’s not even worthy of being compared to you. He doesn't measure up to a single finger of yours. You’re worrying for nothing."Stephen raised an eyebrow, always quick to catch the key detail. "So, what you’re saying is, I matter to you?"Stellar cleared her throat. "It’s getting late. We should head back to Southport."She walked ahead before he could say more.Stephen followed, smiling as he caught up.Over an hour later, they arrived safely in Southport. Stephen had to return to the office—there were still loose ends to tie up from the project, and he needed to handle them personally.Meanwhile, Stellar followed the address her grandmother gave and arrived at Mary’s house.To her surprise, it was a traditional courtyard home.The place had an old-world charm. Weathered gray brick walls bore the marks of time, radiating a quiet strength. In the neat courtyard, potted green plants thrived in the soft morning light, adding a touch of life and calm.Just as she reached th

Mary was about to punch Hulk square in the face, fists clenched in fury at the way he’d just humiliated Stellar.But before she could move, Stellar stepped forward and gently patted her shoulder, calming her down. Then she turned to face the other side and spoke, her voice steady."You want to fight me? Fine. But I have one condition—it has to be an official match. “If your side loses, I want a public apology. And I want a banner that reads: 'Ironclad Academy lost to Rising Cloud Academy and left in disgrace.' “From that moment on, you stay away from us permanently."Her words left Mary and the others stunned."Listen to this one!" Hank barked out a laugh like he’d just heard the world’s best joke. "You really think you can take us down, little girl?"Stellar raised an eyebrow, a cool smirk tugging at her lips. "What, are you scared?""Who’s scared?" Hulk snapped, instantly provoked. "You want a fight? You’ve got one! But if you lose, you’ll get on your knees, bow your head, and d