All Chapters of I'm Your Stepping Stone but His Gem: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

"Grandpa, I've made up my mind. I want to marry into the Gordon family."Grandpa's pen slipped from his hand, clattering onto the table in surprise at my sudden announcement. "Nonsense! Aren't you and Michael getting along just fine? Charles has dedicated himself to the religion of Treyism, which requests him to keep his distance from women and renounce all worldly attachments. And he's his family's only heir."I looked at Grandpa, my voice firm. "The way I see it, it's better to choose one person who has renounced all worldly desires instead of one of the three greedy men I have to constantly keep an eye on. And this way, our family can keep its peace."Grandpa, seemingly sensing something, asked, "Has Michael done something?"Just then, Michael suddenly swung the door open, his face full of anxiety. "Mr. Kingston Senior, Ari is just a little mad at me. I'll be sure to spend more time with her from now on," he said, looking wronged.I coldly watched as he continued his act,

Chapter 2

"Ms. Kingston…"Tahlia, shoving her pain down, continued to put on her kind-and-understanding act as she said, "I know you love Mr. Leight, and the feelings between you two run deep. It's not something you can break off just because you say you want to."Their gazes all fell on me, with Michael even looking a little smug. He assumed I would still obsessively cling to him like before. I walked up to Tahlia and, with a voice that only the two of us could hear, said, "I heard everything you two said in the pantry. If Grandpa found out that his carefully mentored grandson-in-law-to-be has been fooling around with the family's chef, do you think he'd still allow you to stay in our home?"Shooting Michael a cold glare, I said louder, "Keep a closer eye on her. Don't let her roam around and be an eyesore."Michael leaped to his feet. "Ariel! Don't go too far! What did Tally ever do to you?"Tahlia tugged on his sleeve, her eyes brimming with tears as she continued to look pitiful. "S

Chapter 3

Michael looked at me, his expression heartbroken. "Ariel, I'd never thought you'd do something like this out of jealousy."Before I could even defend myself, the doors to the banquet hall flung open, and in walked Tahlia. Her clothes were disheveled, and there were tear stains down her cheeks. Two deep gashes were also visible on her wrists. The guests all gasped in shock. "Mikey, I thought I'd never see you again…" Tahlia cried out, her voice trembling as tears poured out of her eyes. Michael rushed forward and pulled her into his arms, his gaze filled with heartache. But when he turned to me, his expression hardened with resentment."Everyone, I'm making an official announcement today—I refuse to take Ariel Kingston as my wife!"Even though I had already accepted that he held no feelings for me, hearing those words still cut deeper than I expected—I could hardly breathe.Jeremy chimed in with a smirk, "Mr. Kingston Senior is severely ill and bedridden. Kingston Group needs

Chapter 4

Charles walked up to me. Not a speck of dust could be seen on his white suit, and though his presence was quiet, it carried an undeniable sense of authority.He gently took my hand—the motion so natural it was as if we'd known each other for years. "Apologies. I was delayed on my way here."His voice was clear, and his gaze solely rested on me as he asked, "And these three are…"Michael froze momentarily before anger colored his expression. He stalked forward, demanding, "Who are you? Ariel is my fiancee!""Is she?" Charles asked with a faint smile, but the derision in his expression was clear."I only know that greedy men aren't worthy of standing beside her. Please show some self-respect."Just those few words were enough to make Michael feel like he had been struck by lightning, and his face instantly paled. Right then, another wave of commotion stirred on the other side of the banquet hall. Grandpa was walking toward us with the help of his assistant. Though his complex

Chapter 5

Charles gave a faint smile. "Every word I just said comes straight from my heart."He then turned to Michael, and his gaze suddenly grew sharp and piercing. "I haven't touched a woman because those greedy people aren't worthy of my heart. But Ariel… She's someone I'm willing to break my vows for."At that moment, I felt as if something had spread within me, like a flower blooming quietly but surely.I gently linked my arm through Charles', and I felt a sense of steadiness and belonging I'd never experienced before. "Michael, I want to thank you for teaching me such a valuable lesson and showing me what true love really looks like."When the banquet ended, Charles invited me to a small garden near the hotel. I finally asked the question that had been weighing on me. "Why were you willing to return to secular life? You're the only heir to the Gordon family, yet you chose to seclude yourself in the Treyist monasteries for training these past five years."Charles gently remove

Chapter 6

The wedding preparations were in full swing, and the Gordon family showed a jaw-dropping level of power and influence. The marriage alliance between the Kingstons and the Gordons became the biggest news in the business world this year. However, the good times didn't last. Three days later, a blurry video suddenly surfaced online, seemingly showing me and Charles in an argument. The caption claimed that I had forced Charles to return to secular life and threatened to expose the Gordons' deepest secrets."How ridiculous!" I snarled, throwing my phone angrily.But Charles only smiled calmly. "Let the stones fly—I'll just close my eyes. Those most eager to tear us down are often the ones with the most to hide."However, despite his calmness, things didn't improve. The authorities suddenly received an anonymous tip-off, alleging that Gordon Group had committed tax evasion. Charles' father was summoned for questioning, and the whole Gordon family was thrown into chaos. "Michae

Chapter 7

Grandpa's condition continued to deteriorate. The hospital had determined it was due to the toxins in the medicine, but they couldn't identify the specific poison. I stayed by his bedside day and night, watching helplessly as he grew increasingly frail.Late one night, Charles walked in, followed by an elderly gentleman who exuded an extraordinary presence. "This is my Treyist mentor, Mr. Bowen Atkinson. He's highly skilled in medicine, especially detoxification."Bowen carefully examined Grandpa before pulling out a silver needle and lightly pricking his wrist. A few drops of blood dripped into a porcelain dish. Bowen then pulled out a packet of powder and sprinkled it into the dish. Instantly, the blood turned a purplish-black. His brows furrowed deeply. "Veilroot Bloom. This is a poison so rare that it hasn't been seen in a century. It's colorless, odorless, and slow-acting."Shocked and furious, I asked, "Where did this poison even come from?""The plant grows deep in t

Chapter 8

Kingston Group officially released a statement announcing that it had retracted all sponsorship for Michael, Howard, and Jeremy, and publicly exposed the details of their betrayal. In an instant, their reputations in the business world plummeted, and no one dared to hire them.To make matters worse, major media outlets rushed to cover the news surrounding the "feuding wealthy families". Michael was even branded a traitor and a shameless liar. His once-proud title as a top graduate of one of the country's most elite universities had now become the butt of ridicule, with many mocking him as a selfish opportunist."What are we going to do now, Michael? No company is willing to even give me an interview," Howard said as he paced nervously around their apartment. Jeremy's eyes were lifeless as he slumped on the couch. "All my research funding has been pulled. My advisor doesn't want me anymore…"Michael's expression was stormy. "It's because of that bitch Tahlia! She guaranteed tha

Chapter 9

The trio exchanged glances before Michael started hesitantly, "We don't have jobs or a place to stay—""Money!" Jeremy blurted before Howard forcefully stomped down on his foot. A soft chuckle escaped me. "At least you're honest."Charles turned to me, silently asking for my decision. I gave him a slight nod, and he left the living room."You betrayed me and hurt Grandpa, and now you're shamelessly begging for mercy? Who gave you the nerve?" I hissed, my voice as cold as ice. All three of them turned deathly pale, and they started trembling. Then, I shifted my tone. "But considering that Grandpa once mentored the three of you, I'm willing to give you another chance."Hope immediately flared in their eyes, and Michael was so excited his voice quivered. "I knew you still loved me, Ariel!""Stop! Enough. I'm not worthy of that so-called love of yours," I interrupted him coldly. "I'm only giving you a chance because I don't want Grandpa's efforts in mentoring you to go to

SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP