Chapter 32
Chapter 32
Chapter 32
Sometimes, when children can’t distinguish between reality and their wild imaginings, misunderstandings were bound to happen. Thɪs chapter is updated by.net
Stella didn’t know exactly what Irene was thinking, but she would never believe that the same little girl who had just clung to Sylvia so sweetly, would suddenly pretend to miss her.
If that were true, Stella thought, why hadn’t Irene tried to stop her when she left earlier?
“Enough,” Stella simply replied. “If you have something to tell me, just go ahead. I’ve got things to take care of later.”
She didn’t have the time to entertain Irene’s theatrics, nor the patience to waste on them.
Next Monday, she had to report to Lumière Group, and there were still too many preparations left to handle.
“Mom!” Irene whined, her small voice trembling with grievance. “Can’t you tell I’m sick?”
Stella paused, glancing down at the phone. Now it clicked. So the ‘missing Mom’ act from earlier was just a misunderstanding.
Irene was clever. She knew some of her earlier behavior upset Stella. Now, pretending to be clingy was just her coaxing care without asking directly.
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What she hadn’t expected, though, was that her mom Stella, who had once fussed over her every little thing, would now speak in such a cold, impatient tone.
The more she thought about it, the more wronged Irene felt. Her voice quivered, tinged with tears.
“Mom, what’s wrong with you?” she sobbed. “You don’t even care about me anymore!”
Stella, however, remained calm. “So, what exactly do you want to say?” she asked evenly.
She did bore an undeniable responsibility toward Irene, Stella reflected, but that didn’t mean she had to care for her with the same meticulous attention as before.
From the moment Irene had chosen Sylvia, it meant she had rejected Stella as her mother.
‘If she doesn’t want me anymore,’ Stella thought, ‘then I’m free to be myself fully and without compromise. Why expend unnecessary energy?’
Besides, Irene could still call and vent her frustration, which meant it wasn’t too serious. With Ernest around, there was no need for undue worry.
Irene seemed stumped, unable to argue further. A sigh escaped her lips before Sylvia’s voice came through.
“Ms. Spencer, we took Irene to the Aquatic Park today. I should have noticed sooner that she wasn’t feeling well.” Sylvia said. “She has a slight fever now. Could you see if you have time to look after her?”
Her tone seemed apologetic, but Stella immediately caught the underlying meaning.
Taking care of a sick child was never easy, and Irene was more delicate than the others. One hint of discomfort and she’d
throw a tantrum.
Stella remembered the sleepless nights, her body nearly collapsing, while trying to care for her when she was sick.
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Irene was probably holding back now, Stella considered, wanting to leave a good impression on Sylvia.
“Ms. Jansen, Stella asked bluntly, “since you’re already there, why don’t you take care of her yourself?”
‘I’d love to, but I have other things to handle. So I have to trouble you instead,” Sylvia replied politely.
“Well,” Stella drawled, dragging the syllable. “So you’ve got time to play, but no time to care for her… I can tell you really are very busy.”
“Enough!” Ernest’s cold, sharp voice suddenly cut through the line. “I’ll bring Irene home later. Whatever you’re doing outside, make sure you’re back to care for her.”
It was more of a notification than a request, and the call ended immediately.
Stella held the phone, listening to the dial tone.
Would a father really just toss his sick daughter back home? she wondered. Well, technically he hadn’t abandoned her entirely-he had given notice.
“Alright,” Stella exhaled, slipping her car keys into her pocket. Whatever the reason, pity or responsibility, she just couldn’t ignore Irene in this state.
“Hopefully, this time, she’ll actually learn something,” Stella muttered under her breath.
By the time Stella arrived at Lloyd Villa, it was past five. Irene’s face was already flushed with anger and fever.
“Mom, why did you take so long?” she yelled.
Children couldn’t suppress their emotions when sick or uncomfortable. They vented freely, trying to lessen their unease.
Irene’s shout echoed in the hall, and even Betty shot them a worried glance. But Stella remained unmoved, watching her steadily, expression calm and still as a pond.
‘Some traits truly run in the genes,’ she thought. ‘A heart that never warms easily, just as Ernest.
“Ms. Spencer, are you alright?” Betty said softly, glancing toward her from the doorframe.
“I’m fine,” Stella replied with a gentle smile. “Betty, please prepare some fever medicine, some water and a towel for her. Thank you.”
“Of course, right away,” Betty said, hurrying off.
But Irene’s tantrum didn’t abate. With no response from her mother, it intensified.
“Mom, why won’t you hug me?” she demanded.
Before, Stella would have scooped her up immediately, calming her while she squirmed. Without that, Irene felt something missing.
“Why should I?” Stella asked calmly.
“Because I’m angry!” Irene said matter-of-factly.
“No,” Stella said seriously, locking eyes with her. “I don’t hug you just because you’re angry. I only do it because you’re my
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daughter
But Stella knew, the moment Irene had firmly chosen Sylvia, their bond had already been severed.
If that was the case, why should her went out of her way now?
If Ernest hadn’t completely ignored her-calls unanswered, texts left on read-and if she hadn’t worried that Betty couldn’t handle Irene alone or that something might go wrong, she wouldn’t have come at all.
Irene’s eyes widened at Stella’s refusal. This was completely different from the indulgence she had grown used to-and from what she had expected.
She’d known for a while how much she mattered to her mom, and that was the backbone of all her sass.
But now the balance felt off, and the rock-solid confidence of her started to crack.
Maybe, Irene thought with a pang, that Mom really didn’t like her anymore.
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