Chapter 11
155 vouchers
The harsh whispers drifted intermittently to Stella’s cars. Her hands, which supported Jeremy, trembled slightly as long- suppressed memories came flooding back.
When Ernest had casually mentioned that he liked lilies, she had filled their entire home with them, though her pollen allergy made her cough so badly. It was only later that she learned it was Sylvia who loved lilies.
Even then, Stella had simply moved the flowers to the backyard garden, clinging to the humble hope that Ernest would see her as thoughtful and perhaps grow just a little fond of her.
Later, when Ernest said he didn’t like chatty women, she learned to keep quiet. Even when she was pregnant and felt too sick to eat, she hardly ever complained. Now, all she got back was his friend calling her dull.
“Stella, don’t listen to their nonsense,” Jeremy said, his voice holding both concern and a hint of anger.
Stella snapped out of her thoughts and looked up. “I thought you were drunk. How did you even hear that?”
“I’m drunk, not deaf,” Jeremy muttered, his words slightly slurred but his gaze steady. He looked at Stella sincerely, as if he could see all the weight she had been carrying.
For a man, how his family and friends treated his wife was a direct reflection of her standing in his heart. The fact that Ernest’s friends felt so entitled to judge Stella spoke volumes about the reality of their marriage.
Stella helped Jeremy into the car and drove him home. Neither of them spoke along the way. When they arrived and got out of the car, Stella met Jeremy’s concerned eyes, took a deep breath and managed an almost convincing smile.
“Jeremy, I’m okay, really. Besides, we’ll be divorced soon.” Stella said, her voice steady. “Let them talk. It doesn’t matter to me anymore.”
Jeremy leaned against the car door, his eyes fixed firmly on Stella’s face. The streetlights stretched their shadows long on the ground. “So you’ve really made up your mind?” he asked.
Though he had deeply resented Stella at the time, he found himself understanding her decision when he learned she was to marry Ernest. After all, Ernest was so exceptional that he made everyone around him feel inadequate by comparison.
When Ernest returned from studying abroad, everyone saw him as just another rich heir. Yet, he quickly took control of Lloyd Group and turned it into Seabrook’s top company in just three years. The story of how he reshaped the industry trended on business news for a full month.
When Jeremy founded Lumière Group, he specifically studied Ernest’s publicly available cooperation plans. Even then, he was struck by how terrifyingly accurate the risk assessments were for projects led by Ernest.
Two years ago, Lloyd Group made headlines again with its risk hedging strategy. During a board meeting, the vice president was fired on the spot because his risk forecast was just 0.3% lower than Ernest’s.
Many called Ernest a paranoid control freak. But the next day, when the stock market crashed, only Lloyd Group remained unscathed.
Later, in an interview, someone asked Ernest if he was ever afraid of making a wrong decision. Ernest replied, “Act early. Cut decisively.” His words soon became a common saying wealthy families use to teach the next generation.
But just now, upstairs, Jeremy had seen Ernest wandering among the company bosses with another woman, acting every bit the loving couple. The sight made him realize how blind he had been to ever think he understood Stella.
Stella looked down at the faint mark on her ring finger, then nodded firmly. “Yes, I have. ‘Act early. Cut decisively. Those
1/3
3:24 pm Thɪs chapter is updated by
Chapter II
were his words.”
Se vouchers
Stella had just stepped back into her apartment when her phone rang. It was Jeremy, calling to ask if she had gotten home safe. His voice was heavy and slurred with sleep. ‘If he weren’t genuinely worried about me, he would’ve passed out long ago.
After hanging up, Stella felt a sudden pang of bitterness. Jeremy, who she hadn’t spoken to in years, still checking on her even while drunk. Yet Ernest and Irene, the people closest to her, hadn’t even bothered to call once in all the days she’d been
away.
Instinctively, she opened Instagram. Her feed was flooded with posts from Irene, all from the Snow White show. There were pictures of Ernest and Sylvia, Irene and Sylvia, and also group photos of all three together.
Stella’s fingers shook as she scrolled down the screen. The caption felt like a knife through her chest, [Ms. Jansen promised to be my new mom today. Let’s celebrate. We’re finally a real family!]
She slowly closed Instagram and stared out at the night sky, her heart growing cold. In that stillness, a quiet resolve settled within her.
At 10 pm, Ernest brought Irene back to the villa. Irene was still bursting with energy, her lips pouted in protest. “Dad, why are we going back so early? It’s the weekend tomorrow. No kindergarten. I can stay up late.”
Ernest looked down at his daughter’s sulky little face, his eyes softening. “Just look at you. If Mom sees you like this, she’ll tell you off again.”
The mention of Mom’s scolding made Irene’s face fall even further. ‘It’s so late already. Even if Mom was working, she should be home by now. What if she sees this face paint? She always told me not to put this stuff on my face. She’s going to be so mad.‘
“But Dad, it’s so pretty. Can’t I keep it on just a bit longer?” Irene pleaded, eager to admire her reflection in the mirror a little while more.
“Why don’t you go take a look in the mirror first, sweetheart?” Ernest suggested with a warm smile. “Then you can decide when you’re ready to take it off.”
Seeing the smile in her dad’s eyes, Irene knew something was off. She hurried to the mirror and gasped. The face paint was smeared all over, making her look like a messy little kitten. She changed her mind instantly. ‘Wash it off, quick! Maybe Mom
won’t even notice.’
The sound of running water and Irene’s murmuring drifted from the bathroom. Ernest felt like something was missing. After handing his coat and Irene’s stuff to Betty, he went upstairs.
Standing before the dark, empty bedroom, he finally realized what was missing. Stella wasn’t there, who used to wait by the door, no matter how late he returned.
He recalled what Betty had said about Stella returning to work. ‘If Stella really is going back to the workplace, her uncle’s company is the obvious choice. At this stage, she’s probably full of motivation and won’t come back home.
Irene finished washing up and came upstairs. Seeing Ernest standing by the door, she felt a twinge of guilt. ‘Even if Mom didn’t see the face paint, coming home this late is still gonna get me in trouble, isn’t it?‘
As if he had read her mind, Ernest said calmly, “Don’t worry. Your mom’s still at work. She isn’t back yet.”
Irene nearly jumped for joy, thrilled by this unexpected benefit of her mom being back at work. “You should go to bed too,
2/3
3:24 pm
Chapter 11
Dad. Let’s not disturb Mom at all. If she suddenly decides to come home, that would be a disaster.”