Chapter 42
Chapter 42
Irene’s remark made Linda, who was also sitting in the break area, frown slightly. She couldn’t help wondering who Irene’s real mother actually was.
“Irene.” Sylvia started, but before she could finish, Ernest, sitting next to her, spoke up, “Mom doesn’t work because she stays at home to take care of you.”
That remark made Irene fall silent, and Sylvia’s brows twitched almost too subtly to notice.
Sylvia thought, ‘What’s he trying to say? Is he trying to warn me not to get any ideas?’
But when Sylvia met Ernest’s gentle eyes-a softness even Stella had never received-she wondered if she was just imagining things.
If she could win over Ernest and Irene right in front of Stella, keeping their hearts wouldn’t be a problem.
With that in mind, Sylvia adjusted her mood and chimed in, “Irene, your dad’s right. If your mom hadn’t stayed home all these years taking care of you, she’d probably have some pretty impressive achievements by now.”
Irene didn’t really think her mom was talented, but since Sylvia said so, she just nodded along. “Yeah, I get it.”
Soon, break time was over, and the second game began.
Stella returned with the water and joined Ernest and Irené as they listened to teachers explain the game rules. Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn.net
The game was a variation of “Red Light, Green Light,” where one team member had to drum a steady rhythm, while another carried their child toward the teacher at the finish line to tag it.
The challenge was that when “Red Light” was called, the drumming had to stop, and both players had to remain still.
“You want to drum, or should I?” Stella looked at Ernest, clearly asking who was doing the beat.
“You handle it,” Ernest said, scooping Irene up and giving her a gentle bounce. “I’ll carry Irene and aim for the tag-definitely the heavy lifting in this round.”
“Alright,” Stella replied with a simple nod, not overthinking it.
Whatever his intentions were, she wasn’t going to focus on him caring for her. She figured he just wanted Irene to win a medal, and that was it.
Since she’d already decided to leave, she wouldn’t be looking back, nor would she waste another ounce of her heart on people who weren’t worth it.
Ernest raised an eyebrow, as if his previous words were just a casual remark, then took Irene to the starting line.
Stella grabbed the drumsticks from a teacher and sat in front of a large drum.
“Alright, parents, are you ready? The excitement’s about to begin!” Instead of a starting pistol, this time, the emcee used a microphone, getting everyone excited.
Most parents just ignored him, but the kids were all fired up, yelling, “Ready!”
“Let’s go!” the emcee shouted.
At the signal, all the parents immediately took off, sprinting forward with their kids in their arms. The drummers quickly
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followed the beat, as the music started blasting.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!” The rhythmic drumming filled the gym, making the atmosphere electric.
Stella glanced up and saw Ernest carrying Irene, already way ahead of everyone. Most families were falling behind, and even the ones still trying to keep up were drenched in sweat, looking like they’d collapse any second.
Stella had expected this. Most people, once they became wealthy, let themselves go. The youthful looks and toned bodies wouldn’t last forever.
But Ernest was different. After taking charge of the Lloyd Group and bringing it to new heights, he kept his edge. He never got complacent or indulged himself, he stayed disciplined, working out regularly.
Actually, their home even built a private gym just for him. After Stella married him, that gym door never opened again. It was just collecting dust, like a forgotten relic.
At first, Stella would clean it up, hoping he’d come back and use it. But as time went on, she just stopped caring.
As she thought about this, Stella was about to look away, but then she noticed Ernest turn his head, as if sensing her gaze.
Just then, the teacher standing at the finish line called out, “Red light!”
Everyone stopped dead in their tracks. Ernest and Stella locked eyes.
Sunbeams cut through the drifting dust in the morning air, for a moment, Stella felt lightheaded. Ernest’s focused, serious
with a hint of softness, seemed to be directed at her.
gaze,
After seven years of waiting for something that never came, there was no way she’d believe it now.
So Stella glanced back, and sure enough, Sylvia was sitting in the lounge, beaming brightly-clearly throwing Ernest an open, encouraging look.
“I knew it,” Stella muttered under her breath.
She smiled wryly, no longer caring about their silent exchange. She focused on the drum in front of her, pounding it with a purpose, like she was releasing all the pent-up frustration inside.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!” The drumming echoed, filling the air with rhythm.
Stella didn’t notice that, as soon as she looked away, the flirty tension between Ernest and Sylvia fizzled out and both their expressions changed.
Sylvia’s smile faded, replaced by a slight frown. She knew she wasn’t imagining it-just moments ago, Ernest had been looking at Stella, not her.
But Sylvia couldn’t understand. She couldn’t figure him out at all.
“Dad, what are you thinking about?” Irene suddenly asked. Ernest was turned sideways, with his back to the teacher standing at the finish line. With Irene snuggled in his arms, even if she moved her lips, the teacher wouldn’t see a thing.
Irene’s cheeks flush with excitement. “Dad, the teacher didn’t even notice I moved-she’s kind of silly. Next time, can you carry me like this again?” Irene giggled.
“Of course,” Ernest replied with a soft laugh, continuing to walk forward after the teacher turned around.
But every time the teacher shouted “Red light,” Ernest would turn around with Irene in his arms, fixing his gaze on Stella.
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Chapter 42
Is he seriously okay? Should I just step aside and let them have their moment?’ she thought, tired of the constant awkwardness.
So, Stella stopped holding back. Every time Ernest turned his head, she rolled her eyes. Whether he saw it or not didn’t matter-her attitude was clear.
As expected, Ernest and Irene won first place. When Irene got her medal, she rushed straight to Stella. “Mom, why are you rolling your eyes at me and Dad? We won. Aren’t you happy for us?”
“Huh?” Stella blinked, a little thrown off. She glanced at Ernest, not expecting them to see her roll her eyes.
But it didn’t bother her. She never tried to hide it. “Irene, you won-of course I’m happy for you. But maybe your dad should keep things a bit more low-key. Not everyone wants to get caught up in your drama, you know?”
Stella thought about what Erica had once told her. She said Stella was like the emotional buffer between Ernest and Sylvia, and that her presence actually brought them closer together.
And now, looking at how things turned out, she couldn’t deny Erica had totally nailed it.
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