Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath [Stella] (Chapters 61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70)

Chapter 61

On the other end, Sirena was so furious she felt her head throbbing.

If Jeremy wasn’t right there watching her like a hawk, she would’ve definitely picked a fight with Stella over the phone.

But with Jeremy standing right there, she didn’t dare. She swallowed her rage, “I apologize to you.”

“What? You apologize?”

Stella was even more convinced she had heard wrong.

Sirena apologizing? That seemed too good to be true. Every time she spotted Stella, it seemed like Sirena was ready to throw down.

Sirena was infamously loyal to Ursula just because of Jaxon. Whatever Jaxon disliked, she disliked. Whatever he liked, she suddenly liked too.

In short, she was utterly brainless!

“Yes, I apologize. Where are you?”

Now Stella was sure she had heard right.

“Why are you apologizing?”

“For a lot of reasons. Just, please forgive me, okay?”

Stella was speechless.

Apologizing for many reasons and asking for forgiveness even?

“Why do I get the feeling that you’re not really looking to apologize, but rather you’re itching for a fierce fight?”

Was this really an apology?

Or was this a challenge to a showdown?

Under normal circumstances, Stella would have been more than ready to confront her, but not now. She had her major client’s project that needed all-night attention.

Sirena stamped her foot in frustration, “I really came to apologize. Now, tell me where you are.”

Stella rejected, “I’m not falling for your tricks. Go play your games somewhere else.”

With that, she hung up.

Sirena was dumbfounded when she heard the call ended abruptly.

Turning to Jeremy, who had been watching the whole scene with a cold gaze, she said, “She just…”

“Whatever it takes, you have to get her forgiveness.”

Was their collaboration really that important?

It was crucial because if Stella didn’t forgive her, the deal with Mr. Quinn could fall through. Thinking about it made Jeremy feel like he was going insane.

Sirena, under pressure, dialed Stella’s number again, only to be blacklisted!

“Use mine.”

Reluctantly, and not daring to defy the current head of the Patel family, she took the phone and called Stella.

Before she could finish, the call was ended.

Hearing the cold tone of the automated message, Jeremy felt his headache worsen, “What’s with her?”

Blocking people so casually, was that really okay?

Little did they know, in the past few days, both the Larkin family and Yorick had been getting Stella’s same treatment. One moment of inattention, and it was impossible to get in touch with her.

“So wayward, who spoiled her this much?”

This was driving him mad.

Sirena remarked, “Who could spoil her? Probably grew up wild in the countryside? You see, that’s how untamed she is.”

“Shut up!”

Jeremy was fuming. Immediately, he called his assistant Harper, “You, find out where Stella is right now.”

Harper, with her tidy bob cut, nodded seriously, “Got it.”

“I want her location in half an hour.”

Jeremy was clearly not in a good mood. He knew all too well how many people were eyeing what Ronald had brought with him as he arrived in Portis City.

Chapter 62

Every moment was critical for him now.

Seeing Stella wasn’t picking up her calls, and Jeremy still trying to find her whereabouts, Sirena was clueless, “Why are you looking for her location?”

“What do you think? You caused this mess, shouldn’t you fix it?”

Jeremy couldn’t stand hearing Sirena speak at the moment; her voice was like a fuse to his temper.

Sirena asked, “You’re not expecting me to actually go and apologize, are you?”

But from Jeremy’s response, that seemed exactly what he wanted. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have asked Harper to pinpoint Stella’s exact location.

Stella had already dismissed her so coldly over the phone; showing up on her doorstep might just give her another chance to mock Sirena.

Harper, Jeremy’s assistant for five years, didn’t take more than thirty minutes to return with the information, a testament to her efficiency.

“Mr. Patel, Ms. Quinn is currently on the 26th floor of the Orient Nexus Building.”

“What’s she doing there?” Jeremy frowned.

The Orient Nexus Building was mainly occupied by small companies and studios.

Sirena speculated, “What else? She must be working there. Now that the Larkin family has cut her off financially, she needs to find some way to survive. Only she’d care about that measly salary!”

Sirena never missed an opportunity to belittle Stella. She couldn’t understand why Jeremy was making her apologize to someone like Stella.

Jeremy glanced at her with furrowed brows. He felt there was more to it. The woman who could provoke Ronald wasn’t someone who’d worry about needing a backup plan.

“Let’s go.”

Wanting to avoid further conversation with Sirena, Jeremy turned to leave.

“You’re really making me apologize to her?” Sirena interrogated.

“Stay, and you’re out of the Patel family for good.”

Was it really that serious?

…

“Tell all the companies, no one hires her. I want to see how tough she can be.”

No matter how much she pleaded, Stella remained defiant. So, Cloudia decided there was nothing more to be said. She was determined to cut off all of Stella’s options.

Jaxon nodded, “Yes, it’s been taken care of.”

“Mom, don’t do this because of me. This will only make her hate me more,” Ursula, frail and weak, pulled at Cloudia’s shirt from her hospital bed.

Though she said this, knowing that Stella’s credit cards were blocked and she was being barred from employment, Ursula couldn’t help but feel a sense of victory. She doubted Stella would resist calling Tegan and Finley under such pressure.

Cloudia responded, “Don’t defend her. Let her hate us. She’s so ungrateful; it’s not just she’s spitting, it’s me as well. That ingrate, have I not been good to her all these years? And she repays me like this.”

Talking about Stella only fueled Cloudia’s belief that she was dealing with an ungrateful brat.

“But…”

“Ursula, Mom’s right. Don’t speak well of her. If we don’t press her now, who knows when Finley and Tegan will be able to contribute to your treatment.”

They justified their harsh methods by blaming Stella’s stubbornness; it was her fault for not yielding.

Chapter 63

At the Orient Nexus Building.

Stella stepped out of the conference room, only to be immediately approached by Tabitha, “Boss, we’ve got trouble.”

“What kind of trouble?”

“Somebody’s out for blood.”

Stella raised an eyebrow, giving Tabitha a look.

Tabitha went on, “The Larkins are spreading the word to every big and small business – nobody’s to hire you. We got the news too.”

Stella didn’t reply, a hint of coldness flickering in her eyes.

She narrowed her eyes slightly, a smirk gradually playing at her lips, “Huh, fine.”

“So, are you gonna hit back?”

Tabitha was well aware of Stella’s position with the Larkin family and thought their actions were utterly despicable.

To go this far against their own flesh and blood, all for a stepdaughter, what kind of family did that?

Absolutely detestable!

Stella shrugged, “Hit back? No need.”

Someone else would take care of them.

After all, considering Ursula’s terminal illness, she didn’t want to waste her energy on them anymore. If they left her alone, she was content with living in peace.

But it seemed the Larkins thought their life was too peaceful.

Well, if they thought so, then she would…

A hint of scorn flashed in Stella’s eyes as she thought this and headed towards her office.

Suddenly, a voice from the reception caught her attention, “Mr. Patel? What brings you here? Is there any project to entrust to our studio?”

Stella looked over to see Jeremy and Sirena stepping in.

Seeing the two approaches, Stella frowned.

He glanced around. The studio wasn’t large, but it was decently sized for a small business, bustling with activity.

Jeremy making a house call meant Stella wasn’t about to snub him.

She turned and led them straight to her office.

Then, she took her place behind her desk and told Tabitha, who was entering, “Two cups of…”

Sirena was completely taken aback. Seeing Stella’s position behind the desk reminded her of every visit to Jeremy’s company.

Why was Stella sitting there? What was happening?

Seeing Sirena speechless, Stella turned to Tabitha, “Just one coffee then.”

“Right away, boss.” Tabitha nodded and left.

Jeremy had already taken a seat, while Sirena stood there, dumbfounded.

Stella took a sip from her water glass, “What do you need, Mr. Patel?”

Jeremy paused, a bit taken aback himself.

However, unlike Sirena, having been through various situations at the Patel Group over the years, he quickly figured out Stella’s role here.

It made sense – the woman who could infuriate Ronald was hardly one ending up searching for jobs.

He shot a vicious glare at the still-petrified Sirena, and then softened his tone slightly towards Stella, “About last night, Sirena was out of line. I’ve brought her here to apologize to you.”

Chapter 64

When Stella heard the words, she lazily lifted her eyelids to glance at Sirena.

“Really?”

Jeremy nodded, “Yes.”

As the two exchanged words, and Sirena still hadn’t snapped back to reality, Jeremy, frustrated, kicked her.

The kick caught Sirena off guard, sending her tumbling onto the carpet.

As she lifted her head, her eyes met Stella’s, engulfing her in utter embarrassment. Especially in front of Stella, someone she had always looked down upon.

“Jeremy, what was that for?” Sirena glared at Jeremy, who simply shot her a chilling look, snapping her back to the reason they were here in the first place.

Her breathing became erratic. Turning back to Stella, she saw nothing but mockery in her gaze.

Sitting in the executive chair, Stella appeared almost regal.

Sirena’s previous taunts towards Stella flashed through her mind, contrasting sharply with her current predicament, making her feel utterly foolish.

What was her role here? The boss? Could this place actually belong to her?

Struggling to her feet, she didn’t apologize right away but instead challenged, “What are you doing here? Let me tell you, Stella, you better stop pretending…”

“Sirena!”

Jeremy’s icy interruption was a clear warning.

Biting back her frustration, Sirena reluctantly muttered, “Sorry!”

“Louder,” Jeremy growled.

Sirena, startled by the outburst, glanced at Stella again before reluctantly murmuring a louder with her head bowed, “Sorry.”

She had shown up and apologized. That should be the end of it, she thought.

But then Jeremy’s tone dropped even colder, “Anything else?”

Anything else?

Clearly, this trip was not just about apologizing to Stella but also securing her forgiveness.

Could Stella possibly forgive her in her current state?

Closing her eyes, Sirena asked, “Can you forgive me?”

But Stella put down her glass of water, ignoring Sirena, and raised an eyebrow at Jeremy.

“You…”

Sirena’s anger flared at Stella’s words.

Stella’s gaze remained on Jeremy, “Mr. Patel?”

Jeremy’s expression cooled, his gaze landing on Sirena, who hadn’t apologized sincerely. His tone, laced with danger and warning, intensified, “You have one last chance.”

Sirena went silent. Hearing this, her heart sank further.

Facing Stella now, she was overwhelmed by a deep sense of humiliation, and it stung.

So, she was being humiliated, wasn’t she? Then, she’d make sure Stella wouldn’t have it easy with the Larkins.

She’d tell Jaxon everything that happened, waiting to see if the Larkins would still give her a… But before she could even finish thinking her last word “penny”, Sirena stopped herself immediately.

Looking around the luxurious office and at Stella, dressed in designer business attire, Sirena realized why she had dismissed the Larkins’ warnings these past days.

Looked like she didn’t need a dime from them after all.

Chapter 65

Why else would she dare to be so defiant, completely ignoring the warnings from the Larkin family?

Jeremy growled, “Sirena Patel!”

His voice was dark with a warning, making Sirena snap back to reality with a jolt. The look she gave Stella was even more suffocating.

Just as she was squirming, unsure if she could ever earn Stella’s forgiveness today, Stella spoke up first, “Mr. Patel, if your sister doesn’t want to apologize, don’t force her. With this half-hearted apology, she’s asking me to forgive? Mr. Patel, should I forgive or not?”

Stella’s tone was full of dilemma.

Not forgiving seemed harsh.

But forgiving? Considering Sirena’s attitude, did Jeremy even think this was a proper apology?

With that, Stella threw the ball back into Jeremy’s court.

Jeremy was livid, his chest heaving with anger. He glared at Sirena, “Get out of here.”

Stella’s meaning was clear to him; Sirena wasn’t going to be forgiven. After all, Sirena had made Stella’s life difficult before together with Ursula. Last night was nothing compared to that. He had let it slide when they did something more out of line before.

But now if Stella indeed had Ronald’s backing, her mood would dictate her response. She had the luxury of being capricious.

And Sirena, oblivious to it all, had the audacity to…

Jeremy was furious, shooting Sirena a fierce look.

Sirena, already wanting to leave, took the chance to bolt from the office, leaving just Stella and Jeremy.

Jeremy reached for a cigarette, then noticed the lack of an ashtray on the coffee table and put it away.

He cut to the chase, asking, “Ms. Quinn, may I ask, what is your relationship with Mr. Quinn?”

Jeremy looked at her, and their eyes met, Stella’s twinkling with amusement.

Stella replied, “I haven’t interfered with your business, nor will I influence any of his decisions.”

“I told him there’s no need to get upset over me. As for Sirena, you should really keep her in check.”

She didn’t care about the apology; Sirena’s mere presence irked her.

As for the collaboration between Ronald and Jeremy, Stella always prioritized Ronald’s interests. If he thought Jeremy was a good partner, then her personal conflicts with Sirena should not matter.

She had said her piece. Whether Jeremy could collaborate with Ronald was up to Ronald himself. She also believed her presence wouldn’t sway Ronald’s business decisions.

Jeremy got the hint, understanding the complicated relationship between Stella and Ronald. As for Sirena…

Jeremy nodded, “Don’t worry, I’ll handle her, thanks.”

With that, Jeremy stood up, not wanting to impose on Stella any longer.

Just as he was about to leave, Stella seemed to want to say more but then thought better of it.

Considering Sirena’s temperament, if Stella were to reveal that Jaxon had a child outside, Sirena might even accuse her of stirring up trouble.

Chapter 66

Experience taught once, but bad influences taught for a lifetime.

“Anything else you’d like to add, Ms. Quinn?” Jeremy could tell Stella was holding back.

Stella replied, “Nothing, if Sirena really loves Jaxon, maybe it’s time to start thinking about wedding bells.”

With a family like the Patels, any talk of marriage would surely mean a deep dive into the other party’s background.

The mere mention of marriage with Jaxon caused Jeremy’s face to darken – he had never been fond of the Larkin family. He had always opposed the relationship between Sirena and Jaxon.

What was Stella implying by bringing this up now?

“She’s still young. Marriage can wait.”

Jeremy couldn’t understand why Stella, after all her disputes with the Larkin family, would bring up marriage with Sirena for Jaxon.

But marriage? Better to forget about it.

With the Larkin family’s influence waning, why else would the Quarry family have taken such a firm stance in the past issue against Ursula?

Back when they controlled that lucrative mine, Jeremy could barely give them the time of day, let alone now.

Stella teased, “So, Mr. Patel, you’re just letting your sister run wild? Playing the field is a double-edged sword, you know.”

Her words carried a hint of deeper meaning.

Jeremy frowned but eventually nodded, turning to leave.

…

No sooner had he left than Ronald called.

“I’ll take you out for lunch. Be good.”

“Sure, Jeremy was just here,” Stella mentioned without holding back.

“What did he see you for?” Ronald inquired.

“He asked me not to interfere with your business dealings. Ronald, if he’s a good business prospect, don’t let me be the reason you back out. Business first, right?”

“That’s good.”

After hanging up, Stella took a sip of water, her gaze sharp as she put down the glass. It was time for the Larkin family’s arrogance to be shattered.

On Ronald’s end, after the call, his eyes were dripping with frost, “Call Jeremy. He’s crossed a line with his tactics. It’s not good.”

He had overheard the conversation. Jeremy had actually gone to see Stella.

Jeremy, facing issues in his business dealings with Ronald and then turning to Stella for help, had broken one of Ronald’s cardinal rules.

“What’s on for tonight?”

“An engagement. Should I bring Ms. Quinn?” Idris ventured.

Ronald replied, “No need.”

Ronald never brought Stella into his business social life.

Idris instantly regretted his question. He had seen firsthand how Ronald had shielded Stella, keeping her safe from his stormy world.

Lighting a cigarette, Ronald took a drag, “How’s that Aurora coming along?”

“Almost done. Ms. Quinn will love this birthday gift.”

The mention of birthdays cooled Ronald’s gaze. Stella had spent her last birthday alone.

A smirk touched his lips, “The Larkin family, huh…”

Chapter 67

Jeremy and Sirena stepped out together.

Jeremy’s face was a mask of thunder, his aura oppressive, while Sirena still couldn’t help but approach him with a question, “Jeremy, is she really the boss of this studio? Doesn’t seem that way to me.”

The idea seemed ludicrous to her.

Stella, the boss? That had to be a joke.

She had just come from Stella’s office, and with a quick glance, she noted the studio housed dozens of employees. It was a grander setup.

The Larkin family hadn’t exactly been generous with Stella over the years. Where did she get the funds? Even if Stella had recently connected with Jeremy’s business partner, that relationship should be new.

If Stella had such a powerful ally, why would she have put up with the disdain from the Larkins for so long?

Jeremy shot Sirena a chilling look without a word. Just then, his phone rang.

Upon seeing the caller ID, he instantly picked it up, “Idris, hello,”

Whatever was said on the other end made Jeremy’s already dark expression turn stormier.

“What? No, you’ve got to explain to Mr. Quinn. I just took my sister to apologize to Ms. Quinn, nothing more.”

The only reply he got was the end of the call, leaving Jeremy radiating an even colder fury.

Sirena, witnessing her brother’s intimidating demeanor, didn’t dare to breathe too loudly.

Jeremy cast a fierce glare at her; if gazes could kill people, Sirena should have been eliminated by now.

“Don’t provoke Stella from now on. Better yet, steer clear of her if you ever see her again.” Sirena was speechless.

Jeremy continued, “If you even try to provoke her again…”

If she did that, then what?

The rest of Jeremy’s words were left unfinished, yet his dangerously warning gaze shattered her previous notions about Stella’s supposed act as a studio boss completely.

Able to cause Jeremy’s irritation from last night to now, she surely had a special identity; especially since he received that phone call.

“Do… do I still need to apologize to her?” Sirena asked cautiously.

Sirena uttered, “What, she sneaked? She’s already grown…”

The directive from Idris had been clear – they were to avoid any further disturbances to Stella.

Why would it happen? Why could that woman treat her like this?

An hour later, having parted ways with Jeremy, Sirena went straight to the hospital.

“She won’t last a week under these conditions,” Jaxon speculated, not aware of Sirena’s approach.

Cloudia nodded, “Right. Then, she’ll have no choice but to call Finley and Tegan like we asked.”

Jaxon replied, “Yes.”

The moment Sirena entered, the mood shifted. Cloudia, all smiles, greeted her warmly, trying to hide whatever scheme she and Jaxon were concocting.

“Mrs. Larkin, how’s Ursula doing?” Sirena inquired politely.

As she spoke, she took a glance at Ursula, who’d already fallen asleep on the bed.

Cloudia sighed, “It’s getting worse. I can’t fathom how she’s looked after herself these past two years.”

“She will be okay,” Sirena offered, feeling somewhat helpless in comforting people; those words were all she could offer.

Cloudia bobbed her head, “Why don’t you and Jaxon chat? I’m going to check if I can bring something for Ursula to eat.”

With that, Cloudia walked away.

Chapter 68

Sirena looked at Jaxon, “Sorry about last night. I really wanted to come to the hospital with you.”

But Jeremy, stubborn as always, wouldn’t let her. It was infuriating.

Jaxon replied, “It’s okay. What brings you here at this hour?”

He checked the time, realizing it was almost time for lunch.

“I just saw Stella,” Sirena revealed.

“You saw her? Where is she?”

Jaxon perked up instantly, a flicker of suppressed anger in his eyes. For days, Stella had been incommunicado, her phone off, and nowhere to be found.

“Orient Nexus Building.”

“What’s she doing there? She found jobs?”

Everyone, including Jaxon, had assumed Stella was probably job hunting or working in the Orient Nexus Building.

Sirena shook her head, “She wasn’t looking for a job.”

“Then what was she doing there?”

“She owns a studio there. It’s quite big, looks like she’s making good money.”

“What?”

The atmosphere in the room stiffened.

Jaxon stared at Sirena, disbelief written all over his face, “You must have mistaken things, right?”

How could Stella own a studio? Where would she get the money? Besides, everyone knew Stella as someone who couldn’t achieve a thing, let alone run a studio.

Seeing Jaxon’s skepticism, Sirena insisted, “I couldn’t believe it in the beginning, but I’m absolutely sure that’s her. I heard the employees there calling her ‘boss’.”

Jaxon gazed at Sirena, his eyes filled with disbelief.

“Didn’t you really mistake it?”

When Jaxon still seemed reluctant to believe, Sirena decided not to hide the reason for their visit.

“For what happened last night, it’s a long story.”

Jaxon’s expression darkened gradually.

“Exactly. Money won’t make her bow her head now,” Sirena echoed, the irony not lost on her.

…

When Cloudia returned, Sirena had already left.

Noticing Sirena’s absence, Cloudia said, “You know how Sirena feels about you. You should cut ties with the other girl. Send her away for good.”

Jaxon frowned, “I know.”

“If it weren’t for Ursula’s situation, we might have already arranged your engagement with Sirena,” Cloudia sighed, her heart heavy at the thought of Ursula’s health. “That Stella is outrageous.”

Mentioning Ursula inevitably brought Stella into the conversation. If only Stella had agreed to contact Tegan and Finley, they wouldn’t be in this mess.

“Even if she agrees to let Finley and Tegan treat Ursula, I’ll still freeze her accounts for another month!”

This time, Stella needed a real lesson to understand who she depended on in Portis City.

Jaxon replied, “Freezing her accounts won’t work anymore. She owns a studio. I checked – she made over seven hundred thousand last year.”

“W-What?!” Cloudia was utterly shocked.

Chapter 69

The sudden news made Cloudia feel something might be amiss with her hearing ability.

Seven hundred thousand, Stella made that? Impossible!

Jaxon said, “Sirena went to see her, even spotted her at the Orient Nexus working on her studio.”

The air in the hospital room turned immediately still.

Cloudia’s pupils shrank, shock spreading slowly.

“Are you telling the truth?”

“Yes. She actually made over seven hundred thousand last year.”

Cloudia gasped. “No wonder she couldn’t care less about our financial threats these days. Turns out she’s…”

“That studio, we can’t let her keep it running.”

Cloudia fumed. Just the thought of Stella making all that money behind her back boiled her blood.

“Making that much money, yet still competing with Ursula, squabbling over every trivial thing, might as well shut that studio down.”

Jaxon nodded, “Don’t worry, it’s taken care of.”

He had his assistant alert all companies in Portis City not to collaborate with Stella. He doubted she could still pull off deals with international firms.

With her inferior ability, she could only reach business deals by her luck. In his mind, it was only a matter of time before Stella would be crawling back to the Larkins.

Cloudia was still furious, “How did she even get that skilled?”

Suddenly, it felt like they had been fools in front of Stella all these days. They had blocked her cards and cut off her job opportunities, yet she had earned so much money last year.

Ursula, who had been pretending to sleep, had heard everything. Serena and Jaxon’s conversation, and now with Claudia, infuriated her to the point of sickness.

Damn Stella, where did she get such capability?

Lunchtime.

Whereas Stella munched, she muttered, “I was supposed to have hot wings with Susie today.”

Growing up with the Quinn family, Stella had an expressly light diet. Ronald was keen on keeping her healthy.

Back when she was with Ronald, spicy food was off-limits. These past two years, she’d tasted it all.

Ronald asked, “Joyful until you get a stomach ache?”

Stella clammed up instantly. She couldn’t argue there. Ice-cold soda with hot wings, that was soul food, even if it was a recipe for a stomach ache later.

The restaurant was famous, a five-star establishment. The second floor was for diner classics, and the third floor, seafood.

After the meal, Ronald, holding Stella’s hand, walked out of the restaurant, only to bump into Yorick in the elevator.

Yorick’s gaze moved down, eventually fixing on Ronald and Stella’s intertwined hands. At that moment, the anger on his face was palpable.

This despicable couple, flaunting their relationship in broad daylight, whose reputation were they trying to ruin?

“Stella!”

Each syllable seemed to grind out from Yorick’s clenched teeth.

Seeing Yorick, Stella couldn’t help but think, “Talk about bad luck!”

Chapter 70

Ronald exuded a chill that seemed to seep into one’s bones, his eyes cold as an icy pond, casting a light that made you shiver.

Yorick had completely lost it, oblivious to the danger he was in.

“So, you’re canceling our wedding over this guy, and now you’re parading around town with him? You don’t feel ashamed, but aren’t you worried about embarrassing both the Quarrys and the Larkins?”

Stella shot back, “What do the Quarry family and Larkin family’s reputations have to do with me?”

Yorick couldn’t speak a word. His breathing, already ragged, turned fiery with indignation at Stella’s words.

This was too much, way over the line.

Then, the elevator dinged.

Ronald, gripping her hand, was about to lead Stella out when Yorick grabbed his arm, “Don’t you dare leave. We’re settling this today.”

Yorick was livid. Being dumped by Stella was a blow to his ego, and he needed to know when she and Ronald had started their affair.

The scene froze entirely.

Stella looked at Yorick’s hand on Ronald’s arm, and then, without even a second to react, she heard a sound of bone fractured.

Yorick let out a howl.

Just seeing Yorick’s pained expression made Stella wince.

Had he forgotten that time at Silk River Residences when he saw Ronald with a gun?

And yet, he still dared to provoke him?

Through it all, Ronald hadn’t even let go of Stella’s hand and had subdued Yorick with his other. Disgusted, he flung Yorick’s hand away and led Stella out of the elevator, “Let’s go.”

Stella glanced back at Yorick.

The man who had been so confrontational moments ago was now gasping in pain, unable to focus on anything else.

At the restaurant entrance, Orion was dumbfounded to see Stella and a man hand in hand, leaving together.

Stella gave Orion a look and dropped a few words, “Call an ambulance.”

An Ambulance? Another fight?

Once Stella and Ronald were in the car, he reached across, grabbing her waist, and in a moment, Stella was pulled into his embrace.

In the cramped space, the term “Ronald” carried an unexpected intimacy.

Stella clarified, “No.”

Ronald’s grip on her waist tightened, “Really?”

As she spoke, she tried to put some distance between them; it was too close.

Especially his breath on her neck, it stirred something unfamiliar within her.

But in his embrace, tight as iron bands, she had nowhere to run.

“Ronald, you…”

Ronald asked, “What is it?”

Stella uttered, “I’m not a kid anymore.”

She emphasized again.

Ronald replied, “So, I can’t hug you anymore?”

His tone was noticeably cooler as he said this piece, making Stella’s heart skip a beat.

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