Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Ever since she had been brought to Starcrest Mountain, Stella had done little besides eat and rest.

By dinnertime, Jennifer came by.

“ You’re eating well, ” Jennifer said with a relieved smile. “ Now that someone’s taking care of you properly, I can relax. ”

Her own company was a mess lately. Her father had pushed her to take over operations, and she was drowning in work.

Before she knew Stella had a powerful older brother, she had already arranged for house staff to help care for her.

Now, seeing Stella so well looked after, she felt reassured.

“ I’ve been eating all day, ” Stella said lightly. “ I’m not even hungry anymore. ”

“ Doesn’t matter. You still have to eat, ” Jennifer insisted. “ Postpartum recovery is recovery, even if it’s a short one. You’re at least willing to take care of yourself. Some people don’t even have the energy to. ”

The “ some people ” was clearly Summer.

All day, Summer hadn’t eaten a drop of water.

Dora, who had once doted on her, didn’t even have the mind to arrange meals anymore. Her entire focus was on containing the spreading scandal.

Because now-

Summer had been branded the other woman.

And the Wright family, who had protected her all this time, didn’t look so spotless anymore.

Stella gestured for Jennifer to sit.

Jennifer didn’t hesitate. She was genuinely hungry and immediately began eating.

After a sip of soup, her eyes widened.

“ Wow. This is amazing. ”

“ It’s chicken soup, ” Stella said calmly.

Jennifer paused.

“ Isn’t that the chicken soup Summer demanded you make for her? ”

She rolled her eyes.

For six months, Summer had monopolized Evan at the old estate.

And after giving birth, she had even expected Stella to cook for her.

What was that, if not shameless?

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Just because she had a wealthy mother and the Wright family backing her, she thought she could humiliate Stella like that?

Now she hadn’t gotten her chicken soup.

And from the looks of it, she probably couldn’t stomach anything at all.

“ What’s next? ” Jennifer asked.

Stella’s expression didn’t change.

“ Tomorrow, the news that she ran me down with her car three years ago – and caused my miscarriage- goes out. ”

Jenny froze midair.

“ One piece at a time, ” Stella continued evenly.

“ Today was the marriage certificate.

“ Tomorrow is the car accident. ”

“ And the day after that? ”

Her tone remained calm.

“ The plagiarism of my Redcrest Valley project.

“ And finally … her clinging to my husband during her pregnancy, which led to my second miscarriage. ”

Jennifer slowly exhaled.

“ You’re putting all of them on a grill and turning up the heat. ”

“ Something like that, ” Stella replied.

“ They love using power to crush people. This time, they’ll learn what it feels like when power doesn’t work. ”

For three years, they had reminded her over and over—

Orphan. No parents. No background. No backing.

Now?

She would show them what kind of storm an orphan could unleash.

Jennifer studied her carefully.

“ If nothing unexpected happens, the Wright family and Ruby are scrambling right now. They’re probably trying to suppress the scandal. Maybe even figure out how to deal with you. ”

Stella let out a soft, almost amused laugh.

“ They won’t have time to deal with me. Tomorrow will be worse. ”

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Today was just the beginning.

Her phone buzzed.

An unknown number.

She didn’t answer.

A message followed.

‘ I’m sorry! ‘

Stella stared at the words, puzzled.

No one had ever apologized to her before.

The message was from Fiona.

Jennifer leaned over. “ What’s that? ”

“Fiona apologizing. ”

Jennifer read it again, noticing the aggressive exclamation mark.

“ That doesn’t look sincere. ”

“ Sincerity doesn’t matter, ” Stella said calmly. “ She just needs something to report back to Evan. ”

Jennifer huffed.

“ Whatever you say, Evan has always stood on your side in everything except Summer. ”

Except Summer.

Jennifer glanced at Stella.

Stella’s hand stilled slightly.

Then she said quietly:

“ When a man ‘ protects ‘ you but refuses to solve the actual problem … what good is that protection? And how long can it last? ”

For the first time-

She felt completely clear – headed about her marriage.