Stella remained silent, forcing Max to grab her arm “What are you doing rummaging up in the kitchent this at a place for you
Stella halted abruptly, turning to face Max with an icy glare.
Realizing his blunder, Max awkwardly tried in explain, “I mean, the kitchen’s full of dangerous stuff. If you’m not doing anything, maybe just go back to
“I’m hungry.” Stella said fly
Max’s anger flared up instantly. “You’ve got some nerve saying you’re hungry! What were you even doing instead
ad of coming to dinner?
Stella looked up at him.
Under her steady, piercing gare, Max suddenly felt a pang of guilt and awkwardly looked away.
“Fine, if you won’t let me eat, then I won’t,” Stella said coldly. “I’m a public figure now. If I die here, the scandal and fallout will be beyond your control.”
With that, she walked out
The living room was still filled with cheerful chatter, but the moment Stella appeared, the room instantly fell silent.
Without glancing at anyone, Stella headed straight upstairs.
Back in her room, Stella shut the door and pulled out her brand–new phone.
For three years, Stella had been away from home, largely out of touch with the outside world. Even back in Dusty Pines, the news she could get was severely limited,
Soon after, there was a knock at the door,
“Come in,” Stella said, her eyes still glued to her phone.
Andrea, the maid, set a bowl of noodles in front of Stella and said gently, “Ms. Stella Hayes, please eat while it’s hot. Mr. Max Hayes made these noodles himself He knows how much you love them.”
Stella glanced at the bo
bowl of noodles with a sunny–side–up egg and a dash of soy sauce. It was exactly how she used to love it.
Once, when Anna was sick, Andrew and Fiona took her to the hospital. Coincidentally, Andrea, the only maid in the house at the time, was also out, so there were no other servants left at home.
Max and Stella were left at home alone, Stella was starving, so she went to find Max. Whether he was tired of her constant complaining or just hungry himself, he eventually went to the kitchen to make some noodles.
Neither of them knew what they were doing, but their awkward efforts created a flavor that would stay with Stella forever.
Although her patents favored Anna, Stella thought they never completely neglected her. The occasional kindness she received only reminded her that it was only natural for Anna to get more attention, gen her poor health.
But when Max decided to save Anna first, Stella gave up on them entirely. She finally realized that all the so–called kindness had been nothin–hut her own desperate delusion. From the start, everything they offered her was just charity.
“Andrea, thank you. Please take it away,” Stefa muttered.
“Um.” Andrea hesitated, looking troubled.
10:08 Wed, 3030: G.6)M
Chapter 27
“Just leave it there Stella added.
Relieved, Andrea left the room with a happy smile.
Stella overheard Max ask Andra if she had eaten. When Andres confirmed she had, Mar’s spirits visibily lifted
Stella stared at the noodles. She was really hungry. She hadn’t wanted to eat, but she knew she couldn’t just stare herself. She’d promised Eleanor would take good care of hersell
There’s no point in bearing myself
Hfor people like them,‘ she thought.
Stella finished the noodles in the end, Just as she was about to return the bowl, there was a knock at her dont
Not hearing any response from inside, Anna spoke up gently, “Stella, Emily’s here. She has so much the wants to say to you. Could you let
ant to see me?”
The door stayed firmly closed. Emily bit her lip anxiously and whispered, “Does Stella not want t
“Stella does need some time to process this, but she’s really kind–hearted. She’ll surely understand you,” Anna assured Emily
The two of them waited in suffocating silence, the air heavy with tension.
Finally, the door slowly creaked open. Anna immediately nudged Emily’s shoulder and whispered, “Stella opened the door!”
Emily looked at Stella with hopeful eyes.
ou want?”
However, Stella remained expressionless with a bowl still in her hand. “What do you
Anna smiled and said, “Stella, Emily would like to talk with you.”
“Take this out for me,” Stella said flatly, handing her the bowl.
Max suddenly stored over, snatched the bowl from Stella, and snapped angrily, “Stella, Anna isn’t your maid. What gives you the right to boss her around like that?”
Though Stella was used to such remarks, she couldn’t help but glance at Max when she heard his words.
“Max, it’s nothing. Just a small favor, Anna interjected soothingly” “You’ve misunderstood.”
“Who knows if she’s doing this on purpose? Just because I made her some noodles, she thinks she can boss everyone around!” Max glared at Stella, nat with a brother’s affection, but with the cold intensity of an enemy.
Stella didn’t even spare Max a glance. With someone else there, she couldn’t be bothered to stoop to his level. She turned to Emilly and said flatly. “Come
Emily glanced back at Anna, her eyes silently pleading for company.
Anna gave her an encouraging nod, so Emily reluctantly stepped inside and gently closed the door behind her.
In the room, Emily felt heavy pressure that she had never experienced before.
Stella’s silence made Emily feel increasingly theasy. Just as Emily was about to run, Stella’s voice broke the tension. “You wanted to L you?”
didn’t
Emily took a deep breath, gathering all her courage before speaking hesitantly. “Stella, I’m sorry. I know this must be incredibly hard for you to accept, but Anna has truly been so kind to me. While you were away, she helped me through so much,
01:1
Chapter 27
“You know, I’ve always worked odd jobs, but it wors
renough to
off our debts. One time, data collectors even came to our house.
“If it hadn’t been for Wenja. Literally wouldn’t have known what to do. Maybe I smolida te
Stella remained utterly silent, offering neither a word not a glance to Emily.
so be here talking to you now
Emily wasn’t even sine if Stella was really listening, but since Stella didn’t interrupt or make a scene, it gave Emily the courage to go on
She said, “After getting to know Anna, I realized we might have misunderstood her. Stella, have you ever thought that maybe i
“Since you’ve both grown up together, why is it that your parents and even your brother always treat her so kindly, but not you? Do you think the Houm might be with you?”
Before Emily could finish, Stella shot her an icy glare that instantly silenced her.
“Are you done?” Stella asked, her voice low and heavy
Emily suddenly snapped, her voice rising “Stella, you can’t keep acting like this. You’re always so quick to judge others, Anna has been nothing but good to you. Do you even realize how many nights she’s cried herself to sleep since you left home?
“She was so scared that your parents and Max would see her crying, so she’d only break down in front of me. She kept saying s she’d been the one taken away instead of you
“She even attempted suicide several times. She just couldn’t come to terms with you being gone.
desperately wished
“She’s your twin sister. What you share goes far beyond just being siblings. Everything you’ve told me before was just your side of the story. Anna has always been so guilty. Why can’t you just forgive her?”
E
