Chapter 37
Before Max could respond, Anna gently spoke up. “Stella. Mom, Dad, and Max all love you. Maybe they don’t always show it the right way, but they really do love you.”
Andrew shot a glance at Anna with satisfaction, his anger aline. “Anna is so sensible. Stella, you’ll never measure up to your sister.”
Stella’s lips curved into a faint, icy smile. “Say whatever you want. If that’s all, I’m leaving.”
When Stella stepped outside, none of her family members bothered to
arrange a car for her.
Mary came over and whispered, “Ms. Stella Hayes, would you’re not fully recovered yet.”
you like
e me to ask them to arrange a car for you? Going out every day must be exhausting, and
Mary, who had always cared for Eleanor, was the only servant in the entire household who still treated Stella with any regard.
“Thank you, Mary, but I’ll manage. The walking helps with my recovery, and if I get too tired, I’ll just hail a cab,” Stella replied.
“But do you have any money on you?” Mary asked softly. “This is from Mrs. Eleanor Hayes. She told me not to give it to you, and she’ll try to send more later, without anyone noticing.”
Stella hesitated for a moment, but knowing it
was
a
sincere gesture from Eleanor, she accepted. “Alright, Mary. Thank you.”
“Go ahead now, and come back soon,” Mary urged gently.
With hardly any friends left, Stella texted Jordan. [Hey, do you know any reliable law firms in Seavale?]
Jordan: [Looking for a lawyer?]
Stella: [Yeah.]
Jordan: [What’s it about?]
Stella didn’t hide it from him: [It’s a share transfer agreement from my family. I’m worried they might try to pull something, so I’m having a lawyer review
it.]
Jordan: [I suggest finding a smaller firm and maybe offering them a little extra. If you go to a big one, your family might have already tipped them off.]
Stella’s heart skipped a beat. ‘Thank god I asked Jordan,‘ she thought. ‘I could’ve walked right into their trap without even realizing.
Stella: [Thanks, I’ll treat you to dinner sometime.]
Jordan: [So when will we meet up?]
Stella: [We will, but not right now.]
Jordan: [Okay. Keep me updated.]
Following Jordan’s advice, Stella walked into a small, independent law firm. She handed over 3 thousand in cash to a lawyer as soon as she entered.
The lawyer greeted her with a warm smile. “Ms. Hayes, how can I assist you today?”
Stella placed the share transfer agreement on his desk.
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Chapter 37
The lawyer studied it for a moment before looking back at her. “I’ve reviewed this carefully. Everything seerns in order. There’s no need to worry-
Stella frowned, a thought nagging at her. ‘Could the Hayes family really be this generous? They never wanted me to have any part of this before, ska wondered.
“However,” the lawyer said, pausing.
Stella fixed her gaze on him, her eyes narrowing slightly.
“Don’t rule out the possibility that they might try something underhanded later, like having you sign another contract to invalidate this one,” the lawyer added.
Stella frowned slightly. “What should I do then?”
The lawyer nodded thoughtfully. “I’d advise you not to sign anything hastily. You need to understand what they’re doing. Also, I can prepare a notarized document stating that any contract signed without your knowledge will be legally void.”
“Get it done for me,” Stella said.
The lawyer quickly drafted the document, and Stella signed it without hesitation.
“Is there anything else I can help you with, Ms. Hayes?” the lawyer asked.
Stella took a deep breath and explained her situation in detail. “How can I recover the money from my account?”
Having grasped some details of Stella’s situation, the lawyer said, “Your case is complicated, but it’s not impossible. First, we need to confirm how the funds were transferred.
“If you want to file a lawsuit, I can provide you with a checklist. All you need to do is follow it.”
