Chapter 39
Once they were gone, Henry’s stern expression softened. He gazed at Stella with gentle concern. “Are you hurt?” he asked.
“I’m fine,” Stella replied, edging away to put some distance between them,
“I heard that you agreed to marry me,” Henry said, looking very pleased with her decision.
Stella glanced at him but remained silent.
Henry continued gently, “I know you’re not fully comfortable with this. But it’s not unheard of. Many young women have married older men and found happiness. And I promise, I’ll make sure you’re happy, too.”
Stella instinctively pulled away from him, but with her promise to Eleanor weighing on her, she forced herself to try to get along with Henry. She asked quietly, “Mr. Bass, are you really sure you want someone like me?”
At that moment, Stella stood there bareheaded, drawing furtive glances from passersby.
Her clothes were a mess. Though Fiona had prepared some for her, none of them fit well. They hung loosely on her thin frame, making her feel completely out of place.
“Don’t worry,” Henry assured her. “This is just temporary. You were so beautiful before, and I know you’ll be just as gorgeous in a few years.”
Stella stole glances at Henry, his tenderness feeling almost unnaturally intense. He claims he liked her before, but she was just a kid back then. She thought there was something off about him.
“Come on. I’ll take you to a place,” Henry said, reaching for her hand.
However, Stella immediately flinched away.
Henry simply smiled at her. “Alright, if you don’t want me to hold your hand, I won’t. Let’s go.”
Stella didn’t know where he was taking her. People stared at them as they walked, but Henry didn’t seem to care, and, strangely, neither did she.
She hadn’t come out with Andrew and the others, but she was sure that if they’d seen her in this situation, they’d never want to be seen walking with her.
They arrived at a boutique. Henry turned to the sales assistant and instructed her to pick out a complete outfit for Stella.
The sales assistant was taken aback when she saw Stella, her eyes widening as if she hadn’t expected to see someone so emaciated. Nonetheless, she quickly selected several outfits for Stella.
The clothes weren’t perfect, but they were a significant improvement over what Stella had been wearing before.
“I’ll take them all,” Henry said, handing his credit card to the sales assistant.
As they left the store, Henry kept his eyes on Stella. “Hmm,” he said with a warm smile, “this looks so much better on you. See? Doesn’t it look great?”
Stella had checked herself in the mirror earlier. It was a definite improvement. Not wanting to owe Henry anything, she pulled out her phone and said, “Let me pay you back.”
Henry gently held her arm, stopping her. “Stella, you’re about to be my wife. What’s wrong with me buying you a few outfits?”
“But-” Stella began, wanting to insist.
Henry interrupted softly. “Alright, don’t worry about that. There’s a wig shop just ahead with all kinds of styles. We’ll buy a few so you can change up your look whenever we go out.”
Chapter 39
After that, Henry walked ahead, with Stella following behind. Growing up in Dusty Pines taught her a hard lesson. The nicer commons was to ker more likely they were to want something in return.
But now, she thought, I have nothing left. My family isn’t doing well, either. What
could he possibly want from me?
The wig shop was packed with options. The assistant helped Stella try on several styles, each one surprisingly nice.
Though Stella wasn’t back to her best, after a few days at home, her complexion was slowly regaining its healthy glow. As she looked at herself in the mirror, she almost saw a glimpse of her former self.
Henry smiled broadly. “Perfect! We’ll take them.” With a generous gesture, he purchased five or six wigs
As they stepped outside, Henry moved closer to Stella with a gentle smile. “How about we grab a bite to eat?”
Hearing that, Stella simply nodded.
