Chapter 201
Stella took the phone, scrolling with the detached efficiency of someone transferring funds. But after a moment, she simply handed it back
Lionel grinned, sweat still beading on his forehead. “D–did it go through? I know a transfer of that amount might take a few minutes to
Stella let out a soft, humorless laugh, “Lionel, are you serious? Did you actually think I’d give you money?”
She leaned in, her voice a razor’s edge. “Or did you forget what I just said? I told you I’d let you feel what it’s like to have your last hope ripped away. I’m not transferring a single cent.”
His smile froze. For a heartbeat, he just gaped at her, pupils dilating in dawning horror.
Nola reacted first, signaling security. Two men seized Lionel, wrenching him back before he could lunge at Stella.
“You bitch!” Lionel thrashed against their grip, voice cracking. “Just loan it to me. I’ll pay you back, every penny, I swear!”
“Pay me back?” Stella arched a brow, as if he’d told a joke. “Let’s be real. You’re millions in debt. Your family’s empire is a sinking ship. What part of that screams ‘good investment‘?”
She adjusted her blazer, her voice dropping to a dangerous calm. “Why should help you, Lionel? After everything you’ve done? If you’d shown me even an ounce of human decency when I returned, maybe things would be different. But this?”
She gestured to his groveling form. “This is all on you.”
As she turned toward the corporate tower’s revolving doors, Lionel scrambled forward on his knees. “Stella, please!” His nails scraped against concrete. “They’ll harvest my kidneys… and my liver. I’ll die in some back–alley clinic.”
The security team intercepted him as Stella stepped inside without a backward glance. The soundproof glass swallowed his screams whole.
For a moment, Stella paused in the lobby. She’d never imagined herself capable of such icy detachment. The girl who was once so kind now walked away from a man begging for his life.
But survival had taught her this: indifference wasn’t cruelty, it was body armor forged by every betrayal.
Her thoughts shattered when Nola approached, phone in hand. “The stores just called. You’ve received over three hundred floral arrangements already. Mr. Erwin sent fifty to each location.”
Stella rolled her eyes, but the corner of her mouth twitched. “Of course he did. The man’s ridiculous. If it weren’t for his espresso machine this morning, I wouldn’t even be vertical.”
Nola grinned. “That’s true love right there.”
“I never thought I’d meet him. Sometimes I wonder…” Stella’s fingers brushed against her wedding band. “If this is all some beautiful dream.”
“Trust me, ma’am,” Nola said, “no one dreams about that. Mr. Erwin’s devotion is very real.”
Stella arched an eyebrow. “Speaking of real relationships, when are you getting one?”
Nola surprised her with a playful wink. “Whenever you decide to play matchmaker, boss.”
“Consider it done,” Stella laughed as the elevator doors opened. “I know exactly the type to handle you.”
As Nola hurried off, Stella’s smile faded.
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Chapter 201
The first day’s financial report for the supermarket arrived past 11 PM. Stella couldn’t make much sense of the numbers, so she handed them! to Jordan.
Jordan scanned the figures and smiled. “Not bad at all. Day one went way better than I expected. The key is consistency. Let’s see how tomorrow goes.”
“As long as the numbers aren’t disastro
I’ll keep pushing forward,” Stella said, rubbing her temples. “I’ve assigned my entire corporate team as store managers across the new locations, and none of them have retail experience. They’re all flying blind.”
Jordan already knew why Stella hadn’t poached seasoned managers from competitors. She’d explained it before: hiring established pros meant inheriting rigid, old–school methods, and she refused to engage in cutthroat tactics that could leave others jobless.
Besides, retaliatory strikes from rivals could crush her fledgling chain before it gained footing.
“Don’t rush it,” Jordan said, squeezing her shoulder. “Slow and steady.”
Stella nodded.
Stella arrived home late, but Mary was still awake, waiting in the dim kitchen light.
Mary exhaled sharply when Stella walked in. “Every time you leave lately, I get this awful feeling you might not come back. I can’t relax until I see you safe inside this house.”
Stella pulled Mary into a hug. The housekeeper’s worry lines deepened, but she returned the embrace fiercely. “I’m being careful,” Stella murmured into her shoulder.
“It’s Andrew and Anna I don’t trust,” Mary muttered. “You watch your back out there.”
“Always.” Stella nuzzled against her briefly. Though Mary was a few years younger than Stella’s late grandmother, she still carried that comforting grandmotherly presence–a warm reminder that softened the ache of loss.
Stella hurried back to her room, a sudden discomfort pulling her toward the bathroom. When she saw the red stain on her underwear, her breath caught. Her period had come.
For most women, a monthly cycle might be an inconvenience, but for Stella, it was a triumph. Her body was finally healing. Two years had passed without a single period, and now, here it was.
She rushed out, her excitement loud enough to draw both Mary and Jordan from their rooms. They appeared in the hallway, tense until they saw the smile on her face.
“What’s wrong?” Jordan asked first.
“I–I got my period.”
Mary’s eyes instantly welled up. She hurried forward, hands trembling. “Are you serious?”
“Yes, I just went to the bathroom and noticed something different. When I checked, there it was.”
Mary pulled her into a tight embrace. “This is good. So good. It means your body is finally recovering.”
“It might not be much yet, but it’s a start.”
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Chapter 201
Jordan suddenly straightened. “Wait, we don’t have any pads or tampons, do we? Hold on, I’ll go get some
Before Stella could ask if he even knew what kind she used, he was already out the door, car keys in hand.
She hadn’t needed supplies in so long that the house had none stocked. The doctors had said her cycle might return eventually, but they couldn’t predict when. Now that it had, it was proof. Her body was finally nearing normal again.
After everything, even her time in prison, she’d assumed the damage might be permanent. But here was hope.
Mary studied her, a knowing smile forming. “Stella… this might mean you could have a baby someday.”
‘A baby?‘ The idea had always felt impossible. Without a regular cycle, her ovulation had been erratic at best. ‘But now… is it something! could actually consider?‘
Mary’s mind was already racing ahead. “When the doctor comes tomorrow, we’ll have him check you again.”
Stella’s heart swelled with anticipation.
