Chapter 51
Fiona stared at Stella anxiously, willing her to make a decision quickly
Eleanor gripped Stella’s hand tightly and declared, “With me here today, as long as you don’t want to marry, I’ll never let anyone force you into it
Just then, Herry walked in. His smile sent chills down everyone’s spint
Eleanor felt Stella’s hand trembling in her grasp
“Eleanor.” Henry greeted.
Eleanor said distantly, “Henry, so you’re here.”
Henry replied, “Yeah, you’re all here. Stella, are you ready? Let’s go get our marriage license right away”
His eyes crinkled with a smug smile, as if to say, “Stella, you
ou must realize your predicament. What good did running back do? Even if I don’t come for you, they’ll deliver you to me themselves
“Grandma, I won’t marry him Stella cried out. At this point, she couldn’t care less about anything else. She thought, ‘T’d rather die than many Henry.”
“Alright t
it then, you won’t marry him,” Eleanor affirmed firmly
Fiona pleaded anxiously, “Mom, what on earth are you talking about? How can she not marry him? Henry’s already here.”
Eleanor said, “Let anyone else marry him if they want. Stella has suffered terribly for three long years out there. You may not care, but my heart breaks
for her.
“Maybe I won’t be able to protect her forever, b
, but as long as I draw breath, I will never allow her to marry Henry”
“Mom!” Fiona cried out, frantic with worry.
Fiona was beside herself with
hanxiety.
Eleanor continued, “Henry, thank you for your prior investment in our family. I will repay you as soon as possible, and we’ll handle any future matters
burselves”
Henry smiled condescendingly. He said, “With all due respect, Eleanor, what exactly can you repay me with? You may have quite a few shares, but they’re practically worthless
“And don’t forget, my involvement went far beyond just investing in your family. It was my intervention that made Troy back off. So, how do you plan to repay a favor kike that?
“Of course, I mean nothing else by it. I simply want to take the woman I want with me. I promised you I’d treat her well, Eleanor isn’t your greatest wish for Stolia to enjoy a lid of comfort?
“Well, that’s exactly what I can offer.”
Stella kept shaking her head frantically. She pleaded, “No, Grandma, it’s not like that. Please, don’t believe a word he says”
Lleanor gazed intently at Stella and asked, “Stella, my dear, tell me what exactly they have done to you?”
Andrew shot Hax a meaningful look, and Max came to Stella’s side. He said, “Come on. Don’t keep Henry waiting”
Stella shoved Max away and snapped, “I’m not going”
Seizing the moment while Eleanor was distracted, Max leaned in close to Stella’s war and whispered, “Don’t make me hurt you.”
Chapter 51
Stella thought bitterly, ‘Inever expected Max to love me, but at the very least, he shouldn’t be throwing me to the wolves Since they show no mercy, neither will L‘ Without warning, the sank her teeth deep inta Har’s arm.
Max let out a sharp cry, pain shooting through him,
Fiona rushed over and pulled Stella away, but when that didn’t work, she pinched Stella’s nose shut. Even after Stella had let go of May, i Her fingers clamped tightly over Stella’s nose,
All at once, the room erupted into chaos.
Eleanor tried to reach out to help Stella, but Anna quickly stood up, blocking her path. Anna said, “Grandma, please
don’t go. Your body won’t be able to
take this
“Get out of my way,” Eleanor snapped.
Eleanor’s attention was fixed entirely on Stella. When she saw Fiona dragging Stella away, she grew frantic with worry. In her panic, she inadvertently
used too much force, sonding Anna tumbling to the ground.
Anna screamed.
At the sudden cry, Fiona quickly released Stella and rushed to Anna’s side. She asked anxiously. “Anna, are you alright?”
Anna replied, “I’m fine, Mom. Don’t worry about me. Just handle the family matters first.
Fiona’s fury swelled. She dared not confront Eleanor, so she suddenly lashed out at Stella with a violent shove
The force sent Stella toppling over the second–floor railing, crashing down onto the marble floor below with a sickening thud.
A deathly silence fell over the room.
Eleanor was the first to react. “Stella” she cried out frantically,
Henry was also stunned. He thought, I can’t let anything happen to Stella. I haven’t found anyone else who could replace her as the vital blood source for my first love. Stella has to stay alive!
Max and Andrew moved together. Fiona and Anna stood frozen in horror at what had just happened.
“Mom, is she dead? Annia asked, her voice trembling with fear.
Fiona replied, “No. How could she die? It was just a fall from the second floor” Although she said so, her confidence was crumbling inside.
She thought. ‘Il Stella diod, I’d be a murderer. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life in prison”
Martin arrived just then. Upon hearing that Stella had fallen from the second floor, he rushed to examine her
“Martin, how is she?” Max asked nervously.
Martin replied, “She just passed out. Thank goodness it was only the second floor. Any higher and she would have been in danger”
Everyone breached a sigh of relief when they heard Stella was okay.
Eleanor was about to reach out to pick Stella up when Andrew interjected, “Mom, can you manage her? Let Max do it.”
Eleanor replied, “Absolutely not. If even her mother could nearly kill Stella, I certainly won’t trust a brother who’s always resented her Someone, help me carry her upstairs.”
Just as the servants wore about to step forward, to everyone’s shock, police cars pulled up outside.
Fiona was on the verge of a breakdown, panic stricken. “Why are the police here? Who called them?” she cried out frantically.
Chapter 51
She pondered, ‘Stella couldn’t have called, she’s unconscious. And Elelor didn’t have time. Did someone else in Are they going to arrest me?”
Just as Fiona’s mind raced, several police officers entered. The lead officer’s gaze immediately landed on Henry
“Mr. Bass, we have evidence linking you to a homicide. You’ll need to come with us,” the officer said.
Everyone was stunned into silence.
report thist Of no, thirà.
Henry was momentarily stunned, but then, without a flicker of emotion, he stepped forward with practiced calm. He said, “Officers, there must be some mistake. How could I possibly commit murder?”
The officer said, “Last night, we received a formal accusation against you, filed under the informant’s meal name. Our investigation has uncovered substantial evidence. You’re required to come with us to the police station immediately
Henry, still putting on an act, protested, “How could I possibly kill someone? There must be some mistake”
The lead officer produced two photographs and thrust them toward Henry. He pressed, “Do you recognize these two women?”
The entire Hayes family saw the photos, and they recognized that the two women were unmistakably Henry’s former
Seeing Henry remain silent, the officer declared, “Both deaths are connected to you. You’re coming with us for questioning” with that, he seized Henry’s
Henry suddenly became agitated and exclaimed, “It wasn’t me. You’ve got it all wrong. When both my wives died, no one suffered more than I did. [lowed them dearly. How could I possibly have killed them?
“What’s more, it really did it, why didn’t their families report it to the police?”
Stella stirred, trying to push herself up, but it was a struggle. Eleanor reached out to steady her. Stella weakly raised her hand. Her voice was hoarse but resolute as she said, “I was the one who called the police.
“Henry, you’ll never get another drop of blood from me again
