“What? Removed from the Hayes family?‘ everyone wondered, completely baffled. ‘Isn’t that something that only happens when someone dies? What is the Hayes family trying to say?
Are they thinking Stella is dead?‘
Fiona tried to explain, but Stella cut her off before she co
say a word.
“Yeah, I get it. If I were dead, the 20% stake you gave me would be gone, and I wouldn’t even have the right to inherit Grandma’s estate.
“Maybe I really shouldn’t be alive in this world. Why didn’t I just die out there three years ago instead of coming back?” Stella said.
Stella looked fierce on the outside, but everyone could see the “ess in her eyes.
She was still alive, but her family had erased her from the Hayes family. They couldn’t even imagine that.
‘All this just to keep her from getting what she deserves?‘ someone thought in disbelief.
From the very beginning, as everyone watched the Hayes family drama unfold, it became clear that Stella wasn’t the one to blame. It was those four from the Hayes family who really left everyone speechless.
“Stella, you must be confused. We would never do something like that. Maybe the DMV staff just made a mistake?” Fiona protested.
Stella stared straight at Fiona and said, “When I went to sort it out, they told me to my face that you were the one who did it. Fiona, should we pull up the security footage and see if that’s really what happened?”
People started whispering and pointing at Fiona. Fiona’s face looked absolutely awful. “Stella, I swear, that’s not true at all,” she stammered.
“Still trying to make excuses?” Stella shot back.
She’d brought her new DMV registration with her today, because she knew those four would never let things go. They’d definitely show up to cause trouble.
Stella pulled out the document and held it up to Fiona. “This is my no still Stella, but I’m no longer the Stella from your family.
DMV registration. I’m registered as a single person now. I’m
“But as long as I’m alive, I still own 20% of Hayes Group, and I still have the right to inherit Grandma’s estate.”
She continued, “Whether you like it or not, if you refuse, I’ll see you in court. I’ll make sure everyone sees your true colors.”
Andrew marched over, hand raised, about to slap her right across the face.
Jordan instantly blocked him, stepping in front of Stella and grabbing Andrew’s wrist.
vill ever touch her again,” Jordan said coldly.
“You’ve hit her enough times. From now on, as long as I’m here, no one will
Andrew felt the pressure from Jordan and finally dropped his hand.
Still, Andrew glared at Stella, his face twisted with rage. “You just have to make a scene, huh? Wasn’t it enough to stir up trouble at home? Now you have to do it out here, too. I don’t have a daughter like you.”
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Chapter 87
“Fine, I don’t have a father like you, either. Why don’t we just sever all ties right here and now?” Stella shot back
Andrew stared at her in disbelief and anger. “What did you just say? Sever ties?”
“That’s right. You don’t want me to be part of the Hayes family anyway, so let’s cut all family ties,” Stella replied.
Max was completely thrown off by Stella’s words. “Didn’t you just say you still have the right to inherit Mrs. Hayes’s estate? Now you want to sever ties? What does that even mean?”
Fiona was furious, too, no longer trying to please Stella. “What else could it mean? She’s relying on Mrs. Hayes’s kindness, knowing Mrs. Hayes will give her something sooner or later, so she wants to break off with us.”
“No way,” Andrew said firmly, without a moment’s hesitation. “You’re our daughter. What kind of misunderstanding can’t be resolved? We brought you into this world and raised you all these years, and this is how you treat us?”
Stella thought his words were just ridiculous. “Fine, if you insist on keeping this family tie, then give me back what rightfully belongs to me,” she said.
“What do you mean?” Andrew blurted out, so angry he didn’t even care who was watching.
“My place at Quentiham University. I was the one who got in, but you let Anna take my spot. I want my graduation certificate,” Stella said coldly.
Everyone was in an uproar.
The Hayes family never told anyone who actually got the acceptance letter from Quentiham University, but by the time the truth came out, it was already Anna who had it.
‘How could it possibly be Stella?‘ everyone thought in disbelief.
“Stella, I was the one who got in. Are you sure you’re not remembering it wrong?” Anna said, feigning innocence.
Hearing Anna say that, Fiona immediately caught on and played along.
“That’s right, Stella. Whatever you want, we can give it to you, but you can’t just accuse us of things that aren’t true,” Fiona chimed
- in.
“Then why don’t we just go to Quentiham University and check the
enrollment, mine or hers?” Stella retorted.
Anna and Fiona both started to panic.
Student records? Let’s see whose name is actually on
Everyone could see right through it. The Hayes family had Anna go to Quentiham University pretending to be Stella. But honestly, most people could see why they did it.
Back then, Stella had been kidnapped and disappeared for three years. With that Quentiham University acceptance letter in they couldn’t just let it go unused.
Besides, they were twins. Having one step in for the other didn’t seem all that crazy.
Stella caught the look on everyone’s faces and immediately pressed the issue. “Alright, we can put the Quentiham University diploma aside for now.
“But Anna, why don’t you tell us? What really happened with the kidnapper all those years ago?”
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Chapter 87
Everyone snapped their heads toward Anna. This was an absolute bombshell.
Anna’s eyes flickered nervously, but Andrew was the first to explode.
He jabbed a finger at Stella, his ang contained. “What are you trying to say? That your sister is some wicked witch from a
fairy tale, who hired a kidnapper to
1 you a
“Isn’t that exactly what happened?” Stella shot back. She stayed perfectly calm, fixing Anna with a cold, unblinking stare that made her squirm.
Fiona jumped in right away. “Stella, how could you even think that about Anna? She’s your sister. She’s never done anything to hurt you. Why would she ever do something like this?”
“Anna, what do you have to say for yourself?” Stella pressed. Her eyes bore into Anna, piling on the pressure once more.
Max yanked Stella aside. “Stop blaming everything on Anna. She’s so soft–hearted. She’d cry for days if she accidentally stepped on an ant. She’s always cared about you so much.
“The day you were taken, she cried non–stop, couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat, and she lost so much weight. You want to suspect me, fine, but how could you ever suspect her?”
“Anna, do you really think there’s no bad blood between us?” Stella asked, her voice steady but cold.
Anna’s eyes flickered with panic, but she tried her best to stay calm. She tried to say something, but Stella didn’t give her the chance.
Stella said, “Why don’t I show everyone this scar right here? Maybe it’s been hidden by other scars, but I can tell you all exactly what happened.
“When I was five, Anna said she wanted some hot water, so Fiona made her a cup of scalding hot water and put it on the table.”
She continued, “I was just playing nearby, totally unaware she’d knock that cup over and spill it all over me. The pain was unbearable. I cried my eyes out..
“But Anna cried even harder than I did. When Fiona saw the red marks on her, she immediately picked her up and took her away, leaving me there, still scalded and soaking in the hot water, completely ignored.”
Stella paused and continued, “Even after several days, no one noticed that I had been burned.
“I saw it clearly. Anna did it on purpose. It wasn’t until Grandma gave me a bath that she finally noticed the scar, but by then, it had already healed.”
Stella’s tone was cold as she said, “Those nights, the pain kept me from sleeping at all.
“I went to Mr. Hayes, to Fiona, even to Max, but they all said I was just being dramatic, that I only wanted attention because An was hurt. They told me to stop acting out and literally shut me outside the door.
“So, tell me, are you really going to say that never happened?”
