Chapter 11

[ 634 words ]

Chatting about Tegan, Susanna suddenly recalled something.

“Last time we talked through the phone, Tegan mentioned the hospital got this verified batch of diet pills. Wanna check it out with me tomorrow?”

Sipping her Coke, Stella gave Susanna a once-over, “Why would you need that?”

She was not even close to overweight!

“It’s for my cousin. He’s hit 200 pounds and is pretty much on the brink of depression over his weight.”

Stella shrugged, “Sure, why not.”

To her, life was too short to fret over looks, especially when it came to losing weight. The whole ordeal was just a fast track to misery – couldn’t enjoy your food, couldn’t dress how you wanted. And you ended up being your own worst critic.

As Stella headed home after parting ways with Susanna, her mood darkened at the sight of the clutter yet to be cleared on her sofa.

Walking over and seated, she pulled out a receipt from one of the shopping bags, and got momentarily stunned as her eyes glazed over the payment account.

Buzz, buzz.

Her phone vibrated.

Stella took a glance – it was a call from Blaise’s secretary.

The purpose of the Larkins’ call was palpable. She didn’t bother picking up, and just hit decline. Soon after, Blaise himself called. Stella, sticking to her guns, ignored it as well.

…

Over at the Larkin’s place, Blaise wasn’t pleased seeing Stella dodge every call, his gaze turning to Cloudia.

“Didn’t I say to keep Ursula away from her, to avoid any run-ins?”

Cloudia’s expression soured, “It’s not Ursula’s fault this time, she…Oh, never mind!”

Whenever it came to Stella and Ursula clashing, Cloudia found herself at a loss for words.

Blaise glanced at the photos of Yorick and Ursula at the hospital making rounds on social media. “Her sister’s fiancée tags along to the hospital, tell me is she a fool or is it that you are brainless?” Cloudia stammered, “I…”

Blaise was fuming, “I already had specialists lined up for her. Why did she need to drag Yorick into this?”

Despite his lingering anger over Yorick’s family’s past opposition to Ursula, Blaise had expected better judgment.

Since Yorick had ended things with Ursula and he’d already become Stella’s fiancé, he should have extinguished any possible misunderstanding between him and Ursula in private.

“Ursula’s that sick, and I just wanted to cheer her up. You know she and Yorick have been close since middle school. They’ve grown up together, there’s affection between them,” Cloudia tried to reason. “Affection? Are you really bringing up their past ‘affection’? Are they supposed to have that?”

Blaise’s stern demeanor said it all.

Cloudia fell silent at his words, knowing full well the logic but also the complexity of emotions involved.

Blaise then ordered his secretary, “Get the car ready.”

“This late? Where to?”

Cloudia, noticing his intention of departure, instinctively checked the time.

“Silk-River Residences!” Blaise responded.

Was he going to meet Stella?

Cloudia said, “I’m coming with you.”

“No need. You’ll just end up arguing with her.”

Blaise’s dissatisfaction with Cloudia and Stella’s rocky relationship was no secret.

Hearing his blunt refusal, Cloudia felt wronged.

“Am I the one who wants to argue? She’s the one who’s always so defiant. You haven’t seen how rebellious she can be. She’s like a debt collector.”

Blaise countered, “We weren’t there for her when she needed us most. Isn’t her attitude justified?”

Unlike Cloudia, Blaise harbored a sense of guilt towards Stella.

His words left Cloudia unable to fight back.

Leaving, as if thinking of something, Blaise gazed at Cloudia, “Did you cut her off financially again?” “Well, yes, I did!”

“That was foolish. Are you serious going to push our daughter further away?”

Especially with Ursula back in town, the action would only deepen Stella’s resentment.

Blaise was livid.

Cloudia retorted, “You didn’t see how she treated me today. I just…”

“”Reactivate it now!”

Blaise issued his command, not desiring to hearing more of Cloudia’s debate.

Reluctantly, Cloudia didn’t dare to resist, “Fine, I’ll call the bank when they work tomorrow.”

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