Chapter 284

[ 616 words ]

With just Stella and Ronald left in the room, Ronald glanced over at Stella with a teasing smirk. “If you keep going, you might get your face stuck in that bowl.” Stella shot him an exasperated look but didn’t say anything.

Ronald’s demeanor had shifted completely from the stern expression he had shown Finley earlier. Now, he was all smiles.

“Come here,” he said, his voice gentle.

Stella reluctantly moved over to sit beside him. Ronald reached out and began to untie the scarf around her neck.

“What are you doing?” Stella exclaimed, clamping her hand over the scarf to stop him.

If he took it off, everyone would see. And if they all started asking questions like Finley did, what would she say?

“You really think keeping it covered means no one knows?” Ronald raised an eyebrow at her.

Stella’s heart sank. “So everyone knows now?” she asked, her eyes pleading as she looked up at him.

If word got back to Ferrowland, her mother and Yvonne would surely find out. The thought made Stella’s mind spin with anxiety.

She tugged at Ronald’s sleeve, feeling the weight of the situation.

Just then, Ronald placed a freshly baked biscuit into her bowl. His laugh was soft when he noticed her tugging. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m scared,” Stella admitted in a quiet voice.

She wasn’t just saying it; she truly felt that way. She could handle anyone else finding out, but facing her mother’s questions? That was a another story entirely.

Ronald took a measured sip of milk, his eyes never leaving hers. “Didn’t I already give you the solution?”

“You mean just say it was all your idea?” she asked, her eyes searching his.

Ronald met her gaze, his eyes as deep and mysterious as a starry night sky. Stella swallowed hard. “But wouldn’t that ruin your reputation?”

She lowered her head, worried. For years, she had kept her feelings locked away, uncertain of Ronald’s true intentions. She didn’t want to bring disgrace to the Lugar family or Quinn families- both so influential in Ferrowland.

Though they weren’t related by blood, the world saw them as siblings. Her mother always introduced her as “my youngest daughter” at social gatherings, making the situation between them all more tangled. Ronald gently lifted her chin with his thumb and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “Who would dare?” he said, his voice full of confidence and authority.

Stella’s heart skipped a beat, and her eyes welled up with tears.

Ronald brushed a thumb across her cheek. “Don’t you trust me, Star?”

“It’s not that. I just…”

“No one in Ferrowland has any right to meddle in the Lugar family’s affairs.”

Stella nodded, her heart fluttering again. Ronald was right. No one had the authority to challenge the Lugar family. If Ronald was willing to take the risk, surely no one else would dare say a word. She sniffed and looked up at him, her eyes meeting his. “So, if Yvonne asks, I should just tell her that?”

Ronald chuckled softly, giving her earlobe a playful tug. “Yes.”

Stella hesitated for a moment before asking, “When did you start feeling this way about me?”

Ronald seemed amused by the question. “What do you mean?”

“You know… when did you start having those feelings?” she pressed. Memories of his feigned obliviousness flashed through her mind.

Back then, it had terrified her, every unexpected gesture of his making her heart race uncontrollably. Hiding her own feelings had always been a struggle. And now, with the marks he left on her, it had become even more precarious.

But it turned gut he knew everything all along and was just teasing her. The realization made her want to retaliate with a playful bite. Yet, when her eyes landed on the faint

bruise on his neck, she decided to let it go.

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