Chapter 309

[ 576 words ]

When Ronald left, he practically dragged Finley out with him. Honestly, sometimes Ronald felt like stitching Finley’s mouth shut and sealing it with super glue.

After lunch, Stella was waiting for Susanna in the cozy warmth of the sunroom. The sunroom was toasty, with three walls made of floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing the fluffy white snow outside, and the tree branches wrapped in glistening icicles. The butler entered the sunroom. “Miss.”

“What’s up?”

“There’s a lady with the surname Lawson at the security gate asking to see you.”

Lawson? Could it be Cloudia Lawson?

Stella raised an eyebrow. “Cloudia?”

“Yes.”

The butler nodded.

Stella’s eyebrows arched.

She’s here now? I was obvious she was here because of Jaxon.

Or maybe she came because of Jaxon and Ursula.

Stella dismissed it with a wave. “I’m not seeing her.”

She had changed her phone number, so no matter how many phones Cloudia borrowed, none would reach her. After changing her number last night, only Tabitha and Susanna had it. And those two would never share it with anyone from the Larkin family. “Understood,” said the butler.

Hearing Stella’s refusal, the butler was about to call security when Stella’s phone rang. It was Susanna.

“Star, Cloudia is literally on her knees in front of my car.”

Stella was taken aback. “What?”

Susanna continued, “She kept crying and making a fuss. My goodness! Before this, she always said you were raised in the countryside and were shrew.”

“Looking at it now, who’s the real shrew, then?”

Stella could already hear Cloudia’s wailing from the phone, a grating sound that made her eyes narrow.

“Bring her in,” Stella sighed.

“Alright.”

Before hanging up, Stella heard Susanna disdainfully tell Cloudia, “Only a mother like you would have to beg to see her own daughter. Honestly, it’s your own doing.”

…

A short while later, Susanna and Tabitha arrived with Cloudia in tow.

Stella glanced at Susanna and Tabitha. “Give me a moment.” Susanna nodded. “Sure.”

The butler instructed the staff to lead them to the conservatory, not intending to leave himself. Ronald had strictly instructed him to be present if Stella met anyone from the Larkin family.

Ronald was right; the Larkin family would stop at nothing to see Stella. The current situation showed no signs of them reflecting on their actions; instead, they seemed desperate.

Stella sipped her coffee, not sparing Cloudia a glance.

After Jaxon’s injury, Cloudia looked visibly older and more worn. She sat opposite her, seething at Stella’s indifference.

Unable to bear the oppressive silence, she spoke first. “I know what happened.”

Stella remained nonchalant. “Oh? And?”

Her casual response only fueled Cloudia’s anger. Her voice trembled with barely suppressed rage. “He’s your brother, no matter his mistakes. And you let an outsider hurt him? Do you even know? His hand is ruined, he might never regain its strength?”

As she spoke, Cloudia’s voice rose, despite her earlier resolve to stay calm.

Ursula urgently needed medical resources, Jaxon was injured, their company was in turmoil, and her marriage to Blaise was on the rocks.

And the common denominator in all this chaos? Stella.

No matter what, Cloudia needed to talk to Stella- the only one who could calm the storm. But seeing Stella’s unbothered demeanor ignited Cloudia’s frustration beyond control. Her choice of the word ‘outsider’ struck a nerve with Stella.

With a loud thud, Stella slammed her cup onto the wooden table.

Coffee splashed across the surface as her icy gaze locked onto Cloudia’s. “Are you here to lecture me, Mrs. Larkin? Or to interrogate me?”

Her tone matched her frosty stare.

Cloudia’s pent-up frustration finally erupted. “Stella, tell me, what do you want?”

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