Chapter 43

Chapter 43:
Stella drew several shaky breaths, fighting to keep her composure, but a tremor still ran through her limbs.
Her words came out unsteady, laced with vulnerability. “I’m… all right, thanks.”
Noticing the glimmer in her eyes, William’s expression tightened, his tone softening without thinking. “Come on. Let’s get you out of here.”
She nodded and tried to rise on her own, but the moment she put weight on her legs, they buckled beneath her. William, close at hand, caught her before she could hit the ground.
Before she could utter a word of protest, he had already scooped her into his arms.
A startled breath escaped her lips as she instinctively clung to his shoulders for balance.
William said nothing, simply tightening his grip and shifting her weight more securely against his chest.
“Careful,” he murmured.
Then, without another word, he carried her steadily from the room.
Stella clung to him, her grip tightening as she inadvertently pressed against his chest.
No matter how carefully she tried to shift, her body brushed his with every small movement.
From where William stood, he couldn’t help but notice the fleeting closeness of her chest against him, each soft contact tightening his jaw.
A flush rose in his face as he quickly looked away, carrying Stella in tense silence toward the car.
At the hospital, the doctor gave her a meticulous checkup. The scrapes were superficial—just a few days and they’d be gone. For now, they hooked up an IV to flush the remaining drugs out of her system before she’d be cleared to leave.
Stella sat motionless on the hospital bed, her gaze distant and shuttered. William remained close, hunched over his phone in silence, doing nothing to add to the weight already pressing down on her.
L𝑎t𝑒st ch𝑎pt𝑒rs in
Luca arrived soon after, pausing beside William. “Mr. Briggs, we’ve identified those people, but…”
His voice faltered, uncertainty flickering in his eyes as he glanced at Stella. William understood Luca’s hesitation, especially with Stella there—but he looked her way, then gave a quiet nod. “Say it.” She deserved the truth.
“Some of them carry infectious diseases. If they’d laid a hand on Ms. Russell, the fallout would have been catastrophic.” Luca was visibly shaken when he initially heard it.
What kind of grudge could push someone to hire people this dangerous just to target Stella?
William’s gaze sharpened, his expression turning icy.
On the hospital bed, Stella’s fists twisted the blanket until her knuckles blanched.
Haley clearly meant to destroy her, no matter the cost.
After a tense pause, Stella finally turned to William. “Mr. Briggs, thank you for everything you’ve done today. But from here on out, I’ll handle it myself.” She didn’t want to drag William into her mess. This wasn’t his battle, and she refused to be in his debt.
Her voice sounded steady, almost detached, as if nothing could shake her. But William could see she wasn’t thinking clearly—not after everything she’d just endured.
How was she supposed to face this alone?
Pure bravado, but he had no reason to step into it.
William shot her a brief look, gave a faint nod, and rose to quietly exit the room. Left alone, Stella bristled with a fury that made her whole body tense.
She had never wanted more than a clean divorce and to reclaim what belonged to her. Even Marc’s betrayal with Haley could have been something she endured in silence.
The two of them were beneath her contempt; she’d hoped karma would take care of them in the end.
But their relentless cruelty had gone too far, crossing every line in their desperate attempts to destroy her.
If that was how they wanted to play, then she was finished being merciful. She would hit back with everything she had—and make sure they regretted every move.
Kicking off the covers, she pushed herself upright, the decision igniting her every nerve. Just as she started pulling on her coat, William paused in the doorway, catching the sound of her movements.
His voice cut through the silence. “Where do you think you’re going? Your IV’s still running.”
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