Chapter 501

Chapter 501:
She remembered the moment she’d spotted those SM-labeled crates at the warehouse—how, for a split second, she’d doubted Shaun.
But since then, the Smith Group had stayed strangely quiet. Not only that, Shaun had helped her a lot.
Was it possible she’d been wrong about him? So, Shaun and Haley were truly connected?
Regret crept in as she glanced at William, her anger dissolving into something gentler. “I shouldn’t have snapped at you earlier. I hear what you’re saying, but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t try to control my choices. Let me handle things my way, okay?”
William stood there awkwardly, realizing he’d overstepped. He wasn’t Stella’s boyfriend, and he certainly wasn’t family, so he had no right to act so controlling.
Sensing the tension ease, William let go of her wrist, his voice quiet. “Alright. I get it.”
Stella studied him for a moment, making sure he wasn’t badly hurt. Satisfied, she offered a polite nod. “You’re fine, so I’m heading home. See you at the lab tomorrow.”
He watched her walk away, regret tightening his chest.
When she disappeared down the hall, William pressed his fingers to his temples, berating himself for letting his emotions get the better of him. He knew he’d complicated things between them, turning their already shaky connection into something strained and uncertain.
Stella slumped into the backseat of the cab, her gaze fixed on the blur of city lights sliding past the window. Her thoughts wandered aimlessly—until she suddenly caught sight of Shaun, lingering on the sidewalk when he was supposed to be long gone.
The taxi rolled to a stop at a red light. On instinct, Stella leaned over and cranked the window down, meaning to call out. But Shaun had already turned away, his arm raised in an enthusiastic wave to someone across the street. Curiosity prickled at Stella. She craned her neck, following Shaun’s line of sight. Just as the light flicked green and the taxi lurched forward, a shadow flickered in her vision.
For a split second, it looked like Haley.
Stella twisted to peer through the back window, but the view had already dissolved into streaks of color. Still, she couldn’t shake the certainty that it was Haley.
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William’s warning replayed in her mind, growing louder with each passing block. Was it possible that Shaun was connected to Haley after all? The thought gnawed at her.
She barely remembered the ride home. The moment Stella set her purse down, her phone buzzed. Sharon’s name flashed across the screen.
“Stel, you home? Mind if I drop by?”
Stella’s chest eased a little. Sharon’s easy warmth always had a way of grounding her.
After the chaos on the yacht, Sharon had barely slept from worry, but her own workload had kept her tied up until now.
Stella let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “Just walked in. Come on over.”
Sharon’s laugh rang out. “Lucky you—I’m right outside your building. Give me a moment, I’m coming!”
True to her word, Sharon was knocking at Stella’s door before she could even kick off her shoes.
.
.
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