Chapter 55

Chapter 55:
What?
That was the breaking point for Haley. Hearing those words sent her into a silent rage.
She was convinced that no matter how messy things got for her, Stella would be dragged down too. She had stirred enough chaos to ruin Stella’s name.
And now? Now Stella was saying she wasn’t even harmed that night? That couldn’t be right.
She was seconds away from exploding. But with everyone watching, she swallowed her anger, even though her face said otherwise—tight jaw, clenched fists, the works.
Meanwhile, Marc—standing just a few steps away—let out a long, quiet breath. For him, the news came as a massive relief.
Marc loved Stella deeply. Even if something terrible had happened to her, he wouldn’t have walked away.
But if she really had been violated, he knew he wouldn’t be able to touch her again.
No matter how much he cared for her, he couldn’t ignore his obsession with purity. He wasn’t the kind of man who could pretend nothing had changed if his wife had been with someone else.
So when he heard that Stella had only suffered minor injuries, it felt like a blessing from above.
The fear had been eating him up inside. Now that it turned out to be false, he promised himself he’d hold onto her tighter.
He felt overwhelmed with relief and moved toward Stella, wanting to tell her to be more careful. But just as he reached out, she slapped him hard across the face.
“Didn’t I tell you to stay away from me? You make me sick.”
It wasn’t the first slap today either. She’d done it once already.
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Everyone around them gasped in shock—no one expected her to go off on Marc like that.
“Stella?” Marc stood there, stunned. His cheek stung, but he didn’t care—he just wanted to talk to her, to explain.
Stella, however, took a step back and didn’t give him the chance. “I’m not done with you yet. That patent? It’s been under a different company for a while now. Your people forced me into a deal I didn’t want, and they kept using my work after the deal expired. That’s illegal.”
When she brought up the contract, Marc remembered the one Haley had handed him. His unease was written all over his face.
“My new partners have already taken a hit because of your actions. Even if I wanted to spare you, they won’t. So you’d better be ready for a huge payout.” Her tone was icy. They were still technically married, but there wasn’t a flicker of warmth in her eyes.
Marc’s heart dropped. The contract worried him, sure—but what really scared him was how cold and done she looked.
Haley, sensing a chance to twist things, quickly jumped in. “Oh, come on, Stella! Do you really think anyone’s going to buy that story? Who would ever dare sue the Walsh Group? That patent’s been under their name for years—everyone in the industry knows it. No one would even go near it!”
In her mind, all this talk was just Stella’s way of pulling Marc back in. “You’re just trying to play the sympathy card so Marc won’t divorce you. You think that’s gonna work? What do you even have to offer? I can bring him real deals—foreign investors, key partnerships. You’ve got nothing.”
Haley never saw herself as second best to Stella. Not for a second. The only distinction lay in having met Marc at a later juncture. Yet in matters of affection, did precedence hold any relevance? The one who wasn’t loved was the real outsider!
“What have you even done besides that one lucky patent? If Marc hadn’t backed you up, you’d have been out on the streets a long time ago. That patent? He only used it because he felt sorry for you. Do you seriously think you’re some brilliant inventor?”
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