Taking Back the Charm: He Panicked

Everyone in South City knew that Stella Wallace and Julian Quinn were famous for never getting along. As Julian’s fiancee in name only, Stella had laid out three rules. He was not allowed to go street racing. He was not allowed to stay out all night. Above all, he was not allowed to go see his crush, Yara Xenford. Julian deliberately went against her. He would either race along every inch of South City’s mountain roads or spend the entire night drinking at a private club until he could barely stand. On Stella’s birthday, he even purposely kissed Yara under a sky full of fireworks. He made a complete fool of Stella in front of everyone. Everyone was waiting for the drama to begin. They were sure that Stella, South City’s most sought-after socialite, would see the photos of Julian and Yara kissing all over the internet and storm over there and would drag that reckless playboy home. An hour after the photos went viral, Stella finally showed up. But she did not lose her temper, and she did not drag Julian home. She simply walked up to him and held out her hand. Her voice was so soft that it almost seemed to disappear into the air. “Julian, seven years ago, I gave you a lucky charm. Can you return it to me?” The private room went completely silent. Julian froze too. He instinctively reached up and touched the red lucky charm around his neck. Seven years ago, he had gotten into a car accident while street racing. He remained in the ICU for an entire day and night before he finally woke up. The first person he saw was Stella. Chapter 1 Stella Wallace’s eyes were red from crying, and she looked much thinner than before. When she saw Julian Quinn open his eyes, tears streamed down her face again. She took the lucky charm from around her neck and awkwardly put it around his neck. “My grandma gave this to me. I wore it ever since I was a little girl, and I was never hurt as long as I had it with me.” Her voice had been hoarse and stern that day. “I’m giving it to you now. Julian, you’d better keep it on. From now on, you’re not allowed to get hurt ever again.” Julian had always hated his fiancee. He should have taken the lucky charm off right then and thrown it back in her face. But for some reason, he did not. He only let out a cold chuckle. “That’s pretty bossy. What, am I not allowed to take it off for the rest of my life?” She had stayed silent. Then, she said softly, “You can take it off the day I stop loving you. When that day comes, I’ll come and take it back myself.” For some reason, those words stirred a strange feeling in him. He could not explain what it was. He quickly pushed it aside. He stayed on the couch and let out a careless, mocking laugh. “What do you want it back for?” “No reason.” Stella’s voice was calm and distant. “I just don’t want you to have it anymore.” That same inexplicable irritation rose inside Julian again. He looked at the face he had known better than anyone else’s for as long as he could remember. Ever since they were children, she had always had that same gentle and proper look of a well-bred young lady. She was always so composed. She was always so restrained. She had always seemed boring to him. He remembered how she had followed him around all those years. He recalled how she was always telling him what to do and what not to do. Suddenly, he thought he understood. “Oh…” He let out a breath. A cocky smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, and his eyes shone with mockery. “After all these years, you finally realized that clinging to me isn’t going to make me fall for you, and now you’re trying to play hard to get, aren’t you?” Stella said nothing. Julian was convinced that he had figured her out. He stood up and looked down at her. “Fine! If you want to play hard to get, go right ahead. If you want your lucky charm back, that’s fine too. Eat the plate of mangoes on the table, and I’ll give it back to you.” As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the room gasped. Yara Xenford was the first to speak up. She tugged on Julian’s sleeve and whispered, “Julian… isn’t that a little too much? Ms. Wallace is allergic to mangoes.” Julian did not even look at her. His eyes stayed fixed on Stella. “If she thinks it’s too much, she doesn’t have to eat it. I’m not forcing her.” As soon as he finished speaking, Stella sat down in front of the coffee table. She picked up a piece of mango and put it in her mouth. She chewed and swallowed. After the first piece, her lips started to turn red. After the second, tiny red bumps appeared on her cheeks. After the third, her breathing became labored, and large red patches appeared across her neck. The room fell completely silent. Julian stared at her. Her pale skin quickly turned red, and her breathing came out raspy. She did not stop. She kept pushing mangoes into her mouth. She did not stop until the plate was empty. Then, she finally looked up. Her eyes were so swollen that she could barely open them. Her lips had turned dark purple. Her voice came out in broken gasps, as if she had used every last bit of her strength. “I… ate it all. Can you… return it to me now?” Julian’s anger flared even more. He suddenly kicked the coffee table in front of him. The glass shattered with a sharp, piercing crash. “Take it!” He yanked the lucky charm from around his neck and hurled it at her. “Get out!” With that, he grabbed Yara’s hand and walked out without looking back. The others took the hint and quietly slipped out too. Just as Julian was about to walk out the door, a dull thud sounded behind him. Yara turned around and cried out, “Julian, Ms. Wallace collapsed! Her allergic reaction is really bad! Is she going to be okay? Should we take her to the hospital?” Julian stopped and instinctively looked back. Stella was curled up on the floor. Her whole body was shaking, and the rash had spread across her face. Her breathing was heavy and labored. His heart ached. He was about to walk over to her when Yara suddenly twisted her ankle and fell into his arms. He immediately turned around and caught her. His brows drew together. “How did you twist your ankle? Does it hurt?” Yara leaned against him with a helpless look on her face. “I’m fine… I can handle it. You should go check on Ms. Wallace. She looks really bad…” Julian glanced back at Stella on the floor in disgust. He felt a strange wave of irritation for some reason, but his voice remained cold. “Leave her alone. She chose to eat the mangoes. If she dies, that’s her own fault. At least, I won’t have to deal with her anymore. I’ll take you to the hospital and have your ankle checked.” With that, he took Yara in his arms and walked out of the room. The private room fell silent again. Stella lay on the floor. She used the last of her strength to pull her phone from her pocket and dial 911. “I’m… at The Belle Club in South City… third floor… Room 308…” Her voice was broken and barely audible. “I’m having an allergic reaction… I need an ambulance…” After she hung up, she pressed her face against the cold floor. She could feel herself slowly losing consciousness. “Don’t worry, Julian…” she whispered. Her voice was soft and faint. “I won’t bother you… for much longer.” She thought, ‘You still don’t know. ‘They found out that I’m not really the Wallace family’s daughter. ‘The real daughter’s coming back soon. ‘I’m leaving this place.’ Chapter 2 Stella was the heiress to the Wallace family. She had been raised under strict rules since she was little. She was skilled at everything from playing the piano to calligraphy and painting. In everyone’s eyes, she was the perfect young lady from a prestigious family. Only Stella knew how suffocating that rigid life was. There was a time set for everything. She had to wake up at a certain hour, practice the piano at a certain hour, and study at a certain hour. Even the exact angle of her smile had been decided for her. She was like a piece of art that someone had carefully crafted. She was beautiful and flawless, but she had no soul of her own. Then, Julian came into her life. He was South City’s most notorious playboy. He was good at everything from street racing and fighting to extreme sports. He lived however he wanted. He was bold, reckless, and completely free, like a gust of wind that no one could hold back. The first time she saw him was at a gathering of their two families. He was an hour late. He came roaring in on a motorcycle. When he took off his helmet, his hair was a complete mess from the wind, but his face was still unbelievably handsome. He flashed everyone a grin and said, “Traffic was terrible.” Then, he sat down without a care in the world. He glanced at her with his striking, flirtatious eyes and lifted his chin at her. That night, Stella could not sleep. She had never met anyone like him. Every part of him seemed to cry out for freedom. She, on the other hand, was trapped inside a beautiful cage. She could not even spread her wings. The day she found out that their families had arranged a marriage between them years ago, she was so happy that she could not sleep at all. But she had never expected Julian to hate her. He had hated her from the moment they first met. He called her fake and boring. He said she was dull and lifeless. Later, he fell in love with Yara, a young woman who went to school on a scholarship for students from low-income families. The way he looked at her was so gentle that it seemed as if his gaze could melt. He tried every possible way to call off the engagement, but none of them worked. In the end, he simply gave up. He kept the title of her fiance, but he kept putting off their wedding. Anything she did not want him to do, he only did more of. He took Yara out in public and flaunted their relationship. This completely humiliated Stella, his fiancee. She had no choice but to follow him around every day. All the while, she tried to keep him in line and stop him from doing reckless things. Because of it, she had become the annoying shadow that was always at his heels. But she thought he would eventually see how much she cared about him. Perhaps one day, he would realize that she was not boring, but she simply did not know how to express herself. She waited year after year. By the time her heart had gone completely cold, he still had not looked back at her even once. Everything changed a week ago. Her parents called her into their room and told her the truth that would change her life forever. She was not the Wallace family’s real daughter. The hospital had switched the babies by mistake all those years ago. The Wallace family’s real daughter was someone else. Her parents had complicated looks on their faces. They looked guilty and troubled, but more than anything, they looked relieved. “Stella, we know this is hard for you to accept.” Liam Wallace’s voice was low. “But Yvonne has suffered a lot out there. We want to make it up to her. She’ll be coming home at the end of the month. We hope you can… leave by then.” Stella was silent. Then, she asked, “What about the engagement with the Quinn family?” Natalie Smith glanced at her before turning away. “The engagement was between our two families. Now that we know the babies were switched, the engagement… naturally is for our real daughter. We want you to leave and cut all contact with Julian. “The wedding between the two families will take place as soon as possible. When it does, you’re not to attend.” At that moment, Stella felt something inside her shatter completely. She said nothing. She simply nodded and accepted it. All these years, she had tried everything she could to make Julian fall for her, but she had failed. She was exhausted. She had spent all these years trying to be the perfect young lady from a prestigious family. She was tired of that too. If none of it had ever truly belonged to her, then she wanted none of it anymore. The only thing she wanted was the lucky charm her grandmother had given her before she died. It was the last thing in this world that truly belonged to her. Stella’s vision grew increasingly blurry. The sound of an ambulance grew louder in the distance. Stella finally closed her eyes. Chapter 3 When Stella woke up, the smell of disinfectant reached her nose first. She slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was the stark white ceiling. The hospital room was quiet. It was so quiet that she could hear the drops from the IV. She turned toward the bedside. No one was there. She was not surprised. Julian would not come. Neither would anyone from the Wallace family. For the next few days, she stayed in the hospital by herself. News alerts popped up on her phone every day. They were all about Julian and Yara. Julian had taken Yara to see a private doctor. He had bought her an entire row of limited-edition handbags. He had taken her to the beach to cheer her up… In the past, whenever she saw news like that, she would drop everything and rush over to find him. She would pull him away from Yara and take him home. But this time, she simply dismissed the notifications. She quietly changed her bandages, ate her meals, and went to sleep. Once she had almost fully recovered, she completed the discharge paperwork. Then, she took a cab back to the villa where she had lived for several years. Their families had forced Julian and Stella to live together in the villa so they could develop a relationship. Stella had been overjoyed at the time. She had spent three whole months designing and decorating the place herself. She had arranged every corner to look like the home she had always imagined. She had chosen the pale blue curtains in the living room. She had designed the bookshelves in the study. She had brought every piece of tableware in the kitchen back from overseas herself. None of it belonged to her anymore. She went upstairs and began packing the things she planned to take with her. She had only sorted through half the clothes in her closet when her phone rang. It was Julian’s friend, Colin Lawrence. “Stella, this is bad!” Colin sounded frantic. “That idiot Julian is going horse racing just to win Yara some stupid necklace! He still hasn’t had the metal plate in his leg removed after he broke it street racing last time! If he falls again, he could lose his leg entirely!” Stella was silent for a moment. Then, she said calmly, “So? What does that have to do with me?” “What does that have to do with you?!” Colin was stunned. Then, his voice rose. “Of course it has everything to do with you! We need you to come stop him! After all these years, you’re the only person he listens to!” “He’s not going to listen to me,” Stella said. “I’m not going to worry about him anymore. He can do whatever he wants. It has nothing to do with me.” “What are you talking about?! Stella, have you lost your mind? You—” Stella did not wait for him to finish. She hung up and went back to folding her clothes. But her phone rang again soon after. It was Colin again. This time, she turned off her phone without answering. That evening, she turned on the TV and saw a local news report. [The Quinn Heir Julian Quinn Thrown from Horse During Race, Rushed to Hospital] She was not surprised. She did not give the report another glance. She turned off the TV and went to bed. Not long after, hurried footsteps sounded downstairs. She ignored them and lay down. The next second, her bedroom door flew open. Julian stood in the doorway in hospital pajamas. His left arm was in a sling, and his face was pale from blood loss. But his eyes were still as sharp as a hawk’s as he scanned the room. Stella froze for a moment. She pushed herself upright with one hand. “Why are you back?” Julian stared at her cold, indifferent face. His eyes widened. Then, he gave a cold laugh, like an angry animal that had been provoked. “Why am I back? I came back because I was worried you’d make a scene over my horse racing again and smash every car I have left in the garage!” Stella remembered what he was talking about. The last time he had gotten into a car accident while street racing for Yara, Stella had been terrified that he would die somewhere out there. In a fit of anger, she had ordered someone to smash all the luxury cars in his garage. There had been more than ten of them. Afterward, he pointed at her and called her controlling and crazy. The memory was painfully clear. She took a deep breath and pushed down the faint ache in her chest. She kept her voice as calm as possible. “You’re imagining things. I didn’t touch your cars. From now on, you can do whatever you want. I’m not going to stop you.” As soon as she said it, Stella felt a strange sense of relief. Julian froze. This was the freedom he had wanted for years! Yet when he heard those words from her, an inexplicable irritation began to spread through him. Chapter 4 “Stella, what do you mean by that?!” He strode toward her. His eyes shone with suspicion. “Have you really gotten so comfortable with this whole playing-hard-to-get act that you didn’t care when Yara and I appeared on the news? You didn’t even care when I got thrown from a horse and ended up in the hospital. “You really have the nerve to say you’re not going to care about me anymore after all that happened?” He leaned down and cast a shadow over her. His voice was full of mockery. “Stella, I’m only going to say this once. Stop using the same old trick to get my attention. It’s not going to work!” Stella was exhausted. She was about to tell him that he had gotten the wrong idea when a soft, tearful voice came from the doorway. “Ms. Wallace…” Yara was there. Stella had no idea when she had arrived. Her eyes were teary, and her body trembled slightly. She looked as if the slightest breeze could knock her over. She timidly took two steps forward. Her eyes shifted between Julian and Stella before she lowered her head. Her voice was barely more than a whisper. “Ms. Wallace, please… If you’re angry, take it out on me. Don’t argue with Julian. His injuries haven’t healed yet…” Before she could finish, tears streamed down her face. “I know… I know I’m not good enough for Julian.” She covered her mouth, and her shoulders shook as she cried. “After you two get married, I’ll go far away and never show up again. For now, please just be kind enough to let me stay a little longer so I can see him a few more times… Is that okay?” Her words cut straight into Julian’s heart. “Yara, what are you talking about?!” Julian’s expression changed instantly. He instinctively strode over and pulled Yara into his arms. He held her so tightly as if he wanted to protect her with his entire body. He looked down to make sure she was not frightened. Then, he turned sharply toward Stella. His eyes were filled with deep disgust. “Maybe other people don’t know how much I hate Stella, but you should. I could never love her, not even if I died. Even if we get married, she’ll only have the title of my wife. She can forget about getting anything else from me!” Once Yara had calmed down, he carefully wiped away her tears. His voice was incredibly gentle as he said, “Come on, sweetheart. Don’t cry. It breaks my heart to see you cry.” Yara sniffled against his chest. It took her a long time to stop crying. She clutched his shirt tightly. “Julian, we can worry about the future later… Right now, you need to go back to the hospital and rest. Okay?” Only then did Julian turn toward Stella, who was sitting at the edge of her bed. “I’m not going. I hate the smell of disinfectants. We have a private medical team here anyway, so I’ll just rest at home.” He turned toward Stella and lifted his chin. He said, “You wanted to play the whole generous, hard-to-get act, right? Perfect! Have someone prepare a guest room. Yara’s staying here for the next few days. While I rest, I need to see her every day.” Stella nodded. Her expression did not change. “Okay.” She got up and walked past him without slowing down. She did not even spare them a glance as they held each other tightly. It was as if they were nothing more than air. Over the next few days, there was one more person in the villa. Julian and Yara watched TV in the living room while Stella warmed milk in the kitchen. As they took walks in the garden, Stella organized the books in the study. Julian peeled an apple for Yara as Stella folded clothes upstairs. She was like a soulless shell and had turned herself into a ghost in her own home. She did not argue or make a scene. Neither did she follow Julian around to keep track of where he went, nor did she give him a second glance. At first, Julian enjoyed the peace and quiet. But after three days, something started to feel wrong. At breakfast, he purposely dropped his bowl. He wanted to see if she would nag him like she used to and tell him to be more careful. But Stella turned to a maid to clean it up. Then, she took her glass of milk upstairs. After dinner, he deliberately turned the speakers up. He wanted to see if she would come downstairs and turn them off. But her bedroom door stayed shut. There was not a sound from inside. He frowned and could not help stealing glances at her. She was sitting on the couch and reading. Her expression was calm and empty, like still water. Stella, who used to wait in the living room whenever he came home late and get teary whenever he spoke to Yara for too long, seemed to have disappeared overnight. She could really keep her emotions under control. The more Julian thought about it, the more irritated he became. Yara noticed the way he looked at Stella. Her face darkened, but she said nothing. That night, Stella was about to go to sleep when someone suddenly kicked her bedroom door open. Julian stood in the doorway with Yara. Yara’s eyes were red from crying, and Julian’s face was grim. Before Stella could say a word, he threw a phone at her. “Stella, you couldn’t take it anymore. Is that it?” Julian’s voice was as cold as ice. “Did you really have to use such dirty tricks to get back at me?” Chapter 5 Stella picked up the phone. The video on the screen started playing. A man whose face was hidden was on the floor. His body was covered in injuries, and he kept shouting, “Ms. Wallace ordered us to do it! She told us to kidnap Ms. Xenford! Please, stop! Please, don’t hit me anymore!” Stella’s mind went blank for a moment. It took her a while to process what she had just heard. Yara had been kidnapped, and the kidnappers claimed that Stella had ordered them to do it. “This has nothing to do with me!” She set the phone aside and said in a weary voice, “I didn’t do anything.” “Really? Then, who did this?!” Julian’s voice trembled. Stella could not tell if it was from anger or worry for Yara. “I put up with you smashing my cars and forcing me to come home! How many times have I told you? Yara’s my bottom line! You do not touch her! Do you have any idea what would’ve happened if I had gotten there even a second later?” “How many times do I have to say it? I didn’t do this!” Stella’s voice finally rose. “I told you. You can be with Yara however you want. I won’t interfere, and I won’t get angry about it. Have I interfered with anything even once in the past few days?! Why would I suddenly go after her and have her kidnapped?!” Her words wiped out the last bit of doubt in Julian’s mind. He sneered. “Sure. You haven’t interfered in the past few days, but can you honestly say you’re not planning something even worse? Stella, I know you too well. If you can’t have something, you can’t stand anyone else having it either!” “You…” Stella’s chest heaved as anger took over. “I don’t want to argue with you! I’ll say it one more time. I didn’t kidnap her!” “Enough! Stella, at least nothing serious happened. Apologize to Yara right now.” Julian spoke each word slowly. “I want you to promise me that you’ll never hurt her again.” “What if I refuse to apologize?” “Then, we’ll have both our families come here and call off the engagement.” “You know that’s not possible!” Julian sneered again. His eyes, which were usually full of careless amusement, were as cold as ice. “Is that so? What if I threaten to kill myself if they don’t?” Stella’s heart jolted. Was he really willing to die for Yara? If this had happened before, she probably would have been so heartbroken. But after learning the truth about her identity, all she felt was an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. She had already given up on loving him, so none of his threats could affect her anymore. This engagement had never been hers to begin with. The real Wallace heiress would be coming home soon. Stella had to return both the Wallace name and the engagement to her intact. Whatever happened after that had nothing to do with her. She could not ruin this. She took a deep breath and pushed down the faint ache in her chest. “Fine. I won’t argue with you. I’ll apologize.” She turned to Yara and said, “I’m very sorry. I say this once again. The kidnapping had nothing to do with me. But if my apology will make you feel better, then I’m truly very sorry.” Julian had not expected her to back down. He froze for a moment. Yara shrank into his arms and said in a timid voice, “Julian… I never blamed Ms. Wallace. She’s your fiancee. I spend so much time with you every day. It’s only natural that she would get jealous and have me kidnapped. Let’s just go…” With that, she tugged at Julian’s sleeve and walked toward the door. She had taken only one step when she suddenly let out a soft cry. “Ouch…” She stopped and frowned in pain. Her body swayed slightly. Julian immediately realized something was wrong. He grabbed her arm. “What’s wrong?” Yara quickly tried to hide her arm behind her back. “It’s nothing. Really, it’s nothing…” “Yara, let me see!” Julian’s voice turned stern. There was no room for argument. He rolled up her sleeve before she could stop him. The next second, Julian froze. Yara’s pale arm was covered with old and fresh wounds. The sight was shocking. “What’s this?!” Julian’s voice trembled. His eyes filled with fury. Yara desperately tried to pull her arm back as tears streamed down her face. “It’s nothing. It’s all over now. I don’t want to talk about it.” “Tell me!” Julian’s voice was so hoarse that it barely sounded like him. He gently held her, as if she were something fragile. “Don’t make me worry about you, Yara. Tell me… Who did this?” Yara bit her lip as more tears rolled down her cheeks. After a long silence, she finally whispered, “It… it was Ms. Wallace. She told the kidnappers to hurt me. She told them to teach me that it wasn’t possible for just anyone to stand beside you…” As soon as she finished, she quickly shook her head. She grabbed Julian’s hand. She said meekly, “But it’s all over now! Julian, don’t blame Ms. Wallace. This was my fault. I shouldn’t have gotten so close to you…” Stella stood nearby and listened to Yara’s tearful accusations. Her mind went blank. She had never expected Yara to take things this far. She had clearly planned for this. “I didn’t do it.” Stella’s mind was blank. She struggled to find the words. “Julian, you have to believe me. I really didn’t…” Before she could finish, Julian suddenly turned around. Smack! He slapped her hard across the face. Stella lost her balance and stumbled into the nightstand behind her. Her forehead slammed into the corner, and blood oozed from the wound. It blurred her vision as it ran down her cheek. Pain made her vision go dark, but she could hear Julian’s voice clearly through the ringing in her ears. Every word cut deep into her already numb heart. “Stella, I used to think you were just boring, uptight, and annoying. Now I know you’re a cruel, twisted woman! “You know how much Yara means to me. If you ever hurt her again, I’ll make you pay for it a hundred times over!” Chapter 6 Stella wanted to explain. She wanted to tell him that she had been framed. But when she opened her mouth, all she could taste was blood. Julian’s eyes fell on the white grand piano in the corner of the room. Stella had brought it with her when she moved into the villa. It was the thing she treasured the most. At that moment, he seemed to find the perfect way to get his revenge. “I almost forgot. You love playing the piano, don’t you?” He picked up a sharp piece of the broken vase from the floor and grabbed Stella by the wrist. Before she could react, he dragged the sharp edge across her wrist. “Ahh!!!” Stella cried out in pain. A searing pain shot through her wrist, and blood quickly spread across her hand. “Julian…” Pain wracked her entire body, and she could barely get the words out. All she could do was stare at him in despair. Julian let go of her and watched her curl up in pain. There was no sympathy in his eyes. There was only cold satisfaction. “Remember this. If you hurt her, I’ll destroy the thing you love the most!” He turned around and pulled the terrified Yara into his arms. He softly said, “Come on. Let’s get out of here. This place is filthy.” The two of them left together. Their footsteps slowly faded down the hallway. Stella collapsed in a pool of blood. She was in so much pain that she could not even call out. Her consciousness slowly faded. In a daze, she remembered something from years ago. They were still in school back then. Stella had made some chocolates for Julian and wanted to give them to him. When she reached the back of the gym, she heard him talking with his friends. “Julian, so many girls like you. What kind of girl do you actually like?” The teenage Julian leaned against the wall with a lollipop in his mouth. He had a carefree smile and a hint of arrogance in his eyes. “A girl who can play the piano.” From that day on, Stella practiced the piano every day. She practiced every day until her fingers swelled and her fingertips were covered with calluses. She thought that one day, she would play the most beautiful piece she could for him. But he had hurt her. She looked down at her injured wrist and suddenly felt like laughing. She had spent so many years learning to play the piano, only for him to destroy her ability to play with his own hands. Her vision grew darker. At last, she could not stay conscious any longer. Everything went black. … When Stella woke up, she was lying in bed in her own room. The blood had been cleaned up, and the private doctor was packing up his medical kit. When he saw that she was awake, the doctor sighed. His voice was full of regret. “Ms. Wallace, your hand… The tendons and nerves were damaged. I’m afraid you won’t be able to do anything that requires fine motor skills anymore. As for the piano, I’m afraid you won’t be able to play the same way again.” Stella stared at her wrist, which was wrapped in layers of gauze. She was silent for a long time. “I understand,” she said softly. Then, she slowly closed her eyes. The villa was unusually quiet in the days that followed. Julian had taken Yara on a trip. Apparently, he wanted to help her get over what had happened. Yara posted on social media every day. Her posts were full of affectionate photos of the two of them. They went to the beach, visited the mountains, and stayed at hotels. The photos had a caption. [Every day with you is so sweet.] In the past, photos like these would have made Stella sad. She would have cried and wondered why he could never love her like that. She would have wondered what Yara had that she did not. But this time, she simply scrolled past them. She felt nothing. She was no longer Julian’s fiancee. Whoever he loved had nothing to do with her. Every day, she packed her things and put away everything that belonged to her. She packed her clothes, her books, and all the little things she had collected over the years. After seven years in this home, everything she owned fit into three boxes. That day, Stella was organizing the bookshelves when the butler from the Wallace family’s main residence suddenly arrived. “Ms. Wallace.” The butler’s voice was polite but distant. He was no longer as respectful as he used to be. “Mr. and Mrs. Wallace told me to let you know that the real heiress will be coming home in the next few days. This is your plane ticket. They hope you can take care of everything here as soon as possible and leave on time.” Stella took the ticket and looked at the date. Then, she nodded. “I understand.” The butler nodded as well. He did not say another word before he turned and left. Not long after, the familiar roar of an engine sounded from outside. Stella looked out the window. It was Julian’s black sports car. He walked in with the chill of the outdoors still on him. His brows were furrowed as he watched the butler disappear into the distance. He asked impatiently, “Why was the Wallace family’s butler here?” Stella quietly slipped the plane ticket into a drawer in the bookcase. Then, she turned around and calmly changed the subject. “Why are you back so soon? I thought you were having such a great time traveling with Yara. I thought you wouldn’t be back for at least a month.” Julian sneered. He loosened his tie and tossed his jacket over the back of the couch. Then, he sank into the soft leather couch. “You think I wanted to come back?” He looked up at her, with a hint of mockery in his eyes. “You’ve gotten pretty good at this. Are you complaining to your parents about this? Your parents went to my family to talk about the wedding. They said we have to get married by the end of the month. “Stella, let me make one thing clear. Even if we get married, don’t expect me to give you so much as a second glance. Yara’s the only woman in my heart.” Chapter 7 Stella said nothing. She simply lowered her eyes and hid her emotions. Julian could not be bothered to talk to her anymore. He got up and walked around the living room. He looked around and asked, “Where’s Luna?” Luna was a Ragdoll cat. Julian and Yara had raised her together for years. Before they left for the trip, he had told the servants to take good care of her. He looked around but could not find the familiar ball of white fur. His frown deepened. He called for a servant. “Where’s Luna?” The servant’s face turned pale. She hurried around the house and searched everywhere. Her eyes darted around. Finally, after a long hesitation, she lowered her voice and stammered, “Sir… Ms. Wallace… let Luna go. I tried to stop her, but she wouldn’t listen.” Stella suddenly looked up. A look of disbelief crossed her face. “What are you talking about? When did I ever let Luna go?” The servant kept her head down. Her voice became even quieter, but every word cut deep. “Ms. Wallace, I know you don’t like Luna, but Mr. Quinn and Ms. Xenford raised her for years…” “I didn’t.” Stella’s voice turned cold. “Don’t you dare fling such baseless accusations against me—” “That’s enough!” Julian cut her off sharply. His eyes were as cold as ice, and the disgust in his voice was unmistakable. “Stella, how heartless are you? Luna means everything to Yara. You couldn’t even tolerate her?” He strode over and grabbed Stella by the wrist. His grip was so tight that it felt as if he would crush her bones. “You’d better pray that nothing has happened to Luna. Find her right now. If you can’t find her, there won’t be a wedding. You can forget about ever coming back here!” Stella took a deep breath. Her chest heaved, but she did not argue. She pulled her hand free and walked out the door. There were no streetlights outside. It was pitch-black. She turned on her phone’s flashlight and searched the paths around the villa, one place at a time. She searched through the grass, behind the bushes, and beside the rock garden. After almost an hour, rain began to fall. The raindrops were large and heavy. They quickly soaked her clothes. She did not dare go back. Julian meant what he said. If she could not find Luna, he really would not let her back through the door. Her high heels made it difficult to walk through the muddy path. Her heels kept sinking into the mud. In the end, she took off her shoes and walked barefoot. After another half hour, she finally saw something splashing in the lake. It was Luna. The Ragdoll had somehow fallen into the lake. She was desperately struggling to stay afloat and looked like she was about to sink. Stella did not have time to think. She took off her coat and jumped into the lake. The water was much colder than she had expected. There was broken glass on the bottom of the lake. Sharp pain shot through the soles of her feet. She gritted her teeth and kept going. She swam toward Luna, grabbed her, and struggled back to shore. Once she reached the shore, Stella saw that the bottoms of her feet had been badly wounded by the broken glass. Every step felt like she was walking on knives. She held Luna in her arms and limped back to the villa. “I found Luna.” Stella handed the cat to Julian. Her voice was hoarse. “She’s okay. She was just scared.” Julian took the cat. He looked down at Stella’s feet. They were covered in mud, and blood was still dripping from them. His brows furrowed. “How did you manage to get yourself into this state?” Stella did not answer. She turned around and headed for her room. Her body swayed, but she managed to steady herself. “Stella, I’m talking to you!” Julian could not help calling after her. There was a trace of unease in his voice. She stopped but did not turn around. Her figure looked thin and fragile from behind. Her voice was so soft that it almost disappeared into the wind. “In your eyes, that cat matters much more than I do. So, worry about the cat that’s yours and Yara’s. What happens to me has nothing to do with you.” With that, she went upstairs without looking back. Julian stood there. He watched her disappear around the corner. The strange sense of unease returned. He looked down at the trembling cat in his arms, then at the staircase. His throat felt strangely tight. In the end, he did not go after her. Stella returned to her room, took a shower, changed into clean clothes, and went to bed. Her body felt heavier and heavier. She kept getting chills. She knew she had caught a fever. She had just closed her eyes when someone knocked on the door. “Ms. Wallace…” A servant’s voice came from outside. “Mr. Quinn wants you to come to his room.” Stella opened her eyes. She was too exhausted to move. But she knew Julian would not let it go if she refused. She forced herself out of bed and made her way to Julian’s room. As soon as she walked in, she saw Luna lying on the floor. The cat was vomiting and had severe diarrhea. She was barely conscious. The veterinarian was crouched beside Luna. His expression was grim. “Sir, she has ingested a lot of rat poison.” Julian’s face was as dark as a storm cloud. He stared at Stella and coldly said, “Stella, explain yourself!” Chapter 8 Stella leaned against the doorframe. The fever had left her weak all over. Her lips were pale, and her voice was faint. “I didn’t do it. There’s nothing to explain.” “You didn’t do it?” Julian stepped closer. Anger burned in his eyes. “You let Luna go, then you found her, and now she’s been poisoned! Stella, do you think I’m really that stupid?” “I told you… I didn’t do it,” Stella said. Her voice was hoarse. “I can’t make you believe me, but that’s the truth.” Julian grew even angrier when he saw how stubborn she was. He turned around, picked up a bottle of liquor from the table, and opened it. Then, he grabbed her chin and forced the liquor into her mouth. “Fine! You want to keep denying it? Let’s see how long you can keep this up!” The liquor went down her throat. Stella coughed violently. Tears filled her eyes as the alcohol burned her throat and made her feel sick. She tried to push him away, but the fever had left her too weak to break free. He forced most of the bottle down her throat. She could barely breathe. She struggled desperately, but Julian held her firmly. “Let me go… Let me go…” She finally broke free and stumbled toward the door. Her stomach was churning, and all she wanted was to throw up. Julian caught up with her and grabbed the back of her collar. She struggled, but he held on tighter. In the struggle, her foot slipped. She lost her balance and fell over the second-floor railing. Thud! A heavy crash echoed through the empty hall. Stella lay on the cold floor. Her whole body felt broken, and blood ran from her forehead, arms, and legs. She was in so much pain that she could not even cry out. All she could do was curl up on the floor and gasp for breath. A bodyguard rushed over. His face was pale when he saw her. He looked up and asked, “Sir… should I call an ambulance?” Julian stood on the second floor and looked down at Stella’s battered figure. He was silent for a long time. “No.” He turned around. His voice was cold and hard. “It’s time for her to learn her lesson. Maybe she’ll do better next time.” His footsteps faded away. Then, the door closed. The sound was crisp in the silence. Stella lay on the floor. She had a fever. Julian had forced her to drink, and the fall had left her badly injured. The pain was overwhelming, and she was barely conscious. Her vision grew darker and darker. In the end, she could not hold on any longer. She closed her eyes. … When Stella woke up, she was in the hospital. The smell of disinfectant stung her nose. The ceiling was painfully white. Someone sat beside her bed. It took her a moment to recognize him as Frank Sullivan, Julian’s assistant. “Ms. Wallace…” Frank’s expression was hard to read. “You’re awake.” “I…” When she spoke, she realized that her voice was so hoarse that it was almost impossible to hear. Frank handed her a glass of water. His voice was calm. “Luna’s dead. Ms. Xenford’s devastated. Mr. Quinn has been staying with her. Nothing else is going on right now, so please don’t bother him.” Stella was silent for a long time. Then, she nodded. She took the glass but did not drink. Frank asked, “Is there anything you want me to tell Mr. Quinn?” Stella stared at the ceiling for a long time. In the end, she said, “Tell him not to forget to come back for the wedding.” Frank froze for a moment. He clearly did not expect her to say that. He nodded. “Understood.” Then, he stood up and left. The hospital room fell silent. Stella picked up her phone to check the time. Instead, she saw messages from Liam and Natalie. [Stella, Yvonne’s coming home today. Even if you haven’t finished dealing with your things, you still have to leave.] She stared at the message for a long time and finally sent a reply. [Okay.] After she sent it, she put her phone down. She forced herself out of bed despite the pain in her body and handled her discharge papers herself. By the time she returned to the villa, it was almost dark. She carried the luggage she had packed days ago. She also held a cardboard box in her arms. Inside were all the things she had kept that reminded her of Julian. There were the love letters she had written to him over the years. She had never sent a single one but only kept them all in this box. She had secretly picked the candy wrappers from lollipops he had casually thrown away and kept them. Among them were also laminated magazine covers with his photos on them. There was also the only photo they had together. Their families had made them take it at a family gathering. He looked annoyed, while she smiled so brightly that her eyes curved into crescents. Stella stood at the door and took one last look at the place where she had lived for years. She had chosen the light blue curtains in the living room, picked out every cushion on the couch, and brought the plates and utensils in the kitchen from overseas herself. She had given this place her entire youth, and in the end, she had nothing left. Stella turned around and threw the cardboard box into the trash can by the door. Then, she got into a cab and told the driver to take her to the airport. The cab slowly drove away. The villa grew smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror. Soon, it became a blurry dot and disappeared into the darkness.