GoodReadHis eyes twinkling, Matthew laughed.
“Not even close.
Stella, half-amused and half-serious, cautioned him, “Don’t overstep.
“It’s merely a ki*s.
How can it be too much?” Matthew quipped, his eyebrows arching playfully.
They had grown close, making it hard for him to pull away despite Stella's insistent nudges.
Finally, he left the room reluctantly.
No sooner had Matthew left than Elizabeth entered the office, her demeanor stormy after having inquired around
to locate this new workplace.
Her anger palpable, she made no effort to hide her feelings.
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Upon seeing that Matthew wasn’t there, Elizabeth dropped all pretense of civility, strode past Stella without
acknowledgment, and took a seat in the office chair with an air of authority.
Stella watched her, face void of emotion, as tension filled the room.
Elizabeth made no effort to hide her condescension, stating bluntly, “You should be aware that I'll be taking over
my mother’s responsibilities in your project from today.
Stella chose not to respond, which only spurred Elizabeth to press further.
“From this point forward, treat my words as if they were my mother’s orders.
You'll need to consultbefore making any decisions, understood?”
“Yes, | understand,” Stella replied dismissively, eager to avoid any confrontation.
With a note of firmness, Stella then said, “If there's nothing else of importance, | need to get back to work.
Would you mind leaving my office, Miss Wallace?”
Elizabeth's attempt to provoke Stella fell flat, eliciting none of the expected irritation or defensiveness.
The lack of reaction left Elizabeth feeling impotent and increasingly infuriated.
Unable to contain her growing rage, Elizabeth stood abruptly, her voice dripping with scorn.
“Don’t be mistaken in thinking you can just take over my mother’s stuby ingratiating yourself with her.
I'm her daughter.
You may have curried favor with her temporarily, but you remain an outsider.
Keep your manipulative tactics to yourself and stay away from my mother,” she snapped, her bitterness
unmistakable.
After Elizabeth departed, Stella remained seated, staring blankly, her composure shaken.
Despite her efforts to appear unfazed, Elizabeth’s words had deeply hurt her.
Stella longed for the kind of maternal support that Elizabeth received from Bella, a safetythat would shield
her even if she erred.
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Growing up without maternal protection, Stella doubted she’d ever experience that kind of relationship.
Despite her initial despondency, she soon rallied her spirits, reminding herself of the immediate tasks at hand,
particularly finalizing this project and verifying Bella's potential link to her as her biological mother.
If Bella wasn’t her mother, she would abandon that trail and search elsewhere for answers.
Elizabeth didn’t return, leaving Stella relieved to be left to her own devices.
As the workday neared its end, Stella stepped out to visit the restroom.
Exiting the restroom, she encountered Emery.
Stella tried to pass without interaction, but Emery stopped her.
Turning to face her, Stella waited for Emery to speak.
After a pause, Emery mentioned, “The woman you spoke with earlier on the first floor seems quite familiar with
the staff in the clothing department.
They seemed to enjoy their interaction.
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