Stella remained quiet for a while. She was staring at the maid. The maid had obviously knocked into her on purpose. She remained silent.
Rather, she stood for a while before choosing to move on when a few of other maids came over. "Do you honestly believe that you become a noble lady only by marrying into the Conrad family? You are basically less important than a maid because Mr. Conrad dislikes you."
“Indeed, have a look at her. I've heard that she passed out last night in the corridor outside of Mr. Conrad’s room. It seems like he drove her away. If I were her, I wouldn't stay here any longer to act foolish; instead, I would hastily pack up and head home."
“Is she aware that she's doing foolishly? To them, money is the only thing."
Stella could hear them chatting about her when they got far enough away. Her complexion went horribly pale. Giving herself an embrace, she eased her way down the wall toward the door.
Why? Why had she to put up with all of that? Was it because she had split from her adulterous husband?
Her face was buried between her legs. She kept thinking about the maids' disparaging remarks, the fact that her step mother had her marry Clarence , and her first night at the Conrad home.
She felt uneasy in her stomach at that moment. Her head jolted up. No, no! Tomorrow she has to go for a check-up at the hospital. There was no way that she could be expecting!
The room's door opened simultaneously with her head rise. Joseph wheeled the wheelchair outside with Clarence . As soon as she heard the wheels on the ground, she glanced over.
Clarence just took a quick look in her weeping eyes and was taken aback. It appeared as though someone had carelessly thrown a tiny stone into a still lake, causing the surface to ripple.
She wasn't unattractive. Her eyelashes were long and curled, and her looks were what many men wanted. Her eyes resembled pure, clean springs that held all of the world's spiritual mana. That was not to say that the spring was not bitterly chilly. Her eyes had the ability to make people feel chilly and frigid.
The expected charm of a woman was not evident in her eyes. But her eyelids were wet with tears at that precise moment. She appeared feeble and exposed with her eyes stained from tears. And everyone couldn't help but feel sorry for her because of how miserable she appeared as she knelt down like a ball. They did not say anything as they just looked at one another.
She finally said in a quiet voice , "You... you're heading out?"
Her speech sounded nasal and raspy.
Clarence nodded, his lips pressed into an unprecedented line. "Yes."
"Okay."
Stella was silent for a while. She bowed her head and fixed her gaze on the toes of her shoes.
Clarence’s eyes hardened as he continued to stare at her. "Didn't I say that you shouldn't make an ass out of yourself here?"
When she heard that, she lifted her head and gave him a shy look. "But we had already decided this. Did you not also promise me?"
"Hmph." He scoffed. "I thought I would promise you? "When?"
She lost her words. It seems that he had made no genuine promises to her. That evening, he left without coming back.
Had she read him wrong? Stella bit her lip and lowered her eyes as she considered that.
"I can let you stay here until I find her. We must, however, establish some ground rules." As Clarence spoke, She snapped out of her reverie.
Stella snapped her head back. "Find who?"
Clarence had a scary, unsettling expression in his eyes. "You better learn not to ask things you shouldn't know."
Once more, she lowered her gaze. He was accurate. Did she genuinely care about the person he was looking for? What was the reason for her question? They were merely the pair in question. That would be all right as long as he let her stay.
Stella muttered, "Alright, whatever, it's your call."
"I own the bed. You are responsible for determining where you will sleep. You are not allowed to place your belongings in my cabinet; only in your suitcase. "And, you're not allowed to touch me."
If he wouldn't let her sleep on the bed, at least she could still sleep on the floor. If he refused to let her place anything in his cabinet, she may still purchase a cabinet for herself. What made him ask her not to touch him, though?
With an unusual expression, she lifted her head and gave him an odd look. Could anyone wish to touch him? Despite his good looks, she didn't want to have sex.
Stella thought about all that and answered quickly. "Okay, I agree with these."
"Joseph."
"Yes."
"Let's go."
Clarence’s wheelchair was pushed down the hall by Joseph, and the two of them departed.
She eventually let out a sigh of relief as she watched them go. She then grinned to herself gradually. She was genuinely permitted to stay there because she was able to establish certain ground rules with him.
Stella stood and lugged her bag into the chamber.
The following day, she got up, put on a hat, and dressed in nondescript clothing before leaving.
Jude was on his way to the company when she arrived at the front door. " Jenna? Are you searching for Clarence in the office? Do you need me to drive you there since I'm going there too?"
It was unexpected for her to see him that morning. She shook her head as she considered the location she would be visiting later. "Jude , thank you. However, I'm not going to the office."
"Oh? Where are you heading, then? I'll take you there by car.”
"Not necessary. I'm heading in the other direction from the office. It's not the route you take."
"Okay then, take care of yourself."
It took her a long while to come to the main road. She put on her mask before boarding the bus. She was truly troubled with guilt. She hadn't slept well the previous night and had been restless for a while due to the pregnancy test results from the previous day. Hopefully, the test result was incorrect.
Stella went to pick up a number and wait to be called at the hospital once she arrived. The folks in her immediate vicinity gave her strange looks.
With a small cough, she reached into her bag for her sunglasses and put them on. The others gave her even stranger looks as a result. Imagine if a woman showed up at the obstetrics and gynecology department dressed strangely. She even donned sunglasses, a mask, and a hat. She appeared to be refusing to allow anyone to see her.
Stella’s attempts to maintain a low profile become increasingly ineffective. After all, she would undoubtedly attract notice if she wore such an attire in a public setting.
At last, it was her turn. The doctor frowned, unable to look at someone who was not even opening her eyes. "Why are you in this place? Are you having a check-up today?"
With a slight cough, she reached up to remove her mask. "Yes, l'm here for a check-up."
"Why do you present yourself as so enigmatic? Do you feel so embarrassed that you'd rather not be seen by others?" the doctor asked jokingly, squinting. "Do you work in that kind of career?"
When she heard those remarks, she was shocked. She was clueless about the doctor's meaning. "Huh?"
"I just asked if you work in a career where pregnancy would seriously get in the way?"
After giving it some thought, she realization finally clicked into place. "Doctor, I-"
"So, you were accidentally knocked up? You just go get an abortion if that happens?"
The physician let out a sigh. "Why aren't you guys interested in your body at all? There was a woman working in your field yesterday. She's had five or six knocks ups. What is her desired number of abortions in her lifetime? Is she not concerned that her body is no longer able to tolerate it?”
"I'm not-" Before Stella could finish her sentence, a number of individuals wearing all-black clothing barged into the waiting area, frightening everyone inside.
Feeling bad, she quickly put on her mask as she saw people entering and stood up to walk away, determined not to be part of any drama.
"Stop!" She was shocked to see that the individuals in black were pursuing her. They stopped her when they saw her attempting to flee.
"What are you trying to do?" She tried to get away, but they stopped her right away. "Don't—don't come near me. Please release me!" One of them grabbed her off her feet and flung her over his shoulder as he darted away before she could say anything. The others trailed in close behind. What the people in the waiting room witnessed astounded them. They were unable to ascertain what was happening. ••• "Mr. Conrad, there is finally news from the hospital."Joseph hurried into his office to break the news, not giving the other person in the room a second thought. Clarence was first annoyed by Joseph’s interruption as he was conversing with a very significant customer. But his tense eyebrows dropped when he heard what Joseph had to say. "There's finally news?" Joseph gave Clarence a sidelong glance and then gave a solemn nod. Clarence gave the man in front of him an icy look as he spoke. “I apologize, Mr. Webb, but I must attend to some pressing affairs. I'll make plans for som
"Bring her to the hospital now." Clarence said in a frigid tone. “Verify if she is truly expecting a child. Please let me know the result as soon as you can." Joseph gave a quick nod. "Yes, sir!" "No!" Stella struggled against the men in vain. "Clarence, legally we are merely husband and wife. Who are you to give them orders to harm me in that way? Please release me!" "Let you go?" Clarence's eyes glowed in the darkness. With a chilly response, he said, "You should know what would happen to you if I found out you were pregnant. Bring her away, Joseph." How sympathy vanished out of his heart as soon as he realized she wasn't the person he was seeking for. "Bring her to the hospital now." Joseph got to work on his assignment. Stella objected to this, but she was coerced back into the vehicle. She fought valiantly the entire way, but no matter how hard she tried, she was unable to escape their hold. She was taken to the same medical facility and saw the same physician as befor
"Let me give it some thought." Ultimately, Riley told her to return to the Conrad residence. “In the blink of an eye, three days will pass. Make up your choice quickly, Stella, and phone me if you need anything." Stella’s heart was incredibly heavy right now as Riley’s comments continued to reverberate in her ears. "Honey, you will need to abort the kid if you wish to stay with the Conrad family in the future. It is not possible for the Radomil family to have two unsuccessful daughters!" Stella looked in the mirror at herself. How should I proceed? Was getting rid of her child truly the only option available to her? Wheels rolled along the floor into the room, still considering it. Upon witnessing Clarence enter the bathroom, Stella instantly tightened up and threw open the door. When their gazes locked, she looked away right away. She made her way trembling to the furthest corner of the space. He called his voice giving her a shiver, "Stop right there.”Stella came to a
For a brief while, time appeared to stop. She fell onto the laps of his. She was terrified to death. How was he going about it? The room gradually filled with the musky smell of a guy ready to mate. The unfamiliar aroma continuously assailed her senses. She was momentarily stunned before readjusting to reality. She tried to put some distance between them, resting her hand against his chest. "Let, let me go!" He gave her a hard slap on the wrist and spoke in a cold voice. “Did your former spouse not show you how to take out a belt? Or are you just acting stupid so I can have to teach you?" "What?" "Well, if that's the case, as you wish." He took hold of her wrist, directing her motions to apply pressure to the latch on his belt. It snapped back with a loud click. For a few moments, she felt as though her brain had frozen. His penetrating look caused her eyes to grow noticeably bigger and wider. The dull sound of the belt hitting the floor snapped her back to reality. But f
He wanted to scream at her because she was so fired up that her eyes were red from unshed tears and her forehead was covered in sweat. He scowled and refrained from speaking. How did he end up? The dishonest woman in front of him, who wed into the Conrad family after taking the place of her sister, ought to be thrown out. Why did he still allow her to stay? After gathering himself swiftly, he took her by the wrist and pushed her out of the way. Unexpectedly, her thin shoulders crashed against the sturdy wall. With her head up, she met his icy gaze. "Get the hell out!" She looked at him in confusion, rubbing her sore shoulders. "If you don't know what to do, what good is it to stay here? Before I lose my temper, get the heck out!" "You!" She felt he was going too far, so she balled her fists. But after giving it some thought, she saw that she had nothing for the better part of the day. She clutched herself as she left the restroom, her fury having subsided. "Joseph !" His col
"Mr. Greg , there's no need to worry; this is only a typical cold.” She spun him down, "I'll just pick up some over-the-counter medicine later this afternoon and I'll be fine." She felt uncomfortable beneath Mr. Greg's stern gaze as his perceptive eyes locked on her. She messed with the hem of her shirt and nibbled her bottom lip. "You already have a blocked nose. How do you just take medication?" With a quiet sigh, Mr. Greg motioned for her to come closer. She approached him for a few steps, then halted a few feet away with caution. "Remember to buy the medicine and once you get better, go to the office to see Clarence." She gave a nod. "Yes, Mr. Greg." "Okay." Mr. Greg gave a satisfied nod. "Go ahead." Thanking Mr. Greg, she hurried back upstairs to gather her belongings and make haste to get out of the house. She called her friend as soon as she left the Conrad home, and Riley raced over in less than twenty minutes. Riley turned to her as soon as she was in the car. “H
Joseph’s remarks felt like a stomach punch. She could only cast a sorrowful glance downward. "I know..." It was only after Joseph noticed her change in attitude that he realized his tone was overly serious. "Ms. Radomil, I realize what I'm saying is terrible, but you should comprehend what I'm saying. In any case, you are not allowed to bring this up again. If not, there is nothing I can do to relieve your problems." Joseph finished up, turned around, and walked away. If Stella was a rational person, she would decide to keep what she heard to herself. After five more minutes of standing still against the wall, she knocked on the door. "Come in." There was rage tinged with a sense of coldness and indifference in Clarence’s voice. When she came in, she saw that he was gazing out the French window, enjoying the city views, rather than sat as he typically did behind his desk. A depressive stillness hung over the room as she crept forward, the coldness in his voice lingering in
Stella was terrified to go back to the Conrad’s . Rather, she spent some time at Riley’s residence and then, grudgingly, left that evening for home. She came up with a scheme to avoid speaking with Clarence while driving. Before he found out she was home, she was going to take a bath right away, crawl beneath the blanket, and turn out the lights. Seeing as how she was asleep, she reasoned that he wouldn't force her out of the bed. She was surprised, though, that he arrived home earlier than normal. He had just taken a shower when she came inside. He was drying his hair with a towel, and Joseph stood behind him. He glanced at Stella for a brief moment before turning away. He was not paying any attention to her. That seemed like a good thing for her. She went to a corner, got herself some clothing, and entered the bathroom, intending to take as long as possible in her bath. She continued to fear having to face him, so she spent as much time as she could in the restroom. When a kn