Chapter 3
Stella stayed in the hospital for seven days.[]
When she was discharged, Ryan finally showed up.[]
He looked travel–worn as he took her luggage, apologizing: “Sorry, babe. I should’ve taken better care of you. I let you down.“[]
Smelling another woman’s perfume on him, Stella forced a smile: “It’s fine. Work comes first.”
Seeing she wasn’t suspicious, Ryan relaxed but still explained: []
“Babe, Claire and I are completely done. I was just panicking in the moment, that’s why I took her to the hospital first. There’s absolutely nothing between us.“]
Stella said quietly: “I believe you.“[]
Ryan smiled and pulled out a small box. Inside was a diamond ring way bigger than the pink one from his proposal.[]
He slipped the ring onto Stella’s finger and kissed her hand tenderly.[]
“Let me reintroduce myself—I’m your fiancé.“[]
Stella’s heart felt desolate.[]
She’d seen this ring on Claire’s Instagram–a throwaway that came with the castle purchase.[]
Something Claire didn’t even want.[]
And now it was on her finger.]
Ridiculous.
Stella couldn’t manage a smile, saying tiredly: “Let’s go home. I’m exhausted.“]]
Just as Ryan started the car, the phone rang through the speakers.[]
An unsaved number.
Ryan hesitated for a long moment, then declined it.[]
But the caller kept trying, calling again and again.[]
He glanced at Stella, who said: “Just answer it. Could be urgent.“]
The moment he picked up, a stranger’s voice came through: “Is this Mr. Mitchell? The owner of this phone tried to kill herself at hotel. You’re her emergency contact…“]
Before the man even finished, Ryan visibly freaked out.[]
After getting Claire’s hospital location, Ryan bolted from the car and ran straight inside.[]
Stella sat there, stunned.]
Midnight Calls from Hie Shathe in Law? take’s on Vau Bus Almondy Laft the Chall
11.49
Chapter 3
She sighed, parked the car herself, and asked for directions to Claire’s room.]
Just as she was about to push the door open, she heard intimate sounds from inside.]]
Blood rushed to her head while Stella’s hands and feet went ice cold, her legs frozen to the floor like they were nailed down.[]
“Why… why didn’t you tell me you had depression? Why would you try to kill yourself?“]
Ryan kissed her, his eyes were red with tears.
Claire, disheveled, kissed him back passionately, crying like a broken doll:[]
“Ryan, I love you so damn much… but I know how guilty you feel about Jake. You’ve been beating yourself up over that fight you had with him before the crash. That’s why you’re so good to Stella.“]
“But I can’t stand it–watching you propose to another woman, planning a wedding, even if it’s all bullshit… Ryan, just tell me the truth. Have you ever actually felt anything for Stella?“]
Stella’s face went pale, her heart pounding with dread.]]
She needed to know too.]]
Did Ryan have even a tiny bit of real feeling for her?]]
Like a trapped animal, Ryan’s eyes were bloodshot, his voice shaking but brutal: “No. I don’t feel anything romantic for Stella. Nothing at all!
After hearing that, what was there left to hope for?]]
Stella stumbled backward, tears flooding her eyes, when she suddenly met a pair of smug ones peering through the door crack.[]
Like a champion who’d just won the final round, Claire kept making out with Ryan while shooting Stella a look of pure victory.[]
As if saying: “You’re the biggest idiot alive!“]
What surprised Claire was that Stella didn’t bust them–she just ran like hell.]
Two hours later, Stella got a friend request from Claire.]
She accepted.]
A message popped up immediately
[We need to talk.]]]
Stella showed up at the cafe and immediately saw Claire casually sipping her latte, oozing superiority with every move.]
Claire waved over a server and ordered Stella the cheapest coffee they had
“Losers deserve loser drinks“]
Stella ignored the insult and asked flatly: “Is this what you dragged me here for? Coffee?“]
“Of course not!” Claire’s voice shot up: “I’m pregnant. Leave him.”
Chapter 3
She slammed a pregnancy test result in front of Stella, radiating total victory as she kept tearing into her.[]
“I was hoping you’d catch us and make a scene, but you actually ran away? Looks like you’ve known about me and Ryan for a while,
huh?”
“God, you’re pathetic. Your own fiancé got married to another woman, and you’re still clinging on like some desperate loser!“[]
“Stella, you disgust me!“]
Stella’s face showed no emotion as she said calmly: “I’ll leave him.“[]
Like she’d heard the world’s funniest joke, Claire suddenly got hysterical, her pretty face twisting with vicious mockery: “Leave him? You think I’d actually believe that bullshit?!“|[]
She grabbed the coffee from the table and threw it right in Stella’s face.
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