Chapter 23
Max sometimes hated Stella, but he never wanted her dead. Especially after she came back and he saw how much she’d suffered, he wanted to take good care of her. Things might get messy, but he really cared for her.
Max walked up to Stella, his voice soft. “Feeling better?”
Stella didn’t say anything.
Max got mad. “Stella, I care about
Can’t you.
you
tell?”
Stella replied coldly, without looking at Max, “Thanks, Mr. Hayes.”
Her cold and half-hearted reply really ticked Max off. If they weren’t in the hospital, he might’ve lost his temper.
Stella was on an IV, and they kept the meds light to not stress her body..
Andrew walked toward Stella’s ward and overheard some nurses and doctors whispering.
“I heard the Hayes family left Stella to save Anna and only got Stella back later.”
“Got her back? Didn’t you see the news? She came back on her own!”
“No way! The Hayes family is so sketchy. I saw Max; he’s hot. I was gonna ask for his number. But now, I wouldn’t marry into that family.”
They noticed Andrew looking and quickly got back to work.
Andrew went up to Max. “How’s it going?”
Max replied, “Much better now. One shot and she should be good to go home.”
Andrew whispered, “Didn’t we agree? She shouldn’t be here. I just got here and people are already gossiping. It’s bad for our rep.”
Max glanced at the nurses and doctors; they noticed his glare and hurried off. He then replied, “Dad, I couldn’t just leave her, could I?”
“Get the doctor to come to the house. And keep an eye on her these days. She shouldn’t go out or move around until she’s better. Who knows what trouble she might cause?”
Word got out that they saved Anna only. A little fuss was fine, but it was not good for their reputation anyway.
Max thought the Hayes family got by on Stella’s money somehow. They couldn’t let her money go to waste on them. He nodded, thinking she’d understand.
“But…” Max was worried. “What if someone finds out?”
“Don’t worry. I’ve got a plan.”
Stella fell asleep during the shot. When she woke up, the needle was out.
Andrew smiled at Stella. “Stella, it’s all set. Mom didn’t know you’re allergic to seafood. She remembered you liked it before, so she made it.
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We just asked the doctor and found out you can’t eat many things now because of your health. Don’t worry; we’ll only make foods you can eat. Hop on. I’ll give you a piggyback ride,” Andrew said, turning his back to Stella.
Stella’s eyes welled up. When she was a kid, she’d watch Anna riding on Andrew’s back and wish it were her. She had begged Andrew to carry her, too.
Before Andrew could say anything, Fiona jumped in, “Stella, be fair. Dad’s tired from carrying Anna. Why should he carry you too? You’re okay; go chill somewhere else.”
Stella then asked Max to carry her. Fiona snapped, “Max is not much older than you. He can’t carry you. Stella, why are you being so stubborn?”
After that, Stella never asked again. Seeing Anna so happy on Andrew’s back, Stella really wondered how it felt.
But now, she didn’t need it. “I can walk by myself,” she said. As she was about to step down, she saw a bunch of reporters at the door.
The reporters saw the scene and praised Andrew’s fatherly love. “After Stella came back, the Hayes family gave her a warm welcome. Andrew wanted to carry her on his back, just like old times.”
“It’s true. No matter what you went through, parents love you the most.”
“That’s so sweet!”
Stella’s face turned pale. She looked at Andrew. “Did you call them?”
Andrew looked away, guilty. “I don’t know. You’re just too popular; they found you on their own.”
Stella didn’t buy it. Earlier, Fiona had told her not to go to the hospital and Stella knew why. They were scared people would see Stella’s condition and embarrass the family. They also worried their past would come out and people would call them
monsters.
But Stella was shocked that Andrew hired reporters to pretend they had a good relationship, just to cover it up. He always used her.
Stella didn’t want to argue. She
got up
and left on her own.
She walked slowly. Andrew kept signaling Max, who picked Stella up. She barely weighed anything, with no extra fat. Max had noticed that when she first came home.
Max’s heart ached. But Stella tried to struggle, yet Max held her tightly.
Stella wanted to spill their secrets, but Max walked too fast, giving her no chance.
The reporters kept filming. Then Stella heard Andrew giving an interview.
Andrew said in a fake caring tone, “We planned to cook her favorite meals. There, she didn’t eat well. She didn’t even know she’s allergic to seafood now.
“She can’t eat other stuff either. I can’t imagine what my daughter went through…” At that, Andrew, a grown man, started crying on camera.
Everyone was touched.
“What a dad! He’d do anything for his daughter.”
“For sure. Before that accident, Andrew and Stella were close. Three years ago, his hair turned white. He dyed it to hide it,
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Chapter 23
showing his best side while keeping the pain inside.”
“It’s hard to imagine how the Hayes family made it through these three years.”
Stella gripped Max’s arm tightly. She wasn’t strong, but what Andrew did was so awful that she suddenly found a lot of strength.
Max looked like he was in pain, wincing.
Just as Max was gonna say something, he heard Andrew say, “Oh, I forgot to tell you. Stella’s super smart. In Dusty Pines, she handled things all by herself. She’s the best.”
