Chapter 32
Stella remained silent, forcing Max to grab her arm. “What are you doing rummaging around in the kitchen? This isn’t a place for you,” he snapped.
Stella halted abruptly, turning to face Max with an icy glare.
Realizing his blunder, Max awkwardly tried to explain, “I mean, the kitchen’s full of dangerous stuff. If you’re not doing anything, maybe just go back to
your room.”
“I’m hungry,” Stella said flatly.
Max’s anger flared up instantly. “You’ve got some nerve saying you’re hungry! What were you even doing instead of coming to dinner?”
Stella looked up at him.
Under her steady, piercing gaze, Max suddenly felt a pang of guilt and awkwardly looked away.
“Fine, if you won’t let me eat, then I won’t,” Stella said coldly. “I’m a public figure now. If I die here, the scandal and fallout will be beyond your control. With that, she walked out.
The living room was still filled with cheerful chatter, but the moment Stella appeared, the room instantly fell silent.
Without glancing at anyone, Stella headed straight upstairs.
Back in her room, Stella shut the door and pulled out her brand–new phone.
For three years, Stella had been away from home, largely out of touch with the outside world. Even back in Dusty Pines, the news she could get was severely limited.
Soon after, there was a knock at the door.
“Come in,” Stella said, her eyes still glued to her phone.
Andrea, the maid, set a bowl of noodles in front of Stella and said gently, “Ms. Stella Hayes, please eat while it’s hot. Mr. Max Hayes made these noodles himself. He knows how much you love them.”
Stella glanced at the bowl of noodles with a sunny–side–up egg and a dash of soy sauce. It was exactly how she used to love it.
Once, when Anna was sick, Andrew and Fiona took her to the hospital. Coincidentally, Andrea, the only maid in the house at the time, was also out, so there were no other servants left at home.
Max and Stella were left at home alone. Stella was starving, so she went to find Max. Whether he was tired of her constant complaining or just hungry himself, he eventually went to the kitchen to make some noodles.
Neither of them knew what they were doing, but their awkward efforts created a flavor that would stay with Stella forever.
Although her parents favored Anna, Stella thought they never completely neglected her. The occasional kindness she received only reminded her that it was only natural for Anna to get more attention, given her poor health.
But when Max decided to save Anna first, Stella gave up on them entirely. She finally realized that all the so–called kindness had been nothing but her own desperate delusion. From the start, everything they offered her was just charity.
“Andrea, thank you. Please take it away,” Stella muttered.
“Um…” Andrea hesitated, looking troubled.
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21:08 FINT Aug
Chapter 32
“Just leave it there,” Stella added.
Relieved, Andrea left the room with a happy smile.
Stella overheard Max ask Andrea if she had eaten. When Andrea confirmed she had, Max’s spirits visibly lifted.
Stella stared at the noodles. She was really hungry. She hadn’t wanted to eat, but she knew she couldn’t just starve herself. She’d promised Eleanor she would take good care of herself.
‘There’s no point in tearing myself apart for people like them,‘ she thought.
Stella finished the noodles in the end. Just as she was about to return the bowl, there was a knock at her door.
Not hearing any response from inside, Anna spoke up gently. “Stella, Emily’s here. She has so much she wants to say to you. Could you let her in?
The door stayed firmly closed. Emily bit her lip anxiously and whispered, “Does Stella not want to see me?”
