Chapter 26 Madam Landon
The doorbell rang, sharp and sudden.
Stella snapped out of her daze, eyes flying open.
Peering through the peephole, she saw-Wendy.
She flung the door open without hesitation.
“Ah!”
Wendy, who had been punching in the passcode, jumped in fright.
Leaning lazily against the doorframe, Stella crossed her arms; thoroughly enjoying the moment.
“What, forgot how to knock?”
Wendy’s heart was still racing. Stella, on the other hand, looked calm and composed-infuriatingly so.
“You’re not exactly hard to find,” Wendy snapped, straightening up.
“And breaking into someone’s home? What exactly are you trying to do?” Stella narrowed her eyes, scanning her from head to toe like she was watching a circus act.
“What the hell did you do to Shane?” Wendy’s voice trembled with rage. “He chased you all the way to the Johnson family’s cemetery! He knows you’re someone else’s mistress and still went running after you!”
“If you really don’t want him anymore, then why can’t you just stay away?!”
Stella stared at her in disbelief.
Seriously?
She was the one who ended things cleanly.
Shane was the one chasing her on flights, barging into her business meetings, and trying to stop her from saving her mother’s urn.
Thirteen years of entanglement-and even now that he had Wendy, he couldn’t let her go.
If anyone was being dragged through hell here, it was her.
But instead, Wendy had the nerve to show up and play the victim?
Stella’s eyes darkened.
“If you’re so capable,” she said coldly, “maybe try keeping your man in check instead of letting him run
around loose.”
Wendy ground her teeth.
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If she could control Shane, she wouldn’t have to watch him chase Stella around like a lovesick idiot.
Gone was her usual soft demeanor-Wendy now stepped forward, the air around her sharp and aggressive.
“I’m giving you some friendly advice,” she hissed. “Maybe Shane doesn’t know the truth, but I do. Being the Landon family’s side chick isn’t exactly a safe position.”
“If you play nice and bow out now, maybe you’ll get a little hush money for retirement. But if you keep luring Shane back, I swear-I’ll tell Madam Landon all about you.”
“What do you think will happen when she finds out her new husband is keeping a mistress like you on the side?”
Her voice dripped with venom.
Of course the Landons wouldn’t touch Moses-but his wife? She’d destroy Stella the second she found out.
Stella laughed.
“You know who Madam Landon is… and you still think you can threaten me?”
Wendy stiffened.
She didn’t know, not really.
But she couldn’t admit that now.
She did know the Landon family had strict standards. Their women were always elegant, well-educated, and poised-either powerful socialites or respected academics.
Not the type to tolerate scandal.
So she puffed up proudly and said, “Of course I’ve met her! Madam Landon is graceful and dignified— nothing like a shameless mistress like you.”
“Pfft—”
Stella burst out laughing.
“You really are a rare kind of idiot.”
Wendy’s confidence wavered.
She clenched her fists, uncertain.
“What are you laughing at?!”
“You.” Stella wiped tears from the corners of her eyes, still chuckling. “Watching you jump around like some third-rate clown-it’s hilarious.”
Madam Landon, standing right in front of her.
And Wendy had no idea.
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Unbelievable.
Wendy shivered under her gaze, her skin crawling. Just as she was trying to salvage the moment, footsteps approached from behind.
An idea struck her.
She immediately launched into a weepy performance.
“Stella, please… for my sake, just talk to Shane. He hasn’t slept in days worrying about you…”
“If you could just go see him for a moment, maybe he could finally rest…”
Her voice trembled. Her eyes shimmered with tears.
To someone who didn’t know better, it looked heartbreakingly sincere.
If Stella hadn’t just watched her flip her switch in a single second, she might’ve actually been impressed.
But this wasn’t a stage.
And her home sure as hell wasn’t a theater.
She didn’t even care who Wendy was trying to perform for. With a snort, Stella cut her off.
“Your ‘sake”? Please. If I hadn’t funded your education back then, you’d still be in the mountains eating dirt.”
“Years of sponsorship, and this is how you repay me? By threatening me? Honey, this place is surrounded by forest. I could throw you off a cliff and no one would ever know.”
Her words were cold. Her expression colder.
Wendy froze.
Stella had never talked to her like this before…
Behind them, the footsteps came closer.
Wendy cried harder, her sobs echoing through the hallway.
“I’m sorry… I know I was wrong. You’ve always hated me. I deserve to be thrown back into the mountains. I should’ve just died back then… I’m worthless… cough, cough…”
But somehow-it thrilled her.
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