Chapter 127 Skeletons in the Closet
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Sure, blood might run thicker than water–but Stella had been adopted by the Dawson family too, and she’d managed to live peacefully with everyone there, after all.
Stella said, “It was probably different; I was just a baby when I went to them.”
Tessa nodded. “True. A tiny baby’s all soft and adorable–who could possibly have bad intentions toward a baby?
But there was more to it.
Tessa figured, “It takes kindness to earn kindness: you must’ve treated them well too.”
As for Stella and Lillian turning against each other, that all started because Lillian had wanted hey dead from the beginning.
And the mess between Stella and the Reed family–well, they had been the ones to blame her without reason or evidence.
After clashing enough times, the Reed family had developed a bias against Stella, their biological daughter.
Ever since she’d been brought back, they’d never shown her much genuine affection.
And Stella, who’d been doted on by the Dawson family since she was little, naturally didn’t have much patience for them.
Come on, let’s go eat”
Stella didn’t want to talk about the Reed family anymore. She stood up, grabbed her bag, and headed out.
Tessa didn’t bring them up again either, but she did mention Ethan. “Ethan’s been tearing the city apart trying to find out who owns Verdant Villa, I’d love to see his face if he ever finds out it’s you.”
People who didn’t know were completely clueless.
And the ones who did–watching Ethan and the Reed family scramble around like that–were basically watching a giant joke
unfold.
Stella said, “Don’t tell him; he’s dumb as a rock.”
Tessa burst out laughing. “Honestly? Ethan really does seem like a fool”
The two of them headed out to eat, and just as they stepped out the door, Susan arrived shortly after. Kimmy tried to call
Stelia to let her know.
But Stella had put her phone on silent, and no matter how many times Kimmy tried, the calls just wouldn’t go through.
Meanwhile, over at the restaurant, Tessa was slicing her steak and chatting. “Mr. Louis has had Sharon locked up at home for the past few days–hasn’t even let her step outside.”
Stella raised an eyebrow. “He actually locked her up?”
When Louis mentioned it, she’d thought he was blufling–after all, it was his little sister.
If he’d really locked her up, Sharon would’ve flipped the whole house upside down.
She still didn’t get what was so great about Jonathan that had caught Sharon’s eye.
Trisa nodded. “Dead serious. Back in the day, she was always out shopping with someone or other–hasn’t stepped out in days now
In short, Tessa couldn’t stand Sharon–just like how Stella couldn’t stand the Reed family.
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Chapter 127 Skeletons in the Closet
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Lose face?
Stella added, “Jonathan’s no gentleman.”
Just hearing Jonathan’s name reminded Tessa of something. She glanced around–the other diners were seated far enough
away.
She leaned in toward Stella
Lowering her voice, she said. “I think Jonathan’s got a woman on the side.”
Stella froze, her knife and fork pausing mid–air.
Tessa continued. “Yesterday, my niece had a fever. My mom asked me to check on her at the hospital. Guess what I saw!”
“What?”
“Jonathan, with a woman–and he was holding a kid, looked about two or three years old.”
Stella was stunned.A two- or three–year–old? Jonathan’s kid was two.
Tessa said. “I got a good look; the kid had Jonathan’s features. I’m pretty sure that’s his.”
“You actually got close enough to see?”
“No way. That kid looked so much like him, you could tell from a distance.” Tessa said flatly.
If she’d gotten too close, Jonathan probably would’ve found a way to shut her up permanently.
Stella was caught off guard.
The Reed and Parker family marriage alliance was something Susan and Patrick had always taken seriously.
Under normal circumstances, Jonathan shouldn’t have been showing up in public with that woman.
Noticing Stella staying quiet, Tessa asked, “You knew, didn’t your
“Yeah, I knew.”
Stella nodded.
Tessa sucked in a breath. “It is his? Then what’s going on between him and Sharon?”
The Parker family wouldn’t just let something like this slide. Jonathan was way too reckless, pulling a stunt like that without even thinking they might tear him to pieces.
Stella said, “It’s a long story. Apparently, the woman used to work as a hostess at Noir Lounge.”
Tessa had just gone to take a sip of water, and when she heard that, she spit it out immediately. hostess at Noir Lounge!
Jonathan actually Stella handed her a napkin. “That’s why the Reed family has never accepted the woman–or the child.”
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Chapter 128 Stirring the Pot
Tessa said, “Really? And Jonathan didn’t fight for that woman at all?”
“What was there to fight for? You think someone like him’s capable of being sincere?”
Fair enough–Jonathan had probably just wanted to mess around and ended up getting someone pregnant.
“That woman tried to use the kid to climb the ladder. She didn’t show up until the baby turned one, and even then, it didn’t
work.”
Tessa’s jaw practically dropped. “That’s wild. And you didn’t tell me any of this?”
“Why would It You know I’m not one to gossip.”
Tessa went quiet. Fair enough–Stella really wasn’t someone who gossiped or showed off.
Otherwise, how would she not have known that Stella’s studio made 980,000 dollars last year? The woman kept everything low–key; if you didn’t ask, she didn’t say
“If Sharon ever finds out, she’ll flip the entire city over–especially with Louis in the picture.”
Just thinking of Louis made Tessa feel like Jonathan must’ve been tired of living. Of all the dumb things he could’ve done, he chose thisp
Louis finds out, he’s going to grab a gun and storm the Reed family to shoot him dead!”
Stella said. “We’ll see. That woman doesn’t look like someone easy to deal with.”
A woman who could carry a baby to term without ever telling Jonathan, only to show up with a paternity test in hand–that was the kind of person they were dealing with.
She clearly wanted to climb the social ladder.
Tessa nodded. “Definitely not some docile thing. If she finds out the Reed and Parker families are arranging a marriage, she might pull something big
Stella’s eyes suddenly lit up at Tessa’s words.
“You think she’ll stir up trouble?”
Tessa replied, “If she truly didn’t want anything, she’d have hidden the kid forever. She wanted to use him to move up.
So basically, that woman still wanted to leverage the child to get what she wanted.
If she found out Jonathan was planning to marry Sharon, there was no way she’d let it slide.
When Stella didn’t respond, Tessa asked, “What are you planning?”
Stella said. “So they’re allowed to mess with me, but I’m not allowed to mess with them?”
Tessa went quiet. Well, got it!
The Reed family had been surring up trouble in Stella’s life non–stop; it wasn’t like Stella would just sit there and take it. If they wanted chaos-
Then let chaos reign. The more people involved, the messier, the better.
The more Stella thought about it, the more excited she got.
