Chapter 394 Cut Ties
That morning, Stella called Abraham. He said he wouldn’t be back until afternoon.
So she arranged lunch with Ryan. But just as she stepped outside, a Maybach pulled up and blocked the road. It stopped about two kilometers from the Seaflats Cove gate, right at the turn onto the main road.
Ethan leaned against the car. The cold wind blew through his hair. Through the windshield, Stella could see how dejected he looked.
“Miss, we can’t get through,” the driver said.
The Maybach was parked right in the center of the road, clearly waiting just for Stella.
She frowned. Ryan’s call came through. She picked up. “Rianne?”
“Star, I’m at the café on the nearby street, waiting for you.”
“Okay.” She hung up and stepped out of the car. She kept her distance, just staring at Ethan from afar.
Ethan’s
‘s gaze was hollow when he saw her. He held a cigarette, wore only a thin jacket, and the stubble on his face made him look haggard and worn out.
That was a look she never expected to see on Ethan. Leaning against the car door, Stella spoke coldly. “What are you doing?”
Blocking the road like this? She didn’t believe he was here to intercept Abraham. If he dared to stand here like this, he must’ve known Abraham was out. And now he dared to come block her?
So maybe the Keene family wasn’t in such deep trouble after all? But she was wrong. The Keene. family was in deep trouble–and Ethan was close to a mental breakdown. He threw cigarette and walked toward her.
Stella frowned, clearly irritated.
away his
He stopped about three feet away. Now she could see the storm of emotion in his eyes. Emptiness. Sadness. Pain… All of it, swirling in Ethan’s eyes.
Stella narrowed her eyes. “Here to beg for Lillian again?”
There could be no other reason for that kind of emotion–except Lillian. Tessa and Ryan had been feeding her gossip about the Reed family, but in Stella’s mind…
Susan and Ethan’s bias toward Lillian would always trump everything else. When Ethan heard her say that, the pain in his eyes deepened.
“Beg?” he repeated, his voice full of anguish.
Chapter 394 Cut Ties
+8 Pearls
Right. The Reed family never begged. Neither did Ethan. Back then, when they wanted her to spare Lillian, they didn’t plead. They tried to crush her. The things they did to her then… how many tactics did they use? Ha….
Ethan stood silent.
Hearing her say “threaten” and “suppress” made his chest feel like it might explode.
He shut his eyes. His whole body shook. His hands clenched into fists. With effort, he said, “I’ve already… cut ties with her.”
Stella arched a brow. She didn’t respond, just looked at him in silence, recalling something Tessa had gossiped about. She said Ethan left the Reed house that day and kicked over a flowerpot by the gate.
Ethan said, “Stella, I’m sorry.”
Stella was stunned. His sudden apology made her eyes flicker. “You’re apologizing to me?”
“I wronged you. 1…” He trailed off.
Too much had happened since last night. His head was a mess. Ever since he left the Keene family… The only thing he wanted to do was see her. He needed to see her.
No one knew how empty he’d felt since she broke off the engagement… like someone had carved out the most important part of him.
Stella said flatly, “Don’t bother apologizing. You never should’ve come. Move your car.”
She didn’t want to hear another word. She turned and got into her car. Just as she was about to close the door, Ethan panicked. He rushed forward and grabbed it.
Stella raised a brow, “You-
But even as she spoke, her foot instinctively lashed out. Ethan’s expression changed instantly. He stepped back out of reflex, putting distance between them.
He remembered that
Stella hated physical contact. Even when they were engaged, she always flinched away when he got close. After she called off the engagement, anytime he grabbed her wrist, she’d strike back immediately.
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