He Never Noticed Me Until I Loved Someone Else novel Chapter 127

The second the words left her mouth, Stella regretted them. Just as she opened her mouth to clarify, Jarrod's phone began to ring—

It was Chloe's custom ringtone.

A sharp pang struck Stella's chest, but she smoothly looked away, hiding the reaction.

Jarrod glanced at the screen and rejected the call.

But Chloe called right back a second later.

"You should answer it. What if it's an emergency?" Stella pointed out.

Jarrod finally accepted the call. Before he could even speak, Chloe's frantic sobbing echoed from the speaker.

"What happened?"

His brow immediately pinched with worry, and he stood up, walking out onto the balcony.

A few moments later, he stepped back inside and looked at Stella. "Get some rest. I have something urgent to take care of."

Stella gave him a stiff nod. "Okay."

Seeing her passive, gentle demeanor, Jarrod paused at the door. "Chloe's situation is complicated right now, but she is not a factor you need to worry about."

"We still have twenty days left in the cool-off period. Think about my offer. If you still insist on going through with the divorce when the time comes, I'll respect your choice."

He turned to leave, but stopped to add one final remark.

"You are Mrs. Fuller. If anyone ever wrongs you, you have every right to throw that title in their face. I won't sit back and let you be disrespected."

The door clicked shut, leaving Stella entirely alone in the massive bedroom.

She remained on the chaise lounge, the faint, medicinal scent of the ointment lingering in the air.

When he had told her he didn't want a divorce, the magnetic intensity in his dark eyes had practically swallowed her whole, actually making her waver for a split second.

"Stella, what happened to your foot?"

Stella gave her a brief rundown of the sprain.

"You have the worst luck ever," Cassidy sighed.

Sensing the hidden meaning behind the comment, Stella asked knowingly, "How many different versions of the rumors are circulating about me now?"

Cassidy groaned. "Ugh, don't even ask. On Friday, people were just gossiping about your relationship with Mr. Fuller and why he defended you. Most of them were just jealous that he actually paid attention to you."

"But by Friday night, Chloe's assistant posted a photo of Mr. Fuller keeping Chloe company at the hospital, and the entire narrative flipped! Now everyone is swearing you're the other woman tearing them apart!"

Cassidy's voice rose with indignation. "Fiona practically led the witch hunt. She claimed you've been lusting after Mr. Fuller forever, saying you deliberately threw yourself into his arms during Chloe's celebration party!"

"She even swore she caught you aggressively texting and calling him to beg for his attention! And then someone else leaked that your business trip to St. Jude's Island was actually a backdoor favor he pulled for you!"

Cassidy furiously explained that everyone was now branding Stella as a manipulative, scheming homewrecker who hid behind a pure, innocent facade.