He Never Noticed Me Until I Loved Someone Else novel Chapter 303

Startled by Jarrod's sudden movement, Stella shrank back. She shoved her hands against his chest and demanded angrily, "Jarrod, what are you doing?"

Hearing her accusation, Jarrod glanced at her, his low, husky voice carrying a hint of a smile. "The lighting is too dim. I was just turning on the floor lamp."

Only then did Stella realize his arm was indeed stretching past her toward the lamp switch.

Her hands were still pressed against his chest, and his body was hovering right above hers, his warm breath occasionally brushing against her ear.

Stella's cheeks flushed crimson. She gave him another shove, flustered and annoyed. "You could have just told me. I can turn it on myself."

Inhaling the fresh scent of her body wash, Jarrod didn't want to pull away. But, afraid of angering her to the point where she might kick him out, he finally sat up straight.

Stella leaned over and switched on the lamp, while Jarrod placed the gauze-wrapped ice pack against her ankle.

The sudden cold made her flinch slightly, but Jarrod's large hand held her foot firmly in place.

He had done something similar before.

Back when she had sprained her ankle trying to avoid an electric scooter, he had applied ointment to her foot in the master bedroom of The Sterling Residences.

Afterward, he had told her he didn't want a divorce. She had actually hesitated back then, but then Chloe Huxley had called, and Jarrod had left in a hurry.

Tonight, Jarrod had rushed all the way from Royal Oaks just for her, and he was taking the time to ice her ankle. She could feel his concern and care.

But every time she tried to let her guard down and accept him, some unexpected variable always ruined it.

Whether it was Chloe or Yvette Walsh.

And Jarrod still couldn't let go of her past feelings for Logan Lennox.

The rift between them was impossible to bridge. Forcing themselves to stay together would only breed resentment.

With that thought, the turbulence in Stella's heart slowly settled.

Hearing that their divorce was delayed again, she wasn't sure exactly how she felt.

The divorce had dragged on for so long that her previous sense of urgency seemed to have faded.

...

The next morning, Stella woke up to the news that Jarrod had taken an early flight back to Royal Oaks to handle company matters.

She and Jasper grabbed breakfast together before heading to the police station.

The lawyer Jarrod had arranged was already there. From him and the police, they learned that Aria's fall the night before had resulted in a miscarriage, and she was currently emotionally unstable.

After speaking with Lucca, the lawyer informed them that Lucca was willing to drop the charges against Stella and Jasper, but only on the condition that Stella went to the hospital to apologize to Aria.

"Ms. Quinn, you are under no obligation to accept his terms," the lawyer advised. "There is no concrete evidence linking her miscarriage to your actions. Mr. Sterling is being aggressive, but we don't have to compromise."