He Never Noticed Me Until I Loved Someone Else novel Chapter 309

After work, Stella drove straight to the restaurant Cassidy had mentioned.

It was a bit out of the way, but the ambiance was lovely. With small bridges over flowing water, bamboo fencing, and hanging red lanterns, it had a charming, rustic atmosphere.

Cassidy had booked a private dining room on the second floor. When Stella pushed the door open, she was greeted by a room full of familiar faces. She handed Cassidy a birthday gift and wished her well.

Everyone quickly fell into catching up, complimenting Stella on how much more radiant and confident she looked.

"Obviously! Our Stella is running her own apparel factory now. She's a boss!" Cassidy boasted proudly.

Stella reached over and playfully pinched Cassidy's cheek. "Keep hyping me up like that, and you're going to jinx me!"

Cassidy puffed out her chest, declaring that she didn't care about jinxes—she just wanted to brag about her friend.

The whole table erupted in laughter, instantly settling into an easy, lighthearted vibe.

"Did you guys hear? It looks like Chloe isn't planning to stick around at Mythos Online much longer either," one of their former coworkers casually dropped into the conversation.

At the mere mention of Chloe's name, Cassidy immediately rolled her eyes. "Good riddance. She should have left a long time ago. If it weren't for her, Stella and I wouldn't have had to leave in the first place!"

After Chloe had relentlessly targeted them, Cassidy had handed in her resignation and moved to a different company. Her disdain for Chloe hadn't faded one bit.

Stella wasn't entirely surprised by the news. Jarrod had casually mentioned it before, saying Chloe was planning to leave Royal Oaks. It was a condition Chloe herself had set when she asked Jarrod to go to dinner and a movie with her the other day.

However, Stella's departure from Mythos Online hadn't been solely because of Chloe.

But Cassidy truly had been pushed out by her.

Thinking of this, Stella offered Cassidy an apologetic smile. "If you hadn't been so close to me, she wouldn't have made things so difficult for you."

"That's because she's petty and narrow-minded. It has nothing to do with you!" Cassidy brushed it off. "But if you really feel that guilty about it, when you strike it rich, you can hire me to work for you!"

Stella had an early morning the next day and didn't plan on joining the second round.

Having worked together for years, everyone knew Stella preferred quieter evenings, so no one tried to pressure her into staying. They simply promised to hang out again soon.

After waving goodbye to her coworkers as they piled into cabs, Stella booked a designated driver on her phone.

The restaurant was already quite secluded, making the outdoor parking lot feel even more deserted.

Stella unlocked her car, planning to sit inside and wait.

Just then, she heard what sounded like a scuffle coming from an alleyway nearby.

Alert, Stella cautiously crept over to take a look. A group of bleached-blond thugs had cornered two women. The men looked heavily intoxicated, their faces flushed red, flashing predatory grins as if they had already secured their prey.

The two women trapped against the wall were none other than Chloe and Serena!