Queen of Wild Cards novel Chapter 3

Her grandfather had told her the Hawthornes were a pack of heartless vultures and that she shouldn't leave her mother's ashes with them. He wanted her to take them and find a beautiful, peaceful resting place.

Before coming here, she had visited the cemetery where her mother had originally been buried, but all she found was a toppled headstone. The urn was gone. Frederick had undoubtedly tampered with it.-

And then there was the 'Angel's Heart' necklace her grandfather had left for her mother—she had to get that back, too.

The three scrambled after Stella as she marched inside, making it look as though she were the true master of the house.

Miranda's eyes darted thoughtfully before she quickened her pace. "Don't listen to your father's nonsense, Stella. Of course we welcome you back. You must be exhausted. Why doesn't Chloe take you upstairs to rest?"

"Mom, I don't want to!" Chloe whined, stomping her foot.

Miranda shot her daughter a warning look, and Chloe instantly shut her mouth. Knowing her mother, she realized Miranda had some ulterior motive for wanting Stella to stay.

Swallowing her disgust, Chloe hurried forward and forced a welcoming smile. "Stella, aren't you tired of holding that? Put it down and let me show you to a room."

"Sure," Stella agreed easily. "Put this in the corner for me, then you can show me upstairs."

Without waiting for an answer, she shoved the heavy power saw straight into Chloe's arms, completely indifferent to whether the girl could actually hold it.

Chloe staggered under the weight, almost tripping over her own feet. It didn't look that big, so why was it so insanely heavy? And how on earth had Stella been lugging it around so effortlessly?

Reading the room perfectly, the butler quietly stepped in, relieved Chloe of the heavy saw, and tucked it into a corner of the living room.

"No!" Chloe stomped furiously behind her. "That's where I live now! You can't stay there."

"Really? Watch me."

Stella pushed open the door and casually strolled inside. She scanned the layout, then yanked open the wardrobe. Pulling out a fresh set of sheets and a duvet, she stripped the current bedding, tossed it onto the floor, and began making the bed with the new linens.

Her movements were sharp and efficient, rivaling the speed of a professional housekeeper.

"Those are my favorite sheets!" Chloe shrieked. "What gives you the right to change my bed?"

"The fact that I don't sleep in used sheets, especially when they stink," Stella replied flatly, scooping up the discarded bedding and tossing it unceremoniously out into the hallway.