Queen of Wild Cards novel Chapter 7

Leaving the butler to his duties, Stella completely ignored Frederick and Miranda and headed straight for the kitchen. After all that drama, she was starving and needed food.

She whipped up a quick plate of spaghetti and leisurely brought it out to the dining room. As she ate, she texted someone to have a fresh set of clothes delivered to the house. There was no way in hell she was wearing any of Chloe's hand-me-downs.

While she was enjoying her spaghetti, Frederick and Miranda retreated to their master suite to finalize their scheme.

"Frederick, we shouldn't delay. Let's send her to the Blackwood Manor tomorrow. Look at her—she's only been here a few hours and she's already turned the house upside down with her savage behavior."

"What if she refuses? She's just as unruly as that grandfather of hers. She's nothing like the docile little girl she used to be."

"It doesn't matter what she wants. Tomorrow, you tell her that if she agrees to go to the Blackwoods, you'll hand over her mother's ashes and belongings. She'll agree. That's the only reason she came back anyway."

"That could work. It's not like she knows where her mother's urn actually is. If she resists, I'll just threaten to destroy the ashes entirely. That'll force her hand."

He had secretly relocated Clara's urn from its original burial spot a long time ago. He had done it specifically to maintain leverage over Dewey Todd, in case the old man ever came back looking for trouble.

After all, Dewey was a ruthless thug who didn't play by the rules.

From the looks of it, Stella had inherited her grandfather's exact brand of thuggery.

Regardless, he couldn't let Stella stay under his roof. Tomorrow, she was going straight to the Blackwoods.

...

The next morning.

Stella didn't even turn around. "Whoever's barking the loudest, obviously."

Chloe stamped her feet in indignation, twisting toward her parents. "Mom! Dad! Look at how she treats me!"

Miranda was seething too, but having vastly more life experience, she pulled her daughter back onto the sofa.

"Chloe, hold your tongue. She won't be here much longer. Once she becomes a widow, we'll have her completely at our mercy."

Frederick chimed in to soothe her. "Your mother is right. Don't ruin our plans. Just grit your teeth until we secure that wedding fund from the Blackwoods."

If he hadn't drunkenly forced himself on Clara Todd all those years ago, Dewey Todd wouldn't have forced him into marrying her at gunpoint. He had never loved Clara, and by extension, he couldn't stand Stella.