Shadows Between Us (Stella and Sebastian) novel Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Stella motioned for quiet, answered the call, and switched it to speaker.

“Stella, where have you been?” Hazel’s sharp, nasty voice demanded from the other end.

Sebastian’s face darkened immediately, his already pale features turning cold and distant.

His eyes, now icy, shifted toward the phone.

But Stella just gave a cool, knowing laugh.

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“Hazel, you knew I was kidnapped,” Stella said calmly as she absently ran a finger along Snowball’s tail, her smile thin and

cold.

“How should I know what kind of people you hang around with?” Hazel snapped back, her voice rising defensively. “If you got kidnapped, it’s your own fault. Don’t blame anyone else.”

Stella didn’t bother to reply. Leaning her chin on her hand, she looked utterly bored.

Lucas, however, was fuming, his cheeks puffed out in a silent, childish sulk.

“I’m sure you’re crushed I’m still alive,” Stella said, the two sharp taps of her fingers on the wood signaling her dwindling patience.

“Why would I be? It wasn’t my idea to have you kidnapped,” Hazel shot back, but the unease in her voice was plain to hear, even through the phone line.

Lucas let out an angry little huff and stomped over, his eyes blazing. Before he could make another sound, Stella reached. over and pinched his lips together, molding his mouth into a flat, duck–like shape.

Lucas blinked, the picture of wounded innocence.

“Get to the point, Hazel,” Stella snapped, her voice and expression turning to ice. She was done with the pleasantries.

“Arrogant Wind and I are getting married tonight,” Hazel announced, pride dripping from every word. “Eight o’clock on Destiny Isle, in Nova Legends. You should log on and give us your blessing.”

Sebastian’s attention sharpened at the mention of Nova Legends, a glint of sudden interest breaking through his usual icy demeanor.

Nova Legends was more than a game; it was a national obsession, dominating the online scene for a full decade.

The sheer scale was undeniable. Its parent company, the Nova Group, had earned 17.6 billion dollars from this single game alone. That was wealth on par with the entire economy of a small country.

What really fueled the gossip, however, was the mysterious Nova Group.

It was founded ten years ago by three partners bound by life–and–death loyalty, and only Allan was ever seen managing the company publicly. The other two founders had never made an appearance.

A slow, sarcastic smile spread across Stella’s face. “And you’re sure you want me there?”

“Stella, you’re not still bitter about me taking Arrogant Wind, are you?” Hazel’s voice was cloyingly sweet.

A knowing smile touched Jake’s lips. This was shaping up to be a classic love triangle drama in his eyes.

“I know he was your in–game obsession, but it’s just pixels. Surely you’re over it by now?” Hazel taunted.

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Chapter 19

Arrogant Wind was a classic pay–to–win player, having bought his way to the server’s number two spot.

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His character was always a spectacle of dazzling virtual gear, which had earned him a devoted following of female players.

The original Stella had been one of them.

The reason he was only ever second was simple. In the game Nova Legends, there was only one undisputed top player, and that was Moondust, ID 00001

He hadn’t logged in for seven years, but within the world of Nova Legends, he remained a timeless legend who commanded respect from all.

“Why would I bother getting angry over a pair of losers?” Stella said flatly.

She let out a soft, unamused breath, her lashes sweeping down to veil her eyes. Her whole posture was one of cool detachment.

“Still acting tough, Stella? Everyone knows you were Arrogant Wind’s biggest simp,” Hazel mocked. “Destiny Isle, eight o’clock tonight. Don’t be late.”

Having said her piece, Hazel quickly hung up the phone, as if afraid Stella might actually refuse.

Bored, Stella dropped her phone on the table. She lifted her gaze, only to find Sebastian watching her.

“Simp?” Sebastian said, the single word cold enough to chill the air in the room.

“What if I told you I don’t remember a thing about it?” Stella asked, a teasing glint in her eye. “Would you believe me?”

She tapped a finger against her temple. The move was pure, careless defiance.

The truth, hard as it was to believe, was that Arrogant Wind had been the desperate simp.

Stella’s phone was proof, still clogged with the countless messages he’d sent her.

Whenever she logged into the game, Arrogant Wind would find her. That, combined with some mixed signals, led the whole server to believe she was just another one of his obsessive admirers.

Sebastian’s eyes grew dark, but he stayed silent.

“What’s got you in a mood now?” Stella asked, her eyebrow arched. She couldn’t keep up with his volatile temper and had no clue what had upset him this time.

“Ms. Carter…” Jake said, looking up from his phone with a strange expression. “Your username isn’t Starfall, is it?”

Both Stella and Sebastian looked up at him immediately.

“You should probably see this,” Jake said, holding out his phone.

“Put it on the screen,” Sebastian said, his cold stare making Jake’s hand shake.

Jake quickly mirrored the display to the television on the wall.

The headline was pure drama. It read, “Nova Legends‘ Most Shameless Fangirl, Starfall, Goes to Wild Lengths for Server’s Number Two Player, Arrogant Wind!”

The clip showed Starfall acting pathetically desperate as she trailed Arrogant Wind’s character.

When her usual tactics failed, she began stripping her virtual clothes off in the town square, vowing to crash his wedding to a player named Hazelight.

12:11 Tue, Jan 13 G GR

Chapter 19

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As her game character began to undress, Stella reached over and covered Lucas’s eyes. Her own gaze stayed fixed on the screen, a sharp, calculating look hardening in her eyes.

There was no question about who “Hazelight” was.

“That video is all over the internet now,” Jake said.

Nova Legends had its own category on every short video app. Someone had clearly posted this to start drama, and it quickly went viral. Soon, everyone online was talking about it.

Comments calling “Starfall” a shameless creep had already gotten over two hundred thousand likes. Players were forming groups to meet up on Destiny Isle that night, eager to see what would happen.

“That awful couple paid someone to hack my account,” Stella said quietly, leaning back in her chair. She kept her eyes on the TV, her expression unreadable.

But the hack was about more than just setting up that humiliating video.

They had stripped her account bare, taking every piece of gear and all her gold coins.

The legendary Aurora’s Veil outfit that Hazel was flaunting in the video belonged to Stella, earned after three days of nonstop grinding.

It was the only one on the entire server.

Stella seethed. What was hers stayed hers. She’d rather let it rot than give it up, and to have it stolen outright was unforgivable.

The invitation Arrogant Wind and Hazelight sent was practically dripping with mock sincerity. If they wanted a confrontation, she would give them one they wouldn’t forget.

She’d be at Destiny Isle by eight tonight, no question about it.

The roar of an engine cut through the afternoon. A moment later, a modified Aston Martin in a shade of aggressive purple slid into the driveway, coming to a sharp halt before the villa.

“Sebastian!” The voice was loud and demanding.