Shadows Between Us (Stella and Sebastian) novel Chapter 259

Chapter 259

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Lauren watched as Stella came over with the glass of water and set it down on the nightstand with a quiet clink.

The clear water swirled in the glass for a moment before settling.

Lauren’s eyes narrowed in shock.

Stella slouched against the wall, looking totally casual. “You’re really pitiful.” She tilted her head, her eyes full of mock pity. But every word hit Lauren right where it hurt.

Lauren’s chest rose and fell violently, her breathing rough and uneven.

Stella said, “Doesn’t matter how much of an idiot Richard is, Sophia still pulls every string for him just because he’s a guy. But you? What do you get?”

Stella clicked her tongue, her voice slow and almost lazy, making sure Lauren caught every single word.

Lauren sneered, “Don’t think I don’t see what you’re doing. You’re just trying to sow discord!”

Stella just chuckled.

“Bet you’ve been seething with hate these past few days, huh?” Stella said.

Lauren instinctively clenched her fist, and the glass shard dug into her skin, blood oozing between her fingers. But she didn’t even twitch. Stella’s words had struck right at her sore spot.

Stella tilted her head, looking at Lauren. “Why am I the one who got tossed aside? If it were Richard in my place, would they have dumped him, too?”

Lauren’s eyes were shot through with angry red veins, making her look like something straight out of a horror flick, seriously creepy.

Stella’s words tore away the last bit of Lauren’s dignity, sending her fury into overdrive.

The flowers on the nightstand filled the air with their strong fragrance.

Stella said, “The answer’s obvious…”

Lauren screamed, “Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” Her heart was racing so wildly that it felt like a train was barreling through her, leaving her completely wrecked inside,

“No, they wouldn’t,” Stella said the last two words slowly, making sure Lauren heard every syllable.

Lauren was so furious that it was like something else had taken over her mind, leaving her dazed and lost. She snapped her head up, eyes glinting with malice as she stared Stella down. “Why are you saying all this to me?”

Stella replied, her tone lazy and almost mocking, “Because you look pathetic.”

“Me? Pathetic?” Lauren’s face went paper white, her laugh cold and bitter. “Your real parents are living it up in Jaffina, part of some fancy family, and you got dumped in Haliville like a stray mutt. And you think you can pity me?”

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Chapter 259

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Just like before, the meltdown Lauren was hoping for never happened. Stella just yawned, looking bored out of her mind. SChapter 259

Sebastian frowned. “Don’t ask so many questions. Just do as she says.”

Blake fell silent.

‘He’s scolding me again, Blake thought, feeling all wronged inside.

Blake whimpered inwardly.

Blake looked up at Stella, his eyes full of grievance.

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Stella said, “The more people gossip about this, the better it is for you and Ion Wing Drones. You get what I mean?”

She actually bothered to explain further, which she almost never did.

Blake shook his head at first, and then nodded.

Stella was speechless.

She thought, ‘Eh, whatever.

‘It’s not like this is the first time I’ve realized Blake’s a bit of an airhead. At least he’s way more well-behaved than he used to be!’

Stella stood up. “Get those 3,000 drones prepped first. We’ll talk about the rest later.”

And with that, she headed out with Sebastian.

An hour later, the black Maybach rolled to a stop outside the hospital.

John stepped out from the driver’s seat and came around to the back, opening the door with a respectful

gesture.

The hospital was unusually busy today.

Stella glanced at Big Ben. “You stay in the car.” If Big Ben walked into the hospital like this, it’d probably end up on Haliville’s front page tomorrow.

Big Ben said, “Stella…”

It was acting all spoiled and adorable.

It pressed its hands against the car window, looking at Stella with those pitiful puppy eyes, even letting out a little whimper.

Stella reached out and ruffled Big Ben’s head. “Be good.”

Big Ben quietly formed a heart with its fingers for her.

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“Stella?” Emily, wearing her white coat, had just walked out of the ER. Spotting Sebastian, she slipped her penlight into her pocket and called out, “Hey, Mr. Gray.”

“Visiting Lauren?” Emily’s eyes went wide when she saw the bouquet in Stella’s arms. “You actually brought flowers?”

‘This is totally suspicious, like a wolf in sheep’s clothing,’ Emily thought.

Emily reached out to touch the petals, but Stella quickly moved the bouquet out of reach.

Emily blinked, totally baffled.

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Emily wondered.

Stella drawled lazily, “These are henbane flowers. They’re poisonous.”

Emily was left speechless.

‘Just as I thought,’ Emily thought.

Emily gave her a look. “Wait, is this the henbane with the flower language of ‘evil heart’?”

Stella arched her brow, shooting Emily a look.

She didn’t need to spell it out.

Emily was left speechless.

She didn’t know what to say.

After a moment, Emily finally gave Stella Lauren’s room number. “Oh, by the way…” She looked like she wanted to say something, but then stopped herself, not quite sure.

Stella asked, “What is it?”

Emily said, “It’s nothing, really. It’s just that Mr. Penn’s hand is healing way slower than it should.

“Sure, age can slow down blood clotting, but it’s been so long since his surgery and his wound is still oozing blood…” She looked up at Stella. “It’s kind of weird.”

Stella frowned at that.

‘Mr. Penn’s surgical wound still hasn’t scabbed over yet?’ Stella thought.

Stella thought for a moment. “I’ll call you after I’m done.”

Emily grinned. “Alright, and one more thing…” She hooked her arm through Stella’s. “The Dorestan Medical Alliance just notified me. You’re the first person I’m telling, besides my family!”

She gave a smug little tilt of her chin, looking all proud.

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Stella said, “I’m honored.”

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“Don’t worry!” Emily leaned in close, gossiping in Stella’s ear. “I swear I won’t spill a word about what you blurted out at the bar that night when you were drunk!”

Stella asked, “What did I say?”

Emily’s eyes went wide. “You kept saying you were Shark, and then you claimed you were the head of the Dorestan Medical Alliance! Seriously, you were talking crazy!”

She gave Stella a playful slap on the shoulder. “Your reaction after getting drunk is a disaster. Good thing I was there!”

Stella was speechless.

She thought, ‘Fine, whatever.

‘Believe what you want!’

Stella deadpanned, “You were the one who got wasted that night.”

Emily fell silent.

Stella added, “And you were hugging me, shouting that I was the nicest person ever.”

Emily didn’t know what to say.

Stella continued, “And you were yelling at the top of your lungs…”

Emily quickly clapped her hand over Stella’s mouth.

‘Just shut up!’ she thought.

*****

At the inpatient department, the elevator doors suddenly slid open.

Stella pushed Sebastian out in his wheelchair.

Sunlight streamed softly through the floor-to-ceiling hallway windows, falling across them and casting long shadows behind the two.

Sebastian suddenly spoke up, his voice low and magnetic. “Once Celia gets to the island tomorrow, I’ll have John and the others ease up a bit and give her a chance to get close to Big Ben.”

Stella replied, “Okay.”

Total tacit understanding between them.

Stella asked, “Did you block the news?”

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‘Otherwise, how come no one from the Gray family showed up?’ Stella thought.

Sebastian replied, “Sophia and the others are on their way.”

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He’d staggered the timing when he notified the Gray family, making sure there was a gap. That way, Lauren would be at her most fragile. It was the prime time for her to be swayed or messed with by outside influences.

Since Lauren was still in custody, there was a plainclothes cop stationed at the door.

Stella glanced down at Sebastian in his wheelchair and raised an eyebrow.

Sebastian clearly had no intention of going in. He just gave her a look, letting her know he’d wait outside.

Stella sauntered in, casually cradling the bouquet in one hand as she pushed the door open.

Lauren was awake, propped up in bed.

Her hair was a tangled mess, and her face was sallow and ghostly. There was nothing left of the bright, bold girl she used to be.

The moment she saw Stella walk in, her eyes locked onto her with a vicious glare, like she was ready to tear her apart any second.

Lauren’s eyes flickered. “Are you satisfied now?”

Stella let out a soft laugh at that.

She strolled right up to Lauren’s bedside, set the bouquet of henbane into the vase, and straightened it with a relaxed air. “I honestly have no clue what you’re on about, but…”

Stella looked up at Lauren, her eyes half-lidded and lazy. “I brought flowers. It’s just good manners when you visit someone in the hospital.”

Lauren was left speechless.

She glared at that bright, showy bouquet, and then thought about how wrecked she looked now.

And right in front of her was Stella, whose face was flawless. Even without makeup, her face was still so perfect that it made Lauren’s rage and envy boil over.

Suddenly, Lauren just snapped. Like she’d gone totally off the rails, she dragged her weak, post-surgery body up, grabbed the bouquet and vase, and hurled them straight at Stella with everything she had.

Stella just brushed it off, cool as ever.

Glass shards went flying everywhere.

“Bitch! Bitch!” Lauren tried to lunge at Stella, but she’d forgotten her hand was still cuffed to the bedrail. No. matter how wild she got, she couldn’t even get close.

Stella stayed chill the whole time, just watching Lauren go nuts with that same calm, collected look.

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Stella looked at her like she was staring at a dying old dog, a hint of pity flickering in her eyes.

Finally, Lauren slumped down to the floor by the bed, completely drained, her face ghostly pale and cold sweat pouring down.

The door swung open from the outside.

The cop asked, “What’s going on in here?”

Stella turned around lazily. “Get someone to clean this up.”

While they were talking, Lauren, still weak and out of breath, secretly palmed a shard of broken vase in her hand.

It was small, but plenty sharp.

The cop quickly called for someone to clean up, and the nurse lifted Lauren back onto the bed. Once they left, the room was quiet and empty again.

The bouquet was picked up and placed on the nightstand.

The petals had been crushed, and a peculiar scent drifted through the air.

After all that chaos, Lauren’s lips-already dry and cracked-started bleeding again. Her eyes were sunken and dark, no trace of her earlier madness left. Now she was eerily calm, like the calm before the storm.

Lauren rasped, her voice broken, “I’m thirsty. I want some water.”

Stella just looked at her with a half-smile, a hint of mockery flickering in her eyes.

She stayed still.

Lauren let out a cold laugh. “Stella, you’re not Brantley’s real daughter.” She blurted it out, hoping to see Stella lose it, but Stella just arched a brow, looking bored.