Shadows Between Us (Stella and Sebastian) novel Chapter 276

Chapter 276

Everyone instinctively followed Stella’s gaze.

“Baby Shark doo doo…”

It was a hit children’s song overseas, Baby Shark.

:..

But from the look on Stella’s face, it was obviously more than just a catchy tune to her.

Stella stayed perfectly still.

Her eyes rimmed with red.

The phone rang once, then the call ended abruptly.

62

462

55 vouchers

But soon, it rang again, and the whole camp was filled with the sound of a child’s voice singing the nursery rhyme.

Sebastian glanced over at Stella, her figure nearly lost in the shadows, and said quietly, “Stella?”

“Yeah,” Stella replied.

She snapped back to reality, hands in her pockets, and walked ahead with a lazy, tired vibe.

The old man and his crew, still targeted by the sniper’s infrared sights, automatically made way for Stella. Maybe it was the icy aura in her eyes, but not one of them dared to utter a word.

From behind the crowd, the bearded man with those striking eyes suddenly grinned as Stella walked up. “Ms. Carter, please.”

His accent was flawless, every word sharp and clear.

Turns out, all that before was just the bearded guy putting on an act.

He lifted his hand.

The phone was in his hand.

He wore a smug grin.

Stella reached out to take the phone, her eyes cold as she stared down the bearded man.

Her gaze was icy, as if she were looking at a corpse.

The bearded man fell silent, his words caught in his throat.

His smile stiffened, and after a dry cough, his expression turned serious.

Stella’s eyes narrowed as she answered and put the call on speaker. “Speak,” she said coldly.

13:05 Wed, Feb 4

Chapter 276

:

There was three seconds of dead silence on the other end.

For some, those three seconds felt like an eternity.

Then, a light laugh came through the phone, audible to everyone.

Stella was surprised!

Her eyes flickered, betraying a hint of surprise.

62

55 vouchers

“So you really made it out alive,” the man said, his voice smooth and magnetic, almost relieved, almost mocking.

But beneath it all, there was a cold edge.

Meanwhile, in a high-rise across the ocean, a good-looking guy with silver hair swiveled his chair to face the window.

He lit a cigarette.

“Shark.” His tone was playful, with a hint of provocation.

Just that nickname alone carried a touch of recklessness, and something tender that lingered in the air.

Allan instinctively glanced at Sebastian, whose face was already stormy and dark as ink.

This was a full-blown love triangle battlefield.

Stella sat in silence for a while, lost in thought.

Stella finally spoke up, “K.W.”

It meant Killer Whale, Shark’s nemesis.

The moment she uttered that code name, everyone’s expression instantly shifted.

Killer Whale was the boss of the Chaos Syndicate.

The Chaos Syndicate was the most infamous crew on the planet. They thrived on chaos, committing every crime in the book, murder, robbery, arson, you name it.

Just hearing their name was enough to make anyone break out in a cold sweat. Only the Shadow Alliance and Dorestan’s Phantom League could go toe-to-toe with them.

Killer Whale let out a low chuckle, taking a drag from his cigarette as he watched the live feed, casually swiping his finger across the screen. “You’re not quite the same as you used to be.”

Stella’s head snapped up at his words, her eyes cold as ice.

She stared straight into the surveillance camera overhead, locking eyes with whoever was watching.

13:05 Wed, Feb 4

Chapter 276

62

55 vouchers

The next second, Bang! Before anyone could react, Stella yanked the gun from behind her waist and fired without hesitation.

The screen in front of Killer Whale instantly turned to static.

“You gave the order. They ambushed us, stole the meds, and took our doctor,” Stella said, her voice icy and unwavering.

She wasn’t asking.

Killer Whale smirked, “Shark, you really are clever.”

Stella said coldly, “So, what do you want?”

There wasn’t a trace of warmth in her voice, not even the slightest hint of emotion.

Killer Whale said, “Shark, believe it or not, the hit on you wasn’t my call.”

His words sounded like a murmur.

Stella just tilted her head, giving a slight, chilly smile. “Does it really matter?”

Those four words left Killer Whale silent for a long moment. Then he laughed, flashing his signature roguish grin as he leaned back in his chair. “I’ve already had my people plant explosives all around the camp. This time, they’re real explosives.”

To prove he wasn’t bluffing, the bearded man brandished a detonator for all to see.

Stella frowned, her patience wearing thin. She said, “Killer Whale, enough with the nonsense. Just tell me. What exactly are you after?”

Killer Whale murmured, “I need you to operate on one of my men. Only you can pull this off.”

Stella scoffed, letting out a cold, mocking laugh.

She clearly didn’t buy it for a second.

On the other end, Killer Whale leaned back, eyes half-closed and icy cold. “As a little return gift, I’ve got something for you… Why don’t you turn off the speaker for me?”

He flicked the ash from his cigarette, his voice rising playfully at the end, almost like he was trying to sweet- talk her, totally at ease.

The bearded guy on Stella’s side nearly popped his eyes out in shock.

On the other side, Allan and the others moved aside, while Sebastian wore a grim face, his entire presence radiating hostility. The vast camp seemed to be continuously drained of air, and everyone could feel an intense suffocation.

The next second, Stella ended the speaker mode and pressed the phone to her ear.

13:05 Wed, Feb 4

Chapter 276

:

‘Shark’s temper. just as fierce as the rumors say… he thought.

‘Legendary, no exaggeration!’ he told himself.

After a long pause, Stella called out, “Emily.”

Emily stared at the diamonds scattered everywhere, looking absolutely devastated. “Here.”

462

E55 vouchers

She shot Sebastian a quick look, debating whether to say something to Stella, but before she could, Stella’s voice cut in, crisp and direct. “Surgery.”

Emily was left speechless.

‘Did you even see Mr. Gray’s face? He looks like he’s about to explode,’ Emily thought.

*****

Outside the makeshift operating room, Sebastian pressed Stella into the corner, his tall frame completely blocking her from view.

He reached up and took off her baseball cap.

Her face was strikingly fair, truly beautiful.

Sebastian lowered his head, his lips brushing right against Stella’s ear, the air between them thick with tension. His strong arm locked around her waist, pulling her in close. “Let me give you something better.”

Stella blinked, a little thrown. “What?”

Sebastian leaned in even closer, his voice dropping to a husky whisper. “Diamonds.”

Stella was speechless!

“Don’t take his,” Sebastian said, his eyes dark as ink, his handsome face cold enough to make the room drop a few degrees. At that moment, his possessiveness was flaring up like crazy.

He locked eyes with Blackie, who was tangled in Stella’s hair, his gaze full of warning.

Blackie was speechless.

Blackie slipped off Stella without a fuss.

But then, Blackie spotted how filthy the corner was. Being the neat freak he was, he stiffened up like a stick of uncooked spaghetti and went to sulk in the corner, facing the wall like he was in time-out.

Blackie was all miserable and wronged.

Stella just gave a nonchalant “oh.” She hadn’t planned on taking the diamonds anyway. The next thing she knew, she was swept off her feet. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around Sebastian’s neck, while his big hand effortlessly supported her weight.

13:05 Wed, Feb 4

Chapter 276

462

62

55 vouchers

Momentum had her about to slam into the wall, but Sebastian caught her with one arm, braced the other against the wall, and in one smooth move, spun them around so his own back took the hit instead.

“You…” Stella barely got the word out before Sebastian let out a low grunt in her ear. His big hand gripped the back of her head, pulling her in as his lips crashed onto hers, fierce and desperate, like a raging storm.

Their breaths tangled together, hot and fast, every heartbeat echoing the wild tension between them.

Stella gasped, caught off guard and breathless.

Sebastian leaned in close, his lips brushing her ear as he whispered, “Killer Whale…”

Stella didn’t even flinch. She replied, deadpan, “He’s a total lunatic.”

Sebastian let out a low chuckle, the darkness in his eyes still swirling. He locked his gaze on her, holding her tight. Shoulder wound be damned, he had no intention of letting go.

“Me too,” Sebastian murmured, his voice rough and possessive.

He lifted her, holding her so she hovered above him, forcing him to look up into her eyes, his gaze intense and unwavering.

Stella’s bandaged hand casually swept aside the hair falling over Sebastian’s forehead. She bent down and kissed him right between the brows. “You’re not.”

Sebastian’s voice came out rough, almost needy. “Kiss me again?”

Stella cradled his face in both hands, feeling the stiff muscles flexing beneath her. She leaned in, teasing his lips with hers, and let out a playful laugh.

“It was you, wasn’t it?” Sebastian suddenly asked, his voice low and intense.

Stella drawled, “What?”

Sebastian went quiet for a couple of seconds. “Five years ago, Haliville, Seastone Warehouse.”

Stella tried to recall!

A hazy memory started to surface in her mind.

Sebastian’s voice was rough and low. “Everyone said I was the one who operated on Holly, but nobody knew I’d been poisoned and was barely alive at the time.”

Stella hesitated, her voice trailing off. “Ah!”

She lowered her head, eyes narrowing as she looked at Sebastian’s face.

Stella sat in silence for a while, lost in thought. Stella asked, “Was it you?”

She couldn’t picture this face as the bloody mess it had been back then. “Hold on, you mean…?”

13:05 Wed, Feb 4

Chapter 276

For once, real surprise flashed across Stella’s face as the memory hit her.

Sebastian watched her quietly, his eyes deep and intense, waiting for her to remember.

Stella was recalling!

62

E55 vouchers

Five years back, she’d come to Haliville to pick up Cassie. Cassie had sent out a distress signal, and Stella was already in a foul mood.

On her way, she ran into some mercenaries who tried to start trouble. So she dealt with them, quick and ruthless, barely breaking stride.

She vaguely remembered a warehouse, bodies on the ground, three men and a woman. The woman was pregnant.

Everyone else was dead. He was the only one left standing.

“You fed me your blood,” Sebastian murmured, pulling Stella tight into his arms, refusing to let her go.

Stella was trying so hard to recall!

“Ah…” She finally remembered.

Back then, she’d thought he was dead. But as she walked by, he suddenly reached out and grabbed her shoe. She wasn’t looking for trouble, but he asked her to save the pregnant woman.

She figured the woman must be his wife.

Shark had seen all the worst sides of humanity. She loved pushing people to their limits, especially those so- called global elites. When it came down to life and death, they’d ditch their families in a heartbeat, showing just how ugly people could get.

She remembered telling him, “But she’s already dead.”

It’s not like she refused to help.

The pregnant woman was already dead.

She’d been inhumanely abused before she died. And that was one of the reasons Stella didn’t spare a single one of those mercenaries.

“Save her…” the man gasped, blood spilling from his mouth, barely hanging on.

Stella crouched down, studying him for a few seconds.

She gave a devilish smirk.

“If you die, I’ll save the baby. If you live, the baby dies.” She spun the sharp scalpel between her fingers, her whole vibe cold and devil-may-care.