Shadows Between Us (Stella and Sebastian) novel Chapter 322

Chapter 322

Sebastian’s voice was low and meaningful as he replied, “Not necessarily.”

Then the car window slid up, shutting out the world.

Xander’s heart skipped a beat.

He watched the black Maybach drive away.

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Penelope’s mother–in–law stood amid the rubble, sobbing uncontrollably. “Bandits! They’re a bunch of damned bastards!”

“Xander, what are we going to do?” Penelope’s hands were shaking.

Xander’s eyes grew cold and ruthless. “Call those old geezers. If anyone dares to sell Pierce Group shares, don’t blame me for what happens next!”

He would never let that good–for–nothing Blake surpass him.

At the entrance of Haliville Second Hospital, Blake was still holding the two small stone lions in his arms. “M–Mr. Gray, we’re here.”

The car had been parked for over a minute, but Sebastian sat motionless, his eyes fixed on Blake, unreadable and intense.

Sebastian’s eyes flickered.

Sebastian said flatly, “I’ve never been here before.”

Blake was stunned.

‘Huh?‘ Blake blinked, totally lost.

He blinked at Sebastian in confusion, looking totally lost.

Sebastian said, “Stella thinks I’m still asleep.”

She even kissed his ear before leaving.

Blake froze for a moment.

Sebastian said, “I! Am! Still! Asleep!”

‘She absolutely cannot find out!‘ Sebastian thought.

He shot Blake a death glare.

Snapping out of it, Blake nodded frantically.

Looking pleased with himself, Sebastian pointed at the car door signaling for Blake to get out.

Blake got out of the car.

With a stone lion tucked under each arm, he watched as the doo slammed in his face and the car sped off, leaving him behind.

Still a bit dazed and lugging the weight of “his love” in his arms. He wandered toward the hospital, to the surgery observation

room.

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Quinlan was so stunned as he stared downstairs that he didn’t even notice his cup tilting in his hand.

‘She’s actually performing a no–vision procedure?‘ Quinlan thought, his mind spinning.

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There were only a handful of surgeons in all of Clusia who could pull off something like this, and every single one of them was over fifty. So sought–after that regular folks would wait a whole year just to see them.

Yet this young girl right here, she found the middle cerebral artery beneath a malignant tumor within three seconds of opening the skull, then went in with the scalpel at lightning speed.

Her technique was so intense, Quinlan’s heart was pounding so hard it almost hurt just watching her.

It instantly took him back to that legendary live stream on Lilac Medical Forum, the one the medical community still gossiped about, always speculating about the mysterious lead surgeon.

That was the time when Mr. Quinn’s grandson had a febrile seizure, and the surgeon was actually asked to perform a thoracotomy.

He’d been one of the first skeptics, quick to throw shade.

Why would you crack open the chest for a febrile seizure before even trying to bring the fever down?‘ he’d thought at the time.

But in the end, the surgeon not only proved him wrong, but totally made fools of tens of thousands of doctors watching the

stream.

It was honestly mind–blowing.

Even Samuel, Emily’s mentor, actually came out and dropped a comment during the stream.

Wait. Quinlan’s jaw practically hit the floor.

‘Emily?!‘ Quinlan’s mind spun.

‘Wasn’t Emily the assistant in that last surgery?‘ he wondered.

He thought, ‘Hold up. The lead surgeon last time also did a no–vision procedure!

‘Hold on. Last time…

As the realization dawned, Quinlan’s eyes grew wider and wider

Meanwhile, inside the operating room, Stella, with a cool, almost casual air, had already managed to cleanly separate the entire malignant tumor from Kendrick’s brain, not even leaving scratch on the middle cerebral artery.

Quinlan, still in a daze, lifted his wrist and checked his watch, disbelief written all over his face.

He thought, ‘Normally, this kind of surgery would take at least fie and a half hours, but now…

‘Only half an hour had passed???‘

Quinlan was so stunned he couldn’t even speak.

Quinlan’s eyes welled up with tears of regret.

‘Why the hell did I only send in a stupid appendectomy?!‘ he screamed inside.

‘Why?! Why?!” he howled in his mind,

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Quinlan felt like throwing himself on the floor and having a full blown meltdown.

Meanwhile, in Jaffina, the night was pitch black, the wind howlin

Geezer stood outside a sprawling mansion, his eyes fixed on the imposing gates.

“Now that’s what I call prime energy flow!” Geezer exclaimed, his eyes lighting up..

He reached up and brushed aside his favorite cartoon figure pin

“The Clinton family, huh…” Geezer muttered, a sly grin spreading across his face.

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Outside the operating room at Haliville Second Hospital, “Mr. Pierce,” one of his friends said, returning with some bread. “You should eat something.”

Blake replied, “I can’t eat.”

The two small stone lions sat on either side of him, like silent stone guardians.

His friend looked like he wanted to say something, but held back

He’d looked it up. Blake’s grandfather’s malignant tumor was especially dangerous, especially since it wrapped around the entire middle cerebral artery.

He didn’t know much about medicine, but even he could see tha the failure and mortality rates for this surgery were sky- high.

It was seriously high.

He thought, ‘It isn’t that I don’t trust Stella, it’s just that if anything happens, I’m afraid Mr. Pierce won’t be able to take it.

“How long has the surgery been going on?” Blake asked, his hands and feet icy with nerves.

“A little over half an hour,” his friend replied, checking his watch “Still got a ways to go.”

Blake fell silent.

After a while, “Uh… you…” Blake looked up, hesitating.

His friend said, “Just say it, Mr. Pierce.”

Blake glanced around at the guys, some squatting, some standing. Then he asked, “How long have we all known each other?”

The others looked at each other. “No clue.”

His friend grinned, “Nine years and 364 days. Tomorrow’s our ten–year anniversary.”

He scratched his head, grinning sheepishly.

He never forgot a single day.

Blake looked down and smiled, too. “Alright, I won’t beat around the bush. I need you guys to help me out.”

The lackeys straightened up, all serious. “Just say the word, Mr. Perce!”

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Blake’s eyes turned cold. “Help me out. Tonight, we’re buying up Pierce Group shares. Every single one we can get our hands

on!”

The guys stared at him, shocked. “Mr. Pierce, you… Are you serious?”

But before anyone could say another word, the operating room doors burst open. Everyone was stunned.

Wait, already?‘ they all thought, minds spinning.

‘Is it really over?‘ disbelief flashing across their faces.

At the same time, on Sandridge Island, on the large bed in Stellas bedroom, Sebastian, having changed into pajamas again, lay with a pale, expressionless face, staring at the ceiling.

The plain plant he’d brought in from his room was soaking up the moonlight, swaying lazily back and forth.

It was the picture of relaxation.

But honestly, it was such an eyesore.

Sebastian reached out and cocooned himself from head to toe in the thin blanket that still carried Stella’s scent.

Then he just rolled around in it, unable to settle down.

Suddenly, half his face poked out from under the edge of the blanket.

Lucas was standing there on the floor, barefoot with his little shark onesie on, hugging his pillow tight.

Lucas just stared at him, looking totally puzzled.

Sebastian, caught in the act, was momentarily awkward.

There was a brief pause.

“What are you doing here?” Sebastian asked, his voice icy.

Lucas stretched out his tiny hand and pointed at the empty spot beside Sebastian.

“She’s out,” Sebastian replied coolly.

Lucas looked like he was lost in thought.

Both sat there, expressionless.

The next second, clutching his pillow, Lucas tossed it onto the bed with a thud and scrambled up, using his tiny arms and legs.

Sebastian poked Lucas right in the center of his forehead with a old finger.

Lucas blinked, looking totally confused.

Sebastian nudged him.

The adorable little guy tumbled across the soft carpet.

Plop! He landed face down on the carpet.

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Lucas puffed out his cheeks like a little puffer, all sulky and mad

‘Uncle Sebastian is so mean!‘ Lucas seethed inwardly.

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Sebastian tilted his chin, his handsome face still blank. But seeing Lucas go full puffer again, he just snorted, cold and amused. “Hmph!”

But instead, Lucas patted his little butt, got himself up, and toddled right back to the bed, holding out his chubby arms to Sebastian.

“Hug!” he said, his voice sweet and pleading.

He blinked.

He was so adorable that it could melt anyone’s heart.

Their eyes met. Sebastian was speechless.

He narrowed his eyes. ‘Ugh, this kid is too much!‘

I’m totally being melted by his cuteness!‘ Sebastian thought, feeling a little helpless.

Outside the intensive care unit at Haliville Second Hospital, Stella stood there with one hand in her pocket, scrolling through her phone.

Cassie was moving fast.

Even though the news about Conrad’s accident hadn’t officially leaked, with the top brass keeping things on the down–low, plenty of savvy investors were already making moves.

On top of that, a bunch of Haliville’s elite families at the meeting held shares in Pierce Group, and anyone who’d ever crossed paths with Conrad was getting grilled by the military.

Carlos and Xander were right in the firing line.

Businessmen are all about chasing profits, but nothing freaks them out more than getting tangled up with the authorities.

With all that cash power in play, Pierce Group shares were getting dumped like crazy.

Charmaine: [We’ve got a bit of a problem.]

Stella took her time replying with a question mark.

Charmaine: [There’s a mysterious shareholder in Pierce Group. We can’t find a single trace about them.]

Shark: [Not even you guys?]

Charmaine: [Nope.]

Stella raised an eyebrow. ‘Now that’s intriguing,’ she mused.

Charmaine: [This shareholder owns 5.7% of the shares, and that 7% is the real game–changer.]

After a while, Stella shot back a lazy “Got it,” and left it at that.

A steaming cup of coffee slid into view.

“What are you thinking about?” Emily asked, juggling two coffee as she peeked into the room.

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‘Man, Blake is seriously ugly when he cries, Emily snarked to herself.

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“Nothing,” Stella replied casually, taking the coffee and sipping it slowly before tossing her phone back into her pocket.

Emily stretched her neck. “My parents were at the press conference today.” She tilted her head. “They came back and told me you totally blew them away with how cool you were.”

Stella just clinked her cup against Emily’s in response.

Emily said, “Oh, and the Tongalians just sent an invitation to the Penn School.”

She squeezed her paper cup. They even went out of their way to post it on Instagram and Facebook, showing off in Clusia, Monterran, and Tongalian.

And the invitation was personally signed and sent by Paul’s former top disciple, who had betrayed him and now went by Carmelo, the vice president of the Herbal Medicine Guild.

Emily let out a cold laugh. “Exactly as you predicted.”

Emily said, “These people are absolutely disgusting!”

Stella downed her coffee in one go, then tossed the empty cup into the trash with a single hand. “I’ll take you home.”

“No need, my parents are waiting for me downstairs,” Emily said a little embarrassed.

She added, “They just think it’s too late and worry about me.”

Stella paused for a second. At that moment, the door to the ward opened, and the lackey stepped out. “Stella, Mr. Pierce asked me to take you both home.”

“No need,” Stella said flatly. “Tell him to call me in the morning.”

After a beat, Stella added, “Xander’s holding a board meeting at Pierce Group tomorrow morning.”

With that, she just left, not bothering to say anything else.

An hour later, on Sandridge Island.

Stella pulled her bike right into the garage, hopped in the elevater, and went straight upstairs.

The door opened.

Snowball slowly lifted his big head off the floor. As soon as he saw her, he started rubbing his big head all over her hand, super affectionate.

‘Mm… Snowball thought, feeling pretty content.

‘Nice,’ he thought, satisfied.

‘No trace of that flashy snake’s scent!‘ Snowball thought, feeling pretty smug.

Right then, she just yawned.

The big white snake tilted his head and dozed off again.

Stella stepped over the big lump and made her way to the bed.

There they were. Sebastian and Lucas, uncle and nephew, heads pressed together, both with those signature long Gray lashes covering their eyes. One was a little angel, the other a big emon king

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Stella sat down at the edge of the bed and bent down to give Lucas a gentle kiss.

Her slender, snow–white fingers softly caressed Sebastian’s dark hair.

She thought, ‘He is so cute.’

‘If he wasn’t just faking sleep,‘ she snarked to herself.

‘Should I tell him his lashes are still twitching?‘ Stella teased inwardly.

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The peregrine falcon poked its head out from beside Lucas’s pillow, instantly grabbing Stella’s attention. She instinctively moved her hand away from Sebastian’s hair and gave the chubby falcon a shushing gesture.

But in the very next moment, Sebastian, eyes still closed, reached out with his long, slender fingers and, guided by the sound, caught the chubby little peregrine with pinpoint accuracy