Shadows Between Us (Stella and Sebastian) novel Chapter 330

Chapter 330

“You…” Stella’s expression twisted with a mix of surprise and disbelief.

‘Well, that’s… different,’ she thought.

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Allan’s eyes welled up with tears, his mouth gagged so tightly that all he could manage was a whimper: “Mmmph! Mmmph!”

His six–foot–tall body was swinging helplessly in mid–air, swaying back and forth like a ragdoll.

“Boss!” Scrappy’s head popped out from the bushes. “Hang on a sec!” he chirped, whipping out a needle and plunging it right into Allan’s backside.

“Owwwwww!” Allan screamed.

His cry rang out across all of Sandridge Island.

A crow swooped overhead, cawing loudly.

Stella sighed helplessly.

Sebastian was speechless.

“It’s a punishment, Boss!” Scrappy blurted, so thrilled to see Stella that he flailed his arms and legs.

Sebastian lifted his handsome face slightly. “A punishment?”

A familiar, eerie laugh echoed from another patch of bushes. With a sudden pop, Ivan’s head emerged from the shadows, his black trench coat blending into the darkness. Tiny, furry heads peeked from his collar.

“Mr. Reed messed up Lucas’s hair,” he sneered, then ducked back leaving only half his head visible.

Only his eyes were visible.

He couldn’t take his gaze off Stella.

Stella sighed helplessly.

Sebastian was speechless.

Stella, rarely surprised, asked, “Did you mess up Lucas’s hair?”

Sebastian sneered. “Just let it be.”

Allan didn’t know what to say.

In the corner of the kids‘ room upstairs, Lucas had wrapped himself up tight in his little shark blanket, facing the wall. Over his head, a stormy little cloud with thunder and lightning hovered, looking ready to burst.

Then came a loud boom.

‘World, just blow up already!‘ Lucas grumbled inwardly.

Snowball, with his large head on Lucas’s lap, watched intently as ucas opened his mouth, looking like he was about to cough up his soul in the form of a tiny white ghost.

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11:13 Mon, Feb 9

Chapter 330

But with a flick of Snowball’s tail, Lucas gulped and swallowed his “soul” back down.

Lucas fell silent.

Lucas grabbed a tissue, sniffling and sobbing.

Big Ben’s eyes went wide like cartoon fried eggs as he pouted.

Lucas opened his eyes wide.

Lucas, expressionless, balled up a used tissue and threw it at Big Ben, the culprit, yelling, “Get lost!”

Big Ben replied, “I’m gone!”

Lucas was bawling his eyes out,

mad as heck.

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Suddenly, Lucas, still sniffling, glanced at the door. His eyes sparkled with hope. ‘It’s Stella!‘

“I’m coming in, Lucas!” Stella called from outside, knocking at the door.

The door opened.

Stella sighed helplessly.

‘Nobody here?‘ she thought to herself.

Inside the closet, Lucas was wrapped tight in his little blanket, hiding away. ‘No way am I letting Stella see ugly Lucas!‘ he thought, embarrassed.

Meanwhile, Snowball and Big Ben, forced to huddle together, were both throwing a fit.

The closet door creaked open just a crack, and Snowball poked his tail out, swishing it playfully back and forth.

Stella was speechless.

‘Seriously… that’s almost sweet,‘ she thought, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

Stella pulled open the closet door, and there was Lucas, his eyes big and watery, staring up at her with the saddest puppy eyes. The moment he saw Stella, he whimpered like a puppy.

“Who’s this little cutie hiding in here?” Stella said softly, reaching out her hand.

Lucas instantly leapt into her arms, all pitiful and miserable.

He burst into tears, bawling his eyes out.

Half an hour passed.

The hum of the hair dryer filled the bedroom. Stella, dressed in comfy loungewear with her legs swinging off the bed, gently dried Lucas’s soft, fluffy hair. Meanwhile, Lucas hugged a pile of rubber duckies close to his chest.

He gave it a sneaky pinch, and it let out a squeak.

“Stella-” Lucas whimpered, his voice sticky with tears.

Stella cocked her head, relaxed. “Hmm?”

Lucas hiccupped, a tiny sound escaping him.

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11:13 Mon, Feb 9

Chapter 330

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It was a hiccup, thick with leftover sobs.

Stella sighed helplessly.

After the hiccup, Lucas suddenly remembered how bad he looked. His lips trembled as he started to cry again. “I’m ugly,” he whimpered, reaching up to paw at his choppy, dog–bitten bangs hat Allan had ruined.

Ever since then, he wouldn’t let anyone touch his hair.

“You’re so cute,” Stella said, reaching out to pinch Lucas’s chubby cheeks.

Lucas kept sniffling, tears streaming down his cheeks.

‘Cute?‘ he blinked, hardly daring to believe it.

His mind raced when he heard Stella call him cute.

His teary eyes lit up instantly.

“Can I help fix your hair, Lucas?” Stella asked, giving his head a gentle rub. Honestly, she didn’t think it looked bad at all.

She always thought Lucas and Sebastian were adorable, no matter what.

Lucas nodded again and again, looking all sweet and obedient.

Snowball nudged Lucas with his big head, curling up into a pile so Lucas could sit on him. Big Ben immediately pulled out a pair of little shark–shaped scissors from his pocket.

Then he began to cut them.

*****

Sebastian was holed up in his study, deep in a video call.

Then John knocked and stepped inside. “Mr. Gray.”

Sebastian glanced up at him, his expression unreadable. “Go on.

On the couch nearby, Allan, who had been freshly rescued from the tree, was rubbing his butt, which now felt like Swiss cheese, whining and groaning in misery.

‘Should’ve just gone to my own hotel and called Morgan for help Allan grumbled to himself.

Allan wailed, “Why do I have such terrible taste in friends?!”

John said, “Hazel, the real daughter of Brantley and Camilla, was the one who reached out to the kidnappers. But the payment they got came straight out of Jaffina.”

Allan’s whining stopped abruptly. He squinted, poking his head out from behind the couch. “Jaffina?”

Sebastian’s eyes were icy, cold as death itself.

John said, “It’s a private account.”

Allan cracked his knuckles, propping his chin on one hand. “Who’s behind it?”

Sebastian said, “Co on.” He instinctively reached for his prayer beads, trying to calm the murderous intent rising inside him. But when his hand came up empty, he suddenly remembered that he no longer had them.

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11:13 Mon, Feb 9

Chapter 330

John said, “The account holder’s been sick in bed for ages, totally deaf and blind-”

A dangerous glint flickered in Sebastian’s eyes as he said, “Just give me the answer.”

John bowed his head. “All signs point to the Clinton family.”

Allan raised an eyebrow. “So, maybe?”

John shot Allan a look. “That’s as far as the clues go.” So for now, it’s just a maybe.

*

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