Shadows Between Us (Stella and Sebastian) novel Chapter 96

Chapter 96

The maid was stunned into silence.

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Once she realized what Stella meant, the maid’s face flushed a deep red. She wanted to crawl into a hole and vanish, not even knowing what to do with her hands and feet.

Stella walked over to Blake.

She glanced at the bookshelf the maid had been fussing over, her eyes frosty.

With one swift move, she knocked the trophies off the shelf, sending them clattering to the floor.

Downstairs, Kendrick and Xander both looked up at the sudden noise.

Xander started to get up, but Allan, wearing a carefree smirk, shoved him right back into his seat.

Allan drawled, “Well, what was your name again? Xander something?” barely bothering to pay attention.

Xander was speechless.

Meanwhile, Sebastian’s eyes were as deep and cold as the winter sea, his icy gaze landing on Kendrick. Even Kendrick, with all his years, felt powerless under that stare.

Kendrick knew perfectly well that Sebastian had already uncovered his true motive for inviting Stella.

The only reason Sebastian was holding back was for Stella’s sake.

Upstairs, the butler gasped, “Ms. Carter,” but the moment he met Stella’s eyes, his voice was cut short.

Stella’s gaze was bold and unapologetic, with a dangerous edge that made people uneasy.

“Put it back.” Stella drawled, half lounging against the bookshelf, her chin giving a lazy nod toward Blake. Amid the mess scattered all over the floor, she was frosty and intimidating. No one dared defy her.

Blake awkwardly set the trophies back on the shelf, hands stiff with nerves. No one dared even breathe too loudly.

Stella fiddled with a little trinket, her eyes lingering on Blake, unreadable. Blake swallowed nervously, instinctively straightening his back.

Ah, so that’s what Kendrick was scheming. Stella thought to herself and chuckled softly.

“Oh?” A little head poked out from the half-open door, and when those big eyes landed on Stella, they instantly sparkled

with excitement.

Stella beckoned him over with a gentle wave.

Lucas dashed over, his soft, pale cheeks squishing against her leg. He was the very definition of adorable!

“Can you help me take something to the old gentleman downstairs?” Stella asked, ruffling his hair.

Lucas nodded eagerly, looking up at her with pure, innocent eyes.

“This little guy is just too cute!” Blake felt his heart melting. He was about to reach out and give Lucas a head pat as Stella did, but Lucas suddenly turned and stared at him, as if he could sense what Blake was up to.

Lucas just looked at him, stone-faced, cold as ice, like a tiny statue.

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Chapter 96

Blake mentally kicked himself. ‘Why did I even try? Should’ve just cut this dumb hand off!’

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Stella lazily pulled a pen from the table and scrawled something on a piece of paper, her handwriting wild and flamboyant. Blake tried to sneak a peek, but she was already done.

She took her sweet time folding up the note and handed it to Lucas. “No need to come back up. Just wait for me downstairs.”

Lucas nodded with that adorable blank look, then scampered off, his little legs moving so fast that he vanished in seconds.

The moment Lucas disappeared from sight, Stella’s smile faded away. She absentmindedly used the pen to twist her long hair up, exposing her elegant neck.

Paired with that breathtaking face, she looked even more untouchable, enough to make anyone’s heart skip a beat.

Blake couldn’t help but recall the first time he’d met Stella in that VIP lounge.

Blake felt a chill run down his spine.

“You,” Stella pointed at the maid. “Get someone to bring him some clothes upstairs.”

She loosened a button at her collar with a cool, almost defiant flair. “And remember, keep your mouth shut about anything you shouldn’t say.”

The maid fled the room like her life depended on it, leaving just the butler behind.

Stella gave the butler a sly, unreadable

anile.

The butler could only stand there, lost for words.

*****

Downstairs, Lucas stood before Kendrick, his little face frozen like a miniature iceberg.

He held up the note Stella had written with both hands, but before Kendrick could reach for it, Sebastian’s slender, icy fingers had already swooped in and snatched it away.

Lucas whipped his head around and glared at Sebastian, his cheeks puffed up in a huff.

Sebastian’s expression stayed icy and detached, yet so he had everyone in the room under his spell. He slowly

unfolded the note and scanned the words inside.

Kendrick’s heart was in his throat.

Then, Sebastian quietly slid the note across the table, placing it right in front of Kendrick. [No second chances.]

Simple words, but even through the paper, one could practically feel Stella’s defiant energy radiating out.

*****

Upstairs, in Blake’s room, the butler trailed after Stella, silently cursing his luck. He’d figured the staff might slack off with Blake, but he never thought they’d dare to go this far.

The place was a mess; it clearly hadn’t been cleaned in a while. There was still some of Xander’s stuff left on the shelves. If the butler was remembering right, this used to be Xander’s study.

Stella glanced coolly around the room, then looked away.

“Stella, have a seat,” Blake said, awkwardly shoving the pile of clothes off the chair and onto the floor to make space for her.

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Chapter 96

Stella looked at the clothes now scattered on the floor and, for once, was completely speechless.

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Not every guy could be as obsessively tidy as her sponsor. Just thinking about Sebastian’s closet, so organized it could cure OCD, made Stella’s casual glance at Blake fill with a touch of disdain.

She didn’t sit down.

“Stella, have some water.” Blake poured her some, making sure to mention, “The cup’s clean.”

He still had no idea why Stella brought the butler along or wanted someone to bring him clothes, but with Stella around, he figured it was safest to just keep his head down and not cause trouble.

Stella lifted her gaze to him and took the mug.

“How long does it take when you ask the staff to bring you something?” she asked. The butler felt a chill run down his spine at her words.

Blake froze for a moment, staying silent.

“How long?” Stella repeated, her face completely blank.

Blake muttered, “I-It takes a while.”

Stella just held the mug, not even bothering to drink. On the wall, a photo of Xander and Kendrick still hung there; the whole room practically screamed how close those two were.

‘But is that really the truth?’ Stella wondered to herself.

She lowered her gaze, her long lashes casting shadows over her cold, indifferent face.

With every passing second, the butler’s scowl only got worse.

Suddenly, the door burst open from the hallway.

“Seriously? You need someone to bring you just one piece of clothing? Acting all important, Blake really loves making a—” The maid froze, words dying in her throat as soon as she saw the three people inside.

Stella leaned lazily against the window, her voice cool and unhurried.

“What were you about to say?” she asked, catching the maid’s impatience before she could hide it. Her tone sounded sweet, but there was a sharp edge underneath.

“Answer Ms. Carter’s question!” the butler snapped, his face stern.

The maid stammered, trying to dodge the question and looking everywhere but at Stella.

“Did you knock before coming in?” Stella asked, her smile faint but somehow chilling. For some reason, Blake instinctively hunched his shoulders, feeling a sudden chill in the air.

“I-I did knock,” the maid stammered, desperately trying to defend herself.

“Did you hear it?” Stella drawled, glancing lazily at Blake, then at the butler, her tone unhurried, like a hunter patiently stalking its prey.

The maid tried to argue.

Stella’s expression turned ice-cold in a split second. Without warning, she hurled the mug in her hand, smashing it hard against the wall right next to the maid.

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