Shadows Between Us (Stella and Sebastian) novel Chapter 99

Chapter 99

“Stella Carter?” Penelope’s voice rang out, each word weighted with disbelief and annoyance.

“Huh?” Allan’s smile froze on his face.

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He turned to look at Stella, the sudden twist almost giving him whiplash. Wait, Kendrick is really leaving all his inheritance to Stella? he thought, stunned

“Who’s Stella?” Penelope was losing it, her whole world crashing down. She never imagined the heir wouldn’t be her son, or Blake, but that it would end up going to some outsider instead.

“Hmm” Hearing the name, Lucas tilted his head, looking at Stella with his soft, adorable eyes.

Lucas’s eyes sparkled as he thought, ‘It’s Stella!”

“Ms. Carter, you knew all along?” Xander asked, taking a sharp breath. Even with all his usual composure, his face was dark with barely hidden frustration.

Stella turned her head and let out a quiet laugh, but the corners of her eyes burned with a cold, restless red. Out of Lucas’s sight, she could barely hold back the wild anger inside her.

If the little guy wasn’t here, she would’ve flipped the table without a second thought.

“What? Her?” Penelope glared at Stella like she was ready to tear her apart. “Dad, have you lost your mind? You’re leaving all your money to an outsider?”

She snatched a cup from the table and hurled it to the floor, ranting and swearing without pause.

Lucas flinched, startled by the sudden outburst.

“Shut up,” Stella said coldly, her tone icy and full of impatience.

Penelope gaped at her, totally stunned. “Did you just tell me to shut up?”

Stella’s beautiful eyes narrowed dangerously, but in the next instant, cool, woody-scented fingers reached out from behind and pressed over her deep amber eyes.

“Allan, Sebastian said, his voice icy cold.

His gaze toward Penelope turned even more menacing, and for a moment, the tension in the air was suffocating.

Years of tacit understanding between them showed as Allan stood up with a wild grin and gave the table a fierce kick.

The edge of the table jabbed into Penelope’s stomach, making her let out a muffled groan of pain, instantly breaking out in a cold sweat.

“Who do you think you are, yelling at Stella?” Allan said, hands stuffed in his pockets, his devil-may-care grin making it clear he wasn’t afraid to throw down at any moment. “I dare you to point at her again.”

Allan just arched an eyebrow, his grin never fading.

Lucas scooted over, then threw his arms around Stella.

Everyone froze for a moment, the tension hanging in the air.

Stella reached up and gave Sebastian’s hand a reassuring pat. “Sorry, I refuse,” she said, her tone cool and steady.

Chapter 99

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As soon as Sebastian’s cold hand dropped away, Stella regained her calm composure. Her voice was casual and a little lazy as she spoke.

Allan sat back down, crossing his legs with a wicked, devil-may-care grin.

“Ms. Carter, this is the gift agreement,” Kendrick said, completely unfazed. A gift agreement doesn’t need one’s approval; put simply, it was a take-it-or-leave-it deal.

“But if you don’t want it, that’s fine too. Once I’m gone, everything will be automatically donated to a charity account, not a penny will stay in the family,” Kendrick added.

Kendrick leaned all the way back in his chair, his ashen face lit up with a shrewd, knowing smile.

Penelope could only stare, lost for words. She completely forgot about the pain in her stomach, her eyes widening in disbelief.

Penelope’s mind went blank, unable to process what she’d just heard.

‘So, once Dad dies, even if Stella turns it down, all the money gets donated?’ Penelope’s brain short-circuited, unable to believe it as she wondered. ‘Everything?’

Stella’s eyes narrowed at Kendrick, and he stared right back, neither backing down.

It was a wordless showdown, old fox versus young fox, each sizing up the other.

Kendrick was even more cunning than Stella had expected. That whole thing about Penelope bringing in some layout expert, at first, it sounded harmless, but the more Stella mulled it over, the clearer everything became.

“Stella, why don’t you join me in the study for a little talk?” Kendrick said, his voice deep and deliberate.

Stella gave him a long, searching look. “Okay.”

*****

Upstairs in the study, Kendrick and Stella sat face-to-face across the desk, the air thick with tension.

From the moment they stepped inside, Kendrick shed his usual mask. His hair was pure white, and even without saying a word, he radiated a commanding presence. But his pallor betrayed just how gravely ill he was.

“When did you realize?” Stella asked, sounding casual, though her gaze was fixed on a black custom-built drone sitting on the nearby bookshelf.

“Are you referring to my daughter filling the yard with plants that worsen my condition, or to her tampering with my meals?” Kendrick replied, completely unfazed, even though it was a matter of life and death.

Stella gave a soft laugh, sitting back in a relaxed posture, her head turned slightly toward the window.

“She wanted you dead, and you turned the tables, using me to teach her a lesson,” Stella said.

Penelope thought she was so clever, convinced her plan was flawless, but in reality, she was just a pawn in her father’s hands.

He played her at her own game, using his own life as the ultimate trump card and turning the tables on her.

Stella’s gaze was cool, her delicate face full of scorn.

He laid all that wealth out in front of a greedy person, let Penelope taste the excitement of almost having it, only to reveal it was all smoke and mirrors; she could see it, but never touch it.

In the manor, Kendrick was more ruthless than anyone else.

16:05 Thu, Jan 22