The Heiress With Seven Secret Identies (Stella Shaw) novel Chapter 12

Chapter 12 Trash Can Justice

Jasmine burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Honey, are they going to call off the engagement?” Ruby asked.

Derek let out a cold laugh, his lips twisting into a cruel sneer. “Call it off? Silas would ruin his reputation if he dared. I’ll make sure the whole city knows if he tries.”

“It’s all Stella’s fault! She’s the one who ruined everything!” Jasmine screamed, finally letting her rage spill

over.

“Lay low for a while,” Derek snapped, standing up and straightening his suit.

“Honey, are you going out?”

‘I need to talk to Marcus. Stella’s worth a lot more now than she was before,” Derek said, his murky eyes glinting with greed, his smile hollow and cold.

As soon as he left the Harlow Villa, Tess followed him.

At the Styx Road Tavern, Derek spotted Marcus from across the room–balding, overweight, leering at the female singer on stage. He plastered on a wide smile and hurried over, extending his hand before he even reached the table. “Mr. Reed! Good to see you!”

Marcus barely glanced at him, not bothering to stand up.

Derek leaned down awkwardly, his hand hanging in mid–air. Marcus finally deigned to shake it, staring at nim coldly.

‘I paid the money. When am I getting the girl?” Marcus demanded.

‘You know my daughter is stunning–a genius scholar, too. I think we should discuss the terms,” Derek said, rubbing his thumb and forefinger together, grinning sleazily.

‘A hundred million dollars isn’t enough? Derek, this isn’t a robbery,” Marcus growled. He’d only agreed to this because he was 60 and bored–if Stella hadn’t been so beautiful, he wouldn’t have bothered.

‘When will you bring my fiancée to me?”

“Soon, very soon,” Derek hedged, still trying to negotiate a higher price.

“I want to seal the deal with her right after we meet. The wedding can wait,” Marcus said, laughing loudly to show his yellowed, missing front tooth.

“She’s at Azure Peak University now. You can pick her up after class?” Derek suggested.

“Aren’t you the one who said she was a nun?”

“She’s leaving the convent to marry you! Perfect timing, right?”

Marcus laughed again, slapping the table. “Good, very good.” He knew Derek was untrustworthy, but he’d

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Chapter 12 Trash Can Justice

paid his money–Stella was his, no matter what.

Finished

Tess listened from the corner, her blood boiling. How dare they sell Stella to this disgusting old man? She wished she’d brought a bigger sack–she’d have loved to beat both of them senseless.

Derek and Marcus drank until they were completely wasted.

When Derek stumbled out of the tavern, Tess followed him into the street.

“Hey, handsome!” she called, pulling down her white baseball cap, her pink hair peeking out, and covering her face with a mask.

Derek turned around, preening at the nickname. “Miss, you talking to me?”

Tess crooked her finger at him, and Derek automatically patted his face, grinning like a fool as he stumbled after her.

They’d barely reached the dark alley when Derek let his lecherous side show.

“Take that!” Tess snapped, shoving him hard.

Derek’s vision went black, panic crashing over him.

“Who are you?!” he squeaked, his usual cockiness nowhere to be found.

Bang!

Tess slammed a sack over his head, shoving the fabric into his mouth so he couldn’t scream. His stomach churned as pain exploded across his body. Tess was beating him mercilessly.

Fear and agony overwhelmed him. He tried to beg for mercy, but only muffled grunts escaped. Tears streamed down his face as he blacked out, flashes of a woman curled up on the floor flooding his mind.

So this is what it feels like to be beaten? It hurts–so much. How had Luna survived this when she was pregnant?

The pain was unbearable. Derek passed out, his body going limp.

Tess dumped him into a trash can, grabbed the bloodstained sack, and walked away without looking back.

At Imperial Crest Towers, Tess had changed clothes by now–short hair, jeans, a plain white T–shirt. She sauntered into Stella’s apartment, one hand in her pocket, grinning cheekily. “Mission accomplished.” She held up a bloodstained fabric scrap.

“Where is he?” Stella asked.

“He looked tired, so I got him a ‘free hotel room‘ to rest in,” Tess said, winking.

Stella nodded, amused. “The trash can?”

“You’re a genius, Boss!” Tess gushed, pouting playfully, still annoyed about Marcus.

Stella laughed. “Do whatever you want. I’ve got work to do.”

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