Chapter 663 No More Mercy
By now, the media had painted Stella as a shallow, status–chasing, two–faced socialite.
Stella didn’t believe for a second that Ethan wasn’t involved in orchestrating these attacks.
Her eyes narrowed. “Ignore it.”
“Won’t this affect your standing in the Dawson family?” Rianne asked, clearly concerned.
Stella replied coolly, “What influence? Whatever damage they think they can do is nothing more than wishful thinking.”
The Keene family really was pulling every dirty trick they had left.
Stella didn’t care much for gossip herself. But the rumors would inevitably reach Falvaria–and that could potentially affect Abraham.
Their wedding was just around the corner.
Rianne sighed. “They’ve always thought too highly of themselves.”
Ethan and Jonathan had been pressuring Stella nonstop during the Lillian incident too–convinced their tactics would bring her down.
But they’d been sorely mistaken.
After a few more words, Stella ended the call with Rianne and dialed Jonathan.
He picked up quickly, his voice hoarse and weary. “Hello?”
“It’s me.”
“I figured. My dearest sister.”
He dragged out the last words, dripping with sarcasm.
Clearly, he still resented her for how harshly she’d treated the Reed family.
Stella cut straight to the point. “What’s happening in Rivermount–are you involved?”
Jonathan’s breath hitched before he replied coldly, “No.”
“You’d better not be.” Stella’s voice sharpened. “The Reed family ended up like this because of your choices.”
So many of the things that had happened had nothing to do with her at all.
Yet somehow, the Reed family always blamed her.
Like with Patrick and the mistress–that mess had been orchestrated by Lillian, yet they pinned it on Stella simply because it happened after she returned.
Jonathan shot back, “What more do you want from us? Things are already ruined. Don’t tell me you still think you’re the one being wronged.”
Stella gave a short, cold laugh. “What do I want?”
This man really didn’t know when to shut up.
“I just hope,” she said darkly, “that you truly had nothing to do with this. Because if you did—”
She didn’t finish the threat, but her tone made it crystal clear.
Jonathan flinched.
Right before she hung up, he asked softly, “You really won’t forgive Mother?”
Stella’s response was ice–cold. “Her crimes–and the legal consequences–aren’t for me to decide.”
Still asking about forgiveness?
Clearly, these people had never truly understood her.
Stella lowered her gaze, staring at the floating petals in her glass. “Ethan. You really dare?”
Please.
But from what Ethan just said–it almost sounded like they’d reconciled. United fronts now? Against her?
Or maybe…
“Don’t tell me, now that you’ve cleaned up the Keene mess, you think you can go back to managing Keene Group?”
So that was the play.
Abraham had shown no mercy to the Keene family recently. He’d kept his grip tight, not letting them breathe.
Even Horgan couldn’t pacify him.
In Abraham’s eyes, Stella’s three years in Rivermount had been a time of humiliation–crushed under both the Keene and Reed families.
Ethan tried again. “Back off. I’ll make a public statement for you. Once those rumors reach Falvaria, are you sure the Dawson family won’t be affected?”
Stella said nothing.
Ethan pressed on. “Even if the damage is small–people will still look at Abraham differently.”
“You think anyone dares look at Abraham that way?”
Her voice was ice.
Yes, she knew the rumors could cause problems.
But right now–with Ethan?
She showed no fear, no weakness.
Nothing about her presence hinted that the Dawson family could be touched. Not even slightly.

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Wrong Girl and the Wronged Girl (Stella and Ethan)
Ch 489 Doesn’t this prove that Dan doesn’t actually have amnesia? Why would he go to the island with a strange woman and why would he steal from Derrick? He doesn’t know them....
Ch 488 I feel like this is going to be what Stella stole in his study in Pagenda or wherever his estate was....
Ch 485 I thought it was going to be the Reed family mine that she robbed, thus taking the Keenes product and leaving them in that situation....
Ch 483 o then, how did the Reeds fine her? How did they not know where she was from?...
Ch 477 Definitely hidden pedo in here, referring to tiny women as little girls in every way possible....
Ch 468 How could Stella inherit her adopted father’s weak stomach constitution?...
Ch 468 Abraham and Marie’s mother has been called Evelyn, Diane and Loretta.. which is it? Evelyn has been the most used....
Ch 465 She still doesn’t know the mistress is Lillian’s aunt?...
Ch 464 Why didn’t she kick her out herself be for she went to attack the mistress…...
Ch 463 This is stupid now. I understand being scared in his presence enough to not think straight, but she’s a lone more often than not and has plenty of time to think things through, especially if she has time to get gossip from Rivermount and report to Stella....