Chapter 2 The Aftermath
In the room next door, Martha fumed with jealousy as she listened to the moans coming through the phone. She grabbed a vase and hurled it to the floor, shattering it into pieces.
She yelled, “This is all your fault, Mom! If it weren’t for you, I’d be the one in Jeremy’s bed right now!
“If you hadn’t convinced me to drug hum at the Parker family’s birthday party three months ago, I wouldn’t have ended up with Frank Livingston… and pregnant with his child! If the Parkers find out this baby isn’t Jeremy’s, we’re finished!”
Bernice Drumann stood beside her daughter, shifting uneasily. “I’m sorry, Martha. I never meant for things to spiral like this.
“But think about it, we still have an option. Let Stella take your place. Once you both end up pregnant, we can simply switch the babies. No one will know, and we’ll make sure everything stays hidden.”
“I could just get rid of mine instead,” Martha shot back bitterly.
However, the moment those words left her lips, a thick silence settled over the room.
Forget it. That option was never a possibility. Ever since she’d secured her place in the Parker family and stepped into the prestigious role of Mrs. Parker, every action she took had been under a microscope.
If she even dared to set foot in a hospital for an abortion, the media would have a field day, plastering her name across every tabloid. The smartest move was exactly what Bernice had suggested–find a stand–in and keep her out of sight.
Fooling Jeremy was one thing, but deceiving the relentless media would require a far more calculated strategy.
Martha forced herself to calm down, taking a deep breath. Her sharp nails pressed into her palm, drawing a thin line of blood.
She glared at the phone screen, which was connected to the call. An hour and a half had passed, and the moans from the other end still hadn’t stopped.
She cursed under her breath, “That bitch! Let her get her cheap thrill, but I’ll make sure she regrets it.”
Bernice nodded repeatedly. “Exactly. She’s just a filthy pawn. As long as she’s alive and useful, who cares about anything else? She’ll be a maid in our house from now on. You can punish her, berate her, do whatever you wish.”
Hearing this, Martha’s mood seemed to lift a little. She scoffed and asked, “Speaking of which, how did you find her? It’s such a coincidence that she looks so much like me. When she put on my clothes today, I nearly mistook her for my twin.”
Martha had always taken pride in her beauty, a trait she proudly credited to her father, Xavier Nord. He had once been a heartthrob in Cindervale.
Xavier had inherited a pair of double eyelids and almond–shaped eyes that made him look both charismatic and aloof.
Martha had inherited those same captivating eyes, and even though her personality was sharp and commanding, her beauty still commanded admiration. Many wealthy second–generation heirs couldn’t help but revere her.
On the other hand, Stella was merely an ordinary college student from a small town. Yet, her eyes were a perfect match for Martha’s.
In fact, Stella’s eyes were even more mesmerizing. Her almond–shaped gaze held a mischievous, almost teasing gleam, with a sharp clarity that could captivate anyone, leaving them spellbound.
Bernice’s expression wavered, and for a fleeting moment, she felt guilty. “Twins? What are you talking about? Stella’s mother is practically a dying corpse, not like me… Martha, stop worrying about that for now. Focus on the phone; has Mr. Parker finished yet?”
Martha’s attention snapped back to the moment. After an hour and 58 minutes, the sounds from the next room finally stopped.
A wave of disgust and frustration surged within her, and she reluctantly ordered the maid, “Fix my makeup. I’m going to take back what’s mine.”
In the master bedroom, the air was thick with the lingering scent of passion, the storm at last beginning to settle.
Stella’s face was flushed, her breath shallow and uneven. She clutched the pillow tightly, her back turned away from Jererny.
She hadn’t anticipated that he would take so long. Wasn’t it supposed to be over in 20 minutes? Why had Jeremy spent a full two hours?
Suddenly, the backup power kicked in, flooding the room with stark, white light. Only God knew how hard Stella had worked to keep Jeremy from seeing her face. Jeremy lay there, breathing heavily. His gaze was shadowed and intense, almost disquieting.
His gaze lingered on the soft, flushed skin of her back, where the faint marks of his fingers still clung to her slender waist.
Leaning in, Jeremy sank his teeth lightly into the nape of Stella’s neck, as if marking his territory. His voice was deep and husky. “Go take a shower.”
Stella froze, her body trembling with fear. A shower? How could she possibly hide her face then? Everything would be exposed.
Her voice came out strained, raw with vulnerability. “I don’t have the strength… you go first…”
Jeremy thought she was just feeling shy as she avoided his gaze.
He leaned in near her ear, his fingers threading through her damp hair. He said, “I’ll help you.”
Jeremy was usually cold and distant, especially with women. With his striking looks and influential family, women had always been eager to win his attention. Up until two hours ago, he’d seen Martha as nothing more than a nuisance,
But now, his typically indifferent gaze softened, betraying a tenderness he wasn’t even aware of.
“Be good, alright?” His voice was low and magnetic.
Though she couldn’t make out his features clearly, Stella could easily picture the sharp lines of his face. Her heart raced uncontrollably.
The room remained dim, shadows obscuring most of their features.
2/2
Nonetheless, Stella had always possessed sharp night vision, a skill honed by her impoverished childhood.
She had learned to navigate the darkness, doing homework and chores by the soft flicker of an oil lamp. Now, she could just make out the faint contours of Jeremy’s
face.
He was devastatingly handsome, his features perfectly sculpted. His high–bridged nose brushed against her cheek whenever he kissed her. And then there was his muscular frame—broad shoulders, a tapered waist, and a chiseled eight–pack.
After sleeping with him, Stella could understand why Martha clung to him so fiercely, terrified that another woman might claim him.
But it was all in vain. No matter how tightly Martha had held on, she had already been forced to let him go. It was a sad reality, one that Stella couldn’t help but
notice.
She quietly warned herself not to catch feelings for Jeremy. She sniffed, pretending to be vulnerable. “I… it hurts too much down there. I can’t move.”
It was the truth, though hard to admit. Who could have known he was that… big?
Hearing her, Jeremy nearly lost control once more. However, the memory of the slight bleeding she’d experienced earlier kept him grounded.
His brow furrowed as he spoke in a strained voice, “I’ll go get some medicine.”
As soon as he left, Stella breathed a sigh of relief. She quickly snatched up her clothes and rushed to make her exit.
Her legs throbbed with pain, and the sensation of Jeremy’s semen still lingered inside her, each step amplifying the sticky, persistent feeling.
When he had suggested using protection, Stella had urgently stopped him, insisting they continue without it. That decision had caused her to bleed. Her dating actions had led to Jeremy losing control, their first time stretching on for two hours.
Stella limped toward the door, opening it to find herself face–to–face with Martha, who wore the same nightgown.
Martha’s body was covered in hickeys the maids had created with makeup, and she had even instructed them to add more.
But when her gaze fell on the love bites marking Stella’s neck, her fury erupted, leaving her breathless with rage.
This bitch! She was just a college student! How dare she be so brazen?
In that instant, Martha lost all control. Disregarding that Jeremy was nearby in the shower, she slapped Stella sharply across the face. “You disgusting whore, do you really think you deserve to be with Jeremy?”
But after everything that had happened, what was there left for Stella to fear? Without a second thought, she retaliated, slapping Martha right back.
Stella’s eyes grew cold. “Ms. Nord, you were the one who sent me to your husband’s bed. If you’re questioning my worth, maybe you should first ask yourself if you’re the one with the problem.
“I’ve met all your demands. Transfer two hundred thousand dollars into my account, no less. If you don’t, I’ll make sure your family pays, even if it costs me my life.”
Her voice was icy, her gaze shifting toward the bathroom.
They were so close to Jeremy; one shout from Stella, and the truth about his two “wives” would be exposed.
Martha was left stunned by the slap, her mind spinning. She had always thought Stella was an easy target to bully, but now she realized just how wrong she had been.
Her face turned red, and she stood speechless, unable to come up with a retort.
Just then, the sound of the shower ceased–Jeremy had finished. Before Martha could even muster her anger, she pushed Stella away.
“I’ll pay you the money. Now leave!” she snapped.
Once Stella was gone, the bathroom door opened, and Martha quickly rushed to the bed.
The king–sized mattress was in disarray. Sheets tangled and damp stains scattered across the surface.
Still slick from the shower, Jeremy stepped out of the bathroom, oblivious to the changes that had taken place in the room. His bathrobe hung loosely around his waist, water droplets trailing down his skin.
As he dried his hair, his eyes drifted to Martha, lounging silently on the bed. Her posture was provocative, with one hand propping her head up.
“Honey,” she purred, deliberately imitating Stella’s tone,
Her voice was sweet, yet there was an almost eerie, clingy quality to it. Jeremy frowned, his gaze locking with hers in surprise.
Martha offered him a sweet smile, eerily reminiscent of the one Stella wore in their most intimate moments. However, something about it didn’t sit right.
