Chapter 5 Begging for Mercy
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Stella never saw this coming. The scheme that she and Martha had cooked up had been completely exposed.
Still, this might be her only chance to come clean. With tears brimming in her eyes, she pleaded, “Yes, sir… I lied to you last night. But I really am pregnant. I helped Ms. Nord take the test and only lied because I was afraid of being punished. Please, Mr. Parker… forgive me!”
Watching her beg, Jeremy’s eyes flickered, his face unreadable. He swallowed slightly and, for a long, tense moment, he remained silent. If Stella was truly pregnant, then she couldn’t have been the woman from the night before.
The realization hit him like a jolt, and his irritation flared. Without a word, he tossed the report toward her. “You’re not fit to be a maid. Go to the housekeeper tomorrow to settle your wages.”
His words were final – he was firing her.
There was something off about this woman, and her close connection to Martha only added to his unease. To avoid further complications, it was best she leave the Parker residence.
Stella was overcome with panic. “Mr. Parker! Please, I really need this job!”
She couldn’t afford to lose it. Jeremy was her only source of support, the “golden goose” she depended on.
In her panic, she forgot to lower her voice. Her sultry tone caught Jeremy’s attention, making him frown once more.
Something didn’t sit right. Her voice was strangely familiar, almost identical to the one from that night. Jeremy could never erase the sound of Stella’s real voice, no matter how hard he tried.
Unable to hold back his frustration any longer, he grabbed her wrist and demanded, “Stella Irwin… Have we met before?”
His words yanked Stella’s thoughts back to the previous night.
Up until now, she had become used to the husky, seductive quality of his voice in the darkness. But now, his cold, authoritative tone made her fully realize just how intimidating this powerful man really was.
Stella lowered her head, letting him hold her wrist, while her mind raced with Martha’s threats. If she were exposed, Alison would be as good as dead. Fortunately, it wasn’t the worst–case scenario yet. She just needed to keep deceiving this perceptive heir for as long as she could.
Her hands trembled as she intentionally distorted her voice even more, trying to conceal her real tone. “Mr. Parker… I’ve always been by Ms. Nord’s side.”
She sounded as if she were about to cry, but instead of evoking sympathy, it only seemed to deepen Jeremy’s growing frustration. Surely, no other woman could provoke such emotions in him.
“Why are you always wearing a mask?” He continued pressing her, his grip tightening around her wrist.
“I… I have a severe cold. I’m afraid it might be contagious,” she replied.
The more Stella tried to avoid him, the more intrigued Jeremy became.
Without thinking, he raised his hand. Just as he was about to touch her mask, a sharp cry interrupted.
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“Honey!” It was Martha. Startled, she rushed over and grabbed Jeremy’s hand, pulling him away. “The results are in. Let’s go! My mom’s waiting for us at home.” Jeremy’s thoughts were interrupted, and he instinctively pulled his hand away from Stella.
Stella seized the moment and bolted like a rabbit, not daring to look back.
As he watched her slender figure disappear, Jeremy’s expression grew darker. Without a word, he pushed Martha aside, deliberately putting space between them.
After the hospital check up, Stella stayed away from the Parker residence for several days, fearful that Jeremy might catch on to something. Martha didn’t want her there either. Not until Friday when Bernice called, urging her to act.
She reminded Martha that the two pregnancies couldn’t be spaced too far apart, or it would make swapping the babies later nearly impossible. Stella had to get pregnant with Jeremy’s child as soon as possible.
With no other option, Martha reluctantly called Stella over. “Your body seems perfectly healthy, doesn’t it? You’ll stay at the Parker residence this weekend. I’ll arrange for you and Jeremy to sleep together.”
Stella lowered her head and spoke calmly, “Ms. Nord, I can’t do this anymore. I’ll find another way to cover my mom’s medical bills. As for your situation, you should find someone else.”
She turned to leave, but Martha folded her arms and sneered, “You must be feeling pretty confident now that the surgery was a success, right?
“But Ms. Campus Belle, do you even realize how much your mother’s targeted therapy costs? It’s five figures every month. If that treatment stops, the cancer cells could mutate and spread. She could relapse at any time.
If you walk away now, where do you think you’ll come up with that kind of money? Concord Hospital is the only place in Cindervale that offers the targeted therapy she needs. Have you forgotten? Every hospital in this city is under the Nord Group’s control.”
Martha spoke slowly, her eyes glinting with satisfaction.
stella
understood the unspoken threat. If she walked away now, Martha wouldn’t hesitate to sever Alison’s only lifeline.
Her body shook with fury as she gritted her teeth. “Ms. Nord, what you’re doing is illegal!”
“So, what? If Jeremy finds out about the pregnancy, it’ll ruin my entire family,” Martha scoffed, her fingers digging into Stella’s arm. “We’re in this together now. And until I tell you otherwise, you’ll keep sleeping with Jeremy until you’re pregnant.”
Chapter 5 Begging for Mercy
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“Martha!” Stella snapped, her anger finally boiling over. Her fists clenched tightly beneath her sleeves.
However, no matter how intense her anger, she was still just an ordinary woman, powerless against the elite families of Cindervale. Alison was still counting on her for the medication.
A pang of guilt pierced her. When Bernice had come to her a week ago, Stella should never have been swayed by the lure of money.
But for some inexplicable reason, Bernice had always felt strangely familiar. Perhaps it was a fleeting whim, but Stella had somehow gone along with that completely absurd request to sleep with Jeremy.
As Stella remained silent, Martha’s smile deepened, her demeanor shifting from intimidation to persuasion.
Martha said, “Ms. Irwin, don’t you think this is destiny? We may be strangers, but you’re lucky enough to resemble me in more ways than one.
“And now, we even share the same husband. That makes us sisters, doesn’t it? As long as you cooperate and stay in line, I wouldn’t mind treating you like one. “Isn’t it better to live comfortably at the Parker residence than to struggle for a meager income out there?”
Stella was overcome with disgust. Who would ever want to be her sister?
But she didn’t say another word. Instead, she gave Martha a cold, unfeeling stare before closing her eyes. “Give me your clothes.”
In the end, she had successfully transformed into Martha.
Martha had told her that Jeremy was down in the underground wine cellar selecting wines; an ideal moment for what needed to be done. The cellar was dimly lit, and there was no need for Martha to cut the power. Stella could easily make the switch herself.
As she entered, Stella immediately spotted Jeremy, his back to her. With a deep breath, she slid her arms around him from behind. “Hey, honey…” she murmured.
