Chapter 8 Jeremy’s No Idiot
“You lunatic! One day, you’ll pay for everything you’ve done!” Alison exclaimed.
Benice didn’t fins is. Instead, a faint, almost mocking smile cunded on her lips as she looked down at Alison, bet gaze dripping with both disdains and pity
She said, “Dame, you’re still couremed about whether F’ll get what’s coming to me? You should be more worried about yourselt. Don’t end up dropping dead because you can’t catch your breathi,”.
te could Fear Hemice apart without a single word
Alison gasped, her eyes seething with rage. For a moment, it seemed like her gaze
She said angrily, “Bernice, if you so much as lay a tinger on Stella, I swear on my life, I’ll find Xavier and drag every dirty secret from the past into the light. “We’ll see how long the Nord family’s perfect lage Lasts when the whole world knows what’s really been going on behind closed doors.”
The smog look on Belee’s fare twisted into tury. She glared at Allano, still propped up in the hospital beit. “It’s been years. Do you really think Xavier cares? Your were nothing more than his mistress. What makes you think we’d be afraid of you?”
“you…” Tears welled up in Alison’s eyes, her body shaking uncontrollably, she couldn’t muster anther word.
At first, Bernice had only intended to savor her victory, relishing the chance to taunt Alison. But now, sliver of unease began to worm its way into her chest.
Years ago, Xavier’s blatant favoritism toward Alison had already caught the eye of his father, Henry Nord. II Alison hadn’t disappeared on her own, Bemice’s place within the Nord family might never have been seamed,
As long as Alison lived, she was a splinter buried deep in semice’s heart, nor that could never truly be removed. Thankfully, Alison didn’t have much time left. “I hope you die soon!” Bemice hissed.
Without another glaget, she snatched her handbag and stored out of the room.
The sharp click of high heels echoed down the corridor, and Stella instinctively ducked into the room next door to hide.
Her head spun, the floor beneath her feeling unsteady.
It dawned on her. This plan for her to bear a child in Martha’s place had always been part of Bernice’s scheme from the start.
With the Nord Family’s power in Cindervale, tracking Alison down would have been no challenge for Bemice. She must have been watching all along; this was simply the perfect moment to strike.
But what about Xavier, her so–called father? Did he know any of this?
Tears spilled down Stella’s face, each one a silent testament to her spiraling thoughts.
Hemice didn’t just look down on Allson; she now wanted to reduce Stella to nothing more than Martha’s shameful substitute.
However, for Alison’s treatment, Stella had no choice but to endure this humiliation
Suddenly, her plione rang.
Startled, Stella quickly wiped her tears away and answered the call,
ther is in?–
A voice said, “Hello, Ms. Irwin, I’m here for the cagiver position. I’ve arrived at the hospital. Could you please tell me which room your mother Stella forced her racing thoughts to calm and carefully recited the room number.
After hanging op, she took a moment to collect herself before pushing open the door to the hospital coom.
Inside, Alison lay weakly against the bed, her face pale. She only lifted her eyes when she heard the door creak open.
Stello said, “Mom, I’m here to see you”
Her mind raced, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask about the things she had overheard earlier. Alison’s health was already so unstable, so the couldn’t risk adding to her stress.
Her eyes held a tangle of emotions as she reached for Stella’s hand. “I’m doing okay here at the hospital. Please, don’t worry about me.”
stella nodded, her lips parting to speak, but Alison’s hesitant voice interrupted her. “I know the surgery and treatments must’ve been costly. You just graduated… where did the money came from?”
For so long, Stella had struggled to gather enough for the surgery.
At first, she hadn’t thought much of it. But now, with Bernice’s words echoing in her mind, a sense of unease began to settle in
Stella’s smile stiffened, and she lowered her head, releasing a quiet sigh “well, the money.. it’s true, I didn’t ear it on my DWIL.. Allison’s eyes widened in alanın “Please tell me you didn’t do something foolish!”
“Mom, what are you thinking? just took a six–month salary advance. That’s how I paid for the surgery.”
Ahson let out a sigh of relief, but the doubts in her heart remained. “Has anyone from the Nord family reached out to you recently?” She continued pressing
lla with questions.
Stella took a deep breath, forcing a puzzled look. “I don’t recall you having any friends with that last name. Is someone coming to visit?**
-no, I must’ve been mistaken.“Alison quickly backpedaled, dropping the tople without another word
Stella let out a breath of tellet, reminding herself to stay in character. “Mom, you haven’t been getting any strange calls, have you? I saw a news story about scams targeting kind hearted elderly people lie you You need to be careful and not let anyone take advantage of you.”
Allabunodded, though lant thinaglus seemed far away.
At that moment, a knock echoed at the hospital room door.
Amiddle–aged woman stepped inside, offering a hesitant sinile. “You must be Ms. Stella Irwin, right? I’m the caregiver you hired.”
With her need to stay at the Packer residence for a while, Stella couldn’t be there for Alison after her surgery. She had no choice but to lure help.
“Please, come in.” As Stella motioned for the woman to step inside, she found herself watching her closely.
The won was dressed plainly, her hands rough and worn with calluses and cracks, clear signs of a life spent doing strenuous work
Before Stella could speak, the woman gathered herself and quickly began to sell her sells. “I’m used to hard farm work, so I’m very strong. I can tum patients, clean them, change their clothes–none of that will be an e—”
Her words were interrupted by the suddening of a phone. Stella glanced down at the caller ID and saw that it was Martha.
without thinking, she quickly stood up and shielded the phone screen with her hand.
As soon as the call connected, Martha’s harsh voice blared through the receiver. “Where the hell have you been? Get back here, now!”
Stella quickly lowered the volume, worried Alison might overhear. She said, “I don’t remember the contract saying I’m at your beck and call. I have a life outside of our arrangement.”
Taken aback by Stella’s boldness, Martha snapped, her voice rising sharply, “be honest. Did you say something to Jerry that you shouldn’t have? If this backfires, yeur sledy mother can say goodbye to her life!”
The call ended abruptly.
Stella drew in a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. “Stella, who was that on the phone?”
Catching Alison’s concemed gaze, the anger simmering in Stella’s chest slowly began to subside. “It’s n–no one just my boss. Why else would someone pay me such a high salary? just have to put up with it.”
Inaway, Martha was her superior, even though their arrangement was anything but respectable,
To prevent Martha from causing more trouble, Stella lose the needed to leave quickly.
She turned to the caregiver standing quietly at the side. “I trust you, Ms. Mcknight. Let’s go ahead and sign the contract now. From now on, you’ll be the one talding cate of my mother.”
Nancy McKnight’s eyes brightened.
Once both of them had signed the contract, Stella grabbed her bag, unable to resist giving one final instruction: “My mom’s health isn’t great, so make sure no strangers enter her room
With that, she rushed out, heading straight for the Parker residence.
As she opened the door to the guest bedroom, a book was hurled at her, followed by Martha’s livid voice, “What did you say to him? Jerry didn’t seem to notice spything, so why is he willing to sleep with you but treats me so coldly?“”
Jenny’s subtle rejection had pushed Martha to the brink
Stella bent down to retrieve the book, placing it on the bedside table. “Martha, do you honestly think you’re the smartest person alive? Jeremy is the heir to the Packer family in Cindenvale. He’s no idiot,”
Martha shot to her feet. “What do
mean by that? Did he find out?”
