Forsaken Daughter Pampered By Top Hier novel Chapter 5

Stephanie made her way back to Cloudridge Valley, the place that still felt like home.

As soon as she stepped into the elevator lobby, she spotted Ella sitting on the couch, looking up from her phone.

When Ella saw her, she shot up and rushed over, pulling her into a hug. "Girl, all men are pigs. Tomorrow, I'll introduce you to someone way better."

Stephanie gave a tired nod. "Sure."

Ella expected Stephanie to lash out, but instead, she seemed strangely calm—like the whole thing with Chris hadn't even fazed her.

Ella pulled back, giving her a quick once-over. When she noticed bloodstains on Stephanie's clothes, her eyes widened.

"Wait, what? That's blood? Did you get hurt?" She rushed over to check.

Stephanie glanced down and saw a few spots of blood on her beige coat.

With a nonchalant smile, she shrugged. "Easy. They're not mine."

Ella blinked, confused. "Whose is it, then?" Her voice was laced with concern.

Stephanie replied coolly, "Don't know. Maybe Olivia's or Chris's."

Ella's eyes went wide. "What?"

Stephanie, noticing the worry in her friend's face, casually explained, "Yeah. I taught Olivia and Chris a lesson."

Ella's eyebrows twitched when she heard Stephanie's calm response. She was in awe of how efficiently Stephanie had handled everything.

Ella had just run into Chris and Olivia at the hospital that morning and told Stephanie about it. Now, not even half a day had passed, and Stephanie had already dealt with them.

She couldn't help giving her a thumbs-up.

A mischievous grin spread across her face as she teased, "I know a short fuse can get you in trouble, but when it comes to jerks like them, you need a temper like yours."

What those two had done was outrageous—so much so that even Ella couldn't hold back her anger. And she wasn't the one who'd been betrayed.

Ella had thought Stephanie would cry and whine about Olivia, but instead, she didn't shed a tear. She'd taken action and handled things herself.

Ella didn't fully get how Stephanie had pulled it off, but she was glad to see her handling it so well.

She knew Stephanie wasn't usually this fiery—it was just that Olivia had a way of pushing her buttons, making her lose control.

Ella glanced at her phone, a playful gleam in her eyes. "Don't head upstairs just yet. Let's grab something to eat. It's already past noon."

Stephanie nodded. "You took the afternoon off?"

Ella flashed a grin. "Nuh, I left early. Still gotta to get back to work after lunch."

With Stephanie's wedding coming up in just a week, and everything going on, Ella worried she might start overthinking things.

They wandered around the street for a while before heading into a nearby restaurant.

Stephanie struggled with her steak, poking at it as she muttered, "Let's not get this next time. It doesn't taste that great."

She wasn't a fan of bland food—Ella knew that well.

Ella, on the other hand, was devouring her meal, not even slowing down to chew properly. She mumbled between bites, "I don't have time for that today, but I'll take you to a Mexican place next time."

Lunch during the workday was usually quick and no-nonsense for most people.

Ella paused for a second, swallowed, then asked, "So what's the plan with Chris?"

At the mention of his name, Stephanie's steak suddenly tasted even worse.

She put down her knife and fork with a sigh, wiping her mouth before turning to Ella. "Can you help me issue a statement? I want to announce that we're canceling the wedding."

Ella froze. Her fork hovered in mid-air as she processed the request.

After a beat, she asked, "Your families are okay with this?"

Stephanie didn't answer right away. When Ella asked why, her gaze dropped, and for a brief moment, her eyes seemed to darken.

Why? Stephanie didn't really know. Maybe it was because they both had something to gain, or maybe they both had their own hidden agendas.

In the end, Stephanie just waved her hand dismissively and muttered, "Enough with this. Just make sure to include the pictures of him and Olivia at the hospital when you post the statement."

Ella noticed that Stephanie wasn't in the mood to elaborate, so she let it go. What mattered more to her was how Stephanie felt about all of this.

Once she realized that Stephanie wasn't as in love with Chris as everyone had assumed, her worries started to ease.

Ella thought for a moment, then gave a determined nod. "Alright, I'll post it right now."

She grabbed her phone with purpose.

Ella had once been a professional reporter for a major newspaper, and she still ran several accounts with millions of followers.

The Ashford family was one of the top elite families in Long Harbor, so Chris's wedding had been under constant public scrutiny.

Ella wasn't about to let this slip through her fingers. She carefully crafted the announcement, making sure to get every detail right.

She knew that if she didn't handle this carefully, Stephanie could end up taking all the heat.

Half an hour later, the internet exploded.

The first story quickly took over the local headlines: "The Hart family's adopted daughter returning, spotted with the Ashford heir at a hospital."

Another one followed shortly after: "Miss Hart announces cancellation of wedding to Mr. Ashford!"

These two stories took over the local news, throwing the spotlight back on the scandal from two years ago—the adopted daughter and the real heiress.

People hadn't forgotten the drama, and now, it was being thrust back into the public eye.

Almost immediately, Stephanie's phone started ringing off the hook.