Left Them Loved Myself (Stella Spencer) novel Chapter 140

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Just before Stella could hang up, Simon hurriedly asked, “Wait–what do you mean by picking up Daisy?”

‘So they’re just picking up Daisy and totally ignoring me? Did I get my hopes up for nothing?‘ Simon grumbled to himself, feeling left out.

Stella raised an eyebrow. “It means exactly what it says. What else could it mean?”

Simon almost blurted out, “What about me?”

But he managed to hold that back.

He wasn’t oblivious. Even if he’d never been in love and was kind of slow with feelings, he knew that whenever he was with Stella, his heart sped up and his emotions went haywire–that had to be what it felt like to really like someone.

He had fallen for Stella.

But Stella was Ernest’s wife, and that meant Simon’s feelings had to stay hidden in the shadows, never to be seen by anyone. Every flicker of excitement, every ounce of hope and happiness–he had to bury it deep and tread carefully, making sure no one ever caught on.

Simon let out a breath, trying to calm the storm of nerves inside.

He forced himself to chill out and said, doing his best to sound normal, “What I mean is, I want to tag along too.”

Then he added, “Honestly, I just wouldn’t feel great if you two went out with Daisy alone. I think it’s better if I come. If something comes up, I’ll be there to handle it–and at the very least, you’ll need a guy to carry all those shopping bags, right?”

If it weren’t for that last comment, he’d be completely irrelevant–good for nothing except being their free pack mule.

Erica finally burst out laughing. “Alright, I’ll show mercy today and let you be my little sidekick.”

“Gee, thanks a lot, Simon muttered through gritted teeth.

“Hey, if you really want to thank me, just give me a couple of designers‘ bags when we meet up later,” Erica joked.

Simon was speechless.

‘Yeah, keep dreaming, Simon thought to himself.

They didn’t chat much after that. Once the call ended, Stella and Erica finished their meal and headed straight for the Wood family’s place.

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As they stepped inside, Stella couldn’t help but joke, “Simon, are you about to host a full–on backyard barbecue or what?”

The villa was fully decked out–Simon had already prepped everything for their little adventure: a barbecue grill, fresh ingredients, tents, lounge chairs, and everything.

Erica’s eyes lit up. “Honestly, I’ve been dying to go on a picnic for ages, but Stella’s always too busy to join me. It’s just not the same going alone.”

Stella replied, “Well, since we’ve got everything ready today, I can finally go on that picnic with you.”

Erica grinned, “Perfect! I’ve already picked the spot. Mount Kyson out in the suburbs has some amazing views, and I heard there’s a natural spring pool up on the peak. We can set up right nearby.”

Stella smiled. “Sounds amazing. I’ll let you lead the way.”

Simon swallowed down his suggestion to hit up the cherry blossom grove, keeping that little dream to himself.

He’d

spent days digging through guides, hunting for a spot that oozed the vibe of a secret lovers‘ getaway- endless cherry blossoms, everything bathed in a pink, dreamy haze, the air practically humming with romance. It was the kind of place perfect for pretending, but never officially called a dating hotspot.

But Stella had already made the call, so none of that mattered anymore.

‘Who cares about the destination anyway? If Stella’s going, that’s all that really matters, Simon thought quietly to himself.

Daisy muttered to herself, ‘Didn’t they say they’d take me out for some fun? So why is nobody even bothering to ask what I want? Seriously, am I just here as extra baggage or something?‘

“Let’s hit the road!” Erica cheered, her excitement totally contagious.

Erica took Daisy’s left hand, Stella stood on her right, so it was two grown–ups and one little kid, a cheerful trio heading out together without a care in the world.

As for Simon–the free labor–he just accepted his fate and teamed up with the butler and servants to haul all the gear out to the cars waiting outside.

By two in the afternoon, they pulled up at Mount Kyson. It wasn’t some towering peak–just about two thousand feet, give or take.

Erica glanced at the mountain, then looked over at Simon, who was already sweating as he lugged their gear around. She joked, “Well, well, big strong Simon! Planning to drag all this up there by yourself? Think you’ve got what it takes?”

“I got this,” Simon said with total conviction, stealing a glance at Stella. “There’s no such word as ‘can’t‘ in my book–especially not with her watching,’ he swore to himself.

18:14 Mon, Oct 20

Erica rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on, like you’d even understand! You can’t compare store–bought mushrooms to ones you forage yourself. Eating something you pick with your own hands is a whole different level of satisfaction. As for whether they’re poisonous…”

Erica just stared silently, already feeling a bit lost.

‘Great, now I’m really starting to doubt myself,’ she thought, suddenly unsure.

Stella added, “If you really want to pick some, just take pictures and check with your phone afterward. There’s

so much info online, it’d be impossible not to figure out which ones are poisonous.”

18:14 Mon, Oct 20

Chapter 140

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“Oh, right! Why didn’t I think of that? We’ve got phones for this.” Erica laughed, suddenly realizing.

“Let’s hurry up and pick them now! There’s a whole patch over there; I spotted it earlier,” Erica said, practically bursting with excitement.

Not waiting at all, Erica grabbed Stella and Daisy and pulled them along, racing towards the spot with infectious enthusiasm.

As soon as everyone walked away, Simon set his load down and finally let himself catch his breath, panting a little in relief. Thank god, thought they’d never leave—I seriously needed that break, he sighed internally.

Just then, the bushes rustled.

Erica poked her head out from the undergrowth and spotted Simon going through the motions with the barbecue grill like it was a set of weights. She made a face, half exasperated, half amused. “Come on, there’s nobody else around. If you’re wiped out, just take a breather—quit acting tough.”

Simon flashed his most laid–back smile, putting on a brave face. “Nah, I’m fine. Watching over all this stuff gets boring, so I figured I’d turn it into a mini workout.”

Erica gave him a side–eye. “Oh, really? Have you checked out how much you’re sweating? You look like you’re melting.”

‘Not tired, huh? He’s soaked like he just went for a swim, she grumbled to herself, totally unconvinced.

Simon stuck to his story, still refusing to admit he was tired. “It’s just the heat. I always end up sweating a ton when it warms up.”

“The heat?” Erica frowned, clearly skeptical. “Come on, there’s not even any sun right now–how is it hot?”

“You’re so chatty.” Simon interrupted her. “So, did you actually come back because you needed something, or is this just a random visit?”

“Oh, right! I came back for some bags,” Erica said, smacking her forehead. The mushrooms are growing like crazy over there–I’ve got nowhere left to shove them, my clothes are seriously bulging. Quick, hand me two bags so I can actually carry them!”