Left Them Loved Myself (Stella Spencer) novel Chapter 166

Chapter 166

“Stella, my sweet girl, how are you feeling? Does it hurt?” her aunt’s voice cracked. Her trembling hand hovered over Stella,

afraid to touch her.

“Stella, are you hungry? What do you want to eat? Your uncle will get it for you. Thirsty?” her uncle’s usually steady voice was

frantic.

“Stella, you scared the hell out of us. Don’t you ever do that again,” Erica said, her eyes red as she gripped Stella’s uninjured hand tightly.

Jeremy stood back a little, his expression a mixture of unconcealed worry and heartache. He opened his mouth to speak, but only a heavy sigh escaped.

The flood of concern from everyone washed away the cold fear that had gripped Stella.

Her throat was raw and ached. She tried to speak, but only a weak, hoarse whisper came out. “I’m… okay. Don’t… wor…”

“Okay, okay, just stop talking,” Erica cut in immediately, her voice full of concern. “I know what you’re going to say. It’s fine, we’re all here. Don’t you worry about us.”

he knew Stella too well. Her first instinct would be to worry about everyone else.

Then, an idea struck her. Erica pulled a small compact mirror from her purse, holding it up for Stella.

She tried for a light, teasing tone. “Here, check out your new look. It’s definitely one–of–a–kind. A real head–turner.”

The mirror reflected a face almost completely covered in gauze, with only her eyes, nose, and mouth visible. Below her neck, thick bandages were wrapped so tightly she looked like a mummy.

The sight was both pathetic and a little ridiculous.

Stella looked at her reflection and tried to laugh, but the movement pulled at her injuries, and all that came out was a short, raspy grunt of pain and relief.

“You’re laughing?”

Harvey, standing at the foot of the bed, scowled, but his eyes betrayed a deep, lingering fear.

“You’re in this state, and you think it’s funny? Do you have any idea what would’ve happened if we’d been a few minutes later?”

“Harvey’s right,” Jeremy added, his voice low and heavy. “That night, Erica and I met at the station. Your aunt and uncle rushed over as soon as they heard.

“Captain Lance and his team were under immense pressure, but the tech unit worked like mad to break through the hacker’s block and restore the security footage. They pinpointed your last known location–the Lloyd villa.

He paused, the memory clearly painful. “We rushed in with Captain Lance. We found you in the backyard garden, covered in blood. One of the thugs was standing over you with a knife, about to…

“Thank God Captain Lance was fast. One clean shot, and he pulled you back from the brink.”

Stella listened quietly, her heart swelling with gratitude. She made a mental note to thank Captain Lance personally as soon

as she recovered.

1/3

Harvey, composed again, gave her the update. The police have made a breakthrough in the interrogation.

“The kidnappers were old enemies of Ernest Lloyd, from some family business he handled years ago. They came back for revenge. They were originally going to grab Irene to lure Ernest out, but you were there, so they took you too.”

‘So it’s that bastard’s fault again,” Erica hissed, her eyes turning red again. “He makes countless enemies, and you and a child are the ones who pay the price. And him? He hasn’t even bothered to show his face.

“If you ask me, Stella, you should’ve just let them go after him. Why should you have to take the fall for him?”

The corner of Stella’s mouth twitched.

She desperately wanted to say that she hadn’t given a damn about saving Ernest.

If she’d known where the bastard was, she would’ve happily pointed the kidnappers in his direction.

Just as she was figuring out how to voice her ‘hope he gets what’s coming to him‘ sentiment, the hospital room door clicked open.

fore she could see who it was, Harvey shot up from his seat by the bed, his face instantly darkening to a thunderous scowl.

thode to the door in a few quick steps, grabbed the visitor by the collar, and roughly shoved them back out into the

“Get out. You’re not welcome here.”

Stella was stunned.

She had never, in her entire life, seen Harvey so completely lose his composure.

“Who was that?” she asked instinctively, her voice a weak, curious whisper.

Erica curled her lip in disgust, then fussed with Stella’s blanket. “Don’t worry about anyone who’ll just ruin your appetite. Your only job right now is to lie here and heal.”

She couldn’t help but start nagging again, her voice thick with worry and fear. “Look at you. How long has it been since your eye healed? And now you’ve gone and gotten yourself turned into a mummy. Are you trying to get a yearly membership at this hospital?”

Stella shrank back a little under the barrage and just stayed quiet.

Seeing her pitiful expression, Erica finally took pity on her and stopped. “Are you thirsty? Hungry? Want some water?”

“Yes,” Stella nodded emphatically, desperate for a break from the lecture.

As Erica turned to get the water, Stella tried to crane her neck to see what was happening outside the door, but her view was blocked by her uncle Marvin and aunt Evelyn, who had moved closer.

The unconcealed pain and worry on their faces were plain to see, their brows furrowed. They were clearly heartbroken.

A pang of guilt hit Stella. Her voice was barely a whisper, full of apology. “Marvin, Evelyn… I’m so sorry. I made you worry again.”

Marvin, a man of few words, just grunted heavily. “Just focus on getting better,” he said, his voice thick.

Her aunt Evelyn, however, picked up where Erica left off, her eyes red. Her tone was a mix of anger and heartache. “Stella,

2/3

I’m not blaming you for being kind, but that ungrateful little monster… why couldn’t you have just thought of yourself first?

You should have hidden her and made sure you were safe. That’s all that matters.”

She remembered the security footage from the Lloyd estate that the police had recovered.

The image sent a chill down her spine. A child who could abandon the mother who was bleeding and fighting for her without a second thought… no amount of affection could survive that.

Stella pressed her pale lips together, saying nothing. But her eyes, once clear, were now like a frozen, silent lake.

After this ordeal, any lingering sense of responsibility she felt for Irene, born only of blood relation, had been completely extinguished.

From now on, they were strangers. They would have nothing to do with each other.

Bang–CRASH!

Suddenly, a dull, heavy thud echoed from outside the room, followed by the sound of something–or someone–hitting the

Joor hard.

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