Left Them Loved Myself (Stella Spencer) novel Chapter 172

Chapter 172

The hospital room door swung open, and Cody walked in, lugging a big bag of imported fruit. He gave Erica a long, exasperated look.

“If it hadn’t been for the bodyguards I had shadowing you, blocking those thugs that bastard sent after you, do you really think your amateur fighting skills could’ve gotten you out of there without a scratch?” Cody said.

Erica’s expression flipped in an instant, and she plastered on a smile so sweet it could give you cavities. “Daddy, my dearest, most beloved father, come on, don’t get all worked up.

“I was just saying that as my own special way of thanking you for your deep, fatherly love.”

“Hmph, you’d better be,” Cody grunted, dumping the fruit down next to the already overflowing cabinet.

“Mr. Russell, you’re always so busy. You didn’t have to go out of your way to visit me; having Erica here is already more than enough,” Stella said, being extra polite.

Stella quickly stepped in to smooth things over, feeling like she was on her way to becoming the Russell family’s personal mediator between father and daughter.

As soon as Cody faced Stella, his attitude did a complete 180–like flipping a switch, and he beamed at her with genuine warmth.

“Stella, don’t say that. I should’ve visited you a while ago, but those endless international meetings totally tied me up. Today, I just couldn’t feel right unless I came over myself to check in on you,” Cody said.

He looked at Stella with real concern. “How are you feeling? Is your wound still hurting a lot?”

“Oh, come on, Dad, you’re totally annoying, treating Stella so well, yet so cold to me.” Erica jumped up and down in

frustration.

Cody’s face went cold in an instant. “Erica, are you itching for punishment? Want your bestie to see what a real lesson from your old man looks like?”

Erica instantly shrank back, her neck disappearing into her shoulders. “I’ll shut up.”

Seeing those two about to go at it again, Stella cut in quickly to steer the conversation elsewhere.

“Mr. Russell, I’m honestly just thrilled you came; there’s really no need to splurge on more fruit for me,” Stella joked.

She gestured at the jam–packed cabinet. “Any more and I’ll have to start selling fruit by the crate.”

Seeing the cabinet overflowing with all sorts of imported fruit, Cody actually looked a little embarrassed for once.

Erica leaned in close to Stella and whispered under her breath, “Stella, when you say no need for fruit, you actually mean it. It’s not just some polite phrase, you’re just being straight–up literal.”

Stella gave her an innocent but mischievous smile. “Well, you know, hanging around you, some of that blunt honesty’s bound to rub off eventually.

Erica stroked her chin, trying to look all deep in thought. “Hmm, I’m not totally following, but I’ll take it as you low–key calling me cute and honest.”

Stella’s mouth twitched. “If that’s how you want to spin it, sure, knock yourself out.”

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Cody watched the two girls whispering and giggling together, shook his head with a helpless sigh, and squeezed the fruit he brought into the already packed cabinet.

Then he turned around, crossed his arms, and just gave Erica a long, silent look–gentle and almost fatherly, but a bit too

intense for comfort.

Erica felt goosebumps under his stare. “Seriously, Dad, if you have something to say, just say it. Or-”

She caught herself before she blurted out something she shouldn’t. “Why do you keep staring at me like I’m some precious treasure? It’s kind of freaking me out.”

“Did it ever occur to you-” Cody drawled, lazily pointing toward the door. “That maybe I’m giving you the look to head out for a while? I’ve got something I need to discuss privately with Stella.”

Erica’s eyes widened in disbelief, her whole face exaggerated like, “Seriously, Dad, are you for real right now?

“Dad, come on, Stella and I grew up joined at the hip; we’re even closer than sisters. What, are you trying to hide secrets from me or something?”

She slung an arm around Stella, backing herself up. “Right, Stella?”

Stella tried not to laugh, nodding. “Mr. Russell, honestly, there’s no need to keep anything from Erica. She probably knows more than I do anyway.”

With a sly look at Cody, before he could say anything, Erica shot her chin up at her dad, grinning. “You hear that? She knows what’s up. Don’t even think about messing with our unbreakable friendship.”

Seeing Stella and Erica standing united, Cody knew there was no prying his daughter away now. With a resigned sigh, he gave in and got right to the heart of the matter.

Alright, Stella. Besides visiting you today, I wanted to ask one thing. Has anything major happened between you and Ernest recently?” He spoke with caution, expected from a seasoned businessman.

Before Stella even had a chance to speak, Erica jumped up like she’d been shocked. “Hey, Dad, you’re seriously crossing a

ine here.

Snooping into other people’s private stuff is just wrong; why are you poking your nose into Stella’s business anyway?”

Cody shot Erica an exasperated look and explained, “Not long ago, Lloyd Group suddenly made some very unusual moves against the Spencer family and Lumière Group.

We were all bracing ourselves, ready for anything. But weirdly enough, just as suddenly as it started, they stopped everything–no warning at all.”

He frowned, a hint of shrewd concern in his expression. “That’s not like Ernest at all. I can’t get a read on what he’s really after, and honestly, it’s making me uneasy. I figured you might know something, so I wanted to check with you.”

Stella paused for a sec, then gave a quiet chuckle, sounding more at peace than before. “Maybe it’s because I got divorced

from him.”

“Divorced?” Cody blurted, eyes going wide, totally stunned by what he had heard.

Then he snapped his gaze to Erica, staring at her like a searchlight, scanning every inch for answers.

‘Great. Just perfect, Cody grumbled to himself. ‘Erica really zipped her lips about something this huge.

Stella was cool as ever, so it was obvious she was in on it from the start. But at home, Erica had played it off like nothing had

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happened, saying nothing to him.

Erica could feel her skin crawl under her dad’s glare, but she wasn’t about to show any weakness. She jutted her chin out, meeting his eyes with a stubborn, defiant glare of her own.

“Hey, stop glaring at me like that, old man. Turning on my bestie? Not a chance. I’d never betray Stella, not in a million years, Erica shot back, full of righteous sass.

“I’m your father, Cody yelled, ready to blow a gasket.

“Wouldn’t matter if you were God, Dad,” Erica fired back, her words landing like a total KO match ended, no room for

debate.

Cody clutched his chest, nearly choking on his own breath, his finger trembling as he pointed at Erica. “Fine, just great. Having a sweet daughter like you must be the blessing I’ve racked up over countless lifetimes.”

Erica actually nodded with a cheeky grin. “Well, that’s more like it; finally, you said something that makes sense.”

Cody was so mad that he actually laughed, but there was a bitter, long–suffering edge to it, like he’d been through the wringer one too many times.

“Erica, if you don’t want to end up losing your old man by tomorrow, you’d better zip it right now. I mean it,” Cody threatened.

1- Erica wanted to continue.

But Stella was faster; she quickly clamped a hand over Erica’s mouth, worried the two would start throwing down right here in the hospital room.

Erica, be careful what you say. Think of Mr. Russell’s blood pressure,” Stella whispered urgently.

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