Left Them Loved Myself (Stella Spencer) novel Chapter 185

Chapter 185

So it was that quirky father–daughter pair, Yvonne and Kirk.

Stella’s curiosity got the better of her. “So how are those two doing now? Everything settled?”

“Thanks to you, everything’s been handled perfectly. Mr. Lynn and Ms. Lynn are both safe, and things are back to normal,” the bodyguard reported dutifully.

“Glad to hear it,” Stella replied, finally letting herself relax.

Curiosity getting the better of her, Stella walked over to the table and reached for one of the boxes tied with a bright pink bow.

As she lifted the lid, a row of cheap, plastic toys caught her eye–an entire set of Ultraman transformation devices, each coming in various forms and designs.

Stella couldn’t help but twitch at the corner of her mouth, then quickly opened the other box with a sky–blue bow.

Sure enough, it was a matching set of magic wands from the popular kids‘ show, so bright and flashy they were almost blinding.

Stella rubbed her forehead, half–amused, half–exasperated. “These gifts are certainly unconventional. Truly one of a kind.”

This was exactly the kind of quirky idea one would expect from that father–daughter duo.

The bodyguard looked a little awkward about how childlike the gifts were, but he managed a reply, “Yes, it’s from Mr. Lynn and Ms. Lynn.”

But instead of turning to leave, he lingered, fidgeting awkwardly, clearly trying to figure out how to say something.

Stella saw him struggling and cut to the chase, “Is there something else? Just get to the point.”

Summoning all his courage, the bodyguard awkwardly blurted out, “Ms. Spencer, Mr. Lynn and Ms. Lynn wanted me to ask one thing. Do you like the Ultraman transformation device more, or the magic wand?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized just how absurd the question sounded–even his ears went a bit pink from embarrassment.

Stella stared in silence, totally at a loss for words.

A vein twitched at Stella’s temple as she fought to maintain her composure. She took a deep breath and pasted on the politest smile she could manage.

“Please send my thanks to Mr. Lynn and Ms. Lynn for their thoughtful gesture. But honestly, these–uh- childlike toys really aren’t my thing. Of course, I still appreciate the gifts. Thank them for me,” she said.

The bodyguard finally looked like he could breathe again, bowing quickly. “Understood, Ms. Spencer. I’ll be sure to pass on your message. Sorry to trouble you.”

With that, he practically bolted from the room, like he couldn’t get out fast enough.

As the door clicked shut, Stella stared at the two boxes of glittering weapons on the table and shook her head in resignation.

“That father–daughter duo? Seriously, what could you even say about them?‘ she wondered.

It was late at night, and the hospital room was lit by nothing but a single bedside lamp, its soft yellow light throwing shadows across the corners.

Stella had already changed into her everyday clothes and was sitting by the bed, waiting for Erica to arrive.

The room’s door stood wide open, leading out into a pitch–black hallway. Everything was silent; only the distant, dim green glow of the emergency exit sign offered any light, painting eerie outlines across the walls.

The bottomless darkness and perfect silence seeped with a creepy chill, making it feel like something could slither out of the shadows at any moment.

Stella was feeling more and more jittery in the atmosphere, hesitating as she debated whether she should close the door.

Just then, a pale, almost spectral figure slipped right in, hovering close to the doorframe, not making a sound.

“Ah.” Stella’s heart clenched, and she jumped out of her skin. Her face turned pale at once, her breath hitched for a second.

A teasing laugh, barely above a whisper, sounded next to her ear. “Ms. Spencer, don’t tell me you’re actually afraid of ghosts?”

Stella was still shaken, breathing hard as she tried to pull herself together and look up.

In the dim light, Sylvia stood by the bed, dressed in her hospital gown. She was wearing a playful, almost mischievous smile, clearly entertained by Stella’s panicked face.

“Sylvia?” Stella gasped, clutching her chest where her heart was racing.

She glared at Sylvia, her voice still shaky from the shock. “Do you even realize you almost scared me to death? Can’t you make some noise like a normal person?”

Sylvia didn’t bat an eye, settling into the chair across from her with a relaxed air. “I knocked, but you didn’t answer. The door was open, so I came in.”

She just shrugged, feigning innocence. “Honestly, I’m surprised–the fearless Miss Spencer, freaked out by someone in a hospital gown?”

“How is that my fault? It’s you who-” Stella protested, her words trailing off.

But seeing Sylvia’s matter–of–fact expression, Stella realized arguing with her was pointless. She just waved

her hand, deflating. “Forget it. So, what brings you here?”

“What, I can’t stop by just to chat?” Sylvia shot back, like this was something close friends did all the time.

Stella nearly laughed out of sheer exasperation. “Sylvia, I don’t think our relationship is quite at the ‘midnight heart–to–heart‘ level, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, true,” Sylvia said, giving Stella a genuine nod, a hint of admiration in her eyes.

She added with a smirk, “Honestly, with me lying here all banged up, I half–expected you to finish me off. You’re way too soft for what people call a psycho.”

Stella raised her eyebrow, an unmistakable danger flickering in her gaze. “Careful with the labels. Or are you dying for me to prove them right–with a knife, right here and now?”

“Fine by me.” Sylvia shot back, her voice full of challenge and not an ounce of fear.

She actually leaned forward, her eyes burning with an intense, reckless spark that almost mirrored Stella’s

own.

“Honestly, I’d love to see how far a ‘psycho‘ can go when she’s cornered,” Sylvia said, her tone low and provocative.

Her words were both a test of Stella’s limits and her own way of staking a claim; she was making it clear she had no fear of going just as wild, determined to grab the upper hand in this silent showdown.

Instead of answering, Stella let her actions do the talking.

Her eyes flashed dangerously, and without hesitation, she grabbed the fruit knife off the nightstand.

Before Sylvia could react, there was a glint of cold steel–Stella was already in front of her, blade pressed hard against Sylvia’s fragile neck, deadly serious.

Her grip was unshakable, her eyes colder than ice.

“What, you hesitating?” Sylvia tilted her head back, deliberately pressing her neck closer to the blade, her voice dripping with provocation.

There was not a trace of fear in her eyes–only a twisted thrill. “Thought you were going to stab me? What’s the holdup? Lost your nerve?” she taunted.

Her words were abruptly cut short as the sharp blade opened a thin line across her pale skin.

Warm, sticky blood immediately welled along the edge and trickled down her neck in a slow, winding stream.

The startling crimson quickly spread across the collar of her pristine hospital gown, and the thick, metallic scent of blood suffused the stuffy room, curling around their noses,

But the two facing off only grew colder and more detached with each heartbeat, their composure unshaken,

as if no threat could move them.

Sylvia’s face remained utterly unchanged–as though the blood running down her neck might as well have belonged to someone else. Her gaze stayed glued to Stella, assessing and probing her with silent scrutiny.

Stella’s lips curled ever so slightly, an icy smirk of mockery flitting over her face.

In the dim yellow glow, their eyes locked and clashed in midair, sparks crackling between them, so real they seemed almost physical.

The air in the hospital room grew so dense it was nearly suffocating, saturated with the faint tang of blood and a silence that spread, heavy and unbroken.

Time slowed to a crawl, every single second drawn out, thick with dangerous tension.

After what felt like an eternity, Sylvia was the first to break the suffocating silence with a low, teasing laugh. “What, getting cold feet? Come on, don’t stop now.”