The Returned Heiress Who Never Fit In
+6 Pearls
Chapter 101 A Matter of Distance
Abel asked. “But with your temper, wouldn’t you have cut ties a long time ago?”
The fact that she had even been engaged to Ethan–that was what Abel couldn’t wrap his head around.
Stella looked at him and smiled. “Yeah, with my temper, shouldn’t I have cut ties a long time ago! But I remember clearly why I left the Dawson family… and why I distanced myself from my brother.”
Talking about leaving the Dawson family–even after all this time, just thinking about it still made Stella’s heart ache.
Back then, the pain had been unbearable: it felt like her heart was being ripped out.
Those were Abraham’s hardest days. She’d wanted to stay by his side, to help him through the storm.
But she couldn’t.
Abel said, “It was because someone from the Tom family was watching you from the shadows, wasn’t it?‘
Stella lowered her gaze and glanced at a barely noticeable scar on her palm. In the end, she gave a small nod of agreement
After visiting Alice, Stella still had to pass by Lillian’s room. Ethan was waiting at the door. When he saw her, he frowned and stepped forward to block her path.
Stella raised a brow. “What, you want another beating today?”
Ethan asked, “How did you end up like this?”
His tone was icy: his gaze cold as he looked at the man following behind her.
hel exuded an unmistakable air of power. That alone made Ethan assume he was just another one of Stella’s men.
Stella scoffed. “And what the heck does that have to do with you?”
“If you really cut ties s with the Reed family, what do you think you still are? You think any of those men would still want you?”
When he mentioned those men, Ethan’s eyes flicked instinctively toward Abel.
Abel’s
‘s entire presence, grew colder.
He stepped forward. “Ms. Dawson, would you wait for me in the car?”
Ethan froze. What did he just call Stellat
Stella didn’t feel like wasting breath on Ethan either. She nodded and glanced at Abel.
“You should watch yourself.”
The Keene family was still one of the most powerful in Rivermount
And with Abraham planning to stay in Rivermount this time, whatever he was handling wasn’t going to be simple.
if Ethan pissed off the Keene family now, it wouldn’t end well for him either.
Abel understood that Stella was thinking of Abraham. He nodded. “Got it.”
Stella cast one last glance at Ethan, still dazed, then turned to leave.
But just as she passed by him, Ethan grabbed her wrist. “You’re going to explain this to me.”
Was it what I thought it was? But before Ethan could say another word, the next moment he lost his balance; his head hit the wall hard, the impact jarring and heavy,
He lunged at Abel. He wasn’t entirely helpless–he still had some moves. Even with only one hand he managed to fight Abel
head–on
Stella couldn’t be bothered to stick around, she turned on her heel and walked away.
Ethan saw her leave
His rage spiked “Stella”
He was about to go after her, but Abel came at him again. Ethan only had one usable After just a few moves. Ethan was already losing ground
id Abel wasn
rast to deal
Inside Lillian’s hospital room. Susan and Jonathan heard the commotion
They rushed out in a panic when they saw Ethan fighting with a strange man Jonathan Jonathan..
Susan kept calling Jonathan’s name anxiously, but before jonathan could even step forward. Abel threw Ethan aside. At that
Abel’s entire body radiated menace
Mr. Keene, if we keep going you won’t be able to use your other arm either. Are you sure you want to keep fighting?”
Ethan’s leg was already injured.
He stared daggers at Abel eyes gleaming with cold fury. Abel calmly adjusted his rumpled suit before numing and walking
Jonathan’s face had gone pale by the time he got to Ethan. Are you okay?”
As he spoke, his eyes couldn’t help but glance down at Ethan’s trembling leg
Jonathan himself was in pain–Abel hadn’t held back
Ethan narrowed his eyes
Before he could spe a gromm of pain came from the hospital room–Lillan.
Susan was the first to rush back inside.
Jonathan looked over at Ethan. “Illness really hits you like a landslide She used to care so much about her looks. Then one morning she saw how much hair she’d lost__”
By the time he got to that point, Jonathan couldn’t go on. His voice was full of sorrow–for Lillian
Send Gifts
hapter 102 Soaking Wet and Still Clueless
Ethan glanced at Jonathan, then at the door to the hospital to Just as Jonathan thought than was about to go in and check on Lillian, he turned around instead, his back straight and cold, but his steps a little unsteady
Clearly, he’d taken a hit or two during the light earlier..
Jonathan blinkest “Hal”
He was just leaving Lillian’s pained groans were still echoing from side the room, and Susan’s soothing voice was trying to calu her down
Ethan wasn’t even going to check in on her. That was supposes to incan something, but what he couldn’t tell.
For a moment, Jonathan couldn’t make sense of the situation at all.
Meanwhile, on Stella’s end
Abel dropped her off at the Oriental Grand Tower
As Stella got out of the car, Abel told her, “Mr. Abraham has a few things to take care of today, but he’ll join you for dinner.”
“Okay, got it.”
Stella nodded sweetly, then turned and walked ott
Abel watched her figure disappear before pulling out his phone to call Abrahams. “Mt. Alaham.”
“You saw Madam Alice?
Abel replied. “We did, but we also ran into the Reed family and Ethan.”
At that, the line went dead quiet for a beat. Even over the phone. Abel could sense the chill in Abratum’s mood.
“Ethan seems to have a lot of free time lately.”
Abel said, “The entire Reed family’s got too much time on their hands; they’re all orbiting around that wom
They really were just sitting around–hiring a huge medical team was one thing, but hovering over her every step was something else entirely,
Ethan, especially, had been personally visiting Lillian at the hospital every single day,
“Did Star react at all!”
This time, Abraham’s tone was noticeably colder than before.
Clearly, he didn’t care whether the Reeds were bored or busy, what he cared about was whether their actions were affecting Stella emotionally
Abel replied, “Ms Dawson didn’t seem bothered at all. She doesn’t appear to care about any of them”
The mood on the other end of the call noticeably softened.
Abraham hummed softly, just one syllable–but Abel could still hear the trace of satisfaction in his tone.
Abel added, “But Ethan and the Reed family are scheming to kidnap Ms. Dawson”
The line instantly went icy again
Not long after Stella arrived at the office. Ethan showed up.
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“How many people can even reach you by phone now?”
wonds came with heat. Other than him, pretty much no one in the Reed family–or even the Keene family–could get through to her anymore.
Stella didn’t have much to say in the face of his anger.
She simply picked up her glass and took a sip of water. “Then just stop calling. It’s not like we need to stay in touch anyway.”
“Not a necessary relationship? Then, who do you need to stay in touch with? Those men?”
That phrase “not a necessary relationship hit Ethan right where it hurt. She’d blocked all of us. So who was she counting on now?
Those meu!
Just thinking about them darkened Ethan’s expression further. “That man at the hospital earlier–how did he address you? Who are you? Do you work for a club or something? You two just met and aren’t even close?”
With that address… On the way here, Ethan had been turning it over and over in his head. And he still couldn’t figure out why that man had called Stella that way–unless…
“You really started this studio with dirty money, didn’t you?”
One question after another crashed down on Stella like a hailstorm. Ethan’s rage surged so high it blew away any shred of rationality,
But Stella, perfectly composed, took the glass of water and flung it straight at him.
The water had cooled down by then.
When it hit Ethan’s face, that icy splash yanked his mind back from the brink
Stella stared at him, cold and sharp. “You clear–headed now?”
If not, she’d go grab a basin and give him a full rinse.
Ethan glared at her, jaw clenched so tight it trembled; his chest rose and fell rapidly with rage. “You-”
“A hostess at a nightclub? Ethan, with that brain of yours, I’m starting to think you’ve been sugarcoating everything when it comes to managing the Keene Group”
Ethan snapped. “What are you trying to say?”
“I’m saying, with that IQ, other than lying to your parents, what else are you even capable of? You really think you’re running the company properly?”
Chapter 103 A Bucket List of Pain
She didn’t believe a damn word of it anyway.
Stella made her point crystal clear–she was calling Ethan an idiot, plain and simple
Ethan nearly passed out from rage.
“You woman!”
“You don’t even have the right to question me, and you think you can humiliate me? Maybe you still don’t get what’s really going on here?”
Ethan froze. This damn woman…
He genuinely wanted to sew her mouth shut.
“What don’t I get?
At this point, Ethan’s chest was heaving from sheer fury.
But Stella just kept going, slicing through him with every word. “First, Ilumped you. Everyone in Rivermount knows it.”
Ethan said nothing.
“Second, with Eddie and Rianne–you’re still begging me for help, aren’t you?”
Still, Ethan stayed silent.
He might’ve been fine until she brought up Eddie and Rianne. But now, he was furning. To supposed doctors tying life–and- death matters to Stella’s damn mouth, what kind of doctors were they?
“Begging me on one hand, insulting me on the other, and threatening me at the same time?”
Stella’s eyes flashed coldly as she remembered how Susan and Jonathan had actually talked about kidnapping her at the hospital.
Ethan, who had barged in like a storm, now couldn’t get a single word out.
Especially when Stella looked him dead in the eye, stabbing every word into his chest like a knife. That serious expression. she really meant it. She was dead serious about the breakup..
Suddenly, something clenched in his chest–tight, breathless, suffocating
His face turned pale. “Then tell me… That man at the hospital–what’s he to you? He called you “miss. Why exactly did he call you that?
This was why Ethan had come here. He wasn’t leaving until he got an answer.
Stella looked at him with a smile at the corner of her mouth. “And why would I tell you?”
That question cut sharp.
And it was a fair one. Yeah–there was no reason to tell Ethan anything
“Was I not clear enough earlier? What don’t you get? I can repeat it for you if you want.”
Seriously.. dumb. At this point, Stella was starting to suspect he really was the type to only report good news and bury the bad.
Hat
From the outside, the Keene Group looked like it stood at the very top of the food chain. But who knew what kind of chaos heid been hiding behind closed doors?
hån stared at her eves cold
Chapter 103 A Bucket List of Pain
+8 Pearls
Stella said. “You want to know? You’re so desperate to find out who owns that place… You want to buy it for Lillian to recover in
The idea was absurd enough to make her laugh, but Stella still found it deeply off–putting.
Her house being eyed by some sickly woman like it was up for grabs. If Lillian died in there, it’d taint the whole damn place.
Ethan pressed. “Is it Eddie? Or the man you were with at Kingston Heights? Or the one from the hospital today?”
That last one crossed the line. Stella’s patience snapped.
She looked around, wanting to douse Ethan with another glass of water–only to find the cup was already empty.
She slammed the cup down on her desk and stood, sharp and sudden. “Wait here.”
With that, Stella marched straight toward the door.
Ethan frowned, unsure what she was up to–but he stayed put like she said.
He figured she just needed a minute to calm down after his cutting remarks. That once she cooled off, she’d come back with a reasonable explanation.
Yeah, that must be it.
Outside, Kimmy saw Stella emerge from the office and quickly stepped forward. “Ms. Dawson.”
Stella headed straight for the restroom and grabbed the janitor’s mop bucket.
The water inside hadn’t been dumped yet. Stella grabbed the whole thing and started walking it back toward the office.
Kimmy hurried after her, panicked. “Ms. Dawson, what are you doing with that bucket? Let me help-”
That water had just been used to mop the bathroom. No one in their right mind would touch it.
“No need. Go do your own thing”
The way she said it… Something was definitely off.
And knowing Ethan was the one in the office right now, Kimmy had a pretty good idea of what Stella planned to do with that bucket.
Chapter 104 Cold Showers
Inside the office, Ethan looked up as Stella walked back in. “That fast? Already cooled off?”
No
sooner had the words left his mouth than he saw the bucket in her hand.
A bad feeling crept up his spine–too late.
Splash!
The sound hit first, followed by the icy chill soaking through every layer of his clothes, sending a jolt straight to his bones.
Thunk! Stella slammed the bucket hard onto the floor.
Ethan roared, “Stella!”
This damned woman!
He was completely drenched; water dripped steadily from his hair, stinging his eyes and blurring his vision.
And that smell, what the heck was in that water? It reeked. Ethan wiped his face roughly, glaring at Stella with fury blazing in his
eyes.
Stella stood with her arms crossed. “Clear–headed now? Anything else you’re still confused about?”
Ethan glared at her. If looks could kill, he would’ve torn her to pieces.
Seeing him too angry to speak, Stella repeated herself “Still confused? Next time, it won’t be cold water–it’ll be boiling
You come at me like this? If I don’t show you what I’m made of do you really think I’m the kind of woman who’ll just take it? Stella pondered.
Ethan was so mad, his brain went blank. No one had ever treated him like this before…..
From childhood, thanks to the Keene family’s influence–and later, once he took over the Keene Group-
Everyone had treated him with nothing but respect.
But Stella..
“I guess you don’t want to keep this studio open!” he barked, shooting to his feet. His whole body radiated pressure, casting a heavy weight in Stella’s direction.
But Stella didn’t flinch. Then shut it down, if you think
His intimidation met her defiance head–on.
you can.”
Ethan’s eyes nearly sparked flames, but faced with her complete lack of fear, it was like fire meeting water.
It sizzled out in an instant.
“You just wait!” he growled.
With that, he turned and stormed toward the door, fury rolling off him in waves.
Behind him, Stella made a sharp, unmistakable noise of disdain–clear and deliberate,
That sound only made the air around Ethan grow colder; he looked like a man possessed, like he wouldn’t rest until Stella was dragged down to hell.
Once Ethan left in a storm, Kimmy peeked her head nervously into the office. Only when she saw Stella’s face looking calm did she dare to step in.
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Kimmy nodded. “Yeals. He looked like a drowned rat–and he stank”
Stella said nothing
Kimmy added. “He was dripping wet and limping you. You really did a number on him
“I didn’t hit him, Stella said Haily
“You didn’t? Then how come Mr. Keene looked like he got run over? His arm and leg both looked bruised?
Stella went quiet. If Ethan had been taking hits lately, he definitely wasn’t short on beatings
First Abraham, then her, and now Abel.
Kimmy sighed. “Seriously, dealing with idiots is exhausting”
“Huh?” Kimmy blinked, Mr. Keene an idiot! That couldn’t be right. He ran the massive Keene Group If that was an idiot, then the previous chairman had really dropped the ball.
“He’s a real idiot, Stella muttered. “Even getting hit doesn’t help
To her, Ethan was the textbook definition of slow–witted. She’d spelled everything out for him. More than once, Loud and clear. And still–he didn’t get it.
She’d said what needed saying. She’ll even laid hands on him
when necessary.
Il hy is it still not sinking in i was enough to make her want to scream.
Over on Ethan’s end, Jason was waiting for hum in the car. When Eilan chubed in, soaked from head to toe, Jason nearly jumped.
Especially once that sell hit him.
“Mr. Keene, you…
“If we still can’t figure out who the men around Stella are
“She already moved to Verdant Villa, Jason blurted out, cutting lines off with the latest intel before he got chewed out.
At those words, silence dropped heavy in the car.
Ethan’s eyes narrowed. “What did you say?”
Stella moved to Tendant Pilat
Jason nodded. “Yes. Ms. Dawson moved out of Kingston Heights, She’s living in Verlant Villa now”
The news hit like a bomb, blasting through Ethan’s last thread of composure.
His mind went blank. Everything shattered into chaos, and no thought could pull itself back together.
Send Gifts
Chapter 105 Ethan Brings Drama
Ethan froze. Stella was living at Verdant Villa?She actually….
“Are you sure?”
After a long silence, Ethan finally managed to speak. His voice barely sounded like his own; his head buzzed like a hive.
Jason nodded firmly. I’m sure.”
Ethan remained frozen. Sure, Stella really moved into Verdant Villa–she moved in just like that? Why? For what reason?
When she showed up there before, he’d assumed it was
s because some man had brought her in.
She’d just entered. Just gone in.. for what? The thought made his chest tighten inexplicably
“Why is she living there?” he asked, breath shallow, needing an answer to the question gnawing at him.
Over the past two years, Stella hadn’t shown the kind of passion for him that the public always imagined–not like she was hopelessly in love, desperate to marry only him.
But her life had been so clean–spotless, even. There had never been any other men around her.
Her world had been simple. Just Rianne and Tessa as friends. So why were men suddenly showing up in her life, one after another? Why was she staying at Verdant Villa? And who the heck was the man who lived there?
Jason said, “It’s probably because of the owner. I looked into it–haven’t found the actual deed yet.”
“But when that land was first bought, the person who signed the contract was a man who was fifty–eight years old at the time.” “Fifty–eight?” Ethan repeated.
Jason nodded. “Yes. That land was purchased eight years ago. So that man would be sixty–six now.”
Ethan said nothing
Inside the cramped car, the air went still again.
Sirty–sir, so the owner of Verdant Villa was now sirty–six years old? And Stella wariving with a man like that? Ethan’s breathing grew rapid.
Just as Jason was about to say more, his phone buzzed loudly–it was a call from Susan.
Jason glanced back. “Mr. Keene, it’s Madam Susan.”
“Take it,” Ethan answered instinctively, the words mechanical. He didn’t even hear himself speak–didn’t catch what Jason had just said either.
His mind was spinning with a single image–Stella with a sixty–six–year–old man. She had degraded herself that far, all for a man? Jason answered, “Madam Susan.”
Jason, is Ethan in a meeting at the company? I’ve been trying to call him, but I can’t get through.” Jason glanced at Ethan in the backseat. The man’s expression was getting darker by the second.
Before he could say anything to Susan, Ethan suddenly shoved open the car door and got out.
Jason’s heart nearly jumped out of his chest.
Reflexively, he told Susan, “Yes, Mr. Keene is in a meeting”
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Jason stammered. “Uh… Mr. Keene’s busy, Madam Susan. Let’s talk later.
And with that, he hung up–completely unwilling to continue the conversation.
Back at the office, Stella was about to start a meeting when she saw Ethan return–still wearing the same soaking wet clothes.
Kimmy’s eyelids twitched the moment she saw him.
She instinctively turned toward Stella.
But before anyone could react, Ethan stormed forward and grabbed Stella by the wrist, dragging her back into the office.
The whole thing happened fast, fueled by fire. The door slammed shut behind them.
Stella immediately yanked her arm free, eyes frosty and voice dripping with disgust. “What the heck are you doing?”
Ethan shouted, Tll marry you!
Stella stood frozen. What the heck? Did I just hear him right?
Before she could even process it, the office door creaked open.
Both Stella and Ethan turned toward it–and there stood Abraham, framed in the doorway, wearing gold–rimmed glasses.
His face was serious, his gaze sharp, and it made Stella’s heart skip a beat.
Ethan’s expression darkened the second he saw him.
“What are you doing here?”
Stella snapped back to her senses and walked over to Abraham. Abel had said Abraham had important business today–he hadn’t even joined her for lunch.
She’d actually planned to ask Su Su out for soup later.
Abraham took off his coat, then unwrapped the scarf around his neck and handed it to Stella.
Every move he made carried a quiet elegance and an unshakable dominance that no one could ignore.
Stella said nothing.
Sure enough, when she took the clothes from him, Abralcomm duln’t say a word, he just walked straight toward Elsan
“You want to marry her?” he asked, his voice cold–dangerously so
Ethan shot Abraham a dark look. “Yeah I can give her a title, can you?”
But now that Ethan had said it, she found herself wanting to
The air in the office had turned frigid. Stella said nothing, just stared at Abraham’s back.
The two men locked eyes, both cold and unyielding Ethan’s gaze sharpened as it bore into Alsalam
“You even know what kind of person she is? You okay with all her chaos?”
Chaos Normally, Stella would’ve slapped Ethan a couple of times for saying something like that, but now, she just kept looking at Abraham’s back.
that it hard…
She figured she might as well get her auswer,
“What chaos?” Abrahami asked, voice cold.
“And do you?”
Besides you, she’s got hie–hier lance. You don’t care?”
Now it was Ethan’s turn to go silent. Did I caref
He wanted to beat the life out of Stella, and worse for every man around her. He didn’t even know why. According to Stella, none of it had anything to do with him. He wasn’t supposed to care.
Abraham noticed Ethan’s silence, his gaze turned colder. “So you do care?”
Abraham narrowed his eyes. “One’s lying in a hospital bed caring too much; the other’s here, hung up on the past. Ethan, you’re greedy”
Ethan’s breath hitched again. He clearly hadn’t expected Abraham to turn it around on him.
Just as he was about to speak again, Stella turned to Abraham and said, “Wait here a sec. Want to get soup later?
Then wait here a sec, and you’ll take me to get food later?”
That had to be okay… right?
Abraham didn’t answer. He just walked over to the couch and sat down.
Stella walked over to Ethan, who looked even more sour now after watching how well the two of them got along.
That ‘Mr. Keene carried a distant chill. Ethan gave her a cold look.
Just one glance–and his eyes landed back on Abraham, lounging on the couch.
This man actually carried a gun? In a place like Rivermount? Who the heck is him? Rage and confusion churned in Ethan’s head. Stella saw him out of the building.
Ethan looked at her. His lips moved, like he was about to say something Questions hovered at the tip of his tongue–but in the end, he swallowed them all.
Stella was stunned. Doing your duty?
Stella couldn’t help but hiss internally. Seriously?
“Ethan, back in the day, women jumped through hoops–did you leave your brain at the door instead?”
At that, Ethan’s mind practically exploded; he shouted, “Stella”
But now… this wasn’t a tantrum
Ethan realized it then–Stella wasn’t throwing a fit.
“Tm disgraceful, but at least I’m still alive. Maybe worry more about whether Lillian’s sickly self can survive. Your brain’s bound up too tight–you can’t even untangle it.
Stella spun on her heel to leave. Then she paused, tossed back one more line, “Also, I’m not marrying you. You’re not what I
didn’t get it, he really had rocks ranling around in his head.
Jason stepped up behind him. “Mr. Keene”
jason froze. Well… she was already living there. If she wanted to marry him, it wouldn’t exactly be impossible.
After all, just getting into that place meant she’d taken a step most women never
never even dreamed of
Who could it be…? That guy from Stella’s office earlier? The thoughts tangled and twisted until Ethan’s head was in complete chaos.
Kimmy hurried over, “Ms. Dawson, I poured you a cup of coffee.”
Stella nodded and headed straight into her office.
Kimmy and a few coworkers hovered by the door, curiosity piqued. That man who went in earlier was too handsome- handsomer than Ethan even–and the vile he gave off was intense.
That confirmed it–Stella had dumped Ethan for this man. But he was really good–looking. Not just regular handsome ridiculously so. And Mr. Keene Chasing after a sickly girl? It’hatever. Good thing Ms. Dawson had a stellar backup like this que otherwise, it would be been such a waste.
How many times do I have to say it? I am not a kid anymore! And the fact that Abraham didn’t remember that night–that really pissed her off.
In her mind, Ethan bringing up marriage again today just proved how scrambled his head was. Of course, that mess wouldn’t last long; once he faced Lillian again, everything would reset.
Stella went quiet. Engagement, engagement, does it ever end?
Once you brought that up, things got complicated. There were all kinds of reasons behind the engagement–any reason ercept the ones people gossiped about, like her supposedly being in love with Ethan.
Abraham asked, “You gonna try that again?”
Maybe next time she would, but she’d never dare try it in front of Abraham.
Abraham gave the office a once–over, then said, “Order lunch for them from Maison du Crabe.”
Everyone’s eyes lit up again. The future boss is generous and rich! If Ms. Dawson wasn’t about to go official with him, that’d be a waste of all this generosity
He looked good, treated her well, and clearly had money. That beat Ethan any day–especially since that one had his heart stuck on someone else. Their boss deserved better.
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