Chapter 381 Who Really Won the Fight
Eddie ignored the gaze and leaned over to Stella. “Be honest. Between you and Jasmine, who actually hit whom first?”
Stella raised an eyebrow. “Are you trying to take her side?”
Eddie almost jumped.
Take her side?
Whose side?!
He understood immediately. “Don’t say that. I would never take Jasmine’s side.”
We’d only been on one blind date. Abraham had nearly eaten me alive in the car earlier just for that.
If I really dared to defend her, I’d be finished.
“Just tell me the truth,” he pressed, not giving up.
Stella gave him a blank look like he was an idiot. “What do you think?”
“I think you definitely beat her up.”
Stella just snorted and remained silent.
And that silence was enough for Eddie to get the full picture.
Inside the study, Abraham lit a cigarette and casually tossed the pack to Job.
Job pulled one out.
Abraham took a long drag and said coolly, “The Wilde family has no reason to exist anymore.
Job’s hand stopped in mid–light.
I had a feeling that Abraham had only kept quiet at the mall earlier to indulge Stella.
Forget cutting off her credit; Abraham was about to wipe her out entirely.
Stella’s assets in Rivermount were all managed by Job, Sterling Global, the luxury mall…
And now the studio.
Stella had originally planned to turn the studio over to Tessa. But since Tessa had gone to Falvaria, she didn’t feel safe leaving the staff alone.
So she gave the whole mess to Abraham instead.
Chapter 381 Who Really Won the Fight
After a moment he looked at Abraham. “To be fair, Ms. Dawson hasn’t suffered much at Rivermount in the last two years.”
By the time Job arrived, Stella had been released from the hospital.
After that, the Reeds were in constant chaos.
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Lillian had been torn apart by her to the point of begging on her knees. If Stella hadn’t left town then, someone might have ended up in a body bag.
Abraham flicked at the ashes, his eyes narrowing. “Their very existence is her suffering”
Job was stunned.
Their existence? Did he mean the whole Reed family?
Now that I thought about it, it made sense. If your biological family turned out to be people like them, you’d probably get sick too.
The Wilde family was definitely finished.
They’d already been warned once at Pluehville Hill. Apparently, they hadn’t learned anything.
And this time they didn’t just insult Stella.
They also messed with Rianne
The one person the Hale family never acknowledged, but whom Tempest had guarded like a treasure for
years.
Meanwhile, in the car, Tempest ended a phone call. The purpose of the call was clear.
Just before hanging up, he said coldly, “I want the news of the Wilde family’s bankruptcy within a week.”
Rianne was stunned.
He ended the call and immediately wrapped his arm around Rianne’s slender waist, pulling her close.
Rianne felt a little dizzy.
“What are you doing? Could you not be so sudden. every time?”
Tempest’s brow lifted slightly. His slender fingers cupped her delicate chin, tilted her head up, and kissed her hard.
She tried to pull away but couldn’t.
Their warm breaths intertwined. His voice was deep and husky. “Still not used to this after all
Chapter 381 Who Really Won the Fight
Rianne squirmed in protest, mumbling softly.
Tempest held her still. “Don’t move.”
“”
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He finally let her go, resting his chin on her petite shoulder.
“Rianne, I just got some news.”
She instantly stiffened, catching her breath.
Tempest straightened and raised her chin again, forcing her to meet his gaze.
For the moment, Rianne couldn’t read the deep emotion in his eyes.
“Wh–what news?”
Tempest said, “You met Alexander.”
Rianne fell silent.
She froze.
The moment her body tensed, Tempest’s grip on her chin tightened.
“What did he say to you?”
Alexander.
The man Tempest never wanted to see again.
Though most of the past had already come to light, there were still things hidden in the shadows.
And Alexander had always been hostile to him.
Tempest didn’t think Alexander would come looking for her without a reason.
And judging by Rianne’s expression, whatever he was saying wasn’t good.
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Chapter 382 The Question She Had to Ask
Alexander had definitely said something to her.
Rianne looked up, her eyes slightly misty. “Why are you panicking. Tempest?”
Tempest paused.
Panicking?
Rianne sniffed. “Why does your mother hate me so much? My father died to save yours. But your mother treats me like I’m her worst enemy, like she wants me gone. Why?”
Tempest frowned.
Rianne suddenly grabbed his wrist..
With a little force she pulled his hand away from her chin.
She sat down on the other side of the seat and looked out the window, her eyes burning.
“For years, I never understood it. But now…
“Did Alexander give you an answer?”
Tempest cut her off coldly.
Rianne didn’t answer.
me
No, Alexander hadn’t given me a direct answer. But what he had said had planted a bomb in
my
heart.
A wave that now demanded that I dig for the truth, hoping to calm the storm.
Tempest grabbed her slender neck again and pulled her into his arms. His forehead pressed against hers.
Their breaths mingled. His voice dropped to a cold, commanding tone. “Alexander is not a man. Whatever he told you, forget it. All right?”
a good
Rianne slowly placed her hands on his chest, trying to push him away.
But his grip only tightened slightly. “Rianne, be good. Don’t see him again, okay?”
Her breath caught. She looked up at Tempest.
They were so close she couldn’t read what was in his eyes. But she could sense the dangerous rage brewing beneath his calm exterior.
Chapter 382 The Question She Had to Ask
But after hanging up with Stella and Rianne, her mind drifted back to the moment she’d woken. up that morning, with nothing on.
During the day, Victor had gone out.
I tried to sneak out of the house, but there were guards everywhere. Even if I had wings, I could not get past them.
It was until the evening that Victor returne
Now they sat face–to–face at the dining table, which was full of traditional Rivermount dishes. Tessa was quietly picking at her rice, barely eating anything.
Victor gave her a look. “Weren’t you a bottomless pit? Now you cat like a bird.”
Tessa almost jumped.
Bottomless pit?
That was a bit much.
When had I ever said I was oncl
She looked at Victor with wide eyes, lips parted as if she wanted to speak but couldn’t bring
herself to.
Victor seemed to sense that she wanted to say something. His tone became icy. “What is it?”
His voice was cold, sharp, and clearly impatient.
Tessa swallowed hard.
How am I supposed to ask?
Should I blurt out, why was I naked when I woke up?
Worse, I had seen blood on the sheets.
If I asked and this man snapped back with something like, “Yeah, I slept with you, so what?” I’d die on the spot.
Help
Victor asked again, “Not hungry?”
Tessa shook her head. “No, that’s not it.”
I’m hungry. But with my head spinning, no food tasted good.
Futecially with that cold–faced man across from me iust couldn’t eat
Chapter 382 The Question She Had to Ask
and this was just dinner?
I’m starving…
But now that Victor was here, my appetite was gone.
“Um… can I ask you something about last night?” She started, her heart pounding.
I had to ask.
This isn’t something I can just bury.
She swallowed, lowering her gaze, avoiding the tension that emanated from Victor.
She clenched her fists. clothes off?”
sit you… who took 1
The room fell completely silent.
Tessa kept her head down, feeling the pressure in the air increase.
I didn’t dare look at Victor.
But I had to ask.
The thought had been eating at me all day.
It isn’t just waking up without clothes.
The bigger question is, after my clothes are gone, does anything else happen?
I had to know. If not, I wouldn’t be able to sleep another night.
Time passed.
The dining room remained silent.
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Chapter 383 The Truth She Could Not Ignore
Still no response from Victor.
Tessa grew more anxious by the second. She looked up nervously to meet Victor’s gaze.
But the moment she did, she quickly lowered her head again.
His eyes are terrifying
Especially with that tattoo on his neck, he looks dangerous from every angle.
She swallowed hard. “I–I just want to know who took my clothes off.”
Victor said calmly, “Does it matter?”
Tessa was stunned.
What kind of answer is that?
“It doesn’t matter?”
She looked up again, this time with tears in her eyes.
I’m really upset. I had never been so humiliated in my life. This was nothing like the world I once knew.
All that danger… it used to feel so far away.
To be treated like this by a man, I had never even imagined it. But now…
Victor replied flatly, “I took them off. So what?”
Tessa stunned again
The air went still again.
Even the tears in her eyes froze.
Victor stared at her. “Is there a problem?”
Tessa asked softly, “Isn’t that… a problem?”
Victor said coldly, “What are you going to do about it?”
There was a threatening edge to his voice, and the pressure around him was so intense that I couldn’t say another word.
Just like at the airport, he had taken liberties with me then, too.
Chapter 383 The Truth She Could Not Ignore
Note is moder
Texa looked down pitifully and picked at her rice. “Nothing
The one word sounded completely defeated.
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The way she stirred her bowl, it looked more like she was digging up Victor’s ancestral grave than eating dinner
Victor chuckled softly. With your body, even if you offered yourself to me. I wouldn’t want it
Tessa almost jumped
Wouldnt
Her mind flashed back to all the gossip Stella had once told her.
When she looked up again, shock had completely replaced fear in her eyes.
Victor put down his wine glass and gave her a sharp look. “What’s with that face?”
“Nothing!” Tessa shook her head immediately.
So what Star had said is truct
That meant I had nothing to worry about. If he couldn’t do anything then he couldn’t have done anything to
- me.
However, just because he couldn’t, it didn’t mean he could randomly undress people.
Even if he couldn’t do anything others wouldn’t care why, they would just say that I was seen naked by a
And they wouldn’t say he couldn’t. They just judge me.
She turned away, clutching her bowl. “Anyway, you can’t take my clothes off again.”
Victor raised an eyebrow. “Again?
Tessa was stunned.
Ligh
What did he mean by that?
What had I just said?
Her already frazzled brain officially short–circuited.
Chapter 383 The Truth She Could Not Ignore
That laugh made Tessa’s scalp tingle: it felt like he was hiding something dark beneath the
amusement.
Back on Killis Island, Derrick had tortured Bernie to the point where he could neither live nor die and had finally returned him to his brother, Bert.
Over the years, after the fall of the Tom family, Sebastian had thought Derrick couldn’t possibly get any crueler.
But Bernie…
Had proven him wrong.
Because Bernie had dared to have disgusting thoughts about Stella, Derrick had almost ended
him.
And all because Bert had begged for mercy.
On the private airplane on the way back to Pagina, Sebastian still lay on a bed. His leg had been saved, but the pain was unbearable.
Derrick was on the phone, his voice icy. “Yes. Proceed as planned.”
Sebastian jumped at the word “planned.”
A plan?
Against Stella?
There was only one person Derrick would go that far for, and it had to be her.
When Derrick hung up. Sebastian asked. “You still have plans for that little firecracker?”
Derrick gave him a cold sideways glance.
Sebastian swallowed hard. “Abraham is already with her. All those years of feelings finally paid
off.
“Do you remember why she started liking him in the first place?” Derrick asked.
Sebastian was stunned.
His heart tensed.
Of course, I knew why Stella had begun to see Abraham that way.
But did it matter now?
1:03 PM
Chapter 384 Not That Kind of Man
Before Sebastian could finish his sentence, Derrick interrupted him.
Sebastian fell silent.
Derrick raised his glass of red wine and took a sip without saying anything more.
Sebastian hesitated, then continued, “You and Abraham really don’t need to keep fighting like this. The misunderstanding between the two of you should be cleared up. Or do you want to live in Pagina forever?”
Derrick’s eyebrows lifted slightly.
A cold smile tugged at his lips. “You’re right. Misunderstandings should be cleared up. It’s time for me to return to Falvaria.”
When he said the word “Falvaria, Sebastian couldn’t help but feel that there was something wrong with his tone.
If he wanted to go back, fine, but somehow it felt like his reason wasn’t that simple.
It wasn’t just about this illegitimate son….
Thinking of Derrick’s father, Sebastian felt a new wave of injustice for him.
Derrick rhythmically tapped his long fingers on the table and mumbled the word “misunderstanding.
Mockery and amusement danced in his eyes..
That night Stella even had a late snack.
After she and Abraham returned home, both Eddie and Abel followed them into the study. Meanwhile, Tessa called.
And she was crying so hard she couldn’t even catch her breath.
Honestly, Stella had never heard her cry like that before. She comforted her over the phone like she was comforting a child.
Tell me, what happened? Who upset you? I’ll take care of them.”
For Tessa to cry like that, who was it that had pushed her to the edge?
If it was really that serious….
Chapter 384 Not That Kind of Man
I still had my own team there, people Abraham had arranged for me. But since Derrick had forced me to leave Falvaria. I hadn’t used them, not even once.
I had avoided both Abraham and Derrick
But now that Tessa was crying like that. I really wanted to find out what had happened to Ms. Diana.
Unfortunately, Tessa was sobbing too much to even explain clearly.
“Hey, hey, stop crying. Let me send someone to look into it for you, okay?”
She was staying with Victor, and things had obviously not been resolved. Now Tessa was in tears. What on earth happened?
Wait a minute. Could it be Victor
No… Victor was cold and distant, but not the type to bully people indiscriminately
The next moment. Tessa proved that Stella’s thought was wrong.
Tessa sobbed, “It was Victor. He was the one who undressed me.”
Stella was stunned. “???”
She almost choked on her own saliva..
Wait… what?!
“Wasn’t it the maid?”
Wait. Victor always liked to be alone. His villa didn’t even have a maid.
The only person I have heard of working there is the cook, and he is a guy.
So when Tessa said she didn’t know who undressed her, I really should have guessed; it had to be Victor There was no one else.
But now, hearing it for sure….
On the phone, Tessa became increasingly annoyed by Stella’s silence. “Are you going to help met
or not?”
Um…
How shall I answer that?
Help her… deal with Victor?
I really don’t have the courage.
Chapter 384 Not That Kind of Man
Even with Abraham backing me up, there were still some people I wouldn’t dare cross.
Especially people around Abraham; I knew exactly who was off–limits.
Tessa cried even harder. “So you won’t help me?”
“No, no, it’s not that; I’m just scared.”
Really scared.
“Stella… ugh…
“At least… he didn’t do anything to you, right?”
Stella asked carefully.
No way. Victor couldn’t have hurt Tess.
After all, I had known for a long time that Marie’s secret from Victor wasn’t… working.
If Marie dared to gossip about it with me, then it must be mostly true.
Tessa sniffed. “Didn’t you say he couldn’t? How could he have done anything?”
She was lying on her bed when she said that.
But as soon as the words left her mouth, she glanced nervously at the door.
I had promised myself that if Victor ever let me off the hook, I’d never gossip about anyone again.
But…
Too late. I’d already said it. And only to Stella. That didn’t count, did it?
Besides, the door was locked.
Stella replied, “Exactly.
He might have looked, but he didn’t touch anything.
“So if he didn’t do anything, then why are you crying?”
Tessa had been sobbing so hard it was like she hadn’t been able to walk for three days.
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Tessa sniffled again. “He looked at me, okay? That’s why I’m crying. He’s not normal, but I’m a normal, unmarried woman.”
Chapter 385 She Just Wanted Someone on Her Side
Stella said softly, “True. I guess that is a reason to cry.”
Tessa was stunned.
Wait, that’s a reason to cry?
But I’m crying. I’m really upset, okay?
Stella offered, “Do you want me to send someone to pick you up and take you to the Dawson residence?”
“The Dawson residence?”
Tessa stopped crying immediately.
Stella said, “Yes. You’ll be hunted no matter where you go. At first I thought you’d be safe with Victor, but obviously you’re not happy there.”
Tessa almost jumped.
So not happy.
Especially with how cold he always was. The look in his eyes was like a wolf’s, terrifying.
Another second of that and my heart would give out.
“The Dawson residence… your adoptive mother, Madam Evelyn, lives there too, right?”
“Of course.”
Everyone in Falvaria had gotten used to calling her mother Madam Evelyn. But she was the real lady of the Luke family.
Evelyn is her first name.
In the Falvarian tradition, she had been called Ms. Evelyn before her marriage. Now it is Madam Evelyn.
Tessa said firmly, “Then I won’t go.”
Stella was stunned. “Huh?“.
“You know, I’ve never had much experience with older people.”
Tessa’s voice faded.
I’d been raised by a single mother, and even that was more about raising than actually spending time
Chapter 385 She Just Wanted Someone on Her Side
I barely saw my mother as a child.
As for grandparents on either side, yes, I didn’t have them either.
In short, as Diana’s daughter, I was raised by a single parent.
Apart from my mother, there were no elders in my life at all.
Stella replied, “My mother is lovely. She’s actually very easy to get along with.”
Tessa sniffled, “Right, I’ve heard how she scares people all over Rivermount.”
She sounded so reassuring.
Stella was stunned..
Okay, fair enough. My mother was known to be ruthless.
But those methods were reserved for enemies and rivals–not family or friends.
Tessa stood firm. “Anyway, I’m not going.”
Stella sighed. “Then you’ll have to stay with Victor.”
Tessa fell silent.
Ugh. Headache.
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Dealing with an elder, especially Madam Evelyn, whom Stella claimed was so nice, just the thought of it made me feel suffocated.
But staying with Victor? My poor heart couldn’t take the pressure either.
“Stella, can you help me find my mother and Wesley?”
Nothing felt more secure than Diana’s presence.
He said he had it all figured out.
And with that level of investigation, it should include who was afier Tessa and who had targeted her mother.
Was the man mentally defective? Didn’t he know which parts of a woman should be seen and which shouldn’t?
Sure, Star had said he liked to look at pretty women, but at least they were clothed.
Even Ethan was at most a fool in Stella’s book. A blind idiot.
Too stupid to be saved.
Ever since I had signed that family severance agreement with Susan, I had completely cut ties with them.
Look at how scared Tess is. A man should not be like that. If he cannot perform, then at the very least, he should not ruin others. Tess is still perfectly fine, and she will have to get married someday. She can’t be casually messed with by someone like Victor, who can’t even… perform.
Can’t perform and acts like a pervert?
Abraham’s expression was complicated. “Tell him straight up that he can’t take off Tessa’s clothes?”
“Did that little brain of yours catch a fever today?” he asked as he placed his palm against her forehead.
No wonder. If she were thinking straight, she’d never make such a request. She was clearly delirious from the fever.
Abraham murmured cofilu in his heart
And this is something I could actually bring up with Victor?
Oh, right! Oh my god, what kind of ridiculous things had I just been saying? How could I bring up something like that?
That line again. Stella secretly rolled her eyes.
After everything that’s happened these past few days, she had been scared out of her mind.
What did that mean?
A… private matter? Like, a man and woman kind of private matter?
“Really?” At the sound of that, Stella instantly perked up.
She did not want to stay in Rivermount even one more day. Going back was perfect. Back meant leaving all this nonsense behind.
Just one little kiss and he’s all hot and bothered? This man really couldn’t handle a single tease.
…I mean it. We really can’t.” She looked at him with teary, pleading eyes, reaching up to push him
But the man caught her slender wrists in one hand and pinned them above her head, locking her in place.
After the third bottle, Halston finally reached over and snatched the next one from his hand. “You’re really making this hard to watch. You were always into Lilian. Now that Stella has a man, what are you even upset about?”
Now the engagement was off.
Wait… Wasn’t Lilian said to be battling multiple cancers? Shouldn’t Ethan be with her now instead of drowning in booze?
At that word ‘vicious, Ethan’s grip on the bottle tightened. He spoke sharply, each word distinct, “She’s not.
Halston looked at Ethan. “Huh??”
The Reed family had been in shambles. Whole Rivermount believed Stella was selfish and cruel.
All because she could not tolerate the adopted daughter of the Reed family. And now Ethan was saying she is not the villain? Who is the villain then? Lilian?
Was the story not always that the biological daughter could not accept the adopted one? But now it turned out… it was the adopted daughter who had stopped the real daughter from coming home?
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