Chapter 100

Stella Valentine's movements were deliberate, leaving no room for ambiguity to grow.

Hugo Merovingian gave a helpless half-smile. "This car has never had a female owner."

"It will someday." Cradling her daughter, Stella spoke calmly. "Mr. Merovingian, I want to take care of Ethan myself when he returns."

"Your health—"

"The medical report shows I'm stable." She glanced down at the child in her arms. "I owe Ethan too much. I want to make it up to him."

Hugo studied her pale profile. "Raising two children alone will be exhausting."

"I can handle it."

"You're still as stubborn as ever." He sighed softly. "Stella, you're too hard on yourself."

The words felt eerily familiar.

For a fleeting moment, Stella recalled the fertility doctor who'd administered her ovulation shots saying the exact same thing.

Fate was a mischievous child, toying with her life. It dangled hope before crushing it mercilessly. Giving her a terminal diagnosis, then denying her a quick death. Now, with the tumor removed, her health improved daily against all odds.

She suddenly laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"The absurdity of fate."

"Spoken like a true artist. Always so poetic."

Stella shook her head. "This isn't about art."

"Then what?"

"Experience." She gazed out the window. "When your life becomes a rollercoaster, you'll understand better than I can explain."

The Hilton stood in the city's west, directly opposite the Houston Grand Hotel in the east.

Thirty minutes later, the black sedan pulled up at the hotel entrance. Hugo circled to the passenger side, opening her door with gentlemanly care, his hand shielding her head.

"Thank you."

"My pleasure."

He handed the keys to the valet. A flustered new attendant fumbled, causing the vehicle to lurch dangerously toward Stella.

"Look out!"

Amid shouts, Hugo tackled her to the ground. Instinctively shielding her daughter, Stella braced for impact—but Hugo's body absorbed the collision.

"Mr. Merovingian!"

Staff rushed to help them up. The panicked valet pleaded, "Please don't report me! It's my first day—"

Hugo's first concern was Stella. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine. Your arm—"

"Just a bump."

She noticed his blanched lips. "You need a hospital."

"What the hell is going on here?!"

An enraged voice cut through the commotion. Adrian Roland shoved through the crowd, roughly pushing Hugo aside. "Counselor Merovingian, has your divorce litigation extended to harassing my wife?"

Stella stared in shock. "Why are you here?"

"Had I not come, I'd have missed this touching scene." Adrian's eyes burned with fury. "So this is your so-called 'friend'?"

"Adrian!" Stella hissed, keeping her voice low. "Mr. Merovingian just saved my life!"

"By tackling you to the ground?"

"I was holding our child!" Trembling with anger, she spat, "Is this how little you think of me?"

Adrian's aggression faltered. "That's not what I meant—"

"Then you were following me?"

His Porsche was parked nearby. Adrian swallowed hard. "I needed to know who this 'Mr. Alistair' is—the one you're so devoted to."

Onlookers gathered. Stella refused to become gossip fodder. "We're leaving."

Adrian blocked her path. "Why are you at a hotel?"

"None of your business."

"You're injured—"

"No one hurts me except you." Her laugh was icy. "Sign the divorce papers in thirty days, or we'll settle this in court."

Turning to Hugo, she murmured, "I'm sorry you got dragged into this."

Hugo pressed a hand to his injured arm. "It's nothing."

"Get that checked at the hospital."

"Worried about medical bills?" His smile was wry. "Is that all you care about?"

Stella frowned. "What else?"

"Never mind." Hugo shook his head, then asked abruptly, "Who is Julian Valois? The one Adrian mentioned?"

The elevator doors slid shut between them. Stella's reply was barely audible.

"Someone very important."

Silence stretched as they stood side by side, both lost in thought.

Hugo noticed the subtle shift in her eyes when Julian's name was spoken.

But Stella's mind was elsewhere—would Mr. Alistair know about the accident? Would he contact her?

Her phone vibrated.

[Are you alright, Stella?]

Seeing the familiar number, the tension drained from her shoulders.

[I'm fine.]

[See you at our usual time tonight.]