Chapter 165

Scalding steam hit Lily Savigny's face, making her eyelashes tremble.

She stared fixedly at the basin of boiling water less than twenty centimeters away, her throat tightening.

"Lily! Don't fall for her bluff!" Sophia Durand shrieked from outside the door. "She wouldn’t dare pour it on you!"

A pungent chemical odor suddenly filled the air.

Lily’s pupils contracted in horror as she looked at Stella Valentine.

"Choose," Stella’s voice was feather-light. "Your face, or your position as Mrs. Roland?"

Lily’s nails dug deep into her palms.

She thought of Adrian Roland’s elegant hands, of the decisive stroke of his pen when he signed the divorce papers.

"Mom..." She suddenly looked up. "Remember how Mr. Rubenstein helped you get your medical license?"

Sophia’s face turned deathly pale.

"Levi Realty?" Victor Lefèvre’s icy laugh came from the hallway. "That pimp David Rubenstein?"

"Victor, let me explain—"

"Explain what?" Victor’s furious roar made the door tremble. "Now I understand why those men looked at me like that at your birthday party!"

Stella’s lips curved slightly.

She knew her uncle too well—proud yet insecure, hating nothing more than being laughed at.

The lock clicked open.

Lily stared in disbelief at the effortlessly unlocked door.

"Surprised?" Stella trailed her fingers along the doorframe. "Adrian installed this fingerprint lock himself."

The argument downstairs grew louder.

Stella strolled into the kitchen and took out eggs and toast.

"Uncle," she slid a sandwich toward Victor. "Eat something first."

Victor took a savage bite. "You came here just to stir up trouble!"

"I came to help you." Stella blinked. "Surely you don’t want to keep raising another man’s daughter?"

Victor froze mid-bite.

"Business isn’t going well?" Stella asked casually.

"All because Adrian pulled his investment!" Victor gritted his teeth. "The cash flow is about to collapse!"

Stella set down her butter knife. "I want to return to the company."

"Over my dead body!"

"Uncle," she met his gaze. "If the company goes under, your yacht, your villa—all gone."

The chandelier’s glare was dizzying.

Watching Victor’s shifting expression, Stella knew this performance had only just begun.