Chapter 209

"What did you just call me?"

"Little Star." Adrian's lips curved into a smile. "That day at the orphanage, I talked with Oliver for a long time. That child is like an angel—he sings 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' beautifully."

At the mention of Oliver, Stella's heart clenched. "I wonder how he's doing now."

"He's fine." Adrian's voice softened. "Julian said Joy is over the moon. She always envied you for having such an adorable son like Ethan, and now fate has given her a ready-made child."

Stella pressed her lips together. "What about his mother's..."

"He's temporarily forgotten about her passing." Adrian reminded her gently. "Next time you see Joy, make sure you're both on the same page."

"Okay."

She agreed, but her brows furrowed slightly.

"Still worried?"

"Mr. Alistair... what if Oliver remembers everything if he gets triggered someday?"

Adrian was silent for a moment. "It's possible."

"What about you?" Stella asked softly. "Have you remembered anything?"

"Yes."

"Was it... about being separated from your parents when you were young?"

"No." He shook his head. "But that doesn't matter. Little Star, the most important thing in life is choice. Oliver and I are alike—we've both endured pain, but fortunately, we can choose."

Stella blinked in confusion. "You mean... if Oliver remembers, he can choose to forget again? That logic..."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Adrian reassured her. "Joy has a bright personality, and Julian is meticulous. When Oliver is older and stronger, everything will work out."

Her expression eased slightly. "Fate has a strange way of arranging things. Joy never wanted marriage or children, yet she ended up with Oliver. Oliver lost his mother but found Joy..." She paused. "Mr. Alistair, sometimes I feel like... you were sent to save me."

"Why?"

"Because you understand everything about me. Because you love me enough." Her voice was feather-light. "Sometimes I wonder if meeting you is just a dream. What if I wake up and find I'm still that cancer patient lying in a hospital bed—"

Before she could finish, Adrian suddenly cupped the back of her head and kissed her fiercely.

"Mmph—"

The kiss was urgent and rough, only breaking when she gasped for air.

Stella's cheeks burned, her lips slightly swollen. She glared at him. "You really know how to shut me up."

Adrian chuckled darkly. "Don't ever say things like that again."

"...Okay."

"Good girl." He nudged her gently. "Go on, I need to shower."

Stella hesitated. "You..."

She thought being pulled into the bathroom meant...

Had she misread the situation?

Adrian saw right through her and smirked. "What? Want to join me?"

"Absolutely not!" She fled in embarrassment.

Rushing into the bedroom, she buried her face in a pillow, the heat lingering.

How mortifying...

Even in this modern age, for a woman to make the first move—especially when the other person hadn't even hinted at it—

Inside the bathroom, Adrian shut the door.

He turned the shower to full blast, letting the scalding water wash over him as if cleansing all impurities.

A sharp sting flared across his face.

He remembered the hospital, the torrential rain. Kneeling on the ground, kowtowing, while Grant's polished shoe ground into his cheek.

"Adrian Roland, have you really sunk so low for a dying woman that you'd throw away your dignity?"

Dignity?

The Adrian of the past was untouchable, getting everything he wanted.

Now, all he had left was this pathetic pride.

If only he'd let go of it sooner...

Money could be earned again. Power could be reclaimed. If dignity could bring Stella back, why not?

Grant's laughter had slowly twisted into sobs. "Adrian, I still lost."

Rising from the rain, drenched but lighter than ever, Adrian had replied:

"You left. The old man has no choice but to pick me. Everything I have, you handed to me."

"You'll keep your promise?"

Grant had laughed wildly. "Relax, I'm the old man's lapdog. I'll happily take the bones you discard."

Stella was afraid of thunder. He needed to get home quickly.

......

Friday morning. The courthouse.

Stella walked into the grand hall arm-in-arm with her mother.

"Miss Valentine." A man in a tailored suit approached. "We meet again."

Stella froze. "Damian?"

"Yes." The lawyer shifted uncomfortably. "You look much better."

"Are you here to defend Lily and the others?"

"No. I'm your attorney."

"Me?" She was stunned. "This is a public prosecution case. I didn't hire a lawyer."

"Consider it my guilty conscience." Damian smiled bitterly. "I hid for months, but couldn't escape my own conscience."

Grace gave her daughter a questioning look.

"Mom, this is Damian Chamberlain." Stella explained quietly. "He... handled my divorce from Adrian."

"Divorce? When?"

"A long time ago. Before Luna was born."

"Stella, why didn't you tell me—"

"It's in the past." Stella tightened her grip on her mother's arm. "The trial is about to start."

Once seated, Damian pulled a thick stack of documents from his briefcase.

"Damian," Stella whispered, "if the evidence is solid, how long will they get?"