Chapter 32

Sunlight filtered through the curtains when Stella Valentine finally stirred from her stupor.

A sharp pain throbbed in her chest. Her fingers groped across empty sheets.

A glass of water sat on the nightstand, weighted by a note: ["Take with water."]

Her fingers trembled against the glass. The water was perfectly lukewarm.

This man...

He'd even noticed she'd dry-swallowed her pills last night.

The sterile hospital smell hit Stella as she entered. She held her breath.

"Stella?" Grace Laurent struggled upright in bed. "Why are you here so early?"

"Missed you." Stella clasped her mother's thin hand, tracing the needle marks.

Grace swatted her wrist. "Motherhood hasn't cured your clinginess? Where's the baby?"

"The... nanny has him." Stella's throat tightened.

"Listen," Grace whispered urgently. "Breastfeeding is best. No spicy food or cold drinks..."

Stella bit her lip until it bled.

How she longed to say that child was gone.

"And avoid crab," Grace continued. "Too cooling. Seafood causes flare-ups—"

"Mom," Stella interrupted. "I know."

Grace blinked, then smiled. "My girl's grown up." She leaned closer. "Adrian visited yesterday. He still cares."

Stella's fingers twitched.

"Your father's accident..." Grace's voice broke. "We wronged him. I feared he'd take it out on you, but—"

"Mom!" Stella shot up. "Let me get you water."

Tears splashed her hands as she turned.

Her phone buzzed in the lounge.

"Where are you?" Adrian Roland's voice was arctic.

Stella squinted at the blinding sunlight. "Almost there."

The line went dead.

Grace was dabbing her eyes when Stella returned. "If only your father could see you as a mother—"

"Mom," Stella forced a smile. "I have to go."

"Is the baby crying? Hurry back!" Grace shooed her. "Skip visiting tomorrow—"

At the third traffic light, Stella dialed on impulse.

The connection startled her.

Adrian's breathing filled her ear. "More games?"

"You... unblocked me?"

"Temporary." His voice was gravelly.

Stella laughed hollowly. "Of course."

"Are you coming or not?" His volume spiked. "Morning became noon. Now evening?"

"En route."

"Excuse this time?" His sneer cut deep. "Tending your dying mother? Or too hungover from last night's escapades?"

"Adrian!" Her grip whitened on the phone. "Must you drive me to despair?"

Silence.

"Yes, I saw him." Her voice shook. "For money! Mom's hospital bills, Ethan's surgery... I was desperate!"

"Whoring for family funds?" He scoffed.

"My accounts are frozen." Her laugh was brittle. "Didn't Lily tell you? Her stepfather seized everything."

Glass shattered on his end.

"You could've asked me." His tone dropped.

"How?" She watched streets blur past. "Call? You blocked me."

After a pause, he demanded, "Who was he?"

"Does it matter?"

"Tell me!" Fury erupted.

She ended the call.

At the courthouse, she discovered crescent marks in her palms.