Chapter 368

The storm raged outside, painting the night in inky darkness.

The curtains in the second-floor bedroom of the Roland family estate flapped violently against the window frame. Stella Valentine stood by the glass, her fingers absently tracing the wooden trim.

"Madam, your luggage is packed." Penny Anderson hovered at the doorway, hesitation in her voice.

Stella glanced at the two suitcases in the corner. "Just a little longer."

"It's already past nine..."

"I know."

Penny sighed and moved to sit beside her. "Mr. Roland won't be coming home tonight."

Stella's fingers stilled. "I wasn't waiting for him."

"Then what are you looking at?"

Beyond the rain-streaked window, streetlights blurred into hazy halos.

"Has the company been...busy lately?"

"Extremely!" Penny counted on her fingers. "The African mine handover, quarterly financial reports, next week's board meeting...Mr. Roland practically lives at the office these days."

Stella lowered her lashes.

Her phone screen lit up abruptly.

[Stella, have you left yet?]

The seventeenth text tonight.

She stared at the glowing display before finally locking it without reply.

"Madam, you look pale."

"It's nothing." Stella adjusted her collar. "Let's go."

They descended the stairs quietly, their rolling suitcases silent against the drumming rain.

The rhythmic pounding on the car roof filled Stella with unease.

"Seatbelt, please." Penny turned the steering wheel cautiously. "We'll need to drive slowly in this downpour."

As blurred scenery slid past the window, Stella spoke suddenly. "Penny."

"Yes?"

"If...hypothetically, someone had been lying to you for a long time...would you forgive them?"

Penny hesitated. "Depends on the circumstances. If it was like what Mr. Roland did before—"

"Not him." Stella cut in sharply. "Someone else."

The car crawled through the storm before finally stopping before Houston Grand Hotel.

"Room 1231." Penny handed over the keycard. "Get some rest, Madam."

Stella had barely entered the lobby when her phone rang.

"Where are you?" The male voice crackled with suppressed anger.

"At the hotel."

"Why didn't you reply?"

"I was packing." She massaged her temple. "We agreed to meet tomorrow."

"Today was the deadline!" The voice rose sharply. "Stella Valentine, are you betraying me too?"

The elevator doors slid shut.

"Mr. Alistair," she inhaled deeply, "what do you actually want?"

"I want to see Adrian Roland! I want back what's rightfully mine!"

Stella watched the ascending floor numbers. "Where are you now?"

"What does it matter? Just tell me your room number!"

Her finger hovered over the end call button. "You don't know which room I'm in?"