Chapter 94
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She had no feelings toward her father, probably because she had never known him. Whether he existed or not made no difference.
“Alright, let’s stop talking about depressing stuff. Let’s talk about Chris and the Hart family instead,” Ella said.
“That’s depressing too,” Stephanie muttered.
Every time she and Ella talked about family, the conversation always took a turn for the worse.
Ella popped a mushroom into her mouth; it had no flavor, completely bland.
For someone who enjoyed spicy food, this was borderline unbearable.
“Just a heads–up. Tyler is a snake, and Chris is going to be an absolute idiot when it comes to Olivia. They’re definitely going to make trouble for your studio,” Ella warned.
Stephanie wasn’t too worried about direct attacks; her powerful brother had her back. But sneaky tricks from people like them were much harder to guard against.
Apart from whispering in Chris‘ ear to turn him against her, Olivia had plenty of other underhanded tricks up her sleeve.
Stephanie understood exactly what Ella meant and smiled. “Don’t worry. Whether they come at me openly or in the dark, I’m ready for them.”
If they dared to make a move, she would counter every trick they threw her way. And in the end, the ones suffering losses would be Chris and his people.
Ella, hearing her confidence, was reassured.
Chris and the others were desperate now, which meant they’d resort to all kinds of reckless tactics. But Stephanie wasn’t like them; she was waiting, prepared.
The moment they tried anything, they’d only be stepping into their own downfall.
“That’s good.” Ella nodded, then added, “If you need anything from me, feel free to tell me. I’m not afraid of them.”
The Ashford family was the most powerful in Long Harbor and not an easy enemy to make. But Ella had been spoiled by her mother for years; she feared nothing and no one.
Her mother rarely spent time with her, but whenever someone came to complain about Ella’s actions, she would defend her without hesitation. “She already did it, so what do you expect me to do?” It was something her mother often said.
She never controlled Ella much when things were fine, but the moment someone caused trouble for her, she would step up and fight back. It was a very typical kind of mother.
Stephanie chuckled. “Got it.”
Lunch ended. As the two were about to leave, a driver who had been waiting nearby stepped forward. “Miss Giovanni, Mr. Giovanni is waiting for you outside.”
Ella raised an eyebrow at Stephanie and teased. “He really spoils you, huh? Does he even monitor how much “ou eat?”
Stephanie’s mind instantly flashed back to the past few dinners. Whenever Sebastian was away, he would still call her during meals, always reminding her not to overeat.
Most families worried about their kids not eating enough, but Sebastian worried about her eating too much.
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Chapter 94
Ella saw Stephanie’s silence and twitched the corner of her mouth. “Wait… he actually does?”
Stephanie nodded. “Yes.”
Ella’s eyes filled with envy. “I want a brother like that too. A hundred of them wouldn’t be too many.”
23
Stephanie froze for a second. A hundred? That many? She suddenly imagined herself in a first–grade classroom, surrounded by a hundred kids all bombarding her with questions at the same time.
Just the thought of it gave her a headache.
Stephanie got into the car.
The familiar, noble scent of Sebastian surrounded her, making her cautious as she looked up at him. “You came all the way here just to wait for me?”
Sebastian simply asked, “Did you eat?”
“I did,” she nodded.
“Then let’s go back,” said he. As soon as the words left his mouth, he pulled her onto his lap.
Stephanie’s entire body went rigid. Now that she was older, being lifted and carried by Sebastian like this made her feel incredibly awkward.
And after what happened last night, she was even more tense than usual.
His rough fingertips traced over her lips as he murmured, “Why is your mouth getting more swollen? That bug must’ve been really aggressive.”
Stephanie’s mind buzzed blankly. For some reason, the way Sebastian said that felt strangely suggestive.
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