Forsaken Daughter 5

Posted by Adminh, ? Views, Released on March 3, 2025

Chapter 5

Stephanie made her way back to Cloudridge Valley, the place that still felt like home.

As soon as she stepped into the elevator lobby, she spotted Ella sitting on the couch, looking up from her phone,

When Ella saw her, she shot up and rushed over, pulling her into a hug. “Girl, all men are pigs. Tomorrow, I’ll introduce you to someone way better.”

Stephanie gave a tired nod. “Sure.”

Ella expected Stephanie to lash out, but instead, she seemed strangely calm–like the whole thing with Chris hadn’t even

fazed her.

Ella pulled back, giving her a quick once–over. When she noticed bloodstains on Stephanie’s clothes, her eyes widened.

“Wait, what? That’s blood? Did you get hurt?” She rushed over to check.

Stephanie glanced down and saw a few spots of blood on her beige coat.

With a nonchalant smile, she shrugged. “Easy. They’re not mine.”

Ella blinked, confused. “Whose is it, then?” Her voice was laced with concern.

Stephanie replied coolly, “Don’t know. Maybe Olivia’s or Chris’s.”

Ella’s eyes went wide. “What?”

Stephanie, noticing the worry in her friend’s face, casually explained, “Yeah. I taught Olivia and Chris a lesson.”

Ella’s eyebrows twitched when she heard Stephanie’s calm response. She was in awe of how efficiently Stephanie had handled everything.

Ella had just run into Chris and Olivia at the hospital that morning and told Stephanie about it. Now, not even half a day had passed, and Stephanie had already dealt with them.

She couldn’t help giving her a thumbs–up.

A mischievous grin spread across her face as she teased, “I know a short fuse can get you in trouble, but when it comes to

jerks like them, you need a temper like yours.”

What those two had done was outrageous–so much so that even Ella couldn’t hold back her anger. And she wasn’t the one who’d been betrayed.

Ella had thought Stephanie would cry and whine abo handled things herself.

Olivia, but instead, she didn’t shed a tear. She’d taken action and

Ella didn’t fully get how Stephanie had pulled it off, but she was glad to see her handling it so well.

She knew Stephanie wasn’t usually this fiery–it was just that Olivia had a way of pushing her buttons, making her lose control.

Ella glanced at her phone, a playful gleam in her eyes. “Don’t head upstairs just yet. Let’s grab something to eat. It’s already past noon.”

Stephanie nodded. “You took the afternoon off?”

Ella flashed a grin. “Nuh, I left early. Still gotta to get back to work after lunch.”

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With Stephanie’s wedding coming up in just a week, and everything going on, Ella worried she might start overthinking things

They wandered around the street for a while before heading into a nearby restaurant.

Stephanie struggled with her steak, poking at it as she muttered, Let’s not get this next time. It doesn’t taste that great?

She wasn’t a fan of bland food–Ella knew that well.

Ella, on the other hand, was devouring her meal, not even slowing down to chew properly. She mumbled between bites, “I don’t have time for that today, but I’ll take you to a Mexican place next time

Lunch during the workday was usually quick and no–nonsense for most people.

Ella paused for a second, swallowed, then asked, “So what’s the plan with Chris?”

At the mention of his name, Stephanie’s steak suddenly tasted even worse.

She put down her knife and fork with a sigh, wiping her mouth before turning to Ella. “Can you help me issue a statement? I want to announce that we’re canceling the wedding.”

Ella froze. Her fork hovered in mid–air as she processed the request.

After a beat, she asked, “Your families are okay with this?”

She could hardly believe it. Just hours ago, Stephanie was dealing with Olivia, and now she was already making moves with the families?

Stephanie shrugged, the casualness in her voice at odds with the weight of what she was saying. “I don’t need their approval.”

Ella raised an eyebrow, surprised by the response.

But after a moment of thought, she realized it made sense. That was the truth. They didn’t need anyone’s approval.

The engagement with Chris had neve

really been Stephanie’s choice in the first place.

The Ashford family knew Olivia wasn’t really the Hart family’s biological daughter–she was born to a maid, a secret they’d kept hidden for years. The Ashfords had wanted to call off the engagement from the start.

But the Hart family had been desperate.

They relied on the Ashfords for several major business deals, and losing that connection could be disastrous. So, Catlin and Chad Hart had quietly arranged everything with Stephanie.

Two years ago, when Stephanie and Olivia had fallen out, Chris had unexpectedly stood by Stephanie’s side—a major shift from his usual behavior.

After Olivia was sent away, Chris had pampered Stephanie, treating her like she was the most important person in the world.

Back then, Stephanie thought he’d finally seen through Olivia’s true colors.

But now, Chris’s shift back toward Olivia made it crystal clear.

Two years ago, he had been kind to her only to keep her close, in line.

After all, Stephanie had sworn to put Olivia behind bars, and she had the evidence to make that happen.

Ella immediately grasped the complexity of the situation and muttered under her breath, “He’s a total jerk.”

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Chapter 5

She paused for a moment, a confused frown creasing her forehead. “Wait, you knew exactly what kind of guy Chris was two years ago, right? So why the hell did you agree to get engaged to him?

“And today… you went and tried on wedding dresses? Were you really planning to marry him in a week?”

Ella’s voice was a mix of disbelief and frustration.

Stephanie didn’t answer right away. When Ella asked why, her gaze dropped, and for a brief moment, her eyes seemed to

darken.

Why? Stephanie didn’t really know. Maybe it was because they both had something to gain, or maybe they both had their own hidden agendas.

In the end, Stephanie just waved her hand dismissively and muttered, “Enough with this. Just make sure to include the pictures of him and Olivia at the hospital when you post the statement.”