Chapter 8: Chapter 8 I will give you a ride

Emily had gone back to the kitchen to prepare dinner, while Stella remained on the sofa, thinking about what Emily had said.

"Ding... Dong..."

Suddenly, the sound of her phone ringing snapped her out of her thoughts. Without checking the caller ID, she answered it.

"Stella..."

A familiar yet distant voice came out of the other end of the phone.

It was her father, David Richard.

Stella’s grip on the phone tightened. She wasn’t sure how to feel. It had been nine years since she last heard this voice.

Throughout her three-year marriage to RK, her father had never once called or visited.

Even after her divorce, when she moved to France for six years, he never reached out to ask about her well-being.

If not for this unexpected call, she would have almost thought that he forgot that he had a daughter like her. She also almost forgot she had another family other than her son.

Yet today, out of the blue, he called.

"I heard you’re back. Come out and let’s have dinner,"

Stella’s emotions were a tangled mess. "Dad, I am busy today. Let’s meet another time."

"I just saw you go upstairs. I’m waiting downstairs."

Stella didn’t know what to do.

*****

At the restaurant...

Stella accompanied David Richard to the restaurant. As for how he knew that she was already back and where she lived, no one knew...

Once seated, David ordered a variety of food.

But when they were waiting, the atmosphere around them was very quiet..

Though they were father and daughter, they felt more like strangers.

After a while, David broke the silence.

"Stella, I heard from your sister that she saw you in the company. I had not thought that you will come back from France..."

"Had not thought...?"

Stella looked at the person in front of her calmly.

How much did he not want her to come back?

Suddenly looking at her father whom she had not seen for nine years... A mocking smile appeared on her lips.

She just lowered her head, saying nothing.

The waiter arrived with their food, breaking the tension momentarily.

"When I was waiting downstairs, I noticed you had a child with you. Who is that child?" David asked, his words so meaningful...

Stella’s hand froze on her spoon.

Stella had always protected Adrian and not many people knew about him in the X city, nor did she want anyone let know...

After all, she had given birth to him in secret, against the wishes of both the Kingston and Richard families.

So, how could she let them know about her baby, she didn’t want them to hurt her precious son at all.

"Dad,"

Stella put down the spoon and her tone turned cold, "You haven’t asked how I’ve been abroad all these years, and yet the first thing you do is to ask questions?"

There was a sharp edge of mockery in her voice.

He kept asking her why she had come back and who the child was. Such a meaningful question, she was sure they had hidden danger in the future.

That’s why her face turned cold and she made clear her stand.

David also realized that he had asked something wrong and quickly backtracked.

"Look I am getting old, and my words don’t always come out right. How have you been? You left without telling me—I didn’t know where to look for you."

"Did he even look?" Stella thought, her eyes narrowing.

"And Stella, you know your sister is going to marry Rene. I think it would be best if you don’t meet her. If you don’t want to go back to France and plan to stay here, why not work for me at the family company? Don’t you agree?"

"Dad, whether I stay or go is my decision. You don’t need to worry about it or make arrangements for me."

Her voice was distant, cold.

Stella looked at the man sitting in front of her and the last bit of hope and kinship in her heart vanished like the wind...

She looked at her "so-called" Father...

Did David Richard just meet her today, to ask her to leave?

He was the father who had arranged her marriage with RK three years ago and used her as a chess piece for her sister and now...

Did he again want her to become a victim?

But... She was no longer that stupid Stella three years ago, in the second chance of her life she was not going to repeat that mistake...

As she thought like this, Stella picked up her bag and was ready to leave. But before leaving she looked at David Richard and said..

"I thought that this time you wanted to see me because you still think I am your daughter or you still remember me... But thank you for clearing up that misunderstanding."

"I know you only look at me for the benefit. So... It’s better in the future you don’t contact me and still maintain a distance from me..."

She paused, then added, "You should please continue to forget me because I am going to do the same. From now on, you no longer have a daughter named Stella."

Stella was sure that if he thought about her again, he would try to use her as a chess piece again.

After she finished speaking, she left.

---

Outside the restaurant...

Luxury cars lined the street outside.

In the midst of the crowd, a man stood out like the moon among stars. His presence was impossible to ignore.

The moonlight bathed him in a soft glow, accentuating his noble bearing.

But Stella just took a glance and went in the opposite direction.

So what, if they met like this, for her he was just a stranger. She didn’t want to appear in his world again or had anything to do with him...

What’s more, she didn’t want to disturb her peaceful life anymore...

But things never went in the direction, where we wanted...

"Stella..."

Stella just wanted to leave silently and take a taxi home without getting too much attention or being noticed by anyone...

But David Richard who was following behind her shouted her name and attract lots of attention around her...

"Stella, I didn’t mean what I had just said. You misunderstood Dad. You know, it’s hard for me to be with you and your sister but..."

"How could I forget you? You’re still my daughter... Let’s go back and finish our meal together."

Stella looked at him and said, "No, thank you. I’m busy and have something to do later."

But her tone was polite and distant like the person she was talking to was a stranger not his father.

Before leaving the house, she had promised Adrian she would return early to have dinner with him,

So she wants to leave...

David Richard was in a dilemma and said, "Then let me give you a ride. It’s not safe for you to take a taxi alone at night."

"Thanks, but that won’t be necessary. I can go myself. All these years... I am doing the same."

Her voice was cold.

David looked at her and stopped insisting.

He looked at her leaving back when his eyes suddenly fell on Rene Kingston who was walking toward them...

His eyes are burning, it’s like he had looked at the same place for so long...

Stella had only taken a few steps when a tall figure blocked her path.

They were close, only two steps apart, but he didn’t move aside to let her pass.

His deep eyes were locked onto her.

"I’ll give you a ride,"

His cold voice came above her, still calm and emotionless as always.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read