Chapter 3 The Mistress' Act
959 Words
Before Stella regained her memory, her good friend from the orphanage was critically ill. She had begged Heather for money.
Heather arrogantly pulled out a bank card, but instead of handing it over, she flaunted it. "Guess how much is in here? A million dollars. You've never seen that much money in your life, have you? But even if I used it to buy dog food, I wouldn't lend you a cent! Because that poor friend of yours is worth less than a pet dog to me."
Stella clenched her fists, a hint of mockery flashing in her eyes.
If given the chance, she wanted to teach Heather and Emma a lesson! To vent her anger!
Just as she was thinking this, someone grabbed her wrist from behind.
She turned around to see Heather.
Heather held her chin high, her expression full of disdain and displeasure. Behind her were a few wealthy women, carrying shopping bags, looking like they had just finished shopping.
Stella calmly slipped her card into her bag, her voice cold. "What?"
Heather was taken aback for a moment, not expecting Stella's attitude to be so cold. Stella used to be so timid around her.
"Have you finished the housework? Is lunch ready? What are you doing here?! And what the hell are you wearing? You've been married Osborne for years, and you still look like a pauper. What a disgrace!"
"A disgrace? Me?"
Stella laughed as if hearing the world's funniest joke. "After I married Osborne, you deliberately fired the servants, forced me to quit my job, and made me do all the housework to be a 'good' wife. I did all that, but what did I get? Nothing! You accused me of stealing your jewelry to withhold the shares Grandpa James gave me and made me kneel in the rain as punishment. Does all these sound graceful enough?"
The wealthy women behind Heather clicked their tongues. They knew Heather was harsh on her daughter-in-law Stella but had no idea she was actually abusing the poor girl.
Sensing the tension, the women quickly found excuses to leave.
"You... you're talking nonsense!"
Heather tried several times to interrupt Stella but was blocked by her rapid-fire words.
"You know very well whether I'm talking nonsense or not," Stella said coldly, her chin raised, eyes sharp.
"I used to tolerate you, but not anymore. If you mess with me again, I'll make you pay the price!"
Heather was stunned by her aura.
Was this still her timid daughter-in-law?
"Oh, so you were just pretending all this time!"
Heather fumed, gritting her teeth. "You're so doomed. I'll tell Osborne to divorce you! I'll throw you out! Nothing you do can change it!"
Stella sneered, her face full of contempt.
"Did I not tell you? Just ten minutes ago, Osborne and I divorced. You can tell whatever you want to him. I don't care."
Divorced? Just ten minutes ago?
How was that possible? This country bumpkin had clung to Osborne for so long, and now she was willing to leave?
Heather watched Stella's departing figure with suspicion and immediately called Osborne to confirm.
"Osborne, did you really get divorced?"
"Yeah, we just signed the papers. Who told you?" Osborne replied, frowning.
"What do you think? I ran into Stella. That b***h yelled at me!"
Heather's anger quickly turned to glee as she realized the divorce was real. "But that's alright because you finally got rid of her. That orphan never deserved you. She should have been gone long ago..."
Osborne pressed his lips together, feeling the exact opposite of Heather's excitement.
He even felt a strange sense of irritation and guilt.
Before this, he thought Stella would never agree to a divorce easily. He had prepared three million dollars and a villa as compensation, but she was the one who initiated the divorce and didn't ask for a penny.
Now that they were divorced, she had no money and no family. How would she live?
Still, he reassured himself that he didn't need to worry about her. When she hit rock bottom, she would come to him.
*****
Stella took a cab back to the villa where she had stayed with Osborne for the past three years, a place filled with bitterness.
The memories were too heavy, and she didn't want to dwell on them.
After passing through the small garden in front of the house, she went straight upstairs to pack her things. Once she was done, she headed to the door with her luggage, for she didn't want to stay in the villa for another second.
However, as she descended to the first floor, she saw a familiar figure in the living room.
It was Nina, dressed in a pure white dress, smiling gently. "Stella, long time no see."
Stella was momentarily stunned, not expecting to see Nina here.
They had just gotten divorced, and Osborne had already given Nina the keys to their villa?
He was really eager to move her in, wasn't he?
A wave of disgust washed over Stella, but she smiled gracefully as she walked down the stairs.
Nina's smile faltered for a second as she noticed Stella's composed demeanor, but she quickly regained it. "Stella, it's only been a few years, and you really carry yourself like Osborne's wife now."
"Oops, I misspoke." Nina covered her mouth with a faux-embarrassed laugh. "I forgot you're not his wife anymore."
Stella wasn't angry. Her smile remained.
"Osborne is just a man I got tired of. But since you like the man I divorced, you can have him. Just don't act too desperate, or you'll look as cheap as a bitchy mistress."
With that, she moved to walk past Nina, but her wrist was suddenly grabbed.
- Writer
