As soon as Channing finished, everyone at the table showed their attitude clearly.
Stella was embarrassed again, feeling extremely uncomfortable.
On the contrary, Clarence sitting next to her seemed to hear nothing. He acted as if nothing had
happened and as if he was not the one whom they were targeting.
Looking at the scene, Stella couldn’t help scratching her own eyebrows.
He obviously knew that he was not welcomed here, but why did he come and bring this trouble to
himself.
It was so annoying.
Clarence was about to take the chopsticks, but Stella abruptly took away his bowl to pour half of the oil
in it away into an empty bowl, and then she said in a flat voice, “Mr. Conrad, please rough it. If you
don’t like the food, then …”
“Who told you that I don’t like.”
As he finished, he reached out to get the food and then ate it without any hesitation.
Stella raised her eyebrows, and then she turned her gaze back at the table but to find the other people
were all staring at her.
“…”
Noticing that she was looking at them, they coughed and looked away with some lowering their heads
to eat and some holding their glasses to drink.
Stella pressed her lips slightly but didn’t explain.
Just save it. The more you say the more mistakes you’ll make. She just wanted to finish this meal as
soon as possible and then say goodbye to all of them.
The room was quiet for a while, and then someone started a conversation to break the awkward and
suffocating silence.
After the meal, Sherry volunteered to wash the dishes. When Emmett offered to help her, she rejected,
“Daniel and I can handle it. You …”
Sherry kept saying while making him a sign to keep Stella company and keep Clarence away from
Stella.
Emmett stalled as if he was considering if he should go or not.
Sherry lowered her voice, “You should take the initiative at such moments. You can’t chicken out at this
key moment! Come on, come on!”
Sherry pushed Emmett while she was whispering, and then took Daniel who was watching them into
the kitchen.
Daniel tried to get rid of her, “I don’t know how to do dishes …”
“You can learn it and I’ll teach you. How can you eat but not do dishes?”
In the living room, Stella was cleaning the table. Clarence was about to come to her when Channing
held his arm, “Have a talk with me.”
Clarence turned around looking coldly, “What do you want to talk about?”
Soon, Clarence followed Channing to the balcony.
Emmett walked to Stella and called her in a soft voice, “Stella.”
Stella looked up and smiled at him, “What’s up?”
Emmett was in silence for a while. At the end, he didn’t ask what he really wanted to know but made up
an excuse, “Are you really … allergic to flowers?”
“No, he talked nonsense.”
“I see.”
Emmett was about to continue when Winnie showed up in a sudden and apologized with a smile,
“Sorry, I need to talk to Stella. Please give me a few minutes.”
Winnie finished and took Stella away.
All of a sudden Emmett was left alone in the living room.
He turned around and then gazed at the flowers nearby in an absent mood.
When they came into the bedroom, Winnie clasped her hands in front of her and apologized, “Sorry,
sorry, it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have taken Mr. Conrad here.”
If she had known what would happen, she would never compromise no matter how the wretched man
threatened her.
Stella smiled, “I thought you were going to talk about something important. He has been acting like
today recently. Even if you hadn’t taken him here, he would have figured out another way.”
Stella didn’t blame her though, Winnie felt sorry, “I really had no idea that so many people were invited
today, including your … suitor.”
There was a throbbing in Stella’s temples, “Don’t believe Sherry’s nonsense …”
“It’s not nonsense. Didn’t you find the way Emmett looking at you was different, and Mr. Conrad was so
jealous that everyone could see it. If there were no one else in the room, the two of them would have a
fight.”
Stella pressed her lips in silence.
Winnie continued, “Stella, I’d like to say one more thing. I don’t know what happened between you and
Mr. Conrad, but I have been working for him for many years and I know something about him. He has a
sharp tongue, but he is not a bad guy.”
“He has been involved in a lot of affairs, but none of them is true. I can guarantee that. My point is …
based on my observation, he worries you and cares very much about your feelings. Why don’t you …
consider giving him a second chance?”
Stella shook her head gently, “There is no possibility between me and him.”
Winnie took a breath and then smiled, “Then I didn’t say anything. Let’s forget about it.”
Stella responded with a smile, “Ok.”
When they came back to the living room, Channing was the only one there.
Stella looked around and asked, “Where are they?”
“Left.”
“Left together?”
Channing nodded, “Yes.”
Winnie murmured, “Are they going to have a fight?”
On hearing that, Stella ran out the room before she could have a second thought.
Channing frowned looking at her back. He seemed to want to say something, but he didn’t speak
anyway.
At this time, a soft female voice sounded beside him, “What did you say to Clarence Conrad?”
Channing looked at her instinctively but soon looked away before Winnie noticed, “Nothing.”
Winnie doubted him, “If you said nothing, why did he leave directly?”
“I told him that he was not welcomed here. If he leaves voluntarily, he can keep his decency.”
Winnie was shocked, “You really said that?”
Channing seemed to feel her admiration in her eyes and became shy. He touched his neck, “Not the
exact words, but the same meaning.”
That was awesome!
Winnie patted him on his shoulder and praised generously, “Well done, younger brother. You are brave
and have the guts.”
Channing, “….”
…
Stella ran downstairs and searched around, but neither Emmett nor Clarence was there.
She took a breath slowly. It was fine as long as they didn’t fight.
It was not until Stella trembled in the freezing wind that she realized that she left in a rush and forgot to
take her coat.
She rubbed her arms with both hands, and when she was about to turn back to the house, she felt
something on her shoulder. A warm coat was put on her.
Stella turned around and was stunned looking at the man in front of her, “Didn’t you leave?”
Clarence fixed his black eyes on her. He didn’t answer her question but asked her instead, “What are
you doing here?”
“I …” Stella thought fast and then answered, “I am looking for Emmett.”
“Sorry to disappoint you, but he has gone.”
“Oh.”
Stella was silent for a while and then asked cautiously, “What did Chan say to you?”
Clarence asked, “What did you want him to tell me?”
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