Stella had been sleeping since yesterday afternoon. So, she woke up the next day at the dusk of dawn.
She stretched and looked at the man sleeping beside her. She breathed softly, trying not to wake
Clarence up.
Clarence looked lovely when he was asleep.
Stella stared at Clarence for a little while. Then, she slowly opened her blanket and tried to get out of
the bed. Suddenly, her hand was grasped.
Clarence’s asked in a tired and coarse voice, “Where are you going?”
“I…need to use the bathroom,” Stella whispered, “You’re awake? It’s still early. You can go back to
sleep.”
Clarence closed his eyes and gave Stella a reaction, but he didn’t let go of her.
Stella bent down and approached Clarence, “Clarence?”
Clarence didn’t answer Stella.
Stella said, “I really need to use the bathroom. I won’t run away.”
Then, Clarence slowly let go her Stella.
Stella got off the bed and gave Clarence her blanket. Then, she headed to the bathroom.
After she got out of the bathroom, she couldn’t fell asleep again. So, she stood by the window and
looked at the scenery outside.
It was dawn, and people starting to appear on the street.
It was almost summer, but mist filled the morning air. Stella was guessing it would probably be cold
outside.
Stella stood beside the window for a few more minutes. Then, she walked to the bed and whispered,
“Clarence?”
She paused and continued, “I’m going down for a walk. I’ll come back in less than thirty minutes. Go
back to sleep.”
Then, Stella took a jacket and headed out of the ward.
Stella didn’t expect to see the person who sat on the chair in the corridor when she stepped out of the
room.
Stella was surprised, “Channing, why are you here?”
Channing looked dull. It was probably because he didn’t sleep the whole night. Channing stood up and
asked, “You’re feeling better?”
“I’m fine. Much better, in fact,” Stella looked at Channing and frowned, “You were here the whole
night?”
Channing didn’t answer Stella’s question. He said, “Since you’re alright, then I should be going.”
Channing turned around. Stella said, “Wait up.”
Stella turned around and looked at the ward. Then, she pulled Channing and headed to the hospital
entrance.
There weren’t many people in the garden of the hospital. It was quiet.
Stella let go of Channing, “I know what you’re thinking right now. Let me tell you. Don’t ever think about
it. You’re my brother. That’s it. You’re unrelated to anybody else. Do you understand me?”
Channing put up and mocking smile.
Stella pouted, “Channing, it was Jeffrey who did all the bad things. You’re not him. Do you understand
me?”
Channing replied to Stella after a while, “That’s not possible.”
Stella didn’t quite understand what he meant, “What?”
“That’s not possible,” Channing stared at Stella with his dull eyes, “I’m Jeffrey’s son, and his blood is
running in my veins. I will never be able to get rid of him my whole life.”
“Channing…”
“Don’t say further. I understand.”
Stella continued consoling Channing, “What did you understand? You would be here at all if you truly
understood. Channing, we can’t choose who our parents are, but the future is in our hands. You’re not
Jeffrey, and you’re not going to take after his evil deeds. You’re my brother, and I’m proud of you. You
should know that we’re the closest person in the world to each other.”
Stella continued before Channing got a chance to say anything, “I don’t care what Jeffrey told you
yesterday. You have to go back to school. Did you forget that you promised to take care of me? How
can a gentleman eat his words? I’m still waiting for you to fulfil your promise.”
Channing lowered his head and remained silent.
Stella patted his shoulder, “Alright, you should go back to school now.”
Channing replied, “Alright.”
After Stella saw Channing off, she planned to walk around in the garden. Suddenly, she saw a man
standing nearby.
Stella walked over, “When did you come down?”
Clarence stared at Stella with his dark eyes. He sounded coarse, “Just now.”
Stella didn’t believe Clarence.
If Stella was right, Clarence followed Stella from the ward.
And Clarence wasn’t asleep when she walked out of the ward.
Stella wasn’t going to run away.
Stella told Clarence, “Let’s go upstairs.”
Clarence said, “I thought you said you wanted to take a walk.”
“I’ve changed my mind.”
“Are women always so fickle-minded?”
Stella went speechless.
She glared at Clarence, “Are you going back or not? If you’re not, then I’ll go back to the room myself.”
Clarence smiled and followed behind Stella back to the ward.
Stella laid in the bed and looked at the time. It was only around 6 a.m.
Stella couldn’t sleep at all.
Stella looked at the man who rubbed his temper on the couch and asked softly, “You didn’t want to
sleep?”
Clarence answered, “You should sleep.”
Stella continued asking, “Did you deal with Adolph? I…”
Before Stella finished her words, she sensed Clarence’s cold sight staring at her.
Stella said, “You promised me.”
“I’ve also said that I wouldn’t let you see him alone.”
“Then…”
“And you didn’t plan to tell me about yesterday as well.”
Stella explained, “That’s not true. Adolph asked Channing and me to head to Jeffrey’s house yesterday.
I didn’t know what was going to happen until they broke the wall. I didn’t even have time to digest
everything myself. How do you expect me to tell you what happened?”
Clarence replied in a plain tone, “That’s a pretty good excuse.”
Stella corrected Clarence, “That wasn’t an excuse. That was the truth.”
Clarence sat on the couch and crossed his legs, “What else? Tell me.”
Stella licked her lips, “You knew?”
“It was written all over your face. How can I not know?”
“It…was about Channing.”
Clarence said slowly, “You want me to help you find out if Jeffrey is Channing’s birth father?”
Stella nodded.
“They’ve already done their investigation.”
Stella pouted. Daniel tried to sound Stella out about it a long time ago. No one would probably care
about it other than them.
Stella remained silent for a while before she continued, “I don’t know what they did, but they probably
haven’t gone through a paternity test.”
Clarence asked, “You wanted to run a paternity test?”
Stella said, “You knew Jeffrey. He is a liar. The more Jeffrey emphasizes that Channing is his son, the
more I felt like it was a lie. And he seemed to enjoy humiliating and torturing Channing with himself.
Jeffrey was held captive by Lyndon before this, so they probably won’t be able to run a paternity test.”
“What if the result wasn’t what you wanted?”
“I can’t do anything either if that’s the truth.”
Clarence said, “Alright, then I’ll get them to run a paternity test.”
Stella smiled, “Thank you.”
Clarence stood up, “I prefer something more practical.”
Stella felt speechless.
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