Stella paused and then asked, “Do you mean that someone deliberately sent her to Riverside?”
Clarence groaned an answer and said slowly, “The members of the James family are so eager to
facilitate the marriage between Elaine and Darnell, plus that… Anyway, it’s not that easy for her to
leave Riverside. But we coincidentally planned to come back to City N.”
Stella knew what he had omitted.
It was about the James family’s unwritten rule – the James were not allowed to leave Riverside in their
lives.
Elaine was the grand-granddaughter of Hilbert and she was under the supervision of various parties.
Generally, she wouldn’t step out of Riverside no matter what method she tried.
Stella pondered for a while and then asked, “Are the ones helping Elaine of the same party with the
ones colluding with Joanna?”
Clarence shook his head, “Nope. We can cast aside the domestic trifles in the James family, big or
small, there are two overwhelming forces in the family for the time being – one belongs to Darnell and
the other one is formed by those who oppose Darnell. If those who oppose Darnell want to become the
patriarch of the family, they must gain the help of those doyens.”
Stella said, “Elaine’s grand-grandfather is the most prestigious doyen in the James family. Now that
they want his help, they won’t hurt Elaine.”
“That’s true. Moreover, Elaine has a good family background. Even Darnell have to consolidate his
position as the patriarch of the James family by marrying her, let alone other people. As long as one
can marry Elaine, he will get the wholehearted support of her family.”
Stella said, “But she left Riverside and came to City N, even though she will come back later, as long
as the news of her leaving Riverside is spread, she would lose all values.”
Clarence curled his lips into a smile, “Bravo.”
Stella somehow figured it out, “So the one who helped her to come to City N was Darnell.”
“Darnell has been opposed to this marriage, but the doyens refused to make any concession. Although
marrying Elaine can help him consolidate his position, he will at the same time be checked by those
people.”
“Although those doyens appeared to agree to his decision of allowing my mother to come back to the
James family, they were discontented with it in private, thinking that Darnell had broken the rules of the
James family. Although Hilbert didn’t express any objections, apparently, he was dissatisfied with it
either. But what he cares about the most is the position of the patriarch of the James family. So if
Darnell agrees to marry Elaine, he can turn a blind eye to it.”
“Nonetheless, he didn’t expect that his grand-granddaughter would also break the rules of the James
family.”
Stella said, “This is the reason why Darnell sent Elaine to City N, right?”
“Yes.”
Darnell wanted to abolish the outdated rules of the James family, but he encountered great obstacles.
If taking Dolores home was the first step of his plan, then sending Elaine to City N was the second step
of his plan.
Clarence thought Elaine’s family would be so furious at the moment.
Stella thought that the matters in Riverside hadn’t come to an end.
Stella pondered how Darnell would solve it.
She winded down the window and yawned lazily.
Clarence asked, “Are you sleepy?”
Stella replied, “A bit.”
Clarence continued, “We will arrive half an hour later. Would you like to have a nap?”
Stella shook her head, “Will you come back to the company?”
Clarence replied after a pause, “Nope. What’s the matter?”
“Nothing. Many tasks have been piled up in the company and I thought you will directly come back to
the company.”
“They’ve been accumulated for a long time, and I don’t mind delaying it for one more night.”
Stella was rendered speechless.
It made sense.
Half an hour later, the car stopped the downstairs of the apartment that Stella rented.
Stella got out of the car and felt as if it had been a century when looking at this familiar yet somehow
strange place.
She went upstairs, input the passwords and opened the door.
Stella turned on the lights and found the house bright and clean.
It seemed like Sherry had cleaned up the house frequently.
Stella took a glance at the clock and found it was quite late. Therefore, she decided not to tell Sherry
that she was back and planned to meet her up tomorrow.
When they closed the door, Clarence’s phone rang. It was a call from Nathan.
Seeing this, Stella knew that he had to deal with Elaine and yawned, “I will take a bath first.”
Clarence replied blandly, “Okay.”
After saying that, he took his phone and walked to the balcony.
Stella went to the bedroom to take her clothes and then walked into the bathroom.
She had been drawing the design on the aeroplane and didn’t sleep. Therefore, she was so sleepy at
the moment.
Stella coiled her hair and quickly took a bath and then walked out of the bathroom.
When she walked past the living room, she found Clarence was still talking into the phone. Stella didn’t
say anything and went back to the bedroom in a daze.
Stella fell asleep the moment she put her head on the pillow.
After a long while, Stella sensed someone lying on the bed and at the next moment, she was pulled
into one’s arms.
She could smell the fragrance of the body wash she usually used.
Stella suddenly woke up, “Why are you here?”
Clarence was confused.
He asked, “Where else should I go if I’m not supposed to stay here?”
“Your house is in the neighbourhood. Shouldn’t you come back?”
Clarence patted her back, “You’re dizzy. Go on with your sleeping.”
Stella was lost for words.
Never mind. She just wanted to ignore him.
Maybe it was because they had come back to City N, Stella had an extremely sound sleep. When she
woke up, she found the sun high in the sky.
When Stella stretched out to rummage for her phone, a man’s voice sounded, “It’s eleven o’clock. You
can get up.”
Stella slowly sat up and looked towards the man who sat on the sofa, “Why don’t you come to your
company?”
Clarence shut down his computer and said slowly, “I will go there this afternoon. What would you like
for lunch? I will ask Nathan to send some food here.”
Stella got out of the bed while rubbing her eyes, “I prefer to do it myself.”
After washing herself, she bought some fresh fruits and vegetables on a shopping app and prepared to
go to Sherry’s home to find something to eat.
Stella knocked at Sherry’s door, but there was still no reply after a long time.
Stella dialled Sherry, “Sherry, aren’t you home?”
Sherry replied, “I’ve been in the studio during this period.”
She paused and then asked, “Are you back?”
Stella finally came to her own sense and replied, “Yep, I came back last night.”
“What about the baby? Did he come back with you?”
“Nope. He has to stay there for treatment.”
Sherry heaved a long sigh, “Well. By the way, will you come to the studio this afternoon?”
“I will.” Stella came back to her house while speaking. She prepared to change her shoes and go to the
supermarket downstairs to buy something. “Sherry, let’s stop here. The lift is arriving.”
“Okay, see you this afternoon.”
Stella put her phone into her pocket. When she was about to leave, Clarence walked over, “Where are
you going?”
“I want to go to the supermarket to buy something.”
Clarence said, “I will go with you.”
“Okay.”
Stella closed the door. But just as she took several steps, the door opposite to her was opened.
Elaine popped out her head from behind the door, “Can I go with you?”
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