After She She Stopped Loving Him

Chapter 614: The Nerve

Nnenna didn’t even need to glance at it to know it was his phone number. So he’s actually serious? What a weird guy, she thought, blinking at him.

"Okay, ladies and gentlemen, this concludes the treatment," Darius announced, standing with theatrical flair. But not before flashing one last smile at the nanny by the door, and then letting his gTitan 205

To be honest, Yolanda felt she ought to call Ian and tell him to quit messing around–this was his job, and he needed to stick to an actor’s basic principles. If he wanted any future in showbiz, he had to handle all that came with it.

If he was planning to survive in the entertainment world, he’d just have to put up with it.

But why, of all people, did it have to be Joelle?

Simone was still saying something, but Yolanda tuned her out completely–her mind was elsewhere.

After hanging up, she got in her car. She’d planned to drop by Starlight, since the people blocking the entrance had finally cleared out. She’d already called the crew to fix the shattered glass doors.

Right at that moment, her phone lit up with a call from Charles.

Charles’s voice came through: “Aunt Simone’s putting together a hiking trip. Want to come blow off some steam?”

Ian had mentioned in passing that he’d probably show up too.

Simone would definitely invite a whole crew, and with things at Starlight finally calming down, Yolanda figured she might as well join the fun.

“Count me in,” Yolanda replied easily.

She hadn’t expected so many people–turns out, this wasn’t just any old hike. There was a full–blown resort at the top, and getting there meant a three–hour trek from the foot of the mountain, starting at 2 in the morning. If you made it to the summit in time, you’d catch the sunrise.

Yolanda did a quick walk–through at Starlight. As night settled in, her phone lit up with a message from Ian.

[You joining the hike?]

Then Leo reached out with a text of his own.

[Hey, you hiking or not? Just asking–no big deal.]

Yolanda ignored Leo and shot back a quick reply to Ian: [Yeah, I’m in.]

She enjoyed a hot shower, then, at one in the morning, jumped into Charles’s car and headed out to the base of the mountain.

When they got there, the whole area was brightly lit, and a crew of staff were already hanging around. They’d take the cable car up ahead of everyone to get breakfast ready at the top.

This mountain was privately owned. Normally, anyone could hike it, but when they closed the place off, it was strictly VIPs only.

Yolanda stepped out in black athletic gear, backpack slung over her shoulders, only to spot Joelle sporting matching black gear and the same backpack vibe.

Joelle was Oscar’s guest, and besides him, there were a few other famous directors in attendance, Simone included.

The rest of the crew were young elites who lived for this kind of thrill–mountain climbing was basically the hottest trend in their circle.

Charles, rarely seen in athletic gear, cast a glance at lan, who was standing next to Simone. He couldn’t help but frown, a slight crease forming between his brows.

Ian wasn’t looking at anyone, his mask covering most of his face, with only his indifferent eyes showing. He seemed completely silent and kept to himself.

Just as everyone was about to head out, Xavier and Quinn Cooper showed up, their voices ringing across the crowd.

Wow, so everyone’s going hiking and nobody bothered to call us? Lucky we got here before you left!” Xavier joked loudly.

Xavier yanked Leo over, remembering how his little brother had blurted to the Lawson family yesterday that he might be into someone. The whole family was hyped, demanding Xavier dig out this secret crush. With Leo suddenly way too keen on this hike, Xavier figured the girl he liked had to be among tonight’s crew.

He swept his eyes over the eight or nine women gathered there–first Yolanda was off the list, then Simone, both ruled out because, come on, they were on a totally different level, practically family.

After that, his gaze started sizing up the remaining six, lingering a bit longer as he tried to sniff out any clues.

Quentin showed up too–his eyes locked on Joelle from the very moment he arrived. It was old news that he used to have a crush on her; nobody even bothers to keep it under wraps anymore.

“These love triangles are just the same old story–boring,‘ Yolanda thought, totally uninterested. She fell in step behind Simone, ready to get this hike going.

There were five trails leading up the mountain, and with so many people here, everyone just broke off into little squads with their usual crew, planning to stick together for the climb.

Yolanda wasn’t really familiar with most of these folks, so she hung by Simone’s side, seriously picking her brain about the film business.

Charles was about to head over to Yolanda when Quentin called out, “Joelle, is your wrist still giving you trouble?”

Charles glanced in their direction, remembering that Joelle had only just been snatched by that lunatic Andrew yesterday. ‘And now she’s here climbing a mountain… She must’ve come for me,‘ he thought.

He frowned, staying put.

Sure enough, Joelle approached him, careful to keep a respectful distance. “Charles, which trail are you taking

-left or right?”

Charles glimpsed Yolanda and Simone taking the middle trail, and a flicker of irritation showed in his eyes- he hated being left out, even if he’d never admit it.

Still, he hid it perfectly, keeping his expression smooth and unreadable.

Quentin sidled up to Joelle, whispering, “Joelle, let’s take the right trail–it’s way easier.”

Joelle ignored him, her eyes fixed on Charles, clearly waiting for his answer.

Charles headed straight for the middle trail, and Joelle tried to catch up, but she tripped hard–hadn’t even started climbing and her ankle was already swollen from the fall.

Quentin rushed over, his voice full of concern. “I’ll take you to the hospital.”

Joelle took a deep breath and said seriously, “Quentin, I’ve rejected you more times than I can count. Don’t put me on the spot. I can get to the hospital on my own.”

With that, she limped to her feet, didn’t even look at Charles, and made her way back to her own car.

Quentin hurried up after her. “You don’t even have a manager with you–who’s gonna get you to the hospital?”

Leo watched the whole thing, then elbowed Charles. “You not gonna help her out? Looks like her ankle’s in pretty bad shape.”

7

A

Xavier was right there, catching Leo’s comment. His eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“Wait, seriously?‘ Xavier wondered. ‘Is Leo into Joelle too?‘

“He’s been keeping tabs on her from the start. Now with Charles here, maybe he’s too shy to offer a ride himself? Xavier guessed, more confused than ever.

‘Has he had his eye on her this whole time, just waiting for a moment to do something?‘ he thought, picking up the tension.

Xavier’s mood soured. “There are already more than enough guys chasing after Joelle, and Leo–man, he’s no Casanova. With that many rivals, he doesn’t stand much chance,‘

Charles wasn’t planning to help out, but after Leo nudged him and saw Joelle still shutting Quentin down, he finally gave in and walked over.

“Let me drive you,” he said.

Joelle gave him a grateful–even slightly guilty–look. “Won’t you miss out on the hike because of me?”

“Hospital’s just a half–hour from here. I’ll drop you off and get back before anyone even notices.” Charles replied.

“Thanks, Charles. I really appreciate it,” Joelle said.

9:35 Sat Oct 25

Chapter 203

Quentin’s face fell, all the light gone from his eyes.

156 vouchers

Navier was turning it over in his mind: Wait, isn’t Charles basically with Yolanda now? As long as that’s still a thing, Leo actTitan 206

Chapter 206

Yolanda followed Simone, her backpack slung over her shoulder.

“Aunt Simone, the short drama scene is really booming right now. Should we consider having our talent without scripts try their hand at it?” Yolanda asked.

Simone was about to respond when Ian suddenly spoke up.

“Ms. Grant.” Ian called out.

“Yeah?” Yolanda looked over.

She turned to face him, noticing he seemed unusually quiet tonight.

“Can I talk to you about Ms. Sinclair’s new script?” Ian asked.

Simone hadn’t forgotten Ian was turning down the role, so she gave Yolanda a thoughtful, sympathetic pat on the shoulder.

“Try and talk some sense into him, will you? If Mr. Rowe didn’t have such a soft spot for him, this kind of golden opportunity wouldn’t even land in his lap. His popularity is soaring, but his list of credits is way too short. After Zack’s show finishes up, mine is coming next, and if he adds this film to the mix, he’ll become an A–list star practically overnight,” Simone urged.

Yolanda could hear the urgency in Simone’s voice. In truth, Simone really liked Ian–he was talented, worked hard, kept his head down, and always acted with respect. Honestly, what manager didn’t wish for talent like him?

“I’ll talk to him, Aunt Simone,” Yolanda promised.

Simone knew they needed some privacy, so she called out to the rest and led them off ahead.

Yolanda walked over to a nearby little pavilion and sat down, motioning for Ian to join her. “Come sit down.”

The benches here were designed in an interesting way–some were higher, some lower. She chose the taller

one.

Jan walked over and sat on the lower bench at her feet. He took her backpack, opened it, and started transferring the contents into his own bag.

Yolanda watched him, and even without a word from lan, she could tell he was still stewing over something. ‘He’s totally sulking again, she thought.

With a teasing grin, she propped one leg playfully across his lap.

Ian froze, hands mid–motion, giving her a sideways look. “Careful, Grant. Your man’s about to show

catch us.”

up and

Yolanda couldn’t help but laugh, leaning back with an easy swagger. “Still holding a grudge, huh?” she teased.

“Like I’ve got any right to be mad? You told me to chill out. If I keep being clueless, you’ll probably kick me to

the curb,” Ian shot back.

With his head bowed and a gentle look on his face, Ian tucked her sunscreen spray into his own bag, left her backpack empty, and finally zipped it up.

Yolanda’s hair was slicked up in a high ponytail, her black sportswear making her skin look almost porcelain pale. Her jet–black hair looked sharp against her fair face, and her eyes sparkled even brighter than the night sky around them.

“Ian, I don’t want you to take this script.”

Ian went still for a second, eyes lowered, the barest hint of a smile flickering on his lips. “Really?”

did, the female lead wouldn’t be Joelle. Honestly, I can’t handle you getting all

guy around her finger. Just a second ago, Ian was sulking like a sad puppy, and now he was all up in her space,

I was thinking… If you really made me work with her, I’d just vanish.

chin on her shoulder, lashes down, back all hunched–looking like the saddest, most pitiful

hair a little tousle. “Let’s go.

and pulling her up the path. But halfway there,

again. Guess I took a whole lap just to bump into you both. What’s up with all the

fed up with Leo and his prickly sarcasm. She definitely wasn’t about to let him sniff out what was going

buried her head and pushed forward, but Leo stuck to them like

second, Yolanda figured he

caught on–speed up, he sped up; slow down, he slowed down. The guy

shadow that just wouldn’t

and shot him a look. “Don’t you

over at Ian and mentally scoffed, ‘Talk about extra. Who

path yours or something?” Leo shot

her breath on him. Thankfully, they’d reached the top. The lights from the mountain lodge glowed nearby,

walked past lan, shooting him a glare that

to lan. “Go snag us a good spot for the sunrise -I’ll catch

more, she strode off

there clutching her bag, was just about to take a step

move

line over his shoulder. “Superstar,

inside in a flash, obviously not wanting to get caught and

for breakfast later, and the staff was already hustling around, getting everything set

couldn’t turn Simone down, so he

the door

frowned–where had Yolanda

second floor, then the third,

call her, but before he could dial, someone cracked him hard on

Leo into the nearby courtyard and shoved him

out cold.

knocked out with

Yolanda, but Leo was so annoyingly persistent, hanging around looking for people, that he finally just decided to drag him

regained consciousness, his head was still spinning. Looking around, he realized he was locked in some rundown, abandoned factory. Sunlight spilled in from outside, but inside it was stripped

of the corner of his eye, he noticed someone behind him.

in a chair.

froze, and his first instinct was to reach for the chain around her ankle and try to

felt something wrong with

like his whole body was overheating, his skin prickling with heat as if he might

way too shabby for someone like her. She looked so out

was impossibly striking. Her pale skin seemed to almost shimmer under the weak sunlight, and her athletic outfit traced every curve. Leo found himself dumbfounded, unable

out, his voice dry and low, and he slowly

tried to get her attention, his body heavy and off–balance as he moved

tied behind his back, so he could only nudge her with his

breathed in so much of the knock–out drug, she

lowered his gaze, barely keeping

muttered, his voice rough

but never with someone like Yolanda. How the hell did she end up

him?

actually behind this? Is it me they want, or is

until he just gave in and pressed his

voice barely audible, rough

felt like he was boiling alive, trapped in a desert, the heat suffocating him. Getting close to her was the only thing that made

sense his burning presence against her, frowning in discomfort as she instinctively

Chapter 207

Yolanda was missing and had already sent the Crimson Gallery

just arrived at the mountaintop villa. Not seeing Yolanda around, he

total lunatic, so the moment Andrew hit him up with the stream link, Charles just removed him from his contacts without a second

the day, only Ian, Sam, Xavier, and Quinn were tuning

something like this if it wasn’t serious. Xavier, hanging out at the hospital

Quinn? He was purely in it for the entertainment–nothing like a bit of

out to over thirty people in their circle,

as they saw Leo hooking up with Yolanda on the live stream, Yolanda’s reputation would be trashed for good. Once he felt the timing was right, he’d just take

he knew better than to go up against the Lawson family. Leo had to be

two people on the stream, he could pretty much guess who was

to his team. “Find out where that signal’s coming from. I

was blocked off from the outside

now, Andrew was running the show as the admin of the stream and

to kick off.

the whole city of Beloris caught wind of Yolanda’s mess, it wouldn’t just be Charles getting humiliated–the entire Sinclair family would be dragged down with him.

only reason he’d made it through all these years of Charles hating his guts

that could shake the Sinclair

Sinclair family was–and they knew Yolanda wasn’t exactly beloved. The scandal wouldn’t touch the Sinclairs one

move heaven

furious seeing his brother dragged into this disgusting live stream. He didn’t waste a second before

he realized the woman was Yolanda, Xavier totally

Leo actually got tangled up with Yolanda, how the hell were

had been drugged–who the hell would come up with a

was something cold and sugary right in front of him, and he

his hands tied behind

four people were still watching

the link out to a bunch of people, and only four

up.

fumbling blindly in desperation until he finally bumped into Yolanda’s.

for a moment as he watched the scene, his face darkening. He quickly tore his eyes

so freaked out he almost dropped his phone. He kicked the

are you waiting for? Get moving! Find

stop Leo

jumped into the chat, his fingers flying in

you mess with Leo, I swear I’ll track

feared no one but his grandfather, and the rest of the world didn’t even register to

typed

enjoy the spectacle, Xavier. Watch as your precious little brother gets his first time

a whole torrent of curses, but the system instantly censored them

and let out a long

‘I was just curious about what kind of dirty crap that psycho Andrew was sharing, but I

there was no tomorrow, Quinn figured the kid was so out of his mind he probably didn’t even know who

totally screwed now!‘ Quinn muttered

go up in flames!‘

the slimiest pond eel had more energy and excitement than she did. He’d

grabbed a knife and went straight after Andrew. Once that’s done, he’ll make sure Yolanda

the hell is even going

right now, and Xavier was obviously one of

this whole mess never happened. Just don’t mention a word about it to Leo later–especially since

didn’t want his

the lunatic behind this whole

anymore,’ Quinn thought,

screen.

had been making out with Yolanda for what felt like forever–seven, maybe eight minutes. The camera was set up by the window, so it could only catch their movements, not their voices. Leo buried his

whole body was overheating, her breaths coming quick and shallow as she struggled for air. Finally,

bump into something scorching hot right next to her. Instinct

her hand, pressing

chasing away some of

matter how desperately she scrambled, she couldn’t get

a grip!” Yolanda yelled, her voice trembling with fear and

his lashes at her righteous tone, clinging to his last thread of sanity even as every cell in his body screamed with

bitterly. ‘She’d be falling over herself to help

tightly behind his back–he

she was being live–streamed, so she was completely unaware of Xavier’s frantic reactions on the other side of the

away and glanced

Andrew must have been the one behind

by a few of Joelle’s cryptic lines again, showing

lay down his life for

staying alive was her

up onto a chair, both hands straining as she tried to force the

snug, it might as well have been tailored for her–it was useless, she couldn’t move it one

foot was still on the ground when Leo, looking crushed and miserable, inched toward her. He rubbed his tear–streaked face against her foot, curled up small as if trying to

ever seen him act like a pompous jerk, always thinking he was above

He started relentlessly spamming the

wait! How could you treat my brother like

out in

someone didn’t like her. She’d never taken to Leo, so she’d always kept him at arm’s

was easily the

a stack of papers laid out in front of him, while his assistant stood respectfully at his desk, reporting back with meticulous attention

but apparently there’s some sort of problem with it. No one’s figured out what it is yet. Cedric rushed over to the Andrade manor in the middle of

was checking out some business stats, considerately asked,

screen with the

himself.

power button and flipped his phone face down, sounding completely unbothered. “Don’t worry about it–just update me on any news about that land.

now, Ian had control of the Crimson Gallery. If he wanted

his brother like a hawk, there’s no way

in his chair, thinking, ‘The longer we keep these tangled relationships under wraps, the safer we are. If this mess blows up, the Grant Family’s definitely

face everyone’s blame, and that kind

At the end of

a single rule: never do anything reckless or out

on him–and the Grant Family still

gaze, and once his assistant had left, quietly

while Leo’s cheek rested against the foot she

flushed as he croaked, “Come on, just let me have a drink…

sip. Please… I’m so hot, I feel like I’m

was so quiet, only Yolanda could

as she tried helplessly to yank the chain open, but

chair, hoping someone else would show up and pull her

this mess.

scratches, slowly pushed himself up from the floor

her.

she immediately snapped upright, legs stiff with nervousness. ‘It’s not like I told him to kneel,

make

take both

him, seeing stars as her world spun from

Leo was just

struggled to get up, saying, “Leo, come on, get a hold of yourself…” ‘Seriously, does he even hear me?‘

sideways, and the overturned seat ended up blocking the camera by the window. On the live feed, all anyone could see now was Yolanda and Leo

of it, restlessly trying to get closer, pawing at the ground like a

Yolanda late–she started to realize she wasn’t feeling right

system was just a tiny bit, but with that delayed onset, the discomfort only got worse as time dragged

lifted her foot and

chair had flipped over, blocking most of the camera’s

just happened; for all they knew, Yolanda and Leo were just getting into another

he locked down Yolanda’s location, he slapped on his mask and was out the

left

felt foggy, like her whole body was crawling with ants. Still,

giving Leo

‘Gotcha!‘ Leo thought.