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?”

you did, the female lead

wrap any guy around her finger. Just a second ago, Ian was sulking

Grant, honestly, before I came tonight, I was thinking… If you really made me work with her, I’d just vanish. You

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

and gave his hair a little tousle. “Let’s go. We’ll miss the

to life, grabbing her hand and pulling her up the path. But halfway there, Yolanda caught footsteps behind them, so she quickly dropped his hand

Guess I took a

let him

her head and pushed forward, but Leo stuck to them like some soggy, creepy

he was

down, he slowed down. The guy

shadow that just

a deep breath, spun around, and shot him

and mentally scoffed, ‘Talk about extra. Who the hell wears a mask

yours or something?” Leo

wasn’t about to waste her breath on him. Thankfully, they’d reached the top. The lights from the mountain lodge glowed nearby,

past lan, shooting him a glare that could cut

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

more, she strode off toward

was just about to take a step after her when

come help us move a table,”

lodge, tossing a cocky line over his shoulder. “Superstar, you better get moving. If you’re

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

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

he just headed over to

for the restroom on the first floor, but the door was wide open and the place

had

the second floor, then the

on the first floor, he pulled out his phone, ready to call her, but before he

courtyard and shoved him into

out cold.

knocked out with

persistent, hanging around looking for people, that he finally just decided to drag

finally 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 completely bare–just piles of scattered bricks on the ground, a single locked door, steel bars over the windows, and a camera dangling from one of the window

someone behind him. Turning around, he saw Yolanda

in a chair.

and his first instinct was to reach for the chain around

felt something wrong

skin prickling with heat as if he might explode any second. ‘What the hell did they do to me?‘ he wondered, blinking through

thing, way too shabby for someone like her. She

now, she 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 to

called out, his voice dry and low, and

attention, his body heavy and off–balance as he moved step by step toward

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

in so much of the knock–out drug, she was totally

her scent clouding his mind. He lowered his gaze, barely keeping himself in check as

he muttered, his voice rough

someone like Yolanda. How the hell did she end up here

him?

this? Is it me they want, or is Yolanda the target?‘ Leo thought, mind

it worse, until he just gave in and pressed his face right into her neck,

Leo croaked, his voice barely audible, rough

was boiling alive, trapped in a desert, the heat suffocating him. Getting close to her was the only

presence against her, frowning in discomfort as she instinctively shovTitan

Chapter 207

on early that Yolanda was missing and had already sent the Crimson Gallery crew out

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

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

only Ian, Sam, Xavier, and Quinn were tuning in to the

wasn’t serious. Xavier, hanging out at the hospital with Joelle,

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

people in

insiders, and as long as they saw Leo hooking up with Yolanda on the live stream, Yolanda’s reputation would be trashed for good.

knew better than to go up against the Lawson

two people on the stream, he could

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

overseas, and his signal was blocked off from the outside world. Cracking it was going

as the admin of

the real fun’s about to kick off.

Beloris caught wind of Yolanda’s mess, it wouldn’t just be Charles getting

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

to anything that could shake the Sinclair family, he couldn’t

everyone knew how powerful the Sinclair family was–and they knew Yolanda wasn’t exactly beloved. The scandal wouldn’t touch the Sinclairs one bit. Charles would probably kick Yolanda to

hopelessly into Joelle–whatever she wanted, he’d move heaven and earth to get it for

He didn’t waste a second before barking out orders for his

realized the woman was Yolanda,

how the hell were they supposed to face

Leo had been drugged–who the hell would

of it–all he knew was there was something cold and

tied behind his

people were still watching

pretty annoyed–he’d blasted the link out to a bunch of people,

up.

lips fumbling blindly in desperation until he finally bumped into

scene, his face darkening. He quickly tore his eyes away and barked at his people,

his

waiting for? Get moving! Find

had to stop Leo before it was

into the chat, his fingers flying

anything you’ll regret. If you mess with Leo, I

grandfather, and

he typed into

Sit back and enjoy the spectacle, Xavier. Watch as your precious little brother gets his

curses, but the system

stream and let out a long

kind of dirty crap that

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

now!‘

is about to go up

energy and excitement

grabbed a knife and went straight

what the hell is even going on?‘ Quinn muttered

only four people watching right now, and Xavier was obviously one of them. ‘Xavier’s here, but who the hell

never happened. Just don’t mention a word about it to Leo later–especially since he wasn’t all there to begin

were, but he really didn’t want his own name popping up. Last thing he needed was to get dragged

this whole fiasco, had no

at Leo like this anymore,’

screen.

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 face in Yolanda’s neck and

shallow as she struggled for air. Finally, through the haze, her mind began to clear. ‘Where am I? Why does everything feel so stifling?‘ she groggily

to bump into something scorching hot right next to her. Instinct kicked in–she shoved it away without even

out and grabbed her hand, pressing it

over him, chasing away some of that burning heat. ‘Finally… that’s

and tried to get up, but the moment she moved, her ankle jerked back–chained tight. No matter how desperately she scrambled, she couldn’t get more than a step away before the cold

get a grip!” Yolanda yelled, her voice

lowered his lashes at her righteous tone, clinging to his last thread of sanity even as every

acting like this,‘ Leo thought bitterly. ‘She’d be falling over

were tied tightly behind his back–he coulTitan

live–streamed, so she was completely unaware of Xavier’s frantic

kicked Leo away and glanced

Andrew must have been the one behind all

he’d been fooled by a few of Joelle’s cryptic lines again, showing up to take out anyone who threatened

Andrew would gladly lay down his life for Joelle, and there was

now, staying alive

in chains, up onto a chair, both hands straining

her ankle fit so snug, it might as well have been

crushed and miserable, inched toward her. He rubbed his tear–streaked face against her foot, curled up small as if trying to hide from the world, his sobs tracing muddy

jerk, always thinking he was above her. This was the first time she’d ever seen Leo so completely

stand it anymore. He started relentlessly spamming

How could you treat my brother like that? You’ll regret

breathed out in relief–things

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

the four, Samuel was easily

his assistant stood respectfully at his

out what it is yet. Cedric rushed over to the Andrade manor in the middle of the night, so we should

phone. The assistant, guessing he was checking out some business stats, considerately asked, “CEO, do you want me to

him to check the screen with

himself.

it–just update me on any news about that land. And get someone

had control of the Crimson Gallery. If he wanted to track down Yolanda, he could

for his brother like a hawk, there’s no way this livestream could drag on

under wraps, the safer we are. If this mess blows up, the Grant Family’s definitely getting dragged

left to face everyone’s blame, and that kind

stand a chance. At the end of the day, though, it all depends on whether she’s got

single rule: never do anything reckless or out of

responsibility weighing on him–and the Grant Family still climbing

left, quietly

her ankle, while Leo’s cheek rested against the

on, just let me have a drink… Why are you being so cold–hearted, Yolanda? Please,

I’m so hot, I

so quiet, only Yolanda

numb and aching as she tried helplessly to yank the chain open, but it

against the chair, hoping someone else would show up and pull her

this mess.

scratches, slowly pushed himself up from the floor and

her.

lashes fluttered as she immediately snapped upright, legs stiff with nervousness. ‘It’s not like I told him to kneel, she thought. ‘Seriously, if he remembers this later and totally freaks out about it, please

so badly he could barely make out anything in front of him, lurched forward in

simply couldn’t take both their weight and

stars as

she seriously wondered if Leo was just her

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

the chair tipped sideways, and the overturned seat ended up blocking the camera by the window. On the live feed,

like a desperate animal rooting through dirt–the more he struggled, the more flustered and miserable he

started to realize

in her system was just a tiny bit, but with that delayed onset,

lifted her foot and tried to kick

flipped over, blocking most of the

what just happened; for all

down Yolanda’s location, he slapped on

people were left in the livestream

was crawling with ants. Still, she

giving Leo just the chance

‘Gotcha!‘ Leo thought.