Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath

Chapter 256

"I tripped."

That excuse was far from believable.

But given Stella's current state of mind, she was completely out of the mental bandwidth to concoct any other excuse.

Please don't ask anymore. If he kept pressing, she truly might crack and spill everything. Then what? Would they even be able to stay siblings? No, she couldn't bear the thought. She couldn't take that risk!

Ronald frowned. "Tripped? Star, do you really think that excuse holds any water?"

Stella froze.

He's still asking?

Oh, come on! Could someone just arrest her already?

"Star."

His voice, low and magnetic, drilled into her frayed nerves like a persistent drumbeat.

Stella couldn't take it anymore.

Fine, forget being siblings. Maybe it was time to throw caution to the wind and pursue him instead.

Stella steeled herself, heart pounding, ready to take the plunge.

But just as she opened her mouth to speak, Ronald's phone buzzed sharply, cutting through the tension and halting their conversation.

Stella, already stiff with tension, latched onto the ringing phone like it was a lifeline. "Your phone's ringing."

a moment before he finally relented, turning to pick

hardened as he stepped away, answering with a

him retreat to the balcony. Her instinct screamed that this wasn't over. Barely a minute passed before Ronald returned, his face grim. "Aren't you tired? Why aren't you sleeping?" "Sleeping! Right now! Sleeping!" Stella blurted, her words tumbling over each other as

But what about tomorrow?

bruises around her neck wouldn't fade

who had a frosty expression, now showed

picked

flat. "How many

told

not to sleep like

bad for your heart."

belongs

help

my

flip

and I'll

603

right?"

she couldn't bring herself

pulled the blanket over her, and just as he was about to stand, his fingers brushed

unsettled, raced even

this many, these won't fade

there really a need to

what did

feeling that

fully stand, Stella, in a panic,

her haste, her nails scratched across his chest, leaving marks that