Forsaken Daughter Pampered by Top Hier

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Stephanie made her way back to Cloudridge Valley, the place that still felt like home.

As soon as she stepped into the elevator lobby, she spotted Ella sitting on the couch, looking up from her phone,

When Ella saw her, she shot up and rushed over, pulling her into a hug. “Girl, all men are pigs. Tomorrow, I’ll introduce you to someone way better.”

Stephanie gave a tired nod. “Sure.”

Ella expected Stephanie to lash out, but instead, she seemed strangely calm–like the whole thing with Chris hadn’t even

fazed her.

Ella pulled back, giving her a quick once–over. When she noticed bloodstains on Stephanie’s clothes, her eyes widened.

“Wait, what? That’s blood? Did you get hurt?” She rushed over to check.

Stephanie glanced down and saw a few spots of blood on her beige coat.

With a nonchalant smile, she shrugged. “Easy. They’re not mine.”

Ella blinked, confused. “Whose is it, then?” Her voice was laced with concern.

Stephanie replied coolly, “Don’t know. Maybe Olivia’s or Chris’s.”

Ella’s eyes went wide. “What?”

Stephanie, noticing the worry in her friend’s face, casually explained, “Yeah. I taught Olivia and Chris a lesson.”

Ella’s eyebrows twitched when she heard Stephanie’s calm response. She was in awe of how efficiently Stephanie had handled everything.

Ella had just run into Chris and Olivia at the hospital that morning and told Stephanie about it. Now, not even half a day had passed, and Stephanie had already dealt with them.

She couldn’t help giving her a thumbs–up.

A mischievous grin spread across her face as she teased, “I know a short fuse can get you in trouble, but when it comes to

jerks like them, you need a temper like yours.”

What those two had done was outrageous–so much so that even Ella couldn’t hold back her anger. And she wasn’t the one who’d been betrayed.

Ella had thought Stephanie would cry and whine abo handled things herself.

but instead, she didn’t shed a tear. She’d taken

Stephanie had pulled it off, but she was glad to see

usually this fiery–it was just that Olivia had a way of pushing her buttons,

a playful gleam in her eyes. “Don’t head

nodded. “You took the

flashed a grin. “Nuh, I left early. Still gotta to get back

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wedding coming up in just a week, and everything going on, Ella worried she might start overthinking

wandered around the street for a while before heading

steak, poking at it as she muttered, Let’s not get this next

fan of bland

was devouring her meal, not even slowing down to chew properly. She mumbled between bites,

was usually quick and no–nonsense for most people.

paused for a second, swallowed, then asked, “So

his name, Stephanie’s steak suddenly tasted even

before turning to Ella. “Can you help me issue a statement? I want to announce that we’re

Her fork hovered in mid–air

a beat, she asked, “Your families are okay with

dealing with Olivia, and now she was already

casualness in her voice at odds with the weight of what she was saying. “I don’t

surprised

thought, she realized it made sense. That was the truth. They

with Chris

been Stephanie’s choice in the

really the Hart family’s biological daughter–she was born to a maid, a secret they’d kept hidden for years. The Ashfords had wanted to

the Hart family had been desperate.

several major business deals, and losing that connection could be disastrous. So, Catlin and Chad Hart had quietly arranged

and Olivia had fallen out, Chris had unexpectedly stood by Stephanie’s side—a major shift from his usual

had pampered Stephanie, treating her like she was the most important person in the

thought he’d finally seen

toward Olivia made

been kind to her

to put Olivia behind bars, and she

the situation and muttered under her breath, “He’s a total jerk.”

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paused for a moment, a confused frown creasing her forehead. “Wait, you knew exactly what kind of guy Chris was two years ago, right? So why the hell did you agree to get

Were you really planning