Forsaken Daughter Pampered by Top Hier

Chapter 7

Chris walked over to the couch and sat down, pulling out a cigarette from the pack as though it was second nature,

But before he could light it, Stephanie stepped forward without hesitation, snatched it from his hand, and tossed it into the

trash.

Chris’s face darkened immediately. “What the hell are you doing?”

This was the first time anyone had dared treat him this rudely–especially a woman.

When he was with Olivia, no matter what he wanted, Olivia never questioned him. She just went along with whatever he said or did.

Stephanie clapped her hands together and shut the trash can lid with a soft thud. “Sorry, I just don’t like the smell.”

Chris stood frozen, his mouth hanging slightly open as if he hadn’t fully processed what had just happened.

Countless memories of Stephanie’s gentle side flashed through his mind, but they all shattered when he saw the cold, indifferent expression on her face.

In the end, Chris decided to let it go–for now.

His thoughts drifted to the two major news stories that had broken that morning. The Ashford family’s phone lines were probably about to get flooded.

His tone softened, almost as if he were trying a new approach. “The news today… was it Ella who sent it out?”

When Stephanie had first mentioned calling off the wedding, Chris hadn’t believed her at all. He’d just thought it was another tantrum. But this time? It seemed like she had actually gone too far.

Stephanie didn’t answer. She walked over to the fridge, pulled out a small piece of cake, and started eating it as if the conversation didn’t matter anymore.

Stephanie hadn’t eaten enough during her steak meal at lunch, and after two hours of shopping with Ella, her stomach was practically growling.

Chris watched her, his frustration bubbling up. She acted like he wasn’t even there, and it was pushing him to the edge.

He reached for the fridge door and shut it with a slight thud. “The wedding’s supposed to be between the two of us,” he said, his voice tight with annoyance. “Why do you have to make it a public spectacle?”

He could deal with her venting in private, but this drama she was stirring up in front of everyone? That was another story.

Chris paused for a moment, his mind spinning as he tried to find a reason to forgive her, something, anything, to make sense of it all.

Suddenly, Stephanie let out a small laugh, her eyes gleaming with amusement. “Are you serious? Do you really think the wedding is just between the two of us?”

She almost wished it were. Things would

if I keep it quiet, someone else

froze. He immediately understood who “someone” was.

help himself. “You shouldn’t always think so

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Chapter 7

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popping it into her mouth like she didn’t have a care in the world. “If she wasn’t so bad, why’d you have to kick

mouth shut. His face flushed red, like

him–a part of his past he rarely mentioned.

now, with Stephanie bringing it up again,

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If Olivia hadn’t left, I’m afraid you would’ve

of cake, barely looking at

face turned darker with anger, but he was careful not to let

yet.

happened, he couldn’t help feeling disgusted

was stuck in this mess with the Hart

to press her.

situation.

a cold, piercing glance but didn’t

point. “Your parents won’t let you keep causing a scene. If this keeps up, it’ll only

exactly how much leverage the Hart family had over

already predict it–if things had gone as expected, her

conversation. “How long’s the rent on this place been paid? When’s the next

house was one Stephanie had rented after

Valley wasn’t cheap. The unit she was living in probably cost at least ten thousand a month.

She didn’t have the luxury of acting on

spoon, leaned back in her chair

narrowed, his face darkening

could say anything else, his phone vibrated in his

away from Stephanie, he

had more or less figured out Chris’s mindset. He probably believed that in a

was incredibly dim–witted. He claimed not to want to break up with her, but here

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