Love After Divorce by BELLA

Chapter 8:.

Emily had returned to the kitchen to prepare dinner while Stella remained on the couch, thinking about what Emily had said.

“Ding, ding…”

Suddenly, the ringing of the phone brings her out of her thoughts. Without checking the caller ID, she answered. “Stella…”

A familiar but distant voice rang on the other end of the phone. It was her father, David Richard.

Stella tightened her grip on the phone.

She didn’t know how to feel; it had been nine years since she had last heard that voice. During her three years of marriage to RK, her father had never called or visited her.

Even after she had moved to France for six years, he had never reached out to inquire about her well-being. Had it not been for this unexpected call, she would almost have thought he had forgotten he had a daughter like her.

He had almost forgotten that he had another family besides his son. Yet today, out of the blue, he called her.

“I hear you’re back. Come out and let’s have dinner.” Stella’s emotions were a tangled mess. “Dad, I’m busy today. Let’s meet another day.”

“I just saw you go upstairs. I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

Stella didn’t know what to do.

In the Restaurant…

Stella accompanied David Richard to the restaurant. As to how he knew she was back and where she lived, no one knew.

Once there, David ordered a variety of food. But as they waited, the atmosphere around them was very quiet. Although they were father and daughter, they felt more like strangers.

After a while, David broke the silence. “Stella, I heard from your sister that she saw you at the company. I hadn’t thought you’d come back from France.”

Mⱺɍɇ Ʉρȡąţɇş ĩŋ ɢąłņøνɇłş.çøɱ

thought…?” Stella looked at the person in front of her cynically.

seen for nine years, a smirk

noticed you had a child with you. Who is that child?”

hand froze on

know either.

She didn’t

“Dad, I…”

I’ve been all these years, and yet all you do is ask questions?” There was a sharp

questions; she was sure they hid a danger for the future. That’s why her face turned cold and she

realized he had asked the wrong question and

come out right, how have you been? You left without telling me, I didn’t know where

even care?” thought Stella,

sister is going to marry

think it would be better if you didn’t meet her. You don’t want to go back to France and you plan to stay here, so why don’t you work for

“Don’t you…”

go is my decision. You don’t have to worry or make

across from her, and the last shred of hope and kinship in her heart vanished like the wind. She looked at her father – had David Richard met with her today

RK three years ago and had used her as a chess piece for his sister, and now? Did he want her to

was no longer the foolish Stella of three years ago. In this second chance of her life,

so, Stella picked up her purse and

“I thought this time you wanted to see me because you still think I’m your daughter or because

thank you for clearing up

better that in the future you don’t contact me

because I’m going to do the same. From now on, you no longer have a daughter named

was sure that if he thought of her again, he would try to use her as a chess piece once

Outside the restaurant…

the middle of the crowd, one man stood out like the moon among the stars. His presence

a soft glow,

just glanced away and

was just a stranger. She didn’t want to show up in his world again or have