Vengeance With My White Knight by Maya Kensington

Chapter 19

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Grace still clung to Stephanie, trying to find something more to say.

But Stephanie’s stance was firm, her words cutting. “I’m sorry, but Chris and I just won’t work.”

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Grace had said everything she could, but now, facing this rejection, she felt helpless. There was nothing more she could do.

Stephanie gently patted Grace’s hand. “I don’t expect him to dedicate his whole life to me—that would be greedy. But right now, he can’t even give me the basic respect.”

Grace thought about it, and she realized Stephanie was right.

Chris clearly had no intention of hiding his feelings for Olivia, and that was a huge slap in the face to Stephanie.

Even it was her son’s doing, Grace couldn’t ignore that.

With a deep sigh, Grace spoke. “But what are you gonna do? Without Chris, your life in the Hart family is gonna be even harder.”

Grace was trying to remind Stephanie of where she stood in the family.

Though both women despised Olivia, neither could deny that Olivia was the family’s golden child.

Stephanie lowered her gaze, staying quiet.

Grace continued, her voice softening just slightly. “Don’t rush to answer me. I’ll talk to Chris. I’ll make sure he sends Olivia away as soon as possible.”

Grace was furious–more furious than Stephanie at this point.

She just couldn’t understand what hold Olivia had over Chris. What kind of magic did that woman have to make him act

this way.

The thought of Stephanie and Chris going their separate ways, with Chris only getting more reckless with Olivia, had Grace on edge.

She squeezed Stephanie’s hand, anxiety creeping into her voice. “The Hart family favors Olivia. If you keep fighting them, your life’s about to get a whole lot harder.”

The message was clear: Please, Stephanie, just give in!

Stephanie could tell Grace meant well, and for once, it felt like Grace might actually be on her side.

But it didn’t matter anymore. Everyone seemed to think there was no place for Stephanie in the Hart family, and the Ashford family was her only shot at any future.

She met Grace’s gaze, her voice steady, unwavering. “No matter how hard life is, I can find a way out. Mrs. Ashford, Chris and I are done. That’s final.”

There was no room for debate. She wasn’t backing down now.

Stephanie didn’t want to leave anyone with false hope.

She wasn’t the type to drag things out, either.

The longer it went on, the messier it would get, and she wasn’t about to waste more time.

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Grace paused, taken aback by Stephanie’s resolve. “You’re so… independent. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing

Grace tried to soften her approach, then got tough, but she could feel her composure slipping

She hadn’t expected Stephanie to be this unyielding. A flicker of annoyance crossed her face.

Stephanie wasn’t interested in dragging this out

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I’m leaving now,” she said, almost too casually, as she shoved the necklace back into Grace’s hand and turned on her heel.

to say something,

in her hand only made her frustration spike. She

appeared, stepping into the tension.

“What’s she being so stubborn for? Who else would want her besides Chris?”

she broke off the engagement, Stephanie’s reputation would tank. No prestigious family in Long Harbor would touch her after

Hart family… Grace knew

Chris, they’d chew her up and

head around it. ‘How could Stephanie just reject

She just can’t swallow her pride when

butler thought Stephanie was just acting out because she couldn’t let go of

with

stir up trouble anywhere, but when it comes to the

the only reason Grace cared so much about Stephanie was because of Chris’s

that Chris must marry Stephanie, calling her the family’s lucky star.

concerned, none of the Hart

and Olivia’s affair, but even more enraged that it was Stephanie who had declared

Ashford family had lost face.

that Stephanie be taken back, Grace couldn’t help

possible solutions as she stomped her foot again, making a final decision. I’m really

a stiff nod.

had just stepped out of the Ashford family when a

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Chapter 19

sound and saw

eyebrow. He hadn’t left

car, a

lean frame seemed to command the space around him, the kind of presence that made people stop and

to him that made it clear: he wasn’t someone you could

issues,

his leadership, Ashford Group had doubled its market value in just one year.

elders, dutiful, and seemingly had everything going for him–except one glaring flaw: his awful judgment when

was cold. No warmth. No

but commanding. “Give your car keys to Kevin. He’ll drive your car back to Cloudridge Valley. You can ride

almost bored laugh. “I can

out with just

let herself be the one who needed saving, or waiting. for someone else to

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to find something more to

firm, her words cutting. “I’m sorry, but Chris and I

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said everything she could, but now, facing this rejection, she felt

patted Grace’s hand. “I don’t expect him to dedicate his whole life to me—that would be greedy. But right now,

about it, and she realized Stephanie was

and that was a huge slap in

was her son’s doing,

are you gonna do? Without Chris, your life in the Hart family is gonna be even harder.”

trying to remind Stephanie of

despised Olivia, neither could deny that Olivia was

gaze,

voice softening just slightly. “Don’t rush to answer me. I’ll talk to Chris. I’ll make

furious–more furious than Stephanie at

Chris. What kind of magic did that woman have

this way.

thought of Stephanie and Chris going their separate ways, with Chris only getting more

hand, anxiety creeping into her voice. “The Hart family favors Olivia. If you keep fighting

clear: Please,

once, it felt like Grace might actually be on her side.

think there was no place for Stephanie in the Hart family, and the

gaze, her voice steady, unwavering. “No matter how hard life is, I can find a way out. Mrs. Ashford, Chris and I are

for debate. She

to leave anyone with false

type to drag

would get, and she wasn’t

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