Chapter 7

"Dad, you have a company yourself. Have you ever seen an intern who just joined a company drive a luxurious car that costs millions? The last time Keegan met with a client for a multi-billion project, he only drove his 90-thousand-dollar Mercedes-Benz. Why does she need a car that's over a million?" Albert was irritated. "Things are different in every company. What do you know? You're being pampered and fed by the Kane family." "Being fed by the Kane family?" Stella frowned slightly. "This wasn't what you said when you told me to give up on my job. Besides, the Kane family doesn't just feed me." SMACK! Albert slammed the table and angrily said, "Was there a need to dig up the past? We're just borrowing a car." Sophia quickly placated him. "Dad, don't be angry. You have high blood pressure. It's my fault. I shouldn't have brought this up. If Stella doesn't want to lend it to me, then so be it. Don't be mad at her." The more Sophia persuaded Albert, the more he found Stella a nuisance. "Look at Sophia. She's younger than you, yet she's more sensible!" The meal ended in an unhappy atmosphere. Before Stella left, Sophia placed two boxes of white truffles in her car. She said to Stella from the car window, "Stella, the reason Keegan didn't come had nothing to do with work, right?" Stella glanced at her. "What are you trying to say?" Sophia smiled, "A car will never have only one owner. The same goes for men." Then, she winded up the windows for Stella before turning around and leaving. At the apartment, Felicity weighed the two gift boxes in her hands. She turned to Stella and said, "There must be five or six pounds here. Your dad really spends a lot of effort in pleasing the Kane family. Didn't you tell him your mother-in-law doesn't even look at the gifts he sends them?" "You think telling him would stop him?" Most of the channels were showing dramas starring Bella. Stella turned off the TV since she could not find the show she wanted. "He'll just think his gifts were not their taste. Then, he'll send them better ones the next time." "What do you plan to do with these?" Stella did not know either. 'Albert doesn't trust me. Whenever he sends them a gift, he asks Keegan to see if they received it. Why doesn't he give the gifts to Keegan and ask him to send them instead?' she thought. Stella was reminded of her heated encounter with Keegan today. She felt a little regretful. 'I should've held myself back a little. What if Keegan holds a grudge, and he doesn't cover for me? I shouldn't have gone that far,' she thought again. She contemplated for a while before cheekily dialing Keegan's number. The phone rang for a while before it was connected. However, the person on the other end hung up just as she was about to speak. At first, Stella thought that it was a mistake and redialed. Once again, the call got hung up as soon as it was connected. Stella repeated the processes a few more times before finally realizing that Keegan was doing it on purpose. 'That dog! He's so vindictive!' she thought. Naturally, Stella was not going to give up that easily. She would rather speak to Keegan than deal with his mother—Dahlia Crosby. She sent Keegan a text message. [Stella: You there, Mr. Kane?] Two minutes later, Keegan sent an icy one-word response. [Keegan: No.] Stella ignored his responded and sent another text. [Stella: My father gave me two boxes of white truffles. I'll send them to your office tomorrow. Pass them to your mother for me.] Keegan responded to her text promptly. It was still a one-word response. [Keegan: No.] Stella patiently negotiated with him. [We'll split the assets 60-40. You'll get 60, and I'll get 40.] Once again, Keegan gave her a one-word response. [Keegan: Hah.] Stella gritted her teeth and made her furthest concession. [Stella: Is 30-70 good enough? 70 for you and 30 for me. I can't go any lower!] This time, Keegan did not respond for a long while. Just as Stella was contemplating 20-80, the phone rang. It was Keegan. She picked up her phone and answered. Keegan's mellow voice traveled into Stella's ear. "Accompany me to Aurora's welcoming party tomorrow." "No—" Keegan continued before Stella could finish her sentence, "I'll help you." Stella swallowed her unspoken words and responded meekly, "Okay." Then, both ends fell silent. 'This is the first time we've spoken to each other so calmly since I moved out that day. I'm suddenly a little not used to it. To be honest, Keegan's actually a pretty decent marriage partner. He's handsome and competent at work. Besides his cold personality and occasionally harsh remarks, he has no bad habits. Even though there's a huge disparity between our family backgrounds, he always followed the rules of etiquette when it came to the Jewell family. Apart from not loving me, he has never treated me badly in terms of food, clothing, and expenses. Compared to other rich young men who commit debauchery on a daily basis and are embroiled in scandals, Keegan is merely a man who still has romantic entanglements with his ex-girlfriend. Is there a need to go to the extent of getting a divorce?' she thought. Stella opened her mouth and was about to speak. However, the familiar voice of a woman sounded on the other end before she could speak. "Who's on the phone, Keegan?" Stella was startled. She promptly let out a laugh of self-mockery before she indifferently said, "See you tomorrow." Then, she hung up. 'Why do I have to choose a partner among the bad and the worse ones? An ex-girlfriend who he's still romantically entangled with is already enough to destroy this marriage that's almost coming to an end,' she thought again.