Chapter 176
Rachel’s words were smooth, but the implication was clear to everyone: she wanted Stella to back down.
Neville quietly observed the scene unfolding before him, then glanced down at Marvin.
“Marvin, how does Star play the violin?” he asked.
Marvin’s eyes lit up. “It’s so pretty, it made me think of a new word I learned!”
Neville leaned in, intrigued. “Oh? What word?”
Marvin clasped his hands together, grinning. “Heavenly melody.”
“And how does it compare to Ms. Pearce?” Neville inquired further.
“Stella’s definitely the best!” Marvin responded without hesitation. “That Ms. Pearce isn’t nearly as good; she’s got a mean streak.”
Marvin hadn’t actually heard Rachel play the violin, but being close with Stella, his loyalty was obvious.
Neville picked up on Marvin’s bias and decided not to press the matter further.
Nearby, Stella heard Rachel’s comment and chuckled softly. “Sorry, I don’t joke with strangers.”
Rachel’s smile faded slightly.
Before Rachel could respond, Jasper chimed in loudly.
“Stella, you’re really pushing it. Rachel and Haynie have given you so many chances to back down gracefully, and you just keep pushing.”
He turned to Rachel, “Rachel, if she insists on competing, then let her. Some people need to be taught a lesson to realize their limits.”
Rachel, having recently been bested by Stella a few times, was eager to turn the tables. She feigned hesitation. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
Jasper let out a derisive snort. “What’s the issue? If she’s dumb enough to challenge you, she’s begging for humiliation.”
Rachel glanced at Haynes, pretending to seek his advice. “Haynie, maybe you should talk some sense into Ms. Cameron?”
Haynes furrowed his brow. Stella had been pushing her luck lately. He wanted her to learn a lesson, but as she was Keen’s mother, he didn’t want her to lose face in front of their child.
With that in mind, Haynes said, “Stella, let’s not make this worse.”
Stella didn’t even spare him a glance. She turned to Rachel. “If we’re making this
a competition, there should be stakes involved.”
Rachel smiled slightly. “Alright, Ms. Cameron, what do you have in mind?”
Stella pointed to the necklace around Rachel’s neck. “If you lose, you give me back my mother’s necklace.”
Rachel’s face shifted as she instinctively touched the necklace. She’d only recently learned that this necklace had belonged to Nora, Stella’s mother. Despite their familial connection, Rachel found it hard to see Stella and Nora as anything but strangers.
Originally, she had insisted on having the necklace just to annoy Stella.
Jasper smirked. “Wow, you’re trying to take back a gift Haynie gave Rachel? Sounds like a pitiful move to me.”
Abby retorted, “Oh, please, Mr. Sycophant. Didn’t you hear her say it’s her mother’s necklace?”
She shot Haynes a cold look. “Some people are truly disgusting, giving away someone’s mother’s keepsake as a gift. And some people have a twisted obsession with other people’s heirlooms. I used to wonder why, but now I get it— they want to take it to their grave.”
Jasper, infuriated, was about to rush forward, but Rachel held him back. Though Rachel was being called out, her expression was sour.
“I can agree to Ms. Cameron’s terms,” she said to Stella. “But since you mentioned stakes, I would like to ask for something from you as well.”