Chapter 46
Stella leaned back, and her voice was steady but firm. “She crashed into me.”
“Rachel said you dashed out and intentionally collided with her,” Haynes replied, his tone as cold as his gaze.
Stella tilted her head to meet his eyes, which were as inscrutable as a winter night. “So, you believe Ms. Pearce?” she asked.
Haynes paused, his silence stretching the moment. “Rachel has no reason to crash into you.”
Stella retorted, “And I have a reason to do that?”
Haynes held her gaze, his eyes sharp and unfathomable. “So, did you do it on purpose?”
“No.”
The room fell into a thick silence. The only sound was the distant hum of hospital machinery.
After what felt like an age, Haynes broke the silence with a sharp tone. “Get some rest. I’ll look into this.”
Stella watched him leave, her expression unreadable. She knew he didn’t believe her. He was biding his time, waiting for evidence. If he believed her, he wouldn’t have asked the question in the first place.
Not long after Haynes left, Stella’s phone buzzed with a call from Antoney. “Star, I heard about the accident. How are you holding up? Is it serious?”
Stella’s brow furrowed slightly. “How did you find out, Antoney?”
His voice was low, almost a whisper. “It’s all over the news, Star. Are you okay?”
Stella reassured him. “I’m fine, just some minor injuries. I should be out of here by tomorrow or the next day. Don’t worry about me.”
“Alright, but if you need anything, call me.”
Antoney wanted to help Stella get the news off the headlines, but despite his fame, his reclusive nature meant he didn’t have the connections to handle such media storms.
After hanging up, Stella lay back, closing her eyes to think through her next move. Rachel was bold, likely having covered all her bases, even arranging so-called witnesses.
With public opinion already spiraling, Rachel had set the stage perfectly, even risking herself to ensure the plan’s success. That would be a tough nut to crack.
Stella felt a dull throb at her temples. With Rachel’s repeated schemes, any hope of an amicable ending with Haynes slipped further away.
Just then, a loud bang on the door shattered her thoughts. “Bang! Bang! Bang!”
Before Stella could respond, the door was flung open, and Jasper stormed in with Rachel trailing behind, her arm wrapped in a bandage.
“Stella, you murderer!” Jasper yelled, his finger pointing accusingly at her. “Last time, Rachel nearly drowned, and you weaseled your way out. Let’s see how you explain it this time!”
Stella’s expression turned icy, her voice matching her demeanor. “Get out of my room!”
“It’s you who should get out!” Jasper grabbed a glass of water from the table and hurled it at Stella. “I’m telling you. Haynie won’t let you off easy this time! You’ll go jail, murderer!”
Still injured, Stella couldn’t dodge and got splashed in the face.
“You dared to harm Rachel! Even if I beat you to a pulp, Haynie would thank me!” Jasper shouted, advancing toward Stella with fury in his eyes.