Chapter 69
“Stella!” Jasper’s eyes burned with fury, his voice reverberating through the silent hospital halls, raw with rage and frustration.
“Enough,” Haynes said, frowning, his handsome face as cold as a midwinter night. His deep blue eyes gleamed with a piercing chill.
Seeing Haynes’ expression, Jasper’s anger was gone like a fire doused with water, and he sobered instantly.
Every time Jasper saw Stella for the last five years, he couldn’t muster a kind word, resorting to sarcasm and sneers. Even when Haynes witnessed it, he either stood idly by or sided with Jasper, which encouraged Jasper’s arrogance.
Jasper’s bravado waned. “Haynie, this woman pushed Rachel off the stairs. We can’t let this go.”
Stella let out a soft, ironic laugh. “Mr. Jasper, you weren’t even there. How did you see me push Rachel?”
“We’re all adults here. We need to take responsibility for our words. Slander and defamation can land you in court.”
Jasper was momentarily stunned by Stella’s retort. Lately, Stella had become unexpectedly sharp-tongued, and each of her responses left him speechless. Right then, Keen, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up. “I saw it.”
Everyone turned to look at Keen.
He pointed at Stella, enunciating each word, “I saw her do it.”
Jasper’s face lit up with a smug grin. “See, Haynie? Even your son says it was her.”
Haynes’ cold, detached gaze fell on Stella. “Why would you do such a thing?”
Stella smiled. “Right, if you don’t know why, how should I?”
Jasper huffed, “Why else? You’re jealous of Rachel. You can’t stand seeing her happy.”
Stella looked at Jasper. “Jealous of her? Didn’t she claim she and Haynes were only friends, pure as driven snow?”
“If that’s the case, why would I be jealous?”
Jasper was at a loss for words. “Um, that’s because you mind Rachel and Haynie’s past…”
Stella’s smile remained. “Why should I mind? Because Haynes treated her too well? Or because he’s still hung up on his first love, or perhaps because they’re in some ambiguous relationship…” Before Stella could finish, Haynes cut her off sharply. “Stella, enough. Put away your jealousy. Are you sure you want to say such irresponsible things before Keen?”
She scoffed internally. ‘Is Haynes trying to use Keen against me again?’
In the past, Stella would’ve swallowed her pride and stayed silent, avoiding arguments before Keen for the child’s sake. But at the moment, looking at the father and son united against her, she realized how ridiculous her past concessions had been.
Stella spoke lightly, “You and Rachel flaunt your flirtations in broad daylight without fear of being seen, yet I’ve done nothing and should be afraid?”
Haynes noted Stella’s lack of restraint, his gaze growing colder. “Stella!”
“What? Do you feel justified?” she replied coldly. “I won’t even mention what you did for Rachel in the past. Just today…”
“Would you dare post the pictures and videos of the three of you at the family games event online for everyone to see?”
Stella’s lips curled. “I bet not only won’t you, but you’ll have every video and photo from today locked down, not letting a single one leak.”
Haynes’ expression darkened even further. But before he could say anything, the light above the operating room suddenly went out.