Chapter 16 You Went to Him?
Ximena’s arrival caused a drastic change in Zane’s expression, making it evident that he wasn’t the one who extended her an invitation.
All this while, Stella had been holding a cup and sipping tea, and her face turned pale at the sight of Ximena. Then, her gaze inadvertently swept past Miles, but he didn’t seem to take any notice of her. This entire day, her heart seemed to have been in her throat, problem after problem assailing her.
Alaric had long since heard about Zane’s affair with Ximena, and he thought that she was merely Zane’s mistress, but anyhow, he spurned her attendance.
Nevertheless, Ximena wasn’t bothered about all this. She’d prepared a crystal pipe for Alaric since he was a smoker.
Meanwhile, everyone at the table held their breaths as they anticipated a great show. Sure enough, Ximena declared, “I’m pregnant, Mr. and Mrs. Levitt. I’ve already told Zane, but he said he’s afraid that you’ll object. Nonetheless, I don’t think it’s good for the child to have no father when he or she is born, no?” As she spoke, she caressed her stomach.
“You’re not welcome in the Levitt Residence!” Lizbeth snarled at her, making their stance as parents-in-law clear in front of Stella. However, it was also true that Stella hadn’t given them any heirs.
Likewise, Zane was livid. “Scram!” he barked at Ximena, his voice hoarse.
All at once, humiliation swamped Ximena. I’m pregnant, so he should at least side with me!
When everyone else saw that things had gotten out of hand with the Levitt Family, they all dispersed.
Feeling rather embarrassed to be sitting there, Stella went out and saw the guests out. Zane, on the other hand, stared at her back intently. When Miles walked past her, he murmured, “What exactly are your intentions in giving the same thing to two different men, Mrs. Levitt?”
As Stella stood there, grievance and desolation suffused her when he taunted her after Ximena had infuriated her. Biting her lower lip hard, she lowered her head and retorted in a whisper, “My husband can afford it, so I selected his gift carefully, taking both his feelings and my father-in-law’s preferences in consideration. I picked it for him first. I was afraid that choosing a gift would cut into my working time, so I simply picked the tea set for you, President Grant. I made up those things I said that day. Why? Do you mind, President Grant? Also, I didn’t know that you are coming to my father-in-law’s birthday party.”
At this, Miles snorted and left. All of a sudden, utter distress flooded Stella as she felt her heart plunging to rock bottom, but she had to force a smile for the guests who were leaving one by one.
She thought that Zane would have a row with her because of the same gifts, but that wasn’t the case. Rather, he kept silent in the car. After what felt like an eternity, he asked, “How far have you gone with Miles Grant?”
Upon hearing that, Stella could feel her face turning pale. It was a long time before she replied, “I’m merely working under him. There’s nothing between us.”
Zane said nothing, nor did he blow a fuse, so this had Stella feeling all the more confused about him.
Later, Zane ran into trouble. He had an engineering company, and they recently accepted a project, but another engineering company was now suing his company. Therefore, he was facing the possibility of having to pay a hefty compensation.
Stella was apathetic about his affairs, but they were still living under the same roof, so she still had to keep up an act. Once when she heard him on the phone, she found out that the company suing him was a subsidiary of Miles’. While he’d received the court summons, he could still pull through this crisis if the plaintiff dropped the lawsuit.
Stella’s father had learned about this and asked her to go and beg the plaintiff for mercy. Of course, he knew that Miles was her superior, so he urged her to implore him not to sue Zane since he’d helped the Johansson Family greatly. Otherwise, he threatened not to acknowledge her as his daughter anymore, and that put her in a difficult position. “Do you know how much Zane would have to pay if he were to lose the lawsuit?” Korbin was also a businessman, so he understood these matters, unlike Stella who was entirely ignorant.
“No idea.”
“30 million. True, Zane has some money, but he’s no match for those billionaires. Do you want him to starve after paying 30 million?” Korbin asked harshly. “I know you’re acquainted with Miles Grant. Zane had told me the previous time that Miles Grant was the one who loaned me the money. Since he was willing to loan you money, the two of you must have quite a good relationship. The company is a subsidiary of his, but he might not be aware of the specifics. Go and talk to him about this.”
Stella gritted her teeth. Perhaps Dad is right. Besides, I feel sorry seeing him puffing away all day and keeping mum. Many times, she’d also thought, If I hadn’t slept with Miles Grant before our marriage, Zane Levitt and I would be a loving couple, and he wouldn’t fool around with other women. Although I had premarital relations with another man, I didn’t do it deliberately. However, there’s no turning back time.
In the end, she decided to seek Miles out. However, she didn’t do it at the office. Instead, she went to his house, which she’d been to. Ever since the gift incident transpired, she didn’t have any interaction with him.
“You’re begging me?” Sitting on the sofa, Miles smoked a cigarette as he scrutinized Stella who was standing before him as though she was a little girl who’d done something wrong.
“Yes, that’s right. A subsidiary company of yours wants to sue Zane. I hope that you can drop the lawsuit.” As Stella spoke, she tugged at the hem of her shirt like a little girl who’d done something wrong.
It was apparent that Miles wasn’t aware of this, for he said, “Let me make a call first.” He went to the balcony to make his phone call, pacing back and forth with a hand in his pocket. A long while later, he came back and lit another cigarette. “Sorry for making you wait. The companies I acquired have independent legal capabilities, so they have the right to file and respond to a lawsuit in their own names. For that reason, I wasn’t aware of this matter. Did Zane Levitt ask you to come and implore me?”
“No. He doesn’t know that I came to seek you out,” Stella firmly refuted despite her urge to crawl into a hole at his scrutinizing gaze that was shrewd and sharp.
“Why did you think of coming to implore me?” Miles asked, flicking the cigarette.
“Because I’m not acquainted with your subordinates. The only person I know is you.”
“How do you know that I’ll agree?”
“I don’t know. I’m just here to try my luck.”
“Mrs. Levitt, you should be more humble if you’re here to implore me. Since you’re asking me for a favor, you must have prepared something in exchange, yes?” Miles’ voice was detached and indifferent. It seemed as though he’d been holding a grudge against her ever since her father-in-law’s birthday back then, and Stella herself could sense his apathy toward her when he occasionally came to the office.
“What do you want?” Stella asked though she’d inwardly drawn her own conclusions. If he wants that, should I give it to him? she wondered. Although such a thing makes no difference whether it was once or a hundred times, that was still done before I got married. Now that I’m married, it’s different. No matter how careless I was before marriage, it’s now considered committing adultery!
“I want a vow from you,” Miles answered after a long time.
Huh? He’s not going to demand me as payment? “What kind of vow?”
“No more lying to me in the future.”
Miles’ demand puzzled Stella. Despite having had one night of passion between us, we don’t have much of a relationship other than that, and there’s no need to lie to someone who’s virtually a stranger. As this vow didn’t affect her in any way, she promptly agreed and nodded like a rattle.
“Sure enough, you have a loving relationship with your husband, huh?” Miles drawled.
However, Stella didn’t answer him.
“Go home. I’ll inform them about this.” It all sounded very simple, so Stella left.
At six in the evening, Zane received a call informing him that the other party had dropped the lawsuit. Dumbfounded, incredulity suffused him. Subsequently, he fixed his gaze on Stella. “You went to him?” he asked.
Stella nodded, for it was indeed her who went to seek Miles’ help.
Upon hearing that, Zane frowned heavily, and he boxed her into a corner. “Why did you go and seek him out? I’d rather pay 30 million in compensation than to implore him! What did you give him in return? Did you sleep with him?”
Stella hurriedly shook her head. “It was Dad. Dad asked me to save you. He’s the only person I know, so I went to him.”
“And he agreed so easily? What else can you give him when you’re a woman? What else do you have besides your body?” Zane roared. “How many men do you want to bed? You weren’t a virgin before we got married, yet you still want to cheat on me after we got married?”
