“Stella, don’t make it sound so harsh. This is indeed my fault. I acted inappropriately while drunk. Originally, I planned to send her back to her hometown, but she got pregnant suddenly. The doctor said her uterine lining is thin, and if she didn’t have this child, she might never get the chance to be a mother.
This situation is my fault, and I couldn’t take away her chance to be a mother, so I let her have the child.
After Gina was born, I provided them with living expenses every month but rarely had contact with them.
Stella, if it makes you unhappy, I’ll arrange for them to be sent far away so they won’t be in your sight…”
Stella listened, sneering silently. What a plausible story-too good not to be a script. Drunken mistake, unexpected pregnancy, thin uterine lining-how did all these coincidences happen to them?
Thomas’s age at the time would mean his health wasn’t that good, or he wouldn’t have gotten sick. This was treating her like a fool.
“Stella, since Thomas has admitted his mistake, let’s leave it at that. You’ve been married for so long; there’s no need to hurt your relationship over an outsider,” Mrs. Hannah said.
“Mom, that child isn’t an outsider; she’s Thomas’s biological daughter!” Stella said sarcastically. She couldn’t swallow the fact that her daughter got slapped for the sake of a bastard.
“She is just a little girl. Stella, even if you’re furious, you must consider Henry and Nora. Fighting with Thomas won’t benefit your children.”
Stella was angry but not stupid. She wasn’t about to divorce Thomas and give that woman a chance.
Given Thomas’s condition, he might last another year or two at most. There was no need to argue with a dying man. When he died, the woman outside would be nothing.
“Mom, you’re right,” Stella said softly, then helped Thomas back.
The scene ended like that, not meeting expectations, leaving Isabella somewhat disappointed.
With nothing more to see, Andrew took Isabella out of the estate.
On the way back, Isabella sat in the passenger seat, resting her cheek on her hand, filled with questions.
“Thomas has an illegitimate daughter outside who’s seven or eight years old, and Stella can still endure it.
I don’t think that woman named Elettra is simple. Her relationship with Thomas isn’t as straightforward as he says. Such high-level tactics, yet she left obediently without fighting-it’s not normal.
The show started so dramatically but ended so quietly, like a bad ending to a drama!”
Andrew smiled slightly.
“Elettra is indeed not simple. Her background is troubled-mother died early, stepmother was harsh. When she first came to Ithaca Town, she was penniless and worked in a nightclub. After half a year, she set her sights on Thomas.
With her beauty, Thomas quickly fell for her, placing her in the company’s secretarial department as his personal secretary. They were very close in the office and lived together for over two years before Elettra had their daughter. Thomas loved them very much.
Do you think Elettra doesn’t fight? She knows the Turner family would never allow a nightclub girl to enter the family, so she maximizes her benefits.
They live in a separate villa, have a car and driver, and a nanny. Thomas provides them with a substantial monthly allowance. Gina attends the best elementary school in Ithaca Town.”
Isabella nodded, “It’s obvious that Elettra and her daughter are favored. Nora just pushed Gina a little, and Thomas slapped her. They are both his daughters, but he’s so biased. If I were Stella, I’d definitely fight Thomas.”
“Their interests are aligned as a couple, so they must stand united, especially now. They can’t let me benefit from their discord. This is why couples with shared interests tend to last longer. They overlook other disputes because their primary concern is their common interest.”
“But what’s the point of such longevity?” Isabella asked.
“And what would be meaningful to you?” Andrew smiled and asked.
“People live only once. It’s best to be with someone you love. Lead a simple life, have a child, raise them together, grow old, and watch the sunset in the yard when we can’t walk anymore. When we die, let our child bury us together and plant tall cypress trees by our graves. When the wind blows, the rustling leaves will sound like I’m talking to you.”
Andrew listened and smiled gently. One hand on the steering wheel, he held her hand with the other and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll leave proper instructions for Asher.”
Isabella nodded, resting her chin on her hand, and said seriously, “Make sure he completes the task properly.”
“Oh.” Isabella returned to the topic, “We were talking about Thomas. When did you find out he was having an affair? He must have hidden it well for so many years, and Stella had no clue.”
“A few years ago, I placed a driver by his side, so naturally, I found out,” Andrew replied.
Originally, he hadn’t planned to use this card so early, but since Thomas dared to mess with his woman, it was only fair to mess with Thomas’s woman in return.
“It’s a pity it didn’t achieve the desired effect.” She sighed with slight disappointment.
“Don’t worry, the show isn’t over yet. Stella won’t let this go easily,” Andrew smiled mysteriously.
Sure enough, the next day brought news that Stella had gone to Elettra’s residence with bodyguards and caused a huge scene.
When Stella saw Elettra living in a standalone villa in a prime location, enjoying a luxurious life, and her child attending the most expensive private school, she became furious.
A mistress living a more glamorous and comfortable life than the legitimate wife was intolerable.
Stella ordered her men to smash up the villa and forcibly stripped Elettra, throwing her onto the street for passersby to witness the fate of a mistress.
No matter how cunning Elettra was, she had to bow down in the face of absolute power and violence. She turned pale and fainted on the street. Gina tried to protect her mother but was too small and weak. Stella caught her and slapped her hard several times, making her face swell up like a pig’s head, avenging Nora.
Stella felt satisfied after punishing Elettra and her daughter.