Chapter 10

When Olivia heard about Stephanie's card being suspended, a brief flash of satisfaction crossed her face. "Stephanie," she thought, "the Hart family isn't yours. There's only room for one daughter here, and that's me!"

She felt a smug sense of victory, but quickly masked it with faux concern. "How is Stefi going to manage without her card? She's been living off you for the last two years, and she doesn't even have a job."

Tyler shot her an annoyed look. "Olivia, stop. This is the perfect chance to teach her a lesson about anger management."

Olivia hesitated, glancing at Catlin. Catlin nodded in agreement. "Tyler's right. It's about time she learned to act like a proper young lady."

The thought of Stephanie's anger issues made Catlin's head ache. She couldn't believe Stephanie would just give up on Chris. In Catlin's mind, everything Stephanie had done two years ago was for Chris.

The car accident? Catlin believed Olivia wasn't to blame—she had just been a convenient excuse. Stephanie just wanted to get rid of Olivia to win Chris over.

Olivia's gaze shifted to Chris. Chris furrowed his brow but remained quiet. His silence was telling.

Catlin turned her focus back to Olivia. "How's your ankle? Is it serious?"

Olivia shook her head. "It's fine. Chris insisted on bringing me to the hospital."

Catlin frowned slightly. "You need to be careful. Your dad arranged for the best specialist to see you, so let's get you checked again."

"Thanks, Mom," Olivia said with a sweet smile.

Catlin smiled back, her heart softening. "Silly girl. It's the least Dad and Mom can do for you."

Her thoughts wandered, remembering the difficult years Olivia had endured. Catlin's heart ached for her daughter, and she felt protective.

As they sat together, discussing Olivia's injury and Stephanie's punishment, the consensus was clear: they would stop her $5,000 monthly allowance. Without that money, Stephanie would have no choice but to stop fixating on Olivia's past mistakes.

They all believed Stephanie's love for Chris was the key. They were sure this was just a tantrum—that she would eventually cave in. But this time, Catlin, Tyler, and Olivia were all on the same page. They were ready to teach Stephanie a lesson she'd never forget.

Stephanie had spent the entire afternoon in back-to-back meetings at the studio. It was a huge project—a record-breaking deal in the design world—and she had to be on top of her game. This was a golden opportunity with a major client, and nothing could go wrong.

By the time she wrapped up and finally left the studio, it was already six in the evening. As she stepped outside, a very familiar voice called her name. "Stefi?"

Ella stood nearby, looking almost stunned to see Stephanie there. It was rush hour, and the area was packed with people streaming out of the building. Stephanie turned around, and Ella walked up to her. "What are you doing here? Looking for a job?"