Chapter 415

“Yeah,” Stephanie nodded. After all, Allison had always been with Yanis, and he protected her. Gercely, barely had contact with anyone outside, and her hospital connections didn’t amount to much. They chatted a little longer before hanging up.

When Sebastian came down, he saw Stephanie making a phone call while holding her chest—she looked uncomfortable. Seeing him, Stephanie put down her phone. Ella hadn’t answered.

Sebastian asked, “What’s up? Not feeling well?”

Stephanie nodded. “Yeah, I probably caught a chill earlier. My stomach is feeling a bit uneasy.”

Sebastian lifted her from the couch and sat her on his lap. He touched her forehead with his warm hand. “Ny fest…”

“I really want some sweet syrup right now,” Stephanie said. She suddenly craved it for some reason.

Sebastian replied, “The kitchen’s already making it.”

Stephanie snuggled into his arms, feeling comforted. Sebastian gently pinched her cheek and asked, “Do you want Macro to come and check on you?”

“No need. Maybe sipping on something sweet later will be enough?” Stephanie refused. Just the mention of Macro gave her a headache. He was the last person she wanted to see right now, with that tough mouth of his.

As soon as Macro walked in, he saw Sebastian holding Stephanie in his arms. “Whoa, what a lovely couple. Is everything sorted out over in Fiorenza?”

Stephanie’s eyebrows twitched, and she instinctively tried to get out of Sebastian’s embrace. But just as she moved, Sebastian pressed her head against his chest and shot Macro a cold look.

Macro said, “Hey, I’m just worried about you guys.”

“Who’s asking for your concern?” Sebastian replied coldly.

“Alright, you really don’t need it,” Macro shot back helplessly.

Seeing Macro trying hard to keep quiet, Stephanie gave a faint smile.

*

During lunch, Stephanie wasn’t in high spirits. Even though the kitchen had made her pumpkin fritters, she only had a few bites and quickly lost her appetite.

“When did you start liking this stuff?” Macro asked. He tasted a hint of pumpkin and definitely didn’t like it. He then gave Stephanie a strange look. “Didn’t you used to be all about spicy food?”

“Can’t I just crave something all of a sudden?” Stephanie replied impatiently. “Why all the questions about a snack?”

“This kid is so ungrateful. What was I thinking about just now? Never mind!” Macro stood there, speechless. Something had just clicked, but Stephanie’s words had completely wiped his mind clean.

*

Chapter 415

Meanwhile, Richard, still on Keris Isle, looked at the report Cliff had given him and smiled to himself. “This is pretty interesting.”

Theodore, lying on a nearby bed, asked, “What’s so interesting?”

Richard’s smile looked somewhat sinister. Has he been provoked by Sebastian? He hasn’t gotten what he wanted and couldn’t win anyone over, Theodore thought. What worried him most now was Richard’s feelings for Stephanie.

Richard said, “Fred has another son.”

“What? Wasn’t Chris the only son of the Ashford family? How can there suddenly be another one? What’s happening here?” Theodore was totally confused.

Richard glanced at Theodore and teased, “They’re technically half-brothers.”

“Half-brothers? This is quite surprising.” Theodore was taken aback. “Haven’t heard that Fred was fooling around outside.”

In Long Harbor, Fred had the best reputation. He was wealthy, good-looking, and didn’t cause scandals. He had been the dream guy for many girls when he was younger, but he had always been loyal and dedicated, with a spotless reputation.

Richard chuckled and handed the document to Cliff. “Deliver this file along with the person to the Ashford family, and…” He paused, then flashed a meaningful smile. “Tell Mr. Ashford he doesn’t need to thank me.”

“You’re basically dropping a bomb on the Ashford family—and I mean the kind that blows everything sky-high.” Theodore gasped.

He thought, ‘Is he serious? Sending the other son to the Ashford family and he’s still saying they don’t need to thank him? If the child gets sent over, the entire Ashford family would probably want to send Richard straight to hell.’

Richard chuckled softly. “How can you call it a bomb. ‘Thankful, my foot!’” Theodore sighed. “I heard that Mr. and Mrs. Ashford have always had a great relationship.”

“I’m helping Mr. Ashford find his child; he should be thankful to me.”

So if the other son ended up with the Ashford family, their gratitude was by no means certain. Suddenly, Theodore sensed something was off and realized, “You want Stephanie to thank you, don’t you?”

He thought, ‘Gratitude from the Ashford family? No way, Stephanie, isn’t he?’

Richard’s grin widened. “She should be thankful to me.”

Richard’s doing this for… never had any involvement.

“This isn’t just about gratitude, is it?” Theodore’s eyes widened. “Does she really need to thank you? Just look at how Sebastian has been pressuring the Ashford family and the Hart family lately.”

That was true. The Hart family had completely collapsed. As for the Ashford family, Fred simply wanted to enjoy a peaceful retirement. But thanks to Sebastian’s actions, not only was he back in the game, he was practically running around in a frenzy.

Speaking of Sebastian, Richard glanced at Theodore. “Once you’re better, I’ll throw you into the sea to swim 3,000 feet.”

Theodore’s mouth twitched. “What do you mean by that?”

“Clear your head and your mouth,” Richard replied coldly.

‘What did he mean by that? Well. I shouldn’t have messed with a man who couldn’t win his love,’ Theodore sighed to himself.