Chapter 126

Stephanie thought, “Did my words fall on deaf ears? Or is he like Chris, completely oblivious?” She even began to doubt herself, wondering if she was speaking a foreign language. Chris hadn’t understood, and neither had Sebastian. What a headache.

His long, strong fingers gripped her chin. “Are you dating someone?!”

“Wait, what?” Dating? That was a leap! “I just cleared things up with Chris; how could I be dating anyone?” Even if she wanted to, it wouldn't happen that quickly. She caught herself glancing at Sebastian, swallowing the words on the tip of her tongue. Instead, she added, “But it’s bound to happen eventually.” The statement left her feeling uneasy.

Sebastian’s eyes darkened. He released her, and Stephanie quickly scooted away, relieved to be free. Sebastian said nothing more, but stared out the window, lost in thought. His silence radiated an intimidating aura, making Stephanie hesitant to speak.

Eventually, he took her to a restaurant. The food was light but palatable. Throughout the meal, his tension remained. Stephanie stole glances at him. “What’s got you so upset?” she finally asked directly.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. “Just eat your food!”

Stephanie was speechless. What had she done to deserve this? She racked her brain, convinced she hadn’t misspoken. Why was he suddenly angry?

Meanwhile, in the car, Chris had changed clothes. His assistant, Kevin, cautiously asked, “Sir, should we go to the hospital to check your leg?” After leaving the hospital, Chris was walking with a slight limp, and Kevin was worried. As soon as he spoke, the car's atmosphere turned cold.

Kevin continued, “Also, Mrs. Hart mentioned Olivia has started chemotherapy. She’s in a lot of pain and is willing to see you.” Chris’s mind was consumed with thoughts of Stephanie and that man, especially the gun he’d seen. Suddenly, a voice urged him not to delay things with Stephanie any longer. But did Stephanie truly feel nothing for him after all this time? His chest tightened with anxiety.

“Sir, sir.” Kevin, noticing Chris’s silence, called out to him. Chris snapped back to reality. “Let’s go to the hospital.”

“Understood.”

At the hospital, Olivia had undergone special treatment and was feeling a bit better, her complexion improved. But being sick was still a far cry from being healthy.

“Just rest; I’ll make a call,” Catlin said, her mind racing with thoughts about Ella and Jennifer. She felt utterly helpless regarding Stephanie. Thinking of her daughter made Catlin’s heart sink.

“Okay, Mom, I’ll be fine,” Olivia replied, trying to be brave. Seeing her daughter so understanding only made Catlin feel worse. She stepped outside to make the call, leaving Olivia alone.

As soon as she was alone, Olivia’s phone rang. It was that number. She wanted to block it but felt too scared. Finally, she answered, “Hello?”

“Did you really send me only thirty thousand dollars?” The man’s deep voice was laced with anger.