Chapter 15

Chad now understood why Catlin always seemed so uptight. As Catlin had said, Stephanie was truly difficult to deal with. I felt like whatever anyone said to her left her completely unaffected.

Since the gentle approach hadn't worked, Chad decided on a more forceful tactic. He said coldly, “Fine, I’ll freeze your credit card. Think it over, and let me know when you’ve come to your senses.” Then, he stormed out.

The room fell silent. Stephanie slammed the door behind him, then turned back toward the living room, her phone buzzing in her hand. The screen showed Kevin’s name. She had already blocked several people that day—Chris, Catlin, even Chad. Now, they could only reach her through someone else’s phone. As before, she didn't answer. She knew it was Chris calling from Kevin’s phone. The call rang through but disconnected after a few seconds. When Chris tried again, the line was busy. He knew she'd blocked Kevin's number, too. His face flushed red with frustration. “When did she start blocking people like it’s a game?”

Kevin smirked, his lips twitching. He knew exactly what was happening but remained silent. After a moment, he replied, “Miss Giovanni probably isn’t just ignoring your calls.” He knew it wasn't just Chris upset about being blocked; the entire Hart family was frustrated.

Chris rubbed his temples, trying to devise a solution, but his head pounded. Finally, he threw up his hands. “Let’s just go to Cloudridge Valley. This whole drama has gone on long enough.”

Kevin nodded. “Got it.”

An hour later…

By the time they reached Cloudridge Valley, it was past midnight, and Stephanie was asleep. Chris rang the doorbell repeatedly, but she didn't answer. Being ignored at midnight only worsened his mood.

He snapped, “Call a locksmith.” He wouldn't tolerate this any longer. He needed answers from Stephanie, and he would get them tonight. Kevin saw Chris was losing control but obeyed. Just as Kevin was about to call, the door swung open.

Stephanie stood there in her pajamas, half-asleep and clearly angry. She held a baseball bat, her grip tight. It was obvious she'd been roused abruptly and was ready to swing. Kevin quickly stepped back, his lips twitching, unsure whether to laugh or flee.

When she saw Chris, her anger intensified. She raised the bat, intending to strike him. Chris reacted swiftly, grabbing the bat mid-air. “You crazy woman…” he gritted his teeth. Just that morning, Stephanie had hit him and Olivia, and now this. Chris wondered if her fury stemmed from his suggestion to postpone the wedding. Seizing the opportunity, Chris pushed his way into Stephanie's house.