Chapter 19

The next morning, Allison left for an overseas conference. When Ella called, Stephanie smirked. "Tell your cousin to say 'fat' for a lot longer," she said. "Alton's out of town for about a month."

Ella sounded surprised. "How do you know that? Did she call you?"

Stephanie replied, "Yeah, she called me at 1 AM last night."

Ella chuckled. "She called you at 1 AM to tell you her schedule? Is she crazy? I know doctors have weird hours, but 1 AM? That's a new level of bizarre for Allison."

Stephanie laughed. "Actually, she called about Olivia."

Ella was intrigued. "Olivia? What happened to her?"

Stephanie paused. "She was admitted to the hospital last night. Apparently, she has several diseases."

Ella's voice shifted, a mix of shock and confusion. "Several? How many? What kind?"

Stephanie relayed everything she knew, leaving Ella stunned. Just yesterday, she'd seen Olivia and Chris at a gynecology clinic, assuming Olivia was pregnant. It turned out she was seriously ill.

Stephanie recalled Allison's words: "Uterine cancer, heart disease, and I think liver cancer, too."

Ella gasped, her voice shaky. "What… how does she have so many diseases? And uterine cancer? How does that even happen?"

Like Stephanie, Ella seemed to associate uterine cancer with an indulgent lifestyle. When Ella heard about the uterine cancer, her tone shifted.

Stephanie added, "How would I know? Allison said she's an ethical doctor, so she wouldn't gossip. And we're not gossiping, right?"

Ella calmed herself. "Okay, no gossip. But seriously—there's no way Chris and Olivia have a future. What kind of family would want a daughter-in-law with so many problems? Especially Chris's family. They're super conservative."

The Ashford family had always looked down on Olivia, disapproving simply because she was a nanny's daughter. If they discovered her serious health problems, they'd never accept her as Chris's wife.

Ella's tone grew serious. "You need to watch out. With Olivia's health issues, the older Ashfords will do whatever it takes to stop Chris from getting back together with her. I wouldn't be surprised if they start pushing for you and Chris to marry instead."

Ella suspected the Ashfords would be desperate to secure Stephanie—especially as she was from the Hart family. To them, she was the perfect replacement for Olivia. Ella wasn't wrong. The Ashford family was already closely monitoring Olivia's condition. They knew about her hospitalization and were particularly concerned about the one thing they couldn't accept—uterine cancer.

Stephanie had a quick breakfast before heading to the studio. On her way, she received a call from Chris's mother. "Stefi, come for lunch today. I'll cook your favorites; Chris will pick you up."

Stephanie shook her head. "Thanks, but I have a lot going on this afternoon. I can't make it."

She wasn't lying—Skyriver had given her a massive project, requiring her hands-on involvement.

Grace Hart sighed heavily. "Is this about Olivia? Are you avoiding me?"

Stephanie wasn't sure how to respond. Grace was persistent.

Grace continued, "Or should I come find you?"

Stephanie hesitated, then relented out of respect. "Okay, I'll come by at noon." It seemed easier to deal with it in person. Plus, a face-to-face meeting might clarify the Hart family's hopes regarding her and Chris.

Right after hanging up, a strange number flashed on her screen. She answered, "Hello?"

"It's me." It was Chris's voice, low and tired.

Stephanie almost hung up. The sound of his voice angered her. She'd blocked Kevin's number yesterday and intended to block this unknown number as well.

Chris went straight to the point. "Mom wants me to pick you up. Did you agree to go?"

His voice sounded drained, and Stephanie guessed he'd spent the night at the hospital with Olivia. She simply replied, "Mhm."

Chris asked, "Where should I pick you up?"

Stephanie felt suffocated at the thought of being around him. "Don't bother. I'll get a ride."

Chris heard the coldness in her voice. His head throbbed with frustration. "I'll pick you up. Wait for me at Cloudridge Valley."

Stephanie hung up. Chris sat fuming; he had, as she guessed, spent the night with Olivia. Her refusal to even speak to him enraged him further.

Kevin, who was driving, glanced at him. "The more a woman cares, the angrier she gets."

Chris raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Kevin nodded, amused. "If she didn't care, she wouldn't be making a scene."

Chris sighed, his mood lightening slightly. He could overlook Stephanie's behavior, but her tantrums were starting to annoy him.