Stephan thought, "Why should I care if you're cold?"
Abbie's expression froze, her face paling as Stephan's distant, indifferent attitude struck her. It was cold and heartless. She had no choice but to play her trump card, cautiously saying, "Mr. Russell, you promised to compensate me..."
Her voice was soft; Felicia, some distance away, didn't hear. Felicia only saw a beautiful woman with tears in her eyes, looking utterly pitiable.
The night wind lifted the hem of Stephan's coat as he turned, regarding Abbie from a few steps away. His lips curved into a faint, almost mocking smile.
"Ms. Finch, I admire your ambition. But am I too merciful, allowing you the audacity to deceive me? And where do you find the nerve to claim you are my fiancรฉe?"
Abbie's face went ghostly pale. Had she been overheard by Felicia? That wasn't the main issue. The real problem was his earlier statement. Had he discovered the clothing theft and identity swap?
Stephan's tone was icy. "Smarten up," he said coldly.
He didn't look back to see their reaction, turning and striding away. Passing Felicia, he yanked her along by her jacket hood, pulling her toward the villa. Felicia was speechless.
Before she could react, a burning gaze on her back made her uncomfortable. She looked back to see Abbie's tear-streaked face, resentment blazing in her eyes. The hatred was palpable.
Felicia thought, "Why am I involved? What did I do to deserve this? Why am I dragged into someone else's mess?" It was absurd!
She glared at Stephan, muttering angrily, "You're causing all the drama, not me! I'm just caught in this nonsense... How is this my fault?"
Once her outburst subsided, the biting cold dissipated, replaced by warmth. Looking up, she realized Stephan had pulled her inside the villa. A fireplace blazed ahead, its flames dancing warmly. The spacious living room was peaceful and cozy.
As Felicia entered, two subordinates holding files froze momentarily. A nearby desk overflowed with papers and pens, indicating Stephan had been working before her arrival. The subordinates quickly bowed and left, hurrying out with the files.
Felicia snatched her hood from Stephan's hand, straightened her clothes, and said seriously, "I'm just here to drop off Cloud. Since you're willing to take him, I'm at ease."
She started to leave, but he grabbed her again. She turned sharply, irritated. "What are you doing? If you keep pulling on my clothes, they'll tear!" Stephan placed Cloud on the ground. Excited by the new environment, Cloud darted around, even crawling under the sofa, seemingly searching for treasure. Stephan stared at her face. "Are you angry?"