Chapter 29
The man stood tall and lean, his features chiseled like a statue, and his mesmerizing blue eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint. His aura was one of devil-may-care charm.
“Marvin, you’re being naughty again,” the man said, his voice a deep, rich melody that was oddly soothing.
But the little boy, Marvin Connolly, shivered slightly and nestled closer into Stella’s embrace. Seeing that, Stella protectively placed the boy behind her and asked, “Excuse me, sir, but who are you to this little boy?”
The man seemed to notice Stella then, his strong eyebrows arching slightly in surprise. He answered, “And who am I to him? Well, I’m his father, of course.”
Stella eyed him skeptically. “Are you sure?”
The man’s lips curled into a lazy, almost teasing smile. “Shall we call the police and have them confirm?”
“Fine,” Stella replied, pulling out her phone, ready to dial.
The little boy gently tugged at her sleeve. “There’s no need to call the police. He… he is my dad.”
Stella glanced from the boy to the striking man before her, sensing an unusual tension between them. However, since the boy had admitted it, she couldn’t argue. She softly told the boy, “Well, if your dad’s here, you should go home with him.”
The boy suddenly protested, “I don’t want to go with him!”
Stella’s mind raced, piecing together the fragments of the boy’s distress. A family quarrel, perhaps? Something sharp enough to send him fleeing into the night. She opened her mouth, ready to coax him toward reconciliation, but the man’s voice cut through her thoughts like a blade.
“Well,” he drawled, his tone dripping with nonchalance, “if home’s not where you want to be, then don’t go back. Simple as that.”
Both Stella and Abby, standing nearby, were stunned and looked at the man.
“I’m Neville Connolly,” the man introduced himself, “Marvin’s father.”
Stella regarded him, unsure of his intentions.
Neville continued, “It’s rare for Marvin to take a liking to someone. So, I’d like to ask you, miss, to look after him occasionally during his breaks. I’ll pay you a hundred thousand dollars monthly and cover all Marvin’s expenses. What do you say?”
Abby couldn’t help but give Neville a second glance. Taking care of Marvin during his breaks for that much money, with expenses covered, was like hitting the jackpot. After all, earning ten thousand a month was already a great deal for someone like her. But judging by Marvin’s attire and demeanor, he must be one of those outrageously wealthy capitalists.
Stella instinctively refused, “I’m sorry. I can’t…”
Neville interrupted her, “Two hundred thousand.”
“Mr. Connolly, it’s not about the money…”
“Five hundred thousand.”
Stella started to feel exasperated. “Mr. Connolly, it’s not about the money…”
“One million.”
Stella fell silent. Alright, she admitted it. Money does indeed talk.
Though she was married to Haynes and had seen her share of the world, her monthly expenses were relatively modest. She wasn’t one for designer bags or jewelry, preferring to stay home and care for Keen, which didn’t require much spending. She never considered using Haynes’ card for personal gain. Over the years, she hadn’t spent even close to one hundred thousand dollars on herself.
At that moment, Haynes had frozen her card, and her plans to start a studio with Antoney required a significant investment. She couldn’t rely solely on Antoney to fund it while she contributed nothing but her presence.