Chapter 116: Stella Is At The Preschool

Stella’s visit to the Rainsworth family’s preschool hadn’t gone smoothly. “It was quite pitiful!” someone remarked.

“Indeed,” another chimed in, “breaking into high society, even for a celebrity, isn't easy. You even have to please your boyfriend's nephew…”

“Goodness,” a third voice added, “isn’t it nice to be an independent woman? Shouldn't celebrity money suffice? Why latch onto a wealthy family?”

“People are never truly satisfied…” a final voice concluded.

Vivian, piecing together the conversation, finally understood Stella’s presence. Pushing her way through the onlookers, she spotted Stella, looking like a drowned rat, being escorted by bodyguards into a minivan.

Vivian laughed. “Even Stella gets her comeuppance! She had it coming!”

The crowd dispersed once Stella left. Vivian, still searching for Jonathan, heard, “Aunt Vivian.”

“Dante? Why haven’t you left yet?” Vivian asked, surprised to find her bare-chested nephew grinning at her. “Didn’t the driver come for you?”

Dante shook his head. “I told him to pick me up ten minutes later.”

“Why?”

“You saw that woman, right? I’m responsible.”

Vivian was bewildered. “You drenched her?” A wave of apprehension washed over her. She’d just been released from…trouble, and now her nephew was causing more? Stella was, after all, Nathaniel’s first crush.

Dante smirked. “It wasn’t just me; there were others—”

Before he could name his accomplices, Jonathan appeared. “Dante, your car’s here.”

Dante, distracted by the waiting driver, waved goodbye to his aunt and left. “Aunt Vivian, I’m leaving now. Bye!”

Vivian sensed something amiss but dismissed it, leading Jonathan to the car. Cecilia, witnessing their departure, asked, “What happened?”

Jonathan’s wide eyes showed only confusion. “Ms. Kennedy, what are you talking about?”

Vivian crossed her arms. “Stella was at the preschool. I couldn’t see clearly, but she was drenched and disheveled.”

Cecilia felt uneasy. “Why would she be here?”

Jonathan quickly explained, “Ms. Kennedy, she came to pick up a student. We were cleaning; she was wearing heels, slipped, and accidentally knocked over a water bucket.”

Vivian breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s all?” She was thankful her nephew hadn't offended someone as influential as Stella.

Jonathan nodded. “What else could it be?” He’d planned meticulously to avoid giving Stella any leverage.

In reality, Stella had fallen; the spilled water was staged—their acting far surpassing hers.

Vivian chuckled. “All right then. Let’s pretend I never asked. But honestly, it was satisfying to watch.”

Meanwhile, in the minivan, Stella’s assistant cleaned her up. Before she finished, Stella’s phone rang. Elena’s furious voice filled the car. “Stella, what’s going on? You were supposed to pick up Felix! I secured this opportunity, and this is how you repay me? If you didn’t want to do it, why insist? You still don’t have a child; what’s the point of having you around?”