Chapter 35
Stephanie went downstairs to have her lunch.
The kitchen had prepared all of her favorite dishes. She had said she wasn’t hungry, but as soon as the familiar smells hit her, she couldn’t resist. The taste of home.
She hadn’t had food like this in the two years she’d been in Long Harbor, and now that it was in front of her, she couldn’t stop.
She devoured her meal while the servant watching her with astonishment, clearly shocked by the amount she was eating.
The landline rang. It was Sebastian calling, asking about Stephanie.
The butler picked up the phone, glancing at the dining hall.
“Miss Giovanni has woken up and is having her lunch,” he said. “Her appetite is great. She’s already had four plates of pasta.”
Stephanie froze. Four plates? She didn’t even realize she’d eaten that much. She’d never had that much in the past three years in Long Harbor.
She wasn’t sure what Sebastian had said on the other end of the line, but when the butler hung up, he quickly came into the dining room.
“Apologize for my interruption, miss,” he says. “Mr. Giovanni says you’ve eaten too much. You’ll upset your stomach later.”
Stephanie, who was about to take another piece of fish, reluctantly set her bowl down. Sebastian’s words always carried weight.
*****
Stephanie finished her meal and left Whispering Bay to meet Jennifer.
But unexpectedly, she ran into Kevin, who was in the middle of inquiring about the property’s owner.
The moment Kevin saw her, he froze in surprise. “Miss Giovanni?” he asked. “What are you doing here?”
Stephanie arched an eyebrow but didn’t answer. Instead, she countered, “What about you? What brings you here?”
In Kevin’s mind, she had no reason to be here. But as far as Stephanie was concerned, neither did he.
Kevin quickly masked his reaction. “Just handling some business,” he answered.
Stephanie’s lips curved slightly. “Business?”
She knew Whispering Bay had only one manor. What business could Kevin possibly have here? As far as she knew, neither Chris nor Sebastian had any dealings with this place.
She studied him for a beat before pressing, “What kind of business exactly?”
Kevin hesitated, looking as though he wanted to say something but couldn’t.
That was all the confirmation Stephanie needed. She smirked and added, “Let me guess. This is about Olivia, isn’t it?”
“Um…” Kevin murmured. His silence spoke volumes.
With a quiet scoff, Stephanie turned and walked away, leaving Kevin standing there, watching her disappear down the path.
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Mon, Mar
Chapter 85
The security guard, who had need the copertation and beggar per c
Кеуін
“You should leave the guard said. “The manager but taking views
Kevin’s brows drew together. Aud the manor
“It’s not available for rent answered the guard
The response was so firm, es abuk, that it gr Yeyin off a
ca
Still unwilling to give up, he tried again. “Are you sure? td you run down the text with forest
He knew how desperate the situation was Olivia’s health was deteriorating me, and Chun mould see sexes to sa her final days were as comfortable as possible,
But the guard gave him a look of mild disdain and continued
“Mr. Wright, while the Ashford family may be the wealthiest in Long Harbor, do you really folk the owner of this case is in need of rent money?”
Kevin had no rebuttal
Taking a different approach, he asked, “At least tell me who the owner is. Our studion is wriggle, ad we renty seek the place!
Kevin understood why Chris was so determined to secure this place.
It wasn’t that the Ashford family lacked suitable properties–far from it. But the real ince lay with the Alfords eden, who harbored a deep resentment toward Olivia,
If Chris moved Olivia into one of the Ashford family’s manors, the elders would undoknedly intervene.
And when that happened, peace would be out of the question
But as soon as hearing his question, the guard’s expression turned cold and replied, “You’re asking the wrong questions, Mr. Wright.”
Kevin exhaled sharply, knowing he’d hit a dead end.
Over the years, many had tried to uncover the identity of Whispering Bay’s mysterious owner, all to no avail.
…..
When he returned to report the news to Chris, the frustration in his voice was evident.
“They won’t rent it out. And no one knows who owns the place,” he told Chris.
Seeing Chris‘ face darkened, he hesitated before adding, “I also ran into Miss Giovanni there.
Chris‘ expression tensed immediately. Tyler chimed in to press on the topic, “You saw her? Where?”
Tyler remembered spending the morning pounding on Stephanie’s door at Cloudridge Valley. He didn’t expect now she was leisurely strolling around Whispering Bay.
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