Chapter 9
. Chapter 9
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When Olivia heard about Stephanie’s card being suspended, a brief flash of satisfaction crossed her face.
‘Stephanie, she thought, the Hart family isn’t yours. There’s only room for one daughter here, and that’s me
She felt a smug sense of victory, but quickly masked it with faux concern. “How is Stefi going to manage without her card? She’s been living off you for the last two years, and she doesn’t even have a job.
Tyler shot her an annoyed look. “Olivia, stop defending her. This is the perfect chance to teach her a lesson about anger management.”
Olivia hesitated, glancing at Catlin.
Catlin nodded in agreement. “Tyler’s right. It’s about time she learned to act like a proper young lady.”
The thought of Stephanie’s anger issue made Catlin’s head ache.
She couldn’t believe Stephanie would just give up on Chris. In Catlin’s mind, everything Stephanie did two years ago, she did it for Chris.
The car accident? Catlin believed that Olivia wasn’t the one to be blame–she had just been a convenient excuse. Stephanie just wanted to get rid of Olivia so that she could win Chris over.
Olivia’s gaze shifted to Chris.
Chris furrowed his brow but stayed quiet. His silence was telling, showing he agreed with Catlin and Tyler’s ideas
Catlin turned her focus back to Olivia. “How’s your ankle? Is it serious?”
Olivia shook her head. “It’s fine. It’s just that Chris insisted on bringing me to the hospital.”
Catlin frowned slightly. “You need to be careful. Your dad arranged for the best specialist to see you, so let’s get you checked again.”
“Thanks, Mom,” Olivia said with a sweet smile.
Catlin smiled back, her heart softening at the sight. “Silly girl. It’s the least Dad and Mom can do for you.”
Her thoughts wandered for a moment, remembering the difficult years Olivia had been through.
Catlin’s heart ached for her daughter, and she couldn’t help but feel protective.
As they sat together, discussing Olivia’s injury and Stephanie’s punishment, the consensus was clear.
They would stop her allowance of 5000 dollars a month. Without that money, Stephanie would have no choice but to stop fixating on Olivia’s past mistakes.
They all believed that Stephanie’s love for Chris was the key. They were sure this was just a tantrum–and that she would eventually cave in.
But this time, Catlin, Tyler, and Olivia were all on the same page. They were ready to teach Stephanie a lesson she’d never forget.
Stephanie had spent the entire afternoon in back–to–back meetings at the studio.
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Chapter 9
It was a huge project–a record–breaking deal in the design world–and she had to be on top of her game.
This was a golden opportunity with a major client, and nothing could go wrong.
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By the time she wrapped up and finally left the studio, it was already six in the evening.
As she stepped outside, a very familiar voice called her name. “Stefi?”
Ella stood nearby, looking almost stunned to see Stephanie there.
It was rush hour, and the area was packed with people streaming out of the building.
Stephanie turned around, and Ella walked up to her. “What are you doing here? Looking for a job?”
The building was full of small businesses, with three office towers, so it wasn’t unusual to see people job hunting in the area.
Before Stephanie could say anything, Ella jumped in again. “I offered you money, and you turned it down. Now you’re out here looking for a job?”
Stephanie let out a short laugh. “Let’s grab something to eat first, and we can talk while we’re at it.”
Since Ella didn’t know about Stephanie’s studio, explaining it all in a couple of sentences would be impossible.
They decided to go to a nearby Mexican spot.
Once they sat down, Stephanie figured it was time to fill Ella in about the studio. She spent the next half hour giving her all the details.
Ella’s eyes widened when she heard about the studio. “You’ve been keeping this a secret? I had no idea.”
If Ella didn’t know, it was a pretty safe bet that neither the Hart family nor Chris did either.
Stephanie shrugged. “It’s not like I wanted to keep it a secret. I just never found the right moment to tell you.”
Ella thought about it for a moment, then nodded in understanding.
It made sense. When they’d first met abroad, their conversations had mostly been about shopping and relationships.
Even when Ella mentioned her job, it had been quick and offhand.
“Running for a year now?” Ella asked, raising an eyebrow.
Stephanie nodded. “Yeah, a year.”
Ella processed the information, then asked, “Is it making money?”
This was the most important question for Stephanie. As long as she was making money, she could afford to say “no” to anyone–whether it was the Giovanni family or Chris.
Stephanie smiled a little. “Not much. Just a few million.”
Ella nearly choked on her drink.
A few million? And Stephanie was calling it “not much“.
Ella leaned in, more intrigued than ever. “A travel design studio makes that much? In its first year?”
Most small studios would be lucky to break even in their first year, but hers was already turning a profit.
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Stephanie shrugged casually. “If you’re doing it right, it’ll make money. Just promise me you’ll keep this between us.”
“Got it,” Ella nodded, understanding completely.
Olivia–that scheming bitch–would definitely try to take anything Stephanie had. And Ella remembered that Olivia had a background in tourism business.
As for Chris–well, with his shady morals, it wouldn’t surprise Ella if he was trying to sabotage things behind the scenes.
Ella shook her head. “You really shouldn’t care about them. They’re just trying to force you into submission with money.”
They’d already cut off her credit cards, so their intentions were pretty clear.
In the end, they were hoping Stephanie would forgive Olivia for planning that car accident.
Ella even admired how much the Harts were doing for Olivia, that adopted daughter of theirs.
“Does Allison know about the studio?” Ella asked suddenly, thinking of another friend.
Stephanie shook her head. “No, she doesn’t. I haven’t seen her in forever. Every time I try calling, she says she’s at working. saving lives.”
Allison Pierce was another close friend of theirs, a brilliant gynecologist. She was well–known in her field and, naturally, the busiest of the three.
Ella nodded in understanding. “Yeah, she’s probably swamped. I haven’t seen her in over a month either.”
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