Chapter 5

"Stella, what are you doing here? How long have you been here?"

He quickly let go of Chloe, striding over to anxiously grab my hand, his heart pounding.

My lips trembled slightly. I tried hard to control my tears, not letting them fall.

"I accidentally bumped my head and wanted to clean up in the restroom, but this place is so big, it took me forever to find it."

My voice was choked, my fingers weakly clutching the hem of my clothes.

If anyone had been observant, they would have noticed my distress.

But Julian merely sighed in relief and didn't press further.

He gave Chloe a meaningful look, signaling her to leave, then led me to the sink.

"I only walked away for a moment; how did you manage to hurt yourself like this?"

Julian gently cleaned my wound, then found a band-aid from the shelf and carefully applied it, his eyes full of concern.

"It looks like I'll have to stick to Stella like glue from now on. How else can I feel at ease?"

He gently kissed my lips. "Come on, we're not eating this meal. I'm taking you home."

My eyes were clouded. I desperately wanted to ask Julian if it wasn't exhausting to act so convincingly.

But the words died in my throat.

Since I was leaving soon, I decided to just muddle through these last three days.

Back at the apartment, Julian suddenly gently cupped my face.

"Stella, your birthday is in three days. I want to register our marriage on that special day with you."

I paused, surprised. So, the day I was leaving was my birthday.

Julian saw my silence and anxiously added,

"Stella, are you worried something might go wrong again, like before? Don't worry, it's your birthday this time; I promise there won't be any accidents!"

I pressed my lips together, my heart heavy with bitterness.

Registering on my birthday—so this was Julian's plan for his 100th escape.

I forced a smile, my heart filled with sorrow. "Okay."

"Then it's settled. You should get ready."

Julian smiled, then carried me to the bedroom to rest.

I didn't resist.

The next day, I organized my luggage and realized I had left the farewell gift from Director Miller, the orphanage director, at the Kingston family's house.

If Director Miller hadn't taken me in when I was lost as a child, I probably wouldn't be alive today.

I was leaving Capital City soon, and that gift was my last keepsake.

I hailed a cab and went to the Kingston mansion. As I arrived at the entrance, I ran into Chloe.

Chloe looked displeased as soon as she saw me.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for your wedding registration tomorrow? What are you doing here?"

I sidestepped past her into the mansion, not wanting to argue. "I'm just picking up something of mine; I'll be quick."

"I didn't agree to let you in!" Chloe angrily chased after me, her peripheral vision accidentally catching something on the third floor.

Hearing the faint laughter from upstairs, a plan instantly formed in my mind.

"Ah!" Chloe faked twisting her ankle and lunged towards me.

We both tumbled down the stairs, and I landed beneath Chloe, becoming her human cushion.

Dominic and Julian, hearing the screams from the third floor, immediately dropped what they were doing and rushed down.

"What happened!"

Chloe cried, "Stella was upset with me, she wanted to pay me to leave, and when I refused, she pushed me down the stairs."

Dominic's veins instantly bulged. He kicked me hard in the chest, sending me flying three meters away.

Then, he clenched his fist and roared, "Chloe just wanted to come home and stay here; how did she ever offend you?"

"I didn't push her…"

I lay on the cold floor, feeling as if all my bones were shattered.

Beside me, Julian frantically helped Chloe up, carefully checking her for injuries.

Seeing no severe external wounds, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Didn't I say I'd marry you on your birthday? Why would you still bully Chloe? She's no threat to you at all."

Julian walked up to me, his eyes full of anger and disappointment.

"She pushed me. I didn't touch her." I clutched my chest, in so much pain that my face was pale and covered in cold sweat.

"You've learned to lie now too!" Julian raised his hand and slapped me.

At that moment, I felt like I had been struck by lightning.

This was the first time in seven years that Julian had ever laid a hand on me.

I looked up at him in disbelief, tears streaming from my eyes.

Julian's heart tightened, the hand that had just struck me now trembling slightly.

"What are you crying for? Go reflect on your terrible actions! Otherwise, I won't register our marriage with you."