Stella’s mind was consumed with the searing pain that surged through her every time she thought of her lost child. The wound in her heart was deep, and each memory of what could have been felt like a fresh cut.
Falling asleep had become a struggle, and when she did finally find rest, nightmares filled with the echoes of her grief haunted her. Every time she awoke, tears would follow, as though her body couldn’t escape the sorrow, even in sleep.
And what about Weston?
Her gaze was cold as she looked at him. “The thing I regret the most in my life is…”
Before she could finish, her words were stolen away by a kiss. Weston’s lips crashed down on hers, silencing her completely. She could only swallow the words, her thoughts lost between the heat of his kiss and the tension that surged between them.
Weston kissed her fiercely, his arms wrapping around her waist like steel bands. He pushed her down onto the couch, his weight pressing on her with increasing force. His emotions were overwhelming, drowning out every rational thought.
He wanted to kiss her…
He wanted to claim her…
He wanted to silence her, stop her from saying the things that hurt him. He wanted her to look at him the way she once had—with nothing but devotion and love for him, and only him.
“Mm… Weston… Weston Ford!” Stella gasped, her voice filled with panic. She struggled against him with all her strength, her eyes wide with fear. “Let me go! Let me go!”
She pounded her fists against his chest, but Weston didn’t relent. When his hand moved beneath her shirt, Stella reacted instinctively, slapping him hard across the face.
Smack!
The sound echoed in the room, cutting through the chaos around them. The entire private room fell into a stunned silence. No one dared to openly watch what was happening, but all eyes were secretly turned toward them.
Some murmured amongst themselves, shocked at what they were witnessing.
“To think someone as pure as Mr. Ford would cheat on Cohen, the famous celebrity, behind her back…”
“Men are all the same, there’s no such thing as abstinence or purity! It’s just a matter of taste. Once the right flavor is found, they all fall for it.”
“She doesn’t belong here. She looks like a lost, honest woman. Mr. Ford probably doesn’t like those savvy women because they’re too much for him…”
Laughter followed, everyone pretending not to see anything, following the unspoken rules of the industry. But no one had expected what would happen next.
Stella slapped Weston.
In an instant, the laughter and chatter died down, leaving a heavy, uncomfortable silence.
Stella stood frozen, her palm still numb from the force of the slap. She was trembling, her breath shallow, trying to steady herself. Weston remained still, his face partly obscured in the dim light. A faint red mark could be seen where her hand had made contact, but his expression remained unreadable. He didn’t react in anger—he was unnervingly calm, his gaze locked on her as though lost in his thoughts.
It was the first time anyone had dared to slap him, and he did nothing in response. Instead, he seemed contemplative, the storm of emotions behind his eyes hidden from view.
Stella’s chest tightened as the reality of what had just occurred hit her. Disgust and horror gripped her as she wiped his scent from her lips. Without another word, she stood and left, her heart pounding in her chest.
She stumbled through the door, not daring to look back. It was only after she had exited the private room that someone finally spoke up, breaking the heavy silence.
“Why did she run? Mr. Ford, should we chase after her?”
Weston’s bloodshot eyes glared coldly at them, his voice low and dangerous. “Scram.”
In the corridor, as Stella fled down the hall, a loud crash echoed from the private room she had just left—something had been overturned, its contents spilling onto the floor.
Skip to content