Joyce’s expression stiffened the moment she saw Stella. Her face was flushed, and her eyes darted anxiously around the room—as though trying to pretend she hadn’t just been caught doing something she shouldn’t.
Stella raised an eyebrow, clearly puzzled. “You don’t have any classes scheduled today, do you?”
She glanced at the class timetable posted on the wall. She was sure Joyce wasn’t assigned to teach today.
Among the staff, Joyce wasn’t known for her professionalism. Though she taught traditional folk dance, she often cut corners in her classes—dismissing students early or dragging lessons with little structure. As a result, her sessions were rarely prioritized, and she was usually tasked with more planning duties behind the scenes.
Joyce’s expression darkened defensively. “Can’t I come by even if I don’t have class? With so many talented colleagues here, is it wrong to learn from you guys?”
Stella knew better than to argue. Joyce wasn’t the type to listen to reason. Without responding, she simply turned away and resumed her warm-up routine.
Seeing how Stella brushed her off, Joyce’s earlier nervousness disappeared, replaced with a mocking sneer. With a huff, she turned on her heel and left the room, the door slamming shut behind her.
Stella sighed quietly, shaking her head as silence returned to the room.
As work hours officially began, the other teachers gradually filtered in and took their positions.
Yvonne arrived a little later than usual. She hadn’t even had time to do her makeup. A silk scarf was wrapped loosely around her neck, as though concealing something, and her entire demeanor looked tired and worn out.
Spotting Stella, she stifled a yawn and called out, “Morning!”
Stella looked at her watch and smiled. “It’s almost midday.”
Yvonne groaned dramatically. “Men these days just won’t give women a break…”
Alarmed, Stella’s tone turned serious. “What happened?”
Yvonne immediately looped her arm around Stella’s shoulders and leaned in to whisper in her ear, “He kept me up late into the night, and I only got to sleep when he finally showed mercy. I almost didn’t make it this morning! If not for my housekeeper, I’d still be under the covers.”
Stella’s cheeks turned pink with embarrassment. So that explained why Yvonne looked so disheveled when she came in.
Yvonne noticed her reaction and chuckled mischievously. “Why are you getting all shy? Don’t tell me you’ve never…”
Stella quickly shook her head, refusing to answer.
Yvonne’s eyes widened in surprise. Without thinking, she blurted out, “Wait, you and Weston didn’t…?”
She had always assumed they’d been intimate—after all, why else would Weston go to such lengths to keep Stella by his side? Just for her looks? That made no sense. They were adults. It wasn’t hard to put two and two together.
But the moment she saw Stella’s expression turn cold, she knew she’d overstepped.
Whatever the truth was, it was clear now: Stella hadn’t willingly chosen this situation.
A beautiful woman like her was bound to attract sweet-talking men, but Yvonne had always believed Stella had the strength to resist those advances. Still, she also understood—if someone had threatened Stella using her family, she wouldn’t have had a choice.
Feeling regretful, Yvonne softened her tone. “Ella, I didn’t mean anything by it. Please don’t take it personally.”
Stella gave a vague smile, her voice quiet. “It’s just a matter of time.”
Those five words were enough to silence Yvonne. Understanding dawned in her eyes, and the air between them grew heavy with unspoken emotion.
After a long pause, Stella changed the subject lightly. “You and Dr. Quirk seem really happy together. How long have you been married?”
At the mention of Lucas, Yvonne’s face lit up, her earlier complaints melting away into a warm smile.
“It’s been years now. We’re practically an old married couple. I chased him for the longest time—it took everything I had to finally win him over.”
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