When Stella opened the box, she was greeted by the sight of a white dance dress. The fabric was luxurious, and the cut was elegant. At a glance, she knew it was worth a considerable amount. Without thinking, she exclaimed, “This is too expensive.”
Yvonne quickly interrupted, her tone sharp. “If you don’t take it, I’ll throw it away! Why should everyone else accept it but not you?”
Stella’s eyes flickered, but she remained silent, not wanting to argue. During the break, she couldn’t help but glance at the presents the others had received. While all of them were high quality, hers seemed to be the most extravagant of them all.
Yvonne had always shown an obvious preference for Stella—whether she was Stella or Ella. She had always taken care of her, and Stella couldn’t deny that she appreciated it. With a soft, almost melancholic look in her eyes, she carefully placed the dress Yvonne gave her into her luggage.
Just as she turned around, her eyes met another pair, this time filled with scrutiny. It wasn’t the first time she had run into Joyce at such moments. Joyce was glaring at her, her expression sour. “Why are you here?” she demanded.
Stella, not in the mood to engage, responded coldly, “I should be asking you that. Why do you always show up behind me?”
She tried to move past Joyce, but Joyce grabbed her arm, halting her. “Don’t try to change the subject. Why do you keep appearing in places like this? Have you discovered something?” There was a fleeting glint of malice in Joyce’s eyes.
Stella frowned, shaking off Joyce’s grip. “What have you done here that’s so shady, that you think I’ll find out?”
“You!” Joyce choked on her words, indignant. “Just mind your own business! Aren’t you just relying on your background and connections? Now that the training institute is closing, I’ll see where you can go to show off!”
“I don’t have anywhere to show off at,” Stella replied with a disinterested shrug. “Won’t you be unemployed too?”
“I’m different from you,” Joyce snapped. “I rely on my capabilities, so I can find work anywhere! But you? You depend on connections. Once the institute closes, you’ll have nowhere to go. Oh wait…” She smirked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “I’m sure you can survive using your connections. You’re probably good at flattering people. Are you going to follow Yvonne wherever she goes?”
Stella met her words with a calm response. “Yes. And if you had the ability to do so, you could follow her too. See if she cares about you.”
Joyce’s face darkened at her words. “How are you so cocky?” she growled.
“There’s nothing to be cocky about,” Stella shot back, her voice steady. “But you seem to hate me for no reason. I don’t have a problem with you, so why do you despise me? Or is it possible… you have feelings for me?”
“Don’t flatter yourself,” Joyce retorted angrily.
Stella’s expression hardened. She moved toward Joyce, her steps deliberate and firm. Without warning, she grabbed Joyce’s arm with one hand and pinned her to the locker.
Joyce, taken aback by Stella’s sudden strength, seemed slightly nervous. “What do you want?”
“What do I want?” Stella’s grip tightened as she clenched her fist. She was small, but she was skilled. She knew she wasn’t as physically strong as a man, but in front of someone like Joyce, it was enough to make her back down.
“I used to put up with a lot because we were colleagues,” Stella said, her voice low but unwavering. “But now that the training center is closing, I’m done tolerating things I don’t need to.”
She leaned in closer, her words cutting through the air like a warning. “I’ll tell you this now: I’m exactly the person you think I am—hypocritical. Keep provoking me, and you’ll regret it.”
“Are you threatening me?” Joyce’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You’re just a person who relies on connections! How dare you threaten me?”
Bam! Stella slammed her arm against the cabinet, the force of it rattling the locker. “Threat? The next time I hear you talk nonsense, I’ll rip your mouth off.”
With that, she shot Joyce a cold, final look before turning and walking away, leaving Joyce stunned in her wake.
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