Chapter 26

Sean stayed rooted to the spot, his bewildered eyes fixed on Stella.

Her gaze cut into him like ice. "Why don't you go on?Ask me again why I slapped you."

Sean's chin dipped, shoulders stiff. "You're my mother.If you want to hit me or scold me, I've got no right to complain. I'll take it."

From the doorway, Eliana's brow arched ever so slightly.

In her mind, she conceded that perhaps Sean wasn't completely hopeless-at least he still showed respect to his mother.

Stella's voice lost a shade of its heat. "I hit you because Lia is your sister, yet you speak of her like she's a stranger-or worse, an enemy."

Sean's jaw tightened. "You're right. I shouldn't have been so harsh. But what I said wasn't a lie."

Stella's eyes narrowed, her tone turning deliberate "Did you see it happen with your own eyes? Were you standing there when she pretended to be some doctor and treated Miguel, only for him to cough up blood?"

Sean's lips parted, but no words came right away. He remembered slipping out when he was supposed to be reflecting on his behavior. And he hadn't actually seen any of it for himself.

With an awkward cough, he finally muttered, "l..didn't witness it, but Leyla told me directly."

The shift in Stella's face was immediate. "Leyla is the one who filled your head with this?"

"Yes. You know how close she is to Hector. She was walking out of the Clarkes' residence when she told me, so I figured she wouldn't lie about it," Sean insisted.

Her expression stayed icy. "Which means you've been repeating accusations you never saw with your own eyes."

That jab left Sean standing there, tongue-tied.

Closing her eyes, Stella drew in a long, steady breath.

When she spoke again, her voice carried the weight of a lesson. "Then I was right to slap some sense into you. Words about things you haven't seen may not be the truth. And even when you do see something, it doesn't mean you understand it. I've told you countless times to think before you open your mouth.All those hours you've spent throwing punches..maybe it's time you learned to sit still and read a book.As of today, you're done with the Fist Guild."

Sean's voice rose in alarm."Mom..."

Before Stella could respond, Eliana walked into the living room."Mom."

The moment Stella's eyes landed on her,the hard edge in her face melted away. She nearly stepped forward on impulse, ready to ask if anyone had dared mistreat her.

But Eliana gave a small shake of her head. "No. I've already taken care of it. They won't be coming back to stake a claim on our home."

That caught Stella off guard. "You managed that...on your own?”

"Yes." Eliana's tone was matter-of-fact as she added,"They happen to answer to a friend of mine. Once my friend stepped in, the problem vanished."

Sean leaned in from the side, suspicion sharp in his voice. "A friend? You've barely set foot in Qidence.Who exactly are these friends-and don't tell me they're the shady kind." Stella's sharp glare cut Sean off mid-breath, the unspoken warning enough to shut him up.

Shifting her focus, she addressed Eliana, saying,"Did you ask your friend whether this estate really went into foreclosure?"

"He isn't completely certain yet," Eliana answered evenly. "But he promised to dig into it and give me a clear answer by tomorrow."

Sean's expression said it all-he didn't believe a word.In his mind, there was nothing to investigate. This was clearly Eliana smoothing things over with the Clarkes after provoking them earlier.

Stella gave a slow nod. "The moment you hear back,I want to know. And if your friend truly went out ofhis way to help us, we'll thank him properly-with dinner."

"I get it," Eliana replied without hesitation.

Before anyone could say more, the video doorbell chimed. A man's voice, slightly winded and middle-aged, came through the speaker. "Hello? Anyone home?" I'm sent by Mr. Jeffry Clarke to deliver a few things.

The moment the words came through the speaker,Sean practically jumped. "Mom! See? The man works for the Clarke family! Didn't I tell you Leyla wouldn't lie? Eliana's the one who stirred them up!"

Stella's gaze shifted to Carl, a subtle signal for him to answer the door.

But Sean slid in front of him, arms spread like a barricade. "Don't! First they came for the estate-now who knows what else they're after?"

"Move aside, Sean." Stella's voice was firm enough to cut glass.

Grudgingly, he stepped back, though his glare never left Eliana. Every glance he threw her way dripped with accusation.

Eliana didn't bother acknowledging him. Her voice was calm, almost too calm, as she said to Stella, "Mom,you have to believe me. I never tricked or hurt anyone.I went to the Clarkes' estate because someone needed treatment-nothing more."

Sean jumped on the words like a wolf on prey."Ha!Hear that? She admits it-she really did go there!"

Stella winced, her patience thinning under the weight of his raised voice. She pressed her hands over her ears,trying to dull the sting of Sean's voice.

"We'll hear the truth when the representative steps inside. Until then, hold your tongue," she said, her voice firm enough to clip the air. Sean bit down on his reply, lips pressed into a tight line.

Carl used the pause to slip toward the door, while Stella's fingers closed warmly around Eliana's.

Whether Eliana spoke the truth or not, Stella had already made her choice-she would shield her daughter, even if it meant defending her through a mistake.

In response, Eliana's eyes softened, a quiet reassurance passing between them without a word spoken.

Her confidence was unshaken. The visitor wasn't here to stir up trouble.

Across the room, Sean's gaze flicked to their joined hands, a knot tightening in his chest.

Part of him longed for Stella to finally see what he and Leyla had been warning about.

Yet,beneath the bitterness, there lingered a reluctant wish-that the Clarkes had come for reasons that wouldn't harm his sister.

Blood was blood, and some instincts ran deeper than pride. The seconds dragged,heavy and slow,until the sound of footsteps broke the silence.

From their weight and rhythm, it was clear more than one visitor had crossed the threshold.

The rhythm of footsteps told a clear story-several people were approaching, not just one.

Even Stella felt a flicker of unease now. She could face trouble without flinching, but the thought of failing to shield Eliana gnawed at her.

"Mrs. Murray..." A voice cut through the air, drawing every pair of eyes in the room.

Carl reappeared from the doorway, leading in the man they'd seen on the video doorbell. He was middle-aged,polished, and trailed by four suited bodyguards,each balancing ornate gift boxes in their arms.

Stella's brows lifted in surprise as her gaze met the newcomer's. "Hello... and these are?"

The man gave a respectful bow, his tone smooth and practiced. "I'm Mr. Jeffry Clarke's personal assistant.He sent me to deliver these gifts as a token of gratitude."

In that instant, the pieces clicked for Stella. She had already seen proof of Eliana's skill with her own eyes -this only confirmed it.

She was about to respond when Sean's voice cut in like a jagged edge, saying, "Gifts? What gifts? Last I heard,Miguel was coughing up blood after she treated him. So why are you here smiling and handing out boxes? Don't try to butter us up before you bite."