Love After Divorce by BELLA

Chapter 8:.

Emily had returned to the kitchen to prepare dinner while Stella remained on the couch, thinking about what

Emily had said.

“Ding, ding...”

Suddenly, the ringing of the phone brings her out of her thoughts. Without checking the caller ID, she answered.

“Stella...”

A familiar but distant voice rang on the other end of the phone. It was her father, David Richard.

Stella tightened her grip on the phone.

She didn’t know how to feel; it had been nine years since she had last heard that voice. During her three years of

marriage to RK, her father had never called or visited her.

Even after she had moved to France for six years, he had never reached out to inquire about her well-being. Had

it not been for this unexpected call, she would almost have thought he had forgotten he had a daughter like her.

He had almost forgotten that he had another family besides his son. Yet today, out of the blue, he called her.

“I hear you're back. Cout and let's have dinner.” Stella's emotions were a tangled mess. “Dad, I'm busy

today. Let's meet another day.”

“I just saw you go upstairs. I'll wait for you downstairs.”

Stella didn’t know what to do.

In the Restaurant...

Stella accompanied David Richard to the restaurant. As to how he knew she was back and where she lived, no

one knew.

Once there, David ordered a variety of food. But as they waited, the atmosphere around them was very quiet.

Although they were father and daughter, they felt more like strangers.

After a while, David broke the silence. “Stella, | heard from your sister that she saw you at the company. | hadn't

thought you'd cback from France.”

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“Haven't you thought...?” Stella looked at the person in front of her cynically. How much did he not want her

back?

Suddenly, as she looked at her father, whom she hadn’t seen for nine years, a smirk appeared on her lips. She

lowered her head, momentarily feeling the tension.

“When | was waiting downstairs, | noticed you had a child with you. Who is that child?” asked David, his words so

meaningful.

Stella’s hand froze on her spoon.

Stella had always protected Adrian, and not many people knew him in X City. She didn’t want anyone to know

either. After all, she had given birth to him in secret, against the wishes of the Kingston and Richard families.

How could she tell them about her son? She didn’t want them to hurt her precious son.

“Dad, I..."

Stella put down the spoon and her tone turned cold. “You haven't askedhow I've been all these years, and

yet all you do is ask questions?” There was a sharp tone of mockery in her voice.

She kept asking him why he had cback and what the child was. Such significant questions; she was sure

they hid a danger for the future. That's why her face turned cold and she made her position clear.

David also realized he had asked the wrong question and quickly backtracked.

“Look, I'm getting old and my words don’t always cout right, how have you been? You left without telling

me, | didn’t know where to find you.”

“Did he even care?” thought Stella, eyes narrowed.

“And Stella, you know your sister is going to marry Rene.

| think it would be better if you didn’t meet her. You don’t want to go back to France and you plan to stay here, so

why don’t you work forin the family business?”

“Don’t you...”

“Dad, whether | stay or go is my decision. You don’t have to worry or make arrangements for me.” His voice was

distant and cold.

Stella looked at the man sitting across from her, and the last shred of hope and kinship in her heart vanished like

the wind. She looked at her father - had David Richard met with her today to ask her to leave?

He was the father who had arranged her marriage to RK three years ago and had used her as a chess piece for

his sister, and now? Did he want her to beca victim again?

But she was no longer the foolish Stella of three years ago. In this second chance of her life, she was not going to

repeat that mistake.

As she thought so, Stella picked up her purse and prepared to leave.

But before she left, she looked at David Richard and said, “I thought this tyou wanted to seebecause

you still think I'm your daughter or because you still remember me?

But thank you for clearing up that misunderstanding.”

“I know you are only looking atfor profit. So... it’s better that in the future you don’t contactand keep

your distance.”

He paused and then added, “Please keep forgettingbecause I'm going to do the same. From now on, you no

longer have a daughter named Stella.”

Stella was sure that if he thought of her again, he would try to use her as a chess piece once more. When he

finished speaking, he left.

Outside the restaurant...

Luxury cars lined the street. In the middle of the crowd, one man stood out like the moon among the stars. His

presence was impossible to ignore.

The moonlight bathed him in a soft glow, accentuating his noble bearing.

But Stella just glanced away and went in the opposite direction.

So what if they met like this? To her, he was just a stranger. She didn’t want to show up in his world again or

have anything to do with him.

What's more, he didn’t want to disturb his peaceful life any more... But things never went in the desired

direction.

“Stella...”

Stella just wanted to leave quietly and take a cab hwithout attracting too much attention or being noticed.

But David Richard, who was following behind her, shouted her nand attracted a lot of attention around her.

“Stella, | didn’t mean what | just said. You misunderstood, Dad. You know, it’s hard forto be with you and

your sister, but...”

“How could | forget that you are still my daughter? Let’s go back and finish our meal together.”

Stella looked at him and said, “No, thank you. I'm busy and have something to do later.”

But his tone was polite and distant, as if his interlocutor was a stranger and not his father.

Before leaving home, he had promised Adrian that he would be back soon to have dinner with him, so he wanted

to leave.

David Richard found himself in a dilemma and said, “Then letgive you a ride. It's not safe to take a cab alone

at night.”

“Thank you, but that won't be necessary. | can go myself. All these years... I'm doing the sthing.” His voice

was cold.

David looked at her and stopped insisting. He watched her walk away when his eyes suddenly fell on Rene

Kingston, who was walking toward them.

His gaze was intense, as if he had been looking for her for a long time.

Stella had only taken a few steps when a tall figure blocked his path. Only two steps separated them, but he

didn’t step aside to let her pass. His deep eyes were fixed on her.

“I'll take you,” he said.

His cold voice was heard above her, as calm and emotionless as ever.