Chapter 16
To stand up for Yvonne, Jonathan was willing to go to such lengths.
Did he truly despise her that much? Enough to crush her dreams entirely?
Jonathan faltered for a moment under Stellar’s piercing gate. Something about her eyes made him feel a flicker of unease, even guilt, but he quickly averted his gaze.
Yvonne, eager to prevent any softening of his resolve, wasted no time fanning the flames.
“But sister, haven’t you already secured the favor of multiple men? Mr. Howe, and that wealthy, dashing gentleman who picked you up the other day? Why bother stirring up trouble here on campus?”
Jonathan’s head snapped up and the brief moment of hesitation wiped clean from his face.
“Stellar,” he scolded, his voice brimming with anger. “When did you become so shameless? After leaving the Harlow family, you’ve been jumping from one man to another. It’s disgraceful!”
The memory of her unapologetic attitude the day before resurfaced, fueling his frustration. She showed no remorse for her actions and made no effort to apologize.
This time, he resolved to be firm. Stellar needed a harsh lesson, one she wouldn’t forget.
“I’m making this clear now. I’ve invested two million dollars into this project. As long as I say no, you’ll never set foot on this campus again unless you kneel and apologize to Yvonne!”
He believed he was being merciful, offering her one last chance to make amends. In his mind, this was what she
owed Yvonne.
Yvonne’s face lit up with smug satisfaction as she cast Stellar a triumphant smile.
Her expression screamed: “You can’t win against me. You’ve already lost.”
Fury surged through Stellar, her fists clenched tightly as she prepared to respond.
But before she could speak, a low chuckle echoed from behind her.
A man’s rich, magnetic voice broke the tension, laced with nonchalance and a hint of mockery.
“Two million dollars?” he drawled. “And you think that’s worth bragging about?”
Everyone turned toward the source of the voice.
Standing in the doorway was a tall, striking man, his presence commanding, as if he had been there all along, observing.
His tall, lean figure, paired with legs as straight as a runway model’s, exuded an aura of power and refined elegance. Just standing there, he commanded an intimidating presence that made it clear his status was anything but ordinary.
Yvonne instinctively shrank back, recalling the way he had looked at her the day before, as though she were already as good as dead.
Even Stellar was taken aback and thought, “Uncle Claude? What is he doing here?”
“You…”
Before Jonathan could finish asking about the man’s identity, another figure stormed into the room, his face red with fury.
+25 BONUS
Chapter 16
“Who has the audacity to claim that their investment in my project gives them the right to dictate whether Stellar can return to school? Who do they think they are?”
Victor entered in a flurry of indignation, his glaring eyes and puffed cheeks leaving no doubt about his anger.
Yvonne snapped out of the oppressive aura that Claude had brought and quickly plastered on a practiced, flattering smile. She stepped forward, reaching out her hand.
“Professor Stone, I’m Yvonne Harlow, the actress who invested in your project last time. We’ve met before. This time, my uncle has generously contributed another two million dollars to support your research. Whatever you need for your work, just let us know.”
Victor’s reputation was illustrious in the field, his name commanding respect across the industry.
Previously, he was Stellar’s mentor, but Yvonne now saw an opportunity to cultivate her own connection with him. Not only could she use this to overshadow Stellar entirely, but she could also leverage his influence to secure projects for the Harlow family, earning her father’s admiration.
After all, no matter how protective that man beside Stellar appeared to be, he hadn’t stepped up to intervene yesterday.
And now, with her uncle’s additional two–million–dollar investment, Yvonne doubted anyone could match that level of support for Stellar.
But when she extended her hand, Victor didn’t even acknowledge it.
Instead, he scoffed and abruptly asked, “Is your family struggling financially?”
The smile on Yvonne’s face froze. “What?”
“If you think two million dollars is worth bragging about, is your family facing some kind of crisis? Perhaps I should return the money and save you the trouble.”
