The moment she hung up, Stella breathed in and out, preparing herself to carry out an act. She pursed her lips for a quick smile.
After a while, and she is ready, Stella makes a pitiful look on her face before she dials a particular contact.
"Hello?"
On the other line, a man sounded with a simple greeting. Stella was taken aback when she sensed a tinge of nonchalant in the guy's tone. Even so, she overlooked it and reminded herself to perform her act well to succeed in her plan.
Once George will rush over later, she will mention that she doesn't want to go back to the hotel anymore but request a transfer to his resort. In this way, she could run an investigation where he keeps Marilyn's men.
Thus, she overly used an aggrieved tone as she complained.
"George, could you return to the mall to accompany me to the hospital? I think I sprained my ankle. And I hit my bottom when I fell. I could feel a pain in my hips when I moved slightly."
Listening to Stella, George's body stiffened. Then his gaze promptly shot at the woman seated across from him. He stared at her with glum.
The moment they sat at their table, the woman ignored him, but she did not forget to admire the flowers and pool on the rooftop.
Now she was busy munching the appetizer he instructed Michael to serve once they'd arrived; thus, the woman had completely forgotten his presence this time.
'I felt like I was only being used for her convenience, yet she treated me like an air.'
Anyway, he was the one who volunteered to be her boyfriend. Hence, he still wanted Krishna to flatter him like a gold digger would usually do so that they could hook up with a wealthy man for a longer time.
If anyone had the ability to read his thoughts, they would think it was hilarious. No one wanted a gold digger by their side.
George was just feeling helpless that Krishna almost immediately ignored him every time she was offered something that delighted her liking, such as food.
"Hello. George? Are you still there?"
George snapped back to his senses after he heard the impatient tone at the end of the call. To be honest, he almost forgot that he was talking to Stella, which was the first time it had happened to him.
In the past, he was over the moon every time Stella remembered to phone him. Even though mostly it was a complaint and part of her capriciousness. Yet he was happy to listen to her and obliged to grant her request no matter which part of the earth he was on at the moment.
"Yeah. I'm here. Please speak."
Upon replying, George rose from his seat and entered the building to have a better conversation with Stella. He and Krishna were on the rooftop in the right wing of the main building. There is an infinity pool here, and he chose a table near it to enjoy the scenic view.
Before coming here, he messaged Michael to close this part of the top floor, as he wanted to have alone time with Krishna. More likely to say, he wants to spoil her with all the dishes she wants to eat, and she might feel awkward seeing other guests dining there as well.
With this act, George was oblivious that he was putting a lot of effort into Krishna ever since he learned she conceived his son and she is not Florian's mistress but her best friend Camilla.
Until now, he has not been aware of the true meaning of his actions, and he even went to great lengths to please her. That's right. He does not notice that he subconsciously puts in so much energy.
It must be his nature to pamper the person his eyes fixated on.
George sat down on the crescent settee near the floor-ceiling window, where he had a clear view of Krishna eating with all her heart. Since he left her alone in the poolside, she no longer cares about her surroundings.
Although they were the only people there now, he did not understand why he didn't want Krishna to learn that it was Stella who was calling him.
"George…" On the other line, Stella was becoming more impatient when George seemed to ignore her. 'Is that bitch around—the reason George was reluctant to speak with me? But George is only using her to shun Melinda. He is only pretending to be nice to her. I witnessed how he lost his temper in front of Krishna. He just put on an act. Hence, George need not put up a show with me.'
Stella wanted to convince herself that George's coldness was just a mistake. Once he realizes his act was unnecessary before her. The latter will return to his usual self of being warm like he was always toward her.
He is in love with her. Thus, Stella is confident that George will scamper on his way soon.
"Where is Florian? Aren't the two of you left together in Anna's shop?" George asked nonchalantly. He then urged Stella to tell him the cause, and she fell on the floor.
Stella vents her grievances about Florian to George. She told him—she caught him on the phone. After that, Florian hurried to leave, and he had no plan of driving her to the restaurant. She emphasizes that part, actually.
She also tells George how sad she was that her husband just left her without showing a slight care for her as respect that she conceived a daughter for him.
Yet, even though Stella kept blabbing on the other line, George's attention would subconsciously fixate on the woman at the poolside.
The sun was shining brightly today, yet the ocean breeze carried cool air and gave comfort when it touched their skin.
Since he was inside the building, he had the freedom to stare at Krishna's gorgeous face, which radiated with a soft expression while she was eating. The glass wall between them was non-transparent when looking from the outside. Thus, Krishna would not catch how intense his gaze was on her.
"George!" Stella could no longer hide her irritation after she'd realized that George was not paying attention to her. She was waiting for a response, more likely coaxing her to calm down and stay put as he was on his way. But to her disappointment, what George told her crashed her plans.
"Don't worry, Stella. I will send Rowan to accompany you to the hospital. I'll hang up now so I can make a phone call."
"Wait, George! It was you I wanted to accompany me, not Rowan!" At this moment, Stella no longer cares if she stops displaying her gentle demeanor. 'What is more important to him? That woman? I can't believe George is ignoring me now! Was that vixen able to seduce even George? I would not allow it!'
Stella wanted to say more, but George had already ended the call.
'Ahhh!' Stella was enraged at how George treated her poorly all of a sudden. 'I don't believe that George would just change like this overnight. There must be something that happened that causes George to give me a cold shoulder. Surely that b*tch said something to him. That's right! She is manipulating George!'
Stella had a grim expression on her face as she continued pondering George's changes.
Truth be told, Krishna played the main reason for his changes, but Stella didn't know the whole truth about why George was treating Krishna like a queen instead of her.
'I know George hasn't been with anyone yet. Although I'm crazy in love with Florian, I can't throw George aside. After all, he was the heir the Grahams have chosen to lead the Graham Empire. If the time comes and I could not keep my marriage with Florian, then it's not bad if I remarry and choose George. But Florian doesn't care who I would hook up with after our divorce!'
She recalled the time they argued. Florian advises her to find a lover so that she would leave him alone.
Where could you find that kind of husband that allows his wife to cuckold him?
Huh. What a joke!
Later on, she discovered that Florian was dating another woman. A woman who has a resemblance to Margarette!
Even though she was long dead, Florian could still not forget her. Now he was having an affair with someone who looked like her!
'Krishna Palermo! Count the days that you live! I would definitely eliminate you from our life soon!' Stella was fuming with anger, and she did not notice that someone was keeping an eye on her.
Seated in front of the steering wheel is Camilla.
There is no coincidence that she was in the same mall as Stella and Florian. She intended to follow the former around and monitor her movements.
"Huh. Do you think I will let you succeed, Stella? You and Marilyn are two dumb b*tches. The moment I laid the bait, you could not wait to bite it."
A menacing sneer sounded, and a glint of disgust flashed in her eyes as she continued mumbling to herself.
"What does it feel like to be played by Stella and Marilyn? Soon, the two of you will meet your terrible demise, and I could not wait to bury you in the grave I dug for you!"
Camilla tightened her grip on the steering wheel, fuming in hatred as she watched Stella from a distance. She had the urge to step on the pedal and hit her when she walked past her car.
The fall she got earlier is definitely not bad. However, she was such a drama queen. She ensured to walk limping so that it would be caught by the surveillance camera that she was truly hurt.
She was good at pretending to get everyone's sympathy, especially George Graham. However, the guy seemed to grow tired of putting up with her capriciousness.
Thinking that her plan succeeded, Camilla pursed her lips into a triumphant grin.
"George Graham is a man, after all. I know he would not resist my best friend's alluring beauty."
In the game of Chess, every other piece works hard to protect the Queen. But in her game, the Queen is the pawn so that all the enemies would come out from where they were hiding.
"One by one, you all go down, including you, George Mendez."
~
Meanwhile, Krishna was wondering why George wasn't coming back yet. The food that they ordered earlier was now served on the table. Although she already stuffed her tummy with the appetizer prepared the moment they arrived, she was drooling, just looking at the main course laid in front of her.
The only problem she could think of at the moment is the fear she would gain a few pounds after she eats too much today.
Her entire life, she lived peacefully in a small town called Miranda. She avoids causing trouble, but trouble always finds its way toward her.
It was oblivious to her that there are several people whose hatred surpasses the height of Mount Everest and are hell-bent on plotting her demise.
Unbeknownst to her, her whole life is a lie, and she was targeted by certain people who hated her existence.
She was unaware of all the activities behind her back. And once she is exposed to the truth, she will start questioning herself…
What do they want from me? What did I do wrong to anyone?
I don't do violence, but peace.
~
"Why haven't you started eating yet?" Out of nowhere, George appeared and returned to his seat.
Hearing him ask her this, Krishna pursed her lips and then formed an awkward smile. "How dare I eat without you?"
Krishna said this without careful thought of the impact of her words on the person who would hear it.
George was stunned upon listening to her answer. Her simple words seemed like blossoming flowers that gave color to his dull and joyless life.
And the thought of his son in the picture added light to his world.
He could not wait to meet his son and hold him, then carry him with his two arms.
'Soon…'