Chapter 3
Stella has just left the office when she spotted Ursula stepping out of a car.
Yorick's assistant, Orion, was at the ready, holding the door open for her as she handed him a few shopping bags.-
"Distribute these among the secretaries, will you?"
Her demeanor screamed of a lady of the manor.
Orion, ever respectful, took the bags, "Thank you, Ms. Larkin."
Ursula offered a soft nod in acknowledgment and turned, her gaze meeting Stella's across the distance.
Stella's eyes narrowed slightly.
Ursula paused for a second before she approached Stella with a tone as soft as an elder sister's, "Star."
When the Larkins had brought her back, they mentioned Ursula was older by just an hour.
Her tender voice was for Orion's benefit. But her eyes, locked on Stella, were full of challenge.
As she drew closer, Ursula's voice dropped to a whisper, "You're his fiancée, yet he has me come to his company. What does that tell you about your place?"
Stella's expression turned ice cold. She scoffed, "As long as I wish, I can have any position within his family. But what about you? Aside from visiting him here, can you even step foot in any Quarry property?"
Ursula's face faltered. Her gaze, fixing on Stella, suddenly dripped with malice. Obviously, she couldn't; those old coots in the Quarry family wouldn't approve.
Stella found Ursula's reaction deeply satisfying.
Ursula glared back venomously, "Don't get too comfortable. As long as I'm around, your wedding to him will never happen."
Stella's lips curved into a smirk, her demeanor nonchalant.
"There are plenty of fish in the sea. I'm not fixated on marrying him."
The notion of breaking off the wedding as soon as possible with a man that still harbored certain feelings for his first love seemed less of a loss and more of a relief. Ursula stiffened, "What do you mean?"
She gazed at Stella in disbelief.
Was Stella not madly in love with Yorick? Stella's indifference seemed like a facade, given the drastic scene caused two years ago.
Stella replied, "Isn't it clear? Without Yorick, I can find someone else. But you? He's the only man willing to marry you, yet you can't even have a proper wedding." Ursula, already pale, turned livid at Stella's words.
Stella felt utterly pleased at the sight of the warmth on Ursula's face falling. The latter's disrespect seemed to Stella that she must have forgotten how she was dealt with two years ago.
Not wanting to waste any time with Ursula, she turned to leave, when Ursula, attempting to play the victim, suddenly reached out and gripped her wrist, "Star, I just came back for a check-up. I don't want to ruin things between you and Yorick. Please, don't misunderstand, okay?"
Stella snapped, "Let go."
Disgusted by Ursula's touch, she attempted to pull away, but then Ursula dramatically fell to the ground.
The impact sounded like a toad fell to the ground from high above, seemingly quite serious.
Before Stella could react, Yorick's furious voice soon echoed from not far, "Stella!"
So, Ursula was staging another scene, and her audience had arrived.
Gazing down, Stella watched the "actress" Ursula as well as a fountain nearby, her lips curling into a smile. Stepping forward, she grabbed Ursula by the hair.
Ursula screeched in pain, "Ah..."
Her head was submerged into the icy water; suffocation invading in her, she struggled violently. However, Stella gripped her fiercely, reckoning since Ursula's acting was to wrong her, Stella might as well satisfy her. "Help, Ah!" Ursula pleaded the moment Stella pulled her out, while she was plunged back into the water after few seconds.
Upon witnessing the scene, Yorick, who was not far away, howled furiously as he rushed over, "Stella, stop!"
Ursula was choked as if her chest was about to burst open, her hands flapping crazily.
Yorick came, thrusting Stella away. He pulled Ursula to safety.
Ursula was all drenched, while Yorick looked expressly concerned, "How do you feel?"
"I..." Ursula gazed at Yorick, her eyes welling up. Because of the pain in the lung, she couldn't even utter a complete word.
Yorick looked at Stella callously, while Stella walked over and stepped on Ursula's wrist, eliciting another scream. "Ah!'
Yorick's anger flared, "Stella!"
He thrust her away, while she responded by tossing her purse at him, striking him on the head.
Yorick was caught off guard by the strike, the fury in his gaze deepened.
This woman...
Stella didn't wait for his reaction, instead kicking Ursula once more for good measure.
The confrontation left Ursula gasping for air and nursing a swollen leg.