Chapter 61 Lover
They were all kicking Stella’s door, clamoring for her to repay the debts, claiming that it was absolutely her responsibility to pay off the debts since her man was in prison. Thus, she showed them her divorce certificate.
“A fake divorce? Stop playing us for a fool, girl. Who’d believe that Zane Levitt just happened to divorce you at this time? How could he possibly agree to a divorce when you’re such a beauty?” As a dozen people blocked her door, it seemed that she wouldn’t be able to leave today, and the men were all acting like ravenous wolves.
At this moment, Stella had a new understanding of Zane. I was actually feeling a tad guilty about his company going bankrupt, but it’s all gone now. He should have known that such a predicament awaited me when I took over his property, yet he threw this mess to me without the slightest hesitation! “We’re truly divorced, for we can’t stay together anymore!” Her face was flushed bright red. After all, this was the first time she’d experienced such a situation in the 20 plus years of her life.
“I’ve long since heard that Zane Levitt is a playboy, so it’s no wonder that you two got divorced. However, he’s always been a womanizer, so isn’t it fishy that you two only got divorced when he went bankrupt?” The people at the door just wouldn’t let the matter go.
After a long moment of hesitation, Stella admitted, “Well, it was me. I had an affair, so we got a divorce.”
The voices at the door plunged into momentary silence, and everyone looked at each other. At this time, someone spoke out from among the crowd, retorting, “You had an affair? Call your lover here, then. If he shows his face, we’ll believe that you indeed had an affair. Otherwise, you’ll be paying the debts!”
Stella gritted her teeth. It’s working hours now, and I’m already late. Miles must be at work as well, so it’ll be making a mountain out of a molehill to call him here to handle such a matter. Besides, he might not even come. Anyway, I’ll just give it a try. She then gave him a call, but no one answered. He’s probably in a meeting.
As the starving wolves at the door were on the verge of pouncing on her, her cell phone fortuitously rang at this moment. It was a call from Matthew who asked her whether she could help to pick Zachariah up from school today since he wouldn’t be home until late. Stella had no problem picking up Zachariah, so she readily agreed. Anyhow, my top priority now is to figure out a way out of the house!
When Matthew noticed her hesitation, he queried, “What’s wrong? Stella?”
His voice had always been gentle, inexplicably sparking one’s desire to tell him one’s troubles. Hence, Stella related the entire incident to him and sought his help in resolving her pressing quandary. He immediately agreed, upon which she breathed a long sigh of relief.
20 minutes later, Matthew arrived while panting and looking rather anxious. Naturally, the people at the door caught sight of him. He then explained the conflict between Zane and Stella to them in hushed tones before telling them how he got together with her. Of course, it was all made up.
Surprisingly, Stella didn’t feel as though her privacy had been invaded as she listened at the door. Rather, it sounded increasingly pleasant, not at all like a melodrama script. Well, well… Matthew has quite a high EQ.
When the pests at the door were finally persuaded to leave, she patted her chest with lingering panic. “Thank you,” she murmured.
“No worries.”
Just as Stella was about to go to work, a phone call came from her former father-in-law. What’s wrong with the Levitts? They’re contacting me even more frequently now after the divorce. Are they afraid that I’ll flee with the property?
However, it turned out that Lizbeth had fallen ill. Zane’s bankruptcy affected his family greatly, for Alaric sold his own mansion to repay the debts although it was actually intended as a retirement lodging for them to spend their golden years. Never had he thought that he’d suffer such a blow at such an old age, so he hoped that she’d visit Lizbeth in the hospital if she had time. This came as a shock to Stella who hadn’t expected Zane’s company’s bankruptcy to result in such a chain of negative effects.
Subsequently, Matthew asked her what had happened and whether he could be of help. Thus, she told him everything, upon which he blurted ‘let’s go’ and brought her downstairs before ushering her into his car.
In the car, Stella told him about Zane’s company going bankrupt and her father withdrawing money without Zane’s consent, leading to the company going under. For that reason, she felt guilty.
“It’s not that simple,” Matthew asserted as he kept his eyes on the road. “In my opinion, it must have been his professional managers who used this matter as an excuse to maliciously bring about the company’s bankruptcy. Perhaps they’d fled with most of the money, so all the creditors are seeking Zane Levitt out to repay the debts.” He actually had a meeting at the office, but since Stella needed him, he went to the hospital with her.
When Stella arrived, Lizbeth was being examined. I hope she’ll be fine though I actually didn’t want to come since she doesn’t like me anyway. But as Lizbeth lay on the bed, she appeared exceedingly weak, the initially ferocious old lady suddenly turning so puny and feeble.
When the doctor came in, he asked the patient’s family member to step out, so Stella went out, leaving Alaric inside to look after her. “The patient has early-stage liver cancer, but fortunately, it’s detected early, so it’s treatable,” the doctor said to Stella and Matthew.
The doctor’s expression was rather indifferent, but Stella staggered and almost fell. She was at a total loss, not knowing what to do. Lizbeth had always been at odds with her, but she suddenly pitied her greatly.
Matthew supported her at once. Stella then murmured to him, “Can… Can you go in and call my father-in-law out so that he can decide on her treatment?”
Helping her over to the chair at the side, Matthew replied, “Sure. I’ll do it right away.”
As Stella sat on the chair, she hung her head, feeling as though she was the culprit. Miles isn’t to be blamed in this matter. As Matthew said, it’s the professional managers’ fault. Even without Miles, they’d still find some other excuse and abscond with the money sooner or later.
While her head remained lowered, a man’s feet appeared in her line of sight. She’d once seen the man from this angle at Levitt Villa, so she knew that Miles was here. Maybe Matthew informed him about this. “You’re here?” She looked up at him, her voice weak.
“Why didn’t you seek me out?” Miles questioned with a frown.
“I gave you a call, but you didn’t pick up. Matthew happened to phone me, so I asked him to accompany me here. Life is like a dream with ups and downs, and at some point, there might be something unexpectedly tripping you up,” Stella murmured as her arms slowly dropped. This was the conclusion she drew today; she initially thought she’d be over the moon after the divorce, but it now seemed that she was all the more involved with the Levitt Family than before.
Sitting down beside her, Miles asked, “Do you still blame me?”
“Nope. Even without you, his company will still end up in this situation. Rather, I’ve got to thank you for always helping me when I’m in trouble.” Stella chuckled softly. It seems that I can interact calmly with him ever since the divorce. In the past, I always felt that we were sneaking around, and I had to hide my true self. I’d wanted to escape him yet was unable to do so, making me feel very much conflicted even as I struggled with myself, not knowing what to do. Conversely, it’s much better now.
Later, the doctor came over and asked Stella to go into the room since Lizbeth had awakened. Thus, she went in tremblingly, while Miles waited outside.
As soon as she stepped into the room, Lizbeth grasped her hand and insisted, “Stella, from the moment you joined the Levitt Family, I’d wanted to regard you as my own daughter. I don’t know what happened between you and Zane that you both had always been at odds. I really longed for a grandchild, but never had I thought that you two would end up divorcing.”
Her hand was now skin and bones, sparking a glimmer of pity within Stella. I was her daughter-in-law back then, so she naturally had certain expectations of me, but they’re now lowered since that’s no longer the case. “It was my fault. The fault lay with me.” At this, she ducked her head as tears trickled down her face.
Recently, Lizbeth often fell unconscious. After Stella had finished speaking, she thought that Lizbeth was mulling it over, only realizing that she’d fallen unconscious when she said nothing after a long while. Looks like illness truly strikes like an avalanche.
The doctor then said to her, “Do discuss this with Mr. Levitt and decide on a treatment plan. There are two options for treatment now. One is conservative, but the patient will only have three years at most. The other option is to have an operation immediately, but it will cost a huge sum.”
Stella stood there in a trance. I never felt that money was a problem in the past, but now… Their situation is not much different from mine. They’d sold the mansion to pay off Zane’s debts, and they already have a foot in the grave, what with Alaric’s hair turning white overnight from worry. She bit her lower lip hard. Calamity always overwhelms one at the least expected time! Back when I was in Murdough, never had I thought that the Levitt Family would face such a situation. Firming her resolve, she declared, “Have an operation. She’s only in her 50s, so I can’t just look on as she…” Tears shimmered in her eyes.
“Have an operation? We’ve got no more money!” Alaric exclaimed anxiously.
“Then, we’ll borrow! There are relatives and friends. Since Zane isn’t here, I have the final say.” Stella was adamant.
When she went out, she didn’t tell Miles about her predicament. He has a bad impression of Zane in the first place, so if I tell him that I’ve now taken on my former mother-in-law’s medical bill, he might truly castigate me. Besides, my relationship with him hasn’t been made public, so I have no idea what I am to him outwardly. And it indeed looks bad since I’m a divorcee who has now taken on the debt of my former in-laws.
However, borrowing money was difficult, what was more when it wasn’t a sum of 10,000 or 20,000, but over a million. She’d never worried about money in the past, but she now knew that money didn’t come easy. It wasn’t that she’d never contemplated asking Miles for a loan, but she was afraid that their relationship would be affected adversely once money came into the equation. Plus, it was for her former mother-in-law, so it sounded exceedingly strange.
On the other hand, while there were fewer people who came to make trouble in front of her house these days, she knew that someone was following her. Later, she thought of going to Murdough and asking Zane about selling the villa so that the money could be used for Lizbeth’s treatment.
