Chapter 726
Stewart glanced at him. "If you don't want to go through with this, you still have a chance. You...."
"Who said I don't? You really think I can't live without her? She doesn't even want me or our son anymore, and she went behind my back...."
The back door of the car opened, and Stella slid inside, cutting Cedric Clarke's rant short.
This time, no one spoke. The atmosphere was heavy with unspoken tension.
The black Bentley pulled away from the airport, heading toward City Hall.
Normally, the drive from the airport to City Hall took about twenty minutes. But today, half an hour had passed and they were still on the road.
Stella finally realized something was wrong. She looked toward the driver's seat. "Mr. Wentworth, could you please drive a little faster?"
Stewart glanced into the rearview mirror, his eyes meeting Briony's. She pressed her lips together and sighed, knowing exactly what he was trying to do. But if stalling for time was going to work, the two of them would have reconciled during the long flight home.
“Stewart, just do as Star says,” Briony said.
At the sound of her voice, Stewart cleared his throat. "Alright, whatever you say." His voice was deep, and as soon as he finished speaking, the car accelerated. Briony was speechless.
Cedric Clarke put a hand to his forehead. That bastard, always putting her first.
They arrived at City Hall at ten past two, just as it was reopening for the afternoon. After parking, the group got out of the car. Stella walked straight toward the entrance, her pace so quick that Briony had to jog to keep up.
Inside, Stella took a number from the dispenser. There were seven people ahead of them. Clutching the ticket, she found a seat in the waiting area and sat down.
Briony sighed and was about to go to her when a figure rushed past her. The next second, the sharp crack of a slap echoed through the hall.
"Stella, have you had enough of this nonsense?!" Scarlett Joyner's furious voice reverberated through City Hall.
The attack was so sudden that Stella's head snapped to the side. Her ears were ringing, but Scarlett's tirade continued.
"I can't believe raised you! You ran off to another country without a word, and tolerated it. But now you're going to abandon your husband and son for that stupid photography hobby? Have you lost your mind? Just because Cedric is willing to put up with you you think you can push him as far as you want-"
"Mom!" Cedric Clarke rushed over, pulling Scarlett away just as she was about to
strike again. Briony immediately stepped in front of Stella protectively.
The red mark of a handprint was already visible on Stella's cheek.
Stella's father, Ableson Joyner,
1.n
hurried in behind them, holding Aster. The sight of the mark on his daughter's face made his heart. ache A man who could never bring himself to raise his voice at his wife, he yelled at her in public for the very first time.
"Are you out of your mind? Can't you talk things out? She's a grown woman, and you're slapping her in public!"
Scarlett's chest heaved with rage. Her husband's rebuke only fueled her anger, "Why are you yelling at me, Ableson? Look at the precious daughter you spoiled! She has a perfectly good life, but she throws it all away to chase some photography nonsense abroad, abandoning her husband and son. If you hadn't bought her that camera all those* years ago, she never would have gotten obsessed with that useless hobby! How dare you yell at me? Who do you think I sacrificed my own career abroad for? I made a choice for this family, so why can't she?! What woman doesn't go through this?"
The two of them were now in a full-blown argument. Frightened, Aster began to cry
in Ableson's arms.
Cedric Clarke quickly took the child from Ableson and thrust him into Stewart's arms. "Here, calm him down for me!"
Stewart held the sobbing child and looked at Cedric, who was trying and failing to placate everyone. "Well, you've certainly managed to make things worse."
Cedric had nothing to say. His friend knew him too well.
It was true. He had called Scarlett from the airport.