Chapter 727

He didn't want the divorce, but he was too proud to back down and lacked the confidence to persuade Stella himself. So he'd called Scarlett, intending for her to bring Aster along. He'd thought that the sight of her son would surely soften Stella's resolve. He never imagined Scarlett would be this furious, that she'd resort to violence without a second thought.

Looking at Stella sitting on the bench, her expression numb, the red handprint still stark against her cheek, Cedric was consumed by regret.

Meanwhile, Ableson and Scarlett were having the most intense argument of their decades-long marriage. In Stewart's arms, Aster wailed for his "Mama," his small hands reaching out toward Stella.

It was absolute chaos.

Briony gently touched Stella's cheek, unsure how to comfort her. Stella's eyelashes fluttered as if she were just now snapping back to reality.

Then, she stood up, gently moving Briony's hand away. She walked slowly until she was standing in front of Cedric Clarke.

"Are you satisfied now?" she asked, her eyes fixed on him.

Cedric felt a lump form in his throat.

A pale, humorless smile touched Stella's lips. “I know you didn't mean for my mother to hit me. After all, you told me you loved me. How could you bear to see me get hurt?"

Cedric's breathing grew heavy. "Star, I'm sorry. I never thought things would turn out like this. I...."

"Cedric, you don't have to apologize to me," Stella interrupted. "In your eyes, I've already cheated on you. I betrayed our marriage, so I deserve to be hit and yelled at, don't I?"

Cedric's heart clenched. After calming down, he knew he had misunderstood about the affair. But he was too proud to admit it to. Stella Perhaps a part of him had been hoping she would take the initiative and explain everything to him. In their relationship, he had always been the one pursuing, the one plagued by insecurity, while she always seemed to be looking for a way out.

Maybe their marriage had been too hasty after all.

"Who cheated?"

Overhearing the word, Scarlett stopped arguing with Ableson and marched over. She glanced at Cedric, then fixed her gaze on Stella. “Stella, tell me the truth."

Stella looked at her mother, a weary familiarity in her eyes. A faint, bitter smile touched her lips. "I cheated. I have someone else. Cedric caught me red-handed...."

Slap!

Another blow landed on the same cheek. This time, a trickle of blood appeared at the corner of Stella's mouth.

Cedric was horrified and rushed forward to pull Stella into his arms. Ableson grabbed Scarlett, his usually gentle face now red with anger. "Have you lost all

sense of decency? Everyone is watching! Are you insane?"

"Yes, I am insane!" Scarlett shrieked. "I gave up my chance to build a career abroad to raise a daughter Who has turned into this! Dont I have a right to be angry, Ableson? She's become this lawless because you spoiled her!"

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"She's a grown woman with a husband and a child!" Ableson retorted. "She has her own family! You should have let go a long time ago! you ask me, the reason their marriage is falling apart is because of you!"

“What did you say?!”" Scarlett stared at her husband in disbelief. “Who did I do all

this for?! And now it's all my fault? It's all my fault, my fault........”

She was so enraged that her body went rigid and her lips turned a purplish blue. Ableson frowned, realizing something was wrong just as Scarlett's eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed backward.