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Chapter 314
Chapter 314
Rose Luxe was one of Long Harbor’s fancier spots-a ritzy mall packed with shoppers pretty much every day.
Stephanie's eyelid twitched as she tapped her teacup with a finger. “Shouldn't Chad be at the hospital right
now?
“Exactly,” Ella said, sounding totally baffled. “Tyler's messed up bad. Chad should be right there with him, no
question”
However, the guy was wandering around Rose Luxe like he didn’t have a worry in the world.
Ella leaned in, dropping her voice to a sneaky whisper. “I'm telling you, Chad and that woman? Something's up.
They looked way too comfortable.”
Stephanie frowned, repeating it slowly. “With a woman pushing a stroller? And they were cozy?”
Yeah, it didn’t add up. Her stomach twisted a little.
Chad wasn’t syoung hotshot-d he end up in a mess like this?
Ella nodded hard. “Oh, for sure.”
Stephanie squinted. “You positive you didn’t mix him up with someone else?”
She wasn't sold yet.
For two years, she'd had Chad figured out-didn’t seem like the type. Now she wondered if she had totally
misjudged him.
A tiny doubt started creeping in.
“No way,” Ella fired back, dead sure. “It was Chad. | checked twice, three times even. Stared right at him.”
She smirked and leaned back with a shrug. “One quick look, maybe I'd goof. But every time? Con, I'm not
that dumb.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtStephanie didn’t say anything. The mug just hung there in her hand.
Fair enough. This was big enough that Ella wouldn't screw it up. One slip? Sure, maybe. Every look? Nah, she
wasn't that out of it.
After a pause, Stephanie asked, “Whose kid is it?”
Ella laughed dryly. “Girl, | just peeked at them for a bit. They seemed tight, yeah, but I'm not a mind reader. No
clue if the baby’s his.”
Stephanie went quiet again.
In her head, Chad was always this serious, no-nonsense guy-stiff as a board.
With Caitlin, he was polite but distant, like they were strangers stuck at the stable.
He didn’t seem like the type to get caught up in romance or anything wild.
Then there was Tyler-the golden boy, heir to the Hart Group. He'd been running things for years, handling the
big deals.
To Chad, Tyler was everything-untouchable, the top priority.
So why, with Tyler still stuck in the hospital, was Chad out playing family with swoman and a kid? It felt off
to Stephanie, like a cheesy TV .
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Chapter 314
Stephanie's brow furrowed. “How cozy are we talking?”
Ella’s voice dropped again. “Shoulder-to-shoulder, practically cheek-to-cheek. You don’t get that close with just
a friend, you
know?”
Stephanie didn’t answer. Her fingers tapped the table lightly, her eyes narrowing.
Yeah, this wasn’t just friendly. It was obvious, in-your-face close-hard to ignore.
Back at the Hart place, Chad and Caitlin could barely sit on the scouch without it feeling awkward. Their
hands didn’t even cclose.
Seeing Stephanie stewing. Ella gave her a playful nudge. “Wantto poke around smore? Shake things up
at the Hart house?”
Stephanie glanced at the snowflakes floating outside.
The Hart family was a total train wreck as it was. If things were on schedule, Amber was probably at the hospital
by now.
Stephanie shrugged faintly. “Why bother? Amber's on it.”
And don’t forget Olivia, stuck in the States with no overseas treatment, or Tyler, about to get out of the hospital.
The Hart family was a giant knot of chaos, top to bottom.
“Oh yeah, Amber!” Ella smacked her forches
Ella raised an eyebrow, still thrown. “Amber
and laughed. “How'd | blank on that disaster? This is getting way too crazy.”
really that big a player?”
Stephanie let out a sharp, sarcastic chuckle. “If she uses her baby as the leverage and fails, she may go crazy.
And she may Stephanie let out a sharp, sarcastic chuckle. “If she even pull the whole Hodge family down with
her.”
Lilian was all in with Tyler-serious feelings.
Ella’s eyes went wide. “Man, she’s got snerve.”
Stephanie gave a little hum, keeping it cool. “I dug into Amber. I've got the scoop.”
“She had no idea about Tyler and Lilian before. Now that she’s clued in, she’s convinced Lilian’s the one screwing
up her plans. What's her next move?” She threw it back with a sly grin.
Ella sucked in a breath. “She’s gonna go after Lilian. That's like tossing a match on the Hart family dumpster
fire.”
“Olivia's already got the Harts and Ashfords clawing at each other,” Ella said, shaking her head.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm“If Amber takes a swing at Lilian now, isn’t that just begging to blow up the Hart family for good?” Her voice
kicked up, half- thrilled, half-shocked.
At this point, the Hart family was done for-chaos louder than a packed Super Bow! watch party.
Stephanie picked up her teacup and took a slow sip. “So, about that woman...”
Ella jumped in, practically bouncing. “That woman? Caitlin has got to know. She’s got to guard what's hers. Stefi,
con, you're not even thinking about your own ‘mom’ here!”
Stephanie blinked, totally caught off guard. “Huh?”
Ella kept going, all hyped up. “I'm on it. I'm digging up everything on that chick.”
“Stefi, the Harts always say you pick the wrong side. This time, you've got to stick up for YOUR mom.” He tone
was firm,
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Chapter 14
dripping with sarcasm.
Stephanie’s jaw dropped. “What?!”
She couldn't believe that Ella wanted her to team Caitlin. This was way off track.
The corner of Stephanie’s mouth twitched. “Alright, you've gotthere. | can’t let srandom swoop in and
steal the show. Need to stand up for my ‘mom‘ this time”
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