NovelUSA"How... how did you know?" Stella would never be foolish enough to tell Cedric Clarke that Briony saw Stewart coughing up blood.
She scoffed, "Did you really think I couldn't hear what was going on just because you didn't put the call on speaker?" Cedric Clarke fell silent.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"I couldn't make out every word, but over the last few calls, I definitely heard something about blood. And every single tyou say there's an emergency, it happens at these ridiculously specific times. Cedric, I've worked in a hospital before. Sure, maybe I missed things when I'd lost my memory, but now that I remember everything, do you honestly think you can still fool me?" Cedric Clarke looked uneasy. "You didn't tell Briony, did you?" "I haven't even had a chance to interrogate you yet. Why would I go running to Bryn?" Stella rolled her eyes. "Besides, even if Stewart really was on his deathbed, I wouldn't tell Bryn. They're divorced now. He's the one who hurt her first. If he dies, well, that's on him—" Before she could finish, Cedric clapped his hand over her mouth, sighing, "Shhh, honey, don't say things like that. Let's not tempt fate, okay?" Stella pulled his hand away. "So Stewart really is dying?" Cedric gave her a pointed look. "He's still my best friend, you know. Could you at least pretend you're not enjoying this?" Stella scratched her forehead, a little embarrassed. "I don't think I was that obvious." "You were." Cedric's tone made it clear.
Stella sighed. "Fine, fine. I get it, you value his friendship. I'll stop trash-talking him in front of you." "Or behind my back, preferably." "Cedric, enough already!" Stella pinched his arm. "Can you just tellwhat's really going on?" "You've basically figured it out." Cedric rubbed the spot where she'd squeezed him. "But you can't breathe a word of this to Briony, promise me." "They're divorced. Why would I tell her?" Stella huffed. "Honestly, I'm just worried Stewart will try to get sympathy and guilt-trip Bryn." "He won't." Cedric's voice was steady and sure. "Stewart will never bother Briony again." That surprised Stella. Cedric almost never lied to her. After four years of marriage, she could read him like a book, especially when it cto telling the truth.
The sadness and heaviness in Cedric's eyes weren't fake. Stewart really was out of hope.
Stella pressed her lips together and was quiet for a moment before she asked softly, "What's wrong with Stewart, exactly?" "Don't ask." Cedric sighed and pulled her into a hug, holding her tight. "I'm really upset about this, honey. I know you care about Briony, and know Stewart hurt her, but he never meant to. There's so much more to all of this than what you see on the surface. Stewart's life wasn't easy. Thirty-two years, and in the end, all he has left is a little pride and dignity. I have to help him keep that." "Can't you at least tellwhat's wrong-" Stella abruptly looked up, banging her head hard against Cedric's chin.
"Ow..." Cedric winced, but immediately reached out to rub the spot on her head.
Stella stared at him. "It's not something... contagious, right? Like—" He cut her off with a stern look. "Don't even joke about that! Stewart is not that kind of person. My friends are not trash, okay?" "But he and Rosita Lockwood-" "Nothing ever happened between Stewart and Rosita. They were never together like that." "Not like that? Then why did they go public with their relationship?" Stella bristled. "Don't forget, Cedric, Stewart nearly committed bigamy just for her!" "He did all that to send a message to certain people. That's all." "Yeah, to let the whole world know, to give Rosita a title! Without a single thought for Bryn, his actual wife!"
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmCedric sighed, exasperated. "Star, I can't give you all the details. There are other people and things involved I can't talk about. Honestly, I don't even know the full story. I just feed you to trust me-Stewart isn't as bad as you think."
"Maybe he's not a bad person, but when it comes to love and marriage, he's a total jerk! He Kept Bryn tied to him with a contract for nine years, Cedric! Do you know how many years that is for a woman?"
The more Stella spoke, the more worked up she got. Cedric tried to calm her down, smoothing cher Hair "hey, don't get upset. I get why. you're angry. I've said it myself-Stewart really did Bryn wrong." Now that he'd said that, Stella couldn't keep going.
She was quiet for a while, her brow furrowed as she muttered, "Cedric, sometimes I just don't get it." Cedric had already closed his eyes, sleep tugging at him, but when he heard Stella's voice, he opened them again and asked quietly, "Don't get what?"
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