Chapter 6
Rowan still took Stella to the hospital.
There was no other reason, he simply wanted to see if she had some kind of mental issue.
Once in the cat, he let her sit, but as she tried to lean into him, he coldly said, “Sit properly.”
Stella pouted, “Don’t you like holding me, Rowan?”
She felt like he was being unusually distant now.
Rowan leaned back in his seat and casually asked, “Were you always this clingy with Randy?
She couldn’t speak properly, just always acting cute. It was like she didn’t have a spine, always clinging to people.
Stella furrowed her brows and muttered under her breath, “Why do you keep bringing him up!
She wondered if she hadn’t already proven enough by now
Rowan just turned his gaze out the window, uninterested in responding. He wondered if she really had forgotten how many years she had liked Randy
At the hospital, Rowan had them schedule a full check–up for Stella, even including a psychiatric evaluation.
Stella stayed silent. If getting checked would put his mind at ease, then so bett
The other check–ups went smoothly, but when it came to the psychiatric evaluation, the doctor asked a lot of questions
She didn’t know how to answer most of them. Only when the doctor mentioned Rowan did her eyes light up.
After the evaluation, the doctor had a complicated expression. He wrote a few words on the diagnosis report and handed it over to Rowan, who was waiting outside.
With a somewhat awkward smile, the doctor placed the report on Rowan’s chest. “Don’t worry, she’s mentally fine. It’s just a little issue–nothing major.”
Stella followed the doctor and only then realized the doctor and Rowan lanew each other.
His name was Conner Pierce. He smiled at her before turning to Rowan and saying, “I’ve got other things to attend to, so feel free to take it from here.“”
Stella thanked him and waited until he turned back to the office before walking up to Rowan, With an innocent look, she asked, “What did the doctor say?”
Rowan glanced at the diagnosis with a complicated look. He frowned and handed her the report. “You can read it yourself.”
Stells took it and immediately noticed the diagnosis at the bottom. “Love struck syndrome.”
She was confused.
Given what Connor had just said to Rowan,
n, it was clear–she was perfectly fine mentally, but was just a little love–struck
Stella nodded and smiled sweetly. “This doctor seems
ems pretty professional.”
His emotions grew more complicated and confused.
After a full checkup from head to toe, Stella’s body was fine.
That was the biggest problem,
If she was pretending to get close to him, her goal remained unclear. If it wasn’t Randy, nothing else seemed to explain why she would set aside her dislike for him and appanach him so openly.
If she wasn’t pretending, it was almost impossible to believe that someone could change so drastically in just one day,
Rowan couldn’t help but reach out and gently rub Stella’s head, trying to see if there was a bump from something. He asked, “Did the elevator door hit your head this moming?– 4
stella stared at him in silence. He could be even more sarcastic if he tried.
She sighed and looked up at him with a hint of frustration “Why is it so hard for you to believe I like you?
Rowan pulled his hand back, straightening up as lids gaze locked withers. iis voice was low and steady. “You tell me If the roles were reversed, would you believe
it believed him either when he once said he liked her
persand her lips LegÀter, then answered honestly, “I’ve liked you for a long time. It didn’t just start today.”
pra surround slightly, confused by her choice of wonds.
did’t dare to before”
too handsome very girl likes you. And you were always hallita me
You’re there was always shut me out
clock. “Talkingt
jent makes it sound like you’re trying to dodge the real inte ”
Chapter 1
He alwayslad to be so aggressive. She was being serious about her feelings this time.
Rowan didn’t respond. He held the tension in his jaw, then turned and walked away.
Stella frowned, watching him walk away without moving. After he had gotten about to feet away, she called out, “Rowan.”
He stopped and paused for a few seconds before turning his head.
She looked at him with big, pitiful eyes. “My legs hort. I can’t walk, Carry me.”
She sounded all sweet and delicate, but her for
one was commanding, Rowan instantly knew her “princess syndrome” was acting up
Rowan sendied and looked away. “If you can’t walk, then don’t. Whoever wants to carry you, let them.”
It wasn’t going to be him.
He spun back around and walked nit.
Stella didn’t follow. She stayed there, lips pressed tight.
Rowan made it another 30 feet before he stopped just short of the elevator
He closed his eyes, bissed through his teeth, and muttered under his breath, “Screw it
Then, he turned around and stormed back
Without saying a word, he reached her, bent down, and effortlessly scooped her up into his arms.
His jaw clenched tight as he muttered near her ear, “Stella, 1 must’ve owed you something in my last life.”
Her arms instinctively wrapped around his neck. His scent was sharp and dominating, washing over her instantly.
|_ She smiled. Not at all bothered by his gritted teeth or harsh tone.
She clung tightly to his neck, leaning in close to his cheek. She gently pressed a soft kiss to his face before whispering, “No, it’s me who owes you, Rowan.”
Stella’s soft lips brushed against his cheek, and her war breath lingered near him.
e elevator with a cold snort. “If you owe me, shouldn’t it be you carrying
Rowan swallowed hard, the tension in his chest easing slightly. He carried her toward the man? Have you ever seen someone flaunting their debt in front of the person they owe?–
Stella replied senously, “Normally, creditors have a hard time collecting debts. The bigger the debt, the harder it is to collect. So, the creditor needs to pamper the debtor and keep them company for the debt to be paid back over time.”
Rowan scoddled lightly.
Her logic was twisted, but it made a strange sort of sense. Then, Stella leaned closer to his ear and whispered, “The debt Towe you is huge, Rowan. So, you’ll have – to pamper me, May with me forever, and give me a lifetime to pay it back. Is that okay?”
“A lifetime?” Rowan thought, his gaze instantly darkening
He carried her into the elevator, lowering his eyes and staring intently at her. “Stella, do you know what a lifetime really means?”
sesla’s eyes sparked as she looked at him, answering each word clearly, “A lifetime means never leaving someone and never abandoning someone, no matter
an and stella now lived in the same neighborhood, in the same building. He was upstairs, and she was downstairs.
After Stella was kicked out of the Fairchild residence, and with nowhere else to go, Erin had helped her rent the place.
Later, Stella found out the apartment was Rowan’s. He had secretly arranged for it to be rented to Erinat a low prev
Book Stella back to her place.
Altbergh the continued to pout, the asked, “Can’t I just stay at your place?
| gave her a look, boxexpression impassive. “Melia, be a little more dignified “
“okay“, obediently leading honte. However, she kept glancing back with a reluctam expression, clearly not wanting to leave him.
mir’s eyelid twitched, but fer þat crossed his arms, leaning against the elevator wall. This face trinained expressionless and unmoving
silage home last link, making she wouldn’t invite her over with a sigh, she reluctantly entered her apartment.
‚
odbor, wat let out a long breath, the tension in his face cracking.
haud, and rubbed his stiff cheeks. A brief smile tugged at the mer of his lips before he quickly masked it.
dated feality he dider’s kw how to face Stella
the hospital elevator. “Alifetime means peever leaving
restraint he had used just to bring her back to her place without giving in to the urge to do something else,\\\
Because he didn’t know what he would do if he let his desices take over, and she later told him It was all just a game.
Rowan looked at the door to Stella’s apartment one last time before turning and heading upstairs.
Rowan stepped into the bathroom and tumed on the cold water. He let it cascade over him, hoping it would cool the raging emotions inside and help clear his head.
But it did little to ease the tunneil
His emotions reinained restless, and her face kept flashing in his mind her eyes, full of tendemess, looking at him. He could still feel the intimate touch when she leaned in and kissed him with her sott, red lips.
Leaning against the cold tile wall, he tilted his head hack, taking slow, deep breaths. His Adam’s apple bobbed with each inhale.
Water droplets ran down his hair, his face, and along the veins that stood out on his neck
‘Stell. His voice, hoshed and raspy, mixed with the sound of the water
Just then, Howan felt a sharp, painful sensation across the back of his hand. It was as though something had scratched him deeply.
His emotions immediately cooled.
Furrowing his brows, he opened his eyes and raised his hand.
There was no mark, nothing at all.
But the lingering pain remained, real and undeniable,
Rowan Trowned and turned off the water, casually threw on a bathrobe, and stepped out of the bathroom. He sat on the couch, lifting his hand to look at the backcot
The pain had dulled, but it hadn’t completely gone away.
ནི་ འན་ བ ཆ ར་
He squinted as be recalled that strange feeling–it was reminiscent of being scratched by something with sharp claws.
He sat still for a moment, leaning back into the couch. Rowan closed his eyes, trying to calm his emotions, until the sound of the doorbell rang.
Straightening up, he glanced toward the door and saw her familiar, mischievous face on the video screen.
“Really?” Rowan muttered, rubbing his temples in frustration.
He thought. “This woman. Couldn’t she just leave me alone for a moment?”
Then, a small, self–deprecating smile tugged at his lips. He couldn’t deny that he was secretly hoping she would show op
Rowan stood up, opened the door, and leaned against the doorframe.
With his amas crossed, he looked down at the girl in front of him, his tone tinged with resignation. “Stella, do you know what time it is?”
Stella was still wearing that lovely pink tulle dress, and he wondered what on earth she had been doing all this time.
Standing before him, she heard his words and immediately stretched her hand toward him, her eyes glistening, with unshed tears. She pouted, acting all injured. “But my hand got scratched by Felix, and it really hurts.”
