She wiped away her tears, her voice thick with emotion. “Matthew, maybe.. maybe I should just stick with Dr. Watts’ conservative treatment. You have so much on your plate with Prosperity Group every day. I don’t want to add another stone to your burden.”
Matthew gave a small, reassuring nod, his words measured. “I know what I’m doing. Don’t waste time worrying about it.”
His eyes lingered on Stella, who had remained silent through it all, and he added, almost instinctively, “And besides, Grandma’s been hoping to see you get better soon.”
The words landed like a stone in Lindsay’s chest, and a cold chill spread through her veins. She knew all too well how much Lucia adored Stella. If she recovered, it was mo secret that Lucia would always favor Stella over her. But, wisely, Lindsay chose not to stir the pot; instead, she simply nodded, her acknowledgment faint but laden with unspoken thoughts.
At that moment, Stella’s phone buzzed, its shrill ring slicing through the tension in the corridor like a blade through silk. She glanced at the screen. It was Lucia. After answering, Stella’s expression flickered for a heartbeat before smoothing into a mask of composure.
When the call ended, she turned to Matthew, her voice low but firm.
“Leona Wheeler is here. She’s at your grandparents’ home now.”
As Stella and the others crossed the threshold into the Clark family residence, their eyes landed on Leona Wheeler, the current matriarch of the Wheeler family.
Younger than Lucia, Leona exuded an aura of unyielding authority-her gaze sharp and unblinking, like a hawk circling prey. She was a force of nature, as commanding as a thunderclap, warning anyone who dared to approach her that they were stepping into dangerous territory.
Standing beside her was Betsey, Lindsay’s mother.
Stella’s mind flashed back to her last unpleasant encounter with Betsey, a storm of worries rising in her chest. She suspected they had come because of Lindsay’s condition.
As soon as Betsey laid eyes on Stella, it was as if a fuse had been lit. She erupted like a volcano, her voice harsh and shrill. “Stella, let Robin go! What right do you have to have him arrested?”
Matthew frowned at the outburst, his calm demeanor starting to fray at the edges.
Lindsay, panicking internally, feared the situation was about to spiral into chaos, potentially making things worse.
But Stella remained as calm as a still lake, her voice smooth and measured. “I don’t understand what you’re talking about. Why Robin was arrested isn’t something I know anything about.”
Betsey’s fury flared even higher, her gestures wild and erratic as she shrieked, “Stop playing games! Robin was hauled off to the police because you accused him of tampering with lights! Don’t think I’m oblivious to that!”
Stella’s brows furrowed in mild surprise. She hadn’t expected Dexter to act so swiftly, moving to have Robin arrested so quickly.
But she wasn’t one to let her composure slip. With calculated calmness, she replied, “Betsey, if you have a problem with the police, you should take it up with them. This isn’t the place to raise a ruckus. The Clark family doesn’t control the police station, so there’s no point in creating a scene here.”
Betsey’s face flushed a deep crimson, her fury intensifying with each passing second. She lunged at Stella, her hand raised as if she were about to strike, her insults raining down like daggers.
Stella’s reaction was lightning quick as she seized Betsey’s hand in a firm grip.
Lucia, barely containing her irritation, leaped to Stella’s defense with fiery words. “Betsey, what on earth are you doing? We’re on the grounds of the Clark family home, where such wild behavior simply isn’t tolerated!”
In the midst of Betsey’s chaotic rant, Matthew’s brow creased in a scowl. He projected his voice across the room, cutting through the noise. “Hold on a moment, explain yourself. This is not some rowdy public square!”
At that point, Leona chimed in. With a serene look, she eyed Betsey and chided, “Betsey, please, settle down. We are here for a discussion, not to stir up a scene.”
Leona then turned her gaze to Stella, her tone dripping with arrogance and scorn as she remarked, “Humph. Seamarsh falls under Matthew’s rule, and overpowering someone on their own ground isn’t child’s play. Stella, imprisoning someone is hardly a challenge for the Clarks. We were compelled to seek you out. Now, what must the Wheelers do for you to grant Robin mercy?”