He knew he had wronged Stella after his memory loss, and with her current troubles, his guilt weighed heavily on him.
Stella, ever the peacemaker, quickly intervened to soothe Lucia. “Look, no one could have predicted this mess. It’s not fair to blame Matthew. It was purely accidental.”
Yet, Lucia’s frustration simmered, fueled by what she saw as Stella’s excessive altruism, her habit of always placing others before herself.
Determined, she turned to Matthew. “You’ve got to uncover the real perpetrator, Matthew. Clear Stella’s name before her reputation is dragged through the mud.”
“I’m on it, don’t worry,” Matthew replied, his tone resolute.
The room buzzed with supportive friends and family, all trying to Lift Stella’s spirits, encouraging her to put the incident out of her mind and focus on her recovery.
Eventually, after much persuasion from Stella, the room emptied.
Just as Stella was about to dial Doreen, the door swung open and Doreen herself appeared.
Stella’s face Lit up with relief. “Doreen! Just the person I wanted to see. I mentioned you during my conversation with the police, and they’ve followed up with you already.”
Doreen, visibly distressed, shared her disbelief. “How did things escalate so quickly? Who would plan such a cruel scheme against you?”
Stella avoided the question, her tone laced with concern. “Listen, it’s best you keep out of this chaos for now. Keep an eye on the studio and if anything comes up, my mom or Alissa is just a call away.”
“Don’t worry, Stella. I’ll take good care of the studio,” Doreen assured her softly.
With a hesitant tone, Doreen probed further. “Stella, think about it. Is there anyone you might have upset?”
Stella paused, searching her memory. “I can’t think of anyone. I don’t believe I’ve upset anyone,” she replied, shaking her head.
Silence enveloped them as Stella delved into her memories, trying to pinpoint the time she noticed her pen missing. She retraced her steps, recalling each face she had encountered during that time.
Slowly, an image of Lindsay emerged in her thoughts. Could she be involved?
Meanwhile, Lindsay was stewing in her apartment, her mood sour.
She slumped on her sofa, her features twisted in frustration.
It was clear she had underestimated how deeply rooted Stella was in Matthew’s heart. Despite his amnesia, his affections for Stella lingered.
This realization put Lindsay at a disadvantage, and she knew she had to sideline Stella somehow.
Lost in her scheming, Lindsay wheeled herself out of her room and caught snippets of a conversation between two maids who had recently joined from the Clark family residence. They spoke highly of Stella.
A plan began to form in Lindsay’s mind, and she beckoned one of the maids, Katelyn Aston.
Katelyn followed Lindsay into her room with a mix of respect and apprehension.
Working closely with Lindsay had taught her to be wary; her moods were as changeable as the weather.