Paid To Care, Destined To Conquer Novel

Chapter 2 A Pet Python Stella turned toward the sound. Sebastian sat in the morning light, wearing only a black robe tied loosely at the waist. He was holding a cup of coffee, his long legs stretched out as he read a file open on his lap. A strand of dark beads hung from his wrist. They swayed gently, giving him a quiet stillness that felt ancient and unreadable. Stella took him in, and for a moment, she just stared. Then she snapped back to herself, the defiance returning to her eyes as she pressed her tongue to the back of her teeth. "You..." she began.

He looked up then, and their eyes met. That was all it took. The memory of what happened right before she was knocked out rushed back to her in a single, vivid wave. The large python shifted slowly on the bed, its size making its movements look heavy and almost harmless. "Snowball," Sebastian said, his voice low and cold. Stella stared. To her, a man who kept a pet python and gave it a cute name like Snowball was clearly out of the ordinary. At Sebastian's call, the python slid down from the bed.

It wound its way around his legs, coiled onto the sofa behind him, and settled its large head on his shoulder with a soft nudge. "You're Lucas's father?" Stella asked. Stella knew she had to explain. She wasn't the kidnapper, but a victim herself. Sebastian stroked the python's head, his gaze locked on Stella's face as she spoke. His expression was cool and unreadable, and the casual way he handled the massive python sent a shiver through her. The folder on Sebastian's lap slipped to the floor, its contents spilling out.

Photographs scattered across the tiles, and Stella's words died in her throat. Every single picture was of her, from childhood through adolescence to recent months. It was a complete dossier on her life. He had known she was innocent this whole time. Yet he'd sat there silently, letting her talk, when he'd had the truth in his lap all along. It hit her then that he was testing her. His calculation ran deeper than she had imagined. "Is this really fun for you, Mr. Gray?" Stella squinted, her slender frame slouched lazily against the headboard. Sebastian didn't answer.

He merely gestured toward the other side of the room. Stella glanced toward where he pointed and met her own eyes in the mirror. Her face was a mess of thick, smudged smoky makeup, her ears cluttered with several skull-shaped clips. It was pure punk overload. She stared at the reflection, her fingers tracing the line of her brow. The cheap makeup was caked on thick, but beneath it all, the elegant lines of her face were still there. It gave her a look that was naturally cool and reserved. "Mr. Gray..." She threw off the covers, stood up barefoot, and moved with a swagger.

"I'm getting this off." ***** In the bathroom, Stella cleared the fog from the mirror. Her flawless skin was flushed and dewy from the shower, giving her a fresh, delicate beauty. Her face was bare, without a trace of makeup. In the stillness, her captivating eyes blinked slowly, their gaze catching the light with a faint, honeyed warmth. She seemed calm, but there was a cool distance in her expression that kept people away. A small mole rested on her collarbone. Her hair, freshly dried, fell in soft, shiny waves all the way down her back. Yet Stella's mind was empty.

She knew her name, but nothing else about who she was. After she got dressed and walked out, both Sebastian and the large white python were gone. Only a mess of photos and files remained, scattered across the floor. "Stella Carter... eighteen," she murmured to herself, her slender fingers turning the pages as she scanned the file's sparse lines. The records stated she was a former student of Central High School, expelled just last week for failing grades and excessive absences. She had a reputation as a rebel, and her home life was reportedly strained.

It also revealed that her younger sister, Hazel Carter, attended Edenbury Academy, the city's most elite and costly private school. Stella turned the page, and a chill settled in her eyes as she read that she was not the Carters' real daughter. The Carters had known the truth all along, which was why they had always treated the two sisters so differently. What made no sense was the money. The Carters were not wealthy, yet they managed to pay for Edenbury Academy's enormous fees year after year, a sum that ran into the millions.

She was still turning this over in her mind when a rapid, anxious knock came at her bedroom door. "Ms. Carter!" came the tense voice of Jake Yates, Sebastian's other subordinate, as he pounded hard on the wood. He started to speak again as the door suddenly opened from the inside. His raised fist almost struck her, but Stella moved swiftly out of the way. He froze, his words dying on his lips as he got a clear look at her face. He stared, hardly believing this was the same girl Sebastian had brought home yesterday, the one with messy, smudged makeup.

Now, she looked clear and quietly beautiful. "So you're sending me away," Stella said, her voice steady and without much emotion. Lucas was safe now. Even if Sebastian had said nothing, she would have been ready to go. "Ms. Carter, please follow me," Jake said, shaking his head as he remembered his actual task. The memory of Lucas's demolished room was enough to make his blood run cold. He would gladly trade a month in combat for a single day of babysitting duty. "Has something happened to him?" Stella asked, a sudden fear gripping her as she followed Jake to the elevator.

Lucas's room was on the third floor. When the elevator doors opened, a vase shot past them and exploded against the wall. The floor was a sea of wreckage, with no clear path through. Stella stared, utterly speechless. "He did this alone?" Stella asked, her voice a mix of disbelief and exhaustion. The devastation was absolute. Jake could only give a stiff, helpless nod. Stella turned and entered the room. The scene grew more chaotic with every step. The servants stood quietly nearby, their silence a clear sign they had seen this all before.

"Bring in a fresh set for him to break," Sebastian ordered. His tone was icy and held no mercy for the five-year-old boy, cutting with a ruthless edge. Soon, a servant was replacing the broken items on the shelves with new ones, each piece a costly antique. Lucas grunted angrily, swinging his small fists to warn anyone who tried to come close. The white python, Snowball, coiled protectively around Lucas, letting the boy rest against his scales. Seeing Lucas on the verge of total exhaustion, Stella turned a cold glare toward Sebastian. "What is wrong with you?" she demanded.

Stella's expression tightened as Lucas started to move, her eyes flashing with immediate concern. He was barefoot on a floor littered with glass. One wrong step could cut him. "Stay where you are. I'm coming to you," she said firmly. As Stella approached, Lucas's face lit up for a moment before his eyes glistened with tears. His chin trembled as he reached his small hands out to her. Editorial Board Editorial Board Our editorial team works behind the scenes to refine each chapter, maintain consistency, and deliver the best reading experience.