Paid To Care, Destined To Conquer Novel

Chapter 52

While everyone fretted about Paul, Sebastian, seated in his wheelchair, kept his gaze fixed on Stella. His eyes darkened momentarily as he noticed the frayed edges of her shirt. His flawless face seemed chiseled from ice, emanating a cold, impeccable, and untouchable aura.

"John," Sebastian called out, his voice flat and devoid of emotion, though a hint of confusion slipped through. "Yes, Mr. Gray," John replied. "If every member of the Carter family vanished from the world, could I become her guardian?" Sebastian inquired. John was left speechless, unsure how to respond.

Meanwhile, Callum questioned, "What assurance do you have?" With only Paul remaining in his family, Callum couldn't afford to take any chances. Stella glanced at Callum with icy disdain, let out a sarcastic laugh, and walked away without a word. She had long ceased to cater to anyone's whims. Once, everyone had to plead for her help. It astounded her that anyone would now dare to challenge her.

"Don't go," Callum shouted, his voice cracking with panic as he instinctively tried to grab Stella's wrist. Stella evaded him with a cold, razor-sharp gaze that froze him in place. Her pale, almost ghostly face exuded pure attitude, silently warning him to back off and not even think about touching her. "Hands off!" Stella stated flatly, her patience clearly exhausted. "Try that again, and I'll cut your damn hand off." Callum was speechless. As a superstar, he knew this was no act of playing hard to get or trying to boost the price. The lethal intensity in her eyes was genuine. He had no doubt that if he reached out again, she would act without hesitation.

The real shock came when Callum instinctively turned toward the source of that icy, suffocating aura and found himself locked in a gaze with a pair of chilling, unfathomable eyes. Callum was struck dumb, a sense of impending doom washing over him. It felt as though an invisible hand had seized his throat, its grip tightening relentlessly. The tension in the room was palpable.

Suddenly, Caleb's phone rang, catching him off guard. He glanced at the caller ID and saw it was his assistant. His assistant would never call at this hour unless it was urgent. Caleb stepped aside to take the call.

Caleb repeated, "What did you say? The Gray family has the Vitalis Pill?" Shock spread across Caleb's face as his voice rose. Everyone instinctively looked at him. Callum felt a surge of wild relief, realizing that with the Vitalis Pill, his grandfather still had a chance. "Leave. Now," Callum snapped, regaining his composure as he turned to Stella and pointed towards the door, making it clear he was ordering her out. "I'll be waiting for you to beg me," Stella shot back, her voice calm and full of swagger.

She didn't lose that badass, icy look for a second as she turned and headed straight for Sebastian. As she passed Samuel, Stella paused for a moment and turned her head. "Don't use the Vitalis Pill," she said coldly, a chilly reminder. Stella was certain they would resort to it eventually. Samuel frowned but remained silent. She left without waiting for his response or looking back. Downstairs at the hospital, Stella waited for John to bring the car around.

Chapter 32

"Wait!" Emily called out, running up behind her, out of breath. "What's up?" Stella asked, glancing sideways at her. The movement caused her shirt collar to slip, revealing a glimpse of her delicate, almost dazzlingly pale collarbone. "Sorry, I didn't expect the Gray family to have..." Emily began but couldn't meet Stella's eyes. The pride she once possessed was nowhere to be seen on her pretty face. Stella gave her an indifferent look. Before Emily could say anything, a black Mercedes-Benz roared into the parking lot. The back door opened, and a five-year-old boy named Ryan stepped out, dressed impeccably in a tiny black suit and a diamond-encrusted bow tie, clutching a small box.

That had to be the Vitalis Pill. Stella's eyes turned cold, her gaze sharp and unyielding. Half of her face obscured in shadow, she exuded an eerie, almost suffocating intensity. Sophia and Richard emerged from the car. They clearly hadn't anticipated encountering Stella there, and Richard's smug grin was still evident before he managed to wipe it away. The instant he laid eyes on Stella, his expression turned ferocious.

"You're the one who persuaded the Pierce Group to sever all ties with the Gray Group today?" Richard spat. With Sebastian absent, all his old resentments and fresh animosity boiled over. Richard was determined to make Stella pay. The Pierce Group switching sides and betraying the Gray family today had caught everyone off guard. When the order came directly from Carlos himself, it was a shock. Just days ago, the Pierce Group and the Gray Group had a deal. Now, the Pierce Group would rather pay a hefty breach-of-contract fee than honor it. The truth finally emerged, revealing that the entire debacle traced back to that cunning Stella. It was a harsh awakening.

If not for the Vitalis Pill Sophia had secretly safeguarded, the Gray Group would have faced utter humiliation. With the ordeal over, Richard already had a list of demands prepared for those involved. He was convinced that the Pierce family had chosen the wrong side and would soon regret it. With that conviction in mind, he headed straight towards Stella, appearing ready to tear her apart. The others who had exited the Gray family's car made no move to stop him. Emily rushed to block Stella's path, but Stella barely flinched.

In a swift motion, Emily was deftly sidestepped and found herself sprawled on the ground before she could comprehend what had transpired. Emily blinked in confusion, stunned by what had just happened. Stella's expression remained inscrutable, a flicker of irritation showing momentarily.

With a kick aimed at Richard's right foot with casual precision, Stella sent the bulky man skidding across the pavement, causing him to crash. Emily stood there, bewildered, as her mind struggled to process the event. Before she could assist Richard, a dark shadow loomed over her.

As she looked up, she locked eyes with Stella, whose stunningly beautiful face exuded a bone-chilling coldness. Stella's hand was wrapped around Sophia's jaw, tilting her head upward, eliciting a yelp of pain from Sophia. "Ryan, help Sophia," Stella commanded, but Ryan hesitated to approach. Emily could no longer stand by and was about to intervene when she froze upon hearing Stella's next words.

"Did you deny her the medication and purposely let her linger on the brink of death?" Stella demanded, her voice icy and sharp.

Sophia was drenched in sweat from the pain, her neatly styled silver bun unraveling at the back of her head. The Vitalis Pill could revive and rejuvenate. When Annette was on the verge of death, if Stella hadn't intervened unexpectedly, she would have perished. Realizing this, Emily's gaze towards Sophia hardened, her entire demeanor shifting in an instant. Everyone in town was well aware of the Gray family's drama. The fact that, at her age, Annette still had Carlos completely enthralled was evidence of her remarkable abilities.

The car came to a halt, the window rolled down, and Sebastian's eyes gleamed with a dangerous, predatory glint as he gazed at Sophia and the others, cold and merciless.

"What is your game?" Sebastian asked, his voice icy and direct. Everyone could discern he was addressing Stella. They stared in disbelief, certain that anyone with functioning eyes could identify the true antagonist. They pondered whether Sebastian was blind or merely feigning ignorance.