“Ms. Edwards, are you sure you want to immigrate?” “Yes,” Stella Edwards consistently answered the staff member’s repeated inquiries. After receiving Stella’s confirmation, the staff member said, “Very well, Ms. Edwards. The process should be completed in about ten days. We’ll notify you of the results via text message at that time.” After leaving, Stella hailed a taxi to return home. The taxi’s radio was broadcasting news about the upcoming wedding between Bryce Kingsley, president of the Kingsley Group, and his fiancée, Stella. Rumor had it that Bryce loved his fiancée deeply and had spent an entire year preparing for this wedding. He had hired the country’s top wedding planning team at great expense to create the most magnificent ceremony to marry Stella. This enviable wedding of the century was just ten days away, but neither Bryce nor anyone else knew that the wedding was destined to fall through because Stella was planning to run away. Stella’s father had cheated when she was very young. Her parents later divorced, and she lived with her mother. When Stella was in eighth grade, her mother passed away after a serious illness that Christmas. It was also that Christmas when Stella met Bryce. He was like a sudden beam of light in Stella’s life. When she lost her loved one, he warmed her cold heart. However, having witnessed her mother’s unhappy marriage since childhood, Stella instinctively resisted when Bryce approached her, only agreeing to be with him after he confessed his love many times. To make her his wife, Bryce even climbed the Himalayas, kneeling at the highest peak to swear to the heavens that he, Bryce Kingsley, loved Stella deeply and would marry no one but her. Stella still remembered the day he proposed to her on the mountaintop. She cried uncontrollably, believing her life would be complete from then on. But Stella never expected to be disappointed so soon. Two weeks ago, Stella discovered Bryce was cheating. He had bought another luxury home in the same community where they lived together. He had long forgotten his vows, but Stella hadn’t. When he proposed, Stella had said, “I cannot accept betrayal. So if one day you no longer love me, I will disappear from your world.” At that time, Bryce held her tenderly in his arms and said, “I will never betray you, nor will my feelings change. Stella, I won’t become a man like your father. I will love only you for the rest of my life.” Looking back now, she felt vows couldn’t be trusted. The taxi arrived at the residential area, and Stella paid and got out. She had just had a glass of water after returning home when Bryce arrived. He placed a gift bag on the dining table, then embraced Stella from behind, saying, “Stella, are you feeling better? There was a sudden situation at the company today, so I couldn’t take you to the hospital.” Seeing no response from Stella, he kissed her cheek and then released her. Stella nearly threw up when she smelled the alcohol and perfume on him. Bryce frowned and suggested taking Stella to the hospital. Stella refused because she no longer needed to go. Earlier today, she had sudden stomach pain and was diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis. She had called Bryce more than a dozen times, but he never answered. Stella went to the hospital alone, only to spot him with his assistant, Isabella Thompson, outside the obstetrics clinic. Isabella was happily caressing her slightly protruding belly, while Bryce lovingly had his arm around her. Bryce seemed to love her deeply, and Isabella’s small bump told Stella they had probably been together longer than she had discovered. So after leaving the hospital, Stella went to the immigration agency. She intended to keep her promise and completely disappear from his world. Seeing Stella lost in thought, Bryce quickly asked what was wrong. Stella shook her head, wanting to return to the bedroom, but he held her back. He opened the gift bag on the table, revealing a designer handbag—the exact style she had wanted before. “Stella, in ten days it will be your birthday and also our wedding. I specially ordered this for you from overseas. Try it out.” Bryce looked at Stella expectantly, but she only gave the bag a brief glance. Half an hour earlier, Isabella had updated her Instagram with a photo of an identical limited-edition bag. [Someone who loves you will always find ways to give you the best!] Before Stella could speak, her phone rang. Isabella had updated Instagram again. [The bag has a damaged corner, and I don’t like it anymore. Someone promised to buy me a new one. I’m waiting.] Stella instinctively looked at the corner of the bag. Sure enough, there were some scratches. So the gift Bryce gave her was something someone else had rejected. Seeing that Stella wasn’t as excited as she usually was when receiving gifts, Bryce patiently asked, “Don’t you like this style? I can get you the newest model instead!” When Stella remained silent, he continued, “Today I received a payment notification from an immigration agency. Did you go there?” He paused, then added, “I remember you had a classmate who wanted to immigrate and asked for your help. Did you go with her? Why did you have to pay the processing fee for her immigration application?” Stella nodded, not denying it. After getting together with Bryce, he had solemnly promised to support her for life, leading her to quit her job. Their bank cards were linked. Whenever she spent money, he would receive a payment notification. Perhaps because Bryce was only concerned about the pregnant Isabella, he hadn’t noticed Stella’s unusual behavior. Stella thought this was for the best; she wouldn’t need to find excuses to explain. Bryce sighed with relief, and seeing Stella somewhat distracted, he quickly promised, “I’m sorry I let you go to the hospital alone when you weren’t feeling well. I swear it won’t happen again…” The next day, Stella began packing her things. She had many possessions and wanted to organize them early to ship to New Zealand. Bryce was surprised to see Stella packing so early in the morning. “Stella, are you going somewhere? Our wedding is in nine days. Where are you planning to go at a time like this?” Stella calmly replied, “I’m not going anywhere. I’m just sorting through some old items to donate to the mountain communities.” Bryce nodded, not suspecting a thing. Just then, the doorbell rang. Bryce opened the door to receive the delivery and called Stella over for breakfast. “Stella, this soup was specially prepared by a Michelin-star chef. You’ve been having digestive issues lately, so I’ve ordered breakfast deliveries for the next two weeks to help you recover.” Bryce served the soup and placed it in front of Stella. He said, “I remember you used to love this restaurant’s food. Try some.” Bryce insisted on feeding Stella the soup, and she didn’t refuse despite her frown. As he fed her, he said, “Every time you’re unwell, I have to force you to eat. What would you do without me?” “Stella, marrying me is the best decision you’ve ever made in your life.” Stella wanted to laugh inside. She had once thought the same, until she discovered Bryce had fallen for someone else. Only then did she realize her mistake. After breakfast, Bryce wanted to take her to see the wedding venue. “Stella, our wedding is just around the corner. Aren’t you curious to see how the venue is being decorated?” Not wanting to appear too cold and raise his suspicions, Stella reluctantly agreed to go with him. To publicly demonstrate their love, Bryce had personally designed a commercial building for Stella, naming it “Stella’s Star.” Their wedding reception would be held in this building. As soon as they arrived at the building entrance, a large crowd gathered around them. “Are you Mr. Kingsley and Ms. Edwards?” “I admire your love story so much! I hope you stay together forever!” Standing beside Bryce, Stella felt uncomfortable hearing all the well-wishes. Bryce, however, appeared much more at ease. He put his arm around Stella’s shoulders, gently kissed her forehead, and declared, “I will never leave Stella’s side!” The crowd erupted in cheers. When Bryce and Stella’s wedding date was first announced, the media had praised him as a devoted man, earning him many fans. He played his part so well that no one knew he had already been unfaithful, engaging in all manner of deception. The crowd grew larger. Stella felt a pain in her stomach and turned pale. Stella groaned in pain, but Bryce didn’t notice. His phone rang. He frowned as he answered. Stella could faintly hear a woman sobbing on the other end. After hanging up, he reluctantly said to Stella, “Stella, there’s an urgent document at the company that needs my signature. I’ll have the wedding coordinator show you around.” Though his eyes were filled with anxiety, he spoke softly, “Darling, this signature is really important! Be good, I’ll be back soon.” He tried to touch Stella’s forehead reassuringly. Stella avoided his hand and said through her pain, “Go ahead with your work. I’ll wait for you to return.” Bryce gave some instructions to the wedding coordinator and left. After he departed, Stella didn’t enter the building but instead dismissed the coordinator and followed Bryce. Stella tracked Bryce to a building across the street. At the entrance, Isabella was surrounded by several people. “She’s so shameless, daring to claim she’s Bryce’s true love!” “Bryce only loves his fiancée. She’s just humiliating herself!” “Someone as devoted as Bryce would never fall for someone else.” Isabella was trapped in the middle of these hostile people. Though terrified, she kept defending herself, “I’m not lying. I’m telling the truth…” One of them pointed to the building across the street and said, “That building across the way was built by Bryce to prove his love for Stella. How can you claim you’re not lying?” “You have no shame!” Emotionally unstable due to her pregnancy, Isabella cried in frustration, “I really am not lying…” “Liar!” Someone angrily stepped forward, about to slap Isabella. Bryce arrived just in time and shouted, “Stop!” He blocked the person who was about to hit Isabella, shielding her behind him, his expression dark. “Mr. Kingsley, this woman is spreading rumors, claiming she’s your true love. I was just about to teach her a lesson for you…” The speaker looked smug, but Bryce was furious. Isabella timidly tugged at Bryce’s sleeve and said, “They all say I’m lying, but I’m not. Bryce, please tell them I’m not lying.” Bryce kicked the person who had spoken and demanded, “What gives you the right to question her?” Everyone around them was stunned, unable to believe that Bryce, who supposedly loved Stella deeply, would lose his temper over another woman. A silence fell over the crowd; no one dared to speak. Standing at a distance and witnessing everything, Stella gave a self-mocking smile and thought, “So Isabella is Bryce’s true love. What does that make me in Bryce’s heart?” “If any of you dare to hurt my woman again, you’ll face the consequences!” Bryce possessively held Isabella in his arms and said fiercely. If Stella hadn’t known the truth, she might have been moved by the scene. It was precisely because she was Bryce’s fiancée that Stella found the current situation so absurd. Stella’s stomach and heart twisted simultaneously. She couldn’t bear to watch anymore and turned to leave. Shortly after returning to the building, Stella heard hurried footsteps. Turning around, she saw Bryce’s anxious expression. “Stella, I’m sorry. I came back as soon as I finished signing. Is your stomach hurting again? Why are you so pale?” he asked. He habitually placed his right hand on Stella’s forehead. She clearly felt his hand trembling and his genuine concern for her. Bryce had just been extremely protective of another woman, and now he was showing such care for her. Stella suddenly couldn’t tell if his acting skills were exceptional or if she was hallucinating. “I’m fine…” she said softly. Bryce kept his hand on Stella’s forehead and exclaimed, “You have a fever! I’m taking you to the hospital right now!” He lifted Stella into his arms. She struggled to get down, saying, “I just didn’t sleep well last night. I’ll be fine after resting at home.” But he refused to put her down. “Then I’ll take you home to rest now.” Ignoring the stares of people around them, Bryce carried Stella toward the exit. “Stella, I told you I’m your support. Whether you’re feeling unwell or unhappy, just tell me, and I’ll always be by your side!” he said firmly. Hearing his words, Stella felt a pang in her heart. He had indeed said this to her before, but he had already broken his promise and betrayed her. “Stella, what’s wrong? Why does your expression seem off?” Bryce asked. After spending so many Christmases with Stella, Bryce could detect changes in her mood when he paid attention. Stella shook her head and said, “I was just wondering if you remember what you told me when you proposed…” “Of course I remember!” Bryce set Stella down and said earnestly, “Stella, I will only love you in this lifetime, and I will never betray you!” Stella stared at Bryce, thinking: “He only loves me and won’t betray me? Then what about Isabella?” Her gaze made Bryce uncomfortable, and he averted his eyes slightly. He didn’t understand why Stella would suddenly ask him this, but he was confident that he had hidden his affair well, and Stella couldn’t possibly know about his infidelity. Bryce took a deep breath and was about to say something when Stella fainted. She felt like she had a very long dream. When she woke up again, Stella found herself lying in a hospital bed. As soon as she opened her eyes, Stella heard a nurse shout, “Quick, tell Mr. Kingsley that Ms. Edwards is awake!” While others went to notify Bryce, the nurse said to Stella, “Ms. Edwards, you’re finally awake. If you hadn’t woken up soon, we would all be in trouble…” The nurse described how Bryce had brought her to the hospital after she fainted: “He angrily said he would teach us a lesson if anything happened to you! Ms. Edwards, just like the rumors say, Mr. Kingsley loves you so much. You’ve been unconscious for days, and he’s been by your side the whole time, not eating or drinking. He was forced to go rest just an hour ago. In all my years working at this hospital, I’ve never seen a man care so much for his fiancée!” Stella listened to the nurse’s praise of Bryce while maintaining a cold expression. She simply said, “Thank you for taking care of me these past few days.” The nurse replied, “You should thank Mr. Kingsley. He’s been more attentive than any of us medical staff…” Just then, Bryce arrived. Stella didn’t know how many days she had been unconscious, but when Bryce entered, he looked exhausted and had lost weight. “Stella, you’re finally awake. I was so worried about you,” Bryce said in a hoarse voice. Stella said, “I’m fine.” “You scared me to death.” Bryce pulled Stella into his embrace. Being so close to him, Stella noticed the pungent perfume smell on Bryce was unusually strong. Stella recalled what the nurse had just told her. She had been unconscious for days, and supposedly he had stayed by her side without eating or drinking. Yet the perfume smell on him was clearly telling her otherwise. Bryce released Stella. His phone rang. He took it out, glanced at it but didn’t answer. He said to Stella, “Stella, you’ve been unconscious for days, and I’ve been at the hospital watching over you. I haven’t had time for company matters. Now that you’re awake, my assistant immediately called to update me on work.” Stella nodded. Bryce casually took out his phone and sent a voice message: “Isabella, Stella hasn’t fully recovered yet, so I need to stay at the hospital for a few more days. Bring the documents to the hospital. I’ll work from here.”
After sending the voice message, Bryce put down his phone and said to Stella, “Stella, I’m going to take a shower. You get some rest, and if you need anything, just ask the nurse to call me.” She replied, “Okay.” Bryce turned and left the hospital room. Not long after, Stella saw Isabella through the partially open door, carrying a stack of documents, coming to find Bryce. There was nothing wrong with that, except Isabella’s outfit clearly wasn’t appropriate for discussing business. She was wearing an extremely short skirt and a revealing top. Stella thought Bryce and Isabella wouldn’t do anything inappropriate in the hospital in broad daylight, but she underestimated her judgment and overestimated Bryce’s self-control. An hour later, Stella made an excuse to get out of bed to stretch her legs. She walked down the long corridor to the most secluded hospital room in the corner. Through the glass window, she saw Bryce pinning Isabella beneath him. From inside came the sound of urgent breathing from both man and woman. Stella clearly heard Bryce’s voice. He said, “I just satisfied you last night, and now you want more! Don’t you realize you’re pregnant right now!” This was followed by the sounds of kissing, and Isabella moaned, “I just want to make sure you don’t have any energy left for other women! Do you like my new sexy lingerie? Do you like it?” Stella couldn’t bear to listen to what came next. This room was only a hundred yards from hers. Just a hundred yards away, Bryce was in bed with another woman behind her back, like a wild beast out of control. Bryce had always been a disciplined man. Even when he and Stella were deeply in love, he never easily lost control. They had never done that; at most, they had only kissed. He always said that good men like him were rare, and that his friends were all womanizers. Bryce had sworn he would never indulge in physical relationships, and that he and Stella would save their first time for the most important moment. He said he wanted to be responsible for Stella and for himself. Stella thought she had found the best man in the world. But now, seeing him with Isabella in bed made all his previous words seem ridiculous. Heartbroken, Stella returned to her room and found herself in tears. The nurse, seeing her crying, asked in confusion, “What’s wrong?” “I’m just so happy,” Stella said. “What’s making you so happy?” the nurse asked suspiciously. “In seven days I’ll be starting a new life, of course I’m happy.” The nurse remembered that Bryce and Stella’s wedding was in seven days and was genuinely happy for her. “Marrying the one you love is definitely worth celebrating. Ms. Edwards, I wish you and Mr. Kingsley happiness!” Stella neither nodded nor shook her head. From the moment Bryce betrayed her, she and Bryce had been growing further apart… The next day, Stella’s condition improved, and she was discharged from the hospital. After eating breakfast delivered from the restaurant, Stella shipped her last batch of belongings overseas, then pulled out dozens of wedding invitation designs that Bryce had brought back. He had promised to give Stella a perfect wedding, even having different styles of invitations designed for her to choose from. But his so-called perfect wedding had a major flaw. One version of the invitation didn’t use Stella and Bryce’s photo, but instead featured a cartoon wedding picture. And on this version, Isabella’s name was printed in the bride’s position. Stella brought this invitation to Bryce and asked, “What’s this about?” Seeing the invitation with the wrong name in Stella’s hand, Bryce frowned and said, “How could the staff print the wrong name!” Bryce immediately took out his phone to call Isabella. Fifteen minutes later, Isabella appeared before Stella. Bryce threw the invitation in front of Isabella and angrily said, “You’ve been my assistant for so long, how could you make this kind of mistake?” Isabella’s face turned pale as she apologized to Stella, “I’m sorry, Ms. Edwards. I handle many documents every day and accidentally typed the wrong name on the invitation…” Stella calmly asked, “Is that so?” “Really, Ms. Edwards. I didn’t do it on purpose, it was just a mistake…” Isabella was on the verge of tears. This was the first time Stella carefully observed Isabella. Isabella had delicate features and golden long hair, just like Stella when she was younger. “How should we handle this?” Stella asked. Bryce interjected, “Darling, she didn’t do it intentionally…” Stella said, “Then dock her three months’ salary. What do you think, Bryce?” Bryce nodded with a frown. “Whatever you say.” Then he sternly told Isabella, “Don’t make this mistake again! Otherwise, don’t bother coming to work!” Isabella nodded tearfully. “Understood, Mr. Kingsley…” With that, she turned and left. After Isabella left, Bryce was noticeably distracted. He didn’t even notice when his phone rang until Stella reminded him. After checking the message, Bryce said, “Some old friends want to get together to celebrate our upcoming wedding.” Stella pretended to feel unwell and said, “You go ahead. I have a bit of a headache and want to rest.” Bryce immediately responded, “You definitely need rest. These are friends I’ve grown up with. I can’t really turn them down.” “I understand.” Bryce grabbed his phone and left. After he was gone, Stella began packing her things. She had lived in this house for over a decade, and there was too much to pack. She felt that since she couldn’t take many things with her, she might as well burn them all. Stella lit the fireplace and threw in items related to Bryce one by one. In the roaring flames, her love for Bryce also turned to ashes. Stella’s phone rang. Isabella had updated her social media again. The video was clearly from some high-end club, with Isabella sitting on Bryce’s lap. Bryce was looking at her lovingly and kissing her. People around them said, “Bryce is amazing!” “Never thought such a good man would be so wild in private!” “Bryce, teach us how you hide this from your fiancée!” Bryce laughed and said, “As long as I want to, she’ll never know…” Stella turned off the video, feeling sick. But Bryce would never know that she had discovered this long ago. She decided to let them be together by removing herself from the relationship. Late that night, Bryce returned reeking of alcohol and embraced Stella from behind. The strong smell of alcohol mixed with perfume made Stella frown. He said, “Talked with friends a bit late. Sorry, Stella.” Stella asked, “You just talked?” Bryce said, “Yes. I had some drinks, you don’t mind, do you?” Stella turned around, looking at the marks on his neck, and asked, “What’s this?” Bryce solemnly explained, “I’m allergic to alcohol. I’ll take some medicine soon…” “Is it really just an allergy?” Stella asked. Thinking she was concerned about him, Bryce hugged her and asked, “Are you worried about me? Just this once, I won’t drink anymore. Those guys said after we’re married, you’ll be strict and definitely won’t let me drink…”
“I see.” After hearing his explanation, Stella nodded without pressing further. Bryce, relieved she hadn’t grown suspicious, kissed her forehead before heading to shower. The next day, Bryce unusually stayed home with Stella instead of going to the office. “The wedding is just days away. I want to spend this time with you,” he said. Stella questioned, “Won’t we have even more time together after we’re married?” “It’s different.” Though Bryce couldn’t exactly explain how. He’d been spending too much time with Isabella lately, and Stella’s recent disinterest in everything made him uneasy. Five days before the wedding, Bryce began staying by Stella’s side constantly. When she wanted fruit, he peeled and cut it himself. When her stomach hurt, he made corn chowder for her. During meals, he even fed her by hand. The servants whispered that Bryce truly adored Stella, and she would surely live happily ever after. Whether she was happy or not, Stella didn’t know. She only knew Isabella had updated her social media again. While he was cutting fruit, he was sending flirtatious messages to Isabella. When Bryce was making corn chowder for Stella, he was transferring money to Isabella. When he was feeding Stella, he was voice messaging Isabella, coaxing her to send intimate photos. Stella couldn’t understand how he managed this. Perhaps she had never truly known Bryce. So she quietly booked her flight and completed her immigration paperwork. After everything was prepared, the much-anticipated wedding day finally arrived. The night before the wedding, Bryce took her to the riverside and set off fireworks. Under the brilliant lights, he held her and asked, “Do you like it? I prepared this especially for you. Tomorrow at our wedding, I want the whole city to witness my love for you.” His words were tender, the fireworks casting a passionate glow on his face. If she hadn’t just seen Isabella’s post, Stella might have believed him. [Feeling down. Someone promised to cheer me up with fireworks. Hope he keeps his word.] So these fireworks were never meant for Stella at all. Gazing at the display, Stella coldly asked, “We’re getting married tomorrow. Is there anything you want to tell me?” “Of course!” Bryce nodded emphatically. He cupped her face and said earnestly, “Stella, you’re the best woman I’ve ever met, the one I must marry. I love you. We’ll be together forever.” Even now, he was still deceiving her with clumsy lies. Stella’s eyes welled up. Bryce anxiously asked, “What’s wrong, Stella?” “Nothing, I’m just so happy,” Stella forced a smile. Bryce pulled her into his arms and said, “Marrying you is my greatest fortune. After tomorrow, we’ll belong to each other forever.” Stella leaned on his shoulder, thinking of the immigration approval notification on her phone. Stella thought, “I’m sorry, Bryce. We’re not destined to be husband and wife. This time, I’m leaving you forever…” October 10th was destined to be an extraordinary day. Bryce was up and busy at the crack of dawn. His complexion was rosy, his face beaming with joy. He kept making phone calls to confirm every detail of the wedding. “Stella, just thinking that in a few hours you’ll be my wife makes me crazy with happiness!” Bryce’s joy seemed so genuine. He kept repeating this phrase. Stella felt not a hint of happiness, only anticipation for the freedom she would soon gain. When the clock struck twelve noon, the car arrived at the villa’s entrance as planned, ready to take them to the church for the ceremony. Their phones suddenly rang simultaneously. They both answered their calls and hung up at the same time. The smile vanished from Bryce’s face. He said, “Stella, there’s a massive security breach in the company’s financial system. I need to rush back immediately.” Stella asked, “Is it serious?” “Very serious.” But she clearly heard Isabella’s voice coming through the receiver. This was the countless time he had lied. Stella said, “Go ahead, don’t let work wait.” Bryce hugged her guiltily and said, “Give me thirty minutes, I promise I’ll make it to the wedding on time. Wait for me, okay?” “Okay.” As Bryce turned to leave, he suddenly remembered Stella’s phone call and asked, “Who called you just now?” Stella answered, “My college roommate. She’s on a business trip out of state and called specially to congratulate us.” Bryce said, “We should invite her for dinner sometime.” Stella nodded. With that, Bryce left with peace of mind. Bryce would never know that call was from the airline’s VIP customer service, reminding Stella her flight was about to depart. In one hour, she would be boarding. Watching Bryce’s retreating figure, Stella picked up her packed carry-on. She had compiled screenshots of all Isabella’s social media activities into a compressed file, set to be sent automatically. Once she was on the plane and gone, that evidence would automatically appear in Bryce’s inbox. Standing at the villa’s entrance, Stella took one last look at the mansion where she had spent twelve Christmases. At thirty thousand feet, Stella gazed at the sea of clouds outside her window. From now on, she had nothing to do with Bryce. In her heart, she whispered, “Goodbye, Bryce.”
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MyFiction” app 🔍 search for “397877”, and watch the full series ✨! #MyFiction #B×G #Betrayal #Confident #regret #LoveAfterLoss
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