Owen Rhodes had never been the sort of person one could easily ignore.
It was just that seeing Ethan Rhodes looking like he was on the verge of death had terrified Yolanda Thorne, making her lose all reason for a mont and completely ignore Owen.
She still rembered that afternoon over a year ago, receiving a call that Ethan Rhodes had been in a car accident and was in critical condition. At the ti, she had thought it was a scam call.
Only after she rushed to the hospital and the doctors issued one critical condition notice after another did she realize that her son was about to die.
She had fainted on the spot.
Fortunately, Ethan Rhodes had pulled through.
Later, she learned so details about the crash scene from the police.
She couldn’t even bear to imagine the sight of Ethan, covered in blood, being dragged from the mangled wreck of his car.
During the six months Ethan was in a coma, she had woken up from nightmares countless tis.
Her dreams were filled with scenes of Ethan, drenched in blood, grabbing her hand and crying, "Mom, save !"
Seeing Ethan lying amidst shards of glass and bleeding today had truly terrified her.
And yet, every ti Ethan ended up in such a wretched state, it was because of Stella Sterling.
How could she possibly care about anything else?
She had half a mind to charge forward and kill Stella.
The mont Owen spoke, she was jolted back to her senses. Owen was still here.
As for Jonathan Rhodes and Simon Rhodes, who were also present, they had remained silent precisely because Owen was there.
Jonathan Rhodes kept quiet because Yolanda Thorne was already on a full-blown offensive; there was no need for him to intervene.
Simon Rhodes, on the other hand, simply felt it had nothing to do with him.
Owen Rhodes’s sharp gaze swept toward Kiana Sterling, who was sobbing spasmodically in the distance. "An accusation is not proof. Since you claim it was because of Stella, then present your evidence."
Owen’s gaze was so severe it sent a chill down Kiana Sterling’s spine, making her tremble.
She lowered her head, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably.
"I... I don’t have any proof..." Kiana Sterling lifted her tear-blurred eyes, looking at Owen timidly yet defiantly. "But if you claim Ethan’s injury has nothing to do with Stella, can *you* produce any proof, Uncle?"
Yolanda Thorne instantly sized up the situation.
Regardless of the truth, her earlier tirade had already pinned the bla on Stella Sterling. This ant she and Kiana Sterling were now in the sa boat.
No matter what Stella and Kiana had said to each other, the fact remained that Ethan had been injured while protecting Stella.
That gave her the right to hold Stella accountable.
With that thought, Yolanda Thorne said, "Exactly, Owen. If Stella claims it was because of Kiana, can *she* produce any evidence?"
She paused, her eyes fixed on Stella. ’If you have proof, show it now,’ her gaze seed to say.
After a mont, Stella didn’t speak.
Yolanda Thorne snorted. "Since neither side can produce any evidence, why should we believe what Stella says? Or is it because Kyros is in your hands now, everything you say goes? Has it beco your personal dictatorship?"
Yolanda Thorne’s words were laced with personal resentnt.
If it weren’t for Owen, then with the second son a paraplegic and unable to take over, the succession should have gone to Jonathan Rhodes, the third son of the Rhodes family.
But now, not only had Jonathan been exiled from the core of Kyros, but even his son Ethan was being targeted by Owen—treated even worse than Evan Rhodes from the fifth branch of the family.
Yolanda Thorne was using this opportunity to vent all the dissatisfaction that had been building up for so long.
The mont she spoke, even the previously silent Jonathan Rhodes chid in, "She’s right, Owen. You’re the head of the Rhodes family now. In all matters, you must be convincing, not autocratic. Otherwise, who will dare to advise you on matters concerning Kyros in the future?"
Owen naturally understood the subtext in the couple’s words.
He didn’t even deign to look at them, saying coolly, "Don’t trouble yourselves with the affairs of Kyros. As for tonight, let’s not forget there was a third person present."
The third party involved was, of course, Ethan Rhodes, lying in the hospital bed.
But Audrey Rhodes played along, asking, "Who else was at the scene?"
"Ethan Rhodes, what did you see before you fell?"
All eyes turned to Ethan Rhodes on the bed.
Ethan glanced back at Kiana Sterling, who stood on the other side of the bed with her eyes red from crying, then scanned with difficulty through the crowd, searching for Stella.
He knew how important his next words would be.
’If Stella would just look at ,’ he thought, ’if I could see even a trace of pity in her eyes, I would never let her be wronged here.’
There were so many people crowded around the bed that he could only search for Stella through the gaps between them.
Stella and Owen were standing far away. When Ethan looked over, Stella was looking up at Owen.
Owen whispered sothing to her, his expression gentle, and then he raised a hand to touch her cheek.
Ethan’s eyes instantly darkened. He wished he could charge over and pull the intimate pair apart.
Kiana Sterling, standing on the other side, saw his reaction clearly and spoke up. "Ethan, you saw everything, didn’t you?"
Ethan withdrew his gaze and glanced back at Kiana.
Those eyes, which he had once found so pitiful and lovely, now only filled him with annoyance.
His gaze drifted downward, and Ethan saw the faint, half-hidden trace of blood in Kiana’s palm.
She was nervous.
Very nervous.
Ethan frowned.
’It seems she really wasn’t telling the truth.’
He made his decision right then and there.
But before he could speak, Stella walked in through the doorway.
Her previously coiled hair was now slightly disheveled, the jade pendant from her silver hairpin was gone, her arm was in a sling across her chest, and her face was pale.
Stella said, "The truth doesn’t matter anymore. Let’s just say I was trying to push Kiana down the stairs. So what? She’s perfectly fine now, isn’t she? The ones who got hurt are and Ethan Rhodes."
’So that ans Kiana was telling the truth!’
Yolanda Thorne’s eyes widened. "Stella Sterling, so you really do still have feelings for Ethan—"
"Yolanda," Stella interrupted, "watch your words. I am Owen Rhodes’s wife. Why, pray tell, would I ignore my wonderful husband to go after..." She glanced at Ethan on the hospital bed. "An Ethan Rhodes who has nothing? Kiana might have a penchant for that, but I’m afraid I don’t."
With that, she suddenly rounded the hospital bed and walked right up to Kiana.
The mont Kiana saw her, all her bravado vanished. She looked at her weakly. "Stella... It’s all my fault, Sister..."
"That’s right. It is all your fault."
In a flash, before anyone could react...
By the ti everyone ca to their senses, Stella had already grabbed Kiana by the neck and slamd her head hard against the nearby cabinet. Blood instantly gushed from the corner of her forehead.
Just like Ethan when he fell down the stairs.
Stella turned and smiled at Yolanda Thorne. "Yolanda, Kiana and I are sisters. We’ll bear any fault together. Whatever argunt we had, it resulted in Ethan getting hurt. So it’s only fair. My injured arm for Ethan’s bruises, and Kiana’s head for Ethan’s head. Are you satisfied with this resolution?"
Yolanda’s pupils contracted violently. She stared at Stella, speechless.
After a long mont, she finally forced out in a hoarse voice, "Stella Sterling! You’re a lunatic!!"
Stella’s lips curved into a beautiful smile. "Since you know I’m a lunatic, please manage your son and future daughter-in-law. Tell them to take a detour when they see from now on. Otherwise, I can’t say what might happen next ti."
Stella smiled like a siren, completely ignoring the shock and panic in the eyes of everyone present—everyone except Owen.
Basking in their gazes, Stella left hand-in-hand with Owen.
Once outside the room, Stella let out a long, satisfied sigh.
Ariana Grant was right, after all—
Abandon all decency, and enjoy a happy life!
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