Chapter 4
After comforting Chloe, Arthur turned to look at me.
His brows were slightly furrowed, but his tone was firm. "Stella, stay strong. I've got you."
I looked at Arthur, his brows slightly furrowed.
He told me to stand firm.
But right then, when everyone saw me as the other woman, he kept saying he'd protect me, but when it really counted, he just stood there and did nothing.
The banquet hall's air conditioning was cranked up, but I was freezing inside.
My phone buzzed in my bag.
I didn't even need to look; I knew my name was already trending everywhere online.
The headline struck a nerve, making my skin crawl.
I pushed Arthur's hand off my waist.
I stepped back and said, "Arthur."
I met his eyes, my words quiet but echoing through the now-silent banquet hall.
"Just say it, right here in front of everyone. Say that I'm not a homewrecker.
"I'll trust you one last time."
The reporters instantly went quiet, every recorder and microphone zeroing in on us.
Arthur's face darkened.
He lowered his voice, his tone tight with frustration. "Stella, just calm down.
"This isn't the time to confront all this. After tonight, I'll give you a proper explanation.
"If you speak up now, you'll just make everything blow up even worse."
I ignored his warning and simply stared him down, standing my ground.
I pressed, "Do you dare tell everyone that you and I never got a marriage certificate?
"Do you dare admit that the wedding you gave me was nothing but a sham with no legal standing whatsoever?"
Arthur fell silent.
His lips pressed into a tight line, his eyes darting back and forth between me and Chloe.
He just couldn't bring himself to do it.
He was terrified that if he told the truth, Chloe would be labeled a homewrecker.
And if everything came out, his reputation would go down the drain.
His silence was the cruelest thing of all.
Seeing this, Chloe suddenly broke down, tears spilling over.
She shoved Arthur aside and ran straight to me.
With all the media watching, she bowed right in front of me.
"Stella, I'm so sorry," Chloe cried out, grabbing at my dress, her tears pouring down her face.
"I know you love Arthur. I shouldn't have tried to take that title for myself.
"I'll divorce him tomorrow and let you be Mrs. Pendelton again. Please, don't push him anymore."
The flashbulbs went wild.
The reporters' whispers turned into outright accusations.
"Mr. Pendelton's wife is so pitiful."
"That mistress is seriously shameless."
I looked down at Chloe and felt sick to my stomach.
I reached down, trying to pull my dress out of her grasp.
"Let go," I snapped.
Chloe clung to me tightly, refusing to let go, her face tilted up to look at me.
But beneath that pathetic look on her face, I could clearly see the venom lurking in her gaze.
"She suddenly let her body fall backward, using the force of my pull to carry her down.
"
She shrieked.
Arthur's face went pale, and he lunged forward, catching Chloe just as she was about to hit the ground.
But as she fell, Chloe used her sleeve to cover her hand and gave my knee a sneaky shove.
I was already off-balance.
That push sent me tumbling backward, completely out of control.
Right behind me was the champagne tower.
The sound of shattering glass echoed through the banquet hall.
I crashed to the floor.
Countless shards rained down on me.
A wave of agony exploded in my stomach, like my insides were being ripped apart.
The whole room went dead silent.
I lay there in a mess of broken glass, a shard digging into my palm, but I couldn't even feel the pain in my hand.
The pain in my stomach was so intense that it made everything else fade into nothing.
Warm liquid trickled down my thigh.
The bloodstain on my skirt soaked through and spread.
Arthur was still holding Chloe in his arms.
When he turned and saw the pool of blood on the floor, all the color drained from his face.
"Stella!"