Chapter 32

▫️Stella’s POV...

Tears rolled down my face, and I cried my heart out like a fool. I didn’t want to cry over him, but the pain of his words wouldn’t let me stop. It wasn’t just about what he said—it was about how easily he could use my past to hurt me, like it meant nothing to him.

After what felt like forever, there was a knock at the door.

“Stella?” Nick’s voice came through.

“Open the door, Stella,” Liam added.

I quickly wiped my face, took a sip of water to stop my throat from burning, and tried to sound normal. “Guys, please, I need some alone time.”

Nick paused for a moment before asking softly, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I lied.

Liam sighed. “Alright. We’ll come back later, but if you need anything, just call.”

“Sure,” I replied, and they walked away.

Once they were gone, I flopped back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. My thoughts wandered back to the past, no matter how much I tried to block them out. It wasn’t just the memories of what happened—it was him bringing them up, taunting me like it was nothing.

No one who likes someone would do that. Right?

With a new resolve, I got up. I wasn’t going to sit around and sulk. I decided it was time to make some changes. First on the list: I wasn’t sharing a bed with that small dick anymore.

I snuck out of my room, carefully avoiding any signs of Chris. I checked Nick’s room—empty. Liam’s room—also empty. Even the living room was quiet. Where is everyone?

Finally, I went into his room—our old shared room. The coast was clear. Perfect.

I grabbed a bag and started stuffing my clothes inside. Ten minutes later, I was done. I shoved the bag into my room and went back for my laptop and phone. Once everything was out, I locked my room and started unpacking.

“I’d rather get killed by an intruder than sleep in his room again,” I muttered to myself.

By the time I’d put all my clothes and shoes into the wardrobe, it was afternoon. Nick and Liam came by to check on me, probably to make sure I hadn’t combusted in my “me time.” Once they saw I was okay, they left to do their own thing.

When lunch rolled around, I wasn’t in the mood to eat. I needed to distract myself, so I turned on a show to drown out the negativity swirling in my head. Or else I'll kill him in my imagination. May he rot in hell with his small dick.

Halfway through the episode, Ava called. My mood instantly lifted.

“Hey, you!” I greeted, trying to sound cheerful.

“Hey yourself,” Ava replied.

We spent the next few minutes catching up. I couldn’t resist teasing her about the cute moment I’d witnessed with MJ earlier, and her face turned beet red on the screen.

“Stop it, Stella!” she whined, but her shy smile said otherwise.

After a while, her tone grew serious. “Listen, I need to talk to you about Christian.”

The mention of his name made my stomach churn. “Don’t,” I said quickly. “Don’t even say his name in front of me.”

“What happened?” Ava asked, her brows furrowing in concern.

I sighed, my frustration bubbling to the surface. “You know what he did? During an argument, he brought up my ex cheating on me with my best friend and taunted me about it. Who does that? Even enemies don’t stoop that low!”

Ava gasped, her shock evident. “He what? I can’t believe him! That’s unacceptable.”

I nodded. “Exactly. And he doesn’t even care. He’s never going to change, so don’t bother wasting your time scolding him. Just enjoy your vacation with my brother-in-law and your beloved boyfriend, Mr. Green Forest.”

Her cheeks flushed again, and she stammered, “S-stop calling him that!”

I laughed. “You’re too cute, Ava.”

She tried to stay serious, but eventually, she gave in. “Fine. But promise me you’ll take care of yourself, okay? And don’t talk to Chris. Not until he apologizes. Remember.”

“Deal,” I said, feeling a little better after our call.

A little later, Nick showed up at my door.

“It’s lunchtime,” he announced.

“I’m not hungry,” I replied, keeping my eyes on the show.

Nick frowned. “Don’t let your mood ruin your appetite. Come on.”

“I’ll eat later,” I insisted.

Nick wasn’t having it. He walked in, grabbed my arm, and dragged me to the dining area. “Sit,” he ordered, placing a plate of food in front of me.

“Okay, fine! I’ll eat. But you should eat too,” I said.

He shook his head. “I’m heading out with Liam, so I’ll eat later. Just make sure you finish this, okay?”

I nodded, touched by his concern. As he and Liam left, I stared at the plate in front of me. I'm in no mood to have food.

So, I asked the helper to clear the plates and keep quiet about it. She nodded and got to work while I made my way back to my room, hoping for some peace.

But peace is a myth when you’re under the same roof as a bastard.

In the hallway, I ran into that bastard. He had that signature arrogant look on his face, like the whole world was beneath him. I ignored him and tried to walk past, but, of course, he couldn’t let me. His hand shot out, blocking my way as he leaned against the wall.

I froze, refusing to even look at him. I wasn’t about to entertain him.

"Why are you overreacting?" he asked, his tone casual like he hadn’t just ripped my heart out earlier.

I clenched my fists, keeping my voice steady. "I'm not."

"You are," he shot back, sounding annoyed. "You say things to me all the time, but I never act like this. Why are you being so dramatic?"

I snapped. My head shot up, and I glared at him, my voice sharp and trembling. "There's a huge difference between what I say and what you said, Christian. And for the record, I never reacted to your insults before. But this? This was too much."

He smirked, as if he found my anger amusing. "So what?" he said, shrugging like he didn’t care. "It’s not like you’re someone special. "

His words hit me like a punch to the gut, leaving me breathless. My voice barely worked as I asked, "Why are you being a jerk?"

But he wasn’t done. "And who are you to talk with me in this tone?" he said, his tone colder now, each word sharper than the last.

I stared at him, the pain building in my chest like a tidal wave. I swallowed hard, trying to keep my composure. “I’m no one,” I said softly, forcing the words out.

Then, bowing slightly to duck under his arm, I walked past him as quickly as I could. I made it to my room and slammed the door shut behind me, locking it before sliding to the floor. My hands were trembling, my heart aching like it had been shattered into a million pieces.

"Why are you running, Stella?" I whispered to myself bitterly. "It’s not like he even tried to stop you from closing the door. He said it loud and clear—I’m not someone special to him. I’m nothing.

"Oh, my little heart," I muttered to myself, clutching my chest. "How are you going to survive this? You’re already broken, and he’s just stomping on the pieces like they mean nothing."

I wiped my tears, but they kept coming. No matter how much I told myself that he didn’t matter, that his words didn’t matter, my heart wouldn’t listen.

Because deep down, I’d stupidly thought that maybe, just maybe, I did matter to him. I really wish.

Oh you are so delusional my baby, said my mind.