Vengeance With My White Knight by Maya Kensington

Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Sebastian's sudden question made Stephanie's heart skip a beat. Without thinking, she blurted, "Yeah" The second the word left her mouth, her face burned hot.

On the other end, Sebastian chuckled low and lazy. "Good girl." "So... Can I have Mexican food tonight?" "Huh?" This little brat.

'One second she missed me, the next she was thinking about food?' Stephanie gave a tiny, hesitant smile. "It's been forever." Since moving to Long Harbor, spicy food had becher guilty pleasure.

At first, it was just something to distract her-let that heat drown out all the homesick thoughts about Fiorenza.

But after a while, it beca craving she couldn't shake.

Back in Fiorenza, Sebastian never let her touch anything too spicy. Said it would mess up her stomach.

Back then, she didn't care. But once she got a taste? Gover.

Sebastian sighed, half annoyed, half amused. "Fine. But no takeout. I'll have the chef make it.” 99% That was as far as he'd bend. The man was obsessed with what she ate, ever since she landed in the hospital twice as a kid because of bad food.

With him, every bite she took had to pass inspection.

The second he said yes, Stephanie grinned. "You're the best." "Speaking of," Sebastian's tone shifted, "what's your plan for the Harts?" That so-called 'little stash' they'd been talking about earlier? Sure, it wasn't much. but over the years, Olivia and the rest of the Harts milked every penny just to rub it in Stephanie's face.

Sebastian had no intention of letting that go.

And as for the Harts themselves...

Stephanie could hear the unspoken question underneath his words. He was giving her a chance to decide.

She thought for a second, then smiled faintly. "Every minute they have to deal withalready feels like hell." And that wasn't an exaggeration.

Olivia's treatment relied entirely on Macro and Allison-two people the Harts believed were fully under Stephanie's thumb. Knowing that alone was enough to make Olivia's skin crawl.

Sebastian laughed softly. "So you're not done playing with them?" 11:52 Thu, 6 Mar Chapter 89 "Please," Stephanie said, casual as ever. “They're torturing themselves just fine without me.” Besides, it was obvious that Sebastian already had his hands all over their money.

By the the was through, the Harts would be fighting each other for scraps.

9% Hearing how completely uninterested Stephanie was in saving them, Sebastian's smile practically cthrough the phone. "Good girl. I'll tell the chef to make you a proper feast tonight." "Looking forward to it." Chris was fuming.

The second he got in the car, he lit up, chain-smoking one after another.

From the driver's seat, Kevin kept his mouth shut, sneaking quick glances at Chris in the mirror.

Between Shallow Bay Area and everything else blowing up, their whole team was barely keeping it together.

And Whispering Bay? It was driving them insane.

They dug and dug, and all they found was s58-year-old man who signed the paperwork.

Beyond that? Nothing.

No address, no background, no current location-just a ghost on paper.

Chris took a hard drag, smoke burning down his throat.

"You think she ever actually cared about me?" Kevin nearly swerved off the road. "What?" The question cout of nowhere, and Kevin had no clue what Chris even meant by 'she' Stephanie? And even if she did-or didn't-did it really matter anymore? Chris closed his eyes, exhaling slow, his whole vibe dark and tense. “So damn cold." Kevin glanced back from the driver's seat. “Wantto grab a blanket?” There was one stashed in the car.

But Chris wasn't talking about the temperature-he meant Stephanie. The way she looked at him now, like he was just sstranger wasting her time.

Kevin clearly didn't get it.

Chris let out a low laugh. "Tellsomething, why the hell do you think she even agreed to marry me?" Kevin's hands tightened around the wheel.

That question cout of nowhere, but it explained everything.

Indeed...

Chapter 89 Stephanie had always kept her distance, Cool, polite, untouchable." And now that Olivia was back, that coolness had turned to solid ice.

It was obvious, whatever reason Stephanie had for agreeing to the engagement, love sure as hell wasn't part of it.

So why did she even agree to marry Chris in the first place? Kevin thought for a second before answering. “Honestly? I don't think Stephanie's as simple as you guys think." Chris and the Harts all thought they had her figured out-a spoiled girl with no skills and a pretty face.

But Kevin never bought that. Her stupulled in over two million dollars last year. That didn't happen by accident.

If she was really just sclueless socialite, no amount of rich men could've carried her that far.

Chris snorted. "Please. You know what she's good at? Wrapping men around her little finger. That's her only talent." Kevin said nothing.

He didn't agree-but arguing with Chris right now was a waste of breath.

The way Kevin saw it, if being pretty was all it took to succeed, the world would be crawling with self-made millionaires.

There was more to Stephanie Giovanni than a pretty face and a sharp tongue.

"Oh, by the way," Kevin added, trying to shift the topic, "did Stephanie ever tell you who actually owns Whispering Bay?" Chris had been trying to corner her for days, hoping to shake the truth out of her. Except Stephanie never showed.

At this point, everyone knew Chris was planning to move Olivia into Whispering Bay to recover.

The Harts were already packing her stuff.

Chris's chest tightened.

His jaw clenched hard enough to crack a tooth.

That damn woman.

Kevin didn't need a reply-Chris's silence said it all. Stephanie hadn't given him a damn thing.

That mouth of hers could throw knives, but when it cto the truth? Locked up tighter than Fort Knox.

***** All the way to the hospital, the squestion kept looping in Chris's head-why did she say yes back then? Sure, the Harts pushed for it.

But after everything he knew about her now, she didn't seem like the type to do anything she didn't want to.

By the tthey got to the hospital, he still didn't have an answer.

The second Chris walked in, Olivia lit up like Christmas. "You're finally here." Chris gave her a quick nod.

Catlin's smile wasn't far behind. The second she saw Chris, her whole face brightened.

89% +23 89% +23) Chapter 89 She'd already heard Chris was buying Whispering Bay for Olivia. And as far as Catlin was concerned, nothing mattered more than that.

Who cared if the Ashfords had opinions? Chris's choice was the only thing that counted.

"I'll leave you to it." She slipped out, even closing the door behind her.

Now it was just Chris and Olivia. She reached for his sleeve, her voice soft and sweet.

"Something wrong?" Chris could tell, ever since he promised her Whispering Bay, Olivia's mood had lifted.

Even her health seemed better.

And now? There was a real chance that deal wasn't happening. But Chris couldn't bring himself to say it.

"It's nothing," he said instead. "Did you eat?" Chris ran his hand through Olivia's hair, fingers brushing over her soft curls.

She seemed in a better mood lately, but he could still hear it-the weakness in her voice, like every word took effort.

And all he could think about was Stephanie. Loud, sharp, full of life.

Why couldn't Olivia have that kind of strength? "Chris? Chris?" "Hm?" He snapped back, meeting Olivia's soft gaze.

"I called you, like, three times. What were you thinking about?" “Just work stuff," he lied. “What's up?" "I was thinking... If we really move into Whispering Bay, can we change the curtains? I want sunflowers." Chris's chest tightened.

His brow twitched, but when he saw how much it meant to her, he swallowed down whatever he was feeling and forced a nod.

Even though deep down, he knew-Whispering Bay wasn't happening.

They still had no clue who actually owned it.

And even if they did, so what?

Stephanie was living there now. All it would take was a few sweet words in the right ear, and that house would be off the table for good. "If I could just spend my last days at Whispering Bay," Olivia smiled faintly, "I'd die happy." "Don't." Chapter HD The word shot out like a bullet, sharp and unfiltered.

His voice shook.

"I mean it, Chris. And when it happens... Don't sendto scold, sterile crematorium. Buryby the ocean Her voice trembled. “I'm scared, Chris. I don't want to just... disappear” "Getsomewhere facing ocean, with trees, somewhere peaceful, Okay?" "Enough. You're not dying. End of discussion" The word 'death' hung between them, too heavy for either of them to carry.

It used to feel far away. But now? It was in the room with them, every second of every day.

Before either of them could say more, Chris's phone rang.

It was from Grace, "Get back here. Now. Your dad's waiting." Her tone was clipped, no room for argument.

Fred barely stepped in since handing Chris the company.

So if he was asking for a sit-down-twice in one week-Chris didn't need a crystal ball to know it was bad news.

"I can't right now..."

"Chris," Grace cut him off, voice like ice. "Don't makespell it out. You know Olivia can't handle any more stress." 023

Chris glanced down at Olivia's hand, still wrapped around his sleeve. Her fingers were so thin now, so pale. He gave in. "Fine. I'm coming." He hung up, looking down at Olivia.

She slowly let go of his sleeve, smiling soft and small. "Go. It's okay." But they both knew-when Grace got pissed, nobody walked away unscathed.

And right now, Olivia was too fragile to take another hit.

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