3.Chapter

Silence stretched. Stella kept her eyes fixed on the passing scenery, her face unreadable.

Max’s grip tightened on the wheel. “After everything you’ve been through, you still haven’t learned?” His voice turned icy. “Are you even listening to me?”

Stella still refused to look at him, her words slow and deliberate. “When the kidnapper took me away, I overheard Dad saying they had 2.5 million set aside—just in case the ransom demand was high.

“But they didn’t want to pay that much. The company was struggling, so they could only offer 1.5 million. But the kidnapper told me if they were willing to pay the full amount, he’d let both Anna and me go.”

The guilt in Max’s eyes vanished in an instant. “So you’re blaming Mom and Dad for not saving you because of the company? Did you ever stop to think none of this would’ve happened if you hadn’t run away?”

Stella finally turned to face him. “Tell me, Mr. Hayes—do you remember why I ran away in the first place?”

Max had always assumed she couldn’t open her eyes—every time he’d seen her before, they’d been shut. But now, her unsettling gaze locked onto him, sending a chill down his spine.

He stumbled, “Y-You know exactly what you did. Anna’s been fragile since birth, and you did it. You owe her. With your SAT scores? A gap year with proper tutoring could still get you into Quentiham.

“But no, you had to cause trouble instead. Mom and Dad even promised to take you to that amusement park you always wanted to visit if you just behaved.”

When Stella was little, she’d begged to go to the amusement park. But her parents always refused—Anna was too sick, they said. It wouldn’t be fair to Anna if Stella went without her. Over time, the longing faded into resignation.

When she was first lured to Dusty Pines, part of her had still believed that, despite everything, her parents wouldn’t abandon her completely. She was their daughter too. Sooner or later, they’d come for her.

*****

As the car rolled into the Hayes residence, Stella felt no sense of familiarity. This wasn’t the way home she remembered. From the moment they entered the gates, everything felt foreign and even unsettling.

The car came to a stop. Max turned toward her, reaching for the takeout bag hanging on the seatback. Just as he was about to step out, he paused and shot her a suspicious glance. “You didn’t take anything from the bag, did you?”

Stella held her breath.

He seemed to catch the accusatory tone in his own voice and softened. “I’m not saying you can’t eat. But the police said you barely had anything in that small town. Overdoing it now wouldn’t be good for you. I’m just looking out for you.”

“I didn’t eat anything,” she said flatly.

Max blinked in surprise. In the past, whenever he’d bring home treats—meant for Anna, not her—Stella would help herself anyway. He’d always leave some for his sister, but since the snacks weren’t intended for Stella, he’d scold her for being greedy.

Now, he checked the bag. No signs of tampering. Weird. But he just shrugged. “Go get ready. Don’t take too long.” With that, he strode off toward the hall, his mood noticeably lighter.

Stella turned toward the noise. Even with her blurred vision, the buzz of voices told her the place was packed. Of course, after her kidnapping ordeal, the Hayes family had to make a show of her return.

As they passed a massive room—easily 800 square feet—Stella tried to peek inside, but the servant stepped in her way, offering no explanation.

At the very end of the hall, the servant opened a door to a modest 500-square-foot room, its decor a stark contrast to the luxury downstairs. “Your clothes are inside. Change quickly. The party’s about to start.”

Stella nodded. “Okay.”

When she stepped out later, the servant was gone. Gripping the railing, Stella made her way toward the party hall. The place was packed—seemingly every elite in Jaloria had shown up.

Three years had changed everything. The Hayes family had climbed from modest wealth to the upper echelons of high society. Stella watched as people who once looked down on them now fawned over her family with practiced smiles.

Her father, Andrew, stood taller than she remembered—confident, vibrant, practically glowing with pride. Her mother, Fiona, had aged like fine wine, looking decades younger than the noblewomen surrounding her.

And Anna was radiant, the center of attention, practically Jaloria’s princess with Lionel and Max flanking her like devoted knights.

The sight twisted something inside Stella. She wasn’t needed here. She never had been.

She hesitated at the entrance, ready to turn back. And then she saw the banners. Anna and Lionel were smiling in their wedding attire. Realization hit her. This wasn’t a homecoming for her. It was their engagement party.