These shares were useless to her. Selling them for cash was the quickest way to make a profit.

’When the apocalypse comes, these shares will be worthless. Rather than let them go to waste, I should maximize their value now.’

’Once the blue-haired man’s shipment arrives and I pay for it, I’ll be flat broke. I desperately need to get my hands on some cash.’

These were distant memories for her now. Stella Sterling remembered the document, but not exactly where she’d put it. She rummaged through her room for nearly half an hour before finally finding it in a box under her bed.

"You insolent girl! What are you doing back here?"

A furious shout erupted from outside. Stella Sterling turned to see Marcus Sterling and Wanda Larkin standing in her doorway, their faces masks of fury. They were back from the office. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Stella Sterling smiled back at them, her expression perfectly composed. "Isn’t this my home? Am I not allowed back?"

"You still have the nerve to call this your home? Your own mother collapsed at the door and you didn’t even care! You haven’t come back to check on her for days. Do you even consider us family anymore?"

Marcus Sterling’s voice thundered as if Stella Sterling had committed some unforgivable sin.

Of course, in their eyes, what Stella Sterling was doing was indeed unforgivable and utterly outrageous.

"Now you’ve got it all wrong. I was only worried I wouldn’t be able to take good care of Mom, so I let Yara handle it. You’ve spent more time with her, after all. Doesn’t she know you better? Isn’t she better equipped to look after you?"

She retorted with a cheeky grin, her words so reasonable that they almost sounded true.

Wanda Larkin listened and thought it actually made sense, yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.

"Well, it looks like Mom’s doing just fine, so I can rest easy. I’ll be leaving now." Stella Sterling gave them a polite nod and strode past, making sure they caught a glimpse of the stock transfer agreement in her hand.

Marcus Sterling’s eyes bulged. He shot out a hand and grabbed Stella Sterling’s arm. "What is that in your hand? A stock transfer agreement? What do you think you’re doing?"

Stella Sterling smiled. "I’m a little short on cash lately. These shares aren’t paying any dividends, so I figured I’d sell them for some spending money."

With every word Stella Sterling uttered, her parents’ faces grew darker. Seeing Mrs. Sterling’s ragged breathing, it looked as if she might collapse at any moment.

Marcus Sterling’s expression was just as grim. "You insolent girl! I just gave you fifty million! How could you possibly be short on cash? Not long ago, you sold off the gifts the family elders gave you, and I haven’t even settled that score with you yet! Now you want to sell the family’s shares? You’re acting like a debt collector! If you dare do this, I’ll break your legs!"

"Wait, how did you even get these?!"

"How I got them isn’t important. What’s important is that they’re mine, and I’ll do with them as I please."

Listening to Stella Sterling’s words, Mr. Quinn stared at her, a mixture of shock and rage in his eyes. He sized her up with a cold gaze, as if trying to peer into her very soul. It was only now that he realized this daughter of his was completely different from the person he thought he knew.

Stella Sterling met his gaze head-on, unflinching. Marcus Sterling realized he could no longer deal with his daughter the way he used to; his usual tirades had no effect on her whatsoever.

He didn’t know what had caused such a drastic change in her, but he knew that berating Stella Sterling was pointless. He calmed himself and said, "Fine. Tell me what you want."