My Amnesic Ex Married My Sister, So I Married His Uncle-Chapter 25: A Guest at the Door Says His Name is Owen Rhodes

Chapter 25: Chapter 25: A Guest at the Door Says His Name is Owen Rhodes

What’s an unwarranted disaster?

This was it.

One minute, everything was fine. The next, he was slapped with the outrageous accusation of having an improper relationship with the boss’s woman.

This Miss Sterling looked so gentle and weak, yet she just had to run her mouth.

Liam Hawthorne had been polite when facing Chase and Gavin Sterling, but when he turned to Kiana Sterling, his displeasure was obvious.

He wanted to warn Kiana Sterling not to speak recklessly, but Madeline Jennings spoke up before he could.

"Matching rings? What matching rings?" She was on high alert, linking every little thing Stella did to Ethan Rhodes. "What did you buy matching rings for? I see you still haven’t given up on him!"

Gavin Sterling, however, read something else into it.

He looked Liam Hawthorne up and down and asked, "Hawthorne, are you well-acquainted with our Stella?"

Liam Hawthorne glanced at the timid-looking Kiana Sterling, then his gaze swept over Madeline Jennings, who was glaring at Stella Sterling, and finally landed on the calculating Gavin Sterling.

"I’m only following orders."

Madeline Jennings didn’t believe for a second that Stella Sterling had any connection to Owen Rhodes. She just thought Liam Hawthorne was being evasive, which meant he had something to hide.

"Following orders? Whose orders? Owen Rhodes?" Madeline Jennings recalled what Chase Sterling had said earlier. "Owen Rhodes doesn’t even know our Stella. You’re lying, aren’t you? Or is it, Hawthorne, that you’re the one with ideas about Stella?"

Liam Hawthorne’s brows furrowed as he listened.

’This is her own mother.’

’The mother and daughter both have such wild imaginations and love to hear themselves talk. It’s not hard to imagine what kind of life Stella must have had.’

His eyes grew cold, but he warned her politely, "Mrs. Sterling, please be careful with your words when you have no proof."

That Liam Hawthorne dared to challenge her stoked Madeline Jennings’s rich-wife temper.

"It’s true I have no proof, but you’re just flapping your gums. Does that make what you say true?"

An idea sparked in Madeline Jennings’s mind, and she grew even more aggressive. "Besides, not even her own family knows where Stella has been all this time. She just got back today, and you, Hawthorne, an outsider, barge into my home. Don’t tell me you two have been together this whole time? Do you dare say you don’t have designs on Stella?"

Liam Hawthorne’s head began to throb.

’Twisting the facts and making a scene.’

But Madeline Jennings was like a string of firecrackers, giving Liam Hawthorne no room to even get a word in.

Madeline Jennings continued, "If you really do have designs on her, I’d respect you as a man for admitting it openly. But let me be blunt: you are not good enough for our family."

That was going too far. Chase Sterling quickly cried, "Mom!" Gavin Sterling also stepped in to stop her. "Madeline, watch your tone. Hawthorne, don’t mind my wife; she’s just a woman. However, she wasn’t wrong about one thing. How did you know our Stella’s whereabouts?"

After all that, he too was beginning to doubt Liam Hawthorne’s true intentions.

’The timing of his arrival was too much of a coincidence.’

Stella Sterling cut in with a light laugh. "How else would he know? I told him, of course."

Hearing this, Kiana Sterling frowned at her and said in a very earnest tone, "Stella, you can’t just trust a strange man like that—mmph..."

Before she could finish, Stella Sterling reached out and pinched her lips shut—a physical mute button.

With a look of disgust, Stella said, "This mouth of yours is truly terrifying. You ruined Liam Hawthorne’s reputation with a single sentence."

She clicked her tongue loudly, let go, and took out a tissue to wipe her fingers.

"Enough nonsense. Weren’t we here today to settle accounts? So let’s do it. Hurry up, and I’ll leave once we’re done."

"Leave? Where do you think you’re going?" Madeline Jennings’s temper completely boiled over. "Apologize to Kiana right now, and explain the matching rings to me! Also, if you don’t hand over the marriage contract, don’t even think about leaving this house ever again!"

In her haste, Madeline Jennings completely forgot that an outsider, Liam Hawthorne, was present and blurted out the matter of the marriage contract.

Kiana Sterling began to coax her softly, "Mom, forget it. I’m fine, really. Besides... Mr. Hawthorne is still here. You should let Stella save some face."

"I’m not giving her face? She’s the one who doesn’t want it!"

Kiana then turned back to persuade Stella Sterling. "Stella, don’t be so stubborn. Just admit you’re wrong to Mom. She still loves you."

She secretly glanced at Liam Hawthorne beside them. "Stella, I truly want you to be happy. If you really—"

SLAP—

Stella Sterling slapped Kiana Sterling.

Liam Hawthorne’s eyes went wider than before.

She warned in a cold voice, "I used to try and talk things out, but no one listened. So I’m done talking. Kiana Sterling, if you run your mouth again, I’ll hit you every single time I see you. Think carefully before you speak. Stay out of my business, and stop trying to sling mud at me."

SLAP—

Before the family could even recover from their shock, Stella Sterling had already delivered a second slap.

She then turned to Madeline Jennings. "Ms. Jennings, out of respect for the fact that you’re my mother, I won’t lay a hand on you. But if you hit me, I will take it all out on Kiana Sterling. Since you love her so much, you’d better think twice before you touch me."

She turned to deliver a third slap, but Chase Sterling lunged forward and grabbed her right wrist.

Stella Sterling’s lips curved into a bewitching smile, and without hesitation, she swung her left hand down hard.

After landing the blow, she turned and smiled at Chase Sterling. "That slap was to repay President Sterling for his ’family discipline.’ Is Young President Sterling holding on to me because you want to up the ante?"

"Stella Sterling, you’re insane!"

Chase Sterling’s brows were tightly knitted, his tone harsh.

Stella Sterling’s smile vanished. She warned coldly, "I’ll give you three seconds. Let go. One..."

She hadn’t even counted to two before Chase Sterling released her. He then quickly pulled the stunned, red-eyed Kiana Sterling behind him.

He was sure that if he hadn’t let go, Stella Sterling would have definitely landed another slap.

"STELLA STERLING!!!"

Madeline Jennings finally snapped out of it and charged at Stella Sterling, screaming.

Liam Hawthorne blocked her way as Stella Sterling’s voice drifted out from behind him.

"Ms. Jennings, in what manner would you like the marriage contract to appear before the public?"

Madeline Jennings glared at her fiercely.

She was smiling. To Madeline Jennings, she looked like a devil.

"I knew it! You were the one who hid the marriage contract!" She shoved hard at Liam Hawthorne. "This has nothing to do with you! Get out of my way!"

Stella Sterling took two steps back, watching this family that was so tightly united against her.

Just then, the housekeeper ran into the living room, trembling. Mustering her courage, she said, "Sir, Madam, there’s a guest at the door. He says his name is Owen Rhodes..."

The words had barely left her mouth when the man in question walked in with a steady stride.

He wore a crisp, immaculate suit, with only a few stray locks of hair falling messily over his temple.

His gaze unconsciously lingered on Stella Sterling’s face, returning to it again and again.

Liam Hawthorne stepped back to stand behind him. "President Rhodes." He then asked for forgiveness. "It is my failure for not taking care of Miss Sterling according to your instructions."

Owen Rhodes asked deliberately, "What happened?"

"I suppose my status is too low and my words carry little weight. It seems President Sterling and his family don’t believe what I’ve said."