e tires transitioned from the muddy mountain roads to the pe

eep in front of the towering, wrou

d pressed the intercom button

ora

lash of undisguised disgust crossed his face as he

rcular driveway, parking it directly between a pristine Bentley and a cust

nd stepped out. Her heavy combat boots hit the marble steps. She loo

he blinding light from the massive crystal ch

stepped into her path. He

You are tracking mud onto the Persian r

her muddy boots sinking into the expensive fabric, le

ight into the m

sat perfectly straight on a velvet sofa, si

s scanned Aurora like a barcode reader, taking in the che

r. The sharp clatter echoed loudly in the quiet room

ress. She didn't reach for a handkerchief to cover her nose; instead, a sickly swee

gineered to carry across the room. "It reminds me of the smell of wet earth and mold

" Stella said, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. "Was lif

. She stood tall, looking down at the grandmother and the adopte

no manners. You have no breeding. You are an a

devoid of emotion. "A family that threw me out into the s

low. She shot up from the sofa, her fin

l bastard!" El

Eleanor to support her. She looked at Aurora wit

ust picked up these vulgar habits from the bo

hal. She took one slow,

lla like a wall. Stella couldn't breathe. Her body reacte

d hard into the sharp edge

stantly welled up in her eye

vely. "You savage! This is not your filthy slum!

tirely bored by their pathetic perfo

my fathe

less failure? He's living in the rundown guest ho

mach twisted with cold anger at the

back. "Since you are back, Aurora, there is a ver

rt, regaining her arrogant posture. "You

one of the reasons she had returned. But her face remain

leanor stated coldly. "This marriage is the only

the suffocating smell of old money and rotting

demand. She simply t

e my father," Au

own the hallway. Stella watched the muddy footprints on the