A Decade of Misplaced Devotion Chapter 10
The police arrested Laurent for intentional assault.
To weasel out, he hounded Stella nonstop, but she grew a spine this time, determined to make him pay
the price.
Laurent, seeing no way out, got spiteful and dumped their sex tapes online.
Overnight, Stella became the poster child for “nympho” in the city. The Stafford Group’s stock tanked
hard.
Meanwhile, I deliberately spread word that I was withdrawing all investments and cutting ties with them
permanently.
Partners who’d given them business on my account pulled out one by one. In just a few days, the once- thriving Stafford Group was on the brink of bankruptcy.
Her parents banged on my door a few times, but I avoided them. Finally, Stella hit me up through a mutual friend, begging me to visit her in the hospital.
I mulled it over and went to see her, determined to put a final period on those ten years.
In the hospital bed, Stella looked like a shadow of her former self: sallow skin, listless eyes, nothing like
the radiant woman she once was.
When she saw me, her dull eyes brightened briefly before dimming again. “You came. I thought you’d
never see me again.”
Not there for small talk, I asked bluntly, “So, what’s the deal?”
Stella gave a self-mocking laugh. “Happy seeing me like this?”
I shook my head impassively. “I don’t feel joy or sorrow over a stranger’s fate.”
“Stranger,” she muttered. “Yeah. That’s us now. You’re the type who loves or hates with everything you’ve got. I know no amount of begging will change your mind. But Matteo, please spare my family, okay?”
I pressed my lips into a thin line. “I never touched your family. You know that if I had, they wouldn’t even have a chance to struggle.”
She nodded. “I know. But if you withdraw your investments, we’ll be ruined!”
“What does that have to do with me? If that’s all you wanted to say, I’m sorry, but I have other matters to attend to,” I said, turning to leave.
Behind me, Stella cried out in despair: “Matteo, didn’t you love me for ten years? Do you have to be this
cruel?”
I didn’t break stride, and her voice cracked. “I’m sorry, Matteo! I’m so sorry!”
My fingers curled at her apology, but I didn’t look back.
Outside, the sunlight hit me, warm and golden.
A decade was wasted on misplaced devotion, but I believed the future held happiness for me. After all, I’d found the girl who’d waited ten years for me.
