The Mighty CEO Knelt Outside My Door After I Asked for a Divorce

Even though she was still playing the role of a loving couple with Charles, Stella went about her life as usual-getting music arrangement gigs from Renee. But this time, she made up her mind to ask who the client was in advance. After that chaotic mess last time, she wasn't about to walk into another disaster blind. Of course, after what happened, Renee was probably ready to chew her out. Stella sighed and dialed anyway, nervously tapping her fingers on the table. As soon as the call connected, Renee's loud voice nearly blew out her eardrum. "Stella! Finally! I've been waiting for you to call. That last piece you did? The client absolutely loved it! They've been bugging me nonstop to get you again. You've really leveled up, girl!" Stella blanked for a second. The last piece... the client was happy? That couldn't be right. She literally shredded the music and was stuck with a five-million debt. Satisfied? In what universe? "Renee, are you sure? Maybe you've got the wrong person?" After all, Renee had multiple clients. Mistakes were possible. But Renee just laughed it off. "No mistake! Don't overthink it. Client's happy, that's all that matters. Keep knocking out great work and the jobs will keep coming." So... not a joke. Charles must've pulled some more strings again. "Renee, can I maybe talk to the client myself?" "Of course. Hang on a sec." Stella got the client's contact and quickly made the call. A man's calm voice answered, "Hello, who's this?" "It's me, Mr. Bennett. Renee mentioned you liked that last piece? So this new request-is it from him or from you?" Once Jason recognized her voice, his tone clearly softened. "Mrs. Hart, it's from me. Actually, my grandmother's birthday is coming up. She has a deep love for music, and I've heard amazing things about your compositions. I was hoping you could write something special for her birthday." "This has nothing to do with Charles. Just so you know." Since it had no connection to Charles, Stella had no reason to refuse. Besides, she really needed the job to stay afloat. "Sure, Mr. Bennett, I'd be happy to help." On the other end, Renee overheard that Stella landed another gig-and this one was a big fish-so her joy basically exploded. "Stella, nicely done! Word is he's Dr. Jason-yeah, from the family that's been the Harts' doctor for generations. You might even run into Charles there. What a golden opportunity!" ... Stella couldn't help massaging her temples. If Renee ever found out that the last client-Charles himself-was actually her husband, she'd probably interrogate her for three whole days. Not many people knew Stella had actually married Charles. He didn't want anyone to know she was his wife. "Bet he's just another jerk in a suit," Stella muttered under her breath. Renee shot her a side-eye, smirking. "Oh come on, Charles? A jerk? He's every girl's dream guy! No way he's a jerk." Stella kept quiet. The Hart family had power that could crush anything in its way. If Charles wanted a secret kept, it would stay buried. All anyone ever saw was what Charles wanted them to see. Who would've thought Charles could be so heartless, not even bothering to help his own daughter? Hearing someone talk trash about her idol, Renee wasn't having it. She curled her lip, clearly annoyed. "Stella, let's be real-someone with your sharp tongue? No way Charles would be into you. Sure, you're drop-dead gorgeous, but still." Gotta admit, Renee had a point. Charles really couldn't care less about her. Following Jason's instructions, Stella made her way up to the villa on the hill. From a distance, she could see Isabelle decorating the place with fancy ornaments. The whole area was buzzing-it was clear there was some kind of party going on. She knew exactly what it was. A celebration for Olivia's release from the hospital. What a coincidence. Charles was standing at the entrance, chatting politely with a few guests. The second he spotted Stella, his eyes slid right past her like she didn't even exist, and he kept on with his small talk. Stella didn't bother acknowledging him either. Without slowing down, she headed straight to Jason's place. As soon as she arrived, Jason welcomed her inside warmly. "Mrs. Hart, thank you so much for coming. My grandma's been looking forward to hearing a song composed just for her. I seriously think your talent will amaze her." Stella gave a polite nod. "You're too kind, Mr. Bennett. Since I've accepted the commission, I'll do my best with the piece." "Could you tell me about your grandmother's likes and some of her past experiences? That'll help me understand the emotional tone and style the piece should have." "Of course." The moment Isabelle heard Stella had gone into Jason's house, she knew it was time to move up her plans. Quietly, she pulled out her phone and texted Edward. "Change of plan. Stella's here. We'll act during Olivia's party." Message sent, and her eyes stayed glued to the screen as her fingers instinctively curled into a fist at her side. Not long after, Edward replied. "That fast? Well, this is getting more entertaining. I show up to Charles's daughter's party, Grandma sees it-she'll probably praise us for being all brotherly and united. Sure, I'm in." Once she had his buy-in, Isabelle finally relaxed and practically lit up like she'd already won. She leaned toward Olivia with a soft smile. "Sweetie, Auntie Stella will be here soon, and she said she wants to play hide-and-seek with you. Why don't you go hide in the backyard, okay?" Excited, Olivia skipped off happily without a second thought. Meanwhile, Isabelle headed over to Jason's place and knocked gently on the door. Jason opened it and gave her a neutral smile. "Miss Smith, something I can help you with?" Giving him a sweet smile, Isabelle spoke softly, "Mr. Bennett, today's Olivia's big day-we're throwing her a party for getting out of the hospital. I wanted to personally invite you to join the celebration. Come join the fun." As she spoke, her eyes casually swept past him into the house, where she spotted Stella sitting on the couch with a notebook and pen in hand. "Sorry, I'm currently discussing business with a client." Not missing a beat, Isabelle turned on the charm and said with a cheerful tone, "Well, look who it is-Stella! What perfect timing. Come join us! It's not often we all gather like this. And thanks again for all your help at the hospital with Olivia. She's been talking about you non-stop. She'll be thrilled to see you." Given Jason's close relationship with Charles, he'd likely go anyway. Stella had another gig lined up for tomorrow, so waiting around wasn't really a problem. And skipping it altogether? That'd just be rude to Jason. Just one party-what could really go wrong? Besides, Stella was kind of curious to see what Charles had prepared for the daughter he seemed to treasure the most.