Three Years After They Abandoned Me novel Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The mere thought of Troy made Stella’s stomach twist. She didn’t want to go in.

But Andrew didn’t give her a choice. He knocked, pushed the door open, and dragged her inside.

Every pair of eyes in the room locked onto her, especially Troy’s. His head was wrapped in bandages, his injuries severe.

Three years had changed him; he looked older, sharper, but the cruelty in his eyes had only deepened. When he saw Stella, his gaze flickered with something softer-for just a second-before hardening again. A shiver ran down her spine.

The Carver family was all there, their faces tight with anger. The moment Andrew and Stella walked in, the hostility thickened.

“What are you doing here?” Troy’s mother snapped. “Come to gloat after what your kid did to our son? With injuries like these, Max is going to prison-mark my words.”

“Damn right,” his father cut in. “It’s not like your boy was the one lying in a hospital bed. What did Troy ever do to Max, huh? He just told the truth. If she didn’t want people talking, maybe she shouldn’t have done what she did.

“And it wasn’t just Troy saying it-everyone was. So why’d your son have to take it out on him? Think we’re easy targets?”

Andrew forced an apologetic smile. “Look, I’ve already disciplined Max. He knows he was wrong. But our families go way back, don’t we? You wanted Stella to apologize and here she is. Let’s talk this out. There’s gotta be a way to fix this.”

No one from the Carver family even looked at Stella. Their disdain cut deep. She’d thought she was stronger now, hardened by her time in Dusty Pines. But standing there, under their scornful glares, she realized some wounds never really close.

“Does she look sorry to you?” one of them sneered.

Andrew shot Stella a sharp glance. “Did you hear me? Apologize.”

Stella met Troy’s gaze-his eyes gleamed with smug satisfaction, as if this humiliation was exactly what she deserved.

She stayed silent for too long. Andrew’s harsh whisper cut through the tension: “Are you deaf? Apologize.”

“I’m sorry,” Stella finally muttered, her voice hollow.

Troy’s mother scoffed loudly, “A half-assed ‘sorry’ doesn’t cut it. Look at him-he’s covered in bruises. I’ve never even raised a hand to my own son.”

Andrew rushed to smooth things over. “Of course, we’ll cover all the medical bills-whatever the cost.”

“This isn’t about money,” she snapped. “As if we’d need your damn charity.”

“I know, I know,” Andrew said quickly. “But we want to make things right. Just tell us what you want-we’ll do it.”

Her eyes flicked to Stella, but she said nothing.

Then Troy spoke up, smirking, “Mom, we used to be family friends. How about this? If Stella gets on her knees and kisses my hand, admitting she was wrong, I’ll let it go.”

Stella’s face went rigid. She turned to Andrew, searching for any flicker of protest-but he only nudged her impatiently.

He said, “You heard him. Get down.”

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Her stomach twisted in disbelief.

“Think of Eleanor,” Andrew hissed in her ear.

Stella’s expression darkened. ‘What am I thinking? Max’s the golden son. Anna’s the perfect daughter. And I’ve always been disposable.’

Her knees, already damaged, burned with agony as she lowered herself to the floor. The pain was excruciating, like shards of glass digging into her flesh.

“Kiss his hand!” Andrew ordered. “Say it!”

Clenching her jaw so hard her teeth threatened to crack, Stella pressed her forehead to Troy’s hand and kissed it. “I was wrong, Troy. Please let my brother go.”

Troy leaned back, triumphant. “Fine. I’ll spare him for now.”

Andrew exhaled in relief, barely noticing Stella struggling to rise. Only after the Carvers called the police to release Max did he finally turn to leave. Seeing Stella still on the ground, he scowled. “What’s wrong with you? Stop groveling and get up.”

The Carver family watched, unimpressed, as Stella tried and failed to stand, collapsing back onto the cold tile.

Troy’s mother wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Ugh, is she dying or something? Andrew, get her out of here.”

Furious, Andrew thought this was Stella’s another trick. He yanked Stella up, shocked by how little she weighed. He couldn’t remember if she’d always been this frail. But he didn’t push it further.

Outside, he dropped her unceremoniously and glared. “Enough with the dramatics! Your mother and I don’t owe you anything. We gave you life-that’s more than enough. And after all we’ve done since you came back, this is how you repay us? Ungrateful brat.”

Without another word, he turned and walked away.

When Stella stepped out of the hospital, Andrew’s car was already gone. He hadn’t even waited.

No money. No phone. No way home. She should’ve been used to this by now-abandonment was nothing new. But the ache

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