Three Years After They Abandoned Me novel Chapter 77

Chapter 77

“Lies!” Eleanor’s palm slammed the table. “He’ll use her and discard her. No marriage license. No ceremony. No investment. You deserve worse than a slap.” With that, Eleanor sprang up, poised to strike.

Anna collapsed to her knees. She pleaded desperately, “Grandma, you have to save our family business. Not seeing Stella, Troy swore to make us pay.

“Grandma, the Hayes Group’s in dire straits. If this keeps up, we’ll go bankrupt! You can’t just stand by and watch our family business crumble, can you?

Eleanor stood unmoved, every inch the matriarch, “Bankrupt, you say?” Eleanor scoffed. “So this time you want to sacrifice Stella again?” Eleanor’s laugh was bitter. “How many times will you bleed her before there’s nothing left?”

Eleanor sat down on the sofa, smoothing her dress. Once settled, she looked at Stella. “Who is this?” she asked, pointing at Jordan with a smile.

“Mom,” Fiona spat, “this is entirely Stella’s fault. If she’d just marry Troy, all our problems would vanish.”

“Bullshit! Eleanor snapped. “Stella is already married. She can’t possibly marry Troy. Oh, wait, isn’t there Anna? Let Anna marry him instead.”

“Not Anna!” Fiona blurted out, utterly panicked.

Eleanor snapped, “Why not? If Stella could do it, why can’t Anna?”

“Mom, you know Anna is already engaged to Lionel.”

Eleanor maintained her regal composure. “You’re right. Anna is engaged to Lionel. That means the Quinn family should step up and help. If they won’t, then frankly, we might as well call off this engagement.”

“No! Please don’t!” Anna cried out, her voice trembling with fear.

Fiona interjected, “Mom, I failed Anna in the womb. I didn’t give her a healthy body, and you know how frail she’s been all these years. How could I possibly throw her to the wolves?”

Eleanor laughed, as if she had heard a joke. “So now you’re making Stella pay for it? Fiona, you’re the most d this family.

Teable person in

“I get that as a mother you can’t always treat Stella and Anna exactly the same. But it’s your favoritism that turned what should have been a loving sisterhood between them into bitter enmity.

“And you’re utterly ridiculous.” Eleanor scoffed, “Stella isn’t the only child in this family. Every single one of you should be doing your part to keep the family company afloat.

“Now Stella is married, and you all know Jordan isn’t someone you want to mess with. If he ever finds out what you’ve been scheming behind his back, it’ll only make the group go under even faster.”

Eleanor didn’t want to talk to them more–every single conversation ended badly, filled with nothing but infuriating remarks. Eleanor took Stella’s hand and made to leave.

Fiona pleaded, “Mom, we came to beg you–get Stella to ask Jordan for help. If he steps in, the Hayes Group will be saved.”

Chapter 77

Eleanor scoffed, “Are you kidding me? You first wanted to wring “bride price‘ out of Jordan, and now you want him to help the business? Jordan knows exactly what’s going on with this family. He decides if you sink or swim. Begging changes nothing”

With that, Eleanor walked out with Stella, her face still etched with remorse. “Stella,” Eleanor said remorsefully, “I thought that iFF went out and met you myself, you wouldn’t have to deal with them. But I didn’t expect that they would follow me here.

Stella shrugged it off, “Grandma, it doesn’t matter. Ever since I moved out, I’ve been sleeping like a log, I really didn’t care about them anymore.”

Eleanor let out a weary sigh.

Stella said, “Grandma, come live with me. Leave that family.”

“Forget it. My place is here. Let things stay as they are.”

Stella understood all too well–Eleanor refused to move out because she didn’t want to burden her.

“Stella, go now,” Eleanor whispered, “before they come after you again.”

Stella nodded. As the Hayeses spilled from the coffee shop, Stella melted into the crowd without a backward glance.

They tried to catch up with Stella but finally failed. Turning to Andrew and Fiona, Anna fell to her knees before them. “Mom, Dad, thank you for raising me with such love. Grandma’s right.

“Stella has already sacrificed so much for our family. I can’t just stand by and do nothing. I’ll break my engagement to Lionel and marry Troy. I’ve always felt like a burden to you. This time, let me lift the burden of our family.”

Eleanor came to them and heard Anna’s hypocritical declaration. Mary stood beside Eleanor, casting a sidelong glance at Anna. Her disdain for Anna was unmistakable.

Fiona quickly and gently helped Anna up. “Get up now, sweetheart,” she urged softly.

“I’m not getting up. If you don’t agree to this, I’ll stay kneeling here forever.”

Fiona squatted and spoke to her tenderly, “Anna, what nonsense are you talking about? You have never been a burden to us.

“You are a blessing from God to your dad and me. Your health is our only regret. If marrying Lionel is what you want, we’d never stand in your way.

“As for the Quinn family, if they won’t help, then so be it. As long as you’re happy marrying Quinn, that’s all that matters. We’ll handle the rest.”

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