Chapter 437
Chapter 437
“Stella was the one who put you up to this, huh?” Mitch finally broke the silence, his tone laced with disappointment towards Stella.
I felt a pang of sorrow.
“Mitch, what did Stella do to deserve this? How does she fall short compared to Ariana? Is this how dissatisfied you are with her now?”
Mitch chuckled bitterly. “I’ve told you, there’s nothing going on between me and Ariana. You guys are the ones suspecting me, causing a fuss over nothing. Do you want me to put up with this forever?”
“Before you met Ariana, why were you so patient? No matter what Stella did, you accepted it. Sure, you didn’t have any substantial relationship with Ariana, but her presence significantly lowered your tolerance for Stella. Do you think that’s normal?” I raised my voice to keep questioning.
My eyes were filled with reproach and indifference towards Mitch.
Mitch clenched his teeth. “I didn’t come here to discuss this. If you don’t hand over the child, I’ll call the police!”
That again, calling the police. A few days ago, Karina called the police, claiming I was suspected of child trafficking. I expected Mitch would use the same excuse if he called the police. Then, I’d really be suspected of being a child trafficker.
“Mitch, do you want to divorce Stella?” I ignored his words, simply curious about this.
Mitch was quite clear about this. “No, it’s Stella who wants to divorce me, not the other way around. I just can’t bear her making a fuss for no reason.”
He didn’t want a divorce, at least he was reluctant to let go of this marriage.
I sighed a breath of relief. If Mitch was hesitant about such a straightforward question, I really wouldn’t know what to say.
“If you don’t want a divorce, then sort out the situation with Ariana. You’re blinded by infatuation, you know?” I softened my tone, patiently advising him. “Stella is so bothered by your relationship with Ariana because she cares about you so much. You treat Ariana more than a friend, and it’s clear to outsiders. Even Neil can see it. What’s the point of denying it?”
Mitch was stubborn. “It’s none of anyone’s business what’s going on between her and me. All I want now is for you to hand over my child.”
My faint hope for Mitch was shattered once more.
“The child isn’t with me. You’ve checked, haven’t you?” My tone cooled, too weary to explain further.
“Do you think I’m a fool? I told you someone saw it with their own eyes.” Mitch took a deep breath. “I don’t want to argue with you. After all, you’re Neil’s ex-wife and a good friend of Stella’s. We’re friends, right? Let’s not make enemies over this, OK?”
As if I was deliberately picking a fight with him.
I let out a breath. “Tell me, who saw it? As long as you can name a person, I’ll admit it.”
I was waiting for Mitch to say Neil’s name, but he didn’t. Instead, he looked at me with complex eyes, his lips moved but he said nothing.
Neil had told him, but he couldn’t say it. Otherwise, the blame would fall on Neil. I could understand that.
“Was it Neil?” I asked directly.
Mitch’s gaze shifted, looking strange. But he still didn’t say anything.
This attitude was extremely strange. I felt there was something wrong.
Since Mitch didn’t deny it, he was admitting it.
Neil, that jerk. He didn’t say anything in front of me, but he told Mitch everything behind my back.
I cursed Neil in my heart, but on the surface, I remained calm. “I don’t care if he told you or not, but as you can see now, Yara isn’t with me. If you don’t leave, I’ll call the police. Oh, and you owe me for the door you kicked down.”
Mitch reluctantly looked around again. I had put away all of Yara’s things, so he couldn’t find her or see anything related to her. Plus, this was my house. He couldn’t really do anything to me.
Finally, he took out his phone, transferred me some money, and left angrily.
I knew that even though he had left now, he would definitely have someone watching me. He said someone saw Yara at my place, so he would definitely try to confirm it.
As soon as Mitch left, I immediately went out to check the surroundings. Only after making sure he was gone did I go to Russel’s house.
Yara was very obedient at Russel’s house and had even been lulled to sleep. Looking at her cute face, my heart softened. Stella’s child was like my own. I cared about Yara as much as that of Serena and Brandon.
“Did he leave?” Russel asked me.
“Yeah, he just left,” I replied. At this moment, Daisy and Boomer ran over, enthusiastically circling around me.
Russel was not only good with children but also with animals. Daisy now spent more time at his place, hanging out with Boomer every day.
Russel didn’t mind at all, taking on the role of a pet owner whenever he had free time.
Apart from his occasional cunning, he was actually a very soft-hearted person.
“Who told him Yara was at your place?” Russel poured me a cup of water. “Have a drink.”
“Thanks for just now.” I held the water, feeling grateful for Russel. If he hadn’t helped me take care of Yara just now, I would have been in a lot of trouble.
Russel curled his lips, his smile light and indifferent. “Let’s not keep saying thank you to each other. It sounds so formal.”
I nodded, took a sip of water, and kept thinking about what had just happened and what to do next. Suddenly, Russel said, “I saw you at the hospital the other day.”
I stiffened, looking up at Russel.
“You were with Neil, holding Yara.” Russel casually replied.
“Yes, Yara had a little stomach problem. I was in a hurry to take her to the hospital. Neil happened to come looking for me, so I asked him for a lift.” I admitted candidly. “Really?” Russel’s smile faded, replaced by a hint of coldness. “Why would he suddenly come looking for you?”
“The situation was a bit complicated, and I can’t explain it all at once,” I explained, because the more I tried to explain, the more complicated it would become. Russel paused for a moment, pouring himself a
glass of water. He took a gentle sip, moistening his lips, his gaze directed somewhere beyond me. All I could see were his eyelashes quivering slightly. Soon enough, he said again. “Have you ever considered that Neil might have told Mitch about Yara being with you?”
Of course, I had considered this possibility, and at this point, I was pretty sure it was Neil who had spilled the beans.
But what could I do about it? Could I confront Neil? It would make sense, both emotionally and logically, for Neil to tell Mitch.
