Chapter 2: The Man She Chose

The moment Stella pushed open the private room's door, a bucket of freezing water crashed over her head. The icy water soaked her dress and hair instantly. Loud laughter erupted throughout the room as everyone watched the Judd family's heiress stand there in complete silence. In her previous life, this humiliation had broken her spirit. She had cried and desperately tried to explain herself to Noel. But this time, Stella simply raised her hand, wiped the water from her face, and calmly looked around the room.

Every familiar face from her previous life was present. Noel's wealthy friends smirked while several girls whispered behind their hands. One of Noel's friends tossed the empty bucket aside and laughed. 'Didn't you enjoy our welcome gift? We heard your family rushed to the Chiltons to discuss the marriage. You really couldn't wait to become Mrs. Chilton, could you?' Their laughter echoed throughout the room, but Stella's expression remained completely calm.

Noel slowly walked toward her with an unreadable expression. 'The entire city already knows about the marriage alliance. Congratulations, Stella. You've finally forced everyone to believe we're getting married.' His cold tone would have shattered her heart in her previous life, but now it meant nothing. Stella looked directly into his eyes and answered quietly, 'The marriage alliance concerns our families. It has nothing to do with you.'

The room instantly fell silent. Noel frowned before letting out a sarcastic laugh. 'Nothing to do with me? Besides me, which Chilton would ever marry you?' Stella was about to answer when the private room door opened once again. Sophie Taylor entered nervously wearing a simple white dress. The moment she saw Noel, tears filled her eyes. She forced a smile and softly congratulated him on his supposed marriage before running away while crying.

The moment Sophie left, Noel's calm expression disappeared. He immediately pushed Stella aside and rushed after Sophie without even noticing Stella crash into the edge of a marble table. A sharp pain spread across her forehead as blood slowly trickled down her face. Noel never looked back. He only called Sophie's name while disappearing into the hallway. Watching his figure vanish, Stella finally understood how little she had truly meant to him.

Old memories resurfaced once again. After marrying Noel in her previous life, she had waited years for him to love her. Instead, she discovered thousands of Sophie's photographs hidden inside his study. Even after their daughter was born, Noel continued placing Sophie above his own family. The cruelest moment came when kidnappers forced Noel to choose between their daughter and Sophie's son. Noel had chosen Sophie's child without hesitation, leading directly to his own daughter's death.

A servant hurried over with tissues after noticing the blood on Stella's forehead. She calmly accepted them and cleaned the wound herself. Just then, her phone vibrated. She looked down and saw a message from her parents. 'Stella! Eric agreed to the marriage! The wedding will be held in two weeks!' A small smile appeared on her face. Eric had accepted the proposal exactly as she had hoped.

Everyone continued whispering, assuming Noel had rejected Stella once again. Stella slowly put away her phone before calmly announcing, 'You've all misunderstood something. I'm not here because I'm marrying Noel. In fact, the man I'm going to marry is someone else.' Every pair of eyes focused on her. She smiled faintly before saying the name that shocked everyone. 'My fiancé is Eric Chilton.'

The room became deathly silent. Noel's friends stared at Stella in disbelief. Eric Chilton was the most powerful member of the entire Chilton family and Noel's uncle. No one could believe he would agree to marry Stella. Before anyone could question her, the private room door opened once again.

A tall man dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit entered the room. He respectfully bowed toward Stella before speaking. 'Miss Judd, Mr. Eric Chilton has sent me to escort you home.' Every person inside the room froze in complete shock. Stella quietly smiled, knowing this new life had finally begun to move in a completely different direction.