Chapter 216
Stella rubbed her temples with irritation already building behind her eyes.
A maid rushed back into the room, but she wasn’t carrying the drink Stella had asked for.
“Madam…” the maid said nervously. “The kitchen prepared a fresh bowl, but… it’ll take a little more time.”
Stella’s expression sharpened immediately.
“What do you mean it’ll take more time? Didn’t I tell you to have it ready before my nap? Are you useless?”
“It’s not that…” the maid explained quickly, looking distressed. “It was prepared. But… Angela drank it.”
Silence.
Then—
“What did you say?”
Stella’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“That was mine!”
Her voice rose instantly.
Without another word, she strode out of the room.
Her mood had already been fragile lately.
Angela’s presence in the house had made everything worse—noise, disruption, constant interference in her routines, and worst of all, no sense of boundaries.
Stella had tolerated it.
For Pete.
For the sake of the Fox family situation.
But this—
Taking her drink?
That crossed the line.
In the living room, Angela was playing with Pete.
The child ran in circles, laughing, full of energy.
Stella entered with a cold expression.
She cleared her throat sharply.
Angela immediately stopped.
But Pete, too caught up in excitement, continued running.
“Stop him,” Stella said coldly to the maid.
The maid hurried forward and gently blocked Pete.
“Young Master, stop running. Your grandmother is here.”
The moment Pete heard that, he froze.
Then instinctively hid behind Angela, peeking out fearfully.
Stella saw it—but there was no warmth in her eyes.
Not even for her grandson.
Angela straightened up slowly.
A gentle smile appeared on her face.
“Mom, you’re awake from your nap. Is something wrong?”
Her tone was polite.
Soft.
But her eyes—
Cold.
Sharp.
Controlled.
Stella let out a mocking snort.
“Don’t call me that,” she said sharply. “I can’t afford it.”
Her gaze swept over Angela.
“What kind of daughter-in-law makes such a racket while her mother-in-law is resting?”
Then her voice turned colder.
“And who takes her mother-in-law’s nourishing drink without permission?”
Stella stepped forward.
“You’ve really stopped pretending, haven’t you?”
Angela didn’t even flinch.
Instead, she tilted her head slightly, still smiling.
“Sorry,” she said lightly. “I didn’t realize it was yours.”
Her eyes flicked briefly toward Stella.
“I tried to be quiet. But Pete was bored, and you said I shouldn’t take him out.”
“So we stayed inside.”
Her tone remained calm, almost reasonable.
Then she added, casually—
“As for the drink… the kitchen prepared it. No one told me it belonged to you.”
“I just drank it.”
A pause.
“And since you said this is my home too, I thought I could be a little more relaxed.”
Her smile widened slightly.
“One bowl of nourishing drink… surely that’s not something worth getting angry over, right?”
Each word sounded polite.
But every sentence landed like a needle.
Stella’s expression darkened further with every second.
“Angela,” she said slowly, “are you doing this on purpose?”
“You want this house to fall apart, don’t you?”
She motioned sharply.
The maid quickly moved to take Pete away again.
But Stella stepped closer to Angela instead, closing the distance between them.
The air tightened instantly.
In the past, Angela would have lowered her head.
Avoided eye contact.
Backed down immediately.
But now—
She didn’t move.
Didn’t retreat.
Instead, a faint, mocking smile curled at her lips.
“Mom,” Angela said softly, “you’re mistaken.”
“I’m Trey’s wife.”
Her gaze lifted, steady and unafraid.
“I’m your daughter-in-law.”
“I only want what’s best for this family.”
A pause.
“I only want your well-being.”
The last word had barely left her mouth—
When—
SLAP!
The sound cracked through the room.