These shares were useless to her. Selling them for cash was the quickest way to make a profit.
âWhen the apocalypse comes, these shares will be worthless. Rather than let them go to waste, I should maximize their value now.â
âOnce the blue-haired manâs shipment arrives and I pay for it, Iâll be flat broke. I desperately need to get my hands on some cash.â
These were distant memories for her now. Stella Sterling remembered the document, but not exactly where sheâd put it. She rummaged through her room for nearly half an hour before finally finding it in a box under her bed.
"You insolent girl! What are you doing back here?"
A furious shout erupted from outside. Stella Sterling turned to see Marcus Sterling and Wanda Larkin standing in her doorway, their faces masks of fury. They were back from the office.
Stella Sterling smiled back at them, her expression perfectly composed. "Isnât this my home? Am I not allowed back?"
"You still have the nerve to call this your home? Your own mother collapsed at the door and you didnât even care! You havenât come back to check on her for days. Do you even consider us family anymore?"
Marcus Sterlingâs voice thundered as if Stella Sterling had committed some unforgivable sin.
Of course, in their eyes, what Stella Sterling was doing was indeed unforgivable and utterly outrageous.
"Now youâve got it all wrong. I was only worried I wouldnât be able to take good care of Mom, so I let Yara handle it. Youâve spent more time with her, after all. Doesnât she know you better? Isnât she better equipped to look after you?"
She retorted with a cheeky grin, her words so reasonable that they almost sounded true.
Wanda Larkin listened and thought it actually made sense, yet she couldnât shake the feeling that something was off.
"Well, it looks like Momâs doing just fine, so I can rest easy. Iâll be leaving now." Stella Sterling gave them a polite nod and strode past, making sure they caught a glimpse of the stock transfer agreement in her hand.
Marcus Sterlingâs eyes bulged. He shot out a hand and grabbed Stella Sterlingâs arm. "What is that in your hand? A stock transfer agreement? What do you think youâre doing?"
Stella Sterling smiled. "Iâm a little short on cash lately. These shares arenât paying any dividends, so I figured Iâd sell them for some spending money."
With every word Stella Sterling uttered, her parentsâ faces grew darker. Seeing Mrs. Sterlingâs ragged breathing, it looked as if she might collapse at any moment.
Marcus Sterlingâs expression was just as grim. "You insolent girl! I just gave you fifty million! How could you possibly be short on cash? Not long ago, you sold off the gifts the family elders gave you, and I havenât even settled that score with you yet! Now you want to sell the familyâs shares? Youâre acting like a debt collector! If you dare do this, Iâll break your legs!"
"Wait, how did you even get these?!"
"How I got them isnât important. Whatâs important is that theyâre mine, and Iâll do with them as I please."
Listening to Stella Sterlingâs words, Mr. Quinn stared at her, a mixture of shock and rage in his eyes. He sized her up with a cold gaze, as if trying to peer into her very soul. It was only now that he realized this daughter of his was completely different from the person he thought he knew.
Stella Sterling met his gaze head-on, unflinching. Marcus Sterling realized he could no longer deal with his daughter the way he used to; his usual tirades had no effect on her whatsoever.
He didnât know what had caused such a drastic change in her, but he knew that berating Stella Sterling was pointless. He calmed himself and said, "Fine. Tell me what you want."