354 Ties and Family 

Chapter 354 Ties and Family 

Inside the guest room. 

After closing the door, Rosalie stepped forward and grabbed Stella’s hand. 

“Stella, I didn’t know. What I did just now…” 

She looked up, and through tear–filled eyes, she saw the slap mark on Stella’s face. 

For a moment, she couldn’t get a single word out. 

Sophie narrowed her eyes and quickly thought through a plan. 

In the end, she suddenly put on a gentle smile. 

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“Stella, Mom was a little strict with you before, but I’m sure you understand tough love. Mom didn’t want you to go down the wrong path. 

“It was all for your own good. Look, whether it was school or marriage, Mom always picked the best for you. 

“You wouldn’t really hold a grudge over such a small thing, would you?” 

Her words were very calculated. 

She pushed Stella to think about past unfairness, making her resent the Previns even more. 

At the same time, she soothed Rosalie, making her feel justified and easing her guilt. 

One waited anxiously for a mother to admit fault, while the other stood proudly, waiting for a daughter to acknowledge her. 

In the end, they were bound to be disappointed. 

“Stella, don’t be mad anymore. Hug Mom first. Look how much she is crying.” 

A bit of hope appeared on Rosalie’s face. 

The truth was, over the years, she did care about Stella. 

After all, she’d raised her for so many years. 

But because she “wasn’t biological,” she favored Sophie more. 

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Chapter 354 Ties and Family 

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Now that she knew this was the child she’d searched for all these years, of course, she felt guilty. 

She wished she could make everything up to Stella right now. 

But how could the bond between mother and daughter be repaired with just a few words? 

What Sophie said earlier actually echoed Rosalie’s true feelings. 

She really wanted to hug Stella. 

Over the years, because of guilt over the lost child and indulgence toward Sophie, she’d ignored Stella. 

Thinking back, she realized she’d never hugged her even once. 

Sophie sneered, “Stella, why aren’t you saying anything? Are you still mad? 

“If you ask me, this DNA report was unnecessary. Haven’t Mom and Dad always treated you like their own? 

“But kids are different, so of course the way they’re raised is different. 

“They hit me too. Even now, thinking about it, my butt still hurts.” 

As she spoke, she smiled. 

“But I’ve never complained. Raising me wasn’t easy. When they hit me, it was because they expected better.” 

These words were sharp and loaded, making anyone who heard them seethe. 

On the surface, she was trying to reconcile mother and daughter. 

In reality, every sentence was like a steel needle stabbing the heart. 

Yet Stella’s expression remained calm the entire time, as if she hadn’t heard a word they said. 

Freddie now felt like an outsider. 

And because of that, he saw things more clearly. 

“In the end, we failed you.” 

Though Stella was adopted, she rarely used the Previns‘ money. 

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Chapter 354 Ties and Family 

Honestly, he felt embarrassed to act like a father in front of her. 

And even as a man, he could hear the hidden meaning in Sophie’s words. 

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But Rosalie, trapped in it, was still standing there, eagerly waiting for Stella to step forward and get close to her. 

It was pathetic. 

He sighed, stepped forward a few paces, and stood in front of Stella. 

“From now on, I’ll have the lawyers transfer everything that should’ve been yours into your 

name.” 

Only then did Stella slowly speak. 

“No need.” 

She seemed completely uninterested in this whole reunion play. 

She acted even colder than when she hadn’t known her background. 

“I know I owe the Previns a lot over these years. 

“Dad, I understand that you want to give me all those things because of a father’s love. 

“But I can’t accept it. 

“I don’t need those things. You should keep them for yourselves, 

“Also, in the next few days, I’ll be leaving Torenridge. 

“I have a few properties in Torenridge. They can’t fully repay your care, but consider them my small token of gratitude. 

“After I leave, a lawyer will contact you to handle the transfer.” 

After saying that, she turned to leave. 

Freddie was stunned. 

Instinctively, he reached out and grabbed her. 

“Stella, w–what do you mean?” 

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Chapter 354 Ties and Family 

Stella smiled faintly. 

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“I meant exactly what I said. Don’t feel burdened. Those properties were developed using the living expenses you gave me as seed money. 

“They belonged to the Previns to begin with.” 

Her tone was light, but there was more exhaustion on her face, as if she truly didn’t want to talk to them anymore. 

Freddie wanted to say something, but when the words reached his lips, he felt he had no face to speak. 

Seeing that Stella was really about to leave, Rosalie panicked. 

“Stella, are you…” 

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Stella turned and looked at Rosalie. 

Her voice was low and slow, almost without emotion. “When I was eight…”