Now They Want My Forgiveness - Chapter 101: Chapter 101

[That's not what I meant at all. I was just worried you didn't see me as a real friend. Thank you for being so open with me.]
Jordan replied with a smiley face.
Stella replied, [Sorry, I was completely out of it that day and couldn't make out your face at all. If we meet again and you don't call out to me, I probably wouldn't even recognize you.]
Jordan messaged, [No wonder you didn't say hi today.]
As soon as Stella read that message, her mind went completely blank. [Wait, we actually ran into each other today?]
Jordan replied, [Yeah.]
[Where?]
[At the buffet.]
Stella suddenly remembered Eleanor's words, and everything clicked into place. [My grandma mentioned someone had been watching me for a while earlier. Was that you?]
Jordan replied, [Yeah.]
Stella grew flustered at his frank admission. [Why didn't you call out to me? Oh, right, you must've been shocked by how I look now. Am I that hideous? I'm sorry. The online friend you've known for so long ended up like this.]
Jordan replied, [I already know who you are and what you've been through. The way you look now wasn't your choice. So how could you think of yourself as hideous?]
Stella was stunned into silence.
Jordan continued, [You have a brilliant mind, one that's truly unique. My career wouldn't have taken off so quickly without you. Was that why you didn't want to meet me the last time I asked?]
[Yes,] Stella admitted.
[Don't worry about it. You're brilliant, and if you ever want to, you're always welcome to drop by the company.]
Stella paused for a moment. [Let me take you out to dinner when I get the chance.]
Jordan replied, [Sounds good, I won't hold back then.]
Stella chuckled. [Seriously, don't hold back.]
Maybe it was because they'd finally met in person, or maybe Jordan really didn't care about how she looked now. Whatever the reason, for the first time in a long while, she felt a glimmer of hope for her life.
Not everyone was out to get me. She still had Eleanor, Kevin, and Jordan by her side.
The next morning, as soon as Stella stepped out of her room, she saw Anna already there, holding out a bowl of soup. "Stella, I made this specially for you. Please have some. It'll do wonders for your recovery."
Stella had been home for quite some time, yet she'd never seen Anna act so solicitous before. She didn't trust this sudden change. In fact, the only people she trusted here were Eleanor and Mary. "No thanks. Keep it for yourself."
Stella turned to leave, but Anna hurried after her. "Stella, I know you haven't forgiven me yet, but I truly want to make things right between us."
Anna looked utterly sincere, but Stella shot her a cold, mocking smile as she met her gaze. "Did we ever really have a good relationship?"
Anna knew it all too well. From birth, it was instinctual. The moment all eyes shifted to Stella, Anna would burst into tears. Even before she could speak, she'd cry on cue.
As she grew older, Anna seemed to have grown accustomed to it all, never once thinking she'd done anything wrong. While other families' twins might be close, Anna and Stella could never truly get along.
They'd never shared the kind of sisterly intimacy others took for granted, no sleeping in the same room, no late-night talks under the covers. It was as if they were natural-born enemies.
"Stella, I know I was immature before. I was wrong. I really mean it this time. I'm truly sorry. Stella, please, won't you forgive me?" Anna was relentless, trailing after Stella until they stood on the stairs.
Stella snapped, "Would you stop following me?"
Before Stella could react, Anna let out a startled cry as the bowl slipped from her hands, and in the next instant, she tumbled down the stairs.