Now They Want My Forgiveness - Chapter 36: Chapter 36

Andrew's voice was a bit too loud, and Fiona quickly reached out to stop him. She was worried Stella might overhear. "Stop, Andrew. It's good that she agreed. Just promise her the shares."
Andrew replied, "Seriously? Have you even thought about what would happen if I agreed? With Eleanor still holding some shares, Stella could potentially become the company's largest shareholder. What about Max then?"
Max said casually, "Who knows who Grandma will give the shares to?"
Fiona took those words to heart. She thought, 'What if Eleanor really handed those shares to Stella? Then the company would be hers. And all of Max's years of hard work? It would mean giving everything to Stella on a silver platter.'
Andrew gritted his teeth, clearly furious but feeling helpless. "Let's just deal with the immediate problem first."
That morning, Stella had a small bowl of polenta in the kitchen before visiting Eleanor. But when she arrived, her grandmother's condition was worse than she'd hoped. Stella's heart broke.
Eleanor reached out and held Stella's hand. "It's all right, sweetheart. Everyone has their own path. Just having you back makes me so happy. I have no regrets now."
Stella fought to hold back tears, but they spilled over. "Grandma, I need you to stay with me a little longer. I want you to see me get better and see me become my old self again, just like before."
"Sweetheart, I don't know if I can make it," Eleanor said softly. "But I'll try my best."
Stella shook her head desperately, her eyes brimming with tears. "Grandma, you haven't seen me get married or have a child. I was counting on you to help take care of my kids. Please, you have to hang in there for me."
"Darling," Eleanor said, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes, "I don't know if I'll live to see that day, but I truly believe you will meet a man who truly understands, loves, and cherishes you one day."
Stella could hardly breathe through her sobs.
Eleanor smiled gently and said, "Well, I'm still here. Don't overthink things."
Stella forced back her tears, nodded, and mustered the brightest smile she could for Eleanor.
Eleanor reached out and gently pinched Stella's cheek.
As soon as Stella stepped out of Eleanor's room, Andrew called for her to join him in his study.
The whole family was there, sitting across from Stella. It was clear. She was never truly one of them.
Andrew sat at the head of the table. His fingers were steepled, his face a mask of sternness. The air around him was heavy with intimidation.
"Stella," Andrew said, his voice cold. "We just held a meeting to discuss your proposal. We've agreed to it. Here's the share transfer agreement. Review it. If everything's in order, you can sign it."
Stella picked up the document, gave it a quick glance, and then looked up at Andrew. She replied, "I can't give you an immediate answer. I need my lawyer to review it first. Only when I'm sure there are no issues will I sign."
Andrew was about to lose his temper when Fiona quickly held him back. "It's all right," she said soothingly. "If Stella isn't sure, she can have her lawyer look it over."
Max, who was about to smooth things over, now felt a rush of anger because of Stella's words.
He yelled, "Stella, what the hell is that supposed to mean? Do you really think we'd scheme against you or hurt you? Look at who is talking to you. Your own family!"
"Well, your own family might betray you, right?" Stella said coolly.