Stella was just about to take her afternoon nap when she received a call from Tegan. On the phone, Tegan said, "Star, I don't want Leslie to get out."

Stella, who had always known Tegan as kind and gentle, heard the icy resolve in every word she spoke.

"Okay, I understand," Stella replied, feeling a sense of relief.

Though she was reluctant to admit it, the seemingly calm facade between Uriah and Tegan had finally shattered, bringing them to a critical breaking point.

"Does this make me a bad person?" Tegan's voice cracked with a sob as she asked. Stella frowned. "Why would you think that?"

A bad person? Why would Tegan even entertain that thought? Or had the Horners been emotionally manipulating her all these years?

It was a real possibility. Ever since Tegan's father died, Uriah had been responsible for her. And knowing Mrs. Horner's character, she had likely been using that fact to guilt-trip Tegan.

People can only take so much moral blackmail. And what right did the Horner family have to guilt-trip Tegan in the first place?

Stella's eyes narrowed. "Tegan, listen to me very carefully. Anything you do to the Horner family now is retaliation. It is not ingratitude."

"Is that really true?"

"What do you mean, 'is that true?' Have they been feeding you that narrative?" Tegan fell silent. Hearing her ragged breathing over the phone, Stella's heart ached.

To outsiders, Uriah had always been Tegan's steadfast protector. Everyone thought he had raised her so well.

But judging by Tegan's current state, that was far from the truth.

"Tegan, listen," Stella said firmly. "It's the Horner family that owes you. They are the ones who have been ungrateful. All these years, they weren't raising you; they were repaying a debt."

That's right. They were repaying the debt for her father, who had died saving Mr. Horner.

And yet, after Mr. Horner's death, this is how the family had treated her.

"Okay, I understand," Tegan choked out. It was clear she'd been bombarded with accusations of being 'ungrateful' lately, so much so that she had started to doubt herself, to wonder if she was truly in the wrong for standing up for herself, all because the Horners had raised her.

Stella's gaze grew colder.

"From now on, if Uriah tries to contact you, tell him to call me." Did he really think he was untouchable? Uriah might have some hidden influence in Yoreland, but now they would see if it was enough togo head-to-head with Ronald.

"Thank you, Star."

"Is Finley with you?"

"Yes, he's right next to me, driving."

"Put Finley on the phone."

"Oh, okay." The car had stopped at a red light.

Tegan handed the phone to Finley.

"Star wants to talk to you." Finley took it.

"Star."

"Was your whole trip for nothing?" Finley was speechless.

Now, what was that supposed to mean?

That his trip was useless? But he had just...

"Star, keep talking like that and I

might actually take offense!" Stella just scoffed. "I thought that with you there the Horners wouldn't be able to get anywhere near Tegan."