Heiress' Househusband is a Secret Billionaire - Chapter 132

Chapter 132: Choosing Between Two Poisons
The primary character in Lariette’s previous thoughts earlier—Stephanie—was currently in her apartment. Her blue eyes kept darting to the wall clock, a sense of unease took over her mind.

Why?

Because she had to face him today. He would arrive soon.

‘Urgh… I don’t want to meet him, but… I have to! Damn it!’

Stephanie fidgeted as she circled the living room of her apartment. Crossing her arms over her chest, she bit her nails out of her frustration.

What happened the last weekend still left Stephanie in deep humiliation. Following her return from Azure Bay, she had been locking herself in her apartment. She also refused to go back to Eldoria Heights.

“Phanie, are you sure you want to stay in your apartment?”

“I’m sorry, Mom. I need some time alone. Please don’t worry about me.”

When a worried Samantha asked her again and again, Stephanie insisted with her plan. She said she needed some solitude.

Unable to face people’s judging eyes and whispers, Stephanie hadn’t shown her face even once in her usual favorite places to hang out. She also didn’t update her social media accounts since that day.

Amber, Fridah and the others within Stephanie’s clique did text and call her but, she ignored everyone. They sounded worried about her well-being but, she believed they actually partied over her misfortune.

Seeing Matthias jilted her at the altar, including humiliating her by exposing her affair with Leon, most likely brought joy to them. She was aware their friendship wasn’t exactly pure.

Every single one of them was a snake!

“Screw them! They can go to hell for all I care!”

Raking her fingers through her blond strands, Stephanie chewed her lower lip. Her mind recalled what happened within the forty-eight hours duration given by Leon the other day.

Stephanie only had two choices.

First, telling Declan about Leon trying to blackmail her by using Lariette.

Second, keeping quiet about it and agreeing with Leon’s demand to marry him.

To Stephanie, both options were hidden claws, waiting to strangle her breathless. She would be doomed either way!

By revealing Leon’s plan to Declan, Stephanie knew she had to accept more rage from her eldest brother who was already upset with her. She had never seen Declan that mad before.

But, Stephanie had to avoid Leon from framing her as his accomplice. That deceitful man would force her to rely only on him even if she agreed to marry him.

Without a doubt, Leon wouldn’t honor his promise of not harming her.

“You’re jealous of her, my dear. You’re afraid, that after ten years, she’ll take your place in the family, isn’t it?”

Leon’s provocation from before stirred anger and worries in Stephanie. She couldn’t deny how truthful his remarks were.

Lariette’s sudden appearance ten years ago swept Stephanie into a crisis. She was deathly afraid of being kicked out of the Elsher family, and back to her true commoner roots.

Fortunately, what Stephanie was afraid of never happened. Everyone cherished her more than the real daughter.

Until changes eventually took place as of late.

Declan and Rafael started paying more attention to Lariette. They also defended her in front of their parents, unlike before.

But, no matter how much Stephanie feared the changes, she knew which poison she had to take to minimize the damage.

Between telling Declan about the blackmail and marrying Leon, her choice had been made.

Stephanie approached Declan before the forty-eight hours had passed.

On that night, Stephanie asked Declan to come alone to her room. She didn’t want anyone else to hear what she had to say to him. He appeared within a few minutes.

As expected, Declan’s first reaction was full of doubts before rage took over.

“What did you say? Leon planned all this?”

“He tried to get Lariette violated and frame you for this?”

Stephanie quickly showed the messages Leon had sent to her, including the few phone conversations she managed to record. Her stomach churned as a cold sweat broke on her back.

“H-he wants me to marry him. If not, he’ll tell everyone I planned it with him.”

“Please, Dec, I won’t do such a thing! Leon will frame me!”

Stephanie was almost hysterical when she tried explaining more to Declan. She didn’t have to fake crying because her elevated fear drew the droplets of tears from her eyes.

Declan hurriedly tried to calm Stephanie down. She cried miserably once her eldest brother hugged her. She felt how her body shook from all her sobbing.

“I will handle this. I’ll investigate his link with those men. He won’t succeed.”

Declan’s words helped to reassure Stephanie but, her relief was short-lived. She was stunned after hearing more of what he had to say.

“Still, I can’t keep this hidden. Lari needs to know. She’s also the victim in this situation.”

Stephanie tried protesting but, Declan was adamant with his decision. He also reminded her to be accountable for the wrongs she had done.

“Leon might be the mastermind but, you’ve done bad things too, Phanie. I knew you tried to humiliate Lari by giving her the wrong dress color. That’s only one example.”

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to do…”

“I’m not the person you have to apologize to. Do you understand?”

Declan’s sharp gaze and frosty voice stopped Stephanie from whining or making excuses. She had to swallow her grievances and abide by whatever he said.

If not, she would just push his rage over the limits—something she couldn’t afford to do, especially right now.

Before they ended that particular discussion that night, Declan once again promised Stephanie to get to the bottom of Leon’s malicious plan.

“I won’t tell anyone else for now. But, I’ll be frank with Lari once everything’s sorted out. You can choose either to deceive Leon or be straightforward about your refusal.”

Stephanie didn’t like everything Declan said but, she had no choice. She had to sacrifice this much if she wanted to rely on her eldest brother.

Leon was nothing before Declan. His plan would fall apart soon enough. She had to save herself before he dragged her down the abyss of self-destruction.

“I will pretend in front of him… Lest he might do something else.”

Declan neither gave his approval nor showed his displeasure upon hearing her plan. He reminded her to be careful.

Stephanie had to fake a smile, trying to show she was strong in front of him.

Thus, putting on a charade she was until to this day.

Stephanie told Leon that she agreed to marry him while persuading him to give her some time. She didn’t know whether he believed her or not thus, she couldn’t delay it for too long.

Leon wanted to see Stephanie today, saying he came to discuss their wedding. This also would mark the first time they would meet after the fiasco on the island.

Leon initially wanted to meet Stephanie earlier but, she managed to persuade him to wait. She gave excuses, saying Samantha often stayed with her in the apartment after what happened.

Ding! Dong!

The bell chime pulled Stephanie out of her thoughts. Frowning, her blue eyes narrowed as she turned to look at the door.

He was here.