Trapped in a Secret Marriage with a Dangerous Billionaire - Chapter 269

Chapter 269: Making Plans for Olivia
Asher chuckled. “I had a feeling,” he said, hiding the details.

Abigail sighed. “Well, it’s worse than I thought. Aurora left the house, and Xander actually went to her penthouse to drag her back home.”

Asher smirked. “That sounds like him.”

Abigail huffed. “And now they’re avoiding each other in their own house. Aurora forced him out of their bedroom, and he actually left.”

Asher hummed in thought. “Interesting.”

“I really thought you’d be more surprised.”

“There is nothing surprising about a husband and wife’s fight. It’s normal.”

Abigail rolled her eyes. “You’re impossible.”

Asher chuckled. “And you called me for this?”

Abigail hesitated before muttering, “I called to find out the details of their fight since Aurora wouldn’t say anything. But even you didn’t know they were fighting.”

Asher laughed to his heart’s content. He seemed absolutely pleased for disappointing her.

As soon as the call ended, Asher shook his head, his smirk fading slightly. He leaned forward and ran a hand down his face.

“I didn’t think it would escalate this fast,” he muttered.

He had expected tension between Xander and Aurora, but this? This was something else.

—

The cold, sterile walls of the detention cell did nothing to ease Stella’s suffering. The thin mattress beneath her was barely better than the cold, hard floor, and every movement sent waves of pain through her aching body.

She had been feeling weak since the moment they locked her up, but as the days dragged on, it worsened. Her limbs felt heavy, her throat was parched, and every breath came out in slow, ragged gasps.

She pressed a trembling hand to her forehead—it was burning. Her body was betraying her, consumed by a fever that had taken hold after nights of shivering in the cold, damp air of the cell.

A low, pained groan escaped her lips as she tried to sit up, but dizziness struck her like a hammer. The room spun, the dim lights overhead blurring into streaks of white.

Stella squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to stay conscious, but it was useless. Her strength was slipping away.

A sharp cough racked through her chest, leaving her even weaker than before. Her vision darkened at the edges.

She barely heard the clanking of footsteps approaching her cell before the world tilted and went black.

THUD!

The sound of a body hitting the floor sent an alert officer rushing to the bars. His brows furrowed when he saw Stella crumpled on the ground, her face unnaturally pale, her body motionless.

“Shit! Swift!” he called out, but there was no response.

Another officer hurried over. “What’s going on?”

“She collapsed,” the first officer said, already fumbling for his keys. Within seconds, the cell door screeched open, and they rushed inside.

One officer knelt beside Stella, pressing two fingers to her neck. His expression darkened. “She’s burning up. Fever’s bad—she’s barely breathing.”

Another officer pulled out his radio. “We need a medic in here! Call an ambulance!”

The quiet tension of the holding area suddenly turned chaotic as officers scrambled into action.

But Stella lay there, unmoving, unaware of the commotion surrounding her.

—

Swift Family’s Residence.

A few Hours Later…

Stephanie sat in the living room, flipping through a business magazine when her phone vibrated beside her. She glanced at the screen and saw Detective Woods’ name on it.

Letting out a quiet sigh, she swiped her finger across the screen and answered. “Good morning, Detective.”

“Good morning, Chairwoman. There’s been an incident,” Detective Woods revealed without preamble. “Stella Swift collapsed in her cell earlier today and was taken to the hospital.”

Stephanie’s fingers stilled over the page she was turning. Her expression remained unreadable as she leaned back in her chair. “Is she still alive?”

“She has a high fever,” Detective Woods replied, his tone even. He wasn’t surprised Stephanie would wish her sister-in-law dead. But, after a brief hesitation, he added, “There were also some… marks on her back.”

Stephanie’s brows lifted slightly. Marks? She had no interest in whatever had happened to Stella before or after her arrest, and she certainly wasn’t going to feign sympathy now.

Her brother’s killer deserved every horrible thing on earth upon them.

“I don’t need the details,” she said, cutting him off before he could elaborate. “Thank you for informing me.”

She was about to end the call when she remembered something more important. “And about Olivia,” she continued. “Make sure she doesn’t see her mother before the trial.”

“You don’t have to worry about that, ma’am,” Detective Woods assured her. “She won’t be allowed in.”

Stephanie smiled faintly. “Good. Have a nice day, Detective.”

She ended the call and placed the phone down, her fingers tapping lightly against the table. A few seconds later, the sound of heels clicking against the marble floor made her look up.

Olivia stepped into the living room, dressed in a sleeveless white dress that hugged her figure and stopped mid-thigh. A black Louis Vuitton bag hung on her arm. Her makeup was immaculate, her confidence unwavering—but Stephanie knew her well enough to see through the act.

“I’m going to visit my mother,” Olivia announced, adjusting the strap of her bag.

Stephanie didn’t react. She merely tilted her head slightly before saying, “No one will let you see her.” Her tone was calm, almost indifferent. “Not until after her first trial.”

“I don’t care,” Olivia snapped. “I’m going to try again.”

Stephanie simply watched as Olivia turned on her heel and strutted out of the room, her designer heels clicking with determination.

The moment Olivia was gone, Stephanie picked up her phone once again. She scrolled through her contacts before pressing a number.

A familiar voice answered after the second ring.

“Good morning, Doctor,” Stephanie said, her lips curving into a small smile. “Do you have some time this afternoon?”

Then the doctor said something that made Stephanie let out a soft chuckle. “We will chat about the details when you come over.”

While Olivia was busy chasing ghosts, Stephanie was busy making plans for her.