Chapter 98: The Little Brat I Consider Sister

By the end of the day, the sound of laughter fills Christian's house as Stella finally decides to leave. After much cajoling and insisting that she'll be back soon, she grabs her bag and heads for the door. Maria, ever the caretaker, follows her, offering one last smile to Christian before leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Later, as Maria and Stella prepare to leave, Maria pauses by the door, turning to Christian with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Christian," she says softly, her voice sincere. "I know Stella can be a handful, and I didn't mean to disrupt your work. She really wanted to stay longer, but I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."