chapter1677

"I'm quite happy to make that trade."

The world was never fair.

Stella had worked so hard, yet it couldn't compare to what was simply handed to others.

It was always the favorites who were given what the rest of us had to bleed for and might never obtain.

Seeing that Joshua had calmed down, Stella led him to the sofa and got him a glass of water.

"If Aurora hadn't disappeared, my only option would have been to work with foreign families who have no business ties to the Williams family," she said. "But her disappearance at this exact moment has given me an opportunity."

Often, Stella didn't have many choices laid out before her.

She couldn't afford to make a single wrong move.

One mistake, and there would be no coming back.

Fortunately, fate seemed to be on her side.

By some twist of fate, Aurora had disappeared.

Joshua looked at Stella with a hint of a smile in his eyes.

"Star, have you made up your mind?" he asked.

Stella nodded. "Yes, I have. I'm going to take Aurora's resources.

"I want to see for myself just what's so special about the deals the Williams family handpicked for her."

At the hospital.

Leonard's surgery was finally over.

Simone stood by his bedside, looking rather guilty.

Yesterday, Joshua had found out that Leonard was talking to Stella. Today, Leonard got shot.

Even someone as dense as Simone could put two and two together.

Leonard soon regained consciousness.

His gaze swept the room and landed on Simone.

When he looked at her, Simone couldn't meet his eyes.

Her gaze darted around nervously. "Leonard, you're awake? How are you feeling? The doctor said... the bullet only hit your shoulder, so your life isn't in danger."

Leonard could see her guilt at a glance. "You told Joshua, didn't you?"

Simone's first instinct was to deny it, but she knew she couldn't fool a man like Leonard.

Just as she was about to confess, there was a knock on the door.

Leonard's assistant, Rhett, walked in.

A thin layer of sweat beaded on Rhett's forehead; he had clearly rushed over.

"Mr. Lerman, someone figured out our shipping route. The cargo was stolen."

Leonard had just woken up, and this wasn't the kind of news he should be hearing right now.

But the stolen cargo was a serious matter, so Rhett had no choice but to bite the bullet and report it.

Leonard's expression turned cold. "Who has the nerve to steal from me?"

Rhett was quiet for a few seconds before he said, his voice trembling slightly, "It... it was Stella."

At the mention of her name, Leonard froze.

After a moment, he murmured, almost to himself, "Is this what she wants..."

Rhett asked cautiously, "Mr. Lerman, that shipment is very important t I gather some men cla

us. Should

retrieve it?"

SV

Leonard's expression gradually returned to normal.

"Since she wants it, just let her have it." A flicker of admiration appeared in Leonard's eyes. "To be able to figure out my shipping routes and steal my cargo... she's certainly capable."

Hearing Leonard's words, not just Rhett, but even Simone stared at him in disbelief.

Simone was baffled.

Was that how someone was supposed to react to having their cargo stolen?

Rhett's expression was complicated.

He knew that Leonard had been

acting strangely obsessed with

Stella recently.

He reminded him, "Even if you give it to her, she'll have a hard time finding a buyer

to take that shipment..."

Before Rhett could finish, Leonard cut him off.

"Then we'll be the ones to buy it."

Rhett was speechless.

Buying back his own stolen goods? Had Leonard lost his mind?