Chapter 210 Breaking Off the Engagement
The Hensley Mansion, second-floor lounge.
The air was so heavy it felt suffocating.
After Cecilia left, Stefan didn't return to the banquet hall. Instead, Dione had forcibly dragged him here.
Anna sat to one side, eyes red-rimmed, shoulders trembling slightly, looking completely wronged—the perfect picture of a victim bullied by villains.
"Stefan, look at what you've done!"
Dione pointed at Anna, yelling at Stefan with anguish.
"Stefan.For that lowly commoner girl, you embarrassed me in front of all those people! And now you've upset Anna like this! Do you even care about me and the Hensley family's dignity?"
Stefan leaned against the window, his expression cold as he gazed at the night outside, completely ignoring Dione's raging.
His indifferent attitude completely enraged Dione.
"I'm talking to you! Are you mute?"
"Mom, please stop worrying about my personal life." Stefan finally spoke, his voice full of exhaustion.
"Also," he slowly turned his head, looking straight at Anna.
"Ms. Clark, I'm sorry you were upset tonight."
Anna froze, not expecting him to apologize. Just as a hint of satisfaction rose in her heart, she heard what came next.
"I'm partly to blame for this."
"My mistake was not being direct earlier, out of consideration for both families' reputations. This led to your misunderstanding, and even to you hurting Amelia."
"So now, I need to make things clear to you."
Stefan's tone was calm, but every word was crystal clear.
"This so-called arranged marriage is just wishful thinking on the elders' part. I wasn't interested in you before, I'm not interested now, and I never will be."
"Stefan!" Dione shrieked.
All color drained from Anna's face instantly. She stared at him in disbelief, as if seeing Stefan for the first time.
She thought he was just being rebellious, using Amelia to resist the Hensley family.
She never imagined he would use such a direct, such a cruel way, right in front of Dione, to completely shred all her pride and dignity.
"Stefan, how can you say that?" Anna's voice trembled uncontrollably, tears actually falling. "Our families' engagement... what did I do wrong?"
Stefan's answer was straightforward, but even more hurtful.
"You come from a good family, you're talented and beautiful—maybe every man in Harmony City's dream woman. But that doesn't include me."
"Ms. Clark, you should find a man who truly appreciates you and can give you a future, instead of wasting time on me. And you definitely shouldn't use those dirty tricks to target an innocent person."
That last sentence was spoken softly, but it struck Anna like lightning.
He knows!
He knows what she's done!
"I don't know what you're talking about." She guiltily avoided his gaze, only able to hide her panic with tears.
"Stefan! You're crazy! Do you even know what nonsense you're spouting?" Dione shook with rage. "Anna is such a wonderful girl, and you're treating her this badly for that lowly, inferior bitch!"
"Mom, which one of us is stupid?" Stefan coldly interrupted her. "You're treating a scheming, vicious woman like a treasure and trying to force her on me. Do you think the Hensley family's future would be any good with this kind of woman as its mistress?"
"You..." Dione was so blocked she couldn't say a word, feeling dizzy.
Just at this tense moment, Stefan's phone suddenly vibrated sharply in his pocket.
The ringtone sounded particularly jarring in the dead-silent lounge.
Stefan saw the caller was his driver Tate. His heart sank, and he immediately answered.
On the other end, Tate's voice was full of guilt and panic he couldn't suppress.
"Mr. Hensley, I'm sorry! Ms. Martinez insisted on getting out of the car halfway. I couldn't talk her out of it no matter what."
"Later, I secretly followed behind and saw she was almost hit by a car. That car belonged to Rufus! Then he forcibly took Ms. Martinez away!"
Rufus?
That name pierced his ears, making Stefan's expression suddenly darken.
"Send me his license plate number!"
Stefan hung up and immediately headed for the door.
"Stop! Where are you going?" Dione shouted.
Stefan didn't stop, simultaneously calling Garth and rapidly giving orders, his voice cold without a trace of warmth.
"Find out why Amelia suddenly got out of the car! Where she was going, who she was meeting!"
"Also, use every resource to track Rufus's location in real-time!"
Stefan strode out of the lounge, leaving the two people behind with his determined back.
Anna sat dumbly on the sofa, tear stains still on her face, but her eyes no longer held any softness.
Instead, her eyes were filled with poisonous resentment and unwillingness.
Amelia again! All for Amelia again!
Stefan would rather humiliate me in public than protect that damned bitch Amelia!
Why?
What about me isn't as good as her?
Anna bit down hard, pulled out her phone, and sent a string of messages.
[Send people to follow Stefan and Rufus. Be careful not to let them notice.]
[Also, I need to know where Amelia is now and what the hell she's up to!]
Soon after, on Harmony City's nighttime streets, a silent chase unfolded.
Rufus's limited-edition sports car raced wildly in front.
Stefan's limited-edition car pursued relentlessly from behind, staying right on his tail.
And farther back, several seemingly ordinary black sedans lurked in the shadows of traffic, forming a huge surveillance net.
Inside the limited-edition sports car.
Cecilia looked at the limited-edition car getting closer and closer in the rearview mirror, her temples throbbing.
Stefan? Why did he follow too?
Things seemed to be spiraling completely out of control in the direction she least wanted to see.
"Looks like your 'business partner' really cares about you." Rufus noticed too, a cold sneer curling his lips.
"He's so anxious for you—can't you see what he's thinking?"
"Or did you see it all along and enjoy it?"
Cecilia's body instantly stiffened.
Rufus caught her subtle reaction, his smile becoming even more wicked.
He suddenly leaned closer, demanding word by word:
"Cecilia, answer me—do you like him?"
Cecilia closed her eyes, not wanting to say another word to him.
Right now she just hoped to find Bronte quickly, before Bronte caused even bigger trouble.
However, things didn't go as hoped.
Just as the two cars, one in front and one behind, were about to rush onto the overpass leading to Brookside Road, the black limited-edition car's engine let out an even more violent roar.
It suddenly accelerated, cutting in front of the gray limited-edition sports car with a reckless, forceful attitude.
Then it swung sideways, completely blocking its path.
The tires screeched sharply against the pavement.
Rufus slammed his fist on the steering wheel, the rage in his chest finally exploding completely.