Chapter 322

Macro was toast—his legs felt like they were stuffed with cement. Even with the bodyguard holding him up, getting dragged around was a nightmare. Sebastian’s crew knew how to make it brutal, locking him in a grip that kept him stumbling forward. Every step was like slogging through mud.

Then he saw Stephanie stroll in.

“Stefi, come on, help me out here!” he yelled, his voice scratchy and desperate. “He’s turning this into some personal payback thing!”

Stephanie was chilling on Sebastian’s lap. She glanced back and said, “He thinks it’s good for you.”

That flipped Macro’s switch.

“I don’t want his ‘good’!” he wheezed, barely getting the words out. If this was a favor, they could shove it—he just wanted to crash and be done.

Sebastian’s hand was on Stephanie’s waist, his voice low and steady. “Why’d you come out here with no jacket?”

The last few days had been rough—freezing cold with a wind that wouldn’t quit. Snow kept dumping down, piling up in the courtyard like a giant white rug.

Stephanie looked at herself and shrugged. “I’ve been inside all day. I’m good.” She hadn’t even gone outside—Sebastian wouldn’t let her anyway, fussing she’d get sick.

Macro, still hobbling along, shouted again, sounding like a broken radio. Stephanie peeked at his sad, wobbly self and gave Sebastian a look. “So, why’s he running again?”

“For his own good,” Sebastian said, kicking back in his chair, cool as ever.

Stephanie’s lip twitched. She stared at him, thinking, ‘Yeah, sure, that totally makes sense.’

Right then, her phone buzzed—Ella calling.

“It’s Ella,” she said to Sebastian, “Need to take it.”

“Mm,” he grunted, letting his hand drop as she got up.

Macro spotted her leaving and howled, “Stefi, don’t ditch me like this!”

“He’s not gonna kill you,” she tossed back, not even looking, a little tease in her tone. She was thinking that, maybe this would teach him to watch his mouth. She kept walking, phone in hand, her shoes tapping down the hall.

Sebastian took a cigar from Elliot and said, “Five more laps.” His voice was stone-cold.

12:17 Wed, 19 Mar Chapter 322

Macro lost it, stomping as he ran. “Sebastian, you’re a real jerk, you know that? I was doing it for your…”

Elliot, off to the side, sighed. Macro’s mouth is gonna get him in deep trouble today.

Out in the hall, Stephanie picked up. “Ella?”

Ella’s voice came through, all hyped up. “Stefi, they’re going at it—listen!”

A loud slap hit the line, then Lilian’s pissed-off yell, “Who’re you calling a bimbo? I’ll skin you alive today!”

“You, that’s who!” another voice snapped back, sharp and nasty. “I got Tyler’s kid—you want to be the stepmom or what?”

Caitlin jumped in, fuming. “Both of you, shut it! Amber, zip your mouth!”

“Me, shut up?” Amber laughed, ice in her tone. “No wonder you, you old witch, kept messing with me and Tyler’s wedding—even dissing your own grandson. What, waiting for a better offer?”

The line went dead quiet for a second—then blew up again.

“So, the precious Hodge family princess, huh?” Amber’s voice got real cutting. “You blind, or just into being a BIMBO?”

Lilian was roaring, “You bitch, you’re SO dead today!”

Even just hearing it over the call, Stephanie could tell it was a total mess on Ella’s end—shouting, screaming, the whole deal. Ella’s voice popped in, all giddy. “Stefi, you catching this? Loud enough for you? I can get closer if you want!”

Stephanie’s lip twitched. She leaned against the hallway wall, not saying much.

“Didn’t you say you weren’t hitting up the hospital? What’s with the change?” she asked, scrunching her face a bit.

Ella laughed. “I came for the gossip, Obrienly! When I heard this kind of craziness was happening, how could I skip it?”

Stephanie’s eye did that twitch thing again. “So you’re just there to watch the circus?”

“Not totally. My butt’s been killing since that fall—I couldn’t deal anymore, so I came to get it looked at. Then I saw…” She paused like she was setting up a punchline, her smugness oozing through. “I knew it’d be wild, so I sucked it up and went for it.”

Stephanie went quiet for a second. Ella was a drama magnet—trouble stuck to her like glue. Still, Ella being there meant Stephanie got to eavesdrop on the action. More chaos, more fun.

Ella made some dramatic “tsk–tsk” noises. “Man, it’s nuts. I’m recording it for you!”

“Sweet,” Stephanie said, glancing at the lights down the hall. Ella had already sent something earlier that she hadn’t checked. After hanging up, she pulled up the latest video. It was the hallway outside Tyler’s hospital room.

12:17 Wed, 19 Mar Chapter 322

Caitlin was planted in the doorway, keeping Amber from storming in, her face all pale and pissed. The two were going hard, their voices bouncing around like a freaking loudspeaker.

Amber’s sarcasm sliced through. “The Hart family must’ve ticked off the universe to get stuck with you.”