Chapter 637

Stephanie felt strongly about the Giovanni and Lucano families. She believed they should not be messed with, or there would be serious problems. Someone in the crowd made a sarcastic comment, “If you have the guts to say it, then don’t back down.”

Both Sable and Lucinda turned angrily to see who it was. It was Amber, standing next to a man from Fiorenza. She challenged Sable and Lucinda, saying they didn’t mean their apologies. Sable and Lucinda looked shocked at her words, especially since the Giovanni family was watching them.

Amber greeted Stephanie with a smile, and for a moment, Stephanie smiled back. Sofia pointed out that Amber was right. The once-aggressive Lucinda began to panic, pleading with Sofia for mercy, “Sofia, please forgive us and don’t hurt our family.”

Sofia replied, “The person you should really be seeking forgiveness from isn’t me.”

Sable and Lucinda fell silent, their glances shifting back to Stephanie, feeling a flicker of resentment towards her. They had always considered Stephanie merely a pawn in the Lucano family’s marriage plans. They couldn’t have foreseen that she would end up with Sebastian. That significantly elevated her status within Fiorenza, transforming her into one of its most respected women. The girl who was once looked down upon had blossomed.

As Sofia noted their silence, she stepped forward and delivered a swift kick to them, jolting them back to reality. They hastily turned to apologize to Stephanie, “Stephanie, we’re truly sorry.”

A chill entered Stephanie’s gaze. Just moments ago, they had belittled her, even implicating her mother and Sebastian. With icy contempt, Stephanie fixed her eyes on Sable. Her gaze made Sable uneasy.

A dismissive chuckle escaped Stephanie’s lips as she turned to leave. Sebastian wrapped an arm around her shoulder, drawing her close. When Stephanie glanced back, she met Sebastian’s stern gaze, his eyes hardening momentarily as he addressed, “Elliot.”

“Yes, Mr. Giovanni.” Elliot stepped forward respectfully.

Sebastian instructed, “Handle it.”

“Yes,” Elliot replied.

Sebastian led Stephanie away, leaving Sable and Lucinda with pale faces, shaking with fear. They remained too stunned to even utter pleas for mercy.

Amber intertwined her arm with her date’s. “How boring! I thought a fight might break out.” Her tone dripped with disdain for the two women who had whispered cruel gossip but lacked the courage to own up to their actions.

Her date, Tommy, smiled slightly. “Let’s go.”

Amber nodded, casting one last scornful glance at the two women.

Once they had left, Sable and Lucinda struggled to rise from the ground. Sable glared at Lucinda and said, “It’s all your fault! Why did you have to drag me into discussing the Giovanni family’s scandals?”

“Hey, can you blame me? You were in it too!” Lucinda shot back.

“The conversation started with you! My father was right; I shouldn’t get too close to someone like you, or you’ll get me into trouble.”

Their quarrel escalated as security soon arrived, quickly escorting them out.

Sebastian, still holding Stephanie, wore a troubled expression. Josef, upon hearing of the events, pulled Sebastian aside, eager to explain. Sofia kept a close watch on Stephanie, remarking, “I would’ve torn those two apart if we weren’t in the Murphy residence.”

Stephanie replied, “What you did earlier isn’t much different from tearing them apart.”

Sofia appraised Stephanie. “Well done, Stefi. It seems my lessons weren’t in vain.” Sofia had watched Stephanie kick Lucinda and throw glass at Sable’s face. Elliot had mentioned Stephanie’s fights with Tyler and Chris at Long Harbor, but she had a hard time believing it; the delicate Stephanie she knew seemed incapable of such fierceness. Yet now she had seen it for herself.

Sofia said, “Truly magnificent, a far cry from the gentle Stefi I once knew.” Just as Sofia began to offer more compliments, her phone buzzed.

“I’ll take this call,” she said, turning aside to answer, not daring to walk too far from Stephanie as she recalled the earlier confrontation.

While Sofia was busy on the phone, Stephanie noticed Amber approaching. Tommy was missing, leaving Stephanie curious about how Amber knew him.

Five minutes later, Stephanie and Amber were standing in the garden as Amber spoke, “I took all of Tyler’s money.”

Stephanie felt emotionally detached from the whole situation.

“Would you like a share?” Amber offered.

Stephanie’s eyes widened in disbelief. Amber met Stephanie’s astonished gaze and said, “I know the Hart family has treated you poorly. During those two years, they didn’t even give you basic living expenses; it all went to Olivia.”

Stephanie fell silent as Amber recounted how the Hart family had mistreated her. She felt little emotional attachment to it—perhaps because she had never truly cared. To her, they were outsiders, and their actions bore no weight in her life.

Stephanie asked, “How do you know they mistreated me?”

“Every time Tyler came to Velvet, he’d share stories of your ‘misbehavior’ and the punishments you got.” When mentioning Tyler, Amber’s voice dripped with disdain, suggesting she had never thought much of him. No wonder she had left so decisively.

Stephanie asked, “So, is the child Tyler’s?”

Amber said, “Indeed. Otherwise, why would I demand so much from him? I do have my principles.”

Stephanie felt a bit embarrassed. Maybe it was because her brain was foggy from recent pregnancy hormones; she found it hard…