Love After Divorce by BELLA

Chapter 27:.

David noticed their embarrassed expressions and changed the subject. “Why is everyone still standing? It's

almost dinnertand everyone must be hungry. Let's go to the dining room.”

After saying this, they all headed towards the dining room. Sophia continued to hold on to RK’s arm the whole

time, as if she was afraid that if she let go, someone might steal her man.

As they approached the dining room, Stella deliberately slowed her pace and decided to sit down after everyone

else had done so.

Sophia pulled RK to sit next to her, then gestured for Isabella and David to sit on RK’s other side. Now that RK

was surrounded by the Richard family, it was clear that they were treating him like a treasure.

Now there were only two seats left: one next to Sophia and the other directly across from RK. Of course, Stella

was not going to sit next to Sophia. So, with no choice, she and Tristan had to take the seats across from her.

“It’s very rare that we all sit down together to eat. Let's toast first.” said David, raising his glass.

They all had a glass of red wine in front of them. Stella also picked up her glass. She wasn’t good at drinking, but

she couldn't get drunk on one or two glasses. After all, she was with family, so she felt safe enough. Just as she

raised her glass, Sophia's voice interrupted the moment.

“Dad, you'd better trade my and RK's glasses for juice. We're planning to have a baby, and it’s not good for our

health.”

Suddenly, Sophia said it from across the table, shyly. Stella’s hand that held the glass trembled, but she quickly

set it down before it could tip over.

Stella thought she was no longer affected by the man’s presence, but it seemed it was only an illusion. Because

when she heard Sophia's words, it still hurt. She felt as if someone had plunged a knife into her heart.

Stella couldn’t help but stare at the face of the man in front of her. There was already Alia between them. Were

they really planning to have another child at this point? Y... had he agreed?

But Stella found no expression on his face. RK’s expression was still as unreadable as ever. His hand holding the

glass did not lower it.

He merely said lightly, “Swap Sophia’s glass for the juice. | don’t like juice; I'm fine with wine.” His words were

ambiguous.

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He did not say anything clearly. By asking to exchange Sophia’s glass, he implied that he agreed with her plan to

have a child. But by refusing to change his own glass, he also implied that he was not fully committed to the

idea. What a clever man.

He had always been like that: never clear, always leaving things open to interpretation. David didn’t attach too

much importance to the double meaning of his words. He simply believed that RK still cared about Sophia’s well-

being.

So David focused on the positive, assuming they planned to have children, and so RK asked to substitute juice

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for Sophia’s wine.

David nodded and said, “It’s good that you're thinking about this. Stella is already 28, and Sophia is years older.

If you don’t start planning now, it may be too late.”

After talking, David ordered someone to replace Sophia’s wine glass with juice, and everyone began to eat.

For the Richard family, tonight was a very important day because RK had finally accepted their invitation to have

dinner at their home.

In the past, God knew how many times David had invited him to dinner; he had always declined the offer. He was

the VIP they had been inviting for so long, and he had finally knocked on their door.

Now, the entire Richard family was following his every move.

“Sophia, it’s rare for RK to join us for dinner. Make sure you serve him well. He's our VIP guest; we can’t let him

leave.”

“Rene, it's great to have you here for dinner. We'll be family soon, so cback more often.”

Then David looked at Sophia again and said, “Sophia, why are you still sitting? Give RK smore food.

“Understood,” Sophia replied, adding more food to RK’s bowl.

Meanwhile, Stella ducked her head and concentrated on her food, which suddenly seemed much less appetizing.

She tried her best not to focus on their conversation. She had told herself so many times that RK no longer

mattered to her, but her heart refused to listen. Even after so many years, he was still affecting her.

“Sophia, you and RK have been engaged for a while now. And now that Stella and Tristan are back, | think it is

tto start planning your wedding,” David said. On the surface, these words were meant for Sophia, but in

reality he was saying them to RK.

But RK showed no interest in the conversation, blocking David's attempts without response. David sensed that

he was not interested in the topic, so he awkwardly changed the subject.

Thus, David shifted his focus to Stella. “Stella, your sister is about to get married and start a family. But look at

you: you're still single and childless. You should hurry up and think about it yourself.”

“Don’t you have a son?”

Her son was already five years old. But, of course, Stella wasn’t going to say anything and just responded with,

“And Tristan, you should also consider finding a partner. Don’t just focus on your medicine and the hospital all

the time.”

She was complaining to him. Her words reminded Stella of when Tristan was 18 years old. Tristan was very

interested in medicine and wanted to beca professional doctor.

But because she knew that, after leaving, Stella would be alone here and would suffer harassment from the

Richard family, she had given up her dream of going abroad to study medicine.

But after she married RK, he left the country and never returned. He had disappeared from Stella’s world.

At the time, David had once told him that he was abroad studying medicine. For the past nine years, Tristan had

transferred all his energy from Stella to his medicine and the hospital.

After so many years, Tristan Davis had achieved ssuccess in the medical world. For example, every

operation he performed cost at least eight figures. Not only that, but not everyone could hire him, even if they

had the money.

Tristan was a very skilled physician in his field; he always chose patients based on their condition and medical

history.

David continued, “Tristan, now that you're back in the country, | can introduce you to spretty girls if you

want. Sophia is getting married soon, so as your sister's older brother, don’t you think you should settle down

first? If Stella finds a mate in a few years, you'll be embarrassed to marry after her.”

Tristan listened to David's words, but did not offer the perfunctory response that Stella had given. His response

was rather direct. “Man, you all know | like Stella. I'm not marrying anyone but Stella.”

Stella's jaw dropped. Everyone was speechless. Because of her response, the entire room fell silent. Not even the

sound of chewing or pecking at the food could be heard. It was embarrassing.

But Tristan, the source of the tension, seemed completely unperturbed. He behaved as if it was no big deal. His

attitude was as if he had just said something like, “What's for dinner?”.

Stella lowered her head in shame. Her face reddened. It had been nine years since she had seen Tristan, and

although his love for medicine had not changed, everything else about him seemed different.

| didn’t know if the man was that stubborn or what. Isabella looked at him and said awkwardly, “Tristan, don’t

talk nonsense.

Stella is your little sister.” Although Tristan was Isabella’s son from her previous marriage, the Richard family had

always treated him as Sophia’s brother.

And although he was not Stella's biological brother, to outsiders he was still Stella's brother, and the Richard

family supported this relationship. Stella didn’t want him to waste his twith her either. She knew there could

be nothing between them.

“Yes, brother, you're in a good position. You should find someone beautiful...”

Before she could finish, the air around her seemed to grow cold. She looked up and saw Tristan’s face, his

expression grim. She had promised him she would never call him that again, but with so many people present

and the delicacy of the conversation....

She had forgotten him and called him that out of habit. If she hadn't, the whole family would have begun to

suspect that their relationship was not normal.

“Stella,” Tristan said softly, moving closer to her so only she could hear him, “you don’t know how much | hate it

when you callthat. If you don’t stop, | won't mind calling the media and telling everyone that I, Tristan Davis,

don’t have a sister like you. The only person | have is someone | love, and that’s Stella Richard.”

“Is he threatening me?” thought Stella, seething with anger. “If he wants to involve the media, fine. But why

bring the person he likes into this? What's happened to him? Where's the brotherly image | once knew?”

Stella said nothing and merely lowered her head in annoyance. The man sitting next to her saw it and his lips

curved into a smile. He picked up his wine glass and drank from it.

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Suddenly, it felt as if a shy little bunny was sitting next to

a fierce wolf. To an outsider, it might have looked like they shared a secret.

“Dad, actually RK and | have decided to get married next month. It’s just that RK didn’t want to say anything

yet.”

Suddenly, Sophia said something from the other side. Her words were like a magnet, attracting Stella’s full

attention.

Stella looked up and saw the man sitting across from her. It was as if his eyes lingered on her for a long tand

did not look away.

The table erupted in congratulations, but Stella felt nothing. For there was no smile on her face.....

“So soon? Why hadn't you told me?” asked David, smiling. “We've been looking forward to it, and you tell us

now? René, what date do you have in mind for the wedding?”

“On the twenty-fifth, next month.”

A cold voice cfrom the other side. But after hearing its cold words, Stella’s heart sank as if she had plunged

into an icy abyss. She felt depressed and wounded....

Hearing the date of their wedding with her own ears hurt her more than the mere suspicion that it might

someday happen.

The table was filled with words of blessing, but Stella lowered her head, not daring to look up. She knew that if

she saw their faces, her eyes would sting. The more she looked at their smiling faces, the more her heart ached.

These words pierced her ears. Stella picked up the glass of wine and decided to take another sip. Only the sting

of the wine could mitigate the pain in her heart.

Yes, she could use alcohol to numb herself, to distract herself from the pain. She reached for the bottle next to

her, but RK quickly pushed it out of her reach.

“Drinking is not good for your health. You can’t have another glass,” she said, not caring who was watching.

Tristan took the glass from her hand and set it aside, then signaled for her to replace it with a glass of milk.

Stella’s anger erupted. “Tristan Davis...”

“What's the matter with you? I like it when you callthat.”

The man looked at her with a slight smile on his lips, as if he knew why she was angry with him. Stella could only

marvel at how thick this man had become....

She reached for the glass again, but he grabbed her hand, ignoring the crowd around them. “Stella, do you care

about your health or not?”

“Mr. Davis seems to have a good relationship with my ex-wife.”

On one side, they were fighting over the glass of wine. From the other side, RK opened his mouth and spoke.

word

word

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