Belated Moonlight: He Regretted Only After I Left-Chapter 36: No Settlement, No Withdrawal

Jasper Hawthorne’s brow instantly furrowed, "Stella Sterling, you’ve gone too far."

He pressed his lips together, "Auntie Quinn has been in a coma for five years. She doesn’t know about the things Grace Quinn did, so don’t take it out on her."

Audrey Quinn looked at Jasper Hawthorne in bewilderment, "What things? What did Grace do?"

Jasper Hawthorne pressed his lips again, instinctively looking at Stella Sterling, hoping she would back down as she used to.

In his eyes, Stella Sterling was the most sensible girl in the world.

She never put him in a difficult position.

However, upon understanding the expression on his face, the corner of Stella Sterling’s lips curved into a cold smile.

She really was blind back then.

What made Grace Quinn dare to bully her over and over again?

What made her so justifiable in making her give blood ninety-nine times?

All because of Jasper...

If she hadn’t been so foolish as to fall for him back then! What is Grace Quinn anyway, to have the gall to show off in front of her?

Moreover, Audrey Quinn had woken up as early as a year ago!

Perhaps even earlier!

The tricks Grace pulled were most likely orchestrated by Audrey from behind the scenes!

Thinking of this, Stella Sterling looked at Audrey Quinn with even colder eyes, mocking, "What? As her mother, you don’t know what she’s done?"

"Stella!"

At that moment, Grace Quinn suddenly stood protectively in front of Audrey Quinn with red eyes, "If you’re angry, take it out on me. Don’t bully my mom. She’s just woken up from lying in bed for five years and can’t handle the stress..."

She acted so earnestly, and beside her, Audrey Quinn also cooperated by showing a weak and pained expression.

Stella Sterling watched this mother and daughter act with cold eyes, feeling a wave of nausea.

She chuckled lightly, "Lying in bed for five years?"

Her gaze fell on Audrey Quinn’s pale yet well-maintained face, "Auntie Quinn doesn’t look like someone who’s been bedridden for five years... Anyone would think you’ve been out shopping and playing mahjong all these years!"

"You... What nonsense are you talking about!" Grace Quinn suddenly raised her head and retorted sharply, her eyes revealing a trace of panic.

Audrey Quinn’s heart also sank rapidly, her back instantly soaked in cold sweat.

What... What did she know?

Impossible!

Those things were done with utmost secrecy. How could she possibly know?

Audrey Quinn’s mind raced...

Stella Sterling didn’t give her time to think, directly tossing a manila folder at Grace Quinn.

"Stop acting." She said coldly, "Take a good look at what’s inside."

Grace Quinn was momentarily stunned, subconsciously catching it, a sense of foreboding surging in her heart.

"What... what is this?"

"Police report, surveillance footage screenshots, witness testimonies, and... a copy of the lawsuit."

She pronounced each word, clearly declaring, "You are suspected of drugging me in a public place, the evidence is solid. I will sue you for intentional harm, no reconciliation, no withdrawal."

She slightly leaned forward, her eyes sharp, staring at Grace Quinn’s face which instantly lost all color, "You better hope the judge is lenient with you, otherwise..."

Stella Sterling didn’t finish her sentence, but the meaning conveyed in her cold eyes was unmistakable— 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

She would see to it that Grace Quinn rots in jail.

These words exploded like a bombshell in the hospital room!

"No! It’s not true! You’re slandering me! Jasper, she’s slandering me!" Grace Quinn panicked completely, grabbing Jasper Hawthorne’s arm, "I didn’t do it! I didn’t do anything! She’s framing me on purpose!"

Audrey Quinn’s face also changed completely, unable to maintain her gentle and fragile facade, her voice turning sharp, "Miss Sterling! What do you mean by this?! Grace is still a child! How could she possibly do that kind of thing?! This must be a misunderstanding! You can’t vent your anger on Grace just because you’re having a falling out with Jasper!"

She turned to Jasper Hawthorne, her tone accusatory with a crying edge, "Jasper! Look at this! What... what’s going on? How can you let Miss Sterling bully Grace like this? Grace is my only daughter; if she goes to jail, I... I can’t live anymore!"

Jasper Hawthorne’s mind was in complete turmoil.

Drugging?

Lawsuit?

These words collided with his understanding like fragments.

He looked down at the scattered lawsuit copy on the floor, the black and white words and the glaring police station stamp telling him this wasn’t a joke.

"What is going on?" Jasper Hawthorne’s voice was deep and hoarse, looking at Grace Quinn, "Is what the lawsuit says true? Did you really..."

"I didn’t! Jasper, you must believe me!" Grace Quinn shook her head frantically, clinging to Jasper Hawthorne’s arm, crying, "It’s Stella! She must have forged the evidence! She’s trying to destroy me! Jasper, you can’t let her succeed... I really didn’t do it, you must believe me..."

Audrey Quinn also grabbed his sleeve, desperate, "Jasper, Grace grew up with you, you know her better than anyone. She’s just a child with a temper, she wouldn’t do anything harmful... You need to explain this to Miss Sterling..."

The pleading cries made Jasper Hawthorne’s head throb.

He took a deep breath, looking at Stella Sterling, "Stella, there must be some misunderstanding. Withdraw the lawsuit first, we’ll resolve it privately. There’s no need to take it to court, it’s bad for everyone..."

Stella Sterling looked at him, not even bothering to argue anymore.

She should have known long ago.

In Jasper Hawthorne’s world, the one who gives in is always her!

She was always the one that Jasper Hawthorne would abandon after weighing the pros and cons!

"Heh." She let out a very light chuckle, as if mocking his naivety, and also mocking her own foolish expectations.

"See you in court!"

With that, she didn’t look at Jasper Hawthorne again, nor at the acting mother and daughter.

She straightened her back and turned decisively towards the hospital room door without any hesitation.

Her departing figure was resolute, without a trace of regret.

"Stella!" Jasper Hawthorne instinctively tried to chase after her.

"Jasper!" Grace Quinn clung tightly to his sleeve, her voice shrill, "You can’t go! That Stella Sterling is going to sue me! You promised my mom you would take care of me! You can’t break your word..."

Audrey Quinn was also almost in tears, "Jasper, Grace is my only daughter, if something happens to her, I really can’t go on living..."

Jasper Hawthorne’s footsteps were firmly anchored, he could only watch as Stella Sterling’s figure disappeared at the hospital room door, the light in the corridor closing in behind her as if completely isolating him from her world.

Somehow, an unprecedented panic surged up, almost drowning him...

He abruptly shook off Grace Quinn’s hand, the force making her stagger slightly.

He picked up the lawsuit materials from the side, his face so dark it was almost dripping water, his gaze sharp as he looked at the still sobbing Grace Quinn, his voice as cold as ice:

"Grace Quinn, tell me the truth, is what’s written here true or not?"