New Year's Eve 2

Holden choked on his saliva. "I thought you were thinking of going somewhere within the country," he voiced out, surprise written all over his face.

"I told you it was a bad idea. Forget about it. You don't have to join me." Stellar kicked the duvet off her body.

Suddenly feeling energized, Stellar felt her hangover wash away from her system as her mind made a list of things she had to do.

She quickly grabbed her phone under her pillow and searched for available flights online.

Before she could press 'search', a hand with long fingers covered her phone screen. "Hold your horses, Star."

A huge question mark floated above Stellar's head. "Yeees?'

"I can ask my brother if he could lend us his jet today."

"Cooper has a jet?"

Holden nodded. "He bought his own recently," was Holden's curt reply. He fished his phone from his back pocket and pressed his finger on his lips to silence Stellar.

The phone went through on the second ring and Stellar listened throughout the conversation. From where she sat, she could hear the excitement in Cooper's voice.

Covering the receiver, Holden asked, "He's asking if he and his girlfriend can tag along."

"Of course they can! We're borrowing his jet. How can I say no." She slapped Holden's arm.

"He also said Aki can't join us."

Stellar snickered. Aki couldn't really join them because he would rather spend more time with their mom, so she didn't have to really think about her brother.

She gave Holden a thumbs up before hopping off the bed to grab her suitcase in her walk-in closet.

In the middle of her grabbing whatever clothing she could, she saw Holden's shadow hovered over her. She looked over her shoulders and smiled at him.

"Cooper said the earliest we can leave is around late afternoon, but he can't promise anything," Holden explained.

Since it was an unplanned trip, Cooper had to make the arrangements for their trip to happen, but Holden wasn't bothered by it at all.

Knowing his brother, Cooper could pull all the strings he could just by using their family name.

Stellar knew this as well. That was why she happily packed for the trip. "Wait a minute… I have to be back on the 2nd. What about you?"

"On the 2nd as well."

Stellar eyed Holden from head to toe. He was leaning his weight against the door frame with his hand dipped inside his pocket.

Unlike Stellar who was cramming, he looked calm and collected as if they just didn't make a last-minute plan on an out-of-the-country trip.

"Is something wrong with my face?" Stellar cupped her cheeks. She felt conscious when Holden never tore his gaze off of her.

"Nothing… but…"

"But? What?"

"You seemed different. That's all."

"Really?"

Holden nodded his head. "Your energy feels different. Like a reborn phoenix."

Stellar's mouth turned into an 'O'. "Maybe I am. You know what? Since you are here, how about you cut my hair?"

She pulled her weight and stood up from the floor. Walking to her vanity, she pulled the largest drawer in the middle and took a pair of scissors out.

Bunching her hair, she showed Holden the length of hair he had to trim.

"They said those who abruptly cut their hair got their heartbroken." Holden eyed Stellar's reflection in the mirror and scrutinized her. He saw her smile slip before she schooled her features and curved her lips upward.

"Just wanted to start the year on a lighter note."

"Okay then. Do you also want me to cut your bangs?"

"Noooo bangs. Please."

The two shared a laugh before Stellar sat still in her seat. She closed her eyes and listened to the snapping sound of the scissors as it released the strands of hair that weighed heavy on Stellar's head.

A few hours later, Stellar checked her room one more time in case she missed something. She was on her way outside, while Holden was waiting for her in his car and had said his goodbyes to Aster and Aki.

Dragging her suitcase, she jumped on her spot when Cassy appeared out of nowhere like a spooky vampire.

"Hey. Where are you going?" Cassy worriedly asked. "It's New Year's Eve. You're supposed to spend it with family."

Stellar huffed. "It also happens to be my birthday, and thanks for remembering."

"Oh my." Cassy's hand flew to her mouth. "I'm so sorry, Stellar. I have a lot of things going on in my head right now."

Giving Cassy a wry smile, Stellar comforted her sister, "Don't worry. I totally understand. Your schedule must be hectic with all the preparations."

"Yes. You can say that."

Stellar watched as Cassy's hand rubbed her belly. She really wished eternal happiness for her sister. When her eyes accidentally landed on the velvet box on her side table, Stellar picked it up and hastily checked the contents inside just in case Beau left a note.

Thankfully, there was none. So Stellar clammed it close and gave it to Cassy on her way out.

"This is my engagement present for you."

Cassy didn't accept the box right away. She was a bit apprehensive about receiving a gift for an engagement she didn't wish to happen but was forced to accept due to her circumstance. Also, she didn't want to raise Stellar's suspicions if she rejected her kind gesture.

Reluctantly receiving the velvet box, Cassy hugged it to her chest. "Thanks, Stellar. Oh, wait. Where are you going? Does Mom know?"

Stellar took a sharp inhale. "Just tell Mom that I'll be back on the 2nd for the shareholder's meeting."

Without looking back, Stellar dragged her luggage out of their house.

Today was her birthday, and she couldn't wait to jumpstart another year of her life with a random journey.

…

Later that evening, the Cross and Spencer families had a joint New Year's Eve dinner in the Spencer Mansion.

Beau opened the doors to their home and welcomed his visitors. Much to his disappointment, he noticed Stellar was missing.

His eyes traveled as far as it could reach, but not a shadow of Stellar could be seen.

"Goodie, goodie! Welcome hooome! Oh, where's Stellar?" Auntie Babes spoke behind Beau, raising the question he wanted to ask himself.

Aster swatted her hand. "Forget about her. She suddenly has a scheduled trip overseas."

Beau's jaw ticked. How convenient for her to go incognito. He was so irritated; he didn't realize he was grumbling until Aki cupped his shoulder.

The Crosses weren't strangers in the Spencer's home, so everyone felt at home during mealtime.

In the dining room, Baron Spencer sat at the head of the table with Beau to his right and Auntie Babes to his left.

Meanwhile, Cassy sat beside Beau since that's where she found her place card. Thankfully, Aki sat beside her, and was her source of strength the entire service.

Midway into their meal, Auntie Babes gasped, pointing a finger on Cassy's chest. "Is that Grandma's heirloom necklace?"

Subconsciously, Cassy's hand flew to the pendant dangling in her neck. It was the necklace Stellar gave her that afternoon.

Realization hit Cassy like a speeding bullet train, and the pain of impact resonated in her belly.

Knowing her sister, Stellar wouldn't intentionally give her something that bore so much weight to it.

If this necklace was a Spencer heirloom, and it was under Stellar's possession, it only meant one thing: Beau intended for Stellar to pass the necklace onto Cassy.

This was his way of telling Cassy that the real owner of this jewelry was not her, but Stellar. And he didn't want to do the dirty work of explaining his stance on their engagement, although he agreed to it weeks in advance when Baron summoned him back to Spencer Corp.

Nervously tucking the pendant under her blouse to hide it, Cassy lied, "Is it? But I bought this during one of my trips to Dubai."

"Oh. Must be a lookalike then." Auntie Babes shrugged and continued to slice her steak.

While their mothers were chatting, Cassy stole a peek at Beau, and annoyance painted her face. She could see the smirk on his face as he casually drank his wine.

It was ridiculous how he had a field day seeing her scramble in her seat. Obviously, this was his intention. He wanted her to feel bad about her marrying him and taking away Stellar's happiness. But that was where Beau was wrong.

Behind Cassy's warm and friendly demeanor was a cold and calculating person.

So what if Stellar got her heart broken? She could find another person who would accept her for who she was.

What about Cassy?

If the truth spreads out, who would accept someone like her who got knocked up by a married man?

If Beau thought that his scheme of silently giving her emotional blows would make her step back, then he was absolutely wrong.

There was no way for her but to marry into the Spencer Family to save face from her unplanned pregnancy.

There was no way people would know that Baron Spencer was the father of her child.

She would never be a mistress because Cassy was dead set to marry into the Spencer Family through Beau.

Smiling sweetly at her fiance, Cassy then angled her face and sent a flirty wink at her baby daddy—Baron Spencer.