Vengeance With My White Knight by Maya Kensington

Chapter 172 When Sebastian left, he hauled Macro out by the collar like a rowdy kid.

That mouth of his-sometimes Sebastian wanted to tape it shut and add sglue for good measure.

After lunch, Stephanie wandered into the sunroom, plopping down to wait for Ella.

The place was warm, with huge windows showing off a snowy scene-white piles and icicles glinting on the branches outside.

The butler peeked in, voice quiet. "Miss?" "What's up?" Stephanie glanced his way.

"There's a Mrs. Hart at the gate. Says she wants to see you," the butler said, cool as ever.

Hart? Caitlin? Stephanie's brow scrunched up.

"Caitlin Hart?" she asked.

"Yes." The butler nodded.

Stephanie raised an eyebrow. Showing up now? Easy guess-she was here about Tyler.

Or probably, she was here for Tyler and Olivia. Stephanie smirked to herself, not impressed.

Tell her no, Stephanie said, keeping it short.

Her old number was done-she'd trashed it last night and got a new one. The Hart family couldn't reach her no matter whose phone they borrowed." Only Jennifer and Ella had her number now.

And those two? They'd never blab to the Harts.

"Got it, the butler said with a quick nod, stepping away.

He was about to call security with Stephanie's “no,” but before he could finish, her phone buzzed-Ella on the other end.

"Stefi, Caitlin's standing in front of my car, blocking me, Ella's voice cthrough, sharp and crackly. Stephanie froze, totally confused.

She shot a quick look at the butler, waving him to hold off.

Ella kept going, "She's crying her eyes out, making a whole scene. Get this-she used to talk smack about you, saying you were scountry bumpkin with no class." "So who's the queen now? Ella's voice was pure sarcasm.

Stephanie could already hear Caitlin's raspy sobs through the phone.

The sound was loud and annoying as hell. She cringed.

Her eyes narrowed a bit. "Bring her in, she said, keeping it cool.

"On it, the butler replied, short and sharp.

1/5 Chapter 172 Right before the call ended. Stephanie caught Ella throwing shade at Caitlin, "Pulling this stunt just to see your own kid? Only a mom like you gets that honor "You dug this hole yourself, Ella added, her tone dripping with disgust.

Most families had that cozy, tight-knit mom-and-daughter thing.

The Harts lost Stephanie once-you'd think they'd hold her close after getting her back.

But nope, this so-called mom turned it into a train wreck.

Not that she didn't know how to play parent-she treated Tyler and Olivia like they were royalty.

Pretty soon, footsteps clomped in Ella and Jennifer walked through the door, Caitlin dragging behind them.

Stephanie glanced at Ella and Jennifer. "Givea minute, she said, voice steady.

"No problem." Ella replied, propping herself against the doorframe, not moving an inch.

The butler signaled a staffer to take them to the greenhouse lounge next door, but he hung around. Sebastian had told him before he left: if Stephanie met with any Harts, stick close and watch.

Sebastian called it. The Harts would find a way to corner her.

And here they were, still clueless, acting like desperate strays.

Tyler got roughed up yesterday, and Caitlin looked like she'd aged ten years in a day.

stephanie picked up her coffee mug, taking a slow sip, not even glancing Caitlin's way. Caitlin sat across from her, fuming. That laid-back vibe was like a match to her temper. she couldn't take the heavy quiet and cracked first. "I know what happened." Oh? Cool, and?" Stephanie tossed back, chill as ever.

That 1-don't-give-a-damn attitude just fueled Caitlin's fire.

When she spoke again, her voice had a bite. "He's your brother-right or wrong-and you let srandom guy mess him ip like that?" Do you even get it? One of his hands is ruined-no way it's ever gonna work right again," she snapped, all blin her tone. The more she talked, the harder it was to keep that anger in check.

On the drive over, she'd sat in the car, psyching herself up to stay calm and work it out with Stephanie.

>livia needed a doctor bad, Tyler was down for the count, the company was a disaster, and she and Chad were at each ther's throats.

and it all tied back to Stephanie, she thought, cold as ice.

o she figured she had to talk it out with her-Stephanie was the fix to this chaos.

15 Chapter 172 But seeing that blank, unbothered look on her face? Caitlin's temper blew up like a grease fire.

And that word-srandom guy-hit Stephanie like a cheap shot.

A loud stack rang through the sunroom.

Stephanie slammed her coffee mug down on the coffee table, the sharp sound slicing through the tension.

Coffee splashed out, spilling over the table and dripping onto her hand.

She gave Caitlin a chilly side-eye. "You here to chewout, or just to point fingers?" Her voice was as cold as the ice hanging outside, her eyes flashing with a frosty edge.

Caitlin's bottled-up feelings blew up. She snapped, her voice jumping. "Stephanie, what the hell do you even want?" Stephanie hadn't even said much yet, and Caitlin was already losing it.

Now that she'd opened her mouth, Caitlin's chest burned with anger.

Stephanie kept her stare icy, a little smirk pulling at her lips, like she was laughing inside.

She turned to the butler. "Get it done-have Tyler discharged." "Yes, miss," he said with a quick nod.

Caitlin's breath caught. She jumped up, her voice shaky. "You-you're out of your mind! He's your brother!" "You've already messed up Olivia-now you're doing this to him?" She was shaking, gripping the chair so tight her knuckles turned white.

Stephanie flicked her eyes up at her. "Did you forget, Caitlin? We're not family anymore." Caitlin stopped cold.

Her face went pale, lips moving but nothing coming out.

"How could you-you... Her voice broke, words stuck.

Stephanie grabbed the coffee pot, snagging a new mug and pouring herself more, taking her sweet time.

As the coffee flowed, she said lazily, "Don't you guys just love throwing your weight around?" Not too long ago, they'd cat her hard, no holding back.

They'd tried to crush her-hell, even wipe her out, she thought with a shiver.

"Years of pushing people around, right? Her voice was steady, dripping with contempt.

The Ashfords had history in Long Harbor, but the Harts? Their true colors were no secret.

No digging needed-they'd been stomping all over this place for years, piggybacking off the Ashfords. Caitlin, especially-her nwas mud among the socialite crowd.

Caitlin's breathing sped up. “You can't do hanging-now you're- this! You've already left Oliv "Brother?" Stephanie cut her off, her voice sharp as a knife. "Choke on that word before I shove it down your th 3/5 * 44% 19:04 Thu, 13 Mar Chapter 172 Her glare sliced through Caitlin, cold and herce, like a blade ready to cut.

Whatever Caitlin was about to say next got stuck, killed by that venom.

Nothing made Stephanie's skin crawl more than the Harts pulling the "family" card.

It turned her stomach, her fingers clenching without her even noticing.

Growing up, the Giovannis showed her what real family felt like-carved it deep into her, made her crave it.

But the Harts? They'd turned “family” into something she despised.

"Know why I didn't help Tyler yesterday? Stephanie tossed out, out of the blue.

Caitlin blinked, caught off guard. "W-why?" "Because he said I don't get loyalty-called himself my 'REAL brother," Stephanie said, her tone freezing.

She spit out "real" like it was a joke, thick with sarcasmTL Caitlin's breath hitched again, her face scrunching up, totally confused.

Stephanie tilted her head a little. "Still not clicking?" Caitlin frowned, still in the dark.

Stephanie let out a sharp, bitterlaugh. "I can't stand your holier-than-thou garbage-or this 'family you keep ramming down my throat. Brother? Givea break. If they were nice, she'd be fine with it—but the Hart take on "family" was like a rusty knife.

One knife they'd gladly use to cut her up. Stephanie thought, her eyes icy.

She spoke again, her voice cold as steel. "Lucky me, huh, being your 5. Anyone else? darling daughter m They'd either be toast from Olivia's fake car crash or pushed off a cliff by you, the so-called mom" Caitlin gaped at her, eyes huge. "You-am I really that terrible to you?"

Her whole body buzzed with shock, legs wobbly in the sunroom. She m started second-guessing herself. Questions popped up in her mind. What did I to Stephanie? How did I turn into this monster in her eyes? Is it just her usual parenting-tough love-that sparked all this hate? She frowned, stuck in her head.

"Ha Stephanie's cold laughs yanked her back Her stare was pure sarcasm. "I thought a few tough knocks might've made you take a hard look at yourself.

Guess I gave you too much credit..." She didn't bother finishing, just glanced at the butler.

He gave a small nod: "I'll take care of it "No-wait!" Caitlin burst out, panicking.

She stumbled to her feet, throwing herself in the doorway.

Her voice trembled as she looked at Stephanie. You can't do this to him-he's still your 4/5 19:04 Thu, 13 Mar Chapter 172 "Brother" got stuck in her throat. She forced it down.

That flash of raw disgust on Stephanie's face from before hit her again.

It wasn't just dislike-she flat-out hated the whole Hart crew, Caitlin realized, jaw tight, Ungrateful little punk, she fumed inside.

She thought she had treated Stephanie nicely enough. The girl made one bad decision after another, and now she was dumping every bit of blon them.

Anger still burned hot in Caitlin's chest, coiled and heavy.

But picturing Tyler stuck in that hospital bed made her hold her tongue-she couldn't afford to go head-to-head with Stephanie.

All those times they'd crushed her before? Now she'd have to eat that scrap, hands clenched tight at her sides.

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