Chapter 9 . Chapter 9 89 % When Olivia heard about Stephanies card being suspended , a brief flash of satisfaction crossed her face . Stephanie , she thought , the Hart family isnt yours . Theres only room for one daughter here , and thats me She felt a smug sense of victory , but quickly masked it with faux concern . How is Stefi going to manage without her card ? Shes been living off you for the last two years , and she doesnt even have a job . Tyler shot her an annoyed look . Olivia , stop defending her . This is the perfect chance to teach her a lesson about anger management . Olivia hesitated , glancing at Catlin . Catlin nodded in agreement . Tylers right . Its about time she learned to act like a proper young lady . The thought of Stephanies anger issue made Catlins head ache . She couldnt believe Stephanie would just give up on Chris . In Catlins mind , everything Stephanie did two years ago , she did it for Chris . The car accident ? Catlin believed that Olivia wasnt the one to be blame she had just been a convenient excuse . Stephanie just wanted to get rid of Olivia so that she could win Chris over . Olivias gaze shifted to Chris . Chris furrowed his brow but stayed quiet . His silence was telling , showing he agreed with Catlin and Tylers ideas Catlin turned her focus back to Olivia . Hows your ankle ? Is it serious ? Olivia shook her head . Its fine . Its just that Chris insisted on bringing me to the hospital . Catlin frowned slightly . You need to be careful . Your dad arranged for the best specialist to see you , so lets get you checked again . Thanks , Mom , Olivia said with a sweet smile . Catlin smiled back , her heart softening at the sight . Silly girl . Its the least Dad and Mom can do for you . Her thoughts wandered for a moment , remembering the difficult years Olivia had been through . Catlins heart ached for her daughter , and she couldnt help but feel protective . As they sat together , discussing Olivias injury and Stephanies punishment , the consensus was clear . They would stop her allowance of 5000 dollars a month . Without that money , Stephanie would have no choice but to stop fixating on Olivias past mistakes . They all believed that Stephanies love for Chris was the key . They were sure this was just a tantrum and that she would eventually cave in . But this time , Catlin , Tyler , and Olivia were all on the same page . They were ready to teach Stephanie a lesson shed never forget . Stephanie had spent the entire afternoon in back to back meetings at the studio . 1/3 12:43 Sun , 2 Mar Chapter 9 It was a huge project a record breaking deal in the design world and she had to be on top of her game . This was a golden opportunity with a major client , and nothing could go wrong . * 89 % # By the time she wrapped up and finally left the studio , it was already six in the evening . As she stepped outside , a very familiar voice called her name . Stefi ? Ella stood nearby , looking almost stunned to see Stephanie there . It was rush hour , and the area was packed with people streaming out of the building . Stephanie turned around , and Ella walked up to her . What are you doing here ? Looking for a job ? The building was full of small businesses , with three office towers , so it wasnt unusual to see people job hunting in the area . Before Stephanie could say anything , Ella jumped in again . I offered you money , and you turned it down . Now youre out here looking for a job ? Stephanie let out a short laugh . Lets grab something to eat first , and we can talk while were at it . Since Ella didnt know about Stephanies studio , explaining it all in a couple of sentences would be impossible . They decided to go to a nearby Mexican spot . Once they sat down , Stephanie figured it was time to fill Ella in about the studio . She spent the next half hour giving her all the details . Ellas eyes widened when she heard about the studio . Youve been keeping this a secret ? I had no idea . If Ella didnt know , it was a pretty safe bet that neither the Hart family nor Chris did either . Stephanie shrugged . Its not like I wanted to keep it a secret . I just never found the right moment to tell you . Ella thought about it for a moment , then nodded in understanding . It made sense . When theyd first met abroad , their conversations had mostly been about shopping and relationships . Even when Ella mentioned her job , it had been quick and offhand . Running for a year now ? Ella asked , raising an eyebrow . Stephanie nodded . Yeah , a year . Ella processed the information , then asked , Is it making money ? This was the most important question for Stephanie . As long as she was making money , she could afford to say no to anyone whether it was the Giovanni family or Chris . Stephanie smiled a little . Not much . Just a few million . Ella nearly choked on her drink . A few million ? And Stephanie was calling it not much . Ella leaned in , more intrigued than ever . A travel design studio makes that much ? In its first year ? Most small studios would be lucky to break even in their first year , but hers was already turning a profit . 2/3 12:43 Sun , 2 Mar Chapter 9 XS89 % E Stephanie shrugged casually . If youre doing it right , itll make money . Just promise me youll keep this between us . Got it , Ella nodded , understanding completely . Olivia that scheming bitch would definitely try to take anything Stephanie had . And Ella remembered that Olivia had a background in tourism business . As for Chris well , with his shady morals , it wouldnt surprise Ella if he was trying to sabotage things behind the scenes . Ella shook her head . You really shouldnt care about them . Theyre just trying to force you into submission with money . Theyd already cut off her credit cards , so their intentions were pretty clear . In the end , they were hoping Stephanie would forgive Olivia for planning that car accident . Ella even admired how much the Harts were doing for Olivia , that adopted daughter of theirs . Does Allison know about the studio ? Ella asked suddenly , thinking of another friend . Stephanie shook her head . No , she doesnt . I havent seen her in forever . Every time I try calling , she says shes at working . saving lives . Allison Pierce was another close friend of theirs , a brilliant gynecologist . She was well known in her field and , naturally , the busiest of the three . Ella nodded in understanding . Yeah , shes probably swamped . I havent seen her in over a month either . Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!