Chapter 174: The Speechless Trelawny
Stella Law Firm.
Located in an upscale district of Saint Denis, Trelawny had no trouble finding the place using the address provided in Davey’s telegram.
He took the elevator up to the seventh floor—the top floor of the building. Ever since electrically powered elevators first appeared in Germany in 1880, they had gradually become common in high-rise buildings. In the United States, most tall buildings were constructed with seven floors, a number many people considered lucky.
“Hello, is Miss Stella here? I’m Josiah Trelawny. I have an appointment with Miss Stella.”
The receptionist was a young woman employed by Stella. Hearing Trelawny’s inquiry, she replied politely,
“Please wait a moment, Mr. Trelawny. Miss Stella is in her office. I’ll let her know.”
Before long, the receptionist returned.
“Miss Stella will see you now, Mr. Trelawny.”
Stella’s office was hardly different from a modern one, complete with a dedicated reception room. It was there that Trelawny finally met the Miss Stella Davey had mentioned in his telegram.
“Hello, Miss Stella. I’m Josiah Trelawny. Mr. Davey sent me regarding the matter of the US dollars,” Trelawny said courteously.
He understood very well what it meant for a young, beautiful woman like Stella to have opened her own law firm immediately after graduating. That alone was reason enough for him to remain respectful.
Stella placed the prepared cash on the table.
“Davey has already informed me, Mr. Trelawny. The five hundred dollars are all here. You can count them if you like.”
“But is that really the only reason Davey sent you here?”
There was a hint of expectation in Stella’s voice, even though she already knew the answer.
Trelawny smiled faintly.
“Oh, of course not, Miss Stella.”
“The five hundred dollars are only incidental. Davey asked me to come by and see how things are with Miss Stella.”
“For certain reasons, Davey couldn’t come in person. He hopes you can forgive him for that.”
“You know how young people are—when it comes to feelings they keep buried in their hearts, they often lack the courage to speak openly, and instead rely on others to convey them.”
“Although I don’t know exactly what happened between you, I believe Davey is hoping to earn your forgiveness, Miss Stella.”
Trelawny felt a little helpless. The telegram he received from Davey hadn’t explained much—only vaguely mentioned his concerns about Stella and asked for help. As for what kind of help, Davey hadn’t said.
But Trelawny was sharp enough to piece things together. In his view, the two of them had likely had a falling-out. And after meeting Stella in person, he couldn’t help but marvel at her beauty. No wonder Davey hadn’t even touched his hot coffee lately.
“An apology?” Stella murmured softly. “Perhaps I should be the one apologizing to him.”
“Some things may not be what you think, Mr. Trelawny. There are… many things I don’t quite know how to explain. Between him and me, perhaps it’s best if we remain just ordinary friends.”
“Even though… I don’t want it to be this way, there really isn’t any other choice.”
There was a trace of sadness on Stella’s face. She had been holding everything in for days now, and with Davey’s friend finally here, she could at least speak a little and ease the weight in her heart.
To Trelawny, this all sounded like a minor conflict, most likely involving family matters. Clearly, whatever existed between Davey and Stella had not received her family’s blessing.
After a brief pause, Trelawny spoke gently.
“Miss Stella, perhaps you might like to hear a story from my past.”
“When I was young, I was fortunate enough to meet a beautiful woman. She was so captivating that I could never forget her.”
“However, her family disapproved of us being together. They even looked down on me. In the end, she married someone else. That became an eternal pain in my heart, one I still can’t forget to this day.”
“I don’t wish to see the same thing happen again—to you, or to Davey. I think perhaps you should be a little braver, and boldly pursue the love that belongs to you.”
“And I truly believe that with Davey’s abilities, he can give you the happiness you’re seeking. Besides, Miss Stella, you yourself are an outstanding lawyer. Compared to us back then, you’re already far ahead.”
In truth, Trelawny had shamelessly borrowed Arthur and Mary’s story wholesale. He himself had never experienced anything remotely that heart-wrenching.
“This… I’m sorry, Mr. Trelawny, for bringing up painful memories,” Stella said softly. “But my situation with Davey might be somewhat different from yours.”
“The main reason is… well, there’s really nothing I can’t say.”
“I met Davey through a junior colleague, Catherine. I believe she and Davey may have been in a romantic relationship, so… I honestly don’t know what to do.”
Stella’s words left Trelawny utterly speechless.
After all that, it turned out the problem was Davey himself.
You shameless womanizer—at this rate, you could almost rival Dutch.
After a long silence, Trelawny finally spoke again.
“Miss Stella, I haven’t met this Miss Catherine. But judging by your beauty and your family background, I doubt she could compare. When it comes to matters of the heart, there’s no right or wrong. You should follow your true feelings.”
Author's Note
Comments (0)
Please login or sign up to post a comment.