Belated Moonlight: He Regretted Only After I Left-Chapter 175: The Photo!

"Boom——!"

It was as if a thunderbolt exploded in her mind, Stella Sterling’s pupils contracted sharply into pinpoints, her mind went blank, and there was a buzzing noise in her ears.

Molestation...her?

How could this be possible?!

"...You’re talking nonsense!" she hoarsely retorted, her voice trembling without her even realizing, "I don’t believe it! You’re absurd!"

"Don’t believe it?" Owen Callahan laughed coldly, "Then think about your brother Aidan Sterling! Why has he been disapproving of Shane Donovan all these years? Why did he fiercely oppose you two being together? Do you really think it’s just because he doesn’t like him?!"

Stella’s breath suddenly halted.

Her brother had indeed always harbored deep contempt towards Shane Donovan, almost ingrained in his bones, despising and rejecting him...

She had always thought it was just a personality clash, that they just couldn’t see eye to eye...

"It’s because he knew the disgusting things Shane Donovan did to you!" Owen’s voice was like a poisoned dagger, stabbing fiercely into her most vulnerable spot.

Stella bit her lower lip hard, the rich taste of blood spreading in her mouth, the sharp pain bringing a brief moment of clarity to her muddled mind.

No.

Impossible.

If Shane Donovan really...

How could her brother tolerate him until now?

Even more impossible to just watch them get engaged...

Given his nature, he would’ve already confronted Shane Donovan with a knife!

This makes no sense...

As she quickly processed this, Owen’s voice rang out again, "Stella, I know it’s hard for you to accept right now. But facts are facts! Uncle Sterling knows about this too... he invited Shane Donovan to the rooftop today because of this..."

Dad knows too?

Stella’s heart suddenly jumped to her throat...

At this moment, Owen’s tone grew urgent and agitated, "But I never expected Shane Donovan to descend into madness, to harm Uncle Sterling out of fear of the truth being exposed, fear of losing his reputation..."

"How do you know?" Stella interrupted coldly.

"Because I was there..." Owen snickered, "I knew you wouldn’t believe, luckily... I kept evidence."

Almost as soon as his words fell—

"Buzz..."

The screen of Stella’s phone suddenly lit up.

A text message from an unknown number popped up. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Stella instinctively tapped on the image.

The image wasn’t of high resolution, likely hastily zoomed in and taken with a phone, the picture was somewhat blurry and noisy.

The background was the familiar gray rooftop of The Sterling Group and the cityscape in the distance.

In the middle of the frame, stood two people!

Shane Donovan was wearing a sharp black suit, his back to the camera, standing tall.

And his hand was tightly gripping Theodore Sterling’s neck!

Theodore Sterling wore the dark gray jacket from that morning, his body forced to lean back, pressing tightly against the low metal railing on the rooftop edge, his face contorted in extreme pain and struggle, his hands feebly clawing at Shane Donovan’s arm!

Stella’s pupils contracted into needle points, her breath fully halted at this moment!

Her mind went blank, leaving only the overwhelming visual impact of that photo, like a tsunami, devastating all her perceptions and beliefs!

No...

It’s not real...

How could Shane Donovan...

But her father’s painful struggling expression, the familiar rooftop background, Shane Donovan in the suit she saw this morning...

Every detail points to an answer she couldn’t accept!

"Did you see clearly?" Owen’s icy voice came through the receiver, carrying a trace of triumphant pleasure, "This is the evidence! Undeniable proof! Shane Donovan is the murderer of your father! He is despicable and filthy, doing anything to have you, to cover up his past crimes!"

Stella stared hard at the photo, as if trying to pierce through it.

Immense grief, anger, disbelief...

Emotions surged through her like lava, crashing and nearly tearing her apart.

Yet amidst this overwhelming chaos, Stella seemed to suddenly spot something, frowning slightly as she zoomed in on the picture, her fingertip gliding over Shane Donovan’s back, her father’s pained face, the hand gripping the neck...

Seeing her silent for a long time, Owen frowned slightly, "Miss Sterling?"

Stella then took a deep breath and spoke coldly, "Owen, were you the one who told my dad about what happened back then?"

Owen chuckled lightly with satisfaction, "Miss Sterling really is smart, yes, I was the one who told Uncle Sterling!"

"Why?" Stella forced herself to remain calm, though her voice trembled uncontrollably.

Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, a vague plan taking form amidst the chaos in her mind—

Owen laughed coldly, the laughter transmitted through the wire, carrying an intense hatred: "Why? For all I’ve suffered, bone-shattering pain, bedridden for months, future ruined! I want him, Shane Donovan, to experience it all! Reputation ruined, friends and family turned away! I’ve waited too long for this day!"

Stella took a deep breath, her nails digging deeper into her palm, "Do you have... more photos? This shouldn’t be the only one, right?"

"Of course I have!" Owen’s tone was confident, "Wouldn’t part with such important evidence to just one shot!"

"Where are you? How can I get these photos?" Stella asked urgently, her tone carrying just the right hint of panic and a barely detectable probe.

"You don’t need to know where I am." Owen remained highly cautious, his voice icy, "You want photos, I’ll send them to you. Now I only ask you one thing, Stella, do you want revenge for your father?"

Do you want revenge?

The words struck Stella’s heart like a heavy hammer.

Of course she wants!

No matter what the truth of her father’s fall is, no matter how many plots are hidden, she wants to get to the bottom of it!

And Owen’s appearance, along with the photo he sent, all pointed to a giant trap.

She cannot remain passive; she must take the initiative, and Owen is currently the only breakthrough.

"What do you want to do?" Stella’s voice was suppressed to a low pitch, carrying a desperate resolve, seven parts of which were performed for Owen, and three parts was her real determination.

Owen seemed very satisfied with her reaction, letting out a low laugh, a shiver-inducing sound: "You’ll find out when the time comes. Remember, don’t tell anyone, especially Shane Donovan...otherwise, you’ll never get the remaining evidence, nor avenge your father!"

With that, without waiting for Stella to respond, the call was swiftly hung up, leaving only a rapid busy tone in the receiver.

Stella held the phone, body chilling, leaning against the cold walls, her mind racing.

"Stella?"

Her chaotic thoughts were interrupted by a voice all too familiar from behind her.

Stella abruptly lifted her head, her heart clenched tight.

Only to see Shane Donovan walking over with a thermal bag in hand, seemingly having not slept all night, shadows under his eyes, yet his posture remained tall, his tiredness couldn’t mask his inherent charm and sharpness.

"Why is your face so pale?" He instinctively raised his hand to touch her face.

But at that moment, Stella’s peripheral vision caught a familiar figure, and she instinctively jerked her head away from his touch...

The motion was large, carrying an unhidden rejection.

Shane’s hand froze in mid-air...

"Stella..."

A little way off stood Jasper, hastily approaching with a fruit basket in hand...