Chapter 463

Abigail noticed the shift in Stella's mood. "Stella, if something's bothering you, share it with me. Don't bottle it up." Stella sighed deeply. "It's nothing specific, just sometimes I feel that being pretty isn't always a blessing, and life can seem so pointless..." She paused before continuing, "Abigail, do you know? Lately, I've been wondering if Chloe wasn't as beautiful, if she looked just like any other girl, would she still have been tormented by the local bully? If she wasn't targeted, then she wouldn't have been labeled as 'disgraced', her mother wouldn't have committed suicide over her, and she wouldn't have been cast out of her village..." Her voice broke into a laugh. "If all that never happened, her life after sixteen wouldn't have been so difficult. Not only was she unable to be with the man she loved, but she also nearly lost her life a few times." After listening patiently, Abigail softly replied, "Stella, you're right. If none of that had happened, Chloe wouldn't hav