Chapter 13

When Ethan uttered the words "fighting cock," Stella immediately felt uneasy. If Avery lost her role after talking behind his back, how could she not be resented? She had thought for sure that this guy wouldn't offer her a ride to work again, but in the end, the proud fighting cock not only kindly agreed to give her a ride, but also strangely went to the kitchen to wash dishes. This behavior made Stella even more uncomfortable, making her seem like she was assuming the worst intentions. He had been caught off guard by her and even criticized, yet somehow he managed to portray himself as the victim. Meanwhile, she was the one maliciously speculating. The car ride remained silent the entire time. The man had been aloof and silent since Stella got into the car, and although she hesitated for a long time about what to say, she didn't get the chance to speak before the Bentley smoothly stopped at the entrance of the building of Carlson Group. So she had no choice but to hold her words back and get out of the car. Standing in place and watching the Bentley drive away, she then turned and walked into the building. After returning to the city, Stella served as the vice president of Carlson Group. Although Thomas held a large stake and served as the nominal chairman of the board, he was already too frail to handle affairs. After her father, Griffin Carlson, passed away, Dean became the general manager in just two years, and in recent years, he had wielded even greater power. As a beneficiary, Stella had once suspected that her parents' car accident was related to Dean, but after years of investigation, it was proven to be just an accident. In fact, it could be expected that if he had truly orchestrated the accident, Thomas's wisdom and experience would have uncovered it. Dean's ambition grew slowly over time. Having held power at Carlson Group for so long, he naturally wasn't willing to give in easily when Stella suddenly appeared. Just as Stella arrived at the office, her assistant, Marcel Franklin, knocked on the door and came in to report on the company's recent activities. Although Stella was the vice president, Dean had never allowed her to get involved in important business matters. With many members of the Fletcher family strategically placed within Carlson Group, she felt constrained until she secured the North City project. After Marcel finished his report, Stella pondered for a moment before speaking up. "The North City project is about to begin. Starting tomorrow, you'll be in charge of overseeing the construction. Keep a close eye on things and make sure nothing goes wrong." Initially, the North City project had been promised to Stella, but Dean couldn't interfere overtly. However, there was a possibility he might sabotage it behind the scenes to regain control. Stella didn't have many people she could trust, but Marcel was one of them. Construction sites were prone to mishaps, and with him keeping watch, she could relax a bit. "What about the matters in the company?" Marcel still looked somewhat hesitant. Stella smiled and said, "I'll handle things with Horizon Group. You've been with me for over half a year, and your abilities extend beyond being an assistant." Marcel was diligent and capable, making him a trustworthy project manager. Stella had already considered promoting him earlier. "Thank you, boss." Marcel left the room feeling excited and motivated. Stella began to review the cooperation contract sent over by Horizon Group. It was early June in Seattle, with the scorching sun blazing overhead. Despite the air conditioning in the room, she still felt a bit parched after reading through the contract. She got up to fetch some water, but found the office water dispenser empty, so she headed to the pantry instead. As she walked down the corridor, she overheard murmurs coming from the pantry. She slowed her steps and listened. "Why did we suddenly collaborate with Horizon Group about the North City project?" "Now that the Vice President is married to the President of Horizon Group, it's only natural for them to cooperate. It's good to have a powerful ally." "Why did they suddenly get married? What about her and Mr. Malone?" "Mr. Malone ran away with Avery, causing such embarrassment. How could Stella still marry him?" "Stella is so nice, but Avery always struts around the company arrogantly. What was Mr. Malone thinking?" "They've known each other since childhood. Some bonds are unbreakable. Keep your comments to yourself. The Fletcher family runs the company now." As the voices faded away, Stella stood still for a moment, then turned around and headed back to inform the administration to refill the office water dispenser. Before coming to the company, she knew she couldn't stop the employees from gossiping. Even if Dean intentionally spread rumors, she didn't want to make things difficult for the ordinary employees. She had blocked Aaron's number, but he still sent flowers to her apartment every day, all of which were thrown away by the delivery person. She didn't deny that her decision to change grooms was somewhat impulsive, but her decision to break up with Aaron was not. During their time at college, she and Aaron had feelings for each other. But back then, they didn't have to deal with Avery or the Fletcher family, or even face the Malone family. In the six months since returning to the country, her feelings for Aaron had already faded. Once she made a decision, she wouldn't leave herself a way out. Besides, there was someone constantly reminding her of recent events. Malone Group, CEO's Office. At this moment, Aiden was already in a fluster, his brow furrowed as he looked towards Avery on the sofa. "Avery, how did you manage to upset Ethan?" Today was supposed to be the press conference for the movie "Transformers 7", but last night, Aiden received a call from the assistant director, informing him that Director Sheffield unexpectedly wanted to recast. Although Director Sheffield was a new director, his previous work not only won the Oscar for Best Director, but also won awards for Best Actor, Best Visual Effects, and so on. His new movie, "Transformers 7," was a male-centric film, with the female lead having a less prominent role, but it was still considered a highly desirable project by many. Aiden had put in a lot of effort to help Avery snatch the female lead role from Lavinia. Now, with filming about to begin, Director Sheffield unexpectedly wanted to recast! After inquiring, he learned that Ethan's company had invested in the film and seemed dissatisfied with Avery. Avery's complexion was also grim. She glanced at Aaron before biting her lip and speaking up, "I ran into my cousin while shopping and advised her to reconsider her marriage. I didn't expect to run into Mr. Powers, nor did I expect him to take my words seriously." At first glance, this statement didn't seem problematic, but depending on who heard it, the meaning could be quite different. Currently, she had given up the female lead role with Director Sheffield because she wanted to help Aaron convince Stella to change her mind. "Aaron, Director Sheffield's office said they want to recast. Could you--" Aiden interjected at this moment, having no other choice but to seek Aaron's help. But when he glanced over, he noticed his friend seemed a bit distracted. Aaron had been unable to contact Stella for a while now and realized he had been blocked. Stella had never been this temperamental before, and Aaron didn't know how to appease her. Despite sending flowers every day, there was no response. Feeling frustrated, he didn't want to bother himself with this trivial matter. He rubbed his temples and said casually, "Tell Director Sheffield that if Ethan wants to withdraw the investment, Malone Group will step in." With those words, Avery and Aiden's expressions softened, and the tension dissipated. Daniel, holding documents nearby, knew Aaron must have other matters to attend to. After receiving the acknowledgment, he prepared to leave with Avery. "Wait a moment," Aaron suddenly spoke up, furrowing his brows as he looked at Avery, "Avery, Daniel said that you took the necklace I bought, right?" Avery was briefly taken aback, then smiled and nodded. "Ophelia picked it up. I wore it to an event once." Ophelia was Avery's agent, but since Aiden had a good relationship with her and was also the general manager of Luminary Entertainment, Avery's resources didn't require much attention from her agent. Ophelia occasionally handled miscellaneous tasks. Avery often needed a lot of jewelry for events. Sometimes, if she wasn't satisfied with what the collaborating brands sent, she would take from Aaron's collection. He always bought something at auctions, and he probably couldn't even remember how much jewelry he had in his safe. But what Aaron just mentioned was the high-priced pink diamond necklace he bought at an auction. That necklace was worth eight figures, making it the most expensive piece in the safe. Avery had worn it to events and even made it to the hot search, so she naturally remembered it well. Hearing her words, Aaron furrowed his brows and said, "That one was meant for Stella." He had bought the necklace as a gift for Stella because he couldn't spend Valentine's Day with her. He wanted to make it up to her, but later she said she didn't want it, so he hadn't given it to her. Avery often sent people to fetch jewelry, which Aaron knew, but he didn't know she had taken this one too. He was indeed a bit displeased, as Daniel should have told Ophelia that the necklace was meant for Stella. Sensing Aaron's mood, Avery's face stiffened for a moment, but she quickly recovered. "Sorry, Aaron. Maybe Ophelia misunderstood. Shall I bring it to you later?" "No need." Aaron waved his hand and then looked at Aiden. "Purchase some dresses and jewelry for the artists in the company's name to avoid any more mistakes from the brand side." Since the necklace had already been worn by someone else, it couldn't be given to Stella. Besides, Stella already had some resentment towards Avery, so giving it to her would only anger her further. After Aaron finished speaking, Aiden instinctively glanced at Avery, who clenched her nails tightly and subtly shook her head at him. Doing so was good for the other artists in the company. But Avery knew it wouldn't be good for herself. Even if the company had dresses and jewelry, she could still ask Aaron for help, and he wouldn't refuse her. But she couldn't do it too often. But with the role issue resolved, the two finally left. Daniel then handed the documents to Aaron and asked, "Boss, regarding the medical cooperation with Carlson Group, should I be the one to handle it?" He intentionally asked this question because lately, Aaron had been quite strict at work due to Stella's bad mood, and of course, he hoped Aaron would reconcile with her soon. Although Aaron was preoccupied with Stella, he hadn't given up on supporting Avery. Daniel couldn't judge Aaron's emotions or intentions. But compared to Avery, he still hoped Stella would become Mrs. Malone. As soon as Daniel finished speaking, Aaron put down the documents and sighed, "No need, I'll go myself." Before Stella got off work, she received a call from Ethan. The man was concise, saying he would come to pick her up after work, and then quickly hung up. For a moment, Stella couldn't figure out whether Ethan was genuinely offering to pick her up as a kind gesture or if he had some ulterior motive. Seeing the clock pointing to five o'clock, Stella figured he should have arrived by now. So she quickly packed up her things and walked out of the office. But before the elevator arrived, the conference room at the end of the corridor suddenly opened, and a group of people poured out, surrounding Aaron. His face was solemn as he walked toward the elevator, with others following him like stars around the moon. There was no avoiding it. The moment their eyes met, Aaron seemed to sigh in relief, then strode purposefully toward her and stood in front of her. "Stella, let's talk." Stella glanced at the people behind Aaron, led by Dean's younger brother, Lionel Fletcher, who was now in charge of a medical cooperation project between Carlson Group and Malone Group. Dean had average ability but big ambitions. This cooperation project was his plan to enter the medical field, conceived from Aaron. She understood it all and took a step back, her expression icy. "Aaron, this is the company." Aaron, not having seen her for a long time and not wanting to worsen their relationship, softened his tone. "Okay, then let's talk in the car." As he finished speaking, he reached out to hold her hand, but Stella sidestepped, avoiding him. In the midst of their struggle, the elevator doors suddenly opened. Stella looked up and saw a familiar figure stepping out of the elevator, his posture relaxed as he walked out with one hand in his pocket. Taking in the situation, he raised an eyebrow lightly and, in his usual calm and leisurely tone, said, "Am I just in time?" Then, he smiled at Stella, slowly extending his hand with a hint of warmth in his voice that she had never heard before. "Come here," he softly commanded.