Chapter 2

The sudden words hit like a heavy stone thrown into calm waters. Both of them fell into a tense yet tumultuous silence, the atmosphere gradually becoming stifling. After a moment of silence, the man's deep voice carried a thinly veiled trace of anger that couldn't be concealed, "I admit that I shouldn't have missed the wedding. You misunderstood, and I'll explain when I get back. But don't throw around words like canceling the wedding and breaking up, you're crossing a line." Aaron's words carried a hint of reproach, leaving Stella speechless for a moment. They had known each other for eight years and dated for three. In her memory, Aaron had always been gentle and polite. When they were at school, he treated her well, and at that time, she also believed they could make it to the end. Even during the few arguments after returning to the city, he had never lost his temper like this. However, at this moment, Aaron, the groom whose ex-girlfriend had run away, blamed her for making a fuss about canceling the wedding and breaking up? Stella felt it was absurd, but she knew she wasn't joking at all. She hadn't denied Aaron opportunities, nor had she denied him trust, but she had accumulated too much disappointment from his repeated lies and favoritism towards another woman. Perhaps Aaron loved her too, but he couldn't let go of his feelings for another woman. Stella couldn't maintain her dignity in this relationship anymore. It was too exhausting. She let him go, and she let herself go too. But it was understandable that Aaron didn't believe her; after all, she had liked him for eight years, always following him closely. Even during the difficult two years when he had strained relations with the Malone family, she had been by his side. Anyone could see how much she liked Aaron, so suddenly giving up at the last moment was truly hard to believe. Stella was about to say something when a sweet voice on the other end of the phone abruptly interrupted her. "Aaron, can you pass me the water glass?" The woman's familiar voice, dripping with intimacy, momentarily embarrassed Stella, who then hung up the phone with a cold laugh. She knew Avery had intentionally spoken up, but she didn't want to engage in endless arguments anymore. Recalling her decision just now, she even felt an unprecedented sense of relaxation. Lost in thought, Stella heard a knock on the door, and Aurora hesitantly walked in, asking, "Miss Carlson, Mr. Malone's assistant called me and said the wedding is going to be postponed until tomorrow. Right?" Aaron was busy with work and didn't show up often. These days, Aurora had been communicating with the groom's side through this assistant. Before she could finish speaking, a tall woman suddenly appeared behind her. The woman's high heels clicked loudly as she stormed into the room, anger evident on her face. "What does Aaron mean by this?!" Natalie stood with one hand on her hip, her brow furrowed, her cheeks flushed with anger. She placed her phone in front of Stella. The headline on the screen was sensational— "New Rising Star Avery Suspected of Slitting Wrist Late at Night, Rumored Boyfriend Accompanying" In the photo, a man wore a well-tailored dark suit. His tie was crisp, giving him an air of elegance and sophistication. His refined profile, with furrowed brows and a straight nose, was complemented by the gold-rimmed glasses reflecting the light. He stood tall and broad, holding the petite woman in his arms, slightly leaning to the side as if gently comforting her. The woman's lovely face showed a hint of shyness and vulnerability, but her complexion was pale and weak. It was indeed a striking scene. But no matter how Stella looked at it, Avery's pale complexion seemed to be covered with too much makeup. The media, mindful of the Malone family's reputation, didn't show Aaron's face, but those familiar with him could easily recognize him. The watch on the man's wrist was the one Stella had given him for his birthday last year. The side of the dial was engraved with their initials. He had liked it very much when he received it, and with warmth in his eyes, he smiled as he pulled her into his arms and asked her to remove the watch his mother, Claire Malone, had given him when he came of age, and replace it with the one she had given him. And he never took it off again. The warmth of that moment was vivid in Stella's mind. Now, seeing the man carefully escorting another woman out of the hospital, even though she had already made up her mind to let go, she still felt a pang of pain spreading. When emotions become a habit, it really takes time to forget. She tightly clenched her fists, trying to suppress the sourness, and glanced at the comments under the post. "A is Avery's name, right? LOL!" "Avery explained on X that she cut her hand while cooking for a friend, but those clickbait media outlets sensationalized it as wrist-cutting." "Cooking late at night? Just friends? Whatever, these two are already an open secret in the entertainment industry." "I heard from a friend who graduated from the Radiant Arts Institute that Avery and the male lead were passionately in love back then. When they broke up, the male lead was devastated for a long time before ." "Impressive, after all, he's a straight male in the entertainment industry." Avery entered the entertainment industry after graduating and has since become a highly sought-after female star. Under the Malone family's banner, there was an entertainment company whose general manager was Aaron's childhood friend, Aiden Wood, who had a good relationship with Avery. Earlier this year, Avery terminated her contract with her previous company and signed a ten-year management contract directly with the Malone family. The Carlson and Malone families had a long-standing relationship, and with the entertainment industry being as complex as it was, asking Aaron to look after her seemed reasonable, at least according to Aaron and his group of friends. After signing the contract, Avery often bypassed Aiden for various reasons and called Aaron for help. During auditions, directors made advances, investors at cast gatherings hinted at unspoken rules, and senior actors deliberately suppressed her on set. With endless excuses, the result was that Avery rose to fame with Aaron's support. Not only could no negative news be found about her, but her ambiguous relationship with Aaron also became an open "secret" in the entertainment industry. And now, the two of them had once again hit the hot search list. Most likely orchestrated by Avery herself, but the most insoluble conflict between them was not Aaron, but that the Fletcher family did not want Stella to marry into the Malone family. The marriage between the Malone family and Carlson family was shattered when the groom ran away with his ex-girlfriend on the wedding day. Even if the wedding were postponed, it would only have been seen as a "compromise" under pressure by outsiders. Stella could imagine the kind of gossip the Carlson family would face after today. She couldn't bear to see the Carlson family's reputation tarnished, especially with her grandfather's failing health! With that in mind, she looked at Aurora and said, "The wedding won't be postponed, continue with the preparations." Her temper was good, and she rarely got angry in recent years. But with her grandfather's health deteriorating, and the Fletcher family showing no concern for him, she was truly angered. Stella's voice was calm, and Aurora got the message, quickly nodded, and left. It was Hannah who followed, but the look in her eyes towards Stella was no longer the deliberate attempt to please, but rather a mixture of disdain and a sense of watching a good show. "Avery was admitted to the hospital last night, and Aaron rushed to L.A. overnight. I just received these photos, probably released by Avery." Stella then explained the matter of the photos to her friend. Upon hearing this, Natalie was so enraged that she clutched her chest and said, "Is Avery sick? She and Aaron broke up ages ago. What's the point of pulling this stunt before your wedding?" "Dean doesn't want me to marry into the Malone family. Thomas gave me shares back then, and Avery has held a grudge since then. By doing this, maybe it's Dean's idea, or maybe Avery just wants to embarrass me and make me a laughingstock." Although Stella and Avery were blood relatives, they were not close cousins. In Avery's mind, Stella was an intruder in her life. And in Stella's view, the actions of the Fletcher family and Avery had destined their estrangement. Stella couldn't repay hatred with kindness, and the Fletcher family didn't deserve her forgiveness. Natalie looked up at her, "Aren't you angry?" "Angry?" Stella had a moment of silence, then chuckled lightly, "Just before you barged in, I told Aaron that we're calling off the engagement." Natalie was momentarily speechless, her face full of disbelief. She knew better than anyone else about Stella's feelings for Aaron. But she also understood that when Stella made up her mind, it was almost impossible to change it. After a while, she sighed and shook her head. "This time, Aaron really brought it upon himself." As a friend of over twenty years, she still couldn't help but feel sorry for Stella's emotional investment in Aaron. Avery and Aaron had a relationship back then, but they broke up shortly after, initiated by Avery. Later, the heartbroken Aaron left the city, and it was the school Stella applied to that he went to. In the second year of Stella's study, she accepted Aaron's pursuit. Natalie knew that their relationship was good when they were at school, even when Aaron and the Malone family fell out, Stella tirelessly accompanied him. Aaron's company went from founding to listing, and Stella had no idea how much effort she put in. She turned down her mentor's recommendation to continue her studies and chose not to return to her hometown, instead giving all her savings to Aaron, enduring the toughest days with him. The once proud Aaron, when he initially sought investors, encountered countless setbacks. His unwillingness to bow his head and his unyielding pride were all smoothed over by Stella's tireless efforts behind the scenes. During the company's downturn, everyone thought Aaron had failed in his gamble with the Malone family, but Stella continued to support and accompany him. Natalie also thought they would go on, remembering Stella's bright eyes during a New Year's Day video call. "Natalie, Aaron proposed to me. He said we'll get married when we return to thecity." Natalie understood why Stella was so happy. Aaron didn't propose because of their engagement; he proposed because he truly cared for her and wanted to marry her. For Stella, it was like the home she had longed for. Since the two returned to the city earlier this year, Avery had repeatedly taken advantage of their childhood friendship, and Aaron's actions had even become unbearable for Natalie. Stella, on the other hand, just watched quietly. It seemed like she had a considerate and accommodating temperament, but once she made up her mind, she wouldn't turn back. "Natalie, nobody's heart dies suddenly. You don't have to worry about me. Although I can't say my heart is as calm as still water, I'm not as sad as you might imagine," Stella said as she smiled reassuringly at Natalie. She didn't regret her decision. Letting go of this relationship, amidst melancholy, felt like a weight lifted off her shoulders. Natalie breathed a sigh of relief. "Since you've made up your mind, then why did you say just now..." She didn't doubt Stella's decision to cancel the engagement, but Stella had just said that the wedding wouldn't be postponed. "The wedding indeed cannot be postponed. My grandfather's health can't withstand any shocks. I wanted to cancel, but since Avery is determined to embarrass me—" Stella suddenly paused, her eyelashes trembling slightly. "Then I'll just have to find a new groom."