Chapter 10

The message contained a link, which had to be clicked to view the photos. The scene was quite sensual, with Aaron embracing Avery, lying with closed eyes on her apartment's bed. Their clothes were disheveled, and the dim lighting added to the ambiguity. It was highly suggestive. Stella took a screenshot of the image. When she clicked on the link again, it had already turned into a regular advertisement page. Even if she saved the photo, it wouldn't prove that Avery had sent it. After all, Avery had only sent an 'advertisement.' And she would surely have other explanations for this photo. Despite seeing such a photo, Stella didn't believe that Aaron had actually slept with Avery. She knew clearly that this was a ploy by that woman. The problem in their relationship wasn't another woman; it was this man. If a relationship came to the point where a woman had to solve the problems of another woman, it was better to end it sooner rather than later. Aaron was somewhat stubborn. Even if Avery had indeed tricked him into bed, she wouldn't get the result she wanted. On the contrary, he would distance himself completely from her. That's why she used this tactic to make herself leave Aaron willingly. From the results, Avery had succeeded. But she didn't know that Stella had always believed that Aaron hadn't really cheated. Choosing to break up was just disappointment in Aaron's response. After communication failed and the relationship was beyond repair, she finally gave up on this man. This decision had nothing to do with misunderstanding. Stella didn't regret her time with Aaron over the years. Without him, she wouldn't be who she was now. After returning to the Carlson family, the Fletcher family had tried to lead her astray. Although she had sensitively perceived the malice of the Fletcher family, she had also been confused about her own direction. Everyone has their own idea of the "right path" given their background, but she found herself in chaos due to a sudden change in environment. Fortunately, the voices around her and her rational judgment pointed her in the right direction, making Aaron, who was praised by elders and teachers alike, her goal. Aaron wasn't a great lover, but he was definitely an excellent role model. Initially, he seemed more like a symbol to her; Stella wanted to achieve a perfect life, and Aaron appeared to be the standard answer. People thought she loved Aaron, but Stella's initial motive for following Aaron wasn't love. It was the mockery of those around her and the gradual affectionate protection from her youth that eventually moved her. When you lack something so much, you tend to see it as precious. At that time, she lacked straightforward kindness, so she fell for Aaron. He made her who she was now, and she also put in her best effort in this relationship. Stella didn't regret this experience. She was earnest and devoted during their relationship, and when the feelings dwindled, she didn't feel too aggrieved about the past. However, she wouldn't look back. Just as she was thinking, her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a SnapChat notification. Layla: OMG! I've only worked overtime for a few days? How come you and Ethan got married and moved in together! I was planning to go shopping and stay at your place this weekend, and now you've abandoned me... Layla had just graduated and was currently working as a legal counsel at a technology company, working overtime to the point of exhaustion. They hadn't contacted each other since the wedding. Thinking about the upcoming weekend, Stella typed back: Shopping sounds good, and my wedding leave happens to last until this weekend. For the past six months since returning to the city, she had to accompany Claire to social gatherings every weekend. Claire didn't like that Stella focused most of her attention on the company. She had hinted more than once that Stella didn't need to get involved in the Carlson family disputes and should be a good wife instead, and no one dared to neglect her. Stella had neglected her friend for a long time, but now she could finally allocate some time to hang out. Layla: See you this weekend. Working like a slave is so miserable; I'm going to spend all my overtime pay!!! The next day, the weather was great, with bright and warm sunshine. Stella had just finished breakfast when she heard the crisp sound of the doorbell. She walked to the door and opened it to find a neatly dressed man with a polite demeanor standing there, accompanied by two burlier men. Isaac Chambers, the assistant, smiled appropriately and spoke, "Mrs. Powers, I'm Mr. Powers's assistant, Isaac. I'm here to help you move." Having followed Ethan for many years, Isaac was shocked to learn a few days ago that his boss had suddenly gotten married. After all, he had helped deal with too many romantic affairs over the years, and he had even wondered if his boss didn't like women. Seeing the woman before him, who was still charming even without makeup, dispelled his previous suspicions. It seemed that his boss was just too picky, which made him even more respectful. "Come in." After a brief moment of surprise, Stella nodded to Isaac and stepped aside. "The things are all packed. Some boxes are in the living room, and some are piled up in the bedroom." Fortunately, Ethan was still kind-hearted. Yesterday Stella found out that the moving company Layla had previously arranged required a two-day advance reservation. She pointed out the boxes in the living room and bedroom and briefly instructed them before leading them to take a look. Isaac carefully noted her instructions, nodded, and asked her to go downstairs first while he stayed upstairs to direct the movers. The Bentley was parked in the same spot as last time. Stella hadn't expected Ethan to personally come to help her move. She directly opened the car door and sat in the back seat, while the man was leaning on the seat, flipping through documents. He was focused on the notebook and didn't look up until Stella handed him something, then he turned to the side with a casual posture, raising an eyebrow. "What's this?" "I made too much breakfast. If you don't eat it, I'll give it to Isaac later." During her time at the orphanage, Stella often helped the director with cooking. She enjoyed cooking, especially the time she could spend lost in thought while doing so. While making breakfast, she suddenly remembered that Ethan seemed to often skip breakfast in high school. Every time he had a stomachache, he would always have a stern face, making everyone afraid to approach him. Perhaps feeling grateful for his recent kindness to her, she involuntarily made an extra sandwich with the remaining half tomato. Ethan didn't say much after hearing that. But he took the bag from her hand and put it aside, looking relatively good-natured at the moment. The Bentley slowly pulled into Dreamscape and stopped in front of a secluded standalone villa. This area was a luxurious residential area developed by Horizon Group, located near Wonder Land, and was considered prime real estate. The interior of the villa was even more luxurious, with a well-thought-out layout, but it seemed devoid of any warmth. Ethan led Stella inside, then pointed upstairs and said, "Your room." Stella glanced briefly and replied, "Okay." Ethan smiled faintly at her expression, then roughly showed her around before returning to the living room and opening the door lock, saying, "Come here, let's register your fingerprint. The fingerprint lock can open all the rooms in the villa. I'll be away for a couple of days, so you can familiarize yourself with everything first." Stella then noticed the luggage in the living room and raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Are you going on a business trip?" "Yeah," the man nodded casually, his expression indifferent, seemingly not intending to inform her of his itinerary. Stella tactfully refrained from asking further questions. Soon after, she tactfully spoke up, "Actually, if you're busy, I don't necessarily have to move in today." "What? Don't want to move?" Ethan chuckled, hands in his pockets, his gaze wandering as he looked at her. "Could it be you're still waiting for Aaron to come knocking again?" Stella slightly furrowed her brows, "How did you know?" Ethan slowly approached, stopping in front of her, raising an eyebrow. "Coincidentally, I stayed five minutes later that day when I dropped you off." He paused for a moment, lips curling into a smirk. "And coincidentally, five minutes later, I happened to see Aaron coming downstairs." Stella felt his gaze was too probing and couldn't help but smile wryly, "That's... quite a coincidence." For some reason, she couldn't shake the feeling that Ethan's current gaze resembled that of someone catching an affair. Thinking back to his previous remarks about legal rights, she inexplicably felt a pang of guilt. Ethan assessed her expression but didn't dwell on the topic, instead saying, "Not many people live here regularly. If you need anything else, feel free to buy it." With that, he took out his wallet and handed her a card. Stella didn't take it, politely declining, "No, thanks. I have money." Ethan chuckled lightly, raising an eyebrow, his eyes narrowing slightly as he spoke evenly, "I just don't want to lower my own standard of living, understand?" The implication was clear: You may have money, but I'm afraid you don't have as much as I do. Stella could only take that card which was as hot as a potato. After two hours of hustle, they finally finished moving. It was only then that Ethan and Isaac got into the car together, heading to the airport. The business trip had been scheduled long before, and it hadn't changed because of this sudden wedding. In the VIP lounge, the self-service buffet offered a wide variety of options. Isaac approached with his carefully selected gourmet meal, only to be surprised to see his boss eating a plain sandwich. As far as he knew, the boss wasn't much of a breakfast person. Ethan was stubborn, and he hated being nagged by others. Even Isaac, who had been following him for years, didn't dare to say more than two words of advice. Observing the assistant's incredulous expression, Ethan glanced toward him, pointing at the sandwich in his hand and raising an eyebrow meaningfully. "She's worried I'll starve. Get it?" Isaac, usually quite eloquent, found himself momentarily speechless in the face of his boss's smug demeanor. It appeared, however, that Ethan wasn't seeking a response from him. Letting out a sigh, he shook his head gently. "No choice. Marriage--" he paused, then chuckled lightly, drawing out his words, "is just... troublesome."