Chapter 17

In the dim and sultry warehouse, only where Stella stood was there a window. Sitting on the sofa opposite her, which was backlit, was a middle-aged man with a rugged appearance and a robust figure. The man held a black cellphone in his hand, occasionally glancing down at it. Edward's eyes, containing scrutiny, looked towards Stella. His tone was relatively polite, his voice husky, "Miss Carlson, apologies for bringing you here. She mentioned you're Aaron's fiancée?" Stella glanced at Avery, whose mouth was tightly sealed with adhesive tape, calmly considering their current situation. After a few moments of thought, she smiled and replied to Edward, "No, my husband is the CEO of Horizon Group. Aaron and I were engaged under family pressure. Besides— "Aaron escaped from our marriage, and I also have a grudge against this woman." Seeing that she didn't seem to be pretending, Edward nodded with a smile, "I did my research, but Miss Fletcher insists that Aaron likes you, and we've got the wrong person." Stella seemed to find something amusing, her gaze slowly shifting from Avery to Edward. "Aaron invested in a movie for her, gave her a sky-high-priced necklace, was afraid she'd be bullied in the entertainment industry, always guarded her carefully, and even ran away from his own wedding last month for her," she said. "Do you think Aaron's actions mean he likes me?" After her rhetorical question, seeing Edward silently contemplating with lowered eyes, Stella paused, and then added, "I've had conflicts with her cousin, but just as I had him kicked out of the Carlson family, she said a couple of coquettish words, and he ended up working for the Malone family. Aaron, for her sake, didn't even care about my dignity." With that said, her beautiful face was tinged with just the right amount of anger, as if she was quite displeased with Aaron's actions, yet there was not a trace of emotion in her eyes. After a brief silence, Edward set down his phone and sarcastically remarked, "I didn't expected Aaron turns out to be a hopeless romantic." Stella felt somewhat surprised inwardly, but she didn't show it on her face. Aaron was a gentle person who hardly ever held grudges against anyone, yet Edward seemed to have a strong dislike for him. Although she didn't know what enmity existed between them, Edward had seemingly believed most of what she had said earlier. Feeling a bit relieved, Stella continued, "It was widely known back then that Aaron and Avery were in a relationship, and shortly after their breakup, he left Seattle feeling heartbroken. These things weren't secrets in school. You can easily verify what I've said." Since Edward held a grudge against Aaron and still maintained some politeness in their speech, distancing herself from Aaron and implying discord between them was the best course of action. Avery had a history of playing tricks and frequently made headlines with Aaron. Stella wasn't worried about being exposed because, in the eyes of outsiders, Avery's claim that Aaron had feelings for someone else only emerged when she was supposedly kidnapped, a story that didn't hold up under scrutiny. After listening to Stella's words, Edward discreetly glanced at the phone beside him once again. It was unlikely for anyone to notice, but there was a camera facing Avery on the beam of the warehouse. He had bound Avery tightly and covered her mouth with tape because, while discussing the live broadcast with Ivan, she had accidentally overheard them. However, Stella was unaware of the live broadcast, and her position was not within the camera's view. She obviously didn't realize she could call for help or convey messages through gestures and expressions. Avery was a highly sought-after female celebrity, and from the moment she appeared bound on the live stream, the number of viewers skyrocketed. Edward wanted to use this method to force Aaron into a confrontation with him. Inside the live stream, the audience naturally heard Stella's words, and the comments exploded. "Hey, don't bother searching anymore! I can totally prove that my sister and Avery were both in the music department at the Radiant Arts Institute back then. When they split, someone asked why. Avery felt like she'd known Aaron for too long, almost like a brother, so she called it quits. And Aaron didn't deny it, man." "Remember that necklace? Avery was all over the news recently for wearing that pink diamond one, right? I just checked, and turns out Aaron gave her that bling." "Yeah, wasn't it like, two days before they started filming 'Transformers 7,' there were rumors about Avery getting replaced by Director Sheffield? And then bam! News dropped that Malone Group was investing in the movie." "It all adds up, doesn't it? So, when exactly did they bolt from the wedding?" "Did you see that post? Some rich kid mentioned on X that it was the same day Avery was rumored to have cut her wrists and ended up in the hospital." The so-called rich kid mentioned by netizens was none other than Tom, who attended the wedding that day and witnessed the drama unfold firsthand. He created a trendy X username and occasionally dropped some gossip about wealthy families, gradually gaining popularity. Now, netizens think that since everything lined up perfectly, it must be true that Aaron's true love was definitely Avery, no doubt about it. But in such a situation, there were still a few of Avery's fans shipping them together. "OMG, Aaron and Avery are like some divine love story! So, like, according to TV dramas, one is the childhood sweetheart main character, and the other is the fiancée who's not really into it, right?" "No way, why ship them together? Those people just popped up out of nowhere with their stories, and now everyone's worried about Avery's safety. And didn't the kidnappers say they took her because the Malone Group's medicine killed their son? Is Aaron really all that?" The fans started a heated debate, but then the comments began flooding in again, trying to brush off the revelations from earlier. However, some viewers who clicked in started to express dissatisfaction. "We were Team Avery from the start. We can't let the innocent fiancée get dragged into this mess, can we? Exactly! If the groom's into Avery, he should dump his fiancée first. Bailing on the wedding is just humiliating for her, right?" "Trash guy and low-budget girl deserve each other. His fiancée's probably already married and still stuck dealing with these two. Being engaged to Aaron must be some serious bad luck." "Did y'all forget when she said her man's the CEO of Horizon Group? She dumped the trash guy and jumped right into the arms of the CEO, huh?" "I remember even Horizon Group's CEO, in those blurry photos, looked incredibly HOT. The woman who gets to sleep next to a man like that every day is definitely lucky in love and life!" "Wait, doesn't anyone care about what the kidnappers said about issues with the medicine? Are we really just entertaining ourselves to death?" As more and more onlookers flooded into the live broadcast, Avery's fans gradually became drowned out. Eventually, the screen was mostly filled with curses directed at both Avery and Aaron. The remaining comments were either about the kidnappers' previous doubts about the medicine or wishes of blessings for Stella. ... In the police station, the atmosphere was solemn and quiet. Everyone stared nervously at the kidnapper's live stream, hoping to find crucial details that could help locate the warehouse. The kidnapper seemed to have brought in a computer expert; the locations they were tracking were all foreign virtual IP addresses, constantly changing and refreshing. Aaron stared fixedly at the comments on the screen, his expression tense, emanating a chilling aura. He never paid attention to gossip news, although he knew there were rumors about him and Avery, but he didn't realize it had escalated to this extent. When he and Avery "broke up" back then, she said that girls had their pride and didn't want people to think she had been dumped. When others asked him why they broke up, Aaron didn't deny Avery's explanation. After leaving Seattle, he was even more clueless about the subsequent rumors. Since outsiders viewed his relationship with Avery this way, what did Stella think? Did she break up with him because of these rumors? Originally, when everyone blessed her and another man, thinking she had nothing to do with him anymore, it was such an uncontrollable rage. His heart felt like it was being pricked with countless needles, stirring up irritating jealousy. Aaron knew she had to distance herself from him because of Edward's grudge against him. But hearing her say she had a husband, expressing no emotion towards him, he still couldn't control the gripping emotion in his heart. And Aiden, watching the discourse veer further and further off track, worried about Avery's safety and felt somewhat frustrated, not knowing how to turn her image around. In the past, when Avery appeared in negative news, he could simply remove it from the trending topics. But now, with the police still trying to locate the kidnapper's position, he couldn't just shut down the live broadcast. Aiden's heart was in turmoil as he turned to see Ethan, who had just finished communicating with the officer, Officer Barton, suddenly casting a cold glance in the direction of him and Aaron. He couldn't hold back his emotions and asked with a hint of impatience, "What are you looking at, Mr. Powers?" Ethan thought of the recent live broadcast and chuckled disdainfully, saying, "Just looking at two idiots." "F*ck!" Aiden was immediately angered by Ethan's arrogant and disdainful attitude. He was about to step forward when Aaron next to him stopped him, warning sternly, "Aiden! Now is not the time for a fight." Ethan glanced at Aaron, coldly withdrew his gaze, then turned his head again and quietly instructed Isaac to go find Carl from the company's technical department to assist the police in breaking the location encryption. After work, when Ethan went to pick up Stella, he encountered Aurora anxiously waiting at the gate of the Carlson family's residence. Aurora had seen Ethan once at the wedding and was deeply impressed by him. As soon as she saw his car, she hurriedly approached and knocked on the window. Although Stella remained silent when she called, Aurora heard chaotic noises in the background and had a gut feeling that something might be wrong. Sure enough, when she tried calling again, the phone was already turned off. Although Aurora had already contacted Kate and knew that Kate would inform Aaron about Stella's disappearance, Aurora still wasn't very reassured, especially after seeing the news of Avery's kidnapping trending. Aurora instinctively felt that seeking help from Ethan would be more reliable than Aaron. She had asked Carlson Group's employees and knew that Ethan would come to pick up Stella after work. Anxiously waiting for over half an hour, she finally saw him. Later, Ethan hurried to the police station. Because of his father's case years ago, he had some acquaintance with Officer Barton. Coincidentally, Officer Barton was in charge of this kidnapping case, but it wasn't until Ethan arrived that he learned his newlywed wife was also kidnapped by Edward. God knows how much Ethan wanted to curse when he found out that Stella was kidnapped because of Aaron's and Avery's deliberate "confessions." Calling someone an idiot was just too lenient for him. If Stella weren't still waiting for rescue, he would have already unleashed the boiling rage inside him. However, he understood that in such moments, he had to compel himself to remain composed. In the recent live stream, her response was calm and intelligent enough. Given the current situation, the kidnappers wouldn't harm her for the time being. After Officer Barton and his colleagues exchanged information, he walked over to Aaron with a serious expression. "The kidnappers want you to personally make the exchange. Right now, we have two options. One is to risk agreeing to the kidnappers' demands to coax out their location, and the other is to increase manpower and expand the search area, waiting for the police to lock in on the target." On the surface, it sounded like two options, but if they wanted to find the person as soon as possible, they clearly had to agree to the kidnappers' demand for a personal exchange. Simply searching blindly would prolong the process indefinitely. Edward's target was actually Aaron. His son, Ben Lance, was a patient of Korsakoff's Syndrome and a participant in Malone Group's clinical trial of the drug MN. Korsakoff's Syndrome is a terminal illness, but Malone Group's new drug showed promising inhibitory effects. However, Korsakoff's Syndrome patients were rare, and the research and development costs were high. This drug was currently considered an expensive medication, and Edward had nearly bankrupted himself to afford it for his son. Last month, Ben died suddenly from an acute illness, although the doctors said it was due to a severe allergic reaction caused by taking incompatible medications. But Edward didn't believe it. He thought there was a problem with Malone Group's new drug, and because he had chosen this medication for treatment after attending Aaron's lecture, he stubbornly fixated on Aaron, wanting revenge for his son. Edward had a criminal record from his earlier years of associating with the underworld, but he had stopped after his wife's death to take care of his son. Now that his only son was gone and he had lost everything, he was left with only one belief: revenge. The police had tried to counsel him when he was detained last time, but it seemed to have no effect; instead, it pushed him further towards radical actions. However, Edward had just said that as long as Aaron personally went to make the exchange, he wouldn't harm anyone else. He must have known he couldn't escape, and perhaps he didn't want to live anymore. After hearing Officer Barton's words, Aaron hardly hesitated, nodding, "I'll go make the exchange." Officer Barton breathed a sigh of relief; after all, Aaron's status was extraordinary, and his willingness to take the risk and cooperate was clearly the best outcome. As for Ethan, he glanced casually at Aaron and didn't say anything more. To put it bluntly, he didn't care about Aaron's fate at all. At this moment, after a long silence, Stella's voice came through the screen again. "Hey, there's only the light from the window above my head. Why is it still so hot? You're all sweating. Isn't there a fan around?" Officer Barton's eyes flickered slightly, his brows furrowing momentarily. He quickly walked over to another officer, saying, "Search around. The warehouse has a window facing southwest, with only one window." ... In the dim warehouse. As Stella's words fell, Edward, who was sitting on the sofa with his eyes closed, suddenly opened his eyes. He looked at the burly man next to him, wearing a mask and tinkering with the old fan, and coughed into his hand before saying, "Go ahead and turn off the live stream." The man nodded, setting down the fan, and walked over to a computer. With hands covered in dust, he quickly typed a few keys on the keyboard. Standing up, he happened to see Avery across from him shaking her head frantically. The man furrowed his brows tightly and spoke bluntly, "What the hell are you shaking your head for? You went to great lengths to deceive us into capturing someone, hoping we'd slip up and expose ourselves to the police?" He had tracked Avery for three days before finally kidnapping her. At the time, she scratched his face, leading to him getting a scolding from his wife when he got home. So he was not pleased with Avery at all. After confirming that the man had turned off the live stream, Edward suddenly spoke hoarsely, "Alright, Ivan, you guys should all leave now." "What?!" Ivan looked at him in surprise. Edward coughed again. "You all have wives and children, but I didn't plan for a way out for myself. I'll be here; just wait for Aaron to contact us. You don't have to stay with me," he said calmly. "Ivan, you have your own skills. Stop doing this in the future, lay low, make money, and support your family." After pausing for a moment, Edward sighed and added, "If I end up implicating you and your family, and if I manage to come out later, remember to live a good life. I own an apology to you and Hugo. Take them and leave quickly." Originally, Edward had planned to confront Aaron while keeping the live stream on, but that would require Ivan to stay. At this moment, he still cherished their old friendship and abandoned that idea. As long as Aaron came over, he could still avenge his son. "But..." Ivan said. Edward frowned at him, "Just go." Hugo stopped Ivan, who wanted to speak again. After a moment's pause, he whispered, "We're leaving. Take care of yourself." With that, he pulled Ivan and motioned for the other men wearing masks and sunglasses to leave the warehouse. After they left, the vast warehouse was left with only Stella, Avery, and Edward. Edward glanced at Stella, then pulled her next to Avery and handcuffed one of her hands to a pipe in the warehouse, but he untied the ropes that were originally on her hands. Avery, on the other hand, was also handcuffed, but her treatment was much worse than Stella's. Not only were her hands cuffed, but her feet were also shackled. Even though the live stream had stopped, the duct tape on Avery's mouth was still intact, as if Edward had completely ignored it. "I'll let you go when Aaron arrives." It seemed like he was saying it to Stella. After saying that, Edward walked back to the dilapidated sofa on the other side of the warehouse, closed his eyes, seeming uninterested in looking at them again. Avery looked at Stella with a complicated expression, mumbling through the duct tape. Stella glanced at the silent Edward, then attempted to reach out and reluctantly tear off half of the duct tape from Avery's mouth. Her movement was too swift, causing sweat and a few strands of hair to stick to the duct tape, and Avery's lips were torn, drawing blood. "You must be feeling pretty satisfied watching me suffer, huh?" Avery's voice was low, punctuated with labored breaths of pain. Stella smirked but didn't look at her, leaning wearily against the pipe behind her, and replied indifferently, "I'm tied up too. What's there to be satisfied about?" It's not like she wanted to help Avery, but a little chat wouldn't hurt, at least it could alleviate the tension in her heart. Even if she wanted to settle the score with Avery, she'd have to wait until she regained her freedom. Avery scrutinized her expression, then suddenly laughed, "Ever since you returned to the Carlson family, my life has been a mess." Before Stella returned, she was the only miss in the Carlson family. Thomas spoiled and cherished her. Although her father, Dean, was busy, he treated his only daughter well. Initially, Avery had thought of getting along well with Stella, but Stella's appearance quickly disrupted her life. Since then, Thomas had become even more partial to Stella, and Aaron also took good care of her. Even Kate, who had never liked her, was often seen following her around. Avery's mentality gradually changed. Stella used to attend school in the county town. When she first arrived, her grades were only average, not as good as Avery's. But in just half a year, she had risen to the top of the class. She didn't like dressing up, and she was low-key at school. But even so, she still attracted a lot of attention, except she didn't notice it herself. Stella was a year ahead of Avery and ranked first, smoothly entering the Radiant Arts Institute. People even started gossiping about her and Aaron being a perfect match. As for Avery, even though she studied art, her academic scores were lower, and it was only through Dean's connections that she managed to get into the Radiant Arts Institute. Avery felt like her once happy life had turned upside down, with Stella constantly looming over her. She liked Aaron, but her change in attitude towards Stella wasn't just because of a man. When someone suddenly appears and takes away everything you had, how can you remain calm? She outwardly looked down on Stella but secretly feared her. And her fear wasn't unfounded; Stella gradually broke free from her past modesty and became increasingly outstanding, earning countless praises. Seeing even the critical Claire starting to approve of Stella as a daughter-in-law, while still looking down on her, Avery began to imagine what it would be like for Stella to experience being constantly overshadowed by someone. Stella seemed easygoing on the surface, but she was quite proud deep down. Avery succeeded in manipulating her to leave Aaron, but she didn't expect Stella to turn around and marry Ethan, completely depriving her of the satisfaction of revenge. Catching a glimpse of Avery's complex and resentful eyes, Stella smiled and said, "Do you think a little too highly of yourself? Why do you always feel like others should praise and elevate you? Have you ever considered that you're not that important?" She truly didn't care that much about Avery; her concern was with Aaron's actions in his conflicts with her. Any woman would be the same. Even when Aaron and Avery were dating, she suddenly realized that the engagement had no real binding power and promptly asked her grandfather to cancel it. Sure, she liked Aaron because of his help and protection, but so what? If he didn't like her back, she should move on and focus on what she needed to do. So Stella chose to study far from her hometown. But then Aaron broke up with Avery, only to become her classmate again shortly after. Aaron pursued her for a year, and she initially refused. However, that Christmas, she suddenly received a jade Buddha sent by the the director of the orphanage, which touched her, and she accepted Aaron. Stella's voice drifted lightly into Avery's ears, causing her to clench her fists instantly. Avery looked up at her, but Stella's expression was indifferent, as if she were watching a clown. "Did you always know—" Avery asked. "Yes, I knew." Stella interrupted. The two understood each other without speaking, but Avery had already realized that Stella had always known that Aaron hadn't cheated. But even so, she didn't want this man anymore. The man Stella didn't want was the one Avery had schemed and fought for so hard. Surely everything Avery had done before seemed ridiculous in Stella's eyes. Avery's face turned somewhat despondent, her eyes reddening from the shame and indignation rising in her heart. She thought she had really outsmarted Stella, but in reality, she had lost completely. At the other end of the warehouse, Edward paid no attention to the commotion between Avery and Stella, or perhaps he was just too lazy to care about them anymore. He answered Aaron's call, getting straight to the point. "West, the abandoned warehouse of Tasty Brewery, come to exchange people." Edward didn't instruct Aaron not to call the police. Clearly, he already knew Aaron had called the police, but he only wanted to use the live broadcast to make a big fuss about his son's situation, and then end things with Aaron. Even though he couldn't get his son back, so what? He no longer had any reason to live. ... An hour later, Aaron drove to the west of the city. The warehouse backed onto the mountain, indeed in a concealed location. Before the police could find the location, he couldn't wait any longer and once again proposed to meet Edward's demands. "Why is there someone else?" The moment Aaron appeared, Edward's brows furrowed, his gaze dark as he looked towards the warehouse entrance. At this point, Stella had already been handcuffed, and Edward held a gun, standing behind her and Avery, looking at the two who had appeared in the warehouse. Besides Aaron, there was another man, tall and stern-faced, surprisingly Ethan. Stella was surprised. Although she didn't think Ethan would disregard her life, she also didn't expect him to come with Aaron. The man glanced lightly at Stella, seeing that she was only slightly disheveled, before meeting Edward's gaze and casually responding, "You inexplicably kidnapped my wife, I can't just let someone else come to take her." In an instant, Edward understood the other's identity, carefully observing Ethan and Stella's expressions. Then, as if having some idea, he suddenly smiled and looked at Aaron, "Mr. Malone, you can choose one of them and take her away." Stella subconsciously glanced at Aaron. Before she could fully discern his expression, Avery was already impatiently struggling and shouting, "Aaron, Stella will be fine!" This sentence instantly revealed a lot. Stella's expression tightened, trying hard to maintain her composure. She regretted tearing off the tape from Avery's mouth. She didn't know if Avery intentionally spoke up or was simply afraid that Aaron wouldn't choose her, but it undoubtedly put everyone in a passive atmosphere. In the current situation, Avery might be hinting to Aaron that Stella had already made a deal with Edward, and once Aaron arrived, she would be released. It's also possible that she was still hopeful and was deeply implying to Edward that Stella was indeed lying. Aaron was, of course, also in a difficult position. If he chose Stella, would Edward suddenly feel something was wrong and change his mind? If he chose Avery... "I choose her." As everyone contemplated, Aaron's voice was clear and he had made his choice. Edward chuckled lightly, his bearded chin slightly lifted, gesturing, "There are handcuffs at the door, put them on yourself and come over." Aaron looked solemnly at Stella, clenched his fist, bent down silently, and put on the handcuffs beside him, then walked towards Edward. When he was two steps away, Edward suddenly let go of Avery, throwing down two keys. Then, he pulled Aaron over, pressing the gun against his back, and said lightly, "Miss Carlson, you can leave too." Avery had already quickly picked up the two keys. After trying them, she looked at Stella with a complex expression. Obviously, she couldn't unlock the handcuffs herself. Stella raised her eyebrows and smiled, her handcuffed hands extended towards her, calmly waiting in silence. Avery hesitated for a moment, then had no choice but to pick up the keys and step forward to help her unlock the handcuffs first. Snap— The moment the handcuffs hit the ground, Stella slapped Avery squarely across the face. The whole process happened too quickly. Avery was stunned for a few seconds before she looked up in shock. "Stella, how you dare to hit me?" "You used me as a shield, instigated someone to kidnap me. One slap from me is nothing, " Stella said, her gaze icy. If it weren't for her concern for Thomas's health, she would have made Avery pay a higher price. Avery should count herself lucky to be Thomas's granddaughter. Stella couldn't afford to completely break ties with her yet, especially considering Thomas's failing health. Avery was, after all, a female celebrity, with delicate skin. After being slapped, a crimson palm print instantly appeared on her cheek, showing how much force Stella had used. But with her hands still cuffed, there was little she could do. Subconsciously, she looked at Aaron, only to see the man looking solemn, controlled by Edward, in an even worse situation than her. She even had to ask Stella for help to unlock the handcuffs. She lowered her head, feeling embarrassed and humiliated for the first time in her life. In the end, no one knew what Avery was thinking. She actually walked towards Ethan, who was standing at the door, holding the keys to her own handcuffs. Edward didn't want to witness the entanglement between the two women. He urged coldly, "You can go now." With that, he held the gun against Aaron's head, seeming to know the surrounding terrain well, always keeping Aaron in front of him as a shield. With just one shot, he could end Aaron's life, yet he seemed conflicted, eager to drive the others away first. There was only one window in the warehouse, but Edward always stood in the sniper's blind spot. Outside the warehouse, Officer Barton looked serious, and the sniper lurking in the distance remained unable to make a move. Ethan ignored Avery as she approached, his gaze still fixed on Stella beside Edward. "Stella, let's go." Stella met his gaze, giving him a deep look before responding lightly and stepping towards Ethan. Halfway there, only a few meters from Ethan, she suddenly turned her head and looked at Edward, and said, "My phone was taken earlier, and it has company project data on it. I need to get it back." Edward pursed his lips impatiently, but Aaron was already under his control, and Stella was just a powerless woman. He simply kept his eyes fixed on Ethan in the distance before casually gesturing. "It's on the sofa. Go get it yourself." The sofa was behind Edward. Stella walked towards the sofa expressionlessly. One step, two steps, three steps— As she crossed past Edward, she suddenly turned around. Before he could react, she looped her arm around his neck and executed a shoulder lock on Edward. In the confusion, the gun fell to the ground. Caught off guard, Edward was taken down by Stella, causing Aaron, who was under Edward's control, to lose balance and fall to the ground as well. Although Stella successfully pinned Edward down, his strength was beyond her. Veins bulged on his neck as he struggled to reach for the gun just beyond his grasp— Just as he was about to grab it, Ethan appeared seemingly out of nowhere, stepping forward to kick the gun several meters away. With a few swift moves, he subdued Edward, placing the handcuffs Stella had dropped earlier onto him. Half a minute later, Ethan pressed the alarm button. The police swarmed in, and Officer Barton breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the situation inside the warehouse. Edward never had a chance for the sniper. He agreed to let Ethan and Aaron come along, knowing Ethan had some skills, just as a precaution. But who would have thought that the one who would ultimately subdue Edward was Ethan's wife? Stella was already exhausted, barely able to stand with Ethan's support. It was fortunate that Edward had driven away the others, giving her the opportunity to take the risk. Her lack of resistance when she was bound had also lowered Edward's guard against her. Of course, the most important thing was that Ethan truly understood the message she had conveyed. Stella was completely drained, half leaning against him. To express her gratefulness for his understanding, she smiled at the man before her. But when Ethan saw her expression, his eyes turned icy, and he snapped at her forehead, his voice low and sharp. "Stella, with your limited skills, how dare you go against Edward in combat?" Although Edward was getting older, he had fought his fair share of battles in his youth and was a man through and through. Ethan knew that after Ella Manning's incident, Stella had deliberately sought out martial arts training after high school, and the two had even met at that martial arts gym. But in that moment when he understood her intentions, he was furious but unable to stop her. There was even a hint of bitterness in his heart. Was Aaron really that important to her, to make her take such risks? "But I still succeeded," Stella retorted, her smile lingering on her lips. Thinking back to his performance just now, she touched her throbbing forehead and decided not to argue with Ethan after all. After pausing for a few seconds, grateful for Ethan's effort to come to her rescue, she added, "Don't worry, even if it had been you in danger just now, I would have done the same." What Stella wanted to express was her gratitude for his rescue. If the unfortunate event were to happen to Ethan someday, she would also do everything possible to rescue him. Even someone like Aaron, who avoids making enemies, could get into such trouble. With Ethan's proud and arrogant personality, who knew how many enemies he had made? Stella couldn't help but feel a sense of worry for him. On the other hand, Ethan, unexpectedly hearing her remark, was momentarily stunned. A faint smile curved his lips, a hint of blush creeping into his ears. His Adam's apple moved slightly as he clenched his fist, but his tone remained casual as ever. "Okay." This woman still had a conscience. Meanwhile, Aaron finally managed to unlock the handcuffs on Avery. Turning around, he saw Stella half-leaning against Ethan, her smile almost too bright to look at. Collecting himself, he approached and asked, " Stella, are you alright?" Stella heard his voice and her expression turned serious. She looked up at Aaron, who was a meter away, and shook her head without saying a word. Sensing her coldness, Aaron said, "About what just happened, I—" He hesitated, but before he could continue, Stella already understood what he wanted to say. He probably wanted to say that he chose to save Avery because of the situation at the time, not out of choice. Even though he saved Avery, he faced the danger alongside her. Even if Edward wanted to target him, he wouldn't harm her again. Thinking of this, Stella coldly interrupted him, "Avery disgusts me, but you're not much better. What? Do you think you're a savior? Feeling guilty for saving Avery and then making me bear the danger with you? Or perhaps you're trying to play the hero again to rescue me, right?" "But why should I bear it with you? We have no relationship anymore. Why do you think you can make decisions for me? Or maybe you want to say that saving Avery was to fulfill your promise to my grandmother? But your selfishness in fulfilling your own favors makes me even more nauseous," she continued. "I saved you, but it was out of gratitude for what you did for me before. Within my ability, I would do the same for anyone else. If you want to repay some debt of gratitude, then please don't appear in front of me again!" If it weren't for Aaron and Avery, she wouldn't have gotten into this mess in the first place. Stella vented all her pent-up emotions without waiting for Aaron's response, then turned to Ethan and said, "I'm tired, let's go." Her words just now were even more cutting than before, leaving Aaron stunned, his eyes fixed on her, her words echoing in his mind— "Avery disgusts me, but you're not much better. " "You make me even more nauseous." "Please don't appear in front of me again." Knowing her kind-hearted nature, Aaron understood more deeply Stella's profound disgust. But when did she start to harbor such deep disgust towards him? He suddenly felt overwhelming helplessness, wanting to escape from those words just now, but they kept repeating in his memory like sharp blades cutting into his heart, suffocating him. Aaron was lost in swirling thoughts, while Edward, pressed by two policemen, was led away, seeming to have given up hope, his face full of defeat, head bowed silently. But unexpectedly, as he passed by Aaron, his eyes suddenly filled with fury, bursting out with tremendous strength. He violently broke free from the policemen on both sides and, from somewhere, pulled out a dagger, stabbing towards Aaron with both hands. "Watch out—" shouted Officer Barton suddenly. Stella turned around in response, only to see Aaron, who was now half-kneeling on the ground, clutching his abdomen tightly. Blood gushed out along the blade, staining his shirt, the stark contrast between white and red vivid and striking. His hand, with distinct knuckles, pressed against the wound, blood seeping through his fingers, dripping onto the ground one by one. Yet Aaron seemed oblivious, his gaze fixed on Stella, his eyes locked onto her face. The dagger was wrestled away, and Edward was completely subdued. Officer Barton hurriedly called for the doctor waiting outside. If someone got injured after all the criminals were captured, there would be consequences. Aiden and Avery were shocked and worried, quickly approaching Aaron, but he pushed them away forcefully. Aaron walked slowly, his clean hand tightly gripping Stella's wrist a few steps away. "Stella," his voice hoarse, calling her name. Stella glanced at his hand holding her wrist, calmly lifting her gaze. "Aaron, what are you doing?" Even though he was injured now, he should be seeking medical attention, not turning to her. Aaron hesitated at her words, seeming somewhat lost. Yeah, what was he doing? He just didn't want her to leave like this, wanted to see concern, nervousness on her face. It felt like something was slipping through his fingers, something he desperately wanted to grasp. The wound stung fiercely, sweat already seeping from his forehead, his lips turning pale. Yet the silent anguish in Stella's eyes inflicted even more pain on him. Aaron staggered, and Aiden hurriedly stepped forward to support him, anxiously saying, "You must go to the hospital right away." Upon hearing Aiden's words, Stella seemed to think of something. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly as she looked at Ethan, her voice tinged with a tone of discussion, "Should we also go to the hospital?" Aaron's tense posture relaxed slightly, and he loosened his grip on her hand. Ethan's deep, blue eyes looked heavily at Stella, with an unclear meaning. Stella felt a sudden emptiness in her heart, pursed her lips, and continued persuading, "Your arm is also scratched and needs to be bandaged." She was referring to the wound on Ethan's forearm. In the midst of his struggle with Edward earlier, he accidentally grazed a nearby piece of iron. Although the wound wasn't deep, it was still reassuring to get a tetanus shot. Aiden glanced at the almost healed wound on Ethan's arm and couldn't help but curse inwardly. Aaron was stabbed, and this woman, Stella, was concerned about others. How could she be so heartless? Ethan glanced at Aaron, who had already clenched his jaw tightly, his expression increasingly desolate. He withdrew his gaze and chuckled softly, "No need, it's just a minor injury, we have medicine at home." Stella nodded. "Alright, let's go." Finishing her words, she frowned again and looked at Aaron's hand that never seemed to let go. "If you don't want to die, you should go grab a doctor. If you do want to die,"Stella paused slightly, glanced at the disgust emanating from Aiden, then continued, "then please stay away from me, don't make me bear the responsibility of killing someone and be resented." "Stella! Aaron is already badly injured, can't you say something kind?" Aiden finally couldn't bear it and accused in a deep voice. Stella's tone was mocking as she laughed lightly, "I didn't stab anyone with the knife, I didn't hurt anyone. I haven't blamed you for involving me, yet you shout at me shamelessly. It is funny, right?" "Anyway, it's true that you're just stupid, easily manipulated by Avery. Without Aaron, wouldn't you just be a useless degree holder, relying on the Wood family for support? Stupid little boy!" she continued, the sarcasm in her eyes strong. Stella had a good temper, and Aiden didn't expect her to retaliate. He was momentarily stunned, unsure how to refute her. In terms of education, Aiden could only boast of studying abroad, but of course, he couldn't compare to Stella. He was also a branch of the Wood family. If it weren't for his relationship with Aaron, the family wouldn't have valued him. Ethan quietly watched her sharp-tongued demeanor, a hint of amusement in his eyes. But seeing Aaron's overly intrusive hand, his expression darkened. He raised his eyebrows casually, and said coldly, "Aaron, you keep holding onto my wife, as if I don't even exist?" "Your wife?" Aaron's eyes turned icy as he stared straight at him, retorting in a low voice, "Your marriage with her was fake from the start." "Fake?" Ethan chuckled as if hearing a particularly funny joke. Then, he casually raised his gaze, taking out something from his suit pocket, his eyes seeming somewhat frivolous. "Sorry, we're in a legally cohabiting relationship. Still fake?" Seeing what Ethan held, Aaron was instantly stunned, his hand losing strength momentarily, allowing Stella to break free from his grasp. But Stella was no less shocked than Aaron. After all, who would have expected Ethan to have their marriage certificate? He had it, and he even "inappropriately" showed it off to Aaron. But now it was late at night, and she was exhausted. She didn't want to entangle with Aaron and the others anymore, so she tugged at Ethan's sleeve, whispering, "let's go home." Ethan casually lifted the corner of his lips, in a good mood, and replied nonchalantly, "Okay." Then, he repeated it in his mind, "Alright, let's go home."