Chapter 27

Even though Ethan was on a business trip these days, the driver still picked up and dropped off Stella at work every day. Normally, there wasn't much conversation between Stella and Ethan in the car, but when he suddenly left for a few days, she slowly began to notice a slight discomfort. The seat next to her was empty during the commute. Returning home, the vast villa was now just her alone. Stella had always thought of herself as someone who couldn't really experience loneliness, but after Ethan went on his business trip, she actually started to feel something akin to loneliness. Even though the busyness of work could briefly push aside this feeling, but upon returning home, she would always unconsciously grab an extra set of utensils. Only then would she realize that Ethan wasn't at home. So they say, habit is truly the scariest thing. It was quite obvious that compared to the last time Ethan went on a business trip after they moved into the villa, this time the feeling was somewhat different. Perhaps it was because their relationship had improved quite a bit during this time. After dinner, Stella cleaned up the dishes and put them in the dishwasher, then went upstairs alone. During the day, she had visited the construction site in the North City with Aurora and Marcel, so now she took off her high heels, feeling a slight fatigue lingering. Stella went into the bathroom and filled the tub with water, adding a few drops of fragrant rose essential oil, then relaxed in the bath to relieve her fatigue. After the bath, she noticed a missed call from Natalie and promptly called back, "Just finished bathing, my phone was outside. What's up?" With her hair still dripping water, Stella tapped on the speakerphone and chatted with Natalie while drying her hair. From the speaker came Natalie's voice, "Do you know that next Sunday is Aiden's engagement banquet?" "Yeah, Kate mentioned it to me a few days ago, but I hadn't thought about going." There was no connection between the Carlson family and the Wood family, let alone Stella's relationship with Aiden. Aaron would definitely attend this engagement banquet, but why should she go and meet a group of people she didn't want to see? Natalie sighed lightly, "It's better not to go, so you won't run into Aaron again. Do you think those people have something wrong with their heads? They never understand a word of sense and keep trying to reconcile you two. Why bother now? Aaron couldn't handle his own mess, and now he's only thinking about making up and reconciling after you've broken up with him. He's just taking advantage of your past good temper." Natalie's soft voice carried obvious anger, knowing she was speaking up for herself, Stella smiled and said, "Alright, I'm not even angry, why are you still mad?" "Of course I'm mad, Juan actually passed messages to Aaron behind my back!" Thinking of this, Natalie felt irritated. "Since you're not going to the banquet, then I won't go either, let him go alone." Stella knew that Natalie had been cold with Juan for several days and didn't want her to worsen the situation for herself, so she tactfully said, "Hmm... Kate said the engagement banquet should be quite interesting. Why don't you go and watch the drama?" Kate was a girl who couldn't hide her emotions. When she called a few days ago, Stella could already hear the meaning in her words. Surely, this engagement banquet wouldn't be without drama. "I'll think about it," Natalie spoke slowly after some thought. "Oh, by the way, guess who I ran into today at the restaurant in Simo Hotel?" "Oh? Who did you run into?" "Shane Wensler!" Natalie's voice carried a hint of teasing. "And you'll never guess, he was actually there for a blind date." Stella smiled and said, "That's good. When the director passed away, a lot of things at the orphanage were thanks to him. The director probably also wants to see him settle down and start a family." Natalie said with a teasing tone, "Speaking of which, if Ethan hadn't agreed back then, he might have become your groom. But it's a good thing he didn't delay him from going on a blind date." Stella paused for a moment, then thought of the wedding day. Natalie had listed three potential grooms for her at the time. Among them, the second on the list was their childhood friend from the orphanage, Shane. Shane was a typical rags-to-riches story. He studied hard during his school days, then went on to work at a tech company, steadily rising through the ranks and eventually obtaining shares. Though his background was humble, he could be considered a nouveau riche. Having witnessed adopted children returning to the orphanage, children like them and Shane, who chose to stay at the orphanage and not be adopted, were as close as siblings. After returning home, Stella gradually lost touch with Shane, but there was always a bond between them from the orphanage. Feeling a sense of urgency, Natalie thought that if she asked Shane to act in a play, he would probably not refuse. However, it could potentially bring trouble to him. That's why Natalie suggested that Ethan was the best choice. Considering this, Stella shook her head. "It was a long shot from the beginning. Even if I had called Shane back then, he might not have agreed." "True," Natalie's voice was subdued. After a pause, she whispered, "I'll hang up now. Juan is back." The call was promptly disconnected. Stella lowered her gaze, smiling. But she was truly tired. She dried her hair with the hairdryer Ethan had given her before, then quickly lay down on the bed, slowly drifting into sleep. A night of sweet dreams. ... Because it was Saturday the next day, and she had been busy for several days, Stella slept until almost ten o'clock before waking up. Drowsily opening her eyes, sunlight filtered through the thin clouds drifting across the sky, pouring into the bedroom, warm and gentle, uplifting her spirits. After freshening up, Stella changed into a casual sportswear and headed to the gym on the villa's outdoor balcony. During her college years, engrossed in her studies and amidst a circle of brilliant classmates, Stella sometimes found herself grappling with pressure and fatigue. Later, her roommate couldn't bear to see her burning the midnight oil, so she started dragging her to exercise, saying that the dopamine released during exercise could improve mood and double the efficiency. After adapting for a while, Stella deeply understood this and began to exercise regularly. After finishing a 6-kilometer jog, she turned off the treadmill, wiped the thin sweat from her forehead with a towel hanging beside her, and reached for the bottled water on the nearby cabinet. But she found that there was one less bottle of neatly arranged bottled water in the cabinet, leaving her puzzled. A minute later, she walked downstairs with suspicion, and sure enough, she saw a man in loose sportswear, lounging on the sofa, focusing on his laptop. Stella's eyes widened slightly, a hint of surprise crossing her gaze. "How come you're back so early?" Before leaving on a business trip abroad, Ethan clearly told her that he wouldn't be back until Sunday night. Ethan glanced at her faintly, his lips moving slightly, his tone casually opening, "Came back last night, knocked on your door, got no response." There were actually some loose ends to tie up, but he left them to Isaac there and rushed back by plane himself. Originally, he hoped that Stella would at least feel a little uncomfortable because of his absence, but now it seems that she is quite comfortable. Ethan's mood was complicated, it seemed that the person he missed the most during this time of separation was only him. Hearing him say he came back last night, Stella's expression paused, her eyebrows slightly furrowing. She should have been lying in the bathtub soaking when he knocked on the door, with the tablet playing news nearby, so she didn't hear it. However, for some reason, there was a fleeting, inexplicable sense of unease in her heart, which was quickly forgotten. "Have you had breakfast? There's a sandwich in the fridge, I can take it up for you," she offered. Ethan's favorite breakfast seemed to be sandwiches, whether because they tasted good or because they were convenient to take away, she wasn't sure. The sandwich in the fridge was one she made yesterday on a whim. It was only after she finished making it that she remembered Ethan wasn't home. Ethan shook his head at her offer, "Not yet. I'm not going to work today, I'll eat with you." There was still the porridge Stella had made last night in the kitchen. Ethan got up to serve two bowls, then returned to the dining room and handed one to Stella. It was almost noon by now, so there was no need to eat too much; both of them just wanted to fill their stomachs simply. The dining room fell silent, with no one speaking. But Stella had gotten used to eating with him, so the atmosphere wasn't awkward. Ethan finished his porridge and set down his spoon. After a brief pause, he glanced at her and couldn't help but speak up, "Stella, you seem to be quite comfortable while I've been away." Stella inexplicably sensed a hint of awkwardness in his tone and looked at the man. "Not really," after some thought, she shook her head and said. "Actually, I was quite uncomfortable when you suddenly went on a business trip." They say it takes 21 days to form a habit, and she had already been living with Ethan for two months. Perhaps it was because they had been living together for so long, but these days, she could always sense his absence from some small things. "Really?" the man raised an eyebrow slightly, seeming skeptical. Stella replied, "Yes." "It seems like washing these dishes wasn't in vain," Ethan chuckled lightly, reaching out to pick up Stella's bowl and stacking it with his. However, as if he had just thought of something else, he didn't rush to leave. Instead, he leaned back leisurely and tapped his slender, jade-like fingertips lightly on the tabletop. "Stella," the man casually spoke after a moment of contemplation, "how do you think I've been doing in my role as a husband during this time?" Stella didn't expect him to suddenly seek her evaluation of him. After pondering for a moment, she said, "Well, you've fulfilled your duties quite well." In front of others, Ethan was protective enough of her. As for at home, although he could be a bit particular about some small things, he never made her feel unbearable. Compared to her expectations, he had indeed been diligent during this time. But as soon as she finished speaking, she saw Ethan's blue eyes staring at her, their gaze elusive but clearly off. Then, she received his sarcastic admonition. "So, Stella, even if it's just a fake marriage, I've played the role of a husband well. Since you've taken advantage of me, I hope you also play the role of a wife well and never cheat on me." "I won't argue with you regarding Aaron, but as for this Shane or whatever, you better control yourself, understand?" he added. In the man's casual tone, there brewed a highly suggestive warning. After finishing speaking, he smiled lightly and adjusted his clothes, then calmly got up and picked up the two bowls in front of him. Stella suddenly looked up and met Ethan's eyes, finally realizing why she had felt something was off when she heard him say he had come back last night. She tried to calm herself down, but then felt a headache coming on. She needed to install soundproofing panels in the guest bedroom immediately, without delay.