Chapter 43

In the CEO's office of the Horizon Group Building, Ethan had just finished a meeting with the Mergers and Acquisitions Department in the conference room downstairs and had returned to the top floor alone. Looking at the empty desk, he frowned slightly and then dialed the internal phone. Two minutes later, Isaac knocked and entered. Ethan set the documents aside and lifted his gaze to ask, "Where's today's lunch?" Isaac coughed lightly and hesitated before saying, "Boss, Madam might not have ordered lunch for you today." Ethan raised his eyebrows, a bit surprised. Thinking for a moment, he figured Stella had been too busy with work to clear her schedule for their honeymoon and forgot to order lunch. Never mind, anyway, Jason would bring lunch over later, so he wouldn't go hungry. "Is there something else?" Ethan looked at Isaac, who seemed conflicted. "Yes," Isaac said, nodding slowly as he handed his phone to Ethan. After glancing at it, Ethan's voice turned slightly cold. "Who is this woman?" On the screen, a marketing account had spliced together photos of him taken at past banquets with a stranger, fabricating a scandal. Isaac paused before replying, "She's the host who will be interviewing you later, and she was recently chosen as the spokesperson for YT's product line." Previously, Ethan had used the pretext of an exclusive interview to take wedding photos and then casually agreed to an interview arranged by Isaac. But how could he have known what the interviewer would look like? Thinking of this, Ethan's voice grew cold. "You just said she didn't order lunch?" Isaac knew the boss wouldn't want him to repeat himself, so he dared not respond. "So, you're telling me that my spotless reputation has been tarnished by a baseless rumor?" Ethan said. Noticing the boss's expression, Isaac cautiously replied, "I looked into it. Gina and her husband are going through a messy separation and divorce. She might be using your name to pressure him into signing the agreement sooner." "Using my name? Who gave her the guts to do that?" Ethan said. "Gina was initially recommended by Mr. Langley. I heard they were classmates for a few years." Ethan almost laughed in exasperation. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples, his long fingers tapping on the desk. "Have the PR department issue a clarification, now." Isaac immediately agreed and turned to leave. "Wait," Ethan called him back, his brows furrowed in anger. The next second, Isaac heard his icy voice say, "Where is Jason?" Ten minutes later, Jason cautiously pushed open the door to the CEO's office. As soon as he entered, he put on a flattering smile. "What can I do for you, sir?" Ethan gave him a cold glare. Jason swallowed hard and then pleaded, "I didn't know this would happen either. Gina's mother was my teacher in middle school, and when YT was choosing a spokesperson, she was the most suitable candidate, so I picked her. I am sorry. But don't worry! As soon as I saw the rumor, I rushed to find Simon and got Stella's phone number. I've already explained everything to her." After Stella answered the call, she didn't say anything, leaving Jason unsure of her attitude. Ethan's face was stern, filled with pent-up anger, yet he didn't know how to vent it. He glanced at Jason and noticed the bag in Jason's hand, which was clearly not takeout, and asked, "What's that you're holding?" "Durian," Jason hurriedly opened the bag. "I just bought this for you. Sometimes, a man needs to take the initiative with his attitude. I heard durian is a great way to appease a woman. If your wife is still angry when you get home, just show her this, and maybe she'll soften up." Ethan sneered, "You caused this mess, and you want me to kneel on durian?" Jason quickly pleaded for mercy, explaining, "It's just a gesture. I'm worried your wife might still be angry. Just stop glaring at me. I'll volunteer for overtime for the next two months. You can go on your honeymoon without any worries." Ethan remained silent. Since Stella had to take Alex to handle some paperwork during the day, she drove herself to and from work. The afternoon was so busy that by the time she drove back to the villa, it was already quite late. As soon as she entered, she saw a man's back leaning against the sofa, watching TV out of boredom. The screen displayed a children's program. Stella glanced around and felt the living room seemed much tidier. Noticing her arrival from the corner of his eye, Ethan casually said, "I fixed the broken light bulb in the kitchen." Stella nodded slightly. "Okay." The man paused and added, "I also gave the little guy a bath just now." "Okay." Still, just a simple response. Ethan frowned and cleared his throat. "Do you have anything you want to ask?" "No," Stella shook her head. After a pause, she turned her head and pressed her lips together before saying, "But Ethan, I've made up my mind about something." "What is it?" Ethan asked. "It was wrong of me to do that to you before. Don't worry, I won't do it again," Stella replied. During the day, she saw the rumor about him and then received an apologetic call from Jason. This made Stella suddenly realize something. Previously, she had discovered she liked Ethan and even wanted to pursue him. But she had never considered whether this might burden him. What if he didn't like her back? When Ethan heard her words, his brows furrowed. "And then?" And then? Stella looked down in thought, then said, "Well, you mentioned before that we are family, right?" "Yes." The man paused slightly and nodded. As if she had thought of something, Stella smiled and said, "Actually, Natalie and I are older than Shane, so back at the orphanage, I always treated him like a younger brother." Ethan pursed his lips unhappily, feeling puzzled. He asked, "Why are you bringing him up all of a sudden?" "I just think that continuing to be family might not be so bad," Stella explained. Lovers might break up, but family relationships are more solid. Ethan's face darkened slightly, his gaze intense as he laughed lightly. "Family? You mean, like you and Shane?" Noticing his displeasure, Stella paused. After thinking for a moment, she smiled and reassured him, "Of course not." The man's expression softened a bit, and then he heard her gently add, "I know you're half a year older than me, so if you want to be my older brother, that's fine too."