Chapter 44

"Brother?" Ethan seemed to have heard something extremely absurd, his words carrying a hint of anger. "Stella, do you think that's possible?" He gazed at her quietly, his eyes deep and dark, with a barely visible flame hidden within. Unable to gauge his attitude, Stella paused and added, "I just mentioned it casually. If you're not willing, then forget about it." Seeing her calm demeanor, Ethan felt the frustration in his heart increase, leaving him momentarily speechless. It had been many years since graduation, and he hadn't felt the urge to give that guy, Jason, a good beating in a long time. Stella, seeing that he didn't say anything more, went back to her room directly. After changing into pajamas, she sat on the edge of the bed and opened the SnapChat messages on her phone. Above the conversation box was a message Stella had sent earlier, "I suddenly seem to be hesitating about whether to continue pursuing someone." Layla replied, "What's the dilemma? Didn't Ethan immediately release a statement saying he didn't know Gina? You two are both single, aren't you?" During the day, Jason called Stella to explain that Gina was just his junior high school classmate and didn't know Ethan. Not long after, the official account of Horizon Group on X quickly clarified the rumors and sent legal letters directly to several marketing accounts that spread the rumors, even considering suing them. Those marketing accounts quickly deleted the rumors and apologized, and Gina also posted on X, admitting that she didn't know Ethan, and it was all a misunderstanding. However, shortly thereafter, insiders revealed that Gina was directly removed from the hosting of a new program that had been highly anticipated, seemingly because someone was unhappy with her behavior of causing trouble. She initially suspected whether Gina was Ethan's first love; however, all these later developments shattered that speculation. Layla was right, they were both single. But Ethan hadn't been in a relationship for years. What if he had become a proponent of bachelorhood due to a bitter end to his first love and didn't want to start a new relationship? Stella felt she should restrain herself a bit, not wanting to burden him with her suspicions. Of course, that was just one reason. As for the others, they came when she saw the rumors, bringing additional concerns. She had already started to cherish her current life, even unwilling to disrupt it, fearing that the aftermath of disruption... would lead to a different scenario. ... On Saturday, Stella woke up early. Today was the day to send Alex abroad. Alex didn't have much luggage, and Liv occasionally called to chat with him, ensuring that the child's things were well-prepared. His clothes were fine, he only had a few favorite toys. After packing his things, Stella and Ethan drove Alex to the airport. Perhaps because Ethan was also in the car, Alex didn't dare to speak to Stella today, his round eyes occasionally glancing at Ethan in the driver's seat. Stella was actually a bit surprised; she hadn't expected Ethan to suggest accompanying them to the airport. Over these past few days, she tried to maintain an appropriate distance from him, but unfortunately couldn't shake off that lingering feeling in her heart, sometimes still feeling a bit awkward. Every day after finishing meals, she would accidentally touch his hand while passing plates. At night, when returning to her room, she would often run into him face to face. Even this morning, during the gap between leaving the gym, she bumped into him changing clothes in the cloakroom, forcing herself to control her eyes. The three of them remained silent all the way as the car slowly pulled into the airport's parking area. Stella pushed aside those thoughts, opened the door, and got out of the car. Walking into the departure hall, she led Alex to the check-in counter and filled out the application form for unaccompanied minors over five years old according to the procedure. It included her and Liv's names, addresses, and contact information. Liv knew Alex's flight and would rush to the airport in advance. After the plane arrived in France, the flight attendant would escort Alex to Liv's home. After submitting the application, the flight attendant responsible for taking care of Alex on the plane waited nearby, quietly waiting for the three of them to finish their conversation. Stella bent down and quietly touched Alex's head, asking, "Do you still remember what your Auntie looks like?" This week, Liv video-called Alex every day. On one hand, she was afraid Alex would be scared or uncomfortable with her, and on the other hand, she wanted Alex to get used to her. At least now, Alex no longer resisted living with his aunt. "Yes, I do." Alex lifted his little face, nodded like a pecking chicken, then looked at Stella, shyly saying, "I will miss you." After saying that, he paused for a moment, then glanced at Ethan, who remained silent beside him, and whispered, "I will... miss my brother too." Ethan glanced at the diced radish in front of him, then pulled out a small wallet, his voice calm, "Kid, take this money." Stella helped Alex take it, and as she placed it into his pocket, she noticed that the wallet contained neatly arranged euros. It seemed that although Ethan was strict with Alex, he still cared to some extent. As Alex was escorted away by the flight attendant and passed through security, he kept turning back reluctantly. It wasn't until that small figure disappeared from view that Stella let out a soft sigh. Even the most rational person could be moved by emotions. Alex was adorable and obedient. After spending nearly half a month together, now that they were parting ways, Stella felt a sense of emptiness in her heart. Seeing her lost in thought, Ethan stopped for a moment and spoke gently, "During holidays, I'll take you to see him. We can also stay at Liv's place for a few days if you want." Stella looked up at him, then shook her head with a smile. "It's enough to visit when we have time. I'd rather not stay, to avoid raising any suspicions from your aunt." "Suspicions about what?" Ethan asked. Stella furrowed her brows slightly, her puzzled eyes meeting his as she explained, "After all, we're not a real couple." Staying at Liv's place would surely raise suspicions. She couldn't shamelessly take advantage of him again. Ethan was rendered speechless by her retort. The past few days, Stella avoided him at every turn. Not only did she stop bringing him lunch, but she also skipped the bedtime goodnight messages. Yet, every night, he still held onto his phone, waiting for a reply. He thought she cared about that inexplicable rumor, so he casually forwarded the official clarification from his company's account to her, only to receive a single question mark in response. Frustrated, he punched his pillow. He had no other way, yet he didn't know how to seek help either. Each day, the frustration seemed to grow thicker. With this in mind, Ethan let out a soft "okay" and sighed lightly, "If you don't want to stay at her home, you can stay in a hotel." "Yeah," Stella nodded. ... After seeing off Alex, Stella and Ethan embarked on their "honeymoon" at the end of the month. It wasn't until Stella received the plane tickets from Ethan that she realized their "honeymoon destination" was Fiji. She loved islands, and Fiji was a place she had always wanted to visit. She had even planned a trip with her college roommate but it never materialized. Once on board, Stella adjusted her seat and reclined to rest. Last night, after Liv picked up Alex, she stayed up to chat with him over video due to the time difference. Having woken up early to pack today, she was now feeling extremely tired. Luckily, there was still a 12-hour long-haul flight ahead, and the first-class seat was spacious and comfortable enough for her to catch up on some sleep. However, just as she settled down, she heard the soft inquiry from the flight attendant, "Sir, what beverage would you like?" "Water, thank you," the man's response was brief and to the point. Perhaps noticing Stella had already closed her eyes and lay down, after asking Ethan, she simply ignored her and turned back to the front of the cabin. After a while, the flight attendant came over with a glass of water. "Sir, here's your water." "Thank you." "You're welcome. May I ask if you'd like to have a meal now?" "No, thank you." They had booked a flight for 2:30 in the afternoon, arriving in the morning, so there should only be some snacks available now, not a full meal. Stella had not yet fallen asleep. Upon hearing the flight attendant's words, she lightly furrowed her brows and slowly opened her eyes. Across from her, she saw a woman wearing a graceful smile, her eyes shyly meeting those of the man beside her. Stella quickly realized the woman's true intentions. Silently glancing at the handsome profile of the man, Stella felt a fleeting sense of unease stirring within her. Yet, as someone harboring similar thoughts, she felt she had no right to stop someone else from being attentive. Logic told her so, but she couldn't ignore the discomfort from just a moment ago. Suppressing one feeling while stirring up another. "Hey," Ethan glanced over, casually raising an eyebrow as she said, "Wasn't your throat sore when you woke up this morning? Drink some water and go back to sleep." With that, he handed the water to Stella. Seeing this, the flight attendant's smile froze on her face. Perhaps Stella hadn't spoken to Ethan since boarding, and she didn't know they actually knew each other. Stella suppressed her emotions, nodding as she accepted the glass of water from the man's hand. On both of their ring fingers, they wore identical wedding bands. The flight attendant awkwardly bid them farewell and left.