Chapter 59

Before transferring to Jefferson High School, Stella had been studying at a high school in the county town. She worked very hard and consistently performed well academically in the county town. However, she received the first blow after transferring to Jefferson High School very soon. Stella, who had always been at the top, received a mediocre score for the first time. The educational resources and the caliber of students in the county town and Seattle were incomparable. Carefully broaching the subject with her grandfather at the dinner table about struggling to keep up, Dean, pretending to be helpful, arranged for her to have a tutor. However, the tutor only went through basic exercises with her, providing no real help in improving her grades. Later, the Fletcher family even wanted Jack to study with her, seemingly with the intention of using the opportunity for Jack to win her affections through interaction. Dean was eloquent and persuasive. Stella didn't want her grandfather to think she was a stubborn child, so she had to turn to Aaron, who had no ill intentions towards her, for help. Aaron provided her with her own notes and also guided her in some study methods. During breaks, Stella would occasionally go to the next class to ask Aaron for help with questions. At that time, she only saw Aaron as a diligent role model. Although she had a good impression of Aaron, she didn't think much beyond that. But her actions caused discontent among others. At that time, Stella had just transferred, and she usually wore only one school uniform, making her look like a country bumpkin. Not many people at school knew her identity, but there were quite a few girls who liked Aaron, and Aria was one of them. Aria didn't dare to offend Avery, but she was displeased with Stella, who suddenly appeared and frequently interacted with Aaron. She had a good relationship with Ella and knew that Stella had offended Ella on the day of registration because of Layla, so she had the intention of teaching Stella a lesson. One day after school, Aria instigated Ella again. Under the pretext of borrowing something for gym class, they locked Stella in the equipment room. Ella wanted to teach Stella a lesson, but she only intended to keep her locked up for an hour or two before letting her out. But when Ella was about to release her, Aria claimed to have lost the key to the equipment room. Not only that, Aria also blocked the ventilation opening of the equipment room behind Ella's back. The equipment room was filled with many things, it was dusty inside, and there was poor ventilation. Stella suffered from asthma, which she hadn't experienced in a long time. It was early winter at that time, and Seattle was very cold at night. As consciousness gradually faded, Stella felt herself being consumed by darkness little by little, suddenly feeling a sense of despair. Before losing consciousness, all she remembered was seeing a young man in a suit kicking open the door of the equipment room and carrying her out. When she woke up again, Aaron and Kate were by her bedside, along with Dean. Aaron hadn't gone to school that day because she was participating in a speech contest and was still wearing formal attire. Stella thought that Aaron was the one who saved her, but because Dean was also in the ward at the time, she didn't say anything further. However, Ella said that she had gone to the hospital with Ethan that day. Ella felt like she had caused a big mess and didn't dare to show up. When she heard the doctor say Stella was okay and saw Aaron arrive at the hospital with Dean, she left with a sense of relief. Later, Stella heard from Kate that Jessica and Dylan had a wedding ceremony, but Ethan ran away during his father and stepmother's wedding, which embarrassed Jessica and got him beaten up by Dylan. Stella just thought he didn't like Jessica as a stepmother. Bringing back her wandering thoughts, the Bentley had already stopped in front of the villa. Stella followed Ethan out of the car, and they didn't speak until they got inside. "What's wrong? Why so quiet today?" Ethan noticed her silence, patted her on the head, raised an eyebrow playfully, and said, "Did seeing old classmates make you start reminiscing about the past too?" Stella didn't say anything, quietly raised her gaze, and stared at the man's eyes and brows. The 27-year-old man overlapped with the image she had of him, but he had shed the naivety of high school and seemed less sharp than before. Stella suddenly remembered how Ethan used to tease her when she felt down because of a slight difference in grades, "Stella, what's wrong with you today? Need some motivation?" Unlike other schools, Jefferson High School students would have lunch and take a nap at school to save time. In her sophomore year, when her grades weren't as good, she sometimes felt upset and wouldn't go to the cafeteria for lunch because of her mood. Ethan would always 'casually' bring back a meal to the classroom, saying, "I don't feel like eating. You have it. Don't want you to pass out from hunger and bother me." Stella couldn't quite describe her current feelings. It wasn't like the sudden surprise she felt last time when she found out he had liked her for a long time. Instead, it was a belated realization that his feelings had been hidden in the various details of those long stretches of time. Ethan sulked when he received the love letter she had indirectly sent him, ran away from his father's remarriage ceremony because of her disappearance, noticed her low spirits, and even tried to please her in his clumsy and arrogant way. Although attending Johnson Financial University was Dylan's expectation, it wasn't his dream. Yet, during the year she tutored him, he spent countless nights burning the midnight oil, all because he wanted to attend the same university as her. He even chased a thief through the streets for a bracelet. But she didn't know any of this. Yet, he continued to love her, despite her ignorance, all these years. Stella had once hoped to receive the greatest love, albeit selfishly. It seemed like only that kind of affection could slowly help her let go of the burden she had carried for too long. "Why are you crying?" Ethan furrowed his eyebrows, gently wiping away the tears from her eyes, staring at her reddened eye sockets, his voice softening. Stella shook her head silently, not saying a word. Then, with a heart full of determination, she wrapped her arms around the man's neck and kissed him on her own initiative. Sensing her rare enthusiasm, Ethan hesitated for a moment, then gradually tightened his embrace. In the silent entanglement of the two, he gradually took the lead. After a while, he hoarsely said, "Is that all in the past?" Stella nodded slightly. "Good, since it's like this—" His deep eyes held a surge of emotions, deeper than the night outside. "Stella, I'm going to unwrap my gift now."