Chapter 64

The magnificent banquet hall buzzed with mingling and toasting. Ethan stood tall among the crowd, holding a wine glass, his gaze calm. The well-tailored suit he wore made him appear even more distinguished. People approached him continuously to offer toasts. After dealing with wave after wave, Isaac walked up to him. "Boss, it's about time." Ethan nodded, set aside the glass before him, and calmly addressed the man attempting to offer a toast, "I have a flight to catch tonight. Please excuse me." With that, the two quickly left the lively banquet. Once outside, Ethan, still walking steadily, rubbed his tired temples and headed toward the Bentley parked nearby. Isaac opened the car door for him. Just as he was about to get in, a figure suddenly appeared in front of the Bentley, calling out to him. "Mr. Powers, can I talk to you for a minute?" Avery stood not far away, clutching her hands tightly. To meet Ethan, she had to attend the banquet as William's companion. But there had been too many people surrounding Ethan, and before she could find an opportunity, he had left the hall. She had no choice but to follow him out. Ethan glanced at her coldly and got into the car without responding. Isaac glanced at Avery and was about to close the car door for his boss. Seeing this, Avery raised her voice, "Aaron is defying his grandfather for Stella and is reluctant to get engaged. I don't think you would want to be made a fool of, would you?" Ethan raised an eyebrow and turned his head slightly, his unreadable gaze looking out from the dimly lit car. "Made a fool of?" Finally seeing a reaction from him, Avery steadied her nerves. "Aaron went to Kenwest two days ago. He went to see Stella," she said, pressing her lips together, trying to persuade him. "Aren't you worried about their many years of relationship? Do you think a few months with her can compare to their ten years together?" Having suffered losses twice, Avery could tell that Stella was special to Ethan. She just didn't know if it was due to male pride or if he truly had other feelings for Stella. Thomas communicated his wishes to Jonathan. Over the past few months, Jonathan's attitude had been clear: he hoped for an engagement between Aaron and her and had even let her move into the Malone family's house. Avery knew that Aaron was resisting because of Stella, even enduring Jonathan's wrath because of it. But if the two couldn't reconcile, there would eventually be a day when Aaron would compromise. Avery's reputation was already tarnished, and whether out of emotion or other reasons, she could only tightly hold onto Aaron. She thought that his attitude had softened over their time together, but he had gone to Kenwest for Stella a few days ago. If they could truly have no more interactions, Avery wouldn't want to trouble Stella anymore, but she seemed unable to escape Stella's shadow. She didn't know what might happen between the two in Kenwest. If not for that, she wouldn't have risked approaching Ethan. After all, Stella had known Aaron for nearly ten years. "Ten years?" Ethan chuckled lightly and asked back, "What does Aaron's actions have to do with her?" Avery didn't expect such a reaction from him and was momentarily speechless. The man's gaze was cold and his voice carried a hint of menace. "I think I told you before, I am never reasonable. So, don't think you can provoke me to get what you want." Having her intentions bluntly called out, Avery's face turned ashen, and she was left completely stunned. After leaving the private room, Stella called Aurora and then returned to her hotel room. She took out her room card and opened the door. The room was pitch dark. She was about to turn on the corridor light, but before she could reach the switch, she was suddenly grabbed by the waist and pinned against the wall. The familiar scent of pinewood enveloped her. The next second, a fervent kiss fell upon her lips, a forceful, almost desperate kiss that hungrily invaded and entangled her. In the dim light, she met the man's deep, blue eyes, like bottomless cold pools, drawing her in. The room was utterly silent, his actions unceasing. She could even clearly hear the intimate sounds of their deep kiss, provocatively stimulating her nerves. Breathless from his kiss, her head began to swim. She reached out to push him away, but he grasped her hand and pressed it against the wall, their fingers intertwined. After a long while, he finally paused, releasing her lips abruptly and switching on the corridor light. Gasping for air, she appeared in his hazy, deep eyes. Ethan's gaze fell on her slender wrist. Against the contrast of the white wall, the red mark on her wrist stood out even more. "Did he do this?" He pressed his lips into a thin line, and as he spoke, his calloused fingertip applied some pressure, wiping away the smudged lipstick from the edge of Stella's lips. It was the same lipstick he had just kissed off. A peculiar red stain marked the corner of the man's mouth, matching the color she wore. Stella finally regained her composure, meeting Ethan's deep, blue eyes. She realized that he was angry. The "he" Ethan referred to was obvious. Although she didn't know how he found out, she still tried to soothe him. "Don't worry, I just—" Stella paused, searching for words that might appease him, "kicked him hard." When Aaron had grabbed her and refused to let go, she had kicked him. Judging by the impact, Aaron should be worse off than she was. "Really?" Ethan raised an eyebrow, seeing the earnest look in her eyes. He grudgingly curled his lips and, with a drawn-out tone, complimented her, "Stella, you're pretty tough." Seeing him soften, Stella smiled and took his hand. "And—" "And what?" He glanced at her, waiting for her to continue. Stella rested her head on his shoulder, her voice cheerful. "I told him that you're my husband and I love you." As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt his body stiffen. She looked up at him, catching a glimpse of him taking out his phone. A few seconds later, his deep voice resonated in her ear, "Say it again." His expression was calm and composed. However, the conspicuous screen showed that he had just opened a voice memo app.