Chapter 68

Stella remained silent all the way to Moonshadow Mountain. It wasn't that she was conflicted about her attitude, but she didn't know how to start explaining things to him. Did this imply that in his view, she would abandon the relationship she had finally begun with him just because of something Aaron did, and then reconcile with Aaron? Or did he think that her recent relationship with him was taken lightly, and that it wouldn't matter if it was someone else? Although Ethan wasn't in a hurry to hear her answer, he felt uneasy when she stayed silent for so long and somewhat regretted bringing it up as she had wished. He couldn't deny that ever since Kenwest, he had been slightly disturbed by others' provocations, causing him to frequently recall the frustration he felt when he saw her standing beside Aaron back then. The stone steps leading to the cemetery were narrow, and he held her hand as they walked up the mountain. The silence between them lasted for a long time. Suddenly, Stella spoke up, "Stop." She stood still, waiting for him to turn back before continuing, "I thought about it and realized I need to make things clear." "Okay," he responded nonchalantly, but he couldn't help feeling a bit nervous inside. Stella looked up at him, "If it could be someone else, why have you liked me for so long?" Just now, she had almost been led into a trap by him, nearly being accused of potentially being fickle in love. Ethan lowered his eyes, then chuckled softly, "It's not that complicated. I accidentally fell for you when I first experienced love, and you chattered away, making me fall even deeper. There aren't so many reasons." When he was young, he didn't like Jessica, not because he cared about the old man's remarriage, but because he couldn't accept that his once deeply affectionate father remarried just half a year after his mother's death. When he was a child, he had the happiest family. But when he was 9 years old, his mother passed away. Less than half a year later, the old man brought Jessica home, saying she would take care of him from then on. At that time, Ethan had no clear concept of love. He only vaguely thought that if he ever liked someone in the future, he would like them for a long time. At least, he wouldn't be like his father. After Jessica appeared, his relationship with his father became tense from time to time. Probably because he was holding in a lot of frustration, he often skipped classes and got into fights. He got used to such a carefree life until Stella suddenly came into it. She had a serious attitude about studying and looked at him with those regretful eyes. Although she seemed low-key and timid, she never gave up on her studies. She would get teary-eyed over a disappointing exam score. Just watching her silently made Ethan feel that she was both stubborn and adorable. He didn't yet understand what those confused feelings were. He couldn't help teasing her but couldn't stand seeing her in a bad mood, always pretending to be good-natured in front of others. He found various excuses to get close to her but gradually noticed that Aaron was always around her, which he found annoying. So, he had to find ways to reduce their interactions. He would often obstruct her when she tried to talk to Aaron about schoolwork and bought a ticket for the same movie when he mistakenly thought she was going to see it with Aaron. That year, during the school's spring outing, he saw that her room was next to Aaron's. He made an excuse about his room having a strange smell and switched rooms with her, who was the head of their living group. At that time, Jason couldn't help but complain, "Why are you paying so much attention to her every day? Could it be that you like Stella?" Ethan frowned and instinctively denied it, but suddenly, he understood his long-standing confusion. It turned out he did like her. After realizing this, looking at Aaron became even more irritating. But he didn't have a legitimate reason to interfere, which made him feel even more frustrated. In their senior year of high school, he found a way to get her to tutor him. She agreed but warned him that if he didn't take his studies seriously, she would quit halfway. Because of her words, he lost count of how many all-nighters he pulled. Later, she left, but on countless nights, he could still hear her chatter in his ears as she explained his mistakes. "Ethan, I've already gone over many similar problems. Why did you still get this one wrong?" "You scored five points less than you promised. Hold out your hand." "Ethan, don't sleep yet. You haven't finished memorizing your vocabulary for today." At that time, Ethan thought he must have been crazy to agree to her humiliating punishment of hand slaps. But later, he couldn't help but think that with her strict and merciless teaching style, she would probably teach kids who would excel. He even couldn't help but rationalize that she was always gentle and kind to others, but cold and harsh to him. That was something different. He thought he had indeed been trapped by her serious and earnest chatter. Even though she had been gone for a long time, he couldn't forget her. The initial fondness had turned into an obsession, and he could no longer discern the reasons. Hearing his "accusations", Stella choked up a bit, taking a breath before continuing. "I don't have that many reasons for liking you either," she paused, looking at him seriously. "There's no 'what if' about someone else treating me well and me liking them. Because right now, I'm already trapped in the pit you dug, and I can't get out." Even if his actions had been premeditated, waiting for her to take the bait, it was too late to escape now. Seeing his gaze fixed on her, Stella smiled and then shifted her eyes. "If there really is such a hypothetical situation, unless—" "Unless what?" "Unless you divorce me, then I might consider it." Ethan frowned and scoffed, his eyes lingering on her, "You should give up on that idea early. There's no way we're getting a divorce." "In that case, what are you worried about?" Stella purposely poked his tense face and asked. "Are you really that insecure? Do you think that even though I like you now, I might fancy someone else later?" Ethan finally couldn't hold it in anymore. He grabbed her "mischievous" hand, his eyebrows raising slightly, "As long as your taste remains consistent, that won't happen." "But—" he glanced at her lightly, "if Aaron ever comes looking for you, you need to tell me immediately." Even though rationally he didn't think there was any possibility with Aaron, emotionally, he still found him highly annoying. "It's just that I'm afraid you'll get jealous," Stella said helplessly. "Do you really think you come off as generous?" Since Ethan could show off their relationship on social media behind her back, it was entirely possible he would sabotage Aaron. But he did it because Aaron was still not giving up. Stella didn't intend to blame him for actions taken because of a person who was no longer relevant. Especially after learning that it was actually Ethan who helped settle Director Moore, she felt she owed Aaron nothing. "Am I not generous?" Ethan raised an eyebrow in response. Stella thought his occasional act of being generous might have come from blindly believing an article in his search history titled 'Ten Standards of a Good Man.' "You don't need to be too generous. If you keep things bottled up, we could end up with misunderstandings," she gently persuaded. "Besides, if someone approached you with ulterior motives, I wouldn't be happy either." "Oh? Unhappy? Are you trying to monopolize me?" Ethan's lips curved into a lazy smile, his tone relaxed. "Don't worry, although your jealousy makes me feel appreciated, I can't bear to see you jealous." After a pause, he added, "Even if we have kids in the future, you'll still be the one I love most." Stella was speechless at his playful attitude. "In your eyes, am I so childish that I'd be jealous of our children?" "With your current possessive mindset, it's not impossible," he said righteously. Stella was speechless to his words. Fine, she had forgotten. When a man's mood improved, he would often be shameless and turn things around. At the Malone family's house, Avery and Claire sat facing each other in the living room. Hearing the sound from the entrance, Avery quickly stood up and looked at Aaron, who had just come in. "Welcome back!" She reached out to take Aaron's luggage, but Aaron sidestepped and handed it to a nearby servant. Avery looked down at her empty hands, then clenched her fingers. Although Aaron had returned from Kenwest, his attitude toward her seemed to have become cold again. On the sofa, Claire watched the scene unfold and suddenly said, "You go upstairs first. I need to talk to Aaron." Knowing Claire's temperament, Avery took a breath, smiled, and went upstairs. Claire then looked at her travel-weary son, her expression cold. "You suddenly went to Kenwest. Have you given up this time?" Aaron sat there with his eyes closed, rubbing his brow in exhaustion, without answering. "Next month, at your grandfather's 70th birthday, he will announce your engagement. Prepare yourself well, and don't make a fool of us." "Mom!" Aaron abruptly opened his eyes. "I've said it before, I won't get engaged to Avery." Claire sneered. "Not getting engaged? Are you afraid William and the others won't find any faults in you?" She didn't like Avery either, but she couldn't let her son continue defying the old man and let the second and third branches take advantage. "Aaron, do you think the Malone family is a good place? Stella is already married now. Even if she wasn't, do you think she would get back together with you? Stella isn't stupid!" Claire continued. No one understood better than Claire how exhausting it was to be Mrs. Malone. She and her husband once had feelings for each other, but those were worn away over time as she dealt with her sisters-in-law's scheming alone. Her husband was too ruthless, and she hoped her son would be different. But Aaron was too soft-hearted. Even though Aaron repeatedly refused the old man's engagement demands, he couldn't bring himself to kick out Avery, who had caused conflict with the Fletcher family. At the upstairs corner, Avery heard Aaron's prolonged silence and silently gritted her teeth. During this time, she had tried her best to please Claire and put all her efforts into Aaron, but she still couldn't get him to relent. She couldn't understand why, even now, Stella's existence was still an obstacle in her path. Today, Kate had plans to go out with friends. As she grabbed her bag and opened the door, she saw Avery standing at the corner. Approaching her, Kate crossed her arms and stood behind Avery, suddenly speaking, "Are you eavesdropping here, hoping my brother will agree to marry you this time?" Avery's body trembled slightly. When she turned around, her expression had already returned to normal. "Of course not. Stella has already broken up with your brother. There's no need for you to hold any hostility towards me. We can clearly get along well." Kate frowned, saying, "Get along? Avery, I really don't understand you. Why do you want a man who doesn't love you so badly? Why do you do so much and constantly compare yourself to Stella? Isn't it exhausting?" During this time, Avery had not had an easy time at the Malone family's house. Just trying to please Claire was enough for her to bear. She clearly had a sum of money left by Thomas, yet she insisted on trying to invest and start a business, risking everything. But all of this was her own doing. Whether she truly liked Aaron or simply wanted the title of Mrs. Malone, Kate thought she was exhausting herself to achieve her goal. After speaking, Kate saw Avery's expression turn very unpleasant. Without waiting for a response, she laughed lightly, grabbed her bag, and went downstairs. Avery quietly watched Kate's retreating figure. She stood at the top of the stairs for a long time before taking a breath and returning to her room with a blank expression. Thinking about Aaron's silence and Kate's final words, she frowned, took out her phone, and made a call. "Lionel, where is the person you mentioned last time?"