Chapter 74

Stella never managed to see Ethan return to the country before she set off to attend CF's new product launch event. This was the first time the two had been apart for so long since their marriage. He had been gone for half a month, and even though they talked on the phone every day, she still felt a bit lost when she woke up to see the empty spot on the bed. It was strange; she had never felt such intense longing for someone when she was immersed in her work before. He would not be back for another week, and although she wanted to see him as soon as possible, she couldn't let it interfere with her scheduled business trip. In the airport lounge, Aurora went to the dining area to get some food, leaving Stella sitting alone on a sofa by the window, browsing the files Dorian had sent her on her laptop. As she scrolled down using the touchpad, her elbow shifted slightly, causing a pen to roll off to the soft carpet at her feet. Just as she was about to bend down to pick it up, a familiar face appeared and picked up the pen for her, handing it back. "Thank you," she said coldly. Aaron traveled to NY for business much more frequently than she did, so Stella wasn't surprised to run into him here. Since she had long since moved on from Aaron, she saw no need to avoid him as if he were an enemy. Aaron glanced at the screen on the table and smiled, saying, "You always seem so focused whenever it's work." His tone carried a familiar warmth. Stella's eyelashes fluttered slightly before she closed her laptop and looked up at him, only to notice that he seemed to be carrying an unfamiliar weariness, lacking his usual vitality. She wondered if William had been causing him a lot of trouble. Aaron didn't seem to mind her indifference. He lowered his gaze and sat down on the nearby single sofa. "I used to think I knew you very well. I thought we were the same kind of person." "We're not the same," Stella frowned. Regardless of his parents, Aaron had always lived in a complete family and received the best education from a young age. In the eyes of his teachers and elders, he was almost flawless. Stella had once envied his life and considered him a role model, but she eventually let go of that because they were inherently different. "Yes, we are indeed different." Aaron's eyes dimmed, filled with bitterness. She was able to be so decisive, to withdraw without leaving any room, which made her much stronger than him. After their last meeting, he often wondered if she had ever loved him. Just like in high school, when everyone thought she liked him, he still wasn't sure. But even if he wasn't sure, even now, he didn't want to lose her, although that seemed to be a delusion. "Can we still be friends?" Aaron said, his voice hoarse. He didn't expect to win her back easily, but seeing her always so cold and distant, never showing any hope, was truly despairing. "No," Stella looked away and shook her head. "I don't want my husband to have any misunderstandings." When she first returned to the Carlson family, she endured a lot of gossip and tried hard to become like Aaron, to blend into that unfamiliar circle and gain so-called acceptance. Back then, Aaron treated her well, and Stella was grateful, but she still couldn't fully trust him or open her heart completely. No matter how many misunderstandings there were between her and Aaron, she knew that he hadn't truly betrayed her. It was just that he had many things he couldn't let go of, which required her to accommodate him, and he couldn't resolve their conflicts. Stella wanted a home. She had known Aaron for many years and had worked hard for it, but when she returned to face everything, she realized how exhausting it was to be with him. After truly letting go, she only felt an overwhelming sense of relief. Ethan made her realize that she could be more carefree, that she didn't need to please anyone or seek so-called approval. "You don't always have to emphasize this point to me," Aaron said hoarsely, clenching his fist tightly. Every time she mentioned another man, he felt helpless and lost, his mind filled with images of their current intimacy, and his heart felt as if it were being slashed by a knife, bleeding profusely. Stella frowned and retorted, "I've always believed you have your principles and wouldn't destroy someone else's marriage." Aaron smiled bitterly, saying, "You know very well why you two got married. A few months ago, you were worse than strangers without any feelings for each other. Do you really think you love him?" "No matter the reason for the marriage, the outcome is more important than the process." Having said everything she needed to say, Stella had no interest in explaining further to Aaron. "But I can't let go. I don't love you any less than he does," Aaron's voice was filled with suppressed self-mockery. "Or could you teach me how to let go of all this so easily?" He cautiously looked at her, but all he saw were her calm, unruffled eyes. "Look, that's not my responsibility. We owe each other nothing. Let's part on good terms. Don't make yourself so miserable," Stella said, her voice cold. After flying for more than 5 hours, they finally arrived in New York. It was still daytime when they landed, but Stella was a bit tired from the long time traveling. Despite the weariness, she first inquired about the situation with Dorian after they arrived at the hotel. "Dorian said that the initial negotiations with CF went smoothly. On the technical side, Mr. Roberts is very interested in Lush Aura's enzyme cutting technology. However, Nakamura Bio has given a lower bid," Aurora hesitated before finishing, then looked at Stella's expression. Nakamura Bio had recently lost several orders from second-tier brands and was now even more reluctant to lose the collaboration with CF. Having worked with CF for many years, their lower bid gave them a clear advantage. Dorian's negotiations with CF were already halfway through. If Lush Aura decided to lower the price, they would indeed have a better chance, but it would also drag them into a price war with Nakamura Bio. "We won't lower our price," Stella pondered for a moment and then added, "Go and tell Dorian not to feel pressured. It would be great to secure the CF order this time, but even if we don't get it this year, we can try again next year." In terms of pressure, Nakamura Bio, which had just made a large-scale investment in medical business, certainly faced more than they did. "What about tomorrow's CF new product launch event?" "Since we've been invited, we should go and check it out. Just because we haven't made any moves doesn't mean others haven't," Stella said. "If we find out they've done something, we can figure out how to respond later." The next day, Stella and Aurora attended CF's new product launch event held at the Sio Hotel. Nakamura Bio's representative for the negotiations with CF was the Vice President of R&D, Ishida. Ishida held a unique position as he was the son-in-law of Nakamura Bio's chairman. Stella knew that Dorian had had unpleasant encounters with Ishida when he worked at Nakamura Bio. Given that Ishida was able to leverage his connections to push Dorian out of his job, it was clear he was a shrewd individual. At CF, the decision on the partnership was to be made by Mr. Roberts and the newly appointed design director. Since Mr. Roberts had shown some interest in Lush Aura, there was a chance that Ishida might try to approach the other decision-maker. Sure enough, after the launch event ended, as Stella and Aurora left the venue, they saw Ishida leading a young man into a private room in the hotel. The man's back looked familiar to Stella, but she couldn't recall where she had seen him before.