CHAPTER 131: CHAPTER 131: STELLA GRANT’S "LAST WORDS

The night was deepening, and the family members and children in the dining hall were gradually leaving.

Vivi Sterling suddenly asked, "Are there any customs for a woman to confess her love to a man?"

Zane Zimmerman looked at the spirited girl and slowly spoke, "They would pick Seven-color Fruit, make it into a bracelet, and give it to their beloved man to express their love."

"Wow, a Seven-color Fruit bracelet, that sounds so romantic!" Vivi Sterling’s eyes sparkled, "Someday, when I have time, I’ll get a Seven-color Fruit, and let you wear it!"

She looked at Zane Zimmerman, her eyes filled with undisguised, intense love.

Zane Zimmerman just looked at her indulgently, not shattering her beautiful fantasy.

She probably didn’t know that the reason the Seven-color Fruit is precious and rare is that it grows at the frigid and deep lake bottom, impossible for ordinary people to pick.

Moreover, each Seven-color Fruit tree only bears one color of fruit each year, and the color changes every year.

To gather seven different colors of fruit, how hard could that be?

In the affluent area, Seven-color Fruit bracelets were not popular as they considered them too cheap. But in the poor area, young girls had been collecting Seven-color Fruit for their loved ones since their early teens.

By the time they come of age, they usually gather all seven colors to weave into a bracelet full of love to confess to their beloved man on a special day.

Stella Grant’s eyes suddenly lit up. Could the Seven-color Fruit be the legendary Little Immortal Fruit that grows in contrast to the Seven-color brocade, all originating from Mardale!

Aiden Fordham immediately caught her micro-expression, was she interested in the Seven-color Fruit?

The dinner party was nearing its end, and both Stella Grant and Vivi Sterling had drunk quite a bit of red wine, their cheeks flushed with a beautiful blush, and their eyes slightly dazed, quite enchanting.

Vivi Sterling wobbled over to Stella Grant, hugging her neck and murmuring drunkenly in her ear:

"Stella... my dear Stella... you must... you must bring my brother home safely... the old man will be thrilled!"

"Okay, okay, I know." Stella Grant laughed, gently patting her back, responding softly.

"I’ll take care of her." Zane Zimmerman appeared out of nowhere, effortlessly lifting the drunken Vivi Sterling horizontally and steadily making his way upstairs.

Once in the room, Vivi Sterling’s roguish nature began to emerge as she groped and hugged Zane Zimmerman.

Zane Zimmerman firmly grasped her little hand, the smell of wine heavily on his breath as he whispered in her ear, "Didn’t you say it still hurts, don’t provoke me!"

A deep voice tinged with restraint!

Vivi Sterling looked up, a smile breaking on her lips, yet mindlessly bit his Adam’s apple, shouting, "Hurry, attend to me, I want to sleep!"

Zane Zimmerman’s heart trembled, he held her in his arms, kissing her lips while shedding the excess from her body.

With kisses tinged with wine, once started, they were unstoppable. He lifted her, pressing her against the wall...

Vivi Sterling’s body shook, suddenly sobering up, but unable to stop his wild plundering!

Allowing him to take her, once again sinking into mountains, deep seas, and clouds...

The hall instantly quieted quite a bit.

Aiden Fordham’s slender fingers reached for a cup of warm water, handing it to Stella Grant.

"Are you alright?" His deep voice was remarkably clear in the quiet space, "Do you want to go out for a walk to sober up?"

Stella Grant took the cup, the warm sensation spreading from her fingertips.

She nodded, a faint smile appearing on her lips, "Mm."

Stella Grant and Aiden Fordham stood side by side at the edge of the cliff.

In the distance, the night view was as brilliant as a river of stars, the spotlight on top of the castle slowly and firmly rotating, like a giant eye, inspecting every corner of the city.

It lit up the darkness, also bringing an inexplicable sense of oppression.

"Is that light... a warning light?" Stella Grant asked softly, her fingers unconsciously curling slightly.

Aiden Fordham’s gaze followed the beam, his voice steady, "That is Mardale’s symbol. No matter what happens, as long as the searchlight is on, it represents safety."

Safety.

A wave of inexplicable respect surged in Stella Grant’s heart for the unknown, real "Mr. West."

She sighed softly, "If one day, that wall could come down, it would be nice."

After a moment, she added, "By that time, there will be no class division, and rich and poor can marry freely."

Aiden Fordham heard this, slightly tilting his head before looking up at the night sky, the moon was very round, and the gentle light shone everywhere.

"The moonlight is nice, make a wish." His voice deep.

Stella Grant looked up, her gaze moving from the bright lunar disk to his moonlit profile.

The golden mask refracted a cold sheen, making her somewhat dazed.

She took a deep breath, her eyes exceptionally serious, "If one day I die, please don’t bury me."

The voice was not loud but clearly reached Aiden Fordham’s ears.

"In the next life, I want to decide my own life."

She finished, tugged the corners of her mouth into a faint smile, yet her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

Once, she thought love could bridge mountains and seas, with ships to cross the sea and roads through the mountains, but time had defeated her.

She did not want to repeat the same mistake!

Aiden Fordham felt a sharp pain in his heart, like something piercing him.

Did she hope... not to be his wife in the next life?

Or, did she not wish to become "Mr. West’s" wife?

The night wind blew through her long hair, knocking away her armor, only leaving a façade of strength.

She turned, looking into the distance, "I once gave a man a pair of sleeve buttons, sapphire, very pretty, hoping he can still remember."

Yes, that was her final "words."

Aiden Fordham had seen those sleeve buttons; they were a birthday gift from her last year.

He just never wore them! Why was she thinking of this now?

Suddenly, he instinctively reached out, tightly embracing her.

Her body was a bit stiff, but she didn’t resist.

This, perhaps, was their last embrace in this lifetime.

She quietly leaned against his chest, feeling the strong beat of his heart.

"Mr. West," her voice was light, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor, "in the future, love yourself well."

After speaking, she gently pushed him away, turned around, and left without looking back!

Resolute, yet with solitary courage.

His heart felt as if it had been forcibly torn open, bloodied!

The night grew darker.

He still stood at the edge of the cliff, the cold wind flapping his clothes, rustling loudly.

Zane Zimmerman emerged at some point, handing him a cigarette.

"I heard Mr. West has deployed the main force of the team to the south," Zane lit a cigarette, took a puff, his tone ambiguous, "Looks like there’s going to be a tough battle tomorrow."

Aiden Fordham took the cigarette but did not light it, merely holding it between his fingers.

"I don’t care if you’re Zane Zimmerman," his voice was cold, carrying an undeniable force, "I hope you can guard this place well tomorrow, don’t let any harm come to them."

He had long seen through that this Zane Zimmerman was an impostor. How could a bloodthirsty demon fall in love with Vivi Sterling?

"Zane Zimmerman" laughed quietly upon hearing this, the laughter was particularly clear in the night wind.

"The real Mr. West wouldn’t become so concerned over a woman, nor would he redeploy half the city for her."

How could he not know that the Mr. West in front of him was a fake?

The two men stared at each other through the night, both reading something in each other’s eyes.

They both had someone they wanted to protect, something more important than life itself.

Around five in the morning, Aiden Fordham donned his black combat uniform, boarded the helicopter, and headed to the southern forest.

Her vendetta, he would avenge; her crisis, he would shield; he would not allow anyone to harm her by even a fraction...

The next day, Stella Grant awoke, her head heavy with dizziness.

The sunlight was blinding; it was already noon.

She suddenly sat up. How could she have slept so soundly? Last night’s alcohol shouldn’t have done that.

The faint, elusive cold fragrance in her room... it was a sleeping incense! He actually used this on her!

Stella was burning with anger, hurriedly changed her clothes, and rushed downstairs.

In the downstairs dining room, Zane Zimmerman and Vivi Sterling were having lunch.

The aroma of food was in the air, but it did nothing to calm Stella’s anxiety.

As soon as Vivi saw her, she immediately put down her knife and fork to greet her, her big eyes full of concern.

"Stella, you’re finally awake! My goodness, you were more out of it than I was!"

She held Stella’s hand, feeling her forehead, "Does your head hurt? I had the kitchen make some hangover soup, go have some."

Stella had no mind to drink soup, her gaze urgently scanned the dining room.

"Aiden... Mr. West?" she asked, breathlessly, her voice trembling slightly.

Vivi tilted her head, looking puzzled, "Mr. West? I didn’t see him, maybe... still sleeping?"

Stella’s heart sank, she turned around, ready to rush upstairs.

"Mr. West left early this morning," Zane suddenly said, his voice steady, emotionless.

He wiped his mouth with a napkin and continued, "He asked me to tell you to wait here for his return."

Stella stopped in her tracks, turned sharply, and looked at Zane in disbelief.

"He went... to the south?"

Zane didn’t say anything, which was tantamount to confirmation.

"Take me down the mountain!" Stella shouted at the guards by the door, her voice carrying a command.

The guards remained expressionless, bowing slightly, informing her that without Mr. West’s orders, no one was allowed to enter or exit. The way down had been sealed.

So, he had imprisoned her here? Stella trembled with rage, yet there was nothing she could do.

She took a deep breath, suppressed the agitation in her heart, and suddenly turned, with a determined look, walked towards Zane, "Mr. Zimmerman, can we talk?"

A moment later, Zane and Stella walked out of the study side by side.

He looked solemn, picked up his phone, and dialed a number, "Send up a helicopter, and bring a team."

With just one sentence, Stella had persuaded Zane to fight alongside her, and that was... the power of love!

After appeasing Vivi Sterling, they boarded a helicopter in no time, headed rapidly south.

Approaching the Southern Mountain Range, the air was already rife with the smell of gunpowder.

Stella looked down from the porthole, at least seven or eight places in the forest were billowing smoke, as if just after a fierce battle.

In the distance, the faint sound of gunfire echoed.

Her heart tightened even more.

The helicopter hovered over a relatively flat hilltop.

The sudden appearance of the helicopter caused both sides in the firefight to pause strangely.

All eyes turned towards this unexpected guest.

The cabin door slowly opened.

Stella stood at the doorway, the mountain wind lifted her long hair, revealing a face as cold as ice, her eyes sharp as knives.

Her voice was small, yet clear across every corner.

"Erwin, I’ve come."

When Erwin saw Stella’s face, his eyes erupted with terrifying zeal, like a starving wolf seeing the most delicious prey.

He raised a hand abruptly, his voice excitedly changing pitch, "Everyone! Fall back! Prepare to welcome our esteemed guest—the real God N!"

His subordinates quickly regrouped, adjusting their formation, evidently readying for the final showdown.

While on the other side, the moment Aiden Fordham saw Stella’s face, his brows furrowed intensely.

Anger rolled within his deep eyes, almost gritting his teeth in silent curse.

That damn Zane Zimmerman!

And hidden deep within, another pair of eyes watched that pretty face, indecipherable...