CHAPTER 136: CHAPTER 136: HIS ADVANCE, HER RESISTANCE

When Aiden Fordham pushed the door open, he looked like he was consumed with rage.

Stella Grant was changing clothes, her white dress was only halfway on, barely covering her front.

He strode forward, wrapped his arm around her, and lifted her horizontally, throwing her heavily onto the bed.

"Aiden Fordham, what do you think you’re doing! Get out!" she screamed, her voice trembling a bit.

His face was cold as ice, every word squeezed out through clenched teeth: "I want to have another child with you."

With that, he leaned down, and his scorching lips pressed down.

Stella Grant’s mind buzzed blank.

What did he just say?

Has he gone mad?

"Aiden Fordham! Get off me, don’t touch me!" she screamed, using both hands and feet to try to push him away.

But he was like an enraged lion, completely ignoring her cries, his large hand tearing at her dress with a "rip" sound as it split apart.

The cold air hit her skin, making her shiver even more.

"Slap!" The sound of a slap echoed.

He didn’t wake up, his mind filled only with the desire to possess her.

Perhaps he had suppressed it for too long, at this moment, he only wanted her.

At this moment, his eyes surged with a terrifying red, like a demon crawling out from hell.

"Aiden Fordham, have you gone crazy? Get a grip, let go!" Stella Grant had never seen him so out of control before.

She tried to push him with all her might, but her small hands were pinned above her head, pressing down heavily.

He bent down, kissing her neck, while his other large hand forcefully pried her legs apart.

"Ah, Aiden Fordham, let me go." Stella Grant anxiously shouted.

He remained unmoved, wild, and overwhelming kisses engulfing her.

"Aiden Fordham, let me go, mm..." In a panic, Stella Grant accidentally bit her tongue, tears almost rolling out from the pain.

The metallic taste of blood instantly spread between their lips and teeth, and despite this, his aggressive actions didn’t stop; at this moment, he was more like a bloodthirsty fiend, savoring the sweetness in her mouth.

"Keegan, help." she suddenly shouted, "Keegan, get in here!"

Keegan Lindsey had been listening outside the door for a while, anxious like ants on a hot pan, and hearing Stella Grant’s call, he steeled himself to charge in.

The awkward scene before him, the boss and his wife "fighting" on the bed, was not something a small assistant like him should see.

"Drag him away, quick!" Stella Grant shouted again.

"Oh no, President Fordham, you... you..." Keegan Lindsey hurriedly came over, dragging away the irrational man.

Stella Grant quickly got up, adjusted her dress, and walked over to Aiden Fordham, giving him a hard slap.

"Slap!"

The man’s face was hit to the side, his eyes gradually growing darker.

Stella Grant, still not satisfied, clenched her small fist and threw a punch directly at his handsome face.

"This is too much!"

The pain from the punch made her shake her hand.

This finally snapped Aiden Fordham back to his senses, flashing scenes of chaotic loss of control earlier shocking him.

Suddenly, he shot a murderous glance at Keegan Lindsey, coldly asking, "What did you put in the porridge?"

Keegan Lindsey: "..."

Keegan Lindsey was instantly petrified.

Who am I, where am I, what role do I play today?

Stella Grant looked at Keegan Lindsey suspiciously?

"It was... the... the old man... gave it... fertility recipe." With a guilty look, he suddenly knelt down, "President Fordham, I was wrong, please punish me!"

"Hmph! What nonsense!" Stella Grant glared at Keegan Lindsey and walked out angrily.

Aiden Fordham gently wiped the bright blood from the corner of his lip and said lightly, "Later, go to finance and claim six months’ bonus."

Keegan Lindsey’s face immediately brightened, "Okay, thank you, President Fordham."

"If you can’t coax her back, you’ll stay here forever!" After saying that, Aiden Fordham turned and walked out.

Thunderstruck!

Aiden Fordham went to the study and made a call to the old man in the name of Mr. West.

He gave him a brief report of the past few days, mentioning that sometimes he found himself doing strange things uncontrollably.

The old man comforted him, saying that in about five or six days, he would return and bring the antidote, also asking him to take good care of Stella.

After hanging up the phone, he felt a bit more at ease.

After all, the old man is God N’s mentor, indeed, this poison is nothing to him. Andy Lockwood calculated everything but missed this!

Around noon, Stella Grant returned briefly to Skylake Peak.

Vivi Sterling was happily clinging to Charles Sterling, ready to go out, talking about seeing some "Celebration of Love Festival."

As soon as Charles Sterling saw her, his brows furrowed, "Stella? Why are your eyes red like a rabbit’s? Who bullied you?"

Stella Grant quickly composed herself, "It’s nothing, just sand got in my eyes."

No one knows a child better than their father, Charles Sterling patted her small hand, "Alright, tomorrow, come home with me."

Vivi Sterling muttered on the side: "I haven’t got my passport sorted yet. Old man, what about your passport?"

Charles Sterling snorted: "I don’t have it."

He came here on a free flight!

Not far away, Zane Zimmerman’s eyes darkened, as long as he doesn’t give the nod, no one should easily leave.

Charles Sterling took Stella Grant to a secluded balcony.

"I heard that Aiden Fordham is here too, did he bully you?" His tone carried a hint of probing.

After a pause, he asked again, "What’s going on between you and that Mr. West?"

He only found out later, that the man with the golden mask, who fought in the battlefield, was Mr. West.

He was baffled, why do the men here all love wearing masks, is there something unsightly on their faces?

Stella Grant whispered, "Aiden Fordham is injured, recuperating. Dad, I want to go home."

She leaned her head on his shoulder, he comforted her, go back if you want, go home with Dad.

She nodded, her nose feeling a bit sour!

After a while, Vivi Sterling walked over and dragged them away.

In the end, they all went to the famous Crimson Lake in Mardale.

Beside the lake was a vast lawn adorned with many garlands woven with fresh flowers.

This was the renowned site for the confession ceremony in Mardale.

At this moment, over a hundred young girls, holding colorful Seven-color Fruits, were shyly yet bravely confessing to their beloved boys.

The breeze brushed past, and petals from the trees fell, fluttering everywhere in a romantic and warm scene.

Vivi Sterling moved through the crowd like a joyful butterfly, playing and running around with great enthusiasm.

Zane Zimmerman followed her from a distance, his expression indifferent, yet he exuded an intimidating aura that made people around him subconsciously bow in respect.

But his brows were furrowed because he was hesitating about whether to make that decision.

Once initiated, he might lose her.

That was a result he could not bear to face.

Stella Grant sat alone on a stone by the lake, watching everything before her, feeling out of place.

Her thoughts drifted far, far away.

She recalled sneaking up to the school bulletin board over three years ago before she decided to leave school and return home.

With a lily bought from a roadside flower shop in her hand, she spoke emotionally to the photo of the spirited Aiden Fordham, "Aiden Fordham, I’ve come back for you."

Back then, her heart was filled with joy and dreams.

Why did things eventually come to such a conclusion between them?

Seemingly close, yet growing further apart!

At this moment,

she wanted to forget his kindness, forget her love for him, and even forget her hatred!

She buried her head in her knees, her shoulders trembling slightly, and suddenly thought of that child. Silent tears fell, hitting the dry stone and leaving small dark marks.

The cool autumn breeze blew from the lakeside, bringing with it moisture that made her thin body feel a bit cold.

"Don’t cry!" A familiar voice that made her heart skip a beat sounded above her head.

It was Aiden Fordham.

He had arrived at her side without her knowing.

His cheeks were flushed, still showing the mark from the slap she gave him that morning.

"I’m sorry." His voice was hoarse, filled with deep regret, "This morning... I was too impulsive and scared you."

He watched her carefully, lowering his stance, "Please don’t be angry, okay?"

"Forgive me!" He knelt on one knee on the lawn before her.

He, Aiden Fordham, had never humbled himself to apologize like this to anyone before.

In the past, he wouldn’t, due to his innate arrogance and disregard for all.

Now he could, because he knew better than anyone that her tears had soaked his heart.

Stella slowly lifted her eyes, which were brimming with tears and struggle.

"Go away!" Her voice carried anger, clearly still upset about the morning’s incident.

At this moment, a little girl about five or six years old, with two braids, came running over.

She handed a string of Seven-color Fruits tied with a red thread to Aiden, her childish voice crisp and clear, saying:

"Grandma said if Brother wants to propose, he needs to use this fruit!"

Aiden instinctively opened his palm, and the string of brightly colored, gem-like Seven-color Fruits fell into it.

Heavy.

He knew the customs here well.

Women use the Seven-color Fruit to confess their love.

And for men to propose, they must return the Seven-color Fruit given by the woman and add one more to it.

That extra one represents a steadfast heart.

He clenched the unexpectedly received fruits tightly, his knuckles turning white, yet he remained frozen, motionless.

Seeing this awkward, suffocating scene, Stella abruptly stood up and walked away briskly without looking back.

Aiden slowly stood up from the ground as well, silently following her, keeping a distance, always walking behind her.

Suddenly, he seemed to understand something.

True love, it turned out, wasn’t possession.

Sometimes, just watching her figure and knowing that she is well is... invaluable.

If the heart has no place to call home, then everywhere is a journey!

At the street corner, a pair of sharp eyes watched that beautiful figure.

Suddenly, a big bear in a blue mascot suit walked over, blocking Stella’s way.

It wanted to give her a lily.

"No, thank you." Stella politely declined, intending to leave, but the bear stubbornly blocked her path.

Realizing something was wrong, Aiden hurriedly rushed over, pulling Stella behind him, his long leg delivering a flying kick.

The big bear was kicked five meters away, laying on the ground groaning in pain.

Its headpiece was knocked off, revealing Keegan Lindsey’s crumpled face.

Startled, Stella ran over, "Keegan, why is it you?"

Aiden’s face darkened, what’s this fool trying to do dressed like that?

"Oh dear!" he groaned on the ground, his body round and clumsy, unable to get up, "Madam, I came to apologize to you."

"There’s no need!" Stella replied coldly.

"Madam, if you dare to forgive me, I dare to tell you two big secrets!" He struggled a couple more circles, still unable to get up, "It’s about President Fordham, I guarantee... you’ll be satisfied!"

Stella turned back to glance at Aiden, her face playful, "Let’s hear it."

Keegan was about to speak when Aiden’s handsome face appeared in sight, exuding a chilling aura!

Keegan: "?"

Biu, a nonchalant whistle blew.

Oops... a plane!

In the evening, Stella still caught up with Keegan alone...