CHAPTER 19: CHAPTER 19: FORCING CORINNE KENSINGTON INTO A CORNER

He lifted his head slightly from her neck, gazing at the wall with a dazed look, then his tone unexpectedly turned somewhat tender, as if coaxing a child throwing a tantrum.

"In the future... no matter what day it is, as long as you want, you can come over anytime... I... can give it to you."

This irrelevant answer made Stella’s heart sink completely.

He was not sober at all!

Taking advantage of his unawareness, Stella suddenly turned around and bit his shoulder fiercely!

She used great force, and almost immediately tasted the metallic tang of blood.

Aiden Fordham groaned but instead of anger, a twisted excitement crept over his smile.

"Ha... Does my wife want to try something new?"

The pain seemed to stimulate him, making him even more excited.

He moved closer to her again, one arm tightly locking her in his embrace, the other lifting her chin, about to kiss her again.

"Aiden Fordham! No!" Stella’s tears fell, her voice hoarse as she called out desperately for help:

"I’m sick! Please... don’t touch me."

Aiden’s actions paused once more.

He looked down at her tearful appearance, a flicker of struggle and hesitation in his eyes.

His calloused finger pad toyed with her soft red lips, in a gesture that was oddly tender.

In the past, he would have already pressed himself onto her.

But at this moment, looking at her stunning icy eyes, he... hesitated.

His voice was terribly hoarse, "Then help me in another way."

At this critical moment!

"Knock, knock, knock!"

A clear knock on the door sounded, accompanied by a familiar and anxious voice.

"Stella! Are you in there? Are you alright?"

It was Andy Lockwood!

Hearing Andy’s voice outside the door.

The madness in Aiden’s eyes not only didn’t decrease but increased, a hint of violent excitement even crossed over.

As if the prey was about to be taken away, arousing his stronger possessiveness.

"Let me out!" Stella lowered her voice, with a sob and plea.

Yet Aiden was like a provoked beast, lowering his head to kiss her again.

He wanted to make some noise to make the person outside the door retreat in recognition.

"Mmph!"

Outside, Andy clearly heard the commotion inside, his voice grew more urgent, even carrying the momentum to break down the door.

"Stella! Answer me! Aiden Fordham, you dare lay a finger on her, just try it!"

In Stella’s chaotic mind, a thought abruptly flashed, and she instinctively raised her hand, touching the necklace she always wore around her neck, with the large blue gemstone.

Her fingers exerted force, gently twisting the blue gemstone, a very faint, almost imperceptible special fragrance began to waft from it.

Aiden, who was buried in her neck, inhaled a few traces of the fragrance unprepared.

His movements stiffened, the crimson and madness in his eyes receding at a visibly rapid pace, replaced by bewilderment and lethargy.

In the next second, his tall body softened completely, losing consciousness!

He fell heavily onto Stella.

Stella helped him onto the bed, then clumsily tidied up her disheveled dress and hair.

She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her wildly beating heart and trembling body.

Then, she walked to the door and opened the cabin door.

Outside, Andy was anxiously waiting, his forehead covered in sweat, his hand still posed as if to break down the door.

When he saw Stella disheveled, with red-rimmed eyes and slightly swollen lips, Andy’s face instantly darkened, a raging fire igniting in his eyes.

He could probably guess what had just happened inside.

"Aiden Fordham!" Andy roared, stepping past Stella, ready to go in and beat up the bastard who dared to harm her!

"Don’t!" Stella grabbed him, her voice still hoarse, tinged with the exhaustion of surviving a catastrophe.

"I’m fine, take me off the ship."

She only wanted to leave this suffocating place immediately.

Andy looked at her pale face and her attempt to appear calm, his heart aching immensely.

He suppressed his anger, took off his suit jacket, and gently draped it over her shoulders, covering the red marks on her fair skin.

Then, he took her hand.

"Alright, let’s go."

The night was deep, but the fireworks over the sea continued to bloom brightly, and Stella and Andy were already on the yacht heading back.

She bravely looked up at the sky’s beauty, yet her eyes brimmed with tears!

Her heart was bleeding, gasping for breath.

That year, she was only 10 years old, she was put in a wooden box, drifting down the river.

The river water slowly seeped in, wetting her clothes, the night was very dark, and she was very cold.

She cried out in fear and despair for help!

That day was New Year’s Eve, through the cracks of the box, she saw the beautiful fireworks blooming in the sky.

That display of fireworks became a pain engraved in her bones.

And he, yet rewarded the world with it!

...

Close to midnight, Stella dragged her exhausted body back to the apartment.

She soaked herself in the bathtub, closing her eyes, but could not get rid of the weariness that seeped into her bones.

The ambiguous red marks on her fair neck were particularly glaring.

They were left by Aiden Fordham.

Her mind uncontrollably echoed his words—"I didn’t sleep with Corinne Kensington."

She couldn’t understand, then why was he so obsessed with her, defending her?

Suddenly, she remembered that white figure, remembered his cold gaze and bleeding left hand.

Her mind was a mess, like it was stuffed with wet cotton, heavy and confusing.

Forget it!

She shook her head, trying to shake off those chaotic thoughts.

She quickly finished her bath and climbed onto the soft big bed.

The night was deep.

Just as Stella was drifting into dreamland, the network in Meritopia completely exploded.

[Shocking Scandal! The pure actress Corinne Kensington suspected of coming between the second Grant heir!]

[Sterling Family’s eldest daughter tears apart the mistress? Video of Corinne Kensington getting slapped in public surfaces!]

[Corinne Kensington’s image collapsed, past scandals uncovered!]

Numerous media accounts, like sharks smelling blood, frantically reposted the news with pictures and words.

In the photos, Corinne Kensington and Abraham Grant were pulling at each other in a dim corner, the angles provocative, stirring imagination.

The video of Vivi Sterling’s actions was high-definition and uncut.

In the footage, Vivi Sterling was furious, the slap loud and crisp, Corinne Kensington was hit so hard she saw stars, clutching her face and crying like a pear blossom bathed in rain, pitiful yet revealing a quite pathetic appearance.

The onlookers were utterly thrilled watching the drama unfold!

Corinne Kensington’s team quickly initiated damage control, trying to pull the trending topics, only to find no way out.

Aiden Fordham’s side, calls went unanswered as if fallen into the abyss.

The power of the Sterling and Grant families stood there; who would dare offend these two titans for an uncertain future of a starlet at this precarious moment?

Thus, the news snowballed, continuing to ferment.

The three related trending topics were pinned at the top of the list, followed by a bright red "explosive" sign, the discussion breaking tens of millions with ease.

Corinne Kensington was utterly dumbfounded.

She hid in her apartment, staring at her phone screen with venomous comments and endless termination notifications, her whole body icy cold, as if plunged into an ice cave.

No, she couldn’t collapse!

She would make Vivi Sterling and Stella Grant pay a heavy price...