CHAPTER 81: CHAPTER 81: THE CHRIS FAMILY MAKES A MOVE

The movement was fluid, completely natural, without the slightest hint of deliberation.

Corinne Kensington’s eyes flashed with surprise, which quickly melted into absolute obedience, and she nodded sweetly.

"I’ll listen to you, Aiden."

Stella Grant stood to the side, watching this display of "affection," feeling a little sick to her stomach, quietly turning her gaze away.

Andy Lockwood smiled, meaningfully saying, "Looks like President Fordham and Miss Kensington are about to have good news—congratulations in advance."

After saying this, he turned his head to Stella Grant:

"I’m going to say hi to Professor Warren, I’ll be back soon, then we can leave."

Stella nodded and turned away as well.

Corinne Kensington looked up at Aiden Fordham, her voice soft and sweet:

"Aiden, I’m joining the crew next week. The launch ceremony will be in Borrin. Will you come see me then?"

Aiden’s gaze didn’t linger on her face, answering distractedly.

"Of course."

The gentle, tender look from before had vanished without a trace. His eyes were tightly following that silhouette in the distance.

He said he was going out for a smoke, releasing Corinne Kensington, then quickly followed after Stella, his eyes glued to her slender back.

She was slowly walking towards the small open-air garden.

Suddenly.

Stella’s figure, right before his eyes, vanished into thin air.

Aiden’s heart clenched violently, his steps halting.

Had he drunk too much? But he’d clearly only had two glasses of champagne.

It’s not a hallucination.

He rushed into the garden, which was empty, only shadows of flowers and plants wavering.

"Stella!"

He called her name, his voice carrying an urgency he didn’t even notice himself.

A strong sense of unease seized him.

Had something happened to her?

The memory of her being injured last time was still fresh in his mind—he couldn’t let her go through that again.

"Stella! Where are you?"

At this moment, Stella was right beside him. A rough, calloused hand clamped tightly over her mouth, while another arm gripped her waist and hands like an iron clamp.

She couldn’t move, couldn’t make a sound.

Even more bizarre, she watched as Aiden anxiously walked right past her, not even a meter away.

He acted as if he could not see her at all.

This was the Chris Family’s Deceitful Concealment Technique.

A method that used special substances to bend light and fool the eye—a trick for escape.

She stared at his profile, so close to her, struggling desperately, making muffled noises from her throat, but her mouth was sealed too tightly.

Aiden! I’m right here!

Just then, a fire suddenly flared up in a dense patch of flowers ten meters ahead.

The blaze wasn’t large, but it was eye-catching enough.

Most people, seeing a fire, would automatically rush over to check it out.

But Aiden stopped in his tracks.

He didn’t move, just stood there with a grim face, calmly watching the leaping flames.

In his mind flashed the recent scene from the barbecue at the estate.

Stella had told Frances Fordham, "Take three steps back."

Their distance then was about twenty meters.

Then, Frances’s dress had inexplicably caught fire.

He quickly measured the distance from himself to the flames.

Then, he very slowly took two steps back.

One step.

Two steps.

Just right—he stopped.

He was now standing exactly in front of Stella.

Stella’s eyes widened in shock.

How did he...?

She wanted to call out his name, but her mouth was pressed even tighter.

Aiden closed his eyes.

In the next moment, he snapped them open, eyes sharp as blades.

The muscles of his strong right arm bulged, and he swung a fierce punch towards what appeared to be empty air ahead!

"Bang!"

It was as if something shattered, the air shimmering oddly.

The Stella who had just been seized by the criminal was now clearly visible to him.

In a flash, Aiden pounced, moving so fast he left only a blur behind.

He grabbed the intruder’s wrist, twisting it hard.

"Crack!"—the sound of bones snapping out of place.

The criminal cried out in pain and loosened his grip.

Aiden pulled Stella into his arms and kicked the intruder in the chest at the same time.

The assailant grunted, stumbling back several steps, slamming into the low wall behind.

But just as Aiden prepared to pursue him, the criminal’s form blurred and vanished into the air once again.

"Aiden." Stella cried his name, her voice trembling on the verge of tears.

"It’s over now, don’t be afraid, don’t be scared!"

Aiden held her shaking body tightly, his deep voice soothing in her ear.

The fresh, crisp scent on him wafted around Stella’s nose as her heart raced wildly.

Right then, with a bang, two men burst into the garden entrance.

It was Andy Lockwood and Carlos Fenton.

Carlos’s eyes were sharp, and without the slightest hesitation, he lunged toward a seemingly empty corner.

He held a small spray bottle in his hand, pressing down forcefully at the air.

"Sss—"

A transparent agent sprayed out.

Where moments before there had been nothing, the invisible assailant emerged instantly, clutching his kicked chest and trying to sneak away.

Carlos moved even quicker, grabbing the back of the man’s collar, twisting his arm, and pinning him to the ground in a clean, decisive move.

"Take him away." Carlos said coldly, and the bodyguards immediately stepped up to escort the man out.

Andy rushed to Stella’s side.

His eyes fell on her, full of obvious worry and apology.

"Stella, are you hurt?" His voice was gentle. "I’m sorry I was late."

Being called like that snapped Stella back to herself—she suddenly realized she was still pressed tightly against Aiden’s chest.

Her cheeks flushed, and she quickly pushed Aiden away, stepping back to put some space between them.

She looked at Andy, shaking her head, "I’m fine, senior."

Then, after a moment’s pause, she said flatly, "Take me home."

Aiden’s face instantly darkened.

Take her home? She insisted Andy be the one?

He’d just rescued her—wasn’t that enough to make her feel safe?

An ineffable, suffocating frustration welled up inside his chest.

Elsewhere, the black Maybach cruised smoothly through the night.

Inside, the atmosphere was heavy.

The dim light inside the car outlined Andy’s handsome features and deep eyes; at this moment, his gaze toward Stella held an unspeakable tenderness.

He turned to the silent Stella, his thin lips parting, "It’s too dangerous for you to stay in Meritopia any longer."

His voice was tinged with worry. "The Chris Family has already made a move; they failed this time, but they won’t give up, they’ll just keep coming."

He paused, adding, "Even though we eliminated three ’shadows’ before the meeting, I didn’t expect one would slip through."

Andy’s brows were tightly knitted, his face etched with concern.

Stella leaned back in her seat, gazing silently at the racing nightscape outside the window.

After a while, she spoke softly, "Senior, give me two more weeks."

"Once I finish handing over my work here, we’ll leave."

Andy’s grip on the wheel tightened slightly, his heart pounding.

She... was really willing to leave?

Just like that?

It seemed she truly decided to let go of Aiden Fordham.

"Alright!" His voice was calm, though inside he was thrilled.

As long as she leaves Meritopia, she will finally be his!

...

As night deepened, at that moment, Aiden Fordham was standing guard outside the Sterling Family gates.