Chapter 4

"Dad... did you really do that? You had an affair, and Mom knew about it? Is it true that you two have been bad people all this time?"

Stella's voice sounded broken in the living room, which now felt dead silent. Following the departure of Alex and Mia, she was still sitting limply on the floor. Her mind was in turmoil, spinning over the bitter reality that had just been slammed into her face.

Last night, she found out her fiancé was having an affair with her own best friend. Before that pain could even subside, today she had to face a far more shocking truth: Mia was the child of her father's illicit affair, and her late mother had intervened to cover up the disgrace.

Stella stared blankly at the floor, feeling an overwhelming tightness in her chest.

"Now, I'm the one who has to carry on... I'm the one who has to keep that disgrace tightly locked away," she muttered bitterly, her tears falling in silence. "It seems there will never be any happiness in my life."

"You... what are you doing here?" Stella asked in a choked voice, her eyes widening in shock when she saw the man she had slept with not long ago now standing before her in the middle of the Vance family gathering.

Ethan smirked faintly. "Why? I'm not allowed to be here?"

"Of course not! What if someone sees?" Stella looked around frantically, panicking. In her mind, the man before her was merely a gigolo who had accidentally wandered in or recklessly sneaked into the conglomerate family's mansion.

Ethan stepped closer instead, pulling Stella's waist until their bodies pressed together. "See what? See me holding you like this?"

"Let go!" Stella pushed hard against Ethan's chest. "Watch your attitude! Get out of here, right now!"

Ethan chuckled softly. "You're kicking me out?"

"Yes. Do you have any idea whose mansion this is? This isn't a place just anyone can wander into. Get out right now before you run into Ethan Vance," Stella warned in a whispered yet firm tone.

"Ethan Vance?" Ethan asked, his eyebrow rising with amusement at hearing his own name mentioned.

"Yes. He's the CEO of Vance Group, the most influential man in the most successful company in this city. You won't be able to handle him. Your career could be ruined tonight if you mess with his family!" Stella continued, genuinely worried.

Ethan let out a low chuckle, growing more amused. "Is he really that great?"

Stella frowned, confused by the man's relaxed reaction. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps approaching from the terrace echoed. Stella's heart instantly dropped. She feared it was Alex, the man she was about to marry, or another member of the Vance family.

Without a second thought, Stella grabbed Ethan's hand and shoved him into a hidden corner behind a garden pillar. "You need to get out of here right now, without anyone seeing you. You are in real danger!"

Ethan smirked, then swiftly flipped the tables. The man pushed Stella back until her softness pressed gently against the outer pillar wall.

"What are you doing? Go, quickly!" Stella hissed in panic, trying to push Ethan's chest away.

At the same time, Alex's voice could be heard calling from a distance. "Stella... are you out here?"

Stella's breath caught instantly. Her heart beat wildly against her ribs. She froze, hoping Alex would pass by quickly and not find them. However, instead of letting go, Ethan leaned down and claimed her lips.

The man took advantage of the situation in the shadowed corner of the garden. Stella wanted to scream, but she knew the slightest sound would draw Alex over. She could only submit in silent frustration while the kiss grew increasingly intense.

Her patience snapped. To stop the man's reckless actions before Alex got any closer, Stella ended up biting Ethan's lip rather hard.

"Do you want me to call your fiancé? That Alex guy..." Ethan threatened in a suppressed, dangerous tone.

Stella gasped, her eyes going wide. "You know Alex? Who on earth are you?"

Ethan smirked faintly, then reached out to grip Stella's chin, forcing the woman to look up at him. "You already slept with me, and you still don't know who I am?"

Hearing that, Stella sharply slapped Ethan's hand away. Her pride suddenly surged through her fear.

"You're just a gigolo. I already paid you for that night, so stop acting like we have any other connection. You need to be professional!" Stella hissed fiercely, trying to mask her panic.

Ethan wiped a tiny drop of blood from the corner of his lip caused by Stella's bite earlier, then smiled crookedly.

"Paid me?" The man let out a low laugh. "If that's the case, I'll return the money now. But... you'll have to pay with your body instead," Ethan whispered right into Stella's ear, while his hand boldly slid back to grasp her waist tightly.

"What kind of nonsense is this? I don't need that money, and I never expected it back!" Stella said in a strained voice, trying hard to keep her tone low so it wouldn't carry out of the garden area.

Ethan smiled crookedly, looking down at the woman before him with a challenging gaze. "You could sleep with me and pay me. Why can't I do the exact same thing?"

Before Stella could retort, Ethan continued with a deliberately provocative and condescending tone, "Or do you want me to double the money before you're willing? How much do you want? Two times? Three times? Or ten times? As long as you can satisfy me tonight, I'll give you whatever you want."

Ethan smiled with satisfaction at the changes passing over Stella's face. He thoroughly enjoyed the moment when the arrogant woman now looked terrified, trapped, and utterly confused under his dominance.

"So? Shall we head to a hotel right now?"

"You're out of your mind!" Stella hissed tightly, her breathing ragged from a mix of anger and sheer panic. She tried to push Ethan's chest away with all her might, but the man didn't budge, locking her movements even more securely against the garden pillar.

Footsteps nearby grew clearer, followed by Alex's voice calling out again, "Stella? Where are you? The ceremony is about to start."

Stella's heart felt like it was about to leap out of her chest. She glared at Ethan with wide, warning eyes, pleading wordlessly for the man to stop acting insane. Yet, Ethan only offered a faint smile, relishing every single second of panic on the face of the woman who would soon become his sister-in-law.