Chapter 6

"Be good to me. Do everything I ask. Otherwise... the entire Vance family will curse you for betraying Alex," Ethan whispered sharply beside Stella's ear. The warmth of his breath felt like a terror tightening around her throat.

Stella had no choice. With her hands still trembling violently, she nodded quickly. "All right," she replied softly, barely audible.

A moment later, Stella and Ethan returned to the main dining room separately. Before that, Stella was forced to use a scarf to cover the red mark now visible on her neck because of what Ethan had done.

Alex, who had been waiting for Stella by the door, immediately noticed it and asked, "Why are you suddenly wearing a scarf?" he whispered.

"I just want to look pretty in front of your family." Stella answered carelessly before entering the room.

As soon as she stood before the long dining table filled with members of the Vance family, Stella took a deep breath, pushed aside the remnants of her embarrassment, and bowed slightly.

"Please forgive me... I ran away on the day before my wedding to Alex. It was purely because I was foolish and panicked," Stella said, forcing her voice to remain calm in front of everyone. "I never meant to embarrass anyone. I was foolish and didn't think things through. Please... forgive me."

The dining table suddenly fell silent. Judgmental gazes immediately turned toward her.

"A problem this serious can't be resolved with a simple apology, Miss Moore," one of Alex's uncles remarked coldly and condescendingly.

"I know," Stella replied without hesitation, without a trace of her former arrogance. "I deserve to be punished. That's why I'm sincerely asking for forgiveness, hoping the Vance family will forgive my insolence. That way, Alex and I can reschedule our wedding."

To Stella, being branded a disgrace or looked down upon by the Vance family no longer meant anything. Her pride had already crumbled on that cursed night. Now, there was only one thing occupying her mind: protecting the reputation of her late parents from public ridicule and making sure the company they had left behind did not collapse.

However, one thing continued to grate on her nerves and make her chest tighten—the presence of Ethan. The man kept staring at her from the other end of the table, his gaze burning silently as though Stella were nothing more than easy prey waiting to be devoured.

While the entire family was still arguing and making a fuss over Stella's actions, which they considered a disgrace to the Vance family's reputation, Ethan merely curved his lips into a mocking smile at her. The man seemed to enjoy every second of the suffering hidden behind Stella's calm facade.

Bang!

Suddenly, Edward Vance—Ethan and Alex's biological father—slammed his hand against the table. The loud impact instantly silenced every argument. The room fell completely quiet once again.

Edward swept his gaze across the entire table before speaking firmly. "Stella has admitted her mistake and apologized. And the marriage between the Moore and Vance families will still take place as planned. There is no need to argue about this any further."

Everyone immediately fell silent and lowered their heads obediently, a clear sign that no one dared to defy the head of the family.

Edward then turned toward his eldest son. "What do you think, Ethan?"

Ethan leaned back in his chair, glancing at his father before his gaze returned to Stella, who was holding her breath. The man smiled faintly, his expression filled with meaning.

"If she has sincerely apologized, then it's only right that we forgive her," Ethan replied casually. He briefly glanced at Stella before adding in a light tone that contrasted sharply with the tense atmosphere at the table, "Besides... I'm hungry. I want to eat. You know, I don't have much time to waste on pleasantries."

In order to save Stella from a lengthy interrogation—and, at the same time, maintain control over his prey—Ethan deliberately used his hunger as an excuse. Hearing the words of the family's primary heir, everyone finally nodded in agreement, putting an end to the argument, and dinner officially began in stiff silence.

The tense and oppressive dinner finally came to an end. Stella walked out of the Vance family mansion with heavy shoulders and a mind in turmoil. All she wanted was to get into her own car, go home, and collapse onto her bed after being completely drained of energy.

However, just before she reached her vehicle, a hand suddenly grabbed her arm and swiftly pulled her away from the main parking area toward a more secluded spot.

Before Stella could even protest, she was pushed into the cabin of a luxury car with a dark interior. The door immediately closed tightly behind her. When she looked up to see who had done it, her heart sank. This wasn't her car. It was Ethan's luxury sedan.

"You..." Stella gasped in shock, her breath instantly catching in her throat.

From the driver's seat, Ethan casually turned toward her with a crooked, secretive smile. "Yes, it's me," the man replied calmly, as though nothing was wrong.

Stella pressed herself against the car door, trying to create a safe distance within the confined space. Her hands trembled violently as she stared at him with wary eyes. "What are you doing?! Let me go! I want to go home!"

Ethan didn't answer immediately. Instead, he automatically locked the car doors using the control near the steering wheel, making Stella panic even more.

"Go home?" Ethan repeated mockingly. He briefly removed his suit jacket before leaning his face toward the cornered Stella. "We're not finished with our business, Miss Moore. Did you think everything was over after dinner?"

"I already apologized in front of your family! And according to your demands, I'll still marry Alex!" Stella snapped, struggling to maintain the last remnants of her dignity in front of the man who now held control over her life.

Ethan let out a low laugh, his baritone voice echoing through the silent cabin. His warm fingers suddenly reached out, touching Stella's jaw gently yet gripping it firmly, forcing her to look directly into his eyes.

"Do you think I care about your marriage to Alex?" Ethan whispered directly in front of Stella's lips, his gaze turning dark and dangerous. "I don't care, Miss Moore. Ever since that first night between us... the only thing on my mind has been you."

Stella felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. The sudden kiss, the forced touch, and the veiled threats all came rushing back into her mind. She realized that besides Alex's threats, there was now another, far more dangerous threat looming over her—Ethan.