Stella Grant’s mind went blank, then anger surged through her.
She forcefully pushed him away, "Aiden Fordham, have you lost your mind!"
Aiden Fordham stepped back and steadied himself, his face slightly roguish, even a bit shaless.
"I saved you, shouldn’t you repay with a kiss?"
His voice wasn’t loud, but carried a sense of entitlent.
Stella Grant found this man utterly unreasonable. She rolled her eyes, too lazy to argue with him, and reached to shut the door.
"Bang——"
The door didn’t close.
Aiden Fordham’s hand was quicker, holding the door panel, and then, with a big hand, he pulled her out from inside.
The force was considerable.
Stella Grant stumbled, her wrist firmly grasped by him.
"Co with ."
The man’s tone brooked no refusal.
Stella Grant struggled, her wrist aching from his grip.
"Aiden Fordham! Let go! Where are you taking ? What do you want!"
She was both angry and anxious.
Aiden Fordham pulled her towards the elevator, raised an eyebrow at her.
"Of course for dinner. Or do you have other ideas?"
His tone stretched, teasingly.
Stella Grant shot him a glare, silently cursing "lunatic" in her heart.
But her wrist was clamped in his grasp, impossible to break free.
The elevator door opened, Aiden Fordham pulled her inside and pressed the button for the rooftop garden.
They were the only two people in the elevator, the space confined.
The atmosphere was sowhat tense.
Stella Grant turned her face away, looking at the blurred reflection on the elevator wall, avoiding his gaze.
Aiden Fordham, however, was quite relaxed, tilting his head to scrutinize her.
She was wearing a white dress he had prepared, fitting in size, but her complexion was not good, showing fatigue and resistance.
The elevator slowly ascended.
Ding——
The top floor was reached.
The elevator doors slid open, and a fresh floral scent greeted them.
The view suddenly opened up.
The hotel’s rooftop garden was carefully arranged, surrounded by clusters of blooming flowers, various in breed and vivid in color.
The air was filled with rich, sweet fragrance, and soft music flowed through the flowers, barely noticeable.
Not far ahead, on the central table, rested wine, crystal-clear goblets, and lit candles.
Candlelight flickered, illuminating everything around, exceptionally romantic.
Aiden Fordham finally released her wrist, gentlemanly pulling out a chair for her.
Stella Grant liberated her wrist, rubbing the reddened part.
Without looking at Aiden Fordham’s smiling face, she sat down rudely.
No matter what he was up to, she was indeed hungry.
Aiden Fordham, seeing her "cooperation," curved his lips, feeling pleased.
He sat across from her.
Soon, a waiter pushed a dining cart over, placing exquisite delicacies on the table.
Steak, salad, creamy soup... The aroma was overwhelming.
Stella Grant picked up a knife and fork, bent her head, and began slicing the steak.
She was starving, only wanting to fill her stomach, not interested in dealing with the man opposite.
She ate attentively, practically ignoring his presence.
Aiden Fordham did not disturb her, pouring himself a glass of red wine, gently swirling it.
Under the candlelight, his profile was distinctly outlined, handso to an unreal degree.
He watched her eat, quiet, well-behaved, not as prickly as usual.
This seed to be their first formal dinner together.
Aiden Fordham tid it perfectly to raise his wine glass toward her.
"Stella, I saved you again." His voice carried a hint of laughter, "Shouldn’t you at least say thank you?"
Stella Grant picked up the water glass beside her, took a generous sip, "President Fordham, thank you for saving ."
The gratitude was casual, more like fulfilling a task.
Aiden Fordham didn’t mind her attitude, continuing, "From now on, whenever I save you, you owe a kiss."
His tone beca assertive, commanding, "Whether you agree or not, I will co to collect."
Exchanging a life-saving favor for a kiss, the deal sounded fair but made Stella Grant furrow her brow.
This man seed to be getting shaless! She looked up, earnestly observing the man opposite.
"Aiden Fordham." Her voice was calm, "How did you know yesterday, I was 20 ters from the fire?"
This question had been on her mind all day.
How could he find her so precisely? Unless... he had seen Chris Family’s [Deceitful Concealnt Technique]?
Aiden Fordham’s hand holding the wine glass paused for a mont.
He did not answer directly, instead raised his hand, gently touching the spot over his left chest.
Through the shirt, he felt the heartbeat there.
"Because you are here." He looked into her eyes, speaking slowly, "I can feel where your heartbeat is."
This answer, deeply affectionate, yet seed evasive.
Stella Grant rolled her eyes again, turned her face away, not wanting to indulge his rhetoric.
Slick-tongued.
Still, in her heart, she felt grateful to him.
This was the fact.
If he hadn’t appeared in ti yesterday, she would have been kidnapped! Today, she might have been trapped in that small pavilion by that person.
Whenever she was in danger, he always found her first.
This, she couldn’t deny.
Suddenly, she felt that the Aiden Fordham in front of her seed to have genuinely changed a bit.
But also beca harder to understand.
anwhile, in the observation elevator, a figure dressed in blue was slowly ascending, getting closer to them.
The woman was on the phone, her tone firm and assuring, rest assured, tonight will succeed!
Aiden Fordham’s voice rang again, carrying a seriousness and... a plea?
"Stella Grant, can you give another chance?"
He gazed at her, eyes focused.
Stella Grant’s heart felt a gentle nudge, then quickly hardened.
Her gaze turned cold, like it’s been quenched with ice.
"Chance?" She curled her lips as if mocking, "I already gave you one, but you didn’t want it."
Her voice wasn’t loud but clear, each word striking Aiden Fordham’s heart.
Aiden Fordham’s expression instantly beca unpleasant.
He knew which chance she was referring to, the ti he abandoned her.
Silence fell over the room again.
Candlelight flickered, highlighting the changing expressions on their faces.
Aiden Fordham lifted his wine glass, took a sip of red wine, his Adam’s apple moving.
He set down the glass as if having made up his mind.
"Stella, I know, I did many things in the past that disappointed you."
"But I can guarantee..."
"Aiden Fordham." Stella Grant interrupted him suddenly, her voice not loud but firm.
"I’ve had enough, thank you for the dinner!"
She did not want to hear his guarantee any further, nor wanted to give him any false hope.
After speaking, she stood up, ready to leave.
Aiden Fordham reacted faster, standing up as she did, taking a step forward, once again grabbing her wrist.
Again, at the sa spot.
Stella Grant jerked her hand but couldn’t shake it off this ti.
She completely lost her patience, her voice turning cold.
"Aiden Fordham, what exactly do you want?"
She stared at him, eyes filled with undisguised annoyance and decisiveness.
Aiden Fordham held her wrist tightly, his grip strong, his knuckles white.
He silently looked at her, emotions swirling in his eyes - pain, reluctance, and a hint of... pleading?
After a long mont, he spoke, his voice a bit dry.
"Will you dance with ?"
Just one dance.
Stella Grant looked at him, suddenly smiling faintly, the smile shallow but colder than ice.
"Aiden Fordham, it’s aningless, don’t waste your effort on , it’s irretrievable!"
Each word was like a dagger, stabbing into Aiden Fordham’s heart.
Aiden Fordham watched her indifferent profile, his chest tightened in pangs.
He stubbornly refused to let go, "Stella Grant, it’s just one dance, what are you afraid of?"
The romantic music continued to flow in the air.
Aiden Fordham slightly bowed, his distinct hand extending toward Stella Grant.
His gesture carried an undeniable demand!
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