CHAPTER 23: CHAPTER 23: HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT HAVING A CHILD WITH ME?

He appeared behind her at some unknown time, and at this moment, he was rolling up his shirt sleeves, revealing his strong forearms.

Stella didn’t have time to think about how he knew this; her brain instinctively reacted.

She stepped aside to make room.

Aiden Fordham sat down, his gaze calmly sweeping over the chaotic battle on the screen.

"Passcode."

His words were brief.

Stella quickly wrote down a string of complex characters on a sticky note and handed it to him.

"02090630CNLFYAMS!"

Aiden merely glanced at it; in the next second, his fingers landed on the keyboard.

It wasn’t typing.

It was speed so indescribable... a phantom!

So fast that only a blur could be seen, the keyboard sounded with an intense, rainstorm-like rhythm.

The code on the screen refreshed like a waterfall, one line of instructions precisely inputted.

He didn’t fix Stella’s firewall but directly wrote a new counterattack program.

Trace.

Locate.

Reverse penetration.

On the screen, the code refreshed at an astonishing speed, the previously arrogant attack path now seemed to have met its nemesis.

Quickly cut off, eliminated, countered!

About five minutes later, the alarm stopped.

The opponent was evidently taken aback, the momentum of the attack instantly collapsed, even showing signs of retreat.

Aiden’s eyes were cold, his fingers didn’t stop, not only kicking out all the intruders but even traced them back, the screen showing forced offline notices one after another.

On the screen, those previously aggressive attack IP addresses turned gray and disappeared one by one.

As if snuffed out by an invisible giant hand.

But Aiden didn’t stop there.

His fingers continued to type, constructing a new program.

"Done!"

He embedded the program into the system, his fingers lightly tapping a few times on the keyboard.

A shield icon with a faint blue glow appeared on Stella’s computer desktop.

"I made you a shield. With this, it won’t be so easy for them to break in again."

Stella looked at the shield, then at the man beside her, her heartbeat not yet calm.

Today, she was lucky to have his help; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Once again, he became her hero!

There was a time she believed he was so far away, but now, he was so close.

"Thanks."

She uttered the word, her voice a bit hoarse from the tension.

As soon as she finished speaking, her phone rang.

The name "Andy Lockwood" flashed on the screen.

Stella picked up the phone and walked to the window to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Stella? How are things on your end? Why didn’t you connect to the share?" Andy’s voice was filled with urgency.

"It’s all right now." Stella glanced at Aiden’s back, trying to keep her tone steady, "It’s resolved! Don’t worry, no data lost, I’ll move it to a new location tomorrow."

After hanging up, she turned around.

Aiden had already stood up, looking at her computer screen.

His gaze seemed to linger on a certain encrypted folder name.

Apparently, it contained information related to both her and Andy, possibly tied to the Global Medical Summit.

"What treasure is hidden in this computer of yours?" he asked, a low, oppressive tone in his voice, "Attracting so many experts to come after it?"

Stella was silent for a moment, then quietly replied:

"Aiden, thank you for helping me today. But everyone has their secrets, don’t they?"

Her tone was calm, with a kind of distant politeness.

"I can only tell you, these things aren’t illegal, not criminal, and won’t harm anyone, you can rest assured."

Aiden stared at her for a few seconds, ultimately not pressing further.

"Since I helped you, shouldn’t you repay me?"

Stella’s heart trembled, she tried hard to suppress the suspicion in her heart.

"Sure! What do you want in return?"

Aiden approached her, eyes containing a mischievous desire, he reached out his large hand, intending to touch her face.

She instinctively took a step back.

Aiden stared at her, dark emotions swirling in his eyes.

"Do you really dislike me touching you so much?"

His voice carried a mocking tone, along with an unnoticeable hint of hurt, "You used to really enjoy it."

At that moment, scenes of their intimate moments flashed through his mind.

He had to admit, his body liked her more than his heart did!

Stella abruptly turned her head, a smile cold to the extreme curving her lips.

"Aiden, you have a good memory, remembering the ’past’. Do you realize what our relationship is now?"

"What relationship?" Aiden sneered, "Stella, as long as we don’t have the divorce certificate, you’re still my wife! You should fulfill a wife’s duties!"

His hand reached out again, wanting to tease her by touching her face.

Stella sharply turned her head to avoid it, her eyes full of vigilance.

"Aiden, why be entangled, can’t we part on good terms?"

Seeing her annoyed expression, he suddenly laughed.

"Stella!" he softly tucked her chin, seriously saying, "Are you sure you don’t want this?"

For three years, she’d never refused him.

Stella swatted his large hand away, sternly speaking.

"Aiden, thank you for helping me today, but I won’t repay you with myself! If you ever need my help in the future, I won’t refuse."

"Alright, remember what you said, I’ll come to collect this favor someday!"

His tone carried dominance and pride.

Stella retrieved a small square blue note from the drawer, and wrote four words: One Favor Owed.

She even formally signed her English name! Scribbled in a way that made the letters unrecognizable.

"Keep it, President Fordham, make sure not to lose it."

She spoke earnestly.

Aiden took the colored paper, glancing at the elegant handwriting.

His eyes deepened!

When did he, the wealthiest man, demand favors from a little woman?

Interesting!

He couldn’t figure out why he was acting this way.

Perhaps... he didn’t dislike her as much.

Stella clearly sensed he was burdened with heavy thoughts tonight, as if something was about to happen.

She poured a cup of warm water, handing it to him.

Aiden’s mouth twitched, but he still accepted it and took a sip.

He took another sip before placing the cup down.

Stella took a deep breath and slowly spoke:

"Aiden, for three years, have you ever thought about having a child with me?"

She always wanted to know the answer!

Of course, there was also a probe; she wanted to know if the innocent child had anything to do with him?

Aiden was taken aback, not expecting her to ask such a question.

But, he had never thought about what life with children would be like for the two of them.

Three years, they also tried, but her body just wasn’t cooperative!

Yet, it wasn’t like he would give her such an answer!

He smirked without a care, cold words slipping out:

"Do you think just anyone is qualified to birth an heir to the Fordham Family?"

This statement undoubtedly pushed Stella into an abyss.

"So, even if I had a child... you wouldn’t... accept him?"

She clenched her fists tightly, glaring at him with obvious anger.

Aiden looked at her about-to-explode expression and laughed lightly.

"I won’t answer hypothetical questions like that; they’re meaningless!"

Suddenly, Aiden’s pupils shrank, he grabbed her hand, his voice somewhat urgent:

"Are you pregnant?"