CHAPTER 78: CHAPTER 78: OF THE BOUNDLESS WATERS, I CHOOSE ONLY ONE LADLE

"If you can’t bear to leave me, we don’t have to break up for now."

Can’t bear it? Not break up for now?

Stella was stunned. What the hell does that mean? Where does this guy even get his confidence?

He grabbed her just as she was about to stand up.

"Stella, can you forgive me? I won’t ever leave you again!"

She reacted like she’d just heard the funniest joke in the world.

"President Fordham, that’s a hell of an idea—you serious about building a harem? Letting all those flowers bloom at once?"

Aiden looked at her, something tender flickered in his eyes—even if he himself didn’t notice it. But his tone was firmer than ever before.

"Of all the world’s water, I only take one ladle."

Stella suddenly burst out laughing. The sound was crisp, but laced with open sarcasm.

"President Fordham, you better stop right there. That ’deeply devoted’ persona of yours could totally collapse."

Aiden frowned. "What do you mean?"

Stella stifled her laughter, looked at him seriously, but her words got even more playful.

"Oh, I just think your ladle... mmm, the way you ladle is kinda spicy!"

He stared at her, clearly lost—her words made less sense the more she spoke.

Stella didn’t bother explaining further. Instead, she unlocked her phone and pressed play on a recording.

A woman’s voice came through loud and clear, full of squeaky bragging and fake shyness.

"Me and Aiden are already living together! He’s not gentle at all, and he goes at it really hard..."

"He did it five or six times in one night—I thought he was gonna wear me out."

Corinne Kensington.

Every single word landed on Aiden’s nerves like a hammer, striking hard.

His blood pressure shot through the roof, and his face turned darker than spilled ink.

Keegan Lindsey, who was standing by, slapped a hand over his mouth in shock, eyes rounded like saucers.

Holy shit, since when did the boss get so savage? Five or six times a night?

Aiden gritted his teeth and forced out a few words.

"That’s not me!"

The ridicule on Stella’s face got even sharper, as if she’d just heard the best joke of the century.

"Not you?" She drew out the words, scanning between Aiden and Keegan.

"Then was it you?" Her eyes landed squarely on Keegan.

Keegan shuddered, cold sweat breaking out instantly.

He glanced at Aiden, whose expression screamed ’I’m gonna kill someone’, then at Stella, who looked ready to start a popcorn party. Gritting his teeth, it just slipped out.

"It’s me! It’s me!"

His voice even shook.

"I’m totally into Miss Kensington! I... I just lost control for a second... I—I’m the ladler!"

Keegan just went for broke, shoving all the blame onto himself with wild abandon.

Stella reached out and gently patted him on the shoulder.

Then, all of a sudden, she covered her mouth and chuckled, her shoulders shaking.

"Tsk. Assistant Lindsey’s acting skills are top tier."

"Hang around celebrities long enough, you pick up some real talent! Not bad!"

She didn’t bother looking at either of them again, just grabbed her stuff and turned to leave.

"Stella!" Aiden shouted after her, his voice barely holding back his fury.

Stella froze, but didn’t turn around.

Her voice was icy as it drifted back.

"Hope President Fordham takes care of his health."

"After all, God N can cure almost anything—but even he can’t save a guy dead on his feet from too much action!"

With that, she left without looking back.

Aiden was shaking from rage, chest heaving with every breath.

He spun around and stormed out in huge, furious strides.

Keegan trailed after, shell-shocked, his mind a total mess.

This plot twist... what kind of crazy direction is this?

His poor little heart couldn’t take much more!

...

Not long before four, Aiden stormed into the villa’s main hall, dark energy radiating off him.

In the living room, Corinne Kensington was sprawled across the sofa, lazily. She had a face mask on, holding a tablet, binge-watching dramas like it was her job.

The sound of the door slamming startled her.

She saw Aiden’s face, so black with anger it could drip water, and her heart skipped.

Aiden approached step by step, the pressure so intense she could hardly breathe.

He spoke, voice like ice-cold steel, fury burning beneath.

"You went to see Stella?"

Corinne ripped off her mask in a panic, eyes flickering. Damn, this woman... Did she snitch on me? That fast?

She dodged his gaze, whispering a half-assed excuse.

"No... no, I just ran into her when I went out to grab some food."

Aiden couldn’t care less about her pointless talk.

His gaze was frigid, all warmth gone. "Tomorrow. Move out."

Corinne jerked her head up, staring at him in disbelief.

Aiden showed no expression as he kept talking.

"You have two choices. One—join the crew and film your drama. Two—go overseas for further studies."

He pulled out a black card from his pocket and tossed it casually onto the coffee table. It landed with a crisp sound.

"This’ll keep you in comfort for the rest of your life."

All color drained from Corinne’s face instantly.

Her mouth opened, words stuck, tears shining in her eyes.

"Aiden, you... you’re giving up on me?" That line packed a punch—she’d always relied on it to control him.

Aiden’s brow furrowed deeply, but he’d made up his mind. No more letting her get away with anything.

"Corinne, you need to live your own life. Move forward. No matter what you face, I’ll... help you."

She suddenly jumped up from the sofa, walked right up to him. Her voice broke, but her tone was surprisingly brisk.

"Fine. I’ll move out tomorrow."

This time, she didn’t cry or beg, didn’t grovel.

Because she knew, once Aiden decided, nothing else mattered.

Aiden glanced at her coldly, the way you might look at a total stranger.

He didn’t love her anymore! She’d crossed his line again.

Still, Corinne stepped forward, tugging nervously at his sleeve.

"Aiden, don’t be mad, okay? I didn’t mean to piss her off, but what she said was over the line. I just couldn’t help it..."

She sniffled in a woeful, pitiful way.

"What did she say?"

Corinne wiped the tears from her eyes. "She called me a garbage dump for discarded men—said I only pick up the trash she throws away. And called me a homewrecker! On top of that, promised to ’clean me up’ once my new drama airs!"

Trash men? She hated him that much?

Aiden’s fists clenched tight, jaw grinding hard.

Corinne saw his rage and decided to play up the drama even more.

"I just couldn’t stand it, the way she talked about you. Aiden, you’re a prince among men! How could she smear you like that? Just because she’s not in love anymore, doesn’t mean she has to trash your name!"

"Enough!"

A furious shout—Aiden couldn’t stand another second.

He turned and stormed out.

That night, Aiden didn’t come home. The mansion was left to Corinne, all alone.

The bedroom was a total mess; every breakable thing had been smashed to pieces, shards scattered everywhere.

Hair in disarray, breathing ragged, her eyes wild and full of resentment and crazy hate.

Why should all her years of effort be stolen by Stella? That woman never deserved to exist.

She was going to ruin Stella, make sure she never had a place in Meritopia again.

After venting, something seemed to occur to her. She glanced down the hallway at the tightly closed door at the end.

Aiden’s study.

She walked over slowly, trembling hands finally twisting the doorknob open.

...