Chapter 13 Nothing to Do with Each Other Anymore
Shane boarded the plane to Capital City in the middle of a downpour.
The flight took off smoothly, though the cabin buzzed with restless chatter from business travelers.
“Of all days, why does it have to storm today? We’ve got a bid opening tomorrow–who knows if we’ll land safely.”
“Pilot said we might hit turbulence on descent…”
Shane couldn’t hear any of it. Every minute felt agonizing.
Why did Star go back to Capital City?
Who was that man with her?
Why… won’t she see me?
When the plane jolted violently, the captain’s voice echoed through the speakers.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please remain seated and fasten your seatbelts… We’re preparing for an emergency landing…”
Each announcement shook the cabin more than the turbulence itself.
Shane’s heart pounded in his chest. Around him, people were praying, calling loved ones to say goodbye.
Am I really going to die?
Even in the chaos, Shane’s mind clung to one thought–Star still hadn’t come back.
That girl who’d been by his side for thirteen years.
He’d sent message after message to Stella.
All of them were blocked.
Why wouldn’t she respond?
When the plane finally landed, bouncing roughly on the tarmac, the cabin erupted in cheers.
Shane, however, just felt nauseous. His stomach churned, his face pale. Ignoring the nausea, he rushed off the plane, called for someone to track Stella, and headed straight to find her.
He’d nearly died-
And in that moment, all he could think of was Stella.
He had to
see her.
“…Emergency landing successful. No injuries reported…”
The voice of the TV host rang out in the background.
Stella had turned it on just to fill the quiet in the house.
She happened to catch the broadcast–a reporter, teary–eyed, celebrating the miraculous landing of a troubled flight.
She couldn’t help but smile faintly.
It really did seem like a good day.
By midnight, her stomach was growling. She ordered takeout and soon received a call from the delivery guy.
1/4
+8 Pearls
“Security’s too strict at Music Bay. We can’t get in.”
“I’ll come get it.”
She hadn’t hired a housekeeper yet, so she had to go down herself.
Just as she reached the complex gate and took the food-
A familiar voice called out behind her.
“Star!”
That voice. That name. Only one person used it like that…
Her grip on the plastic bag tightened instinctively. She turned around.
There he was–once always polished and proud, now disheveled, clutching his stomach, eyes full of emotion as he looked at
her.
He’d finally found her.
But the memory of all those unanswered messages fueled Shane’s rising anger. He took a few steps forward, trying to grab her hand.
“Do you know how long you’ve been gone? Seven days, twelve hours, twenty–nine minutes! You came back to Capital City and didn’t say a word to me! Do you have any idea how worried I was-”
The bell tower at the center of Music Bay struck midnight.
Happiness, like Cinderella’s gown, vanished when the clock struck twelve.
Stella’s chest still ached for Shane–but her body moved first, stepping back to avoid his hand.
“You remember the time down to the minute. But none of it means anything anymore.”
“Whatever we had is over. From now on, you live your life, I’ll live mine. We have nothing to do with each other.”
Her stomach growled again.
Right now, her hot takeout mattered more than a regretful love.
She turned to leave.
But Shane grabbed her wrist.
Disgust rose in her throat.
This was the same hand he’d used to hold Wendy–and now he wanted to hold onto her?
She yanked her arm away and snapped, using the exact tone Shane once used on her:
“When are you going to stop causing scenes?”
“I’m here to apologize,” Shane said quickly, stepping closer. “We didn’t miss our chance. If you’re willing, we can pick a new date, get married whenever you want. I’ll make time—I swear.”
“I don’t need that.”
Stella turned again.
Shane’s patience shattered.
He’d risked death to find her–and she still rejected him?
“Stella, why can’t you be more like Wendy–understanding-”
2/4
Smack!
She swung back around and slapped him hard across the face, her eyes rimmed red.
“Let me remind you: the moment you went looking for Wendy on our registration day, we were done!”
Security guards came rushing over.
Stella took two steps back. Seeing Shane’s stunned face, she gave a cold, self–mocking laugh.
What was he so surprised about?
She had simply walked away.
Wasn’t that exactly what he wanted?
“This man’s a stalker. Please deal with him.”
She turned and walked off, nearly crumpling the food bag in her hand.
-Wait, Star-!”
“Apologies, sir! If you continue to cause trouble, we’ll have to call the police.”
The guards quickly restrained Shane.
He struggled fiercely, breaking free long enough to take two steps forward.
Just before the elevator doors closed, their eyes met.
Hers were filled with nothing but cold disappointment.
Shane’s heart twisted painfully.
It took a whole team of guards to finally drag him out of Music Bay.
Back in her apartment, Stella set the hot takeout on the table.
But she had no appetite to eat.
She barely slept that night.
The next morning, she arrived at the Johnson Corp PR department early.
Her coworkers avoided eye contact. No one even handed her any work.
Her eyes cooled, but she had no intention of just sitting around.
She’d just stood up to explore when James called.
“Get to my office. Now!”
“So aggressive…”
She rubbed her ear and headed for the top
floor.
As soon as she walked in, James slammed a stack of folders on the desk in fury.
Everything was going fine–how the hell did the Landons freeze all our projects? Stella, did you piss off Mr. Moses behind
our backs?”
“I told you to treat him well! This is what you call treating him well?!”
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His finger jabbed the folders hard enough to tear through them.
Stella remained calm and skimmed the files.
They were all Johnson Corp’s bidding projects.
But the Simplicity Bay project–her project–wasn’t listed.
So Moses wasn’t targeting her.
“Moses only agreed to Simplicity Bay. The rest of your projects? Not my problem.”
“Maybe you should ask yourself–did you offend him? Or maybe you upset Moses’s wife?”
“I’m just a PR intern. I don’t handle these things. You’ll have to ask someone more qualified.”
She watched James’s face darken, then casually turned to leave.
“Wait!”
James
James called out urgently.
Stella was Mrs. Landon now–of course she had influence with the Landons.
Whether these projects went through or not was up to her.
Johnson Corp couldn’t afford more losses.
“Star, we’re all family. You’re part of Johnson Corp. You can’t just stand by and watch the Landons destroy us.”
