Upon hearing the other person say that he was Mason, Stella took a serious look at him. He looked different from his youth, shedding his innocence and becoming dignified and refined. He was quite handsome.
After recognizing him, Stella smiled and returned the smile. âWerenât you settled in Singapore? Why are you back now, and why are you here at the hospital?â
Mason felt a sense of familiarity, like meeting an old acquaintance, and became more enthusiastic. âMy grandmother hasnât been doing well lately, and my mom urged me to come back and see her. So I hurried back, and I didnât expect to meet you here at the hospital.â
After saying that, Masonâs gaze shifted to Stellaâs white coat. âFrom the way youâre dressed, it seems like youâre a doctor. Did you become a doctor?â
Stella nodded without saying much. Mason continued, âBack in high school, you always talked about wanting to go to medical school. I thought you were just joking, but I didnât expect you to actually become a doctor.â
Stella, not paying much attention, smiled and asked, âFrom the way you talk, it sounds like you look down on doctors.â
Mason quickly waved his hand. âNo, not at all. I just thought footstepsâ¦â
happened, you wouldnât follow in Erinâs He wanted to continue speaking, but realizing that his words were a bit too much, he quickly stopped and apologized, âIâm sorry, I spoke without thinking.â
Stella shook her head. âItâs okay, itâs all in the pastâ¦â
Erin was dead, and along with his death, all those memories disappeared.
Mason mentioned Erin again and couldnât help but ask, âErin passed away, did you know?â
Stellaâs face turned a bit pale, but she remained calm and nodded, âYes, I knew.â
How could she not know when she was the one who killed him?
Mason let out a sigh. âAlthough he died at such a young age, thereâs a saying that makes sense. Bad people will always face retribution, and Erin did some really terrible things, which is why he died so earlyâ¦â
Back then, he had bought a boat and planned to confess to Stella on the boat. It was supposed to be a meaningful and beautiful thing, but Erin inexplicably rushed onto the boat and took Stella away. After she was taken away, he heard that Erin had his men rape Stella.
Mason still regretted it. If he had been a little braver and chased Erin to protect Stella, she wouldnât have suffered such harm. But he had been afraid of Erin at that time and didnât have the courage to follow. Thatâs why Stella was bullied by the people Erin sent.
Thinking of this, Mason felt guilty. He wanted to invite Stella to have a meal, but she didnât want to go.
However, Mason said, âStella, donât worry, I donât have those feelings for you anymore. I just see you as a classmate, as a friend.â
Unable to resist his enthusiasm, Stella took off her white coat and handed it to a nurse, then left the hospital with Mason. As they were leaving, a doctor called Stella âDirector.â Thatâs when Mason learned that Arcadia, the most expensive and best hospital, was actually run by Stella.
He couldnât help but give Stella a thumbs up. âSo youâre not just a doctor, but also the director. Youâre quite impressive nowâ¦â
The young Mason used to be shy and often too timid to speak, but now he dared to tease her, which made Stella feel relaxed.
She didnât ride in Masonâs car, but drove her own car and took Mason to a moderately priced restaurant. After they sat down, she asked Mason, âWhat are you doing now?â
Mason wanted to treat Stella to something more expensive, but it was evident that Stella was still the same as before, frugal and considerate. He understood and didnât force it.
As he handed her the utensils, Mason replied, âIâm doing research and development abroad, which is related to programming.
Talking about this, Mason mentioned Erin again with a smile. âI can do this job because of Erin. If it werenât for him showing off his computer skills at school, I wouldnât have started learning computers at that young age. But itâs precisely because of that competition with him that I have my current jobâ¦â
Masonâs family background in Imperial Capital was also quite good. Stella asked, âWhy didnât you inherit your familyâs business and instead went abroad to do research and development?â
Mason picked up his tea cup and took a sip, nonchalantly saying, âMy brother is the heir, and he will take care of the family business in the future. As for me, Iâm carefree, doing things I enjoy. Besides, Iâll still receive a good share of the family inheritance. Isnât that a good thing?â
After finishing his last sentence, Mason laughed at himself. âDonât laugh at me, Iâm just this kind of person with limited ambitionâ¦â
Mason had a good temperament, which Stella had always known, so how could she laugh at such a genuinely cheerful person? âYouâre fine just the way you are.â
Confident and sunny, Mason raised his eyebrows at Stella. âRight, I think so too.â
Stella smiled, but deep down, she still felt calm. For some reason, ever since Erinâs death, Stella found it difficult to genuinely laugh. It seemed like she was carrying a heavy burden that prevented her from laughing wholeheartedly.