Chapter 5

Stella POV

"Ethan, even if you want to make room for Luna, these are my personal belongings. What right do you have to throw them away like garbage without my permission?" I trembled with anger.

Ethan walked down the stairs, looking down at me with contempt.

"Your things? Stella, name one thing you have that I didn't buy? Keeping all this cheap junk around. Do you want Luna to have to look at it and be bothered?"

He walked to the garbage bag and kicked the clothes inside with his toe, his tone mocking. "Since you're here today, take this garbage with you yourself. Don't dirty my carpet."

I stared at him, my eyes so sore they hurt, but I held it in desperately.

I walked to the garbage bag. I didn't pick up those expensive clothes and jewelry. Instead, I bent down and dug through the pile of items to find a wooden music box.

It was a trinket he'd casually tossed to me five years ago when I first became his secretary. But I'd treasured it like a precious object for five years.

Seeing the music box, Ethan's brow furrowed imperceptibly, but he quickly returned to cold indifference.

"Just taking that?" He laughed coldly. "Stella, you really are pathetically poor."

I held the music box and slowly stood up. I looked at Ethan, my eyes as calm as if looking at a stranger.

"Ethan, these five years, I've done right by every cent you paid me, and done right by every bit of sincerity I gave." My voice was soft but abnormally clear. "You treated my sincerity like garbage. That's fine. Because from today on, in my eyes, you're worth less than garbage."

With that, right in front of Ethan, I used both hands to smash that music box hard against the marble floor.

With a crisp crack, the wooden box shattered into pieces, the spring inside popped out, making a few off-key wails before going completely silent.

Ethan's face instantly turned iron-blue, the veins on his forehead throbbing visibly. "Stella, what the hell are you doing!"

I ignored his rage. I pulled out the spare key that symbolized the villa's mistress status from my bag and casually tossed it onto that pile of garbage.

"Here's your key. I wish you and Miss Sullivan eternal happiness."

I turned around and walked out of the villa without looking back.

It had started pouring rain outside. I didn't carry an umbrella, letting the cold rainwater soak me through.

Rainwater slid down my cheeks. Impossible to tell if it was tears or rain. I didn't feel sad, only an unprecedented sense of relief.

The shackles of five years were finally broken by my own hands in this moment.

Carter Group's 60th anniversary gala.

As chief secretary, I was still forcibly kept in this position by Ethan, responsible for coordinating the entire event. I wore a low-key black business suit, weaving through the well-dressed guests, calm, efficient, and flawless.

When Ethan entered with Luna on his arm, it caused a sensation throughout the venue.

Luna wore a modified evening gown version of that starry wedding dress, adorned with that ten-million-dollar pink diamond, already carrying herself like the future mistress of the Carter family.

"Thank you all for coming tonight." Ethan stood on stage, gazing tenderly at Luna beside him. "I'd also like to take this opportunity to announce some good news. Next month, I will officially get engaged to Miss Luna."

Thunderous applause erupted below. I stood in a dark corner of the ballroom, walkie-talkie in hand, expressionlessly watching that dazzling couple on stage.