My Amnesic Ex Married My Sister, So I Married His Uncle-Chapter 79: Do What You Want to Do, Don’t Worry About Me

Chapter 79: Chapter 79: Do What You Want to Do, Don’t Worry About Me

Owen Rhodes, of course, had noticed this as well—he’d even realized it before Stella did.

The things Ethan Rhodes had said earlier, coupled with his sudden possessiveness toward Stella, all indicated that his memory was returning.

The only question was how much Ethan had remembered and what he planned to do next.

This filled Owen with a vague sense of unease.

Although Stella had said she wouldn’t dwell on the past, that was when Ethan had amnesia and had hurt her.

’Once Ethan remembers everything, will Stella still willingly stay by my side?’

He worried Stella would leave him, that this beautiful dream he had so painstakingly woven would shatter.

But he also knew that if Stella truly wanted to leave, he would, however reluctantly, probably agree to it.

He could do that for Stella.

That moment on the campus road, his anxiety had reached its peak, which was why he had resorted to such a childish method—demanding a kiss—to seek a little comfort.

Owen, not knowing the intention behind Stella’s words, gave a somewhat stiff "Mhm."

His eyes were fixed on the road ahead, not even daring to glance at Stella, afraid he might see joy and hope in her expression.

The car fell silent once more.

Cold air billowed from the vents, chilling Owen’s fingertips.

This agonizing silence seemed to sear his heart, leaving him scorched with anxiety, yet simultaneously, it was bone-chillingly cold.

It wasn’t until the car stopped in front of the villa in Lanthos Bay that Owen managed to move his fingers and find his voice. "We’re here."

He was somewhat afraid of what Stella was about to say and was desperate to get out of the car.

Just then, Stella called out to him. "Owen."

"...I’m here." As he lowered his gaze, he caught a glimpse of Stella’s fingers twisting the hem of her dress.

"What if... what if Ethan Rhodes recovers his memory..."

Owen’s heart began to plummet.

Stella carefully reached out and gently tugged on his sleeve. "If I really do cause trouble for you, you can’t just leave me. You said you’d be on my side. You can’t go back on your word."

Owen’s heart instantly shot back into place. He whipped his head around to look at her.

Stella was still rambling on. "Look, first of all, Ethan and I broke up a long time ago. I don’t go back to exes—I’m better than that. Second, you’re my husband. If Ethan really starts making a scene, it will inevitably affect you, the Rhodes Family’s reputation, and Kyros’s stock price. So you can’t just ignore it..."

Owen stared at her delicate red lips as they moved nonstop.

’All this rambling,’ he thought, ’what is she even saying?’

The next second, he leaned over and silenced her chattering mouth with his own.

His tongue traced over her cool lips. "I’m your husband. How could I not take care of you? Don’t you trust me?"

Stella’s heart had been pounding with anxiety, but when Owen suddenly kissed her, her heartbeat went completely haywire.

She stared blankly at Owen’s gentle eyes, nodding dazedly. "Mhm."

Her dazed look made Owen chuckle.

"Then what will it take for you to believe me? Should I swear to the heavens? Draw up a contract?"

"That’s... not necessary," Stella said, blinking. "Actually, you just have to say one thing..."

"Not afraid I’ll lie to you?"

Owen couldn’t resist reaching out and pinching her cheek.

"Not afraid," Stella said with certainty. "You wouldn’t lie to me."

The last trace of unhappiness in Owen’s heart vanished completely. He ruffled Stella’s hair and said earnestly, "As long as you don’t leave me, I’ll take care of you no matter what. Come on, let’s go home."

Stella’s heart finally felt grounded again. She nodded, and they got out of the car and headed home together.

As she walked through the front door, Stella was overcome with a long-lost feeling—the feeling of coming home.

It was the sense that no matter how weary you were out in the world, you could always come back to this place to rest your feet, catch your breath, and recover.

The feeling of aimless wandering that had long lingered in her heart quietly dissipated. It was as if her soul had finally found a place to belong.

Not long after they got home, Stella received a call from Ken.

The painting she had just recently finished had already been sent by Ken to be framed.

He had also held preliminary discussions with Silas Jacobs and Zion Shawcross about a collaboration. He thought it was a viable opportunity, but it ultimately depended on what Stella wanted.

Zion Shawcross was a top-tier singer-songwriter developed by Silas Jacobs’s Vantage Entertainment. He had appeared on several singing competition shows, skyrocketing to fame on the back of his talent, and had successfully held a solo concert at the National Stadium, with tickets being nearly impossible to get.

Zion had a massive and incredibly loyal fanbase, a feat few singers could achieve.

That’s why Silas Jacobs valued him so highly, and it’s why he had gone to such great lengths to contact Umi for him, even leveraging his connection with Owen.

After a year-long hiatus, Zion was about to release a brand-new solo album. The new album would feature a total of 12 new songs, all in a rock style.

The proposed collaboration was for Stella to design the album cover and create 12 custom "song impression" paintings.

One album, thirteen paintings—it was truly a grand undertaking.

Ken said, "The price they’re offering is good, but the deadline is extremely tight. You only have one month. Based on your usual pace, it’s almost impossible. There’s another issue, too. A rock-and-roll style... to be honest, I don’t think it fits with your art style..."

Ken had thought this through carefully before making the call.

Stella was a gifted painter, but her style up to this point had been predominantly tranquil, a far cry from the wild energy of rock music.

Stella thought for a moment before asking him, "Why does Zion Shawcross want to work with me?"

"I heard he’s a fan of yours. He even knows that your work won the Jason Will Painting Prize. Apparently, he’s also planning to find time to visit the Voss Art Gallery to see your work in person."

Winning the Jason Will Painting Prize had already laid a very high foundation for Stella’s career.

From now on, there would surely be no shortage of collaboration offers from people who admired her work.

Zion Shawcross could be seen as the starting point for that.

Ken tried to persuade her, "Stella, I really think this is a fantastic opportunity. You’ve been painting quietly on your own for so many years. This is a life-changing break—you have to grab it! The Jason Will Painting Prize is prestigious, but it’s mainly famous within the art world. If you seize this chance with Zion Shawcross, trust me, breaking into the mainstream won’t be a problem!"

Stella simply said, "I’ll give you an answer tomorrow. Let me think about it first."

By the time she hung up, Owen had already finished washing up.

He had changed into a set of deep blue silk pajamas and was now standing in front of Stella, holding a glass of warm milk.

He handed her the milk. "Finished with your call? We can talk about work tomorrow. Go take a shower and get some rest."

Stella looked up at him for a moment, took the milk, drank it in a few gulps, and went to wash up.

When she came out of the bathroom, Owen was sitting on the bed and beckoned to her. "Stella, come here."

Stella went over, and he immediately pulled her down to lie with her head in his lap.

Owen took a peeled hard-boiled egg and gently rolled it back and forth over her slightly swollen cheek.

His slightly furrowed brow was directly in her line of sight. She couldn’t help but reach up to smooth it out.

"Owen, that collaboration with Zion Shawcross... do you want me to take it?"

Owen looked down at her. "It’s up to you. Take it if you want, don’t if you don’t. Silas Jacobs doesn’t know you’re Umi, so you don’t have to feel pressured. Even if he did find out, it would be fine. Don’t agree just because of me."

Stella bit her lip. "But what if I become really famous? It might cause trouble for you."

Owen sighed in fond exasperation. "Mrs. Rhodes, I’m not afraid of trouble. Do what you want to do. You don’t need to worry about me."