Chapter 5

Stella's POV

Nine days left.

Chloe came to New York.

I had just walked out of the conference room when I spotted a woman's silhouette standing in the hallway of the executive suite.

Chloe was wearing an oversized men's trench coat. The sleeves were rolled up, exposing her thin wrists. She was looking at the company's corporate history wall, her long hair falling over her shoulders. She looked delicate and gentle.

I recognized that coat instantly. It was Justin's. I had accompanied him to London last winter to have it custom-made at a century-old tailor on Savile Row.

Hearing the sound of my heels, Chloe turned around.

We stood face-to-face.

A flash of provocation gleamed in Chloe's eyes, but her face instantly shifted into an innocent, apologetic expression. She walked over to me quickly, her voice so soft it sounded like it could blow away in the wind. "Stella, it's been a while."

I stopped, my eyes scanning the trench coat she was wearing. My voice was entirely flat. "Chloe. Can I help you?"

Chloe instinctively pulled the coat tighter around herself, biting her lower lip. "I'm so sorry... I just arrived in New York yesterday and my luggage got lost at the airport. It was freezing last night, and Justin didn't want me to catch a cold, so he lent me his coat. Please don't misunderstand, Stella. Justin and I are just friends now."

Just friends.

I scoffed inwardly. Friends who sign marriage certificates?

"It's just a coat. You don't need to be so tense, Chloe," I said, my gaze cold and precise, as if evaluating a worthless spreadsheet. "Though the size is clearly too big for you. You look like a toddler wearing her father's clothes. Next time, if you need something, just call Justin's assistant. He can buy you clothes that actually fit."

Chloe's face stiffened. She clearly hadn't expected this reaction. She probably thought I would scream, throw a tantrum, or lose my mind like a jealous lunatic.

Right then, the door to the CEO's office swung open.

Justin stepped out. When he saw the two of us standing in the hallway, his face paled. Instantly, he rushed to Chloe's side, shielding her behind his back, his eyes locked onto me with intense wariness.

"Stella, what are you doing here?" Justin's voice carried a nervous tremor.

Looking at his protective stance, I found it hilarious.

I was his actual girlfriend, yet he was guarding his fragile ex-wife from me as if I were a threat.

"Just walking back from my meeting," I said, waving the folder in my hand with a casual smile. "Carry on. I have reports to review."

Without giving Justin another glance, I clicked my heels and walked past them.

Justin froze.

Suddenly, he pushed Chloe aside and caught up to me, grabbing my wrist.

"Stella!"

Forced to stop, I turned back to look at him. "Do you have a work-related question, Justin?"

Addressing him by his first name so formally drew an instant, icy boundary between us.

Justin lowered his voice, his tone almost pleading. "Don't be mad. Chloe just got back to the country and is facing a lot of trouble. I'm just helping her out. There is absolutely nothing going on between us."

I looked into his anxious eyes.

Those were the eyes that had been blind for six months after his car accident. During those six months, I had held his hand, guiding him back into the light step by step. I used to believe those eyes would only ever look at me.

"I'm not mad," I said, gently pulling my wrist from his grip, my lips curving into a flawless smile. "I mean it, Justin. She's in trouble, and it's nice of you to help. Go back to her, don't keep her waiting."

My tone was completely tranquil.

He probably would have preferred me to throw a fit or slap him across the face. Anything would be better than me looking at him like a total stranger.

I didn't give him a chance to speak. I turned and walked straight through the glass doors of the risk management department.

The moment the doors shut behind me, the smile died on my face, leaving only a cold, dead silence.