Belated Moonlight: He Regretted Only After I Left-Chapter 167: Who Told You to Be So Good...

Stella Sterling’s heart seemed to stop beating at that moment.

She suddenly turned her head to look at the man beside her.

Shane Donovan was also looking down at her, his deep eyes filled with the shimmering lights of love.

His lips curved into a clear smile, a smile filled with undisguised affection. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

"You... you knew all along?"

Shane lowered his head, gently touching his forehead to hers, their noses brushing, sharing their breath.

His voice was deep, laced with a smile, "My dear wife wanted to give me a surprise, so I had to cooperate and pretend I didn’t know."

Stella’s cheeks instantly turned crimson, and she playfully hit him in exasperation, "Shane Donovan! You did it on purpose!"

He chuckled softly, grabbed her restless hand, and kissed it gently, "Yes, on purpose. I wanted to see how far my little girl would go for me."

He paused for a moment, locking eyes with her, his tone serious and tender, "You did very well, Stella. Even better than I expected."

A tidal wave of immense emotion and joy washed over her like a warm current, instantly enveloping every part of her.

Stella felt her eyes heat up, forgetting any pretense of surprise, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him on the lips...

Shane was momentarily stunned—this was the first time she had kissed him proactively...

When he came back to his senses, he immediately wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer, holding the back of her head to deepen the kiss.

Unlike his usual dominant approach, this was a kiss full of tenderness and affection.

It wasn’t until Stella was nearly out of breath that Shane finally pulled back slightly, his deep eyes filled with undisguised moisture, his voice hoarse beyond measure, "Stella, is it okay?"

What he meant by okay was clear without words.

Stella couldn’t help but blush, nodding slightly.

The next second, she was lifted off the ground, held by Shane, and carried toward the bed.

In the chaos of emotions, fireworks exploded outside with a boom, lighting up the room like daylight. Stella, with her eyes half-open, seemed to catch a glimpse of a faint dark scar near Shane’s collarbone.

That scar...

Her heart inexplicably twitched, and a flash of clarity passed through her hazy mind, wanting to see more clearly.

But the light faded quickly, night enveloping them once more.

Shane seemed to sense her distraction, biting her lower lip gently in a playful punishment before diving deeper into the kiss, stealing her breath away and interrupting her thoughts...

...

The early morning light softly streamed through the sheer curtains of the hotel room, filling the space with a gentle glow.

Stella slowly awoke, memories flooding back—last night’s grand fireworks outside, the passionate tenderness inside...

"Awake?" A deep, amused voice sounded from beside the bed.

Stella looked up to see Shane walking over with a glass of warm water.

He was already dressed, perfectly tailored in a deep gray suit, accentuating his upright posture and elegance, a stark contrast to the man who had lost control and sought her last night.

However, as her gaze fell on his well-defined hands, her cheeks burned again.

Those hands, how they ignited fires on her trembling skin last night, how they gripped her waist...

"Why is your face so red?" Shane sat on the edge of the bed, handing the glass to her lips, his eyes deep, carrying an amused knowing, "Still thinking about last night?"

Stella drank the warm water from his hand in small sips, the warm liquid soothing her dry throat, yet failing to quench the heat on her cheeks.

She glared at him in embarrassment, a hint of allure born from being completely cherished in her liquid gaze.

Shane’s Adam’s apple moved slightly as he gently wiped the water from her lips with his thumb, his voice dropping a few notches, "Blaming me? Who told you to be so sweet, so..."

He leaned closer, whispering two words against her reddened earlobe, "Beautiful."

Stella’s ears turned instantly red, frantically pushing him away, "You... don’t say that!"

Seeing her so embarrassed she was about to burst into smoke, Shane laughed softly, his chest vibrating, clearly in a very good mood.

He stopped teasing her, holding her with the blanket in his arms like comforting a child, "Alright, I won’t tease you. Let’s get up and have breakfast, hmm?"

In the dining room, breakfast was already prepared—delicate Cantonese dim sum.

The TV played the morning financial news.

Stella nibbled on a shrimp dumpling, listening to the host’s clear and precise report: "...It’s reported that The Sterling Group successfully won the bid for a core plot in Esterlyn yesterday, marking a milestone breakthrough in their ’Eastward Strategy.’ The plot is planned for construction of a large comprehensive commercial complex and high-end residential area, with significant market valuation potential. The Sterling Group’s chairman, Theodore Sterling, expressed confidence in this project, expecting it to drive a new round of growth for the group’s performance..."

The screen switched to her father, Theodore Sterling, being interviewed. He was in a sharp suit, looking spirited, chatting with ease, displaying the composure and confidence honed from years in the business world.

"Looks like Uncle Sterling has won a great victory this time." Shane placed a crab stick dumpling he had peeled onto her plate, a slight smile on his lips.

"Yes!" Stella nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling, "I knew Dad could do it."

Shane placed a peeled boiled egg in front of her plate, his expression calm, lips slightly curved, "Yes, Uncle Sterling is experienced and knows how to make decisions."

He paused, looking up at her, "Can you relax now?"

Stella nodded vigorously, like a little cat who’s finally shed its heavy burdens, lazily leaning back in her chair, "Now we can finally have a peaceful New Year."

Just then, her phone rang—it was her mother, Isla Sutton.

"Stella, are you with Shane?"

Isla’s voice was cheerful, "Saw the news, right? Your dad’s over the moon and insists on cooking himself. Do you have time tonight? Come home for dinner, let’s celebrate as a family."

Stella instinctively looked at Shane, seeking his consent with her eyes.

Shane met her gaze, smiled slightly, and nodded gently.

Stella immediately answered sweetly into the phone, "Okay, Mom, we’ll come over tonight."

"Great, great! I’ll have the kitchen prepare more of your favorite dishes! Let me know what Shane likes too..." Isla chattered happily, her joy tangible through the phone.

After hanging up, Stella felt her exhaustion from the past few days lift, her heart filled with warmth.

She had been worried that something might go wrong with her father, but now her concerns had finally settled.

The investment scare seemed to be much ado about nothing, her father’s business was flourishing, her relationship with Shane was stable, and the law firm’s branch office was about to open...

Everything was moving in the best possible direction...